You know, I said I wouldn't write any new stories when I came back. I thought I was only finishing the stories I had left behind... Clearly, my brain had other ideas. Hope you enjoy this one-shot. Thanks for reading and don't forget to R&R - MATW

The one thing Clockwork hated more than anything else in the world was Time. Sure, he was the Master of Time, sees the world like a parade and so on, but unfortunately for Clockwork, it was rather boring to be all knowing. And those Observants? Don't get him started.

Clockwork was bound to watch over the time stream, nudge it along to correct whatever the Observants felt was the 'correct timeline.' Most of the time, it was minor things; casually suggest to a college student to create a social network platform that changes the world, bring together three nations to help land on D-Day. Sometimes, they were huge. This time, however, Clockwork couldn't figure out if their plan was out of fear or out of respect for the 'correct timeline.'

The case in question? Danny Phantom and the C.A.T.

Clockwork had looked at all possibilities of the boy's outcome – all nineteen million, twenty-four thousand, five hundred and eighty-nine of them. Most of them were actually quite nice and heroic. Quite a few tragedies too. Roughly eighty-five thousand six hundred and ninety-three involved him becoming evil at some point in his life. Three hundred and twenty-five show he manages to rise up above the turmoil and still be a hero. And, there were still zero timelines where Danny Fenton cheats on the C.A.T. Steal the answers, yes. He even opened the envelope! But never, in nineteen million, twenty-four thousand, five hundred and eighty-nine possible timelines, does Danny Fenton cheat on the C.A.T.

So, how was Clockwork supposed to let him die? This was the question the ageless ghost grappled with as he watched another timeline. In the current one, Danny Fenton never goes into the Ghost portal, but never managed to become an astronaut. Failed his interview at a top school because his Dad thought the interviewer was a ghost (she was).

Clockwork frowned as he shifted his watch glass to the current timeline unfolding. He shifted from a child to an adult with narrowed eyes, watching as Danny managed to get the time medallion out thanks to the Ghost Gauntlets and was rounding up whatever weapons Plasmius had in the old run down lab he lived in. Four hundred and two possible timelines now; only one where Danny survives. Unfortunately for Clockwork, it's the same one where he will become Dark Danny.

Clockwork sighed, shifting into his elderly form. "I guess this is it, isn't it," he said into the nothingness of his lair. Clockwork had nudged the boy into taking a different approach – sure he'd lose a loved one or two, but at least he'd be him! He wouldn't have to worry about the future, and probably would have lived a normal-ish life. But Phantom was stubborn, he wanted all or nothing. Clockwork had seen it before, in men twice as old and far more powerful. However, he couldn't shake this boy's quest. Danny deserved better than what was coming to him.

So that was how Clockwork found himself at the battle, out of sight, with a few time medallions tucked away for safe keeping. He watched as Jazz Fenton came with the Fenton Peeler. Three hundred thrity-four left. Dark Danny put all the humans onto the vat of nasty sauce. Three hundred and eighteen now. Then, Danny Phantom flies into the fray, ready to face the biggest foe he'll ever face. Ninety-five. Suddenly, Clockwork felt the timeline shift.

Alarmed, Clockwork paid attention to what was happening in front of -five timelines suddenly shrunk down to twenty-five. And in all of them, Danny dies.

"Paradox," he said, a small smile on his face despite the grave situation. Clockwork hadn't seen a paradox in 1200 years – they helped spice up the parade just a bit. It meant that things were out of control now. It meant that he could be out of control now.

Clockwork got closer as he saw the ghosts face off. He could hear the roar of ecto-blasts in the distance, the screams of pain after exchanging of blows. They were down to thirteen possibilities. Dark Danny duplicated into four. Seven possibilities. Then Clockwork heard the exchange that would change everything.

"What makes you think you can change my past?" Dark Danny asked, merging back into one. Danny's friends and family were yelling through their restraints toward the injured teen. Clockwork could see the bruises and could sense his weakened core. Danny lifted his head and replied with conviction that Clockwork hadn't heard before from any being.

"Because I promised my family."

One. There was one timeline left. Clockwork blinked back in confusion and shock. There was always multiple timelines. At least two. There was never just one timeline remaining. Clockwork watched as Danny unleashed the Ghostly Wail to Dark Danny not once, but twice. Clockwork could see the exhaustion the poor boy's face, sense the desperation to succeed. This was not an evil ghost in the making. This was a fourteen year old child sacrificing himself for his family.

