"Interesting kind of sparring you kids have taken up!" she loudly announced.
The two teens scurried to their feet bashfully looking anywhere but at Maddie. "M-Mom It's not what it looks like" Danny stammered. He could feel his cheeks reddening again Val making a move on him was tense enough but for his mom to catch him in the act this was just a bit too much for one afternoon.
Maddie crossed her arms as she stared down the two teens, her son and her protégé canoodling in the lab/ training room. Maddie liked Valerie that much was true she was a fast learner and gifted ghost hunter but her concern for Danny was the bigger issue at this moment. His relationship with Sam only ended a short month ago, if this was genuine then she would absolutely approve but, if this was just Danny being hasty to get over Sam he'd risk hurting Valerie and that was something she'd take issue with. However she also knew since they weren't little kids anymore she would be met with hostility and rebellion. Maddie slowly breathed and let out a long slow breath "whatever this is, I have to trust you two know what you're doing, now that being said trust goes both ways and if you two want me to trust you two being on your own again like this than I trust that you will be responsible enough not to give me any reason to doubt what you're actually doing when you're alone, is that fair enough?" she finished.
Danny and Valerie looked at each-other, blushed and then looked at Maddie and nodded in agreement. "That's fair" they agreed together.
Maddie nodded back "glad we can be adults about this" she said "now both of you go wash up for supper, separately! Valerie you may use the guest shower beside Jazz and Danielle's bedroom Danny go wash up in yours and I will be turning on the Spector detector so I'll know if you use your powers young man" she instructed sending a bashful Valerie up the stairs ahead of herself and Danny trailing behind. Maddie turned off into the kitchen but still kept watch on the other two Making sure Valerie turned left and Danny went upstairs. "Teenagers" she muttered to herself flipping on the specter detector.
"Something wrong Mads?" Jack asked between bites of freshly cooked ham "you look a little flustered"
Maddie sat beside Grandma Fenton and poured herself a glass of wine which brought a smile to Grandma's face "that is the face a mother makes when her baby boy does something stressful or stupid, what has Danny done?" Grandma asked.
Maddie took a quick mouthful of wine before giving her mother in-law her attention "I walked in on Danny and Valerie canoodling downstairs" she told her.
Grandma now looked slightly off guard "Valerie? Is this a new one? Not that depressing vampire one?"
"Sam" Maddie corrected her "and I don't know yet, Evelynn you raised two boys how fast do they move on from former partners?"
Evelynn hesitated a moment, in twenty years Madeline never really asked for help or advice when it came to parenting so this was something that might have really stirred her up. "It depends" Evelynn started "some boys don't get attached easily and can move on quickly some boys go feet first into every relationship, no matter how poison it can be. In truth Madeline it's hard to determine some relationships can be easy to get over some can destroy oneself. Danny and Sam, was it? Were together two years? Danny is a factor but when I met that girl last year she came across as selfish and hypocritical maybe she had some good qualities to her but when those two ugly traits are front and center its hard not to imagine the magic dying between them"
"Sam dumped Danny because Danny wouldn't use his place as hero to advocate for her causes" Jazz interjected as she walked through to the fridge "Sam might have liked Danny at one point but when Danny himself became an icon with influence Sam more or less started seeing him as usable propaganda" the venom not with holding from her statement "Sam was always a little like she is now but she did have some good qualities but once Danny got revealed she…she went full activist less girlfriend and completely stopped being a friend, she would always harp on Danny about abusing his powers unless it was for something she wanted, Danny spent a lot time pointing that out these past couple years that advocating for her, even when he didn't want to, was abusing his place and influence"
"Jazz!" Maddie scolded her "you may be right on a number points but we have to remember Danny is still trying to be friends with Sam and that requires a degree of respect when talking about her" Maddie turned back Evelynn "So you're saying Danny might have moved on before the relationship even ended?" she asked her mother in-law.
"Not in such a manner, if the magic was gone or was as Jazz described then Danny might have just moved on because there wasn't much to hold onto a month seems reasonable if that was the case"
"Danny brought a new girl home?" Jazz asked.
"No, he was sparring with Valerie and I caught them doing…something else" Maddie replied.
Jazz stood stymied for a few moments then casually shrugged it off "Val's awesome I have no objections"
Valerie stood in the hallway where Dani had walked into her and engaged in quick conversation mostly about how Paulina Sánchez tried to bribe her into influencing Danny into dating her. "So either way I took the pizza and ice cream and told her I'll see what I could do, daft looney doesn't get it, Danny has no interest in her but hey I got some free food out of it" Dani laughed.
"Sounds better than our afternoon" Valerie replied "Sam hijacked Tuckers…"
"Oh yea I heard about that, the pizza parlor was showing the rally on the tv" Dani cut her off "if it's all the same Val I kind of would like to distance myself from that drama"
"ha-ha, fair enough kiddo" Valerie replied ruffling the ghostlings hair on her way to the bathroom when she suddenly stopped, a random grocery bag full of odd ball stuff caught her attention "Those look a little mature for you" she said to Dani who turned back to see what Valerie was taking about.
"Oh those, that's all of Sam's old stuff that she left here while she and Danny were dating, he supposed to return it all once we found everything, some gothic movies, weird books, vegan cook book, and well… those" Dani trailed off as Valerie lifted Sam's panties from the bag. "Valerie, you shouldn't be snooping" she started but stopped when she saw Valerie form some kind of mocking smile.
"Basic black, very Sam-esk you would think a surface boring goth would at least try have some mysterious excitement to her" she dropped the article of clothing back into the bag then entered the bathroom. She wasn't threatened by Danny and Sam's past relationship and if she Danny were going to move forward she had to patient.
