Chapter 9: A Happy Family

Maddie had taken the wheel from Jack as it was the first time Jack was flying the Fenton Jet and was having a bit too much fun. Maddie had declared that flying loops was not a good idea when there was a girl in the jet who had been nearly tortured to death.

"We also need to do something about the mayor of Amity Park as Mr. Mayor is now in governmental custody" Jazz said

"I could run" Jack stated excitedly

Four faces paled at the mere THOUGHT of Jack as mayor and the possibilities.

"Jack, we have ENOUGH to worry about being the professional ghost hunters in town as well as the parents and the suppliers for Danny Phantom and now Dani Phantom once she recovers." Maddie argued

"Good point" Jack agreed

"whew" the three Fenton kids sighed quietly with relief

Jazz turned to her brother who was still holding Danielle who looked as if she didn't want to be anywhere else but where she was.

Jazz smiled as she realized something. Technically, Danielle was only 7 months though she looked older. The girl was at a very vital stage in her life. Her turning evil if living on the streets was actually not that much of a surprise, but that was not going to happen.

If there was ONE thing a child needed, it was a loving, nurturing family. True Danielle didn't have a mother, but she had a 'grandmother,' an 'aunt,' a female family friend in Valerie, and her 'father's' girlfriend. Plus there was Tucker, a 'grandfather' and finally, the most important figure in Danielle's life: a highly overprotective father.

All of which were ready to spoil and nurture her till Kingdom Come

Jazz watched as Danielle seemed deep in thought

With Danielle

You put your family in danger. This is what will happen if you allow yourself to get too attached. Danny could have been killed

Actually, Vlad was the one who could have been killed. Didn't you see how protective Danny was? I've never seen him like that

Scary? What if you do something to anger him like that?

Back with Jazz,

Something in Danielle's eyes told Jazz that Dark Dani was still trying to get through. She was about to say something to bury Dark Dani, but Jazz didn't know if Danny saw it too or if it was the paternal instinct.

Whatever it was, it caused Danny to tighten his grip on Danielle, gently rub her back, and kiss the top of her head

"I love you and nothing will change that" Danny whispered to her just quiet enough to be caught by Jazz who was sitting next to him "Vlad's always been after Mom and Dad, but now he's gone. And if he escapes, we'll be ready"

Jazz smile when a familiar spark formed in Danielle's eyes. Of course, she had never seen it in the girl's eyes, but she's seen it in Danny's. Danny also noticed the spark and smiled as he had seen it in the girl's eyes before.

It was as if a large burden had been lifted from her shoulders.

With Danielle,

Ha! He loves me and he doesn't blame me! He DOES want me, so shut up and stop trying to convince me otherwise!

He's just sayin…

I said SHUT UP!

0000

In the ghost zone,

Clockwork smiled as another alternative timeline ceased to exist. The vanished time line had held an evil Dani Phantom destroying Danny Phantom

That timeline changed into Dani kicking ghost butt with her family that included her foster father, her foster mother Sam Manson-Fenton, and her foster brother D.J.

In that timeline, Danielle, though her original was now in his 30's, looked in her 20's as she had not been able to age for a while until Maddie and Danny had found a way to activate the girl's growth hormones (which apparently she had been lacking).

She was also dating a human boy who had moved from New York.

"You manipulated the time stream again Clockwork" an Observant said annoyed.

"In other words" a second added

"YOU CHEATED!" they chorused giving Clockwork a different kind of déjà vu sense

"True, but as I have not met Danielle in person, the choice was all hers" Clockwork said with a chuckle as he re-watched the birth of D.J. Fenton where Dani had been present to take her 'father's' place as Danny was a BIT preoccupied with a ghost who had been too close to the hospital for comfort and it wasn't an easy ghost so he was unable to be there to protest the name Daniel Fenton Jr.

He changed the scene back to Team Phantom kicking ghost butt, but ended the scene when Dani was about to go off on a date with her boyfriend.

"She is so your clone" Older Sam laughed

"Why do you say that?" Older Danny said

"You are so going back to your clueless act." Tucker laughed "She's dating a goth boy named Sam"

"I have to admit though" Sam said. "She has good taste"

"You WOULD say that" Danny said rolling his eyes

Clockwork chuckled. Life for the Fentons/Phantoms were going good. Daniel got the motivation he needed to be more responsible, Danielle got the family she needed to stay on the right path, and Vlad got what was coming to him for opening Paraiah Dark's sarcophagus.

He changed the screen again to reveal a week after the rescue.

0000

At the Fentons at the time of what Clockwork was watching,

"I'M HOME!" Danny called

Suddenly he was tackled by his new daughter in ghost form just barely missing the declaration of 'Daddy'

"You're doing MUCH better" he laughed as he returned the hug

"I'm FEELING much butter" Dani stated "I don't know. Since the last time I flew off dramatically, this voice in my head kept trying to degrade me saying I was nothing but a clone and I wasn't loved and I would never be normal, but after you rescued me from Vlad, I told that voice to shut up and it did! I've been sleeping better and my energy's returned"

"Well, I'm glad you told that voice to shut up" Danny said. "Because you are NOT just a clone and you ARE loved"

"But I'll never be normal?" she asked

"Neither will I." Danny said. "And I now accept that"

"HEY! DANIELLE!" Jack called from the lab. "GET DOWN HERE!"

"COMING JACK!" she called as she flew down

Danny smiled before a look of realization came to him. He remembered hearing a voice JUST like the one she described. And after his incident with his meeting Clockwork, he had been able to place the voice as Dark Dan.

Danielle had her own Dark side. And if it wasn't for Officer Knight's call…

How HAD the officer gotten his home phone number? Danielle had JUST learned it.

"Clockwork" Danny realized sounding annoyed but the smile on his face and the look in his eyes showed gratitude towards the ghost mention

0000

Back at Clockwork's,

"You're welcome"

The End