AN: *awkward cough* Soo… There's this thing called "real life", and it gave a valiant effort in trying to eat me! (In other words, I totally forgot about this story, and I've been too busy to work on it anyway!) Thank you to the five very awesome voters who voted! ;D
Has anyone seen Shutter Island yet? If not, go see it! I found this song via the movie, in the credits!
Disclaimer: I own nothing! The song belongs to Dinah Washington. Shutter Island isn't mine either, sadly.
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Danny came to a stop some time later, wheezing. He had managed to put at least a mile between the ones he had left behind at the warehouse. There was no way for him to know where he was exactly, so he continued forward, at a slower walking pace to catch his breath. His bare feet were raw from all of the running, and they left a very faint trail of blood behind him that was washed away as soon as it left his skin.
"It's a good thing I thought to run away," he thought aloud. "If they caught me, I'd be dead for sure. D-e-a-d. I don't want to be like that, so I'm glad I got away. There's no way I'd let them beat me!" He tripped again, stubbing his bare foot. "Excuse me, I didn't see you there," he mumbled, waving an apology to the imaginary person he had just run into. He sneezed once, shaking the cold rain from his eyes before humming again. He enjoyed the sound of his voice, for the company, and he decided on the spot to sing a bit.
"…But while a voice within me cries, I'm sure someone may answer my call. And this bitter earth may not, oh be so bitter after all."
His voice wasn't anything like the actual singers voice, and he dare not try. Instead, he stuck with a tone that was almost similar to his speaking voice, it was easier that way. He waved his hands lazily, trying to match the feel of the music. Another sneeze, and then he gave up. Looking off to the left, he saw an abandoned car on the side of the road. Yawning, he tottered over to it, throwing the back door open and climbing in. He didn't bother shutting the door behind him because it was sort of stuffy in the car, and he wanted to be able to have a clear view outside for when the sky stopped raining. Curling up in the seat opposite the open door, Danny sat there, grinning at his prize.
"I've got a car that's made of tin; nobody knows what shape it's in!" he giggled, recalling a foolish song he had learned in grade school. He yawned again, resting his head against the half-open window, closing his eyes as he fell into a cat nap.
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Alex led the others up the road at a jog. Sam and Tucker could keep up easily, but they didn't want to get too tired if they trip turned out to last longer than they had planned. Tucker had the modified Plasmius Maximus stuffed in his boot in an effort to keep it as dry as possible. He was a little leery to do this at first, but he didn't have any ghost powers, not since the first time he made that wish with Desiree, so it wouldn't hurt him.
After what seemed like an eternity of racing through the rain, the trio came across a large something on the side of the road. It was a car, probably left there after it had broken down. Its owner was probably in the city, waiting for the rain to left up. Alex turned, stopping the others.
"What do you lot think? Is Danny in there?" he asked, receiving some shrugs. "Tucker, if we sneak up on the bloke and give him a zap with that thing, will it hurt him?"
Tucker shrugged helplessly. "I don't know, man. If it does, I don't want to use it on him!"
"His powers aren't cut forever though, guys," Sam said. "When Danny found us the next day after the warehouse thing, he had his powers again."
"He was powerless for only a few hours then, like six or something. We don't have that time. Maybe if we explain it to him, he'll understand."
"I doubt it," Sam muttered, looking away to the car. "Let's just go talk to him."
They silently walked over to the car, still unsure if Danny was there. Alex and Tucker went around one side of the car, while Sam scouted out the other. They all found Danny sleeping in the back seat. Alex nodded to the Goth, and Sam climbed in through the open door to sit on her shins in the seat. She took his hand while the boys watched through the half-open window, and called the halfa's name softly. Instantly, the boy opened his blue eyes. He glanced lazily over at Sam, yawning again.
"Hey, Sam. What's up?"
He was so calm, so in control, that Sam was speechless for a moment. Alex waved his hand at her, trying to tell her to say something.
"Uh, how are you feeling?" she asked, eye twitching.
"Fine, I guess. Where's Yassen? He was just here."
"Here?"
Danny looked rather confused, noticing where they were. "Well, not here. We're out of London, right? I remember leaving."
"We left; we're just outside Amity Park."
Danny glanced over his shoulder, seeing Alex and Tucker and waving, offering the driver and shotgun seats to them so they could get out of the rain. He unlocked the door in front of him, and they piled in, Tucker taking the drivers seat. Alex sat backwards in the seat so he could see Danny and Sam.
"Danny, you know that you tripped on something that made you loose your powers for a few hours, right?"
"The Plasmius Maximus, you mean? When did that happen?"
