Hello people! So I've been doing nothing but summer work for school as of late - that being the reason why I haven't been online often - and I had this idea pop up during my science work; who knew reading about silicon and the posioner's corridor is inspiring?

Danny Phantom (c) Butch Hartman.

Story belongs to me. That's all I own...Excuse me while I cry...

INNER DEMONS

CHAPTER ONE:

Green and Red

"Monsters are real, ghosts are real, too.

They live inside us, and sometimes they win."

- Stephan King.

Dr. Maddie Fenton yawns, stretching her jumpsuit coated arms over her head until she hears a satisfied pop escape her bones. For hours on end she'd sat there in her uncomfortable, stiff, faux leather chair in front of her brightly lit old-fashioned computer screen, watching the text and imagies closely with a critical eye. Jack - her husband - had gone upstairs around thirty minutes ago claiming; "My eyes are sore, Madds, I'm gonna hit the hay. You should catch some sleep, too! Us Fentons have to be ready for the morning!" She had shrugged him off, having said some excuse that had appeared off the top of her head. It was probably one that only Jack Fenton would believe. Maddie loved him with all her heart but she could admit that her husband - as sweet and caring as he may be - wasn't the brightest man around town.

Although he does have his moments, Maddie thinks with a smile.

It was sometimes unrealistic their - hers, her husband's and their kid's - lives. The nut-job family who everyone thought were geniuses in the idiot category were right about the existence of the supernatural and their origins. The Fentons are right. Now the people of Amity Park believes in everything Maddie and Jack say in regards to ghosts; how they are formed, the dangers they bring, and the very essence they bring. Or they did, until that Phantom kid popped up out of seemingly no where - based on her research that she was currently revising and editing - and made the town think, once again, that the Fentons had no clue about the real world.

The thought made her blood boil underneath her skin. Danny Phantom, that ghost kid menace, is making a mockery of the Fenton couple in front of the entire town with just a simple witty remark - or banter, if you ask Phantom - that causes men and women alike to laugh at the couple's antics. Phantom was too innocent and childish to realize what the effects those remarks cause; humiliation. Sure, he does that to everyone he's up against - ghosthunters, ghosts, and the occasional human criminal - just to tick them off, but those ghosts go back to the Ghost Zone and it's done; the Red Huntress goes back home and the other ghosthunters go back to where they came from, to tell newspapers and write articles about the encounter; and the human criminal gets sent to jail, end of story. But everyone knows the Fentons, and everyone knows where the family lives because of the large FentonWorks sign on their doorstep.

No escape for them.

Maddie rubs her amethyst-colored eyes with her black-gloved hand, a small groan escaping her lips. This was tiring, too tiring for anyone to handle at two in the morning. At least she thinks it's two - the clock on the computer was off - it was probably somewhere along the same lines.

The article on the computer stares back at her, it was written by some unknown scientist from California, the large title catching her eye again and again. Hybrids in The Animal Kingdom. Jack had found it earlier, had enthused about how they could connect animals to ghosts and it would still be the same regardless of some minor differences. She had believed him full-heartedly as usual and agreed to read it.

It was good, she supposed, it held information and taught her some things she hadn't known prior. But unlike her husband, she hadn't found it all that interesting. Not that she'd ever admit it to him of course, Jack would be heartbroken for days until a ghost popped up.

Upstairs the front door opens, the door's hinges creaking loudly. Maddie hops up out of her seat, pulls an ecto-gun from a pocket, and dashes up the stairs leading to the kitchen. There, she walks quietly to the living room where the front door is located. What she sees shocks her mentally.

There in front of her is her son, Danny, hugging his side with blood coated hands. Harsh, sallow breaths escape his pale lips which turn up in a weak grin when he notices her, "Hey, mom," He says in-between pants, "What are you doing up?"

"Danny!" Maddie practically shrieks, dropping the ecto-gun unconsciously, rushing towards her son, "Oh, sweetie! What happened? Did someone do this?" She questions, checking him over for any other injuries; she finds none besides the obvious one on his side. Relief washes over her features before panic once again joins. Her baby boy was hurt by something, no one could've hurt themselves like this on accident. It was impossible.

