It had been about ten minutes since Danny revealed who he was to Joan and Ellie and they had yet to utter a single word; a look of permanent surprise etched on their faces ever since they left Woodbury. Danny didn't mind if he was being honest with himself. He was relishing the flight through the cool, night sky, with the full moon illuminating everything below him. He was going slightly slower for their benefit as he didn't think they would appreciate the speeds he could get up to, especially as Joan was injured and had a slightly distrustful disposition towards Danny, so it was going to take slightly longer to reach Amity Park. From this altitude, Danny could clearly see the roads below him, and what was walking down them. From what he could estimate, there were about two hundred of them ambling down the main road which connected Woodbury to Amity Park; the only obstacles they faced were disused cars, which were beginning to unnerve Danny. Danny also used the silence as the gravity of the situation finally hit him. His world was gone, and in its place was this dark and decrepit excuse for a world, which to Danny, held the undeniable stench of death. It was then that Danny suddenly feared for his family and friends; he didn't think he could bear it if something had happened to any of them. Thankfully, it was as Amity Park came into view that Ellie finally spoke, breaking his morbid train of thought.
"Are you really Danny Phantom?" She asked, a hint of awe in her voice. "As in, the Danny Phantom? The Danny Phantom who saved the world from that green asteroid?"
Danny laughed. "Well I was the last time I checked."
"But, how?" Joan finally asked.
"How what?" Danny asked, looking down at the woman whom he was carrying.
"How are you here?" Danny shrugged. "Got dropped off by a friend of mine. I've been in the Ghost Zone for a while, so it looks like a lot's happened since I've been gone."
"You're not wrong." Ellie said, sniffling as the cold air made her nose run, her grip slightly tightening. "Look! There's the school!" Following her finger, Danny looked into the distance and saw something which made him frown. Caspar High had changed dramatically; a colossal green ecto-shield was encasing it, very similar to the one used when Pariah Dark and his army of skeleton soldiers invaded. The school grounds had large, metal slabs and various vehicles surrounding the perimeter, which Danny assumed they were being used as barriers. There was only one access point from what Danny could see on this side of the building, which had been left as the main school gate, but with barbed wire and spikes entwined through the bars. He could also see six figures on the opposite side, all armed. Thinking it would be better to walk up rather than drop in, literally, Danny landed a few hundred metres away. Dipping his shoulder down so Ellie could dismount easily, Danny also gently put Joan down on the ground, taking a quick survey around to make sure there weren't any things hiding in the dark. Satisfied they were alone, Danny turned his attention to the woman on the floor, who was struggling to get to her feet.
"Here, let me." Danny said, bending down and placing his hands on the bruised ankle. "Just relax."
"What are you going do?" Joan asked nervously.
Danny sighed. "Is it too much to ask that you just trust me? Even a little bit? If I wanted to hurt you, I would've dropped you when we were flying."
"Sorry." Joan said, not meeting the teen's eyes. "Not really used to trusting ghosts. Or not ghosts, ghosts."
Danny frowned. "Yeah, I'm use to that. But just try to relax. This will go a lot smoother if you keep your foot still." Pulling off the woman's shoe, Danny inspected the sprained ankle. It was an assortment of browns, blues and purples and had swelled up like a balloon. There was no way she was going to be able to get her shoe back on with that. Focussing on her foot, Danny's eyes began to glow a vibrant blue as he felt his ice powers travel up his body and down his arms into his hands. As the mother and daughter looked on in amazement, with Joan only flinching slightly at the sudden chill, the injured ankle began to reduce in size and the colours retracted back to their usual pinkish colour.
"There we go." Danny said, absorbing his ice powers back into his core. "Try moving it around." If Ellie's and Joan's jaws hadn't hit the floor when Danny's eyes glowed blue, they certainly had now as Joan wiggled her toes and rotated her ankle without so much as a whimper. Gingerly getting to her feet with the aid of Ellie, she put all her weight on her foot and was astonished when she didn't even feel a twinge.
"H…How?" She asked. Danny shrugged his shoulders. "I didn't spend all that time in the Ghost Zone twiddling my thumbs. I picked up a few things. Now, you're going to need to keep off of it for a while once we get inside. Do you think you'll be alright to walk just a little bit further? Or would you prefer me to carry you?"
"I think I'll be alright, thanks." Joan said, taking a few tentative steps.
