Chapter Text
Tucker was getting very concerned over Danny.
Ever since that Johnny incident Danny has been hovering over Jazz like a spooky mother bear whose baby nearly got taken by hunters that were absolutely about to skin the bear cub for funsies.
He could understand why, according to his best friend Jazz had been fully aware while her body got hijacked. As someone who has been overshadowed (and by Danny even!) Tucker could safely say he had never recalled the event. One minute he was in his home, the next he was taking Sam to prom.
It was unnerving but not problematic so long as whoever was overshadowing him didn't cause issues for him (and Tucker trusted Danny not to get him into trouble).
He'd have been way more freaked out if he had been fully aware and unable to do anything while his body moved without his consent.
And at risk of sounding like a stalker and getting into serious trouble, Tucker had overheard Spike and Kyle talking how Jazz had felt violated and how much whatever Johnny did hurt (though admittedly they were under the impression she got date raped which is so much worse but how does somebody explain that a friend's sister wasn't violated like that but in a different and possibly more spiritual way?), the duo worried that Jazz's episode caused her to feel like she was being tortured, so yeah. He really didn't blame Danny's mother henning.
Tucker has been trying to make sure Danny gets time with his sister, because he is a good friend like that.
Good friends didn't get jealous over Danny having powers he got from dying. Good friends would have been more supportive when Danny was struggling with school. Good friends would have somehow stopped Danny from dying.
Such a good friend that he was even doing what he could to distract the A-listers... and Sam.
Surprisingly the A-listers seem to have collectively decide Danny was off limits, which is sus as hell since Dash alone has made it his hobby ever since Kindergarten to make Danny's life hell and the other A-listers were equally inclined to make everyone they view as lesser absolutely miserable (which was pretty much everyone poorer/less influential and/or younger then they were).
As a result Tucker has only had to scare them off a few times and even then they seem determined to avoid the trio of friends.
Which was great because Sam was driving him up the wall.
Tucker would like to state that he usually didn't have a problem with Sam. She was cool, smart and absolutely willing to bribe him into covering for her when she played hooky from school.
But Sam was very opinionated, which wasn't a bad trait on it's own. Except Sam was opinionated in a very I'm-right-you're-wrong sort of way and didn't like being corrected or proven wrong. Worse, she could be carelessly apathetic towards others when they were struggling through things that has caused mental health issues.
Like his friend getting killed and brought back as a half-ghost.
Did he like it when Danny canceled on them to spend time with his sister? Tucker can be honest with himself, he hadn't liked that but he understood why Danny chose to spend time with Jazz, she needed it (and if he was being super honest, so did Danny as Jazz kept him grounded in a different way from how he and Sam grounded him). And while he did get annoyed since it's been over a month since the Johnny 13 incident, Tucker knew trauma needed time to heal.
And maybe he wanted Danny to take time to relax and unwind since he has been super stressed, what between ghost wrangling and school. Danny had trauma too and Tucker hadn't been as sympathetic as he should have been. He felt guilty for not being a good friend so he was encouraging his oldest friend to take time off.
Sam though just didn't get why Jazz wasn't just bouncing back from it and damn near told Danny that Jazz needed to "Get over it." (hence why Tucker courageously dumped his slushy down Sam's front before she said repeated that within Danny's hearing, earning her ire but preventing her from saying something incredibly insensitive that might have ended her friendship with Danny).
It was frustrating but besides prevent Sam from voicing her opinion where Danny could hear it, what else could he do?
Truth be told Tucker thought they all could use some time away from each other, just a couple of days. The ghost attacks weren't too bad right now and school had been weirdly lax towards them so why not take a breather?
Danny could relax, play games, spend more time with Jazz or the Westons, who despite his weird one-sided rivaly with Wes was one of the first familes to welcome both Danny and Jazz with a open invitation.
Tucker could go hang out with the other nerds and dweebs, he missed just having nice friendly chats that didn't end up with him either attacked by a ghost or a hotheaded teenager in a varsity jacket. Or maybe he could finally put the computer back together since it's been awhile since Technus ran amok.
And Sam could... garden? Spend time with other... friends? Wait, did Sam have other friends? Surely she had girl friends or knew the other goths? Whatever, she could go hang out with the other ultra-recyclo-vegetarians.
Yeah, he'll bring it up after school and suggest they all take self-care days.
