What was the connection between Jason Belgrave and Freakshow? Saturday night found Danny Fenton in deep thought with a dissatisfied frown on his face. He stroked his chin absentmindedly as he tried to picture the scenario. There was no doubt in his mind that Freakshow had killed the other man before journeying to Amity Park, but there was still something missing from the puzzle.
"You're sure this Belgrave person worked for the Guys in White?" Sam pressed after Danny had told Tucker and her about his theories.
"Positive," Danny confirmed. "M definitely said that they lost contact with 'Agent Belgrave' back at the base unit. Why?"
Danny remembered the troubled look on Sam's face as she tried to phrase her sentence properly. "What I don't understand," she said then, "is why the Guys in White call him Agent Belgrave instead of Agent B if he's one of them."
Danny hadn't thought about it. It was strange. With the exception of Agent Pelham, all members of the Guys in White referred to each other by initial only. It was a question that nagged him and pulled at his nerves, resulting in yet another sleepless night. Danny tossed and turned, not getting any sort of rest until the sun rose up, at which point he drifted off and emerged from underneath the blankets after noon. Now here he was, seated in front of his computer, a resolute frown set upon his forehead, trying to look up the Guys in White to no avail.
He huffed and tossed himself backwards into his seat. This was hopeless. The Internet had failed to provide him with any sort of answer to the mystery, coughing up only vague details of Belgrave's murder, and redirecting him to the home page of the FBI whenever tried to get close to looking up the Guys in White.
Danny stared at the website he was on without really looking at it. His eyes lazily scanned the faces that graced the FBI's Most Wanted list, but there was no one familiar who caught his eye; no grey face caked in makeup and sporting a twisted grin.
Returning to the search engine more as a means to doing something rather than holding on to any hope of actually finding any useful information, Danny quickly typed in the words Frederic Isak Showenhower into the box and waited to see what would come up.
Your search has returned no results.
Danny let out a growl and thumped the underside of his fist on to the table.
Great. Just like the Guys in White to eradicate any trace of one of their prisoners. Now Danny had absolutely nothing to go on.
There was a knock on the door, and Danny pulled its head away from where it was resting upon clasped fingers. "Yeah?" he grunted in response. The door swung open and Maddie stuck her head inside.
"There you are!" she said. "What are you doing holed up in your room?"
Danny shrugged lethargically, sinking back into the chair and spinning around. "What else am I supposed to do?"
"Well," Maddie stepped into the room, closing the door quietly behind her, "I was under the impression that your school was holding the Prom tonight."
"Oh, yeah," Danny rolled his eyes. "That. I'm not going."
"Why not?" Maddie asked with some surprise. "Don't you want to go and hang out with all your friends?"
Danny snorted. If there was one thing that had been drilled into his head the past few weeks, it was that the Prom was most certainly not a night meant for hanging out with friends. "I was thinking about just catching up on some studying," he told her instead. "Finals are week after next, you know."
"I know," Maddie acknowledged. She moved to sit down on the edge of Danny's bed. Something rustled, but Danny kept his eyes fixed on the computer monitor. "I also know that no one in your school is thinking about studying tonight."
"Mom—"
"Oh, Danny, you've had a hard week," Maddie said sympathetically. "I know you need a break ... but staying up in your room by yourself while everyone else is out having fun isn't the answer."
"Mom, I don't have a date!" Danny exploded suddenly, tearing his eyes away from the words on the screen to glare at her. Instantly he felt bad about snapping, but quickly buried the guilt away underneath his indignation. This was his problem, and she had no right to keep pushing him that way.
"You didn't ask anyone?" Maddie questioned.
Who would he have asked? Valerie? He had entertained the idea, but no, she had her own Prom to go to, he was sure. Her own life to live. Danny returned his attention to the monitor and began quickly tapping his keyboard in a show of being completely immersed in what he was doing. "No," he said shortly. "I didn't ask anyone; so I can't go. The Prom is for people with dates."
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw his mother's face soften. "Oh, Danny, that's not true," she admonished gently. "The Prom is for everyone to enjoy. That's why the school goes through so much trouble to prepare for it. It's your right as a student to attend it."
"And it's my right to choose not to, isn't it?" Danny asked.
"Yes, it is," Maddie allowed. "I just think it would be better for you to surround yourself with the people who care about you." She got to her feet. Something rustled again as she patted down Danny's sheets to get rid of the crease she had created. "Look, even if you decide not to go, at least come downstairs for a little while. Your father and I are watching a movie, and it'd be really nice if you could join us."
She moved towards the door, turning around to say one final thing. "If you do decide to go, I've left you a little something you might like to wear. Goodnight, Danny."
Danny fixed his eyes on the window petulantly until he heard the door click shut, then rotated his chair around to see what his mother had left him. When his eyes fell on the garment, his eyes widened and he froze in place.
Draped across the mattress of Danny's bed and encased within a plastic sheath was a beautiful blue suit, stylishly tailored to a modern cut. It was the suit Danny had found himself admiring when wandering around Vlad's mansion, when his search for clues had led him to the man's bedroom and the walk-in closet attached. Danny reached out and clumsily unzipped the protective plastic layer before running his fingers along the material. It felt just as rich as he remembered it.
Shucking his shirt and jeans, which looked all the more ratty in comparison to the fine suit in his arms, Danny slipped on the crisp white shirt and fumbled with the trousers, and, upon completing that task, slowly donned the blue jacket.
He stood in front of his mirror admiring himself. The white shirt was done up to the top, and the blazer slanted inwards press itself against his ribs and stomach. Considering his reflection for a moment, Danny reached out and grabbed Poindexter's black cummerbund, fastening it around his neck dexterously to top off the look. Danny twisted his body in attempt to see how it looked on him from the side, and was forced to admit that his mother may have had a point about his weight, if he was able to comfortably wear something that once belonged to Vlad.
Speaking of which, Danny said to himself as he clipped on the corresponding cufflinks that had come with the suit, he had to ask her how she got her hands on this prize. Sparing one last glance at the mirror, he threw open the door and thudded downstairs, allowing his thunderous footsteps to alert his parents to his arrival.
"Mom!"
Jack and Maddie were seated on the couch in front of the television, which they had on mute.
"Oh, Danny," Maddie gushed when she saw her son. "It looks wonderful on you."
"Where did you get this?" Danny asked even though he already knew the answer.
"We found it when we went to Vlad's place yesterday," Maddie confirmed. "The lawyer wanted us to pick which items we wanted to take with us, and I thought of you when I saw this suit."
"Er..." Danny tried his best to phrase his next sentence as delicately as possible. "And did you happen to go all around ... like the garden?"
"The garden, dear?" Maddie repeated absently. "No, we only remained in the house." That was a relief. At least it meant that his parents hadn't come across the Fright Knight, whom Danny had no doubt was still standing guard over Vlad's mutilated remains that were buried out by the rose bushes.
Danny found himself playing with the tails of the suit distractedly. It was perhaps the only part of the suit that retained a classical feel. "Why did Vlad's lawyer want you to take stuff out of his house?" he asked.
"Oh, just courtesy, I expect," Maddie turned her attention back to the television. "Giving us the first choice of what we would like before the estate is converted."
"Converted?" Danny's eyes raised in eyebrows.
Jack nodded. "Most of the things in Vlad's mansion are going to be auctioned away; others will be donated to the local museum; they want to make sure there's nothing valuable that isn't bolted down so that visitors won't be able to steal them. You know—" he added upon catching sight of Danny's confused face, "—when Vlad's mansion is turned into a national monument."
"What?" Danny's eyebrows shot up in response to this. "A national monument? You mean like what they did to Mark Twain's house?"
"Vlad would have liked nothing better," Jack said confidently, turning his attention back to the photo album he had spread out on his lap. Offhandedly, he said to Danny, "I hear you've got your Prom tonight."
"Yeah," Danny brushed off the question. "I'm not going."
"Why not?" Jack asked, looking as surprised as Maddie had been when Danny told her the same. "That's why we got you the suit."
