Danny Phantom Fan Fiction ❯ Photo Opportunities ❯ Welcome to my Afterlife ( Chapter 2 )

Fly away, turn intangible, shoot ectoplasm blasts out of your butt, but for the love of all that is living do something!' Danny screamed to himself, but he was too scared. He couldn't remember being so scared before, ever. These horrors, slowly creeping in on him, their voices oozing menace like the rotting juices that trailed off their bodies, they frightened him like nothing else could. He couldn't move.

 

“Get away from him!” The shout rang from behind him, startling him out of his frozen state the same time a metal trashcan hit the first three ghosts in the crowd approaching him. The three rotting creatures tumbled back, almost knocking the others down too, however the crowed had that one small instant to prepare and turned intangible, letting their comrades fall straight through them to the ground.

 

Dash had grabbed Danny by the arm and they were running, down the alleyway, out into the street, the pouring rain hitting them like a spray of bullets, but it was bearable, a preferred fate to the horror movie brought to life chasing after them.

 

The streetlights and porch lights illuminated the dark urban streets, golden showers of light in the dark watery night, but Danny didn't see. His vision was clouding, darkness creeping into his eyes. His body hurt, aching legs that pushed him further, muddy rubber boots struggled for purchase on the concrete, and a burning chest.

 

His chest, it hurt the worst, a terrible ache that made his legs turn to liquid and his running into a stumbling, sliding mess of limbs. And he finally realized why.

 

He wasn't breathing.

 

He tried to take in a breath, but it wasn't working. Something was wrong, he couldn't breathe! He tugged on Dash's jacket, unable to get a breath to speak, as if a cork had been stuck in his windpipe.

 

Dash looked back for a moment at Danny, but all he saw was the small mob of ghosts chasing after them, and catching up fast.

 

“Shit, I thought they were slow!” Dash cursed. Danny would have commented that ghosts tend to prolong their attacks to frighten victims, but hey he couldn't breathe! And Dash didn't seem to notice this in the least, instead he sped up their pace and Danny knew he would pass out from lack of oxygen soon.

 

And then his legs finally gave out and he stumbled. He didn't actually fall, but he stumbled slightly and the arm that Dash had imprisoned in his grasp was nearly ripped from its socket when he turned the corner and they slid into another alley.

 

Danny hit the hard blacktop chest and chin first and a sharp spike of pain ripped through the burning, causing him to gasp and choke, but he had resumed his breathing. And that was fine with him.

 

There was a wicked cackling from directly behind them and Danny didn't have to turn around to know that they were caught. Dash struggled to his knees, staring defiantly over his shoulder but Danny couldn't move. He just lay there on his chest breathing in precious oxygen. He'd never take another breath for granted again.

 

Dash got his hand under Danny's arm, prepared to run again, but Danny knew he wouldn't make it. He felt woozy from running without oxygen and every limb felt wobbly and weighed down. Besides even the light from the streetlamp directly overhead didn't chase away the shadows of his vision, he was very close to passing out. Not good.

 

“Dash.” He gasped out, Dash could run away, they didn't want him; at least Danny didn't think they did. He didn't even know why they wanted him! Of course, being the Halfa and kicking ghost butt for nearly four years would be the most obvious reason. Still did he want to risk Dash's safety? “Get -gasp- get behind me.”

 

No, Dash wouldn't escape. Ghosts had no sense of a single victim. He would be targeted just for being there; actually involving himself in the fight only gave them a reason to attack. No, he would have to fight.

 

“You can't fight Danny.” It was easy to use Danny Phantom's name without confusion, since Dash only ever called the human Danny by his last name. Still, Danny felt a little tingle at hearing it from him, it was…strange. “Look at you; you're going to pass out.” Wow, if even Dash could tell, he must really look a mess.

 

Snickering could be heard and Dash looked back to the crowd that was forming, once again approaching slowly. Oh how they must love the dramatic tension.

 

Danny tried to stand on unsteady legs, supporting himself on his right knee for a moment before Dash, his grasp on Danny's arm still firm and authoritive helped him rise.

 

“I said get behind me.” Danny shook the restraining hand off and stepped forward, Dash, startled by the harsh tone took a step back, just behind but to the side of his ghostly hero, fully prepared to catch him if he fell and take off again.

 

Danny faced the horrors, looking much like the mob of homeless people again. He cringed as their rejuvenated faces once again started going through the various stages of decay. They reminded him of clockwork, a continuing cycle of rebirth and destruction. He saw them now for ghosts, ignoring the gore and gnashing teeth, the hateful cackles and the glowing empty sockets. They were ghosts, and he fought ghosts.

 

Well, it was time to do what he did.

 

Taking as deep a breath as his strained lungs would allow he opened his mouth and howled.

 

It came easier these days than it had three years ago when he had first learned it; actually a lot of his powers came easier to him, but it still took so much out of him. Like a special attack on a videogame, it depleted his power supply nearly to zero, and since he was so close to zero to begin with… he wasn't feeling exactly like he did when he left home that evening.

 

But it was effective, and the ghosts that weren't ripped apart fled with their wounded comrades. Leaving him and a startled, and slightly frightened, Dash alone in the circle of light from the lamppost.

 

“Danny?” Dash asked, taking a cautious step forward. Danny was visibly shaking from the exertion and the woozy feeling he had earlier intensified to a just come off the rollercoaster after eating nachos kind of dizziness, but instead of slouching over and vomiting, like he would like to have done at the time, he fell to the grown, darkness claiming his vision before he even hit the asphalt.

 

“D…Phantom?” Dash shakily crouched by the exhausted ghost, wondering what he should do. He was trembling from excitement and adrenaline and, and terror. Yes, that was what he was feeling, pure terror. The kind that made your palms all clammy and your breathing heavy and your stomach tight and queasy, he was scared. After this, he was sure he wouldn't be able to look out the window on a rainy night without getting goose bumps.

 

Speaking of rain, it seemed to have halted for the moment. Rain always seemed to have a mind of its own, and aside from the rebellious sprinkle escaping from the clouds here and there, all falling water had ceased. Good news, since walking home in the rain wasn't really good for his strained nerves at the moment.

 

There was a light out of the corner of his eye and he turned from the sky back to the ghostly superhero lying crumpled on the ground. Only it wasn't his fair-haired hero lying before him, but someone he never would have imagined. Someone he couldn't even begin to envision in a hero's role.

 

“Fenton?!”

 

~*~*~

(freak-out ensues)

 

“Okay, okay. Breath Baxter.” Dash stopped his pacing in the middle of the alleyway to take a deep breath and try to calm himself. “Oh god! I've been harassing a ghost!” It wasn't working.

 

“Oh man, I can't believe this. Danny Fenton, Danny Phantom, two in one. Well…” He resumed his pacing. “It's kinda not that hard to picture, now that I think about it. They do kinda look the same, and they sound exactly alike too, I noticed that once, uhhg, I cannot believe I just dismissed it like I did. Oh man, he's gonna pound me!” Ironic choice of words, but he was too scared shitless to appreciate it, he couldn't help it.

 

He looked back over at the unconscious teen, lying in the exact same spot… Maybe he should move him somewhere before continuing his frenzied rant. He could get sick. Did ghosts get sick? Was Danny Fenton really a ghost? He seemed flesh and blood before, oh god blood! “Stop it,” he pounded a fist on his forehead, “just…stop thinking.” If only he could. If only he could be like every other popular teen at school and just be completely ignorant and stupid.

