Previously...
"Wait!" Danny says.
Ember stops in midair, looking at him.
"Thank you." He smiles, and Ember couldn't help but smile as well.
However, both their smiles would soon go away as Ember got suddenly smacked in the head, making her fall down sideways into unconscious.
Chapter 11: A Change of Heart
~Casper Elementary - Monday 11:11 am - 2006~
Danny's jaw drops as she witnesses his guardian angel fall. Literally. Looking up toward the one responsible for it, he learns that it was his own father who did it. "Dad! Why did you-"
But he was cut off as his mother came rushing in, hugging him for dear life. Her voice gripped with fear and worry. "Danny, baby! I thought I'd lost you. I was so scared!"
The man who almost ran Danny over steps out of his car. "Oh my gosh. Is he alright? What happened?"
Maddie turns back and glares at the man. "What happened is you almost killed my son! Get out!"
The man gulps and quickly complies the order, getting in his car and driving away.
Suddenly, small hands wrap around Maddie's waist as Danny reciprocates the hug. "It's okay, Mommy. I'm okay." But then his brow scrunches down, and he looks up at her with angry eyes. "Mommy, why did Dad hit my guardian angel? Why did you attack her?!"
Maddie was taken aback by her son's sudden change. It was so out of character. She couldn't say anything. Maddie was speechless. 'D-Danny...what... I've never seen my baby like this.'
"Danny, it's a ghost. It's not an angel." It was Jack who spoke up.
Danny shifts his upset angry eyes from Maddie to Jack, and then to the angel lying unconscious. His brow softens, and he slips off his mother's embrace, heading towards the flaming blue-haired girl. He was about to reach her, but a strong hand holds him in place by his shoulder.
Jack looks at him with worry. "Danny, the ghost is dangerous."
Danny was about to speak up, but Jazz beat him to it, trembling. "Dangerous? How could she be dangerous? She saved my little brother's life! We should be grateful to her!" Jazz then heads toward Danny, kneeling down his level, hugging him tightly, and...sobbing. "You really scared me, Danny. That was very stupid of you to go and run wherever you want! Don't you care what might we feel if you somehow..." Jazz couldn't finish her sentence. It was too hard for her to say that word.
"I'm...I'm sorry," Danny says. Tears start to leak his eyes.
It was then that Maddie turns from butt-kicking ghost hunter to a warm loving mother that she should be. Not only did Danny change, but also Jazz as well. Her only daughter was a strong young girl for her age. Seeing her break down like this sparked something inside her. Her motherly instinct.
Maddie walks toward her two children, giving them both a loving and comforting hug. Both Jazz and Danny look at her. She then motions her husband to join in for a group family hug. And of course, Jack happily complies.
The Fenton family all had smiles on their faces. And Mrs. Lori couldn't help but smile at the scene as well. Though that would soon turn down as she sees the ghost, angel, or whatever she was stirring to consciousness.
"Umm, she's waking up," Mrs. Lori says. "You know, the ghost."
At the word ghost, Jack-being-Jack decided to do what his instinct tells him to do and that is-
"BANZAI!"
A newly awakened Ember sits up. "Ugh, what the he-" Only to be bonked in the head once more. She falls to the ground, unconscious...again.
"JACK/DAD!" Maddie, Jazz, and Danny shout. Eyes wide in horror.
Jack jumps up and down like a kid who got candy from Santa. "I got the ghost, Maddie! I got the ghost!"
Maddie facepalms.
"Dad, why did you have to hit her?!" Danny yells.
Jack scratches his head at his son's sudden outburst. He didn't understand what was wrong. "Uh..."
Jazz turns to her mother. "Mom, you and Dad can't treat her like this. Didn't you see the way she saved Danny? I believe that not all the ghosts you say are dangerous."
Maddie looks at her daughter, and then at the blue-haired ghost. All her instincts as a scientist tell her that she needs to capture the ghost and lock her up for whatever experiment they would do for the sake of science. 'But on the other hand, Jazz has a point. If not for the ghost, then Danny might've...' Tears start to well within Maddie's eyes. Just by thinking about what might've happened to her son brought her close to breaking down.
Her motherly instinct pulls through.
Holding her tears back in, Maddie looks at her daughter, nodding. A smile lights up Jazz's face, and she puts her hands on her brother's shoulders to calm him down. Danny looks at her, and then at his Mom.
Maddie stands up and holds a confused Jack's arm. "Jack, honey. I think maybe we should, you know, hang back for a little while on our ghost hunting."
