A/N:
Shit!
Okay, I know. This is long, long overdue! I really have no excuse for taking so long. I have been preoccupied with assimilating into my new college schedule while scouring the entire city for a job opening.
So, excuse me if this chapter wasn't written too well.
I have yet to revise it.
I'm so sorry!
I own neither Danny Phantom nor the Bud Light commercial!
Danny grit his teeth as he surveyed the area surrounding him.
A few blocks away, the Red Huntress was battling with Skulker.
They were floating above the town. Below them, on the ground, was a crowd snatching photos of the aerial battle. Someone, he noticed, was filming.
Danny hesitated. It seemed Valerie was holding up her own, and she would no doubt finish Skulker off eventually.
Honestly, the teenage hybrid would prefer avoiding her altogether. Her battle skills had definitely improved, and she had time and time again proven herself to be a formidable hunter.
Besides, if he approached the battling duo, both of them would probably turn on him and it would turn into a messy, three-way fight that would end with him being gravely injured.
But...
He cursed himself. Valerie was battling his enemy and, with some help from him, the battle would be briefer and it would spare the two fighting parties battle injuries.
And he certainly wouldn't want Skulker to die in battle or Valerie to end up with injuries.
So, succumbing to his hero complex, he reluctantly jumped in. He caught Skulker's attention with a blast to the head. The Huntress and the metal Hunter both turned their heads to look at him.
He threw around some witty banter and focused Skulker's attention on him. He flew around to Valerie's side, dodging blasts in the process.
"Huntress!" He shouted, flying towards her. "We need to move the fight away from here. Skulker doesn't care if he hits those people down there."
He flew past, but she followed him immediately.
He jabbed a finger in the direction of the downtown area. Clearly, most of the stubborn, awe-struck viewers and photographers had nearly become victims of the battle.
Valerie cursed under her breath. "Damn it. You're right, Phantom. Those idiots are gonna be blown to bits."
She hadn't shot him on sight. Danny blinked. It was progress. He tested his luck and spoke. "If we work together, we can lure Skulker as far away as possible, and keep these people safe." He paused and added, "That is, as long as you don't shoot me in the process."
He couldn't see it behind the mask, but he was fairly certain her eyes landed on him. "Okay," she replied.
Danny blinked in surprise.
"Really? Wow," Danny blinked and hesitantly extended his hand. The two glanced at each other. "So, truce?"
"Yes," Valerie responded. He could almost hear the smile on her face. She slowed her vehicle slightly and extended a gloved hand. "Truce?"
Danny glanced at her hand skeptically, but seeing as Skulker had begun firing ecto blasts at them, Danny had little time to question her motives. He grasped her hand and gave it one firm shake. The action caused a small commotion amongst their mundane audience.
Danny and Valerie swerved simultaneously and kicked up their speed. They flew to an area farther away from Downtown Amity.
It was a small area filled with trees, a few acres of nothing but nature.
It was enough of a distance from the innocent citizens of his town, and there were no humans around to get caught in the crossfires.
The duo harmoniously dipped close to the grassy area.
Valerie lowered her weapon and turned her head towards the hybrid.
"I'll distract him, you get the thermos," Danny ordered.
Valerie nodded and charged up her board. She flew upward and disappeared into the shadows of the trees.
Danny sincerely hoped he could trust her. After all, he had foolishly decided not to bring his Fenton Thermos and, without it, there was no chance of wining the battle without grave consequences.
He dropped to the ground, feet finally touching solid ground.
Danny analytically surveyed his surroundings. He took one step back, then another, careful to keep from tripping over tree roots.
A few seconds passed before Skulker landed a few feet in front of him. The ghost's armor beamed in the light, brightly reflecting the sun.
A triumphant smirk lit his metallic face.
"Finally have you cornered, whelp. I'm sure your pelt will become a fine adornment in my chambers."
Danny grimaced. "Dude, seriously? That's just creepy." He paused, adding, "and, technically, I'm not cornered."
Energy surged from his core and concentrated into his hand. He charged up his ecto blasts and shot at Skulker, floating up into the air, lifting his palms in a defensive stance.
