Authors Note: well…..I always thought that Sam and Vlad were alike in the fact that, they both want someone they can't have. I truly feel bad for Vlad sometimes. I'm not joking, I do. He's a good guy, somewhere deep inside of him….And Sam said she's a cat person, and Danny's always telling Vlad to get a cat, so….

This story was inspired by samanddan's, "The feel of betrayal". It's a great story, you should read it.

Disclaimer: I don't own Danny Phantom.

Quote of the Day:

"In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends." -Martin Luther King Jr.

Eh…I thought the quote would just sort of; fit the story...maybe…

"Checkmate."

"Alright Miss Manson, you win again. Shall I get us some more tea?"

"Yes please. Play again?"

"Indeed."

A short silence followed as the middle-aged man stood from his spot on the couch to head towards the kitchen with two empty tea-cups in hand. The young girl remained on the couch with one leg crossed over the other and her hands resting gently on her knee with her fingers laced together. It wasn't long before she heard a crash and a man yell in despair, coming from the next room over.

"Um…Vlad? Are you okay?" She asked.

"Yes, I just dropped the tea pot on my foot is all." He called back from the kitchen.

"Well, do you need any help cleaning it up?"

"No, but thank you for offering. I'll just hurry and make us a new pot of tea."

She sighed, but sat there still, contentedly. She seemed to be staring off into space until she heard his voice in front of her.

"Samantha dear, have you set up the board for a new game of chess? I've come back with the tea."

She averted her gaze from its spot on the floor back up to his eyes. She turned away to set up a new game of chess as he took his seat across from her on the couch, while handing her a new cup of tea.

Neither of them said a word as they began moving their pieces on the board, Sam with the black pieces, he with the white ones. It wasn't until she moved her knight two spaces over, one across, checking his king that he broke their silence.

"You know, you are rather good at this, better than your little friend Daniel, by far."

At first she stayed silent and remained taking turns with him maneuvering her pieces on the board.

"Thanks," She finally said.

Vlad brought one hand up to his chin in a "philosophic thinking" sort of way.

And two moves later, he had her king trapped.

"Checkmate". He did not have any type of smug grin on his face, as he would have if he were playing against Daniel. For he acknowledged that at this time, his victory was a small one compared to all of hers. That and he realized that his opponent was plenty skilled in the game, a worthy opponent. Chess was a game of respect, it was.

She placed her cup of tea on the coffee table in front of them and wiped her mouth with the napkin that was given to her earlier.

"Vlad, I know you like chess, and I like chess, but that can't be the reason you asked me here. So why?"

"Why, what?"

"Why did you want me to come to Wisconsin for a visit?"

"Well, why did you agree?"

And just when she thought it couldn't get any weirder, a little orange-ish brown cat that she hadn't noticed before had jumped up next to her on the couch. She raised one eyebrow.

"You actually took his advice?"

"I didn't get a cat because he advised me to. I got one because I wanted to." He was acting as though he didn't listen to what other people said, and didn't care what they thought. Does that sound familiar?

The cat pranced happily over to him and started to rub its head at Vlad's side, wanting attention. (A/N: God, that sounds like my cat! She's such an attention whore, I swear. ) He proceeded to give the cat what it wanted by rubbing it gently on its head and behind its ears.

"Well, what's his name?" Samantha asked.

"Her name is Madeline." He corrected.

"Madeline? As in, let me guess, Maddie for short?"

"Yes indeed. Sama- I mean, Sam. Would you like to hear some music?"

She nodded her head yes in response. He didn't ask what kind of music she liked, or what she did or didn't mind, he just reached over to the stereo and popped in a CD.

What it was that came playing from the speakers was Vivaldi's, "The four Seasons". (A/N: A very lovely piece of classical music, if I do say so myself.)

In response to the melody he began to hum along with the music.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw her smile.

"I love classical music, the four seasons is one of my favorites." He told her.

"Me too".

"I know." He said, taking another sip of his tea.

She immediately looked up at him with a questioning look on her face. "How do you know what kind of music I like?"

"We are alike." At first his statement puzzled her, but the more she thought about, the more she realized he was right. He was right.

"So…in what other ways do you think we're alike?"

"Isn't it obvious?" he asked, his eyes cast downward toward Maddie.

"Yeah…of course it is. We both know what it's like to…" She didn't finish her sentence. She didn't need to.

"So, that's why you invited me here?"

"Well, not exactly, but perhaps it's something along those lines. I really invited you here- for this." With that he walked out of the room and back in again, this time holding a little black box.

"For me?" she asked. It is rather odd, having your best friend's arch enemy giving you a present, especially when it's not your birthday.

She took the box from his hands, and smiled warmly at what she found inside. She reached into the box and pulled out a tiny kitten, sporting all-white fur, and piercing green eyes. The kitten instantly snuggled up in her arms and began to take a nap.

She looked at Vlad for a reason, although she could probably guess it.

"Madeline here had kittens. This was the only one that survived. I just thought that you probably needed one, also."

"Thanks."

Vlad watched as the cat rubbed its' head against her belly, and began to drool in its sleep. It kind of looked like it could be her baby, he thought.

"He seems to like you a lot. What will you name him?"

She thought about it for a while before coming to a conclusion.

"Fantom. I'll call him Fantom." And the name certainly fits, does it not?

"Well, what do you say, Samantha? One last game of chess before you have to catch your flight?"

"Sure."

They played again, this time with both of their cats next to them on the couch. And she, once again, won the game.

"Checkmate".

She stood up to leave, and he followed. When they got to the door, he held it open for her.

"One of my limo's will take you back to the airport".

She turned to face him. They smiled at each other, and shook hands.

"We'll have to do this again sometime," she said. He nodded his head yes.

She stepped out of his doorway and headed toward the limo that was waiting for her, with little Fantom cradled in her arms.

"Ah, Samantha. I always new you were a cat person…"

Holy crap that was so much fun to write! Not to mention, but that's probably the most productive thing I've written in a while! I really hope ya'll enjoyed it.

Peace out.