Danny emerged from the other side of the wall, looking back to see the absence of his ghost half. He frowned in panic, why hadden't his ghost half come with him? He would have gone back but a faint glow caught his eye. He turned to look and he sucked in a breath in worry.

Clockwork was hanging by his wrists in the air, which he noticed was even more lacking in the ecto-energy department. His aura was little to none, his head hung in a foreboding way, his entire being was still.

He looked dead.

The walls had a green glow to them, sucking away the ghost life giving energy. It sent an eerie look across the blue ghost, who had many cut marks and a large gash in his side. Danny approached hesitantly and horrified. He noticed the clock that was in his chest was barely moving from side to side, the glass casing cracked in a corner.

"Clockwork?" He whispered hopefully. He didn't know why he whispered, if anything he should have shouted.

He didn't move.

Danny inched closer, then flinched as the staff began to glow sharply. He blinked got used to the sudden white light that sent the ghost's shadow onto the wall, looking ever creepier.

"Clockwork?" He asked again, louder but still in a hushed tone.

Danny surged forward as the ghost's head lifted.

"Clockwork!" he cried, hugging the ghost with surprising strength.

He released the ghost as he began to cough, a stream of ectoplasm dripped down the corner of his mouth.  His dull red eyes blinked at the white light his staff gave off, just then recognising the boy in front of him.

"Danny." he croaked, he sounded like he looked, horrible and tired. Danny nodded and concentrated before flying up to his chained hands. Clockwork's head lifted with him, seeing his destination, "If it's all the same to you, I think I'll keep those on, considering it's the only thing keeping me off the floor."

Danny stopped and floated down quizzically, "What's wrong with the ground?"

"It hurts ghosts, they made this cell especially for me you see. I cannot phase in or out and I need my staff to teleport- my staff!" He was explaining but then saw his scepter in the human Danny's hand.

"If I hold onto my staff then you can let me go, just, do it slowly." Clockwork said, his initial energy he had was beginning to fade. But with his staff he would be much better, it stored ecto energy and could not be siphoned unless the staff ejected the energy.

Danny floated up again, putting the staff in one of the open hands before grabbing his wrists and with great effort, made them intangible.

For a horrible second Clockwork fell, looking to smack right into the poisonous ground. But his staff hit the ground first and he lifted himself up shakily. He heard him sigh deeply in relief.

"Thank you Danny."  Clockwork said, the glow from the staff dimmed as the glow around Clockwork grew. All his cuts disappeared but the gash in his side stayed, along with the cracked glass.

Danny nodded again, not really sure how to take a compliment.

"How do I have powers?" Danny asked, gesturing to his human self. Clockwork tilted his head to the side, a little confused but now that he had his staff he could see what had happened to the halfa.

"Ah, yes, you've been split, this isn't a very good time to talk about that but I'll humor you." Clockwork said, he seemed distracted, like something else was going on. "Basically, humans become the ghosts in the Ghost Zone, while ghosts are the 'humans' in the Ghost Zone." Clockwork explained with little thought as the ghost was focusing on something else and not really paying attention to what he was saying.

Danny was a little confused by the information but nodded just the same, he thought he understood.

"What do we do now? How do I put myself back into one?" Danny asked, Clockwork nodded.

"Yes, that is the issue as of right now. Lots of pieces are at play, some with good intentions, some with bad. Currently your ghost half is having trouble with your, uh, dark side, so to say." Clockwork said, Danny froze up, he need to be put back together right now!

"But help is on the way, Martian Manhunter has come back with a friend, realizing that you are now in here. Something else is happening, but I can't see it." Clockwork trailed off.

They stood in silence for a few seconds, Clockwork seeing with his mind's eye some other scene taking place. He wore a frown, one of concern and a little bit of anger. He seemed finished as he opened his red eyes, looking down at his little halfa friend.

