Howdy! Back with my latest story of course.

This story is interesting in the way that the chapters are a schemed different from most of my other stories. But the chapters are alike to The Elevator Game, Freeze Out, and Show and Tell (coming soon) except that this story has more than six chapters.

This story majorly takes reference to Reign Storm, Memory Blank, Fanning the Flames, Teacher of the Year, Shades of Gray, Life Lessons, and Identity Crisis.

Summary: Valerie's challenge from Reign Storm goes deeper when she and Tucker work together to hook Danny and Sam up. When Val puts the two in a series of difficult challenges, one thing starts getting clearer for Danny and Sam. Are they meant to be together? Or will one little thing that Valerie witnesses ruin everything? Based off the song, Hanging By A Moment.

Disclaimer: Danny Phantom and all related characters are owned by Butch Hartman and Nickelodeon Studios. The song "Hanging By A Moment," is owned by Lifehouse.

Hanging By A Moment

For Divagurl277

Chapter One

Valerie:

Part One

Desperate for changing….starving for truth

I peered out through the crack of my locker door (managing to get my hair caught at the same time) and pretended to look in the mirror hanging on the frame.

The noise level climbed as the students of Casper High escaped from their fourth hour classes and headed to lunch, pouring into the halls. I cursed quietly. Couldn't they be quiet so that I could—

I gasped as I finally heard the voices I'd been waiting for. Quickly, I took a chance and got a better shot at looking at them.

"Rock, paper, scissors to see who goes."

"Lame, what are you five?"

"Ow! Jesus, would you watch where you're swinging your arms?"

"Oh, did I hit you somewhere sensitive? Walk it off you big baby."

"That was cold. And I am not a big baby."

"I was kidding."

"Try not to sound so serious then."

"Try not to be so gullible."

I watched as the two people arguing walked right past me, so focused on each other that they didn't even notice me.

The girl, Sam Manson, was Goth. She had short, black hair and lilac eyes, along with her black, purple, and green colored unique design of clothing.

Standing next to her was a slightly taller teenage boy, Danny Fenton. He had pretty blue eyes and messy raven hair.

I nearly jumped out of my skin when someone suddenly walked right up to me unexpectedly. Sighing, I pressed a hand to my wildly beating heart and narrowed my eyes.

"Tucker, don't scare me like that," I said, staring into greenish-blue eyes.

"You should be the one to talk," Tucker Foley said. I was about to ask what the heck he'd meant when he answered it for me. "Spying on Danny like that. Are you chasing him or something now?"

"No," I said, feeling my cheeks burn. "I'm on a mission."

"To look like you're some sort of creepy stalker?" he asked.

"No," I said, getting rather annoyed.

It wasn't like I totally hated Tucker, but my feelings kept changing. At first when I truly got to know him better, I'd pretended to actually like him to get the low down on some ghost stuff. But then he'd changed and hadn't told me anything, acting so secretive and guarded…and sometimes harsh. Now I wasn't sure how he felt; let alone how I felt.

"Okay then…" Tucker said. He twirled a finger around his ear. I saw it, but chose to ignore it. I had more important things to worry about.

"Tucker, do Danny and Sam always argue like that?" I asked. I couldn't see them anymore and I could fully concentrate.

"Bicker like an old married couple? Yeah," he agreed. "Why?"

"It's just entertaining, that's all," I replied honestly.

"I know. It's the Danny/Sam show. Pretty much a 12/7 thing, no ticket needed," he joked.

"So what are the other twelve hours?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Seven-eight hours a day, they're probably sleeping. But the other…whatever number of hours, they're spending every minute all mushy," he said.

"So they like each other?" I asked, already knowing the answer.

"Duh," he said, looking at me as if I were stupid. "Sam is definitely into Danny. Danny sort of likes her, but he's still crushed out on Paulina."

I bit my lip. Tucker was best friends with both Danny and Sam. If I asked, would he help me?

"What?" he asked warily.

"Tucker…if Danny and Sam like each other, why don't they go out with each other?" I wondered.

"Because they're both too stubborn to admit it," he answered.

"Maybe they just need a little persuasion," I said. If anyone could help me, I decided, it was Tucker.

"What are you getting at exactly?" he asked.

"Danny and Sam should get together, don't you think?" I asked.

"I thought you…didn't you say that you liked Danny just last week?"

"It was a test. And it almost worked on Sam. She came this close to telling me off."

"You said--"

"I kind of like him now," I finished, remembering. "And she began to say, 'yeah well, I like him too,' but she saw you looking at her and she panicked and changed it to we."

"Oh, hmm… I never thought of that," he said, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.

"It's obvious that she gets jealous when anyone shows any affection for Danny," I said.

He laughed, shaking his head. "You have no idea. Sam gets freaking violent when she's jealous."

"Who else makes her jealous?"

"You're kidding, right?" he asked, one eyebrow raised. "Any time Paulina looks at Danny, or vice versa, Sam goes all homicidal."

"Paulina…" I growled. "Hmm…has Danny ever show like…real love for Sam...none of that flirting stuff?"

"You should have seen him when Ember--" He stopped, clearing his throat. "Once… but all of the other stuff was just simple flirting." I decided to ignore his weird hesitation, pushing my intrigue back.

"I bet we can turn that around," I said.

"We? Why am I part of whatever it is that you're doing that will probably screw up and--"

"Who do you think Danny will be happier with really?" I interrupted. "Paulina or Sam?"

"Sam," he said. "But--"

"Just hear me out, okay?" I asked. He nodded. "I want to do Danny a favor. He's been a really good friend to me for a while and I'm returning something more. And Paulina is not who I'm referring to."

"So you're going to get Sam and Danny together?" he asked.

"I'm going to try," I replied. "Small little things first…Then we'll go on from there."

"Okay…"
"I really need to get some more info on them first. Can you help me?" I asked, holding out my hand. Please…say yes.

"If we get caught, the blame automatically goes to you, not me," he proposed.

"Fine," I said.

"And you have a deal," he said, taking my hand. "Come with me to lunch and you'll see a good show I bet."

"Like their argument just now?" I asked, pulling my hand back, smiling.

"Better than that," he promised, beginning to walk.

Perfect.

……………………………………………….

Yay! Next chapter is coming soon, and it's first person in Tucker's view.

Here's your sneak peek! Please R&R!

Chapter Two: Tucker: Part I

"Hey Val," Danny greeted, finally turning to her.

"You just now noticed me? I've been here for about ten minutes now," she said. I resisted the urge to laugh.

"Oh," he said. "Well, hi."

"Get distracted did we?" Valerie asked, looking at Sam.

"With what?" Sam asked, dropping a tomato into her mouth.

"Whipped cream," I said, grinning. And just like I knew they would, both of my best friends automatically turned bright red.

Today's Updates: Freeze Out, Even In Death, Hanging By A Moment (New), Insight View (New), and Of All the People To Be Stuck With (New)

Next Updates: Infinity, Love Me, Love Me, The Ghost At Summer Camp, Seventeen Days, If You're Not The One (New)

Lateraina Wolf