Disclaimer: I don't own Danny Phantom.

So as soon as I walk home from the last day of school, dear ol' Mom comes up to me and drops a 580-page 'College Algebra' workbook at my feet and says, "Guess what you're doing this summer!"

Okay, so maybe that's not what really happened, but you get my drift. I'm basically stuck doing some college algebra book (whoopee.) while everyone else is enjoying their summer!

Well, enough of my ranting, here's the next chapter.

Enjoy!

Chapter 4

She could feel her heart thudding against her ribcage as she watched Phantom press a glowing fist against his chest. Time seemed to slow as Valerie watched the ghost about to Obliterate himself.

The raw power surrounding the hand began to tear away at Phantom's body. Valerie watched in horror fascination as a hole was rapidly gouged into his chest. Ectoplasm was flowing freely now, spilling from the wound and onto the floor, yet Phantom's eyes remained eerily blank. Valerie gripped her staff tighter, squinting as green, almost white, light filled the room.

The fist was mere centimeters away from Phantom's heart when he started screaming. He fell onto his knees, shrieking as the hole in his chest grew larger and larger…

Valerie could only watch as his other hand gripped his wrist and tried to pull the fist away, but to no avail. His tortured screams rang eerily throughout the room as he was forced to Obliterate himself. Valerie trembled at the sound.

Suddenly, she felt the staff being tugged from her. If she hadn't been holding it with such a vice-like grip it would have surely been taken. Valerie tried to wrench it back, but whoever was also holding her staff did not let go. All the while the room filled with green light and Phantom's screaming.

"STOP!! STOP!!"

All at once, the green light faded, as well as the Phantom's tormented shouting. Valerie tried to blink away the dots in her vision as she attempted to discern the interferer.

"Whose there?" Valerie called, unable to see past the colored spots dotting her sight.

The crimson staff flared to life.

"The intruders are Tucker Foley and Samantha Manson," came Phantom's monotone voice. Valerie froze, in surprise, and the staff was tugged out of her hands.

"Hey!"

But Sam didn't pay her any attention. Valerie saw her clutching the staff and hurrying towards Phantom. Tucker was standing in the doorway, eyes wide.

"Danny, oh my God! Danny!" Sam was crying as she lifted the ghost boy's limp form, Tucker rushed forward, and Valerie glimpsed Phantom's body.

It was terrible; his chest and torso were almost completely mutilated, ectoplasm quickly pooling around him. There was a gaping hole in his chest through which Valerie thought she could see the floor beneath him. Cuts that almost seemed like whip lashes trailed around his arms and legs, one even reached his throat.

"Danny, Danny, wake up!" Sam was shouting. Tucker swore softly at the bleeding mess that was Phantom before helping Sam wake the ghost boy.

Slowly, Phantom's eyes drifted open, and both Sam and Tucker gave a breath of relief. Valerie wondered why they would ever help a ghost, and how they'd even known that Phantom was here. Her eyes narrowed and she strode forward. Perhaps they were being overshadowed…

"How are you feeling?" Sam asked. Neither of them noticed Valerie approaching.

"However you want me to feel, mistress," Phantom replied dully. Both teens started at that before realization dawned on their faces.

"Red," Tucker whispered, and Valerie halted briefly, puzzled. "His eyes are red. Sam, you're controlling him."

"Right," Sam said, quickly putting down the staff, "We'd better destroy that thing before-"

"No!" Valerie shouted; without someone to control Phantom, who knew how much more damage he could cause?

Sam turned around to face Valerie; her expression riddled with surprise, as though she'd forgotten about Valerie, but quickly grew angry.

"No?!" she shouted incredulously, "You almost killed him!"

"So?" Valerie retorted, "He's just a filthy ghost! He's dangerous- he kidnapped the mayor and gets his pals to attack our school!"

"Danny's not dangerous! He's just framed for all that by ghosts!"

"Oh please! Don't tell me you believe all that crap too!"

"It's true! Danny doesn't attack the town; he saves it from other ghosts!"

Valerie wanted scream and shout that saving the town from ghosts was her job, but she kept quiet. Instead, she yelled, "You know what? I wish you'd just disappear! I was so close to getting rid of him! Everything was going fine until you two came along!"

Sam opened her mouth to retort but was cut off when someone started cackling. Valerie whirled around, somehow knowing it was a ghost. She was right.

The genie ghost from the night before appeared above them. She waved her hand and acrid green smoke began swirling around Sam and Tucker.

"So you have wished it, so shall it be…"

Right before her eyes, Sam and Tucker disappeared in the spiraling smoke, while Phantom weakly called their names as he struggled to get up.

And then, the genie vanished, and the green fog disappeared, leaving only Valerie and Phantom.

Valerie cursed herself for not even drawing a gun while two civilians were kidnapped by a ghost. Panicking, she knew she had to get them back before they were hurt, or worse…

But how?

"This is your fault!"

Valerie was torn from her thoughts at the ghost boy's sudden outburst. Turning around, she saw Phantom had, with some difficulty, managed to stand up.

"Why did you make that wish?!" he shouted, emerald eyes flaring with anger. "You knew Desiree was still around! And now Sam and Tuck are gone!"

He started limping towards her, and Valerie drew back, worried by his rage. He certainly was a frightening image: Green blood still oozing from his wounds, as well as the hole in his chest; his ethereal eyes shimmering dangerously.

Valerie's eyes anxiously darted around the room for something to use. One of her ecto-guns were lying near her closet, if only she was close enough to reach it…

Her gaze rested on the crimson staff that Sam had dropped. It would be enough to subdue the ghost boy, but it was only inches from him- he'd surely figure out what she was planning.

Quickly making up her mind, Valerie dived toward the ecto-gun and swiftly shot a blast at the ghost boy.

Phantom cried out as he was thrown backwards against the wall. Valerie watched as the ghost boy crumpled into a heap on the floor. She picked up the staff just as he managed to sit up, coughing harshly. Without hesitation, Valerie pointed the tip at Phantom.

His eyes immediately turned crimson, any emotion disappearing; the pain that had distorted his expression vanished, and his tensed form went slightly limp. Valerie gave a breath of relief, leaning against her bed.

"Okay," Valerie murmured to herself, a migraine starting to form, "I need to sort this out."

Her green eyes met the red ones of the ghost boy's, and she almost gave a shriek of surprise: His ruby eyes were so cold and uncaring, and unbelievably sinister-looking.

Valerie spoke the first command that came to her mind, "Go to sleep,"

The effect was immediate; Valerie watched as Phantom's eyes flickered closed. His body fell backwards, leaning against the wall, and his head lolled forward. Valerie was surprised at how normal he seemed, save for the white hair and green blood.

After a moment, Valerie sat down on her own bed and sighed. She gazed absentmindedly at the crimson staff she clenched in her right hand, thinking.

Now what?

R&R!