Twenty-two year old Danny Fenton sat at the kitchen table, tapping his fingers rhythmically against the worn wood. His mind wandered between thoughts of the latest ghost attack, his online engineering classes, and Jazz's impending visit. It had been a while since his sister was home, and he was looking forward to her company. His life felt too empty with Sam and Tucker off at college.

Jazz had mentioned that she had "big plans" for this visit, but Danny figured it was probably just another attempt to get him out of the house and into the world of normal college life—something he didn't think would suit him too well, given his double life as a ghost hunter. Still, he was happy to have his sister around. A week without fighting off evil specters alone sounded nice.

His parents, as usual, were in the basement tinkering with their latest ghost-hunting gadgets, leaving the rest of the house eerily silent. Danny appreciated the solitude, but it also meant more time for his thoughts to wander. He was staring at his half-eaten sandwich, contemplating whether to finish it or just toss it, when he heard the unmistakable sound of the front door opening.

"Danny! I'm home!" Jazz's voice rang out, filled with the warmth and enthusiasm he always associated with her.

Danny perked up, a smile tugging at his lips. "In the kitchen!" he called back.

He stood up to greet her, expecting to see Jazz come in alone, but when she rounded the corner, he froze. Jazz wasn't alone. Standing beside her was a girl he recognized from the photos Jazz had sent him—Charlotte "Charlie" Rivers. But seeing her in person was an entirely different experience.

Charlie was... well, she was striking. Thick, curvy, and with a confidence that radiated off her in waves. Her auburn hair was tied back in a loose ponytail, and she was wearing a fitted top that accentuated her full figure. She gave him a warm smile, which made him feel simultaneously flustered and flattered.

Danny's brain short-circuited. Why didn't Jazz mention she was bringing company?

"Hey, little brother!" Jazz greeted him with a big hug, oblivious to his internal panic.

"Uh, hey, Jazz," Danny replied, hugging her back but keeping his eyes fixed on Charlie, who stood patiently behind Jazz, her hands casually stuffed into her jean pockets.

Jazz pulled back and smiled brightly. "Danny, I'd like you to meet my best friend, Charlie Rivers. She's been dying to meet you, so I thought I'd surprise you!"

Surprise was an understatement. Danny felt his heart skip a beat. "Hi," he managed, his voice coming out more like a croak than he intended.

"Hi, Danny," Charlie said, her voice smooth and friendly. She stepped forward and extended her hand. "I've heard a lot about you."

Danny stared at her hand for a second longer than was socially acceptable before finally taking it. Her grip was firm, her palm warm against his. "Uh, yeah, same here. I mean, about you. I've heard a lot about you too." He could feel the heat rising to his cheeks. Great, now I sound like an idiot.

Jazz gave him a look that said "be cool" before turning to Charlie. "Danny's always a bit shy when meeting new people. Give him a minute, and he'll be back to his usual charming self."

Danny wanted to groan. Charming? If that was Jazz's idea of charming, he was doomed.

"Thanks for the heads up," Charlie said with a grin, clearly enjoying his discomfort. "I guess I'll just have to work extra hard to get him to talk."

"Please don't," Danny blurted, then immediately wanted to slap himself. "I mean—please do, but, uh, don't feel like you have to or anything."

Jazz couldn't suppress a chuckle. "Charlie's staying with us for the week. I thought it'd be fun if we all hung out together."

"Yeah, fun," Danny echoed, though he wasn't entirely sure if his version of fun involved being this flustered all week.

Just then, their mom's voice echoed from the basement. "Jazz, honey! Are you here?"

"Yes, Mom! I'm here, and I brought Charlie!" Jazz called back.

There was a clatter from below, and seconds later, Maddie and Jack Fenton appeared in the kitchen doorway, looking thrilled as always.

"Oh, it's so good to see you, Jazz!" Maddie enveloped Jazz in a hug before turning her attention to Charlie. "And you must be Charlie! We've heard so much about you!"

Charlie smiled warmly and shook hands with both of Danny's parents, who seemed genuinely pleased to have her there. Danny, meanwhile, stood awkwardly to the side, feeling like an outsider in his own home.

"Danny, aren't you going to show Charlie around?" Jazz nudged him slightly, her eyes sparkling with mischief.

"Uh, sure, I guess." Danny rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "You want the grand tour?"

Charlie's eyes twinkled with amusement. "I'd love that."

Jazz and his parents exchanged knowing looks, and Danny could practically hear the gears turning in their heads. This was clearly some sort of scheme, but he couldn't figure out what it was just yet.

As he led Charlie out of the kitchen, pointing out various rooms and explaining his parents' more bizarre inventions, he couldn't help but feel Jazz's plan for the week was going to be a lot more complicated than he'd anticipated.

When they reached the living room, Charlie paused and turned to face him. "You seem a little surprised to see me here."

"Yeah, uh, Jazz didn't exactly mention you were coming," Danny admitted, trying to keep his tone light. "She likes to spring surprises on me."

Charlie laughed softly. "She told me you might be a little caught off guard. I didn't mean to crash your plans."

"No, no, it's fine!" Danny said quickly. "Really. It's... nice to have someone new around."

Charlie's smile softened, and for a moment, they just stood there, an unspoken understanding passing between them. Danny felt the tension in his shoulders ease slightly. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all.

"Good to know," Charlie replied, her voice gentle. "I was hoping we could get to know each other better this week."

Danny nodded, his heart skipping another beat. "Yeah. I'd like that."

As they continued the tour, with Charlie asking questions and Danny doing his best to answer without sounding like a total dork, he couldn't shake the feeling that this was just the beginning of a very interesting week.