Summary: Danny Phantom is dead. At least, that's how he wants to keep it, anyway. After the peaceful resolution that came from saving the world, there is no better way to keep his story under wraps for good than to pretend that Phantom's existence has seized. But the ties between loyalty and responsibility are strained when Danny has to leave it up to a more relevant set of heroes to save the day. Now he has to decide whether he believes saving the world is worth the cost of losing his anonymity. Phantom Planet AU, where Danny didn't reveal his identity.

A/N: Hey, guys. Another story 'cause I'm bored. I really gotta stop piling and actually finish my other ones, but you know us lazy types. Inspiration one moment, boredom the next. This story is inspired by A Summer With The Titans, written by TheNumberFour. They went on hiatus, so I just decided to write my own version.

Hope you enjoy. After Phantom Planet and Trouble in Tokyo. All canon for story and stuff, though hints of my own pairings thrown in.

~Blaze

He still finds himself patrolling sometimes when the sky is clear and he finishes his chores early. It isn't often that he gets a break like this, anyway; he's constantly being hovered by his parents all the time ever since he "conveniently" took off during the chaos that ensued in the North Pole. It's only recently they decided to get rid of his curfew, let alone let him leave the house without someone chasing him down.

With a smile, Danny shoots off, lazing around the clouds, hovering over the clock tower and drinking in the small skyline below, making sure he's still invisible. He stays like this for quite a while, stargazing and losing himself in the moonlight before he finds himself landing by a big old tree on the outskirts of town. He quietly changes back, resting his head against the trunk and spreading his legs out in front of him.

It's times like these that Danny's almost glad he has given up his responsibilities.

Well… Almost.

After all, it isn't like he doesn't miss his old life. His "Glory Days", as Tucker refers to them often, were a bigger part of him, regardless of whether it's a secret or not. Even though it was another pile of stress, it was nice to know he could do something for this city. Or better yet, the world. The only reason he quit was the suffocating loads of fame. It separated him from his family and friends, and he couldn't handle that sort of pressure any longer.

He has no regrets.

Well… Almost.

"Having fun?"

Danny jumps, falling into a crouch, his eyes narrowing as they fall on -

"Sam," he breathes, stumbling to his feet. He shakes his head with a smile. It's just like him to not even recognize her voice. "I thought you were finishing up the summer reading with Tucker."

"I was. He fell asleep, so I thought I'd look for you. What's the matter? You look like you've seen a ghost." Sam stretches her lips into a wide smirk, punching his shoulder lightly.

"Shut up," he snaps back. "That joke's old, and you know it."

"Calm yourself, dude. I mean no harm." She then frowns, perusing his stature. "Hey… you've grown taller."

Danny crosses his arms, his lips curling into a pout. "You're acting like you haven't seen me in months, Sam. I've been taller than you ever since 10th grade, even with your boots on."

"Whatever. I'll just get new ones for Christmas," she says with a shrug. She plops onto the ground, combing the grass between her fingers. "What are you doing out here, anyway? You only take a walk whenever you miss your old life."

"It's not that I miss it," Danny says, the words rolling out of his mouth a little too quickly. Sam sticks her tongue at him. "I was just thinking, that's all. It's been a year since everything."

"You're right," Sam says with a whistle. "Happy anniversary, Phantom Planet. You know, they should have made this a holiday. Less school for us."

"I'd take that offer any day," Danny laughs. "But time seems to move so fast. Can you believe it? It's been a year since that whole mess. A year since I saved everyone, a year since I smothered Danny Phantom, a year since - "

" - you kissed me. A year since you told me you loved me." Sam looks back at him and waggled her eyebrows, her teeth shining as she all but beams at him. "Right under this very tree, in fact. Or have you forgotten?"

"Well…"

"What I'm saying is that we all made a step forward from then. You don't have to worry about the past any longer. And I know, even if you won't admit it, that you miss using your powers. And that's okay." Sam tilts her head, and Danny feels his breath catch. "You aren't your powers. You are yourself. You are this butt kicking, ghost chasing, brilliant halfa, even without the ghosts to kick."

He's silent for a moment, his heart swelling and his chest swimming with warmth. He finally joins her on the ground and falls beside her, crossing his arms over his knees. "I didn't exactly say I loved you," he says, his voice slightly teasing. "I said I hoped you'd share every moment with me, and you said - "

"That I'm no pushover, yes, I know," she says with a small laugh. "But the underlying meaning was there."

"Fine. You win." Danny takes her hand, meeting her gaze. "You always win. Which isn't fair sometimes."

"Oh, shut up," she said. She leans in, her breath mixing with his own, her hand fisting his shirt and pulling him closer, their lips brushing, their noses bumping -

Danny's phone goes off with a loud beep, and the two of them instantly jerk apart, a faint blush tinting their cheeks. Danny fumbles with his phone before bringing it to his ear.

"Hello?"

"Sorry, Danny, but couple time is over."

"MOM!" Danny yells, his neck heating up. How is it that she always knows?

"Come home soon. Your dad has some big news."

"Now?" Danny looks over at Sam. "I'm in the middle of something."

"Fine - you have until eleven."

"Love you, mom. I'll see you later."

"Bye, sweetie. Now don't you have too much fun with her, okay?"

She cuts the line before Danny can retort, and with a sigh, Danny shoves his phone back in his pocket. "We have ten minutes. If I fly, then we'll get home in less than one, so…"

"We still have time," Sam finishes, wrapping her arms around his neck. Danny blushes in response, leaning back slightly before relaxing in her hold his hands brush her waist.

"Let's try not waste it."

"A ghost hunting convention? In Jump City?"

Robin raises his eyebrows at the morning newspaper, reading in mild surprise. Starfire brings him a cup of orange juice, setting it beside his headphones.

"I heard about it last night while watching the magical box," Starfire says, pointing to the TV. "They said that ever since ghosts were proven to be real, a new branch of science pulled up that deals with afterlife phenomena. It's referred to as ectology."

"There have been contracts signed that ghosts will not be experimented with or harmed in any way under legal studies, so they pull evidence together every year to keep the interest alive," Raven puts in, her one eye cracking open from her deep meditation. "Last year it was in Amity Park, a town where most sightings were reported. This year they are handling it here instead."

"I remember that whole fiasco with Danny Phantom and the huge asteroid that was going to kill us all," Robin says with a nod. "Too bad he's disappeared. I would've liked to have met him."

"The Fenton family was really the only one that supported his disappearance," Raven says. "Ever since he left, everyone has been free of ghost trouble for over a year."

"Wow, Raven," Beast Boy says amusedly, picking through his tofu soymilk cereal. "I never took you for a ghost geek." He cowered under the glare she sent him across the room.

"What does that have to do with us, anyway?" Cyborg mutters. "We're crime fighters. Not ghost hunters. We don't need any stupid convention to make us happy."

"What's with him?" Robin asks, raising an eyebrow.

"Oh, him?" Beast Boy slides over next to a slouching Cyborg, leaning against his metal body. "This old man's just suffering a loss because I beat him at MegaTon Race-A-Thon Three! How do you like that, sucka!"

"Anyway," Raven said, shoving the two out of the way, "we should probably patrol around. Big parties like that tend to spark up trouble, especially when it deals with topics of the unknown." Raven fiddled with her hands. "And… fine, I want to check it out."

"Called it!" Beast Boy yelled with a grin. That smile soon faded when he got clobbered by a trashcan.

"Patrolling won't be needed, everyone," Starfire giggled, flapping an envelope in the air. "We're invited!"

Short, yes, but prologues are supposed to be short. I hope you liked it. Comment, Favorite, Follow - do whatever makes you happy.

~Blaze