The Scarlet Ibis

Chapter 1

Four year old Danny Fenton inwardly groaned at the sight of his new little sister in his mother's arms. He was told he'd get a new sibling, but not one that looked like it was soaked in vinegar and then put in a dryer. She was very little, almost fragile looking. Her body was red and wrinkled, and smaller than her head. Maddie smiled at her son's reaction.

"Danny, this is Melissa, you're new little sister." His mother turned to the infant. "Say hi to your big brother, Melissa. Say hi," Maddie cooed. Melissa had yet to open her eyes, and was still fidgeting about.

"Why is she so small?" Danny asked, gripping the sides of the hospital bed to get a better view of his mother and sister. Maddie smiled softly, and turned to Jack who walked around the side of the bed to pick up his son. Once Danny had an eagle's eye view, he studied her more carefully.

"Son, her heart is very weak. Too much exercise could cause a serious accident. So be careful with her. When your mother and I are gone, you're in charge with her since Jazz went to stay with your grandmother for a while." Danny raised an eyebrow as Melissa looked like she was trying to eat her finger.

"Alright, I'll take care of her." Danny sighed, making a dramatic ending to his statement by slumping against his father. Jack smiled, and set him down. His father suddenly started to dance about, and knowing what he wanted, Danny pointed in the direction of the restroom. Jack smiled as thanks to his son, and literally threw open the door to get there in time. Maddie sighed and shook her head.

"Okay, Danny listen. I know Melissa isn't exactly the kind of sister that can play with you and such, but please promise me you'll take care of her. She does have a weak heart, and if she gets overworked, something bad could happen. Besides, I doubt she'll make it past a month.." Danny sighed and nodded his head before making eye contact with his mother.

"Mom, I promise. I won't let anyting happen to her..."

2 MONTHS LATER...

Danny, now five years old, ran halfway down the hallway into Melissa's nursery. He tripped over the carpet before making it to her crib. He climbed up the stairs Jack had put there just for him, and gazed at his little sister. His little sister had made it past a month, so the little coffin that was made for her was not needed. It was now stored in the lab, incase it was. Melissa had yet to open her eyes, and was constantly sleeping. Danny was growing tired of waiting, and was getting even annoyed at his sister for being such a--

"Wimp," Danny muttered, raising an eyebrow as she shifted to her right side, facing him. Then suddenly, an amazing thing happened. Her eyes opened, causing Danny to yell out in surprise and loose his balance. He fell backwards onto the carpet in surprise before he immediately jumped back into his previous position making sure he wasn't seeing things. He wasn't.

"Danny, what is it?" He heard his mother down the hallway. He quickly reached down and turned her head a little bit so the shadows weren't making her face dark. He gasped again. Her eyes were a beautiful shade of gold. Melissa blinked up at him before grabbing his hand and grinning. He froze, her skin felt like flower petals. He blinked, before grinning back to her, and he turned his head when he heard his mother and father enter the room.

"Danny, what happened?" Maddie asked, worry clearly written across her face. Danny's grin never faded.

"Mom, she opened her eyes, and she smiled at me!" Maddie breathed a sigh of relief, then smiled before rushing to Danny's side. Her eyes widened at the sight of Melissa. The youngest Fenton was still grasping Danny's hand, and was still gazing up at him. Her eyes only left his face when she felt hands wrap around her, lifting her up into warm arms.

"Oh, gosh, honey! She has such gorgeous eyes!" Maddie cooed, Jack coming up behind her.

"What color are they?" Danny's father eyed his daughter before smiling wide. "She has the same color eyes as my dad! Neat!" At that moment, a doorbell was heard. Danny hopped down from the stairs and rushed down to the front door where the bell sounded again before he flung it open. He grinned when he saw the face of his older sister, Jazz. He ran out to her and wrapped his arms around her waist, hugging her with all his might.

"Jazz! You're back!" He smiled when she returned the favor. "Guess what, Jazz?" Danny waited until she raised an eyebrow. "Melissa's here! Come see her!" Jazz gasped as she was suddenly pulled up the stairs into the nursery. When Danny finally let go, she rubbed her sore wrist before her eyes widened at the sight of the prune in Maddie's arms.

