Summery:
Following Urban Jungle
…
Cold
"Danny!" Sam screamed. Bolting upright and the jungle of vines and plants suffocating her friend quickly turned into the comforting darkness of her own bedroom. And she realized with a sense of relief that it had only been a dream. Though that didn't stop her from curling into a ball, as her mind continued to recall it.
Amity Park overrun by plants. People turned into mindless slaves. And Danny running for his life. Driven to his breaking point and forced to escape into the Ghost Zone.
What made it worse, was that she wasn't seeing any of this from the view point of another victim. But instead the cause. She had been the one to help take over the city. She captured and enslaved hundreds of people. And she had hunted her friend across town. Trying to force him into submission.
Sam had to cover her mouth as she struggled not to cry out. Recalling the moment she had blocked him from escaping. Yet he had still stood strong, despite slowly caving under a cold at his core that he couldn't control.
He was dying. Right in front of her and she had done nothing but block him from reaching the one person who could help.
Thankfully, he had gotten past. But she couldn't help but wonder – what if he hadn't?
When she realized her nerves weren't stabilizing and, in fact, she was growing even more panicked. She turned to locate the little ice crystal Danny had given her several hours earlier.
Clutching it in her hands. She allowed its strange, yet gentle cold to seep into her. At last bringing her some peace. The retained shape and a lifeforce all its own, acting as a kind of proof that her friend was okay. Like she was holding a tiny piece of Danny himself.
This thought made her blush. Despite being alone. And pulled her from her trance. Gently placing the crystal on her lap, she watched the blue and white light shimmer and dance around her room. Like something alive.
"What am I doing?" She asked it. Running a hand through her hair and closed her eyes. "We're just friends," She insisted. Though even she didn't believe that anymore.
With her eyes closed, her nightmares wasted no time flashing across the dark again and she cringed. As Danny pulled himself from a river that had frozen over. Trapping him beneath the surface until he was out of breath.
But he had no time to rest. As he looked up in fear of her approach.
"Danny," She whimpered. Looking back down at the ice crystal and allowed it to once again relax her. "How could I –" She asked. More tears falling down her cheek. "How could I have done that to him?"
It took a few more minutes for her to calm herself again. But this time she didn't find peace. Only determination.
The very idea that she had hurt him. Even if it was against her will. Appalled her. She couldn't live with herself knowing she had been used against the person she had sworn to help. She had failed this time, but would not allow herself to fail the next.
Snatching the crystal up, she threw her blanket away and stormed from the room. Without even bothering to change out of her nightclothes.
She didn't care if she woke her parents and marched through the house. Out into the backyard. Which was still covered in dead vines from the recent attack. But she ignored this. Walking to her green house and threw open the door, where she looked around at all the different plants she kept there.
"Okay Sam. You can do this," She whispered. Taking a deep breath to steel her nerves again and picked a vine that was climbing up and around a nearby pole. It was young, which she figured would be a good start.
Placing Danny's crystal on the table to act as her light, she glared at the vine.
"You won't take me again," She insisted. Holding her hand out toward the plant and concentrated as hard as she could on making the thing move. "I won't let you hurt him," She added. Trying to recall how she had managed to control the plants when taken over by Undergrowth. But the memory was so fuzzy.
"Come on – move!" She demanded, when it still did nothing and pulled her hand back to glare at the flora. Moving down to get on eye-to-leaf level with it. "Don't look at me in that tone of voice. You will obey," She proclaimed. Honestly a little surprised she didn't feel as crazy as she likely looked.
"Sam?" The new voice made her jump and, for a terrifying moment, she thought it was the plant. That is until her senses turned her to the doorway, where the one and only Danny Phantom stood watching her with a confused and slightly worried expression.
"Danny," She squawked. Nearly knocking over a table in her shock. "What are you doing here. It's like – 3 in the morning?"
"I –" He started. Before rubbing the back of his neck in that way he always did when he was nervous. "Well – I've been here all night actually," He admitted and she blinked.
"Why?"
"Couldn't sleep," He muttered. Gently touching the leaf of a nearby flower, as if in need of something to keep his hands busy. It was only then that Sam realized just how tired he really looked. A concerning aspect, considering he hadn't shown fatigue in his ghost form for quite a while. He'd learned quietly how to regulate his energy outputs to keep from reverting back to a human at inopportune times.
