Author's Note: Took a while but here it is!

Planned

"Have you heard from Vlad at all?"

Jack followed Maddie out of their bedroom and shut the door behind him. "Why would Vlad say anything to me?"

"He said he'd send a text when he finalized all the configurations for the new Danielle clones." Maddie looked at her blank phone screen. "I guess I'm just excited."

Jack's shoulders fell. He did not want to think about the new set of clones Maddie had ordered from Vlad.

They walked down the hall, past Danny's and Jazz's bedroom doors.

"Danny's home already," remarked Maddie as she held up an ecto-scanner. Danny's ecto-signature appeared in two locations on the screen, one in his bedroom and the other in the basement lab. "That's good, he really needs to get a good night's sleep. He's been going through a lot lately."

Jack held his tongue, knowing it was no use to remind her that she was the one orchestrating almost everything that had been happening to their son.

Down in the lab, clone 26 was lying on the main examination table right where they had left him earlier, wearing a hospital gown with his wrists and ankles secured in belted restraints. The clone stirred and groggily opened his eyes as Maddie approached. Jack hung back as he usually did. He hated this part, when the clone begged to be freed and Maddie told him no, no, he had to stay here and die.

The clone's eyes widened as Maddie hovered over him, her hood down and goggles up on top of her head. The clone began pulling against the belts, throwing his head wildly as he lifted his upper body off the table as far as he could. Maddie pressed one hand to his chest, forcing him back down.

"Sweetie, calm down," said Maddie, her voice hushed. "I know you're very confused and scared right now, but you're just going to hurt yourself if you struggle."

"What do you mean? What's going on?" The clone's breathing was erratic. "Why am I here? Mom? How did I get here?"

"We have a couple procedures planned for you tonight," said Maddie. "Just a couple, don't worry. Then we'll let you rest until tomorrow night."

The clone stared at her, all fight stopped for the moment. "Procedures?"

"Yes," said Maddie. "Because you're a ghost hybrid, and there is so much more about you that we want to learn."

The clone's eyes widened with shock and panic, as they always did. "You know I'm a ghost?"

"We do," said Maddie, taking the clone's hand in hers.

The clone's gaze moved to Jack. Jack looked away, squeezing and massaging his jaw with one hand.

"What are you going to do to me?" asked the clone, struggling more against the belts. "Why have you brought me here? You know I'm your son, don't you?"

"No, you're not," said Maddie.

The clone froze up. "I am. You know I am."

"No, honey, you're a clone," said Maddie, brushing his bangs out of his eyes. "You're a nearly perfect clone of our son."

The clone stared at her in dumbfounded silence.

"We're going to tell you the truth before we start tonight's work," said Maddie. "You can ask any questions, and we'll answer them. You deserve that much, at least."

Jack grimaced. He hated when she included him like that, using the word "we" when he didn't want to be here at all. At this point, the only reason he continued to join Maddie in this cruel line of experimentation was to ensure she didn't take it too far.

Or at least, that was what he kept telling himself.

"The truth about what?" asked the clone.

"Your ghost powers," said Maddie. "The reason you're a ghost hybrid is because we configured the ghost portal to rearrange the molecular structure of your DNA."

"What—no, you wouldn't do that." The clone fiercely shook his head.

"We had to," said Maddie, her tone soothing. "You had the right DNA that could be stabilized after an ectoplasmic mutation. We tried looking for others, but you were the only one. We had no choice."

"No choice?" spat the clone. "Why did you need to turn me into a ghost at all?"

"For our research, sweetie. You know how crucial our research is."

"Crucial for what? How is this going to help anyone?"

"Oh, so many ways! Health care applications for improved surgery that uses invisibility instead of invasive scopes and expensive MRIs and CT scans, intangibility instead of incisions that can get infected. Military applications for super soldiers enhanced with ghost powers—"

"You can't be serious," said the clone. "You're experimenting on your own son so you can find ways to sell ghost powers to other people?"

