Author's Note: This is just a really twisted story I have had on my mind lately. I have an ending but I don't know if I will ever make it to there. I also have another weird story being written out and I am also still working on the sequel to "Call to Change It All". Let me know what you all think.
The little girl ran to the door shouting she was going outback to play. Instead of making it through the door she was snatched up by a pair of strong arms. She squirmed a little but gave up letting out a sigh, and then a laugh when she was tickled.
Danny: and where do you think you're going?
Delia: aw Daddy let me play outback, please?
Danny laughed slightly at her held out please.
Danny: ten minutes then come in and wash up for dinner. I want you on your best behavior because we have a guest tonight.
Delia: like a girl guest?
She sounded a little disgusted, she didn't like when her dad brought girls over to their house.
Danny: more like a really good old friend guest. Now go play before you run out of time.
Danny set her back down on the ground and let her take off running outback. He then turned and started on dinner every two minutes or so checking up on his daughter. After fifteen minutes, five more minutes than he said, he called her in to get washed up. Just as Delia ran inside the doorbell rang, Danny slightly panicked that his guest was early and ran up to catch up to his daughter who had already answered the door. There he saw his old best friend standing there, tall, and talking to his daughter. He scooped her up smiling at her.
Danny: didn't I say something about going and washing the dirt off your hands.
Delia: oh yeah
Danny: (mockingly) oh yeah
He put Delia back down, and she ran upstairs not wanting to waste too much time. Danny then turned back to his old friend smiling.
Danny: hey Tucker, you haven't changed a bit.
Tucker half laughed as he walked in knowing Danny wasn't the one who was good at small talk or starting a conversation.
Tucker: how about we talk about you having kid. When did this happen? Whatever happened to I can't endanger people I care about?
Danny: it wasn't planned, and since Delia I've given up being a superhero.
Tucker: so is your wife anywhere for me to torture you with horrible stories of your past.
Danny: no, no wife.
Tucker: then what's the story?
Danny: It's kind of long, and I'd rather hear about you? I mean it's been how many years and I just get a phone call from you out of no where
Tucker: Yeah I meant to stay in contact but you disappearing off the face of the earth didn't help
Suddenly Tucker felt something pull on the bottom of his pants, he looked down and saw Delia standing there, and she was a splitting image of her father, from hair to eyes.
Delia: who are you?
Danny then scooped up the five year old off the floor.
Danny: Delia, this is my very good friend Tucker.
Delia: hi I'm Delia I'm this many
She held her hand.
Delia: and soon I'll make it to my other whole hand then I'll be all grown up and daddy will finally tell me what he said he would when I was older.
Danny: Older as in my age
Delia: well how many hands are you?
Danny: I'm five hands and two fingers.
Delia: you're as old as a dinosaur!
Tucker laughed at the face Danny made and the way his daughter tried to mimic it. Delia soon lost interest in trying to make faces at her father and perked back up.
Delia: Daddy what's for dinner?
Tucker: you cook?
They all sat at the table eating, well Tucker was actually moving it around wondering if it would really be edible.
Danny: Oh come on Tuck if she eats it, it has to be at least enjoyable. Unlike my parents cooking
Delia: Daddy says I'm a very –very – uh what was that word you use?
Danny: (laughing) Picky?
Delia: yeah that
Tucker: well I can say at least this food hasn't eaten me
Delia: what? Food can eat you?
Danny: Tucker!
Tucker: uh sorry
Danny: Delia, it's not going to eat you, finish what's on your plate
Delia: but I don't like veggies,
Tucker: I'm with you on that kid, you got a dog I can sneak them too
Delia: no! Daddy said no doggies, but I'm going to ask Santa anyway
Tucker: dude you hate Christmas
Danny: will you can it
Delia looked down at her plate and saw the pile of mixed vegetables wondering how she would get them to disappear without having to eat them, she knew that the cookies in the top cabinet were calling her name and she wouldn't get one unless her veggies were all gone. She looked up when her Dad and his friend's plate were cleared and she went to hand her plate over thinking if she pulled the innocent look then maybe he would let it slide, but it was no such luck when he placed the plate back at the table.
