Chapter 1: Question

Maddie Fenton slipped closer to the battle, ecto-gun aimed at the dueling ghosts. Phantom casually shielded its head while blasting another arrow to ash inches from the frightened faces of a fleeing family. Archer released three explosive arrows just as Phantom wrapped an ecto-shield around the other ghost. Trapped within Phantom's shield, the explosion had only one victim. Archer hit the other end of the bubble, bow slipping from its limp grasp. Phantom traded the bubble-shield for its stolen Fenton thermos and sucked the other ghost away. Faced with only one opponent, Maddie and her husband open-fired.

Only for the wily spook to dodge with serpentine grace, legs shifting into a tail. "Yeesh, you can't give a guy a break?"

"We're not leaving Amity Park helpless to your destructive designs," bellowed Jack.

"What destruction," It waved its hands around the pristine apartment-lined streets. "I haven't touched a thing."

"He saved us." a child shouted.

"Thank you Phantom."

"You're wel—" Maddie tried another shot, "Agh. Alright, I'm leaving."

Jack Fenton slammed his fist at the dinner table, "And Phantom fled rather than do battle with the mighty Fentons."

"Or, y'know, he might not have wanted to kick your asses from here to Chicago," Danny grumbled beneath his breath.

"What was that dear?" Maddie asked brightly from across the steamed broccoli.

"Nothing, continue your story about almost catching Phantom…again," Danny said. Jazz gave him a look and Danny went back to his dinner with the appetite of six people.

"These confrontations are important." Maddie explained. "We need to show that ectoplasmic scum not everyone in Amity is fooled by its heroic act, otherwise it will take over."

"After two years? If he's truly evil, Phantom is putting on an incredibly good act," Jasmine pointed out. "One of my psychology classes brought up a study on deep undercover agents and the length of time they could reliably infiltrate an enemy group before becoming assimilated. Professional agents averaged about one year."

"Once an evil ectoplasmic entity, always an evil ectoplasmic entity Jazz. Don't be fooled," Jack warned.

Once, Danny would have reacted to such comments. The numbness toward their parents' opinions of his alter ego were worse than any outward sign of disappointment. Was Danny becoming dissociated with the insults or internalizing them? What would happen while Jazz was away at college? She only had a few more weeks at the house.

"Besides Jazz honey, those psychological reports are on humans. Not ghosts," her mom added.

"Exactly," said Jazz, "and haven't many of your own reports concluded the psychological impossibility of an obsessed ghost acting against that obsession? Even if said obsession would doom their existence."

"I'm glad you're reading our work Jazz," Maddie said, "But we do show ghostly obsessions will inevitably twist toward evil, no matter how good intentioned they begin."

Danny stood up suddenly, clattering his clean plate. "I'm gonna hang out at Tucker's. See you later."

"Okay sweetie, have fun," Maddie waved him goodbye. Danny didn't return the gesture.

"Actually I'm going to go with him," Jazz said. Looking at her parents, she confessed a little of her inner turmoil. "He worries me."

"He worries us too sometimes," Jack confessed, looking graver than she'd ever seen her dad. Then he perked up again. "But the ghosts worry us more."

Rolling her eyes, Jazz grumbled, "You know after two years of failures you'd have better luck asking Phantom to be your lab-rat."

Since Danny could fly while Jazz decided to walk, by the time Jazz got to Tucker's, her brother had worked himself into a rant.

"Two years. Two years of rescuing people from burning buildings, stopping robbers and rapists and murderers, of fighting ghosts that actually hurt people," he paced in front of his friends. "I've saved the whole town more times than I can count. I've saved their lives over and over again…" Anger gave way to sullen frustration and Danny slumped on the Foley couch, staring at the ceiling. "And they haven't even let up a little on the whole 'evil ghost' thing."

"Welcome to the joys of bigotry," Tucker said.

"I just…wonder sometimes if telling them will do any good. Or if I should just keep my mouth shut forever."

"I don't think that's psychologically healthy," Jazz said.

"Secrets don't have a great shelf life," Sam added.

"You're secret is lucky my parents are fine leaving me alone and always out of the house," Tucker said.

