summary: Danny has been thinking about Danielle, his female clone, ever since the disasteroid incident. For some reason, he doesn't feel like she should fit in the category of cousin, like they had originally agreed to. He thought of her as something more than that, not romantic or as a sister either. Could he be thinking of her as a... daughter?
Chapter 1: Fatherly Feelings
Danny's p.o.v.
It's been about two years since the disasteroid incident and I'm sixteen now. There is still the pressure of my double life, considering the fact that no one found out my secret. When my parents discovered that there was a robot in my place and that I was not with them when the asteroid came hurdling towards earth, I made the excuse that I felt sick and went home early. Of course, they believed it too.
Now that it's been a while, a lot has changed. Now that I am fighting ghosts, I train much more often. My build is stronger. To hide the scars that I've received over the past year, I wear baggy clothes. I act like I am weak and I don't fight back. I am always late to school and skipping classes so I am a troublemaker in my teacher's eyes. The reason I have a passing grade is because of Tucker and Sam's tutoring.
More ghosts have been getting into the mortal world. When the portal was first created by my parents, they didn't know that the ectoplasmic energy in the air made it more easier for natural portals to come more often on earth, especially in Amity Park. I'm stressed, considering the fact that the issue of the ghosts has recently gotten worse, but I manage.
But ever since Danielle, my female clone made by the fruit loop known as Vlad Masters/Plasmius, left after helping save the world, I've had this empty feeling. I have always had a special place in my heart for her, but I couldn't describe it at the time. It wasn't in a romantic way, which I think is gross because it'd be like being in love with myself because of how similar we are, and it wasn't in a brotherly or best friend way.
But then it hit me, the thought, one day. I thought of her almost as if she were my daughter. Then I thought of the definition of father. Part of what being a father meant that you'd protect them with your life. So I'm technically her father, I mean, she got her DNA from me. When the realization of what I thought of her came to mind, I realized that maybe she doesn't want me as a father. Maybe I'll just leave her alone, not look for her, and wait until she needs me to be there for her. It's the best I can do, I mean, I can't force her to act as my daughter, she's her own person and I need to respect her.
There is something I don't get, though, and have never understood. If Dani is my clone, why isn't she a boy and of my age? Did that mean that she didn't get DNA from just me? Does that mean she has a mother? Now I just have to forget about her. She obviously just wants to be left alone. She wouldn't have wanted me as a father if she ran away.
I woke up tired and exhausted to the sound of a blaring alarm, bones aching. I wanted nothing more then to just drift off back to sleep, but school was of course required. Stretching, I made sure my mental to do list from the day before was completed, or has complete as it could be with the mixture of my busy schedule and procrastination.
I got a good chunk of my homework from math, english, and science. I finished it mostly but Skulker came in as I was finishing it. I did my patrols and luckily didn't find much activity. I also bought a new first aid kit that is safely tucked away under my bed. Yep, mostly done.
I got up and quickly showered, relishing in the feeling of the warm water gushing from the faucet. Then I dressed in my usual white t-shirt with red trimmings and a red circle in the chest, but added a long sleeve white shirt underneath to cover the bruises and cuts that marred my flesh from a recent fight. Then I slipped on some faded blue jeans and red converse.
Grabbing my old purple back pack and shoving my semi completed homework into it, I ran down the stairs and made my way towards my modern kitchen. I sat at the round white table with an apple in hand and went over my english when my sister walked in. Jazz smiled at me with a straight tooth smile and sat down at the seat adjacent to me.
"Another fight?" she asked, gesturing to my long sleeves.
I nodded and she sighed, threading her fingers through her long red air. She gave me a look, one I noticed and was disgusted by when I interpreted that it was indeed sympathy.
"Don't give me that look Jazz," I murmured before taking a bite of my bright red apple. "I brought it on myself. Plus, I'm a fast healer."
She took what I said. After she ate her cereal, she offered to drive me to school. I told her I'd just fly to school, which she reluctantly agreed to. She worried for me, since there were ghost hunters about. I shook the thought of them ever getting me off. I didn't want to think of the what ifs.
"See ya at school, little brother." she said and kissed my head. I didn't feel disgusted though, because of how close we had become since I had saved the world. We were close for siblings, but I didn't care.
Once ready, I ran out and hid in a nearby alley before transforming. My raven hair became pure white, my crystal blue eyes turned neon green, and my outfit switched to a black HAZMAT suit with white accents such as gloves, boots, and a DP insignia that represents Danny Phantom. I also got a new, glowing white belt with several weapons that Tucker invented and made so mom and dad wouldn't be so angry with Phantom for using Fenton brand items. We even created our own ghost capturing thermos.
I flew towards my girlfriend's house. I was excited to see Sam. Ever since before the accident, we've had this strange connection. When we had a very strong emotion, the other could feel a bit of it, and sometimes hear stray thoughts from each other. We confronted each other about it a few months before the accident and actually acknowledged the fact of it. It then got stronger. On the day of the portal accident, we could openly hear any thoughts from the other and emotions. It was hard, figuring out how to create mental walls to block each other from our minds. I could see her memories, the same for her with me, and we developed a strong connection. My walls came crumbling down when my alternate evil self came. She could see my nightmares and memories after Dan and even my fear. Luckily, I am better at it now.
