Chapter Nineteen: Promises

They weren't sure how long it had been. Time seemed to go by so slowly when they were in-between tests, and the last time Phantom had asked the time, when the next test was, or even if Danny was going to get a change of clothes, Jack had threatened to make a Fenton Gag and shove it in his mouth. He just REALLY seemed to hate Phantom, so that left Danny to ask any questions.

"Uhm…dad?" Danny asked. He was laying on the table, his dad taking more readings and checking on his wounds while Phantom snarled at the scientist from his silent box. "Can I get some different clothes before the next test? These ones are starting to smell, and they're all stained and messy. You won't know if I'm hurt or not."

Jack paused in his note-taking, seeming to consider this. "I'll ask the Guys in White to bring you something." He continued, then set down his notepad, opening up Danny's shirt to examine the wounds.

The older wound still hadn't fully recovered, and the wounds from the battle with the boar hurt when Jack moved his hand over it. Danny flinched in pain, but didn't cry out – there was no need to get Phantom freaking out over nothing, after all.

"You know, it's funny…" Danny said softly. "I thought you would cut me up and have me in pieces all over the lab."

"That would be a waste. As far as I know, you're the only specimen of your kind and I want to explore all your abilities and strengths before I do anything THAT drastic." Jack said, looking at him with a quirked eyebrow. "Unless you know of another?"

"N-No. I'm the only one." Danny glanced away. If being "the only one of his kind" was keeping him alive, he wasn't going to tell him anything different. Besides, Vlad would kill his father if he sensed the slightest thing off. Danny was here because of complete trust. Vlad would never give him that, friends in the past or not. Heck, Vlad would find any reason to KILL Jack Fenton, and hearing about this would… No, he should never know.

"Well, then. That's why you're not in pieces in jars." Jack stepped away. "I wonder if, perhaps, we could use ectoplasm to duplicate your abilities in a normal human, creating a superhuman. But, I have to see just how strong you are."

"Well, I'm all for helping out in the name of science and the improvement of mankind." Danny said cheerily. Jack gave him an amused expression before pointing to the floor. Danny got down obediently and buttoned up his shirt, following Jack to the box.

When Jack opened it, Phantom pulled Danny close, growling lowly at Jack as he pulled him as far away from him as the box would allow. Danny sighed, poking Phantom on the cheek. "I'm fine, Phantom."

"….Good." The growling ceased and Phantom sat down in the corner of the box, Danny taking his place in his arms. Jack nodded and shut the box, walking over to make more notes. "What were you talking about?"

"I wanted to know why we weren't in separate jars in pieces. He said that it was because I'm one-of-a-kind, and to destroy me to be a waste. Then he said something about making superhumans with ectoplasm?" Danny shrugged.

"But, there's one more like us…" Phantom frowned.

"I didn't tell him that. He's never to know about Vlad/Plasmius, and Vlad is never to know about what happened in here." Danny nodded firmly.

"But—"

"That's another promise I want you to make, Phantom." Danny said firmly. "Vlad is never to know that it was dad who did this to us."

"But, Danny—"

"Promise me!" Danny looked up at his face.

Phantom looked conflicted, like Vlad was the person he was intending to go to as soon as they got out. Sighing, he bowed his head. "Fine. I promise, I won't tell Plasmius that dad did this to us."

"Or Vlad." Danny said warningly.

"Or Vlad." Phantom sighed. "I don't know why you want to protect him from what he deserves."

"Because he's my dad. Our dad." Danny took Phantom's hand in his. "And he always will be our dad, no matter what he may view us as."

"Kch." Phantom laced his fingers with Danny's, holding him closer. "I'm disgusted to have his DNA mixed into my ectoplasm. I wish I could destroy it. Destroy him."

"Phantom." Danny said scoldingly. "Stop it. No one is destroying anyone, understand? Maybe he'll decide it's more valuable to keep us alive and he'll induct us into the Guys in White."

"Or at least you." Phantom said bitterly. "With me kept a prisoner to ensure you don't disobey."

"I'm TRYING to be optimistic, will you STOP that?" Danny hit Phantom's forehead with the heel of his hand.

Phantom smiled a bit. "Sorry, it's in my nature to be irritable in times of trouble. I'm a ghost, remember?"

"You're not JUST a ghost." Danny sighed. "You're Phantom. The best, most caring ghost out there."

"Maybe to you." Phantom looked amused and decided to drop the subject; Danny wasn't going to budge. "So, how long until the next test?"

"…I forgot to ask." Danny smiled sheepishly.

Phantom slapped his free palm to his face, jostling Danny as he did. "You…forgot…doiiii. This is why I ask the questions, Fenton!"

"Sorry!" Danny grinned.

Jack watched their interactions, then looked at his phone as it started to vibrate on the desk. He picked it up and held it to his ear. "Yes?"

"We have the next test partner. How is the specimen looking?" The man on the other end said.

"He's doing better, but he's still recovering. He's healthy enough to fight, though I'm sure his fellow specimen would argue otherwise." Jack smirked a bit at Phantom, who just happened to be glaring at him by coincidence when he looked over.

"Alright. How does this weekend sound?" The man asked. "That gives him two days to prepare. Also, we're going to want him moved to a different location for this; we don't want to risk our subject escaping and we don't have an incentive for it to stay like you do."

"Sounds good. I'll inform them of the location change. Also, Danny would like a change of clothes, and I can't leave the lab." Jack replied.

"Very well, we'll bring him something in his size." The man replied. "How is Phantom cooperating?"

"He hisses and growls like a wild animal, but as long as Danny is unharmed and nearby he's calm and just silently glares." Jack explained. "I took him to the tank the other day and he was in it for five hours before he started to show signs of drowning."

"He could've pretended to drown to get out early, but I'm surprised he has to breathe at all." The man replied. "How often do you have to restrain him?"

"That's actually something I was going to bring up. When doing tests with Danny, the only reason Phantom wants to be let free is because he wants to be there for Danny or share his pain." Jack said calmly. "Therefore, I was considering leaving him untethered for the next test to see what would happen."

"We'll have men nearby to attack if he tries anything." The man replied.

"I'll be bringing my own restraint, I just won't use it." Jack assured him. "If he moves in the opposite direction, or tries to take off once he's got Danny in his arms, I'll use it."

"It's a wonder he hasn't killed you yet." The man chuckled.

"Danny still thinks of me as his father and from what I gathered during their conversations outside of the silent box, Phantom wants to kill me but Danny is keeping him in check." Jack glanced at the two again. Danny seemed to have settled down to sleep in his arms again and Phantom was mouthing swear words at the scientist. He assumed it was mouthing, because any other time he'd talked rudely to him, Danny had swatted Phantom's arm or covered his mouth.

"Well, good luck with that one. We'll see you in two days." The man replied.

"In two days, then." Jack nodded, hanging up. Well, better tell Phantom the news now, so he could tell Danny later. Then again, he just couldn't resist how much pull on Danny four little words had.

He opened the box and smiled at them coldly. "Danny? Are you awake?"

Oh, the hatred in those wild, green eyes as Phantom held the trembling human closer.