Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

Valerie slept rather well until Danielle shoved her off the bed in her sleep. Valerie sat up, and glared at the blissfully unaware and inhumanly strong teenager. Valerie checked the time and saw it was nearly three in the morning. With a groan, she got up, adjusted her hair wrap, and started toward Danielle’s door. She’d rather sleep on Danny’s couch than get kicked in the side one more time.

This time she’d been prepared for the sleepover, so her hair was wrapped under a scarf with a rose knot at the back of her head. She was also wearing a pair of shorts and a long t-shirt. She pulled on a jacket for the short walk downstairs, and crept down as quietly as she could. When she got to Danny’s door, she opened it, and was surprised to find Danny had apparently fallen asleep on the couch. She was saddened to see the tear tracks on his face. He’d been down here crying alone. Was it because of Vlad? Or Sam again?

Valerie knelt beside him, and gently wiped his face clean with the sleeve of her jacket. He sighed and turned toward her hand, so she caressed his cheek. He looked even paler than normal beside her dark skin. She started to move away, and without opening his eyes, Danny whispered, “Stay.”

“Oh! Sorry, did I wake you?”

“Yeah… when you came in.” He wiped at his own face and opened his eyes. “Was I crying?”

“In your sleep, I guess, if you don’t remember.”

Danny nodded. “Vlad.” He offered no further explanation or comment. He turned, and Valerie guessed he was looking for his phone. 

“It’s early morning. I was coming to sleep down here because Danielle accidentally kicked me off the bed.”

He laughed. “I did that to Sam once. She was pretty pissed. It’s part of the reason she never fully moved in.”

Valerie chuckled. “Yeah, well, being kicked by a half-vampire ain’t no joke. It was not a soft kick.”

Danny nodded, and yawned. “You can have the bed if you want. I don’t want to get up.”

“You sure?”

“Yeah.”

Valeri hesitated, and put her hand on his cheek one more time. “I don’t like the idea of leaving out here alone.” She felt guilty. There was no need to point out the fact he’d been victimized by Vlad. Though it was true, it had clearly been hard to hear, and she regretted throwing it out when he was already feeling high strung.

Danny put a hand over hers. His hand was cool, but not icy like other Vampires. His cheeks were the same. “I don’t want to be alone,” he admitted.

Valerie offered him a small smile, and then stood upright and jogged to his bedroom. She came back and smiled at his bemused expression as she dragged out his comforter and every pillow on his bed. She lay them all out on the rug by the sofa and plopped down in the soft bedding. 

She smiled up at him where he lay under the throw. “Sleepover,” she said in a singsong way. She hugged the pillow closest to her. “Wanna braid each other’s hair?”

He laughed. He reached down and touched her scarf. “But this is cute.”

“Thanks. Protects my hair.”

“From?” 

She laughed. “Breaking?

“Oh, yeah, obviously.” Danny nodded. 

“You didn’t know that.”

“No,” He admitted with a laugh. He plucked at his own strands of white hair. “You know I can’t even dye it? I tried, and it washed out like nothing next time I washed my hair. You should have seen my Mom’s face.”

Valerie reached up and touched his hair also. “It’s really soft.”

“Thanks.”

They chatted a bit longer: about hair, and Valerie’s skin routine, how it compared to Sam’s and Jazz’s based on Danny’s memory. After a while though, Danny zoned out, going quiet as his eyelids drooped. Valerie snuggled into the pillow under her head with a sigh, and  fell asleep soon after he did. 

When Valerie awoke, she slowly realized someone’s arm was draped around her middle. She turned to look, and saw Danny had at some point moved to the floor. Currently her body pressed against his. 

She thought briefly that he felt nice, then she realized Danielle was staring at them with a bemused smile on her face. 

Valerie wiped at the corner of her mouth, and started to sit up, but Danny tightened his grip. “Ugh. Danny.” Valerie said. She started to shake him, but he didn’t even budge. “What is this? It’s like those bars that hold you down on a roller coaster.” Danny wasn’t immovable on his own, but every time she tried to move his arm, he tightened his grip.

“I got him,” Danielle said. She leaned over, and flicked Danny in the forehead between the eyes. 

He jumped awake, and looked around. “What the hell?” He asked Danielle, glaring. 

“You were trapping Val.” 

“Oh! Sorry.” Danny sat up. “And…” he lightly touched her arm with his forefinger, “Thanks again.”

“Yeah,” Valerie smiled at him. “Course.” She stood up and stretched. “My bag upstairs?”

“You left it on the counter, so I put it in my room,” Danny said. 

Valerie moved off, going to get dressed. Behind her, she heard Danielle ask Danny, “So what was that?”

Valerie rolled her eyes, but then she thought more about that. What did she think of Danny? He was attractive. Sure. He was pretty well built, thanks to his Vampiric nature, despite never working out. His sense of style was a bit dated, but most of his wardrobe was well fitting. Personality wise, Valerie liked to spend time with him. He was considerate, and easy to talk to. Dependable, and sensitive. 

But he was also rooted here in Amity. Vampire hunting aside, Valerie liked to move around, travel to new places, and try new things. Danny was also coming off a long term relationship. It had been almost a month, but really, how long was that to an eight year relationship?

She shook her head. Focus. Plan the day. She returned to the living room where Danielle had taken over the couch. Danny had moved to the kitchen, and was pouring coffee. “I hope one of those is for me?” 

Danny chuckled. “Of course. So what’s on the agenda?”

“Can you ask Dora if we can meet her friend? Whether she sets up a meeting or goes with us doesn’t matter, but we need to get this done.”

“Right. Yes, I can do that. What else? Studying and…?”

“Training,” Valerie responded. 

“Right, why did I ask?”

“Not just the resistance training, if it makes you feel better.”

“What do you mean?”

“Your biggest area we need to work on is endurance, but I also want to start teaching you some hand to hand basics, I think. If we split our time, we should be able to do both.”

Danny sighed. “I should be more excited about this.”

The coffee machine beeped, and Danny handed Valerie her drink first. She accepted it, breathing in the scent. “Yay,” she said softly.

Danny smiled at her, and crossed his arms as he waited for his own cup. Once whe machine beeped a second time, he took his mug with him to the bedroom to get dressed. Valerie turned to Danielle and asked, “Want to come?”

“To do what?”

“Work out,”

Almost before Valerie finished her sentence, Danielle snorted a laugh. “No, I’m good. Maybe next time.”

Valerie ruffled Danielle’s hair, and the teenager barely reacted as she turned up the TV. 

Danny returned, wearing sweatpants and a t-shirt, flashing a thumbs up as he grabbed his wallet and keys off the counter. Valerie grabbed her keys also and they headed out. 

Valerie drove while Danny sat in the passenger seat. She’d only been this way a few times and it was a lot like the area where Paulina’s party had been, minus the large homes. After a while, Valerie pulled off the main road onto a dirt trail. She parked in a small open area with a posted sign warning hikers to stick to the trail. 

