Note: So this story is a bit of a mess of three prompts. I started with the first one and it veered into this. Part reveal fic. Part post-reveal family bonding (err...Jack and Maddie know and Danny knows that they knew but they haven't talked about it and no one's acting like they know so...?) Either way, it's all an unholy mix of fluff and angst.
By Amabsis: The Fenton's notice that Danny isn't smiling as much, so the only reasonable thing to do is take him out to cheer him up! What happens when they do manage to get him to smile, and they find out he has small fangs?
By Arioz: Maddie and Jack find out that their son is phantom and fully support him. Danny and Jazz however did not get that memo.
By Pheek: Post-Reveal Family Bonding
It had been two weeks since Maddie and her husband had found out what the portal had actually done to their son. Two weeks since they learned that their baby boy was a ghost. Two weeks since they saw their ghostly enemy, Phantom, turn into their son.
It was on a normal ghost hunt. They'd been following Phantom, for once not yelling their normal insults but stalking him silently. The pair turned around a corner, to find Phantom standing with his back to them, a ring of light around his waist. Maddie tensed, anticipating an attack. Then the ring passed over the ghost's head and the woman gasped. Her heart just about stopped, staring at the figure in front of her.
The figure, wearing jeans and a t-shirt and now with black hair, turned around. His blue eyes widened in panicked fear.
"Danny?" Jack whispered in awe beside her.
The boy's mouth fell open, body stiff with fear. Maddie blinked and the boy in front of them, their son, their Danny, disappeared.
The two went home, numb with disbelief. Maddie thought it was a dream at first; she must have imagined it. Or this was Phantom playing a trick on them except…
Maddie knocked on her son's bedroom door to check on him. "Danny?" The sound of feet pacing and heavy breathing came from behind the door. Then there was a sudden clatter, a yelp as if the boy had ran into something. The woman frowned. "Can I come in sweetie?"
"Just...just a second." Danny called, voice echoing but unusually high with obvious nerves.
There was a flash of light, visible from under the door. Maddie paled, wheels turning in her head. Then seconds later, her son pulled open the door, opening it only wide enough to see his deathly pale face. "Yeah? What's…." He coughed, forcing his voice into a more normal pitch. "What's up?"
The mother stared into his wide eyes, biting her own lip. "Danny…." She hesitated, suddenly unsure. "Is there...do you want to...Is everything alright?"
The boy paled at the question, shaking slightly. "Yeah. Everything's...everything's fine. I'm fine. You're fine. Everything's fine."
Maddie frowned. "Danny...are you sure-"
He cut her off, starting to push the door closed. "Yeah. Yep. It's fine. I've...I've got homework. Seeyouinthemorningbye!" The teenager said the words so quickly, Maddie could hardly understand them. Then the door slammed in her face.
Dread dropped like a rock in the mother's stomach. Shaking herself, the woman turned back and started down the stairs. She and Jack needed to talk.
"It's true. Isn't it?" Her husband said, as soon as he saw her weary face. "Danny's...Danny's Phantom. Our son…"
"Our son's a ghost." Maddie whispered. Danny's panicked expression in the alley and just minutes before in his bedroom, flashed in her mind. "It must be true. All the evidence is there."
How their equipment targeted their son. The injuries he tried to hide, to blame on bullies. Skipping class, the detentions, the missing assignments. Missing curfew, sneaking out. His constant exhaustion. Their equipment going missing, only to end up in Phantom's hands. Their children's fervent support of the ghost boy.
Danny was Phantom. He must be. They saw him change. They saw him as a ghost. Danny….he was a ghost, meaning...he was dead. And it was the portal. It must have been. The portal, their life's work, the machine that he had said just gave him a little shock, must have killed him. Except….did it? It had been two years since then and Danny had grown. Maddie had hugged him since and he was warm. She'd felt his heartbeat. He seemed to be alive so….?
The parents didn't know. Danny was a ghost...and yet he was not? Or he was still alive but had some kind of ghost powers?
Maddie put her head in her hands. "We should talk to Danny."
"In the morning." Jack yawned, rubbing his tired eyes. "I'm exhausted and Danny…." He looked down, guilty.
The mother sighed. "He must be tired too, if he's not already asleep." They had been talking for hours at this point, processing what they'd seen and hypothesizing. Both of them needed to lay down and calm their racing thoughts. So the pair went up to bed.
Maddie really had wanted to talk to Danny in the morning. But he'd dashed out without as much as a word to them. He did have school. They could wait and talk to him after, right?
Then after school, he raced up to his room with the excuse of homework before Maddie could even look at him. Soon after, he disappeared from his room and the mother saw a report about Phantom fighting the hunter ghost in the park. Guilt stabbed at her heart.
When he came home after curfew (and luckily uninjured), the woman didn't have the heart to chastise him. And he looked so tired, so weary. He ran up the stairs, muttering an apology.
Talking to Danny the next morning turned into that afternoon again, turned into the next day, turned into waiting for the weekend. But then the boy was always over at his friends' house or busy doing homework. He was nervous, flighty, skittish, and tense the brief times he was near his parents. And when he was, Danny wouldn't look at them, wouldn't talk to them, could hardly stand to be in the same room.
