Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom or any of the characters. Danny Phantom is the sole property of Butch Hartman, Nickelodeon and Viacom International.
Found
Chapter 20: Aftermath
A little later
After getting Dani something to eat from the fridge in the OPT center, the little ghost girl ate as much as she could, even taking some of Jack's emergency ham, much to Jazz's surprise.
Once done, Dani looked to the teenangers.
"More please?..."Dani asked and Danny complied, while Jazz looked surprised.
"How can she still be hungry?..."Jazz questioned.
"Believe me, this is nothing..."Star said, having witness Dani's appetite with more detail.
She almost ate you out of house and home too, huh?" Danny asked.
"Yup." Star said.
Jazz just observed Danielle's eating habits, and noticed how oddly familiar it is.
"Huh? Weird but it seems that she somehow has dad's appetite..."Jazz commented.
"Well...she is my clone..." Danny said, patting his cousin on the head. "So I'm guessing it's all Fenton DNA..."He said.
"That could explain everything..." Jazz pondered
"But even you don't eat as much as she does..."Jazz said.
Danny shrugged. He never really gave Dani's appetite much thought, though he then looked to see the little girl, having finished the entire ham and was now munching on some chips that Sam had given her, just as ravenous as before.
"Vlad must have accidentally taken an unused Jack Fenton gene when he cloned me..." Danny mused.
"Do you really believe that?...'Jazz questioned and Danny shrugged.
A little belch was heard and they turned to see that it came from Dani.
"Dani, what did I say about that?.."Star said in a stern tone.
"Oh right...excuse me...'Dani said sheepishly.
Suddenly Danny's theory was starting to make more sense.
Once done, Jazz wanted to ask more things about Danielle and the little ghost girl loved the chance to get to know her. As the two girls started getting to know each other more, Danny walking over to Star he kissed her on the lips, before giving her an utmost grateful look.
"Thank you..."Danny said and Star knew what he meant.
She smiled as she hugged him, saying these words to him.
"You don't have to thank me for this Danny Boo, it was my pleasure..." Star said placing a light kiss on Danny's lips.
"I have to thank you...you really went out of your way to protect her..."Danny said.
"Hey, I was just doing the right thing...besides, she's a nice kid and your family, of course I had to make sure she was okay..."Star said.
Danny smiled upon hearing that.
He was really happy that his cousin got along so well with his girlfriend and how Star seemed to care so much for her after only knowing her a few days.
Then again, Danny's relationship was the same.
Danny reached out putting a hand on Star's
"You're incredible, you know that, Starlight..." Danny said and Star smiled.
"I know but I love hearing you say it..." She said cutely.
Star and Danny stood up kissing
Tucker and Sam rolled their eyes at the couples romantic moment while Dani elbowed Jazz, the red head looked down at her questionably as Dani started giggling and pointing and she saw what made her laugh.
The sight of her brother lip locking with Star.
A few moments later
The young couple stopped kissing after another moment looking lovingly into each other's eyes...before realizing that the other's were watching.
"So, anyway...how are you feeling Dani?..."Danny asked.
"Better than I have felt in days...no more crazy robots to chase this halfa..."Dani said.
"Yeah and if those half wits even try to pull a stunt like that again, even though it seems unlikely at this point, I am going to deck them again..."Star said as she held her fist up.
"Same here..."Danny said.
"But I get first dibs..."Star said and Dani giggled as she floated over them, all the while she smiled at Star.
"I knew there was a reason I liked you..." Dani said before frowning.
"Which is why it's going to hurt to say goodbye..."Dani said, much to the other's shock.
"What?..."Star exclaimed, while Danny frowned and soon kneeled down to eye level with Danny.
"What do you mean you're going to go?..." Danny asked, not liking this.
"Just as I said. I can't stay..."Dani said and Star shook her head, not wanting this.
"What? No! You can't go! The Guys in White are still out there and Vlad is still out there too..."Star reminded.
"That's why I've got to go..." Dani said as she floated a foot away from Danny.
"What? But Danielle?.."Danny started, but the little ghost girl held out a hand in defense and had a serious look on her face.
