So I've decided since I'm horrible at writing consistently, I will put the date I started and ended the chapter like I did on the last one. So I started this one the day I ended chapter 5, 8/29/14. Let's see if it takes another 8 months to finish!
Disclaimer: Sadly, I no longer own my Gecko. I had to put her to sleep last year due to a brain tumor. Unfortunately, I do not own DP either. Sad pandas all around.
Chapter Six: Secrets
It was now six days since Danny had woken up screaming; eight since he shattered the balcony doors. The doors had been fixed and for the most part, Danny's wounds as well. But he wasn't Danny. At least, not the Danny they knew; not anymore.
The half ghost had spent most of those six days either sleeping, which seemed to send him into a regenerative state that helped his core heal him faster, or staring blankly at the walls, a haunted look in his still green eyes.
To Sam's surprise, aside from eating and going for a walk, DJ never left Danny's side. The border collie had never met the hybrid and yet for the past six days he could only be found in the bed with him.
Sam had hoped that as Danny healed, he would change to human form. But Danny was now nearly fully healed and he was still in ghost form. It worried her much more than she let on to Jazz and Tucker.
That's what woke her now.
She was sleeping on the couch in her room; Danny was still using her bed. By the time on her watch, it was very early morning, 3:36am to be exact.
She rolled over and sighed. Another nightmare had woken her up. Her worry over his possibly damaged human half and vivid images of the man he murdered troubled her at night.
But it wasn't just that.
He had hardly said three words to anyone since he woke up six days ago. Every time one of them went to check on him shame, guilt and fear would show heavily in his eyes. He would simply say he was fine and ask to be alone.
She sighed again but stilled as she heard a sound. She pulled her head up and cocked it to one side to hear better. It was the shower.
Sam pulled her legs around and sat up. Aside from relieving himself, he had refused to leave the room as of yet. She or Jazz or Tucker brought him meals, which he hardly touched.
She moved towards the bathroom as the shower shut off. Small movements could be heard from the doorway. She hesitated. Should she go back and pretend she was asleep?
No.
She wanted to talk, and this was probably her best chance.
She took another step forward but halted when she spotted Danny in the doorway. He was equally shocked to see her having expected her to be sleeping. His shock soon melded into nervousness and Sam knew it was now or he might bolt.
"I-I'm sorry. I heard the shower and just thought…" she wavered. What had she thought?
"It's alright."
A shiver once again traveled up her spine at his voice. Having only heard it a few times, it still startled her.
"It gets easier."
She looked into his eyes in confusion. For once she didn't see fear or pain, but slight amusement. It was a start.
"The voice," he replied, seeing her questioning gaze. "It took a while to change, but the first time it was solid I freaked." The small curve of one side of his mouth made her stare in wonder. It was a small smile, but it was the first time she'd really seen it since she'd found him.
He must have noticed her odd look because he cleared his throat and said, "I know I've been reclusive. I just…have a lot on my mind." The pain returning to his eyes snapped her out of her awed state.
"No, Danny, it's ok. We all understand you need time." She took one tentative step forward. "You can talk about it when you're ready." She gave him a reassuring smile. He didn't return it, but the pain left his eyes and that was good enough for her.
And, of course, her mind chose this moment to notice he was in nothing but a towel and though it was too dark to really see anything but this face and the glow of his eyes she blushed and suddenly became nervous, her eyes darting from him to anywhere else. "Uhm, so yeah…I just…wanted to make sure you were okay…"
If it was one thing Danny had learned well in his time away, it was how to be observant. He instantly noticed her flush and sudden change in demeanor. He knew exactly why too. Had he been younger, he probably would have called attention to it and bragged but wasn't a teenager anymore. Nor was he as extroverted as he used to be.
He pretended not to notice and gave her another small smile. "I'm ok. Just couldn't sleep and wanted a shower."
Meanwhile Sam was berating herself inside her own head. Stop, stop, stop! Don't look at him! Then she scoffed at herself. It's just Danny! It's just my best friend!
