Not Anymore


She didn't know what to do anymore. She really did love that idiot of a ghost hybrid, but it didn't really seem to matter what she did, he never became any less clueless when it came to her feelings. Even after all the teasing that Tucker did (and nearly got killed for), all the awkward blushing moments and what felt like millions of fake-out make-outs she entered with just a little too much enthusiasm for two people that swore to be only friends, he still couldn't seem to get how she felt through his thick skull. She wanted him to know, but his amazing ability to be completely oblivious coupled with her fear of messing their friendship up beyond repair made it rather hard for Sam to show her best friend how she really felt.

Any one who wasn't aware of just how clueless he really was would probably advise her to show a little jealousy when chased after other girls. Not enough to worry him, just enough for Danny to figure it out on his own and act on it if he wanted the same thing she did.

She'd been doing that since the beginning of freshman year and he never seemed to pick up on it.

Now, they were midway through sophomore year and while she was more than willing to wait on him to come to his senses, she didn't really know how much longer she could deal with feeling her heart break just a little more every time she saw him flirt with other girls he'd never have a chance with.

It's pretty safe to assume Sam was more than frustrated at this point and maybe that's why the events of that day happened the way they did.

Correction, that's exactly why that day happened the way it did. Not that anyone who knew the pair, with the exception of the Manson patriarch and matriarch, was complaining. In the words of anyone who saw them after that day, it certainly took them long enough.

It started off like every other day, a visit from the Box Ghost, Danny drooling over every mildly attractive girl he saw, Valerie hunting him down while he's trying to save her ass and Sam irritated with his cluelessness.

It was after the third fight that day that Sam finally couldn't take it anymore.

Danny powered down involuntarily behind the bushes Sam had been watching the previous fight from. Valerie was dangerously close and they both knew damn well it wouldn't be too hard for the red huntress to figure out who he was without some form of cover story. He looked to Sam, knowing there weren't an abundance of options at the moment and there really wasn't anytime to get away even if he tried.

The problem was that Sam didn't make the move she normally would have.

"Sam!" He got her attention, but she didn't move.

"No." She wasn't going to do this again, it was starting to hurt too much.

"Why not?" He looked to the sky anxiously, knowing it really was a miracle Valerie hadn't gotten over there yet.

The huntress was above them when Sam finally answered him in an uncharacteristically timid voice. "I'm tired of torturing myself with something that will never be real just to keep your cover." Had Valerie been really paying attention to that statement, she would have figured out Danny's little secret, but even she could tell this wasn't a moment to interrupt and rather than question the meaning of what being said, she flew off leaving the pair alone.

"Sam, what are you talking about?" Yup, Danny's cluelessness was once more making an appearance. It didn't take a genius to figure out what she meant.

"You're so damn clueless! Every fucking day I sit back and watch you drool over every other girl in school without complaint. Every fucking day I help you keep your secret. Every fucking day I stand by your side no matter what happens and you never seem to notice anything!" She was fighting back tears as she finally started to let loose the emotions she'd kept bottled up for so damn long.

"Sam..." Danny started to say something, but she cut him off. If she was going to break down in front of him because of this shit, she was going to make damn sure he realized he was the reason why.

"Don't 'Sam' me! Do you even realize just how clueless you are? The whole damn world could scream at you how I feel and you still wouldn't fucking get it!" Sam's rant died out as she finally gave in to her tears. She hated breaking down like this in front of anyone and she hated how scared she was that she had just practically told her best friend how she felt.

Danny was still trying to figure out how to react to this. He had realized how he felt for her a long time ago, but he'd kept it hidden for the same reasons she had.

"Sam…" He tried speak again, but was once more cut off.

"No, Danny." She was too far gone into her own emotional whirlwind to listen to him right now.

It was when the hybrid realized exactly how clueless he'd been that he very nearly smacked himself upside the head several times. The tears streaming down Sam's face were really the only thing that brought him to his senses enough to go a different route.

He kissed her softly without warning and held her close. He didn't bother with words she wouldn't listen to, he opted for actions Sam couldn't ignore. When he pulled back, Sam wasn't having any of it and pulled him back for another, deeper, kiss. Once they parted for the second time, Danny finally said the words he'd been too scared to speak and she had been waiting years to hear.

"I love you, Sam. I don't care what the hell happens to either one of us, I love you now and I'll love you until the universe is wiped from existence." It sounded cheesy and they both knew it, but Sam was more than willing to deal with it.

After all, she did have her Phantom now.


I seem to be in the mood for fluffiness lately... Oh well, nothing bad about that. :P

Comments and feedback are welcome as always! :D


Invisible One