A/N: It's been 11 years since Danny Phantom first premiered. I was six and that thought kinda terrifies me. Ah, anyway. It's still the Dannyversary as I'm typing this but I can't promise that it will be posted today since I have to go to work in a few hours.

I've been writing this chapter for ages it feels like. I keep restarting and changing parts and not working on my research paper. (cough) Overall, this chapter was extremely difficult for me to write. I don't think it flows well but I really wanted to get this out to you guys. There is a very good chance I'll come back and change it before I post the next chapter so make sure to check the next time I update this. I'll also write a little note about it if I changed anything, just so you guys don't get confused.

Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy this chapter and I'm pretty excited at the feedback this story has been getting. Thanks guys!

And my god, I don't own Danny Phantom or Gravity Falls.

2:48 pm

The Mystery Shack was something to laugh at, and that's exactly what Danny did when he walked in and saw the bear with a plastic unicorn horn glued to it. Literally, he could see the dried glue and the tourists here were eating it up. He barely noticed his mom patting his head before she and his father moved away to look at the other stuff in the museum because he was laughing so hard. After calming down, he took better look at the ridiculous bear. Stuck to the pedestal it stood on was a plaque that said Grizzlycorn and Danny had to suppress a snort. He stood there for a minute or two, a look of amusement on his face before he started to notice his surroundings. Behind him, a camera flashed and Danny turned just in time to see a strange old man leading a group past and gesturing to stuff with a weird staff that had an eight-ball on the top.

The place didn't seem like it was buzzing with any sort of supernatural energy. The only buzzing he could sense were small vibrations running through the floorboards, most likely a sort of generator to keep all the lights up and running. The weirdest thing about the Mystery Shack was that the giant "S" had fallen off the sign outside, making it say Mystery Hack, which made the contents of the place even funnier.

Maybe Tucker had gotten some bad information.

Somewhere in the room, a child started to laugh and his amused expression turned into a small, relaxed smile. Something about this place, no matter how fake it all was, calmed him. It was probably because there were entire families here that were enjoying themselves without a care in the world, though why they came to this place was a weird concept for him.

Danny lingered for a few more moments as he wondered what would happen if he just kicked the bear off the stand yelling timber. Probably get arrested he finally concluded, slightly disappointed in the fact that there was no chance the bear could come alive to make things more interesting. Deciding not to be associated with the tall, embarrassing man known as his father, who he could hear yelling about how uncomfortable his shirt was, Danny headed in the opposite direction. Maneuvering his way around a few tourists, who were talking pictures of a gorilla wearing underpants, he found himself strangely fascinated by a mermaid of sorts stuck in a fish tank. Along with being strangely fascinated, he was extremely disturbed, so he decided to move past it for the moment, intending to return later to take a picture to show his friends. For about an hour, he looked around at different exhibits, including something that resembled a pterodactyl, before he reached the door that led to the gift shop. Glancing back once again at the museum, Danny went through the door and was immediately met with bobble heads of the strange guy with the eight-ball staff he had seen in the shop.

So, he must be the owner? he thought, flicking one of the bobble heads so that it bounced around. Grinning, he moved past the slightly creepy knickknacks to an empty spot against the wall. The room wasn't that big and his parents weren't here yet so he decided to wait. Danny pulled out his phone and sent a quick text to Tuck and Sam, explaining how he didn't sense anything they should be worried about before sending one to Jazz, asking where she was since he hadn't heard from her for a while. Shoving his phone back into his pocket, his eyes roamed around the room, half paying attention to what he saw until he noticed a jar of eyeballs sitting on the check-out desk. Slightly grossed out, he turned his attention to the girl standing behind the counter. The girl, who was reading a magazine, seemed extremely bored for someone not doing their job to begin with. He watched her for a few minutes, since there was nothing else really to do, before she seemed to realize someone was staring at her. Looking up, her eyes immediately locked on his and Danny couldn't stop the embarrassed blush from appearing on his face. Nonetheless, he raised a hand in greeting and almost laughed when she rolled her eyes and went back to her magazine.

"So, kid. You gonna buy somethin' or are you just gonna stand there?" Danny turned quickly, almost ready to throw an ectoblast before he realized it was the man he had seen in the museum. The eyepatch he had been wearing over his glasses was now flipped upwards and he was staring at Danny, eyes narrowed slightly.