A loud thump echoed the classroom, followed by light snoring as Danny once more lost the war with consciousness, his face planted on his desk.
Sam was rolling her eyes but didn't wake Danny up because Dash of all people stopped her, hissing that she should leave him be. Lancer had a expression like he was ready to cry but ignored this exchange and the sleeping teen by going back to teaching albeit quietly.
That... yeah, that was a develop that concerned Tucker.
Ever since Walker and his goons framed Danny, school has been perplexingly... friendly? Not hostile? Ignoring them?
He wasn't sure exactly but not only was the A-listers ignoring them but the teachers weren't getting them in trouble. In fact a lot of his schoolmates were either abnormally friendly or seemed to try their damnest to pretend they didn't exist.
Danny, who was tired and stressed all the time now, had stated he wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth and was more incline to wait for the other shoe to drop. Sam agreed since this gave them more leeway to leave the school when a ghost attack happened.
But unlike his friends who saw this as a good way to catch up on school (Danny) or play hooky (Sam), Tucker has been talking to the dweebs, nerds, academics and pretty much anyone who paid attention to the goings of school more then ghosts.
Apparently a lot of things has changed in the last month and a lot of people were positive it was a response to the ghost attacks.
Like now there was a online therapist. No one trusted guidance counselors after that whole mess with Spectra and she made it difficult for anyone to talk to a therapist in person, but so far no one had anything bad to say about the online one. They were also thoroughly vetted by proper authorities and was to have mandated evaluations every month for the first year of employment, so Tucker was glad to see they were taking that seriously.
Another thing that happened was Principle Ishiyama had announced that every student could have mental health days. According to Mikey the mental health days were essentially days to not go to school because apparently students found ghost attacks stressful and counteractive to their education (shocking, right?). Every student could have up to forty days in a year so long as they made up any major tests they didn't take and did not take more then three in a row.
Obviously it was a massive hit and a lot of students took them immediately, which did cause a slight amendment that they could not take more then five in one month unless for emergencies as defined by guardian. They also had to call in to inform that they were taking that mental health day in order not to be written as absent and the school staff had to have verbal confirmation from a guardian.
And then there was the new YouTube lessons that Jazz had started, she and several other over achievers having made them in order to help tutor kids which Tucker was glad to see as ghost hunting wasn't just effecting Danny's education but a good chunk of other students as well.
Jazz though went above and beyond by personally helping kids out, had led a nonviolent protest against bullying that was actually working, held teachers accountable whenever they ignored the students or tried punishing the victim of those bullying, and had gotten the school to agree to fund the cafeteria in order for them to have fresh fruits, greens, a wider selection of fresh meats, and options for kids who were vegan or had food restrictions. And the best part was it was all free so no one had to pay for their lunches and the Lunch Lady had actually approved of it since Jazz had gone to her for pointers on how to improve the menu!
Well, the best part is that Jazz had more success in changing the menu then Sam did (he might have laughed at how angry Sam got at Jazz succeeding where she had not), but that just goes to show that honey attracts more flies.
Trying to improve lives was a weird coping mechanism but Tucker wasn't going to say anything unkind to a girl whose method of dealing with trauma was to help others. Danny did the same thing.
So maybe it wasn't actually too much of a brain tickler as to why the teachers were acting like their jobs and immortal souls were on the line, he could only image just what the board of education had probably threatened them with in order to keep their kids safe.
Still, Tucker was glad for the changes and planned to thank Jazz for getting steaks added to the menu.
He'd apologize to her on failing to protect Danny, but he was too much of a coward. The most he could do was watch his best friend's back as he fights and cover for him. Because he wants to be a good friend, even though he knows he's not.
Sam was really starting to dislike Jazz Fenton.
Sure she hadn't liked her to begin with, but before Johnny 13 she was tolerable. Like a background character that occasionally yapped at Danny and made annoying speeches about what a normal girl she was and how Danny should be normal too.
Really, Sam didn't understand what her damage was. Jazz was born into a awesome family that made cool stuff who never tried to force her into a roll and indulged her boring desire to psychoanalysis everything. She should be grateful!
But now Jazz was just aggravating! The older girl proved just how inept she was when she couldn't handle a little bit of overshadowing, falling to pieces like it was a big deal and Danny seemed to think Jazz needed to be treated like glass and acted accordingly.
Sam just wanted to tell the wimp to get over herself, overshadowing wasn't that bad!
