Catch Me, Hold Me
Chapter Two
The next day at school, Sam walked into the halls of Casper High unusually tired. Normally, she wouldn't like to drink coffee, but that was the only she was able to stay awake. Even if she had pulled an all nighter doing homework, she would never be this tired. But then again, yesterday was different.
She had her heart broken yet again, into a million shards on the ground by the one and only Danny Fenton.
She arrived at her locker with Tucker anticipating her arrival. She wasn't in the mood to deal with this right now. "Go away Tucker," she seethed.
"Sam, Danny told me what happened. It's not like I'm going to leave you alone," Tucker informed her.
Sam drew her eyes to meet Tucker's. "Please. Don't worry about it. I'm fine."
"Yeah, thanks to Danny. But unfortunately, you can't show the same gratitude towards him, can you?"
Of all the things Tucker could say, that was the last thing she was expecting. But she had it coming. "If you're here to yell at me, can you save it for some other time?"
Tucker sighed. "No, I'm not here to yell at you, but I am here to tell you that Danny meant well, and I'm confused on why you walked out so angry at him."
"And that, Tucker, is none of your business." She turned around and took a sip of her coffee and winced at the taste.
"You can't get rid of me that easily. What did he do? Did he overreact or something?"
Sam turned around to face him. "Yeah, that's exactly what happened. But guess what, Tucker? He's not my boyfriend. He reacted like I was his and … and, why did he do that? We're not together. And I think he made that perfectly clear when he invited Valerie along last night. So tell me Tuck, am I over my head to be mad at Danny? Am I?"
Tucker stared at her nervously. When a girl is mad, she is mad. There is no wrath like that of a woman's. He couldn't think of words to say to that.
"Your answer is all written in silence, Tucker," Sam said monotonously.
"Sam… seriously," Tucker began. "Don't get mad at Danny for doing that."
Sam let out an agreeing sigh. "I know, Tuck. I don't think I'm that mad at him. I'm more… mad at myself. Because no matter…" she suddenly paused, realizing she was blurting out unneeded excuses of her feelings. "You know what? Nevermind. I'm going to be late for class. "
And with that she left a confused Tucker trailing behind.
-
-
"So what did she say?" Danny prompted when Tucker came into class.
"Nothing much that I can say…" Tucker responded.
Danny stared at his best friend for a moment. "What do you mean you can't say what she said?"
"Cause it's personal, Danny. And you know how Sam feels about personal stuff," Tucker replied, putting his books down on the desk.
The secret hero of Amity Park shook his head in frustration. "But I'm her best friend too. Why can't she tell me what's bothering her?"
"Maybe cause it deals with you…" Tucker mumbled under his breath. "Look, maybe Sam just needs some time to cool off about last night, you know? And we should just respect her space."
Danny let out a powerful sigh. "Okay, fine. But it doesn't mean I won't talk to her. I'll keep the conversation casual. I can't not talk to her, Tucker," Danny whispered, looking at his books in despair. "Where is Sam anyway? She's usually here before us."
Tucker glanced around the room for some sign of the Goth girl. "Don't know. She's usually never late."
And as if by cue, Sam came into the room with her coffee in hand, conversing with the mysterious boy from the Gothic café last night. "You can't possibly think that Romeo and Juliet is tragic… it's pathetic," Sam told him as they made their way to their seats.
"Oh, but it is," the boy responded. "Suicide, love, fate. It's all written out and they still ignore the signs."
"Shakespeare was gay," Sam concluded. "Simple as that."
Writhing uncomfortably in his seat, Danny stared at that boy. He clenched his jaw and cracked his knuckles out of pure instinct unknown to him. A cold distinct chill entered the room. "Hey Sam," Danny greeted, giving a sideways glare at that boy. A few bones in his body chilled as the temperature in the room dropped.
Sam gave a half-smile. "Hi Danny."
"Who's your friend?" Tucker asked, arching an eyebrow.
"Ian," the boy answered. "Nice to meet you both. Danny and Tucker, right?"
"Ian moved here over the weekend and he's a new student," Sam explained. "We met yesterday at the café I like to go to."
