Twisted AU

Danny is forced to transfer high schools after he is kicked out. Lacey and Jo keep in contact for a few months, but eventually the communication dissipates and the trio gradually loses touch. Set three years later. These characters aren't mine, they're ABCfam's okay?

Chapter 1

Danny graduated from high school a year ago, and he was currently working a crappy job at 29 hours a week, living at home with his mother, trying to work out his next life move. Danny had tried to stay out of trouble since he left Green Grove High, and he had managed to stay low key for the remainder of his high school career at one of the neighboring schools- Green Groves rival at that, Kingsley High. As Danny sat in the back storage room unpacking what seemed like the hundredth box of sporting goods, he let himself reminisce about his senior year.

He was on the Kingsley High soccer team, a mid-fielder, and well liked on the team. He wasn't team captain, didn't try to be the star player-he was just happy to have a chance to play. His mother Karen came to every home game, and his senior night was no exception. This would be the memory his brain insisted on replaying…the night he played Green Grove.

Karen was probably cheering the loudest during the second half of the game. The game was tied and Danny had already scored 2 goals that night. The air was crisp with the familiar smell of autumn, and Danny wanted to end his season with this win more than anything. The look on Archie's face was all that was keeping him motivated, and in the end, it had paid off. When lining up after the game to shake the other teams hands, Archie had made a point to skip his hand very obviously. But Danny was so happy, the act hadn't even phased him. The game that night had been one of his favorite high school memories-but true to Danny Desai's luck, it wasn't the only event that happened that night.

After the game, Danny was the last one out of the locker room-all his teammates had spent so much time celebrating and congratulating his performance that he had waited to shower. When he got out of the locker room his mother was the first to greet him. They had grown close rather rapidly in the past two years and Danny was even referred to as a momma's boy now by his teasing teammates. But Danny loved his new relationship with his mother, she was the favorite mom among all the players, because she always brought them baked goods for after their home games. After Karen finally let Danny out of her embrace, she smiled up at him; he was taller than her now, and laughed.

"Honey, I'm sorry but I think your teammates in all their excitement forgot to save you any brownies. But if you would like, we can make some when you get home?"

Danny smiled as he ran a hand through his hair, which he had taken down to air dry after his shower.

"It's fine mom really! I think my stomach is still totally in knots from tonight, I'm not even that hungry."

"Danny! You will eat dinner when we get home! No star player of mine is going to starve after such a wonderful game!" His mother said that to him always, win or lose.

"Yeah I know mom. I can't believe you actually sat through the whole game."
"OH OF COURSE! It was your senior night honey! And though I really wish your father was here to explain the game to me…I think I'm starting to catch on!" She giggled with him as they walked together to her car.

"Mom! It's a little late for you to be just getting the game, it's my last year!" He joked as he hugged her around the shoulders.
"Well, better late than…" Karen was interrupted when she heard two boys shouting Danny's name.

"Desai?!" They shouted together.
"Hey guys what's up?" He turned around to face the teammates as they jogged over.

"A bunch of us are going to celebrate over at Frenchie's! You in?"

Danny looked to his mom, who only smiled. Karen was just so happy to see her son being included she almost replied too eagerly.

"Of course you can go dear! Don't be home to late!" She tugged on his shoulder to pull him down and kiss his cheek.

"OH MOM!" He pulled away and ran off. Karen chuckled, she was glad that she was still able to embarrass him like when he was a kid, it let her pretend for a small second that no time was lost between them. She got into her Lexus SUV and drove home to Green Grove, where they still resided, at the edge of town.

Danny was joking and laughing with his friends when he saw someone familiar in the parking lot.

"Lacey?" Danny hadn't meant for it to be a whisper.

Lacey's eyes grew wide as she remembered the voice. She turned around after she had felt the shock on her face had subsided.

"Danny." She answered coldly.

"Wha…what are you doing here?" The words stumbled out of his mouth uncharacteristically. His friends exchanged looks at each other but waited silently.

Lacey shook her head, wondering why she hadn't been able to get away sooner.

"I'm here for Archie…"
Danny didn't let her finish.

"You. You're back with him!" It was supposed to have been a question.

"Yes." She snapped, already getting defensive. How dare he? After everything that happened at Green Grove, including the video of them together getting out, she had been left behind. She was the one who had to stay and show up at Green Grove the next day.

Danny's friends were awkwardly hovering, not sure what to do, they were Danny's ride after all.
Lacey's eyes must have said it all, because Danny looked down at his feet suddenly and whispered.
"Sorry Lacey, but I just can't believe…" When he looked up his eyes widened. Archie was damn near jogging towards the group. Of course he didn't get on the bus with the rest of his team, Lacey must've stayed behind to give him a ride. Lacey looked behind her to see what Danny was staring at and felt her heart leap into her throat. Not again, she panicked, no not again.

