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Chapter 5

-V-

Scouter and Blaze

Valerie clicks her tongue thoughtfully while she leafs through a magazine. Though she appears to be analyzing the fine details, she truly wasn't absorbing any material.

And how could she? Valerie's ears, heart, and consciousness are diverted to the door across the room.

Any minute now, Danny was sure to shuffle out, with the doctor in tow.

Danny has expanded to remembering more crucial memories; Some were passive and matter-of-fact. These were easier talks they could have and discussions that Valerie could walk through with Danny. She held his hand through as many of those instances as they grew to remember some shared moments in history.

And sometimes they weren't so tame. Traumatic ones still his bones and tenses Danny into marble. In these moments, Valerie would rush to him in an effort to pull Danny into a hug whilst he's entrapped in quiet anguish, and soothingly speak as tears wet her skin from his unblinking eyes. These moments were harder. Valerie realized as she talk and coached him through, that Danny was reliving repressed moments that came back raw and anew from their previous scabs that once had healed.

Her friend's voice would be shaky on the topics he was able to share, and other times he choked into silence on the more unresolved pieces so Valerie never pressed on.

Valerie had to learn a lot of patience in the time she's spent nursing her friend. She constantly worried at night if it was right to be so far from her partner, yet only a room apart.

On another hand, Danny has been able to get back into light training and he's relearning a lot through muscle memory. Valerie has been taking the reigns of Ghost Hunting with the help of Jazz, so they've been making it easier for Danny to take the time he needs to rest and get better. He's been asking more about getting reacclimated with the city, but Valerie wasn't so confident on that idea just yet.

Then there was the other thorn in Valerie. The memories of Sam.

Though Valerie is expectant of this to be a part of the memories Danny is going to recollect, she confesses that she still finds it very difficult to be the confidant that Danny has to piece his crumbling former relationship back together with. Not while unbeknownst-

Valerie glances to the door, hoping he'll finally appear, then back down at her tightly clutched magazine.

Valerie couldn't help Danny there with his questions any more than he could. He's always been tight-lipped about details of their former romantic relationship, but he was very thoughtful to never put Sam in a negative light to Valerie which she admired. Danny spoke respectfully, yet distant from the idea of them ever reconciling as more than friends and he thought they were better people for it.

Meanwhile, her and Danny's love always gave Valerie a sense of security and understanding. Though they didn't start off on the best of foots, they amended for it in college, having been able to experience a more mature friendship, and later a very committed vow of companionship and love. They even welcomed their first addition that they had waited so patiently for.

And it all got ripped from Valerie in an instance.

-V-

The doctor swivels away in her chair and Danny uses that moment to gaze off as he waits for his appointment to wrap up.

Danny's been finding it weird that his parents haven't bothered to reach out yet. It is really odd behavior for the Ghost Hunters. Are they not concerned for their baby boy?

Though Danny can admit he misses his parents, it was nice having some mature freedom. He gets to live in proximity with a friend in a very nice place and has time to adjust to reality without their high energy prescience putting stress on him.

But Danny doesn't doubt seeing them would help jog some well-needed memories and maybe they'll have answers for some of his questions. It was worth the try, he figures.

Danny muses over his earlier conversation with his doctor about his dreams. They were still coming to him fragmented and laced with the hazy delusional edges of his consciousness. Dreams would be dreams sometimes, or they were memories, strung loosely together on the foggy thread in his jigsaw mind. That night in the bathroom when he held Valerie, his mind had reeled with sparkles of moments, jolting and sparking his brain. When he laid his head for bed, green eyes greeted him at the gate of his subconscious.

The hazy figure held something as she turned it away from his view. It looked like a bundle of lenin that could be mistaken as matching the material of her dress that gathered, draped, and bunched around her arms. A small smile plays on her full lips. Sometimes the green-eyed woman sparkled with happiness, sometimes she stares at him grimly, eyes darkened in anger, but moreso, she came to him comforting and knowing.

She started to come to him in more ways too. Danny would be transported back to moments where he acutely relives the curiosity of the woman's mane of curls. They moved him to investigate their secrets of being so soft, springy, and ability to expand out into an impressive length before snapping back short and coily. She would watch him with a raised brow and sometimes would swat him before he could tamper with her elaborate style.

When she moves close to him, his senses always note the ever-present aromatic oils and kinds of butter. He remembers these oils, they were scents that he had never crossed before meeting her. They brought along a warmth in his chest, a deflation of tension that beckons homely feelings of belonging. His body seems to respond on instinct to these familiar feelings.