"Danny, I know what you are feeling but I can't stay here. As long as I'm here, Vlad can find me and use me to get to you or try to melt me down again..."Dani said and Jazz's eyes widen in horror and fury upon hearing that.
"That Fruitloop tried to do WHAT?!..."Jazz yelled.
The red head might have said more before Sam put a hand on her mouth
"Secret meeting Jazz! Key word "Secret"..." Sam hissed and the red haired girl got the message.
After a tense moment of waiting to see if Danny's parents would come up to see what a bunch of teenagers were doing in their Ops center, Danny looked to Dani and tried to make her reconsider.
"Dani..." Danny said in a gentle tone, as he cupped her face, looking at her in eye level.
"You don't have to leave, please stay..."Danny said and Star stood next to him, nodding.
"Yes, please...we'll take care of you and make sure that monster doesn't get to you..."Star said, not wanting her to leave and go back to the streets.
Dani however, sighed.
"Star, Vlad already tried to melt me once and he'll do it again...besides...I don't want to cause any more trouble for you guys..."Dani said in a guilty tone.
"Stop that, you are NOT trouble Dani, you're family..."Danny said sternly.
"And my friend..."Star added.
"Our friend too..."Sam added and Tucker nodded.
'Yeah kid, besides, who pranks Dash and Paulina is a friend in my book..."The tech geek said and Dani smiled slightly at that, before frowning as she turned to Danny and Star.
"I still can't stay...not while...HE is still around..."Dani said, showing a look of fear on her face.
"But we can't just let you go back to sleeping in the streets and struggling to get food?!..."Star said.
'WHAT?!..."Danny exclaimed.
Dani glared at Star but the blonde girl just sent her a stern look.
"Don't give me that look Danielle, whatever your relationship is, he has a right to know..."Star said.
"So do I..." Jazz added
Before Dani could say anything, she saw the look that Danny was sending her.
"Danielle, is this true?...'Danny asked and Dani sighed, knowing that the cat is out of the bag now.
She nodded.
"Yeah..." Danielle said sheepishly. "I might have lied when I said that I had places to go. It was more like keeping distance between me and Vlad... and I should do that now..."Dani said but Jazz didn't want this.
"But... we just met..." Jazz pointed out, looking unready for her to go.
"I know... but it's lucky Vlad doesn't know I'm here yet..." Danielle said.
"Lousy Vlad, even when he's not here, he ruins everything..."Star said and Danny nodded.
"You can say that again..."Danny said, before he sighing.
He knew that Dani has a right to be afraid. Vlad is dangerous and has already tried to melt her once before and was dangerously close the last time.
"I wish that you could stay Dani...'Danny said.
"Me too..."Star said.
"I do too..."Dani said, recalling that dream she had last night and how much she wishes that it would come true.
"Look, I'll be back when Vlad's no longer a threat..." Dani said.
"I promise that I will find a way to deal with him for good..."Danny promised..
"I know you will..."Dani said with a nod.
That's when Jazz approached her.
"And when that happens...you'll come live with us..."Jazz said.
"Really?.."Dani asked.
"Of course. You are a member of our family and you belong with us..."Jazz said, already becoming protective of the little girl in the brief time that she knew her
"I... I do?..." Danielle asked in a stunned voice.
"Of course..." Jazz insisted.
"Yeah... you belong with us..." Danny said.
"Besides, I am still holding you to that promise you made the other day of being there for any upcoming milestones in my life..."Star said and Danny wondered what she meant by that.
Dani heard this and smiled, almost on the verge of tears of joy...until a thought crossed her mind.
"What about your parents?..."Dani asked.
Danny and Jazz shared a look. There was a moment of silence before Danny spoke up again.
"We'll cross that bridge when the time comes, but promise us that when Vlad is dealt with, you'll come back and stay with us..."Danny said.
Dani smiled as she nodded.
"I promise..."Dani said.
"I do still wish that you didn't have to sleep in the street or sneak into a motel tonight..."Star said and Danny looked upset upon hearing that.
That's when Sam stepped in.
