A/N:

So you have wished it, so shall it be! As promised, the next chapter of Jump Start in 19 days! Praise me! Night says hi; she's coming out of retirement and even beta'ed this chapter...she's slack but I love her antyways.

Night: I am not slack. I have to keep my scholarship. Stay in school kids, that shit really does come in handy later in life.

...PSA over. Here's the chapter!

Disclaimer: Don't own nothing man...not even my own stuff...that's my parents'...bummer.

Chapter 9

He rose before the sun did the next morning, immediately unplugging the alarm next to him, eager to just get out of the house before anyone else stirred. So he took a quick shower, donned a comfortable and undiscernible from others black t-shirt, not-so-baggy blue jeans, and black and green converse. The teen ghosted down the stairs, as to not invoke the wrath of those that had left him the night before, and ventured into the kitchen for a quick bite of fruit before taking his bag and leaving the house.

No living soul was out, fortunately for him. No living soul was out to see him listing through the streets. No living soul was out to see him, after walking a few blocks and turning into an ally, disintegrate the leftovers of the fruit with a ripple of ectoplasmic energy. No living soul was out to hear him yell in confusion and frustration or see him ignite his fists with scorching white-green flames and destroy the massive garbage bags littering the alleyway. No living soul was out to see him stop and fall to his knees, extinguishing his flaming hands, and grasp his face as he dissolved into tears.

But, the boy thought, even if someone did see, they wouldn't care.

So he dried his tears and rubbed his cheek, feeling the phantom pains from last night's injury even though all evidence of which had disappeared thanks to his rapid healing factor. He steeled himself for the day and stormed out of ally, thankful to whatever force was out there that no living soul was out to see him. But just because no living soul was out doesn't mean someone didn't hear or didn't see him. Just because he thought no living soul knew what had happened didn't mean that the same face whose eyes followed his every movement hadn't had two thin lips curve into a twisted grin.

Danny didn't notice it, since he had basically been all by his lonesome for the past month or so, but, today, people were going out of their way to avoid him. He hadn't expressed it physically or verbally but the hurt and anger that had festered in him overnight had created an almost tangible pall around him which highly disturbed everyone around him. Mikey, being the group-proclaimed leader of the nerds because he spoke out the most, tried to spark up a conversation with Danny but immediately stopped and ran away when he got within two feet of the boy.

Rumors, later devolved from Mikey's experience, would spout that the area around Daniel Fenton was so cold and lifeless it was like the aura of a ghost, threatening to suck all happiness and joy away from anyone who dared near him. This, for a reason that no one else could discern, was met by snickers and sneers from his old best friends Tucker Foley and Samantha Manson. It also garnered the slight concern of Valerie Grey who was known around the school if not the entire city for being the number one non-GIW personnel or Fenton family member who despised ghosts and anything to do with them. If not for the sheer lack of ectoplasmic activity, everyone knew that Valerie would blame Danny's attitude on ghosts but now had no inkling as to what was wrong with the boy...except the obvious with Sam and Tuck.

Even the teachers readily avoided Danny by skipping over him during attendance, not bothering asking him a question, or skirting around his desk as they cautiously picked up him homework. They had heard the rumors going around the school, purported by the students, and believed them whole-heartedly. Some, like Mr. Felucca, even added that something bad had happened between members of the household which could only be verified by Danny whom they were all avoiding or Jazz who was working in the middle school that week.

It was because of this that Danny had not put a conscious effort throughout the day. He had just gone through the motions and never directly interacted with anyone except for the unfortunate biology substitute teacher who attempted to scold the boy for "disrupting the mood of the learning environment". The man had turned white as a sheet after being pierced by the dead glare of the offending boy and was later seen in the nurse's office muttering about "cold, blue fire".

In fact, it wasn't until lunch time that the teen had uttered a word and it probably wouldn't have happened unless a certain unexpected guest decided to turn up again. Danny found himself heading to the school's roof which was supposed to be inaccessible by students. He forgot to bring his lunch that day but didn't feel like eating either so he just lay down on the dry, sun-warmed gravel. He closed his eyes, ears, and mind from the world, floating in the empty turmoil of a space that was his inner being and tried his darndest to find the silver-lining of his Vortex-worthy storm of a life.

