Author's Note: Writing Maddie as a caring parent has been quite an experience since I'm not actually a parent myself, and I can't think of too many fics that write her (or Jack) this way. I'm basing her actions and thoughts a lot on what I think my own mom would do/has done since Maddie reminds me of her in some ways. And I am definitely taking a LOT of liberties with Jack. I'm writing him to be more mature and more "parent-like," but I am trying to keep at least some of his personality established in the show. His cartoony oafishness and childishness just doesn't quite suit the dynamics of this story because I didn't want Maddie getting annoyed that she can't have a mature discussion with her own husband about concerns regarding their child.

(after being) Disparaged

Not right. Not normal.

Maddie observed Danny across the dinner table. Lidded eyes, sluggish responses. But that wasn't what was unusual to her. She had seen him like this before when he was exhausted from lack of sleep.

But she had never seen him so on edge.

He had been in trouble before. Several times. He typically accepted the consequences without rebelling, would perhaps bicker and be sullen about it at most. He had never acted like this before, as if he wanted to call no attention to it all, as if he was afraid of doing anything else that could potentially make her disappointed or angry.

His eyes would droop, his jaw would slack, but as soon as she called his attention or asked him a question, he would immediately straighten up and look her straight in the eye, as if he was trying really hard to be something just for her. His smile was odd and misplaced, incongruous even. He would smile every time he spoke to her even if it did not suit the content.

And he only did this with her. Questions from Jack or Jazz seemed to not have this peculiar effect on him.

After dinner, Maddie placed a hand on Danny's shoulder as he walked to the living room. She could feel him tense as he met her gaze.

"Maybe you should go to bed, Danny. You look so tired," said Maddie.

Danny's eyes moved over her face. He pulled away so that her hand was no longer on his shoulder. A small act, perhaps, but it did not go unnoticed.

"Or maybe we should talk." Maddie did not try to touch him again. "What's going on with you, Danny?"

A flash in his eyes, a twitch, but then that same strange smile was back. "What do you mean?"

Maddie studied him. He was her height now, had grown so much in the past year alone. But then why did he look so fragile, so pale?

"Danny, is there something I can help you with?" she finally asked.

"My homework's not too hard this time, but I could let you know." He started walking to the table his computer was set up on, a stack of papers and textbooks beside it. "I'm almost done."

Avoiding her question. Avoiding her.

"Danny."

Danny paused, turned back. They stood at a distance in deafening silence. Stilling. Slowing. His mismatched smile was gone, replaced with a countenance of stone. He said nothing at all and yet so much.

"Danny, do you need to borrow my compass?" Jazz walked in between them, restarted time, restored their voices.

"No, I've got my own," said Danny.

"You sure? Mine's a nice one."

"You think it'll make that much of a difference?"

Danny sat at the table. Jazz stood beside him and looked over what he had done so far. Maddie blinked away her confusion at the sudden ending of their moment.

"Mads, should we finish up our work for the night?" asked Jack, coming up from behind.

"Sure," said Maddie automatically. She watched Danny a little longer as he conversed with Jazz about a math concept before following Jack to their basement.

Notes. Hypotheses. Trials. But her mind was not fully present. She stopped her calculations and gazed at the stairs, wondering what Danny was doing just one floor above. Perhaps also trying to make calculations but unable to focus?

"Jack." Maddie finally turned to her husband. "Does Danny seem odd to you?"

Jack never took his eyes off of his own work. "Well, he might have inherited some eccentricities from his parents, yeah."

"No, I mean since last night. And today. This morning. At dinner." Maddie crossed her arms and leaned back against a counter. "He's been acting very strangely, right? Please tell me you've noticed, too."

Jack looked up at the ceiling briefly, chewed the inside of his cheek. "Do you have an example?"

Maddie narrowed her eyes, annoyed that her husband couldn't be more observant. "He's just been jumpy. And avoidant."

"Well, he did just get caught sneaking out, and then we had to lecture him about it. He's always been a little sensitive."

