Surprise! Here's a second chapter! I saw an opportunity with the ectober prompt, Cold Case. So enjoy Elle's parents being reunited with their daughter!
Sarah Martins woke up to the sound of a sudden scream. In a heartbeat, she bolted out of bed. Hazarding a glance to the other side of the empty bed (her husband was away on a business trip), she quickly stood up and jogged towards her daughter's room. She opened the room to find the eleven year old shivering on the bed.
"Danielle." The mother said softly.
The girl's teary blue eyes focused on her, fear shining through. "Mom!" Her voice shook as she reached towards the woman. "Mom! I….Don't...don't let them get me!"
Sarah rushed forward, taking the preteen in her arms. "Shh. Shh. Baby. It's okay."
"The...the birds...they were...they were peaking and they said….they were...were going to take me away and…" The girl sniffled, clinging to her mother.
"Elle, it was just a nightmare." The woman squeezed back.
The girl shook her head, still rambling. "The vultures….they were green and had red eyes…..They were clawing at me and growling and...and." Her chest heaved. "And don't let them take me away. Don't let them take me." She choked on a sob, tears streaming down her face."
"I promise, it was just a nightmare. You're safe." Sarah soothed. "Nothing is going to happen to you." The words seemed to work, calming the girl's fears. Soon enough her sobs quieted into whimpers.
The woman tenderly rubbed her daughter's arms, feeling the raised goosebumps on her arms. "You're freezing." She said, finally noticing how cold the room is. "Why don't we get you another blanket?"
"Yeah." Elle muttered into her mother's shoulder.
The woman frowned down, noting the look of fear in the girl's wide away eyes. "Come on. I'll make you some hot chocolate."
The pair got up, both walking to the kitchen. In the dark house, Sarah thought little of the flash of green light behind her; the nightlight in the bathroom did always glow eerily.
The mother put an arm around the girl. "I won't let anything happen to you."
Sarah wished she could have kept that promise.
Six Hundred and Twenty One Days.
That is how long Sarah and Joshua Martins' daughter has been missing, how long since she'd been taken from them leaving no trace, how long the mother had been struggling to hold on to hope.
Sarah sits at the kitchen table, a folder in front of her. Frowning, she flips it open, reexamining the contents. Pictures, written statement, documents, evidence, all the information about her daughter's case she's been able to gather. And there is far too little of it.
Fruitless interviews with their daughter's teachers and classmates, with neighbors and friends from church, even with her and her husband's coworkers. According to everyone who had seen Elle that day, all was normal. Nothing suspicious, nothing of consequence was unveiled, except for one brief account by an elderly woman near the middle school. That day, at around 3:45 she'd heard a scream outside her house. There had been a brief flash of neon green light and the woman had rushed to the window only seconds later to see nothing. No people on the sidewalk, no signs of a struggle, no van or car driving away. Nothing.
There are no other witnesses, no ransoms, no phone calls or notes, no other leads. The case is long cold and has been from almost day one.
Sarah heaves a frustrated sigh, putting her head in her hands. There must be something, some piece of information everyone had overlooked, some clue to the truth. The woman turns the page and her heart clenches as her eyes fall on what was in front of her, a glossy photo of her daughter, Danielle Anne Martins. The eleven year old grins brightly at the camera, wearing a blue sweater. She stands in front of a tree, the leaves shifting from green to red with the coming fall.
The mother glances to the side, looking out the window to the large maple tree in the yard, the same one this picture had been taken in front of. Like in the photo, its leaves are red tinted. They drift to the ground as the wind russells them. Sarah sighs; this picture had been taken almost two years ago, on Elle's eleventh birthday. The woman's frown deepens. In a few days, her baby would have been turning thirteen. She stiffens, grimacing at the thought. No, not would have. She will. Her daughter, her baby, her Danielle, will be turning thirteen, because she's still out there, somewhere but…..
Her head turns back to the picture. They have no idea where she is, what's happen to her, what she's been through and even if she's still-
Sarah cuts off the cursed thought, her head shaking. She can't, she won't think, won't even imagine...that. That her daughter might not be… that someone might have…..that they'll finally get a call from the police and a knock at their door and it'll be the news that someone finally found her bo-
"Sarah, honey." Her husband's, Joshua's voice pierces her thoughts. He sits down beside her, taking her hand which was resting on the table. She looks down; when had her hand started shaking? "Sarah?" The man repeats questioningly.
She nods in acknowledgement, glancing down at the picture.
The man's face falls, sorrow heavy in his eyes. "We'll find her."
"But-" Sarah starts, lip trembling.
