Chapter 10: Family Reunion

I stood to the side as I saw Danny run to embrace the woman on the couch. As I stepped a few feet closer, just close enough to see who it was, I nearly shouted out in surprise. On the couch was a very recognizable blue jumpsuit. Maddie Fenton was here, whether she technically should be or not.

Danny told her what had happened to their family and home, and she broke down about halfway though. I didn't blame her, she had lost a child and lover. Anyone who could make it through that intact didn't have a soul.

I stood there for several minutes before Maddie pulled herself together and finally saw me. "Danny, who's that?"

I moved closer and fully into the dim light the lamp let off. "Hi, Mrs. Fenton." I gave a weak smile, still trying to wrap my brain around how someone that was supposed to be dead was sitting her right in front of me. Was this how Danny had felt when he first realized it was me all those months ago?

"Sam!" She got up and pulled me into a hug that rivaled both the one she'd given her son not too long ago and the famous, bone-crushing, ones Jack Fenton had always been known to give out. She released me and turned back to Danny. "I thought you said everyone except you and Tucker was dead."

His hand met the back of his neck in his normal nervous style. "I hadn't gotten that far yet. Sam, can you help me with this?"

I shrugged. "Sure." I moved to sit next to Danny and reached for his hand to comfort him.

Maddie gave us a look. "So you two finally got together." Danny's face turned a brilliant shade of red, it was kinda cute how easily he got embarrassed when someone made a comment like that.

"Yes, mom."

"Took you long enough. You two aren't doing anything stupid, are you?"

"No!" Danny practically shouted. I decided to step in and spare him yet another lecture.

"He doesn't need another lecture, he already got two or three yesterday."

"Well, he may not, but do you?"

"I gave him the first one. I don't think you have anything to worry about." I gave Danny a smile.

Maddie seemed pleased with my response, at least enough so to move on to a new topic. "Danny, where are we?"

"We're at my school apartment. After the explosion, Vlad paid for me and Tucker to get a full ride at Casper. Sam goes here too"

I knew Maddie's next question before it even left her mouth. "Danny, Casper is and all boys private school, how is Sam here?"

"That's a long story, mom." He looked to me.

How much do we tell her? Even in his mind, I could hear his urgency, he knew we didn't really have much time to discuss this.

As much as you're willing to tell her. You can even tell her about the GIW and our powers if you want. Danny would never admit it, but I could tell he was happy to be in control of this.

"I'm sure I have time, sweetie, Now tell me." Maddie was looking between the two of us expectantly, the slight motherly tone in her voice told us she would be gentle and understanding, but we weren't getting out of this.

"Sam was in to lab when the explosion happened. After everything settled down, she was just gone. There was no body, or body parts to be found. She reappeared about six months ago, but she didn't know who she was." Danny stopped, I think he was still trying to figure out exactly how much he wanted to say.

Maddie nodded, signaling that she was waiting for Danny to continue. He still looked unsure, but I gave his hand a slight, reassuring, squeeze and he continued. "Clockwork had saved her the same way he saved you, but she was sent to the Ghost Zone where the Guys in White found her."

He stopped once again. You sure it's okay if I tell her this?

Danny, it's your choice. I think you should be honest with her though.

Danny sighed and spoke aloud once more. "When the GIW found her, they started to train her as one of their own agents. Two years later, they sent her here to gather information on a ghost that's been around here since I got here. They wanted to learn about Danny Phantom." He stopped for what was seemingly like the billionth time, but Maddie actually spoke before he continued this time.

"Surely she would have gotten the information they needed by now."

"I did, Mrs. Fenton, but there was a complication with something I found out." I turned to Danny. "Do you want to tell her?"

"I don't think I could really get out of it now." He took a breath to calm himself of the nerves he was likely feeling. "Mom, I need you to promise me you won't freak out when you see this." Maddie nodded, a reassuring look on her face. She probably thought there was nothing Danny could say that would push her beyond her normal limits of thinking.

Danny stood up. "Mom, that portal explosion altered my DNA." He let his blue rings wash over him, leaving Phantom where Fenton once was. "I'm half-ghost. I'm Danny Phantom."