Baby-blue eyes blink rapidly, "Mom, I'm fine, it's nothing," He says, attempting to push back her caring hands with one of his own, Maddie looks at him like he said something ridiculous. In reality it was a mixture of both. He was fine, he's had worse; comparing this to the time he broke his leg this was barely a scratch. Ghost hunting hardly ever left you without a few 'rewards' after all.

"Danny, it's not nothing," Maddie scolds, "You could've damaged some bones for all I know, or worse even."

He sighs, "Mom-"A

"-Stop it, honey, at least let me check you over! After all your still my baby even after some developments-"

"-It's not that."

Maddie sighs, rubbing both his arms gingerly, "Then what is it? Sweetie, you can tell me anything, you know. I'm always here for you." She says, brushing back his raven-black bangs out of his face. He shakes her off, his posture tense; this surprises her completely, Danny didn't look in any way calm, he looks like he's expecting her to pull a gun on him any second now. But that couldn't be true, her head was saying, he should feel safe.

He's home, in his mother's arms, he should feel safe and sound. But he isn't. Danny looks cautious, on edge even, with narrow blue eyes and rigid lips; a look that no fifteen-year-old should know how to do, a look that they shouldn't be able to make believable. But he somehow did, the son of ghosthunters - Maddie and Jack Fenton - can make this look easily.

"Yeah," Danny finally says with a sigh, "I know."

"Then why don't you tell me what happened after I clean you up? Wouldn't want you to loose more blood."

For some reason he laughs, allowing her to take him to the couch. The raven-haired boy sits down with a wince escaping him, some crimson-blood drips on the purple-carpet floor soundlessly before disappearing, the carpet having soaked it up like a sponge. Maddie walks towards a cabinet, pulling out an average-sized first aid kit with a neon-green plus sign instead of the customary red, she carries it carefully over to her son - who was resting his head against a pillow - and begins to bandage him up with careful, gentle hands. Danny bites his lip as she disinfects the wound, not making a sound.

"You know it's okay to tell me if it hurts," Maddie says, dabbing it lightly. No response. With a sad sigh, she motions towards his shirt, "Okay, you have to take your shirt off."

"I can't."

She stands up, hands firmly on her hips, "And why not?"

"It's late," Danny says, standing up quickly, "And I have school in the morning," Maddie raises an eyebrow at him, her face the very image of disbelief. She very much doubts that school of all things is what Danny's worried about, his grades were down the toilet and he hardly ever turned in any assignments besides the one's done in class - which Mr. Lancer continuously says to her over the phone - given the right amount of time. The school's teachers have long since agreed on the reason as to why Danny's grades and regular tardies - if the boy even showed up at all on some days - they concluded that the youngest Fenton was involved in a gang of some kind or that he was on some sort of drug. The latter always made Maddie scoff; like her son would ever do that!

Danny wasn't the perfect student ever but that still wasn't a reason for them - people who probably didn't even now him - to make those accusations about him. And for them to have the guts to come to the Fenton couple and say to them, "We think your son, Danny, is in a gang or is on drugs!" She had wanted nothing more to defend her son against those harsh words but how would she? She, his mother, didn't even know the actual reasons why his grades dropped drastically over the last three years, nor did she know what her son did when he wasn't home. The only thing she did know was that Danny seemed to always, always be with his two best friends, Sam Manson and Tucker Foley. But as of late it seemed his older sister, Jazz, was around the trio more often now.

"Fine, you put the bandage on yourself but if you can't manage, come, and I'll do it. Sound okay?" Maddie says finally, Danny nods eagerly before grabbing the bandage out of her open hand.

"Thanks, mom, night," He says, stretching slightly to kiss her left cheek. He skids up the stairs and into his room quickly, the soft sound of his door opening and closing echoing through the quiet household.

Maddie sighs, shaking her head; causing her short, brown hair to tickle her face. Danny was fine, he's breathing, he's talking. He's fine, her mind kept chanting through her head as she places everything back into it's proper place. Her son was fine, wasn't in the best mood usually but what teenager ever is? It's just apart of life, nothing can change that. Heck, she remembers her teenage years, she wasn't the best student either but still managed to get accepted into college where she met Jack and his best friend, Vlad Masters.

