Disclaimer: I don't own Danny Phantom
Summary: A bit of a rewrite to "Fright Before Christmas". Danny, fed up with his parents, goes to the ghost zone and learns of the truce. The ghosts show him why they have the truce and explain a bit of their nature (like WHY they're ghosts). Then, during some time alone to clear his head, Danny meets up with a little girl who helps him understand a bit more of the true meaning of Christmas
Warning: This is my first try at a religious fiction. There are a good many Christian references and even a passage from the Bible. If you're not into this type of stuff or if you're easily offended, stop reading now!
YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!
A Christmas to Remember
Danny was sulking. It was Christmas Eve and his parents were arguing . This happened EVERY year. His father would get excited about Santa, his mother would argue that there is no Santa and they'd spend from Thanksgiving to December 26th arguing.
Of course, one would hate the holidays too if your first Christmas consisted of a dog marking its territory on you. And then your fifth one consisted of your turkey dinner attempting to eat you.
Now this was Danny's first Christmas with his powers and it didn't seem that even Danny Phantom could end this argument.
"I've had ENOUGH of this!" Danny exclaimed, patience snapping between the stress of the secret and the stress his parents were causing.
"Danny?" Jazz asked being the only one who heard the exclamation
When she saw the hurt and pain in her brother's eyes after being ignored, she hugged him. However, he pushed away.
"I don't want to go through another Christmas of THIS!" Danny exclaimed. "I'd tell them my secret just to SHUT THEM UP!"
"There's no reason to go drastic"
"Well I can't TALK to them about it!" he argued, eyes flashing neon green indicating to his sister that he was REALLY mad. Luckily, she was smart enough to know it wasn't her that he was angry with. "I've watched for 12 years you attempting to stop them, but each year it's the SAME THING!. Maybe I'll go through with it this year"
"Go through with what?" she asked nervously.
"Something I've been planning for since I was 10" Danny told her "But I've never gone through with it because I didn't have any transportation. But now that I'm half ghost…"
"Danny. No. It's better just to tell them you're secret than to do THAT!" she argued trying to stop her brother "Just don't…"
"I've made up my mind Jazz!" he told her as he backed away from her knowing she was going to try and stop him. "I'll check up each December and I'll return when they can act like adults! Explain it to them, Sam, and Tucker."
"Where will you go?" Jazz asked
"Probably the Ghost Zone" Danny told her "After that, who knows?"
Danny then grabbed his coat, and walked out the door slamming it so hard, the stockings fell off the fireplace.
"What's with him?" Jack asked forgetting the argument for a minute.
Jazz opened the door and saw a bit of distorted air sink into the ground. For a minute, she contemplated going down to the lab to try again, but she realized that this was her chance. She could show her parents their mistake
"You two have gone TOO far this time!" she yelled "For as long as I can remember, which was Danny's FIRST Christmas, you two have argued about the existence of Santa Claus. Because of that, Danny's had 14 MISERABLE Christmas'! It's a miracle I don't hate the holidays as much as he does! Now he's taken off and doesn't intend to come back until NEXT year unless you two are STILL arguing!"
"Jack. Get the R.V. Started" Maddie said. "We've got to find Danny!"
"Right" Jack said
0000
Of course, they had no idea they were looking in the wrong dimension.
Danny Phantom was flying in the ghost zone trying so hard to keep the years worth of tears at bay. He needed to talk to someone. Of course, his best ally would be Clockwork…
"yeah. Clockwork" Danny stated as he flew to the Keeper of Time's lair
When he got there, there was a note on the door.
Meet me at Skulker's lair for the Christmas Party. I will explain when you get there.
CW
"Christmas party?" Danny asked not sure if he should be horrified or confused.
Oh well. Maybe fighting off Skulker would help keep his mind off the fact he had JUST ran away from home.
When Danny got to the lair, he knocked on the door not really in the mood to fight.