Maddie cursed herself. She knew they needed to have this conversation. She and Jack needed to talk to their son. So why couldn't either seem to gather the courage? Why did the thought of talking about what the portal had actually done to their son, about how their work, their words, their actions, had affected him, make Maddie's stomach roll? Why did it make her heart lodge in her throat, her lungs refuse to take in air? Why did it feel so insurmountable, like the guilt, the secrets would bury her alive?
Part of her wished that Danny would say something himself, that he would break the silence. Hell, she wished Jazz would call them out but no such luck. Instead a few days turned into a week, turned into two weeks.
Maddie sighed, looking down at her coffee. It made her insides squirm anxiously, thinking about all this. All that they'd done before they knew, her continued silence. The guilt was eating the woman up inside and Danny's sober mood broke her heart. It had been so long since she'd seen him look anything but nervous and distrustful, since he'd been in the same room as them for more than five minutes. The mother's shoulders fell. He looked so sad, so anxious; she'd given anything to see him smile again.
A soft yawn sounded beside her, causing the mother to look. The boy himself was swaying sleepily, standing at the counter. How had he gotten there without her noticing? He was so quiet, silent as a ghost. Maddie shook her head at the thought.
Then she frowned, letting out a short gasp. Danny's had his hand through, literally intangibly, through the cupboard.
The boy turned, eyes widening; he suddenly looked very awake. He pulled his hand out, clutching a box of cereal. "Uh…. morning, Mom." He paled, eyes widening.
Maddie's frown deepened at that. "Good morning sweetie." She eyed the coffee pot, trying to wipe the surprise off her face. "Do you want some coffee?"
"No." Danny shook his head, biting his lip. "I'm good. I'll just...uhh...bye."
The mother held out a hand. "Danny. Wait."
The boy didn't respond, instead turning and practically sprinting away at almost inhuman speed. Maddie wanted to chastise him for running in the house. Instead, she put her head in her hands. Did Danny do things like that all this time? If he did, how the hell had they not noticed? They were really that bad parents, weren't they?
Annoyance at herself flared at the thought as Maddie raised her head. She balled her fists. "We need to do something." The woman looked at her husband. "We have to talk to Danny. Today. Actually…." She stood up, looking in the direction her son had gone.
"Wait Madds." Jack interrupted. The mother looked down at where he was still seated. "We can't just spring this on him."
Maddie's eyes twitched angrily. "Jack."
"Just listen." The man held up his hands. "How about we go out and do something together as a family? The Amity Park Science Center, they have a new planetarium show. Danny will love it. He'll have a good time. He'll get to relax and see that...see that we want to spend time with him." The man worried his lip, his voice wavering with emotion. "I just want him to feel comfortable and safe talking to us, Maddie."
Maddie's expression softened and she sat down, grateful for husband's insight. "You're right." She sighed. "Maybe doing something like a normal family will help him relax. And then...then we can talk to him when we get home tonight."
With that, the parents agreed and informed both of the kids, earning wary but tentative agreement from both. Maddie frowned at that. The distrust stung but both Fenton parents had earned that distrust. They were ready to do what they could to fix that, starting with removing or deactivating all of the anti-ghost weapons in the GAV. They'd already moved all ghost hunting equipment into the basement and discussed dismantling some of the more dangerous-to-ghost equipment. But the ghosts, ones that their son had unbeknownst to them been combatting for the past few years, were still a very real threat to the town. They'd need to find a way to keep their weapons from being able to hurt him (Maddie's heart ached at the thought) but that was for another time.
Now, Jack and Maddie were waiting downstairs for both kids to finish getting ready. Jazz walked down the stairs, a tight frown still on her face.
The girl raised her brow at the sight of her parents. "What are you wearing?"
Jack glanced at his wife and then down at himself. "Just jeans and a t-shirt, Jazzarincess." He scratched at his neck, trying to look less uncomfortable than he was.
"But...you're not in your jumpsuits?" The girl asked, still unsure.
Maddie shrugged. "We just wanted to wear something a little different, sweetie." And a little more normal, the woman hoped she implied.
If Jazz understood the implication, she didn't comment. Instead, she turned as Danny came bobbing down the stairs. The two shared knowingly looks, the boy's eyebrow twitching as he noticed his parents' clothes.
He stopped at the bottom of the stairs, shifting nervously. "Where are we going?" He asked quietly.
"To the Amity Science Center." Jack beamed. "They've got a new show at the planetarium. Doesn't that sound exciting, son?"
For just a moment, interest sparked in Danny's eyes at the word planetarium. Then the wary look was back. Maddie sighed. "Come on kids." Hopefully, he would enjoy himself and this would in fact help him to loosen up.
The fifteen minute car ride to the Science Center was quiet and tense. Danny glanced anxiously around the GAV as if expecting weapons to activate and point at him. He flinched at every bump in the road. Jazz looked worriedly between her brother and her parents, her brow furrowed with thought. Honestly, Maddie wasn't expecting much better but it still stung. Half-heartedly, she tried to idly chat with Jazz but the teen just looked all the more wary.
Soon enough, the family arrived at their destination. They quickly passed through the queue to pay and then entered the first room, a geology exhibit. The kids wander off, softly talking to each other while passively looking at the displays. Maddie could pick up the worried tones but walked away, deliberately not eavesdropping. They were probably wondering about why exactly their parents were being so 'weirdly normal' and taking them out for a family day. But after a minute, the pair drifted apart, Danny wandering to the back while Jazz looked at a large display on the left wall.
