Jazz tapped her fingers impatiently on the steering wheel, glaring at the red light, as if that would make it change faster. One of Jazz's favorite songs played on the radio, but it just sounded like irritating white noise. She reached over to the radio and flipped through the channels. Nothing provided the distraction she yearned for. She jabbed a finger at the power button with a huff. Silence filled the car, leaving Jazz alone with her thoughts. She looked out the window, away from the dashboard.
Her phone call with Tucker had amplified the niggling suspicion in the back of her mind into full-blown anxiety. What did Tucker mean by Danny's 'ghost stuff' acting up…?
A car honked behind her. Jazz gasped and snapped her head back to the road, glancing at the now-green light. She slammed on the gas, lurching her car forward into the intersection. Jazz shook her head, ashamed at herself. You're so nervous that you're driving just like DAD.
She had no idea what chaos had possibly gotten the Fenton Portal to turn on. She'd tried theorizing, but in the end decided that it was counter-productive. It's not like she knew anything about how "ghost" tech worked these days – she intentionally tuned her parents out whenever they went on one of their long-winded explanations.
She'd need to ask Danny or his friends herself. Tucker or Sam would never answer a phone call from her if they were letting Danny hide out with them – which is why she used Danny's cell phone that he'd left in the lab.
Jazz had settled into her desk chair before scrolling through Danny's contacts and dialing Tucker's number.
As expected, Tucker picked up after only a few rings. What she hadn't expected was Tucker's immediate assumption.
"Dude, are you hurt?"
Her heart stopped.
"If your ghost stuff is acting up again, I can-"
Jazz hadn't been able to resist cutting in.
She was kicking herself over it in hindsight. Who knows how much additional information he was ready to divulge? And what did I do? Interrupt him! Stupid!
"Danny's hurt!?" Jazz exclaimed, beginning to panic, talking louder and quicker than she would've preferred. "I went downstairs and the Fenton Portal is on! I know you were there for it, there was green goop all over the lab. Did you guys seriously think nobody would notice the huge mess you made?"
She could feel herself being an overbearing older sister, but she knew it was warranted this time. Danny needed someone to keep him from getting into trouble, and to come help when he was in too deep. Their parents never did for them, so as always, it was up to her. Danny and his friends would understand when they were older… like she had.
"Tucker, where is my brother? And you better not lie to me this time."
Images of every time Tucker had lied to cover his best friend's ass flashed through Jazz's mind. Whether it was something as small as a bad grade on a test or something as serious as Danny having anxiety issues at school, Tucker put his best friend's secrets before everything. Why can't they see how counter-productive that is? That I could help if they just let me in?
"Oh nooo Jazz, he's fine!"
Tucker's voice crackled over the speaker, but Jazz could still sense his nervousness. She doubled down.
"Yeah, my go-to opener for phone calls is 'are you hurt.' Really, Tucker? You know I can't just drop this if Danny hurt himself."
"Yeah, no, I get it…"
Jazz let out a short huff. "Good. Then tell me where my brother is or I'm gonna start by telling our parents what happened, then I'm going to call your parents and tell them their son's been playing around radioactive ghost equipment."
"NO!"
It was a low blow, Jazz knew. She didn't actually plan on calling Mr. and Mrs. Foley – she knew as well as Tucker that they'd ban their son from ever seeing Danny again if they knew how reckless their ghost hunter parents were with their experiments. Danny barely had friends – Jazz wasn't about to rip his support system out from under him.
But she wasn't above using this knowledge to manipulate Tucker. The thing that mattered most right now was making sure Danny was safe.
"I mean, uh, no need to do that! He's with us…"
"You and Sam?" Jazz asked, surprised that Sam had already recovered from their fight earlier that evening.
"Uh, no, with me and my family. Nothing to worry about."
Jazz nodded to herself. That makes more sense, after the way Sam stormed out earlier.
"Great. Then you won't mind if I swing by and see my little brother? If you're right, if he really is fine, I'll leave you two to your slumber party. Fair?"
"I mean… sure…"
Jazz grabbed her car keys off of her desk and stood up. "Fantastic. See you soon, Tucker," she said with an air of authority that left no room for argument.
"Okay, yeah…"
"You can tell Danny I'm on my way. I'll call you when I get there," Jazz said, hanging up.
Now, she pulled up outside the Foley's house. Her knuckles protested when she released the steering wheel – she realized she'd been gripping it tight enough to leave fingernail marks in the leather. Why am I so nervous?
Tucker's tone made Danny's injuries upsettingly obvious, but… what if she was wrong? Or what if he's more hurt than I imagine?
Jazz imagined Danny and his friends tossing around a piece of broken Fenton equipment, then the machinery exploding as it landed in her brother's arms.
Jazz reached for her phone in her pocket, her fingers made clumsy with her anxiety. She scrolled down to Tucker's contact and hit dial. She kept her eyes glued to Tucker's front door as she held the phone up to her ear.
Ring… Ring…
Jazz took a shaky breath.
Ring…
This is Tucker's phone, leave me your name, number-
The door opened.
