A/N: You guys weren't there to hear me squeal in delight from all the positive feedback, but it happened. Thanks so much guys!
Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom.
Chapter 3: Remember the Portal Acccident?
"We know that you know where Danny is, Phantom. So where is he?" Maddie asked. She was angry, but tried not to show it. Apparently it wasn't working, seeing as how all the venom that leaked into her voice made him flinch as if she'd slapped him. She wasn't quite sure, but it looked like his eyes might be tearing up.
He glanced up to look into her eyes, then found his lap to be a more appealing sight. He opened his mouth to say something, probably some cocky remark like usual, then hesitated. "If I told you, I'm not sure you'd believe me. That, or you'd misinterpret the situation." His response was definitely unexpected, and he was totally dodging the question. Maddie frowned, and Jack looked very puzzled.
So he did know where Danny was, but he wouldn't say. "Where did you last see him?" She asked. He looked deep in thought, choosing his words carefully.
"He was last seen heading here. From a friend's. A ghost attacked me and he disappeared. Kinda like a ghost going invisible." The way he said this confused Maddie. Phantom didn't directly involve himself with Danny, and never said Danny's name. I was more of a third person sort of view. Like he preferred to remove himself completely from Danny. He obviously didn't like the topic on a normal day, let alone now.
"Then, do you know what happened to him after that?"
"Yes." Maddie's hopes rose. "And no." They fell. "I know what happened, but I don't know how exactly it works or the specifics of it."
"Will you stop dodging the topic!?" Maddie yelled. She could feel tears threatening to spill from her eyes. "Tell me where my son is. Now." Jack moved to comfort her.
"Mads, calm down. Getting emotional won't help us now. It won't help us find Danny." Maddie knew Jack was right; getting angry wasn't going to help her now. She slowly calmed herself down. The calmer she became, the sadder Phantom looked.
She finally looked up at him and asked, "Please. If you really are a 'good ghost' like you say, a 'hero,' then tell us where our son is. Where Danny is." He looked her in the eyes and she saw it. The look of defeat. Of knowing that he was unable to stop the inevitable from happening. It seemed so unnatural on him; it wasn't something they'd ever seen.
He was quiet for a moment. "If I do, will you promise to not get mad and just listen to what I have to say? Will you promise to let me explain and not jump to conclusions?" Maddie and Jack looked at each other, and then both nodded and sat down. "Well, the truth is-" he paused and the rings appeared again, this time splitting and running up and down. When they were finished, Danny Fenton sat there and continued, "-I'm right here."
"What? But- How?" the two parents spluttered.
"Before you say something crazy like 'Phantom's overshadowing Danny,' he's not. I'm not. How can I overshadow myself?"
"What do you mean by that?" Maddie asked.
"Well, remember the Portal accident?" Maddie and Jack nodded, not sure where this was going and how the ghost boy knew of it. "I wasn't outside it, and the shock I got wasn't so little like I said it was. Dad, you sort of put the 'on' button inside."
And there it was. If what Phantom-or Danny-said was true, the shock should have killed him.
He continued, noting the looks of shock and horror on their faces. "It turned me into what the ghosts call a 'halfa,' a half-ghost, half human hybrid. I wanted to use my new powers to help people. I didn't tell you guys because I thought you might not accept me. That you might try to 'tear me apart molecule by molecule' if you knew who I was. What I am."
"Danny?" Maddie wondered.
"Yes?"
"Can-can you prove it? Prove that it's really you?"
"Can I answer that with a question?" She nodded. "What's DALV spelled backwards?" He gave her a cocky grin like the one Phantom always had. He must have seen that she'd figured it out and then went on to say, "I meant it when I told you I thought you were awesome, but I gotta say that Spectre Deflector kinda hurt."
Both parents winced at the mention of the Spectre Deflector. They now knew that he was telling the truth, and realized exactly what they'd done. They remembered every misunderstanding and realized what had really been happening. But a few things about Phantom's actions puzzled them. Maddie was the one to voice their concerns.
"What about . . . the robberies? And the Mayor?"
"I was framed or controlled. Remember Freakshow from Circus Gothica? He had a special staff that could control ghosts. And this ghost named Walker and his goons overshadowed half the town and set me up during the mayor incident. I kind of shot at you because I thought you guys were overshadowed too. And at Christmas, I sorta ticked off this Ghost Writer by accidentally destroying his Christmas poem. Did you guys know that ghosts have an annual truce on Christmas?"
"Um . . . no." Maddie said.
"Yeah, the Ghost Writer thought they'd forget about it because half the ghosts in the Zone hate me, but he was so wrong. Anyway, does that clear everything up?"
"Yes," Maddie said quietly. She was on the verge of tears and Jack was uncharacteristically quiet.
A/N: Another chapter done. Yay! Guess you guys are going to have to wait until tomorrow to see what happens next. Sorry about the suspense, it's just that I'm going to a friend's graduation open house. Until tomorrow then. Bye!