Maddie was reading about volcanoes when she spotted her son at the case to her right. His eyes roved over the display, widening at the words. His frown slowly ticked up. The mother raised a brow at his expression, feeling relief.
She then looked into the case wondering what had him relaxing. Oh, of course. These were the meteoroids. They even had one rock from the moon that had mystified Danny even since he was a little boy.
Danny's eyes lit up at the exhibit, literally. For just a moment, neon green flashed in his eyes. His teeth flashed in a smile. Maddie let out a small relieved gasp at the sight.
It was then, Danny noticed her. His eyes widened and his head turned, hand automatically moving to cover his mouth.
The mother's expression instantly fell and she wondered at the behavior. But she didn't say anything, instead allowing Danny to wander off again.
The family continued exploring, slowly moving from exhibit to exhibit. To Maddie's dismay, Danny was tense at first. She hadn't seen him smile again since the meteors. His expression was uncharacteristically neutral. It's not that he was bored (not that he'd even been bored on a trip here) but he was visibly anxious, not allowing himself to relax.
That eventually changed, as the group entered the heart of the museum, the dinosaur exhibit. Life-sized replicas of T rex, Triceratops, and Raptors loomed over them, faux rocks, plants, and wall murals simulating Earth when the dinosaurs walked on it. With the shifting lights, the occasional dinosaurian roars over the speakers, and the excitable little kids running around, it was lively. Danny and Jazz were huddled over a display of replica triceratops eggs while Maddie looked at a fossil of a primitive flowering plant.
"Oh Danny! Stand there. I want a picture." Jazz's voice came from behind her and the mother turned.
"No. Jazz. Come on." Danny pouted.
"Please." The girl begged.
After a moment, Danny huffed. "Fine."
The boy moved to stand in front of the replica raptor what his sister had pointed out. He forced a closed lip smile, holding out two fingers in a peace sign. There was a flash of light from Jazz's phone, leaving the other teen blinking. "Jazz." He whined.
"Sorry." She smiled, sheepishly. Then she held out her phone. "Now take my picture."
Danny wrinkled his nose, obviously displeased but played along anyway as his sister came to stand beside the raptor. "You should stick your hand in its mouth and look like you're screaming."
Jazz rolled her eyes, instead just smiling at the camera. That is, until a roar sounded from the speaker directly behind her. The girl shrieked in surprise at the noise, jolting forward and holding her hand over her heart.
Danny blinked in surprise before suddenly cackling with laughter and pointing at the now huffing girl. He snapped a few pictures, capturing her undignified face.
Meanwhile, Maddie beamed. Hearing her son laugh after so long was a beautiful sound. She walked forward, wanting to join the moment.
Then Danny spotted her. He blushed, covering his mouth with one hand before his chuckles quieted. His mother's expression fell again. That was odd. This was the second time he'd covered his mouth once she'd seen him enjoying himself. She raised a brow as if to ask but Danny ignored the look.
Instead, he started leading Jazz away. "Come on. Let's get some pictures in front of the T rex."
Maddie turned, watching them walk away and noting the oddity. Jazz had been the one wanting pictures. The girl also wore a disappointed look as she softly said something to her brother, earning a frown from him.
This continued as Danny seemed to enjoy the trip and grow more comfortable. Maddie would catch glimpses of him smiling at an exhibit or laughing at something his sister said. Then he would see her watching from a distance and cover his face. It was deeply bothersome. Did he not want his parents to see him enjoying himself?
By the time they were waiting for the doors of the planetarium to open for their show, Maddie's stomach was flopping with anxiety over the behavior. Along the walls of the hallway leading to the theater was a display about the history of space travel. Ever since they'd first brought Danny here as a seven year old, this section had always brought her son such joy. He would smile and ramble, often even jumping up and down in eager anticipation for the doors of the planetarium to open.
Now, Danny was visibly trying to contain himself. Even as his wide eyes eagerly roved over the displays, his lips were forcefully pinched closed, almost as if the boy was exerting great effort to not smile. The display broke Maddie's heart.
Then, the woman's face set in determination. She wasn't having this. They come here to cheer Danny up, for some parent-child bonding, so that's what she would do. Maddie took a step forward, preparing to ask Danny what he was looking at. But then the doors to the planetarium opened.
Danny turned at the noise, meeting her eyes. His mother gave him a comforting smile. "Come sweetie. It's time for the show."
The boy nodded, giving her a closed mouth smile. He walked in front of her, into the theater and Jack and Jazz followed.
Maddie paused in front of a group of four seats. "How's here, Danny?"
"Looks good." The boy confirmed, sitting down.
Jazz sat to his left and after a moment's hesitation, Maddie took a set to his right. Briefly, the boy tensed.
"Danny boy!" Jack's enthusiastic exclamation cut through. "Are you excited?"
The boy blinked, turning. "For what?"
"For the show, dear." Maddie chuckled.
"The show. Right." Danny nodded. "It's supposed to be about blackholes." The corner of his lip turned up. "The poster looked awesome." At that, the boy relaxed, letting out a breath.
Beside him, Maddie settled into her seat, relaxing as well. She hoped Danny would enjoy this. Soon, the lights dimmed, an image of the Milky Way appearing onto the dome in front of them.