"Good." Danny said, taking a look towards the school at the end of the street, where he could see the figures on guard at the front gate. "Come on then. Let's go say hi."
As they approached the school, Danny saw how the Ghost Shield hit the ground several feet away from the gate. When they were no more than ten feet away from touching the shield, one of the armed figures stepped forward, their gun raised in their direction. Danny noticed that they were all wearing balaclavas and ski goggles, presumably to keep out the cold. Or to look intimidating.
"Halt!" He shouted gruffly, causing the trio to stop in their tracks. "Who goes there?"
"Please," Joan begged, inching slightly closer. "We're alive. Please let us in. We're trying to find my husband. He should have arrived two days ago."
"Names?" Asked another guard, female this time, who had a clipboard in one hand and a torch in the other.
"Hemmingway." Joan said. "Joan and Ellie Hemmingway."
"Wife and child to Greg Hemmingway?"
"Yes!" Ellie exclaimed. "That's him."
"Alright, open the gate." The woman said, gesturing to two other guards. "We've been expecting you for a while."
"We got held up in Woodbury." Joan said, putting her arm around her daughter and walking forwards, through the Ghost Shield. "This young man here saved us."
"And just what might be your name then?" Asked another guard, male this time. "And why are you dressed like a crappy Grim Reaper?" Danny couldn't help but think he recognised the voice.
"What difference does my name make?" Danny challenged. "And by the way, I take offense to that. I've met Grim and I'm pretty sure he would take offense to that too. He worked hard on his outfit."
"Listen here smartass." The guard said aggressively, taking a step beyond the shield. "You may think you look cool, hiding away in that hood of yours, but around here, you do as we ask. We're stretched enough for food and supplies as it is, so we're not just going to let any random person in. So I'll tell you again. Tell me your name." With this, three others stepped forwards and aimed their guns at Danny's face. When Danny didn't answer, the guards couldn't help but feel spooked by the stranger in front of them. Just as they were about to demand an answer, Danny saw their eyes widen behind their goggles as he heard a noise from behind him. Turning his head, Danny observed three things coming up the street towards them; even from this distance, Danny could see the appalling state they were in. Their clothes were hanging off, dried blood caked them from head to toe, and all had various limbs and patches of flesh missing.
"CLOSE THE GATES AND TAKE AIM!" Shouted the one who had been rude to Danny, whilst one stepped back to guard the door to the school on the off chance one managed to make it through. Smirking slightly, Danny raised his hand to stop them. Then, turning fully towards the oncoming enemies, Danny then raised his arm towards a nearby, unlit lamppost. It gained a green aura and was ripped out of the ground and headed towards them. Concentrating, the post, as if superheated, began to bend with ease without breaking and became a lasso, ensnaring all three of them. Raising his arm higher, Danny placed the now three struggling things on a nearby roof. Now, turning back to face the four guards who had been aiming at him, Danny concentrated on their guns and ripped them from their hands, causing them to float in the gap between them.
"Now," began Danny, his arm still outstretched. "Say please, and you can have your guns back." Whilst the guards on this side of the gate were stuck in a stupor, eyes fixated on their floating weapons, Danny noticed that Joan and Ellie were chuckling at the sight before them.
"Please." The guard murmured. To Danny, it sounded like he would rather kiss one of the things he just put on the roof than apologise to him, but Danny knew that was the best he was going to get. Acknowledging the apology, Danny sent the guns back to their owners, the green aura vanished. The moment he relinquished control, Danny felt a small, stabbing sensation in his stomach. Right, Danny thought, trying to hide the discomfort he was. Try not to overexert in human form. Still not used to it. Probably should have got Clockwork to train my human side whilst I was there. Danny was so caught up in his thoughts that he didn't realise the guards were mumbling amongst themselves.
"How the hell did he do that?" Asked one of them.
"I don't know." Said the female guard, giving the hooded stranger furtive glances. They were all slightly on edge at the fact they could only see one, blue eye protruding through the darkness.
"Maybe it was the Fenton's?" Suggested one of the guards. "They're always making crazy new weapons. Maybe it was one of them and this guy managed to steal it." Danny whipped his head up at his surname.
"Wait." His voice taking on a tone of urgency. "The Fentons are alive? And here?"
"Why the sudden interest in the freaky Fentons?" Asked one of them, causing Danny's blood to boil slightly at the insult. That feeling, however, vanished when Danny recognised the insult.
