- Citizens of Amity Park…
After explaining what had happened, Danny had moved along with Sam to a first aid station. Jack and Maddie had cut them off en route and conducted their own debriefing on the remainder of the drive to the little post they'd set up. Tucker had gone with the Guys in White to mediate between them and Technus on how to restore power again and broadcast the last press conference to lift the city's state of emergency. Jazz had gone looking for Clockwork to return the Infimap and then to pick up the ghost ship, to help transfer personnel with major injuries to a medical center.
- Today, at exactly 2:53 in the morning, we put an end to the ghost emergency that had subjected the city. At last.
The emergency government board was observing the screen that the firefighters had set up at the evacuation checkpoint at the southern point of the city. After the incident at Axion labs, everyone had driven there to leave the city, but they had run into all the citizens who had already gathered there. They pushed their way to the post from where the emergency services were coordinating the evacuation and tried to use their position and influence to gain preference. However, Marshall Trent ignored their request and continued to give preference to families with small children and elders.
- Much has been said since this emergency began and there has been little certainty of the information that we have had at hand. We share the little bits and pieces we manage to collect and make many judgments, most of them wrong, for not having eyes on the whole picture. And for that, I want to extend a public apology to Tucker Foley, Samantha Manson, Jasmine and Daniel Fenton for the charges wrongly brought against them.
Valerie landed at the medical post and began running through the crowd looking for her father. She wasn't wearing her helmet, so she earned several surprised looks from those who were there when they recognized her as the Red Huntress. She stopped when she saw him coming out of a tent accompanied by the director of Axion Labs and with his left arm completely wrapped in bandages. When Damon made eye contact with his daughter, she ran to him and they joined in a tight hug. They were both relieved to see themselves safe and sound, and allowed themselves to shed a few tears.
- And to share the full picture of what happened in the last few days, I would like to invite Mr. Tucker Foley, who played an important role in resolving this crisis.
Maurice hugged his wife tightly as they watched the screens set up at the eastern evacuation point of the city. Having his son's name publicly cleared took a load off their shoulders, but seeing him alive and on television made them euphoric. They didn't care to see him with dust on his clothes or blood stains, because his son was still alive.
- That's my son! - He yelled at the crowd. - That's our son!
- Thank you. – He said when O gave him his place on the podium and inhaled deeply. – It all started a few days ago, when an ancient and powerful ghost named Dan was unleashed. Seeking power from himself, Dan freed the king of all ghosts, the one responsible for the ghost crisis of 7 years ago, Pariah Dark and merged with him to gain unlimited power. It was then that he crossed our plane and unleashed all the chaos that we experienced in the previous days...
Sam and Danny watched Tucker's statement. He had consulted him to approve the watered-down version of events that he was going to tell on television. They both noticed how natural his friend looked in that environment. Jazz interrupted them to help Danny and move him to the nearest hospital for CT scans to see the extent of the damage to his ribs.
- He used his powers to usurp the identity of Danny Phantom and Vlad Plasmius, who were the only ones he considered could fight him, and he did it so that the city would turn against them. We had to go into hiding to plan the counterattack and it all culminated tonight, when humans and ghosts came together to end this threat that endangered our realities.
Star, Kwan, Mikey and other members of their class from Casper High were earnestly watching the broadcast at the southeast evacuation post. They were still trying to process the revelation that the losers in their generation were actually heroes. Mr. Lancer moved closer to the screen to see his former student.
- We have captured and neutralized the threat in the Sarcophagus of Forever Sleep, a mystical object designed to never open once closed, and it is being transported to the far reaches of the Ghost Zone as we speak, where no one will be able to free them.
The Far Frozen loaded the sarcophagus on their shoulders and, after receiving instructions from Clockwork, they flew towards the portal to take it to Pandora's domain, who would watch that no one approached it. She exchanged a few words with the time master, then followed the yetis to her lair.
- Thank you very much Mr. Foley. – O said retaking his place on the podium. – The battle was intense and destroyed the northwestern sector of the city. We continue to work on quantifying the damage, but we have temporarily established a 20-kilometer radius of affected areas. Within this range, everything has been destroyed: homes, businesses, infrastructure... and the damage can extend even further. But thanks to the spirit of cooperation forged in battle, the ghosts who fought by our side are helping us with the cleanup. Hopefully, in the morning we can have better visibility of the damage.
