Chapter Text
“That’s not possible, Danny?” Jazz said, staring at the paper, puzzled, her brows furrowed.
Danny let out a frustrated huff, rolling his eyes before snatching the paper from her hands. He just wanted this whole ordeal to be over. Between fighting ghosts and saving Amity Park, he hadn’t even noticed his biology grade slipping from a C to an F.
An unexpected parent-teacher conference with Mr. Lancer had been the tipping point. His science-obsessed, ghost-hunting parents had united on one thing: the only way to salvage his grades was to complete every single missing assignment before the end of the semester.
And that was how Danny found himself stuck at the kitchen table on a weekend, slogging through an endless pile of homework with Jazz breathing down his neck. Her constant nitpicking and corrections grated on him, even though he knew she was just trying to help.
But it wasn’t just the homework or his grade that had him on edge. No, what really set his nerves alight was Vlad. Danny was sure the older halfa was up to something. As Amity Park’s mayor and someone disturbingly close to his family, Vlad’s presence put Danny in a constant state of alert. His ghost sense had been going off more than usual lately, and the lack of sleep and his inability to figure out what Vlad was plotting left him irritable and short-tempered.
Instead of being out there, stopping whatever scheme Plasmius was hatching, Danny was stuck here, wrestling with this stupid DNA test assignment. Of all things, Mr. Lancer had decided this project—a blood type comparison—to be a crucial part of their grade.
“What do ya mean?” Danny says pointing at the paper, “ I did everything right.”
“Well, if you did everything right, then how come you got AB?” Jazz questioned, crossing her arms.
“Well, when a ghost hunter and a ghost hunter love eachother very muc-”
Jazz groaned, cutting him off. “Danny, this is serious.”
“Ya, and I'm seriously over this conversation.” Danny said as he turned his gaze from his sister to his homework.
“Danny, you don’t understand, do you know what you being AB means?” Jazz questioned
Danny shrugged,“Jazz, it's just my blood type, I don’t know why you care so much.”
Jazz grabbed the paper from his hands, cutting him off.
“Hey,”Danny protested, reaching for it.
“Danny you don’t understand my blood type is O negative, this doesn’t make any sense?” Jazz exclaimed.
Danny raised his eyebrow. “So”, he said, not caring for his sister's concern.
Jazz really needs to learn to lighten up sometimes, Danny thought. If only he could fly away and escape this.
Oh wait!
Danny smiled to himself.
“Don’t even think about it.” Jazz said with a deadpan expression.
Jazz tilted her head, her eyes narrowing. “So? If this is right,” Jazz said, her voice shaking, “then we can’t possibly be related.”
“And here I thought you couldn’t be more of a kook,” Danny said, rolling his eyes dramatically at his older
sister. Danny swiftly grabbed the assignment from his sisters praying hands, placing it on the table.
“I would really appreciate it if you didn’t ruin my homework Jazz, I need to turn this in tomorrow.” Danny says slouching further into his chair.
“Jazz, I followed the instructions. You saw me—heck, you led me through them,” Danny added, his voice tinged with frustration.
Jazz narrowed her gaze at the paper, “We should do it again just to make sure.”
Reluctantly Danny went through the whole process all over again. And just as expected the results came back the same as before.
“This doesn’t make sense,” Jazz muttered, staring at the paper with a mix of confusion and concern.
Just as Danny thought there was no escape from this conversation, he saw his mom walk into the kitchen. His hero. Danny silently prayed she would free him from Jazz’s crackpotness. She really needed better hobbies besides worrying about her half ghost little brother who had fought and faced the worst that the ghost zone could offer. Maybe she needs a cat too, so she would start to worry about him less. Note to self get Jazz a cat.
Danny guessed Jazz noticed her, too, as she stopped looking at him. Perfect, Danny thought. All he had to do was go ghost and—
“Mom, what’s yours and Dad’s blood type?”
Danny froze, cursing under his breath. This little...
Maddie paused for a moment, glancing at Jazz. “My blood type is A, and your father’s is O,” she said, then tilted her head slightly. “Why do you ask, honey?”
Before Jazz could say anything else, Maddie’s gaze shifted to the discarded homework assignment lying on the kitchen table. Her hands trembled slightly as she picked up the paper. Her eyes widened, a mix of shock and utter disbelief spreading across her face.
“Mom… is everything okay?” Danny asked, tilting his head.
The room felt tense, it felt like an eternity before their mom’s gaze lifted from the paper.
“Was this the first attempt?” Maddie asked, her voice hoarse, as if she was in a trance.
Danny went pale, his heart pounding so hard he thought it might explode in his chest. What could this mean? His thoughts spun wildly, scrambling to find any possible explanation for his mom's sudden state. Did she find out I’m half ghost?