Valerie retrieved her backpack from the trunk and started to put it on. Danny took it from her without asking, and slung it over his own shoulder. She smiled up at him, and grabbed a small cooler. Danny smiled back, and it turned into a yawn. Valerie mimicked him, then playfully shoved at his chest.

“Stop it. Don’t get me started.”

Danny grinned, “You started it by waking me up early.”

Valerie stuck her tongue out at him, wrinkling her nose and Danny reached over and tweaked it. She slapped her hands over her nose in surprise, blushing, and said with a laugh, “Why?”

Danny shrugged, “Wanted to.” He looked out toward the woods. “Where to, boss?”

Valerie pointed east. “There’s an area I used to hike with my dad out this way.”

Danny looked off into the woods, in the direction she was pointing. “That doesn’t look like it’s on the marked path,” he quipped. He pointed to the sign indicating visitors should stay on said path. 

“Oh, shut up, Mr. I-broke-into-the-Dome-to-play-videogames.”

“Wha- Hey! That was… different…”

Valerie shoved a fist against her hip and looked up at him as he tried to conceal his laughter. “How?”

Danny smiled even wider and pointed finger guns her way. “I’ll get back to you on that, later. How bout we get up this hill, eh?” 

“Yeah, that’s what I thought.”

The hike was short. Valerie led the way up the steep hill, careful of loose gravel and roots jutting out of the hillside. This area used to be a normal trail, but had been destroyed by a landslide years ago. They came to a clearing on more even ground after a short while and Valerie dropped her cooler near the base of a large boulder as Danny leaned against it. He shivered as he watched Valerie walk the perimeter of the area. She stopped at a nearly fallen tree trunk, and kicked at the dirt there. It was an area mostly clear of grass and roots. Then she returned to Danny, smiling. 

She took his hand and her bag and pulled him over toward the cleared area. “We’ll start with stretching,” she said as she laid out two yoga mats. The one she gave him was brand new, and he looked a little guilty as he accepted it.  

“I feel  a little bad. I hadn't thought to ask if I should get anything for these sessions.” He unrolled the mat to see the anime boy posed suggestively on it. He closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose while Valerie fought laughter this time. The mat had been a prank gift from Paulina, and she’d genuinely forgotten about it when she handed Danny the mat. He looked at her plain royal blue mat. “Can we switch?”

She ignored him and started her stretches. She knew he saw her smile peeking out from under her bushy ponytail. He nudged her with his toe, and her smile only widened. With a groan he started his stretches, following hers. He stared up at her while touching his toes rather than staring into the anime boy’s eyes.

“Why are you staring at me?”

“Better you than this character. I don’t like how he’s looking at me.”

“What did Chip Skylark ever do to you?”

“Nothing. I just don’t want to gaze into his eyes while my ass is in the air.”

“Chip wants to gaze into your eyes Danny.”

Danny snorted a laugh, “Nope.”

“Give in, and gaze at the pretty anime boy, Danny.”

Danny burst into laughter, dropping back on his haunches. 

Valerie did the same, and leaned over to stroke the anime boy’s face. “Chip loves you, Danny. Look at this sparkling smile.”

Danny rolled back onto his back, laughing so hard his insides hurt as she carried on for a moment longer. Then she dissolved into laughter herself. After a while, they finally managed to catch their breath. Valerie and Danny then stood facing one another. Danny waited for instructions. He watched as she pulled several empty bags from her backpack. 

She handed him a few and said, “Fill these with rocks please.”

“Rocks? How many?”

“As many as you can without ripping the bag. They’re pretty heavy duty canvas, but still.”

“Alright?” Danny helped her collect the stones. They filled four, and Danny set them down either side of his mat. 

“Okay,” Valerie said. “First up, drop and give me twenty.”

“Push ups?”

“Yup.”

“O...kay?” Danny got down on the ground, and started to follow her order. No sooner had he dipped for the first one than Valerie stepped up onto his back. She planted one of her feet in his lower back, and the other between his shoulder blades.

He smirked up at her. “You don’t weigh all that much, you know,” he said. He did two more effortless push ups to prove his point. She smiled, and crouched down while still on his back. When he dipped for his fourth and tried to push back up, he found that her weight had almost doubled.

He paused again, and looked over his shoulder at her. She lifted the bags of rocks she’d grabbed on the way up. She understood the confusion in his face. When he’d carried them over here, they’d not weighed more than fifty pounds each, surely. 

“What?”

“It’s a spell. I can make things heavier. For you. To me these are still pretty heavy, but not as heavy as you feel like they are.”

Danny licked his lips, his arms surely starting to burn. “Are they getting heavier?”

“Yup. Better hurry and get to twenty,” she grinned.

Danny busted through a few more as Valerie counted. “Six, seven, eight, eight, eight,”

“Stop saying eight!”

“You’re not getting low enough. They don’t count. Come on. Twelve more, and hold on twenty.”

So started the morning of some of the most physically draining activity Valerie could think of for a half Vampire.

Valerie strapped him to the leaning tree, and told him to pull it upright. She found the biggest boulder in the area and made him push it uphill. Everytime he stopped for breath, she made him let it roll back to the base of the hill and start over. They finished with a normal run, and Danny was so exhausted, he just fell into step beside her at a normal human pace. Seconds from their arbitrary finish line, she said, “If I beat you back you’re pushing the boulder up the hill again.”

“Urgh!!” Danny shouted out as he sped up. She did also, and the same spell she’d used to stop Skulker’s arrow midair, and tripped Danny up. She streaked past him, and he shouted, “No the hell you don’t!” He sprinted after her, grabbing the back of her shirt, and yanking her back off her feet. Her stomach gave a great lurch as he caught her, and she clung to him in her surprise. 

He narrowed his eyes at her, and turned around. Her legs were wrapped around his hips and he held her under her thighs as he backed across the finish line. “We’re done with the boulder.”

She didn’t answer at first and then his eyes widened. She offered a hesitant laugh and she smiled as she said, jokingly, “f-for today.”

She was very aware of his hands on her thighs, and her body on his, and as he set her down.... his hands, the way they trailed over her waist and lingered a moment at her back. He turned away, “I’m gonna grab a water.” She remembered something similar happening when she’d been injured after Halloween. The way he’d lifted her up onto the counter to bandage her thigh came to mind.

“Sure.” 

Danny ran a hand through his hair, and Valerie turned just as he turned away. The bright red tinge in his cheeks made her feel a little better. She chuckled. At least she wasn’t the only one embarrassed. 

Valerie checked her watch. “Time to head back. I want to take a quick shower before I get to studying. And I also want to look up if Vlad has any sort of itinerary for while he’s in town. He’s pretty famous, so he may be easier to track than the average Vampire.”