Danny bit his tongue. "I see."
Sam nervously took a sip of her coffee and gagged inwardly. "I hate coffee."
"Then why are you drinking it?" Danny asked suspiciously. "You've cursed coffee many times in your life and swore never to drink it."
Sam yawned. "I'm just really tired."
Ian stared at her sympathetically. "Maybe it's from all the talking last night," he said.
"Talking?" Tucker interjected.
Ian laughed innocently, turning his attention to the techno whiz. "Yeah, me and Sam were talking all last night at the café. She's a really intelligent girl."
"She is," Danny repeated, his eyes flaring in anger.
"Well," Tucker began, attempting to break the tension. "It's very nice to meet you Ian. Do you own a PDA, by any chance? Because you look like the PDA type. In fact, there's a new sale going down at that Techno store and well maybe later we could hang out and I could show you the latest and the greatest technology in PDA history…" he babbled on, trying to make friends.
Shaking his head in disagreement, Ian responded calmly, "I don't enjoy PDA's that much. I find them too much of a hassle to carry around. I think I'm just old fashioned though."
Tucker frowned. "Oh, I see."
"Hey," Ian began enthusiastically, "you can show me around the PDA store and we'll see if I change my mind."
Tucker's eyes beamed in excitement. "Sure, that'd be cool."
Ian laughed then he carefully looked at the front of the class. "Do you guys know where the bathroom is? I don't want to go while the teacher is talking and since he's not here..."
"Out the door and to the left," Danny said bluntly.
Ian nodded. "Thanks."
As Ian left, Sam's tired eyes drifted towards Danny. "Could be any more unwelcoming?"
"I don't like him, Sam," he said seriously. "He strikes me as a little funny."
Pursing her lips together, Sam pointed a finger at Danny. "That doesn't give you the right to be mean to him, Danny. He's a good person."
"I don't know, Sam," Tucker added. "He didn't like PDA's…"
"You guys just can't handle the fact that I have a new friend besides the two of you," Sam responded bitterly.
"That's not it," Danny defended.
Sam scoffed. "Yeah right."
Danny turned to Tucker for a moment, and then back towards Sam. Danny hesitated and wondered if he should bring up such a delicate subject right now. Well, it was now or never to him. "Look, Sam," he began, "about last night, I really just don't understand a lot of the things that happened… I'm sorry for whatever I did, but I just didn't…"
"Hey guys," Valerie greeted as she came through the door. "What are you guys chatting about?" She pulled up a chair towards Danny's seat and smiled brilliantly.
Sam bit her lower lip. "Nothing important. So how was the movie yesterday?"
"It was great," Valerie exclaimed. "Too bad you and Danny left though… but it was good, right Tucker?"
Locking eyes with Valerie, Tucker nodded. At some points, Tucker loved how Valerie knew how to make things sound more casual and inviting. She knew how to lighten the situation. "Yeah, it was really cool. It had the robot thing and the romance thing…"
"It was nice," Valerie smiled back at Tucker.
"You weren't there Danny?" Sam asked wearily.
"I left after you left," Danny explained in a low voice.
Sam's eyes drifted towards the ground. "Oh."
There was suddenly a great loud crash from outside the hallways and Danny's ghost sense took off. "Shoot…" he whispered under his breath.
"What was that?" Valerie got up from her seat carefully.
"I don't know, but I'll be right back," Danny said quickly as he sped out of the classroom.
As Danny approached the end of the hallways, he saw papers and gushing wind circling the halls in full speed. The lights began flickering insanely and the glass on the doors began shuddering. Danny had never seen this much power before, and he feared what kind of strength this ghost had. And if this ghost was bad news, as they usually are, this wasn't going to end well.
Danny took no time after this sudden thought as he transformed into Danny Phantom. Little did he know, Valerie Gray was trailing right behind him and she saw everything – she had seen Danny Fenton turn into Danny Phantom. It confirmed what suspicions she had.
"Danny…" she whispered. She took no time to comprehend the event and just put on her jump suit, ready for a fight. She ran up to Danny Phantom, only this time, less bitter. "Hey, Ghost Boy."
