I said I was never going to put this story up, but I found a solution to my problem so here it is, dedicated to none other than Bluemyst19, my living muse.

Downfall

The spring rains drenched the streets of Amity Park, washing away the remnants of a long nightmare. Green glowing ectoplasm flowed down the gutters, diluted by the cleansing waters and burnt away by the first lights of dawn, perhaps going back into the realm in which it belonged.

Three figures sat on the curb, their heads hanging down in what could have been exhaustion. The cool rain drenched them, and they shivered, but didn't move. They couldn't move, they didn't want to move. Moving meant accepting their fates. Moving meant letting go. Moving meant defeat.

Jasmine Fenton, 22 year old sister of Daniel Fenton, seasoned college student walked up, put her hands on her hips and sighed. She looked at the pitiful trio in sympathy then sat beside the girl with the short dark hair in complete disarray, tattered purple leggings and heavy combat boots.

The girl leaned into Jazz and the older girl held back her urge to cry as she put her arm around Sam Manson. Jazz couldn't tell if Sam was shivering from the cold, or shaking because she was crying; maybe it was both.

She looked at the boy sitting beside Sam. He was hunched over, his red hat missing, his yellow shirt had a few burnt looking holes in the sleeve. He was staring forlornly into the street, watching the ectoplasm as it faded away. Tucker Foley bore the look of someone who'd just watched everything he loved about life, crumble at his feet.

The third figure sat ram rod straight and stared almost unblinkingly off into the distance. Her long wavy hair was wet and reverting to kinky curls. Her orange headband was missing, she had bloody scratches traveling down the length of her arm. She looked almost like a zombie, sitting there with a blank expression on her face.

"Mom and Dad want you guys to come inside," Jazz said and Sam broke into sobs of despair. No one moved.

"They've called your parents," Jazz continued. Tucker turned his head and looked tiredly at Jazz.

"Do they want us to come home?" he asked hoarsely. Jazz shook her head and he sighed and turned his attention back to the river of ectoplasm and water seeping down the road.

"My parents are at a business meeting in Spain," Sam said blankly. "Grandma is in Florida. I doubt your parents spoke to them."

"My father is probably angry," Valerie whispered bleakly. "I'm going to be grounded for the rest of my life."

"It's really cold out here," Jazz told them. "Mom and Dad have blankets and hot cocoa." Not one of the trio acknowledged her words and she sighed. If she couldn't get them to come in, then her father would be out to forcibly remove them from the curb and the rain. Jazz had talked her parents into letting her try first. They were doubtful about letting Jazz take on the burden, but she explained to them that she needed to do something, to be useful.

"Tucker," Jazz said in a no nonsense voice. "Don't you have a job to do?" Tucker looked at her in confusion and Jazz looked at Sam then back at Tucker. He winced a little at the look in Jazz's eyes then took a deep breath.

"Sam," Tucker started as he put his hand on her back. "Let's go inside."

"No," Sam said. "I'm not leaving this spot until he comes back." Tucker stood shakily, took Sam by the arm and pulled the girl to her feet. She was too weak to do anything but squeak in protest. Tucker murmured something to Sam then gave Jazz a look which said, "How could you do this to me? Traitor." Jazz swallowed hard as she pressed her lips together and watched Tucker and Sam walk slowly into the house. She could see the figures of her parents standing in the door way, ready with warm towels and blankets.

"I can't go in there Jazz," Valerie said bleakly. "I don't belong."

"Don't be silly,' Jazz told her. "Of course you belong. You're one of Danny's friends. He…he would never turn one of his friends out."

"Isn't my father coming to pick me up?" The hunter asked.

"Mom talked to him. He said you can stay as long as you needed."

Valerie looked at Jazz for a moment then nodded her head. "You go in," she started. "I'll just wait a little longer."

"No," Jazz said firmly. "There will be no more waiting in the rain. You will come inside, now." She stood over Valerie for a moment, wondering if she'd have to use force, but the younger girl finally stood and walked swiftly into the house.

