Broken Records Part Four

"Strip him," Boss ordered watching as the agents walked into the room where they had kept Phantom. Phantom was laying on floor with his eyes closed holding his neck from them tying a rope around to see if they were able to break it. They did, but his healing had kicking into overdrive in order to keep him from dying.

"Why?" Agent O asked as they entered and dragged Phantom to the end of the room and chained him to the wall. The Boss grinned evilly.

"There are some things that I've been thinking that could very well break him," Boss bragged as they took off the Hazmat suit. They threw it to the other side of the room. Phantom shivered and opened his eyes trying to figure out what they were doing. The Boss grinned looking Phantom up and down. The scars from previous battles and then the bruises and burns from the experimenting they had been doing for the past week were now more visible than ever. The lashes from the whip were cleaned as an angry red surrounded the long wounds. "I would like you to leave now." The agents nodded grinning and left giving smug looks back at Phantom. Phantom shook in fear once more as Boss strutted closer so slowly holding the whip, and taking off his jacket.

"Phantom," Maddie whispered slowly moving enough to look at the ghost. Phantom had shook and let out a long breath before becoming still. "Hey, come on. Phantom?" Maddie asked worriedly as Jack backed away to make sure Phantom was okay. He was breathing slowly and unconscious.

"Did he cry himself to sleep?" Jack asked as Maddie moved him completely on the bed and covered him up enough so that just his injured arm and head was left.

"I believe that he has a lot of mental healing to do, and withdraw isn't helping. Hopefully tomorrow he'll be able to get back on his feet. He was more than likely just really stressed out," Maddie whispered as she rolled Phantom's sleeve to see the wound better. "He's scratched it opened. I think he started seeing things that aren't there. The doctors had explained to us that sometimes people going though withdraw will see things that aren't really there. I guess Phantom is one of them. We have to keep a constant eye on him to make sure that he doesn't seriously injury himself."

"Do you think he'll go back to being Amity Park's hero again?" Jack asked as Maddie grabbed the First Aid kit from under the bed. Phantom had shifted slightly, but otherwise remained sleeping.

"He has to have an obsession and chances are, he'll have to in order to keep it going," Maddie sighed as she got the gauze and dressing out. Jack grabbed the antiseptic and gently rubbed it on the wound. Phantom flinched and rolled on his side away from them, but Maddie still had his arm. She put the dressing on and carefully wrapped it.

"Yeah, but he's different, what if he doesn't need to fill his obsession like he had, what if he just needs to protect someone?" Jack questioned sitting at the foot of the bed. "He could change his obsession enough to where he'll only protect certain people."

"Well, I think that we will be in that small circle," Maddie whispered grabbing Phantom's hand on holding it. "He's so young."

"I know, I asked him how he died, and he said something about being electrocuted half to death," Jack mused. "That's why I asked about hybrids. What if he's one?"

"Jack, I don't think hybrids are possible," Maddie sighed. She loved her husband, but sometimes his mind worked in the clouds. "Phantom may just be a different type of ghost that we haven't come across yet."

"Oh come on, have an open mind," Jack whispered in her ear causing her to shiver. "It's more fun that way."

"Jack, not now," Maddie hissed giving him a quick kiss. "We have to make sure that Phantom is okay." Maddie patted his head and smiled. Jack sighed as Phantom groaned and rolled back over facing them.

"Can't he ever stay asleep longer than an hour?" Jack grumbled sitting down on a chair that was in the room. Maddie smiled at him.

"More than likely no since he was always fighting ghosts. He probably never got much sleep to begin with," Maddie mused as Phantom slowly opened his eyes. "You can't stay asleep for very long, can you?" She gently ran her fingers in his hair. Phantom grinned as he put his arms under him to lift himself up.

"No, I can't," he mumbled as he noticed the bandage. "What happened?"

"We were hoping you could tell us," Jack answered watching Phantom move to look at him. Phantom was stiff and defensive still. "What do you remember?"

