Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The first time Maddie saw Phantom face to face, her world turned on its head.

Familiar eyes met hers. That color, the neon green, was foreign. But the shape of those eyes, the startled rise of that brow… that face. She knew that face. She had seen it every single day for the past fourteen years. She had cradled those cheeks, kissed that forehead to both toddler giggles and teenage groans.

She knew the ghost, the boy in front of her. Of course she did. This was her son.

Danny. His name rang in her head, the shock sealing her lips. And yet….

No denial, no disbelief choked her heart. Just a dreadful, stomach-churning certainty. It happened, the one thing that she feared, but in the back of her mind, always knew would happen. Her Danny, her baby, wasn’t human anymore….but then again, he never had been completely human.

Three days. It had been three days since the overshadowings began. Three days of frantically building and distributing weapons, of fighting waves of ghosts, of tending injured neighbors. Three days, and Maddie had barely had a second to rest.

The woman’s heart pounded, adrenaline flowing through her veins despite the weariness weighing down her shoulders. The town hall was in chaos. Eyes glowed ominously, the possessed attacking with fists and teeth. People yelled, shaky ectogun shots going wide. A few blasts hit and ghosts flew back from their hosts. The faceless army of green skin and red eyes in riot gear swarmed.

With a hiss, a ghost rose from one of the overshadowed — a middle-aged woman Maddie recognized as a cashier from the grocery store. Neon green lit the clawed fingers, but the ghost hunter shot before the ectoblast could release. The spirit screamed, sucked away by the green swirl of a temporary portal.

Maddie’s gun beeped frantically. “I’m out!”

“Here!” Jack shoved a new ectoplasm cell in her hands.

In a blink, the woman reloaded. Two more shots, from Jack’s gun and her bazooka. The last overshadowed person in the room was freed, the ghost exorcised to whence it came.

“Where’s that ghost kid?” Jack’s eyes rapidly flickered across the room. “When I get my hands on that menace…” His teeth gritted, angry. “He shot you, Madds.”

“It’s not that bad.” Despite the words, she winced, a hand covering the burn on her side. “Don’t worry about me. Phantom took the mayor. We need to figure out where.”

Phantom… a conundrum even among all the other ghosts. A ghost who fought his own kind, even as most of the teens swore that he was trying to help. Sam and Tucker vowed as much, saying that he saved Sam from the spectral lunch lady during that first ghostly sighting. Not that Maddie believed that was true.

The previous fights had left craters in the street and scorch marks in the grass but the last three days…. These were unprecedented levels of destruction. Dozens of people were overshadowed and there were as many injuries. Attacks at all hours of the day, scores of ghosts turning neighbor against neighbor. And in each fight, Phantom was right there in the center of the action.

And now, the ghost had interrupted the town meeting, stopping any plans to deal with the onslaught in the process. He had shot at Jack and Maddie, landing a searing hit, before dragging the mayor away.

The two scientists jogged across the long meeting room, following the distant sound of ectoblasts.

“There!” Jack pointed, tearing open a side door.

One pounding heartbeat later and a glowing-eyed figure threw itself at Jack. The tall, strong figure of Danny and Jazz’s gym teacher wrestled for the gun.

Maddie avoided the possessed woman, ducking to the side. Swinging back around, she pointed her bazooka.

Just at the same time, a man’s scream sounded. “Help! Help me!”

“Go!” Jack shouted, gritting his teeth against the attack.

Maddie didn’t protest, running towards the sound of the mayor’s cry. The woman dodged a few of the overshadowed, cursing her unwieldy bazooka. The weapon was useless for freeing the controlled people. Who knew what would happen if a portal opened on top of someone? But…

A riot-geared ghost hissed beside the door, deep green gashes gouging its side. Maddie shot, a portal opening inches from it and sucking it away. Luckily, the portal gun was very good at getting rid of pesky ghosts.

Maddie leapt over a softly groaning teenager, her heart squeezing guiltily at being unable to stop. Another scream from the mayor quickened her pace. The scientist rounded a corner, slipping through another door and-

Maddie stopped in her tracks. At the other end of the towering entrance hall, fifteen feet from her, Mayor Montez stood, back pressed against the wall, his suit disheveled and singed. Phantom floated in front of him, hands alight with green.

Anger stirred in her gut. Maddie’s focus narrowed, adrenaline filling her. Silently, she lifted her foot and shifted to the side. If she could just get a better angle…

Then, Mayor Montez’s fearful posture relaxed, a wicked grin splitting his face. “They’ll never trust you now.” His eyes flickered red.

Maddie’s mind stuttered. What was he-

Before she could question, a great green figure burst through the wall. Sharp teeth bared, it slashed for the mayor with pointed claws.

“Get away from him!” A flash of panic, and Maddie shot at the furry beast.

“Wulf! No!” Phantom’s staticky voice shouted, the swirling green sailing towards both ghosts.

The wolf-like ghost reached out, shoving Phantom out of the path with one arm. The other clawed at the mayor and…. Maddie’s jaw dropped as a skeletal, white suited ghost was pulled out. Mayor Montez collapsed to the floor at Phantom’s feet.

The temporary portal popped into existence, the smell of citrus and ozone crackling in the air. The pale ghost struggled free of the wolf ghost’s claws and dropped to the floor. Still, the eerie green light lashed out at the ghosts. The closer two’s auras smeared. Their blurry forms stretched towards the portal.

“Wulf!” The ghost boy cried again.

The wolfish figure barked something, the staticky words grating to Maddie’s ears.

“I won, you hear me!” The white skeletal ghost uselessly clawed across the floor, wide-brimmed hat askew. “This town is your prison. They’ll always hate you. I won!”

The green light pulsed, tendrils drawing the two ghosts to the opening. They were pulled through, forms distorting. A Venus flytrap closing around its meal. In the next blink, the portal disappeared.

Maddie’s mind spun back into action, pieces of a puzzle clicking into place. The mayor was possessed by a ghost with a vendetta against Phantom. Phantom, drawing the other ghosts here to fight.

“You!” The ghost hunter sprinted. “This is your fault!” She shoved her way between the ghost boy and the mayor, shielding the human with her body. Her heart pounded, lips curling with fury. “Your fault! You filthy ectoscum-“

Phantom whipped around, wide eyes facing her.

Maddie’s world stopped.

Danny. Her blood ran cold, furious expression going slack. The recognition stabbed through her heart like a knife. That was Danny’s face. Danny’s eyes…

Those eyes widened fearfully, flickering from her face to the barrel of her gun.

The barrel dropped, aim going limp in her shock. This was her son. Her son. And she had been a second away from shooting him.

Behind her, Mayor Montez gasped a forceful inhale. “Ghost! Shoot it.”

The words almost jarred Maddie back to reality. Danny. This was Danny. And he was a ghost and-

“Shoot it!” Another terrified demand.

With a flinch, unseeing eyes ripped away from the familiar face, glancing at the gun’s display. “Out of juice.” Her lips moved numbly, a helpless excuse.

Montez shouted something. But the mother’s stare returned to the ghost boy, eyes hopelessly fixed.

For just a second, Danny’s eyes returned to her. Relief softened them, a confused wrinkle to his brow. Wordlessly, he rose from the floor. With one last intense look, he phased through the ceiling and disappeared.

For a long, breathless moment, Maddie’s head remained tilted up, intent on where her son had vanished.

Her mind stuttered and stalled. Vanished. He had vanished, phased through the ceiling, and flown away. Because he was a ghost. A ghost. After all these years, that otherworldly part of him had resurfaced. And Maddie had no idea how or-

Mayor Montez’s fearful voice broke the woman out of her trance. “Aren’t you going to go after it?”

Maddie tensed, grimacing at the dehumanizing pronoun. “There’s no point. He’s long gone by now.” She turned around, facing the man but not really seeing him. Instead, Danny’s wide, fearful eyes filled her mind. “D- Phantom didn’t… didn’t do anything wrong.”

The name almost slipped out of her mouth. Guilt wrapped its cold fingers around her heart.

The mayor’s voice shifted from fearful into something angry. “Didn’t do anything wrong?! That ghost kidnapped me!”

“I don’t think that’s what happened.” Maddie shook her head, forcing herself to focus on the man. Montez’s eyes narrowed, indignant, but before he could argue, the woman continued. “You were being overshadowed by another ghost. Skeletal, wearing a cowboy hat and white suit, of all things.” A white suit… that detail made her shiver, the eerie shadow of something long passed. She pushed the thought away, continuing. “I saw the green werewolf pull it out of you. The ghost overshadowing you had some kind of vendetta against Phantom. It wanted to make him look bad.”

They’ll never trust you now. This town is your prison. The sinister words rang in her head. She had so many questions. Her brow furrowed, a knot of worry. What had Danny gotten himself tangled up in?

Still on the floor, Mayor Montez’s own brow wrinkled. “White suit and cowboy hat… I think I remember…” He shivered. “It did… it was controlling me. It…”

Maddie blinked, finally noticing the discomfort on the man’s face. Slowly, she put down the bazooka, squatting in front of him. “You’re safe. It’s gone. I shot it back to the Zone myself.” She patted the massive gun. “Jack and I dealt with most of the others.” All identical in riot gear, they looked like police officers or prison guards. Subordinates, lackeys, henchmen? Of some kind of… ghostly prison warden? “I left him to deal with the stragglers.”

Almost as if summoned by his mention, Jack burst through the door. “Madds! The hall is clear. Is the mayor- “ He cut himself off, eyes falling on the pair. “Mayor Montez!”

The orange-clad ghost hunter hurried over. At the same time, Maddie’s brow furrowed, concerned eyes scanning the mayor for injuries. “Are you hurt?”

Legs splayed in front of him where he sat, Montez seemed to study his body. “I don’t think so.”

The woman nodded in relief. She stood, offering her hand to the mayor. The man accepted, rising to his feet with the help.

Jack stopped next to the pair, his eyes on the discarded portal gun. “Did you send that pesky Phantom back to the Ghost Zone?” He grinned proudly at his wife.

Maddie’s stomach swooped, a sudden queasy discombobulation at the attitude. “No, he got away.”

The other hunter’s excitement dimmed, a frustrated anger flickering on his face. “That slippery ghost. You’ll get him next time, Madds.”

“Phantom wasn’t the culprit here.” The woman shook her head, shakily reminding herself that Jack had no idea what she’d just discovered. “He didn’t actually kidnap Mayor Montez.”

Insides shaking with disquiet, Maddie explained what she had seen and realized to Jack. The earth-shattering revelation — the ghost boy was their son — burned on her tongue. But Mayor Montez stood right there, eyes wide and attentive. She… she couldn’t tell her husband, not right here, not right now. All the while, the furrow of Jack’s brow deepened, more in confusion than disbelief or suspicion. Still, he stayed his questions.

“That must be emergency services.” Montez said, head turning towards the double doors at the sound of sirens. “I’ll brief them on the situation.”

“We should check and make sure there aren’t any more ghosts or possessed people,” Jack added.

Maddie blinked, mind hazy with the previous torrent of words. The sound of those sirens…. Her stomach knotted. She wanted to find Jazz; the girl had been in the meeting room with the rest of the teen ghost-hunting squad when the attack started. She wanted to hug her daughter. And her son…. Maddie wanted to go after Danny. She needed to see him, to know he was safe.

But…. Maddie forced a deliberate calming breath. She had a job to do.

“Yes.” The huntress agreed. “We’ll send anyone who can walk out to the paramedics.”

With the mayor’s confirmation, the two hunters hurried off to their tasks. They searched room after room, sending the last ghostly stragglers through the bazooka’s portals and checking on the victims. Bruises and scrapes, mild ecto-burns, a few sprained ankles and wrists, one concussion. Jack and Maddie sent most of them out of the building, telling a few to stay put as they called for the paramedics.

Jazz came running up to the two just as they returned to the exit hall. “Mom! Dad!” Relief painted her face as the girl wrapped her arms around her father.

“Jazzy-pants.” Jack’s shoulders, tense with worry, which Maddie had hardly noticed in her own distress, relaxed as he hugged their daughter.

The anxiety in the huntress’s gut unwound ever so slightly. “Jazz, sweetie.” The woman put down her gun, wrapping the teenager in her own hug as soon as Jazz let go of her father. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine.” The girl nodded into her mother’s shoulder. “Are you and Dad okay?”

“We’re fine.” Maddie answered with her own nod. “Neither of us are hurt.”

“Of course not.” Jack grinned, a steady hand on Jazz’s shoulder as soon as the mother-daughter hug parted. “No pesky ghost can land a hit on us Fentons.”

The smile wasn’t the gleeful boasting of a ghost hunter; instead, the gentler comfort of a father. But…. Pesky ghost…. Maddie would have said the same thing less than an hour ago. The knot of guilt in her heart tightened.

Jazz’s lips pursed, a furrow tensing her brow despite the soothing reassurance. “Did you manage to…” She swallowed, almost warily eyeing the portal gun. “Send Phantom back to wherever ghosts come from?”

Maddie blinked once. That expression, that tone niggled at her…. “He got away.” And…. The shift of Jazz’s brow…. Was that relief?

The teen exhaled a sigh. “And the other ghosts? Are they gone?”

“Yep.” Jack smiled proudly. “Your mom sent that green wolf ghost and the big boss that was overshadowing the mayor back to the Zone. I didn’t see it myself, but…” The man whistled.

In any other situation, Maddie would have blushed, pleased at the praise. But now it just reminded her. She’d… she’d shot at Danny, the woman realized, paling. She hadn’t just almost shot him point-blank. She’d shot at the wolf ghost, and Danny had almost been caught in the crossfire. If the other ghost hadn’t pushed him away….

Jack must have picked up on her subdued attitude, an arm wrapping around her. “What do ya say we check on the rest of the ghost getters and head home? It’s been a long day.”

Jazz nodded eagerly. “Danny’s at home.” A little quieter. “I hope he’s okay.” Her eyes widened, then giving a nervous laugh. “I mean, of course he’s okay. He’s been at home this whole time, safe behind the ghost shield. You know how scared he is of ghosts.”

Maddie’s own eyes widened at the uncharacteristic ramble. Jazz looked as tired and frazzled as any of them. Even then, being worried about her brother wouldn’t be unexpected after the widespread ghost attacks. But… that previous relief at Phantom escaping, the emphasis that Danny was at home…

Jack chuckled a reply to Jazz’s ramble, the words lost to Maddie’s racing mind. The father and daughter turned, exiting through the front double doors.

Jazz knew about Danny being Phantom, didn’t she? How…How? Jazz didn’t even know that human-ghost hybrids were possible. Not like Maddie herself did.

Maddie followed her husband and daughter, body acting without thought.

An image flashed in her mind. Behind glass and water, tiny, half-lidded eyes flicking from blue to green. A wisp of fluorescent white baby hair. Maddie knew that this, Danny being a ghost, was always a possibility.

The light of the setting sun bathed the town hall’s parking lot. A firetruck, three ambulances and as many police cars. Voices buzzed, people bustling around the vehicles.

No, not just a possibility. It wasn’t just possible but probable. Danny was designed to be a human-ghost hybrid, from his conception. Despite his ghostly side being dormant, it was still always present, somewhere below the surface.

Some called for more gauze, more burn cream. A voice called. “Doc… tor?”

The dread sank in Maddie’s stomach like a stone. This was always going to happen, wasn’t it? She had tried to deny it, tried to ignore it, desperately hoped that it wouldn’t. But a part of her had known and feared, always suspected.

Jack turned, looking at her. His lips mouthed a word.

Her Danny, her baby, wasn't human anymore. But he had never been completely human. Finally, inevitably after all these years, his ghostly side showed itself.

Jazz’s eyebrows wrinkled, lips moving in an unheard question.

But how? How did his supernatural aspects reactivate? And how did Jazz know before she-

“Maddie.” Jack saying her name cut through her runaway thoughts.

“What?” The woman blinked.

The man motioned towards one of the ambulances. “They were calling for you.”

Maddie’s attention snapped to one of the paramedics.

An orange jacketed young woman looks up from her patient. “Doctor Fenton, is there more of the ectoburn cream you gave us on Friday?”

“Yes, in the GAV.” The huntress shook her head, chastising herself for the previous distraction. “I’ll go get it.” She still had a job to do.

Maddie marched across the parking lot to the ghost assault vehicle. She threw open the side door. Equipment in various levels of development -- an electrified net gun, the new version of the Fenton thermos, a pair of metal gauntlets -- lay in the back. And in a clear plastic box… half a dozen tubes of ectoburn cream.

Maddie turned around, returning to the ambulances. “Here.” She handed over the tubes.

With a nod, the paramedic gratefully accepted. She turned her attention back to her patient.

In front of one of the other ambulances, Jazz and Jack stood next to a blonde boy on a stretcher.

“Don’t worry about it.” The boy who Maddie recognized as a football player in Danny’s class, shrugged, even as he cradled his wrist to his chest. “Doc says it’s just a sprain.”

“I’m not a doctor.” The brown-haired paramedic tending him grimaced. “And you really should get that checked out at the hospital.”

“You should listen to him, Dash.” Jazz chided, brow wrinkled with worry.

“She’s right, bro.” Another football player, this one with  black hair and monolid eyes, agreed. “You need like, an x-ray or something.”

A few other kids stood around the cot, offering their own agreement. Each one sported bandages covering various cuts and scrapes.

“Fine.” Dash frowned. “I’ll text my mom to take me to the hospital.”

While the teen did so, Jack’s head turned, surveying the rest of the youngsters. “Huh, all your little friends are here, Jazzy.”

“Dad!” Jazz whined, blushing in embarrassment.

Jack continued, ignoring the complaint. “Great job, Ghost Getters!” He congratulated them. “We couldn’t have sent all those ooky, spooky ghosts away without you.”

The teen ghost hunters traded looks, a few shoulders lowering with released tension.

“Thanks, Mr. F.” The second football player -- Kwan, that was his name-- nodded. “Honestly, that whole thing was freaky.”

“More like terrifying.” One of the girls, a blonde cheerleader muttered.

“But.” A dark-haired girl --Paulina, Maddie recognized her as the girl Danny took to that disastrous homecoming – Paulina cut in sharply, putting a comforting arm around her friend. “It was nice to be able to do something. Like, Phantom is a good ghost and he saved me from that icky overshadowing. But I got to shoot that cabrón in the face.”

Maddie’s nose wrinkled, fighting back a reprimand; she didn’t know what that word was but she was pretty sure it was a curse word. But at the same time…

Phantom is a good ghost. Earlier, Maddie would have been skeptical at best, harshly opposed at worst. But now… “That is why Jack and I wanted to train you kids, so you could defend yourselves. Phantom is a good ghost and trying to help,” Now, the words rang out, full of unshaking belief. “But we can’t leave him to do it all by himself.” They definitely couldn’t now; this was her son, trying his best to help even as clumsy and inexperienced as that effort was.

Most of the teens’ eyes lit up, pleasantly surprised by her support. Jazz’s brow wrinkled, expression becoming suspicious. And Jack… Her husband fixed her with a puzzled look.

Maddie hardly noticed the eyes on her, mind circling back to Danny. “Jack, What do you say to taking the kids home, then heading there ourselves?”

“Of course, Madds.” He smiled gently, a question in his eyes. And with how Jazz was looking at her… there would be questions in the GAV.

With agreement from the rest of the Ghost Getters, the group started for the Ghost Assault Vehicle.

“Doctor Fenton?” That is… until the chief of police, Chief Scott, interrupted Maddie. “Mayor Montez said that you saw the final confrontation between Phantom and the ghost who was leading the attack. Could you answer some questions about that?”

The huntress blinked once, surprised. Then… a longing look back at the GAV. “Please. Can this wait until tomorrow? Right now, I just want to go home.”

“We really do need to hear it fresh, right after the fact.” The chief’s face softened slightly, reassuring. “I’ll do my best to make it quick.”

Maddie’s lips pursed, another plea on her tongue.

But then… Jack’s hand was on her arm, eyes round and understanding. “I’ll check on Danny when we get home.”

The woman’s own face softened, always pleasantly amazed at her husband’s ability to read her mind. “Alright, tell him I love him.”

With that, Jack led the teens to the GAV. Jazz turned back, giving her mother one last look, no longer harsh but still suspicious.

“This way, Doctor Fenton.” Chief Scott ushered Maddie back into the town hall, to a side room with the mayor and a few officers.

“One more time?” The chief asked.

Maddie huffed a sigh. “I walked in on what I thought was Phantom pressing Mayor Montez against the wall.” This was the third time explaining in the past two hours and Phantom… the word still felt wrong in her mouth now, when she knew this was Danny she was talking about. “But the mayor’s eyes started glowing red. He gloated about the town never trusting Phantom now.”

“Except, it wasn’t Montez speaking, but this white skeleton that was controlling him.” The chief officer raised a brow. “The one you say was leading the other ghosts in the swat gear.”

“The mayor said he remembered the pale ghost overshadowing him.” Pointedly, her eyes shifted to Montez. “And he doesn’t remember yelling for help in front of the cameras.”

The mother’s heart ached at the reminder. Not only had her son been framed for attacking the mayor, but it was immortalized on the nightly news.

At the other side of the table, Montez nodded. “That is all true.”

Maddie continued. “And after the skeleton was pulled out of Mayor Montez, it boasted to Phantom that it had won. That Amity Park was now Phantom’s prison and everyone would hate him.” Her insides churned, queasily uneasy at the words. She rubbed her stress-tensed forehead. “This was clearly a coordinated attack, designed to increase negative public opinion of Phantom and damage his reputation.”

“I can agree it was coordinated.” Montez agreed. The man sighed into his hands. “This is all developing so fast. Just three days ago, we didn’t even know ghosts could coordinate like this.”

“What I’m not getting…” Chief Scott cut in. “is your insistence that Phantom wasn’t the instigator here.” His brow furrowed, disbelieving but luckily not all that suspicious.  “Just earlier today, you and Jack were saying the ghost kid was the problem.”

Still, Maddie’s stomach knotted. Curse every previous harsh comment about Danny’s alter ego. “That was… a hastily made, overly critical assessment.” The woman fought not to grit her teeth. “Phantom has been the common denominator in all the sightings and attacks, at the center of everything. But after what we saw today… things are more complicated than they appear.” The mother’s eyes unfocused, gaze distant. After all she saw, the incredible revelations…. “There has to be more going on here.”

The words trickled to a stop, falling heavy in the air. The chief’s eyes were distant, face wrinkled thoughtfully. At the same time, the mayor rubbed his forehead with one hand. Both look just as tired as Maddie felt.

Finally, Chief Scott sighed, gaze returning to the woman. “What do you suggest we do next then?”

Maddie blinked, surprised at the question. Not hostile or suspicious but… genuine. Maybe the chief was just as shaken and unsettled by the past three days as she was.

The woman swallowed. “We gather more information. A lot of the teenagers had already been saying that Phantom saved them during ghost attacks. We’d been dismissing that as coincidence or…” Her heart throbbed guilty. “Some form of manipulation. But maybe there’s more to it than that…”

Chief Scott nodded. “I can get my officers on that. We’ve already started on interviewing the people who were present tonight.”

“Good.” Maddie agreed with her own nod. 

Really, she and Jack should have talked to the teens weeks ago. They should have listened to Sam and Tucker after that first ghost attack, the first Phantom sighting. Her brow furrowed into a frown.

“What is it?” Mayor Montez asked.

“I….” Maddie hesitated, her heart pounding. Her veins felt like they were filled with more adrenaline than blood. Her shoulders ached with the tension, the feeling radiating down her side. Her mind swam with questions, so much uncertainty.

“Doctor Fenton?” Chief Scott prompted.

The woman’s stomach swooped, a swaying uneasy feeling. Like a tightrope over a deep chasm. She struggled to balance.  She was a mother; she had to protect her son, to do what she could to repair his reputation. But with his secret…. No one here could know, for Danny’s own safety. Maddie had to be a scientist, a professional. Confident, logical, clear-sighted.

The huntress lifted her chin, lips drawn straight. “I need to talk to Phantom.”

And that was logical, wasn’t it? If she’d seen and heard what she had earlier and Phantom wasn’t her son, wouldn’t she still have questions for the ghost boy?

The chief and mayor traded a look.

“That’s easier said than done.” Chief Scott raised a brow. “That ghost kid’s flighty.”

“Well, he can literally fly.” Maddie rubbed her head, wincing at the words as soon as they were out of her mouth.

Montez and Scotts’ eyes were fixed on her, a complicated mix of emotions she couldn’t quite parse on each face. The woman’s heart pounded, a rising note of fear. Had she overstepped, appeared too eager?

Giving into the growing nerves, Maddie shifted in her chair. In response, a twinge of pain radiated up her side. Her shoulders rolled forward, a hand reaching to cover the spot.

Montez’s expression shifted, gaze fixing on her side. “Are you hurt?”

Maddie blinked down at her singed suit. “Oh, right….” She frowned, the memory of Phantom, of Danny, hand raised and lit with green flashing in her mind. “One of the ghosts shot me.”

“Why didn’t you say anything?” The mayor pressed lightly, concern in his eyes.

“I’ve had other things on my mind.” A thick feeling rose in her throat, a hint of wetness behind her eyes. Danny had… had shot her. But then again, she’d almost done the same.

“Why don’t you get the paramedics to look at that?” The look of pain must have been more visible on her face than she liked, the chief’s question almost pitying. “Then one of my officers can take you home.”

Maddie didn’t have the presence of mind to be offended by what might be patronizing. Instead, she numbly agreed. Passively, her eyes followed along as the paramedic applied salve to the burn and wrapped it.

“Thank you for your help, Doctor Fenton.” A blonde officer directed her to a police car.

In another circumstance, Maddie would have been nervous or offered a curious comment on the novelty. But now, all her mind could grasp was Danny’s green eyes, wide and fearful, her gun pointed at his chest.

The ride passed before Maddie could blink, the car pulling up to a hauntingly quiet and dark Fentonworks.

The woman opened the door and exited. She stood at the bottom of the steps, staring up as the police car pulled away. Maddie was left alone.

Chapter Text

Maddie stared up at the silent, dark house. Her mind swirled with thoughts, now that she’d arrived home.

The ghost shield was off. Logical, after the ghost crisis was over but… a stomach flip of nervous anticipation. Did that mean that Danny had come home?

Then again, he must have been able to get through the shield to leave the house before the meeting in town hall. Something no other ghost was capable of…. Exactly how ghostly was her son? How human?

No. No more questions. Maddie dug in her pockets for her keys. The sudden need to see Danny, safe in their home, overwhelmed her. The woman unlocked the door. Swinging it open, she stepped inside.

The living room and kitchen were dark, despite the clock on the microwave reading 10:00 pm. The mother stepped towards the stairs to the second floor. The door to her and Jack’s bedroom was just to the right. Through the crack in the opening, she could hear her husband’s familiar snoring. He was asleep, which was unsurprising after the exhausting last three days.

Maddie turned away, drawn as if by a magnet up the stairs. Jazz’s room came first, on the left. The mother pushed the door open just a crack more. Her eyes softened ever so slightly. Her daughter’s red hair spread over her pillow, face peacefully slack in sleep.

Silently, the woman closed the door. A few more soft steps, past the bathroom Danny and Jazz shared, past the guest room, and…

Danny’s door loomed in front of her. A sign with blocky letters bared his name, paper cutout of stars and rockets surrounding it. Shakily, Maddie turned the doorknob and pushed. The door swung open.

A familiar bed filled her view, galaxy bed print and pillows. The window visible behind, a sliver of moon light shone across the scene. And….

“Danny.” Maddie whispered her son’s name, knees going weak.

He was there, laying on his bed under the covers. His arms wrapped around the rocket pillow he pretended he didn’t still sleep with, face buried in the fabric. He breathed softly, the hair hanging over his forehead and fluttering with each breath.

Relief washed over the mother, water rising in her eyes. She stumbled away. Back down the hallway, down the stairs. She had just enough presence of mind to stay quiet, the image of her children’s peaceful sleeping faces filling her mind.

Silently, Maddie opened the door to her and Jack’s bedroom. She crept to the bathroom, the sudden need to get out of her hazmat suit and clean clashing with her heart’s demand to not disrupt the tranquility and rest.

Once in the bathroom with the door closed and the light turned low, Maddie stripped. She stepped into the shower, turned on the water to scalding, and…

Her knees buckled, back sliding down the wall. She slumped to the bottom of the tub. All her will, all her strength leached out of her, composure collapsed under the relief of seeing Danny safe, asleep in his bed.

A quiet sob rose in her throat, tears rising to her eyes. Danny was safe. He was safe, at home in his bed. He was asleep, as normal, as human-looking as ever. As if he hadn’t been fighting ghosts in the town hall just hours ago.

Maddie’s breath hitched, her knees drawing to her chest. Was it even real? Had she imagined it, seeing Danny in Phantom’s face? But…

No. The ugly doubt was thrown away as quickly as it arose. Danny was Phantom. It was as simple as that. An inevitability she should have seen coming. She should have realized sooner.

But how? How did this even happen? There hadn’t been any signs. Danny was just a normal child. He’d always appeared completely human, from the day she and Jack took him out of the incubator.

He was normal, just as she and Jack had desperately hoped after their intervention to save him. Those… those white suits might have designed him as a half ghost experiment. They wanted a lab rat, a custom grown spectral hybrid they could manipulate.

But Danny was unquestionably human. She and Jack falsified the records, they sabotaged the “experiment.” They made sure Danny appeared normal, no hint of ghostliness. They’d rescued him, had happily taken the discarded, “useless” human baby. After months of caring for him, Maddie had finally got to hold her son for the first time.

Then, years of routine checkups, doctor’s office visits for a stuffy nose or sprained ankle. Without fail, Danny was happy and healthy, a typical boy in every way. He’d broken his arm when he was four after falling out of a tree. He’d gotten chicken pox when he was seven. He skinned his knees on the playground. He lost his baby teeth, the tiny enamel pieces now with Jazz’s in a box in her vanity. He was nervous on his first day of school, excited about making a new friend. He rambled about space. He loved science but struggled with English. He blushed when Jack teased him about asking a girl to the school dance.

Danny was normal, human. Never any sign of ecto-contamination. No glowing eyes. No hint of ghostly abilities.

And yet…

Danny was a ghost. Without question. He was Phantom, the ghost who fought other ghosts. He was still a hybrid, despite her and Jack’s efforts, despite the years of evidence otherwise. His hidden otherworldly nature made itself known, after all these years.

But how? Maddie’s mind circled back to the question. She trembled, the water blurring her vision.

She cried for a long while, until the water started to chill.

Sniffling, Maddie reached to turn the shower off. Sharply, she shook her head.

“Pull yourself together.”

She had questions. So many questions. How had Danny become Phantom? How did Jazz know? Why did neither of them say anything to her and Jack? But sitting here crying wasn’t going to get her answers.

Danny wasn’t completely human anymore. But he never had been, not really. Him being ghostly had always been a high probability. And they would deal with it. As a family. They would deal with the ghost hunting. And…

Maddie’s heart throbbed painfully. She would keep Danny safe, no matter what dangers arose next.

But for now, Danny was safe in his bed. He wasn’t exiled to the Ghost Zone or badly injured. Or….

Maddie could hardly think the thought, the shadow of white suits and glasses quivering in her mind. No, that… that had not happened. They… they didn’t know. They didn't know about Danny or Phantom or the ghosts in Amity Park. They didn’t know.

Danny was safe.

Breathing in slowly, deliberately, Maddie stood. She turned back on the faucet, testing the water. Lukewarm, but it would have to do. She was still covered in her own sweat, the bandages on her side soaked through. Carefully, she peeled off the fabric. She winced, hissing through her teeth at the spike of pain.

