Hey all! Yes, this is the sleep warrior, but I got a new account cuz I was sick of my sister teasing me for writing in the "little kid's category." But there are so many high school people and college students and middle school people in here! And I love this show! ACK, she is cruel at times. But now I can post all of my other stories and she thinks I've stopped. Oh, yes. The story. Well, it's actually a wonderful idea, if I do say so myself. And I think there are going to be multiple chapters, too. But it'll be short. Only three to five. So I hope you like it as well as my others! And if you don't know what those are, just check out my other account, "the sleep warrior". No capitals or anything. Enjoy!
WAIT! One more thing. If you REALLY want to, you can imagine this as a sorta sequel thing to Sam's Perfect Christmas, but there won't be any references to it. The only similarity is that they got together at Christmas and that they got together during their junior year. But if you want to think that, you can. It would work, I think.
Disclaimer: I don't own a lot of things. Like Danny Phantom, or Microsoft, or the college, or the song You're Just Too Good To Be True. But I do own the wonderfully beautiful "gee-tar" and Andy and Ryan and the band, I think. And the story idea itself. Yes. Ok, so I don't actually have a guitar that looks like Danny's, nor do I play. But it does look really cool! I'll try and draw it and post it somewhere for ya. Just remind me, or I'll forget.
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Danny and Tucker were lounging in the hotel room, listening to the radio and discussing their plans for the upcoming reunion. Lancer had pulled Danny and his band, the Phantom Chasers, into performing at their 10 year high school reunion, and Danny and Tucker were trying to figure out which songs to play.
"What about that Ember song? That'd bring back a lot of…well, a lot of memories." suggested Tucker. He had changed a lot since high school, trading in his red beret and glasses for a new haircut and contacts. His backpack full of technology had been replaced by a briefcase, laptop and cell phone, and he had shot up to about 6 feet, still 2 inches shy of Danny. Tucker had graduated from ITT Tech with a major in computer technology and had snagged a great job at Microsoft as a computer programmer.
Danny laughed at the thought of him singing Ember's (only) hit song at the reunion.
"Tuck, I had enough trouble just convincing Sam to come without making her sing one of Ember's songs. I don't think she'd want to re-live those memories."
"But Ember brought you two together! That's a good memory!"
Danny smiled, remembering their first encounter with the ghostly pop star.
"Well, I wouldn't say that. She put me under a love spell with her guitar, I don't think that qualifies as 'bringing us together.' We did that on our own a few years later."
Tucker grinned at his best friend, who had also changed a lot. Danny had shot up during their junior and senior years, towering over even Dash by graduation. He had ditched the familiar white tee for a black one with green flames on the arms and the band's logo across the front, a ghost fleeing from four musicians. His hair had been cut back a little, and his voice had deepened considerably. He had graduated with a major in astronomy, but had put that career on hold since his band had become fairly popular in the areas around Amity.
"Say, speaking of bringing you together, how's your plan going? Have you figured out how you're gonna ask yet?" Tucker asked.
Rubbing the back of his neck, Danny turned from his friend and looked out the window towards the school.
"I don't know. I can't find the right way to ask her. I mean, I've tried, but every time we're alone together we've either been interrupted or I lost my nerve. I just can't seem to find the right setting. How did you figure out how to propose to Valerie?"
Tucker smiled and sat back in his chair, remembering the day he had asked Valerie to marry him.
"Well, I just knew what she would have liked. I took her out to all of our favorite places, spoiled her rotten, you could say. We went to that little Italian place downtown, and then we took a walk in the park. When we got o that hill, you know the one with the great view? When we got there, I had a blanket laid out and we sat down. There was a meteor shower, and I asked her what she wished for. She just smiled and aid that was for her to know and me to find out. So I said that mine was that she would marry me. You should have seen the look on her face! She was speechless, and her mouth was hanging open in shock. But when I brought out the ring and put it on her finger, I couldn't get her to be quiet long enough for me to kiss her."