"It's starting." The woman whispered happily to her son.
Danny perked up, his eyes widening at the sight. Music played through the speakers and the image shifted, the stars and clouds of the galaxy moving as if in a time lapses. "Wow." The boy awed.
But the show was just getting started. Narration began playing through the speakers, the story of blackholes and their discovery. The life cycle of stars and their death. It was mesmerizing, the swirling images above and in front of them in the dark. It made Maddie's lips part in a pleased smile, the beauty making the breath catch in her throat. Space really was incredible; the woman understood why her son loved it so. Thinking for her son….
Beside her, Maddie heard an excited gasp. She looked to the side, slowly taking in her son's face. His eyes were wide, staring at the wall as the corner of his mouth turned though his lips didn't part. He was clearly enamored with the program and therefore didn't notice the mother's observation at all. The woman smiled; he really was adorable when...he….was….
Maddie's thoughts trailed off, her eyes widening. For a second, something flickered in Danny's eyes before disappearing. The woman's brow furrowed. A breath later, she saw it again. Ethereal green light flicker in his eyes, circling his iris before disappearing. Slowly, the boy's lips parted. He blinked. The glow, the ghostly glow returned and Maddie's jaw dropped. The light swirled like galaxies, overtaking his irises.
The mother stared. At the glowing eyes. Her son's glowing eyes. She recognized that shade of ghostly green. Phantom's eyes. Maddie tried to shake away her surprise. She knew her son as Phantom. She did. She knew he was a ghost, or part ghost, or...she didn't really know but….
Danny's mouth parted into a grin. And Maddie's heart skipped a beat. He was smiling. Danny was smiling. The ghostly light was swirling in his eyes, the light reflecting off his cheeks, his freckles. His freckles… they were glowy faintly and… shifting across his face, forming constellations. It was almost...beautiful. No, not almost. The boy's smile widened, his teeth shining in the dark. He looked so happy and it was the most beautiful thing Maddie had seen in weeks.
All too soon, the planetarium show ended, the lights slowly turning on. Danny stayed looking forward for a bit as the ghostly light of his eyes dimmed. But he was still relaxed, smiling widely. At that sigh, Maddie finally noticed something. His teeth were...odd. On the top and bottom, his canines were unusually long and sharp, almost like….
The woman gasped, drawing her son's attention. He paled, eyes widening in alarm.
Maddie pointed, quietly asking. "Danny? Are those-"
"No." Danny cut her off, his mouth snapping shut. He covered his mouth with his hand as he rambled. "Of course not. Of course, I don't have fangs. That's ridiculous. Why would I have- Umph." Jazz elbowing him cut off.
The woman frowned, opening her mouth to reply. But she had no idea what to say.
Luckily, Jack came to her rescue. He patted her knee. "Let's go get some lunch, Madds." His voice lowered. "And we can talk about…" He pointedly looked at Danny, letting the statement linger.
Maddie nodded in agreement. "Come on kids."
She stood up and fronted. Danny looked pale and worried again. She offered him a comforting smile. At that, his eyebrow twitched but his anxious expression lingered. Then Jazz nudged him, before standing. "Come on Danny." She offered her hand, pulled him out of his seat, and started walking out of the room, deliberately standing between her brother and her parents.
Disappointment rose in Maddie at that but she pushed it down. They would talk about all this soon enough but as for now… the woman's stomach growled…. Getting food sounded like a good idea.
Ten minutes later, the family took their seats at a secluded table in the Center's cafe. They'd bought overpriced sandwiches and now Danny was taking small, tentative bits of his meatball sub. Maddie looked down, picked up her reuben, and started eating. At the same time, Jack dug in and Jazz nibbled on her chicken salad.
There was silence for a long while, the buzz of the other patrons surrounding them. The woman wanted to make conversation, to ask what Danny had thought of the planetarium show. He's enjoyed it, clearly. But Maddie wanted to hear him ramble excitedly about it. She wanted to see him smile again.
But Danny looked so tense now, so worried. His shoulders were hitched, almost all the way up to his ears and he was pointedly avoiding looking at his parents. The sight of her son's fangs and his face once he realized that she'd seen them flashed in her mind. She wanted to ask about those. When did he grow fangs? And why? It was because he was a ghost, wasn't it? Many ghosts they'd seen did have fangs. But did Phantom? Maddie couldn't remember seeing them before, not that she'd seen that version of her son up close often. Granted...she hadn't seen him smile in either form for what felt like months. The woman's heart fell.
Danny's quiet voice broke through her thoughts. "Are you gonna ask?"
Maddie looked up, the corner of her lips twitching down at the sight. His shoulders hunched, eyes downcast. The mother reached forward, wanting to squeeze his hand comfortingly but hesisted. Instead, she offered him a caring smile. "Do they hurt?"
The boy looked at her, brow furrowing in confusion. "What?"
"When my wisdom teeth came in, I remember my gums and jaw being really sore." The woman shook her head, focusing on the boy's closed mouth. "I know it's not the same thing but…. If they're giving you problems, we can take you to the dentists."
Danny frowned. "No. I don't...I don't need to go to the dentist." He wrung his hands. "They don't hurt or anything. Haven't at all really."
Jack raised a brow. "Even when they were growing in?"
