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Home Again	By : SmilingandStabbing Category: +1 through F > Danny Phantom > AU - Alternate Universe Views: 7273 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 1-Return of the Phantom
- 2-Hero's Welcome
- 1
- 2
“And as we stand here looking at our future, we realize that all that has passed is nothing. Now the real lessons start, now we face the real trials, and now, we prepare for the real future…”

Sometimes Valerie Gray wondered if she liked this part of the job too much.

Of course, that was absolutely ridiculous. There was nothing to LIKE about the job at all. There was nothing fun or likable about cleaning up someone else’s mess.

Funny that she was thinking that when it all started.

“Valerie? You there?” The voice buzzed into her ear piece.

“Yeah Tucker, I’m fine,” Val zoomed a bit to the left on her hover device. “And it looks like the coast is mostly clear at this point.”

“I’m not sure if that’s a good or a bad thing,” Tucker Foley replied. “But I’ve got no distortions on screen either. Looks like they’re not coming out to visit today.”

“Too bad,” Valerie half joked in response. “I was looking forward to some action.” Suddenly, something in the corner of her eye drew her attention. It looked like a bundle of abandoned clothes, and probably was. But, Val reasoned, if it’s something more dangerous it should be taken care of. Plus, it might be something good for getting rid of some of her aggression.

“Just don’t get so busy looking for action you forget to look for ghosts,” Tucker chided into her headset.

“Cram it, Foley,” Val barked back as she switched off her headset. “Like I would never forget to look for…” She stopped short, almost loosing her balance. Her voice caught in her throat for a moment, before she finally cried, “DANNY?”

Moments later, Valerie bent over the prone form of the boy in front of her. Part of her was sure this was some sort of trap, that this wasn’t Danny but HIM, and that she was probably about to die. Pulling out a small device from her belt, she pushed a few buttons and then pointed one end at the boy.

There was a beeping noise and then the reading showed up on the screen.

He had put on a little muscle since she’d seen him, and he had let his hair grow out, but there was no denying it.

After seven years, Danny Fenton had come back.

“Danny?” she shook his shoulders a bit. The last thing she needed was for Danny to finally decide to come back and die on the way. That would crush the last bit of hope left in her. “Danny?

She reached down and check for a pulse. After a second of terror she felt it, faintly. She reached up and turned her headset back on. “Tucker…Tucker…Danny…”

Tucker’s voice was disbelieving. “Val? Come in. Did you just say ‘Danny?’”

Val exhaled in relief, an act that brought her back to her senses. “Yes, Tucker, I did.” She hoisted the boy’s limp form onto her back. “Tell them to have a bed ready in the infirmary. I’m bringing Danny Fenton home with me.”

Tucker Foley was a much different man after all these years. He was still skinny, would always be skinny, but he’d gotten taller. He’d also gotten some unmentionable scars, and his nose had set funny the last time he’d broken it. He was not the same man he’d been seven years ago.

But he still couldn’t seem to say it without stuttering.

“Val….Val’s…she’s…bringing…”

“Tucker, are you alright?” Sam Manson grabbed her friend by his shoulders. “Is Val alright?”

“Yeah…she’s…” Tucker took a deep breath. “Sam, she’s bringing Danny home with her.”

Sam closed her eyes for a second and took a deep breath. Then she punched Tucker in the face.

“That’s not FUNNY Tucker!” she yelled.

“It’s not supposed to be!” Tucker replied as he reached for his nose to make sure Sam hadn’t broken it again. “Look, I know I’ve always been the funny guy, but would I joke about this?”

“It just can’t be true, Tucker. I can’t believe he’s…how? Why?”

“Val didn’t say. She just said she was bringing him back and that we should have a bed ready in the infirmary. This says to me he’s not in the greatest shape ever, but it’s him.”

Sam was quiet for a second. Then, she simply said “Are we sure it’s not a trap?”

“I’m sure Valerie already checked for that. Just in case.”

“And we sure Valerie hasn’t gone completely crazy?”

“You questioning my sanity again, Manson?”