Joshua squeezes her hand. "We'll find her." He repeats. "I just….I just know she's out there, somewhere. But she'll come back to us."
The woman nods, tears collecting in her eyes. Oh, how badly she wants to believe that, to hold on to hope that the phone will ring or there will be a knock on the door and miraculously Elle will be there but…..Sarah knows the statistics. She knows how unlikely a positive outcome is after so long and….
Her heart clenches, remembering that last night before Elle disappeared. Her pleas after the nightmare to not let them get her, to not let them take her away. Oh the cruel irony. Sarah isn't a superstitious person but she wonders about what her daughter dreamt. She wonders if that had been an omen, her daughters' mind sensing that something was coming, something was wrong. Again, the woman curses her past self. If only she'd thought to keep Elle home that day, if only she'd picked her up at school.
A tear falls down her face and her husband leans forward to wrap his arms around her. Sarah sniffles. She feels strong arms squeeze her tightly, holding on to her both for her own support and comfort and for his. After a moment, he pulls away and his face is also wet. "We just have to keep looking. We can't let go of hope."
Sarah knows the plea is not just for her hope, but his as well. She squeezes his hand, which is still clenched in hers. "I know. Thank you Josh."
He smiles at her, opening his mouth to reply when the doorbell rings. He glances towards the front of the house. "I'll get it." With one last squeeze, he stands and walks out of the kitchen and into the hallway leading to the front door, the wall soon blocking him from her sight.
As the sounds of his footsteps grow farther away, Sarah looks back down at the papers. She frowns and starts putting them away. She's looked over this enough today, thought about it enough. Now this is just upsetting her.
In the front of the house, the door opens. For a moment, there is silence, not even the soft hum she would expect from her husband letting a salesperson know they're not interested.
Then a shout. "Elle! Oh my- Elle! Elle! You're-"
Sarah shoots up, her mind sputtering. The shouts lessen into frantic rambling and the woman's thoughts can barely keep up. She bursts out of the kitchen and down the hallway, ready to demand to know what is happening but stops short as soon as she sees Joshua.
Her mouth drops open. Standing in the open doorway is her husband and he's hugging a small dark-haired figure with tears running down his face. The man mutters, rambling quickly, happily, ecstatically. "Danielle! You're here. You're home. You're safe."
Sarah's mind struggles to process, her eyes fixed on the pair. It can't be…
"I...I"m sorry...I'm sorry, I don't…" A young female voice whimpers.
"No. It's okay. It's okay. I've got you." Joshua squeezes tighter like the figure will disappear. "I've got you Elle."
Elle…..Sarah's eyes widen and she stumbles forward. "Elle?" Her voice is small with disbelieving shock. This….this has to be a dream. This can't be….
The girl takes a step back, out of the man's arms before turning to stare at Sarah.
"Danielle?" The girl nods, eye watering, despite her small smile. Sarah practically leaps forward. "Danielle!" She wraps her arms around her daughter, her long lost daughter. The tears well instantly. "Elle! Baby. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry. Mommy's got you. I won't let anything happen to you again. I….I love you, I love you so much baby."
Elle cries into her shoulder, blubbering, but Sarah can't make out the words anymore. She strokes the girl's hair. "Oh, my baby. My baby girl. You're home. You're home." Sarah's arm travels down, feeling the girl's bare arms. The mother shivers at how cold she feels. "Oh you're freezing." Of course she's cold, of course she is. They're standing in front of the wide open door, letting all the cold October air through.
The preteen's whimpers quiet and she mutters. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry."
"No baby." Sarah ruffles her hair again. "It's okay. Let's just go inside."
The mother takes a step back, intent on leading the girl inside the house until Elle looks up, lip trembling. "I'm sorry...I'm sorry I don't remember you."
Sarah stops, staring. Of all the reunions she's imagined, she's dreamed of, this was not one of the scenarios.
At the silence, Elle continues rambling. "I… I don't remember anything from before I was….I was kidnapped. But we figured out who I am and who my parents are and that's you." The girl's chest heaves as her words quicken. "And I wanted to meet you guys and..and tell you what happened. And I hope you won't be mad and you'll still want…and…"
"Elle." A young male voice cuts in. "It's okay. Just take a deep breath."
It is then Sarah looks up and finally notices the teenage boy on her porch. About 15 or 16. Icy blue eyes and jet black hair. Wringing his hands, he stands at the edge of the step, as far away from the group as he can be while staying on the porch.
The woman blinks in confusion while beside, her husband asks. "Who are you?"
The question wasn't angry or skeptical but bewildered. The boy sounds nervous all the same. "I'm...uhh….My name is Danny Fenton."
