Author Note: Thanks for all the favorites, reviews and follows!
~CWA

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR: ADJUSTING

Third Person

Danny spent the next few days sulking off in the corner of his office at Fenton Flames. He loved Sam, he really did, but was so much cleaning really necessary? He let out another whine as he carried more filing cases to the other side of the room. By now, papers, pictures, files and everything in between was all over the floor; there was so much of it that he couldn't even see the floor beneath them. Ellie was happily making paper planes with blank sheets of paper, which did nothing to help with the mess.

"Quit your complaining," Sam snapped, "This is what you get for letting it get so messy."

"But can't I just use my powers," Danny whined, "And why aren't you helping?"

He set the filing case down with a small thud. All the work wasn't really tiring as Danny was strong enough without even using ghostly strength. However, the work was boring to say the least. Sam didn't help as she sat on his desk, clad with a skirt and thigh-highs in place of her jeans due to warmer weather. She crossed her legs and gave Danny an amused look.

"This is your mess, not mine. I'm supervising you and you need to learn to do things without your powers."

"I do things without using my powers," Danny grumbled, but he received a quick whack on the head from a pencil Sam threw at him, "That's dangerous, you know!?"

"I do now," she shrugged, "And the quicker you stop complaining, the quicker we can get this done. We still have a lot to do after this. You still have to work on a lab for Fenton Flames."

Danny grumbled slightly again. He recalled the metal-covered lab in the basement of the building. It worked well enough for a lab, but the ghost portal was a work in process. He never really put too much focus in it, building it in case he needed Sam to take the Specter (another work in process) into the Zone. As much as he hated to admit it, building the portal was also out of nostalgia as it gave off an odd sense of home and peace. However, the room was always covered with stray inventions, pieces of inventions, metal, gadgets, and blueprints.

"I already have a lab."

"You have half a lab," Sam corrected as an airplane sailed over her head.

Sam turned to Ellie with a small disapproving look, causing Ellie to quickly mutter an apology for almost hitting her head. Danny grumbled under his breath as he continued to work. Okay I know my lab is messy, but it's still a lab. Better than nothing. Moving filing case after filing case, Danny's complaining slowly started to drop. After all the cases were moved, he picked up Ellie, causing her to giggle, and set her on the desk beside Sam as he moved onto the papers on the ground. He knelt down on the floor. Just how am I going to organize all of these? There's so many freaking papers! Why didn't I just clean before when I could use my powers!?

Giving a sly glance toward Sam to make sure she wasn't watching, he started to use his telekinesis to move some of the papers causing them to sort themselves. He didn't get that much done as a boot hit him in the head.

"Ouch," he muttered as he sat up.

Sam's combat boot sat beside him, having been the object to hit him. He picked it up and mildly glared at Sam, who was now wearing just one shoe and giving him an innocent look.

"I told you no powers," she chimed, "Keep this up and you're just going to have things taken away from you."

Danny blinked at her obliviously before it finally clicked. D-Does she mean what I think she m-means? B-but our relationship isn't even that sexual?! She winked suggestively at him, confirming his thoughts. His face heated up as he quickly tossed her the combat boot and went back to work. Ellie turned to Sam with wide innocent eyes.

"Does that mean you're going to ground him?"

"Among other things," Sam said vaguely as she patted Ellie on the head, "Don't you worry too much about it."

Ellie gave a laugh, causing both Sam and Danny to smile. He continued working, only occasionally getting scolded by Sam for using his powers. In the end, it took him two hours to get all the papers together, in order, and in their proper place. I can actually see the floor. It's a miracle.

"See that wasn't too hard, now was it," Sam praised as she jumped down from the desk, "Now you can go finish that lab."

"What about you and Ellie?"

Sam helped Ellie off the desk, the little girl giggling as her feet touched the ground. Sam grabbed Ellie's hand gently and started to leave,

"We are going shopping."

"Shopping," Danny repeated confused, "But I didn't think there's a lot we need?"

"Not shopping for you or for groceries," Sam said dryly, "I need some things for myself, including some new clothes and this little angel needs some new clothes too."

She was exiting the room with Ellie as her words registered with Danny.

"W-wait! She better not come back with pierced ears! Sam!"

"No promises!"

