Sergeant Phantom

Prologue

"First have a definite, clear, practical ideal; a goal, an objective. Second, have necessary means to achieve your ends: wisdom, money, materials, and methods. Third, adjust all your means to that end."

~Aristole~

"DC looks awesome from up here," Phantom whispered as he stared down at the city, lights dancing in the darkness of night. "It's so peaceful compared to my home," he added sadly. A gunshot rang out and he looked sharply down seeing a young man in uniform fall. Another man not even twenty feet away, put down his hand. Phantom realized that he had a gun.

And he had just used it to shoot the young officer.

Phantom flew down to help when another shot rang out and caught him on the arm. He looked up at the surprised shooter.

"Who are you?" he asked as the green flowed freely from the wound. Phantom growled.

"Someone you don't want to know," he growled as the man shot at him again, only this time, Phantom disappeared into thin air. The shooter ran from the scene once he was gone. He reappeared and checked for a pulse as lights started flashing in distance and sirens started wailing. "Great police," Phantom muttered as he vanished again.

"What do we have here?" Agent Gibbs asked looking at the body that was shot.

"Well, he was shot between twelve and one last night," Dr. Mallard, the Medical Examiner, began looking up at the senior agent.

"Boss, we have three sets of tracks," Agent DiNozzo added taking pictures of them. Gibbs looked around at the scene. "It looks like one appeared out of nowhere. They start here and end there, but there are no other traces of the prints. The other is the vic's."

"Follow the other set," Gibbs ordered and looked back at Ziva who was interviewing several witnesses who found the body. "That is who we are thinking is the killer. The other might be someone who was a witness."

"Then why run from the scene?" McGee asked looking up from his camera.

"Accomplice, then?" Gibbs guessed looking at him and then turning around to head to where Ziva was still interviewing people. McGee nodded and continued to take pictures.

"Or maybe a ghost?" Tony grinned mischievously. Gibbs slapped the back of his head.

"Ghosts don't exist, Tony," McGee grumbled annoyed.

"Then how else would you explain the prints vanishing into thin air," Tony argued smiling and pointing at the phantom prints.

"Crap," Phantom muttered looking at the police and cop cars surrounding The Mall of DC. "There is no way I'm getting out of here easily."

"Hey, you," a female voice yelled running to where Phantom was. "I have a couple questions for you." Phantom backed up and ran into the wall behind him.

"I really don't think," he began but the woman had already gotten a good look at him.

"I'm Agent Ziva David with NCIS: Naval Criminal Investigation Service," Ziva introduced herself walking up to the ghost teen. Phantom backed away slightly. "Did you see or hear anything odd last night?"

"Is this about the person who was shot?" he asked as Ziva narrowed her eyes.

"Yes, who are you? You look familiar," she accused looking Phantom up and down.

"I'm just Phantom, and I may have," he answered as Ziva held her gun. Gibbs noticed her tense stance and headed over to them.

"Agent Gibbs, NCIS," he announced walking up next to Ziva. "What's going on here?"

"He may have been there when it happened," Ziva indicted watching as Phantom had a slight panic attack. "He also won't give a real name." Phantom had an annoyed expression on his face after that.

"Better than what others have came up with for me," he mutterd smiling slightly. Gibbs watched the teen.

"Do you know what happened?" he asked getting out his cuffs. Phantom tensed and tried to deepen himself into the wall.

"I might, I'm not sure," Phantom whispered unsurely. He didn't trust these people, and he wanted to get out of there.

"What are you doing out here?" Gibbs asked slowly making his way to the teen. Ziva stayed defensively behind him as backup.

"Passing through?" Danny guessed looking at the cuffs Gibbs had in his hands. "I'm not doing anything wrong."

"Where are your parents?" Gibbs asked looking at the teen. Phantom suddenly stopped and looked at the ground as tears began to form in his eyes.