Neither the squeaking of the door nor the crunching of the gravel behind him alerted him of the intruder's presence. But the sudden darkening beyond his eyelids as a shape hindered the light and warmth of the sun ripped him from his musings and caused him to open his eyes to a familiar blue gaze staring down at him, half smirking and half worried.

"Hey, Danny," the younger boy offered as he sat down next to him. "I asked around and when no one knew where you were, I figured that high places called to you."

Danny hummed at Dick, watching him for a bit before blinking and deciding that lying down in the presence of a not-quite acquaintance wasn't very polite. Of course they wouldn't know where I was, Danny thought. That's why I came up here...to escape.

"...to escape."

Danny had to check whether or not he was the one who said that out loud but thought that the voice sounded decidedly different and closer to Dick's.

"I said," the Gothamite restarted, noticing the other's lack of attention, "I go to high places a lot too...to escape."

Danny didn't have anything to say to the other. He didn't feel like anything would suffice to break the slightly companionable silence that surrounded them. So it was five minutes later that Danny found himself saying, "I like jumping though, more than just looking from high places." He winced after he said that, expecting the young socialite to gasp in shock or proclaim him crazy or call the police to put him on suicide watch or something other than the face-splitting grin that gave Danny a glimpse to the trickster scamp that Richard Grayson really was.

The younger let out a joyous cackle and agreed. "I know exactly what you mean. The air blowing through your hair. The sudden weightlessness. That tingle in your belly and that rush of adrenaline...I wouldn't replace it for the world!"

Some of the pall lifted from Danny as the corners of his mouth twitched in amusement, forming a slight smile. Taking this as encouragement, Dick turned fully to Danny and told him of his escapades during and before being adopted by Bruce. Danny thought that Dick calling his father, adoptive or not, by his first name was a bit odd. But who was he to talk about odd? The younger went on, getting lost in his memories, as Danny relaxed beside him, watching Dick as he gestured wildly and made sound effects. He got so into it that he started to tell Danny about what he remembered of his parents, the Flying Graysons, and how they had introduced him to the thrill they shared.

Winding down, Dick took a few deep breaths, proof of his excitement and long-windedness. He turned to Danny, a bit apprehensively, and asked, "So where do you jump?"

The question threw the older off as he had gotten subdued by listening to the younger man. He almost admitted to flying, he was so caught off guard, but quickly composed himself and said, "My parents built a jetpack that ran on ecto-energy and they let me test it after the kinks were hammered out."

It wasn't a complete lie...but it definitely wasn't the truth. Jack and Maddie Fenton had made said jetpack and Danny had flown with it. However, the jetpack was part of the Fenton Exoskeleton, the fatal kinks were never hammered out, and he had to steal it...in Phantom form to actually use it. Dick caught that Danny wasn't telling him everything but he told him something and that was progress.

"And you flew around Amity?" He questioned, receiving a noncommittal shrug from the other which only made him more curious as to what happened.

"Well, that must have been pretty cool."

The slight deception broke and injured a bit of the boys' budding friendship but was interrupted by the shrill warning bell signaling that lunch was over for the students and teachers. Danny sighed, lifting himself while Dick followed him. When Danny reached the door, he quickly sidestepped to the right and turned around to see what he felt trying to reach out to him. He was met with the surprised and confused expression of Dick whose right hand was in the exact same place Danny's arm had been. He regarded the other boy with confusion as Danny's movement was so quick that it sort of reminded him of an old friend and his mentor...a little too fast for normal.

When he saw Dick's face turning to suspicion, Danny quickly chuckled and said, "I forgot to ask you...Why are you here?" It was weird now that he thought about it. How had Dick gotten to the school and why was he there in the first place? If Danny were him, he would be enjoying having the time off of school and gone to a park or something.

"Bruce didn't want me to get behind on studies, so he asked if I could sit in on some of the classes here...but since lunch already started I decided to look for someone I knew."

The boy's story was a bit off, Danny could tell. But the older teenager just chocked it up to be the eccentricity of the younger and his guardian. It didn't really bother Danny at all to have Dick here. The younger boy made him smile. Better yet, whenever he was around, that little nagging voice in his head that had slowly grown past a whisper to a dull roar backed down into a tiny squeak.

"Yeah," Danny scoffed, mocking the other with a bit of disbelief.

"Why, Daniel," Dick answered, feigning offense, "I should have you know that all respectable young adults in this modern society should enjoy their education and not take it for granted."

