7 YEARS LATER

Nine year old Jasmine Fenton sighed in sadness at the sight of the picture frame on her desk. It was a picture of her sitting in the hospital holding her baby brother in her arms on the day he was born. It had been seven whole years since Danny had disappeared in the Ghost Portal. Her parents had been working non-stop since then trying to fix the portal they had made so they could go into the Ghost Zone and bring back her little brother….if he was still alive that is.

She and her parents didn't lose hope that Danny was still alive. She whispered, "I miss you little brother. Happy birthday wherever you are"

She walked down the stairs to the lab and found her parents busy working on the portal.

"Hey guys its lunch time. Maybe take a break for a bit" Jazz suggested.

They both stopped working and turned to their daughter. Maddie nodded at her suggestion and was about to follow her out of the lab when she noticed Jack not moving from his spot and still working on the blueprints.

She walked back over and placed a hand on his shoulder and said, "Jack honey come on. We need to keep up our strength if we're going to rescue Danny"

Jack sighed and said, "You're right Maddie. Sorry. I just miss him so much it hurts. It's been seven years and we're still not even close to fixing this damn portal"

Jazz could see his frustration and anger, she walked over and hugged his waist with her arms and said, "Daddy I know you can do it. I know you both can and we'll see Danny again. I can feel it in my bones"

Jack and Maddie smiled at their daughter and pulled her into a group family hug.

In the Ghost Zone everything was quiet and peaceful that morning. At a lair near a huge Acropolis a small seven year old boy with black hair, a white sleeveless shirt along with blue shorts and a red head band around his forehead was sitting on a tree branch high from the ground looking out into the horizon. Danny's adoptive mother Pandora had told him that she found him as a baby and he just appeared out of nowhere in the Ghost Zone and the only thing she knew was that he was a halfa and she had no idea where he came from.

"DANNY! DANNY PHANTOM!" The boy suddenly heard his adoptive mother Pandora call.

Danny changed into his ghost form where in his form his shirt changed from white to black with a DP symbol which stood for his name on the front of it and flew down from the tree branch and landed in front of Pandora who smiled at him.

"Where have you been Little Phantom?" Pandora asked as she picked him up with two of her arms.

"In the tree again" Danny answered.

"I believe it's somebody's birthday" Pandora said as she started tickling him with her other two arms which caused him to laugh.

She stopped and he asked, "Are we going to have a party tonight? And will Uncle Clocky, Uncle Nocturne, Uncle Ghostwriter and Auntie Desiree be there?"

She nodded and said, "That's right Little Phantom but first you must go to your lessons you're your Uncle Ghostwriter and you know Clockwork doesn't like it when you call him Uncle Clocky"

"That's what make it funny though mum" Danny said with a giggle.

"Oh you cheeky little ghost boy" Pandora said with a laugh and began to tickle him again causing him to laugh hysterically before finally stopping. "Now run along now. You don't want to be late for your lessons. I'll see you tonight when you come home"

"Okay. Love you mummy" Danny said and then gave her a quick kiss on the cheek and then flew off for Ghostwriter's home.

"I love you too my son" Pandora called out. "Stay safe"

Danny flew through the Ghost Zone heading for Ghostwriter's home and flying past and waving to some familiar ghosts such as Lunch Lady, Box Ghost, Kitty and Johnny 13 and Youngblood. He smiled as he saw the home of Ghostwriter and landed on the front steps of his home and knocked on the door.

The door opened to reveal Ghostwriter who smiled brightly at Danny and greeted as he allowed him to come inside, "Ah good morning Danny and also a very happy birthday to you. We've got a lot to cover today before your party tonight"

"Morning Uncle Ghostwriter and thanks" Danny greeted back as he walked inside, changed into his human form and sat down at his work desk in the large library where he always sat every day for lessons.

Ghostwriter walked to the chalkboard and said, "Okay let's begin with some math today and then we'll move onto history before taking a break for lunch"

Danny nodded and pulled out his notebook ready to take notes on the math lesson. Danny was a pretty smart kid for his age especially when it came to subjects such as astrology which was one of his favourite subjects.

Back on Earth in Wisconsin within a large mansion was a lab and in that lab stood Plasmius who was raging with anger. After he had thrown Jack and Maddie's son into the Ghost Zone seven years ago, he returned to Wisconsin and used his own portal to enter the Ghost Zone and retrieve the baby, however he never found him and only found the empty basket.

