Author Note: Sorry I eant to update on Saturday, but health problems have really been taking a toll on me. From now on, updates will be on Mondays rather than Saturdays due to the messed up schedule of the past few updates. The only exception to this is Omakes/Bonus chapters that will be posted irregularly (for example, a regular chapter is posted on its timely schedule, the omake/bonus will follow the next day or a few days later). Please review!

~CWA


CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE


Danny Fenton

I curse a bit under my breath as I start dressing the next morning. I feel much better, having regained most of the energy that I had released previously. But getting up now is like leaving that comfortable, warm spot in bed on a school morning. It's tempting to just stay in bed and not move for the rest of the day. The shirt slips back on easily enough and I stretch to pop my back before rolling my shoulder and stretching my arms with a small content sigh at all the pops my bones make. I glance briefly at the clock, it's way too early for me to be out and about and my stomach twists as I look back toward Tadashi, whose still sleeping. Man. It is very tempting to just stay here and watch over him, protect him. And he looks pretty damn cute with his messy bedhead and peaceful expression. But I need to go after Vlad. I need to stop him. End him. My jaw clenches and I finish pulling on my shows just a bit roughly from pent up anger. Cujo bumps his head against my leg with a small whine causing me to relax as I give him a tired smile and pat his head to let him know that I'm okay.

A small groan alerts me to Tadashi's awakening. God if he looked cute sleeping, now he just looks downright adorable when he's all groggy, with half-lidded eyes, and hair sticking in every other direction. His smile is tired as he looks at me as he starts to get up, stretching his arms over his head and smacking his lips before he finally turns his attention back to me, taking in my fully clothed body.

"Where are you going," his voice lets on that he's not exactly thrilled at my departure, "….Leaving without saying goodbye?"

He says the last comment in a joking manner, but his eyes give away his true feelings. My gut twists yet again as I step forward and place a small kiss on his forehead, cupping his cheek with my hand,

"You looked so cute sleeping, how could I wake up," I tease briefly, causing his face to flush before I continue on a more serious note, "...I have to stop Vlad, Tadashi. You know that and I have a feeling he's camping out on Akuma Island."

Tadashi nods in understanding with a small frown and a thoughtful expression on his face. Last night, I had gotten the chance to talk to him. About everything- well almost everything.


It's hard for me to focus on what's going on around me. My eyes feel blurry and out of focus and it takes everything I have to bring my focus onto Tadashi's face, taking in every single detail from the wrinkles and creases on his forehead to the swollen bumps on his jaw and neck (a sign of swollen lymph nodes) to how his sideburns fell in front of his ears. My eyes are wide and my breathing is hitched and shallow. I can feel how my shoulders tremble and shake as I sit on the edge of Tadashi's bed and I'm barely able to register the fact his hand is clasping my shoulder in a comforting manner as I speak.

"I was...more angry than I was scared, 'Dashi," my voice is strained, soft, raspy, and it's almost painful to talk as the truth, the whole truth, spills from lips, "More vengeful than I was grieving… Vlad does walk with a limp because of me and there are days that I wish I didn't hesitate, that I didn't think twice, that I would have ended him right there for everything he's done…."

My chest burns with the guilt and shame, almost scared of the monster that I was on the brink of becoming and even now, I'm still there. On the ledge of the fence, not quite a hero, not quite a villain, tossing and turning between becoming the symbol of justice… Or a monster.

"And I… I have a bad temper, 'Dashi," I admit softly, "A scary one too. One that claws at me every time I see him, a monster that just… begs to be let out. And I want to give in. I want to just give in and let my anger take control, to just finally ease that anger and release it all onto him."

I stare at my hands, watching as they tremble. I blink and they're blue- the same blue skinned shade of Dan- but when I blink again, it's gone and I dismiss it as an illusion, a trick of my mind's eye.

"Danny," Tadashi speaks up, causing me to glance back at him, "You're a not a monster. You never were and never will be. You're angry at him for killing everyone you knew, your family, your friends, your town… And you have every damn right to be angry, but that doesn't make you a monster. But that hesitation, that voice telling you not to give into that anger, that's what makes you human."

