Warning: This story contains adult content. Please be advised.

Disclaimer: I don't own Danny Phantom.

Chapter Ten: Finding the Balance

"Danny," Valerie's voice came across the communicator as I took in my next target. Brutus had just disappeared from my sight. "We've had a breech at the high school! There is a huge hole in the side of the school, leading into the basement!"

"We've got ghost hunters inside, Evangeline. Do not attempt to go inside. Your suit will not protect you from that energy, am I clear?"

"Crystal," she responded. "Should we alert someone, though?"

"The first thing they do is gather in the conference room," I replied. "They have radars in there. They'll find any ghosts, dispose of them and protect the students. I had to leave three ghosts in the middle school when the alarm went off a while ago."

"Were you inside," Valerie declared.

"I was fine. I was just on the outside," I replied. I wouldn't mention how far out I was. Mom and Dad were more likely listening in and they can recognize it as my voice over the communicator. If I said I was five feet in, they'd know something fishy was up. That's why I called Valerie 'Evangeline'. No one knows Valerie is the 'Red Huntress'. We're trying to establish her name as the Evangeline but it's not working out so well. She's been the Red Huntress for two years.

"Danny," my mom's voice came across the speaker. I knew it. "What are we looking at, honey?"

"Five thousand or more," I remarked. "They are trying to take a hold of the school. They've been too afraid to try it alone but in numbers, they have the advantage. Phantom has called in his army so we're okay. The Evangeline is here as well."

"The who," Mom asked.

I rolled my eyes and I could hear Valerie sigh. "The Red Huntress. Her name is the Evangeline."

"Wow," Mom remarked. "I thought her name was the Red Huntress."

"I just never had a name before," Valerie replied. "This is the only team I've collaborated with."

"We needed something to call her so I suggested Evangeline," I replied.

"Is Phantom there," Mom asked.

"Yes," I replied. "He's leading his army."

"Does he have a communicator, Danny," Mom asked.

I paused for a moment. "He can hear you." I didn't really want to talk to her as Phantom because it made my voice sound normal. The communicator, a new invention from my parents, included a phone, a text message reader, a continual connector and a private connector. Mom and Dad were more likely listening to us over the one in the RV, installed like a supped up CB.

Mom scoffed. "I'm sorry. Of course he can hear me but I can't talk to him. The communicator would block him out." Mom laughed. "Slipped my mind. I'll talk to him when we get there. We're two minutes out, Danny. Just hang in there, kids."

"We're doing more than hanging in there," Sam declared.

"We're kicking ass," Tucker remarked.

"And we don't give a damn what their names are," Jazz added.

I chuckled. "Just do it safely," both my mom and I replied at the same time.

"You've got it," Valerie replied.

I went back to taking out as many of these cock suckers as I could. Maybe I shouldn't say that considering… well, you know what I mean. These idiots. Where did that word come from?

You're something else, Tucker remarked. I could picture him shaking his head.

Ignore me, I sent to him. It was embarrassing enough to know I thought it but to know Tuck heard it. That's so wrong. I sent out a blast of ice, freezing about fifty of them to the ground while the majority of them still free escaped. I sucked them in the thermos.

"Are you guys using your thermoses," I asked.

"Mostly," Sam replied. "We're sending them back to the Ghost Zone if we can."

"I'm capturing them but I'm not using that soup can," Valerie declared. "I can't understand that thing."

"We'll do some more practice," I rolled my eyes. She can use that containment device in her sled board easily but to pull the top off a thermos is too hard? I just don't get her.

All she has to do is think it on her sled board, Tucker replied. Of course the sled board is easier to her.

"As long as you are capturing some of them, I'm fine with it," I replied. "Some of these guys can't stand a direct attack that sends them back to the Ghost Zone. It may not obliterate them but it can lay them up for a while. Please remember that."

"You got it," Sam remarked.

"You really need to update the power scales, Mom," Tucker remarked. "I'd love to be able to identify these guys by looking through a set of goggles."

"Good idea, honey," Mom remarked. "Jack and I are working on it, Tucker. It's not as easy as it sounds. We've had that scale built in for over twenty years. Finding out it's all wrong set us back dramatically. It's going to take until at least January."

"If we had more time, we might have been able to have it done by now," Dad declared over the speaker. There was only one mic in the RV so I could imagine Dad's hand holding Mom's hand, holding the mic. He was not happy with me when I told him it was wrong. Everyone was upset with me when they found out how long I had known.

"Well, excuse me. I made a mistake and I didn't know how to own up to it!"

"Jack," Mom's muffled voice came over the line.

"You have to do unpleasant things, son. That's part of being a man."

"Oh, and being a woman doesn't mean doing unpleasant things," Sam replied in sarcasm.

"If I were you, I'd drop it," Tucker replied. "Trust me, no one wins against Sam."

"Give me that," Mom's voice cut across the communicator. "This is not the time for that! Be careful, kids, and ignore your father."

"Is that permission," Tucker kidded.

"Ha, ha," Mom remarked. "You know what I mean, Tuck."

I looked to the road, trying to picture how my parents and the hunters would get to us. I flew in that direction, leaving behind the two hundred or more ghosts that had started to surround me. I needed to clear this area first. I felt the energy building again and several of the ghosts in the area bolted. I heard shots from behind me and I knew Sam, Tuck and Jazz were taking them out. The energy pulsed through my core and flooded my senses. The energy gathered around above their heads and the ecto-bombs dropped down from the sky. The earth trembled again but there was no need for protection. Sam and Tucker were twenty yards away from the blast site. I was starting from the back.

I kept dropping them until it was right upon us. I put the shield up then, feeling the velocity of the attack rock the area. The RV pulled up, cutting into the area I just cleared.

"Phantom," Mom called out to me.

"We have massive attacks all over the area," I replied. "They are trying to stronghold the school. I know you heard what your son said."

"Yeah and I can see it. How did this begin," Mom asked.

"We got an alert on my radar," Tucker picked up. "Danny went to check it out and he connected with us, alerting us to the siege."

"I have no idea how this uprising started," I replied. "The schools are locked down and I imagine the teachers are doing as they are taught."

"The ones who are hunters are heading for the conference room," Mom nodded. "The ones who aren't are summoning the children."

All of our brows creased. "Summon," Jazz asked. "Are you telling me the students aren't locked down in their classrooms?"

"No," Mom replied. "We couldn't leave them alone. We've got a built in bunker under the earth that is protected. Mr. Lancer, Principal Ishyama, Mrs. Tetslaff, Mr. Fuluka and the like are gathering the kids and relocating them."

"What are they going to do about us," Sam asked.

"We'll radio them in and tell them you kids are accounted for. We see you three but where is Danny," Dad asked.

"The last I saw him he was at the middle school," I said, growing panicked. I can always dual, but it limits my powers. I don't duplicate to make myself more powerful like Vlad.

"They'll send us a list of students not accounted for as soon as the roll gets called. We'll find out who we need to track down. Any students in the hallways will be reported to the list as well as the hunters clear it out."

"Gonna suck for them," Tucker grumbled.

"I need to find Danny so I can see he's accounted for," Mom replied.

"I think I can sense him," I interjected. If I can prevent her from looking for either one of my forms, I'll be okay. I won't need to go dual. "I'll get him."

"Thanks, Phantom," Mom replied. "It'd be hard to find him in this mess."

"I never imagined it could get so big," Dad remarked as I flew off. "Maybe we should put trackers on those communicators. Never know when someone will get hurt. Then we won't need to wonder where Danny is."

Oh, no, please don't do that. Tuck, can you think of anything to combat that? What about Valerie? What are we going to do when she comes up unaccounted for? Maybe we should discuss revealing her identity to the Division. She can't go dual.

True, Tucker sighed. I don't know any solutions right off the top of my head but I'll talk with Valerie.

She needs to be aware of this problem. She's not listening to this.

Oh, she is. Our voices are carrying across the communicators and she can hear everything. Her communicator, invented by me, is way better than the ones Mom and Dad invented.

I smirked. When Mom and Dad invented the communicators for all hunters—I mean there are hundreds in Amity Park alone—Tucker reverse engineered them to create one compatible to Val's suit. He did the same thing to the Specter Deflector to give her one as well.

I ducked behind something for cover and powered down, pulling out a weapon as a prop. I ran over to my parents. "There you guys are!"

"Are you okay," Mom asked. "Why are you alone?"

"I'm just doing my job, Mom," I replied. "I have much more work to do. Can I go now?"