Jazz sighed deeply as she walked through the door and was immediately covered in a toasty warm blanket and enveloped in the arms of her father. She sighed deeply as she sank into her father's embrace and continued to resist the urge to cry.

"There's cocoa in the kitchen," her mother said as she cradled Valerie, who had broken down in Maddie's comforting arms and was crying her heart out on the woman's shoulder. "Jack go with Jazz." Jack nodded his head and lead his daughter away.

Sam and Tucker were sitting at the table both wrapped in blankets and staring blankly into cups of steaming cocoa. Jazz sat then looked at the pair. Danny's best friends. They had been pretty much joined at the hip since the second grade. Jazz had postulated theories that the trio was interdependent, unable to function properly one without the other.

The theory had started out as a silly joke when she first became interested in psychology and human nature, but her observation of the friends which she began when she was thirteen, and still kept notes on, showed that her assumption was true.

Both Tucker and Sam seemed completely lost. Jazz wondered vaguely what would happen to them if Danny disappeared for good. Would they recover? Would they break away from each other, becoming separate individuals? Or would they function like an animal who had lost an arm, going on as usual, but making compensations for the loss?

"You guys should drink your cocoa," Jazz said between sips of the hot chocolaty liquid. Both friends ignored her.

"Sam," Jazz called to the Goth girl, who didn't seem to hear her. "Drink your cocoa." Jazz bit her lip then looked at Tucker. He was staring down at the table, just like he had at the rivers of ectoplasm and water earlier.

"Tucker!" Jazz said in a business like tone. "Drink your cocoa!" Tucker's eyes flickered from the spot on the table where they were focused to the hot steaming liquid. His hands moved jerkily to the cup where he clasped it a moment then lifted it from the table, took a few small sips then placed it back down then looked at her as though he sought her approval.

"Good," Jazz told him as she smiled softly. "Now tell Sam to drink her cocoa." Tucker's eyes flickered and Jazz felt again as though Tucker thought she betrayed him.

"You need to drink your cocoa, Sam," Tucker said sadly. Sam's eyes flickered up to Tucker's face and then down to the cup. She picked it up slowly, took one sip before placing it back on the table then resuming her blank stare. Tucker looked again at Jazz as if to say, "Are you happy now? Can you leave me alone?"

Jazz smiled kindly at him as she picked up her own cup and took a few sips as if to say, "see it's not so bad." Tucker blinked a few times then turned his eyes back down and fixed his eyes to the same spot on the table.

"Oh man," Jazz said as she sipped her cocoa, she wondered if the two friends would be able to function at all ever again. She could imagine them in a hospital together. Sam mostly catatonic, listening only to Tucker. Tucker one step out of catatonia needing to be issued orders to complete the most basic of tasks.

The tears which had been prickling at Jazz's eyes finally slipped down her cheek as she reached for Tucker's glasses. He didn't even seem to notice that she'd taken them. She stood, walked to the sink then washed the rain spot spattered lenses then turned back and put them gently on his face. Tucker looked at her a moment as she replaced them on his face.

"Do you know where my hat is?" he asked almost hopefully. Jazz shook her head. Tucker sighed sadly the refocused his gaze on the table.

Jazz stood and looked from the kitchen into the living room. Her father was standing at the window, her mother was on the couch with her arm around Valerie.

"I'll be right back," she said to Sam and Tucker then slipped quietly out the back door. She held her blanket around her tightly as she ran around to the front yard then down the street, her eyes scanning the ground and the trees. Finally, she found it under a shrub, a red beret. She sighed as she picked it up, then ran back into the house.

"Jazz!" her mother who was now in the kitchen, scolded. "What were you doing?"

"Just looking for Tucker's hat," Jazz answered as she brandished the item in question and her mother gave her a look of consternation.

"You need to go upstairs and get out of those wet clothes young lady," her mother scolded.