It seemed that Undergrowth had taken more of a toll than even she had first realized.
"Have –" She began. Reaching for him, only to think better of it and pulled her hand back. "Have you tried?" She finally finished and waited as he considered the question. Still not looking at her.
"No," He answered and she took a step toward him. Only to again bring herself up short. Unable to break through the mental sense that she was getting too close. That she was blocking his escape.
"Are you okay?" She forced out instead. Causing him to take in a deep breath and close his eyes. Reaching up to rub at them with considerable frustration.
"I don't know." After a moment he relaxed again. Though she couldn't tell if it was willing or if he was too tired to keep it up. "Every time I close my eyes – I see –" He whispered at last. But was unable to go on.
Though he didn't need to. She understood exactly what he was going through. A realization that made her shiver and look away. Holding herself as imagination went wild with the kind of things that could be tormenting her best friend.
But he proved her wrong.
"I lost," He continued and she looked back at him in a stunned state of silence. "The world was counting on me, but I wasn't strong enough. I – I ran," He whispered as if the simple word actually hurt to say. "I've never done that before." Sam could only watch as he suddenly began to shake. His words baring down on him in a way that she couldn't even imagine.
"Danny," She finally spoke. Not realizing she'd walked over to him, until she was right there. Turning his face to see his eyes at last. "You came back. That's all that matters." He just blinked. But looked away again.
"I couldn't save you," He spoke and she felt him shake under her hand. "I left you behind," He whispered and she frowned. Finally grabbing his chin and forced him to look at her. An action that surprised him into complying.
"No you didn't," She insisted sternly. "You may have left. But you made me a promise. That was enough. It was all I needed."
"You – you remember that?" She blinked at this. 'Did she?' It was hard to tell what she remembered or didn't. It was like a dream that faded faster the more she tried to recall it. Her hesitation seemed to pull him out of his shock a bit and he sighed. "How can you still have so much faith in me?" He demanded. Trying to turn away again. But she didn't let him.
Of course, he could have easily gotten away had he really wanted to. There was nothing she could do about that. The fact that he didn't, proved he wanted to be there as much as she wanted him to stay.
"This isn't about faith," She whispered. But he seemed unconvinced. "You've never broken your promises. And you never will."
He seemed to actually consider her words this time. Continuing to think it over for a moment. Before sighing, then reached up to take her hand in his and she immediately felt herself blush. Though she didn't pull away.
"How do you know that?" He spoke so softly she almost didn't hear it. "For all we know ghosts are inherently evil. Maybe I'm just not there yet."
The pure agony in those words felt like a knife in her heart and proved just how often he'd considered the topic. For as long as she'd known him, Danny was the type to take the weight of the world.
Even before he'd gotten his powers, he'd purposely gained Dash's attention so as to protect other students from the bully's wrath. He'd walked willingly into the ghost portal, an extremely dangerous machine, just to find the problem and make his parents happy again.
When Freakshow had forced him into actions that went against his very nature, he'd beat himself up for months. Nearly killing himself, trying to gain back the trust of the town he had worked so hard to earn. And she knew for a fact that he still had nightmares about the unmolded nature of his future. Something he'd likely have to live with the rest of his life.
She'd sat him down with Jazz to talk about it once. It had taken hours to finally get it out of him and then he'd been unable to turn it off. It was only then that they'd realized just how much he'd been affected.
However, it wasn't the future itself that had traumatized him. It wasn't even that short moment in time when he'd watched all he cared about dissolve in flames. Surprisingly enough, he seemed almost unable to dwell on them. Or, at the very least he could get over it on his own. It was the idea that ate at him. The raw potential and knowledge of 'what' he could do if he ever lost control or choose to cross that line.
If he wanted – he could have the world – and he had to live with that.
Another shiver, this time followed by cold. He'd been holding it in again.
Before she could ask though, he suddenly leaned into her hand. Closing his eyes, as he allowed himself the comfort of her warmth. "It hurts," He spoke and she felt her breath catch. Then she immediately brought him into her arms.
"I know." She whispered. Holding him close, as they savored the simple knowledge that the other was safe and there.