"They…they," he tried but fell to his knees, and the tears broke free. Gibbs looked back at Ziva before walking next to Phantom and gently put his hand on the ghost's back hoping to comfort the young teen.

"Come on," he whispered calmly helping Phantom up. "Let's go and get your statement for the murder, and we'll talk about this later." The hybrid nodded before lights appeared around his waist causing Ziva to pull her gun, and Gibbs almost dropped him.

"Sorry," Phantom whispered standing straighter without help. "There's something I need to do." With that he vanished, and it started snowing, in the middle of summer.

"What just happened?" Ziva asked as Phantom reappeared with a small smile.

"Do you believe in ghosts?" he asked looking at the agents. "Well, I am one."

"But," Ziva began looking at Gibbs making sure she wasn't crazy, but Gibbs looked back at her just as confused. "How?"

"I was in an accident," Phantom explained rubbing the back of his neck. "We're not evil, just misunderstood. Which didn't help my parents…I should stop. I don't want to drag you into my mess, but I was there when the guy was shot."

"Did you see who it was?" Gibbs asked slowly walking up to the teen again. Phantom tensed, but otherwise stayed put.

"Yeah, I could draw him, but I have one thing," Phantom offered looking up. "He shot me too, and I wasn't able to get the bullet out before my healing kicked in."

"I have an ME who can help," Gibbs nodded taking out his cuffs again. "I need you to come with us though, Phantom."

"I'll go, but do I really have to wear those?" he asked staring at the handcuffs. Gibbs held them up.

"I honestly think it'll keep the others feeling a little better," he stated looking at what the teen was wearing. Phantom looked down.

"I really don't like this," he whispered backing away from Gibbs. Ziva still had her gun in her hand ready for anything. "Ow, that hurt," Phantom whimpered holding his shoulder.

"That's where you were shot?" Ziva asked watching Phantom cautiously.

"Yeah, I should have gotten it out, but I was watching you guys and was distracted…" Phantom began before Gibbs cut him off.

"Here put them on," he ordered throwing the cuffs at him. "I'll have you and Ziva go with Ducky, and he can get that bullet out." Phantom slowly reached out and took them putting one side on his wrist, and he looked up at Gibbs.

"Is there anything else?" he asked before putting the other one on. Gibbs smiled and kneeled in front of him and put his hand on the teen's uninjured shoulder and looked into the glowing green eyes.

"I won't let anything happen to you, I promise," Gibbs vowed watching as the teen crossed his arms back over each other and locked the cuff around his other wrist.

"Is there a reason I have to wear these?" Phantom asked looking at Gibbs. Gibbs smiled slightly.

"Yeah, when Ducky starts, you'll probably be in the van with the body. I think that getting that out as soon as possible will be helpful. The bullet wasn't in the body," Gibbs informed standing back up. "Ziva, take him to Ducky's van. Don't let anyone see you."

"I can make us invisible," Danny offered looking between the two. "Would that help?" Ziva looked at Gibbs.

"Boss?" she questioned unsure looking at the teen who was watching them.

"Alright," he nodded gently smiling at Ziva. "Just call me when you get there." Ziva nodded and grabbed Phantom's arm, and he turned them invisible.

"This is cold," she whispered as they walked back to the crime scene.

"I can make us invisible, but people can still hear you," Phantom whispered, a smile on his face. Ziva looked over at where she could see the outline.

"Can they see our outline?" she asked confused as to why she could see his and her own.

"You're part of the energies I'm controlling," Phantom smiled slightly. "So you see as I would. I can see invisible ghosts that most people can't see."

"Oh, here we are," she whispered as they rounded the side of the van out of the sight of people. Phantom made them visible once again. "Okay, that was weird."

"Sorry," he muttered smiling at her. "Kinda comes with the territory."

"Of being dead?" she asked looking at the ghostly teen. Phantom smiled.

"Never said I was dead, now did I?" he asked smiling at her. "Who says that a ghost has to die?"

