A/N:

Ummmm...yeah. So, the way my life is set up right now I kinda slacked off a few weeks or two or four with this story. My bad. Don't kill me. But I bring you good tidings and joy in massive upload. Questions asked about Phantom Planet will be answered. Characters not yet mentioned will be here soon...hopefully.

Well, without further ado, I present to you, Chapter 2 of Jump Start, unofficially beta'ed by the lovely midnightloveless who can physically assault me because she is one of my dorm mates.

midnightloveless: Hello everyone. I am Night, call me Night, pleasure to make your acquaintance. So as my friend already mentioned, I do live with her and will from now on keep her on track with updates. You have my word on it and if I fail in my beholden duties as the Update Keeper you may bean her with rotten tomatoes; which I will personally supply. ;) Zaijian!

O-okay. I am JennaUtena and I do not approve this message.

Chapter 2

Mr. Felucca exasperatedly slid his palm down his face, "No, Mr. Baxter. We cannot delay this test for the fifth time! All of you have asked every single frikkin'—ahem—question in the book and online and I have faithfully answered every single one. Now, without further ado, since you are all here—"

At that moment, Danny turned the knob, his head cleared significantly from his twenty minute break but still slightly muddled. He didn't even notice the seething glare he received from Felucca as he entered the classroom.

"Mr. Fenton!" Felucca yelled, slamming his hand on his desk, the other crumpling the test papers. "Thank you ever so much for gracing us with your presence. At the beginning of the year, I dreaded your being in my class because of your reputation but I soon learned how diligent of a student you can be when you wish to do so. Please do not relapse at this pivotal point of the school year. Now find a seat. I'm sure you remember that you all have a test over chapters 5 and 6 from your text book. I'm giving you all 45 minutes and I expect..."

As Felucca droned on, Danny sauntered down the row to his seat for the day. Some of the students in the class already knew about Danny knowing about Sam and Tucker; the rest were blissfully ignorant but, with Casper High's rumor mill, would soon know. So, as Danny headed to the back row where he and his friends dutifully sat every class day, he noticed that instead of his seat being open in the middle, Tucker sat there with Sam to his left. This left Danny with the seat to Tucker's right, closest to the door at the back of the classroom. Head down, Danny plopped into the seat and stared at the front of the class, not wanting to look at his friends or any other person in fear of sympathizing looks.

"Alright everyone! We can finally start this—"

SCREEEECHHHH! The school intercom interrupted Mr. Felucca with a crackling voice urgently demanding all instructors to turn on the televisions. A few choice words from Felucca were heard by the students sitting at the front of the class. Nevertheless, he turned on the out-of-date television standard for all classrooms to the prescribed news channel and told all of his students to pay rapt attention.

"Breaking news from Amity Park Channel 4's Tiffany Snow, bringing you news held from the public for almost six months by numerous governments and scientific societies all around the world! It seems that early this February, a mix of forces created what most referred to as a 'Disasteroid' which would have possibly hit the Earth! Teams of astrophysicists and global military forces convened to determine whether or not this massive asteroid could make impact on the earth, its fallout being our complete and utter extinction!"

At this point, gasps and the thuds of jaws dropping echoed across the school. Some quivered in fear about what they thought was their doom. But the newscast continued.

"It was calculated that the impact would occur sometime late May or early June this year. However, the 'Disasteroid's' course was diverted early May by some unseen force. Around this time, it was reported that some of the more alien members of the Justice League were missing from the media. No official statement has been made at the time but people all over that world are attributing their saved lives once again to the heroics of Earth's protectors, the Justice League!"

Cheers resounded through the classrooms and homes and businesses all over Amity Park. Dash high-fived Kwan as if they were the ones to successfully save the world. Paulina and Star were squealing about how glad they were that the asteroid didn't have the chance to destroy their hair. Mikey and Lester were trying to calculate the applied force necessary to change the asteroid's trajectory so that no harm at all would come to the Earth. Sam and Tucker whooped in glee, blushing when they discovered they had the same reaction. Similar occurrences were happening all over the world except for two people. One just sat in his seat in his Algebra II class staring at the front board, trying not to think about anything. The other just sighed in his limousine, calling his secretary and telling her to destroy file 'Phantom Planet'.

As the broadcaster continued to talk about the near end of the mayoral election season, restating the opponents, current mayor Vladimir Masters and newcomer Carina Cartwright, Mr. Felucca sighed with a smile on his face, ready to hand out the test packets to his ungrateful—he means wonderful bundles of joy that we call—students. Unfortunately, the newscast was longer than he thought. Looking at the clock, he realized that he only had 7 minutes left for the class.

Felucca threw his hands and test papers in the air, not caring that they were littering the floor around him. "Apparently, no one wants this class to do this test and I am done! Do whatever. Paint your nails! Discuss football! Write grants! I don't care. Just wait for the next 7 minutes and go to your next class!"

Almost all of the students exclaimed in joy! Cancelled test on a Monday? The day just can't get any better!

The students separated into their groups, chairs and tables screeching and scraping as they were pulled across the floor. The A-listers separated themselves from the "uncool" masses. Some of the nerds were still calculating the force needed to divert the asteroid's trajectory. The others started a rousing game of Egyptian Rat Screw. Danny still hadn't moved, brain still numb but thinking about what would have happened if the Disasteroid passed the Justice League. He didn't even notice Sam and Tucker get up from their seats and come near him.

That is, until Tuck said, "Dude? You look so out of it."

"Yeah," Sam agreed. "Couldn't be ghost trouble. They barely show up anymore."

