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Jack and Maddie didn't travel much for their work. For many reasons. Amity, as the hot spot for ghosts, always kept them busy. Not that they feel motivated to leave, he drained them. But today, they left Amity Park for the first time in years.
They were invited to a convention in Chicago. Unlike other conventions, Chicago is quite close to their home. Adding to that, the Red Huntress had been proven to be reliable enough to leave Amity for a short while. And it helps that Jazz agreed to help Red. "If it gets you out of the house, I can give it a try!" Jazz told them.
Jazz had been telling them to live life for a while now.
"We can't! What if he returns while we are gone!" Maddie tried to reason with her daughter.
The convention was... a convention. They hadn't attended one in years, but even considering that, the con was kind of boring. To be fair, they were asked only three questions. At least it felt like there were just three questions to Jack.
"Are you sure you won't share the blueprints for your portal with us?"
"Have you considered to seek out his ghost?"
"Why didn't we hear anything from you for years, Dr. Fenton?"
But now, the con was over and they were free to explore Chicago.
Jazz may or may not had forced them to take a vacation in their state capital. Sure, they could just go back into the GAV and drive back, but that would waste the money Jazz paid for their hotel room.
"Mom, dad, I understand you are still hurting, but you need to move on." Jazz told them as she gave them the bill and tickets, "You need to think about yourself for once."
"Oh, this cafe has a fudge cake!" Jack told his wife as he read the menu. They were at a cafe, taking in the city. From there, they could see the waterfront of Chicago. Of which Maddie send her daughter a photo, as proof that they actually do vacation stuff.
"Then order it." Maddie said, "After all, you never pass of anything with fudge." She eyed the street. Having lived in Amity Park, most of that time being spend living with ghosts in the city, it felt weird seeing an intact street without any damage, be it mid repair or stained green, or people just living their day, not eyeing the sky for any ghosts near by. Especially that cursed Phantom.
Maddie lowered her eyes from the sky and looked back to the street. As this cafe was set in a more pricey area, the prices on the menu reflecting this, many of the people passing or going into the cafe wore expensive clothes. Maddie was glad she opted out of her suit, however she was now slightly embarrassed Jack stuck with his. However he didn't wear orange. Years ago, he switched to a white suit. Like Daniel's suit, white with black details, gloves and boots.
Maddie recognized some of the designer bags the local ladies carried. Her son-in-law had gifted Jazz some and even Maddie a few. The gesture was nice, but nothing fits into Gucci bags, Maddie thought. Not all necessities, then again, living in Amity Park, she considers nothing less than three ecto weapons and a Fenton Thermos to be necessities.
But Chicagoan's don't think like that. Sure, like everyone in the country, they know about Amity and their ghost infection. But for them, it is rare that a ghost goes to Chicago. (In general, ectologists have noted ghosts do not go to notable cities like New York, Boston, San Francisco or Seattle. But Chicago was even more notable of the big cities. There hadn't been a Ghost in Chicago in years!)
The affluent folks who eyed them with judgmental eyes as they passed their table gave a high contrast to a man. He wore a dark grayish trench coat and an equally gray hat. Said hat was not hiding his black, rather unkept looking hair. His pale skin itself contrasted with the man who walked fast paced past them.
He eyed the cafe and stopped. Maddie also looked to him. She was well aware his ice blue eyes were set on them. He blinked and came closer, he then looked to Jack, looking down and up.
"Um, hi?" Jack greeted him, which jumped the man in gray. He jumped at his voice, which, considering that he was just slightly taller than Jack, was a tiny bit funny to a nearby waitress. "The suit pops, doesn't it?"
"Your old orange one maybe, D-Dr. Fenton." he answered. "Sorry for staring..."
Maddie answered, "Ah, don't worry. We are somewhat famous, after all. Must be odd to see us outside Amity Park."
"I at first didn't recognize you, without your suit, Dr. Fenton. Er..."
