006: Easter
"Good night, Katie," Sam whispered, brushing the hair out of her little friend's face. Kaitlyn sighed under the sheets then yawned.
"Good night, Blackie," she parroted, pulling the covers to her shoulders. Sam smiled at her nickname. She was only called that because of the impression she gave to the kids on the first day.
When she got off the bus with Danny and Tucker, she had her usual outfit on -- green striped black skirt, black tank top with the purple oval in the middle, her "killer boots" (as Tucker called them) and her ponytail. She had on her purple lipstick and her mascara, but it never crossed her mind that she would scare the younger campers. Danny had snickered when he noticed all the staring children and murmured to his friend, "I think you're terrifying them, Sam." She just rolled her eyes and replied, "It's not my fault they're sissies." It got around that Sam's name was really "Blackie," -- because she wore so much black -- so everyone started to call her that. It was rumored that it was Kaitlyn was the one who started the lie in the first place. But Sam didn't mind. And after a while, no matter how annoying it was, the name just stuck.
Sam got up from the cot, flicking off the lights as she did so. She was about to leave, but Katie stopped her.
"Blackie?" she called, a hand reaching out in the dark. Sam grabbed her hand, letting her know that she was still there. She made her way over to Kaitlyn and sat back down on the cot, once more.
"Yeah, Kates?" Sam played with the hem of Kaitlyn's sheets, waiting for her to tell her what was wrong.
"Is the Easter Bunny real?" Kaitlyn's voice quivered anxiously as she squeezed Sam's hand. Sam's expression softened, her head spinning. Is the Easter Bunny real? How could you tell an eight year old that the Easter Bunny wasn't real? You just couldn't!
Sam swallowed silently before replying, "Of course, Kaitlyn. Why are you asking?" Even though she didn't see it, Sam could have sworn that Kaitlyn shrugged under her sheets.
"I'm just not sure if he's going to be able to find me, this year," she answered, her voice small and unsure. Sam patted her friend's foot.
"I'm sure he'll be okay with the directions we left him," she told Kaitlyn, trying to sound sincere. It was really hard to lie to an eight year old, or at least that's what Sam decided. She was more than thankful that they were sitting in the dark. Her face would've surely given away the truth.
"Good night, Katie," Sam repeated, getting up from the cot once again. She didn't wait for Kaitlyn's answer, however, because she knew that her little friend was fast asleep by now. She smiled to herself before slipping out the cabin and making her way to the counselor's cabin.
She sighed loudly while making her grand entrance, plopping herself into the nearest chair. Sam watched as Tucker looked up from his book, his glasses sliding down his nose a little.
"Something wrong?" he asked, not really caring what was happening in the life of his best friend, Samantha Manson. Sam rolled her eyes.
"I don't need your sympathy," she snapped back, sitting upright in the cushioned chair. She crackled her knuckles quickly before continuing, "But I'll tell you anyway. You know my little friend, Kaitlyn?"
Tucker nodded, pushing his glasses back. "Yes..."
"Well, she asked if the Easter Bunny was real." While Sam was completing her sentence, Danny walked through the door, soon to sit down near her. He laid back, not that it crossed his mind that he was lying on a floor that was cleaned once a month.
"Of course he isn't real," Danny butted in. He took in a deep breath, exhaling slowly.
Sam gave her friend a look. "But, do you tell an eight year old that?" She didn't wait for him to reply, instead answering for him, "No. It's against the rules."
"There are rules?" Tucker asked, wondering what the hell was going on. "I never knew that!"
"Yes, there are rules. For the little kids, that is." Sam rolled her eyes, flicking Danny in the head. He groaned quietly, rubbing his forehead, while she went on, "Children don't learn that these imaginary beings are imaginary until they're ten or so. And that's it. When they're ten, they'll have to grow up... And they'll never be able to turn back."
Danny shook his head. "Stop being so dramatic," he muttered, sitting up. "They know the Easter Bunny isn't real."
"This is the year that the kids are beginning to have their doubts," Sam pressed, wrapping her arms around her legs. She rested her chin on her knees as she continued, "Kates asked me if he was real."
Tucker's eyebrows shot up. "And you said...?"
"I told her he was." Sam blew a loose strand of hair out of her face. "What else was I supposed to do?"
Danny rested on his arms, still involved in the conversation. "You could've told her the truth."
"And ruin her only childhood?" Sam shot him a glare. She groaned, clutching her head in thought. "She wasn't sure... I could tell. She was having thoughts."
Tucker rested the book in his lap. "Well, you said yourself a few minutes ago, that this was the year that children began to have doubts, yes?"
"Yes, I did." Sam straightened upright, tensing in defense. "What is that supposed to mean?"
"Yeah," Danny agreed, copying the girl's actions. "Care to explain?"
Tucker leaned forward, making the moment more intense than it was needed to be. "I say we prove to them that there is an Easter Bunny." Danny rolled his eyes, annoyed by the situation.
"And how do we do this?" he asked, running his hand through his hair. Sam watched in amazement as Danny continued to have no such thing as a clue.
"You don't get it?" she wondered aloud. "We take a picture of the Easter Bunny."
