Chapter 14

Vlad's ship was no more than water logged, useless kindling now. In a few weeks some good driftwood that maybe the locals could see to tourists as tables. Bit of the Madeline and the things it once carried, what didn't sink merely floated to shore. Long shards of wood got stuck on the rocks and the tide simply washed over that too. There was no sign of the Vlad or his crew, but there was a single rowboat on the horizon everyone ignored in favor of watching debris crash to shore.

Everyone on the Fenton's boat was leaning over a side, calling Danny's name, and even sometimes Phantom's, though they never got a response except for the ominous sound of water slapping lazily against rocks. It was only after the ship and finished splintering apart that it was safe to bring the boat in closer, Jack and Maddie wary of getting pulled in with a current the ship had created.

Nobody wanted to panic because nobody wanted to assume the worst—but they hadn't seen any sign of life at all yet surface, let alone Danny or the merman who'd swam boldly back to rescue him. Maybe Phantom never got there in time, or maybe Danny had been dragged to the bottom of the sea, either by ship or merman. Though to be fair only his parents seemed to be thinking this last idea, while Jazz, Tucker and Sam were the only ones who called Phantom's name. Each call was a touch more and more desperate, and each time there were new words.

"Danny? Danny—son!"

"Danny! Please…can you hear us?"

"Phaaaantom! Come on, we know you, you saved Danny, where are you guys?"

The boat drifted around a bend in the island, bringing them to a modest splatter of rocky sand with large boulders smoothed by the tireless sea. It was Jazz who saw it first, and she tensed, staring with wide eyes as she followed a bit of wood that was heading slowly toward the shore. And on that shore in front of it lay that familiar long body, black scales glistening in the sunlight.

"There! M-mom, Dad, there's Phantom!"

Indeed there he was, lying with his back to them and tail curled up to his front, a pectoral fin sticking up in the sort of awkward position you assume when you're unconscious—because you don't really have a choice.

If Phantom had washed up on the shore like this then...

What did that mean for Danny—who was human and prone to drowning so much more easily?

The boat was hurriedly wedged safely between the rocks, and everyone jumped off into the shallows, no one caring for clothes as they clumsily floundered through the surf toward the beach. Navigating the rocks left Jack and Maddie to make it to the body first, both stopping dumbfounded. Jazz moved around, gasping at the wound in Phantom's shoulder, the other various bumps and bruises, even some of his scales had been rubbed off—by what? The rocks? Ship? His shoulder, though the sand below it was deep red, was no longer flowing freely, and seemed to have clotted naturally, leaving a blotchy crimson mess where scales and skin used to be.

"Oh…god…"

"But...but where's Danny…?" Jazz heard her mother speak, and her small terrified voice hurt just as much as looking at Phantom's wound did.

"He…he has to be…here somewhere…" Jack tried, taking a step, but he and everyone else froze when they got closer, because they could hear a wheezing, whaspy noise. To Jazz, Sam and Tucker it was familiar and even the elder Fentons understood it after a split second—Phantom was breathing.

But there was still no sign of...

"Oh…D-Danny…" That was their mom, her voice teary and her eyes even more so. Jazz wordlessly moved over and hugged her, half for comfort, half to comfort her.

Suddenly the visible frill on Phantom's head twitched, and lifted up at the sound of her voice. Or better yet what her voice had just said. With an agonizing groan of someone tired down to their very bones, the merman's body moved back almost on his spine. He stayed there, looking tiredly over his shoulder to the five humans still standing in the water. They stared back, holding their breath, some not even blinking. Phantom was still breathing that ragged noise, his body dry and caked with either blood or salt. He watched them unenthusiastically for a moment.

"…Phantom?" Jazz managed with a sob, finally voicing what they all wanted to know but couldn't garner the courage to ask.

"Where is he? …W-where's Danny?"

That frill flicked again, and recognition flooded the merman's intelligent green eyes, replacing the tiredness. He moved his neck to look down at something under him. Then that large fin folded, and Phantom shifted some more, revealing Danny pressed under his girth, safely lying in the depressed sand.

"Danny!"

Monster or not, his parents were flying toward Phantom at the first sign of that black hair and white t shirt, moving round to the side Danny was on, who was pulled free by Jack's arms as they both checked him over. His eyes were closed and granted he was limp in his father's grasp but his chest was rising and there was…no blood on him at all.