Mindful of the burn on her side, the woman washed her hair and body. She rinsed. Stepping out of the shower, she dried her injured side, reapplied burn cream and bandages.

Now that she was calmer, more collected, she could tell Jack what she discovered. That was the first step, forming a unified front before they approached Danny with his secret.

Wrapping her towel around her, Maddie stepped out of the bathroom. She paused in the doorway, a sliver of light illuminating Jack’s sleeping face.

Her shoulders fell, the determination rushing out of her. He looked so peaceful, the stress and exhaustion of the past days erased. She… she could talk to him in the morning, after getting some much-needed sleep herself.

Using just as much muscle memory as the bedroom’s dim light, Maddie navigated to the dresser. She pulled out a comfortingly familiar set of pajamas, green with tiny ghosts. They had been a Christmas present from Jack. Silently, the woman dressed.

Returning to the bathroom…. Maddie stared into the dim mirror. Bags weighed heavily under her eyes. She was exhausted but despite her earlier self-directed reprimand, she still felt wired. Her stomach grumbled, a gaping uneasy feeling that might have been anxiety or might have been hunger. Either way, she hadn’t eaten since she’d managed to snag a protein bar around 3. She needed food. And maybe a cup of tea. Some chamomile would surely ease the tension and usher her way towards sleep.

With a sigh, the woman turned off the light. Quietly, she padded out of the bedroom and across the living room. Once in the kitchen, she turned on the soft orange light above the oven, unwilling to breach the darkness with anything brighter.

The tea kettle sat on the stove. Maddie grabbed it, filling it with water from the sink. Putting it on the glass top, she turned on the burner.

Now to find her tea. The woman turned to the pantry, opening the door. On the third shelf, just below her eye level. There was a purple bowl of hot chocolate packets, favored by Jack and Danny. The hibiscus-dragonfruit loose tea from that downtown tea shop that Jazz loved. And… Maddie pulled out the plastic container, sifting through the dozens of bags. Mint, Earl Grey, Pomegranate Green Tea, Lemon Grass, Lavender, Chai, English Breakfast Tea. Ah, there was the chamomile.

Selecting the bag, Maddie turned around and-

“Danny?” Her heart beat spiked, gasping in her surprise.

Her son stood on the other side of the kitchen table, in front of the fridge. His eyes were just as wide with surprise, cheeks just the smallest bit red with… was that guilt? “Mom?!”

“Sweetie.” Maddie took a breath, coaxing her heart to slow. She forced a disarming smile. “I didn’t hear you come down the stairs.” There had been no creaking of floorboards, no soft flutter of breath. As if he simply appeared behind her between one second and the next…. Had he phased through the ceiling from his bedroom?

The uneasy blush just reddened. “Sorry.”

Maddie shook her head, pushing the question away. “I thought you were asleep.” She felt her expression soften, letting some of that earlier relief resurface. “I was making myself some tea before heading to bed myself. Do you want some?”

And just like that, the tension eased. The corner of Danny’s mouth turned up in something that could be relief. “Hot chocolate sounds good.”

Maddie nodded, stepping out from in front of the pantry. While Danny picked out his hot chocolate packet, she grabbed two mugs. Her son’s favorite NASA mug, and for herself, A World’s Best Mom mug  that Danny and Jazz bought her for Mother’s Day a few years ago. Danny handed over the packet, the woman then pouring the chocolate powder inside.

The kettle whistled. Maddie carefully poured some of the liquid into her cup, adding her tea bag and a few pinches of sugar. She added water to Danny’s cup before stirring each drink with a spoon.

“Thanks, Mom.” Danny gratefully accepted the cup, sitting down at the table.

As the boy blew on his cup, Maddie turned back to the fridge. She had been meaning to grab a snack as well.

Looking back at Danny… “I was going to get some cheese and crackers too. Do you want some too?”

“I’m good.” He shrugged, taking a sip of hot chocolate. “Ah!” The boy complained the next second, sticking out his tongue. “Still too hot.”

The woman chuckled good naturedly. “Give it a few more minutes. It’s not going anywhere.”

The boy rolled his eyes, just blowing on the cup again.

“Did you have dinner?” Maddie asked.

“We made sandwiches when Dad and Jazz got home.”

“That’s good.” The mother nodded, grabbing a block of cheese out of the fridge. “I’m guessing everyone went right to bed after that. I came in about 10 and everyone was out like a light.”

A knife from the block on the counter. A cutting board from its familiar drawer. Maddie unwrapped the cheese and began slicing it into small cubes.

“Yeah.” Danny’s brows furrowed, something troubled in his expression. “It’s been a long weekend.”

Maddie blinked once, processing that expression. Just earlier today, she would have thought that worry was the same as everyone else’s in the town: uncertainty and unease at the onslaught of ghosts. Even if he wasn’t personally one of the overshadowed or out there fighting with her and Jack, the situation would be stressful. But…. it must be so much more personal for him.

Maddie’s stomach flopped, a heartbeat of debate. She could ask Danny about his ghostly alter ego, about being Phantom right now. She could have her answers. But… she hadn’t even talked to Jack yet. It was the middle of the night and… those bags under his eyes…. Danny looked exhausted, the weight of the entire town on his shoulders.

Instead, the mother sighed, expression softening. “How are you doing after everything?” Even if she wasn’t going to directly ask about Phantom, she could gently prod.

“I should be asking you that. I was here, safe behind the ghost shield all weekend.” Danny’s expression was impassive, the words said easily with a shrug, despite Maddie knowing they were a lie. “You were actually out there fighting the ghosts.”

“You can still be worried. Or scared.” Was he scared? Scared of the other ghosts? Of what was happening to him? Maddie swallowed, pushing away the questions. “The invasion was overwhelming for everyone.”

As she spoke, Danny’s casual ease dissipated into a frown. He stirred his hot chocolate, pointedly looking away from her.

Maddie continued. “A lot of people are hurt and scared.” The boy’s shoulders visibly tensed at the words. The mother put the knife down. Her voice softened, an effort to soothe. “But it’s all over now. The ghosts are back where they belong. No one was hurt too badly. Everyone is safe. You are safe.” She emphasized the word. “Your father and I will do everything we can to make sure it stays that way.”

Despite Maddie’s effort at comfort, Danny’s expression just hardened. He clutched his mug with white-knuckled hands.

The words… weren’t having the effect she’d hoped; he wasn’t receptive. But the mother wasn’t ready to give up. She leaned closer, searching for his eyes with hers.

“I understand, Danny, if you’re upset or worried, if you’re struggling, if you have questions….” Maddie paused, a hint of hesitation. “Your father and I are ghost experts. We’ve been studying everything ectoplasmic since long before you were born. As satisfying as seeing concrete proof that the world of ghosts is real has been for us, I’m sure it’s been… an earth-shaking revelation for you.” Was this too pointed? It almost felt underhanded, on the unsettling edge of fishing for Danny to reveal the truth himself. But her son didn’t look suspicious of her words and…  “If you want to talk about anything, ghost related or not, you can tell me, okay?“ The woman’s expression somehow softened even more, pouring all the genuineness she felt into her voice; she meant every word. “You can talk to me about anything, sweetie. No matter what it is, you can trust- ”

“Weren’t you going to get a snack?” Danny cut her off sharply, his eyes flashing green for just a second.

Maddie’s mouth snapped shut, a flicker of hurt in her own eyes. “Yes. I was…”

Her son’s harsh expression fell. His tense shoulders crumpled, guiltily collapsing in on himself. “Sorry.”

Instantly, Maddie swallowed back any further pleas. “It’s okay, Danny. You didn’t come down here to have a heart to heart with your mother at midnight.” The woman picked up the knife again, continuing to prepare the cheese.

Danny said nothing in response to that, hesitantly looking up at her as he took a sip of his hot chocolate.

Silently, Maddie finished cutting the cheese into blocks. She used the knife to scoot them into a bowl. Now to retrieve the cheddar’s companion…

“Now where are those crackers?” The woman pitched her voice up, her attempt at disarming humor as she over-exaggeratedly searched the pantry with wrinkled brow. “They’re supposed to be right there.” The third shelf, beside the peanut butter — that was where she always put them. Her brow furrowed, eyes trailing up and down until…. “The top shelf, behind the cereal? Really?” Her brow furrowed, putting more than a hint of mock annoyance in her voice.

The corner of Danny’s lip turned up; maybe he was taking the bait.

Maddie turned to face him, one hand on her hip. “Did you put them there, mister?”

“Don’t blame me.”  The snort was almost a chuckle. “Blame Dad.”

Maddie rolled her eyes good-naturedly. She stood on tip-toes, stretching to reach her prize. With fingertips, she managed to knock the box down and-

A gasp of pain parted her lips, a sharp throb rippling her side at the movement.

Any amusement on Danny’s face disappeared, worriedly guilty eyes fixed on her. “Are you okay?”

Placing the box on the table, Maddie nodded dismissively. “It’s just a little burn, sweetie.”

The word offered no comfort, Danny’s furrow-browed gaze remaining on the hand clutching her injured side. “It was…” He chewed on the words, visibly hesitating. “It was…” His cheeks reddened with building shame. “Phantom, wasn’t it?”

Now it was Maddie’s turn to hesitate. Danny’s withdrawnness, his guilt suddenly made more sense. Denial, the desire to say no and ease his shame, battled with the painful truth. Saying yes would be less suspicious, preserving his secret and his ability to share it of his own volition, even for just a little bit longer.

Inevitably though, Maddie’s silence spoke for her.

“It was. It was m-“ The woman barely noticed the near slip, so taken by his haunting certainty. “It was Phantom.”

“Yes.” Maddie swallowed, quietly conceding. “It was Phantom.”

Shakily, Danny pushed his mug away, his hands tenting over his face. “That good for nothing ghost.” The grit of his teeth was audible, the self-deprecation clashing with a sharp anger. “Can’t do anything right. Can’t protect anyone or get rid of the other ghosts. He just keeps… keeps messing everything up.”

The mother’s heart twisted. For a long moment, her eyes fixed on his hung head, at a loss. ‘Don’t talk about yourself that way.’ The words burned at the tip of her tongue, the need to correct the self-blame. But he didn’t know, he didn’t know that she knew. And blurting out the secret right now…. That was the last thing he needed in this moment.

Instead…. “Is that what you really think of Phantom?” Maddie kept her eyes soft and open, even as she tried to keep the pain out of her voice.

“Why wouldn’t I?” He said bitterly. “I’ve seen all the fights at school, the holes in buildings, the craters. I’ve seen the news, every single freaking night.” His eyes narrowed with each word, lips curled into an ugly scowl. “They even showed Phantom trying to kidnap the mayor tonight.” But underneath the anger…. “Besides, you and dad…” something pained showed itself in a defeated sigh. “You always say Phantom is a menace.”

The last words were a stab to Maddie’s heart. “I’m sure Phantom is trying his best.” The woman found herself saying.

Danny gave a humorless laugh. “What? You’re defending a ghost now?”

To her shame, the woman had neither the will to take back the suspicious statement, nor the courage to expand upon it. Instead, she bit her lip, finally taking a seat across from her son with averted eyes.

Yet again, her silence spoke volumes.

“Wait. You’re…” Slowly, the boy paled. “You’re being serious.”

Pointedly, measuredly, Maddie lifted her cup to her lips. She had to give him something, some measure of comfort even indirectly. Slowly, she took a sip, testing the temperature. It was already tepid.

The woman lowered her cup, giving a sigh. “After what I saw tonight… I think I might have misjudged Phantom.” The words were far milder than her real feelings, disgustingly lukewarm like the tea clutched between her hands.

Danny eyed her warily. “What did you see?”

You, she wanted to say. The opportunity dangled in front of her but the distrust on his face… It was well earned. Every negative thing they’d ever said about Phantom or the other ghosts…. It all made her heart ache. There was so much trust to rebuild, more than what just telling that she knew about Phantom could heal.

“I saw that Mayor Montez was being overshadowed.” Maddie began. “By a ghost that was threatening Phantom. A skeleton in a white suit who boasted about making everyone distrust and hate Phantom now. It said it won by making Amity Park the ghost boy’s prison.” She sighed heavily, taking another sip of tea. “I suspect the ‘kidnapping’ was staged as well. And all done by this same ghost that was leading the invasion.”

“So it’s all just ghost on ghost violence then.” Danny gave a scoff, crossing his arms. “What? The ghosts are just dragging their fights here, into our town.” His eyes rolled. “That definitely shows Phantom isn’t just another evil ghost.”

Maddie winced at the biting sarcasm. Evil… that was such a strong word. Had she and Jack ever called him as much? But….

A menace, filthy ghost, ectoscum. They’d blamed Phantom for the destruction, claimed he was at fault for the ghost attacks. No wonder Danny had such a negative opinion of his ghostly alter ego.

I’m so sorry Danny. The words rang in her head, remorseful eyes hoping to communicate what her lips could not.

Instead, she said.  “Phantom isn’t like the others.” Oh, how true that was. “He didn’t attack me. Or the mayor.” She remembered Montez, as almost an afterthought. “After I shot the skeletal ghost away…. my weapon ran out of battery. We were totally defenseless and…” Her mind trailed back to the moment and Maddie could not keep the hint of amazement out of her voice. “Phantom was right there, not five feet away. And… he just looked at me and flew away without a word.”

All the while, Danny’s angry expression slowly dissolved. His brow wrinkled, considering her words. Was he remembering that moment from his perspective? He must have been. “Yeah. Okay.” He finally conceded mildly. “Phantom just flew away. He didn’t attack you then. But…” Not shooting his defenseless mother must not have seemed like much of an accomplishment, not with the way the boy was biting his lip. “Phantom still shot you.” Yes, he had. And Danny was clearly sorry for it. “If Phantom’s not a bad ghost, why… why did he shoot you?”

The fingers of the hand covering Maddie’s burn curled protectively. “One ectoburn doesn’t make Phantom a bad ghost.”

Danny’s frown twitched, his downcast air lifting into something questioning.

“And I don’t know why.” The woman sighed, looking away. “With everything moving so fast… Maybe I shot him first. Maybe it was an accident. I don’t know.” Maddie paused, heart squeezing at his distrust. A flickering of an idea…. Could she dare?

Danny’s uncertain eyes peered into her, looking for something. Just as his shoulder began to sag….

Yes, Maddie would dare.

The  woman set her jaw. “I guess I’d have to ask him.”

A surprise blink washed much of the hurt away. One brow raised. “Would you…” A cautious pause…. Danny bit his lip. “Would you talk to Phantom, if you had the chance?”

“Yes. I would.” Maddie allowed no doubt, no hesitation in her voice. “If he wanted to speak to me, I would love to hear what he has to say.”

Danny’s mouth opened once, then closed. Purposely, he sipped the last few swallows of his tepid hot chocolate. An obvious ploy for time.

Still, Maddie waited patiently, nibbling on her snack as she gave him the time he needed to think.

“Mom.” Finally, Danny broke the silence. “I… I think I should…” He looked up at her, their eyes meeting.

Maddie tried not to look eager, instead gently prodding. “Yes, sweetie?”

A shaky breath, eyes averted. “I think I should go to bed.” The boy  stood up.

Maddie’s face fell, a look of disappointment.

Head down, Danny stepped away from the table. One, two quick paces  

The mother’s mouth moved before she really considered. “Danny, wait.”

Stiffly, the boy froze.

“Danny. “ Maddie stood. “I… I love you. So much.”

The mother approached slowly, arms at her side. To her pleasant surprise, he did not step away.

“I love you, no matter what.” She poured her heart into the words, even as her son’s wariness broke it. “And I always will. No matter what’s happened in the past or what we go through in the future, you’re my son and I love you so much.”

The stiffness remained, Danny’s face almost blankly impassive.

Another step forward. “After everything that happened this weekend, I needed you to know that.”

His brow twitched, softened ever so slightly. “I… I know, Mom.”

The woman opened arms and even as hesitant as it was, Danny accepted the hug. His arms loosely wrapped around her back, warm breath ghosting across her cheek.

Something in Maddie uncoiled, soothed in a way she hadn’t anticipated by touching his solid, human form.

“I love you too.” After a long second, Danny pulled away. “Good night.”

“Sleep well.” Maddie smiled. “I’ll see you in the morning.”

With a wordless nod, the boy walked away. The mother watched him, her heart aching in her chest. He ascended the stairs and….

A pause, at the top of the stairs. A tense hand gripping the banister, Danny looked back over his shoulder. His brow furrowed, questioning, suspicious but….

Silently, Maddie’s breath caught. That look… it reminded her of the one Jazz gave her at townhall before Jack and the teens left. His eyes weren’t harsh, weren’t defensive. Just…. Quietly suspecting, almost… hopeful.

With a tip of his head, Danny disappeared down the hall. And once again, Maddie was left alone.

The woman finished her snack and unsatisfying cup of tea before returning to the bedroom. Despite the comfort she had been able to offer, the dim hope in her son’s eyes, worry still twisted her insides into knots.

Danny fought so hard to protect people, to deal with the ghosts. He tried so hard. And he was so hard on himself. He had such a negative view of his actions as Phantom. And… that was Maddie’s doing. Her words had made him feel that. And what was even worse…

The rest of the town. Her mind replayed how they called Phantom a menace at the town hall meeting. Eyes widening, mouths opening in fear as the boy phased through the ceiling and interrupted. Mayor Montez screaming to shoot the ghost as soon as he regained consciousness. Even Chief Scott’s skepticism as Maddie’s newfound defense of Phantom. All that painted a picture of fear and distrust — fear and distrust which she and Jack had fed into.

The white suited ghost’s face flashed in her mind, grin sickly proud. This town is your prison. They’ll always hate you. The ghosts had it out for her son too, not just this attack’s ringleader but the others as well.

Danny’s own self-criticism, the town’s negative view, the attacking ghosts. So many threats to protect him from. And…

Without her permission, white suits and glasses rose to her mind again. The swirling dread rose one second and in the next, she fought to restrain it. No, they weren’t in the picture. She and Jack hadn’t seen or heard anything from the agents in years.

Despite her self-soothing, the anxiety remained. Something pale and shadowy loomed at the edge of her consciousness, a hauntingly white sterility. Mind drifting, she fell into an uneasy sleep.

Chapter Text

Everything is white… so how can it be dark? All around her, clocks tick ominously, the sound as consuming as the searing light.

A spot of black in the whiteness. Shakily, Maddie approaches.

A cage materializes, a wispy dark figure within. The lower body curls into a tail, back pressed into the corner.

Her heart pounds in her chest. There’s…. a sound. She shivers. A trembling cry. Another step and…

The white-haired head drifts up, teary green eyes unfocused.

“I… I want to go home.” He begs. “Please, let me go home.”

Maddie freezes. Dread and sorrow drown. The light burns

The ghost grips the bars. “I’m a good ghost, I swear. I’ll be good. Just… just let me go home.”

The mother kneels. “Danny. Danny. I’m here.”

The boy does not see, the tears still flowing. “I’m… I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it. I’ll be good.”

“Danny, Danny, baby. I’m here. Mama’s here.” She pulls on the bars. “I’m going to get you out of here.”

He does not hear. “Please. Please.” Head drops, muttering into his tail. “I’ll be good.”

Frantically, she pulls. “We’re going to go home, okay? It’s going to be-“

A clatter behind her, the terrifying smack of a door impacting the wall.

“Step away from the experiment.” A cold, cruel voice demands.

The mother ignores it. There must be a keyhole somewhere, some kind of weakness.

“You have until the count of three.”

There! A tiny metal box, embedded in the floor. That must be what is keeping Danny from being able to phase out.

“One.”

She stands. A step towards it.

“Two.”

She lifts a foot to stomp. She has to destroy-

“Three!”

Words are barked out but Maddie does not register them. Frantically, she kicks. Once, twice, thrice. Metal clangs against her boots, pulverized with each swing.

Arms wrap around her chest, pulling her back.

“No!” Maddie screams.

She kicks, she bites, she flails. But more arms grab. White sleeved suits and sunglassed faces. “No! Danny!”

The sound of crying in the cage grows louder.

“Danny! I’ll save you! I’ll-“

Something chrome and green jabs into her side. A shadow looming over her. Electricity chocks her screams, neck shakily straining to look up.

A blonde-haired man, an ugly scar across his forehead, sneers. “He belongs to us.”

Maddie jolted up, eyes blown wide and panting. For the second time that night, tears flooded her eyes. “They… they took him.”

Beside her, Jack stirred, sleepily asking. “Maddie?”

Her mind raced, barely registering the question. “They had him in a cage. He was… was so scared.” Her voice cracked, Danny’s tear-stained face filling her mind. “I… I tried to get him out but I couldn't… couldn’t save him.”

“Who?” His husband’s voice, suddenly more alert, cut through her distress. “Who had who in a cage?”

Maddie’s mouth snapped shut. A quiet, weighty pause as her mind finally caught up to reality. It was… it was just a dream.

Still… cold dread sank into her bones. “The GIW.” She almost whispered, as if saying the words any louder would summon them. “The agents had… had Danny.”

“Oh.” In the dim light, understanding flashed over Jack’s face. He pushed himself up to sit, strong arms wrapping around Maddie in the next second. “It was just a bad dream.” His usually boisterous voice was soft and tender. “Danny is safe in his bed. He was perfectly fine when me and Jazzy got home. Our boy is safe.”

Shakily, Maddie's arms lifted from her side, wrapping around the man. Her heart ached at the words, part of her wanting to be comforted, to voice agreement. Danny was safe, upstairs in his bed. She’d seen him off to sleep herself not that long ago. But…

Body stiff with anxiety, Maddie wordlessly buried her head in Jack’s shoulder.

The man quickly noticed how tense her posture remained. “What brought this on, Madds?” Somehow, the worry softened his voice even more. “You haven’t had a nightmare like that in years.”

She hadn’t. Not since Danny was seven and the GIW completely disappeared out of their lives, the funds for their contract to monitor Danny for ‘irregularities due to fetal ectoplasm exposure’ drying up. But now…

“Danny is Phantom.” The words were surprisingly steady despite the fearful pounding of her heart. “Our son is the ghost kid.”

In her arms, Jack stiffened. He slowly pulled back. With an even face, he leaned over to turn on the lamp on the nightstand.

“Are you sure?” There was no shock, no disbelief in the question. Just a forced steadiness.

“Yes.” Maddie nodded. “I recognized him, after the wolf ghost and white skeleton got pulled through the portal. He was… was barely three feet away from me. And…” Her voice wavered, tears welling again. “I almost shot him.”

Jack leaned back heavily, something in him crumpling at the explanation. Emotions flashed behind his eyes. Guilt, grief, anxiety, and a dozen more.

Finally, the man sighed heavily. His hands tented over his face, an eerie reflection of the posture Maddie had seen on Danny at the kitchen table. “I thought Phantom’s jumpsuit looked like one of ours.”

The statement surprised the woman, brow wrinkling. “What do you mean?”

“I didn’t get that close at the town hall but when Phantom… Danny came down through the ceiling, before everything blew up… I thought there was something familiar about that suit. It was itching my brain all night. And with what you said tonight, after Danny flew off….”

A blink. “Did you suspect about Danny being Phantom before now?”

The man shook his head. “I thought you’d figured something else out, something big you didn’t want the mayor or anyone else to know. But this…” He sighed, the shock finally trickling in. “That was Danny’s hazmat suit. Our boy’s the ghost kid.”

Maddie chewed on her lip, silently giving Jack a moment to process. Now that she thought about it, Phantom’s jumpsuit did look like theirs. The form-fitting, solid-colored body with contrasting boots, gloves, and belt. And…. She’d seen it from the back, when she found the ghost boy with the possessed mayor. A hood and goggles had hung there, resting behind his neck, hadn’t they?

“The suit did look like Danny’s. But…” The woman’s brow furrowed, the thought niggling her mind. “It’s black, not white.”

Jack blinked once, as if clearing away musty thoughts. “Phantom also has white hair instead of black, and green eyes.” A brow pointedly raised.

“You’re right.” Maddie sighed. Her hands balled in her lap, fingers mindlessly picking at a hanging cuticle. “Clearly, Danny’s appearance changes when he’s… more ghostly? Is that how that even works?”

Despite the troubled wrinkle of her brow, the mother couldn’t help the touch of fondest as the memory arose again. Danny as a twenty-week-old fetus, pomegranate-sized body visible through the glass of the artificial womb. His tiny, newly formed eyes would flutter open occasionally, blinking from icy blue to neon green. White light ghosted over his body sporadically. His soft baby hair would flicker from black to white, a faint glow settling over his skin.

Jack shrugged. “Maybe that affects his jumpsuit too.” He shifted, legs hanging over the side of the bed.

“What are you doing?” Maddie asked as he stood up.

“I’m going to check the lab closet for Danny’s hazmat.” The man rubbed his face tiredly. “I’m clearly not getting any more sleep tonight.”

Maddie’s heart throbbed, a note of guilt. Still, she stood as well. “Let’s go then.”

Quickly, the two dressed in their own hazmat suits. Maddie winced and not only from the burn on her side. Unhappily, her eyes flickered over the suits hanging in their closet. She hated keeping them here and not in the lab, but with all the ghost attacks and the need to suit up at any moment…

Setting aside her troubled feeling to acknowledge the practicality, the woman finished zipping up her hazmat suit. Mindful of the hour, the pair stepped across the living room. The clock over the oven read 5:30 am….so late, it was early.

Jack punched in the access code on the lab door and the lock unlocked with a quiet click. He opened the door, holding it for Maddie to enter first. Wordlessly, the woman began down the stairs. The automatic lights flickered on with the movement.

Maddie’s eyes trailed the familiar sight. The metal work tables, inventions in various states of development. The glass cube, a prototype ghost containment unit, sat in one corner. The yellow and black painted blast doors…

Everything was in order, the same as ever. And yet, the sight sent a pang of dread through the woman.

Jack’s footsteps thudded behind her, the lab door falling closed and re-locking with a buzz.

The hazmat closet… there, built into the space below the stairs. The bathroom door sat just on the perpendicular wall, perfectly situated for quick clean-up.

Maddie opened the closet door. Her eyes trailed the row of fabric. Familiar blue and orange… she pulled them aside, looking for the white-bodied suit. She held her breath. Was it hiding in the back, rarely used? Or… her gaze flickered down…. Crumpled carelessly on the floor?

“It’s not here.” Jack voiced what she was already realizing. “Danny really has been using it.” His brow furrowed, a finger rising to tap his chin in question. “How’d he make it change colors?”

Maddie took a step back from the closet, head shaking. “That’s not what’s bothering me.” Her stomach in knots, she started to pace. “Why was he even using it in the first place? We made him that one when he was twelve. I’m surprised it still even fits. He hadn’t acted like he wanted a new one.”

Danny’s hazmat… her mind flickered back to presenting him the first version of it as a seven-year-old.

Finally, after all the years of begging to see what his parents worked on in their mysterious, forbidden basement. After the parents’ efforts to distract and discourage: he was too little to help Mommy and Daddy, ghosts were too scary, ectoplasm too dangerous. Finally, Jack and Maddie caved.

“It looks like a space suit!” Danny beamed at the white and black outfit, stars in his eyes.

“If you want to watch us… and just watch us work,” Maddie emphasized the words, a finger pointed sternly. “You will wear that. You will touch absolutely nothing, unless your father and I explicitly say you can. And you will not set a foot down here without us. Understood, young man?”

Eagerly, Danny nodded. “Yes! I’ll listen to you and Dad and do exactly what you say. I promise!” He practically leapt forward, wrapping arms around her waist. “Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!”

Over the years, Maddie did her best to ensure Danny kept his distance. Who knew what ectoplasm exposure would do to him? That was what she had asked herself at least, desperate denial blinding her to the obvious answer.

But there had been no accidents in the lab, no exposures to ectoplasm even in the slightest. Danny’s interest had eventually waned. Almost as soon as he turned thirteen, he stopped asking to go down into the lab. He’d disavowed ghosts and their research, much like his sister had. He was a teenager and as much as it hurt, pulling away from his parents was to be expected.

He hadn’t been down here in over a year. But…

Maddie spread her arms, teeth gritted frustratedly. “He’s not even supposed to be down here without us!” He must have been, if the hazmat was gone; even if he wasn’t ghostly, that still would have been true. “He knows he’s supposed to stay away from our work.” But there had been no ectoplasm accidents, not in all the time he’d observed in the lab. No sign of Danny sneaking into the lab and having a recent one.

“How did this even happen?” Suddenly exhausted, Maddie sat heavily down on one of the lab stools, dread an agonizing weight in her gut. “What happened to Danny?”

Finally, the woman noticed her husband’s silence. She looked up, finding him staring intently at the closed portal. “Jack?”

His forehead twitched at the sound of his name. “Madds… Danny and his friends were here when the portal opened, weren’t they?”

The fear twisted, sinking into something dreadful. “They were upstairs in his room.” Maddie offered a helpless denial in the words.

“That’s what they said.” Jack turned to look at her. Grief shone in his eyes. “Do you think they were actually down here, when the portal started?”

The words were barely a question. Cold dread froze Maddie’s veins. “No. No.” She denied. Not because it was untrue but because… it couldn’t be. It couldn’t. “No. Danny… Danny wouldn’t have brought his friends down to look at it. He wouldn’t…”

“He’s a teenager.” Her husband muttered helplessly. “He was down here. He… he must have found some way to start it. And if he was close enough to it when it opened…” He closed his eyes, as if that could deny the vision likely filling his mind.

But Maddie could see it. Green light filling the tunnel, Danny standing at the threshold. So much ectoplasm, so much power flooding the room. It was a miracle Sam and Tucker were fine. But with Danny standing closer to it, the ectoenergy pouring into him...

She could picture it. Danny’s eyes wide and fearful, hand raised towards the gate. Neon light burning around him, through him, energy building until… a ball of green, shining in his chest.

The ectoplasmic core he’d started developing as a fetus…. Maddie and Jack had thought it was extinguished. Or rather, they’d blindly hoped it was, leaving Danny completely human. But really, it was just dormant over all these years, a lingering spark now rekindled.

“The portal must have reactivated his core, somehow.” Maddie’s mouth felt dry.

Jack nodded, frown troubled. “That explains why Danny and his friends were being so cagey the day the portal activated. Not only did he bring them down here without our permission…” The man grimaced. “But he suddenly found out he has ghost powers.”

“He must have been so scared.” Maddie’s wide, haunted gaze fixed on the portal. “He must have had… had no idea what was happening to him.”

“This explains so much.” Jack looked just as haunted. “Danny’s been acting so strange lately, starting right after the portal. More clumsy than ever. He’s been so nervous.” His lip trembled. “He never wants to make fudge with me or hear about what we’ve been working on.”

Jack was right, Maddie realized. Danny’s grades had suffered. He started coming home late with occasional scrapes and bruises. He shied away from them, pulled out of hugs.

The mother’s heart throbbed, a spike of guilt. “I thought… Danny was just growing up. He was dealing with bullies, struggling to adjust to high school, trying to separate himself from us.”

“He dropped all those beakers at school.” Jack shook his head. “And the parent-teacher conference with Mr. Lancer… something about Danny’s pants falling down.” His brow furrowed, troubled. “I don’t really remember….” Another head shake. “Do you think that was intangibility acting up?”

“It could be. And those times we found him in the kitchen in the morning. I thought he was sleep walking. But maybe he was phasing through the floor of his room in his sleep. ” Maddie chewed her lip. “I think he did that earlier, when I was in the kitchen making tea before bed. Except…” She picked at her hangnail again. “He was wide awake. And didn’t look surprised to be in the kitchen. Just surprised to see me.”

“Like he did it on purpose…” Jack extrapolated. And at Maddie’s agreeing nod. “It has been months. And he has been fighting the other ghosts.”

