The Truth

Jack quietly made his way inside the Foley's household, guided to his son's location by the sound of Tucker and a feminine voice speaking. Most of it was made of reassurances, but since no reply was heard, the man assumed that Danny was still too out of it to manage so.

Tentatively, Jack peeked through the teen's bedroom doorway and found its owner crouched down beside his bed, talking to the space under it with his PDA lit up on a call, probably with Sam on the other end.

At the sound of his footsteps, Tucker raised his head, looking alarmed for half-a-second, but then his expression smoothed out in just "normal" worry. – Hey, Mr. F, what happened? Danny won't tell me.

– Maddie accidentally scared him off after a nightmare, what happened here? – He murmured back.

– He arrived in a frenzy and dived under the bed. Every time I try to join him under like we did back in elementary school, he freaks out, so me ad Sam are trying to calm him down. – Tucker gestured to the PDA.

– Good thinking. Can I have a go?

Sure, but if we couldn't get him out, I doubt you'll manage it. – Sam's snippy tone would have angered the man, if there hadn't been more important things at stakes.

(Besides… Fair. With how much time Danny had spent with his friends nowadays and in the past two years, it was reasonable that they were more of an emotional support group than his father would be.)

– Let's see about it. – Jack challenged under his breath, sitting cross legged in front of Tucker and bringing forward the corrected research. – Hey Danny, when I was cleaning the table, I accidentally found your revision of our work! – He injected as much cheer and apparent carelessness to his voice, while keeping it at indoor-level volume. – I must say that it's good! If you hadn't made the corrections in green pen, I wouldn't have noticed that they weren't some of our own, the language is really academic! Did Jazz teach you how to write formally or was it one of your friends? – The man tried to bait him, knowing that sooner or later something would tip him off. Even if he was claimed to be the most clueless person of the town, Jack knew his son.

He opened the folder, leafling through it calmingly. – One of the most interesting bits was the section on the… Infinite Realms-natives, was it? – Jack hummed, glancing at said page. – You said that the most complex among them are the ones that are born from concepts, but you never explained how specific personalities stem from them. I mean, this Clockwork-fellow that comes from "Time" seems interesting, but if he? They? – Jack tilted his head, trying to grasp the right word between the erased ones and the scribbled-at-the-margin bits. – They. If they started immediately to exist without an infancy phase, what formed their personality? I mean, every existing being form their "Ego" from a mix of memories and interaction with the surrounding world, so if their coming-to-be was instant, where did all of that come from? – The scientist rambled a bit, lifting his eyes to peek at the bed to see if he had managed to lure his son out.

He hadn't, but Tucker was gaping at him and… two glowing green irises were staring at him in wonder from the darkness under the bed.

If Jack hadn't already seen that familiar expression when he had gifted Danny his Apollo 11 model for his seventh birthday, he would have jumped up and shouted for a weapon, but…
Well, he did recognize those eyes.

And his son was more important than whatever it was happening at the moment, above all since the glowing eyes were wet and still streaming tears.

(Ecto-contamination? His academical mind uttered.)

(Ghost Cores are Souls. An unfaltering whisper answered.)

– They… they know every timeline there could be. – Danny's voice croaked a response, still shaky and broken. – So they have plenty of m-memories.

– Oh! So why would they choose one timeline to happen instead of another? Is the personality inbuilt in the concept they are born from, after all? – Jack leaned forward, eager to learn more.

– …Maybe, they're a fickle being. Apart from preventing the collapse of the timestream, Clockwork usually chooses what makes things more interesting. – His son grumbled almost petulantly.

– You got that from personal experience, didn't you? – Jack chuckled at the glowing pout he got in response. He seemed more relaxed already, so it was time to give a push. – Com'on Danny-boy, you're not as small as you were in second grade, it must be uncomfortable under there. You can tell me more about this after you come out.

There was a noise of shifting and a grunt, but then they all stopped, followed by a pregnant pause. – …I'm stuck. – Danny admitted embarrassed.

– Then phase through the bed. You can, can't you? – Jack blurted before he could think about what he had said. The following silence was deafening, as both boys stared at him like deer in the headlights (even if here the headlights were Danny's eyes themselves) and the phone didn't even peep from Sam's side. – Son, you have glowing eyes, this means that you have at least enough ectoplasm in you to manage phasing though objects. I mean, how could you have fit under that bed otherwise? – He kept on, oblivious of the bombshell he had just dropped with his deduction.
(Hey, when he paid attention, Jack learned and understood things fast!)

