Special thanks to Miss Selarne for her information regarding tumors. I hope your cousin recovers soon.

More thanks to Lacey52, my martial arts consultant. We only touch on the subject lightly in this chapter, but...well

As always more A/N after the chapter.

Chapter Four

After returning from The Ghost Zone and talking to his mother, Danny spent the rest of the day watching a action movie marathon and, avoiding Jazz. His sister was driving him batty.

Danny talked to Tucker a few times, but finally he was feeling too irritable to bear the nutty conversation with his Techno Geek friend. There had been no news about Sam, and he was extremely nervous. He was about to go ghost and take off for a long flight when his mother called him down to the living room.

"Are you ready?" She asked. Danny had almost forgotten about their earlier conversation. He knew she'd make him get into decent shape, but at the moment he wanted to just drown his worries doing something else.

He followed his mother into the weight room, a place his father rarely frequented, which was really the dungeon where the Fenton parents kept some very antique torture devices, presumably to use on ghosts. Maddie smiled as she stood with her hands on her hips and waited for Danny.

"Mom," he said nervously. "I'm having second thoughts about this."

"Don't worry Sweetie," Maddie said gently. "We won't do anything too hard today."

"Why don't I believe you?" Danny asked.

Maddie laughed then her expression turned very serious. "We'll work on stances," she said as she surveyed her son.

"Oh geeze Mom," Danny complained. "Not the horse stance almost reading his mother's mind."

"If you can't master stances Danny…" Maddie started.

"Okay." Danny said. He assumed what he hoped was a passable horse stance position, his feet apart, knees only slightly bent, and smiled at his mother.

"Just as I thought," Maddie said as she moved Danny's feet almost uncomfortably apart and straightened his posture.

"Don't lean forward Danny," she warned as she watched him for a moment. Danny's thighs were already beginning to ache. The muscles burning with disuse. Maddie made him bend his knees further and his legs started to shake.

"Tsk tsk," Maddie said as she shook her head. "You're too young to be in such poor shape Sweetie." Danny didn't say anything as he tried to maintain the stance.

His mother pulled him out of position. Then poked him into the stomach. "With all the running around you do with Tucker and Sam," She said in disapproval. "I'd think you'd be a little more solid Danny." She shook her head, making Danny feel a lot inadequate and a lot ashamed. He still depended on his ghost side too much, even though he should have learned his lesson with Dash and the Fenton Ghost Crammer.

"How about a basic open stance?" Maddie said. She adjusted his position then ran him through a few other stances as she shook her head in obvious thought.

"You've remembered a lot Sweetie," she told him happily, but she was wearing a look on her face which told Danny she was displeased about something, but wasn't going to say anything, just yet.

"Other than the stances," Maddie said thoughtfully. "Do you remember anything I taught you?" Danny sighed. He was ten when he put his foot down and told his mother he didn't want to spend anymore afternoons learning the form of martial arts she practiced. Of course, the little bit of training she had given him served him well while ghost fighting, but he knew he had some really bad habits and he was loath to show them to his mother.

Maddie patted Danny's head then pointed to the weight equipment in the corner. She walked over, pulled, off the dust clothes and surveyed the equipment for a moment. "We're going to need to start with a little strength training," she said. "Get those mushy muscles of yours working." Danny swallowed hard and laughed nervously..

"I don't know about all this Mom," Danny said starting to rethink his idea of depending on his human side a little more. He'd prefer to spend his summer being lazy.

"Oh Sweetie it will be fun," Maddie said excitedly. "We'll finally have some good bonding time, plus it will keep Jazz out of your hair. I heard her talking about a psychological theory she wanted to try out…."

"Okay Mom," Danny said quickly deciding that his mother's plans were the lesser of the two evils."

Maddie smiled as she patted the weight bench. "After dinner," she said as she set up a set of weights. "I'll set up a little work out regime for you." She laughed gleefully. "This is going to be so exciting."

