I went flying again that night. Just wanted to relax. I flew around and studied the city. I finally flew over Fenton Works, the family-owned company in town that hunted ghosts. Fenton… I thought hard- I heard that name from somewhere…

Oh yeah…

Danny had to be around somewhere. He had mentioned that his parent were ghost-hunters. I paused for a moment. His parents had to be the reason he was half-ghost. I sighed and flew up higher, staying up above the clouds. I remembered when I became half-ghost… a few friends of mine dared me to go to the haunted house down the street from where we lived. I got cocky and said, "I'll go inside the friggin' house." And walked up the pathway. Let me tell you: I've never lost any friends faster than I did in that one night than I did in my entire life. Only one of them remained when I woke up. The pain was immense. I asked him what had happened, and he told me that there was some sort of portal that opened right as I got to the front door. The entire thing shocked me and I collapsed immediately. The others had thought it killed me and didn't want to be responsible for my death so they bailed out on us. So Kale stayed and helped me figure out my powers. I wonder sometimes how he's doing… I never told him I was leaving with my dad when we were escaping the cops. I hope he's okay.

My thoughts were interrupted when something green flew passed my face. I looked down at the ground and saw a big guy in an orange jumpsuit, and a skinny woman in a green-ish blue jumpsuit. "Fantastic." I rolled my eyes and flew up higher, however, this time they hit me. My arms and legs were wrapped close to my body and I was knocked off course from my flight path, crashing hard into the ground. I groaned and tried freeing myself from the net, and even trying to phase out of it, but instead the net shocked the hell out of me. I heard footsteps getting close. I turned to look at the owner, seeing it was Danny. "Geez, they actually caught you?" he asked and knelt by me, "Impressive."

"On whose end? Mine or theirs?" I growled. My voice completely changes when I'm in ghost form, so there was no possible way that he would be able to recognize me.

"Both." He started untangling me from the net. "They usually have really bad aim."

"Hey- aren't you their son?" I asked, "Why are you helping me?"

"Do you want to get dissected?" he asked and pulled off the last bit of netting off of me. He then retrieved the thermos again which had been strapped over his shoulder. He opened it and aimed it at me. "You're better off in here. I'll just send you back to the Ghost Zone."

I glared at him instead and threw the green flames at him, enough to knock him back, but not to hurt him. I took off before anything else happened.

"Danny? Danny, what happened? Where's the ghost?" a voice called. It sounded like maybe it was his dad.

"Danny? Are you okay, sweetie?" a woman's voice asked, "Danny?"

I landed on the roof and changed back to watch. Danny was rolling to his hands and knees, coughing hard. He was going to have one hell of a night. I wasn't expecting him to be in school the next day. I changed back, somewhat feeling bad about what I had done. I flew home and went straight to bed. At least he knows that I'm not a ghost he'd want to get into a fight with. That's all I had to say about that.

Just as I guessed it- Danny wasn't in school the next day. Sam and Tucker didn't know what was wrong with him and was even denied to see him by his parents. Of course no one even thought to ask me. But it wasn't like I was gonna tell them the truth. Jazz sat by us at lunch though. She was able to tell Sam and Tucker.

"Danny was with Mom and Dad ghost hunting last night. He was getting a ghost out of a net and was going to take him back to the Ghost Zone so they wouldn't dissect him, but… Danny said that the ghost threw flames at him. Danny's been hallucinating all night."

"Hallucinating what?" Tucker asked.

"He won't tell us. But whatever it is, it's really scaring him. He's been screaming and shaking the entire time. He won't let us touch him." She explained, "He should be asleep right now. I just hope it's not permanent." She said.

"It won't." I said.

They all looked at me, "How do you know?

"Back in Mesa, I was into the whole ghost thing." I started, "I researched as many as I could when I had the opportunity. What did the ghost look like?" I looked at Jazz. Of course, I was there, but I was playing the whole charade. I certainly didn't want them to know that I'm the reason that Danny'd been hallucinating all night.

"Uh- red cape, skull head with green flames. He met him before."

I nodded, "Sounds like Acid." I said, "He's a ghost from the desert. He travels everywhere. He doesn't like attention, in the very least, and he doesn't like getting help." I took a bite out of the sandwich I got for lunch, "Danny was better off leaving him in the net. He probably would've done it to his parents instead." I said, then looked back at Jazz, "No offense."