For seven years he had been trying to find the boy but could never seem to find him. He had even hired a hunter named Skulker but not even the self-proclaimed Ghost Zone's greatest hunter could find him. He was determined to find that boy and make him his son.

He turned and looked at the sight of a picture frame of a younger Jack and Maddie along with another young man. He glared at the picture of Jack and suddenly black rings appeared around his waist and in just a few seconds he was changed into the same man from the picture only older and his hair was grey and tied back in a pony-tail and he had a small beard on his chin. He wore a black business suit.

He picked up the frame and said bitterly, "Oh Maddie. You should never had married that fat oaf instead of me. Your children should have been mine instead of his. I will find that boy and make him my son if my name isn't Vlad Masters!"

Back in the Ghost Zone within the afternoon Danny's lessons with Ghostwriter had finished and so he changed back into his ghost form and started heading back towards his home. He was halfway there when suddenly a green weird looking lion floated right in front of him and said, "Where do you think you're heading to kid?"

"Home" Danny answered with slight fear of this ghost lion who he had never seen before.

"Bertrand! That's enough! Can't you see your scaring that poor little boy" A voice snapped.

Danny looked behind him to see a female ghost wearing a red business suit jacket and skirt and had red hair that stuck up in the air. Danny turned his head back towards the lion who suddenly changed into a short little male ghost wearing a suit with a bow tie and had grey hair and a moustache on his face.

He turned back towards the female ghost who was smiling at him and said, "I do apologise about my assistant. He tends to do that to any ghost who stumbles upon near our territory. I do hope he hadn't frighten you little one"

"Um….who are you?" Danny asked.

"Oh where are my manners? My name is Penelope Spectra" The ghost answered. "And what is your name little boy?"

"D-Danny Phantom" Danny answered feeling slightly nervous and a little fearful of her.

"Oh so that's what Desiree named the little freak" Spectra said with cruel smile.

"What was that?" Danny asked.

"Why that's you of course! The half-ghost freak of the Ghost Zone" Spectra repeated.

"I'm not a freak! Stay away from me meanie!" Danny shouted feeling slightly hurt from what she called him. He was about to fly off when suddenly Spectra grabbed him by his arm and held him close, he suddenly felt like his energy was being drained and miserable.

"I'm not done with you yet. So tell me something Danny what are you? A ghost trying to fit in with all of us or some freaky little boy with freaky little powers?" Spectra asked unaware that someone was watching her nearby.

"What do you mean?! I'm not a freak! Stop it! I don't like it!" Danny shouted and pleaded as he started crying.

"Oh but you are! You're not a ghost and you're not a boy either" Spectra sneered as she continued to feed off his misery. "Who cares about a thing like you? I wouldn't be surprised if your mummy hates you"

"You're wrong! She doesn't hate me!" Danny screamed becoming more upset by the second. He lost so much energy he changed back into his human form.

"How do you know? How do you know she won't abandon you one day freak?" Spectra continued. "You don't belong here freak and you wanna know something? You never will"

"THAT'S ENOUGH SPECTRA!" Another female voice suddenly shouted.

Spectra gasped and let go of Danny and turned to see a familiar ghost. She had flaming blue hair, gothic looking clothing with skull shaped boots and a purple guitar in her hands.

"Ember! What are you doing here?!" Spectra shouted in anger.

"Oh just giving you a little performance. This is a song I like to call GET AWAY FROM THAT KID!" Ember shouted in anger and then blasted Spectra away with a burst of energy from her guitar.

Spectra and Bertrand screamed as they were both blasted away and then Ember grabbed hold of the distressed and upset looking Danny and held him gently and close as she said, "Hey it's okay little guy. She's gone now, I'll take you home. Where do you live?"

"With my mummy Pandora" Danny answered through his tears.

"Okay just hold onto me and I'll take you home" Ember said and started heading for the home of Pandora. "My name is Ember by the way kid. Ember MacLaine. What's yours?"

"D-Danny" Danny answered. "D-Danny P-Phantom"

Pandora paced around in the dining room waiting for her son to come home. This was the first time he was ever late coming home and she was starting to get worried.

"I'm sure Danny's fine Pandora" Desiree said. "Maybe he just got a little distracted by something"

"Maybe you're right Des but I can't help but feel something's wrong" Pandora said as she continued to pace the room. "Are you sure he headed straight for home Ghostwriter?"