Hunter was standing by the door. He shifted his gaze from the screen to the Mansons. Pamela was attentive to what the man was saying on television with both hands on her lap and a worried look. Jeremy was standing over her, arms folded and a serious face, analyzing every single thing they mentioned. Hunter turned his head further and looked at Paulina, who seemed relieved when she saw the dark-haired man in front of the television. The girl clasped both her hands together and dropped her head onto them.
- However, the cost of this victory cost wasn't material only. Many ghosts were reduced to ectoplasm and... many of my companions also lost their lives in the line of duty. - He paused briefly to become more serious. – The mayor of the city Vlad Masters, also known as Vlad Plasmius, gave his life to hold that monster so we could land the final blow. The survivors are receiving medical attention, as are the dozens of wounded civilians who have reported to the medical posts set up in safe areas.
Dani landed away from the crowd and hid to transform. She came out of her hiding place and began to walk with her head down so they wouldn't recognize her. She avoided the people around her and approached a police officer who was guarding the perimeter of the medical post and asked him for directions to find the missing persons search post. The officer pointed to a young paramedic who was coordinating the census and registration of missing persons. She walked up to her and the girl turned to see her.
- Are you looking for someone? - She asked her kindly.
- Something like that…
- What is your name? - She said as she took out a pencil.
- Danielle… Danielle Masters.
The girl stopped writing and looked up at the blue-eyed girl, who couldn't help but feel nervous.
- The evacuation of the city at this point is optional and all those who live far from the northwest area of the city can return to their homes. State services will be working through the night to restore basic services and temporary shelters will be set up for those who have lost their homes. When we have updates, we will share them to you to help you make informed decisions. For now, this is it… - O took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes. - ... you can sleep peacefully now.
The transmission was cut off and Jack stared at the black screen in complete silence. Maddie walked over to stand next to him and patted his arm. He turned to see her and gave her a weak smile, before placing his hand over his wife's. He sighed and turned away, walking over to the Fenton vehicle. They had to go to their house for clothes for Danny and to check the state of the shield.
Hours had passed since his CT scans had been taken and he was still dressed in this silly hospital gown. He looked to the left of his room and saw Jazz sitting by the door asleep in the chair; Tucker had stolen a pillow from his bed and lay on the floor across from her bed; and Sam was in another chair, but next to him. She was wearing Tucker's MiT sweatshirt that was stained with her blood and she was sleeping in an uncomfortable position. She had a bandage around her thigh on the right leg, a Band-Aid on her forehead, and he knew she had a gauze pad on her abdomen. He studied her relaxed features and sighed. Her sweatshirt blocked his view of her body, but the doctors had made her remove her leggings to tend to her wounds, and except for the bandaged area, Danny had visual access to her scraped and occasionally bruised legs. Although she was injured, Danny smiled knowing that she was safe.
Sam's head slid off the back and to the side, causing the girl to wake up from the sudden movement of her head. She blinked a few times and saw that Danny was looking at her with a smile. She settled back in her chair and stretched before returning the gesture.
- You can't sleep? - She asked her boyfriend.
- No. - He said pointing to the bandage on his chest. - I feel like I'm short of breath.
Sam fell silent, not knowing what to answer him, pressing her lips into a line. After all, she couldn't do anything about his discomfort. She stared at an empty spot on the bed.
- You don't approve of what I did, do you?
Sam looked up. Danny was looking into her eyes, waiting for her response. She looked away and shook her head, hiding her face in her hands.
- It's your life, Danny… my opinion shouldn't matter…
- That's not what I asked.
She tossed her hair back and looked into his eyes in silence for a few moments.
- I'm glad you did it.
Danny narrowed his eyes. That was definitely not the answer he was looking for or expecting. Sam was the one who reminded him the most of his duty and responsibility as the hero of the city, always motivating him to only use his powers for good. But now…
- Why?
She took her time to answer.
- Because it ruined your life… - She studied him in silence for a few seconds. - And that was my fault.
Danny's mouth dropped at Sam's confession. As best he could, he half straightened on the bed to sit up.
- I know I joke about it sometimes, but I never blamed you for that, Sam.
- I know, I know! – She fell silent when they both noticed Jazz move in the chair and waited for her to settle down again. – But I did.
