AUTHOR'S NOTE: I am SO sorry I haven't updated lately! D8 It's really hard to keep track of so many web profiles, and considering this story is nearly ended, I kinda don't want it to. XD But don't worry, I've got at least four or five more Danny Phantom stories to post after this one... I just can't write the other ones I said I would. I just don't have the time anymore.

So, let's get going shall we?

Hours went by after that. No one saw or heard from the Captain since he had left. The only thing anyone knew about his whereabouts was that he had locked himself in his cabin. The Captain's cabin was slightly larger than the rest of the crew's retreats; it had enough place for a desk, a bed, a closet and even a bookshelf filled with books and datafiles. The others cabins only had enough room for a small closet and the bed.

When curfew arrived, everyone retreated silently to their cabins. Within thirty minutes, everyone had their earphones in their ears and their eyes closed.

All but Nicholas. While he tried to fall asleep uneasily, he was unable to do so in the end. He felt horrible about that day's events. Not only had he frozen in fear when he knew he could have gone around the asteroid, but a piece of him did want to see Danny transform and rescue them.

During those few moments, he forgot that ectoranium was ghost-proof.

After several attempts to try and fall asleep, Nicholas sat up with a sigh and got out of bed. If he was ever going to start making things right, he had to start now.

For the first few hours, Danny had poured through books and files, trying to empty his mind of the frustration he felt and the fear that still plagued him. One burden after another continued to weigh down on his shoulders, making his heart sink deeper and deeper into solitude.

Fear of leading his crew into danger. Fear of having his secret exposed. Fear of dying in space because of someone's mistake and never being able to return home to his family and friends.

Papers littered the floor around him. He tried writing things down but ended up trashing every paper he used. Books lay scattered on his desk, open. Pencils and pens lay in wait for someone to pick them up.

He had done some pacing in his room; back and forth, back and forth. He had fought the urge of transforming and putting a mask on in order to go flying in space. Nothing he had done seemed to do him any good. It only made him feel even more helpless, useless and afraid.

So, shortly before curfew, he unpacked his holographic communicator, a gift from his best friend, and dialed home.

He cradled his head in his hands as he sat on his office chair, facing the holographic projection of his wife. "I can't take this anymore, Sam," he said heavily. "I just can't! Everything he does seems to make things worse! He runs into me, peeks into my room, asks irritating questions and doesn't even follow orders properly!"

"Danny, don't you think you're taking this a little too personally?" Sam replied, holding out her hands. "People do things like that when they're curious or nervous. It's called bad habits. Everyone has at least one."

"If I let him do anything else, I'll go crazy."

"Danny…"

"We were nearly killed today, Sam!" Danny exclaimed, looking up at her. "He froze and didn't follow my orders! We were this close to getting blown to bits! And getting the haul of the shuttle scrapped just sent a vibe straight through my brain! I looked at him and he actually looked like he had expected me to transform and phase the ship through the ectoranium asteroid!"

"Danny, you really need to calm down," Sam said with a hint of concern in her voice. "You're taking this way too personally. Did you ever think that Nicholas was maybe scared? I mean, I know I would be if I had to try and fly my way out of a mine of anti-ghost debris. He had pressure on him, Danny; pressure you weren't making any better."

Danny sighed and buried his face in his hands. He cried silently and shook his head. "I can't handle this anymore," he said in defeat. "I've tried since the launch to mend things and even try to trust him, but the more I try, the worse it seems to get. I know he's trying his best to make things better too, but the more we both try, the more I feel cornered. He either asks questions or does something that puts my life or my powers in jeopardy. And heading towards a dark asteroid around the same time a Ghost Portal's going to open is making everything worse. I'm not only feeling more and more lost, but I feel like I'm leading the entire crew to their doom."