Elle takes a step back towards him. "He...he helped me. He's the one who found me after I was….after HE took me. And Danny helped me find out my real name and who you guys are. And he helped me find you."
Real name? Oh, yes. Recognition flashes in Sarah's mind, the apparent amnesia. Possible scenario's flash in her mind. This boy found Elle after...after she was kidnapped. The mother swallows. Another victim of this kidnapper and they escaped together? But why wouldn't they go to the police?
And he helped Elle find her parents…..but why and how? Wait...the amnesia again. Maybe from a head injury? If she'd been found by the police but they couldn't identify her, she would have gone into the foster care system. Sarah's heart clenches at the thought, her girl falling through the cracks because the authorities didn't have the time or resources to investigate.
As Sarah's mind whirls, Joshua gaps. After a too long pause, he swallows. "But why….Why are you two showing up here alone and not with the police?"
The woman glances at her husband. A good question. She looks back at Danny with more suspicion.
The boy rubs the back of his neck. "It's a...uhh...a long story. Can we...umm….go inside to talk about it? I'm sure you're cold."
Sarah tenses, mind instantly screaming no, to not let him go inside the house. Talking to this stranger on the step, in full view of the neighbors is one thing. But then again, Elle was apparently taken in the middle of the street, in the middle of the day but no one saw anything. Fear lashes out, the need to protect her daughter. The woman's hand reaches forward, intent to pull Elle close and shut the door.
But the girl steps back, standing beside Danny. "I trust Danny. I'd trust him with my life." The statement is so earnestly, it pricks at Sarah's heart. Elle shallows. "Please, he and his family care about me. They looked after me when I needed help."
The boy bits his lip. "I know how strange this seems but I swear I'm here because I wanted to help Elle find you and make sure everything goes okay."
"Why won't it?" Joshua asks, a hint of harshness in his voice.
Elle looks up pleasingly. "A lot….a lot happened to me. A lot of bad things and I wanted my….friend to be here to help me explain things."
The way the girl hesitates on the word friend tickles something in the mother's mind. It's said uncertainly but not like Elle is unsure if Danny is her friend. But instead, she's unsure if friend is the right word. There is an age gap between the two, enough years that two are unlikely to be natural friends, at least not at this age. That's highly suspect.
The woman looks at the boy taking in his posture, his expression. He is clearly nervous. But there's no ill intent, no creepy possessiveness.
At the wilting gaze, Danny holds up his hands. "I'll...I'll leave if you want me to, but….." He looks at Elle. A silence conversation passed between the two, betraying their familiarity with each other.
Elle pleads again. "Please. I want him to stay, just to talk."
Respect, protectiveness, and a hint of innocent care and affection for Elle are portrayed in his eyes. Despite herself, Sarah's face softens. The look is strangely familiar to her, similar to a look she's seen on her older brother.
The woman thinks back, her idea of Elle being in the foster system. Danny and his family taking the girl in, which very well may be true. The girl does look well taken care of. No bruises or cuts. She is thin, but clearly well fed. Her hair is shiny and, yes, she is pale but Danielle has always had incredibly pale skin.
Maybe this family, the Fentons, had been taking care of Elle as a foster family, thus making the boy a foster brother. That look is awfully brotherly and Sarah can't help but feel it is authentic. She hopes her gut feeling is right.
Sarah uncrossed her arms. She glances at her husband in their own silent conversation. She can see the calculation in his eyes. The woman raises a brow and the other adult nods.
She turns back towards the adolescents. "You can come inside but." She points at Danny. "If you try anything, we are calling the police and they will arrest you."
The boy swallows. "Yes, ma'am. I completely understand."
Sarah waves him forward. "Come on then."
Warrily, the parents watch the teen walk past them and into the house. Elle follows, close behind but Sarah gently grabs her arm so the girl stops beside her. Danny stops at the foot of the stairs, turning around as Joshua closes the door.
The boy looks around cautiously. "You have a very nice looking home here." He compliments.
Neither parent responds to the compliment. Instead Joshua points to the room to the right. "Let's talk in the living room."
Danny turns and slowly walks into the room, his questioning eyes surveying the furniture.
"You can sit there." Joshua motions to the love seat perpendicular to the couch.
The teen sits on the edge of the seat, his body stiff and uncomfortable. He nervously wrings his hands in his lap as the man sits down on the armchair across from the loveseat, a suspicious frown on his face.
With her arm around her daughter, Sarah leads her daughter into the room and to the couch. Letting go of the girl, the woman sits down. She expects Elle to not hesitate to sit down beside her but is surprised as the preteen's gaze flitters between the loveset and the couch. Frowning, the mother pats the seat beside her, motioning for Elle to sit.
