Chapter Ten

Danny parked his jeep at the school the next morning, barely conscious. Even though he'd made it to bed before midnight, he didn't get enough sleep. He was dozing off in the driver's seat now, his head leaning back over the top of the seat.

A tap on his window startled him awake and he whirled his head around to see Sam's urgent face.

He opened the door slowly and hopped out, rubbing a hand over his face.

"Hey, Sam," he yawned.

"Danny, there's been another attack," she said urgently.

Danny's tired eyes became alert, "What? What happened?"

Sam pulled his arm, leading him to the gymnasium. There was a crowd of students up until a tape line and a barricade of officers. Danny phased through the outside wall to get in and look at the scene, under Sam's cover.

Just as the last attack had been, this was horrific. Four corpses with torn throats wore the graduation gowns that had just been delivered the previous week. One hung from the basketball hoop with the cord from the Graduation banner, two were propped up to look as if they pulled the cord of the first, and the fourth was holding a bat, posed like a child about to swing at a piñata. Danny's gut dropped like a lead brick.

He watched as three officers tried to pry the bat from the rigor-mortis-stiffened fingers of the fourth corpse, and felt his anger flood in him.

He made it back to Sam inconspicuously, wearing a serious expression that was void of the lethargy that plagued his body.

"What did you see?" Sam asked urgently. "Danny?"

Danny swallowed thickly, "Another display."

Sam covered her mouth, "What this time?"

"A graduation piñata," he replied darkly, walking back to the crowd.

Sam took a minute to process his description, then caught up with him. "So you and Hadley didn't get it last night?"

Danny fought the urge to roll his eyes, "No, Sam. We didn't find a trail."

"What do you mean?" she snapped. "Do you two ever get anything done?"

Danny met her gaze with one of agitation.

"Besides each other," she added coldly.

Danny turned and began walking away.

"Where are you going?" she asked. "We have to find Tucker."

Danny spun around so fast, Sam ran right into his chest, "So go find him, then! I don't have time for your petty comments. Hadley and I are the only ones actually going after these things. I don't see you out there with a stake!"

She stomped her heavy boot down, "Maybe if I was out there, you two would have to do something other than ogle at each other all night!"

"As opposed to sitting around in Tucker's room complaining about me?" Danny argued back. "You used to be right there with me when it was ghosts, but now that it's real monsters, you're safe at home criticizing the two people who actually are out fighting!"

"You're never around to let us know what's going on! All I know is that you aren't with me or Tuck. You don't tell us anything anymore!" Sam shouted back, following him away from the students.

"You aren't trying too hard to get involved, Sam," Danny countered lowly.

"I can hardly get your attention when Hadley's around!" she yelled back. "It's like you're under her spell and nothing matters but what that scar-faced, promiscuous, homicidal maniac has to say!"

Danny's glare sent a shiver down Sam's spine despite the heat of her anger. He shook his head and turned away, jaw muscles working beneath his skin.

"Where the hell do you think you're going?" she yelled, still fuming.

"To catch a blood-sucking corpse!" he called back. "Don't wait up."

He got into the jeep before Sam could stop him. He knew classes would be cancelled after the little display in the gymnasium, but didn't care even if they weren't. He gunned the engine to Hadley's house, seeing the glow of his eyes reflected in the chrome on the steering wheel.

Hadley was out by the lake when he showed up. The cloud cover overhead blocked out the direct rays of sunlight, allowing her to sit on the docks without worry. She felt the familiar tingle that announced Danny's presence. He flopped down beside her, wrapping his arms loosely around his bent knees. She could feel the heat of his anger radiating from him. Luckily she was calm, and didn't want to further aggravate her…ally.

She waited patiently for his fury to dull to a simmer.

"Good morning," she greeted calmly.

"There was another attack," he replied, his eyes remaining on the lake. A warm breeze stirred his dark hair, and Hadley looked over to him without expression.

"Four more students," he said. "In their graduation gowns."

Hadley didn't say anything and kept her face void of expression.

"Sam's pissed," he finally spat out.

"When is she not?" Hadley finally said.

Danny gave a short, bitter laugh. "Lately, never."

"Not that I would know," Hadley snickered. "She hates me more than Tucker hates her diet."

Danny almost smiled, "She's out of her fucking mind."

"Whoo, do you kiss your mother with that mouth?" Hadley teased.

This time, Danny did crack a smile. He nudged her playfully with his shoulder.

"Look, she cares about you," Hadley said. "I don't have much experience with the whole 'friendship' thing, but it doesn't seem like this is how it should go."

"It didn't used to," Danny said. "Ever since freshman year ended, she's been different."

"You mean she wasn't always a cranky bitch?" Hadley asked.

Danny laughed, "She's always had an attitude. But she's gotten in a real kick about monitoring me. First it was about Valerie, then it was that I wasn't training enough…" he trailed off. "It's like no matter what I do, it's not the right thing."