"You must be put back together again, Martian Manhunter will help you, he's already got your other half. You and your counterpart must go through the machine that separated you, through the opposite side, mind you." Clockwork said, still leaning on his staff for much of his support.

"What will you do?" Danny asked, having a feeling Clockwork wasn't coming with him.

"I have some unfinished business with that portal, the one I realize the GIW tried to use for their experiments. They will be sorely mistaken." Clockwork said with a dark look to the door of his cell.

"One more thing Danny before we part. Every ghost has a core, a burning desire within them that makes them a ghost. Your core is what makes all hero's heroes." He said cryptically, Danny frowned in confusion.

"What's that?"

"You are kind, your time with the GIW has made you meek and humble, never looking for a fight. But the moment your friends are in danger, the moment that evil has the upper hand your gentle words become harsh, kind hands become fists. The meekness inside of you takes a backseat as your desire to protect others above all else settles in front. That is your core. It is what makes you dangerous. Gentility does not equate weakness but knowing when to use strength, it is a protective quality." Clockwork said, gently pointing to Danny's chest.

Danny's mouth was a big O, he understood now, well, not all the way, but mostly. That's why he didn't freak out when Plasmius attacked, he felt obligated to protect Roy. That feeling oh so long ago in Bruce's kitchen when he first met Dick, concerned not for himself but his family. Every other time he freaked out was when he didn't have anyone to protect, so he had protected himself in a very odd fashion, resulting in the vision things Clockwork already explained.

But now that he had that information, what would he do with it? It had to be relevant, Clockwork was too smart to blatantly give away information.

Clockwork smiled as he saw the information settle with the boy, he straightened and drew a big circle in the air with his staff.  A huge clock formed and Clockwork said one last piece of advice, "I will not be far. Don't hesitate to ask for help, for asking for help is never a weakness."

Clockwork entered his time portal thing Danny didn't have the name of and the light was gone. Leaving Danny in the cold room alone. He looked to the wall he had phased through before, he had to find Martian Manhunter and his other half quickly.

A new feeling of determination filled him, now he knew why he was feeling this way. He had to protect the other ghosts from the GIW, including his family and the other heroes. They didn't know how to fight the GIW, Danny did, it was an obvious choice.

Danny was going to put an end to the GIW.

-0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0-

Ghost Danny laid on the ground, sweating with the effort to keep the evil at bay. He realized how weak his ghost half was without his human part, how vital both were to sustaining the barrier he created around his evil self.

He had his eyes closed tight, his limbs were fidgeting, control over his body was switching dramatically between his hero side and his darker one.  He didn't see the large form of a ghost coming his way, although the icy breath did make its way out of his parted mouth.

The ghost flew at him, entering his body.

It was like his mind got pulled back, he yelled as he was now falling in a dark space. He didn't know where the GIW base had gone, but he felt small and vulnerable.

He landed with a thump and an 'oof' on some unknown ground, he wearily sat up and realized his wounds were gone but the pain was still there. Where was he?

"In your mind."

Danny twisted around, frantically trying to find the voice that came from everywhere.

"Who are you? Why is everything so dark?" he asked the empty abyss with wide eyes, trying to find any hint of movement.

"Your eyes are closed, and let's just say I have interest in keeping you alive."

"What?" Danny let his tense arms go limp, this was super confusing.

"Your evil side, your nightmarish side, is being unruly, I can help you control it." The voice said, Danny noticed it vaguely sounded like his but much deeper.

"Help me?" Danny asked, "How? How did you know I was struggling?" He raised his fists again, he was still weary of this voice. "And how are you, uh, we in my head?"

"I've seen your dark side, how powerful it is, and how measly of a lock you put on it. I simply entered your mind and pulled you with me. But that's besides the point." The voice was moving, circling around the little ghost slowly. Danny turned as it moved, vaguely remembering Clockwork's description of the Lion and the Antelope. Danny silently wished he had a herd to hide in.

