A/N: Well, how are y'all? Hope you're ready for this chapter, 'cause it's full of twist and turns... And it happens to be my second personal and ultimately fav chapter (dead tie with chappie 52). And, my, you can see, it's the longest chappie I've ever written for any of my stories! Well, I just have lots to say, that's all! In any case, here's that 'IDNOA' thing, except that I DO own the ghost animals. So, here is Chapter 55. Enjoy!
TrueHeart—Chapter 55—The Answer
Tucker privately fretted as he and Valerie, still upon the hover-board, exited the portal. He, of course, didn't know where Bertrand was and even though he could see through her bravado, he knew that Valerie was in no condition to fight. He had purposely not placed the portal right in the vicinity of where they had escaped the Ghost Zone to give him time to scope out the area—and to give Valerie more time to recover.
As they flew onward, he found he had some time to think. He thought about Valerie's little act back at Skulker's Island, the one where she had tried to convince him to come back here. This time, however, he didn't chide himself for not calling her on her little ruse. She had kinda distracted him when he had questioned her…and he had let her…..Besides, he had a feeling that she really wasn't lying in that instance—and he wasn't rationalizing it, either. They both truthfully wanted to get back here as soon as possible; and really, where they had accidentally ended up in their initial escape from Bertrand was not any better—and might actually have been a lot worse—than coming back here. At least, all the traps here were for the most part, obvious! Still, he knew that they would have to be more honest with each other from now…it was the best policy…He cringed a little on that last thought—did he just think that? But then, he had the immediate feeling that this would not only happen, but it would be the focus of their relationship from now on…
Valerie suddenly pulled him from his thoughts.
"Uh, thanks, Tucker," she quietly said next to his ear to make sure he heard her.
"Uh, what for, Valerie?" he asked, turning his head slightly so to make sure she heard him. Why was she bringing up the fact that he had temporarily patched her up again?
"Uhm, for ignoring me," she said, cringing when that really wasn't the word she wanted to use.
"What?" he immediately objected. "I would never do that—well, I mean, not any more!"
She chuckled nervously at his response. "Well, that's not exactly the kind of 'ignoring' I meant. I'm talking about the fact that we came back here even though I kinda lied that I was well enough to go. And I think you sorta knew that."
He half-smiled. Looks like they were now on their way to being more honest after all! "Yeah, I did. But I also knew you wanted to get back here to help our friends…and really, so did I!"
"But then, why didn't you say something, Tucker?" she asked before adding, "And don't tell me you were just trying to please me back there! Really, Tucker, we're going to have to be more honest with each other if we're going to be in this relationship together!" She cringed at that last part. That was lame!
Tucker did chuckle a little on how odd that last part came out, but he knew what she meant. "You know, Valerie, looks like I'm rubbing off on you! But, seriously, I think you're right about that 'honesty' part. I was thinking that exact same thing just a couple of minutes ago!"
"Really?" she asked, unconsciously squeezing his waist with her left arm when she did.
He smiled and softly replied, "Really."
She hugged him again on purpose this time and whispered to his ear, "I'd like that!"
"Me, too," he quietly said before gasping, "Oh, man!"
"What's wrong?" she began, placing her left hand on his shoulder for support; and then looked over it. But then, she saw the same thing he did.
They were rapidly nearing the same shelf into which Valerie had earlier plowed. And they could see Bertrand, who was still in his 'Frankenstein-like' form was just rousing from his encounter with Valerie's hover-board. He wobbled to a stand moments later and then jolted to high alert when he saw the human couple headed right to him! And by the time Tucker and Valerie had closed the gap between them, the huge shape-shifter's ghostly breathing was heaving in angry pants.
Not questioning why Bertrand was still at the same shelf from which they had escaped in the first place, Tucker yelled to his girl, "Okay, Valerie, hang on tight! It's time for 'Plan 'B''!"
She immediately clung around his waist with her left arm and pressed closer to him before yelling back, "What's that?"
"You'll see—kinda!" he quickly replied with a slight cringe, but at his next heartbeat pushed the last command on his PDA.
The couple and hover-board instantly disappeared!
Valerie looked at Tucker just after he said that and gasped when she could see right through him! "W-What did you do, Tucker?" she stammered.
"Gave us a little advantage, complements of this mighty fine PDA! Now, I think Bertrand's is way 'old news', and it's time to turn the page, don't you think?!"
He pushed down on his foot and the hover-board increased in speed.
Valerie gasped when she could clearly see—since she could see right through Tucker—that they were headed right to Bertrand! Her instincts wanted to object, but her heart fully trusted him. With widened eyes, she hung on tighter as she continued to watch right through Tucker as he kept keying commands into his wondrous little machine.
Tucker was quickly finished, but was suddenly unsure. This was too quick of a plan. Also, he had never tried to tie in this many programs at once and then expect them to execute so precisely. But right now, he had to chance it. It was better than taking the chance that Valerie would have to be in the midst of this fight.
"Okay, Valerie, can you reach that vial?" he hurriedly asked.
"You mean Danny's stuff?"
"No, that other one. We have to be ready!" he replied.
Leaning her left shoulder on his back for support, she groped madly into the pouch that was still around her waist—the pouch they had recovered at Bertrand's lair and had filled vials of Danny's pheromones and the one Valerie had added. She sighed in relief when she pulled out the right one on the first try, and she knew it was the right one because it was the only one in the pouch not glowing. Finally, she said, "Ready!"
"Okay, on my cue, be ready to throw it right at Bertrand, okay?" he asked as Bertrand seemed to grow incredibly bigger as they came dangerously closer to him.
"Okay!" she agreed, swallowing hard when she suddenly realized just how huge this form of Bertrand was.
But then, Tucker pushed the last coordinating command on his button and he prayed that it would work.
Suddenly, Bertrand screamed as that large bright white light emanating from Tucker's PDA hit him so closely and out of nowhere. He covered his eyes with one hand, and knowing that it was that bratty techno kid who had caught him by surprise again, lashed outward in rage with the other.
The force of his arm's swiping at his attacker pushed a huge wake of ghostly air at the incoming teens. The hover-board easily maneuvered over it. Tucker and Valerie knew they needn't actually feel the real sensation of 'hanging ten' at the beach after what they just felt.
Still, Tucker had, of course, anticipated some kind of reaction by Bertrand. He was just glad it wasn't with that wicked spear-thingy. But the boy couldn't have known that Bertrand still wasn't thinking clearly enough, since he hadn't fully recovered from being assaulted by the hover-board.