Honestly, it just reinforced in Sam's mind just how much the average girl was stuck in the damsel in distress mindset that was prevalent in their age group.
Then Jazz went and acted like some kind of Mary Sue by helping with tutoring, and the teachers were acting like the sun shined from her ass!
And worse, Jazz totally stole her idea by having the menu changed! And for some reason people were okay when Jazz changed it, whereas they threw a fit when she did it!
And what was Danny doing throughout all this? Stating he was so glad his sister was feeling better and spending more time with the spineless people pleaser!
Sam took a moment to breath, trying to keep her cool.
It was just so aggravating! Danny should be focusing on ghost hunting, not his goober of a sister! He was a hero with great powers, he should be fighting the ghosts. Not catering to his normal sister who fainted at the first real ghost encounter she ever knew she had.
"Sam, stop glaring." Tucker quietly admonished as they waited in line for food.
Danny was currently farther back by Jazz, the two chatting away and looking happy.
"He should focus on more important things! She doesn't need a escort to lunch!" She hissed, fingers gripping her lunch tray so hard they were turning white.
"She was traumatized. She needs time to accept it and move on."
"And she needs Danny for that? And don't tell me you aren't annoyed by thus either!"
"Oh I'm annoyed alright, but not at them." He grumbled before sighing at her heated glare. "Danny is a good brother who is trying to help his sister cope with a horrible event she endured. Worse, Jazz has no idea that Johnny had tried to turn her into a coat for his girlfriend and has no clue what he did, but judging by what her friends think is going on she might believe this was a rape attempt her brother barely stopped in time. Things like that takes time to heal from. Do I wish she'd get better faster? Yes! But I'm not going to be unsympathetic towards her just because she can't bounce right back from that, especially since she doesn't have the whole story."
Okay, now Sam felt like a jerk. If she had woke up elsewhere in other people's clothing after spending time with her shady boyfriend and her body hurt for no explainable reason, she'd probably jump to the worse case scenario too.
Guilt was a emotion Sam avoided at all cost because it made her feel horrible but sometimes it reminded her that she needed to be a little more courteous and understanding of others.
Jazz wasn't strong like her but she was also not in the know about Danny being a hero, them aiding him or how problematic the ghosts could get. She had been a helpless bystander and had reached a very understandable but completely wrong conclusion of what Johnny 13 did to her. Rape was no joke and Sam suddenly felt selfish for wanting the older to bounce back from something she didn't understand.
Sam would be... nicer, to Jazz. Maybe they could talk about it? Talking was something Jazz did a lot of but maybe she needed it to work through things?
Sam will offer to listen to Jazz if she needed to vent without involving Danny. Girl talks How the hell does girl talks work? It's not like Sam would bother befriending the others girls in the school and maybe a hang out or two.
But like hell will she admit to Tucker he had a point.
"Still doesn't explain why she can't just go to her parents. She shouldn't be bothering Danny with it." Sam mumbled, still feeling annoyed at the siblings even though she intended to be more considerate to the older sister.
"Not everyone is blessed like us when it comes to parents." Tucker replied as he moved up the line.
Sam frowned at that, feeling confused and offended on the Dr. Fentons behalf. Why in the world would Tucker say that? They were (mostly) cool and never tried to reprimand their kids! Hell, Danny could do pretty much whatever he wanted so long as he wasn't caught leaving at night or the teachers called his parents!
Not like her parents who demanded she dress like they wanted, act like they wanted and pretty much stifled her every chance they got! They were always telling her to call them and to let them know what she is doing! That she was wrong and they were right and they very rarely were ever right! Absolute control freaks!
"And seriously Sam, stop getting jealous over Danny spending time with his sister." Tucker airly said, completely derailing Sam's angry thoughts towards her parents.
She sputtered for a entire minute before she finally found her words. "I'm-I'm not jealous!"
The dry look the techno geek gave her could have been used to start a fire.
"I'm not!" She loudly denied, drawing a few looks.
"Really?" That single word practically dripped with disbelief before Tucker gave a critical look.
"I'm not jealous! Why would I ever be jealous of Jazz?!" She snarled as she grabbed from the very large vegan alternatives, suddenly angry that this wide selection of her prefered foods was possible thanks to that carrot head Miss Priss (she immedately scolded herself for thinking that. Be more considerate and nice!).