Tucker laughed quietly at the memory. "And the rest is history. We got married 5 months later."
Danny sighed dejectedly and turned back to his friend.
"Yeah, that was a great wedding. Sam and I got to dance together the whole time, and you two were so happy! You guys really were made for each other."
"So are you and Sam! What do you think I've been telling you these past 14 years!"
"I don't know, lately we've been more distant than normal. She seems really sad, and whenever I try to get her on her own something happens. I just don't know what to do. I'm out of ideas. I've tried dinners, movies, walks, but none of them have worked."
Tucker shook his head sadly and shrugged his shoulders.
They sat in silence for a few minutes, listening to the oldies the radio was pumping out through the speakers. The song ended, and the DJ came back on. "That was 'Save the Last Dance For Me' by The Drifters. Next up is 'You're Just Too Good To Be True' by Frankie Valli."
The song started up, and Danny smiled to himself.
"Hey, Tucker! This is one of Sam's favorite songs. We should do this one for the reunion."
Tucker's face slowly lit up with a mischievous smile. He got up from his chair and walked towards the window. Once the song was just about over, he turned back to Danny.
"Danny, I've got the greatest idea for how you should propose."
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Sam and Valerie were in yet another store, still looking for a formal dress for Sam to wear to the reunion. Valerie had found hers at the second one, but they were in at least the tenth store, and Sam had rejected every dress she had seen so far. They were currently looking through the racks of black dresses, still unsuccessful in their search.
"Come on, Sam, there's got to be something here that you'll at least try on! What about this one?" she asked, holding up a black, strapless dress with a large removable flower on one side and silver sparkles on the skirt.
Sam rolled her eyes when she saw it. "Ugh, they're all so frilly!" she slammed yet another dress back onto the rack in frustration and whirled around to a different one, flying through those as well. "And just making it black doesn't make it better! Flowers? That designer needs to be shot."
Valerie tiredly put the rejected dress back on the rack. "Sam, stop for a second. I know something has been bothering you lately, but I've left it alone hoping you would figure it out on your own. Obviously you haven't, so tell me what's been bugging you. Maybe I can help."
Sam sighed and looked off into the mall, watching all the shoppers scurrying around.
"Well, it's Danny. He's been acting so strange lately, so distant. It's like he doesn't even know I'm there sometimes. He's been jumpy and nervous ever since he ran into Paulina here the other day." she said with a slight grow. "I-I think he's been trying to break up with me."
Valerie just stared at Sam, shocked at what she had just heard.
"You can't seriously think he's going to break up with you! There's got to be another reason for all of this! You guys were made for each other. Maybe it's a ghost problem."
Sam turned back towards Valerie and smiled sadly. "That's what I thought, too. But Tucker seems to be in on it too, and they never leave us out of the ghost fighting. You and Danny are the best ones out there. And the signs are all there—I just don't want to see them."
Valerie walked over to Sam and reassuringly put her hand on her friend's shoulder.
"Sam, listen to me. There is no way Danny is going to break up with you! Just because he saw Paulina in the mall the other day doesn't mean he's going to break off an 11 year relationship! He got over her years ago, he knows she's not someone he wants to be with." Sam trembled with anger as Valerie mentioned Paulina's name. Feeling this beneath her hand, Valerie smiled at her.
"See? Even mentioning her name sets you off. You hate her so much that you're afraid she'll steal the one thing that's most important to you. I want you to think about this for a while. I mean, there are thousands of different things that could be bugging him. If he wanted to break up with you, he would have done it a long time ago. You guys haven't been together for this long for nothing."
"Well, maybe, but—"
"No buts. When Tucker proposed to me, he was a nervous wreck for weeks before and after!" Valerie chuckled softly at the memory. He hadn't been able to get out one complete sentence, much less propose properly. He had stuttered so much when he asked she had to finish the question for him. Although, he seemed to remember it a lot differently then she did.
"Are you saying you think Danny's going to propose?" Sam looked sharply at her friend's face, searching for an answer.