Not that you guys would know since all you've been doing is sucking fa—Woah, where did that come from? Shaking off his weariness and annoyance, Danny looked up at his friends who were regarding him a bit concerned. They don't even look different, or act differently…I wonder what would happen if they knew I knew.

"It's nothing, guys," Danny sighed, leaning back in his chair, partly to get away from them. "The Box Ghost showed up this morning to cause a little trouble but I got him in under a minute."

Sam and Tucker shared a look before going back to Danny, Sam asking, "Then what's wrong?"

Before Danny could answer, the bell signaling the end of class rang—talk about getting saved by the bell. He got up, collecting his things, saying, "It's nothing, really! Just feeling tired for no reason." Looking back at them as they got their books he asked, "I'll see you guys at lunch, yeah?" and left before either could answer.

Danny's next two classes he had without Tucker or Sam so he didn't have to deal with awkwardly avoiding them, their looks, or their questions for a couple of hours. In both classes, he turned in his homework, pleasantly surprising his teachers and even participated in in class discussion, slightly confusing the instructors and his classmates but making them happy nonetheless.

By the time the bell for lunch rang, Danny's head had cleared significantly and he was no longer shell-shocked but was instead a bit annoyed, angry at his friends from keeping this big a secret from him and jealous that Tuck ended up with Sam. He headed outside to lunch, knowing that Sam and Tuck would rather sit in the privacy of their spot by the tree than brave the overcrowded cafeteria. But before he could step outside, Valerie came crashing through the door, looking about as frantic as Mikey had earlier that morning.

Looking up, Valerie caught Danny's eyes and her face changed from frantic to pitying, a look he had seen on the faces of other students passing him from the corners of his eyes. It made Danny's stomach sour. Why do people have to keep looking at me like that?

Seeing the slight frown on his face, Valeria quickly fixed hers with a warm smile and exclaimed, slightly panting, "Danny! What are yo—I mean, what a surprise seeing you here?!" She held her hands on her hips, blocking his way out.

With all the strange activity going on, Danny instantly picked up that Valerie was trying to protect him in vain from seeing whatever was outside.

"Val..." he sighed tiredly, while looking her straight in the face, "just move." When she didn't, her face slightly falling into concern, he added a quick, "I can handle it," and pushed her out of the way.

He continued outside while she sputtered in indignation. Danny slowed his gait a second to see if she was going to try again but when he heard her footsteps disappear, he just continued to his, Sam's, and Tucker's favorite lunch place: the old maple tree sitting in the back courtyard of the school. He knew Sam and Tuck where already there; their class let out ten minutes before his. And he wanted to talk to them, not call them out or anything because they were best friends, just talk. His ghost hunting and general training had allowed his hearing and other senses to greatly increase. He had practiced moving his feet stealthily to the point that it became a habit. Otherwise, Tuck and Sam would have known he was there and wouldn't have continued their conversation.

"I think he knows, Tuck," Sam sighed, her hands playing with Tucker's beret.

"I doubt it," Tucker scoffed. "We don't call him clueless for nothing." He dipped his fork into Sam's lunchbox, a habit formed quickly after they started dating, sometime during the summer when they were blowing Danny off.

She glared at him, daring him to take more of her food, rebutting, "Yeah, and you're such a lady's man!" She stole a slice of ham from his brown bag, forgoing her ultra-recyclo vegetarian ways for the fifth time that day, but only in front of Tucker.

"Well I got you didn't I?" He asked, kind of bemused. "And it was you who finally gave up on him, tired that he put ghosts as a priority over you?"

"Well, yeah," she agreed, looking at Tucker. "But you were all gung-ho about it, too!"

He shrugged. "I told him someone was going to snatch you up." Ducking a swat at his face he continued, "Sam, it's true! But all Danny did was train and blow us off before. It's like he forgot we were even here. And when we did hang out together all he did was whine and groan on and on about his stupid ghost powers and his stupid ghost fights and his parents' stupid ghost inventions and his stupid—!"

"All right, man. I think we got it," Sam chuckled. She leaned on his shoulder, "I guess it just lost its novelty...the whole halfa thing. I mean...it was cool at first, and unique, but then it got really annoying. And my grades!"

Tucker nodded ferociously, "I know! Mom almost took away Amanda that day I brought home a D from Gym!"

Eyebrow raised, Sam said, "I highly doubt your failing gym has anything to do with ghost hunting. But the missing homework, the sneaking out, the fixing the wounds...it was all too much."

Tucker leaned back against the tree, both of them silent for the moment. Danny decided it was time to make himself known but Tuck saw this as a chance to continue.

"Do you remember the fiasco from freshman year? When Desiree granted all of our wishes?" He quietly asked, Danny almost unable to hear him. "I never really forgave him...I never really got over my jealousy. He got the super cool powers and all the excitement and adventure that goes with it and he wastes it on just ghost fighting?! I mean, if it weren't for the Justice League with that Disasteroid...do you think Danny would have even tried? Or would he have done some stupid shit and give up his powers to spend his last day on Earth as a human with his family?"

"Sounds like him. Just downright selfish," Sam continued. "Needy and suffocating when he wants to be around us but cold and distant when he wants nothing to do with us."

By this time, Danny was shaking with anger, his fists balled up so tight that his nails dug into his skin, unknowingly drawing blood. How dare they? How DARE THEY?! Don't they know that each time he fights, he risks his life for them?! He sheds his blood for them?! He fought countless of ghosts and apparitions just for them! If it weren't for him, the town would be raised over and over, bodies on the street, blood flowing like rivers. He won against Pariah Dark, THE DREAD KING for Clockwork's sake! And they say this about him?! He even fought a possible evil future for them and continues to train and fight to prevent it, keep them safe, so that they have nothing to worry about. All he asks for is their support...their friendship, for them to treat him just like they used to before he got these blasted powers! Danny's anger skyrocketed at that moment, his eyes flashing a dangerous neon green that effectively hid the shame and anguish that was threatening to spill from the dam his anger provided. He stepped forward, fully intent on giving them every single piece of mind he had on everything they had said the past few minutes but once again he was interrupted.

