Disclaimer: The title of this chapter is the property of the Backstreet Boys, as is the song that this chapter is inspired by. See Chapter 1 for disclaimer of Danny Phantom and Jeremy.

A quick note: Well, I might merge these chapters later into one since they're so small, but I swear they'll get longer later on. I mean, you can't have all that I want in this story without having the chapters get longer! Wait till you guys get to the Evanescence songs I'm using! So sad… You just want to kill Jeremy and cut him up into tiny bits! And, yes, by the way, I have every chapter already planned out. It's just the question of writing them up then typing them up then uploading them onto fan fiction. You guys are so going to kill me... Hehehehehe...

Reviews: Siren of Time, Zirra Nova, TaylorTheWeird, Samantha-Girl Scout, KILLERGRIM23.

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Chapter 2: Show me the Meaning of Being Lonely

Show me the meaning of being lonely

Is this the feeling I need to walk with?

Tell me why I can't be there where you are

There's something missing in my heart

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Sam couldn't help feeling like a third wheel. Tucker had no qualms about hanging out with the couple. Valerie actually pulled Sam aside and suggested she find a guy so they could double-date. Sam had laughed and agreed, saying she wouldn't go on another of their "not-dates" till she found a guy. She doubted she'd find one, and she had a feeling Valerie didn't think she would either. Smart move, Val'. Remove your boyfriend's best friend from the picture. After all, you never know when he might decide to suddenly leap across the table and kiss me senselessly.

Danny still talked to her; they were still friends. It just so happened that he had a girlfriend who felt easily threatened. Sam didn't want to upset the delicate balance of Danny and Valerie's relationship. She backed off.

She cried herself to sleep every night. Danny no longer came to her with his wounds from ghost battles. He had Valerie for that now… and much more, apparently. Sam had once gone to Danny's. Jack and Maddie were in the lab, and Danny and Valerie were upstairs in his room. Maddie told Sam to go on up. She decided against going in the closed room when she heard the heated breaths of two familiar voices.

"Danny's sleeping with her," Sam muttered, throwing her books on the table where she and Tucker spent time studying together. Since that one time Sam had very nearly walked in on them, the couple had gotten more lovey, and it was sickening them both.

"Why wouldn't he? Valerie's one fine chick, and I'll be she's a real tiger in bed." The wistful tone to his voice was enough to reveal he was jealous that Danny was getting action while he was still a lone virgin. "Plus, they've been dating for almost two months now," he pointed out.

Sam rolled her eyes. "Oh, and two months is enough for them to have sex?" she nearly shouted. "God, I swear, guys think with their balls instead of their brains!"

"What'd Tuck' say now?"

She nearly jumped, turning to face her amused best friend, his girlfriend right behind him. "Oh, you know Tucker. I'm just one of the guys to him," she said, smiling and playing it off.

"You're not a guy?" Tucker pretended to look affronted. "Strip right now and prove it."

"Tuck', you're calling on the wrath of a hormonal goth," Danny warned as Sam growled, her hands balling into fists.

"Don't you know there's a certain week of the month where you shouldn't mess with a girl?" Valerie added.

Sam felt her face turn crimson. "So, why did the lovely couple decide to join us?" she asked, eye twitching once more.

"We wanted to study with you," Danny said. Sam felt the pieces of her shattered heart burst into flame as he slipped an arm around his girlfriend. "Is that okay?"

Sam couldn't speak, but thankfully Tucker piped up. "Sure, the more the merrier." The books were pushed aside, and room was made for the happy couple.

The group split after a while, Sam and Valerie working on one subject while Danny and Tucker worked on another. Sam could just guess what Tucker had steered the subject to from the blush that had crossed Danny's cheeks and the way he kept fidgeting in his seat. Sam was dimly aware of Valerie attempting to turn the conversation to the same subject, gloating about how Danny was such an animal through all that klutzy exterior. Sam simply gritted her teeth and listened with closed ears. He had the decency to blush and be embarrassed. Valerie was boasting, as if she'd finally gotten the last guy to sleep with her on her list. You don't deserve him, you ungrateful little bitch.

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"You don't think I'm ignoring her, do you?"

Tucker gave Danny an incredulous look. "Valerie?"

"No!" Danny blushed again. "Sam. She never seems to hang out with us anymore, and Valerie said she doesn't think Sam's very happy."

Tucker rolled his eyes then shook his head. "Dude, you're on your own with that one. You want to know if Sam's unhappy, you ask her."

Danny looked toward the goth girl who was sitting at one of the tables in the Nasty Burger with Valerie. Sam was reading a dark, goth romance while Valerie was examining her nails. "I can't ask her. Valerie will think something's going on between us."

Tucker nearly fell over. "What? How the hell did you end up sleeping with her?"

Danny rubbed the back of his neck, blushing once more. "Valerie instigated it," he mumbled. "She said if I really loved her and not Sam, I'd go all the way."

"Oh, man, you've got it bad." Tucker nodded his head sagely. "You love Sam!"

"No, I don't!"

"You had qualms about sleeping with your girlfriend, and you don't want to talk to your hurting friend because of the wrath of said girlfriend." Tucker crossed his arms over his chest, his expression clearly reading, 'Explain that one, Einstein.'

"All right, all right! I'll talk to Sam, okay?" Danny ducked his head and walked away. After this, he promised. I'll talk to her after this.

Of course, everyone—even Danny himself—knew that he wouldn't talk to Sam. Danny was always the peacemaker, and a peacemaker wouldn't confront his hurting girl friend while possibly bringing on the wrath of his fighting girlfriend.