"Okay, let's make a friendly wager." Tucker replied, looking amused. "Tomorrow is Saturday and unless a major ghost attack happens, you will not pull Danny away from his sister. In the name of fairness, I will also not be bothering him either. No calling him, no texting, nothing. We can resume talking on Monday. If you can go without talking to him or pulling him away from his family, I will go vegan for a week. You loose, you got to dress like Paulina for a week."
"Why would I eve make a bet like that?" And what was the point? Danny was her friend, she should be able to hang out with him when ever!
"Oh so you are saying you can't go without talking to Danny for even a day and are jealous of him spending the weekend with his sister?"
"I'm not jealous!" She hissed, nearly dropping her food in frustration.
"Then this bet is a easy win for you." Tucker smiled, strolling to a empty table.
"Fine, you're on. Hope you like salads." She scoffed, eyes drifting to where Danny and his sister were finally close enough to get their foods.
Jazz says something and Danny laughs out loud, rich and happy sounding.
Considerate, Sam. Be considerate. It's not Jazz's fault she needs a more careful touch. She's not like you, be kind. She thinks as she rips into her veggies, nodding to Danny when he finally splits from his sister to eat with them.
Tucker wasted no time to inform Danny that he and Sam will be busy over the weekend and to contact them if he needs help with ghosts, Danny not even giving a token argument to try and convince them to hang out with her them.
Apparently he has plans to spend time with the Westons why, it's not like he's friends with them and his family, stating the ghosts have been calmer so he might get to finish his homework on time.
Tucker replied by claiming he'd be hanging out with his fellow geeks and fixing his dad's computer.
And she told them she'd be gardening in her greenhouse, scoffing when Tucker suggesting she hang out with other girls.
She viciously stabbed a tomato when Danny turned to wave Jazz and her friends goodbye from the cafeteria.
She wasn't jealous. She wasn't because there was nothing to be jealous of. Danny's fixation on his sister was only temporary, as soon as Jazz gets better he can stop acting like a helicopter parent.
Then things will go back to normal, he'd be hunting ghosts more, getting stronger, focusing more on her his true friends who knew everything about him and one day becoming a superhero just like the Justice League with her and Tucker by his side.
Yes, she will be considerate to Jazz. Hell, she'll even help her get a shrink job that was a glorified safety bubble in some small town similar to Amity Park if that's what will help the fragile girl.
After all, Jazz was just a normal girl who would never survive in the harsh world of heroes and villains, wasn't strong. Not like Sam how was.
Butch Lancer could usually tell what kind of student he had after the first two weeks of school.
Dash was the star quarterback who struggled with his parents expectations, Paulina was a cheerleader with parents who were on the school board, Star a activist and a closet lesbian, Kwan enjoyed arts and drama even though he heavily focused on being Dash's second.
Mikey was a dweeb that knew way too many ways to break into places, Wes was a basketball player conspiracy theorist who was in a weird space of being both in the A-listers good graces and being popular with the other kids that weren't popular, while Bethany was a mathematics genius that somehow trained the hissing cockroaches that resided in cages in the science class to hiss to the tune of Megalovania.
Danny was a slacker who was constantly getting into trouble, Sam a fake goth whose parents funded a lot of the projects their daughter was not interested in, and Tucker a technological geek.
Kyle was a trans boy that was very good at science and biology who was very laid back, Spike was a screamo punk-goth that was selectively mute who on top of being gifted with guitar and drums was also classically trained in the piano, cello and violin who aspired to be a musician, and Jazz was a budding psychology major who could be a therapist and was determined to help others.
After sixteen years as a teacher, Lancer was rarely wrong with his assessments.
But by the Holy Bible was he wrong when it came to Jasmine Fenton.
That girl was a demon masquerading as a teenager, she had to be. He should have known something was wrong with her, the Fentons couldn't do normal! The fact she could pass as normal was frankly scary as hell! At least the doctors and Danny had the decency to let everyone know they were weird and borderline criminals!
Jasmine though had not only hidden the fact she was a evil mastermind but had gotten the parents of the school board to believe her over the teachers! They thought she was a saint out to improve their children's lives!
He knew though that she was a demon who was entrapping them to her and acting all genteel and kind-hearted until the day she needed to cash in what they owed her.
It's how she got him and the other teachers.
Lancer had allowed himself to get complacent even with all the ghosts attacks, believing they, problematic teens and entitled parents the worst things he had to deal with.
