Chapter 9: A Walk Down Remembrance

Danny and Stephanie slid into their seats on the Ferris wheel, neither one saying anything to one another. They didn't speak or make eye contact as their seat rose into the air; they hadn't a clue what to say to each other.

"Danny," Stephanie whispered as they lifted higher and higher into the air. Danny felt his heart skip a beat; he was excited to be with his friend.

Okay, good, she's gonna talk, he thought. What is she gonna say? What if I can't respond? Oh boy, I hope I can talk to her.

"Yeah...Stephanie?" Danny responded nervously.

Stephanie heaved in a great sigh, then locked her eyes with her dearest friend. "Do you know anything about our childhood? Like the games we played or what we talked about? I remember vaguely, but not entirely. I can't remember every memory."

She talks pretty smart for fourteen, Danny thought, clearing his throat. "Uh...I do remember one game we played," he said. Stephanie smiled, eager to learn more. "I remember you and me stealing Vlad's picture of my mom..."

"That really isn't right," Stephanie stated bluntly.

"Tell me about it. We hid the picture somewhere...I can't..."

"In the movie room."

Danny looked up in surprise at Stephanie, who looked away just as fast. He couldn't believe it; she did remember!

"I can't believe you remember where we hid it!"

"Kind of hard not to. I remember how mad Vlad was. What happened after that?"

Danny became thoughtful, then replied, "He came walking in right as we were placing it in it's a hiding place and started chasing us around the whole castle. But he couldn't catch up with us because we were too fast!"

"Ha! I remember that!" Stephanie exclaimed laughingly.

"Yeah!" Danny laughed. "I think we hid someplace with the picture..."

"I think it was the room I was staying in...yeah, it was. Vlad couldn't find us because we were under the bed. I can't really remember that conversation we had..."

Danny and Stephanie were silent as they tried to think up their kid talk under the bed of Stephanie's current room. When it came to them, they slowly raised their heads, looked at each other, and blushed deeply.

"I remember," the two said simultaneously. They blinked.

"Steph, you go first," Danny said. "What do you remember from it?"

Stephanie recovered from her shock at hearing Danny's old nickname for her and shook her head vigorously. "Well...I...uh, remember saying something about you being my 'bestest' friend."

Danny grinned and Stephanie returned it as the memory seeped in.

A young Danny Fenton and Stephanie Parker giggled together in the bedroom, hiding underneath the bed. In Danny's hands was the picture of his mother, Maddie Fenton, that they had taken from Vlad's room.

"We sure fooled him, Danny!" Stephanie whispered, still red-faced from laughing so hard. Danny clutched the picture tighter as he suppressed another giggle.

"Uncle Vlad will never find us in here!" Danny agreed, his freckled face beaming with pleasure.

The two children quieted when they heard footsteps and saw a pair of feet walking about the room. Then the feet left and the children heard the word "badgers" as the door closed. Again, Danny and Stephanie broke into a fit of giggles.

"Danny, you're my bestest friend in the whole world," said Stephanie with a broad grin on her face.

"You're mine too, Steph," Danny answered. He then got a mischievous look in his eye. "Do you think we'll always be friends?"

"I think so."

"Do you think we'll get married? I've seen best friends get married when they get older."

Stephanie twisted her face in a grimace at Danny's question. "Yuck! Danny, you're my best friend! I can't marry you!" Danny laughed out loud.

"You're right about that!" Danny cried. They laughed until they cried...

When the reminiscence was over, Danny and Stephanie were crying from laughing so hard. Danny wiped away a tear and shook his head, his body still trembling from the laughter.

"Ugh, I can't believe I brought that up!" he exclaimed.

"Well, you said it! You sounded serious when you said it too!" Stephanie added, smiling at her friend. She calmed down a bit. "Oh well. We were just kids. It's funny just to look back and just...laugh at ourselves."

Danny and Stephanie sighed as the fireworks began to shoot off in spurts of vibrant colors. The Ferris wheel stopped for every couple on it so they could watch them comfortably together. Everyone "ooh'd" and "aah'd" as the fireworks exploded above them.

"Danny...I feel...happy," Stephanie murmured, keeping her blue eyes on the wonderful rockets of color. Danny looked at her and Stephanie did the same to him. "I haven't felt this way since my parents died."

Danny felt sympathy, yet happiness at the exact same time. "I'm glad I was able to make your time worthwhile, Steph," he said. "And I'm glad you're back."

"Yes, and so am I," an all-too-familiar voice said. Stephanie's eyes widened in fear and shock when she heard it. Danny was surprised as well.

"Oh no!"

A/N: Okay...let me tell the story about this chapter. I was right in the middle of typing it up and the power went out for just a second and I lost EVERYTHING I had typed up. Dang...so I tried my best to remember what I had written (it was my favorite chapter too!). No, I don't write this story down...it comes naturally to me. But here's a lesson for ya: make sure you ALWAYS save your work, especially if you've been working your butt off on it. OMG...thank you, kind reviewers! I have never had anyone say such nice things to me before! Thank you so much, kind reviewers, for you have lightened up my day after a long day of school. That made me feel great. I'll update as soon as it's possible...school's been harsh...:)