Lyrics by Sara Bareilles - Brave

Even in the darkness of the capsule, Danny could still make out the impression of scratches. Claw marks invaded the tiny space he occupied. Someone had tried to break out of the spot he stood so willingly in. The sweat along his back felt cold, making him shiver.

"You're very brave to be doing this, Daniel."

"Not like I had a choice."

"Are you mocking me boy? Perhaps we should stop altogether-"

"No!" He screamed, making the man stop. "I-I'm sorry. I was just…"

The man waited. "Well, I'll only continue if you want this."

"I want this."

"There's no turning back now, Daniel. Things will change. Can you handle it?"

The boy's eyes hardened at his words.

"I can handle it."

~Innocence, your history of silence

Won't do you any good

Did you think it would?

Let your words be anything but empty

Why don't you tell them the truth?

Say what you wanna say

And let the words fall out

Honestly, I wanna see you be brave~

They had a perfect view of Sam's house as they stood several feet before the monster destroying her home. She hadn't even had time to question how they ended up outside. Sam assumed she must have blacked that part out because now they were standing perfectly safe across the street. Sleek black cars had gathered around the area to evacuate the neighborhood as men in white suits went to deal with the monster. Whatever it was, the thing was at least fifty feet tall with green goo for a body. It was something straight out of a horror movie. She had heard about several people in Amity Park being attacked by ghosts, but she had believed it to be a cry for attention. News reporters would do anything for a good story and people would do anything for attention.

"Was there anything important in there?"

Sam blinked, breaking her gaze to stare at the delinquent beside her. She had temporarily forgotten he was there. Sam quickly changed her expression to one of rage. "No, there wasn't." She kicked at a rock in front of her as sirens called from the distance.

Danny kept his hands shoved in his pockets, surprised by her lack of emotion. She never ceased to amaze him when it came to emotional matters. "Are you going to call your parents?"

"The last thing I want to see is their stuck up faces."

"Great!"

Sam looked up, insulted by the cheerfulness his voice gave off. "It's nice to know you care."

Danny chuckled. "It means you need a place to stay." He turned to face her. "The Fenton Works has a ton of guest rooms. Why don't you live with me?"

Sam narrowed her eyes. "Is this some kind of joke?"

"Nope, just an offer between friends."

Sam snorted. "Yeah, I don't think so." She began walking away from her demolished home as some guy in a white suit yelled at them to leave the area.

Danny caught up with the pouting goth easily. "Why not?" He gave her a large smack-able grin. "My guess is that you don't have many friends to call on in this situation. Or family."

"My business is none of your concern. I can easily find a place to stay."

"Do you plan on living in the woods then? Because you have to be twenty-one to rent a hotel room, which you're not, and eighteen to get an apartment, which you also aren't."

She snapped, "I'm only three months away from that age, you know."

"That doesn't mean squat to the landlord."

Sam leaned toward Danny's face, furious. "Leave. Me. Alone."

"Aren't you worried to be out all alone?" His smile was driving her crazy. "Monsters are all over Amity Park. It's pretty scary"

She turned with a dark expression. "The only thing scaring me is you."

Sam's anger was beyond normal, but she knew she was just freaking out and taking out all her anger on Danny. She did have few options and what he was saying was beginning to piss her off. He was right. And that drove her insane.

Danny's voice got soft and his eyes turned icy. "...You're scared of me?"

She stared at his face, then the distance between them. She had never been scared of Danny; only the things he knew-things he shouldn't have known about her. Sam briefly touched her neck; the scars exposed to the night air. "Scared of you? You must be joking."

Danny took a deep breath. "Look, I know this isn't the ideal night for you, but you really shouldn't be out trying to find a place to live at a time like this. We'll tell my mom what happened and you can stay for as long as you want. Does that work for you?"

Sam had never been so nervous meeting a parent before. She was showing up at Maddie's doorstep with the woman's teenage son in a pair of booty shorts and a fitting sweater. Not to mention she was barefoot. Sam looked down at her toes, already missing her usual combat boots and tights. Danny had asked her earlier if she wanted him to carry her like a princess to protect her dainty feet. Sam answered with a punch to the gut, which Danny merely laughed at.

