Danny Phantom Fan Fiction ❯ Under It All ❯ Chapter 5

Within the next few days Sam managed to get her father to release her belongings, the older male actually fine with her leaving and she knew why. They hadn't really wanted her to stay, though he did tell her that he loved her no matter what. She shook her head as she sat in the middle of Danny's bed. The halfa had gone to battle a ghost, and although she normally went with him, that night she didn't really have the concentration needed for that task. Danny had understood and with Tucker with him there was no real need for her.

"Is there really a need for me at all?" she questioned out loud. She wasn't into the pity, but for some reason she had really taken a good long look at her role in life and was finding that she didn't really have one. Her parents never needed her, not the way a normal child was needed, nor did her friends really need her for ghost hunting, especially since they had Jazz as a backup. Her head popped up, her spine straightening. That was true! They had enough people to help fight the ghosts that haunted the town. She could use that money she had been saving to travel away from Amity! Danny would be upset though. She slumped again. She loved her friend, but that was part of the problem too. She loved him, but she would never cross that line, not for the one person who though fought with her still loved her more than her parents ever would.

Was she using Danny for affection? She gave herself a mental shake. No way! Danny wasn't the maternal love that she had been missing out on most of her life. Sure, her parents hadn't understood her most of her life, but at the same time she hadn't really needed them like most children. Most kids didn't have their path planned, hadn't been working as hard as she had to to ensure that her path went the way she wanted. Straight A's so she could get out of school on time or earlier. The only reason she had even stayed that last year was for Danny.

Saving money so she could move faster, though her grandmother had left her most of her estate since she had been the favorite relative of the Manson family. She needed to get out of here, at least out of his home and into her own place because this would only hurt worse the longer she stayed. She would have to watch the halfa find love with one of his choices, Valerie being the closest one to his own preference, though how the ghost hunter would react to dating a halfa was beyond her. Everyone knew his secret and he had gotten several date requests, but Danny hadn't seemed interested. She wasn't sure what had changed from before because the raven haired teen had been all about dating girls like Paulina and Valerie. Now they were lucky if he even glanced at them.

"What'cha looking so serious for?" came a male voice from behind her. She glanced over at the halfa entering his room through the window. She smiled, the grin not quite gleaming in her amethyst eyes. She turned around fully, her eyes taking in his roughed up appearance. She chewed on her lip as she winced. "It's not as bad as it looks," he stated. "I just happened to hit a bed of thorns." His smile was strong as he rubbed the back of his head. "And well, Tucker looks a little worse for wear himself." Sam wanted to giggle at that because Tucker hardly ever came out of a fray with the ghosts not looking as neat as he went in.

"Well, he deserves it with as many times as you've taken a hit for him." He pointed out that she had taken more than her fair share of hits as well. She brushed it off with, "Yeah, well, it was nothing compared to what you handle head on everyday."

"Not to change the subject, but I did inquire what made you look so serious." The Goth turned away from him, the thoughts from earlier crowding her mind. "What's up?" Now he came to join her on the bed, his hand falling on her shoulder in a comforting way. She didn't know what to tell him. The truth wasn't something that would make anything better at this point. No, it would just make it more awkward.

"Just thinking about my plans for the future." He looked at her questionably. "I had plans that I had been sticking with since I was a kid, but with this it changes a lot, but I have been thinking and I have come up with an alternative." He raised a brow, but waited patiently. "I plan on starting an apartment search tomorrow."

"I told you that you can stay here, my parents won't mind."

"But I will," she stated firmly. "I know that your parents would be okay with it, but I want to be on my own, it was part of the pl-" Danny looked hurt at her words and she hadn't even finished. Before she could say another word he stood up, his face hidden from her. Sure, they were old enough to be considered adults, but no matter how old one got some habits never changed.

"I guess that you've got your plan then and I can't change your mind so it's solid." She could hear the hurt in his voice and deciding that she could soften the blow a little bit she stood, her hand reaching out for his shoulder, as he had done for her moments before. Instead of reacting like her he stiffened before relaxing. She didn't understand what was wrong with him! She knew he wanted her to stay, but that was the friend in him, the part that wanted to help and she couldn't just allow him to do that.

"It will take a minute to find a good one, and you can help me if you want." He shrugged, still refusing to look at her. She couldn't figure out what was going on with the male before her. He had never pouted over something so small. Was he mad at her for wanting to move on? She was free and he wasn't her boyfriend or anything so what gave him the right?! She opened her mouth to rip into him, but sighing she decided it wasn't worth it. He was mad and fighting with him would only cause both of them heartache. "You could always visit, Danny. It's not like I'm moving to Antarctica." This time he looked at her.

"The thing is that I wanted you to stay here with me," he admitted. Her brow rose in question. "I just really l- like and care about you." She waited, her mouth going dry at his words. She had been sure that her best friend was going to say he loved her, but she must have been mistaken, right?

"What are you trying to tell me, Danny?" He turned a slight red color.

"Just saying that you are my closest and best friend," was his short response. As if that was supposed to make her stay. "I worry about you." She wanted to huff and puff at that, but she knew that he was only telling her how he felt and she couldn't make him feel any different even if she wished it.

"I know and you are mine, but at some point we will have to live in separate worlds. You will marry and then have kids while showing them how to fight ghosts," she said with a sad smile. "You won't be able to have the same relationship with me as you used to. Girlfriends, wives, they don't always like another woman, friend or not, hanging around all the time." Danny shook his head, he didn't want that. He wanted the woman before him, but it was like she couldn't see it... Then again he wasn't being very clear about it. "Anyway," she said with a yawn. "I'm tired and since I need to get up early tomorrow, I might as well get some rest."

"Okay, good night." She smiled, leaning over she gave him a hug before heading toward the bathroom to change. This wouldn't be her last night here, but she might as well make sure that before she had to leave to make the most of all the time she got with her halfa.

That night Danny awoke to Sam shivering next to him, her small form shaking so violently. He touched her skin, the normally warm skin burning up like a fire were under the Goth's skin. She refused to wake up as he shook her and with every second she continued to sleep Danny grew more worried. He could feel her clothing sticking to her pale skin even in the darkness that surrounded them. Thinking quickly he pulled her into his arms and headed for the bathroom, all the while Sam began to mumble something, but she didn't move. She didn't struggle in his arms or fight him... She didn't cling to him either. He couldn't hear the words that were leaving her lips, but they sounded familiar...

"...the...is...warm..." He couldn't worry about that right now. He sat her in the tub, her body growing warmer by the moment. He knew that the cold water wouldn't help as much as what he was planning to do on top of that, but he needed to get her colder and now! Leaning over he turned on the cold water, the water bursting out like a mini waterfall, the sound filling the room. Shutting the door he transformed, his night clothing changing to his black and white hazmat suit, his ice blue eyes becoming green for only a second as he concentrated his ice powers, his green eyes changing again to a light blue as they glowed.

The water began to harden, chunks of it appearing on the surface, Sam's once fevered cheeks dimming slightly. He only needed to do it until her temperature went down, but before he could do anything more her eyes opened, the look in them one of confusion as she attempted to sit up. He was quick to move, her teeth already chattering with the chill, but what she said was so bizarre.

"I take a deep breath, my eyes full of water. My lips turning blue. I don't want to die, but I feel I am through."

I can feel the anger

I can feel the rage

The water cleanses me

It washes my soul

I wonder at the serenity

The relaxation of it all as I slip away