Danny got out of bed and stretched his arms high above his head while yawning. He winced at the pain in his back and shoulder muscles, wondering just how his flight worked if it could make him so sore. After stretching a bit more to loosen a few of the kinks out of his back and arms he pulled on his clothes and walked out of his room. A second after he stepped outside of his room his mother stood there, arms crossed and a small frown on her face. Danny looked back, surprised and a little worried. "Yes?" he asked sheepishly.
"I know you checked in yesterday but you were gone a lot longer then a few hours," Maddie hissed softly and looking around. Two doors down the hall Jack came out grinning like he always did and toasted them with a can of soda. Maddie sighed and steered Danny downstairs while waving to her husband.
Danny slapped his forehead with the palm of his hand as they went downstairs. "Oh mom… I'm sorry," he whispered back.
Maddie shook her head exasperatedly as she steered her son into the kitchen and turned on the stove. "Danny, I know it's hard to keep up with things once you're out there and fighting but I still like to know where you are. You didn't get home until past midnight! Now I know that you were with the Titans and I'm sure whatever you were doing was important but I still have expectations and one of them is that you will tell me where you are."
"I know mom," Danny mumbled as he watched his mom crack eggs over a porcelain bowl. "And I'm really, really sorry."
Maddie sighed and turned to face Danny as she beat the eggs in the bowl. "Honey, it's all right if you're late and it's all right if you can't always make it to everything but not knowing where you are and if you're okay is something I can't handle." Maddie gave Danny a small smile and turned around again. "I'm sure that you're aware that as long as you uphold your promises to me that I'll never expect more then I should from you, right?"
Danny looked to the side and nodded. "Yeah mom."
Maddie added a few other things to the bowl and then began to mix it. "So, can I ask what you were doing and where you were last night?" she asked finally.
Danny looked up and gazed at his mother's back. He then shrugged and realized that she couldn't see it. "I went to a small town a few states over. There was a danger of an alien take over but everything should be fine now. We have someone in the town to keep things in check."
Maddie looked a little surprised as she turned to face Danny. Danny smile and gave her a small shrug. Maddie shook her head and sprayed the pan on the stove with cooking oil. "Just a normal day for you?" she asked.
Danny laughed and put his head in the palm of his hand as he rested his elbow on the table. "I wouldn't say normal…" he said slowly.
Maddie poured the batter into the pan and watched as it sizzled. "Interesting villain or interesting new ally?" she asked.
Danny let out a slow breath and shook his head. "Both," he said finally. "The new 'ally' is this short kid who dresses all in black, he's really… odd but he has this amazing computer set up in his room that is almost as good as Cyborg's. His name is Dib."
Maddie quirked an eyebrow as she flipped the pancake. "Dib? Computers… hmmm… did you get a last name?"
Danny leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms. "Umm… Cyborg mentioned his dad… I think. Something really weird too… like a body part or something."
"Membrane?" Maddie asked.
Danny sat up and nodded. "Yeah! That's it. Why? Have you heard of him?"
Maddie nodded as she set the pancake onto a plate and poured out more batter. "Professor Membrane is a genius among geniuses. He is brilliant and is quite certainly one of the leaders of our time, however he is a very… strange man. I read that he had a son and a daughter with rather strange names, Dib was one… the other, Gaz I think."
"Huh," Danny said. "Cyborg looked puzzled as he researched Dib's dad but I left soon after so I didn't ask about it."
Maddie nodded and flipped the second pancake. "Well, if he truly is that man's son and has the kind of set up you described then you can be sure he's a very smart child."
Danny laughed and nodded. "Oh, I had no doubt. He's just… kinda weird."
Maddie set the two pancakes in front of Danny and smiled. "Well, don't judge before you know. No matter who it is, sweetie. You never know what is going on in someone's head regardless of their actions."
Danny nodded and immediately drowned his pancakes in syrup. "Oh, I know. He was pretty cool it's just that he acted pretty weird. Besides, he can't be any more weird then some of the people I've met up with."
Maddie nodded as she returned to the stove. "And? You mentioned a villain, what happened to him?"
Danny sighed and shook his head. "I… don't know," he said slowly. "I'm still confused about it."
Maddie frowned as she flipped the pancake. "Want to talk about it?"
Danny chewed his syrup with pancakes thoughtfully as he pondered it. Finally he consented to confide in his mom. "Well, he was the alien who was trying to take over the planet. His name is Zim and he's… just… beyond strange."
Maddie chuckled and Danny frowned. "I'm serious mom!"
"I'm sure you are, it's why I'm laughing," Maddie said soothingly. "Go on," she told her confused son.
Danny shrugged and shoveled more syrup and pancake into his mouth. "Well, he doesn't… like people. It's obvious that he wants to take over the world and that he's dangerous but I still don't know what to think. Yesterday we watched as he was basically rejected by his entire planet and then he and Dib… I don't know," Danny said finally. "It looked like Dib consoled Zim in some weird way. I have no idea what went on or anything but I left with the feeling that they were almost friends or something. It was very confusing," Danny said with a frown.
