A/N: Hi friends! If you've followed my other stories then you may be surprised I'm publishing again. I promise this one will not take 8 years to complete, heh. Seriously, I have almost all of it written already. This began in my head as a one-shot, but then I just kept writing, so it will now be a short story told in 4 or 5 chapters. Enjoy! :)

With a heavy sigh, Danny slid his back down the wall of his latest chamber of captivity. From the looks of things, he was going to be here a while. Instinctively, he reached for his phone, which usually remained clipped to his belt when he was in ghost form. He groped around at his sides, his movements becoming more panicked, as he found nothing.

Scowling, he looked out from the clear glass front of the pod-like structure that held him prisoner. "Hey!" He shouted, with a pound of his fist on the glass. "Either of you seen my phone?"

The two young scientists, to whom the question was directed, merely blinked at their captive's sudden outburst. They were seated at a curved white desk behind large computer monitors that were also sleek and white.

The male scientist leaned back in his chair, his hands coming to rest behind his head of shoulder-length black hair. "What sort of ghost owns a cellphone?" he asked the ceiling with a frown.

"What sort of scientist wears a t-shirt to work?" Danny shot back.

This seemed to get the young man's attention as he dropped from his reclined position to level a smirk at the prisoner. "Oh, so it's got jokes."

"Cisco," the female scientist scolded from her place in front of one of the computer monitors. Her long brown hair flew across her slim shoulders as she turned to reprimand her colleague. "You heard the Fenton's. No interacting with the ghost until they return from having lunch with their kids."

The Latino shrugged. "So what, we're just gonna ignore it if it speaks?"

"Uh,'it' has a name, you know," Danny grumbled.

"Yes," the young woman responded, turning back to her work without a single glance in Danny's direction. "That is exactly what we are going to do."

"Caitlin, that containment chamber we've got him in is just as strong as the ones we use for the meta-humans, plus is has added anti-ghost modifications. There's no way he could break out or do much of anything as long as he's in there. So what's the harm in talking?"

"What's a meta-human?" Danny wondered aloud. He was examining his gloved hands solemnly. What was being said about his unit of containment had been proven true by his current state; though he could feel his ghost energy surge within him, there was something about the pod that completely restricted him from letting any of it out. He was trapped.

"According to Maddie," Caitlin replied gingerly, again acting as if Danny hadn't spoken, "ghosts are extremely manipulative and deceptive creatures so I would imagine there's plenty of room for harm in talking to the ghost."

"Fine." Cisco blew out a long breath and spun around in his chair.

"Is the Flash a meta-human?" Danny asked. It would make sense to call the Flash a term that designated him as different from other humans. He obviously was not a normal human and he certainly wasn't a ghost as Danny had originally suspected when he had first researched the town and its "red streak." This was immediately after his parents had announced their "wonderful news" and informed him that he and Jazz would accompany them to Central City for a scientific "meeting of the minds" at STAR Labs.

With both scientists dutifully ignoring him, Danny exhaled slowly and stretched out his legs as far as his chamber would allow, which wasn't much. If it weren't for the annoying red streak he wouldn't be in this mess. He knew going ghost while his parents were out and about was a risk, but he hadn't expected them to be working with the Flash. He also hadn't anticipated the Flash being able to catch him.

"Can't catch what you can't see," he remembered taunting right before he flew straight into a red tornado that had funneled him straight into the beam of the Fenton Thermos. He had then been transferred from the thermos to his current lovely home, which simply felt like a larger thermos, but with a view.

His parents had been thrilled, of course, and overly anxious to begin poking and prodding at him, excited to show off for their new science buddies. Luckily for him, they had made lunch plans with him and Jazz so off they went with the promise to return soon for his grand examination and analysis. They had not specified whether this involved a dissection.

Danny wondered what excuse Jazz would give them when he didn't show for lunch. And how she would react when they told her they had caught the infamous Phantom. This is why he needed his phone. Her sisterly concern had to be off the charts right about now.

All of a sudden, there was a great whooshing sound and the red wonder himself appeared in the middle of the lab. "Just great," Danny thought to himself with a roll of his eyes.

"Hey guys, what'd I miss?"

The scientists, who Danny now knew were called Cisco and Caitlin, though they still had yet to ask or care what his name was, were unfazed by the super hero's entrance.

"Not much," Cisco replied, "Ghost is still here. Ghost lost its phone. Caitlin won't let me talk to the ghost. And waiting is boring."

The Flash laughed. "Sorry, man, but I gotta go with Caitlin on this one. We have no idea how dangerous that thing could be."

"Okay, that's it." Danny stood and turned to face his captors with a stern look. "It's Phantom, ok? Danny Phantom. That's my name. I am not a thing and I am not an 'it.'"