"Why does it matter if she doesn't agree with your decisions?" Hadley's brow dropped low over one eye.

Danny's brows furrowed pensively, "She's my best friend. She always seemed to know best when we were younger, but now it doesn't feel that way."

"So, maybe you should just do you for a while," she suggested. "Sam will eventually get over it. You're a grown man, Danny. It's not a crime to start acting like one."

Danny looked at her, "You're right, Hads."

He threw an arm around her and pulled her in for a half-hug, much to her distaste.

She patted the arm around her neck, "This is touching, but if you don't let go, you're going in the water."

"Oh, I am?" Danny teased.

"Yes, you are." Hadley didn't sound like she was teasing.

Danny didn't care, "If I go in, so do you."

"Wanna bet?" Hadley hissed.

Before Danny could protest, she managed to roll over him and pull him over her. He fell off of the side of the dock into the water with a splash.

Hadley wore a satisfied half-smile when his head emerged. He flipped his wet hair from his face and looked up at her with a frown.

"You're lucky my phone and wallet are in my jeep," he grumbled, treading the cool water.

Hadley laughed, "You're lucky I didn't throw you off the dock."

A wicked smirk crossed Danny's masculine features, and he hefted his soaked body back up onto the docks.

His t-shirt and shorts clung to his muscular form, and he stripped off the wet shirt. Hadley didn't try to hide her gaze that fell on his toned chest and abdomen. Danny removed his shoes and socks and laid them on the dock to dry out.

"I'm a man of my word, Hads," he said maliciously.

Hadley's wandering eyes made a beeline to meet his, "What?"

Danny scooped her up in his arms and hefted her about six feet from the dock into the water. A genuine laugh erupted from his throat when her head surfaced, wearing a murderous scowl.

"You think this is funny, huh, Fenton?" Hadley's voice was soaked in sarcasm.

"Oh yeah," he replied, still laughing.

"Help me up, you tool," she swam back and threw her hand up.

He offered his hand to her, prepared to haul her back up to the dock. When her torso was lifted above the water, his eyes trailed down to her see-through white shirt. She wore a black bra that he was quite fond of, and his eyes lingered a moment.

Hadley noticed, and pulled on his arm. He toppled over, back into the water beside her.

Hadley grabbed her flip flops that had floated up and tossed them onto the dock beside Danny's things.

Danny surfaced and spit water like a fountain at her.

Hadley splashed him, "That's what you get."

Danny clasped his hands together and squirted water at her as she splashed him, laughing as she fought to push her hair from her face.

He sucked in a breath and dunked under the water. Hadley combed her hair back with her fingers and looked around for Danny. He'd gone under, she knew, but the water was dark enough in the cloud-dimmed light to hide him.

Two hands grabbed her hips and she sucked in a breath before they pulled her under. Danny's form was barely visible in the water as he surfaced. Hadley dove down further.

Danny swept his shaggy hair from his face and looked around, waiting for Hadley to surface. He waited a few seconds, then he felt two hands on top of his head. She dunked him under and bolted for the dock.

"Get back here!" he called, laughing.

She had boosted herself up on her hands, but Danny caught her. His arms wrapped around her torso and he pulled her back into the water. She let out a yelp as her grip slipped from the wood.

Danny laughed as she steadied herself, her hair covering her eyes. She dunked under and swam forward, pushing the hair back. She resurfaced close to Danny.

His oceanic eyes looked over her face, taking in the features. She had a nose that came to a soft point, and somewhat full lips. His mind recalled the hazy memories of them pressed against his own. A bright white smile pulled at them, followed by a splash.

When he wiped away the excess water, she was hefting herself up onto the dock. He let his eyes linger for a moment over what her jean cutoffs covered, a smirk pulling at his lips. He swam toward her as she turned and sat on the edge, letting her legs hang into the water.

He hefted himself up and sat beside her, "Well, that was refreshing."

Hadley laughed shortly, "Glad you enjoyed your swim."

"You liked it too, don't lie," he nudged her.

She smiled at him sarcastically, "Don't ruin it."

"Just admit that you had fun," he teased. "Tough people can show emotion, you know."

"Nope," Hadley replied. "It's in the rule book."

"Well, I can admit it," Danny smiled sideways at her. "I really enjoy being with you, Hads."

"Really?" she asked, raising a brow. "Why?"

Danny laughed, "Because I can be me. You're unapologetically yourself, and you let others do the same. It's nice to not have to be a hero or a loser or a student."

"Everyone has different sides, Danny," Hadley said, wringing her hair out over her shoulder. "This is just one you don't bring out often."

"I like it," he replied. "It's easy."

"I kinda like it, too," Hadley admitted.

Danny met her eyes.

"He's not a total dickhead," she laughed.

Danny snickered, "Thanks, I think."

Hadley playfully punched his shoulder, "Come on, let's go get you cleaned up. We have a funeral to get to."