Spectral Analysis [The Cure, Part 2]

[a1enzo]

Once more, Enzo emerges from the Matrices' closet. "Mouse?" he calls. "You got everything? Did Oracle show up okay?"

Comments

[ami_imperfect]

Dani attempts, unsuccessfully, to sit up.

"Uh, kinda," she answers weakly.

[goinghost.livejournal.com]

"I heard her voice," came a voice from down the hall.

Then, "Where do you think you're going, short stuff? We shouldn't exactly bumrush her and I'm the clone'ee-slash-big-brother figure. With the visiting, I have first dibs."

[a1enzo]

"No fair!" comes another voice. "I wanna see her! Why can't we both go in?"

[goinghost.livejournal.com]

"Because she probably feels like crud, and she might not be up to a bunch of people crowding her. When I feel like crud, I hate people crowding me. And she's my clone."

So there.

Of course, she did have a different personality in many ways, but Danny was ignoring that for the sake of his illogical logic.

[a1enzo]

Well, different sex chromosomes, different hormonal balances, different phenotypical manifestations... cloning isn't as clear-cut as most people make it out to be.

"Two isn't a bunch. Two's a couple. A bunch is, like, five. And I won't crowd her!"

Okay, some people might argue that a hug constitutes crowding, but what do they know?

[goinghost.livejournal.com]

"Two's a bunch, and we're not bunching her. I have first dibs. You can have second dibs--if she's up for it."

Danny's over-protectiveness knew no bounds.

[hack-slash-bots.livejournal.com]

The argument is rendered, perhaps, somewhat moot by the first two voices chiming back in:

"We are not to let anyone bother Ms. Danny."

"She needs her rest."

[a1enzo]

"But she's awake! We want to see her!"

[goinghost.livejournal.com]

"And I can."

Danny transformed and phased right through the bots, but stuck his head out again, and sighed.

"I'll get you in here to see her when I'm done," he relented, before disappearing again.

[a1enzo]

"HEY!"

[hack-slash-bots.livejournal.com]

"HEY!"

[goinghost.livejournal.com]

"--is for horses. Later, guys. I have some visiting to do."

[ami_imperfect]

By the end of the whole exchange, Dani's chuckling.

"So who put the Dynamic Duo on guard duty?" she asks.

[goinghost.livejournal.com]

"No clue, but they're doing their job a little too well," Danny said, floating over to her bedside and setting down in the chair there.

"So...how do you feel?" he asked tentatively.

[ami_imperfect]

Dani takes a deep breath before answering.

"A little weak, but otherwise not any different. Guess we won't really know until I try transforming."

And that won't be happening for a little while, at least.

[goinghost.livejournal.com]

"Which is not happening until you've rested for a bit."

Danny slid out his hand and reached for hers.

"Speaking of which, I have some stuff to talk to you about."

[ami_imperfect]

She eyes him warily. "What kind of stuff?"

[goinghost.livejournal.com]

"First of all, this...you know, living in the bar thing. It's okay, but lots of bad stuff has happened here, and--I don't think I can do it, at least not yet, but I feel bad, you know? I mean...you came from me. Weird, slightly creepy--okay, very creepy--but that makes you my sister or...or like my kid or something. I dunno. It's confusing. I still haven't worked it all out in my head yet, and that's part of why I've been so...distant lately. I feel like...Vlad took something from me he had no right to take, and it violated some...right I should've have had. But I'm glad he did it at the same time? You know? Because of the result. I'm really glad of the result."

Which was her.

He took a deep breath. "What I'm trying to say is that I feel responsible for you, and I feel bad that you live in a bar It may be the coolest bar ever in the history of the universe, but...well. Families are pretty cool, too."

He took in a deep breath. "I don't think I'm ready yet, and I guess--okay, that is pretty selfish of me. I can admit to being selfish. I'm not ready, and it's selfish, because it's to make my life easier--but my life is really hard to start with, and that's why I need to keep up the secret identity thing just a little bit longer. I sort of have this feeling...like something big is supposed to happen. Maybe with Vlad or--or somebody, I'm not sure, so for now, I need things to be the same until it does happen."

He tilted his head. "But at some point--soon--I'm going to tell my parents what I am. And about you. I'm going to tell them everything."

A pause.

"And when I do, I want you to live with me. I want you to have a house. And a yard. And parents--even if they're a little obsessed. And--well, you could do without school, school sucks, but I guess it'd be good for you anyway."

"You didn't ask to be created--and I'm glad you did--and you've made friends in Milliways, but you deserve Milliways and something more than that. You deserve all the same things I have, too--like a family." He snorted. "Even if they're nuts. I mean, if you want it. Not now, but...soon. I promise you. I'll do it soon. Within the year. I won't let it go any longer than that."

[ami_imperfect]

Dani can only stare at him, stunned.

"A-are you sure?" she asks. "I mean, what if your parents..." What if they don't accept me?

A totally irrational thought, to be sure. But then Dani's never really belonged to a family before.

[goinghost.livejournal.com]

He knew what she was worried about.

They were similar enough. It'd been his main worry, and deepest fear for a long, long, long time. At least until he had more to fear--like becoming evil. Oh, and evil villain labs. He hated those.

"They accepted me. One time. Then I changed all of reality, and making them forget was part of it."

A pause. "Long story, a magical reality-altering gauntlet was involved, anyywaay, my point is, they found out and accepted me. I just thought it would be better if they went on without knowing. Which is...okay, I keep acting like it's better for me, but it isn't. It's actually inconvenient for me, but maybe it'd save them the heartbreak of knowing that whenever Danny Phantom raced off to fight the King of all Ghosts or any number of nasty things that might tan his skin an make a throw rug out of it, that it wasn't their son. That gives me some piece of mind, knowing they have it. Plus if they know, my dad will try to 'help' me and sometimes he's great at fighting ghots, but it tends to only be when the family's in mortal peril. All the rest of the time...yeah, let's just say I'm not really ready to have him 'helping' yet."

He squeezed her hand. "But like I said. Within the year. That's the deadline I'm holding to. Hopefully that'll be time for...this weird feeling to go away, or something to happen like it feels like it will. When the time comes, they so totally will accept you, and love you. They'll have to, because, you know, you're sort of me. But not. You're my kid. You know, whatever it is you are."

And he loved her, in his own weird, distant-yet-overprotective way.

[ami_imperfect]

She nods, not really blaming him. Hell, she was there when Jack and Maddie first entered Milliways, ghost-hunting weapons blazing.

"Okay. I-I do, want it, I mean. Everyone at Milliways is great, but I do get kind of homesick for Amity Park. And you."

Dani reaches out and grabs his hand. "And if it's easier, you can just think of me as your little sister."

Because it's easier for her to see him as her big brother than her father.

[goinghost.livejournal.com]

"Heh. I guess that means you get to annoy me like I annoy Jazz," he said, holding her hand with both of his own.

"Are you up for hugging? I promise I won't squeeze too hard."

[ami_imperfect]

"Always."

[goinghost.livejournal.com]

BIG BROTHER HUG MOON POWER ACTIVATE!

Wait...

GOING HUGGY!

Nope. Maybe...

WITH THESE HUGS COMBINED WE CALL HIM CAPTAIN--

Nope. He just couldn't think of a good superhero catchphrase for hugging. Even though his code was pretty much demanding he make some sort of bad pun.

"I am so relieved right now. You have no idea," he said. "Although as soon as we're sure you're stable and feel up to it, we have a lot of work to do."

[ami_imperfect]

I dunno; "GOING HUGGY" has a certain ring to it...

"I think I might," Dani counters.

She pulls away and looks at him curiously. "What kind of work?"