He doesn't get it. He doesn't understand. I've already given into that grieving anger before. It was in an alternative timeline, sure, one where I became Dan and destroyed the entire world. But it happened and I was barely able to stop Dan from causing it to become a secure point in this timeline. And that same monster, the one that killed people and ghosts without mercy, the one driven by just blinding rage and evil, still lays dormant in the back of mind. It's still there waiting to come out. And during the Battle of Amirty it did. For a while I was merciless, killing every enemy ghost that I came across, my eyes burning red, my hair dancing in white flames around my head, my aura still glowing brightly and blindly, but it seeps with a darker undertone that makes every other ghost, even my allies, wary and scared in my pressence.

Even now, just thinking about it, I can feel the sharpness of my canines as they point, the monster clawing to come out. I swallow thickly, burying it down until my teeth return to normal… I'm a monster. I'm a half-ghost. I'm a freak. I'm half-dead… But I'm human too. I let out a deep breath, the feeling of the oxygen leaving my lungs feels better than any drug.

I give Tadashi a tired smile, tears bristling at my eyes,

"Only half human," I whisper, "Just a creepy boy with creepy powers sometimes. Other times I'm just… me. Not a halfa, not a hero, not even a ghost. Just plain old Danny."

The times I'm with Ellie, even when it involves me training her with her powers, or when I'm with Tadashi and even Hiro… I don't feel like I'm a hero who has to make the impossible choices and sacrifices. I'm not the King who has responsibilities that I don't even fully understand. I'm not the leader of an army of the undead, charging into battle. I'm not a ghost. I'm not half-dead. I'm not a super genius tech student. I'm just… me. A dad. Danny. A brother. Normal.

"Well, I happen to like plain old Danny."


When I began to break down in tears, we ended up cuddling for comfort- which I don't mind, not at all. In fact, if it was up to me, neither of us would have been clothed during that particular cuddle session. In my defense, Tadashi and I have just grown so much closer it's hard not to want to take things to an even closer level. At this point, there's few things Tadashi doesn't know. Like about me being the Ghost King and the deeper truth about me being a literal monster (aka the truth about Dan). Both are stories that are not important right now and may not ever be important. Well. Sort of. Eventually the Ghost King will come up, I'm sure about that, but Dan is a story that I keep locked in the depths of my mind, a secret locked into a vault with so many locks that it can't possibly escape.

Tadashi looks as if he's about to say something before he stops short. I snort slightly and playfully nudge his shoulder,

"Don't worry, 'Dashi, I won't be leaving you without protection. Cujo's been watching you the whole time, and if not for him," I falter for a brief second, my voice turning softer, "...He's the one that got me to come here in time to save you. If anything, he'll always alert me when you need my help…"

Tadashi perks up a bit, tilting his head curiously as he quirks an eyebrow. Even if he can't see Cujo, my dog has a similar expression on his face at the mention of his name causing me to chuckle briefly,

"Cujo," I look toward the dog, "Show yourself."

Instantly, the dog makes himself visible to the human eye, causing Tadashi to jump back with eyes that are as wide as his mouth, a hand over his heart as he focuses his gaze on the sudden appearance of an obvious ghostly dog- green, glowing, red eyes… I can see the wheels turning in his head as if he has a processing symbol above his head. Despite the fact he's clearly not over his shock, I continue with amusement, petting Cujo as I do so,

"Cujo was killed by Axion Labs- a company back in Amity Park- when they decided that security cameras were better than guard dogs. But he turned into a ghost because he left his squeaky toy. I helped him find it and he's been loyal to me ever since. A lovable, forever puppy that really is a great guard dog despite how cute and cuddly he looks now, he can get very, uh, ferocious."

Hell, when I first got here, he wasn't exactly in his adorable puppy form. He was injured in full beasty-mode which isn't an easy thing to do. It's no mystery to me that Vlad's the one who did it. Who almost killed Tadashi. My fists clench at my sides as I stop petting Cujo, an animistic anger building in my chest. I can feel the canines poking at my tongue as I close my eyes tightly for a brief moment, not wanting Tadashi to see me like this….

"So his name isn't just an ironic joke," Tadashi jokes cautiously, "Funny, I should have expected you to be a Stephen King fan, but I just couldn't picture you reading some of his long books- or books that weren't 'scientific evidence of ghosts.'"

