For best results, read "My Sister's Keeper" first, but it's not a requirement. It's just so you have a better idea of who the OCs are and what's going on in general. You should still be able to follow along though.

Um...this was supposed to be a plot bunny Part 3.5 one-shot. Now it's a very short Part Four. Probably a two-shot. Enjoy!


Fright for the Whole Family!


Reaper and Eileen

"I got scared, I got worried, and then I questioned my sexuality." - Sean "Jacksepticeye" McLoughlin

Reaper

Death is something that every living creature fears, whether they realize it or not. Even ghosts are afraid of destabilization, which is technically the same thing but holds no hope of coming back. Dying and being reformed as a ghost adds a certain weight to that fear. This is why I welcome any and all into my lair. I want all ghosts to have a place where they can feel safe and see that they are not alone in the world. My Gargoyles are assets to my cause, but I do like to check in on any new visitors myself.

So, when Clockwork messaged me that an injured Danny Phantom would arrive through an open window, I rushed to the corresponding room with medical supplies.

I open the door to one of the private rooms, which contain only a chair and a couch and are used for, well, private discussions. What I find greatly disturbs me.

Danny Phantom is curled into a tight ball on the couch. I cannot see the extent of his injuries, but his jumpsuit is torn and charred in some places, revealing burns and a large bandaged area on his side that leaks ectoplasm beneath the dressing.

"Danny Phantom," I greet gently. The child stiffens as I sit down next to him with a first-aid kit in my lap. "Whatever has happened?"

"Go away," he moans.

"You wish for me to leave, yet you are the one who came to my home?"

Danny Phantom curls up even more. Such a small thing, he is. But then, I am quite tall compared to some. He mutters something akin to an apology and, "Don't know where Eileen lives."

I do not ask who this "Eileen" could be. Instead, I rest my hand on his back and ask, "Would you like me to treat your wounds?"

At last, Danny Phantom raises his head and swipes the back of his hand over his eyes, which are wholly black. "I already took care of it."

"This wound on your side concerns me." Danny Phantom says nothing. "You know, your ghostly form would heal quite quickly if you switched to your human body."

His voice is very quiet. "I don't wanna be a human right now."

Again, I ask no questions despite the many swimming through my mind.

Danny Phantom uncurls his body slowly, grimacing as he does so. If he is in so much pain, it is a miracle that he was able to get here on his own. Now that he is sitting up straight, I can see a large burn on his stomach, though it is still the cut that worries me the most.

Danny Phantom unzips his jumpsuit. He lowers the top half and pulls his arms out of the sleeves. He leaves his white gloves on. I do not ask him to take them off so I may check his hands for injuries. I know for a fact that his death mark, a small black circle, is beneath the glove on the opposite side of his cut, where his palm had grazed the "on" button of his parents' Ghost Portal. Spirits who passed away of unnatural causes are always left with a physical mark from it on their bodies. Typically, those spirits prefer to keep them hidden.

Danny Phantom looks up at me, remembering our great difference in height. "Do you need me to, like, float or…?"

"This is fine," I say. I lower myself to the floor and open the first-aid kit on the couch cushion. "Would you like to tell me what happened?"

"Not really."

"Very well." I know better than to push in matters like this.

I remove the bandage as gently as I can, though Danny Phantom still elicits a sharp hiss, which draws an apology out of me. The cut runs from his hip up to his ribs and bleeds as soon as its covering is removed.

"I will have to apply stitches," I tell him.

"Should I lay down?" Danny Phantom asks.

"You are fine as you are."

We fall into silence as I numb and clean the area then begin to stitch the wound closed.

"It's really admirable, you know?" Danny Phantom says when I am halfway finished. "Letting strangers into your home just so they'll feel safe. It's admirable."

The comment warms me, but the sadness in his voice has me on edge. When I look up, I see that his eyes have returned to their original coloring, human-like but carrying the bright green of ectoplasm. "Thank you. Might I assume that you came here to feel safe?"

He hesitates then responds with the tiniest nod.

I finish the stitches and give the wound a last good cleaning. Danny Phantom thanks me but refuses to let me look at his other wounds. He simply zips his jumpsuit back into place as I reluctantly close the first-aid kit and return to my seat beside him.

"What is it that you are trying to feel safe from?" I ask. When he doesn't answer, I take a guess. "You mentioned someone named Eileen. Are they the one who harmed you?"

His head whips upward, and I am taken back by the vehemence in his glowing eyes. "She would never."

"My apologies," I say. "I am simply trying to understand the extent of your problem."

He takes his time forming his thoughts. "Eileen wouldn't hurt me. It was…" he crosses his arms, "someone else."

"Would you like to tell me who this 'someone else' might be?"

He raises a white eyebrow at me. "Why? Why does it matter to you?" He throws his hands in the air, becoming more frantic. "Why are you helping me anyway? I-I don't even know why I came all the way out here!" He fists his hands in his hair. "My brain was just going 'find Eileen, find Reaper' and I don't know where Eileen goes on weekends, so I just-" He groans and leans back, letting his hands fall into his lap. "I don't know why I'm here. I'm sorry. I-I'm so sorry. I should have just gone to my own lair or something. This is stupid."