"With the decrease in ghosts," Sam muttered, "I don't see a point in hanging around with Danny anymore. He's just not the guy we knew...not the Fenton we were friends with."

"Yeah," Tucker sighed. "Honestly, the only reason I stuck around after the change was for the Phantom fun...and then just the protection. I mean, if he insists using his ghost powers so much, why not let him do it to protect us? It is his obsession isn't it? To protect?" He paused, letting his words fade before continuing, "Why'd you stick around anyway?"

Sam blushed, looking away ashamedly. "My parents," she finally relented. "They didn't want me hanging around with the 'Freaky Fentons' and Danny was the closest I could get to almost completely going against them. And when he got his ghost powers! It was kismet." She twiddled her thumbs a bit. "But then I noticed, he's not what I portrayed him to be...Danny's nice and all, but he's not the unique, super amazing person that I wanted in my life. Without his powers, he's just a normal conformist. I mean he wants to be an astronaut! That's a kid's pipe dream!"

Sam and Tucker kept talking and, after a while, only those two really heard what they were saying. The super powered halfa who considered them the closest two to him in existence shut his hearing off from them, unable to take any more. His arms swung limply at his sides, his back ramrod straight. His unseeing eyes glistened with unshed tears held back only by his subconscious recognition of him being in public. His unbelieving ears were shut off from the world, his brain trying, and failing, to make sense of what he had heard. Of the betrayal and utter dismissal of his friends. I-is that what they really think about me? was the unending mantra that revolved around in his head. The disappearance of his anger, it being quickly dissolved in the tumultuous heartbreak, had left him tired...exhausted...and with a complete loss of appetite.

Instead of gracing them with his presence, he quietly turned away and headed back inside the school, Sam and Tucker unaware of the harm they did on their ex-compatriot. The backpack on Danny's back suddenly seemed so much heavier than just his school supplies and lunch. His shoulders slowly slumped, too tired and too heavy from the new weight placed on him. He was so out of it that he would have just phased through the door leading to the school if another student hadn't opened it a second before, bumping him back into a semi-aware state.

But he didn't break down. Danny was stronger than that. Unfortunately, the two pillars that he had leaned on the heaviest had just almost completely crumbled on him. They do have reasons for thinking that way though, he tried to reassure himself. Ghost fighting really does take its toll on the average teenager. I put too much responsibility on them and expected too much. THEY didn't have to deal with the powers but they did have to deal with me...all whiney and wimpy even with the so-called upgrade. I'm just glad they stuck around when they did and didn't rat me out to Amity, the GIW, or worse—shudder—my parents. With his new mindset, Danny's outer façade turned blank but not as destitute as before. His active thoughts were on how much he had put on his friends, how it was mostly his fault, how they meant well but were just tired. But deep down, even though he didn't want to admit it, Danny knew that a divide had grown between him and his two best friends so wide that even he could not cross, ghost powers or no.

Just like the classes before lunch, the entire school was still on a high from the newscast of their salvation. Students couldn't sit still, fidgeting in their seats, waiting for school to let out so they could go out and celebrate with their friends and family who would have surely all died without the Justice League. Teachers' speeches continually went off track, delving into topics not even related to the classes, shocked over their ignorance of the come and gone doom. The only person, it seemed, that did not have a glow about him—kind of uncharacteristically—was the resident loser, Danny Fenton. In the two second and third to last classes of the day, the average teen was basically unapproachable.

In the class after lunch, he could be seen staring despondently out of the room's window, not even registering his teacher calling his name except for when the instructor dared pull Danny's chin towards his face. Students would come to that teacher later that day and ask him why he stiffly walked back to his desk and a sheen of sweat would appear on his forehead while he muttered something about dead, harsh eyes. In his other class, students saw his eyes flicker rapidly from emotion to emotion—sadness, hope, joy, despair, anger, self-hate—in a near endless cycle. It wasn't until the near end of school that anyone could pull the boy from his inner monologue. Most just thought he was reacting from the shocking realization of Samantha Manson and Tucker Foley's "affair" behind his back. Some—like Valerie—were extremely worried about how pulled away from everyone else Danny was being. But, of course, if it weren't for the fact that Sam and Tucker were going out behind his back, Val would have just blamed it on a ghost...probably Phantom. Others, like Dash and Paulina, as if they cared—which they would vehemently snarl that they did not to anyone who asked—thought he finally snapped from his and his family's freakiness. Word reached Sam and Tucker by the last class about Danny's weirdness and Tucker finally bought stock in the possibility that Danny knew about him and Sam. But whenever he asked anyone about it, or even hinted at their relationship coming out, whomever he was talking to would make up some excuse and run away like the Lunch Lady Ghost was hot on their heels.

It wasn't until the last period of the day that anyone saw Danny react to his surroundings which was good because the last period was gym. Of course, as was Casper High tradition, the set up for the class was almost exactly that of the two years before with Danny, Sam, and Tucker, Mikey, Lester, and their group, Valerie and some of the B-listers, and Dash, Kwan, Paulina, her satellite Star, and the other junior A-listers. Because of the restless nerves of everyone around the school, and the entire city, Tetslaff found it the best time to instigate a game of what she calls the most divine combination of strategy, power, teamwork, and ferocious, animalistic competition. In other words...

