Danny's eyes snap open, his body jerked upright with a start, heart pounding in his chest and a sheen of cold sweat covers his forehead. His eyes frantically taking in his surroundings around him, his body freezes up at the familiar surroundings of Vlad's sumptuous  mansion looming around him, casting a shadow of unease over his senses. Panic grips at his chest like a leech, his mind racing with memories of Dan, " no no no no no no no..." he muttered under his breath repeatedly, forcing the sheets off of him, scrambling out of the bed.

   His foot caught a hold of the mound of blankets strewed on the Victorian bed, causing him to dive face first into the hard wooden floor.

   Dash, asleep on the chair shoots up  into defense mode. His eyes  scanning his surroundings as his  nerves spiked seeing the empty bed. Suddenly cold hands gripped around his ankles startling the boy. Screaming, he kicked the hand off of him. " THAT'S NOT FUNNY." He snapped angrily at danny, crossing his arm with a pout, Danny on the hand still tangled on the floor was dying of laughter. His nerves dissolving away. " You looked like you seen a ghost." Danny  teased.

" Ha ha ha, very funny Fenton ." Dash said sarcastically.

   Danny chuckled as he began to get himself untangled, but his attempt was futile, and all he ended up doing was injured himself even more. Twisted up like a pretzel Danny body screamed in pain, hissing Danny looked over too dash with a pained expression. Dash sighed, laughing slightly at the sight. "Easy there, Danny," Dash's voice was  like a  comforting anchor, hoisting the boy up gently moving Danny back onto the luxurious bed. "You're safe. We're safe. Everything's okay." He reassure Danny, running a hand through  his  hair soothingly. The act reminded Danny of jazz, the memory made Danny feel a bit blue.

   Thoughts of his family friends Dan and Vlad flashed through his mind once more , The memories of his past encounters with Vlad flood his mind, stirring up a whirlwind of doubt and anxiety that threatens to overwhelm him. Memories of clockwork introducing Dan, the very person Dan would be right now. A hand snaps him from his haunting thoughts

Dash's presence is a steady presence at his side, a reminder of the friendship and trust that has grown between them amidst the chaos and uncertainty of their lives. His words of reassurance are like a balm to Danny's frayed nerves, a lifeline of stability in the tumultuous sea of his emotions. Danny throughout everything knew he was going to be ok, he has dash.

With a shaky exhale, Danny forces himself to focus on Dash's reassuring gaze, the warmth and sincerity in his eyes cutting through the fog of panic that clouds his mind. Slowly, the tension in Danny's muscles begins to ease, his racing heart gradually slowing to a more steady rhythm. His body easing at Dash presence and slowly Danny melts back into the bed, now that he thought about it. The bed felt like rain clouds, a refreshing cool chill, that eases his ice core.

As Dash continues to offer words of comfort and support, Danny's panic begins to subside, replaced by a sense of gratitude for his friend's unwavering presence and understanding. The room around them seems to shift, the oppressive weight of fear of Dan seemed to melt away.

  " So...your phantom." Dash said filling the empty room, eagerly waiting for Danny's response. " I mean...I uh, you know I love phantom...well not that type of love but love as in admire...yeah admire- anyways, I never expected you to be phantom." Dash stammers, scratching the back of his neck nervously.

   Danny stared down at his hand , eyes hollowed. " Yeah..Phantoms great so it's no wonder no one ever made the connection."

  Dash shook his head " That's bullshit Fenton, your amazing without phantom...trust me. " He offered him a reassuring smile. " Plus as shitty as it sounds that's why I tormented you all these years." Dash admitted eyes casting down in shame. "...it doesn't excuse my actions tho...what I trying to get at Fenton is that I only meant that your family was ghost obsessive and I thought Jazz and yourself never wanted to be associated with it." Danny hmm in response, baffled at the thought of Dash being jealous, it was an insane thought.

