tristinpace1997 and mariavetis de, thanks for adding this story to your alerts.

The foursome took a step back in shock as more holes appeared in the containment unit. Chaos was unfolding before them as the monster that had frightened the Zone to the point of emptying it began to burst forth, but what happened in those seconds changed it all. The future Danny turned to Sam, the one from the present and then he looked to the one that was his, the older Goth already reaching for him, her amethyst eyes worried. He made a grab for her and with a nod to his younger half he flew back, the younger Danny snatching his Sam too just seconds before the sarcophagus blew up, the unknown material clattering around them as the ghost fighters were pushed outward and into walls.

With a oomph escaping their lips the pairs each hit the ground, smoke billowing outward as a shadow appeared in the smoke. The young Goth was still holding onto her weapon, though now she lay unconscious in Danny's arms, the weapon laying across her chest. The young male was conscious enough to know that she was hurt and to see the large shadow walking toward them, but his body refused to work with him in his futile attempts to move.

"Sam," he whispered, his voice soft in attempt not to be heard by Pariah as his green eyes flickered in the smoke that was now clearing. When she didn't answer him he became frantic, her small body still in his arms. Was she alive? Had he been unable to save her? As tears welled up in his eyes a blast came out from the clearing darkness, the streak hitting something to his left. He glanced to his left to see that the older pair of ghost fighters were gone, the spot where they had landed empty. Had the villain before them blasted them? Were they dead? Looking back at the evil male walking toward them he felt the anger in him rise, his body glowing with ecto energy. This monster had been hard to take down the time before, but he had never really done the damage he had wrought this time.

The future had been damaged by him, his family dead...his mother, his father, and his sister...all gone because of this monster. No, wait, not all of them had died because of just him. Vlad had released this thing to do it, thinking his mighty powers could control him like he had attempted to control Vortex, the ghost of nature. Both times he had failed and both times it had cost Danny. Not this time. As the anger flowed out Danny stood, his arms moving around his friend, the love of his life. He placed her against the wall, his energy making her face glow a light green, his scowl softening as he stood over her. Leaning forward he gave her a kiss on the lips, the warmth of them comforting him in the fact that she was still alive.

Turning back to the villain behind him he lunged, the opponent took off guard by the sudden attack failed to move in time. Pariah was knocked back, his bulky body falling back onto the ground. The halfa on top of him took that time to strike him with several blows, all of them backed with ecto power that glowed in his fist. It wasn't long before the monster he was fighting came back with a few good hits of his own, but Danny was pissed, his mind on the fact that his family was going to die if he didn't do this and that Sam would be left alone while the world around her collapsed. He couldn't allow that to happen to her and to his loved ones. With every punch he struck against the ghost he felt better, the anguish on the Ghost King's face alerting him to the fact that he was making an impact against him. That his punches were damaging someone who had been so powerful.

"How about I take you down a notch," Pariah suddenly muttered, his eyes glittering with vengeance even as green blood dripped from his mouth. Danny wasn't sure what he was talking about, but in that next moment he found out what the monster was talking about as he was knocked back and Pariah took a shot at something behind him. The halfa's first thought was for Sam's safety, her form the only thing behind him. Turning quickly he was shocked to see that she wasn't there, the blast striking the wall, rocks crumbling from the blast. It even seemed that he was shocked, his mouth falling open.

Danny took that moment to rush him again, the energy in his fists glowing even more powerful. As he thrust the monster back he was shocked as Pariah stopped midair, as if held by strings, his form convulsing. That's when he realized that there was someone hitting him from behind, a green line of ecto goo hitting him from his backside. Without stopping his own stream of energy he looked across from him to find Sam, the small woman blasting the monster with her weapon, her form looking a bit worn out, but strong as she held her weapon strong. She looked over at him, a smile on her lavender painted lips before returning her concentration to the male that was slowly losing his battle with them.

With every second that they blasted him Danny wondered what they were going to do with him. His container was gone and there was no way that they could kill him, so what would they do with him? It seemed that Sam was thinking the same thing as she glanced back at him, her eyes telling him all that he needed to know. They were going to be able to weaken him, but they couldn't do this forever so that meant that before they both lost all their energy they had to find a way to take him down...

Just then it was like their prayers were answered, a cloaked figure appearing out of the corner of Danny's vision, but the halfa didn't recognize him so he wasn't sure that this guy or ghost was on his side. He looked like Lydia, the ghost that had been Freakshow's loyal friend to the end, though the cloaked figure before him was too talk to be her. Suddenly another figure emerged from the darkness and another until there were six of them, all of their hooded faces looking to the fallen king as his body began to still, the power of their combined blasts making him weak. The six figures walked forward, their robes moving with them, the sound of the cloaks silent with the sound of their powers hitting the monster. They separated, three on one side and three on the other, a circle forming around him as the pair of ghost fighters watched. Sam suddenly stumbled, her form flinching, the gun almost falling from her fingers.

Danny wanted to go to her, but as she shook her head, her stance stiffening again as she leveled the gun back to where it was hitting Pariah on the back he nodded. She was holding it together so that they could get rid of this menace, but just barely. The cloaked figures held up their hands, a lime green light coming out of their glowing boney fingers. It struck the former King, his body jerking with the impact, but never moving. One of the figures looked to Danny and the halfa knew that they no longer needed his or Sam's assistance so he pulled back, the Goth following suit after he did. He rushed to her side just seconds later before the Goth could fall, her small form going limp. She smiled at him, her eyes half lidded.

"Thanks," she whispered. "Wasn't sure how much longer I could do that." Danny pulled her close, his arms wrapping tightly around her as the figures before them began to chant, the sound of their joined voices echoing around them. Underneath the hovering monster a box appeared, one similar to his previous sarcophagus. As their chanting grew louder Pariah's body began to lower until it was in the box, the lid shutting with a loud bang. The group didn't say another word as they picked up said box and began to leave, the pair of ghost fighters watching silently. Danny looked at Sam and with a slight chuckle shifted her so that she was laying more comfortable in his arms before heading back out of the castle that had housed the King of Ghosts.

As they flew off toward the portal Danny looked back and a thought occurred to him.

"Just think that if you hadn't gone looking on the other side," he whispered as he turned his green gaze back at her. "We would never have known about this..." He left off what would have been...what they both knew...

"But we did and now we will never have to experience that." Leaning forward Danny placed a kiss on Sam's lips, her gasp of shock almost making him pull back until she wrapped her arms around his neck, her response immediate. When they pulled back for air they found themselves just feet from the portal door.

"I love you, Sam," the halfa said. Sam smiled at him.

"I love you too," she said just seconds before the door opened to reveal all their friends and family. "Time to start our new future." Smiling they headed into the Fenton lab, the door closing on the Ghost Zone and all that had happened that day.