There was something truly freeing to having a solution and it being enacted.

It was light, like he floated, assurance within himself of feeling the rightness of it. Feeling fitting. Dan had gone unwillingly. But Danny was very willing and glad to do so. Before anything worse or anyone got more than injured by his presence here. If he lost control.

But for now, it felt almost...daring.

"All right." He agreed with the pleading and joking.

The faces around him in this corner of the classroom lit up. A few eyes darting over to where the teacher helped a student up front. The other, Danny noted with some amusement. Daniel Daisy. Then his attention went back to the disbelieving mutters.

"Like Double ever gives away the tricks of the trade."

Danny flashed teeth at David. "Wanna bet?"

Might as well give them something cool. Not like it mattered. In the long run. In the grand scheme of things. Who cared?

"See my bag?"

Eyebrows furrowed and peered into the bag. Danny reached under his chair and gave the half open duffel full of practice clothes a shake. Erin Bushaw leaned over to give it a quick rustle through and raised up a thin brow at him while still leaned over. Perturbed at the slightly indecent view offered, Danny sputtered and looked away. Back down to his duffel bag.

Attention and notice made sense when he was new. Lasting? Well, it was a smaller area. Hard not to be noticed when there were only so many. But it was still super weird getting something like this from a girl. A girl who was in a bigger group of friends. Groups meshed here in a way they didn't back in Amity Park, but Erin was clearly in the more popular and larger one.

And touchy.

Ignoring her hand that had patted and rested on his knee, as it would never amount to anything, Danny pinched the open side of the duffel closed and patted it.

"Come."

Then, in a grinning big flourish, Danny yanked the bag fully open.

Cujo's head popped up and out, head turning every which way to see everyone gathered about. Then gave a great slobber up Erin's hand on Danny's knee. Swiping the hand off on jeans, Erin took up the invite and plucked Cujo up, the pup wiggling in her grasp with tail wagging.

"Well, hello. Aren't you just adorable? A real grass roller, aren't ya?"

"Holy shit, you're a fucking magician." David breathed out. "How the fuck you'd do that?"

He and Kevin pawed through the bag, lifting it up, trying to figure it out. While the rest in their corner clustered around Cujo to pet the dog. Several others from nearby cottoning on that something was up, heads going up and leaning to see.

Quickly catching the attention of Mr. Hilsabeck, his head jerking up and zeroing in on the massively growing corner. All the kids quickly shifted, clustering close, attempting to hide the forbidden. Cujo continued licking nearby hands and faces. Mr. Hilsabeck stood and the back corner pressed closer.

"What are you hiding back there?"

"Nothing!" Josh and Kevin chorused. A bad and clear lie.

David hissed. "Now would be great, even if we see your tri-"

"Hide." Danny patted his bag again. Wiggling out of Erin's hands, Cujo darted back into the duffel bag, still visible as Danny closed it. Knowing full well Cujo had gone invisible and intangible, as he could feel no presence of the dog inside the bag anymore. Not that David knew that. Danny's teeth flashed at the boy again.

Mouth snapping shut, David's eyes went larger. "That's not-hey, Mr. Hilsabeck. Nothing to see here. We're just, uh-"

"Game of Rock-Paper-Scissors between the boys on who gets the honor of us girls shoving into my sister's bridesmaid dress for Halloween." Erin supplied with a grin. "Best of four out of seven between Danny and David now."

Mr. Hilsabeck's eyebrow went up, his mouth quirking up, and he stepped closer into the back corner group. Any other kids that hadn't been part of it before were suddenly getting up and gathering closer, eyes filled with anticipation and delight. Glancing to Mr. Hilsabeck and over to the boys in question. Confused, Danny glanced around at everyone, slowly coming to realization of what Erin had said and what it meant.

Soundlessly, David gaped at Erin. Horror flushing his face of any color. Amused, Mr. Hilsabeck waved at them. All the kids held their breath.

"Well. I'm not stopping you. Go ahead."

Danny lost.

David's cheers were very over the top.

But it didn't matter. He'd sent that email to Valerie at the start of the school day. Was going to check it after this class, before practice. The ball was already rolling. However it went, Danny would for sure have his hands on a thermos (more like inside one) by the end of the week. Halloween was next week, on Monday.

He didn't say anything, just smiled and nodded as Erin with several other of her friends rambled on about the dress and hair and make-up and accessories.

"Maybe I just won't show up that day," Danny teased. Knowing it was true. For the best. So she and anyone else here could keep going on. He bounced on his feet, lifted up by that thought, of him not being around. Even if David might wind up in this dress instead of him. David would live.

Grinning and laughing, Erin swatted Danny's arm playfully. Nudged up against his side and chatter continued on about his Halloween outfit. A few jokes and giggles going on about Erin coming in with a full suit for the day.

Tilting away, Danny gave a one worded explanation, leaving the bustle of the hallway to dart inside of the library. The sounds of the end of the day became muted, the library devoid of any people. Other than the hawk eyed librarian.

Setting down his duffel back and backpack, Danny slid into a chair in front of a computer. Logging in to check his email.

Ignoring whatever sinking feeling he'd felt a moment ago.

Easy enough to do at seeing Valerie had responded to his email.

No working thermos from her.

Huh. Danny thought back. Huh. Well. Yeah. That was true, wasn't it? She'd never used one on him. Danny had assumed she had one. That Vlad had given her one. But that Valerie'd rather use weapons on the ghost that destroyed her life. But she plain didn't have one or one that worked.

All it meant was she or him would need to get one from Fenton Works.

Home.

Bringing it back.

Full circle.

Danny typed back a quick response and logged off, rushing off to change for practice.

Smiling brightly despite being a bit late.

By this weekend, before Halloween hit, the world would be free from the danger of a ghostly being.

"Hey man, you seem to be in a good mood."

"Yep! Fantastic! Readysetgo!"