Hey guys sorry for the long wait. I had this chapter in my documents for a while but I felt like certain parts of it were too cheesy or not researched enough so I kept hesitating to post it. I now have it in a way I can live with posting, though I may change it again in a while.

And to the guest that commented, yes, it is a bit odd that Dash would know about the change but I figured it made it that way or have to come up with some long scenes about it and I was too lazy to add them in. Plus I figured it threw off my momentum. So, I tried. Thank you Freegirl333 and Wolfeather101 for the reviews as well.

Enjoy.

(Danny's POV)

I laid there sobbing on the bed, Dash, not being able to hold me simply bends over, resting his head beside mine. One arm almost wrapping around my head, the other had yet to release my good hand. His movements were gentle. An odd thing for him.

I wasn't sure how long we laid there.
Just the two of us.
Reflecting on all the choices we'd made in life.

"Dash?!" A woman voice calls out, heels echo from upstair "Dash baby, are you okay?!"

"Fuck!" Dash whispers, his head snapping up "it's my mom." He looks down at me, clearly noticing the fear "Stay here. I've got this."

(Dash's POV)

"Dash?!"

I bound up the stairs meeting her on the second staircase. Stopping the blonde woman from taking another step. She looked so much like me. Blonde hair, vibrant blue eyes. I glanced down at her. Very little was different. Her slim body was hugged by a red pants suit, the sides brought in to show off her figure and her hair was styled in a neat bun. I did, however, notice a few strands of hair, some beads of sweat and felt a twinge of happiness. To have her here in the aftermath of a ghost attack was rare. I'd spent more time with my nanny then my parents, each of them too busy to do what I asked or show up.

"Mom!" I act surprised, leaning against the wall slightly "what's up?"

"What's going on?" She asks, looking me over head to toe

"Nothing, why?"

"Dash you're perceptive, act like it." She reaches up taking in my face "I know you're in the clinic."

I was hoping to play her words off. Walk her back of stairs, grab her some tea and convince her I'm just fine. Unfortunately, my brain stops functioning as my dumb ass blurts out "How did you know?"

"Dash," She sighs "I built that medical center by hand, do you honestly think you can enter it without me knowing?" She lifts her phone, a warning sign was flashing across the screen.

"You have the place bugged?" I snap, more annoyed than I should be

"Of course I do. You're my son, just because I let you fix your wounds doesn't mean I don't want to know about them." She pulls back the tap on my gauze. I flinched slightly as she carefully takes off the rest. She scans over the stitching, tilting my head to the left "is this from the ghost fight this afternoon? I saw it on the news."

"Yeah. I was helping a few people and got hit in the crossfire."

"You got hit?!"

"No! I mean, not directly. This was from the second blast." I point to it.

"God, you're a mess." She says, ruffling the back of my head, no doubt causing a cloud of dust to fall on the floor "you know it's bad to expose the wound like this, you should shower."

"I will, I'm just a little busy."

My mother doesn't miss a beat, her eyes travelling down the stairs in curiosity.

"Who else do you have here?"

Thankfully my brain works faster this time "Kwan. He got hurt too, I'm just stitching him up."

"Oh!" She smiles "I'll help."

"No! Mom!" I say, stepping between her and the next step.

"Dash, move." She states trying and failing to get around me again.

"Mom, he's... exposed."

"Dash I'm a doctor," She sighs, clearly not happy with my actions "there's nothing I haven't seen before. I'm perfectly okay with this."

"Yeah, well, Kwan isn't! He's seventeen mom and I don't think he'd like you coming in!"

She looks at me. Folding her arms, sending me a mothering look. If it had been any other time I would have caved but I think of my promise to Danny and cross my arms as well. Narrowing my eyes in an attempt to like almost as threatening as she did.

"Oh for heaven's sake dash."

"Mom this is for Kwan. Please. I got this."

Mom sighs, holding up her hands in surrender "Alright." She kisses my cheek "Make sure you have a shower." she grabs the small flashlight from her jacket, flickering it over my eyes as I follow her finger. She's done this so many time I simply follow her motions as she does her final checks. "You're good." She turns heading back up the stairs "Make sure you check for concussions! And call me if any bones are broken I don't want you two trying to set them on your own!"

