A/N: Might make this into an arc, if enough of you ask me to. Other than that, all requests are in the making and I'm hungry for REVIEWS!

(sob) I'm sorry! (sob) I had to do it! (sob) Poor Aiden! (continues to cry and hopes readers don't kill me)


"It is bitter to lose a friend to evil, before one loses him to death."
~ Mary Renault


Letters


Dear Daddy,

Mommy told me to write this for you. I'm not sure why and I'm not really writing it. I'm just talking and she's writing whatever I say on the 'puter. Okay, okay, I'll stop getting sidetre— sidetrah— uh, that word you just used. Um, what am I supposed to say again? Oh yeah!

I want to tell you I love you. I barely remember you since I only saw you until I was three. I'm five now. And I can count all the way to thirty! Can you believe it, Daddy? I've gots to use all my fingers and all my toes and all the pencils and erasers in my desk, but I can count to thirty! Ms. Clark is very happy with me. I get to sit in the bean bag chair during story time, when everybody else is on the carpet! It's so cool!

And do you 'member my friend Cindy? She's Uncle Tucker's daugh— daught— um,... Uncle Tucker's her Daddy, just like you're my Daddy. She comes over a lot now and we spent lots of time together. Mommy keeps saying something about history repeating itself. Does that mean anything to you? I don't get it, but Mommy says I'm just like you and her when you guys were kids. I still don't get it, but if she says I'm like you then I'm happy.

It's not the same without you here all the time, Daddy. I miss you, though I barely 'member you. The ghosts are still coming and Grandma and Grandpa and Aunt Valerie are fighting 'em off, but they need you. Mommy says not to be afraid and I'm not afraid; I'm a big boy now and I'm not afraid of anything! But I want you to come back home. I miss you.

I'm getting lots better at controlling my powers. I can make my hand glow now and I can make myself not be there! I tried walking through walls and I did it once, but then I couldn't do it no more and gave up because it hurt my head. But I want to be as strong as you when I grow up, so I'm gonna give it a try again. Mommy says that all Fentons are stubborn. What does that mean? Are you stubborn, Daddy? Am I stubborn? If you're stubborn, then I want to be stubborn too.

Mommy laughed right now. Is that a good thing? Is she stubborn, too?

We're going to visit to you today because today's the exact day you died. I don't remember that day. What was it like to die, Daddy? Did it hurt? Mommy and everyone says you died a hero, but you were always a hero, so of course you were gonna die one. You were the best hero there ever lived. Way better than Spiderman or Batman or even Superman. You were real. You saved the day and got people to be good. You were my daddy.

Are you waiting for me in heaven, Daddy? Because I'm waiting for you to tell me yes. I really feel like being with you sometimes. I cried once, but don't tell Cindy because I'm s'posed to be the strong one—like you. Mommy reads me stories like you used to, but it's not the same. She does it really good and she does the voices the same, too, but... I don't know. I guess she just isn't you.

Mommy explained that you always loved me and didn't mean to leave us. I know that. I just want you to be here instead of in heaven. Is that selfish? Ms. Clark said once that we shouldn't be selfish, 'cause it was a bad quality to have. I don't want to be selfish. I just want you home.

You weren't there for my birthday party and I got mad at you. I'd been hoping you would show up and help me blow out the candles, like you always did. When you weren't there, I ran from the backyard and into the basement. That was the time I cried. I was mad at you and I'm sorry. Mommy said you couldn't have come, no matter how much you pro'bly wanted to. I'm sorry for being mad. S'not your fault.

We're bringing flowers to you and my letter today. I'm not sure how you'll read it but Mommy says that isn't the important part. I still don't get that.

Oh! Mommy's pointing to the clock. That means it's time to leave.

I hate wearing this suit and I'm sure you wouldn't mind if I wore my sneakers when I visit you, right, Daddy? Mommy says to stop stalling.

Okay, I guess I said everything I wanted to. You'll always remember that I love you, right? You're the best Daddy in the whole wide world and I miss you so bad. I'm gonna keep controlling my powers so I can grow up to be big and strong like you. I'm gonna make you so proud, Daddy, you'll see. I'll be a hero just like you. That way, when I see you in heaven, we'll fight all the evil ghosts together and have so much fun.

It'll be fun, right, Daddy?

Love you,
Aiden

(Look, Mommy! I spell'd my name right!)


When she reached the familiar plot, Sam and her son silently placed a small bouquet and a tiny rectangle on the soft grass under the gravestone. They spent a few minutes murmuring in soft tones as they spoke to him, smiling, frowning, cryingthe tell-tale sign of a family in mourning. They left as silently as they had come, the mother reaching out to scoop her son in her arms, a mere hour later.

His heart reached out to them, but he held back, like he always did when he came in their near vicinity. When the sun started to fall hours later, he was brave enough to float forward and investigate what they had dropped off.

He touched the flowers gently, smiling. Lilacs. Sam had never found out that the reason he loved the flower so much was because it reminded him of her eyes. Tilting his head, he reached out for the small, ivory letter, curious. His breath caught in his throat as he examined it.

On the cover, written in bulky red crayon, was one word: Daddy.

He immediately recognized the scrawl from the familiar squiggles he had taped to the fridge once three years ago. He closed his eyes, forbidding the rising moisture to fall.

Swallowing heavily, he opened the letter and began to read. By the time he was done processing the last words on the crisp paper, a few drops of salty tears had fallen to stain the ink and his chest was heaving as he tried to control his breathing.

He closed his eyes as a sob ripped through his chest.

When a familiar aura materialized behind him an hour later, he still wasn't in total control of his emotions.

"Danny," the voice said, putting a familiar hand on his shoulder.

He shook his head, fresh tears appearing in his vision. "It's not fair," he croaked, moving his hand to swipe at the tears.

"Life isn't fair sometimes," Clockwork whispered. "We have to go back, before someone sees you."

"I'm not even dead," Danny bit back, more to himself than the ghost behind him, having argued this point enough in the past, "not anymore than I've been for years. I'm still here and yet you forbid me from seeing my family."

"People must believe you're no longer on the living plane," Clockwork repeated for the millionth time. "It will make sense one day, when you are truly needed."

"My son needs me now."

"A few years of mourning will be worth the salvation of humanity. You can't go back."

Danny closed his eyes and looked at his grave, another tear falling. He glanced at the paper curled in grip and tried to smooth out the wrinkles he had unconsciously inflected upon it when he'd been talking to the well-meaning ghost. He frowned sadly and ignored the tear that slipped away from his blue eyes to roll down his nose.

Then, he sighed and let Clockwork lead him back into the Ghost Zone.


A Danny Phantom motion picture by Sundae Cinema.


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