A little voice in the back of her head answered her. 'But he's a man now...' She groaned inwardly. She wasn't in high school anymore! She shouldn't be acting like a hormonal teen girl!
His answer managed to break her out of her internal struggle and her eyes snapped to his. His eyebrow was raised in curiosity. She panicked inside hoping he didn't notice her argument with herself. "Oh, that's ok! I'll just get going and let you sleep now!"
Sam turned to walk back to the couch but a hand on her wrist stopped her. "Don't go."
His voice made her shiver again. She forced herself to calm and focused on the almost desperate way he said it.
She slowly turned back around and her eyes met his green ones. He smiled lightly again, but it didn't reach his eyes. "Okay," she said, calming. "Did you want to talk?"
Danny let go of her wrist and she ignored the feeling of loss. "I'm…I'm not ready for that. But I'd like your company."
"Sure."
He glanced nervously to the bedroom. "Uh, stay here a second." He moved into the bedroom.
Sam waited patiently as she heard shuffling in the room. A few minutes later he emerged fully dressed in gray sweatpants and a black tee. She smiled. Her and Jazz had gone to get him clothes a few days ago and she was glad to see they fit so well.
Danny nervously glanced at the bedroom and rubbed the back of his neck. Sam thought it amazing that after four years he still did that nervous gesture. "I was hoping maybe…we could just sit together."
He chided himself. Those words sounded childish in his ears, but she smiled and nodded and went into the bedroom ahead of him. She stood there, unsure of what to do. Danny went around her and sat on the bed on the opposite side from her. DJ scooted over and curled up at the end of the bed.
Danny patted the comforter next to him and his heart fell when she looked back out towards the living room. Did she not want to be here?
"We don't have to. You can go back out and go to sleep if you wish."
His words brought her back from her thoughts. "Oh, no! It's alright. It's just…been a while. It's hard, you know?" She said, "It's almost like getting to know a new person."
Danny sighed, but nodded. "I know," he started. "I can't tell you I'm the same boy you knew; far from it. But the foundation is still there; I'm still your friend."
Sam smiled, feeling more comfortable. She went to bed and sat down, scooting so her back was against the headboard. He moved a little closer and she was surprised when he laid his head on her stomach and got comfortable.
Her surprise came from the familiarity. After a particularly hard day or a bad fight with a ghost, Danny had often sought her out for comfort. He would phase into her room and without words would simply crawl into bed beside her. They didn't have to talk for her to know what was wrong. If he had been at home, she knew it was something with his parents. If he came in injured, she knew it was a ghost. Danny took comfort in just being with her.
Sam smiled and ran her hands through his white hair. She was glad that after so long he still sought her out for comfort. After a time his breaths evened out and she began to sing to him. It took a moment for the words to come back to her, but when they did, she began to sing:
So you thought you had to keep this up;
All the work that you do so we think that you're good.
And you can't believe it's not enough;
All the walls you build up are just glass on the outside.
So let 'em fall down.
There's freedom waiting in the sound.
When you let your walls fall to the ground,
I'm here now.
This is where the healing begins,
This is where the healing starts.
When you come to where you're broken within,
The light meets the dark.
Danny smiled. He was facing away from Sam, so she didn't see it. He was hoping she'd remember and sing. The first time he found out she sang to him while asleep he became an expert at faking sleep so he could hear it. This song was the one she most often sang to him. She first sang this one after his fight with his evil future self, Dark Dan. It was her way of telling him she was there to heal him, both physically and emotionally, and that his light would always beat the dark.
Though she didn't know the dark had won, it was nice to pretend he was sixteen again and not the monster he had become. Perhaps Dark Dan would have been a better fate.
He listened as she started the next verse.
Afraid to let your secrets out.
Everything that you hide can come crashing through the door now.
But too scared to face all your fear;
So you hide but you find that the shame won't disappear.
So let 'em fall down.
There's freedom waiting in the sound.
When you let your walls fall to the ground,
I'm here now.
I'm here now.
This is where the healing begins,
This is where the healing starts.
When you come to where you're broken within,
The light meets the dark.