"Wait, I know you." Danny said, more to himself than anyone else. It was then that he saw a small wisp of blonde hair poking inside the ski goggles. "Dash? Is that you?" With that, he took down his hood and pushed the overhanging bang behind his ear, revealing both blue eyes. The guard gasped and pulled down his balaclava and took off his goggles to reveal the ex-jock himself.
"Fenton?"
The ex-classmates just stood there looking at each other for what seemed an age.
"Hey Dash." Danny said awkwardly. He wasn't really sure what to say to someone who spent two years bullying him and his friends. "How's it going?"
"Fenton." Dash repeated, walking towards the teen. Then realisation hit him as his eyes widened. "Wait, Phantom! But, Fenton?" Realising Dash was about to lose it, Danny set his mind at ease.
"Fenton's fine Dash." With this, he stuck out his hand. Slowly mirroring the action, Dash gradually shook Danny's hand, before a wide smile spread across his face.
"Fenton!" He shouted happily. Before Danny knew it, Dash brought him into a bone-crushing bear hug, which Danny had to phase out of, causing multiple jaws to drop once again. "That was so cool!"
"Thanks." Danny said, rubbing the back of his neck. "I think."
"Hey Kwan!" Dash called behind him to the guard who went to stand by the door. "Get over here. It's Fenton." Said guard walked over and removed his balaclava and ski goggle to reveal the Asian jock that used to aid Dash in his bullying antics. As he got closer to the pair his eyes widened at the sight of the now six foot Danny Fenton.
"Danny Fenton." He said, sticking his hand. "My God you're a sight for sore eyes."
"Hey Kwan." Danny said, shaking his hand. "It's been a while."
"You can say that again." Kwan said. "So where the hell have you been?"
"I've been in the Ghost Zone." Danny explained. "Listen, can we go inside? Joan needs to put her foot up and find her husband. Besides, there could be more of them out here."
"Yeah, sure." Dash said, walking back through the Ghost Shield and the gate, before turning back to Danny. "Can you get through here?" To answer his question, Danny walked through it with ease, not being affected by the shield in the slightest.
"That would be a yes." Danny said, much to Dash and Kwan's amazement. "I can pass through them in my human form. It's just when I'm Phantom that I tend to get a nasty shock." Dash nodded before turning to the female guard.
"Tammy, can you get Dillon and Ashley to cover us whilst we take these guys inside?"
"Sure." She said, taking out her radio. Dash turned back to Danny, and then to Joan and Ellie.
"Come on then." He said. "Let's give you the grand tour. And, there are some people who will be mighty pleased to see you breathing, well, you know." Danny couldn't help but chuckle Dash, still slightly surprised that he had an actual conversation without Dash taking a swing at him.
Whilst Kwan took Joan and Ellie off to find Greg, Dash took Danny. Leading him down a series of corridors, Danny couldn't help but feel nostalgic as memories, both good and bad, streamed through his mind. They just passed the locker where Danny had been trapped by Sidney Poindexter and then the cafeteria where Danny had his first proper ghost fight with the Lunch Lady Ghost; he could even hear people on the other side door, chatting and laughing. Passing some of the History classrooms, they encountered some other people who looked a little worse for wear, but when they saw Danny, they looked down and hurried off.
"How many people are here Dash?" Danny inquired, who felt slightly uncomfortable by their behaviour.
Dash let out a long breath. "I want to say around two hundred and fifty. Maybe three hundred, but I can't be sure. Oh, and there's something you should know, which you probably won't like."
"Like I haven't heard that before." Danny muttered, instinctively raising his hood again, hiding his face once more as they passed yet more people who treated him in the same way the others had. Dash noticed but didn't comment. "What is it? People still don't trust ghosts?"
"No, it's not that." Dash said quickly, before catching himself. "We've got more things to worry about now than ghosts. It's more to do with you, as in specifically you."
"What are you trying to say Dash?" Queried Danny, wondering what had come over the ex-jock. "Spit it out."
"There are, um, some people here, well quite a few people actually, who aren't exactly, um, happy with you." Dash said, fiddling around with his weapon awkwardly, which Danny suddenly realised was one of his parents' ecto-blasters. "That is, Phantom you, not Fenton you. Well, I suppose they won't be happy with Fenton you either."
"So everyone knows." Danny said; it was a statement, not a question. "Figures as much. But why aren't they happy with me?"
