Danny Phantom Fan Fiction ❯ You Can't Escape My Love ❯ Chapter 5

The two days went by pretty quickly for the Gothic woman, her and Dan walking up to the gallery just minutes before it was to open. Dan had been curious about the painting she had done of him, the raven haired female keeping it hidden with the promise that he would get to see it that night. She had finished it just a day before and had completed a couple more in the the last day before the gallery reopened, those of Ember and Skulker. While he had been curious as to why she had painted those two Sam had only chuckled, claiming that she had several drawings from the past of all the ghosts they had fought over the years. She also had photos that she used as models for her artwork. She had looked at their adventures as a source of inspiration for most of her art, whether it was painted as the models appeared or even with a few inspired tweaks.

"There are a few that have been in the gallery storage for a few months. I sent them to Marie a while back after completing them." At his raised brow she clarified, "There were too many to haul on this trip so after talking to her about the job earlier this year she sent a truck to pick them up." Unlocking the door the pair entered the large space. As Sam locked the door behind them, about twenty minutes left until the gallery opened, she took him back into the far end of the gallery where two doors stood alone. Smiling she pulled out another key and opening one of the doors led the halfa into the dark space. With a flick of a switch the room was bathed in light. Dan's mouth fell open at the paintings laying on top of each other against the back wall while some were hung on the wall. There were paintings of Clockwork in the tower that housed the ghost of time. Next to him was a painting of Klemper, his form standing on a lone rock as he cried with ice balls in his hands. He moved closer and moving the first picture found a painting of Nocturn, the shadowy form of him complete with his starry body as he flew over the town of Amity. While Dan hadn't met all of the ghosts the way his younger half had, he had seen them in the Ghost Zone while he had been intent on destroying all around him for the Goth's death.

"Wow, you really did them justice, though they don't deserve it," the older halfa muttered before turning to her. She shook her head at his words.

"No, but then again they did do something totally unselfish for us," she pointed out. "Though it also benefited them in the end as well. Not all ghosts are bad either." He thought about that and she was right. While some of the ghosts they had battled had been out for blood, like Skulker wanting his head mounted on his wall, there had been others like the Box Ghost who had just been annoying. Turning back to the painting he moved another over to find his eyes growing wide at the image before him. She stepped closer at his strange look to find him looking at her with Undergrowth. She was in her evil form, the vines clinging to her body holding her off the ground, as the large plant that had claimed her as his daughter, looked down behind her with an evil smirk. "Oh, that is Undergrowth," she murmured in shame. "I'm not always at my best either. I allowed him to control me when I knew it was wrong."

"I doubt that you intended to harm anyone though," he said turning toward her. "What's the story on that though?" He pointed to her in the front of the overgrown plant that had taken her over. She thought about it for a second, the thought of the less than proud moment something she never wanted to relive, but Dan hadn't been there for that one so she decided that she would tell him a shortened version of that moment in their life.

"Well, I was feeling rather upset about all the destruction that was being done to the plant life," she stated with a sigh. "It's wrong that we can't have more green life in our life and well, that's how it started. Vlad was mayor at that time and he was pushing to bulldoze quite a bit of the more natural parts of our city for what Danny called "progressive living" while Tucker was, as he always is, all about having more technology and stuff around." Dan sighed at that. Tucker had been a good friend, at times, but other times he just didn't think his thoughts thru. "We were walking by one of Vlad's new developments when Undergrowth appeared before us and he was pissed off. Never saw him before that, but then again you know we always seemed to make new ghostly enemies."

"More enemies than friends," the halfa stated as the pair headed back out of the small space, only a ten more minutes left until they opened the gallery. "He was upset about the destruction of the plants, I assume?" She nodded.

"He called the plant life his children and while destroying several machines doing the damage claimed that he would use the lives of all humans to bring forth more of his children," she recalled as she locked the door back before turning to him. "While I tried to talk him down, even though he was right about a few things, he attacked us and with Danny having some issues with his body..."

"What do you mean issues?" Though he was concerned with what she meant by that wording, he also wasn't sure that he wanted to know if it was a personal thing. Sure, he was the halfa, partly, but he didn't want to think about something that might be a little too much information.

"His temperature was off. Danny was suddenly too cold and while at first it didn't seem to affect him as he attacked Undergrowth, it caused him to stall at the wrong moment and we were all captured." Too cold? Was it because of his ghost half? It always seemed to cause chills to break out on his body whenever he had transformed, but as he was just a ghost now that was no longer an issue. "I don't recall much after he captured us, but from what Danny said Undergrowth took over the city and made all the people of Amity his slaves. He made them destroy the town while his plants took over."