"What?" she asked as she helped him in the van. "How can you not be dead?" Phantom smiled.

"Never completely died," he mentioned as another person walked around.

"Oh my," he exclaimed looking at the two. "Who is this?"

"Ducky, this is Phantom, Phantom this is our ME, Dr. Mallard," Ziva introduced. Phantom held out his hands with one up to shake and a goofy smile.

"Hello, Phantom?" Ducky greeted unsurely shaking the cold hand. "You can call my Ducky. What are you doing here?"

"I have a bullet in my shoulder," Phantom answered smiling at Ziva who looked at him like he grew a third head. "What? I do!"

"Why hasn't he gone to the hospital then?" Ducky asked worried and started walking around to the shoulder Phantom was favoring. "You're also extremely cold."

"That's normal," Phantom informed looking at Ducky. "For the same reasons why I can't go to a hospital: I'm a ghost." Ducky looked at him then back at Ziva.

"Is he being serious?" Ducky asked looking at the white haired teen. Phantom grinned.

"Yes," Ziva sighed. "I didn't believe until he vanished and made it snow."

"Yeah, my ice powers tend to not like the heat very well," Phantom explained holding up his hands and creating an ice crystal. "However, it's very helpful." Ducky picked up the crystal.

"Amazing," he whispered looking at the teen after examining the crystal. "I never would have thought something could be possible."

"Many people don't believe in ghosts," Phantom smiled mischievously. "But even the ghost experts wouldn't believe I exist, and to be honest, I barely believed it." Ziva and Ducky looked at him. "I'm a ghost, but I never died," Phantom elaborated smiling.

"How is that possible?" Ducky asked looking at Phantom.

"You're not dead, until you're warm and dead," he grinned. Ducky smiled.

"Ah, yes, I'm quite familiar with that phrase," Ducky laughed sitting next to Danny. "Ziva, why is he cuffed?"

"Gibbs wanted him that way," Ziva shrugged. "Something about you getting that bullet out as soon as possible."

"Oh my," Ducky whispered looking at Phantom. "Well, let's get it done now. Phantom, can you take off your suit so I can get to your shoulder?" Phantom nodded and unzipped the front of his suit and took it off his shoulder. Both Ducky and Ziva cringed at the many scars littering his chest, back, and shoulders.

"What have you been though?" Ziva asked tracing one of the wider scars on his shoulder that disappeared around his neck. Phantom looked up at her and smiled weakly.

"Everything you can think of, I have probably been there and done that," he whispered as Ducky got a scalpel from one of the side of the van.

"This is gonna to be painful. I don't have any pain killers," Ducky warned unsure if he should do this or not. Ziva nodded and exited waving to Gibbs.

"Pain killers aren't the best things for me," Phantom smiled slightly. "My friends once tried, and they had to stick me in the thermos to prevent me from flying though the town and all over the place while I was healing from a really big fight."

"Why is a kid like you getting into those kinds of fights?" Ducky asked wincing at the scars he would be cutting into. Phantom tensed a little. "What are you doing?"

"Protecting," he whispered as Ducky looked at him sadly. "My shoulder still hurts."

"Alright, this is going to make it hurt worse," Ducky said as he disinfected the area where the bullet was. He handed Phantom something to bite on to prevent him from screaming and hurting himself. Phantom had a budge where he had healed over the bullet. Phantom closed his eyes tightly and waited for Ducky to begin.

"Gibbs, he has scars all over him," Ziva started looking back over at the van where their witness was. "They are really bad. I have no idea what could happen for him to have such bad fights."

"We'll get his statement and look into his past once we get his real name," Gibbs explained looking at the van as well. "May be Ducky can get him to talk some."

"I hope so. I don't want to let the kid just wonder around without someone there to care about him," Ziva whispered looking at the van as she could faintly hear a groan.

"Ow," Phantom mumbled. His eyes were closed, and he was trying not to think of the pain of the opening in his shoulder.

