Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Today was the day I’ll tell my parents, tell them I’m Phantom. I had Sam and Tucker on speed dial and on standby in case something went wrong. I was ready!... I hoped. I calmly walked down the stairs to the lab and cleared my throat.

Trying to tame my anxiety, I have come out once, what’s one more time. Breathe, they will not kill me. Breathe. They might be mad but that’s ok. It can’t hurt me more than it hurts them learning years of lies. Breathe. If by the smallest chance they reject me and try to hurt me, all I have to do is dial four for Sam. She has Tucker with her. I’m safe with them.

Jazz is upstairs from college from visiting to make sure this goes well.

Mom looked up at me with a loving, gentle smile. "Yes, sweetie?"

I stuttered as I asked them. "He-y, there's something I need to tell you w-would you and Dad mind me coming down?" My parents’ concern and worry was evidently coming off of them in waves.

"Sur–” Mom was interrupted by a loud bang on the closed doors to the Fenton Portal.

"Open up! Ghost Zone Police!" The irritatingly familiar voice of Warden Walker boomed through the walls god not now.

I felt my blood boil at what my mom said next. "Ghosts aren't complex enough to have governments, much less police!" breath I tell myself.

"One last chance to come peacefully, Dr. and Dr. Fenton!" Walker threatened as a much louder bang slammed the door. Wait, my parents? What does he want with my parents, why them? isn't he always after me?

My dad jumped, grabbing an anti-ghost bazooka from under one of the research tables crying "not a chance spook!!!" And pointing it at the door. My mom pulled out her lipstick laser and quickly handed it to me.

"Better safe than sorry sweetie!" My mom said too sweetly after the vile things she just said about ghosts. Then she grabbed her ghost buster pistol and pointed at the door.

It then burst into a trillion pieces of shrapnel as what looked like 30 or so ghost zone police officers busted down the door. shit! I turn and look for a place to go ghost without being spotted. I need to save my parents no matter what they think of ghosts they just don’t know better.

All the officers pointed a mixture of ecto-rifles and batons at my parents,many rounds were aimed at my parents but none hit me. Strange and concerning, I got to figure out how to help them. Then busts in two ghost zone police department vans on standby with their back seats open ready for their prisoners.

My mom shot , first naturally, and got three guards with one pistol shot by carefully aiming to line two up at once and so ricochet through another before 6 officers jumped on her and roughly wrested her to the ground, cuffing her hands behind her back.

My dad shot and got three guards. After the cops cuffed mom, it took twelve ghosts to subdue and cuff him as well.

"Dr. and Dr. Fenton you are under arrest for child abuse, child endangerment, assaulting a minor with a dangerous weapon, and littering" Walker said with his smooth southern accent. "Daniel you are required to come with us, as you are being removed from your birth parents care, come peacefully or we will have to cuff you too." He said with a smug voice walking as if he owned the place towards me.

"Yeah and you what army?" I said as a total of thirteen officers jumped on me and cuffed me as I watched Walker walk over and sign some paperwork an officer held as he sighed and walked over to my parents.

"You have a right to remain silent. Anything you say or do may be used against you in a court of the Observants" he said, smiling with far too many teeth as he hit her hard enough that she went out like a light.

Chapter Text

I awoke in what appeared to be a police van. ’Where am I?’ I thought as my eyes settled on my beloved husband Jack - still out cold. Then it slowly came back to me: a ghost claimed to be an officer of the law and attacked us after Danny said he had something important to tell us…

"Where's Danny, where is my son?!?!" I all but screamed.

From the front I heard, "In the other squad car now! Quit your whining!" A harsher Boston accent echoed voice chimed the words then he said "we are almost at Observant HQ for your trial"

"Trial for what exactly?" I questioned. "Being a hunter? Being a scientist? What is my so-called crime?"

"Child abuse, child endangerment, assaulting a minor with a dangerous weapon, and littering."

"Child abuse?!?! What are you talking about? I haven’t abused any child!" I screamed at him.

"The court disagrees with you, anyways the detective wants to speak to you." He said as I heard the vehicle's door open and him getting out of the vehicle and towards the back doors of the van as he picked me and Jack up by the cuffs.

We were then dragged, kicking and screaming, out of the van and into what appeared to be an observatory and a courthouse mixed together.

As we got through the front doors into a grand hallway we were led through a series of doors. I carefully tracked the twists and turns. Until we finally reached a small room that looked like a police interrogation room. Inside it awaited a blue ghost with white hair pulled into a tight bun, cat eye glasses, a black pencil skirt, red eyes, and freckles.

