Hey! So, I know this isn't a One-shot but I figured that was okay. This story is kind of dark, which is out of character for me, but I'm hoping to expand my boundaries. This will not be super long, I promise! I did an outline this time so I can't just type my way through chapter after chapter.

I do NOT own DP. Enjoy (as much as you can with an angst story)!

First Passage

One for the differences between her and her parents, too many to count.

Another for the names at school that didn't sound as false as she once knew them to be.

One for the words she exchanged with Tucker over the shallow topic of meat.

One for the detentions, one for the poor grades, and one for the bruises he willingly took day after day after day.

And two for killing him halfway; her best friend; her secret lover.

xxxxx

"Hey Sam, are you feeling okay?" Danny asked during lunch. He couldn't help but feel concerned over his gothic beauty who seemed to look paler and more tired each passing day.

"Ya, I feel fine. Why?" Her temporary relief had yet to leave her, the numbness having helped her through the first half of her wretched day. She'd had to deal with a cocky hockey player who hadn't learned the meaning of 'no,' Paulina and her satellites, and an ignorant art teacher who wouldn't know the difference between a Monet and Renoir if he'd been slapped over the head with them.

"It's just, I don't know, you seem…" Danny trailed, unsure how to finish without sounding like an ass. He may not know why he'd been dubbed 'Clueless One' in the first place, but he knew it to be true.

"Exhausted," Tucker finished, also worried over his pseudo-sister.

"Well, I do feel kind of tired but that's because I couldn't fall asleep last night," she admitted. She'd been plagued with thoughts of how to handle the next day, when she'd be left alone at school. Danny and Tucker had a field day for Spanish, the one class she hadn't signed up for with them. She'd opted for French since her mother had made sure she could conversationally speak four other languages besides English by the time she turned ten. She had like French the best.

"Ya, but—" Danny couldn't finish as his ghost sense cut him off followed by screams from his fellow classmates. Tucker and Sam covered him as he morphed into his Phantom form before following his chase inside Casper's halls. School would be released the remainder of the day now so they wouldn't have to worry about being seen helping the ghost boy, especially in the library.

"Hey ugly! Who're you?" Danny called to the ghostly form hovering above the bookshelves.

The ghost swiveled around to reveal red slits for eyes and clothing reminding the trio of Aladdin, but with cloth covering most of his face like that of a ninja. He didn't say anything, opting instead to raise his hands, and by association of his powers most of the books and novels in the room too. He thrust his arms forward sending about twenty textbooks Danny's way.

Danny narrowly avoided the attack, returning a few ice rays at Sam's insistence. The school could not afford a burnt down library. "Hey Bookworm, is that all you've got?" he taunted as he froze another series out of the air.

Tucker had been making his way beneath the fight to try and position himself better to suck the new spirit into the thermos when an encyclopedia caught Danny off-guard. The halfa fell on top of Tuck causing the techno-geek to lose his grip on the thermos and send it flying through the air.

Sam, seeing this, decided she couldn't just stand around hiding any longer and made a mad dash across the room. Danny was slow to get up, leaving the ghost plenty of time to focus on the new threat. He sent few books Sam's way, surprised when she fluently dodged them all.

Just as the thermos came within reaching distance however, the spirit let loose an awful howl and sent forth an army of binded paperbacks. Sam's legs refused to move as her eyes widened at the coming attack. She heard Danny and Tucker yell to her but couldn't bring herself to look their way, closing her eyes and waiting instead.

She felt a thud push her back but no sharp edges shred her skin. Opening her eyes in confusion, she found that Danny had taken the blow for her. She looked on in horror as his body bled ectoplasm from the myriad of small cuts all along his body. That could have been her.

That should have been her.

She saw the ghost raise his hands to finish them off but this time her body moved on autopilot and she successfully locked him inside the Fenton Thermos, shaking it for good measure. She ran back over the Danny, whose face contorted with pain.

"Tucker, are you okay?" she called as she smoothed Danny's hair back in a nervous tick.

Standing, Tucker limped to her side answering, "A little sore but fine compared to him. C'mon, let's get him to Jazz's car."