Sometimes, while idly doing the most mundane of tasks, moments of watching the woman laying against his shoulder at night would invade the room of his consciousness. He wanted to admire all of this being, but anytime he would try to look deeper into her, the vision escaped him once more into static. For the life of him, he couldn't gather more context to moments like that, unfortunately, but he desperately wanted to know the entire fabric of who she is, because it was starting to feel more and more real about this connection he's having.

Though Danny hates to admit it, even to himself, his dreams were also still binging him into a more erotic realm of his primitive desires.

This figure was faceless, clad in a black suit and a sleek white helmet. When he had dreams involving this mysterious being, Danny knew it was always going to start with trouble. The figure wouldn't hesitate to chase him down through the dimensions of his ever-reeling subconscious and in some dreams, she's even successfully tied the halfa up and subdued him.

These chases produce profound reactions in his body. Dreams of being taken by this Huntress being and engaging her in combat until they both find themselves at a stalemate and soon the tension built from their chase takes a turn to Danny contorting her in sinful positions. With her assistance, she beckons him to lavish her breasts, running her fingers through his hair, and allowing her hand to move over his to search the fabric of her taut suit until he discovers her delicate clit, gently strumming until she mewled with pleasure, and the sensations of her satisfaction made Danny wake from his bed numerous times incredibly uncomfortable in his shorts.

It was starting to become a terrible habit. One that made the halfa more and more guilty that the thoughts of his best friend are bringing him to imagine her in objectified spaces being put in such interesting ways to reach the common goal of nirvana, with his shameless assistance.

Remember! Valerie has a boyfriend.

One she stated is someone he knows..

Danny felt awful at the idea of Valerie potentially having an affair with him unbeknownst to her boyfriend, even in the sanctity of his mind. Was Danny really that type of person to be an affair partner? He wished he could remember more, but his brain just feels like swiss-cheese where his memories are supposed to be.

He also can't wrack his brain for the life of him to think of who the guy is. He has no inkling about who the mystery man could be- Ghost, Human, Halfa, or otherwise.

Maybe he should just stop overthinking and ask Valerie more about him, though she might brush the subject off again for the sake of it not becoming an awkward one.

"Alright, Fenton, I think we're about done here..." Danny's attention turns back to the doctor as he listens for her further instruction about his health. He takes the paperwork she hands to him and nods at her words.

"Thanks, Doc, I'll see you soon for our follow-up then." Danny gives a two-finger salute as he hops down from his patient chair.

The soft click of the door opening made Valerie's eyes jump from the magazine. Danny's figure emerges from the office, making a small smile come to her lips as she greets him warmly.

"How did it go?" Asked Valerie.

"It went okay, the doctor is still monitoring my progress, but they say everything seems to be going in a positive direction." Said Danny, much to Valerie's delight.

"Good! Let's head outta here then." Said Valerie and Danny couldn't agree more.

-V-

The car ride was silent, save for the Amity Park radio playing. Both parties seemed to be in their own distant worlds, but neither was eager to broach any subjects of conversation. They both seemed already tired from the day's activities.

Valerie pulls up to a red light and hums to the radio as she absently taps the steering wheel.

Danny's eyes widen as a veil of blue breath exhaled from his lips. Suddenly, a fog of smoke billows the left side of the street, prompting the couple to snap their heads. Emerging was one figure flying and another walking on the ground.

"Not them again," Valerie glowered. The two instinctively unsnap their seat belts, but Valerie turns to Danny. "No sir, you can't risk yourself right now."

"But I can help." He reasons.

Valerie looked at Danny for a moment before exhaling. "Take this,"

Danny watches as Valerie pulls off a silver cuff from her wrist, quickly dissipating her armor before slapping it on Danny's wrist and activating it.

Danny's vision goes dark instantly as he feels a tight snug embodying his entire being from head to toe. He gasps at the new heavy plates adding sudden restriction against him. The contours and ventilation of the suit breathe to life against his limbs.

"Whoa…" Was all the halfa could manage as his senses adjust to the new environment. Danny tries to keep up with Valerie quickly explaining with the little breath she has left.

"Take care of my suit. If anything happens." She tried her best to politely yank Danny's arm to show him a colorful panel board of apps on his forearm.

She continues briskly "Press this button for my melee weapons, press this button for the suit to bring you back to me. Try to evacuate the citizens and come back to me if anything happens."

With that, the woman sprints out of the car and hops on her board with her gadget belt hanging off her hips and a blaster ready in hand.

Danny shuffles out of the car next and scans the ground to help citizens gawking at the calamity.

