So, in case you haven't noticed, I've edited this story. The first 3 chapters go into one, and 4 and 5 have been replaced with this one. It was really bothering me, the way it was. ^^; THIS IS NOT A NEW CHAPTER!

Chapter 4

The first thing I noticed after the light disappeared was the tables. I looked around, realizing that we were in the lab. Even though my gut told me I didn't want to know, I spun on my heel and looked at the calendar. I felt the blood- err, ectoplasm- rush from my face. I stumbled backwards, shaking. Everyone looked up at me at the noise.

Sam and Tucker ran up to me before noticing the date. They shared a glance and slowly lowered me to the ground in a sitting position. Tucker kneeled next to me, while Sam spun to face Clockwork.

"Clockwork, this isn't fair to make Danny see this!" she shouted. Clockwork simply raised a finger to his lips, telling us to be quiet.

A moment later we found out why.

"Come on, Danny! I want to see it!" It was Sam's voice, but she hadn't spoken. She ran over to me and sat down on my other side rubbing my back, but my mind was too numb to notice.

Clockwork waved his staff again, turning us all invisible to the human eye. "Now you may talk, but try to pay attention. We are unable to be seen, heard or felt."

Jazz and my parents gasped as 14 year-old versions of Sam, Tucker and I tiptoed down the stairs. Past-me stopped in the middle of the room and looked around wearily as Past-Sam and Past-Tucker stared at all of the equipment in amazement, before their eyes rested on the portal.

"Alright guys, I've shown you the portal, now can we please get out of here? We're not supposed to be down here."

Past-Sam turned and stared at Past-me incredulously. "C'mon Danny. A portal to another dimension? You can't tell me you're not curious."

Past-me rolled his eyes. "Well duh. I am curious Sam, but it doesn't work anyway."

"Then it's safe for you to go inside and take a look."

My parents gasped, and Jazz's eyes widened as she realized what was going on. She slowly walked over to me and hugged me from behind, ruffling her hand through my hair.

Past-me blinked. "What?'

Sighing, Past-Sam tossed him a black-and-white jumpsuit and nodded towards the portal. "Go on. I want a picture."

Past-me turned to Past-Tucker for guidance, but he was continuing to look around like a kid in a candy store. Shaking his head, Past-me pulled the jumpsuit on over his clothes and walked to the portal, looking thoroughly annoyed. Past-Sam snapped a picture, and I knew what happened next from memory. I snapped my eyes shut and ducked my head, startling Jazz.

Right after Sam had taken the picture, I noticed something inside the portal. It looked like a button. "Wha…?" I stepped into the portal to take a closer look when my foot caught on some wires. "Ah, crap."

"Need help Danny?" Sam asked.

"Nah, I got it." Turning, I leaned down to untangle the wires, only for my other foot to get caught as well. I yelped as I fell backwards, my arms reaching out to break my fall. My right hand hit the wall, and I heard a click. Electrical buzzing filled the air, and Sam and Tucker called out in alarm. Seeing the invention light up, I scrambled to my feet to run out, only to trip again from the wires still tied around my feet. Panicking, I jerked my feet around, trying to get free but only resulting in entangling myself more.

Then the electricity hit me.

I screamed bloody murder, and Sam and Tucker joined in, shrieking my name. I felt as if I was on fire, and every cell burned. I felt myself start to drift away, the pain numbing. And then the electricity snapped the wires and I fell out of the portal. The machine died down, and I passed out on the floor, Sam and Tucker still screaming my name.

I had seen this all in the back of my mind, and the sound from the memory we were in didn't help my mental standing. I continued to shake, curled up in a ball on the floor. By this point, tears were threatening to slip out of my eyes, and Sam, Tuck, and Jazz were hugging me tightly. My parents looked on the verge of tears themselves.

The scene changed. We were now in the halls of Casper High, and Past-Sam, Past-Tuck, and Past-me were walking up the stairs, whispering about something. As they got closer, we could hear them clearer.

"Guys, I think I should tell them."

"Why? Parents don't listen. Even worse, they don't understand. Why can't they accept me for who I am?!" Past-Sam flung her head back, her fists by her sides as she yelled.

Past-me stared at her. "Sam, I'm talking about my powers. My problems."

Past-Sam smiled sheepishly. "Oh right. Me too."

Ignoring her, Past-me continued talking. "It's been almost a month since the accident and I still have barely any control. If someone catches me I go from geek to freak around here." He said, not noticing that he was phased halfway through the floor.

"Kind of like what you're doing now?" Past-Tucker asked.

