My shortest chapter so far in this whole entire story, so I am sorry for that. Even though it is small I see it has a lot of content. And since it is so short I will be working on updating this weekend, but that doesn't give you a right not to review.
Disclaim: I don't own Danny Phantom, but you know what I own.
A.n. Italics is the flashback.
Cassie fell flat on her bed. Her father had been gone for a total of three days now. It's not like any of them were worried. The longer he was away; the better. The longest he had been gone was 2 weeks. They just assumed he was staying with a friend. She just finished her chores; just incase her dad did come home. She decided she should relax, when the doorbell rang.
"I'll get it." Cassie yelled to anyone who would be listening. She grumbled about not relaxing. She knew it must be someone besides her dad. Her dad would just bust the door open and not bother knocking. She opened the door to come face to face with Tucker.
"Tucker?" There was an awkward silence.
'Why is he here?' Tucker seemed more fidgety when nothing had been said.
"Um…Hi can I come in?" She stood there for a second, turned her head and saw the mess, and then stepped outside.
"We could go to the secret place. We always talk there." Tucker nodded. She never expected Tucker to come to talk. When she tried to remember the last time they talked at the secret place…she couldn't remember. Sure she always talked with Danny, but most of the time they left Tucker out of it. She couldn't help but feel guilty. They walked side by side without saying a word. The secret place had been left the exactly the way Sam and Danny had left it that night. The hill was only a few minutes from Cassie's house. They found it exploring it one day. The hill overviewed the city, giving a full light show at night, with still being able to see the stars. It was perfect. The grass was a brilliant green, and flowers started to bloom. Cassie sat down on the grass and Tucker followed. He seemed even more nervous than usual. Maybe it was because it was just them.
"I talked to Danny."
"I can't believe he did that to us." She blurted out. It had been boiling inside of her for a while now.
"Cassie, we can't control who he likes, it was bound to happen sooner or later. He is a guy you know." Tucker tried to joke, but Cassie found it anything but funny.
"But so are you." She sighed.
"It just hurts. He lied to us."
"It always does." Cassie without warning embraced him.
"You wouldn't do that to me would you?" She sounded like she was about to cry. Tucker was taken back; not only because of the hug, but he had never seen this part of Cassie before. She seemed vulnerable; she wasn't strong like she normally was. He desperately wanted to say yes, especially since he always wanted to be there for her and hold her. Yes, he had fallen for his best friend. IT seemed impossible since she didn't know how he felt. It was his chance to step up, so he promised something that he could never fully control.
"Yes." He whispered in her ear.
"Tucker…you're such a good friend." Tucker's heart dropped inside of him. Friend. A person that would always be there, but they would have no emotional attachment too. It tore at him. All she thought of him was a friend. He was so deep in painful shock that he barely heard what she said next.
"I need someone there for me. I thought I could trust Danny, but he not only betrayed me, he broke my heart." Normally that wouldn't have fazed one of her friends, but this time she broke Tucker's heart. His blood ran cold. Danny gets everything that he wanted. It wasn't fair.
"He told her everything. She knows about Danny Phantom." He waited to see her reaction, but she didn't blow up, which surprised him. Instead she changed the subject.
"Do you ever think that he wants to go back to his old life Tuck?"
"I think he regrets his decision sometimes…especially when she is around, but he if likes her; we should support him. Then be around to pick up the pieces." Cassie sighed as she wiped the tears that she didn't know were there. Tucker glanced at Cassie, and then his eyes turned back to the ground.
"You really liked Danny." Cassie didn't answer, but the blush that crept along her cheeks was answer enough for Tucker.
"Cassie, I have to go." He excused himself from her company. Cassie liked Danny, He like her, and Danny liked Sam. It was a love rectangle that no one dared to break. If someone did break it, then the whole balance would be lost, and friendships would be ruined forever. He was jealous; he admitted it to himself. Danny didn't give Cassie the light of day when he was thinking about Sam. Cassie didn't think of him as anything but friends. He was angry, so he decided to have a little "talk" with Danny.
Cassie's arms hung around her knees; wondering if telling Tucker that she liked Danny was for the best. She had to rely on someone. Her mind wandered off to something in the back of her mind; her mother. The one word represented a person that is supposed to be there for you when your friends don't understand, or just there to love you. Her mother left when Joey was six. Her mother was a strong woman. She had to be to deal with her father like she did. After Joey was born, she nursed him till he no longer needed her, then she just left one night. No one quite knew why. All Cassie remembered was being waked by her mother in the middle of the night.
"Cassie, Cassie, wake up." The sweet voice pulled the little girl from her dreams. She faced her mother leaning over her; trying to hold back tears.
"Momma?" Cassie was still half asleep.
"Yes. Cassie, I'm going away. Ok sweetie." Cassie let out a smile.
"When are you coming back?" Her mother frowned.
"I don't know." Her mother kissed her forehead gently.
"Cassie, I will love you as long as you live, and I hope you'll forgive me one day."
"What are you talking about momma?"
"Go back to sleep."
That was the last time that they ever saw their mom. Her father was enraged in the morning, so Cassie guessed that her mom hadn't told her dad. Kwan never really liked their mom, or if he did he hid it deep down inside of him. Maybe it was the fact that mom always wanted a girl, or that Cassie was her favorite. Cassie tried to guess why her father beat her. The more she thought about it the more she looked like her mother…or what she could remember anyway. She promised herself right there at the secret place that she would never tell anyone about her dad. It was for the best. They would be alright if they all stuck together.
Tucker knocked on the door to the Fenton home; Jazz answered.
"Hey Tucker."
"Is Danny home?"
"Yeah. He's in his room." Before she could ask why Tucker ran up to Danny's room. He didn't even bother to knock. Danny looked up from whatever he was doing at his desk.
"Hey Tuck, how did things go with Cassie?"
"It took some convincing, but she agreed." Tucker's voice seemed to be annoyed. It was the first time Danny noticed Cassie's off behavior.
"Tucker, what's wrong."
"YOU. That's what's wrong. You get the cool powers, you had popularity, you have an awesome family, and you get the girls that you want." Tucker blurted out in a huff.
"Tucker, what are you talking about, these powers are a responsibility. I gave up popularity. My family main goal in life is to embarrass me, and why would you be jealous of me and Sam?"
"No, not Sam. The girl you push aside everyday of your life. Is she not good enough for you?"
"Tucker, I don't like Cassie like that."
"BUT CASSIE LIKS YOU!" Tucker screamed without thinking. Danny's eyes widened.
"She likes"- A scream interrupted them both. Danny glanced at Tuck; who just nodded. Danny changed into his ghost half.
"We'll finish this later." Danny ordered.
"Yeah later." Danny disappeared leaving his best friend behind.
A.n.- Wow talk about conflict. Tucker likes Cassie, Cassie likes Danny (who just found out), and Danny likes Sam. But wait there's more for love triangles later. One more set- up chapter and then we get to the meat of the story. Looks like Tucker is jealous... I am currently working on chapter 12, and I am very pleased on how it is going. I wish I could get more reviews, but I know people wouldn't read it if they thought it wasan over-used plot. If I do update this weekend it would be Sunday. (just a heads up) Please write a review if you have any ideas, questions, or comments.
Review, Love, Laugh, Enjoy
-RGT-