Tucker pulled his cell out to call Jazz and left Sam to inform Danny on their plans. "After Tuck calls Jazz we'll move you to her car and then I'll take care of you. It's okay if you pass out and sleep Danny," she cooed, knowing he couldn't feel pain when unconscious. He immediately let go as soon as she told him it was okay.

The next time he opened his eyes he had to take a minute to blink away the blinding white pain. He whimpered as he felt his cuts sting. "I'm sorry Danny, but these need to be cleaned," Sam hoarsely whispered as she threw away another bloodied cotton ball. She hated causing him more pain but knew it was a necessary evil to make sure the wounds healed properly. "Go back to sleep."

Another hour later, Sam had finished her cleaning and let a breath of relief out when she witnessed his healing abilities take control. She went to tell Tucker and Jazz, who had made themselves busy by preparing dinner for Danny since none of them had much of an appetite.

"All done?" Tucker questioned when Sam entered the kitchen. She nodded in response.

"I know he looks really bad, but he'll be back to normal by tomorrow, right?" Jazz anxiously asked, seeing the blood stains in her car flash before her eyes. She hated witnessing her younger brother in pain and felt awful that she couldn't do much about it.

"Ya," Sam breathed, taking the filled plate from Jazz's shaking hands to bring up to Danny. "He should be waking any minute now."

She made her way back to his room and set his plate on his desk, walking to his bathroom to wash up. She looked horrible, red-rimmed eyes with bags beneath them. She felt terrible too, knowing that this time she was solely at fault for his suffering. If only she had moved. If only she'd been smarter and thought through her actions. If only Danny didn't have such a hero complex. If only…

She finished washing her face and walked over to the chair she'd pulled up to his bed earlier, taking a seat. He awoke shortly after, his grin faltering into a frown at Sam's depressed demeanor. "Hey," he rasped.

Sam adorned her mask over her thoughts and emotional turmoil, smiling at a groggy Danny. "Hey, how're you feeling? Are you hungry? Jazz and Tucker cooked dinner." She presented him with his favorite dish: a loaded burrito with rice and special cheese sauce, some napkins, a fork, and a large glass of water.

Many of his cuts looked remarkably smaller if not gone all together, so she could help him sit up with only minor difficulty. "Thanks Sam. How's Tucker doing? I remember landing on him."

"His ankle is a bit swollen but he'll be just fine in the morning."

"And you? I pushed you pretty hard. Do you have any bruises or cuts? Did you hit your head?" He always put her well-being before his, Sam noticed with a guilt stuffed stomach. Danny was such a great friend and it seemed all she caused him was havoc and suffering.

"Danny I'm fine. Don't worry about me, worry about yourself. Eat." At his piercing stare she sighed in annoyance and rolled her eyes. "The wind was knocked out of me and I think I might have hit my elbow but nothing major or long-lasting."

"Can I see?" He set his barely started dinner to the side, his hand reaching out for her arm.

"What? No!" Sam told him, panic settling in. She would have to roll up her sleeve and then he would see her scars. That would lead to questions and he'd be furious and disgusted with her. He'd hate her and she'd lose his friendship. She wasn't ready for that. "I'm perfectly fine."

"Sam, I just want to—"

"You know, it's getting pretty late. I need to head home but I'll see you and Tucker after your field day tomorrow, alright? Bye." She quickly left before he could try to stop her, giving Jazz and Tucker the same excuse as she rushed out the front door.

She bolted up to her room as soon as she entered her mansion. Her parents were out of town, of course, and her grandma Ida wouldn't be returning from her trip with her friends for another week. As soon as she was sure her door had locked she made her way to her computer keyboard. She should do an entry but the rush of fright she felt from Danny almost finding out created a white noise blocking out any rational thought.

Lifting her keyboard, she snatched her razor and drew it across her lower forearm welcoming the sting knowing she deserved it. A couple more slashes and she felt relaxed enough to set the weapon—her friend—down and begin her clean-up routine. Once the cuts were disinfected and wrapped, she crawled beneath her covers and drifted into a dark abyss.

First chapter done. I should have another update up this week, if not tomorrow sometime. I want to post regularly so I can move on to other story ideas I want to pursue, one of which I've already rewritten the thesis seven flipping times! Ugh, the life of a writer...XD Lol, I hope you liked! Told you you haven't heard the last of me yet!