Danny nodded. “Alright. And I need to call my sister on the way back.” He helped Valerie empty the bags of rocks and gather up the mats. 

“Why?”

They started back down toward the main trail, Danny leading the way. It was mostly downhill, and he was worried about Valerie tripping. “Jazz said she’d tell my mom and Dad about Danielle for me, but I haven’t heard from anyone. I’m starting to worry they’re either planning something or like, mad about it.”

“Why would they be mad? You’re helping out a kid.”

“After sheltering her as a runaway, which my parents will probably have… opinions about.”

“Ah. Why did you tell her that part?”

“I didn’t. Danielle did. Now I just gotta roll with it.”

“Mmm Hmm… good luck with that.”

The trip down was much shorter than the trip up despite the fact they were so tired, and when they got in the car, Danny threw himself in the passenger seat with Valerie’s backpack in his lap. He leaned the seat back as far as it would go, and let out a groan. 

Valerie sat gingerly in the driver’s seat. The ache was unreal. She hadn’t felt her muscles screaming like this in a long time. Next to her, Danny groaned. “I haven’t worked out like that since he was in middle school. Early on into dealing with my transforming body, I realized one of the only perks was that I suddenly didn’t have to try to keep up with even the star athletes at his school.”

Valerie chuckled as she started the car and said, “You okay?”

“Uuuuurgh,” Danny groaned again. “I’m dead. Bury me.”

Valerie snorted, and pulled onto the road. Danny watched the treetops out the window as they passed by, and relaxed into his seat. Valerie hit a switch on the dash, and their whole seat started to warm. He crossed his arms over the backpack, and closed his eyes. His breath evened out, and before they hit the main road, he was snoring softly next to her.

Paulina called as they were driving. Valerie glanced at Danny, and answered on her bluetooth instead of the speaker. “Hey, girl.”

“Hey! I heard about what happened at the award thing for the university! You okay?”

“Who did you even hear from?” Valerie asked. 

“Darcy’s sister,” She said like it was obvious.

Paulina was equal parts terrified for Valerie after having heard that she’d found a body and elated; she and Tucker had a great time on their date, and were going to be seeing more of one another. Amused, Valerie assured Paulina she was alright, and asked for details about the date. Danny awoke mid conversation and Valerie switched to speaker.

“Danny’s here,” She said.

“Oh, hi, Danny!” She went on describing the date and before long Danny was blushing profusely, hearing about the romantic exploits of his best friend. 

When Paulina disconnected, Danny asked, horrified, “Do all girls just tell people everything like that!?”

“No, Paulina sure does. And to be fair I am absolutely sure she told him she’d be telling me,” Valerie laughed. Then she gave Danny a wink and said, “I don’t kiss and tell, though. Not my thing.”

Danny blushed even deeper, but smiled as he said, “I’ll keep it in mind.”

Valerie suddenly realized just how suggestive that sounded, and blushed to herself as she turned to look out the window, concealing a smile of her own. Goddamn, she’d only just admitted to herself she found him attractive, and now she was already flirting? Get it together , she chastised herself. 

They made it back to Danny’s place, and Valerie dropped him in the parking lot. “I should check in with my dad,” she explained. “I know he’s still worried about last night.”

“Sure,” Danny agreed. “I’ll let you know if Danielle heard back from Dora.”

Valerie nodded. Danny got out of the car, and she called after him, “I’ll see you tomorrow for more training.”

“Wha- already!?”

“5:30am! Meet me there, and don’t be late!”

“Val! Valerie, you’re not serious!?”

Valerie was serious. She didn’t intend for Vlad to have an opportunity to catch Danny unaware again without knowing he could defend himself. She also had plans for Danielle, but she hadn’t fully come up with an effective work out for her. 

She’d have to approach it later. 

The next morning she made it to their meeting place five minutes ahead of Danny. When he came stumbling tiredly from his car, she met him with hot chocolate and coffee in hand. He accepted the Hot chocolate and sipped it gratefully. 

“Not the coffee?” She asked. 

He shook his head. “It’s not like the caffeine really does anything for me. I just like coffee. But not today. Today I want chocolate.”

They headed out toward their training ground, Danny following in Valerie’s wake. “Still sore?” She asked.

“Yeah. You?”

“Honestly, yeah, but I’ll take this time as training for myself too. Today we’re going to try some basic fighting stances. We’ll end on some more resistance training.”

Danny sighed. “I’d argue, but…”

“But you asked for this training, so I don’t want to hear it,” They made it out to the clearing. Danny dropped their bags and again they started with stretches. Danny snatched the plain blue mat only to find Valerie had swapped out the anime boy with a plain green one. Valerie smirked at his disappointment and led their stretches again. 

“What did Dora say?”

“‘I’ll think about it.’”

Valerie sighed. “Would you mind reaching out yourself and asking again? It would be better to settle peacefully on that front. I have a feeling if it comes to violence Dora isn’t going to just stand aside if I have to confront her friend.”

“I know. I agree. Yeah, I’ll reach out again, so don’t worry.”

“Thank you. Now,” Valerie pushed to her feet and offered Danny a hand. “Let’s get to work, yeah?”

Some hours later, Danny was panting in the middle of the clearing covered in dirt and sweat. Valerie was standing over him, also covered in a fine sheen of sweat, having just healed her hand for a sixth time. 

“You didn’t move at all that time,” Valerie observed. “You did really well.”

“Please don’t oversell it,” Danny panted. “I’m also dog tired.”

“That’s the point. We’ll start blending the resistance and the fighting training over time.”

Danny gave her a thumbs up from where he lay. “Sounds good, looking forward to it.”

Valerie laughed. “Good, because we’re going everyday until thanksgiving.”

Danny groaned and turned over to push up from the ground. He made a futile attempt to brush off some dirt. “What happens on Thanksgiving?”

“We take a break. I’m going to spend the holiday with my Dad and his girlfriend.”

Danny sighed with relief. “Good. My family is also expecting me, obviously.”

“What about Danielle?”

“I think my sister told my parents about her, so they’re probably expecting her, but if she has a place at your house too we may do better to just let her pick.”

“We’ll ask her later, I guess.”

They gathered their mats and drinks and headed back to their cars with plans to meet up again the next day. So began their routine for a while. Valerie still went over to Danny’s during the day often, but every morning started with either a workout or fighting practice. In the days directly leading to the holiday, Danielle joined in, much to her annoyance. She complied when Valerie explained it was for her safety, but she grumbled all morning, and crashed for a nap as soon as she was able. 

Danielle’s training was more geared toward endurance and running drills to increase her speed. During their very last session before the holiday, when Danielle asked if she would also be sparring, Valerie had answered, “No offence, Danielle, but you just aren’t as strong as Danny, and definitely not as strong as many of the Vampires I’ve met before. It’s better for you- at least until you’re older and hopefully a little stronger- to focus on evasion and not combat.”

