That was an interesting night, having Danny stay. It was weird. I'm still not used to having company. Fortunately, we didn't have school. Actually, we were on spring break. Which was even better. I even aced all of my classes- except for the ones I needed the internet for. I failed those on account of cheating…

Don't ask…

Okay, I borrowed Tucker's homework.

Know what- who the fuck cares, okay? The teacher knows my situation, so she didn't completely flunk me, just gave me a D+. So that's not failing, whatever.

Anyway. I walked with Danny back to his place, just to make sure he was alright. I… wasn't expecting what happened next though. I got home, and my dad was drunk. He didn't go out, he-

He came home with a grocery bag the night before. Anyway, when I got home, I started on the dishes, then my dad walked in and complained I was making too much noise.

I argued with him, not knowing he was drunk. Before I knew it, my head hurt, my arm was bleeding and my dad's got me pinned down with both hands around my neck. This time, however… I couldn't get him off of me. If I can't breathe, I only have a little bit of time before my powers short out. And as luck would have it, they shorted out and I couldn't get Dad off of me in time.

I woke up gasping for breath, feeling the color finally return to my face. I began coughing, focusing my vision when I finally opened my eyes.

Sam, Jazz, Danny and Tucker were right above me. Jazz looked like she was going to have a heart attack, "Hazel! Thank goodness, are you alright?" she gasped.

I rolled over and took some deep breaths, "What-" I coughed, "What are you guys doing here?" I asked.

"Your dad called." Tucker answered, "He was freaked out, he thought he killed you."

I took a moment to process the statement, "Where is he now?" I asked.

"Who knows?" Sam answered.

"Let's get your arm fixed up." Jazz said, gently taking it and cleaning the blood off. "What happened?"

I sat there for a moment and recollected myself. I saw Jazz hesitate after seeing the existing cars on my wrist, but went straight to work wrapping up the cut I had along the side of my forearm. I finally shook my head, "He was drunk." I said, "He came home with a grocery bag last night, but I didn't think too much on it because I was taking care of Danny." I explained. "I was doing some dishes when I got home this morning, he came down stairs saying I was being too loud. I didn't realize he was drunk, so he hit me with a pot, I cut my arm on a glass I broke in the sink and then he held me down by my throat again." I explained.

Jazz sighed, "That's it- Hazel, you're staying the night with us." She said, "Mom and Dad will understand. It's too dangerous for you here." She determined.

I felt something moving on my head, so I went to grab it and take it off, but grabbed nothing. I thought maybe it was just hair. When I looked at my fingertips though, they were bright red. I then wiped the rest of the blood off, "How long have I been out?" I asked.

"We don't know…" Sam said, "Your dad called us from a payphone."

"And I don't even know which payphone around here." Tucker added.

"There's no telling." Danny concluded.

"Thank goodness you're okay, though." Jazz helped me up, "Come on, you're coming home with me and Danny. Go grab what you need." She ushered me upstairs.

I walked into my room and looked around, there was still a lack of furniture and clothes. I just had a mattress. I'm still wearing the red shirt and jeans I had when I moved here. Of course everything had been washed… but… yeah, you get my point. Realization began hitting me that day. If this was being kept up, I'd be dead by the end of the year. I couldn't remember the last time I had eaten, everything I did was shaky. Why was I even upstairs? What did I have to grab that I needed? I didn't even have a toothbrush. Thank god it was genetic that I had good teeth, sure I was missing a molar, but that was a different story- I was hit hard enough in a fight that my jaw cracked and my tooth fell out.

Beside the point. I didn't have anything. No extra clothes, no books, toothbrushes… nothing. I just had my schoolbag, and that was donated. I sighed and grabbed it. We didn't have school, but there were pens, pencils, and paper, plus my school stuff. It was all of my stuff, and she said to grab what I needed. I trudged downstairs with it over my shoulder. I looked up and they all stared at me, "What?" I scoffed. "We're broke, remember?"

Jazz sighed, "We'll take care of you."

I rolled my eyes, "Alright…" I followed everyone out to Jazz's car and sat in the back seat next to Sam and Tucker. Jazz drove, Danny took shotgun.