"I guess," Mom sighed. "Be careful, Danny. You should have someone with you but I get how you work. Just don't kill yourself, honey. Okay?"

"I'm not planning on it," I smirked. I ran back where I came from, transforming back into my ghost form. I hope this isn't a pattern. Maybe I can radio in and she'll consider it accounted for.

I went back to work, avoiding the front of the high school.

3 3 3

We finally sucked the last ghost into the thermos and I collapsed on the ground. The sun was starting to go down and I was exhausted. I couldn't wait to go home. Megan was hungry and Lilly must be impatient by this time. I sat up on the ground, looking around. No one was around so I powered down, taking a deep breath.

"Who was that," Mom's voice declared across the communicator. "Is everyone okay?"

"It's just me, Mom," I sighed. This communicator set to continual communication is going to be a problem. Every time I power down, I take a sharp breath. It's like coming up for air. It's also a little painful but I'm used to it by now. When I first became half ghost, it hurt like hell. It was like being shocked with a thousand joules. Everything came back online at once and I would even get lightheaded. Now, I just take a sharp breath. I can still get lightheaded time to time.

"Are you okay, baby," Mom asked me.

"I'm fine," I sighed. "I'm just glad this is over."

"It's not over yet," Mom sighed. "You kids have to get back to class. You have to finish your blocks."

"What," Sam declared. "Are you kidding me?"

"Ninety minutes in each class," Dad replied. "You have to finish the rest of the day."

"Even though it's after six in the evening. I have patrol," I declared.

"That's what the school board has come up with," Mom said.

"I'll put an end to that," I scoffed.

"If you can come up with something better," Mom replied. "Right now, it's not working. Summer School was a remedy, not a preventive. Blocks didn't help any. What else is there to try?"

"If in doubt, tech it out," Tucker remarked. I snorted a laugh, shaking my head. I stood up, dusting myself off. I jogged over to where my family was. Valerie landed on the ground just as I turned the corner of the middle school.

"Mr. and Mrs. Fenton," Valerie said softly. "There's something I need to tell you."

"Evangeline, correct," Mom asked.

"For my suit, yes," Valerie said softly. "I need your promise to keep this within the Division. I don't want this spread throughout the town. I still have a bad rep from all the crap I put on Phantom."

"What is it, sweetheart," Mom asked softly.

"I'm a student here," Valerie sighed. The swirl surrounded her, powering her down. "One you know."

"Oh, my God," Mom declared. "I thought the Red Huntress was an adult!"

"No," Valerie sighed. "Please, don't tell anyone else about this.

"Does your father know," Dad asked.

"Yes," Valerie nodded. "He's not happy. He's been reading the pamphlets and even attending the classes at the headquarters but he's still uncertain. I just know what I have to do."

"We can talk to him," Mom said softly. "Valerie Gray accounted for. Is she registered, Danny?"

I blinked in shock. "I don't know," I declared, turning to Mom. "I haven't even put her on our registry. I haven't updated it since Jazz became a member."

"That means you have to put Dani on it too," Sam replied.

I shot her a look. To Mom and Dad, Dani's been a part of our family since June 28, 1992. Mom and Dad have no idea everything in their minds about Dani up until I rescued her from Vlad has been a lie. Sam put her head down, blushing.

"Did you not add your sister to your registry," Mom declared. "Daniel! You did everything with Danielle!"

"I know," I said, bashful. "I didn't believe in ghosts back then! I made the team for Sam, Tuck, Brit and I. She was my bratty little sister back then."

"Add your sister and register Valerie. Your slipping, young man!"

"Yes, ma'am," I sighed. Mom and Dad began to walk to the front of the school.

"Oh, and Tucker," Mom added. "I checked the radar. There were no alerts of a massive ghost attack. I want to see that radar later."

Mom and Dad disappeared to reset the school system to let us back in. We exchanged nervous glances. "Can you reset it?"

"You mean to stop it from registering you, Vlad, Dani, Blue, Lilly, Megan and Dawn," Tucker asked incredulously. "Are you nuts? Do you know how hard it is to register those signatures in that new program? We'd have to go back to the old system!"

"It's better than seven unique signatures on a screen," Sam declared.

"Not to mention you two," I replied. "You show up on the screen as well."

"What about the overshadowed humans," Jazz added. "We've added a program that not only identifies a human being overshadowed but can tell us everything about that human. That's not going to be good. What do we do?"

"I have no idea," Tucker said, paling. "I can't reset that program. It took me two months to perfect it. I'm still working on a way for it to pick up the signatures and translate a string of data to tell us about the ghosts."

"We can't let them have that kind of tech," I said, shaking my head. "This was something we came up with after fighting ghosts and being one for two years!"

"I know," Tucker sighed. "The data and research we have would confuse them. They'll want to see our papers."

"We can't let them see that," Sam shook her head. "We've got to find a way to mock our radar but let it pick up signatures easily."

Tucker scoffed. "Are you nuts? Mom and Dad are going to know at first glance that isn't my radar. I can't make a radar in a matter of hours and pass it off as mine. It isn't going to work. Mom and Dad may not be the best hunters in the world but they're smart. They're not going to fall for that."

"They're not going to back off, though," I declared.

Tucker put his hand to his head. It's rare for him to get a headache and I knew I was putting strain on him. He hears every mind within a one-mile radius in his head at all times. If he's not focusing on keeping the voices quiet and under control, he gets a headache.

"I'm okay," Tucker remarked to all of our concern.

"Come on," Sam said, putting her hand on his shoulder. "Let's go to headquarters. We can skip."

Tucker shook her hand off his shoulder, holding his head up. "No. I'll be okay. Thanks for your concern, though."

"I give you a hard time, Tuck," Sam said softly. "I know sometimes it seems you have the better situation but honestly… I can't imagine what goes off in your head. When Vlad gave us that glimpse when we did that investigation in Carlinville, it was horrible. I don't know if that's what you hear all the time but I couldn't imagine listening to that day in and day out."

"You get used to it easily and it's not as hard as you'd imagine to block them out. It isn't so bad."

"So that is what you hear all the time," I sighed. "I've heard voices in my head but I had never heard anything like that. I'm sorry, Tuck."

"Don't be," Tucker smirked, back to his old self. "I love it. I wouldn't trade it for the world."

Valerie took Tucker's hand and they shared a look. I smiled warmly, seeing their love blossom at a slow rate. I know they've kissed before. I've seen them kiss goodnight. I couldn't be happier that their relationship is going at a slow but steady rate. I looked at Sam, watching her smile warmly at the two as well. I want to ask Sam to marry me but I want to do it in a unique way. I know what I want to do but I haven't got that power to do it yet. I know I will develop Grandma Simmons' power of fire sometime in the near future—Lilly was five when we used it that day—but I don't know if I will get it before our senior year. I want to ask Sam on her birthday. I just want that fire power before I do.

I took Sam's hand. Jazz started for the school, feeling like the fifth wheel. I smiled softly at Jazz, feeling guilty. Joseph gets discharged from the Marines June 16, 2007. I know she can make it the six months until then. Sam and I walked around the school slowly. Tuck and Val followed us at a slower rate, holding hands too. "Are you okay," I asked.

"I'm fine," Sam smiled at me. "Are you okay?"

"Oh, yeah," I smiled. "I was just powering down. That's the loud rush of air you heard."

"That's what I figured. It's hard to hear it normally but the communicator amplifies sounds and blocks out ghosts. Funny how the Fentonfones blocks out ghost noise but you can still hear them."

"There's nothing funny about it," I said softly. "The Fentonfones project ghostly noise so we can hear it clearly. That's how come Grandpa and Samuels can hear everything I say. Mom and Dad wanted an invention that could block out ghosts altogether so it wouldn't be a distraction. If a ghost is screaming its head off, the earpiece and the mic won't let any of its interference transmit. We can communicate unaffected. Because we're still human, though, it takes my echo and erases it, transmitting it as my normal voice. That's why I can't let anyone see Phantom talking into that communicator."

"Not an easy task considering you have white hair," Sam teased me.

I took my communicator headpiece off my head, holding it out. "That's why I have two pieces. Mom and Dad will figure this out if this kind of thing continues. They'll combine the Fentonfones and the Communicator to create one ultimate communicator. When I need to hear someone and a ghost is around, I turn off the Fentonfones earpiece. When I need to communicate with my army, I talk through the Fentonfones; which, as you know, they all have one. Brutus has a special invention. He has a Fentonfone that's connected to a communicator so he can connect with the castle to call in reinforcements. Once Mom and Dad realize that the Fentonfones and the communicator are compatible, they'll figure it out. That's why they created the communicator. They found the Fentonfones weren't resourceful in blocking out spectral noise."

