His Redemption

His Side

Alpan's hand reached Danny' forehead, bringing with it searing pain. Pain that was worse than any Danny had ever experienced before. Fire coursed through his veins, lava taking residence in his temples. The fire traveled throughout his body, to the point that Danny didn't know how he was still living. Or half living.

Suddenly the pain stopped. Slowly, Danny opened his eyes. When had he closed them? Instead of the empty room he'd been taken to, Danny now stared at the horrifyingly familiar sight of the Nasty Burger. He was running, trying so desperately to save them. They didn't deserve this. They shouldn't have to deal with his shit storm of a life. They didn't deserve to be strapped to a fucking boiler about to explode.

He heard the twisted version of himself cackle with glee. Danny wanted him to stop He wanted him to shut up.

"I am sorry, Daniel." Came a somber voice from behind him. "I did not want this to happen." Danny faced Clockwork now, eyes red in anger.

"Take me back!" He shouted. "Let me save them!" All of the pain, the self-loathing, the anguish rang clearly in his voice. Danny didn't even realize he had tears streaming down his face.

"I cannot, Daniel. I have already meddled too much." The sorrow in Clockwork's voice fell on deaf ears.

"Then why are you here?" The young halfa bit out.

"I'm here to take that." He gestured to the thermos that had yet to stop in it's cackling. "I will keep him from escaping his prison." Rather than speak, Danny just hurled the thermos at the ghost.

"Leave." Without a word, Clockwork did just that. Finally alone, Danny turned to stare at the devastation. The boiler no longer stood, his friends and family strapped to it. Rather, Danny could see their mutilated corpses scattered around the explosion sight. He fell to his knees, sobs escaping his chapped lips. Danny couldn't even tell his mother from his father. Eventually, people began to gather, having heard the explosion and fighting. But Danny left before he could be seen.

~~~~~~~~~~Line~Break~~~~~~~~

Danny wandered the Ghost Zone, angry and despising himself. Why couldn't he save them?! If only he'd wasted less time fighting that bastard! Then they'd still be alive. Who cared if they discovered his ghostly half!

Danny continued to fly through the Ghost Zone, not meeting anything on his way. The other ghosts took to avoiding him pretty quickly. The first to learn was Skulker. He'd tried to captue him once again, but was met with nothing but rage from Danny's part. The fight ended rather quickly, with Danny having torn apart his armor piece by piece, until nothing but the green blob remained.

Danny had no idea how much time passed, but he couldn't bring himself to care. He'd refused to return to Amity Park since the incident, let alone to Fenton Works. It was too painful to even think about. The more Danny drifted throughout the Ghost Zone, the worse he felt. He couldn't save them. He had been too late. He killed them. Despite the fact that it was indirect, the truth was that the twisted monster that strapped them to that boiler was him. Danny gripped his head in pain. He murdered his family. His friends.

"Daniel."

Danny slowly turned around, shock and fear obvious on his now sallow face. Before him was a face Danny had hoped and prayed he'd never see again. The face of the man who had helped cause all of this. Vlad Plasmius, or more commonly known as Vlad Masters, floated there.

"What the hell do you want Vlad?" Danny spat out the name like a curse. This man was the very reason he went to the Ghost Zone, rather than simply leave town. Danny refused to become Dan, he refused to turn into that monster that killed his family. He swore that he wouldn't, and that was a vow he didn't plan on breaking.