Maddie laughed. "Yeah, differentiating us always troubles people." She then leaned closer to him. "You look..." She then swiped his hat, revealing a lightning scar near his hair line, by his left eye and ear. "D-Danny!"
"Well, no one else has a Lichtenberg figures from a dimensional portal..." he muttered. Then Danny sighed. "I suppose I owe you answers."
"Yes, you do! I thought you were dead!" Maddie scolded him.
Jack just said, "Wow, you've grown. Taller than me, too."
"Eh, a bit... Mom, I..." he sighed. "Listen, I am open to talk with you again, but I am late for my job-I will ask my boss to give me a day off tomorrow or so. How long are you in Chicago?"
"Until next Sunday." Maddie said. She then took out a little note book and pen, then gave him her number. "Call us when you get off. And maybe call us after we leave..."
"I-" His phone rang. "Need to go!" Danny grabbed the paper slip and ran off.
Maddie leaned back on her chair. "Danny, Danny is alive..."
"And shot up like a bean pole." Jack added.
"The whole time, he was in Illinois." Maddie said.
"Eh... he could have returned form somewhere. We don't know what he did the last decade." Jack told her. "Huh, good to know he has a job. I mean..."
"I'm also relieved he is employed. I wonder what he works as, without... I mean, he could have gotten his GED and... oh, I don't know..."
Late the evening, Maddie's phone rang. It was Danny. His boss gave him the day after tomorrow off. 'Meet me at the cafe?'
'Get there at 10.' she replied.
Jack was, to Maddie understandably, excited to talk with their son again. After all, they... they didn't assume, but they didn't consider it impossible that he had been dead for a decade. Amity Park isn't a save space. It isn't unheard of that people die in cross fire or from ecto poisoning. And Danny, with his accident...
"Jack, aren't we a bit early? It is just past 9!" Maddie told him as they returned to the cafe. "I know you are impatient, but..." She stopped talking when he saw Danny at a table, looking around. "Oh, he is already here." They walked to the table and sat down. "I take it you couldn't wait either?"
Danny rubbed his neck. "Yeah, I haven't seen you in a decade, after all." He ditched his gray trench coat from yesterday. Instead he wore a turtle neck pullover. "I... were to start..."
"Our reunion was cut short by your job, so... what are you working?" Jack proposed. Maddie nod, she would like to know what he works at.
Danny straightened up hearing that. "Oh! Of course. I work for the Chicago Police Department, as an investigator, a detective. I-I specialize into homicides, actually..."
Jack and Maddie blinked. They didn't see this coming. Of course, he was rather the coward, years ago, always running from ghosts. Sure, they were impressed, but... "Doesn't that require a college degree? Or did you get your qualifications outside Illinois?" Not that Maddie can think of a state where he could become a detective, without a degree, let alone a High School diploma.
He crossed his arms. "Should I be insulted that you assume I didn't even try? GED's are a thing, mom, have been for decades."
"Eh, sorry... so, you got your GED? Why did you drop out of High School to begin with? Your grades were recovering nicely." Maddie asked.
He rubbed his neck again. "In hindsight, dropping out was a stupid idea, all things considered. I suppose, back then, I couldn't take Dash and the other bullies anymore... Especially since he repeated, too. Anyway... I... yeah, I got my GED. After that, I managed to get accepted into Bradley University for their Bachelor's program in Criminology."
"Near Peoria?" Jack asked. "You were really close to home."
"Not at first, dad. I... when I left... Vlad helped me to leave. I-I did my GED in Wisconsin, for example..." Danny admitted.
"V-Man helped?" Jack asked rather shocked. "He knew where you were and didn't tell us."
"I asked him not to." Danny pointed out.
"Why did you leave? Is it connected to why you dropped out?" Maddie asked. Jazz, after her brother left, had psycho analyzed him. She said it may be connected.
"Yes. I... It would be easier to show you the papers. I... we go to my apartment." Danny decided. "Follow me." He stood up from the table and the adults followed him. He handed a bit of money to a waitress. Considering how unbothered she was, he must frequent the cafe.