The door opened to reveal the Ghost Ghosthunter
"Oh good. You're here." Skulker said
"Huh?" Danny asked as he was pulled into the home of his enemy and saw his foes and even some of his ghost friends like Clockwork and Wulf
"Now we can really get this party started" Ember said
"Do your worst" Danny sighed not really up for fighting
Ghost crickets were heard
"You're not going to attack?" Danny asked
"You don't know of the Christmas truce?" Skulker asked
"Of course not Skulker" Clockwork said as he floated over to Danny "He's only been a Halfa for half a year"
The other ghosts, even Danny, groaned
"That wasn't meant to be a pun" Clockwork said
"So there's a Christmas truce?" Danny asked
"Yes." The Lunch Lady said. "Every Christmas we gather together for friendly chit chat. Then on December 26, WE UNLEASE OUR UNSPEAKABLE TERROR! Christmas Cookie?"
"But why?" Danny asked as he decided to accept the cookie
The ghosts starred at him as if he had grown two heads
"What?" he asked
"Clockwork…you better show him" Spectra said
Clockwork nodded and waved his staff creating a vortex. The ghosts all went through.
Danny found himself in a field near a few shepherds who were watching their flock.
"Remain invisible" Clockwork instructed in a whisper
"Why?" Danny asked
Suddenly, one of the stars started shining brighter than the sun. Suddenly, he started hearing a quote that brought him back to one of his few favorite Christmas'
Flashback
4 year old Danny stood in front of his sister's bedroom door. His parents were arguing downstairs so he couldn't talk to them. Which left his sister. So he opened the door and found her reading a large book, as usual
"Danny?" 6 year old Jazz asked when she looked up and saw her brother.
"Jazz? Why are Mommy and Daddy fighting?" he asked innocently.
"You'll get used to it" Jazz sighed as she sat up "Mommy doesn't think Santa's real"
"What do you think?" Danny asked
"I'm really not sure." She admitted. "But did you know that Santa's not the real star at Christmas?"
"He's not?" Danny asked, eyes wide with shock
"Nope" she said "Christmas is really a birthday celebration. I found this out after watching a 'Charlie Brown Christmas'"
She picked the book up to reveal that it was a Bible, given to her by her maternal grandparents now that she was able to read. She placed the Bible in her lap, wrapped her arm around her brother, and picked up where she had left off
"'And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child'" (Luke 2: 1-17 KJV)
End Flashback
Danny, hearing his sister's six-year-old voice along with the male angelic voice, jumped a bit as the multitude of other angels appeared singing
When the angels left, the shepherds turned to each other
"Let us to Bethlehem" one of them said before leaving their flock
"Do we follow?" Danny asked
"No!" the chorus came
Danny was shocked. Not at the hastiness of the answer, but at the fact that every one of them looked terrified of the idea
"What?" Danny asked
"Did you not hear?" Ember asked when they got back to their own time. "We're ghosts for a REASON!"
"Due to the fact your not REALLY a ghost, you may be able to, but just…think about what you just asked" Skulker asked
"Oh" Danny realized
He guessed the concept of actually looking upon the face of God would scare any ghost. Even if the face was the face of a newborn baby, God is God.
"Just to give you an idea," Clockwork said. "The ghosts that first imprisoned Pariah Dark…THEY'RE terrified of Him"
"So…you're terrified of him, but you celebrate his birthday?"
"We were humans once too" Technus reminded the boy before throwing a teasing glance at Skulker. "Some a bit more recently than others"
"HEY!" Skulker exclaimed indignantly catching the 'you're old' hint
"What these guys mean to say," Desiree explained. "Just because we're terrified to see him face-to-face, doesn't mean we don't respect him. As we were humans once ourselves, for the day he came to Earth, we go with that whole 'Peace and Goodwill' thing"
"I'm…I need to clear my head" Danny said. "Wulf?"
Wulf nodded and slashed a portal to the real world and shared a wink with Clockwork.
Danny flew out and transformed
He found himself in New York.
After walking around a bit, he found a little blond girl, about 4 years old, looking at a large Nativity scene. The girl looked like she was freezing though people were walking right past her as if she wasn't there.