- Sam…
- Your accident was my fault… I made you enter the portal…
- It was my decision. – The boy defended himself. - It's not like you forced a gun to my head on me.
- But I convinced you. And I did it again when you lost your memory...
- Sam, the city was in danger and needed...
- And that was my fault too. – She inhaled deeply before continuing. – I was the one who made that silly wish, and I didn't even ask you if you wanted to be the hero of the city again, I just convinced you to suffer the same accident. I… - She stayed with her mouth open for a few moments. - I'm a bad influence on you.
Danny looked away from her and stared at the wall in front of him, processing what he had just heard.
- Since when do you feel like this? – He asked cautiously.
- I don't know. – She said lowering her face in shame. – Since the beginning, perhaps. I wanted to believe that it was okay, that it didn't affect me... I pushed you to become a hero hoping to convince myself that what I did to you wasn't that bad...
- So, it was all a farce?
- No. – She hastened to say. – You really became a hero, Danny. I think what I mean is that I was too selfish… I forced you to choose what I wanted without even considering what you wanted.
Danny lay back on the bed and placed both hands on his abdomen. He breathed as deep as his broken ribs would allow and he licked his lips.
- So… now what?
Sam bit her lip hard, for she understood the subtext of Danny's question.
- I don't know. - She wiped her eyes with unshed tears. – Whatever it is, it will be your decision.
Danny snorted audibly and closed his eyes. Sam waited for an answer from him, but Danny didn't react until almost a minute later, opening only one eye to look at her.
- I think what we need... is a good night's rest. - He closed his eye again. – I think we deserve that after the last few days.
The Guys in White hadn't left her alone for almost two hours. They began by sharing the news about Vlad Masters, continued by taking her to a medical post to have her injuries treated, and ended with an interrogation about the plans, past and future, that her alleged father had or wanted to carry out at some point. Danielle played the fool card and they left her alone. Per her request, they took her to her apartment and she finally had a moment alone. She sat in her chair and looked at the 2 photos that were on the table in front of her. One was of Vlad and her on the day when he registered her as her adopted daughter and the other was from the first event they had attended as father and daughter. He had forced her to pose for both photos and only had them there to save face for him, but she couldn't help but take the first one in her hands and analyze it. She inspected it for several minutes and then took the other one, until exhaustion overcame her and she fell asleep in the couch.
Valerie heard on the transmitter that Danielle had been found and made a mental note to go looking for her first thing in the morning. Because now her dad needed her and she needed him. The Axion director had been kind enough to take them back to their small apartment in the south of the city and very carefully, they both settled down to rest.
Morning came and with the first rays of the sun he woke up. With no adrenaline in his system, the consequences of the previous days reached him and kept him in a state of general lethargy from which he found it difficult to get out after the first few minutes of waking up. His parents had let him get some sleep before releasing him and taking him home. With Tucker's help, he managed to get dressed in more than just his hospital gown, and Jazz received the clothes that had been taken from Danny in a plastic bag. Sam followed close behind, but kept some distance from him. When they got to his house, Jack offered to take Sam and Tucker to their house, but Maddie convinced him to let them rest a little longer at their house.
Danny had laboriously showered and when he came out of the bathroom fully clothed, he found Tucker asleep in his bed. At a slow pace, he walked to Jazz's room and opened the door. He stood there watching Sam asleep in his sister's bed, but with no sign of the person he was looking for. He closed the door and reached the stairs, bumping into her as he was about to go down. They made eye contact for a few seconds, and with a nod from her, Danny led her into the kitchen and tossed her the keys to the truck.
And now they were driving through the empty streets of the city. It was still early, and considering the hour the emergency had ended, it was understandable that everything looked empty. Danny sat with his forehead against the glass of his window and watched the dust and dirt that covered the streets, courtesy of all the explosions from the day before, until Jazz stopped. He slowly turned to look at her and she took off her seatbelt.
- We're here. – She said pointing to the building that was on Danny's side.
Danny inhaled and ignored the discomfort in his chest and followed suit. He got out of the car and at a slow pace he entered the building. They both moved to the stairs and Jazz helped him up slowly. The sound of a door slamming caught their attention and they leaned over the edge of the stairs to look down, then up. The siblings noticed Valerie watching them from the ledge of the stairs on the top floor. At the same time, the three of them hid their heads and continued on their walk. When they reached the third level of the building, they noticed Valerie halfway down the hall waiting for them.