"Sorry, it was in there pretty good," Ducky murmured holding up the bullet that was once trapped in Phantom's shoulder he looked at the bullet as the green slowly disappeared in the light. Ducky looked back at the wound to see it slowly closing up. "That is amazing."

"And very helpful," Phantom mumbled smiling slightly. "Can I take these off now?"

"That would be a question for Jethro," Ducky warned putting the bullet in an evidence jar. "I don't care, but I don't have a key."

"I don't need a key," Phantom smiled at him and turned his one hand intangible and letting the cuff fall. "See." Ducky looked interested.

"How did you…?" he began but was cut off by Palmer entering with the body on a gurney.

"Hey," he exclaimed looking at the ghost teen. "No way…you're Danny Phantom!"

"Hee, Hi," Phantom whispered awkwardly. Ducky looked at Palmer confused.

"What are you doing here?" he asked excitingly. Ducky looked at the uncomfortable ghost.

"I'm a witness," he muttered looking up at Palmer. "How did you know me?"

"My sister lives in Amity Park. I had visited her not that long ago and seen you fighting that ghost that has something to do with boxes," Palmer explained getting out a book from his pocket. "Can I get your autograph?" Ducky looked at Phantom completely confused.

"What is he talking about?" Ducky asked as Gibbs walked up to them.

"I was the protector of Amity Park," Phantom whispered looking down at his hands. "I tried to keep other ghosts from destroying my home." Palmer smiled.

"You should have seen him. It was awesome," Palmer exclaimed looking at Gibbs before calming down. "I'll just go now." Gibbs looked at Phantom curiously.

"You protected a whole town by yourself?" he asked sitting next to him. Phantom looked up then back down at his hands. The one still cuffed, and Gibbs reached over slowly, not wanting to upset Phantom, and cuffed his hands back together. Phantom sighed.

"I tried too," he whispered closing his eyes as painful memories came racing back. "I really tried," he whispered to himself as tears started racing down his cheeks. Gibbs wiped them away.

"It's alright," Gibbs comforted putting a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "You can tell us anything, we won't say anything to anyone else, and that I can promise." Phantom looked up at him with some unshed tears.

"Thanks, but I think for what happened, time can really only heal," he whispered looking at the rest. "I still can't stay long. I do have a job to finish, and I have been ahead, but this might take me back a few days."

"How about this, you tell us about what you seen in this case, and then we'll help you with whatever you were trying to do," Gibbs offered taking out the key to the cuffs. "But I want you to do something for me first." Phantom looked up and nodded.

"Keep those on," he stated sternly. "There are people around here who think you are a danger, and I want them to think that. It'll help keep whoever shot this guy from trying to find you if he thinks that you are downtown." Phantom thought for a moment before smiling.

"I can change my appearance to look more human," he informed looking at Gibbs. "But you can't tell anyone. It's a secret, and a very deadly one." Ducky and Gibbs both looked at him completely confused as to what he was talking about.

"How is that possible?" Ducky asked looking at the ghostly teen.

"I'm a scientific impossibility," he said as if it was the most common thing in the world. "There isn't any science in the paranormal to back up the fact I can even exist."

Danny: I think you are biting off more than you can chew

Me: Yeah, but people have been waiting forever for this one. And Lessons of Phantom have hit a complete dead end...Sorry for anyone reading that

Danny: Seeing Sounds is being written still, but she already had this on her computer, she won't be updating for a while due to the fact she won't have a laptop for a few weeks, once she does, she'll make every story have an update

Me: I'll still be here, but more than likely on my phone, and it's not really that fast to do anything with...I hope to get it in a couple weeks, but I will no longer have mine Friday...It's kinda sad and is giving me nightmares...reasons, I don't know

Danny: But hopefully it'll all work out

Me: Yes, so review and tell me what you think about this one, I'll try to get the next chapter done so I can post it before I have to give up my laptop, but I need enough reviews for it...

See you soon...hopefully...