"Where were you?" Dan asked in concern. She blushed, though it was in shame at where she had been.

"I was under his control, forcing Tucker under the same control and..." she faded off as she turned from him. "Trying to kill Danny." The older halfa's eyes grew wide at her words, the thought that she would try to hurt the one person she had considered a true friend and the one she loved. "I wasn't strong enough to fight back, not like when you escaped Freakshow's mind control." He frowned, but still turned her toward him and into his arms as he hugged her.

"It was because of you that I was able to regain my freedom, the will that had been taken from me," he said. He pulled back for a moment. "There's nothing to be ashamed about. You're human and while you are the strongest one I know, anyone can fall into the control of another person."

"There was a moment of clarity, when Danny promised that he would save me from my fate, but it didn't last long. I hunted Danny down like Skulker and the other ghosts, but not to kill him. I wanted him to rule by my side... under the control of Undergrowth, but still." Looking at the clock she promised to tell him the rest of it as she unlocked the doors and several of their clients walked in with other random patrons joining the masses. "Right now we have a job to do." Dan nodded and then noticed that Sam was looking a little nervous.

"What's wrong?" It seemed like she didn't know how to put into words what was making her feel on edge, but he had seen her worry just days before when Jazz had found out about him and her together. He knew what was bothering her even if she didn't want to voice it. "It's the brat, right?" She nodded.

"I'm not ready to talk to him, hell, I don't know if I will ever be ready to talk to him." She looked over her shoulder, to the streets that were rather empty, save for a few people that walked by.

"One day you will have to talk to him, not that I will force you, but until that time comes I will ensure that he gives you the space you need to think," the older halfa promised as he pulled her to his side and the pair walked off to mingle with the people in the gallery, on painting on the wall still covered in a sheet. "When are you going to unveil that?" he inquired while pointing to the uncovered artwork. Releasing him she walked over to the painting, her fingers grasping the sheet and yanking. Dan's eyes grew wide at the picture of him. He was in a dark room, a single window behind him with the night sky as the backdrop. He was in his human form, though his hair dark, was wispy like his ghost form. He was laying on a bed, the deep green sheets covering his crotch as he looked forward with his glowing green eyes. In the skies behind him you could see what appeared to be a shooting star, but the way it moved appeared more like a ghost. He smirked. She had portrayed his ghost half while keeping him human, the ghost shooting around in the background adding to the ghostly nature of the male looking back at them.

"Wow," a female patron said, her eyes growing huge while others joined in with praises for the revealed painting.

"I love how his eyes seem to glow," another woman stated as she stepped toward the painting with Sam still standing beside it. "How much?" Sam looked to Dan, a question in her eyes, but he just shook his head.

"$5,000," she said as she turned to the woman who had inquired about the cost of the large painting. That same woman quickly produced a check while another patron squawked out that she wanted the painting, but the Goth shook her head. "First come first serve." The women in the crowd groaned, but again Sam turned to Dan. "If the model were to allow the artist to use him again, then I would ask her to create another, but as the model was rather irked to pose for the first one..." she faded off with a shrug. Several women begged for her to ask the artist about doing another and while she was being crowded, Dan turned as he felt a familiar chill. He found Danny there behind him, his own blue eyes wide at the work on the wall before him. There were emotions flickering in his blue depths, but Dan paid them no heed. He knew how the halfa felt about him and with this painting the halfa was hurt and angry.

"You need to leave, brat," he hissed. When Danny opened his mouth to argue the older male shook his head and not only repeated himself, but added the reason for this demand of the younger male. "You need to leave before you do more damage and she truly walks away." Shutting his mouth he glared at the evil half of himself, a future that would never happen. "I shall talk to you when the perfect time presents itself, now leave before she knows that you are here." This time the younger halfa complied, but not before shooting a look at the Goth nodding and conversing with the people making requests. After he had left Dan went to the raven haired woman's side, pushing a few people back with a warning.

An hour or so later found the Goth feeling worn out, her energy feeling depleted as she leaned on Dan with a yawn. Danny entered the space again, this time in Jazz's body as he skulked close the couple while at the same time keeping himself far enough away that Dan wouldn't sense him. He kept tabs on them and noted how tired the raven haired Goth appeared. Under her eyes were dark circles and it appeared that she had lost some weight. Was she really that upset to the point that it was dragging down her health. The older male asked her a question and she shook her head before informing the older male that she was just going to grab an energy drink from the small cooler under the podium where the checks were kept. He nodded at her and allowed the younger female to head off just as a male called him over.