- It's here. – The brunette said pointing to the door in front of her.
Jazz turned to look at Danny and he just moved forward.
- How did you get there? - Danny asked.
- I came flying. – She said turning around and taking the spare apartment key from the upper frame of the door.
- How does Dani reach that key? - Jazz asked.
Valerie smiled as she unlocked it and put the key back in its place.
- It's not for her.
She opened the door and at a slow pace, the three entered the apartment. Jazz closed the door behind her and when they reached the end of the hall, they saw Danielle sitting in the armchair by the window, a bowl of cereal in her hand and her gaze fixed on the three of them. After a few seconds in silence, she proceeded to chew what was in her mouth.
- Hi. - Danny said.
- Hello. – After swallowing, she smiled at them and put another spoonful of cereal into her mouth.
The three of them walked into the living room and sat in the largest couch. Jazz was in the center with Danny on her right and Valerie on her left. Jazz began to recall all the grief therapy lessons she'd studied and assisted her boss in, and chose the method she thought would be most effective with the girl. However, Danny beat her to it.
- Rough night? – He said with a casual tone.
Jazz glanced at Danny to let her address the situation, but he didn't even look at her.
- You tell me. - She answered with a playful tone, seeing the eye bags in her cousin.
- The pain in the ribs woke me up every so often. I slept like 4 hours at most.
- Me too. – She said lowering her bowl. – I fell asleep in that couch and the pain in my neck woke me up.
- You do know you have a bed over there, right? – Valerie mocked pointing the corridor to her room.
Dani suppressed a laugh.
- The Guys in White left me here at almost 4 in the morning. You should be surprised that you didn't find me lying by the door.
Jazz looked down and noticed a photo frame lying on the rug under the coffee table. She bent down to pick it up and saw a photo of Dani next to Vlad. Danny and Valerie looked at the photo out of the corner of their eyes and Dani got a little serious.
- How are you? – The redhead finally asked.
Dani cleaned her teeth with her tongue and sighed.
- I know what you're trying to do, but there's really no need to psych me. The State and the Guys in White have already taken care of that and they will make me go to a psychologist for that. Or at least that's what they told me at dawn.
- That's good. – Jazz said smiling at her. - It is just that…
- Perhaps you would prefer to discuss this with… friends.
Dani turned to Valerie, who had made the comment.
- Is that what we are? – She asked cautiously.
Valerie looked up, pretending she was thinking.
- That depends on your answer. - She looked at her and smiled.
Dani looked down and smiled, rubbing her forehead.
- So… - Jazz spoke again. - How do you feel?
- Being honest… I don't know. - She leaned her back and put her feet up on the armchair. – We weren't close and being realistic, Vlad was a bastard…
- Amen, sister. – Danny joked.
- But, looking back, there were times when it seemed like he really wanted to… you know, be my "father". – She said making quotes in the air.
- Is that why you feel confused? - Jazz asked.
- Please, don't do that. Don't treat me like I'm broken...
- That's not what we want, Dani. - Danny interrupted. – We know you'll be fine, eventually. But we need to prepare you for the questions you'll be asked when Child Services comes, as well as agreeing on a version that you can share in your sessions that leaves out all the ghost stuff.
- And you can come to me whenever you want if you need to share something that you can't with them. - Jazz smiled.
Danielle sighed and relaxed.
- I guess you're right.
- So… - Jazz said, handing her the photo that she had in her hands. - Discovering that Vlad had a dark side is what makes you feel confused?
Dani took the photo in her hands and looked at it for a few seconds. The day that Vlad legally adopted her had been one of the best days of her life, not because Vlad was part of that memory, but because of what that paper they both held meant. That day she had finally existed.
- You can so.
Danny smiled at her and allowed his thoughts to wander to other situations that he had to face soon.
° Day 3 after the victory °
Danny was sitting on the park bench, taking in his surroundings. The pain in his body had subsided and it was now limited to his ribs, but he could do things more normally. The ghosts had kept their promise to him and helped rebuild. The infrastructure was restored thanks to Desiree, Undergrowth recovered all the affected green areas and Technus continued to help restore the city's technological systems.
