Judgment

Judge Lyon settled the packed courtroom—the trial a compromise between Danny flying free or living in a lab—and took his seat. "Now, who will speak for Mr. Daniel Fenton?"

"I will." Danny wouldn't be a bystander.

Several people gave him odd looks, though the prosecutor smirked. "The law is very clear in this case," he said. "What we have is unquestioningly a ghost pretending to be a human, a federal offense and the highest crime capable of being committed by an ectoplasmic entity."

Even higher than murder, Danny thought, but didn't say that aloud. A court room wasn't the place for witty banter. Time to put the lawyers' coaching to good use.

"All these rules were written for full ghosts. By my very nature I am still alive and if living beings also fall under these dictatorial rules then we're all guilty of breaking the Anti-Ecto Act."

"And are we to take the word of a ghost?" The prosecutor argued.

"No more so than a lawyer's word." That got some snickers. "With your permission your honor, I would like to call my first witness."

The Judge gave it and Danny called his parents to the stand. If anyone could offer proof that he was alive and get him out of this, the world-renowned ectologists could. If anyone could blow this to hell, the world's most embarrassing parents could.

"For the court, what is your official profession?"

"Ectologist, a researcher of ectoplasmic entities." It hurt to hear his dad speak so solemnly, but Danny still relaxed.

"How long have you studied ectoplasmic entities?"

"Twenty-nine years."

"And how long have you studied the ectoplasmic entity known as Danny Phantom." Wow, what a weird sentence to say.

"Exactly two years and forty seven days."

"Please state the conclusions of your research."

"Danny Phantom, aka Daniel Fenton is unquestioningly alive."

"Objection! The witness is related to the defendant!"

"Objection noted, proceed," Judge Lyon announced.

"No more questions."

His dad hadn't bungled things up, but Danny knew not to relax until the prosecution was through.

"Remembering that you are under oath, were you not quoted saying that all ghosts were innately evil and that Danny Phantom was a menace to society merely pretending to be a hero."

"We were wrong," his dad said simply.

"Regardless, you were—"

"Why are you doing this?" his dad interrupted, no longer professional. He turned desperately to Judge Lyon, "Please, don't force me to testify against my own son. I've hurt him enough—."

"Mr. Fenton you are out of order. Cease." the Judge said.

"If I may call upon my second witness," Danny interrupted.

"She is also related to him and will only parrot her husband," the prosecutor argued.

"This trial must not be rushed. Proceed," Judge Lyon decided.

His mom's words were even more practiced than his dad's but the prosecutor wasn't about to let their testimony lie.

"Mr. Fenton has said for the record that he was wrong? Does that mean you too were wrong in your previous conclusions about the ectoplasmic entity Danny Phantom?"

Danny could smell a trap.

"Yes."

"Does this mean that the majority of your expertise and research was faulty for over two decades?" the prosecutor asked pointedly.

"All current ectoplasmic entity law is based on erroneous assumptions from biased researchers."

The prosecutor pointedly switched to another witness.

"Now Dash, please tell us in your own words about Mr. Danny Fenton's attack on you."

"He didn't!" Dash blurted out.

"Remember you're under oath now. We have no less than fifty-three reports detailing Mr. Daniel Fenton's assaults over the years," the Prosecutor warned.

"I lied! I lied in every stupid reports okay. He didn't attack me, never did because I was the bully!" Dash argued heatedly. "I wailed on gee—people for kicks because I'm that kind of shit-head and if I had ghost powers I'd be wailing on all of you, not saving your ungrateful asses a hundred times over."

"Objection! Out of order!"

Danny concealed a smirk. This wasn't victory, but it had been nice to hear.

"If you lied, why confess now?"

Brash bravery gone, Dash muttered, "I never met any of this to happen. It was just a bit of fun…and I lied to keep from getting in trouble." He scoffed, "But lying here will get me jailed!"

"What made these reports stop?" the prosecutor asked.

Dash wallowed in misery. "Danny…defended himself."

"So Mr. Daniel Fenton did assault you."

"It was self defense only!"

"The report submitted on August 23rd of 2005, the last report, specifically states that Mr. Daniel Fenton seized your arm."

"After I tried to punch him and he only did some kind of cool lock to keep me from punching again."

"So he did seize you."

"I deserved a lot worse than a grab!"

"No more questions your honor." The persecutor was barely suppressing a smirk toward Danny. For a human the testimony was concerning, for a ghost it was damning.