"Maybe she won't have to..."Sam said.
A moment later
Sam grabbed her phone and skimmed through some photo's, before showing the picture of a lake house.
"My family owns a house on the other side of Mount Eerie, about three miles from Camp Skull and Cross bones..."Sam said.
"Really? Why didn't we go there when we were?...'Star asked.
"I said three miles and we...thought that the closest shelter was the cave..."Sam said, still embarrassed.
"What happened?..."Dani asked.
'I'll tell you some other time..."Star said as Dani looked at the picture of the Lake House.
"You sure about this, Sam?..."Danny asked.
"Sure, it works. The lake house actually belongs to my grandma and we don't use it anymore since my parents hate going camping, but it's got utilities and Vlad doesn't know about it because to him we-" Sam waved her hand towards Tucker and herself "are the sidekicks and not important..."The goth said in annoyance.
Dani heard this and rolled her eyes, before nodding in agreement.
"Yeah, I remember that he once told me that you guys are nothing more than the 'little badgers' pawns..." Dani said using air quotes.
"Well, looks like we can use that ego of his against him..."Tucker said and the other's nodded in agreement.
"You guys really mean that I can stay here..."Dani said and Sam nodded.
"Yeah, besides, if not, it's just going to be another tax write off as far as my parents are concern. At least someone will be using it..."Sam said and Dani actually hugged her, and Sam reacted the way she typical does when faced when physical acts of affection.
"Human contact...crushing goth...exterior..."Sam said as Dani kept hugging her.
Star laughed at that, while Danny smiled.
"Okay, so Dani won't be on the streets anymore...that's good, thanks Sam..."Danny said once Dani let her go.
After Sam "recovered" from Danny's hug, the goth girl smiled and nodded.
"No problem..."Sam said.
"So I am going to Mount Eerie..."Dani said.
"And a friend of ours lives there, his name is Wulf. I think you'll like him. He's a werewolf ghost who speaks some old language but he's nice..."Star said, recalling how much he had helped them the last time.
"I'll try and look him up...I'm just happy that I'll have a place to stay for a while..."Dani said.
"It's not going to be forever..."Danny said and Dani nodded.
"I know that I'll be back. Because you're you and you'll beat him..." Dani said with a smile
Dani hugged Danny once more.
Once she let go, she transformed and was about to fly away when Star put a hand on her shoulder.
"Hold on, you're not going anywhere young lady...not without this..."Star said.
Star turned Dani around, holding out a backpack.
"Inside is your disguise, it's also got your toothbrush, some toothpaste, some of my old clothes, a ton of chips and the rest of my allowance for this week, just in case you need it..."Star said.
Even if she has to watch the girl leave, she's not letting her leave empty handed. She just wished that she could give more.
Dani smiled as she took the backpack.
"Thanks Star..."Dani said as she hugged the blonde girl ,who hugged her back.
Sam reached into her purse and handed Dani some cash too.
"Here's some more cash, it'll get you through some meals..."Sam said, also feeling the need to do something.
Tucker handed Dani one of his PDA's.
"Here Dani , so you can keep in touch with your cousin..."Tucker said.
Dani smiled, feeling tears begin to form in her eyes from all this generosity. She wiped it away before expressing her gratitude.
"Thanks guys...'Dani said, before turning to Star.
The little ghost girl hugged the blonde, who didn't hesitate to hug her back.
"Thanks Star, for everything...you took really good care of me.."Dani said.
"Hey, what are friends for..."Star said as she hugged her.
Once she let go, Dani also hugged the others, saying her peace and thanking them for all their help.
Once done, she flew up, but turned around, looking to everyone.
"See ya everyone..." Dani said, turning intangible flying through the window and into the night sky.
Danny frowned, watching her go but knowing why she had to leave didn't mean it hurt any less.
"At least she has a place to stay for now..."Danny thought, trying to convince himself more than anything.
He then noticed the look on Star's face.
Star watched Dani go.
In the short time she knew her, that sweet little girl had worked her way into her heart and Star had a feeling she was going to stay there for a long time.
