Chapter 4

As Danny fell, everything slowed down around him, he almost thought Clockwork was stopping his plan but he soon realized Clockwork wasn't interfering and it was just one of those moments when you're faced with death that time slows down. Danny couldn't believe he was doing this but he couldn't care less. All he knew was that he was finally going be at peace and be reunited with his family.

I'll see you all soon. Danny thought as he was close to falling through the water. He was only an inch from the water when everything stopped.

Sorry Danny boy, but it's not your time to die.

The midnight sky and full moon was quickly covered with pure blackness. The water under him was glazed over with glass and the ground glowed a gentle blue. In the center was a red geranium flower. Danny had no idea what was going on but for some reason he wasn't sensing anything forbidding. Then out of nowhere he fell flat on the ground and hard.

"Ow," he said as he sat up and rubbed his backside. Was it just him or did the ground moved down just so he would get hurt?

Hehehe, sorry did that hurt? Well you did deserve that.

There was that voice again! Danny thought; he quickly got into a fighting stance. He may have felt safe for the moment but it was better to be safe than sorry.

"Alright, who's there?!" Danny exclaimed as he glanced around the strange room.

Hey cool your horses, I'm not going to hurt you, in fact you should be thanking me. I just saved your hide from drowning.

The voice echoed all around the room so Danny wasn't able to pin-point where it was coming from. The voice didn't sound malevolence it actually sounded warm. His ghost senses didn't go off so whoever was talking to him wasn't a ghost. Also it couldn't be a human well actually maybe a meta-human but Danny had no idea why one would save him. He soon relaxed and nervously rubbed the back of his neck.

"Thanks I guess," he mumbled. "But I really didn't need saving."

For some reason Danny had a feeling he said something wrong. The atmosphere felt… Awkward.

Soooo, if you didn't need saving why were you falling?

"Ummmm." Crap he got me. Danny wasn't sure what to say he couldn't just say 'I was trying to commit suicide so I could be with my family again' that would make the atmosphere even more awkward. "Well I would have swum up as soon as I hit the water."

Muhmm. I have a question.

"Yeah, what is it?" Danny didn't know why but he felt really nervous. The voice wasted no time in asking his question.

Were you trying to kill yourself?

Danny was silent. Wow, he actually asked. Danny had a feeling that he should be honest and that something really, really, bad would happen if he lied.

"Yes." The voice was quiet for a few moments and it seemed everything was going to be alright until Danny let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding. In a swift motion something hit Danny right in the stomach sending him 15 feet back.

"Alright, you totally deserved that!" The voice sounded different, like it belonged to a young adult. Danny skimmed back and clenched his stomach.

Owwwww, okay telling the truth was a bad idea too. Danny sat up and coughed into his hand.

"Why the hell did you try to kill yourself? Don't you know you only get one life, well in your case afterlife?" Danny rubbed his stomach and looked up to where the voice was.

In front of him was a young man, maybe 19 or 21; he had red-orange hair that flopped in the front of his face and the hair on top stood up and aimed to the left. He had two scrawny braids that were on the right side of his head and went to his shoulder. He wore two fabric necklaces that crossed each other making an X, one was red while the other was white. He wore a deep red shirt with a black belt across it; he had on a white button up vest on top with a white belt across that. On top of that he had on a short sleeved black bomber jacket.

To his elbow and to his wrist was a very loose red white fabric; the right one had a black skull on it while the left had a black X. He wore black shorts with striped socks and dark brown boots that went to his calves and split all the way to his ankle in the front. Around his waist was a ragy red belt that twisted around his waist and the end seemed to float there. The thing that stood out most was his skin; it looked like it was bleached because it was pure white. His eyes were the same color of his hair and his mouth was in a frown.

It was obvious he was angry with Danny.

"Well?" The man growled. It was obvious that this was the voice that saved him. Danny flinched and blinked.

"I'm sorry what?" The person in front of him rolled his eyes.

"I asked, why did you try to kill yourself?" He crossed his arms and tapped his foot. Danny narrowed his eyes and stood up. His face was once again blank.

"Why do you want to know?"

"Well," he stopped tapping his foot and had an arm hanging down while the other was placed on his hip. "Maybe because I saved you and you owe me one." A small smirk was on his face but his eyes still held anger.