"What.. is that?" Jazz asked slowly, pointing to Melissa. Maddie glared.

"She is your new sister, Jazz! She has a heart problem, so try not to get her worked up. So far, Danny's done a very good job of doing just that." Maddie smiled at Danny, before walking toward her son. "Danny, would you like to hold her?" Maddie outstretched her arms, and smiling as Danny hesitantly gripped Melissa, pulling her close to him. After making sure Danny had a good hold of her, Maddie ran to Jazz, sweaping her up into a tight hug. "Oh, I'm so glad you're back! Did you have a good time?"

"Hey, mom! Melissa's sucking on my fingur!" All heads whipped to Danny, as he now held Melissa with one arm as she was gripping his other. Jazz smiled slightly at the sight.

"They look so cute together. Anyway, it was okay, mom, but I'm glad to be back home!" Jazz hugged her mom, then ran to Jack and did her best to wrap her arms around him.

TWO YEARS LATER...

"Come on, Melissa! Let's go to the park!" 7 year old Danny yelled, grabbing Melissa's hand and practically dragging her out the door to her wagon. Since Melissa couldn't so much as stand, Danny had offered to pull her wherever he went. She yelped at the sudden touch, but didn't complain. She loved going places with her brother. Jazz smiled and waved to Melissa.

"You two have fun!" Was all that was heard as the door shut behind her.

"Why are we.. gwoing to the pwark?" Melissa asked, trying to keep her vocabulary straight. So far, she'd been doing good in keeping it right. Melissa had changed in the two years since she was born. Her auburn hair had grown past her neck, laying against her back. Her golden eyes shined when she was happy, and her body had grown a bit to the correct size of a happy two year old. She smiled as Danny slowed to a stop to catch his breath.

"I was going.. to.. (deep breath).. teach you.. to walk.." By the time Danny had responded, they were already in the middle of the park. Melissa blinked, and glanced down at the wagon. Teach her to walk? Was he tired of pulling her around with him everywhere?

"Why?" Danny stopped abruptly when he caught the sorrow in her tone. He turned around quickly, bringing his hands up in a defensive gesture.

"No, no! It's not that I don't like pulling you around or anything, but don't you want to walk? It must get tiring to sit down all the time." Melissa smiled at his nervousness, and sighed.

"Tanny, I just gwet swo tired when I twy to stand." She answered, glancing down at her hands before returning her gaze to Danny's face. He rolled his eyes.

"You have to stand sometime."

"Bwut.. Tanny--" She was abruptly cut off when she was pulled out of the wagon and put into a standing positon. Melissa's eyes widened as her knees buckled and she collasped onto the ground. "Oww.." She muttered, and tried to sit up, but the strain was taking a tole on her, so she just settled for rolling onto her back. "Dwanny, I jwust can't do it." Danny sat down beside her.

"Yes, you can. I know you can. Come on, let's try again." Melissa sighed as she was once again lifted off the ground before rushing back to it again. After she had a bruise on her elbow and two hours later she finally stood on her own... for about ten seconds. She collasped again, but smiled triumphantly this time.

"I dwid it! Dwanny, I dwid it!" Melissa quickly pushed herself up onto her forearms, and glanced up at Danny to see him grinning back down at her.

"Yeah, I saw! That was awesome! I can't wait to show mom and dad!" Melissa smiled as she was lifted again off the ground, and set inside the wagon to be pulled back to the Fenton household. Danny took his time, though. He just could'nt help but feel ashamed. He thought back earlier that day when a boy down the road from him teased him about having a sister like Melissa. He glanced back at her, and felt his eyes burn from the tears as she played with a stick.

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TT Sooo sad! I read a story like this in my English class, so I decided to make a DP verison of it. I already know what the second chapter holds, but the question is.. do you? (smiles evilly)

Disclaimer: I don't own Danny Phantom, but Melissa is mine! I regret nothing that happens in this story.. ok maybe I do.. get off my back!