"No wonder we nicknamed you the 'Clueless One'." Dash muttered under his breath, which Danny heard. "Basically, you weren't here when we needed you the most. We could have really used you in the beginning. We lost a great many people that could have been saved." This caused Danny to stop in his tracks at what Dash had told him. People died, he thought, his legs beginning to shake. People died, and I wasn't here. I'm supposed to be their protector, and I failed. A swift back hand from Dash was enough to break through to Danny.
"Hey, listen to me Fenton." He said seriously, looking him dead in the eye, which was odd to begin with. He was used to looking down at Danny, but his growth spurt had changed all that. "I, as well as quite a few people here, know that there must have been some reason why you've taken so long to get back. So snap out of it. I told you that just to prepare you. There may be some resentful comments heading your way." Something tells me I've been gone longer than two months, Danny thought to himself as they resumed walking, when something occurred to him.
"Hey Dash, can I ask you something?"
"Go for it."
"Why are you being so nice to me?" Danny asked bluntly. "Don't get me wrong, I'm glad you are. But, after what you just said about what happened because I wasn't here, why aren't you hurling abuse at me and trying to take my head off?" This caused Dash to laugh, which sounded alien to Danny.
"You forget Fenton, I was one of the first believers in Phantom, um, I mean you." Dash said, blushing slightly as he said it; he wasn't used to paying Danny Fenton compliments. "We knew you'd be coming back at some point. True, we would have preferred you come back a bit sooner, but obviously that couldn't be helped. You're here now, that's what matters." This time Danny was completely taken aback by Dash's attitude.
"Well look at you Dash," Danny said in an appraising tone. "Sounds like you've grown up since the last time we met."
"We had to, given the circumstances." Dash said solemnly, before coming to a stop outside one of the Chemistry classrooms. "Here we are. They're right inside."
"Thanks Dash." Danny said truthfully, giving the ex-jock a smile, despite the fact he couldn't see it. "I'll see you around." Just as Danny placed his hand on the handle, Dash spoke again.
"Hey, um, Danny?" He asked, nervous about using his first name.
"Yeah?"
"When you get a chance, go to the north end of the football pitch. There's something down there you should see." With that, Dash turned on his heels and marched off, leaving Danny deep in thought as to what he told him, before turning back to the Chemistry door. Taking a deep breath, Danny pushed down on the handle and walked inside the room.
All the work benches were either piled high with bits of machinery and weapons, or had beakers and flasks boiling some sort of liquid over Bunsen Burners, which to Danny, looked eerily green. I bet my half-life they've got ectoplasm in them, thought Danny as he inspected one closely. I bet it was Dad's idea.
"Hey, is someone there?" A feminine voice called out from the back of the classroom; Danny's heart palpitated slightly in recognition. "Jack, I think Jazz is back." Turning a corner, Danny came face to face with a woman in a black and blue hazmat suit, with short brown hair.
"Can I help you?" She asked, scrutinising the tall, black-cloaked figure in front of her. "It's not Halloween yet, is it? I thought we were still in winter."
"I wouldn't really know what month it was." Danny said, finally finding his voice. "I've been gone for quite a while."
"Wait, I know that voice." Maddie said, inching slightly forwards. "It's been a long time, but I'm sure I know that voice."
"I should hope so." Danny said, laughing nervously. "I think I might feel slightly insulted if you didn't." With that, Danny pulled down his hood and swept the bang behind his ear once again so Maddie could see his entire face. She didn't recognise him straight away; his face had lost all its puppy fat, he had grown half a foot, his frame had filled out and his hair was now almost twice the length it had been. From one moment, where her eyes studied every feature, to the next when she launched herself across the room and pulled Danny into a hug which rivalled Dash's, tears flowing freely.
"My boy." She sobbed. "My boy is back. My boy is back." Danny didn't have the heart to phase out of grip. Knowing her, she would probably suck him inside a thermos if he even thought about doing just that.
"I'm sorry mom." Danny said, tears threatening to spill. "I'm so sorry."
"Don't," Maddie said, still gripping tightly. "You couldn't have known what was going to happen. You can't blame yourself."
"But I could have done something." Danny said. "I could have helped people. No one would have died."
"Danny Fenton." Maddie said, pulling away and looking up into her son's eyes. "That is far too great a burden to carry. Don't you dare put yourself through that. You're here now, that's what matters." Instead of speaking, Danny just brought his mother in for another hug.
"Please tell me everyone else is ok?" Danny begged after a few moments. "That no one is like, well, them?"