"Oh yeah," Danny groaned. "Joy." His mother continued to smile at him good naturedly and he couldn't help but be infected, if just a little by her enthusiasm. He was saved from any weight lifting that day by the little messenger which started beeping in the corner of the room where he placed it. He looked at his mother a moment then ran and picked it up.

Maddie watched her son's face fill with relief. She sighed herself and sat on the weight bench and watched as he sat on the floor with his back against the wall and typed. The joyful smile on his face warmed her heart.

"Sam is alright?" she finally asked and Danny looked up. He'd forgotten his mother was there.

"Yeah," he answered. "They were able to remove all the tumor. She was really lucky."

Maddie nodded her head as she stood and walked to the door. "Talking to Tucker?" She asked.

"Yeah," Danny told her absently.

"I'll let Jazz know all is well," Maddie told him. She shook her head as she left Danny alone. As soon as she was gone he put his head back against the wall and heaved a great sigh of relief and ashamedly wiped away a tear from the corner of his eye.

According to the update from her parents, Sam sailed through the surgery. The surgeon was able to remove all of the tumor which was the best news ever. Sadly though, recovery would take awhile and it would be several weeks before they could even consider bringing Sam home.

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"Danny! Sweetie!" Maddie Fenton called as she pulled the pillow off of her son's head early the next morning.

"Come on Mom," Danny groaned as he turned over and tried to curl up into his blankets. He pried one eye open and looked at the clock. "It's only six am!"

"Perfect time to get a morning work out done!" Maddie said cheerfully.

Danny grunted and shook his head. "Too early." He had been woken up during the night by ghosts four different times

"Up!" Maddie ordered in a voice that would make the toughest drill sergeant shudder in fear. Danny grudgingly climbed from the bed and let his mother drag him downstairs.

Danny questioned his sanity for the eightieth time that morning as his mother lead him on what he considered to be a horribly torturous workout. What had possessed him to approach his mother with this crazy idea?

"Stress," he muttered under his breath as he tried to do a pull up his mother insisted on making him try to do, emphasis on try.

Maddie shook her head in disbelief. "I can't believe you're in such bad shape Danny,' she clucked. "We're going to change that Sweetie."

"Uh Mom," Danny started. "I don't know that…"

"Don't back out on me!" Maddie said forcefully. "You don't want to end up like you father now do you?" Danny opened and closed his mouth a few times then shook his head. Maddie smiled knowingly.

Danny's mother forced him through what Danny felt was a horribly difficult workout routine before she told him to hit the shower. He ran as fast as his overworked muscles would carry him as his mother chased him from the room. Danny knew where Jazz had inherited her sadistic streak.

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Danny hit the showers after the work out with his mom. He would have gone back to bed, but he was too energetic now. He didn't want to stick around and risk a forced heart to heart chat with Jazz, so he took off for the park.

Initially Danny's hope was that he didn't have an encounter with Dash and the other bullies or a ghost, what he wasn't expecting was running or being run over by none other than the incomparable Miss Valerie Grey.

These days it was hard not to think of Valerie as anything but Miss Valerie Grey. She had grown tall and lithe in the last few years. She was also seemed strangely sophisticated, polished and exotic. She had toned her body through ghost hunting, unlike Danny, and become very sharp, and very frightening to one bashful ghost boy who still harbored a secret crush on the girl who had come so close to being his girlfriend at one time, but was now so far out of his league that the kiss on the cheek she once gave him seemed more like a fantasy than a reality. This was also the girl who now made the perfect Paulina green with envy as she sparkled through the halls of Casper High, ruling the A-list and everything else she came in contact with. Sam called her the Queen B, and she didn't mean the insect. Though Valerie was always kind to her.

"Danny!" Valerie said in shock as she nearly ran him down. "I'm so sorry!" She helped him up and he tried to hide how flustered he was in her presence. The majority of the contact he had with her these days were during the times when she hunted him while he was in his ghost form. Danny figured it was only a matter of time before she'd unravel his secret identity, and he feared for his life when she did. Only one girl scared him more than Sam, and that was Valerie, but that was only because Sam wasn't out to kill him.

