AN: i am sorry this chapter took so long to get out i'm currently sorting through my whole house, because we have too much junk and yes that really took all this time. the sad thing is...i'm not even finished yet. we don't even have that big a house. also this chapter was a bitch to draw, valerie and danny just didn't want to work with me.

anyway enjoy,

arty.

Chapter Six.

step one, you say we need to talk.

Danny stirred with a groan. Opening his eyes he found himself staring up at the ceiling above him in confusion, squinting slightly at the light.

"Danny?" Artemis' head suddenly appeared above him, blocking the worst of the light. "You back with us Casper?" She asked with her usual smirk.

Danny rolled his eyes and slowly sat up, winching slightly at the dull ache of his healing arm. "Yeah, that's an original nickname there Archer Barbie." He grinned at her affronted look.

A small smile appeared on his face as he spotted Danielle curled on an extra bed. Someone had tucked a blanket around her sleeping form and she was snoring softly.

The smile dropped as his thoughts shifted to Valerie. "Where is she?" He asked Artemis quietly.

Artemis' face twisted in distaste. "The hunter wannabe is enjoying our holding cells. She's an opinionated little bitch isn't she." She sneered; obviously he had missed something while unconscious.

"What did she do?" He asked with a resigned sigh.

Artemis puffed up with obvious anger.

"I took her some food. The bitch kept telling me how I was being tricked, and that it was understandable, as you were a notorious liar and how we were obviously the naive sidekicks of true heroes and haven't learned not to trust ghosts. Then she told me some messed up story, about you killing yourself horrifically and everyone you cared about. Then she asked us to call masters and he would handle this whole misunderstanding...has she always been so gullible or is that a new thing?"

Danny rubbed the back of his neck. "Val isn't gullible...she's stubborn...her father was fired from his job when I caused damage at his work; I was trying to stop a ghost dog. She thought Cujo -the dog- was mine and she lost a lot when her dad got fired, her house and her stuff...her popularity. So she became The Red Huntress to get revenge on me. No matter how hard I tried to convince her I was a good guy...she refused to believe it and anytime she found proof that I wasn't like the other ghosts...she would eventually talk herself out of it." He explained, though Artemis didn't look impressed by the excuse.

"A week after Masters...adopted me...Valerie tried to get me out." Danny revealed delicately, causing surprise to flash across Artemis' face. "She knew he was bad news and that he was a ghost...but she was no match for Vlad...he made up this story; how I was an evil ghost that had possessed the boy he considered a son out of twisted revenge." He smiled weakly as Artemis let out a angry hiss. "Between finding out the boy she once dated was the ghost she hated, and believing that the ghost she hated had killed the boy she loved...well Valerie chose option two." He finished quietly.

"That bitch." Danny looked at Artemis in surprise at the venom in her voice. "She left you." she said furious, almost shaking with anger. "She could have saved you back then, saved you all this pain!"

Danny shook his head. "No…Valerie may be tough but even if she had refused to believe, she's not strong enough to defeat Vlad." He said softly. "Even though it hurt…really hurt that she just left me behind…just accepted that I was a monster because I was a ghost…I know that if she hadn't believe him…Vlad would have killed her…and he would have done it slowly and painfully in front of me." His breath hitched slightly at the thought.

"He would have laughed as she screamed and it would have killed me…I can't bear the thought of her dying for me…she can hate me all she wants, because at least she's alive to hate me…that's enough for me." He explained softly.

Artemis was silent for a while.

"She's still a condescending bitch though." She huffed after a while.

Danny laughed. "Yeah she is…but she can be great sometimes." He said fondly.

Artemis eyed him curiously. "Do you love her still?" she asked with her usual bluntness.

Danny pulled a face as he replied. "Once I thought I did and then I realised that our personalities clashed horribly, we'd probably literally end up killing each other after a week of dating. I like her as a friend and sometimes her hatred of ghosts makes it hard to even be that."

He slid off the bed and stretched. "Anyway, can you take me to her? I need to talk to her."

Artemis frowned at him, crossing her arms. "I don't really think you should, I saw you back in that alley Danny…she terrified you."

Danny flinched slightly. "Its fine I just…she reminded me of Vlad and I really didn't want to fight her again." He explained quietly. "I just need to talk to her about what Vlad told her; until I do she's a danger to Danielle."

"And you." Artemis said suddenly, he glanced at her confused, only to find her frowning at him.

"What?" He asked uneasily.

"And you." She repeated her frown deepening. "She's a danger to you too Danny. I don't want you to forget that, I'll take you to talk with her, but she tries anything…she'll regret it. I won't let her hurt you again."

"She won't hurt me here, she's not stupid."

"I'm not talking about physically Danny, words hurt too, I think we both know that." Artemis said softly, her grey eyes unwavering as she watched him.

