Danny Phantom (c) Butch Hartman, Nickelodeon
Chapter One
The school bell rings, announcing not only the end of the school day, but the beginning of spring break. Students rush from their seats and out the doors—ready for vacation.
Danny walks over to where Tucker and Sam are waiting.
"Dude," Tucker says as they walk down the front steps, "How come you aren't excited"
"Yeah, you of all people should be happy we have a week off of school." Sam adds, placing a hand on Danny's shoulder for a brief second. He smiles in acknowledgement, then shrugs and kicks an invisible pebble on the sidewalk.
"I am happy. It's just...this is the first spring break we won't be spending together."
Tucker nods his head in agreement saying, "Yeah, Sam. You are off to Michigan while its just us guys hanging out. Being dudes, playing video games, checking girls out on the beach..."
Both boys don't notice Sam's eye slightly twitch. The thought of them alone without her responsible, logical influence makes Sam shudder inwardly. Even more so when she thinks of Danny being around while Paulina is in a swimsuit. And what if a ghost attacks? She sighs and tries to be optimistic. "I am sure we will all have fun. I, uh, have to get home...but I will call you guys later, okay?"
Sam hurries down the street, leaving Danny and Tucker to exchange questioning looks before shrugging and heading to the Nasty Burger.
The stars are just beginning to poke through the darkening sky as Danny finishes patrolling Amity Park. As he hovers over a vacant street, his cell phone rings.
Sam.
"...Really? Are you serious? That's great! And you already told Tucker? Yeah, I'll be right there."
With a smile across his face, Danny flies toward Sam's house. As he phases through her window he asks, "So how did you convince your parents to..."
His voice trails off as he catches sight of Sam. He floats near her curtains as he takes in her appearance. Sam is wearing a pale purple sundress, sans combat boots and pony tail. Danny never noticed how long her hair has gotten; it grazes her bare shoulders.
"Wow, you look-"
"Stupid? Frilly? Utterly repulsive?" Sam interrupted.
Danny laughs and changes back into his human self. His feet softly land on the floor.
"I was going to say different. Definitely not repulsive."
Sam blushes and suddenly feels less angry about her mother blackmailing her into a ridiculous outfit.
"Well, don't get used to it." She says, pulling her hair back. She quickly lifts her dress over her head, revealing her normal clothes underneath.
As he settles himself on her bed, Danny notices that his heart is beating fast. He tries to play it cool and relaxed by placing his hands behind his head and staring up at the ceiling. He probably would have thought more of it if Sam's voice didn't break through his thoughts just then.
"Do you think Amity Park will survive without Danny Phantom for a week?" Sam sits down at the foot of her bed, mentally telling herself not to yell at Danny for putting his shoes on her new duvet.
"Sure, why not? Valerie's here. And Jazz."
Sam rolls her eyes and shoots Danny a you-gotta-be-kidding look. A peaceful silence settles over the room as the two teens get lost in their own thoughts. Shadows grow across the walls as the moon climbs higher in sky. Sam feels a sudden urge to move closer to Danny and just close her eyes. She quickly fights the idea away. Before she can make a list of reasons why that would be a horrible idea, Danny speaks up.
"Today in class..." He begins but stops. Sam waits for him to continue. She feels him shift from the other side of her mattress as he sighs and considers his words. "Mr. Lancer was going on about the PSATS or whatever, and it got me thinking. In a few years high school will end. Then what will we do? I can't imagine being somewhere far away from you...and Tucker."
Danny's question catches Sam off guard. She feels a sudden pain in her chest at the thought of all their adventures coming to an end. At the thought of them growing up apart. Her hometown without its phantom.
A knock at the door preempts any answer. Before she even had to say it, Sam sees Danny turn invisible mere seconds before the door opens. Sam's grandmother zips in on her scooter.
"I just wanted to say goodnight. And to tell you to tell your...friend to be on his best behavior this week. You know how your mother is."
"I will, Grandma." Sam says, bending over the scooter to give her a hug.
Just as her grandmother was about to shut the door, Sam says, "And thank you for convincing her to let Danny come."
"Oh, bubeleh, I know you wouldn't have had any fun without him. Sleep well."
The door closes and Danny becomes visible again.
"I am glad your grandma at least likes me." He says, lightheartedly. They both laugh.
Forgetting about that unfinished list, Sam yawns and moves next to Danny, resting her head on the pillows. At one point she must have fallen asleep, because a soft green light causes her to open her eyes.
Glowing above her head are the words 'goodnight Sam.' They hang in the air for a few more seconds before fading away in tiny swirls. Sam sits up quickly and realizes she is under her covers. A smile crosses her lips before she closes her eyes again.
"Goodnight Danny."
The next morning Jack Fenton bursts into his kitchen, startling a very drowsy Danny who is staring very intently into his bowl of very soggy Froot Loops.
"Danny! Look what I just finished! It's a nifty invention that will probably come in handy for you in some way I will never know about!"
Danny looks up, blinking at the talking blur of orange.
"Huh? What? Oh, that's great, dad."
Jack frowns, but doesn't let his son's lack of enthusiasm ruin his excitement. For a brief moment he considers calling for Jazz. Surely she would appreciate his genius. No time. He must share this work of sheer intelligence this very moment.
"I call it...the Fenton Ghost Duster!" He announces, pulling a small hexagon shaped piece of metal from his pocket. He turns it on and a blue feather extends and releases a cloud of dust in the room. "It is like a fingerprint kit. It can dust for ectoplasmic prints and help track where a specific ghost has been."
Danny looks down to see his cereal bowl glowing green with little smudges. This can't be good. Unfortunately, his father notices too.
"Danny! Your cereal bowl is haunted!"
Before Danny has time to react, Jack pulls a small ecto-gun from his suit and shoots the bowl off the table. It flies and crashes into the wall, sliding down into the sink.
"At least I don't have to put my dishes away." Danny says.
Undeterred and slightly proud of his excellent aim, Jack turns to rifling through the refrigerator for some well-deserved breakfast. He calls over his shoulder, "So Danny, are you ready to learn a thing or two about ghost hunting this week?"
"Actually," Danny begins, "Sam invited me to go to her aunt's lake home in Michigan. Can I go?"
"Michigan?" Jack pauses for a moment, his hand on the egg carton. "Those people up North are all nuts! But...they do make good cereal. And fudge. Lots of delicious fudge. I guess you can go. Just go ask your mother."
"Great!" Danny exclaims, then rushes out of the kitchen to find his mom.
"I think I will make some Jack Fenton Flapjacks!" Jack says to himself.
Sam's parents arrive promptly at ten o'clock, idling their car just outside Fenton Works. They don't dare go inside. Pamela Manson sighs as Sam and Tucker knock on the door. Her husband rests a reassuring hand on her shoulder.
The Fenton family exchange goodbyes and hugs. "Don't worry, little brother. I will take care of everything." Jazz whispers in Danny's ear as he hugs her. She wiggles the Fenton Thermos and smiles.
Danny forces himself to smile back. Things will all be okay.
After Danny secures his suitcase to the top of the car, he climbs past Sam and her grandmother into the very back seat next to Tucker. Jack, Maddy, and Jazz wave from their doorstep as the car starts down the road. If it hadn't been for the beeping of Tucker's video game, Danny would have heard his father yell a final farewell: "Bring back some fudge!"