"It's all right," Danny said as he shoved his hands in his pockets and looked down at his feet. "I should have been watching where I was going." He prayed silently for the inevitable blush to show mercy and decide to skip an appearance.

Valerie grinned at Danny as he looked up at her from the ground where he'd fallen. "Don't be silly," she told him, and helped him to his feet. "I'm the one who was too deep in thought to see where I was going." She looked around. "Where's Tuck?"

"Gone for the summer," Danny answered.

Valerie's expression became very sad. "I heard about Sam," she said.

Danny gave her a strange look. "How?" As far as he knew, Sam had told no one about the tumor.

Valerie shrugged her shoulder. "Everyone knows." Danny frowned and she shook her head in sadness. "Is she all right?"

"Yeah," Danny answered as he patted the device in his pocket. "She had surgery yesterday and should be home in a few weeks."

Valerie nodded her head then looked around. "Come sit and keep me company," she told him. "You look like you could use a friend anyway."

Danny hesitated for a moment. Too much contact with Valerie was hazardous to his health, and his heart. "All right," he said. "I could use some company."

"I bet you're lost without Tuck and Sam huh?" Valerie asked as they settled themselves down beneath the cool shade of a near by tree.

"Just a little," Danny admitted.

"I've said it once, and I'll say it again Danny," Valerie began. "You need to broaden your horizons. Let more people into your life. There are tons of people at Casper High who would love to be friends with you…if Sam Manson weren't guarding the door to your exclusive little clique."

Danny frowned for a moment, Valerie almost sounded jealous. It was unthinkable that Valerie would be jealous of anyone or anything. He sighed and thought about what she said. It wasn't easy letting people into his life. Tuck and Sam were his friends because he knew he could trust them, plus he loved them. They were closer to him than his own family.

"And here I thought Tuck, Sam and I were the outcasts. The lowest of the low at Casper High." Danny laughed.

"Only in Dash, Star and Paulina's eyes," Valerie said. "To everyone else you are the cutest or coolest boy in the school, but are just too goofy and closed up to let anyone in."

"Goofy?" Danny asked. "People think I'm goofy?"

Valerie rolled her eyes and laughed. "Okay let me rephrase that. You are the cutest, clumsiest coolest guy in the school. I can name about five girls who have crushes on you right now."

"Really," Danny asked as he raised his eyebrows then smiled. Valerie shook her head then leaned back against the tree and looked up at the leaves blowing in the wind.

"So," Valerie started. "You and Sam. Are you two finally…You know?"

Danny shook his head in confusion. "Are Sam and I what?"

"Together," Valerie sighed. "A couple."

Danny's eyes widened. "Are you kidding me?" he asked. "No! We're best friends. We're not a couple."

"Really," Valerie asked skeptically. "Best friends with benefits?"

The blush Danny had been fighting since Valerie had first ran into him, now burst its way across his cheeks and he shook his head. "No. Best friends. Nothing more."

"Hmmm," Valerie said. "So why does she turn down all the guys asking her out? Is she seeing Tucker then?"

A look of horror grew on Danny's face. "Guys are asking Sam out?"

Valerie gave Danny a look that said, "Where have you been for the past year you dork?"

"And I don't think she has anything going with Tucker," Danny said thoughtfully, his look of horror being replaced by confusion.

"You hang around with Sam every day of the week and you didn't know that there are at least ten guys who are constantly asking her out on dates?"

"Has she been going out with them?" Danny asked in confusion.

"Are you stupid or something?" Valerie asked. "No. She turns them down. She says no. When was the last time she spent a Friday or Saturday night with anyone other than you and Tuck?"

Danny shrugged his shoulders. He hadn't considered that maybe he was holding Sam back. He just assumed that she was like he and Tuck who were existed on the bottom of the dating scale. It seemed like things weren't exactly the way he thought they were.