With another cautious pause, the girl sits down a hands-length from the woman. Her posture is stiff, looking just as nervous as the other adolescent, and it hurts Sarah's heart. The woman wants to pull Elle to her side, for the girl to lean into her but that tension, that discomfort is a harsh reminder. And the way she looks at Danny, wide eyes silently asking how to proceed…..With her memories missing, this stranger is more familiar to her than her own parents.
Joshua coughs, interrupting the silence. "So...explain. The two of you show up out of the blue, no police or CPS. Or even your parents." The man points at Danny. "Why should we trust that you didn't take our daughter away in the first place?"
"Hey! That's not fair!" Elle cuts in.
But the boy looks down, shame red with shame. "No. He's right. This is my fault. He wouldn't have kidnapped you if it wasn't for me."
"What?!" Sarah suddenly stood up, anger leaching into her voice. "What are you talking about? Who took my daughter? And why?" She takes a step forward pointing in his face. "What did you do?!"
"No! Stop!" Elle shots up, pulling at her hand.
Danny shakes, not meeting her eyes. "I'm sorry. If...if I'd just done what Vlad wanted, he wouldn't have taken your daughter. He wouldn't have hurt her and messed with her head, and….I'm sorry."
Vlad….the name rings in the mother's mind but there is no recognition. Instead Sarah recoils at the idea of someone hurting her daughter. She wraps protective arms around the girl.
But Elle pulls away, coming to stand in front of the teen. Her eyes shine with determination. "No. Danny, we talked about this. You….you didn't know what that fruitloop was doing. And….you saved me. You wouldn't fight me, even when I helped him hurt you. You helped me see what was really happening. And-"
Joshua cuts in again. "Elle. Stop." His voice trembles. "Start...start at the beginning. Who…. took you and why? How did you end up meeting Danny?"
Elle's mouth snaps shut. Quickly she looks between the two adults before fixing eyes on the teen. The boy looks up at her, another silent conversation passing between them. After a moment, the preteen sits down on the couch again.
Danny wrings his hands. "Where to start? I guess….." He sighs. "Do you...believe in ghosts?"
Sarah blinks, startled by the seemingly random question. "What do urban legends have to do with this?"
The boy bits his lip. "That's where everything starts...with ghosts." He shifts nervously. "I'm from Amity Park, the most haunted town in America. And that's not just a tourist gimmick. There're ghost sightings pretty much everyday and attacks just about as often."
Joshua crosses his arms. "That's ridiculous. Ghosts don't exist."
Danny shakes his head. "Believe me, I used to think that too but….ghosts are very much real."
Sarah opens her mouth to argue- maybe that ghosts aren't real, maybe that this has nothing to with why her daughter was kidnapped- but Elle interrupts. "Please just listen. I promise this'll make sense."
"Like I was saying." The boy continues. "Ghosts are real and…." He swallows. "Elle and I are both ones."
Again, the mother blinks confusedly. "You're both what?"
"Ghosts." Elle answers. "We're both ghosts...or half ghosts really."
At the last declaration, the woman cannot stay silent. "Elle, I don't know what you've been told but ghosts aren't real." She turns to Danny glaring. "I do not know what you're playing at but this is ludicrous. Start answering our questions or we'll be calling the police right now."
Danny pales. At the same time, the preteen interjects. "We're telling the truth!" Biting her lips, she looks between the parents. "I'll….I'll show you."
The boy's eyes widen. "Elle, I can...I can do it."
The girl shakes her head. "No. I'm….I'm less likely to scare them. Plus….they need to see." Elle stands, addressing her parents. "Please...please don't be scared."
Sarah pales at the serious tone. "Elle, what-"
The question dies in her throat as unnatural green light bleeds into her daughter's eyes. The mother's blood runs cold as the temperature of the room drops. The girl holds her hands in front of her, a look of concentration in those eerie eyes. Suddenly, that same neon green light sparks in her hands.
"It's called ectoenergy." Elle says, the hint of echo in her voice making goosebumps rise on the mother's flesh. "The stuff ghosts are made of." The light dances across Elle's hands, casting an eerie light to her face. The girl studies her hands for several moments before the light winks out.
Elle looks up, hopefully examining the parent's face. For what, Sarah can't tell. Her mind sputters in complete disbelief. That's not….it can't be….that wasn't…
The girl shifts nervously. "Do you….do you believe me?" Sarah just stares blankly while Joshua gaps like a fish.