When he starts to rise, I lightly press down on his head. He looks up at me in question. I answer. "I have told you before that my lair is a safe place for all. Whatever you are fleeing from, you are welcome to hide out here if you so need to." He hangs his head as his eyes fill with tears and his hands tightly grip the cushion beneath him. My core aches at the sight. Mere days ago, this child was smiling brightly, marveling at his new and very rare power that allowed him to save his sister's life. That boy is not present. "Let it out, child," I say, resting a hand on his back. "As I've said, you are safe here."

That was all he needed to hear. Danny Phantom hunches forward and throws his hands over his face as sobs overtake him. I pull him closer to me, mindful of his injuries, and he offers no resistance. He instead fists his hands in my cloak and cries harder.

Through the force of his pain, I can make out certain phrases. "...hate me…I-I'm their son and…they hate me…" The rest is unintelligible. What I did hear speaks volumes.

I have heard that Danny Phantom's parents are ghost hunters; irony at its worst. I wonder if they know that their son is half-ghost. If they do and they are the boy's attackers as I suspect, to say that their actions disgust me fails to convey the fury I feel stirring within. If they are not aware…well, it is still very bad.

But, perhaps I am jumping to conclusions. Regardless of whether or not they know, Danny Phantom is fiercely dedicated to keeping his and their home safe. In fact, rumor has it that even some of the most wicked ghosts in the realm are hesitant to go to Amity Park, Minnesota because of the powerful halfa (spirit to the unaware) who guards the town. And, many nonmalicious ghosts will ask for his permission if they want to stay there for whatever reason. I wonder how he feels about such a thing, whether he deems it necessary or if he is uncomfortable with or even amused by it.

Either way, no matter how much one dislikes ghosts, one would have to be truly evil or at least incredibly dense to attack the being who so selflessly looks after them. No, the cause of Danny Phantom's current physical and mental state must lie elsewhere.

But, there is another thing that is on my mind: the fact that he would seek out this "Eileen" and myself without knowing why. I have to wonder…

When Danny Phantom calms down, he dries his eyes on my cloak and says, "Thanks. I guess I needed that."

"But of course, Danny Phantom."

"Don't tell anyone about this."

"I would not." When he pulls away and straightens, I ask him, "Tell me, who is this 'Eileen' if not your attacker?"

"Oh, she's- Well, you don't know her. Well, you do know her. Kind of, 'cause she's, you know, dead and that's your-your thing." He clears his throat with embarrassment over his babbling. "Uh, anyway, Ei-Eileen Merryweather. She's-she's a friend. Sh-she's also my homeroom teacher and my history teacher but only for my human-half so it's weird but it's not weird- Oh. Oh, wow." He chuckles and runs a hand through his hair. "A ghost from the 1600s is teaching history. Why did that never dawn on me?"

Ah, Eileen Merryweather. We have never met in person, but as the Master of Death, I am aware of how each spirit comes to be. Eileen Merryweather was caught making love to another woman. For this, she and the woman were accused of witchcraft and hanged. Truly a terrible time in Earth's history. Her ghostly form lacks legs and is very thin though not as much so as my own. She has off-white skin, glowing red eyes that lack any other color, and very long black hair. Her death mark is a horizontal line over her throat.

"I know of Eileen Merryweather. Does this woman make you feel safe?"

Danny Phantom squirms a bit, his face greening. "Um, yeah."

"And, you sought her out because of this?"

He shrugs. "I guess? I told you, I don't know what it was. I just really needed to find either you or her or both." He rubs the back of his neck. "It was, like, instinct or something. Does that make sense?"

"Wanting to be around those who make you feel safe in times of crisis makes perfect sense, Danny Phantom. What you are feeling is quite natural." It also confirms my theory, though I should like to speak with Eileen Merryweather before I bring it up. By the sound of it, she knows Danny Phantom better than I do and would likely know whether or not the child would take the news well. I rise. "There is something I must do. But, do not leave. I shall return."

Danny Phantom nods and I step out of the room to seek out one of the Gargoyles.

Eileen

It isn't every day that a woman gets a summons from an Ancient. When a living humanoid statue with dragon-like wings and a face only a mother could love barged into my lair and said that "Master Reaper requests your presence immediately," I was…nervous, to say the least. Granted, I heard that Reaper was kind, and Danny confirmed that for me, but still. An Ancient wanted to see me. That's more than a little nerve-wracking. At least my death mark had been covered when the Gargoyle showed up. I'm so used to hiding it with my Shapeshifting that it just kind of happens automatically nowadays.

Then the Gargoyle told me that Danny Phantom was at Reaper's lair and was injured, and the situation became downright terrifying.

I've never been to an Ancient's lair before. Reaper's isn't marked by a simple door suspended in the air. No, Reaper's lair can be best described as a gothic mansion smack-dab in the middle of a huge graveyard. Actually, maybe "mausoleum" is a better word than "mansion."