The silence hung heavy in the air until Jazz’s voice cut through. “It was the second.”
“Second,” Maddie repeated, her gaze fixed on the paper, her expression unreadable.
Worry tightened in Danny’s chest as he quickly pushed back his chair and stood. He had never seen his mom like this before. As he reached to place a comforting hand on her shoulder, he noticed tears welling up, clouding the lenses of her goggles.
“Mom?” Danny asked softly, leaning closer, trying to meet her gaze. But she turned away, avoiding his eyes.
Danny hesitated, lowering his hand and stepping back to give her some space. Was she upset because of him?
Before he could say another word, Maddie crumpled the paper in her hands, her whole body trembling as she was overtaken by uncontrollable sobs.
Both Danny and Jazz stood frozen, unable to move.
“Dan—Danny—I’m so sorry,” Maddie choked out, her voice trembling as she struggled to speak through her tears.
Sorry? Danny thought, was she talking about the lab accident? Danny looked to find Jazz just as confused as he was, staring at their mom. Before either sibling could react, his mom latched onto him suffocating him in a tight bone-breaking hug. Danny could hardly breath as his mom sobbed into his shoulder.
Danny gasped for air, his hands flailing as he tried to reach for his sister. “Mom, I can’t breathe—Jazz, help!”
It was as if Danny’s desperate cries snapped Jazz out of her stunned trance. Stepping forward, she moved behind their mother and gently placed a comforting hand on her trembling shoulder.
Before either could speak, a loud bang from the front door startled them, followed by a booming voice.
“MADDIE, I’M HOME!”
Their father’s boisterous call echoed through the house, only making their mom’s sobs grow louder. Finally released from her crushing embrace, Danny let out a shaky breath he hadn’t realized he was holding. His gaze remained fixed on his mom as she clung to the crumpled paper, her eyes distant and filled with anguish.
Hearing the commotion, Jack entered the kitchen, his cheerful expression quickly fading as he rushed over to Maddie’s side.
Jack's face was a mix of concern and confusion. “...Maddie, what happened?”
Maddie shook her head profusely, her voice trembling as she begged for forgiveness. “J-Ja-Jack…I’m so sorry…” she choked out between sobs, the crumpled paper still clutched tightly in her hand as she held it out to him.
Jack hesitated, his black-gloved hand hovering for a moment before finally taking the paper from her. His eyebrows knitted together in confusion as his eyes scanned the page. He glanced at Danny, then back to the paper, and finally at Maddie, his expression unreadable.
Jack pursed his lips tightly, the corners of his mouth twitching as if holding back words. Without saying anything, he folded the paper neatly and tucked it into the back pocket of his bright orange jumpsuit, his usual boisterous demeanor switched to a more serious one as he placed a comforting arm around his wife, this action seemed to calm her down some, as less and less sobs seemed to be spewing from Maddie.
Taking charge Jack stared at his two wide eyed children, who through the whole ordeal hadn’t seemed to move an inch.
Jack's eyes softened as he glanced between his two children.“Kids,” he said gently, his voice unusually calm, “I think your mom and I need to talk.”
Danny and Jazz exchanged a look, unspoken understanding passing between them. Without a word, they both took that as their cue to leave, quietly shuffling out of the kitchen and leaving their parents behind.
Placing the paper on the table, Jack pulled out a chair for Maddie and then himself, preparing for the inevitable. Jack waited for a moment, he wanted to be sure the kids had gone upstairs, and were out of earshot.
Seeing Maddie slumped in the chair, her goggles now discarded on the table, Jack felt a tight knot form in his stomach. Her tear-stained eyes met his, and in that moment, the weight of the situation hit him.
In all his years of being married to her, Jack couldn’t recall ever seeing Maddie like this—maybe once, fifteen years ago, but it wasn’t this bad. And he knew this wasn’t about a forgotten anniversary. No, he’d made sure to mark it on the calendar, and that wasn’t for another month.
This was different. Something else had shaken her to the core, and by a quick glance at the paper in his hands Jack had a very good idea, of what it was.
Jack's eyes softened as he tried to meet her gaze, but Maddie just continued to state at her lap, looking defeated. Bringing his hands to her face and cupping her chin with his hands.
“Maddie, I love you so much.” Jack says as he wipes away another tear from her already tear stained face. “You can trust me, what happened?”
Maddie shakes her head. “You’ll hate me.”
“Maddie, I can never hate you.” Jack’s voice was low and gentle, his large hand pushing a strand of her red hair behind her ear as he spoke. “Just tell me.”
Maddie’s eyes squeezed shut, and she inhaled deeply, trying to steady herself. She could feel the tears threatening to rise again, but she forced herself to push them back, knowing this was something that needed to be said.
