Disclaimer: All rights belong to the respective owners; Marvel and Nickelodeon/Butch Hartman. The author of this story owns nothing; this story is for fun, not money or profit of any kind.

Avengers' Ghost 2: Past Shadows

By Goliath101

And there came a day, a day unlike any other. A day when Earth's Mightiest Heroes and Heroines united against a common threat. On that day, the Avengers were born- to fight the battles that no single superhero could withstand! Through the years, their roster has prospered, changing many times. But their glory has never been denied! Heed the call, heroes- for now, the Avengers Assemble!

Chapter 1: A New Day, An Old Threat

Missiles flew through the air, exploding in a circle pattern, leaving a smoking crater in the road. The person the missiles were aimed at; who was, at present, crawling out of the crater; groaned, and cracked his neck. The young man had pure white hair that put fresh snow to shame, and glowing green eyes. He wore a sleek black costume with white gloves, boots, and flowing white cape attached to the collar. On his chest was a stylized emblem in the shape of a white 'D' with a black 'P' silhouette in the center.

Danny Phantom was having a busy morning. Skulker had gotten some major upgrades. After the Battle for New York three years ago, the ghosts that still bothered to show up had stepped up their game. Skulker, Ghost Zone's Greatest Hunter, had taken a particular interest in getting better. His favorite prey, the young halfa, had become stronger, and Skulker was even more determined than ever to have Danny's pelt.

"How disappointing, Ghost Child," Skulker leered. "After the commotion you and your new Super Friends caused in New York, I was expecting you to be even more powerful."

Danny glared up at his old foe. "We're not Super Friends," he growled. "We're Avengers!" He launched himself in the air at full speed. Skulker grinned, an expression that looked wholly unsettling on a robotic suit of armor with a flaming green mohawk.

"Yes," he snarled, as Phantom drew closer. "That's the fire I've wanted to see." As Danny got close, Skulker lashed out with a glowing red whip, lined with spikes. The whip slashed across Danny's chest and shoulder. Danny yelled out in pain. That was new! And painful! Skulker lashed out again, this time wrapping the whip around Danny's torso; trapping his arms. Despite his impressive strength, Danny couldn't break free. And he lifted the SHIELD Helicarrier, for crying out loud! He tried his ice powers, but nothing happened!

"Like my new toy?" Skulker asked. "With Plasmius out of the picture, his vault of experimental weapons were free for the taking! This was one of the mere trinkets he had made for you, before the Dis-asteroid incident. I only recently managed to integrate it into my systems. It nullifies your ghost powers, as well as your strength!" Vlad Masters, aka Vlad Plasmius, was Danny's arch-nemesis. He was left stranded in space when his ego got the better of him, and hadn't been seen or heard from since. Now a pariah to the people of Earth, both good and evil, he remained in exile among the stars.

With Vlad gone, his wealth, holdings, and business; the company known as VladCo., as well as his own personal foundation, the Dalv Foundation; had been left untouched for a brief period. Companies like Stark Industries absorbed portions of VladCo. After the Battle of New York, SHIELD gave Danny and his family a substantial amount of Vlad's wealth they had seized; as restitution for the anguish Vlad had caused Danny, his family. They kept some, while donating most of it to various charities.

The former Mayor's mansion in ultra posh Polter Heights; a ritzy area in Amity Park that Danny and his family had lived in briefly; was left abandoned after the government seized all that Vlad had owned, and the property was put up for sale. No one had even made any offers, despite the desirable location. It was quickly becoming run down, now resembling a massive haunted house.

"So, you pilfered it from the Fuitloop," Danny spat. "What's wrong? Couldn't make anything yourself, so you rely on his crap?"

Skulker leaned in close to his prey. "Whatever gets the job done, welp. Besides," he said. "I don't see any of the other Avengers here. You're all alone. And at my mercy."

Phantom glared at his foe. "We broke the band up for a reason," he said. "The world doesn't need a standing team of heroes. But you should know something. I'm never alone!"

"Boo!" Skulker raised a metal eyebrow as he heard the small voice behind him. He turned around, only to be introduced to a white boot. Upon impact, Skulker's head detached from his body, which crashed to the ground, dragging Danny down with him.

"Ah, crud," Danny muttered as he plummeted towards the ground with Skulkers armor.

Skulker's attacker was none other than Dani Phantom, the younger female clone of Danny Phantom. "Kept ya waiting, huh?"

Danny snorted at the phrase. The 14-going-on-15 year-old Dani had been playing too many video games. Again. "Thanks, Danielle," Danny said. He struggled to free himself from the whip, but to no avail. "Uh, Tuck? You mind hacking his systems?"

Danny's long-time best friend, Tucker Foley, the mayor of Amity Park, drove the Specter Speeder up to the scene. "No problem, dude," he replied. "Lucky it was my day off, am I right?" He got out of the vehicle, and took out his newest PDA. As he began to hack Skulker's systems, Danny noticed Skulker's head trying to run away.

"Hey, Sam," he shouted. "We've got a runner!" His other best friend/girlfriend, Sam Manson, jumped out of the Speeder, Fenton Thermos in hand.

"I got him," she said, calmly. Aiming the Thermos, she sucked up the little ghost hunter inside. "Piece of cake," she said, twirling the thermos on one finger like a basketball.

"I'm in," announced Tucker. The whip retracted into the armor's gauntlet, spinning Danny around at high speed as the whip unwound around him.