Skulker charged up his large gun and aimed it at Danny. He fired thrice. The hybrid reflexively dodged each of them only to find four, sharp discs shooting towards him. He managed to avoid all but one, which scraped across his cheek, slicing his porcelain skin.
He yelped in surprise, placing a hand over the minor injury.
A victorious laugh emanated from Skulker. "Like it? I've made a few modifications to the suit. Those discs can move too fast for your reflexes, halfa."
"Don't tell me you forgot about me, hunter." Valerie's voice spoke up from behind their adversary.
"Huntress?" Skulker turned, blatantly surprised.
"Sayonara, ghost." Valerie retorted. Skulker released a shout of anger and resistance as a bright pink light engulfed him.
Danny ducked out of the way and watched until the hunter disappeared into Valerie's thermos.
"Good thinking, Phantom." Valerie praised as she retracted her mask. "I have to admit, I hadn't thought about the people on the ground."
"Yeah, and I didn't know capturing Skulker could be done so quickly and easily." He smirked before allowing his expression to morph into obvious curiosity.
He studied her. She had her hair pulled up into a ponytail and her face was clear of all make up. Her sparkling eyes were filled with friendliness and her body was in a relaxed position.
She wore her usual huntress suit. The only visible anomaly was a small, shiny amber pendant hanging around her neck.
She was standing right in front of him yet she clearly had refrained from firing at him, as she usually did when they were in close proximity.
There was nothing that revealed a reason for her to quickly accept his offer for an alliance.
"Say, Valerie, what changed your mind?" Danny rubbed the back of his neck, studying her skeptically. "I mean, why suddenly decide to be my ally?"
She smirked, emerald eyes twinkling with secrecy. "Let's just say, a friend convinced me that I should turn something negative into something positive," she replied cryptically.
"So, you turned your vengeance into alliance?" He questioned, not quite sure if she was being honest.
Perhaps she had an ulterior motive for allying herself with him.
She beamed. "Exactly." She tilted her head to the side and glanced at his injured cheek. "Might wanna get that cut checked out. I don't know if ghosts can get wounds infected but you wouldn't wanna take any chances on that nasty cut."
And, with that, she leapt into the air, board appearing at her feet.
She gave him a little wave and took off, curls flying in the process.
:~:~:~:~:~:~:
Paulina sat up as the hero saved the girl. The movie was going to end soon and Danny still hadn't returned.
She leaned forward and glanced at the rest of the audience. She sighed and snagged her purse before dashing outside.
The ending music hummed out from the room as she swung open the door.
She paused when she caught sight of Danny running towards her. She placed her hands on her hips. "Took you long enough. The movie's over."
She gestured at the doors behind her as people poured out.
The teenager was panting, hands on his knees as he struggled to catch his breath. She noticed he was drenched in sweat. A long, bleeding gash stretched from beside his lip all the way to a spot dangerously close to his right eye.
Danny heaved, struggling to utter out his words. "I, uh, it's to..."
He paused, but Paulina didn't let him continue. "Don't bother lying," she sighed. "I already know you weren't in the bathroom."
Danny flashed her a look that was oozing with guilt. When that softened her anger just a bit. "I-I'm sorry. But I-"
"Can't talk about it?" She sighed and muttered more to herself than to him. "It seems that, lately, no one can. What is it with everyone and their secrets?"
She bent down to his level and placed a hand on his cheek, gazing deep into his crystal eyes. Relief, guilt, and hope radiated in buckets out of him.
He smiled, once again causing her heart to flutter. It seemed like she had done this much too many times—allowing her loved ones to keep their secrets and forgiving them for every lie, every excuse. Why did it suddenly seem like everyone around her had something to hide?
In any case, she knew that soon—likely very soon—Danny would break and let her in on whatever it was that plagued him, and—maybe—she would let him in on her own secret, too.
"Now," her finger ran below the nasty cut beneath his eye, "how about we get you cleaned up?"
:~:~:~:~:~:
Paulina took Danny to her home, only to find that her family members weren't present. Her father left her a note explaining that he had taken Steph and Angie to the market. She sniffed, knowing that her grandmother and father would be bickering the whole time they were there and poor Steph would have to suffer through it.