In the next instant, however, the second part of Tucker's plan kicked in. The hover-board suddenly lost power; and as it came almost to an abrupt halt, the next command was executed. The hover-board dutifully swung away and to the left of Bertrand, its front stationary and its tail now leading the arc of pivot away from the enraged shape-shifter.
Valerie clung harder to Tucker at the momentum and bit down her painful yell when her still bandaged and injured right arm slammed into her boyfriend's back.
But then, the hover-board successfully completed its turn and now the human couple, though still invisible, was now very close to—and facing—the back of Bertrand.
Knowing he needed to tell Valerie this next part, Tucker dared to chance Bertrand's hearing him say to Valerie, "Okay, honey, this is going to be very tricky. Just think about all those wild rides we love at all those carnivals!...Hang on tight and throw the vial at him—now!"
And when he had said this, several things happened in very quick order: Bertrand did hear Tucker and yelled in rage and began to turn to the couple who he knew was very close by, but somehow invisible, this time producing and then readying that dreaded spear-thingy at the same time…The vial smashed into Bertrand, splattering its contents all over him…Bertrand dropped his weapon and screeched as the contents of the vial sprayed and quickly covered him…And, finally, the shape-shifter was captured in a large ghost net that had spewed forth out of Tucker's PDA.
Once Tucker knew that Bertrand was secured in the net, he hurriedly but gently pulled Valerie's left arm around his waist more and warned her, "Brace yourself, Valerie. This part's going to be very wild!"
He then also braced himself for the next part in his plan to happen. He fretted a bit when he thought the delay was a bit long. He was about to manually push the next command when he yelled slightly in surprise when the command was finally executed. He quickly regained his balance as the hover-board shot violently and rapidly backward, yanking the netted and struggling Bertrand within it as Tucker held his PDA firmly in both of his hands.
Tucker scanned the atmosphere as the hover-board continued to build momentum, still flying backward as it did. He bit his lower lip and reflexively slid one of his hands down to Valerie's who still had it wrapped around his waist, and squeezed. He hoped he had estimated it right. In the next instant, the next-to-the-last command that was first inputted along with that long chain of commands commenced. The hover-board jerked into another hard sideward arc and abruptly halted at the same time, much as a motorcycle skidding sideways into a stop would.
Tucker instantly let go of Valerie's hand. He leaned his body slightly backward; and while anchoring his elbows to his sides, grasped his PDA firmly with both hands and prayed.
Just as he felt the hard tug, he pushed the key to the last command. He slightly frowned at yet another delay in its commencing. But in the next moment, the net snapped away from the PDA and he and Valerie watched as the net—still containing Bertrand—slung away from them and headed right to the floating shelf right next to Spectra's lair.
Tucker sighed slightly in both relief and triumph. His plan had worked! He had used the hover-board as a giant sling shot to catapult Bertrand away from them, just as he had used Bertrand as one earlier when he needed to reach Valerie!
Still invisible, the two teens watched in silence as they heard the bundle of Bertrand crash right into another large boulder on a floating shelf right next to Spectra's lair. He slid down the purple rock, and remained motionless at its base.
But Tucker knew it wasn't over yet. There was still Spectra to contend with and they had to make sure that Bertrand was out of commission. "Okay, here we go!" he said to Valerie as he pushed his foot to the accelerator of the hover-board.
Still essentially chasing Bertrand, he added, "Okay, Valerie, can you put your left arm on my shoulder again? And make sure it's straight."
"Sure," she replied as she obeyed him.
Tucker then said, "But first, I'm going to have to make us visible again. My PDA is running a little slower than it should. Turning off the invisibility program should give it more power, okay?"
"Okay," Valerie quietly agreed, just before Tucker deactivated the invisibility program.
And just as they became visible once more, Tucker pushed another button on his PDA and that holographic control wrist band popped up again. He quickly pounded on that, and a weapon eked out of Valerie's left arm. He pushed a few more buttons glancing intermittently to watch where they were going. Just as they were nearing the floating shelf, he instructed her, "I'll be able to make the gun fire, but you're going have to aim it, okay?"
"Okay, honey," she said with a weak smile, readying herself.
Tucker pushed the button under his foot and the hover-board slowed just enough for them to get a clear shot of Bertrand. But just then, the door to Spectra's lair burst open!
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"NOOOOO!" Derek roared when he saw his wife's tiny body absorb the terrible and powerful beam, and then a moment later, ricocheted off from its impact. Her smoking and now ragged body ended up in a crumbled heap a few feet from the impact site and behind some large boxes.
Immediately after that, the lynx, with angry tears, pounced upon Spectra, lashing at her with his grief-stricken claws.
Spectra, however, was able to block his strikes with her energy orbs, but the wildcat didn't give her any slack and continued in his attack.
Meanwhile, as they fought on, the glowing pheromones had reached their intended target: Danny. He moaned slightly as his once-stolen ghostly substance penetrated him; but then, he felt his strength rapidly returning. His head still down, he opened his eyes and his vision came into sharper focus.
It was then that he heard the commotion very close to him and looked upward at the wildcat's struggle with Spectra. The boy startled at the sight, and still not feeling fully recuperated, was about to will his healing powers when he finally saw Sam! She was still unconscious and his heart tightened with fear when he saw her wounds. Still, he knew the bigger danger right now was the two fighting ghosts.
He was then quickly enveloped within the bright blue aura of his healing powers, which, in the next moment, combined with the last shimmering vapors of the deep purple pheromones, surged into Danny like a tidal wave, and jolted him to nearly full strength. His entire body was then encased within a bright green aura; and as it burst outward, he yanked on the clamps around his wrists and ankles. They instantly gave way and were destroyed.
The energized teen soared over to the other battling ghosts, and he looked for an opening in which to strike Spectra. He frowned in frustration when, at first, he didn't seemed to have a chance of that. Still wanting to help the lynx, he hovered around the tight mass of fighting ghosts, his energy orbs charged and ready to fire should the opportunity present itself.
But then, the female Spectre had had enough. She would not be outdone by what she felt was a lesser being of a ghost. She should not have let this insignificant ghost animal get this far with her. With an incensed scream, she shoved the lynx off and instantly followed that up with jolting him with a wicked electrical bolt of her purple energy.
The lynx yelled at the sting, but before he had a chance to counterattack, Danny soared right between him and the shadow ghost. The half-ghost immediately blasted Spectra and the blow pummeled her into the opposite wall and she fell hard to the floor.
Furious that now she had him to contend with, Spectra gritted her teeth and quickly morphed into her shadow form. She shrieked in hatred as she shot back at the Ghost Boy with angry violet rays emanating from both of her hands.