Danny shrugged, flopping down on the adjacent armchair and flipping channels with the remote. "It sounds lame," he said evasively. "I guess I'm just not into the whole Prom thing. I was thinking I would just hang out with you guys instead."
Jack shared a doubtful look with Maddie. "Well," Jack cleared his throat and straightened his posture. "Danny – that is – er..." At Maddie's urging nod, he went on to say, "You know, dates aren't the most important thing in the world. There's lots of things to do at Prom. There's food, there's music; last I checked, that's all you really need to have a good time."
"Dad," Danny cut him off with a knowing look, "did you have a date to your Prom?"
"Of course I did," Jack sounded affronted by the insinuation.
Danny went back to flipping channels.
"So what's this movie you guys are going to watch?" he suddenly remembered his mother's earlier invitation to watch a film with them. Maddie pulled out an untitled disc and slipped it into the player. Danny watched as the screen went from its blank state to a close up of three people grinning woodenly at the camera. He recognized them immediately as younger versions of his parents and Vlad.
"That was back when I bought my first video camera," Jack reported, one arm hanging over Maddie's shoulders. "We filmed everything together."
The quality was amateurish at best, and the shot itself was grainy and faded from time. Nevertheless, Danny found himself captivated by the easy camaraderie of the three friends from so long ago. It was almost like watching himself with Sam and Tucker, the same fond smile he gave them plastered on Jack's face for him to see.
Sneaking a glance at his parents curled up together, Danny could tell that they wanted to be left alone with their memories, so he quietly got up from the couch and shuffled back upstairs, feeling a strange sense of disquiet as he closed the door to his bedroom quietly behind him. Perhaps he would use this time to catch up on his studies; perhaps he would look up some possible colleges to apply to; perhaps he would have an early night's sleep.
He was still thinking up various productive ways to spend his time when he noticed his phone flashing on the table, trying to gain his attention with the promise of an unread message. Danny found when he unlocked his cellphone from its dormant state that he had also missed three phone calls from Sam. Odd, Danny frowned. He had only been downstairs for a little over half an hour; why on earth would she have called him so many times in such a short space of time?
He scrolled through a series of text messages she had sent him.
Where are you? Call me back.
Pick up your phone!
Dude, when are you gonna get here? Sam's freaking out — Tucker
Pick up your phone!
An ominous feeling began brewing inside of Danny as he read each message, growing deeper as he flashed through each subsequent message until finally reaching the last one.
Get here now.
Danny was already transforming before he had even put the phone away. His heart was thudding frantically against his chest. Leaping through the window and passing through it unharmed, Danny shot through the night sky in the direction of the high school.
As he traversed through the air, he tried not to imagine what could have happened to prompt Sam and Tucker to call him so frequently. Had Freakshow perhaps attacked the school? Or some ghosts looking to get Danny's attention? Why had Sam and Tucker not come looking for him if they couldn't reach his cellphone – maybe the entire school was being held hostage in the gym.
He gritted his teeth and plunged forward, trying to ignore the tension gnawing at his stomach as he tore through the air.
Casper High loomed up ahead, and Danny guided himself to come in for a landing, landing smoothly on the foyer just outside the school's front doors. To his surprise, Sam was sitting upon the wide steps, hunched over her cellphone. Her tongue stuck out comically as she concentrated on the text message she was constructing. She looked up upon hearing footsteps approaching and whipped her head around to find Danny standing there.
"Danny!" she jumped to her feet, causing the front of her flowing purple skirt to whirl about her. "Finally! Where have you been?"
"I – I got your messages," Danny panted. "What's going on? Why are you outside?"
"I was waiting for you!" Sam cried. "I wasn't sure if you were going to show up. Come on, we gotta get in there."
She took off running, leaving Danny to pursue her. He transformed back into his human self as he jogged up to her. "So what's the scene?" he questioned. "Is it a ghost? Freakshow? The Guys in White?"
"No, nothing like that," Sam shook her head. "You'll see when you get in there." She skidded to a stop right outside the doors to the gymnasium, very nearly causing Danny to topple into her. Painfully, she gripped his shoulders, leaning him forward so that she could look him over. "You look fine," she said, tugging at his hair in hopes of flattening it a bit. "Now get in there!"
"Aren't you coming?" Danny yelped as she started to push him forward.
"I'm right behind you – go!" Sam insisted, shoving him through the swinging doors. Danny stumbled and narrowly prevented himself from falling flat on his face as he passed through the doors. He straightened himself up and prepared to chew Sam out for her rude behavior, but the words died on his mouth when he caught sight of the gymnasium.
It was unbelievable. Music was pounding from a large pair of speakers placed on either side of a small erected stage, where a few juniors Danny recognized were playing. Seniors were milling about chatting animatedly to one another and admiring the decor. Strobe lights were attached to the high ceilings and littered the hardwood floors, highlighting the room in a kaleidoscope of colors. Helium-blown balloons were found all over the place, sharing space with streamers. A large square table from the cafeteria that housed all the food and drinks available was leaning up against the back wall. It all seemed like pretty normal fare for a high school Prom event, except for one thing: taped up on nearly every available wall space were pictures of various ghosts well-known throughout Amity Park. They were not actual images, but rather artistic renderings created through the use of sophisticated computer programs and blown up to a scale larger than life, giving them almost a cartoonish feel. Danny's eyes went from an image of Skulker on one wall to one of the Fright Knight to yet another one of the Lunch Lady.
But the most conspicuous poster was the one that hung on the wall behind the stage itself. Unlike the others, the image on this one was clearly captured by a camera, appearing far more realistic the others. Another thing that distinguished this poster from the rest was that it only depicted a face rather than a full bodied person. The face was framed by a shock of white hair and lit by emerald green eyes and rounded off with a contented smile. Danny was staring at the face of Danny Phantom.
"It's amazing, isn't it?" he heard a voice say right by his ear. Danny turned to find Sam standing next to him with a pleased grin on her face as she took in the sights around them. "I knew you wouldn't have wanted to miss this."
"I don't..." Danny croaked. "How did they get such a good picture of Danny Phantom?"
Sam shrugged, unconcerned. "I don't know, but it looks great, doesn't it? You should try asking them if you can keep it after the night is over." She grabbed him by the arm and led him through a crowd of nearby students. "Come on, let's go find Tuck."
They barely took two steps before a photographer stopped them in their tracks and held up a large camera. "Smile." The flash went off, making Danny dizzy. Sam pulled away from the pose she had quickly gathered herself and Danny into, and they continued on their way.
"Tuck!" Sam hollered over the music, catching sight of their friend. "Tucker!"
Tucker turned around, face breaking into a wide grin when he caught sight of them. "Hey!" he greeted enthusiastically when they reached him. In contrast to the typical black tuxedos most of the other guys were wearing, Tucker had opted for a bottle-green suit, topped with his signature red beanie. He whistled appreciatively when his eyes fell on Danny. "Dude, you are smokin'!"
"Everyone looks so good tonight," Danny still couldn't keep his eyes from wandering. Students who would normally never be caught dead speaking to each other were found joking and laughing around the food stand as they sipped punch; a couple of cheerleaders were showing Alyssa Brennan, the geeky head of the Peer Support Group, various things they had to decorate the gym; couples weretp be seen everywhere, hanging on to each other and having spirited conversations within big groups of people; Ms. Tetslaff was wearing a dress, along with combat boots, and a string of pearls around her neck.
Sam herself was looking exquisite in a magenta gown. There was a slight train that dragged along behind her. "Where's Winston?" Danny asked, remembering suddenly that Sam had told him last week that she would be arriving with him.
"Somewhere over there," she waved at the general direction of the stage. "I had to go outside and wait for you, so he's just hanging out until I get back."
Danny turned to Tucker, raising his eyebrow. "And who did you bring?" he questioned.
Before Tucker got a chance to reply, the band stopped playing, allowing for applause to fill the room after a belated moment. They bowed in thanks and waved goodnight to seniors, quickly packing up their equipment and hustling out. A row of spotlights fell on the stage, and another round of applause went up as Mikey loped up to the microphone.
