Self Aware

Revelation

Danny didn't know what he expected when he left the Ghost Zone, but his friends and sister waiting anxiously on the other side of the portal wasn't it.

Tucker stood stiffly, his electronics no where to be seen. Sam stood with her arms crossed and glaring at her ghost friend. Jazz had a worried look in her eyes, and tapped her foot nervously.

If all three of them were here, that meant school was over. How long had he wandered the Ghost Zone? How long he spoke with Clockwork? The small, unwrapped box felt heavy in his hands, and he once again wondered the the Father of Time could have possibly gotten him.

But he had more pressing matters.

"Hey, guys," he said softly, looking down. "Jazz, can you get Mom and Dad? I have something that I need to discuss with all of you."

"Danny, you're not-"

"We'll meet you upstairs."

Sam looked peeved that she had been interrupted, but Jazz simply nodded. After giving her little brother a tight hug, she disappeared up the steps.

Danny turned to his friends, who looked a shocked and pale.

"Danny, are you doing what we think you're doing?" Sam asked.

Danny winced. "Not exactly," he said, but it sounded forced. "But, before I say anything to my parents... I want you guys to know that you're my best friends, and I love you guys."

The two blinked, and Danny could see them start to panic. By he didn't know what else to say; the nightmares haunted him, it was becoming more of a struggle to show his human side, and the Human Plane was making him feel sick. So instead of trying to reassure them, he gave a deep sigh concentrated on transforming.

By the time the white ringlets passed over his body, Danny was panting slightly and struggling to stand up straight.

Tucker quickly reached out to steady him, concern dominating his features. "Are you okay, dude?"

Giving a small smile, Danny nodded. "I will be," he promised. "Now, come one. Mom an Dad are probably getting worried."

The trio made their way upstairs, Danny in the lead. The rest of the Fentons were already seated in the living room. Jazz barely able to sit still, while Jack and Maddie simply looked curious. But Niether held any ghost device in their hands, which meant Jazz probably said something to ensure the lack of.

When Danny motioned for Sam and Tucker to sit down as well, they blanched, and started to protest. But Danny just held up his hand to silence them, and gave them pleadin looks. Hesitantly, they joined the Fentons.

Danny took a deep breath and blew out through his nose. "There's something I have to tell you guys," he said. "All of you.

"Last year, when you were working on the ghost portal, I, uh, went inside it. And I know it was dangerous, but I was curious." Danny could see the guilty look Sam was sending him, proving his mental point of purposefully leaving her out of the explanation. "Something happened while I was inside... I was electrocuted, and the power of the Ghost Zone hit me."

His parents gasped. Danny winced at the sound, but continued.

"Mom, Dad... I'm the Ghost Kid." To prove it, the white ringlets appeared around his torso and split apart, traveling up and down his figure. When black hair turned to white, Danny opened his now startling green eyes to the silent room.

Jack and Maddie were silent, and Danny wondered if he was more terrified of the idea of them hating him, or terrified them accepting and then having to break their hearts.

The latter, her realized, as his parents took him into a bone crushing hug.

"Danny, we love you," his mother gushed, cupping his face lovingly.

"Who would've thought," Jack chuckled. "My son, the best ghost hunter in the world." The large man ruffled his sons pure white hair affectionately.

"It's a miracle you survived," Maddie told him. "The portal packs enough electricity to take down an elephant. Which means the ghostly energy that entered your system saved your life."

Danny looked down in shame. "There's something else I have to tell you. Everyone."

His sister and friends looked at him quizzically. They knew Danny had news - bad news.at first, they thought maybe an old (or new - they never what would exit the portal next) enemy had decided to make a comback.

Hesitantly, Danny took his mothers hand and placed over his heart. He knew he was cold - his ghostly core was mostly ice, after all. But Maddie Fenton didn't flinch back at his low temperature.

Instead, she stared at him, confused. When the scientist finally realized what was missing, she gasped and yanked her hand back.

"It-it's just in your ghost form, right?" she asked. "Right?"

Sadly, the ghost shook his head. "I wanted to tell you," he said softly, looking at each friend and family member in turn. "But I didn't know how."

Jack had gone pale, and the giant hand gently placed his hand over his sons heart as well. When he didn't feel a heartbeat either, his eyes grew moist, and he yanked his son into a bear hug.

There was a heart wrenching sob from the couch, and Danny turned to face his two best friends and sister. Jazz held tears that refused to fall, Ticker had frozen, and Sam... Sam had tears running down her cheeks. When the ghost teen opened his mouth to say something, apologize, anything, all three leapt off the couch tackled him.

Before Danny knew it, they were all hugging him and crying. As he clutched tightly to those surrounding him, he wondered what cruel being felt the need to put him through this.