Maddie took in a sharp breath, whatever she had been expecting, this certainly wasn't it. In her mind, it was probably impossible for a human to have ghost powers. "When did you find out about this, Sam?"

I wasn't sure why she felt the need to know, but I answered her anyway. "About two months after I got here. It's really rather pathetic that it took me that long to figure it out."

"Oh, please, Sam. I couldn't even figure out your little secrets."

"There was a reason we called you clueless."

"Would one of you like to fill me in on these secrets?" Maddie had gotten over the shock of Danny being half-ghost. I have a feeling that had this been under almost any other circumstances, she would have lost it.

Danny transformed back to his human half, taking his seat beside me once more. "The first one with my involvement with the GIW. The second is that I'm half-ghost too."

"But how is that possible? Danny was the only one inside that portal." It was my turn to sigh as I told her about my family line and the ghost DNA running through it. I could practically see her scientific mind at work as I told the story, she was trying to make sense of it the best she could. At the end of it all, she asked to see my ghost form.

"I can't transform, Mrs. Fenton."

"Why not? You should have the same abilities as Danny, if anything, they should be stronger. Just try." She was eager to see something I didn't really want to risk showing her.

"I can, I just shouldn't." I was once again back to telling my story. I paused when I got to the part that had been haunting me lately as I started to see it's full affects.

"Vlad's ghost half resides inside me now and as much as I hate to admit it, he has more control than he should." She gave a questioning look. "Last time I tried to transform, Plasmius took over within seconds. His own invention was the only reason I didn't hurt anyone. Danny shorted out my powers when Plasmius took over."

"I would still like to see this." Of course, she wanted hard proof of my story. I considered it, maybe she could help me to keep Plasmius in the back of my mind, where he should be. "Couldn't Danny just short your powers out again if need be?"

Danny finally spoke up for the first time since I started speaking. "I could if you wanted, Sam. Mrs. Stuth gave me the Plasmius Maximus in case we needed it. Though how she got ahold of it in the first place is beyond me." He muttered the last part, though he did have a point. That teacher seemed to know more than she let on and could apparently get ahold of things most people wouldn't even know existed.

I gave in. If she wanted to see it so badly and Danny could stop any damage from being done, then I might as well let her have her fun It's kinda the least I could do after we dropped all those emotional bombshells on her. "Fine."

Danny cloned himself, and sent his duplicate to get the device. I felt it come back and start moving invisibly faster than I could track. I took a deep breath.

I let my rings form and separate, heading to opposite pokes of my body just as they always did. I felt Plasmius trying to come out and I tried to hold him back as long as I could. I succeeded until Danny asked if I was okay and accidentally broke my concentration. A new wave of power washed over me and there was a faint jab in my side shortly thereafter.

I once again hit the floor, but I managed to keep myself conscious this time. Barely.

"Sam, sweetie? Are you okay?" Maddie's face was full of concern, a motherly concern my own mother had been reluctant to give after learning of the ghost half my younger self possessed.

I nodded. "I just need some sleep." She seemed to understand instantly.

"Okay. I guess I'll sleep on the couch then."

"There's no need, mom." Danny cut in. I knew what he was about to say and would have shook my head in mock embarrassment had I not been so damn tired. He did realize what he was setting himself up for, right?

"Why? Do you have three bedrooms?" I think she already knew where this was going, she was still debating as to how much she really liked that idea.

"No, you can sleep in my old one. I usually share a room with Sam now."

Maddie raised an eyebrow. "And you're not doing anything stupid?" Danny set himself up for this one, but I was too tired to have to sit here and listen to yet another lecture.

"I won't even let him sleep without a shirt on. Can we please go to bed now?" I was leaning more and more of my weight onto Danny, letting his strong arms hold me upright when I felt as though I was literally going to fall asleep standing up.

"Fine, but if I get even a hint that anything funny is going on, there will be hell to pay." She was easily falling back into her parenting role, then again, for her it had been only a matter of hours since she'd used it last.

Danny held me in his arms as we walked to our room. I don't remember my head hitting the pillow, just the sweet darkness that took over before I even realized it was coming.

Yay Maddie's back and in the loop! :D

...I just figured out how this whole thing is going to end...I am going to have sooo many death threats after that... :P

Comments and feedback are welcome as always! :D

Invisible One