 

“Okay, so Danny Fenton is Danny Phantom.” He paused, déjà vu anyone?? Shaking his head he oppressed the thought that he knew this before…so long ago. No, if he so much as suspected Fenton of being his oh so wonderful, could do no wrong idol he wouldn't have so much as spoken out against him, let alone shove him into lockers on an almost daily basis. So where…

 

“Uhhg, I can't do this. How could he let me do all those things to him and not retaliate?! He could have done something, anything!” On some second level of thinking he recalled Fenton's constant and often embarrassing pranks and a smile tugged at the corners of his lips, though his more dominant train of thoughts kept his awareness too busy and those odd little memories slipped through the railing unnoticed.

 

With a sigh Dash squatted down by Danny Fenton again. Strange, how obvious the resemblance was now, with Danny still in the black hazzmat suit with the rubbery white gloves that were a little slippery when you were holding them, most commonly dangling from some high altitude place like the Fenton's window. Yeah, that memory got through. No wonder Danny had shrunk him again. Now it all made sense.

 

Actually a whole lot of things made sense when he attributed this newfound knowledge to his memories. Danny Fenton being Danny Phantom made everything all clear.

 

So…maybe Danny wasn't going to kill him. After all, he was still alive after four years of torment. Why would Danny suddenly decide to kill him when he started to be nice? Well aside from him knowing the secret, uh oh, should he just run away and pretend he never saw anything? But that would leave him all alone, and he couldn't in good conscience just abandon the unconscious teen.

 

Dash looked at Danny's face, always so pale, almost too pale. It wasn't really noticeable when Danny wore those white shirts, but with the dark suit and the black hair, he looked sickly, and the dark circles under his eyes, no doubt from sleepless nights fighting ghosts…and the bruises…and the broken, no, the sprained arm.

 

“Was it all because of ghosts?”

 

The terrified nausea returned, swamped with guilt, stirring around in his gut like an eggbeater. Now he knew what the principal had meant when she had told him about teen suicide. He didn't have a clue as to what had been going on in Fenton's life. Danny Phantom had protected them, all of them, had fought with all his might, risked his life for everyone in the damned ignorant City of Amity Park and what did they show in return? An enormous bounty on his head, his own parents chasing after him, bullying around every corner from someone whose supposed to be his biggest fan, and, now that Dash thought hard about it, his freshmen-year girlfriend trying to annihilate him. And that was only what he knew.

 

He felt, no…he knew that if he were in Danny's place he would have snapped long ago, and he was slightly afraid because he didn't know if Danny would be the kind that hurt his self, or hurt others. He worried about that, but looking down on the teen now, in his weak and vulnerable state, he just couldn't see Danny doing any of that.

 

 

“He looks so…” Dash couldn't think of the word. Tired, hurt, defenseless…peaceful…? “Unconscious.” The word slipped out simply to fill the silence and he felt a smile crinkle the corners of his eyes, though his lips stayed pursed together in thought. A thought flickered through his head, just something humorous to relieve the tension building up inside him.

 

He wished he had a stick to poke the kid with…

 

~*~*~

 

Danny slowly drifted back to consciousness, lost somewhere in the darkness before reality drew the mind back from the real of dreams. Not that he had dreamed, or he didn't remember dreaming. He actually didn't remember anything, it was like his brain had misplaced everything, or he had been misplaced, but he didn't question his mind in those few moments of ignorant bliss; he didn't remember anything so he didn't know there were things he had forgotten. He just drifted along, lost in the darkness of his psyche.

 

~*~*~

 

Dash finally calmed his strained nerves and, shaking off the need to poke him, picked Danny up to take him….somewhere. Where would he go? He couldn't go home, that was too far. Where did Danny live again? Not far, it couldn't be far. They needed someplace safe, somewhere Dash could look and see if there were any serious injuries, not that he would know.

 

He shook his head, he should know the city up and down, but he had never really bothered with this part of town. It was dull, few things for kids and even fewer for teenagers, all old people stuff…He needed someplace safe. An abandoned warehouse maybe? Yeah, he could just find one of those conveniently placed in the one place adults actually took care of. Stupid restored buildings.

 

Dash stopped his internal agonizing long enough to see that he had almost stepped out into traffic, a point well proven when the car passing by honked to get him back onto the sidewalk. It worked, and he stepped back up from the black tar pit that was the road. He didn't mind waiting; it wasn't that hard to hold Danny up, which surprised him because…he was so light. Really light and Dash was used to people feeling light to him, he was rather strong, but Danny didn't…he just felt…it was as though he barely rested in his arms. Weightless, like he wasn't really there.

 

But Danny was there, in his arms. He could feel him pressed against his chest as he walked; completely limp like a sleeping child, but still there. So why was he so light? Dash bit his lower lip in worry, wondering if on top of everything else Danny was anorexic. He was rather thin…and pale. Very pale.

 

Back onto the busy part of town Dash felt a little awkward being seen carrying a body in his arms, people passing by glanced curiously at him, and some stared openly, but it didn't seem like anybody recognized the body just yet. This was just fine with him. He was very glad to actually know his surroundings. Stupid him, running after that damn cat all the way back to that alley.

 

'….Cat….where did that cat go? Stupid stray, stupid idiot, cold, wet creature preying on my love of furry cuddly baby things! Uhhhrg. If it hadn't…hadn't….'

 

“I wouldn't have been able to help Danny….” he whispered out loud, he just couldn't find anything to focus his anger on, and that kind of pissed him off..

 

“Mroow.” The small vocalization in his ear made him jump and almost drop the unconscious form in his arms.

 

“Oh god, what are you doing here?” he said and a rather rounded old lady, probably only sixty, looked at him wide-eyed before glancing nervously to the “do not walk” sign, willing it to change.

 

The itty bitty black kitty, however, sat perched on his shoulder like a parrot as though it were the most normal creature on earth, and not the size of a black rat. Dash didn't even remember feeling it climb up him. He stared at it, their eyes locked, his narrowed accusingly at the mysterious creature, said `mysterious creature' just blinked, then hiked a leg and began bathing it's romp.

 

Dash made a disgusted face, shrugging the shoulder it sat on, the feline tipped and had to abandon its beatification to keep from falling. Claws dug into the shoulder and Dash bit his lip in pain.

 

“Stupid cute aggravating pest.” Dash mumbled through his grimace, then crossed the street in hurried strides with the big old lady, she had to be a foot taller than him.

 

~*~*~

 

The abyss surrounding him rolled and shifted, pulling him back towards the world just outside his eyelids. A weightless feeling overcame his body as he felt himself being lifted, invisible hands reaching through the gloom to carry him up from the eternal night.

 

Slowly, but without struggle, Danny gave into the feeling of those warm hands wrapped around him and allowed himself to be pulled from his everlasting emptiness and return to true existence.

 

~*~*~

 

 

He felt the body begin to stir in his arms and watched as an intense glow twisted in the center of Danny's stomach, growing up and down in the form of two blinding rings of energy. They traveled over his bare arms, as he had wrapped Danny up in his jacket, and he flinched, not sure what the strange ghostly lights would do, but it just moved through him, leaving only the odd sensation of sun-warmed skin., and in the frigid weather he was standing in at the moment it was more than welcome. Like that particular part of his being had sat near the fireplace while the rest of him faced the freezer.

 

“D-Dash?”

 

Danny clutched the jacket tighter around his newly warmed body as the rings finished their journey and dissipated above his head and just below his feet. “Could you….” Danny addressed Dash again, snapping the larger teen out of his trance-like state. “Put me down please?”

 

Dash stood there a moment and stared at the uncomfortable Danny Phantom in his arms, before shakily responding. He set him down gently on his feet, not saying a thing, and just backed up a step. His hair was back to being white...so did he transform back into a ghost? Did he always wear the outfit; did Danny have to change quickly like other superheroes?