"This is crazy," Sam huffed. "Tuck's right, though. The only way to fix this problem is with technology. We'll need to come up with some kind of better protection. Bringing in ghost hunters and placing the school on lockdown isn't enough to save our grades. We'll need something else."

We came around the school to find the door open and Mom and Dad back in the RV. I threw my hand over my back to say goodbye as Jazz went inside. Tuck, Valerie, Sam and I follow her in. We started the long walk on the other side of the school to Mr. Carte's third block as Jazz started up the stairs to the third floor. When we arrived, Sam, Tucker and Valerie took a seat as I went to the compact fridge. I pulled out our favorite drinks and grabbed us a sandwich a piece. I delivered it to my team.

"Thanks," Valerie sighed.

"You did good," I nodded.

"What happened," Mr. Carte asked me.

"We had a massive ghost attack," I sighed. "I hadn't seen that many ghosts here since the Ghost King."

"Was there more," one of our classmates asked.

"No," I shook my head. "The Ghost King had every ghost in the Ghost Zone fleeing. We'll never see anything like that again."

"I'll drink to that," Sam smiled and I smiled back at her.

"Were you guys fighting those ghosts the entire time," another classmate asked, incredulous.

"Yeah," Tucker nodded. "I got an alert on my PDA and Danny went to check it out. When he saw what we were up against, he called us in and we called in reinforcements. Phantom even called in his army."

"Phantom was there," a classmate asked. She wasn't here before; she moved here when the camp started construction. She's not a ghost hunter but her father is.

"Yeah," I nodded. A few of the kids that were in eighth grade during the 2004-05 year started giggling. I sent a glare to Courtney wherever she may be. Everyone in this class except for the hunter's daughter and the teacher knows my secret. I could string Courtney up by her toes.

Don't be so hard on her, Tucker sent to me. She didn't know she was making things difficult for you. She just wanted to show off what an amazing show.

When does the show come back on, Sam asked telepathically. I guess he had all our minds connected.

I don't know, I replied. The last episode to air was Reality Trip two days after school let out. I hope it never comes back on.

It'll come back on, Valerie smirked. She had a harder time keeping her face smooth. The only time we screw up was when it was early in the morning. When you haven't had any sleep, or very little for Sam, Tuck and Valerie, mistakes come hand in hand.

I can keep hoping, I sighed.

I wonder what they're going to do about the Disasteroid, Sam asked. I'm hoping it won't refresh anyone's memory.

Oh, God, don't scare me any more than I already am, I declared. Let's just hope this show is over.

It hasn't been canceled. It's a hit, Tucker declared. I can't wait to see what they did for the summer that year.

I sulked in my seat, growing grumpy. I just want these next few hours to get over with. Mr. Billiards is going to have a duck calf as it is. He has three student employees who can't get away.

Mr. Carte picked up his lesson plan and I listened somewhat. I just wanted this day to be over with. This is going to suck.

I second that, all three of them remarked.

3 3 3

Lunch was boring as hell. We had already eaten in third block so we weren't really that hungry. I called Mr. Billiards and he told me he was already alerted to the problem. When the alarm went off, a Ghost Emergency Broadcast went city wide to alert the parents of something going off at the school. Looking back, that makes sense that's what they'd do. Now we were just lounging in the cafeteria, waiting for the forty-five minute lunch to end. It was raining outside so we couldn't be out there. It wasn't raining during the ghost invasion but the weather was calling for a changeover to snow overnight. This had some of the kids in the cafeteria grumbling.

Tucker and Valerie had their feet on the running board while they sat on the table as a chair. Sam and I sat with our backs to the table. I stretched my hand back, wrapping it around her shoulders. Sam gave me a smirk, telling me she knew what I did. Well, it worked at the camp two years ago.

"You don't need an excuse to put your hand around my shoulders," Sam said, slanting her eyes at me. Her attitude turned serious, "Did you get a hold of Gage, Domitilla, and the soldiers?"

"I talked to Dom," I replied. I used her name in the short form because I was uncomfortable with her full name. The shorter the name, the happier I am. Gage and Brutus make me ecstatic. "She said that the girls are doing fine and they've taken them to headquarters. I'll go over there after school so I can… you know." It also made me uncomfortable to mention anything about breastfeeding. I never know who is listening in or who is sneaking up to us.

"Yes, I know," Sam smiled at me. "You shouldn't be ashamed, though. It's beautiful, what you do. I understand why you didn't say it just now but at home, when it's just us, you shouldn't be ashamed. I think it is the most beautiful sight I've ever seen."

"Lovebirds," a voice scoffed. The table shook as Dash sat down.

"We're not loveb—," we both began but stopped abruptly. We looked at each other, in a sort of epiphany. "Actually, we kind of are."

"Hello, Dr. Obvious," Tucker scoffed.

"I never realized it before," I said, looking to Sam. "We kind of are lovebirds."

"But we're not a bunch of birds," Sam scoured. "I hate that!"

"I know, right," I smirked.

"Wait," Dash cut in. We both looked at him, kind of surprised. I forgot he was what started this. "You two are a couple now?"

I grunted. "For the love of fudge, Dash. I was the boyfriend! I'm the one she wouldn't cheat on with Phantom. Why it's never donned on you guys is beyond me?"

"Holy cow," Dash said, looking pale. "It's been here all along… it's just… you guys never really changed, you know? I thought you two were still crushing just hadn't taken the steps yet. When did this happen? We saw Sam and Phantom kissing a year ago!"

"It was during the Disasteroid," Sam explained. "We didn't make it official until September, though."

"The Disasteroid," Dash declared, surprised. "OMG, you guys have been an item for a while then, huh?"

"We're not an item," I declared. "We are two people in love. It's not something that is going to wear off."

"Please," Dash scoffed. "Teen love never lasts. It comes and it goes. I keep telling Kwan that but he won't listen."

"Because Kwan and Star are destined to be together," I said, looking to Sam. "Like Sam and I. We aren't going anywhere."

"Damn right," Sam smiled at me. She glanced up at Dash, turning sour. "Why do you think I throw a fit when those hussies hit on Danny?"

"Duh," Dash declared. "You've been crushing on Danny since forever. If you can't have him, no one will."

"That's not true," Sam said, holding her head down. "If Danny wanted to leave, he could at any moment. I'd be here as his friend."

I took her hand. "That's the reason I would never chose anyone else," I said softly. "You are my friend before you're my girlfriend. You're my best friend." I glanced up at Tucker. "You're my brother!"

"What does that make me," Valerie smirked. She glanced at Tucker and they shared an eye roll.

"My future sister-in-law," I smirked.

"Ew," Valerie declared. "The two of you may be on a fast train on a collision course with marriage, but right now, all I want is right now. I'm not looking beyond Friday night!"

"You're choice," I smirked.

"Yeah, Val," Sam spoke up. "We love that you and Tuck are taking it slow. It gives us great comfort knowing you aren't rushing anything. But come on, face it…"

"You're on the same course as we are," Sam and I finished together.

"Just moving slower," I smirked. Sam and I somehow found our way on a speeding train from the get-go.

"I've been wanting to do this forever," Sam smirked. She leaned in to me, capturing my lips with hers. I must have kissed Sam a million times but sitting here, in front of the entire school, knowing we've got the attention of the entire cafeteria; it was like I was kissing her for the first time. I leaned in, giving into her completely. I wrapped my arm around her head as Sam wrapped her arm around my neck. We both kissed each other hungrily; as if this was the only thing that could nourish me or keep me alive.

"Uk, hmm," a loud cough interrupted us. We broke the kiss, Sam gasping for air hungrily but not quite like our kiss earlier. We both looked up, my breathing rapid. Mr. Lancer was in front of us. "Soliciting in public, Mr. Fenton, Ms. Manson." So help me if he says that's against the rules… "That is not allowed on school property. Detention for you, Miss Manson."

"Was that it," Sam asked. "Ugh," Sam declared. "Mr. Lancer, do not interrupt us again for something as stupid as that!"

"Rules are rules, Miss Manson," Mr. Lancer replied, a little distracted. I think Sam surprised him.