I'd heard that Reaper lets other ghosts use their lair as a sanctuary, so I'm not too surprised to see the variety of ghosts milling about on the inside. But, I don't have time to explore. Later, absolutely, but right now I have more important things to do.

The Gargoyle - they never told me their name, assuming they have one - leads me to Reaper, who is waiting for me outside a door.

Reaper is…well, they're certainly tall. Eight feet, I'd estimate. They wear a light brown cloak that covers all but their bony pale blue-gray hands. The cloak's hood is up, but I can't tell if it's casting way too much shadow over Reaper's face…or if that total darkness under there is their face.

"Eileen Merryweather," Reaper greets as the Gargoyle walks away. "It is a pleasure to meet you."

I bow and say, "Likewise, mx," because I figure politeness is the best way to go about this.

Phasms, I'm talking to an Ancient.

Reaper raises a hand in front of them. "There is no need for formalities. Not in our current situation."

Right. I nod toward the door. "Is Danny in there? Your guard said he was hurt. How's he doing?"

"I have dressed the worst of his injuries. But, that is not why I called you here." Reaper checks that no one is listening. They wag a finger upward, silently asking me to float up to their level. I do so, and Reaper lowers their voice. "I have reason to believe that Danny Phantom has imprinted on us."

Whatever I expected Reaper to say, that wasn't it.

Imprinting is something that happens when someone who dies as a child feels a connection with an older ghost. It's essentially finding a parent, though the older ghost isn't always okay with having some kid latch on to them, nor is the kid always okay with feeling latched on.

"But, Danny already has-" Parents, I was about to say before I processed another part of Reaper's statement. "Did you say he imprinted on us? You and me? But, I thought young ghosts only imprinted on one person."

"Imprinting on two individuals is…uncommon. But, it does happen."

Whoa. Alright. I mean, I've had students call me "Mom" before, but… "Are you sure? How-how do you know he's imprinted on us?"

"Though he did not tell me what happened to him, he claimed that it was instinct which drove him to seek us out for protection. He did not seem to understand exactly why he wanted to be with us."

My head is spinning. "But, Danny still lives with his parents. Why would he need…more parents?"

Reaper hums and cups where their chin would be. "There could be any number of reasons." They hum lower, less curious and more wondering. I don't know where this is going, but I don't like it. "Eileen Merryweather, is it true that his mother and father detest ghosts?"

I really don't like this. "'Detest' is putting it mildly. Danny hasn't even told them he's a ghost. He's too worried about what they'll think."

Understatement. Huge understatement. Shortly after he learned that I was a ghost as well, Danny confided in me about his parents and all but stated that he was terrified of them, of what they would do to him if they knew. But, that's not something I'm going to share. Teacher-student confidentiality.

"Perhaps that is the answer," Reaper says. "Perhaps he feels…distressed around his human parents and subconsciously desires caretakers who bear no ill will toward either part of his life."

"That makes sense," I say, my core breaking for the poor kid as I picture his human-form curled up against me, crying his eyes out because of all that bottled up fear and hurt. "I've been to his house, and it isn't exactly ghost-friendly." Another understatement. "But, maybe we don't mention the imprinting. Despite everything, Danny really loves his parents. I'm not sure how well he would take the news."

"Very well. But, I do have something to ask of you, Eileen Merryweather."

"You can just call me Eileen," I request. I shrug and offer what I hope is a cheeky grin. "If we're gonna be parents, we may as well be on a first name basis, right?"

"It is my way," Reaper says simply. Okay, then. "What I ask, Eileen Merryweather, is that you try to keep an eye on him. My duties in this realm make it difficult for me to do so myself. He says that you are his teacher, so I imagine that you spend a fair amount of time in the human realm."

"I'll watch him," I say, not needing to think about my answer. I like Danny a lot, and I've never stopped worrying about him. His imprinting just gives me an excuse to act on that. An idea forms. "Why don't we compromise? I'll keep an eye on him on Earth, and you can look after him when he's in the Ghost Zone."

Reaper nods. "Yes. That is what I was thinking. And, I am glad that you are willing to assist. Not all ghosts are so accepting of an imprint, no matter which side they are on."

A little color creeps into my cheeks, and I tap my fingers together. "Maybe it's the teacher in me. Or, maybe it's just 'cause I didn't get to have kids before I was killed. Either way, I whole-heartedly accept."

"Very good. We should exchange contact information in case something should come up. But, first let us check in on our new charge."

Our new charge. I have a kid with an Ancient.

Laughter bursts out of me, and I double over from the force of it, wrapping my arms around my stomach. It stops abruptly when I realize that Reaper is staring at me.

My face cools again. I hope I didn't offend them. "I'm sorry, mx" I say with a quick bow. "It-it all just kind of hit me."

"I understand," Reaper says, and the tension leaves my body. "It is a lot to take in." They wrap their hand around the doorknob. "Shall we?"

We shall.