This is supposed to be chapter 5 but because I combined ch 3 and 4… yeah…

The Phantasmagoric Images

Chapter 5

Danny found himself in a stiff bed, the school nurse looking at medical records in a computer chair beside him.

"W-What happen?"He began slowly, his head throbbing in pain. "Where… Where's Sam? Is she okay? Is she... alive?" He was hysterical with fear and the nurse laughed slightly as he began to tear apart the bed sheets looking for something that couldn't possibly be there.

"Calm down, Mr. Fenton," the nurse spoke softly, placing a hand on his shoulder. "I'm still trying to figure out what's wrong with you." She made him sit back on the bed as she pulled out a stethoscope to check his breathing and heart rate.

"There's something wrong with me?" Danny asked, more pleading for her to say no than anything. He kind of figured there was something wrong with him. He couldn't think straight. He couldn't tell dreams from life; fantasy from reality. He was sick, but doubted that a school nurse could solve his problems.

"Well, you did pass out in the middle of the hallway. That was quite a bump to the head you took."She laughed as she spoke. Is she always this cheery? "Of course, you were very lucky."

"Lucky?" Danny repeated, rubbing his bandaged head. He could feel a rather big bump there that hurt when he put too much pressure on it. He vaguely remembered hitting a locker door.

"Yes, you were very lucky that your friend found and brought you here. We had to talk her out of calling an ambulance." She laughed again, but that time it was actually funny. "Of course, you couldn't blame the girl. She cares for you a great deal. She almost had a panic attack when you wouldn't wake up." She paused to look at him. His face was distraught. He made her worry. "She said the two of you had a fight. I can't imagine a perfect pair like you would have fights, but I guess a relationship without trials doesn't exist. Did you really have a fight?"

"Yeah, sort of…" Danny trailed off and stood up from the stiff mattress pad. "Where is she?" The nurse pointed to the door. Danny nodded as a thank you and walked out the cold, metal door to find Sam and Tucker waiting on a wooden bench next to the entryway. Their faces plastered with concern. "Hey, guys," Danny tried to smile as he closed the door behind him. Sam automatically turned her face away from him. She was still playing like she was mad. When she felt his gaze on her, she swiftly covered the mark on her arm.

Tucker looked at him with a sorrowful face. "Sam says she's not talking to you," Tucker explained. He hated being the messenger of bad news and hating, even more, being stuck in the middle of their squabbles. Danny sighed heavily.

"That's fine because I'm gonna do all the talking," Danny said, sitting down next to Sam. He brushed the burn making her bite her lip to keep from yelping in pain. "I wanted to say…" could he really do this? He tried so hard to say what he felt, to finally tell her, but at the last minute, the words got caught in his throat and he couldn't. "…thank you for not leaving me in the hallway. I know you were really mad at me and you probably wanted to leave me there." Her face turned pale. How can he think I'd just leave him there to die just because I'm mad? A tear fell down her cheek and she quickly wiped it away before he could see. "And… I'm sorry for hurting you and whether you believe me or not, I really didn't mean to. I'd never want to hurt you. It just happened, and I know you're mad, but I…"Danny stopped when he saw Sam lean over to whisper something in Tucker's ear. He felt his legs become weak. Tucker nodded to Sam and turned to Danny with a sorry look on his face.

"S-Sam said save it," Tucker began, seeing the hopeless look on Danny's face. "She also says that she's not talking to you because you burnt her over a container of hair gel…"

"Sam," Danny looked down at her, tears forming in his eyes. "It was never about the hair gel! It was about…" He couldn't tell her. She'd never forgive him for thinking like that, like… like a hormone-crazed teenaged boy. His voice caught in his throat again and he turned his back to her quickly. He breathed in deathly, hoping the air would give him the courage he was lacking. "I've been thinking… about what I did and what you just said. Well, technically, Tucker said it, but that's beside the point. I wanted to say I was sorry and I know I've already said sorry, but I can't say it enough. I also wanted to say that I…I… I love you." He breathed a sigh of relief. He said it. He finally said it. He laughed triumphantly at his achievement. "I love you! I always have and I always will. And I'll say I again, too! I love you!" both of his friends looked at him in shock. A smile slowly formed across Tucker's face. Danny knew his sudden outburst needed explaining. "I know. You think I've lost my mind or I'm suffering from a concussion, but I'm not. And the only reason I'm telling you this is because I had to get it off my chest before…" He trailed off for a minute and set his eyes on the floor. "Before… I go away forever, but I can't leave knowing that you hate me." Danny's heart broke more with every word.

