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Valerie gaps, her angry expression turning into shock as she panickedly looks between Danny, ‘Phantom,’ and Elle. Her mouth opens and closes but without a word, she turns around and runs back into the kitchen. The doors swing closed.
All three halfas stay silent for a small eternity, looking to the door with shock-wide eyes.
Then three voices in unison. “Shit.”
As soon as the word is out of his mouth, Jamie snaps his mouth shut, internally screaming. His heart pounds in his chest quickly enough to make him feel light headed.
Across from him, Danny curses under his breath. “Shit. Shit. Shit. Oh f-ck. Shit.”
Elle is quickly looking between her two brothers. “What do we do? What do we do?”
“I don’t know. I don’t know.” Jamie coarsely whispers. He pokes the boy across from him. “Danny. What do we do?”
The oldest halfa looks up, eyes wide with panic. He holds up his hands. “I don’t know.” His voice sounds not angry, but lost.
The tone makes Jamie’s heart hurt. At once, he’s reminded; though they’ve settled into this dynamic of Danny as the leader, mostly because he’s the oldest, he’s still a kid who’s just as out of his depth as Jamie himself feels.
Danny has his head between his hands. “She knows. She knows. Or….she figured something out. Or…” His head turns to the side, looking at Elle. “She knows you as Phantom’s cousin, not Fenton’s. And she knows about…...”
Danny trails off, paleing. His eyes nervously flicker to the still closed door that Valerie disappeared through and Jamie can tell he’s wondering the same things he himself is. What is she doing right now? What is she thinking?
“She’s never seen Fenton and Phantom side by side.” Jamie whispers. “But now….”
“We should go.” Danny quickly turns his legs to the side of the booth and stands. “Come on.” He motions the other two halfas to follow.
Jamie nods in acknowledgement. He floats off the seat, looking at the table sadly. It’s covered with quickly melting milkshakes and soaked half eaten burgers and fries. He then looks down, remembering the spilled shake on his outfit. He flickers intangible, allowing it to fall through him and...he winces….onto the booth. He frowns, a small part of him feeling bad for whoever will have to clean this up. Another small part of him is upset about getting to only eat half of his first cheeseburger ever and none of that shake. But the larger part is still freaking out about Valerie.
“Come on.” Danny repeats, tapping his arm. A small measure of his brother’s anxiety pokes Jamie’s core from the contact, adding to his own.
The ghost boy swallows, muttering. “Yeah. I’m coming.”
Again, Jamie’s eyes flicker around the room, keenly noticing the gazes focused on the group. Gazes that are mixtures of judgemental, questioning, and curious. The same group of band geeks talk quietly but almost frantically among themselves. Mikey looks up, briefly meeting his green eyes. The other boy’s mouth instantly snaps shut and he averts his gaze. A second later, Jamie also looks away, blushing in shame. He bits his lip, nervously and his gaze travels to Wes and Kwan. The red-head studies the group with crossed arms and furrowed brow, his puzzled expression very clearly displaying the wheels turning in his head.
The three pass the counter, earning a sober and subdued wave from Kyle. Danny pushes the door open. Elle and then Jamie follow him out. The currently human boy looks purposefully around the parking before turning left, towards the back of the restaurant and the dumpster they landed behind not that long ago. He fast walks around the building before ducking behind the dumpster, obvious tension rolling off of him. A similar tension stiffens Jamie’s posture and even Elle’s.
Soon three are safely hidden from the parking lot and street. Danny runs his fingers through his hair, looking side to side. “I can...I’ll….I’ll talk to her later. Just...let’s...let’s just go home.” As soon as the words are out of his mouth, the white ring begins materializing around his waist.
“Turn around.” A harsh voice suddenly rings out.
Jamie’s heart just about stops. Valerie. The ghost boy puts his hands up. At the same time, the energy of Danny’s transformation winks out. His head turns to the side to look at Jamie and then Elle, his expression silently saying to do as Valerie said. Biting his lip, the ghost boy turns around in the air. His eyes fall on the girl and his breath catches in his throat. Clad in her red and black armor, Valerie stands in the gap between the dumpster and the wall, blocking their exit via the ground. With a shaking hand, she holds an ectogun in front of her.