"Just now, at the warehouse."
"I haven't been to the warehouse."
Danny tried to remember tripping over the small metal object. It would have been hard to forget; at least that's what he thought. He cocked his head to the side, scratching a spot behind his ear.
"You know, I think you're pulling my leg," he raised a hand to create some ecto energy and prove the spy wrong. He failed. "Okay, never mind. How long ago was it when I tripped on it? It's only cuts my powers for three hours."
Everyone looked happy at those words, and Sam quickly said that it happened a little less than an hour ago. Tucker waved his hands. He was holding his PDA, and had something else in his lap. Quickly, he explained to the halfa how he had modified the Maximus, thus reversing its effects. Danny raised an eyebrow in confusion.
"It's simple man, we just poke you with it, and ker-pow! You get your powers back early!" he put the PDA away, picking up the Maximus. Danny suddenly wasn't so sure that he liked the idea. The metal tool sparked once, as if it knew Danny was near. Sam gave his hand an encouraging squeeze.
The rain outside began to fall harder, and the sky joined in, letting loose with a burst of thunder and a crack of lightning. Danny's eyes went wide, and the paper thin wall of sanity he had managed to build crumbled. He wrenched his hand free from the girl's hand, fumbling with his door until it opened. He tumbled out, landing in the little ditch running along side the road. It was full of rushing water, and Danny was soaked all over again. He stumbled out to the other side, his shirt sticking to his skin. He brushed the hair from his eyes, glaring at the teens in the car. Alex cursed, snatching the Maximus from Tuckers hand and leaping from the car. He cleared the ditch, landing next to Danny, taking him by the arm with his free hand. Danny made to kick him, but Alex blocked him, punching him in the gut. Gasping, Danny fell to his knees.
"Danny, get it through your head!" he said loudly. "We're your friends, we want to help you! Now, hold still!" he lowered the Maximus, but Danny hit his hand roughly, knocking the device away into the trees and bushes.
"Go away!" Danny wheezed, hiding his eyes behind his hand.
"We are not leaving you, Danny! Look at me, man! We can give you your powers back!"
"Look at me!"
Danny twisted his trapped arm, pushing up from the ground at the same time. Alex was sent over the halfa's shoulder, landing in the mud. He got back up quickly, but was knocked down again as Danny kicked him.
"Do you think I'm stupid?" Danny demanded, kicking at Alex again. Alex barely managed to roll out of the way in time. "You won't use that thing on me again!"
"Danny, you are being stupid! How could giving you back your powers hurt you?" Alex demanded, getting to his feet and flicking the mud from his face. "What's the matter with you? You're attacking me like I'm about to knife you or something when I'm trying to give you your bloody powers back. You almost blasted Sam earlier when she tried to help you!" Alex added the last part, hoping it would reach the disturbed halfa. It did, and Danny's rage deflated, replaced with uncertainity.
"Liar, I don't believe you!"
"You did, Danny, and if your aim hadn't been so poor, you could have really hurt her!"
Danny looked horrified, staring at the car, with Sam and Tucker inside. His lip trembled, and he shook his head. "I'd never hurt any of you," he whispered. Alex took a few steps towards him, hands raised in surrender. "Alex, what is going on?" Danny sounded like a small child, he was scared.
"Danny, we really want to help you, but you won't let us. You are under a lot of stress, that's all."
"Are you sure? I'm not."
"Positive." Alex went to retrieve the Maximus, returning moments later. Danny eyed the tool warily, slowly holding his arm out. He asked, in a small voice, if it would hurt. Alex didn't know. Biting his lip and looking away, Danny extended his hand, allowing a fingertip to touch one of the prongs.
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Sam and Tucker looked away, preparing for the horrible sight. There was the bright light again, they covered their ears. Alex squinted, keeping his arm steady as he continued to hold the stupid cattle prod thing out.
The howls of pain never came. Danny gasped, shivering as an invisible icy wind blew over him. Only he saw the odd glow that surrounded his body for those few seconds, then the familiar white ring returned, splitting in half before traveling across his body, transforming him once more into Danny Phantom. He laughed nervously, then hysterically. He was so happy, and yet he couldn't shake the thought that it was all a trick. When the light faded, he looked at Alex. He was smiling at him, but the look in his eyes revealed his worry. Alex grinned, slapping his hand on Danny's shoulder.
"Are you still too tired to fly?" he asked, smirking. Danny blinked, shivering slightly.
"I'm not too tired, but I don't want Vlad to see me, so yes. I'm tired."
"You can make yourself invisible, you know."