"And when I'm kissing Danny, I don't like to be interrupted. That's my rule," Sam retorted. "We're in detention every day anyway. We'll be there until we graduate next year. Just leave it be!"

"Regardless," Mr. Lancer commented. "Do not kiss in public again."

"Get loss," Dash retorted. Mr. Lancer grunted but moved on. Dash may not write the checks any more—Samuels fault, not mine; I wanted to leave Dash in control—but those who have been a part of Amity Park their whole life, like Mr. Lancer, still respect him as their boss. "Wow, you two. I thought you two were trying to eat each other's heads."

Tucker put his hands back on the table, reclining. "Welcome to my world."

Valerie, reversely, reclined forward, gripping the ends of the table. "Oh, cut it out, Foley. They're in love. While they may find our slow-progress romantic, I think I like this fast-track stuff—for them. I don't want to be married that fast."

"We get it," Sam smiled. "Danny and I have always traveled at a faster pace. We're both the adults of the group. Tucker has always been the baby, no offense—."

"No offense taken," Tucker added quickly.

"So he's moving at a slower rate. Danny and I are the eldest so we'd be grounding faster."

"Not to mention I was two months early," I smirked. "I've been in a rush my entire life."

"Still," Dash said, shaking his head. "That kiss was something else, guys. It was like the only thing in this world you needed was the other."

"It felt like that," Sam let out a happy sigh, looking to me. "I love you. This isn't ever going to change."

"Likewise," I smiled at her. I wrapped my hand behind her head, pulling her in for one more kiss. This one didn't last nearly as long, though.

Sam leaned into my chest, snuggling into me. I wrapped my arm around her slender body. I sighed when it donned on me. "What," Sam asked me.

"I've got to start exercising," I sighed. "It's been two weeks and this ghost hunting stuff isn't working fast enough."

Sam, Tucker and Valerie let out loud laughs. Thanks for laughing at my insecurities, guys.

Danny, Tucker shook his head. You're fine. You ate healthily so you haven't gained a whole lot of weight. You're acting like you're overweight.

"What's so funny," Dash asked, looking between us.

"Nothing, Dash. It's just between us," Sam smirked. She kissed me on my cheek.

"Come on," Dash declared. "She can know but I can't!"

The happy atmosphere turned cold. "Because she liked us before we became known as Team Phantom," I declared. Actually, because she liked us after we became known as Team Phantom but I can't tell him that. "Dash, Valerie is a part of our group. She and Tucker are dating. I know you people can't accept that, but it's the way it is right now. Valerie is our friend and if you continue to bag on her, I will start defending."

"I just don't get it," Dash rolled his eyes. "I get why you hung out with her before. You were practically unclassified. But now—," his voice rose, "you guys are the third most popular group at school! You could date anyone, Foley. Why do you pick the bottom of the barrel?"

"Because I can date anyone I like," Tucker retorted. "Now get lost, Dash. We're tired of looking at you."

"Fine," Dash grumbled. He walked off.

"I'm sorry, Val," I said softly.

"Why," Valerie scoffed. "You think I wouldn't do the same thing before? Unclassified is a class meant to punish. Spending the rest of your high school career in shame. I'm very lucky."

"But you wouldn't now," I said with a smile. "You are a better person for getting kicked out, you know. You would have had Kwan kill me for accidently getting your shirt wet."

Valerie laughed along with me. "That's right! That was when all this began. Sometimes, I forget it didn't all begin later that night."

"Cujo was something else," I said, shaking my head. "It wasn't his fault, though. If those maniacs hadn't killed him for nothing, he would have never had to come back." I glanced up at my team, "Ghost animals don't become unfinished business ghosts. They become full ghosts and if they do have unfinished business, like Cujo's squeaky, they come back to the real world. Some hover around their old owners, invisible. There's always a ferret around Paulina."

"How would you know if they're invisible," Valerie asked me.

"Energy sources," I replied. "It's weaker than the ghost of a former human but I can usually sense them pretty easily. It's much easier than the vultures that first time."

"You okay," Sam asked me, holding my arm.

I gave her a smile. "Yeah," I said softly. "Bad place."

"Why," Val asked, looking to Tucker. Tucker looked to me. I sighed.

"It's a long story, Val. Let's just say that was the beginning of Vlad's and my relationship."

"Okay," Valerie said, shrugging. Tucker sat up, glancing at me. I sent him a playful glare but it didn't quite stick. The first two times are still the hardest ones to talk about. I know if I don't get out of this, they're going to start thinking I'm dragging myself back into a hole. I've forgiven him… I don't know how many times I've got to tell them that.

Until you don't believe it anymore, Tucker said sadly. Don't lie to yourself, Danny. You've tried to forget and sometimes it's easier than others. You haven't forgiven him. You haven't even let yourself think of what he did to you.

You just don't understand, Tucker. You don't allow yourself to feel all the other emotions coming from me.

I do, Tucker objected casually. It's just that I can feel the real pain. It's just as fresh in your mind now as it was in your body then. That's why Dr. Richardson won't let you lower your sessions. Until you own that pain and really let it go, she won't let you go. It's that easy.

I don't get what pain you're talking about. The only pain I feel is when I think about the reunion and the first thirty-two hours. The rest of it's easy.

Yeah, right, Tucker scoffed. You can't feel anything else. That week broke you and you are numb to the rest of it. Then he asked for your forgiveness and you won't allow yourself to feel anything akin to pain. I know how you think, Danny. 'If I forget it ever happened, so can Vlad and we can move on.' Until you own up to that fact it happened and Vlad does too, it'll never end. Both of your pain will always be there.

I don't want to talk about it, I objected. Something tight was squeezing my chest. It became harder to breathe. I sat forward, putting my elbows on my knees. I took a sharp breath but another one followed quickly after. It was hard to breathe.

"What's wrong with him," Sam demanded. She sat up, putting her hand on my back. "Danny, are you okay?"

I nodded, unable to talk. "We touched the surface of the truth and it was too hard for him to handle," Tucker remarked. "He'll be okay, in a non-okay sort of way."

"What does that mean," Sam demanded.

"He's hiding, Sam," Tucker sent to her. They stopped talking but I knew they hadn't stopped communicating. I continued to try to get a hold of myself but I was starting to hyperventilate. I had to get control of myself. This is stupid—it's like what Tucker is saying is true. It's not. I've forgiven Vlad for what he done to me! I have forgiven Vlad for what he done to me! I have—I have—.

"It's okay, Danny," Sam said gently. "Oh, God, how could we forget?"

"Forget what," Valerie asked, confused.

"Danny met Vlad two years ago the twenty-fourth. It was Thanksgiving week, Tucker."

"Of course," Tucker sighed. "I'm an idiot! I can't believe I tried to resurface that this close to the anniversary."

"I-I'm okay," I said, breathless. "I forgot too." I took a deep breath. I wanted to keep talking but my chest constricted and I grabbed it, fighting the urge to break down. Thanksgiving and Christmas are always the hardest… but Thanksgiving isn't nearly as bad as Christmas. Christmas is like the month of August for me. I had that week with Vlad the first year and last year was when I reset reality.

"Just take a deep breath, Danny. You're going to be okay. You're safe," Sam said softly.

If I could, I would have smirked at her. It's not the feeling of not being safe that's got me like this. It's the thought of being crazy. Wondering if it really happened for those three weeks… I had no idea Vlad raped me. If it weren't for my subconscious, I would have had no clue. Vlad tried to make me forget. It's the fact that I didn't know my life had changed forever and I didn't figure it out until December thirteenth.

I took a deep breath and the pain ebbed away. "Okay, I'm fine now. I'm okay."

"Why did you have a panic attack," Valerie asked. "I'm confused."

"You don't understand how much more powerful than me Vlad was when we first met," I said softly. "When I first met Vlad, he toyed with me. He was showing off and I still couldn't keep up. I thought I was going to die… and back then, I was terrified of dying. It remained that way for many months. I just couldn't compete with him."

"Well, back then, you had only had your powers for three months, right," Valerie asked.

"And Vlad had his powers for twenty years," I replied, looking at her. "I didn't stand a chance. As I grew in my powers, we became more even. I still don't know if I can beat him now because Vlad doesn't want to hurt me or because I'm truly stronger than him."