"That was one time mom!"

I sigh, turning around to head back into the medical lab and try to hide the blush on my face. She always finds a way to bring that story up. I freeze, the blood draining from my face.

The bed was empty.

"Danny?!" I whisper, shutting the door. I glance around the room, quickly making sure he wasn't on either side of the bed and see the blanket trailing towards the bathroom.

I push open the door and gasp when I find Danny on the floor. I notice the puddle of yellow liquid around his hips and the wet stains on his underwear but I was more concerned for his shaking form.

"Shit!" I hiss, moving to the floor and grab his head, sliding one hand between him and the floor. What the fuck do you do for seizures?

I force myself to be calm, trying to remember mom's words. Step one, cushion the head. I reach up, ripping the towel from the hanger and place it under his head. Step two, roll the person on his side. I reach over, carefully sliding my hands under his body and roll him over. With the spasms, shaking and movements I could already feel some stitches that ripped. I place my arm over his front, trying to take some pressure off his ribs without restricting his movements. Step three, make sure the surrounding area is clear. I glance around the room, reaching over to push the garbage can away from his feet. Step five, time the seizure. I glance down at my watch, feeling Danny shaking in my arms.

"Shh, Danny it's okay." I whisper, feeling tears rim my eyes again "It's okay. I got you... I got you."

One minute and thirty seconds.

I hold him to my body a little longer, making sure the shaking had stopped and laid him down. Carefully wiping off his mouth with the cloth. My fingers check his pulse next. His skin was ice cold but his pulse was normal. I turn around, heading back into the lab and pull open another drawer, pulling out a small black garbage bag and a roll of tape. I shimmied back into the room, placing the bag over his hand and tape up the bag tightly around and down his arm, making sure no water could get in. I stand, pulling my shirt over my head in one swoop and toss it over Danny's lower half, the material soaking up the urine. I work on my pants, pulling them off, my socks go in the corner with my pants and I grab my shirt, tossing it in the sink. I wrap my arm around his hips and his shoulders, picking him up and place him on his feet in the shower. I stood behind him, keeping a hand wrapped firmly around his hips, my knee between his legs and turn on the water.

I hear Danny inhale, the cold water jolting him out of whatever state he was in.
His head snapping left then right as he tries to get his bearings.
His shaking legs barely holding him as he grips onto my arm with his only good hand.
I'm guessing Tucker didn't help him in the shower often.

"It's okay Danny, I got you," I whisper back as the water warmed, bathing Danny in its soft heat.

I kept my knee in between his legs, making sure we wouldn't fall and carefully unwrap his ribs.
I could feel him shaking, he felt so small in my arms.

I knew I had always been bigger than him, my frame towering off him as I pulled him off the floor with ease but like this, it wasn't fun.
It also made me wonder how many times he'd gone through this, being beaten up by ghosts and then me at school.

I sigh, reaching up to grab a cloth. He was filthy, dirt, grime and blood littered his body. Lifting one arm I start at his fingers. Watching the white cloth turn brown like the water.

(Danny's Pov)

I gasped when a stream of cold hit me, knocking my senses back into action. It took me a second to realize it was water not urine or blood and I grabbed onto Tucker, not trusting the other male to hold me up. I was usually put on a plastic chair for this.

"It's okay Danny, I got you." Dash's gentle voice says. Just like that, the memories of today came flooding back.

Right, Dash's mom had come home. Concerned about her son's well-being. Not sure if she would come in I force myself to roll over, my ribs screaming in pain. But I manage to get off the table, falling to my knees. I hadn't felt this weak in a while, Skulkers upgrades must have been very impressive. I felt the blanket fall to the floor, my only good hand was holding me up so I had nothing to grab it with. This room was like any other standard medical room, there was one door leading out and another that led to a small bathroom. I made it to the bathroom, about seven steps from the table and felt my legs go down. My chest seized. I couldn't breathe. My legs collapsed as this icy sensation hit me, over and over. I wanted to scream. I wanted to cry out for help. To cry out for Dash but I couldn't. I couldn't speak. I felt my body hit the floor, my hand stinging, but I could do a little about it. I just laid there, shaking.

