Chapter 28: Jazz

"Well maybe you should come along with us some time. If you'd attend a meeting once in a while, you'd know we just got a few new members and we're going to be attending the coronation of the new Prince of the medieval dragon realm."

"Oh that's nice. You make it sound like an exclusive club. But I'm sorry to say I've been too busy with homework. If I want to have a good shot at my choice career, I'll have to work every chance I get."

"Let me know if you change your mind." Danny said as he walked away. He went upstairs to play some video games on his computer. He and Sam and Tucker loved playing the game "Doomed". Danny was pleased to find that they were already signed on and playing.

Downstairs, Danielle finished the game she was playing just in time to answer the doorbell. "Cecelia! You're here!" Danielle opened the door for her friend.

"Are you ready to do a mani-pedi makeover?" Cecelia asked excitedly.

"Yes, but first I want to introduce you to my older sister Jazz she's also part of Team Phantom and so she knows everything." Danielle pulled Cecelia over to the kitchen table where Jazz was typing on her laptop. Jazz looked up.

"Jazz this is Cecelia. She has a cool electrical power. She's one of the new team members that Danny was telling you about." Danielle explained.

"Hello." Jazz said, and then went back to whatever college paper she had been typing.

Cecelia and Danielle went into the living room where Danielle had her nail polishes sitting out on a tray.

"You have a lot." Cecelia made a statement.

"Mm-hmm!" Danielle acknowledged with pride. "What color do you want? Or do you want me to pick one for you?"

"Surprise me." Cecelia said.

The two girls sat down and Danielle painted Cecelia's nails crimson red. Then Cecelia painted Danielle's nails aquamarine. While waiting for their nails to dry, they started talking about really girly things. Cecelia learned that Danielle did in fact have feelings for her brother's best friend, Tucker.

Cecelia confessed to Danielle that she didn't have a crush on a guy right now, but she was eager to go on a date. The two girls shared many laughs and made many jokes about guys that they've met in the past.

"Ya know, Cecelia, I'm really glad I met you. Now I have someone to talk to about those really girly things." Danielle said.

"But what about Sam and Jazz? Or Valerie?"

"Jazz is, well," Danielle took a glance at her sister, "She's really nerdy and not very girly. I'm not saying that's a bad thing, I'm just saying that we've never had a girl chat. And Sam, think about that. She too boyish and dark. I need a cheerful friend like you. And Valerie…she kinda scares me. Besides I don't know her too well. But you, Cecelia, are a total sweetie."

"Aw! Thank you!"

"And I'm saying that because when my brother first started talking about you, I was kind of afraid of you. But now I see that you're totally girly."

"Thanks. You're definitely a sweetheart." Cecelia said. "You're kinda like family to me."

And then from there, the girls began talking about their own families and then they started talking about Danny. Danielle shared some pretty embarrassing things about Danny. And just then, Danny came down the stairs.

"Hey Jazz, is there any milk in the fridge?" Danny asked her. He didn't even give her a chance to answer before he started drinking out of the carton. And then he must have tilted it too much because milk spilled all over his shirt. "Aw poo." He said as he searched the counter for a napkin to soak it up.

Over in the living room, Cecelia and Danielle were laughing and Cecelia was taking pictures with her cell phone.

"Cecelia—what?" Danny finally noticed she was here.

That was the final blow that sent the girls literally ROFLing. Danny fixed his shirt and then walked over to them he just stared at them.

"What are you doing here?" Danny asked Cecelia.

Cecelia and Danielle stopped laughing and stood to their feet. "We were just having some girl time." Cecelia began to laugh again. "And Danielle told me some pretty funny stories about you."

Danny smirked. "Oh did she? Because if you wait a minute, I can tell you some really funny things about her."

Danielle's face reverted into a frown. "No way!" She protested.

"I can and I will." Danny picked his little sister up by the waist. She squirmed to try and break free of him, but it was obvious that she was no physical match for him. "Excuse me for a moment." Danny said to Cecelia. Danielle twisted and moved all the way up the stairs as Danny carried her. To end it, he shoved her into his bedroom and then held the door shut. Danielle banged on the door, demanding to be free.

Danny tied a string around the knob of Danielle's bedroom door and tied the other end of the string to the room across the hall, making it impossible for Danielle to open her bedroom door. Danny walked back downstairs to Cecelia. "Now let's have a little chat." He tried to be serious, but he couldn't hold back a laugh after he did all of that to Danielle.

Cecelia and Danny sat down on the couch. "So…what did she tell you?" Danny asked. He wasn't even going to beat around the bush because this was serious business. He had to know what kind of horrible lies his sister was spreading. Danny didn't want a girl as pretty as Cecelia knowing anything embarrassing about him. He definitely wanted her to see him in a positive light.

Cecelia repeated several embarrassing stories about Danny when he was fifteen and dating Sam Manson. Danny sat there, awkwardly waiting for the end. And then he told Cecelia many embarrassing stories about Danielle. This was a good bonding time for them. Cecelia was just beginning to realize how easy he was to talk to, and how much she enjoyed the sound of his voice.

Meanwhile, over at the dining room table, Jazz couldn't resist cracking up every so often. She was beginning to form her own ideas about Danny and Cecelia's friendship. Jazz made a prediction that someday very soon, Danny and Cecelia were going to be dating, because Cecelia was that attractive type of girl that the guys like to hang around. Jazz knew that if Danny didn't already want a girlfriend like Cecelia, he would soon.