Jack finally began stirring as we were sitting by the table and as he looked around said, "It wasn't a dream?"

The ghostly approximation of a woman cleared her throat. "I assume you know why you were brought here and what you're on trial for?" She looked at us with seeming disgust as if we were the worst thing she ever put her eyes on.

"Yes but there must be some kind of mistake! We've never committed any form of child abuse!" I replied feeling myself filled with venom as she adjusts her glasses.

She opens the manilla folder in front of her and pulls out photos of Phantom with a variety of photos of injury and x-rays of a skeletal structure.

"You see these are photos of injuries you caused Mr. Phantom, there are three different ribs broken in this photo alone, not to mention all the burns and scrapes you caused him!" Her bun briefly turned to flames before she took a breath she didn't need before saying, "he's going to be taken away from you, so stop lying to yourselves if you want your boy back."

"Phantom isn't our responsibility. But our son, is where is Danny Fenton? F-E-N-T-O-N ." Jack says to this insufferable woman.

The woman in frustration says, "bring in the camera footage!" And what appears to be a teenaged ghost opens the door and wheels in an AV cart and she takes a VHS from the folder and puts it in the TV.

It's a video of Danny, he's standing there in a Casper high school hallway and screams “going ghost” as white rings crisscross his body and there stands Danny Phantom…" No! That can't be right! How did this happen? What kind of trick is this?!?!"

"How did you think your stupid portal changed him when it turned on with him inside, did you really think that would have no effect?!?! he's halfa - a half-ghost!" She said, slamming her hands on the table.

I look at Jack as all the blood drains out of his face. "But Danny boy loves us. He wouldn't not tell us, right?"

She then fast forwards on the tape then starts it again "I'll rip the ghost boy apart molecule by molecule," said by Jack how many times.

We sat there in stunned silence not knowing what came next.

Chapter Text

"Would someone please tell me what's going on?!" I said as I tried to slam my head back into the guard taking me some place. "Here we are, " I am led into a room that looks like a kindergartens’ classroom; toys in pens, doll houses and a small art table where I was instructed to sit down. I resisted but was told "if you want to see your parents, sit down and speak to your case worker. She will be here soon."

I tried to get up and run to the door but I slammed straight into the door. Wait, am I in my human form? Why is this room not letting me phase out… Oh god this place is meant to hold humans AND ghosts, I realized as I get ready to wail on this door.

I heard the door on the opposite side open. I saw a short curvy ghost with freckled blue skin, long black hair, a purple pinstripe suit, gold eyes, and cat-eyed glasses. "Hello! My name is Mrs Katherine Katline but you can call me Mrs Kat and I'll be your caseworker. How are you doing today, Mr Phantom, and do you know why you're here?"

I answered, letting my confusion and frustration come through "Well,no Mrs Kat considering I was kidnapped by Walker yet am not in a jail cell, not a clue!"

She looked at me… Sympathetically? As she pulled out a manila folder as she sat across from me. "Well your parents have been charged with child abuse, child endangerment, assaulting a minor with a dangerous weapon, and littering. Before we continue we need to ask you a few questions."

"WAIT WHAT?!?! What do you mean my parents are being charged with child abuse?" I feel my voice rising with each word, it kinda makes sense, they do neglant me and Jazz sometimes but this is the last thing I want.

"Calm down, Mr Phantom. We are aware this will upset you, but due to your liminal status, it was an issue of if we could charge your parents that caused your case to be delayed for so long." She said as she grabbed my hands with a soft sympathy in her eyes.

"Walker really is a brute, handcuffing a child that's in duress. I'll take the chain off so you can move your arms freely. Try not to be too mad at us while I do this ok?"

I huffed and stuck my hands out as she took a card out of her purse and swiped it across the surface of the cuffs. A little keypad popped out and punched in a code I couldn't see from this angle. The glowing green chain fell on the table.

"What are your questions, Mrs Kat?" I said as I narrowed my eyes at her, not fully trusting her or this place. I mean walker brought me here why should I?

"You understand your parents shooting at you knowing you’re their son or not is wrong right?"

"Well of course, ghosts are just…People with supernatural powers. We don't deserve to be destroyed because we're different." I said shifting nervously.

"Good, what do you know of spectral law?" Mrs Kat said, giving a kind smile despite her shark-like teeth. 

“The rules Walker makes up?" I said, not really understanding why she was asking me this.

"Walker's rules only apply in this territory as the Observants gave him he can only arrest outside his territory with the Observant's permission like now, I’m talking about universal ghost-zone law."