"DODGE BALL!" the bulky gym teacher screamed into the ear of Lester who nearly jumped out of his skin. Grinning, Mrs. Tetslaff gripped the red rubber ball in her hand before lazily tossing it up and down as if trying to decide on what to do as she eyed her students. Her eyes gleamed when she came upon Danny who was listlessly staring into the distance.

She reared her arm back, preparing to throw, daring any one of the students to warn the daydreaming Fenton of the oncoming pain. "This is not just a game." She held the ball at just the right angle, Danny still unsuspecting of her intentions. "This. Is. War!" With the last syllable, Tetslaff waylaid the boy, expecting the ball to hit him square in the stomach where she aimed. But instead, to the surprise all and chagrin of some of the A-listers, all Danny did was side-step, effectively avoiding the ball and still remaining in his dream-like state. After she overcame her initial shock, Tetslaff screamed, "FENTON! Seeing as how you are so eagerly ready to show your skills, you'll get to be on the Skins team. BAXTER!"

"Yes?" squeaked the slightly frightened quarterback three-years running.

Pointing at him with another red ball that inexplicably landed in her hands, Tetslaff continued, "YOU will be captain of the Shirts team. GREY! You've got the Skins!"

As the students were scrambling onto different sides of the fields, already knowing that layout of the teams with the Shirts being mostly A-listers lead by Dash and B-listers they didn't mind and the Skins being the losers, geeks, freaks, and left-over B-listers. Some of the Skins ran to the metal bin with the neon vests symbolizing their team because almost none of them wanted to go shirtless. It wasn't until Valerie came over to Danny that he finally snapped out of his funk. Her semi-dangerous but normal air and commanding tone brought him back to his senses after she placed her hands on his shoulders, slightly shaking, saying, "Danny, man. We're playing."

"Wha—?" He intelligibly responded. Looking around, he saw the gym set up for dodge ball and followed Valerie.

"Dude, that was one sweet dodge you pulled with Tetslaff," Val said, looking at him behind her shoulder.

Danny had no idea what she was talking about so he just shrugged, brushing it off like it was nothing.

She scoffed. "Yeah right, Danny. That was pretty cool! With moves like that, we should spar sometime," she flirted, hopefully lifting Danny more from his cloud of funk.

When he pulled his normal shy smile, she knew it worked, but it soon turned to a sly smirk when he responded, "Like you could land a hit on me, Val!" She laughed at him, punching his shoulder before heading to the bin to get her vest. Danny smiled at her back in appreciation. Even if he couldn't tell her everything, her being the Red Huntress and all, it was nice to have a little picker-upper.

But before he could take another step, a dodge ball hit him in the head, causing him to stumble forward a bit. He yelped and rubbed the tender spot on his skull, turning around to see a smug smile on the face of the local high school tyrant, Dash Baxter.

"Nice moves, Fenturd!" He cackled, high-fiving Kwan and some of the other jocks before turning away from his favorite taunting tool.

Danny growled, his emotions still a bit haywire, as his eyes threatened to flash green. But all he did was close his eyes and take a deep breath, unballing his fists. A hand landed on his shoulder, one he knew after years and years of the same gesture, followed by a voice that said, "Don't mind him, dude. He's just peeved with that awesome move you did earlier."

Danny's hands clenched again, this time in pain and not anger. He whispered, "Yeah...I know."

He was about to walk away to grab a vest without having to look at Tucker but another hand stopped him, this time holding out a vest in front of him.

"Yeah, Danny," she said. "Normally you wouldn't do something like that." She had a proud smirk on her face because of Dash's unnerved awe at Danny earlier. But all she was met by was Danny's hand getting the vest from her as he quietly slipped it over his shirt.

Danny didn't make a move to turn around and face them so Tucker and Sam just rounded Danny to talk to him. After not getting a reaction other than a gleam of recognition flashing across his otherwise indifferent face, Tucker asked, "Danny, man, you good?"

"You look..." Sam started. "You look pale. Are you alright?"

"Fine," he said, trying to stalk away but failing after Tuck grabbed his shoulder again.

"Dude, that's bull," Tuck said, pushing up his glasses. "I've known you for almost all of our lives and I know when something's wrong...Danny, what's up?"

He couldn't stand seeing them looking at him with...pity. They guessed he knew by now but with how clueless Danny was they weren't too sure. But Danny knew...oh, he knew. He knew so much more than their relationship. He knew how they felt about him. Sure their going behind his back broke his heart but what they said about him when they didn't think he was there nearly demolished his soul. Danny couldn't look at them without hearing their snide confessions so he just shrugged them off. "I'm fine. Just some unexpected ghost trouble," he lied.

The two sighed in relief at his admission of not knowing, none the wiser about their friends ever-growing lying skills. "Must be a comeback," Sam started.

"Yeah, they probably just took a break and are slowly coming back is all," Tuck added, satisfied with the change of pace of the conversation.

All Danny could do was shrug, his attention turning to focus on the game. If only, he wondered. Danny was still worried about the lack of ghosts, but Boxy's early morning visit gave on to his desire for some outlet for his misplaced aggression. So, he focused on Dash. Golden Boy's going down today.

The dodge ball game that day would forever go down as the most surprising event in the entirety of Casper High...so far. Today marked the day that Daniel James Fenton lead a rag-tag group of freaks, geeks, and norms to near victory against the athletic and popular A-listers. To everyone's surprise though, his known to be best friends did not fight with him, Tuck and Sam were the first out in the game, much to their and Dash's displeasure since both times he was aiming for Danny.