"In a second Mom," Jazz told her as she dusted off the hat then placed it on Tucker's head.

"Thanks Jazz," Tucker said softly.

"You're welcome," Jazz told him as she stood behind Tucker and put her hands on his shoulders. She closed her eyes for a second and took a deep breath.

"Upstairs Jazz," Maddie ordered. "Now. Take a warm shower first. You've been chilled to the bone."

"I'm going," Jazz said. She was reluctant to leave Tucker and Sam, she felt very deeply that they needed her.

"Where's Valerie?"

"Asleep on the couch," Maddie answered then pointed up the stairs. Jazz sighed then looked at Sam who was still staring blankly at nothing.

"Tuck," Jazz said softly. "Take care of Sam." He nodded and she turned to head upstairs and take her shower and change.

"Something's really wrong with Sam," Maddie said to Jack as she watched Sam sitting at the table.

"She's catatonic," Jazz said as she placed a sandwich in front of Valerie, who thanked her softly. Sam was asleep in Jazz's room. Tucker had been placed in a cot at the foot of the bed, both had refused to stay in Danny's room.

"Tucker's not much better," Jack remarked as he shoved cookies into his mouth.

"Sam listens to Tucker," Jazz started. "If you want to talk to Sam. You have to go through Tucker."

"Tucker won't listen to me," Maddie sighed in frustration.

"He only listens to you," Jack remarked as he wiped cookie crumbs from his chest. "Why is that?"

"Because he's in love with her," Valerie said almost bitterly.

Jazz felt her cheeks burning and she cleared her throat. "I don't think it's that," she said quickly. "It's just the authorative tone I use."

"Yes," Maddie said as he held back a smile. "That must be it. You're so good at helping people Jazz."

Jazz nodded her head and took a deep breath. "I think I should go check on them," she said as she looked up the stairs.

"I think," Maddie began as she pulled out a chair and pointed to it. "That you should sit down and eat, and while you do, you can tell us what happened to your brother."

"She doesn't know," Valerie said softly, rescuing Jazz from having to spill her brother's secret to her parents. Jack and Maddie looked thoughtfully at Valerie.

"A ghost took him," she half lied. "We can't go after him right away, or we would have told you." She looked at Jazz who looked back with wide worried eyes.

"I-I really need to check on Sam and Tucker," Jazz said, feeling incredibly uncomfortable as she fled the kitchen. She didn't want to lie to her parents, she didn't want to sit there and listen to Valerie lie to them either, even if it was only by omission. She needed to talk to Sam and Tucker before the decision was made to tell her parents about Danny.

Jazz opened the door to her room and sighed. Sam was laying curled up in the fetal position with her back to the door. Tucker was laying on his back with his eyes closed. Jazz hesitated a moment then crept into the room and sat on the side of the cot. She looked into his sleeping face a moment then looked at Sam, whose breathing patterns indicated she was asleep.

"Tuck," Jazz whispered softly as she put his hand on his face. His eyes fluttered open and he looked at her sleepily, sighing deeply and smiling slightly.

"What?" he asked.

Jazz moved her hair behind her ear and looked worriedly into Tucker's eyes as his hand moved over hers, which was still on his face. He kept her hand clasped in his as he sat up, then looked at Sam.

"Are you all right?" Jazz asked breathlessly as she realized how close Tucker was. If she tilted her head right and leaned forward, she could kiss him. How crazy was that? Had they all lost their minds? Or maybe only she had…she and Danny.

"Yeah," Tucker answered tiredly as he looked toward Sam. "I don't know about her though." Jazz frowned and a look of uncertainty washed across his face.

Jazz ran her fingers through her hair and looked at Tucker for a moment, he was watching her with sorrowful hazel eyes and her heart squeezed in sympathy. He sighed shakily as he moved Jazz's hair back off of her face, and off her shoulders. She shivered a little then moved toward him, seeking to give comfort, and maybe take a little too; not intending to kiss him, just to hug him, but their lips met anyway, settling together as if that's where they belonged, firmly attached to each other.