Now, standing on his front porch, she glared at him. "I'm not exactly dressed to see your mom, Danny."

He smiled wickedly, and gave her a long once over. Sam did her hardest not to feel uncomfortable. She knew he was just dying to get a reaction out of her. Finally, his ice blue eyes met hers. "Since when do you care about what others think of you?"

"I don't." But Sam did feel weird without the goth makeup or piercing. Its like Danny had stripped down everything she stood for, revealing very vulnerable territory. She crossed her arms, as if that could hold her composure together. "Let's just get this over with."

They entered the house quietly. Danny stood in the doorway to remove his shoes. A moment later, his mother was rushing to him.

"Danny!" The woman attacked her son in a giant hug. Danny rolled his eyes, but accepted her affection without resistance. "And you brought Sam." Maddie held the boy at arms distance, her hands still squeezing his shoulders.

Sam smiled. "Hello Maddie." The last time they had seen each other Danny had been lying unconscious on a hospital bed.

The woman gasped. "What happened? Your neck is-"

"It's nothing." She tried her best to divert the woman's attention. "It was sort of an accident."

"Mom, I need a favor," Danny interrupted whatever Maddie was about to argue.

"What is it?"

"Well, there was an incident at Sam's house and now her place is destroyed."

"Oh my God! Are you two alright?" She touched Danny's face, searching for injuries.

"I'm fine." Danny pulled her hands off his cheeks, holding them securely in his own. "But Sam's parents are away on a business trip and she needs a place to stay."

"We have plenty of space here. I'll set up the guest room." And just like that the woman was rushing up the stairs, delighted.

Sam blinked, surprised how willing this woman was to invite her into her home. Maddie had been so trusting from the very beginning. Sam wished she could do the same.

Sam looked over at Danny, who was suspiciously staring at her exposed thighs. "I'm surprised."

He brought his gaze back to her face. "That she said yes?"

"No, that you asked your mother for permission. Most delinquents would just sneak me through the window."

"You seem to know a lot about troubled boys." Danny shook his head, laughing. "But I told you already, I'm not a delinquent."

Sam didn't believe him in the slightest, but she figured that was as good an answer she was going to get. What made Danny such a bad boy when he cleaqrly wasn't?

"I had a sister, you know."

"What?" Sam turned to Danny, who was still looking at the stairs where his mother disappeared.

"She was supposed to be my older sister, but my mom had a miscarriage."

Sam looked toward the ground, unsure of what to say. "I'm sorry."

"She wants a daughter." Danny smiled at Sam. "That's why she's so excited about me getting a girlfriend."

Sam pulled away from him in annoyance. "I'm not your girlfriend, Danny."

He raised an eyebrow, smirking. "I can change that."

And suddenly the air between them flickered. Danny reached his hand out, first to tug on a lock of raven hair then to caress Sam's cheek. She gasped, frozen again.

Danny smiled, taking in her eyes, her lips. He moved in slowly.

"Why do you hurt people?"

He stopped, meeting Sam's gaze with wide eyes. Her features were emotionless again; that earlier blush gone.

"What?"

Sam kept her gaze strong as she faced him, so close. "You get in a fight with everyone you see. I just don't understand. Is it fun to hit someone? Does it make you feel better when you see them in pain?"

Danny backed up so he could see Sam's face clearly. He wanted her to understand him, and yet he knew he could never answer her properly. "It's not what you think."

"What? That you're a coward hiding behind your strength?"

"No! Look, I-"

He stopped as Maddie came down the stairs with a fresh pair of clothes."I wore these in college." She handed them to Sam. "They should fit you fine. There's a room upstairs with a private bathroom. Would you like to see?"

"Thank you," Sam said, holding the clothes to her chest. She could feel Danny's gaze burn into her back. "I'd love to see it."

She began leading the way. "Oh, one more thing." Maddie stopped at the staircase, turning to the two teens. "Vlad and I are in a room in-between you two. That means we'll know if anyone's trying to sneak into someone's room. I don't want any late night meetings, got it?" She smiled brightly at the blushing teens. "I'm too young to be a grandmother."