"That's some….that's some special effects." Joshua mutters numbly.
Elle scrunches her nose. "I guess...I guess you need more proof."
Danny, who'd been nervously assessing the parent's shocked reactions, holds up a hand. "Elle, I'm not sure that's a good idea."
Apparently, the preteen does not register the statement. A second later, a blindingly white light encircles her waist. There's a flash which leaves Sarah blinking spots out of her vision. And once she can see again, Sarah's heart stops. In the space Elle was standing floats….something. The woman's mind cannot register what she's seeing. Only the wrongness that wafts over her, the cold permeating the air, and the radioactive green light.
Fear grips Sarah's heart. That green…...in the corner of her eye the night before Elle disappeared, after that dream about the green birds…..a flash of green and a scream and then the street was empty…...This isn't...this can't be….this isn't real. It can't be...It's not….
"Mom….Mom." The supremely unsure echoing voice enters the woman's awareness. She blinks and the black and white figure is closer to her, sickly green orbs starting into her soul. "It's...it's me." Sarah tenses, wanting to look away but she can't. "Mom." The echoing voice repeats and the woman realizes it's the creature in front of her. "It's me." Who's…..who calls her Mom? Someone calls her Mom but…. "Mom. It's Elle. I'm Elle."
Elle...the word strikes her, stabbing her in the heart. Suddenly, it's like lightning strikes. The pale, slightly greenish face in front of her snaps into focus and Sarah fights back a cry. "Elle?" She whispers.
The being nods and Sarah's lungs freeze. "No. You're not…."
"I...I know I look different but it's me. I'm still me." The figure pleads.
Sarah doesn't know whether to scream or cry. Near her someone whispers. "Ghosts...ghosts are real?" The woman turns, finding her husband as pale as a sheet. His hands shake. "Ghosts are real." He repeats dumbly. "And you're…."
"Yeah, I'm a ghost...errr...half ghost actually but….yeah." The words, the tone is so Elle, Sarah just about dies.
The woman reaches a shaking hand forward in the sudden need to feel if the image floating in front of her is real. Her hand falls on a pale cheek. It feels like sticking her hand in a bucket of ice water. It's, she's so cold. "You're….you're freezing." Sarah repeats, words she said earlier but with different meaning.
The girl, because this is a girl, her girl, not a creature, shrugs. "Yeah, it comes with having an ice core."
The words mean nothing to Sarah. All she registers in the glacial chill, the cold...the cold of the grave. The woman's hand shakes as a realization crashes over her. Elle...elle's a ghost and a ghost is a de-
A sudden sob bursts from her lip. "You're….you're….you're…." She can't say it, won't say it. Because her baby finally came home, came back to them. So she can't be, she's not. "I...No...I can't...I can't lose you again." She cries. "You can't be…."
Elle frowns. "Lose me? I don't…."
Tears run down Sarah's face. Beside her, she also hears sniffling. There's a creak as Joshua sits down beside her, his knees shaking.
"No. No. No. No. Elle. NO." The man mutters.
The girl looks back and forth quickly. "What is it? I don't… What's...what's wrong?"
Sarah can't answer, her heart is too busy breaking. Another sob breaks forth.
"Danny!" Comes an almost panicked exclamation. "What's….why are they…"
The sound of someone pushing themselves off of the furniture. Through blurry eyes, Sarah sees the teenage boy, Danny, dart in front of her to stand beside where Elle floats.
"Shit." He curses, face pale. "Elle, turn back."
"What?" The girl gaps.
"Shit." He repeats. "I think...they think you're dead."
Sarah wants to scream at the word coming out of his mouth. Dead. No, their girl's not...but she's a ghost...but she can't be dead...but a ghost is...is the spirit of a dead person but...but…
"Shit." Elle curses.
Instantly, the maternal instinct to rebuke her daughter for cursing rears its head. "Language."
Nonsensically, the girl laughs. A moment later, light flashes again. More spots enter the mother's vision but seconds later, she's staring into Elle's icy blue eyes.
"Hey, hey it's okay." The girl comforts.
Sarah shakes her head, mind still struggling to process this change and what it means. "No! It's not. You're not… You're d-" She chokes on the word.
"I'm not dead." Elle says plainly. She kneels in front of her mother, gently taking her hand. "I'm still alive. See." The preteen moves the woman's hand to her chest, right over her heart.
Still sniffling the mother tries to put the pieces together, to understand what she's supposed to see. Then she feels it, under her palm. The tell-tell beating of a heart. Her jaw drops, taking in the sensation and living warmth.