"He looks…he looks…alright, he's alive!" And so he was.

"Oh thank god, he's…he's alright…"

There were likely to be some bruises but he wasn't pale or shivering or even scraped up. His clothes were still wet. Phantom rumbled faintly when Jazz dropped to her knees next to him and put her hand on top of his head. There was a beat in which, now certain their son was safe (more safe then they could have hoped) both adults lifted their gaze to the merman who suddenly had Sam and Tucker and Jazz all around him, smiling and kneeling fearlessly by the monster. Who for his part moved to his stomach now that Danny was no longer wedged under him, and closed his eyes in exhaustion.

"…So that…mo—merman…saved him." Phantom looked over at Jack when he spoke, causing to simply repeat with a nod. "You saved him."

Phantom sighed heavily and let Jazz pet his good shoulder.

Sam, Tucker and Jazz all shared a look, while the merman responsible for this rescue yawned and rested his chin on his hands, seeming to fight the urge to sleep.

"I told you mom—They…really trust each other. A lot." At Jazz's words both Jack and Maddie turned…faintly embarrassed and sheepish and looked away, and were thankfully given a distraction when Danny shifted in his Dad's arms and his eyes flickered open.

"…wha…Dad? …Mom?" he managed, his voice a croak. His mother gasped.

"Danny! Oh sweetie, how are you feeling? Are you alright—what hurts, what happened—"

"M-mom, hang on…one, one question at a time." But he was laughing weakly as he tried to sit up, and he did so, with only a little help from his father. Okay he…he was alive. That was a good start. And Phantom was too. That was the best part, if he was going to be honest with himself. Danny blinked and seemed to notice something.

"Where's…oh, Phantom?"

And then to his parent's shock Phantom rumbled to life at the sound of their son's voice, his fins perking up as he opened his eyes and twisted toward the boy. Danny smiled and leaned more out of his father's arm, lifting a hand toward Phantom, who murred and flicked his tail.

"Hey, Phantom."

"…Danny." The merman smiled tiredly as he dragged himself over and sagged into Danny's lap with a soft sigh.

"Yeah…it's okay, Phantom." Then Danny glanced at the shoulder, still a mess of scales and blood and skin, and frowned softly. His fingers strayed to gently rub one of those head fins as he murmured with certain firmness,

"Well…it will be."

"…Danny?" Jazz blinked, seeing that look.

"Mom? Dad? Can I…ask a favor?"

"Son—"

"Please." Danny interjected before they could protest. "If not for me than for Phantom…" Danny pleased, as he gestured to the mottled shoulder. "He can't go back in the ocean like this, and you know it." He didn't sound accusing at all, just firm and honest. Phantom was all but crammed in his lap, finally started to really rest and seemed only a snore away from glorious sleep, which of course the merman had earned. How he'd managed to out swim everything, the ship and rocks, and still get Danny on shore safely? No wonder the merman was tired and scraped up.

And though everyone suspected it had something to do with the fact Phantom had saved their youngest child's life, at great risk to his own, his parents relented rather easily.

"…thanks guys…really, thank you." Danny's shoulders sagged as they went and got the boat, Jack actually hefting Phantom's body up. Phantom's tail twitched in his sleep, but as soon as Danny spoke the merman quieted down and drifted off.

Once Phantom—who was now dead to the world and wouldn't wake for anything less than said world ending—was loaded on his parent's boat with little effort, Danny felt a bit better. Actually, he felt more than a little better, but his euphoria was doused by all that had happened and all that lay before them. Everyone knew about Phantom know, he didn't know where Vlad had gone to and for all Danny knew the word about merpeople would spread faster than before.

Though maybe he shouldn't worry about that now. Danny sighed and thanked Tuck as he helped him into the boat.

They had enough people and with Phantom it was a little cramped but they made it work, somehow. Sam offered him a smile that Danny returned with a tired one of his own as he headed for the sleeping merman curled up in the middle of the boat, on top of the glass bottom. Before he knew it Danny was sinking down next to the merman on the floor, rubbing a fin comfortingly as the boats motor roared to life. Phantom stirred just once, eyes half opening but the when his nose his Danny's jeans he relaxed smoothly and his frills sagged.