“As Danny Phantom.” The mother’s heart twisted, her hands rising to rub her misting eyes. “He’s been sneaking out, getting hurt. That skeleton ghost targeted him.” Her teeth gritted, anger flickering again. But in the next second, the feeling wavered. “And when I talked to him tonight… he was so hard on Phantom.”

“You talked about Phantom?” Surprise rang in Jack’s voice. “Did you… tell him you knew?”

“No.” Her hands lowered, shoulders rolling forward. “He looked so tired… I couldn’t keep him up all night talking about everything, not when I hadn’t even told you yet.” The woman shook her head. “But he noticed my burn. And he looked so guilty. He said… he said Phantom is a screw up and a menace who can’t do anything right. A… a bad ghost, just like we always say.”

At the words, Jack’s face crumpled. His large frame seemed to wilt, shakily lowering onto his own lab stool. “Madds, we… we messed up bad.”    

Maddie had no words, just a pained hum of agreement. They had messed up, failed so greatly. Every negative word they’d spoken against Phantom. Every weapon they’d aimed at Danny unknowingly. Every warning sign they’d ignored. Every mistake piled up, a crushing weight on Maddie’s shoulders. And the heaviest of all…

Their portal… their portal had done this to Danny. Their portal had…. Oh god, it could have killed him. The woman covered her mouth with a hand, tears rising at the thought. She couldn’t help but remember. Vlad, their friend in college who had been standing too close to the proto-portal when it opened. His face, red and half-melted with horrible blisters as the paramedics rushed him out of the lab. He’d been dead within the month.

That… that could have been Danny. But… but it wasn’t. That was only the smallest, most feeble relief. Danny wasn’t dead. He wasn’t suffering, weak and dying in the hospital. Instead, the portal had changed him. It had uncovered his lost spectral nature.

Not only that, but their portal also brought the other ghosts here. It put their son and the entire town in danger. And if the media outside the town heard about all this. If the federal government found out. If the agents….

Beside her, Jack sniffled, tears finally beginning to rise. Maddie’s own tears flooded her eyes. Shakily, she scooted her chair closer to her husband. Her arms wrapped around him from the side, head lowered in the crook of his neck. The man shifted, returning the embrace. His shoulders shook with his sobs.

For a long while, the pair hugged and cried. Mourning not just what they had done, but also what they’d failed to do. They had failed as parents. The thought haunted Maddie. She had failed. She was supposed to protect Danny, to ensure he was happy and safe. And even more than that…. She was supposed to be trustworthy, a steady presence her son could rely on.

Why hadn’t he told them what happened to him? The question repeated in her head. But… but Maddie knew why. She’d lost his trust with each harsh word against Phantom. She hadn’t been there, distracted by the new portal and the other ghosts. By a world of scientific discovery opening up in front of them. She’d ignored the signs, ignored the silent cries for help, and Danny had closed himself off. He didn’t trust her anymore. And Maddie didn’t blame him for it one bit. She didn’t deserve that trust, not after everything.

The parents cried for a long time yet. Eventually though, the tears dried up. Maddie’s eyes burned, red and puffy. Her nose ran. Her lips and throat were parched, drained of moisture. And still… her heart hurt, an agonizing pit inside of her.

“Now that we… that we know,” Jack’s shaky words brought the woman out of her spiral. “We can make it up to Danny.” He sighed, tired and weary. He still sounded as grieved as Maddie felt, but… “We can make this right.” Just the smallest hint of hope trembled in his voice.

Slowly, the woman pulled back, arms disentangling from him. How could they possibly make this right? A part of her wanted to argue, to snap back but…

“Danny doesn’t have to deal with the ghosts alone anymore.” Jack continued. “He doesn't need to be afraid of what’s happening to him.” A dim smile dawned on his lips. “We can help him, Madds.”

But… a larger part of her was grateful. Bless her husband for his boundless optimism. “We can help him.” Shakily, Maddie agreed. “We can help him understand what the portal did to him and how to use his powers.” Invisibility, intangibility, flight, ectoplasmic blasts…. He had quite the list to master. Almost as if in response to the thought, her burn spiked with pain. “No more stray ectoblasts.” She winced.

Jack’s eyes drifted to the spot. “It sounded like he feels really bad about hurting you.”

“He doesn’t have to.” Maddie shook her head. “It was an accident.” Her hand curled over the injury. “Even if it wasn’t… I could never be mad at him. He’s forgiven, no questions asked.”

“He’ll need to hear that.” The man said, eyes softening. “He’s such a good kid.” The dim smile grew into something warmer. “Phantom really has been trying to help, like all the teens have been saying from the beginning.”

“Yes, he has.” Maddie agreed. Her heart still ached at the thought of him fighting, but it was undeniable. Danny was trying so hard to protect people, just like Sam and Tucker had said, even from that first ghost attack. Jazz had even begun to say much the same recently…

Wait a second…. The woman’ mouth formed into an O shape, the realization hitting her.

“What is it?” Jack asked, noticing the expression.

“I think Sam and Tucker know about Danny being Phantom.”      

The man gave his own surprised blink. “Huh… that makes sense.” In the next second, his brow furrowed thoughtfully. “Those three are three peas in a pod. Even if they weren’t here when the portal opened, Danny probably would have told them.”

“I’m glad he had them to help him.” Maddie let the thought comfort her, a dot of warmth soothing her heart.

“Do you think Jazz knows too?” Jack asked. “She was giving you weird looks at the town hall.”

“You noticed that too….” The woman nodded. “I think so. Did she say anything to you or Danny?”

“No. Honestly….” A hand raised to rub the back of his neck. “I was too focused on getting some food in me and collapsing into bed to really pay attention. Sorry, Madds.”

“It’s alright.” Maddie sighed. “You were tired. Goodness knows I am.” Her shoulders dropped. “I’m sorry for waking you.”

“We needed to talk.” Jack shrugged. “This, all of this, is so big. I’m surprised you didn’t wake me up as soon as you got home.”

“I wanted to let you sleep.” Another sigh. “But you are right. This is big. We need to figure out how we’re going to approach talking to Danny.”

“You should make those chocolate chip pancakes, with the powdered sugar on top.” At the woman’s raised brow, he lifted his hands. “Good food makes any talk better.”

“Alright.” Maddie conceded, a fond smile gracing her face. “We want Danny to feel comfortable. A normal, family breakfast.” She could picture it, her son across the table, a slight smile parting through the nervousness as he enjoyed his favorite breakfast.

“We can tell him what you told me.” Jack continued. “That you recognized him at the town hall.”

A nod. “And we know the attack wasn’t his fault. None of this is. We see now how hard he’s been trying to do good.”

“More than trying.” The warm smile returned, a spark of pride in the man’s eyes. “He’s done real good. Phantom is a hero.”

“Yes.” Maddie agreed, pride shining in her own eyes. “He is.”

She remembered Paulina saying earlier tonight that Phantom had pulled the overshadowing ghost out of her. Sam and Tucker vowing that he’d rescued them from the Lunch Lady Ghost. And a dozen other testimonies from teens and young adults that Danny had rescued. Danny really was striving to make the best of a difficult situation. Through the confusion and fear, he protected others. She couldn’t be prouder.

“And he’s been hunting ghosts, just like his folks.” Jack shook his head, eyes sparkling. “Fighting ghosts at their level…” He gave a whistle. “He’s rough around the edges but with some good ole’ Fenton training, he’ll be even better than us.”

“Oh no. No.” The dawning excitement cut through Maddie’s own growing pride, the reality of the danger hitting her again. “He’s grounded until he’s a senior, at least. I’m proud of him for helping people. But this is too dangerous, Jack.”

A frown wrinkled the man’s face. “But Madds-“

 “He’s been going out at all hours of the night, skipping class, getting hurt.” Maddie furiously shook her head. “The other ghosts targeted him.”

“Maddie-“

“And Sam and Tucker are involved. They’re probably helping him fight ghosts. And Jazz too… this is putting all of them in danger.”

“Maddie!” Jack cut through once more.

At the word, the mother’s mouth snapped shut. Her hands trembled, keenly aware of the pounding of her heart in her ears.

“I know this is dangerous.” The husband reached, a comforting hand laid over hers. “I’m not saying the kids should keep fighting by themselves. Or that they should even start hunting with us tomorrow. A break would be good…. And we probably should ground the kids for not telling us.” A sigh. “But you said it yourself. Ghosts have been targeting Danny. He’s already in danger. He needs to be able to defend himself with his own powers. That’s why we need to train him.”

Maddie’s heart squeezed. She knew he had a point. She knew he did. “But…” The rapid pounding of her heart, that familiar shadowy fear hanging over her. “Jack, I’m… I’m scared. I don’t want anything to happen to him.”

A long weighty pause. Jack searched her eyes and… “Is this about your nightmare? About… the GIW?”

A trembling exhale. Jack knew her so well. “What if they… they find out?”  The words were a shaky, breathless whisper. “If Danny keeps showing up in public as Phantom, if they know he’s the ghost boy…” Again, tears welled in the corner of her eyes. “They’ll take him.”

“They won’t find out.” Jack squeezed her hand. “We haven’t heard or seen anything from them in years. Not since the ‘symptom monitoring’ stipend stopped coming.” He air-quoted the words, nose wrinkling in disgust. Maddie shared the feeling. “That was, what, six years ago now.”

“Seven.” The woman breathed shakily. “It was right before Danny’s seventh birthday.”

Her eyes fluttered closed, remembering. Danny with a gap-toothed grin, wearing a conical party hat. A round chocolate cake with white buttercream icing. She had decorated it with a folded-paper Space Shuttle Discovery. A line of blue, black, and silver sprinkles replicated the rocket’s emissions trail. She was so proud of that cake; Danny had loved it so much.

“Right.” Jack nodded. “I was so damn happy to not have to report any ‘physical or mental abnormalities’ anymore.”

“Me too.” It had felt so wrong, being forced to report on the health of their own child to the organization that meant to use him as a lab rat. But that was the price they had to pay to ensure Danny got to live a safe, normal childhood.

“The letter said the grant was canceled,” Jack continued. “Because the Ghost Investigation Ward was disbanded. They don’t even exist anymore.”

Maddie bit her lip. That was all true. They hadn’t heard or seen anything from the GIW since. Not in rumors from the other ghost hunters they met with on occasion. Nor from any official letter or press release; Maddie made a point of covertly checking on the internet every few months. The GIW was gone, their looming shadow passed out of their lives.

Still… “They could come back.” The mother’s heart twisted, grimacing at the ugly words.

Jack’s lips twitched, a pained expression. He swallowed. Pointedly, he didn’t refute the words. Instead… “We can plan in case they do. Something to hide Danny’s ecto-signature, at least? We’ll figure something out.”

The pit in Maddie’s stomach just seemed to yawn deeper.

But…

Jack’s hand was in hers, his earnest blue eyes fixed on her. “We kept those suits from taking our boy one time. We’ll do it again if we have to.” The words were a sharp promise. “No government goons are going to lay even a finger on our son.”

A trembling inhale. Maddie let the words sink into her brain, into her heart. She let them bolster her, let Jack’s confidence raise her own courage. Danny was their son. Their son. Not the GIW’s experiment, not their property. He was their child. She and Jack were his parents. They would protect him.

Finally, the mother breathed out. “You’re right. We already did the impossible once. We saved Danny from the GIW then. And now…” Her jaw set, a determined line. “We'll protect him again, no matter what it takes.”

Gaze sharp, Jack gave an approving nod. “You got it, Madds.” In the next seconds, his expression softened, still determined but less harsh. “If it comes to that. What do they say? Hope for the best but prepare for the worst?”

“Yes.” Maddie nodded. The corner of her lip twitched up, into the beginning of a grin. “I think Jazz would also say not to catastrophize just yet.” The smile dripped, letting out a tired sigh. “We have a lot to talk to both of them about.”

Jack squeezed her hand comfortingly. “What matters most right now is Danny knowing we love and accept him. We can figure out the rest together.”

Chapter Text

True to what Jack had said, there was no more sleep for the rest of the night. Over a pot of coffee, the two parents discussed for the next few hours.

So many questions, things they needed to ask Danny. They wondered about the other ghosts he fought. Maddie especially wanted to know about the white skeleton ghost and the green wolf which… now in retrospect seemed to have been helping Phantom. There were so many other ghosts they had seen or heard about the ghost boy fighting: the Lunch Lady ghost from the first attack, the blue overalled box-obsessed ghost, the metal hunter ghost who always yelled about wanting Phantom’s pelt. The mother grimaced in particular at the thought of the last one.

The parents also had questions about Danny’s powers.

“You know that parent-teacher conference?” Jack asked, brow wrinkled in thought. “That one about Danny losing his pants that I barely remember?”

“Yes?” Maddie raised a brow in question. “If I remember correctly, you also agreed to chaperone the school dance and didn’t tell me until the day of.”

“Don’t remember that either. Do you think…” Jack blinked, a startled revelation. “Do you think Danny overshadowed me?”

The mother’s jaw dropped. “No! He wouldn’t!”

“I should have said something earlier.” The man shook his head. “Right after, it felt like I was just really tired. But now….” He trailed off, numbly muttering after a long moment. “Danny overshadowed me.”

“He is so grounded!” Maddie stood up abruptly, anger leaping in her chest. “I can’t believe him!” She stomped towards the stairs, ready to drag her son out of bed, pancakes or no.

“Maddie!” Jack called. “Hang on a second.”

She turned back and…. “Oh my god why are you laughing?”

The man shook his head, still chuckling. “I knew it was him. At least part of me did.” The ludicrous laughter quieted. “There’s this… warm, familiar feeling during those spacy memories. Like I was sleepwalking, but it was fine because someone I loved was there.”

Maddie blinked, stunned. “You… recognized him? While he was overshadowing you?”

As much as she hated to admit it, the part of her that was a scientist was intrigued. That warm, trustworthy feeling…. Was that specific to Danny’s version of overshadowing? A past, more cynical Maddie would have said it was a ghost power, some kind of emotional manipulation. But… had Jack’s mind really recognized their son’s spirit?

The woman shook her head. “He’s still grounded.”

“Definitely.” Jack agreed seriously.

They made a list of their inventions, discussing modifications to make them safer for Danny.

“Something to cloak his ecto-signature should definitely be first.” Maddie chewed on the end of the pen she’d been writing with. “That would hide him from something like the Fenton Finder.”

“And it would stop things that use ecto-signatures for targeting from locking onto him.” Jack added.

“We need to build an exception for his signature into all of our inventions too.”

They discussed inventions that could help Danny, ways to care for his new ghostly needs.

“Does he need to drink ectoplasm?” The mother asked. “Or… feed on emotions?”

Feeding on emotional energy was something they had hypothesized about ghosts, based on urban legends and folklore. And there were the reports at the high school, of the misery sucking counselor. Jazz had… actually been the one to bring that story to their attention. Maddie’s stomach knotted, both at the thought of her children’s confrontation and at the possible implications for Danny. If he did need to sustain himself on emotion, she was sure it wouldn’t be something so dark. But how did such feeding even work?

“Do you think he has an Obsession?” Jack cut in after the thoughtful pause. “That was another hypothesis, that ghosts have to follow some kind of purpose, like a certain theme or going after some unfinished business.”

Before, they had theorized about what Phantom’s Obsession might be. Perhaps acting as a superhero or being viewed as one. But now, that idea rang false, nothing like the son they knew, newfound ghostliness or not.

Maddie shrugged. “I have no idea.”

They talked for a while yet, fiddling with a few inventions and beginning the numerous alterations they would need until…

“It’s almost eight,” Jack interrupted Maddie’s work on the Fenton Finder. “Do you want to go up and get started on some breakfast?”

“It’s that late already?” The woman looked up. Sure enough, the clock on the wall read five ‘til eight. She put down the device. “Let’s get started then.”

The two parents went back up the stairs and back to their bedroom. They took off their jumpsuits and dressed in normal day clothes. Maddie sighed contentedly at the soft t-shirt and sweatpants; it was nice to wear something that wasn’t a hazmat. Even as comfortable the custom lab suits were, they had been wearing them for far longer and more often with all the recent ghost attacks.

Back in the kitchen, Maddie started on pancakes. She pulled ingredients out of the cupboard. All-purpose flour, baking powder, sugar, salt. She measured and sifted the dry ingredients. Then milk,  , and eggs from the fridge. She made a well in the middle of the dry mixture, adding the wet ingredients and stirring. Finally, she scooped batter onto the hot frying pan and sprinkled chocolate chips onto the cooking pancakes.

Meanwhile, Jack cleaned the living room. Half-finished inventions and pieces of scrap littered much of the first floor. To Maddie’s shame, they hadn’t been as diligent about keeping work in the basement as they had in the past. But with the man’s thorough work, the area was clear again soon enough. With a rag and bottle of specially made Fenton Ectoplasm Cleaner, he cleaned up a couple stains.

 The man gave a thoughtful hum, looking at the bottle. “We’ll need to make sure this won’t hurt Danny either.”

“I’ll add it to the list.” Maddie nodded, flipping a pancake.

 After forty-five minutes of cooking and cleaning, the living room and kitchen were spotless and a massive stack of pancakes were being kept warm in the oven.

The bowl empty of batter, Maddie turned her attention to cooking a pile of bacon and sausage.

“It’s almost nine.” Jack said, leaning on the broom. “Should I go get the kids up?”

“Let them sleep for a little bit longer.” The woman added a strip of bacon to the pan. “I’m sure the smell of food will draw them down here soon enough.”

Jack gave a chuckle. “Knowing Danny-boy, he’ll be down here, after that bacon like a bloodhound soon as he smells it.”

Maddie laughed at the comment. She could almost pretend this was normal. Cooking breakfast and cleaning with Jack. Talking with him long into the night, theorizing and working on inventions…. It was almost like their college days, like early into their marriage, or… like those long months of trying to keep Danny alive in his artificial womb until he was ready to be born.

But with the reminder, her stomach churned. All of this brought those long forgotten memories, those long past fears to the surface. And the thought of her children appearing down the stairs in a matter of moments and the impending conversation… The woman tried to push the anxiety away as she looked down and flipped the bacon over with tongs.

“-was Lance Thunder with Amity Park Morning News.” The sound of the TV cut through Maddie’s churning thoughts. “Next will be the weather, after this commercial break.”

The woman looked up, giving her husband a questioning look.

The man lowered the remote. “I wanted to see what they’re saying about town hall last night.”

Another thought that made her heart throb. “Ah.” She nudged the bacon with the tongs. “Last night Danny said they caught Phantom supposedly kidnapping the mayor on camera.” The woman grimaced. “I hope they’re not still saying that’s what happened.”

“Hopefully not.” Jack frowned. “You did talk to Chief Scott and Mayor Montez last night. Hopefully they’ll clear up what happened.” His brow furrowed. “I’m surprised they haven't called us yet.”

“The media, the police, or the mayor?” Maddie raised a brow.

“Any of them.” The man shook his head. “This weekend was big, even without… Phantom’s big secret.” The words were said quietly, mindful of potentially awake children.

Maddie just hummed in agreement. She lifted the cooked bacon strips from the pan, placing them on a paper towel lined plate. She added a few sausage patties.

“It’s back on.” Jack commented, drawing the woman’s attention back to the tv.

Maddie’s eyes flickered between the screen and the frying pan as Lance Thunder talked about that day’s weather forecast. Mid-seventies, sunny without a chance of rain. A perfect spring day.

“Thank you, Lance, for the weather report.” Another news anchor continued. “Now, we return to townhall for an update on the ghost situation over the weekend.”

The screen changed. “Thanks Patricia, This is Stacy Green coming to you from the steps of Amity Park Town Hall. After a chaotic weekend of ghost activity, culminating with the attack in this very building last night, the situation has calmed. With conflicting accounts of what happened here, the questions and investigations are just beginning. What is quickly becoming clear is... The ghost boy, known as Danny Phantom, has been at the center of the chaos.”

Maddie’s stomach churned, heart aching at the words. She should have anticipated that. She said much the same last night but…

“Eyewitnesses report Phantom threatening and attempting to kidnap Mayor Montez. Our own cameras captured this footage last night.”

The picture shifted to show Phantom with an arm draped over the mayor. Danny gritted his teeth, appearing frustrated while Montez’s eyes widened in mock fear. “Help me! Help me!” Come the acted cries.

The screen shifted again, showing the anchor woman on the steps. “At the same time, other witnesses report Phantom freeing them from overshadowing. And second hand, unsubstantiated reports claim that Mayor Montez was in fact overshadowed by another ghost and the kidnapping was staged by said other ghost in order to negatively sway public opinion of Phantom.”

“Come on.” Jack’s arms spread, brow wrinkled frustratedly at the TV. “That’s what you told ‘em Madds!”

“The Mayor’s and Sheriff’s office have both declined to comment as the situation is ongoing.”

“You told ‘em what happened.” The man argued, looking back at her.

“I know.” Maddie shook her head. She had but…. It made sense, waiting to comment. Acquiring more information first was better than possibly announcing false information. “I know but-“

The woman cut herself off, eyes widening.

A picture of Phantom filled the screen, face as blurry and indistinct as it always appeared in photographs. And the words…. Wanted, $1 million reward.

Jack noticed the expression. “What-“

 “Shh.” The woman waved a hand, hissing through her teeth wordlessly. She shuffled forward, swiping the remote off the coffee table.

The volume raised, words sharpening into clarity. “The Mayor’s office, with the funding of an anonymous benefactor, is offering a reward for the capture and detainment of the ghost boy known as Danny Phantom.”

“What!?” Jack turned, eyes bulging.

Maddie waved her arm, shushing him.

“The Mayor’s office sternly warns that only skilled and experienced ghost hunters should pursue capturing the ghost and they are not responsible for any resulting injuries.” Stacy cleared her throat. “Back to you, Patricia.”

“What?” Jack repeated. “Who would put a reward out on Danny boy?”

Who indeed… Maddie’s stomach sank, mind flickering back. Her comment last night about needing to talk to Phantom, and the Chief’s response that with the ghost boy’s flightiness, that was easier said than done. They… they wouldn’t. No. The woman numbly shook her head. No, no one in that room had that kind of money anyway. And-

“Madds.” Jack cut through her spiral.

“-ghost attack near the Nasty Burger.” Her eyes jerked to the screen. “Phantom appears to be fighting… some kind of ghostly vultures.”

“What!?” Now it was Maddie’s turn to shout. “He’s grounded!”

“He doesn’t know that.” Jack muttered.

On the TV, Danny’s hand lit green. An ectoblast shot at one of the birds and… “Hey!” Danny’s voice, cracking and popping with ghostly static, sounded. His body warped as he dodged.

The camera panned down and…

Maddie’s heart stopped. A white van filled the image and in front of it…

“Hold still and come quietly, ectoplasmic entity.” The voice, the eerily familiar voice, sent chills down her spine. “You are under arrest, under the authority of the Ghost Investigation Ward.”

The camera zoomed in, focusing on the speaker and…

“No.” Maddie barely registered her own voice, her mind full of static.

Agent Alpha. That was agent Alpha of the GIW. Fifteen years older but… The blonde hair, the scar over his eyebrow, the stern expression. His face loomed in her mind. Scowling with narrowed eyes as he surveyed her baby. Her squirming and crying newborn baby.

Maddie’s veins felt like they were filling with ice. Jack was saying something, but a siren played in her mind, ears ringing.

On the screen, another shot at Danny. Time ran in slow motion. The beam of magenta, not green, soared towards him. Inches from being hit, the boy dodged again.

The siren screamed louder. The sound of pounding feet. A whiff of something burning.

The agent stomped towards the anchor woman. A finger pointed; lips curled in anger. The camera jerked, the image ripped away.

Maddie’s attention snapped. Before her mind registered, her body was moving. Into the bedroom. Jack followed a second later. His lips moved, asking something but…

She tore off her outfit, sliding into her jumpsuit without hearing.

Jack did the same, dressed  in his own orange within seconds.

A few heartbeats and…

“What are you doing?!” Jazz shouted, over the sound of the fire alarm. Standing at the oven, she shoved the frying pan off its red-hot burner, turning the knob to off. “You could burn the house down!”

Maddie’s mind finally registered. She had been cooking breakfast. She’d forgotten the sausage as soon as Phantom appeared on the TV. Now, the fire alarm was going off. But… Jazz had it handled.

“There’s pancakes in the oven.” The mother said numbly, already running past her into the lab.

“What!?” The girl’s eyes burned, livid. “What are you doing?”

Maddie’s eyes searched the room. The Fenton Finder, where?.... There! She grabbed it and a few other gadgets mindlessly. A clatter beside her said that Jack was doing the same.

The two stomped back up the stairs.

“Mom! Dad!” A frantic Jazz jabbed at the fire alarm with a broom.

Now the keys? Where? Eyes fixed. She swiped them off the table by the door.

“Where are you going?!” Her daughter yelled.

Finally, the mother’s heart stirred, a stab of guilt. She allowed herself just one second, a moment to look at Jazz. “To save your brother.”

“What?” The girl paled.

But Maddie didn’t let herself stop. She ran through the front door. Over her shoulder, she heard Jack’s voice.

“Stay here. We’ll be back soon.” A note of soothing. “Everything’s going to be okay.”

Now in the GAV. “Here.” Maddie threw him the keys. “You drive. I’ve got the Fenton Finder.”

 Chin set determinedly, Jack threw the vehicle into reverse. They barreled out of the drive way and onto the road, already going 10 miles above the speed limit.

“Head towards the Nasty Burger.” The woman’s eyes fixed on the Finder.

“What’s the plan?” Horn blaring, Jack blasted through a red light.

Maddie braced as they turned. “We get Danny’s attention, get him to talk to us. If we get him into an alley, somewhere he can turn back without being seen…”

 “What if he won’t listen?” The man swallowed. “Or the GIW already…”

“Danny will listen to us.” Still, dread dropped like a stone in her stomach.

Please. Please. She begged silently to something, anything that would listen. Please don’t let those bastards have her baby already.

Movement on the Fenton Finder ripped her attention away. “Turn here! Left!”

With a screech of tires, the GAV jerked through a left turn.

“He’s heading towards the Park.” The dot of Danny’s presence flickered steadily. “Turn on Fifth!”

The wheel spun.

“No. No! Next street. Right!”

Another violent jerk. A crunch as they took out someone’s side-mirror.

“Left! Left! Next Street!” Half a dozen more wild turns as Danny’s dot darted back towards the Nasty Burger, over the school, towards the mall. Finally…

“He’s close.” Maddie stared at the screen. Only a few hundred feet away…. “Turn! Turn! Turn!”

The GAV careened. The mother’s head jerked up and…

There Phantom was, hanging like a glowing star above the street.

“Stop the GAV!” Maddie shouted, already opening the door before the vehicle stopped.

“Maddie! White suits!” Jack pointed through the windshield.

There, at the other end of the wide, straight street, maybe a football field’s length away, was the white van. A tiny white figure sprinted, silver gun sending out beams of magenta.

“Shit.” Maddie cursed. “We have to catch him first.” She swiped the thermos out of the back seat. “No. No.” Danny had a human body too. Who knew what that would do to him?

Jack’s jaw dropped open. “We can’t catch him.”

Instead… “There!” The net gun. Still experimental, with a weak electric pulse meant to act as a ghostly sedative. The thought made her heart wince but… “This will have to do.”

Her husband’s wide eyes fixed on the gun. “We can’t shoot our son out of the sky!” He hissed.

“What else are we supposed to do?” Maddie hissed back.

She hefted the gun, closing the door with the thud. Jack followed behind.

“What are you doing?” He, luckily, whispered though it was heated.

“Follow my lead.” Maddie sprinted forward.

Danny was closer to them than the GIW. The woman focused on that fact. He was panting, fifteen feet above the ground, dodging clumsily but not fleeing.

The woman gritted her teeth, aiming the net gun. “Danny Phantom!” She shouted his name.

And eyes wide, the boy turned around, just like she knew he would.

With forced vibrato, she shouted. “You won’t get away this time.”

Praying that it would land, that the fall wouldn’t hurt him, the mother shot.

Danny was too slow to dodge. The net wrapped around him. With a shout, he fell to the ground.

And Maddie was sprinting. She needed to get in between him and the agent. Needed to stake their claim on the capture and reward first.

“Hey! What was that for?!” Danny shouted as she passed.

For just a second, their eyes met. Maddie’s rounded ever so slightly, hoping they would say what her lips could not right now.

Her gaze darted away. Behind her, Danny continued to shout. “Hey! Hey! Let me go!”

“Quiet, ghost.” The words lacked Jack’s normal bluster.

“Let me go!” Another yell. “You’ll… you’ll regret it if you don’t.” Just the smallest tremble in his voice.

Maddie’s heart twisted. She glanced back. Jack kneeled above the netted ghost boy, face uncharacteristically even.

“I’m sure I will.” The words almost had the sarcasm she’d expect if this wasn’t Jack talking to their son.

Danny barked a bitter laugh. “Yeah, yeah, laugh it up.” His teeth grit, beginning to struggle. “When I get out of this…” A yelp. “Did your net just shock me!?”

Maddie… she could not focus on this, not right now. She ripped her gaze away.

“Don’t try to struggle, kiddo.” Jack’s voice was even but… the smallest hint of something else rang in that last word.

Maddie breathed out. Jack was there, with Danny. She would need to trust him to keep their boy calm, to offer what comfort and reassurance he could as clandestine as it needed to be.

With that, the woman stopped, making a stand a good fifty feet in front of her husband and son. Her gaze fixed forward, hard and determined on the approaching agent. The white suited man casually strolled forward, no longer sprinting with the ghost captured. He hefted a silver gun with dark pink accents over his shoulder.

Agent Alpha stopped ten feet in front of her. “Doctor Madeline Fenton…” Each word of her name came slowly, deliberately. “It’s been a while, hasn’t it?” His teeth bared, a shadowy smile that didn’t reach his eyes.

Maddie’s skin crawled. “Agent Alpha.” Still, she acknowledged with an even nod.

“You and Jack of all people caught that ghost.” The man shook his head, grinning meanly. “It barely seems possible.”

Maddie didn’t directly acknowledge the statement. Instead, she forced her shoulders to lower, her voice to remain even and unbothered. “Yes, as you can see, we did catch the ghost boy first and so will be cashing in on that prize money.”

“Ah yes, the reward.” Agent Alpha’s gaze sharpened, eyes pinning on the ghost boy behind her. “And you just managed to snag it, right under my nose.”

The woman shifted her stance, raising her gun slightly as she casually flicked the safety back on. “I’m still surprised you’re here at all.” She tilted her head, pointedly drawing the man’s eyes back to her. “I heard the GIW were disbanded years ago."

The agent’s lips twitched, displeased. “Yes, thanks in a large part to you and your husband.” Just a hint of a frustrated growl in his voice. “But now I’m back here, in good old Amity Park. You know…” The meanly amused smile slid back into place. “I was annoyed yesterday to get pulled out of that cushy office job in Boise, but…” His fists balled, knuckles cracking. “Then I remembered how nice it feels to be in the field again.” Agent Alpha tilted his head pointedly, neck letting out its own crack with a pop.

Blatant macho intimidation… Maddie’s heart pounded, an undernote of fear despite her disgust. Still, she refused to let herself be cowed. The woman narrowed her eyes. “Jack, let’s get Phantom in the GAV.”

“Are you sure you’ve got it handled?” The agent’s eyes widened, lips pursing with gratingly false concern.

Maddie didn’t dignify the question, turning heel. Instantly, her heart squeezed. Her teeth ground with stress, jaw fighting to stay even as her husband hefted a squirming, still netted Danny over his shoulder.