Jazz grew silent.

I sighed, "I'm just saying. Acid uses those green flames to induce hallucinations in whoever pisses him off."

"He was just going to take him to the Ghost Zone." Jazz grew defensive.

"Maybe the guy doesn't like the Ghost Zone." I argued. The bell rang, so I grabbed my tray and started getting up, "God- everyone's arguing with me today…" I complained. It was true. My dad and I argued that morning, then it was the teacher trying to get me in trouble for having cigarettes in my possession, but I argued that they were my dad's, then I had to argue with the principal about them. Then he called my dad and we argued some more- I was having an awesome day. Then finally Jazz argues with me because her brother stuck his nose into a situation that he shouldn't have.

Okay, I get it, he was trying to play 'Hero' like he apparently always does with his ghost-vigilante-thing, and was trying to be nice, but honestly I was able to handle myself. I went to my next class. I figured I should just get the next class over with and go home and take a damn nap. Or just go to bed.

Boy was I wrong.

Jazz thought it was a good idea to drag me back to hers and Danny's place and have me talk to Danny about Acid. Oh good! I was gonna give a lesson on drugs!

Just kidding. I felt sarcastic, but hey- it applies.

Jazz led me, Sam, and Tucker to Danny's room, where he sat on his bed staring at his hands. "Danny?" Jazz called gently, "Turns out Hazel knows all about that ghost that you met last night." She said.

He glared at her, then at me. I'd never seen such a look on him before. Whatever he hallucinated the night before must've screwed him up big-time.

Jazz nudged me in front of her. I sighed and rolled my eyes, "The ghost's name is Acid." I started, I've never had to come up with a backstory with him. I'd have to later, unless he asks now, "He doesn't like company, he doesn't like people, he doesn't like help, and I don't think he likes the Ghost Zone-"

"So when you offered to take him to the Ghost Zone, you offended him."

"Offended him?!" Danny asked loudly, almost shrieking, actually.

"Shut up and let me finish." I cut in, "He uses those green flames on his head- which are actually gasses-"

"To induce horrific hallucinations of blood, and dead people?" Danny asked bitterly.

Is that what he saw? He needs to go out and see scary movies more. That's my opinion. My dad has seen worse in real life. Unfortunately, worse than even he hallucinated. He's seen some scary, nasty shit.

"My recommendation is to not fight that guy again." I suggested.

"No, really?" Danny said sarcastically.

"He's just trying to help you." Jazz snapped at him.

"Where did this ghost come from?" Danny asked, his tone was a little more aggressive. I glanced over at Sam and Tucker- clearly he wasn't normally like this. I really screwed the guy over last night.

I froze up. I honestly did, "The desert. But he wanders around the country." I said. "He worked in a factory in Texas and the factory equipment malfunctioned. Apparently there was a gas leak and he was one of the twelve people who died of suffocation."

The four gave me a disturbed and disbelieving look. "That doesn't really explain the hallucinations."

I rolled my eyes, "The employees that survived reported that he was screaming when he died and was staring at something they couldn't see. You would think." I crossed my arms.

"I don't believe it." Danny sighed and grabbed his head.

"Now if you don't mind," I bowed slightly, but mainly to turn to leave, "I'm going home." I said and started walking out.

"Uh- Wait! Hazel!" Jazz ran after me, "Want me to give you a ride home?" she asked.

Her parents walked beside me at that moment, they must've just walked in the door from… God knows what. Her dad looked down at me, the guy was huge and wore an orange jumpsuit. His blue eyes watched me curiously. "Who's this?" he asked, "Did Tucker get a girlfriend?" he asked.

"Jack…" their mother sighed, "Hi, I'm Maddie, I'm Jazz's mother." She tried to hug me, but I stepped back and even pushed her away from me.

"I'm not a hugger." I said flatly.

"Trying to counsel this one into embracing her inner child?" Maddie asked Jazz. She turned bright red as well.

I held up my hands, "Well- I need to get home and take care of my dog." I lied, "Catch you guys later." I said and walked out the front door.

"Well- Jazzie, go take her home. It's not safe for a lady like her to be walking home on her own."

Every word struck at my nerves. She, she, she, her, her, her, lady, lady, lady… it was driving me insane. I whipped around, still standing in their doorway, so I stumbled a little after kicking the bottom of the door frame. I took a deep breath, "For your information, Mr. and Mrs. Fenton," I started, "I'm not a girl. And I can handle myself just fine." I stated and started walking home.

