Dash flipped through the channels on the TV, stopping to look at the weather forecast for the upcoming week. Summer was almost over, there were only about three weeks including the one that started tomorrow. Kwan was going to be back in about two weeks, which gave him a week to hang out with his best friend. In the meantime, he had someone new to hang out with. Dash paused his train of thought as his mother called down to him from the top of the stairs.

"Dash, time for dinner."

"Be right up." He shouted back. He pushed himself off of the couch and slowly climbed up the stairs. He hadn't actually told his mother about him and Danny yet, and he knew Danny more than likely didn't mention it to anyone; actually Dash was almost positive that Danny's sister was the only one who knew. Obviously Kwan knew about his feelings, but Dash decided not to bother him again while he was away. Dash knew his mother wouldn't be upset, in fact she took a liking to Danny back when they had spent the last month of school studying together. She thought he was a good influence for Dash, and naturally she knew that this was the Danny that her son had tormented for years, but was overjoyed to see the two getting along.

"So Dash," his mother struck up the conversation as he sat down, "Have you spoken to that nice Danny boy since the school year ended?"

Dash could feel his face heat up and his eyes went wide. Fortunately enough his mother's back was turned, so he had time to compose himself, but found no words came out to answer his mother. He opted to shake his head slowly, his mother placing a hand on her hip and shaking her head.

"What a shame, he was such a sweet boy. I certainly wouldn't mind some company other than Kwan."

"What's wrong with Kwan?"

"Nothing, honey, he's like a second son to me, but variety is the spice of life."

"Yeah, sure Mom, whatever you say."

Denise eyed her son as she sat down at the table across from him. She rolled her eyes with a chuckle, dismissing his suspicious reaction to her question. Her motherly instincts could tell her something was different, something about her son's demeanor had changed, an alteration that was definitely for the better. She couldn't, however, put her finger on the cause. Eventually, knowing Dash, he would talk to her about whatever was on his mind.

Dash, nevertheless, was worried that his mother knew exactly what her son was thinking. She had this way of knowing, the main reason why Dash couldn't get away with flat out lying, despite the fact that he had done more than just speak with Danny since the end of the school year, but he wasn't ready to talk to her about it, considering it still had to sink in on his level. He still got the occasional panic attack when he thought about if Danny had found out about his feelings, before reminding himself of what had happened. He was also confused by the looks his mother kept giving him from across the table, almost urging him to speak his mind, to get his feelings off his chest. His mother, howbeit, was not the type to force her son to talk, so he knew she wouldn't persist as long as he didn't let his guard down. Dash blew out the breath he realized he was now holding, resolving to talk to her later.

Danny sat with Jazz in her bedroom, serious look plastered on his face.

"I need you to promise me this, Jazz."

"Danny, you can trust me."

"Can I?"

"They still don't know about your ghost powers, do they?"

"Touché."

"I won't say a word to anyone, not mom, not dad, not Sam, not Tucker, no one."

"I'm trusting you, Jazz."

"Relax, little brother."

"And stop calling me that, I'm taller than you."

"What about baby brother then?"

"What about 'No'."

"You're no fun, Danny; I don't know what Dash sees in you."

"Shut up."

Jazz stuck her tongue at the boy, causing his serious face to droop into a glare. Jazz was about to say something when an explosion rocked the house. Completely unalarmed, the sibling duo knew precisely what had caused the tremor. As they descended the stairs, smoke billowed from the lab in the basement, followed by a set of coughing, blackened parents.

"Just had a little equipment malfunction, kids, nothing to worry about." Maddie told her children with a nonchalant wave of her hand, the other dusting off her suit.

"Looks more like a catastrophic meltdown, Mom." Jazz retorted.

"Nah, the Fenton Ghost Magnetic Ectoplasm Attraction Cannon is a perfect piece of machinery, it just needs a bit more power." Jack boasted.

"Have you considered a shorter name, Dad?" Danny rebutted.

"Why on Earth would I do that?"

"No reason."

