[TW: graphic imagery, sexual situations, strong language]

.:.


Hex Kittens


| Zeta Phi Zeta Mansion: 9:15 A.M.|

Valerie Gray had figured out her problem.

She was just too kind.

And it rarely paid off, honestly.

Standing in her full-body mirror, she unfastened one of the straps of her denim overalls, letting it drop down her back. Gazing at her reflection, she admired her perfectly gelled down baby hairs, along with the evenly-formed twin buns atop her head. Her long, uncollected hair fell around her face in fine, bouncy coils. The injury on her shoulder was barely visible anymore, and she was free to walk about today in a sleek, black sports bra. Sliding into a pair of white sneakers, she grabbed her backpack and left the suite she no longer shared, securely locking it behind her like she always did. Walking down one of the many stark white hallways of the mansion, hallways that now only saw a couple passing Zeta sisters at time, she fingered the tiny aluminum-wrapped object hidden in the front pocket of her outfit. Once she reached the living room, which was currently going through various ceiling and wall repairs, Valerie saw Paulina checking her makeup in her compact, books half-spilling from the knapsack at her feet. Her friend's raven mane was pin straight, and combed down through a magenta bandana, voluminous victory rolls ironed up over her forehead and temples. The silver sorority necklace that all the Zetas, except Valerie, wore glimmered around her neck from the sunlight pouring in from the tall windows

"Hey girl," Valerie greeted her. "I love your hair."

"Thanks," Paulina said, dexterously adjusting the falsie glued on her left lash line. When she made sure it was in place, she snapped her compact shut and reached down to gather her things. After she put away the small item and slung her bag around her shoulder, she turned to Valerie and gasped, "Oh my god, I love your hair!"

"Laid flawlessly, right?" she said proudly.

"And our earrings match!" Paulina proclaimed happily, pointing back and forth from the chunky gold hoops that both hung from their lobes.

"We're just both killing it today, I guess," replied Valerie, smiling.

"Tucker's taking me to putt putt after our philosophy class today," she informed cheerfully. "what's your excuse?"

Valerie blinked. "Wait, what? Are you two like, going out now?"

Paulina tightened the plaid shirt knotted around her waist. "I meeaaan, it's not like we're dating or anything. Yet. It may not be Lambda Chi, but he's still in a fraternity." There was a playful glint in her eye during the last word.

"Are you serious, P?" asked Valerie. "You said he was a nerd!"

She avoided her stare. "Well, he is…but he's also really nice. And smart. And um, I think he's cute now, okay? He's much nicer than those douches at Lambda Chi, anyway."

Valerie laughed. "Whatever you say. He just better not do anything stupid on or off the golf course, or he'll have to answer to me. You're wearing daisy dukes, so he most likely won't be focused on the game."

Pauline beamed. "Yeah, yeah. Anyway, answer me—what's your excuse? Da-an-ny Fenton?"

She scowled. "Why would I get dressed up for that idiot?" huffed Valerie. "I told you before, I'm so over him."

"Uh huh," her friend replied, grinning. "is that because you've started hooking up with the other Danny now? The cooler one?"

Blushing, Valerie brushed past Paulina and headed for the front doors. "Come on P, let's get going or we'll be late for calc."

Paulina scurried after, pulling on her white tank top up so it fully covered the hot pink bra underneath, giggling. "Nothing wrong with getting dressed up for a boy, Val. Living or unliving."

She and Valerie were of only four pledges left, plus a sorority cabinet that consisted of two people. The other pledges, named Whitney and Paige, or Becky and Mary Ann, or something and something—Valerie couldn't be bothered to remember, and she had shared a room with one of them—had been pulled out of school by their parents. They were convinced that Amity Park University was no longer a safe place for their daughters. It was a completely understandable decision, considering two of their sorority sisters had been brutally murdered and another was still in jail, along with some random dumbass swimmer dude being burned alive. However, while parents were abhorred by the recent violent events, Dean Slyman had only sent out another advisory email even briefer than the one he had sent out "memorializing" his own daughter's death. Although, on the upside, and Valerie knew one's standards must be astonishingly low for this to be considered an upside, Gretchen Putnam was the new Zeta house president; since Penelope and Jen had both been killed, she was deathly afraid of continuing any of the traditional hazing practices or executively mandating any sorority activities at all. She had wondered why she hadn't just rejected the position if she was that frightened, but she figured that despite Gretchen's many fears, none of them could hold her back from accepting the rank of top Zeta bitch. Moreover, she and Holly had immediately been under Valerie's suspicion after the home invasion that past weekend. But, today was Monday, and she had finished mulling over everything, forming a strong hunch that the status of possessed belonged to someone else. Also, she was relieved that there would be no more hellish hot yoga sessions or games of cocaine vs. dildo to play on the weekends.

Jennifer MacDougal had maybe been a microscopic fraction more tolerable than Penelope Boyle-Slyman, but Valerie had stabbed the latter's reanimated corpse in the forehead thinking that she had still managed to save a human life, and had been honored by that notion. Yes, the human she thought she had saved was a colossally awful one, and probably might have even lived (minus an eye, perhaps) had she gotten hit with the projectile that Valerie had blocked with her body, but she had still felt like a hero. She hadn't regretted her actions even when Jen had cussed her out before going to take her herbal bubble bath. Her night had finally been coming to a close, a finale that would entail some rewarding, steamy kitchen counter sex with one Danny Phantom, and then she had to go and discover dead Zeta president numero dos blue-faced in the tub.

It just proved that being nice and being bitchy, in ways that didn't target a direct source, had more or less the same outcome. There was no honorable deed that could be taken into account like some freebie no-murder token by a bloodthirsty spirit pulling all the strings. So today, Valerie was going to end it once and for all, before any more of them could die. She was going to take the fight to the killer.


| Herbert West Science Center: 3:50 P.M. |

"Val, Val wait up!"

Danny turned the corner and dashed down the hallway, nearly bumping into some grumpy Genetics II students transporting a large tray of petri dishes. He had been on the receiving end of another frigid, 120-minute-long silence from his lab partner in Chemistry. It was getting a bit ridiculous now, since she would only point, nod, or shake her head stiffly to communicate with him. This made completing assignments extremely difficult, let alone completing them well, since Valerie was had been the brains of the partnership before. He was beginning to wonder if her sense of pride was really that much greater than concern for her academics. While she was coldly ruining their chem grade, she had literally been making out with him two days earlier, and actually spent much of the weekend with him—at least most of Saturday and Sunday evening. Predictably, things had gone haywire after Valerie had discovered Jen's body choked to death in the bathtub. All of the pledges had begun panicking, again, and two had been picked up by their parents Sunday afternoon to leave the university for good. Holly and Gretchen had returned Saturday, the latter having to step into the role of house leader, even though she was as scared shitless as any of them—perhaps even more. Furthermore, whispers of the rehashed, grisly Felicity Jo legend had engulfed the Amity U populace. If he had known it was such easily accessible knowledge in the first place, he wouldn't have shaken Valerie down for the details a few days ago…even if shaking her down had been kind of fun.

Valerie told him on Saturday night that she had questioned Gretchen and Holly intensely about where they had been, but it really had been useless because even if she had been speaking face to face with Felicity Jo, there was no way she could have been sure. What's more, their stories of being with their boyfriends on Friday night both checked out, since she made them call their boyfriends in front of her for absolute confirmation. Though, again, who knows how "absolute" their confirmation was either. Regardless, there was no way either of them could have gotten into the mansion the night of Jen's murder, and the chances that one or even both of them could have been the ones who killed her were slim to none. Thus, he and Valerie were reasonably certain that the murderer had to be someone who had been sleeping in Zeta house that night. With two pledges out of the picture, their suspects had been narrowed down nicely.

Yet, there was still so much left unexplained. Danny was now strongly theorizing that there were two killers, and perhaps only one of them was inhabited by a ghost. Perhaps the other killer was Dean Slyman? Based on what they had found in his office; it was feasible to think that he was familiar with the dark arts. Could he have been the one who set Brad on fire? It seemed unlikely that he could have made it to the gym from Bates Hall by foot that quickly, but still possible. Similarly, could the killer have walked all the way across campus and hid out at the mansion during the whole face-off with zombie Penelope? And then crept out after all the ruckus had died down to murder Jen? Maybe and maybe not; he had thoroughly searched the mansion even while it had been on lockdown, and he hadn't seen anything. Thus, his distrust of Mallory and Ella was increasing more and more by the minute. And not only them, either. Not including Valerie, there were three pledges still left.