"Bye Dani..."Star thought as she felt some tears forming in her eyes. Something Danny noticed.
"Star..."Danny said.
"I...I hope she'll be okay..."She said.
"She will be. She's right when she said that the further she is away from Vlad, the safer she'll be..."Danny said.
"I'm going to miss her..."Star admitted.
"We'll see her again soon. I just know it..."Danny said.
"Thanks again for saving her last night...He said.
"You should thank Valerie. Dani and I wouldn't have been able to destroy the White Knight robot without her help..."Star said.
"White Knight? Who names these things?..."Tucker questioned.
He didn't get an answer as Jazz sighed sadly, which her brother noticed.
"You okay?..." Danny asks.
"Yeah... it's just... I always wanted a sister and I have one living on the run..." She responded.
"We actually call each other cousins..." Danny clarified.
"I don't know, Danny..." Star started. "I think you'd be a great big brother... She'd make a great sidekick too..."She said.
Danny blushed, namely at the big brother part.
"You really think so? About the big brother part?..."Danny asked.
"Definitely..." Star and Jazz said.
Danny smiled, before looking out the window, in the direction where Danny left.
"I promise..."He thought.
Later
With the meeting over, everyone decided to go their separate ways and Danny and Star decided they needed some time alone together.
The young couple went to the Nasty Burger to cheer themselves up after Danielle left.
"Here Danny... Nasty Double Deluxe with large fries and a vanilla and cheese shake..."Star said as she handed her boyfriends order of choice.
"Thanks, Star..."Danny said, though he barely nibbled on the food.
"She'll be alright. After all, she takes after you..."Star said and Danny smiled and chuckled at that.
"Yeah...she's a strong kid..."Danny said, smiling fondly as he thought of his sweet little clone/cousin/sister/whatever.
Danny looked at Star, who was currently sipping on her diet cola and smiled at his beautiful girlfriend, who went above and beyond to protect Danielle in the time that he couldn't.
It's almost funny that a few months ago at most, Star hated him and would sooner run from danger the second it showed but now, she faced off against a robot and two cruel men who gave the government a bad name just to save a scared little kid, not caring of whatever dangers she'd have to face in the process.
And all because it was the right thing to do.
"She really is something else..."Danny thought in a loving way as he watched his beautiful and amazing girlfriend eating French fries now.
Star looked up at him and smiled
"What? ..."She asked with a loving smile.
"Nothing, just enjoying the view..."Danny said and Star smiled at Danny.
"Cute Fenton but flattery won't get you everywhere...'Star teased.
"I don't know, it got me you..."Danny shrugged.
Star giggled before giving him a kiss in response, which the half ghost hero reciprocated.
From her place at the counter Valerie smiled watching the sweet moment.
"At least they are happy..."Val thought, before her boss, Third Degree Burns ordered her to go back to work.
Star noticed and still got that feeling.
"Danny..." Star said quietly.
"Yes?..."The boy questioned.
"I wanted to wait until it was just us, because I wanted to avoid more trouble...especially from Sam.."Star said the last part quickly.
"What is it?..." Danny said.
Star took a breath, deciding to get this over with, like pulling off a bandage.
"Valerie knows Danny Phantom is half-ghost..."Star said quickly.
His eyes widened.
"Wait... what?!..."Danny yelped, but Star shushed him and was glad that Val wasn't at the front counter now.
"Yes, she told me last night when we were rescuing Dani and there's a very good chance she suspects it's you..."Star whispered.
Danny gulped.
"Are... you sure?..."He asked nervously.
"I mean... it's not like she outright said it's you... but it seems like she's thinking it..." Star said.
"So... you don't know?..."Danny asked.
"No, it's just what it looks like..." Star said.
"She did look at you when I went to get our orders but she didn't say anything..."Star said.
" I see..."Danny said as he looked at the direction where Valerie had been, deep in thought.
"She also told me that she had a message for you...last night..."Star said.
"Message?..."Danny questioned.
"She said that...she's sorry..."Star said and Danny looked surprised.
"What?..."He asked.
