GLE - Hi guys, sorry for the long wait on an update. I've been going insane with work. 3 more weeks left till exams! Anyways, I wanted to tell you, since I forgot to last chapter, this story is actually pretty short - only 3 chapters long (and yes, as my sister points out, short chapters as well. What can I say? I'm better at one-shots and poems, but I thought this would be fun, so there it is!). Anyways, I appreciate the reviews and I hope this next chapter satisfies you! Happy reading!

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A Little Taste of Heaven

Chapter 2: Rest in Peace

"What did you say?" Danny exclaimed in panic.

"Welcome to Heaven, Danny!"

"How do you know…?"

"Your name? Why, God knows everyone's name, and I've been appointed welcome-duty, so I know every newbie's name too!" the angel said proudly. "Oh, but I suppose you don't know my name! I'm Herbert! Herbert the Welcome-Angel! Pleased to meet you at last, Danny! It's not often we get a ghost to come to Heaven!"

"But I… b-but… but I…" Danny mouthed before he could digest that last bit of information.

"Come on! We don't want to fall behind schedule, now, do we?" asked Herbert, grabbing Danny's arm and dragging him along. Danny noticed dimly the movement on his back where two tiny angel wings had grown out of his black jumpsuit. He floated along the clouds as Herbert brought him through the Gates and into a city of angels. Danny couldn't hide his astonishment at what he saw and gaped open-mouthed at everything before his eyes. Herbert laughed and said, "Yah, this is what it's all about, Danny! It's paradise here! Everything you could ever want, need, or hope for at your finger tips! Never thought the afterlife could be this great, eh? Especially since the first part of your afterlife you spent as a ghost!"

"There must be some mistake," Danny said. "I'm not—"

"Mistake?" cried Herbert. "There's no mistake! We don't make mistakes in Heaven!" Then as an afterthought he added, "Don't think you're good enough to be here? Ah, Danny, Danny, Danny… of course you belong here! There's no boy good as you were! And here you are rewarded with eternal peace and happiness! What better way to exist in afterlife? Oh hey! Here come the Drury brothers! They know all the best places around town! You're really lucky to be greeted by them!"

And the three angels pulled Danny along, this way and that, pointing out places to lounge, places to party, and places to hang out with fellow angels. Danny kept trying to tell them of the obvious and huge mistake that had been made, but he couldn't get a word in edgewise. Finally he shouted out, "Enough!" and they all quieted down to stare at him.

"I'm NOT dead yet!" Danny told them.

After a short silence in which they stared blankly at him, the three angels burst out into laughter.

"Ah, always the way with ghosts… takes them longer than the others to accept…" Herbert acknowledged.

"NO! I'm being serious!" Danny confirmed in frustration. "I'm only half a ghost – the other half of me is human! And last time I checked, it was fully functional and breathing! Here, let me show you…"

And he tried to transform back into Danny Fenton. But he couldn't do it. It was like he was stuck as Danny Phantom, and his panic levels kicked up another notch. 'Why isn't it working?' he thought to himself. 'Why can't I change back?'

The angels who had been waiting patiently for Danny to do something, decided to speak at his pained look.

"Don't fret over it, dude," consoled Evan Drury. "You're in Paradise now! Let us take all your troubles away!"

And Danny, with his mind blank in confusion, followed them around now without struggle.

"Hey James!" said Evan to his brother. "Why don't we show him the Rise?"

"The Rise?" repeated Danny with mild curiosity.

"Yah! It's the best spot to be in the morning," confirmed Herbert eagerly. "It's this big cloud cliff that overlooks the entire city! And it's so gorgeous to see the sun at dawn from up there!"

"Oh! And later we could show you the Set!" added James. "And we'll be just in time for the sun to set too!"

Danny faked a smile and tagged along. They had to fly up a bit to reach the top of the Rise, (Danny beginning to get used to the little flapping motion, instead of his usual flying powers, which didn't seem to be working properly), but it was worth it. The Drury brothers were right about the view, and Danny could imagine that it would be even more amazing in the morning. But inside him was total turmoil. His mind was having an argument with itself, and it was quite an unsettling discussion. Part of him considered the possibility that he really did die, even though he could remember no such thing – especially since the last thing he fought were the ectopusses, which were really no threat at all. But perhaps, he contemplated, he had died a while ago when the accident that changed him into a ghost occurred. Maybe the whole 'halfa' thing was a dream or a mirage created in his mind to deal with his death. But, if that were the case, he wouldn't be Danny Phantom right now, floating around in his black jumpsuit. Danny Phantom wouldn't exist. He'd just be Danny Fenton, kid who was now an angel in Heaven.

The Welcome-Angels brought him around the clouds. He saw fountains of light, entered gardens that were filled with lovely smells, heard a beautiful song from a choir, noticed women and men angels having fun, and saw one particularly breath-taking view of Earth below. It really was a paradise, but he wasn't enjoying any of it. He was too wrapped up with questions, and no answer seemed to come.

"We're really glad a ghost like you could join us," confided Evan, breaking Danny away from his thoughts. "It's not often that ghosts find fulfillment and finally leave Earth."

"Most of them seem stuck down there forever – sad and incomplete, searching forever for something they usually never get," continued Herbert. "It's so wonderful to hear one say that they are happy! Then they finally come here! Of course, it's even better if they came here directly instead of lingering as ghosts, haunting and howling in their misery."

"Heh," Danny thought to himself. They don't really know what ghosts are like. I guess they have the same perception that humans do. Ghosts themselves, however… well, there was so much more to them…

"Ok, Danny! So, you all set?" asked James.

"We're just going to double check with you one last time before we let you wander off on your own," explained Herbert. "So, you've let go of everyone you love?"

"What?" the question took Danny completely by surprise.

"You know, you've come to terms with your death, and you're ready to leave your Earthly life behind for good."

But I'm not dead, was Danny's immediate thoughts, followed by a voice only slightly quieter, well, maybe you are, and you'd better take the time now to let go of your loved ones so that you can begin to enjoy this paradise.

"Go ahead!" encouraged Evan.

Mom, Dad, you guys were the best parents I could've ever asked for, even with all your little quirks, Danny began in his mind. And Jazz… even though you annoyed me at times, you were the greatest older sister that any brother would be lucky to have. You always had my best interests at heart, and you always looked out for me. I appreciated that…

Tucker, what can I say? You were the coolest buddy ever, even with your geeky addiction to electronics! I guess I'm gonna miss your jokes and playing video games, but I'm happy we gotta be best friends when I was alive…

Danny paused a moment before continuing. There was only one person left to say goodbye to who he held dear in his heart. Sam… I…I'm gonna… I…Sam…