Danny: three more bites or no cookies.
Delia: but they have been calling my name all day.
Danny: three more teensy bites are not going to kill you.
Delia knew her dad would stand here all night if it took that long, but she couldn't wait that long for him to give out or wait that long for her cookies. She took the three smallest bites she could get away with and her dad smiled taking the plate from her. He reached up pulled down a bag of cookies handing two to her and watched her skip off.
Danny: want one? I didn't make them, the babysitter did.
Tucker: nah
Danny shrugged placing a cookie in his mouth and putting the bag back in the out of reach cabinet over the fridge. He turned and leaned against the counter.
Danny: sorry for all the fuss, I couldn't get the babysitter tonight.
Tucker: I don't mind, nice to see how much my best friend has changed, who would have known you would be so responsible
Danny: I wasn't the one who failed family health
Tucker: not my fault
Danny: Sam thought it was
Tucker: oh so you do still do remember her?
Danny: why wouldn't I? She was our best friend?
Tucker: and you had a total crush on her.
Delia then came running in, butting into the conversation she was listening to outside of the room.
Delia: Ew daddy has a crush on someone
Tucker: he even wanted to kiss her
Delia: oh that's gross
Danny and Tucker laughed. Danny bent over scooping the little girl into his arms.
Delia: daddy you're not going to marry her are you?
Danny: aw you know you're the only girl for me.
Danny pecked her a kiss forehead, and Delia smiled.
Delia: Daddy you're so silly
Danny: so I've heard, alright princess you have about half an hour before bath and bed time, I suggest you use it wisely and leave me and Tucker for some adult talk
Delia: (to Tucker) soon I'll be old enough to know what adult talk is
Danny set her on the ground and she went running off into the playroom.
Tucker: so who's the mom?
Danny: Danni
Tucker: Whoa, that's sick!
Danny: she's Danni's daughter not mine, well if you want to get really scientific and technical then I guess she sorta really is mine. I just wish I could have saved her mom too, but I never found a cure.
Tucker: does she know?
Danny: she knows half of it. She knows her mom isn't alive.
Tucker: and your parents
Danny: no, they don't know. They just think she is my daughter.
There was a short silence, Tucker wondering what to even say next.
Danny: so you never told me why you called or how about why did you bring Sam up?
Tucker: oh that slipped my mind, I got a call a few days ago and I guess they would have called you but you were unlisted, but I just called your parents who gave me your number and then-
Danny: Tucker point please
Tucker: Right, they locked Sam up
Danny: finally murder someone
Tucker: no they think she's crazy, she doesn't remember anything from the present only the past; she also said something about Skulker, she gave them our names to prove she wasn't crazy so they want us to come down and talk to some of the doctors. Danny you and I both well know Sam isn't insane like that, maybe a little crazy, but not like that, she claims of the return of a new reign. It has to be something to do with the ghost zone.
Danny looked more shock than ever.
Danny: we have to get down there now
Tucker: well what about Delia?
Danny: how far do we have to go?
Tucker: we'll be there by morning if we drive all night, I can probably get us in her place and we could stay the night there.
Danny: I guess you're all packed and ready?
Tucker: yeah, but I can head out tonight and you call when you know-
Danny: we'll be ready by tonight.
Danny then walked out of the room, and up the stairs. Tucker followed closely quite confused. Danny walked into his bed room pulling a suitcase out from under the bed and began packing.
Tucker: Danny?
Danny: I can't let them do this to Sam! Not for something that is my entire fault.
Tucker: your fault?
Danny: Skulker has always wanted me, and now he was going to use her to get to me, I guess because he is a little un-updated about Sam and me. Whatever happened to her anyway?
Tucker: well after you left saying you couldn't endanger us anymore we kinda slowed up a lot of contact, not on purpose just went our separate ways.
Once Danny was finished packing he gave Delia her bath as he explained they were going someone where to help out a friend, he put her in her pajamas and packed for her and they were all on their way for an all night drive.