Danny looked away. "I'll be fine-"

"Maybe we want you to be better than fine Danny!" She cut him off angrily. "You've been through enough, if that spoilt brat says anything to hurt you, I'm going to knock her out myself!" She snapped, before stalking out of the door ahead of him.

Danny stared after her surprised at her outburst.

"Are you coming to see your psycho friend or not Casper?!" He jerked slightly at her sudden yell, before he rushed after her with a grin.

All the girls in his life were so bossy.

Valerie was pacing the cell, her suit gone and her face twisted into a pissed off frown, when the two heroes reached the holding cells. The food that Artemis had brought her earlier lay on the bed untouched.

The archer huffed slightly as she typed in her security code. "Bitch didn't even eat the damn food, so what was the point…" She muttered under her breath, before pulling open the door.

Val stopped pacing and smirked at the archer as she stood in the doorway. "Finally told to let me out, huh?" she said haughtily.

Artemis crossed her arms and smirked back. "Nope, actually someone wants to talk with you." She replied, before stepping aside to let Danny enter the room.

Val froze as he stepped inside the room.

"Hey Val," Danny said with a sigh. "I think we need to have a talk."

Val stepped back, her eyes refusing to leave his as she snapped at Artemis. "Are you crazy!? What is that ghost doing here!?"

"Like I said he wants to talk to you…I don't know why but whatever, His choice." Artemis replied rolling her eyes already fed up. "I'll be in the observation room, if she tries anything to fuck with you, I'm pulling you out." She added to Danny, who nodded.

Val tensed even more as the archer turned to leave. "Wait you can't leave me with it! It'll kill me!" She called after the archer desperately. The blond paused in the doorway and glanced back, her eyes narrowed. "I did not just hear you call him an 'it'." She snapped, infuriated.

She started towards The huntress, but Danny blocked her way easily. "It's okay Artemis, she's called me worse." He soothed, trying to usher her towards the door.

"That's supposed to make me feel better? Because it didn't, now I just want to punch the bitch!" Artemis hissed back, but she allowed herself to be ushered out of the door. She growled as the door shut and kicked it furiously, before heading to the side door that led to the observation room.

She paused in the doorway, as she noticed the rest of the team lurking inside the room, their expressions just as angry as her own.

The rest of the team being with her made her shoulders relax a fraction, at least she would have someone to help her put the huntress in her place if she said anything wrong to their newest teammate.

She walked until she stood shoulder to shoulder with Wally. He glanced at her and she was startled and fascinated to see him completely serious for once. It reassured her to know that if Valerie tried to hurt Danny, Wally would be inside the room in seconds to stop her.

With a small nod she turned to the two-way mirror.

Danny stared at the closed door as he took a fortifying breath.

He turned to Val and studied her tense stance, a part of him ached at the fact that she honestly thought he would hurt her.

"I'm not going to hurt you Valerie." He finally said softly.

She scoffed and didn't relax a muscle. "Yeah right Ghost, like I would believe you after what you did!" She spat back.

"I haven't done anything." Danny said back, fighting back slight flinch at her hateful tone.

"You forget Ghost, I saw what you are! I saw just what kind of monster you are! I know what you did!" She snarled furiously.

"You saw what Vlad wanted you to see!" Danny found himself snapping back angrily. "He lied Val, and you fell for it!"

"You killed the Fentons'!" She screamed back, making him flinch back as she stomped forward. "You killed Sam! You killed Tucker! You killed the real Danny, Phantom!" She continued, until she was screaming directly into his face.

'Danny, we're coming in.' M'gann's voice whispered in his mind. 'We'll explain to her, you shouldn't have to do this.' He shook his head impatiently, his anger growing as he realised he was cowering away from Valerie and worse he could see in her eyes that she had noticed, and she was enjoying it.

He straightened to his full height, and a part of him startled to realise that he towered over her now. She slinked back, uneasy, as he glared down at her. "I am the real Danny Fenton." He said tightly, his icy eyes never leaving hers.

"No you're not, y-" She started furiously, but he cut her off.

"I'm Danny Fenton." He repeated. "When I was fourteen I was in an accident in my parent's lab, I turned on The Ghost Portal from the inside. I should have died but instead ectoplasm fused to my D.N.A and instead of dying I became a half ghost. I'm not dead and I'm not completely alive. There are three others, the Ghosts call us Halfas. I called my ghost half Danny Phantom-"

Valerie scoffed, but Danny ignored her and continued.

"Ghosts started to come through The Portal and I decided to fight them to protect Amity. S-Sam and Tucker helped me. I found out that Vlad was a half ghost too when he tried to murder my father, so that he could seduce my mother."

"You seriously expect me to believe this sh-" She broke off startled as the temperature of the room dropped, and ice began to creep up the large mirror that formed one wall. She looked back at Danny and froze as she was immobilised by glowing green eyes.

"Be quiet. You listened to Vlad's ridiculous story about me; it's only fair you listen to mine." He said quietly. There was something dangerous in his voice, which made the hair on the back of her neck stand up and her jaw clench.

