Author's Note: I'm trying out a different writing style here. I want to convey emotion better. Tell me how I'm doing in a review. Tips are appreciated!

Disclaimer: Still don't own Danny Phantom. I also don't own To Kill A Mockingbird or anything related to it.

Green eyes peered curiously at the workbench where Jack had left his newest invention. A gloved hand reached out and-

"Danny, don't touch that!" Jack yelled from across the room.

Danny's eyes widened and he quickly hid himself under the bench, trembling. Jack rushed over to find Danny attempting to make himself smaller. A different tactic would be needed to coax him out.

"Do you want to hear about what I'm working on, Danny?" Jack offered. "Ever since Jazz stopped listening, I haven't been able to blabber on about my inventions..."

Danny poked his head out and looked at Jack. Jack smiled.

"This is Ecto Emotion Checker. It tells us what ghosts are feeling! Sort of like a ghost mood ring. Here, give it a try!" Jack eagerly held the Ecto Emotion Checker out to Danny. It turned a light blue color.

"Blue means that the ghost is calm. That's good! Great job helping me today!" Jack praised.

Ever since Danny returned, he'd been helping his dad work on his inventions. He was always curious about them. It was new. It was fun! Danny couldn't remember a time when he'd been happier. As long as Daddy had something to work on, Danny was happy. A part of him told him that this wasn't what he was supposed to be doing. That part said that he needed to go to school, to learn, to work. And it was terrifying. The idea that there was more to life than this was completely and utterly terrifying. It brought back bad feelings. A bare room and an electric shock. It made him shake whenever he thought about it.

"I'm home!"

Jazz came home! Danny flew up through the floor in excitement.

"Waah!" Jazz jumped. "Danny, don't scare me like that."

Danny began shrinking away again.

"Oh, it's okay. I missed you, too. You can stop hugging me anytime now." Danny didn't let go. "I mean it, let go!" Danny let go and began taking things from her backpack.

"Danny, give those back!" Jazz shouted as Danny teased her by holding Advanced Child Psychology Volume II just out of reach. "Danny!" Jazz made another grab for the book and knocked her backpack off the table. Several more books fell out. "Got it!" Jazz began to put everything back into her backpack. "Danny? Where'd he go?"

Danny retreated to his room clutching his "stolen" prize. A copy of To Kill A Mockingbird from the library, taken from Jazz's backpack. A familiar desire and a longing he didn't understand compelled him to open the book to the first page...

Danny blinked in confusion. When did it get dark out? He floated downstairs and tried to put the book back without being seen.

"Danny, what are you doing?" Jazz asked.

Danny froze. He felt like he was caught with his hand in the cookie jar. Only with books instead of cookies.

"Oh, you were reading that? Did you like it?" Jazz brightened up. None of her classmates enjoyed reading that book. Maybe, just maybe, Danny would like it.

"I don't get it. Why would telling the world about Boo Radley saving Scout and Jem be like killing a mockingbird? A mockingbird is innocent, but killing someone is cruel. How can someone be cruel and innocent at the same time?"

It was a good question. A question they could bond over. As Jazz sat down on the soft couch to explain the meaning, she realized that she had never known that Danny liked to read.

Jack watched his children discuss book after book and began to feel guilty for not encouraging Danny's interest in reading. Danny belonged in school. Jack knew that, but every time he thought about bringing it up, he remembered how unhappy Danny used to be there. Even if he did bring it up, he didn't know if ghosts could attend school. Danny hadn't aged a day since his death almost five years ago. At least one of the teachers at Casper High was bound to recognize him from before.

"Daddy?"

Jack jumped. He hadn't noticed Danny approaching.

"What wrong, Daddy?" Danny asked. "Did I scare you?"

"No, it's fine," Jack said "Danny, how you like to read more books?"

"The kind Jazz reads? I like those," Danny said simply. "Can I go to school with Jazz? I promise I won't scare anybody."

Jack didn't have an answer. It was like Danny had read his mind. It would cost a lot of money, but it could be done.

Danny did a few happy laps around the house at Jack's answer.

Author's Note: This is one of the most difficult stories I've ever written. I can see everything in my mind, but I can't seem to write it down. Only one or two more chapters left. Constructive Criticism is wanted!