“Valerie.” Danny’s soft voice sounds behind him, tinted with hurt.
“Tell me what the hell is going on.” She demands, her eyes quickly flickering between Jamie’s face and someone behind him.
“Valerie, put the gun down.” Danny pleads.
“No!” She spits out the word. “Phantom! Tell me what’s happening.”
Phantom...who’s….Jamie’s mind sputters, trying to register what’s happening, what’s being demanded of him through his panic.
“Val. He’s not-” The currently human boy starts.
The Huntress cuts him off, taking a step forward. “Phantom! What the hell are you playing at?”
Her eyes bore into Jamie’s. He stutters. “I...I don’t…”
“I bet you think messing with me is so funny, don’t you, you f-cking glowstick?!” She waves the gun. “It’s not!”
Jamie backs up, his mouth opening and closing. Behind him, Danny yells something he doesn’t hear. All his mind can register in the furious huntress in front of him. She grits her teeth. “You disgusting...I thought...I thought Wes was crazy. Duplication trick.” She scoffs. “There was no way....You’re not….” Valerie’s gaze moves from his face to Danny’s and back. “Why do you look like him?”
Why does he look like Danny? Well…..there’s a long explanation involving cloning there but that’s not what she’s asking. Despite himself, Jamie whispers. “I think you know why.” He glances to the side, seeing Elle out the corner of his eye.
Valerie’s gaze follows and she tenses, eyes widening for a moment as if she caught his meaning. Then a moment later, her face hardens in pained disbelief. “No. You’re….you’re a liar, like every other ghost.” The hand holding her gun shakes. “You’re tricking me. This is a trick, to...to….” She trails off, unsure, before squaring her shoulders and drawing the gun higher. “I should….I should just shot you, right now, you-”
“Valerie!” Two voices, Danny’s and Elle’s, behind him yelp.
A moment later, someone is pulling Jamie backwards. He stumbles (when had he touched down on the ground?) and Elle’s arms wrap around him, an act that might be to protect him or to sooth him or the younger girl.
“Put the gun down.” Danny demands, still in human form and now standing between them and the huntress.
“Get out-” Valerie barks, gaze focused on the only halfa in ghost form. She takes another step forward.
“I’m Phantom!” The older boy shouts, panicked. “I’m the one your mad at, not him.”
The huntress’s eyes fix on Danny’s face. “No you’re...you’re not…” Her lip quivers.
“Yes. I am.” Danny says, voice earnest.
Valerie shakes her head. “No. Phantom’s...that ghost’s right behind you so you’re not-”
“Jamie, turn back.” The demand cuts the girl off. The boy glances back and for a moment, Jamie could have sworn he heard wrong. “Turn back.” His brother repeats, more harshly.
The ghost boy blinks. “But…”
“Do as I say! Turn back.” Danny demands,
For a moment, he takes his eyes off of Valerie to look fully at the other halfa and in a moment, Jamie can feel all the panic and fear just below the harsh demand. Meeting those icy blue eyes, Jamie understands; the huntress is much less likely to shoot someone who looks human. With barely a thought, Jamie summons the rings. They travel up and down his body and again he’s heavy and warm. Human.
Valerie’s eyes widen, frantically looking between the two now truly identical boys. In her shock, the aim of her gun lowers but it does not drop. Her mouth opens and closes; she looks less angry and more afraid.
Finally she addresses Danny. “That light….earlier, right before I……” Before she walked up and turned a gun on them. She swallows, whispering. “What are you?”
Danny’s voice is also low. “Jamie’s right. I think you know.”
“Who’s….” Her eyes fall on the other boy, who looks down blushing. The huntress’s mouth closes and she shakes her head. Her gaze falls on Elle. “You’re...you’re like her.” The words are so quiet, Jamie can hardly make them out. And they are so, so pained.
“Yes.” The oldest halfa answers. “I’m half ghost. The other ghosts call people like me...and Elle and Jamie….halfas.”
“And….you’re actually Phantom.” The huntress’s voice hitches, unsure like she does not want to believe it but sees no alternative.