"And people think I don't have any Christmas spirit?" Danny asked as he took off his jacket and walked over to the girl and placed the jacket over her shoulders. She turned a pair of blue eyes towards him.
"Where are your parents?" he asked
"At home" she said before turning back to the scene. "I just like to come down and look at this. My name's Hope"
"Danny" he introduced himself
"I've always loved this scene. You know this is what Christmas is all about?"
"I've been told" Danny confirmed.
"Look" she instructed. "A Mommy, a Daddy, though it's a Foster Daddy, but still a Daddy, and a Baby. This is why Family is so important at Christmas"
Danny felt a twinge of guilt sting his heart as he thought of the family he left behind. The two stared at the figurines in silence
"That was the very first Christmas present" Hope broke the silence
"Pardon?"
"God gave us his son to save us. You know he died to save Mankind?" she told him
"Religious life is NOT the top priority of my family" Danny explained.
"He was born to die" Hope explained. "On the cross. The worst form of death of time. The Son of God! They killed their own God"
"How can one be God and the Son of God at the same time?" the scientific part of Danny's brain he inherited from his mother made him ask
"There are some things in life humans aren't supposed to know" she said "This is one of those things"
Danny had never really thought of that. He guessed that was the price for having scientists for parents.
"Everything happens for a reason" Hope continued "Like if someone survives an accident that they should have died in."
Danny felt the color drain from his face. Did the girl know? And if so, how?
"You shouldn't consider what you have a curse, but rather a gift." Hope told Danny "you were given those powers, to help you prevent unnecessary deaths provided by those too scared to face Him. And your friends… consider them blessings. As for your foes, be thankful you have them for they help you with your gift.
"And as for your parents, they love you no matter what. In their eyes, you are their son and the most important thing to them above all else…along with your sister who only wants the best for you. You need them. And if you fear for a Dark Future, fear not. You have a good heart Daniel Fenton. Don't ignore it and it won't steer you wrong"
Before Danny could respond in confusion, he turned to her and found that she was gone
He turned back to the scene, Hope's voice echoing in his head
"This why Family is so important at Christmas"
"That was the very first Christmas present"
"Everything happens for a reason"
"You shouldn't consider what you have a curse, but rather a gift."
"And if you fear for a Dark Future, fear not"
"Don't ignore it and it won't steer you wrong"
Danny pulled out his cell phone and turned it on
60 missed calls. He checked his watch to find he had been gone for 3 hours
Danny sat on the bench and checked his voice message. Most were from his frantic mother with the occasional Father, Sister, and two best friends. However, Danny noticed that with each of his mother's messages, each one sounded more desperate than the last. Even Sam's messages sounded downright desperate. Though the messages were basically the same: Come back home
"as for your parents, they love you no matter what. In their eyes, you are their son and the most important thing to them above all else…along with your sister who only wants the best for you. You need them"
Danny went ghost and flew into the portal Wulf created
"did you get your head cleared?" Clockwork asked knowingly
"That shouldn't have been hard" Ember whispered to Skulker
"Yeah. I should head home." Danny said "I need to have a LONG talk with my parents"
"Understandable. You may be a ghost, but you're more human" Spectra said
"Thanks for the evening" Danny said
"Just remember Whelp" Skulker said. "Come December 26th, it's back to business."
"Until next December 24th." Danny reminded him before flying off
0000
Back at Fenton Works,
Jazz, having spent the last 30 minutes answering her father's question as to just why Danny hated Christmas by explaining each of his Christmas'.
"And finally, he's been under a lot of stress since the accident the LAST thing he needed was your bickering!" she finished. "Any questions?"
"Why didn't Danny come to us?" Maddie asked
"For the past 13, now 14, Christmas' you've ignored us" Jazz answered
"And the stress from the accident?" Jack asked
"It's not my place to explain" Jazz said "But…Danny's been scared of how you two would react…Look. It's late. We've had a rough night. Maybe if we try to get some rest, we can think of places to find Danny"
"That's right!" Jack said. "If we don't get to bed, Santa won't come"
The two women rolled their eyes as Jack placed a tray of Cookies and Milk by the fireplace.