Seemingly satisfied Danny's eyes dimmed back to his usual blue and he continued. "A Ghost attacked one day…it was from the future and it wanted me to suffer, so it gathered up my family and friends, locked them up inside The Nasty Burger and fought me so I couldn't save them, by the time I defeated it, the nasty burger exploded and killed them all before I could save them."

Danny's voice wavered slightly and he took a shaky breath as the phantom smell of smoke and burning meat started filling his nose. He dimly noticed Valerie shift slightly, her expression uncertain.

"When Vlad found out Mom was dead, he blamed me. He came into the hospital room and told me he was going to make my life hell. And he did, you know Control Freak, he found out that the staff was part of a set and found the ring. He used this ring to control me through my ghost half. He hired Spectra to make me drown in all of my negative emotions, so I could barely think let alone fight back."

Valerie was shaking her head subconsciously, her breathing becoming ragged.

"Then a few months later, you broke into the mansion to save me. Vlad took control of me completely, and made me act like I was an insane ghost and told you a twisted story of 'the evil Danny Phantom', who devoured the souls of those he possessed. And even though Vlad was someone you considered an enemy…you didn't hesitate to believe him. You called me a monster and abandoned me to Vlad." He finished softly and waited for Valerie to react.

She shook her head more furiously, her hands curling into fists. "Because it's true!" She said harshly. Danny didn't flinch this time, he expected it. "You're a monster, the story that Vlad told me makes more sense than, Danny Fenton becoming something like Danny Phantom. Danny wouldn't hurt people or steal! I don't care how you convinced these sidekicks that you're some kind of hero! I know you're not!"

Danny felt a flash of anger at the slight against his new friends.

"They're not sidekick, they work directly under batman. They earnt the title of heroes, don't belittle their accomplishments!" He snapped quietly.

Valerie scoffed. "They're fools, trusting a ghost."

Danny rolled his eyes and let out an annoyed huff. "What like you did when Vlad hired you to hunt down a twelve year old little girl, so he could melt her down into ectoplasm? Or how about when Vlad made up some ridiculous story, and you just accepted as the complete truth!"

"Because, it makes more sense!" Valerie yelled back, stomping forward.

This time Danny stepped up to meet her, his own anger making his eyes glow brightly.

"No Val, you accepted it because it fit perfectly with what you wanted!" He practically roared back, making her step back this time, her expression startled and slightly fearful. "Danny phantom ruined your life, his dog got your dad fired and made you lose your money and your popularity. He was evil and had to be stopped by you! There was no way he could be Danny Fenton, he couldn't have been one of the only friends you had left. God forbid that Valerie Grey was wrong about something! That she might have been hurting someone who was innocent! No, he has to be completely evil. Vlad had to be telling the truth! The man who lied to you before! None of the facts mattered as long as you were in the right!"

Valerie was backing away, her face pale and her eyes glassy. Danny followed her, ignoring as the tray of abandoned food shot across the room in a haze of green and slammed into the wall, instead he kept her gaze locked on his. "Tell me Val, did you ever think even for a moment that you may have done the wrong thing? Did you ever wonder if you had left me in the hands of a madman who wanted me to suffer!? Did you!?" He screamed.

"Yes, okay! Yes! I worried for months that I had done the wrong thing!" Valerie screamed back, so suddenly that he jerked back startled. Valerie looked startled by her own outburst as she raised a shaking hand to cover her mouth.

"I tried to check in with Vlad, check that everything he told me was true…but the house was empty when I went back, you were gone…I looked for you…but it…it can't be true." She whispered, her voice wavering. "What Vlad said…it made more sense…it has to be true."

Danny slumped slightly, feeling drained. "He lied to you Val, if you can't believe me or the team then ask batman…Vlad told them what he did to me and why…if you can't believe him…then just leave Val…I'm too tired to do this anymore…I don't want to fight you anymore." He said softly, before turning and walking from the room, not even bothering to open the door and instead phasing through.

Valerie stared after him, as her knees buckled and she found herself sitting on the floor.

It couldn't be true.

She flinched slightly as she thought back to his expression, the tortured look on his face when he had told her that she had abandoned him.

It couldn't be true.

She choked on a sob as his words echoed in her head, and a part of her wondered if he had even noticed that he was crying.

Please, don't let it be true.

She closed her eyes tightly, trying to stop the sobs that tore out from her throat. But the image of Danny screaming at her, with glowing tears dripping down his pale cheeks refused to go away.

"Please, God…don't let it be true." She choked out quietly to the empty room.

Even though in her heart she knew it was.

…I'm so sorry Danny.

Chapter End.

an: welp, that's it for now. i'll try to get the next one out a lot sooner, though i have no idea what to do for the next chapter, i have a plan for a few big scenes and the ending but getting to those points is hard.

please read and review,

arty.