 

By now there were a lot of people staring, because it had become obvious Danny Phantom was there. There were murmurs among the crowd, but no one seemed to move in a threatening manner toward the two, in fact no one moved at all.

 

Even the two young men, the center of attention, Dash Baxter and Danny Phantom, didn't move. A heavy awkward tension had settled over the street, slowing traffic and people alike.

 

All was silent, save for the purring from the dwarf cat currently rubbing against the side of Dash's face.

 

Dash sneezed.

 

Danny stifled a giggle.

 

The tension eased.

 

~*~*~

 

Danny felt woozy as he walked slowly alongside Dash. He didn't think he could fly yet and didn't want to risk it, besides he didn't want to just leave the teen after he pretty much saved his life.

 

So Danny walked beside Dash down the street towards his own home, ignoring the stares of the passing people. It had been nearly four years since he began his heroic profession, and many of the citizens had come to accept his presence in their lives.

 

Acceptance and acknowledgement, something he never thought would be his when he first started out.

 

Another wave of nausea washed over him and he wobbled a bit but covered it by reaching up for Grimalkin on Dash's shoulder who playfully swatted at his hand and darted across the back of Dash's neck to watch Danny from his other shoulder. Dash laughed.

 

“So what, do you know this fuzz ball?” Dash asked patting the tiny creature on the head. “He looks like he isn't old enough to be out of his mother's shadow.”

 

“Yes I do know him unfortunately, he's m-” Danny snapped his mouth closed with a click of teeth. It wouldn't do to claim the cat as Danny Phantom's, not when its home was at Danny Fenton's. “He's full grown, actually, though he does look only a month old.” He said, gritting his teeth and walking faster to keep up with Dash's long strides, he felt completely exhausted.

 

“How do you know that?” Dash asked, inconspicuously probing for tiny slips of information, ties between the Phantom and Fenton. He knew the cat now, it was the one Danny had carried home yesterday after the accident. He remembered thinking such a tiny kitten should not have been out alone.

 

If there was any doubt before, though he wasn't so dense as to actually doubt, there was none now. Danny Fenton and Danny Phantom were one in the same. Now the question was, should he let Danny know he knew his secret, or keep it to himself?

 

He looked back and saw Danny's arm shaking, the one that Danny Fenton had in a sling all that day. He wondered if it healed when he transformed, or whatever he did when he became a ghost, or if he had simply forgone wearing the sling because it would be an obvious week spot and a miniscule, but still creditable, link between the two Danny's.

 

“I-I uh…I don't know. I guess I just feel it. He doesn't…doesn't carry himself like a kitten. When he walks it's not all shaky and stumbling like a month old kitten, and about that age he should still have blue eyes, but his are amber, see. I think he's just a really small cat. Premature, maybe a dwarf? A genetic anomaly?” Danny's shaking increased, but there were no people around to notice as they had reached a more rural area and nearly everyone was in bed. No one but Dash to see.

 

He was pale and covered by a light sheen of perspiration, the rain soaked jacket giving no warmth to his freezing body. His eyes, normally a very bright green, were dull from exhaustion and his step, which was shaky to begin with but Dash hadn't commented, had become something more of a stumble.

 

The cat on his shoulder nudged his face a bit, as though telling him `get on with it.' But that nudge wasn't needed as Dash was already slipping his arm around Danny's waist and lifting him up again.

 

Danny let out a squeak when he felt himself suddenly lifted from the ground. The warmth of Dash's arms seeped through the fabric of his suit like heated water and felt feverish against his cool skin. The wet jacket provided some level of protection from the contact, but it was a feeble barrier and so loose that as Danny struggled it hiked up around his torso and slipped off one shoulder.

 

“Put me down you asshole, I can walk!” Danny hissed, his throat felt sore and he couldn't shout, but oh he wanted to.

 

“Are you kidding me? You look like you can barely stand. So shut up and enjoy the ride, this is the last time I'm carrying you Fenton.”

 

“Wh-what?!” Danny shouted, followed by a fit of coughs.

 

“Man, will you give your body a break, next you'll be hacking up blood.” Dash adjusted his hold on Danny who felt just as light as before, but now instead of being limp he lay stiff with his arms crossed over his chest, glaring at him. “I said you can barely stand so I'm carrying you. Got it?”

 

“You called me Fenton.” Danny said low and threatening.

 

“Yeah, so?” Dash countered, upset inside that he let it slip but not going to deny it. He wasn't that much of a fool. “I always call you that.”

 

“What makes you think….how did you….when did….ah forget it!” Danny slumped, turning away from him to pout, which looked rather comical since he was still being carried bridal style. And to emphasize the hilarity of the situation, Dash laughed.

 

“Shut up! I can't believe you. What are you planning on doing huh? Hold it over my head? Make me do your homework for the rest of our high school year? Demand favors? Or are you just going to throw all blackmail out and spread the news all over? I bet a million people are willing to offer enormous sums of money for the inside scoop of Danny Phantom's true identity!”

 

During the list of possibilities Danny started looking less and less angry and more depressed. Dash didn't feel all that hot either, not if his hero actually thought he'd roll over on him.

 

“I'm not going to tell anyone. I wouldn't. Do you honestly think after everything you've done, for me and hundreds of other citizens, that I would just give you up to those…those people?”

 

Danny looked guilty for a moment before his stern pout returned, he never looked at Dash. “You've never given me reason to believe otherwise.” He snapped.

 

“What?” Dash asked incredulous, “off course I have. All those times we fought together, the times I've helped you out. You should know to trust me.” Dash stopped and looked around. In the heat of the argument he had forgot to watch where he was going and got turned around. They now stood on some street corner in a neighborhood Dash, again, wasn't familiar with. In a frustrated huff he sat straight down on the curb, earning another startled noise from Danny. The smaller teen glared at him before trying to move off, he was now sitting in Dash's lap.

 

“That's only one side of me!” Danny protested, getting Dash's attention again. “Sure you were nice to Danny Phantom.” He said, trying to get out of both Dash's arms and off his lap, but Dash's grip on him remained firm and in the condition he was in, it was like falling in a blown up sumo suit. Nearly impossible. “But the hero is only half of who I am.” Finally Danny just gave up and slumped down again, this time looking Dash straight in the eye.

 

“Only…half.” Dash was startled when he saw… Danny's eyes were blue, the kind of deep blue eyes that Danny Fenton had. Could his eyes change color?

 

“Yes.” Danny's face softened, and he looked away again. “You were often friendly, admirable, and courageous around Danny Phantom, but you were rarely so gracious with Danny Fenton. To that part of me, you were nothing but a bully. On the occasion a partner or even an ally, but still a bully, and just when I'd begin to like you, just when I'd think maybe you'd change. When I'd think that we could be friends, you'd do something to Danny Fenton that would utterly destroy all those hopes.”

 

“Like with Skulker…” Dash mumbled, but Danny caught it.

 

“Yeah…” He didn't look back at Dash, though both wished he would. “I really enjoyed working beside you then and during the whole pirate parental abduction thing, and a million other times over the years. But you'd always, often immediately afterward, do something that would just wash every single one of those memories away.” Danny tensed. “I mean I fell off the freaking ship! Did you once ask if I was alright? If I was hurt? No, you socked me in my goddamn arm and said I'd abandoned you lot! Yeah, I sure felt loved.” He huffed, looking a little over exerted from the conversation.

 

“I…I'm sorry. I didn't think…I didn't know you were-” Danny cut him off.