The boy opened and closed his mouth before covering his face with his hand again. He glanced at his sister, worriedly. Jazz raised one brow, frowning deeply. She then looked at the parents briefly, her expression all the more confused.
Danny's forehead wrinkled. After a long moment, he answered. "They... uhh… I just woke up one morning and...my teeth were like this?"
Maddie blinked in surprise, taking in the words. The fangs just showed up overnight? Well…maybe that was better than them slowly growing and causing the boy pain.
With that thought, the woman forced the confused expression off her face. "Can we see your teeth, Danny?" She gently asked.
The boy's eyes widened and he vigorously shook his head.
Beside the mother, Jack's expression softened. He reached forward, patting the boy's arm with surprising gentleness. "It's alright Danny-boy. You can show us."
Danny didn't flinch at the touch, instead looking thoughtfully between the two adults. Slowly he opened his mouth. There on display were his small fangs.
Maddie leaned forward, observing. Unlike last time, she wasn't surprised. She'd known what to anticipate and to her shame, the woman had expected to feel discomfort or even disgust at the inhuman dentistry. But no such feelings arose. Instead her expression softened. She smiled authentically. "Aww sweetie... They're adorable."
Danny blushed, gapping at the reaction. His embarrassed expression intensified as Jack replied.
"Ah come on Madds. You can't call him cute." The man grinned. "Our Danno's fierce! And those fangs just make him look more badass."
The boy blinked rapidly, like he could hardly believe what he was hearing, like the words just didn't compute. Jazz looked equally confused.
Maddie waved the man off. "No one said he can't be cute and fierce." Her smile widened. "Our fierce little man."
Danny facepalmed, whining. "Mom!"
The response was so normal, the typical reaction to a teenager being embarrassed by their parents in public. It made Maddie's heart sing in relief, so much so, she started laughing. A moment later, Jack did as well.
The kids stared at the adults, both looking embarrassed and slightly tensed. But slowly, the pair relaxed, a soft smile crossing Jazz's face. Danny's lip parted as he snorted as well, shaking his head.
After a long moment, Maddie and Jack's chuckling stopped and Danny's smile faded. He eyed the adults, with crossed arms and a raised brow. "So...are you gonna ask why….?" He trailed off but Maddie knew what he was asking.
The parents looked at each other before Jack shrugged. "If your teeth aren't bothering you and you're happy with them, we don't need to worry about it. Do we?"
"Um...I guess… but…" Danny still looked unsure, glancing between the two.
Maddie tried to comfort him. "You don't have to tell us why, if you don't want to. If you're not ready." Her expression was just serious, just forceful enough. Hopefully, he understood what she was really trying to say, what she was implying.
The boy uncrossed his arms, looking at her thoughtfully. "And...you're okay with me having...having fangs?"
"Of course we are." The woman's expression softened. "We love you no matter what you look like." It was odd wording for comforting her son about his strange teeth but that wasn't what this was really about.
Something that might have been realization flashed in Danny's eyes. He might just have understood.
The rest of their time at the museum was much more relaxing after that. The family talked more freely as they finished eating. After lunch, they finished exploring the museum exhibits and visited the aquarium portion of the center.
"Look! The shark feeding's in ten minutes." Danny pointed at the tank, his fangs poking just below his lips as he gave his parents a tentative smile. "Come on."
He bounded forward, positioning himself near the front of the growing crowd. Maddie stood right behind him, the two chatting about the earlier planetarium show while waiting. The corner of Danny's mouth gradually turned up as he got more involved in the conversation. Then he was actually smiling. For a second, his hand reflexively swung up to cover his mouth but then he lowered the appendage. He smiled unsurely but when Maddie made no comment, nor did her open expression change, he relaxed. Soon, the boy was talking animatedly and Maddie cherished every word.
Minutes later, the shark feeding and subsequent educational talk captured the mother and son's attention. Or rather, it just managed to wholeheartedly capture Danny's interest. Maddie's eyes flickering between the tank, the volunteer answering questions, and her son's happy face, small fangs included.
The family continued exploring. Danny cheered softly at the touch tank, once one of the stingrays finally paused long enough for him to touch it.
"Yes! Finally! See. That wasn't so bad." He talked to the animal, gently passing his fingers along the soft skin.
He smiled at Jazz cooing over the adorable poison dart frogs.
"Awww. I just want to pick it up. Cup the little guy in my hands. It's so cute." The girl leaned against the glass.
The boy chuckled. "Jazz. It's a poison dart frog. You'd be deader than me in five minutes."
The other teen huffed, blushing before she rolled her eyes teasingly.
Danny and Jack stopped in front of the jellyfish tank, their translucent bodies hovering behind the glass.
"Danno! Ghost jellyfish!" The man pointed excitedly.
The teen shook his head. "There's no way that's what they're called."
Jack thumped the sign. "Yes they are!" Danny blinked, reading the sign in disbelief. The man continued. "Imagine it son. Ghost jellyfish that came back as ghosts. Ghost ghost jellyfish!"
Danny laughed.
After that, the family explored the outdoor exhibits. Meerkats, Tortoises, Gibbons, Lemurs, Nile Crocodile, Red Pandas. The zoo's star exhibits: the tigers and wolves. Yes, even the petting zoo.
They enjoyed all of it. Maddie asked the zookeeper's questions. Jazz took pictures. Jack peered through the glass with his normal boyish excitement. And Danny smiled.