Danielle looked relieved when Valerie said it. “Oh, okay.” 

They wrapped up the session early. After quick goodbyes and a promise with Danielle to call the next day, Valerie climbed in her car and headed back to her family home for the weekend.

Danny watched Valerie leave, and then after he and Danielle spent the rest of the night watching random videos until Danielle started to fall asleep. Danny pulled Danielle onto his back for a piggyback up to her room. He dropped her on her bed, pulled up the covers, put her phone on the charger and locked the door as he left.

He was dreading the next day- thanksgiving- more than he liked to admit. He and Danielle were heading to Danny’s family home very early in the morning so they could eat breakfast with his parents, Jazz, and Kwan. He didn’t want to answer questions about Danielle. His parents knew about her at this point, but dreaded having to give specifics. He was worried about his eyes and fangs turning in their presence. Strangely, most of all he dreaded having to answer questions about Sam. This would be the first thanksgiving where she didn’t at least stop by in years. 

He sighed. Putting off sleep wouldn’t help. It would just make him irritable when tomorrow finally arrived. 

Despite his best efforts to get some sleep however, he tossed and turned and when he finally woke, it was to Danielle tapping his forehead. He waved her hand away, and pushed himself up in bed. “We gotta go in like five minutes,” she was saying.

He yawned. “You wanna drive?” he asked. 

She brightened. “Yeah! I can drive,” she looked outside. “It’s raining though.”

“Great. Go slower, and don’t follow other drivers too close. Let me grab my bag and we can go.”

Danny was asleep again minutes after he got the GPS going and made sure Danielle knew what she was doing on the freeway. He woke again when she nudged him awake a block or two away. “I think we’re almost there?” Danielle said. She was looking back and forth between the street signs and the GPS. 

Danny sat up straighter and pointed out a corner building. It was large, made with redbrick, and there was a metal attachment, like an observatory sitting on top of the narrow three story building. Danielle parked at the curb, and followed Danny inside. 

They were accosted almost immediately by his father- a large man with graying black hair, and mother-a woman with the same shade of orangish hair as Jazz cut into a short bob. Danny was pulled into crushing hugs by both of them, and he grimaced when his parents then embraced Danielle the same way. She didn’t seem to mind.

“Danny!” Jack shouted, “How have you been? I feel like I never hear from you.”

“Sorry, Dad. I’ve just been busy with school.”

“And you live with Danny, is that right?”

“No, ma’am. I live upstairs from him technically, but I spend a lot of time at his place. He helps me with homework, and we eat together and stuff.”

“Oh, Danny is so sweet. I’m glad he has someone around, you know. We were worried when we heard he broke up with Sam,” Maddie lowered her voice, but Danny could still hear it clear as day. His stomach dropped, and he tried not to react.

“Oh, uh, I mean, he is really sweet. I’m glad I, uh, met him.”

“Tell me again how that was?” Maddie asked. “Jazz only said something about a forum. I see you have the same condition as Danny… That reminds me, Danny, I never heard back from that professor either. He said he would look into it, but it’s really starting to look like it’s even more rare than every source says. Sorry, I went off on a tangent, there, Danielle–”

Danielle glanced at Danny for help, but Jack jumped in instead. “And you look so much alike,” he clapped Danielle on the back, and she scowled when he caused her to lurch forward. “You could be our other daughter!”

She rubbed her shoulder. “Maybe,” she said sarcastically, “I don’t know who my parents are,” she said quietly. Danny recognized her tone as joking but his parents went silent. “U-um..” Danielle blushed.

Maddie elbowed Jack, and he looked a bit guilty. Luckily for everyone, Jazz arrived a moment later with Kwan in tow. 

“Hey Fentons!” Kwan called out. “Woah!” he did a double take at Danny and Danielle. “Jazz wasn’t lying. You look just alike.” he grinned and pointed at each of them in turn, “Danny and Dani, huh?”

Jazz laughed, “Good morning all. Is breakfast ready?”

The distraction was welcome, and Maddie and Jack hustled into the kitchen to bring out platters of pancakes, hash browns, eggs, sausage, and more. Danielle stuck close by Danny, and accepted the glass of orange juice she handed him. 

The morning after that was filled mostly with wedding talk for Danny. Jazz and Kwan were starting to lay out plans for a wedding after they graduate - Jazz from grad school and Kwan from undergrad. Danny wasn't too absorbed in it, but it was better than getting sucked into whatever Kwan and Jack had going on as they shouted at the football game on TV. He also helped his mom around the kitchen, mixing stuffing, reaching for high up utensils, and checking the turkey. He was happy Danielle seemed to be having fun. She looked at Jazz's wedding binder with interest, asking questions and making suggestions. 

Danny accepted a mimosa from his mom after they put the sides in the fridge.  All that was left was waiting for the turkey, and he sipped his drink as he sat beside the girls. "What do you think about this one?" Jazz asked him. She was holding up a picture of yet another type of bridal gown. 

"Pretty?" He said. "But doesn’t it look like a white version of your prom dress?"

She looked dismayed as she said, "oh, no! You're right!"

"I think it's pretty," Danielle shrugged. "Does it matter if it's the same?"

"Her prom dress was pretty but caught on everything. She swore she’d never wear that cut again."

"Ah," Danielle said. She reached for Danny's drink. "Can I have some?"

"Sure." He handed her the glass. 

"Danny!" Jazz exclaimed. "She's seventeen."

Danny shrugged. "It's just a sip. Plus she's here with family. What can happen?"

"Yeah, Jazz," Danielle said as she took a swig of the drink, a small smile on her face. She cringed at the taste and Danny laughed. "Mmm not as sweet as it looks."

"Nope." Danny downed the rest and held the empty glass out to his mother. "Can I have another?"

“Sure,” his mother called over her shoulder. “Are you sure you don’t want one Danielle? Danny’s right, since you’re with family, I don’t think it's a problem.”

“Um, It’s okay, Mrs. Fenton.”

“Oh, please, just call me Maddie.”

Danielle blushed, and nodded. 

Jazz went on for a while longer to Danielle,  meanwhile Maddie and Danny started a card game. Jazz put away her binder and notes when Danny said, “Come on, Jazz, give us a break. Come play spades with us.”

Jazz pouted a little, but she acquiesced, and joined in. Danny and Danielle won handily against Jazz and Maddie, but not without bickering between Danny and Jazz. 

“No, Danny, you have to take that one.” 

“What? You’re out of your mind. We’ve never played that way.”

“Yes we have! We’ve been playing that way this whole time.”

“Bullshit,” Danny slapped down his cards. “Danielle, did Jazz pick it up last round?”

“No,” Danielle seemed amused. “I don’t think so.”

“I did too! Mom,” 

“Okay! No more!” Maddie shouted as the timer went off. In the other room, there was an uproar, and Jack and Kwan could be heard cursing and shouting. 