Personal items and belongings were the things that could not be recovered, but the city was taking action on the matter. Tucker had once again been a mediator between the governing board and the ghosts, so they hadn't had much time to talk. Sam had kept her distance from him under the pretense that she had to deal with her parents and Danny hadn't objected, since he now had to deal with the Guys in White and Jazz was taking care of Danielle. They were intense days, but thanks to Nocturne, he could rest his 8 hours a day without interruptions.
- Hi Danny.
He turned to his best friend and pointed to the space next to him on the bench.
- Hi, Tuck.
He sat up and imitated Danny, surveying his surroundings.
- I heard that you are going to travel to Madison in the next few days. - Danny commented.
- Yeah... I have to supervise that the ghosts behave while they rebuild. – Tucker commented amused. – And it will all be paid for.
- Those are the best trips. – He joked. - Who knew, right? Tucker Foley on the political scene.
Tucker smiled.
- Are you kidding? Telling people what to do and how? I was born for that! – He paused to laugh with Danny. – But it is stressful to deal with these people.
- I can imagine.
- So… - Tucker said hiding his hands in the pocket of his sweatshirt. - What did they tell you?
- They gave me a choice. – Danny commented looking at his shoes. – They can call for a press conference to say publicly that I lost my powers and take the attention off my back… or do nothing and let me deal with it however I prefer.
- And what do you plan to do?
- I don't know... saying it publicly would be an invitation for anyone who wants to, to beat me up... but not saying it would be an invitation for anyone who wants to, to try to beat me up.
- Well… if it's worth anything, I know you'll make the right decision.
Danny smiled at the comment and put a hand on his best friend's shoulder. Moments later he removed it and they both fixed their gaze on the city.
- Have you talked to Sam? – Tucker asked.
- Very little. She's still using her parents as an excuse to seclude herself in her house.
- Oh, it's not an excuse. – He said turning to see him. – I saw the whole anti-Danny squad at her house that day and believe me, she really needs the effort.
Danny smiled at the comment and fell silent.
- Have you already decided what you will do?
- Yeah. I guess I just have to wait for an opportunity.
° Day 6 after the victory °
The ceremony was private, although no one would really have wanted to go if it was open to the public. It was only a stone with his name engraved since there was no body to bury, but the priest continued to officiate the brief ceremony. Danielle was wearing an all-black dress, her loose hair was blowing in the light breeze that was blowing that morning and she was staring at the concrete plaque with her father's name on it.
Next to her was Operative O, who for the first time wore a black suit, and Molly Sanders, Vlad's former assistant. In front of her was the entire Fenton family, dressed in black. Jack and Maddie were also looking at the plaque, while the brothers were looking at Dani. Sam, Tucker, Valerie, and her father, Damon, had also attended and stood behind the Fentons, remaining silent out of respect.
When the brief ceremony was over, the priest withdrew and Molly hugged Danielle. She might had hated the former mayor, but she always had some fondness for the girl. They exchanged a couple of words and she handed her a card before leaving the place. O s just put his hand on her shoulder and whispered a few words in her ear, before pulling away from her a bit and giving her space to talk to the others.
Valerie and her dad were the first to approach the girl to offer their condolences. As they talked, Danny fixed his gaze on his dad. He was serious and a small tear slipped down his cheeks. He didn't understand why he was crying over a person as nefarious as Vlad, but then he remembered that Vlad was the closest thing his dad had to a friend. Maddie wasn't crying, she was just stroking Jack's arm to try to comfort him.
When he turned his attention back to Dani, he saw that Valerie and her dad were gone, and it was Sam and Tucker who were talking to her. He walked with Jazz towards them and they exchanged a few words with the girl, until the figure of Jack Fenton appeared behind them. They all made way so that Mr. and Mrs. Fenton could get a good look at the girl.
- How are you dear? - Maddie said sweetly.
- I'm… getting better little by little. Thank you.
Dani gave her a slight smile and something strange happened to Maddie: she didn't know why, but that girl made her want to hug her and tell her that everything was going to be fine. Unable to contain her impulse, Maddie did exactly that. Danny smiled at that postcard and put his hands in the pockets of his pants, while his friends and Jazz stood next to him. When they separated, Jack walked up to her and put her hand on her shoulder.
- Danielle Masters…
- You can call me Dani, Mr. Fenton.