"My parents work in our house. They don't have reasons to leave," Danny argued.

"I'm glad my parents are sticking around more for once," Sam admitted. "Grandma's getting worse."

Danny cringed, his dark replaced with sympathy. Sure, they'd all seen people die in their time as heroes. But Ida was her parent and best friend and support all in one. Worse, if she did come back as a ghost, with all the ghost hunters around and the anti-ecto act…

"Well than what are we lazing around here for," said Tucker. "Let's head over to your house and see if your grandma still knows her way around a game controller."

After Jazz left, Jack watched the front door with unusual consideration. "You know Mads, Jazz might have a point. She does know the ghostly mind."

"To ask Phantom?" Part of her automatically rejected the idea. All logic concluded that a ghost would refuse entrance into a ghost-hunter's lab. Ectologists had to be ghost hunters by nature. The concept of a ghost would willingly allowing dissection was completely ludicrous. A mad idea only the insane would consider.

She shrugged, "It couldn't hurt."

Phantom took one last look at the alleyway, saw the other ghosts had gotten clean away, and turned intangible as the Fentons rounded the corner.

"Wait," bellowed Jack.

Phantom paused for a moment, ready to dodge. Both Fentons slowed down, panting with the effort of keeping up with the elusive specter. For such an infamous ghost, Phantom was also the most mysterious and after weeks of trying, this was the closest they had come to the slippery spirit.

The temptation to fire on the ectoplasmic entity took hold, but Jack relaxed his hands and Maddie released her ecto-gun. They were so close and Phantom was so still, hovering within spitting distance, arms crossed cockily behind its head. By all appearances, taking it down would have been easy, especially after reported hours of rescue operations.

But after two years of failed attempts, the Fentons weren't fooled by appearances. The ghost's back was pressed against the nearby building and it had yet to become tangible. One wrong move and it would dive through the wall.

Perhaps Jazz had a point.

Maddie didn't go so far as to disarm herself, but she raised her hands in a universal peace gesture. Jack set his enormous ecto-bazooka on the ground and raised his hands as well. The crowd that had fled from what promised to be a fight began edging closer. Good. Maybe with so many adoring fans Phantom would not fling their offer back in their faces.

"If you're surrendering I'm not down with the whole 'taking prisoners' thing," Phantom quibbled, but turned tangible.

"We just want to talk." Maddie ignored the ghost's 'witty' humor.

Phantom looked suspicious. "Really? Now?" Sarcasm thick as ectoplasm in its tone. "Two years of 'evil ghost rip it apart molecule by molecule' and you want to talk? Why?"

Maddie gritted her teeth; she had forgotten how annoying this ghost could be, especially with its confidence in their peaceful intentions. She took a deep breath and unclenched. Excusing their perfectly acceptable behavior would lead to an argument, then most likely a fight and their chance would be gone. This was for science.

Now, how to politely ask a ghost to submit to standard ectologist procedures? They would have to be cautious in their wording, persuasive and convincing in tone, a battle of words that would inevitably lead Phantom toward one logical conclusion. This had to be done with subtlety and care.

"Would you be our lab rat?" Jack asked.

Maddie face-palmed.

Before Phantom's expression landed on 'disgusted' it looked almost…hurt. The apology, necessary to keep the ghost from fleeing, came a little easier.

"I'm sorry," she jabbed her husband with an elbow, "My husband can be rude."

"Oookaaay, I have gone temporarily deaf because I can't have heard Dr. Maddie Fenton, dogmatic ghost hunter, apologize to me."

Maddie stiffened at the description as Jack rubbed his side, "But we just want to study you and…well we've never tried asking before so…will you?"

"I'm not going to let you rip me apart molecule by molecule because you ask nicely."

That wasn't an immediate no, Maddie thought. "So what procedures are acceptable?"

Phantom looked between the two of them as though trying to decide if they were serious. But its ghostly tail had transformed back into feet and it hovered away from the wall. "You're asking me to willingly walk into the laboratory of two ghost hunters who have shouted that they're going to rip me apart molecule by molecule since day one? Why would I do that?"