Danny had the energy to get up only once after that, and it was to get some ocean soaked towels and cover the drying merman in them, who purred in his sleep but didn't wake. Danny thanked his parents, and his sister, and his friends, over and over. He thanked Phantom softly, though the merman clearly couldn't hear him. Since Phantom couldn't fit on a bench, Danny didn't sit on a bench either, he found himself leaning against the merman's good side, and with the sun beating down and the boat moving so steadily and rhythmically underneath them as they headed back for Amity…

Well, no one blamed Danny when they noticed he'd fallen asleep too, curled against Phantom's side.

oOo

Danny couldn't tell you what happened after that. One minute he was against Phantom's cold toweled side and the next he was on a sleeping bag in his parent's basement. Despite the hard surface he awoke with only some aches, and blinked sleepily at the ceiling for several long beats. He gained his bearings and realized there was a pillow under his head, and water was splashing gently somewhere to his left.

Wait…moving water? The tank down here had been empty for as long as he could remember…

He turned his head to the left and nearly whacked his hand in surprise at the proximity of it. A delighted croon met his ears when he shifted, and Danny looked up to find the source.

"P-Phantom!" he cried in surprise at the merman leaning with a smile over him.

"Danny!" The merman laughed, half out of the tank, holding himself up by one arm. He flopped his tail in the water and sent it everywhere, overjoyed that Danny was moving again.

"How did you get in the basement—why am I in the basement…on the floor…." He was getting no answers from the merman though, who had dropped under water and was swimming laps cheerfully, despite his heavily bandaged shoulder blade. The tank certainly wasn't the ocean but it seemed to suit Phantom just fine for now. He finally stopped his personal race and pressed his body against the glass Danny was lying before and grinned at him. Danny watched, still vaguely dumbstruck.

Danny pulled himself up, wincing as his ribs were pulled. Yeah, hello aches. And he felt stiff almost everywhere. Phantom noticed his slowness and shot up to meet him, leaning out of the tank again. Danny offered him a smile through his wince and Phantom just murred worriedly.

"Ah…I'm okay buddy, don't worry..." Phantom didn't look convinced but Danny, using the edge of the tank as a support, stood up finally. The tank came to about his neck, and Phantom could keep himself at the same height by stretching his tail out behind him, since the tank was at least three times as long as the merman. He leaned over and nudged Danny with his good arm, smiling gently, those bright green eyes searching his blue ones.

"How's your shoulder?" Danny asked, reaching for the bandages. "Huh…did you do this yourself?"

Phantom rumbled and cocked his head, blinking. Danny chuckled and leaned over, smiling when Phantom closed the distance and pressed their foreheads together. His smile widened when Phantom gave a long content purr.

"…I'm glad you're okay too, Phantom….that was pretty scary for a while, huh?" He murmured, touching the good scaled shoulder and rubbing his thumb over it affectionately.

"…thought I was gonna lose you…" Phantom bumped their noses as Danny talked, his purring shifting tones as he 'spoke' back to Danny. What the hell, Danny decided to try and address the elephant in the room. This seemed a good enough time as any, after all. Life threatening situations can make you very aware of how fleeting the good times are, Danny supposed.

"You mean a lot to me, you know that?" he finally whispered, because this felt like a moment you needed to speak softly during. Phantom's frills fanned out at his voice, and those bright green eyes watched him evenly, alight with warmth and affection so clear Danny couldn't have been imagining it. Not after everything Phantom had just done to prove he…liked Danny back. Not after risking his own life like that.

Good relationships went both ways.

"Phantom…?" He finally ventured, opening his eyes and leaning back so he didn't have to focus on the merman's face cross eyed. Phantom hummed in askance, giving a nod to tell him he had the merman's full attention. Danny bit his lip and inhaled deeply, readying himself.

"Phantom, I…I lo—"

"Danny?" The poor human jumped a mile when his mother appeared on the stairs, and slipped on the sleeping bag, ending up crashing down on top of it, groaning.

Phantom gave a startled noise himself and swam to the bottom of his tank, trying to mother hen the boy from behind the glass.