"Greetings, seniors!" he cheered. A hearty roar of acknowledgement rose from the crowd. Danny clapped along, a wide grin on his face.
"I'm Mikey Fordham, your class representative for the student council and on behalf of the student board, I'd like to welcome you to Casper High's Prom Night '08!" he thrust his fist up into the air, and another wave of cheers resounded. Danny never knew Mikey to have so much charm, and grew another level of respect for him.
"Oh, we have got a great night lined up for you here, folks," Mikey pushed the spectacles that were sliding off his nose back to its proper position. "And if you think we're gonna stop at the stroke of twelve, well then you must have been living under a rock because we all know the fun's just begun with our bitchin' afterparty!"
Tucker wrapped his lips around two fingers and whistled loudly along with a number of other students.
"And now that we're all warmed up, let's get ready to rock – kickin' off with our very fine, very lovely, very luscious ladies-in-waiting: let's give it up for ... the nominees!"
Three separate spotlights landed to the right of the stage, where Danny could see Paulina, Star and Eleanor standing expectantly waiting to be called. All three of them looked breathtaking. Paulina was dressed in an elegant cream-colored dress that extended just above her bosom all the way down to her feet. She was wearing corresponding gloves that ran past her elbows and up her forearms. Her hair was sleek, and shinier than usual, with the curls straightened out of it. The dress, Danny could see, was backless, and inching up along her spine was a glittering red rose, with a green stem that led downwards into the folds of her dress where it aligned just above her waist. Star stood next to her, dressed in a tight, sparkling gold dress that came up several inches above her knees. Her vivacious blond hair had been fluffed so that it bloomed large behind her. At the end was Elanor, dressed in a full-on gown that was a deep, rich red. Her hair had been teased so that they fell about her face in curls. Her fingers were adorned with rings Danny was certain she had borrowed from her mother. She swayed nervously on her feet, and her gown swished as she moved.
"I'm going to go find Winston," Sam announced to him and Tucker, who was still clapping wildly. "He'll definitely want to see this."
"And not to forget the suitor for the night – only one can win it, folks: the Prom King!" The spotlights that had been fixated on the three girls shifted so that they landed on Dash, Kwan and another guy from the football team. Danny's heart leapt to his throat. While the other two had opted for the more traditional black, Dash had chosen a clean white tuxedo to wear to the party. It was a good decision. Danny's eyes roved over his face, drinking in the jock's strong jaw and slick blond hair. Dash had a typical stoic expression on his face, and didn't look very excited to be there at all. Danny's eyes slid over to Kwan's face, recalling the way it had screwed up tightly in attempt to contain the tears Kwan had tried not to shed that day in the boys' bathroom.
"But before all that, there's still one little matter to be settled, ladies and gentlemen," Mikey's voice lowered to a deeper pitch. "Could I get Danny Fenton to get up on stage here with me, please?"
There was a ripple in the air as the attention of the students were stolen away from the stage as they attempted to locate Danny. Danny turned in alarm to Tucker, who simply shrugged with a quizzical look on his face. Someone raised his limp arm into the air. "He's here!" the person hollered.
Danny snatched his arm away, but it was too late; hands reached out for him and guided him through the sea of bodies until he found himself at the foot of the stage. Mikey grasped his hand and hoisted him up.
"Danny Fenton, everybody!" he called up to the crowd, inspiring another loud cheer for them. Danny gave an awkward grin and waved his hand in response. Why was he here?
Mikey took a step back and extended his arm out so that it landed solidly on Danny's shoulder. "Isn't he such a good sport, everybody? Give it up for him one more time!" Danny blushed as catcalls filled the air once more.
"Danny, Danny," Mikey was saying now, "you've been such a good sport about this; did you know, folks, that we couldn't have pulled this night together without this man standing next to me right here?"
Mikey threw his arm off Danny's shoulder to gesture at the gigantic poster on Danny Phantom directly behind them. "You've seen him round, people; you know his name; but I bet none of you have ever managed to get such a good picture of the elusive Danny Phantom before; but I got a secret for ya – the man up on that picture over there isn't Danny Phantom. No, sir – that picture is of our very own Danny Fenton, ladies and gentlemen, and he's the reason why we were able to pull off tonight's theme. This year's theme for Casper High's Prom Night, ladies and gentlemen: Spirit of Amity Park!"
Danny dimly registered the applause that followed Mikey's declaration. His eyes roamed once again over to the large posters that hung all over the room, the familiar faces of his adversaries, and that of his very own alter-ego staring back at him. He realized now why the posters of Danny Phantom looked so realistic. His mind flashed back to Wednesday, to his impromptu photo session with Jennifer and Barry. He took in the small smile on Danny Phantom's face – his smile. This must have been what he'd looked like when he'd been envisioning Valerie that afternoon.
Mikey was facing him now, saying something into the microphone.
"...couldn't have done it without your help, Danny. When the Prom Committee thought up the theme for this year, we all knew the only way of getting a good shot of Danny Phantom's face was by taking yours; and ain't it such a good likeness, folks?" he turned back to the crowd, eliciting more claps. "All we needed to change were the hair and the eyes, it's such a good likeness! They could practically be twins!"
He turned back to Danny now, lowering his voice to a more intimate level now that he was addressing Danny. "And since we owe so much to your help tonight, we thought you deserved a special honor." Danny's eyes widened when he caught sight of a stagehand passing over a plastic gold crown over to Mikey. Mikey took it in his hands and turned back to Danny.
"So we decided to give you this," he concluded, holding the crown up high so that everyone could see. Danny felt his heart race as Mikey closed the distance between them.
"So congratulations, Danny Fenton," he said into the microphone. "You are Casper High's first ever..."
He fixed Danny with an intense look.
"Prom..."
The crown was lowered on to his head.
"...Prince."
Emotion welled up inside of Danny as he stared out at the faces of his peers. Mikey gently steered him over to the microphone and rearranged it on its stand so that it was positioned directly in front of Danny's mouth. Danny's eyes surveyed the crowd and he caught sight of a delighted Tucker holding up his phone, no doubt recording every minute. His eyes caught Dash, and he was heartened to see that the other boy did not avert his gaze this time. Everybody was waiting expectantly for his speech.
"I don't know what to say," Danny blurted out. "This is just so unexpected."
There was another pause as he tried to compose himself.
"Truth be told, I wasn't even going to come to this thing tonight. I made up all kinds of excuses, but I guess in the end, none of them mattered because my friends found a way to get me here anyway." He tried surreptitiously to search Sam out, but was unable to find her.
"And I'm glad I came, because this..." he lifted up the plastic crown and brought it close to inspect it, "...this is the highlight of my year."
There was scattered applause as he stepped back and allowed Mikey to take his place. "Alright people, it's time for the moment you've all been waiting for – Casper High, your Prom King of 2008 is..." he held out his hand for the envelope, which Mr. Lancer pressed into his palm; Mikey tore it open with little grace. "Kwan!"
There was loud cheer, and Danny watched with a detached grin on his face as the jocks crowded around their comrade, enveloping him in manly hugs and playful shoves. Kwan eventually broke out of the cluster of bodies and made his way onstage, bowing his head slightly, allowing Mikey to put the crown on his head. Mikey then directed him over to where Danny was standing slightly off to the side. Danny chanced a look at the bigger boy, but quickly looked away again when he found Kwan watching him with a curious look on his face. Pretending nothing had happened, Danny stared resolutely at the seniors gathered around them, finally finding Sam leaning up close against her date.
"And now, if I could have the envelope please..." Mikey requested into the microphone, trying to build up the tension. Lancer passed it over to him; this time, the boy took the time to open the envelope carefully, no doubt trying to prolong the suspense. His eyes scanned through the name printed on the card, then went over it again and again.
"Ladies and gentlemen," he cleared his throat, before pausing once more. Even Danny found himself leaning forward in anticipation. "Ladies and gentlemen, your Prom Queen for Casper High's class of 2008 is..."
For one second, the entire room waited with bated breath.
"Star!"
