A bet (Gravity Falls x Danny Phantom crossover)

Chapter 13: A most bizarre family

"Hey, you are awake," Danny smiled, putting away the manga he had recently bought.

The girl in his bed shifted slightly, rubbing her eyes with a tiny fist of hers. With confused, yet adorable sounds she began looking around, trying to remember what had happened. She didn't recognise the room, and at this the girl panicked, yelping in fear, jumping in a sitting position. Phantom didn't wait long to take action, sitting on the bed next to her. Dani looked at her brother in surprise, and soon relief came in place of fright. Yes, Danny was here, it's all that mattered. There was silence, as the two pairs of ice blue eyes crossed. Two half ghosts looked at each other, and each had the thoughts of their own. Childish jumbles of the recently born being who was younger than she looked, and considerations of someone who was older than people gave him credit for. Now Danny was to act even more mature in front of her.

"Danielle," he said sternly, but softly, "What happened? Does it have something to do with Vlad?"

Dani seemed to be on the verge of breaking down again, but surprisingly held herself well. "I...I heard him talking...to his cat that always scratched me. He calls her Maddie."

"Oh, for the love of... what next, sis?" Danny won't let his hate for Masters stand in the way of the task in hand.

"He... he is making another one..." she sobbed, "He called me a tool! That he doesn't need me anymore!" Danielle broke into tears and latched onto her brother, "A-And he said that you would be too afraid to come! Why didn't you come?!"

"I... I didn't know what was going on," Phantom mumbled.

"No, you knew!" The girl exclaimed, "You warned me so you knew everything!"

Danny was at loss. Yes, he knew that everything would turn out like this. But he hoped... no, it was no time for seeking excuses. It was not an example to give. It was indeed his fault, for Vlad had her only because Danny had let him to, which was unacceptable. Phantom's fists clenched and the muscles tensed, which the girl noticed immediately. With a scared yelp she backtracked, fearful of the powerful surge of ghostly energy. Immediately Danny realised what happened and calmed down. The sight of the shaking little girl was more than he could bear to watch. Phantom looked into the window, not wishing to meet her eyes. She may be young, but she also was extremely bright.

"You are right. I knew. I knew that Vlad is a monster whose ego lets him ignore everyone around. Even you, someone who loved him unconditionally. He never deserved and never will deserve someone like you."

Dani looked at him with wide eyes, blushing with green colour just a bit. She didn't say a word, which meant Danny would have to continue. And Phantom was trying to find proper words.

"It does not excuse me. I let it happen and it is my fault. All of that was because... I was not ready. After so many months of being alone, I've grown selfish, egotistical. I've lost my family once, Danielle, I let my fears of losing everything again get the best of me. And as a result, we got this. Tell me, why did you still come here, went through all this trouble just to meet your failure of a relative?"

Danielle sat back near him, "Because I know nobody else. And I am not angry."

"You aren't?" Danny asked in surprise, earning a childish shake of the head.

"No, I was just sad... I was afraid that... you will throw me away too," the girl looked sad again.

She got up from the bed, searching for her clothes and earning the concerned look from Danny.

"What are you doing?" He asked.

"Where are my..."

"Clothes? They were dirty, so I tossed them into the washing machine," Danny then looked her up and down, "Why are you so thin?"