But she was relieved. She didn't want to deal with any family drama, and she had some time alone with her boyfriend, even if it was only for a short while.
She took Danny to her bathroom and cleansed his wound with oxygen peroxide.
"I hope this doesn't become a habit," she joked.
He nodded but his expression remained solemn.
The wound wasn't bad enough to bandage and they still had time to spare, so they hung out in the kitchen. Danny watched as she whipped him up her sister's favorite dish.
"This is a pupusa," Paulina remarked as she knead the dough.
"What's a pupusa?" Danny inquired, giving the name a terrible English accent.
"It's tortilla stuffed with cheese," she gestured towards the Mozzarella bag, "served with a side of curtido—that's coleslaw—and some of this special sauce." She nodded towards a small container filled with a reddish sauce.
She grinned as he watched her finish cooking the meal. By the time she was done, a small corn tortilla and coleslaw rested on the plate with a tiny cup filled with sauce.
She set it in front of him and pulled out a coca cola. "It's a simple recipe and easy to make, but my aunt says that, in her restaurant, these are a popular request both from Hispanics and Americans."
"Hm," Danny tore off a piece of the tortilla. Some steaming melted cheese hung off the sides. He dipped it in the sauce. "Well, here goes nothing."
He popped the part that he'd pulled out into his mouth, and his eyes widened in surprise. "Whoa, this is great!"
"Glad you think so," Paulina remarked as she put up the last of her plates. "I make them for Stephanie all the time."
Danny grinned and continued eating, eyes following her as she took a seat beside him. "So, do you always do the cooking around here?"
"Yep." Paulina smiled as she leaned against the counter. "Since our mom..." she paused, searching for the right words, "left us, I usually do the cooking and cleaning around here. But now that my abuela's temporarily moved in, she's usually doing most of the chores, now."
Danny paused and flashed her a sympathetic look. He couldn't imagine his own mom not being a part of their family or being able to share that kind of comfort that a mother should freely give her children. "You miss her, don't you?"
Paulina hugged her arms and leaned her forehead against his shoulder. "Yeah, I do."
Danny wrapped his arm around her and gave her a comforting squeeze. "Well," he commented, trying to lighten the mood. "This, uh, pupusa is delicious."
Paulina grinned and pulled back. He gazed into her eyes. "You really think so?"
"Definitely," he replied and she giggled, pleased for his being completely honest.
He pecked her cheek and she froze instantly. The wound on his face, which was formerly about four inches long, was now about two inches. It had been, what? Not even one hour since the he'd received the cut and it was now less than half its original size.
Paulina furrowed her brows but Danny remained oblivious to her reaction.
He leaned forward and finished his small meal, ranting on about how great she was at cooking.
Paulina forced on a smile. "You're sweet."
"Well, thanks for the pupusa." He rose to his feet.
"I'll walk you out," Paulina offered. He grinned and linked their arms.
She was still absorbed with thoughts of his peculiar healing when Danny unexpectedly yanked her against him. He bent his head forehead and placed a kiss on her lips. The kiss sent heat cascading into her body, which was ironic because his lips were fairly cool to the touch. He pulled back and gave her a smile that made her heart flip incessantly. In fact, her heart continued its leaps even after he stepped out the door and walked out of her home.
He'd left her behind with a wide smile.
She peered through the window's blinds and watched as he climbed into his car and pulled out of the driveway.
He caught sight of her staring after him and gave her a brief wave. She waved back and he eventually drove off.
She remained in that silly stupor of hers for a while and, when her head finally cleared, all she could think about was his fast healing wound.
She had a sneaking suspicion that he wasn't an average human. Perhaps, she thought, he was involved in something supernatural. After all, Amity Park was no ordinary city and, as many people in the Wiccan community theorized, there was some sort of dimensional anomaly in the city—a sort of rift between purgatory and the human world.
Paulina shrugged and trotted up the stairs.
She dashed upstairs and pulled out the stuff she'd brought from downtown. Afterwards, she pulled out her new, modish canvas backpack, a few of her Craft supplies, and her miniature notebook, transferring it from her bedroom to the living room. She turned on the flat screen TV after she had gathered all her things together.
It was already dusk when her grandmother, father, and sister arrived.