"You heard me. Yesterday, I didn't tell her your secret but I told her that what happened at her dad's lab was an accident and that...you aren't the bad guy she believed you were. I guess something I said to her must have sunk in..."Star said, though how much of it, she is still not sure.
"I..see..."Danny said.
"So, what are we going to do about her?..."Star asked.
She desperately wanted her best friend to stop attacking her boyfriend and any ghost just on the grounds of existing. Danny pondered for a bit before answering.
"For now, let's just keep an eye on her. If she says anything, we'll cross that bridge when we get there..."Danny said.
He and Valerie had always had a interesting relationship, first as classmates, then rival and briefly as lovers, only being allies out of necessity and then going back to her feud against him.
He is not sure what is next, but whatever it is, he'll be ready for it. After all, as he had his Starlight by his side, he can handle anything.
"Okay then..." Star nodded.
As soon as that was finished, they changed the subject.
"So, how was keeping her as a secret house guest?..."Danny asked.
"Pretty good, aside from her appetite..."Star said and Danny laughed.
"It was actually kind of nice and she really is a sweet kid, even if I had to remind her to brush her teeth..."Star laughed.
"It was almost like I was a mom looking after my kid..."She said.
Once those words left her mouth, she covered it with her hands as Danny froze up.
"Uh... what?.."He questioned.
"NOTHING! Nothing!..." She said with a blush.
That's when she remembered something Danielle joked about how she and Danny could have a little girl.
"Star?..." Danny asked.
"I'm fine!..." She lied with a smile as she shook her head to get rid of her warm feeling in her face.
"So... wanna get some ice cream?..." She asked.
Danny looked confused, but shrugged and smiled.
"Sure..."He said as he then walked side by side with her, holding her hands.
"For what you did, my treat..."Danny said.
"I told you that it was my pleasure. Besides, she's your family, Danny. I want ALL of your family to accept me... "Star said.
"They do, especially me...'Danny said as he kissed her on the cheek.
They resumed their walk, celebrating their surviving the weekend, and a small girl they were looking forward to seeing be part of their lives and much more.
Yeah, it was the end to quite an adventure but they know that it's not over and it won't be over until a certain Fruitloop is dealt with and a new addition is added to Danny's family but they were not worry.
Some day soon, Dani would be able to return to them and no longer feel fear.
They'll make sure of it, but for now, they were content with knowing that for right now, she is safe.
For right now, that will have to be enough.
The End
A/N(1): And done :)
Before I continue, I would like to give a very special thanks to NeoMark, BeConFuzzled Writer and 61394 for assisting me in this fic. You guys are the best, there is no doubt about it.
A/N(2):
I would like to personally give a shout out to my totally awesome reviewers for sticking by me since this fic started.
Let's give some love for: 61394, Batguy01, Ben10Man, Chessmasteroftheuniverse, ChrisZilla18, CyberActor15, Danifan3000, Dani Manson, DJ Rodriguez, DVMStarblade, epix Scott1, GothGhostQueen, Guest(1), Guest(2), Guest(3), Invader Johnny, Jebest4781, kilaknux, Leonardo, Luiz4200, Mazamba, NeoMark, Oliver W. K. Twist, PicardNCC1701D, Phantom Fan 21, PhantomJedi240, qazse, Raw Toonage press, sguima, ShadowKingLegette, Sofi Phan 21,Strykir, Tempest86, Werewolf 6 and Wiseguy2415.
Thank you all, you guys are part of the reason I love doing what I do :)
A/N(3):Be on the look out for Bonding, a side story by NeoMark.
For old times sake, here are some REPLIES to my loyal and totally awesome reviewers:
Invader Johnny: You got that right.
DJ Rodriguez, ChristZilla18, Jebest4781: Thank you :)
Danifan3000: Hard to say. I guess we will just have to wait and see...
PhantomFan21: NeoMark just posted a story called Bonding that takes place after this one. Enjoy :)
Luiz4200: LOL!
ShadowKingLegette: Maybe not here, but the STRANDED series isn't over yet. Who knows?
Guest: LOL!
:) It's been a blast, everyone :)