Danny couldn't be sure, but he thought there was a moment in which everyone reeled back in shock over what he'd just said. Then, with much chattering, there was large round of applause as Star gleefully bounded up the stage. Danny's eyes flicked over to the other two girls left in her wake; Eleanor looked disappointed, staring down at the floor and blinking hard, as though trying to prevent tears from falling; Paulina's face was carefully blank.
There was much fare to be made for the Prom Queen. Star could barely contain herself as Mikey slipped a sash with the words 'CASPER HIGH SCHOOL' emblazoned on it before passing along a bouquet of flowers, and finally a shimmering tiara that nearly blinded them all as it refracted the beam of the spotlight.
Danny tuned out as Star launched into her speech, his sight landing upon Sam who appeared oddly furious by the result. Danny quirked an eyebrow. He knew Sam and Paulina had recently started to spend more time together, but it was a bit much, in his opinion, to look so indignant on Paulina's behalf.
Before he realized it, Mikey and Mr. Lancer were carefully edging Star away from the microphone, effectively cutting her off before she began to ramble. Star hardly seemed to notice; she was too busy blowing kisses to her adoring public.
"Once again, everybody," Mikey enthused. "Your Prom King, Queen and Prince!"
There was another loud cheer from the crowd as the three of them stepped forward holding hands to take a final bow. Danny's smile grew a little more strained as flashes from cameras all around went off. Star's iron grip on him fell away as Mikey gestured to the three of them and announced, "Now we'll have tonight's royalty lead us with their celebratory dance." He nudged Danny's ribs with his elbow and muttered, "Where's your date, Fenton?"
"Uh..." Danny flushed. Trust him to turn one of the most glorious nights of his life into an embarrassment.
"Right here!" he heard someone call. Sam pulled away from Winston's arm, waving her hand to catch Mikey's attention as she made her way to the stage. The crowd cleared a path for her as she weaved through the bodies. Danny slumped in relief as he was escorted off the stage so that the deejay could set up his equipment.
"What about Winston? Won't he mind?" he questioned as they swayed together to the music.
Sam furrowed her eyebrows. "Mind? Why would he mind?"
"I thought you two were ... together?" Danny waved his arm around as he tried to phrase the sentence right.
"It's not serious," Sam admitted to him. "I don't start Princeton until fall, and he's got his own life going on. Truth be told, I am not ready to invest in a full-time relationship right now. We're just taking it slow. I don't think either of us are ready for anything official just yet."
The crowd watched as Kwan, Star, Danny and Sam continued to dance while clasping on to their respective partners. Danny spotted Tucker filming him and Sam and narrowed his eyes in warning. Then, to his surprise, Tucker's attention was stolen away by none other than Eleanor, the third nominee, who got him to put away the phone and join her on the dance floor. Soon after, Dash and Paulina joined in the mix too.
"Tucker's date is one of the Prom Queens?" Danny couldn't hide his surprise.
Sam glanced over to the slowly rotating couple and smirked. "Funny, isn't it? He asked her out on Monday after Paulina railed her out for wearing that necklace."
Danny noted that Eleanor had gotten rid of the necklace in question. His gaze rested on Dash and Paulina moving elegantly in a circle several feet away. Paulina's arms were wrapped around Dash's neck and shoulders, while his considerably bigger hands almost completely encircled the entirety of her waist; he had pulled her figure flush up against his body; his eyes were closed, and he seemed to be lost in some reverie. Over to their left were Star and Kwan; the Asian boy was holding on to his date in the proper manner, and it was clear that the two of them were nowhere near as comfortable with one another as Dash and Paulina were with each other; as Dash and Paulina carefully guided themselves, remaining in the circular motion they had established, Star and Kwan were practically twirling all around the room; her wide blue eyes darted everywhere, as though she were trying to commit every single detail to memory; Kwan, on the other hand, appeared to be just as lost in his thoughts as Dash; even though his eyes were open, they were staring at nothing in particular.
When the music tapered off, the couples broke apart to a cascading round of applause. The deejay had managed to get everything he needed in working order, and the speakers thrummed to life as bass-heavy beats resonated around them. Star was immediately surrounded by a group of gabbing girls congratulating her on her win.
"I bet she stuffed the ballot box when no one was looking," Sam fumed as the giggling bunch passed them by.
"I'm sure she won fair and square." Danny said, already losing interest in the conversation in favor of trying to find Dash amongst all the nameless faceless masses.
"Whatever," Sam grumbled discontentedly "Come on, let's go out; I need some air."
They sauntered by Tucker, who gave them a distracted wave goodbye without bothering to look away from Eleanor. "So tell me," Danny said conversationally, "why exactly are you so pissed that Star beat Paulina out for Prom Queen?"
Sam turned wide eyes on him. "I'm not pissed!" she protested.
Danny gave her a sceptical look. "Sam, please. You've been glaring in her direction ever since Mikey called her name." He raised his eyebrows when she opened her mouth to deny it.
"Alright, fine," Sam gave in. "But you of all people have got to admit there's no way Star deserved that title more than Paulina; I mean, she's not my favourite person in the world," she added, "but even I know there's no one who epitomizes the term 'Prom Queen' better than Paulina Sanchez."
They crossed over to the other side of the gymnasium and pushed open the double doors to step outside. Danny sucked in a deep breath of relief; nice as it was in there, it was also proving to be extremely overwhelming, and the fresh air felt good on his skin and in his lungs.
"You left your boyfriend inside," Danny reminded her. "Or non-boyfriend. Whatever."
Sam glanced over her shoulder back at the school. "Yeah. I'll go rescue him in a minute. I just need to take a moment."
She swung her feet off the grass to land gracefully on one of the outdoor tables, not seeming to care if her dress got slightly wet from the leftover dew. Pressing her palms flat against the surface, she leaned back to take in the sight of the moon, almost completely full, and the trees dangling above her. "I'm really glad you came, Danny," she told him. "Not that you had a choice; I was going to give you five more minutes before going over to your house and dragging you out when you showed up."
"Yeah, this party is, uh, pretty incredible," a bashful smile came over Danny's face.
Sam's face turned fond. "You're still wearing your crown," she said softly.
Danny's hand quickly flew to the top of his head and removed the headpiece. He examined it with great care, turning it about in his hands.
"Keep it on," Sam urged. Danny gave her an exasperated glance. "No, seriously. You should. Look around you, Danny – this party tonight is for you. For both of you. They made up a brand new category just so that they could honor you. Not even Star can say something like that for herself."
Darting his eyes back at her one more time, Danny ducked his head and quickly fitted the crown back on. Sam's face turned more serious now.
"And there's one more thing, Danny..." she said hesitantly.
Danny raised his eyebrows expectantly. The music from indoors still thrummed in his ears. He shifted his gaze to take in the tree just to the left of Sam's ear, with its dark green leaves billowing gently in the wind.
"I – that is to say, Tuck and I – we don't want you to think that ... we're forgetting you or anything," Sam rubbed at the nape of her neck awkwardly.
Danny blinked.
"I mean," Sam went on, "I know we haven't really talked about it ... it's just been a little bit hectic, what with this being our last semester and all the things there are to take care of. I never really asked what your plans were, I just kind of assumed ... well, I mean – it's hard to think of Amity Park without you here."
Danny nodded. He knew what she meant. "It's hard to think of Amity Park without you here too, Sam," he said quietly.
"I know," Sam assured quickly. There was a small pause before she said again, "That's why I've been thinking ... I mean..." she ran her hand up and down the other forearm; "it's not really a rule that you have to go to college right away. I don't know what Tuck's plans are, but if you're up for it, you know – I don't mind ... hanging around for a while, you know," she finished lamely.
Danny nodded mutely for a moment, then pursed his lips. A small smile appeared on his face. There was a time when he might have jumped at the offer. He hated to think of himself as so selfish, but it was true. Only mere weeks, months ago, he had been so desperately and insanely jealous. It was not that he envied their opportunity, it's just that he longed to have had the choice to make.
But not anymore.
Something had changed in Danny along the way; he wasn't sure if it was Vlad's death that had set off the trigger, or the compounding of all his troubles crashing into each other, but somewhere down the line, he had his values change overnight. No longer did he harbor the need to watch on resentfully as they prepared to go off on their great journeys.