Yes, their son certainly possessed a timid nature, a characteristic that often robbed him of self-esteem and prevented him from being able to assert or defend himself, a trait that had the golden effect of drawing sympathy but the detrimental effect of attracting harassment. Maddie knew this very well about Danny, had even considered finding a child psychologist for him to talk to, but she had never been sure how to bring it up to him without potentially lowering his self-confidence even further. She didn't want him to think she thought something was wrong with him. She didn't think that at all. Never, not about her darling Danny.

"I've never seen him like this before," said Maddie. "This is different, Jack."

Jack sighed loudly and set down his work very deliberately. He turned around to face Maddie fully. "All right, I'm listening. What are you thinking?"

Maddie took notice of his apparent reluctance and irritation but opted to ignore it. Maybe he'd understand if he just heard her out. "Well, first off, last night when he so readily admitted to being with Sam, almost as if he had rehearsed the answer."

"Go on."

"That didn't seem odd to you? The way he just said it so quickly?"

"He probably knew there was no point in dragging it out."

"But then the way he acted, how he pulled away from me."

"He was in trouble, surely uncomfortable with the whole situation."

"But he's still doing it, still avoiding me. At breakfast, at dinner, and right before we came down here."

"Well, he's still in trouble."

"But this seems like more than discomfort or embarrassment or even guilt." Maddie looked down, tapped her fingers against her crossed arms. "It seems more like…fear."

Jack furrowed his brow. "Fear?"

Maddie nodded.

"And what do you think he's afraid of?"

Maddie threw up her hands. "I don't know! I'm just stating an observation." Observation, one of the first steps in the scientific method. Observe, ask questions.

But she could not form a hypothesis yet. She still did not have enough background information.

"I mean, maybe…" Maddie paused, stared at the floor, thinking, processing. "Maybe he's keeping something from us, something he doesn't want us to know." She looked up at Jack. "Maybe he's afraid we'll figure it out?"

"What do you think he could be keeping from us?" Jack seemed unconvinced. He was clearly only continuing this conversation for her sake.

"Honestly, I'm not so sure that he was with Sam last night."

"And why are you not so sure?"

"Because what would he have been doing with her at that hour? They're not dating, are they?"

"Maybe they are."

"But wouldn't he have told us?"

"He's a teenager."

"It just doesn't seem right to me."

"Maddie, Pam actually called you back just to straighten it up. Pam. Do you think she would've done that if she didn't believe the story herself?"

Maddie recalled just how embarrassingly apologetic Pam sounded as she related how Sam upheld the story after all. But something about this still wasn't settling with her.

"I'm going to ask him about what he was doing with Sam," Maddie finally said. She stood away from the counter she had been leaning against.

Jack frowned. "Right now?"

"Yes. I can't work like this any longer." She caught Jack's eye, saw his uncertainty. "I'm worried about him, Jack."

"All right, but…" Jack shrugged. "You might just make him close off even more."

Maddie pursed her lips. "I won't accuse him of anything. I just want to know why he decided to sneak out to see Sam." Yes, start out simply, a question that would certainly not be out of left field. She was a mother who wanted to know what relationships her son was involved in. That was all.

And maybe…she could open some sort of connection, restore the strong communication link she once had with him.

Upstairs, Danny was still at the table she and Jack had set up for his computer, but his head was down on its surface. As Maddie approached him, she could see that he was sleeping. Steady breathing, head resting on both arms. Perhaps she would've scolded him for falling asleep while doing homework any other time, but he had been up late the night before and seemed to be struggling to stay awake all during dinner.

And maybe that's all it was. Maybe he was just exhausted. Maybe he'd be back to his normal self after getting a sufficient amount of sleep.

She moved so that she could see his face better. It had been so long since she had really looked at him closely. For so long, he had been a small boy, always the smallest in his class, her little aspiring astronaut. But now, she could see just how much he had grown, how fast he was becoming a man. The once childlike softness of his features had been replaced with angled lines, defined points of masculinity. Dense hair falling haphazardly over his forehead and around his ears, hair that he insisted on keeping long despite his reluctance to actually do anything with it. Deep-set eyes framed by lashes just as thick and dark. Widening shoulders leading into the slight muscled curve of his—

—neck—?

