Danny Fenton sat outside Casper High's cafeteria, enjoying the warm sun on his face. His friend and current crush, Valerie Gray, sat across from him. It was almost summer break, and they had been preparing for finals, studying together whenever possible. Their relationship seemed normal on the surface. Danny's two best friends, Sam and Tucker, were cautious, however.
Several months beforehand, Danny had gotten ghost powers in an accident in his parents' lab. In a scheme to destroy him, his arch rival had set someone against him. Now whenever Danny Phantom was out, Val was too. She'd been hunting him as a ghost for months, making things more than a little awkward for Danny. He couldn't reveal his secret identity to her, though, or they'd both be in danger.
Things were calm, and the couple was sharing their lunch. Danny seemed much happier than he had in months, and it showed on his face and in his eyes. This changed when he felt a cold shiver run throughout his body, and his breath was visible despite the warm spring day. It was his ghost sense; one of his enemies must be nearby. "Hey Val, I'll be right back, I have to go," he got up, checking around for who it might be.
"Go?" Valerie asked, confused.
"Yeah, like to the bathroom." She nodded and he went towards the school, finding a place he could change without being seen. To keep a low profile, he didn't say his usual, "I'm going ghost," catchphrase. He phased, a ring forming around him as his clothes became a black and silver suit, his hair going white, and lastly, his eyes glowing green.
"Long time, no see," called out the familiar taunting voice of Skulker. Skulker was the best ghost hunter in the ghost zone, and he had a beef with Danny.
Danny looked up to meet his gaze, his large profile blocking the sun. "Couldn't this wait until after school ends?"
"Oh, but it's just so fun to inconvenience you, Welt." He pushed a button on his gauntlets, shooting a net out. "I'm sure my boss would love to see you on his mantle"
Danny dodged the net, flying to get a better angle, readying his plasma to shoot. "Why don't you pick on someone your own size?"
"I don't get paid to pick on people, I get paid to catch them… and sometimes kill them." Skulker smirked, pushing him against the school's brick wall. Danny was pinned, but this wasn't his only worry now. Val had also gotten on her persona, and she was ready to destroy any ghost that got in her way. "You know, now that I think of it, I'll just let her have you." Danny's eyes flashed with fear as Skulker disappeared, leaving Val in her red suit in his place.
"I've had enough of you, ghost boy! You ruined my life!" She called out, shooting her gun at him. In the shock, he didn't have time to think. She'd shot point blank, and it was over for him. Danny cried out in pain as he was electrocuted, falling to the ground and returning to his human state. He lay crumpled and defeated. The fall was high enough that when he landed, there was no way he had made it out alive. Val lowered herself on her hover board and landed beside him. She returned her gear to its place, staring at him in dismay.
"D-Danny? Oh my god, Danny!" She collapsed beside him as Sam and Tucker rushed to her side. "I didn't know, I didn't know, I'm so sorry…"
It was too late though, he couldn't hear her. His human body was dead, and his ghost had been split, atom by atom.
Sam was devastated, shaking Valerie. "What happened? What did you do?!"
"I didn't know it was him, it's all my fault…" she sobbed out. Tucker was checking his vitals, it coming blank.
"I will never forgive you for what you did. Ever." Tucker raised his voice, and people were starting to form a crowd. The ambulance arrived a couple minutes later, only to confirm their fears.
"Time of death- 12:15," the medic announced for the record. Danny's parents had been contacted, and they came as soon as they could.
"I guess, now that he's gone… we don't have to protect his identity" Sam mentioned to Tucker and Jazz. Valerie had to explain what happened to the police, and was arrested and taken away from the scene.
The next week there was a funeral service in his honor. There was a picture both of him as a normal kid, and as 'the ghost boy' who had saved the town numerous times.
After he had been lowered into the ground, and everyone else had left, Sam stood in front of his grave, with tears smearing his black eyeliner and mascara.
"Danny… I wish I had the courage to tell you how I felt, and I guess… how I've always felt. You were my best friend, and… I love you." She wiped tears from her eyes and lay the flowers down. "I just wish I could see you again."
Desiree appeared behind her, giving a small, genuine smile. "So you wish it, so it shall be." With that, Danny Phantom appeared, standing in front of her.
"I'm- back?" he looked down at his body, checking for any damage.
Desiree began to speak again, "We need you to help keep balance between our world and yours. Clockwork gave me permission to bring you back, at least your ghost self. I'll leave you two alone. I think you have a lot to talk about." She vanished, leaving Danny and Sam alone at the grave site. Though everyone knew his identity, that life was over. Just because he didn't have a body, didn't mean he didn't have the humanity left in him.
Sam wrapped her arms tight around him, and he returned the embrace. "Can we go to my place? I need to tell you something." Danny nodded and took her hand, going up and flying to her place, knowing how much she loved it. Things were different now, but at least they had each other.