This story is being written for inuyashaxkagome321, whose plea for more Danny/Kitty pairings could not go unheeded. I hope you like this chapter little one.

A warm thanks goes out to my Beta Reader DigitalPhantom who is simply awesome! If you want to read something really special, check out her work.

For all of you Danny/Sam fans out there, you might not like this chapter. You have been warned.

This story takes place after the "Livin' Large" episode.

As always, critical reviews are always appreciated. Actually any review is appreciated, except mindless flames with no useful substance.

Please enjoy.

Leaving a Boy for a Man

Chapter Two:

Breakfast 'On the Couch'

Danny got up the next morning feeling like hell, having been awakened several times during the night from the nightmares he had. Every one of them was about Kitty, and every one of them ended with her lying on the ground, badly beaten and crying for help. The most disturbing part of the dreams was how real they seemed; he could still feel the tang of her fear in his mouth. He was positive that Kitty was in trouble, and had the unnerving feeling that Johnny was at the heart of it. What exactly was going on eluded him still, but he knew where to turn to for advice on the matter.

He just didn't like the thought of tapping that particular resource.

Stumbling down the stairs, Danny made his way to the kitchen, knowing he'd find her in there, reading whatever psyche book currently held her interest. Sure enough, there she was, nose deep in some huge leather-bound manuscript. Danny cocked his head in order to read the title on its spine. "'The Remanifestation of Id: Relationships in Parapsychology'. Wow, that's a mouthful. What's it about?"

Jazz glanced up at Danny with an incredulous look in her eyes. "Who are you, and what have you done with my little brother?" she replied sarcastically

"Ha, ha. I was only curious," rebuffed Danny.

Jazz eyed him again, wondering what he was up to. "Well, it deals with the interesting theory that free-form ectoplasmic manifestations maintain their higher consciousness due to a strong sense of self at the time of death. Whereas fixed repeating phantasms, because of their focus on one specific event at the time…of…death… You're really not listening, are you?"

Danny just looked at her with a confused expression on his face. "I was listening; it's just that you lost me on the first sentence."

Jazz rolled her eyes in frustration, distressed at the thought that out of the entire family, she alone actually cared why ghosts existed. Focusing her attention back on Danny, she inquired, "What do you want little brother?"

The next word she heard surprised her more than if he had just declared himself to be his evil alter ego from the future in disguise here to sell vacuums door-to-door.

"Advice. I need your advice, Jazz."

Jazz stared at him, open-mouthed, for a few seconds before moving around the table to be closer to him. If Danny was willing to ask for her input on something, it must be important. "Okay, what do you want to know, Danny?"

He looked down at the table, not sure where to begin. "Well, on patrol last night, I ran into Kitty in the park."

"Isn't she the one that Johnny 13 was trying to overshadow me with? The one that Mom, Sam and I fought while you were fishing with Dad?" Jazz interrupted.

Danny nodded his head. "Yep, that's her. Anyway, she was lying on the ground crying when I found her. She was really upset, and looked like she went a few rounds with Skulker."

Jazz interrupted again. "Oh my! What happened to her? Is she ok?"

"Jazz, can I finish the story please?!?" Danny said, frustration evident in his tone.

Jazz had the good sense to look embarrassed. "Sorry, I'm just so excited that you came to me with a problem. I'll try not to interrupt again."

"Thanks," Danny said with a touch of sarcasm. "Anyway, when I tried to approach and talk to her, she went all crazy on me, screaming at me to leave her alone. She even charged at me and started beating me on the chest, screaming the entire time."

Jazz nodded, following every word Danny said. "Was she still crying at this point?"

Danny thought back on the encounter the evening before. "Yeah, she started out sobbing, but after a bit, it became a full blown break-down. Actually, it was right after I put my arms around her and tried saying soothing things to her that she stopped hitting me and just bawled her eyes out."

Jazz couldn't help but smile at Danny. For all that he acted like a dumb 16 year old boy, he was surprisingly intuitive at times. His gentle nature was exactly what Kitty had needed at that point; she was sure of it. "Did you ever get her to say what happened?"

"No. When she finally calmed down a bit, I tried to get her to talk, but she started to shake and sob again, so I didn't push it. I just held her close, rocked back and forth and cooed to her." Danny looked somewhat uncomfortable at this point, but continued. "Just like you used to do with me when I was a baby and mom wasn't around." Danny blushed, obviously embarrassed by the remembrance of that past event.

