We've done it! We've reached the end!
Enjoy!

Danny woke up to see the faintest rays of the gray sun and hear Beast Boy's loud snoring. He loved taking up the offer to be Beast Boy's roommate, but the green boy had an affinity for saying and making strange noises in his sleep. He knew he wouldn't be able to return to the inky abyss of sleep again even if he wanted to considering his increasing awareness of how scratchy the sheet actually was the longer he laid on it and tried to relax. Instead, he sighed and sat up as quietly as he could, grabbing his crutches and making it to the bathroom with barely a sound outside of his crutches softly hitting the floor. Sure, he had been disappointed at Raven's news that his left leg had received nerve damage that not even his fast healing could fix completely, meaning he was stuck with the pain and hobbling, but at least that meant he had crutches gifted by the Master of Time himself.

Danny carefully put on his shoes after showering and getting dressed— the soft towel was still on his damp locks while he tried to maneuver a way to tie his shoe without hissing from straining his left leg. He decided to leave it untied and gulped when he swung his way past Terra's closed off memorialized room. A yellow ribbon almost taped up the door visually and he had to turn away before the emotions bubbled up.

The waffle in the back of the freezer was soggy upon being warmed up. No one but Raven was up, and Danny knew she was on the roof. He felt uneasy with the quiet and the feeling in his chest that something was wrong. With a resigned sigh, he hugged his crutches and went ghost, sinking through the floors and turning to Jump City. He began his flight. Buying flowers crossed his mind, but he had no money, so he settled for going to a field and picking from daisies to take with him. The beginnings of rocky stairs had been built in the short time the city had restarted its functions and Danny used those to his advantage to slowly make his way down. The end was still too steep, so he hovered down and made sure to not drop the daisies or the crutches. Finally, he was at his destination. He averted his gaze from the statue's blank stare and sighed, sitting at the base of where she stood. Danny took the daisies in his hands and started making something he hadn't done since he was ten: a flower crown. It as sloppy at first, but he slowly got the hang of it. He began to talk.

"Hey," Danny began. The eerie silence of Terra's rocky corpse was his only response. "The city is okay now. Slade is gone. You did well." He stopped making the chain for a few seconds to breathe out slowly. "I never hated you, and I'm now saying I forgive you, but you made up for most of what you did. I can't use my left leg much now though, so thanks for that Rock Girl. Made me realize I took it for granite." He chuckled at his own joke before sighing. "If, when… we both know it's 'if,' you were realistic about stuff like that," Danny noted with resignation, "you come back, I hope you either don't remember this conversation or you pretend you don't, because I really need to get this off my chest." The daisy chain weaving resumed, albeit slowly, as Danny tried to think.

"Listen," he mumbled, messing with the leaves of one unfortunate daisy to short to weave without the chain-become-crown-become-necklace falling apart, "I know we were never really close, which probably makes what I'm about to say so much easier to spit out. I always thought I'd tell Beast Boy first but I'm just so scared of what he'll think," Danny was rambling now and he knew it, frown deepening with every word he said. "The two of us were distant even when you became a Titan. I was jealous because they trusted you so easily." Against his better judgement, he turned to look at the dried granite blood on her side. "Guess we both got screwed over because of that." Danny leaned against the thin leg of Terra's last moments.

"I…" The tears built up in his eyes and he squeezed them shut. "Damnit. I didn't come here to cry," the silence felt judgmental yet indifferent and he was only half grateful for that. "I was in a pretty bad place before I met the Titans. Literally and figuratively. I don't know. Try being a tortured experiment for… time stopped existing in my mind after a while, actually." He was sobbing quietly now, like something had opened and was pouring out all at once. "And after a while it blurred together and that's awful." Danny finished off the daisy necklace and put it aside. He wasn't going to break it by accident. He owed his listener at least that much. "I kept being called a weapon and treated like one. Hurt like hell. But I'm better now. Yeah, I'm better." He wiped his face and smiled softly. "Beast Boy is something else we have in common. I don't know how he does it." His smile became fond. "Hey, Terra?" Silence. "Thanks for listening to me. Here, I made this for you." He put the flower necklace around her stony head. It caught between her hair and chest, but it was close enough. Danny leaned on his left crutch to make something with his ice. He settled for an icy pattern around her feet and nodded at his work. "I need to get back to the tower before they all freak out. We miss you," Danny started to make his way towards the half-done stairs, "goodbye Terra." And he was gone, leaving the statue with her plaque and flower crown behind for the time being.

Danny got back just as Beast Boy woke up and greeting him warmly. The weight was off his chest and maybe one day he'd tell Beast Boy, too. But in the meantime, he'd just remind his new roommate to make his bed in the morning and that he didn't have to make jokes if he felt bad.

Dani felt cold. Tucker and Sam were raving about the large ectosignal off California that was definitely Danny's, it matched up perfectly. Danny's signature was different enough to Dani's that she couldn't cover for him. And it was the anniversary of his original disappearance. The Boo-merang was supposed to make a meek throw and fall to the ground next to the Specter Speeder as always. Tucker and Sam stood side by side, gazes downcast. Valerie tried to stand strong and keep her shaking hands to herself. Dani bit her lip anxiously and willed the Boo-merang to give Danny time to prepare himself, but Jazz sadly threw the Boo-merang with her eyes on the ground. But then Tucker gasped and Valerie yelled and both her and Sam looked up to see the Boo-merang flying through the air in a clear direction. It was undeniable now.