"Absolutely. I watched him go in the direction of your home before I teleported myself here" Ghostwriter answered.

There was a knock at the front door and Pandora immediately opened it and was shocked to see Danny tear stained in Ember's arms.

"Danny! Are you alright?! What happened? Where have you been?" Pandora asked as Ember handed Danny over to Pandora and she pulled him into a tight hug.

"Baby pop here ran into Penelope Spectra" Ember answered. "She was hurting the kid and I stopped her before any more damage could be done"

"I thank you Miss MacLaine" Pandora said. "Would you like to come inside?"

"No I can't but I might come by tomorrow to see how the little guy's doing if that's okay" Ember said.

"Of course and thank you once again for helping my son" Pandora said. Ember nodded and then flew off.

Pandora placed Danny down and asked, "Are you okay Danny?"

"I'm fine" Danny answered sadly, his mind still thinking about what Spectra had said to him.

"Dear are you sure you're okay?" Desiree asked. Nocturne then asked, "What did that horrible witch say to you?"

Danny kept looking down and suddenly started crying again as he wrapped his arms around himself and sobbed, "S-she called m-me a freak! Said that n-nobody cared for a t-thing like m-me! She also said y-you hated m-me mummy. I-I'm a freak! I-'m not even a full ghost! Everyone hates me and I don't belong here!"

Pandora suddenly pulled the crying boy into her arms and used one of them to caress his hair as he cried into her shoulder. She then said as they pulled apart and kept her hand on his shoulders, "Now you listen to me. You are not a freak! You're not just a thing that nobody cares about. You are Danny Phantom. You are my son and I love you. Your family loves you. We all love and care about you whether you're half-ghost or not. We will always love you and we will never abandon you"

Danny sniffled and looked at his family standing in the room and asked, "Really?"

"Really" Clockwork answered as he lowered down to Danny's height and lifted his chin up gently. "Even if sometimes you call me Clocky which still annoys me by the way, I will never stop caring about you little Phantom"

"None of us will. We are your family and this is your home" Nocturne then said. "You will always be wanted here and will always belong here"

"That was just Spectra's power making you think like that" Desiree said. Ghostwriter then finished, "It's what she does. She makes you miserable and think that whatever horrible thing she told you is true when really it's not"

"You see my little Phantom, we do care about you and we do love you no matter what" Pandora said as she caressed Danny's cheek.

Danny started crying again but not in sadness but in happiness as all the adults pulled him in and they all shared a group hug. Danny smiled feeling better than before as he took in his family's words and realised that Spectra was wrong.

Later that night Pandora put Danny to bed and tucked him in. He smiled as she ruffled his hair. He then asked, "Can I sing that song again?"

She smiled warmly and nodded. Danny began at first humming a familiar tune and then began singing.

Come stop your crying, it'll be alright

Just take my hand, hold it tight

I will protect you from all around you

I will be here don't you cry

You'll be in my heart

No matter what they say

You'll be here in my heart

Always

"Any luck remembering where you heard it from?" Pandora asked. Danny shook his head and answered, "I can only remember the tune and some of the words but that's it. I don't know where I heard it from"

"I'm you'll remember one day" Pandora said. Danny nodded and then asked, "Now can you sing me a song mummy?"

She nodded and said, "Of course and you know what, I just heard this one today that I think you'll like"

She then began to sing in a soothing, calming beautiful voice.

Stay awake, don't rest your head

Don't lie down upon your bed

While the moon drifts in the skies

Stay awake, don't close your eyes

Danny smiled as he felt tired from the day's events and he yawned as the song continued and he was starting to fall asleep.

Though the world is fast asleep

Though your pillow's soft and deep

You're not sleepy as you seem

Danny's eyes closed as he fell asleep letting off one last lawn before finally falling asleep. Nocturne entered the room and watched as Pandora finished the lullaby.

Stay awake, don't nod and dream

Stay awake, don't nod and dream

She kissed his forehead gently and placed the blanket over his shoulders and tucked him in once more. Nocturne then placed some dream dust on Danny giving him some pleasant dreams for the night as he slept and then both slipped out of the room and shut the door.

TO BE CONTINUED….

AUTHOR'S NOTES:

Thank you to all who have favorite, followed and reviewed this story so far. Tomorrow a new chapter of this story will come as well as a new chapter of Danny Phantom and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2003) version and as well a new chapter of World Protection Agency 2.