"You are not our son," said Maddie. "You remember how Vlad attempted to clone you and created Danielle, right? Well, he didn't actually fail. We asked him to clone Danny so we could experiment on his clones without harming the real Danny." Maddie ruffled the clone's hair. "You are one of those clones, sweetheart."

The clone jerked his head away. "I'm not a clone."

"I know you don't believe it. You're not supposed to believe it," said Maddie. "You're supposed to believe you're the real Danny. That's the only way we can get the most accurate data for our research. And you want to help us with our research, don't you?"

"I'm not a clone." The clone shook his head. "Let me go, let me leave."

"We can't do that," said Maddie. "There can only be one Danny. You have to stay here, and you can't leave."

"I'm Danny," the clone insisted with tears in his eyes. "I am your son."

"Danny is upstairs in his room." Maddie pointed to the ceiling. "You're down here in the lab because you're his clone."

"No, you're wrong," said the clone. "I'm not upstairs. I'm here with you. I've always lived in this house with you."

"Sweetie, those memories you have of living here before today aren't real," said Maddie. "You didn't exist until this morning. You had never been to this house before until this afternoon when Vlad brought you here."

"They're real memories," asserted the clone. "I was hanging out with Dad in the lab earlier today when he showed me the Ecto-Dejecto."

Jack's brow creased. Yes, he did indeed show Danny the Ecto-Dejecto that very day so he could later use it to stabilize Danielle, but it was impossible for the clone to know that. The last time Vlad took an updated DNA sample from Danny was over a month ago. The clone's last memories should not and could not be this recent.

A sinking weight dropped deep into Jack's gut as he stared at the clone, noticing for the first time a scar right behind his ear, the same scar Danny had. But the clones were supposed to have unblemished skin, untouched and new.

The clone continued speaking, "And then I went to hang out with Sam and Tucker—"

"No, sweetie," said Maddie. "Those memories you have aren't real. The only reason you have them is because you're an almost perfect copy of the real Danny, including his memories."

"I am the real Danny."

"No, you're not."

"How can you say that? How can you know that for sure?"

The clone's expression was angry, something Jack had never seen before. The clones were usually frightened or hurt, not angry.

"How do you know I'm not the real Danny?" demanded the clone.

"Because of the tattoo on your arm," said Maddie. "Here, let me show you."

Maddie pulled up the right sleeve of the clone's hospital gown, just as she had done twenty-five times before. But there was nothing but skin, no tattooed 26 on the clone's upper arm that Jack definitely remembered seeing when Vlad first delivered the clone.

All blood drained from Jack's face as Maddie screamed and jumped back, her hand clamped over her mouth. Danny's angry expression broke into a wicked smile.

"I told you I was the real Danny," he said.

Maddie's other hand shot up over her mouth as she shook her head furiously. Jack was frozen in place, unable even to tremble.

Danny sat up, slipping out of all four belt restraints and jumping off the table onto the floor. He changed into his ghost form, black and white jumpsuit replacing the hospital gown.

"Did you really think I wouldn't figure it out?" he asked. "Did you really think you could make Vlad clone me twenty-six times and I would just never know?"

He started walking toward Maddie with slow steps. Maddie stepped back each time, still covering her mouth as she watched him come closer.

"Did you think I was too stupid to figure it out?" Danny paused, chuckling darkly. "I guess maybe you're right. I guess I was too stupid to figure it out. You were able to experiment on me and torture me and—and kill me twenty-five times and I was too stupid to realize it until now."

Maddie cowered, hunching her shoulders and covering more of her face with her hands.

"And you were going to kill me a twenty-sixth time tonight," yelled Danny. "And you—" He turned to Jack with a snarl. "You were just going to stand there and let her."

Jack held up his shaking hands in defense, but he could not think of a good reply. He could only meet Danny's hate-filled eyes, trying to somehow communicate just how sorry he was.

"You and Vlad both," muttered Danny. "You'll both just do anything for her, won't you? You'll even kill for her."

