When a white van drove up into the battle torn street bellow, Danny naturally expects the worst. GiW would jump out in a rush, ecto-guns blazing at the green eyed Phantom floating above them. What he does not expect is for the door to swiftly slide open and a voice he didn't think he would hear again speak up. "Hey, kid, wait!"

"Agent Barton?" Danny sputters, losing his invisibility in his shock. A smile quickly makes its way to Danny's lips for the only agent that Danny will ever call 'friend'.

"What happened here?" comes a mumbled, feminine voice that Danny only picks up thanks to his super hearing. Floating down to street level, the Phantom hero is surprised to see a familiar woman there.

"And Scarlet Witch," he says out loud. Of course he recognizes her, even though he has never meet her in person- she has only been all over the news for the past several weeks. He instantly feels a pang of sympathy at the thought. He knows all too well what bad publicity can do for a person.

"That's me," she agrees, looking up at the floating boy with… curiosity. That's it. No anger, fear or overwhelming awe. It's refreshing, to say the least, and the fact that she is completely gorgeous doesn't hurt Danny's opinion of her either.

A soft snort comes from the driver's seat. "Are you two going to stare into eachother's eyes all day, or is Danny going to get in so we can leave before any unfriendlies show up?"

Danny flushes green (thanks, ectoplasm) at the reprimand, but swiftly phases through the roof of the van before anyone notices. The Scarlet Witch meanwhile gives Danny a funny look as she slides the van door closed with her powers. Agent Barton starts the vehicle, full speed ahead, as soon as the door closes. "You know, you could have just gone through the open door…." Scarlet Witch points out dryly, but he notices the playful smirk tugging at her lips.

Danny returns the smirk. "Nah, I'm good," he comments offhandedly with a light shrug, settling into the seat, or trying to anyways. "Um, who's he?" The boy asks, poking at the leg of a snoring man splayed across the back seats.

"I don't really know- he fell asleep practically as soon as he came in and we told him the situation. Clint?"

"He goes by Ant Man. He has the ability to become really small and really strong- He'll also be helping us out, and that's all you kids really need to know about him right now."

"Um, ok," Danny says a tad awkwardly, shrugging. "And what exactly have I been kidnapped to help you with?"

"What? You haven't been kidnapped." Clint sounds amused, but distracted.

"Right. A strange man asks a kid just minding his own business to hop into his big van. No big deal."

The agent groans. "Do you really have to imply something like that?"

Danny just chuckles. "So why did you come and pick me up? And aren't you, like, uh, retired? Why all suited up?"

"Haven't been keeping up with the news, have you?"

Danny makes a hmph sound, crossing his arms in a childish pout that makes the Scarlet Witch arch an eyebrow in amusement. What he says next however is less childish, and more steeped in bitterness. "Hard to keep up with the times when I'm being hunted, both in human and ghost forms." The last thing he heard was of the scandal with the Scarlet Witch in… Africa, was it?

"You're saying you're both human and ghost? Alive and dead? That's possible?" Scarlet Witch voices her thoughts out loud (not in disbelief), sitting up straighter.

Danny shrugs, running a gloved hand through his white locks. "Seems so, though don't ask me how. The only one who might know just so happens to be one of the reasons I'm being hunted." He grimaces, eyes glowing a brighter green just thinking of the man, but then dulls at the thought of the main reason- his parents. Both scientists and ghost hunters, when they found out his secret they became convinced that their precious boy is being overshadowed (possessed) by that 'evil spook Phantom'. They want to 'save' him by ripping him apart. Jazz, Danny's older sister, is trying to make them see reason, but so far no luck.

"Tough luck, kid. Who is he?" This is from Agent Barton, drawing back Danny's attention to their conversation.

"Vlad Masters," Danny announces, pleased to talk to someone who believes in him beyond that of his sister, closest friends and generally young fans. "The most crazed up fruitloop out there… Well, besides Loki from what I hear, anyways."

"Vlad Masters as in the billionaire Vladimir Masters? Head of DALV, Vlad CO and Axion Labs?"

"Yep," Danny says, popping the p. "But you forgot 'mayor of Amity Park', my hometown."

Agent Barton gives a slow whistle. "You have worse luck than I first thought."

"No kidding," Danny says with a slight scoff.

"This is all very interesting, but shouldn't we fill him in on what's going on?" The Scarlet Witch puts her two cents in.

"Yes, please," Danny adds.

"Right," Barton responds, and he does. A few minutes later Danny is sitting in the back seat in human form, having pushed 'Ant Man's' feet to the side and 'gone human' as he likes to call it. The boy's mind churns with the new information he's been given, now icy blue eyes sparkling in thought as he runs a hand through his raven black hair.