"Would you like to cross-examine the witness?" the Judge asked Danny.

"No thank you, your honor. And thank you Dash; that must have taken a lot of courage to admit."

The prosecutor called up GIW agents who participated in the attack. "Did you have prior evidence that Danny Phantom was disguised as the seemingly harmless student Daniel Fenton?"

"Yes," lead agent answered.

"And in your expertise is Danny Phantom a dangerous ghost that needs to be restrained for the good of humanity."

"Yes. Especially given the violence attacks against us."

"No more questions."

Danny's cross-examination began. "Did you assault the rest of the student body during your attempt to capture me?" Failed attempt, considering he'd been able to fly back home, but he kept silent on that.

"Yes," the agent growled through gritted teeth.

"Objection!"

The prosecutor called up the Mayor, who glared at Danny with thankfully brown eyes, though how an overshadowing could worsen things, Danny had no idea.

"Now, on October 20th 2004, you were taken hostage."

"I do not know."

Both Danny and the prosecutor had matching looks of shock on their faces. "What?" the Prosecutor blurted.

"I remember nothing after nominating Maddie Fenton head of security until the next morning."

The chief of police was called to witness. "Was it not Mr. Daniel Fenton who was captured on First National Bank security camera leading numerous ghosts to rob it?"

"It was Mr. Frederick Showenhower who was convicted of these crimes."

"Then by all means, let us call upon Mr. Showenhower to testify his own guilt," said the prosecutor.

"Mr. Showenhower was last released into GIW custody."

"No more questions."

"Would you like to cross-examine the witness Mr. Fenton?" the Judge asked.

"Who, in your professional estimation, was responsible for all the robberies?" Danny asked.

"Mr. Showenhower."

"Thank you sir and thank you, your honor. No more questions."

Finally the prosecution gave his finishing statement.

"In closing I move to uphold the Anti-Ecto Control Act, which was written to protect the American people. Testimony from local and federal law enforcement proves, at best, Danny Phantom is a reckless teenage ghost willing to use his powers for whatever reason strikes his fancy to garner what teens always want: fame and fortune. Most likely we have a manipulative ghost, cunning enough to emotionally exploit even the most brilliant among us to believe the lie that he is alive, who is only waiting for the right time to betray us. My hope is that the jury will stop this scheme before it becomes a tragedy."

Danny Fenton stood up.

"Making the right decision isn't always easy. In fact it never is." He smiled at agents, jurors, judge and so many others he had risked his life, his friends, his freedom for. He could risk a little more. "But whatever you decide, you'll make the right choice. Thank you."

The jurors debated, and Danny had to fight the urge to use his ghostly powers to listen in; he had sworn not to abuse his powers like Vlad. Occasionally he could hear a shouted phrase through the wall or whispers from friends and family, but as hours passed, tense uncertainty gave way to stoic patience, then boredom.

Finally, the jury stepped out. Twelve men and women from Amity Park that Danny didn't recognize, which meant they hadn't attacked him but he hadn't saved them personally either.

"We have reached a verdict based on the testimonies of Dr. Maddie Fenton and Dr. Jack Fenton regarding the state of life of one Mr. Daniel Fenton, also taking into consideration the testimony of Mr. Dash Fenton, the Mayor and all law enforcement."

Here the lead juror acknowledged both the police chief and the GIW. Team Phantom tensed.

"Owing to the truly extraordinary circumstances of the accusation and accused, we have taken all hours and pains to properly deliberate this matter and we must regrettably—"

Several agents slid their hands toward their side-pockets.

"—disregard the Mayor's input, due to possible overshadowing. Also unfortunate is the absence of the convict Mr. Showenhower and the brash testimony of Mr. Baxter proves only his own word is truth."

All Danny's friends and family slipped hands near inconspicuous bulges. What were they planning?

"The charge brought forth against Mr. Daniel Fenton was 'impersonating a human,' defined as by which a dead ectoplasmic entity takes living form and function. It is the decision of this jury that with regards to Mr. Daniel Fenton's state of living—"

Even the bystanders stopped breathing.

"—there is insufficient evidence to declare him dead. As such he cannot be charged under any article of the Anti-Ecto Control Act and in conclusion is—."

"Have you idiots not seen him flying around, shooting ecto-blasts!" shouted the prosecutor.

"—not guilty."

AN: Thank you all for your support, especially everyone who left reviews. Your compliments and suggestions inspired a far better story than the one I started with!