"Danny," Maddie gasped out. "Danny, listen, I'm sorry—"

"No, you're not sorry," roared Danny, turning and pointing an accusatory finger at her. "Don't say you're sorry. If you were sorry, you would've stopped a long time ago." He choked, his voice losing strength as he stifled a sob. "If you really cared about me—" He sucked in a deep breath. "If you really loved me, you would've never done this."

"Danny, I do love you." Maddie clasped her hands as tears streamed down her face. "So much."

"How can you say that?" demanded Danny. "How can you look me in the eyes after everything you've done to me and say that?"

His fists glowed with ectoplasmic light as he stomped toward Maddie, backing her up against a wall. Maddie whimpered and curled in on herself.

Jack stared at her, frozen with shock.

She was scared.

He had never seen her look so scared before. In fact, he wasn't sure he had ever seen her show any sign of fear at all.

And Jack realized he was also afraid, because Danny could very easily kill both of them right now and they would be powerless against him.

His gut sank and twisted with the horror of what they had turned their son into.

"Danny, please," bleated Maddie. "I'm your mother."

"You're right, you are my mother." Tears began falling down Danny's face. "Which is why I can't believe you would do this to me. My life has been hell ever since I became—this." He used one gloved hand to gesture to himself, top to bottom. "Fighting ghosts, protecting the town—it's been painful and terrifying and exhausting."

Danny's tears were coming fast and hot now. Maddie continued to whimper while Jack stayed still.

"But I kept doing it because…I thought I had to," continued Danny. "I thought it was my fault that all of these ghosts were coming in through the portal and invading our town. But now I find out that…you did this to me. It was never my fault; you set me up to do it. You wanted me to do it—you were counting on me to do it."

Danny sobbed, covering his eyes with his hands as his body shook. Maddie looked at Jack, begging him for help. But Jack could only stare back.

"This whole time." Danny uncovered his eyes now swollen with ectoplasm. "You've been pulling strings, watching me like I'm a marionette in your sick puppet show. And you made me afraid of you. You pretended to hunt me down and you would actually shoot at me so I would believe that I really was a freak and I could never trust anyone with my secret."

Danny lowered his eyes, his face drenched with tears.

"You made me believe that I couldn't trust you, my own parents," he whispered. He then raised his eyes, which flashed green. "But I guess I was right about that after all, wasn't I?"

He came close to Maddie, raising both of his glowing fists. Maddie pressed her back to the wall and held up her hands in front of her face.

"Are you going to kill me?" blubbered Maddie.

Danny stared at her for a long, long time.

Then his fists opened, their green glow disappearing as his whole body relaxed.

"No," he said with a soft shake of his head. "Of course not. Because you are my mother."

Danny glanced up at the ceiling, more tears glistening on the lower edge of his eyes. He sniffled and brought his gaze back down to Maddie.

"I hate that my own mother could do this to me," Danny continued, his words strangled, "but I can't hurt you. Obviously you're more than willing to hurt me, but…I can't." His eyes hardened. "But I'm not letting you hurt me ever again. Whether it's the real me or a clone of me, I won't allow it."

Danny looked up at the ceiling again, but this time in a very particular direction, up toward his room. Jack took notice of the look, and he could see Maddie also noticed, her brows drawing together in scrutiny.

"Where is the clone?" Maddie's voice was suddenly much stronger as she straightened her back and stood taller. "Clone 26, where is he?"

Danny's eyes once again returned to her. He frowned but did not reply.

"Vlad delivered him this afternoon," said Maddie. "I saw the tattoo on his arm with my own eyes. Where is he now?"

Danny stiffened. "You don't need to know that."

"I do," said Maddie. "You won't let us experiment on any more clones, fine. We'll stop. But that clone cannot be allowed to exist."

Danny's eyes twitched, his jaw clenching.

"We have to kill him, Danny," said Maddie.

"No," said Danny with a firm shake of his head. "You are not going anywhere near him."

"We can't let a clone of you run around freely, Danny," said Maddie. "People would notice. How would we even explain that? It would only be a matter of time before the police or the Guys in White figure out that you're a ghost hybrid, and then you'd be taken away for far worse experimentation."

