The Inn at Cemetery Hill is a real hotel. That's the only real non-historic place I'll be mentioning by name, because the name is just so perfectly creepy.


Chapter One: Welcome to Gettysburg

"Fudge is the new kale." - Unknown

Danny

Somehow Dad got it into his head that this would be a good idea.

Don't get me wrong. I love my dad, and it's been a while since we had some guy time. But, do we have to have our guy time in one of the most haunted towns in America?

Of course, we do. Because apparently we don't get enough of that right here in Amity Park.

Dad's been obsessed with ghosts since before he met Mom. The only thing that's changed is that, now that he knows my secret identity, he's no longer obsessed with shooting ghosts out of the sky.

It's not that I'm against a trip to Gettysburg. After all, I am half-ghost, and it would be kind of cool if we stumbled across a Civil War ghost or two. It's just… Well, the last time we had a trip like this, we ended up having to fight Skulker and his pet lake monster. But, that's what happens when you go fishing at a vacant and foggy lake at night. The name "Lake Eerie" was the icing on the cake.

And, like Lake Eerie, Gettysburg is a hot spot for naturally occurring portals. Who knows what could pop out of those things? At least fighting off any unfriendly faces will be easier now that I don't have to hide what I'm doing from Dad.

Honestly, though, part of me is looking forward to this. From what I read online, Gettysburg is like Amity Park in that the townsfolk don't bat an eye at ghosts who aren't causing trouble. I don't plan on walking around in ghost-form, but it's nice to know that I can.

The "portal hot spot" thing is still a concern, though.

I've just finished packing my bag when Dad appears in my bedroom doorway. His bag is slung over his shoulder, and there's a wide grin on his face. I'm not surprised to see that he plans on wearing his orange jumpsuit for the trip. He'd wear that thing even without the prospect of a ghost hunt.

"You finished packing, son?" he asks. He doesn't wait for an answer. "We gotta leave as soon as possible if we wanna check into the hotel at a decent time. I even booked us a stay at one of the haunted ones! Sorry if your Ghost Sense keeps you up," he adds as if that just occurred to him. Which it probably did.

Wait… "Uh, Dad, by any chance, did you book the hotel for tonight?"

"'Course I did! And, the night after that!"

"Isn't Gettysburg in Pennsylvania?"

Dad is nonplussed. "Yeah."

"We are in Illinois."

"Yeah."

"And, you plan on driving there?"

Dad doesn't lose his cheer. "I know it's kind of far, but I'm sure it's not that much farther than we're used to. We can always take turns at the wheel."

On a hunch, I pull my ghost phone out of pocketspace: a pocket dimension storage system…thing that ghosts have access to. The cellphones in the Ghost Zone are way more advanced than the ones here on Earth, doubling as a computer among other things. Which is why I'm using it to look up how long it would take to drive from Amity Park to Gettysburg.

The answer is about what I expected. "I hate to break it to you, Dad, but," I show him the results on the screen, "it would take us over ten hours to drive there from here. And, that's assuming there's no traffic."

Dad sucks in air between his teeth. "So, uh, how would you feel about flying-"

"I'm not carrying the Ghost Assault Vehicle a million miles."

Dad clicks his tongue and scratches his cheek. "Yeah, that's what I thought you'd say."

We stand here and ponder our options. I almost suggest taking the Specter Speeder, but people are likely to mistake it for a UFO (speaking from experience). And, while I can carry people long distances if I have to, there's no guarantee that Dad won't get air sick even if I fly slowly. I recently carried Sam's parents home from Iowa, and we had to make a few stops even though they'd claimed to never have had those sorts of issues before. And, Iowa is a lot closer than Pennsylvania.

Finally, I have an idea that might work. "I suppose I could have my duplicates carry the Assault Vehicle." We would still be at risk of being mistaken for aliens, but at least we could avoid that when on the ground.

Dad brightens and latches his large hands around my shoulders. "You're a genius, son!" He spins me around and wraps me in a side-hug. "This road trip is back on! Although, it's more of a sky trip now. Either way, are you ready for one last hurrah before school starts back up?"

"Totally," I say. "It'll be nice to get away."

It's only been a week since Ida Manson's funeral, and I'm still reeling from the fact that, not only did I help her pass on, but she didn't become a ghost. After the initial "I'm basically immortal and not everyone I care about is" crisis, I came to accept that losing people is something I'm going to be doing more often than most.

I don't like it, but I (mostly) accept it.

"I'm still a little concerned about potential threats zooming in out of nowhere," I confess.

