"Take her into the next room" the Captain ordered then turned his attention back the Fentons "Look you guys should go home and get some rest, this investigation might take some time. We will call if anything comes up, okay?" They nodded exiting silently. For the Fentons the night seemed to drag on as Jack and Maddie waited for the phone to ring or even a knock at the door. With both parents distracted Danny snuck out to patrol with ease.
The night was unusually quiet as Team Phantom searched the city for any signs of ghostly activity. Eventually, since it was a Friday night, they meet up at the park when they thought for sure there were no ghosts out.
"So what are the police doing now?" Sam asked after Danny finished explaining what the 'important family business' was.
"I don't know, but my parents are worried sick, I can only imagine if they don't find her. My parents will be crushed." Danny groaned "You should have seen the look on my dad's face when he thought they had found her, it was like someone mentioned all you can eat fudge then said it was just a joke."
"Maybe you should go home and wait with them. You know, in case they call and your parents decide to bring you and Jazz to the station again." Tucker suggested
"Nah, Jazz told them I was at Sam's house and there is something I need to take care of first. I found a ghost's lair today. Just floating in the middle of an alleyway, I can't just let it sit there. Who knows what will happen."
"Yeah, but can't it wait til tomorrow. You've kinda earned a day off." Tucker reasoned.
"Yeah, I guess, but we deal with it tomorrow no matter what." He said seriously "It's dangerous out in the open."
"Alright man first thing tomorrow we'll send it to the Ghost Zone."
"Now go home, even you need sleep." Sam demanded.
"Yeah, I guess" he admitted.
The next day was greeted with a knock on the door and a big rush to get ready. She had been found and she was finally home. Sure there would be paperwork and a lot of questions but everyone was in a fairly good mood. The policeman at the door explained what had happened and what was going to have to happen with a straight face and wide hand gestures before leaving Delilah at the door, allowing her to go home for the first time in her life.
"Um, hi" She waved nervously at her overjoyed parents.
"Well, come on in" Jack bellowed taking her by the hand and dragging her into the front room. "We should wake up the kids!"
"Jack, sweetie use your inside voice. Now Delilah, did police explain everything to you? Schooling arrangements, who everyone is, who we are?" Maddie said starting to ramble, but Delilah just sat there petrified by all the overwhelming information that was being thrown at her. Where they were, what they did, who they were, what her new siblings were like.
"Mom! Dad! Can't you see you're scaring her half to death!" Jazz yelled from the top of the stairs "See this is the perfect to start forming a more nurturing environment like I've been talking about."
"Will everyone please just quiet down" Danny yelled over top of everyone moving to get a look at his new sister. Everything just froze.
"But- You're not real." The twins said at the same time.
"You, guys know each other?" Jazz asked in surprise "How?"
Delilah sat mute, it would be hard to explain that she thought he was just a figment of her imagination because most nights when she goes to sleep he's in her dreams. Usually they would just sit down and talk, yell or rant to the other about their problems wherever they were in the dream. Though that did leave room for one big question, if Danny was real then was everything he said real to? What they talked about was one of the biggest reasons they thought the other was fake, they thought they had made someone up that could understand their problems. With one look at the other they knew the answer, yes. Yes everything they said to each other was real and true, every complaint and every secret was 100% undeniably true.
"Danny, Delilah how do you know each other already?" Maddie pushed
"Um, Mom?" Danny spoke up "Do you remember how when I was a kid I would tell you about those weird dreams I had with the girl in it? Well those have continued and she was the girl. And how are you real?" He asked dumbfounded "They were just dreams?"
"I don't know, how are you real?" She shot back, still confused.
"This is so cool. It would make a great essay on the bond of twins." Jazz mumbled
"Oh joy a shrink, just what I need." Delilah whispered earning shocked stares from her parents.
"What language was that?" Jack asked
"Language? Oh! I was speaking Esperanto! I do that sometimes." She answered sheepishly.
"Maybe we could talk over breakfast or something." Danny spoke up "It is eight."
"Okay" Maddie said "Let's have some waffles. Do you like waffles sweetie?" Delilah nodded. "Great I'll go get started."
"I'll get the lab ready for a tour!" Jack exclaimed.
"Well, that was, something." Delilah laughed relaxing a bit. Jazz walked off to get ready for the day and Jack's footsteps could be heard stomping down the stairs to the lab.
"Yeah. Don't worry you'll get used to it" Danny said guiding her to the kitchen. "So what have you been up to?"
"Same ol' same ol' and you?"
"Same ol' same ol'" Danny said with a sigh. Maddie worked around the kitchen grabbing what she needed to make breakfast as the twins entered attempting to hold a conversation. Jazz, who had gotten dressed, came running down the stairs with books and journals in her arms.
"Okay so can you explain some of the dreams? What do you do and say? Where and or when are you? How vivid are these dreams? When was the last time this happened? What does it feel like? Have you ever- "
"You know they say breathing in between your sentences can greatly expand your life expectancy." Delilah interjected " It also gives people the chance to reply."
"Also, what happened to creating a nurturing environment?" Danny asked
"You guys! This could make my career in psychology, the idea of twins forming a mental link has been passed around for years. Just imagine if I could prove it."
"No psychoanalysis at the table Jazz!" Danny yelled before grabbing her notebook and running. Ecto blasters went off in the basement.
"My bad" Jack yelled
"So is this an everyday kind of thing or just the buzz that comes from new people?" Delilah asked looking up at Maddie.
"Yeah it should settle down about noon. The waffle iron is heating up so food should be on the table in a half hour, maybe after that we could head to the mall and get you some new clothes. Or at least a new pair of shoes" She added when she saw Delilah about to protest "And we'll need to get some new parts while we are out."
"Ghost stuff?"
"What?"
"I- don't know. I just remember Danny saying something about you guys being ghost hunters. Also, I don't see what's wrong with my shoes."
"Well, you can't wear combat boot in gym class, and we should probably get you a coat or something heavier than your hoodie. Wait, is that a Danny Phantom hoodie?"
"Yep" Delilah said with a cheeky smile "I made it myself too."
"You know ghosts are very dangerous"
"Oh, yeah, I know. Believe me, I know." I'm just one of the most dangerous people in the world, so I don't care, she thought. "I've had my fair share of run ins with ghosts."
"You've been attacked?" Maddie asked a bit startled
"No, but I know some can pack a bit of a punch." She was half living proof of that.
"I see, so, you and Danny. How long have you guys been able to talk with each other?" Maddie asked, trying to steering the conversation into a new direction.
"As long as I can remember, it's not an every night thing but frequent enough to be up to date with each other and what's up. I've practically meet all of his friends."
"Oh" Maddie said quietly staring down at the table deep in thought.
"Hey do you any help cooking?" She asked happily "I have to admit I've never actually had waffles so I'm not really sure how they are made but it can't be that hard. They're like pancakes, right?"
"Yeah" she chuckled softly "Just a bit crispy is all."
"Oh. Are they easy to make?" Delilah asked honestly curious
"Yes"
"Cool" Maddie laughed then patted her daughter on the head.
"I am so glad you're home."