After their separate showers Danny and Valerie returned to the kitchen to a set table with a place for Valerie. "Oh who is this gorgeous young lady?" Evelynn asked reaching her hand to Valerie "new lady friend Danny?"
"Valerie Gray" she introduced herself "and you are?"
"Evelynn Fenton dear Fenton Family matriarch"
"Old school introduction there" Valerie chuckled "to answer your question Danny and I are complicated for the moment" she added before sitting beside Danny at the table.
"Complicated? Was that down stairs just some accident?" Evelynn asked.
"frisky experimentation" Valerie replied bluntly, she could play this game with best of them asking awkward questions getting snarky answers was something she perfected with her dad.
The collective Fentons, including Danny were left slightly in awe, Evelynn loved witty duels but very few outsiders would know or even catch on so quickly. All eyes turned back to Evelynn for her retaliation.
"I think the lab might not be the best place for that kind of experiment" Evelynn grinned back, this girl was quick how long could she last.
"It's a lab, we experimented seemed like it all fit" Valerie replied "but you could be right I wanted a ride should've gone to the RV"
Danny choked on his juice at her response and Maddie looked slightly livid "wrong choice of words kiddo" Evelynn laughed "but your good, Maddie I do believe she was only playing with me and got carried away, I like her though she's fun but for future experiments Danny's car might be more private"
"Mom!" "Evelynn!" Jack and Maddie burst out. "Inappropriate!" Maddie snapped.
Evelynn began to laugh before sitting down again "Oh Madeline, you have so much to learn they're teenagers smart mouthed and short sighted Valerie just got caught up trying to make me uncomfortable because I got under her skin asking about their little lab encounter as for my little jab look at how red she got. Besides I think it would be a little hypocritical for either of you to forbid or frown upon such suggestions" she finished with a wagging finger.
As they ate, the Fenton's and Valerie chatted about anything and everything under the sun banter and teasing followed suit when the subject of the weekend was brought up. Valerie learned about Danny's cousins and how they weren't exactly civil with anyone, unless they wanted something. She learned Jack used to be a city champion wrestler and boxer back in high school and that, his career was over because his friend on the football team hit him with a car after Jack tore into him about setting up some poor girl for a prank date that later ended in her house burning down, it was Thomas Baxter of all people. The girl died and he got off and Jack got ruined which then turned him down to his ghost hunting career.
Jazz began talking about her doctoral thesis in college about ghost envy and behaviour analysis when Danny excused himself to walk Valerie outside to wait for her dad. They made a detour by the garage so she could see Danny's car. "Red body black interior, well I approve of the color scheme" she said with a wink, "it's in great shape Danny, '71 this baby has the hemi right?" she asked popping the hood.
"Wouldn't know" Danny chuckled "cars was never my forte but I'm willing to learn"
"Well that's a good thing, I'm willing to teach, you're not going to let your folks pack it full of high tech ghost gear and junk are you? Because I'd have to really consider having you committed for that" Valerie teased him as she closed the hood "it's a beautiful car Danny can I tell you something" she brought her lips to his ear "your car and I are matching colors right now" she whispered. Danny's eyes quickly scanned Valerie, she was wearing a yellow mini dress and heals.
"You mean your armour? Guess it does" he airily replied,
"I'm not wearing my armour right now Danny" she giggled leaning in for a kiss. The sound of her dad's horn signalled her it was time to go Damon was partnered with the Fenton's for the commercial and residential ghost security installations around town so he was around often these days but Danny still had worries about his reaction if he found out they were dating. "Damn, always bad timing" she huffed Valerie turned to leave when Danny grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her back and kissed her lips.
"Where did that come from?" she gasped, she was caught off guard but in the best way possible but still surprised she didn't expect that from Danny, not so soon into this.
"you have yourself to blame" Danny grinned "keep teasing me the way you are and I'm going to break out the surprises"
"I like that" she replied "I like how we're progressing Danny I was kind of worried that, fun back in the lab might have just been that"
"Well truth be told Val, doesn't this just feel right? Fast or not it feels like we've jumped up to where we would be if things played out differently that day I asked you out"
Damon's horned sounded off again "it does, doesn't it" she smiled. "Keep your phone charged might be a late night" with that Valerie sprinted to her dads' car and waved as they rolled away.
An interesting day to say the least a new exciting relationship on the rise one with a girl who seemed to instill excitement and an tingling sensation in Danny and seemed to enjoy the teasing and banter of his family. If she still stuck around after this weekend Danny would take that as a sign that this could really work out. He smiled to himself as he flew to bedroom window a ghost boy and modern day amazon, sounded like a new adventure.
Danny sat down at his desk and started his English assignment that Danielle brought home for him, along with his biology work since he skipped his last class to aid Tucker with his problem.
His phone dinged with a message a couple hours after supper, a message that choked the air from his lungs, "told you I matched your car" Danny laughed but couldn't take his eyes of the pic this was new uncharted territory for him, Sam never played with him like this. He smiled to himself ready to text back. But he had no idea how to respond to a message like this, he opened an A.I site and searched up Reponses. With no plan of how to carry on if it worked or not.
"wow and suddenly I kind want a lindor right now" he sent back, "wait was that a bad response? That really feels like a bad response" he began to panic as he read and reread his text "oh god this sounds racist she's going to hate me" he cried and rapidly typed out an apology message. "Five minutes into a new relationship I sink it with a dumb text. I've got to fix this and quickly before this completely tanks and ruins everything" he thought to himself when her response came.
"your flirting needs some work Danny (wink emoji) lucky for you I like a project. But I got the gist of it but you're really going to have to work if you want unwrap me (kiss emoji) sleep tight Danny don't let that picture keep you up all night"