A swatch of pink, starkly noticeable against the rest of his pale complexion. Maddie gently pulled at the back collar of his shirt to reveal a small ring of inflammation radiating from one site, a pin prick that had scabbed over.

But Maddie barely had time to look at it when Danny immediately jumped up and away from her, nearly tripping over his chair. He faced her, hands up and poised in defense.

"Whoa, Danny, calm down!" Maddie held up her own hands, palms facing him.

A beat. Danny slowed his breathing and lowered his hands. "Sorry," he muttered. "You just, um, startled me."

"I can see that," said Maddie with a smile, hoping to make him smile, too, his real smile, but his expression remained shaded. "What's that on the back of your neck? Did something sting you? Or bite you?"

Danny's hand went to the back of his neck. "Yes," he said quickly. "Not sure what. Must've happened last night while I was sleeping."

"Or while you were with Sam?"

Danny did not reply to this, did not even look at her as he shrugged.

Another question came to her, something that Pam had mentioned earlier that day. Should she ask it? How would he respond?

She just wanted something to hold onto, something to assure her that Danny was okay and not involved in anything dangerous.

"Does it hurt?"

"No."

"It just looks really red. Have you taken anything to relieve the inflammation, at least?"

He blinked and hesitated before replying with just the smallest stutter. "No. I mean, I don't need anything. Not for this." He turned away from her as he organized his homework and textbooks. "What time is it? I'm done with my homework for now, so—"

"Wait," Maddie stopped him. He was avoiding her again, and that was enough to alarm her. Danny paused and met her gaze with clear apprehension. She wanted to press him more, but she decided to change the subject instead. She leaned against the table, tried to appear casual. "So, is something going on between you and Sam?"

Danny swallowed. "Something like what?"

Maddie smirked. "Well, you could've just waited to see her at school. Why did you sneak out to see her?" She tried to keep her tone as non-accusatory as possible, tried to act as if she really did believe his story. "Are you two an item now?"

She hoped it was true. Danny, Danny, Danny, please give a satisfactory answer. Anything that would quell all this worry and not raise it further.

"We're—no," stammered Danny. "It was—um—"

"No? After all this time, you're still not dating?" Maddie stuck out her bottom lip and shrugged. "You've had a crush on her forever."

Blood rushed to Danny's face. "No! I mean, well, she doesn't—but no, anyway." He paused, didn't look at her as he seemed to consider something. "I had something I wanted to speak to her privately about. Something personal."

Maddie frowned. "Something that couldn't wait until you saw her at school the next day?"

Danny did not reply.

"Is it something I can help you with?"

"It's—" Danny shook his head. "No, it's not anything you need to be worried about, really. Just, you know." He shrugged and sheepishly smiled. "Just stupid dramatic teenage stuff, I guess."

Trying to throw her off, trying to downplay the situation. Maddie opted to not press the situation further. If she wanted him to trust her and open to up him, she had to ease into it, make him feel comfortable, allow him to tell her when he was ready.

"I really am sorry for sneaking out, though," said Danny. "It definitely could've waited. I just wasn't really thinking at the time."

Maddie was not about to give up on this, but she could let it go for the night, at least. "Well, I think you should get to bed. You look really tired."

"I am," agreed Danny. "I'll just straighten up here first."

Maddie moved to kiss his head like she so often did. He let her, but he did not seem to welcome it, seemed to be doing everything in his power to stay still and not shy away from the contact. He didn't look at her, didn't acknowledge it.

Upstairs, she wondered what to do next, what more research she could do in order to form a sensible hypothesis. His cell phone was in the drawer of her nightstand. She could go through it, look at the messages he had sent to Sam. Perhaps there'd be a mention of whatever he had snuck out to discuss with her. Or perhaps there'd be mention of something else, a request for an alibi to cover up what he was really doing—

No, she couldn't do that. She had nothing substantial to prove he was lying or concealing anything, just her instincts and his odd behavior. But that could be explained by lack of sleep or just discomfort from being caught and punished. She couldn't invade his privacy without good reason, had promised that she would never do that after her own mother read her diary when she was in high school.