"What do you want, Fenton?" asked Valerie, voice unnervingly low and face expressionless.

Danny tried not to falter in his speech, but it was hard considering how concentrated her stare was. He had wanted her attention, but now he felt like he had too much of it all at once and in a very negative way. It seemed like deja-vu, since he had undergone a similar reaction when he had called Sam late Sunday night after getting back to his dorm, who was none to pleased about being left hanging for most of the weekend.

"I just wanted to ask where you were going…" he said, feeling the back of his neck heat up as his voice trailed off awkwardly.

"Why do you want to know?" she asked, tapping her foot.

"I just…" he said, fidgeting with the frayed strap of his backpack. "I just was curious since you usually meet up with Paulina after chem, and she didn't come today."

Valerie narrowed her eyes. "Paulina's currently playing mini-golf with Tucker," she said. "so we're not hanging out today. I also have an appointment with Dean Slyman at four."

"What? What about?"

"That's not any of your business, Fenton."

She swiftly spun on her heel and walked out of the science center. Uneasiness growing as he watched her figure hurry along the outside sidewalk, Danny was about to run out after her when someone tapped him on the shoulder. He turned around, nearly jumping at the fluorescent white-blonde and neon salmon hues that assaulted his eyes.

"Danny!" said the girl, running a hand through her brightly dyed, wavy hair. She was dressed in a flouncy, vividly-colored romper that barely brushed over her panty line.

"Uh, yeah?" he said in return, squinting.

"My name's Holly," she said cheerfully. "Holly Worthington. I'm currently the recruiting chair of Zeta Phi Zeta sorority…and also the PanHellenic representative chair, and public relations chair, and treasurer…um, we're a little short on members at the moment.

He stared back at her, thinking that most sorority girls really were hard to tell apart from each other. Danny remembered seeing Holly and the other Zeta clones backing up their then-president at the infamous party, and then cry hysterically over her corpse at the end of the night. She was definitely a current suspect in all of this, so Danny was a bit bothered by the fact that he couldn't distinguish her from any other effervescent, spray-tanned face. "So I've heard."

"Listen…" she said, biting her lip. "I know you have a thing for Valerie. I noticed you staring at her at the Zeta rager two Fridays ago—you know, before you made an ass of yourself by bumping into Paulina and causing her to puke on Brad from the swim team. My huge, condolences for your loss, by the way."

Danny frowned, shaking his head. "Um, we weren't friends? The only time I had ever talked to him was that night, and we were literally about to fight."

"Well, yeah, but it's still super sad that he died!" she said, giggling and lightly hitting him on the chest. "Silly. Anyway, Valerie was bitching about you the entire week after. Something about you saying another girl's name in bed."

"I did not do that," he corrected irritably. "is everyone spreading that around, or what?"

"Whatever," said Holly. "you did something to piss her off. And it was something pretty bad because now she's apparently dating that ghost weirdo Danny Phantom to get over you."

He tried his best to act surprised. "Oh, really? Damn it."

"I know right?" she replied. "I mean, he's hot but like, I personally would be freaked out by the whole being-dead thing. And I'm sure ghosts are terrible at sex. Like, how would you even feel anything at all? Except a super cold, clamminess in your vag after it was all over."

Danny was crossed between disgusted and offended. "Um, I don't know about any of that. But what's your point?"

"My point is," she said with a smile, flashing him her blindingly white teeth. "I think you should try to apologize and go for her again."

He raised is eyebrows in response. "Okay, first of all—I've apologized a hundred times already and tried saying everything I can think of to make things better, and none of it worked. Second—why do you even care? What's your game here?"

Holly pursed her tangerine-tinted lips. "No game! Okay, maybe a little…"

He glared.

"I just," she continued apprehensively, "I just don't like that freak hanging around at the mansion, okay?"

"What?"

"He was over like all of Saturday night and again on Sunday!" complained Holly, waving her skinny arms, "It's seriously creeping me out. The house gets so cold when he's there!"

"Uh, Holly," Danny said. "you do know that there's a psychotic ghost out to kill all of you right now, don't you? He's probably trying to keep a close watch on things at that murderhouse you're all living in, and Valerie's helping him."

"Yeah, that's what she told us," she sniffed. "and okay, but I mean can't they do that somewhere else?"

"No?" he said, becoming increasingly annoyed by her stupidity. "Why would he try to be anywhere else other than the mansion your past two sisters were killed in?"

"Danny, you don't understand," Holly said in a dire tone, inching closer. "one of the pledges told me they were gonna have sex on the kitchen counter. That is so gross! I mean, we like never cook but still, ew!"

He rolled his eyes. "Were they going to do that before or after Jennifer MacDougal was found dead in a bathtub?"

"Before, I think," she said. "Look, I'm just saying that a sister doing it with a ghost is bad for Zeta's image!"

Danny's gaze was unbelieving. "Really," he said. "because I think being picked off one by one by a murderous spirit is worse for your image. And to be honest, Zeta's reputation was shitty to begin with."

"Hey," Holly shot back, crossing her arms. "I resent that."

"I don't care," Danny said, "and I think that you should get over Danny Phantom hanging out at the house since he is most likely just doing his job."

Her features contorted in perplexity. "Why aren't you more bothered by this? I mean, you do still like Valerie, don't you?"

Immediately becoming self-conscious, his face softened. "Oh, well, yeah of course I do!"

"Then why are you defending him so much? I mean, he's moving in on your woman, Danny!"

Danny felt perspiration dewing across his forehead. "I just think you need to have more faith in him in as the protector of Amity Park," he elaborated. "and well, he is pretty cool. I'm not sure how I could compete with him if she really is interested in him."

Finishing that statement without cracking up was by far the most challenging feat he had accomplished all day.

"Oh, please," said Holly, rolling her eyes. "don't give me that. If you ask me, Valerie shouldn't be tarnishing the Zeta Phi Zeta legacy by getting romantically involved with his kind. I'd much prefer if she dated someone boring and mediocre, but still human, like you!"

Danny did not seem flattered. He had broken a record for himself by managing to get simultaneously complimented and curved, over the same thing except reversed, in less than three days.

"Thanks," was his sarcastic reply. "but like I said before, I can't seem to get back on her good side in any way. Nothing I've tried has worked."

"Which is why," she cooed slyly, reaching into her Coach purse, "you need a little help." He watched her pull out a diminutive velvet case. Opening it in front of him, she displayed the sparkling object inside. Danny's eyes widened.

"What is—"

"It's a peridot-encrusted silver tennis bracelet," interrupted Holly. "that you can give to Valerie."

"…what?"

She snapped the case shut. Holly grabbed his hand, her razor sharp shellac nails digging into his flesh. Firmly, she placed it in his palm.

"Our current house president is regularly pissing herself out of pure terror," she said, holding his wrist with a vice grip. "thinking that she's the next one to die. And she probably will be. Yet, she'd rather die than reject the position of leader. This has forced me to take more of an initiative as the ruler from the shadows, and you can consider this my first authoritative act of business. You see, as a sorority, Zeta is in shambles. We can barely trust anyone, and we most definitely can't trust a ghost if a ghost is the one out to get us. That's why I want you to take this bracelet and give it to Valerie so she can quit inviting that freak over to the mansion. If you get her to like you again, she'll dump is ghoulish ass. "

Danny felt the hairs on the back of his neck prickle. "He's been watching over Amity Park for years now, Holly," he tried to reason with her. "I don't think his intentions are anything but good."

"You don't know that," she said, pulling away. "if his intentions really were pure, then he wouldn't be trying to screw one of us. I don't trust him. At all. And regardless of what you think of Zeta's history, I won't let him besmirch it by cozying his freaky ghost self up at our house. Gretchen doesn't have the ovaries to do anything except welter in her own fear, so someone has to step up and start bringing Zeta out of the ashes. And when that bitch gets stabbed in the face with a stiletto heel, or eats a poisoned Luna bar, or gets hanged with a pair of pantyhose, I'll be there to inherit the restored queendom. I'm way more woman than Penelope, Jennifer, and Gretchen put together, so it'll take a lot more than some bitter, haggy undead failure of a Zeta to take me out."

