Hey, all you beautiful people out there! Thanx for patiently reading and reviewing. Hope you like this one…..

I own nothing and never will…….

'Aaachoo!!!!'

The 19-year-old girl sick in bed muttered a few choice words. Samantha Manson- Sam- was down with a cold.

She was dog tired and awfully cold. Her pajamas did nothing to warm her frozen body.

The top was purple with a curvy gothic rose on it and the sleeves were criss-crossed with black lace. The top ended just above her belly-button nicely showing the naval ring which she had got in high-school.

The bottom was black, with purple crosses all over it and fell loosely till her mid-thighs.

Her purple comforter covered her completely shielding her from the icy blast that hit her room through the open window. Even beneath her comforter, she shivered.

She had gotten into the habit of leaving the window opened. The cold reminded her of Danny and even when he was not around, comforted her.

3….2…..1….she counted mentally. 'Sam!' she heard an indignant shout as the window slid shut and the room became slightly warm. She smiled, but remained in the sanctuary of her comforter. She felt the heater being turned on.

Her comforter was lifted off her and she felt herself staring into icy blue eyes…..

'What the hell, Sam? You trying to get frost bite or something? Do you know what the temperature is out there?'

Sam grinned. Trust Danny to come into her room at 1:30 in the night…morning….whatever, knowing exactly when she needed him.

'Hey Danny!' she said, her nose blocked and giving her a scruffy accent.

'See what I mean? Isn't there anybody at home, Sam?' He ran out of the room, completely ignoring her greeting and came back in a few seconds, armed with a wet towel and a basin of hot water. He laid it on her forehead.

'God Sam!' he said feeling her forehead. 'You're burning up. Get up!' Sam obeyed surprised. Danny leaned over pressing his head and cheek against her, in an attempt to cool her body.

Sam gasped. Danny either didn't hear it or ignored it, 'coz he pulled her closer slowly gradually cooling her body

Sam couldn't concentrate .Was she dreaming or what? Please let it be or what She reached over and touched his cheek.

He pulled back surprised. Sam's eyes were hazy and filled with something he couldn't place. It looked like she was under the influence of a delirium trigger.

'Sam?' he ventured. 'Are you…um….ok?' That snapped her back to reality. 'Um….yeah! Sorry Danny!' There was slight uncertainty in her voice.

He smiled. Gently lifting the comforter off her, he pulled her into his arms. 'Trust me, Sam!' he whispered, almost huskily. Carrying her bridal style, he took her downstairs and gently placed her on the couch.

The whole house was as still as a graveyard. Every statue, every painting seemed to be watching them with bated breath.

'Danny?' Sam questioned, dazed. 'Shhh! You need your rest. But trust me; I'll make you feel better.'

He went into the kitchen and after successfully ransacking the medicine cupboard came back armed with a bottle named, "SINECOD"

Sam shuddered. 'Eww!!! Danny…..no way, I'm drinking that. It tastes like animal waste. Danny smirked. 'You've tasted animal waste?'

Sam glared. 'C'mon Danny! Don't make me drink that! I'll do anything.'

Danny's eyes gleamed. He could think of a lot of things he wanted to make her do. He shook his head. His main aim for now was to make Sam drink the medicine.

'C'mon Sam!' he cooed. 'Uncle Danny will get his widdle Sammy-Wammy a wowipup!!!'

Sam screwed up her nose. 'Danny, I'm serious! Please don't make me drink that.'

'C'mon Sam! I promise I'll do anything if you only drink this.' The boy crossed his heart with his left index finger.

Sam stared. He would do anything to get her to drink the medicine? How could she resist? That sounded tempting. She was human after all.

'Hmmm…..' she put one finger under her chin, looking up at the ceiling pretending to think deeply. 'What is it that I want so much that I'll go any extent to get it? Even drink the disgusting thing you hold?' she asked partly to Danny.

Danny shrugged, waiting confidently, assuring himself that he could do anything that Sam threw at him. No sooner than he though that, than Sam looked up.

Her amethyst eyes dancing with mirth and mischief, she took a few baby steps towards him. Danny's eyes widened considerably. This could not be good. His mind screamed bloody murder and urged him to run for his life. But the hero in him- his phantom counterpart wouldn't allow that.