They stayed like for several minutes. There wasn't much need for words anymore. He hadn't come there to talk. If he had, he'd have woken her up hours ago. Instead for standing guard.
Of course, that damn shivering of his was really ruining the moment.
"Danny," She whispered in his ear, when it came on again and he leaned into her shoulder tiredly.
"I know," He grumped and she chuckled. Carefully moving around to take his hands and look up into his eyes again.
"Come on – you gotta work this off," She spoke and he sighed. But followed her as she led him outside and watched as he seemed to become a bit distracted. Studying her back yard for a moment, until he finally lifted his hand and focused inward. Eventually allowing the cold at his core to filter out as snow.
Sam couldn't help but smile, as the tiny flakes glittered in the moonlight. Before falling to the ground, where they quickly melted under the summer's night heat. Eventually taking the cold with it and leaving his hand feeling normal in her own once again.
She'd never been able to truly describe it. That odd feeling of warmth behind a cool first touch. As if he were made of solid smoke. And yet, despite the strangeness, it had always felt so right. Because it was him.
It was how she had known his future was unfounded. Because that thing from the timeline. Despite it having his memories and appearance and even a general sense of 'Danny', had lacked that touch. It had been absent from the man and absent from the world.
That was how she'd known it would never come to be.
He took another couple of minutes just to make sure the last of the cold was gone. Before finally lowering his hand and ended the snow. Only to lean heavily against her, as the exhaustion kicked into overdrive and she quickly caught him before he fell.
"What am I gonna do with you?" She smiled. Pulling his arm over her shoulder and started him toward the house. Thankful that he was still conscious enough to help her. Or at least stay in his ghost form so as not to weight them down.
"Sorry," He muttered. Though it was hard to tell if he really meant it. What with him snuggling into her hair like a happy puppy.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah," She said. Making her way to the staircase. This time being careful not to wake her parents. The last thing she wanted to explain at this hour was why she was carting the city's own ghost hero into her bedroom.
Once she'd settled him onto her bed and returned from closing and locking the door. She found him continuing his baby animal impersonation. All curled up like a kitten around a pillow.
Locating her phone, she saved the picture away for future cooing purposes. Before settling down with her blanket. Though soon decided to change angles and lay nearer to him.
"Danny?" She whispered and he hummed to let her know he was still barely awake. "How long where you spying on me?" She asked with a grin. Which only grew when he winced and opened his eyes.
"I wasn't – I was on the roof." She studied him a moment. Before deciding that he was telling the truth and let him continue. "I only came down when – when I heard you call for me. Or I – thought that's what you were doing. Turns out you were just having a nightmare."
She blinked at that. Unable to stop the blush that crept into her cheeks at the idea of him watching her recovery process.
"I'm sorry," He murmured suddenly. Turning over to burry his face in the bed. "Guess I was spying. But I didn't mean to."
"It's okay," She whispered. Moving around so that she could play with his hair. Only to realize just how long it had been since she'd done so. They used to do it all the time when they were kids. When had it stopped?
This thought was interrupted, when he suddenly jumped. A gasp escaping as his ghost form finally timed out and he returned to his human form. Only to blink at her. Clearly surprised by this fact.
It was then that she realized he'd been unable to change back before. It was a thing that sometimes happened when his adrenalin was high or he didn't feel safe. It normally didn't last very long. But never before had it snuck up on him.
Sam grinned once more. This time adding a tinge of evil to the smirk, as she started playing with his hair again. "I had no idea that was your pressure point. I'm gonna have to remember that."
"Eh," He shrugged and settled back down. Letting her continue. "I trust you not to abuse the power."
This made her pause as another memory surfaced. Danny cold and attempting to escape into the Ghost Zone. Only to risk a precious moment by stopping to speak with her. Revealing his trust in her true spirit. Despite knowing she may not hear him.
"You trust me?" She hadn't meant that to be out loud. But he didn't even seem to notice and didn't hesitate to answer either.
"Always will."
She was unable to respond to this and the silence soon allowed him to fall asleep to the touch of her hand. But she didn't mind and carefully curled up a little closer to him. Unconsciously moving her hand into his. Eventually falling asleep to the comforting sensation of cold.
…
I'm open to suggestions for new chapter ideas.
No AU's allowed
Sorry
