Opening A/N: Welcome back, everyone! Good news! I finally managed to fix my sleep schedule last night, so I'm no longer staying awake until almost 07:00 or 08:00. (Thank fuck for that) Maybe now I can start going back to the gym… Anyway, "I Just Want To Be Remembered" has officially hit over 1,000 total views/hits! 15, favorites, 17 follows and 1,081 views on FFN as of writing this A/N. 577 hits, 32 kudos, 6 bookmarks, and 20 subscriptions on Ao3.

I can't thank you guys/gals enough for the support. Truly, from the bottom of my heart, thank you. I'm so glad that I am able to do what I'm passionate about and share it with you all.

Chapter Synopsis - After his day with Ember, Danny is left in the park as his ghost sense warns him of a nearby spirit. Who could this ghost be? What do they want? Is Danny in for another fight? Read to find out!

"Two quotation marks means speech or emphasis on a word."

'One quotation mark means thought.'

Italics mean heavy emphasis on a word or written/digital text.

Chapter VIII: The Genie

"What are you doing here, child?" A voice asks from the nearby fountain.

Danny looks to the fountain where a legless, green skinned, apparition floats next to it. "Desiree?"

The crimson red eyes of the genie opposite him are highlighted by black makeup and her lips are highlighted by a dark purple color. Her black hair is so long that it nearly matches her height, a blue circlet rests atop the long mane. Purple cuff-like accessories decorate her forearms and biceps. A cropped blue top covers her generous chest, a strip of purple fabric highlighting the top of the garment. A skirt-like piece of clothing covers where the top of her legs should start but the cloth bleeds into the long, blue ghost-like tail.

She crosses her arms under her chest. "Of course it is I, child, and I ask again. What are you doing here? Do you desire to make a wish?"

Many thoughts run through his head at that question. Right in front of him was an incredibly easy avenue he could take. Instead of worrying about all of the work and complications that could arise, he could simply wish for Ember's dream to come true. But does he truly want to take that route?

'No…' Danny thinks. 'Just because this is the easy way, that doesn't make it the right way. Besides, I want to do it myself and make sure everything goes right, rather than leave it up to a wish.'

"I-" He begins, looking at the ghost genie. "No. I don't want to make a wish."

"A pity, then." She says, frowning before her arms uncross and her hands begin to glow with the telltale sign of an ecto-blast.

'SCRATCH THAT, I DO WANT TO MAKE A WISH!' He mentally yells.

"I change my mind! I wish you wouldn't attack me!" Danny's words spill out in a single breath.

Desiree pauses, a look of surprise upon her face as she speaks. "So you have wished it, so it shall be. You know, child, I find myself surprised that it took you this long to think of that."

"You and I both. I've had a lot of those moments recently." He points out. "Well, what are you doing here? Did you come to cause another wish catastrophe?"

"Not quite." She says with a hum. "I come with good intentions, I assure you."

'Not likely.' Danny deadpans.

"Why do you do this, Desiree?" He asks, exhaustedly. "Come to the human world to grant wishes and cause chaos, I mean? Aren't there other things you would rather spend your time doing?"

"If I could grant my own wishes, I would wish for a choice in the matter." She says, sadly. "Ever since my death many years ago, I have been cursed to grant any wish that I hear. I have no choice."

Danny places a hand on his chin in thought. 'If she could only grant her own wishes? Wait a minute!'

"There is one more wish I'd like to make." Danny says, looking into the red eyes of the genie.

Desiree frowns again, crossing her arms once more. "Get on with it, child, let's get this over with."

'Maybe I should wish for her to stop calling me "child". No, I know what I have to do.'

"I wish you could choose whether or not to grant any wish you hear and choose how you grant them." He requests with a smile.

This time Desiree looks truly shell shocked. Her expression somewhere between stunned and confused. "So- so you have wished it, so it shall be."

"Well, only one way to find out if it worked I suppose." Danny mutters. "I wish you were back in the Ghost Zone."

Desiree tenses in anticipation of the familiar compulsion to grant the wish, and prepares to find herself back within the black and green abyss, only to find that neither comes to pass. "It- it worked." She mutters in astonishment. "Why? Why would you do such a thing for me?"

