Hell of a Meeting, Huh?
July 20: Attending a funeral | aid
Danny wishes it was raining. He wishes the weather was foul, that there was an overcast, something to reflect the way he was feeling inside.
But it wasn’t. It was a nice day out. Not too cloudy, not too cold, just right.
An awful day for such nice weather.
Vlad has been trying to get close to Danny the entire funeral, but he’s been dodging the other man. Danny had very publicly stated that he didn’t want anything to do with Vlad, and he wasn’t his dad. That Vlad was barely his family’s friends, and he’d die before he had anything to do with the man.
It had mostly forced Vlad to keep his distance. This was the man’s chance to casually get close to Danny and make it seem like an accident.
Except for the fact that Danny was overly aware of Vlad’s closeness to him. He kept moving, except when neither of them could, further and further away from the other man. No one cared, they knew it was a day of mourning for the boy. He had lost everything.
Sam, Tucker, Jazz, his parents. All of them, gone.
What is Danny going to do, now? They’re not going to force him to live with Vlad, will they? He saw what happens when he lives with Vlad, it doesn’t go well for anyone.
No, he’d die before he lived with Vlad. He won’t allow that future to exist.
The social worker had allowed Danny to stay with the Foley’s, too overworked to fight Danny when he sobbed when removed from them. The Foley’s hadn’t minded, as far as Danny could tell. They clung to him as tightly as he clung to them.
All of them had lost someone. Even the Manson’s had been kind to Danny. Well, Bubba was always kind to Danny, but Sam’s parents hadn’t always been. Yet, earlier that day they had hugged Danny. Cried with him. Thanked Danny for being such a great friend to their Sammy.
Grief will do a lot to a person, even lead you to hug a kid you used to hate apparently.
Maybe the Foley’s would be willing to take Danny in? It’s not what Danny wants, he doesn’t think he can stomach moving into his best friend’s old room, but anything is better than Vlad. Perhaps he can argue with a judge to be placed with someone not Vlad. He’s fourteen, they might listen to him, right?
Who is he kidding, Vlad’s got more resources than Danny does. If Vlad has to, he’ll overshadow the judge to get what he wants.
Oh no, what is Danny going to do?
A person gently taps Danny on the shoulder, causing him to turn.
There stands a blonde-haired man with cool blue eyes. He looks tired, and he’s got a … weird sort of energy about him. Not bad, just … different.
Danny raises an eyebrow, too tired to speak to a stranger offering condolences.
He’s tired of people apologizing to him. As if they understand. No one understands. Not even the Foley’s or the Manson’s. They lost their children, Danny lost everyone.
“You’re Danny Fenton, correct?” the man asks, offering a hesitant smile he probably intends to be inviting.
“Obviously,” Danny snarks, glaring at the man.
“Sorry,” the stranger says, scratching the back of his head. “I just uhh … I didn’t want to do this here but the state insisted.”
Danny narrows his eyes at the man. What is he prattling on about?
“I got a call late last night, and didn’t hear the voice message until this morning. I’m Barry Allen, you’re dad’s second cousin?”
Danny feels his eyes water at the mention of his dad.
“I’ve never heard of you before,” Danny states suspiciously.
“Sorry about that,” Barry apologizes sincerely. “Our grandparents didn’t get along, so we weren’t really close. I’m surprised I was even in the will at all—”
“You’re in my parents' will?” Danny interrupts, surprised.
Barry laughs slightly, offering a small smile.
“I’m just as shocked as you are, trust me,” Barry says.
“So that makes us, what, third cousins?” Danny questions.
Barry scratches his head, humming as he appears to contemplate it.
“I think we’re technically second cousins once removed?” the man says distantly. “Anyway, the point is I’m your new guardian.”
“Guardian, huh?” Danny questions, eyes moving to Vlad who has gotten a lot closer than he would’ve liked. “Anyone’s better than Vlad Masters.”
Barry’s face scrunches.
“Vlad Masters? The Wisconsin billionaire?” Barry questions.
“Yeah,” Danny answers, making sure to keep conscious of Vlad moving closer to them. “He is … was obsessed with my mom. A friend my parents went to college with. He’s really creepy, been trying to adopt me since I met him months ago.”
Barry’s face twists in disgust.
“Don’t worry, Danny, I’m not gonna let that man do anything to you. I’ve already filled out all the paperwork,” Barry assures.
“But he has more resources than you do, surely,” Danny replies.
He’s not trying to be insulting, just realistic. Vlad will fight it. He’ll insist he should be Danny’s guardian. He’ll throw money around if he has to, and use overshadowing to get what he wants when money doesn’t work.
“Well, he’s not the only one with friends in high places,” Barry assures, giving Danny a sharp grin.
