Sam, Tucker and Danielle sat at a picnic table in the park. It was early afternoon and they were beginning to wonder when Danny would return. They really regretted not setting a time with him before he disappeared in a puff of green smoke. Tucker absentmindedly tapped away on his phone while Sam and Danielle spoke about meaningless things. Tucker sighed loudly.
"How much longer are we going to wait here for? Maybe Danny's waiting for us someplace else," Tucker huffed. Sam shrugged.
"I dunno Tuck. I guess it depends on how long it takes for Danny to help Pitch with those nightmare things or whatever," Sam replied.
"You sure he said he'd be here today? He might have meant tomorrow," Danielle asked. Sam and Tucker glanced at each other and shook their heads.
"Pretty sure he meant today Dani," Sam replied calmly. It had been past midnight when they spoke with Danny. It's possible he had meant tomorrow as in the day after Hallowe'en.
"Sorry I took so long. Had a lot of catching up to do," A voice called to them as Danny walked over to them with a nervous smile. Sam, Tucker and Danielle jumped to their feet and shook their heads, muttering a barrage of assurances that it was fine.
A few minutes later, Danny was sitting with them at the picnic table.
"So did you get all the nightmare things yet?" Sam prompted. Danny smirked at her.
"Not technically my job Sam. Pitch is still rounding them up last I heard. But I have a few kids I pay close attention to. With everything that happened, I hadn't checked on them for a few days. So between helping a few kids Pitch traumatised and the kids I look out for, I've been busy," Danny explained. Danielle frowned.
"So what do you do exactly? Sam and Tucker explained what you said last night, but I still don't get it," Danielle inquired. Danny smiled.
"Alright, see that little girl over there," Danny replied and nodded to a little girl watching a group of girls laughing and smiling. Danielle, Sam and Tucker nodded.
"I can sense that she's upset and nervous. My job, or at least what I do, is to talk to her. Help her. From experience I can already guess what's up. She wants to go over to those girls but is afraid that she'll say the wrong thing or get laughed at," Danny explained.
"But only people that face their fears can see and hear you, right?" Tucker recalled. Danny nodded slowly.
"Half right. Without touching them, yes, they can't see or hear me unless they face their fears. But if I touch them, I usually touch a shoulder, I can ask them questions. Subconsciously they hear me and if they want help, they can answer me. Then I can get an idea of the situation and offer advice or support and most of the time, that's enough. But I do use my powers every now and again to put a bully in their place," Danny explained.
Danny excused himself and went over to the girl and placed a hand on her shoulder and began to mutter things to her. After a brief seemingly one-sided conversation, the girl went over to the group of girls and was soon laughing with them. Danny returned to the picnic table.
"So, those kids you pay attention to? They obviously have something more serious to face than fitting in at school," Sam guessed. Danny shrugged.
"Usually. One kid, Stephan. I've been working with him for a long time. He has so many phobias, it's ridiculous. But I'm getting there with him. At least he can get though a day without taking his anxiety medication now. Diana… she's a friend of Jamie's. Her mother is an abusive alcoholic. Because…. Because I wasn't around she got hurt and is in the hospital. I helped her with the social services this morning. She's being put into foster care and she's really upset and worried about it. But… I'll help her through it," Danny informed them with a small smile.
"Wow, that's rough," Tucker commented. Danny nodded sadly.
"Wait, you said you can only help if the kid wants to be helped. What happens if they don't want your help?" Danielle asked. Danny chuckled.
"Most of the time they subconsciously insult me until I leave. But sometimes those are the most interesting cases. I've heard some really inventive insults in my time," Danny answered with a smirk. Sam, Tucker and Danielle stared at him. Danny shook his head with a small laugh.
"I'd rather not repeat them. Often, they're very rude. Although there was a five year old I tried to help once that practically only spoke to me with swear words. Couldn't believe it at the time. Turned out they had anger management problems and were afraid that going to school would make it worse," Danny recalled.
The four old friends spent the next hour talking and recounting the last four years to each other. But Danny stood up and glanced around the park and sighed.
"Guess I should get back to work. It was nice talking to you guys again but this will be the last time you see me," Danny informed them.
"What?!" Sam yelped in shock and jumped to her feet. Danny smiled sadly at her and nodded.
"I'm sorry but you need to move on. Personally I thought you had when you started dating. So, Dani, remember what I asked. Tell my parents to move on," Danny replied and nodded to Danielle encouragingly. Danielle swallowed down her tears and nodded sadly. She didn't want to see Danny go again.
