November 20, 2004.

He felt ridiculous stuffed into the gangly body of a human teen. He'd nearly forgotten what it felt like to exist like this – so awkward. He was all bones. Growing too fast, eating and sleeping too little. His clothing rubbed on his body uncomfortably, far looser than he would have liked. Why didn't Danny have the sense to wear a belt?

He tugged at his shirt collar and looked up at the Nasty Burger, still standing. He needed to focus. He needed to be sure Danny was subject to the same fate he was. That happy endings didn't exist, and certainly not for either of them. A quick peek through the hole in the side of the building indicated that that wouldn't be true for long. Leave it to some profit-hungry corporation to make the cheapest sauce imaginable at the expense of everyone's safety.

"Danny!"

At the sound of his name, he flinched. Immediately, he found himself embarrassed at his reaction. No. That wasn't his name anymore. "Phantom" was the most anyone had called him in years, and it was always spat out, dripping with hate.

That name wasn't said in anger, however. It almost sounded like –

Sam launched herself at him, enveloping him in a hug. He flinched again, shoulders tense, hands hovering uncertainly around her torso.

"You made it back!"

It sounded like love. Relief. Affection. Things he hadn't heard in so long, and certainly not directed at him.

She pulled away, a grin plastered on her face. She held onto his hands firmly. As if she was afraid he'd disappear again. Hesitantly, he squeezed back. He found that he didn't want her to disappear again, either.

Tucker rushed in next, wrapping his arms around him tightly. He'd forgotten how much that disgusting godforsaken cologne stank. God, it was overwhelming. But even though logic told him to gag and push Tucker away – he found himself feeling nostalgic. The scent brought back memories, things he hadn't thought about in years. Things he tried not to think about.

Flashes of fighting Spectra in the North Mercy hospital. The terror that gripped his heart when he found out his friends and family would die from their exposure to those ghost bugs. How he knew he'd do anything to save them, even if it meant sacrificing himself.

How had he forgotten that?

Tucker released him. "Did you beat that evil jerky puspack alternative version of yourself?"

He barked out a short laugh at the unnecessarily lengthy insult. "Always with the quips," he said, reminiscing. He used to speak like that too, didn't he? "In my weaker moments, I sometimes miss your droll sense of humor."

Tucker blinked, taken aback. "I'm sorry?"

God, he'd said that without thinking as if he was just "hanging out" with them. What was wrong with him? He laughed, masking his error. "I'm just kidding! I beat my other self quite easily. Had you guys going there for a second, didn't I?"

Tucker shared a glance with Sam, unsure how to react at first. "Well… we should probably do what do what we can to stop the Nasty Burger from blowing up, huh?"

He grinned. "Already done. Now what's up for…" What did they used to do together? "…uh… playing some video games and raging against the machine?"

They beamed at him. "We're in!"

He racked his brain for an answer.

He'd done this how many times in his life? How many hours had he dedicated to this? This used to be so important to him, and now he couldn't remember anything. He didn't even know where to start looking for answers.

The cursor blinked, taunting him in the blank "username" field on the Doomed login screen.

Tucker was already in a game a few computers down their aisle of the internet café. Sam leaned over his shoulder. He did his best not to flinch at the contact. These two were so much touchier than he recalled. Then again, when was the last time he had touched someone without the intention of violence?

She knocked affectionately on his skull. "Uh, Earth to Ghost Boy. You gonna log in?"

GHOSTBOY. That was it. He typed the username out, tabbing down to the "password" field. His hands hovered uncertainly over the clunky internet café keyboard.

Sam pulled a face. "What's taking you so long?"

"I seem to have…. forgotten my password."

Sam rolled her eyes. "Did you hit your head or something?"

He blinked, thinking back to the battered Danny under Valerie's net. "Yes."

The goth barked out an angry laugh. "It's your future wife's name," she growled.

Despite himself, he felt his face heat up. He didn't know whether to be more embarrassed at his juvenile reaction or her bluntness.