"Personally," Tucker started. Yeah, yeah, yeah; you think I'm stronger. "I think Vlad doesn't want to hurt you." I looked up at him in shock. "Before you brought him back to life with the Reality Gauntlet, I think you were stronger but when you brought him back, I think you stabilized him. I hate to say it, but I think you keep Vlad stable. When you two broke up that day, Vlad became increasingly more unstable. But when you found him in space, you created him from your memories. You made him stable again. Then we watched it all over again. We watched Vlad become unstable again as he went longer and longer without you. Now, with Blue, he's back to being stable but Vlad doesn't want to hurt you. Do you understand what I'm talking about?"

My eyes were wide with understanding. "Kind of. It does kind of make sense. Vlad, when he's stable as you call it, is stronger than I am. But when he really wanted to kill me in the end there and I kept beating him, he was unstable." I shuttered a breath. That makes me even more nervous. I glanced at Sam, shuttering at the thought of what he would do to her.

"Vlad isn't completely stable," Tucker sighed. "He can't look at Blue as a real person. Blue is just a thing to Vlad until he realizes he'll be alone if he keeps it up. Like when he threatened Sam… I think it made Vlad realize that Blue was a real person and Vlad was facing a lifetime of loneliness. When Blue came back, though, Vlad is back to looking at him like a thing. Blue is an imitation to Vlad and imitation isn't enough for him. That's why Sam won't be safe until Vlad moves on."

"Sam's in danger," Valerie asked.

"No," Sam retorted.

"Yes," Tucker and I both agreed at the same time as Sam.

"Vlad blames Sam for Danny and his demise. I can see it. When Vlad first attacked Sam, he was focusing on Lilly and I don't think I could see it but I think he's been focusing on Sam for a long time. Vlad was confused when he and Danny first broke up. Vlad wanted Danny back but at the same time, Vlad was becoming unstable so he was thinking that Danny should come back to him. The longer Vlad went without Danny, the more he started focusing on Sam. When he found out Danny and Sam had gotten together… the shit hit the fan. It 'donned' on Vlad."

"Vlad is targeting me," Sam rolled her eyes, "but I'm in no danger. I'm not afraid of Vlad."

"We should be if we were smart," Tucker said, looking to Sam. "The only thing keeping Vlad from killing us is we are important to Danny. Remember when Vlad stole the infi-map from us? Vlad was trying to kill us all. He was in the stage 'if I can't have him, no one will'."

I looked away from them. "Danny," Sam asked.

"I was wrong," Tucker said, a sound of panic in his voice. "Vlad wasn't attacking Danny, just us. Vlad was comfortable Danny would survive."

"Even after he had him surrounded by bloodblossoms," Sam asked incredulously.

"Danny has the same biology as Vlad, Sam," Tucker declared. "He thinks of himself as invincible. What do you think?"

"That's what Vlad told me that day," I sighed. "'I wonder how they'll stand against a four hundred pound cat' not how we'll."

"So he's been focusing on Sam since then when he had her hung," Tucker said, taking his chin in his hand.

"You were hung," Valerie declared.

"Yep," Sam smacked her lips. "I would have died had my powers not activated to save me. But I was okay. It was Danny who was in danger. Vlad was unstable then, remember, Tuck? Just because he thought Danny could survive doesn't mean he couldn't."

"I didn't say Danny wasn't in danger," Tucker added, still holding his chin. "I'm just saying Vlad wasn't trying to kill him. At that point in time, he was trying to get rid of us so that he'd come back to him. Like we discussed after we found out Danny was pregnant again."

"Shh," I declared. "Are you nuts?"

You're not the only Danny who's been pregnant, numb skull, Tucker retorted.

I sighed, a little more at ease. "So as I was saying. We knew that Vlad was trying to get rid of us so Danny would come back to him. That hasn't changed a whole lot except that Danny loves us and also Lilly. He can't hurt us without hurting Danny and Lilly. Oh, and we can't forget Megan now."

"Don't worry about that," I grumbled. She's only two weeks old. I'm not forgetting that anytime soon!

Tucker smirked. "Anyway, Vlad has this new problem. How does he get rid of Sam and I without hurting Danny, Lilly and Megan? Blue isn't a problem. If Danny comes back to him, he'd dissolve Blue. But the two of us? We are problems that aren't going away on our own.

"Damn right," Sam declared. "Vlad isn't a part of that earlier clause. If he wanted to go out with anyone else, he'd be welcome but if he wants to go back to Vlad, I'd have to knock some sense into him."

"I'm confused here," Val cut in. "Who's Blue?"

"Have we not introduced you to Blue yet," Tucker asked, surprised. "Oops. Blue is like Danielle."

Valerie's eyes widened. "Holy cow!"

"Vlad got the idea from me," I scoffed. "I thought the original-original—. Oh, my God!"

"What," Sam asked as Tucker's eyes widened.

"He did say he wanted Danielle to check if Blue was stable," Tucker added with wide eyes.

"Blue is the original clone," I declared, looking to Sam. "All Vlad had to do was find out how I saved Danielle. He has that place covered in cameras like we do! He saw me using ecto-dejecto and he went back to the cabin. The clone was fine except he was a puddle of ectoplasm. All Vlad had to do is recreate him, give him the dose and presto—he's stable. I've been thinking he recloned me but that's not right. Vlad lost all his data and he said he didn't get Dani until after he created Blue. Blue is the original clone!"

"Oh, my God," Sam said, looking pale. "How many clones did he have?"

"Dani said her name started out with a four and it kept going," I said, shaking my head. "But those don't matter. They were unstable and they didn't collapse… well, the ones I watched dematerialize didn't collapse anywhere he could keep them. The importance of this is Vlad didn't clone me again, he just salvaged the original clone."

"Okay," Val said, cutting in. "What were you trying to say? Vlad got the idea from you? Why would you do that?"

"I didn't," I shook my head. "When Vlad cloned me, he told me when he thought I was overshadowed that I would be obsolete. Being that he thought I was overshadowed, he let the sentence hang in the air. What he meant was I'd be obsolete to the town and we'd live the rest of our lives on the island. It doesn't matter to me. Vlad put me through so much, I'm glad he let it hang. I would have never got the courage to leave him if he hadn't made me think my little girl was in danger. So I left him and over the months, it came out that I had believed he was going to replace me with the clone. When we had that party at Vlad's and he tried to steal the Reality Gauntlet, it was so he could erase our breakup. When he couldn't find it, he needed a new way. He started thinking of the things I had said so he fixed Blue. Now do you get it?"

"I think," Val sighed. "Vlad is a hard one to understand."

"Tell me about it," I chuckled. "He's a froot loop but he's the froot loop father of my children. I have to deal with him."

"No, you don't," Sam shook her head. "You're the father of those kids and I'm their mother. Vlad is nothing but the sperm donor."

I shook my head, disturbed. "They can have more than one parent. Vlad and I are their fathers and you and Blue are their… mothers."

"Wait," Valerie declared. "Are you calling Blue a girl?"

"He called himself Dawn's mother," I rolled my eyes.

"Who's Dawn now," Val asked.

"Vlad and Blue's daughter, Megan's clone," Tucker answered.

Valerie put her hand to her head. "This is insane."

"Welcome to my world," I chuckled. "Insane is normal and normal is insane."

"Did Vlad clone Megan, too," Valerie asked.

"No," Sam shook her head. "Blue was created before Danny got pregnant. Vlad probably duplicated so he could impregnate both at the same time, making Dawn and Megan the same child because both were created with the same egg and sperm."

"What a maniac," Valerie shook her head.

"You hit the nail on the head, baby," Tucker sighed. "But we have to learn how to deal with him. Danny won't give up his crazy quest so we have to learn how to live with him, emphasis on live."

"Is this what you do, Tuck," Valerie asked. "Try to figure him out."

"Jazz and I do, yeah," Tucker remarked. "Jazz and I will discuss this when Danny is on his third shift. I tell Jazz what I read off him and Jazz translates it."

"If I can get Vlad to realize he has it good with Blue and Sam isn't responsible for our breakup—," I began.

"But you won't," Tucker shook his head. "Sam was responsible for your breakup."

"Excuse me," Sam declared. "We didn't get together until after Danny and Vlad broke up."

"That may be true but Danny and Vlad were never meant to be," Tucker added. "It was your love, true by the way, that kept dragging him back. It was really Lilly that severed it but you were the one that didn't let it bond together completely."

"Is that what Vlad thinks," I asked.

"Yes," Tucker nodded. "Vlad can read minds like I can. He could read how much Danny loved Sam. I mean—," Tucker scoffed, "their whole relationship was based on the fact that Sam didn't act on Danny's invitation. It'd be pretty hard for Vlad not to focus on Sam. The entire relationship has been built on her. Vlad wanted to move away as soon as you turned eighteen. He wanted you to leave us behind, hoping you'd forget Sam."