The light meets the dark…
As the song ended Sam continued to run her hands through Danny's hair. It didn't matter how old he was or what he had done, she'd always be there to pick up the pieces. She just hoped he understood that.
Tucker awoke early in the morning. He untangled himself from the sheets and carefully got out of bed so as to not disturb his sleeping wife. As he made his way to the bathroom to get ready he found himself missing the nights his son woke him up at odd hours.
Sadness clenched his heart at the thought of Chase. He and Jazz had gotten together and married very quickly. When she told him only a few months after the wedding that she was pregnant he panicked. Getting married that soon was a big deal and marriage is a huge commitment, he wasn't ready to add a child into the mix that quickly. They hadn't even learned to be a couple yet!
But looking back now he wouldn't change it for the world. He may have turned their world upside down, but their son was amazing, and he missed him terribly.
He glanced back at Jazz before entering the bathroom. Jazz hadn't gotten a job yet as Chase's early arrival had delayed it. Being home with him all the time must have meant she was missing their son more than he. It had been over a week since they had seen the little tyke and Tucker knew if he missed his son this much now, it would be much worse by the time he finally saw him again.
Tucker sighed and went into the bathroom. He hopped in the shower and let the steaming hot water pour over him.
He had a more immediate issue than his son. He looked at the wall in the direction of Sam's room as if he could see through to Danny.
The hybrid didn't know his best friend had married his sister. Danny had been so out of it since he showed up wounded; Tucker didn't want to give him that kind of news just yet. He just didn't know how Danny would react. Would he be happy for them? Would he freak and start throwing things? Would he accept it or reject it?
Jazz may be the older sibling and protective of Danny, but Danny was also fiercely protective of Jazz. Tucker just hoped their friendship was enough to save his hide.
The techno geek finished his shower and got ready for the day. He came out of the bedroom fully dressed to see a still sleeping Jazz sprawled across the bed. He smiled and decided to let her sleep some more.
He headed for the adjoining door instead to see if Sam was up. Danny was probably still in a regenerative sleep or zoning out like he had been.
He opened the door and made his way to the living area. But something stopped him in his tracks. He glanced in to check on Danny and to his complete surprise he found Sam on her side on the bed with Danny behind her, his arm over her and resting on her stomach. DJ lay at the edge of the bed.
He grinned evilly. Oh, he just had to get a picture! He tip-toed back to his room and grabbed his phone. Going over to the bed, he gently nudged Jazz awake.
She stirred. "Hmm, Tucker?" she asked, staring blearily up at his goofy grin.
"Come on, Jazz. Come with me but stay quiet. You have to see this." He held out a hand and helped her up. The red head rubbed her eyes for a second and stretched before giving her husband a nod and following him to the adjoining door.
He led her through the door and into Sam's room. He went to the bedroom doorway and stopped, pointing inside.
When Jazz peeked in, she covered her mouth to stifle a giggle. The scene was cute, but her mind also told her that Sam must have had some sort of breakthrough last night in talking with her brother.
Tucker snapped a picture, the flash lighting the room.
It did not have the effect Tucker had expected.
Danny woke up from a flash and his brain instantly switched to defense mode. After years of training his reflexes kicked in automatically and he shot up from the bed, eyes glowing bright and his hand out with an ecto-blast at the ready.
DJ bolted from the bed at the sudden movement and barked at the strange glow emitting from the half ghost's hand.
Tucker squealed and ducked behind his wife. Jazz's eyes went wide and she held her hands out. "No, Danny!" she shouted.
The shout woke Sam and she immediately took control at seeing Danny about to waste his friend and sister. She sat up in bed and put herself directly in front of his glowing hand. "Stop!"
Seeing Sam at the end of his aim brought flashes of memory back to him.
She was dead; cold. Her chest was still steaming from the blast, her eyes boring into him accusingly.
In a flash he let the energy go and slowly dropped his hand. He stared wide eyed at his friends and sister. "I-I…I'm sorry. I didn't mean…"
The agony in his eyes shot through Sam. Her hand reached up and caressed his cheek. "It's alright. It was just a reaction."