Danny transformed into his human half and collapsed onto all fours. Clockwork looked at the wide-eyed family, looking at the boy in disbelief. He couldn't blame them.

"Oh no," Danny said in anguish. Clockwork turned back to the boy. He had captured his evil ghost half, but was at least 30 seconds away from the Nasty Burger. Clockwork also knew that his ghost half suffered more injury than the boy was aware of at the present.

There was only one timeline.

Clockwork sighed as he watched the boy run frantically toward the Nasty Burger, trying to transform. Once. Twice. It was the third time that he succeeded.

Danny flew over to the vat of Nasty Sauce, gritting his teeth in pain and exhaustion. Concentrating only on saving his family, Danny put his outstretched hands onto the container and made himself intangible, making the vat intangible in the process. The bonds instantly disappeared, freeing his family who ran away as fast as they could. Wasting no time, Danny flew the vat as high as he could, grunting in exertion. Beads of sweat dripped from his forehead from the heat of the sauce. He heard the frantic screams of his family as his hands burned. Suddenly, there was a large bang, yells from all angles and pain through his entire body as he felt himself fall.

"Time Out," Clockwork said, hand outstretched, flying towards the explosion. Below him, he saw the frozen, distraught adults caught in mid stride running back towards the explosion. Above him, Clockwork saw Danny frozen falling head first, eyes closed and in mid transformation. He would not survive the fall. There was only one timeline.

Clockwork made time move slowly, watching the events move in slow motion. Danny still fell, slowly transforming back into his human half. Clockwork saw the burns on his hands and arms over the bruises he sustained from the injuries earlier. Danny fell past Clockwork, his body limply rolling in the air.

Frowning, the Time Master floated down towards the humans. Maddie and Jack Fenton ran towards their son, mouths open in mid-scream. Mr. Lancer was two steps behind them, guilt and horror etched onto his face. Behind the adults, Sam, Tucker and Jazz were frozen in place, eyes glued to falling boy.

Clockwork shifted forms again, back towards the elderly ghost he favoured during times of emotional stress. He studied the humans carefully, before fully stopping time once again. If this timeline unfolds, Maddie and Jack get a divorce, distraught over the loss of their son and the obliviousness of their parenting. Jazz leaves, never to set foot in her hometown again. Tucker mourns the loss of two best friends. Mr. Lancer quits teaching, never forgiving himself.

"Grief, tragedy and turmoil," Clockwork spoke to the frozen face of Mr. Lancer. He looked back above to Danny. "And all for a fourteen year old child, who saves his town and the lives of his friends, only to be punished for cheating." Clockwork's eyes narrowed in thought. Shifting forms to a child, he smiled. Of course; this was a paradox. There was only one timeline. So why couldn't he cheat this time? Create a new timeline, a new set of futures for this child. Clockwork floated towards the adults of the group. Cheating time was not a small task; he needed to prove that the choice was worthy, that there was a higher purpose. Time does not care for such trivial things like emotions. Time needed proof.

Clockwork's hand moved to the time medallions on his belt. Taking three, he placed one around Maddie's neck, another around Jack's and the final around Mr. Lancer's. In an instant, the adults continued to run.

"Danny!" Maddie cried, running toward the frozen form of her son. Jack hustled behind her. Neither parent noticed that time stopped around them.

Mr. Lancer, on the other hand, skidded to a stop and looked around. "The Clock that Went Backward!" he exclaimed, looking in awe at the cloud of fire and smoke above them, pieces of debris frozen in free fall from the explosion overhead. His vision found the frozen form of Danny Fenton still hanging from midair. He jogged over to the Fentons, now underneath their falling son and waiting to catch him.

"Danny! Son wake up!" Jack yelled. "Save yourself, please!"

"He will die."

All three adults jumped at Clockwork's voice. The Time Master shifted into the form of an adult once more. Both Fenton parents pulled out an ecto-weapon and pointed it towards the ghost floating towards them.

"Stay back, ghost!" Jack yelled.

"What did you do!?" Maddie said angrily.

Clockwork stopped in his tracks and sighed. He felt Time start to shift angrily, trying to reclaim control over the paradox – Clockwork had to act fast. "I stopped time. We're in a paradox and the only way to save him is to trust me."

Both Ghost Hunters softened at this, weapons lowering. Mr. Lancer, ever the academic, turned toward the new ghost. "Paradox?" he asked, "What's the paradox? Why did you stop time? How do we save him?"

