Chapter Twelve: It's a Wonderful Afterlife

"Love is a friendship set to music." - Joseph Campbell

I hover above the football field and spot the team waiting for me in front of the bleachers. They all look up as I fly behind said bleachers and return to human-form. When I walk back into the open, they all look at each other and no one speaks.

So, I start us off. "Is everything okay?"

"Are you okay?" Jazz asks sadly.

"Because unless Blairman's got mad editing skills," Valerie continues, "not everything in that movie was fake. Nor was everything outside of it."

Damn it all. I knew that's what this was about.

When I don't say anything, Tucker adds, "You told us you didn't really hate yourself. But, during that fight, you said you did. Which is it, man? And, please be honest this time."

So much love. So much concern.

I stick my shaking hands in my jean pockets so no one can see them. "I mean… I…"

That's all I can get out. How do I explain this? How can I tell them that I can't help but dwell on the things I've done wrong with or without my powers? That Vlad's right and my emotions are so unstable that everyone around me is in danger every time I get so much as a little annoyed? That I'm so desperate to be loved that I lie to everyone?

(That even my own parents don't want me.)

I can't tell these guys all of that. I won't throw my weight on their shoulders. They put up with enough shit from me. I don't care what they say about sticking by me solely because they want to. They don't deserve-

"Did you turn on the portal on purpose?" Sam shouts out of nowhere. We gawk at her for the outburst, and her voice is more shrill than I've ever heard it as she gestures to me and blinks too quickly. "Well…no one else was asking!" When I am silent as my mind catches up, Sam asks me brokenly, "Did you?"

Oh my god. They all think that… "No!" I almost yell. "No, I- No! I didn't! I-I would never do that. Especially not right in front of you!" I add to Sam and Tucker, who were there for the accident. Which is all it was.

"Promise?" Tucker says.

"I promise it was an accident," I say through the lump in my throat. "An accident. Look, maybe I- maybe I do hate myself sometimes, but I did not die on purpose! I swear…"

The silence drags on until I want to yank everyone's voices out of their throats. Then, Valerie nods with a quiet, "Okay. Okay, good."

Jazz steps forward and puts her hands on my shoulders. "You know you can talk to us, right? About anything. Even if you don't think we'll understand."

"We got you, Danny," Tucker assures, resting a hand on my back. "We're a team. We're the dream team."

"The Ghost Getters!" Jazz pipes.

Tucker gives her a tolerant look. "Still, no."

A tiny smile pulls at my lips.

"Bottom line, Danny," Sam coos, "is that we love you. And, we want you to love you, too."

My eyes well up as my sister pulls me against her and says in a wavering voice, "And, we're gonna help you with that, okay?"

I crush her against me and tremble in her arms. The rest of my friends curl themselves around me, and that's when years of pain is finally let loose.

Once I calmed down, I promised to give everyone a full run-down of my week after my date with Mira. They were all surprised to hear about my new girlfriend, but they were happy for me nonetheless.

Thank God, my ghost-form doesn't look like it spent however long sobbing. That would be an awkward thing to explain on a first date.

Mira and I walked into Blended - turns out it's actually a health food restaurant, and the smoothie flavors are entirely up to the customer and there are a lot of options - which had just opened last week. I'd been hoping to check it out with my friends (though Tucker wouldn't be ordering any food, I suspect), but I won't complain about scoping it out with my new girlfriend.

We walked in like normal customers, and I tried not to notice the multiple stares and whispers and that started up as soon as people saw me. Mira saw my discomfort and held my hand in a show of support, which only increased the amount of whispers, and I think some people pulled out their phones.

I hope Mira doesn't have to deal with the paparazzi because of this. At least she remained oblivious the whole time we were there.

I ordered a basic mango smoothie, but my food-Obsessed girlfriend was more daring and ordered "lime and starfruit with kale." I grimaced at the idea of putting kale in something that's supposed to be fun, but to each their own.

The owner, who has to be in her late-twenties at most, happened to be passing by and went nuts when she saw us. When I tried to pay, she insisted on comping our drinks. Apparently, she's a big advocate for ghosts and was very excited to have me as one of her customers. Since the prices aren't terrible, I might end up being a regular.

"I think I'm gonna like dating a superhero," Mira joked. "I get free stuff!"

Thankfully, she waited until after we'd left the building to say that. Speculation is one thing, but if everyone had proof we were a couple, we'd never get any peace in this town.

Mira and I had taken our drinks just outside of town and sat together on a fallen tree trunk, where I told her about how I met Eileen and explained the concept of imprinting.

"And, you did that with Reaper, too?" Mira asks. "So, you've got, like, human parents and ghost parents?"

I take a sip while I form my response. "I guess so." An embarrassed laugh escapes me. "I, uh, I've got kind of a weird family, don't I?"

Mira grins and shrugs. "Well, at least half of them already like me. And, my parents already like you, so that makes things easier."

"Heh. Yeah, it does."

Except that my human parents would burst into flames if I told them I was dating a ghost. I keep drinking my smoothie even though I can no longer taste it. I'll never be able to introduce Mira to Mom and Dad. And, not just because they only know her as "the electric ghost who hangs out with Phantom."

What if Mira and I get serious? Or, what if we don't because she decides that she's sick of keeping us a secret from them? What if she just gets sick of me in general because of all the craziness she'll have to put up with because of my enemies and my duty and-

Whoa. Slow down, Phantom. This is just the first date.