Her comfort didn't help and he pulled away. "I'd like to be alone."
Sam sighed and dropped her hand, nodding. She got off the bed and went to the doorway. Jazz had calmed but Tucker was still hiding. The goth shook her head and went to the living area. With one last glance at her brother, Jazz followed the younger girl with Tucker in tow.
Danny sat on the edge of the bed with his head in his hands. What had he just done? It didn't matter what his training was, it was not acceptable to threaten your friends! He fisted his hands and rapped them against his forehead repeating stupid, stupid, stupid over and over in his head.
DJ had stopped barking and was sitting next to his knee softly whining. Danny reached down and absently rubbed the collie's head.
He didn't deserve forgiveness! He was a monster and a coward. Why couldn't they see that? They desperately wanted to see the boy they grew up with, but that wasn't him anymore! He was a man who kil—
He stopped. No, that hadn't happened; not really. They were alive. That was at least one sin he wouldn't have to atone for.
The halfa sighed. He wasn't sure what reality to believe. The other one had been…so real. But so was this one. Did he want so desperately for his friends to be alive that he'd made up his own reality in his head?
It was possible. She had done it to him before.
But this was different. He pressed his hand to his chest and winced as pain flared. That felt real enough. Holding Sam last night…that was real enough.
He started when he heard shouting from the living area. He stood and went to the doorway and stood there. He didn't like eavesdropping but after years of doing it he couldn't help himself.
"I can't believe you did that!" Sam shouted, her index finger nearly jabbing Tucker in the chest.
"I didn't think he'd react like that!"
"How did you think he'd react?!"
"I don't know, like normal people?!"
Jazz stepped in. "He's always been a light sleeper and ever since he got his powers, even before he was taken, he's been on edge when something out of the ordinary wakes him up. When a ghost bent on killing you is constantly waking you up, I don't blame him for the reaction he had."
Tucker turned to Jazz, a hurt expression on his face. "So, you're defending Sam now?"
She sighed. "I'm not defending either side! You just need to look at it from Danny's point of view! I know you didn't expect him to react like that, even I didn't."
Sam scowled. "You need to be more careful, Tucker."
"It's not my fault!'
"I have to agree with Sam on this one."
Tucker looked at Jazz, appalled. "Stop taking her side!"
"She's right, Tuck!"
"You're my wife!"
Before either female had a chance to respond, a deadly calm voice interrupted. "She's your what?"
All three turned and stared wide-eyed at Danny. They hadn't meant for him to hear any of that, let alone that Jazz was Tucker's wife.
Blast his heightened hearing.
Tucker backed up a step and gulped. "You uh…you weren't supposed to hear that."
Danny's anger filled gaze landed on him. "Answer the question."
Seeing there was no room for debate Jazz answered. "I'm his wife, Danny. I married Tucker."
The hybrid's stare flicked to his sister where the anger softened a margin. She was definitely a soft spot for him.
Tucker took another step back but was too slow. Danny flew to him and grabbed the front of his shirt. Tucker squeaked.
Sam held her hands up. "It's ok, Danny!"
"Why didn't you tell me?!" Danny barked.
Tucker struggled with the hand holding firmly to his shirt. "I thought you'd hate me, man! Not to mention you've been a bit out of it!"
The hybrid glanced at Sam and saw the fear clearly evident in her eyes. He knew she had seen him kill that man. She knew what he was capable of and obviously believed he was a genuine threat to Tucker.
Danny stood there for a moment before letting his friend down and releasing his shirt. After a moment, "I'm not mad that you and Jazz got married. I'm mad you didn't tell me the second I was coherent."
Tucker raised a brow. "You won't tell us anything about what's happened the last four years."
Sam's eyes widened. "No, Tucker…"
Anger made the harsh glow return to Danny's eyes and Tucker instantly regretted his words. "Getting married isn't exactly traumatic, now is it?!"
It had the desired effect and Tucker deflated. "I'm sorry, dude. You're right, we should have told you."