Suddenly, a ghost materialized in the room. But no ordinary ghost
"YOU!" Jack exclaimed dangerously before realizing he left his Fenton Bazooka downstairs
Jazz's eyes lit up with excitement as Maddie sighed
"Look Phantom" she sighed. "I'm just not in the mood to hunt you right now"
"Well, I'm not really in the mood to BE hunted, so we're even" Danny said in ghost form before winking at Jazz.
"Say…" Jack said getting an idea. "Phantom. You can fly and stuff. I'll make you a deal. You find my boy and talk him into coming home, and we won't hunt you"
"Please Phantom" Maddie begged "I need my baby boy back home. I will be eternally indebted to you"
"No. Please don't feel that way" Danny told his mother amazed at just how much his action had affected his parents. He took a deep breath. It was now or never. "But before I go, I want you to know something about me…"
He took Maddie's hand and placed her fingers on his neck.
"You…you have a pulse?" she asked stunned
"I thought ghosts were dead" Jack said scratching his head confused
"I was involved in a lab accident where a large blast of ectoplasm radiated onto my DNA molecules" Danny explained "If it wasn't for a bit of…intervention on a more than supernatural level… I would look like this 24/7 instead of being able to do this to hide it"
Danny closed his eyes and willed the transformation.
There, right in front of his parents, Danny Phantom turned into Danny Fenton
"Danny!" Maddie exclaimed before scooping Danny up in a tight hug "Don't you EVER scare me again like that again young man! I'm so sorry. We should have realized we were ignoring you and your sister"
"I'm sorry too" Danny apologized as he wrapped his arms around his mother
"Good to have you home, Son" Jack said as he joined in the hug
Not wanting to feel left out, Jazz shrugged and joined the group hug
"Where'd you go?" Jack asked once the emotional part ended
"Ghost Zone, Israel 2000 years ago, back to the present day Ghost Zone, New York, Ghost Zone again, and then I came back"
"What were you doing in Israel?" Maddie asked
"Christmas History lesson. As for New York, that was just luck" Danny said "but, all in all, I learned that there's more to Christmas than just getting gifts from Santa. It's about being with the ones you love and who loves you: your family. After all, Love is the greatest gift we have"
"That's right" Jazz said dialing her cell phone "Sam….Jazz. Danny's home. Sure. Hold on"
Jazz held her phone out for Danny who reluctantly took it
"Hello?" he asked bracing for the worst.
He got it
"DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW WORRIED WE WERE WHEN YOUR MOM CALL ASKING MY FAMILY IF YOU WERE HERE! I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU WOULD DO SOMETHING SO CHILDISH AS TO RUN AWAY FROM HOME…."
"Hold on Sam" Danny said hearing his own cell phone ring and then turned to his parents "I turned it back on when I was in New York."
He answered his phone.
"Hello?...Hey Tuck….How'd you hear? Ah. Caroling in front of Sam's house and you heard her yell at me. That would do it…I'll explain everything day after tomorrow."
Sam had calmed down a bit due to a bit on confusion as to why Danny didn't want to get away from his family tomorrow.
"Because Christmas is a time to be with one's family Sam" Danny explained. "See you day after tomorrow"
He hung up both cells and yawned.
"Let's go to bed" Maddie suggested "We'll talk about you being Danny Phantom tomorrow"
The family went upstairs and Danny went into his room after being hugged by all three members of his family.
The ghost boy froze when he turned to his bed. On his bed was the jacket he had given to Hope
"But…she couldn't have been a ghost. My ghost sense didn't go off" he argued with himself as he picked up the jacket
He froze again. Could she have been…an angel?
He may never know
00000
The next morning,
Presents were opened and now the Fenton Family was having a bit of Family bonding time unaware of the gaggle of ghosts watching the halfa enjoy his day off.
Suddenly, a new ghost, not noticing the spies, appeared
"Plasmius!" Danny exclaimed in shock.