She advanced slowly, enjoying the weary look that the ghostly hybrid gave her. 'Are you sure your widdle Sammy can have whatever she wants Uncle Danny?' She mock-pouted.

Danny, feeling more terrified than ever took a step back and then stopped. His face split into a mocking grin. Oh, two can play at that game.

'Sure Sammy. Your Uncle Danny never goes back on his word. You can have whatever you want.'

Sam stood still for a second. What's with the stress on the word, your? She grimaced. Better safe than sorry.

'Cut the crap Danny. I don't want to drink the medicine. I'll be fine. I promise.' But Danny wasn't ready to give up so easily.

He walked steadily forward, his lips set in a sexy half-smile. 'C'mon Sam!' he took a chug from the spoon he held. 'See, I didn't die. It can't be that bad.'

He stopped a hair's breadth away from her face. Sam froze as she felt his breath on her lips. It smelt fresh and minty tangled with honey.

Sam closed her eyes and took a deep breath. 'Aaaachoo!!' Danny winced. She clasped her hand over her mouth; her eyes wide open in horror.

He closed his eyes and Sam wondered if she had chased him away for away. The sides of his eyes creased as he chuckled and then he burst out laughing.

Sam, surprised stood gaping as his deep; baritone laughter rang out in the empty corridors. A moment later, she giggled with him, although she had no idea why he was laughing.

'Way to ruin a romantic moment, Sammy.' Danny wheezed, clutching his torso and shaking in mirth. 'You'll be fine, huh? I, for one don't think so.'

Sam's head was spinning. Romantic? She completely zoned out. God! This was too much for her poor, sick brain to comprehend. She felt dizzy and a moment later, the world faded around her.

Danny, out of intuition felt that something was wrong and looked up to see Sam swaying. Moving like lightning, his eyes widened in alarm as she slumped against his chest.

Making a split-second decision, Danny sent caution to hell in a picnic basket and ran out of the mansion, transforming into his alter-ego in plain sight. Luckily for him, for the first time in his life, Lady Luck was on his side and the street was deserted.

Launching himself into the air, the only thought that plagued his mind while he defied gravity was- Please let Sam be okay.

Sam struggled with her mind, as a voice beckoned her back to reality. Her mind seemed pretty adamant to reach out to the caller's voice. Oh, the irony! Sam thought humorlessly. I never thought a day would come when I'd be fighting with my own mind.

'Sam!' Warm breath caressed her face. 'I'm not getting up!' she mumbled defiantly. A husky chuckle followed her statement.

Sam screwed up her closed eyes. Definitely familiar and masculine.

'I'm not asking you to get up, Sammy. Just open your eyes, so that I know you're fine.' The voice whispered affectionately.

Sam's eyes shot open as she recognized Danny's voice. Before she could make any sense of the blurry images before her, a brown hand encased her in a hug. A different voice spoke, 'Sam! Don't ever do that again.'

Sam smiled as she recognized Tucker. She gave him a friendly punch. 'I'm okay Tucker.' Her voice came out in a croak. Immediately her eyes opened wide. 'What happened to my voice?'

The next second, she felt another pair of hands go around her and she felt the tension ooze out of her. 'Shhh! It's ok Sam. You're ill. Your voice will be alrite as you get better.' She looked up into icy blue eyes again.

This time, they held an assurance that everything would be alrite. And she believed them, like she did always.

Neither of them noticed as Tucker's sneaky figure left the room quietly.

Sam was just fine the way she was. Danny lat her go and sat down on the chair placed next to her. She looked expectantly at him. He suddenly found the wall behind her head very interesting.

'Well Danny? Care to tell me why I am in a hospital?' Danny sighed.

'No big deal. You fainted on me, Sam. And I panicked. Next thing I know I'm bringing you in here and I guess from my face they sensed my urgency. Next thing I know they took you from my arms and made me call Tucker. And here we are.'

He shrugged indifferently. Sam looked at him curiously. There was something he was still hiding from her.

He took a deep breath and looked back at her. 'Alrite! Enough with the pretending. Sam, don't ever do that to me again. You get me? The time we were waiting for you to get up were the worst few in my life.'

Sam chuckled. 'It's ok Danny. It's not like I am going to die. Besides...' she lowered her face. 'No one's even going to miss me if I…..' She felt his coarse hand on her mouth.

