Don't Threaten Me with a Good Time

Chapter 1

Six Months Earlier

He was exhausted. Danny hadn't stopped flying since dawn, and now the sun was rising, and he had no idea where he was. Just hours before he had witnessed his whole family, his best friends and his favourite teacher, the only people that truly gave a shit about him, get caught in an explosion caused by the faulty boiler and overheated sauce. An 'accident' that could have happened at any time, but Danny had the misfortune of it happening when his teacher wanted to meet with his family and friends about him cheating. Danny witnessed all of this, but he got there too late. He couldn't save them.

So, he flew. He flew home, grabbing the belongings that he thought he would need the most, a couple of spare changes of clothes as well as jackets and a coat. Winter was coming up soon, and he was not going to freeze if he could help it, as well as packing an extra pair of sneakers and boots. His backpack was getting full and heavy; he packed as little toiletries as he could, as well as his phone and charger.

By the time he had finished, there was banging at the Fenton Works front door; he peeked out of his bedroom window. Stood at his door were two police officers, a woman he suspects to be a social worker and Vlad Masters.

"Daniel, please answer the door. We need to talk to you." He heard Vlad's muffled voice through the door. The fruit loop, Danny most defiantly was not, ever, going to answer the door him.

He knew his parents had Vlad down as one of his godparents, and with his living so close to them, he was the most logical first choice as his next guardian. He would never go live with Vlad; he wouldn't let him win. The banging on his door got louder and more impatient, Danny took that as his cue to disappear.

"Going ghost." Two rings encircled Danny's body and allowed the teen to turn into his alter-ego, Phantom. He picked up his full backpack and threw it onto his back. He heard the door finally open, Danny changed himself so that he was invisible and intangible, making it so he could get out of his home undetected. And so, began his flight.

By the time Danny landed, he felt numb. He didn't know what to think or to feel, and he didn't know where he was or where he was going to go next.

He finally changed back into his human self, and he crumbled. His knees felt too weak to keep holding himself up, his arms felt like limp cooked noodles. Tears welled up in his eyes, and before he knew it, they were rolling down his cheek.

"What do I do now? Jazz, Sam, Tucker, Mom, Dad? I don't know what to do." Danny slammed his fist into the ground of the alleyway he had landed in. The tears continued to roll down his cheeks, and he wiped his other arm furiously over his eyes, hoping that it was stopping the dam breaking waterfall.

By the time the waterworks had stopped, the sun was in the middle of the sky, and Danny was exhausted. There were too many emotions going on at once for him to make sense of, fear, anger, grief. He was hopeless.

"I better find out where I am." He picked himself off of the back-alley ground and dusted himself off. He slung his backpack over his shoulder; it was odd how much of a high schooler he looked like, despite the red puffy eyes and what had just happened in his life.

Walking down the street, Danny noted how much cleaner and less dreary this town was compared the Amity, though he scratched Amity's dreariness up to the fact they had ghost attacks almost every day. He passed a shop with many TV's in the window, all of them were playing different channels, and all of them were muted, except one—the New Channel.

"Breaking news," The newscaster was a young woman with brown hair tied up in a ponytail and had way too much makeup on, "Amity Park suffers a heart-breaking tragedy, a devastating explosion took place at the local Nasty Burger chain restaurant, taking the lives of six people, Sam Manson, Tucker Foley as well as taking the lives of Madeline Fenton and Jack Fenton, two renown scientist and inventors as well as their daughter Jasmine Fenton, and a teacher at the local high school Mr L Lancer. It was believed that they were meeting behind the restaurant for a meeting to discuss another student, Daniel Fenton, who is now missing. Police are investigating the situation thoroughly and implore the public to come forward with any information about what happened at the restaurant or about young Daniel's whereabouts. The local High School has taken a day in mourning for their lost teacher and students, Hilary has more information on the scene-"

Danny stopped listening after that. It really happened, he had hoped that it had all been some sort of horrible nightmare, but the evidence of otherwise was right in front of him. The screens then went on to another woman interviewing some of the other students and teacher of Casper High. Danny walked away; he didn't want to hear anything they had to say, they didn't care, the people that did care were now dead.

The streets were filled with people that paid him no mind, the shops were full and buzzing with life. 'This place almost seems too happy' Danny thought to himself. 'Is that a beach? How far did I fly?'

The beach was pretty busy, kids playing in the ocean, adults lounging on sunbeds and towels trying to catch the last of the ending summers sun. There was a group of about four teens that stood out to Danny, three of the teens were in the water throwing a ball around and splashing each other. The biggest of the three, not that he was fat more just very well-toned seemed to be getting more and more annoyed at being splashed ever so often. Then there was the fourth teen; he was sat on a towel watching the other three and smiling to himself. What caught Danny's eye of the fourth one was the tattoos across his back and down his arms, they looked like eels? Or maybe snakes? His light blond buzzcut stood out against his deep brown skin.

'Maybe he can tell me where I am.'

"Excuse me?" Danny called to the teen as he walked closer to him. The teen turned his head, and Danny was stunned by his pale green eyes and high cheekbones.

"Can I help you?" The teen had stood up to meet Danny as he approached him.

"This is going to sound really strange. Could you tell me where I am?" Danny fiddled with the straps of his backpack; he felt nervous at the intense gaze the blonde was giving him.

"You are currently in Happy Harbour, in Rhode Island," Happy Harbour, Danny somewhat knew the area. His parents had taken Jazz and him there before for a ghost convention a few years prior. "Are you alright? Are you in need of any assistance?"

"No, that's alright, thank you," Danny spoke quickly, "I better get going, thanks again." Before the other teen could reply Danny shot down the street in hopes of maybe finding a cafe or a shelter, his stomach was growling furiously.

"Kal, everything alright, man?" Robin called to his teammate as the black-haired stranger practically ran away from him.

"I believe so, but I am not entirely sure." Kaldur turned back to his teammates, Connor and M'gann were still in the water watching them.

"Who was that?" Robin gestured to the street where Danny had run off to.

"I do not know; he asked what city he was in."

"That's odd," Robin took a moment to think, but eventually brushed it off, "We were hoping to play chicken and need an even number, wanna join us?"

"Most definitely."