"Sooo…" He drawls. "Basically, there is a secret plot to frame this guy, who in the past has already done some seriously bad stuff 'cause of evil Nazi mind control… This dude just so happens to be Captain America's childhood best bud, and was naturally busted out asap because of that. Now half the avengers are siding with the Cap to put a stop to the bad guy's plan of reviving some super crazy, kick-butt Nazi agents… While the other half of the avengers sold their souls to the devil (or government, whatever) in order to relieve guilt, and now are blindly following their orders of stopping the people trying to save Earth. Did I get that right?"

Agent Barton and the Scarlet Witch share a glance. "Basically," the chorus.

Danny shrugs. "'Kay, I'm in."

The Scarlet Witch, who was about to say something else, shuts her mouth at this. She blinks owlishly at him. "That's it?" she asks.

"That's it," Danny answers, sliding out his modified Fenton Fhone (way to go, Tucker) in order to send a quick update to Team Phantom (consisting of his two friends and sister). "Beat up the bad guys. Help the good ones. Knock some sense into the stupid ones. Sounds pretty straightforward to me. So, since we got that cleared up, I'm gonna take a nap. Wake me when we get there?" He requests while putting his phone away. Agent Barton agrees to do so, thanking Danny meanwhile. "No problem. Besides, I still owe you one." With that, Danny climbs into the row of seats at the very back and collapses, a near mirror image of Ant Man knocked out in a row in front.

"I don't know whether to be impressed by the type friends you keep, or worried," Scarlet Witch remarks in a hushed tone to the agent.

Barton returns in good humor. "I'd go with impressed. You're one of them, after all."

When Danny and Ant Man finally got properly introduced, it was short and to the point.

"Er, why is there a kid snoring in the backseat?" Ant Man shout-whispered. Groggily, Danny sits up and introduces himself. "Danny Phantom, huh? I thought you'd be…"

"Taller?" Danny guesses.

"Dead-er," Ant Man corrects.

"Well, I was." Ant Man waits for him to elaborate. Danny does not, much to Ant Man's incredulousness.

"So, what then? Just decided to give Death the finger one day and come back from the grave?"

"Pretty much."

Ant Man paused, then grinned. "I think I like you."

"Thanks?"

And that was that. Half an hour later Danny is waiting to be introduced to the rest of his new team at the garage of some airport. He sits quietly and invisibly from inside the open van as Ant Man fanboys over Captain America. In all truthfulness, Danny is relieved that Ant Man went first. It gives Danny sometime to collect himself and avoid embarrassing himself like Ant Man is doing. Captain America… He's always been an idol to Danny. The idea that a whimp like him could someday become a brave, kind-hearted hero? It inspired Danny, and when the boy got the chance to do the same after the lab accident that turned him half-ghost, he did just that.

"Where's the other recruit you mentioned, Clint?" Danny perks up at the blatant reference to him.

Stepping out of the van, Danny turns visible. "Right here," he says. Danny is impressed that besides the slight widening of his eyes, the Captain doesn't seem surprising by his sudden appearance in the least.

Instead he grimaces, and directs a glower towards Clint. "You didn't say he would be a kid," the man says coolly, causing Danny to frown too. His concerns are somewhat abated by what happens next though. It turns out that the Captain isn't underestimating Danny's ability, only upset at having a 'young kid like him forfeit a respectable life and fight in a war that shouldn't be his own'. Danny hears Captain America's every word as he took Agent Barton aside for a quiet, but fierce debate. Still keeping an ear open, Danny takes in the responses of everyone else. The Scarlet Witch is staring at the quietly arguing pair, biting her bottom lip and looking like she really wants to interrupt. Ant Man still has that glazed, awe-struck look in his eyes while gazing at the Captain. Falcon seems to have the same concern over Danny being involved, looking at the younger male with blatant protectiveness and disapproval. Lastly is the infamous 'Winter Soldier', who Danny for the (after)life of him, just can't get a read on. The man's face is perfectly schooled.

Deciding that he's had enough of the adults' arguing, the seventeen year old boy musters his courage and marches right up to his idol. "Goin' ghost," Danny mutters, transforming into his ghostly alter ego.

"Wow," Falcon mutters, Ant Man saying something much the same. The Scarlet Witch takes a step back at the flash of light that occurs, even though she has already seen it, and the Winter Soldier stiffens, appearing ready to spring into action if need be. Agent Barton has a small, sly smile and Captain America's jaw tightens, but other than that keeps his surprise well under control.