'Don't say that Sam.' He said. 'What am I then, a piece of wood? And Tucker? Are we nothing to you, Sam?'

He looked down. 'Truth is I'd probably go nuts if you…if you…' he trailed of unable to complete it.

Sam cupped his chin lifting it to look at her. Her eyes were shining with unshed tears. 'You really mean that Danny?' The look he gave her said no duh. 'And you know what? I'm not going to be chicken anymore.'

He leaned over, gently cupping her chin and put his lips on hers. In that one second, Sam was struck with a whirlwind of emotions. They washed over her and then vanished before she could comprehend them.

Ecstasy….. wait, she lost the last one. He gently coaxed her into responding, which she did eagerly. Her hands rose to cup the back of his neck. After an eternity of long-denied bliss, Danny pulled away.

Sam looked at him with half-lidded eyes. Danny smirked. Sam's eyes opened wide. 'What?' She croaked her voice still a bit unsteady.

Danny smiled widely. The door opened gently and Tucker walked in, holding two coffee cups in his hand. He took one look at Sam's hazy eyes and red face and Danny's wide grin and his face broke into a smile.

'So you finally told her?' he asked Danny, feeling his heart swell with happiness. They had been through so much and deserved the comfort only they could give each other.

Danny nodded. 'Wait, finally?' Sam's eyebrow rose questioningly. Danny blushed red. Tucker laughed. 'Danny's been waiting like for ever to tell you that he…' 'Wait, Tucker. Maybe I should tell her that.' Danny's voice interrupted.

Sam looked at Danny. He leaned over her again. 'Sam, listen. I know this might come as quite a shock, but hear me out and don't faint on me. We kinda have been friends since we were in diapers though your mom never really approved of our friendship…'

'Danny…' 'No Sam, don't interrupt. I might never be able to do this again. Throughout my life, whatever or whoever wasn't there, you have always been a constant. You have seen me through the Paulina face, the time with Valerie, my parents, Phantom everything. I know I'm rambling, but I have to… need to say this!'

He took a deep breath, 'Sam, there's just so much more to say. But to make a long confession, short…' Sam's eyes lit up.

'I know I've hurt you a lot, but even then you've always been there for me. You're just so thoroughly annealed into my life that your sort of like air….you know? Something I take for granted but cannot do without.' He buried his head into his hand, embarrassed.

Sam looked delighted, Tucker looked amused.

Danny looked up again. 'Ok, I'm just going to say it. Sam, I'm in love with you.'

Sam's eyes watered again and she fell back on her pillow. Danny said, almost hysterically, 'Sam! Don't faint on me. I'll take all that back if you want.'

Tucker shook his head. Sam smiled up at Danny. 'C'mere you.' She pulled him in for a kiss. She sighed as Danny deepened it.

Tucker had the decency to blush. She let go of him and grinned. 'Danny, you idiot. You have no idea how long I've wanted you to say that.'

Tucker smirked, as Danny sneezed. 'I only hope that you didn't pass your cold to Danny, Sam!'

Danny felt his heart grow wings. 'Wanna ditch this joint?' he asked in a poor imitation of Dash, jerking his thumb outwards.

Sam laughed. She had been doing that a lot lately. 'Sure, only if you stop doing that though.' 'Anything for you, beautiful.' He said making Sam blush to the roots of her raven hair.

He scooped her up and in a flash had turned into Phantom. As he floated a few inches above the ground, Tucker said waving maniacally, 'Don't do anything that I wouldn't.'

Sam gave a shout of laughter, 'you'd do anything Tucker.' Tucker grinned. 'Well in that case, have fun.'

All Tucker heard was a mirthful chuckle as Danny zoomed away; Sam tucked safely in his hand.

This is the story of how two youngsters, after being through things that people their age wouldn't be able to imagine, finally open the floodgates of their hearts, to let the other in and were finally allowed to love.

Isn't this worth all the trouble Danny went through to make her drink the medicine?

I dedicate this to everyone out there who has a sweet heart. But hasn't found the courage to tell this person about it.

I have only one word of advice for you, "Go get 'em Tiger!'

I know I've yet to update Alluring. I'll do it soon. Promise. Meanwhile….R&R, pretty please?