Valerie, Tucker, and Sam merely blinked at Danny. Then they looked at each other. Valerie could tell they had the same thought she did, so she spoke up first. "Uh, Danny, Danielle is a girl."

"Yeah, so?"

"Well, a clone is a genetic duplicate. Since you're a boy and she's a girl, she can't be your clone. That's not how it works. Besides, she's like twelve, and unlike in movies, a clone would grow at the same rate as a reg-, as a non-cloned person." Valerie stopped herself from implying that Danielle wasn't a regular person. She continued, "Vlad would have cloned you when you were a toddler, long before you got ghost powers."

"Though it pains me to say it, she's right, Danny," added Sam, "Danielle can't be your clone. You should pay more attention in biology."

"Argh, sorry if I was out saving the world instead of listening to Lancer drone on about frog anatomy or whatever."

"Frogs were the beginning of freshman year!" Sam exclaimed. "Have you learned nothing in class since then? Danny, you really need to -"

"But Vlad told me I was a clone!" Danielle cried, interrupting Sam's rant and saving Danny from a long lecture about responsibility by his (not-yet-)girlfriend. "He would call me his daughter, but I knew that I wasn't, not really. And then he said I was different from the other clones, but he lied about that too. I know, 'cause I was melting a-and, then the other clones…" The girl was on the brink of tears.

Valerie reached out and patted her knee, "Hey there, ghost girl. We'll figure it out. Vlad is a total creep; you shouldn't believe anything he says. Besides, it doesn't matter who or what you were. You're here now and you're safe. I promise."

Danny reached across the table and grasped his cousin's hand. "Exactly. You're here now and not melting anymore, that's what matters."

Dani nodded as she sniffed and wiped at her eyes with the edge of her sleeve. "I -I guess you're right. But if I'm not a clone, then what am I? I know you said it doesn't matter to you," she shot at look at Danny who had opened his mouth to protest, "but it matters to me."

"We could do a DNA test or something," said Tucker, his hand stroking his chin, despite the absence of any facial hair. "Although I'm not sure where we'd get the tech to do it."

Sam cocked her head, "Danny, doesn't your mom have genetic testing equipment? She ran all those tests on us when Tucker and I had the ecto-acne, and I'm pretty sure she took DNA samples."

"Wait," Valerie held up her hands, "isn't that what you said Vlad had in the 80s that gave him ghost powers? How did you guys get it? And why didn't you get ghost powers from it too?"

"The ecto-acne was a symptom, not the cause, of his powers. The portal blowing up in his face was the cause, just like Danny's portal accident. He infected us with the acne to force Danny and his parents to look for a cure for that symptom. Just another way the guy was a manipulative fruit-loop. But that's besides the point. We could use Mrs. Fenton's equipment to compare Dani and Danny's DNA. That would clinch whether she's a clone of him or… somethi-, someone else."

Danielle brightened at the idea, but Fenton looked upset. "Sam, I don't even know where that stuff would be, and even if I did, I wouldn't have a clue how to use it."

"Why don't you just ask your parents?" suggested Valerie. Danny just gaped at her. "Right, like I'm going to just willingly hand over my ghostly DNA to my ghost-hunter parents. Yeah, that would go over so well."

Valerie narrowed her eyes at him, "Hang on, you're telling me your parents don't know?" Before Danny could respond, she continued, her voice steadily getting louder, "you rat me out to my dad and your parents don't even have a clue? You hypocrite!" Danny obviously had not expected such an outburst. His cheeks had turned a dark crimson and he looked like he wanted to simply phase through the back of his seat. It was surprising he hadn't already done so. Tucker and Sam squirmed uncomfortably, both coming to the conclusion that this was not a fight in which they wanted to intervene.

"That was different," Danny mumbled.

"Oh really?" continued Valerie, her voice loud enough that a few neighboring patrons had turned their attention to the group of teenagers. "And tell me why I shouldn't return the 'favor' and call your parents right now, hmm?" At that Danny's eyes widened.

"No, no, no, no, no, no, Valerie, please," Danny pleaded, "I'm sorry I ratted you out to your dad, but with my parents, ugh, look it's complicated and I'll tell them sometime, probably, maybe, but it has to come from me. Please!" Danny looked so wild-eyed and desperate that Valerie sighed and relented.

"Fine," she grumbled, her voice returning to a lower decibel, "I won't tell your parents. But I think you should. Especially if it means we can get answers for Danielle. I mean, just look at that face!" On cue, Danielle stuck out her bottom lip and donned her best puppy dog eyes.

"Please, favorite cousin in the whole wide world? Pretty, pretty please with vanilla icing and tiny astronaut sprinkles on top?" Danny laughed as Danielle clasped her hands together and continued to milk the puppy-dog look. Then he turned towards his two best friends.

"Sam, Tuck, what do you think? You guys are a part of this as much as I am."

"Dude, whatever you think is best. It's your secret. But hey, I've got your back, man, no matter what. Best bros for life!" Tucker held out his hand and he and Danny proceeded to complete a full 30 second choreographed handshake routine. When their 'jazz hands' finally indicated the bro-bonding was done, Danny turned his attention to the goth girl sitting on the other side of him.

"Sam?"

"I think you two should get a room. Oh, you meant about telling your parents. Well, as much as I like the way things are now, it would be nice not to have to hide from them and fight off evil ghosts. And after the whole reality gauntlet thing, you know that they accepted you once. I'm sure they'll do it again. Though I could totally see your dad wanting you to be his sidekick." This comment elicited a snort from Tucker and a giggle from Dani. Valerie was about to ask what the "reality gauntlet" thing was, but decided that she probably didn't want to know.

Sam continued, "but at the end of the day, I agree with Tucker. Don't get used to it. They are your parents and it's your secret. Whatever you decide, I'm on board. Of course, you're deluded if you think this means I'm doing some stupid secret handshake with you."

Danny sighed and dropped his head down onto the table. The other four teens watched him quietly, awaiting his decision. After a couple of minutes, he raised his head, his countenance one of resigned determination.

"Let's go tell my parents."