"Then what is the point?" Danny asked, he was liking this less and less, but was curious on how this strange voice would help him.

"The point is you need help, badly, and I can offer a solution, temporarily as it may be."

"How?"

The voice didn't answer as something began to hiss, Danny paled with wide eyes. Crap.

Another ghostly Danny came out of the darkness, the shadows seemed to move with him, sucking out all the light and hope. Nightmare Danny lunged at him. Danny yelped and tried to dodge but was caught by the weird shadows that helped his dark side.

He was thrown to the ground, then lifted by his collar to meet the blood red gaze of his worse Nightmare. His face was exactly like his, save it be the red eyes, and that's what scared him. It was so easy, so much simpler to succumb to the darkness.

Nightmare gave him a devilish grin, showing fangs that dripped blood. Danny grabbed at the hands holding him up, trying to pry him off.

"I'Ve been Asleep fOr Too lOng... "

Danny winced and closed his eyes at the sound of Nightmare's voice. It sounded like nails on a chalkboard mixed with guttural growls he imagined a dragon would have.

"someoNe NeEds to DIE and iT won't Be Me." Nightmare hissed, tossing the weak ghost to the ground.

Danny slowly turned, half scrambling backwards from the stalking boy. His green eyes were wide in panic, his mind to frozen to contemplate escape. His nightmares were coming true and there was nothing he could do to stop it.

Nightmare lunged forward again, only to be stopped when his hands were millimeters away from ghost Danny's face. Danny opened an eye when the blow didn't come, looking up to see a large black and white ghost with flaming hair and red eyes holding his Nightmare back. He had a long white cape and was extremely muscled, having blue skin and pointy ears, a weird DP symbol on his chest. He looked like a hero.

"Do we have a deal?" The older ghost asked, looking down at the helpless Danny.

Nightmare writhed in the ghost's hand, his body going in and out of becoming black and red fog but unable to break from the strong grip.

Danny nodded, though never thought what exactly he agreed to.

The older ghost smiled, though not warmly, more like how one would smile when someone landed on their hotel in monopoly. It was a smile of victory.

He let Nightmare go for a second, putting his hands together like making a snowball, a giant ball of writhing ectoplasm formed in his hands. He threw it to the ground and Danny closed his eyes at the bright light, hearing the tortured screams of his nightmare.

-0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0-

The screaming died away and Danny blinked open his eyes. He was back in the real world.

He was being moved, the person carrying him running. His mind immediately went to GIW, but figured the GIW would never carry him, they would drag him. Then he finally recognised the man.

Roy.

Danny had no idea how he had gotten here but he was immensely happy he was. He moved his weak arms to hug the archer, grabbing the vigilante's attention.

"Danny! hold on just a little longer, we're almost out." Roy said, his voice was laced with worry, his core undeniably the same. Danny would have been happy at this information, but he knew for a fact he was not all there.

"w-wait..." He tried to get them to stop, he needed his other half!

Roy slowed but did not stop, Danny winced as he was jostled about, his injuries were very painful in the least, but at least Nightmare was taken care of.

"o-other h-half... n-need.." Danny began to cough, there was something in his throat.

Suddenly Martian Manhunter was there, Danny started to get an idea of what was happening. Chaos, things were blowing up, agents were yelling, and they were in the center of it all.

"He is right, this is not all of Danny." Manhunter said, his red eyes reminded Danny of Clockwork.

Roy looked at him confusedly, "Not all of him?"

Danny squeaked as he heard his name being called, a distant 'phantom!' making its way to his ears through the chaos that was surrounding them. Roy and Martian Manhunter heard it too.

"Is that...?" Roy asked, squinting through all the fires and smoke to see a tiny figure that looked like Danny waving at them.

"h-half.." Danny said again, wincing as another cough rattled his fragile body.

"Common." Roy said as he started off again, this time running to the other half of the boy in his arms.