Husband and wife exchanged glances, realizing just how slim their chances were. How did someone go about persuading a ghost under such circumstances? They needed an inspiring speech, an utterly convincing phrase, words that would do the impossible and make one of the dead empathize with two of the living.

"For science?" tried Jack.

Phantom face-palmed.

"All we've ever wanted to do is learn about ghosts. Understand ghosts," Maddie beseeched. "We thought the only way to do that was by capture and…unwilling experimentation. However, considering your past," she fumbled for a moment before allowing, "heroic…behavior, especially recently, we are open to the idea of asking."

"How generous," grumbled Phantom.

"We could learn so much about ghosts from you." Maddie gained confidence. "We could find the truth about all ectoplasmic entities. You have said ghosts aren't evil and held yourself as an example, wouldn't you—and all good ghosts—benefit from research that proves you moral, sapient beings?"

"Yeah," added Jack, "Wouldn't be heroic to turn us down and let some other poor ectoplasmic," another elbow jab, "uh ectoplasmic being take your place?"

Despite the withering glare Phantom gave them, it still hadn't said no. Jack danced with all the eagerness of a child needing to use the rest room. The ghost hovered between the brick wall of the nearest building and more open air. Maddie considered how quickly she could get a shot off, but the ghost hadn't turned them down yet. When it did…but that white head was still bent in thought. More people crowded closer, eager for a spectacle that wasn't likely to end in ectoplasmic blasts and destruction. The media pulled up by the time Phantom made up its mind. "I'll think about it."

"Wait." Maddie shouted, "How do we contact you?"

"I'll call you." Phantom turned intangible and dove through the building's wall.

The Media pounced.

"Are you insane." Tucker's shouted, ignoring his titanic triple-meaty tender in favor of his, clearly crazy, friend.

Danny glanced around, but even Tucker's voice couldn't penetrate the Nasty Burger's usual background noise.

"I will repeat, in horrific detail, all of my attempts to get my parents to understand. Anything." Sam said. "They don't. It is the curse of the current generation to be stuck with an oblivious previous generation," said Sam. "I'd have better luck telling my parents I'm bisexual."

Tucker nodded, "You guys make me grateful for my parents."

"Actually." Jazz spoke in a 'you're not going to like this tone'. Even Tucker and Sam sat up. "Working with mom and dad, as Phantom, might be the best solution."

"What?"

"You're agreeing with me?" said Danny.

"Doc needs some of her own medicine," Tucker tapped his temple.

"Look, we all want mom and dad to be more accepting of ghosts in general. It would solve a lot of problems." Everyone nodded in agreement, even Sam. "What better way to convince them ghosts can be good than with you Danny? Besides, they don't believe any ghost would agree. If you did agree that alone might shock them out of their complacent 'all ghosts are evil' mindset."

"And the molecule by molecule ripping?" Sam asked.

"No one wants Danny safer than me. But if mom and dad keep hunting ghosts like they do, Danny, you will be in danger. Something needs to change."

"But why this?" Sam asked. "When Freakshow exposed you to everyone during that Reality Gauntlet mess they accepted you. Couldn't you just…tell your parents?" Her head fell into her hands, "I can't believe I just suggested that."

"Yeah," Danny prodded his ketchup with a fry. "That would help me. Wouldn't do much good for all the other ghosts being ripped apart molecule by molecule'." In a lower voice he added, "And that was then."

"Whenever have things gone smoothly?" said Sam.

"Yeah, with your luck you could get dissected by your own parents," Tucker added.

Jazz glared at them, "With the way things are, he could still get dissected by our parents if something doesn't change."

"Or that," Danny deadpanned. "But it might be worth the risk."

"With the right plan," said Jazz.

Sam raised her head. "It's your decision. And when it goes ass-up we'll bail you out."

"I guess so, but this sounds like another Pariah Dark." Tucker held up his hands at Danny's glare. "Sorry dude but it's the truth. This could go bad. Your worst nightmare bad."

"I know, but my parents did some points. This is the right thing to do," Danny's smile suddenly turned unheroic, "Besides, if they figure the whole halfa out on their own…Vlad can hardly blame me for blabbing his secret identity."

