TW: MENTIONS OF SELF-BLAME, IMPLIED CHILD NEGLECT AND SELF-HARM

(11:10 PM, FRIDAY, MARCH 29)

"When will Jazz and your parents come back?" Sam's voice was a fragile whisper.

A sudden nudge from her probed Danny out of his thoughts. He looked at her with hollow eyes, before letting out a heavy sigh.

"Not until next Monday," he murmured, his voice barely audible. "But it wasn't their choice. I had to use everything in my excuse book just for them to leave on their "family-bonding" vacation."

A hollow attempt at laughter escaped his lips, but it fell flat. "I reassured them that everything would be okay," he added, his voice cracking with emotion.

Yet, seated on the Fenton sofa in the living room with Tucker and Sam flanking him, Danny found no solace in his own words. They had been weeping for what felt like an eternity, tears of anguish streaming down their faces.

They cried for the sleeping Danielle in Danny's bedroom, whose innocence had been shattered by Vlad's twisted schemes. They cried for the countless lives of animals lost. They had loudly cursed out Vlad and wished him a painful death numerous times.

Sam reached out and gently squeezed Danny's hand. "Look, Danny. Today may be the biggest and ridiculous day that has happened in our entire lives but know that we're always here for you, no matter what."

Tucker nodded in agreement, his voice thick with emotion. "You're not alone in this, man. We'll get through this together."

Danny forced a weak smile, but it crumbled almost instantly as he fought back tears. "I just wish... I wish things could go back to how they were. When everything was simpler, and… and Vlad…"

Tears streamed down Danny's face as he struggled to speak. "God... Because of me... All because of me... Danielle... Oh, Danielle..."

His voice cracked with anguish, each syllable heavy with remorse. He couldn't shake the overwhelming sense of responsibility that gripped his heart like a vise.

"She was like family to me," he whispered brokenly. "I never realized... I never saw her as anything more than a cousin, a sister…"

They were only five years apart, for God's sake.

His hands trembled as he buried his face, unable to bear the pain of his thoughts. Memories of his nightmares and the videos flooded his mind, each one a blood blossoms piercing his soul.

Danny suddenly staggered to his feet, his body shaking. Sam and Tucker watched him, startled by the abrupt movement.

"Danny?"

"What's wrong, man?"

Can he handle that kind of responsibility?

Does he even want it?

"You know," his voice wavered. Danny turned back to face his friends.

Is he ready for this?

"I've been thinking... about bringing Danielle into my family, into the Fenton legacy... as my daughter. Everything about her is still hidden from my parents, from Jazz… It's a lot to wrap my head, and their heads, around… but... would you guys still stand by me? Would you support this?"

Sam and Tucker's eyes met, sharing a silent understanding. Then, with a shared grin, they turned back to face Danny, their expressions soft yet determined.

Come on, Danny," Sam teased gently. "You can't just brush off all those sappy words Tucker and I just spilled out a moment ago."

"And don't deny the flood of tears and snot. Seriously, Sam, this is my first time seeing this side of you," Tucker teased as he deftly evaded a punch from Sam.

But then, his expression softened, his voice taking on a solemn tone. "Listen up. We're not just messing around here. We meant every word."

Sam stood up, her movements infused with determination as she enveloped Danny in a tight hug. "Danny, I said it once, and I'll say it again, we're always there for you," she whispered. "We are your family. And family isn't just about blood; it's about love and unwavering support. If this is what you feel is right for Danielle, then count us in, every step of the way."

"That's rich coming from you, Sam."

She shot Tucker a fierce glare. "Shut it, Foley. My family and I are just on an entirely different level of love."

A sharp cry escaped Tucker's lips as Sam delivered a swift kick to his shin, a silent warning to mind his words.

Danny pwatched the exchange, feeling a surge of warmth in his heart. "Thank you," he said, his voice cracking with emotion.

Blinking back tears, he managed a shaky smile. "I don't know what I'd do without you guys."

(l0:00 AM, SATURDAY, MARCH 30)

Danielle jolted awake, her heart pounding against her ribs as if trying to escape the cage of her chest. Sweat trickled down her temples, mingling with the tangled mess of her hair. The room felt stifling, the air heavy with the remnants of her terror.

As her racing breaths slowed, she surveyed her surroundings with a mix of confusion and dread. It took a moment for her mind to register where she was—a bedroom. Danny's bedroom. Her father's bedroom.

"Father…" It felt like a cruel joke, being in this space that should have felt familiar, but instead felt foreign and unwelcome. A puzzle piece forced into the wrong place.

A shiver ran down her spine as a fragment of the nightmare clawed it's way back into her consciousness. Nightmares were her unwelcome companions, shadows that lurked in the corners of her consciousness, waiting to pounce when she least expected it. Seriously, being a vigilante had its costs.

Without thought, her hand lashed out, connecting with her cheek in a stinging slap. It was a crude coping mechanism, one born out of desperation and a deep-seated need to silence the demons that haunted her sleep.

Rubbing her stinging cheek and with a heavy sigh, Danielle forced herself out of bed, her muscles protesting against the movement. The sheets tangled around her legs to which she kicked them out of the way. Suddenly, she hesitated, her gaze lingering on the disheveled sheets.

She wanted to restore the bed to its original condition, however, the concept of making a bed felt alien to her. In her previous life, if it could even be called that, her only "bed" had been the cloning vat. Even after escaping that life, she had never known the luxury of a proper bed. Nights were spent on the unforgiving pavement, beneath the sheltering embrace of trees, or perched on the rooftops of strangers.