- Dani. – He paused, looked at his son and then at the girl. – No, that would be very confusing.
The comment made everyone present chuckle.
- Danielle, Vlad was my best friend and now that he's gone, it's my duty to take care of you. So, if you ever need something, like a place to stay or someone to sign your school permits, the doors of my house will always be open for you.
- What? – Dani said surprised.
- I know that you are a few years away from being legally independent, but from now on, you will be like a daughter to me. There will always be a room in our home and a place at our table for you. It's the least I can do.
Dani's mouth was open in surprise and she turned to see Maddie, who was also surprised but she didn't object and gave her a smile. Danielle's eyes watered and she smiled at him before hugging him. Jack smiled and returned the gesture. When they separated, Jack turned to see his family.
- Let's go. – He said softly. - Do you need us to take you somewhere?
- It won't be necessary. - Dani replied. – I'm still in his custody.
Dani looked back and they all saw operative O several meters away from them, talking on the phone under the shade of a tree and in front of his vehicle.
- And you guys?
- I brought a car, Mr. Fenton. - Sam replied.
- And I'll go with them. – Tucker pointed to Dani and O.
- I'll stay with them for a while, if you don't mind. – Danny said to his parents.
They just smiled at him and said goodbye to Dani again. They watched them leave and exchanged a few questions about the sessions Dani had had so far, until O started to walk towards them. He gave Danielle a slight nod and she began to say goodbye to everyone. Tucker did the same and walked the young woman to the car. Left alone with Sam, he took her hand and started walking in the opposite direction to a small hill that was in the cemetery.
- Danny? – Sam asked as he dragged her towards the shade of a tree.
When they got there, Danny released her and turned to face her.
- How are you?
- I'm good. - She said somewhat uncomfortable. – I got my parents to stop thinking about suing you.
- That's… great.
They both fell silent and Sam became more nervous when Danny began to analyze her face. She felt something akin to fear as she heard him sigh and rub his face with both hands.
- Okay, Sam. This ends today.
She felt as if she were being punched straight to the heart and her breathing began to quicken. Her eyes stung and she opened her mouth without saying anything, concentrating on the seriousness with which Danny was speaking to her.
- Ever since you made that confession you have been avoiding me and you are uncomfortable whenever we are together. I know it's because you feel guilty, but I can't do anything about it. Those are your feelings Sam, and only you have the power to change them. So, I need to know if you're willing to work on it.
- Danny...
- Sam, I love you. And I'm willing to take this relationship as far as possible, but I won't if I don't know for sure that you have the same level of commitment that I do.
- I do! I-it's just…it's something I've been dealing with for a long time and this…I'm working on it, okay?
- Alright. I believe you.
Danny saw her relax as soon as she said those words and her expression changed to one of concern.
- Jesus! Don't do that to me again. – She said pulling her hair back and covering her mouth with her other hand. - I thought you were breaking up with me...
Sam lunged at him and hugged him gently, avoiding the bandage under Danny's clothing and burying her head in the boy's chest. She inhaled her boyfriend's cologne and gradually relaxed. Danny was surprised by Sam's response and took a while to react, but he soon returned the gesture. He smiled as he stroked her hair.
- Well... don't make me do it again. – He limited himself to commenting.
- Deal. – She said with a smile.
° Day 15 after the victory °
Danny breathed out quietly and slowly stood up, adjusting the chair he'd been sitting in and giving the man across from him a brief smile. They exchanged courtesy farewells and he left the room. He made his way through the office corridors and called the elevator, which opened its doors a few seconds later. He entered and positioned himself in the far-left corner, away from the two people inside. He watched the screen that indicated that they were going down floors while he mentally hummed his favorite song. The doors opened as he reached the ground floor and he waited for the others to exit before he did.
He walked to the exit and pushed the glass door open with his hand. The midday heat bathed his features and he allowed himself to smile. He crossed the courtyard and arrived at the access gate, where he handed over his visitor's badge and his ID was returned to him. When he was outside, he started walking away from Axion Labs. The hurried footsteps of someone behind him made him turn around and he noticed Tucker running towards him with a half-eaten hot dog in his hand. He stopped walking so that his friend could pair up with him.
- How did it do? – The dark-skinned man said biting into his hot dog.
Danny looked down and sighed, turning serious before turning to look at him.
