Danny fiddled with his hands as the doctors talked with his parents. He was beginning to grow nervous as the minutes ticked by.
What was taking so long? All they did was take a blood sample. The only thing he could think of that could be important about his blood was that it might not be human -- which worried him.
If they had found out that he was Danny Phantom, what would happen? Would they send him off to some secret government agency to be interrogated? Would he be tested on by the Guys In White? Would they kill him?
The door opened, and his mother walked in. Her eyes were puffy and red, and her cheeks were swollen with tears. He wondered what they could have said that would make her cry. He had never seen her cry before...
"Mom...?" Danny asked quietly, holding her hand in his. "What's wrong with me?"
"Oh, sweetie," Maddie murmured, hugging her son, "nothing's wrong with you. Nothing at all..."
He turned to the doctor. "What's wrong with me?"
"Nothing," replied the doctor. "You're the same person you've always been."
Danny waited for the doctor to continue. When she didn't, he said, "But there's something else that's wrong."
"Well... Not necessarily wrong, persay..." the doctor mumbled, twisting a strand of her hair around her finger. "However, it is...different than we expected."
"Different?" Danny asked. "How? What's going on?"
The doctor turned to Maddie, pursing her lips. Maddie took the cue and faced Danny, taking in a deep breath.
"D-Danny..." she stammered. "I haven't been being completely honest with you...or your father..."
Danny narrowed his eyes in confusion, not understanding what his mother meant. "Not being honest? Mom, everybody has their secrets..."
"No, Danny, this is more than that. Much more than that..." She paused, reaching for the tissue box on the counter and wiping her nose. "I...I did something terrible. Please, Danny, understand that I regret it..."
Worried, Danny blurted, "Regret what?! Mom, what's going on?!"
She placed a hand on his shoulder, trying to calm him down. "Danny --"
"Don't 'Danny' me!" he exclaimed, pulling away from her. "Tell me what's wrong with me!"
"Nothing's wrong with you! You're just--"
"Yeah, right!" he interrupted. "If there wasn't something wrong, then you wouldn't be crying! Mom, tell me what's going on!"
"I'm trying, dear, but you keep --"
"No, you're not trying!" he interjected. "You're just comforting me! Why?! Am I dying?"
"No! No, sweetie, you're not --"
"Then what?! If I'm not dying, then what's so -- ?!"
Maddie, angry that Danny couldn't listen, snapped, "Jack isn't your father!"
This made Danny quiet down. "...What...?"
"Jack isn't your father..." she repeated. "It's confusing, but let me explain..."
"But...how is he not my dad?" he asked. "You couldn't have had me without him."
"Actually..." Maddie whispered. "I could."
Danny stared at his mom, horror gnawing at his heart. "You...You cheated on him."
Maddie hung her head, ashamed. She didn't deny his claim.
"You cheated on dad!"
"He's not your father!"
Danny stood from the chair he was sitting on, storming over to the window and glaring out of it. "If he's not my dad...then who is?"
"I understand your anger, Danny, but --"
"NO!" he yelled. "You don't understand my anger!"
"-- but you have to bare with me here. This is hard for me, and --"
"Hard? For you? Well, what about me?! Is it any easier for me, mom?!"
"Danny, please! Calm down and listen to m --"
"Calm down? Calm down?! You expect me to calm down?!" Danny fumed, stomping over to his mother. "I'm sorry, but I can't do that right now. Just tell me who my father is -- maybe he will tell me the truth."
"You'e father is..." Maddie fumbled with words. "His name is...you're father, he's..."
"Yes?"
She buried her head in her hands. "Christ, Danny! You're father is Vlad!"
Danny's face paled, and the doctor slipped out through the door. She left it slightly ajar, revealing the hall outside. A head of snow could be seen waiting on a chair just across from the room.
Speak of the Devil, and he shall come.