I feel very confused. "Do those exist?"

"Oh boy! We have a lot to discuss before or after you’re assigned a guardian during trial. Do you want to wait on lor-" she was interrupted by a ringing sound coming from her… Bracelet? "He's here? Oh boy, I am nervous to meet him!" I heard a click on the bracelet. She seemed Both nervous and giddy.

She then looked me in the eye and told me. "An Ancient taking in anyone is unheard of, but you halfas are so rare nowadays I can't blame them for taking an interest in you!"

"Who… Is it?" I ask as the door pushes open and I see Clockwork enter.

Chapter Text

After a two hour long arduous wait after our apparent defense lawyer.

An approximation of a woman with freckled blue skin, short black hair, red eyes, square glasses, and a lean muscular build with a gold a green plaid suit.

It spoke cheerfully in a single breath, “Hello I’m Virginia Katline. I am your defense attorney, sorry for the delay I had other clients to go through first," before continuing with.

"Now before you ask, your case in a bad way, really bad we aren't really avoiding a sentence for you it's not happening,. we are arguing for a lighter sentence." She said slowly getting grimmer by the moment. I felt my veins run cold with ice as each word came through seeing how dire the situation was.

"At best Danny can live with you with check-ins, in the middle is visitation rights, and at worst total removal and you could no longer see your son from your care so your cooperation is a must if you want to keep seeing your son." She finished her monologue.

"What can we do?" Jack hesitantly asked.

"Well, in court show how sorrowful you are, play it up even! Really the only thing that really helps your case to start with is the fact Danny wants to stay with you." Virginia spoke with an obviously fake cheerful tone.

A grim thought occurred to me and I had to ask, “Wait, if we are being charged with child endangerment and such, where is Danny going to stay?!” I admittedly said in a panicked tone.

“Mr. Phantom will be staying with his most ancientness, one of sealers of Pariah Dark, the time piece of fate, Clockwork. It was quite a surprise when such a powerful, ancient, and notable being volunteered to care for the boy; he has never shown interest in guardianship of any other ghost. ” It spoke with what sounded like reverence and admiration, strange, very atypical, I wonder what that means by all those titles. 

It spoke again with, “I’m surprised by the look on your faces you haven't heard of him he is so steeped in so much spectral lore. But now is the time to give you the basics of what the case is built on including witnesses.”

“The witnesses are one the ghost side: Nicolai Technus, Jacob Walker,Ember Mcclain,Johnny Wiseguard “13” , Alphones “Wulf” Wolfgang, Noelle “Lunchlady” Summer, Dick “Boxghost” Smith, Danielle “El” Phantom, and a few humans as well who are credible witness Jazz Fenton, Sam Manson,Tucker Foley, and William Jacob Lancer.” she said before gulping down more air while ghosts do not need to breathe they do need it to talk.

Wait human witnesses how and why can the be human witnesses wait do they have Jazz,

“Now here’s what you need to know next” …

Chapter Text

My son, who me and Mads thought was afraid of ghosts, was that despicable ghost boy? 

My son is a ghost… or at least part-ghost. As I looked around the courtroom, I saw ol' Danny boy with a ghost that oozes power and smugness, apparently that's Clockwork. He’s cloaked purple and looks down at what seems to look like a pocket watch.

As the judge stands up a 12 foot tall man with one single eye wearing white and gold robes, most of what I can assume is the jury looks like a human sized version of him.

There are many ghosts I recognize from their attacks on my home here, but there are some unfamiliar faces here… Are those yetis? I shake my head to stop getting distracted from all this.

I heard a gavel smacking against wood that silenced the chatter in court. "The Infinite Realms court is now in session." He spoke as if he had done it its whole life.

"This is Fentons versus Infinite Realms, prosecutor begin." With a dull thud of the gavel spoke the largest eyed creatures.

The ghostly blue ghost with freckles from earlier came forward and told everyone, 

“Good morning, my name is Margaret Walma Katline and I am the prosecutor in this case. It is my pleasure to represent the people of this state. On July 27th, 2006,” all said with one breath before the woman continued.

“The defendants in this case, Dr and Dr Fenton, are being brought before the jury for child abuse and littering. This includes everything from forgetting to feed Mr. Daniel James Fenton- Phantom, belittling his mental health and shooting him with dangerous weapons.” 

Margaret Williams stopped for the briefest moment to eye everyone in court. “Child endangerment includes but is not limited to; leaving caustic chemicals in the open, leaving armed weapons out, and finally assaulting a minor with a dangerous weapon Dr and Dr shoot and Mr Phantom on numerous occasions with ecto-rifles, pistols and other various weapons, and littering by sending probes into the ghost zone and just leaving them there.”