"It's time for my Christmas present" Plasmius said flying towards Maddie.
"Stay away from her!" Danny shouted as he pulled her from his path so that the arch foe crashed into a snow bank.
"That was probably your lamest move yet, Daniel" Plasmius said powering up for an ectoblast
"DANNY!" Sam and Tucker's voice came
Danny turned and saw his friends looking worriedly as they had no clue that his parents knew
"Don't tell me you haven't heard of the Truce?" Danny told the older Halfa.
"The Truce?" Plasmius asked
"ALL ghosts, even half ones, follow the truce." Danny said. "There's no fighting amongst ourselves NOR against humans."
"It's against the rules for a ghost to attack on Christmas" Walker said making himself known as Skulker took hold of Plasmius by placing him in a holding container.
Plasmius turned to Danny and saw the boy looking a bit smug.
"Get me out of this and I won't tell your parents your little secret" Plasmius bribed
"Hmm…You in ghost jail and my parents knowing or you free as a lark causing more havoc?" Danny pretended to weigh the options.
"Your son is Danny Phantom!" Plasmius announced to the Fentons
Sam and Tucker winced and braced for the reaction
"We know." Maddie said.
"Huh?" Plasmius, Sam, and Tucker asked
"And we're proud of him" Jack added as he placed his arm around his son's shoulder.
"Let's see…" Danny said. "They know my secret, yet they don't know yours. Didn't we have a little agreement that if you told, I'd tell or if I told, you'd tell?"
"You wouldn't" Plasmius hissed.
"Not today" Danny told him. "I don't want to mess us Christmas. Walker. Do your thing"
"With pleasure" Walker said before vanishing with Plasmius and Skulker
"Who were they?" Jack asked his son
"The white one was Walker, He's the ghost that overshadowed the mayor and framed me. He's upset that I escaped from his jail while trying to get the present you gave Mom for your anniversary which I accidentally knocked into the Ghost Zone while cleaning the lab" Danny explained "the ghost in the armor was Skulker. He's a ghost ghost hunter. He's after me because I'm considered a halfa which is a rare breed. Funny he can catch Plasmius who's also a halfa and not me."
"I take it then the ghost that attacked me was Plasmius." Maddie figured
"Also known as VlOW!" Jazz started before being elbowed by her brother.
"Not on Christmas" he told her before turning to his parents. "Plasmius is my arch enemy. He wants me as his evil apprentice and to kill Dad for some reason. But he's just a crazed Froot-Loop who SO needs a cat"
"A cat?" Maddie asked
Flashback
"Bye Vlad! Might I suggest an internet dating service? Or a CAT?"
End Flashback
Come to think of it, the ghost DID sound a LOT like Vlad.
"You mean…"
"Mom." Danny said giving her a look "Christmas?"
Realizing what her son meant, she nodded.
The last thing Jack needed on Christmas was to find out that his best friend wanted him dead.
"Uh…Danny?" Tucker asked looking confused.
"Hey guys. Why aren't you with your families?" Danny asked
"I can only stand mine for so long" Sam said
"And Sam wanted to make sure you're okay" Tucker said.
"I'm fine" Danny confirmed.
Suddenly, he was hit in the head by a snowball. He turned and saw his sister whistling innocently
Danny scooped up some snow and threw it at his sister
"Snowball fight!" Jack yelled
The group got into teams and started pelting each other with snowballs.
Clockwork looked down on the scene and then up at the sun. He saw something faintly on one of the clouds.
It was a small guardian angel, one of the few heavenly beings ghosts could handle. He gave her a thumbs up to indicate a job well done.
Hope returned the gesture. The future was looking bright.
The End
A/N: Please don't be too brutal. It was my first try at a religious themed fan-fiction. I usually keep religion out of my fan-fictions, but I thought I'd give it a try this ONCE.
Also, I'm sorry if I offended anyone, but if I did, you had been warned in my profile, the summary, and just before the story started.
BTW: Merry Christmas