Danny’s not sure he can allow himself to hope for the best, not when he’s seen the future. Not when he’s seen what Vlad has done to get what he wants, before. But he musters up part of a smile for Barry.
“I hope you win, cousin Barry,” Danny says, just as Vlad approaches.
“Daniel! So sorry, didn’t see you there,” Vlad says, putting on a show for folks around him.
Barry moves and places himself partly between the two of them, back to Danny.
“Nice to meet you, I’m Barry Allen,” Barry introduces, stopping Vlad from talking to Danny.
Vlad eyes the other man, glaring slightly at being interrupted.
Yet, Vlad is aware that eyes are on them. Vlad had made it so. Therefore, he’s unable to refuse shaking the other man’s hand and offering a smile.
“Vlad Masters.”
Barry hums, dropping the other man’s hand.
“I don’t think Maddie ever mentioned you before,” Barry comments, purposefully.
Vlad glares, eyes tinged red for a second. Danny just feels a wave of grief hit him at the mention of his mother.
“I didn’t realize you were acquainted with the deceased,” Vlad says shortly.
“Well of course I am,” Barry replies smoothly. “We’re family, after all.”
Vlad’s eyes find Danny’s, narrowing slightly.
“Oh?” Vlad’s voice is sharp, dangerous. “How so?”
Danny can’t help but hide more behind Barry. He’s not afraid of Vlad, but he doesn’t like the look in the man’s eyes. He doesn’t like what that look means. He doesn’t like looking into Vlad’s eyes and seeing Dan.
“Cousins,” Barry answers, keeping it short and to the point. “Was just talking to Danny about what we need to do to get him moved to my place.”
“Daniel’s moving in with you?” Vlad seems to grit out. “How interesting, I think you may be mistaken. You see—”
“Nope!” Barry interrupts. “Got the paperwork all figured out this morning. It’s already a done deal.”
Danny can practically feel Vlad’s glare on him through Barry.
“Interesting,” Vlad says. “Very interesting. Well it was nice to meet you Barry, talk to you later Daniel. Sorry for your loss.”
Then Vlad is gone, and Danny feels himself relax.
“You weren’t kidding, kid. That dude gives me the hibbie-jibbies,” Barry comments, turning towards Danny.
“He’s going to fight it, somehow. Then I’m going to be forced to live with him,” Danny states plainly.
Barry’s eyes soften as he squats to be more eye level with Danny, resting a hand on his shoulders.
“Let me worry about all the legal stuff, you just focus on mourning, okay?”
Danny nods, eyes filling with tears.
Barry pulls Danny in for a hug, and Danny can almost let himself believe that everything’s gonna turn out okay.
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Danny Phantom Prompt: Too Late to Save Them
Ok! There are similar concepts floating either around here or AO3 (or both), but I haven’t been able to find this particular angst path. (Though I’m sure it’s around)
So!
Canon Divergence After TUE (The Ultimate Enemy)
Danny fought his evil self, but was too late to save his family. Clockwork didn’t reverse time to save them— they were always meant to die. It was their “time.”
-------------
“NO!”
Danny was flown backward from the explosion, his body hurtling along with the rubble.
The rubble.
When the dust settled he heard sirens in the distance. Saw. . . a torn red beret beside his foot.
Tucker.
Sam.
His. . .
Family.
Distraught, confused, exhausted, Danny notices a woman crouched down beside him. She’s speaking to him, but he can’t hear her; there’s a dull buzz all around him, and the world seems more. . . narrow. It’s hard for him to focus on what he’s seeing.
And then she. . . freezes.
The world freezes in time.
The ghost, Clockwork, is floating behind her. He has his hand out, waiting for something. His expression unreadable, but Danny understands.
His fingers lightly grasp the thermos holding his future self. As though in a trance, he lifts it up to Clockwork. Gives him the thermos.
Clockwork accepts it, continues looking at him impassively.
Resumes time.
. . .
The days go by. He is released from the hospital in the care of a caseworker. She is talking to him gently, but he doesn’t hear what she’s saying.
He's had many people talk to him, so many people gazing at him with pity. He can't be bothered to care.
He is led to a car, someone buckles him in. The car begins driving, and soon is parked in front of Fenton Works.
His home.
The caseworker is saying something. . . Something about his aunt Alicia. He ignores her, walking into the house.
Into the lab.
He hears her scurrying after him.
Ignoring her cries of alarm, he goes into the portal.
…
He floats in the ghost zone. A few ghosts attempt to banter with him, push him around; but noticing his non reaction, leave him be.
He can’t go home. Can’t go to Vlad. He has to keep his humanity to prevent becoming a monster.
But how can he keep what he can’t feel?
He’s lost them all.
But he can keep his promise.
“Don't worry. I won't turn into that. Ever. I promise.”
He floats further and further into the ghost zone.
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