I think I was seizing, I have done it a few times before. Only after bad fights, my ghost half was trying and failing to connect with my human half. It was hell, but I knew it would be over soon. I guess Dash found me, putting both of us in the shower.

Just like my body, my words failed me, I could do little more than watch as Dash takes my hand, gently washing each finger with the cloth, down my hand and around my arm. It felt strange. Weird to be treated like this. I felt my cheeks burn in embarrassment. But standing here in Dash's grip I didn't feel scared.

I knew Dash wouldn't drop me.

The quiet house was disturbed when a barge of pounding shook the door. My eyes raised as Danny tenses. The small boy was sitting on the couch, a pillow behind his head and back, keeping him in an upright position. We had made it out of the shower with no problems. I carefully wrapped Danny's wounds once more and after checking that the house was clear I carried the smaller male upstairs. When Danny's eyes caught the bright rays shining through the window we decided to stay up here.

I raise my hand "It's okay. Stay here, I won't let anyone in."

I stand, heading to the door. Part of me was expecting Quan, my forward was well... forward. I pause, my hand resting on the door and peek through the small peephole. I felt a burst of anger run through me as I find Sam and Tucker standing on the other end.

"Are you sure this is the place?" Sam glances at Tucker, the small device in his hand

"Yeah, I'm picking up Dannys eco signature."

I sigh, placing my head on the door as they knock again. I wasn't in the mood to deal with this crap.

"What?" I finally asked, pushing the small button for the intercom

They both jump "Uh..." tucker trails off. Neither of them thought this through.

"We're here for Danny Phantom. He called us."

I meet them with silence, hoping they'd take the hint and leave.

"Look, we know he's in there." Sam persists "We also know how to properly care for him, now please give him to us."

At her words I find myself pulling back the lock, the thick deadbolt sliding to the left and practically rip open the door "And how do you do that Manson? By lying to his face or stabbing him through the heart?"

Shock. It was evident. It was the first thing I noticed. Honestly, I wasn't sure what part of this was more shocking. Maybe all of it? I mean how often do you end up at your rival's doorstep.

"Dash?" Tucker asks, breaking the shock first.

"Dork! Or should I say backstabber?"

"We're here to get phantom," Sam states, stopping as I slam my hand on the doorframe.

"He doesn't want to speak to you, Manson."

Her eyes narrow "Dash, move. Before I move you."

I snort "You can try Manson. You won't win."

She moves again, trying and failing to get around me as I block her, Folly too. Compared to the football team these two were a piece of cake, their smaller frames were so similar to Danny's I could toss both of them down the stairs like a handful of flowers. How they managed to catch any ghosts completely blew my mind.

When I block her again, physically picking her up she screams "DASH! I SWEAR TO GOD IF YOU WON'T LET US IN THERE I'LL-"

Her words die in her mouth. Her struggles ceasing as quickly as they started. -At first, I thought it was something I had done, my grip was anything but gentle, though her eyes told me a different story. I found my eyes sliding behind me as I took in their shocked expressions.

"Danny..."

Her words were soft and completely drowned out by mine "DANNY! WHAT ARE YOU DOING OFF THE COUCH?!"

I quickly drop Sam and tucker, dashing across the room and almost miss the smaller male as he collapses in my arms, a painful grunt following soon after. I could only imagine the effort it took to get over to the door.

"I told you to wait on the couch. Seriously man, are you trying to rip out your stitches?" I chide, picking him up carefully and walk back in the house.

I knew Sam and Tucker followed but paid them little mind as I placed him back on the pile of pillows. My hands check the bandages to see if any stitches had come out. I knew this was odd. Given our history, Danny and I were the last people you'd expect in this situation. I liked it better when I didn't know Fenton was Phantom and fangirled over him like everyone else. Now, this was messy, awkward and painful. Friends had become enemies and I, Danny's worst tormentor was now protecting him from everyone.