"You're blushing?" Sam teased. "C'mon, it wasn't that hard to figure out."

He grew more flustered. She really knew how he felt, all this time? If he still had a physical heart, he knew it'd be pounding in his ears.

He shook his head, trying to focus. Why should he care? His Sam and Tucker were long dead, and these two would be too, soon enough. This life wasn't his anymore. But the longer he spent with them, the harder it was to convince himself of that.

He typed SAM into the password field. Wrong password.

He tried SAMFENTON. Wrong password.

SAMANTHA? Wrong password.

He turned back to Sam. Her face had to be more red than his. She stood up straight and crossed her arms tightly in front of her body.

"Are you teasing me or something?" She snapped, avoiding eye contact. "It's PAULINAFENTON."

He let out a cackle as memories of his schoolboy crush rushed back to him. "Oh my god, that girl?" He laughed harder. He couldn't help it. He didn't think he'd thought about that girl even once since the explosion. The idea of her being his wife – he couldn't even remember her last name.

"Not gonna act like I'm not enjoying this, but did Ember get to you again or something? Are you really okay, Danny?"

Still chuckling at the absurdity of it all, he typed in his password and hit enter. His Doomed profile filled the screen. Fondness swirled in his chest at the familiar sight. He used to love this game.

He looked back at Sam, who was looking down at him with affection and concern. The keys of oversized 2000s keyboards clacked around him, peppered with the occasional curse from Tucker as he lost health in his game. It was overwhelming. He shouldn't let himself get wrapped up in a trip down memory lane, but… what was the harm? His plan was already in motion. The Nasty Burger was set to explode tomorrow.

He could enjoy himself for now, couldn't he?

"You know, Sam, I haven't been this okay in a long time."

Sam and Tucker offered to walk him home after their outing at the internet café – an offer he'd refused, no matter how much he longed to talk to them more. It was difficult to say no. He knew this would be the last time he ever saw them.

He needed the solitary walk to clear his head. He needed to focus. The longer he stayed here, the less he felt like a ghost and more like… well, just Danny. Like he'd picked up a well-loved book he'd long forgotten about and immediately found himself re-immersed in the world once again. Everything – the smells, the outdated architecture, and of course, the people made him feel so at home.

He couldn't feel that way. This wasn't his home. Not anymore. Just like a well-loved book, it all had to end at some point. And Amity Park's conclusion was tomorrow.

Despite years of absence and a lack of GPS, he was able to make his way home on auto-pilot. The walk wasn't long, so he was sure to savor every second. The cracks in the sidewalk. The antiquated brick buildings. The ghost shieldless sky. He arrived at the old FentonWorks rowhouse quicker than he would've liked, but he supposed it was for the best. It was getting late, and his parents would be expecting him.

He really wasn't in the mood to get grounded… or, rather, he couldn't arouse any suspicion. Had he really thought of getting grounded first? He chuckled to himself as he entered the house.

He'd just head straight up to his room and pretend-

He froze.

"Mom."

Mom was reclining on the couch. What could only be one of her favorite cheesy made-for-TV movies blared on the television. She sat up and turned towards him with a smile, tucking her thick auburn hair behind her ear. Her other hand cradled a steaming mug of cocoa. "Hi, sweetie." She paused for a moment, smile fading. "Danny, are you okay?"

Mom. Mom. Mom.

Tears came without warning. Danny's face twisted. He realized with horror that he'd forgotten her voice.

Mom quickly set her mug on the coffee table and held her arms out, inviting a hug.

Danny rushed into them, pressing his face into her shoulder. He sobbed. He'd forgotten her voice – how could he have forgotten her voice?

Mom stroked his head gently. "Sweetie, what happened?"

Danny just shook his head. So much. So much had happened.

Mom pulled him in tighter, wrapping her arms around him. Danny cried, his mind overwhelmed with unexpected emotion. Everything he hadn't realized he'd been holding in came out in a big release. When was the last time he felt safe? The last time he didn't feel so alone?