But no, Danny and Valerie, but mostly Danny, organized their team members to the most effective and efficient Geek Dodge ball Machine that Amity Park had ever seen. It was breathtaking and tear-jerking according to Tetslaff who recorded the battle on her phone for posterity. Danny and Valerie lead the battalion with Valerie and her troops throwing balls and Danny and his followers dodging and catching, providing ammunition for Val and co. As soon as someone on their side was taken out, they quickly brought them back, all except for Sam and Tucker whom were almost immediately waylaid on. Hey, just because they're A-listers doesn't mean they can't be kind of peeved about their secret tryst.

Soon, the gruesome warfare subsided, as both sides were slowly whittled down. Left on the Skins team was Valerie, Danny, and a norm, Rick. On the Shirts, only Dash, Kwan, and another jock, Chris, stood. The two sides glared each other down, neither moving. Valerie, Rick, Dash, and Kwan all had balls in their hands, leaving Danny and Chris for the catching. The silence was soon broken by Rick who launched his ball at the unsuspecting Chris. Dash and Kwan took advantage of Rick's bad timing and threw the balls at him. Both were knocked out, forced to leave the court. Unfortunately, that meant it was Danny Fenton and Valerie Grey versus Dash Baxter and Kwan Sie. Fortunately, Dash and Kwan were without balls and Valerie still had hers.

Danny faked in front of Valerie, catching the two brain-dead jocks off guard as she launched the red ball at them. The nerds cheered when it hit Kwan, signaling he was out, but Dash caught it before it could hit the ground. Kwan was still in. Valeria was out.

By this time, some of the balls from the Skins side had rolled back to the Shirts side, allowing Kwan to pick up a ball to throw at Fenton. Danny stood his ground, eyeing both the jocks who were sizing up their prey.

A deafening roar echoed through the gym as the nerds and some relenting A and B-listers cheered on Fenton in the Last Stand of the Nerds. Per Tetslaff's orders, only three balls remained on the field and they were all on the jocks' side. It was a certain loss for Danny's team but they cheered regardless. Dash sneered in response, "There's no way we're gonna let Fentina win. There's no way he could win! Right, Kwan?" All Kwan did was nod in hesitant agreement, slightly worried that Danny could win with the way the match was playing out.

Danny began to inch to his left, trying to reassess his opportunity to strike when he gets a ball. Dash, seeing this as a stumble in Danny's indecision, signaled Kwan to attack. Kwan fired at the seemingly unsuspecting Danny's shins. In return, Danny jumped anticipating Dash's move. Dash responded by launching his ball at Danny's torso, sure that the freak would not be able to dodge. Everyone gasped and frowned at the jocks' deception and the certain loss of the now infamous Fenton. But in the next second, Danny amazed his classmates even more than at the beginning of the class when he dodged Tetslaff's onslaught. As the ball rapidly approached Danny, he spun in midair with no hint of an initial pivot about his waist. He twisted as easily as if he were dodging one of Skulker's missiles and watched as the ball sailed over him. Taking advantage of everyone's shock, Danny quickly scooped a ball up that rolled from the Shirts' side and tossed it at Kwan who, in his stupor, fumbled with the ball and dropped it, letting it hit the floor even before Dash could register his teammate's distress.

Instead of applause, the gym echoed this time in awed and fearsome silence. Danny landed lightly on the balls of his feet before slightly crouching to balance himself. On the bleachers, Tucker and Sam grasped each other at Danny's blatant "strange"—aka Phantom-like—behavior. Paulina found herself slightly drooling before correcting herself, making sure no one saw her faux pas. Tetslaff dropped the piece of toast that was dangling from her mouth; where she got it from, no one knows, and, at the moment no one cared. Valerie was quietly eyeing Danny, wondering how he had mastered a move like that when just two years ago he was fumbling with his pants and dropping several beakers in clumsiness.

No one really said anything for a while. Danny finally snapped out of battle-mode and realized the obvious mistake he made. He silently cursed himself at letting some of his fighting prowess show with his mind out of whack. Danny saw the building rage on Dash's face after he shook off his surprise and took this time to stumble backwards on a ball behind his right foot, spectacularly falling to his butt, rubbing it in discomfort. The entirety of the gym released a giant sigh of relief.

"No way Fenton pulled that move off on purpose?"

"He really is a freak!"

The whispers built around the bleachers, Danny biting his lip in resignation and still nursing his fake wound. Dash took this as his opportunity and picked up a ball and catapulted it at Danny with as much force as he could. The ball smacked loudly on Danny's face as he fell backwards, uncoordinatedly, to the floor.

Cheers and shouts of indignation rang throughout the place, accompanied by the last bell ringing. The day was over. The battle was lost. Those that held no true allegiance either way exited to the locker rooms. Valerie, Sam, and Tucker all ran worriedly towards Danny. Kwan, Paulina, and Star all crowded Dash, cheering the preening blond.

"Ha!" Dash snickered. "To think that a looser like Twinkle Toes could even hope to beat me!" Sam was about to launch a round of insults at the boy but Tucker prevented her by grasping her arm. The jocks left the gym, still gloating about their "clear" victory. Sam was still seething and the techno geek could not assuage her temper any more than he already was. Valerie was looking over Danny, worrying whether or not to take him to the nurse's with Tetslaff's help.

"D-danny!" She protested when he tried to rise from lying on the floor. "You could have a concussion! Don't get up!"

Groaning, he rose anyway. "I doubt your yelling at me would do me any good if I did have a concussion...which I don't." He insisted on at least sitting up but relented to Valerie's tests for pupil reactivity, hand-eye coordination, and timely answers to her questions. Tetslaff finally stomped over, ordering the four to leave since school was over after double-checking Danny's mental state.