Sam stared at him in silence, seeming to know that her husband would continue. Danny uncovered his face and wiped a few tears. "Sometimes I regret ever walking into that stupid ghost portal," he said heavily. "I wouldn't feel as cornered or as in danger. I wouldn't feel responsible for the lives of twelve other people. I wouldn't…" He placed his hands in his hair. "I wouldn't feel torn between trusting a man and wanting to stay as far from him as possible."

"Danny, when you signed up to be a hero, a fun and trouble-free life wasn't written on the fine print," Sam said gently while smiling pitifully. She leaned forward while crossing her arms over her lap. "And it never said that you'd agree with everything that happened, either. But you signed that contract anyway, and look where it's taken you now: you're an astronaut, the youngest to be named a Captain; you're still the respected hero of Amity Park, never mind the world; you have your own shuttle; and you're a married man with a five-year-old son who's inherited two of your powers. Isn't that enough proof that you took the right path? That walking into the ghost portal wasn't just accidental?"

Danny slowly raised his eyes until he was staring at his wife.

"You're just making this whole thing look worse than it seems, that's all," Sam continued. "You're letting fear get the better of you, and because it's winning, you're not realizing just how much you may have in this Nicholas guy. Maybe he's not trustworthy; but maybe he is. And if he is, then that's just another step forward in lightening that burden of carrying your secret identity."

"But how do I know if I can really trust him, Sam?" Danny asked. "What if I say that I do, but then he betrays me? What then?"

"Well, then you made a mistake, and Tucker will have to come and wipe his memory with that gadget he made back in high school," Sam said with a shrug. She grinned again. "But what if he is trustworthy, Danny? You'll never find out the truth if you don't try to make the situation better. Remember what I told you when you left to meet your new crew? You'll never know what might happen if you don't try it out. Maybe being easier to contact verbally would be the place to start. And calming down would help too."

Danny took a deep breath and exhaled loudly while covering his eyes. "I know," he whispered.

"Don't worry so much about it, Danny."

"I'll… try not to."

Sam leaned back. "Tucker says hi," she said softly. "He watched the launch from Washington DC. He'll be back here tomorrow. Be careful, okay?"

"… Okay."

Sam smiled a little. "Danny."

Danny raised his head and looked up at her.

"I love you."

Danny sighed shakily. "I love you too, Sam," he whispered.

"Cheer up."

"I'll try."

His wife reached over to something outside the projection. "Andy says hi," she added. "And he's currently messing up his room again so that you guys can clean it up when you get back."

Danny exhaled quickly as though he was laughing and smiled weakly behind his hand before looking away to keep his tears from being seen.

"Good night, Danny."

"… Good night, Sam."

Sam smiled once more before the hologram faded away and disappeared. Danny watched it do so and sighed once more before passing a hand through his hair. He sniffed and wiped a few tears away.

Knock, knock.

The sound of the door sliding open slowly caused Danny to raise his head. He turned it and looked over his shoulder.

Nicholas stepped halfway into the room, holding a tray in his hands. On the tray were a piece of chocolate cake and a mug of warm milk and honey.

Danny stared at the items on the tray and then looked up at his co-pilot in silence.

"I wasn't standing there long," Nicholas announced, recognizing the look in Danny's eyes. He walked into the room. "I'm not lying this time, either." He set the tray down on the desk in front of Danny.

Danny stared at the tray in silence again.

"The milk and honey will make you sleep better," Nicholas added. He turned and walked back to the doorway. Once there, he stopped and turned around to look at his Captain.

Danny had not budged since Nicholas had set down the tray.

"I know I didn't need to do it," Nicholas said softly. "I just felt like I had to do it." He paused, looked at his feet and then continued. "And if it helps," he added, raising his head and looking at Danny again, "… I'm sorry I scared you." With that, he left, and the door closed softly behind him.

Danny continued to stare at the tray before him, hands together and sitting against his mouth and chin. He contemplated the sincerity of the man's last words before slowly reaching out and grabbing the mug of milk. Letting the warmth seep into his cold hands and inhaling the sweet smell of honey, he sighed slowly and raised the mug to his lips.