“Stop that.” Jack chastised.

“You stop!” Danny’s voice rose into a shout. “Let me go!”

“Stop… Stop...” The man panted, a booted foot impacting his diaphragm. “Struggling.”

“I’ll stop struggling…” A hand pounded against the man’s shoulder. “When this thing stops electrocuting me!”

“Stop fighting, kid.” Teeth gritted, a hint of desperation trembled his voice. “The more you fight, the more it’ll shock you!” Not the frustration of a scientist with an uncooperative specimen, as Maddie prayed the agent saw, but the agony of a father seeing his son in distress.

“You can’t reason with it.” Agent Alpha rolled his eyes.

Jack said nothing, starting towards the van as curiously, Danny’s flailing seemed to calm. Hopefully, he’d listened to his father’s plea, not just worn himself out.

“Are you sure you can handle that ghost?” Agent Alpha repeated, gaze fixed back on Maddie

“Of course.” Maddie lifted her chin defiantly. “The net is holding, clearly.” She spread an arm, motioning. “We’ll have h-.” She swallowed back the proper pronoun, mouth feeling dirty with the alteration. “-it home and in our containment cell in no time.”

“A containment cell?” The agent raised a brow, mockingly impressed. “You and Jack put that together all by yourselves, didn’t you?” The smile curled into something belittling. “I’m sure it will hold, even considering your history of failed experiments.”

Experiments… the word grated, a pointed insult. Maddie knew exactly which ‘experiment’ Alpha was referring to. Anger flared in her gut.

“Goodbye, Agent Alpha.” The woman turned without another look at him.

Her spine straight, she made a point not to run, not to stomp away. Anger or guilt or desperation… she could afford none of these, not with the shadow looming at her back. Her focus narrowed, consumed with controlling her breathing, her posture, her steps. Her eyes drilled forward, intent on Jack’s broad form and… the form dangling over his shoulder.

Danny jostled slightly with each step but he was still and silent. The sight made Maddie’s heart wilt. He was no longer shouting, no longer fighting back but was it from exhaustion? Or… a hopeless dread? Part of her wished, desperately hoped it was trustful compliance, that he had realized his parents were trying to save him. But… had he just given up?

A few more steps…. Jack waited at the back of the GAV, unable to open the door with his hands full. Maddie paused beside him, allowing herself a sigh.

Her eyes trailed up, meeting her husbands’. Jack’s were wide and round, a dozen emotions shining in them. And Danny… her heart bled at the sight. She couldn’t see his face, not with how it was pressed against Jack’s shoulder. But… every inch of him was tense, trembling slightly.

“Let’s put Phantom down here.” Opening the doors, Maddie spoke quietly, keeping it as gentle as she would allow even her keen awareness of the GIW agent’s lingering attention. “I’ll stay in the back.”

Wordlessly, Jack lowered their son to the floor of the vehicle. For a moment, Maddie’s heart ached, a sickening sense of déjà vu. Her husband carrying Danny back to the GAV, after the boy fell asleep stargazing. The back of the RV, piled with blankets and sleeping bags in a cozy sleeping nest.

Maddie climbed in the back. Jack closed the doors before walking around to the driver’s side door. The woman carefully put down the net gun. The engine cranked, the vehicle buzzing slightly under her feet. Letting out a shaky sigh, she sat down on the floor.

Chapter Text

As Jack pulled away, a paralysis threatened to overtake Maddie. The adrenaline was already rushing out of her system. Her mind helplessly fixed on her son, the sight of him crumpled on the floor. His arms and legs curled against his chest. And the mother’s heart shattered. Guilt and shame stabbed through her, a pain that froze her limbs.

“Please don’t hurt me.” Danny’s voice whimpered. “You don’t know what you’re doing.”

The words finally stirred the woman to action. “Danny.”

The boy did not hear, not with how quiet the word had been. “I’m not like the others, I swear. I’m… I’m good.”

“Danny.” Shifting closer, Maddie tried again.

“I’m a good ghost.” His eyes pinched closed, tears dripping down his face. “Please. Please don’t hurt me.”

 “Danny.”  More definitive, stronger. “Danny, baby. No one’s going to hurt you.”

“Please-“ His face twitched, cutting himself off. Slowly, cautiously, his eyes blinked open. “Mom?”

“Yes.” Every ounce of love in her heart, every promise to protect him trembled in the words. “Yes, baby. I know it’s you.”

Familiar green eyes widened, mouth falling open. “H…How?”

Maddie’s own eyes crinkled, a comforting smile blooming. “What kind of mother would I be if I didn’t recognize my own son?” She reached out, a hand cradling one of his cheeks. “I am so proud of you.”

The boy flinched under the touch. “Yesterday. You… you knew. You figured it out.” A look of betrayal marred his face. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

A stab of pain to her heart, Maddie withdrew her hand. “I was going to this morning. I made chocolate chip pancakes, your favorite.” She swallowed, a dash of fear. “Then we saw the news this morning and we… we couldn’t let him catch you.”

“Him?” Danny’s brow wrinkled. “That guy in white, you mean? Who was that?”

“A very bad man.” The woman shook her head. “You don’t need to worry about that.” Her eyes focused, surveying his glowing form. “Are you hurt? I hoped the fall wouldn’t hurt you too badly.” Apology trembled her voice. “The net was all I could think of. It wasn’t supposed to shock you.”

The words were apparently no comfort, Danny’s lips still trembling in a hurt expression. “Can you let me out of it… please?”

“Yes. Of course.” Maddie’s hands were moving before she even registered, mind chastising herself for even letting Danny ask the question.

“He’s following us.” Jack’s grave voice froze her movement.

“What?” Dany asked quietly.

Maddie needed no clarification. “Shit.” She had no energy to be ashamed of her language, not with the fear washing through her again.

Underneath her withdrawing hands, her son’s eyes widened fearfully. “Aren’t you going to let me go?”

“We can’t.” She shook her head, covering her mouth. “If Alpha doesn't see us carrying Phantom into the house, the GIW will have questions.”

“We could stage an escape.” Jack desperately suggested.

“No.” A more vigorous headshake. “He’ll be shooting at Danny again as soon as he sees him. We have to sell this.”

“What are you… what are you talking about?” The boy’s voice trembled.

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry Danny.” Maddie’s attention flashed back to him. “You’ve been so brave, sweetie. I need you to be brave for just a little bit longer.”

Danny’s face hardened slightly, a flicker of suspicion.

But before he could offer any protest, Maddie continued. Time was of the essence. “We can’t let you go yet. I need you to let your dad carry you into the house. Don’t fight back or try to escape, just… you can pretend to be unconscious.” She bit her lip. “That’s what the electricity was supposed to do anyway.”

“ ‘cept you were just too strong, Danny boy.” A hint of humor rang in Jack’s voice. “A little shock wasn’t going to knock out someone as strong as you.”

The humor failed to disarm, the distrust on Danny’s face just growing.

Still, Maddie continued before he could speak. “We have to sell this to the GIW.” Her eyes drifted up, fixed on the white van just visible through the window. “We’re just ghost hunters who caught a valuable ghost. We’ll get you in the house, down the stairs, and secured in the containment cube in the basement. He’ll leave.” Her voice was falsely confident, as if she could manifest the outcome through sheer will. “Agent Alpha won’t suspect anything.”

Finally, the woman’s tirade ended. Desperate attention remained fixed on the hateful van.

“Okay. I’ll play along.” Danny’s distrustful voice sounded. “But if I do…” The word drew Maddie’s focus back. “You’ll let me go after, right?”

His jaw twitched, hard set despite the misty eyes. The sight filled the mother’s heart with shame.

“Danny.” She reached for him again. “Danny, listen to me.” Though he didn’t flinch away, his chin remained as steel under her hand. “You remember what I told you last night? If Phantom wanted to talk to me, I would love to hear what he had to say.”

The boy gave just the smallest of nods.

“I meant that. I meant every word I said to you.” Maddie poured all the conviction, all the raw honesty she could muster into the words. “There is nothing I want more than to hear about everything that’s been happening in your life over pancakes. But.” Her jaw set. “I need you safe first. Your father and I will protect you but you have to trust us. Can you do that?”

Another tiny nod and a quiet word. “Yeah.”

“Good.” Maddie patted his cheek. “You just relax and let us handle this.”

Danny did not relax. His posture remained tight, eyes distrustful as the GAV took the last few turns and pulled into Fentonwork’s driveway.

“It’s going to be okay.” Maddie took a shaky breath, trying to comfort herself just as much as Danny. Then, her jaw set, mask falling back into place. “Jack, get Danny into the house. I’ll head-off the agent.”

Wordlessly, her husband nodded. The front door opened and closed as he exited the vehicle. A long second as he walked around to the back… Danny gave his own sigh, closing his eyes.

The back door opened and the boy, tense but perfectly still, allowed himself to be picked up. A second later, the woman exited the GAV.

As Jack carried their son to the door, Maddie’s eyes narrowed, fixed on the white van pulling to a stop on the other side of the street. The doors opened and Agent Alpha slid out of the vehicle. He stalked towards her, measured and casual.

“Why were you following us?” The woman allowed a hint of annoyance into her voice.

“Oh come on.” Agent Alpha’s lips pursed, fakely concerned. “I thought you’d appreciate the backup, in case that thing escapes.”

That thing…. The words ground into her heart. She couldn’t help but grit her teeth. “More like hope to take advantage of the situation,” In this respect at least, she might as well say it like it was. “since you seem convinced that Jack and I are incompetent.”

“Well, considering your history with us…” His head tilted, pleased to belittle.

Behind her, Maddie heard the door to the house open. “Oh my god!” She turned, eyes wide at Jazz’s voice. “Is that…” A doubtful pause, her eyes flickering to the unfamiliar white-suited man. “Is that Phantom?! Why do you have him in a net?!”

Bless her daughter for not slipping up.

“Just a little morning ghost hunting, Jazzy.” Her husband grinned, though it didn’t reach his eyes. “Finally caught the menace.” Just the smallest waver in his voice, like the word tasted foul. “I’ve gotta get ‘im down to the lab.”

Jazz’s eyes boggled, her mouth open. Still, she stepped aside to let her father into the house. With a brief questioning look at her mother, she closed the door.

A relieved exhale tempted her lungs, but Maddie kept the feeling in. “As you can see,” She turned back to Agent Alpha, motioning towards the house. “We have Phantom well in hand. Now, if you’ll excuse me…” She turned, walking up the driveway.

Footsteps followed her. “You’re really fine with having a powerful ghost in the house with your kids?”

“Our lab is secure.” The woman gritted her teeth. “Between the containment unit, the ghost shield, and blast-proof walls, no ghost is going to escape the Fentons.”

“You have to get it in the lab first.” The doubtful eyebrow was audible.

“Jack is perfectly capable of carrying a netted ghost down the stairs. Besides,” Maddie made a show of rolling her eyes. “Phantom is currently unconscious.”

Alpha chuckled disbelievingly. “A ghost can’t be unconscious.”

“Not true unconsciousness then.” The woman corrected. “We induced a paralysis that prevents movement and usage of ghostly ability.”

“And how did you manage to accomplish that?”

Now at the top of the stairs leading to the front door, Maddie whipped around. “I do not have to tell you that.” Her eyes narrowed, pleased to be looking down at the agent for a change. “Now, if you do not have any more inane comments…” She stepped across the porch, reaching to open the door with one hand. “Perhaps you should go.”

The front door swung open, and Maddie stepped through.

“Wait, Doctor Fenton.”  The agent hurried up the stairs after her.

“Good day, Agent Alpha.” She shut the door. Or rather…. She tried to. Something stopped the progress. A gap of perhaps four inches between the door and the frame…. Maddie looked down. “Remove your foot from the door, agent.”

“Let me see your containment unit.” The words were not quite a demand, not with the man’s weary sigh.

Still, they had Maddie’s insides tangled in knots. “I think not.” A forced laugh, as if the idea was ridiculous. “Every other word out of your mouth has been an insult against me and my husband. Give me one reason why I should indulge you.”

“Perhaps I’ve been a little testy this morning.” He gritted his teeth as if the words pained him. “But, look….” He lowered his glasses, brown eyes meeting hers. “The higher-ups are going to be pissed enough that I didn’t catch Phantom and get that reward.” His voice sobered. Without any of the previous condescension or dark amusement… “If I come back without having done my due diligence to make sure the ghost is secure, they’ll have my hide.” He almost sounded earnest. “Just let me get a quick look at that cage. I’ll make sure everything’s in order and be on my way.”

Maddie fixed him with a scowl, even as her mind raced. She could not let him into her house; everything in her revolted at the idea. But what further argument could she make? The woman held no pity for the bastard and his situation but… would it be more suspicious to keep arguing or to give in?

Agent Alpha seemed to read the debate on her face. “But if you still don’t want to let me take a look, that’s fine.” He shrugged casually, as if the demand no longer mattered to him. “I’ll just sit out here all day, ready if Phantom escapes. Scratch that…” His nose wrinkled, the condescending sparkle in his eyes returning. “Ready when Phantom escapes, since you obviously don’t want me to see this shoddy containment unit.”

Just days ago, that ‘shoddy containment unit’ comment would have made her blood boil, a perfect lure to make her comply and prove her competence. But… The woman’s mouth dried. The image of the agent stalking on their front porch, leaning over the white van’s steering wheel, peering into their windows. The threats rang true. But… which was more dire?

Maddie’s stomach twisted. She made the hateful decision; if she let him in, she would have control over what the man saw and heard. Still, she made a point of huffing, appearing annoyed. “Fine.” She stepped back and opened the door.

With a pleased grin, the agent crossed the threshold. “After you.” He motioned exaggeratedly towards the kitchen, once Maddie had closed the front door.

The woman crossed her arms, wordlessly pinning him with her eyes. “No, you.” She motioned just as exaggeratedly. “You do remember where the lab is, correct?”

She stared, eye contact unbroken as she refused to turn her back to him. With an amused huff, the man started walking.

A few paces and they came to the lab door. Keeping one eye on the unwanted guest, Maddie punched the code into the pad. She made a mental note to change it as soon as Alpha was out of her house.

She cracked the door a sliver. “Jack.” The woman called loudly. “We have a guest.”

A quick prayer that her family had waited for her all-clear before dropping the charade, and Maddie pushed the door the rest of the way open.

Agent Alpha started down the stairs before the mother had a chance to survey the situation. Holding her breath, she followed after.

“Mr. Fenton.” The agent called with a smile in his voice. “And this must be your daughter.”

Jack and Jazz turned around from where they’d been talking in hurried whispers, not three feet in front of the containment unit.

“Who are you?” Jazz’s nose wrinkled.

“Agent Alpha, of the Ghost Investigation Ward.” A few more measured steps across the lab and he held out a hand to shake.

The girl studied the hand for a long suspicious moment before reaching out. “Jazz Fenton.” Despite the wariness in her eyes, her voice and the handshake appeared steady. “The Ghost Investigation Ward… what is that?”

Alpha dropped his hand. “We’re a small unit of the FBI. Independent contractors, really.” He gave an unbothered shrug. “That’s neither here, nor there.”

“What are you doing in our lab?” Jack cut in, surprisingly icy.

“I’m here for this little bugger.” The agent stepped around the father and daughter, squatting in front of the glass cube. His head tilted, studying the still ghost boy. Danny laid bonelessly on his stomach, legs splayed. With his head resting on one arm, his eyes were hidden. “It really does look like it’s conked out.” Something hungry in his eyes made Maddie shudder.

“You’re not taking Phantom.” Her husband said, voice like steel.

“Protective of your catch, huh Mr. Fenton?” Alpha chuckled, the sound raising goosebumps on Maddie’s skin. “You caught it, fair and square. It’s yours… as long as you can keep it caged.” Lips parting in a toothy grin, the man tapped the glass.

Just the smallest tensing of Danny’s shoulders was the only sign he was aware. Maddie’s heart pounded, her mind screaming a silent plea that the man would not notice. A curse that he would stop looking at her son like that.

Alpha continued. “The unit looks sturdy enough. Tell me more about it.”

Maddie swallowed. Talking shop, this was something she could do. “It’s three-inch thick, ectoplasm-infused glass. You’ll notice the green tint. All the seams are reinforced with steel.” She pointed to a box, connected to the metal frame by a thick metal rod. “That’s a ghost shield generator. It uses the metal as an anchor to create a cubic barrier of energy which ghosts cannot phase into, or in this case, out of.” The generator hummed softly with power, indicating it was currently on.

The fact sent a stab of guilt to her heart. Her son was truly trapped currently. Still… she grasped for the one bright spot. Danny was playing along; maybe he did still trust her.

“Spiffy.” Alpha stood, giving a nod. “You know….” His head turned, seeming to survey the room. A nostalgic sigh. “This does bring back memories.”

“What does that mean?” Jazz crossed her arms, fixing him with narrowed eyes.

“You don’t know?” The man’s mouth fell open, exaggeratedly surprised. “Your parents used to work for me.”

“We did not work for you.” Maddie snapped back.

“Alright.” Alpha raised his hands. “I did recruit you. You direct-reported to me. And I took the fall for you when you completely failed your project.  But sure, you didn’t actually work for me. Just… vaguely the GIW as a whole, right?”

Jazz looked between the man and her parents, brow wrinkling in suspicious question. “When was this exactly?”

“It was, what, fourteen, fifteen years ago.” Alpha tilted his head, as if straining to remember. “You were a tiny little thing back then. I’m not surprised you don’t remember. But really,” His eyes flicked to Jack, then Maddie before returning. “Mommy and Daddy never told you?”

The woman steeled her jaw, a part of her bristling at the accusation in the tone. But the rest… dread sunk deeper into her gut. A feeling like a rat darting out of the light…. No, no, this was too fast. Jazz and Danny could not know about their history with the GIW.

Neither parent spoke. Their eyes met in a frantic, wordless conversation even as Maddie tried to conceal the fear rattling her chest. The woman felt Jazz’s attention on her. And Danny’s…. he was still pretending to be knocked out, wasn’t he? Could he even hear what was happening out here? A part of her prayed that he couldn’t.

At the continued silence, Alpha’s lips curled in a satisfied smirk. “I’m not surprised you didn’t say anything. Who would want to tell their kid they wasted five years of research and 10 million dollars? I mean…” He laughed cruelly. “You failed so spectacularly, I can barely fathom it. And I was there.”

“Agent Alpha.” Maddie finally mustered her voice. “You need to leave.”

“But we were having such a fun trip down memory lane.” Another grating chuckle. “And I had more questions about your illustrious lab.” He pointed to the black and yellow stripes barring the entrance to the portal. “Like what’s behind those big, ominous doors.”

“None of your business.” Jack took a step closer, fist balled. “Get out.”

“Alright. Alright.” The agent raised his hands innocently. “I’m going.”

With deliberate slowness, the white-suited man meandered towards the stairs. His eyes casually flickered over the tables, with their paper and inventions, his arms folded behind his back.

Maddie stomped after him. “I’ll see our guest,” She spat the word, barely trying to maintain any decorum. “Out.”

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Jack move. He rounded a table, moving to pile papers and tidy inventions on the path to the stairs. Briefly their eyes met, a silent plea from the mother to not move until she returned, free of this threat.

Slowly, the agent trailed up the stairs, all while Maddie’s eyes painfully fixed on him. Through the lab door, into the kitchen, across the living room. She tracked his feet, his hands. He didn’t touch or drop anything. Good.

No look back. No words of suspicion. Maddie almost allowed herself a breath of relief. They would get out of this unscathed.

Then… Agent Alpha stopped in front of the door. He turned, head tilted as he studied something on the wall. A framed picture, just a few months old. She and Jack with the kids. Jazz’s mouth was open in complaint. Danny’s lips curled into a grin as he gave his sister bunny ears.

Maddie couldn’t help her own smile at the happy face.

“There’s the little experiment.” Alpha’s sickly amused voice cut through the moment. “Not so little anymore, huh?”

  Any previous good feeling evaporated. “How dare you.” The mother’s blood boiled. “How dare you talk about my son that way.”

“Testy.” The man gave her a side-eyed look before shrugging. “I guess you did raise it.” A cough. “Excuse me, him. Where is the boy, anyway?”

 “Get out of my house.” The woman demanded, stepping past him to open the front door.

“It’s an innocent question.” His lips pursed in almost a pout.

“Do not make me say it again.” Maddie swung the door open, one white-knuckled hand gripping the nob. “Get. Out.” Each word was like ice, all previous fear gone.

Alpha’s mouth opened again, brow wrinkling in further protest. But he said nothing, expression slowly shifting as he studied her face.

The woman’s eyes blazed with righteous fury. And Maddie did not care if this man saw it. Every word and insinuation, every attempt to get under her skin. She had had enough. This man was putting her family, her son in danger. And that last comment… such words about her seemingly normal, human son were so uncalled for. Even if Danny wasn’t in the cage in the lab, especially then, they would have filled her with rage.

Finally, Agent Alpha stepped across the threshold. He turned back to face her, something intense, almost predatory in his eyes. “I’ll be seeing you around, Doctor Fenton.”

Without another word, he stalked across the porch. Maddie watched him walk down the steps, down the driveway, across the street, and to the van. Fury boiled in her gut, body as still and hard as stone. The man drove away, the hateful white vehicle disappearing down the street and out of her view.

With that, the anger snuffed out. The wave of relief nearly sent her to her knees. Shakily, Maddie closed the door. She hunched, pressing her back against the grounding wood. She raised her hands to her face, palms pressing against her eyes. With the sudden release of tension, they’d started watering.

“No.” Maddie harshly chastised herself. “Keep it together.”

She couldn’t do this right now. She couldn’t break. Her family was down there, in the basement. Danny was there, in that cage. She… she had to see him. She needed to hug him, to see he was alright.

With a shaky breath, Maddie crossed the living room. She punched the numbers into the lab room and opened it.

“He’s gone.” She called down the stairs.

Jack practically crumpled with relief. His shoulders dropped, body moving with frantic energy as he opened the door of the containment unit and knelt in front of their son.

Danny stirred, turning towards Jack. Just the smallest hint of tension rolled off his shoulders as his father began untangling the net.

And Jazz… just the smallest sigh, the smallest smoothing of her wrinkled brow. Her gaze fixed on her mother, a dozen worried questions in her eyes.

Hurrying down the stairs, Maddie stopped in front of her daughter. “Thank you for playing along.” She reached for the girl’s hands. “I know you have questions. We’ll explain, just first…” A meaningful look towards the unit.

Jazz didn’t shy away from the touch but she didn’t reciprocate. Instead, she nodded smally. “Dad explained. Some. And Danny…” She swallowed. “He opened his eyes just long enough to show me he wasn’t really passed out. I just… I just want him to be okay.”

“Me too.” The mother agreed, heart in her throat.

“There you go.” Jack exclaimed as the net finally pulled free. The mother and daughter hurried over. In the next second, he practically picked up Danny and pulled him to his chest. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry son.”

The boy peered over the man’s shoulder, eyes wide and startled as they flicked between the other two. Arms stiff as a board at his sides, he didn’t return the embrace.

Maddie stepped forward, lowering herself to her knees beside her husband. A few seconds later, Jack released the hug, leaving Danny floating stiffly in the air. In the next breath, Maddie pulled the boy to her chest.

“Danny. Danny, baby. I’m so sorry.” Her arms wrapped around his tense shoulders. “I’m sorry.” A hand lifted to cradle the back of his head. “I… I love you. I love you so much, baby.” With each word, the embrace tightened. “Are you okay? Are you hurt?”

A wordless whine came in reply, one of Danny’s arms rising to touch hers.

“It’s going to be okay. You’re going to be okay.” Maddie pulled him closer, as if that alone could shield him, as if she could will the words to be true. “No one’s going to hurt you again. I’ll protect you.”

“Mom, stop.” The words came out almost pained. And Maddie realized… the hand touching her arm was trying to push her away. “You’re… Stop touching me.”

The words hit like a punch to the gut. Shakily, the mother dropped her arms.

 Freed, Danny floated back a few feet, eyes fixed on the floor.

“Danny. I’m… I’m sorry.” Maddie’s mouth felt dry, stuttering over the words.

“It’s fine. I’m fine.” He muttered through gritted teeth, even as the thumb of his left hand tenderly massaged the palm of his right. There was… something significant in the movement.

“No, it’s not. It’s…” The mother sighed, heart wilting. “I really am sorry I shot you down. I.. I’m sorry the net shocked you. It wasn’t supposed to. It was all I could think of.”

“It’s fine. It’s…” Somehow, Danny’s shoulders fell even more. “I shot you yesterday so let’s just call it even.”

“No. No, Danny.” Maddie fervently shook her head. “That’s not how that works. That was just an accident and-“

The boy interrupted, cutting her off. “I can’t believe this is happening.” His fists raised, massaging his eyes. “I had nightmares about you catching me. I’m a freaking ghost in your containment unit right now. And you were just hugging me. This is insane.” His voice rose in a whine. “I have no idea what’s happening. I don’t even know where to start.”

“I have some ideas.” Jazz’s voice cut in. Maddie glanced back to find the teen standing above her, just in front of the unit’s threshold. “Since when do Mom and Dad know about you being Phantom?”

Danny blinked, eyes widening as if just noticing his sister was there. “Since when do you know about me being Phantom? I mean…” He waved his hands vaguely. “Obviously I’m Phantom. Glowing, floating, jumpsuit, and everything.” His words quickened, a blush lighting his cheeks green. “Obviously I’m Phantom. But… you’ve been calling me Danny.” Nervous eyes flickered among the other three Fentons. “You’re acting like you know I’m actually Danny. I’m Danny Fenton too. Unless….” He paled fearfully. “Is this a trick? Are you actually-“

“No, Danny.” Jack quickly cut off that line of thinking. “No, of course not.” His eyes widened pleadingly. “You’re our son and we love you. I…I wish you hadn’t found out we know like this. I’m…I’m sorry.”

“This is no place to be having this conversation.” Maddie interrupted. “Let’s go upstairs. We can eat breakfast and have a long talk about everything.”

“Aren’t we supposed to have school?” Danny blushed. “I’m probably already late.”

Maddie blinked, surprised. She hadn’t even thought about that, not with everything else occupying her mind. She opened her mouth, ready to say they would call the two kids out.

“School’s canceled today.” Jazz cut in. “Didn’t you see? There was a text alert.”

“Oh.” The boy’s head dropped, biting his lip. “No. I… broke my phone ghost hunting on Friday.”

“We’ll talk about that too.” Maddie added gently. Through great force of will, she stood up. “Come on, Danny.”

Still, he gnawed his lip, looking between the other three family members. “O… Okay.”

With an encouraging nod, Jack stood as well. The two parents backed out of the unit, Maddie moving to turn off the shield.

At the same time, Danny straightened from his floating kneel into something closer to standing. He drifted forward, out of the unit. His feet lingered in the air, half a foot from the ground. That was… until his lower half morphed into a ghostly tail.

The mother paused, staring mystified. She watched as the tip flicked, nervous and cat-like. Danny hadn’t reacted to the change at all. Instead, he seemed to hardly notice as the end coiled in front of him. It rose up, meeting his hands and he gripped it in both. His fists clenched, as if he was squeezing a stress ball.

Then, the boy noticed her attention. He let go of the end of his tail, blushing green. The limb purposefully twisted back under him before popping back into legs. He looked away.

Maddie herself blushed. Of all the things to finally hit her… she’d spent all this time seeing her son’s ghostly form while in crisis, in panic. The inhumanness hadn’t really hit until just this moment. Her stomach churned, guilty for her reaction.

Any reply, any acknowledgement remained lodged in her throat. The feeling was made worse when, having arrived at the top of the stairs, a flash of light blinded her momentarily.  White rings, ghostly light like she’d seen when he was just a baby, passed over him. In Phantom’s place was the son she’d always known.

Black haired and blue-eyed. As human as the day she’d first held him. Her heart hurt.

Chapter Text

Breakfast was awkward. Each family member picked at the food more than ate it. Even chocolate chip pancakes proved unable to bring any relief, much less a smile to Danny’s face.

Maddie explained how she’d recognized Danny last night, after his confrontation with the possessed mayor. How she had realized the white skeleton ghost was manipulating things and had said as much to Jack, and then later to the police and mayor.

“So, you meant what you said last night, about Phantom not being a bad ghost.” Not meeting her eyes, the boy poked at his soggy pancakes with a fork. “But… you knew we were talking about me. Why… why didn’t you tell me you knew?”

Guilt throbbed in her heart. “You looked so tired.” Now, after the disastrous reveal this morning, the words felt like even more of an excuse. “It was so late and I hadn’t even talked to your father yet… I thought everyone getting some sleep would do some good.” The woman sighed. “That’s why I made breakfast. I figured we could have a better conversation this morning.”

“Well, that plan went swimmingly.” Jazz muttered heatedly into her orange juice.

Danny said nothing, still staring down at his food.

Maddie swallowed, another apology lodged in her throat. It wasn’t enough. It would never be enough but… what other choice had she had? She’d had to act quickly. She’d had to catch Danny before… before…

“Danny, son.” Jack cut through the awkward pause. “Did the portal do…” He swallowed, chewing on the words for a moment. “Was the portal what made you Phantom? Were you down there when it started?”

“Yeah.” The boy’s head seemed to hang even lower.

“What happened?” The father asked gently.

A long pause followed. Danny bit his lip, fist clenching and unclenching around his fork as he seemed to consider the question. Finally, he sighed. “Sam and Tucker really wanted to see it. They begged me so… I snuck us in.” His gaze flickered, falling on the door for just the smallest second. “I knew I shouldn’t have. I really did but… Sam wanted to try out her new camera. So… I put on my old hazmat and stood in front of the portal. But she wanted a picture of me inside too so….” He trailed off a haunted look in his eyes.

“You don’t have to tell us everything.” Jazz cut in, the anger gone from her eyes now that they were rounded with concern.

Danny shook his head. “I tripped on something, in the tunnel. So I tried to catch myself against the wall. Something shifted under my hand, I think. Then…” He put down his fork, his left hand moving to cradle his right. “Everything hurt. It was all green and…” Shakily, he lowered his right hand to the table, fingers splayed as if to display the contents of his palm.

The other three Fentons leaned closer. Brows furrowed, not seeing, not understanding. But… Maddie’s stomach churned. She had a suspicion.

“You can’t really see it right now.” Danny seemed to read the confusion, continuing. “But when I’m….I’m Phantom or….” His eyes flitted nervously among the faces before….

His eyes glowed green, the familiar neon of ectoplasm. A blink, and the green spread. It started from a thin line just visible above the collar of his bed shirt… raise slightly and just the smallest bit lighter than the skin around it; was that a scar? The line branched, a web over his bicep, before narrowing into a thicker trunk on his forearm. It ended on his palm, a starburst of neon green.

“A Lichtenberg figure.” Maddie soberly realized.

Danny nodded, closing his palm. Slowly, the green winked out. “I really don’t like electricity.”

Another wave of guilt. “I’m sorry.” The mother found herself saying again. “I’m…” She swallowed. “I’m sorry our portal hurt you.”

Danny said nothing, just shrugging.

Across from him, Jazz was pale. “That’s what happened? That… that could have killed you.”

Maddie had been thinking much the same, had thought the same just hours ago.

“It tried.” The boy shrugged again, humorlessly. “Didn’t stick very well.”

“Don’t joke about that.” Jack cut in with surprising sharpness. “Your sister’s right. The portal could have…” He shook his head furiously, as if to dislodge the thought. “I already lost one person I loved in a portal accident. I couldn’t… I can’t even think about it happening again.”

That shook off some of Danny’s listlessness. “What? Since when?”