But Jasmine proved to be insidious as she gradually got under their guard and built their trust in her, quietly collecting information that can destroy them, smiling so sweetly as she dug her claws into their weak spots until they couldn't remove her without consequences.
Most of the students were in the same boat as the teachers but unlike them who Jasmine made abundantly clear she had them over the barrel, she had cleanly divided the students into two groups: Aware and Unaware, the former knowing what she was and how much she could destroy their budding careers with frightening ease, and the latter hanging on her every word like she was a angel that came down to save them from highschool hell.
The only angel she could ever be was a Old Testament angel.
Regardless of how well they knew her true nature or not, all students used her educational videos, her tutoring becoming a form of currency the students gladly paid for since ghost attacks had disrupted the teens educations.
Others were simply loyal to her for stepping in and stopping the bullying or getting the dwindling arts and music classes back and were all too happy to play interference for when she needed it.
Danny and his friends ironically were firmly in the Unaware category, though Lancer got the impression that was deliberate on Jasmine's part. She seemed obsessed with keeping Danny safe and had decided school will not be a place he got picked on for any reason.
The vice principal once again cursed his past self for always siding with Dash, because the whole debacle during Halloween must have been what set Jasmine off. He didn't know exactly what part of it did, but he knew the boys had some kind of wager going on but he hadn't cared because boys will be boys.
Had he'd known what would result from it, he'd have suspended Dash and sent Danny home with a note saying he would not get in trouble if he stayed away for a week.
"Mr. Lancer, I need to take a mental health day Monday." The current bane of his existence called out as he left his classroom to attend to another class, the grown man flinching at the sound of her friendly Valedictorian voice that had deceived him so thoroughly in the past.
He looked fearfully at the she-devil that was smiling so sweetly at him, her two shadows Spike and Weston looking slightly put out.
Spike leaned to Weston, hands moving fluidly as he asked his friend to tell Lancer to inform him they too will be taking a mental health day.
As per usual, Lancer pretended he couldn't read sign language and refocus on the much more dangerous girl.
"Will this be a problem? I can delay it if you need me to stay and help as an assistant." She said with honey that disguised the poison tips in her words, as though he had any way to stop her.
"That's... fine. Thank you for informing me." He was very proud he didn't stutter, mentally willing her to leave him alone.
Kyle then informed him of his and Spike's mental health day they'll be taking and he thanked them as well, flinching again when the she-demon gave him a bright friendly (evil) smile and thanked him, turning when he suddenly remembered something.
"Um, Ms. Fenton?" He stuttered, gulping at the raised brow she was giving him. "Daniel fell asleep in class and the topic today is on next week's test."
She stared, balancing his words before nodding. "Alright, I'll get him ready for the test and work with him to ensure he gets plenty of sleep from now on. Thank you for bringing it to my attention."
He breathed a sigh of relief when she and her cronies left, sagging against a wall.
By the Quran, that girl was going to stress him into a early grave.
"Spike, I swear I didn't do anything to Lancer. Well, I might have lightly blackmailed him and the other teachers but in my defense the bullying has gone down significantly, right?"
Ambrose raised a pierced eyebrow, letting his neutral face of displeasure say everything.
"Jazz, I'm going to have to agree with Spike he here. You went a little too far."
Jazz looked frustrated for a minute before asking them how she should have handled things.
The introvert let Kyle handle the explanation as he was better at words then Ambrose was, the goth pulling up his phone to better find places they could visit to unwind.
He was still worried for his female friend and knew she was not handling what she went through well but he was trying to help, even verbally asking his sister to give him the name of her wife's therapist since his sister-in-law had suffered something similar when she was younger.
He had given Jazz the info and told her there was no pressure and that he was here if she needed it.
He did not know if she called the therapist yet but he was going to be supportive no matter her choice.
Kyle on the other hand proved he was Wes's older brother by going on a head hunt for "Johnny" with clear harmful intent and was pissed he couldn't find the biker, putting all of his pent up aggression towards cooking and fretting over Jazz.
The death metal enthusiast was spretty sure Danny was the reason Johnny couldn't be found... Or rather Inviso-Bill or whatever the kid was calling himself when he went out to fight ghosts and his parents.
Yeah, he and Kyle knew. Ambrose was in fact certain half of the school knew by now and Jazz will be utterly horrified when she finds out she accidentally caused that.