I was halfway down the street before a car pulled up beside me. I kept walking out of instinct, I'd been that kid that was yanked off the street by someone driving up to me.

"Hazel!" Jazz's voice yelled at me.

I rolled my eyes and turned to her, apparently she was dead set on driving me home. "What?"

"Get in, I'll take you home."

"I'm fine." I said and kept walking, but she continued to drive next to me.

"Look- my parents are sorry for embarrassing you."

I scoffed, "No they're not." Whether or not they were, I didn't actually care. Nor did I care if they liked me.

"They really are." She said, "Look- they're worried about you."

I shook my head and kept going.

"They saw the marks around your neck."

I paused and even stopped, lightly feeling my neck and throat. I'd completely forgotten they were there.

"They just wanna make sure you get home safely." She called out. "And… I know about your dad."

I turned to her, "Your brother said something, didn't he?"

She nodded, "He got worried."

I pointed toward her house, "He certainly didn't seem too worried ten minutes ago."

She sighed, "He's also been hallucinating all night." She said, Just- get in the car and let me take you home."

I looked down and took a chance on this one. I opened the door and sat down in the front passenger seat.

She looked at me after I closed the door.

"What?" I leaned away from her.

"Put your seatbelt on."

I rolled my eyes and groaned, grabbing the strap beside me and clipping it by my left hip. In doing so, Jazz began driving in the direction I was walking in.

"Where do you live?" she asked.

"By the freeway, under that bridge." I answered her plainly. "On Hermann."

She gave me a look, "Next to the train station?" she asked.

In the week I'd been living there, not once did I hear a train, but I have seen railroad tracks by the apartments. "Apparently?"

"Why there?"

"Jazz, look at me, do I look like I can afford to live somewhere else." I asked.

She glanced at me, hen realized that I had been wearing the same shirt over the past three days. "Good point."

I sighed and sat back, allowing her to drive at least to the street I had mentioned. It bothered me that Danny told her about my dad, and the fact that their parents saw the bruises around my neck. "I told Danny not to tell anyone." I said.

"Like I said: he got worried." She repeated, "He pretty much never gets worried about someone at school. He even said there was something… different about you."

I paused, "Different how?" I asked, skeptical that Danny by some odd chance would know I was Acid.

"I don't know, he doesn't either. It's not every day you meet someone who's as open to their dad's drug problem as you are. And the fact that you told him on your own about what happened when your dad… um- yesterday…" I knew she was having trouble with the words. "When he…"

"Strangled me half to death?" I finished for her.

"See? That's what I'm talking about." She glanced at me, "Normal people wouldn't say it flat-out like you did."

I shrugged, "So?"

She turned onto Hermann, and headed toward the freeway.

"It's that apartment right there." I pointed, "With the torched car."

She gasped, "Oh my god, what happened?" she asked.

"I dunno." I lied, "That was there when we moved in."

She sighed and parked in front of the destroyed cop car, "Hazel, what I'm saying is… you're not like normal kids. And we want to help you. We know things aren't right in your life, and we want to fix that."

"I'm not asking for help when I talk about that stuff, you know that, right?" I gave her a look. I've had this conversation before. Not with Jazz, but with other people I met along the way.

"I understand that, I wasn't expecting you to." she said. "But please consider it." She said, "You're almost an adult, Hazel, you don't want your life to be over before it's even started." She said.

I sat silently for a while. "Permission to leave the vehicle?" was all I said.

She sighed. She probably figured that I wasn't interested, or that I didn't car. "Just think about it, Hazel. We're all worried about you." She said.

"Well- don't be." I glared at her, "I can handle myself." I said and got out of the car, "Besides, anytime I do ask for help, or take help that someone offered, my situation ends up even worse." I said firmly, then I slammed the door behind me. I listened to the car idle behind me as I walked into my apartment door. After closing the door, I watched her through the peephole, she only watched my apartment for a while sadly, glancing behind her at the torched cop car behind her. I watched her sigh and drive off.

**We all know he needs help. But he's too stubborn and too distrusting of anyone to accept it, or admit that he needs it. At least he was able to trust Jazz to give him ride home. Sorry I haven't posted in a while. I've been distracted and honestly haven't really felt like typing. But here it is. Again, please let me know what you think.**