Title: Astronaut

Author: Zalein

Chapters: 10

Word-count: 23,202

Genre: General/Drama

Characters: Danny F., Sam M.

Rating: T for language.

Summary: "I want to be an astronaut," Danny said automatically.

Author's Note: I already have all the chapters typed up and saved on my computer, so no worries about me stopping the story in mid-plot.


CHAPTER ONE

"I want to be an astronaut," Danny said automatically.

The career-counselor put her clasped hands on her desk, resting her elbows on the polished wooden edge. There was an open folder to one side of her, but Danny couldn't see what was written in it. "That's a very ambitious choice, Mr. Fenton. Are there any particular reasons you have in mind why?"

"Well," Danny said awkwardly, shifting in his seat, "I like science. Being an astronaut would need a lot of that. I think I'd be a mission commander, and that would be a lot of fun. Going into space has been… you know, like a dream to me for years. I'm also good at handling scientific equipment, and stuff." He paused. "Uh, by the way, those beakers I broke in the science lab last year—that was a long-term attack of klutz. I'm better now.

The counselor looked unaffected by his train of thought. "What are your plans for meeting your goal?"

Danny leaned back, thinking. What did she mean by plans? "I, uh, need to finish high-school first," he said slowly, watching her to make sure this was what she meant. When she nodded, he went on. "Then I plan to go to college. After that I'll need to be doing work related to space stuff for at least three years, and then I can send in an application to NASA. If I get accepted, then I'll be there for at least two years of training, and then that's it."

Her penciled eyebrows rose up a few notches. "You've certainly done your research. Do you know what courses you'll be taking in college?" the counselor prompted.

Danny nodded, "Science courses. Mostly astronomy and physics."

Now the counselor looked at the file, putting a hand with long fingernails at one corner and pulling the whole thing towards her. "It says here that you're having a few difficulties with your grades." Danny stared over her shoulder at the bookcase behind her, all too aware of how her tone had changed. Now it was pleasant and careful, the voice of someone dancing around a touchy topic that, unfortunately, needed to be discussed. She paused a little before continuing. "You're going to want to bring them up a little over the next couple of years. As things stand now, you may have difficulties getting accepted into the courses you want at whatever college you decide to go to."

"Yeah, my grades stink," Danny said bluntly, uncomfortable but not at all surprised by the information. He'd already been aware of it.

There was the faintest of twitches in her expression, which she smoothed out quickly enough before nodding in agreement. "I wouldn't put it that way, but yes. I have notes from a couple of your teachers that you were doing well for the better part of your freshman year. Can you think of any reason for why things changed?"

Danny didn't fight the deep frown tugging at his mouth. Of course he knew; he just couldn't tell her. "No, not really."

The counselor paused again, looking down at one of the notes at the top of the folder before looking back at him. "Ah," she said. Danny didn't think she looked convinced at all, but he didn't really care. His head was stuffy and aching from staying up several hours more than he should have two nights in a row, and he'd half-expected their session would go in this direction anyway.

"Most students change their majors at some point during their college careers. You might say it's a way of exploring the possibilities, seeing what's right for you. Do you have any alternate career choices in mind, Mr. Fenton?" the counselor asked suddenly.

Danny blinked, before shrugging and saying flippantly. "Well, Mr. Lancer said that anyone who didn't pass the CAT's was destined to work at the Nasty Burger. I knew there was a reason why I always felt drawn there. It was destiny already at work!" He smiled and laughed a little but the counselor's face didn't so much as twitch. Danny stopped grinning, scratching the back of his head.

"Actually, your CAT scores are a great deal better than one might have expected. You spent a week's worth of after school detentions studying for it, did you not? Well, it seems to have paid off."

Danny looked surprised. "I didn't know the scores were out, yet."

"They're in the mail," she said. "The school also gets a transcript of your results. It's for their records."

"Oh. What score did I get?"

The lady obligingly paged through her file before selecting a single page from it, handing it to him. Danny's eyes searched the paper for a few seconds before he finally found the score. His expression brightened, though it was also surprised. "… Wow!"

"'Wow indeed, Mr. Fenton," the counselor agreed. This time she did smile. "Clearly you have the potential to do better in school if you apply yourself." Danny didn't look up. "Are you sure there isn't some reason why you haven't been able to improve your grades? Perhaps you could get a tutor. There's a note here that says you haven't been turning in a lot of your homework. Fixing that problem would be a definite improvement."

"Yeah," said Danny, "I'll work on that."

There was the sound of a bell, signaling that it was time for lunch for most of the classes. Danny looked up at it, but the counselor hadn't moved so he didn't stand.

She saw his glance. "Just a moment, and then we'll be through," she assured him. "I just need to ask you again. Do you have any ideas for what you'd do if you weren't accepted into NASA?"

Danny put the page with his CAT scores back on the desk. While the counselor put it away he said, "I'd apply again, and if I didn't make it that time, I'd apply again."

"And if it still fell through?"

Danny shrugged. "I'd probably wind up working on the family business."

"Ah, yes, Fentonworks." Danny's family was famous throughout the city for obvious reasons. He'd have been surprised if she hadn't known the ghost hunters' business' name. "Are you interested in ghosts for a career, Mr. Fenton?"

Danny shrugged again. "I know about them. My parents are always talking about them, and I know how the stuff works better than I know almost anything else." An idea suddenly occurred to him, and he crooked a grin at her, eyes twinkling with humor. "You might say it's in my blood."