“Yes.” Danny looks down. “I am. And...I’m sorry. I’m sorry for everything that happened between us. For not stopping Cujo and getting your dad fired. For that time Skulker kidnapped us and revealing you to your dad. And-”
“It was all a lie.” Valerie suddenly cuts in, moisture collecting in the corner of her eyes.
“What...Valerie, no.”
“It was. I thought...I thought you were my friend.” Her voice shakes.
Danny opens and closes his mouth. “I am your friend.”
“We...we dated. I liked you and I thought….” She blushes before her face hardens. “But you were tricking me, trying to get me to trust you, to lower my guard.”
The halfa shakes his head. “Val, you know that’s not true.”
“Don’t call me that.” She points at him. “You lied to me about...about everything! I...I don’t even know who you are now.”
“I’m the same Danny you became friends with at the beginning of freshman year.” He pleads, earnestly.
“No. That’s bullshit. You’re...you’re Phantom, the ghost that ruined my life! How do I know you’re not just pretending to be human?!”
“Do you really think that?” Elle’s voice cuts in.
The huntress’ gaze shifts to look at the girl, her eyes widening as if she forgot that she and Danny were not alone. “What?”
The younger girl lets go of Jamie and takes a step towards the pair of teens. “Do you really think he’s just pretending?”
Valerie’s mouth opens and closes but no sound comes out.
“Danny told me how he convinced you to help him save me. He told you I wasn’t just a ghost, I was human too. And you didn’t think it was a trick or I was pretending to be human. You believed me. You thought I was worth saving.” Elle’s face scrunches up, clearly hurt. “After Danny, you were one of the first people to ever care about me at all.”
Valerie blinks, taking in the statement. “I did...I do think that.”
The girl frowns, a hint of anger flashing across her face. “Then why are you being such a jerk to Danny?”
The huntress visibly blushes. “I...well...he…”
Elle holds up her hands. “I don’t know everything that happened between you two but whatever happened, Danny’s not some evil ghost. He isn’t the type of person to trick you just for the heck of it.”
“But he still lied to me.” Valerie frowns, less angry than before but still defensive.
“Well that’s not an excuse to corner the three of us with a gun!” The ghost girl balls her fists.
Frowning, the huntress eyes the gun still in her hand. Angry flashes on her face at the accusation but guilt does as well. Something in the expression compels Jamie to step forward beside his sister. With the fear of the confrontation lessened, the halfa’s own anger at being doubly wrongly accused rises.
“Elle has a point.” His eyes narrow. “I don’t appreciate being threatened for something neither Danny nor myself did.”
“Guys.” The older boy held an arm out, addressing the other two halfas. “I’m not completely blameless here.”
“No, they’re right.” Valerie cuts in, looking down in shame. She reholsters her ectogun. “I’m sorry. I...I overreacted. Yeah, I’m angry and confused but I shouldn’t have come after you guys with my gun coaked. But still…” She motions to Jamie before looking at Danny. “Who the heck is the glowstick?”
The clone glances down at his distinctly not glowing hands. He wrinkles his nose in skeptical confusion. “Glowstick?”
The huntress waves his confusion off. “Yeah, you. This isn’t that duplication trick, right?”
Jamie rolls his eyes. “Again, I’m not a duplicate.”
“I got that. Then who are you?” The girl raises an eyebrow questioningly.
Well, that is the question, isn’t it? Jamie sighs, biting his lip nervously. “Well, my name’s Jamie and I’m...uhh….” He points to Danny. “I’m his clone.”
“His clone?” The girl blinks. “But...you’re not a duplicate?”
“No, he’s not.” Danny frowns, taking a step back to pat his brother on the shoulder. “Think of us like….identical twins but uh….not born at the same time.”
“Okay?” The huntress looks between the two thoughtfully, before looking at Elle. “And Danielle…..are you really his cousin?”
“No.” The girl swallows, looking down. “I’m a clone, like Jamie.”
“You’re both clones.” Valerie repeats dumbly. “Really? You’re both clones?”
“Yes.” Jamie repeats flatly. Part of him understands her bewilderment; he’s confused just about everyone that’s met him. But how is she struggling this much with the fact that they’re clones, but managed to accept that Danny was Phantom? Then again….maybe she was avoiding a more emotional revelation with this one.
Danny wrinkles his brow. “Yeah, they are. But I think I speak for all of us when I say, we preferred being called siblings.”