Maddie sighed, and went to check the turkey. Danny slapped his cards down and followed to help her. “We won,” He said, and raised a hand for Danielle to high five as he passed by. Jazz scowled at him, and crossed her arms. 

“Danny, honey can you set the table?”

“Sure.”

Danny grabbed the stack of plates and silverware Maddie had already pulled from the cabinet, and started laying them out in the next room. He paused. He made a mental headcount as the others came in to sit down, then he went back in the kitchen. “Mom, I have an extra set.”

“Oh, no, Honey…” Maddie looked confused. “Didn’t Jack tell you?”

 Danny raised an eyebrow. “No? What’s up?”

Maddie looked a little nervous, like she knew he was about to be upset with her. “Now, Danny, We know you don’t like him,” Maddie started. Danny’s stomach dropped.  “But we read online that Vlad was still in town because of some tiff about a date he was on.” A tiff? Danny thought that was one hell of a way to refer to his date bleeding out during the award ceremony. His mother continued speaking, not noticing his growing discomfort, “and your father reached out to say hello. While they were talking, Vlad said he was a little sad he wouldn’t be getting a home cooked meal for the holiday. Jack invited him over.”

“Mom,” frustration oozed into his voice. 

His mother held up a finger and cut him off. “Tone, young man.”

Danny turned his back on her momentarily, fighting the urge to chuck the china at the wall. He took a deep breath, and said, strained, but more calmly, “Mom, why… You guys know how I feel about him.”

“Yes, you’ve told us you don’t like him, but Danny, sometimes in life you need to just let things go. So he was strict during your program. I’m not saying it was right, but it was a long time ago. Let bygones be bygones.”

Danny put his free hand facedown on the counter and closed his eyes. He was running out of patience. He’d almost forgotten the reason he’d given his parents for dropping out of the program. It was supposed to be a fast track to universities and potentially even higher, and they had not been happy when he refused to continue. His excuse then was that Vlad was overbearing, strict, and mean. The only reason they had accepted it was because Jazz had stepped in, and pointed out Danny had started to struggle at school. What was the point of this extra curricular learning if he was too stressed to perform in class? It was a flimsy excuse then, and it was coming back to bite him in the ass now.

“I don’t want him here.”

“No one is saying you have to sit next to him and be his best friend all night, Danny. Just be cordial. It’s only dinner.”

Danny stared at his mom incedulously. “So what, I just sit quietly through dinner while my own family bonds with this guy that made me… feel like shit.”

“Language, Danny.”

“I am almost 25 years old, Mom,” Danny snapped. “You’re telling me to be grown up and cordial; I’m trying to tell you why I have a problem with having him here. Don’t dismiss my point by talking to me like I’m a kid. If you don’t have a good reason I should be the one miserable all night just freaking say so.”

His mother stared at him, and immediately he regretted the harshness in his words and his tone. Danny had never told anyone what had happened to him after all. He must look from the outside like he was overreacting.

There was a knock at the door. Danny looked over his shoulder as a chill ran down his spine. “Danny,” his father called out, “Can you get it? I think it’s Vladdie.”

Danny turned back to his mom, and she jumped when he roughly tossed the plate back on the counter. “No,” Danny called back. “I’m on the phone.” He grabbed his phone off the counter, and stormed out of the room. He grabbed Danielle’s arm as he passed by, and practically dragged her up the stairs with him. 

“Wha- Danny, Hey!” 

“Danny, what are you doing?” Jazz got up and followed after them.

They got partway upstairs, and Danielle pulled her arm out of Danny’s grip. “ What? ” she asked irritably. 

“Vlad is here,” he said softly.

Danielle froze up, and wrapped her arms around herself. She glanced down the stairs where Jack’s voice rang out, “Hey! V-man! You made it!”

Jazz looked between them. She was putting pieces together. She knew Vlad had done something to Danny. It wasn’t hard to guess that something had happened to Danielle also. Danny put a hand on Danielle’s shoulder. “I’m going to sit down there and… I don’t know, ignore him, I guess. What do you want to do? We can tell my parents you aren’t feeling well. I’ll bring you up a plate.”

Danielle thought about it and then shook her head. “No… No, it’d be weird if I’m suddenly sick after being fine all day. Plus…” She blushed as she looked down at her house slippers. “I was looking forward to Thanksgiving with people I like… or that… don’t hate me.”

Danny gave her a sad smile. Jazz looked positively heart broken. “Are you serious?” She sounded outraged. “I’ll go down right now and tell Mom and Dad to make him leave.”

“No,” Danielle and Danny said in unison. 

They looked at one another and then Danny cleared his throat. “It’s okay. He’s already here. We’ll just get through dinner, and then… we can just…” Danny shrugged, feeling a little helpless. 

Jazz crossed her arms. “Are you sure?”

Danny looked at Danielle, and Danielle nodded. Danny sighed. “Yeah.”

Jazz hovered a moment more before heading down first. Danny started to move also, and paused when he realized Danielle hadn’t moved.

Danielle looked back down the stairs, and then up at Danny, her green eyes wide and bright. “Why us?” she asked, a little despair in her voice. “Why you and me? Is it random or is it… I mean, everyone says we’re so much alike… why?”

Danny glanced back down also before he offered her his hand. “I don’t know, Danielle. Wish I did.”

“It’s not fair.” Danielle took his hand and started to follow him down.

“I… I know.”

When they came back downstairs, the mood was a bit tense. Jack must have heard about Danny’s outburst from Maddie, as he glared disapprovingly at his son. Maddie looked upset, and was setting Vlad’s place at the table. Vlad looked amused, and opened his arms wide as they descended the stairs. 

“Danial! Jasmine! And, oh my, is that Danielle? What a surprise to see you here!”

Danny ignored Vlad, and watched his father’s scowl deepen when he did. He stared defiantly back at his father before he dropped into the chair between Jazz and Danielle. Danielle also ignored Vlad, and sank nervously into her chair. Maddie was on her other side, looking concerned. 

Danny got a little bit of satisfaction when Vlad moved to the chair on Maddie’s other side, and Jack said, “No, Vlad, come sit down here. We have so much catching up to do.”

Kwan dropped into the seat instead, and shared a slightly nervous glance with Jazz. Jazz gave her head a barely perceptible shake and glance between Danny and Danielle and Vlad. Once everyone was settled, dishes were passed around, and they all had dug into their food, conversation went a little more naturally. Danny and Danielle mostly stuck to topics like school, the wedding and so on. 

“Dora said I may be able to go with her next time she goes to Europe,” Danielle told Danny.

“Theadora, you mean?” Vlad jumped in. “How is she? It feels like I haven’t seen her in almost a hundred years.”

Danielle paused, and rolled her eyes to the ceiling as everyone turned to her. She sat back in her chair and speared her turkey with her fork. “Fine,” she said shortly.

