Chasing Shadows

Pairing: Dash x Danny

Warnings: Homosexual relationships. Danny, Dash, and Kwan are in their mid to late 20s. Violence. Foul language. Mention of drugs.

Disclaimer: Danny Phantom is a product of Nickelodeon. All characters in this story are imaginary.

Summary: Dash catches his first criminal in the act of buying drugs.

Originally Written: December 2012-January 2013

Chapter 01

Dash sighed as his partner pulled their car into the lot at a gas station. "Shouldn't have had that extra cup of Joe," Hearst complained while he climbed out of the car. He adjusted his belt around his wide waist before he tossed a "Be a good boy and fill 'er up," over his shoulder. After he slammed the door shut, he shuffled off toward the restroom.

Another sigh escaped him. Dash had expected more out of his partner. So far, the only things that they were called to were a few domestic disturbances, breaking up some frat party at the local college, and there was that one time they caught someone speeding. Needless to say, his career as a cop hadn't exactly been filled with excitement one might expect after watching television shows or the news. They hadn't even stopped a single robbery yet! It wasn't like he was trying to seek the spotlight and gain fame, not like how he did in high school anyway. He just wanted to feel like he was making a difference. At the moment, he didn't feel like anything he did helped anyone.

Dash get out of the car, intent on following the command of a senior officer when something caught his attention. The two men stood around the side of the gas station building, just visible beyond the glow of the lights and certainly out of sight of any security cameras. They both dressed like the average punk kids that he usually saw hanging out in the bad parts of town, the type that he suspected dealt with drugs. The one with jet black hair wore a denim jacket with the sleeves ripped off, and Dash could barely make out the skull tattoo on his upper bicep. The other man, who faced Dash, had tattoos on what looked like every inch of him from the neck down, or at least what wasn't covered by his clothes.

Dash approached the building, trying to appear natural, like he was doing nothing more than entering to make a purchase. With a quick glance, he saw that neither of the men noticed him. He crept closer toward their side of the building until he was close enough to overhear their conversation.

"You got the stuff?" asked Mister Jet Black Hair. Despite the firm, control of his voice, there was a jitteriness to it, like an addict starting to feel the effects of withdrawal.

"Money first," Mister Tattoo said as he glanced around nervously. Perhaps this wasn't his usual spot for dealing.

Jet reached into the back pocket of his too tight jeans. He held a wad of cash up between two fingers. The folded bills were fanned only enough to prove that it was at least two or three hundred dollars. When Tattoo reached for the cash, Jet snapped his hand back with surprising quickness. "You don't get the money until I see it."

Tattoo grumbled but shoved a hand into his pocket.

Dash didn't need to hear anymore to know this was definitely a drug deal. He retrieved his gun from its side holster. In one quick movement, he appeared around the corner. "Freeze!" he shouted with his gun aimed at the men. "You're both under-"

"Shit!" cursed Jet before he sped off into the shadows. With his buyer bailing, Tattoo didn't wait around either, and Dash was left to figure out who to chase. He was saved from making the decision when Hearst arrived on the scene.

"Go after him," Dash barked the order and pointed after Tattoo. He didn't care if he would be reprimanded for his actions later. He trusted the dealer to his partner while he chased the buyer.

Jet seemed like a fitting name for the man. He was rather fast as he raced through side alleys. But Dash was no slowpoke, and that was why he chose the buyer over the dealer. He knew there was no way Hearst would ever catch up with Jet. Years of training for football thankfully paid off. Dash tackled Jet to the ground and wrestled to pin the man's arms behind his back.

"You have the right to remain silent," Dash read off the man's rights as he slapped the cuffs around Jet's wrists. Jet put up what seemed like a halfhearted struggle with an annoyed grumble of "yeah, yeah, yeah" when Dash asked if he understood his rights as read to him.

"So you caught yours," Hearst said, pulling up alongside them in the alley.

The comment sent a wave of frustration rolling over Dash. Hearst clearly hadn't caught Tattoo and possibly didn't put up much of an effort in trying. He even sounded annoyed that Dash managed to catch Jet.

Dash climbed to his feet and hauled Jet up along with him. He bit back an angry remark at his partner. After shoving Jet into the back of the police car, Dash slammed the door shut. This bust would have been more successful if they had caught the dealer as well, but apparently Hearst didn't care about the bust. Dash got back into the car and glared at the passing scenery. His first real bust on the job, and he didn't feel any pleasure at his success.