The two children looked at each other in exasperation before turning to leave their parents to their shenanigans, heading back upstairs.

The numbers on the clock blared an ostentatious red in the otherwise colourless and unlit dimness, 4:43 AM. Dash rolled over in his bed, head facing the window. The warm summer air was blocked off by the blinds, completely shut. Dash stretched an arm out, pulling them open. The moonlight poured in, casting a blue-white light into his room, bathing the various surfaces. The moon's rays had a therapeutic effect on Dash, easing his overly-restless mind to a dull roar. He closed his eyes, but the darkness was short-lived, as a tapping noise had caught his attention. His vision cleared to a set of glowing green eyes.

"Boo"

"Danny?"

"No, I am the Box Ghost, of course it's me."

"What are you doing here; it's like quarter to 5 in the morning."

"Just passing through."

"Was that a ghost joke?"

"I never meant it to be, but sure."

Dash sighed and inched closer to the window, opening it up wider. Danny glided through the opening, and through Dash's arm, and into the room itself. He landed, making the shift back to his human form, and walked over to Dash's bed, sitting on the edge.

"What's wrong?"

"It-it's nothing."

"C'mon Dash, tell me what's wrong."

"Really, I'm fine."

Danny's mouth slowly made the transition into a pout, his eyes widening.

"Christ, Danny, not that look."

Danny's pout-y face persisted, and Dash quickly gave in.

"Alright, fine. I'm just-I haven't told my mother about us yet, and it's eating me up inside."

"Well if it makes you feel any better, I've had ghost powers for over three years and my parents still don't know. Besides, your mother likes me, right?"

"She thinks you're a really sweet guy and wishes you hung out here more."

"Then do we have good news for her." Danny chuckled, the moonlight illuminating his facial features. Dash sat up and brought a hand to his temple.

"It's not that easy, though."

"Dash, I've met your mother, she's not gonna care what you are, she'll love you the same."

"I know, but part of me just…" Dash was cut off by the sound of his bedroom door opening.

"Dash, do you have any idea what time it-oh-um…" His mother began to scold, slowly losing her train of thought. She saw the young man sitting next to her son at 5 in the morning, the boy she had hoped to see more often, and was now befuddled.

"Mom, you remember Danny."

"Hi, Ms. Baxter." Danny greeted with a quirky wave.

"Dash, I" His mother attempted to form a sentence.

"Mom, I can explain."

Danny looked between the two blank faces of mother and son, and got an idea, a last ditch attempt to make this situation resolve itself. He scooted closer to Dash and grabbed onto either side of his face, pulling him into a kiss. Dash's mother went wide-eyed initially, quickly returning to normal, and then the corner of her mouth curled into a smile. Dash separated the mouths of him and the raven haired teen and looked at his mother, not registering the smile right away.

"Mom?"

"Well, this certainly is an unconventional way to come out to your mother, Dash; I just wished you had done it at a more reasonable hour."

"So you aren't upset?"

"Honey, why would I be upset, I love you no matter who you love, who, by the way, is a nice young man. I approve wholeheartedly. Danny, you're welcome here anytime you want, just try to keep the noise down, you two."

Denise was about the leave her son's room when a thought occurred to her.

"Say, Danny, how exactly did you get to Dash's room without so much as a peep?"

Dash and Danny glanced at each other, trying to think of an excuse.

"I'm really good at tiptoeing… quietly?" Danny lied through his teeth. Dash mentally slapped an open palm to his face, frustrated by the terrible excuse. In her state of tiredness, on the other hand, Dash's mother wasn't really fazed by the reply.

"Well if you want to spend the night here, next time just knock on the front door at a reasonable hour and come in."

"Will do."

The door closed with a soft click and left the two males alone.

"Danny, can I go back to sleep now?"

"Well to be fair when I got here you were awake."

"Danny just get in this bed and go to sleep."

Danny smiled, slipped his shoes off, setting them next to the bed, and lay next to Dash, who pulled him close, taking the smaller boy by surprise.

"Problem?"

"No, I should've figured you were a cuddler." Danny chuckled.