Danny was alive and findable. They all went into the Speeder anxiously, Dani trapped with them and no way to warn Danny.

She could only hope her father was ready to face his friends and family.

Beast Boy had just finished explaining the merits of tofu bacon to Danny, who was drinking his coffee calmly, when the window of the OPS center shattered and rained glass onto the floor. Danny was then met with a solid object to the face and Beast Boy's concerned yell as well as the alarm starting to go off. Then there was more yelling when a loud humming engine entered the scene and opened its doors, and the voices were deeper now but he'd recognize them anywhere—

"What have you done to him?" Sam's demanding voice was shaking as they all prepared to attack Beast Boy and the other Titans that had run down. Danielle was struggling to find a way to hold the entire Amity crew down and the Titans were about to fight when Danny finally found his voice.

"Stop!" Both groups turned to look at him. The tears were in his eyes and he shakily stood up, Beast Boy quick to offer support. Danny shook his head and carefully made his way in between the Amity team and the Titans. "Listen to me," he began, but a crushing him stopped him. And then another, and he had to struggle to keep his balance as both Tucker and Jazz squeezed him tightly like he'd disappear again if they didn't crush him.

"You're alive," Tucker said first, rubbing Danny's back. Jazz was sobbing incoherently into his hair and Danny wished he could return their hug without falling. Sam and Valerie were standing side to side, fists clenched at their sides. Danielle made Tucker and Jazz let go so Danny could breathe. That made way for Sam to stomp up first, anger evident in her features before melting into tears and a punch to Danny's arm. She proceeded to hug him and ruffle his hair, mumbling obscenities about how much she had worried and Danny nuzzled into her neck to comfort her. Finally, Valerie stepped up once the trio had backed off enough. Danny gulped under her intense stare.

"Danny," Valerie said hoarsely. Danny nodded and smiled nervously.

"Yeah, that'd be me," he said tiredly. "Nice haircut." She snorted and flicked his forehead.

"Still the same idiot. Glad you're okay," she said, before looking down at his crutches. "Well, mostly."

"Danny Fenton always bounces back." That prompted another crushing group hug and overlapping sentences. Danielle cleared her throat before joining the hug that had quickly turned into a crying mess. The Titans were huddled together now. Beast Boy seemed exceedingly nervous the more the group ug continued until Danny was let go and Jazz smiled sadly through her bloodshot eyes.

"Come on little brother, let's go home." They walked towards the Specter Speeder only to see Danny wasn't moving. He stared at them quietly with a sad look in his eyes. "Danny? Baby brother?"

"Danny?" Sam and Tucker asked in unison.

"Phantom…Danny," "Valerie prompted. Even Danielle's gaze looked hopeful. Instead, Danny shook his head.

"I'm so happy to see everyone again, but I'm not ready for Amity yet." Sam clenched her fists and Jazz looked on the verge of tears again. "And this is my new home. I'm sorry." Danny turned to face the Titans, who all stood stiffly, including the ever extroverted Starfire. "Titans, meet the Amity crew: Jazz, Sam, Tuck, and Valerie." They all waved awkwardly. "Guys, meet the team: Robin, Cyborg, Starfire, Raven, and Beast Boy." Beast Boy perked up at the sound of his own name. Jazz sniffled.

"It's okay, Danny, I understand." She sounded sorrowful but her smile was sincere. "You can visit any time… or vice versa." Sam, Tucker, and Valerie agreed albeit reluctantly.

"Hello Danny's Californian family," Tucker joked. Sam snorted at that, and Danny chuckled.

"We were having breakfast," Danny said to his family, before turning to the Titans. "Think we have space for five more?" Robin blinked himself into awareness and nodded. Raven shrugged. Starfire seemed excited. Cyborg smiled, and Beast Boy's grin was so wide Danny couldn't help but smile back. "Beast Boy doesn't eat meat," Sam wiped her tears and smiled, "and Cyborg loves meat." Tucker smirked.

"Man of good taste," was all he said. They all sat together, Danny sandwiched in between Tucker and Beast Boy with Jazz hovering over his shoulder. She passed him a card through her sleeve and Danny looked at it.

'Dinah Drake. Licensed psychotherapist.'

"In case you need it," Jazz whispered into his ear. "She tends to help superpowered people, too." Danny nodded and slipped the card into his pocket before smiling at one of Tucker's jokes. "Welcome home." Her voice was warm with the emotions of several years pent up.

"Welcome home," Beast Boy repeated.

"Welcome home," everyone said, and Danny smiled to himself.

Thanks. He really did feel at home and happy. And with time, he'd be okay, too.

Encounter is officially over! It's cathartic yet sad to see what has essentially become my baby come to an end. I had fun working on this.
It was a journey, that's for sure. The story, Danny, and I have all grown, that's for sure. And Danny is on the sure track to recovery now. Proud of him.

Favorite and review, the show's over now folks! Did you have fun following this ride? (Sure hope you did!)

Love ya'll and see you around on a different story *wink, wink* (won't be for a while though so patience please!)