But it was comforting to know she had that option if her other research tactics turned up nothing.

Light shone around the edges of Jazz's door. Maddie stood in front of it for some time. Jazz, ever-observant, often concerned for Danny's welfare and trying to explain his actions with what she had read in her psychology books. Perhaps Jazz could tell her something, could give her a hint if nothing else.

Maddie knocked on her door, asked if she could speak to her for a moment. Jazz obliged and allowed her in.

"Can you close the door?" Maddie moved to Jazz's bed and sat down.

"Sure." Jazz closed her door and moved her desk chair near the bed where Maddie was sitting. "What's up?"

"Well, first, I just want you to be aware of Danny's punishment." Maddie put her hands together rested her elbows on her thighs. "I really hate doing this to him, but—"

"Just part of being a parent, right?" Jazz shrugged and smiled.

Maddie nodded. Mature and understanding; that was her daughter. "Right. Anyway, he's basically grounded for a week. I'm going to need you to take him to and from school everyday. Make sure he doesn't go off and hang out with Sam and Tucker. Can you do that for me?"

"Of course," said Jazz. "But, you know, I'm sure Danny didn't sneak out just to be rebellious."

Jazz was trying to defend Danny. Interesting.

"I actually think the same thing," said Maddie. "I think he had some sort of personal reason for doing it. But that doesn't change the fact that he broke one of our biggest rules."

Jazz nodded emphatically.

"But by any chance, Jazz, do you know why he might've snuck out?"

Jazz blinked, let a small "oh" escape her. It seemed she wasn't expecting to be asked this. She looked caught.

Even more interesting.

"No," said Jazz with the slightest stutter. "I mean, he doesn't really tell me anything or confide in me. I don't really know anything about any personal issues he might be having."

A little more elaboration than she needed to give. Maddie took note of this.

"I don't really know anything about him either anymore," said Maddie with a sigh. "We used to be close, but…I don't know. Something's changed." She looked at Jazz seriously. "You sure you don't know anything about what might be going on in his life?"

"No," said Jazz, more firmly this time. "But he's probably okay. He's just trying to find himself, you know? Figuring out who he is, becoming independent. You know, I have a whole book on it, psychosocial stages of—"

"That's all right. Thanks, Jazz." Maddie studied her daughter. In the past, Jazz would eagerly and readily pick Danny apart, insisting that he needed more guidance as a growing teen. But she was now trying to dismiss his problems, saying that he was "okay" and that he'd be fine if she just let him be. Well, that was the implication, anyway.

Perhaps Jazz had just decided to stop being so meddlesome. Or perhaps she was trying to cover up something for Danny.

"Jazz." Maddie held her daughter's gaze. "Are you absolutely sure that you don't know anything about why Danny snuck out last night? Or anything else that he might be up to? Anything that I as his mother should know?"

Jazz leaned back just a little and solemnly shook her head. "No, Mom. Really. But, ah…is there something that makes you think he might be up to something?" She shrugged and spoke more rapidly. "I mean, maybe I could help you analyze any clues. Maybe."

Maddie thought for a moment, considered asking her just one more question. "There is one thing." Maddie paused, but she had already committed to telling Jazz. "I don't really know how to ask this, but have you seen Danny taking painkillers? Like more than usual?"

"Painkillers?" echoed Jazz carefully with a small shake of her head.

"Yes. I've just noticed that the supply in our medicine cabinet has been dwindling rapidly." Maddie decided to not tell Jazz what Pam had told her, about her supply of narcotic analgesics lowering each time he came over.

"No," said Jazz. "I mean, I don't think it's Danny. It's, um…"

Maddie curiously waited for her to continue.

Jazz sighed, tapped her fingertips together a couple times. "It's me. I'm the one who's been taking all the painkillers, sorry."