"Oh, of course, my good man," Danny joined. "T'would be a shame should we change into some sort of miscreant."

Dick thought he could hold it in too and keep the banter going but fell out into a fit of giggles when Danny said that. "Dude, 't'would'? And here I thought you were cool."

Danny, trying to keep the upper hand but having to turn around lest the look on Dick's face make him break out into laughter as well, focused his energy on opening the door. He headed down the stairs and responded with a smirk, "Excuse me! I am cooler than cool…I'm ice cold!"

Of course that didn't help his situation much, even if Dick lost the double meaning which had nothing to do with Outkast, and Danny nearly fell down the stairs as he blindly led Dick down to the main floor. The two continued their game of cheesy jokes, most of which the nuances were lost on the other, but they were so similar that it mattered not. Lost in their own world, however, the two—or at least one of the two—did not notice the amount of shocked, slack-jawed looks they were receiving. Dick had heard before of Danny's funk when he was searching for the other and couldn't believe that no one had tried anything but scold the other instead of reaching out to him so he let Danny be distracted by their jokes. It was the main reason he was here after all: to get chummy with Danny. And he was doing a good job of it too, until a certain blonde-haired dunderhead decided to mess it all up.

"Seems like you finally got your attitude right, Fentoad," the gratingly haughty voice yelled down the hall, reaching over their shocked peers to the two black-haired boys.

Danny froze for a second and groaned as he realized who was calling him out. Dick was about to ask who it was and what was happening but was quieted by Danny turning around to face the voice and subtly positioning Dick behind him. The younger recognized the motions well as he had done so previously to protect his teammates from stronger enemies.

"Dash," Danny sighed as everyone in the hall who should have been heading to class clustered around the lockers to watch the usual beating of wimpy Fenton by high school star quarterback Dash Baxter. "What do you want?"

The smarmy sneer that donned the jock's face was quickly replaced by a scowl as he informed Danny, "Don't pick an attitude with me, Fenton. You've been acting weird all day and scaring some of the people around here so I thought that I should remind everybody who they really need to be afraid of."

Danny, to the amusement of Dick and the horror of all who were watching, scoffed at the seething doofus. He replied, "Oh, is that all? I thought you were just going to slam me into my locker for failing an English test. Or give me a swirly for failing a science test. Or prop me up on the flag pole by my underwear for failing a math test." With every instance marked down, Danny's stance became more relaxed, his hands ticking off the different scenarios. All the students around and a few teachers who wandered in the halls looking for their students looked either mortified at Danny or angry at Dash. The latter's face had turned a remarkable shade of red that rivaled the brightest of apples. He roared in rage but was stopped when a shorter but still spunky black-haired, blue-eyed boy stood between him and his prey, glaring at him with defiance.

"Wouldn't do that if I were you," warned the baby bat, knowing that he didn't have to keep up his complacent identity like at Gotham Academy but also that at least three of the faculty knew he was the ward of Bruce Wayne.

Dash paused in confusion and barked a short laugh. "Need a runt to protect you, Fentina?"

Said 'runt' looked pissed at the nickname and Danny overcame his slight pause by pulling Dick back to his side and not in between the two. Danny was about to answer when an exasperated teacher cried, "Scarlet Letter, people! Why are you standing in the halls when class started five minutes ago?" The admonished students and teachers ushered one another into their respective classes as a portly, balding man pushed through the crowd.

"Mr. Baxter, Mr. Fenton," Lancer called out as he reached the last three stragglers, "I was not aware that you both had free time after lunch...should you not also be in a class right now?"

"I would, Mr. Lancer," Dash acquiesced, using his golden-boy status to assuage the teacher. "But I noticed Fenton here and a new kid and tried to ask if they needed any help but Fenton-"

"Yes, yes," Lancer waved off, having caught on to the boy sometime late last year, "I am sure that you were going out of your way to assist Mr. Fenton and...Mr. Wayne!"

The latter's name came as an immediate shock to the older man who had only heard of and seen the picture of the younger teen but never expected to meet him.

"It's Grayson, actually," the boy in question responded. "But yes, I am Bruce Wayne's ward."

At the revelation, and after a few seconds of dusty gears spinning fruitlessly in his head, Dash lit up in recognition. "You're the Wayne kid?" After Dick shrugged in confirmation, the blubber butt just had to ask, "Then why're you hanging with Fentoenail?"