- Well… - Little by little, his seriousness changed to a smile. – I start next Monday.
- Hell yeah!
Tucker yelled not caring about scaring the people passing by and held up his hand for Danny to hi-5 his.
- I told you! – He congratulated him. – It was obvious that the position was yours.
- Thanks for tipping me, Tuck.
- Anytime, dude.
Tucker balled up the aluminum foil and napkin his food had been served on and tossed it into the nearest dumpster.
- By the way, when do you start? - Danny asked.
- Oh. The director gave me a temporary furlough…I'll join when the Guys in White are done dealing with the mayor-interim and all the ghost-related issues.
- You're really enjoying that, aren't you? – The blue-eyed man said.
- It's weird, but yeah. – They both resumed their walk. – Who knows, maybe I'll run for mayor in the future.
- I'm happy for you, Tuck. – He said patting his shoulder.
- So… do you already know what the surprise that Sam has planned is all about?
- Not even a clue. – He commented. – She says that I will eventually know what she is planning, but that it will take time.
- Rich people stuff. – He said shaking his head and smiling.
- I told her the same thing. - Danny said amused. - But she didn't laugh.
They reached the end of the street and stopped to wait for the color to change at the light. Danny was dressed in a gray suit, a light blue shirt, and a dark blue tie. Tucker was in his civilian clothes.
- By the way… I heard that you earned the respect of a certain satellite. – Danny groped him with a smile.
Tucker smiled and adjusted his glasses.
- About damn time if you ask me. – He joked. – My charms are always effective.
- Will you make a move now?
His best friend was thoughtful before smiling.
- No.
Danny's eyes widened in surprise at his response. The traffic light changed color and they, along with many others, began to cross the street.
- If I'm going to be with someone, I should be their first choice… and with Star I know that wouldn't be the case.
Danny smiled at his friend's comment.
- Well said, man. - He approached to whisper something in his ear. – Besides, she didn't seem like the type that knows how to have fun.
Tucker laughed and nodded.
- You'll be fine. - Danny joked. – Star, Darla… I'm sure you'll find another blue-eyed blonde soon.
- Hey! - He said between laughs. - Well, if things with Sam don't work out, you could always date Kwan's distant cousin.
Danny raised his eyebrow, not understanding the comment.
- Don't play the fool, mister "I try everything". - Danny laughed at the comment, but he still didn't get it. – Latina, African-American, Caucasian… it's like you want to avoid repeating on purpose…
Danny burst into laughter that caused a little pain in his chest, but he ignored it. Tucker also started laughing at his comment.
- Kwan's cousin would be the Asian one and you would need only one more to complete your collection… - Tucker said.
- Actually, on my second year of college I almost had a date with an Iranian-descent girl… - Danny commented between laughs.
Now it was Tucker who burst out laughing. When they calmed down, Tucker wiped a tear from his eye for so much laughing.
- Oh… and you guys say that I'm the pervert one.
Danny smiled.
- Because you are. - Danny replied.
They calmed down a bit and Tucker noticed Danny checking the watch on his wrist, hidden under the sleeve of his shirt and suit.
- You're going home? – Asked the brunette.
- No. - He replied, adjusting his suit. - I have another appointment that I can't miss.
- Go get them, tiger.
Danny held out his hand to say goodbye to him.
- You wanna play in the afternoon?
- Sure. My house or your house?
- Your house. – Danny answered.
- Deal. – He said as Danny walked away. – I'll text you later.
Danny smiled at him and gave him a thumbs up, before turning his attention back to the road.
Sam was going through the three designs in her hands, trying to decide which one she preferred and which would look best at the main entrance of the cultural center. Hunter next to her analyzed the economic proposals of each of the designs to give Sam his perspective. They were sitting in the living room of her house and in front of them, the sculptor they had contacted to carry out their secret project.
- ... for the second proposal I plan to use a metal alloy resistant to weather conditions, and for the third, concrete.
- Why not use metal for all? – Hunter asked inspecting the numbers.
- The issue is economic, since the basic design of proposal two is not the same as the 4 sculptures of the third, in addition to the fact that the first is bas-relief.
Hunter nodded and they all heard a knock on the door. Hunter looked at Sam and the girl lowered the papers to the table in front of her. She apologized for a few seconds and went to answer the door, surprised when she found Danny smiling at her.