Tucker was driving the first half as Danny tried to get Delia to sleep, then at the half way point they would switch and Danny would drive the rest of the way. Danny sat in the back seat holding his daughter stroking her hair gently trying to help her fall asleep.
Danny: come sweetie try to get some sleep, we'll be driving all night.
Delia: will you tell me a bed time story?
Danny: which one do you want to hear?
Delia: Robin Hood
Danny: hmm I don't think I know that one, how about you tell it to me?
Delia: well he was this guy who stole from the rich and gave to the poor, and the prince didn't seem to like him very much.
Danny: wow really, was it over a girl?
Delia: isn't it always?
Danny: (laughing) did she have a name?
Delia: Maid Marian
Danny: how does it end?
Delia: well Robin Hood saved everyone from the prince and he and Maid Marian lived happily ever after.
Danny smiled at her not realizing how tired he actually was until his eyes felt heavy.
Delia: daddy…?
Danny: hmm?
Delia: This girl we're going to help… she's not going to replace mommy is she?
Tucker glanced in the mirror back at the father and daughter, listening quite closely.
Danny: Delia sweetie, no one could ever replace your mom …. But if one day I do find someone who makes me very happy then she could be your stepmom, but she will never replace your mom.
Delia: I hear stepmom's are mean
Danny: only in Cinderella, and that was just a story. I promise you that if you do get a stepmom, she will never be mean.
Delia yawned wide as she nodded. Danny smiled at her as she slowly fell asleep. Tucker looked in the mirror again seeing Danny trying to fight off falling asleep.
Tucker: Man I suggest you sleep if you're going to be driving the second half.
Danny: yeah you're right.
Danny closed his eyes realizing he was half sitting up with his daughter curdled up in his arms and since she had just fallen asleep he couldn't move. He laid his head against the window and shut his eyes hoping he was tired enough to sleep in this position.
Once they hit the halfway point Danny took over the driving while Tucker helped with directions in the passenger sleep as quiet as possible because Delia was fast asleep in the car. Soon after about an hour Tucker had also fallen asleep. Danny stared at the road in front of him trying to concentrate. Finally he came to where the road met the dirt road. He slowed up checking the directions nothing was really around except for that path and another road that veered off. He kept straight heading up the dark trail; there was nothing but forest around. Finally after coming up a hill he saw the decent sized home that stood tall. He then nudged Tucker. Tucker opened his eyes lifting his head.
Danny: this it?
Tucker looked ahead then down at his PDA.
Tucker: yeah …
Tucker and Danny stepped out of the car, Tucker heading to the door after getting the bags and Danny grabbing the sleeping Delia and carrying her to the door. Danny phased all of them through the door and into the rather large house. Inside was a huge mess, broken lamps and stuff thrown around. Both could tell Sam put up a struggle when they came to get her.
Danny: I'm going to go find a place to put this one to sleep
Danny then walked up the staircase and into what looked like a guest room. He softly placed Delia down on the bed tucking her in gently and giving her kiss goodnight. He then found his way back downstairs and reexamined the mess. He sighed and started to clean up trying to keep his curious eyes off the papers. He stopped and looked when he saw a picture of her from what was probably a profile he guessed left by a doctor, most likely because of fight she put up. Sam looked so different than he remembered. Her hair short and wavy and still dark as ever, her eyes burn intensely and she still wore black but she was … heh all grown up and mature. Her clothes were defiantly more professional and dressy as was her look, but her image was still there. He stood up ready to place it on the desk and then another photo caught his eye. It was framed on her desk one from senor trip of the three of them. He smiled guessing he himself had changed too and so had Tucker.
Tucker: she tried to call you
Danny: how could you know that?
Tucker held up her phone.
Danny: we shouldn't go through her stuff.
Tucker: yeah, but I kinda want to know what our Goth chick has been up to all these years
Danny: we better get some sleep, since we'll be heading over later this morning early afternoon.
