Author Note: Thank you for all the reviews!
~CWA

Chapter 14:

Danny:

A few weeks of passed since I joined the team (temporarily), but there has been talk of me joining officially soon. I was still stuck in the tower, mostly because most believed I didn't have a home- which was reasonable since all my statues, paintings, and jewels that I didn't sold were kept in a securely locked warehouse. I returned everything I didn't sell (aside from the painting in my room and the jewel I gave Gear) and I was a bit sad to see all of it go. At the same time, it was nice to get ride of the past. I could really have a future at being a hero- a real hero- with no bad credit. Well, if I still went by Poltergeist people would know I was the thief and therefore not trust me, so I might take up Robin's suggestion to change my name. I wouldn't do that just yet. I wasn't sure what I could change my name too anyway. Not only that, but if I changed it back to Phantom, the name I adored, then Vlad could find me a lot easier.

By now, they mostly trusted and even liked me. I had friends- my only friends aside from Megan and Conner at school. I trusted them to a degree and they did the same. They still didn't know my secret identity (alias) or my real name, and I didn't know theirs. I haven't stolen anything so that helped. Though KF called me Deadboy and Casper to annoy me. In a way it reminded me of the way Gear used to call me Casper back in Amity Park to get on my nerves until she got used to the idea of me being a half ghost. Speaking of being a half ghost, I only transformed into my human half for school and sometimes sleep if I was that tired because my body would need a break and I didn't want a transform to happen against my will during a training session- or worst, during battle.

"You ready," Canary asked as she got into a ready stance.

My cloak was discarded to the side of the room, close to where my teammates stood watching. Training sessions were required and honestly, they weren't anything new. I trained a lot on my own though so it was a bit different and Canary was a better fighter than Gear (the person I occasionally did hand to hand spar with).

"Powers or no," I questioned.

"No powers. You need to learn to not rely on them too heavily."

"Trust me, I don't," I smiled.

Black Canary gave a firm nod and then waited for me to make the first move. At first, I didn't. We just walked around, taunting each other, because finally I went for a blow to her gut. She caught my fist and twisted it. Then used her foot to knock me off my balance. I quickly balanced myself out and bounced back up, kicking her in the side as I did so. She got knocked back a bit, but it didn't slow her down at all. Soon, we were a flurry of kicks, punches, and jumping. Then she landed one hard blow on the sore spot on my side (where I bruised a rib during our last fight but didn't tell anyone). There was a cracking noise. Before I knew it, I was already down.

"Sixty seconds," Kaldur called out.

Kid Flash laughed until Robin elbowed him,

"Last I checked," Robin commented, "Your record with Canary is only thirty seconds."

Kid Flash grumbled to himself and I laughed.

"Poltergeist," Superboy called, "You okay?"

The laughter stopped and I looked to my side. There was a faint dark spot appearing on the black material of the vest. The others looked at me in concern and Black Canary looked guilty as she helped me off the ground.

"There was a cracking noise," Robin pointed out, "Was that your rib?"

"Probably," I shrugged, "I may be a ghost, but I still get injured. I probably broke it again or something."

"I have had worse," I reminded them, "And had to keep fighting so honestly this is nothing new."

"We better get you to the medbay," Canary offered.

I waved her off,

"I have a medical kit in the bedroom. I'll fix myself up. I know how."

She gave me a glare, but when I wouldn't back down, she sighed and waved me out of the room. I gave a chipper wave to my friends, assuring them I was okay, before I flew up to the bedroom. After grabbing the med kit and patching myself up, I looked at the clock. It was already one in the morning- at least it was the weekend. I drifted off to sleep soon enough.

My once-parents stood over me with the tools in their hands. The tools, I learned, were coated with ectoplasm- a very special ectoplasm. It was going to hurt and scar. I closed my eyes tightly as I felt the scalpel cut open my flesh. There was no use protesting- not anymore. They refused to see I was their son- to them I was just a ghost that took the form of their son.

It didn't stop it from hurting- mentally or physically- knowing that to them, they weren't doing this to their son, not the son they once loved. I was just another ghost. I cried out in pain again. It was nothing new.

Two weeks of torture I had already went through. I was ready for it to just end already. I didn't care where I went when I died, as long as it wasn't here.

The building was collapsing around us and I desperately wished I was strong enough to use my powers- to transform into Phantom, to use my intangibility, flight, anything. I should be the one to protect them, not the other way around. I screamed as Tucker got caught under a piece of debris. I fought to get to my best friend, going against Sam and Jazz's protests.

"Tuck," I called out.

Sam's grip tightened on me as Jazz let go to help Tucker. No, not my sister too!

"Danny," Sam said, coughing slightly, "We've got to go. Jazz will get him."

"But-"

"-No Buts!"

Sam used all her strength to push meaway from Tucker and Jazz. She faced forward and I was still facing back, almost leaning over her shoulder. I cried out again as I saw the flames consume Tucker and Jazz- the debris finally silencing them. Tears were already forming in my eyes and I could feel the flames burning my skin.

I didn't even notice the piece of wood falling towards Sam and I until Sam pushed him away roughly, causing me to hit the ground a few feet away and watch as the wood pierced her chest.

"SAM!"

I desperately ran to her, but I wasn't strong enough to move most of the debris off her or get the wood out of her chest. Blood was dripping from her mouth and she was choking on it, spitting it up as she looked at me, helplessly. Shock settled in for a brief moment as I touched her shoulder,

"Sam," I whispered, "Sam, can you hear me?"

She wasn't responding- she couldn't. She was dying and she knew it. I knew it.

"Sam, I love you," I whispered, my throat burning, "I LOVE YOU! PLEASE!"

I woke up clutching my blankets, cold sweat dripping down my face and arms. My hands were shaking and one hand gently touched the side of my face where the burn scars were. Sam… I lost you… I'm sorry… There was a rapid knocking at my door before it finally opened to reveal Superboy and M'gann. Both of them shared a concerned look at me. I was breathing heavily and rapidly before I was finally able to bring myself back to reality.

"Uh…are you okay," Superboy asked awkwardly.

I slowly got up off the bed. My bandages were easily seen since the vest didn't cover that much. My eyes were still half-shut, but they weren't totally closed. I looked at my friends tiredly.

"I'm fine… Just… some bad dreams."

"Sounded more like nightmares," Superboy grumbled before M'gann elbowed him.

"You left early," Superboy finally said, "Which is fine cause of the rib and all, but all of us are required to do a weekly session with Canary and we came to let you know that it's your turn to go in there."

"Session," I asked confused.

"Hello M'gann," M'gann slapped her forward, "You didn't know about the sessions because you were always asleep. But according to Batman, you really need to go see her- like now. It's not that bad, it's like having a real professional therapist or counselor. She's really good at listening."

"Therapy huh," I whispered to myself, still a bit shaken from the nightmare, "Yeah it might do me some good…"

"I'll let her know you're coming," Superboy offered as he took off.