"We lost a lot of people in the beginning. Some we knew, many we didn't." Maddie said, echoing what Dash had said earlier. "But rest assured, the Manson's, the Foley's and we Fenton's are all safe. Well…"
"'Well'?" Asked Danny, on the verge of panicking. "Don't 'well' me mom. What's happened?"
"It's your father." Maddie said. "About a month after we secured the school, some of them got in. We hadn't perfected our defences, and we lost some people. Your father was bitten."
"Bitten?" Danny asked in horror.
"It's ok sweetie. Your father is ok, but we had to act quickly." Maddie said reassuringly. "Jack! Grab your stick and get out here. There's someone here to see you." It was then that Danny heard someone moving heavy-footedly in the room where they kept all the chemicals.
"I told you Maddie," came Jack's loud voice. "It's not a stick. It's the Fenton Multi-Purpose Mobility Staff. It's better than a stick because it has the word 'Fenton' on it." As soon as Jack walked through the doorway, Danny couldn't stop the gasp which escaped his lips. His father was exactly the way he remembered; still large, still wearing his black and orange jumpsuit and still had a kind face. But instead of focussing on what he was used to seeing his father as, Danny's eyes were drawn to his left leg, which ended abruptly at the knee. Instead of the rest of his leg, in its place was a thick, metal prosthetic that ended in a stump. It also appeared to be covered in a multitude of panels. He was also using a gleaming silver crutch, adorned with various multi-coloured buttons, to aid his movement. To Danny, it looked suspiciously like an elongated Fenton Thermos, which if he knew his father like he thought he did, it probably acted as one when a certain button was pressed.
"Danny-boy?" Jack asked disbelieving when his eyes fell on Danny. "Is that you?"
"Dad." Danny said smiling. He then raced forwards and embraced his father, who was also pleasantly surprised at the rate in which his son had grown. "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine son." Jack said happily. "Couldn't be better."
"But, your leg?" Danny said, gesturing to the prosthetic; Jack tapped it with his crutch.
"Nothing to worry about." He said. "Hasn't stopped me getting around and making new inventions. Take a look at this." He pressed a brown button on his crutch and a large panel opened up on his prosthetic. Reaching down, Jack pulled out several cubes of fudge and popped them in his mouth.
"That is probably one of the craziest things I have ever seen you invent." Danny said, trying his hardest not to burst out laughing at his father's childish antics and obsession with fudge.
"Smashing, isn't it?" Jack asked brightly, pushing the same button causing the panel to close.
"'Smashing?'" Danny queried.
"Sorry son. I've been spending too much time with Georgey." Jack said. "His accent tends to rub off sometimes." Danny looked over to Maddie, who just mouthed 'later', causing Danny to chuckle once more.
"So where's everyone else? Jazz, Sam and Tucker?" Danny asked.
"They're part of the R&R teams." Maddie said.
"'R&R?'" Danny asked, confused.
"Stands for Reconnaissance & Raiding Danny-Boy." Jack said. "They go off into teams and scout places with potential supplies. If the place is crawling with Rotters, they come back and we send a whole team in to clear them out, and take what we need. As we speak, Sam is off in one team with Tucker and Jazzy-Pants is in another team."
Danny let out a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness for that." It was then that Danny finally built up the courage to ask what he had been dreading. "I've been gone longer than a few months, haven't I?"
"I'm afraid so sweetie." Maddie said, giving her son a sad look. Just as she was about to explain further, the door to the Chemistry room burst open and Dash rushed in, a look of horror spread all across his flushed face.
"Fentons." He gasped collectively. "We've got a big problem."
"What's happened Dash?" Maddie asked.
"Our Watcher in the Eagles-Nest has just spotted flares."
"What colour?" Asked Jack, his usually jovial tone turning to one of seriousness.
"Red." Said Dash.
"What does that mean?" Danny asked, now beginning to get worried himself.
"Which team was it?" Maddie asked worriedly, not giving Dash an opportunity to answer Danny.
"The one which was investigating the abandoned warehouse down Claremont Street." Dash said.
"But that's…" began Maddie, sharing a terrified look with Jack. "That's where Jazz's team was sent."
Just wanted to say thank you for those who recommended 'Wide Awake' by Tori Stone. It was a brilliant story, and I further recommend it to any other readers. Once again, I hope you enjoyed this chapter and continue to read on. Until next time. Lord Pugsy.