"Thanks, Sam," he said genuinely. "I appreciate the offer. But I'm alright," he pivoted on his feet and gazed at the aging building. Sounds of enjoyment were still creeping out through the doors. "I think I always knew that this was coming. It just took a while to see. This is the way things are supposed to be," he glanced at her over his shoulder, "and I'm okay with that now."
"Something good is going to happen, Danny, you'll see," Sam raised herself from the table and made her way over to him. "Things are going to change. I can feel it."
Change. Yes, he could feel it too. Looming in the distance. Whatever was going on in his life, Danny knew too, like a feeling in the bones; change was coming.
Sam squeezed Danny hands, looking earnestly into his eyes. "Tonight is going to be a magical night."
They returned together into the gymnasium. Danny shifted close to her, fixated upon Sam, a congenial smile playing on his face, and so did not see Kwan in time to avoid smacking his shoulder into him.
Danny pulled away in surprise and stared at the menacing scowl Kwan gave him. He was wearing his crown, tilted to one side and glinting underneath the lighting. Sam paused too, holding lightly on to Danny's hand in a show of solidarity. Kwan's eyes never left Danny, but Danny noticed Dash and Paulina, along with Star and her friends watching closely/
Then Kwan shifted, turned his gaze back around, and marched past. Sam and Danny shared an inquiring look. What was all that about?
Danny's attention shifted back to the other bystanders, who in turn slowly turned their eyes away. Danny thought he saw Dash give him a slightly more lingering look.
"I'm going to go find Winston," Sam told him. "You should come hang out with us. Tuck will want to show off Eleanor too."
"I'll be waiting here," Danny promised. Sam nodded and flitted off, and Danny fought the urge to fold his arms protectively over his chest.
Dash never looked his way again.
Danny stood there, by the food stand, and considered Dash's form. Just a few days ago, he had felt so hurt just by looking at his empty seat, yet now...
Ever since Danny had whispered his little confession in the confines of his room, he had looked at his relationship with Dash in a new way. It was like taking a breath of fresh air. No longer did he carry his yearning for the other boy like a burden; now he had grown to accept it as just another part of him, just another facet in the life of Danny Fenton.
He studied Dash's broad back, picture the trim waist that the white jacket currently hid.
No longer were his feelings an anchor.
And suddenly he knew what to do.
Danny spent the rest of the night at the gym with Sam and Tucker. Eleanor had been a little bit distant, but Danny could forgive her that, considering how close to the crown she had been; he made sure to keep his out of sight in her presence. Winston, to his pleasant surprise, had been a perfectly nice, if not slightly dull person. Danny was glad for that, at the very least. Sam could totally take this guy on, if he tried anything.
He didn't dance much, except for when they all jumped in as a group, but it would be impossible to deny that he had a good time. He kept getting congratulated by people, some of whom he didn't recall ever speaking to in his life. Howard Mehnke drifted along by and bared his teeth in a way that Danny chose to consider as a smile. Jennifer and Barry came over, the girl squealing at the sight of Danny's crown and giving him a big hug. "Good on you, Fenton," Barry gave him a thumbs-up even as his girlfriend lay a wet smack on Danny's cheek.
"Thanks," Danny said, embarrassed but pleased. "How did you do it?"
"Wasn't hard," Barry shrugged. "We just took your picture and sprayed your hair white. Your eyes were closed, so we just filled the space in and drew in two green orbs."
They continue speaking for a few more minutes, before Jennifer whisked Danny off to dance. Barry joined soon after, as did Tucker and Eleanor, and before too long, Winston and Sam were wading their way over as well.
As it got close to midnight, the stage was taken over by Mr. Lancer, decked out in his most garish outfit. "Okay, people, last call," he announced. "You don't have to go home, but you can't stay here!" Then he gestured to the deejay to play the final song for the night, and stepped away.
"Sam!" Danny's attention was taken by a loud voice calling his friend's name. He turned to see Paulina making her way over to them.
"Paulina!" Sam cried.
"You're coming to the afterparty, right?" Paulina demanded.
"Yeah, of course!" Sam declared. Paulina nodded and turned to leave. Danny waited for her to acknowledge him, throw him a dirty look maybe, but she never even glanced his way.
"Where is this party, anyway?" Danny inquired.
"Amity Park Welcome," Sam said simply.
The Amity Park Welcome was the closest thing in their part of town to resemble a hotel, probably, Danny reasoned, because the Hyatts simply did not see the appeal of opening up a branch in a small, Midwestern town of 3,500 and dwindling. It was small, it was dinky, but it boasted a large hall and accompanying balcony, which made it the perfect location to rent out for large events. Danny had no doubt the Prom Committee had rented out the entire building for student use.
"Come with us," Sam invited. "We have more than enough space in the limo."
"You guys went through a lot of trouble." Danny marvelled at the effort everyone in school had taken to make sure this night went off without a hitch; from the Prom Committee to the students themselves, who, while he had been off trying to grab on to the shards of his life, had managed to somehow organize themselves into tasteful, fancy outfits, accommodation, and transport.
Still, Danny thought as he slid into the limo, discreetly fingering his crown, he hadn't done too bad himself. He gazed ruefully down the fancy blue outfit his mother had procured for him.
"Party under Foley, please," Tucker said flirtatiously to the receptionist at the hotel. "That's Tucker Foley," he gave her a winning grin.
The receptionist, a sprite blond girl with a ready smile, checked her registry. "I'm sorry," she said, "we've been fully booked out. There's some sort of party going on."
"Yes," Tucker agreed, throwing out his arm and gesturing to Danny, "for the coronation of our great nation's own Prince."
The girl stared on, unamused.
"Lay off, Tuck," Sam shushed. "We're with the Casper High Prom, please."\
"Oh, yes," the girl nodded. "Right through there. Dining hall A."
They thanked her and moved on. Danny's eyes moved around as he took in the scenery. They had clearly gone for a rustic look. An unlit fireplace was to the right of the reception desk and there were comfortable brown armchairs everywhere. Danny treaded the thin orange carpet, and ran his fingers along the cool stone wall. By the alcove that lead to Dining Hall A were rows of potted plants. Sam eyed the stuffed moose head hanging on the wall with some disdain.
The party was raging inside. The group paused and stared in amazement at the scene that greeted them. Gone was the mild atmosphere at the high school gym, where couples chose to mingle with friends rather than dance to the tuneless music the deejay played. Now there was a live band rocking the – considerably larger – stage, the lead singer dressed in an old-style leather jacket and pounding his head along to the music and he hollered into the microphone, His bandmates were just as lost in the music as he was, playing with abandon yet somehow coordinating enough to make the song work. And all around the stage were students, dressed in their most sophisticated outfits, yelling and screaming, throwing themselves to the front of the stage, jumping in time to the music and shoving at each other.
The prom had just turned into a moshpit.
Sam grabbed his hand tightly, and Danny automatically reached for Tucker.
"Let's go!" Sam commanded. The three of them took off running, leaving Winston and Eleanor to stand back and watch. With a whoop, the three of them launched themselves into the mob and began to thrash their way around.
Danny delighted in keeping up with his friends as they practically swam up to the front to grip the foot of the stage and stare reverently up at the band members.
After a series of songs ended and their voices faded away, the students calmed down long enough to give loud cheers and a resounding show of applause. Danny was breathless by this time, huffing and sweaty, but so, so alive. He wrapped his arms around Sam and Tucker's necks and together they made their way out of the crowd while the band took a breather.
"I think we all needed to do that," Sam said in a dreamy voice. Her hair was a tangle of waves. Danny turned to his right and saw Dash and Paulina exiting the crowd, looking flush and happy as well. Dash had removed his jacket off at some point, and his white shirt had come undone on one side. His hair hung back in looser waves than before now. Paulina had changed her outfit, choosing to go with something that offered a little more leg room. Clearly, she had known exactly what the afterparty would entail.