"Pain," Phantom answered looking down at the bed with worry. "That's all I can remember," he whispered trying to keep from falling back to the bed. Maddie gently set her hand on his back to make sure he wasn't going to attack out of fear. She felt him tense and move ready to be hit, and she felt like crying at that. Phantom was acting just like an abused child, and she didn't want to see anyone feel like that even if he was a ghost.

"It's okay," Maddie comforted gently running her hand up and down his back making him shake. He looked at her in fear as Jack stood up and placed his hand over Maddie's.

"We're here, so you don't have to worry. We're not going to hurt you," Jack smiled as Phantom slowly relaxed. "We'll keep you safe here. You'll always be safe here."

"Always," Maddie smiled glad her husband had said something like that. She never understood where that was, but he always knew how to make people feel safe. It was one of the qualities she loved about him.

"Thanks," Phantom whispered as he slowly lower himself back to the bed. He felt them watching him with cautious and figured that something happened that made them wary of him. Maddie watched him as his turned slightly and caught a glimpse of his ribs as they poked though the thin fabric of the shirt she had found. She gently put her other hand on his side and gently ran her finger between the ribs. Phantom flinched and shied away. Jack watched the interaction with interest as Phantom seemed to be ticklish.

"I'm going to make some lunch," Maddie announced suddenly making Phantom jump a little. Jack smiled as she got up and left. Phantom looked at Jack expecting him to suddenly turn and torture him.

"I didn't tell Maddie I found a needle under the bed when she was holding you," Jack whispered looking at the hybrid. "Please tell you didn't inject yourself with something." Jack slowly sat closer to Phantom hoping for something.

"Not that I remember," Phantom mumbled sitting straight up as memories started flooding his mind. He had been able to hold them back, but the dreams and nightmares were constantly haunting him now. It wasn't helping him get over the withdraw, it was making it worse. "I don't know."

"Phantom," Jack sighed sadly knowing the ghost wasn't going to be very helpful. "You heard of the Specter Deflector?" Jack asked as an idea came to mind to avoid anyone thinking the Fentons were nuts for keeping their shield on for the remainder of Phantom's recovery. Phantom eyes widen when Jack mentioned the deflector.

"Yes, why?" Phantom questioned timidly giving Jack a slightly hurt look. Jack sighed seeing the fear and pain Phantom was showing. Jack figured he had run into the invention at one time.

"I can change the setting to where you can't use your powers, and I may have to do that so you don't get yourself into more trouble than you are already in," Jack explained hoping Phantom would see where he was coming from. "Phantom, if you can still use your powers, you'll be more tempted to go out and try to find something. You might even become so desperate that you'll go back to the Guys In White, and I believe that's exactly what they wanted."

"I hate that thing," Phantom mumbled turning away from Jack. There was suddenly a scream from downstairs and both Jack and Phantom sat straight up and stared at the door.

"Stay here," Jack ordered getting up and cautiously walking to the door. Phantom slowly moved, but a pain shot though him. Jack looked back seeing Phantom holding his middle with his eyes closed tightly. "Damnit, Phantom," Jack asked walking back to the ghost. "Come on, not now."

"It's them," Phantom whispered, and Jack understood. They would have something to track him. "They found me, how?"

"I have an idea, but you're not going to like it," Jack whispered slowly picking the ghost up. "You have to trust me; it's the only way to keep you safe." Jack put a hand under Phantom closing any areas that would be easy to attack for Phantom. Phantom gave a shudder as pain racked his body again.

"I feel like crap," Phantom mumbled turning his face into Jack's Hazmat suit. Jack sighed figuring Phantom knew what he was talking about.

"I'll take care of you. I won't let anything happen," Jack promised as he made his way to the lab. He could feel Phantom shaking in silent panic. He walked up to the Op Center and took the direct route to the lab to avoid anyone seeing him and Phantom.

"What the hell do you people want?" Maddie growled glaring at the two agents on her doorstep.