Margaret Williams finished with, “Dr and Dr Fenton were born with a hatred of ghosts and should have never have been left in charge of this halfa. At the conclusion of the case we will ask for a verdict of guilty of the highest degree on Dr and Dr Fenton.”

With Each word coming from her, feelings of guilt, despair, and fear filled me as I learned my poor boy might be taken away from being trapped into this dangerous and hateful realm. I know me and Mads messed up a lot but we love and care for our kids.

Maddie grabs my hand and I see her anger, pain, and defiant tears streaming down her face. I hold her hand with both of mine in an attempt to comfort her. She smiles briefly before her face contorted in pain and guilt again.

“Hello I’m the defense in this case, I’m Virginia Katline lawyer of 68 years and I have been chosen to defend the Fentons in this case.” She spoke in a cheerful tone adjusting her square glasses as she continued with,“While the Fentons have mistreated Mr. Phantom in the past, I’d argue it's more detrimental to his health to remove him from his parents as they are a part of his obsession.” Oo boy I’m not liking this,we’re a part of his obsession? What is his obsession? More questions filled my mind. Mads had to nudge me to refocus myself. Ms. Virginia Katline continued with the following.

“I’m not, however saying there will not have to be adjustments to both Mr. Phantoms and the Fentons life styles. But for the sake of Mr. Phantom’s obsession, trying to compromise between the two is critical.” She put great emphasis on the word compromise, which made my stomach do flips. What do these ghosts want to make us do? Stop studying, researching, and hunting ghosts, where will the lines in the sand be drawn?

I dare to look over at Danny boy. He looks frightened and nervous and starts fidgeting, when the figure known to me and Mads as some spook named Clockwork puts his hand on my son’s shoulder and gives a knowing…Smile to Danny. My boy leans in to the touch and curls his arms as they seemed… Close. Closer than I or Mads have been to him in years.

Who was that ghost and how did he know our son? Ms. Virginia Katline said we would have supervised talks with our son with that Clockwork present. As well as guards and a bullet/ecto blast proof glass between us. I notice Maddie, my lovely Maddie, looking at him and seeming to think the same things.

The prosecutor then called the first of eight ghost witnesses, “I call for an interview on the stand, Noelle “The Lunch Lady” Summer. 

The prosecutor, Ms. Margaret Katline, asked her to state her full name and occupation.

The Lunchlady started with, “My full name is Noelle Summer, but I go by The Lunch Lady. I’m a full time pediatric dietitian. I also volunteer at the Anigma High to mass cook and freeze the food for the children to eat at a later date.” She said as sweetly as a grandma, though I do know what a terror she can be.

“Ms. Summers, why did you file a complaint about the Fentons?” The prosecutor, Ms. Margaret Katline, questioned.

The Lunchlady answered with, “Despite my multiple attempts to help dear Danny find a better diet, he was always too suspicious to take my advice. Ever since our first encounter, dear Danny hasn't gained pound! In fact, he has lost weight despite being a growing16 year old boy. He should be growing fast, not growing slowly or not at all in his case.” Taking a single breath before continuing with,

“Whether or not his parents knew about him being halfa or not, they should have spotted the weight loss and lack of growth. They should be concerned.And when I asked him about it he said and I quote, “They don’t notice when their own son is a ghost, why would they notice anything healthwise?” She said as she gave me and Mads side eye.

Her words, and quite possibly Danny’s words, stuck like a bee sting, directly to the heart. Did he really think we didn’t notice? We tried giving him more food and reminding him to eat and encouraged him to eat more.  Did he really think we didn't notice and try to help him?

Ms. Virginia Katline then  asks her questions for the Lunchlady, “Ms. Summers, is it possible that instead of being neglected, Mr. Daniel Phantom instead had an eating disorder causing the weight loss and other health effects you noticed?”

I heard Danny start to complain that he doesn't in fact have an eating disorder. But several people shush him and he stares grumply forward.

The Lunchlady answered, “I suppose, but I’m not a psychiatrist. He would need to see a mental health specialist to know for sure.” She started questioning herself it seems.

The Judge called a recess for the day after a small amount of less notable back and forth. Ms. Virginia Katline then informed us that in a few hours we will get a supervised talk with Danny. I had so many questions and yet I knew I’d have so little time.