 

“You shouldn't have to know I was a freaking ghost superhero to show a little sympathy to a classmate, who stuck his neck out to help you all save your parents instead of just going in and saving his own, which I totally could have done by the way. Just my parents, and Jazz, and no one else's. But I didn't. AND I got in trouble for using my Mom and Dad's equipment! You know how long I was grounded! I even had to pick up after YOUR stupid Party. AT MY HOUSE! I DIDN'T EVEN GET INVITED TO A PARTY AT MY OWN HOUSE!” Danny shook, tears collecting at the edges of his eyes. He was breathing hard now, deep shaking gulps of air, as if he was drowning and would go back under water at any moment. He coughed, the shouting hurting his already sore throat. The damn Ghostly Wail left him with a gravelly voice for days on end, man he hated having to use it.

 

Dash didn't know what to say, didn't think at all that all those things he did were affecting Danny this much. He just didn't think. God he was an idiot. He didn't know what to do, didn't know how to amend the shattered and broken relationship they'd had all through high school. So he asked the only thing that could get by the lump in his throat.

 

“Where to now? Manson's house?”

 

Danny's head snapped up so fast he caught Dash on the chin. They both gave a sharp yelp and pulled back a bit, Danny was still breathing really hard and the sound came out like a kind of bark, he uncrossed his arms to rub his forehead, Dash moved his jaw back and forth, since he didn't want to let go of Danny, afraid the ghost boy would try and fly away. Ignoring the fact that he could just faze through his arms, Danny didn't seem to remember that particular power at the moment either.

 

“Sam's probably still at that stupid social function with her parents, and Tucker's with her so that's out too.” Danny said, not even going to ask why Dash thought Sam would know about his powers. They spent so much time together, it was obvious.

 

“If you would put me down I can get home from…from here.” Danny blinked a few times, unsure why everything was going blurry.” His breathing wasn't returning to normal, in fact he felt like there wasn't enough oxygen around them, he was going to suffocate, why was it so hard to breath?

 

Hard to breath, just like before in the alley, but this time he was taking in air, big fast gulps of air, but it wasn't enough. Wasn't…..enough.

 

Dash was about to retort that he wasn't going to let Danny just walk on home in the condition he was in, but the way Danny looked at that moment killed the words, fast, with a big sharp knife.

 

“Fenton? Fenton are you okay?” Danny didn't answer, just kept breathing, heavy quick breaths, like he had ran a marathon. Dash didn't know what to do; he was trembling almost as much as the body in his arms. Quickly he stood, trying to think of some way to help.

 

“What to do, what to do.” He practically hopped from foot to foot trying to think. “Danny, are you alright? Please be alright. God, I don't know what to do.” And then the trembling stopped.

 

Dash looked down, down at the relaxed body in his arms. He looked calm now, peaceful, sleeping. Dash panicked. Did he pass out? Did he die? Could ghosts die? Was it his fault, did he make him too upset, too stressed out?

 

There was a low snarl in his ear and he turned to the side just in time to get a sharp set of claws raked across his nose. He stumbled back, which was odd because he couldn't stumble away from something on his shoulder. The cat growled and pawed at his face again, just barely unsheathing its claws this time. A warning.

 

Dash shook his head and started running back the way he had come, trying to see street signs in the dim light of the far spaced streetlights. He practically jogged in place when he had to stop, running up and down streets, cutting through alleys, panicking. What was wrong, he had to find Danny's home. Danny said he could get home from there. Danny knew the streets. God Danny was DIEING!

 

He was just about to start shouting for help, which he realized with eternal self loathing, he should have done to begin with, when he saw the enormous Fenton Works sign and the various other metallic structures jutting out of the old brick building.

 

With a rush of pure glee he ran full speed the last few blocks, as he had twisted around the neighborhood like a mouse in a maze, and took the steps in leaps, banging on the door with his fist until he heard a muffled shout and a click as the latch was pulled back.

 

And it was that moment, as the door cracked open; Dash realized that if Danny's parents didn't know about his secret he was practically condemning him to the autopsy table. All those threats, those various weapons being pointed with deadly precision, did they know it was their son? Would they hurt him before Dash could explain?

 

It was too late, the door was opening.

 

~*~*~

 

Jazz sleepily rubbed her eyes, too groggy to really realize she had opened the door without seeing who was there. An unnatural bout of stupidity on her part, but she was sick, and tired, and anxious to get better before her next semester started.

 

All that was forgotten when she saw who was on her doorstep this late at night.

 

“D-Dash?!” Jazz stared wide eyed at the panting teen in front of her, then down to the unconscious body in his arms. “Oh my god, Danny! What happened?” Jazz stared up at Dash's startled expression before straightening, realizing the obvious slip, and attempted to correct it. “Why, why did you bring him here? You know my parents want to capture him. What, are you trying to get some kind of reward or something?” She narrowed her eyes in mistrust, despite the overwhelming need to grab her baby brother and hold him close.

 

Dash straightened too when he heard her question, eyes hardening. Why did everyone think so little of him? Did she honestly believe he would turn her little brother over to scientists for dissection? Even if those scientists were their parents. But he saw the concern for Danny in her eyes that brief moment before common sense returned to her. She knew, and now he knew. And that is exactly what he would say.

 

“I know.”

 

And Jazz's stern, mistrusting face melted into grief and worry and she flung the door open, reaching towards him to grab her baby brother. Cradling his head she brushed aside the sweat-soaked bangs, feeling the hot skin against her fingertips. “What happened?” She said softly, a question not really directed at anyone.

 

“We…he was attacked by ghosts and…us..we were running…he passed out, but he woke up. He was screaming at me, I made him angry and it's my fault. He passed out. He was breathing so heavily, he wouldn't stop shaking and I didn't know what to do. He wouldn't wake up. He wouldn't answer me.” Dash was shaking himself, and his own breath was coming in ragged gasps.

 

Jazz directed him inside, hushing him, saying he could explain later, her mature, motherly instincts kicking in when she saw Dash's distraught state. She checked heartbeat and his breathing, and when she found both were still doing what they were supposed to, sent Dash up to Danny's room, marveling at how gently the boy carried her brother, even taking care not to jar him when climbing the stairs.

 

“Mom and Dad went out on a call earlier, chances are it's a prank and they'll be back soon. We don't want them coming in and seeing him. Into his room, Danny has some automated lock on it, I don't really know the key but I have an idea.”

 

Jazz's idea turned out to be useless, she had figured that several key words or phrases would unlock the door, but Danny didn't trust the chance that someone would accidentally say them. The only way in was through his back window, or anywhere in the house if you could faze through solid objects and fly. Unfortunately neither of the humans could, and as Jazz's voice got more frantic and the words more ridiculous Grimalkin slipped unnoticed from Dash's shoulder and fazed through the wall beside the door.

 

As much as Grimalkin would have loved to jump up and bang his head on the door several times before finally hitting the switch that would unlock the door, as the lock was on the doorknob and the doorknob was very high, he didn't think there was much use for fun wastes of time and simply reshaped himself, flying up and unlocking the door in a form more suitable then a cat.

 

The lock clicked just as Dash and Jazz turned away to bring him to her room, a much less safer place but better then the hallway. Dash turned back at the sound and watched the door slide in a bit.

 

“It's open!” He cried, pushing aside the heavy wooden door he stepped in, feeling a cold air rush past him like walking from outside into a place with air-conditioning. He shivered, glancing at the window but it was shut. “Weird.” He mumbled, then hurried over to the bed, Jazz right behind him.

 

It hadn't taken them long to figure out that Danny was just fine, cold, feverish, and unconscious, but just fine. Or so said Jazz who, after years of ghost fighting and her bizarre parents, had become quite familiar with first aid.

 

Jazz reassured him that everything was fine and that he could go home. “It was probably just hyperventilation,” she had said. Instead of following her instructions, however, he called his parents and told them he was staying over. Jazz looked at him quizzically before shrugging and walking off.