Danny glanced at his side. "You're not here to blame me, are you?" he asked, somewhat angrily. "Because I'm not causing any of this."
She nodded. "I know you're not."
His eyebrows knitted together in confusion.
"Hello, Danny Phantom," a voice drawled from above. "Nice to finally meet you."
"Who are you?" Danny prodded, looking up to a pale thin teenage boy with satin black hair. He wore a suit, not the normal ghost attire he had seen, but a tuxedo. This ghost had on a black tuxedo with a faint red rose pinned on his chest.
The ghost gave a small grin from the side of his lips. "Someone you'll get to know very soon. But first," he glared at the vixen in red next to him, "I think I have to get rid of your little friend first. It's between you and me, Half-Breed." And with that, his eyes glowed green as he hurled a black energy sphere towards Valerie, blasting her across the room and knocking her unconscious. The blow had disabled her suit, revealing her as an innocent student.
"Valerie," Danny shrilled, trying to run to her, but was stopped by another black sphere hurled in front of him.
"Danny Phantom, this is between you and me and if you want her to live, don't run after her. She's unconscious, but alive," the ghost spoke in a conniving voice.
"What the hell do you want?" Danny interrogated. "You don't hurt my friends."
"Haven't you hurt your friends, Danny?" he responded cleverly.
Taking a step back, Danny's eyes flared at this villain. "What do you mean?"
The ghost hovered towards the ground. "Love is such a … confusing emotion, wouldn't you agree?" he droned.
"Tell me who you are!" Danny demanded.
"The name is Weston, if you must know. But, we shouldn't beat around the bush. Can you feel your heart beating, Danny? When does it beat fast? When you see someone you really care about, when does it feel like your heart is on fire?" Weston tilted his head sideways, questioningly.
"I don't understand what you're getting at, and I don't have time for this. I've got English class," Danny spat back, thrusting an endoplasmic orb in defense.
Weston ducked easily. "Does that girl give you those feelings?" he asked carefully, pointing to the unconscious Valerie on the floor. "Or is there another girl that makes you sweat?"
Danny sent another orb, but still, Weston was left untouched. "Shit…" he murmured.
"I'm not here to fight with you. I want to know. There's a girl you love and you are killing her. Did you know that, Half-Breed?" Weston asked curiously, hovering towards Danny.
"Killing her…?" Danny responded with an image of Sam flashing in his head.
"I know who she is. And I know it's not her," he said, pointing bitterly at Valerie's unconscious body. "She has a beautiful heart, a beautiful soul, and you're killing her. Why are you killing the person you love the most, Danny? Why?" His voice seemed innocent and prodding.
Danny began backing away. "I'm not killing anyone, except you." He let out his ghost wail desperately.
The ghost cry flung Weston back into the wall. Wincing in pain, he stood up. "I'll be back, Danny Phantom. I will be back."
The wind and the darkness ceased. Breathing heavily, Danny changed back into his human form and ran towards Valerie. People from their classrooms stalked outside realizing the torrent was over. Tucker and Sam ran to the front of the crowd to see Valerie and Danny, somewhat beaten and bruised.
"Danny…" Sam whispered.
"Shit, what happened?" Tucker asked, running up them.
Danny gulped and wet his lips. "A very powerful ghost…"
Sam stared at Valerie's unconscious body. "We need to get her to the nurse or something. We need a nurse!" she screamed. Although they had their differences, she couldn't leave Valerie like this. Valerie was hurt and Sam knew that Valerie didn't deserve this. All in all, she knew deep in her soul that Valerie was a good person that's saved them all on numerous occasions. "Are you people deaf?" She yelled into the crowd. "We need to get the nurse!"
-
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All three students stood outside of the nurse's office impatiently waiting for the results of their friend's health. After all the ghost incidents, the nurses at Casper High have been well trained to deal with serious injuries and in most cases, the doctor wouldn't be needed, nor will a hospital trip be necessary. Danny was tapping his feet uncontrollably; Tucker was chewing on his nails and Sam rubbing her temples in pain.
"I should have stopped him," Danny admitted guiltily.
