Sorceress here! After dealing with a temperamental app, I can now confidently say I bring you a new chapter! And to all my reviewers, thank you for the great feedback!

To Anastasia, Thank you for telling me about that song, it's a very beautiful one. All these songs make me want to make amvs (or at the very least slide shows) but I don't have the equipment or the know how right now so I can't. Bummer, hehe.

And to Diana, that was a...very interesting dream? I never thought my story would inspire a dream like that, almost makes me wish the story ended that way. Alas, it can't be so. :'(

*Clears throat* But you're here to see the chapter, so I won't keep you waiting anymore. Let's get this show on the road!

Warnings for this chapter: A little angst, some fluff, and a happy ending all wrapped up in Phantom's point of view.

-o0o-

Chapter seventeen: Growing up, together again.

Fifty years. Phantom has haunted this depressing room for fifty. long. years. If he could leave he would, but he has to protect this room, for when he sees his love again.

He had finally figured out that he was dead when the people that entered the room started wearing different style clothes. It was quiet a culture shock when a woman had walked in wearing heavy trousers instead of petticoats. Despite that, they never stayed long, Phantom wouldn't let them.

He doesn't know how he was aware of the passage of time, he just did. He didn't know how many people had entered his and his Nightingale's room until they finally stopped, not even the cleaning crew would enter after some of the accidents he caused to their person. They were only allowed in long enough to strip the bed and do a little dusting, but when they started in the direction of a certain corner, where the carpet wasn't nailed down, Phantom would do something to chase them away.

When he heard the click of the lock for the final time, he felt satisfaction. At last no one would trespass into what he'd marked as his. But as the sun rose and set multiple times, he started feeling lonely. Not regret; never regret, he didn't want the company of some strangers that couldn't even see him, much less talk to him. There were a few times that the ship invited psychics and priests to 'exorcize' him and 'help him move on', but he refused to obey. They never understood why he was haunting this room in the first place, so why should he listen to them?

He wants see his heart again. To hold him again, he wants to be alive again, in more ways than one.

There was one woman, with long black hair and deep blue eyes dressed in light blue trousers and a black off shoulder top that slightly exposed her belly, which made Phantom wonder if she had any modesty about her, that entered the room about twelve years ago give or take. She was another psychic, and had told him that she simply wished to talk. Though he was hesitant, he hadn't had someone to talk to in so long and it didn't seem like she was going to try to evict him from his room like the others did. So they sat down (or hovered down) and began a conversation.

"Do you know how you died?" She had asked.

He said no.

"Why don't you move on?"

Phantom bristled at this and she had quickly reassured, "I don't believe in forcing a ghost to move on if they don't want to! I would be happy if you did but if you feel that you still need to do something here I won't stop you."

Phantom relaxed and told her that he was waiting for someone. When she asked who, he sparingly talked about Danny, having to repeat himself on occasion when he unknowingly switched to Italian. The woman looked at him sadly and questioned,

"How do you know that he's still here?"

"I don't," He said, "But I'm willing to wait until I know for sure."

She hummed a little, before giving him a warm smile, "I feel that you will see him again, though I don't know when, with such sweet love that you two share, the universe would be cruel if you didn't."

They talked about little things for a little while after, before she said that she had to leave. She was almost to the door when Phantom realized something, "Wait, you never told me your name! Didn't the ship crew hire you to do something about me?"

She turned and grinned, "Name's Luna, and I'm just a girl who's curious about the unknown." She opened the door, "It was nice talking to you spirit, I hope you find happiness one day."

Phantom watched as she left, astounded at the fact that she wasn't sent by the fearful staff. The years went on, but Phantom never forgot that conversation. He is starting to think that maybe she was right though, that maybe Danny wasn't on this plane anymore. He's just decided that maybe he should finally move on when he feels a tug at his core.

The pull is insistent, and before Phantom can even try to resist, he feels himself yanked away from the ship and into a hospital. His eyes dart around wildly, confused as to why he is in such a place, before he hears a squeaking cry. He feels the tug again and follows it to a room the has a large man in an orange suit, a little girl with orange hair, and a brunette woman in the bed holding a blue bundle.

The feeling pulls Phantom over to the side of the bed, he is unsurprised when the adults don't see him but finds himself off put when the little girl glances right at him. He leans over slightly, and his eyes grow large as saucers.