"Hey, baby," Tucker greeted a frosty-looking Eleanor when they got back. Danny supposed she was starting to truly regret her decision to wear a ballgown to the Prom now. He stretched his sated limbs, and told the group that he was going outside for some fresh air.
Danny spotted Dash as he walked to the doors that led to the balcony outside. The other boy wasn't paying attention, but Danny's heart began thudding harder as he thought about what he was going to do. It was crazy, it was lunacy, but there it was in his head, and he hadn't managed to get it out.
He gratefully passed through the arch doorway to the terrace-like balcony that overlooked the street below. Danny glanced off the side and saw many of his classmates socializing just outside the hotel's entrance, or having just arrived and ready to have a good time.
He was pulled out his observations when he heard a solitary set of footsteps shuffle outside. Instinctively, Danny slipped behind the door, pressing himself against a wall decorated with fake vines creeping along its surface.
Out of the corner of his eye, he watched Kwan emerge into view. The crown was being held on one hand by loose fingertips. His shoulders were slumped, heavy, and he floated past the little loveseat carved in stone in the middle of his path, moving to stand at the curved rim of the expansive balcony. He rested his arms on the wide granite railing. The crown slipped from the hooks of his fingers to clatter on the floor by his feet. Kwan didn't seem to notice. He stood there, hunched over the railing and staring out at the stars in the night sky. Danny held his breath.
There was another set of footsteps, brisk and sure. Danny heard the clacking of high heels before Star appeared in his line of sight. The sash she'd been given was gone, but the tiara still sat proud on her head. Her sparkling gold dress showed off her tight figure to full advantage in the distant light of the party just behind her. She stopped, hands on her hips, and stared silently at Kwan's back for a long minute before saying anything.
"Everyone's worried about you, you know."
Kwan turned around to look at her. "What?" he rasped.
"I know Dash doesn't say anything because he doesn't think he can, but it's true. Ever since you got back from the hospital, you've been so distant."
Kwan turned back to resume gazing out at the stars. "There's nothing to worry about," he said in a mechanical voice.
"Really," Star said skeptically, moving forward. "Then why is it that Dash tells me you've barely been speaking to him since you got out?"
"I speak to Dash," Kwan defended, some color entering his voice now.
"Because he told me that it's starting to scare him," Star continued as if he hadn't said anything.
"I'm not trying to scare anybody," Kwan said in a low tone. Then, in what Danny could only assume to be an attempt to lighten the subject, Kwan adopted a joking voice and added, "Besides, Paulina's not scared."
"Of course Paulina's not scared," Star scoffed. "Nothing scares Paulina." Her voice dropped to pleading tone, "But you're scaring me."
There was a long pause. Star had reached Kwan now and was looking up st him. From his vantage point, Danny could see that she had laid one of her small hands on his hand. Kwan was staring at her, and even from where he stood, Danny could read the intensity in his look.
"What if I told you," he began in such a soft voice Danny had to struggle to hear, "that I've been ... seeing things. In my head?"
"You mean, memories?" Star whispered. Kwan shook his head.
"No," he said. "No, they can't be. I see ... things. A sudden flash of the sky. Moving so fast I feel like my skin will fall off. Pain..."
"They say he dropped you out of the sky," Star told him softly. "Danny Phantom."
Kwan broke his gaze with her to return staring out the balcony, to the town of Amity Park spread ahead. "It didn't feel like falling," he murmured.
He shifted his body, turned so that he could better look at her. "There's something ... there's something I have to do," he admitted. "Something that's keeping me from moving on, Star. Staying at that hospital – I thought I was going to go crazy. All I know is I woke up one day and no one could tell me what put me there. Just ideas." He shook his head. "What is it about the past few months that I can't remember? It has to be something, something connected. All I know is, he's involved somehow – and I had to spend all night looking at his face on the walls.""
He leaned forward, pressing himself against the railing of the balcony. "I see his face, sometimes," he continued. "Just little flashes; and I spend all night asking myself, how did I manage to see him so close?" His fingers clenched together. "He's the key. He's the one who knows what happened that day. It's been eating at my mind. I stayed in that hospital for days, and it was like a shadow hanging over me, bringing it up in my mind over and over—"
That was Spectra, of course, Danny knew; feeding upon Kwan's fear and his confusion. She may have even been the one to help him remember as much as he did..
Star wrapped his hands in hers, pulling him off his spiel, then clutched his face with both hands, staring deep into his eyes. "It doesn't matter," she said. "It doesn't matter. You're here, and I'm here. We're together and we've just been named Prom King and Queen, and I am going to make you forget everything."
"Yes," Kwan croaked, moving closer. "Make me forget."
They met each other in a kiss, encircling their arms around each other. Kwan and Star had slowly made their way closer to the love seat in the middle of the terrace, and in an almost graceful manner, managed to land on it without breaking their embrace. Kwan's hands ran up the length of Star's back, tangling in her hair, yet going up further, until his fingers brushed the crown that adorned her head, pushing it off, so that it landed carelessly, tainted, on the floor on its side amongst the fallen leaves.
Danny pressed himself back against the concrete wall, turning intangible and fading back to the other side, where the party was still going.
His feet felt like lead, and his heart was thumping forcefully against his chest. He stepped away from the wall and quickly crossed the room, returning to the reception area, planning to go out the front way so that he could think. He still needed to prepare himself for his plan tonight.
He pushed open the front doors and stepped out into the night, then froze. All the people he had seen hanging out front earlier had gone in, now that the party was in full force, leaving only one familiar figure smoking a cigarette. Danny heard the last of the drunken arrivals laugh happily as they entered the establishment. Dash turned around, taking notice of Danny for the first time since everyone had left the gym.
"You and Manson seem a cozy couple tonight." Was it just him, or did Dash sound bitter?
"Likewise, for you and Paulina," Danny commented as Dash made to stub out his cigarette. Dash gave him a derisive snort and turned around, looking at Danny properly. They stood there for a moment, not knowing what to say, then Dash shook his head and walked past, about to go inside.
"Dash, wait," Danny heard himself call.
Dash paused.
Danny didn't say anything else. His blood rushed in his veins, and his chest started to heave with effort as his breathing grew more labored. For a long time, they remained in that position; Danny was afraid he wasn't going to be able to think up anything else to say.
"I don't want to be like this," he found himself saying. Dash still remained silent.
Danny pivoted on his feet. "You have to come with me."
Dash turned around too, giving him a curious look. "Where are we going?" he asked thickly.
Danny looked about, trying to find a secure place from prying eyes and ears. "Over there," he decided, nodding to a spot around the corner. Without giving himself enough time to think, he reached out and grabbed Dash's hand. "Come on," he urged, starting to move his long legs already. Dash resisted only for a moment, then went with him.
They rounded the corner, and Danny fell back to lean against the wall. Dash watched him as he tried to calm himself down.
"I have to go," he said suddenly. "Paulina will be wondering where I went,"
"Stay," Danny implored. He had hoped for more time to plan this through, but it looked like it was crunch time now. Time to find out if he had what it took to go through with it. Time to find out if this was worth fighting for. "I have to show you something. Something big."
Dash huffed, crossing his arms and rolling his eyes. "If it's in your pants, I've seen it already," he said petulantly. "And trust me, it's not that big."
Despite the seriousness of the situation, Danny snickered. After all, he still was an eighteen-year-old boy.
"No, Dash, you have to believe me," Danny said, fixing him with a solemn gaze. He straightened himself up, moving closer to Dash's defensive form. "What I'm about to show you is probably the most important thing about myself. I need to know that I can trust you with it," he took a deep breath. "And I do."
Dash must have sensed the gravity of the situation from the look on Danny's face, for his arms fell away and he took a step back, not taking his eyes off the smaller boy. Danny stared back at him for a moment, then his eyes fell shut and he bowed his head to concentrate.
Two rings of light encapsulated his body and slowly moved in opposite directions. As they traversed up and down the length of his form, the features began to change. His magnificent blue suit was replaced by a familiar black jumpsuit, his hair turning pure white, and his deep blue eyes giving way to green. Dash leaned back, lips parted in disbelief, and took two slow, involuntary paces back. His arms hung limp by his sides as Danny Fenton slowly disappeared, and Danny Phantom raised his head to look upon him with proud eyes.
