As of 4/11/18 this chapter has been changed and updated to fix a pacing issue with the plot. Originally, this chapter ended with Danny essentially running away from home, but as I started working on the next chapter I felt it was too rushed and didn't build up enough to have Danny make such a hasty decision. In other words, there needed to be a little more angst and a lot more world building. -Crystal

Missing (Human): Chapter One

Chapter One

Six Weeks Later

"Daniel Fenton, would you care to explain why I got another call from Principal Ishiyama saying that you skipped English for the third time again this week?" Maddie glared down at her son, wondering what had happened to her sweet little boy. Her Danny had never been one to draw any sort of negative attention to himself or act out, it was like he became someone else after he turned fourteen.

"It's just been a little difficult to get back into the swing of things, since the accident, that's all. I mean, I've had make-up work on top of all my other work, I just get a little overwhelmed." Danny looked down his feet, worried that his powers would act up and give him away. Although nothing that he said had been a lie, it was still unnerving to have his parents hyper-focused on him when normally they'd be too wrapped up in their research to notice what was going on with either of their children's lives.

"This what your father and I were worried about. With that accident," she hesitates vividly recalling the scene she and Jack had found in the lab on that day a little more than a month ago, "you almost died Danny. I know you said you were fine and ready to go back to school, but it's okay if you're not. It's only been three weeks. I'm sure the school would understand if you needed more time to recover."

"We could even homeschool you, Dan-o. That would be even better than some state standard education. You can learn about the real important stuff, like ghosts!" Jack interjected, still having hope that one of his children would change their minds about ghost hunting and follow in his footsteps.

"Online classes could be another option and maybe we could find you a counselor as well."

Danny looked up at his parents in surprise before his emotions settled on anger. "Why would I need to see some shrink? Jazz tries to psychoanalyze me enough as it is." The last thing he wanted was for someone to try and pick him apart when his parents talked about literally doing so to his ghost half.

"I know sweetie, but it's more than the skipping classes that bothers me. Your grades have never been great, which as I told you before isn't acceptable for a Fenton, but now you're barely passing your classes."

"You've been shirking on your chores," Jack added as he continued to tinker with his newest ghost hunting device.

"And you've missed curfew almost every night this week," Maddie frowned recalling that Danny didn't get home until going on 1 in the morning the other night.

"You've been shirking on your chores."

"You've already said chores."

"I know, but when you don't do 'em, I get stuck with them."

"You not getting your chores done is the least of what worries me. Don't think we haven't noticed you coming home from school looking more roughed up than usual." As if to make her point, Maddie reached out and brushed the large bruise forming on her son's cheek which caused him to flinch.

"Which I don't understand why you just let us go to the school over that Baxter punk." The anger was clear in Jack's voice.

Danny sunk further into the couch and crossed his arms over his chest, "I'm already a loser, I don't need to be a social pariah with an even bigger target on my back because I let my parents fight my battles for me."

Maddie made a noise of frustration and looked at her son in exasperation. "What battles Danny? You're only fourteen."

"I don't really have an explanation, mom." Danny sighed, "you just don't know what's like to be a kid these days."

"Come on, Danny. That's the oldest excuse in the book," Maddie turns to look at her husband still fiddling with the invention before looking back at her son. "There's nothing you're going through that your father and I didn't go through when we were your age."

"Yeah, well, I beg to differ."

"It's not drugs, is it? Or a gang."

Danny sits up in surprise wondering how his parents came to that conclusion. "What? No. I'm not doing drugs or selling them and there's no gangs involved." When his parents looked doubtful he continued, "It's just teen angst and anxiety, I'm fine. I promise."

"If you say so, but Danny we can't keep having this discussion every week something has to change, you're too young to throw your life away. Now head up to your room and get caught up on your assignments. I'll call you down when dinner's ready."

Without argument, Danny left, his posture small and defeated as he ran up the stairs to his room. He could already feel his human side slipping and wasn't about to risk going intangible, having his eyes turn green, or worse turn into Phantom in front of his parents. Even though he wanted nothing more than to fight back and tell them that it took him nearly dying for them to start paying attention to him, it would be a short-lived fight if they found out he was a ghost. Ever since the news had gotten a hold of some shaky cell-phone video of him fighting the Box Ghost, his parents had made 'Invis-o-Bill' their number one target and every night at dinner he listened to his parents describe in great detail how they planned to rip him apart molecule by molecule. And any argument he made that 'Invis-o-Bill' had saved the school and couldn't be evil was met with disappointed expressions and lectures about how ghosts were manipulative glops of ectoplasm that only pursued their obsession and he should know that.