Sam rocketed out of her seat to meet his eyes. "You're leaving? You tell me you love me and then leave? You're in no condition to be out of bed much less leave! You can't leave!" Sam yelled frantically.

"Why not?" Danny asked slowly in confusion. Sam stared at the floor, mustering up all strength.

"Because… because…"Sam was reaching for a reason she couldn't find or couldn't tell him. "Because I hate you! And you said it yourself… that you can't leave knowing that I hate you." Danny's face went blank. He knew she would be upset, but he never expected this.

"I… I can't… stay," Danny stated, his blue eyes becoming glassy.

"I… I don't care," Sam retorted, trying not to let on her hurt she was. "I don't care about what you think you can and cannot do. You're staying and that's final!" She began to shake with anger.

"Why can't you, of all people, see why I can't stay?" Danny screamed, wiping the tears from his eyes.

"Because you don't tell me anything!" she yelled back. "You've been acting weird for the past few hours, then all the sudden, you say that you're leaving and I'm supposed to know why, but I don't! Maybe if you talked to me I would…"

"Sam, I can't stay because… because…" An image of Sam drenched in blood hold a knife in his back flashed through his mind. He froze.

"Because you're an idiot!" Tucker finally spoke form the background. Danny was shocked. He thought Tuck would stick with him no matter what.

"No," Sam said in almost a whisper. "Because he's… a ghost. He's dead! He's leaving because he has no heart!" Danny's heart stopped. You're wrong… I'm leaving because of my heart. Because I don't want to hurt you!

"I… I have a heart," Danny retorted. "And it was beating before you ripped it out!" his tears were flowing freely now. He just didn't care anymore. "I told you everything I could, I confided in you. You were my best friend and you still treat me like I'm not even human!"

"You're not," She said flatly. Tucker jumped in surprise. Did she really just go there? "You're not human and you're not a ghost. You know what? I've finally figured out what you are." She paused, only to prolong his agony. "You're a monster, a demon, a fiend, a villain, a wretch! Face it. There is… was only one person who could care for a thing like you, but you insist and lying, creeping, and bottling everything inside until you explode. Eventually, you'll destroy yourself and I don't want to be there when you do, but I'm sure Paulina would gladly accept the offer."

"Um, maybe you missed my speech at the beginning of this conversation because you are stuck inside your delusional freako world so I'll repeat it for you. I love you and if you can't see that I mean it when I'm screaming it in your face then you need glasses, you blind twit!" Danny was becoming more resentful with every word that came from the lips that he had once wanted to kiss. His anger showed in his glowing green eyes.

"I'm sure you and Paulina will be very happy together!" Sam retorted. When did this become about Paulina? This had nothing to do with her. It was about protecting Sam. What kind of crack was she on?

"I will never be happy with her and somewhere, deep down inside your cold heart, you know it, too," Danny replied. His dream suddenly came back to his mind. The bloody dagger lay in her still in her heart. The beating started again. It was like thunder in his head. He placed his hands over his ears in an attempt to make it stop and began screaming in pain. He would give anything to make these dreams stop. Tucker and Sam watch Danny as he fell to floor, writhing in pain.

"Danny?" Sam approached him, concerned for him.

"Get away from me!" Danny screamed, his voice rough. She came closer, running her fingers through his raven hair. "Didn't you hear me? Get away! I don't want to hurt you! GET AWAY!" A burst of ectoplasmic energy erupted from his mouth as he screamed. The blast of energy sent Sam slamming into and through three walls until she landed in the cafeteria.

AN: If I don't get more reviews and soon, I'm gonna go insane so…

REVIEW