A/N - I hope you know that I dislike author's notes, but I just want to inform you that I have had a very stressful day and that is the reason that this chapter is up so fast; don't get used to it, not that anyone has had a chance to read this yet. Please people understand if you are getting gas and you give us the wrong pump number and someone happens to pump the gas you paid for, there is nothing we can do. Don't stand there yelling and upsetting other customers because you made a mistake and refuse to admit it. Ok sorry, now that that's off my chest... on with the story.

Chapter 1

The Homecoming

There finally coming home! Danny thought with a smile on his face. His excitement was short lived though as his father called him down stairs to clean up the living room before his mother and sister arrived. He sighed, he wished his Father knew how to clean up after him self; he had had to do it every night through his entire summer vacation, not that he could call it that. Stupid summer school... He knew that it was his own fault that he was attending but that didn't make it any more fun. He didn't even get to do anything on his summer vacation, between being eternal grounded, trying to pass summer school, cleaning up after his dad, and fighting ghosts.

His friendship with Sam and Tucker had suffered greatly since he hadn't been allowed out of the house unless it was for school, nor was he allowed to use the phone after the first two weeks. It felt like ages since he had last spoken to them, he missed them greatly, and it tore at his heart. But, he could understand the need to be away from them, it was bad enough that he was still cutting classes without them asking him to so they could hang out; that temptation was not one that he needed right now. But, summer school was ending in three days he could talk to them then. Right...

He trudged his way down stairs to the living room. As he came to the bottom of the stairs he noticed that the living room was thrashed, it always was. His father wouldn't clean to save his life. So he began to straiten up the papers that lay on the table, as well as the pieces of electronics that were undoubtedly parts of another of his father's ghost hunting weapons. As he continued his cleaning he wondered if his mothers return would cause everything to go back to normal, somehow he doubted it. Moving on to another area, his thoughts shifted; even if it didn't change, did he want his mom to know about the changes, it was hard enough for him to accept. Do I want to put her in that position?

Once he had finished cleaning he had made his decision, he wasn't going to tell her. He doubted that his father would tell her of the new regime; it didn't seem like something she would approve of. It was going to be their secret, their only shared secret. He headed back up to his room to finish the entry into his journal; he had started it shortly after he was told that he wasn't allowed to talk to Sam or Tucker. It was his only confidante, the only thing to which he could tell his darkest secrets, the only thing that would listen; the only thing that kept him sane.

He phased his hand through the wall next to his monitor, the only place he knew that nobody would come across his confidante. He pulled out the slightly ragged note book that held his inner most thoughts; it was disturbing to think that this inanimate object brought him more comfort than his friends ever could in this situation. But he wouldn't allow himself to dwell on thoughts of that nature, it didn't seem right to allow that much separation from other people. He turned to the page he had been writing on before his father called him down and began writing, he cleared his mind of the thoughts that plagued him. For a note book that had started out blank less than two months ago, it was already half full, he supposed that it was normal to try and dispell these thoughts, but he found himself repeating the same things in almost every entry; he couldn't get them out of his mind for very long, and he believed them more each time he wrote it.

Hours passed as he sat at his desk writing. He took no notice, it didn't really matter anyways, he would know when Maddie and Jazz arrived; the RV could be heard a block away. He hoped that they would get there soon, his father had left almost an hour ago, and he didn't want to be alone when he came back. Not that he thought his father stupid enough to do something right before his mother got home, but, you never know; it was better to be safe than to be sorry.

He was just placing his journal back into its hiding place in the wall when he heard the roar of the Fenton Family Ghost Assault Vehicle. A feeling of relief washed over him, they were home. He bolted to his bedroom door, forgetting about his ghost powers in his euphoria, flung it open and took the stairs two at a time. They were home that's all that matters, nothing in the world could destroy the happiness he felt. That's what he thought at least, until he made it to the bottom of the stairs and found his father lounging on the couch. His shock at seeing him wore off quickly though, it seemed that his father had come in so quietly that he hadn't even noticed. His crystal blue eyes met the deep blue of his father's, and an eerie calm filled the room.

After a moment's hesitation his father spoke, "Not a word to your mother." His voice held none of its usual jovial tone; it was hard with an icy undertone.

Danny could see the seriousness in his father's features, and knew that he was wrong in his assumptions, this wasn't going to end. "I wasn't going to." He Faught to keep the waver out of his voice, he wouldn't show him his fear. At Jack's shallow laugh he knew he had failed once again. Can't I ever do anything right? I can't even keep face in front of my dad.

"Good boy Danny. It wouldn't do your mom any good if she knew, it would only upset her." He looked thoughtful for a moment and his voice grew harsh, "And, don't even think of mentioning this to your sister. Jazzypants has enough on her plate without you putting more on it."

Danny looked down, why hadn't he thought of that; she might have been able to help him figure out his predicament. Then again; could he put her in that position...? "I won't say anything to her." His heart fell, all the excitement he built up on his way down stairs was drained from him. He wouldn't disobey his father, he never would. The accusatory glare his father shot him sent a blade through his chest, it hurt him that his father didn't trust him to keep his word; he had never broken his word. He couldn't take the look Jack sent him anymore; breaking eye contact he bolted for the door his heart racing. That look held more than mistrust he realized; it held anger, and a threat.