Jack frowns. His brows scrunched down. "What are you saying, Mads? Are you saying we're gonna quit?"
Maddies laces her gloved hand to his, and then looks at his blue eyes with her purple ones. "Our family is more important than...ghost hunting."
Jack looks down with a heavy heart. Maddie turns his head to meet hers again with a smile on her face. Jack smiles as well. As they stare at each other's eyes, they both lean forward.
A sudden cough jolts the two adult Fentons to reality. They look at the teacher who coughed, and then at their two kids who were making grossed out expressions. Jack scratches his head, while Maddie slightly blushes.
Awkward silence.
It was the teacher who breaks it. "Umm, I should get back to class. The students are probably restless by now...yeah."
The Fentons look as Mrs. Lori walks back inside the school. After about a moment, Jazz speaks up. "So, shouldn't we head back home? That mini-heart attack I had drained all my energy, and now I'm pooped."
Danny looks down at his feet. "Sorry.
She places a hand on his shoulder. "It's okay, Danny. I forgive you. Speaking of forgiveness." She looks at her parents, putting a hand on her hip. "After the ghost...girl...wakes up, you should be responsible adults and apologize for attacking her."
Jack puts both his hands on his hips. "Me, apologize to a ghost? Never!"
Maddie sighs, "As much as I hate it too, Jack, the ghost girl did save our son."
His shoulders slumps down. "Aw."
Little Danny walks up to his father and holds his big hand, smiling at him.
Jack smiles at the gesture. "Oh, alright. What's important is that our son is safe." He ruffles Danny's hair.
Danny grins. "Thanks, Dad."
The Fentons walk toward the downed ghost with Maddie pulling out a black trash bag, and Jack lifting up the blue-haired ghost girl. Jazz and Danny could only look in puzzlement as their father put the girl inside the trash bag.
"Uh, Mom, Dad. What're you doing?" Jazz asks.
"Since the ghost does look like any normal human being, it's better to hide her while we take her back home so it wouldn't look like we're kidnapping a person." Maddie shrugs.
"Oh. That seems logical," Jazz replies.
"So she's gonna stay in our house!" Danny jumps up and down in joy.
Maddie smiles at her son's antics. "She'll be our...guest."
"A guest of honor!" Jack lifts the trash bag and slings it over his shoulder. "Let's go, Fentons!" He walks on ahead, followed by Danny, and then Maddie.
"Wait?! We're walking all the way home!" Jazz says.
Maddie stops and turns to her daughter. "Sorry, sweetie. But we kinda spent all the money we brought for your father's snack on the way here."
Jazz sighs. "It's okay. Though I kinda wish we own an RV or something." She then walks on ahead, passing by her mother.
Maddie soon follows, deep in thought. Her hand on her chin. 'Hmm, an RV...'
~Casper High - Monday 4:49 pm - 1972~
Danny slumps down on his seat, dead bored. He looks on ahead at Mr. Lancer who was mechanically writing something down in his typewriter. Quite busy from the looks of his expression. His eyes then shift toward a still pissed off Veronica at the far side to his right. Behind her were her two followers, the blonde, Ashley, and the black-haired girl, Melissa. Sitting on the back by the left was Big Mikey. And sitting one space ahead of him was a skater boy named, Jake. Last but not the least was Amber. She was at the far side to his left, opposite of Veronica as Danny sat in the middle of the two girls.
'Great.' Danny thought sarcastically. He lays his head on his palm, looking at Amber. She was dead bored just as he was. He chuckles inwardly. 'Oh she's Ember alright. Though I can't believe Amber could stand staying still like this. The Ember I know would flip a table and burn whoever was trying to order her around. But since Amber's not a ghost and doesn't have any ghost fire powers, I guess it's understandable.' Danny's brows then soften, and a frown paints his lips as he remembers the day's events. 'Amber and Ember Mclain...I guess I can understand why you're like this.'
~Flashback: Casper High - Monday 11:17 am - 1972~
"AMBER MCLAIN, I WILL GET YOU FOR THIS!"
Amber shrinks away from the loud voice that could only belong to Veronica. "Aaaannddd, I think that's my cue to run and hide."
"I think not, Ms. McLain."
Danny and Amber turn towards to voice to see Mr. Lancer and some other teachers looming over.
"Ah, h-hey there, Gramps." Amber tries to lighten up the mood. But to her dismay...
"Detention."