“In college.” Maddie continued for her despondent husband. “Your dad’s best friend, our lab partner, got caught up in the activation of our first portal. He… passed away about a month later.”

“And you never said anything about this?” Jazz’s eyes boggled.

“Too painful to talk about.” Jack muttered, still looking down.

“But you still built another portal in our basement.” Another spark of anger ignited in the girl’s eyes. “I knew it. I knew that lab was a death trap. How could you have something so dangerous in our house?!”

“And so are ammonia and bleach, two common household cleaners, if you mix them together.” Maddie ground her teeth. “We have rules for a reason. If you followed them, or better yet,” her eyes narrowed at Danny. “Stay out of the lab altogether, it’s perfectly safe.”

“I learned my lesson, okay?” Unlike his sister, there was no anger in the words, just a heavy weariness. “I knew I shouldn’t have been anywhere near the portal. I shouldn’t have gone down there, much less with… with Sam and Tucker.” A haunted look filled his eyes again. “Them having to see… that was bad enough.”

Sam and Tucker… at the mention of the two, at his glassy eyes, Maddie found her frustration gone. She took a re-focusing breath. “So your friends were there.” She said in a gentle voice. “I’m sure that was hard.”

“Yeah. I stumbled out of the portal as Phantom so uhh…. We thought for a moment there…” He coughed, stumbling over the thought. “Then I turned back into normal me. But the powers were still there, still acting up.” He shrugged. “They didn’t go away after a month, so we figured this was permanent. Then the other ghosts started to show up.”

“And you decided to fight them, just like your folks.” A hint of pride crept onto Jack’s face.

“No.” Danny blushed. “The fight with the Lunch Lady was just to save Sam, okay. The ghost went after her because she got the school to change the menu.”

“But after that?” Maddie raised a brow.

“It just… felt like the right thing to do.” Another blush. “I opened the portal. The other ghosts were here because of me and… I could do something to help.” The boy paused here, glancing between the two adults as if to assess their reaction.

Jack and Maddie traded a look. The mother’s heart squeezed; despite everything, the quiet plea for approval shone on his face.

“That’s my boy.” Jack slowly smiled. “I’m so proud of you.”

“Really?” Just a dash of hope.

“Yes.” Maddie nodded, allowing her own lips to part. “I’m sorry we didn’t see it before. But you’ve been trying so hard to help. You’ve been protecting people, doing so much good.”

A flicker of a relieved, grateful look between her parents. “Like I’ve been saying,” Jazz added warmly. “Phantom’s a hero.”

Danny’s head stayed down, avoiding their gazes. But… the corner of his mouth slowly turned up in a blushing smile.

“You’ve been trying so hard to figure all this out by yourself.” Maddie started, eyes rounding.

“Not completely by myself.” The boy interrupted. “Sam and Tucker have been with me the whole time and apparently…” He looked at his sister. “Jazz had been looking out for me too. Even if she never said anything.” There was more teasing than real annoyance in the words.

“Not the whole time.” The girl said. “I only found out during the Spectra thing.”

“That’s great.” The woman cut in, intent on finishing her previous thought. “It’s wonderful you’ve had your friends and sister to help you. You’ve been so brave.” A hint of a frown downturned her lips. “But it’s still been rough, hasn’t it?

“Yeah?” Danny’s brow furrowed in question. “Yeah, it’s been rough…” A frown quirked his own brow. “I’ve messed up a lot.” His eyes shifted meaningfully, to his mother’s bandaged side.

“You’re so hard on yourself, Danny boy.” Jack’s eyes softened compassionately. “I know you feel awful about hurting your mother.”

“You’re forgiven.” Maddie said. “Not that there’s anything to forgive, it was an accident.”

“No, it wasn’t.” The boy shook his head. “I thought you and dad were overshadowed too. It… it was supposed to be a small, weak blast, just enough to push out the ghost but…”

“You’re still forgiven.” Pouring conviction into the words, the mother reached out to place a comforting hand on her son’s. “I could never be angry at you for that.”

Danny did not flinch away. “I… thanks.”

“The point I was trying to make before….” The woman sighed. “You don’t have to do any of this by yourself anymore, okay? Your dad and I are here for you. Any questions you have about your powers, or dealing with the other ghosts or the town’s opinions after last night…. We can deal with it together. We want to help you. Please. Let us help you.”

At those last words, Maddie gently squeezed his hand.

And tentatively, Danny squeezed back. “Okay, Mom.”

“We love you, Danno.” Jack added, an arm wrapping around the boy’s shoulders. “Finding out about you being Phantom doesn’t change that. Not one bit. Human, ghost, hybrid. It doesn’t matter. You’re our son and we’ll always love you, no matter what.”

 The blushing smile grew just the smallest bit. “I…I love you too.”

Jazz beamed proudly, finding his other hand from across the table. “I love you, little brother.”

The four sat like that for a long moment, just marinating in the soft comfort. Maddie’s heart throbbed, just beginning to believe everything could turn out okay, despite the elephant in the room, the one big problem they’d yet to discuss…

The mother leaned closer, giving her son a kiss on the cheek while her husband ruffled the boy’s hair. Danny just needed this relief and care for now. The still lingering stress, the punishment and restrictions she and Jack would have to instate to protect him, could wait.

Finally, Maddie broke the silence with a question. “Can you tell us some more about the ghosts you’ve fought?”

“Yeah.” Danny straightened in his chair, wiping the faint mark of his mom’s kiss from his cheek. “I already told you about Lunch Lady…hmm,” His brow furrowed in contemplation.

“What about this Spectra thing?” Jack gave the word air quotes.

“Yeah. So during Spirit Week, Mr. Lancer hired this school counselor…”

Danny talked, offering illuminating details about the ghosts he had encountered. The hunter ghost, who apparently wanted her son’s pelt, was called Skulker. Johnny 13, Jazz’s creepy ex-boyfriend, was actually a ghost who’d been trying to use the girl as a vessel for his girlfriend. Technus, the technology controlling ghost whose name they’d already known thanks to how much he loved shouting it, had tried to take over the internet through Doomed.

“You realized you could possess the game.” Maddie nodded, more than a hint impressed. “That’s very clever.”

“Yeah! It was a lot more fun than my first time fighting him.” Danny chuckled. “That time, he possessed a bunch of electric junk from our shed. I ended up chasing him all over town.” A not-entirely serious grimace. “And I didn’t even have ectoblasts yet.”

“When did you get ectoblasts?” Jack asked.

“That was like the next week, when that genie ghost showed up….”

As the boy talked, Maddie slowly noticed Danny seemed to be leaving out some details.

“So the dragon was yelling about wanting a ‘fleecy tee.’” He aired quoted the words. “I body-slammed it. It ended up on the ground and just as I was reaching for the thermos… this necklace fell off it and the dragon turned into Paulina!”

“Isn’t that the girl you invited to homecoming?” Jazz raised a brow.

“Yeah, it is.” The boy blushed slightly. “Anyway, the necklace was gold and chonky, with this creepy green gem that looked like a dragon eye. Sam looked it up in one of her spooky history books and found this legend about an old royal family that had these amulets that let them turn into dragons. And get this, there was this picture of an old painting of a girl wearing the amulet. And she looked just like the dragon ghost girl I fought earlier. She’d been wearing the necklace and everything!”

“Wait.” Maddie interrupted. “How did your date to the dance end up with the amulet then?”

“No idea.” The boy shrugged exaggeratedly, eyes suddenly very wide and innocent.

Well, that was suspicious.

“Anyway.” Danny hurried on. “I asked Sam to help me get it back from her. I…I mean just get it from her, because Paulina keeping the necklace that turns you into a dragon, no matter how she got it,” His blush darkened, a nervous flicker of his eyes. “was a horrible idea. Sam tried to get it from her at the school dance when they both went to the girl’s room. But apparently, it went horribly wrong because Sam ended up with the necklace but turned into a dragon, yelling about Paulina being a ‘shallow witch’ and trying to tear her apart.”

An itching at the back of Maddie’s mind…. There was definitely more to this story.

“I remember that.” Jack nodded thoughtfully. “Not anything about Sam, but the dragon roaring something about witches and dragging your date off to the football field.”

“We missed most of the fight.” Maddie added. “There was a lot of chaos in the gym. I remember… we got there in time to see that the dragon was gone and Phantom…. You had disappeared.”

“Yeah, it was pretty quick, actually. Sam was more focused on Paulina than me, so getting the necklace off wasn’t that hard.” He shrugged. “I got the necklace in the thermos and flew both of us back before anyone noticed we were gone.”

 “What ended up happening to it?” Jazz asked.

“The dragon ghost girl showed up as the dance was finishing up. She begged Tucker for a dance.” He snickered. “Then she asked for her necklace back and left after I gave it to her.”

“Darn.” Jack shook his fist, only a little disappointed. “We just missed that.”

The woman grimaced; that was probably when Lancer had had them do a last sweep of the school for teens who’d snuck off to make out. The man had grown quite annoyed with her husband’s greater than normal exuberance and clumsiness, which now that they’d discussed it might very well have been Danny overshadowing his father. Even if the boy had yet to confess to it….

“That sounds like quite an adventure.” Maddie shook her head. “And right under our noses.” She parted her lips, did her best to appear disarming. “I can’t imagine what other trouble you’ve gotten up to.” The mother raised her brow, a silent knowing, probing look. “Any… mischief we should know about?”

“No, no mischief.” Cheeks pale, the boy laughed awkwardly. “Just a bunch of dealing with different ghostly pains in my as- butt, pains in my butt.”

The mother’s eye twitched, either from Danny’s near curse or his failure to take the bait and offer the incriminating truth of his own volition. She opened her mouth, intending to press more directly. But before she gathered words…

“The ghosts haven’t all been awful, right?” Jazz asked, eyes wide and almost pleading. “What about the ghost of locker 724, Sidney Pointdexter? I talked to him once. He was shy but seemed nice. ”

Danny crossed his arms, a grimacing frown.

“Not a good encounter then?” Maddie raised a brow, deciding to drop the previous topic for now.

“He was a jerk. He tried to possess me. It was like…” The grimace darkened, something disgusted and uncomfortable. “He shoved my mind out, trapped me behind his mirror and ran off with my body. Then he tried to make friends with Dash.” He stuck out his tongue, as if just the word tasted bad.

“Oh.” Something in Jazz’s face fell. “That doesn’t sound like Sidney. Mickey and the other nerds were saying he was nice too, like letting them out of their lockers when the football players shut them in.”

Danny’s nose wrinkled. “Okay. I might have played a tiny prank on Dash, which Pointdexter might not have liked much.”

“What kind of prank?” The mother asked, a hint of suspicion.

“Not anything too bad.” The boy blushed, eyes shifting nervously. “Just put one of those confetti canon popper things in his locker.”

The look… something in Maddie’s gut said he was lying. Again, there was more to the story than he said.

“Anyway.” Danny pressed on. “It was awful, but Sam and Tucker realized Pointdexter wasn’t me and tricked him back into his mirror. Everything turned out fine.” He gave a long suffering sigh. “I guess, the only good thing is, I found out from Dexty that apparently I’m the ‘halfa.’” He rolled his eyes, air quoting the word.

“The what?” Jazz asked.

“Halfa. Half a human, half a ghost, so… halfa.” He motioned vaguely, a wave of each hand as if to emphasize the two parts. “Apparently, they’d all been talking about me in the Zone.” His voice was mocking and derisive, a nasally impression “The halfa, with all the ghostly powers in the human plane. Though…” Danny’s nose wrinkled in disgust, switching back into his normal register. “Now that I think about it, I’m pretty sure halfa is just a slur.”

“Well that’s….” Maddie blinked, not really sure of what to make of the whole story. Between Danny being mistreated again, the hidden implication of more than a ‘tiny prank’ done on Dash, and this enemy ghost’s knowledge…

Jack collected his thoughts first. “So the other ghosts know about… what you are.” The boy paled slightly, nervously shifting in his chair at the observation. But before he could stew too long…. “They know that you’re not just another ghost like them, I mean. They know you’re human too.”

A hint of relief un-furrowed Danny’s brow. “Yeah, most of them do, I think. Skulker definitely does. A few of the others had said as much too. Or recognized me in both forms. Actually….” He wrung his hands, a tentative look between the two adults. “I’m surprised you’ve not had more questions about that. About how exactly I’m half human and half ghost?” A humorless chuckle. “A part of me kinda thought you’d swear I’m just a full ghost, but in denial or something.”

“No, we don’t think that.” Maddie shook her head definitively. “There’s no question that you’re still human too.”

“But…” Another uneasy look between the two. “You’re not all that surprised about that….”

The words trickled to a stop, the unspoken question heavy. Why?

Why indeed? The reason, the terrifying unspeakable truth, pounded in Maddie’s head. Guilt, a squirming feeling, churned her insides.

With the silence, something sharpened in Jazz’s eyes. Danny’s own gaze became more wide-eyed and wary.

Maddie’s mind spun, searching. For an answer that would satisfy, that would still protect Danny from the ugly reality. But before she can muster the word…

“We suspected…” Jack began cautiously. “that human-ghost hybrids might be possible.”

 A jolt of panic, but Maddie clamped down on the feeling in the next moment.

“What?” Both kid’s jaws dropped.

Maddie’s eyes darted to her husband, a significant look. “It was a long time ago.” She waved her hand dismissively. “Just an idea we spit-balled in college with our lab partner. It seemed way too far-fetched so we never pursued it.” The suspicion in Jazz’s eyes, the anxiety in Danny’s…. Maddie’s mouth felt dry. She changed the subject. “But that doesn’t mean we can’t help you figure out what exactly being a human-ghost hybrid means for you. Like if you have any questions about your powers. Or… your father and I had been wondering earlier, if you need to feed on ectoplasm or emotions like other ghosts. Or… do you know whether or not you have an Obsession?”

The boy blinked once, apparently overwhelmed by the onslaught of words. But, after a moment, he answered. “No, I don’t eat ectoplasm or emotions.” His nose screwed up in disgust. “That would be so gross.” Then, his face smoothed out in something unsure. “I’m not sure about the Obsession question though.” His eyes flickered down, fixed on the table.

Jack hazarded a quick, serious look in Maddie’s direction, before turning attention back to their son. “That’s okay.” His voice softened. “We still love you, either way. We just want to know this stuff so we can make sure you’re healthy and safe, okay?”

“Yes.” Maddie took a breath, centering herself. This was about Danny, about protecting him. “We just want you to be safe and healthy. You’re different now, after your accident, in ways none of us really know. Your dad and I don’t really know what to expect, but…”

An awkward shifting in his seat. Maddie’s heart ached; she was just making the boy’s discomfort worse.

“That’s nothin’ to be scared of though.” Bless her husband. “Us Fentons can handle anything.” A strong arm wrapped around the boy’s shoulders. “Crazy new ghost powers are nothing.”

The mother nodded. The soft smile painting her lips was almost real. “Your dad and I want to figure out the best ways to support you. So if anything new happens, like new powers, an Obsession, needing ectoplasm, you can tell us, okay?”

The boy gave a shy nod.

Jack continued. “We already started working on making sure none of our gadgets will target or hurt you.”

“We worked out your ecto-signature from the Fenton Finder.” Maddie explained. “I’ll be working on building it into everything as an exception, so no weapons will be able to lock onto you and shoot. And we’ll get rid of anything we can’t modify or is too dangerous.”

“And if you think of anything that might help,” Jack grinned, some of his usual enthusiasm sneaking back. “I can whip it up in a jiffy! You seemed to really like that thermos, huh?”

“Yeah.” Danny finally looked up, a hint of hope returning to his eyes. “It’s been really helpful. Maybe you could make a version that’s a bit harder to accidentally open? I can’t tell you the number of times Tucker dumped all the ghosts we just caught out.”

“You’ve got it, Danny boy.” The father eagerly agreed.

“And the wrist rays and lipstick blasters, Sam really likes those. Oh man…” The boy blushed. “It’ll be really nice not having to sneak down to get weapons or put ghosts back in the portal. And…” His eyes widened, looking hopefully between the two adults. “And you can help me out with the ghosts during school and at night, right? It’ll be so much faster with more of us.”

“The Fentons finally fighting with Phantom instead of against him.” Jazz, suspiciously quiet for the last few minutes, finally added. “That’ll be incredible.” More than a hint of pride shone in her eyes.

The Fentons fighting with Phantom…. The words stabbed into Maddie’s heart, a somber jolt back to reality. The newly resurfaced threat, the danger more dire than any of the ghosts Danny could face…. Instantly, the beginning of a hopeful smile dropped.

“What is it?” Jazz noticed the change in expression, eyes cautiously narrowing.

“No.” Maddie took a breath, steeling herself. “There can’t be any more fighting ghosts. No more going out as Phantom. It’s too dangerous.”

“Most of the ghosts aren’t that bad.” Danny gave a good-natured eye-roll, not registering the seriousness. “I can handle them.”

“No. It’s…” Her voice lowered, gaining a harsh gravity. “Agent Alpha. He’s dangerous.”

“He can’t be that bad.” The boy pouted.

“Listen to me.” Maddie’s hands found Danny’s shoulders. “He is worse than you can imagine. Cunning, ruthless, relentless. If he catches you….” Her eyes widened, a hint of that familiar shadowy fear seeping through. “Do not let him catch you.”

Danny’s eyes widened, something pale in his face as he seemed to realize how serious she was. “But… I’m human. If he found out, wouldn't he-“

“He wouldn’t care.” A shaky breath. “You remember in the Incredibles, what Elastagirl tells her kids in the cave?”

A wrinkle of his brow, Danny nodded numbly.

“Alpha is not some cartoon villain. He wouldn’t care that you’re a kid. He wouldn’t care that you’re human. If he gets his hands on you, he will kill you. Or worse.” She paused, swallowing. Her mind couldn’t help but imagine…. Her son in a cage, ectoplasm and needles, a muzzle and handcuffs. The looming shadow she thought she had left behind years ago. “You cannot give him that chance.”

The words fell, heavy and oppressive. Danny’s eyes, wide with fear, filled Maddie’s vision. But she could not shy away. She could not let her own guilt cow her. She had to make him understand.

Finally, Jazz shattered the silence. “And you know this because you used to work for Alpha.” Something cold filled her voice.

“Yes.” The mother dropped her hands, steely face turning to her daughter. “Back then, he would stop at nothing to get what he wanted. I have no doubt, if anything, he's gotten worse over all these years.”

The girl’s lips twitched angrily. “Why would you want anything to do with someone like that?”

“I don’t want anything to do with him!” The woman spread her arms, her own anger stirred. “He targeted us when we were young and naive and desperate. He lied to us! Lied about what we were working on. He tried to make us complicit in… in-”

Maddie cut herself off, having already said too much.

“Complicit in what?” Jazz pressed. “What did they have you working on?

“I don’t want to talk about this anymore.” The woman instantly denied.

“You can’t just drop that and not explain!” The girl continued.

Hard, stiff, fighting to maintain composure, Maddie’s nostrils flared. “I do not have to explain anything, young lady. Our history with the GIW is none of your business.”

“Madds.” One of Jack’s brows raised, something almost judgmental in the look.

“Yes, it is!” Jazz raised her arms. “This affects me and Danny so it is our-”

“Do you regret it at least?” Danny interrupted. “I… I don’t care what they had you doing. It sounds like it was bad but Alpha said it didn't work so it doesn't matter. But do you at least regret it?”

The question was a bucket of cold water over her anger. A somber chill lodged her heart in her throat.

Maddie didn’t… she didn’t have the will to say yes. She regretted many things but working with Alpha had given her Danny. She could never ever regret that.

Her silence spoke volumes, a devastated look marring the boy’s face.

Maddie could not lie. But she could not tell the truth either. “That job kept us from losing the house. It let us take care of you kids.” She set her jaw. “Look, if a less dubious opportunity had come up then, we would have taken it. But what happened happened. We were tricked and taken advantage of and your father and I tried our best to make good out of a bad situation.”

A heavy pause fell at the last words. Jack’s eyes pinned her. His lip twitched, like he wanted to say something. Maddie looked at him pleadingly, a silent beg to wait until the two of them had a chance to talk about this in private.

 Danny’s shoulders hunched, pointedly looking away from his mother. He didn’t look satisfied by the answer but neither did he offer any more comment.

And Jazz… “But you still did it.” Jazz finally cut in icily. “You still worked for the GIW.”

“Yes, we did.” Maddie did not shy away from the accusation, forcibly moving on. “And because we did, we know what Alpha is capable of more than anyone. He wants Phantom. And if he finds out-”

“Let me guess, he knows that hybrids are possible thanks to your college spit-balling.”

The mother did not indulge the girl’s comment. “If he finds out that Danny Phantom and Danny Fenton are one and the same, he will want you even more.” Her attention, intense and serious, focused back on her son. “He cannot find out. He cannot see Phantom up close ever again, or our son doing anything ghostly.”

“Oh.. okay.” Danny agreed shakily. “I'll… I'll be careful. I'll fly away if I see-”

“No, that's not good enough.” Maddie pressed. “Phantom needs to disappear until he's gone.”

 “Disappear? But-”

“No going out as Phantom. None, never, under any circumstances. You will let us deal with the ghosts. And you will take a much-needed break.”

The boy tried to argue again. “But-”

A knock sounded at the door. Maddie jumped in her chair, heart instantly pounding. A jolt of panic sent her mind racing. Was it… was it Agent Alpha, back already?

“I’ll get it.” Jack’s jaw set, body ripe with tension.

Jazz and Danny looked much the same, an uneasy silent conversation flashing between their eyes.

Maddie’s wary gaze followed her husband to the front door. It swung open ominously. With Jack’s broad body blocking the doorway, she couldn’t quite see…

“Hey Mr. F.” A familiar teen boy’s voice sounded.

The mother’s breath released. It was just Danny’s friend, Tucker. A glimpse of a red hat solidified the fact. And there was just a hint of a black combat boot too…

“Is Danny up yet?” Sam asked. The question was casual but… “We wanted to hang out, since school’s canceled.” The smallest note of worry echoed.

“Yeah, I’m… I’m here.” Danny spoke up shakily.

At the same time, Jack stepped aside. The two teens traded a look, crossing the threshold. The door swung closed.

“Hey dude.” Tucker’s worried eyes surveyed the three at the table. “Is everything okay?”

The question fell heavily. Danny’s furrowed gaze flickered from his friends to his parents. First to his father, then…. His eyes, wide and worried, searched Maddie’s face.

The mother’s lips twitched, trying to muster a comforting smile. But… fear still pounded her heart. Her mind spun, stuck on the previous conversation. They hadn’t been done. Agent Alpha was still out there, still a danger. And Danny did not understand that.

Apparently, Danny did not find what he was looking for. His gaze hardened. “It’s fine.” Pointedly, he looked away from Maddie. “We were just finishing breakfast.” He rose from the table, picking up his half-full plate. “I’m not hungry anymore anyway.” With a harsh scrape of his fork, the soggy pancakes fell into the trash can. “Let’s go.”

The boy took one step towards his friends and-

“Wait.” The mother’s hand reached with hardly a thought, wrapping around his wrist. “Promise me.” Her pleading eyes looked up. “Promise me you won't go out as Phantom. Don't even transform. We don’t know if Alpha has a way of tracking you.”

The boy’s lips twitched, just a hint of something vulnerable behind the stony expression. “Mom, I…” Then he pulled away.

“Promise me.” The words hardened, now more demand than plea.

The silent stare-down persisted, steely gaze to steely gaze. And Maddie would not give first. She had to get Danny to understand, to agree. It was the only way to keep him safe.

“Fine.” The boy finally agreed. “I promise.” It was begrudgingly, a scowl marring his unhappy face. But still, a hint of sincerity rang through. “I won’t go out as Phantom.”

Maddie’s heart squeezed. She allowed herself just a second of relief, offering a grateful nod.

But then… “Let’s go.” Danny ripped his hand away from her grip and stomped towards his friends. Taking one of each’s’ hand, he started practically dragging the two towards the door. “Thank god you showed up. I can’t stand any more of this.” The frustrated words were muttered through gritted teeth, quiet enough that Maddie barely made them out.

Sam hissed, a harshly suspicious whisper. “What are you talking about?”

At the same time, Tucker sputtered, open mouthed. “Did you just say…. go out as Phantom?”

“Yep. They found out this morning.” Danny rolled his eyes. “Let me tell you all about how Mom shot me out of the sky.”

Maddie’s lips twitched, fighting back a reprimand, the desire to defend herself. What other choice had she had? But…. a breath. Danny’s frustration was understandable, at least.

“What?!” Fury instantly lit Sam’s face

But before she could lay into Maddie, Danny had opened the door. “You can yell at my mom later.” He dragged the two through, onto the porch. “Let’s go!”

Before the door could close, before the mother’s mind could stir up a response, Jazz finally stood. “Wait for me!” She called across the living room. “I’ll drive you.”

“No, wait. Umm.” Tucker vigorously shook his head. “That’s… that’s fine. You really don’t-”

“Jazz knows too.” Danny interrupted the stuttering. “Since the Spectra thing, apparently.”

“Yes.” The red-head nodded. “Hence why I’m coming too. Give me a minute to get my shoes on.” Her eyes trailed her brother’s pajama-ed, shoeless form. “Maybe you should get dressed.”

“Oh yeah.” The boy blushed, stomping toward the stairs. Within a few seconds, he disappeared into his bedroom.

“We’ll just wait here then.” Sam huffed, arms crossed.

“Wait on the porch.” Jazz instructed the two teens. At the same time her eyes narrowed at her mom. “And close the door.” As soon as the door was closed…. “You didn’t have to scare him like that.”

The anger, the accusation in Jazz’s voice… It made Maddie bristle. “He should be scared.” Her own eyes narrowed, keeping her voice level. “This is serious.” 

The words just made Jazz’s nostrils flare. “That is no excuse for treating him like that. You should-”

“Jazz? You ready?” Danny’s voice from the top of the stairs interrupted.

“This conversation isn’t over.” The girl leaned forward, muttering heatedly. Then, putting on a normal, unbothered voice… “Just gotta grab my keys!”

With that, the two teens left. Jazz offered one more harsh look as the door closed.

Chapter Text

For the next few minutes, Maddie stewed. She cleaned the kitchen, a bitter thought rising to her mind; Danny was supposed to be grounded. They’d never gotten around to establishing that, not once the conversation swung around to Agent Alpha. And now, Danny and Jazz were out with Sam and Tucker, doing who knows what, who knows where. A quick check of her phone found that Jazz had thought to text her to say the four were at Sam’s house. That fact only offered a modicum of relief. At least any ghostly displays, accidental or otherwise, would be concealed from any not already in-the-know.

Still, hopefully Danny wasn’t doing anything potentially revealing. He would be careful, wouldn’t he? He’d promised and… Danny was a good kid. They’d raised an honest boy, one who unwaveringly kept his word. Surely he would keep these ones, even if he only made the promise begrudgingly. He’d been angry, frustrated at her. But he understood how important this was, didn’t he? She had been able to make him understand, Maddie shakily hoped.

You didn’t have to scare him like that. Jazz’s words rang in her head. Her heart twisted, a stab of guilt as Danny’s wide, fear filled eyes flashed in her mind. She had scared him, with her desperate intensity, with her raw honesty about the magnitude of the threat Alpha posed. But…. Maddie pushed the guilt down. She had been right. He needed to be scared. A little fear was good. It kept one cautious, careful, vigilant. The threat was real and Danny needed to respect it, to fear it.

And yet…. The steeliness of Danny’s eyes, the grating frustration of his quips. How quickly that fear turned into anger. He was angry at her for forbidding him from ghost fighting, for barring him access to his ghost form. He was angry and… again, a flicker of guilt, of hurt. And again, Maddie shoved the feelings away. That was fine. Danny could be angry with her but it did not matter. As long as Maddie could protect him, as long as he was safe, he could be mad at her until he graduated.

Still…. If she could find a way to get Alpha to leave, to drop his pursuit of Phantom…. Then things could go back to normal. Danny wouldn’t have to be afraid or angry. Maddie could deal with the problem and they could put this all behind them. The sooner she found a way to deal with the GIW, the better.

Hastily, Maddie dropped the rag she’d been using to wipe the counter. Cleaning up could wait. Right now, while the kids were out of the house, she needed to plan. Already hurrying towards the stairs, the woman’s mind churned. She needed information, data, evidence.

“Madds…” Jack’s hesitant voice barely slowed her. “Where are you going?”

Her feet pounded up the stairs. “We need a plan to deal with the GIW.” A glance over her shoulder. “I’m going to look at the papers.”

Jack’s footsteps had been following after hers, but now they froze. “The… papers.” Despite the slow, deliberateness of the words, the tone said he knew exactly what she was talking about. “Madds, I know we need a plan to deal with the GIW, but…”

Maddie wasn’t quite listening, already opening the door to the guest room. In one swift motion, she pulled away the rug. She knelt, pulling up the loose floorboard. Underneath, a simple cardboard box sat. And inside….

Black and white printed paper, glossy photographs, dog-eared notebooks. All the records of their work with the GIW… or at least, the pieces they’d managed to keep and hide.

“Maddie.” Jack called from the doorway, frown serious.

The woman didn’t acknowledge her name, mind fixed on the record as she spread them around her. “There’s got to be something here that can help us.” There were the NDAs they had signed. Did those have some kind of loophole? An expiration date? And that was the agreement they’d signed, saying that any research they generated, including their ‘research subject’ were sole property of the GIW. But… “Can they even take him, legally?” The woman scowled at the words. “Danny is a US citizen. He has a valid social security card, a birth certificate.” The original version had listed his biological parents as unknown, as if he was a foundling. All Jack and Maddie knew, thanks to heavily redacted records from the GIW, was that both were caucasian, his mother a twenty-four year old from Ohio and his father twenty-eight and from Wisconsin. But the updated version, issued after his adoption, listed the two Fentons as his parents. “Maybe… maybe we can use that.” Anxiously, she shuffled the papers. A grainy picture of the artificial womb, Danny a tiny glowing green dot inside, rose to the top. “We’re going to need to talk to a lawyer, aren’t we? And-”

“Maddie.” Jack’s hand on the stack, gently pulling them away, interrupted the woman’s ramble. “Give the papers a rest for a minute, okay?”

“Jack!” Maddie protested, grabbing for the picture. “We need to figure out what we’re going to do.”

“We will, just…” The man heaved a sigh. “Jazz was right. You didn’t need to scare Danny like that.”

“Not you too.” Maddie rolled her eyes. “This is serious!”

Despite the frustration shoved back at him, Jack’s voice stayed calm, understanding. “I know it is. But scaring Danny into behaving isn’t going to help.”

Guilt stabbed. “I wasn’t!” Maddie tried to deny. “I wasn’t….” She trailed off, pinned by her husband’s knowing eyes. The look was a bucket of cold water over her frantic denial. “Okay. Okay. Maybe I was pushing too hard.” Her shoulders drooped. “I’ll talk to him.”

“You should apologize.” Jack raised a brow.

Trust her husband to cut to the heart of the issue. “I will. After the kids get back.” The woman bit her lip. “They probably really need the time to process, even if Danny is supposed to be grounded.”

A heavy pause fell. Maddie’s insides twisted with the guilt she had previously shoved down. She really could have handled the situation better. The beginning had been going so well, after reassuring Danny he was still loved and accepted. They’d been beginning to rebuild the trust they’d so painfully lost… but then the GIW, Agent Alpha, that old hateful threat, just had to rear its head again..

“Speaking of time to process….” Jack continued. “We should tell Danny about…” His eyes drifted to the glossy picture he’d dropped to the floor.

Maddie’s own gaze shifted. The artificial womb…. Her eyes widened, catching his meaning. “No.” She shook her head, mouth suddenly dry. “We can’t do that.”

