Chapter One

Gray Mornings

Author's Introduction:

This is my first attempt at a fan fiction of any kind, so please, bare with me.

This takes place about a week after Phantom Planet. It's Valerie's point of view. I, like many other people, found the fact that Valerie was seen so little in Phantom Planet odd. I wish they had put her in a bit more, and find her being happy and all forgiving Danny Phantom because he is now also Danny Fenton not quite right… So this is just a little thing of what Valerie goes through afterwards… And her journey to forgiving Danny.

Enjoy!

Disclaimer:

I don't own any of the Danny Phantom characters, or references to the show. I think that's it…

"You ruined everything! And now, you're going to pay!" the huntress yelled, aiming her gun at the ghost. However, she was unable to shoot, for the phantom that had been floating before her was now a dark-haired boy. Tears burst to her eyes as she tightened her hold on the gun, ready to pull the trigger.

Beep! Beep! Beep!

The alarm rang in Valerie's ears, as she sank further beneath her sheets. Ever since Phantom had saved the world, everything had changed. Valerie no longer knew what drove her. Everything she had though she knew wasn't at all how she thought it had been.

Groaning, the girl slapped her hand down on her night stand, barely missing the clock. She felt around for the switch, turning the alarm off. It had only been a week, and the revelation was already haunting her. Sitting up, she looked about her room. The wanted posters, news clippings and questions still littered her wall; what was left of her ghost hunting equipment had spilled out of her closet; the Nasty Burger mascot suit laid in a corner of her room, her work cloths hanging on a hook above it.

Pulling herself out of bed, Valerie headed to the bathroom. She stopped in front of the mirror, taking in her reflection. The make-up she had refused to remove was smudged and smeared; one of the straps on her tank top had fallen down her arm; her hair was tangled and knarled; her shorts were crooked with an end up on her hip and the other just below her hip bone. All-in-all she was a wreck. Straightening her shorts and pulling the strap back onto her shoulder, Valerie turned on the faucet and scrubbed at the make-up. Drying her face with a towel, she examined her work. The majority of the make-up was gone, only the mascara and eye-liner remained. Opening the medicine cabinet, she retrieved a bottle of Vaseline and dabbed it at her eyes. Capping the bottle, she rubbed the Vaseline around, working it between her lashes. Grabbing the towel, she rubbed off the Vaseline, and with it, the rest of the make-up. From there, she grabbed a brush and pulled it through her hair. It took her a total of fifteen minutes to finish getting ready for school. This process consisted of: getting dressed, eating, tucking her work cloths away in her backpack, grabbing her keys. Saying goodbye to her dad and driving off to Casper High.

Valerie tried not to think about much on her way to school. To help, she repeated her day's schedule, including class periods and lunch, in her head. When she pulled into the student parking lot, she was still murmuring, "Geometry, Health, P.E., Work, Home, English…" She continued to do so as she walked into the building. However, her chant was interrupted when she heard a certain goth arguing with a certain prep.

"What's it to you if Danny's busy?" Sam snapped.

"Oh, well, excu-oo-ze me for being concerned for the well being of Amity Park's hero!" Paulina shot back.

"He's the world's hero! If it weren't for him, we wouldn't even have a world!" Sam yelled.

"And if he were to get hurt, what ever would we do?" Paulina replied with exaggerated concern.

Sam's face contorted with anger. "You have no idea what 'hurt' is! You're not the one who stood by his side as he fought ghost after ghost! You're not the one who was captured numerous times and held hostage as a trap for him!"

"Of course I was!" Paulina objected. "And he'll be asking me out soon."

"I'm Danny's girlfriend!" Sam said through clenched teeth.

"A week of going out with him, and a ring on your finger is hardly dating!" Paulina laughed as she walked away.

Sam was about to go after her, but Valerie grabbed hold of the goth before she could. "Calm down, Sam. It's only Paulina. Deep breathes," Valerie coached. As Sam took a few deep breathes and began to calm down, Valerie released her. One good thing that came out of all this was her and Sam had become friends. They hung out together when Danny was busy, but as soon as the boy was present, Valerie was gone.

"I know it's Paulina, that's the problem!" Sam growled.

"I know," Valerie sighed. Sam cocked an eyebrow disbelievingly. "Trust me, I know. I do. How do you think I felt when Paulina dropped my social standings to below you guys-" Valerie stopped, hoping she hadn't gone too far. She still wasn't used to having to watch what she said, especially since most of it was said out of pure habit.

"Don't worry about it," Sam muttered. The girl looked at a group of jocks and cheerleaders. "It seems we're alone in this jungle," she whispered.

"What do you mean by that?" Valerie asked, staring at the group who she had once called friends.

"Well, like you said, you're lower than even me. Tucker's famous as the youngest mayor in Amity Park history, and Danny saved the world. That leaves me." The two fell silent, each lost in her own memories.

Valerie was just recalling a certain dance in which Tucker had stood her up, when Sam spoke again, "He thinks you hate him, you know."

"Wha-" Tucker had no reason to think she hated him. What could Sam possibly mean?

"Danny," the goth replied. "He thinks you hate him."

Valerie avoided Sam's eyes, looking to the ground as she murmured, "I don't hate him." She was surprised at how true that was. She had gotten over hating Phantom long ago, but the grudge had remained. However, the sentence held even more truth then ever, now that Phantom was Fenton. Wanting nothing but to escape the confusion that Danny caused, Valerie fled to class, leaving Sam standing alone in the hall.

Valerie was unable to focus throughout the rest of the day. Memories of fighting Phantom and dating Fenton filled her head. Regret, sorrow and anger flooded through her. She was unable to concentrate on any one thing, and was just about to scream when the bell rang for lunch. After putting her books away in her locker, Valerie walked straight outside. There were already enough reminders of what had happened, she didn't need the constant talking and gossiping of the lunchroom on top of it.

Walking out of the building, Valerie saw scorch marks on the road where her suit had exploded. Danny had totaled it before it had been set to self destruct. She had thought that he had been after her, but she knew better now. As Valerie stared at the spot, she heard something like the movement of leaves when someone is hiding in a bush. Valerie straightened and looked around. "Who's there?" she called. There was no answer. Dropping her lunch on a table, Valerie cautiously approached the bush. There didn't seem to be anything odd about this particular bush. Grabbing a stick, the huntress prodded the plant.

"Ow!" came the annoyed reply. The voice was familiar, but not one Valerie could put her finger on.

"Ger out here!" Valerie barked.

"I plan to," retorted the bush-person. A girl, about the age of twelve, with black hair pulled into a pony tail and icy blue eyes, emerged from the leaves. She wore a blue sweatshirt, red beanie hat, blue all-star tennis shoes, and red shorts.

"Danielle?" Valerie asked, shocked. She vaguely remembered her flight with Danny to save the ghost-girl from Vlad, a.k.a Plasmius.

"In the flesh," the girl replied, a small smile appearing on her face.

"What are you doing here?" The huntress demanded, both worried and angered. Danielle's face fell. Whatever the reason she was there, it wasn't good. "Well?"

"Danny's in trouble."

Author's Notes:

Well, that's the fist chapter. So what do you think? Good, not good, ok? Continue, don't continue? If I get good ratings, or if people like it, then I'll keep going, but if not…

Anyways… none of the characters so far are mine, they are all Danny Phantom characters… I make a reference to "Flirting with Disaster" and to "D-stabilize" and I think that's it…

Second chapter will be coming soon!