"Just because you saved me it doesn't mean I owe you and it's none of your business anyway." Danny crossed his arms and glared at his savior.

"Don't tell me it's none of my business Danny, it is my business as long as you try to kill yourself!" The man, to prove his point, was poking Danny in the chest to make sure he understood.

"How is it your business? In fact how do you even know me? I don't even know you!" Danny yelled as he waved his arms. The strange man sighed and stopped poking.

"First off it's my business because I hate it when someone tries to end their already short life. Second it's kind of hard not to know you; you are after all Danny Phantom a Halfa and to answer your last question…" The man took a few giant steps back and floated a good few feet in the air and took a bow. "I am Exorcist the demon and I am here…" He paused before he looked up with a smile. "To offer to make a contract with you."

Danny blinked and he blinked and he blinked again. This dude is a demon. He saved my life and he wants to make a contract... Why the hell do I always get the crazy ones?!

"So you saved me just to make a contract?" Danny asked. The so call demon was now relaxing in the air with his arms behind his head.

"No, I would have saved you anyway," the demon named Exorcist said. Danny eyes widen.

"But, why? You don't even know why I wanted to die." Danny eyes sunk and his head lowered. Exorcist looked at the boy; he already knew why he wanted to be dead.

"Well then, let me take an educated guess. You wanted to die because your family just died and you failed to protect them causing you to have undying guilt and pain and the only way you thought you could get rid of the pain was by killing yourself." Exorcist had a knowing face on and was smirking at the expression on Danny's face. "Well did I guess right?"

Danny was astonished; this weird guy just stated exactly what he was feeling and was talking about it as if he expected Danny would try and kill himself.

"How did you know?" Danny whispered. Nothing was making sense; all he wanted to do was end it all and this guy just stopped him.

"Let's say I was once in your shoes," Exorcist said he landed beside Danny and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. Danny was once again surprised, he thought when facing a demon it was all about seeking out revenge and always being haunted by an ominous cloud of hate and coldness. But this demon was the complete opposite. He felt kind warmth from Exorcist and he didn't seem like the vengeful type. Danny moved himself away from Exorcist.

"What are you?" Danny asked. Exorcist blinked in surprise and frowned.

"Didn't you hear me? I'm a demon," he said as he pointed at himself.

"I heard you but you're not exactly what I pictured." Exorcist chuckled.

"Well you can't believe everything you read or see." Exorcist eyes widen and he leaned forward to Danny. "Unless you want to make a contract with your stereo typical demon." Exorcist actually sounded hurt at that idea.

Danny was totally confused with this demon dude. "Erk, I don't really want to make any contract with any demon even if he saved me besides don't I have to give you my soul or something if we made one?" Exorcist smiled to Danny's question.

"Well that is true, most demons get the human's soul after their contract is done but some of the newer generation are getting out of the habit of eating human souls and as for me I'm a sort of a vegetarian when it comes to human souls." He smiled brightly. "So don't worry about me eating any human souls."

Danny just stared at Exorcist. He never meet a demon before, but he was sure that this dude was probably considered strange among his peers.

"Well then why do you want to make contract if you won't eat human souls and why me of all people?" That was the main question Danny had in his mind.

"Well you see demons usual can't eat you ghosts but when it comes to you Halfas there's a slim chance of getting your soul." Exorcist then pointed to Danny where his heart is. "Plus with all the events that have been happen around you it has left your heart weak."

Danny placed a hand over his heart. "My heart is weak?"

Exorcist nodded. "Yes, with all that anger and depression you've left yourself open for demons to come and offer you deals which will only end in misery. They will only serve you just to get your soul." Exorcist eye's seemed to hold pity for Danny.

"But that doesn't explain why you want to make a contract, you just said you don't eat souls," said Danny. Exorcist sighed.

"You're right I don't eat souls and that is why I would be the perfect choice to make a contract with. I wouldn't want your soul and you would be safe from other demons, plus you would still have your free will." Exorcist then rubbed the back of his head nervously. "I kind of want to make this my good deed you know? Helping someone out during their time of need."

Danny's eyes narrowed and he was deep in thought. He didn't know much about demons but he knew no matter what intention they had good or bad, it always ended badly. Beside there wasn'y any offer that could be made that would ease Danny's troubled mind.