Forgetting the teacher, Dash carried on as if nothing had happened but was abruptly interrupted by Lancer when the older man called, "Mr. Baxter, I will have no name-calling occur in my presence! You will go to your class immediately or I will administer a detention whether or not it is Halloween tomorrow!"

Properly admonished, the jock stalked off to his next class but not before glaring quickly at Danny with the promise that their conversation was not yet over. Satisfied with the result, the large teacher turned to the two remaining boys in the hall. A bit wary at what punishment Lancer was about to deal on him, Danny was surprisingly shocked when the man ignored him in favor of talking to the smallest of the bunch.

"Mr. Wa-Grayson," Lancer corrected, "It's a pleasure to have you here today even on your vacation. It's refreshing to see a young person in this modern society take full advantage of a quality education."

Neither of the boys could resist grinning widely at the near complete restating of what they were joking about earlier. Both, though, had plenty of practice hiding their laughter which was barely contained this time as Lancer looked between the two with mild confusion.

Dick took advantage of the pause and said, "I couldn't have said it any better, Mr. Lancer! As expected from Casper High's most revered instructor." Said man's chest puffed up with pride, nearly to the same size of his stomach, at the blatant praise. Danny had, however, the opposite reaction as his smile deteriorated into a straight face. He had almost forgotten this side of the socialite: the flattering and almost arrogant words. Danny didn't know the true side of Dick but definitely didn't like the sharp dichotomy of his cheese and his mischief. But who was he to question another when he had starkly contrasting dual identities? This thought settled him down into a bout of indecision which was interrupted as he heard Lancer question him as to why he was still in the hall.

His lying skills, while stronger than before, were still not up to where they could be so he hesitated in answering Lancer. Dick save him, though, by saying, "Actually, Danny was leading me to his next class. He's the only face I recognized here and I felt better by tagging along with him. I hope you don't mind, Mr. Lancer. Bruce said I would only be here until next week and my schedule has yet to arrive but Danny's next class aligns with one of mine."

Lancer, completely swept away by the boy's manners and previous flattery, responded, "Of course I don't mind, Mr. Grayson. But it's a bit late for you to head into a classroom unexcused. Here, let me write a note for your next teacher."

Danny stayed on the backburner while Lancer and Richard chatted, separating the varying sides of the Gothamite by using different names. He hadn't said anything since before Dash left and, by the way Lancer was dismissing them, probably wouldn't. So he rested on the back of his heels, watching the interaction with shaded eyes until Richard finally turned to him when Lancer disappeared down the hall.

At the older boy's closed-off demeanor, Dick attempted to lighten the mood with a conspiratorial smirk and mocked, "Well, Mr. Fenton, or is it Fentoenail? Shouldn't we get to class?" He snickered, trying to throw Danny off by playing his switch in character down. But all he received was a raised brow worthy of Bruce and a beckoning head motion as the slightly older teen headed the opposite direction of Lancer. Shrugging, he caught up to the other and filled the silence by rambling on and on about ridiculous nicknames.

Due to Dick's constant badgering, Danny's mood rebounded by the end of the day. This again caught many of his peers off guard. Some, like Mrs. Ahmed, were happy that whatever the boy was going through looked to be over. Others, like the two unmentionables, tried to pretend they didn't care. Throughout the day, a certain football player couldn't keep his mouth shut about the slightly smaller teen trailing Danny for the latter half of the day. And, of course, as soon as the queen bee of Casper High heard that a rich potential asset was hanging out with a loser so loser-like that even his loser friends disowned him, she knew she would have to change his mind.

So this is how Danny and Dick found themselves, as soon as school ended, blindsided as coerced and no longer scared nerds pulled Danny away for some inconsequential reason and Dash and Kwan basically manhandled Dick away. Neither actually struggled; Danny was too confused by the odd actions of Randall and the hand motions of Lester to worry about Dick and Dick was too amused by Danny's bewildered face to put up a fight. Dick was pulled out of the sight of any of the lingering students and onto the football field, subsequently surrounded by many buff male teenagers that, while more than twice his size, were nothing compared to Superman, and an equal amount of haughty, and mostly heavily made-up female teenagers. He was annoyed, being pulled away from his target but realized he should play nice, at least until they said something that could easily provoke him.

"This is him, Paulina," the one letterman-clad blonde that Dick recognized said as he motioned to the boy.