The baby has stopped crying at this point but he isn't looking at his mother. No, the infant looks right at Phantom with big familiar blue eyes the color of the ocean in daylight. The baby starts giggling and reaches out to the ghost, confusing the adults in the room. Phantom smiles, and sticks his finger out for the boy to grab.

"È un piacere di incontrarvi di nuovo...il mio Nightingale...(1)"

After so long, the wraith and bird had found each other again...

Phantom watched over Danny, returning to the ship every once in a while to make sure nothing was changed in his room. He stayed invisible so as not to alert the boy's new parents, Jack and Maddie Fenton, as he'd learned from overhearing their conversations they were apparently ghost hunters. Even if they couldn't see him, he didn't want them suspicious of him and it would cause major problems if they decided that he was a threat and tried to protect Danny needlessly from him.

He finally gathered enough energy to change his image if necessary, so on Danny's second birthday, Phantom reveals himself, simply picturing what he'd looked like when he was that age. It was difficult, since it has been so many years since he'd looked at himself in a mirror, but he figures he did a pretty good job.

His change has a few side effects at first, aside from the obvious. He still has his memories, but Phantom, for all intents and purposes, feels and acts like a child, even if he is a little more mature than most. It isn't very obvious as he still has his sense of humor working for him and he has always acted childish to a degree anyway.

The more obvious side effect was, Phantom still cares a lot for Danny, and still feels the desire to protect him, but his toddler mind doesn't fully understand any concept of love except for familial and friendship. So emotionally at least, he would be meeting Danny all over again.

Danny is in the park, playing with a toy rocket in the sand box, when Phantom walks up to him, pleasant smile on his face.

"Hello!" He says cheerfully. Danny looks up from what he was doing, blinking owlishly as if surprised that someone would be talking to him.

"Hi..."

Phantom sits down in the sand, eyeing the rocket in the raven's hand, "What're you doing?"

Danny glances down at the ship in his hand and shrugs, "I'm playing as...astro..." He huffs in frustration, "Rocket ship." He says flatly, as if his answer wasn't what he was going for. Phantom chuckles, "You like rocket ships?"

Danny shakes his head then pointed at the sky, "I like stars, when I grow up, I wanna fly up there and see 'em up close."

Phantom looks up at the sky before looking back at the smiling blue eyed boy, "You think you can do that?" There was no doubt in his voice, only curiosity, and Danny's grin widens with confidence.

"Sure! I seen people do it on TV, so I wanna do it to! One day I'll go up there and be the one everybody talks about!"

Phantom smiles with him. It astounds him that the boy who thought so little of himself before, who even with the talent he had felt like he was going nowhere, was suddenly so sure of himself and was reaching for the stars. Both figuratively and literally. He nods, "I'm sure you will!"

The grin fell and Danny tilts his head, suddenly thoughtful, "I feel like I know you from somewhere... have we met before?"

Phantom contemplates on lying to Danny, but can't bring himself to do it. He had never lied to him before they'd died, so why start now?

"We met before, when we were bigger. It was on a big boat in the ocean." He said, trying to keep it simple since Danny was a kid. He didn't think it was likely Danny would believe that they were in a forbidden relationship, so he held that back, but what he said was true.

Danny furrows his brow, taking what was said in, before his blue eyes widen, "Phantom!"

The ghost jumps at the excited tone, "What?"

Danny smiles warmly, his eyes twinkling in joy and recognition, "That was your name! I came up with it, how could I forget?" He facepalms in exasperation before he frowns, eyes downcast.

"I've been forgetting a lot of stuff lately. I don't know a lot of words like I use to, and that times' getting fuzzy. I don't know if it's because I'm here now, or if something's stopping it. Maybe a little of both." He perks up again, "But I'll always know you Phantom!"

Phantom laughs at Danny's enthusiasm. "Well you'd better! It'd hurt my feelings if you broke your promise."

"Danny! Time to go sweetie!"

Danny glances over at his mother, "I gotta go," He quickly stands and is about to walk away before he pauses, thinking for a moment before he gazes back at Phantom, "Do you wanna come with me?"

The white haired boy grins, standing and going over to the other's side, "I go where you go Danny. Like a wraith."

Danny has to try to remember what a wraith is before he shakes his head, "You're weird." He concludes. Phantom snickers as they follow Danny's mother.

Later that night, Danny seems to notice that his mother never asked him about Phantom. The ghost in question is browsing through his books; since he didn't really 'sleep', he'd decided to try to learn about the new world around him. He feels Danny's gaze on him and glances at the boy. "What?"