Danny then walked up the stairs pausing when he heard the door creek. He slowly walked towards the now cracked door getting ready to attack. He found the room empty but he swore he heard and saw something disappear as he entered. He looked around the room coming to the conclusion this must be Sam's room. Her room was fairly simple; it had a desk with a flower and stationary on it, a small piano, an iron bed, balcony, small fireplace, and a bathroom. Danny could tell the house was very old and she was not the first to own it. Nothing in the house seemed new. Danny wondered what would ever possess Sam to even buy this place he hasn't seen anything special about it, it defiantly needed a lot of fixing up, and – he stopped thinking when he walked out onto the balcony, the view was amazing, breath taking. The hills rolled with trees and forest and there below her was a garden full of colorful flowers, nothing around here was urbanized, it was away from everything. It wasn't the house she fell in love with the view, and the location. He sighed seeing the sun come up, no use getting sleep now he thought.
He walked in yawning more tired than he thought he was a moment ago, he paused looking at the bed. It still had not been made and there was an indent in the pillow. He began to slowly get lost in his thoughts again as he walked over to the other side of the bed and laying down looking at the empty side almost able to feel her there. "She was the hardest thing letting go. She got so mad at me for doing so; I guess I should have explained a little more than I did. But if I explained more then she would never let me go. I just wish I didn't have to be a jerk to keep her away. If only she knew I did it to keep her safe, to save her. Damn this is my entire fault. If I had just done what I was supposed to do then she wouldn't be hurt. And if it turns out the Guys in White have her I swear - …" Danny's thoughts trailed off as he ended up drifting off into a sleep.
Danny awoke being shaken. He saw his daughter looking at him; he took a deep breath rubbing the side of his head trying to figure out what exactly was going on.
Danny: hmm, good morning princess. Did you sleep well?
Delia: yeah … I have a question
Danny: it's a little early for your questions
Delia: it's really simple
Danny: okay I'll do my best
Delia: did mommy have purple eyes …
Danny scrunched his face a little confused, he had never actually shown Delia a picture of her mom, not that he had one either, but he told her plenty of stories, but purple eyes…?
Danny: Why do you want to know that?
Delia: well downstairs I saw a picture of you and this girl with purple eyes.
Danny: sweetie that's just my old friend we're helping out, if you ever want to know what your mom looked like just look in the mirror because you are her to t. Now how about we get some breakfast…
Delia: I already had some
Danny: you did?
Delia: Tucker made some. Then told me to wake you up. He said to tell you-uh-uh get your lazy behind out of bed because we have to hit the road.
Danny chuckled then looked for a clock to check the time, and he realized there was something he never noticed last night, there were no clocks. He then sighed picking his phone out of his pocket and checking the time, it was already eleven, meaning he should have left a half hour ago.
Danny jumped out of bed walked over to his bag pulling out some clothes for Delia and a sweatshirt for himself, hoping he didn't smell too bad from not showering this morning. He then rushed out the door leaving the driving to Tucker who luckily seemed a little more awake and somewhat knowing where he was going. The ride seemed long; it probably was due to Sam's house being in the middle of nowhere. Once they got there everything seemed to feel unreal and now he and Tucker were looking into a two way mirror at a restrained Sam. Her hair was frizzed out and her eyes were exhausted. She was currently laying on her side staring at them; Danny guessed she knew that they could see in.
Doctor: okay we'll go in and give her a little something to calm her down then one of you may go in a talk to her.
Danny: she won't hurt me; there is no need for that.
Delia: Daddy …
Danny: it's okay sweetie. You go back with Tucker okay, be good for him.
Delia: okay Daddy.
Tucker: call me when you want me to come get you.
Danny passed Delia over to Tucker as he walked in. Sam didn't sit up she looked up at him in almost shock, but only in her eyes. Everything Danny wanted to say and ask escaped from his mind and his mouth turned to mush.
Sam: you came?
Her voice was raspy and weak. Danny smiled at her thankful for her recognizing him.
Danny: of course I came
Danny sat down as Sam struggled, a little, to sit up. It was quiet; neither of them spoke, Sam just sat and stared at the mirror.