"Are you serious," I asked. I shook my head, "Not about Vlad's idea. That the entire thing has been based on Sam?"

"Yes," Tucker nodded. "Your entire relationship was based on what Sam didn't do, not what Vlad did. It was never that Vlad asked you to be with him, it was Sam never made any move towards you. Sam is the reason you two broke up and you can't make Vlad see differently. He's known since the beginning."

"I can't believe this," I said, holding my head down. I looked up to Sam. "I never noticed! But it's true. On the rooftop, I asked you if there was anything you wanted to tell me, now would be the right time to do so. When I woke up on the island and Vlad asked me to…" I looked to Val, "go steady with him, I told him I wanted to see what you said first. When I did decide to take it to the next step, it was because you had said nothing. I never realized it."

"I'm sorry I never said anything," Sam said softly. She took my hand. "I should have. I should have realized that you couldn't have said anything."

"I should have said something when I could have," I said gently. "It wasn't just you."

Sam leaned into me and we kissed one more time. I felt that hunger kick up but I kept it simple. I pulled my lips away but Sam broke it off uneasily.

Sam shuttered a breath. "I can't explain it," Sam sighed. "It's like I can't pull away from you."

"I love you, too," I said, rubbing my nose to hers. Sam's eyes locked on mine, a need there. I recognized it but I didn't know if we'd have the time. Being teenaged parents of two made it difficult on us. We hardly had any time alone.

I looked up to Val and Tucker and while Tucker looked normal, not paying attention to us, Valerie was looking to Tucker, nodding her head ever so often. They were talking. Tucker's shoulders slouched and he took a visible breath. He looked down to me. "Give me a minute," he commented. Danny, Valerie knows something's up here. You told her that the two of you got together during the King but she knows Lilly's birthday is August first. It doesn't add up.

I sighed. "That's when Vlad and I became a couple," I said softly. "That's not when we first started a sexual relationship."

"You were having sex with Vlad before you became a couple," Valerie asked, wrinkling her brow. "That doesn't sound like you, Danny. You were only fourteen back then. Why would you—," her voice caught in her throat. "It wasn't willing."

"No," I said, shaking my head. "November 24, 2004, Vlad raped me but I didn't know it. December 13, 2004, I went to Wisconsin to spend a week with him. Vlad laid down the law, spending thirty-two straight hours with me with no breaks. Those are the two days I can't deal with. They're the ones I bury."

Valerie's eyes welled with tears. "Why didn't you tell anyone?"

I sighed, cocking my head to my right. "I was overpowered. I couldn't fight him, what did I expect anyone else to do? I didn't tell Sam and Tucker about Vlad and I until two days after we broke up. I told them how it began but I didn't tell them about Lilly. I didn't tell them about Lilly until eight days after she was born."

"How did he manage to keep that from you," Valerie asked, leaning over to look Tucker in the eye.

"You saw him," Tucker defended. "Did he look pregnant to you?"

"He didn't look pregnant this time, either," Val sighed. "Man, you are good."

"I didn't look pregnant this time because of a trick I picked up," I retorted. "I gained so much weight, it wasn't even funny. With Lilly, though, I was underweight for five months and for the last three months, I carried low and compact. It was easily hidden behind a three-x."

Sam scoffed and I knew what she must have been thinking about. "We even knew ghosts could have children regardless of sex," Tucker objected. "We still didn't see it!"

"I guess you trusted Danny to tell you everything," Valerie said innocently.

This cracked Sam and Tucker up. "Yeah, right. Not back then," Sam laughed. "Danny barely told us anything. He was too busy trying to protect us."

"I didn't start opening up until Tucker could read minds. Sam and Tucker had grew closer when I was lying to them so I knew if I thought of anything around Tucker, it'd make it to Sam. Now I realize I was an idiot for lying to them."

"It's hard to believe you would keep things from Sam and Tucker. How much lying are we talking about, here," Val asked.

"They have learned more from the show than they had from me," I said. Her eyes widened and she raised her eyebrows. "Yeah. The show."

"The same show that you are pointing out every five minutes something that is incorrect," Val asked.

"One and the same," I said, sighing.

Valerie let out a whistle. "Oh, man, Danny, that's serious."

"I don't lie to them anymore," I said softly. "I might have started out because I felt I had no choice but now I do it because I want to. It helps a lot. They were right."

"Told you," Sam and Tucker retorted. I chuckled.

"Yes, you told me," I chuckled.

Sam huffed out. "Can we skip fourth block? I do not want to go to Sociology!"

"How do you think I feel," Tucker objected. "Trig?" He shuttered unpleasantly.

"If we skip, you know Mom and Dad are going to throw a fit," I sighed. I didn't want to go to Art either. At least Val and I have that together. Tucker and Sam are alone; Tucker the one with the worst end of it. Mr. Fuluka teaches Trig.

"I don't care," Tucker grumbled. "It's better than spending an hour and a half alone with Mr. Fuluka!"

"I think Mr. Fuluka probably dreads that class more than you do," I smirked.

"Probably," Tucker smirked back. "I do give him hell when he tries to give it to me. No one to hold me back and such."

"How about this," I proposed, "if I get a ghost sense or you get a signature, we'll handle it together—all four of us. How does that sound?"

"Better," Tucker nodded. "I'll get the signal the same time you do so we'll communicate with the… communicator."

"Sound good," I looked to Sam beside of me.

"Sounds good." Sam smiled. "I feel sorry for Danny and Val, though. Ninth grade takes art so all those little Phan-mongrels are going to be surrounding you after finding out Amethyst Ocean has gone official."

"You have not been reading fan fictions," I declared.

"I may," Sam smirked at me. "It gets lonely around midnight."

I shook my head. "What's Amethyst Ocean," Tucker asked. "For once, I don't know."

"Eye color," I rolled my eyes. "They have codes for their favorite pairings. DS or Amethyst Ocean is Sam and I. Pompous Pep is Vlad and I." I chuckled. "Meddling Minutes is Dan and Clockwork."

Tucker and Sam just about looked sick. "Dan and Clockwork?"

I nodded my head, losing control of my laughter. "No kidding. Them two bicker like an old married couple. Our kids call Dan and Clockwork both uncles." I shook my head. "I have to wonder."

Tucker let out a retch. "Disgusting! Oh, I'll never unsee that!"

"Blame Sam," I smirked, giving her a look. "She's the one who told you about Amethyst Ocean."

"But I didn't need to hear about," another retch, "Meddling Minutes."

Valerie, Sam and I started laughing. The bell rang.

"Let's hope there's an attack," Tucker sighed. He shivered, disturbed.

"And hope the alarm doesn't go off," Sam sighed. "Or it'll make the day longer."

"True," Tucker sighed. "See you later, Valerie." He pulled Val in and they started kissing. I pulled Sam close to me as well.

"I'll see you after school, okay," I said, laying my head against hers.

"I'll be waiting," Sam replied. We kissed as well.

"Well," Valerie declared. "Let's go see what Mrs. Varley has in store for us."

"Let's go see," I sighed. Sam and I stood up as Tucker stepped off the table. We split up.

3 3 3

No ghost attacks during fourth block meant we were stuck being separated. It was after eight-thirty when we finally made it to Mr. Lancer's classroom. We were all relieved when Mr. Lancer told us to go home. We went to headquarters so I could feed Megan. She must be starving by now. Tucker and Valerie, who has been warming up to the idea of being an aunt, fed Lilly as Sam started to make us something to eat. Now that it was approaching nine o'clock, there was no reason for us to go on patrol. Once Lilly was fed and down in bed, Tucker sat down at the computer. Megan wasn't letting up still.

"Where do you find these stories," Tucker asked.

"Fan Fiction dot net," Sam replied.

"Tucker," I said, cringing.

"I have to see for myself," Tucker said, determined.

"Don't blame me when you read something you don't want to," I said, focusing on my daughter.

Valerie sat down beside of Tucker, turning up the lid on the laptop. "I think I want to explore some too."

"Some of the fan fictions are pretty spot on," I informed them. "Some have left me with nightmares."

"Oh really," Sam smirked at me.

"Really," I said, mocking a shudder. "There's this one story. It has me in love with Dash. It has great writing but… ugh. I was so scared they were onto something, I refused to sleep in Dash's house through that."