I relax at his joking demeanor and while he doesn't realize it, he may have just stopped me from giving in to my temper, forcing me to focus back on our conversation. Cujo's tongue flops out of his mouth lazily as he pants happily, jumping up onto the bed to properly greet Tadashi, licking at his face. Tadashi laughs, gently pushing the dog off of his face and chest, opting instead for Cujo to lay down at his side. He has an almost wistful expression on his face as he pets Cujo with a small smile,

"...A bit weird," he admits, "...never thought I'd pet a ghost dog, that's for sure… But I always did want a dog. Has he really been here the whole time?"

I hum a bit with amusement as I sit on the edge of the bed, right beside Tadashi as Cujo rests in his lap happily. We both pet the dog a bit as we talk- Cujo looks like he's in doggy heaven with his tongue flapping around wildly and a big grin on his face.

"Yeah," I answer a bit softly as I scratch Cujo behind his ear, "...I kinda sent him here to watch over you while I've been working on stopping Vlad…. He's the one who alerted me when something was wrong...If not for him being here then..."

I trail off slightly, my eyebrows furrowing slightly at the painful thought. The mere idea of me not being here for him, or not getting here in time, to save him is unsettling and hurts. It's a type of hurt that scratches at my core with grief and is hard to shake off. By some miracle, I'm able to glance toward Tadashi, absently scratching at my chest in an effort to stop the pain beneath my flesh.

"Then it's a good thing he was here," Tadashi says gently, his hand covering mine in a comforting gesture that causes me to relax a bit more with a thankful smile, "….So what that you said about Akuma Island?"

The subject change is appreciated and noted, though it does cause me to crinkle my nose with a big of a huff.

"It's the only place I have left to look and something in my gut is telling me it's where Vlad will be… And I have to get there before he puts his plans into motion, before he hurts more people."

"And what will you do when you find him," Tadashi questions.

I answer without a second thought, saying the first thing that comes to mind. Kill him. End him. Stop him. Make it so he can't hurt anymore people. So he'll leave my family and loved ones alone. So that the world can finally be a peaceful place. No more wars between ghosts and humans. No more fighting. I pull my hand out from under Tadashi's as my anger flares, my hands clenching into fists as my jaw locks. My aura, having regained most of my power, flashes frantically for a brief moment before I bring it back to me and try to regain control of it. My voice comes out a bit breathy, raspy, and deep with an underlining growl.

"End him."

I glance to Tadashi, my vision going red from anger as I stare at him, awaiting his reply. But the longer I look at him, the more I notice he seems different. A frantic, nervous look in his eyes. An uncertain quiver of his lips. The almost unnoticeable scoot he does, away from me at first before he regains courage and scoots closer rather than farther. Cujo stands at attention, still in his puppy-size, but it's clear from his glare he's ready to go all out should something go wrong. I falter, blinking back the red and shaking my head as a small headache begins to forms.

"Danny," Tadashi hesitantly speaks up, his hand hovers uncertainly above my shoulder before he clasps it gently, "...What was-"

"-It was nothing," I cut him off, shaking off his hand and crossing my arms over my chest as I look away toward the floor, "I just lost my temper for a second…"

From the corner of my eyes, I see the hurt expression on his face before he forces a comforting smile and scoots even closer to me. The shame and guilt from losing my temper for that brief second rise in my chest and I can't help but turn to face him once more. I lean close and place an apologetic kiss on his lips,

"Sorry if I scared you, 'Dashi… I won't end Vlad either, if it makes you uncomfortable. I promise. But I will stop him. No matter what."

He seems to relax with relief, his smile becoming more genuine. Cujo lays back down on the bed between us, watching the exchange curiously and I scratch him behind his ears to keep him happy. The promise of not ending Vlad tastes sour in my mouth, almost wrong as if I know I may go back on that promise… Like it's a lie. It makes my chest feel tight and comfortable thinking about it in that manner.

"Well what are you waiting for," Tadashi speaks up, "If Vlad gets control of Hiro's microbots, then the world may not heal from whatever damage he'll do… Just promise you you'll be careful…. And watch over Hiro, okay?"

"I promise 'Dashi, I won't let anything ever happen to Hiro."

….At least that's a promise I can keep.