“...It was fifteen years ago,” she began, her voice trembling slightly. “We’d gotten into one of our fights. I just wanted to get away, clear my head, so I called my sister, and we made plans to meet halfway at a hotel…”
Her breath caught as she pursed her lips, the weight of the memory making it difficult to continue. Tears filled her eyes once more, and she bit her lip, trying to keep her composure.
Jack nodded quietly, his eyes soft with empathy. “It’s okay, take all the time you need.”
Maddie swallowed hard, gathering her courage before she continued. “I got there before Alicia did—she was an hour behind. So, I went to the bar, figured I’d have a couple of drinks to pass the time… I didn’t know there was a business conference going on…” Her voice faltered, but she pushed through. “And as I was drinking…” Maddie paused, her chest tightening. “Vlad walked up to me.”
Jack’s face remained calm, his gaze fixed on hers. He didn’t show anger, didn’t flinch at the name. Instead, there was a quiet understanding, and it hurt Maddie more than anything. Jack was too good for her, she thought bitterly.
“We talked…” Maddie continued, her voice almost a whisper. “And one thing led to another… the next thing I knew, I woke up in a hotel bed with him.”
The weight of her confession hung in the air, the silence stretching between them as Jack absorbed her words.
Maddie began to sob into her hands, “Jack, I swear, I thought you were Danny's Father.”
“Oh Maddie.” Jack said as he brought her into a tight embrace, before Jack knew it tears had fallen from his own eyes. “Of course I’m Danny’s father, no DNA, no paper is going to change that, I will always love Danny.”
Maddie’s lip trembled as she thought about her son—her baby boy. The weight of the situation crushed her chest; this would destroy him. The idea of Danny learning that Jack wasn’t his biological father, but that it was Vlad instead, tore at her heart. She could already imagine his reaction—hurt, betrayed, and confused.
She knew Danny’s disdain for Vlad all too well, and if she was being honest, part of her loathed the man as well. She didn’t want Vlad anywhere near her son, ever. He was a manipulative, power-hungry monster who would stop at nothing to get what he wanted. Her biggest fear wasn’t just the damage this truth would do to Danny—it was that Vlad would use this information to tear her family apart.
Jack had been the only father Danny had ever known. He wasn’t perfect—no one was—but he was a good, loving father. The mere thought that the mistake she made years ago might destroy everything she had worked for haunted her. The weight of her guilt pressed down harder with every passing second.
But even worse than that, she feared what Vlad might do if he found out the truth. Vlad was rich—beyond rich—and had an army of lawyers who could easily manipulate the system. She wouldn’t put it past him to use every dirty trick in the book, to bribe judges, to sway juries, to get his hands on Danny. She could see it now—Vlad taking advantage of the situation to steal her son away. The thought sent a chill down her spine. She couldn’t let that happen. She couldn’t lose Danny—not to him.
Jack broke the silence, his voice soft yet confident. As if he could read her mind, he spoke, “Maddie, Vladdie wouldn’t take Danny away.” He paused, a small smile tugging at his lips. “I’ve known Vlad for years. He’s my best friend. What happened between you two—it had to have been a drunken mistake. I know him. If I talk to him, I’m sure I can get through to him, like old times.”
Jack’s naive optimism sent a chill down Maddie’s spine. She stared at him, her eyes wide and red from crying, and began shaking her head vehemently. Her voice cracked as she tried to respond.
“Jack, no,” she said, her tone trembling with urgency. “He’s not the same man we knew in college. He’s not your friend anymore. Vlad... he’s—he’s vindictive. He’s not understanding. If he finds out Danny is his, he’ll swoop in and take him from us, Jack. He’ll destroy everything. I’m certain of it.”
Her hands trembled as she clutched Jack’s arms, trying desperately to make him see the truth. “You don’t know the man he’s become. He’ll use every bit of his wealth, his power... anything to get what he wants. And what he wants is me—and now, Danny.”
Jack looked down at his wife, his lips pursing down into a frown. “Maddie, we can’t just keep this from him.” Jack said. “Or Danny, they both have the right to know.”
“I don’t know Jack.”
Jack's usual demeanor returned to him, as he boisterously spoke, “And besides, Vladdie, and Danny get along great.”
Maddie pitied her husband. Jack was too naïve for his own good—one of the very things she had always loved about him. But now, it only deepened her frustration. After everything she had just confessed, everything Vlad had done, Jack still clung to the illusion that Vlad was a good friend. His perception of Vlad was clouded by nostalgia, a fantasy of the man Vlad used to be, not the manipulative figure he had become.
Maddie had seen it clearly, even if Jack refused to. The tension between Danny and Vlad was undeniable. Every time Vlad visited, Danny’s entire demeanor shifted. His jaw would clench, his movements stiff and defensive, as though readying for a fight. Maddie’s heart ached at the memory of the time Danny’s fists balled so tightly that his nails dug into his palms, drawing blood.