Valerie frowned as she watched Danny process the information she'd given him. She almost felt bad for breaking all his illusions. He seemed rather happy with them, but over the past few years she'd watched Sam suffer from his ignorance and she felt the Goth girl maybe deserved better than to waste her time on a boy who would never love her in return. Okay maybe her motives weren't entirely pure. She still liked Danny.

"So," Valerie said as she broke Danny out of his worried thoughts. "Do you want to catch a movie with me tonight or something? It's not a date or anything…just a friendly thing."

Danny blinked at Valerie dazedly then nodded his head. "Sure sounds good."

"Good," Valerie said. "I'll meet you at the theater at eight then." She patted Danny on the head then stood and walked away. She cast an glance over her shoulder at Danny and grinned. Danny was staring up at the clouds with a troubled gaze.

Danny thought for a few minutes then he fished his messenger from his pocket and sent Tucker the following message, "Have guys been asking Sam out on dates?"

It took five minutes for Tuck to respond with. "Hello to you too Danny. How are you doing? I'm fine. No, I'm not busy or anything. Thanks for asking. Where is that question coming from?"

Danny sighed deeply then typed, "Are you busy Tuck?"

"No," Tucker replied. "But I could have been!"

"I'm sorry," Danny said. "Now answer my question."

"Testy! Testy!" Tucker replied. "Okay. Yes."

"Who?" Danny asked.

"Lots of guys," Tucker answered. "Lots and lots of guys. I know you haven't noticed or anything, but Sam's kinda a hottie, even though she tries to hide it."

Danny's eyebrows furrowed. "Sam's a hottie?"

"Well at least to those of use who don't live with their heads in the clouds," Tucker replied.

"You think Sam's a hottie?" Danny asked in irritation.

"Duh!" Tucker responded. Danny rubbed his hand on the back of his neck and sighed. He thought about Sam for a moment. She was skinny as a rail, make up that made her look like the walking dead, strange hair, purple tights, black clothes. How did that equate with hottie? Maybe he was just too close to her to actually see her. He frowned and looked down at the messenger in his hands.

"Danny," Tucker wrote. "This isn't the time to worry about those kinds of things. Who told you Sam was turning down dates anyway?"

"Valerie," Danny answered then told Tucker the whole story.

"You're going to the movies with Valerie?" Tucker wrote, Danny could almost hear his Techno Geek friend shriek, and he smiled. "Do you really think that's wise? And how in the world did you pull that off?"

"She asked me," Danny answered. "And it's just a friend thing. It's not a date."

"Oh," came Tucker's reply. "But still. You should be careful. Valerie is dangerous in more ways than one these days."

"I know," Danny typed back then sighed. The messenger was silent for so long, Danny wondered if Tucker was gone.

"I haven't heard any more news about Sam. Have you?" Tucker asked.

"Nothing," Danny answered. He wasn't going to admit to being worried about her, or missing her. He really wanted to talk to her, but knew it was going to be some time before he heard from his best of best friends.

"She's going to freak when she finds out your going out with Valerie…as friend of course." Tucker typed.

"Don't tell her." Danny ordered. "I mean if you hear from her. Don't tell her. She doesn't need to worry."

"And Danny," Tucker responded. "When you do talk to her again. Don't talk to her about the turning down dates thing. You'll only upset her."

"Why?" Danny asked.

"Just trust me on this okay?" Tucker replied. "I need to go now. I don't sit around all day just waiting to hear from you. I have things I have to do."

Danny signed off with Tucker then sighed as he looked around the park. His body was beginning to ache from his work out, and he was bored. He found a dark corner, went ghost and took a flight around Amity Park.

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I know I said this was a non-paring story. I haven't made any pairs. There are no pairs. No. Just facts. Just realizations. This is the inner workings of Danny's mind here and the romantic aspect of his life is bound to rear it's ugly head…..stop looking at me like that.

Ready. Set. REVIEW!