"We believe that a specimen of ours is here," O declared looking quickly though the house. K pushed her aside.

"You don't have a warrant, get the hell out of my house," Maddie screamed grabbing her ecto gun and aiming it at them.

"Ma'am we're the good guys, just put your weapon down," K stated calmly putting his hands up. Maddie knew they would deny anything Phantom told them, so she played a card that hopefully Jack would understand. "Please, we are looking for a very dangerous ghost."

"We're ghost hunters," Maddie spat wishing to pull the trigger. "Get out of my house before I call the police. You have no warrant, and you have no business here. Chances are the ghost you are looking was caught by us, or came though here hoping that the portal was open," Maddie growled tightening her grip on the weapon trying to restrain herself from shooting the idiots in front of her.

"We just need to know what ghosts you have. You know as well as I do that the Ghost Kid is very difficult to work with," K explained with an evil glint in his eye. "Please, we are looking for him, and if you have him, we'll give you a reward."

"I don't want your money, Pig. Get the Hell Out of My HOUSE," Maddie yelled firing just past their heads. "You guys are the reason everyone thinks we're insane!" She played her card as she heard Jack run up the steps. She smiled knowing that he had put Phantom down there in order to make sure their tracks were covered, and that Phantom was safe.

"Mads, are you alright?" Jack asked running into the room to see the Guys in White agents standing there. Phantom was right, and he was glad that he took the ghost to the lab and put him in one of their ghost shields. It was like a cage, only not as scary as chains which Jack was pretty sure they used to keep Phantom there with them. "I heard you scream."

"I want them out of my house," Maddie growled as the gun charged up again. Jack looked at the agents as a quick plan formed in his head.

"You guys know she just got her son back, and she hates when people come here who she doesn't trust. So do me a favor and leave," Jack ordered pointing out the door.

"Fentons," K began only be cut off when Maddie fired again. She pointed to the door. "We'll come back with a warrant. Mayor Masters can give us one."

"Not a valid one," Maddie growled. "You can only get valid warrants though a judge and have a reason not some made up piece of garbage, you moron." Maddie started shaking wanting to rip these people to shreds for hurting her son and Phantom. Jack walked up to her and put a gentle hand on her shoulders.

"Guys, you are probably getting readings from our lab. We are scientist so chances are you are just getting our experiments to show up," Jack explained feeling Maddie relax into him. The agents glared at them.

"We have done enough on Phantom to know his ectoplasmtic signature," O commented remembering Jack's worship to them. Although, they didn't know that Jack felt like killing them as well. "That's the reading we keep getting from here."

"The Ghost Portal," Jack deadpanned playing with fire. "He's probably using it to get in and out of the Ghost Zone." Jack sent a look at Maddie to tell her to go to the lab and make sure Phantom was okay. She got the silent message and quickly walked away.

"Where is she going?" O asked watching her disappear into the lab.

"To calm down," Jack exclaimed hoping to get them away. "Hey, you guys did experiments on Phantom? Can I have some copies of the research?"

"No, it was incomplete when he escaped," K answered glaring at the man that started rambling off about ghosts again. Jack smiled glad he knew exactly how to get them out of the house the fastest without destroying them and sending them to the Zone. An idea he had played around with when he set Phantom on the floor of the lab, and now he was going to try and make it work. He was careful not to give them any more ideas that would involve torturing the ghost anymore. He was going to try to make it so that way Phantom didn't need to see them.

"Phantom?" Maddie whispered quickly running down the steps. Her husband had made a great cover just in case they had a real warrant. She spotted him in one of the small ghost shields her and Jack used to keep the bigger ghosts they had caught. He was lying in the middle on his side facing away from her. "Hey, Phantom, are you okay?" she asked as she walked up to the shield and put her hand though it. Phantom moved slightly but otherwise remained still.

"No," he mumbled slowly putting his arms under him to lift his torso off the ground. "Are they gone yet? I don't like being in here."