Jazz in her quest to give Danny and the students a safe haven from ghosts and all the shit that came with the ghosts, had unknowingly put a tiny light on Danny since she prioritized him the most. As a result, students started noticing Danny "Situational Awareness of a Rock" Fenton when he disappeared, or worse, transformed where people could see him.
Luckily it was the students that fell firmly in the geek, nerd, dweeb, goth, and the outcast categories and since they benefited from Jazz renovation of school policies, teacher and student accountability, free mental health days that didn't overly impact their schooling and free fresh goods that catered to pretty much every type of eater no matter how picky, those kids had taken to pretending to be temporarily blind or outright causing distractions to keep him safe and unexposed to the teachers and adults... though he had no idea how long that will continue since Jazz was running herself ragged trying to help Danny and the other students as a way of not-healthily dealing with her own assault.
He watched as Jazz listened to Kyle, a familar and frankly scary gleam shining in her eyes as she mentally rewrote what Kyle was saying into easy-for-Jazz-to-comprehend notes.
Ambrose did not have the training or education to correctly diagnose anyone for mental disorders but he was fairly certain Jazz was like the modern Sherlock Holmes.
As in Ambrose was fairly certain Jazz was a high-functioning sociopath.
Now the term sociopath had a lot of derogatory connotations nowadays but he swears he means it in a nice way.
Jazz was fully capable of emoting and making emotional connections but only to those that she cared about while struggling to understand why some of her actions might be considered reprehensible.
And when she could see a quick way to get what she wanted she didn't always think of the emotional responses people might have, nor how it could be seen as something else entirely. It's why she listened to them as much as she did, because she didn't always see the big picture that her consequences could cause. Or possessed the empathy to understand it.
(It was also why he found her desire to work in a profession that required a lot of emotional intelligence rather ironic)
Hence why when she took over the school and grabbed the teachers by the collective and metaphorical balls without consulting them first, all he could do was shake his head in exasperation and reel her back from the edge she seems to be oblivious of, Kyle helping him get it through their friend's head that she went overboard.
If she was the modern Sherlock, Kyle definitely qualified as a modern Watson and Ambrose Lestrange, as in Kyle was good at keeping Jazz grounded while looking into things with his spy network (yes Kyle, it's a freakin' spy network, don't try denying it or claiming you are just a gossip-monger. If Jazz is taking over, it's you giving her the info nessicary for the stuff she can't find on her own), while Ambrose kept them in line with reminders of how they would not like prison time and how they can legally acquire the stuff they need.
(Though Kyle wishes he could upgrade to love interest)
Still, he was glad she only took over the school and not the town but he would have to pay attention to that for future bouts of well meaning villainy.
(Ambrose Spike had been a stressed out kid of a pair of geniuses who could never live up to his parents and sisters expectations, falling into despair and hating everything when his best was not enough. Jazz was the first to notice him and realize something was wrong. She was the one that went up to his parents and without considering the consequences had chewed them out for trying to force him to be like his sisters and always mocking his interests, the little girl lacking the shame to mind her own business. It had been a eye opener for his parents who had not meant to hurt him, just assumed he needed to be pushed to be as spectacular as his sisters and not realizing he was happy with moderate mediocrity. It took years and lots of communication but they were better now, all because of a little girl who wanted to help in the most brutally honest way possible. Ambrose swore he'd be there for her no matter what)
Ambrose would continue to watch and help, even if he had to direct his friends away from their own consequences.
When Kyle had been little and going by a different name, he recalled thinking Jazz was going to take over the world.
So when it came time at school to tell the class what they wanted to be when they grew up he had cheerfully stated he wanted to be Jazz's consort, as he had told by his visiting cousin Easton that a consort was someone that lived by a rulers side as a spouse.
His parents and the Fentons got called in by his very concerned teacher who went on about "unnatural" thoughts for a child and that they strongly suggested keeping him away from Jazz.
While his parents were a little concerned by what he wrote the Fentons laughed it off, citing they were kids and that Kyle likely had no idea what a consort was, Maddie even going so far as to ask him to define what he thought a consort was.
Jazz immediately answered by claiming it Easton said it was a stronger version of best friends forever, Kyle quickly backing her despite his confusion.
The teacher was embaressed and had explained in a kid friendly way what a consort was and Easton got in trouble with his parents.
Later when they were alone Jazz apologized for speaking for him but had been mad at Easton for telling him that as she had been under the impression Easton had lied to Kyle about what a consort was.