Danny's eyes widened. "And how is that?" And with those four words, a thought crossed his friends' minds. Sam and Tucker looked at each other simultaneously, then turned back to Danny. Danny's eyes widened in horror as Sam's face lit up, obviously showing she had an idea.
A small smirk flickered across Sam's face.
"No." Danny narrowed his eyes at Sam, his face hard as stone. "No." He shook his head rebelliously, repeating, "No. No, no, no, no, no. No." Sam quietly laughed, covering her mouth with a free hand.
"Aren't you pleased with our idea?" she asked, not really caring for his reply. Danny just grumpily growled in return. Tucker, on the other hand, walked around the corner, camera in hand. He stopped in his tracks, giving his friend a double take.
"Wow," he chuckled, "Dan, I love your new sense of style. Bunny costumes now in." Before he knew it, Tucker was laughing with Sam going along. Danny just stood there, looking and feeling more ridiculous than ever.
The Easter Bunny costume tightly enclosed Danny in a small space, nearly suffocating him. The little screen where you can see doesn't do much, he decided. He'd rather be blind than be dead. The suit was nothing but pink... It's ears, nose, and eyes a brighter pink, as well. The little tail on the costume's rear was nothing but a ball of cotton, stitched on with visibly white thread.
Danny rolled his eyes within the costume. "Okay, let's get this over with."
Sam let go of the suit's "tail" and made her way near Tucker. "Camera?"
With a smile, Tucker handed his friend the object in his hands. "Check. Is everyone asleep?"
"Except us," Sam replied with a grin, "check." Once again, Danny rolled his eyes, nodding toward the door.
"Lets' just go," he pressed, walking to the exit. Sam stopped Danny, shoving a bag into his stomach.
In the dark, she smiled... even if he couldn't see it. "You might need this," she whispered loudly.
"What is it?" Danny's eyes narrowed in suspicion.
Tucker answered for Sam, "A bag of baskets full of candies."
"What's this?! I'm no Santa!" Danny sighed in exasperation.
Sam gripped his shoulder tightly. "But you're the Easter Bunny for a few minutes. You hop around, giving out candy so children can get cavities and make dentists rich. Tonight, you're taking the place of Santa." She smiled before adding, "Mr. Claus takes off on Easter."
Danny pulled away from Sam's grip, grumbling quietly, "Let's just get this over with."
When the three were almost finished placing the candy-filled baskets underneath each and every cot on the camp ground, Danny's shoulders started to slump in exhaustion.
"Are we done now?" he asked quietly, making his way toward the counselor's cabin. Sam shook her head, grabbing his hand.
"No..." She pulled him back, ignoring the tingling sensation she was feeling in her hand's nerves. She released her grip reluctantly, turning to Tucker. "You still have the camera?" She smirked before adding, "Haven't lost it yet?"
Tucker narrowed his eyes in annoyance. "No. As a matter of fact, I haven't!" He pulled the object out of his backpack, giving it to Sam. "Here."
Sam smiled, taking the camera from Tuck. "Danny, go stand over there." She pointed to the door of the counselor's cabin. "I need your picture."
Instead of following her directions, Danny tugged at the top of his costume. "It's getting really hot in here, you know," he muttered.
"Want to switch places with me?" Sam asked, placing her hand on his mindlessly. There it was again, that tingle!
Danny nodded inside the Easter Bunny suit, whimpering, "Yes please..." Sam shook her head, her lips pursed together.
"Sorry, man," she continued. "You can't. You have nothing on under there -- "
"I have my boxers and an undershirt on!"
"But I really don't want to envision you in that. ...snap. There's that mental image. Thanks."
"But --"
"Nope. Sorry."
"Why not? It's only boxers and an undershirt."
"I just don't want to."
"You have anything under those clothes?" Tucker's face snapped up to get a good look of Sam's aggravated expression, his eyebrows cocking.
"Yes I do. And I don't really feel like showing my two male best friends what I have. Now, stop being a sissy and put up with the heat for a little bit more." Sam narrowed her eyes, even though she knew that Danny couldn't see her. And boy, he should've been grateful that he didn't.
"Yes, ma'am," Danny muttered, making his way toward the counselor's cabin's entryway.
When he was out of earshot, Tucker snickered. "Are you sure you don't want -- "
"Shut up," Sam immediately growled, walking toward Danny. When she was finally in position, she called out quietly, "You ready, Dan?"
Danny nodded in the dark. "Yep." He bent down, the candy-filled basket in his grip only a couple of inches off the ground. He paused in that position, waiting for Sam to snap the photo. "Take it." Sam steadied the camera so that she could see her friend from the other side of it. She scanned over Danny, then pressed the button on the edge of the camera swiftly.
Click!
A bright white light instantly flashed in Danny's view, blinding him from seeing anything else. He immediately let go of the basket, sending it to the ground. He growled in pain as he shut his eyes tightly, pulling off his Easter Bunny head. He threw it to the ground, obviously sick of the suit. He buried his face into his right arm, trying to get rid of the purple splotches masking his sight.