The trio seemed unsure of whether they should respond or not, but he certainly had their attention this time.

"Look, you can call me 'Danny' or you can call me 'Phantom.' Heck, you can even call me 'Inviso-Bill'- actually please don't. I hate that name." He chuckled lamely.

It was sort of meant as a joke, but the room remained flooded in suspicious silence.

"Or just continue to stare at me in silence." Danny rolled his eyes and crossed his arms. "That works too."

The Flash and his companions were sharing questioning looks when a cell phone started buzzing. Producing a phone from somewhere in his slim suit, the masked hero glanced down.

"I gotta take this," he explained before speeding out of the room.

"At least someone knows where his phone is," Danny muttered, sinking back into a sitting position.

"Inviso-Bill." Cisco laughed. "That's a ridiculous name if I've ever heard one."

"Yeah, sounds like something you'd come up with," Caitlin quipped.

"Hey!" Cisco shot a rubber band at her, but missed.

Danny was trying to act like he wasn't paying attention to the scientists and their banter since they refused to acknowledge him, when a young man he hadn't seen before strode into the lab, raking a hand through his brown hair.

"Patty's getting suspicious," the newcomer said, coming to lean against the desk across from Caitlin. "I don't know how long I can keep lying to her."

Danny studied the slender youth. There was something oddly familiar about him and even stranger was the way Cisco and Caitlin had not been surprised by his entrance, nor had they exchanged greetings. As far as Danny could tell, STAR Labs was not the sort of place one could just waltz into and he had been under the impression that, up until the Flash showed up, they were alone in the building.

"Barry," Caitlin stood to address her friend, "I know you think keeping Patty in the dark will protect her, but I disagree. Remember when you finally told Iris the truth?"

Barry nodded. "I know, I know, but this is different. I've known Iris my whole life. It felt weird with her not knowing I'm the-" He caught himself, throwing a hasty glance at Danny's prison pod. He sighed. "I trust Patty and I have feelings for her, but at the same time, we're still just getting to know each other."

Caitlin simply nodded and gave him a reassuring pat on the arm.

"Are you saying your girlfriend doesn't know you're the Flash?" Danny asked the question out loud before he had time to consider whether it was a good idea or not.

Caitlin looked up from the computer monitor, to which she had only just returned, and Cisco stopped idly spinning his chair.

Barry blinked and cleared his throat in an attempt to recover from the shock. He knew he should have been more careful around the ghost. Maddie had warned them he would try to manipulate them.

"No one said anything about the Flash." Barry came to stand in front of Danny's pod and regarded him with a steady glare. "Look, ghost, whatever game you're playing isn't going to work. We're not scared of you."

"Clearly," Danny replied with a smirk, "or you would have been more careful about what you said around me. What, is it your first day with a secret identity?"

Barry's eyebrows went up. "And you would know something about having a secret identity?"

Realizing he had said too much, Danny ducked his head. He had remained seated throughout this exchange, trying to feign casual interest, but his position now portrayed self-defense.

"Nothing, forget I said anything," Danny mumbled, crossing his arms. "I'm just the ghost, remember?"

Barry softened at the intense emotion that seemed to radiate from the trapped being before him. He knelt down so he was at eye-level with the ghost. From this angle, Barry could almost mistake him for a human teenager… and a scared one at that. Hunched forward so that his arms could rest on his knees, the teen refused to look up, bright green eyes obscured by snow-white hair

"Phantom, was it?" Barry spoke softly.

Danny hesitated, but then gave an affirmative nod.

"Phantom, I'm Barry."

Surprised by the introduction, a very humanizing gesture, Danny looked up, his electric eyes finally meeting Barry's gentle gaze.

"I know this might be unfair," Barry continued, "but we're new to this whole ghost thing and we're just going off of what the experts, the Fenton's, told us."

He seemed to be waiting for a response so Danny nodded again.

"I'm wondering if you would like to tell us your version of the truth?"

Danny cracked a smile at Barry's careful wording of his question. "Heh, my version," he sneered, unwilling to let the young man off the hook that easily. He was, after all, still sealed in a high-tech Tupperware container thanks to this guy.

Barry kept his voice earnest. "I'm just saying we've heard their views and now I'm willing to hear yours."

Danny leaned his head back against the wall of his cell. "Because you're worried I'll tell someone you're the Flash?" He cocked an eyebrow.

Barry looked away and took a steadying breath, feeling like he was balancing on a tight rope.

The teen ghost recognized the struggle clearly written across his fellow super hero's face and realized that this was his chance to not just tell, but show, these scientists his true nature.