"Detention!" Amber yells. "B-B-But that's not fair! I didn't do anything wrong, I swear!"
Mr. Lancer rubs his forehead. "Everything's not fair, Amberline." Amber was about to say something, but Mr. Lancer cuts her off. "We'll talk about this later."
Amber looks down and solemnly nods.
Danny didn't like how Amber was being punished when she didn't even lift a finger on what happened. 'It's all that brunette's fault! Amber doesn't deserve this. It's like Dash and me all over again. Well, I won't let that happen.'
"Mr. Lancer," Danny says, "What Amber says is true. She didn't do any-"
Danny was suddenly cut off by an animalistic growl coming from the entrance of the cafeteria. "There you are, dipstick."
The teachers, Amber, and Danny all look at a seething food splattered A-lister that is Veronica boring deadly holes down Amber's face.
"King of the Apes!" Mr. Lancer exclaims. "Ms. Jones, what happened?!"
As that was said, it was only then that the Queen Bee realizes that there were teachers there. And judging from their shocked expressions, she must've looked horrible. A sinister smile forms inside her mind. 'Perfect. Now that the teachers are here, I just have to act the victim part and blame it all on McLame.' Her eyes then shift to Danny. 'Oh goodie. Eye Candy's here too. Once McLain's outta the way, I can have...hmm, I forgot his name. Well, whatever. I'll just learn it once he's mine.'
Spinning her plan into action, Veronica smoothly plays the victim part. "Oh, Mr. Lancer. Look at what Amber did," she cries.
"What?!" Amber exclaims.
Veronica glares at the strawberry blonde. "Don't act all surprised. It was you who started all this mess." She gestures food-covered self.
"Get real. Big Mikey did that to you." She snickers. "And some other flying hamburgers and salads."
"And it's your fault!" Veronica growls.
"My fault! You were the one who threw at him in the first place!"
"Well, I wouldn't throw it in the first place if you hadn't provoked me!"
"Provoked you?! It was you and your stupid gang who tried to humiliate me!"
"All because you stole what's rightfully mine."
Amber scoffs. "Like hell I would. What would I want with a shallow girl with nothing better to do than make other people's lives miserable?"
Veronica's glare intensifies. "You're just jealous because you're at the bottom of the food chain. Well, it's no surprise. Seeing as who your parents are and where you came from."
"Why you b*tch!"
"Ms. McLain!" Mr. Lancer exclaims.
Veronica shakes her head and sneers. "You shouldn't be surprised, Mr. Lancer. What would you expect from the daughter of a drunk and a chain smoker?"
"Ms. Jones! I think that's e-"
"AAAAAAGGGGHHHHHH!" Amber lets out an angry cry as she suddenly lunges at the brunette. She reels back a fist, ready to pummel the girl. But as Veronica was about to get all black and blue, Amber's fist stops only inches from her face, a firm hand holding it in place. Amber tries to kick the brunette down, but it misses as Danny drags her away from the snobbish girl. "Let go of me! Let go of me dammit!" Amber screams, struggling to get free of Danny's hold.
"Did you see what she did?!" Veronica points. "She tried to attack me! That freak!"
"ENOUGH!" Mr. Lancer shouts.
Silence fills the room with only the sound that came was from Amber. She was crying...
"I'll see you in detention, Ms. Jones." Mr. Lancer says.
"What? But-"
"Detention, Ms. Jones." He says with authority.
~Casper High - Monday 4:57 pm - 1972~
After what happened in the cafeteria, the teachers went to investigate who were the promoters of the food fight. Of course, the A-listers pointed at Amber or Big Mikey or Jake, the one who shouted 'Food Fight'. But almost all of the student body pointed at the three A-lister girls. And that brought a smile on Danny's face as Casper High's students of 1972 weren't that afraid of being bullied by the populars.
Danny continues to stare at Amber. When he had pulled her away from Veronica, she was struggling and trying to kick him instead for dragging her away. But soon, she stood still. And to his surprise, she wept. He didn't know what or who her family was. But he can assume that it was a sensitive topic for her.
Danny looks at Amber's eyes. They weren't red now. They were actually bored. But he could tell they were still hurt from earlier.
Just then, Amber turns her head and catches Danny's eyes. The two stare at each other for a moment. Emerald green eyes staring at baby blue. But the sudden ring of the school bell breaks both their gaze.
AN:
Sorry that Ember's not that shown in this chap. Though next chap there will be some Little Danny/Ember scene and Danny/Amber scene X)
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