 

Dash set the phone back on the receiver, his hand shaking. He wondered how often such things happened, Jazz didn't seem all that shaken after she assessed that Danny was fine, but Dash wasn't so sure. How could she be certain? What if he had some internal injury? What if he didn't wake up? What if his fever got worse?

 

He certainly wasn't helping matters by worrying, but he couldn't help it.

 

He stepped back into Danny's room. It was dark, and terribly messy, as if the last time it had been clean was when the inhabitants moved in. He couldn't blame Danny though, with his hectic schedule he probably barely had time to change, let alone put everything in a hamper. No wonder he went to school looking like he just threw on whatever looked cleanest on the floor, he probably did.

 

He sighed and pulled up Danny's discarded computer chair, laying on its side by the closet for some reason, fully intending to watch over Danny until he woke, all night if need be.

 

Jazz came in a few minutes later with a large blanket and a pillow, standing in the doorway as Dash collected Danny's discarded clothing and put them in a wicker basket off in the corner. “Having fun?” She asked.

 

Dash turned around and scowled. “So I got bored, I hate clutter and I figured I'd pass the time with a small activity.” He shut the hamper lid and proceeded to straighten the books and papers strewn across the desk.

 

“Danny's room is hardly what I'd consider a `small activity,' but if you really wish to undertake such an arduous task, be my guest.” She said with a smile. “Buuuuut if you get tired and decide to partake in the popular teenage pastime, sleep, I've brought you a pillow and blanket.” She presented the two to him, practically glowing in amusement.

 

His expression softened just a bit and he took them, quietly thanking her and placing them on the empty computer chair. Jazz just smiled and skipped off to her room. He wondered how the hell she could be so damn chipper when her brother lay unconscious on the bed right beside him. “This kind of stuff must happen often.” He muttered, feeling a bit bothered by the fact.

 

After two hours the room was clean, except for vacuuming and dusting, which would have happened had he not accidentally mistaken the Fenton Xtractor for a vacuum cleaner, causing him to mistrust every cleaning appliance in the room. In the end Dash felt tired, but accomplished, and had learned a few new things about his smaller companion, like the fact that he had a huge pile of model spaceships left unopened in his closet, waiting for the spare time it would take to put them together, and that he kept Fenton ghost weapons in every unlikely place he could think of, including the underwear drawer, which he stumbled on while looking for a place to put Danny's pile of finished, but unturned in homework. Also, there was a Fenton Crammer taped to the underside of the computer desk, an unnerving discovery on his part, and a Fenton Anti-Creep Stick in the closet with a couple of Fenton baseballs, that could just be ordinary baseballs but could also be some other dangerous weapons.

 

Shaking his head he smiled, sure that Danny probably more than needed a few weapons handy in case of any unscheduled ghost attacks, and pleased he now knew where some where…just in case. “That's a small relief.”

 

`And speaking of relief…' Dash thought, glancing at the bed with the still knocked out Danny Phantom. `I gotta use the bathroom.'

 

He backed out of the room slowly, afraid that if he turned his back for one second Danny would disappear. He had been in the room the whole time, never leaving, and continuously glancing at Danny, in case there was any change…would two short minutes in the bathroom matter?

 

He straightened, he was being stupid, he was just going to be down the hall…nothing was going to happen. Still, he left the door open and bolted to the bathroom, intent on taking as little time as possible.

 

Two short minutes…

 

It seemed to be just the right amount of time for Dash to miss a lot.

 

~*~*~

 

Danny ached, everywhere. His back, his chest, his arm, his head, limbs he couldn't even name, they all hurt, and the darkness, the sweet, blissful darkness that surrounded him, all receding, he tried to grab it, to hold it to him like a warm blanket being snatched away, but it slipped through his fingers like ink. He didn't know what was left, but it wasn't his darkness, it wasn't even a color. It was emptiness, a terrible, cold emptiness dragging him back to reality and the pain that rested within each of his limbs like a parasite, devouring his flesh, pounding in his head and spinning the world around him like a globe.

 

It took a second to realize that it wasn't emptiness that surrounded him, but his own room, it just looked a bit different.

 

Slowly, ever so carefully, he lifted himself up, wincing when he put pressure on his arm. God he hurt. But his room…his room was clean, and his chair, it was by his bed and there was a folded blanket and a pillow on top of it. Was someone there, Sam or maybe Tucker?

 

Whoever it was they weren't there now, the room was empty. Grimalkin, his ever so faithful cat, growled at him from his position on his lap as he got up. It was great to feel loved.

 

He looked at his clock but couldn't decipher the blurry glowing colors that stated the time, so he just walked…okay hobbled, over to the open door to see who was up. It was dark out…what happened?

 

Just as he was about to exit the room someone appeared from around the corner, someone big.

 

“Dash?” Danny whispered, his throat felt sore…so sore. Like when he used…the Ghostly Wail…

 

Everything came crashing back to him, the ghosts, the rain, the lightning, Dash figuring him out…yelling…suffocating…It all hit him the exact same time Dash's arms enveloped him, pulling him close. The embrace was so gentle, his hold so firm, it was like Danny was this little blown glass figurine that might break if he held to tightly, but fall if he let go.

 

But Danny didn't fall, he tensed, unsure of what to do. His face burned against Dash's cool shoulder, where before he had felt like ice when Dash's warm skin touched him, now he felt like fire.

 

“D-Dash?” Danny asked hoarsely, certain his face was red. He wasn't often hugged by other guys, least of all Dash Baxter.

 

“I was scared.” Dash said softly, earning a startled muffled noise from Danny. “I didn't know if you were going to wake up, I didn't know what to do. I was so terrified.”

 

Slowly, weakly Danny placed his hands against Dash's chest, gently pushing him back to look up at him. There was something shiny about Dash's eyes but the room was dark and after he blinked a few times it was gone, so Danny just blamed it on his fatigue.

 

“It's okay Dash…” Danny heard himself say. “I'm fine.”

 

Dash pulled further away, his hands holding Danny by the shoulders, scrutinizing him, looking up and down as if to make sure nothing was wrong. “Danny?” He asked. “When did you change your clothes?”

 

Danny looked down at himself, seeing that he was, in fact, back in his normal outfit. He was once again Danny Fenton.

 

~*~*~

 

Danny watched silently from his bed as Dash rummaged around his room.

 

“Here,” Dash threw a pair of his pajamas, the one with childish spacemen pictures on it, into his lap. “Change into these and get to bed.” Danny wanted to die. They were his favorite sleeping clothes, but what an embarrassment.

 

He looked from the pajamas to Dash, who was standing over him like a stern babysitter, and rolled his eyes. “This is silly.” He declared, but stood and began stripping his wet clothes off, though he wasn't certain how his cloths always got affected when he was in uniform.

 

Dash's face flushed red and he quickly turned his back to the nude teen.

 

“I'm fine Dash; I just over exerted myself earlier is all.” Danny left the last few buttons at the top of his shirt undone; he didn't feel like putting in the effort. His hands rested in fists on his hips and he glared at the back of Dash's head. “You can turn around now, I'm decent.”

 

Dash turned to face Danny's cold stare, arms still crossed, face still red, chest puffed out like a threatened desert iguana. “Bed.” He was trying to be intimidating even though they both knew Danny would have no problem beating him.

 

“You can go home now Dash.” Danny crossed his own arms. “I'm fine.” His eyes began to glow a soft green to show his displeasure. “And you're parents are probably worried.”

 

Dash wasn't unsettled, and was certainly in no mood for more arguments with his so called hero. “I already called my parents after I brought you to your room.” Dash said, not acknowledging Danny's other statements. “I told them I was staying over.”

