A/N: I'm in grad school, life happens. My bad. I will try and keep up with the updates.
Danny flew around looking for a place to go. He knew that Tucker would be with Sam now, Dash would be with Tucker, and Valerie was her best friend. So there went his entire friend circle, but he thought it was better that way. Sam deserved to have a nice normal life. As his flew, his mind wandered about the future and he became distracted failing to see the ghost ray headed his way. The heat of the ray made his entire back ache and he fell a few feet from the shock. Danny turned around enraged ready to fight back when he saw who his attacker was.
"Really? You put up the ghost shield on me?" Danni said.
Danny landed on the ground and powered down opening his arms out for a hug but instead receiving another ray to the chest and falling to the ground.
"I'm not done being mad Daniel." She said with an emphasis on his name that reminded them both of Vlad Masters. The thought made Danni shiver and she lend a hand to Danny.
"It's so nice to see you." Danny said smoothing out his shirt.
"What the hell happened?" She asked.
"Why don't we go home? I know you're all going to ask, and I really rather just explain this once." Danny said walking away from her.
"We're walking?" She asked following.
"Sometimes its nice to do things the human way." Danny said shrugging as he continued to walk.
Sam woke up in bed feeling the warm body next to her and smiled until suddenly it hit her that it was just Tucker. Tucker called and said he would be with Sam and let Dash go home for the night. They had fallen asleep yesterday talking about the past decade of their lives. She began to look at her childhood friend. He was a man now. Gorgeous, ambitious, and so intelligent sometimes she still couldn't believe it. Tucker barely opened his eyes and smiled.
"Admiring me from afar again? I told you Sam it's not going to happen." He said playfully. Sam elbowed and stuck out her tongue.
"Not gonna lie, sometimes I kind of wish I'd fallen in love with you instead. Life would be so much easier right?" She said.
"We'd kill each other. Plus life decided to curse us and have us fall for Fentons." Tucker sighed.
Sam rolled her eyes. "Life is so unfair and Fentons make no sense."
"Amen sister." Tucker said finally getting up from bed. He managed to drag Sam down to the kitchen for some breakfast.
"Please tell me there is meat in this house." He said going towards the fridge.
"If there is, its Danny's so feel free." She sighed sitting down on her table. The house was nearly empty and didn't look at all like the place where she began making a home. Tucker opened the fridge and realized it was nearly empty. He figured they had been preparing to go away for their honeymoon so he didn't comment on it. In the corner of his eye he saw an unopened bottle of very expensive looking vodka and grabbed it. Tucker set out two glasses and began to pour away.
Sam gave him a disapproving look to which he responded, "What? Its a vegetable."
Danny entered his home and right away his mom and dad went out to hug him. He could barely breathe from all of the love and affection he was being showered with.
Danny laughed nervously and said, "guys you're kind of squeezing me to death."
"Daniel Fenton. We have been worried sick about you. Not a phone call or anything? What on Earth happened? How's Sam?" Maddie said now a little angry.
"Danny boy, why didn't you come home right away?" Jack said squeezing his son's shoulder for reassurance.
"Where's Jazz?" Danny asked looking around with his hand behind his neck. From that gesture alone they family knew something big happened. Jazz immediately rushed down the stairs and pulled her brother into a hug and then immediately punches him in the shoulder.
"Not even a phone call Danny? I thought you were dead!" Jazz yelled.
Danni just started snickering from behind, "This has been a precious family reunion, but can we get to the point?"
"And you young lady! You haven't phoned in weeks!" Maddie said putting her hands to her hips.
"Your highness here had me go to an outer dimension. I had no cell service!" Danni said. Though the Fentons were not technically her parents, she always knew she could count on them to worry about her. She and the rest of the family headed to the living room and sat awaiting an explanation.
"Sam and I had a really long talk about where our relationship was going and we decided we were headed in different directions and we would be better off as friends" Danny said.
The Fentons were all stunned that after a long night it had come to that. Danni interrupted, "That's cute for the press. Mind telling your family what actually happened?"
"That's what happened honest. No one cheated on anyone, no one has ill feelings. Its just done with. We want different things out of life, 24 is really a young age anyway. There's still so much growing up to do and that's what we've decided." Danny said. He felt bad hiding such a big secret from his family but found it pointless to have his family mourn over something that didn't happen.
Sam sat on her couch obviously very drunk and awaited further instruction. Tucker felt super bad for having to leave her but he forgot he had to go handle press for his senate campaign and somehow sober up as well. Vodka for breakfast was a mistake. He heard the doorbell ring and somehow got up to get it and saw that it was Dash.
"Oh thank goodness you're here. We need to go." Tucker said slurring.