In the middle of all this, Tucker stood next to Danny blankly, wondering what to do. Sam, on the other hand, rushed to his side, running her hand over Danny's cheek in reassurance. "Dan..." she whispered, brushing his hair out his face as Danny cringed because of the pain in his eyes.
And with that, Daniel Fenton passed out in Sam's arms.
A few hours later, Danny woke up in the counselor's cabin, lying a cot. He blinked a few times, gazing around the room. He's face lit up when he saw Sam sleeping next to him, her chest rising and falling with every breath she took. Tucker laid on the other side of him, as well. He heard him snore a little in his sleep, but not loudly enough to wake him up during the night. He laid down once more, relaxing under the covers. Danny felt someone poke him in the arm under the covers, making him jump slightly.
"Who's that?" he whispered, trying to see who touched him.
"Psst," a voice rose from the darkness. Poke. "You're awake?"
Danny chuckled quietly. "No, I'm sleep talking." He paused before continuing, "Who's that?"
"Sam."
"Oh."
Silence.
"How long was I out?"
"A few hours, I guess. I'm not sure."
"Oh."
"When you fainted, Tucker and I carried you to the counslor's cabin. Then we laid you on the cot and waited for you to wake up."
"And I didn't?"
"Obviously not. Until now."
Danny shifted his weight under the sheets, then a thought crossed his mind. He narrowed his eyes in suspicion. "How come I'm not in the costume, anymore?"
"Erm... Tucker had left to go get the camera and the bag of baskets while I, uh, kind of... undressed you..." Danny rolled his eyes, smiling, as he felt the awkwardness in the air. "...and pulled a t-shirt over your head and had to let you keep your boxers on..."
"Had to let me keep my boxers on?"
"Shut up."
"Had?"
"I said shut up."
"Are you sure you -- "
"Shut up!"
"Okay then."
"So, yeah."
"Well, you saw me in my boxers and undershirt after all..."
"And?"
"And you couldn't even switch places with me while I was dying of suffocation?"
"I didn't want to show anything. It wasn't necessary."
"I was about to die!"
"But you didn't."
"I passed out."
"Fainted."
"Passed out."
"Fainted."
"Because of heat and suffocation."
"Because of being a wuss."
"No, I -- "
"Whatever."
More silence.
"Did you get the picture?"
"Yeah."
"How'd it come out?"
"Really good."
"Good."
"Yeah."
Longer silence.
"Did any one of you two care that I passed out?"
Danny heard a chuckle next to him, one that didn't sound like a chuckle Sam would chuckle.
"Sam did," Tucker snickered in the dark. Sam reached over and flicked Tuck in the head.
Flick.
"I'm his best friend. So, why didn't you?" Sam challenged. "Hmm?"
"At least I didn't unecessarily preform CPR on my best friend."
Danny invisibly raised his eyebrows in surprise. "You did, Sam?"
"Erm... Yeah, but that was because you were passed out. I checked and you weren't breathing."
Tucker chuckled again. "Sure..." Sam flicked Tuck in the head once more.
Flick.
"I think you did a little more than CPR," Tucker continued, not fully terrified of Sam's flicking. Not fully.
Flick.
"I did no such thing," Sam defended herself.
"I thought that was a dream..." Danny murmured to himself. But Tucker could hear him.
"What was that?" he asked, curious.
"I had a dream that I was lying on the ground while Sam was kissing me."
"...snap..."
"It was like I was having an out of body experience."
"...snap..."
"I know."
In the dark, Sam bit her lip anxiously. "We weren't kissing."
"No one said you were," Tucker purred, smirking.
Flick.
Danny fiddled with the hem of his t-shirt under the sheets before going on, "Do you think the kids will like the picture and the baskets full of candy?" Tucker rolled onto his side, not caring to answer his friend's question. But Sam did.
"I would think so, yes. I think they'd appreciate all you've been through."
"Ah... It's been okay, I guess."
"Okay?"
"Okay."
"What? You fainted because of being a wuss -- "
"I passed out from heat exhaustion and suffocation."
"Big difference."
"Major difference."
"I used sarcasm."
"But I didn't."
"...erm...okay... Anyway, how was that okay?"
"It was more than okay."
"You're scaring me."
"During CPR, is it really necessary for the CPR-ee to be unconious?"
"That made no sense what so ever."
"Think about it."
Thinking...thinking...thinking...thinking...thinking...thinking...think --
"Shut up."
"Is it?"
"I said shut up."
"You know you enjoyed it."
"But you couldn't, 'cause you were unconscious."
"You didn't deny that you enjoyed out CPR moment.."
"But you were unconscious. You couldn't enjoy it."
"Or was I?"
"You were."
"I know, but -- "
"Yes you were. I know for sure."
"But you know that I liked it even if I was unconscious."
"Yes I do."
"So do I."
"Yep."
"Good."
Silence.
"You know what?"
"What?"
"It'll be my turn to be unconscious, tomorrow."
"Can't wait."
"Me neither."
There was a small chuckle that rose into the air. "You know, guys, I can still hear everything you're saying."
Whoo! Go annoyingly long dialogue! Oh yes.
So, how was this one? It wasn't one of my greatest... I have more humor in there than fluff... but IDK. I didn't keep track...
XD
The 3,000th word's right here.