"Don't pretend like you care about what happens to me," spat Danny. "You just don't want them to find out what you've been doing."

"You know I'm right," retorted Maddie. "There can't be two of you."

"Then kill me." Danny held out his arms in offering. "Do it."

Maddie's mouth fell open. "Danny—no, I'm not going to kill you."

"Why not?" asked Danny. "If only one Danny is allowed to exist, then why does it have to be me?"

"Because you are Danny. The clone is no one."

"But isn't the clone a perfect copy of me? With all my memories?"

"Most, not all of them."

"He's good enough, isn't he?"

Danny glared at Maddie, still holding his arms out, ready and waiting for her to come at him. Maddie did not move, simply stared back in tense silence. Jack watched, wondering for a moment if she might actually do it, if she might actually grab an ecto-gun and blast a hole through Danny's chest.

Jack was ready to throw himself in front of Danny if she tried.

"The clone must die, Danny," said Maddie. "That's why he was created. That's his purpose."

"So now you think you can just assign people purposes?" asked Danny. "Does this sick little game make you feel like God?" Danny pressed a palm to his chest. "What's my purpose, Mom? Have I been giving you everything you wanted? Or am I a failed experiment now?"

Maddie narrowed her eyes. "The clone has to die, Danny."

Danny shook his head. "No."

"Danny."

"No."

Danny shot up into the air, soaring straight through the lab ceiling and disappearing. Maddie bolted toward the stairs to follow him.

"Maddie." Jack grabbed her arm before she could get too far up the stairs, forcing her to stumble back down onto the main floor.

"Jack." Maddie struggled in his grip. "Let me go, Jack."

Jack kept a tight hold on her, using all his strength to keep her from getting away. "Maddie, what are you planning on doing?"

"We have to kill the clone, Jack," said Maddie, sounding panicked. "We can't let Danny help him escape."

"But why? Why do we have to kill the clone?" asked Jack.

Maddie glared at him. "You know why. I shouldn't have to explain this to you."

"Maddie." Jack took hold of her other arm and forced her to face him. "But maybe we shouldn't, Maddie."

Maddie stopped struggling and became still, unblinking.

"Maybe we shouldn't kill the clone?" said Maddie. "Are you saying we should kill the real Danny? Like he asked us to? Remove the clone's tattoo and just rewrite our son with a copy?"

Jack balked and slacked his grip on her arms, but she did not try to break away.

"The clone's earliest memories will be from a few weeks ago." Maddie nodded as she spoke. "Clone 26 won't remember any of this. We could continue our experiments and Vlad could continue creating new clones and we'd just have to be more careful and watch the new Danny a lot more closely, make sure he never discovers the truth again—"

"Would you listen to yourself?" Jack shouted in her face. "Are you fucking insane? We are not going to kill the real Danny just so you can keep fucking with his clones."

He shook her, causing her head to snap back, her eyes wide as she stared up at him, frozen.

"It's over, Maddie," yelled Jack. "It has to be over now."

Maddie stayed frozen a little longer. Jack waited for her to move, to respond in some way, never letting go of her arms.

"You're right," murmured Maddie. "He's my baby. I carried him inside of me—he was part of me for nine months. The clone was never part of me no matter how much he looks and acts like the real Danny. I can't kill my boy, never."

She started crying. Jack felt a twinge, a strange urge to comfort her even though he knew she didn't deserve it.

"But the clone still has to die, Jack." Maddie used the heel of her hand to wipe her eyes and locked her gaze with Jack's. "And you know it."

Jack stared back at her, the scientist inside of him activating. Because as much as he hated to admit it, he did know it. The clone was an abomination, an affront to the natural order, an entity that was never supposed to exist in the first place.

And Danny himself would be in danger of being discovered and taken away if the clone was allowed to exist as its own person.

Yes, the clone did have to die. It was the only way to protect the real Danny.

And the only way to stay out of prison.

Jack loosened his hold on Maddie and watched as she ran up the stairs, numb and empty.

And then he breathed deep and ran up after her.

Just one last time. One final murder.