"No! You can't do this. We can get them to see you too. You can visit us," Sam persisted firmly. Danny smiled at Sam apologetically.
"Sam, if I visit, you can't move on. It's time to get on with your life. This is hard for me too, but it's the way it has to be. You can't date a dead person," Danny pointed out softly. Sam shook her head and blinked away hot tears that threatened.
Danny sighed sadly and pulled Sam into a hug. He looked at Tucker and saw the disappointment on his friend's face and the misery on Danielle's. He bit his lip and internally debated with himself.
"Tuck, what time is it?" Danny asked. Tucker blinked in surprise and glanced at his watch.
"Three, why?" Tucker answered. Danny pulled away from Sam.
"I'll make a deal with you guys then. You promise me to try and move on and every Hallowe'en I'll visit my grave at three. You can meet me there if you need to talk to me but I want you to understand this. I'm dead. Danny Fenton and Danny Phantom are gone. I'm just Danny now. The Spirit of Fear. Alright?" Danny suggested. Sam sniffled and gently wiped away a tear that threatened to escape her eyes.
"Really?" she whispered. Danny sighed and nodded with a warm smile.
"But that's all I'm agreeing to. One visit a year. And only as a friend Sam," Danny warned. Sam bit her lip and nodded slowly.
Danny hugged Sam again.
"Sam, I'm proud of you and please find someone that you can love and be with," Danny whispered in her ear. He withdrew and gave her a small smile.
"Just don't get them involved with ghost hunting," Danny joked sadly. Sam choked a small laugh and nodded.
"I'll miss you Danny," she replied. Danny nodded.
"I know. I miss you every day. But it's time to move on," Danny retorted gently. He turned to Danielle. She stood up and hugged Danny.
"Dani, thanks for taking over here. I can't thank you enough and I hope you're happy," Danny murmured into her ear. Danielle smiled.
"Least I could do cuz. You saved my life. Even though I never got to return the favour, I felt that I could at least try to repay you by protecting your home," Danielle explained. Danny chuckled.
"Dani, all I did was spray you with some chemical my parents developed," Danny reminded her. Danielle smiled and shook her head.
"You did more than that Danny. You helped me to see that Vlad was only using me. You gave me my freedom and then you helped me when I was destabilising. Danny, I owe you everything. So thank you," Danielle pointed out. Danny smiled sadly at her. But lost for words, turned to Tucker.
Tucker grinned and pulled Danny into a hug.
"Dude, I'm glad to see you again," Tucker muttered. Danny laughed.
"Thanks Tuck. Would you mind checking on Jazz for me every now and again? And thanks for moving on," Danny whispered. Tucker tensed and nodded.
"Relax, Tucker. I'm glad you didn't put your life on hold because of what happened. Thanks for being there for Sam too. I know it's a lot to ask, but she needs you. I can tell now that I've spoken to her that she's still grieving. It would mean a lot to me if you helped her get over me," Danny murmured softly in Tucker's ear so no one else could hear. Tucker nodded into Danny shoulder. He took a step back and sighed shakily.
"Dude, you know how to stir up old feelings," he chuckled shakily. Danny smiled apologetically.
"Sorry Tuck. But congrats on getting over your fear of hospitals," Danny commented.
"Thanks," Tucker retorted brightly before frowning.
"Wait, how did you…?" Tucker realised. Danny laughed.
"The fact that you didn't see me until after you faced Pitch Tuck. And if you were afraid in the hospital, you would still be there muttering about models. Also, when I searched the hospital for you guys trying to stop Dani, I didn't feel any fear," Danny explained. Tucker smiled nervously and shifted awkwardly.
"Sorry. Guess I had bad timing on that," Tucker mumbled. Danny shook his head.
"Don't be Tuck," Danny retorted.
Danny gave them one last look and smiled at them.
"I'm proud of you guys, really. I know that I don't have to worry about Amity Park with you guys here. And I know you can move on and be happy. You just need to try. And if you really need to, I'll be at my grave next Hallowe'en at three. I've gotten a lot better at remembering stuff now," Danny concluded with one last warm smile. Sam, Tucker and Danielle smiled sadly at him and lowered their gaze to the ground once Danny vanished in a puff of green smoke. After a brief silence, they all went their separate ways, Sam and Tucker to their homes and Danielle to Fenton Works to do as Danny asked and speak with his parents.
And that is that. Two more chapters left. Don't want to ruin the moment so…
Until the next chapter.