Jazz's eyes misted over with pride. There were times she feared that all of the horrors Danny had to face would harden him, make him into an uncaring automaton living only for fighting ghosts. She saw now that her brother was truly a hero. Not because of the battles he fought every day with whatever ghost decided to rule the world at that particular moment. No, it was because he never lost that part of him that truly cared about those around him, be they friends or enemies. Jazz knew that nothing again would ever extinguish that spark of humanity in him, no matter what happened.

Clearing her mind of thoughts on how pleased she was with Danny's emotional development, she again turned to the task at hand. "What did you do after you consoled her? "

Danny shrugged. "I didn't do anything. Johnny came riding up and left with Kitty."

Well, Jazz thought, He's still clueless. Sensitive, but clueless. She immediately chided herself for the thought; Danny came to her for advice, after all. He may not know what was going on, but he had enough sense to investigate it. That was more than most people would do.

"How did Kitty act when Johnny showed up?"

Danny concentrated for a moment, willing the memory of Kitty's actions to the surface. "She seemed really scared, almost like she didn't want to go with him. She got on the bike, though, after Johnny told her to. He seemed real possessive of her; even warned me that I needed to leave what was his alone."

All of the pieces were in place, and Jazz was one hundred percent sure of her conclusions. Now, she had to let Danny come to the same conclusion on his own; he would be more accepting of it that way. "Would you say Kitty acted like a whipped dog around Johnny?"

Danny seemed to pause for a moment, as if he was playing the scene in his mind again. Jazz knew he was close to understanding and patiently waited for him to respond. "Yeah, I guess she was acting that way. Just like if Johnny had been the one who…"

Danny's eyes flew open as the reality of the situation came crashing down on top of him. It was Johnny that had hit Kitty! And based on her reactions around him, it had most likely happened before! That's why she looked at him when Johnny ordered her to get on the bike; she was begging him to help her!

And he let her go back into the arms of a guy who would likely beat her again.

"DAMN IT!" Danny slammed his hand down on the kitchen table hard, startling Jazz at the vehemence of his actions. He started to pace the floor, moving in an agitated stride. "I can't believe it! It was all there right in front of me and I just ignored it! I just let her leave with that…that ASSHOLE! Who knows what he may have done to her afterward."

That thought stopped the pacing and snapped Danny up straight. "I've got to go find her right now!" Danny started to move quickly toward the front door. Before he made it out of the kitchen, Jazz got in front of him and grabbed both of his arms.

"Whoa, Danny. You've got to calm down for a moment and think. Trust me, you don't just want to march off after her and do something that will make the situation worse."

Danny's eyes met Jazz's and she could see a measure of self-loathing in them. "I've already screwed up, Jazz. I should have realized what was going on and beat the hell out of Johnny right then and there."

Jazz shook her head from side to side. "No, that's just what you shouldn't do. Beating up Johnny right now will make matters worse. Kitty is not only in a cycle of abuse, but it sounds like she's also in a cycle of dependence. Until she breaks that cycle, any actions against Johnny will cause her to defend him and withdraw away from his attacker, regardless of how abusive Johnny is."

Danny relaxed a bit, and Jazz took her hands off of him. "Then what should I do? I can't leave her like that; she needs my help!"

Danny looked so frustrated that it nearly broke Jazz's heart. Sometimes he cares too much, she thought. "First, try to get Kitty to leave Johnny of her own volition. If she does that, the rest of the process will be a lot easier." Jazz wracked her brain for everything she could remember from working at the battered women's shelter the last summer. "Next you have to make her understand that she is important; that she has a value beyond being Johnny's punching bag. She needs to realize that her life will go on without him, and that it will actually be a lot better."

Danny relaxed even more, recognizing that going to his sister for advice in this matter was the best idea he ever had. "How do I do that, Jazz?"

Jazz looked up into Danny's eyes, smiling softly. "Follow your heart, Danny; it will tell you what to do. You're a very sensitive and caring person, and I know you'll say and do the right thing. Don't beat yourself up over what you didn't do, just move forward and do what's right."

It was Danny's turn to get teary eyed, and he bent down and kissed his sister on the forehead. "Thanks Jazz, for everything; especially for believing in me."

Jazz had trouble speaking from the lump forming in her throat. "No problem, little brother. Now go, get dressed and find Kitty."