"Ah…oh, hi mom…" Danny answered, rubbing the back of his head where it'd conked the glass on the way down. If it weren't for bad luck Danny was starting to think he'd have no luck at all.

"Sorry sweetie," came his mom's friendly voice as she walked over, and Danny couldn't find it in himself to even be sort of mad. Ah well.

"Didn't mean to startle you…oh, is your back alright? I know the floor couldn't have been comfortable but it was the only way that—your friend would settle down…you didn't seem to mind either, you kept calling his name."

Danny blushed as he sat up, taking the water and ibuprofen his mother offered. He decided to act like he'd just woken up; it wasn't like Phantom would tell anyone otherwise. Once the merman saw he was alright, Phantom gave a happy chirp and was exploring his tank again, the moment passed. Oh well, it wasn't that a big deal, because it wasn't like Phantom would ever understand his words. Pipe dreams and all that. Danny turned back to his mom.

"T-thanks…for everything, not just this stuff I mean." He managed shyly, certain now he'd be in trouble, and not the kind that Vlad did to him. This was parental trouble, which was much worse in Danny's opinion because this sort of trouble you generally deserved. He bit his lip and glanced at her sheepishly, trying his best to ignore the fact Phantom was purring so hard against the glass he was making it vibrate.

"…You're welcome." Suddenly his mother was kneeling next to him and had him a tight hug. Any other time Danny would sit there or maybe give her a one armed hug loosely, out of obliging embarrassment but…this time he hugged her back, realizing there really was nothing like hugging your mom after being scared. Even if you weren't scared anymore.

"I'm so proud of you, sweetie." She murmured in his ear, and he blinked in surprise.

"H-huh?" Danny managed as he was let go. He leaned against Phantom's tank and stared at her. "But I…I kept Phantom a secret from you…and then I let him get captured by Vlad and…and I used up like fifteen oxygen tanks just so you know, they weren't just falling over all this time…and it wasn't a stray cat getting into the fish either." He finished lamely, feeling better that this was all coming out. His mother shot him a wry look and twisted her lips, smiling.

"I wondered. Your father believed it but I had my suspicions. I never thought…he would be the reason behind it."

Danny paused, and then smiled. "…you called him he."

"Oh just…well after everything...it's hard not to, he is…rather friendly." Maddie admitted, watching the merman twist effortlessly in the water and chase after a flicker of light. Phantom spotted her looking and coasted over, and when she smiled he perked up and beamed back. The merman poked his head above water and cocked his head down at them both.

"…Danny?"

"And he can talk." His mother marveled.

"Kinda, yeah." Danny chuckled. "…so you're…proud of me?" he mumbled suddenly, glancing at her. She nodded.

"The way you handled what you did today, and what you did before all that…Jazz told us everything."

She couldn't have told you…everything. Danny thought, thinking of their many kisses. He glanced over his shoulder at the merman, noting the expert wrapping and the way Phantom kept itching it.

"How long was I asleep?" he said instead.

"Oh, long enough. Here, why don't you take a look at Phantom? Before he crawls out of the tank again." She commented easily enough. As she helped him up and said that, Danny had the decency to look sheepish.

"Oh geeze," he glanced at the water stains on the floor as he stood up slowly. "Sorry, mom…" surprisingly she just smiled that secret smile again, and Danny wondered vaguely why it reminded him of Sam's. he was distracted when a tail rose out of the water so Phantom could stare at the black bottom of the tank with obvious interest, used to sand and rocks under him.

Danny smiled as he stood against the tank, watching the merman spot him. Danny grinned and held out his arms, causing that tail to flick under and the merman to rise up in front of him and tackle him in a hug, sending water sloshing everywhere. He had his arms round the merman before the water finished splashing, laughing as he was nuzzled and purred against.

Danny realized then, maybe it didn't quite matter what he said, or didn't get to say, because Phantom seemed to comprehend him either way. Spoken and unspoken. Maybe that was more than a little okay. They had each other, were healthy for the most part or on the mend, and maybe for the moment Danny should just be grateful they had that. It was better than nothing. And maybe someday he and Phantom would be able to have more, if they were lucky enough

What they did have now was each other, and that seemed to them to be good enough as anything.

"He's very attached to you, isn't he?"

Danny smiled as Phantom met his gaze with that usual smirk.

"You don't know the half of it."