Clockwork raised an eyebrow. "In order? There were never meant to be two Danny Phantoms in the same point of time, let alone facing off with each other. I stopped time because this child sacrifices himself to save his family and friends after believing that cheating on a test kills them. He will die on impact. If I save him from the fall, he will die from the overuse of his core. You all have the unfortunate task of convincing Time to save him."

The three adults looked at each other in shock and anguish. No one wanted Danny to die. Swallowing a lump in his throat, Jack spoke up. "What do we need to do?"

Clockwork raised his time staff, causing time to move a little. In the distance, Sam, Tucker and Jazz started to move towards the adults. Danny continued his slow fall towards his parents. Once he was a few feet above the ground, Clockwork stopped time again. Jack and Maddie jumped forward, assessing all the injuries on the battered boy. Mr. Lancer looked at Danny with familiar eyes, only to find himself thinking of the white haired ghost boy who seemingly haunts the high school halls.

"Danny Fenton is Danny Phantom. There is no separating them. He has done what he's done, made the choices he's made just as all of you," Clockwork started, gesturing to the boy. "Make a judgement. Should he live? Or should the timeline unfold?"

"What – Save him!" Maddie said in surprise. "Why shouldn't we save him? He's fourteen! He has his whole life to live!"

"What about Danny Phantom?" Clockwork asked. Maddie looked at him in shock. "When you look at Danny, do you see your son? Or do you see Phantom? The ghost you've been hunting all this time." Maddie stared at the ghost, before frowning in thought towards Danny. His face was blank and covered with bruises.

"Danny must have felt all alone," Jack said quietly to the frozen form of his son. Tenderly, he touched Danny's face, wiping away some debris. "He couldn't tell us, we were never there. We were too ghost crazy. I know I was."

Maddie looked up at her husband and smiled knowingly; she was feeling the same guilt. With watery eyes, she turned back at her son. "We could have done better." Maddie bent over and kissed his forehead. "We're so proud of you sweetheart."

Mr. Lancer looked at Maddie and Jack's interactions with Danny and reflected of his own. Danny Fenton was a C average student, constantly late and absent and always seemed to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. After today, everything made sense. Phantom was seen at all hours of the day and night fighting ghosts. There was no way he would have time to sleep let alone finish homework. Danny Fenton kept to himself, taking any punishment with a small nod of acceptance. He understood the risks. He didn't want the easy road.

He didn't want the easy road.

Eyes widened in realization as the last thought crossed his mind. Mr. Lancer turned to Clockwork. "He was never going to cheat, was he?" Clockwork didn't answer. "Danny had the answers, but he was never going to cheat. He never wants to show he was above the rules."

Mr. Lancer walked closer to Maddie and Jack, who looked up at him expectantly. "We save him by accepting him. We save him by having faith in the person we know he is. Ghost powers and all."

Clockwork felt Time push back against the paradox with a slight hum. He had to act before this timeline cemented. "Do you?" he asked, floating closer to the humans. "Will you accept him, the choices that he makes, and the mistakes that he makes in stride?" Clockwork was in front of them now. "Will you give him a second chance?"

Mr. Lancer, Maddie and Jack all nodded.

"Good," Clockwork said, raising his staff slightly. "Unfortunately, you all must sacrifice this knowledge for a little longer. When you are ready, take off your medallion."

Maddie and Jack whispered some words of encouragement, before taking off their medallions. Mr. Lancer looked in the face of his student and smiled. "Well done, Mr. Fenton," he said fondly, as he took off his medallion.

Clockwork smiled as he reversed time, watching the events in fly backwards. He took in every detail, trying to find the smallest change he could make to change the timeline. Stopping it at the point where Danny capped his thermos, Clockwork noticed a large rock, perfect for someone to trip on. He picked it up, turned invisible before he whispered the words "Time in."

"Oh no," Danny said in anguish, turning back to his friends and family. The boy ran, trying to save his family. There was still only one timeline. Clockwork stopped time again after Danny tried transforming the first time. Carefully, he put the rock in his path before continuing time. Clockwork watched the boy trip and look up at his family. The vat was going to explode. Danny blinked, Clockwork stopped time once more, flying over to the prisoners on the vat. He released the bonds and put them in a state of suspended animation.

Surveying his work, Clockwork smiled as he felt new timelines come to life. One timeline became nineteen million, twenty four thousand, five hundred and eighty-nine timelines again.

Clockwork felt Time smile back at him, happy with his work. Everything was as it should be.

"Time in."