Chapter Twenty-Three: Weak
Of course Jack didn't take Danny to a hospital; Phantom had expected no less of him to just leave his son with those kinds of wounds. His mediocre care for them was pathetic in comparison to Dr. Wilson's work, and Phantom had to secure the bandages many times after Danny was returned to him.
"I'm sorry I didn't jump in sooner…" Phantom said softly, stroking Danny's sweat-soaked forehead. Danny had been really sick in the days following his last battle, and Phantom wished he knew more about the medical field to look inside of Danny and see just what the problem was.
"Don't…worry about it. I told you…not to come until I called." Danny replied, panting softly. "Dad…where's dad?" He looked around, his eyes blurry.
Phantom sighed and reached up, knocking on the wall of the box to alert the man looking over something at his tools. He came over and opened the box. "Danny wants to see you."
"See me?" Jack raised an eyebrow and knelt down next to him. "What is it, Danny?"
"Can you…call Dr. Wilson?" Danny asked softly. "They'll send him if you call, right? He's…assigned to me."
Jack pursed his lips and then nodded. "Very well." He closed the box and walked off to pull out his cell phone, dialing a number.
Phantom gently rocked Danny, stroking his cheek comfortingly. "It's okay. You'll be okay, Dr. Wilson will make sure of it." He smiled.
Danny clung tightly to him. "Phantom…don't forget your promises." He said softly. "If I go away…"
"Don't say that!" Phantom yelled. "Just stop implying you'll leave my side, you promised you wouldn't!"
"Sorry." Danny smiled, nuzzling him gently.
An hour later, Dr. Wilson arrived and Danny was taken from Phantom's arms. The box was closed, shutting him out from the conversation, and he banged on it repeatedly to try to get their attention and let him out.
"I said to take him to a hospital." Dr. Wilson cringed. "If we don't take him to one now, Danny will die."
Jack was silent and then he nodded. "Alright. We'll take him to a hospital." He said, finally giving in.
"If anyone asks, he was attacked while you were ghost-hunting." Dr. Wilson said, lifting Danny into his arms and carrying him out. Jack followed him, closing the door behind him.
"Danny? Danny!" Phantom cried, banging on the inside of the box helplessly. "Where are you taking him? Bring him back! Bring my Danny back! Bring him back!"
'Phan…tom…' It was faint; his weak attempt to do what Phantom could do so easily.
'Danny? Where are you?' Phantom thought.
'I'm on the way to the hospital. Dr. Wilson finally convinced dad to take me.' Danny replied softly, his voice still faint.
'He left me here?' Phantom slumped a bit against the wall.
'They didn't think about it, I guess. Dr. Wilson said that if I don't get proper treatment now, I could…' There was a hesitance.
'Don't you dare, Danny. Don't even think it.' Phantom thought warningly. 'You're going to get better and you're going to come back to me.'
'Of course.' Danny assured him softly.
'Just keep talking to me the entire time.' Phantom told him, smiling a bit. 'Don't leave me out of the loop, now.'
'I won't.' Danny assured him again.
Danny was silent on the cot, his eyes closed. Dr. Wilson periodically checked on him as Jack drove. The closest town was, unfortunately, Amity Park. Jack would have to come up with a reason for why they were coming home so early, unless Danny had just been getting worse and worse. Then again, he gained the freshest wounds only four days ago, so they can say they spent the four days coming back to where he was familiar. That's it, he wanted his mom.
They got to the hospital and took him inside. One look at Danny and he was whisked to the ER, leaving Dr. Wilson and Jack to wait in the hall. Grimacing, Jack realized he forgot Danny's pack and got up. "Dr. Wilson, please call me if anything happens with Danny." He said, hurrying out of the hospital.
He got into the RV and drove off, arriving at the mangled factory a bit later. He went in and headed straight for the lab, where he grabbed Danny's pack and barely spared Phantom a glance before he was out again. As an after-thought, he collected the carriers and put them in the back of the RV before taking off back to the city.
He arrived just in time for the doctors to come out of the ER, wheeling Danny out. He was all trussed up with IVs and bandages, his clothes cut open and replaced by a hospital gown. "Danny?" He walked over to the boy.
"He's just unconscious, Mr. Fenton. We've done all we can, but the rest is up to him. We're moving him to a room, come with us." The head doctor said, and then Jack followed as they took Danny to a hospital room.