After changing his clothes and exiting the locker room, Danny was bombarded by Sam and Tucker who, out of all things they could possibly to, were glaring at him.

"What were you thinking?" Sam hissed, her orchid eyes glinting dangerously.

"Dude, are you out of your mind?" Tucker seethed. "D'you know how close you were to blowing your wimpy act?!"

Danny blandly looked at them, rage and pain resurfacing unbidden. "Yeah," he sighed. "I know. I'll be careful." He cast off their glances and continue down the hall, his bag straddling one shoulder. "I'm just tired is all."

He thought he had shaken them off but was quickly disheartened by Sam saying, "Cut the crap, Danny." She ran in front of him to serve as a barrier, knowing he would not phase through her in such a public place. "All three of us know that except for the Box Ghost this morning and the ghost at lunch, there haven't been any ghosts in Amity. So why are you so fucking tired?!"

Danny, caught between a goth and a techno geek, knew he had to answer them somehow. Sighing, he ran a hand down his face, leaning back on his left foot. "It's just—" he started, contemplating on whether or not he should tell them he knew or let them stew in their ignorance. But Valerie saved him in record time.

"Hey guys!" She panted, decelerating from her run down the hall. "What's up?" She glanced around, looking at Sam and Tuck whose arms were crossed and Danny who looked slightly resigned at their actions. "Am I missing something again?"

Over the years, even with her hunting Danny's alter-ego, Val had become a near essential part of the group...so much so that the Trio were sometimes referred to as the Quartet by some freshman and other students. She looked meekly between the three, trying to place herself at a comfortable position in the midst of the awkward tension.

"Well~," she chuckled. "If I wasn't in the middle of anything...what are you guys doing now? Except for the Mexican standoff." She rambled on excitedly, kind of not over the honeymoon phase of their accepting her into their tightknit—although, not so much right now—group. "Because the Nasty Burger's having its 'Rebuild It and They Will Come' monthly anniversary of them rebuilding after that hunter ghost and Phantom menace destroyed it the first time." By then her fists were clenched in anger at the slight reminder of Phantom. Sam and Tucker's faces were stoic. They remembered that day...just not everything that happened later. Danny's countenance, on the other hand, went impressively dark even as his face paled. But before any of them could stew in their emotions further, Valerie continued, "So, yeah, I was wondering if you guys wanted to go! I still want to know where you learned those moves from, Fenton." She wagged her finger at Danny before trying to link her arm through his.

"Yeah!" Tucker roared. "I can never let down a Double Nasty Burger meal! Greasy meat! Hot steaming fries! All slathered in Nasty Sauce!" He was drooling at the time, completely forgetting about his confronting Danny earlier.

Sam chuckled at her...boyfriend's actions. "You and your meat...I did hear that they have new vegetarian options and their strawberry shakes are finally 100% real organic fruit from small family farms. Sure, why not?"

The three were lively in their premature celebration for the four of them. But all Danny could do was spiral deeper into despair at the unwanted reminder of that day...after Clockwork rewound time, only he remembered everything. The heat. The pain. Their faces. Them gone. He didn't want to remember any of that. He couldn't. Not now when he's already lost them—no, not lost them, just grown a bit distant.

"Can't," he sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I promised Dad I'd be right home after school to help with some new ghost invention he's cooked up." He was almost ashamed of how well he could lie now, even to people whom he thought cared.

"Oh," Valerie said dejectedly, "if you're sure you can't get out of it, then we'll see you tomorrow, yeah?" They had reached the school's entrance at this point. Sam and Tuck were oddly eyeing Danny, wondering why he would accept his father's request at building or perfecting a potentially harmful invention but thinking nothing more of it.

Because Danny's house and the Nasty Burger were in opposite directions, the four parted ways when they left the school. Sam, Tucker, and Valerie headed off to the Nasty Burger. Danny walked the other way. It was only half past three and Danny didn't really know what to do. He didn't have to be home until ten so that was out of question. The arcade was almost right next to the Nasty Burger so that was a definite no. All the places he could think of going where in the direction opposite to the way he was currently walking. So, with no place in mind, he just kept going forward.

He walked into the nearby residential district where he and many of his schoolmates lived. Danny kept mostly to himself, only nodding or replying a quick "hello" to those who spoke to him first. He soon found himself near one of the busier business districts in Amity Park. It was around five and many adults were getting off of work so traffic was heavier than normal. Regardless, the lone boy seamlessly weaved through the throngs of cars, garnering attention only when he helped a few elderly women and some children cross a busy street. See? I don't just fight ghosts as a hero...

It was about six when he found himself on the outskirts of the city, in one of the seedier, more avoided areas. Except for the average stray animal, which saddled up and rubbed against his legs playfully, Danny was pretty much ignored. They seemed to like him more after the accident freshman year. Instead of fearing or hating him for the death that surrounded him, they found him more approachable because of his new awareness of auras and his own aural projection.

He kept walking forward, paying less and less attention to where he was, figuring that all he had to do was fly up high to see his location should he get lost. It wasn't until sunset that Danny did stop. He found himself in the forest lining this part of Amity Park. The area was completely and utterly devoid of any human interaction and looked like it had been for a while. It was a little elevated, just like his favorite hill that he used to hang out with Sam and Tucker on. He could see the entire expanse of the city sprawled in front of him. Around him was a copse of trees that, from what he could tell from the rustling about him, housed some birds and squirrels that must have felt too much fear to approach him. He set his bag down with a sigh, almost forgetting that he toted it with him all this way. He sat back down, facing his city, enjoying the fresh air and tranquility that the forest space provided with the foreground of modern civilization. With the missing ghosts, the city invested more money into the beautifying of the city instead of its fortifying and reinforcing. For the moment, Amity Park really did look like a great place to live. And all Danny did was enjoy the view.