Sarah meets the girl's eyes. "You….you're not...you're not d...dead." She forces out the word. "You're alive." Her voice rises, tingled with hope despite her confusion.
Beside her Joshua perks up. "She's…"
Elle holds up her wrist. "I'm alive. I have a pulse and everything."
The man holds her wrist for several moments, feeling her pulse. His eyes widen before his face lights up with pure joy. The man pulls the girl into his arms and Elle allows herself to be hugged. She still doesn't relax into it, betraying her unfamiliarity but she doesn't pull away either. Joshua cradles her head and whispers soft comforts. After about a minute he lets go and Sarah then pulls the girl to herself.
Finally hugging her warm (relative to….whatever that was when she looked like a ghost), living daughter, Sarah gives into her relief. She pushes away the questions for now, just enjoying the sensation.
But eventually the hug ends. Elle steps back, standing beside Danny with her hands behind her back. The two wear very similar nervous expressions. It's then Sarah realizes how similar the two actually look. Another question to add to the pile. A confused express blooms across the woman's face.
Her husband also looks confused. "So…you're a...you're both….." He trails off.
"We're both half ghosts." Danny fills in the blanks.
"But you're….alive?" Sarah questions.
The two adolescents share a look. "At least partially." Danny answers. He rubs the back of his neck. "Well, my parents think we're both just infused with ectoplasm at a molecular level. But the ghosts we've talked to can't seem to agree if we're half dead and half alive all the time, or alive in human form and dead as a ghost."
"Or if we did die and were revived by becoming half ghost, but aren't actually any part dead at all currently." Elle added.
Sarah blinks, processing. That answer did not actually raise her spirits.
Danny noticed the confused look. "I guess we need to start over. So it started when my parents made their ghost portal in college….."
The two half ghosts took turns telling the story. About Danny's ghost hunting parents and his accident. About his parent's depraved friend from college who gained similar powers. About Vlad Masters-Plasmius' obsession with the Fentons. About his quest to create the perfect half-ghost heir.
Joshua balls his fists. "So you're saying that madman took our daughter because she happens to look similar to you."
Danny looks down, shoulder low. "Yes." He whispers. "I'm sorry."
The man glares. "I can't believe...that fu-"
Sarah puts her hand in his, calming her husband. "But you helped her. You saved her?"
"Yeah, he did." Elle glances at the older half ghost, giving him a smile. "You saved my life."
The girl explains what she remembers of Vlad Masters 'care,' how the man tricked her into thinking he was her father and convinced her to help him kidnap Danny. She tells how Danny helped convince her that Vlad was using her and how the boy put a stop to Vlad's experiments. How she was on the run for a while (Sarah's heart clenches at the thought) and how Danny saved her again when she came to him for help. How the boy and his friends helped support her while she was traveling. How they discovered the truth about the 'cloning' experiments.
Danny holds up a missing persons flyer. "I found this and my friends and I looked into it. We found your videos and the Facebook page and" He swallows. "We realized that Vlad had been kidnapping kids and turning them into half ghosts."
He explains how he told his parents what was happening, how they took Elle in, and got Vlad arrested and tried.
"So he's in ghost jail now?" Sarah questions with a raised brow.
"Yes." Danny nods. "That's why it took so long to get Elle home to you. We needed to make sure he couldn't target you."
"But he's dealt with now and can't hurt anyone else ever again." Elle says, sounding relieved. She smiles. "And I'm home now." She then looks down, wrapping arm around herself. "I'm sorry I don't remember anything. We...we looked through all of the data we could get out hands on, on what Vlad did to my memory. We even asked some experts in the Zone but….he used Lethean water and there's no way to reverse that so...I probably won't get my memories from before back."
Sarah's heart drops. Again she wants to cry. There has been much crying and yelling during that story but now Elle needs to be comforted. "It's….well, it's not okay. But we'll make new memories." She smiles. "I'm...I'm just happy we get a chance to be a family again."
Elle smiles back at her. "I'm happy too." She gives a tentative glance to Danny, who she'd taken a seat beside. "I...I don't have a lot of experience being a daughter. Vlad was…..he was never a dad to me. And the Fentons...I love his parents but they're more like an aunt and uncle to me."
"They loved having you with us too. But…" he turns to Sarah and Joshua. "I'm happy we found your Mom and Dad here." The boy smiles through the words but there is just a hint of sadness there that Sarah wonders at.
The group peters into silence. Somewhere in the dark house, a clock chimes. Sarah sits up at the sound, noticing the number of chimes. They'd been talking for hours, the house long since grown dark and quiet.
"Speaking of parents," Sarah ventures. "Are yours wondering where you are?"