Danny hummed, shrugging and diving into the car. Sam only had a two second warning before the white haired teen had phased through her to sit next to her. Sam gave a start, holding back a cry of shock. Laughing lightly yet still looking awkward over the whole thing, she shut her door. She and Tucker had moved to the right side of the car to see what Alex and Danny were doing. Alex noticed this, and walked around to the driver's seat. Once he had gotten in and closed the door, dumping the Plasmius in to little box set in his door, he began searching around the cabin. Tucker raised an eyebrow, asking what he was doing. Alex didn't answer, instead leaning over and opening the glove box. His hand came back from the box with a single car key. It had been taped to the inside of the box. He closed the compartment, and then went back to his side of the car, putting the key in the ignition. He started the car, putting it in gear and turning it around to return to Amity Park.
"Whoever was stupid enough to leave their abandoned car unlocked, with a spare key inside, that's just sad." Tucker said, leaning back in his seat. "Wait! You're not old enough to drive, Alex!"
"We'll just have to be careful then, won't we?" Alex smirked, not taking his eyes off the road. Sam looked a little worried, but she knew better than to distract Alex while he was driving. Danny didn't seem to care, his eyes instead trained on his feet.
"My uncle taught me to drive when I was younger." Alex explained, waving to a passing car like he was old enough to drive and knew what he was doing. "Spy training, you know?"
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"My feet are bleeding. Tuckers shoes are turning green. I hope he doesn't want these back." Danny thought guiltily. He slipped his feet from the sandals, wiping them on the carpet. It didn't help too much, so he didn't try it again. He sighed, turning to look out of the window.
With a sneeze, he rolled his window shut. Now that the car was in a different position, the rain was able to get in, making the boys clothes slightly damp and cold. He was cold.
Cold as a ghost.
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"And if my life is like the dust that hides the glow of a rose, what good am I?" Danny sang quietly, continuing to stare out the window, now towards the sky. He raised a pale hand to the glass drawing idle doodles for no reason other than to give him something to do. He began humming again. From the driver's seat, Alex told him that it wasn't the time to sing a swan's song, and never would be. Danny looked up, pausing in his doodle.
"Alex, you know I'm not a swan." He said in a very serious tone. Something in his green eyes let it be known: the halfa was beginning to, starting at that very moment, question the other boys' sanity. Alex chuckled, shaking his head.
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"We'll be in Amity in another minute or so, where should we go?" Ales asked. They were currently at a stop light, the last one before the final stretch to Amity Park. "Should we find a place to rest for a bit, or what?"
"Nasty Burger," Danny said, earning a nod of agreement from Tucker. "Food sounds really good right now."
Sam agreed, and Alex nodded, taking the car over to the outskirts of Amity Park to abandon it behind some bushes. He apologized as everyone climbed out. He thought that it would be best for him to leave the car where it wouldn't be spotted. The last thing any of them needed was some drama with a cop for underage driving. They began the long walk back, staying close due to the slight temperature drop. What had been a warm day turned cool from the storm. Not that anyone was exactly complaining; it was far better than the usual humid weather they had.
"They won't have burgers at the Nasty Burger; it's too early for that." Sam announced, guessing at the time and saying that it was about five in the morning. "We may get lucky if they serve breakfast or something. Who's going to pay for the food, by the way?" She didn't want to expose the secret emergency stash of twenty dollars she had in her pocket, but when the boys grinned sheepishly at her she gave in.
"All of you owe me for this, don't forget that." She warned, only a little serious. "And don't get anything too extreme or expensive, Tucker."
"You've got to be kidding me, Sam!" the techno geek protested in mock despair.
Danny smirked, finding Sam and Tucker bickering to be very amusing. He was jolted out of the moment when Alex whispered down to him, suggesting that he change back to Fenton or at least hide his very obvious hair. Danny yanked his hood up. He quickly told the spy that he did not want to change back to Fenton, because people would see him.
"Danny, they'd be able to see you as Phantom too, unless you were invisible. Can't you do that as Fenton? Oh."
Alex realized what Danny had been saying. Lots of people would know who he was if he walked in as Fenton, thus giving away his location. Heck, that huge blonde idiot thought he was Danny! It would be better, in an odd way, for him to walk in as a ghost. Maybe they'd get lucky, and there wouldn't be that many people there, perhaps only a few adults, quickly savoring their morning coffee before rushing off to work.
And so, thirty minutes later, Danny Phantom and Friends made their appearance at the Nasty Burger, swarming to the counter to order and retrieve their food before retreating to a booth tucked away in the corner.
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