Though he didn't really work at the establishment he saw what painting the male was standing before and so did Danny as he looked at the intricate painting of the Ghost Zone. There were hints of ghosts in the image, some peeking from the doors that littered the space inhabited by ghosts, while others were flying by. Walking over to the human male the halfa waited for the other male to ask him about the art on the wall. Though Danny wanted to go where Sam was he followed after Dan, wondering how the male would interact with a human. The older halfa had wanted to kill everyone at one point. Could he be civil with those that he had wanted to kill at one point?

"What is this one?" Dan looked at the title. "What is the Ghost Zone?"

"It's a place that is connected to this world, though no humans inhabit it... just ghosts are on that plain of existence." The man looked curious at that response. He had heard of such a place, but only after Danny Phantom had saved the world with the inhabitants of that place. There had been other news stories that had shown the Ghost Zone taking over the small place known as Amity Park. Dan wanted to sigh and tell the man to ask Sam, but knowing that she was tired he explained. "The Ghost Zone is filled with ghosts, lives that are stuck in that place because of their obsessions." Noticing that a pick of Ember was off to the side of the artwork portraying the Ghost Zone he pointed to it. "Take this one." The male turned his attention to the teal haired female, her guitar positioned in her hands as she went to strike a cord. The younger halfa almost turned away until the older halfa began to talk about something Danny hadn't been aware of... Ember's past and her obsession. It was a similar obsession he had had so long ago.

"Her name is Ember McLain, a girl that had just been a teen on the outside looking in. She was alive in the 1980's but died before reaching adulthood. She longed for the love of another teen, a boy that was part of the popular crowd." The male before him moved closer to the picture of the small female, her attire one of a rock star. "She wanted to be a rock star when she grew up and put that idea on hold when that same male tricked her, bringing her into the fold on a prank. He was just using her to prove that he could be hard. His friends, the popular kids, were on board until it went to far..." he faded off.

"What happened?" the male asked, intrigued with the story behind the lone female. Danny found himself interested too. He had never known her backstory. He didn't really know any of their backstories, but that begged the question of how Dan knew.

"She was asked out on a date by this guy and when he showed up with his little group to egg the dressed up rocker, she was humiliated. She broke. She was famous, but for the wrong reason and the love she had thought he had for her was a lie. It was one blow after another." He smirked now, his smirk a sad one. He had found out about her past after spending time out of the thermos. He had spent most of his time in front of the glass that could show the future to the viewer... or the past. "She got him back, humiliating him in front of his friends and in retaliation he burnt her house down."

"That's such a sad fate for one who looks like she could have had it all had it not been for the cruelty of one person," the male whispered. "And she is in the Ghost Zone?" Dan nodded.

"She's stuck there, her obsession to be a world renowned rock star all she has, that an her hate for authority." Sam walked over to them as the story ended, a Bang energy drink in hand. She looked a bit more alert, but the older halfa could see that she was still tired. He wanted to force her to rest, to shut down the gallery, but he knew that she wouldn't take his demands well. Sam was her own person and even if he was her friend, she wouldn't do as he asked. Hell, the woman beside him had tried to go to school with a high fever, claiming that no one was going to keep her home.

"I would like to purchase both of them," the male said as he wrote a check, Sam taking it with a smile. After the man left with his purchases Sam came back to Dan's side, her smile still on her face. Danny watched the pair.

"How did you know that?" she inquired. As Dan explained that while in the tower he had been left alone when the ghost of time had been off with the Observants. During that time he had used the glass that had shown them Danny's future to look back on past lives. He had been curious about the obsessions that had held the other ghosts to the Zone. "Really? Wow, never would have thought to use it for that, though I did find out about how Sydney died. They all seem to have such sad lives that hold them in the Zone." She wondered if Dan was in that same place, his obsession keeping him alive, but if that were the case then what was his obsession? He no longer wanted to kill them so what new obsession did he hold now?

"Do not worry about it, Sam," the halfa stated as he pulled her to her side. She frowned, but did he as he said, shoving the thought in the back of her mind. "We still have another six hours before we can close so you should drink the rest of that drink." She could hear the threat in his words, his tone letting her know that he would do whatever he needed to ensure that she wasn't wearing herself thin. Her health was more important to him than her job.