They followed him to a parking spot were a Porsche was parked. "A graduation gift from Vlad. Police Academy, not college." Then, they got in and drove off.
They arrived at an apartment complex. An expensive looking one, considering the parking space. "Did Vlad pay for this, too?"
"Yes. This condo, was his college graduation gift for me. As I was in Peoria, I didn't use it much." Danny explained. "Don't be angry with Vlad, please. I asked him to help me hide." They walked though the corridor. "And no, I did not move to Chicago because of the condo. I moved here because of my career choices. Honestly, I'm surprised he didn't pay for real estate in Wisconsin to get me there."
While he fiddled with his keys to open the door, Maddie asked, "Did, did he adult adopt you?"
"No, but he offered." Danny answered. "He said it would make my plan easier." He shook his head. "Considering my time at Bradley and the academy... I have to disagree with that."
"Oh?" Jack voiced.
"Like half of my forensics class called me a trust fund baby." Danny told him. "Pretty sure the unofficial conspiracy theory club had a theory board about me being-oh well. Of all colleges, I attended the one where Wes Weston ended up in."
"The boy who thought you were Phantom?" Maddie asked. 'What? They thought my baby was Vlad's?'
"Yeah. I didn't think you knew about that." He pushed the door open, revealing a wide, open living room lowered into the floor. "On that note, my colleagues also run with that joke. Even after showing them a DNA test, the idiots won't shut up."
He walked to a door. Opening it revealed an office. "Wait here."
Maddie walked around the room. Her husband however checked out the kitchen. "An ice machine, neat!"
She, however, had her eyes on a book shelf. Most of it was, of course, books about astrology and Science Fiction. There were books about forensics and other material needed for a Criminology degree. A few fantasy books here and there, Franz Kafka for some reason, even a few ectology books-"Jack! Look!"
He dashed to her side and took the book from her hand. "Our newest book?" he realized.
After he left, they weren't motivated to do much. But Jazz pointed out they cannot live off their patients of their inventions (even though the Thermos sells insanely well, still does), so they started to publish their works – even the by the scientific community rejected material – as books. The newest one just months ago, a copy in Danny's shelf. He put it back.
Then, Jack noted the knickknack's and doodad's all over the shelves – dark red wood and black metal – until he focused on a picture frame. Maddie noted it too and picked it up. It showed Danny, at his college graduation. On his left side was Vlad and on the left was Jazz. "Jazz Hands?"
"I may not agree with most of your hypothesis – namely anything Phantom – but I missed you." Danny answered as he came to them, a box with papers in his hands. "Like my book collection?" He placed the beige box on the coffee table. Same material like the shelves, but with a glass panel in the middle.
Maddie showed him the picture. "You had contact with Jazz?"
"Mom, it was Jazz' idea to leave." he informed her. "She said Amity Park and it's luggage was bad for me, that I needed to free me from it. Unlike Vlad, I am surprised she didn't tell you. After college, that is. Originally, we only planned for no contact until I graduate." He laughed darkly. "She begged that I come to Amity since I became a cop, even more after I became a detective. She said, 'Now that you reached my goal...' Yet she didn't tell you. Mm, probably because of some psychology thing."
"What was your goal?" Jack asked.
"To become a detective. That, or private investigator." Danny answered. "Quite the change from being an astronaut, eh? Even without the grades, I... lost interest. Or, well, I changed interests." Being an astronaut won't fulfill Phantom's ghostly obsession. A Guardian spirit seeks to protect, not see the stars.
She placed the picture back to where it was. "Still, it hurts. Now, why did you drop out?"
Danny sat down onto the couch, taking out some papers from the box. "My grades recovered, yes, but no college accepted me regardless. Jazz and Sam used their contacts to academia to ask why everyone rejected me despite my grades shooting up. It wasn't related to my grades." He handed Maddie an old letter. "Rejection letter from the Amity Community College. And their statement as of why they rejected me despite a 3.7 GPA, on Sam's demand. Read. It."