Danny could hear them as he grabbed the door handle, they were finally here. Things had to get better; Jack didn't want then to know, so there would be fewer chances for him to implement his newly acquired tactics. He yanked open the door and practically flew into his mother. Wrapping his arms around her waist and burying his face into her stomach he let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding. He felt safe. Something he hadn't felt since she had left. He heard her stutter, trying to find words in the midst of her son's strange actions. He felt so small cradling himself into her like this, as though he was four years old again and had just woken up from a nightmare. "I missed you." God, he even sounded that pathetic.

She placed her arms around her son, "I missed you too sweetie." She coo'ed to him; her high pitched squawk of a voice was like music to him, surely he had never heard anything as lovely. "Clingy" She called as she pried him off of her. She missed the look of dejection on that crossed his face, and it was gone to quickly for Jazz, who was finishing getting her stuff out of the RV, to notice. He watched as his mother walked into the house and heard Jack's normal jovial voice greet her. He inwardly winced, it was no use; no matter how hard he tried to deny it, no matter how hard he Faught it, his mom would always chose Jack over him.

He walked down to the sidewalk to the RV, to offer Jazz some help with the bags. He plastered a grin on his face; after all, he was happy to see his sister. Wasn't he? "Do you want some help Jazz?" He asked as he saw her trying to lift several large bags at once. She turned and smiled at him, her bold true smile was like acid to him, it burned him, made him want to cry; but he kept the smile plastered on his face. If he kept smiling surely he would start to feel it.

"No. I'm got it little brother." Her smile turned into a teasing grin, but it didn't elevate the burning he felt from it, "But don't I get a great big hug and an 'I missed you.'" She laughed as his smile faltered before returning full force though it didn't reach his eyes, through her teasing she didn't realize the pain she could cause with that statement; sure he was covering it, but still, for a wanna' be psychiatrist, she was missing the key details.

"No Jazz you don't get a hug and an 'I missed you,' you get one or the other." He tried to keep his voice in its normal tone, but it seemed to falter and took a harder edge.

Her smile fell and she looked at her brother with a hurt expression, "Geez, you don't have to be so moody. I was only joking." She proceeded to sweep him into a rib crushing hug and squealed in delight. "I'm so glad to be home, don't get me wrong it was nice visiting with Aunt Alicia, but, seriously, they need to invest in indoor plumbing. We aren't wild animals; people are not intended to go behind bushes."

He lost his smiling mask and looked at his sister with clouded eyes, she's only happy to be home for the luxury of the modern world... I should have known... She didn't miss me... I wouldn't miss me either. It's definate I'm not telling her... She doesn't need to know anyway... Nobody does... "Yeah, I guess so." He smiled a false smile for her again. She may be teasing him but she didn't need to know how much it affected him.

He helped her with pick up the bags she had doped when she hugged him; carrying half of them he followed her into the house. He left her in the living room to catch up with Jack as he took their bags upstairs and into their rooms. He knew that Jack wouldn't do anything to his sister, and he found himself hating her for that. I don't want her getting treated the way he's treating me... I don't want her going through this hell... Do I? He didn't want to hate her, but he couldn't stop himself. She was always his favorite... Loves her more... He felt tears prickle at his eyes, he wouldn't cry, he couldn't. He wasn't a baby who needed his Mommy, he was almost an adult. But, try as he did, he couldn't hold the tears that had threatened to fall. Though, to his credit, they fell in silence.

He entered his room, he didn't want anyone to come upstairs and dee him crying in the hall. It would seem weird, and, to keep their secret, nothing could seem weird. Looking once more around his room, he saw the remnants of his oh so happy child hood, pain flared in his chest. He wanted to tear it all to shreds, let this room reflect what he felt now, now what he had been. Make that burning pain go away, free him self from it. I can't... That would be a give away... They would know...

He had to free him self of this pain, release the emotions he was bottling up. With the tears still falling from his eyes he walked over to his desk to retrieve his journal from its hiding place. He sat down at his desk and filled several more pages with the black ink, many of the words smeared with the tears that he couldn't stop from falling.

A/N - Some of you may be wondering why there is so little talking, thinking, and things of that sort; well the answer is simple, I'm no good at it. Never have I claimed to be the best author in the world, hell I always hated English classes and creative writing; maybe because they didn't allow fanfiction... Who knows? Besides in eighth grade we took the Stanford nine tests and my spelling and grammar were rated at a 4.3 grade level. Come on now, I know I'm not great. But that isn't the only reason... Trust me I will tell you the answer once I deem that you all get what Danny's feeling. That way, if you haven't figured it out, then I'm not sorry for you it just means that you never went through the feelings that he is feeling for any extended period. Sorry I know I'm rambling. I'm such a hypocrite though I mean I HATE authors' notes in people's stories and I am using them and can't even keep them short.