That evening, Danny recovered from the smoke. It was almost instantaneous. One second he was lethargic and muttering the odd nonsensical comment and then the next he sat up and asked what had happened, having forgotten his drugged stupor completely. It had taken five minutes to convince Danny that he had been babbling nonsense for the last six hours and even then it took a video Tucker recorded of him during a particularly weird ten minutes to prove it to the halfa. Danny, Sam, Tucker, Eric and Yazmin left Fenton Works to head to the Nasty Burger for some dinner, Sam and Tucker having declined to eat with Danny's family in favour of a movie night later, or at least that was the lie they said.
Danny sank into a booth with Eric and Yazmin as Sam and Tucker got the food. Danny rubbed his face tiredly before turning to Eric and Yazmin.
"So, now that you've done your job here, what's your plan? I haven't seen any time medallions on you," Danny asked. Eric and Yazmin sighed sadly.
"They kind of melted into a birthmark on our chests. They can't be taken off anymore," Yazmin admitted. Danny hummed in understanding.
"Probably because your present Clockwork was destroyed. The time medallions kind of follow their own laws but are connected to Clockwork. But if you have changed everything, then your time might not exist anymore," Danny remarked with a slightly saddened knowing tone. Eric and Yazmin nodded.
"Clockwork told us we would have been killed if he didn't intervene. That hunter tracked Yazmin down and I wasn't strong enough to fight him off. We escaped through a blue portal into the Ghost Zone," Eric informed his ancestor. Danny nodded.
"Makes sense. He didn't take you out of your timelines because you technically didn't have one anymore. I know you two probably think he was being cruel, but if he hadn't sent you here, then he would have been forced to rectify that. He really did save your lives. Clockwork would have known that he would have been destroyed. As it wasn't this time's Clockwork, he can't really be punished. Meaning he found a loophole to give you two full lives while stopping my family's horrible fate," Danny explained for them.
Eric and Yazmin shared bewildered looks. They hadn't realised what the time ghost had given them. They had felt used and slightly betrayed. Danny smiled as Sam slid into the seat beside him and handed her boyfriend his meal. He hungrily ate the food and after they were finished they sat in the booth in contented silence.
"I've been thinking. You guys can't live with Sam forever. How would you feel about getting new identities and lives in Elmerton?" Danny spoke up. Eric and Yazmin blinked.
"How are you gonna do that?" Eric questioned.
"Yeah dude, I'm a good hacker but I don't have the equipment to forge birth certs and stuff," Tucker added.
"I was thinking to ask Vlad to pay for it. As a thank you to me for this morning, and maybe an apology for his ghost half making things so difficult. But I'd be your guardian. I can just overshadow someone if you need a parent or something," Danny confessed.
"Danny, you're seventeen," Sam muttered with a raised eyebrow. Danny nodded.
"I know, but I am still their closest relative. And I can't ask Jazz or my parents to do that in my place for obvious reasons," Danny replied calmly.
"Danny, they've been at Casper High," Tucker reminded the halfa. Danny nodded.
"I know. So you'd need to change your surnames. Can't have Fenton or Thompson. I was thinking Nightingale," Danny agreed.
"Nightingale?" Yazmin repeated in confusion. Danny smirked.
"Our ancestor was John Fenton-Nightingale. A witch hunter in the sixteen hundreds in Salem. I figured that we could bring the name back into the family," Danny clarified. Tucker and Sam smiled as they recalled the man. That was when they learned of the dangers of Blood Blossoms. Eric and Yazmin chewed their lips in thought.
"Elmerton is the neighbouring town to Amity Park. Less than ten minutes flying. You can't stay in Amity Park because you'll be recognised. But Elmerton has a great high school and Vlad can fork out to pay for a house and housekeeper for you two. But I will need to explain why I want him to do that," Danny added.
"Why do we need to live in Elmerton? We could live in Amity Park, on the outskirts," Eric inquired curiously.
"I'd prefer to keep you two out of danger as much as possible. I was planning to go to college in Florida. There's an astrophysics and engineering course I'm hoping to get. But I can take a year out to make sure you two are okay. Amity Park is almost constantly attacked by ghosts. While I know you two can fight, the ghosts here are my responsibility. And you two have a long way to go yet before getting into ghost fights. I can take a year out, train you two up and leave Amity Park in Eric's care while he watches over Yazmin in high school. The next year Eric can go to college and Yazmin can take over Amity Park's protection. My course will be four years. But if we do it like that then… Amity Park shouldn't be left unprotected. When Yazmin goes to college, I'll be back and I'll take back the responsibility," Danny planned.
"Quick question, how are they gonna afford college?" Sam interjected.