Dad pats me on the back. "Ah, no worries. You know we don't call it the 'Ghost Assault Vehicle' for nothing! Plus, you could always go all ghost and pound them into the dirt!"

"It's not 'go all ghost.' It's just 'go ghost.'"

"Whatever."


As promised, I have three duplicates carrying the GAV through the air. Cross your fingers that no one posts pictures online. I have enough run-ins with the government, thank you very much.

In hindsight, I probably should have turned us all invisible. Too late now, I guess.

"How close are we now?" Dad asks.

I check the GPS in my ghost phone. Unlike Earth GPSes, this one, for obvious reasons, accounts for flight. "About ten minutes. My duplicates will drop us off somewhere remote outside of town so we don't freak anyone out when we land."

Sitting in the driver's seat beside me, Dad rubs his hands together. "I can't wait to get there! I've always wanted to visit these haunted towns." He nudges me with a wink. "It'll be a lot easier now that I've got my own personal pilot!"

I smirk. "Does that mean you're gonna drag me to those other towns?"

"If you have fun here, why not? It can be our thing! Two guys ghost-hunting across America! Maybe we could even try our luck in other countries!"

His enthusiasm makes me laugh. "What about Mom and Jazz?"

"You know them. Your mother is more interested in the science of ghosts than the history."

Like you used to be, I stop myself from saying.

"And, your sister's always been a homebody. Still, if they want to come, I won't say no if you won't. It could be a whole family outing! Maybe next summer, we could fly all around the world and check out all the spookiest places."

I laugh again and hold up my hand. "Okay, Dad. Let's get through Gettysburg first."

"Right! Today, Gettysburg. Tomorrow, the Suicide Forest!" Dad's excitement dims at my expression. "What? That's what it's called. It's in Japan."

And, I have a feeling that name isn't a bad translation. "Uh, let's work our way up to that."

My duplicates drop us on a vacant street before vanishing. Dad drives us the rest of the way, weaving around the multiple traffic circles like a pro once we get into town. Contrary to popular belief, my father is actually a pretty good driver. It's only when there's a ghost attack or some other form of danger that he ignores all safety and traffic laws. The fact that he's never killed anyone while driving like that is a testament to his skills.

That's what I tell myself, at any rate.

Despite being a small town itself, Amity Park is very modern, with towering buildings and a mall and a handful of super rich families. Tourists are often surprised to learn that it's not big enough to be considered a city. I can tell right away that Gettysburg isn't like that. We seem to be in a business district, and while several buildings appear to be two stories or more, their brick or wood sidings give them a quaint, historic look. I watch out the window and take mental notes of the plethora of businesses as we pass. A couple of coffee shops. An ice cream shop. A store that appears to sell trading cards and anime merch and other nerdy stuff (might have to check that out later). We pass a few hotels, but Dad says that none of them are the one we're staying at.

"We've got a couple hours to kill before check-in," he says, "but put the hotel in your phone anyway. That'll take us to the haunted area!"

I roll my eyes fondly and put in the hotel name he gives me. "Inn at Cemetery Hill" is what it's called. Figures, Dad would pick the hotel with the creepiest name.

I have to say, the more time passes, the more eager I am to explore. Apart from that one trip to outer space - which doesn't count because I only went there to fight Technus - I've never been this far from home before. My initial worries about natural portals seep out of my mind as I let myself relax.

My worries return when a sharp, cold breath leaves my mouth.

Dad notices and only gets more excited. "Was that your Ghost Sense? I knew it wouldn't take long!" He leans forward, touching his chest to the steering wheel. "Where's the ghost? Point me in the right direction, Danorama!"

Panic shoots through me. I grab my dad and pull him back into an upright position. "I-I don't know where the ghost is, but I'm sure it's friendly! Please, keep driving the way you currently are." Because, unlike back home, the police in Gettysburg aren't used to my father's other mode of driving, and God only knows the penalty he would receive here.

Dad obeys. Crisis averted.

We're in a more suburban area now, which means less traffic, should Dad decide to go rogue. I turn off the GPS when I realize that our hotel is right down the road.

Out of nowhere, there's a weird sensation in my chest. It isn't the cool, pleasant pulsation I get from fulfilling my Obsession. Nor is it the harsh, stabbing pain that comes with an unsatisfied core. It's more like my core is pushing on my chest and rolling along my rib cage. It's not painful, but it does feel like someone is sitting on me and placing most of their weight in a specific area. As we drive, the pressure moves toward my back.

I must make a noise, because Dad glances at me with a worried frown. "You okay, son?"