Danny instantly threw up a green ectoplasmic shield which refracted the blows, keeping him from harm. Much to his chagrin, however, he could see through his green shield that the wild rays charged right at Sam! He gasped in horror! But then, instead of striking his girl, they blasted the wall right next to her. Upset with the narrow miss, the young hybrid knew that he had to take the fight outside. But how?
Before he could think of a plan, however, the lynx bounded right over Danny's shield and lunged at the shadow ghost once more.
But Spectra saw him and was ready. She thrust a more powerful beam at her attacker. The wildcat was able to avoid her attempt this time, and successfully pounced on her. But he gasped in bewilderment when his claws met empty holes that the female Spectre had willed in her shadow form at every one of his strikes. Taking advantage of his confusion, Spectra charged two energy orbs with both of her hands, and growling in hatred, shot the cat off of her once again.
The lynx groaned in pain as he plowed into the floor and slid across the room until he landed right in front of Sam's feet. He tried to fight his spinning head and stumbled to his feet. But then he jerked his head back when his eyes had inadvertently spied a small vial just behind a nearby box. He flew in an unbalanced flight to it and gasped, recognizing it at once.
It was the vial containing the 'weapon' he and his wife had planned to use against the shadow ghost and her assistant. He immediately concluded that Sarah must have brought it here at sometime; and by the look of it, now that it was cracked, it must have fallen from her grasp and rolled to this area, hidden from view by the box. And by some miracle, though the vial looked brittle, it was still intact enough to belie its contents from escaping.
Meanwhile, Danny shot an ice beam at Spectra right after she had shot Derek. But, she bolted upward and just missed that attempt.
Laughing wickedly that she had escaped the half-ghost's ice ray, she jeered, "Maybe you need more of those pheromones from the looks on how slow your reflexes are, little freak! You obviously haven't fully recovered! You'll have to do better than that!" She ended her taunt with a purple blast right at him.
But Danny was able to twist his body at the last second, avoiding her attempt as deftly as she had his; and not giving her the satisfaction of an answer, he cried defiantly as he shot another ice ray at her. This time, a small portion of it made contact and she screamed with its cold sting.
However, she was as determined not to give him the satisfaction of thinking he was getting even an inch of an upper hand. "You know, Danny, you can't have your cake and eat it, too! Let's see if you can fight me and protect your little girlfriend at the same time!" she scoffed.
At first, she ended her threat with a blast of two enlarging purple ectoplasmic beams from both of her hands, aiming both of them right at Danny.
The ghost hybrid answered that with his own green rays from both of his hands and the combined green beams collided with her combined lavender rays before the rays quickly splayed outward at their impact site, as if the green and purple flames meeting had an imaginary fire-proof shield in the middle of them.
Suddenly, the teen had a hunch on what she was planning. Still, it now worried him that the evil ghost had been right about his not having his full strength back as he struggled to counter her blows. And from how he was feeling right now, he knew he wouldn't have the strength both to resist her efforts and duplicate his form to effectively protect Sam.
Then, like a soccer goalie having to anticipate moves in a penalty shoot-out during a tied competition game, Danny quickly searched his mind for possible countermoves. He grunted under Spectra's surging force, feeling her hatred fuel her power. No matter how much he resisted, he was tiring with the effort. Even when he had a lot of his ghostly pheromones restored and had used his healing power, he still had so much of his ghostly pheromones taken from him already. But he knew he had rebounded enough; and he was determined not to have her win this dangerous game.
In the next instant, however, Spectra sneered with delight after glancing at Sam, who was to her left. She arched not her left hand, but her right one, and shot a deadly ray right over the remnants of her purple and Danny's green fighting streams of energy. That beam headed right toward Sam, and Danny gasped with dread. He did not expect the ghost to act so soon or attempt to attack Sam with a beam from her further hand, especially when Sam was so far from the shadow ghost. But even if he had wanted to stop her, he knew he was in a too compromised position to do anything but to watch on in horror.
But in the meantime, Derek had finally recovered enough and was waiting for an opening to attack the shadow ghost with the concoction in the vial. When he heard Spectra's threat to the human girl, he looked more desperately for a way to intervene between Danny and Spectra. He had to stop that evil ghost!
But then, the shadow ghost let loose a most certainly lethal ray toward the hapless Sam. Derek gasped in dread; and not wanting to see the defenseless girl harmed, reflexively reacted. He dropped the vial and dove right in front of the human girl, colliding with the ray and taking the full brunt of its wicked power. He yelped in agony as his side rent open, and his body rammed the nearby wall, but he was nevertheless relieved that he had kept the girl from harm. He struggled to get back up, anxious that the evil shadow ghost would make a second attempt on Sam's life.
Danny gasped when he saw what the lynx did. And as the lynx crawled in front of his girl, hoping to still protect her, Danny, now livid with the female Spectre, poured on more of his power.
Spectra answered the ghost hybrid with her own terrible power, just as set on finally ridding herself of this pest and anyone else who dare oppose her.
It seemed that Spectra, who had been fueled in the first place by Danny's powerful pheromones, would win in this round as she gritted her teeth and poured on more power. She could see that the hybrid was tiring and he was beginning to yield. Just as he was forced to fight her on bended knee, his arms shaking and his jaw clenched and his eyes momentarily scrunched together with the effort, she thought this was the perfect time. She would make sure that her next move would be the final straw to him—and to Sam.
In the next instant, she threw another deadly beam toward Sam.
What Spectra soon found out, however, was that just because Danny was beginning to succumb physically didn't mean he was mentally spent. He had felt the change in her energy as she pulled partially away from him. He reacted instantly and shot open his eyes just before shooting out an ice beam from them, which created an ice shield right in front of Sam this time.
And it was not a moment too soon. The ice shield dutifully absorbed Spectra's purple beam and disintegrated on impact. But, it had done its job and protected his girl and the lynx still in front of her from any harm.
But the effort had cost the young hybrid a lot of his energy. His head began to spin and he couldn't keep himself from panting heavily from the strain of having to still counter Spectra's assault. He knew he would not be able to go another round in this odd duel the way he was feeling, but his tenacity would not let him give up. He couldn't. He dug deeper into his inner being and feeling some of his strength surge, gritted his teeth in determination. He pushed harder back at the shadow ghost.
In the meantime, Derek had tried to get up again. But the more the lynx moved, the more he felt his strength leak out as surely as his ectoplasm from his ghostly body. He knew that it would be soon before his strength was completely spent. He looked to the human girl, and then to Danny and Spectra. He gasped when it looked like he and the girl were going to be attacked again. He struggled to pull himself up in front of Sam, but just before he could, an ice shield had appeared and then shattered, spilling ice shards at him. But, fortunately, all of them had been too tiny to have caused any harm to him.
