Disclaimer: I still don't own Danny Phantom or any of the characters. Danny Phantom is the property of Butch Hartman, Nickelodeon and Viacom International.
CW: Deleted Scenes
If Only
Clockwork' warning was still ringing in her ear and she knew she was facing a crossroads. She could stick with her pride and forget the whole thing ever happen or she could give into her conscious and save the one she once called enemy and do what was perhaps the first selfless act she's ever done as a ghost. This takes place right before Ember gave her warning to Danny and Sam and we sees more depth on the internal conflict Ember went through during what could be the biggest choice in her afterlife.
Ember's realm
February 15th
Takes place sometime during "Trouble"
Ember Mclain, rock star extraordinaire and one of the most fierce ghosts in the entire Ghost Zone was standing still in the middle of her penthouse like realm, Clockwork, the renowned Time Master's warning was still ringing in her ears but she didn't know what to do.
These last few days were not real and shouldn't be feeling such a way to Danny….They weren't even friends to start with and she shouldn't care about him.
She shouldn't be thinking about this.
She shouldn't feel bad or worried about him.
She shouldn't care that he was in danger right now that he was at risk of losing his free will…
She shouldn't care about any of this and she should just ignore it and move on with her after life.
But she couldn't…For as much as she tried, her mind kept replaying Clockwork's words and the last few days with Danny…
"What is wrong with me?..." She muttered in dismay.
She was so confused right now and she was upset as her mind and her heart were so out of sync right now! It was like half of her wanted go one way and the other half wants to do the opposite! Before this entire Valentine 's Day disaster happened, she didn't need or care about anyone except herself. All that mattered to her was her music, her goals and her freedom. All she wanted was to make sure that everyone knew who she was, she wanted everyone to like her music and she was going to make sure no one ever forgot her.
She wasn't that same stupid girl who let her emotions control her and make a fool out of herself over some chump who didn't deserve her…that was what she always told herself.
All that mattered to her was making people love her songs, her music and herself and to never forget who she was…That was what she knew that she deserved….
"You're a good singer…"Echoed at the back of her mind, before she tried to shake it off.
She wanted to forget about last night but for some reason her mind wouldn't stop replaying it….Especially the part where Danny confessed that he actually liked her music and even told her that she didn't even need to make people like them.
"Enemies or not…Phantom isn't afraid of telling people what's on his mind…He wouldn't say things like that unless he means…'Ember muttered before trying to forget it all.
She couldn't believe she got so shaken just because the dipstick gave her a compliment…She's received millions of them from all of her fans….though maybe it was because she knew that she didn't hypnotize him and that he still complimented her that struck her like that.
She shouldn't be doing this, Danny wasn't anything to her but an enemy and the spell and these last few days didn't change that part of their relationship. They were supposed to be enemies and hate each other like they always have.
But…
"He might be an idiot…and a jerk….and he might have ruined my plans…but…'Ember couldn't explain it, but the thought of Danny losing his freewill and spending his entire life as someone's slave…
She imagined whoever the freakish mortal striking him with one of those damned arrows, suddenly turning him into a star struck, doting, obedient little toy to his new master who would only treat him as their property instead of a person with feelings…
"I can't…I can't like that idea…Its like I can't decide what is wrong and what is right anymore..."She thought looking down, wanting to push those thoughts away but they were stubborn.
She couldn't explain why she was so confused right now, Clockwork said he wasn't going to force her to play the "hero" here; she didn't have to help Danny and act like she actually gave a damn about his well-being.
She didn't have to do such a thing….but a part of her was calling her a fool and a bitch
"What happened to that whole "I do whatever the hell what I want to do attitude"?...You know that you don't want this to happen…especially when you can stop it!..."A voice from the back of her mind shouted, telling her that what she was being both a bitch and going against her own principles.
She didn't like the thought of anything bad happening to Danny, despite the fact that she knew that she should have.
Her mind was telling her that she should give this up and forget about it, her pride was telling her to forget about this, her anger, her reputation, her bruised ego and so much more were all demanding the same thing…
But her heart….She didn't know what her heart was telling her but she knew that it didn't agree with all beforehand.
"If only I knew what my heart was telling me...If only I could read the signs in front of me..."Ember thought, feeling absolutely lost.
If only she could hear what her heart was telling her but she couldn't…all she could feel was….was…She didn't know what it was but it got worse each time she thought about Danny and the horrible fate that will befall him unless she stops it.