Sam just started giggling to herself, "The press is still out there? I'm gonna go tell em to get some lives." She attempted to stand up but was still on the couch.
"Can you please take her to Val's? And avoid being seen? And maybe get her to not make a scandal?" Tucker said gathering his belongings.
Dash looked over at Sam who was trying to tie her laces and nodded. Tucker put on a pair of dark shades and faced the press outside.
"Is it true you've been having an affair with Sam Manson?" One reporter asked.
"Is it true you've been having an affair with Danny Fenton?" asked another. Tucker just laughed and rolled his eyes as his driver pulled up along him.
Inside Dash was trying to figure out how to get Sam out of the house looking semi like a normal person. Well at least as normal as Sam Manson could ever get.
Sam finally finished tying her shoe and stood up from the couch noticing Dash there.
"Were we going for a run or something? I don't remember making plans with you. I'll give you a head start though Dash or should I say Dawdle." she slurred making herself laugh and falling back down.
"You've been with Fenton too long, that was fucking awful." He smiled but she instead started to cry.
"That's right shit. Sorry." Dash said helping her back up.
Tucker figured he did a good job with the press conference about his platform as a senator. He successfully avoided many awkward questions about team Phantom and focused on the issues. At least he thought so but it could also be the liquid arrogance he had for breakfast that morning.
He had his driver pull over the house on the corner with the giant neon Fenton works sign. Those Fentons sure did like attention. Tucker ran inside avoiding the cameras and questions yet again.
He noticed Jazz curled up with a book and he took a deep breath. It was unfair how much he loved her. She looked up from her book and smiled at him. "He's upstairs." She said.
Tucker sat down next to her and took off his hat, "I've had a long damn day. I don't need to see him just yet."
"I assume Sam told you the whole story and not some half assed 'we're different people now' sort of shenanigan." Jazz said finally putting her book down.
"Actually that's exactly the shit she told me, I was going to try to get the rest from him." Tucker said. He felt bad for lying but no way would he spill his best friend's secret, not even to the woman he loved.
Jazz rolled her eyes, "I'm sure it'll come out eventually. Everything does."
"I always thought they were perfect for each other. Even when we were kids." Tucker said.
"Everyone did. They have a connection unlike no other. Like everything in the universe that has ever happened, happened so that they could find each other. But they're also both so damn stubborn. I wish I could help them fix it." Jazz said.
"No way would Danny ever go to you for therapy." Tucker chuckled.
"No, but he should go to someone. Maybe lately its just seems like to much. He never talks about all the things he does in the ghost zone. I feel like we barely ever really talk." Jazz said worried. Tucker smiled and looked at her.
"He's my baby brother, I'm always worried about him." She said anticipating that he would think she's overreacting.
They sat in silence for a few minutes and eventually Tucker spoke, "I love you. I know you don't care and that you want nothing to do with me but I figured I would tell you anyway."
Jazz smiled sadly, leaned her head on Tucker's lap, and continued to read her book.
If that was all he was going to get for now he was going to take it. The curse of loving a Fenton.
Dash pretty much carried Sam to Valerie's house with her sun hat and cloak and a giant pair of sunglasses. He was glad she was weird enough to own wardrobe this strange. Dash knocked on Valerie's front door, she looked incredibly annoyed and then relieved.
"Thank God more humans! Come in!" She said dragging them in. Dash gently put a sleeping Sam on the couch.
Paulina had taken over the living room with dozens of papers flooding the place. She was on her bluetooth arguing with someone about some of the photographers and finally hung up.
"Tucker went to a press conference? He asked me to bring Sam here, she's a little drunk." Dash said.
Valerie laughed, "a little? That's an understatement."
Paulina jumped and clapped, "Ohhh I LOVE drunk Sam! She's like the cool version of Christmas Sam!"
"Well she isn't cheery or anything. I mentioned Fenton and she started to cry." Dash said slightly worried.
"She'll be fine. My girl just needs to get it all out. Cry, booze up, and have a few flings, the standard break up process." Valerie said covering Sam with a blanket.
"Just no scandals. I'm so overwhelmed." Paulina exclaimed.
"Yes that's why you came without notice and took over my house." Valerie said rolling her eyes.
"I came because I knew Sam would be here and I was right. Kind of. We still need to release a statement." Paulina said staring at Sam.
"Looks like that will have to wait." Valerie said trying to organize a bit of Paulina's mess.
"Do not touch anything! I have it all sort out based on level of fire. Dash, could you pick up Natalia from my mom's and maybe take her for the day?" Paulina said. Natalia was their seven year old daughter. When Paulina got pregnant in high school, everyone sort of expected it. What they didn't expect was to see Dash and Paulina truly step up and become good students and even better parents. Dash nodded and headed out the door after saying goodbye.
