Chapter Seventy-Seven: Father
Danny was waiting above the castle when Skulker arrived. "Hey, guys!" He smiled, waving. "Had a safe trip?"
"Yeah, actually. It was a little cramped, but we got used to it." Tucker yawned. "Sam started to doze a little while ago."
"Alright. Skulker, can you come in with me? Plasmius has your new weapon." Danny led the way in, flying down and through the open front door with Skulker right behind.
"Ah!" A maid yelped when they entered and ran from the room.
Skulker looked amused and gently set the box down before disabling it and letting them move freely. "There. That's my part of the deal, ghost child."
"And here's yours." Plasmius approached with a big gun that made Skulker's eyes light up. "A brand-new weapon just for you."
Skulker took it and eagerly put it on. "If this is the reward, I might do you favors more often, ghost child." He nodded and then opened a portal, going through.
Danny knelt next to Sam and Tucker. "Sam? Saam, you're here."
She stirred and let out a groan as she opened her eyes, stretching a bit. "Oh, hi." She smiled. "That was a quick trip."
"Who needs the plane when you got ghost allies, eh?" Tucker gently pushed her up and got up. "Alright, I'm hungry! What's on the menu?"
"Dinner will be soon." Danny assured him, gently wrapping his arms around Sam. "I'm glad you're okay."
She nodded. "I'll need my stuff, though…unless you wanna get me something new. And what about school?"
"Vlad's already arranged your transfer, your transcripts have been faxed over and your tutor will arrive tomorrow." Danny smiled. "Everything's taken care of. And if you want to buy something new, we do have a city nearby. Vlad prefers to call a tailor, though."
"Good afternoon, Sam." Dan said, flying down the steps to greet her. "You didn't see Dani last time you were here, so do you want to see her now?"
"Dani? As in, your clone?" She blinked, looking at Plasmius. "But, I thought…"
"Times change, Samantha." Plasmius assured her. "We get along quite well, now."
"Sam!" Dani came running out in her human form and slid down the bannister to get down the stairs. He then did a flying glomp that would've knocked Sam down if Danny wasn't behind her. "Sam, it's you! You're here! I'm gonna be an aunt!"
"Whoa, careful!" Danny laughed. "She just had a nice, safe, jostle-free trip courtesy of Skulker, don't knock her over!"
Sam smiled and hugged Dani. "I missed you too, Dani. I'm glad you're doing okay."
She nodded. "My powers are stronger, too! Master Dark has taught me so much!"
"I'd say he's picked up a few of my new tricks, too." Dan remarked. "He used ice on me a couple days ago, and he didn't used to have that."
"Sounds like you CAN teach an old dog new tricks!" Sam laughed.
"Don't call him that." Dan grinned. "He's very sensitive about his age."
Danny rolled his eyes and placed his hand on Sam's belly. "Enough about Dark, let's talk about something else." He smiled and kissed her.
"You are so mushy it's adorable." Plamius remarked. "Come, let's go to the den until it's time to eat. Vladimir is waiting." He flew up the stairs.
"Alright!" Dani ran up the stairs after him, Dan and Tucker following suit.
"Wanna walk or fly up?" Danny asked Sam.
"Fly." She grinned, wrapping her arms around his shoulders. He lifted her up and flew up the stairs, holding her close to him as he weaved around the others and landed at the den door. Then he opened it and walked in, flying over to a chair where he set Sam down.
"Good afternoon, Samantha." Vlad greeted, setting his book to the side. "Did you have a pleasant trip?"
"Well, aside from the brief scare at the start of it, it was." She blushed when Danny kissed her cheek before sitting in the chair next to her.
"Yes, Skulker hardly gave Daniel time to warn you." Vlad remarked. "When you're ready, there's a tailor waiting to take your measurements. Plasmius found a ghost for the job, so we wouldn't have to hide Daniel's true appearance."
"Why not just get ghost maids?" Sam asked.
"They know to keep quiet." Vlad nodded. "I pay them very well, and send money to their families besides."
