Chapter Six

The Bitterest of Reunions

...

Vlad came back at Danny with surprising speed, grabbing the younger halfa around the ankles and tossing him into the branches of a tree. Danny slammed face – first into a lower branch, before rolling off and onto the ground.

Several bones were shattered, Danny could tell, mostly in his chest area, and a few foot bones.

"Motherfucker!" Danny shouted as he hit the ground- he wasn't standing up for a while, now.

But, flying? He'd be fine!

... Probably...

Vlad floated just above the ground, red eyes gleeful at the sight of Danny on the ground in severe pain.

"You know, Daniel, I think I might kill you right he-"

"Like hell you will!"

Oh no.

Dipper stepped out from behind a rock. The kid was shaking a good deal, but was brave

Stupidly, stupidly brave.

"What the hell are you doing, kid?" Danny shouted, causing the broken ribs to move around.

"I'm helping!" He looked confident in himself, and tossed a flower to Vlad.

At first, Danny wanted to smack him- but then he recognized the flower.

"A flower?" Vlad demanded, "Child, you must be incredibly stupid to think that-" Vlad sniffed the flower.

And started shrieking.

He held onto his face, shrieking as more of the bloodblossom got all over his face.

Danny had almost pushed himself to his elbows when a punch landed directly on the tip of his nose, sending him recoiling- more bones shifted- blood and ectoplasm splattering.

"You think I'm going down without a fight?" Vlad snarled, burns from the flower all over his ghostly – green skin.

"You'd better, Masters," Came Maddie Fenton's voice, "or I'll blast you back to the emptiness you came from."

Danny saw the ectoweapon aimed at the back of Vlad's head, and his mother's murderous expression, and thought of a possible future... One that no one but he and Clockwork remembered... I lost my ability to feel a long time ago... You cannot escape your future, Danny Fenton...

"Maddie, stop."

His mother stared at him.

Danny painfully pushed himself to his feet, "You don't- ah-! -have to kill him."

"Are you nuts!?" Dipper shouted, "He'll kill a lot of people if she doesn't!"

Danny shook his head, "You're naive, kid." Danny held out a hand to Vlad, "You told me once you just want love, and however looped your methods of gaining such were, everyone deserves a second chance."

Vlad looked like he was going to cry.

"You can't be serious..." Maddie said, "Need I remind you that he tried to make himself a hero by selling out 7 billion people?"

Danny huffed, "Just don't kill him. Please."

Slowly, Maddie lowered the gun.

"Thank you, Daniel..." Vlad looked like a lost child- unsure where to go or what to say.

And he flew off.

Danny took the chance to collapse, whimpering in pain.

Maddie dropped next to him, "What's broken?"

"Few ribs... Something in my foot..." Danny grumbled, and looked to Dipper, "What the hell were you thinking!? He could've killed you! He wouldn't, but for all you know..."

Dipper shuffled awkwardly.

"But you may have saved my life." Dipper looked up, eyes shining, "Thank you."

"You're welcome!" Dipper practically shouted? "I mean- uh- no prob- um- no problem-"

Danny laughed softly, "I'll fly you back to the Mystery Shack, if you want."

"Danny!" His mother scolded, "You're hurt!"

"I'll can fly." Danny hovered, flipping his body upright, "I'll be fine."

Danny held Dipper bridal – style, putting most of the kid's weight on his arms instead of broken ribs, and took off.

"So..." Dipper said as they flew, "I know you're Danny Fenton."

Danny almost lost his grip on the bastard, "What gives you that idea?"

"I saw you transform before I went unconscious." Dipper said, as if it was a normal thing 13 year old kids talk about, "But my question is- what are you?"

"Oh, would you look at that!" Danny sputtered, "The Mystery Shack!"

Danny set Dipper down on the lawn, hovering as to not set his broken foot down.

The door to the shack slammed open, Mabel throwing herself out the door, "Dipper!" She threw her arms around her twin, "Oh my god!" She sobbed into his shoulder, "I didn't know if you were okay!" She hugged Phantom around the waist, "Thank you! You brought Dipper home safely twice in a week!"

Danny winced, "Ribs-" He hissed, causing Mabel to leap back, "But you're welcome."

Mabel grinned, "You're awesome."

...

"You could have let him die." Dan Phantom hissed.

"But I didn't." Danny snarled back, "Now go away."

"I'll never leave you, young one." Dan's green eyes sparkled with a glee that was terrifying, "We are one."

"I'm nothing like you!" Danny attempted to throw himself forward, but found himself shackled to the ground, "I WILL NEVER BE LIKE YOU!"

Dan clicked his snake – like tongue, "That's where you're wrong." He started pulling on the chains at his feet, Danny being dragged with them, until the two of them were face-to-face, "I'm am you."

"Stop-"

"We are one, you and I."

"Go away-"

"You have as much capacity to kill as I do."

"I said, lea-"

"YOU WILL BECOME ME SOON ENOUGH!"

Shrieks that may or may not have been his own filled Danny's ears, and he sat up in bed, huffing and puffing.

Despite his still-broken ribs, he hugged his chest and cried, desperately hoping Jazz wouldn't hear.

...

Wow that was an adventure.

I wrote this on my phone, so any formatting errors you can blame on that.