"When do you think she'll wake up?" Paulina said.
"Not sure. But I'll have the alcohol ready for when she does." Valerie said walking towards her wine rack. Paulina got back on the phone to speak with more reporters.
Tucker went up to Danny's old room and saw him in bed. Danny immediately felt his presence and sat up.
"Are you here to get my side of the story?" Danny asked somewhat monotone.
"Something like that." Tucker said taking a seat at the desk chair.
"Well its everything she said but probably 100 times worse." Danny said.
"So you fell out of love then?" Tucker asked sarcastically.
"Stop you know that's not it." Danny said.
Tucker got up and sat next to his buddy, "nothing else makes sense. All of a sudden you just want different things out of life? That wasn't you before."
"Exactly. Its me now. Is that hard to understand?" Danny said irritated.
"What I don't understand is why you refuse to be happy. You have everything you could ever want and then turn your back on it all. Its crazy." Tucker said angrily.
"Look Tuck, worry about getting your life together and stay out of mine. Don't you have a campaign to run or some tech to date?" Danny said turning his back on Tucker.
Tucker got up from the bed, "Lets talk again when you aren't all kinds of emotional. Yes I envy what you have sometimes but I'm doing damn well for myself." he said before walking out.
The door slammed and Danny began to cry into the pillow.
Sam got up and dragged herself into the kitchen to find Valerie and Paulina there on the phone. She still felt tipsy but not as drunk as she had been earlier. Sam managed to wrap a blanket around her to shield her from the light and got ingredients for cereal. Eventually Paulina and Valerie got off the phone and just stared at the little energy the girl in the blanket had.
"So nice of you to join us. I've been putting out your fires all day." Paulina said.
"Well that is your job Pauly, I pay you." Sam said irritated.
"Well damn can I get paid too?" Valerie said chucking. She poured the milk for Sam who had been struggling.
Sam began to laugh and Paulina stared at her.
"I'm sorry, its just you're one of those people." Sam said.
"Ugh let me guess shallow?" Paulina said rolling her eyes.
"No, you just make me feel like a kid again. Sorry, yes you've been putting out fires. Thank you. Just put out some generic statement about how we grew up or whatever." Sam said.
"Is that what happened?" Valerie asked.
"Yes to some extent. I rather not talk about it. " Sam said trying to eat her cereal and then realizing that she didn't want it. Sam put it aside and Paulina began to munch on it while Valerie poured her a glass of wine.
"Do we need a girls night out?" Valerie asked while hugging her friend. Sam just nodded.
"With all that paparazzi? No way. Ohh we should have a slumber party!" Paulina exclaimed.
Sam smiled, in her wildest dreams would she have imagined that these girls would be her friends, and yet here they were.
Danny looked up at his childhood bedroom and realized it was just another shrine of his relationship with Sam. Their pictures were everywhere, every thing reminded him of her and just wanted it to stop. If even for a minute. He sighed, this would be so much more harder than he thought. He always knew that his life wouldn't be normal, but he always believed that he would be able to keep some aspects of living a normal life. He could still remembering the day Clockwork told him, it had been right before everything else happened.
Flashback
Danny rushed into Clockwork's tower with a huge smile on his face. "Sorry for being late I..."
Clockwork interrupted in the form of an old man, "I know why you are tardy, but it is unacceptable. Especially for a king. You have new powers you need to control and absolutely no time to waste."
"Yea sorry about that. Sam and I just found out..." Danny began to say before being interrupted again.
"Yes the watchers warned of a great distraction coming your way. I must tell you that it will be impossible to continue your training if you aren't committed." Clockwork said now in the shape of a baby.
"The ghost zone is in peace with the human world. Tucker, Sam and I have done a pretty decent job of keeping everyone protected on both sides. Why is all this training necessary? The last ghost king napped for like a thousand years." Danny said.
"He ruled with an iron fist and was put away for a thousand years by ancient ghosts. I do not want you to share his fate." Clockwork said.
"Well isn't that why the watchers thought I'd be a good leader? Because my humanity keeps my morality in check?" Danny asked a little nervous.
"The watchers view your humanity as weak and wanted to end you. I pleaded for you to be spared. Please do not make me regret that. Your will power must become stronger, your emotions mustn't overtake you, you must have a strong grasp of what it is to be a ruler." Clockwork said and then paused, "you humanity will not last you forever."
Danny jolted up not even realizing that he had been asleep. Though he enjoyed little things like falling asleep, it reminded him he was human. If not forever then at least for now.