Danny Phantom in: Not All Bad

Part IV

Author's Note: Thought or Emphasis; Flashback; Thought or Emphasis in Flashback

I don't own Danny Phantom.

Danny Phantom: Not All Bad

Part IV

The Manson manor was a sizable place, from the movie theater in the basement to the seemingly endless attic lived in by the elderly Ida. Most of its many rooms were professionally cleaned, yet sterile—essentially forgotten by the manor's owners, Jeremy and Pamela Manson.

Still, while the size and emptiness made the manor seem loveless and cold, a person could find moments of warmth with those who lived within.

One of those lucky people was Danny Phantom, who recounted his and Danielle's latest adventure to Sam. Technus had big plans for the Amity Science Expo, but his calculations hadn't predicted the appearance of Danny Phantom's newest partner. The team quickly defeated him with a double dose of ghostly ice, or as Dani affectionately called it, the Phantom Freeze.

"It's getting late." Danny stood up from his seat on Danielle's bed, where she was currently tucked in. She wore black pajamas patterned with white ghosts—If they only knew what real ghosts looked like, Danny internally remarked—and her black hair fell freely. "I'd better fly home before Mom starts making calls." He turned to his 'cousin.' "And you'd better get to bed."

"I could stay up for a week!" Danielle declared, failing to hide her subsequent yawn.

"Heh heh, sure, you can." He grinned, ruffling her hair. "I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"

"Okay."

"I'll see you too, Sam." He floated over and embraced her. He didn't see the fleeting smile of content on her face. "We'll hang out, just the three of us."

"That reminds me," she noted, "you really should tell Tucker about this."

He blinked, then palmed his face. Tucker had just begun a family trip for a few weeks when Danielle first arrived, but he had been back for almost a week and still wasn't told. "Wow, how'd I forget that?"

"I can't imagine how..." she smirked, "...Clueless."

"Oh, come on, you too?" He really didn't understand why people called him that.

She did, but chose to shove him out. "Get going, hero!"

"I'm going, I'm going." He floated up to the ceiling. "Good night, Dani."

"Good night, Danny!"

With a soft chuckle at her joke, he phased through the ceiling, and was gone.

Both girls stared at their loved one's departure, before Sam herself felt a yawn coming on.

"Guess I'm not the only one who's sleepy."

"If you need me," Sam advised, "don't be afraid to wake me up."

"I know. You told me that," another yawn, "the first night."

"I know. I just worry anyway."

"I'm fine..." The child murmured, sleep quickly taking its hold. "...thanks to you."

Sam turned out the lights, taking one last look at the child in the light from the hallway.

Danny might have had a bond of blood with the ghost girl, but seeing Danielle at her doorstep stirred something up inside of Sam. Maybe it was because she was Danny's cousin, or maybe it was hearing her story; she couldn't be sure.

What she did know was this:

Out of all the causes that Sam stood for in her teenage life, Danielle's care had quickly become cause number one.