He sighed, momentarily relieved. At that moment, he could see that Danny was keeping the evil ghost from trying to hurt the human girl. Now driven to do what he could to help with whatever strength he had left, Derek reached for the vial. He grabbed it with his jaws and with earnest effort, jerked it hard, throwing the vial toward Spectra. He forced himself to watch its trajectory. The vial tumbled wildly in the air, but its path was true and as it fell, it lined itself with Danny and Spectra's dueling energy stream. But now that Danny had rebounded in grit and determination, its momentum was toward the female Spectre, not Danny. Just as it entered the path of the energy beam closest to Spectra, its glass shattered from the force; and with the help of Danny's energy beam, drove its contents toward the female ghost.
Penelope Spectra screamed at the attack after instantly feeling its effects. She felt herself grow feeble as the full-strength aging potion sapped her of her youth and strength. Not a moment later, and her energy beam extinguished, leaving a hideous and ancient shadow ghost panting with her fatigue.
Danny immediately soared over to her, but she shot at him with the last of her last ectoplasmic energy, using it as a ways for escape. She then darted upward through the trap door.
Danny yelled as the purple beam hit his shoulder, but he let Spectra go. He was more worried about getting his girl and friends to safety. Ignoring the throb in his injured shoulder, he flew anxiously to Sam. His heart leapt in a little relief when he heard her moan; she was finally stirring from her ordeal. He melted her bonds with a precise blast of his ectoplasmic energy and caught her limp body before it could collapse to the floor.
Gently scooping her up so that he was supporting her under her shoulders and her knees, and as her head fell to her chest, he quickly closed his eyes and willed his healing power. An instant later, both of them were blanketed in his bright blue energy. His shoulder rapidly healed; he felt more of his strength return; and his girl began to open her eyes.
"Sam! Are you all right, honey?!" Danny worriedly asked his girl, his eyes apprehensively searching for her answer.
Thinking she was hearing her boyfriend's voice for some reason, Sam lifted her still slightly spinning head and the first thing she saw was a set of glowing green eyes looking anxiously at her. However, she didn't startle. Her next heartbeat had told her that it was Danny. Before he could say anything, however, she reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck and gave him a tender, affectionate kiss.
"Are you all right, Sam?" he finally repeated when they parted.
"Yes, I am, darling!" she said with a hush.
He smiled at her remark, but then said, "I'm so glad Spectra didn't hurt you that badly, honey. But do you think you can stand? We have to help Sarah and Derek!"
When she heard the shadow ghost's name, the girl's memory finally came into sharp focus. She gasped and Danny wasn't quite ready for her barrage, "Spectra? Where is she? And are you okay? What happened? The last thing I remember…" She paused at finally comprehending his last comment, "…And who are Sarah and Derek?"
Silently smiling that he now had his real Sam here, but also knowing that they really didn't have that much time, he quickly said, "That's the names of the ghost animals! Somehow, they found us and helped us, but they got hurt."
"Oh, no!" she fretted as she pulled herself out of Danny's arms and stood up. Then, she frowned in confusion as she added, "How do you know what their names are? And they tried to help us? How could they do that? And why did they do that? Poor things! Where are they?"
But instead of answering her questions, Danny commanded, "C'mon! I'll explain everything later! We have to help them now!"
The young couple quickly scanned the room and didn't see the animals at first. Danny called their names, but they didn't answer. He frowned in frustration, but knew that they had to still be somewhere in here. He grabbed Sam by her waist and lifted them both upwards. This time, they caught a glimpse of a barely glowing black form that had been hidden by a large box. Danny soared downward and gently released Sam just before he anxiously pulled the boxes away.
Both he and Sam gasped at the sight. Stunned and upset by what they saw, they reflexively reached for each other in an embrace.
The black form they had seen was the lynx. He had just gotten there himself, having made himself crawl to his wounded wife once he felt that Sam was safe and the evil Spectra had been vanquished. He was gently nuzzling his wife's head when Danny and Sam got there and the human couple swallowed hard when they could see ghostly tears streaming from the wildcat's eyes. He looked up momentarily when he heard the young couple gasp, but he turned back to his wife right afterward. He was happy that the human couple was safe, of course, but he was now more concerned about his wife.
The teen couple stood by, fretful, but uncertain at the moment on what to do, especially when both of the animals were now lying in a fairly large pool of their ectoplasm. Then they heard Derek ask his wife, "Why, Sarah? Why did you not save yourself from that evil ghost?"
Sarah looked up at him, ignoring the pain she felt with even the tiniest of movement. She softly murmured, "You very well know the answer to that, my love. After all the suffering we had caused Sir Danny and his lady Sam in trying to tear them apart, I could not let our friends be sacrificed by the evil we had brought upon them. I had made a vow not to let more harm come to them while I still existed. If I had not acted, Sir Danny would have surely perished."
Danny and Sam's eyes widened at her words, but they remained silently clutching each other tightly.
This time, Derek closed his eyes when he felt a jolt of pain rivet him. And he swallowed hard with the sudden woe he felt—and with the truth. But he finally said with sadness, "Yes, I know you, Wife, and you know me. After all the wrongs we had done, I could not allow any further harm to them, either..."
But then, his voice, though still saddened, lightened a little as he continued, "Still, I want you to know that you were right about everything, my love. I now have hope again. Hope that all will be well. And I know now that we cannot fully exist unless we hope. Unless we love and unless we trust, no matter what bad things are around us, or how hopeless everything seems. But more than that, that we must act upon those virtues, or else all our hope and honor would have been in vain. And I thank you for being committed to that, for being committed to me and true to our vows through it all. You have brought me honor beyond what I can express. And because of your love, because of your bravery, I have not regretted all I…we…have done to remedy our wrongs to these two young humans."
Sarah harshly whispered, "You have also brought me honor, Husband. And it was only through your own bravery and love that I could go beyond my strength. I, too, thank you for that." She paused a moment in pain before managing a weak smile and continuing, "And, I, too, feel more hope now than I have ever felt in all our desperate years of woe! It is very strange indeed! And I cannot explain it! I suddenly feel so very merry!"
Looking at her wounds and still letting his tears flow, Derek replied, "But you are so hurt, Sarah! How can you feel that way? Still, I feel I must ask you if there is something I can do to ease your pain?"
Seeing his own wounds, she lovingly answered, "I could ask the same of you, Husband."