It was hard to see from this distance, but a dark silhouette, unmistakably her brother, stepped out onto the porch. His shoulders were tense, held up by his ears, and his arms were folded tight in front of his body. Jazz's eyes flicked over the dark shape of her brother, scanning for any injuries. Although she couldn't make out the details, Danny seemed to be walking fine, at least.
He trudged across Tucker's lawn, keeping his eyes on the ground. His body became more clear as the headlights from her car reached him. She noticed that he was wearing different clothes – a green sweater she'd never seen before, but otherwise, he seemed fine. Maybe they were playing a prank on me?
Jazz rolled the passenger-side window of her car down. Danny fidgeted his arms awkwardly as he stopped right outside the car, keeping his head ducked down, staring at the concrete. His too-long hair obscured his face.
"Hey, um… sorry I ran off, but I'm fine, okay? You can, uh… you can go home, Jazz. I'm fine."
There he goes again, with the obvious lies! He always stutters when he lies.
Jazz sighed, collecting herself. Getting angry at Danny right now would do nothing productive. She had to be the mature one here. Nobody else was going to. "Danny, Tucker sounded really concerned for you on the phone. And… and I saw the portal."
Danny re-positioned his crossed arms, hugging his torso. "The portal's working? How did… why did, uh… I mean, that's great for Mom and Dad, that they got it working."
"Danny, I know it was you," Jazz said gently. "After the way they've been acting, do you really think Mom and Dad would touch that thing with a ten-foot pole?"
"Yeah, right. You really think I'd know how to fix any Fenton equipment?"
Jazz shifted in her seat and reached into her back pocket. She pulled out a small square and held it out to Danny. The Polaroid of him in front of the portal.
"I didn't tell them."
Danny raised his head to look at the photo, eyes widening. He snatched it out of her hand, looking at it closer.
A whimper of concern escaped Jazz's lips before she could stop herself.
Danny didn't seem to notice. "You… you didn't? Why not?" He looked at her. He had the ghost of a smile on his face and his voice shook, like he wasn't sure he could believe her.
She tried to hold his gaze, but her eyes kept flicking to the wounds. Scabs covered nearly half his face, angry and red. His nose seemed swollen, like he'd been punched. She tried to stay calm. But she couldn't. "Danny, what happened? What did you do!?"
Danny opened his mouth to speak and closed it again. He sighed through his nose and looked away from her. Jazz watched his eyes flitter about in thought, doubtlessly searching for what to say.
After a moment he turned back to her, flashing a toothy smile. He lowered his stiff arms, dropping the tension in his upper body. "I'm fine, Jazz," he said with a chuckle. "It's not as bad as it looks, I swear."
Jazz's eyes widened. She knew he was lying. It only took one look at his injuries to guess that. But his grin looked like any of his usual casual smirks. No stutter to be found. He's getting better at lying, she thought. But why? Why lie about this?
"You came to take me home, right? C'mon, let's go." Danny shoved the photo into his pocket and flung open the passenger door. He plopped down into the seat, as casually as if they were driving to school together.
Whyyyyy did I do that so quickly!? Danny screamed in his mind. Sitting down faster isn't going to make her less suspicious, loser!
His spine sent shooting waves of pain throughout his body. He buckled his seatbelt, hoping the stiffer-than-normal gesture didn't betray how much discomfort he was in.
Jazz's eyes tracked his movement, her lips pinched together in a tight line. Danny knew that look – she was hyper-analyzing him, like always. Danny looked out the passenger side window, trying to calm his nerves. He could see Sam and Tucker's silhouettes in the Foley's attic window. He focused on them. He had to be brave for them.
He heard Jazz's keys jingle. The car revved to life. "Danny, we're not going home until you tell me what's going on." Danny looked over at his sister. She put the car in drive and pulled out into the road. At least she can't stare me down while she's driving.
"Where are we going, then?"
Jazz shrugged. "Listen, little brother, I'm just going to be honest with you. You know how Mom and Dad get when they've invented something new… now imagine how they're acting now that they think they've made something that actually works. Do you think that's what you need to hear right now?"
"…No." Danny said, quieter than he would have liked.
"I didn't think so either." Jazz looked over at him as they pulled to a stop at a red light. "Danny, something happened to you. I'm not stupid. I saw the mess in the lab. Mom and Dad might be blind, but…" Jazz sighed. "I just want you to know I care about you, Danny."
Danny looked back out his window, catching his reflection in the glass. His human eyes stared back at him. He lifted a hand up and gently pulled his upper eyelid towards his brow to get a better look. The same blue as always. No hint at what he actually was now.
"…Danny?"
Danny tore his gaze away from his reflection and looked back at his sister. She shot him frantic sidelong glances, trying to look at him while obligation kept her eyes mostly on the road.
"Are you listening?"
"Yeah, I just-"
A wave of cold washed over Danny. He wrapped his arms around himself, suddenly wracked with shivers despite the thick sweater Tucker had let him borrow. His breath escaped his mouth in clouds. "C-can we turn off the AC?" His teeth chattered as he grew more irritated with his sister. "Jeez, is this some new torture method to get me to talk? You're gonna freeze me to death."