Danny: are you-
Sam: they're listening, they're watching.
Danny gave her an encouraging smile; he stood up and walked out. The doctors were standing there at the mirror watching.
Danny: she won't talk unless she has privacy.
Doctor: she must be supervised at all times, she can cause harm to you or herself …
Danny: look she's not going to pull anything, just give us five minutes …
The doctor looked down at the charts and then into the two -way mirror, where he met a cold stare from the patient.
Doctor: you will be locked in there and if it anything happens it is not our fault. Just sign this.
He handed Danny a form and he signed it willingly and then walked back into the room. He heard a loud clank and a click. Sam looked nervous and scared.
Danny: it's only us
Sam: I'm not crazy
Danny: I believe you
Sam: they think I'm crazy …
Danny: it doesn't matter what they think
The air was thick with the awkward silence. Danny looked at Sam who kept her wide eyed stare at the mirror. But she seemed to be looking past it. He cleared his throat.
Danny: um we're staying at your house …
Sam: you're … you're just like him? You think I'm crazy!
Danny: was it Skulker?
Sam: skulker?
Danny: was it Skulker who hurt you?
Sam: I … he? Damn it!
Danny: it's okay
Sam closed her eyes concentrating she could feel the room shifting and spinning beneath her, as she imagined what happened. Only the room never changed, it remained the same. Sam's eyes then flickered open.
Sam: η ημέρα του βασιλιά (the day of the king)
Sam's eyes melted to fear and her bottom lip quivered. The tears welted in her eyes, and she threw herself to the floor. He was slightly shocked at her state. She was always so strong, and never cried in front of him. She seemed crazy enough to be in this place. He knew that was wrong, something happened to her and she wasn't crazy just scared. Just then two men in uniform and a doctor entered the room. Sam immediately started screaming.
Sam: NO! Get out! Get away!
Doctor: Ms. Manson, I'm just giving you something to calm you down!
Sam: NO!
Danny watched in horror as the two men held her down as she kicked and threw a fit while the doctor tried giving her the shot.
Sam: NO! Get away!
Doctor: hold her still!
Sam: Danny! Help me!
Danny moved to help her out, but was then escorted out of the room with a warning of being arrested. He watched from the two way mirror as she kicked and screamed until then finally injected the shot in her arm and she slowly began to wind down and drift off to sleep. The two men and the doctor then walked out of them room. They walked up to Danny, who was looking at Sam who was passed out on her side face down.
Doctor: she isn't stable, I know you think we're only hurting her but it's for the best.
Danny: She is not crazy
Doctor: Sometimes it's hard to accept something like this when you are so close to the person, now if you'll excuse me I have other patients to attend to.
Danny watched the doctor walk off down the long hallway; he then turned back and looked at Sam. He began to wonder what if he was right. Was she really crazy and he didn't want to see it?
A nurse walked up and placed a hand on his shoulder; he turned and looked at her. She decided to take pity and help him out.
Nurse: I should be telling you to leave, (whispering) but I see you really want to help your friend. She will be awake in a little bit, if they decide she is calm and stable enough they will allow her out for a walk, but she has not been allowed out of that room for a week.
Danny: (whispering) what can I do?
Nurse: (whisper) go to the front desk and ask for forms E15, take them to reception desk in B hallway and ask for Marge, tell her you're the divorcee and you wish to have alone time to be with her, turn it into some sob romantic story, she's a sucker for those so she'll give you all the connections you need.
Danny: (whisper) thank you, I do have one question. Why are you helping me?
Nurse: (whisper) She has so much fight in her, I have seen women come in here have just as much fight as her and they lose it, they give up and now they are basically just a body, I don't want that to happen to her. She's already starting to lose the fight it's only a matter of time before they- ….
Danny: (whisper) they what?
Nurse: (whisper) I've said too much already. (Louder) Sir I told you I can't help you until you go fill some forms.
The nurse then turned and walked away in the same direction as the doctor. Danny then immediately took off to the front desk to get the forms he needed.