Maddie and Jack looked at one another. Danny was one thing, but it didn’t take much to see Danielle also had a problem with Vlad. She’d been so cheerful all day.

Vlad looked amused. “I almost didn’t recognize you Danielle. Who would have thought you’d change so much after leaving the program. I’m assuming you have the same… affliction as Danny. Remind me what it’s called again?”

Danielle glared at him. 

“Capillum Album Anemia,” Jazz supplied. “It’s not really appropriate to ask people about their medical conditions, Mr. Masters.”

“Of course. That was rude of me.”

“Danny,” his mother asked hesitantly. “I left the wine in the kitchen, will you go grab it for me?”

“Sure,” Danny said. He still felt a little bad about before. He returned to the table, opened the wine for his mother, and filled her glass. 

“Thank you, honey,” she smiled. 

He smiled too. 

“Oh, that looks delicious,” Vlad said. He raised his empty glass. “Danial, would you mind?”

Danny’s smile slipped from his face, and he put down the bottle with a little more force than he meant to. He stared at Vlad, just stunned by the audacity. Jack cleared his throat. “Danny, don’t be rude.”

Danny looked at his father, and for the first time in his life, thought about telling him to fuck off. He felt so betrayed. Felt like his father was picking this man over him. He glared at Jack as he snatched the bottle up. 

Jazz started to rise from her seat. “Danny,”

Danny ignored her too, and walked around the table to Vlad. He leaned over when Vlad raised his glass, and tried to ignore Vlad’s smug smile as he filled it. He put down the bottle, and fell back into his chair. He stared at his plate, appetite suddenly gone.

“Thank you, Danial. Now, Danielle, tell me how your studies are going?”

Danielle ignored him. 

Jack and Maddie tried to spark further conversation. “Danielle, have you thought about college at all? Jazz said you had an interest in the sciences like Danny?”

“Yeah,” Danielle responded quietly. Danny rested his elbow on the table and his chin in his palm and stared at his plate.  

Vlad smiled again as he asked, "How is that little girlfriend of yours, Danial? The one I saw at the award ceremony. Although… It didn’t look like you were together. Did she leave you?"

Jazz looked quickly from Vlad to Danny to her mother. Maddy looked at Jack, and Jack looked uncomfortable. Danny stabbed his fork into his food again and with as much venom as he could muster, he spat back, “If you’re upset because no one can stand to be around you long enough to leave you, just say that.”

Vlad chuckled. “Ah, wit is not your strongest accolade, Danial.”

“Remember that time I asked you for your opinion on anything, ever? No? Me neither.”

“You’re just too sensitive, Danial. I’m just making conversation.”

"When have I ever talked to you about who I'm seeing? When have I ever willingly talked to you, period?"

"As I recall, you were quite social with me before you left the program."

Danny's eyebrows shot up. "Yeah, wonder why that might be?" Danny looked between his mom and dad, then stood up. He scraped his plate once in the kitchen and then threw it in the sink. Danielle had hopped up immediately and followed him.

"You don't have to come," Danny told her. 

"I'm not dealing with him by myself," Danielle whispered hurriedly.

Danny smiled ruefullt and they started to head upstairs to his bedroom when Danny heard that hated voice say, “Would you mind if I spoke with him, Jack?” Vlad’s voice was already coming closer. He hadn’t waited for permission before rising from the table. Panic filled Danielle’s face, and Danny pulled her quickly up the stairs. It wasn’t fast enough.

In seconds, Vlad was there, looming over both of them in the gloom of the dimly lit hallway. The only light came from the bathroom, which Kwan had apparently left on earlier. Danny grabbed Danielle, and pulled her behind him in the corner between the wall beside the stairs and a linen closet. She gripped the back of his shirt, and he didn’t blame her when he felt her hands shaking. 

Though he glared up at Vlad, his heart was hammering in his chest. Vlad smirked, and Danny knew he could hear it. He envied Valerie’s ability to keep calm in these situations. Danny waited, but Vlad didn’t speak right away.

“What do you want?” Danny hissed.

Vlad’s hand came from the darkness like a snake, and he grabbed a fistful of Danny’s hair. Danny let out a hiss in pain, and Danielle stifled a cry of panic. She grabbed Danny’s arm to keep Vlad from dragging him away. Still, Danny was forced to look up into glowing red eyes. 

Danielle gasped, her lip curling and demanded, “Let him go!”Danny knew she meant to shout, but fear reduced her voice to a quiet squeak.

Vlad frowned at her, and sighed. “In a minute, child, if you just behave.” He smirked. “As a show of good faith, how about I answer a question for you first. “Why you?” I’m sure you’ve asked yourselves that. Neither of you were random. You both showed so much potential. Intelligent, showed remarkable resilience to outside pressure: Danielle in the form of your adopted family, Danny resisting the bullies who beat you and mocked you daily. Most importantly, physically, you both were likely candidates for survival. Not everyone survives becoming a Vampire at all, you know. And especially in Danial’s case, the experiments I had in mind,” 

Wires, blood, screaming, pain, were flashing through Danny’s head. He was frozen. His chest felt tight, and he was breathing hard. 

“Well,” Vlad continued, “I needed someone especially uh, durable. Danielle, you caught my eye because you looked so much like Danny-boy. Young, bright eyed, and ambition to become an astronaut.” He chuckled. “It was cute how much you shared in common, and I began to wonder if I could duplicate the results I saw with Danial before.”

Danielle was staring at the ground, too stunned to speak. 

“Now, with that answered, where is that stone, Danial?”

His heart skipped a beat, and he knew by the look on Vlad’s face there was no point saying he didn’t know what he was talking about. “We… don’t have it anymore,” He lied desperately. Vlad yanked his hair again, and he gritted his teeth against the pain. He grabbed Vlad’s wrist with his other hand, trying and failing to push his hand away.

“Where is it?” Vlad asked.

“I don’t know!” Danny was struggling to keep his voice down. “I don’t know. We haven’t seen it since Halloween.”

Vlad narrowed his eyes. “So you’re saying the Hunter took it off you? And where did he go with it?” 

So Vlad did know that giant Vampire…“I don’t know what he did with it. I don’t know if he had it. We dropped it and couldn’t find it so…” He hoped a slight mixing of truth and lies would be enough to convince Vlad. He didn’t even know if Skulker had been after it. If he had been, clearly it was a secondary goal to mounting Danny’s head on his wall. 

Vlad considered him for a moment, then released his hair. Danny didn’t even have time to sigh with relief before he saw Vlad reaching past him for Danielle. Danielle was still standing stock still, eyes wide, and Danny acted on instinct. “No!” He shoved Vlad backward as hard as he could, then grabbed Danielle, and pulled her to him, hugging her close. He looked into her face, then back at Vlad. There was a bit of a commotion downstairs, and he knew they only had seconds at most and unfortunately, that was plenty of time for Vlad if he wanted to retaliate.