Later, after Cecelia had left, Danny was just itching to talk to Valerie. He decided to give her a call. "Hey, Val, I was wondering if you'd want to come to the dragon thing on December 31st? And have you decided to join the team? Please call back, thank you." Danny hung up. The most he got was an answering machine. Danny always felt weird when talking to an answering machine.

Danny didn't hear from Valerie until late into the next day: December 28. When he heard her voice, he perked up from his usual sleepy mood.

"Hey Danny, I've been thinking about things…"

"Good." Danny could only hope for the best.

"And I've decided I don't want to do the dragon thing. I don't want to have anything to do with dragons."

"…Okay…"

"And I don't think I want to be a part of your Team Phantom right now. I'm just not feeling the whole "teamwork thing". I'd hate to be so cliché, but I work alone. And I really appreciate the ring, I, I just don't think a relationship is best for me right now. I've got a lot to deal with—grades, jobs, college plans…"

Danny's heart dropped just as rapidly as his spirits. His eyes drooped and he lost his smile. He almost wanted to cry.

When Valerie didn't hear him say anything back, she was worried she had made him mad. "I'm sorry. I hope this doesn't ruin things between us."

"No, it won't." Danny said. He tried his best to suppress his true mood.

Valerie hesitated a moment. She realized there was nothing left to say. "Goodbye Danny." And with that, they both hung up.

Danny let his body collapse onto his bed. He lay there for about ten minutes just staring at the ceiling as he pondered on things. "Was it because I was too pushy? Am I a bad leader?" Danny gasped. "Am I too bossy? Did I seem desperate? I'm so lost." Danny decided that this was more of girl trouble than it was about the team. Danny needed some good hard advice from someone he could trust. Someone who knew Valerie well. Garth.

Danny dialed up Garth.

"Hello?" Garth and Danny didn't usually talk on the phone a lot.

"You know Valerie, right?"

"Yes of course I know her."

"And do you think she has any reason to hate me?"

"You've gotta be kidding me, right?"

"No, really. Does she? Because she just told me she didn't want to be a part of the team and I'm trying to figure out why."

"Dude, she really likes you. But she's not into the whole "ghosts are friendly" sort of thing. Maybe it's just a little overwhelming. Give her some space for now and then talk to her when you guys go back to school. In the meantime, I'm sure you'll be able to find a girl that'll get Valerie off your mind."

"You really think so?"

"No. You're at the bottom of the social food chain. It's not like there's a way to instantly rise to the top. Anyways, I've gotta go. I've got three days before I've gotta challenge Lyon."

"Bye." Danny said. As he sat on his bed, a smile slowly formed on his mouth. "Hmm, rise to the top of the social food chain." He changed into Danny phantom and flew out of his bedroom.

He knew where he wanted to go; he just didn't know the quickest way to get there. He'd only been here about four times in his life. It was Paulina's house. Danny knocked at the door and out came Paulina in her Daisy Dukes and tank top. She gasped in delight when she saw the ghost boy—her hero—standing there in front of her.

"Hi. I was wondering if you…" Danny rubbed the back of his neck nervously, "If you'd like to go out with me?"

Paulina swooned. "Yes! Yes, yes, yes, yes!" She pulled out her cell phone. "But hang on a second, ok?" Paulina called somebody. "Dash, I'm going to have to dump you." Danny could hear Dash Baxter freaking out on the other line. Paulina hung up on the middle of his little rant. She smiled adoringly at Danny Phantom. "Carry me away, ghost boy!" She threw her arms around his neck and kissed him. And then she jumped into his arms.

"Uh, don't you want to change into something more winter-appropriate?" Danny asked.

"No." She said simply.

"Well okay then." He carried her as they flew and she enjoyed it very much.

And then they took a stroll through Amity Park holding hands and Paulina told him why she liked him so much and she talked about all the times he rescued her and then she thanked him.

Danny told her that he always thought she was attractive and then she began to ask him why he never dated her. He told her it was complicated. She was glad to be with him now. And then he flew her back home and she kissed him again.

On Danny's flight out of the area with large homes, he caught the glimpse of a poorer section of town—that was where Valerie lived.

Today is December 29. Some ghosts were caught breaking into a local jewelry store and Danny had to stop it. Yes, he fought them and got them right where he wanted, but then he realized he didn't have the Fenton thermos with him. "Oh shoot! I should have called Tucker…" And then the ghosts got away.

Later in the day, Danny was very bored. Danielle was asleep and Jazz was reading. Mom and dad were going out for dinner.

At night fall, Danny flew over to Axion labs to do his shift on guard duty. Damon Gray welcomed Danny.

"Where is Valerie?" Danny asked.

"Oh she wasn't feeling well." Damon said regretfully. He put on his coat and tossed a pair of keys to Danny. "I'll see you tomorrow." And then Damon left.

It was now just Danny all alone in the large building of Axion labs. Danny was happy that Damon trusted him enough to let him be the only security on duty. Danny circled around the building. It was actually a really boring job. Now that Danny had been officially appointed as a guard, no ghost had come to attack.

Danny was unpleasantly surprised when he spied a blond boy roaming the halls. "Why didn't my ghost sense go off?" Danny wondered in his mind.

"That's because I'm not a ghost." The blond boy said aloud and he approached Danny slowly.

"I didn't say anything."

"I know." The boy smiled. "I'm a psychic. I can sort of hear your thoughts."

"Well, whoever you are, you don't belong here."

"Duh! But since I'm here anyways, I'm going to ask you to come with me."

"And I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to leave." Danny's hands glowed green with his power.