It's just a phase. It'll pass.

With that, Maddie heads back town the stairs to continue her work because of her retched insomnia, sleeping wasn't her top priority at the moment.

Jazz Fenton - the eldest Fenton child and psychologist-in-the-making - wasn't surprised when Danny burst into her room with some injury, she was surprised however when he phased through the door in ghost mode and started shaking her roughly awake even though she already was. This had been going on for five minutes before his emerald-green eyes noticed her own turquoise one's glaring at him. He - staying in Phantom mode - laughs lightly, a red-green blush crossing his face as he rubs the back of his neck.

"Uh...whoops?" Danny says lamely, his ghost mode's natural, eerie, echo-y voice making his words clear.

"Danny, what do you want?" Jazz asks, sitting up, clicking the lamp on her beside table on, "It's-" She glances at her charging cell phone, "-three in the morning and, as much as I love your company, it's not that pleasing to see you on a school night."

The ghost boy rolls his eyes, "Well aren't you peppy in the night...er...morning...um...whatever it is," He retorts lamely, crossing his arms over his black-and-white chest. Jazz ignores the comment as usual and pulls him down on her bed.

"Come on, I know you didn't come for a therapy lesson or a bandage-me-up-Jazz situation, so, what's up?""Mom's getting closer to a lot of things," Danny begins, transforming back into his human half, "I just phased down to see what she was doing and she was looking up hybrids," He says, worry and fear crossing his eyes quickly before they vanish just as fast, "She's getting close, Jazz."

"It was bound to happen eventually, little brother, we both know that."

"But it's happening now, I'm not ready for that," He says, "In any way possible. What if she thinks that ghost-human-hybrids are evil? God knows what'll happen then! I could be forced to flew into the Ghost Zone, be forced to become lair-mates with the Box Ghost, stay there until I become full ghost, leaving you and everyone else behind while Vlad has a fruitloop crowning ceremony-"

Jazz groans silently as her brother lists the things that'll probably only happen in his mind. He was overthinking things as usual - a habit he had picked up over the past few months - and was turning a blind eye towards the possible situations that may happen. What he was saying was not what Maddie Fenton would ever do to her only son and youngest child, yes, she was a scientist at heart but she was also their mother, that'll always come first. It was a maternal instinct that every mother has; that's what one of Jazz's books had said. If their mom didn't accept Danny for what he was, which is a slim but possible chance, then every book on parenting is wrong. Which is very unlikely.

Now, the seventeen-year-old girl both knew her mom and her brother very well up to the point where she made files on both of them. Neither would harm the other without having a firm belief to do so, that being a common trait between the two. Danny - when he realized people were overshadowed - shot both his parents, in an attempt to knock the ghost out of them, but neither Maddie or Jack were and they didn't know what Danny knew so they took the ecto-blasts as a threat. That ecto-blast beginning the 'war' between the Fentons and a Phantom, and poor Danny was stuck between the two.

"-Sam would be a cheerleader, Valerie would become Lady of the Red in another civilization-" Danny continues, making dramatic gestures with his hands.

Things - if Jazz were to be honest - would be a lot easier if their parents knew the truth about Danny Fenton and Danny Phantom. Neither Danny, Sam, Tucker, or herself would ever have to lie to the Fenton couple again; Danny would be relived of one major stress; Team Phantom - or as Jazz called it, The Ghost Getters - would have full access to the Fenton Weapons and Ghost Portal more than usual; and Maddie and Jack could help Sam and Tucker by saying to their parents that they were sleeping over while they were, in truth, in another dimension with the Fenton children.

Yes, things would be nice and calm but it's always calm before the storm; the nasty, bone-shattering storm that always, always happened at the beginning of good things for Team Phantom. Freakshow, Ember, Skulker, Vlad, him, Guys In White, ect. The list goes on and on for miles on end.

Something always got in the way.

