Wow, what an awesome last couple of days. I didn't expect this story to get so many hits. You all are awesome! Thanks for all the reviews!

Legal stuff: I don't own Danny Phantom.

Story time!

chapter 2

"Way to go Fenton," Danny muttered to himself as Maddie shut the door. His parents' door was never shut. He ran his hand through his hair again.

He had never seen his mother look so…defeated before. She looked like she had completely given up. Worse, she had given up on him. He had really pushed it too far over the years. But with his ghost fighting what else was he supposed to do? He couldn't control when the ghosts attacked. And tonight he'd been fighting a new upgraded Technus since midnight. Although truthfully he had spent two hours locked in a special cage he'd designed until Tucker was able to get him out…

Still, it made him feel terrible to know that his mother was like this because of him, because he couldn't find the courage it took to tell her about his ghost half despite seeing how she'd react in different timelines. He'd come close a few times over the last three years, but a little voice in the back of his head told him to wait. It told him that maybe it wasn't such a good idea. He'd had nightmares of such an encounter going horribly wrong, and those always seemed to come to mind whenever he thought about telling them.

Sam, Tucker, and Jazz weren't really any help either. They all told him it was his decision and they'd support him in whatever he decided. He appreciated the support, but he really just wanted a straight yes or no answer from them.

He finally walked into his room, gently shutting the door behind him. His arm throbbed a bit but he didn't even care as he walked over to his bed and collapsed on it. He hugged his pillow close and was only conscious for a few more moments before sleep claimed him.

DP

Danny skipped breakfast that morning and just went straight to school. He couldn't help the disappointment he felt when he was at home, and so for once in his life he was early to school.

Most people were surprised to see him in class already, especially Sam and Tucker.

"No attacks this morning?" Sam asked as she sat down next to him.

"Nope," Danny said. Tucker sat down in front of Danny.

"You okay?" he asked. Danny thought it over and shook his head.

"It's my mom," Danny admitted. "She was still awake this morning when I got in."

Sam and Tucker glanced at each other. "Let me guess, you're grounded until you graduate?" Tucker tried. Danny shook his head.

"She didn't ground me at all, actually. She said she was done."

"Done? What do you mean?" Sam asked. A few more kids started to take their seats around the room; they only had another minute or two before first period started.

"She's giving up on me I think. She said she would stop asking questions and just let it be," Danny said. He rubbed his forehead with his hand, tilting his head to his desk. "I've never seen her look so defeated…and it's my fault."

"Danny, I know you've been trying to wait for the right time to tell your parents. Maybe now is it," Sam said. Mr. Lancer came in and called the class to order early, trying to get everyone organized before the bell.

"I think I might have waited too long," Danny spoke softly. Neither Sam nor Tucker heard him.

He debated with himself all through class about telling his parents. The pros and cons circled around his head in the same dull monotones that they had been doing for three years. As much as he wanted to stop lying to them, he was terrified to know how they would take it. If they did accept him, changes would definitely be made to his current life. They wouldn't just sit on the sidelines. But on the other hand, they might have some great insights on some of the ghosts he was always fighting.

This was of course assuming they got past the whole 'all ghosts are evil' prejudice they've had since before Danny was born.

Maybe he could ease them into it, start by mentioning how Phantom had saved the city last night…

That was about as likely to help his situation as actually transforming would. The second he mentioned Phantom's name they'd go off on some tangent about him. If his mom was even talking to him, that is. After this morning he wasn't so sure she would be.

The rest of the day he spent imagining different scenarios of how telling them would play out. Some of them ended well with everyone happy and his life relatively the same. The worst ended with him on the table in the lab tied down and being dissected. These thoughts made him think every time that he was better off just not telling them.

But then he'd think of his mother and how broken she looked when she closed the door.

"I have to tell them," he said out loud while they were walking home. Sam and Tucker glanced at him. They'd given him his space that day and tried to keep the teachers off of him. They were fairly certain he hadn't even been aware of most of his surroundings during the day and just followed them around to class, but given his current situation they didn't blame him. It was a lot to think through. They were just lucky no ghosts had attacked today.

"Are you sure?" Sam asked. Danny nodded.

"Regardless of what happens to me, they deserve to know the truth," Danny decided.

"Our doors are always open if you need to crash with us for a few days," Tucker offered. Danny smiled wryly.

"Thanks, I'll keep that in mind," he said.

"Do you want us to be there with you?" Sam offered, putting a hand on Danny's shoulder.

"That might be a good idea," Danny admitted. "Just give me a few days to try and soften her up and figure out how to go about it."

"Be careful dude," Tucker said.

"Besides, they're your parents, they will accept you," Sam said confidently. Danny looked over at her and smiled. He wished he shared the same confidence as her about it.

By the time he had made it home, his mother had already locked herself in the lab. He thought it best not to bother her and so proceeded up to his room.

As much as he didn't want to, he sat down at his desk to start his homework. He had learned that if he pushed it off in favor of more appealing activities, he wouldn't have time to do it later. Twenty minutes later though found him staring out the window in a daydream. He shook himself out of it and looked down at his math homework. It still didn't make any sense, probably because he didn't pay attention in class, so he gave up on it and pulled out his English homework. Another twenty minutes and he hadn't actually absorbed anything he'd read, so he gave up on that too.

He knew the only way he'd be able to concentrate again was if he just talked to his mother and got it over with. But he really didn't want to do it alone. His mom loved him, he knew that, and she'd listen to him. At least, he hoped she would.

Danny shook his head and got up from his desk. Maybe a snack would help. He made his way back downstairs and rounded the corner into the kitchen but stopped in his tracks when he saw his mother washing her hands in the sink. She glanced up at him, her eyes full of warmth for a moment before she remembered how disappointed she was.

Danny shifted his eyes down. Guilt crushed down on him. Could he really wait until the weekend to tell her? It was only Wednesday, Jazz would be home late Friday night at the earliest…two whole days of dodging each other? Of trying to ignore this pressing guilt and that look of defeat in his strong mother's eyes?

No, he couldn't wait. He reached a hand into his pocket and fiddled with his phone.

"So…ah…are you starting dinner then?" Danny tried to ask casually. Maddie glanced at him again as she stepped over to the refrigerator.

"Yes," she replied. Danny nodded. This was not going well at all…

"What are you making?" he asked.

"Chicken and rice," came the short reply. Danny sighed and leaned against the doorframe. Maddie pulled a few things out of the fridge and set them on the counter. This was going to be harder than he thought. "It won't be ready for a while."

It was clearly a hint to tell him to go away, but he wasn't going to take it. Instead, he walked a few more steps into the kitchen.

"Is there anything I can do to help?" Danny asked.

"No."

He winced. Usually Maddie would have jumped at the chance to have someone help her with dinner. To not even want him to be in the same room…he had hurt her real bad.

"Look, Mom…I think we need to talk," Danny said. The words were out of his mouth before he'd fully decided he wanted to tell her. But it seemed right to do it now.

"Can it wait? I'm busy," Maddie said, pulling down bowls from the cabinets and starting the dinner preparations.

Danny walked over and put a hand on her forearm. "No, I don't think it can. I think I've put this off long enough."

There was no going back now. Tonight, he would either fix things with his mother or he'd be run out of town. At the moment, he wasn't sure which was more likely.