He begins to make grand gestures to get their attention. "C'mon! Get to safety! Come this way." Danny announces. The citizens recognize the markings on the suit as the Huntress, but they were unfamiliar with this different build. Nevertheless, they begin to listen to the Hero whilst still trying their best to keep up with the active confrontation.

Meanwhile, Valerie flew across traffic into the crumbling hole where a storefront glass once stood.

Just as she suspected, two familiar figures were present in the wreckage. Teen boys, both donning flaming hair and pale complexions were stuffing a bag with all the loot they could carry.

"Scouter...Blaze.." Valerie growls from above and the two teens turn in her direction.

"Who's that?" Asks one of the boys with a teal head of hair.

"I dunno, ditch her and run!" Says the other teen with green hair and a teal streak. He runs and leaves the teal-haired teen to fight off Valerie. Valerie glowers as she notes to get to that boy next but turns her attention to the teen that readied his guitar to strike, but Valerie levels her blaster and shoots directly at him, causing the teen to quickly pull away before he's toast.

Valerie dives down and kicks the guitar from his hand, hearing the boy yelp in surprise as Valerie grabs Scouter by the strap of his crossbody bag and yanks him under her arm where she's able to give him a few good wallops much to the teen's protests. "I told you delinquents the next time I see you two making trouble, I would put you both over my knee!" Says Valerie through gritted teeth.

"I don't even know you!" Scouter confesses. Valerie realizes without her Huntress suit, she looks like a random person to them but continues nevertheless.

While Valerie has her attention on one of the twins, the other twin watches the Huntress gather citizens to safety and grins. "Well, well, well." Blaze laughs.

After effectively yanking all the loot Scouter ransacked, Valerie raises her head just to see her car being lifted in mid-air by Blaze. His stronger build is similar to his father's and he seems to have his sinister smile too as he readies himself for making trouble.

"Oh no! Danny look out!" Valerie shrieks as she races towards Blaze, who leans back in anticipation of his throw.

But Valerie is too late as she crashes into Blaze right after he hurls the vehicle towards Danny.

Danny glances back at a flying object and braces himself for sudden impact.

"Danny!" Valerie cries when she hears the solid car crumble and crash.

All was quiet for a moment as Valerie looked at the ruins of the vehicle and knew that Danny had been hit. A pained cry rips her throat as she turns away from the disoriented teen and runs towards the wreckage and falls to her knees digging through it.

Her tears blur her vision as Valerie tries to clear as much as she can. She reaches back and lashes at a hand that grasps her.

"Valerie, I'm right here!" A voice calls out behind her and stills her hands. She turns back and sure enough, Danny was right there in her suit. "I turned invisible in time and went underground."

Valerie takes a moment to let the air exhale from her lungs. Danny began to gush about how it came naturally to him to move his body, unbeknownst to the frazzled nerves of the woman before him. Valerie gets to her feet and simply hugs Danny.

The halfa was surprised as he was suddenly embraced by the woman and listened as she wails into his chest. He rests a hand comfortingly on her back. "Hey Val, its okay, I'm right here and I'm fine, I promise. I won't scare you like that again."

As Danny waits for Valerie to lift her swollen, watery eyes to meet his gaze, a vision crosses him.

"Hold on Danny, We're almost there." his eyes make out the blur of scared, watery green eyes.

-V-

Sam fixes one last painting in her office and looks over the paperwork that came with it. She tries her best to translate the document mentally from its Italian language and signs off on necessary areas with her formal business stamp.

After a good once over she scans the paperwork into her digital archive and moves them into a folder with a formal picture of the canvas work she's acquired.

"Alright, we have that situated now…" She mutters to herself.

Sam smiles as she's finished her work for the rest of the evening. it was probably too late for her to cook dinner at home so going out would be the best option if Sam wanted supper before crashing for the night.

The gothic queen gathers her things and closes up her gallery before taking to the brisk evening to a nearby restaurant she's familiar with.

Unbeknownst, a figure comes toward the Gothic queen, watching as she looks down at her phone. Sam types away at the screen, opting at moments to swipe, scan, then go back to typing once more. Sam, so engrossed, collide with the solid, cold body of the figure and trips back onto her butt, her phone falling at the figure's feet.

Magenta eyes look down at the cellular device and take note of the brightened screen; the photo was of her and a familiar ghost boy together. The figure draws his sight back to the now alarmed woman.

Sam looks into the piercing eyes of the man in front of her. "Excuse me..."

"Hello Samantha," the stranger says

Sam blanches. "Who are you How do you know me!?" She quickly recovers and furrows her brow at the offensive intruder. "What do you want?!