It wasn't always bad; it made things more interesting and so much more energizing. It makes you feel alive, but it also makes you feel like a fantasy character in a book. Things are so unrealistic that sometimes you even don't believe it, but yet here you are; standing in front of it, breathing it all in, while your mind is screaming it's wrong in every possible way. But you love it in every impossible way.

That's what it had felt like when Jazz fist joined the ghost-fighting-trio consisting of Danny, Sam, and Tucker. At first she had just wanted to help Danny out in any way she could, be it fighting him or cheering for him on the sidelines. She'd wanted to do something for him to show him she would always be there. But never in a million-years would Jazz ever think that her brother would trust her enough to invite her on the team to fight with him.

"-Lord Fruitloop! HA! Then Freakshow comes back a third time and vows revenge on clowns for some reason-"

Danny, having his heart on his sleeve, would ask their parents to join Team Phantom but if they said 'no' poor Danny would feel guilty and blame himself. He - having that stupid hero complex - would think that someone was forcing his parents to say no, and then he'd fly off and fight whoever did it.

"-Frostbite throws a party, Dora somehow turns into a dude, Clockwork-"

"-Danny! Enough!" Jazz finally interrupts the rambling boy, "What on earth goes on in that head of yours...?"

"I don't really know, a bunch of things pop in and out," Danny responds with a small shrug saying what-can-I-do-it's-not-my-fault.

Sighing, the red-head rubs her forehead with her thumb and index finger; "Okay, later, you and I are going to have a therapy lesson. But right now we need to think of a plan on what to do and how to handle it the best way we can."

"Cool, I'll tell Sam and Tuck tomorrow. Night, Jazz," Danny says, giving his sister a quick hug before he literally disappears in front of her like a ghost; Jazz mentally face-palms at the clique pun, she'd been spending way too much time with her ghost obsessed family as of late. She loved them but seriously when they said "the apple doesn't fall far from the tree" they were not joking.

Yawning, Jazz glances at her charging phone once again - the time reading three fifty - before she clicks off her lamp, snuggles back in her currently pink bed and attempts to fall asleep. Eventually she does with much twisting and turning, kicking and punching at the thick covers.

It's stupid, this is stupid, Danny thinks silently; flopping down onto his bed belly-first - having already changed into his pajamas - and stretching to un-tense his stiff back somewhat. Not surprisingly, it doesn't help him in the slightest. Nothing in regards to secrets and parents makes sense to him; how could it? They - his parents - could very easily disown him as they could also accept him. The two thoughts seeming to fight to see who would win his opinion on the matter.

One thing that always, always wins in the battle of thoughts is the feeling of unfairness.

He - a fifteen-year-old boy who barely even knows the first name of his teacher - got stuck on this line between the Human World and the Ghost Zone on accident, had to become a superhero to stop ghosts from hurting his hometown, and is constantly being hollered at by both his enemies and teacher alike. His friends and sister sometimes do yell at him for some things like; "why didn't you answer your phone?" or, "Oh my god, Danny! We aren't your sidekicks!" That's fine; everyone gets mad now and then, having the need to let off some steam somehow. It's not like it hurt him all that much; having grown up with those three he knew when they were serious and when they were joking. During those 'pissed off moments' they never really looked mad, no, they looked mad when Vlad had shown up last month.

Danny runs a hand through his unruly, raven-black hair, yawning as he does so. Might as well get some sleep, he thinks, only Clockwork knows when my ghost sense would go off.

An all too familiar wisp of icy-blue escapes his lips, vanishing quickly. Danny groans, jumping into the air while he mentally summons the white-blue transformation rings to appear around his waist, they appear in a bright flash before one travels up towards his head and the other towards his feet. Raven-black becomes snow-white, baby-blue becomes emerald-green. In a literal flash where Danny Fenton once hovered; Danny Phantom floats in place, his legs morphing into a ghostly tail unconsciously as he phases through his wall and across town.

Amity - once you got past the large amount of ghost attacks and smashed cars being the victims of Jack Fenton's driving - was a pretty nice place. Pretty tall buildings for a town, multiple parks, small population. It was nice enough compared to other places.