Danny crosses his arms and considers her words. "Desiree, I've been doing this for nearly four years, constantly battling ghosts, fighting for my life and the lives of others. Recently I've been given proof of what I've always believed: that not all ghosts are evil." He gives her a pointed look. "I'm hoping my present company is a prime example of that. You may have done some bad things, but I'm hoping that you didn't have a choice in the matter."

He sighs as he begins to pace. "I love doing this, being Danny Phantom, but I'm tired of the constant fighting for seemingly no reason. I've managed to build a few small bridges within the ghost community. I would rather continue doing that, stopping conflicts and making allies or even friends, than continuing to fight day after day. I know it's unlikely that all ghosts will stop attacking me, but I'm also sure I'm not the only one that would appreciate being a friend or ally rather than a foe."

Danny could swear he heard her mutter something about chosen ones and kings after he finishes speaking, but he can't quite make out the context. "I'm sorry, what was that? I couldn't hear you."

"It's nothing, chi- Daniel. I just find myself at a loss." She says, a clouded expression upon her features. "I no longer know what to do. For many, many years I had been forced into the role I had played. I took solace in causing chaos amongst those who would use me to grant their wishes. Now that I am free of my curse, I do not know what I should do."

"Whatever you want." He says. "Just, please do me a favor and don't intentionally cause any more issues within Amity? Or the human world as a whole if you can manage it."

"So you have wished it, so it shall be." She says with a small smile.

Now it's Danny's turn to be taken aback. "You- What? You didn't have to do that, I didn't even wish for it!"

"Ah, but I believe you would call this a show of good faith, no? And it seems that one no longer has to say the words "I wish" for me to grant their desires" Desiree says coyly as she takes a seat on the edge of the fountain. "I must thank you, and I can think of no better way to do so than no longer contributing to your struggles. Regardless of what wishes I could grant you, I can never truly repay the debt I now owe you for freeing me of my burden."

Danny waves both of his arms back and forth. "Absolutely not! You don't owe me anything. I didn't make that wish so that you would be in my debt, I did it because it was the right thing to do! As a matter of fact, I wish you wouldn't feel like you owed me!"

The beautiful genie only smirks in response, looking at her nails as she speaks. "I don't believe I want to grant that one."

The halfa only groans at this, his upper body going limp in defeat which pulls a laugh from the now seated ghost. "Well, regardless, I appreciate the fact that you aren't just going to abuse your newfound freedom."

Checking his phone, Danny realizes that it won't be long before he has to return home, lest his parents come searching for him. "Well, I hate to wish and run, but I have to get going soon or my parents will send out a search party. Or worse, they will be the search party."

Desiree lets out another small laugh before looking pensive. "Would it be alright if I returned here from time to time? The ghost zone is dreadfully boring after all."

"Return to the fountain or Amity Park in general?" He questions.

"The city, child." She responds, unimpressed at his attempt at a joke.

"Damn, and I thought we were over you calling me a child." He quips with a smile. "But, yeah sure. I don't mind if you come hang around again, I mean, you did kind of grant a wish saying you wouldn't cause trouble, so assuming that you have to stick to it, I have no reason to say no."

"You still have a few hundred years ahead of you before I no longer consider you a child, Daniel." Desiree responds with a sly smile. "Once again, thank you."

"Think nothing of it, I'll see you around Desiree." Danny says before taking to the air.

After leaving the park, Danny takes the time to patrol the city. From the Western woods to the Eastern city limits along Lake Erie. As his patrol drags on it seems that, for once, no ghosts seem interested in making an appearance. Floating above the shore of the massive lake, he takes the time to contemplate recent events. He now has more allies, friends, within the ghost world than he ever believed possible.

Spending time with Ember specifically had been leagues better than he had ever imagined. Even after spending such little time together, he finds himself longing to be in her presence again. It was a similar feeling to the one he would get when he and Kitty would spend time together. He could relax, let go and just be himself. Not having to hide behind the superhero label, or the responsibilities that came with it.