"Daniel Fenton." He speaks. "Who is he to you.."

"Why do you want to know about Danny?"

"He has something that belongs to me." The figure speaks through its mask but its eyes never waver from Sam's or emote anything besides a chill uncanny feeling.

"What does Danny possibly have that you want?" Sam stammers, growing angrier.

She takes note of the darkening look in those magenta eyes as the figure takes another step further and gets on one knee to eye level with Sam.

"Someone that I love."

-V-

Valerie scans the drink menu, she really wants something to loosen up, but she's worried about if she should considering she's caring for Danny. Valerie peeks over her dinner menu at Danny who catches her curious stare red-handed.

The halfa seems to read her mind. "I'm sure you can handle having at least one drink, Val. You definitely deserve that much."

Danny watches Val quietly deliberate for a moment, clicking her tongue as she usually does when she's in thought. After a moment, she finally agrees with a big smile much to his appreciation.

After putting their drink order in, Danny pretends to look at the menu further, all the while he admires the smile that Valerie beamed at the idea of getting her favorite drink; a Cosmopolitan. He finds himself absently wondering if Valerie's boyfriend ever appreciates the simple nuances of Val, like her smile in the same fashion Danny did. He wondered if her partner remembers little things like her favorite drink or how hard Val works while struggling to give herself permission to rest and have fun.

Valerie catches Danny's stare and blinks at him. "Is everything okay?"

Danny snaps out of his trance and reevaluates his menu. "Yea, I was just thinking which side I really want with my entree."

Valerie stares hard at him for a moment. "Are you having another episode and keeping it from me?" She peers in closer to Danny. He grabs her hands and rubs them to alleviate some of the panic in her eyes.

"No, no, just relax Val. I'm okay." Danny assures. Their waiter then comes through with their drinks and takes their final order before leaving the two alone once more, their hands still interlocked through the interaction.

Valerie carefully pulls her hands away and occupies them around her martini glass to give her an excuse not to regret leaving his touch. Danny's watchful eyes didn't miss the subtle nature of her discomfort and pulled back as well, hoping he didn't cause Valerie more distress.

Dinner is quiet with little room for conversation. Valerie also took the opportunity to have another martini. She hopes the ebb of the alcohol could smother the longing in her heart to go over the table and attach herself to the man in front of her. She can't; she has to be strong and tough for Danny right now and not the broken girl she truly is inside.

After finishing their quiet meal, the couple walks back into the night's air. Valerie grasps her arms and rubs them in an effort to create some warmth. Danny, seeing this shrugs off his denim jacket and offers it which Valerie gratefully obliged.

His distinct scent is comforting. Valerie pulls the fabric close to her, relishing his lingering warmth in the jacket.

As Danny focuses on the route back to Valerie's home, he feels something bump his shoulder. He looks over at Valerie but from her expression, it seems she doesn't notice what she did, so he ignored it and returned back to overthinking.

She bumps him again, and Danny ignores it. Then again and he still doesn't mind it.

Valerie bumps into him once more, but this time the woman stays put and Danny turns to see her eyes glossed with the threat of sleep and alcohol.

He chuckles but nearly falters when a skitter of Deja Vu washes over his brain.

He remembers seeing this, on what felt like different days, different moments, and different seasons, all leaning against his arm in various forms of a stupor from a night of good drinking.

His instincts beckon him to put a steadying arm around her shoulder and he listens, allowing Val to take space under his arm to rest her hand on his side.

All the while, Danny's heart races beneath his solid exterior as thoughts swirl in his mind beyond his cool facade.

Valerie snuggles into Danny, letting him guide her back to their home, unaware of how she's raising reactions from her partner.

At the steps of their home, Danny assists Valerie up and waits as she fumbles to unlock the door.

Inside, they kick their shoes off lazily before neatly putting them away. With Danny's jacket still draped around her shoulders, Valerie releases a yawn and buries herself in the denim further as she makes her way to their bedroom, assuming Danny would be trailing behind her like always.

However, Valerie remembers that won't happen… She stops and turns around from the master bedroom door and sees Danny beginning to open his bedroom door. They share an awkward look.

"Um…" Valerie whispers, trying to find the words to say.

"You can just return it tomorrow." Danny smiles, assuming what's on her mind.

"Oh, yea…Thank you. Goodnight Danny." Valerie smiles.

"Goodnight Val." Danny returns the warm gesture.

Valerie motions to go inside her room, prompting Danny to go inside his. However, she stops midway, standing rooted in her spot for a moment more to look at the space where he once stood.

After a long moment, Valerie finally goes into her room.

-V-

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