Sam let out a laugh which made me annoyed. It's not funny! I'll stick with the Danny-Sam's, thank you. I continued to feed my daughter.

3 3 3

I put Megan down in her crib just as I heard Tucker squeak. I looked up, his eyes wide in disbelief. "What," I asked.

"This—you—no—what the hell," Tucker finally snapped out of it.

"What did you read," I asked, smirking.

"We're brothers," Tucker defended and I laughed out, shaking my head. "That's just wrong!"

"I warned you," I smirked.

"I had to know what had you so surprised," Tucker shook his head. "You felt the same way!"

"You can't blame them," Val smirked. "You two are super close."

"We're brothers," Tucker erupted.

"Not biologically," I laughed.

"Oh, my God—ew," Tucker objected.

"You saying you're not interested," Sam kidded.

"Like I said when Danny came back from the world tour—hell no," Tucker declared.

I shook my head. "Look up revelation fics. They're pretty cool."

"You like revelation fics," Tucker asked me incredulously.

"They're better than the Danny-Dash's or the Danny-Tucker's."

"Revelation fic it is," Tucker added quickly.

I laughed, rolling my eyes. I glanced over Val's shoulder to see her on youtube. When the show first came out, youtube was in its infancy. Nowadays, the website has many videos on it. I try to avoid those like the plague. I don't want to see the show in its raw form. I won't watch a bunch of clips set to music. I want to sleep at night.

"I like looking up fan art," I said softly to Val. "It's a lot better than those videos."

"I'll look it up," Val added. "But I like the videos, too. There's a lot of songs that fit the mood of your life."

"And there's a lot of far fetches," I added.

"It just depends on the perception."

I rolled my eyes, going into the kitchen. Tucker and Valerie were in the living room area so we were all in the same area. I walked into the kitchen, seeing Sam tossing some vegetables in a wok. I snuck up behind her, wrapping my arms around her waist. Sam smirked back at me. "Have you finished your homework, young man?"

"Who are you, my mom or my girlfriend," I teased.

"With you, I need to be both," Sam smirked.

"That stinks for you," I smirked. Suddenly, where my mind went was too much for me to handle. "Oh, gross. I would never do that to my own mother!"

Sam laughed out. "Do you think we could get some alone time," Sam asked me.

"I may be able to get Jazz to babysit," I said, kissing her cheek. Sam put the wok down on the burner and turned the pilot light out. She turned to me.

"Good, because I have a desire and it's about to kill me," Sam declared.

"We haven't done it for a while," I said with a sad smile. "We've been too busy."

"Plus I couldn't get you to take your clothes off around me. You wouldn't even let me see you dress!"

I gave her a smile. "I was a little insecure," I added bashfully.

"And the Great Wall of China is a little wall in Asia," Sam said sarcastically.

"Don't worry, honey," I smiled seductively at her. "I'll make your toes curl tonight."

"I'm going to hold you to that," Sam pointed a finger at me. She walked out of my embrace, grabbing some plates. "Get the drinks, dear?"

"See," Tucker interrupted. "You're already married! Who needs the service?"

"Service, not us," Sam added. "The paperwork is what I'm after."

"In a rush to be Mrs. Daniel Fenton," Valerie teased.

"In a rush to not be Sam Manson anymore," Sam sighed.

"You're not Sam Manson anyway," I said, taking her hand briefly. "Object if you want, but aren't you guys Fenton's anyway."

"Not me," Val joked.

"Yeah, not you," I pointed out. "But you'll be Mrs. Foley-Fenton before you know it."

"Who are you," Val smirked.

"Fenton-Foley-Calloway," I smirked right back. "When I'm in a world of shit, all three names flow. I know I'm in trouble then."

"He's right," Tucker added. "I'm the same way." His voice mimicked Mom Number Two's: "Tucker Martin Foley-Fenton-Calloway, clean up this mess right now!"

"The last time I got it was when I fell asleep on the roof," I smirked. "Mom nearly had a duck calf."

"I remember that," Tucker laughed. "She went from furious to fearful in an instant when you jumped up, though."

"I'm guessing Tucker can see it in his mind because I don't remember it," Sam grumbled.

"The first day back to school after spring break," I replied. "It was after Invincible led that massive attack on me. I called Vlad that night to let him know I was okay."

"Now that I remember," Sam declared. "You did sneak on the roof but you told us you weren't tired and you went to look at the stars."

"I couldn't tell you I had to call my boyfriend," I replied incredulously. "But Vlad and I left it at a bad place. I knew he must have been worried about Lilly and I."

"That's right," Tucker declared. "Did Lilly get hurt through that?"

"I didn't," I shook my head. "It hurt when it was happening but I landed a mile away and I healed immediately."

"You're still claiming that was luck," Sam asked incredulously.

"It was luck," I sighed. "If I had even landed a meter inside that one-mile zone, I would have been in trouble. I was hurt bad before I was healed." Thinking about that day made me wonder something else. "Hey, Tuck, do you still remember what happened to me through that?"

"How could I forget," Tucker scoffed. "Invincible had around four thousand ghosts smacking you around until you flew through a building and skid a mile."

"A building," I asked, emphasizing singularity.

"Yes, a building," Tucker said, furrowing his brow. "It was just one building, wasn't it?"

"That's all I need to know," I remarked, keeping my mind clear. I must have erased that knowledge from him that day. I hit my head when I realized I may have kept one thing from him but I revealed another thing to him.

"You what," Tucker roared. "He erased our memories," he said, turning to Sam.

"Hold up," I objected. "This is just a huge misunderstanding. You guys don't need to know this!"

"Like we didn't need to know you lived in a world we were obliterated in," Sam declared. "What did you erase from our minds and how did you do it? Talk mister or you are so not getting any!"

"It was shortly after the attack from Invincible," I started, with the intention to keep as much as I could from them. "Vlad freaked out—I told you this—and kidnapped me. I erased your memories because you were there and half of you figured out something you weren't supposed to."

"Who the hell were you to decide what we should know and what we shouldn't," Tucker objected.

"It wasn't like that," I defended. "Mom, Dad, Jazz, you and Sam were all there and Vlad comes into the house telling me in front of everyone that we were going to the island. Mom even figured out I was half ghost but she didn't know I was Phantom. Sam and Jazz had found out Vlad and I were a couple but it started out unpleasantly. Remember when everyone remembered Plasmius attacking but you two didn't? I started with the two of you."

Valerie shook her head, tsking. "Danny, you really should tell them everything."

It wasn't like we were in this huge fight and Valerie would get yelled at for interrupting. "I can't," I said, shaking my head. "They know so much as it is and I have no problem telling them things but I don't know half the stuff I never told them. My strategy back then was keep my mouth shut. Could you tell us everything that happened for two years of your life? It's not that simple." Of course, that was something I never wanted to tell them. I had it in my hand—the way to tell them—and I blew it. I should have erased Mom and Dad's memory and told Sam, Tuck and Jazz what was going on. I might have been able to get away from Vlad months earlier.

"That's why you're in trouble," Tucker declared. "You erased our memories and we could have helped. You have improved so much, don't think I don't recognize that, but you can't keep hiding from us. You have nothing to hide from us."

"I know," I said softly. "And I'm not trying to hide anything overly from you. If the show hadn't made Dan an episode, that was something I would have carried to my grave and beyond. I couldn't stand the thought of you guys knowing that. You shouldn't know that I lived—for a brief few minutes—in a world you guys died in. I have carried that with me since March 24, 2004 and it's not fair for you to have to do that too."

"But they didn't really die, did they," Valerie asked. "Clockwork saved them, right?"

"Yes," I nodded. "But it was only his intervening that saved them. I wasn't enough."

"It doesn't matter," she said softly. "They lived. I'd love to know what happened to Daddy in that other world."

I nodded. I could tell her not to worry about the future but I do every day. I worry about finding the next Dan or the next King of All Ghosts. I worry about the ghost war and even this vague civil war. I worry about my friends and my family. I worry constantly so I can't tell her not to worry. It's hard not to, even though you know you can't do anything about it.

We went back to dinner, Sam and Tucker furious with me. Tucker had more than me to be mad at though when he found out Sam made an entirely vegetarian meal. It even had tofu in it. Tuck and I ordered pizza. I went and picked it up, Sam grumbling about our closed minds.