Sam looked up to see the security door to the Fenton Works lab open, and Valerie Gray standing there with something…no, someone, draped over her shoulder. “I asked you…”

But Sam was speechless. She was too busy staring at the man Valerie had brought home with her.

“Is…is…”

“Ecto-signature matches perfectly,” Valerie said, apparently trying to contain herself as best she could. “It’s Danny Fenton. Now, can we get him to a bed? This boy’s heavy.”

“I can only send you to where you’re supposed to be. Don’t worry Daniel, everything is…”

“Yeah, I know. Everything is as it should be.”

He was basically staring at his own face when he woke up.

It had been so long since he’d seen a human face that he was already startled, but the face looking back at him was…wait, no, on further inspection it wasn’t his. It was a more feminine version of his…

And now she was hugging him.

“You’re awake,” she whispered. “You’re actually awake. I was so scared. I didn’t want to leave you in case…”

“Shhhh,” Danny whispered in her ear. “It’s okay, Danielle. It’s me.”

Dani hugged her “brother” tighter. “He tried to trick us once. I just need to be sure…”

“It’s me. I promise,” Danny pulled away from Dani and smiled at the girl. “Hell. You grew up.”

Danielle Masters smiled at him. She hadn’t changed her sense of style at all, Danny could see that. She was still dressed in those baggy jeans and a sweatshirt and she still…

“You still have that hat?” he asked.

Dani started to cry harder. “That’s the best you can say?” But she was smiling.

Danny smiled back at her. “I was never good at that sort of thing. You know that.”

“Neither was I,” Dani tried to laugh through her tears. “I guess I got it from you.”

“So, you’re letting them have some time together?” Sam asked Val. “That’s awfully nice of you.”

“Well, it’s not so much being nice as avoiding her,” Val replied as the two of them calibrated the shields. “You know how she deals with me.”

Sam huffed. “Yeah, about as well as she deals with…” Sam cut herself off. “So, are you going to go see him sometime soon?”

Val wiped her brown and nodded. “Yeah. Make sure he’s doing alright, find out where he’s been. That sort of thing.” Valerie made a few more adjustments and then added. “Are you?”

“Am I what?”

“Going to go see him?”

“Well, of course. Eventually,” Sam replied. “I mean, he’s going to be kinda hard to avoid around here.”

“Manson, you know what I mean,” Valerie snapped. “Basically, I’m trying to figure out if you’re going to get bitchy with me if I go in there and talk to him first. I’ve known you long enough to know how possessive you can be, especially when it comes to Danny. And to tell you the truth, I respect that. And I’m trying to be nice and let you go see him before me if you want.”

Sam stood up. “It’s not so much about being nice, is it Val?” She closed the panel she’d been working on. “You can go talk to him whenever you want. I can’t stop that. Just let me know when you’re done.”

“I…I can’t believe you’re…it’s…I…”

“So, are you going to blast me? Or are we going to talk this out?”

“I’m almost tempted to say first one and then the other. I just don’t know which should be first.”

“You doing okay?”

It was a few hours later when Valerie finally entered the infirmary. Danny looked up at her with a smile.

“Yeah, Val. Fine,” he looked her over. “You look good.”

“That’s the best you’ve got after seven years?” Val asked with a smirk.

“I’m not on top of my game,” Danny retorted. “This is the most rest I’ve had in seven years.”

Val sat down beside the bed. “Where have you been?”

“I’ll explain that later to everyone,” Danny told her. “Right now I just want to catch up with everyone. I’ve missed everyone…”

“We missed you too,” Val assured him. “I mean, you just disappeared.”

“I know. Like I said, I’ll explain. And I know it’s been rough for you guys out here. Dani was telling me…”

“What did she tell you?” Val demanded.

Danny blinked. “She told me how you guys have been fighting against Phantom since I left. And how hard it’s been on everyone. And…” he paused. “She told me about your dad.”

Valerie bowed her head. “It’s…”

“You don’t have to say anything, Val. I should have been…”

“No, Danny, it is not your fault,” Val said, her voice hard. “I know who’s fault it is. And I’m going to…” she stopped. “That’s not a conversation for now.”