The kiss ended as abruptly as it began and the two pulled away and looked at each other in shock. It was impossible to tell who moved first or what the other thought, but they were soon in another embrace. Jazz had to tease Tucker's lips apart with her tongue as she tried to soften his stiff lips, but soon their tongues were sliding across each other almost frantically, arms around each other, holding on tight.

Jazz could taste the salty flavor of tears as she kissed her brother's friend…her bother's friend, she kept saying it in her head, trying to cool her thoughts and control the situation as a strange fire raged through her, forcing her to cling to the boy she'd always considered unbearably annoying and incredibly geeky.

"J-Jazz," Tucker stuttered as they broke for air. His eyes were still closed and he was shaking.

Jazz opened her mouth, not sure what to say, her lips were still tingling and aching for more. She made some lame excuse to herself about testing out physical attraction as she put both hands on the side of his face and kissed him again, not needing to force her tongue past his lips this time as he opened his mouth to her freely.

The embrace ceased being frantic and hungry and became something else, slow and loving and incredibly sweet. Jazz felt as if all her bones were melting as Tucker held her. They moved so she was almost in his lap, held tightly in his arms. She was aware of making small singing humming noises and she was content, not ready to think rationally and end this moment, to just to love and be loved.

"I don't care that you guys are playing kissy face," came a bitter and angry voice from the bed. "But do you have to do it while I'm in the room?"

Tucker and Jazz broke apart, and looked toward Sam in complete and utter shock. Her back was still toward them, and she still seemed to be asleep. Jazz's face was bright red and both she and Tucker were fighting to catch their breath.

Jazz opened and closed her mouth as she looked at Tucker who was blinking at her in surprise. "I'm sorry," she finally said then stood and ran from the room. Tucker watched her go then laid back down on the cot, still breathing heavily as the feeling of loss overwhelmed him.

"Thanks a lot," he said bitterly to Sam. "My first kiss ever and you had to go and ruin it."

"Well my first kiss was a fake out make out," Sam spat. "So screw you Tuck."

"That doesn't count," Tucker said almost dreamily. "It only counts when you both mean it."

"And you think she really meant it, Tuck?" Sam asked angrily as she pulled her knees up tighter into her chest. "Get real. She's a Fenton. Fentons are clueless, they play with hearts and their kisses mean nothing!"

Tucker gave her a sad look she didn't see, then laid back down on the cot and pressed his fingers against lips that were desperately missing the ones who they'd been tasting earlier. He sighed deeply and closed his eyes, wondering if he'd ever get to kiss Jazz again.

"Oh god!" Jazz said as she stared at her kiss swollen lips in the bathroom mirror. "What did I just do?" She turned on the tap and splashed her burning cheeks with cold water. She opened her eyes then screamed in fright as she looked into a pair of glowing green eyes moving at her through the mirror.

"Hey Jazz," Danny said, his voice almost sing songy and sinister.

"Danny," she sighed in relief. "Where have you been?"

"Getting my head on straight," Danny answered then laughed scarily. "I went to Sam's house. She's not there. She's not in my room. Where is she?"

Jazz looked at Danny in shock. "I-I don't know Danny," she said slowly so she had time to think. "What do you mean she's not home?"

"Don't play with me Jazz," Danny said as he pushed his sister back against the bathroom wall.

"She's with Tucker," Jazz answered, it was the truth. Danny looked confused for a moment then took off. Jazz then ran into her room.

"Tuck!" she said breathlessly. "Danny was here! Looking for Sam!"

"What?" both Tucker and Sam said in union. Jazz shot a brief look at Tucker and flushed bright red again.

"He went to Tucker's house, I think," Jazz told them. "We should get out of here before he gets back!"

"Why?" Sam asked. Jazz didn't have an answer.

"Because Danny's gone off the deep end," Tucker finally said. "Lost his marbles."

OK now I am going to work on Disclosures, come hell or high water.

Review?