"Look I appreciate you saving me but I'm not going make a contract with any demon." Danny turned around but looked over his shoulder to Exorcist. "So thanks and all but bye." Danny started to walk off. Exorcist looked at Danny with a mix of concern and surprise, he did not see this coming and what he could tell Danny was not out of the woods. He was still weak hearted so either a new demon would come and force him into a contract or he would try to kill himself again. Exorcist would not allow that to happen.

"Wait!" Exorcist yelled. Danny turned around. "Will you try to kill yourself again?"

Danny's face was blank when he replied to Exorcist. "It's none of your business."

True that wasn't a clear answer to Exorcist's question but the look in Danny's eyes told him that he would try again once gathered the courage. He just couldn't bear the guilt anymore. Seeing that Exorcist wasn't going say anything Danny turned to leave.

"What if I made it so you no longer felt the pain?" Danny halted and turned his attention to Exorcist.

Exorcist only had one chance to change Danny's mind; he knew what he was going offer was only temporary until Danny could move on and that it wasn't the best solution but…

"Look I can't bring them back and I'm pretty sure they don't want to see you so soon and besides," Exorcist had a small smile as he said the next words, "this world would probably suck if they didn't have a cool ghost hero like you to take care of it."

Danny wasn't sure what to say. Exorcist could stop the pain? It sounded impossible but being half dead was considered impossible too so it wasn't that weird. If he really could stop the pain then maybe just maybe Danny could fix his obsession, find a new way to protect since there didn't seem like there was any danger coming to his town anymore.

Can I really sell my soul just so I won't feel any pain? Danny thought but then he thought of one really good benefit if he made this deal. I could also have him stop me from having too much anger too, with both of those emotions under control I won't become Dan! With that in mind Danny had made his choice.

"Exorcist, I want to make a contract." Exorcist blinked before he smiled and it wasn't one of those smiles where the bad guy just tricked the good guy, mind you.

"Alright then let's head over to that flower and will begin," he said. Exorcist had quickly flown over to the flower and floated over it. Danny quickly walked over and stood in front of the flower.

"So how do we do this?" Danny asked. Exorcist sat crossed-legged as he floated above the flower.

"Well first we have to set out what each side wants from the contract and then I enter the flower and you eat it," Exorcist said. Danny looked at the flower before he looked back at Exorcist.

"Are geraniums poisonous?" Danny asked as eyed the flower.

"I don't think they are." Danny groaned at that. "But don't worry; even if you're poisoned I'll be able to heal you." That didn't really reassure Danny.

"Anyway what do you want for your half of the contract?" Asked Exorcist.

"I want you to stop the pain and stop my emotions." Exorcist looked at Danny surprised.

"What do you mean?"

"I want you to be in control of my emotions, make sure they don't go out of control," Danny explained.

"You know ghosts are emotional creatures. The gain power from emotions and their obsessions," stated Exorcist.

"That's why you'll only stop my emotions if they get out of control, I'm not telling you to turn me into an emotionless being," Danny furthered explained.

"Okay, if you're sure that's what you want I won't complain," Exorcist sighed and then quickly smiled and clapped his hands together. "Alright then should we get started?"

"But what about you, what do you want in this agreement?" Danny asked. Exorcist just smiled and ruffled his hair. Danny just swatted the hand away and frowned; he wish Exorcist didn't do that only Jazz did that and that hurt to remember what his sis you used to do.

"Oh, I don't need anything in our contract," he happily replied. But he then thought of something. "Actually I take that back I know what I want." Danny gave Exorcist a look.

Hope you're not changing your mind in eating souls. Danny thought worriedly to himself.

"I want you to never try to commit suicide again," he said seriously. "That also means when the contract is over, you can never try to kill yourself understood?"

Danny nodded. "You must really hate suicides if that's what you want."

Exorcist rubbed the back of his head. "Yeah, that's why I had the floor lowered so you would get hurt and punched you in the gut when you confirmed my suspicion of you trying to kill yourself."

Well now I know why he punched me.

"Well since now that is out of the why we should get on to the next part." In a flash of red light Exorcist turned into a small floating whisp and entered the geranium. The ground lost its soft glowing blue and it turned into a glowing red.

Alright Danny now pick up the flower and eat it.