"Okay, jeez," the Goth said, but still complied as she guzzled some of the cotton candy flavored liquid. "I swear that you are acting like Danny." He just chuckled.

"Don't know if that is a compliment or an insult," the older male stated, unaware that the male in question was making a face at their conversation. He could recall that the Goth had pointed out that Dan was Danny, even if part of him was the ghost half of Vlad. She had found that the male that had tried to kill them acted more like the younger halfa than of the evil male that had fought him. "So, to pass the time you want to fill me in on more of what happened with Undergrowth?" That seemed to surprise the younger male inhabiting his sister's body. He was surprised that they hadn't said anything about the resident genius, though it seemed that they hadn't even noticed that she was there, their eyes only on each other. That hurt to think that she was so drawn to his older, evil half that she failed to notice that the red head standing there listening to them talk. Even with those feelings running thru his brain, clenching his heart, he found that he wanted to know what had brought about a conversation about the male that had controlled the Goth when she had been younger.

"So, where was I on that?"

"That you had a moment of clarity when the brat," at her look he corrected himself, "Danny promised to save you."

"So, like I said, I hadn't wanted to kill him, not really. I wanted him to rule by my side, but Danny escaped to the Ghost Zone, his face turning blue and his body shivering. While I couldn't go into the Zone with the vines attached to me I didn't want to leave that spot. I don't know why, but I wanted to be there when he came out. Maybe it was because of Undergrowth or maybe I just wanted to wait for him to return to my side..." she faded off with a shake of her head. "Danny told me that Frostbite told him of Undergrowth and how fatal the creature was as well as why he was so cold." She chuckled now. "Seems he scared the Far Frozen with his powers and how little he could control him, but that's to be expected with learning something new." Her smile died as she looked ashamed again. "I was going to use the townspeople, our friends, and family and sacrifice them to the plants. I was going to kill everyone just because I wasn't strong enough to fight against Undergrowth."

Danny was surprised at her confession, the fact that she felt weak. "Sam, I doubt that anyone, not even Danny, sees you as weak or even blames you for what happened." She shook her head.

"I blame myself. I shouldn't have been so easily lost to his control." She had felt like that evil was apart of her, like she had liked taking out her frustrations on the people who had hurt her or Danny in the past. "I never even apologi-" He kissed her on her head, cutting her off as he pulled her into his chest again, one hand on her waist while the other rubbed her back.

"You don't have to apologize for something like that and I think that he would agree." Dan was right. Danny had never held her responsible for what had gone down that day and she had been the same way when he had been under Freakshow's control. She had known he hadn't wanted to do what he had done. He would never willingly put them in danger. She had been controlled, forced to do what the oversized plant ghost had wanted her to do. Before she could say anything else to argue with him about that point the large male pulled back for a second as he kissed her again, this time on the lips. As they pulled back from the lip lock Sam thanked him again for listening to her shameful tale. "Have you told him about how you feel? About that day?" Sam shook her head.

"I was ashamed at how I had acted. I could have killed him and while right now I need space from him to figure out my life, I will always care about him."

"Sam, you love him. Just admit it." Sam blushed, but before she could respond another patron came over with questions about another art piece. Danny took that moment to leave the pair. He had so much going thru his mind that he needed time to process it... that and the fact that Jazz was right. The pair were a couple. They were kissing like lovers and broadcasting their affections in front of others. Once he was outside the gallery he removed himself from Jazz so he could stand before her. She blinked, her mind a daze as she had lost several minutes of memory, the time spent in the gallery a blur.

"What happened?" the red head asked, her hand coming to touch her temple.

"They are together," the halfa stated. "I don't know if she will willingly come back to me..." he faded off, his heart growing heavy at the thought that he had already lost his chance with the Goth. Jazz shook her head.

"No, it's like I told you, Danny. Dan is just a replacement and even he said they couldn't be together forever." She leaned back a bit to take in his defeated expression and the slump of his posture. The halfa before her was depressed. She reached out to touch his shoulder. "Trust me Danny. I can see this from the outside and I can tell that while she is spending time with him that she really wants you. She may have affection for Dan, but her heart is yours... You just have to be willing to reach out and take it, even knowing that she has been with Dan." His eyes flashed green at that. He didn't care that she had been with the older male... did he? Sure, it made him upset that she would lay with his enemy, the same one that had tried to kill her, Tucker and his family, but did he care about that when it came down to the fact that he loved her and wanted her by his side? He could feel a headache coming, the throbbing of his head growing stronger as he continued to dwell on what he had seen and what his sister was saying. "Speaking of Dan, what did he say to you when you went in the first time?"