Even with the similarities between the two, spending time with Kitty and spending time with Ember was as different as day and night. There was a pleasant almost comforting feeling he got with the rockstar that he didn't with his ghostly sister-like friend. Learning of Ember's past, and just how many struggles she and Danny have shared throughout their lives made him feel connected to her on a level he couldn't explain. Although he doesn't yet know the specifics of what Ember endured, Danny could make an educated guess based off of what he did know, and the things he could imagine her having to undergo made him sympathetic, angry even, at what she may have gone through.

The fact that it was so easy to connect with her was astounding to him. He had always believed them to be polar opposites in practically every way. She was loud and confident, he was quiet and withdrawn. She was quick to anger, and not afraid to show it. He was slow to lose his temper and you would never be able to tell by looking at him that he was angry at all. Just like their cores, she was like fire, and he was like ice. Perhaps the differences between them were why it was so easy for them to click?

The feeling whenever they were in contact with one another, was another thing. The sensation of having her in his arms was one that he couldn't put into words. It was surprising that she was even willing to hug him, sure, but what stood out to him most was just how right it felt, for lack of a better term. The way her small frame easily molded against his, the way the warmth she radiates clashing with the cold from his ice core.

It was then that Danny understood why exactly he was willing to go so far for her. Why he had defended her so adamantly against Sam. Why he craved her attention and companionship so badly, he realized that he was becoming attached to her. Far more so than he ever believed he would. Maybe it was the lack of people in his life that caused him to latch on so quickly, or maybe it was because of how easily it was to trust her, either way, to him it was clear.

He, Daniel Fenton, was developing a crush on one Ember McLain. Thinking about her, the verbal spars they would have, the laughs they would share together, and her unbelievable looks… the image of her sitting in that booth at the Nasty Burger with the sun highlighting her already beautiful features still fresh in his mind, as well as the sight of her in her realm, her normal outfit and ponytail replaced in favor of casual clothing and letting her hair flow down her shoulders. These thoughts alone caused Danny to feel the recognizable, yet unfamiliar, feeling of butterflies in his stomach, as well as the feeling of blood rushing to his face.

His hands reach up to cup his burning face as he lets out a frustrated growl, he wonders what exactly he should do in the situation he has found himself in. Should he ultimately pursue a relationship with her? Should he ignore these feelings and just stick with being friendly?

His features morph into a hard, determined look as his hands return to his sides as he makes his decision. 'No, I've been sacrificing my own happiness for too long. I don't know if things can ever move past friendship between Ember and I, but I'll be damned if I don't try.'

He turns himself towards the city and begins flying towards his home at Fenton Works. 'Even if things don't end up becoming romantic, I'll still be happy just spending time with her. For now anyway. At the very least, I can still try and make her happy.'

Darkness had descended upon Amity Park not long before Danny returned home. Luckily, his return isn't greeted by a repeat performance of his return from the Ghost Zone the previous day. He finds a note on the kitchen counter informing him that his parents were down in the lab, also that his mother had placed leftovers in the refrigerator for him to eat once he had returned home. Danny smiles at the note, but doesn't make any move towards the fridge.

After all of the ups and downs of the day, he was utterly exhausted. More mentally, than physically. He moves towards the stairs leading into the lab and takes a moment to call down to his parents and let them know that he is home. After bidding them goodnight, he makes his way up to his bedroom. Shedding his clothes the moment his door is shut and locked. He changes into some pajama bottoms and doesn't waste any time opening his window and climbing into bed, not even bothering to brush his teeth.

As he lies there in his bed, Danny is lulled into sleep by the feeling of a cool breeze, and the sound of passing cars. His dreams that night would be filled with the thoughts of blue hair, neon green eyes, pale skin, and a beautiful smile.

Ending A/N: This chapter is a bit shorter than usual. Mainly because I couldn't think of any other ways to write it without adding excess or just overall meaningless information. Of course, I could have continued on to the next (in fic) day, but I didn't feel comfortable doing so. I'm sorry if the shorter length is a disappointment, but I would rather put out something shorter that I'm proud of than something longer and under my standards.

Either way, shorter or not, I hope you guys/gals have enjoyed it and I hope you have a wonderful day! -DraconicAnarkhy