3 3 3

It was after eleven when Sam, Tuck and I came back to Fentonworks. We had taken Valerie home around ten-thirty so we were really late getting back to the southern portion of the wall. Mom and Dad haven't been so pushy about curfew but I wouldn't get away with this. Sam and Tucker walked in the house as I closed the door behind us. Mom looked up from the couch where she was reading a book. "About time you guys got home. School let out at eight-thirty."

"We went to TPHQ," I replied. "After we had supper, we took Val home and it was a long trip from Elemerton. Sorry."

"You had supper at your headquarters," Mom asked, putting the book down. "I had dinner made here."

"Yeah, and it was probably better than that junk Sam made," Tucker scoffed.

"You guys would be wise to eat healthy," Sam retorted.

"Oh, no," Mom sighed. I shook my head.

"Vegetables and tofu stir-fry," I informed her.

"Danny and I ate pizza while the girls ate that-that crap," Tucker shivered. "I can't believe my own girlfriend turned against me."

"Valerie doesn't have a closed mind," Sam snorted. We kind of laughed at the irony. Valerie was the one who thought my ghost form was the devil incarnate.

"You better call Alice, Tuck. She called here earlier wondering if you were spending the night. I told her you kids hadn't come home yet."

"I'll call her," Tucker remarked. He made his way to the kitchen, saying hello to Dad as he entered the room.

"Can we go now," I asked.

"Sure," Mom sighed. "Just call me next time so I don't worry. You do have a phone at your headquarters, don't you?"

"Actually, we don't," I replied. "But we have our cell phones. I'll give you a call next time."

"Thank you," Mom sighed. "I talked to Mr. Carte today," Mom added as we turned to go upstairs. "He'll be sending your papers when the second semester begins. Have you been thinking about what kind of vehicle you want?"

I sighed. I have been thinking about it but it's not practical for a teenaged father. "Sam and I need to discuss it."

"Sam, Tucker and you need to discuss it, right," Mom asked, raising her eyebrow.

"I guess," I shrugged. "But Sam and I definitely. Tucker and Valerie will discuss their vehicles."

Mom was surprised but didn't say anything. We continued up the stairs. "What are you thinking about," Sam asked me.

"Well," I chuckled nervously. "I've always seen my first vehicle as a bike."

"You don't need a driver's license to-to—oh, a bike," Sam replied. "Yeah, that's something we need to discuss."

"I know what you're going to get," I smirked.

Sam smirked back at me. "Oh, really? What?"

"Something eco-friendly," I smiled. "I figure Tucker will get one of those Hummers. I don't know. Valerie may talk him into something small. I want a bike, though."

"What about the girls," Sam asked as we entered my room. Gage and Dom stood there after putting the girls down.

"I guess I can get two vehicles," I sighed. "Or I could just get a car."

"Nonsense," Sam said softly. "When we have the girls, I can drive. When it's just you and I, you can drive. When it's all of us, like when we're going to school, I'll have to stand that eco-monster Tuck will pick."

"Would you do that," I asked, propping my hand on my windowsill. The sky was covered in dark, puffy clouds. The rainstorm earlier had turned to snow and now everything was covered in ice. Ice crystals and snow filled the air outside my window, everything tinted a neon green from the Ops Center. This was going to be a mess tomorrow.

"Of course," Sam smiled. I sat up, closing the window. Not only would Sam and Tucker get cold, the girls would too. They're a bit different than I am. I'm starting to think the reason I can't feel temperatures or taste anything is because I use to be able to do that stuff. Lilly can get cold or hot and she has never complained of things being bland. I could taste the apples when I was pregnant with her and God knows I had cravings with Megan.

"The new semester starts in a month," I told her. "You have time to change your mind. I'll do whatever you want."

"I kind of like that idea," Sam smiled at me. "I'd love to hold onto you tightly, flying through the town—on the ground."

I smiled at her. "It does have a sort of appeal, doesn't it?" My door opened and Tucker came in the room. I turned to my party. "Can you hang around tonight? You don't have to stay in the room, just hang around in case Tucker or Jazz needs you. The Duchess and I have some business to tend to."

Gage let out a small laugh, understanding in her eyes. "Of course, sire. Duke Tucker and Miss Jazz may contact us at any moment."

"Good," Tucker nodded. "You two go. Let off some steam."

"Thanks, Tuck," I added.

"Yeah," Sam smiled. She chuckled nervously. "We appreciate it."

"Use condoms. If one more child comes in this house, we're going to be up the river without a paddle."

We both let out a nervous laugh. Tucker had no doubt what the 'business' was.

3 3 3

The night was full of passionate lovemaking. We had sex like normal but we also fooled around a little bit. Sam has more freedom to do what she wants (and why she wants to do one thing, I'll never understand) but I was more restricted. I couldn't give Sam oral sex because it's a risk for pregnancy. I remember when Sam was curious that one time but now it was my curiosity that was grabbed. As Sam gasped for breath, turned on for turning me on (I get the same way when it's her), I went down on her. This time, Sam snapped her head up. "Are you insane," Sam declared. "You could impregnate me!"

"I won't suck you," I said gently. "I just want to try something if you're comfortable with it."

"If you try to put your tongue to my vagina, I will zap your ass," Sam playfully retorted. "We just had a baby two weeks ago."

"I remember," I smirked.

I couldn't imagine something so simple being so powerful. I started out with one finger but apparently, Sam was satisfied with just the one. I was fearful of hurting her so any sound that could mean pain instead of pleasure, I'd ask her if she was okay. As I attempted to push my finger further, Sam let out the loudest gasp of the event.

"Are you okay," I asked, panicked.

"Are you insane," Sam moaned. "Do not stop if you want to live!"

I smiled, relieved to know I didn't hurt her. I remember Vlad using his fingers on me but I didn't know how to do it gently. Vlad practically started out with all five fingers. I only remember the slow progression with the sensitive area. I began to add my second finger when Sam let out a weary hiss. "How about moving that finger around a little bit then we can try two?"

I was really embarrassed but Sam let me know she understood. I was so scared of hurting her but all I can get from Sam is pleasurable feedback. I wanted to make sure she was safe and enjoying herself. How I asked though was mostly focused on her comfort.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm pissed," Sam moaned. "Why haven't we done this sooner?" I smiled wearily. She says that but is that how she really feels? "Yes, that's how I really feel."

Our connection intensifies when we're doing things that bring us closer together. Many things qualify: tag-teaming a ghost, feeding the children, cooking; however, sex definitely qualifies. When I tried a new technique, Sam screamed out in pleasure so loud I nearly jumped. "Try to keep it quiet!" I didn't want to scold her but I'll have to take us to a spare bedroom if she can't keep quiet.

"Sorry," Sam huffed. "Oh… my God," she gasped. "That was amazing."

"I'll try to keep it simple," I said softly.

"No," Sam shook her head. "We can go to a bedroom if I can't keep quiet but don't you dare make this simple!"

I couldn't stop the smile. I guess I've found her blowjob. Sam likes her nipples sucked on but this was so much better. Compared to what I was getting, I always felt the blowjob was unfair. Now I know how to make her scream—literally.

"I know," I smirked. I pulled up a shield.

"What's this for," Sam asked confused.

"You'll see," I replied playfully. Now she could scream as loud as she wanted and we'd be safe. Sam used that liberty liberally, too.

When we finished, I heard a word I never thought I'd ever hear Sam scream. "Fuck!"

I let out a laugh. "Did you like it?"

"Oh, my God, it was amazing," Sam declared. She tried to sit up but her knees were too wobbly. "Oh, if Granny heard me use that word…" Sam let it hang in the air. I knew what she meant. Granny Manson would not tolerate that kind of language. Sam was never one to cuss but we both gave that up a long time ago.

"I love you, Sam," I said, kissing her head.

Sam pulled me in for a deep kiss, saying everything I needed to hear. This was one of the better times of having sex but that was because Sam enjoyed herself so much. I enjoyed myself too, don't get me wrong, but the look of pure satisfaction on her face gave me so much euphoria I couldn't even put it in words. That's why the kiss was perfect. We couldn't just say we loved each other. It went so much deeper.

AN: Here's the latest chapter. If anyone has any problem with the amount of adult content (though less graphic than the first series), please let me know. If my memory serves me right, there's only one more written love scene left. If a majority of people have a problem with it, I could leave out any future references. As I proofread and edit my chapters, I'm realizing there are a lot of Danny/Sam love scenes in this story. I probably could have done this series with a lot less. Drop me a line, either by review or by PM, to let me know if you have any issues with it. Thanks!