Divine Providence: A Danny Phantom Elseworld
by Futuramakid
DISCLAIMER: I don't own Danny Phantom, and I also don't own the inspiration of this Elseworld, which will be apparent to the reader of both... I do claim this Elseworld version of Danny and co. my own, though.
But... there's something to do before I can follow the kid's advice... With a concentration, I manage to be me again... thankfully. I start back toward the Fentons'.
Sam, what are we going to do? I'm... Well, if you don't tell them about this, I'm dead. And you're... well... responsible.
I don't know, Danny, I just... I can't just leave Tucker to do things alone.
I arrive back.. they're home, Tucker's in the living room.
...and I can hear Mom and Dad through the door...
I open the door.
"...Sam... Good to see you back... Are you feeling okay?"
Tucker looked rather concerned and a tad weary as he approached him.
"...Yeah, I'm fine... you... told them?"
Mom... Dad... I... I wish I could tell you...
...I can feel his pain... It's deep, and taking the best of my calm to not let it show. Danny, it's... it's for the best. Please... calm down...
"Yeah, I did," he replied, his voice lowering "I... I think we should leave them to... deal."
I nodded. My eyes dart one last time to the Fentons...
...I... I'm sorry...
I leave the house with Tucker.
"...So..." I begin, unsure where to start.
"...so," he echoed, "...I... Part of me wants to talk about this and part of me says it's not going to change anything."
"...Tucker... do you believe in an afterlife?" I ask him.
"What, you mean like ghosts?" he said, "not really. It's a concept, sure... but strictly a pseudoscience, as far as it's been seen. And... I think today's... experiment... just lessened the odds."
Man, Tuck... I...
"...Danny's... in a good place, Tuck. He was a good person. I'm sure wherever he is... he's... happy."
Lies off my tongue... Danny's right here and devastated by the impact of his 'death'... but that's best private, for now...
...Sam. Tucker deserves better... You know that.
I wince, it's true...
"...Sam? You okay?"
"...Tucker... I... I need to tell you something. But I need you to promise me you won't tell anyone, okay?"
"...Sam, what's this about?"
I look him straight in the eyes.
"Tucker... promise me."
"...okay, Sam. I promise."
"Tucker... Danny's not dead."
"...Sam, I think you need to lie down."
...Ugh, Tucker, you know me better than that! I keep on.
"Tucker, I'm not lying... When Danny pushed me out of the way... something happened. He... he didn't die. He's... in me. And he's... an angel. I know it sounds like stuff that could get me institutionalized, but I swear, it's true."
He paused, looking at me strangely, and then calmly.
"...Fine. If you've got Danny inside of you or whatever... tell me something only he and I would know."
Okay, okay, gimme a second... got it.
"You and Danny... you made a secret password for if you ever time-travelled in first grade. It was swordfish."
Tucker stopped midstep.
"...What... how..."
"...I'm still fuzzy on that. But I have a lead. You wanna come with?"
He nodded, silently. And we were off...
Tucker hands me the book. Angels on Earth, by Professor R.K. Simpson.
"...One subgenre of angel, written of in only a few rare texts, is the Earth-born angel, or Earth angel... Similar to Earth's elementals, Earth angels are part of both the Seraphim and Guardian Angel orders, bridging the gap between heaven and earth... There are three at any given time, overseeing love, light, and fire, respectively... An Earth-born angel is believed to be created in very specific circumstances, where one person selflessly sacrifices themselves for the purpose of saving one who is unworthy..."
...Unworthy? Pffft. That's gotta be some misprint. I mean...We're equals. I'm no better than you...
...Iblush. That's... not quite right... I... wouldn't be half as guilty about my parents if I was the dead one... Tucker raises a brow at me. I shrug.
"What are you two talking about in there?" he asks, curious.
"Nothing," I reply, "it's... nothing."
"Right..." he replied, "...so... this all seems so surreal. You heard his voice in your head, and you meet a little kid who knows why by chance. It's all so..."
"...Improbable? I figure it one of two ways... It's either incredible luck... Or someone's on my side."
"What're you saying, Sam? God likes you?"
"...Well, I... we... are an angel now... it's not that far a jump."
He shrugs.
"...This is all a bit much for me... I... I think I need some time to absorb it."
Understandable. This is... all rather large stuff.
I nodded.
"Okay... see you at school?"
"Count on it."
I take a breath, and stand up. Well, now it's back home... I head out, thinking about how to handle things there...
...I try to keep my astonishment at the thoughts that brings hidden. I fail.
I know, Danny, it's not good, it's not healthy... But... it's how we live. You... don't know them like I do.
...Well. I guess I will like this.
I sigh. Yet another reason to dread getting home...