"Ah," Danny responded, scratching his nose. "I don't believe so, sir. I'm just waiting for my parents. They are still in there," He finished lamely, gesturing to the doorway that led back into the museum. The blush had flared up on his cheeks and he silently cursed himself for getting embarrassed so easily. Rubbing his hand on the back of his neck, he waited for the man's response. What he was expecting wasn't what he got.

The man seemed to pull one of the bobble heads out of nowhere and shoved it in Danny's face.

"Well! How about this fine item?" The man's demeanor had completely changed and that's when Danny realized that this strange old man was a swindler. "It's a bobble head, of my face! And I am, the one and only, Mr. Mystery! I'll give it to you for twenty five."

"Twenty fi- are you frickin' serious?" Danny questioned, flicking the bobble head. "No thank you, sir, I'm broke." He continued, ignoring the the annoyed look that crossed "Mr. Mystery's" face. Danny returned the look for a few moments before he remembered the picture that Tucker had sent him of the supposed unmarked graves that were scattered throughout the forest around the Mystery Shack. Did this man have something to do with that?

Danny narrowed his eyes suspiciously at the man still brandishing the bobble head.

"Sir? Can I ask you a few questions?"

2:57 am

Back in Amity Park, Tucker was buried in rumors and articles about people trying to cover up those rumors and he was ready to throw his precious computer out the window. Sam was asleep on his bed, surrounded by old newspaper clippings that she had found in the library from the rare times that Gravity Fall had made the news. One sat apart from the rest, the header reading "Northwest Mansion Complete" with a long winded description of the party thrown. The paper was yellow and faded, for it was over 70 years old. Half the article, they had been unable to read due to a stupid coffee stain.

It was three in the morning now and Tucker had recruited Sam in his search when he had hacked the Gravity Falls police database and found the report of the so-called Zombie attack about twelve hours ago. He thought the report would be short and sweet, detailing how kids in costume had trashed the Mystery Shack, which would make his and Danny's lives a helluva lot easier. When he clicked on the file to open it, he was immediately redirected to a website that gave his PDA a major virus. Barely containing a scream, he tossed the PDA aside and cursed Murphy's Law for making him loose yet another PDA that he didn't even finish paying off. Switching to his computer, he had spent about an hour fighting his way around the virus and FBI encryptions, which gave Tucker a major headache, and all he found in the file were two low-quality pictures. If he hadn't been so pissed, he probably would've questioned why such security was needed to protect to pictures. But, he had just lost an expensive PDA and he had not slept in over twenty four hours. He didn't give a damn why the FBI did what they did.

The first picture he had sent to Danny, deeming it the only worthwhile one even though it was simply of an open area surrounded by trees. At least seven holes could be seen in the ground, the dirt haphazardly strewn about. The second was a blurry picture of figures in the trees, at least thirty, all heading in the same direction. Teenagers, panicked guests, Tucker didn't care. He was done with the supernatural. Done. No more.

It was around that time that he called Sam. A ghost going on a rampage in a mansion he could handle, not reanimated bodies of long dead people.

They had looking for hours before Sam dozed off on Tucker's bed a little over an hour ago and Tucker was on the verge of passing out himself. Taking off his glasses, he stared blearily at his computer screen which showed a picture of the Mystery Shack.

"I'll just look more tomorrow." Tucker decided, yawning and curling up on his chair since his bed was currently occupied.

Then his phone rang.

4: 15 pm

Maddie entered the gift shop with a smile on her face and her husband right by her side, as always. She had enjoyed herself in the museum, poking fun at the obviously fake creatures with Jack. They had examined a few relics that had some truth to them, but seriously doubted they were the real thing. The most exciting that that happened was when one of two the energy sensors she was carrying had gone off when she walked past the Totem Pole outside, causing them to stop and look at it for a moment. It was Jack that pointed out that since the Shack was in the middle of the woods, they probably had all sorts of energy connections that ran to the main part of town, causing the sensor to pick up on them. Agreeing, Maddie had switched them off and stuck them in her backpack.

Seeing all the other families there had caused a small frown to appear on her face. She couldn't remember the last time that they had done something together as a family. Granted, they had come all the way out to Oregon because of a vicious ghost attack and they had only come here to the Mystery Shack because of Danny's suggestion, but she didn't realize how much her family needed time as a family until she had seen Danny's shoulders visibly relax when they had walked inside.