"I would think so, Dash," a girl—Paulina, probably, Dick thought—muttered disdainfully as she took her place at the head of the group. After scrutinizing Dick much longer than necessary, the Latina said, "You must be Richard. It's nice to meet you."

Dick realized, in that moment, that if he had not spent his last years among the opulence of Bruce's associates nor the women his journey with the League and other hero teams had to offer, he would have fallen head-over-heels for the well-endowed and flatteringly dressed girl who had obviously peaked before all others in their grade. He guessed that the sneer she was giving him was supposed to be a seductive smile in order to elicit a response of subservience she was accustomed to.

Wanting to get back to Danny as soon as possible but recognizing the potential gain in information, Dick played along and gushed, "Yeah, but all my friends call me Dick."

The girl's sneer turned into a smirk as she responded, "Hopefully for all the good reasons." He reacted appropriately while inwardly groaning at the sophomoric joke and blushed forcefully at the insinuation. The surrounding snickers from the other popular kids didn't really help.

"So," Paulina said, commanding the attention of everyone around her, "what are you doing here?" If there were any malice detected in her question it was directed towards Amity Park and not Dick but he still felt a bit affronted by the more than inquisitive gleam in her eyes.

"Bruce had a meeting with the Fentons." Ripping the Band-Aid off was always the simplest and quickest way to get it done, Dick had always believed. So, he just admitted a simple and truthful answer. He may have omitted a few crucial details but the less they know the better. And he knew the admission had worked as soon as all of the teens' faces lit up in understanding. The Fentons, while still crazy and freaky, were starting to become popular outside of Amity Park for good reasons after the first few ghost invasions.

"Claro, but that doesn't explain what I saw earlier...," the girl started, motioning for Dick to confess to something he had no idea he did.

After a few seconds of blank looks exchanged, the hot-headed girl elbowed the blonde next to her who squeaked and clarified, "She means Dan—I mean—Fenton."

Oh, that. It was becoming clear to Dick now that these kids had a limited view of the world around them. It was completely ridiculous and incomprehensible to them to understand why someone of the social and financial status of the Wayne ward would hang out with Daniel Fenton. Guess they still didn't know that the Mansons were rich. Barely refraining from groaning, Dick tried to play on their narrow-mindedness and questioned, "What about him?"

At this, the jock from lunch took the helm. "Fenton's a nerd. No. He's worse than a nerd. He's a Fenton."

"What about Jazz, Dash?" One of the forgettable A-listers asked.

"She's different," the former mumbled, calming down.

"But Fenton is weird," the Asian boy next to Dash picked up. "He always used to hang with Manson and Foley 'til he found out about them going out behind his back." Dick couldn't miss the almost pitying tone the boy had and some of the sobering looks of those around him. But that didn't last long.

"Doesn't matter, Kwan," an exceptionally unexceptional girl peeped up. "He's still a freak."

Dash perked up at this. "Yeah! Freaky Fenton. Always running from ghosts even though his family's full of hunters..."

"Jumping up to use the bathroom almost twice every class period!"

"Tripping over random stuff!"

"Always looking like he swam through a dump!"

On and on, random A-listers shouted out idiosyncrasies of Danny Fenton. And, with every tidbit, even with it wallowing in the snide disregard of the other teens, Dick's image of the other boy fogged. When he and Bruce had compared their research of the family and their observations, everyone fit their profiles except for Danny. He was, much to the ire of Bruce, a mystery to them. Described as a no good slacker, Danny was written off by most of Amity except for the random and minute sparks of genius he had when it was most unexpected.

"There was that one time, though…when he helped us save out parents," the girl closest to Paulina whispered, making everyone flashback to an event Dick had never heard about.

"He what?" He asked, finally getting some good insight on the lesser known sides of Danny Fenton.

"It was late freshman year," the girl, Star, started, "like around spring and all the adults were listening to this lame new age crap and they left us to go on some old people's cruise!" She stomped a little indignantly at not being included on a fabulous vacation but was calmed down by another one of the backdrop guys reminding her of one crucial fact.

"But it was actually a ghost's plot to kidnap our parents…"

"Oh," she muttered, "yeah."

"The shrimp found out about it first, somehow, gave us all jumpsuits and weapons, and trained us on how to kick ghost butt!" Dash finished, yelling a bit excitedly now at the thought of the fight, some of the guys around him joining in the memory.