She sported a dangerously confident look. He glanced down at the gift now in his grasp, then looked back up at her. "You can't be serious, Holly," he said. "this doesn't make any sense. Why are you so against Danny Phantom? Shouldn't you be trying to get rid of the ghost that's trying to kill you instead? And why are you giving me something so expensive to give to Valerie?"

Holly strolled past him, stopping before she exited through the revolving doors. "I just told you—we already have one stupid ghost to deal with; we don't need another one. Especially a douchey guy one. I already have a plan for dealing with Felicity Jo. And that bracelet was only like two hundred dollars. It was like spending pocket change, 'cus if you didn't notice, I'm filthy rich," she answered, "peridot is Val's birthstone, by the way."


| Bates Hall – 4:10 P.M. |

Valerie looked down at her phone. It was ten minutes over her scheduled meeting time with the Dean, and whoever was currently in his office did not sound like they were going to be leaving any time soon. Sighing, she tucked her other hand into the front pocket of her overalls again, feeling the object hidden inside as she continued waiting.

"Hi there, Ms. Valerie Gray."

Having been just about to kill time with a round of Candy Crush, she looked up from her mobile device and met the deep brown eyes of Kyle…something. It occurred to her that she had never learned the swimmer's last name. Though, he evidently knew hers, and felt the need to add it on when greeting her.

"Oh, hi Kyle," she said. "what are you doing here?"

"I was just taking care of some stuff at the financial office," he replied. "thought I'd stop by to find out what trouble you've gotten yourself into. Let me guess: you're turning yourself in as the Zeta house killer?"

Straightening her back, she clasped her hands in her lap and met his eyes. "Yes, I am," she said in unwavering monotone. Startled, he instinctively began to take a step back before he realized she was just a particularly convincing actress.

"I almost believed you for a second," he said scratching the back of his head and re-approaching her. "you girls are so—"

"Good at lying?" she questioned, cutting him off with a frown.

He cocked his head and assumed a humble tone. "I was going to say, 'hard to read.'"

"Of course."

"Mind if I join you?"

Valerie's brows knitted together. "Why?"

"I just wanted to tell you something," he answered, appearing a little sheepish. Before she could even confirm whether she minded him joining her or not, he had sat down in the chair next to her.

"Valerie," Kyle said, face closer to her own than she'd prefer. "it's been three days since my boy Brad died."

She wished she was better at forcing sympathy. "I'm…sorry," she said meagerly.

"No, it's okay. Everyone knew he was a douche."

The corner of her mouth twisted in bafflement. "Uh?"

"Including you," he replied. "anyway, since he's no longer alive to say this, I'm taking it upon myself to say it for him: I am so sorry."

Now completely mystified, Valerie could only stare blankly. "What?"

Brad leaned back in his seat, covering his face with his palms. "Ugh, god damn it."

Becoming concerned for his sanity, she contemplated reaching out to touch him comfortingly, until he recaptured her attention by suddenly grabbing her arm instead.

"Kyle, what the he—"

"I shouldn'ta let him talk to you girls like that," he said, sounding like his whole body was stricken with painful remorse. "at the Zeta party."

She felt his grasp loosen and then slowly droop away, hand sitting limply at his side. At this point, she was more than a little disturbed.

"Oh, um," she said, slightly nudging away from him in her chair. "it's no big deal."

"No, it is a big deal," he said, sharply turning towards her again so that their eyes locked. "'cause now that Brad's gone, I can't hide behind his shittiness anymore. I have to be my own person, and I'm sick of this normative straight frat dickhead behavior, you know? Like—" he swallowed hard. "it's all so freaking exhausting. Being this much of an asshole all the time. So much that, it's honestly therapeutic to not be a douche."

A moment of tense silence passed. Valerie then very gently prodded his shoulder. "Kyle, I—uh—I promise, it's okay. It's not like you didn't try to calm Brad down. And really, if you want to apologize to someone, it should probably be Paulina."

"I already apologized to her."

"Really? Huh," Valerie said thoughtfully, trying hard to end the conversation. "well, I'd say you have every right to forgive yourself, then."

Without warning, Kyle pulled her into a tight hug. Her whole body went stiff, sinuses overpowered by his aftershave. On reflex, she harshly shoved him off, eyes furious. However, they instantly lessened in anger once she saw that his were filled with tears. They began to trickle down his freckled cheeks.

"K-Kyle?" she stuttered in shock.

"Aw shit," he said, jerking away from her so she couldn't see his face. "I'm sorry, don't look at me."

She heard the door beside her open. Turning around, she saw the ugly, agitated, bull-dog face of Dean Slyman.

"Could you two keep it down out here?" he grumbled darkly. "I'm still meeting with a student in my office. You're being very rude."

Valerie repressed the glower that was itching to consume her expression. "We're sorry, Dean Boyle-Slyman. But, I'd like you to know that I was scheduled to meet with you at four o'clock, and it's twenty past."

"I realize that, Mrs. Gray," he said. "but I am discussing very important matters with another person right now. Don't be so selfish."

He disappeared back into his office and slammed the door shut. Valerie growled to herself.

"Dick," she muttered.

"What do you need to talk to him about?" Kyle asked, wiping the moisture from his eyes.

"Just scheduling stuff," she lied.

He gave her an odd look. "Why didn't you go to the registrar's offi—"

"Kyle," Valerie addressed him in her sweetest voice, deftly changing the subject. "I admire you for being so real with me about Brad and shitty fraternity behavior in general. Definitely shows your integrity."

Kyle reddened at her compliment. "Thanks Valerie," he said nervously. "I've always…always thought you were really great."

"Appreciate it," she said curtly, looking back down at her phone screen.

"Really cute too," he added. "you know, I'm going to the football game tonight against Bridgeton. It'll be super wild. Interested?"

Valerie sighed, turning towards him. "Kyle, that's really nice, but…"

She paused. No longer wrought with sorrow, Kyle was giving her a wily, boyish grin. His brown eyes were wide and staring intently at her, and while she wouldn't admit it out loud, she thought they were gorgeous. The way his dark irises were flecked with gold that twinkled handsomely in the lighting had her at a momentary loss for words. In fact, his entire face wasn't all that bad to look at; the boy had a jawline for days.

God, what has come over me? Valerie thought to herself.

"Mmm," she said, watching his soft lips as they were about form what she was sure would be more flirtatious comments, "I…have to go to the bathroom!"

Valerie shot up from her chair. Feeling like a wind-up toy, she robotically traipsed down the corridor and vanished around the corner. Kyle slouched sadly in his seat. Spotting the women's restroom, Valerie entered with her mind swarming with thoughts on how she had just made a fool of herself for no reason.

"Ugh," she said, looking at herself in the long mirror near the door. "since when am I so enchanted by guys like that?"

"Guys like what?"

She jumped at the voice, almost letting out a small squeal of fright. Laughter rang out from thin air, until Valerie saw something begin to materialize next to her. Or, more accurately: someone. Her face transitioned from fear to provocation.

"You creep!" she hissed at Danny, hitting him across his now tangible black-suited chest.

"Dude, you almost screamed," he said.

"I'm gonna make you scream in a second," she threatened. "I should report you for harassment. This is the girl's bathroom!"

"I literally just phased in here," Danny defended himself. "I followed you after you walked away from that Kyle douche."

"Oh, like that's any less creepy," seethed Valerie. "I'm serious: how often do you spy on me?"

"I don't spy on you," he said, "I just look out for you."

"I don't need you to look out for me," she retorted icily. "I can take care of myself."

"Let me amend my previous statement," he replied. "I just keep a look out to make sure you don't do anything stupid."

"And what, exactly, do you mean by that?"

Danny stepped forward so that there was minimal space in between their bodies, and Valerie precipitously became aware of the drop in temperature. Trying to hold back her shivers, she held his severe gaze.

"You're going to do something to Dean Slyman," he said.

Her lips curled slightly. "What makes you think that, ghost boy?"

"I just know you," he answered. "now tell me what it is that you're planning."

"What if I don't want to?" she said aloofly, examining her fingernails.

"You're going to hurt him," Danny said.

Startled by the sentence, she jolted in place. "What? That's crazy."

Temporarily puzzled, he hesitated before responding. Uncertainly, he began, "But, I thought—"

"I'm going to kill him."

"Valerie."

"That's my name."