The trio had brought in several of their relatives, including her father's brother Enrique and her two supernatural teenage cousins, Alma and Alejandro.
Paulina grinned. She had been expecting the relatives. After all, it was soccer night.
And, today, Guatemala was playing against Mexico.
During these occasions, there were usually a lot more members of the family but, disappointedly, many of them had errands to run and things to do and were unable to attend the brief reunion. It was one of the few times the people from each side of her family actually got together.
Her father was the first to enter the living room. "Hun, I was talking to your grandma-"
Paulina rolled her eyes, expecting another complaint from her relative.
"She told me something interesting. Something you haven't told me about. What's this I hear about you having a boyfriend? Is it serious?"
"Um, dad, can we talk about this tomorrow?" Paulina glanced at her uncle as he entered the room.
She hated talking about personal matters in front of other people and preferred maintaining these topics private. She figured no one had any business poking around in business that was only between her and her father.
Her father glanced at his brother before sighing. "Mañana." He confirmed.
Angie, who wasn't particularly interested in soccer, poked her head into the living room, proclaiming that she would be in the kitchen and wanted "absolutely no one" to bother her. The rest of the group gathered in the living, each one prepared to watch the show. That is, everyone except Steph who had brought her dolls to play with.
"Alright, let the partido1start!" Alejandro shouted as he flopped onto the couch.
Alma sank down on the floor beside Paulina who had several of her Craft supplies sitting beside her. "Hey, cuz." The sleek, light-haired Alma greeted. "Que haces?"
"Well," Paulina explicated, "You know how Amity's filled with a bunch of fantasmas?" She waited for a nod before continuing."I figured it'd be safer if I kept some supplies on me. Most of this stuff is for self-defense," she gestured towards small pouches that contained powder lethal for ghosts. "And I've got my journal where I've written a list of spells that I think might come in handy."
Their eyes flickered to the television the moment Paulina's dad put the sports channel on.
The men groaned upon noticing the commercials.
"Well," Alma turned her focus back on Paulina. "That's pretty clever. I would buy me a bag too, but we're not all as rich as you and your pops."
"Well, maybe next week we can both go shopping and get you something cute." Paulina grinned.
Alma opened her mouth to object, but paused when the rest of the family members jumped in an uproar.
"Oh! The gameis on!" Alma's exclamation caused Paulina to look up from her items.
The announcer of the game began speaking and Enrique leaned forward, shouting in anticipation. "Whoo! Destruyen el otro equipo!2" Paulina's overweight uncle shot his arm up and rocked the whole recliner in the process.
The cluster of Latinos watched the game in rapture, chatting only during the commercials.
The players were constantly tied, and Paulina's family whooped and cheered and clapped, making a real riot every time their team made a goal.
"Gooooolazo!" The announcer shouted. Everyone, save Stephanie, jumped to their feet and released shouts of victory.
Paulina frowned when her phone buzzed. She pulled out the touch screen device and glanced at the screen. "Chingado! What now?"
It was a message from Valerie sent to both Star and Paulina. 'My house in 10. P was right. We need to talk.'
Paulina blinked and rose to her feet just as Pitbull's beer commercial appeared on the screen. "I gotta go," she announced, swinging her new bag over one shoulder.
"What? But the game isn't over yet!" Her father straightened up, flashing her an incredulous look.
"Yeah," the uncle shouted. "Ernesto's right! It's barely halfway through!"
"Alma, if I don't make it back in time, will you text me the results?"
"Sure. You go do whatever you gots to do." Alma winked at Paulina.
"Thanks," Paulina replied. Then to her father, "Sorry, dad! Valerie said it was important!" Paulina shouted as she dashed out the door.
:~:~:~:~:~:~:
Translations
1) partido - game
2) Destruyen el otro equipo!Destroy the other team.
A/N: When I first wrote this, my family and I were in the midst of a storm. A storm that affected a local power plant and caused the electricity to shut down.
So, this story was written while I was in my room with only a few candles for light, listening to Wicked Games by the Weekend. The mood was eerie but relaxed. After all, it was nighttime and utterly dark in our house.
Hopefully, that mood was not incorporated into this story. I was going for a lighter tone on this chapter.
Review, please?