 

“Yeah, sure. Just make yourself at home. I don't mind!” Danny flinched when his clenched fists made his arm ache. “I mean it not like its freaking DANGEROUS or anything!” He sat back down on the bed with a huff, not facing Dash but instead glaring at his alarm clock which proudly stated 2:37 am.

 

“Is that your problem?' Dash asked, easing down on the bed beside him. “You think those…things will come back? That I'll get involved and get hurt?” Danny didn't answer and Dash sighed. “I can handle myself just fine Fenton, I think I've proven that before. Besides in your condition I think you're more likely to get hurt them me” The brunette didn't look at him, and the image of Danny facing those horrors alone again wouldn't leave his mind, it unnerved him, and that was irritating. Clenching his teeth he gripped Danny's shoulders and forced him to face him. “Look, what happened today…I don't want it to happen again okay? It scared me…

 

“I…I didn't know what to do, there was nothing I could do. I was terrified; I told you that already, I thought you were dying. I thought I was going to lose you.” Danny looked like he was going to retort but he quickly interjected. “And I don't mean I was scared I'd lose my hero. When I was running around, practically in little circles like in those weird cartoons, I didn't think of you as Danny Phantom, I, I didn't see the difference anymore. Before I thought you two were separate, but now. Now I can't bear to see you out there fighting. I see you, frail and burdened, I can't stand it.

 

“Don't ask me why, because I don't get it myself…but I'm worried...worried about you, the real you.” Danny's behavior earlier, the incident, the whole damn situation upset him. It played over and over in his head. “So don't-don't send me away. I won't leave you, okay? Because I can't…I can't do it, I won't do it. You need rest and protection right now, and I'm going to make sure you get it.”

 

Danny just sat there a moment, searching Dash's eyes for answers, some kind of hit, a clue, a reason for this new strange behavior. “I don't like to be bullied.” He finally answered. “Especially not in my own house, or about things I've been doing for almost four years.”

 

Dash smiled, loosening his grasp on Danny's shoulders and releasing the breath he had been holding. “I'm just concerned.”

 

“There are other ways to show it.” Danny didn't look away this time. “My life…my life gets real hard sometimes. I can't rely on anyone but Sam, Tuck, and Jazz and it hurts to always get them involved, put them in danger. I can't even confide in my parents, the two people who could actually handle this and help me, and I can't just give in because so many people would get hurt.” Despite his earlier declarations of strength and wellbeing his eyes looked bloodshot and wet.

 

Dash pulled Danny into an embrace, softly hushing him. The angle was awkward and Dash had no prior experience in comforting someone. So he just sat there, quietly holding Danny and hoping that, in some way, he was making something better.

 

Danny didn't object to the embrace, but let himself be held, cradled against a warm chest as all the doubts, all the fears, all the damn responsibilities swam around in his mind and rested like an anvil on his chest, constricting his breathing. He figured Dash would say something, some sappy half hearted sympathetic tripe that was supposed to sound comforting and make him feel better, but he didn't. He just sat there, holding him, strong and silent, offering comfort and security.

 

Slowly, for just one moment, Danny let the obligations of a hero slip from his shoulders. Just once, in such a long time, Danny wanted to be the one protected, held and guarded from all the bad things in the world. Sheltered from harm.

 

He didn't cry, not one of the tears threatening the corners of his eyes slipped down his cheek, but he still felt better. For the first time in years he felt, safe, despite the terror and worry, the threat of new, more powerful ghosts, and his own dilemmas.

 

“Alright,” Danny laughed softly into Dash's shoulder. “So maybe I am tired.” He pulled back a bit, wiping the corners of his eyes to just to be sure no tears escaped.

 

Dash closed his eyes tightly a moment, not wanting to let go, not when he wasn't sure Danny wasn't going to just disappear. The physical contact they had felt like the only link to him, like if he did let go…something terrible would happen. But he returned Danny's smile. “You get some rest,” he said, “We'll talk more about it tomorrow. We have all weekend to chat.”

 

Danny didn't argue, after all the insisting that he was fine, that he wasn't tired, that he didn't need Dash there to watch him, he just let Dash ease him back onto the bed and settle the covers over him. Dash's face hovered before him for a while as he adjusted everything until it was all perfect, not a wrinkle in sight. Danny felt like Dash was making the bed around him, but he didn't mind. He was too sleepy to mind.

 

Dash grabbed the blanket and pillow jazz had given him and prepared to make himself comfortable on the floor. When he pulled away, disappearing from the ghost boy's field of vision something in him tightened and Danny called the teen's name out before he could stop himself.

 

“Dash?” Danny's tired voice floated over to the blonde.

 

Dash turned around to look at him, but he didn't know what he had wanted to say so he closed his eyes quickly, pretending to have dozed off. He tried to keep from smiling, knowing this was all so juvenile, he couldn't.

 

“Yes?' He asked, Danny didn't answer. Leaning over the bed Dash realized Danny had fallen asleep, a peaceful, blissful sleep, with a small smile on his face. He hoped Danny would dream something nice, something simple and ordinary, without ghosts or monsters or bullies, without a hero's obligation.

 

With a smile of his own he readjusted the covers one last time before pressing a gentle kiss to Danny's temple.

 

Danny felt the covers around him move just slightly once again telling him Dash either was too tired to notice he was faking, or just didn't care. Then he felt a light weight pressed against his temple. It took an instant to realize it was Dash's lips. This confused him, but at the same time a strange kind of electrical fizzle tingled down in his stomach. Like he ate some PopRocks whole and they didn't start until about halfway down his throat.

 

Dash pulled away rather abruptly, spine erect, eyes wide and staring down at the smiling sleeping person snuggled beneath the covers. Though the kiss only lasted a moment Danny could feel the shift of air as he snapped up, obviously confused about what he'd just done. Why had he…

 

Shaking his head Dash returned to his own sleeping area, slightly disturbed. He must be really tired as well.

 

Yeah…that was the reason.

 

 

~*~*~

 

Dash was having a very nice dream, though he wouldn't admit it under painful torture. Still, it was nice, filled with long sunny days of holding hands and touching noses, the sappy romantic garbage that made up most of his ideas of love, due to his excessive viewing of old romance movies. If he knew it was a dream, because it just seemed too wonderful, he hardly would want out of it, despite the fact that it disturbed and traumatized the more rational part of his brain.

 

Alas, all good things must end, often at the height of its goodness, and much to the dismay of his fuzzy, dreamy self and the absolute joy of…every other part of his mind, he slowly cracked his eyes open to view…

 

A tiny cat butt…

 

Grimalkin had taken up residence on his forehead and was currently swatting at his nose. It was an interesting way to wake, but he'd rather get back to his dream. Stifling a sneeze Dash attempted to dislodge the nuisance from his noggin while unraveling himself from his blanket, silently vowing to talk on a cell phone, watch TV, and play videogames until the radiation and everything else rotted whatever part of his cranium sheltered his disturbing and often perverted thoughts.

 

Finally managing to remove himself from his little-too-friendly sleeping companion, the blanket not the cat, he stood to check on Danny, Grimalkin having moved to rest like a pelt on his head.

 

The only thing on the bed, however, was a rumpled bedspread and discarded pajamas. Dash glared at the clothing in disdain, certain there was no reason Danny couldn't have put them in the hamper this time. So rather than going down to greet, or find and pummel, the smaller teen he collected the clothing, straightened the bed, folded his own blanket, and straightened up whatever else in the room seemed out of order until he calmed down.

 

By then the house was brighter, though no windows faced the east and even if they did the only view would be of the building next door. Dash stood out in the hallway trying to figure it out for a moment before just shrugging it off, the smell of fresh cooked breakfast fogging all other thoughts.