Mr. Fenton… Are you going to shoot at Danny if he comes out? – Sam asked both tentatively and with an edge of threat.
(See? This is why Jack had always thought that this girl was the perfect match for his son!)

– Why would I? He's my son. – Jack answered earnestly.

Even if he has something ghostly about him? – She pressed, as serious as a tombstone.

– Of course! Besides, I recently got an eye-opener. – He lifted the manila folder. – This made me reconsider what I thought I knew about ghosts, so… I promise you're safe with me, son.

– …What about mom? – Danny whispered, voice as little as Maddie's had been when she had come back from his room, once more reminding the man of how much mother and son were alike.

– She's terrified that she scared you so much. If she wanted to hurt you, I doubt she would care about that. – Jack answered gently. – That's why she came here but stayed outside. She didn't want you to have a panic attack.

Oh. Okay then. – There was a pause, then Danny hesitantly peeked from through the mattress, eyes still green as they looked anxiously at his father's reaction. When the man just smiled in an encouraging way, he climbed out and sat at the edge of the bed.

Danny looked terrible now that his eyes had turned back to normal, since it was now visible how puffy and reddened they had become from crying non-stop. Jack rested a hand on his shoulder, telegraphing the movement to let his son refuse the contact if he wanted, but the boy didn't move, instead he leaned in after the man made contact.

– Did you really mean it when you said that you liked my theories? – Danny asked, looking at his father almost shyly.

– Of course! They made sense and you cited multiple examples. It was too detailed and thought-out to be just a joke. Besides, I don't think you wanted us to see it, so it didn't make sense either for it to be a prank. – Jack explained, making his offspring nod.

– Yeah, Jazz wanted me to do something "therapeutic" to vent. – He scoffed, but didn't confirm nor deny that the theories were false.

– How did you even know that many examples, by the way? – The man curiously asked, making Danny and Tucker look at one another.

I don't like it, but there won't be another perfect chance like this. – Sam ventured, mutinous, when the silence stretched for too long.

– Okay. – Danny breathed, after earning an encouraging nod from his other best friend. – I'm Phantom.

…That answered the question about what kind of ghost Phantom was, at least. A human soul did fit, imperfections and all.
Just a teenage boy prone to mistakes.

And this also explained… the scalpel-thingy.

– Well, this fills a lot of gaps. – Jack scratched his head, using the hand that had patted Danny, heart dropping to his stomach at the realization. – Sorry about the nightmare, son.

– Don't be, you had no way of knowing. – His boy dismissed, but his demeanor suggested otherwise. He had been hurt and traumatized for so long by their talks about what they wanted to do to Phantom, so it was about time they did something to make things right.

Jack lifted the folder. – Given this counter-argument, I could have known better if I had looked past my prejudices. – This time Danny didn't protest, so he had hit the target dead on. This was definitely a lengthy conversation that the three of them had to do together and certainly not on the floor of Tucker's room. – Com'on Danny, let's get you back home, you need to rest… That is, if you feel safe enough with us. – He added, realizing that his son could still be too shaken by the "forced" reveal and the nightmare.

How much could a ghost-adjacent person really feel safe in a house of ghost hunters? Jack would probably stay awake all night in constant fear of being attacked… Was this why Danny had bags under his eyes or was it because of nightly rogue-ghost attacks against the town?

The father's musings were cut short by his son's answer. – When you're not testing your inventions, I do. – Jack didn't allow that statement to sting, because Danny was right. – My room is my Lair, actually. – The teen confessed tentatively.

– Really? I never noticed the difference! Shouldn't some sort of signature show up on the Finder? – The scientist in Jack was going to vibrate out of this plane of existence with how excited this plethora of information was making him.

– It did, but I taught it to ignore the signal, both for the Lair and Danny. – Tucker puffed in pride at the achievement.

– That's great! You'll have to show me how you did it, so Maddie and I will implement it in each of our past and future inventions! You can bet that no one of them is going to target my boy anymore! – The man stood, raising a fist in the air as sign of proclamation to the heavens, allowing after a split second of pause a small body to collide to his flank and nest itself under the arm in a hug.

Danny sniffled against his chest and that prompted Jack to return the hug, this time careful not to squeeze too much in order to let his son breathe. The man could have also voiced reassurances, but for now this was enough.