I made it to her spacious home and went to her balcony, knocking on her door. She opened it and I smiled. In my eyes, she was the most beautiful girl in the world. She had beautiful amethyst eyes that lit up in the morning sun, and flawless pale skin. Today she wore black skinny jeans and a purple t-shirt that was cut off and showed her stomach. She blushed at my thoughts, a faint pink coloring over her cheeks.
"Hello beautiful," I flirted.
She laughed and rolled her eyes. I ended up chuckling loudly before kissing her heated cheeks. I gave her a hug before backing off. 'He's so cheeky,' muttered Sam in her thoughts. She blushed harder when she realized that she didn't block her thoughts from me.
'And you know it' I thought before grabbing her waist and flying. The wind blew through my hair and brushed the snowy locks out of my glowing green irises. The clear sky was a bright blue. We both had identical feelings of serenity.
When we got to school, I was glad to see Tucker waiting for us near the entrance. He smiled and waved, which we both returned at the same time. Walking up to us, Tucker started his usual motor mouth talk as we walked down the halls.
"So I got a new device we can use that's similar to the Fenton Phones, but I've upgraded it and added a few touches so there is no glitches. Of course, you and Sam don't necessarily need it, but I wanted to make sure I have a way to talk to you." Tucker stated before all three stopped at his locker.
"That's a good idea." I smiled. We waited for him to collect his books before stopping at Sam's locker and then at mine.
"Morning Mr. Lancer." I greeted the vice principle who also taught English. He was also my homeroom teacher.
"Good morning Daniel, Samantha, and Tucker." he greeted us. He gave me a strange look, but I just brushed it off. It's like he's suspicious.
Since it was homeroom, I decided to just relax and sleep. Mr. Lancer has strangely been more lenient to me for some reason, and has let me sleep when he is not teaching during homeroom. He's also been easier on my due dates and grading for assignments. I have a feeling he knows I need it, even if he doesn't know exactly what I do that makes me so tired and exhausted and lately more injured than I would care to admit.
Next class was just english, so Sam, Tucker and I just stayed in the room when the bell range. He started a lecture on some dead poet I was too tired to recall when a nagging feeling came over me. It was as if something was wrong. Sam must've been able to decipher that feeling as mine when she felt it as well because she gave me a worried look.
'You okay?' she asked through the link. 'You seem worried.'
'I'm fine.' I assured. 'It's just that I feel like something is wrong.'
Lancer came by to pass the packets for homework when he gave me a look.
"Mr. Fenton, can you stay to talk after class?" I knew it wasn't a question, but an order, so I merely nodded.
The class ended with nothing going wrong, and the feeling only got stronger. I decided to block off the link from Sam so she wouldn't have to worry, but I think it only made it worse for her to not feel what I was feeling. I nodded to her direction to reassure her and she only scowled and left with an equally worried looking Tucker as I sat in one of the front desks. It must've been his break period because no one came by.
"Yes Mr. Lancer?" I asked. He looked up from his computer to see me there and started to speak.
"Mr. Fenton, is there any problems that you need to discuss. I know I am your teacher, but I care about you."
"Um, not really anything to say." I said with a poker face, praying to God that he couldn't hear my heart erratically beating in my chest or my quick intake of breath.
"Daniel," Lancer sighed. "Is everything alright at home? Do you get enough sleep, food? Is something happening that I should be aware of?"
That's when I realized what he was hinting at, or as he thought of it, beating around the bush. He thought I was being abused. I was technically when my parents hunt my ghost half, but my mom and dad didn't know it was me, so it doesn't really count.
"Are suggesting my parents are doing something they're not suppose to do?" I started getting defensive. "Because I can assure you that my home life is good."
"Danny, I didn't mention anything about you're parents." I paled.
"Look, you can trust me. Can you tell me. What is it, drugs, gangs? Is it abuse? Bullying?" That was when he got straight to the point, obviously not patient enough to dance around the topic he assumed was correct.
"Mr. Lancer," I started, exasperated. "I'm not doing anything illegal. I'm not in any gangs, I haven't ever had any drugs that you think I've used, the bullies are tolerable at best and I'll survive, and my parents are loving and caring people. Sometimes they're neglectful because of their jobs, but they aren't violent or abusive."
Lancer must've took my honesty to heart, because he nodded. Instead of pushing, he gave me a pass for my next class and I went on my way. He still seemed suspicious though.
It was near the end of the day, just a couple of hours left, and I still had that feeling that something bad was going to happen. I was unusually silent and Sam and Tucker noticed. Sam was still stressed because I am still blocking the link. I don't want her to worry.
"Dude, what's wrong?" Tucker asked as we exited science to go to our final period class. "You seem stressed."
"I'm fine. What about after school, we go to the-" I cut myself off because I could hear a voice from off in the distance. It sounded familiar.
"Danny?" Sam asked. We stopped at my locker and I thought I was imagining it until I heard it again, but louder and more desperate.
"Daddy!" I heard. "Help!"
I froze, my posture tense.
"Did you hear that?" I asked, looked at their concerned expressions.
They both shook their heads, so I assumed it was far enough away that I needed my heightened ghostly hearing to sense it.
"Guys, take my stuff to the next class. I have to do something," I shoved my stuff into Sam's arms before they could protest and bolted down the hall, forgetting about anything but the matter at hand in my haste.
I whispered quietly to myself. "I'm coming Danielle."