 

The cat on his shoulder purred softly, claws gently raking through his hair as it sniffed the air in apparent glee. Dash tried to look up at it, with the displeasing results one would expect when trying to look at a cat on one's head. Finally just giving in he walked downstairs to see who else was up.

 

By the time he reached the kitchen door his mouth was watering and his stomach was making impatient noises, which he hoped no one else would be able to hear. The smell of blueberries and syrup filled his nostrils and he breathed deeply through his nose, feeling like he had never smelled anything so wonderful. Peeking around the corner into the kitchen he spied Danny in an apron standing over the stove, his back turned.

 

Something in his gut wiggled, a strange pleasant feeling, and he wondered about the saying “Butterflies in your stomach,” but shook it off, blaming it on his hunger. Still, it was oddly nice to see Danny cooking breakfast. That is until Danny, lost in his own mind wandering, tried to pick up the skillet with his bad arm, dropping the heavy cast iron cooking equipment and a half cooked blueberry pancake on the kitchen floor. As fate and other momentarily unmentioned powers of the universe often decree the skillet hit Danny's shin and the pancake landed uncooked-side-down on the floor.

 

At Danny's cry of pain Dash swung around the corner and was at his side griping his upper arm at such a speed it would have surprised them both, had they not been occupied with the tiny cooking disaster.

 

“Are you alright?” Dash asked, receiving a glare from Danny that would have appeared threatening if he wasn't sitting on the kitchen floor clutching his shin and wearing his mother's apron.

 

“Sorry I just…its…I guess I…” Dash stumbled through his limited vocabulary while trying to help Danny up without having him put pressure on the aching limb.

 

“Yeah, yeah I know,” Danny said with a smirk, accepting Dash's help and limping over to a chair, “Standard question.”

 

“Guess you get it a lot.” Dash scratched the base of his neck before glancing at the mess on the floor.

 

“Not so much anymore, but about a year or two ago, yeah a lot,” Danny smiled nervously, “I sure got into some trouble back then. I wasn't as strong as I am now and a lot more people wanted a piece of me.” It was weird talking to Dash like he was, totally not normal, but was anything in his life normal?

 

“So…um you just sit there and stuff while I clean up.” Dash picked up the fallen skillet and put it in the sink, then picked up the sponge from the counter and proceeded to wipe up the pancake batter splattered across the kitchen floor. Apparently he had just as much a problem discussing the superhero ghost life as Danny. The unsettling events of the previous night replayed in his mind and he didn't think he could handle a repeat.

 

“I already finished breakfast, that pancake was the last one so…um I guess the timing was okay. Better then dropping in earlier…” Danny stared at the big plate of blueberry pancakes sitting on the table alongside a plate of perfectly shaped beacon, steaming brown sausages, and some omelets. He couldn't look at Dash, cleaning up his mess on the floor and talking to him like he actually cared. It was all so strange…so incredibly freaky.

 

“Sheesh, how long where you up?” Dash was standing beside him now, drying his hands on a dishtowel and staring at the set table like it was one of the strange ghost weapons found pretty much anywhere in the house. As far as either of them knew Jack Fenton could have converted the table into some high-tech Fenton ghost repelling Frisbee that ultimately would look cool, have “Fenton” on it, but otherwise be useless.

 

“A few hours, I couldn't really sleep well, I kept waking up and such, finally around eight I made up my mind, changed, and came down to make breakfast.” Danny chuckled halfheartedly.

 

Dash stopped Danny from rubbing his sore leg long enough to look at it, after folding the pant leg up just a bit he got a good look at the reddened flesh, whistling low “You'll most likely have yet another bruise to add to your collection.” He said, running a hand over the skin. Danny's leg airs were silver, and soft. Like frog hair. For some reason he had never imagined Danny having leg hair…he just seemed so adolescent, despite the fact that he was almost an adult. Perhaps it was because his arms looked hairless, though now that he looked at it; it was just the same silver as his legs…

 

“Yeah, I seem to be a bit accident prone, but hey I was having such a lovely conversation with the pan I figured I'd introduce it to the rest of my body.” Danny tried not to notice that Dash was running his hand up and down his leg, he had just been injured, and Dash was just trying to help was all.

 

Dash blinked, not quite following for a moment as he had been caught up in his own thinking. A bright red blush stole across his face when he realized he had been stroking Danny's skin, quickly he shoved the jeans back down into place, turning away from the inured teen he plopped down on the ground, staring at the linoleum in embarrassment. “Idiot,” he tossed over his shoulder. “You're too clumsy. What were you thinking trying to pick up that pan with your bad arm? Honestly sometimes you're really stupid”

 

Danny's jaw clenched at the insult, and Dash's odd behavior. ”Excuse me from being a bit lost in thought.” He hissed down at the supposed grownup sitting on his kitchen floor like a pouting kid. “But if your memory extends as far as last night you might recall my life is really hard and I have a lot to think about. You actually knowing all this only adds to the drama and headache. I apologize that I was so caught up in worrying about you, and school, and these damn injuries, and trying to get your ass out of trouble and out of my hair that I spilled the breakfast I got up three hours ago to make for you!”

 

“Hey, what's all the yelling about?” Jazz entered the kitchen with the cautious tread of one well acquainted with Danny's emotional outbursts and the ghostly consequences they usually conveyed.

 

“Oh nothing, I just dropped the skillet while making breakfast and it hit my leg.” Danny explained, waving his hand like a magician's assistant towards his shin.

 

“Another injury? Danny Mom and Dad will flip.” The doorbell rang, cutting Jazz off mid-lecture, much to Danny's delight. While she was occupied with whoever was at the door Dash rose from his position on the floor.

 

“Look, Fenton.” Danny wasn't looking at him. “Hey I said look!”

 

“Oh sorry, I thought that was just a figurative term for getting someone's attention.” Danny leaned back in his chair, still refusing to turn his attention anywhere else but the stack of blueberry pancakes, certain that if he stared hard enough he could make them get up and dance. Ah the joys of being ghost.

 

“Okay, stop talking like that, and if you won't look at least listen then. Okay? I'm not going to hurt you, I'm not going to tell anyone, hell I won't even try and help and get in your way if you don't want me to.” Dash didn't like the idea of fighting ghosts again, but he liked Danny fighting them in his condition even less. “But Lancer and the principal have boxed us together for who knows how long, they may even go so far as to change what few classes we don't have together to partner us up, so we're stuck.” Okay, he could tell by the look on Danny's face that he didn't appreciate this predicament this new predicament.

 

“What the hell are you talking about?”

 

Dash mentally shook himself, `nice going Baxter, you really have a way with words.' With a deep breath he quickly summarized what had happened in the office before Dash had to collect Danny and bring him to the nurse.

 

Reaching out he grabbed Danny's hands, clasped in his lap. It startled Danny, causing him to look at Dash who was literally down on his knees in front of him. `Well, one small accomplishment lets go for another.' “Look Danny.” Dash said his name, knowing the familiarity would help. “I don't want to be another item on your list of worries; I don't want to add to your load, I want to help ease some of it off. I won't pick on you anymore, that much is a given, but I'll make sure no one else messes with you either. I have strings I can pull with the teachers, get you a few breaks in the school department, all kinds of stuff.” He smiled softly. “I want to help you, as much as I can, but I can't do that if you don't accept my presence in your life, I play a part in this story now. I know your secret; nothing can change that, stop worrying over it and accept it for the blessing it is.”

 

“You're such a fake.” Danny said. “I know when you're putting on a fake show; I've only watched you do it to teachers a thousand times. I'm not falling for your sap.” Dash's smile twitched and Danny burst out laughing. “'I play a part in this story' Oh yeah, you got that right. You sure played a part and you laid it on thick.” Dash's smile cracked and soon he was laughing too. “ Yeesh, stay away from those sappy romance movies for a while okay, they're messing up your brain.” Danny practically doubled over; almost touching the cat on Dash's head who had his face buried in his knees to smother his laughs.