It took a while, but his son eventually leaned back and scrubbed his eyes. – Okay, I'm good to go. I'll see you guys tomorrow. – Danny looked at Tucker with a humorless smile. – Thank you for allowing me in the Too Fine Fortress. – He nodded to the space under the bed, getting a mock-cocky smile in return.

– Still the best Fortress of Amity! Ideal for kings and half-ghosts to bunker in in case of emergencies! – He bragged, standing up (after picking up his PDA) to accompany the Fenton duo across the apartment.

Both father and son allowed to be shepherd by Tucker to where Maurice and Maddie were waiting, the former lighting up in relief at the sight, while the latter observed their demeanor before offering a tentative smile to her offspring.
She still looked so fragile even if technically the most affected by the events should be Danny (who still definitely was, though he had got at least a bit of respite thanks to their talk). Yep, like mother like son. Self-flagellation was typical of her when she made a mistake that she recognized.

– Hey Danny, you okay? – Maurice asked once the trio reached them.

– I'll be, thank you Mr. Foley. – He answered, scratching his head in embarrassment. – Sorry for barging in without warning.

– Ah, don't worry, you were distressed and besides you're always welcome here. – The bespectacled man reassured, then smirked in mischief. – Just, next time try to walk in from the front door instead of climbing though Tucker's window. I know that we're only on the first floor, but I'd feel better if you didn't put yourself at risk.

That got a snort from both adult Fentons, Jack's one was of amusement (because he knew that as Phantom his son would be fine) and Maddie's one, even if still a bit wet, was equally mirthy. What did she know that she hadn't told him about the post-nightmare events?

(Now that Jack thought about it, how had Danny escaped from his room and ended up here? Full transformation to Phantom or he just flew out of the window? That would explain why she was so entertained by the first floor comment…)

– Don't worry man, my boy is a pro in this. – Jack patted his son on the back, earning a blush at the comment. – Thank you for calling us, though. – The two fathers shook hands in kinship.

– You would have done the same for mine. – Maurice acknowledged, releasing the grip.

Call us when you go to bed, Danny. – Sam (still on speakerphone) demanded. – We still need the full story.

Danny eyed his parents, mostly his mother, and at seeing her expression (regret and hurt were plain evident on her face) he made a small timid smile. – Don't worry guys, I think there won't be the need.

Oh. So the call was an expedient to make sure he and Maddie wouldn't do anything against Danny? He had found really good friends then.

– Okay, dude. See you tomorrow. – Tucker patted his PDA with a meaningful expression and his friend nodded in acknowledgement.

(Secret code? Jack's cola-caffeinated-squirrel sector of his brain eagerly suggested, but then the parental part squished it to silence: it was none of his business.)

Danny turned to his mother and, after a small hesitation, he reached for her. That seemed to unclench something in the woman, because her eyes filled again with tears and she met her son halfway, hugging him tight.

She murmured something so low that no one outside the hug could have heard it, but Danny just nodded and squeezed her closer for a moment in return, grunting in assent at whatever she had said. He then added something against her shoulder that made her sniffle and hum. It took a minute before they departed, but they both looked a bit better than before.

– I promise mom, I know. – He smiled at her.

– Okay. – Maddie took out a hankie and dried her eyes, then blew her nose to get rid of the sniffle. – Thank you again Maurice.

The dismissal after that was quick and the trio walked back to the FentonWorks in comfortable silence, Danny between Jack and Maddie, near, but not crowding him. That seemed to ease something in their son's frame, maybe he saw the gesture as a reassurance that their relationship hadn't changed to the worst.

After crossing the doorway of their home, a thought came up to Jack and he couldn't quite hold it in after restraining himself for so long. – Does this mean that you really flew through Tucker's window and bed then got stuck there?

– Oh my god, dad, why!


A/N. And that's a wrap! I needed to end this with a drop of humor, hope you enjoyed.

If you were wondering, Maddie during the hug said "You know that I will never do that to you, right? No matter your state of being." and Danny answered "I know. 't was stupid brain and irrational fear."
So, here, have some Feels™.

Can you guess which one was my favorite line? Mochi points and a special mention on Tumblr if you do! (°w°)

At the moment I'm starting yet another WiP and it's for another entry in the Phic Phight, it'll be probably longer than this one by seeing how the planning is going on, so look out for that!

Hope to type ya soon!