Danny smiled and moved past Jazz, heading quickly up the stairs. He cleaned himself up, put on fresh clothes and nearly jumped down all the stairs in his haste to get out and locate Kitty.

As Jazz watched him heading toward the door, she remembered something she had been meaning to ask him lately. Her brain knew it could wait, but her mouth voiced the question almost on its own. "Hey Danny, I haven't seen much of Sam around lately. How are you two doing?"

Danny was brought up short by the question and just stood in the doorway, as if frozen in time. All thoughts of Kitty left him as he recalled the last day he and Sam spoke to each other alone.

The day he finally opened up and tried to tell her how he felt about her.

It was just after he moved back into Fenton Works. His parents, Jazz and he had been busy for an entire week trying to clean-up all the messes the Guys in White had left behind. He was relaxing up in his room with Tucker, playing 'Rain Forest Demolition' and having a good time.

"Dude, I am so building another resort on the north shore of my coast," Tucker bragged, seemingly happy to be destroying his virtual old-growth timber.

"Not before I build a super mega-mall for the indigenous tribes near the river," Danny quipped, sending his loggers into a 'slash and burn' frenzy. "It's a good thing Sam isn't here to see this. The forest may be virtual, but the guilt she'd try and lay on us would be all too real."

Tucker laughed as he pushed the controls to start clear cutting an area for his new arcade. "Where is she, anyway? I haven't seen much of her lately."

Danny shrugged as he increased electrical production on his coal-fired power plant. "I don't know; she's been really reclusive lately, even for her."

Tucker glanced over at his friend, seeing the unspoken hurt in his eyes. Sam didn't seem to want to hang out with them as much anymore, and Danny feared she was seeing someone again. Sam's absence from the group was hard on Danny, and it left him with doubts. Tucker knew the time for half-measures was over; he'd have to get either Sam or Danny to break down and confront the other, soon. And since he failed to get Sam to make that move, he'd have to work on Danny.

"Dude, you really need to tell her how you feel. She's not going to wait forever for you to admit you like her as more than a friend."

Danny's shoulders slumped down and he put the game controller in his lap, allowing eco-terrorists to break into his oil refinery. "I know; I'm just so scared she won't feel the same way about me." Danny quickly held his hand up, silencing Tucker's protest. "I know what you've told me, Tuck, but it's not the same as hearing it from her lips. And I'm deathly afraid of what telling her might do to us, to our friendship."

Tucker put his game on pause and leaned over toward Danny, placing a hand on his shoulder. "You'll never know what will happen until you try. And tomorrow afternoon is the perfect time to do that. Sam will be meeting you in the park near the central fountain." Tucker took his game off pause and set his security teams loose on some virtual demonstrators outside his nuclear power plant. "I took the liberty of telling her you wanted to talk to her. Try to wear something nice, and use that cologne she gave you for Christmas."

Danny's head snapped around to look at his best friend, his mouth forming words that refused to come out. He could barely restrain himself from reaching over and choking his friend, and Tucker's posture showed that he was expecting just such a welcome from Danny. But the more he thought about it, the more confronting Sam made sense. It would feel good to get his feelings for her out in the open..

For the first time Danny felt at peace with his feelings for Sam. I'll do it, he thought. I'll let her know how I feel and ask her to be my girlfriend. Danny glanced over at Tucker and gave him a sheepish grin. "Thanks, Tuck. Thanks for helping me make the right decision."

Tucker let out an internal sigh of relief. He knew everything would work out, and by tomorrow, he'd be the official 'third wheel' in the group. He could live with it though. "No problem, man. Now you'd better keep an eye on your chemical plant; those eco-terrorists are eyeing it up."

Danny and Sam walked along the wooded path, both silent in each other's company. Danny would steal glances at her from time to time, surprised at the nervous expression she wore. Did she know what he was going to tell her? Knowing Tucker, Danny wouldn't be surprised at all. In fact, Tucker had most likely placed bets on them getting together, and had told Sam what Danny was going to say to her so as to increase the odds of success. Danny had to admit that Tucker really knew how to work the system.

They came to a sturdy park bench along the path and Danny motioned that they should sit down. Sam complied, but her wide-eyed fidgeting made it look like she was going to bolt at any second. She's probably nervous. Danny thought. She's been waiting a long time for me to say this and is just overly excited. Danny turned to face Sam and cleared his throat, causing her to look up into his eyes.