He laid himself down on the soft grass, relishing in the cool feeling it gave him. He tried to let all of his worries and weariness of the day slip away but was too restless. Danny focused on his cold center, evening out his breaths, and gave a second try at relaxing. A nudge at his hand startled him, causing him to rear back away from his peace's intruder. Large brown eyes met his confused blue ones as the deer dared slowly to approach him further.

"You know, curiosity killed the cat," he whispered, half to himself and half to the deer. All it did was huff in his hand and lean into his caress. Danny liked his moments with nature. The grass never criticized him. The animals would never curse either of his names. The streams wouldn't scream in protest at his saving them. He rubbed the head of the deer a little while longer, looking up to see the expanse of the night sky, clearer than what it would have been in the middle of the city, even on top of Fenton Works. He could clearly see a plethora of constellations, his favorite being Pegasus, the legendary winged horse that could easily glide through the sky. Even when he was small, he wished to fly among the stars, to be free and shine bright like them. When he got his ghost powers and mastered his flight, Danny's excitement knew no limit. He flew past Earth's atmosphere numerous times to fly in space, to finally reach his stars.

It was funny, he thought. He used to fly just for the free, exhilarating feeling. He used to look at the stars for their beauty and mystery. But over the years, he realized how much like the stars that he was. Alone. Far away from anything like him. Bright and dazzling. Unapproachable. Only admired from afar. He chuckled, sitting up. "No more depressing thoughts for today, huh?" Asking the deer, not really hoping for an answer, Danny patted it on the head. It huffed again, this time a bit indignantly, like it was mocking him. He looked back up at the stars again and abruptly realized that normally, even at this time of year, he wouldn't have gotten this beautiful a view at this early a time. With his kind of luck...sighing, he looked at his watch.

"SHIT!" The startled deer bounded back into the forest and a flock a birds flew away. A shining light illuminated the area. Not a second later, Danny Phantom zoomed above the tree line, carrying a backpack, and turned invisible right before reaching the city limits. He flew high enough not to disturb anyone who was still out that late but not too high away from the rooftops. He sped past the districts, knowing it was very late and didn't decelerate until he was a block away from his house. He didn't want to risk the house's ghost defense system setting off this late. The neighbors would be in an uproar all over again. So, he landed in a nearby alleyway and transformed back into Fenton behind a dumpster to diminish to chance of someone seeing the light.

Running, he managed to make it to his front door with little problem. Now was the tricky part. Danny put his ear to the door and, only after determining that no one was on the other side to notice him, unlocked the door and slowly opened it. Thank Clockwork for greased hinges. He stepped inside and sighed at his fortune. But then he heard it.

There are many types of sighs. Those of relief. Those of anguish. Those of pain. Those of fatigue. But the one sigh Danny had wished he had never had to hear again escaped his mother's and father's lips just then. Disappointed. Isn't anger so much easier to deal with?

Jack Fenton, the usually jolly patriarch of the family, switched on the light. He was seated on the couch near the lamp. Maddie Fenton, the brains and cookie maker extraordinaire of the family, was seated in the arm chair facing the door. Mr. Fenton didn't even look at Danny; instead, his fists were balled up in frustration. Mrs. Fenton glared at her son, admonishing him with every possible ounce of disappointment a mother could ever put in her gaze.

"Do you—" his mother started. "Do you have any idea what time it is?" Silence reigned in the abnormally cold living room. Danny's father still did not look at him. Danny instead looked at his watch despairingly, just making sure that he wasn't even later than he already thought.

"11:40," he replied.

A loud bang accompanied his answer, his father's face turning an angry red as he finally faced his son screaming, "Don't give us that attitude!" Maddie placed a hand on her husband's forearm to calm the anger that even she was feeling.

"Is your curfew not at 10, young man?" She asked, stabbing through his defenses. He was about to answer, his arm subconsciously rising to rub the back of his neck. "Did you not tell Sam and Tucker that you were going home directly after school to...help your father with a project?" She simmered in her anger at her son's continual lies.

Danny flinched, his hand lowering at the reminder of his using his parents' obsession as an excuse to get away from his friends.

"When we called them to make sure you were coming home on time—"

"Because you didn't answer your phone again!" Jack interrupted.

"And they told us this blatant lie—"

"We never lie about ghosts!" Jack interrupted again, not even speaking about his beloved fudge.

"Daniel James Fenton. You have some explaining to do." They ended, looking at him with a mixture of exasperation and expectance.

"Well, I—" he started, planning on lying about another school project.

"And don't you dare lie about your homework," Jack said. "We've already contacted all of your teachers and none of them have assigned any projects. Some of them were even concerned about your attitudes for the day. And there was some incident in gym class were you injured another student in dodge ball?"

Anger raged through Danny. He hated having to lie but he hated being lied on even more. "I didn't hurt any ne! I never even threw a ball!" he said, his voice escalating as the time passed.

"Don't you raise your voice at us, young man!" His mom yelled. "We are sick and tired, Danny, so tired of you lying to us day after day, coming in limping and bleeding, with Ds and Fs, sneaking out and not returning until the early hours in the morning!"

Jack hugged his wife at the moment. "We are tired of you disregarding our orders time after time, Daniel!" His father admonished. "We hoped, we prayed, that after your attitude problems clearing over the summer and early this school year that whatever mess you were in was resolved."

"I—" Danny started, trying to explain as much as he could.