Danny nudged his father. "Hey Dad. Can I have a dollar to feed the goats?"
"Sure kiddo." Jack fished out his wallet and pulled out two bills. "For you and your sister."
The boy nodded, handing the bills over to one of the employees and receiving two cups of feed. He handed one to Jazz and entered the enclosure. He smiled as the animals crowded up, eagerly sniffing at the cup.
"Alright. Alright. Here you go." He grabbed a handful of pellets and held his hand out. An enthusiastic goat ate the food out of his hand. "Hey! Hey! That tickles!" The boy chuckled, scratching the animal on its head.
Maddie watched, enamored. Her son looked so happy, smiling so brightly.
"Oh, do you want some?" Danny asked, holding his feed-filled palm out to one of the sheep. The sheep licked the food out of his hand and he petted the curly wool.
True to what she had said, his little fangs were cute. And what's more….
His eyes flickered towards Maddie's face, noticing her attention. He didn't stop smiling as he finished giving the goats, sheep, and donkey food and pets.
Ten minutes later, he turned over the empty cup. "That's it guys. I'm out."
The animals sniffed, wandering away as they seemed to realize they wouldn't get any more food from the boy. That same enthusiastic goat persisted, nudging and licking Danny's open hand. "I don't have any more food for you." He laughed. The goat bayed. "You can complain all you want. You're not getting any more from me." He petted the animal's head anyway.
What's more, seeing Danny enjoying himself and not turning away when Maddie noticed him smile, made the woman feel happy herself and hopeful. Spending time with the kids as a normal family did seem to get Danny and even Jazz in a better mood and more relaxed, like she and Jack had hoped. And Maddie found that she had enjoyed herself as well, despite the bumps. Yes, this was a day well spent and the mother wished it wouldn't end.
But all too soon, the Science Center closed and the family had to leave. They piled into the GAV and as Jack started driving them home, the reality of what they'd have to face, the conversation they'd need to have once they got home, struck Maddie. Her insides flopped with sudden nerves. They needed to talk about it. Danny's accident and his ghostly abilities. His alter ego, Phantom. The ghost fighting and resulting injuries. All the secrets. Guilt sunk in her stomach like rock. There needed to be apologies. For her and Jack's part in the accident. For the times they'd ranted about capturing Phantom at the dinner table. The insults. The times they chased him, they shot at him. Danny's fear filled face when they'd seen him change in that alley flash in her mind. They had terrified him and -
"Can we uh….can we stop somewhere for dinner?" Danny's nervous voice cut through her thoughts.
Maddie frowned, glancing back at him. He was pale and biting at his lip. The woman furrowed her brow wondering at the sudden change in mood. Maybe he had picked up on her own nervousness. She glanced at her husband. Jack was also quiet and uncharacteristically focused on the road.
"We can." Her eyes flickered in front of them, spotting a Nasty Burger a few blocks away. "There's Nast Burger right there." She frowned. "Wait. That one doesn't have a dining room. Is eating in the cat alright?"
"Sure, Madds." Jack nodded and turned into the parking lot less than a minute later. He rolled down the window after pulling up to order.
"Welcome to the Nasty Burger." Came a voice through the speaker. "What would you like?"
After some deliberation, Jack recited the orders and pulled forward. He paid and then received the bags of food which he handed to Maddie. He pulled away from the window and parked. The woman surveyed the meals and passed Jazz and Danny's food to them in the back seat.
The family ate in near silence for a while. Music softly filtered through the radio and outside was the sound of traffic but inside the vehicle, no one spoke. Maddie's mind swirled, going over possibilities for the upcoming conversation. Where to start. How to approach this. Should they apologize first? Hint that they know about Danny's secret identity. Just come right out and say it? Really, they should have done that long before now. They knew that Danny was Phantom and he knew that they knew. They should have talked to him about this weeks ago but...why was this so hard? How hadn't they noticed sooner? Why couldn't she just-
A gasp sounded in the back seat. Maddie stiffened, looking back in time to see a blue mist exit Danny's mouth. The mother's brow furrowed. It wasn't cold enough to...Wait...understanding hit her as the boy's eyes flickered side to side. Something glowing and green flashed in front of the GAV and there was an echoing roar.
Maddie paled. In front of them in the parking lot was a giant ghostly beast. It was a mix between a bear and a cat, snarling and hissing fiercely. The ghost growled at some teenagers sitting at a picnic table near the ordering window and in response, the kids bolted away, screaming.
Behind her, Danny was fumbling with his seat belt. His eyes widened panickedly as he looked between the scene in front of them and his parents. "I uh...I need to…." His hands were shaking as he fumbled over his words.
The mother glanced between her son and the attacking ghost. Part of her screamed to move; it was her job as a ghost hunter to protect people but….
"Uh...I need to...I need to go to the bathroom?" Danny stood, his knees knocking together even as his eyes flickered from his mom to the spectral attacker.
Maddie's heart fell; she knew what this was actually about. "Danny." She said softly.
Jazz bit her lip, turning from her brother to parents. "Shouldn't you get...get out there?"
"Jazz." The mother frowned. "Danny."
"We'll be fine." The girl's pitch rose as she flopped a hand, forcibly casual.
