A/N: Okay my dear readers, I have put up a poll on my profile page. Please please please vote, because I really don't know who you guys want to end up with Tucker. So again, please, there are only two choices so it shouldn't be too difficult. It would help me greatly. Though you better hurry, I'm already writing Chapter 11 and my patience is not that high. I think a week should suffice? Great.

Other than that announcement, I don't have anything else to say. So, enjoy!

Chapter 10

Sam's P.O.V

Last night's events, or rather, earlier this morning's events, were replaying in my head repeatedly. We had snuck inside the school after hours, 'borrowed' surveillance footage from the security system, almost got caught in doing so, but thankfully Danny was fast enough to phase us through the roof just as Tucker's USB indicated that the file transfers were complete, lastly, mine and Danny's little impromptu walk. It was… nice. Just his presence alone has this effect on me, like I feel safe, and at home. Is that weird?

Right now we're in History class, but my mind had uncharacteristically tuned out my teacher's voice. I would usually listen for the reason that that's usually where all the test answers come from (also because of an old saying that goes once is enough for a wise man), sad to say though, my brain isn't cooperating. It's most likely the anxiety I'm feeling with the thought of watching the recorded footage later tonight. What were we going to find? What should I expect? Who should I expect?

Then maybe later after we find out, a new set of questions will start bothering me. For example; why? Why did they have to do what they did? I mean seriously, they hung a teacher with a noose on stage for everyone to see. Crazy much? No, insane. Whoever that person was, is definitely a worse fruitloop than Vlad.

It was the bell that brought me back from my reverie. And since it was last period, everyone rushed out the door before our teacher could say anything else. Soundlessly I put the books in my bag and headed for the door as well. Danny and Tucker were already waiting for me. From the looks of it; they seemed to be feeling the same thing I was a moment ago. After rehearsals (again, since we also had one in first period) we were going to head home and finally find out who was behind all this.

"No no no. Mr. Fenton, please try to give in a little more feelings, and less stiffness." Mr. Lancer pinched the bridge of his nose the third time today. Danny nodded sheepishly.

He waved off his clip board in front of him and gestured for Dash to come forward.

"Alright, in this scene Christine will be walking in the cemetery, Phantom will be in the mausoleum trying to get the girl on his side. Raul, you swoop in and save her."

Simple enough.

The music started, I sang a little half heartedly, but not too much that Mr. Lancer notices. The thoughts of later tonight were still itching on my nerves, so I tried distracting myself with the well made props around me. The tombstones were super cool. Valerie and the rest of the backstage crew brought these things home to paint, and the results were superb. The fake snow wasn't used yet though. That was going to be for the real event.

On the ground were plenty of 'X' marks. You could've guessed the use of that. The dancers have white tape X's, where they have to be in the start, and where they have to be in the finish. I have purple X's, though it's only for some scenes. Danny's are red, very bright red actually, it kind of stand out. His is probably the most important because we have a few tricks in our sleeves to make this play even more entertaining than it already is. Yep, trap doors. Under the stage, there's like a whole different area. It's got loads of pillars of course to keep the stage up right, and thick enough to hold it in place so it doesn't come crashing down.

Maybe 'trap doors' isn't the exact word to use here. Anyways, it's like one of those dumbwaiters you see on T.V. (or in my house). There's a platform way down below the stage and it goes up with just a click of a button. All I have to do is step on it, and a small square shaped floor board opens up and ta-da, Danny Phantom appears (whoa that's creepily accurate). The X's are also marked with numbers, that way we know which one to be on first before moving on.

I spotted a yellow X as I walked down the rows of tombstones and silently reminded myself that that is where Dash will be after confronting the Phantom. So I should be here… and then –

Yet again today my thoughts were disrupted. But this time it wasn't a screaming bell.

"Dash!" someone from the backstage yelled. It was Paulina.

I turned around where Dash was just a few seconds ago, he was just about to come to his X marked spot next to me but instead I just saw air. Turning towards Danny, he had a look of utter shock. Without hesitating he grabbed my hand and pulled me towards the growing crowd on the stage. There was a hole that was not supposed to be there.

"What happened?" Mr. Mathews came running from the changing/costume room with a tape measure around his neck and a pillow cushion of pins strapped around his bony wrist. "I heard a scream, was another prop ruined?"

His thick English accent dazed me slightly. I was in no position to say anything because I had no clue either to what the heck just happened.

"Mr. Baxter!" Mr. Lancer came up next. He peered into the hole with worry written all over his face. "Please, answer me!"

Half the boys already started making their way down there a few seconds after Paulina screamed. So I'm guessing he's not alone.

"I'm fine." Dash groaned in pain.

"Nothing broken." Another voice said. "But he hit his back pretty hard."

"I said I'm fine." The jock hissed as he tried to straighten up and stand on his own, which of course he failed and ended up having to lean on Kwan.

They managed to bring him back up without much hindrance. At the corner of my eye I saw Mr. Lancer say something brief to Mr. Mathews before jogging towards the boys with Dash. I watched them go, still unsure of what I was supposed to be feeling. Never mind that, his heart is still beating, my mind said to me, you need to find out what just happened, the boards were fine, they don't just break.

Suddenly a mental note of the kids with broken legs on the news paper clippings flashed in my head. I felt sick and cold thinking what could've happened to Dash if he fell feet first.

It's the phantom. It has to be!

"Students." Mr. Mathews called out getting our attention. "Mr. Lancer instructed me to make sure all of you head home safely right away. He'll be calling Dash Baxter's parents and we promise you that he will be fine."

The crowd looked nervous. Some were murmuring softly to themselves while others tried to keep busy with putting the props away. I didn't want to eves drop but I heard it anyway, most of them were whispering the same words. Accidents and curse.

I felt something move beside me. Danny was bending towards the newly made hole. He touched the broken board panels.

"I think it was tampered with…" he said quietly. Tucker and I exchanged confused glances before bending down.

I studied the little cracks and splinters, Tucker too. My hands reached to the undersides of the board and what I felt somehow didn't surprise me. Looking around to make sure everyone was busy; I tapped on Danny's shoulder.

"Let's take a closer look." I said.

He nodded before we climbed down the side stairs and under the stage. We found the debris fairly easily. Studying it like I did with the hole, my presumptions were correct. I didn't know if it was a good thing, or bad.

"You're right." My voice sort of seemed loud in the quiet surroundings. "Someone drilled holes under the stage." I held up the piece of broken wood and showed them the semi circles in the edges.

"Hey what's this?" Tucker was pointing at a pile of dust. Something was glinting underneath it. He picked it up to find a red ball point pen.

"A pen?" I tiled my head to the side.

Danny's eyes grew a little wide. "I think that's Ms. G's."

A/N: Did it appeal to you guys? :D I certainly hope so! Don't forget to vote who you want Tucker to be with! Poll's in my profile.