Danny frowns, pulling out his phone. "It's already eight...I should start flying back." He stands, walking towards the parents with his hand raised to shake. "It was nice to meet you."
Elle stands a moment later. "Can he spend the night? Please?" Sarah gives the girl a questioning look. Her daughter blinks pleadingly. "Please? It's like a two hour flight and it's already dark. He can leave first thing in the morning."
Danny glances down at her. He blushes "It's okay. I don't want to impose."
The girl grabs his arm. "Please." She mutters to him, only just loudly enough for Sarah to hear. "I..I might not see you 'til months from now. I don't wanna say goodbye yet."
Danny's face softens but he says nothing. Meanwhile, Sarah's brow furrows as she examines the pair. After that story, she is still trying to sort out the relationship there and what to do about it. After hearing all the two have been through, all that Danny has done for her daughter, she is no longer distrustful. Still, the fear of losing Elle after just getting her back chips at her heart. But that trusting look at Elle's face, the brotherly affection in Danny's…..
Sarah looks at her husband, holding a silent conservation. The man nods and the woman chooses to trust her gut. "You can stay for tonight."
"Yes!" Elle fist pumps.
Danny is more subdued. "Thank you."
"Yes. Thank you! Thank you!" Elle beams. Then her stomach growls. "Can we get some food?"
"We'll order some pizza." Joshua suggests, already pulling the website up on his phone. "How does a Hawaiian pizza sound?"
Elle wrinkles her nose. "Hawaiian?"
"That's your favorite...or it was before." Another reminder makes Sarah's heart clenches. Beyond the ghost powers, it sounds like there are many things they'll have to relearn about their daughter.
"I like Hawaiian." Danny timidly replies.
"Well you're a heathen." Elle quips.
The boy raises a brow. "Have you ever bother to try Hawaiian pizza or do you just refuse 'cause everyone else thinks it's gross?"
The preteen opens and closes her mouth before sticking her tongue out at him.
Sarah files in the interaction away to mull over later. "How about one Hawaiian and a meat lovers?"
"Meat lovers!" Elle exclaims. "Yes! I love meat lovers."
"That's a plan then." Joshua taps a few buttons and orders. "It will be here in thirty minutes."
"Awesome!" Elle grins. "Come on. I wanna see my room." The girl takes Danny's arm, pulling him away and towards the stairs without protest.
The pair of adolescents run off, leaving the parents a lot. Joshua frowns. "Should we be leaving her along with him?" He doesn't sound partially distrustful, most perplexed.
"He won't do anything." Sarah shakes her head. "He seems like a good kid. If anything, he seems overprotective."
The man huffs. "I don't know what to make of…." He motions towards the pair stomping up the stairs. "I thought at first she was sticking with him, 'cause he's" The man swallows. "More familiar than us but…."
"There's something else." Sarah leans back. "Whatever it is, she trusts him. And I don't think he'd ever hurt her."
The woman closes her eyes, her mind wandering. She can't help but imagine all the horrible things her daughter's been through. All that pain and fear. At least she made it out of it, she made it through. But the mother's heart still clenches. With those memories lost….some part of their daughter is never coming back.
Seeing the pained look on the mother's face, Joshua puts an arm around her. "She'll be okay. We'll be okay."
Sarah puts a hand on her head. "But there's still so much we don't know. She's….she's a ghost. How do we even start? How do we take care of a ghost?"
Joshua shakes his head. "We should talk to those Fentons. They're ghost experts, right? And their son is half ghost. They probably know what we need to know."
The woman blinks considering that. "I guess we should."
With an agreement to ask for Danny's parents' numbers, the pair settle onto the couch to wait for the food and silently process everything that happened. At some point later, the doorbell rings and Joshua opens the door. He takes the pizza box to the dining room. A moment later, feet point down the stairs.
"Pizza!" Comes Elle's happy exclamation.
Sarah can't help but laugh at her antics, especially as she tries the Hawaiian at Danny's insistence.
The girl takes a bit of ham and pineapple. Briefly her eyes light up in pleasure but she quickly schools her expression.
Danny playfully elbows her. "You like it, don't you?"
Elle shakes her head vehemently.
"Yes you do! You do!" He grins.
Saying nothing, Elle takes another bit, the corner of her mouth creeping up. Upon seeing this, Danny beams and starts laughing. "Yes! Yes! I told you! It's good!"
Elle takes another bit, chewing. She swallows and then mutters something.
"What's that? I can't hear you." Danny teases.
The girl crosses her arms. "Fine. I like it.'
The boy just laughs and Sarah and Joshua watch, both slightly amused.