"Yeah." The boy took a step back, eyes still pinned on his mother. "We'll be fine. You guys go deal with the ghost." He motioned behind him, towards the GAV's toilet. "And I'll just be in-"
"Danny!" Maddie interrupted. She stood up and turned, standing in the gap between the driver's and front passenger's seat. "We know. Danny. We know that you're Phantom."
The boy paled, his eyes widening with shock. "What? That's not-"
Maddie pointed through the front window, forcefully. "Go."
Danny's lip trembled. Fear flickered over his face and underneath it, hurt. The mother's eyes widened at the reaction before it hit her. She'd said the wrong thing. She'd messed up. Why do she keep-
"Go deal with the ghost, son." Beside her, Jack had turned. His normally booming voice was so gentle. "You can change. Go deal with the ghost and we'll be here when you get back."
The boy stared at the man, anxiously searching his face. He was still shaking slightly and...were his eyes watering? Maddie remained frozen, watching. She wanted to speak up, to offer him comfort and reassurance. But the words stayed locked in his throat.
Then there was a roar outside, a boom. Danny's head turned and he sprinted. Maddie blinked, paling as he literally passed through the closed door. A second later, something flashed out the corner of her eye. Maddie turned, watching as Phantom….Danny flew out in front of the GAV, shooting an ectoblast at the other ghost. Her knees shaking, Maddie fell into her seat. The bear-cat growled and shot a fireball at the ghost boy.
Maddie's heart skipped a beat, her hand twitching over the door handle. They should go out there. She and Jack should be dealing with this. She reached for the holster on her belt. Her brow wrinkled as she found...nothing. Wait...she wasn't in her hazmat suit. No belt, no holster, no ectogun. She frantically looked on the floor, before glancing behind her. There had to be something, someway to-
"Mom." Jazz's quiet voice came from behind her. "Danny will be fine. He knows what he's doing."
Yes. Maddie nodded, trying to agree. She had seen Phantom in action and he was competent. But...this was...this was Danny. Danny was out there fighting the ghost. Her heart rate increased. "No. We need to-"
Jack's hand was on her arm. "No. We can't, Maddie." His voice wavered. "No guns. Not..not after we…."
The woman swallowed, understanding. No. No. They could go out there, wheedling guns, not after….Maddie shivered as the memory hit her. Pointing a bazooka at Phantom….Danny… his eyes wide with fear. Chasing him down while yelling insults. Danny...Danny, her son, even if glowing and floating with green eyes and fangs...Danny dodging their shots.
Maddie felt her breath quicken. No, they couldn't go after the ghost in their current state. They shouldn't, couldn't, wouldn't dream of, pointing any ectogun in Danny's general direction. Not when they hadn't made sure their weapons won't target him, that they couldn't hurt him. Not when…..Danny's fearful face, just minutes ago...not when he might think they...they wanted to hurt him.
Another growl and a crash and the mother's head suddenly whipped up, just in time to see a flash of blue light. Floating twenty feet in front of them was Danny, holding a thermos and pointing it at the other ghost. The bear-cat hissed as it was sucked in but seconds later, it disappeared.
Maddie let out a relieved sigh, as her son caped the thermos. Then the boy's head turned, his eyes meeting hers through the window. His shoulders were raised, his wide eyes misty. His lip trembled and then he disappeared.
The woman gasped, reaching forward. "Danny. Come back."
The boy didn't reappear and Maddie's heart skipped a beat. Her hand reached for the door again. She needed to find her son, to reassure him, to -
A knock sounded at the side door, across from where Jazz and Danny had been sitting. Maddie flinched, looking back. Another knock.
Maddie frowned, brow furrowing. "I don't see...anything." Nothing and no one was visible through the window but...that didn't mean no one was there.
"Danny." Jazz called, standing. Warrily, she glanced between her parents. She bit her lip. "Mom? Dad?"
"Danny's….Danny's invisible, on the other side of the door. Isn't he?" Maddie asked.
The girl nodded. "I think so."
"You can open the door for him, Jazz." Jack sighed. He looked down guiltily.
Hesitantly, the teenage girl stepped forward. Her hand hovered over the handle before she pulled it open. "It's okay, Danny." She whispered. "You can come inside."
There was no reply as Jazz stepped back. The hair on the back of Maddie's neck raised as the temperature dipped. Her eyes widened as the door slide closed, seemingly by itself. Then there was the shaky sound of someone sighing. And finally….Danny reappeared.
Maddie's heart skipped a beat. There he was. The ghost boy. Phantom. Danny. Her Danny...her son, floating in the mind of the GAV. He trembled nervously in the air, his misty green eyes flickering between the ghost hunters. He looked so scared and...something in Maddie broke.
The woman stood up, suddenly. Her hands started shaking, her eyes watering. "Danny." Her voice shook.
"Mom?" His echoing voice questioned.
Maddie nodded, hesitantly approaching. "Yes, sweetie." She reached forward, gently touching his arm even as he flinched. "I love you so much."
Danny's eyes watered, his voice trembling. "You...you really mean that? Really? Even though I'm…I'm..." He shook his head, unable to force more words out.
Tears started to blur her vision. "Oh, baby. Yes. Yes. I love you so much." Her breath quickened, a sob threatening to escape. "We...we should have said something sooner."
"No. I….I should have…told you. I should have..." Danny looked down, sniffling.