“Siblings?” The huntress puts a hand on her head.
“Yep. My twin brother.” He pats Jamie’s shoulder again. “And my little sister.” He offers Elle a smile, comfortingly squeezing her arm.
“Okay. Alright.” The girl shakes her head. “And how do you have two clones?”
Danny bites his lip. “It’s a long story.” He looks at Elle. “Do you feel comfortable telling her what happened or…..”
Just then, the sound of a phone ringing broke through, startling the group. Jamie looks around frantically before realizing that sound was vibrating from Danny’s pocket. He points. “It’s probably Mom and Dad, wondering where we are.” He frowns. “Since I’m sure we’re late for curfew.”
His brother looks down and pulls the phone out of his pocket. “It is them.” His lips turn down. “I need to take this.” He hits the button to accept the call. “Hi Mom….Mom, Mom. I’m fine…..Yes, James and Elle are with me…..” He takes a few steps back and turns away from Valerie, seeking some privacy for the conversation and thus leaving Jamie and Elle ‘alone’ with the huntress.
Her green eyes meet Jamie’s. “You called his parents, your parents.”
The boy shrugs. “They are. They...well….they found out about Danny being half ghost and met me.” A small smile crept onto his face. “They welcomed me into the family...and demanded to meet Elle here and that she stay with us.”
The younger girl looks up at him, eyes wide with awe. “They want me to stay?”
“Yes. Of course they do.” He frowns. “Didn’t Danny already tell you that?”
Elle furrows her brow. “Yeah, I think so.” She blinks. “It didn’t really hit until just now.”
Several emotions flicker across Valerie’s face but before she can offer a response, Danny walks back to the group. “I gave Mom the short version of what happened but we need to go on home.”
She sighs, looking back towards the door of the restaurant. “I need to finish my shift too. Hopefully, I won’t get in trouble for running off.”
“Do you want to come over tomorrow and...talk about everything?” Danny asks. “I’m sure you have more questions.”
The huntress crosses her arms. “Oh, I do have questions.” She points. “I’ll see you tomorrow and you better answer all of them.”
“I will, Val, I promise.” The oldest halfa vows. “Come on guys.” He motions to his siblings before looking at Valerie again. He bits his lip. “We...uhhh….we need to transform to fly home so uhhh...yeah.” He trails off as the huntress raises an eyebrow.
After a moment, she seems to realize what he means. The girl swallows before waving, an attempt to look unbother and casual. “Go ahead.”
Despite the huntress’s casual permission, anxiety flops in Jamie’s stomach. He chances a glance at Danny who nods encouragingly as a ring of light forms around his waist. A moment later, Jamie copies the action. Out the corner of his eye, he sees Elle do that same.
Jamie closes his eyes. The cold energy of his core washes through his veins, the change prickling at his skin. It takes just a second for his familiar ghost form to surface. Passively, Jamie floats off the ground. He opens his eyes, gaze falls on Valerie’s tense face.
“Bye, Val.” Danny waves, nervousness clear in his voice.
The girl blinks for a moment, studying the ghosts in front of her. Her lip twitches down and she swallows. “Bye, Danny.” She says quietly.
Jamie and Elle also wave, following Danny as he starts flying up. Below them Valerie watches, with a tight frown. She notices Jamie’s eyes on her and looks down. Again, Jamie wonders what she’s thinking, what all she’s feeling. He sighs, the entire confrontation swirling in his head. All that shock and confusion. The distrust and anger. Brief guilt and sadness. He’s rightfully angry about being threatened and yelled at for something he didn’t do when the huntress assumed he was Danny. But….Jamie’s core clenches; he can’t help but feel hurt by the acquisitions that Danny was tricking her and their friendship wasn’t really, even if those insults were not about not him. He glances over at his brother, whose shoulders are ripe with tension. Danny is obviously hurt by all this as well.
Jamie floats over to the other boy, gently elbowing him. “It’s gonna be okay. You’ll talk to her tomorrow and she’ll understand.” He offers a smile. “And I’ll be there if you need me.”
Danny forces a smile as well. “Thanks Jamie. I hope you’re right.”
Jamie hopes he’s right too.