Universe: 14

Danny sat in his room conflicted thinking over the last fight he had been through. He had stopped Technus from taking control of axiom labs' new computer in space. He sat thinking about his growing feelings for Valerie Grey. She was smart, determined, and strong. All the the qualities that made her attractive were the same things that could keep them apart. She has bared a strong grudge against all ghosts since Cujo the ghost dog went on a rampage through the facility and changed most of her life for the worse. Danny was there trying to help but his inexperience had caused things to just get worse. He had bonded with Valerie as Danny Fenton more and more over the last several months. He had decided now was the time to tell her the truth.

He felt that he owed it to her after all the things they had been through together. That health class project that was ruined by Skulker. The time they teamed up during the battle with the ghost kings forces. He even thought about that alternative future version of her had said she thought he was cute. There were good moments when he thought of her. There were some not good memories too. The many times she tried to destroy him. Danny knew it was not her fault he was still public enemy number one in her eyes. He sat there thinking of all the great moments they had been through the last few weeks. He thought they would be enough for her to see the real him.

His thoughts were interrupted by his friends Sam and Tucker coming into the room. They both had very disapproving faces on. Sam's normally emotionless scowl was heavier and filled with an new level of pain. She had her own conflicted feelings about Danny. She had not really planned on how jealous she would be about Danny liking someone else especially not Valerie.

"She was one of those popular kids. She made fun of us. She used Tucker to try to get into our group" were the thoughts that swirled in her mind but she didn't want to fight with Danny about this again.

Tucker was not his normal overly excited self. His face seemed was filled with was more optimistic all things considered though. He didn't have feelings for Valerie anymore and let Danny know it was okay with him breaking the Bro code about dating a friends Ex. Tucker thought the news might send her into a blind rage where she would fully break in her new upgraded suit but that was admittedly a worst case Scenario right behind telling everyone. That was a shared fear by Him and Sam.

They were going to stand by Danny no matter what. They were his best friends. Tucker admitted to being a little worried if she accepted Danny was a ghost then he wouldn't be needed to help fight ghosts anymore. Danny tried to put his friends minds at ease. He was feeling this pressure on himself. He knew there was no one he could talk it out with. He had to act confident and sure in front of them but inside he was terrified. He was more scared now than when he set out on his suicide mission against The Ghost King.

He knew he would have to get through tonight and then it would be over one way or the other. This was something he had to do. He laid in his bed that night he couldn't sleep. The anxiety and the nerves were getting to him.

The next day, he sat through his morning classes in a daze not really paying attention to whatever his teachers were lecturing on. His mind was on Valerie. In his mind he could see the different possibilities for how she would take the news. Finally it was time for lunch. He could see Tucker and Sam trailing behind him as he approached Valerie.

"Hey could you join me outside for lunch today?" he asked Valerie as they entered the line to get their lunches put on trays. "Sure it feels like we haven't talked in awhile" she said confidently and with a smile. They walked out side. The late fall air was crisp but it was still nice enough to sit outside on the lonely unoccupied picnic tables. "so there is something I wanted to talk to you about." he started. She looked around and let an unusually feminine giggle at least from her "It must be pretty important Tucker and Sam aren't here." she said. "Val you know the ghost boy?" he asked feeling stupid for asking.

Her mood and attitude immediately shifted at his mentioning. "oh I know him. he ruined my life. If I ever get my hands on him I'll make him Pay!" she said angrily through gritted teeth. "this isn't easy to explain so I'll just have to show you." he said in a very solemn and cryptic voice.

He stood up and jumped on top of their table. "I'm Going Ghost" he said silently to himself as a glowing ring formed around his waist. It split rising up along his chest changing his clothes as it went. His pants and shirt becoming his signature jumpsuit. The glow illuminated Valerie's shocked face as she started connecting the dots. As he fully transformed Sam and Tucker stepped outside from the exit where they had been waiting. "I'm Danny Phantom, Valerie" he said finally after several seconds of stunned silence. Valerie was experiencing so many emotions at once: confusion, anger, sadness, and hatred all bubbling up inside of her.