Dash said nothing, a thunderstruck look upon his face. Danny took one cautious step forward. "I know how you must feel—"
But Danny was not prepared to have the full force of Dash's weight thrown at him as the other boy wrapped his arms around Danny's neck and drew close so that his face was only several inches away from Danny's. "I knew you weren't a waste of time!" Dash cried out, and pulled Danny into a long, searing kiss.
Danny let out a surprised sound, stumbling forward with Dash's enthusiasm, and finally aligning their heads so that their mouths fit perfectly against each other. Dash probed about his tongue searchingly, and Danny let out an uncontrolled moan. As Dash's tongue darted in past his teeth to explore his mouth in just the way Danny had been longing for, Danny took all the reservations, all the hurt, all the pain, and turned it into the passion he needed to fulfil his hunger.
His gloved hands treaded up Dash's back and into his hair, hanging thick and loose now, as their lips pressed urgently at one another. Dash shoved Danny against the wall, both of his palms slapping over the cold concrete of the exterior wall on either side of Danny's head. Danny curved his body so that his groin was pressed flush against Dash's thigh, even as moved his hands from where they rested upon the wall to pull at Danny's black jumpsuit, trying to bring him in closer.
Danny pulled away from Dash's lips with a heady gasp. "Wait, wait—" he breathed, trying to hold Dash at bay. "Let's not do this here. Let's—"
Dash nodded along, pretending to care, as he leaned forward and captured Danny's lips in a blistering kiss again. Danny's eyes slid shut and he let out another unrestrained groan. How he had missed this.
"Dash—" Danny panted next time they broke apart. "Dash—" He failed to get anything out that time either before Dash was on him once again, prying his lips open with his slippery tongue. Danny hit the back of his head against the wall with a satisfying thud and suckled on Dash's tongue with a promising nip as it drew back.
"Not here," he said again when they came up for air once more. "Let's go somewhere ... anywhere."
Dash almost didn't seem capable of talking; he had moved down to Danny's throat now, laving the sensitive skin with feather-light kisses, provoking Danny into making more wanton sounds. Danny managed to pull away, finally, as Dash's inquisitive kisses started to tickle. He gave Dash a reassuring peck on the lips, a fond smile on his face, unable to believe just how well his revelation had gone over. His head was starting to grow clearer now. Now that he had Dash back, he most certainly did not want to celebrate their reunion here, in a house full of their friends and classmates. He offered his arm to Dash with a benevolent smile.
Dash's face was full of open trust, and he pressed his hand into Danny's willingly. Danny reached out and pulled the bigger boy to him, eliciting a gasp, and braced his legs before taking off into the air. Dash let out a surprised sound, and gathered himself closer in Danny's arms. Danny couldn't see very well with Dash obstructing his view, but it was alright; he had long stopped depending on his eyesight to guide him about his town.
He felt Dash crane his neck to take in the sights as they soared higher. The landmarks below them started to grow smaller, and Danny propelled himself forward, readjusting Dash's weight so that he was holding on to the other boy more evenly, rather than cradling him in his arms.
"I don't understand how this is possible," Dash admitted to him as they flew past the crowds.
In response, Danny cupped the blond boy's strong jaw and kissed him deep. "Later," he promised. "I'll tell you everything later."
For now, Dash was lost in the sights of Amity Park whizzing by them, and Danny was lost in the sight of Dash, of the wonderment in his eyes, the way his jaw seemed permanently unhinged. And Danny knew exactly where to take him.
He pushed himself further, steely determination on his face. Dash's hair blew wildly in the sharp wind; it was a complete mess by the time Danny set them down on firm ground, but there was such a look of untamed joy lighting up the blond boy's face that Danny couldn't even bring himself to laugh.
"Where are we?" Dash had to ask.
"Castle's Point," Danny informed, gazing out to the glimmering lights of Amity Park below them. "Highest point in all the town. I come here sometimes, to think. I – I wanted to share it with you."
Dash brought himself to rub against Danny's torso, a sad sort of look on his face. "I didn't know," he murmured. "I didn't know or I would've..."
Danny silenced him with a kiss. "Doesn't matter," he repeated. "None of it matters. We're here now."
"Danny," Dash whispered. Danny kissed him again. They stood there, underneath a great tree with its leaves ruffling in the wind and the city a reminder in the distance. Danny's hands roamed down to Dash's waistband, brushing against the run of his white jacket. Unable to help himself, he deepened the kiss, clutching at Dash's jacket and pushing it off his shoulders.
Dash let out a little noise and wiggled his body, shrugging off the offending piece. Danny's hands quickly moved to the boy's trousers, unsnapping it and beginning to zip it down. Dash helped kick it off as it lowered down his calves, toeing off the expensive white leather shoes he was wearing in the process. Neither of them broke their kiss.
Danny's hands returned to tug at Dash's black silk boxers, fingers grazing against his inner thigh teasingly. Dash moved away, parting their lips with a smacking sound. "Mmph. No."
Danny immediately moved his hands away, thinking he'd done something to offend, but Dash said again, "No – not here. Don't want to do it here—"
"Where?" Danny mouthed against Dash's skin. He pulled back in time to see Dash's eyes fill with significant meaning as his right arm lifted off Danny's bicep. Four fingers curled in, leaving only Dash's index finger standing, pointing upright as Dash lifted his arm earlier.
Danny turned his eyes in the direction Dash was pointing, flicking upwards to take in the twinkling stars spread across the inky blue sky.
Understanding flooded him as he brought his gaze back on the blond jock waiting for his answer. They stared at each other for a full minute, each trying to gather themselves as much as possible. Danny was trembling as he leaned forward to capture Dash in a soft, poignant kiss once more.
His hands trailed up Dash's beefy arms. He didn't ask if he was sure; he already knew the answer. Danny's fingers tightened around Dash, gripping him almost painfully as they both started to rise slowly into the air, hovering mere inches above grass.
Dash did not look scared, he didn't look afraid; he was just staring at Danny, anticipation written all over his face.
As they started to rise higher, Dash's bare feet moving up to where the grass could not tickle his soles, Danny closed the distance between their bodies, effortlessly bringing Dash's arms around his torso to cling on to his back. Dash wrapped his legs, still clad in his black boxers, around Danny's knees, while Danny used one fumbling hand to shift the lower part of his jumpsuit downwards, exposing his cock to the cool air. He felt his shaft harden even while Dash's crotch stirred in interest, pressed up against Danny's belly. Together, with a shared sense of coordination, Dash's legs crawled up higher as his boxer shorts shucked down his thighs to expose his pale, firm ass.
Danny was so focused on Dash's face he failed to realize until now that they were actually rotating on the spot as he lifted them slowly into the air. They were fifteen feet above the ground when he realized they were moving in a circle.
Tilting his head and coming in for a kiss, Danny hoisted Dash's thighs in his hands until they were in the perfect position. Dash's nose whistled sharply as he was moved about suddenly and left to find his center to hold on to. With strenuous effort, Dash raised his body up again from where he had slipped and then, from that, they found the position they wanted.
Dash's cock was hard and ready, pressed up between Danny's jumpsuit and his white shirt; the tip was an angry red, and if Danny looked down at it, he could see the pink head peeking out, already starting to form a bead of white.
Danny's own cock, in turn, had reached its full length, so hard it almost hurt. Darker than Dash's cock, his pointed straight out, and he surreptitiously angled it so that it brushed against the crack of Dash's ass.
"How – how—" Dash gasped with pleasure, trying valiantly to form the words, "how are we going to do this?"
It was a good question. They had long left the safety of terra firma, hanging on to each other in mid-air amongst the clouds. Danny could see the moon, larger than he had ever seen it before, highlighting the scene for them. He kissed Dash reassuringly. Though he had never done this before in his life – certainly never while floating in the sky as his alter-ego – he thought he had an idea. He would only need Dash to trust him in order to concentrate.
"I'm going to make it good for you," he promised with a tender press of his lips.