"He might be my enemy…But…Am I really capable of doing this?...Which way should I go?... She muttered, feeling a sense of shame as she thought about it.
She knew that she was at a crossroads right now, she could stick with her pride and forget the whole thing ever happen or she could give into her conscious and save the one she once called enemy and do what was perhaps the first selfless act she's ever done as a ghost
She could easily do the former…but she couldn't, her heart wasn't going to let her.
Her mind went back to her phony date with Danny at Styx's Café and the fireworks show they saw together. She remembered that beautiful white rose her gave her when he picked her up and she remembered how well they bonded when they talked over dinner. She really enjoyed talking and getting to know him….and the fact that she felt comfortable enough to tell him about her past was something she didn't expect but the fact that he didn't laugh at her or mocked her for being weak like she had always feared…
That…That he acted like he cared about her….Cared enough to even get mad at the thought that someone treated her like that…
It felt nice…It felt nice enough for her to hug him and would have been so willing to kiss him and ask him to become her boyfriend.
If only it had been real that is…But none of it was real… It was just the result of Cupid's prank.
She got hurt again…Worse than ever…but if she did nothing, Danny was going to get hurt as well.
She knew that she didn't want that to happen.
She had a brief thought of the dream she had the other day, of them being a happy couple and spending Valentine's Day together. She hated that a part of her almost liked the idea….despite the fact that it would never happen.
She hated Cupid for what he did to her, she hated Clockwork for bringing this up and she hated herself for not letting her memories go. She knew that even if she tried and saved Danny, it was highly unlikely that he would suddenly run into her arms and shout that he loves her and say that wanted to be with her as her boyfriend. She briefly imagine somehow saving Danny from whoever stole those stupid love arrows and him getting on his knees, declaring his undying love for her…with her not laughing her head off and rejecting him coldly like she had done with a bunch of other losers who thought they had a shot with her.
She actually thought of herself getting…flattered?…touched?...happy?
She thought of herself being happy with the fact that he felt that way…maybe even happy enough to consider giving him a chance…
But it wasn't going to work out like that and she knew it…Life wasn't a fairytale like that…She wasn't some heroin princess off to rescue her "knight in shining armor" from whatever hideous witch that cast a spell on him.
But….Even if she and Danny would never be a couple, even if they would still be enemies and even if this goes against everything she ever believed in.
She couldn't stand by and let it happened. She didn't like the thought of him becoming a slave and she knew it so it was time for her to stop being a bitch and do what was probably the only unselfish thing she ever did as a ghost.
"I…I can't let this happen…I got to at least warn him…Even as enemies…I can't wish for that to happen to him…"Ember thought as she teleported out of the realm, ignoring the sore headache she was feeling.
She found herself at Fenton Work's but Danny wasn't there. Panicking, he checked the entire area but there was no sign of him. She had to him before whoever was after him did!
"That's right! It's Wednesday and it's almost noon…He's probably at school…"Ember thought as she quickly flew across town to Casper High, no longer having enough power to teleport and could only hope that she wasn't too late…that she could still save the one guy that….that…
The guy that made her feels very confused today, she would find him, warn him about the anger and maybe knock whoever stole the arrows and then they could peacefully go back to their normal routine of being enemies.
If only they didn't have to…
If only their date had been real….If only she wasn't the only one who was feeling this sad and dismayed by the fact that it was nothing but a joke.
If only…
If only she knew….
-To be continued-
Next time on CW: Deleted Scenes
Dani's first date
A/N: Chapter edited on 2/11/2018.
REPLIES to my loyal and totally awesome reviewers:
Wiseguy2415: Exactly! But I should point out that if Danny had been the one to initiate it would have gone more or less the same way. The point is that all breakups' suck…No matter how much you try to soften the blow, people will get hurt…But what defies a person is how they handle it.
It's true that Danny and Sam were both hurt by this, (as evidence in my Cupid's Wrath story) but they both are aware that it has to be done and they still care about each other and want the other to be happy…They are both good people and truly love each other but at a platonic level more than anything now that the attraction has died out.
Kimera20: Thanks :)
Invader Johnny: Yes…As I said that no matter what, those two could never hate each other. That is what a true friendship and in the words of Aphrodite: "While there are times that romantic love can change or die, when a friendship is true, it will last forever no matter what adversity it faces": )
:) Till next time beautiful people, remember to read and review :)