Vlad was thrown back several feet into the hallway, and looked as shocked as Danny that he’d been moved at all. He clutched his stomach, and his glare was full of rage as he hissed, “Been working out, have you, boy ?”

Danny once again pushed Danielle behind him. “We don’t have your stupid stone,” Danny hissed back. “Just leave us alone.” 

Vlad glared a moment longer, and then his facial expression melted into one of pity, and he dropped the hand on his stomach, and put it in his pocket. The sudden shift only filled Danny with more fear, and it wasn’t until she was next to him that Danny realized Jazz was coming up the steps. 

He relaxed a bit, realizing why Vlad had switched up his demeanor. Jazz jumped when she caught sight of Vlad in the shadows. “Oh! Geez, Mr. Masters, I–”

She looked around and saw Danny. By her facial expression, Danny guessed he still looked freaked out. 

“Mr. Masters, I think you should go.”

Vlad sighed. “Yes, I believe I’ve made a mistake. Danny, if you ever–”

“Fuck off, you goddamn lying asshole.”

Jazz’s eyes were wide, and Danielle slapped a hand over her mouth, looking from Danny to Vlad. She was still gripping the back of Danny’s shirt. 

“Danny–”

“Mr. Masters!” Jazz cut him off. All eyes turned to her. “You should go,” She finished much more quietly.

Vlad nodded, and passed by Jazz without another word she could hear. It was plain as day to Danny’s ear when Vlad whispered, “Hopefully, for your sake, our hunter friend’s word matches with yours, Danial.”

Danny’s stomach dropped. Hunter friend? Did he mean Skulker or…Val? There was suddenly a loud ringing in his ears as Jazz came close and asked, “Danny, are you okay?”

“I…” He looked at her, and couldn’t find the words. He grabbed her shoulders, straining his ears to listen as Vlad bade his parents goodnight. 

“Danny?”

As soon as Danny heard the door shut, he swept past her, pulling Danielle along with him into his room. He left the door open, and let go of Danielle’s hand as he grabbed his phone. He heard Jazz come in behind him. 

“Danny, you’re scaring me,” Jazz said.

The phone rang, and Danny pressed his free hand to his mouth, tapping his foot as he waited. 

“Danny,” Danielle said, her voice shaking. She’d heard Vlad’s threat on the stairs.

Finally the line went silent, and Danny held his breath until, “Hello?”

With a sigh of relief, Danny sunk into his desk chair. He ran his hand down his face, gathering himself to speak. “Val,”

“Yeah?” Valerie chuckled. “Who else would it be?”

There was some shuffling on Valerie’s end, and Danny heard a door shut. Danny jumped when Jazz ran a gentle hand over his shoulder. He looked up at her, at the worry and the pity in her face, and suddenly there was a lump in his throat. He took Jazz’s hand, and tried to speak. “U-um, Val.”

“Danny, what’s wrong?”

Danny let go of Jazz and ran his hand roughly through his hair. “I uh, Vlad was here. My parents freaking invited him to dinner.”

There was a pause. Then, “Should I head toward you?”

“ No . No. Stay where you are.” Where you’re safe.

“Okay,” Valerie said simply. There was silence on the line. Danny realized he’d only called to check on her, and he could hang up, but he didn’t want to. Knowing she was on the other end of the line was comforting the same way her presence had comforted him the night of the award ceremony. 

“Val,” he started.

“Yeah?”

“Can you call me back on facetime? For a while? Or are you busy with family stuff?”

“I’ll call. Give me just a second to finish up the dishes. My dad was already falling asleep and we were mostly doing our own thing anyway.”

“Thanks.”

They disconnected, and Danny sat back heavily in the chair. He closed his eyes, and jumped when someone grabbed his chair and swiveled him around to face the other way. Jazz had sat on the bed, and pulled Danny toward her. He didn’t resist when she grabbed the back of his neck, and pulled him forward until their foreheads were touching. 

“Danny, talk to me. Please?” 

Danny pressed his lips in a thin line, and shook his head. “I can’t.”

“Why? Danny, that was fear I heard in your voice. I know you. What did he do to you?” She pulled away, and Danny looked up to see her grabbing Danielle’s hand. She’d taken a seat next to Jazz on the bed. “What did he do to both of you?”

Danny shook his head again, but after a quick glance at Danny, Danielle took a breath, and said, “He… he’s… scary when he’s mad. I really think…” She glanced at Danny again as though looking for something. “I really think he’d have hurt me if I stayed in his program. I think he would have hurt me really, really bad.”

“Wait, you were… you too?” Jazz looked quickly between Danielle and Danny, who had hung his head. “Oh, Danny.”

Danny was leaning forward, clutching his phone in both hands, and she started stroking his hair. He laughed a little, thinking suddenly of Valerie. Sam had also done it. And his mother, now he thought about it. “Why do girls always go for my hair?”

Jazz grinned. “Because it’s silky smooth. Plus you look like a sad puppy sometimes, and we just wanna pet you.”

Danny rolled his eyes. “Hardy har.”

Still, he liked the feeling. He closed his eyes, and felt warmed by her touch. After a moment she spoke, softly and hesitantly. “Danny, do you think you could tell me… what he did?”

Danny turned and rested his head on the desk. Jazz got up and followed. He thought about it a while. For a moment, it seemed Jazz was going to drop the subject when he said, “He hurt me.”

“...How?” 

That was hard to answer. The sting of cuts and bruises healed before his parents could see, the smell of his own flesh burning, the sound of chains rattling, machines beeping, wires criss crossing over his vision, and screaming… he assumed it was his own. Some of it flashed before his mind’s eye as he sat, thinking of what to tell her. He’d never told anyone. Not Sam, Tucker, Dora… no one.

He opened his mouth to speak, and found himself unable. When he heard her sigh again, his heart constricted. He wanted to answer her, if for no other reason than because someone should know what that monster was… what he did. But he didn’t want anyone to know. Frustration took over, and he curled in on himself. Why couldn’t he just say it?

“It’s okay, Danny.” Jazz said gently. “I know it’s hard. You don’t have to tell me.”

Danny licked his lips, feeling small, and defeated. “Kay,” was all he managed to say.

Danny shook his head one more time to clear away the images from so many years ago, and his phone finally rang. He took a deep breath, and sat up. “Thanks for making him leave, Jazz.” He answered the call without waiting for her reply. “Hey, Val.”

Jazz waited just a moment longer before she got up, hugged Danny tightly, and then left the room. Off to argue with their parents on his behalf he assumed… and sort of hoped. He wasn’t looking forward to facing them later otherwise.

Her eyes were bright with concern. Her curls were gathered into two puff balls on either side of her head, and she was wearing a bright pink head wrap that covered her hairline. “Hey. Where’s Danielle?”