Sam jabbed her fork in her salad. "If you're going to do this, you're going to do this right. If they want a willing participant make it clear they need to follow your rules. No means no. If they break those rules, the deal is over."

"And let us know when so we can have your back," Tucker added.

Danny mulled it over. Having all of team Phantom as backup would go a long way toward keeping disaster away, but if his secret was revealed, would his parents accuse his friends and sister of sabotage? Would the status quo go back to the way it was? What if the four of them together accidentally gave something away?

Besides, this was between his parents and himself…as Phantom. Jazz would call it some kind of psychotherapy facing your fears or nonsense like that but he needed to do this on his own. And if the Fentons—respected ghost scientists—concluded that ghosts could feel and think and shouldn't be ripped apart molecule by molecule, other people might start thinking the same. Ecto-rights might have a chance. The GIW might give in to pressure to back down.

Valerie might stop her impression of Skulker. For a day. Maybe.

"We do need a plan," said Danny. "Can you hack into their security Tucker? Just in case?"

"In my sleep," Tucker turned to his newest electronic gizmo.

"Sam, I'll need some good ideas for what limits to set and Jazz, I'll need you to dig into their heads. If nothing else, I need to know what buttons to push."

"Do you want the book or a summary?" Jazz asked.

"I can give you a top ten list…as long as you don't ask where I got the suggestions," Sam said, smirking.

"Drs Fenton and Fenton, what makes you think the entity known as Phantom would willingly surrender itself for experimentation? Especially given its elusiveness over the last two years?" asked Agent O.

Even Jack was beginning to regret their offer. The press had filmed it and now everyone had an opinion on what should have been a matter between experimenters and experimented. Cameras followed them around in hopes of finding Phantom. The GIW hounded them more than they did ghosts.

"Didn't hurt to ask," Jack said.

"But it's insanity, a ghost willingly submitting themselves to the experiments of ghost hunters," said Agent K.

"The true definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results," Maddie pointed out. "We've tried a thousand different ways to capture it and failed. Perhaps this insanity, as you call it, won't."

"Are you saying Phantom is an altruistic ghost," Lance Thunder asked.

"Of course not! The mayor—" Jack began.

"The mayor, the thefts, Christmas, yes we know," Mr. Thunder continued. "However you cannot dismiss the battle with Pariah Dark, with Vortex, that demon invasion he stopped, Hurricane Katrina…and that list goes on even longer than the first."

"No," agreed Maddie, "That is part of the reason why we need to study him."

"Still, you have been chasing Phantom for all its known existence in Amity Park, why would it agree to assist ghost hunters now?" Agent O interrupted.

"It has a pattern of assisting ghost hunters," Maddie said. "Jack and I when the Wisconsin ghost struck. Even the Red Huntress has reported being able to make a deal."

"And Phantom said it'd think about our idea," Jack added. "That's not a no."

Another reporters stepped up to ask something when Phantom appeared. The GIW drew their weapons while every reporter turned their cameras to the ghost. Fingers held in a peace-sign, Phantom shot a pair of ecto-blasts, disarming the white-suits before turning to the Fentons.

"I've thought about…your proposal," Phantom said.

Even the GIW agents paused and listened at that. The cameras followed his every move and word. The Fentons stared up at him, silently beseeching—

"Please. Please. —"

—Not-so-silently beseeching him for help.

"No ripping apart molecule by molecule," he said.

"Of course not," said Maddie happily.

"No vivisection or dissection or any kind of sections."

"None at all," said Jack.

"I get veto power on any experiments. For any reason," Phantom said. "If I say no, it doesn't happen."

"You're the volunteer," added Maddie.

"Please," Jack begged again.

Danny Phantom floated to the ground, his ghostly tail materializing into a pair of legs. With his feet touching the sidewalk he was nearly as tall as Jack, though not so wide. Hoping against hope that he was not making the biggest mistake of his life—afterlife—whatever, he held out his hand.

"Okay."

A/N: I swear the Phandom is the most addicting fandom. Can't keep away. I've read some wonderful stories about tortured-lab-rat Phantom and a handful of others where, post-revelation, Danny lets his parents run some basic experiments...but I don't think I've come across this idea. Decided to give it a try.