Hey guys - in light of some recent comments, I realize I probably should have explained this AU better, so I'm doing that here. (This applies to this story and "Not A Ghost;" my other DP story is unrelated.) Basically, the idea I'm working off is that no one has really seen Phantom. That means prior to him working with the Fentons, the general public has little to no idea what he looks like. Therefore, Valerie has no specific grudge against Phantom, as she doesn't know he was involved in the "Ghost Dog" incident.

Hope that clears up any confusion.

(Also, many, many apologies for putting the wrong chapter up first.)

"Hey Val - you on break yet?"

Valerie rolled her eyes. Well, she'd been planning on eating soon anyway. "Yeah, yeah, gimme a minute."

"Sweet! I'll be in the corner booth."

"I know." She watched, shaking her head, as Phantom shoved past the line and headed for his favorite seat. Why the ghost decided to randomly follow her to work, she would never know. Valerie grimaced. She had almost dropped an entire order the first time he showed up. The idiot didn't even bother to cover his eyes - not that anyone seemed to notice the glowing. At least he was dressed like a normal person.

The huntress made herself a standard burger meal before punching in her lunch break. Her job at the Nasty Burger might not be the most glamorous, but at least the employee discount was good. Resigning herself to another break spent bantering with a ghost, she plopped her food down and slid into the seat across from Phantom.

The ghost raised an eyebrow. "Rough day?"

She sighed. "The usual."

"So, yes." He leaned over and stole one of her fries; Valerie pulled the basket out of his reach. Phantom smirked. "What, no comment on me being able to eat?"

Valerie snorted before picking up her drink. "At this point, nothing you say or do is gonna surprise me."

The ghost nodded, a thoughtful look on his face, and smiled. "I'm half human."

Valerie's drink hit the floor. "WHAT?"

Phantom's grin was positively unholy. "I thought nothing I said was gonna surprise you?"

"That wasn't funny, Phantom," she hissed, glancing at the nearby tables. Fortunately, no one seemed interested in her little outburst. "What you're joking about shouldn't-"

"I'm not joking."

"You can't be only half-dead!"

"See, that's what I thought." The ghost - and she knew he was a ghost - folded his arms. "Then this happened."

"Phantom-"

"I'm serious, Val." He leaned forward, all traces of teasing gone. "I was in an accident - an accident that involved a crap-ton of electrified ectoplasm fusing with my DNA. You know the Fentons have a portal." He looked down, then raised shadowed eyes to hers. "I was the one who turned it on. And if that doesn't give you a big hint on my human identity, you're not as smart as I think you are."

Valerie stared. For once in her life, she had no idea what to say. She wasn't even sure she believed him. No, she didn't want to believe him. Because if he was telling the truth . . . if he was really . . . .

Phantom smiled. "Come on, Val," he said softly. "Can't you see the resemblance?"

"Oh my god." She clapped a hand to her mouth, trying desperately not to draw attention. "Oh my god. Danny."

"In the flesh. Or should I say 'in spirit'?"

She wanted to smack him. "Wha- that's not something you joke about, Pha-Danny! You just told me you're half-dead!"

He propped his chin on one hand and gave her a quick smile. "Technically, I just told you I'm half-alive."

That brought her thoughts to a halt. For several world-altering seconds, she didn't know whether to pity the boy who was half-dead or smile for the ghost who was half-alive.

She settled for throwing a fry at him. "That was a lousy way to spill a secret, Ghost Kid."

He shrugged and stuck the fry in his mouth. "I figured I might as well stick to tradition."

Valerie sighed, thinking of their past interactions. "I suppose you've got a point."

Danny grinned triumphantly.

"You're still an idiot, though."

"Of course I- hey!"

Valerie smiled. The situation was weird, but she could handle it. She was Valerie Gray, the Red Huntress - and he was Danny Fenton, the Ghost Kid. Her smile became a smirk. So he was half-ghost? Fine.

Not a problem.