Chapter Text
Lancer wasn’t a ghost expert. He didn’t understand. It simply didn’t make sense. Danny Phantom and Danny Fenton couldn’t possibly be one in the same. Phantom couldn’t be overshadowing Fenton, he wouldn’t be able to access his ghostly powers while in a mortal shell. Lancer just couldn’t come up with any other ideas.
The smart thing to do would be to contact the actual ghost experts, the Fentons or even the GIW. There was an equal chance of them being helpful as there was of them having him committed to a psych ward. Besides, contacting them left a bitter taste in his mouth. Lancer couldn’t bring himself to trusting them.
Lancer unlocked the door to his house, finally arriving home after a long day of teaching, grading and impromptu ghost fighting. He looked at the clock. “The Monkey’s Paw, it’s midnight already.”
The next day was awkward. Danny Fenton didn’t make eye contact a single time, which was honestly impressive if Lancer wasn’t so concerned. He wasn’t the only one. Sam and Tucker were whispering things to Danny and shooting worried looks at each other the whole day. Lancer let them get away with talking during his lecture, he hoped they would know how to handle the situation better.
“What’s the deal , Mr. Lancer,” Sam slammed her hands down on Lancer’s desk after class. “Why is Danny acting so weird around you?”
Lancer paused, unsure how to approach this. “Danny tells you everything, right?”
Tucker nodded. “We’re his best friends, of course he does.” Tucker paused. “Except why he’s acting so weird today.”
“So you know about the,” Lancer hesitated, “ghost stuff?”
“What do you mean?” Tucker laughed nervously. “What ghost stuff?”
“Yeah.” Sam’s eyes were wide as she avoided eye contact. “Everyone knows Danny doesn’t like ghosts. He’s like, super scared of them. It’s lame.”
Lancer sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose. He should’ve known it wouldn’t have been this easy.
“Okay, I get it. Just tell him to talk to me, please?”
Lancer wasn’t sure if Danny would visit him that night. He wasn’t even sure if his theory was correct. There could easily be another plausible explanation that Phantom and Fenton are not the same person. So he passed his time by going through another box of his uncle’s things. This one was full of miscellaneous trinkets, which was why he hadn’t shown it to Danny, it likely didn’t even have any space stuff.
Something glittered at the bottom of the box.
“It can’t be.” Lancer breathed. He held it in his hand. It was. He pocketed it.
There was a knock at his door. He opened it to see Danny Fenton standing there awkwardly.
“Can I.” Danny rubbed the back of his neck. “Can I come in?”
Lancer nodded and stepped aside to let Danny step inside. They sat down at Lancer’s coffee table and Lancer prepared them both a cup of tea. Chamomile seemed appropriate for this conversation. Nice and calming.
Lancer handed Danny the cup and he immediately blurted out. “I swear I can explain everything!”
Lancer held a hand to stop him. “First of all, are you safe?” He asked. “Do you need me to get you some help? Call CPS, get you a therapist, get the police involved? Any of that?
Danny vehemently shook his head. “No, no, I’m fine.”
“Are you sure? Because I should’ve made this more clear at the beginning of the year, but you can come to me for anything.”
“I really am fine,” Danny stressed. “I assume you want an explanation now?”
“Only if you’re comfortable with it,” Lancer said. “I’m content knowing you’re okay.” Lancer really wanted to know what was going on, but he didn’t want to pressure Danny into sharing anything he wasn’t ready to.
“So, it’d kinda hard to explain this. I haven’t had to before, everyone who knows figured it out on their own,” Danny rambled, then took a breath. “I died, but then I came back.”
“Like CPR?” Lancer did not like where this was heading.
“On the right track, more like electrocution.”
‘What?”
Danny waved a hand dismissively. “I’m fine, I’m just not looking forward to the circuits unit in physics. Trauma, am I right?” Danny laughed nervously.
Lancer could only return a weak smile. If this was his fine, Lancer did not want to know what constituted a problem.
“So, anyways, I became a halfa, half ghost, half human, and I can do this now.”
A bright light traveled over Danny like Lancer saw yesterday, or was it two days ago now, Lancer had no clue what time it was anymore, and in his place stood, or rather floated Danny Phantom.
“Wow,” Lancer said quietly.
“So, yeah, that’s my deal,” Danny said. “Please don’t tell my parents.”
Lancer was almost offended that Danny would even think he would rat him out to his parents, the same people who go on and on to anyone who will listen about how evil ghosts are and how they plan to dissect them.
“Are you handling this alone?” Lancer was worried the young boy didn’t have a support system. Little Women, could Danny even grow up being half dead or would he be a teenager forever?
“Sam and Tucker help me manage the ghosts, they were there when The Accident happened,” Danny said, “and Jazz figured it out when that crazy psychologist visited our school, Spectra was a ghost by the way.”
“I figured that out later.”
“But she didn’t tell me she knew until the end of last year because she wanted me to feel comfortable enough to tell her first.”
“Even with them, it must be exhausting being a hero and a kid at the same time,” Lancer said.
“I’m not a hero, believe me the Amity park Angle makes sure I don’t forget.” Danny scoffed. “I’m just a kid who can’t even die correctly. I fail at everything. I’m like the teenage version of that dude’s cat in a box,” Danny ranted.
“Danny, you are not Schrodinger’s teenager.”