Danny continues to stare until he finally voiced his thoughts, "Why doesn't anyone see you Fan-Tom?"

Phantom snickers at the way Danny said his name, before he grins playfully, "I'm a ghost, no one can see me unless I want them to, they could look at me and never know I'm there."

Danny rolls his eyes, not buying it, "I'm the only one who can see you can I?"

Phantom sighs, "No, only people with psychic powers can see me." He then smirks, trying to lighten the mood, "Which means you're one of those 'gifted' people Danny."

Danny huffs, "Whatever," He says hiding the grin on his face by rolling over, "Good night Phantom."

Phantom smiles as he picks up a book, "Goodnight Danny."

Though one forgot, the other was always there with him, because of this they were inseparable together again...

Three years later, Danny isn't able to remember even the smallest things from his previous life. The only way he knows Italian is because Danny wanted to have a secret code like they used to. Phantom didn't think it was necessary in that sense, but with Danny's growing amnesia, he encourages it, it would be one way to keep their link strong.

So when Danny spots the piano in that pawn shop and begs his mother to have it so he could play it for Phantom, the ghost can't help but smile. At least when Danny did have bleed overs from that time, it was never anything negative. Though Phantom loathes Vlad with a passion, he can't deny the one good thing that happened from meeting him, was Danny's love for the piano.

When Danny starts taking lessons at Mrs. Summers house, the kind old woman praises the raven, saying that it was like Danny had played for years, a prodigy. Phantom snickers at that, thinking, 'If only she knew,' as he sits on the couch behind them that day. Danny isn't technically learning anything new, it was more of a refreshing of memory than anything.

This point is proven when he starts playing their song. Though Danny doesn't seem to realize the importance of the song, he would play it or hum it when they were alone. Phantom's shy little bird never did it in front of others, though he knew that Jazz secretly listened and liked the song. This went on for a few years until the old woman passed on, Danny was sad, especially since the Fenton's couldn't snatch the piano before Mrs. Summers kin got it and sold the beautiful piece of furniture. Danny still wanted to play it though, had even saved up his allowance for a synthesizer, but for Danny it isn't the same.

Other more hostile ghosts have been coming around since Danny was four, and Phantom had to fight them off. They especially grow interested when Danny starts getting his powers.

It is a sunny day in Amity Park, with birds chirping and people in the park having picnics and kids playing, when Phantom crashes into the water fountain, giving people a nice little show of the fountain imploding for no reason. Danny runs through the park, Fenton thermos in hand and eyes following the invisible fight as Phantom exchanges blows with a rocker ghost named Ember. She is one of the few ghosts that normal people could see if she gets strong enough and had managed to hypnotize half the young populace before the boys figured out that she wasn't actually alive.

"Give it up brat! This whole world will be mine and if you think you can get in my way, you got another thing coming!"

"I don't think so pop princess!" Phantom retorts as he charges her. He manages to land a punch, sending her to the ground creating another crater and scaring the shit out of the citizens of Amity Park. Danny is doing his best to get the people out of the park before Ember spots him.

"Huh, I thought I hypnotized all the brats in town, well then!" She turns one of the dials on her guitar to a picture of a spiral and strums it, aiming for Danny.

"No!" Phantom cries before rushing to protect the living boy. He's too far away, he won't be able to make it!

Then something happens that shocks the two ghosts. Danny throws his arms over his head and a bright blue shield appears. The blast passes over the shield harmlessly before fading, the shield disappearing afterward. The boy in question looks at himself, confused. "Wasn't that supposed to do something?"

"What the hell?!" Ember exclaims, ponytail flaming bigger to show her anger and surprise, "That was supposed to put you under my spell! How the fuck did you-"

"Ah, ah, ah, language Ember," Phantom interrupts with a smirk, "there are children present," he flies and hits her with a double fisted attack sending her flying higher into the air.

Ember rights herself, using her guitar as a hover board. She scoffs incredulously, "You ain't no kid dipstick! I don't see what you're trying to prove!" He rams into her again, firing an ecto blast before she can recover.

"I wasn't talking about myself, la mia signora(2)." He says cheekily.

Ember slams into the ground again. She gets up, cuts and burns on her face and ponytail a little bit smaller. She tries to use her guitar to attack, only for it to snap in two.

"What?!" She shrieked, disbelief on her face. Danny runs over and sucks her into the Thermos while she is distracted.

Phantom lands next to him, and without thinking, hugs the other boy, "That was fantastic Danny! You have your own shield!"