"Why dear old uncle Vlad," Danny answered with a mischievous grin.
"Why is he gonna pay for all this?" Tucker pressed sceptically. Danny chuckled.
"Leave Vlad to me. I have a plan to convince him," Danny reassured his friend.
Sunday afternoon, Danny Fenton knocked on Vlad's front door. Vlad answered the door before raising an eyebrow.
"Daniel. Not that I don't enjoy you coming to me with your problems as opposed to Jack. But why are you here?" Vlad inquired suspiciously.
"I want to talk business Vlad," Danny admitted. Vlad blinked in shock and let the teen inside.
"Business?" Vlad repeated in stunned shock.
"Yeah. It's about those ghosts you met during the week. I lied you see. They're halfas. From the future. This is gonna take some explaining. Mind if we sit down?" Danny began. Vlad blinked in surprise before nodding and leading Danny to a sitting room.
"Halfas from the future you say?" Vlad repeated curiously.
"Yep. Actually they're my descendants. A long time into the future too Vlad. They were being hunted by the guy who tried to kill me at prom. So uh would you mind using your connections to discredit the guy if he starts blabbing?" Danny requested, he knew what he was asking Vlad to do and he hated giving the freedom to the older halfa to potentially use his powers to manipulate the justice system. Vlad grinned and nodded in agreement.
"Tell me more of your descendants," Vlad encouraged excitedly. Danny pushed down a smirk.
"Well, they can't get back to their time anymore. So they need to build new lives here. Which is why I'm here. They need new identities and I'd like you to pay for their living expenses through high school and college, within reason of course, starting with a house in Elmerton and enrolling them in Fudd High School. Housekeeper would be great too. I'll overshadow the housekeeper or someone and act as their guardian as and when they need one. I just need you to pay for stuff to set them up," Danny explained. Vlad leaned back in his seat and steepled his fingertips thoughtfully.
"That seems more of a gift than a business deal Daniel," Vlad retorted. Danny nodded.
"I know that. I'm here to discuss payment. I could do a few long distance deliveries or something. And don't forget how much I stuck my neck out for you yesterday. I didn't have to risk my life like that," Danny replied.
"Very well. One more item. I get to consult with your descendants for future business endeavours. Their knowledge could be invaluable," Vlad stipulated. Danny fought down a grin of triumph. Vlad took the bait. The hope was that the future would change. Eric and Yazmin had told the trio how desolate and desperate the humans had become in that timeline. Technology advancements had suffered greatly. Therefore, Vlad had accepted useless payment. The best thing, Vlad wouldn't know it until years later if ever.
"Sounds reasonable. But it goes through me first. I'm not gonna let them tell you stuff like war outcomes or something like that," Danny agreed. Vlad smiled and nodded.
"Agreed. Deal?" Vlad confirmed and held out a hand. Danny shook the offered hand and Vlad fetched his laptop and started to draw up a contract for the two halfas, taking down the details Danny had for Eric and Yazmin's new identities, such as their new surname, first names, date of birth and so on.
Danny left with a broad grin on his face, changing into his ghost form to patrol the town before stopping at Sam's to inform the trio that the deal was made and their new identities were on the way. Prom was rescheduled for the following Friday in the community hall. Danny and Sam had a wonderfully ghost free evening, Sam having bought Danny a new suit to replace the burnt one he had thrown away. Star's cousin had returned for that prom to be Valerie's date and Tucker and Ashley spent the evening together. Two weeks later, Vlad and Danny went to Elmerton, house shopping. They enrolled Eric and Yazmin for the following year and bought a small two storey townhouse, Vlad hiring a male housekeeper for Danny to overshadow to act as a father for Eric and Yazmin when needed. A week later the halfas moved in, a spare room ready for Danielle for when she was next in the area.
Graduation came and went. Sam and Tucker went to college and Danny spent the following year training Yazmin and Eric while protecting Amity Park. He got a part time job as waiter in a restaurant to thrown off suspicion and to earn for his time in Florida where he was accepted into his preferred course. Things worked out wonderfully. Danielle visited the halfas and learned of the Nightingale residence and the safety it offered.
Five years later, Danny proposed to Sam.
A happy ending for all.
Anyone see the joke in this chapter. I'll admit, I have tried out quite a bit of humour in this fanfic which I don't tend to do. Let me know if it worked. (I don't really see myself as being a funny person)
I do plan to put up a one-shot on Yazmin and Eric's time at Fudd high school very soon so keep an eye out for it.
So, I'd like to thank everyone who took the time to read this fanfic and I hope you guys enjoyed it as much as I did.
Until the next fanfic.