He stared at the cunning leer in her feline eyes.

"Problem?" she inquired.

"Are you insane?" he asked with hardened tone. "What is going through your mind right now? How could you even think of doing something so jaw-droppingly stup—"

"He's a killer," she interjected. "He's a killer! And he's gonna kill again unless he gets killed first!"

"You don't know that!"

"Oh, don't I?" Valerie said, reaching into her back pocket. She presented her upturned fist and then unclosed her fingers. In the center palm lay a silver topaz-adorned pin of some sort. If something was supposed to click in his head at the sight of the small accessory, her effort had been unsuccessful.

"What the heck is this pin supposed to be?" he asked.

"It's not a pin, stupid," she said. "it's one of Dean Slyman's cufflinks. I found it under the tub in the downstairs bathroom. You know, the one Jen was murdered in?"

Danny was flummoxed. "What? H-how in the—why didn't you show me as soon as you found it?"

"I thought you would try to prevent me from killing him."

"Well, you'd be right!" he said, astonished at her detached demeanor, "Valerie, even if you found that cufflink at the scene of the murder, it doesn't mean that Dean Slyman is the one who killed Jen! The house was on complete lockdown, remember? He couldn't have gotten inside!"

"Of course he could have," she said simply.

"I beg you to inform me of how."

"When we snuck into his office the other night," Valerie explained. "and went through his desk drawers, I saw a file holding a blueprint of the Zeta house, on the front of which were directions to disable something—how much do you want to bet that it was the security system?"

"Uh, nothing, because that's a hugely flimsy assumption to make of someone?" he rebutted, flabbergasted.

"No," she said, unyielding. "Dean Slyman already had keys to the house. His daughter lived there for god's sake. We all saw him visiting more than once."

"Even if he had unlocked a door or window, the alarm would have gone off!"

"That's why he disabled it!"

"Valerie, you can't just—"

"I can, and I'm going to."

"I won't let you," he said, reaching out to enclose his hand around her wrist in a frigid clamp. Danny expected her to react lividly, but she only stood there with her immovable resolve.

"You're not a killer, Val," he tried to make her think rationally. "and besides, if he is the main killer, then that means he's possessed by Felicity! You just told me on Saturday night that we can't harm the body of an innocent vessel!"

"But he's not innocent," Valerie said grimly. "he's a psycho who summoned the evil spirit of a dead sorority girl to slaughter a bunch of people. Granted, all those people were terrible, but they still didn't deserve to die!"

"You acted like you didn't even care if Jen got killed!"

"That was before I risked my life to save her," she said, voice beginning to tremble. "and later found out it was all for freaking nothing! Don't you get it?"

He watched her expression turn sullen. "We can't just 'look out for each other,'" said Valerie. "none of us are safe and the only solution is to go right to the sadistic source and take it out."

"Okay, but killing the Dean isn't going to eliminate the source?" argued Danny. "It'll just force Felicity out of his dead body, and then she'll just look for a new host. And you'll have a felony on your hands!"

"Not if I use a cleansing potion," Valerie said.

"What are you talking about?"

"If you let go of me, maybe I'll show you," she said coolly.

Glowering at her, he cautiously let go of her wrist. Reaching into her front pocket, Valerie produced a small, rectangular piece of something wrapped in foil.

"Is that," Danny asked. "chocolate?"

"I texted Bethany over the weekend to oh-so-innocently ask about our stats homework, and then the conversation unexpectedly turned into queries about any sweets Dean Slyman happened to like," she said. "and, well, this right here is his absolute favorite: authentic cioccalato di modica con chili—with an additional infusion of one bitching purifying draught."

He would have chuckled if the situation had been less critical. "I hope you know that cleansing potions only have a fifty percent success rate."

"Of course I know that," she snapped. "which is why I brewed one with high levels of lavender oil and unreduced dead sea water."

"Okay…?"

"And a very zealous blood sacrifice."

The very little color that was present in Danny's face faded. "Don't tell me you…"

"That's right, ghost boy," Valerie said, grimacing menacingly. "I donated my own blood to the little concoction, giving it an extra potent kick that makes the smell and taste not only addictive to humans and ghosts alike, but assured to be deadly to both as well. And if and when it expels Felicity from Dean Slyman's body, I'll be ready to catch the moment she wastes to nothingness on camera for everyone as proof. Trust me, it'll be one hell of an Instagram post."

"You used a spell," he said, sickened. "you used dark magic! How do you even know how to use dark magic? How could you even think to—"

"It's amazing what you can learn how to do after a trip to the 'occult' section of your friendly local library. You gonna do something about it?" she challenged, voice taking on a sultry edge.

He felt the ectoplasmic energy coursing through his veins begin to concentrate in his fists. Yet, he became hesitant when he saw her eyes soften. He watched her look away sadly, as if she instantly regretted posing the question.

"Sorry," she apologized ambiguously. "I just thought…"

She threw her arms around his neck and fell into him, much to his surprise.

"Valerie…?"

"I think I was wrong," she murmured against him, the vibration of her words on his chest a prickling stimulus to his receptive body.

Her lips raised to his ear. "I just thought after telling you I wanted you, and then wholly offering myself to you, you would have become a bit more lenient. That is," she said, and he shivered. "you wouldn't have a problem with letting me kill just one homicidal scumbag pervert."

The electrifying pain that shot through his system was powerful enough to fry every inch of his being up to the very tips of his fingers and toes. He felt his arms constricted straight to his sides, and crumpled to the floor. Valerie stood over him, the chocolate in one hand and a modified chrome stun gun in the other, which had reloaded with what looked to be a thick, charged fiber pulled taut between two metal probes. He looked down, seeing the same voltaic fiber had expanded to wrap rigidly around his torso, paralyzing him.

"Sorry to leave you in such a bind," she said, giving him a tart grin. "but I have a dean to go ice."

"V-Valerie!" he spluttered. "Don't you dare leave me here!"

"The paralysis should last thirty minutes," Valerie said. "which should be all the time I need to get the job done. And even if it takes me a bit longer than thirty minutes, some scandalized coed is bound to call security on your pasty butt when she finds you here. I'm sure they'll be thrilled to apprehend the famous Danny Phantom for creeping in the ladies' room."

If he had fangs, he would have been baring them at her viciously.

"You are so…" he snarled. "if you leave this bathroom, I swear I'll—"

"Bye, boo!" she parted cheerily, blowing him a kiss on the way out.

Valerie left him incapacitated on the filthy white tile, swearing obscenely to himself. His head was desperately abuzz with thoughts on what he should do, and also impetuous vows on how he was one-hundred-percent done with girls.


Valerie hadn't given much consideration to how exactly one interacted with a possessed human being. Did you address the vessel or the entity occupying it? Or both? Did it honestly matter that much, since she was about to eviscerate both of them anyway? She decided to go with a handshake. To her chagrin, Dean Slyman flinched in disgust when Valerie offered him her hand. It was all he did to acknowledge the gesture before taking a seat, with her resentfully following suit. So which of them is the racist one? wondered Valerie. Wouldn't be surprised if Dean Slyman was just like his daughter.

"Well Ms. Gray," Dean Slyman said, assessing her from across his scattered desk with a cruel gaze. "I hope this will be a short conversation. My office hours end at five."

Her jaw tightened. In that case, Valerie had exactly twelve minutes. The kill alone would take a minute max—there was enough lethal force in one square of the chocolate alone. It was the presentation, the act of gifting the chocolate, that would take the real slow-finessing. Valerie was confident she could do it, but she couldn't dawdle with any small talk. Although she couldn't be too forward. God, murder is so totally complicated, she thought. If only the meeting before me hadn't taken so long! She had noticed that the student who had been in before her was a pretty girl with reddish hair, not very dissimilar looking to Bethany in clean-faced appearance and small stature. Out of revulsion, Valerie tried not to think very hard about this, except for taking note of the fact that the possessed Dean clearly had a type.

"Sure, Dean Boyle-Slyman," she said politely. "I just wanted to give you s-s-ome-thi…ah, AH choo!" Valerie turned away and sneezed in the direction of her shoulder. When she looked back up, she saw Dean Slyman looking at her as if she had just committed a heinous crime.

"Um," she said apologetically. "excuse me."

He narrowed his eyes. "God bless you."

She paused. Feeling awkward, she nodded in thanks.

