Plummeting In Love (Book 1 of Danny Phantom Trilogy)

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Maddie Fenton pulled open the door to the oven just a crack just before peering inside the hot box. A smile graced her face as she watched her cookies finish baking. Normally, Maddie wasn't the best cook. She really tried her best to provide balanced, nutritional meals for her family. She never meant for some of her food to become contaminated. It usually wasn't her fault either. Jack would sometimes use the stove or microwave for whatever experiment he was running, despite how many times Maddie had specifically told him that chemicals DON'T belong anywhere out of the lab.

"There. All done!" Maddie exclaimed with a grin before pulling the cookies out of the oven. She had prepared two dozen of her special chocolate chip cookies- one dozen for her family (but mostly Jack) and the other for her new neighbors.

Maddie had noticed the moving trucks last week while her kids were at school. She had been coming home from grocery shopping when she had seen two, We-Haul vans parked across the street in front of the old Robinson house. She had wanted to see who it was who was moving into the neighborhood, but she hadn't spotted anyone but the movers. Maddie was sure that a family had moved in within the past week and so she had prepared a welcoming gift for them.

Hearing the sound of bare feet padding on the tile behind her, Maddie spared a glance backwards. A bright smile lit up her face. "Good morning, Danny. Did you sleep well?" Maddie questioned her youngest.

Danny still had his bed head on full blast as he shuffled over to the refrigerator in his pajamas- a tee shirt and loose, navy pajama pants. He pulled the carton of orange juice out of the fridge before getting a glass from the cupboard. "It was alright," Danny responded in a sleep-ridden voice while filling the glass.

Maddie smiled softly to herself. It was a small change, but Maddie was sure that she had heard the tell-tale signs of her baby's voice deepening. In the past month, she'd noticed Danny's slight growth spurt. And if she looked closely she could see hints of beard stubble. Her baby was growing up. The thought almost made her tear up slightly.

"Why'd you make so many cookies, mom? Are all these for dad?" Danny questioned with a surprised expression as he sipped his juice.

"Oh no, dear. I made some cookies for our new neighbors across the street," Maddie said as she placed the cookies on a cooling rack.

"We have new neighbors?"

"Oh, Danny. You haven't noticed the moving vans?" Maddie questioned. At the blank expression she received from her son, Maddie shook her head with a small smile. "I'm thinking of inviting them over for dinner, too."

"Inviting who over dinner? Are those cookies!?" Jack questioned just as he appeared in the kitchen clutching some new, ghost hunting equipment. Maddie nearly sighed in exasperation.

"Our new neighbors from across the street. I'm going to deliver these cookies to them and then invite them over for dinner tonight," Maddie explained.

Jack's eyes widened as he snatched a cookie from the tray. "Great idea, Mads! We need to inform them on the risks of moving to Amity Park. We should also let them know that they have nothing to fear while the Fenton are here!"

Danny watched his parents for a few more seconds before leaving the kitchen with a cookie and glass of juice in hand. He was about to take the stairs back up to his room when the front door suddenly opened. He turned in time to see Jazz entering looking flushed in the face and sweaty. "Morning, Danny," Jazz greeted with a smile.

"Morning, Jazz. Have a good run?"

"Yep! I feel ready to take on anything," Jazz replied with a bright grin. Danny turned to leave, but Jazz quickly called out to him. "Hey, Danny! Why don't we do something together today? We can go to the water park or the mall?" Jazz suggested.