Danny now felt he couldn't keep silent. Pulling a little away from Sam and stepping forward, he gently interrupted them. "Maybe I can help? My healing powers once helped Sarah. Maybe I could use them again?"
The young hybrid was surprised when he heard Sarah's weak laugh as she replied, "No. Do not worry. There is nothing more that you can do. You have already helped us!"
But Danny shook his head. "No, I still need to try, Sarah! I can't just let… I'm going to try," he said in determination. And before Sarah could say any more, Danny put his hands gently against her and let them glow blue. He's eyebrows creased as he strained to heal the black dove. But after a few seconds, he began to see no change.
"No…," he whispered in despair; before trying again, while Sam looked on, even more distraught.
"Sir, Danny, please," Sarah said, at seeing the boy on the verge of tears. "Do not waste what little energy you have left on the impossible. I appreciate your effort. But there are some injuries not even your remarkable powers can heal. It is fine. Please. As I said, you have already helped us enough!"
Reluctantly removing his hands from her, Danny and Sam frowned, feeling both anguished and confused by all that was happening—yet somehow knowing that there was nothing they could do for the injured ghost animals. Sam reached for Danny and pulled him closer once more. And with all the anguish they were both feeling, they both felt the need not to let go of the other anymore.
But Derek then suddenly said, "Yes! And, strangely, now I understand! Sarah is right! You have helped us!"
"B-But how?" Sam stammered, glancing in confusion at the ghost animals and then at her boyfriend, searching for the answer.
Danny, however, was just much at a loss as Sam was. He shook his head and slightly shrugged in reply.
"You have given us peace!" Sarah insisted, before groaning in pain.
"We have?" Danny and Sam uttered in union, still fighting their dread when they saw in how much pain the dove was, and how the pool of their ectoplasm was spreading.
"Yes," Derek murmured in thought, looking into his wife's eyes. And then, somehow, he knew that she was thinking of what he was thinking, and felt the same as he. Smiling weakly at that realization, and speaking for the both of them, then, he turned back to the teens and continued, "And we thank you for your guidance. You have made us realized by your own selfless actions that time has not eroded the best of what humans can be. We thought we were alone in feeling strongly about honor, about commitment, and about the suffering that may come while remaining true to those, among other, virtues. You reached out to us, even when we did wrong, and we knew we were no longer alone….."
"We are also content to know that love still thrives in this turbulent world and that there are young people who still understand what kind of sacrifice they must bear to in order to protect their love, yet not afraid to let it grow with any pain which they might have to endure for the sake of their making that love endure. We thank you for that hope and for that peace."
Danny and Sam swallowed hard and hugged each other tighter, understanding that they were sharing the same emotional turmoil on what was happening—and at what he had said. And they were having a hard time controlling the mounting dread that was beginning to engulf them as they could clearly sense just how much pain the two animals were now in as they struggled to tell them what they felt they needed to tell…
Derek pulled slightly closer to his wife, and ignoring the agony and the weakness that was growing within him, gently wrapped his paw around her. He then glanced lovingly at her, even though he could feel her weakening within his embrace. He then turned to Danny and Sam and said, "Thank you, again, for the answer."
Before either Danny or Sam could reply, Sarah weakly added, "Yes. We will be forever indebted to you. You have given us a hopeful gift. We are with each other even in the end and for that, I am content."
The young humans could feel their own tears now press upon them as they silently listened. The enchanted pair's words had captured their own hearts; and then, oddly, they felt strength from them. And, somehow, even in the midst of their confusion, they had the very same odd sense of understanding. Still, they were bewildered on how they could have taught this enchanted couple anything. If anything, once they finally understood Derek and Sarah's words, and remembered all that had happened to them, Danny and Sam realized that it was they who had really learned something from the ghost couple instead. And though the teens were in sorrow in witnessing the enchanted pair's tender scene, they were all of the sudden aware of even stranger and unexpected feelings. They couldn't explain how they couldn't help feeling thankful for having known the ghost couple, or for all that the ghosts had done for them.
Danny and Sam were pulled from their thoughts when Derek began to speak again. But this time, the human couple gasped on how weak the wildcat sounded and how painful it so obviously was now for him to continue. He barely whispered a reply to his wife, "Yes, you are right once more, Beloved! The time will be here soon enough. We have finally been given the insight on what we had failed to do in all our years of endless misery. And, yet, we were shown mercy, and the key was these two remarkable young humans. Their pain when we had torn them apart became our pain and our burden to amend. They were the key for undoing the spell! We will be free from it at last! And now, I can let you go and yet have hope. For once in these many years of sorrow, I, too, am in peace."
And no sooner had he said that then he laid his head next to his wife's, gently touching it as he did.
Sarah sighed and hoarsely whispered back, "Yes, Beloved: peace."
Not a heartbeat later, and the young ghost animals forever closed their eyes, their bodies suddenly flattening against the floor until black melded with the green pool….
Sam buried her face in Danny's shoulder and the boy stared in disbelief at what they had just witnessed.
"No!" he murmured in grief, feeling a choking lump in his throat.
He pulled his girl closer to him; and he could feel Sam's softly whimpering tears already pressing through his shirt and onto his skin.
Suddenly, he gasped at what happened next and Sam pulled away from him, blinking her tears away as she did. They looked back at the silent ghost animals and gasped again, mesmerized by the sight.
Their limp ghostly bodies began to float upward by an unforeseen force and each of the animals was just as sudden surrounded by a bright white aura. The two white auras expanded and then merged into each of the spouse's other aura until they formed only one aura.
Danny and Sam, still in each other's arms, squinted as the light emanating from the combined aura intensified. Then, they could also feel heat radiating from that light. Still, they felt compelled to watch. The light continue to pulsate until a very bright ball of white light formed around the ghost animals and then burst outward toward the human couple. Danny and Sam reflexively held tightly onto each other and closed their eyes, gasping in fear as they felt the warmth of that powerful energy penetrate them.
But a moment later, after the light fully dispersed, Danny and Sam opened their eyes when they realized that they had not been harmed. When they looked back up to where the ball of light had been, they gasped once more. But this time, their reaction was in awe; and their sadden faces lit up with joy at the sight that was now before them.
The ghost animals were no more; but there in their stead, floating just above the young human couple, was another young couple. But they were human ghosts. They were dressed in white, regal garments that shimmered and undulated in an unseen and unfelt wind. A small golden crown adorned with a central and lone dazzling diamond sat atop on each of their heads. Their skin was not grey, green or blue as most other ghosts, but looked a lot like Danny's ghostly skin tone and was surrounded by white auras, again, just like Danny.
