Chapter Twelve

Gray Manor, April 24, 2006

Valerie knew that if she had any chance of going back to a normal life, one where Danny Fenton (no, not Fenton. That boy didn't have a last name and never would, if she had anything to do with it) was her slave, this was it.

So now, here she was, entering through the front door of her mansion, right into the foyer where her father was waiting, a slightly scolding expression on his face. "Why'd you sneak out, Valerie?"

"Um . . . Did the other me tell you about . . . you know?"

His look changed, and he ran over and hugged her. "You're back! Did she leave? Where's Danny?"

Valerie scowled into her father's chest, and pulled away from his embrace. "She and Danny are still in the Fentons' kitchen. Some Danny from her world came, and went so find some guy called Clockwork that could put her back. They all told me you were going to give Danny back to Mr. and Mrs. Fenton . . ."

Damon bit his lip, and looked hard at her. "I'm sorry, sweetie, but that's just how it's going to be. Besides, he is half-human."

"This isn't fair, Dad! He's half ghost, and ghosts are sniveling barbaric things . . . She took off Danny's collar! Just . . . urg."

This wasn't happening. It just wasn't. She was Daddy's Little Girl. She got anything she wanted. And she wanted Danny.

"Valerie . . ." Damon warned. "Mrs. Fenton is not only a dear friend, but a mother who has lost both of her children. As a father myself, I think I owe it to her just to give one of them back."

Valerie's eyes watered for a moment before she ran upstairs. That didn't work. Oh, what on Earth was she going to do now . . .?

And why did she care so much? Yes, Danny was cute. And yes, there probably weren't any other ghosts nearly as wonderful as him, she knew the majority were floating blob-things that would be slithering around her house, leaving more slime than they cleaned up.

And he was hers. He was a gift, as well. She got an A on a mid-term paper, and Damon gave Danny to her. He was her pet, her housekeeper, her cook, hers.

She hadn't mistreated him, either. She kept him clothed, fed, and let him sleep, per his human limitations. Valerie may have beaten him on occasion . . . but . . .

It didn't matter. She still had him. And if he was going to be taken away, she'd make his last few days with her heck.

Meanwhile . . .

(alternate universe Ghost Zone)

Danny knew he was flying too slowly. But he was depressed. Valerie hated him. She'd always hate him. Just because of Cujo, and then because of Walker. The messing up her life, he might've gotten away with. She was happier now, anyway. But after the ghost invasion . . .

"Hey, punk! The hunters will be here soon! You need to get in here!"

Danny stopped and whirled around. Speak of the devil. Walker was behind him, staring intently. "This is the one place they haven't found yet."

"Uh . . ." Was Walker trying to help him?

Ember suddenly appeared next to Walker. "What's taking so long, Walker?" she hissed. "They'll be here any minute!"

"This kid won't get in the shelter."

"Leave him!"

"I'll be fine. I have to get to Clockwork . . ."

Ember and Walker gaped. Danny had never realized Walker could gape. "No one sees Clockwork, man," Ember stated, awestruck.

"I'm a friend of his," he replied.

They both blinked, and Ember turned around and left. Walker gave an almost forlorn half-smile, then followed her.

People sure are different here, Danny thought, then shook his head and flew on.

FentonWorks, April 24, 2006

Val expected Valerie to come in there, and take Danny away. She'd gotten to know that brat quite well in the past few hours, and it seemed like something that Valerie would do.

What she didn't expect is a startlingly pained scream coming from down the street. Danny's scream.

Maddie looked up from her cooking and ran out the door faster than Val would've thought possible. She followed suit quickly.

Before Val even rounded the corner, she heard Mr. Fenton's enraged and anguished cry of, "What the heck did you do to my son?"

And when she did . . . she saw just about the worst thing a girl in love could. Her crush was halfway on his knees, greenish-red blood oozing from a gash in his forehead.

Seeing herself standing over him, holding the assault weapon (a brick) and smirking triumphantly didn't bode well, either.

Valerie stared at Val and Maddie, a smug smile playing over her lips. "You can't do much about this, Mrs. Fenton."

"You're . . . evil . . ." Val finally managed to breathe out. "You possessive little snot . . . you couldn't . . ." Suddenly she remembered something. Something from four days ago that might really come in handy. A grin mirroring her alternate self's slid onto her features. "You really couldn't. As your father so kindly put it, 'it's animal abuse.'"

Maddie turned to stare at Val in an odd mix of hurt and a 'you're-brilliant' stare.

"Sh-She's right, I'm one of the people who cr-created the laws about how gh-ghosts sh-should be tr-treated," Mrs. Fenton stuttered. Val didn't blame the usually well collected woman for sounding nervous - her son was in a standing faint with blood dripping from his head. Oh yeah.

"Danny!" Val exclaimed upon this epiphany, running over to tend to his wound. She left Maddie to deal with the legal matters as ire began to once again infect her still worry-stricken mind.

She put a hand over the injury, applying as much pressure as she could. Danny's semi-consciousness managed to wear off, and he collapsed in a heap, landing (luckily) in her arms. Bile began to rise in Val's throat. She shoved it down.

Yelling at Valerie would have to wait.

"M-Mrs. Fenton . . . You have to report her," Val began as calmly as she could.

Maddie nodded gravely. "I will."

Val finally had the sense to drag Danny away from Valerie, who was still holding the brick like Mrs. Benowitz from Dead Teacher II. Though not nearly as confidently, now.

"You - you really don't have to do that . . . I mean . . ."

"Shut it," Val snapped. "You just attacked my best friend."

Valerie glared at her, nothing to say in return. Val returned the gaze with full fury.