Dizzy for a moment, Danny held his head as he gained his balance. Walking over to the remains of Skulker's armor, he ripped the device off of the gauntlet that housed the menacing whip. "This might come in handy later on," Danny said. Danielle then used her own Fenton Thermos to suck up the remainder of Skulker's armor.

"Wow," Tucker said. "I still can't believe his systems are still so easy to hack into. You'd think he'd invest in better software, after all this time."

"I'm not complaining," Danny said, cracking his neck. "You're the man, Tuck."

Sam walked up to Danny, and ran her fingers across the gash in Danny's chest from Skulker's whip, which had begun to slowly heal. "Are you okay?" she asked. Danny nodded, and grabbed her hand softly, his cool fingers wrapping around her warm ones.

"I'm fine," he assured her. "Believe me, I've had much worse." Didn't Sam know it, too. She couldn't count the number of times Danny had come to her window in the middle of the night, wounded, and in need of patching up.

But Danny, being stubborn and not wanting her to worry, always brushed off the agony he must have felt as nothing. She remembered, a bit too vividly, the large, brutal burn Danny had on his back one night he had received from a particularly nasty ghost fight. But such was the price she was more than willing to pay for him. He needed her, every bit as much as she needed him. That was shortly before the Dis-asteroid. It was when she began to admit to herself that she had feelings for Danny that were more than just best friends. In the last three years, they had only grown closer.

Danny was about to kiss Sam, when a loud roar of an engine came around the corner. The Fenton Family Assault Vehicle roared around the block, and Jack and Maddie Fenton; Danny's parents, and Danielle's adoptive parents; jumped out, weapons ready. "FREEZE, SPOOK," Jack bellowed. "Oh, wait. Did we miss it?" Danny chuckled at his parents. Thank God they were on his side, now!

Later, at the house, the family of Fentons were relaxing. Now 18, Danny Fenton had graduated high school, and was thinking of moving into his own place with Sam. But, for now at least, he was still living at home with his folks. Jazz was also at home, on break from her studies as Yale. Danny was glad to see his big sister, again.

"Hey, Danny," Jack said, looking up from another invention he was toying with.

"Yeah?" asked both Danny and Dani.

"Uh...," Jack said, still getting used to there being two 'Danny/i's' in the house. "Danny, my son. Guess what? I got a phone call last night from an old high school buddy, Bruce Banner! You know, the guy who turns green and huge when he gets mad?"

Danny rolled his eyes at his Dad's... shall we say, amusing occasional ignorance. "Uh, yeah, Dad," Danny said. "We fought together in New York not three years ago!"

Jack blinked for a minute. "Oh, yeah. Anyway, he said he's coming to Amity Park tomorrow! He wants us all to get together, and see our lab! I haven't seen old B-Man since we graduated from High School!"

"The Hulk is coming here?!" Dani shouted, jumping up from her seat excitedly. "Awesome!"

Jazz smiled as she read her book. She loved having a new little sister, even if she was just like Danny in a girl's body. "I highly doubt he'll Hulk-out seeing his old High School friend, Dani," Jazz said. As a psychologist in training, Jazz studied Banner's case in depth. She deduced he wouldn't be making these steps to become a part of civilization again if he didn't have more control over the raging spirit that now dwells within him. The fact that he was now living in New York, and working with Tony Stark was proof enough of that.

"Aw," Dani said. "Well, maybe a giant monster will attack, and he can help us kick it's butt!" Danielle hoped to no end that she could see the Incredible Hulk in action. Danny told her all about him, even the scary parts about Hulk chasing Danny and Black Widow through the Helicarrier.

Danny wasn't too surprised that Banner was coming. Bruce expressed a great interest in the Fenton's research and inventions when they were on the Helicarrier. Actually, several of the Avengers kept in contact via text and email; with the exception of Thor, who was still on Asgard, and the fact that the God of Thunder didn't fully understand Earth ways that well.

Natasha Romanoff didn't contact the others as often. Not out of disrespect, however; merely because she was not a very open person. But she did text Danny once, to see how he was doing. The two had formed a firm bond, of sorts, like the bond between siblings, however neither were fully aware of it. Danny suspected it wasn't her personal cellphone number. Now that he thought about it, the ever-aloof and always suspicious Black Widow probably didn't have a personal phone; being a world class spy, after all.

Steve Rogers, aka Captain America, was another story, however. Being from WWII, he had trouble with modern tech, but he learned quickly. Then, there was Tony Stark, also know as Iron Man. Danny really wanted to see the billionaire again, mainly to make him uncomfortable. Danny wanted to ask Stark why he left a drunken message on Danny's voice mail once at 2 in the morning, singing the Pina Colada song! When it came to Clint Barton, aka Hawkeye, the two texted back and forth more often. Barton was still having trouble getting over Loki controlling his mind, and he often called on Danny, because he knew Danny had gone through a similar experience.

"I think it's wonderful, honey," Maddie said. She was glad to see her husband hearing from old friends after Vlad's betrayal. It did him good. "I, for one, can't wait to trade notes with one of the greatest pioneers in Gamma research!"

Danny was so glad his parents were so cool with Danny being friends with other super heroes. Even if the Avengers never worked together again, Danny was happy to know these people. It made him feel like he had a place in the world, knowing he wasn't the only person in the world with special abilities and a difficult life. He was looking forward to seeing Bruce again. He just hoped there was no problems; ghostly or otherwise. The last thing he wanted was a giant green rage monster loose in Amity Park!