"You didn't completely cover your mouth," he tetchily commented.

Valerie had made sure not to release any spittle, mucus, or other nastiness; it had only been a small sneeze. Probably one of the most ladylike sneezes she had ever emitted. It didn't seem all that unlikely for Dean Slyman to be a stickler for etiquette or a germ freak or both, but if he was being controlled by Felicity's ghost why would it mean anything to her?

"I'm sorry," she said. "I should have been more mindful of hygi—"

"You realize that your soul can escape when you sneeze without covering your mouth, do you not?" said the Dean. "Making it much easier for the devil to enter your body."

Wordlessly, she cocked her head in a taken aback, "come again?" manner.

"Were you raised by heathen parents in the woods, Ms. Gray?"

She clenched her teeth. Containing her anger for the time being, she replied, "No, Dean Boyle-Slyman, of course not."

"Then I don't see what you're so confused about," he replied. "you really should be more cautious about these sorts of things."

"I...didn't know you were so superstitious."

"Superstitious?" he repeated, nostrils flaring. "Young lady, these are facts. Scientific facts."

Not any science that I've studied before, she thought.

"You should always be hugely thankful to be blessed after a sneeze," Dean Slyman continued. "for it could be what saves you from a wretched and unholy existence."

"I'll try not to take such things so lightly anymore," Valerie assured monotonously.

"Good," he said. "you young people think you're invincible, unable to see the protection one gains from being pious and god-fearing. Many of you even willingly try to mess with the devil, with your ouji boards and heavy make up and dubstep."

"Wait, wait," Valerie's eloquence suddenly escaped her. "are you saying that you're not into…or um, interested, in that kind of—um, stuff?"

It was as if she had asked if he supported Hitler. "Of. Course. Not," he breathed.

She could see terror and alarm in his once brutal stare. Valerie almost felt guilty for asking something so offensive.

"The affairs of the devil and his consorts are not something ordinary mortals like you and I should be messing with," he said. "it's bad enough this city is already crawling with ungodly specters of every sort. No need to make it any worse by provoking the other side for asinine adolescent amusement."

Valerie's face twitched. Damn, that alliteration though.

"That goes double for you, Ms. Gray," he added. "with a name like yours, you've been doomed by birth to have the devil's luck."

"Excuse me?"

He coughed. "Your name…"

She was starting to become seriously irked by his nonsense. "What exactly are you trying to say, Dean Boyle-Slyman?"

"According to your personal record," he explained, underlying trepidation in his tone. "your middle name is 'Di.'"

"Yes, and?" Sure, it wasn't the prettiest middle name in the world, but to associate it with Satan was just plain insulting.

"That makes your full name consist of thirteen letters," he answered, shuddering and wearing the same repulsed expression he had when she had attempted the handshake. "and individuals with thirteen letters in their name are cursed with hellish misfortune and attract all manners of dark creatures. Good Lord, child, haven't you ever cracked open a book once in your life?"

Deadpanning, she thought that even if he wasn't currently possessed by an undead sorority bitch, she would have still wanted to murder the fool. Catching herself in mid-homicidal fantasy, she halted her thought process and became quizzical about whether or not the words coming out of the hideous, sagging visage in front of her truly belonged to a vengeful female spirit. This wasn't exactly the conversation she expected to have with one, that's for sure, but she had to keep in mind there was no set level of predictability when it came to ghosts.

That being said, she was still nonplussed by the Dean's behavior. Could it be he didn't want to touch me not because he's racist, but because he think's I'm cursed by the Devil? Again, if he was possessed, she was stumped to as why that would be an issue. "I have to say I'm embarrassed by my own ignorance," she remarked dryly.

"As you should be. You should do right by that cross you wear around your neck," he said, nodding. "now, what is it that you wanted to speak to me about? You have five minutes."

Her chest became taut with nervousness. Gripping the wrapped chocolate tightly in her pocket, she remained quiet.

"Well, Ms. Gray?"

"I…"

What's my deal? You slaved all weekend over this damn chocolate—even poured out an ounce of your own blood for it! Just say something, anything…bat those thick, long lashes and purr, "I just want to thank you for being such a caring Dean in these hard times, and wanted to give you something to express my deepest sympathies for your recent loss…" Or, I don't know, maybe just say, "Bitch I know it's you. Eat chocolate," fly across that desk and stuff it down her throat! Er, his throat. Their throat. Whatever, just talk, girl! Talk!

"Dean Slyman!" she lunged forward, planting her hands flat on his desktop. Her abrupt movement had accidentally tipped the small flag stand that had been sitting in the desk's corner. It teetered precariously before Dean Slyman hurriedly steadied it back into place.

"Ms. Gray!" he bellowed. "Be careful!" She winced at his loud scolding.

"This is the Danish flag," he fumed. "it is horrible bad luck for this flag to touch the ground! As a member of a proud family of Danes, I cannot let this flag be so flagrantly disrespected—it came from heaven."

That was the last straw. She knew what she had to do.

"I…" Valerie said, squeezing the chocolate so hard that it broke in half. "just wanted to say that I think you're a really great Dean and tell you that I'm applying for a work study position in your secretary's office!"

She rapidly backed away from his desk and waved goodbye. "Have a great day! See you later!"

Picking her backpack up from the floor, she left his office as quickly as she could, blushing furiously and leaving a very confused dean in her wake. Exiting into the empty hallway, she speed-walked around the corner and leaned against the wall, heart beating thunderously.

What just…?

An icy-tight hold around her ankles cut her thoughts short, and she felt her whole body yanked downwards through the floor. The motion occurred so swiftly that she did not have time to fully register the stories of building that passed before her eyes before she was immersed in darkness. Panic overcame her, and she scrambled for a weapon, but her wrist was seized by something unseen.

"Valerie," came a hair-raising baritone. A pair of glowing green eyes flashed into view.

She inhaled sharply. "Danny?"

His bright irises were radiant with nothing but anger.

"You are unbelievable," he growled. Skin erupting in goose bumps, Valerie was glad the lights were off because her current expression was one of genuine fear. Yet, a shudder of excitement shook through her as she spoke.

"I didn't do it, Danny," she said. "he's fine."

"Yeah, I figured," he replied gruffly. "I knew you didn't have it in you. But that doesn't make me any less pissed."

"Let me go," she ordered, trying to not to waver in her command. He pulled her closer.

"What is your problem?" he demanded. "Why is it that I can never trust you? We were supposed to be in this together, so why did you turn on me like that?"

The tension between them sent a spell of itching static along her flesh. She scowled and retorted, "What made you think we were in this together? I make my own decisions, regardless of what the saintly Danny Phantom thinks. I needed your help in the beginning, sure, but that didn't insure you for a damn thing on my end. I'm a ghost hunter, Phantom. And I'll do whatever it takes to take down ghosts and everyone who fraternizes with 'em, which includes necessarily turning annoying, meddling wannabe-superheroes into collateral."

Her blood ran cold at the sound of his mordant laughter.

"You've got to be kidding me," he said astringently. "how colossally hypocritical of you, Val. Yeah…"

He twisted her arm slightly, but her senses were too high on thrill to notice the pain.

"I know you hate ghosts," Danny scathed. "that's why you were about to give it up for on last Friday night, right?"

The resolute force that sent her palm across his face was simply astonishing. Her hand collided with his cheek before he could even render himself intangible. Releasing her, he staggered backwards.

"Think nothing of it," she said poisonously. "except a mandatory evil to keep you sprung on me in case I needed anything else from you."

Danny straightened his posture. "Valerie…"

"We're not partners, okay?" she almost yelled at him. Stamping her foot in frustration, she looked from left to right but could only make out outlines of bulky figures in the darkened room. "Where the hell are we?" Valerie asked, fists balled at her sides.

"The basement," he answered. "I didn't want anyone to see you with me."

"You mean you didn't want anyone to see you attack me."

"Did I attack you, Valerie?"

"Yes," she insisted. "you abducted and manhandled me and who knows what else you're going to do."

"I only wanted to confront you about how you attacked me in the girl's bathroom," he replied. "Unlike you, I would never hurt you while your guard was down like that or even initiate a fight. Besides, it took most of my energy to overcome that goddamn binding before any unsuspecting coed walked in and then bring you down here, so it's not like I could do much else to you anyway."

She rubbed her aching wrist. "Yeah well, you coulda fooled me."