- Hello.
- Hi. – She inspected him from head to toe and raised her eyebrow. - Why are you dressed like that?
- I'm here to meet someone.
Sam panicked for a second, but relaxed when she remembered that they had no plans for that day. Then she felt a little sorry for Danny...
- Oh, Danny… I'm kind of busy right now. - She said looking back. - But…
Danny's laughter interrupted her and when she turned to see him, he shook his hand.
- I know it's tradition, but I'm not here to see you.
Sam was even more confused. If not for her, who had he come to her house for? She looked towards her company, but they looked just as confused as she was. Although the sculptor started to fix her hair when she recognized Danny. Reflexively, Sam stepped between them and returned her gaze to her boyfriend. Before she could speak, the sound of footsteps by the stairs made her turn around again.
- Daniel Fenton. – Jeremy said halfway up the stairs, looking at his watch. – You're early.
Sam's head snapped back to look at her boyfriend, who was also looking at his watch.
- Then I arrived on time. - He said with a smile and then he greeted him with a nod of his head. – Mr. Manson.
Jeremy went down the last step and met the gaze of the boy, who looked calm. Sam looked at her dad for a few seconds before returning her gaze to Danny.
- Well… then let's not wait any longer. – He pointed with his hand at the door of his office. – Shall we?
Danny nodded and looked down at Sam. She was looking at him with a frown and her mouth slightly open. Danny smiled at how adorable she looked.
- Samantha… - Her father's voice made her react. - Are you going to let him in?
Sam shook her and stepped aside to let Danny through. The boy closed the door behind him and greeted Sam with a kiss on her cheek. She was still in shock and just followed him with her eyes, walking through her house, greeting her guests and following her dad to the studio. The sound of the door closing startled her and she turned to look at the sculptor when she cleared her throat.
- Do you think I can take pictures of him? - She said innocently. – You know, to mold his features better.
Danny said good night to his parents when he got back home. He had left Tucker's house late and missed family dinner. He walked up the stairs slowly and went to his room to take a shower. He remembered how productive he had been that day and for the first time in a long time, he felt good. It was the same feeling he had just before Dan attacked him for the first time, but this time he knew everything was fine.
He had gotten a good job, he had talked to Sam's dad and gotten his approval of their relationship, he had come home for lunch with her whole family (Danielle included), and he had spent hours playing with Tucker at his house. Things were finally looking up for him. Jazz had warned him that he could become susceptible to impostor syndrome and believe that he didn't deserve anything he was getting. But he was calm and he felt great. So cool that he had kissed Sam on the lips in the middle of her living room when he had said goodbye to her in front of an audience.
He came out of the bathroom with only his boxers on, and walked to his closet to look for clothes. He took a pair of pants and a white T-shirt from a drawer and got dressed. When he finished dressing, his gaze fell on a plastic bag. He slowly reached out his hand and pulled it out, taking it with him to the bed and closing the doors of his closet.
He sat on the edge of the bed with the bag in both hands and opened it. His clothes from that day were inside. His dark pants, his black shirt, and his white jacket. His underwear was there too, under his red sneakers. "That explains the smell." He thought. He shook his head and took out the shirt. He lifted it by shoulders to look at it and he could make out what looked like dried blood stains on the surface. He turned it around and saw that it had several holes in the back, so he just balled it up and put it back in the bag.
He pulled the pants out and lifted them up as well. Aside from blood and tears in the knee area, he noted that they had green stains around his ankles and was covered in dust. "What a shame". He balled them up and returned them to the bag as well. He pulled the sneakers and shook them off the dirt they had. They were smeared with ectoplasm, but he could clean that. He dropped them on the floor of his bedroom near his feet and inspected the bag. "No way". He thought as he saw his underwear and pulled the jacket out. It was filled with dirt to the point where it looked gray; it had bloodstains and ectoplasm and other things he didn't know what they were; and it was torn from the back and from the pockets.
- It was my favorite… - He murmured when he saw it useless.
He sighed and stood up. He rolled it around and put it together with the rest of the clothes in the bag. He then carried the bag downstairs and dumped it in the kitchen trash can. He returned to his room and when he was going to pick up the recovered sneakers, he noticed a small silver artifact the size of a coin lying on the floor where the bag had been before. He bent to pick it up, straightening up to see it against the light.