As Danny picked up the flower he couldn't help but look at it strangely.

"Won't I be eating you? Since you know, you're inside the flower?" Danny seriously did not want to eat a weird demon.

I won't die and this is the best way for me to get inside you.

"Inside of me? Why do you need to be inside?" Asked Danny.

Well I can't really control your emotions if I'm outside of you can I? Well I can but its way harder.

"So you're going be inside me?"

Yes but don't worry I won't be able to take over your body and I won't be able to go into your memories and you won't be able to go into mine unless we give each other permission.

Danny sighed. He really was going through this wasn't he? Well it was already too late to go back and besides this was his best chance at getting rid of his pain. Danny lifted the flower to his mouth and opened but just before he placed the flower in his mouth.

Wait! I forgot to mention something!

Danny was startled and almost dropped the flower.

"Jeez, what is it?" Danny growled.

One rule a demon always does before they make a contract is that they make sure the human they're contracting is sure they want to do this so… There were a few moments of silence before he continued. Are you sure you want to do this?

Danny mentally groaned. He was just getting the courage to eat the dumb flower and Exorcist just had to question him if he was sure. Of course he was sure! He wasn't going to back out now and Exorcist was the one who convinced him to make the stupid contract.

"Look I'm not going back out so don't ask such a dumb question and just so you know a Fenton doesn't go back on his word."

…Alright then, let us continue.

Danny once again was ready to eat the flower when Exorcist once again interrupted.

Wait! There's one more thing I forgot to tell you.

This time Danny groaned out loud. "What is it now!?"

This might hurt.

Confusion spread on Danny's face. "What do you me-"

Before Danny completed the question the flower went straight into his mouth with so much force that it caused him to topple over. Without thinking Danny swallowed the flower, it tasted like grass but spicy. For a few moments everything was okay and Danny didn't feel any different.

"Did it even work?" Danny asked. After a few more minutes Danny just sat there waiting for something to happen and when nothing did he sighed.

I knew it was too good to be true. Danny thought as he started to stand but he stopped and clenched his stomach. What the?!

Danny felt like his body was consumed in tense fires and they were getting hotter with each breath he took. Every time the fire got hotter Danny would feel the pain he felt for the past week and a half. Each bit of pain brought back the memories he had with his family and friends all the way to the event that led to their downfall. That was when Danny remembered the explosion did he break. He screamed like a mad man and cried and cried the pain was the worst around his stomach where he had the scar from the explosion.

He fell to his knees and continued to scream and cry. The depression and guilt felt way worse than it did before and he was sure he was going to go insane. But then it stopped. He stopped crying and the emotional pain was gone, like it just decided to leave him. Danny sat up and rubbed his face to free it from tears that remained; the only pain that was left was the one around his scar and his emotions felt… numb.

But there was enough there to tell him he could still feel.

So the contract worked? Danny asked himself.

Yup it did, Ghosty.

"Whoa!" Danny gasped. "You can hear my thoughts?"

Of course I can! We share the same body now Ghosty.

No doubt about it that voice was Exorcist. Danny shakily stood up and got his footing.

You okay? Asked Exorcist.

"Yeah I think so." Danny finally was able to get his footing and calmed down his body from shaking so much.

Good then it's time for the next part!

"Next part? But I thought we didn't have to do anything after the contract," Danny said.

We don't it's just that now that we made the contract this little realm were in will soon disintegrate causing us to-

Exorcist didn't get to finish because the glowing red floor disappeared and the moon and stars could once again be seen and they were falling about 500 feet above the lake.

Fall.

"Ahhhhhhhhhhh!" Danny screamed. "Why the heck are we up so high?!" He screamed over the wind.

Well that would be because I moved us higher up during the whole discussion. Exorcist calmly explained. Danny wasn't calm though; his emotions may have been numbed but that didn't mean he couldn't feel his anger towards Exorcist during their little free falling.

"And why the hell did you do that!?" Danny yelled.

I thought it would be funny to, uh, see your expression while we were falling? Danny didn't find it funny though.

Anyway shouldn't you transform? So, I don't know, splat into the water like a bug! Yelled Exorcist.

You're the one who put us in this situation in the first place though. Danny thought to himself.

I can hear your thoughts you know. Exorcist grumbled.