"I'm sorry I said what I said just now," he said. "but I'm not dropping how you went rogue on me."

"You want an apology?" she spat. "Well keep dreaming, ghost boy."

"I want you to be straight with me about all your suspicions and any evidence you find on your own from now on," he said. "and promise not to something this reckless and dangerous by yourself ever again."

"Um, excuse me?" she said, putting a hand on her hip. "Did you not hear what I said? I do whatever the hell I want! You're not the boss of me."

"No, I'm your partner, and we need to have mutual respect and understanding."

"What in the—I literally just said we're not partners!" she exclaimed. "I'm through working with you!"

"Is that so?" he asked. "Do you really think after what just happened, you can figure this out by yourself?"

She crossed her arms. "What are you trying to say?"

"I'm saying that you decided to do something crazy on an impulse because you got scared by something, and then wussed out of doing it because you probably got scared of something else," he said. "you only try to figure things out halfway before making brash decisions."

"I didn't know this was a therapy session," she sneered. "spare me the psychoanalysis, okay? You don't know anything about me."

"I've known you for years, Valerie."

"Yeah, as an enemy."

"It doesn't have to stay that way," he reasoned. "don't you see all the good that happens when we work together?"

She didn't answer. He sighed.

"Look," Danny said. "I've looked into the names we found in the Dean's office. I only have a lead on one of them, but I think it'll be really helpful. And I got you a hook up down at the police department to visit Caitlin Fowler."

Valerie's face contorted in confusion. "What? When…how did you manage to do that?"

"I know a guy," he said. "real good with technology. Caitlin's visitation privileges have been restricted more than a regular detainee's, so I had him hack the station's records to list you as a family member."

"You're kidding."

"Nope. You've got an appointment at the APPD's headquarters tomorrow afternoon at five thirty. And while you're taking care of that, I'll be across town at the apartment of Ms. Brittany Jean Spelling. She was Zeta's treasurer the year Felicity was president and nowadays works as a hairstylist. I'm sure she'll be able to give us some answers, if we can get her to—"

"Phantom," Valerie said, massaging her temples. "Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why are you doing all of this still?" she asked. "I mean, how could you still want to work with me after what I've said and done?"

"Because we need each other," he said as if it were elementary. Valerie shivered at the sound of his resolve, unrelentingly serious but also kind. Embarrassed by her silence, he faltered, "uh, we need each other to solve this case."

"You can't trust me."

"I'm going to try to. Again," Danny said with a hint of sadness. "I hope I don't regret doing so."

"Ughhh," groaned Valerie, walking towards him and grabbing his arm, which caught him by surprise. "whatever. Just get me out of here so we can go somewhere less cold, dark, and smelly. I have to tell you something about Dean Slyman—I don't think he was the one who summoned the ghost anymore."

"What'd I tell you?" He smirked as he levitated her upwards.

"Can it, ghost boy."

Feeling weightless as several floors splashed over her, Valerie chewed on her lip when he said her shortened name again: "By the way, Val."

"What?"

"If you need something from me, just ask. There's no need to do…other stuff. I mean I don't know if you meant what you said about trying to keep me 'sprung' or whatever, but…I'm not right for you, anyway."

She despised the way her heart sank at his words. It made her feel weak and stupid and like she was being "handled."

"Like I said before," Danny added solemnly. "You got another guy who cares about you a lot, I'm sure. Probably stresses you out a lot less too."

Valerie was determined not to tear up like a hopeless fourteen-year-old little bitch getting rejected by her crush. She swallowed hard, wondering how the situation had even ended up like this. Not really.


|Zeta Phi Zeta Mansion - 5:50 P.M.|

"And when I accidently hit the ball into the koi pond, Tucker actually got in the water to fish it out for me! And he still let me win!" gushed Paulina. "Then he bought me an ice cream cone afterwards—with two scoops! Plus Oreo bits!"

"Wow," commended Valerie, smiling gently as they walked through the foyer. "he's a regular prince charming. So when's the second date?"

"This weekend!" Paulina replied. "We're going to Scoozi's."

They began their ascent upstairs. "Faaancy," her friend remarked, nodding in approval.

"You have to help me figure out what to wear," said Paulina.

"Of course."

"Anyway, how was your day?" she asked. "Did you see Da-a-any?"

Valerie's stomach turned during mid-step, thinking of her failed murder attempt. "It was okay," she said, "and yeah, but we didn't talk much."

"Gosh, are you gonna stay mad at him forever?"

"No," said Valerie. "maybe just for a few more weeks."

"Valerie, come on!" Paulina bemoaned as they strolled through the hallway. "The poor guy's clearly dying inside from how you've been treating him. It's a tragedy, honestly."

"You're so overdramatic," she scoffed. "he's getting on just fine."

"Tucker told me he talks about you nonstop."

Pausing, Valerie remembered how Danny had stopped her in the hall earlier that day. "Really?" she inquired.

"Yep," Paulina affirmed, taking the key from her wallet chain and unlocking her bedroom door. "All I'm saying is that you should really give him another chance, Val. Or at the very least hear him out about the whole Sam thing. Ghost boy may be cool, but Danny's got it real bad for you. It's pretty obvious."

She thought about all those unanswered text messages he had sent. He had definitely tried to explain himself in the most earnest way possible several times. It had been over a week and she was still giving him the cold shoulder in class, and both he and their chemistry grade were suffering heavily for it. What's more, due to her impetuous, hotheaded nature the other Danny had basically put an end to any interaction between the two of them that wasn't relevant to catching Felicity's ghost. So to put it mildly, she wasn't feeling that great about herself. Maybe it really was time to let go of some that pride, if only for her own peace of mind. Deep down, she knew she really missed Danny, and forgiving him might actually lead to her feeling happy again. Valerie couldn't take back what had happened between her and Phantom, but perhaps she could follow up on Paulina's suggestion. Shrugging, she took out her own key and began heading towards the corner.

"I'll think about it. See ya later," she told her friend before they waved each other goodbye and resigned themselves to their respective suites.

Once in her bedroom, she locked her door and kicked off her shoes. Jumping onto her bed, she sprawled out lazily and heaved a large sigh. Valerie unbuttoned the strap of her overalls and let the top hang down under her black sports bra. Gingerly, she stroked the cut along the plain of her palm where she had sliced the flesh and poured out her own blood for the unused chocolate. Guess I should return that "Witchcraft for Sistas" book to the Amity Park Public Library, she thought. Valerie felt her phone vibrate in her back pocket. Pulling it out, she saw the screen aglow with a new text from Danny Fenton:

{wishing for this to be in the least annoying way possible: I hope you had a nice day. You left your chem notes in class btw

Her gut reaction should have been annoyance, yes, but her cheeks warmed at the sight of the message. Valerie thought her ego should have put up a better fight in preventing her fingers from hastily typing a reply.

It was all right.}

Can I get the notes from you tomorrow? We can meet up at lunch}

{Holy crap. Really?

She rolled her eyes.

Yeah}

{Definitely yes then. We should meet up for lunch!

{So I can give you your notes, I mean

Valerie tossed her phone on her comforter, getting up to wriggle out of her constricting denim get-up completely. Standing in her underwear, she heard her phone vibrate again. Looking down she saw two more texts from Danny.

{Your hair looked really nice today.

{I've never seen you wear it like that before.

She snorted at the compliment. Trying his luck, I see.

Thanks}

Feeling gutsy herself, she opened her front camera and snapped a selfie, holding the mobile device with one hand and lightly pinching one of her hair buns with the other. More and more rebellious little coils had gradually sprung out from their confines throughout the day.

Not so nice anymore, though}

The image accompanying the caption was one of her cheekily sticking her tongue out, bra and upper abdomen visible.

{I disagree. Still very, very nice.

Smirking at her phone screen, she wondered what he might be thinking. There was so much one could infer from an extended blinking ellipses preceding a short text. She laid front-first on her bed again, re-opening her camera. Dexterously, she took another selfie, this time with a regular smile, chin resting on her hand, bosom pressed against the mattress so that her cleavage was showing more amply, and her round behind poised slightly in the back. Selecting a sticker app, she placed a cartoon heart onto the image to obscure her rear, though it was too large to be wholly covered. She held her breath. Someone, anyone, stop me. Her pulse sped up as she tapped "send."

I can be nice sometimes}

{You drive me crazy.

