Author's Note: I own nothing.

12 To The Dance

As Friday loomed Dani's mood grew steadily more sour. She was going to have to juggle keeping her father away from Lancer, lest the teacher bring up the conference Jack hadn't really been all there for, her date with the quarterback which was quickly becoming all the school would talk about, and finding who had the Amulet of Aragon before someone got hurt. The whole situation was giving her a headache. But there was no backing out now. Sam was sympathetic. Tanya mostly laughed. But as first period that dreaded Friday wrapped up a revelation dropped itself in Dani's lap.

"We're still on for the dance tonight right?" It was Dash and as she nodded she spotted something around his wrist. She'd seen it the other day and not given it much thought, assuming it was just a watch. Now that she was paying attention she could feel a kind of cold aura coming off of it.

"Yeah, you're picking me up right?" Dash grinned wide and pushed a stray strand of hair behind Dani's ear. She got a close up look at the jewel on the band. A bright green dragon's eye stared back at her.

"That I am." He said with a smug grin and headed off. Dani ran to Sam. Without even a word of greeting she unzipped his bag pulling out the notebook he was using to keep all of their ghost notes.

"Dani?" He asked sounding slightly amused. She shook her head, flipping through the pages. When she found it she swore so colorfully that she earned a warning glare from a passing teacher. "What?" Sam demanded turning to her, his bag still hanging open. She held out the book, open to the picture of the Amulet of Aragon, or at least what it was supposed to look like.

"Dash is wearing the amulet. I'm going on a date with a dragon."

Tanya was laughing so hard when they told her that she had to gasp for what little breath she could get around her guffawing.

"That is hilarious! Your first real date and he's a literal dragon!" Dani socked Tanya in the arm.

"It's not funny! Now I have to keep my dad away from Lancer and figure out how to get that stupid bracelet off Dash!" Sam nodded as Dani buried her head in her hands.

"Well Tanya and I will be there too. We'll try to help run interference with your dad." He reassured and Dani nodded.

"Thanks. When did life get so complicated?" Dani asked no one in particular. Tanya shrugged popping the top on her soda.

"When you died." She stated mater of factly earning herself another much more half hearted slug to the shoulder from Dani and a reproachful look from Sam.

That evening found Dani in her room staring at herself in the mirror. She was wearing the dress her mother had bought her examining her reflection critically. The dress was stunning, the star like decorations glimmering in the light. She'd found a pair of black flats that matched well and she could run in. Her mother had found a set of bracelets that were large starbursts encircling her wrists. There was a knock on the door. Jazz stuck her head around the door and smiled.

"Hey Dani. You look great. What are you gonna do with your hair?" The redhead asked leaning in the doorway. Dani frowned at the vanity in front of her. There was a very complex hair clip with multiple strands of gold beads, meant to look like stars. She just wasn't sure how to put it into her hair. Jazz looked down at the clip and stifled a laugh. She had Dani sit and carefully picked up the clip and began arranging it in her hair. Jazz looked at her sister in the mirror and cleared her throat.

"Listen Dani I wanted to talk to you before the dance. I know our parents can be a little crazy, but you can have a life outside that." Dani rolled her eyes.

"Yeah except the whole school's about to see their crazy for themselves." Dani frowned at the mirror. Jaz finished fixing the clip into Dani's hair, the crescent moon that made up the body of the clip gleaming.

"Trust me I know that this is gonna be crazy. But I also know you're stronger than you know. I've been under our parents shadow for my whole life. It's hard to get out from under but it can be done. I promise. You'll find your thing soon Dani." Jazz hugged her sister and Dani nodded as Jazz left the room. Dani stood and frowned before stepping over to her desk. She opened the drawer and pulled out the Fenton Fisher, which she'd been delighted to discover compacted into a small tube. She was also beyond happy that this dress had pockets. She slipped the Fenton Fisher away alongside a small set of walkie talkies. With another deep breath she stepped out of her room, ready to head out for the dance.

Dash rolled his eyes as he headed up to the front door of Fenton Works. This was humiliating. Honestly it was, he sighed as he rang the doorbell, fixing a smile in place. He just had to get her to kiss him tonight then he'd win the bet and could go back to ignoring the fact that she existed. The door was answered by Dani's mother, still wearing a bright teal jumpsuit. He was sort of worried that Fenton would be in one too but as she came down the stairs he blinked. She looked fantastic.

Every time he'd talked to her at school, few though they were, she'd always worn a slightly baggy t-shirts and jeans. This dress though showed off curves Dash hadn't known she'd had. She smiled slightly shyly at him and he grinned wondering if tonight wouldn't be a total loss after all. She was more than happy to hop in his dad's car and let them drive the pair of them to the dance rather than take the Fenton Family Ghost Assault Vehicle. She refused point blank to go over what that meant.

They arrived at the dance and a lot of the people there began to stare. Dash grinned. He'd always loved the attention. But he wasn't so sure that he was going to win the second part of the bet. For some reason Dani was evasive, keeping one eye out. Though when her parents arrived he really couldn't blame her. She slipped away as Kwan and Vince came up to him.

"Who knew Fenton was cute?" Vince commented, Kwan nodded.

"Whatever I am so winning our bet Vince. Just you wait." Dash said with a grin. Kwan rolled his eyes at them. There was no stopping those two once they got started. He honestly felt really bad for Dani, stuck in the middle.