My Ghost Sense goes off, and not a moment later, Cujo's monstrous form comes bounding over to us with his tail wagging and a proud doggy grin on his face.

Oh, yeah. I forgot I sicced him on Vlad.

"Hey, Cujo," I greet. "How'd it go with Vlad?"

Cujo responds by spitting something out at our feet. I'd be grossed out if the sight of Vlad's battered ghost-form covered in ectoplasmic spit wasn't so satisfying.

"Good boy," I praise as I fly up to scratch under Cujo's chin. His giant leg bounces happily at the contact, pounding against the earth. "I'll be sure to deliver that bacon I promised."

Vlad slowly climbs to his feet and wrings out his cape with a look that is as nauseous as it is furious. "Yes, reward the thing for trying to bury me in the dirt. Knowing you, you've probably already crammed Hutch in your little Thermos as well."

I descend and point at Vlad with my smoothie. "Want me to cram you in there, too?"

Vlad rolls his eyes (I assume, since he doesn't currently have pupils) and turns to Mira. "And, I suppose you have nothing to say."

"Danny seems to have it covered," Mira says before sticking her straw in her mouth.

"It's over and done with, Vlad," I say. "Now move along. I'm very busy."

"So, I see," Vlad snarks, eyeing the half-drank smoothies in our hands. "Very well. I'll take my leave. But, this isn't as over as it appears, Daniel. One day, you'll see how much you need me. Until then, I'm willing to continue this little waltz of ours."

He wants to waltz, does he? "In that case. Cujo," I say to the dog-ghost, "you mind dancing with this guy a little longer?"

As Cujo gets ready to pounce, Mira sets down her drink and hops up from her seat. "Oh! Hang on!" She stands on her toes and whispers to me a request for the Fenton Thermos and the knowledge of how to release a ghost from it. Curious, I give her both of those things.

"Cujo," she says, popping the lid off the Thermos, "you want some cheeseburgers to go with that bacon?" Cujo pants, wags his tail, and kneads his forepaws on the ground. There's a rush of wind as Mira releases Blairman from the Thermos. He blinks and looks around in a daze, and I see where Mira's going with this. She points to Blairman and says to Cujo, "Then, terrorize this guy, too!"

"Oh, hushpuppies," Vlad laments as Cujo rears back.

"What's going on?" Blairman asks then shrinks back when he sees my dog. "And, what's with the big, scary creature?"

He doesn't get an answer because Cujo grabs both of them in his mouth and runs off with them. Mira and I laugh.

Since I refused to wait until Sunday, Mira was kind enough to open a portal to Reaper's lair for me after our date, which went well despite the interruption. Although, it was a pretty fun interruption.

Reaper and I are in the training room - like last time, we have it to ourselves - and I requested they make a dart board for me out of Hard Light. My grim had made a curious noise but did as instructed and conjured one that now levitates beside them. I was hoping for a comically-sized board, but this will do.

I back up and raise my hand behind me. I will my ecto-energy to take shape and soon enough feel a warm, solid dart pinched between my fingers. I throw it, and the neon green is striking against the silver bullseye of the board.

Reaper observes the dart with a hum. "You have been practicing, and it shows." The board and dart vanish. "Well done, Danny Phantom."

"Thanks," I say as pride swells in me. "At least a few good things came of this week."

On our way to this room, Reaper had asked about the movie and I gave them a brief recap of what happened. They were sympathetic but became amused when I mentioned that I got a girlfriend out of the whole thing. "Mira Scott is a charming girl," Reaper had said. I took that as approval I didn't know I wanted.

Speaking of which… "Grim, do you think it's possible?" I ask. "For ghosts and humans to coexist?"

Reaper hums and puts their hand on their "chin" the way they do sometimes. "You called me 'Grim' again." Did I? Oops. "Is this, perhaps, a term of endearment?"

Busted. Might as well come clean and hope I'm not blushing as hard as I think. I duck my head and rub my arm. "I might have looked up non-binary parent names. Apparently, a lot of people just make something up, and, uh… I-I can stop if-if you don't like it."

Reaper chuckles at the admission. "If that is the case, I suppose the title suits me just fine." I guess it's okay then. Reaper walks up to me and kneels down to my level. "As for the coexistence of ghosts and humans, recall what I told you on your last visit."

I remember. "That I'm the first step because I don't discriminate. But, does that really count? I'm half of each, so shouldn't I automatically care about both?"

"What of your human companions?" Reaper reminds. "Are they not exclusively human? Yet, they seem to care as well."

True. Even without me being half-ghost, I have no doubt they would care, even if it took longer to get to that point. My mind flashes to the Blended owner. She doesn't know the truth about me, yet she still cares.

Reaper goes on. "I am sorry that your movie did not work out. But, there is more than one way to make someone see the light. If I may offer my advice, simply continue to do what you do. As long as there are differing minds and opinions, there will be disagreements. But, there will also be those willing to change their minds."

I wonder if my human parents are included in that. They haven't heard about the failed movie yet. I'm sure they'll have a few things to say about it.

But, oh well.

Reaper's right. There's more than one way to bring about change. One day, the human world will see that not all ghosts are monsters. One day, they'll remember that some of us used to be humans, ourselves. And, they'll see that those who weren't aren't always bad guys. Some of them are pretty great.

We'll get there. It may never be perfect, but it will be enough.