“He’s going to find out eventually.” The man said, a brow raised.

“No. We… we can’t…” A cold stone of dread sank in her gut, a shame that threatened to tie her lips. “We can’t yet.” She managed to force the words out. “After everything we sprang on him today… how would he react? He needs more time to process everything. Then…. Maybe…” She forcefully shook her head. “We can sort that out later.” The image of that white van was drilling a hole through her head. “Once we figure out what we’re going to do about the GIW.” She reached for the picture. “How we’re going to protect our son….”

Their son, she emphasized the words in her mind. Danny was their son, no matter where he’d come from or how ghostly he was. He was theirs and…. That was all he needed to know, wasn’t it? He didn’t need to know about his origin with the GIW, about his parents’ real part in his hybrid status. That knowledge would just hurt him. And with what benefit? It wouldn’t make things any easier, just more complicated, more painful.

Maddie said none of this, staring down at the tiny glowing figure of Danny in the picture. At the same time… the floorboards creaked at Jack shifted. Maddie could feel his eyes on her. Without even looking, she knew that he looked like he wanted to say something but….

Finally, the man heaved a sigh. “Alright.” Maddie looked up, just a hint of relief unrolling her shoulders as he sat down, crossed legged, and picked up one of the notebooks. “What were you saying about talking to a lawyer?”

The two parents discussed for half an hour at least, considering and then rejecting several ideas. They didn’t know how wise it was to bring any more people into this situation. How large was the risk of the truth coming out that way? How confidential could even the best lawyer be?

“Going to the Mayor’s office or the news media probably isn’t the best idea either, then?” Jack worriedly mused.

“Not right now.” Maddie agreed. “But…” She swallowed, a pit in her stomach as she considered. “If the GIW do manage to get Danny in custody… public opinion could be a powerful ally.”

Jack nodded thoughtfully. “Most people would be pretty mad about the government kidnapping innocent kids.” He grimaced. “Unless they go public about Danny being Phantom.”

“Walker’s interference really does put us at a disadvantage.” Maddie’s stomach knotted, remembering Danny’s explanation of the white skeleton’s plan. True to Maddie’s suspicion, Walker did have a vendetta against her son, though the woman would never have guessed it was because Danny had led a prison riot. Unfortunately for all of them, Walker had gotten exactly what he wanted. “But… based on the news this morning, I did manage to muddy the outcome.” The one ray of light in the murky situation. “The truth reached the news media, even if the police and mayor’s office aren’t brave enough to agree.”

“But,” Jack pointed out. “Someone must have told the news about what you told them.”

“That’s right.” Maddie blinked. “We can use that. I can go to the news with what I saw at town hall. We need to present a more nuanced view of ghosts.”

“And maybe….” Her husband added, a hint of hope widening his eyes. “We can eventually publicly support Phantom.”

A stab of anxiety to Maddie’s gut. “But… what will the GIW think about that? Alpha saw us… he saw us capture Danny.” As if she hadn’t already hated that decision… but what other choice had she had?

“We’re already going to have to claim he escaped. And without hurting either of us or damaging the lab….” Jack mused. “We could say we managed to talk to him before that happened. We’re disappointed about the reward but… we’d wanted answers about what you saw with the mayor more. And we managed to get those.”

Biting her lip, Maddie considered. Publicly opposing Phantom was a thought the mother could no longer stomach, not even if she was pretending. But publicly supporting Danny’s alter ego… that would be so suspicious in Alpha’s eyes. Still…the plan was sound enough.

“It could work.” The woman swallowed. “If we’re gradual with our change in opinion, solidly backed by evidence…. That won’t be too suspicious.”

“Yeah, of course.” Jack agreed, a hint of humor in his voice. “Always about that scientific rigor, eh Madds?”

The comment did little to loosen anxiety’s grip on her heart. “All that won’t matter as much if Danny stays out of ghost fights like I told him.” If Phantom just disappeared after this… how would that look to Amity Park as a whole? To the GIW?

Maddie’s stomach swayed, a feeling like walking a tightrope. There were so many angles to consider, so many different ways to fall.

“More planning still is better than less.” Jack shrugged. “Plus, I doubt Danny’s gonna wanna stay out of the fight forever. The town not throwing rotten tomatoes when they see ‘im would be for the best.”

Maddie scowled, a part of her wanting to argue. Danny was never fighting ghosts again, not if she could help it. But another part whispered… that Jack was right. Maddie unceremoniously pushed that part down.

“For now…” Maddie changed the subject. “We need to focus on inventions to keep the GIW from detecting and being able to catch Danny. That’s more important than wrestling public opinion, which only really matters if he does get captured. But…. We should get records ready for a lawyer and for the news media, just in case.”

“Sounds like a plan.” Jack’s brow furrowed. “We’re gonna need a photo scanner and hard drive to put all that on. I can get started on getting those.”

“Good.” Maddie shuffled all of the records back into their box. After closing the lid, she placed it back in its place under the floorboards. She pushed herself to stand. “I’ll start working on that signature suppressor we talked about earlier. That’s first priority, since it will hide Danny if Alpha has a way to detect his human form too.”

“Wait.” Jack’s voice stopped her right as she opened the door. “Why don’t you take a nap first? You look exhausted, Maddie-Cake.”

“I don’t have time for that.” Maddie argued, even as the pet name pleasantly made her heart squeeze.

“You have an hour.” His voice started out soft, but as the woman’s defensive expression did not wane,… “Come on, Mads. You know you’ll be no good to Danny if you end up burning down the lab, trying to work on something half-asleep.” There was just enough pointed brutal honesty, just enough striking where she was vulnerable that Maddie couldn’t help but cave.

“Alright.” The woman conceded. “I’ll take a nap… if you take one too.”

“That’s no fair.” Jack raised a brow, a hint playful. “I got way more sleep than you.”

“Two hours is not ‘way more.’” Maddie countered.

“Fine.” The man agreed.

Just an hour… Maddie soothed herself with this fact as she laid down on their bed beside Jack. She could spare an hour, despite her heart screaming that every second mattered in this fight to protect her son. But Jack was right. Driving herself to keep moving even in exhaustion would do more harm than good.

Still, restlessness plagued her mind. After long minutes of forcing her body to remain still, Maddie fell into an uneasy sleep.

Maddie awoke some time later to a too dimly lit bedroom. She blinked groggily, rolling over to find the other side of the bed empty. Jack wasn’t still there and… why was she so hot? The woman shoved the covers off of herself. She wiped her face, grimacing at the spot of drool on her chin, at the hot, sour taste in her mouth.

Finally, she glanced at the clock. Four hours. It had been four hours. Annoyance jabbed at her insides. She’d slept far longer than she intended. And Jack hadn’t woken her up.

Ugh. She groaned audibly. This was why she never napped during the day. It always left her feeling feverish and somehow more tired than before. And now, to make the lack of real rest worse…

A pit was sunk into her stomach, the hazy static of a mostly forgotten dream. Her muscles were tense, heart a prickly ball in her chest. She’d been dreaming before she’d awoke, slowly dragged out of sleep. And it hadn’t even had the decency to be a nightmare, just slow, vaguely stressful torture.

The woman dragged herself out of bed. Arriving in the kitchen, she found Jack at the stove, making grilled cheese.

His eyes lit up at seeing her. “I was just about to come get you.”

“Why didn’t you wake me up sooner?” Maddie didn’t quite manage to keep the complaint out of her voice.

A flicker of hurt in his gaze. “You looked like you needed the sleep.”

The woman’s heart twisted. The words being a near echo of what she’d said to Jack and Danny earlier…. Now she felt guilty.

Maddie said nothing, simply sitting down at the table. A few minutes later, Jack sat down as well, with two bowls of soup and two sandwiches. The two ate in mostly companionable silence.

Gradually, Maddie felt better, mind stirring back into wakefulness. She placed her dishes in the sink, before walking towards the lab door.

“Have you heard anything from the kids?” She asked, surveying the number pad.

“Jazz said Sam’s grandma ordered take out for them. They were going to watch a movie, then head back before curfew.”

Maddie frowned at the news. She’d hoped they’d be back sooner but…. A pained sigh. It figured they would want more time out.

“How’s your side?” Jack asked, after she offered no reply.

“It’s fine.” Maddie offered, punching the sequence to open the door. “It barely hurts anymore.” More like a dull ache she could mostly block out. “I’m going to change the code on here.” She changed the subject. “How does XXXX sound?”

“Sure.” Jack agreed.

The woman changed the code. Finished, she walked down to the lab.

Several hours passed. Jack left to buy a scanner and external hard drive. He returned soon after, beginning to install and configure the devices. At the same time, Maddie worked on the signature suppressor, a thin silver and green bracelet for Danny’s wrist. She sketched a plan out in her notebook, referencing Danny’s signature from the Fenton Finder.

If she could find a way to project an ectoplasmic energy wave of a reversed polarity, like noise cancelling headphones…. The newly generated wave of opposite phase would effectively cancel out the original wave. Danny’s signature would be masked, nearly invisible to any sensor.

Maddie gathered supplies. She soldered the tiny ectoplasmic cell in place. It buzzed under her fingers. Gradually, the intricate wires inside the casing crossed into a delicate spider web.

“I’m heading up for a shower.” Jack interrupted, cueing Maddie to look up. The man stretched, back cracking with released tension. “The kids will be home soon.”

Sure enough, the clock read 9:45, fifteen minutes until curfew. Maddie frowned down at her project. It was almost done but…. She did need to talk to Danny before he went to bed.

“I’ll be right after you.” Maddie said.

She finished up, making a few notes on where to begin tomorrow. Then, she walked up the stairs. Eyes falling on the full sink, she got started on the dishes.

A few minutes later, the front door opened. Maddie sighed, a breath of relief at seeing both children. Danny hazarded a nervous glance at her, muttering something about forgetting he had homework. He jogged up the stairs.

Jazz’s gaze followed him for a moment, brow furrowed worriedly. Then, a narrow-eyed gaze fixed on her mother. “I said our conversation from this morning wasn’t over. You shouldn’t have scared Danny like that.”

“I know.” Maddie interrupted before Jazz could work herself up into a tirade. “Your dad and I talked. I shouldn’t have been so heavy handed with Danny. I am sorry I scared him.” A worried glance in the direction the boy had disappeared. “I was going to apologize.”

“Good.” Jazz’s arms crossed, eyes still narrowed. Then they softened. “I know he’s trying to put on a brave face but he’s really freaked out by all of this. He didn’t need you yelling at him like that.”

Maddie grimaced. She won’t have said she’d yelled at Danny; she’d done her best not to raise her voice but… “I’ll talk to him.”

“Thank you.” Jazz said.

With that Maddie started up the stairs. Danny had said something about homework, but that would just have to wait. This was more important.

She needed to reassure Danny, to recover that bit of trust that they’d been beginning to rebuild. Coming on too strong, pushing to get him to comply had done the opposite. It would just build distrust.

Besides, Danny didn’t need that kind of forcefulness. He was a good kid. He knew what was at stake. He’d seen and heard Agent Alpha himself, already been chased by the man. He understood the danger.

Maddie reassured herself with all this before she knocked on the door. “Danny, sweetie? Can we talk?”

A short reply, muffled but sharp, came through the door.

Brow furrowed, Maddie turned the doorknob. It swung open and…

Her mouth fell open at the image of Danny as Phantom, white haired and glowing, half phased through the wall. One leg, an elbow, half of a shoulder, and the back of his head remained in his bedroom, though hazy and half-transparent. All still, frozen in mid-step as if….

“Daniel James Fenton!” The mother marched forward, the door swinging closed behind her.

One fluid motion and he stepped back through the wall, into his room. “It’s… it’s not what it looks like! I’m just-”

“Were you just trying to sneak out?!”

“It’s exactly what it looks like then.” Danny muttered. He gasped, a puff of blue mist at his lips. “See! There’s a ghost. I have to go deal with it!”

“You will do no such thing.” Maddie bit back harshly. She… she couldn’t believe this.

“Who else is going to?” He spread his arms, disbelieving.

“Me. Like I told you this morning.” She jabbed at her own chest forcefully, lips curling. “I can’t believe you. I told you not to go out as Phantom. You promised me.”

“I know.” His palms raised disarmingly. “But-”

“I came up here to apologize for being too harsh this morning.” Her arms lifted, a hot flash of anger. “But apparently, I wasn’t harsh enough.”

“What?” His eyes widened, a hint of green on his cheeks.

“You are grounded.” Each word was pointed, the heavy clatter of bricks falling. “No going out with your friends, no video games. You will go to school and then you will come home and you will do your homework and that will be it.”

“You can’t just decide that!” Danny bristled.

“It’s already been decided,” Maddie’s eyes narrowed, fiery anger simmering into something more controlled. “Long before this.”

“But-”

“You’ve been lying to us for months. You brought your friends down to the lab.”  Each accusation came heavy and deliberate. “You didn’t tell us about your accident.” Calculated and solid, without chance of defense. “You’ve been putting them in danger, fighting ghosts together.”

Still, Danny tried to argue. “That was Sam and Tucker’s choice!”

“Your grades have been slipping.” Maddie was counting on her fingers now, the list of wrongs adding up. “You’ve been missing curfew, sneaking out.”

“I already apologized for all that.” The boy’s teeth gritted.

“And now, you just tried to do it again. Sneaking out to fight a ghost even though you promised me.”

“Okay. Okay. I’m sorry. I won’t do it again.” His hands raised, back to disarming. “But all that really isn’t bad enough to ground me, is it?” Maddie would have none of it.  “I mean-”

“We know you overshadowed your father to keep from getting in trouble.” The woman cut in coldly.

Instantly, Danny paled. “No. I… what are you talking about?”

“Your dad realized he had memory gaps around the school dance. He said he remembered feeling safe and comfortable, like he could never imagine fighting back.” The woman explained each fact one by one, evenly. As if they weren’t breaking her heart. “Because he subconsciously realized it was you. He recognized you and trusted you. And you abused that trust.”

“I… that’s not…” He helplessly flailed.

“And you said nothing this morning. I gave you so many chances. I tried to ask, indirectly. I didn’t want to force you to tell me the truth. But apparently, I have to.”

“I…I didn’t know how to.” Danny’s head fixed down, lip trembling slightly. “I knew I shouldn’t have. And I felt… felt so bad after but I…I couldn’t…”

The words just began to pierce Maddie’s anger, a tiny squeeze to her hurt and fearful heart. But….

“Fancy pants ghost boy!” A voice squawked, just as a glowing green, feathered body slammed into the window.

Danny’s head jerked to the side, wide eyes fixed. “It’s those stupid vultures from this morning. I…I need to-”

“Stay right here.” A calming breath, even as her eyes remained narrowed. “I will deal with them.” The thermos was down in the lab, with all the other weapons. She’d have to grab them first…. Maddie turned on her heel, stomping out of the room. Before opening the door she stopped, finger pointed. “I better not see one glowing hair of your head outside or the ghost shield will be on until further notice.” Her head turned back, turning the knob. “And for goodness sake,” The words thrown over her head as she jogged away. “Change back to normal!”

Maddie hurried across the house. She fumbled at the lab’s keypad, cursing the new passcode.

“Mom? What's going on?” Worry colored Jazz’s voice.

“Ghost outside.” Came the terse explanation. “Your brother tried to sneak out to fight it.”

Without waiting for a reply, Maddie hurried down the lab stairs. She grabbed supplies, an eerie reflection of this morning. She gritted her teeth. Having to rush out twice in one day… they were going to have to figure out some kind of quicker access system, while also still keeping weapons away from the kids. Yet another problem.

“At least this time,” Maddie muttered, pausing on the porch. She clicked off the safety on the ectogun, eyes trailing the darting green vultures. “They’re ghosts I actually want to shoot.”

This was very much a laugh or scream situation but there wasn’t any time to feel bad about it, not when one of the birds dive-bombed her. Maddie twisted away, eyes narrowed. Then…

They widened with surprise. Was that a fez?

Maddie shot but the bird dodged. Another one swooped, talons grabbing for her gun. A brief tussle and the weapon was flung onto the sidewalk. The woman ran after it, the vultures flying away chortling.

And the chase was off. The birds circled, swooping and diving. Maddie pursued, following them down the street. She shot, though to more misses than hits. She was out matched, stuck on the ground against three flying opponents. And yet the birds did not flee, nor did they viciously go in for the kill. It was like… they were toying with her.

At some point, Jack appeared. “Where’s the ghost?!”

He wore a bathrobe, ecto-bazooka hefted over his shoulder. At least this time, he was wearing more than a towel.

“There!” Maddie panted.

Her husband swiveled, taking a shot. The vulture dodged, laughing at the miss. Jack pulled the trigger and tried again.

The two together had more success than Maddie alone. Eventually, their shots hit more and more. Maddie pointed the thermos, capturing the first bird, then the second. Now, where was the third?

“I don’t get paid enough for this!” The last squawked, quickly winging away.

Maddie launched another blast from her gun. The shot just clipped the retreating tail feathers. Then, the vulture veered to the left, shimmering into invisibility between one blink and the next.

The woman sprinted after it, teeth gritted.

But Jack called after her. “Madds, it’s gone.”

Stormily, Maddie pivoted. She lifted a hand, wiping sweat-drenched bangs from in front of her eyes. Her lungs ached, a sharp pang in her side. How did Danny manage this every single day? Then again, he could fly, a definite advantage against any flying opponent.

“We’ll get it if it comes back.” Jack reassured, smiling.

Maddie just huffed, stomping towards the house. A brief look up at a particular second story window… she’d caught a few glimpses of Danny’s black-haired head through his window during the fight, face too far away to make out his expression. But now, the light was extinguished, a figure no longer haunting the window.

“What is it?” Jack asked, smile falling. His eyes flickered up, apparently catching where she’d been looking.

“Danny tried to sneak out.” The woman scowled.

The man’s jaw dropped. “No, he didn’t.”

Jack’s words were more in disbelief than denial. Still, Maddie shook her head, contradicting. “He did.” Her angry frown shifted into something more disappointed. “Let’s talk about this inside.”

The two went back inside the house. The kitchen and living room were dark. Maddie peered up the stairs. The upstairs hallway was in shadow as well, no light visible through the crack under Jazz’s door or the bathroom. Good. The kids had gone to sleep.

The two parents entered their bedroom. Maddie sat down on the bed while Jack dressed. Her fists balled in the sheet. Her anger had simmered during the fight, rising with the adrenaline coursing through her veins. But now that the battle was over…

“I can’t believe him.” Hurt, disappointment colored her voice. “Danny promised me he wouldn’t go out as Phantom. He promised me.”  Promise…. She emphasized the word, just a hint of desperation. “And I just caught him trying to sneak out to fight a ghost.”

Jack sat down, an arm wrapping around her. “That boy…” He shook his head. “At least you got ‘im to stay put and went to fight the ghost yourself.”

“I told him he was grounded.” Maddie cradled her head in her hands. “What are we going to do? That was too close. What if the ghost attacks him directly next time? Or…” Her voice lowered, a trembling whisper. “What if Agent Alpha is there to see?” Her heart pounded, mind filled with the image — the white van in front of their house, Alpha watching as Phantom phased out of their son’s room.

A long heavy pause. Maddie looked up to find Jack’s brow wrinkled in thought. His lips twitched, seeming to chew on his words. Then…

“What did Danny say, exactly?” The man asked.

Maddie blinked once, considering. “He sensed the ghost. There was that blue mist that he talked about. He said he needed to deal with it, because…” Her nose wrinkled, displeased. “Who else was going to?”

Jack nodded, eyes slowly widening in something that looked like a realization. “He’s not used to being able to count on us to deal with the ghosts, Madds.”

“That doesn’t matter.” A jolt of anger returned, eyes narrowing. “He’s not supposed to be fighting ghosts. Period.”

“You heard him earlier.” The man’s voice was even, disarming. “Danny made dealing with the ghosts his job, his responsibility. It’s all been on his shoulders, Maddie. Of course that’s hard to let go.”

“That might be so.” Maddie’s brow raised. She was beginning to see the logic, but…. “He still can’t go out as Phantom or ghost fight. It’s too dangerous.”

“You’re right.” Jack agreed easily. “Doesn’t mean he won’t still worry though.” The man shrugged. “Danny’ll feel better if he knows the ghosts are taken care of perfectly fine without him.”

“Hum…” The woman hummed thoughtfully, feeling more of her anger trickle away. “Yes, you’re right.” Ideas bubbled to the surface. “We’d already begun talking to the mayor’s office and the school about ghost preparedness. We can put up ghost shields, get people trained on how to defend themselves.” She tapped her chin. “We are the first line of defense. We need to be able to mobilize at any moment. We need better tracking, better alert systems. Amity Park News and the hotline only do so much…”

“One thing at a time, Madds.” Jack’s comforting hand found her arm. “For now, let’s just make sure Danno knows we can deal with the ghosts without him.”

“What’s more reassuring than concrete plans?” The corner of the woman’s lips twitched, a faulty attempt at a smile.

Jack’s eyes softened, a compassionate and comforting gaze seeing behind her attempt to put on a brave face. “It’s going to be okay.” He leaned closer, hugging her.

Maddie lifted her arms, returning the hug. A long moment lingered, her head pressed against the man’s shoulder. And again, she found herself soothed. Her Jack did always know exactly what to say.

After a long pause, Jack pulled away. “So, you told Danny he was grounded. How did he take that?”

Any previous good feelings died with the question. The image of Danny’s face, pale and guilty, overtook her mind. Maddie’s heart twisted.

“He didn’t get to say much.” Maddie found herself saying, mouth suddenly dry. “One of the vultures slammed into the window so I ran off to deal with it.”

A sudden wave of shame locked her lips. She’d messed up. Badly. She’d gone upstairs to apologize, to reassure Danny and start to rebuild trust. But… her fear got the better of her. She let it twist into anger. She’d thrown all those accusations of wrong-doing in Danny’s face.

“Maddie?” Jack’s voice cut through her growing spiral.

“I… I yelled at him.” Her cheeks reddened guiltily. “I saw him trying to phase through the wall and… just lost it. I yelled at him about being grounded and…” Her fists balled in her lap. “He started arguing that I couldn’t decide just like that and…” Remorse misted her eyes. “I tore into him, about every reason he deserved to be grounded. I… I told him we knew about him overshadowing you. I practically spit it in his face…” Her own hateful words echoed in her head. You said nothing this morning. I gave you so many chances… I didn’t want to force you to tell me the truth. But apparently, I have to. How… how could she have been so cruel, so callous. And…

“I’m… I’m such a hypocrite.” Maddie continued, a shaky hand rising to cover her mouth. Because he subconsciously realized it was you. He recognized you and trusted you… “I… I yelled at him for abusing our trust. But we… I… I failed him. I hurt him. We broke his trust over and over again and…”

The tears fell, fast and hot. Guilt choked her heart. The feeling of failure, of inadequacy screamed. She was already struggling to protect Danny. She hadn’t saved him from the portal. She hadn’t saved him from Walker and the other ghosts. She… she barely saved him from Agent Alpha. She was desperate to rebuild trust, to repair their broken relationship. And now… now this…

Maddie was failing. She’d just made everything worse. She was… was failing as a mother and-

“Shh.” Jack’s arms were around her again, comforting words right beside her ear. “It’s alright.”

“No, it’s not.” Maddie whined. “None of this is.. is okay.”

“It’s… it’s not.” A hint of brokenness in the man’s voice. “But you’re sorry. You know you messed up. That means you can try to fix things.”

Her heart wilted at the words. A part of her crumpled under the weight. The guilt, the depth of her wrong-doings threatened to drown. One argument shouldn’t have been enough to wreck her like this. But…. it piled up, all the events and painful revelations of the past days crashing in at once. This… all of this was too big for a simple apology. How was there any hope of fixing things?

But… another part of her refused to give up. She… she couldn’t give up. She couldn’t give in to her despair, her shame. She had to fix things. She had to make things right. She had to.

Shakily, Maddie pulled out of the hug. Hastily, she wiped her face. “I’ll go talk to Danny. I’ll… I’ll apologize.”

She stood, not waiting for a response before stepping out of the room. Almost manic determination drove her up the stairs and down the hall. She paused, just long enough to register the lingering darkness, the closed door. The mother reached to turn the handle and…

It didn’t turn. Her head turned, a twitch of confusion. She jiggled the knob. Still, it did not budge. A stab of pain, she realized…. Danny had locked his door. He’d locked her out.

Her heart throbbed. Impulses screamed: to shake the knob more forcefully, to knock, to lift her voice and beg for entry. But… her mind caught up with her emotions, pausing her lifted fist.

No. He didn’t want to talk. He wouldn’t want to see her, not after their argument. Maddie didn’t blame him. She deserved this. She had rightfully earned this sign of distrust.

And besides, Danny had already gone to sleep. Even if that door was unlocked, had she really been planning to interrupt his rest?

But… Was Danny really asleep? He could be gone, snuck out to fight another ghost. The room on the other side of the door might be empty. And she would never know, not unless she went inside.

No. No. She violently pushed the temptation away. What kind of paranoid distrust was this? Danny was asleep, the door locked for privacy. After everything, he surely needed that security. He wouldn’t even think about sneaking out tonight.

But he already had. What was stopping him from trying to do it again?

“No.” This time, Maddie audibly reprimanded herself.

She couldn’t think like that. If… if she wanted Danny to trust her again, she needed to reciprocate with that same trust. She had to respect his privacy. She couldn’t see what was behind that door, even as much as the uncertainty hurt.

Dejected, Maddie turned and slumped back to her and Jack’s bedroom.

“His door was locked.” That was the only explanation she offered at her husband’s question.

Wordlessly, she retreated to the bathroom to shower. The water ran and Maddie let the tears fall again. She felt rung out, heart scrapped raw. She’d been pulled in so many directions over the past two days. Her insides churned, heart and mind warring with themselves.

The woman forced herself to focus on washing herself. Shampoo, conditioner, body wash, face wash. She did each step, the tears slowing. And as they did… blessed numbness finally dulled her sense. An immense wave of tiredness washed over her. Even with the four hour nap, she still felt exhausted. Her mind felt fuzzy, body moving without thought.

Stepping out of the shower, she finished her routine. She dressed, preparing for bed.

Maddie exited the bathroom to find Jack asleep. She almost felt relieved.

Finally, the mother laid down, quickly falling asleep.    

Chapter Text

The pleasant numbness didn’t last, not even in Maddie’s sleep. She woke up the next morning, jaw aching with tension. She dragged herself out of bed even though her stomach was already twisting itself into knots.

The house was dimly lit, the clock reading barely after six am. Maddie heated leftover pancakes in the oven.  She flipped more bacon and sausage at the stove. A rare hot breakfast, ready for her kids before school. And maybe she would have a few minutes to apologize to Danny….

Maddie started on another batch of pancakes, a pile of bacon and sausage. Everything was prepared by seven.

Jazz walked down the stairs, just minutes later. Fully dressed, with her backpack slung over one shoulder, the girl glared daggers as soon as her eyes fell on her mother.

Guilt stabbed her heart. Maddie fought to urge to look away. Instead, she motioned to the tray of meat. “Come get some breakfast, sweetie.”

Maddie offered a plate of pancakes as well. She busied herself with gathering butter and syrup. She produced juice and milk from the fridge….

The woman turned to find Jazz still glaring. The teen’s mouth opened, ready for a beratement.

“Jazz? Are you ready?” Danny rushed down the stairs, so fast his feet seemed to hardly touch the floor.

The girl blinked, taken aback. “I’m eating breakfast.”

Danny rolled his eyes, already at the table. “Get a granola bar or something.” He grabbed his sister’s wrist, starting to pull her away. “I need to be there early to talk to Mr. Lancer and…” His eyes darted to Maddie, something part frustrated and part hurt in them. “I’m not supposed to go out as Phantom. I can’t exactly fly there.”

Jazz’s brow furrowed, the flash of anger returning.

Maddie’s heart twisted, mind churning in search of words.

“Come on.” Danny pleaded again, raiding the pantry for granola bars.

“Fine.” The teen girl huffed, rising from the table. In a matter of seconds, her shoes were on, car keys retrieved.

Danny stuffed a few bars in the side of his bag. He slung it on his back, reaching for the door.

“Danny, wait.” The words burst out of Maddie, her eyes wide and remorseful. “I’m sorry about last night. I just-”

“Mom, can this wait? I really need to go.” The boy huffed. He turned the knob.

“I know but-”

Before Maddie even finished the sentence, the two kids were outside, the door closed after them. Heart sinking, she watched them get into Jazz’s car and pull away.

Guilt followed Maddie throughout the morning. The beginning of that apology, words feeble and faulty as they were, rang in her head. I’m sorry about last night. That was as far as she’d gotten before Danny ran off. He’d shut the door in her face before she could even try for better.  He hadn’t wanted to see her, let alone talk to her.

And Jazz… Jazz had been angry. Clearly, Danny had told her what happened last night. The girl’s anger, her defensiveness on behalf of her brother was understandable. Still… that glare hurt. It made Maddie’s heart twist. Yet another knife wedged between her and her children. And at her own hands no less.

With a sigh, Maddie tried to put the feelings away. She tried to compartmentalize. She would talk to Danny this afternoon, after school. She would apologize and begin to make things right. Her guilt would ease.

In the meantime, there were things to do. She ate a sad, lonely breakfast, choosing to let Jack sleep in. Then she went down to the lab. There was Danny’s signature suppressor to finish.

Soon after Maddie had finished sealing the bracelet’s casing, Jack joined her. They worked in companionable silence, scanning papers and modifying inventions.

A few hours later, the two went upstairs for lunch. They found the phone in the kitchen beeping with a message. It was… a request from Amity Park news for an interview about the events at town hall over the weekend. Maddie called them back.

“... I can be there in one hour to record a segment. And how long will this take?" Maddie asked into the phone.

“Maybe two hours.” The woman on the other side answered. “It should be a lot like last time.”

“Yes, last time.” Maddie laughed dryly. “It unfortunately looks like I’m becoming something of a veteran.”

She’d done an interview after the weekend of the genie ghost’s appearance. With wishes causing chaos and ghostly sightings all over town, reports of ghosts could no longer be considered just rumor and teenage imagination. She had explained the basics of ghosts and ghost preparedness to the audience. Maddie winced, remembering how she’d addressed the reports of the ghost who fought other ghosts, the self-proclaimed Danny Phantom. With harsh suspicion, she had urged caution; the ghost boy appeared innocent and even helpful, but his motives were unknown and not to be trusted.

Oh, how drastically her tone was about to change.

Maddie agreed to the interview. She hung up the phone, addressing her husband. “I should be back about the time the kids get home from school.” A somber frown painted her face. “I still need to talk to Danny about last night.”

Jack gave a sadly-becoming-more-usual serious nod of agreement. “I’ll get working on dinner about the time you all get home then. That way you’ll have time to talk.” Then, slowly, an encouraging smile bloomed on his face. “Good luck with the interview, Madds. You’re gonna knock their socks off.”

“Thanks, honey.” A hint of pink blushed her cheeks, the support bolstering her above her sober heaviness. “And thank you for dealing with dinner.”

“Of course.” Jack stepped forward. Leaning down, he offered her a peck on the lips.

Maddie accepted the kiss. She closed her eyes, allowing herself a few moments to wrap her arms around her husband’s neck.

“I should get going.” The woman muttered, gently pulling away.

Still, her cheeks were warm, heart full and encouraged as she left the house. With Jack supporting her, with him fighting with her to protect their son, they were sure to succeed. And this interview, its small part in keeping their boy safe…. Jack was right; she was going to knock their socks off.