Sam held Ellie's hand as they made their way through the small mall. The two girls were grinning, having fun with their trip. Sam lovingly looked toward Ellie as the little girl felt her ears where the new piercing was. She asked for it, Sam thought, if Danny complains, he complains to her. It was her choice after all… But this is a lot of fun actually. Sam hated shopping in the past, but it wasn't so much shopping that bothered as the human interactions. She briefly glanced toward the people around her as she walked with Ellie, noticing their judgmental glances. Sometimes I really dislike people. She shook her head and continued to walk.

They've already been shopping for over an hour, making it about one o'clock. Sam had several bags on her arms, filled with everything from clothes (both for her and Ellie) to bathroom supplies (razors, shampoos, body washes, shaving cream). It was almost time for their trip to come an end.

"Lunch," Ellie asked cutely as she looked up at Sam.

Seeing the girl's big innocent eyes looking at her made Sam's heart just melt.

"Of course, sweetie," she cooed, if Danny ever hears how doting I am to her I don't think I'd ever hear the end of it.

Sam led them through the sea of people toward the food plaza. Sam gripped Ellie's hand a bit tighter so they didn't get separated. However, it was a few seconds before Sam felt a lack of weight on her hand. Turning her head down, her eyes widened when she didn't see a small girl with her. She looked around frantically,

"Ellie," she called out a bit loudly, "Ellie! This isn't funny!"

Oh no, oh no, Sam thought desperately as she started to search for the missing girl. This isn't good. This is really not good. Please be safe, Ellie, Sam prayed, please. Her heart pounded in her chest as she moved through the crowd, calling Ellie's name as she did so. She received a few curious looks and a few meaner looks. She didn't care. What mattered at the moment was finding Ellie. I have to find her.

When she finally got out of the crowd and away from everyone else, she scanned the area to the best of her ability in search of any small girl with black hair (easier said than done). Finally, she spotted the little girl a bit away talking animatedly to a girl about sixteen years old. Sam ran over as quickly as she could and scooped the girl into her arms.

"Ellie! I told you, you can't just run off like that! What if something happened to you!?"

She set the girl down and gave a mild scolding, causing the girl to bite her lip with a guilty expression. Of course Sam knew that the shiki under Danny's control had orders to protect Ellie no matter what, which brought a bit of comfort, but it was the point of the matter. Ellie could not just run off like that and put herself into dangerous situations without thinking. She's too much like her father, Sam thought with a sigh before she blushed, realizing her mistake, Danny. She's too much like Danny. Her big brother. I'm her big sister not her mother… Though the thought just caused her a bit of pain in her heart.

"Excuse me," the girl, whom Ellie was speaking to, spoke up, "Who are you? I didn't know Danny had any other baby sitters or caretakers."

The girl scrunched her face up in confusion. Sam looked at her, momentarily confused, before she realized who the girl had to be. Mai. Danny spoke highly of her and she is pretty adorable. Sam smiled politely, liking the girl instantly, as she grabbed Ellie's hand tightly.

"I'm sorry," Sam bowed her head respectfully, "I'm Sam and I'm actually Danny's...girlfriend."

Best not to freak her out by saying fiance, Sam noted before continuing.

"He's busy working at Fenton Flames so I decided to take Ellie on a shopping trip. You must be Mai? Danny told me a lot about you and SPR."

Mai looked at Sam a bit shocked, taking in both her appearance and her words, before finally she grinned. She looks like she would be Danny's girlfriend. They both have a punk, rougher appearance but are really kind. I wonder why Danny didn't mention her before and why haven't I seen her before? She seems really close with Ellie so her and Danny must have been dating for a while…

"Yes," Mai confirmed as she bowed, "It's a pleasure to meet you. Are you new to Japan?"

"I am," Sam nodded slightly, "I just moved here from America, thankfully those Japanese classes in high school paid off."

She gave a smile as Mai giggled slightly to herself. Mai composed herself,

"How long have you known Danny?"

"We've known each other since we were kids, like six years old," Sam explained, "And best friends for just as long, but we just started dating about three or four years ago."'

That's a really long time, Mai thought, no wonder her and Ellie are close. I bet she's even closer to Danny. Another thought entered Mai's mind, causing her to laugh. Sam raised an eyebrow and Mai tried to catch her breath.

"That must mean you have some interesting stories to tell…"

Sam gave Mai a sly smirk. Oh I like her. She linked her free arm, the one not holding Ellie's hand, through Mai and started to walk, nearly dragging Mai with her.

"Plenty of 'em… And I'll be happy to share…"