Mom gently shushed him. "It's okay, Danny," she said softly. "You're home now."

Danny nodded. The tears showed no signs of slowing down.

He was home.

"God, what the hell am I doing?" Danny choked out, muffled in Mom's embrace. He was really going to give all of this up? Kill everyone, destroy everything, just to… teach his past self a lesson? Make sure he had the same tormented future he did?

"I know it's hard sometimes, sweetie," Mom said after a moment. "You're at a confusing time in your life right now. I sure didn't know what I was doing at your age."

"It's more than that, it's…" Danny's words were cut off by a sob. "Oh, Mom…" He pulled her closer. He'd been such a fool.

"I'm here, Danny." Mom sighed. "You know, I'm glad you still feel like you can come to me when you feel down. I'll always be here for you sweetie… you know that? Even when you're all grown up and don't want anything to do with your old crone of a mom."

Danny jerked up, looking her in the eyes. "I will always love you. Especially when I'm grown up."

Mom blinked a few times, taken aback by the firmness of his statement.

"Always."

Danny shakily entered his old room, not entirely calm from his breakdown. His mom promised to come check on him later, something he knew a petulant teen should've scoffed at. But he couldn't bring himself to do it. He gave her another hug and nodded, eternally grateful.

For ten years, he'd been alone. Suddenly, he wasn't. He didn't have to be.

Danny walked over to the mirror in his bedroom and touched his face. His old face. He used to think he was so grown up at 14 – how foolish. He looked like a baby – not a scar in sight, no hint of wrinkles. He'd barely started puberty. He poked his round cheek. He still had baby fat, for god's sake.

His younger self still had a chance. As a 24-year-old, he knew the world was ugly – that people were selfish, that they only ever cared about themselves. But he only learned that when everything he'd ever loved was ripped from him. Nobody cared that a 14-year-old kid was suddenly without a home, without a family.

He felt like the only person who mourned everyone he'd lost.

If he tore that away from his younger self, he'd be just like everyone else. He'd been so hateful for so long that he'd nearly forgotten why he started all of this. He'd taken revenge on the world for a reason – they'd all turned his back on him. His family. His friends. They needed to know what it felt like.

If he let the Nasty Burger explode – he was just as bad as the rest of them.

Maybe one day the younger Danny would still learn what a cruel, selfish place the world is. But he deserved a chance to see it in a different light.

He didn't have to be alone anymore.

But how was he going to fix his future when he had no idea where his past self was?

Danny had no idea where to find his younger self. He was hurtling through the Ghost Zone ten years in the future – he could use Clockwork's medallion to time travel back, but what if he was too late? What if his enemies had gotten to the younger Danny first? He could go back to the moment he threw the teen into the Zone, but then he'd surely have to fight himself. Could he win in a fight where he was evenly matched? It'd been so long since he fought someone of a similar caliber. He was sitting on his bed, lost in his thoughts and fiddling with one of his old model rockets when his door swung open.

"Danny? We need to talk."

He turned at the sudden entry. Jazz. She looked younger than he remembered – probably due to how old he was now. She was seven years his junior, an odd thing to think about.

"Hey, Jazz," he greeted lamely. What could you say to someone after missing them for a decade? Someone who annoyed you day in and day out, but still found yourself missing them with your entire heart?

Jazz produced a backpack that he vaguely recognized and roughly pulled out a gray folder. "You're really going to cheat?" She snapped. "Lancer was right; you did steal the answers!"

God, he'd barely thought about the CAT. How ironic that a test that was supposed to give you a fast pass to a good future had so utterly destroyed his.

She sighed, her words losing their bite. "Don't you understand?"

"That I'd be destroying my future?" Danny asked sadly. "You don't know the half of it."

Jazz took a deep breath. "Danny, I know all of it. That you're part ghost." She picked up a piece of random Fenton tech from his bedroom floor. "That you were always doing the right thing with your powers! Until now."

"You knew?" Danny asked softly, disbelieving.

All this time, she had known? How had he not noticed?