Cold, sharp air hits Danny's face as he focuses on flying through the darkened, night sky. Normally to him; flying was heaven, especially in the night when it was quiet and empty out. Maybe he would fly around a bit later after he sends the ghosts back to the Ghost Zone.

"Hopefully," Danny mumbles quietly to himself, "It's just the Box Ghost with his oh-so-scary bubble wrap of doom."

"Seems like your hopes aren't going to become a reality today, Phantom," An unfamiliar voice says loudly; a silky accent dripping from the words. The ghost boy blinks, turning around, looking for the source of the voice.

"Who is that?" He questions.

"Oh, me?" The voice - now sounding feminine - asks in response, "You know me already, don't you?"

Danny ponders this for a minute, shaking it off quickly, "Never heard a voice like that in my entire life," He says bluntly, crossing his arms over his black-and-white jumpsuit covered chest. A female, humanoid ghost appears in front of him in a swirl of navy-blue; she glares at him with glowing, stormy-grey colored eyes.

"Here's a hint for your teenage head; I'm the warden's daughter, and I'm here to ruin, well, everything for you, Phantom. How's that sound to you?"

"One, who knew Walker had a kid...ew, mental image, I do not need that," Danny shudders, "Two, that's a no-can-do, I already have several people waiting in line for that. Hate to waste their time."

The female ghost's eyes flash brightly, her pale-lips thinning, "Ghost boy, I'm not kidding in what I say, I can turn everything upside-down; the past, the present, and the future. I can change them so much that even Clockwork himself would be impressed," She says, "He would be impressed and you would be among the list of the dead."

Phantom laughs at her, "I seriously doubt that. Clockwork's rarely ever impressed or surprised, for your information."

"Stars can fall to dust, people - hundreds of them - could be slaughtered, this pathetic world could be split apart and he wouldn't even blink. Nothing is important to him. All he sees is possibilities and outcomes; all he ever wants is lost in time; all he is, is matter. That's all, nothing more, nothing less. The time master, man in the moon, it's him; the man who never does anything but watch, always watching."

"Are you trying to impress me? Because, frankly, your failing to."

Surprisingly, she laughs, "You stupid Phantom, I don't need to impress you, I just need to distract you," She says, a grin stretching across her face.

"What?"

A green blast hits the black-and-white suited ghost squarely on his back, causing him to cry out but otherwise staying still. Phantom's ghost sense whisps out of his mouth. Emerald-green eyes flash into an icy-blue shade, his unknown ghostly opponent behind him freezing, just as quickly the female ghost in front of him rockets towards him, using the force of the impact to her advantage. Both of them slam roughly onto the cement road - small pieces of rubble coating their clothing - she stand up first, placing a foot on top of his chest.

"How does it feel, Phantom, to be underneath someone?" She asks, placing more pressure on her foot.

Danny rolls his eyes, powering up an ecto-blast in the palm of his hand and shooting her off him. Her back hits the wall of a nearby building with a sickening crack, she laughs surprisingly, standing up easily. The ghost boy's eyes widen slightly in shock before he shakes it off quickly, shooting another ecto-blast towards her. A bright blue orb acting as a shield surrounds her, it absorbs the ecto-blast easily.

Thinking quickly, Danny blasts the shield with blue beams of ice - the ice freezes every inch of the shield smoothly. The female ghost phases out, frost coating her eyelashes and hair.

"Oh, would you look at that?" Danny comments, "A snow pixie!"

"Says the half-ghost with the height of a ten-year-old."

"Hey!"

Wasting no time, she blasts him with a purple-pink beam; "There you go," she says, smiling slightly, "My work here is done." Danny blinks, confusion clear in his eyes at her words. Her work is done? That makes no sense! - he thinks, - God, when was the last time anything made sense.

Another blast hits him square in the back.

"Got you now, Ghost-Boy!" a too-familiar voice calls out loudly, Danny turns. There in front of him is his mom - Maddie Fenton - in all her black-and-blue jumpsuited glory in front of him, holding a large weapon with the famous Fentonworks 'F' on the side. He sees his mom in front of him, she sees a ghost in front of her.

Please tell me what you think!