Maddie gently pulled the boy into her arms. "I...I should have reassured you." Danny stiffened before relaxing into the hug. "I should have made you feel safe, like you could trust me with this."
Footsteps sounded behind him. "Danny boy." Jack squeezed in beside the two. "I am so sorry, son. I love you so much." The man wrapped his arms around his son and wife.
With that, Danny finally started crying. A soft sob broke forth from his throat. "Mom. Dad." He whined. "I just... I've been waiting...waiting for the other shoe to drop and you'd see. You'd finally say...say something and…. And..." He sobbed. "You'd see what a monster...what a freak..a freak I...I am…"
"No. Danny. No. You're not...you're not a monster. You're..You're my baby boy….You're my baby, no matter what. I'm...I'm so sorry you ever...we ever made you think…." Maddie cried, squeezing him tighter as he cried. He was cold. So cold. But solid in her arms. She could feel the slight fluttering of his heart, pressed up against her own heart. And the ectoenergy swirling under his skin. That was new, something she'd never felt before. And she thanked the heavens that she hadn't, that she'd never laid hands on Phantom when they hadn't known the truth, that they had never landed a shot on him. Maddie choked through her sobs. "We messed up. We messed up so badly. And I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I need to do better."
"Danny. I'm sorry." Jack reassured, sniffling himself. "I'm so sorry too. I have so much to make up for. Me and your Mom...we...we will...we'll make this up to you."
Danny warbled. "Mom. Dad. I...I love you guys. I love you guys so much."
The words pricked at Maddie's heart as much as they uplifted her. All that they had done and he still said that. All the woman could find in herself to do right then was hold her son tighter.
For a second, the woman saw movement out of the corner to her eyes. A flash of red hair and...relief on Jazz's face. The girl joined the group hug. "I love you little brother."
Danny sniffled, nodding in acknowledgement even as he continued crying.
For a long moment, the family stayed huddled together. All of them were crying, trembling slightly with emotion. But through the sadness, another emotion broke through...relief. Danny sighed, the corner of his lip turning up slightly as his tears slowed.
Finally, the boy gently pulled out of their hold. He wiped his wet face. "You really...you really mean all that?" He looked between his parents. "You're okay with….this?" He motioned up and down his body. "You're okay that I'm a ghost? That I'm Phantom?"
Maddie offered him a watery smile. "Yes. I love you no matter what or who you are." She placed one hand on his face and Danny's lips parted just enough to see his fangs. "No matter what you look like, you're my son."
Dad nodded. "Fangs or no fangs. Ghost or human or….something inbetween."
The woman glanced down, at the slow movement of his chest, the glow radiating from his body, the air below where he floated. "We don't really understand this. But...I know I'd like to."
For a moment, Danny looked worried. He floated back, away from Maddie's hand.
Jack's expression softened. "We want to know what life is like for you now. How we can help and support you."
Maddie agreed. "We haven't been there for you for a while but we're here now."
Danny nodded. "Okay….Okay...I think..I think I believe you."
The parents looked at each other and Maddie's stomach flopped. His tentativeness was understandable but still… it made her heart hurt. They'd lost much of Danny's trust and would have to work to gain that trust back. They were fortunate he was willing to try rebuilding their relationship at all.
The mother sighed. "We do have a lot to talk about but…." She motioned around the crowded GAV. "We should go home first."
Danny nodded. "Yeah." With that, everyone stepped away, returning to their seats. The teenager glanced down at himself, blushing. "I'm still in...ghost form. I'll just…." He bit his lip, closing his eyes.
Then a ring of white light, the same one that started all of this, formed around his waist. The light passed and Danny, now with black hair and blue eyes, gracefully touched down. He picked up his fast food bag and pulled out his half eaten burger. He took a bit before looking up at his parents, both of whom were standing and marveling at his recent transformation.
He smiled sheepishly. "Uhh...can we get milkshakes?"
Maddie blinked at the seeming random question. Beside her, Jack laughed. "Sure thing, Danno." He walked to his seat and buckled. "What do you want? Peanut butter and bacon?"
Jazz wrinkled her nose in disgust. "Ew. Why would you eat that?"
Meanwhile, Danny laughed. "Because it's delicious." He addressed Jack. "Yeah Dad. That sounds amazing."
The man nodded. "Madds, what about you?"
The question drew the woman out of her observation. She returned to her seat, answering. "Mint Chocolate chip sounds good to me."
"I'll do strawberry cheesecake." Jazz piped in.
"Okay. Peanut butter bacon, mint chip, strawberry cheesecake." The man listed off. "And I'll do...peanut butter banana."
Jack repeated the list while he pulled back into the drive through line. And Maddie sighed, relieved. Finally addressing Danny's secret had not gone as she'd planned. But…. she glanced to the back to see Danny and Jazz were eating and chatting with each other, looking as relieved as she was. It went well, all things considered. As she said, there was much to figure out. But...today they'd had a fun time as a family. They'd relaxed, they'd bonded, they'd finally seen Danny smile again, after months. And...the truth was out. Apologies were made. After the fear, mistrust, and anxiety, Danny and Jazz as well knew that she and Jack would fully support Danny, ghost powers and Phantom alter ego included.
Maddie looked back, meeting Danny's eyes in the rearview mirror. He gave her a fanged smile. Yes, it felt like...everything would be okay