Maddie returned home, a soft smile on her face. She had done well with the interview, if she did say so herself. She’d explained what she had seen of Walker and Phantom’s confrontation, advocating for a reassessment of the ghost boy’s role in the frequent ghost fights. The rumors of their capture of Phantom had been a snag. But Jack’s suggestion had worked perfectly; catching the ghost had led to an enlightening conversation, even if the rapid escape was disappointing. Even with the air of a grumpy teenager, the ghost had been clear and cognizant. He had spoken intelligently and directly, claiming to desire to help people with what appeared to be real earnestness.

But her most proud point… Phantom’s lack of hostility towards humans. She laid out her evidence; Phantom not attacking her or the mayor despite her defenselessness, him escaping from containment without any injury to any of the Fentons. And with the dozens of accounts from other civilians, not all teens, who’d been saved by Phantom….

“So you’re saying… Phantom is really a good ghost.” Her interviewer had said.

“Benign, I think, would be a more accurate word.” Maddie answered, even as her heart ached to agree with her son’s goodness. “As we’re beginning to see with the blob-like ghosts, the animals, and some of the ghosts resembling humans, many are best left to their own devices if not actively causing harm. But…” She hesitated, not over the words themselves but over whether they were too suspiciously positive. “If you are in a crisis and Phantom attempts to help you, I would say it’s best to cooperate. Though, of course, it’s always even better to avoid putting yourself in a dangerous position to start with.”

The interviewer had asked a few questions about ghost preparedness, allowing Maddie to remind the viewer of the number for Fentonwork’s ghost hotline. She had emphasized her and Jack’s dedication to the town and its protection.

The mother turned the GAV’s steering wheel, the vehicle making the final turn before arriving at home. She slowed down, the driveway coming into view and…

Her heart squeezed at the sight of her son on the porch. Not the harsh prickle of nervousness or suffocating pressure of guilt. But the pleasant warmth of affection. The vehicle slowed to a stop, settling in front of the house. Maddie lingered in the driver’s seat to watch.

Danny sat sideways on the porch swing. His head pointed up, eyes directed at the sky. His brow furrowed, something faraway, almost longing in his gaze. Maddie’s own gaze softened, eyes rounding with concern. And not just because of his expression…. Danny’s knees were pulled to his chest, feet resting on the wood of the swing. His hands balled in the space between his chest and knees.

No, not balled. They held something. Maddie’s head tilted, studying the object. It was roughly tear-drop shaped, a little larger than his fist. The boy’s hands squeezed. The thing squished and deformed like a cornstarch-slurry-filled stress ball. Was that a new stim toy? The mother didn’t recognize it.

But… it was green and glowing. And… Danny looked down suddenly, the movement of his hands stopping. One brow raised, peering at the object in his lap. The woman’s eyes widened, startled, as the thing moved by itself. It wiggled, the rounded end appearing to peer over his knees with two small black crescent shapes that approximated eyes.

Maddie opened the door of the GAV, her mind catching up with what she was seeing. It was a blob ghost. A blob ghost… which Danny was sitting with on their front porch, in full view of anyone driving down the street.

A flicker of frustration burned in her gut. Her eyes narrowed, nose wrinkled…. Just in time for Danny to notice her.

The boy stiffened, eyes blown wide.

Maddie let out a slow, deliberate breath, easing the frustration from her face. She climbed up the porch’s steps.

“What have you got there?” The woman did her best to keep the question even, free of both anger and disappointment.

“Nothing!” Danny blushed. He roughly grabbed the blob, trying to hide it behind his back.

The tiny ghost squeaked. “Eeepp!”

At the same time, Danny froze. He blinked several times rapidly before moving the blob to right in front of his face. He studied it with furrowed brows.

Maddie interrupted the strange interaction. “Danny.” She stepped right beside him, voice lowering with a hushed intensity. “You can’t have that out here, where anyone could see it.”

Danny blinked once, turning back to the woman like he just remembered she was there again. “But no one’s out here, other than us.”

The woman sighed. Kneeling, she brought her face closer to his. “If you want to keep a blob ghost as a pet, we can talk about that in the house. But…” She allowed a bit more no-nonsense sternness into her voice. “Not out here in plain view.” Her eyes flitted to the blob, taking in the now round black eye spots. It was cute, even if it currently looked rather startled. “Let the poor thing go.” She asked, voice softer.

The boy frowned. For a long moment, he said nothing, just studying the blob. Then… “Fine.” He rolled his eyes.

But instead of letting go of the ghost as Maddie anticipated, his hands clamped down on the blob harder. A green glow emanated from them, the same color as the blob’s dim aura. The light pulsed softly. Slowly, the blob’s shape deformed. The once semi-solid ectoplasm swirled, like liquid in low gravity. Then….

The blob started to shrink. It seemed to whittle away. At the same time, neon light shone under Danny’s skin, following the same pattern as his scar from the accident. His eyes flashed green. Within two seconds, the blob was gone.

Maddie’s eyes popped wide. A small part of her panicked over the clear ghostly display on their front porch. But a much larger part…  “Did you just…” She couldn’t voice the question, just queasy with the thought. “I thought…. you said you didn’t need to consume ectoplasm.”

Another blink of confusion. “What? No.” Catching her meaning, Danny’s face screwed up in disgust. “It’s mine.”

Maddie stared blank, completely stunned. “....yours?”

“I figured out if I held on to an ectoblast and didn’t shoot it, I could get it to congeal.” The boy rambled, words half running together. “I could make this kinda sticky ectoball that was super fun to throw at Boxy. It had this cool squishy texture like a stress ball. And…” He blushed, the red rising all the way to his ears. “It started to sometimes move on its own, okay? You don’t have to make it weird.”

For a long moment, the mother remained frozen, just processing the words. Then…. She shook her head, doing her best to wipe the surprise from her face. “I’m not trying to make it weird, sweetie.” She had so many questions about how her son could…. apparently just create a blob ghost. But with that blush coloring his ears, the nervous twisting of his hands, those questions would not be welcome. Maddie took another breath, relaxing her face into a smile. “Can I sit with you for a bit?”

“Oh… okay?” He stuttered, taken aback by the question. “Sure?”

With a nod, Maddie stood. Danny shifted to sit properly on the swing, opening up the spot beside him.

“I wanted to talk to you about last night.” Maddie said before the boy could stew much more.

“Oh.” His head hung, a flicker of guilt on his face. “I’m sorry about trying to sneak out. And….” His voice lowered, audibly pained. “I’m sorry about overshadowing Dad.”

“No, Danny.” The woman shook her head, quickly redirecting. “You don’t owe me an apology.” She bit her lip. “Well… you should talk to your dad about overshadowing him, not me. And yes, you should not have snuck out. But…” Her head turned, something in her aching at how little she had to look down. Danny was nearly as tall as she was now. “I wanted to apologize to you. I know I was too harsh with you yesterday. I shouldn’t have yelled at you. I let my anger get the better of me.”

“It’s okay.” He muttered, still looking down.

“No, it’s not.” Maddie pressed the words, a little harder, a little more definitive. “I know….” Her heart twisted, a flicker of vulnerability. “I know I was scared. I have been so scared of something happening to you. That’s why I’ve been so harsh. I just want to protect you.” The woman sighed, steeling her voice. “But I need to do better. I need to show you that you can still trust me.”

Maddie paused, giving Danny a moment to react. Slowly, he hazarded a look up. “You… you’re really sorry?”

Oh how the mother’s heart twisted. “Yes. Yes. And not just about getting mad or…” A lump in her throat but…. Jazz’s words, Jack’s words from last night rang in her head. “Trying to scare you. But…. What I said about you overshadowing your dad… I should not have thrown that in your face. I know you feel guilty about that and all the other things I said.” She swallowed. “And with all the ways we’ve hurt you. With the portal, and calling Phantom a menace, and…. catching you in that net yesterday, that was so hypocritical of me.”

“Yeah.” Danny agreed, a bit more strength in his voice. “That was a pretty sh- messed up thing to do.”

Maddie didn’t have the will to be offended by the near curse, not with the hint of pain lingering under his steadiness. “You’re right.” She admitted. “I messed up. I should not have said those things. I… I hurt you. And…” The lump in her throat just seemed to thicken, a wateriness rising in the corners of her eyes. “I understand if you’re angry with me, or feel like you can’t trust me. But…” A steadying breath. “I want to make this up to you. I want to fix things. Do you think we can try to do that?”

For a long moment, Danny said nothing. His gaze drifted up, towards the sky again. His brow furrowed.

As the silence drew out, Maddie’s insides churned. Anxiety grew, her mind searching for answers. Had she said the wrong thing? Not enough? What other reassurance did he need?

Finally, the boy sighed. “I don’t even know where to start, Mom. I’m…still trying to wrap my head around you and dad knowing. So much changed so fast. And yeah, you guys hurt me. But…” He swallowed. “I hurt you too. So I guess…. If you can forgive me for everything, I can forgive you too. So yeah. I guess we can try to fix things.”

Maddie studied the boy’s face, processing the words. The thoughtfulness, the maturity of them…a touch of awe, of motherly pride warmed her heart. The woman let the corner of her lips lift in a soft smile. “I’m glad to hear it.” She wrapped an arm around the boy’s shoulders. “I love you so much. I want you to know, you can depend on me and your dad. We’ve talked a lot about how we can deal with the aftermath of Walker’s invasion.” Maddie pitched her voice into something positive, encouraging. “That’s why I was out this afternoon, talking to the news about what really happened. And we have plans to deal with the ghosts in your stead. We’ll make sure they’re put back through the portal. Everyone will stay safe. And you’ll be free to just worry about pulling your grades up.”

Danny’s shoulder dropped. “I’m still grounded then.” There was no surprise or pleading, just sad resignation.

“Yes.” Maddie gentled her voice, heart wincing. Perhaps she had changed her tune a little too soon. “But this doesn’t have to be all bad. Like I said, you’ll have time to focus on your grades. And you’ll catch up on sleep.”

“Catch up on sleep…” He frowned. “Yep, sounds nice.”

Was that derision, the beginning of sarcasm in his tone? “Danny.” The mother kept her voice calm, even. “I know I was angry when I explained why you were grounded. I should not have yelled at you then. But my reasons were not wrong. You still did things that you know you should not have. And breaking the rules, putting yourself and your friends in danger,” She emphasized the word. “That comes with consequences. I’m doing this because I love you. I want you to learn your lesson and make better choices next time.”

“And because you’re sure it's the only way to protect me from Agent Alpha.” Danny cut in.

Maddie blinked. She didn’t know why she felt surprised.

“Come on, Mom. Don’t act like that’s not what this is about.” The words weren’t even angry. “You basically said exactly that.” More… exacting. Strongly and steadily challenging her for a truthful answer. “You don’t want him to see me as Phantom, or see Fenton doing anything ghostly. Because you’re sure he’s going to do something horrible to me.”

“Yes.” Maddie nodded. “That’s exactly it.” Despite the bluntness of the words, the woman couldn’t help but be relieved. Danny respected the threat. He understood. He understood how serious this was. “Alpha is a very bad man. He’ll do anything to get what he wants. We can’t give him that chance.”

Danny gave a grave nod in kind. Then…. Just the smallest tilting of his eyebrows. “When you worked for him….” An icy intensity lit his eyes.  “What did he have you working on that was so bad?”

Maddie’s mouth suddenly felt dry, taken aback by the change of subject. “I thought…. yesterday, you said you didn’t care about that.”

He didn’t respond, still pinning her with questioning eyes.

“Why do you ask?” The woman struggled to keep the question even, unbothered.

Danny’s lips thinned into a pointed line.

“What brought this on?” She tried again.

The boy sighed. “Agent Alpha was at school. I saw him talking to Mr. Lancer in his office between classes.”

Maddie’s eyes widened, a jolt of panic. “Did he say anything to you?”

A shrug, seemingly casual but… “He just noticed me looking and glanced at me.” Was that uneasiness in his eyes?

“But he didn’t talk to you.” Hardly any relief came at the words. “Did he do anything else?”

“Are you going to answer my question?” Danny cut in, this time sharply.

The mother’s lips pinched closed, eyes wide.

“What did he have you working on?” The boy repeated. He stared, a long agonizing silence. A few slow breaths…. He breathed so slowly, far less than should have been healthy. But the hint of green in his intense eyes reminded Maddie of the hidden truth. The truth she’d once almost forgotten but now never could…. “Some kind of weapon?” Danny finally asked.

You could have been. An ugly part of her mind whispered. The image haunted her. Another life, where Alpha had his way with his ‘specimen’ and she never got to watch her Danny grow up. And if the agent captured him now….

Were… were her eyes starting to water?

Abruptly, Maddie stood up. “I need to get started on dinner.”

“Mom?” Not three steps from the bench, and Danny’s voice stopped her. “Mom. Please.” She turned. “Please tell me the GIW don’t have some kinda super weapon you and dad made.” His eyes were wide, any hint of sharpness gone.

The pale cheeks, the tremble of fear drew Maddie back to herself. “No, Alpha doesn’t have some super weapon. He has nothing from us that he can use.” Her jaw set. “We kept that… that monster from getting what he wanted.” Then, words muttered under her breath. “And he never will.”

The worry on Danny’s face did not ease. “Wait. If he doesn’t….” His eyes widened in realization. “Do you have it… whatever it is… hidden in the house somewhere?”

“No.” Maddie’s teeth grit, more heat than she intended in the word.

Danny’s brow twitched, as if he sensed she wasn’t telling the truth. The woman winced but…. technically she hadn’t spoken a lie. Danny was neither an it, nor was he currently in the house.

“Danny, please.” The woman pressed before he could. “Please stop asking about our work with the GIW. I just… I can’t talk about it.” Her voice trembled, a hint of vulnerability. “I can’t. Just…. Please, you have to trust me.”

For a long moment, the boy watched her. His brow furrowed. A frown grew, eyes narrowing. “Fine. I guess this conversation is over then.” He stood, shoving past her to open the front door. “I have homework anyway.”

Danny turned the knob and stepped through.

Heart twisting, Maddie followed. “Danny, wait.”

He didn’t acknowledge the words, just jogging up the stairs. Seconds later, the door to his room closed heavily.

For a long moment, Maddie stared after. Her teeth gritted, jaw locked with tension. She couldn’t very well have told him the truth like that, right there on the porch.

But… she had started to make progress. She had apologized, owned up to her mistakes. She asked how she could make things right. 

And Danny hadn’t flinched away from her touch, hadn’t fled after that strange, ghostly interaction at the beginning. He’d let her have her piece. And he had said he was sorry too. He was willing to forgive her, willing to try and fix things. And… He understood why Agent Alpha was such a threat.

Maddie had thought he understood at least. He had seen through her fear, understood its source. But… was that a ploy? Had he just been digging for more information?

But she couldn’t very well have told him! Not how Agent Alpha had been the one to bring him to them in the first place, how the man had meant him to be an experiment. He didn’t even know he was adopted, for goodness’ sake. He didn’t know he wasn’t her blood. How could she ever tell him the rest?

Why couldn’t he just trust her? Her mind circled back, frustration giving way to dejection. She was trying so hard to protect him. She just wanted him to be safe and happy….

And learning the truth, where he’s really come from would wreck him. It was too much. He’d stormed off just at being told he was still grounded. How much worse would his reaction be if he learned that ugly reality? He couldn’t handle it.

And besides, Danny shouldn’t have to, not with everything else he was facing. He shouldn’t have to deal with ghosts and negative public opinion and random new powers. He should just be a kid, worrying about grades and friends and weekend fun.

The door to the lab buzzing open interrupted her thoughts. “Madds, you’re back.” Jack’s surprised voice sounded. “Guess I lost track of time.” At the sheepish laugh, Maddie turned to look at him with troubled eyes. “What is it?” His expression fell.

The woman wiped her misty eyes with the back of a hand. “I talked to Danny. He didn’t take still being grounded very well.”

Jack’s eyes rounded, concerned. “Maybe I should go talk to him.”

“No.” She shook her head. “I think he just needs some time to cool down. Besides,” Maddie walked towards the kitchen, stopping in front of the freezer. “We need to get started on dinner.”

Her throat felt thick, a prick of guilt at the dishonest words. But….  no, they weren't lies, not really. Danny really was not happy about being grounded. Some time to himself would surely do him some good. And if she told Jack about Danny’s questions about their work with the GIW….

Shame clamped over her heart, a dark and heavy weight. But frustration flared. She pushed the guilt away. She could not tell Jack right now, damnit. If she did, he would try to convince her to tell Danny the truth. And she was not having that debate right now. She’d already made up her mind.

Maddie shoved all her feelings down, focusing on making food. Meanwhile, Jack asked her about the interview. The woman did her best to put on a happy face, enthusiastic about the progress she’d made at repairing Phantom’s reputation.

Dinner finished soon enough and Jack called the two kids down. The meal was awkward, stinted. A stern cold anger burned in Jazz’s eyes. Her mouth opened several times, as if to berate her parents. But Danny kept nudging her chair with his foot. He picked at his food, scowling at his plate, and his sister, with shoulders hunched.

Maddie caught just a whisper of his words after the two teens excused themselves. “Give it a rest.” The boy hissed. “I don’t need you to defend me.”

The mother’s heart winced at the conflict apparently brewing between her kids. But it didn’t stay in her mind for long, not with the TV turned on; Jack wanted to watch her interview. A clip from yesterday’s ghost fight played, a glimpse of the white van. And…

Agent Alpha, at the school. Her heart pounded with the revelation. With Danny’s questions, she’d forgotten about that fact. What had the man been doing today? He’d spoken to Mr. Lancer. Did he suspect something about Danny?

Maddie excused herself. The signature suppressor…. She’d forgotten about her plan to present it to Danny. He… he’d need it immediately if Alpha really did suspect.

But… a tracker. She should install a tracker in it. Just in case, well, many things. In case the GIW captured Danny, or one of the ghosts did. Or… Danny just decided to sneak out again. Maddie needed some way to know where he was.

Bolstered with newfound energy, Maddie returned to the lab. She worked for hours, adjusting wiring to accommodate the tiny tracker and recalibrating.

“Do you need anything?” Jack offered at about ten o’clock, gently trying to pull her away from the work bench. “I’m heading to bed.”

“No, I’m fine. You go on.” She didn’t even look up from the casing she was soldering. “I’ll be done soon.”

Another hour passed. Then two, then three.

“It’s done. Finally.” She lifted her stiff body from the chair, dragging herself up the stairs.

A yawn passed her lips, crossing into the dark kitchen. She really should have gone to bed before now but…. She looked at the silver and green bracelet in her hands. This was too important.

In the morning, Maddie presented the invention to Danny.

“What is this?” His nose wrinkled in distaste.

“Something to hide your ecto-signature.” She pinned him with pleading eyes. “You need to wear it everywhere you go. It will keep Alpha from tracking you.”

Danny studied the bracelet for a long moment. Then… “Fine.” He took the device, shoving it onto his wrist. “Ugh.” His face scrunched up, letting out an audible complaint.

“Is it okay?” Maddie’s eyes widened, concerned.

“It’s fine.” Brow still wrinkled, he shook his cuffed wrist. “Just feels weird.”

“Do you need me to adjust it?” The woman reached for the suppressor.

“It’s fine.” Danny ripped his hand out of her grasp, practically growling. “I’ve gotta go.”

He stood, stomping off.

As the boy closed the front door, Maddie’s heart winced. But… at least he would be safe from Agent Alpha. She was doing what she had to.

Chapter Text

The next few days were full of many stern reminders, tensions, and awkward silences.

“Danny, why aren’t you wearing your suppressor?” Maddie asked, a frown wrinkling her brow.

“Oh.” The boy looked, nose scrunched as if he just now realized it was gone. “I took it off to wash my hands.”

“It’s water-proof, sweetie. I already told you.” The mother sighed. “Go put it back on.”

Begrudgingly, the boy did so.

Not two hours later, Maddie found it again, at the edge of the kitchen sink.

“No, Jazz, I don’t need your help with math. Or biology. Or English.” The growled complaint echoed from Danny’s room.

“I’m just trying to help.” Came Jazz’s earnest voice.

“Well, I don’t need it, Ms. Perfect.”

Maddie opened the door a crack. “Is everything okay in here?”

“It’s fine.” Danny answered gruffly.

At the same time. “No, it’s not.” Jazz huffed.

The mother opened the door in time to see her son’s eyes flash neon green, glaring at his sister.

Hurt flashed across Jazz’s face at the look. And yet… her brow furrowed, some kind of silent conversation passing between the two kids. Just the smallest hint of a nod, the frustration on Jazz’s face easing into something falsely unbothered…

“Did you need something?” Danny turned to look at Maddie.

It was then, the mother finally noticed the boy casually floating half a foot above his bed. She blinked once, surprised.

“I was… coming to collect laundry.” Maddie stumbled through the explanation.

Wordlessly, the boy shifted from his cross-legged float, legs straightening out to step onto the floor. In a rush, he gathered clothes from the floor and shoved them on top of his already over-flowing hamper.

“Here.” He roughly handed over the container, his bare wrist on full display

A flash of frustration. “Danny.” Maddie took the hamper, voice stern. “What have I said about wearing your suppressor?”

“Ugh. Do I have to?

“Yes.” Maddie grit her teeth. “We’ve already had this conversation.”

“Fine.” He stepped back, grabbing the silver bracelet from his nightstand. Glaring daggers at the device, he shoved it onto his wrist. “Is that better?”

The mother breathed through her nose. She was not going to let the sass fluster her. “Yes. Thank you.” She turned to her daughter. “Jazz, do you have laundry in your room?”

The smile on the girl’s face looked plastically fake. “Yes. I’ll go get it.” Just a hint of hurt remained behind her eyes, looking at her brother. “I was just leaving anyway.”

A trace of guilt wrinkled Danny’s brow as the girl left. A moment of lingering eye-contact. Then, Jazz called after Maddie. The boy looked away. And wordlessly, the mother walked out of his room.

“Hey-ya Danny Boy. Wanna help me make some fudge?” Jack asked, one afternoon.

“Oh.” Danny’s eyes nervously flitted towards the stairs. “I should really get started on my homework.”

“It’s Friday, sweetie.” Maddie looked up from the laundry she was folding. “I’m sure you can let it wait.”

The boy bit his lip, another nervous look between the stairs and his father. After a long, painful pause, he put down his book bag. “Uh, yeah. I guess we can make some fudge then.”

In her heart, the mother gave a silent cheer. A bit of normalcy, some casual father-son bonding without any ghostliness…. This was just what Danny needed.

“Great!” Jack grinned, offering up a black and white apron. “Here you go. Made it just for you.”

With a dubious look, Danny spread the fabric in front of him. “Dad, are those….” His brow furrowed, a hint of red in his cheeks.

At the same time, Maddie blinked, surprised. Oval and tear-dropped green shapes with round red and black eyes were sown onto the apron. Blob ghosts…. Of course. Any bonding without ghostly reference was too much to expect, knowing her husband. When had he even had time to make something like that?

The man beamed as Danny hung the apron around his neck and tied it. “I knew you’d love it.”

The boy said nothing, blush remaining.

“Danno, can you grab the chocolate and….”

As the two gathered ingredients and started measuring them, Jack tried to strike up a conversation. “How was school?”

“Fine.” Danny shrugged listlessly.

“Did you learn anything cool today?” The man tried again.

“Just the normal boring stuff.” The boy shrugged again, pointedly looking down at the jug of milk he was opening.

“I thought you liked biology.” Jack’s eyes softened, a hint of worry. “Aren’t Sam and Tucker in that class?”

“Yeah.” An empty pause after the one word answer.

“How are your friends doing?”

“They’re fine.” Still not looking, Danny handed over the measuring cup.

“Are they….” Jack kept trying.

Maddie’s heart ached, doing her best to appear more interested in her chore than in her husband’s gentle attempts at connection. But with each assessing prod….

More short answers, averted eye contact, stilted pauses. The boy would not open up, more withdrawn, more distant than ever.

“This looks great.” Jack congratulated, a hardy pat on his son’s back.

The boy said nothing. But… a subtle flinch, a flicker of intangibility.

A sudden thump sounded, the ring of metal falling to the floor. Eyes wide, Danny squatted to pick up… Luckily, it wasn’t the pan of fudge. Maddie gave silent thanks that she wouldn’t have to clean that up. But…. her brow furrowed as the boy stood, his signature suppressor clutched in his hand. Had it fallen off, through his hand when he turned intangible? Maddie would need to fix that then. But-

“Danny.” Jack’s tender voice cut through her thoughts. “Why is your suppressor off?”

Now that Maddie really looked, the device was off. No blinking green lights, no hum of power. Jack noticed what she hadn’t. Was it malfunctioning? Or…

“I don’t know.” The boy shrugged innocently. But… his eyes averted, cheeks red.

“Did you turn it off?” Jack asked, voice somehow even softer.

A second of wide-eyed fear. Then… something resigned. “I…. yes.”

“Why?” The question was even, calm, compassionate.

The boy’s blush darkened, words muttered.

“What was that?” Jack asked.

Danny made a cautious glance in Maddie’s direction. The woman turned her head back to the pants she was folding. “It… itches.”

Maddie bit her tongue, straining to stay back as Jack surveyed the wrist that had worn the bracelet. “Your skin doesn’t look red or anything. No hives.” His brow furrowed. “Does it hurt?”

“No.” A hand rubbing absent-mindedly at his chest, Danny’s nose wrinkled as if deep in thought. “It just itches.”

“How about we get you some cream?” Jack tapped his chin thoughtfully. “Maybe I can make a cloth covering or somethin’.”

“Yeah….” Still, the boy studied the metal bracelet, something troubled in his gaze. “That sounds good, I guess.” He conceded.

Jack gave a nod. “Madds.” He called.

At her name, the woman perked up. “Yes, honey.”

“Have we got any of that anti-itch cream?”

“I’ll check the bathroom.” Maddie retrieved the tube. She handed it to her son. “You can have a break from the suppressor until we get a covering made. Let us know if it keeps itching after that, okay?”

“O…okay.” Danny agreed with a nod, excusing himself.

By Saturday morning, Maddie handed over a cloth-covering. Reluctantly, Danny put the device back on.  The boy returned to his room, claiming he was going to work on homework.

But by three o’clock, the mother had found the bracelet by the sink in the upstairs bathroom again.

Maddie rubbed her stress-exhausted brow, returning it to her son’s room. “You need to stop leaving this by the sink.”

Danny turned to her, looking sheepish. “Sorry. I didn’t want to get the new cover wet. I forgot.” He took the bracelet from her but… his hands lingered, hesitant to put it back on.

“Danny.” The mother stepped forward, sighing tiredly. “I know you don’t want to wear it. You don’t have to keep making up excuses.”

“I’m not!” He blushed. “I really did forget.” The boy put the device on, just a hint of a wrinkle to his nose.

Maddie’s concerned eyes studied his wrist. “Does it still itch? Your skin doesn’t look irritated.”

“No, it’s fine.” A hand rubbed at his sternum. “Just… still feels a little weird.” Danny shook his hand, as if trying to dislodge the feeling.

“Are you sure?” The mother’s brow furrowed.

“Yeah.” He didn’t quite look at her, but that hint of a disarming smile…. Maddie barely registered him changing the subject. “I finished my homework.”

“That’s great, sweetie.” The beginning of a proud smile lifted her lips.

“So….” He spun the suppressor around his wrist, voice tentative. “Since I’m already done, maybe you could let me play Doomed online with Sam and Tucker, for just like an hour?”

Wordlessly, Maddie raised a serious eyebrow.

Danny sighed tiredly. “Didn’t think so.”

“I’m sure you’ll find something to do.” The woman took pity, face softening. “There’s that Space Shuttle kit from your birthday and the book your sister got you.”

“Yeah.” Danny agreed mildly. He still didn’t sound happy, but he pulled the kit out of his desk drawer and perused the package. “I’ve been so busy with ghost stuff, I completely forgot about this.” Interest sparked in his eyes.

“There you go then.” Maddie nodded, pleased. “Have fun. I’ll call you when dinner’s done. I’m planning for about 7.”

“Okay. Thanks.” Danny gave a mild, dismissing wave, already opening the box.

The mother gave her own wave, retreating. And as she did… she began to let herself hope.

For the next few days, Maddie dared to believe things were improving. Danny hadn’t fought her about the suppressor. She hadn’t caught him without it, the band securely fixed on his wrist every time she saw him.

Danny hadn’t tried to sneak out again either. Not on Saturday dinner when his ghost sense puffed out of his lips and he squirmed nervously in his chair, watching for the ghost. He’d stayed put, only sucking the Box Ghost into the thermos after the parents had chased the ghost into their front yard.

He hadn’t been argumentative or moody about joining the fight. Yes, he’d seemed vaguely disappointed, a bit distant. But he’d let Jack and Maddie protect him. And after….

“Here.” Danny handed over the thermos without a fuss, once the family was back inside. “Maybe wait until tomorrow to put him back in the Zone. Knowing Boxy, he’ll be back in like an hour.” He rolled his eyes, then yawned. “I’m gonna go take a shower.”

Danny was civil, not grumpy or full of sass. Even if Maddie didn’t see much of him the next day…. But he was enjoying some rare quiet time. A break to work on his models and read must have been welcome after all the chaos he’d suffered through since the accident.

And Maddie herself was busy. There were ghost shields to assemble, after successful meetings with the school and townhall. A large order of specter deflectors for the police. And so many inventions left to be modified to exclude Danny.

The parents were doing their best to keep up. Luckily, ghost attacks had been few since the previous weekend but they would pick up again, Maddie was sure. And they would be ready. Each order fulfilled, each invention modified put them ahead. They would be more than able to fill Phantom’s shoes.

But there was still house work, of course. Cooking and cleaning and making time for the kids and self-care. So many other things that Maddie couldn’t let slip through the cracks.

On Sunday night, Maddie dragged herself away from her work. It was a bit late, already 6:30. She really needed to get started on dinner. The woman frowned. She hadn’t cleaned the kitchen after lunch, had she? And she’d been meaning to vacuum…

Arriving at the top of the stairs, Maddie opened the door, to the growling hum of the vacuum cleaner. The noise echoed above her. She stepped through. A thud sounded and…

“Sorry.” Danny blushed sheepishly, not ten feet from her. “I knocked the pans over.” Three aluminum pans littered the floor near the sink. On the other side of the table, the boy clutched the screaming vacuum between his hands. “Shoot.” He bent down, eyes wide. “Stop trying to eat the rug.” He turned the machine off.

Maddie approached, watching him pull the corner of the rug laid under the table out of the vacuum’s brushes. “You’re cleaning.” She observed, eyes softening.

“Yeah.” The boy stood up. “I did the dishes too and wiped down the counters. Sorry about the pans.”

“They’re fine.” The mother shook her head, picking the undamaged trays up. “Thank you.” She offered a warm, grateful smile.

“It’s nothing.” The boy waved casually.

While Maddie cooked dinner, Danny finished vacuuming. The next day, he dusted without being asked. He folded clothes and put them away. He cleaned out his closet. He mowed the lawn.

All after finishing his homework, of course. Unsurprisingly, without ghost fighting, he could get it done quite quickly. There were no calls about Danny being late to class or skipping, no notes about missing assignments. He really did seem to be doing better in school.

And all the while, Danny was gracious and helpful. He didn’t argue or grumble. He didn’t complain about being forbidden from ghost fights or grounded. Yes, he was still quiet, still closed off. Maddie heard the disappointed sighs, saw the longing looks at his gaming console. He clearly missed playing video games and hanging out with his friends….

Maybe if he continued to be remorseful, if he continued to be well behaved, Maddie would end his grounding early. Going out as Phantom was still out of the question, of course, but going to the Nasty Burger or the mall…. The parents could allow that.