Maddie nodded slowly, smiling. "Honey, the more you stay a superhero the longer this will happen you know."
Danny looked up at his mother, surprised. "What will?"
"Meeting with allies who may not be all good and meeting enemies who may not be all bad. I've never been a superhero but real life isn't black and white like the shows you watched when you were little. People don't fight just because they're evil, and some people don't help because it's the right thing to do. There are motives behind most actions and sometimes it will seem like the bad person is bad when they may not be. Or the other way around. As a hero it's up to you to figure it out," Maddie told him gently.
Danny made a face and stabbed at his soggy pancakes. "I like it when they're just plain evil. Or stupid."
Maddie shrugged and continued to make pancakes. "I'm sure you do. But nothing is like that. Not even my job."
Danny looked at her and frowned, wondering what she meant. Maddie didn't elaborate and so Danny merely finished off his breakfast and stood up, putting his syrup encrusted dish in the sink. "I guess," he said doubtfully. "Well, thanks for the breakfast mom. I'll call if anything happens and sorry about last night."
Maddie nodded. "Its fine, sweetie. Just call next time, please."
Danny grinned and pulled out his cell phone. "Will do," he said and waved. "I'm going to the theatre to meet with Sam and Tuck. I'll be back in time for dinner."
"All right, bye Danny!" Maddie called but when she turned she saw that the door was already shut. Maddie shook her head, smiling. "Always in a hurry to see that girl," she said quietly.
Danny was tired of introspective thinking and ready to just kick back, forget everything and watch mind numbing violence at the theatre. Sam and Tuck were more then happy to oblige his wishes as they waved at him from the theatre entrance.
Sam laughed and crossed her arms. "Morning, sleeping beauty. Could you have taken any longer?"
Danny shrugged and gave Sam a sheepish smile. "Mom made breakfast so I stayed to eat some."
Tucker shook his head and put his arm around Danny's shoulder. "Dude, come on. He just flew in from God knows where last night."
Sam rolled her amethyst eyes and sighed exasperatedly. "Tuck, I was kidding."
Tucker grinned wickedly at Sam. "I know, I just like getting you all riled up."
"Play with the fire and you'll get burned," Danny told Tucker wisely.
"What are you, some Buddhist monk?" Tucker asked Danny while laughing.
"I taught him that one," Sam said with a wicked grin. "And I'd be more then happy to teach you."
Tucker looked a little nervous as Sam gave Tucker her best dark grin and gulped nervously. "N-no thanks," he said quickly and held up his hands. "How about we go into the theatre before the movie starts! I'll get the tickets."
Danny shook his head as he watched Tucker scamper towards the ticket booth where a cute girl was selling them. He watched as Tucker put his shoulder against the glass and smile.
Sam stepped up next to Danny and shook her head. "Think there's a girl on this planet Tucker wouldn't chase after?"
Danny chuckled. "I don't know. Maybe."
Sam shook her head and rolled her eyes. "Well, glad to know you don't chase after girls like that."
Danny raised an eyebrow and adopted a clueless look. "Really? Why?"
Sam blushed a deep red and looked to the side. "W-well, you know. Keeping an eye on two girl chasing boys would be too much of an effort for me. It's hard enough to keep you in check with Paulina, let alone every girl you see."
Danny blushed and rubbed the back of his head. "Oh… really?" he asked. "Yeah, I guess that's a good thing then."
Sam coughed. "Yeup."
Danny looked at the ground and continued to blush. "Mmhm."
Just then Tucker came over waving three tickets and grinning. "I got us tickets and a date! Or rather, a date for me. Ha, isn't that awesome?"
"What, that poor girl would date you?" Sam quipped, happy for the distraction from the awkward moment.
Tucker scoffed and shook his head. "You just don't understand my personal charm, that's all. Anyways, let's go. The movie's gonna start soon."
Sam smiled and linked her arm through Danny's. "You heard the man. Let's go, I want popcorn," she said and pulled Danny along. Danny looked surprised, then relaxed and played alone.
"But of course. Extra butter," he continued.
"No salt," the two said together and laughed as they went in to the theatre. Tucker rolled his eyes and shook his head as he followed them.
Yes! Mindless filler fluff! And a Maddie Danny bonding moment. Because the show doesn't have enough of those.
Sam and Danny are so freaking cute together X3 Ahhh... I can't wait to get on with this. School is tough but I'm pushing along! Hope you enjoyed this chapter. Also, what Maddie said is very important to the idea I'm trying to push in this fic, so pay close attention to what she says. Hugs to all my reviewers!
Also, please keep in mind that Maddie has known about Danny's powers for a few months now. She and Danny have probably had many talks and at least in my mind, Danny's confided in her a few times for adult help. So, while this conversation may seem out of place, keep an open mind to what the characters have been through already.