Maddie did as she was told. The rejection letter was typical of a rejection letter. The statement however read something else.
'Ms. Samantha Manson,
I am not supposed to share this with you, but for your generous donation, I'll allow an exception.
The truth is, Daniel Fenton's grades are more than satisfactory and are especially impressive when you consider they changed a lot the last two years. It is clear he is willing to put the needed effort on. He is as brilliant as all other Fenton's.
But there lays the issue. He is a Fenton. The drs. Fenton owe us thousands in collateral damage. I don't want to risk what that bill would be if one of them attended ACU.
You need to understand this...'
"Oh..." she voiced.
"All other schools essentially answered the same. Because of my relation to you, none wanted to take risks. And Jazz..." Danny told her, standing up and towering over is mother. "She didn't go to the east coast for the best program of the country, she didn't care about Ivy League status. She had to opt for such a far away college because they were far enough to not realize that Jasmine Fenton is related to the crazy Fenton's. She told me to look away from Amity Park. She also said I may profit from changing my name.
"Due to the rejections, I considered it to be pointless to bother with Casper High. After another year, I wanted to leave Amity fully. Vlad figured out my dissatisfaction instantly. I... I don't know why, but I ended up showing him the letters Sam handed to me. He proposed I could change my name... from there, my plan was born.
"Aunt Alicia is in on it, too. While you were in Las Vegas that year, she walked into Vlad, Jazz and me researching requirements to become a detective. She agreed with the name change and proposed a name, too." Danny explained. "Remember how I said Vlad tried to adopt me? He won't shut up about it, that I didn't even 'just' change Fenton to Masters until Alicia proposed the surname Runner. I chose it. Yeah, running away and becoming Detective Runner isn't the most creative idea I had."
"I never realized..." Maddie started.
"That your reputation as lunatics is reflecting on me and Jazz? Yeah, noted. You never thought about others unless they were ghosts." Danny answered. "I'm honestly surprised she managed to find a husband, let alone someone from Amity. One who knows you. Even if it is fucking Baxter..."
The drs. Fenton remained silent. Jack, in an attempt to find distraction, eyed a certificate on the wall. "Your certificate. Wait, 2015? Wait, you took five years? Isn't Bradley's Criminology program a 4 year deal?"
"My grades did not slip, if that is what you wonder." Danny said, "I had, eh, different unplanned complications..."
"That would be?" Maddie asked.
Before Danny could answer, a door by the kitchen opened and a black haired girl came out. "Dad! You're home!" She ran to Danny and tackled him onto the couch, via hug.
"Mom, Dad, the complication herself: Eleanor. But most people just call her Ellie." She let him go and he ruffed her hair. "Did you traumatize your babysitter? We're is Ester?"
"Emergency, her brother something. She said she would return asap when it is resolved." Ellie explained. "Don't be angry with her!"
"If it is an emergency, I won't be angry." Danny said. Then he saw to the kitchen. "Why is the ice machine out of the box?"
"Eh!" Ellie ran off to her room.
Danny sighed. "That machine was a mistake, Jazz..." he muttered. "Well, ta da! Your other grand daughter. I... Well, now that you know about her, I can introduce her to Jazz' kids. She said Eve wanted to hear about her uncle."
"Why didn't you tell us when you had her! We could have helped you!" Maddie scolded him again.
"You say that as if I needed help. Between Vlad, Jazz, Wes and a few friends, there was no help needed." Danny said. "And honestly? I would prefer to keep her away from you and your lab. The ecto can't be healthy." Danny gestured to his Lichtenberg figure. "If you fix your lab safety, maybe you could spoil her, too."
"Ah, Eve and Jacob will be annoyed that they aren't the only grand babies anymore!" Jack stated. "Wait, you are willing to talk with us again?"
"Aren't we talking right now?" Danny countered. "Sure, but if you do something insane again, we're leaving. And no, I'm not leaving Chicago. Too married to my career."
"Apropos married-"
"Sorry mom, am a single dad." Danny admitted. "No mom in the picture."