Sam shook her head. "Danny, no, this is not your fault. That ghost was powerful. You did the best you could."
"The best wasn't enough, Sam," he replied.
Tucker stayed silent through all of this. He had never seen any of them get hurt this badly to the point of unconsciousness and he feared the worst for Valerie.
The nurse opened the door and smiled at the three of them. "Valerie's fine," she said. "She hit her head, but it's a minor injury but she wants to see you all."
The three walked in slowly. Valerie sat upright on her bed and grinned soothingly. "Hey guys, what's up?"
"Are you okay?" Tucker asked in concern.
"Just a bump to the head that's all," Valerie said coolly.
Sam's gaze rested on Valerie's bandages. "Are you sure?"
"Positive," she answered, pulling two thumbs up. "But I need to talk to you guys."
"What about?" Danny asked.
"About the ghost."
Danny gave an uneasy smile. "What do you mean, Valerie? We got there and saw you unconscious. We didn't even see the ghost."
Valerie sighed. "I gave you a reason to lie to me, I know. But, Danny, I saw it. I saw you change into Danny Phantom."
Sam stared uneasily at Tucker and then to Valerie. "Valerie, I think you were dreaming… Danny is not Danny Phantom. He's not."
"Sam, you can stop protecting him. I saw it. And I guess you guys didn't want to tell me cause I was…well, hunting him down. But I'm not angry with Danny Phantom anymore. After all the good he's done, who could be mad at Danny Phantom? I kind of had my suspicions, but everything kind of fell into place today," Valerie explained.
"So you know now," Danny concluded. His eyes lowered into shame. "I'm sorry. I should have done something to protect you."
"Even Danny Phantom can't protect everyone," Valerie reassured him with a smile.
Tucker laughed, patting Danny supportively on the back. "He's Danny Phantom. He wants to protect everyone."
The ghost hunter nodded in agreement. "Now, you guys will still let me hunt ghosts with you guys, right?" Valerie asked with a smirk.
Sam nodded. "Of course. After Jazz left for college, I haven't had a girl to talk to about Danny's ghost fighting, so it'd be nice." Sam was trying to make a mend for her behavior against Valerie. After all, Valerie wasn't out to kill Danny Phantom anymore and although she was still a rival, maybe she should just let it go.
Because either way, Sam truly believed her chances with Danny had disappeared.
"Great," Valerie beamed.
Tucker grinned toothily. "Very great."
Danny eyed Valerie and Tucker back and forth, slowly putting two and two together and when he finally did get the end result, he chuckled inwardly for the first time today.
"What are you laughing at Danny?" Sam asked suspiciously, raising an eyebrow at him.
His eyes peered up suddenly. "Hm? Oh nothing … just funny things… funny things…"
"Okay then," Sam said slowly. "Well, I guess we'll let you rest, huh Valerie?"
Valerie groaned in return. "My dad's coming to pick me up from his work. The nurse said I couldn't drive home, so what other choice do I have?"
"Well, I can drive you home!" Tucker interjected happily. "Er, I mean, we can drive you home in our van."
"The Scooby Doo Mystery Machine?" Valerie joked.
"See!" Tucker exclaimed. "She thinks that'd be a cool name!"
Sam sighed. "It was a joke, Tucker…"
"Oh…" the computer genius rearranged his glasses in embarrassment.
"But I would love the ride," Valerie added. "But… just don't call it the Mystery Machine, okay?"
Tucker returned her sweet comment with a nervous smile and a heavily beating heart. "Well, uh, then I guess I'll just get the van and pull it around."
"We'll go with you," Danny and Sam said together.
As they strode out of the nurse's office, they found Ian leaning against the wall. "Sam! There you are."
Sam's eyes nearly bulged out. "Ian? What are you doing here? School ended like an hour ago…"
"Yeah, well, I stuck around. I was worried about you," he said sweetly.
Sam's cheeks went red in embarrassment. Is there actually a chance that someone as charming and cute as Ian would be interested in someone like Sam? Maybe it was a theory she wanted to test out. "Thanks," she replied softly.
"Well, Sam, we gotta get the car around for Valerie…" Danny urged, trying to shoo the unwanted pest known as Ian away.