“Here with me.”

“Hi, Val.” Danielle got up and leaned over Danny’s shoulder to speak to her. 

“Hey, you okay?”

Danielle sniffed, and Danny turned to see her eyes fill with tears. “Yeah,” she said thickly. “I was pretty scared though.” Danny turned to her, and gave her a short one-armed squeeze. He moved beside her, holding his phone so Valerie could see both of them. Danielle pulled her sleeves over her hands and wrapped her arms around her knees. 

Danny paused, listening for his family. They were arguing with low voices downstairs. 

“- completely out of your minds!? It’s so obvious if you pay even the slightest bit of attention to his reaction to Mr. Masters. He’s scared of him. I cannot believe you two–” Danny had to smile a little. No one was getting a word in edgewise until she let them. 

If Danny paid it any mind he could hear every word, but he chose to tune it out. “He wanted to know about the stone,” Danny told her. “I told him Skulker probably stole it at Halloween.”

Valerie nodded. “How about you, Danny? Are you okay?”

Danny hesitated, and said, “I thought he was going to kill me for a second. He…” He gestured at nothing, “I… He… grabbed my hair, and… I couldn’t pull away, and then he reached for Danielle and I… panicked.”

Danielle brightened a little. “It was crazy. Danny pushed him way back with one hand.”

“Did you?” Valerie looked impressed.

Danny shrugged. He’d been scared. Adrenaline was a crazy thing, even for half Vampires it seemed. He offered a half smile. “I pushed him to the end of the hallway. That’s nothing.”

“But you hurt him. You saw him grabbing his stomach?”

“He wasn’t expecting it,” Danny protested. “If he’d been ready, he would have snapped my arm like when I was a teenager and probably more.”

Both girls were quiet. Danielle looked paler than normal as she asked, “Has he really broken your arm?”

Danny wondered for a moment if he should tell her details. He worried it may make her feel worse. He decided ultimately, that it was better for everyone to know what he was capable of. “When I first realized that he’d turned me I tried confronting him. Didn’t go well.”He hadn’t realized there would be such an overwhelming difference in strength.

Danielle sat back, hugging her knees tighter. “I’d have no chance.” She shuddered. “None at all. Not against that hunter guy. Not against Vlad.”

“Which hunter?” Danny asked. “The giant with the arrows, or Wulf?”

Danielle let out a little hysterical giggle, “Oh my god, I forgot about Valerie's ex. With his stupid test.”

“He’s not my ex. He was never my boyfriend,” Valerie corrected. Then she hesitated. “But I’ll admit I’ve been worried about that. Danielle, I’ll be frank: Have you drank human blood yet?”

Danielle suddenly looked uncomfortable and defensive. “Yes,” she said quickly.

“Recently?”

“...”Danielle glanced at Danny. “Y-yeah. Dora…gives it to me.”

Danny looked away. He didn’t want to make Danielle feel bad, but he was sure his distaste would show in his face. 

“Good,” Valerie said.

“Good?” Danny and Danielle repeated in unison.

“Fed Vampires are more stronger, faster, and more resilient. If you do run into Vlad again, or Wulf for that matter, your chances of escape are better this way.”

“Oh,” Danielle blushed. “Dora…she said the same. Not about Vlad or your ex, but…in general. She said I can argue with her like Danny when I can outmatch her like Danny.”

“She said I can outmatch her?” Danny asked, surprised. 

“Yeah.”

“I’m not all that surprised. Vampires that are skilled in glamours are usually a little weaker physically. She’s probably hoping to teach you how to do it eventually.” Valerie shrugged. “She really likes you for some reason.”

“For some reason?” Danielle smiled a little as she pretended to look affronted. “I’m adorable and lovable.”

“Uh huh. It was really adorable the way thou threatened to rip out my throat when we met.”

“I thought you worked for Vlad!” Danielle blushed even deeper as Danny chuckled also. Really though, it saddened him to think about her attitude before versus when she saw Vlad just now. It really was all teenage bravado. He reached up and ruffled Danielle’s hair.

Valerie laughed, and changed the subject. “Danny, the fact you were able to push him back is huge, you know. Even if it is just that you caught him by surprise. It means that you can push him back. And if he’s as old and powerful as we think he is, that’s no small thing.”

Danny huffed a laugh, “Yeah, well… anyway,” More images came unbidden to Danny’s mind, and he shivered. “I don’t want to talk about him anymore,” he said. “Val, how was your day?”

Valerie recalled her day for them in great detail. Early morning with her father where they made breakfast together before her dad’s girlfriend woke. They watched movies and cooked a small dinner. Then Valerie played domino and some card games with them until her dad grew tired. Then Valerie talked with Paulina until Danny called her. 

“Dad may have finally seen my tattoo,” she cringed.

“Oh, bad?”

“Eh, Bea may have prepared him to react better. He didn’t look happy, but I’m not disowned, at least.”

“Well, that’s good,” Danny laughed.

While Valerie spoke, Danielle laid down, and Danny moved back to the desk chair to give her room. Danny and Valerie moved on to more random topics, swapping stories of past holidays and family get-togethers. “Is she asleep?” Valerie asked after a while.

Danny leaned closer to check, and nodded. Only then did he check the time, and realize it was nearly three in the morning. Danny yawned, and Valerie did right after. He chuckled. “Got you.”

“Oh, shut up.” She giggled, and on her end, she turned out her bedroom light and laid down. It had been almost an hour ago that she’d wrapped her hair like he’d seen before. The camera shook side to side a moment as she adjusted until she set her phone on her side table in a way where she could see him, and he could see her laying down. She was illuminated by the screen.  He smiled at her. He leaned back in his chair and stretched. 

“You should get to bed soon, too,” she said. 

“You trying to get rid of me?”

“Nah. I’ll stay on call all night if you want, but you still look kind of pale. I bet you’ll feel better after you get some sleep.” She tucked her hand under her pillow.

Danny shrugged. He doubted it. The memories had been swallowed back to the edge of his mind, but he was sure they were lurking there, and would descend to plague his nightmares as soon as he let them. It always happened when he thought too much about what Vlad had done. He scratched his chin, and realized he’d been quiet a long while. He started to speak again, and realized Valerie had fallen asleep. 

He placed his phone on the wireless charging stand, and laid his chin upon his folded arms. He watched her through the screen, the gentle rising and falling of her shoulder was just barely perceptible on the small screen. He really was tired, but he was more afraid to sleep. He looked up at the old notebooks on the dusty shelf, and reached up to grab one of the only three books in his whole room–a graphic novel about an electric-powered super teen.

He remembered Valerie calling him a nerd, and realized she owned more books than he did. He wished she was awake so he could tell her so. He glanced at her one more time, and then opened the book. If he was going to be up all night, he may as well reread an old favorite.