(((Dedication: to Butch Hartman, for creating a guardian for Danny

Summary:

Everyone needs someone to take care of them once in a while.

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Info: oneshot; family/friendship/hurt-comfort

Fandoms: Danny Phantom

Pairings: none

Warnings: some minor references to violence

Author notes: UnBeta'd. I apologize in advance for any mistakes you may percieve.)))

A Phantom's Guardian Angel

By: Tjix

He was sweet, really. My sweet baby brother. He always had been. I had just never taken the time to see it until I was finally in the know about him risking life and limb on a daily basis to keep safe a city that feared him and parents that would never understand...

And a sister that would never understand. That, too.

It hurt that I couldn't tell him I understood. But even if I could let him know that I knew his secret, the truth was that I would never really understand what he was going through. So I was going to have to stick with minor gestures.

It was high time for another family camping trip--or, so my parents had decided. We were in the Fentonmobile (or the Assault Vehicle--whichever you prefer) on a five-hour drive out into the middle of nowhere. We'd started early and we'd already been on the road for a couple of hours, so the hum of the car had lulled the atmosphere into a certain sleepiness that occurs only during car rides. My mom was driving in silence while my dad snored and drooled in the passenger's seat.

Danny had kicked it only a few minutes into the ride and spent the last two hours sleeping with his cheek pressed against the cold window. I was seated beside him, working on homework that wasn't due for four days. As the only morning person in my family, I was the most wakeful person in the car.

It was quiet for a while, until I heard Danny moan softly. I glanced up to see him squirming uncomfortably, his face wrinkled and contorted with pain.

"Danny?" I reached over to touch him on the shoulder and he shot up with a cry, wide-eyed.

"J-Jazz?" He seemed sincerely confused and frightened, glancing around as though he didn't know what was going on. "What happened?"

"You fell asleep." I brushed his bangs back gently. He was still puzzled enough that he didn't notice the gesture.

"Danny?" Mom called from the front seat. "Are you okay, sweetie?"

He scowled. All of the unwanted attention seemed to bring him back to himself. "I'm fine, Mom."

"Everything's okay," I assured her.

Danny crossed his arms and stared out the window, still scowling. His eyes were red from lack of sleep, and it occurred to me that he may have been up all last night hunting ghosts.

"Go back to sleep, Danny," I said gently. "We still have a few hours to go."

"Don't tell me what to do," he muttered, but curled up on the seat and pillowed his head on his arms.

Now, I hadn't held my brother in my lap since he was five years old, but it seemed as good a time as any. I waited until he was dozing again before pulling him into my arms and moving his head to rest on my shoulder. He stirred slightly but then sank into sleep again.

I looked down into that fourteen-year-old face and remembered seeing it battered, bruised, and bloody. I looked into the face of my baby brother and wondered how much longer he was going to be able to cheat death. I was so proud of him... and so afraid for him.

I kissed his face, causing him to rouse somewhat. "Jazz?" he mumbled without opening his eyes.

"I love you, Danny. You know that, right?"

Was I imagining the blush that rose in his cheeks? "You're such a dork, Jazz."

"I know. But please answer me. Do you know that I love you?"

"I know."

"And you know that you can tell me anything, right?"

"Yeah, Jazz, I know. Will you stop moving now or should I put my head on the window again?"

"No, I'll stop moving."

"Thanks." He settled his cheek against my shoulder again and effortlessly went back to sleep.

I rested my chin on top of his head. "I'll always be here for you," I whispered. "You might never know it, but I will always be here..."