Danny didn’t trust Vlad, and truthfully, neither did she. Yet Jack couldn’t—or wouldn’t—see it. Maddie exhaled a shaky breath, her hands trembling as she braced herself for the storm she feared was coming.
Maddie sank her head into her hands. “Oh, Danny,” she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper. “This will crush him.”
“No.”
The sound was so faint, almost a whisper. Maddie’s head snapped toward the doorway of the kitchen. Standing there was Danny, his wide eyes betraying shock and disbelief, his lips parted as if struggling to process what he’d just heard.
“Danny…” Maddie began, her voice trembling.
Both she and Jack started to rise from their seats, their hands instinctively reaching out to comfort their son. But before they could get close, Danny turned and bolted, his footsteps echoing through the house before the front door slammed shut.
“Danny, wait!” Jack called after him, but it was too late.
Gripping Jack’s bright orange jumpsuit with trembling hands, Maddie shook him, desperation etched into every line of her face. “Jack, you need to follow him.” Her voice was strained, almost pleading. “I’ll get the car and meet you there. Just don’t let him out of your sight!”
Jack hesitated for a heartbeat, then nodded, his face set with determination. Without another word, he rushed out the door after their son. Maddie grabbed her keys, her heart pounding as she steeled herself to face whatever fallout lay ahead.
*Danny’s POV
Danny paced his room, unable to shake off how worried he was. He had never seen his mom like that before. He needed to go down there and find out what they were talking about. It was about him—he knew that. But about what? It was just some DNA assignment. The only plausible reason would be that his mom concluded he was half ghost. How she came to that decision, Danny had no idea. He was still piecing that together. He was a C-plus student, after all.
Jazz told him to let their parents talk and not to eavesdrop, but how could he just stay in his room when he knew they were talking about him? His head was spinning. Just the mere thought that he was the one to bring his mom to those levels of tears made his stomach churn. He had to know what they were talking about.
Determination set in. A bright ring of light formed around him as he transformed into his ghost form. Turning himself intangible, Danny phased through the floor, emerging silently into the kitchen.
Doing his best to stay hidden, Danny moved closer to the doorway, keeping himself out of sight in case any of their ghost gadgets went off.
He heard his mom choke out a sob, her voice muffled as she cried into her gloved hands. “Jack, I swear, I thought you were Danny's father.”
No.
Danny’s mouth fell open in shock. This couldn’t be happening. Jack—no, Dad—was his dad. He had to be. This had to be some cruel prank. But deep down, Danny knew it wasn’t. Nothing short of a revelation like this could bring his mom to tears like that. He felt the ground shift beneath him, as if his entire life was about to cave in. If Dad wasn’t his dad, then who was? The possibilities swirled in his mind, each one worse than the last.
He was still reeling when Dad broke the silence, pulling him out of his spiraling thoughts.
“Vlad? Take him away?” Danny repeated the words in his mind, his stomach twisting into knots. Why would Vlad take him away?
No.
This couldn’t be real. It had to be a mistake. There was no way—no way in hell—that Vlad Masters, Plasmius, was his biological father. The man he had been fighting for months? His father? Danny’s breath hitched as the full weight of the revelation hit him.
He could already see it: Vlad would use this against him. The man he loved and called Dad couldn’t even see Vlad for the manipulative fruitloop he was. If Vlad found out, he would take Danny away. That’s all Vlad had ever wanted—to have Danny as his half-ghost son and his evil apprentice. The thought made Danny’s stomach churn, and his fists clenched tightly at his sides.
He had to get away. Get out of the house and fly away, everything was happening so fast, he hadn’t even realized he had transformed back and was now visible.
He gasped, wide eyed staring at his parents, Vlad would for sure take him away, he wouldn’t let that happen.
“No.” Danny was so shocked he didn’t even notice he had spoken, alerting his parents of his presence.
Before his parents could react, Danny bolted from the house, slamming the door behind him. He needed to get out, to clear his head, and maybe even find a ghost to fight—anything to channel the anger and confusion boiling inside him.
Once outside, he barely paused before letting the familiar rings of light wash over him, transforming back into Phantom. Without a second thought, he launched himself into the sky, the cool night air rushing past him as he flew higher and faster, desperate to escape the suffocating weight of what he had just overheard.
As he soared above Amity Park, his sharp eyes caught sight of his dad below, now just a blur of orange and black against the dimly lit streets. Jack was frantically looking around, calling out for him. Danny’s chest tightened at the sight, but he couldn’t bring himself to stop or turn back. Not yet. He wasn’t ready to face them again—not when his whole world had just been turned upside down