Once Danny reached his room and closed the door he dropped onto his bed and let go of his core turning into Phantom. It was a stupid decision, especially when either Jazz or his parents could come bursting into his room at any moment, but he enjoyed the feeling of being weightless whenever he was in ghost form. He could forget about being human and the problems that came with it now that he had his powers. As far as he knew ghosts didn't have parents or friends to disappoint or grades to worry about. And it would certainly make it easier to control his powers if he didn't have to worry about his ghost side slipping while he was human. Both Sam and Tucker had tried to persuade him to come forward to his parents about his ghost powers, but they hadn't heard what they had said about Phantom or what they planned to do to any ghost they captured. And they certainly didn't have to see the disappointment on his parent's faces whenever Fenton came in past curfew or after a call from the school. Although he was kind of used to that, bringing home just below average grades and having zero interests in ghosts.

Danny's chest tightens and he feels the familiar sting of tears, "fuck even before Phantom I was a disappointment." He curls in on himself and wonders what it would be like to just leave his human responsibilities behind. Just how weightless he would feel without the weight of his human side? Yet, he doesn't want to die, even though it does make him wonder what his ghostly obsession would be, if he doesn't already have one.

There is the option of running away and Danny considers it but only for a moment. "It's not like I'd have anywhere to go if I just left," he says aloud to himself, crushing down the growing thoughts of running away from his human life. He still had human needs as far as he could tell.

"I wouldn't be so sure about that, Little Phantom," a soft voice echoed, startling Danny back into his human form.

"Mortem, what are you doing here?" He sits up and wipes his eyes, stomach burning with embarrassment.

"I've been keeping an eye on you. It's refreshing to see a ghost with an obsession that extends beyond themselves. You've been quite the hero since we last spoke and you've been quite lucky, but that luck will only go so far." Mortem's expression softened, "You're going to burn yourself out, if you keep trying to walk this particular tightrope. You need time to get your balance and proper training."

For a moment Danny thinks about arguing that's he's been doing fine on his own and that he has Sam and Tucker to help him. But they're only human and he has little next to no control over his powers in stressful situations. "And where exactly would I find that?"

"There is someone who can help you with this. He's had many years of experience balancing a life as a ghost and human."

"You mean there's someone else, like me?"

"Yes, the two of you are the only ghost hybrids in existence and although you are not the same, you are quite similar. I've already spoken to him and he is willing to be your mentor and help you get control over your powers. Of course, it would come with a small price."

"Would I have to give up being human?"

"Of course not, Little Phantom, but Danny Fenton will have to disappear from Amity Park. Phantom, however, would be able to return at least once you have a better grasp of your powers, of course, but you're a fast learner." Mortem held her hand out and a gleaming black scythe materialized. "Ultimately, the choice is yours to make."

"If I agree to leave, would it be possible for me to stay in touch with Sam and Tucker? Or at least say good-bye to them? I mean, they know about my ghost side…." Danny trailed off unsure of what else he could say. Sam and Tucker were his best friends and he couldn't leave without telling them why, if he could even imagine leaving them.

"Danny! Dinner's ready!"

At the sound of his mother's voice, Danny pulled his ghost form back and landed on his feet. He could feel his heart racing or at least racing by its new standard, since his resting heart beat was 21 bpm in human form. There was never a time he thought the mere sound of his parents' voices would result in such a feeling of fear. Yet, when he thought about Mortem's offer he wasn't sure if he could just leave his parents. They weren't necessarily bad parents, perhaps a tad neglectful at times, but he and Jazz knew that their parents loved them.

"This isn't a choice to be taken lightly so you don't have to decide now. It's merely an option that I wanted you to be aware of in case the burden of life becomes too great for you to bear alone."

"How will I find you if I make my decision?"

"You are one of mine, Little Phantom. I will know when you have made your decision." Mortem ran a hand through the teenager's hair, "now go eat and get some rest. You're still human after all."