His apology appeased his best friend and the anger and glow dimmed in Danny's eyes. Danny sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. "I'm sorry too. I shouldn't have come at you like that. I also know I wasn't completely coherent the last few days. From my reaction, I don't really blame you for not telling me."
Sam breathed a sigh of relief. She really thought Danny was going to hurt Tucker and it made her heart ache to even acknowledge it.
After a moment Jazz stepped forward. "Danny, there is something else you need to know."
Her brother eyed her curiously, his previous animosity forgotten. He also couldn't bring himself to ever be mad at his sister.
The red head took a breath and said tentatively, "You are an Uncle, Danny. You have a nephew."
The gravity of what Jazz said hit Danny hard. He stepped back and nearly gawked at her as if she'd just hit him. His green eyes went from Jazz to Tucker and back.
Jazz and Sam gave him a reassuring smile. Tucker tried as well, but he was a lot more apprehensive.
"I'm…I'm an Uncle?"
Jazz nodded, her smile widening. "His name is Chase." She pulled out her phone and navigated to a picture of her son. She then handed the phone to Danny who gingerly took it.
A little boy not even a year old smiled at him from the screen. He had teal eyes like Jazz and while his hair seemed more like Jazz's texture it was Tucker's dark color. His skin was also a little darker than Jazz's.
Danny traced a finger over the screen as he gazed at the little boy. He stared in wonder at the tiny human that looked so much like his best friend and sister. They created this little boy. Pride swelled within his chest.
When he looked up from the screen, he had a large grin spread across his face. Tucker released a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. "He's beautiful, guys."
Jazz beamed as Tucker put an arm around her shoulder. "He's also quite the handful," Sam interjected.
Jazz shrugged. "He was an accident," she started as she took her phone as Danny offered it back. "But I wouldn't change it for anything."
"Yup! He's got Jazz's good looks and my brain!" Tucker puffed out his chest.
Danny raised a brow. "Well, at least he has looks."
Danny, Sam and Jazz fell into a fit of laughter at the pout Tucker was giving them.
Brown eyes peered from under a black hood. They glanced sideways at a passing car before locking on the device in his hand. The signal was getting stronger; the green light glowing and pulsing brighter with each passing minute.
He was close.
He bumped into a pedestrian and without so much as a 'sorry' to the disgruntled Chinese man he continued down the sidewalk, his eyes glued to the little screen. His search had taken him days to catch even a hint of his prey and now that he was close the anticipation swelled within him.
As the light pulsed brighter and reached its peak, a light 'beep' confirming the location, he stopped and finally took his eyes from the tracking device.
Before him stood a grand hotel. The Chinese symbols over the revolving doors spelled out "Xing Hotel". He grinned evilly, his yellowed teeth shining dully in the dim light of a cloudy day.
He fished into his pocket and pulled out a cell phone. He punched in the number and held the phone to his ear, waiting eagerly for the answer. The line picked up and his grin widened as a distinctly feminine but firm voice answered, "Yes, Hugo?"
"I found him, my Lady. He's at the Xing hotel. Shall I send word to the team?" his gravelly voice grated out with a light British accent.
A pause. "No. I will give them their orders. Stay put and meet them there. Take him alive, kill all that gets in the way. But make sure he understands what happens when you cross me."
Hugo licked his lips in delight. "Of course, my Lady."
He hung up the phone and put it back into his pocket. His hungry gaze roved over the hotel. This boy will wish for death by the time he finishes with him.
Honest to goodness I had all the way through up till the part with Hugo written by 9/5/14, just AFTER I actually started the chapter. I didn't get finished with the entire chapter until 9/30/14 because I wasn't sure how to write Hugo's part and I started my Chiropractic Assistant Certification program which is taking some of my time. The cool thing is it only took me a month to finish it all, not 8! Woot!
The song is by Tenth Avenue North. I believe it's called "Healing Begins" but I'm not totally sure because my computer is doing something weird and won't let me look it up! It's a Christian song and I admit I changed "He's here now." To "I'm here now." for the purposes of this story. I just like the song and the words sort of fit. I do not own it!