The beautiful girl had long raven hair flowing under her crown that shined of the purest black silk and fell softly past the shoulders of her white and delicately-laced, long-sleeved, full-length gown. Her brilliant emerald eyes danced with joy and seemed to glow even brighter when she turned and looked at her husband.
The boy was handsome, tall and regal in his stature. His hair was also black as coal underneath his crown, and fell just short of his shoulders. But the warmth of his auburn eyes was mesmerizing not only when he beheld his beloved wife, but when Danny and Sam caught sight of them.
No longer in pain or sorrow, the ecstatic ghost couple smiled at each other as they unconsciously clasped hands.
Danny and Sam need not have been told that these were Derek's and Sarah's true forms; and that they had indeed been a very handsome couple when they had been alive. Yet, Danny and Sam were surprised how very young they were. They had thought the ghost couple would have been much, much older. But Derek and Sarah looked about their age, and, in fact, could not have been even a year older than they.
As Danny and Sam still stood stunned at the sight, still in each other's arms, Derek slowly and gently let go of his wife's hands. He slowly reached upward and gently captured both sides of the outline of her delicate chin with his hands and together, they drew nearer. Finally, their eyes closed and their lips met, and another burst of brilliant white light shot out from their powerful kiss.
Danny and Sam pulled each other closer as they watched, more overjoyed than embarrassed with the scene.
Finally, the ghost couple gently parted; and they instantly reached for the other's hand.
Sarah turned to Danny and Sam, and softly said, "Thank you! Thank you, Sir Danny and Lady Sam once more for helping us!"
The teen couple glanced at each other and then at the ghost couple, even more confused at her comment.
Derek chuckled a little at the human couple's reaction before saying, "It is all right, dear friends! What you two—and your friends—have learned in less than two decades took us centuries. We, too, had to endure much pain in order to grow. But because we were blinded by our pain, we could not grow. Until you came into our afterlives!"
"Yes, mi gentle lord and lady," Sarah softly continued, nodding her head slightly with respect toward the young human couple. "All our suffering had not been in vain. And the sad sorcerer had been right! We did not realize that until you showed us what sacrifice was."
Danny and Sam looked at each other, still at a loss about Derek and Sarah's insistence about their role with obviously breaking the spell. "W-What…" Danny finally was able to say.
But Derek interrupted him, "Forgive me, Sir Danny and Lady Sam, but let us explain. It was true what my beloved wife says. We could not believe at first that only in sacrifice was the curse to be broken. We had suffered and sacrificed so much through the years. But how we suffered and how we sacrificed was not enough. We now have the answer, thanks to you both. Yes, we had always been willing to forgo for each other, to aide each other through our suffering. But that was all. We did not care for the concerns of others, as we should have. We had misunderstood what the sorcerer had desperately wanted to tell us before he was taken. We now know that it was not his purpose to do so. We had to learn it ourselves…"
He turned to his wife and smiled. Sarah nodded in understanding and the ghost girl continued, "When we were alive, we did the proper things expected of us when it came to our duties. We were not evil in our intentions, but more had been expected of us that we had not understood. And that was that we lacked being able to sacrifice for others. Even in the midst of our turmoil upon the sweet Earth, we acted only for ourselves. We did not think of our families and our duties to sacrifice for them. We did not go beyond ourselves for the sake at least of my dear mother and Derek's good uncle. And yes, even for the sake of my father. I never told him that I had forgiven him."
She turned to her husband and he smiled, knowing that their minds were in sync. His eyes told her to go on and she added, "But those who cared most for us when we were upon the earth willingly sacrificed for us, as all families should for each of their members. Even so, there was more. We still had the opportunity to see this in our wanderings; however, we failed once more. And that is because we were afraid. We could only turn invisible or intangible and fly and had no way to defend ourselves except with what Derek could do with his claws and fangs. And so, we were again absorbed in our own woes and kept to ourselves, guarding ourselves from the woes of others. We could not sacrifice for others."
The ghost girl then said, "But at least it was fortunate that we were married. Had we not been, then we would have been thrust from each other in the Ghost Zone at death, doomed to roam it in ultimate sorrow, and never finding or knowing what had become of the other. But the heavens took some pity on us and allowed us to be together so that we might not be doomed to endless separation as what would have been our fate, but so that we could learn all as we should have."
Sarah paused a moment and looked at her husband. He gently nodded and she continued, "And during our journey here of late, I somehow knew things that I could not explain. But now I understand. I was given the small, momentarily gift of seeing events that were happening or could happen so that I may be guided to help you, as we were meant to do. The heavens have indeed always been merciful to us! We met you, and your friends. You have been sacrificing for others for such a little time, but, yet, you do so with purity of heart: and that is, because it is right. And we know that you will continue to do so while being committed to each other and to your families and friends. By your determination to love and still so willingly sacrifice, you have taught us well. And we should let you know that with your suffering, especially when we had caused it all, you became our family. We were given the chance and felt obligated, for once in our afterlives, to sacrifice—for you. We are honored to know you, and to know Sir Tucker and his love, and your sister, Sir Danny! Please grant us the favor of letting them know of our tale, since, alas, they are not here for us to tell them ourselves!"
Danny and Sam suddenly had tears silently falling from their respective faces, barely able to nod and unable to say anything. But when they looked at each other, they were not embarrassed by their tears and what the other knew at this moment: they both were too moved by the ghost couple's kind words.
Sarah smiled weakly at their response but continued nevertheless. "And we realized that all that suffering we had endured those many centuries had a purpose we could not understand until this moment. We were meant to wait for the answer until you and your friends came into our afterlives. And not only had we learned from you, we had to attest to you that all your ideals, especially those concerning love, are not only noble, they are worthy of upholding. Please forgive us, but we must say this to you. Never forget that, even when the temptations of the outside or even of your own internal natural forces seem greatest at the moment. You will be strong enough to resist them, as you have thus far. We are truly honored to know you, since what you will face is much more difficult than we had in our time. But 'truehearts' do not fear those matters, as you probably all ready know, because they know that it is the right thing to do." She paused only a moment before gently adding her next thought, "Besides, I am sure you understand, do you not, that guarding your ideals and virtues even amidst temptations and turmoil has everything to do with upholding 'a statement of individuality'?"
She smiled knowingly at the two teens and they blushed. But Sam blushed more.
But then, Derek pulled Sarah gently closer and said with a sigh, "But now, it is time, sweet Wife! Everything is over; we are at peace; and together, we will phase into the oblivion!" But he ended his comment with a smile.