"And even though it totally clashed with my…everything," Paulina admitted, "we ended up saving everybody. They don't remember it though. It was like they spaced out or something."

Dick knew he had to tell Bruce about this. It wasn't just that an entire city's worth of adults were enslaved to a ghost or that the League didn't know about it or that no one over the age of a high schooler remembered. But it was the fact that Daniel James "Danny" Fenton, a nondescript underachiever prone to getting in trouble, known for ducking away from danger and showing up at random times in random places looking like he went through a wood chipper, lead the city's young adults on a full frontal attack on a mass of the undead which somehow worked without anyone getting hurt. The picture forming in Dick's head was starting to trouble him and he knew Bruce would want to know what Danny was doing.

"And it was almost perfect too," Dash said, bringing back Dick's attention to the group," except Fenton had to mess it up again!"

Dick, now thoroughly confused, didn't stop himself and asked, "How'd he 'mess it up'?"

"The idiot tripped," Paulina offhandedly scoffed. She was growing tired of the subject of the nerd and wanted to move on to more important things…like herself. "He tripped off of the ship and it would have killed him if the ghost boy hadn't shown up."

At the look of confusion on Dick's face of the name, Star clarified, "She means Danny Phantom, the ghost we used to call 'Inviso-Bill'." He nodded in affirmation, cataloging the names for the ghost kid who confused him and Bruce about as much as Danny did.

"But anyway, let's talk about something more important," Paulina segued, "like the festival and my after-party. You'll be going of course. So, here's my number, by address, my Twitter handle, and my IG name. Meet us at the haunted house at the beginning of Folger Street at 8 and be dressed to kill." Seeing as how she was done, thinking she had successfully snared her prey, Paulina walked off, Star and the other girls following her, and Dash led the guys off the field and into the gym.

As soon as the area had cleared, Dick double-checked his surroundings and made his way back to the front of the school where he suspected Danny had been waiting for him. He had only spent about ten minutes with the popular crew but had gained a trove of information. Dick knew it would be best to call Bruce as soon as possible but wanted to get more information on Danny from the source; so he planned to hang out with the kid for the rest of the day.

True to his thoughts, Danny was still being mobbed by a handful of nerds even though his slightly irritated but acquiescent mannerisms told that he had tried numerous times to escape them but repeatedly failed. Dick laughed all the way to Danny, enjoying the other's obvious discomfort. It wasn't until Dick had gotten within ten feet of the group that he heard what they were talking about.

"And Lester agrees and we haven't found anyone who would remotely fit the description of the Phantom," Mikey whined.

"We—," Danny attempted.

"But there are plenty of times he is referenced in the past! Ancient China! Rome during the time of Caesar! Witch trials of Amity!" Another nerd cut off Danny, yelling passionately about his findings. Dick knew to stay clear of the conversation because nerd wars could get scary. But, Danny had other ideas in hand.

"Enough, guys!" Danny commanded, holding his hands out between the two sides before light sabers and swords were drawn. He was plenty tired of them arguing about him...Phantom him anyway...and they were so adamant that it was disconcerting and slightly angering him. "Phantom's not some ancient all powerful being." At this, half of the nerds deflated and the others puffed with pride. "But he's not a specter either." He might as well have said that Yoda was a character from Star Trek from the looks of anguish that blossomed on the mass's faces.

"But, Danny," Nathan argued, "if he's not based off of an ancient human or purely from the Ghost Zone, then what is he?"

Danny sighed, not really liking the amount of trust and attention the nerds were giving him. So, he answered the best he could while keeping his own secret in check. "He's a modern ghost based off of left-over energy of, most likely, a single person who died or suffered a near death experience in the last 50 years by his outfit and speech. No one has spoken with him longer about the topic of who he is or where he comes from but data can be pooled from what he reveals when he shows himself."

The nerds took the given information in varying degrees of belief and understanding while Dick stood to the side wondering how Danny knew all of this if he hadn't spoken with either his parents or Masters. Lester's thought process must have been on the same path with the next question he asked.

"How do you know all of this?"

Knowledge was highly important to the group. And if there were anything more important, it would be the credibility of that knowledge. Spouting some "facts" without any proof made you a laughing stock in their circles. But they all genuinely loved to know everything about anything. So when new data arose, they were always scrutinizing the source.