Danny takes in a now unneeded breath and begins. "My name is Danny Phantom. I'm half human, half ghost. I can disappear," he demonstrates, "fly," he floats upward, "go through solid objects," he dips down through the floor, "and much more," he finishes while coming up again. "Yeah, I'm seventeen, but I also have two years worth of experience and fight enemies with decades or more years of experience than me on a near daily basis. I'm not saying I know everything, or know exactly what I'm getting into, but I believe I know enough. Most importantly, I want to help. Plus, I already have the government after me with a vengeance, so this won't really change a thing… Besides having the chance to do some real good, of course." With this, Danny holds his breath, having said all he can think of. Besides, anything more and it might turn into a full-blown speech.

"You said you've been on the run already…?" The captain asks slowly, and Danny latches onto the thoughtful comment.

"Yes, sir," the boy is quick to comply. "They're called the GiW. After the Ecto-control Act, they've been given the right to experiment," Danny says the word with heavy disgust, "on me and anyone like me." Danny refrains from saying ghosts in front of humans, irritated by how people would sometimes cling to the word… like it's proof of how Danny wasn't human, and so it was ok to hunt and dissect him.

"I've heard of that," Falcon remarks, stepping forward with a flicker of emotional pain on his face, before he regains composure. "I didn't know what to think of it- or ghosts- at the time, so I just ignored it." A pause. "I'm sorry," he says a moment later, tone soft and sincere. Danny nods, giving a grateful smile.

"Kid-" Captain America cuts himself off. "Danny," he corrects, and Danny smiles. "We'd be honored for you to join us," he informs seriously, extending a hand. Danny's smile grows, shaking the offered hand.

"The honor's all mine, Captain." Ancients, I sound cheesy… But it's true, and it's the best thing to happen to Danny in weeks.

That's when the alarm goes off.

Just like the Cap said would happen. Danny thinks with no little excitement, flying invisibility and intangibility up to the guy in a red jumpsuit chatting on about his landing on his landing on the truck. The first thing they did was go for his shield. The only thing, or person as it is, that the captain didn't account for is the dude Danny is currently sneaking up on. Was that web that shot out of his hand? And he said his name is Spider-man? Weird, but whatever. "I'll be taking that back~" Danny announces in a cheerful voice while turning the shield intangible and snatches it away.

"What? Hey!" Spider-dude shrieks, attempting to snatch it back and stunned whenever his hand passes right through the shield. Danny swiftly returns to the Captain's side, becoming visible and tangible once more. He hands back the shield to its proper owner, sporting a smug, self-satisfied smile that only multiples at his icon's look of approval.

"Dragging kids into this, Captain? That's not like you." The War Machine comments in disapproval, but surprisingly Iron-man says nothing. Danny was sure the quip would have come from the latter. Then again, Danny was sure he wouldn't be on the "sell your soul" team in the first place.

Brushing that aside, Danny is quick to cover for the Captain with boyish grin. "Age doesn't matter all that much when you're dead, sir. Who'd've guessed?" He comments flippantly, floating some feet off the ground while crossing his arms. Danny tries to ignore that one guy with the cape- Vision? - who is giving him a weird look. It isn't just that, but his very core seemed to become colder in response to the entity's presence. In fact, inexplicably, Danny feels like going human, but manages to resist the weird urge.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Iron-man questions, more bewildered than demanding for the time being.

Vision delicately clears his throat. "I believe he means to say that he is a ghost."

"Phantom." The Black Widow suddenly speaks up, appearing unnerved, but determined. "You're Phantom. Level eight ectoplasmic entity." Danny is about to respond to that when she continues. "Oh, Steve, do you know what you're dealing with?" Danny's eyes flash bright green, bristling at the oh-so-concerned question.

"I'm not a what," he bites out, instantly disliking this lady. I can definitely see why she is standing on that side.

Danny feels a comforting hand on his shoulder before he can snap out anything else. The ghost boy looks down at the red, white and blue hero. Nodding, he floats down and steps back, letting the Captain retake the lead. "I do," Steve speaks up solemnly. "I'm dealing with someone just like us. Someone who does his best to do good, and has done a lot of good, but is feared and hunted because of what he could do instead." Danny feels his throat construct, and is sure his eyes would be watering if he was in human form. Vaguely, the sixteen year old hears Iron-man respond just as solemnly, and just as resolutely- explaining for the last time how the people have good reason to fear and hunt them if they do not listen to the people… But Danny tunes him out. The young hero knows this song and dance all too well. What some people can't control, they'll lash out at instead, even if what they are lashing out at does their darndest to protect them. It isn't right- and it never will be.

On that cheery note, the battle begins.

Girl-of-Action- I might add a chapter or two more to this, but I'm not sure how good I am at portraying the Marvel characters. I've only watched the movies, so tell me what you think? Thanks for reading!