Sam and Tucker walked into the dining room where the Fenton parents were feasting on Danny's food.
Danny walked in with another batch. "Oh! Hey guys!" He waved to his friends. "You wanted just blueberries right?" He asked Jazz.
"Yeah, thanks," she smiled, taking the plate from him. Despite liking this new side of Danny, Jazz couldn't help but feel weird about it too. Who taught him to cook? Why did he learn to cook? Where has he been? She had imagined he had joined some kind of cult or gang…but now, she didn't know what to think. It wasn't like some gang leader would teach Danny how to make pancakes…
Sam and Tucker followed Danny back into the kitchen.
"You're making pancakes?" Tucker questioned.
"Something the Lunch Lady taught me… I just wanted to ease Jazz's mind."
"I think you probably made her more confused," Sam said. "Anyway, we saw the news."
"I know I'm an idiot. Don't make me feel any more stupid than I already feel," Danny groaned as he poured batter into the buttered pan and it began sizzling.
"We aren't trying to make you feel bad. We are just concerned… They have really improved the system in Amity since you've been gone…which means it will be easier for them to find you, even in human form."
His eyes widened, then he seemed to relax. "My parents know that their inventions that key in on ecto-signatures are geared towards me and figured it was because of my accident in the lab."
"I mean it technically was -" Tucker started.
"Yeah, well that was just your parents so they were biased and couldn't even think that their son could be half-ghost, half-human. But, now that Vlad revealed himself as a halfa, ghost-hunters won't be so quick to disregard finding a human with their devices," Sam explained.
Danny rubbed the back of his neck anxiously. "Dammit… I should go back."
Sam put her hand on his, not flinching at how ice-cold it was. "We are here for you."
"Yeah man, don't worry. We won't let anyone figure it out."
"I'm safer in the Ghost Zone…"
"Amity Park has become a hell hole Danny. Without you, ghosts have been relentlessly wreaking havoc. No one can hunt ghosts like you can. They may hate to admit it, but they need you. We need you. I -"
"They won't be so quick to think of me as a hero again...They'll attack me. They'll find out who I really am. They'll-" Danny hyperventilated, eyes becoming green.
"Danny! Calm down!" Sam and Tucker yelled at him.
"Dude, your ghostly wail is gonna come out if you keep acting like that," Tucker said.
Danny took a deep breath and his eyes slowly returned to their icy blue color. "You're right." He turned back to the pancakes and flipped them. They were nearly black.
Jazz then walked in. "Are you guys okay? We heard yelling and smelled something bur - oh."
Danny threw out the pancakes and looked over at Jazz. "We are fine."
Jazz left and Sam closed the door behind her. "We were talking about it and we thought that maybe you should tell Jazz."
"What?! No! I'm not - " Danny realized he was shouting and then whispered. "I'm not telling anyone."
Sam crossed her arms.
"She is the only one you could trust with this kind of secret," Tucker explained.
"She also would never trust me again. I've been lying to her for years."
"We are just saying that she might to be the only person actually willing to listen to Danny Phantom's side of the story. She was the most shocked out of everyone that you killed all those people."
"Can we not talk about that? Ever?" Danny turned the stove off, frustrated and not in the mood of making food anymore. "Besides, she seems just about as gung-ho about tearing me apart molecule by molecule as my dad does right now. The whole reason she started hunting ghosts was because The Master made the world think I'm a villain. God, this is just like Dan all over again."
"Well, not really because Dan actually was legit evil and hewas you."
"Alternate future me," Danny snapped. "And yeah, but you know what I mean. Everyone thinking I'm a villain. Wanting me dead. And having good reason."
"You can still change that," Sam insisted.
"How?" They locked eyes.
Sam looked down to break the stare. "I'm not sure, but I think Jazz can help."
"How could she help?"
"I don't know…Danny, come on. Won't you just consider -" Suddenly, the news channel's breaking news music came on.
"MORE BREAKING NEWS. Amity Park has been put under immediate lockdown. A ghost shield has been put around the city to -"
"GHOSTS?!" Any mention of ghosts and Jack's ears perked up. He bustled into the kitchen and turned the volume deafeningly loud. Jazz and Maddie followed behind.
"A full-fledged ghost attack," a screen popped up besides the newscaster showing a large assembly of ghosts terrorizing innocent citizens, "has just begun in the park and we are calling on all ghost-hunters to help battle these ferocious beings. It is unclear why these ghosts have started to attack but we have reason to believe Danny Phantom is behind it since he was seen just last night…"
Danny, Sam, and Tucker exchanged worried glances with each other.
"Oh no! Those poor people!" Maddie picked the RV keys off the counter. "Let's go."
Jazz nodded and squeezed her hands into fists. "No way is he getting away with this again."
"Hey! We don't know Phantom is behind this," Sam pointed out.
"Well, I definitely wouldn't put it past him," Jack said bitterly.
The three of them rushed to the RV, and Danny and his friends followed behind them.
"Wait! We can help you!" Danny shouted after them. Sam and Tucker looked at him, astonished.
"Danny, we love you sweetie, but you don't have much experience when it comes to ghost hunting," Maddie said as Jack started the car and she hopped into the passenger seat. Jazz got into the back.
He stepped into the RV and helped his friends in. "Don't worry, we're fast learners."
Everyone seemed surprised but pleased. Jack put the car into drive and sped down the road to the park.