"Not yet, I was about to kill them so Jack made me come down here to make sure you were okay," Maddie explained putting her hand on his side. He put his legs under him so he could sit. "I know you don't like it, but Jack's idea here will keep you in our care if they do see you. They should let us keep you considering they lost you the first time, and they can't really get a warrant that's legalized."

"Yeah, but they'll know where I am," Phantom mumbled taking her hand and holding it hoping that it would calm his nerves knowing that he was going to be okay. "And they won't stop until they get me back."

"They won't, me and Jack are registered as legal ghost hunters, so the Guys in White can't take away any ghost that we caught. If they do, they'll not only have to give it back, but also pay a heavy fee to us," Maddie explained hoping to calm the ghost. "We put claim on you, and they can't do much. Only if you escape from us can they get you again." Maddie gently rubbed the top of Phantom's hand with her own that was being held. Phantom shivered as a cold spell went though him, and Maddie pulled him a little closer. "They won't be able to do anything to us. You are protected here, but we'll do anything we can to make sure you're put in our custody."

"Custody?" Phantom murmured looking up at her. "Why?"

"Something I wanted to talk to you about after you got better," Maddie explained putting her other hand to his face. "About what happened when you first showed up about a year ago with the robberies and kidnapping."

"Those weren't what you thought," Phantom mumbled looking down. "Not my proudest moments either."

"I'll say," Maddie stated sternly. "But we can talk about that later. For now just try to get better."

"I was new to it," Phantom muttered looking at the ground. "I had no control over anything that happened, and there wasn't much I could do to change it."

"Phantom, I'll listen to your story when I can trust that you're not delirious," Maddie smiled putting her hand under his chin and making him look at her. "Trust me; I'll listen when I can completely understand what you are saying. You're a really quiet talker. Although I never would have thought that about you a month ago," Maddie mused listening for signs that Jack had gotten the agents out of the house so Phantom could go back to the guest room. Phantom looked at her and smiled a little.

"At least you're willingly to listen, no one else will," Phantom mumbled as a pain shot though him again. "When is it going to stop?"

"Depends," Maddie mused. "Can I do something that you probably won't like? I might be able to guess about how long it'll take." Phantom looked at her with worry as he weighed the pros and cons of her doing something. He would get an answer to what was happening and they would have a better idea of how to help, or it would just hurt him more than it already did. "Please, it won't take much."

"What?" Phantom mumbled looking at his hands and tracing the bones with his eyes. "What do you have to do?"

"Ectoplasmtic sample," Maddie whispered stroking his cheek with her thumb. "I can get it from your arm…"

"Like drawing blood, only instead of it being red, its green and glowing," Phantom mumbled looking at her. "What exactly would it tell you besides the fact that's its ectoplasm?"

"It'll tell me what else is running around your body and what chemicals might be causing your pain," Maddie explained gently squeezing Phantom's hand that was still holding hers. "It'll help me understand your body's reactions and maybe I can make something that could help lessen the pain."

"If it can't?" Phantom questioned looking up at her. Maddie sighed knowing he wanted every reason he could get to not to let her do it.

"Then I just have a sample of your ectoplasm. I'll probably destroy it so no one can get it," Maddie explained hoping that Phantom would go ahead and let her. She wasn't planning on learning anything unless it helped the ghost. When he gets better, she was going to ask if he would let her get a couple samples that wouldn't hurt him.

"Will it hurt?" Phantom mumbled looking up at her. Maddie smiled at him sadly.

"It would just be a needle prick. So about as bad as that, but…I'm not sure how your body would react since you're in constant pain," Maddie whispered as she heard footsteps coming down the lab. She identified one pair as Jack, but the other two she couldn't. "Damnit, Jack," Maddie growled looking back at the doorway where she could hear Jack trying to talk their heads off so they would leave. Phantom stiffened.

"I thought you guys were going to get them away," Phantom sputtered. Maddie put her hand over his mouth and grabbed a thermos as a plan formed in her head.