When Jazz pulled up to the massive "Fenton Works" building, her and Danny's parents met outside and started interrogating them, asking if I was okay, what happened, but after an awkward glance between the two siblings, their parents turned on me.

"Are you okay? What happened? Are you hurt?"

I backed away. It wasn't this that I wasn't used to- I was being crowded. Jazz had her arm around the back of my shoulders, their mom was in my face and had each hand on each side of my face, their dad had one of his massive hands on my shoulder. I felt my blood pressure rising, my heart began pounding, my stomach twisted to the point where I felt like I could throw up if there was anything in my stomach. My blood ran cold. I hated the attention. I began to feel anxious.

"Oh my god, sweetie, your head!" their mother gasped.

That was it. I shook myself out of everyone's grip and bolted down the street.

"Hazel! Wait!" Jazz called behind me.

I turned the corner and found myself in a dead-end alley. Whatever, I punched the closest wall to me. Every possible negative emotion rose to my chest and the only outlet they had led to my arms and fists. My knuckles were cracked and bloody by the time I knelt, growling.

I rarely did this. But I was sick of it… I didn't want anyone worrying about me anymore. The last time I ran off and beat the shit out of a wall and cried like some prissy cheerleader, was probably Mesa. Or… no, yeah- Mesa. Suddenly I felt the back of my neck tense up.

"Hazel, dude, they're just trying to help." Danny found me in the alley.

"Y-you told them, didn't you?" I said, trying to keep my voice from cracking.

"What- no!" he sighed, "Look, your dad called Jazz at breakfast. She heard that you got hurt and she couldn't hide her expression. After she hung up, she said that your dad called and he thought he killed you."

I scoffed, "Great, so now your parents know that my dad's a dangerous alcoholic and could kill me, right?"

He took a moment to respond, "We're worried about you."

I stood up and turned to him, "Well- I don't need you worrying about me, okay? I can handle myself! I'm not twelve, I'm not some stupid, helpless, little kid!" I roared.

The expression I saw on Danny was new. He wasn't hurt, he actually got aggressive, "Yeah, obviously you can handle yourself- we didn't just come to your house while you're lying half-dead and bleeding on the floor, unconscious and not even breathing!" he snapped back, "You know, Hazel, you were practically purple when we found you. We thought you were actually dead!"

I flinched at this.

"We're worried about you, alright? Is that such a problem?" he held out his arms, then dropped them to his sides, "Maybe we consider you a friend and we care about you. Ever thought of that?" he asked, making me step back slightly. "You try too much to be such a badass, it's gonna kill you, dude! Wake up! It's…" he sighed, "It's human to ask for help once in a while. Not once have you asked for help for… anything since we met you on the first day. Not for homework, not for a pencil, nothing." He said, "We get it- you have trust issues. People have screwed you over in the past, your own dad screwed you over. We get it. I learned a few years ago that… yes, some things aren't in your control," his tone softened, "And you might have too much pride to ask for help. But you can't spend your whole life letting the waves beat against you and just let the current wash you away." He sighed, "You have to take control of your life."

I stood there, processing everything he had said.

"Don't be afraid to ask for help." He said, "But don't let yourself get taken away without a fight." He sighed, "Not every person who offers help is bad, Haze. You and your dad just trusted the wrong people." He sighed, "Let's- uh… let's get you cleaned up and get you something to eat." He said, "Come on…"

I looked down, unsure with what to do myself. For once in… I guess… six or seven years someone called me their friend. It felt weird.

"Well?"

I looked back up at Danny, who now stood at the end of the alley. I sighed and caught up with him.

"Better?" he asked.

I shrugged, "It's been six or seven years since I've met someone who gives a shit."

Danny was silent for a while, "You needed better friends." He smiled.

After we reached his place, Jazz took me with her and cleaned up my hands. I didn't really say much except for a thank you here and there, and a yes or a no so a few questions. Danny's parents didn't really say anything to me, they just stared at me in concern. I… don't really blame them. They probably didn't expect me to react like that. I mainly just followed Danny or Jazz around awkwardly. Finally it came to be dinnertime, I washed up and sat at the table between Danny and Jazz. Sam and Tucker had gone home to have dinner with their families.

