Ethereal

31

Danny threw his sleeping bag into the RV lazily, yawning loudly.

"So you're really leaving?"

He looked over at Dipper, his eyes shining in the early morning light. "Yeah, I had Sam call my dad and tell him that she saw Phantom back at Amity. They're pretty convinced that they have to go."

Dipper looked down at his feet, shifting uncomfortably. Noticing his change in demeanor, Danny crouched to Dipper's height and put his hand on the boy's shoulder. "Don't worry, Dip. We'll stay in touch."

"How?"

Danny pondered the question for only a second before reaching into his jean pocket and pulling out the Fenton Phones. Placing it in the boy's hand, he said, "Don't worry: I have plenty more at home. They're like bobby pins at my house."

Dipper stared down at the technology.

"Here: You push this little gray button when someone is ringing you, and this button -- you see how it sticks up more than the other one? -- that's for making calls. You put in contacts by hooking it into the computer, and you scroll through them by pushing the button. Tucker, Sam, and me should all be in there already."

Dipper smirked, glancing up. "and I."

"What?"

"Tucker, Sam, and I."

Danny made a face and punched Dipper playfully in the arm. "You nerd. Keep me updated on the journal, will you?"

"Whatever you say."

"Danny!"

Before the teen could even respond, he was bombarded by the scent of fruity perfume and the feel of a soft sweater. Mabel's hands were wrapped around his neck and they both fell to the ground, the girl never releasing her death grip.

"Ah! Mabel!" Danny groaned, but he put his arms around her waist and closed his eyes, sinking into the embrace. She really was good at giving hugs.

Mabel pushed herself off of Danny at lightning speed. "I got you something." Reaching behind her, she pulled out a fluffy off-white sweater with a small green ghost in the center. "It's so you don't get cold while you're, you know," she dropped her voice to a whisper, "flying around and stuff."

"Did you make this?" Danny reached for the sweater, rubbing his fingers between the soft fleece before trying it on. It was a little big, but he loved it anyway.

"Yeah!" Mabel held up several Band-Aid clad fingers. "It took all night!"

Danny studied her face for signs of exhaustion as Dipper sighed behind his twin. "She stole Smile Dip from the Dusk 2 Dawn."

"Isn't that stuff illegal?"

With wide, awe-filled eyes, Mabel whispered, "The candy puppies helped me hide it."

Danny furrowed his eyebrows and opened his mouth to respond when a whoop of, "City Boy!" filled the warm summer air. He watched as a van full of teens pulled up beside them, Wendy hopping out before it had stopped moving. She brushed off her flannel and grabbed Danny's wrist, dragging him towards the Mystery Shack. Her friends whooped and hollered behind her.

"Danny!" Maddie shouted behind him. "It's almost time to go!"

"One second, Mom!" Danny called as the wooden shack door slammed behind him.

"Quick, get up to the roof before Stan finds us."

"The roof ... ?" He trailed off as Wendy pushed aside a shower curtain to reveal a wooden ladder, climbing up without waiting for a response.