Take's place 4 months after D-stabilized
Valerie finds out
Summer after Freshman year:
3rd person POV:
"Hey guys!" "Hey Val!" Team Phantom said in sync. "Thanks for inviting me to the park with you guys." "It's no problem Val. We're glad you could make it." Tuck said with a happy tone while smiling. Val smiled back at Tucker with a slight blush that no one noticed. "We brought our portable grill for burgers and hot dogs. What would you like?" Danny asked Val while he set up their grill. "I'll take a burger and hotdog please." "Sure thing."
"So, Sam what are you going to eat?" Valerie asked as she set down next to Sam. Who was siting on their portable picnic table reading. "I brought a salad and some sandwiches for me to eat." She stated not looking up from her book. "That's nice…" Val said feeling awkward.
"TUCKER!" Danny yelled causing Sam and Val to look at them. "What?" "Tuck you know why everyone calls you bad luck Tuck!" "Hey I resent that!" Tucker said pouting, crossing his arms. The girls got up from the table and walked over to them. "What'd Tuck say this time?" "I said everything is going nice and smooth." Sam face palmed at his statement. "Tucker you know our luck!" "Guys come on, Tuck was only stating the obvious. Why are you guys being so hard on him?"
As if on que Ember she materialized in the middle of the park. "Tell me who ya love?" Danny and Sam simultaneously face palmed and glared at Tuck. He had a 'oops' smile as he shrugged, while Val just looked confused. Danny then quickly said "I've gotta go to the bathroom!" as he took off sprinting. Val looked at Tuck and Sam, "what was that about?" "Hey Ember McLame! This isn't time for a comeback tour!" Val whipped around to see Danny Phantom appear in front of the ghost he called Ember. "I've got to go to the bathroom to!" Val said as she took of running. Sam looked to Tuck while crossing her arms, "this is why you don't invite your enemies on a picnic." "Oh, come on Sam, you like Val just as much as the rest of us." "Not more than you do, but I do like her. I just don't like the roast Danny Phantom part!" Tuck sighed knowing what she said was true and turned back to watch the fight.
"Sorry Dipstick I'm not looking for any back up signers right now!" Ember yelled as she swung her guitar hitting Danny in the chest, sending him backwards. "Damn it, Listen Ember I'm not in the mood just leave!" "No can-do Dipstick I need to blow off some steam." Danny sighed flying back up towards Ember sending a ghost ray at her. She dodged, turning the nob on her guitar to a fist. She strummed sending a giant purple fist at Danny which he dodged. "You'll have to do better than that you has-been." Embers hair grew larger to match her growing temper. "You better watch your mouth Dipstick!" Suddenly an Ecto-blast hit Ember in the side sending her flying. "Oh crap." Danny mumbled, "you look like your losing your touch ghost kid." "We're the same age! And I'm just having an off day, I was just having fun with my friends!" "You have friends?" Val was answered by a giant glowing fist to the face sending her into near by bushes. Ember was pissed, "Dipstick you need to learn how to control your friends before one of them gets hurt!" She yelled as she sent another fist in what Danny thought was his direction. He barely dodged and was about to make a remark when he heard Tucker and Sam scream. He jerked around to see the fist heading straight for them. Without second thought he shot in their direction. He only landed in front of them seconds before the fist hit his chest sending him flying into the tree directly behind them. "Danny!" Tuck and Sam yelled in unison, running to him. While Ember was laughing Val snuck up behind her and sucked her into a thermos.
She turned to see Tucker and Sam around Danny Phantom. Val walked towards them and pulled out a blaster once she was a few feet away. "Move!" She told them, instead of moving they turned to face her but stood in front of Danny. "No Val we're not moving." "Move he's… Val? How…how did you know?" She asks shocked while deactivating her helmet. Tucker starts, "we've always known Val." Sam adds, "Since Vlad first gave you the equipment." "And even after that when Technus gave you your current suit." "And when you helped Danny save Danielle and vise versa." "We also know that you know that Vlad and Danielle are halfas." Val asked confused, "What's a halfa?" "In the ghost zone they're referred to as halfas because they are half human, half ghost hybrids." "And there are only three, that we know of." Sam says crossing her arms." "Three? Who's the third?" Sam and Tuck step to the side so Val could see Phantom in full view. "Phantom? Phantom's human? There's no way. He's evil he… he destroyed my life!" Val says waving her ecto-gun around. "Yes, he is Val and he happens to be someone very close to you." After those words left Sam's mouth two white rings formed around Danny's waist and he changes back into Fenton. Sam moves to his side after grabbing the first aid kit. She turns to look over her shoulder at Val when she hers a dull thud and the dropping of a weapon. Val look horrified, confused and shocked all at once. Sam turns her attention back to Danny and says to Val, "I don't think Danny ruined your life Val. And I know for a fact he didn't do it on purpose." "How… why… how is it Danny? Why did it have to be Danny?" Val says her voice cracking as she begins to cry. Tucker puts a hand on her shoulder, "we don't like to talk about how Danny got his powers. It's a very bad memory for all of us. But you shouldn't be too upset Val. Danny chose his path and he… we accept the things that come with it. You going after him is just a hazard, that we've all accepted." "But why? Why did he have to be my friend? Did you think it was funny? Did he do it because he felt guilty? Have you all been laughing at me this whole time?" Val asks, hurt and upset. "Of course, not Val." Valerie's head shot up to look at Danny who was smiling sadly. "You don't need to be sad Val. I forgave you a long time ago. I didn't try to ruin your life that day with Cujo. He is the ghost of a puppy that was at Aixam labs before they put in your father's security system. He still had a toy at Aixam that's why he kept going there. I have no idea why he kept going after your stuff though and every time I would put him in the GZ he would dig right back out. It was a major pain but Cujo is a good dog. As for ruining your life I am sorry I never wanted any of it to happen. I want to keep damage to a minimum, but it doesn't always work." Danny says scratching the back of his neck. "And I am your friend Val, we all are. We won't turn our backs on you because you don't have a lot of money." Sam turns around to look at Val. "Danny didn't ruin your life Val. He did everything he could to prevent it. I don't see how you think he ruined it. You and your dad are closer now right?" "Yea we are." "And you have real friends, now right? Ones that won't leave you because you don't have money?" "Yea that's true too…" "You may not have as much stuff now, but does that really matter to you? If you really think it does, then yea hate Danny and try to kill him. But if it doesn't then you should thank him. He helped you and your dad get closer, he helped you get true friends and people that will support you. Money doesn't mean everything, trust me I know." Danny stood up slowly with Sam's help. "I will always be your friend Val no matter what you choose." Danny said and smiled. Val stood up and walked quickly towards Danny who let go of Sam. When she was less than a foot away, she wrapped her arms around his neck and cried into his shoulder. Danny was shocked at first and glanced at Sam and Tuck who also had shocked faces before he used one arms to hold her head and the other to rub her back. "I am so sorry Danny. Please… please forgive me… I will stop hunting. I won't hurt you anymore." "You shouldn't stop hunting Val, you love it I can tell. Plus, it is a big help. How about instead of trying to kill me you help me try to trap other ghosts?" Danny asked and Val chuckled slightly letting Danny go. "You got a deal Inviso-bill." Danny groaned and face palmed while Val, Tuck and Sam all fell over laughing.
Danny smiled at the sight and said to no one in particular, "it really was a good day for a picnic."