"Primary sources are the most credible, yeah?"

Wait...what? The thought traveled as a shock wave through the small crowd around the black-haired boy. And from his view, Danny knew he had probably answered incorrectly since he wanted them off of his back. Faces, one by one, began to light up in realization starting with Mikey who was physically the closest to Danny and ending with Dick whose eyes widened as he barely managed to keep his mouth shut.

"You mean," a mousy, brown-haired girl asked, peeking over a friend's shoulder, "you've talked to Phantom? You've spoken with the Danny Phantom?"

As a horde, their eyes bored into the youngest Fenton who looked as if he were about to explode from the stares. Dick, knowing that he would have to weasel the answer out later from Danny, decided to save him now to gain his trust.

"Hey, Danny," he called, over the beginning dull roar of the crowd formed by the whispers of the nerds about Danny or Phantom or both. "You ready to go?"

Shooting the smaller boy a look of relief and increasing gratitude, he sighed and bid everyone goodbye. The response to which was a chorus of groans at the sudden offering and snatching away of interesting information from the nerds. Danny walked through the group, somehow easily now that Dick was there, and grabbed the boy before anyone could ask another question.

"Dude," Danny admitted when they got away and stood at the entrance of the front parking lot, "I can't thank you enough."

"No problem, man. They looked like they were about to dissect you or something."

The comment caused Danny to involuntarily shudder at the prospect, a flash of something traveling over his face that caused Dick to stop short.

"Yeah," Danny mumbled. He started walking away but Dick followed him and stayed quiet until they were about three blocks from the school. "So what'd Dash pull you away for?"

"The blonde troglodyte? Nothing. Some girl named Paulina wanted me to go to a party tomorrow because she knew I was Bruce's kid."

Accepting the answer with a nod, Danny asked, "You going?"

Dick hummed like he was seriously thinking but almost immediately answered, "Nah, they really weren't my type of people to hang with. I'd rather bash some rad roaches in a desolate wasteland than hang out with people whose collective IQ is less than the answer to the ultimate question in the universe." When Danny didn't respond or slow down and Dick didn't see any change in expression because the other was in front of him, he continued, "Which is—"

"42. I know," Danny laughed, spinning to face his new, he guessed, friend, and smiled broadly, so bad that his face hurt. Dick could tell that that smile was true and Danny was trusting him more. So, he walked up to the other's side and tried, but slightly failed, to throw his arm over Danny's shoulder.

"So, Daniel," Dick droned, "what kind of wholesome activities does Amity Park have to offer two youths in their prime?" He received a raised brow and a snort at the act. But Danny went along with him and the two laughed and laughed all the way down the streets to wherever there destination may be. All Danny thought was that maybe things were looking up for him while Dick schemed on how he was going to get what he wanted from Danny Fenton.

A/N:

We're back baby! And Night plans on sticking around this time but summer + scholarship = no Night. College is no joke, especially for science (biotech for Night) or math (all math for me) majors. Why do we hate ourselves?...*sigh*

Responses to Reviews:

HeartlessNobody13: Why thank you! And Night's offended that you stole her tagline...Night( no virtual cake for you and it's Oreo cake!)...She's a bit salty. Here you go!

east231: The floating shall happen but running may not. Danny seriously needs to face his tiny tormentors. Night: I think she is being mean to poor Danny, but I take satisfaction from the fact that I got my flamethrower back..sooo..:)

UltimateTouken: I should get another pillow for updating so soon and Night wants to know if there's cake under those pillows or if she can have a cookie! I am planning to introduce him so he can face Trigon. Night: I captain the Raven/Danny ship. Would you like me to pick you up? We have milkshakes.

MiaulinK: Thank you and keep your mind open for others. If you liked this pile of steaming mess, there are plenty more that'll suit your tastes :P

PredatorPuck: Night: Damn right it is! She never lets me get back at them on Danny's behalf either, but again my flamethrower has been returned.. soo...JennaUtena: Both of you are ridiculous. If you think this measly attempt is depressing, you've never read KodiakWolfe13. Kodi's stories are so good but so tear-jerking and shudder-making and happiness-having. Night: Don't listen to her she has warned me about this author. They write well but their stories are nightmare inducing. DON'T do it man!