"Yeah, I think." I place my hand over my chest. "My core is being a little weird, is all. I'm fine, really," I add when Dad furthers his brow. "The feeling's already going away." Which is true, though it's been replaced by the nagging feeling that I'm ignoring something important.

Dad isn't fully reassured, but he accepts my claim.

Jack

I've been worried about Danny since he started high school and seemed to become a different person. His grades were slipping, he was regularly skipping school and coming home late. He was tired all the time. He would flip-flop between having no appetite and eating everything in sight. And, he was real secretive about all of it. When Danny revealed his half-ghost status a few months ago, after the initial shock and grief over our son's death, Maddie and I were relieved in a way. We finally had an explanation for everything, and while words can't describe how horrible we felt and still feel over the way we treated "Danny Phantom," at least we were in the loop.

Then a series of events led to my old buddy, Vlad Masters, revealing that he was Danny's arch nemesis, Vlad Plasmius, and it was all downhill from there.

I remember Vlad's exact words on the matter: "I don't want your apology. This cannot be undone, and I made peace with what I am ages ago. Besides, the guilt you feel now surely does not hold a candle to your emotions regarding the other person you killed with a Portal."

He'd said that under the assumption that I was aware of how my son died. When Vlad realized that I was clueless, he was very happy to add, "I may attack anyone who inquires about my death, but I know for a fact that your son does not."

Danny assures me and Maddie that, not only does he not blame us for his death, but he is grateful for what the Portal gave him. Despite the hardships that come with his half-ghost status, he loves his powers, he loves being there for people, he loves all the friends he's made, human and ghost alike. He says that he would do it all again, and we believe him.

But, as it turns out, being a teen hero isn't as glamorous as it looks on TV.

Last month, Danny confessed to hating himself, so I'm pretty sure he has depression or some other mental thing going on. He has sessions with Jazz on his worst days, and I've heard her asking if he wants (read: telling him) to start having weekly sessions. As far as I know, Danny never agreed to this, and I think he should.

I guess that's partly why I suggested this trip. A little one-on-one time with his old man might loosen his lips. That and I genuinely thought this would be fun.

All is well, aside from Danny having some kind of core trouble. He assures me that it's passed, but the thought lingers in the back of my mind. I'll have to keep an eye on him.

Fortunately, he hasn't shown any signs of discomfort since that brief moment in the GAV. We circle back to the business district and have lunch at a diner that looks like it jumped out of a 1950s movie. Dessert is ice cream at a place the locals recommended. After that, we start scoping out any shops that interest us. Danny takes me by surprise when he isn't interested in a store that advertises star signs and horoscopes and things of that nature.

"That's astrology, Dad," he explains. "I'm into astronomy."

"There's a difference?" I ask.

He then goes into a lengthy explanation that flies right over my head.

Overall, I don't think we've bonded this much since our trip to Lake Eerie! We have a blast seeing the sights and plotting out what else we'd like to do. More importantly, it's been too long since I've seen Danny smile so openly, relax so easily. Maybe a few days away from his superhero duties is exactly what he needs. Thank goodness for Maddie and Valerie and "Team Phantom," as Danny's friends and sister call their little group. Now that he has so many people willing to look after the town, he's able to cut back on fighting. Not that he ever will, but he can.

His Ghost Sense goes off again as we pull into the hotel parking lot to check in. Oh, we're far from finished for the day, but since we're passing the hotel anyway, we may as well drop off our bags.

Danny is quiet as the receptionist confirms our reservation. He's still quiet when we head to our room - two beds, per Danny's request - and set our luggage down and make a pit stop.

"Everything okay, Danny?" I ask on our way out of the hotel.

Danny blinks at me as if coming out of a trance. "Huh? Uh, yeah, I'm fine. Just, uh, worried about my," he pauses as we step outside and checks that we're alone, "my Ghost Sense."

"It's not your core again, is it?"

He plasters on a smile. "Nope!" He taps his fist to his chest and winces. "It's all good in here!"

I grab his shoulder when he tries to walk ahead of me. "Son, neither of us is going to have fun if one of us isn't feeling well."

Danny drops the act. "Okay, fine. My core is being weird again. But, it doesn't hurt or anything. It's kind of like…" He reaches up to lightly press his hand into my chest. "Like that. And, it sort of...moves around. Almost like it's," his expression slackens, and his voice gets quiet, "pointing somewhere." Before I can comment on that, Danny asks with a sudden urgency, "Uh, Dad, wasn't the Battle of Gettysburg, like, really gruesome?"

I open my mouth-

"That's one way to put it."

-and it's not my voice that answers.