  As the two shared this moment of lighthearted banter, Danny's playful tone masks the weight of his words. With a mischievous glint in his eye, he jokes, "You know, Dash, I never really planned on getting into the ghost business. But I guess that's what I get for dying, huh?"

Dash jerked his head in disbelief, his jaw dropping open as he struggled to process Danny's nonchalant admission. The absurdity of the situation leaves him momentarily speechless, a mix of shock and admiration playing across his features.

"You... died? And came back as a ghost? Dude, that's... that's insane!" Dash exclaims, his voice a mix of disbelief and admiration.  But despite the gravity of Danny's revelation,  a twinkle of humor glinted in his eyes, a shared understanding that the situation is too surreal to be taken entirely seriously.

As the initial shock wears off, Dash's surprise gives way to a burst of laughter, the tension of the moment melting away in a shared moment of amusement. "So, what's it like being a ghost, Danny? Do you haunt the hallways of Casper High in your free time?" Dash jokes, a grin spreading across his face as he leans into the playful banter.

Danny chuckles, his own laughter joining Dash's as they exchange quips and jests about the absurdity of his ghostly existence. Telling dash about his secret seemed to lift a weight off his shoulder. Don't get Danny wrong he never intended for dash to ever find out he was phantom, but not was he glad he did. He only wished  he could be in this moment forever.

  However that didn't last very long, dash reminded him that he was a hero. That he was the protector of Amity park. And just like last time he let his emotions run loose. Almost costing dash and his life again. " I-I I'm sorry dash, for everything, I was selfish, blinded by rage and I acted like someone who...who.." Danny trailed off, saying Dan's name out loud haunted him, everything, he couldn't stand the thought of dan, of him being someone like that and hurting everyone around him. Just being in Vlads mansion scared him, like a wave of anxiety rushing through his body over and over again.

   A hand rested on Danny's shoulder, he  jumped at the touch but slowly eased into the comforting hand, " Danny, I know that I haven't been the kindest--"

   " That would be an understatement." Danny interrupted earning him a scolding stare from dash. " As I was saying, you are the most considerate person I come to know,  and you know..." Dash took a seat next to Danny, grabbing a hold of his shoulder, there eyes staring into each other's. " You pipsqueak deserve a break, you have helped so many people, inspired others, Danny you are human....well part human, uh I don't know anyways your bound to make mistakes and know not every hero can save others. Nothing, nothing you've done is your fault. Do you understand, it's not your fault. " Danny's eyes casted downwards, the smile that he once wore slowly faded from existence. Shutting his eyes he refused to accept that he wasn't responsible " Please Danny I need to hear you say it's not your fault."

   He shook his head, drawing his legs closer too him he hugged them tightly too his chest " I can't." He whispered into his knees, shaking his head.

   Dash stood there in defeat, watching as his hero, his friend, blame themselves, dash felt powerless. " your friend is right Daniel."

   Vlad stood in the door way of the room, he wore a casual purple sweater that hung off his body, and black fitted pants paired with black dress shoes. His presence felt warm. " Young Daniel, I know we never gotten along..." Vlad took a step forward towards Danny, dash protectively stood in between the two. " And that is my mistake, as someone who should of been your mentor, and a friend of your family I let my obsession overtake me and I took things too far. But the one thing I know is that their deaths..." Vlad took a steady breath.

   " There death is entirely on me, and I will take that responsibility because you Young Daniels, you are too important to sulk and be bitter. Unlike myself you have a chance to change and be better. " Vlad towered over Danny, casting a shadow over the boy, hesitantly Vlad reached out his hand, Danny watched with anticipation, his hand grabbed a loose strand of hair out of place, tucking it back behind his ear he stroked Danny's dark raven hair. Danny froze.

" You are not Dan." Vlad said his voice was stern but convincing. Offering his godson a fond smile he then said.

     " Plus Paris is in need of amity's hero."

* FINALLY we getting too the good stuff