Chapter Text

We were being led in handcuffs to see our boy. Lord, he must hate us. We really put him through hell and all the little instances of him avoiding being hugged or touched by us hit me like a freight train.

He was afraid, he had every right to be.  thoughts were interrupted by the sound of doors unlocking, they were led inside by the nearly identical cop ghosts. Inside there was Miss. Virginia Katline, three guards on each side of the glass, that Clockwork guy, and our sweet Danny boy.

We were sitting in ecto-purple wooden chairs, the same for Ms. Virginia Katline. Clockwork and Danny-boy looked up at us, fear shown in his blue eyes with a tint of green. How much had I and Mads overlooked of the years?

Clockwork was sipping what smelt like a mint and honey tea or a ghostly equivalent. Under different circumstances I'd be fascinated by the fact that they were able to drink, but this was a dire situation so I only noticed briefly before sitting down.

Danny tried to stand up but one of the guards on his side forced him to sit back down. He looked both terrified and guilty. What does he feel guilty about? 

“Hiii~ mom and dad,” he said with a nervous tilt.

Maddie got the first word trying to stand before a guard forced her to sit down, 

“Danny what’s going on? Is what they said about you being the ghost kid true?!” Panicking even more than me, though I felt more guilty and depressed.

“...Yes that’s what I was coming to the basement to talk about when…” he then stopped and gestured around the room, “This happened.” 

Maddie’s panic turned into overwhelming defeat. Her eyes dulled, she had a sad but otherwise vacant expression. That hope they had was lying fizzled out. She clearly was processing the information and shutting down.

Danny started to frown, lips quivered, and tears pricked at his eyes. I felt a desperate need to distract my son from pain. 

“Do you know the ghost you’re staying with? Do you get along?” I just blurted out the first question that came to mind to get my everyone's mind off the sadness even if briefly.

Danny blinked slowly before answering with, 

“Oh, yeah I have known Clockwork for about a year… They saved me from a dark path and I’ll always be grateful for it. Umm he’s kinda of an asshole but I also look up to him and he’s been kinder and more patient with me than I deserve---” Danny stared down and started spurting then the ghost. Clockwork, I remind myself, sets down his teacup and gently ruffles Danny’s hair which Danny does his best pouty lip for. Though he can’t fully hide that he likes it.

“Daniel, always too hard on himself as always.” They gently chide him in an encouraging way. They seem gentle and good with Danny. I have never seen Danny as himself or as Phantom to get along with any ghost. What else in my son’s life have I missed?

Maddie startlingly comes to again. 

“What dark path?” She says almost i paused and thought it sounded accusatory?

Danny rubs his arms and stops making eye contact and doesn't answer Maddie, seeming to realize her tone. “Sorry for the tone. But sweetly, what do you mean?”

He remains silent. Clockwork looks at us and answers for Danny “He is traumatized by it, he will most likely not answer right now.” Maddie looks taken aback at Clockwork. She mumbles an apology.

“Danny boy they know, don’t they, Sam and Tucker that is? Anyone else?” I said to change the obviously sore subject Danny is quiet for multiple excruciating minutes but he answers.

“Yeah , they know they were there, I think literally every ghost knows, Valerie now knows thanks Dani err Ellie , Ellie obviously knows, and Jazz knows” he answers, barely looks at us, looks up and he thinks aloud about it.

“Who’s Ellie?” Maddie inquiries.

“Err, should I tell them Clockwork? Are they ready?”  He asks.

“That's not up to me that's up to you” he answers patiently  as he picks back up the tea.

“Err, try not to freak out but umm one of my villains tried to clone me… The clone's name is Danielle but goes by Ellie Walker/Phantom umm Aunt Alica adopted her so she’s technically my cousin” He says with a grimace the entire time.

“My… Sister...Knew…Before us?!” Maddie’s voice gets louder with each word, her fury growing with each word.

“Ellie told her not me, it wasn't my choice.” he said, putting his hands up in  defense.

Maddie took a long deep breath face palming “Danny how did they meet?” she said with supposition.

“She snuck into her barn and started living there. Eventually Aunt Alicia spotted her and she came out and Aunt Alicia adopted her. I might have told her about Aunt Alicia in casual conversation.” he said.

“OK” she said holding her face in her palms

A timer went off and Ms. Virginia Katline stood up “I’m sorry Dr. and Dr. Fenton but the time for you to talk to Danny today is up.” She bounced towards clockwork and slowly we escorted out Danny’s nervous seeming shot as we were escorted out. I made sure to yell to Danny I love him. But the door is shot before I can see his reaction.

This was going to be a long night..