"Sam, we've been friends for what seems like forever. We've shared a lot of laughs and a lot of tears, and you've been by my side through everything." Danny nervously looked down and crossed his legs, then glanced back up at Sam. If he seemed nervous, she looked positively ready to jump out of her skin. It seemed odd, but he was determined to tell her.

"Lately I've started to realize that my feelings for you have grown. Every time I look at you I feel so lucky to share a friendship with you. Every time we touch, it feels like electrical sparks shooting up from that spot to my heart. And even though they've only been 'fake-out make-outs', I've loved every kiss we've ever shared."

Danny reached out to take hold of Sam's hand, and she jumped at his touch. He smiled at her nervousness and continued. "What I'm trying to say Sam is that…"

Sam suddenly pulled her hand away from Danny and stood up, tears moistening her eyes. "I know what you're going to say Danny, and I waited a long time to hear you say it. The fact is, a month ago, I would have given anything to hear you tell me how you felt about me." Sam wiped the tears on her sleeve, smearing her eye liner a little with the effort.

Danny looked up at her with an expression of confusion on his face, but she refused to meet his eyes. "Sam, I don't understand. I thought you liked me the same way as I like you. I was going to ask you to be my girlfriend; isn't that what you want?"

"No."

The word hit Danny like an atom bomb, the force of it shredding his heart apart into a million pieces. He just stared dumbfounded at Sam, mouth hanging open in disbelief. When he finally found his voice, it came out squeaky and high pitched, like puberty had hit him again. "Why, Sam? Why ?"

Tears flowed more freely from Sam's eyes, but still she refused to look Danny in the face. "Because it's what you expected Danny. It's what you've taken for granted for too long."

Danny's eyes began to water as well, and his voice became more shrill in desperation. "I don't understand, Sam. I've never taken you for granted; I've always appreciated you."

Sam spun around on him then, eyes blazing in spite of the tears. "But not because you wanted to be with me! I had to watch you chase girl after girl while you ignored the fact that I even existed! Do you know how much that hurt?!? Of course you don't; you never did! Still I stayed by your side, hoping against hope that someday you'd see me for what I was; a girl desperately in love with you who would do anything to see you happy. And what did I get for all my troubles? NOTHING! You even replaced me with a damn robot! Is that what I am to you? Just a thing to be called upon when you're lonely and need your ego stroked?!?"

Danny recoiled from Sam, not sure of what to say or do. He felt like his entire world was crumbling around him; and Sam had always been the one thing he could cling to. But now, he was being told that was no longer the case.

"Sam, I never meant to hurt you. I've always cared about you."

"But not the way you should have, at least not soon enough," Sam interrupted. "You're too chaotic for me, Danny. One minute you're there, the next you're not. I care about you, Danny, but I can't be involved with you. I'll always be your friend and be there when you need me, but I need someone who isn't so clueless about his feelings."

Danny fell to his knees at Sam's feet, tears nearly blinding him and his voice thick with emotion. "Please Sam, give me another chance. I'll do anything you ask. Anything!"

Sam turned her eyes away from Danny and hardened her heart. It took every ounce of will she had to refuse him when he was like this, but she had to be strong. "I'm sorry, Danny, but I can't. I have to do this, for both of us." Then she turned and started walking away.

"SAM! PLEASE!" Danny pleaded, all dignity now gone.

She stopped only for a moment but did not turn around to look at him. She knew if she did, Danny's plea might be too much even for her to resist. "Promise me something, Danny. When you find yourself having those same feelings for the next girl that comes along, don't hide them. Let her know how you truly feel. It would kill me if you had to go through this again." Sam wiped her eyes once more, then walked alone back down the path toward home.

"Goodbye, Danny," she said out loud. "I love you, and I always will," she said in silence.

Danny just curled up into the fetal position on the ground, drained of all feeling. Even his tears no longer flowed. He felt empty, cold and alone.

And he realized that it was all his own doing.

Danny stood silently just inside the doorway, reliving that horrible day all over again in his mind. He had very nearly died that evening in his room; the metal razor blade he held to his wrist would have seen to it. But something inside of him refused to give up, and he pulled himself through the ordeal. He still longed for Sam, he couldn't control that, but he was able to convince his heart to move on. It's what Sam wanted, he would tell himself, and he could not refuse her; not even if doing so left his heart forever broken.

"We're fine, Jazz." Danny lied. "We're both fine."

Hope you enjoyed this chapter. Now onto"A Friend In Need".

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