Glancing down, Past-me yelled. His friends pulled him up and he started to walk away, grumbling. "Oh, darn it! If my dad can make something that turns me half ghost, why can't he make something that turns me human again?"

Past-Sam caught up to him as he walked through a vending machine.

"Danny, your powers make you unique. Unique is good. That's why I'm an ultra-recyclo-vegetarian." she said proudly.

"Which means what?" Past-Tucker asked, looking confused and uninterested.

Past-me turned to him with a bored expression. "She doesn't eat anything with a face."

"Ah, who cares about that stuff? Two words: meat connoisseur." He leaned towards his friend, who leaned back. "Last night, you had sloppy joes."

Past-me had an expression of disgusted humor, and replied, "Impressive."

"Meat heightens the senses. And my all meat streak is 14 years strong."

"And it's about to end," Past-Sam interrupted. "The school board agreed to try a new cafeteria menu. I wore them down."

"Wait. What'd you do?"

The scene changed again. We were at the cafeteria during lunch. My parents and Jazz searched for us while Sam, Tucker and I all turned to look at the line. I had stopped crying by now, and so had my parents. I still felt shaky from having to relive that, but I pushed it away.

"What is this? Grass on a bun?"

At the sound of my past self's voice, Jazz and my parents followed our gaze. We watched the fights, both food and ghost varieties, and the rest of that day. By the time it was over, I realized Clockwork had accomplished both of his goals. He had explained to my parents, and shown them what happened. And he had embarrassed me by letting them watch my first fight. I winced when I realized how sloppy and childish I was back then.

My parents were no longer looking at me with hurt in their eyes, but instead pride. I weakly grinned back at them, and with another twirl of his staff, Clockwork transported us back to his tower.

I was tackled to the ground the second I rematerialized in the Clock Tower. I yelped when I suddenly found myself flat on my stomach with my arms pinned behind my back. My parents and Jazz looked alarmed, but Sam, Tuck, and Clockwork all looked amused, as if they were sharing some inside joke.

"I know the rest of these people, but who are you?" a voice growled menacingly.

I almost laughed when I recognized the voice, but stopped myself in fear that I would get hurt. Instead I relaxed and turned my head to the side. "Hey cuz."
Dani gasped and jumped back, letting go of my arms. I sat up and turned around to face her, an amused smile on my lips, until she tackled me again. I sat with my arms by my sides as she pulled me into a tight hug. On instinct, I stopped moving. My body froze up and my eyes widened, almost glazing over. The next second, I had flipped her over my shoulder and had her pinned down with one hand and the other pulled back to strike. Everyone, except Clockwork of course, gasped, bringing me back to my senses. I blinked and my mind cleared. Looking down, I realized what had happened and scrambled back. Crap. Blushing, I sat cross-legged a few feet away from everyone.

Dani blinked in confusion. "What just happened?"

My face flushed more and I reached up to rub the back of my neck. I looked up to Clockwork pleadingly.

He sighed. "Fine. This is a part of Daniel's powers rebooting. Samantha, Tucker, I am sure you remember the first few months after the accident? Of course, it wasn't to this extent."

Understanding dawned on my friends faces. "Oh," Tucker said. "I remember now! His instincts were fighting against each other, so whenever someone touched him, his mind thought it was a threat! …But why would that happen again? His human instincts aren't going to be conflicting with his ghost instincts now."

Clockwork nodded. "True. But his ghost form was meant to fight and protect, and he has carried that with him into death. And as his instincts no longer have to fight, his ghost instincts are overwhelmed, making them a little more pronounced." He turned to me. "You were able to train yourself out of it last time, and you can again. It will just take more time."

I nodded, still blushing a little.

"But… he didn't react that way when I pinned him…" Dani said, confusion evident on her face.

Clockwork nodded again. "Since he has been trained out of it before, they won't always react like that this time around. It will be unpredictable, but I believe you will be able to handle it."

I nodded again, averting my gaze to the wall. Everyone was still staring at me. Suddenly, I felt extremely exhausted. My shoulders sagged, and I barely held back a yawn. I internally sighed when I recognized this as part of my powers rebooting. Dang it.

My eyelids started to droop as I looked up to Clockwork. He simply stared back with a mixture of pity and amusement, before turning to my family and friends. "With Daniel's powers recharging, he has overexerted himself. I believe that it is time for you to leave."

Sam opened her mouth to protest, but he cut her off. "You will see him again; you do not need to worry. In fact, I believe the soonest you will see him is in about two weeks."

No one seemed satisfied with having to wait that long, but we all gave in. It's not like we could fight him.

And so they left.

I watched them go, before fainting onto the floor. I vaguely felt Clockwork pick me up and carry me back into my new room.