I felt out of place. I tied back my hair so it didn't dangle into my food. I still hadn't spoken to their parents. I barely talked to Danny and Jazz. A conversation didn't come up until their dad said something halfway through dinner.

"So… is that a normal thing between you and your dad?" he finally asked me.

"Jack!" their mother elbowed him, "You don't have to answer that if you don't want to."

"What? It's a valid question, Maddie."

I sank and continued to pick at my plate of broccoli.

"Uh- Hazel… how old are you?" Maddie asked me.

"Seventeen…" I mumbled.

"S-seventeen?" she leaned forward, I guess she barely heard me. "When's your birthday?" she asked.

I was silent for a while, "Cinco de Mayo…"

"Cinco de- oh! May fifth?" she asked.

I nodded.

"Okay- so you just turned seventeen!" she said, "You know- you're just a month younger than Danny." She informed me.

Oh great- ammo for the ghost kid in case I piss him off. "Fantastic…" I muttered under my breath.

"Uh- is everything okay? Hazel?" Maddie asked me unsure.

I felt Danny shooting me a look from across the table. I sank and ignored him. Without realizing it, my hands began shaking. I took a deep breath and finished my bite of food. "Excuse me…" I stood up from the table and walked off. I went out the front door, ducked into an alley to change, and took off.

My hands were shaking so bad at that point and my body was running so hot and cold at the same time, I finally figured out how my dad physically feels when he's on something. I found out what it means when someone's nerves are shot. I flew as quickly as I could, practically turning myself into a comet. I flew above the clouds and hid over them, knowing Danny was going to chase after me. I quickly checked behind me and fortunately he hadn't just yet. But I was being followed. That much I knew. My back began tingling and I began to feel more uncomfortable than I already was. I started looking around for anything that could be following me, but found nothing. When I finally looked forward again, I crashed full force into someone else.

Somehow, both of us stayed airborne. I turned around and glared at the obstacle, "Watch where you're flying!" I snapped.

"Oh, how clumsy of me…" the ghost brushed himself off, "Are you alright, young man?" he asked me, his red eyes I knew were trouble.

"Save the ass-kissing for a ghost that gives a shit." I growled and kept flying.

"Something's bothering you." He said and caught up to me. "School?" he asked, "Friends?" He shook his head, "No, I know that look anywhere. It's your family, isn't it?"

"Look at this face." I pointed to my expressionless, skull-head, "Does it look like I care? Fuck off." I growled and sped up.

"Where did a ghost like you come from, anyway?" he asked. "You're from Arizona, aren't you? What are you doing out here?"

I finally stopped in my tracks and hovered, "Look, buddy. I'm gonna give you one last warning:" I said. I knew he was partially human. I got the same vibe from him that I did from Danny, "Fuck off and leave me alone," I started, "Or I'll make you relive your deepest nightmares."

The man chuckled. I don't know what the deal was with this guy's hair. It looked like someone styled a croissant over with hair and used super glue to keep it that way. He had fangs and was ridiculously pale. If I didn't know any better, and he wasn't flying, I would've mistaken him for a vampire. "And how do you suppose a little bat like you would do that?" he asked, "Don't you know who I am?"

"Again:" I sighed, "I could really care less." I kept flying, "Just leave me alone."

He still flew behind me. This son of a bitch was persistent. I finally turned around and threw the hallucinogenic flames at him, knocking him out of the air and sending him down. After he crash-landed, all I heard from him after that were screams. I shook my head and flew back to Danny's place. The family had finished dinner, but my plate still sat on the table. I walked back through the house in my human form and discovered my sleeping arrangements. I didn't speak much to anyone after that. Apparently Danny had been looking for me- but he never thought to check the sky. I secretly dubbed myself a genius for the night as I went to bed on the couch downstairs.

**Fruit Loops! Best cereal ever! Most aggravating character in Danny Phantom. I swear there are so many episodes where I wanna punch that sly bastard in the mouth. Anyway, sorry for a late update, but I hope this was enjoyable. Sarcasm, drama, Hazel throwing a emo-boy-hissy-fit, all the needs for this story. I'm trying not to make him act like a little bitch, but people being nice to him freaks him out. Would you blame him, considering his past? Leave a review! Stay awesome, guys!**