"Danny?" Sam hesitates, clearly not understanding this "What... What's going on?"

I turn quickly. Easily towering over the smaller female as she tries to take another step towards him "Back off Manson, I won't tell you twice."

"What?" Sam snaps, glaring at me. The earlier tension returning.

I step forward, my toes touching the tips of Sam's boots and my eyes burn with anger. How dare they come here. How dare they come for him after what they did.

"Dash..." Danny whispers, stopping my hands as they move to grab her.

The boy looked like a small child who was told his parents were never coming home. All but swallowed up by the mountain of pillows. That made my anger spike further but I force it down.

Taking a step back I reluctantly let Danny face the pain he wants "How long Sam?"

Her eyes flicker to me, taking in my stony expression. My body, not three steps from him and fall back to Daniel.

"Danny..."

"How long Sam?" he pushes again, the pain all but ripping through his voice.

She looks down, tears in her eyes "About six months."

I looked at Danny. His eyes were on the ceiling, tears threatening to spill over as well. I could almost hear the long monologue in his head. The anger for Sam. The hatred for tucker. But none of that even touched the endless roll of names he called himself. The pure humiliation he felt for not noticing it sooner.

"How could you?"

"How could we what?" Sam snaps back "Fall in love? Danny that's not something we planned."

"No Sam! I mean how could you not tell me!" Danny's voice cracks, stabbing every heart in the room "For six months! You knew! BOTH OF YOU! YOU KNEW HOW I FELT AND YOU SAID NOTHING!" The tears flowed freely now "How could you not tell me?!"

"We were scared to tell you, man!" Tucker sighs, tears in his eyes "We knew how you felt, we didn't wanna lose you."

"SO YOU LIED TO MY FACE INSTEAD?!"

His eyes flash green, the pillow beneath his hand hisses with smoke. Danny rips his hands from the cushion, a clear handprint on the blue material and takes in each of our shocked faces. I could see the inner struggle through his eyes, the pupils flickering from vibrant green to crystal blue. He inhales, clenching his good hand in front of his face. Trying and failing to kill his anger.

When it falls I knew his fight was gone.

"You're my best friends..." Danny whispers, so quietly I almost miss it "do you honestly think I would leave you for being happy? Do you think that little of me?"

Now Tucker has tears streaming down his face. The pain emanating between the three of them was suffocating. I knew that none of this was personal and fear had taken the reins with justo. A part of me wanted to stand up for them but I also knew how much this hurt Danny.

"Danny-" Sam starts but he cuts her off, his hand slowly rising into the air.

"No... I don't want to hear any more of this." He turns his head away from all of us, the tears still flowing freely "Leave."

"Danny," Tucker tries but I step forwards

"You heard him Folly, out." I state, grabbing his arm "You to Manson."

Despite my bravado, the words dug into my heart, hurting me just as much as the others.

"Dash!" Sam tries and I glare at her, tightening my grip, my anger mostly at myself and force both of them out of the room. I toss Tucker against the wall, pulling open the door with my free hand and shove both of them onto the steps and slam my hand on the doorframe when Sam tries to enter once more.

"You two can leave willingly or you can be forced off this property. Your choice."

Sam takes another step forward, only stopping when Tucker's hand lightly grips her arm. Her head whips to him, the glare prominent but that soon falls, the tears back once more.

"You're pathetic Dash. You hated Danny for years. You beat him to a pulp and now what? You find out he's your idol and suddenly you two are best friends?! You're just going to stand up for him like some bodyguard?"

"Yeah, Danny's my idol. Danny the hero that helped save the world saved me on many occasions." I chuckle sadly "Danny can stop a bus, Sam! A bus! And yet he did nothing to me when I came after him. He is the sweetest kindest soul that ever walked this earth and this is how you two treat him? Fear or not he deserved better than this..."

"Don't pretend you know him." Sam spits out tearfully "You're nothing but a bully."

"I may be a bully, but you two just hurt him more than I ever have."

Read and Review people. Peace.