Danny's friends were glad they had stayed, this other kid looked ready for a fight.

"What the hell are you doing here Danny?"
"I could ask you the same thing Archie, it wasn't enough we kicked your butts tonight, you wanted to stay and get a tour of the school too?" Danny asked without missing a beat.

Archie, who had left to use the schools bathroom, came back after realizing the doors were locked. He had been gone only about five minutes and he couldn't believe what he was seeing.

"What did you say Socio?" Archie clenched his fists; Lacey began to fear the worst.

"It's not Socio here." Danny replied coolly. "Besides, after all this time, after all you've done, You are still trying to hold a grudge against me?" Danny took a step closer to Archie. Lacey hoped no one heard her inhale sharply. She was trying not to bring any attention to herself, for fear of giving away her feelings…

"Did you really think running away to another school was going to change what you are Socio?" Archie hissed. Danny's friends stepped in.

"Are you really trying to start something right now?" One of them asked. Lacey decided now was the time to quickly and loudly opened her car door. "Don't worry , we were just leaving." She touched Archie's arm, but couldn't help and look up at Danny.

And then he met her gaze, trying to convey his emotions to her. Danny was pretty sure it worked too, Lacey could always read his face. She quickly brushed it off as Archie turned to get into the car. Danny's friends then turned and followed Danny- after staring Archie down of course. At least the guy wasn't stupid enough to pick a fight on a rival schools turf while being outnumbered.

That was the last time Danny had spoken to Lacey. He still lived in the same house, but it was much easier to spend his time in the close neighboring town of Kingsley, than to risk running into old classmates. But it still happened from time to time, both towns shared the same movie theater. And the whispers of people gossiping still happened occasionally. Luckily, Danny hadn't run into Lacey-probably because she was off at some fancy university many states away. He had thought about university himself, but with Danny's name still being dampened from the unsolved Regina case, he hadn't even bothered applying. Then Danny heard his name being called and it brought him back to present day.

"Danny, get your lazy carcass out here, they need someone else on register right now!"

Of course the shitty boss was working today. He always seemed to be scheduled the same days at Danny.

"Sorry sir, I was just in the back restocking, I didn't know we had gotten busy." He glided past the manager, his hair was not tied back today and he ran a nervous hand through it as he opened up another register.

"I can help whoevers' next?" He didn't look up as he said. Boy, did he hate this job.

"Danny? Is that you?" Danny looked up, a little confused at first.
"Jo?" He blinked.
"Yeah…" She raised an eyebrow. "Do I look that different, it hasn't been that long?"
She smiled warmly. It was good to see her, surprising as it was, their friendship had faded over the years but it hadn't ended on a bad note.

"No, I mean-you look the same just…older I guess." He returned her smile.
"What is all this anyway?" He asked looking at the strange assortment of gear.

"Oh! Well, actually…Rico is taking me camping…so I told him I wanted to help bring gear and…it's fall break so we have an extra long weekend…" She stopped talking when Danny's laughter interrupted her.
"So you two are…"
"Yep, it's our two year anniversary coming up, hence the camping trip." She winked.

"Well, I'll be damned. I always liked him more than…what was that other guys name?"
"You mean Tyler, pfff. Yeah, I was young and naive, what can I say."
"Weren't we all…?" He answered. After handing her the bags she turned and waved.

"It was really good to see you Danny."

He hadn't realized how much he missed just hanging out with Jo, and sometimes Rico. The rest of his work day seemed so dull after that encounter.

After work, he drove over to a friend's house to hang out and play video games on his friend's newest game console. He was exhausted after work, but didn't feel like cancelling on his friend-again.

"Dude, I'm telling you-most of the classes I'm taking right now are so easy. And I'm no Einstein- so imagine how easy it would be for you? You could even take some of those hard classes and shit, you know like chemistry and those medical classes." His friend was going to a local community college, and even after constant pressure from his parents to transfer, had decided that that was enough school for him.
"Dude you know why I can't. Please, can we not talk about this right now? I feel like ever since I graduated, even before maybe, that's all people talk about. What are you doing with your life? What are your plans?" Danny mocked his mother's friends in particular.
"Yeah, sorry bro. I just know how bored you are at that shit job. And you seem distracted, I mean, you've lost 3 games in a row already." His friend pointed to the screen.

"Well, don't worry about me bro, I will figure it out eventually. Just like this game-that's the last time you're kicking my ass!" He joked and brushed off his friends concerns. Danny wasn't ready to admit that he was scared out of his mind about the future.