I'm Adopted?

The Letter

A/N: Hey peoples, I'm back! The original one-shot is in my Danny Phantom One-shots! book if you were wondering. But I hope you enjoy this none the the less (P.s. yes this is after Phantom Planet.)

Danny's POV

My life was perfect. My parents knew my secret, Sam was my girlfriend and Vlad is out of my life forever. Dad won't tell me what happened up there but it doesn't matter, the less of Vlad I hear about the better.

Earlier, my house had been swarmed with reporters and fans alike but they had eventually left. After I dropped off Sam at her house, I flew back to mine. That's when I phased into my room and saw the pieces of paper on my bed.

Transforming into my human self, I sat down on my bed and picked up the pieces of paper. It only took me a second to recognize Vlad's handwriting. I frowned and prepared to destroy the letter with an ectoblast when I read the first sentence. 'Please don't burn this letter'

Vlad? Saying please? Against my better judgement I didn't burn the letter. Instead, I began to read.

'Dear Daniel,

If you're reading this letter then the worst has happened to me. I knew you would never listen to me in person, you always were stubborn, so I've decided to write this letter. Daniel, from the first day we met I always knew you were destined to do great things and I still believe that. You and I are alike Little Badger, in more ways than one.

The truth is Daniel, there is a lot Jack and Maddie never told you about. Including your past. But before I say anything else, you need to learn my past.

After the accident that caused me to gain ghost powers and spend months in the hospital, I met a woman. Her name was Danielle Ryder. She became my regular nurse and we grew very close. She was beautiful, kind, funny, smart, and I loved her with all my heart. And she loved me. Once I got out of the hospital, we started dating. We went out to dinner, movies, but even though Danielle made me the happiest man on Earth I still had feelings in my heart for Maddie. After a few months we got serious, we even moved in together. Then one day, she found out that I still held feeling for Maddie, packed her things and left me with a broken heart.

What I didn't realize at the time, was that she was pregnant. She unfortunately never told me and went through those 9 hard months alone, staying in dingy motels and rotten apartments due to her family being in a different country and since she was pregnant, she could hardly work. During her pregnancy she became very ill and because of that she died shortly after childbirth. She had told no one who the father was and so, the baby was put up for adoption.

After Jasmine had been born Maddie had miscarriage after miscarriage. She and Jack finally decided to adopt a child. That child was Danielle's son. My son.

The day we met and I discovered your secret, I had constantly wondered about the way you gained your powers.

It was pure luck that I survived my accident but I still spent months in the hospital. So I always wondered, how could you, a fourteen year old boy, survive an even more dangerous event without any medical attention?

Haven't you ever wondered how you were able to survive the portal activation? Why you weren't 'fully' killed. It is because you had dormant ectoplasm in your DNA. The portal activating was the jump start it needed to bring your ghost half forward. This answer was revealed to me when I attempted to clone you.

When I entered your DNA into my database it instantly held similarities to mine. At first I assumed it was because we were both half ghosts but I soon realized it was your human DNA that held the more noticeable similarities. That was when I learned you were my son.

I couldn't stop fighting you for that would become suspicious and I knew how you would react if I told you the truth. You wouldn't believe me, or worse... you would and you would go into shock.

It killed me inside to keep fighting you Daniel. Hearing your screams when I caused you pain, seeing the injuries that I inflicted upon you, seeing the wounds that the ghosts I sent after you caused, the hateful comments you shouted at me, the disgusted look you gained whenever you saw me or I was mentioned. And your hatred for me only grew the more I was a coward.

To you I was your worst enemy, and I don't blame you for feeling that way. Daniel, I don't expect you to forgive me for all the pain and suffering I have caused you. Why would you? I have never given you a reason to see me as a good person, as anything other than your 'arch-nemesis'. But I do hope one day, you may forgive me for all the wrongs I have done to you.

You are my son Daniel and I love you, I would give anything to go back in time to change all of my actions if it meant you wouldn't hate me as you do now. How I wish Danielle had lived to see you grow into this amazing and selfless young man. Even before I knew you were my son I was always proud to see what you had accomplished, whether it be as Danny Phantom or just Daniel Fenton.

I was never truly your enemy Daniel. I was trying to help you, in my own twisted way. All our battles? They were to train you, to better your abilities. You gained more strength after every foe you defeated, but you always tried your hardest when facing me.

As by the time you read this letter, I must be gone. And to you, my son, I leave everything. At the end of these pages is my Last Will and Testament. I have left all my companies, money, and everything else I own to you and solely you. Your adoptive family will not be able to access any of what I have given you. What you choose to do with this is entirely your decision.

Whether you sell it all, keep it, burn the will and let my belongings be dispersed around is up to you. The choice is yours Daniel. I only want you to be happy. You probably won't shed a single tear over my demise, in fact it wouldn't surprise me if you were throwing a party. But know this. I don't expect you to care about me, I don't expect you to mourn me, I don't expect you to miss me.

But I will miss you Daniel. I'll miss the times we never spent together as father and son, I'll miss that I never got to watch you grow up and I'll never forgive myself for letting my affections for Maddie take you and Danielle away from me.

I realize as I'm writing this letter how much of a fool I was. To let my heart belong to a woman who would never love me and not let it belong to the woman that was truly meant for me. To the woman who truly loved me.

As I bring this letter to a close I ask one thing of you Daniel. Keep doing good. The world is a harsh and cruel place, don't let anyone bring you down. You are a strong, smart and brave young man. I am proud to call you my son, even if you consider me less than a father.

Keep fighting Little Badger, but don't get so involved in the fight that you can't escape it and you lose sight of those who care about you. I love you Daniel.

Yours Truly,

Vlad Masters'

Drops of water splashed onto the page. I wiped away my tears, I wouldn't give Vlad the satisfaction of my tears. He did nothing to deserve them.

I flipped to the last page and there it was. His will.

My name was listed as the sole benefactor. Behind the will were some birth documents. On them was a female's cursive. 'Danielle Ryder' it read. And on the document was a name.

'Daniel Ryder'

A picture of me as a baby in the hospital was attached to the document, as well as a picture of a young woman. She had long silky black hair, bright smiling blue eyes, soft pink lips, and a narrow face. She wore only a little makeup in the picture but she looked like a model. I flipped the picture over and saw Danielle Ryder written on the back.

There was another picture of her, but this time Vlad was in it. He was young and smiling at the camera and so was Danielle. More tears flowed from my eyes.

I placed the letter and documents on my bed, holding the picture of Vlad and Danielle in my hands. I shook as I held down sobs.

I slowly leaned to the side and let my head fall onto my pillow. "You crazy Froot Loop," I whispered, "How is it that even after you're gone, you still mess with me?"