Chasing Destiny a Danny Phantom story

Rating: T
Pairings: N/A yet.

Full Summary: Samantha Manson had always felt that she was destined for bigger and better things then the mundane life she's been leading since graduation. There had always been that feeling that she had more of a purpose to her life than the one she's living now. So when she has this urge to pick up the hitchhiker she spots on the side of the road, she knows that her whole life will change. While she doesn't know how, she knows that this blue eyed, raven haired stranger, his secret, and his own destiny are intertwined with her own. That is, if she can find it. Her destiny, that is. Semi-AU

Chapter One: Meetings in the Rain


It was raining for the third time that week as Sam Manson drove home from work. The recently 21 year old young woman cursed the weather as she made the commute from the office to her apartment. Her bright headlights cut into the dark, highlighting the sheets of rain that fell from the clouded sky, darkening Sam's already sullen mood. As her hybrid stealthily drove down the streets, Sam made a list of chores she'd have to attend to when she arrived home, not looking forward to them at all. In fact, the Goth was severely considering curling up on her couch with a warm blanket, hot tea and some movies.

Back in high school, Sam never expected her life to end up so…bland. She'd always believed to be destined for bigger and better things, not because she was conceited in that aspect, but because she had thought she'd known how her life would plan out. After all, she was the rebel, the one who organized rallies and protested for what she thought was right: she was the fighter, the one who knew where she was going to end up and how she wanted to live her life. But high school, even if it was only three years ago, seemed ages ago and now here she was….going nowhere.

What happened to changing the world?

She sighed deeply, moving to turn on the radio in her car, letting whatever was on the radio fill the silence of the car. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw people walking the streets of the city; small population, so she was a bit surprised to see citizens out and about at nine on such a rainy night. But she thought nothing too much about it- Sam didn't think too much about this town and though she'd always told herself she'd leave, she had yet to act upon that promise.

What happened to her?

She did a double take as she passed what looked to be a hitchhiker. Those were rare in this town, and she thought it was a hallucination, but that was definitely a hitchhiker- either that or the person just liked standing on the side of roads sticking their thumbs out. As she watched the sight disappear in her rear view mirror, something stirred inside her.

Making an executive decision, she pulled a U-turn at the next light, pulling up in front of the hitchhiker. This was a severely bad idea and on her list of bad ideas, this easily took the number one spot. What if she was picking up a crazy serial killer and she was the next victim? Scenario after scenario of morbid endings ran through her head even as she put her car in 'park' and rolled down the passenger window.

Something, though, was telling her that talking to this person was the right move. Sam couldn't explain it- it was one of those intuitive feelings that had no logical meaning to it. But she knew deep down that talking to this stranger would change her life. Or end it, but really, even that was exciting enough compared to the life she led right now.

Sam leaned over to take a better look at the person who might very well be the death of her. She decided that if this was the guy who would kill her, he wasn't too shabby looking. For a hitchhiker anyway. Black hair matted down by the rain, bright baby blue eyes and a nervous smile that was dorky enough for Sam to think 'cute'. He was wearing a brown trench coat that was drenched with rain and Sam swore there were darker spots that she immediately believed were blood. Until she realized how ludicrous that sounded. Paranoia was catching up to her. The man had a duffle bag in his hands, bulky with whatever he had packed in there.

'Body parts of his victims.' Sam thought, then chastised herself for even thinking that way. Clearing her throat, she finally addressed the young man. "Need a lift?"

Surprise was evident in the male's eyes and his smile faltered. "Wow, I didn't think this would actually work. You're really offering?" he asked in disbelief.

Sam couldn't blame him- she couldn't believe either. She shrugged. "Well, yeah. Thumb's universal sign for a ride isn't it?" With a slow exhalation, Sam inclined her head at the door. "Get in."

The stranger gave her an odd, questioning look and Sam stared right back, refusing to let herself be intimidated by this young man. It felt like he was trying to figure her out in a glance and she felt uncomfortable. But she wasn't about to show it.

"Are you getting in or not?" Sam asked with slightly more irritation in her voice.

That seemed to break the hitchhiker out of his stupor and he nodded his head, sprays of water flying from his hair and San belatedly realized that it was raining still.

Her new passenger seemed to realize that too, because the moment he sat down and the seats made a squelching sound, he winced and looked at her with an apologetic smile. "Sorry..."

She shrugged as she put the car back I dive and continue used her journey. "It's fine- its only water." She told him dismissively. The. A thought occurred to her: "It is only water, right?"

He grinned. "Don't worry, I'm the good guy."

Sam found that hard to believe but she had nothing else to say save for, "Where to?" because though picking up this stranger was a bad idea, taking him to her apartment would be an even worse one.

It was the stranger's turn to shrug and he slunk in the seat, arms crossed over his chest and a frown on his face. "I dunno. I didn't expect anyone to actually, well, you know, stop."

She braked at the light. "Where we're you planning on going before I stopped?"

He gave her that nervous smile again, like he was the kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar. "I was going to walk to the next state and then the state after that and the one after that and, well you get the picture."

She stared blankly at him. He was going to walk the country? He didn't look any older than her! "And that would achieve what, exactly?"

He shrugged again. "I'm looking for someone. Two someone's actually." The tone of his voice said that he was done talking about that particular subject and Sam was fine with it- his personal life was that: personal.

"Oh." Sam coughed in an attempt to ignore the blanket of awkward silence that had fallen over them, being filled only by the music. "Um, so where did you want me to drop you off?" She tried again.

The stranger sat up in his seat and the smile was back on his face. "Well, anywhere would be fine- the less walking I have to do the better, right?"

She found it difficult to return the smile. "I guess so." The next words tumbled out of her mouth before she could put them through a filter. "Why are you doing this?" He gave her a blank look. "I mean, just walking?"

The question didn't seem to be one he was expecting as he blinked in surprise for a few moments. "Um, because I can? No one can really stop me from going, you know?"

It seemed so freeing to be able to just go. To decide to do what he was doing now. "I wish-" She almost slammed on the brake when her passenger slapped his hand over her mouth, shhing her. "What the hell?"

"Never say 'I wish'. Ive had very bad experience with what follows those words. Don't want it to rub off on you." He offered as explanation. Absurd as the reasoning was, he actually looked frightened and his blue eyes darted around looking for signs of…well something. Sam was sure she didn't want to know what. "Now, let's try that again."

She shot him a lavender eyed glare full of anger and annoyance. It intensified when he smirked. "Fine." She spat. "Let's try again. There are moments in life when I want to be able to do that."

"Do what?"

Sam took one hand off the wheel and gestured vaguely to him as a whole. "This! Just travel without any attachments to everything else in life! To just…walk and be yourself." She sighed wistfully, her shoulders slumping as she continued onward.

The stranger stared at her for a few moments, music filling up the car. Sam began to fidget under his stare and was about to tell him to stop when he cut to the chase and blurted out, "Then why don't you?"

This time she did slam on the brakes and both of them 'oofed' as they were pitched forward violently, more so due to the wet roads. Sam felt her heartbeat kick up as she gave the stranger an incredulously look as if he was serious.

"What?"

"Why don't you be yourself?" He said again, completely serious. "I could always use some company."

"A-are you serious?"

His smirk turned almost evil. "Deadly."


Hello and thank you for reading the first chapter of "Chasing Destiny", my first full length Danny Phantom Fic!
I hope you enjoyed the first chapter and leave a review.

Next chapter: Sam's decision (which you all know), more on the stranger (whom you all know) and Sam's first encounter with Phantom. And the Box Ghost.

Thank you!
.chary