Kyle had been too shy and embaressed by the whole mess to correct her.
Now at sixteen he was still very much in love with Jazz and had zero idea how to tell his forever blind to the guys (and girls) that drooled over her best friend that he had romantic feelings for her for as long as he has known her.
Like seriously, Jazz was very oblivious to she enamored horde and the only time she seem to be interesting in other romantically was when it was bad boys who clearly have issues.
(It was like her brain was wired to look at guys with issues and go "Hmmm me likey~ Now let me dissect you like a frog- wait! Come back!")
(Maybe had he paid better attention to the creeps she attracted, Jazz wouldn't have been so badly hurt)
Kyle had not handled the news his best friends was (possibly, maybe, all the evidence was pointing to fucking yes) date raped by some scumbag biker named Johnny. Oh no, he had not.
Even Wes had the good sense not to bother him as he broke into the police station hoping to find something that could lead him to this Johnny, but nothing came from it.
Okay, so he was probably going about this wrong and could ask Danny to give him Johnny's location but he was not about to ask the kid with undead superpowers that let him die on command where did he stash the the bastard and if he was still among the living. Nor ask if he was dead, to where his ghost was because Kyle had complete access to the Fenton's armory.
Especially since that kid has been calling him and Spike nonstop for a month to keep track of Jazz when he wasn't available to do so, the younger Fenton looking exhausted with worry more than fighting.
No, Kyle will just have to settle with the knowledge Johnny probably was worse then dead and help Jazz in her quest to make Casper High a place kids felt safe at.
And use his skills as gossip collector and a info dealer to keep poor Danny from further accidently revealing himself.
They were going to have to tell Jazz she accidently ousted her brother by trying to shield him, but that was a later-that-Monday project.
He said his goodbyes, glad school was over as he met up with Wes.
The two walked home in companionable silence, Wes looking concerned.
Kyle had been forced to grab his brother and have a sit down as he pretty much had to spell out what exactly could happen to Danny if Wes successfully revealed the other boy as a ghost.
It had not been pretty and Kyle felt like a bad brother but it was needed. Danny had enough going on without well-meaning people trying to reveal him and how this info could endanger Wes. His brother eventually understood but made it clear he was still going to annoy Danny, mostly to keep him on his toes.
Wes and Danny may not be friend-friend's but they grew up together acting like each other's bratty little brother and he knew Wes has stepped in to keep Danny safe when they were younger.
They finally arrived home, their parents still at work with a note stating it was pizza night so Kyle would be ordering with the money they left on the counter.
He recieved a text from Jazz informing him she and Danny made it home without incident, a smile making it's way on his face.
"Oh god, just ask her out already." Wes whined, wiping the smile off Kyle's face and replacing it with a scowl. "Seriously! You've been pinning for her forever! I know you don't have a pair but hurry up already!"
Kyle, because he was a loving brother, proceed to stick the little shit in a headlock.
"You brat!"
"And I'm never going to be a dog-uncle at this rate."
"Shut up you terror!"
"Jazz is going to die a spincer before you finally work up the nerve to ask her- HEY! GET THAT FINGER AWAY FROM ME!"
"THE WET WILLY GODS DEMAND A SACRIFICE!"
"GET AWAY FROM ME!"
(Later, they would have to explain to their parents how they managed to break the stove with their rough housing)
(Later, he and his brother are joking and Wes decides to tell him his latest conspiracy theories)
(Later, after texting Spike and Jazz goodnight he will stay up late, warring between wanting to be a good friend who won't accidently trigger his best friend but also wishing he had saved her)
(Later, as he finally goes to sleep he will vow to protect her in the future)
(But right now he was just a teenager roughhousing with his brother)
Maddie frowned as Danny once more disappeared to his room after barely saying anything.
She had thought they were getting closer again after that mess with Vlad, had hoped to see him seek her out to spend more time together.
Yet Dany was back to being surly and snappy, looking upset over something.
Was he having more issues at school? Was it girl problems? Or was it simply puberty making her boy uncomfortable as he adapted to his body's changes? She wishes he'd tell her, she read lots of books on how to handle teenagers so she could better help him.
Hunting ghosts was easier than teens but that was to be expected as one was a growing human boy and the other mindless evil post human consciousness that was no longer a person, just a echo attached to ectoplasm.
"Something wrong honey?" Jack asked as he crossed stitched.