"You've been the Ghost boy all this time! How the hell did this happen?! Why did you destroy my whole life?!" she screamed at him ranting and raving until suddenly she just broke down in tears. Sobbing as she pounded his chest ineffectively.

He wrapped his arms around her and turned back to Danny Fenton. "I'm so sorry Val, I never meant for those things to happen. I would change it all if could" he said sincerely. "I'll explain everything later come to my house after school it'll be easier there" he said smiling in a sweet way. She looked him in the eye with her intense stare. "You'll tell me everything NOW!" she said with a kind of powerful but restrained voice. "Guys, cover for us." Danny said without hesitation.

They flew off to Fenton Works Danny actually flying and Valerie on her jet sled. They were flying at speeds that Valerie honestly had not considered he would be able to keep up with. She started questioning everything she knew about ghost. They reached their destination after seven minutes of silence flying. Danny held out his hand to her as they approached the roof. "I would rather not break a hole in the roof so just trust me." he said as she gave him a skeptical and disapproving look. She took his hand hesitantly and said "Okay, I'll trust you, don't make me regret it."

They became intangible and invisible as he guided them down into the Basement Lab where he had gained these powers in the first place. They touched down and they both turned back into their civilian forms.

He started telling her his story from the beginning. "This ghost portal is the cause of these ghost powers. When my parents couldn't get it to work, a few months ago, I stepped inside and activated it accidentally. I've been trying to use them to help people from the ghosts that escape through the portal." she sat there trying to processing this information.

"Tucker and Sam were there they have know the whole time. We also figured out your secret when you first tried to attack me because of Cujo." he told her "I've always held myself because I never wanted to hurt you. When we started to get closer I felt great. I couldn't stop thinking about you. I want us to be together. It's why I had to tell you about all of this" Danny finished. Valerie was standing there somewhere between angry and a creeping sense of guilt thinking back to her various encounters with "phantom".

"You really knew this whole time? So when we were dragged into that ghost world and I was bad mouthing you. Why didn't you say anything? What about that time the town was under attack? You reached out with your spooky friend for my help." she said frantically trying to work out this whole situation.

"Valerie, I never had any doubt in your abilities to hunt ghosts. If you hadn't try to destroy me so many times I would have asked you to help me long before now." he said to her as she got quiet she started to wonder if she had been wrong about everything. Danny wrapped his arms around her as she broke down into angry and sad tears. "Thank you for telling me this." she said finally. "We should get back to school. Give me a little time to process all this. I'll be in touch when I've decided what I'm going to do." said as she broke the hug and turning on her suit. Danny transformed and flew them through the building. They went back to the school almost in time for their next classes.

As Danny slipped back into his desk he did wonder what Valerie was going to decide. He knew she a strong and emotional girl. He just hoped that she was receptive to his words. She did at least hear him out. There was nothing else to do but wait at this point.

It was almost a full week before Valerie sent him a simple text "meet at NB 1" it said Danny new that it was a late night meeting free of distractions from anyone else. It was enough to get him in a bit of a state he didn't think to tell Tucker and Sam about this. It had to be just them and sneaking out is so much easier for him anyway. He was a little anxious though not sure if it was a late night rendezvous or a late night assassination. He waited unable to really think until it was about 12:45. He morphed and flew right over.

He made it there with 5 minutes to spare at the fast food restaurant called The Nasty Burger. He waited on the sign invisibly to see when she got there. She flew past him and hovered over the building in her new black suit with red circuity running along her body. He couldn't help but stare even though it is the most deadly weapon to ghosts like him. She looked oddly sexy in the moonlight. He flew in front of where she was and made himself visible.

"I was almost sure you wouldn't show" she said in her gruffer ghost hunting voice. She stared him down. "I've been thinking about this all week and I've finally made my decision.