"Well, maybe. It is possible—you guys have been together since junior year. It would make sense—the nervousness, the spacing, the defensiveness—it all fits."
Sam scowled and looked away. "I still don't think so. Especially since he ran into Paulina. It was only after he saw her that he started acting like this."
Valerie sighed, realizing Sam wasn't going to see the truth until it hit her in the face. "Alright, if you're going to be such a crab, let's just go. You can go to the reunion in jeans." She started walking off, but stopped when she heard Sam call her. Turning around, she saw a determined look on her friend's face.
"What's come over you? Finally seen the light?"
Sam smiled at her devilishly, and walked back to the racks. "No, but let's find me a dress that'll bring my guy back."
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"Danny, Tucker, we're back!" Sam yelled as they came through the door to their hotel room. Not hearing a response, she looked around to see if they had left, but found them sitting on the couch, talking to each other in lowered voices. She walk3ed over to them and waved her hand in front of their faces.
"Hey, um, guys? I said we were back. What planet did you decide to visit this time?"
Danny jumped up, smacking his knee on the table. "Ouch! Oh, Sam! Uh, hi! We were just working on a, um, the song list! Do you want to see it?" he pushed the paper towards her. Peering down, she saw one of her favorite songs.
"'You're Just Too Good To Be True'? Isn't that a bit inappropriate for a high school reunion?" she asked.
Danny's face fell. "But I thought you loved that song. That's why I picked it out. I mean if you don't want to do it—"
"No!" Sam interjected. "I do love it, but I just thought it wouldn't fit the whole reunion theme."
Danny's face brightened. "Great! Let's start working on it now. It's got to be perfect for Saturday."
He rushed over to the phone, dialing up the rest of the band.
"Hello? Hey, Andy, it's Danny….Yeah, about the concert, we've got a new song we need to practice. When can you and Ryan get down to the school?...Ok, that's great! We'll be right there…Ok, bye!"
He turned back to Sam, who was still next to the couch, bags in hand.
"Come on! The guys said they can be there in 5 minutes."
"But Danny, I just got back from an all day shopping trip! Valerie and I were going to go down to the pool area and soak in the hot tub for a few hours."
Frowning, he walked towards her. "But we can't do this without you, Sam. Can't you re-schedule? This shouldn't take too long, and I'm sure Valerie will understand. Won't you?" he asked, turning to Valerie.
'Sure. Go ahead, Sam, I'll still be here."
Sam looked at her, unsure of what to do. "Well, I guess, but—"
"Great!" Danny yelled. "Come on, let's go! And Tuck, thanks for the idea! You're the greatest!"
Tucker gave him a sly smile and winked at Sam. "No problem. Just don't go and mess it up, ok?"
"Don't worry, Tuck, I've got everything under control." he said, changing into Danny Phantom. He grabbed Sam's hand and flew out the window towards the school. Sam looked up at his beaming face, wondering what he was thinking about.
"What was that all about?" she asked. Danny jerked to a stop and stared at Sam like he'd forgotten she was even there.
"Oh, um, just the song. Yeah, we worked on it for so long, and it was really hard to get the harmonies down just right. Tucker just didn't want me to mess them up." He smiled nervously at Sam, rubbing the back of his neck and avoiding her stare. She looked at his face, searching to find how much of that was actually the truth. Deciding to go along with it, she just nodded her head.
"Oh, ok." His smile brightened and he started off towards the school again. I wonder if this has anything to do with Paulina. she thought. Wait! The song, the nervousness, Paulina—he's going to ask her out! That's what Tucker meant by don't mess it up! Oh my gosh, Danny's going to break up with me!
This revelation caused her to glance up at his face. He didn't seem to be enjoying the flight like he usually did. A small tear dropped down her face as the school came into view.
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Well, I could have done more, but this is a good length, and a good place to stop. If I had gone further, I would have had a lot more problems stopping. So I'm still guessing 3-5 chapters. I hope you liked it! Now Review! I need to know what you think of this one.