"Oh I just worry about Danny. I thought our trip helped mend the gap between us but it still feels like he's pulling away."
"He's fine Mom, just let him be." Jazz said, eyes narrowing when Maddie jolted.
Had Jazz been here the whole time? Maddie completely missed her!
"Jazzy's right, Mads! Danny just needs to mope around and figure himself out like all teen boys. Why I had been positively gloomy when I was his age. Now look at me, the very picture of a well-adjusted adult!"
Maddie nodded, ceding that Jack was probably right.
When they decided to keep Jazz, Maddie hadn't been too thrilled at the idea since motherhood was a big commitment. She had even suggested they give her up for adoption so she wouldn't take up their time but Jack was adamant: they made her, that made them responsible for her.
She admits that why they made Jazz was horrible. It was why she struggled so much with connecting to Jazz: she would always feel the permanent twinge of guilt at creating life just to spite another and had came close to ruining a innocent child.
After awhile she agreed that they made the right call, but she always found Jazz so... bland. Don't get her wrong, she really did love her daughter but the girl had always been shy and preferring to sit back and observe.
Jack on the other hand took to her immediately, the two so close.
Maddie admits she had watched that close relationship her husband and daughter had and felt a longing to bond like that.
So she and Jack made Danny from those two weirdos they ran over, a sense of excitement and anticipation as she watched her little boy grow from a cluster of cells to a baby.
And when he came out of his artificial womb, screaming his little head off and covered in the synthetic afterbirth, all she could think of as she held him for the first time was just how perfect he was. They grew close and she adored her sweet boy so much.
Yet now those halycon days felt like they were slipping away.
"He'll come around. Just give him time." Jack advised as he undid a stitch.
Maddie nodded as she turned to Jazz to ask how her day was, only to stop short to find her daughter had left without her noticing.
Probably wanted to talk to her friends about their feelings, she's always enjoyed doing that. Maddie shrugged, pushing her dutiful daughter's hobbies out of mind.
She offered to start dinner, deciding to make Danny's favorite foods to show she was thinking of him. It was as Jack had said, he'll talk to her when he was ready.
Jack knew Maddie was worried for their boy, and Jack could understand why.
Unlike Jazz who was sensible and had her future planned out, Danny was at that terrible crossroad of trying to reach dreams while figuring himself out.
It was a valid part of growing up and some kids took longer to figure out, but Jack struggled to grasp it since he knew exactly what he wanted to be from the ripe old age of ten so he didn't quite understood why Danny was still uncertain.
It made him so glad Jazz was sensible and forward thinking, two kids unsure what they wanted would have been a event Jack would not know how to handle.
While he loved both, he secretly prefered Jazz because she knew what she wanted, showed she had the get-go to get it, had lots of plans to achieve her goals, and did her choirs on time.
It made perfect sense why the kids were so different: Jazz came from a evil genius and a intelligent writer while Danny came from a pair of bloodstained mercs who probably were smart but not genius-smart.
Still, Danny was young and had plenty of time to figure out what he wanted to do with his future and Jack would be there to support him in whatever he chose.
Jazz though he was concerned with at the moment. She has been very withdrawn for a few weeks and he was worried she was getting burn out, which could cause all sorts of long term problems if not carefully handled.
Maybe like Danny, she just needed more her-time. He'll keep an eye on her and monitor her moods.
It probably wasn't anything serious, and if it was he was certain she'd tell them.
Vlad was intrigued.
Daniel seemed to be flagging. His boy working himself to the bone, the trials of his little hero silliness beginning to catch up with the teen. Soon he will catch the boy unawares and show him the error of his ways and stamp out that foolish teenage rebellion.
But that wasn't the only thing intriguing him.
It would seem Jasmine took more after his dearest Maddie then he thought, having watched her slowly seize control of that pathetic school and bend the staff to her will.
Impressive for a girl with no powers.
Hmm, perhaps Daniel wasn't Maddie's only child worth cultivating. Originally he didn't give her much thought and only took note of her because she was to be his step-daughter one day (and perhaps kept as a hostage in a gilded cage in case Daniel got anymore rebellious idea), but now he could see that not getting to know the girl had been a mistake.
He nodded to himself, decision made as he rewatches the video of her sweetly frighten the teacher.
Yes, he'll get to know dear lovely Jasmine. Perhaps if things fail with his soon-to-be-son-and-heir he can settle for a daughter.
As they say, don't put all your eggs in one basket.