Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom

Intervention

Chapter 4 Confrontation

Danny trudged home by himself. Tucker said he had to stay late for tech club and Sam had left early for a dental appointment. The full thermos in his backpack thumped against his back as he walked up the front steps to his house with a sign. He adjusted his hair to hide the fresh bruise on his forehead. He had been so busy looking at where the ghost was that he hadn't seen the light pole until too late. If Tucker was there they could have had a laugh over it. Somehow Tucker's laughter always made him feel better. Well, if he went stargazing that was one less source of light pollution.

He opened the door headed down the hallway hoping that there was some leftover lasagna left in the fridge. He started to turn right into the kitchen when a voice called his name and he turned to find his family and friends gathered in the living room.

"Danny, come in here please," his mother called.

Taking a couple of steps Danny realized that it wasn't just his parents and Jazz but Sam and Tucker were also there.

"Uh, hi guys," he waved and then turned to talk to Sam and Tucker. "I didn't expect to see you here. I thought you had an appointment and that you had tech club."

"Danny," his father began. Danny was immediately put on alert by his father's somber tone. He scanned their faces and confirmed that they all looked serious. "We have something important to say to you."

"We all do," Lancer's voice came from behind him. Danny spun to find the overweight teacher emerging from the kitchen. There was something about the way they were all around him that made his instincts nervous; as if he were a cornered animal.

"Sit down, Danny," Mr. Lancer said gently as he laid a hand gently on his shoulder.

'Uh, oh," Danny thought, "Is this about that detention I missed? I'm sorry. I just forgot," he apologized.

"No Danny, it's about a much bigger problem. Please sit down, so we can talk to you." His mother said.

Danny hesitantly did feeling uncomfortable with the way everyone was staring at him like they had bad news to break. 'Oh no, did something happen to Grandpa Fenton? He was getting old. But then why is Mr. Lancer here?' he thought. It didn't add up.

Then his mom picked up some papers that lay in her lap and unfolded it. "Danny, we all wrote letters that we are going to read to you." Looking around Danny noted that they all had papers in their grasps.

"What's going on?" he asked bewildered.

"Danny…" Jazz's strained voice was barely louder than a whisper, "They know. I had to tell them."

Danny sat frozen in his seat. He felt the blood drain from his face. He stared wide-eyed at his mother as she began to read from her paper.

"Dear Danny," his mother read. "I want you to know I love you very much. More than I can say. That is why it hurts me so much to see you hurt yourself. We are not here to blame you or to punish you. All we want is for you to get well. No matter what-"

His mother's voice seemed to come from some distance away. He could hear her speaking but he couldn't seem to make sense of it.

Then his father picked up his letter, "Dear Son, I love you. Let me say it again: I love you. But your addiction doesn't just hurt you. It hurts all of us. We love you enough that we can't stand by and watch you destroy yourself. I can't have you doing drugs in this house. If you are going to live here, you need to get treatment."

Danny blinked and gasped. "Wait!...wait. You think that I'm doing… drugs?"

Jazz spoke up. "Danny, there's no use denying it. Your behavior, not attending classes, your grades. You stay out all night. You tell Mom and Dad that you've gone to bed early but when I checked your room, you were gone. Just where were you at 4:30 in the morning? You're lying to us all the time to hide what you've been doing and where you've been. I found the leftover medicine missing and you used the refill also."

Lancer then spoke: Danny I've seen you turn from a bright and engaging student to one that barely scrapes by. You had a keen interest in science. You wanted to be an astronaut to study the wonders of the universe. But it was the way you tried to help people that made you stand out as someone really special. Now it's like you don't care about anything. I've lost other students to addiction before; I won't lose you too."

Danny turned looking from one to the other. "I'm not doing drugs. I know what it looks like but I'd never…" the turned to Sam and Tucker. "What are you doing here? You know I'm not doing drugs."

Sam and Tucker looked at each and then at Danny. Sam ducked her head.

"Danny…" she cleared he throat and this time her voice came clearer, "Danny. I've helped carry your secret, but I can't carry it anymore. I can't keep washing the blood out of your cloth—".

"Blood!" Danny mother gasped. "What.."

Mr. Lancer intervened, "Wait. This is an intervention, not an investigation. The important thing is to get Danny help. We can worry about the details later.

"Details..?" Jazz's gasp echoed her mother's.

"Danny," somehow the anguish in Sam's voice cut through any protests. "Danny, even if you don't want to admit it, we both know that what you do is dangerous. You've been lucky so far but there have been some close calls. I'm afraid one day your luck is going to run out and….and I'll have to…" tears broke loose and trickled down her cheeks, "have to tell your mom…and.." she swallowed heavily "everyone…that you are dead." She wiped at the face with the back of her hand. "I don't know if I can keep on doing this."

Danny felt as if his stomach was being filled with lead as he stared at her in dismay. "Sam, you never said anything."

She looked back at him. "How could I? You are under enough strain as it is and it wouldn't make any difference, anyway."

"Dude," Tucker said, "You're my bro. We grew up together. We couldn't be closer if we really did share the same parents. I've been with you from the beginning of this. I've taken the fall for you on a lot of occasions lately."

"Tuck, I know you have. I'm sorry I think I took you for granted sometimes. I'm sorry," Danny said miserably.

Tucker shook his head. "You don't have to say it. I know. But now I need you to do something for me. I think you need to come clean with your parents. I think you need to, not just for us, but for yourself. Danny, I know you're scared, but remember; they love you. As Sam said, things can't keep going on like they have."

Danny face twisted in anguish, "I can't stop, Tuck. I can't tell them. You know why."

Tucker nodded, "I know Danny, but you need help. It's going to end really badly if you don't. Maybe not today but one day and at the way things are going, that day may be soon. We always knew that they were going to find out eventually anyway. It would be better if you explained it to them. Whatever you decide, we're with you, man. But it's your call."

Danny looked around at them his expression was one of such frightened helplessness. He had gone very white and even from her side of the room she could see he was trembling. Sam moved to kneel in front of him and took his shaking hands in her own.

"We love you. No matter what happens, they're your family. It will be okay. They love you." She paused, her eyes earnestly seeking his, and in a voice hardly more than a whisper added, "I love you."

He stared back in a long moment of heavy silence. Then he nodded.

"Mom, Dad…." He looked around including everyone, "I have something to tell you."