"I know," Jazz said, emphasizing the present tense. "And I've been covering for you with Mom and Dad because I'm proud of you! And the good that you do! But not anymore."

She really did love him, didn't she? Despite all their squabbling, despite how much she annoyed him, Jazz had really looked out for him. In secret, without needing any recognition. He wondered how many times she'd stuck her neck out for him.

She'd be willing to do it one more time, right?

"You're right, Jazz. You shouldn't have to cover for someone like me."

"And I can't believe-" She stopped, blinking. "Wait, you just said I'm right?"

Danny nodded. If she knew all about his crime-fighting antics, then this news shouldn't come as too much of a shock. He felt ridiculous coming to a teenager for help, but Jazz always was smarter than he gave her credit for.

"Danny, you haven't cheated yet. You can still-"

"Jazz, forget about the test for a second."

"It's important!" She protested.

"Jazz, I'm not Danny."

Jazz froze. There was a beat of silence between them. "What… does that mean?"

Dare he reveal his true form? Would that scare her? He needed her cooperation. "I'm… another version of Danny. From a different timeline."

That lie should be sufficient. She didn't need to know all the details.

Jazz furrowed her brow and looked him up and down suspiciously. "That wouldn't be the craziest thing to happen… but why are you here? Where's my Danny?"

"In my timeline. In your future. I… I made some mistakes. Including cheating on the CAT. I came back to try and fix them, but I realize now that your Danny has to be the one to do it."

The half-lies fell from his lips easily.

Jazz turned the piece of Fenton equipment over in her hands. "That's why the Boo-merang wasn't honing in on your ecto-signature."

"I need to find him to fix all of this but I have no idea where he is."

Jazz held up the curved Fenton machinery. "But this does."

November 21, 2004.

If the idiotically-named tracking device was to be trusted, his teenage self should be arriving back in 2004 at any time now. Jazz seemed confident that her brother would know where to go to find Masters' portal – after all, he would have recently visited his arch-enemy's lab.

As a 24-year-old, those memories had faded over time, even though he considered himself good with directions.

Danny wanted to linger in 2004 until his younger self arrived safely. If he didn't show up, if something prevented him from reaching Masters' portal, he'd be forced to go back in time and fight himself right before he threw the child into the Ghost Zone. Who knew what kind of time anomalies that would cause. He didn't envy Clockwork's job.

In the meantime, Danny was playing sick, staying at home to avoid the CAT. He had technically dropped out of high school, and hadn't attended a lesson in over ten years. It was best if his teen self just took a make-up exam.

His shapeshifting abilities easily allowed him to give his skin a sickly pallor, and Mom let him stay home without a protest. She was even doting on him more than she normally would.

Perhaps because of his breakdown yesterday.

Not that he was complaining about the extra attention from the person he missed the most.

Danny was cozied up on the worn living room couch, under a frankly ridiculous number of blankets that Mom had brought him. He cradled a steaming bowl of soup in his hands. He hadn't had soup in years, as he didn't need to eat anymore. Each sip filled him with warmth. He left the television off, entertained by creature comforts and the familiar sounds of Mom's tinkering echoing up from the lab downstairs.

Yes, at any time his teenage self would burst through the door. At which point he would either be trapped in the Fenton Thermos or simply cease to exist.

Danny took another sip of soup, savoring the taste, wondering which gulp would be his last.

It didn't matter to him that these were his last moments alive. It meant that in another life, he would have a chance to be surrounded by warmth and comfort for decades to come.

It meant his dreary future was not inevitable.

A.N.: Merry Christmas, everyone! Thank you again to my beta-readers, hazama_d20 (AO3) and indigoGBA (Twitter). If you liked this fic, I have another short and sweet complete fic up now, Electric Veins. And for fans of longer fics, I have a DP prequel fic up now called Just Fourteen!

Thank you to everyone in the DP Reddit server, especially to the server mom AJ for organizing this fun event! This was a big challenge for me, but I hope I pulled it off!

Best,
Ani