With disappointed eyes, Ian stared at Sam. "Oh, I was actually going to offer if you wanted to stop by the café for awhile, but I guess you're busy huh?"
Sam stared at her feet and then looked up at him. "Oh, well," she turned to Tucker and Danny, "I guess you guys can get the car without me, right? I'm going to hang out with Ian for a bit."
Tucker bit his lower lip in weariness. "Uh, yeah sure, I guess."
Danny nodded in return. "Sure, whatever," he answered shortly.
"Cool," Ian said, draping his arm around Sam. "Shall we?"
"Yeah," Sam answered uncomfortably. Feeling Ian's arm over her shoulder seemed unusually cold and she didn't exactly like this feeling.
"Are you tired?" the new boy asked.
Sam blinked slowly and then yawned. "Now that you mention it, I guess I am tired. Must have been from all the drama and everything today." She turned to Tucker and Danny. "Well, see you guys."
"See you," they both responded.
As Ian and Sam walked away like two teenage lovers, Danny snapped his head bitterly towards Tucker. "What makes that guy think he can just wrap his arms around Sam?"
"I don't know," Tucker shrugged, "but it didn't seem like Sam was against it or anything."
"You think Sam … likes him?" Danny implored.
"Well, for once in her life, some guy she might actually be interested in is making the moves. And to be honest, Danny, Sam doesn't like to wait for too long."
"What does that mean?"
"It means as much as we might not … admire Ian, Sam seems to like him. You can't wait your whole life to make one move on a girl," Tucker responded. "Come on, we need to get the van."
Danny followed Tucker on their way to the parking lot in the back of the school. "Are you thinking that I lost my chance with Sam?"
"You've lost a lot of chances, man," Tucker informed him.
"But I don't trust Ian," Danny defended. "I don't think he's safe to be around."
"That's the jealousy talking."
"No, it's not. Well, maybe it is, but … I don't know. I just can't let Sam go that easily, Tucker. I can't."
"Well, then what are you going to do?" Tucker asked, pulling out his car keys.
Danny lips curled into a smirk. "I'll think of something."
"You know, Danny, I don't doubt that you could win Sam's heart but Ian is a pretty charming guy."
"I've got a lot more than just charm," Danny said thoughtfully.
Tucker gave an inward laugh and then frowned. "Danny, I never got to ask you about the ghost. You said he was powerful, but what did he want?"
"I don't know," Danny answered truthfully. "I know it has to do with me, but everything he said, it was in broken fragments. You're going to have to look up Weston on a ghost search later."
"That's his name?"
He gave a simple nod in return. "He said that I was killing someone."
"You, killing someone? Are you kidding me? You'd never hurt a fly … unless the fly was ghostly and looked like the child of the box ghost and the lunch lady… ew."
"He said I was killing someone I loved most."
"Sam?" Tucker suddenly asked.
"I can't be killing Sam, that's crazy."
Tucker shook his head, agreeing with him. "You love Sam too much to kill her."
"Yeah, I love S--" Danny stopped himself just as they arrived at the car. "Tucker, I don't … I'm not in love… I mean, I like Sam a lot… but love?"
Tucker gave a sly shrug. "You've known her for your whole life. Sure, you two have never gone out on dates, but it's not impossible that you would have fallen in love along the way…"
"No, that's crazy…"
"Crazy enough to be love," Tucker responded with a grin.
"Why don't you go and confess your love to Valerie? Hm?" Danny punched him in the arm and ripped the keys out of Tucker's hands.
Tucker gulped in embarrassment. "I don't love Valerie!"
"Tucker and Valerie sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G, first comes love, then comes marriage, then comes Tucker with a baby carriage!" Danny sang amusingly.
"Shut up," Tucker mumbled. "Just … start up the car, Danny."
"Will do, lover-boy."
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Well now, it's been about a month since my last update. Sorry guys! I hope you enjoyed this chapter. This new ghost seems… scary enough. What will Danny do about this new kid? Or will Ian show his claws before Danny has a chance to do anything? Stay tuned!
Please review and give feedback! THANKS!