"He said that me being there would push her away for good," the halfa stated, finding the thought that he could lose her because of his own actions heartbreaking. He had never wanted to push his friend away, but he had when after making love with her he had spoken without thinking and now knowing that she wanted to stay away from him to figure out her life... Well, that was one future he didn't even want to contemplate. She belonged at his side, the other half of his soul and the holder of his heart. He didn't know what he would do if she truly gave up on him. Then he recalled the other male had said. "He also said that he would come and talk to me when he could." Jazz raised a brow at this. The older halfa would come and talk to Danny? Was he going to spill the beans about what was going on to the younger male after telling her that it wasn't really any of her concern what the Goth did?

"That's weird after what he said to me," the red head stated, irked that she was being left out of the picture, but then Danny made a point.

"I think he is helping me since it concerns me and Sam and our unresolved feelings. You don't really fit in to the picture since it has nothing to do with you." She blinked. He was correct about that, but she had a feeling that it also was because the older male felt remorse that while he had lost his chance forever that Sam still had her love with her. Like everyone else, he could see that the pair belonged together even if it never seemed to work out for them. This was their last chance to come together with all of it exposed. Now the question was when would that chance come for the older male to impart his information to Danny? How long would it take for him to get that chance?

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It took a few weeks before something came up that had the older male worried enough that he thought about going to Danny with what he knew. Sam groaned as she rolled over, her stomach rolling with her and not in a good way as her face turned pale, sweat glistening on her face. Dan awoke with a stretch, but seeing her face he was immediately up. Touching her slick forehead he found that she had no fever and her skin was clammy. "What's wrong?" he asked. She shook her head as she didn't know why she was feeling so strange. Her stomach was mad at her, the offended organ clenching as she turned green. The small woman struggled to get up, her body refusing to listen to her while the sheets around her seemed to tighten. The feeling of being weak wasn't a feeling she liked and while being sick was another thing that she abhorred she found herself crying as she struggled to get out of bed. The halfa sensed her frustration and the look on her face worried him so reaching out he pulled her into his arms before rushing her off to the bathroom where she slipped out of his arms to lean over the toilet. As soon as she was over the porcelain pot her body gave one final heave, the contents of her stomach expelled from her body.

She sat like that, her body removing whatever was making her sick as the male at her side held back her hair. The locks were wet, the raven strands sticking to his own skin. She finally fell back on her ass, her body sagging in relief of ridding her form of the tainted item. She wished she knew what it was, but as she had been sick before she wondered if it was a bug giving her the morning from hell. Dan moved to run a bath, the small Goth finding her body shaking as a chill came over her. The heat from the bath made her pale flesh break out in goosebumps but once the tub was full the older male removed her clothing with a quick flash of intangibility before placing her in the warm water. She sighed as she allowed herself to sink into the water, the halfa walking off only to return a few moments later with a glass of water. "You okay?"

"I think I might have eaten something that made my stomach mad or maybe I'm getting sick," she said before taking the offered water filled cup. It was possible that she was right, but it was also possible with her emotions running amok over the situation with Danny, the stress of his sister showing up and her new job that the small woman was creating the havoc herself. He didn't express his concerns as he took the empty glass back. It was Wednesday and while it would be another few days before she had to go to work the halfa wondered if he could convince her to call in sick. "I will be fine. You know that I don't get sick very often," she stated as if she had read his mind. "And even if I am still feeling a bit under the weather by Friday that I can't just call in. Marie will be entering her third trimester soon and needs me to run the gallery." He scowled at her, obviously displeased with her decision.

"Sam, I will make you stay home," he growled. She frowned back at him.

"Dan, I can take care of myself," she stated, her voice holding a note of anger. "While I appreciate your concern you know that I am not a child. I will be fine." When he didn't respond, his scowl still in place, she sighed. "I will make a compromise." He waited for her to tell him what this compromise was, all the while knowing he wasn't going to be happy with it. "If I am still sick by Monday, and I am not breaking my commitment to Marie no matter what, then I will go to the doctor." He stood there, silent as he thought about what she was offering before grunting at her and leaving her in the bath alone. She hated that she felt sick, but even as a teen she hadn't allowed being sick to get in her way. She had wanted to keep her grades up as well as going to school gave her space from her overbearing parents. Relaxing she closed her eyes and let the warm water sooth her. She would be fine.