The counselor pushed her wide glasses a little higher up on her nose, unmoved by his amusement. "I would recommend you look closely at that choice as a career option, Daniel. You need to bring your grades up one way or another, but this ghost-hunting option seems a little more practical, as well as available."

Danny's grin faded, and he felt his mood quickly turning sour. "Being an astronaut is practical," he said defensively.

"Mister Fenton, considering that out of the thousands of people that apply every two years—"

"NASA only chooses a hundred people for the space program?" Danny finished at the same time she did, making her blink in surprise. "Yeah, I knew that," he said, looking away.

"Oh. Well, considering that fact, you must admit that the chances of your being accepted would be slim no matter what your grades were."

"It keeps coming down to my grades, doesn't it," Danny said, rising to his feet. "Look, I'll try harder to bring them up, but I already knew that I needed to and I don't need you to tell me again. Are we done yet? I'm late for lunch."

The counselor closed the file, pushing it to one side again and folding her hands together. "Yes, I believe we're done here. Enjoy your lunch," she said, flashing him a professionally polite smile.

"Yeah, thanks," he said, already on his way out. "Uh, you too."


Sam and Tuck had saved him a place in line, and he caught up with them just in time.

"How did it go?" Sam asked, putting her tray on the counter while the lunch lady served the boy in front of her.

"Kind of annoying," said Danny, making his tone light as he could. "She talked about my grades the entire time."

"Yuck. After a meeting like that I'd guess you've lost your appetite," Said Tuck, lifting the two trays he was carrying. "That's handy, since now I can use this extra tray here to help me carry—"

Danny reached forward and snagged the second tray. "Hand it over, Tuck. I need my lunch!"

Tuck relinquished it with a grin. "I knew it. Don't worry, Danny, meat solves everything!"

"Yeah," said Sam while looking through the display's glass. "Especially when it's mystery meat—yummy. Bon appetite, you two!"

Tuck groaned and covered his face, and Danny sighed. Then Tucker lowered his hands, eyes still squeezed shut and nose in the air. He sniffed a few times. "Wait a minute! That's not mystery meat I smell, that's cheeseburgers! Sam, how could you lie to us like that!"

Sam smiled sweetly. "Simple. I just talked, and you guys didn't bother checking for yourselves."

"We'll get back at you, Sam. Right, Danny?"

Danny looked up at the sound of his name, seeming a little guilty. "Huh? Uh, I mean, yeah, that's right."

"How are you going to extract vengeance against that fiend when you aren't even listening?" Tucker grumbled, while Sam laughed.

"Sorry, I'm just thinking."

"About what?" asked Sam.

"My grades!" said Danny, as though it were obvious.

"Oh," said Tuck, unsure of how to reply. The line of people moved, and he reached to put some food on his tray while his friends did the same.

"Yeah," said Danny, sounding a little glum again. "I mean, what with all this ghost stuff going on, I barely have time to sleep, let alone go to school and do homework and everything… It's like ghosts have taken over my life." He said that last part in a mumble, not really intending anyone else to hear. They got to the cash register, then were soon heading to their usual table with Sam in the lead.

"Sorry, man," Tuck said sympathetically. "I don't know what to say about that."

"Yeah," said Sam. "I mean, Tuck and I are barely holding on as it is."

Danny blinked and looked up at them in sudden hope. "But you guys are still doing it, right? How are you managing that, anyway?"

"Well, we study a lot on the bus," Sam said. She glanced around as they sat down to make sure no-one was within hearing range. Only then did she continue. "There's also the fact that we're not going on all the ghost-patrols you are, so we're able to stay awake in class."

"Yeah, seriously, dude." Tucker pointed his cheeseburger at Danny, talking around a mouthful. "You should cut back on that. The city's not going to fall apart because you got a good night's sleep."

"It might," Danny retorted, taking a bite of his own cheeseburger. Unlike Tucker, he chewed quickly before swallowing. "I mean, remember that guy who got caught up in one of Technus' attempts to take over the world last week? That car just barely missed crushing him, and his arm got crushed by debris. I could have stopped it if I'd been there sooner."

Sam frowned and swallowed her mouthful of salad. "That wasn't your fault, Danny. Not only was that guy not evacuating the area like he should have, even Technus hadn't realized that car would land that far. He looked just as surprised as the next person."

"Yeah, maybe," said Danny, not entirely convinced. "I still think I could have done something, though."

"What were you doing at the time?" Tucker said diplomatically.

"I was sleeping. According to the Fenton Portal activity log he probably passed through at around three in the morning."

"Then how on earth were you supposed to know he was loose?" Tuck pointed out. "It's not like you guys have an alarm on the Fenton Portal or anything, and you've been tired all the time, lately. You've gotta sleep, dude."

"I guess," said Danny, and this time he looked a little better.

"I agree with Tucker," Sam said, spearing some lettuce with her fork. "Ghost hunting's important, but you've got to draw the line somewhere."

"Yeah, but where? Am I supposed to tell ghosts 'Sorry guys, I can't fight right now, can you come back when I'm done with today's essay or when I'm more awake'? Somehow I don't think they'll buy it."

"Maybe you can set a schedule for your homework," Tuck said thoughtfully, hand straying towards his PDA.

"Nah, I'm fine," Danny said quickly, clearly remembering the Purpleback Gorilla incident. "I'll just have to try extra hard tonight and tomorrow morning on the way to school."

"Aren't you always too tired in the morning, though?" Sam pointed out.

"I'll find a way," Danny said, with more confidence than he felt.

"I hope so," she said.

Danny hoped so, too.