Danny patted her hands. “It’s okay Val. Don’t worry.”

Val tried to hide the tears in her eyes. “I just…so many people…”

“Val!” Danny took the ghost hunter’s hands in his. “It’s okay. Deep breath. It’s going to be…”

“It’s not okay Danny. Your father’s dead,” Valerie blurted out. “Danny, I’m sorry, he’s…Phantom…your dad. He took your mom. And Jazz…”

Danny closed his eyes and tried to keep himself calm. “Val…breathe…”

“Your father is dead. Your mother is Phantom’s hostage. Jazz is gone. My father is dead,” Valerie was hysterical. “And there were so many times I wanted to hate you for leaving and this happening but I couldn’t. Because I should have been strong enough to stop it.”

“Valerie, stop.” Danny’s voice had a note of command she’d never heard before. “I’m glad you don’t hate me. But don’t blame yourself. The only one to blame here is Phantom. And we’re going to take care of that.”

He paused. “Now, tell me how you’ve been.”

“I don’t WANT your help.”

“But, my dear, you NEED it.”

“I know that. Why do you think I’m gritting my teeth?”

“How is he?” Sam asked Dani when she finally managed to catch up to her in the hallways.

“He’s Danny,” Dani replied. “Seven years older, a lot stronger, and still Danny.”

“Who’s…”

“Valerie’s in with him now,” Dani explained. “She waited until I’d left and then slipped in to talk to him. I’m sure she’s telling him everything.”

“Not everything,” Sam said. “I’m sure she’s leaving out some key information…” she glanced at the door the girls were standing in front of.

“Oh, more than some key information. She wouldn’t be Valerie if she weren’t sitting on some horrible secret or another,” Dani winced. She glanced at the door as well. Then, turning back to Sam. “So, are you going to go see him?”

Sam nodded. “I’m going to wait until Valerie’s done. I need to figure out how to say what I want to say. It’s so complicated. I’ve had sever years to figure it out and still haven’t.”

Dani nodded. “I can understand. But if you want my opinion, being to the point is the best option.”

Sam smiled a bit. “I’ll take that into consideration. Thanks Dani,” she added as she walked off.

Dani watched Sam walk away. Then, when she was alone, she glared at the door again, harder this time. Then, she charged her hands with an ecto-blast and fired.

The metal was only slightly dented afterwards, and Dani didn’t feel much better.

“To the point, and sometimes overly violent,” she muttered.

It was late at night when Val finally left Danny alone in the infirmary. As she was exiting the room, she found herself running smack into Sam.

“Hey!” Sam yelped, jumping backwards.

“Sorry,” Val replied. Then, looking over her shoulder. “He’s asleep.”

Sam glanced over Val’s shoulder and saw Danny passed out in his bed. “Oh.” Then, looking at Val again. “I’m just going to wait until he wakes up.”

Val didn’t look surprised. “Yeah, I figured you would.” She stepped aside to allow Sam into the room. “Oh, and Manson?”

Sam threw Val a look over her shoulder. “Yes?”

“I didn’t tell him.”

“I’m always going to be there for you, no matter what.”

“Danny, I lo-"

Waking up was apparently something you had to get used to when you hadn’t had regular amounts of sleep in seven years. Rather than going from completely aware to lightly resting and less aware, Danny was now going from conscious to knocked the fuck out and back again. It was disorienting and not really that pleasant.

But, he decided, if he could keep waking up with Sam’s face hanging over his, he’d be alright with it.

Her face was just as he remembered it. She was wearing less make up now, but he guessed that was to be expected. Her violet eyes were rimmed with red, he could tell she’d been crying for awhile.

And everything in him just wanted to grab her and make everything better for her.

“Hey,” he choked out.

She made a noise between a gasp and a sigh, then wiped the tears from her eyes.

“You okay?” he asked.

She nodded, then bit her lip.

“Sam, I…”

Before Danny could say anything else, Sam reached her hand back, let it fly, and slapped him across the face.

“You son of a bitch!” she screamed before storming out of the room.
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