"Listen, I know these things work. Please, it'll keep you completely out of their reach if they don't know you're here," Maddie pleaded pointing it at the ghost. Phantom shook as he thought of how vulnerable he was in that thing. "Phantom, we don't have much time. I won't let it out of my sight, but please, I don't want to risk them getting a warrant to get you. It could take time, but time we don't have at this moment," Maddie pleaded as they stopped at the base of the steps. She could hear the faint distress in Jack's voice. Phantom reached up and pressed the button that sucked him into the thermos. Maddie jumped back slightly surprised he would have done that himself. She held it tightly to herself and stood up glaring at the agents that were looking the lab over.

"Me and Maddie are going ghost hunting!" Jack exclaimed seeing the thermos in Maddie's hand and how tightly she was holding it. He figured that Phantom let her suck him in the thing so he didn't have to see the agents, and so that they didn't know he was there.

"Get the Hell out of my house!" Maddie screamed. "I thought you were leaving!"

"Ma'am, we are trying to bring a criminal to justice, will you let us do our job!" K yelled back fed up with her constantly yelling at them. She tightened her grip on the thermos and felt energy swirl up her arm and calmed her slightly. Phantom felt her tension, and release some energy to help her relax so she didn't do something she would regret.

"I don't want you in my house, and I don't want you anywhere near me or my family," Maddie growled. Jack walked over to her and put a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

"Mads, they just wanted to see the lab and make sure we didn't actually catch Phantom and not tell them," Jack explained shooting a quick glare in the agents' direction. "Now that they know, they're leaving."

"Mr. Fenton, what happened to your respect for us?" O asked surprised he wanted them out of his house now.

"I know some people who told me what happened in that lab," Jack growled trying to keep himself calm. "I don't care what the person did, your crap was unnecessary, now listen to Maddie, and get the hell out."

"Fine, I guess you won't get any of the weapons developed by studying that ghost hybrid," K stormed and then his eyes widen as Jack sent him a glare.

"Phantom's a hybrid? Of what?" Jack questioned narrowing his eyes. If Phantom really was, then they had no right to do anything since he would have to be human. "What the hell did you asses do to him?"

"Molested him so that he would break down and eventually listen to our orders," O shrugged figuring that there was nothing left to do. He really didn't care since he didn't consider Phantom a being with feelings. Maddie wanted to bring her son up, but for some reason felt like that would give too much away about Phantom.

"That is so sick," Maddie shot grabbing an ecto gun and aiming at the agents. "GET THE HELL OUT BEFORE I CALL THE COPS!" She shot and they ran out of the house. Tears were streaming down her face as Jack caught her. "Oh god, I can't believe they would do something like that to such a young person. It's so disgusting."

"Mads, it's okay," Jack comforted reaching for the thermos. Maddie took it away from him and ran upstairs. Jack followed her until she reached Danny's room. She slammed the door and put a chair against it. "Maddie, please, it's okay. Let Phantom out, we don't know what being trapped in there could do to his recovery."

"No, he'll get hurt again," Maddie cried holding the thermos close to her heart. She couldn't believe it, what they did, and what they may have done to her own son. How could they live with themselves? She felt Phantom's energy surround her again telling her to let him out. "I can't let you get hurt again," she whispered to the thermos noticing that there was a faint green glow. It turned blue, and she felt safe again. She aimed at the bed and let Phantom go. He stumbled before collapsing on the bed and looking a little worse for wear.

"I didn't think you would do that," Phantom mumbled righting himself from the awkward position he was thrown in. "I didn't think you would try to protect me by keeping me in that thing."

"I'm sorry, they told me what they did," Maddie cried running up to him and wrapping her arms around the young ghost. He stiffened and felt Maddie's tears through the shirt he was wearing.

"It's okay," Phantom comforted trying to keep himself together. For whatever reason he felt a lot better, he wasn't in as much pain as he was in earlier that day. "I'm okay," he mumbled shaking from trying to keep his emotions under control.