"So, you pretty much own their loyalty." Dan remarked as he entered and sat down in a chair.
"That's not true. I own their paychecks." Vlad sighed. "Perhaps Samantha living here will make it easier on them, though."
"This place really is haunted." Dan grinned. "Ghosts taking human form – even Dani spooks them when she changes."
"You'd think they'd be used to it, living with Plasmius." Dani said as she came in with the older ghost.
"I didn't usually change into Plasmius in front of them. What they had to get used to was him constantly being around at the same time I was." Vlad said matter-of-factly.
Plasmius took his usual seat. "So, now we have a baby on the way. Things are going to get noisy here, eh Vladimir?"
"They've been 'noisy' since we took in Phantom." Vlad reminded him.
"In a different way. I prefer Phantom's noises." He reached over and rubbed the teen's leg affectionately.
Danny rolled his eyes. "Plasmius, not in front of us."
Plasmius chuckled. "You still haven't come to terms with it, Daniel?"
"How many times do I gotta say 'ew'?" Danny frowned.
"Yeah, and what if Valerie finds out?" Tucker asked.
"She won't, because if she finds out about this then she finds out he's Phantom. That's not going to happen." Danny said, shaking his head. "Not to mention, it would tell her that Vlad is Plasmius, or at least close to him, and she hates Plasmius as much as she hates Phantom."
"Wow, so because he only cheats in his Phantom form she's never gonna find out without throwing her life all out of whack?" Tucker asked. "Wait, how come you don't worry about you and Valerie having a kid?!"
"Well, we actually used protection, and she takes birth control pills for some medical reason, anyway." Dan shrugged. "She'd have to stop using those for us to get a kid from it."
"Isn't that convenient?" Danny rolled his eyes.
"I'd be a terrible father, anyway." Dan shrugged again.
"What makes you say that?" Sam asked.
"I just think I would be. I'd never be around, always doing one thing or another. Plus, it would suck if she had a half-ghost baby. She'd start wondering WHY." Dan sighed heavily.
"Alright, we get it, dude." Tucker held up his hands defensively. "You don't think it's a good idea."
"Well, I'm hoping I can be a good dad. I mean…better than mine, at least." Danny placed a hand on Sam's belly again. She smiled and placed a hand on his, their eyes meeting.
Dan stared silently, then sighed as he got up and headed for the door. "I need to talk to Clockwork. Maybe he can't get him to agree, but I might be able to. Maybe if I accompany…"
Danny looked up. "Oh, yeah. Tell me how it goes, okay? I lose connection when you go through time."
"I will." Dan waved as he left.
"Clockwork!" Dan set down at Clockwork's place and walked in.
Clockwork sighed. "You keep doing such risky moves, Phantom. You know it's a danger for him to go back there, but this is the second time…"
"I won't leave his side, and he hasn't been cruel to anyone for a while. He even comforted Danny after the RV blew up!" Dan insisted. "Let him go and see his son!"
Clockwork called up the image of 10 years later, where it showed recovery going well. "The moment he causes trouble, remove the amulet. He'll return back here." He grabbed the two time amulets and handed them to him. "You know where to find him."
Dan nodded and went to Dark's room. He was sitting on a gear, listening to Daniel play a flute. "What're you doing back here?" Dark asked. "Class is over hours ago."
"I came to pick you up." Dan held up the time amulets. "I received permission from Clockwork to let you see your son, Dark."
The flute paused, and Dark stared at Dan with wide eyes before he flew over. "You…asked him?" He frowned. "Why?"
"Because Danny is going to be a dad, and I remembered your earlier conversation during class." Dan replied. "So, are we going?"
Dark pursed his lips and looked up at Daniel.
"Go ahead." Daniel smiled. "I'll wait here, just tell me about it when you get back."
"I'll see if I can bring back a picture." Dark took the amulet. "Let's go, then."
They stepped out to where they could see the orbs and disappeared into the one to 10 years later.