"You don't have to worry about that," he said slowly. "You may not believe me, but I promise I won't tell anyone."

Barry turned back to face him, surprised.

"Not all ghosts are evil," Danny continued, "But I get it that you have to decide for yourself whether you can trust me or not."

There was a pause while Barry and Danny shared a look.

Cisco and Caitlin had both kept their distance, but were concerned for their friend.

"Barry, I think…" Caitlin was cut short by a sound alerting them that there was someone at the door.

Cisco checked one of the computer monitors. "It's the Fenton's."

"Caitlin, will you let them in?" Barry stood and crossed the room to where Cisco was seated. He leaned in so the computer monitor hid their faces from Danny. "I think you should go ahead and start running that scan," he told Cisco quietly.

Cisco replied with a quick nod and, scooting to the computer, a few clicks of his mouse.

"Hey everyone!" Jack Fenton bellowed as he entered the lab.

There were smiles and handshakes exchanged as the group of scientists reacquainted themselves with the ghost hunters and made a few new introductions. Having only previously met Barry as the Flash, they thought they were meeting him for the first time.

"Doctor Allen?" Maddie asked as they shook hands.

"Oh, no," Barry laughed sheepishly, "just Barry. I'm afraid I haven't earned that title yet."

"I'm sure you get along just fine without it," Maddie said with an encouraging smile. "Forensics is a wonderful field. I'll bet you do a lot of good work."

Danny, observing these interactions silently from his cell, felt an odd sensation at the way his mom beamed at the young scientist. She'd just met the guy and already she was complimenting him? What gives?

"And I'd like you all to meet my daughter, Jazz," Jack exclaimed as he pulled forward the redheaded teen.

Jazz smiled and greeted the scientists, but as soon as she was done, her gaze settled on Danny.

He gave his sister a quick two-fingered salute to which she drew her mouth into a thin disapproving line.

"Didn't you guys say you had a son, too?" Cisco asked. "I was looking forward to meeting the whole family."

"Yes, we do," Maddie replied, "but apparently he's off with some girl he met at the mall. That's a teenage boy for you, I suppose."

Danny couldn't ignore how her voice rang of disappointment or how his gut clenched.

"Well I remember being his age," Barry said. "I was such a nerd I couldn't even talk to a girl, so good for him!" His kind-hearted laughter seemed to lighten the mood as others joined him.

"Easy man," Cisco said, coming to pat his friend on the back, "some of us never outgrew being huge nerds!"

Through the laughter, no one noticed Danny and Jazz's continued silent conversation.

"Relax," Danny seemed to say as he gave her a shrug, his feelings surrounding his mother and Barry forgotten for now.

Jazz's eyes went wide as if to say, "How can I relax?! You're stuck in a giant test tube!"

"Ah Jazzy," Jack said, returning his attention to his daughter, "I see you've noticed the ghost we caught! Didn't I tell ya, you'd be surprised?"

"You sure did," she replied through a fake smile, "and I really wish I was."

Danny rolled his eyes at the jab subtly meant for him. Given normal circumstances, he would have easily evaded his parents and she knew that, but he was sure that wouldn't stop her from giving him some speech later about being more careful.

"So we were thinking we would start with a full biometrics scan," Maddie said, getting down to business.

"Already on it," Cisco said with a smile.

"You're already scanning me?!" Danny was on his feet in an instant. He threw a desperate look at Jazz, his bravado slipping as the reality of the situation took hold. He wasn't completely sure what biometrics meant, but it sounded like it could possibly reveal his biological make-up, which is not something he was particularly keen on discussing with his parents or these scientists that he barely knew.

"Yeah, it's a little soon for that, don't you think?" Jazz said, trying to think fast. "Why don't you just start by talking to him?"

"An interview at this point is unlikely to yield any factual results, honey," Maddie explained. "He has no reason to be honest with us."

"Sure I do!" Danny cut in. "You're the fearsome Fenton's! I'll tell you whatever you want to know! Just no scanning!"

Cisco's computer dinged. "Too late, bro," he said, giving his keyboard a few taps. "I don't see what the big deal is though. It's not like it's an invasive… test." He seemed to have gotten distracted by what he was seeing on his screen. "Whoa."

"Cisco, what is it?" Barry peered over his shoulder so he could also see the screen. Caitlin quickly joined them.

Jack and Maddie had begun unloading their gear from a suitcase they had dropped off earlier, but they turned to look at the gathering around the monitor.

"He's…" Cisco looked up at Danny, who was glaring at him, daring him to say it out loud. "You're…"

A chill ran up Danny's spine, but it wasn't because his secret was about to be revealed. It was his ghost sense.

Review so I know you're interested in more please! Thanks! :)