Pursing her lips contentedly, Valerie typed out her response.

Appreciate the angle? And my artistic touch on censorship?}

{Yea it's cute :)

{But I prefer this angle a lot more

A video clip appeared in the conversation thread. She raised an eyebrow, heart stopping when she played it. The recording showed her stripping her overalls in her room and settling back onto the bed with her tiny panty-clad ass bared in all its bounteous glory to the viewer, who seemed to be watching from a higher post somewhere. A chill ran up her spine as she watched herself taking a selfie. Face flushing with fury and embarrassment as she rolled over and sat up, she glared at the small, diamond-shaped window elevated on the wall opposite to her. There was no one in it, but she stalked straight for it nonetheless. That disgusting perv! Watching the empty glass, her fingers angrily ticked away at her keypad.

I can't believe you Danny! You filthy little creep! I should report you for sexual harassment!}

{Aw but why? It's nothing you weren't gonna show me anyway

Feeling like she was going to absolutely maul the boy when she caught him, Valerie walked over to her desk and grabbed the chair, dragging it over to use as a stepping stool. Her phone vibrated once she positioned herself back below the window.

Bummed you moved from the bed. Was hoping you were gonna shake that ass for me ;) }

Valerie was so close to hurling her phone right into the wall. I'm going to kill him.

There was still no one in the window, and she doubted she could reach it comfortably even with the extra height beneath her feet, but damn it she was going to try. However, the minute she got up on the chair, there was a shuffling crash and scared yelp at the tall window on the other side of her room. As if on reflex, she bounded off and made a beeline in its direction. Once there, she yanked up the screen and stuck her head outside, incensed eyes darting around for the peeping Tom and soon to be ex-friend. A familiar, uneasy voice sounded from southwards. "V-Valerie?"

Glancing below, she was startled to see Danny clinging onto the thick climbing vine scaling the side of the house.

"You're dead, Fenton," she seethed, dropping her phone on the windowsill and springing her hands downwards to grab hold of the front of his shirt. Valerie hoisted up his entire body with her powerful arms and held him so that he was half inside and half dangling over the ledge.

"Wait—wait—what?"

"I am going to beat the crap out of you!"

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry okay!" he cried. "I was just trying to be romantic! Like Romeo and Juliet!" He had actually used his powers to fly over to the mansion, but realizing he couldn't just appear in her window as Danny Phantom, he had impulsively decided to make it look like he had climbed up there…and underestimated how out of shape he was in his human form.

She bristled. "In what freaking version of that play does Romeo send Juliet creepy videos of her in her freaking underwear?"

Danny blinked. "Huh?"

"You dick," she said with her fist cocked, ready to strike. "I give you a chance, and you ruin it!"

"Hold on, Valerie, I don't know what you're talking about!" he pleaded.

"Don't give me that, punk!"

"I'm telling the truth! I was just climbing up here to give you a gift! Something to say 'I'm sorry' for what happened at the party!" He reached into his pocket and desperately presented her with a small velvet box. "See?"

Valerie slowly lowered her arm. "A…gift?"

"Yeah, it's a bracelet!" He opened the container to reveal a dainty peridot-encrusted band. "It has your birthstone on it!"

Danny was sweating profusely. She was confounded by the offering, making him uncertain of whether or not he should expect a fist colliding with his face in the next few seconds. To be safe, he screwed his eyes shut and prepared for impact.

"But…but I don't understand?" Valerie asked. "You were texting me, just now! You recorded me in my bedroom!" Danny opened his eyes.

"I was texting you?" he repeated, mystified.

"I have the sleazy messages you sent me, look!" She picked up her phone and thrust its glaring screen into his face, temporarily blinding him.

"Ugh, Valerie," he said, looking away so he wasn't staring directly at the phone. "I have no idea what you're talking about. I wasn't texting you. My phone has been in my pocket this whole time."

He reached into the back of his jeans.

"…what?" he murmured when his hand met nothing but the interior fabric of his pocket. "Where the heck is my phone?"

Valerie growled. "You are such a liar!"

She hauled him into her room and threw him against the wall. Valerie ferociously dug into all of his pockets, leaving them inside out in her haste. He could now see that she wasn't wearing any bottoms. Danny pondered if Felicity had cursed him to be a victim of irony for the rest of his life; he had constantly dreamed of Valerie fumbling with his pants in nothing but her underwear, but the first time it happened she had to be pissed as all hell at him. Then again, it's not like he wasn't already used to that.

"Where. Is. It?"

"I told you, I don't have it," Danny said. "someone must have stolen it and texted you that weird stuff."

"But who would—"

Successive taps from above were heard. Their heads both turned to the diamond shaped window to see an upside-down, placid male face covered with red and teal paint staring at them through the glass.

Valerie's eyes widened. "Kyle?"

He soon disappeared over the top of the window frame. There was a revving of some sort of engine, and then they saw the back of a black figure zoom past the screen, hood up and cloak billowing behind them. She squinted at the fast-moving rogue, and then gasped—That's my spare rocket sled!

Danny recognized the red and black steel of the vehicle as well. "I knew he had to be an asshole, but never would have expected him to be prime ghost prey…he's getting away!"

Rushing to unlock the door, Valerie dashed out into the hallway with Danny following close behind. They ran down the stairs, impressively without stumbling, and into the kitchen. Exiting through the back door, both of them scanned the open sky above the Zeta's backyard for any sign of the perpetrator, but predictably there was none.

"I have had it!" Valerie yelled.

"What the hell is going on?" asked Gretchen, who had been tanning poolside. Irritated, she pulled out her headphones and stood up from her cushioned outdoor recliner, giving the two a menacing look.

"Did you not see that douchebag fly out here?" asked Valerie.

Madame President was dumbfounded. "What? Who?"

"Oh my God," Danny groaned, face-palming in aguish.

There was a rustle from the tall hedges behind the recliner. They all shifted their attention accordingly, Valerie appearing the fiercest. "I'm going to kick this ghost's ass."

Danny didn't doubt her conviction, but he questioned the likeliness of her bringing down a 6' 2" possessed meathead of a frat dude with no weapons and in nothing but a bra and panties, regardless of how fit she was. Though, he'd be lying if he said he didn't really want to see her try. Without warning, the figure burst from the other side of the bushes, whizzing past them all overhead and dropping something into the pool. It landed with a loud splash that sent water everywhere, spraying mostly at Gretchen. Keeping his attention on the figure, Danny saw that it actually seemed much shorter than six feet.

"You asshole!" she snarled. When her gaze settled on the upturned object floating in the pool, she let out a shriek that tore through the whole Zeta compound. He looked down in horror. Kyle's severed head bobbed serenely towards them. The rogue glanced over its shoulder, showing its pastel mask; its plastic smile looked particularly taunting. Eyes wild, Valerie picked up a sizeable potted succulent from beside the recliner and chucked it as hard as she could at the figure. It shattered against the back of its head, knocking it off balance and causing it to wind in flight. Two objects, one much smaller than the other, fell from its grasp and clattered onto the patio tile.

"Damn it, don't tell me that's my phone!" Danny griped. "I just upgraded to the 6S!"

Regaining a steady stance on the sled, the figure increased its speed and jetted far from sight. After she watched its receding form disappear completely over some treetops, Valerie grabbed the plump, luxury pillow from Gretchen's poolside chaise and released a harrowing series of screams into its soft, satiny girth. Gulping, Danny slowly sidled away from her and jogged over to his fallen phone. He almost choked up when he saw one long, jagged, nasty crack split across its screen. Picking the device up, he pressed the home button and swiped it open.

"Well," he said after a moment. "It still works ok."

"Guys!" called Gretchen. "Are we just going to ignore this freaking head floating in the pool?"

Valerie uncovered the pillow from her face, eyes going to the cranium in question still drifting along the water like a beach ball. She scrutinized the white letters painted on his forehead: GO APU

"...you know, I'm going to the football game tonight against Bridgeton. It'll be super wild."

She released a melancholy sigh. "Maybe if I had gone with you to that game, I could have done something to prevent this from happening, Kyle…" Valerie lamented, trying to find the right words for some impromptu memoriam. "God, what is your last name?"