"Want you now," Dash sighed. "I want to feel you in me – Danny, Danny..."
They kissed once more, deep, but short; the fires that stoked their need had moved elsewhere, and their kisses no longer were so hungry. Danny had his mind on another goal, determined to give Dash and part of him in return for what the other boy was giving him.
"Trust me," he uttered against Dash's lips. "Just relax."
Dash's arms tightened around Danny's back, but his legs loosened their hold, falling apart, spreading his thighs wider in open invitation. Danny bolstered Dash's grip with his arms, rendering them useless to fulfil his need to open Dash up, relax him enough to welcome him in.
Closing his eyes, Danny focused on what he was about to do, pictured it in his mind. His cock remained waiting, lodged against Dash's ass and trapped between their legs as the two boys tried to use each other for support. Shifting his hips upward a little, Danny felt the head of his sensitive tool brush up against Dash's hole. The sharp inhalation Dash gave indicated that he, too, had felt it.
Danny's fingers curled themselves in Dash's hair distractingly. Danny kept his focus on the picture in his head. The tip of his cock was pressed against Dash's entrance, the ring of muscle there preventing him from breaching further. As though directing all the energy in his body, Danny squeezed his eyes shut in effort, and pictured the head of his cock turning intangible; then he directed it to the very part of him that was perfectly poised against Dash's hole, and transferred it over to the other boy's body. Dash let out a mystified sound as he felt himself opening up; Danny grinned. In his mind's eye, he could see it playing out perfectly. The intangibility he had localized to his dick moving upwards to transfer over to the ring of muscle, turning that elastic rim that was offered to him into nothingness, eliminating the barrier that promised him heaven. He let out a gratified moan as the head of his cock began to slide into Dash.
Dash thrashed his head in pleasure; unable to feel the rim of his hole being stretched open had eliminated all the pain, leaving him to deal with only the shock of adjusting to this new invader, this foreign piece trying to bury itself deep inside him. But oh, he wanted – he wanted to give himself over, wanted to feel Danny seat himself inside of him. The gasp that escaped his mouth was warbled and fell off his lips to escape into the atmosphere.
The air was colder around them now; they had flown so high the stars seemed close, and Danny and Dash's breath puffed into their faces as they breathed into each other's mouths. Danny's green eyes burned themselves into Dash's brain, and he threw his head back, relishing the feeling of Danny hard and strong inside him.
Danny, for his part, was practically delirious with the ecstasy of Dash's tight heat. He had yet to move, though the need to gain that last little bit of friction was positively overwhelming. Dash made a keening noise in the back of his throat, which Danny took as his way of imploring him to move.
Slowly, Danny drew himself out, revelling in the feel of the cool night air whipping at his engorged shaft as he left the velvet warmth of Dash's hole only to plunge back in just a moment later. Dash let out a cry as he was penetrated fully, even deeper than before. Danny's arms tightened around him.
Dash's cry segued into a succession of huffing and panting as he tried to get used to the sensation of Danny pulling out and shoving in again and again. Danny, for the most part, tried his level best to prevent himself from going too fast. He needed to make sure Dash was ready, but trying to lock himself for too long within this perfect pressure was absolute hell.
The moon illuminated Dash's classic good looks for him, Danny drank in the blissful curve of the jock's lips, the crease in his brow that denoted his rapturous feelings. Danny's cock felt huge, expanded by almost too much blood, every little bit of him that was capable of feeling wanting to experience this heat.
Dash's cock lay unperturbed between them, leaking more than ever now. Danny wished he could reach it, wanted to move his hands from where they supported Dash's frame and take him in his grasp, feel the thick flesh around him as he pumped up and down, bringing Dash to the brink along with him.
Not that he needed it; Danny kept his eyes blown wide so that he wouldn't miss a second of the agonizing, fantastic looks that passed over his lover's face. Dash still could not bear to open his eyes, and his mouth clenched hard, showing off his teeth as a way of compounding the strain on his face. Danny leaned forward and began to nibble on Dash's chin.
Dash's eyes flew open with a strangled cry, almost as if he'd forgotten Danny had lips, a tongue, other means of reaching him and increasing his pleasure. Danny moved his head to the side, attacking Dash's neck as his hips pulled out then snapped back in. Dash let out a grunt on pleasure.
When Danny looked back down at the blond boy's cock, he noted with satisfaction that it had grown even bigger than before. It looked ready to explode, like a volcano waiting for the chance to erupt. Maybe, Danny thought lustfully, Dash wouldn't even need to be touched. God, would that not be something, driving the other boy to the edge just like this, only like this, and he gave another vigorous thrust, tearing out more pleasured shouts from Dash's throat.
Dash leaned his head down and bit his shoulder, hard enough for Danny to feel the edges of his teeth underneath the cool material of his jumpsuit. He gave another thrust.
"D – Danny—" Dash whispered into the half-ghost's ear. "Danny..."
Danny bit into his lip, squeezing his eyes shut once more. They spun together, slowly, at a nearly-glacial pace, against the background of a humongous moon. Danny's hands scrabbled at Dash's shirt and Dash's fingers clawed at whatever part of Danny they could reach, while their bare bottoms tangled together, moving with wild abandon.
Danny huffed in broken breaths a few more times, driving his cock in and out of Dash with abandon, then threw his head back and yowled his release. He felt his cock throb over and over again as he released his seed deep into the other boy's body. Dash squeezed his thighs together around Danny's ribs, and the overall effect made his body tighten, even with his hole completely intangible, bringing Danny over into another state of bliss as he shot his release. The pressure built inside of Dash, and within moments, he too opened his mouth in a silent yell as his cum shot out between them.
By the time they had managed to collect themselves and their breathing turned normal, Danny had already landed them back on to the grassy knoll of Castle's Point. His chest was still heaving with the exertion of what they had just accomplished, but Danny wouldn't give up the indescribably joyful feelings roaring about in his diaphragm for anything in the world.
Dash collapsed backwards to settle on the ground bonelessly. Danny joined him, curling up to his side and watching his face. Dash lay on his back, staring up at the night sky, as though recounting what they had just been a part of only minutes ago. He turned to take in Danny's face as Danny gazed up at him, waiting. Wordlessly, Dash extended his arm out. After a moment, Danny took it, and they lay on the grass, catching their breath, holding hands.
After a moment, Dash pulled himself and Danny up to a sitting position and kissed Danny shamelessly.
"I'm tired of playing games, Danny," Dash announced when they parted. "Enough of going round and round. I'm ready to take this forward. Let's just be together," he searched Danny's face with his eyes.
Danny nodded along. That sounded good. That sounded real good.
They spent long hours together that night, holding on to each other, kissing and talking on the bank of the hill. Before long, Danny got to his feet again and held out his hand for Dash to take. "Come on."
"Where are we going?" Dash asked curiously, taking Danny hand.
"You'll see," Danny promised confidently, tossing the locks of white hair that had fallen into his eyes. They had put their clothes back on a while ago, though they looked much worse for wear than when the evening began.
Dash and Danny stood across from each other, hands clasped together. Danny forced Dash to keep his eyes trained on him with his most piercing look, and slowly started to raise them up into the air once more. Dash's weight didn't falter with Danny to boost him. Before Dash even realized it, they were amongst the stars again, thirty feet from the ground.
Danny's smile turned mischievous, and he started to pull his body away, edging farther from Dash, until their arms stretched to maximum limit to keep them locked together. Dash let out a cry as he started to grow unsteady on his feet, but Danny tightened his grip, pressing the pad of his thumb hard against the pulse point under Dash's wrist. Slowly, Danny began to pull them forwards so that they drifted through the sky, fingers interlaced and bodies pointed away from each other. Dash's look of consternation was replaced with one of delight as he realized what they were doing.
They were skating on thin air.
Danny let out a laugh when Dash struggled to keep his legs from weaving about as they moved along the air, then pulled him in so that he was smooshed against Danny's thin but capable body.
The sky over Amity Park that night was illuminated by the laughs and shouts of two delighted boys as they skated amongst the twinkling stars spread across the inky blue sky.
Author's Note: So ... was it worth the wait?