"No, you're not," Maddie whispered pulling him closer into a more protective embrace. Phantom sighed and gave her a hug back. "I don't care that you're a ghost hybrid, but that's so wrong." She felt Phantom stiffen at the mention of what he truly was.

"How did you know that?" he asked concerned trying pull away. He didn't think anyone could figure it out since he never changed while in that lab. Maddie kept him in the hug as they heard Jack banging on the door. "No one should know that."

"The Guys in White do," Maddie whispered hoping Phantom was okay. She didn't care if he was a hybrid or some other kind of scientific impossibility at the moment, but she just didn't know what else to do at the time. Her son was there with this ghost who saved her son, after being raped. She couldn't pay Phantom enough for that. "And they don't know you are here."

"Maddie," Phantom whispered as he looked at the door. "Why is Jack banging on the door, and why are we in your son's room?" Phantom questioned raising an eyebrow.

"Because I shut the door on him, and because I feel safer when I'm in here," Maddie explained practically squeezing Phantom to death. Phantom started having issues breathing and gently tried to push her away. She held on tighter.

"Maddie, I…can't…breathe," Phantom stammered out trying to maintain consciousness. Maddie released him and looked into his eyes as he caught his breath. She started to cry again and just hugged him. He gently pulled her into a hug as Jack slammed into the door breaking the chair and getting in the room. Phantom froze looking at him and started shaking.

"Mads, are you okay?" Jack asked noticing that she was crying. Phantom looked up at him sadly ready to be punished for doing something wrong. Jack looked at Phantom and noticed the scared and cornered look the ghost had. He looked back at his wife figuring that right now, she was the first priority. Phantom was just terrified of everything at this moment. He slowly walked up to her to avoid freaking the hybrid out. He really wanted to comfort his wife first, but Phantom seemed not sure of what was completely going on. "Maddie?"

"I'm fine," she stammered out hoping that Jack didn't do anything too stupid. She felt Phantom's tension rise, and she started slowly rubbing his back hoping to calm him. "Just upset," she whispered as Phantom shifted into a defensive position. Jack stopped as he seen Phantom get into a protective stance, and he smiled seeing that Phantom was moving with less pain being shown. Either Phantom was really good at hiding it, or he was getting better, and by the looks of it, Jack believed it more to the latter.

"Maddie, I know it's hard, but we should probably take Phantom back to the guest room so that way he can finish his recovery," Jack mentioned hoping that his wife would calm down. Phantom looked slightly uncomfortable. Maddie just shook her head and held Phantom closer. Phantom gave a yelp in surprise as she adjusted herself and the ghost. Jack watched Phantom as he slowly made his way closer to them. He could see Phantom tense up, but the hybrid remained as still as possible.

"Jack, I can't do this anymore," Maddie whispered releasing the hug to look at her husband. Her eyes were red and puffy while tears streamed down her cheeks. Phantom was surprised that she had suddenly let go of him. Jack put a hand on her shoulder as her started crying into him. Phantom tilted his head unsure of what was going on. Jack gave him a sad look and opened one arm for him to come if he wanted. Phantom shook his head and slowly moved away to the head board of the bed. Maddie turned to face him and grabbed his arm pulling him to her and Jack. Phantom gave another yelp as she squeezed him between Jack and her.

Danny: Awesome!

Me: Yes, and I would like to really know what you people think I should take this. I had a review that said I had the writing style of a third grader...I would like to say that I'm not a going to school for writing, I'm going for science.

Danny: She just needed to vent...

Me: Computer Forensic Science to be more exact. So please review tell me what you would like to see in the story. And I hope to see you soon. I hope to update sometime either this weekend or something next week...However if you guys over load me with reviews, I might consider updating sooner

Me: Also I had two people get the answer right

trashbinsouvenir
Leo112

Bravo and virtual cookies

Danny: As soon as she figures out how to spell

Me: Shut it