Danny shot him a look.
“Ok, maybe you are, you’re the expert on these matters.” Lancer put his hands up. “But you’re not a failure, and you’re not just some kid who can’t die properly. You’re a kid who was put in an incredibly traumatic situation who still chooses to help others. You’ve taken on so much responsibility and get hardly any thanks. A failure wouldn’t do that.”
Danny opened his mouth to retort, but closed it.
“You want to talk failures, look at me.” Lancer gestured to himself. “I couldn’t tell one of my students had died.”
“That’s not fair,” Danny said. “I came back.”
“I failed you,” Lancer said. “I’m your teacher, I’m supposed to be someone you feel like you can come to. I’m supposed to be someone you can trust with the big stuff. I should’ve done something when I first noticed something was wrong instead of trying to let it sort itself out.”
Lancer could see Danny was stubbornly fighting off tears, but his quivering lip gave him away.
“You, all of you kids, shouldn’t have to deal with something as big as this by yourselves. Given the circumstances, I understand why you’d be reluctant to come to an adult for help, but I’m here to help, however I can.”
“Thanks, Mr. Lancer. You’re a good teacher.” Danny wiped his face and pretended he hadn’t cried.
“That means more to me than you know.”
Lancer straightened his stack of papers. He was passing back the essays he graded. It was a few minutes into class and Danny was running late like normal, except this time Lancer knew why. Johnny 13 had taken a joyride through the school and Danny had to take care of it. Lancer had been able to submit paperwork to give Danny tardy immunity and allow him to take breathers in the hall. He wasn’t sure how Jazz got her hands on an official diagnosis. He would’ve thought it was legit except for the gleam in the redhead;s eye. Luckily, it passed without any suspicion from other teachers. The algebra teacher even gave a sigh of relief and said “glad that Fenton kid is finally getting some help.”
A few minutes later, Danny walked in.
Dash snorted. “Late again, Fen-turd?”
“Mr. Baxter, I remind you once again that I do not tolerate name calling in this classroom. I’ll see you after school for detention.” Lancer began passing out the essay papers.
“But I have football practice,” Dash protested. “The quarterback can’t miss football practice.”
“I’m sure Coach Tetslaff and I can work something out.”
Dash groaned.
“Missing one day of practice will not make the school lose the championship,” Lancer said. “And it will be a good opportunity for other players to focus on themselves.”
“Thank, Mr. Lancer, you really are a cool teacher,” Danny said with a mischievous grin.
The other students stared at him like they saw him turn into Phantom.
“Thank you, Mr. Fenton, I tell you students all the time, I can be hip.”
The class groaned, but Lancer didn’t care, he was looking forward to his day off.
Lancer relaxed in his reclining chair with a cup of tea and some half finished lesson plans. Just because he had the day off, didn’t mean he didn’t still have work to do. Maybe if he got ahead, he would have time for some pleasure reading. Although he was happy about winning the best, he would never turn down a day off, he was most happy that he and Danny finally had an understanding. Danny was finally trusting him, and now he could help. He didn’t approve of vigilantism as an extracurricular, but if he could keep it to just extracurricular hours, Lancer would call that a win.
Lancer took another sip. He was almost done with lesson plans from now until the end of the school year. As long as nothing major came up between now and then, he wouldn’t have to make another until next year. Who was he kidding, lesson plans are such a Sisyphean task, he would have to make a whole new set starting next week.
“What’s up, Lancer!” Danny burst through the door.
“Danny.” Lancer gave the young boy a look. “You’re supposed to be in school right now.”
Danny shrugged. “It’s lunch break and Ghostwriter is doing a good job at keeping everyone in line so I thought I’d fly over real quick.”
“Hmmm, I’ll allow it. Just don’t make it a habit of leaving during lunch or I will petition the school to install those permanent ghost shields,” Lancer said. “Say, why did you change back to human form? Why not just fly in?”
Danny laughed nervously and rubbed the back of his head, “I know the ghost thing can make people uncomfortable sometimes.”
“Absolutely not! You are welcome to be yourself in this house. Ghost self included.”
“Thanks, Mr. Lancer.”
“You know, I have something for you,” Lancer said. “I found it recently, and I thought you deserved it.”
He placed it in Danny’s hand.
“Is this what I think it is?” Danny’s eyes were wide with admiration and his pupils were star shaped.
“It is,” Lancer said. “It’s a Silver Snoopy pin.”
Danny gasped. “This has been to space!” He gave Lancer a tight hug. “Thank you thank you thank you! But why are you giving it to me?”
Lancer sighed. “My uncle would have wanted it to go to someone who would truly appreciate it, and I think you deserve it. You do so much for Amity Park for so little recognition, this is the least I can do to repay you.”
“Are you sure?” Danny asked. “Are you really sure you want to give it to me? He was your uncle, I didn’t even know him.”
“I have all I need of his things.” Lancer gestured to the telescope and all the pictures he hung up. “These hold far more and more important memories than that pin does.”
“Only if you’re sure.”
“I am.”
Danny hesitated, biting his lip. Then put the pin on. “This is so cool!”
“You should be heading back to class, lunch break is almost over,” Lancer said. “And don’t forget to eat something.”
“I won’t.” Danny switched over to his Phantom form. “Do you want to go stargazing later?”
Lancer smiled. “I know the perfect spot.”
*The end*