Thump. Thump. Thump.

The knocks echoed through the bedroom, jolting Danielle out of her reverie. Startled, she dropped the blanket she had been clutching, her mind instantly shifting into defense mode by turning herself invisible.

As the bedroom door creaked open, Danny's head appeared. "Danielle? Are you awake?"

Relief washed over Danielle at the sight of him, and she allowed herself to become visible, releasing the tension that had tightened her muscles.

"... Good morning," she greeted, offering him a tentative nod.

"Good morning," Danny replied warmly as he entered the room, his hands wrapped in bandages. He stopped a respectful distance from Danielle.

The duo stood locked in a silent exchange, their gazes piercing through the barriers of their souls. Time seemed to stretch into eternity, each moment laden with unspoken emotions, until...

"Are you hungry?" Danny's voice broke the heavy silence, his eyes darting to a space poster on the wall as if seeking refuge from the intensity of the moment.

Danielle blinked, momentarily thrown off. "What?"

Danny fidgeted, his hands betraying his nerves as they hovered awkwardly by his sides. "I... I cooked eggs and fried rice for breakfast," he mumbled, the words feeling foreign on his tongue. "And if you're doubting me, don't worry about it, I had Sam and Tucker to help me."

The silence stretched between them. Danielle's breath hitched, a sudden realization crashing over her like a tidal wave. "Why?" she finally whispered, her voice barely more than a breath.

Danny swallowed hard, his throat suddenly dry. "Why? I mean, well, embarrassingly, I couldn't cook on my own even though eggs and fried rice is like the simplest meal to make-"

A lone sniffle pierced the air, halting Danny's rambling words in their tracks. His heart instantly sank at the sound.

"Why..." Danielle's voice cracked. "Why are you pretending that everything's fine?"

Danny winced. His eyes met hers, and he felt his resolve waver. "Danielle… Everything…" But the words caught in his throat.

Is everything really fine?

And then like a fragile glass, Danielle shattered, her emotions pouring out in an unstoppable flood. "Forget this, okay!? Forget everything that happened yesterday. That time, I was not in my right mind!"

Her words hung in the air, heavy with the crushing weight of her guilt and self-blame. "Vlad called me… Before he went to space, he told me about the flash drive… I watched it… I watched it in his lab… And I came to you. I brought you into my problems!"

Is everything really fine?

"I thought that I was just a clone," she whispered brokenly. "... It turns out I'm just an abomination of messed up combination of cells and DNA stolen from you-" Her words trailed off into a choked sob.

Danny's heart shattered at her words, his own eyes filling with tears he dared not shed. He stepped forward, reaching out as if to touch her, but his hand hesitated in the space between them.

"That's not true! Danielle, stop blaming yourself! It's me that… You didn't bring me into anything," He swallowed hard, struggling to find the right words to ease her pain. "… It's me that brought you into my problems… You are just a victim of Vlad's schemes… It's not your fault, it was never your fault..."

Tears streamed down Danielle's face, her defenses crumbling at Danny's words. She collapsed into his arms, clinging to him as if he were her lifeline in a stormy sea.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, her voice barely audible through her sobs. "I'm so sorry, Danny."

"I should be the one apologizing to you." He held her tightly, offering comforting pats on her back. "I know this is confusing and painful, but listen well, Danielle. You're more than just a copy. Yes, you may share some of my traits, but that doesn't diminish your uniqueness. Your experiences, your emotions—they're yours. They may have started with me, but they've grown into something wholly yours."

Danny lifted her chin gently, searching her tear-filled eyes with his own. "You have a soul, Danielle. A spirit that's entirely your own. And no matter where you came from, you have the power to shape your destiny."

Danielle choked out between sobs, her words incomprehensible.

Danny pulled her into a tight embrace once more, feeling her tremble against him. "You don't have to have to answer right now. Just... let me be here for you, Danielle. I'm here for you, every step of the way. Together, we'll figure this out. I promise."

They stayed like that for what felt like an eternity, finding solace in each other's embrace. In that moment, words seemed unnecessary, as their shared pain and growing bond for each other spoke volumes that words could never express.

Author's note: Whew, to think that writing an emotional chapter drained most of my energy, I sure hope this will be the last one.

Anyway, I tried my best to fleshen out the story. But I also think that some details may be confusing so I am here to clarify some things:

Chapter 1: This fic happens after Phantom Planet. Danny didn't tell the entire world his secret, he only told his parents. He and Sam didn't become a couple because 1.) They didn't develop romantic feelings for each other, 2.) I am a beginner in writing romance, and 3.) Romance will only become a thing between them if it serves the plot. However, because my main priority for this fic is the family dynamics between Danielle and the Fentons, I will not be adding romance to this fic.

Chapters 2 and 3: It is mentioned here that before Vlad went to space with Danny's father to stop the asteroid, he had called (How? I don't know) Danielle to tell her about the flash drive hidden in his lab. Why? I do not know. Anyway, Danielle went to the lab and watched the footage. Traumatized by what she saw, she then flew over to Danny and his friends (chapter 2), and... yeah, this happens.

Feel free to comment and leave out your thoughts. I know that the characters acted out of character and overly dramatic (?), but it's understandable given the situation and their ages, right?

Anyway, thanks for reading :))