Danny and Sam's faces instantly fell and they gasped. Unable to hide their sadness and now fear for the ghost couple, Danny was able to stutter, "B-But w-why will you go there? You both don't deserve that!"
Sarah laughed at his words and the sound of it was as the soft caress of a cool, running brook on a hot, lazy day.
Danny frowned in confusion, but she continued nevertheless, "Please. Do not be sad! We will not bear that being our last memory of you. If we should stay here in the Ghost Zone, we will still have to deal with many ghosts who have wicked intentions. You cannot call that a happy existence."
Though the human couple nodded slightly in agreement, Sarah continued, "We had heard whispers from other ghosts in our travels on how much they seemed to dread the oblivion. We, too, then, had feared it because we did not understand. But now, we do know! It is not to be feared by those who have kept their honor, fulfilled their duties and learned from their trials and tribulations. Some ghosts, it is true, should fear it. They will suffer greatly there—more so than here in this ghostly world—until their time comes. Still other ghosts will phase into it with dread as they meet their justice and…even the agony that it will bring…"
She paused once more and then smiled encouragingly at the young couple in front of her. They unconsciously returned her smile with a weak one of their own. But their eyes were still full of worry.
Nevertheless, Sarah turned to her husband and after reading his eyes, silently nodded at him with understanding. Squeezing his hand harder, she looked back at Danny and Sam and said with assurance and joy, "But for us, being with the Ultimate Peace, being with each other for eternity….it is heaven!"
No sooner had she said this then the white light that had been surrounding both of their ghostly human bodies intensified once again and the ball of brilliant white light that had first formed around them softly blanketed the regal ghost couple once more. Heat started to permeate again from that light, and then, the light orb pushed forward until it enveloped Danny and Sam.
Though they had to squint because of the glow, Danny and Sam still looked up and saw how radiant Derek and Sarah looked. This time, the human couple unconsciously smiled with joy at the sight and Derek and Sarah; and the ghostly couple, satisfied that this was how they wanted to remember the human couple, nodded to them and then to each other, before the light burst outward.
And as the light ebbed, Danny and Sam could no longer see the ghosts. But they then heard first Derek's, and then Sarah's echoing voices say, "Finally, Beloved, we are at peace!"…"Yes, my Love! Together, in Heaven. Forever!"
Once they had said that, Danny and Sam continued to hear the joyful laughter of the ghostly couple until it slowly phased away….
When Danny and Sam were finally enveloped in silence and in the dull light of the room, Danny could feel Sam trembling, her head against his chest. He pulled her closer and gently kissed the soft, fragrant top of her head before quietly saying, "It's all right, baby. They're happy!"
She sniffed a little and whispered, "Yeah, I know. It's just that I'm both happy and sad for them."
"Me, too, Sam, but we have to keep in mind that it would have been crueler and, really, more selfish of us to wish them to be with us while they were under or without their curse," her boyfriend gently replied.
"You're right, of course, honey," she replied, brushing her tears fully away. She sighed and looked up at him, before adding, "I'm okay, now! We need to go home."
He smiled weakly; but then, they both gasped when they heard a commotion just above the room they were in…
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Still outside, and not expecting to see anything coming out of Spectra's lair, Tucker and Valerie gasped when the door violently flung open. Tucker quickly put the brakes on the hover-board and then he saw Spectra exiting the lair! His mind went to high alert. Now that both Spectra and Bertrand were here, which one of the ghosts should they shoot at first?
But in the next instant, it was obvious that they wouldn't have to answer that question. They saw a very ancient Spectra escaping from her lair, holding something in her hand. She headed in a random direction which was, coincidentally, toward the same shelf that Bertrand laid. A moment later, she spied Bertrand and landed next to him.
The two teens gasped when they saw what happened next.
When the shadow ghost saw her assistant's face, she screamed. And her scream then jolted Bertrand out of his stupor. Just as he was rousing, he shrieked in horror when his blurry vision beheld the sight of his female partner. What had happened?
But then Bertrand frowned when he wondered why Spectra had screamed at him. He grabbed the mirror she was holding right out of her hand and looked into it. When he saw his image in the same mirror which she was in front of, he shrieked again. They were both hideously ancient! They had been splattered with the remaining aging potion! Spectra had received her unwanted 'dose' from Derek, and Valerie had thrown another vial of the stuff at Bertrand just before Tucker had netted him.
This time, Tucker and Valerie laughed when they saw the two old ghosts.
Spectra and Bertrand gasped when they saw the armed teens. Spectra began to wail, but Bertrand wrapped one of his arms around her shoulders in protection and sympathy. He pushed both of them upward, quickly darting off the shelf. He pulled her closer to him as they soared away, well, soared away as fast as their feeble, old forms could fly.
"Don't know how that happened to Spectra, but I really don't care. But how long do you think it'll be before they finally get over that one?" Tucker asked, slowing his laughter.
"I don't know, but like you, I really don't care. But I'd rather go see if Danny and Sam are in that Spectra's lair, then, since it's obvious that she somehow had been there!" Valerie slowly replied, pointing her gun over to the lair. "And now I'm worried about Sarah and Derek!"
Getting more sober now, they carefully flew into the lair.
When the couple entered it, they couldn't miss the trap door. It was pulsating with a brilliant white light from below, which then, for some reason, dissipated.
"Well, that could explain why we couldn't find Danny!" Tucker said as he pushed the button from his PDA, immediately flooding more light into the room. He was about to activate the hover-board to dive into the opened trap door, when he was suddenly aware of the weight on his shoulder. Turning his head slightly, he slightly chuckled a "Duh!", and quickly pressed another button on his PDA. Valerie's gun immediately melded back into her battle suit.
But he hadn't turned enough to notice Valerie. She was swaying a little and having a harder time focusing. They both didn't know that her head was suddenly spinning from her exhaustion as well as the fact that she really hadn't recovered from Bertrand's attack; and her eyes weren't focusing well.
"Hang on!" he commanded to Valerie as their soared downward into the trap door…
Meanwhile, Danny was just about to turn Sam and him invisible and intangible when he heard a familiar noise very close to them and looked up.
It was Tucker and Valerie upon the hover-board.
"Danny!...Sam!" Tucker yelled in relief as he landed Valerie's flying machine right next to them. He quickly stepped off of it and hurriedly turned to help Valerie off of it. He then helped her sit down upon it as the board hovered in place. He then twisted back around and ran right up to his two best friends. He gave both of them a huge hug at the same time.
When Tucker pulled away from them, he could see that they seemed relatively unharmed, though their clothes were in tatters. And they both looked beat and very pale.