Good Witch of Babble: Thank you! I'm glad that I'm being more realistic than I originally thought. You are completely right and Vlad is highly territorial. Night: Impressive analysis. JennaUtena: It is awful but necessary to the story line. I;m just grateful that this isn't irl. He has learned a lot as well but he's still a teenager dependent on the acceptance and love of those around him. And the sour change of his family relationships enhances, he'll have to get that acceptance from someone else. I can't help but think what would happen if DP weren't a kid's cartoon and instead an adult cartoon or a young adult live action series because the angst would have been : I shall be addressing your suspensions of Danny having an underlying fear of humanity and as such I must say I agree at you. If you think about the ghost are treated as any subdivision of a species is treated by the major population. humanity has a terrible track record of treating those different than them with as if they are less than human and in some cases less than animals. We have no respect for the existence of things outside our own perception of the norm weather they mean us harm or not. Therefore, when one takes that into account you must realize creatures considered dead would be seen as inhuman and not accorded the same basic human rights as they would not be considered thinking, feeling entities. It is sad but Jack and Maddie's attitude towards the ghost reflects the attitudes of humanity towards both animals and each other.

Echo the Slowpoke: It did. But it healed by morning. Couldn't have the citizens of Amity Park thinking things were occurring in the Fenton household, now could we? And do worry...Night's stroking her flamethrower as I type.

Ninuhuju: Night: I'm sorry about your friend. That sucks. And don't worry about Danny's parents I will get his revenge for him. As so As Jenna gives the okay...maybe...JennaUtena:...Okay...I would have too but remember, Danny's extremely reliant on those around him for support, acceptance, everything. Now that his world is crumbling not-so-slowly, he's kind of stuck...and then there's these two strangers injecting themselves into the mix and the evil Fruitloop too. For your friend, have you tried snail mail? Good ole letters never hurt anyone...except for messengers that were shot...and people allergic to paper...Night: Don't forget they cause paper cuts.

GotNoName123: Oh yes, it did! Here you have and Night sends greetings but has no other comment than be prepared for the flaming of all Danny haters in the A/n's from now on. Night: (Evil grin) Jack get's first.

TheBoss3254: Never drop! Never quit! Never stop! Fanfiction now! Fanfiction forever! Night: I completely agree. I'm just not as consistent as Jen.

Guest of Honor: Eventually! But for now, read!

mymag99: Night: They will get theirs. Just wait. JennaUtena: As do I but I feel more horrible for his parents knowing that Night will obliterate them. She decided to spare you the gruesome details but it will be horrific.

Phantom heir daughter of Zeus: No adoption...legally anyway. There shall be bonds and they will come later.

GhostAnn: Night: It will. She doesn't have much choice or I'm locking her up with Jazz, Sam and Tuck. JennaUtena: But if you lock me up, the story'll never get done! Night: Sure it will! I just won't break your hands and provide you with a laptop. See things will work out! JennaUtena:...Remember that search team I asked you guys to send out...Looks like you're going to have to call them up again.

Friend: Why thank you. And thank you. And yes. And thank you...You have grasped this story quite well. Please keep reading!

Poohbearmorris: Night: You're darn Skippy! But, all fruitloopies are going to feel my vengeful wrath( insert evil laughter).JennaUtena: I think I've befriended a killer...but for some reason I'm alright with that. And he is loud but the Fenton house is always loud! If it were ever quiet, then THAT would be a problem.

Mystic Myra 8: Thank you! And here you go! Night: Great use of Italian.( Sugar cookie for you.)

EmeraldSeaGamer: They will. CALM DOWN. And here you go! Night: LMAO! I read this aloud so the screech was fun for me. (Frosted sugar cookie for you!)

Nightshade1712: I did...I did. And I was actually thinking about a DP/Aliens crossover but that may be too much right now...or ever.

Candy Phantom: Yes...Hell yes. From both Night and me.

Dark crimson wolf Jenn:...I'll take that as a good thing while Night looks at you and says, "Really? You wanna join the dungeon crew?"

Harmony-D: Night: I likes you. Have a lemon meringue pie. JennaUtena: Why thanky! Keep reading!

icyblast68101: Well thank you for reading it ;P. Night is offering you a chocolate chip cookie!

Thanks to all you crazy lovely people for following/favoriting me and my story! I'm gushing with joy! Updates will happen unless I die or become a vegetable...Hope it's broccoli.

From Night: Sayoonara! And from me: Love, JennaUtena. Deuces!