 

“Alright, alright so I went a little overboard,” Dash said between giggles, “but in my defense you weren't taking me seriously. Honestly you wouldn't even look at me!”

 

Danny lifted his chin a bit. “Well if you weren't so hard to look at that wouldn't be a problem.”

 

“Are you calling me ugly Fenton?” Dash tried to force a bit of anger into his voice, but his smile wouldn't fade.

 

“No, just an eyesore.”

 

“I believe half the females at our school would disagree, and maybe even some of the boys.”

 

“Yeah the half that need glasses, or serious psychological counseling.”

 

“Alright now you're getting annoying, just who do you think you're talking to?”

 

“A very big, very dumb, very muscular football player who currently has a cat on his head and his head in my la—”

 

“Are we interrupting something?”

 

They both shot up, staring at the entrance to the kitchen where five very familiar people stood staring stupidly back at them.

 

“Twice in two days, wow you guys should get a bit more privacy.” Tucker cracked but failed to alleviate the tension.

 

“Yo Baxter.” Kwan stepped towards the two who had separated, Dash now standing off to the left of Danny, but still obviously within reach. “What are you doing here?'

 

“I uh…I was just here to…um, I was just taking …just… What are you doing here?” Danny flinched at that response, elbowing Dash in the side and mouthing the word “Moron.” Dash kicked the chair.

 

“We stopped by your place but your parents said you spent the night at this loser's house.” Paulina eyed said looser like he was some leper who would inflict Dash with his disease.

 

` Loser Disease, a highly contagious infection that contaminates many of the popular crowd, only treatment, quarantine, endless hours of partying, mandatory sports practice, and absolute cutoff from any and all geeks. Yep, that's me, and Dash just became polluted. Quick! Escape from the SIFI house of doom before you all catch it. Save yourselves, and take MR. “help me help you” with ya when you go!' Danny smirked at his own thoughts, completely indifferent to the glares of Paulina and the questioning looks his two best friends and sister were shooting at each other, but they knew enough about the situation to go into the other room and converse together alone. Danny was sure that with Jazz knowing part of one side and Sam and Tucker knowing parts of the other, they could piece together a third of the whole story by the time Dash got dragged off by his rescuers.

 

“Yeah, I spent the night, what of it?” Dash said, knocking Danny out of his thoughts. “And we had a cool time, didn't we Fenton?”

 

“What?” Danny looked up at Dash with a what-the-hell expression. “Like hell we di--”

 

“Look Dash,” Danny shot the jock a freezing glare at being interrupted for the second time, “a couple of the guys explained what's going on and, I think it's cool but maybe you should think this through a bit more.” Kwan stated.

 

“Explain?” Dash thought a moment. “Oh yeah, hey listen I was just --”

 

“Explained what Dash?” Danny crossed his arms over his chest, eyes gleaming an irritated green at being brushed out of the conversation so quickly.

 

“Uh…just about the ride home yesterday.” Dash said, throwing Danny a stay-out-of-it glare to match the irritated emerald glow of Danny's eyes. “Personally I don't think I need to explain anything to you.” Dash continued to Kwan and Paulina, ignoring Danny's heated glares. “If I want to hang with Fenton I'll hang with him, got it?”

 

“And why exactly would you want to hang with me, Dash?” Danny wasn't going to let the subject drop, not after everything Dash put him through over the past few years, seeing him in an uncomfortable situation always gave him a neat little thrill.

 

“Because how you were being beat to all hell and Dash wanted to butt heads with this new tormentor targeting his prey.” Paulina stated. “Which I think is totally tacky and so teen comedy romance.”

 

“Oh, is that how you're explaining our relationship now?” Danny's eyes twinkled with a sinister amusement and Dash felt the hairs on the back of his neck raise.

 

“Relationship?” Kwan and Paulina asked in unison.

 

“Okay!” Dash grabbed his friends and began pushing them towards the door, sure that a migraine was brewing at the base of his skull. “So glad you stopped by, thanks for the visit. Me and Fenton got things to discuss.”

 

“What things?” Paulina asked, not liking at all that she was being shoved out of someone's house, even if it was Danny Fenton's.

 

“Yeah Dash, what things do we have to discuss?” Danny called, not getting up from his chair due to his newly injured leg.

 

“School stuff, homework, reading projects, math, that sort of stuff.” Dash succeeds in shoving the two teens out onto the doorstep, much to the amusement of the three inhabitants of the living room. “It's all really boring and I don't want you to be punished for my low grades. Go on, have fun, go to a movie. I'll catch up with you guys later. Bye!” Dash closed the door on them with a big fake smile before storming back into the kitchen to confront the monstrosity that was an eighteen-year-old half ghost sitting in a chair at the kitchen table.

 

~*~*~

 

Paulina and Kwan stared at the closed door for a moment; unsure of exactly how they had managed to get on this side so quickly. Neither of them had ever actually been tossed out of a house, they were usually invited in with as much enthusiasm as a human could openly express without imploding.

 

“What do you think he meant by, `relationship'?”

 

“I don't know, but I'm beginning to think that movie-comment you made might kind of be spot on.”

 

~*~*~

 

“Bacon?” Danny asked Dash as he came storming back into the kitchen followed by Sam, Tucker, and Jazz. Danny held a plate with an omelet and pancakes out to Dash who stopped just short of reaching him and stared at it like it was some impenetrable force field. How could you threaten a guy offering you breakfast?

 

“I want some!” Tuck chimed from behind Dash, causing Sam to make gagging noises. “Got any other meat?” Tucker asked, surveying the pickings before deciding on a few pieces of sausage and an egg or two.

 

“Yeah, Dad's ham.” Jazz said, opening the fridge.

 

“That's it?” Tucker complained.

 

“We haven't gone shopping yet this month.” Danny explained. “All we had was blueberries, eggs, some cheese and veggies, and a bunch of Morningstar Farms stuff I got for that picnic thing two weeks ago.

 

“What were you thinking?” Dash yelled at Danny.

 

“Hello, Sam's a vegetarian, and Tucker didn't even know it was fake. A pretty ingenious plot if I do-”

 

“Not that you idiot!” Dash snarled. “Telling them that stuff!”

 

“What stuff?” Danny asked, pouring syrup over his pancakes.

 

“Telling them we're in a relationship!”

 

Tucker spilled the orange juice he had been pouring into a glass, effectively soaking his shirt with healthy tinted drinking fluid.

 

“Really? You are?” Jazz clasped her hands, a big fake mile of her face. “Aww how cute, my baby brothers got a boyfriend. I always wondered if there was something different about you. You know…other than the normal stuff. If you call ghost fighting normal.” She hugged her brother, squeezing out a pained cry when she crushed his arm to his chest, both very sore and very sensitive areas.

 

“Wow, no wonder we didn't work out.” Sam said as she crunched a strip of celery she'd dug out of the icebox into her mouth. “You know I always kind of guessed about Dash, but Danny just seemed so straight, so heterosexual, what with the ogling Paulina and Valerie, and the sneaking into the girls' locker room.”

 

“You snuck into the girls' locker room?” Jazz pulled back to glare disapprovingly at Danny.

 

“Um…”

 

“What is with you people?” Dash cried, blushing furiously. “We are not in a romantic relationship, we're barely getting into a friendship, and” He spun on Sam. “How the hell do you think I'm gay? Did I act gay? Cause I don't get that.”

 

“I've got gaydar,” She replied proudly.

 

“Oh…what's that?” Dash asked, and everyone laughed.