"Alright don't worry we won't die," Said Danny as he closed his eyes.

As soon as Danny had closed his eyes he felt the familiar white rings go up and down his body but something was little different. He felt tingly and his head felt lighter and there was the fact that they were still falling.

Hey Ghosty! Mind pulling up!

"I'm trying but it's not working!" For some reason Danny's ghost powers weren't listening to him.

Well get them to work! Danny tried and tried but it wouldn't listen to him and Exorcist consent yelling was not helping.

We're gonna die! There goes my dreams of happiness, oh, goodbye cruel world!

We're not gonna die so stop being a drama queen! Danny yelled in his head. They were only a foot away from the water when Danny was able to sharply pull up and roughly made his way to the lake bed at extremely high speeds. Luckily they made it there in one piece even though the landing was rough. Danny rolled onto the bank and skimmed back some.

"Owwww," Danny moaned out.

Crap man that must have hurt. Exorcist said to Danny. He stood up and was checking over himself making sure he wasn't in too bad of shape.

Hey has your hair always like that? Asked Exorcist.

"Like what?"

Like on flames and everything.

"What?!" Danny exclaimed; he quickly flew over to the side of the lake and peered in.

Exorcist was right his hair was different. It was still white and untamable but at the end it seemed to grow out some to his shoulder and changed into white flames.

"Why is my hair like this?" Danny asked.

I'm gonna guess that it's a side effect from the contract. That would also explain why your powers weren't working.

Danny groaned. "And you didn't know this would happen?"

Well you see the funny thing is that, hehehe, well, um, you're actually the first person I have ever made a contract with.

Wait… What?

"Hold up, this is the first time you ever made a contract and you didn't tell me!?" Danny could just imagine Exorcist rubbing the back of his head while smiling nervously.

Well yeeeaaah, but look on the bright side you have a powerful demon under your control and you get the bonus of getting some of my powers and aura. He said happily.

Danny just sighed; how did he end up with one of the most strangest demons?

"Look how about we go home and figure this all out in the morning," he said as he started to ascend to the sky.

Will you be okay, I mean you were having trouble with the flying, so are sure we'll make it to your home? Exorcist asked worriedly.

Danny had finally gotten over the shock of his new appearance and was already floating a few feet off the ground without any trouble.

"Yeah, I think I'm good," said Danny; he floated a good feet up and was flying slowly making sure his power of flight was okay and glitch free before going faster.

Hehehe, I wonder how Vlady will like your new look.

"How do you know Vlad," Danny question.

Well during the whole contract deal some of your most recent memories slipped out and I saw them. Danny opened his mouth to say something but was interrupted. Don't worry I wasn't able to go deeper into your memories and I only saw what happened the last week and half.

Danny didn't know if that was good or bad but that did mean Exorcist knew about Dan now. They were both silent for a while until Exorcist spoke up.

Ghosty, you're nothing like that guy and I for one know you will keep this promise even without my help.

Danny couldn't help but smile even if it was small. He only meet this demon a few minutes ago and he already trusted him and accepted him even though he knew about him being a possible threat to earth.

"Thanks Exorcist," said Danny in a small voice. They flew on in few more minutes of silence. "Hey, why do you call me Ghosty?"

Well that's an easy question, I thought you needed new nickname and Ghosty was the first name that I thought of. Said Exorcist.

"Well then I guess you need a new nickname too."

You think so?

"Well yeah because I'm going get tired with saying Exorcist all the time and what is with your name anyway? I mean aren't exorcists those people who kill demons?" Danny did make a good point. Danny could mentally see Exorcist shrug.

Well yeah, but my parents were always the ones who like the strangest things. Explained Exorcist.

"Well okay then but back to the matter at hand I think I'll call you Ex for now on," Danny said while he nodded to himself like he approved the name.

Well that's better than your name… Invis-o-Bill. He snickered as he said the name. Danny actually blushed with embarrassment.

"I never approved that name!" Danny yelled but Ex only laughed some more.

As Danny flew on and grumbled on the way back to the mansion Ex was silently pleased with himself. Danny was completely different after the contract was made and Ex knew that this was one step closer in helping the troubled Halfa; even if making a contract wasn't exactly the best way to help Danny move on.

Now we see how Vlad will react to this deal.