But Jack held his hand up to silence Danny. "I am not finished." Standing up, Jack gripped his fists once more. "But, I guess we were mistaken." Danny's father had taken a tone not many had heard before; it was that of an enraged man with little to hold him back. But it was also weary, defeated.

"So many people see promise in you, Danny-boy," Jack sighed. "You have...had such promise. And then...well, we don't know what happened." He paused, trying to calm his nerves. "You shut us out. You didn't trust us anymore. And we're tired of it."

"Dad," Danny pleaded, not getting a word in edge-wise.

"No, your father's right," his mother said, effectively silencing him. "We tried over and over again to show you that you could trust us...but you just pushed us away even more. You're done trusting us, Daniel. And we're done trusting you."

"Mom...Dad, please, just let me," Danny begged, trying to salvage something from the situation.

"Go to your room," his parents simultaneously ordered.

They turned the light off and walked upstairs, his father after his mother, and left him standing there, sputtering.

If this morning didn't cement the heartbreak Danny felt, the night certainly did. In the back of his mind, he fleetingly wondered why he hadn't tried to say anything more than "please." It was kind of pathetic. His mind checked out for a while, unable and not wanting to process his parents' actions. His face was significantly wet when his feet decided to drag him near the stairs. He scaled them slowly, reluctantly. His hand gripped his doorknob, opening it quietly like he was still sneaking into the house. His bag slid from his shoulders, them unable to carry their weight anymore. His feet kicked of his shoes, freeing the weary appendages. He sighed again for what seemed like the hundredth time that day.

He plopped back onto his bed, facing the ceiling. Running his hand through his hair, he manically giggled into his left hand. Well, at least this time, today can't get any worse. And, he was right. He stared at his ceiling, moving only to breathe and blink for about an hour, the surrounding darkness the only witness to his tears.

He was so out of it that he didn't realize his room nor the entire house being cold enough that he could see his breath. But it's not like he would really care at the moment. Danny rolled his head over to the side, his eyes attacked by the bright red lights off his alarm clock screaming that it was 12:38. He sighed again, resigned to being tired when he would wake up later that Tuesday morning. He glared at the clock, willing for its numbers to rewind, for himself to turn back time. Unfortunately, he did not have Clockwork's time manipulation abilities nor any reality manipulation abilities.

"How did it end up like this?" The air didn't have an answer.

"Why can't I just tell them?" The only response was the new outcropping of tears that once again threatened to wet his face.

Didn't they know that Danny was tired too? Tired of the lies and the deceit? Tired of the pain and the wounds? Tired of missing out on some of the best years of his life?! Why...why couldn't they just understand that he was trying to do better—that he did do better? Tonight was the first night in months that he had missed curfew. It was the first time since sophomore year that he had messed up. He thought the worse thing he would get was a slap on the wrist...how many times can a halfa be wrong until he gets something right?

He was ready to sleep, to escape for a few more hours until he had to face the people around him once more. His head rolled back to the middle of his pillow, eyes closed. He was tired, so tired that he almost missed the sharp decrease in temperature around his bed.

"Fuuuuuu—" he groaned. His body clenched, ready to attack, and his eyes popped open. But all he saw was red.

Bright, blood red...Re—

A/N:

So...you like? I'm so evil with the little cliffie. MWUAHAHAHAHA! *cough hack die*

Night: I do not approve of this insanity.

Jenna: Doesn't matter whether you approve or not...

Night: Does so! I am the Beta Queen in this story and as such I hold the ultimate power. Now quiet! Before I muzzle you for the end credits.

Jenna:...Anyway, I hope I integrated Phantom Planet well enough. Another chapter WILL be uploaded in about three weeks, hopefully less. It's finals time here and break is right after; so, everyone's headed home and hopefully I'll get on it!

PS: It's kinda my birthday (Dec 5)...So here's my present from me to you!

Replies to Reviewers:

UltimateTouken: Thanks and Night totally agrees with you about Danny/Raven. I'm still on the fence about it but we'll see.

Ninuhuju: Yeah, we did know that! Look at you, historian! You're kinda close but...not quite. I guess you'll just have to wait for chapters 3 and 4 to know for sure.

Crimson Leo: Yeah, the Tuck/Sam thing happened cuz I really don't like Danny/Sam canon pairing with how much Hartman pushed it. And Tucker/Sam is so down right wrong that it's funny. And about the power...you officially get a virtual fanfiction copyright cookie...but just oatmeal because you only hit the tip of the iceberg.

Jaybird Blu: Thanks! I think you're friggin awesome! Night's laughing right now...at you and is offering virtual cookie. You get sugar!

Good Witch of Babble: Night says, "Nice character analysis!" You're one of the epitomes of why I love fanfiction and I completely agree with your issues with Danny and Sam pairings. I may have made Sam and Tuck a bit too harsh (like really) but it's kind of necessary to move the story forward because, like you said, Vlad is DEFINITELY Danny's last resort! Please continue to read!

Amy: Yep, I kinda forgot so I had to come up with someone but it's good you got the reference! Sorry it took so long for me to update!

Totalfangirl01: They won't...it'll get worse and may get better...someday (Night:...maybe). But he'll prevail. He's the Great One! (Night: So says Clockwork!)

Hibiki Akemi: Well, love me! And Read! (Night: Read on, my friend! READ ON!)

Thanks to all who have read. Special thanks to the followers and SUPER Special thanks to those who favorited, taking a risk on my not even close to being finished story:

Good Witch of Babble

Poohbearmorris

Totalfangirl01

kitkatkate2008

We'll see you next time! Love,

JennaUtena and midnightloveless...Deuces!