"Don't touch that, honey. You'll burn yourself." Sam Manson was franticly running around the kitchen, attempting to fix some sort of meal for Charlie, her nine-year-old daughter, when someone knocked at the door.

"Charlie, will you get the door for me." Sam asked, standing on her tip-toes, and stretching to reach a can of Spaghetti-O's. Without a word the little girl slid from the counter top where she was sitting and pranced down the short hallway to the front door. Timidly, she opened it just wide enough for her to poke her head out view the mysterious visitor. A young man, whom she had never seen met her gaze and although he seemed somewhat familiar, he was a stranger none-the-less.

"Oh, hi, um my name is Danny. Does Sam Manson live here?"

"My mommy said I'm not supposed to talk to strangers."

"Oh, I'm sorry. I'm not a stranger I promise. Your mother is right. You should never talk to strangers, but I'm not going to hurt you. I'm just looking for an old friend. Could you just go get your mommy so I could find out where my friends lives?"

Charlie nodded and scampered back to the kitchen where Sam was busy setting the table. "Mommy there's a strange man at the door. He said he's looking for someone, and that you may be able to tell him."

"Did he tell you his name?"

"I think he said his name was Danny, but I didn't catch his last…"

The glasses Sam was carrying fell, dramatically, from her arms and hit the floor with a thunderous crash. "D-D-Danny, That's impossible."

"That's what he said. What's wrong mommy?"

"N-n-nothing sweetie. Your d-dinner is on the table. Just wait right here. I'll be back in a second."

Sam sighed, closing the kitchen door behind her.

Danny… It couldn't be. Danny must be the name of one of those stupid magazine salesmen. Her friend, Danny Fenton, died ten years ago. She saw it happen. There was no reason she should believe this stranger her daughter spoke of was…

"Danny Fenton!" Sam gasped opening the front door wide enough to get a good look at the man on the other side.

"Sam," Danny smiled.

"But, but this is impossible, you're d-d-dead."

"Well I am already half-dead."

Sam couldn't take it, him being here. Her eyes lingered for one moment on those beautiful baby blue eyes. He looked good, taller than she remembered, toner, yet not so much like his father. His hair was black as ever, and he still had the same dorky smile as when they were just to reckless high school seniors. Sam took one moment to soak it all in, and then slammed the door in his face.

"Sam! Common!" Danny pleaded to the shut door. "Aren't you happy to see me, I've missed you so much!"

"How could you leave me like that, Daniel Fenton!"

"I'm sorry Sam! It wasn't my choice."

"Whatever."

"Look just give me a second to explain myself. I want to see you Sam. I'll walk right through that door if you don't open it."

"Are you threatening me?"

"Please Sam."

Sam sighed, giving in. Her heart ached as she opened the door and stared, once more into that irresistible blue gaze. "You have no idea what I've been through since you left."

"I know, just give me a chance to explain myself."

"Five minutes."

"That's all I ask."

Danny walked awkwardly into the small corridor. "Nice place, dark, just the way the Sam Manson I knew would like it."

Sam pretended to ignore him, leading the way to the purple living room. Upon their arrival, Sam relaxed in her favorite black armchair across from Danny on the couch.

"So, how have you been in the last decade?" he began slowly.

"Cut the crap Danny. I wanna know where the hell you've been. You left you friends, your family, your life! We haven't had a single ghost attack since you left. What did you do?"

"You don't remember?"

"Remember what?"

Danny gazed somberly into Sam's amethyst eyes, "The accident in the lab… the war… the portal…"

"What are you talking about?"

"Sam, I've been trapped in the ghost zone for ten years! You were there! Ghosts were taking over the world, it was a full scale invasion, oh gee lets lock all the ghosts back in the zone!"

"I remember the war, but not an accident in the lab. Ten years ago we were searching for a solution, any solution on how we could establish peace between the two worlds."

"And we decided to lock all the ghost back in the zone and destroy all the portals forever."

"Danny, all I remember is waking up in your bed. Your mom was an emotional wreck, your dad wouldn't speak, and Jazz told me you died. We all thought you were dead, Danny! Dead!"

"But…"

"No, it's too late. I have a life now and a kid! It's been TEN YEARS!"

Her last few words struck Danny as if he had run into a brick wall (And not gone intangible). "You have a kid?" He asked curiously just as a black haired figure poked her head out from the closed kitchen door. She had obviously been disturbed by the raised tone her mother was using with the stranger.

"Mommy?"

"Sweetie, go back in the kitchen. I'll be there in a second."

Charlie ignored her and turned to face Danny, "Who are you, really?"

"He's just an old friend." Sam directed her next sentence straight to Danny, "Nothing more."

The small child allowed her mother to nudge her back into the kitchen. Sam sighed as she closed the door, slowly turning to face Danny once more.

"You'd better go."

"Cute kid."

"That's Charlie. She's an angel really. After you died, or left sorry, she, she saved me."

"If you don't mind me asking, who is her father?"

"Let me show you to the door."

Danny stood up and rushed between Sam and the doorframe to the hallway "I'm Sorry Sam. I really am. You're the only thing that kept me alive for ten years in the ghost zone! The thought of you here alive and safe, the hope that someday this day would come!"

"Charlie's father, he died, Danny." Sam cut him off, pushing past him on the way to the door.

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. I've moved on." Sam wrenched the door open, exposing the cramped hallway to the chilly night air. "Just go Danny, go see your family."

"But,"

"Just leave, please."

Danny nodded sadly and, acknowledging his defeat, looked Sam in the eye one last time. Suddenly two rings of light formed around his waist transforming Danny Fenton into Danny Phantom. His shaggy hair became the purest shade of white, his blue eyes glowing green, his black and white suit formed nicely around the muscular curves of his body.

"I've always loved you Sam, and I know you're hurting, but maybe someday… maybe things can be like they were. Two, reckless kids, in love, out to face the world." And with those last words Danny, took to the sky before Sam had time to process what he had just said.

Charlie heard the stranger leave and pattered out of the kitchen to find her mother, sobbing in a ball of hysterics on the floor. "Mommy," the child reached down and gently grabbed her hand. Sam wrapped her daughter into a tight embrace as Charlie wiped the tears from her mother's cheek.