Maddie had watched him grow up, solving complex equations in the blink of an eye without a calculator by the time he reached sixth grade. Coupled with being his favorite, Danny had excelled at science more than the other subjects. It was a few weeks into freshman year when his grades started to plummet and when he began to distance himself from his family and friends. Depression was the first thought that came to mind and after a few months, she had started to discuss with Jack if they should take Danny to a therapist. It wasn't long after that conversation that Danny started to brighten, hanging out with his friends more and talking with his family. He seemed better, other than the fact he started coming home with more bruises. Maddie's next thought was bullying and she immediately called the school, which did absolutely nothing to stop it. It seemed to lessen as the year went on before returning full force after spring break.

Her son had been so tense lately and his grades, while better than they were his freshman year, didn't reflect how smart he truly is. During his sophomore year, Danny had surprisingly exceeded the expectations the teachers had set for him. He went the entire year without the risk of failing a class, even though had had to double up on gym and history, since he had failed those two his freshman year. But, it had become normal for teachers to call after school, saying that Danny had fallen asleep again or had walked into class with a new bruise on his face. Right before they announced the trip to their children, two weeks before summer vacation started, Danny had come home with a bloody nose but refused to explain what really happened, choosing to stick with the excuse that he fell.

She just wanted to know what was happening with her son.

Maddie was sure that Jazz knew something, since she always seemed to be covering for him. Jazz had never been one to lie to them but in the past two years, it seems that is all she's done and only for Danny. What was her son doing that neither of her children wanted her to know about? Sighing, she looked up at her husband who seemed to be blissfully unaware of what she had been thinking about.

This vacation was something they've all needed.

3:22 pm

Once, for an English assignment back in middle school, Jazz had to write a three page paper about a trip she went on with her family. She had finished her paper with time to spare so she felt confident the day it was due, already imagining showing her parents the good grade she would get. However, her teacher asked her to stay after class, which never happened before. Curious and somewhat scared, Jazz had waited until everybody else had left before going to stand in front of her teacher's desk.

Mr. Mitsarlo had started sweet, praising Jazz at how nicely written her paper was. She had just started to believe that she wasn't in trouble when he dropped the bomb.

"It's a great story Jazz, but that's all it is. A story. You have great talent but I wanted a descriptive essay on a family trip that actually happened, not some fantasy that you had whipped up in your brain."

She had frowned at her teacher's statement.

"But this actually did happen."

She had written about the time her parents had taken her and her brother camping in a supposed haunted forest. She wrote about how her father had accidentally brought the food to life and how her mother had fended off ghostly hamburgers with two s'mores prongs while her dad fought off glowing hot dogs with teeth using only a flashlight and a piece of leftover firewood. Danny and Jazz both affectionately refer to the event as the "Ecto-Weenie Incident" and have scars from the carnivorous hot dogs.

Mr. Mitsarlo sighed at Jazz's response, glancing once more at her paper before scribbling a 79 on it.

"It's very well written, though it doesn't follow my criteria. I'm afraid this is the best grade I can give you."

It was bumped to a 100 by the end of the day because Danny had managed to take over ten pictures of the attack, thus providing proof to her English teacher.

That wasn't the only vacation where things didn't go as planned.

When Jazz was five, her parents took the family to Disney and were promptly banned from returning by the end of their first day there. The park didn't appreciate Jack pulling out an ectogun and shooting it wildly throughout the Haunted Mansion ride. How he managed to sneak it past security is something she will never understand.

Two years after that, they tried to visit Washington DC. That trip ended with five year old Danny covered in ectoplasm and sobbing in the middle of the White House. They were kindly asked to leave and never return, since Danny wasn't the only one that ended up covered in the green goop. They were actually sued by two families because of that incident, along with a major fine from the government.

Overall, Fenton vacations never ended on a good note which had Jazz wondering when something would go horribly wrong with this one.

Earlier that day, Jazz had grabbed her iPod and decided to go for a walk around town, just to get the feel of it. Sadly, the place was a small one so it didn't take long before Jazz found herself sitting alone on a bench, her elbows resting uncomfortably on the table in front of her.

Jazz hoped Danny was okay.

She had considered asking him if he wanted to join her on a walk but she knew he'd flat out refuse. Danny had seemed like he was working a study system so she didn't want to bother him. Neither of them really wanted to be on this trip but with Fenton Vacations, one really didn't have a choice.

She was so lost in thought, she didn't notice that her phone had lit up showing five unread messages or the growing plume of smoke coming from the woods behind her.

A/N: It is April 3, 2015 at 2:35 in the morning. Hey, I was close. I fell asleep right in the middle of editing this so if you see any mistakes, just lemme know. Now, goodnight and I'll see you when I get around to updating this or EMF.