Yes, Maddie smiled at the thought. Things really did seem to be improving.

It was another Friday, nearly two weeks since Maddie had discovered Danny’s secret, when the ghost emergency line rang.

“Principal Ishiyama."  Maddie frowned, eyes increasingly wide and worried as the woman explained.

“It’s Technus.” Unsurprisingly, the principal knew the ghost’s name. “He’s taken over the computer lab and-”

“And this retro telephone!” A boasting voice echoed across the line. “I, Technus, Master of all things electronic and beeping, will add this device to my hip up-graded battle suit and-”

“No!” Ishiyama’s voice sounded, now farther away. A scream and a crash followed, the line going dead.

The ghost hunters’ wide eyes met and in the next pounding heart beat, they were bursting out of the house.

Jack drove, the GAV speeding and swerving towards the school. At the same time, Maddie watched her phone, awaiting a text from her daughter. Per the new school attack protocol, the teachers would have evacuated the students. Her children should be safely outside, away from any potentially crumbling buildings. Still… her stomach twisted, anxious to hear confirmation from Jazz. Hopefully, the girl would have reassurance from Danny too; with how busy she and Jack had been, they hadn’t gotten around to getting a new phone for him.

Five long minutes later, the GAV pulled into the school parking lot.

“Over there!” Maddie pointed before they’d stopped.

Flashes of neon green shone above the football field.

“On it.” Jack jerked the wheel, sending the vehicle speeding down a gravel path leading to the field.

The metal bleachers loomed, blocking the view. But even with the windows closed, the sounds of shouting, of crunching metal echoed. The sounds of a fight…..

Another jerk of the wheel. The GAV sailed through a gap in the bleachers and-

“Jack!” Maddie shrieked, just as the man slammed on breaks.

The van skidded, just clipping the towering vaguely person-shaped mass. Wires and circuit boards hummed, glowing with power. Two dozen keyboards clacked ominously. And at least as many computer screens boasted a grinning, crazy haired face. Technus’ newest battle suit.

Maddie ripped open her door to the sound of maniacal laughter.

“Behold! Technus 2.0!” A dozen copies of the same voice layered, a chilling cacophony. “With twenty times the processing power!”

The woman’s heart pounded, mind racing for a plan. Maybe she could-

“Wait.” The laughter silenced, the face of each screen wrinkling with confusion. “What…” Sparks rose off the suit, the layer voices crackling with distortion. “What are you…” The suit moved jerkily. With a deafening crack, one of the hands fell off. “No! Stop!” Dozens of eyes popped wide, panicked. “Stop! Don’t-”

The voice cut off, a crackle of static and lightning. White, black, and green smeared across Maddie’s wide, confused eyes. At the same time, the electronics collapsed. A pile of various computers, cell phones, and other devices littered the field. And above the debris…

“Process this.” Phantom…. Danny grinned victoriously, a hand clutching Technus’ collar.

Maddie’s jaw dropped.

“No!” The ghost screamed, eyes sparking. “You will never defeat Technus-”

Danny’s other hand reached for the thermos hanging off his belt. “Dude.” He depressed the bottom, letting go of Technus in the next moment. “What have I said about the monologuing?”

With an unintelligible shout, the ghost disappeared into the device, leaving Danny alone floating above the field.

Maddie’s mind caught up, anger igniting. What did he think he was doing?!

In that moment, Danny noticed his parents. Wide startled eyes met the mother’s. Her mouth opened, lips curling to rebuke.

A blast of magenta light cut off Maddie’s words.

“Ah!” Danny shouted, just barely dodging.

The mother’s furious eyes fixed. Agent Alpha stood in front of the bleachers, a smoking ectogun raised. Fire burned through her veins, sprinting towards him without thought.

“Get out of here!” Jack shouted behind her.

Maddie’s teeth gritted. The man’s smirking face…. He pulled the trigger, another shot sailing towards her son. She was going to pound him into the dirt. She was-

“Mom!” Jazz’s voice cut through.

The girl sprinted from behind the bleachers, a sharp turn around their side, and-

With a shout, she slammed into Agent Alpha. His next shot went wide, searing into the ground five feet in front of him.

Jazz stumbled back, just managing to stay up right. “Oh. I’m so so sorry.” She spread her hands, eyes wide and apologetic.

“Watch where you’re going, you little bitch!” Agent Alpha shouted. “You let Phantom get away!” Livid, he motioned above the crumpled electronics.

Maddie glanced back. A flicker of relief…. Danny had in fact fled. Then she careened to a stop, fists balled at her side. “Do not speak to my daughter like that.”

The agent’s lips curled, angry eyes fixed on her. But before he spoke…

“Mom!” Jazz flung herself at her, arms wrapping around her in a hug. “I’m so glad you’re here! I…I was in the computer lab when Technus showed up. The wall fell. It… it almost…”

A jolt of fear softened Maddie’s anger. “Jazz, sweetie.” She pulled back, worried eyes trailing the girl. “Are you hurt?”

A thin cut sliced her cheek, the hint of wateriness in her eyes. “No, I’m okay.” But… the hard determination behind the shakiness…. Maddie’s heart twisted, suddenly sure. This was an act. Jazz was playing at being upset over the ghost fight to protect her brother.

Grateful warmth, boiling anger, and cold dread formed a caustic mixture. Still, the mother gave a comforting smile. “That’s good.” A hand on her daughter’s shoulder, she gave a comforting squeeze. “You should go back to your classmates. Your father and I need to check in with Principal Ishiyama.”

“You’re not going to go after Phantom?” Agent Alpha asked, brow pointedly raised.

“Not when there are still people potentially in danger in the school.” The woman scowled. “First response after a ghost attack is part of our job, Agent Alpha.”

The man pinned her with an odd look for a long moment. Then, he snorted. “It’s not part of my job.” He turned, walking towards a white van parked on the gravel path. “I’m off to see if I can catch and actually keep the little bugger this time, Dr. Fenton.” That familiar belittling grin curled his lips. “Have fun.”

Maddie gave no acknowledgement, even as her heart pounded. It was alright. Danny was back with his class by now. Between his weaker human form and the signature suppressor, he was undetectable. Although…. He hadn’t been wearing the bracelet during the fight, had he? She didn’t remember seeing it on his wrist.

What had Danny been thinking, sneaking away to fight a ghost like that? What if someone saw him transform? Or if Technus hurt him? Or…. Her stomach churned, a sour fear. What if she and Jack hadn’t been here, if Jazz hadn’t intervened? Agent Alpha’s shot could have landed. It could have hurt him. And… what if it had incapacitated him or made him lose hold of his ghost form? What if-

No. Maddie berated herself, shaking her head. No, she needed to focus. There were, in fact, people to check on.

Fighting to keep her tense shoulders down, Maddie walked back across the field, meeting up with Jack. They needed to find the Principal; hopefully she was okay after that cut-off phone call. They needed to sweep the school to make sure no other ghosts were present. They needed to help with any injuries and clean up.

Only then could they go home and… Maddie would have a long conversation with her son.

Principal Ishiyama was unhurt. No other ghosts were present in the school. And injuries… none were more severe than the cut on Jazz’s cheek, just miscellaneous cuts and bruises.

The clean up was more substantial; Technus had made a decent sized hole in the outer wall of the computer lab, along with leaving the heap of technology on the football field. But most of the electronics appeared salvageable and the hole was the only damage to the building, both thanks to Danny’s quick and careful action.

Maddie’s heart gave an odd little squeeze. She couldn’t help the touch of pride in him, despite the simmering frustration.

“It looks stable.” One of the school maintenance workers crouched, examining that outer wall. “We’re lucky he just burst through a window, not any pipes or wires or anything.” The man stood. “I’ll tarp it for now and get started on repairs.” He looked in the direction of the field. “Let me get some people on picking up gadgets first. We wanna get those before any rain comes.”

“No need.” Ms. Tesslaff, the PE teacher, shook her head gruffly. “I’ll have the kids do that during gym.”

After a brief debate amongst the staff and teachers, a plan was decided on. School would continue for the day; they could not very well afford to cancel every time a ghost attacked. Maddie’s stomach twisted, a touch of guilt at that. Still, the Fentons were soon released.

Returning to the GAV, Jack and Maddie drove home. The drive was much slower, less chaotic this time… but in some ways just as tense. Silence weighed heavy. Maddie’s mind swam, full of thoughts and worries.

Danny had promised her. He had promised he wouldn’t be seen as Phantom again. But he had still snuck out of class to fight Technus. He was putting himself in danger.

But… did he even have a choice? Technus had attacked his school. If… if Jack and Maddie had just gotten there faster. If they finished the school’s ghost shields…. Guilt stabbed her heart. If they had finished the shields, then Technus wouldn’t have been able to access the computers. The ghost wouldn’t have attacked and Danny wouldn’t have felt like he needed to fight. He wouldn’t… he wouldn’t have almost been shot by Agent Alpha.

“What’s on your mind?” Jack asked once they’d arrived back home.

For a long moment, she just frowned, mind far away. Then, a nervous swallow. “We need to get those ghost shields for the school finished.” Her stomach twisted. “Can you head to the shop in Elmerton for more converters? If you leave now, you should have time before they close. I’ve still got a bit of work to do on the batteries.”

The man blinked once, surprised. Then… a troubled frown. “Yes, I can. But… can’t that wait until Monday? We should probably talk about what just happened.”

Maddie winced at the reminder, but… “Please, Jack.” Her eyes widened, a hint of pleading. “I just… I’ll feel better about all this once we can get those ghost shields up and running.”

Jack still pinned her with his eyes, questioning and anxious. But… something softened his brow, the smallest hint of understanding sympathy. “Alright.” He sighed. “I’ll try to be back before the kids get home from school. We should both talk to Danny about this afternoon.”

“Yes, of course.” Maddie agreed. Still her insides twisted, uneasy.

With that, the mother went inside. Ignoring the grumble of her stomach, she hurried down the lab stairs. Her body was drawn to the work bench as if she was a fish on a hook. Maddie sat down and started working.

Chapter Text

Pouring purified ectoplasm, laying wires, soldering. Normally, assembling inventions occupied her thoughts as much as her hands, troubled heart and mind laid down in the pleasant flow of satisfying work. But…

A heaviness pressed down on her chest, a weight on her shoulders she could not shake. She tried to reassure herself. It was okay. Danny was okay. He hadn’t been hurt. He hadn’t been captured. Agent Alpha couldn’t have caught Danny after because the boy had gone back to class. Agent Alpha didn’t know. He didn’t know-

Ding Dong! The noise cut through Maddie’s thoughts. Ding Dong! She blinked through bleary eyes, down at the puddle of green.

The woman let out a curse, mind spurring back to awareness. Her hands whipped the half-assembled battery out of the spilled ectoplasm.

Ding Dong! Another ring of…. That was the door bell.

Standing up, frustration curdled in her gut. Jack must have forgotten his keys again. A quick rinse of her gloved hands and Maddie stomped up the stairs.

Ding Dong! The bell continued to ring, grinding into her ears. She grit her teeth. That man. She was going to-

Her eyes fell on the clock. Wait. It had only been an hour, too early for Jack to be back. And the kids… it was still a bit early for them to be home. Besides, it wasn’t like Jazz to forget her keys. And knowing Danny…. Well, he’d phase through the door, wouldn’t he, uncaring of her forbidding, of who might see.

It must just be a sales person. But… dread sank like a stone in her gut.

Maddie walked more slowly now. She removed her gloves, lifting her hands to wipe her watery eyes. She struggled to put on an even face, unbothered. It was… it was just a sales person. But just in case it wasn’t….

Her hand wrapped around the front door’s knob, pulling it open.

“Dr. Fenton.” A familiar chilling grin made her stomach sink. “Just the person I wanted to see.”

“What do you want?” Maddie heard herself ask flatly.

“Just a civil conversation, ghost hunter to ghost hunter.” Agent Alpha peered over her shoulder. “Can I come inside?”

“No.” Curtly, the woman started to close the door.

“Come on.” An unsettling echo of last time, the man’s foot wedged in the door. “Don’t be like that.”

“I don’t care to hear anything else you have to say.” Her lips thinned, a hard line

“Not even about Phantom?” At the words, Maddie froze. Alpha’s lips curled, something smug.

The woman lowered her hand from the door. “You are not setting another foot in my house.” She pointed harshly. “If we are talking, it’s outside.”

The man frowned, an exaggerated pout. “You’re not going to offer me anything to drink?”

Maddie said nothing, just moving to close the door again.

Alpha jerked his head as if rolling his eyes “Alright then.” He stepped back.

The woman closed the door heavily. Slowly, the agent meandered to the swing. He sat, leaning back with his knees spread. Roughly, Maddie dragged the rocking chair over, turning to face him.

For a long moment, the two faced each other, staring without words. Alpha studied her, something probing on his face despite his casual posture. It made Maddie’s skin crawl. But… She would not speak first, her mind adamantly refused. She needed to know what Alpha knew but she would give him nothing in return. Maddie set her face, hard and even. Despite the fearful pounding of her heart, she would not give.

Finally, Alpha spoke. “Phantom is such… a strange ghost.” His brow wrinkled, something exaggeratedly perplexed. “I mean, you and your husband capture it so easily. And it escapes just hours later, without injuring either of you or damaging anything.”

With each word, frustration, defensiveness grew. Was he… trying to imply what she feared? No. No. She would say nothing, could say nothing.

The wrinkle deepened, the corner of his lips turning up. “And just the next day, you’re on the news, talking about how Phantom is apparently a good ghost. As if that’s a thing that exists now.”

No. She would not defend herself. Anything she said, he would use against her. He would not make her cave.

The agent snorted, a cruel humor in his voice. “And today, If I didn’t know any better, you looked like you wanted to tackle me after I shot at the little monster.”

Little monster…. The words stabbed at her heart. Anger flared. She bit her tongue. But… with how Alpha’s eyes sparkled, he’d seen it. He’d seen her fury then and now…. It would be too suspicious to deny. She had to… she had to give him something. She had to deflect.

“You cursed at my daughter.” The woman let a bit of real fury into her voice. “You’ll have to excuse me for being angry.”

“Okay, okay.” The man lifted his hands. “I lost my cool. Sorry.” Another exaggerated head-wobble as if rolling his eyes, not the least bit apologetic. “Still, your behavior and attitude around Phantom have been so… curious. Especially your interview. The ‘truth’” He gave the word air quotes. “About what happened during the ghostly invasion sounds far-fetched to me, but if that’s what you say happened...”

“That is what happened.” Maddie kept her voice even. If this was any other topic of conversation, the sarcasm would have prickled. The insinuation that he didn’t believe her would have threatened to burrow under her skin, provoking her to prove her point. But… “Jack and I are just trying to follow the science, Agent Alpha.” But now, she didn’t care about convincing him of the truth, just easing any suspicion. “The evidence supports that ghosts are more complicated than we’ve historically thought and-”

“Or you’ve just gone soft.” The man interrupted.

The woman’s nostrils flared frustratedly, without her permission. “I do not appreciate your tone, agent. I am a professional and-”

“Alright.” Alpha lifted his hands again. “Me and my big mouth.” He sighed and… his posture shifted, more straight, more serious. “What I mean to say is… you’re compromised, Dr. Fenton.”

Frustration ebbed, an uneasy chill pooling in her chest. “I have no idea what you mean.”

Any humor, any levity dropped off his face. “Look.” He lowered his glasses, eyes boring into hers. “You’re trying to be understanding, gracious. Give ghosts the benefit of the doubt. I get it.”

Maddie’s blood felt more and more cold, a growing sense of dread.

“I get why you’d be sentimental. With all the encounters you’ve had over the last few months, all the research you’ve done before that. And…” He looked almost earnest. “There’s the ghost you’ve been raising in your house for the last fourteen years.”

Ice water poured into her veins. “My son isn’t a ghost.” She fought to keep the panic off her face.

“But he’s not really a normal human, is he?” A brow raised. “You know. He was supposed to be a ghostly hybrid, the perfect mixture of spectral and human. That little experiment didn’t work out. But the possibility is there, isn’t it?” There was no hostility, no accusation, no sick humor in his voice. Just… a solemn gravity.

Maddie’s mouth was a desert, her blood the arctic tundra. She… she should deny it. She wanted to deny it but…

“It is. You know it is.” The man read the truth on her face, despite her efforts. “And you know if that ghostly nature reappears… that won’t be your son anymore.”

The arrogant presumption stirred her out of her mounting terror. “No. I don’t know that.”

Alpha blinked, for once looking taken aback. “Which part?”

“Either… both.” The mother narrowed her eyes. “You know nothing about my son. You haven’t watched him grow up. He’s just a normal boy. There’s never been a sign of anything ghostly.” The lie didn’t waver her tongue, even as it tasted like ash. “He’s as human as you or me. And even if…” Doubt choked her words. She trailed off, cheeks paling.

One of the agent’s brows raised. “Even if?”

“Nothing.” Maddie strained to keep herself from looking away. “There’s no chance of any ghostly nature reappearing.” She gave the words fittingly skeptical air quotes.  “So there’s no point in continuing this conversation.”

“No.” The man shook his head. “You were going to say that even if the kid turns into a ghost, he’ll still be your sweet little boy, weren’t you?”

The mother’s mouth felt dry, her mind frozen with the truth he’d so easily inferred. How could she be so transparent?

“Weren’t you?” Alpha repeated.

There was no… no avoiding the question, was there? Maddie had shown her hand and… the only thing she could do now was defend her son.

Maddie swallowed, forcing herself to meet his eyes. “With what we’ve seen with Phantom and his ability to peaceably interact with humans, there’s no reason to think that Danny wouldn’t… wouldn’t…” Maddie stumbled, despite her best efforts. “That he wouldn’t be capable of that too. He’d remain just as intelligent and caring as he is now.”

“I know you want to think that but…” Sickening pity marred his eyes. “You are sadly wrong, Dr. Fenton.”

“You can’t possibly know that.” Despite the fearful pounding of her heart, the belittling irked her.

“Oh, I know.” His lips thinned. “Without a doubt.”

“How?” The woman scowled.” We don’t even know if a stable hybridization is possible, let alone how it would impact a person’s mental state. If-”

“Except I do know.” Alpha interrupted. “I know exceedingly well that a stable hybridization is possible.”

“What?” The statement stopped Maddie in her tracks.

“Where do you think we got the idea to make another human-ghost hybrid?” The agent raised a brow. “Or the DNA to do it?”

The woman said nothing, mind stalled.

For a moment, Agent Alpha looked almost smug at her startled silence. “It was an unfortunate situation, really. The hybrid we had in custody… he used to be a promising young scientist. Until he got in a lab accident that nearly killed him. He started developing ghostly abilities, even started to look like one sometimes. We helped him understand what was happening to him, even let him help with the project to make another human-ghost hybrid. He wasn’t a half bad researcher.” A disgusted nose wrinkle. “Even with the glowing red eyes and creepy fangs. But…” His eyes narrowed. “I always knew that thing was more monster than man.” Something pale and haunted flickered across his face.

“What happened?” Maddie heard herself say, almost numbly.

“About seven years ago. He blew up, out of nowhere . He destroyed our labs and all the research, killed nearly everyone.” The far away eyes fell on her, a hand rising to his shirt collar to lower it. “I almost bled out.” A finger traced a thin, scarred line on his throat.

Maddie couldn’t help but stare. Her body, her very heart beat felt far away and distant, overwhelmed with the revelation. There was… there had been another human-ghost hybrid, like Danny. Some unknown man, kept in custody of… of this sadistic monster for years. The GIW ‘helped’ him learn about his new abilities, ‘let’ him contribute to the project that would eventually lead to Danny. But what kind of choice would that first subject, first victim have even had?

But… Agent Alpha’s unusual somberness unsettled her. What he had described… destruction of equipment and research was one thing. But…  the scar blazed in her vision, the image of blood gushing from it. Murder, of nearly an entire organization. Her stomach twisted, almost nauseous.

Alpha noticed her queasy expression. He shifted in his seat, leaning back with a self-satisfied air. “I really should have seen it coming. There was… something wrong with that creep from the moment I met him. Or, I should say it.” He waggled a finger. “That’s the worst part. It looked so human, acted so human, you’d forget what was there, underneath the surface.” His teeth parted, something wicked in the grimace. “You’d never guess it was capable of something so vile.”

Maddie felt… she felt sick. What Alpha was saying, what he was insinuating about her son… “Danny could… could never do something like that.” Her voice trembled, not because she was unsure of the statement. But… she felt unsettled, her world spinning out of control under her feet. The predatory gaze pinned on her, her heart fluttering like a trapped bird in her chest. “He would never.”

Alpha didn’t indulge the words. He smiled smugly, a victorious sparkle in his eyes. “So, I’m sure you see, if any ghostly traits do show up in the boy, it would be best for all of us if you hand him over to me immediately.”

Maddie had nothing, no reply. Just… a frantically terrified heart. Agent Alpha knew. He had to know now. She had just about given Danny’s secret away herself and-

“Well, speak of the devil!” The agent’s smug voice drew her out of her growing panic.

“Excuse me?”

The mother’s head jerked to the side, in the direction of Danny’s skeptical voice.

“It’s Danny, right?” The man grinned. “We were just talking about you, weren’t we, Dr. Fenton? Your mom’s so proud of you.” The words drawn out, a disgustingly stomach-churning sarcasm. “Tell ‘im all about it, Doctor-”

“Danny. Go inside.” Maddie cut in, voice commanding.

“Mom?” A hint of unease trembled his voice.

“Go inside.” Her eyes narrowed, turning back towards the agent. “I’m just finishing things up with Agent Alpha here.”

Without another word, Danny did as he was told. The door opened and closed. Before the man could speak again…

“Get out of my sight.” Maddie demanded. “If you ever so much as look at my son again, I will find a way to make you regret it.”

Alpha raised a brow. “Are you threatening a federal agent, Dr. Fenton?”

“You’re not a federal agent, just a private contractor.” She bit back. “And that is a promise, not a threat. I am sick of your harassment and I am finished putting up with your sick insinuations about my son.”

A knowing smirk still painted his lips. “I hear exactly what you’re saying.”

“Get off of my porch.”

Putting his hands up disarmingly, the man stood. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

A few slow, painfully casual steps across the porch, down the steps. Maddie just silently stared at his back, as if she could incinerate him with her gaze alone.

Coming to the bottom of the steps, a sharp beeping sounded. Alpha turned around, pulling a silver and magenta device from out of his coat. “Will you look at that…” A click of his tongue, his eyes darted from the screen to one of the front windows. “It looks like we’ve got a little eavesdropper at the window.”

Maddie turned in time to see a brief flutter of the curtains. And… was that a shimmer in the air? A blink of neon green?

The mother's eyes widened a heartbeat, a jolt of panic. She ruthlessly wiped any surprise from her face. “There’s nothing there.” She spit the words, clear he was wasting her time.

Alpha did not look surprised by Danny’s use of invisibility at all. Instead, he shrugged. “The cloaking device is brilliant by the way. For a whole week, you managed to make me think I’d broken my scanner.” His lips parted, chillingly smug. “Guess it doesn’t hide that little monster as well as you hoped.”

Without another word, the man turned away, strolling back to the white van. He slipped inside, darkly victorious eyes fixed on the woman. Then, he drove away.

Maddie shook. Her heart pounded in her ears, dread and terror twisting her insides. She stepped into the house, the door swinging closed with a slam.

“Danny.” Blazing eyes fixed on her son.

Smile sheepish, the boy froze in mid-step at the base of the stairs. “Mom.” He chuckled nervously. Maddie stomped towards him and his hands raised placatingly. “Hey, I can-”

“Show me your wrist.” She demanded.

“What? I mean…” He paled, shoulders rising to his ears. “Why would you want to-”

Heedless of the complaint, the woman grabbed his wrist and pulled back the cloth covering.

“Hey!” Danny tried to pull away.

“You turned it off.” Maddie held fast, her teeth gritted. “What were you thinking?”

“I…I can’t use my powers if it’s on.” He stuttered.

A second of heart-squeezing guilt… he… he hadn't told her that. But… “And what?” Anger was simmering, her lips curled. “You just had to eavesdrop on my conversation with Agent Alpha?”

With a burst of intangibility, Danny pulled away. His eyes flashed. “Like you were going to tell me what you were talking about.”

Maddie ignored the comment. “He knows now. Between your little stunt at school and this, Alpha knows.” Her eyes burned, with frustration, with the threat of tears. “Was I not clear enough earlier? Alpha will torture you if he catches you. He will take you away and you will never see me or your dad or your sister, your friends again. Is that what you want?”

“Of course not.” His teeth gritted.

“Then act like it.” The mother spread trembling hands. “Stop being reckless.”

“I’m not being reckless.”

“You’re not?” Maddie’s voice rose, a biting sarcasm. “You left class to fight a ghost, in front of Agent Alpha. You-”

“What else was I supposed to do?” Danny cut in, his own arms spreading.

“Your dad and I were on the way.”

“How long would that have taken? Technus could have killed someone.” Killed… the word was spat as if it was a punch of his fist. “The only reason he didn’t was because I dragged him out to the field.”

Danny was right, a tiny part of her whispered. But… “I told you not to use your powers. You promised me.” Hurt, betrayal bolstered her growing indignation “And you just used them in front of Alpha. Do you…” She stumbled over the words. “Do you understand how much danger you’re putting yourself, all of us in?”

“Of course, I understand.” His volume rose, spitting the words. “I’m not stupid, Mom!”

“I didn’t say you were.” Maddie gritted her teeth, fighting to keep her own voice from rising. “I know you’re a smart boy. But it’s like you don’t even care. I’m doing everything I can to protect you and-”

“Protect me?” Danny cut in again, a biting skepticism to the words. “That’s rich.”

“What is that supposed to mean?” Balled fists planted on her hips.

“You’re not trying to protect me!” He yelled, eyes flashing. “You’re just trying to control me.”

Maddie’s eyes widened, offended. “I’m not trying to control you.”

Danny held up his wrist, shaking the suppressor violently. “You’re making me wear a freaking power suppressor.”

“I’m not making you do anything.” Maddie countered sharply. “And you never bothered to tell me it was doing that.”

“I told you I didn’t want to wear it! You knew it felt weird.”

“You just kept saying it itched.” Her arms spread. “You have to actually tell me things, Danny!”

“Like you would have cared.” Danny’s teeth bared. “You hate my powers.”

The words were a punch to the gut. “I don’t hate your powers.” Maddie denied.

“Yes, you do. You hate that I’m a ghost.”

No, he couldn’t still think that, not about her. “I don’t-”

“You’ve been trying to take Phantom away from me, ever since you found out.”

He couldn’t think that. Not when Maddie was trying so hard to reassure him, to show that she still had his best interest at heart. “I’m not-”

“But I’m not going to let you, okay?!” A balled fist shook, eyes determined.

Maddie had to get him to listen, to understand. She had to get through to him. “Danny. I’m not-”

But her son wouldn’t let her get a word in. “I don’t care that you hate Phantom!” His voice rose into a shout, a hint of an echo. “I’m not going to let you-”

“I don’t hate Phantom!” Finally, Maddie yelled. “I’m not trying to take Phantom away from you!”

Danny shook his cuffed wrist. “Then what do you call this?!”

“The only way I know to protect you!” The words crashed through the tension, loud and heavy. “This is the only way I can….” Maddie was left panting, voice cracking with something broken. “I need to… I have to protect you. And this is the only way.”

In an instant, Danny’s furious expression dropped, the fire in his eyes extinguishing. But… “Bull shit.” The words were the chilling wrath of an arctic ocean. “That’s bull shit. If you really want to protect me, actually tell me what’s going on.”

Maddie barely registered the curse, dread dropping like a stone. “You already know. Agent Alpha knows that your-”

“No.” He cut in coldly. “I can see it on your face. Alpha said something that really freaked you out.”

“Danny, I’m fine.” The mother denied, mouth dry. “He didn’t say anything.”

“Yes, he did.” His eyes narrowed sharply.

“No, he-”

“Danny could… could never do something like that.” The boy’s voice suddenly wavered, a sickening approximation of… “He would never.” Of what she’d…. she’d… “What would I never do?”

“I…I didn’t say that.” The woman tried to lie.

“I heard you.” Each word was a punch to the gut. “What would I never do, Mom?”

“It was… it was nothing.” But still, her heart fluttered, mind a haunted loop. Alpha’s eerily solemn face, the pale thin line on his neck, I always knew that thing was more monster than man. Maddie shook her head; that last part could never apply to Danny. Believing it wasn’t even a temptation. “It doesn’t matter.”

Danny scowled. “Then why don’t you just tell me?”

Still, the question rattled her insides. The truth rose; because if Maddie told him what Alpha said, she would have to tell him everything and…

Her heart, her very self trembled, a rat scurrying away from the burning light.

“It’s none of your business.” Maddie squared her jaw, a rising of sternness.

“Yes it is. This is my life we’re talking about.”

“You don’t need to know.” She countered, harsher.

Danny was just as harsh. “I think I should be the one to decide that.”

“And I think,” Her eyes narrowed, unwavering. “You don’t need to know.”

“What did Agent Alpha say, Mom?” His voice rose. “If you actually want to protect me, you’d tell me.”

“You don’t need to know.” Her arms spread, fists balled.

So did Danny’s. “Yes, I do.”

“Can’t you just trust me, for once?!” Maddie’s voice rose, despite herself.

“Trust you?! How the hell am I supposed to trust you?!” A fist pounded his chest. “You don’t trust me, no matter what I do. You don’t listen to a word I say. You don’t tell me shit!”

“I’m doing what’s best for you!” Heat rose on her face, cheeks burning red.

“No! You’re acting like… like I’m too weak or… or too stupid to handle the truth.” His sharp teeth bared as he groped for words. “I’m not! I’m not some helpless five year old you have to coddle. Stop treating me like a little kid!”

“You are a kid!” Maddie finally screamed. “You’re a kid. A child. And I am the adult here.” Danny’s mouth snapped shut. Still, she pressed on. “It is my job to protect you. And you are thwarting me at every turn! So yes, I decide what I will tell you. I decide what you need to know and how best to protect you.”

Burning green eyes silently judged her. A strangling pause to let the words penetrate….

Maddie took a breath, fury simmering back down into something still hot but contained. “Are we clear?”

“No, we are not ‘clear’.” In the kitchen, the light above the table flickered. “I have been doing this Phantom thing by myself for months.” Somewhere, distantly, a radio crackled to life. “I know what I’m doing. I’m not some defenseless little kid who needs you to save me from everything.” And… was that picture on the wall shaking? “So you can take that ‘just trying to protect me’ and shove it up your-”

“Go to your room.”

Somehow, Danny’s eyes glowed brighter, lips curled in offense.

But Maddie spoke before he could. “If you are going to curse at me, this conversation is over.” Her jaw set, eyes stubbornly determined. “I already made up my mind. You can either accept it or not, but I will not be changing it.” She took a breath, something pained squeezing her heart. “Once we both take some time to cool down, we can try talking again.”

For a long moment, her son’s eyes pinned her, face hard. The kitchen light flickered, the radio buzzed, the framed picture rattled. Then… his shoulders fell. Silence. The light died, the radio going quiet. With a heavy thud, the picture fell off the wall.

Danny turned away, not looking at her as he muttered. “It’s not like you’re going to bother listening to me then.”

The mother stared after the boy as he stomped up the stairs. “Danny. I… I’m sorry.” Her heart hurt, shame draining the color from her face. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have yelled but-”

The door to his room slammed, cutting off her words. And Maddie was left at the bottom of the stairs, looking down at the broken picture on the floor. Cracks splintered the glass, a jagged fissure dividing Danny’s smiling face from hers.