This is just a silly oneshot that occurred to me the other day when I was watching Danny Phantom.

Disclaimer: I own nothing!

Warning: Clockwork acts very OOC in this story, so please no flames. This was just done for fun.

Tickles On The Clock

Danny felt himself become sluggish as he trudged home from school after a bad day. First, Dash humiliated him and when he tripped over another student's foot, he landed face-first in a cheerleader's lunch tray. Everyone, with the exception of Jazz, Tucker, and Sam, were laughing as Danny got up and walked away in shame.

But now, he was home and could hopefully forget about his day and focus on the weekend that would start tomorrow, which was only half a day Friday, something he was looking forward to.

"I hope no ghosts show up to ruin my day," he said aloud. "I'm stressed out enough as it is."

Danny then collapsed in bed, falling asleep, having no idea he was being watched.

Clockwork watched the time stream closely and saw Danny head home looking stressed out and heard the boy's statement and gave it some thought.

"If he continues to be stressed out, it will only hurt him and he won't be able to fight off the ghosts," he said to himself and decided that he would help Danny, but how? Clockwork wasn't exactly the ghost who could offer comfort and was mostly cynical, but he knew that the halfa needed his help.

Absentmindedly, he let the time window go back to the past and saw a scene that made him smile and gave him an idea.

"I won't try to ruin your day, Danny," said Clockwork as he went from his old man form back to his child form. "I'll try to make it better."

Danny was so relieved when the half day passed and no ghosts. He was debating whether to fly home or walk home when suddenly he felt someone grab him after he went ghost. It was Skulker.

"Skulker!" said Danny. "Just when I thought I wouldn't have to deal with ghosts today."

"Our quarrel will have to wait for another day," said Skulker, getting a surprised 'huh?' out of Danny. "Someone wants to see you in the ghost zone."

With that, Skulker placed a hand on Danny's shoulder and squeezed it, making Danny feel lightheaded and he fell asleep as Skulker carried the halfa gently to Clockwork's home.

When Danny woke up, he realized he couldn't move and he was in his ghost form, but then he remember Skulker and how the bounty hunter had acted almost out of character, but had made him go to sleep instead of blasting him. Danny also remembered that Skulker had knocked him out firmly, but also gently, which wasn't his normal way at all.

"What's going on?" he asked.

"Ah, hello Danny," said a familiar voice as the Master of Time moved into Danny's line of sight. "I apologize that I had to send Skulker to get you, but I didn't want you getting suspicious."

"Clockwork? What's going on?" Danny asked and then groaned. "Don't tell me Dan Phantom escaped."

"No," said Clockwork. "I had you brought here to help you to relax. I've noticed how stressed you have been for a while now."

The halfa looked surprised. "How did you know?"

The time ghost gave him a smile. "I know everything," he said. "I've been watching you."

Danny now looked and saw he was trapped in time cuffs. "Okay, so why am I in your time cuffs?" he asked, confused.

Clockwork smiled a bit wider. "So that you won't try to escape from what I've planned for you," he said mysteriously.

"Uh, not really interested," the boy said, letting a fearful note creep into his voice.

The other smiled a bit more evilly. "I think you'll find it…enjoyable."

Danny now was a little afraid as Clockwork moved his gloved hands towards him in a menacing way, but was smiling the whole time.

The halfa soon found out why as the time ghost's gloved hands began tickling him on his sides and stomach. Danny laughed as he tried to escape, but the time cuffs prevented that.

And Clockwork was giving him the ultimate tickle torture.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHA!" Danny laughed as he struggled to get away. "CLOCKWORK! STO-HO-HO-HO-OP!"

"Now why would I do that, when I can clearly see you are enjoying this and your stress levels are going down?" Clockwork teased with a smile, something that surprised Danny.

Who knew the Master of Time had a soft side?

The halfa kept laughing as the ghost's evil hands tickled him silly, but he did notice how he didn't feel so stressed and he was feeling better, even if he was also feeling a little winded too.

Finally, after was seemed like hours to Danny, Clockwork stopped and released the boy from the time cuffs, catching him as he fell forward. Danny didn't even protest when the ghost gently held him in a hug, rubbing his back soothingly. He wondered why the time ghost was acting almost father-like to him.

"Why are you doing this?" asked Danny. "This isn't like you."

"Perhaps not," said Clockwork. "But you are like a son to me, Danny. Why do you think I help you when you need it?"

"I thought that was your job."

Shifting from his young man form to older man form, the ghost chuckled. "Yes, but also because we can't have you getting exhausted and giving up on keeping peace between our world and yours."

That made sense to Danny as he then realized it. "That's why you had Skulker bring me here. But how did you know I was ticklish?"

Clockwork turned to the time window and waved his hand, making the past when Danny was younger appear. "The past holds many discoveries," he said. "You being ticklish is only one of those discoveries."

Danny smiled and hugged Clockwork, surprising the ghost, but he returned the hug. "Clockwork…thanks," he said.

"You're welcome, Danny," Clockwork said warmly. "Come, I'll take you home."

The halfa flew beside the time ghost and they landed in Danny's room. Danny smiled as he turned to Clockwork who was smiling again.

"If you feel stressed out in the future, be warned. I will come and tickle you again," the ghost teased.

Danny smirked. "Maybe I'll tickle you," he said, which earned him a tackle and a quick tickle in the sides from Clockwork.

"I doubt it," said the ghost, letting him go and waving goodbye as he teleported away.

So, whenever Danny felt down, Clockwork always came and cheered him up with tickle attacks, but Danny never told anyone, not even his best friends or Jazz.

Because a ghost's soft side is reserved for those he cares about, just like how Clockwork cared about Danny Phantom, the young halfa who would always do the right thing.

Clockwork is my favorite ghost in the Danny Phantom series and this just begged to be written. I hope you all enjoyed it!

Please leave a review!

GoldGuardian2418