After that, the conversation turns towards Elle's past before the kidnapping. The parents share stories, many to the girl's embarrassment. But overall, it's a good night. They look over photo albums and give Elle a tour of the house. Danny hangs in the back, giving them space to reconnect. But the sad look he gives is not missed on Sarah. There's a slight fear that eases as Elle continues including him and Sarah and Joshua relax around him.
Around ten thirty, the parents hurry Elle to bed. After showing Danny the guest room and offering him one of Joshua's shirts to sleep in, the parents enter Elle's room. For the first time in over a year and a half, they tuck her into bed. The experience is strange. Before the kidnapping, Elle had stopped asking to be tucked in, thinking she was too old. But now the girl carries no memories of ever being tucked in. She smiles softly, her eyes watering in joy as her parents lean in to give her good night kisses and hugs.
"Good night, Mom. Good night, Dad." She mutters, the titles still unsure. "I love you."
Sarah and Joshua close the door. Seeing the light is off in the guest room, they go to their bedroom and soon enough go to sleep.
When Sarah wakes up in the morning, she can hardly believe yesterday was not a dream. But She rolls out of bed and opens the door to Elle's room to find her daughter still safe in bed. Her smile widens. It's true. Elle really came home.
With that thought, she heads down to the kitchen to make breakfast. Minutes later, the smell of bacon and pancakes draws her husband and daughter down the stairs, their guest following after. Setting down the food, Sarah motions for the other's to join. Elle does not hesitate and a moment later, Danny tentatively sits beside her.
Breakfast passes with casual conversation but there is an air of sadness, even as Danny and Elle smile and joke.
After the meal, Danny stands up and carries his plate to the sink. He rubs the back of his neck. "I should go. Thank you for your hospitality." He shakes Joshua's hand.
Sarah smiles at him. "Thank you for bringing Elle home."
"Of course." He nods.
The boy pauses, looking at Elle. His hands waver at his side, like he wants to reach out and hug her but he's unsure if he is allowed.
Elle makes the decision for him, throwing arms around her. She sniffles slightly, eyes watering. "Thank you, Danny." She mutters into his shoulder. "I love you so much."
"I love you too, sis." He says softly. "And this isn't goodbye." He squeezes her again, before whispering. "Call me if you need anything." He half-smiles. "You know I can make it in an hour and half, if you need me."
After a long moment, the pair separate. Elle wipes her face, before smiling at him. "See you later, okay?"
The woman studied the exchange thoughtfully, noting the care and affection there. She did not miss Danny calling Elle, sis or the promise to come if she called.
The boy nods, before hazarding a look at Sarah and Joshua. He swallows, taking a step forward. Then he pulls a piece of paper out of his pocket. "Here's my parents' numbers, like you wanted. And this is mine. If you have any questions or Elle has any problems with her powers, you can...you can call me." He wrings his hands. "Her ice powers will probably be coming in soon; at least that's what Frostbite said the last time we went to the Far Frozen. We talked about how to handle them but if she needs any help, like starts shivering uncontrollably or freezing things accidentally, I'll drop anything and come...that is if you two are okay with that. I just…."
Sarah's expression softens. "You really care about Elle, don't you?"
"Yes, of course I do." The boy nods emphatically. He wrings his hands, before looking at Elle. A silent conversation passes between them. After a moment, the boy squares his shoulders. "Elle...she's family to me." He swallows. "For a while, we thought she was family by blood. Then we found out she wasn't and….I promised I wouldn't abandon her if she needed or wanted me so…..She's still family. I love her like she's my sister so...I….uhhh…." He trials off nervousness rising.
Sarah observes him, jaw dropped. Really, the declaration should not surprise her, considering everything the two have been through. And part of her blakes at the idea. Trusting Elle with someone she just met, another family taking their daughter away and claiming her as one of them but….. Elle has someone who knows about her powers to look out for her, people who have been there when Sarah and Joshua were not. Elle has her parents back now but Danny and his family can still help all of them, Sarah and Joshua especially. The two parents have just been introduced to a whole new world of ghosts they have no hope of navigating without assistance.
The woman swallows. "Thank you for being up front with us." She takes a step forward, taking the paper and decides to be honest. "I'm not sure how much I trust you but...I look forward to getting to know you and your family."
Danny nods, offering a half smile. "Okay. Thank you. I hope I can earn your trust."
With that he turns back to Elle. "See you later, Elle" He gives her a side hug before summoning the ring of light and transforming. A flash of light leaves a ghost floating into their kitchen.
"Bye Danny." Elle waves.
With his own wave, Danny floats up through the ceiling and disappears.