Ghost Danny was not doing well, things were going in and out of weird proportions, his hearing was off as he heard his own heartbeat but the sounds of yelling were nothing more than whispers. His eyes struggled to stay open, and when they were open all he saw was fuzz, finding another recognizable figure as his own. Human Danny stood in front of him with an extremely worried face, for some reason Ghost Danny could see him very well.

He could not talk, nor did he have the energy to, but he felt this need to say something. Other voices were heard, but the ghost had no idea what they were saying, everything was in a fog. His vision clouded once more, his ears began to ring and his body fell limply exhausted.

He felt himself being pulled, he made out a green haze they were walking to, or dragging to. He felt the green pass over him, then an odd sensation of warmth. His eyes opened and he picked himself up, finding himself to be one Danny again.

He was still in ghost form and his injuries were still very much painful but now that he was together again he had the energy to do exactly what he planned. Roy and Manhunter came closer, Roy firing a few arrows into the throng of chaos that they caused.

"You good?" Roy asked, not exactly sure about anything in this place except that it needed to be burned.

Danny nodded, something was still stuck in his throat. It was only then did he realize it was the collar, it was tightening and crushing his vocal chords. His eyes widened and he quickly grabbed Roy and pointed to his neck. Roy narrowed his eyes in a scowl and swiftly removed the collar, his outrage only intensified by the damage already done to the halfa's neck.

"Don't worry Danny, we'll get out of here soon enough and you'll be cracking jokes with Robin in no time." Roy said, he stood and motioned him forward Danny followed with his own determined scowl.

The three raced down the hallways, shooting the occasional agent and avoiding fires. They made it to the edge of a huge hole in the building, Danny got his first look at the black sky and dim green swirls.

He felt saddened by the sight but didn't focus on it as they were shot at from behind. Manhunter froze the lasers and grabbed roy in something like a side hug. He flew backwards, carrying Roy with him and Danny leaped off the broken building flying over to his friends.

They sped away, Roy firing arrow after arrow behind them, Danny's legs colliding to form a ghostly tail. He gained speed somehow but knew his energy was lacking, the return of his two forms gave him enough energy to fly but he knew it would only last so long. Manhunter led them to a green portal, akin to the one the GIW made Danny go through but much dimmer and controlled.

Danny raced twards it with no hesitation, knowing the GIW was on their tails. All three went through it at the same time, landing a bit harshly on a rocky surface.

Danny fell and rolled painfully to a stop, his eyes open just enough to see lots of rubble and his two friends picking themselves up from the sudden fall. Adrenaline numbed his pain so far, but now it was beginning to leave him and pain overtook his other senses.

But his eyes widened when he saw a giant missile like projectile fly through the portal, hitting some of the rubble and exploding.

Danny lost track of his friends, he scrambled painfully to his feet and mustered enough energy to fly up to get away from the quickly approaching blast. Heat engulfed him and something hard hit his head and he blacked out.

-0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0-

Ash fell like snow on the ground, the building that once stood was nothing more than a pile of rocks. Sparks sizzled here and there, large boulders that used to be the foundation of the house were strewn about the street.

Dark grey clouds covered the sky, the mushroom cloud that had accompanied the explosion had finally dissipated. It was dark and murky, the other buildings close by also in ruins, although not quite as destroyed as the building that was hit.

The destruction could be seen from miles away, the already rundown house of the Fentons had been obliterated. People suspected a terrorist attack, maybe even an accidental military bombing experiment. But it was so fresh not even the military came to claim it.

Rocks were everywhere, some landing in the other streets. the stinging smell of fire and ash burned the noses that could smell it. The ground was covered with a light ash, again completing the wintery look with a much darker twist. Some rocks were piled high, others stranded in the streets, some still moved as they settled.

Small hands picked up one of the rocks larger rocks, slowly as it was heavy for the figure, seeing light filter through the hole to reveal an ashen face with snow white hair.