To his enormous disappointment, Valerie had made Danny delete the sexy photos she had sent him. On the bright side, she really, really liked the bracelet, even if she didn't show it very much at first. She was still pretty embarrassed about what had happened, but didn't have the energy to get pissed off about something else for an extended amount of time anymore. Besides, it wasn't as if any of this had been Danny's fault. Still, she wasn't the type to accept "I'm sorry" gifts with overt displays of gratitude. However, as she surveyed the way the yellow-green gems glittered brilliantly around her wrist, she had to admit the piece of jewelry was one of the most beautiful gifts she had ever received.

"Where did you get the money for this?" she asked, rocking her legs back and forth in the air as she laid on her stomach. Danny sat in her desk chair, watching her on the bed, mesmerized. Valerie hadn't put any clothes on, feeling perfectly nonchalant in answering the police officers' questions, once they had arrived on the scene, in her skimpy black underwear. At this point, he could tell she was really past giving any sort of crap at all.

"I dipped into my own personal savings…" he fibbed. "and maybe took a small loan from my folks."

Valerie ran her fingers along the sequence of peridot stones. "Just for me?"

He bit his lip. Lies tasted awful on his tongue, especially when they rolled off so effortlessly, addressed to someone whom he cared deeply about. But she seemed so hypnotized by the present. There was no way Danny Phantom was keeping away from the Zeta house, but it had been a two-hundred dollar bracelet that Holly hadn't minded just throwing at him to give to her; might as well use it. Little did he know that he'd be watching her like a hawk no more than ever.

The manner in which Valerie was positioned—so kittenish in her movements and facial expressions, curly hair mussed and the generous curve of her rear looking so damn good as she lay there made for an image right out of a Drake video. "Just for you," he said.

"Paulina's pretty thrilled about us making up," Valerie said, knowing very well she hadn't and probably wouldn't thank him out loud. "Mallory and Ella probably will be too. These days they all seem more entertained now by my melodrama than scared of the grisly disembodied human parts that show up around here."

Danny chuckled. "Yeah. Once Paulina and Mallory came out to the backyard to see what was wrong, there was less screaming and more oh-not-another-dead-body looks."

"Everyone's getting sick of talking to the police over and over," she said. "who are so freaking useless, anyway."

"The police in this city have never really been adept at dealing with ghosts."

"Or dealing with anything in general."

"I guess that's why we have Danny Phantom around."

Valerie immediately became embittered at the mention of his name.

"So that thing is busted, huh?" she asked, deftly changing the subject. She nodded her head at the tiny object sitting on her desktop.

"Yeah," Danny said. "fell in a damp spot and short circuited."

Upon identifying the second item that the hooded figure had dropped as an ear communicator, Valerie believed that her and Phantom's theory of there being two killers was strengthened. However, since the device was broken, she wasn't exactly sure how much use it had to her beyond that. Though, she figured the ongoing case analysis could be put off until tomorrow. Well, actually, it probably couldn't; it probably needed to be the first thing on her mind every second of every day, but she was only human. And she had gone through so much already, definitely more than one endures on a typical Monday. She had tried to kill an authority figure, been spied on her room, failed to catch a murderer for what, the third time? And now she was missing a rocket sled. Valerie would have to invest in more bedroom door locks later.

She pushed herself off the mattress, swinging her legs forward and standing up, tossing her bouncy mane. "So are you taking me out for sushi or what?" she asked while sauntering towards him.

He stiffened in his seat. "Oh, uh…like right now?"

"No, not right now," she said. "maybe Friday night? Actually, no, make that Saturday night. My Friday evenings tend to get pretty busy."

Danny smiled. Mine too.

"Yeah, of course. Can you wear this same outfit?"

He had now gotten hit by her twice in less than a couple hours. He nursed his afflicted arm and gave her an apologetic glance.

"I guess you'll have to wait until Saturday to find out," she replied, and he couldn't tell if she was being sarcastic or not but he could hope for the best. Danny's pace quickened as Valerie leaned down and pressed her soft, full lips against his. Heaven.

She pulled away after a few seconds, sensually whispering: "now leave."

Disoriented by her rapture-inducing kiss, he could only say "huh?"

"Get out," Valerie ordered, shoving him in the shoulder so that he nearly fell off the chair. "I've got homework. And I've had a long day."

He gave her a cheeky grin as he got up and began making his way to the door. "Fine, fine. Don't forget to proofread your part of the lab report this time."

"Whatever, Fenton," she said, trying not to smile.


|524 Wicker St - 5:20 P.M.|

Dare he say it, but Danny was in a good mood. The body count at Amity U was piling up, he was probably failing chem, and his best friend slash ex-girlfriend was still pissed off at him, but this weekend, Valerie Gray would mosey out the door of Zeta house dressed in some super short skirt or tight dress, walk temptingly up to his '09 Camry, and he'd roll down its window and say something really suave and hopefully utterly un-Dannyish. He rubbed his lightly stubbled chin. Should I shave? Does she like guys with a bit of five o'clock shadow or baby-faced? Since his facial hair pretty much disappeared completely when he transformed into his ghost self, there were times when he forgot it was there. Speaking of which…

He morphed back into his spectral alter ego as a new text notification from Valerie appeared on his "work" phone.

{Just got to the station

Danny prayed that Caitlin would be willing to open up to Valerie about what had happened at Zeta the night of the party. Heh. He laughed inwardly. A ghost praying.

Good luck. About to have a little chat with Brittany. She should be back from her job at the salon soon}

{Try not to freak her out too much

Same to you ;) }

Sam would have been proud of him for saying that. Or maybe not, since he was going on a date with Valerie this Saturday. It was something that didn't put her in a friendlier mood about him missing their Skype date last Friday night. Sure, she could understand all the hero stuff caused him to miss things like that from time to time, but her mindset changed once she learned that the heroics required for this situation in particular involved working closely with the Red Huntress. Sam was a firm believer of not shitting where one ate, and after Danny had told her that he basically had tried to distance Danny Phantom personally from the Red Huntress so Danny Fenton could mend their civilian relationship, it had taken all of her self-control to not give him a good tongue-lashing on the matter. And this had amounted to not talking much to him at all when he did bother to call her last Sunday. She wasn't sure why Valerie hadn't been talking to him at school (Danny had made sure to leave the detail about saying Sam's name out loud…along with the one about how he had made out with Valerie in-"costume" on the Zeta's kitchen counter… along with the one about her electrocuting him in the girl's bathroom so she could try to murder the Dean), and now she didn't even care. She was steadfast in thinking that no good could come from either of the Danny's getting close to Valerie at this point. Sam cursed herself for her actions at the party; she knew she'd eventually regret being his wingwoman.

Still, Danny knew he had to keep her up to speed with any new developments on the case. Like Tucker, who had so graciously hacked the APPD records and inputted Valerie's relation to Caitlin as "half-sister"—go figure—Sam was a sharp analyst herself, and he and Valerie needed all the help they could get. After he had told Sam what Valerie had told him (following the innocent "scheduling appointment" she had with Dean Slyman, as Danny put it to Sam) about the Dean being freakishly superstitious and wary of anything having to do with demons or ghosts, Sam had agreed that idea of him summoning Felicity's ghost had new holes in it. Although, he did still seem to have occult-related items in his office, and Sam had promised to get back to him Tuesday evening on the symbol + herb and salt combo once she had researched them. The Dean could very well still be involved with all this ghost business, but he likely wasn't a possessed killer who had opened a portal from the world of the undead in his office if he was deathly afraid of even touching someone who had thirteen syllables in her name.

Danny smirked. "Di" was such a dorky and cute middle name, and he promised himself that he'd give Valerie more crap about it in the future. For now, he hovered leisurely above a branch in a tree across from Brittany's apartment, waiting for the the woman to return from work, scrolling through Valerie's Instagram to pass the time. Sure, he could have fazed right through the door and gotten his haunt on inside like a regular ghost, but this was politer and less creepy. Obviously.

On the other side of Amity Park, Valerie fiddled nervously with the chain of her tennis bracelet as a police officer opened the door to Caitlin Fowler's shrouded room.


A/N: Sorry for the delay in this chapter! Ugh, I hope it's not too boring. Happy to say there will be canon characters in the next chapter! Perhaps a familiar, idiot blonde jock? Gotta have someone to replace the dudes I've killed off already, right? Ha.

I'd like to thank the following reviewers: Gerren, Phantom Ice, and Claire, who was actually the first to review this story ^_^ You guys are awesome!