Prologue: Revelation
Jack Fenton darted around the corner, holding one of his ecto-guns tightly. He wasn't one for stealth with his large size, but he couldn't have a ghost fight going on so close to where he and his family were having a picnic! Especially since Danny had walked off on his own earlier. What if he was hurt?
"Leave me alone!" He heard the Ghost Boy, Inviso-Bill – Danny Phantom, according to him, though Jack would never use his first name due to it being JUST like his precious Danny-boy's name – yell and then a deafening scream that made Jack cover his ears and look out filled the air. Ectoplastic waves were coming from the ghost's mouth, shredding the weaker ghosts to pieces. Finally, he slumped a bit and lowered to the ground.
His eyes widened when he saw a two rings appear around the ghost boy's waist and then move up and down his body away from each other, revealing his dear boy Danny Fenton in his place. 'What…?' Jack thought.
Danny got up, dusted himself off and looked around before nodding firmly and heading back towards the picnic site. Jack holstered his gun and headed back his own way. He had a lot to think about.
Was Phantom taking the form of his son? Or was his son taking the form of Phantom? Either way, he knew that telling Maddie was right out; she'd never understand, would go into shock or panic and shoot their boy claiming Phantom killed him and took his body. Which could very well BE what happened, but the best way to find out for sure would be to observe and question after setting up a situation where he would HAVE to tell him.
The question, however, was how to set that up without him figuring it out? He sat down and listened to Danny talk about an animal he saw while on his walk and wondered just how long his son had been lying to him, his mother, and his sister. And did Jazzy-pants know? No, if she knew then she would've told them, she was their good girl Jazmine Fenton. And a Fenton never breaks the rules or lies to their parents, right?
However, he considered as he ate a carrot stick from the picnic they'd packed, it WOULD explain why he was never around when the ghost boy was – aside from those times when Danny was just acting COMPLETELY out-of-character – and why his grades were slipping so bad so suddenly. His skipped classes, his being out late, his nervous reactions whenever he showed him something that would kill a ghost ruthlessly. Heck, it even explained the BOOmerang's fascination with him, among other things.
These were all just theory, though. And while he played the fool and was the class clown, Jack Fenton was NOT any fool, he had a genius intelligence level, and he knew better than to make any moves strictly on theory. He needed evidence, proof. He needed testimony. Basically, he needed to see him change in front of him in a situation where he couldn't just run into the shadows and hide.
"Jack, have a sandwich." Maddie handed him a wrapped package. "Danny put it together this morning, after helping me make some jam." She smiled proudly at her boy.
"Don't mind if I do!" Jack said, beaming as he opened it and took a bite. "Mm! Deeeelicious! Your cooking has improved, Danno!"
"Aw, now you're just flattering me! Mom had a big part, y'know!" Danny said, and then they all laughed.
Like nothing was wrong. Like Danny hadn't been lying to them for who knows how long. Like he was still their son, and didn't change into a ghost to fight other ghosts and rob banks and terrorize and destroy the town in petty battles against other stronger ghosts.
But, this was all theory. No need to look at him like anything but until he had proof or, even better, a confession straight from the boy's lips.
He needed to come up with a way to get him to give up that information, and he was pretty sure he knew how to do it.