After they arrived back at the precinct, Hearst led Jet to one of their interrogation rooms. While Hearst went to speak with the chief, Dash waited on the opposite side of the one-way mirror. He wasn't allowed to question the buyer, so he gritted his teeth in frustration.

Jet sat in the room, leaning back in the chair with his feet resting on the table. As bored as he looked, he seemed completely relaxed about being held in an interrogation room, like he expected to be told he was free to go at any moment.

"Hey," Kwan said, peeking into the observation room. "I just heard you made a drug bust."

Dash tore his gaze away from the man on the other side of the glass. "Really?" he questioned skeptically.

Kwan sighed as he entered the room. "Okay. So talk is Hearst made the bust, but that idiot couldn't catch anything." A brow quirked up, and Kwan frowned. "And I was expecting you to be a little more happy about making your first bust."

Dash nodded toward the interrogation room. "This just feels surreal."

Kwan wandered over to stand by his long time friend. What could possibly have his friend acting so weirdly? He stared at the buyer, and his jaw nearly dropped from his shock. "Is this some kind of joke?"

"Nope," Dash answered, but he also had trouble believing who sat in the interrogation room at that moment.

"But this can't be real," Kwan argued. "Fenton isn't some druggie."

"And you think I want to believe it?" Dash shouted, his hands closing in tight fists as the urge to punch something rose in him. He certainly was never best friends with Fenton, bullying the other man for the first two years of high school. But he couldn't understand why Fenton would turn to drugs. "I didn't recognize him at first, but he was there trying to buy drugs off some dealer."

"You're right," Kwan mumbled, still stunned. "This is surreal."

The door to the interrogation room opened, and Chief Coyle entered. Dash stood up a little straighter. The chief never did interrogations. Why was he coming to question Fenton of all people? Buying drugs wasn't a serious enough crime to warrant interrogation by the police chief.

"You're free to go," Chief Coyle announced. At that, Fenton stood and smirked toward the one-way mirror like he knew exactly where Dash stood behind it.

"What?" Dash exclaimed, and Kwan shrugged, equally confused. He stormed out of the observation room and into the interrogation room. "Sir, he was caught trying to buy drugs. How can you just let him walk out of here?"

Fenton snorted, and Dash glared at him. "You didn't break up a drug deal. You ruined my undercover investigation."

"What?" Dash asked numbly as he stared at Fenton. "But-"

"Show him the badge," Fenton said as he folded his arms. Chief Coyle held up a badge, and Dash only needed a quick glance to confirm that it, in fact, belonged to Fenton.

"You don't keep your badge on you?" Dash was still trying to process the fact that Fenton was in reality a cop instead of the drug addict he appeared to be.

Fenton scowled at him. "Don't you understand what undercover means?" His mouth twitched in a sort of smirk when Dash glowered at him. "Some of the dealers are smart enough to actually check for a badge."

"Unfortunately, you'll be assigned to a new case now, Fenton," Chief Coyle said, breaking up the little glaring contest taking place between the young officers.

"Wait. What? Why?" Fenton demanded, confused and with a hint of whininess in his voice at the end.

"Your cover could be at risk now."

"But I've been working this case for six months," Fenton argued. "I was so close to getting the supplier. You'll never get another undercover cop this close again."

"And how will you explain to them your quick release from police custody?" Chief Coyle inquired. Fenton's mouth worked up and down, but he was at a loss for words.

Dash felt guilty. Because of his actions, Fenton would pulled off a case that he clearly spent a long time working hard at. He wouldn't be happy if he were in Fenton's place. "Um," Dash ventured, drawing the other men's attentions. "Technically speaking, I didn't see anything." When they gave confused looks, he sighed. "I never saw the other guy pull out the drugs. I jumped in before he had the chance. Since he got away, we don't have any real proof to hold Fenton's cover on."

"That," Fenton said in a slow, thoughtful manner, " could work. I could make that story work."

Chief Coyle didn't look entirely convinced at this idea. But he agreed to allow Fenton to stay on the case.

Dash stepped out of the room at that point. His shoulders sagged as he headed down the hallway. His first real bust had nearly screwed up another officer's work.

"I can't believe you helped Fenton out back there," Kwan said as he fell into step beside his friend.

"I did kind of almost screw things up for him," Dash muttered, unhappy with himself. "Besides this isn't high school."

"I know. Just surprising after everything we did to him." Kwan shook his head. "Who would have thought the three of us would all work at the same precinct?"

Dash wasn't sure, but he would bet that person was somewhere laughing at him right now.