A/N: Um...right. Warning: character death... And it's AU in the sense that Phantom Planet never happened, as in most of my fics.
Rating: T
Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom.
73. I Can't
"Don't point a gun at anyone unless you're prepared to shoot them."
I heard that in a movie once, I forget which one. I've seen so many movies in Sam's basement I can no longer tell them apart, in my memory I never really watched them, in my memory I was always watching Sam. But somehow this got stuck in my mind and I've tried to live by it, I've tried not to make idle threats. When I threatened Vlad I would kill him if he ever tried to hurt my family again, I meant it.
So now I'm sitting here, in his mansion and he is still in his chair, the former mayor of Amity Park. I'm still holding the gun, but it's no longer pointing at him, it just sits in my lap. I know I have to get moving, get out of here before anyone catches me here in a really compromising position, but I just can't.
I don't feel remorse. I thought I would, I have taken a life, something I swore I'd never do and yet I don't care. He is dead and I am glad. My other hand still holds the Fenton Ghost Disruptor, a new invention of my parents that temporarily deprives a ghost of it's powers, a bit like the Plasmius Maximus, only the effect of it is gone in about ten minutes. I know because I tried it out on myself, much to Sam's chagrin. She yelled at me when she found me on the floor that day, sweating, feeling extremely weak and my ghost powers temporarily gone.
But I had to know what it did before I could use it for my plan, a plan that had come to me every now and then in the past ten years, a plan that I never shared with anyone, least of all Sam. She wouldn't approve, ever. I never put it into action, thinking there was another way, that I would never have to do it, until finally last week Vlad went too far.
This morning I went back to Amity Park, retrieved the Ghost Disruptor and a gun from my parents weapons vault and simply went to his house and rang the bell. When he opened the door I immediately jumped forward and hit him with the disruptor, causing him to fall on the floor sweating and panting and I knew he was in agony. I quietly closed the door behind me and pulled out the gun.
"Up," I said.
He stared at me through watery eyes, unbelieving. I don't think he expected me to do this.
"Daniel," he panted and he made no attempt to move, "What a pleasant surprise! You should have called me, I would have prepared a warm welcome for you!"
"I bet," I said curtly, "Up!"
I pointed the gun between his eyes and I made sure I stayed away from his legs. Even without ghost powers, Vlad is a dangerous man. But then, so am I. He slowly dragged himself to his feet and leaned against the wall for support. I jerked my head, indicating that I wanted him to walk into his study and he complied. He sat down heavily in his chair and I remained standing, studying him.
He hadn't changed all that much over the past ten years. His hair was still white, his suit still immaculate, his arrogance as strong as ever. Weakened as he was now, he looked back at me mockingly, defying the gun in my hand.
"Really Daniel," he said, "You always tended to get overly dramatic. Is that gun really necessary?"
"You tried to kidnap my son," I said flatly, keeping all emotion out of my voice.
"Ah yes, little Jack," Vlad smirked, "But you have to admit, he'd be better off with me. You can't keep running you know. I'll always find you."
He was right. We couldn't keep running. Which was why I was here, pointing a gun to his head, solving the problem once and for all. I looked at the clock on the wall, five minutes had already passed by since I hit him with the disruptor.
"Premeditated murder, Daniel," he continued, folding his hands, "Are you sure you are up to it?"
For the first time, I smiled at him and I saw him pale. I don't think he liked my smile at all and he looked at me intently, as if trying to read my mind. He had always been good at doing that, but I don't think he knew what I was thinking now. I grabbed the gun tightly, holding it steady. My mouth went dry and I tried hold on to that determined feeling I had had the whole week. A whole week or preparing, providing an alibi for myself – not hard to do if you're supposed to be thousands of miles away – getting Tucker to disable the security camera's that were in and around his house, loading a devastating virus into his computer systems to erase everything Vlad had on me and making sure he was there, alone.
Not that Tucker knew what I was planning, or he wouldn't have helped me and probably would have tried to stop me, saying we could move again, hide somewhere else, start again. My parents... I hate disappointing them and I know I've failed them. They will probably still stand by me, but they will never forgive me. Jazz is probably the only one who will understand why I had to do this, that I couldn't keep living like this, the constant threat of a powerful, obsessed, billionaire half ghost trying to lure you to his side at all cost.
And Sam, my beautiful Sam, who always stood by me, who saved me from myself more times than she knows... she won't understand at all. She cares for all living things, plants, animals and humans alike. No, Sam will hate me for this. But at least she and little Jack will be safe.
"Good bye Vlad", I said and pulled the trigger.
And now I'm sitting here, staring at the dead form of Vlad Masters, a tiny red hole between his eyes, still bearing the shocked look on his face when he realized I was going to go through with it. I don't move, even when I hear the sirens in the distance and I can still get out of here. I sit still when the policemen burst into the room, pointing their guns at me, yelling at me to put my gun down. I remain quiet when they push me roughly on the floor, my arms pulled behind my back forcefully and they read me my rights.
You know, not only do I not make idle threats, but I've always learned I should face the consequences of my actions. I've always tried to live by that too. So I can't let myself get away with this.
I can't.
I'm having a little trouble with the tense here, but I think I got it right. I started in present tense, then past tense as Danny sort of recaps what happened earlier, and then went back to present tense... is this working alright?