Danny reached for the temperature dial, cranking it towards the red "hot" indicator. The knob stayed in place – it was already on the hottest setting. He reached for the fan speed next, turning it all the way up. The heater roared. He felt the hot air blasting on him, but it did nothing to heat him up. It was like holding a hand warmer while naked in a snow storm.
Jazz took off her long-sleeved cardigan and threw it in the back of the car. Mercifully, she said nothing about his sudden chills. "Have you eaten, Danny?"
Food should have been the last thing on his mind right now, after how many times he'd thrown up. But the frigid temperature made him crave a warm meal. Danny told himself he couldn't give Jazz an inch, because she always took a mile whenever he showed weakness. "I'm f-f-fine."
Jazz looked at Danny, studying him up and down. He returned her gaze with a scowl, trying to act confident in his shaky answer. His body suddenly heated back up, making the hot air blasting out of the dash stifling. Danny's heart pounded. There's no way Jazz was cold too. It was just me. Are my eyes glowing? He desperately searched his reflection in the window, but the lights rolling by kept him from seeing clearly. Oh GOD, she can tell, she knows. SHE KNOWS!
With a quick eye roll and a sigh, Jazz turned on her car's blinker. "Come on. Let me get you something."
She knows. She's going to go get the Fenton Ghost Exterminator, or something ten times worse. Oh my god, this is it. I should've ran from Tucker's place when I had the chance. Now I'm going to die AGAIN.
"…Danny? Hello?"
Jazz's voice pulled Danny out of his thoughts. "Uh… sorry…"
"I said: 'I'm heading to Nasty Burger, does that sound good?' We're close, and I think their drive-thru is still open."
"Oh… yeah, sure." His voice came out quiet, he could barely hear himself over the car's fans. "Thanks."
Can I even eat? Do ghosts eat?
Danny pictured himself vomiting after the first small bite of human food, his body poisoned by it like he'd seen in vampire movies. Writhing on the floor of Jazz's sedan while she screamed. She'd have no idea what to do or why he was so sick.
Danny leaned forward and turned off the overwhelming heat.
Jazz shot him a quizzical look. "I thought you said you were cold?"
"Yeah, uh, I mean, I was." Danny tried to think fast. "Sorry. Maybe I'm getting sick."
An emotion flickered over Jazz's face, something Danny couldn't pin down. Her eyes focused back on the road.
Danny looked down at the backs of his hands, which rested in his lap. They looked the same as they always did. His fingernails were still jagged from his bad habit of picking at them when he was frustrated. He still had a freckle on his left wrist. He still had a faint scar on the side of his right hand, where a dog had bit him after he messed with it a little too much when he was 5, the reason his parents had never let him get a puppy. Once an irresponsible loser, always an irresponsible loser. You just can't leave dangerous things alone, can you, Fenton?
Even though they looked the same, he knew they'd never again belong to average, human Danny Fenton. Whatever he was now – dead, not dead, whatever – he wasn't human. He knew that.
He flipped his hands over to look at the palms. His eyes immediately fell to the burn on his left hand. He hadn't even noticed it with the jumpsuit on, everything else had hurt so much worse. His right hand had a dark bruise he hadn't noticed before, maybe from falling out of the portal… or on the ground at Casper High, or-
"Danny, do you know what you want?"
"Jazz, seriously, I'm fine. I don't want anything." They turned into the Nasty Burger parking lot, coasting up to the empty drive-thru as Jazz rolled down her window. Danny couldn't remember the last time he'd seen the Nasty Burger parking lot so empty. He glanced at the clock on the dashboard – 11:29 pm.
The drive-thru speaker crackled to life. Welcome to Nasty Burger, what can I get for you? The teen on the other end sounded like he was ready to die of boredom any second.
Jazz leaned out the window. "Hi, could I please get the Mighty Mini Meaty Cheesy Melt, please? And one Nasty Burger with fries?"
Danny sighed. Of course she knew his order by heart. He knew she just wanted to help, but eating food meant more time trapped in this car with her.
More time where something could go horribly wrong.
A.N.: Happy Sunday, everyone! Starting with a few notes on details: I always thought it was interesting that when Danny tried to "open up" to Sam in S01E11 Fanning the Flames, he started to talk about how his parents wouldn't let him get a puppy. I know that was a joke, but it's not very emotionally intimate, if you ask me! So I gave him a better reason for being upset by that event. Also, Danny seems to order something different every time at Nasty Burger, so I gave him a classic order of "burger and fries" as his usual.
Thank you to my good friend hazama_d20 for beta-reading this chapter (and almost every chapter after this one)! You make me more confident in my writing, friend. Check him out on AO3.
The new fanfic from me is officially complete! It'll be called "Electric Veins," has three chapters, and will start getting posted on November 29th. Keep an eye out!
Lastly, as always, shout outs! A HUGE thank you to ViAndDash, Dp-Marvel94, LeonidasDP, and User724 for the reviews! It means so much that you take the time to leave me notes with your thoughts. In addition, thank you Wolf2899 and 5T0RMBR1NG3R for the favorites, and SApocalypse for the follow.
See you guys next week to conclude this Nasty Burger outing!
Ani