"You're all right, aren't you?", he asked more anxiously. He then quickly scanned the room and added, "And have you seen any ghost animals?"
Sam's and Danny's faces unconsciously dropped in a frown upon hearing the mention of Sarah and Derek again.
Tucker jolted when he saw their reaction. Now frightened that something dreadful had happened to the ghost animals and maybe even to his two best friends after all, Tucker blurted out, "Please tell me that you're all right! What happened? And where are the ghost animals?"
But before either of Tucker's best friends could answer, Valerie groaned and the three best friends gasped when she fell to the floor. What Tucker didn't know was that Valerie had become so dizzy by the time Tucker had helped her sit, that she hadn't even noticed that they had found Danny…and Sam.
"She got hurt!" Tucker quickly explained to his friends as he rushed over to Valerie.
Danny and Sam were right behind him and reached the couple just as Tucker was gently lifting the Red Huntress into his arms.
Valerie tried to smile, but couldn't and closed her eyes.
"Valerie!" Tucker yelled and began to panic when she went limp in his arms.
But in the next instant, Tucker and his girl were surrounded in a bright blue aura. Danny had willed his healing power right upon reaching his male friend after having immediately touched Tucker on his shoulders just as he did. A few moments later and Valerie began to stir.
The bright blue aura dissipated just as Valerie's eyes fluttered open. She instantly knew that she was in Tucker's arms. She smiled up at him; and drawing both of her arms up and wrapping her hands behind his neck, she gave him a very affectionate kiss.
Sam frowned. Obviously the two had made up. But her thoughts were interrupted by Valerie's next reaction.
Suddenly, Valerie pulled abruptly away from Tucker when she finally realized what happened—that somehow, she was cured—and gasped.
Tucker startled a little on what she had done, but finished helping her up just the same. "A-Are you all right?" he fretfully asked as he pulled her fully upright.
She reflexively examined her right arm and pulling off the makeshift sling and bandage, saw that the open wound was also completely gone without leaving as much as a small scar that it had been there. She gasped in surprise when she could also move that same arm freely without any difficulty or pain. And her dizziness and headache were completely expelled!
Turning back to her boyfriend, she said in utter bewilderment, "Yes, I think so! But how? My arm…it was cut…and I was sure it was broken and…"
She stopped; and when she finally glanced up, she saw Danny Phantom smiling weakly at her, with a poker-faced Sam standing next to him. They still had their arms around each other's waists as they looked silently at her.
Then, the thought struck Valerie squarely. Somehow, she had a hunch that Danny had somehow helped her—yet again. And then she jolted at her next thought. How did Sam get here? But instead of remembering Tucker's hunch, another thought then rammed into her. Danny and Sam! Of course, they didn't know that she and Tucker had made up. And they didn't know that she now knew about Danny's secret; and yet, Danny still helped her when he thought she still hated his guts. She smiled weakly back at them and stammered, "Uh, h-hi, and, uhm, t-thanks! But how?"
Tucker excitedly interrupted her, "He has healing powers, that's how! Isn't that so cool?"
Sam then frowned in irritation at Tucker, but she remained mute nevertheless.
But Tucker caught Sam's drift. He then glanced at Valerie and reading how kind of in shock the look on her face was at seeing Danny as Phantom, finally confessed to his best friends, "Duh! How could you know? You don't know! She knows!"
This time, Danny and Sam jolted, now perturbed when they got what his remark meant, and just how flip he seemed to be about it. How could he?! Why did he tell Valerie Danny's secret? But they still didn't say anything.
Valerie bit her lip and cringed when she saw and understood the other couple's obvious reaction. But she quickly piped in, "I swear, it's not Tucker's fault that I know! I found out myself…after I, uhm, shot at you, Danny, when you were helpless in that pit before Spectra got to you. You must have maybe, uhm, lost your powers or something and then when I looked into the pit…I, uhm,.." She stopped a moment, remembering that weird purple energy field again. But she thought it was more important to talk about this instead. She immediately threw that thought away and then said, "I, uh, I saw Danny Phantom become Danny Fenton! I didn't mean it, and I'm sorry….sorry about everything. I, uh, uhm,…"
She paused and her face dropped. She didn't want to tell them how she reacted to the discovery. She was too ashamed. Still, she didn't want to lie to them anymore…
But before she could say anything else, Tucker interrupted her. "You know guys, it was a real shocker for her when it happened; but, in the end, she was okay with it, and that's the reason why we're both here. We both wanted to help you, Danny! And you, too, Sam! You know, it was so weird, guys, but I had a strange feeling all along that Sam was somehow here and had been in trouble, too! I can't explain it! But, we're glad you're both all right!"
Tucker immediately glanced at Valerie and his eyes smiled at her in understanding. She, too, acknowledged what he had meant with a weak smile. Neither of them wanted to lie to Danny and Sam. But some difficult things are meant to be shared by only those who had been directly involved with them, for the sake of the feelings of others. And, really, Tucker hadn't lied to his friends. He just wasn't specific about it all. And now, both Valerie and Tucker felt that keeping Valerie's detailed reaction to discovering Danny's secret was better left between the two of them alone. For Danny and Sam's sake.
Suddenly, all four teens fell to silence, as millions of questions surfaced and resurfaced in all of their minds. Among them, Tucker still wanted to know where Sarah and Derek were. Valerie thought about that purple shield that had protected Danny again and wondered how it got there in the first place. Danny wanted to know just how Tucker and Valerie—and even the ghost animals—had found them—and how Sam had been captured. And Sam wanted to know how Tucker and Valerie knew about the ghost animals—and what had happened to Spectra and Bertrand.
Even as the gazillion questions still filled his mind, Danny was finally able to say something about the most important question: the one Tucker had asked earlier. "Well, okay, then. But about Sarah and Derek. All I can say right now is that they are okay. And, I don't know about the rest of you, but I'd say that we need to get home. But, I think, with everything that has happened to everybody in the last few weeks, we won't be having any trouble talking this time!"
His three companions smiled weakly, but nodded in agreement with him. Then, Tucker spied Danny's Blazers. He ran over to them, grabbed them, and quickly gave them to his friend.
Danny smiled and nodded his appreciation to Tucker. Tucker and Valerie then hopped onto her hover-board and Danny tightened his hold around Sam's waist. Leading the way, Danny lifted upward with his girl while Tucker and Valerie followed him on the hover-board.
The foursome quickly exited the small room, left Spectra's lair, and headed for home…
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A/N: Don't worry. There's still a little more story to come. You know I always have an epilogue. And don't forget to send me your thoughts. I would really love to e-hear them! truephan