Danny blushes, "Non ho fatto molto(3)," he says modestly before he registers what Phantom had said, "Wait, I have my own shield?"

Phantom feels his browline crease, joy melting into confusion, "You didn't know that you did it?"

Danny pulls out of the hug, "I just thought that that beam didn't work, or that you did something."

Phantom shakes his head, "I couldn't get to you fast enough, and you know my energy is green, the shield was blue."

Danny becomes quiet, brow wrinkled in thought. They go home and Danny acts normally again as if he'd pushed what happened out of his mind. But Phantom knows better, it was bothering Danny, he just didn't want to show it.

As time went on, Danny begins gaining new abilities. He still can't fly like Phantom can, which disappointed him a bit, but he learned telekinesis, how to form said shield at will, and could even shoot energy out of his hands like Phantom. The boys also discovered that they had a mind link, could feel what the other was feeling and it was an added bonus that Danny could talk to Phantom without having to open his mouth, which meant he no longer looked like he was talking to thin air.

His mother was relieved, thinking Danny had finally given up his 'imaginary friend' as she liked to call the ghost, which Phantom could tell pisses Danny off. Calling Phantom imaginary was basically saying that his old life never happened, which with his constant bleed overs and lapses in memory, Danny doesn't think that way. Especially when his feelings for Phantom start to resurface. It would be an insult to his sanity if people thought he had a crush on someone who wasn't even real, he was already getting bullied enough as it is.

The ghost doesn't draw attention to it, even if he feels it. He wants Danny to tell him in his own time. This finally comes to pass about a month after Danny turns eleven.

They are sitting in Danny's room, Danny playing Doomed with Tucker on the computer while Phantom reads, when the ghost notices how quiet Danny has been. Usually, Danny would be shouting at the screen, sometimes to the point that if Phantom was alive it would have blown his ear out. So if Danny was quiet, it usually meant something was on the boy's mind. He looked up from the book,

"Danny? Is something the matter?"

Danny sighs, "Tucker, could you give me a minute? I need to do something."

"Sure, dude." Tucker says before Danny mutes the line. He gets up and sits on the bed, keeping his eyes off the ghost. "Phantom? Can I talk to you about something?"

Phantom puts his book down, shifting on the bed so he is sitting next to the raven, "You can tell me anything, what's wrong?"

He feels the nervousness from the boy as he keeps his blue eyes on the hands in his lap. Phantom frowns in concern, feeling a sense of deja vu, "Danny?"

Danny fidgets in place, "Uh, we've known each other for a long time right?" Phantom nods, silently urging the raven to continue, "Were we ever..like...together? Before now?"

Phantom blinks, starting to get an inkling of what Danny was trying to say and answers cautiously, "Yes...we were..."

Blue eyes widen in surprise, as Danny finally looks at the snow head, "Really? Why didn't you tell me before?"

Phantom grins wryly, "How am I supposed to tell a young child that we were in a forbidden relationship? You wouldn't have known what it was."

Danny scratches the back of his neck, cheeks pink as he smiles self-consciousnessly, "Well I...I've been looking stuff like that up...and it's not so 'forbidden' anymore,"

A brow raises into a white hairline at this, "Okay, what are you getting at?"

Danny sighs and faces the ghost head on, tension rolling off him, "I was kinda hoping we could be that way again."

Phantom jolts at this, his jaw dropping in disbelief before he inquires, "You realize that I'm a ghost right? Someone only you can see?"

Danny gives him a small smile, shaking his head, "I don't care about that, I like you Phantom, a lot...I always have, I just didn't know what it was 'til now." Phantom's breath caught at the dejection in his eyes, "But if you don't feel that way anymore, I under-"

Phantom kisses him, silencing that train of thought. Danny tenses in surprise before kissing back sloppily, moaning a bit as he put his arms around the other male. After a bit, Phantom pulls away to let Danny breathe, putting their foreheads together and smiling gently.

"You have no idea how long I've wanted to do that again." He says making sure to project every bit of love he felt and letting it wrap around the blue eyed boy like a blanket, His eyes soft as he whispers, "Ti amo il mio Nightingale.

Danny sighs happily, finally feeling at peace. "Ti amo troppo, il mio Phantom."

Translations for this chapter

(1) "È un piacere di incontrarvi di nuovo...il mio usignolo..." It's a pleasure to meet you again my Nightingale.

(2) La mia signora means My lady.

(3) "Non ho fatto molto," I didn't do much.