Maddie cocked her head. "You?"

Jazz pouted slightly as she nodded. "Yes. I've just been getting a lot of headaches lately. I think maybe it's my hair." She pulled her red hair over her shoulders, ran her fingers through it to the ends. "It's just so long, you know? Puts a lot of strain on my head, pulls at the nerves. So, yeah, I often take something to relieve it. Sorry, I didn't realize that I had been taking so much that you would notice."

Brow furrowed, Maddie tried to process this. "Really? Like, four to five times a week? Because that's how fast it's been decreasing."

Jazz faltered for a quick second. "Uh, yeah. Sorry. Really."

No. Maddie wasn't buying this. This was not convincing at all. "Well, Jazz, maybe you should get your hair cut."

Jazz clutched her hair in panic, her eyes wide. "What? No! I love my hair."

"But if you think it's giving you headaches—"

"They're not that bad, really!"

"They're bad enough that you feel the need to take something for it several times a week," said Maddie. "You do know that painkillers are toxic, right? You're not supposed to take them that often, and if you're having to take them that often, then it's a problem we need to resolve."

"No! They're not that bad. I'll stop taking them so often, okay? I promise." Jazz was still clutching her hair, hair that framed her very worried face.

Maddie did not say anything for a moment, then smiled and stood. "All right. But let me know if your headaches get worse, okay?"

Jazz nodded, and Maddie finally left her room, closing the door behind her. She leaned against it awhile in contemplation. The way Jazz so quickly made up a story, so quickly jumped to her brother's defense was very odd indeed. What was it that Danny was hiding that even Jazz felt the need to help him cover up?

Across the hall, Danny's door was closed. Maddie walked over and rapped on it with her knuckles a couple times. Danny opened the door and looked at her tiredly.

"Hey," said Maddie as gently as she could. "Just, ah, remember to keep your door open when you go to bed, okay?"

Danny's tired gaze hardened. "I was just changing," he snapped, indicating the pale night shirt and pants he was now wearing. "Or am I supposed to leave my door open when I do that, too?"

"Danny, watch your tone," said Maddie, raising her voice slightly. "I was just reminding you."

"I'm not stupid. I didn't forget."

"Danny!" Maddie put a hand to her head, calmed herself. "All right. Just…good night." She started to walk away.

"Wait, Mom."

Maddie turned back to see Danny looking contrite. His eyes were shut, his hands were clenched. He relaxed and met her gaze.

"I'm sorry," he murmured. "It's just been a long day."

Maddie smiled sadly. She longed to pull him into a hug, longed to beg him to tell her what was going on with him, tell her how she could help him.

He walked past her and entered the bathroom nearby. Maddie sighed. She had to talk to him about this at some point. It would likely be an uncomfortable conversation, but it was her own fault for letting this go on for so long. She had known for some time that he seemed to be struggling with something, had gotten multiple e-mails from his teachers about his poor performance in school, but she had been so caught up with her research and ghost-related inventions that she had brushed it aside, had somehow convinced herself that he was fine, fine, perfectly fine.

Sleep. She yawned and rubbed her eyes. All of this worry and concern was far more taxing than she had realized. Perhaps she'd be able to make more sense of everything tomorrow after giving her ever-working mind a rest.

But there was one thing she wanted to do first. She couldn't stop him from buying his own, but at the very least, she was no longer going to keep them easily accessible.

After a quick trip to the basement for some tools, she headed to the kitchen and opened the medicine cabinet. She observed the analgesics, noted their levels, and then installed a lock, a lock to which only she would have the key.

(To answer the question of anyone undoubtedly wondering, I will say this later somewhere in the story, but Maddie does NOT remember where she shot Phantom. She was at a distance from him, it was dark and under his jumpsuit, and Danny pulled out the dart quickly. Further, Maddie was just so high on finally having him that she didn't commit to memory where she shot him. At this point, she still has nothing to lead her to believe that Danny is also Phantom. Just saying this now to assuage any readers wondering about this. ^^)