So many apologies! Both personal and technical issues have been standing in the way of this chapter for way too long. My boyfriend and I broke up, and then my brother left for the army, and then my compy broke down, and then my new boyfriend turned out to be a stalker/sexual predator (that was fun), and then my ex-boyfriend and I got BACK together, and as of now I'm facing strep. Whoo... So it's just been a long few weeks. But here is the big chapter, as promised.
I don't own Danny Phantom, dang it!
XD
"I think that's everything." Sarah, my most cherished maid, murmured, gathering the last of her bags together. "Now remember, all the numbers are on the white board. The hospital, my cell, the-"
I laughed. "I know, Sarah, I know. Those numbers have been up there since I was old enough to dial a phone."
"Oh, Sammy, I don't have to worry about you, do I?" she looked me up and down for a moment before shaking her head. "No, you'll be just fine."
Smiling, I replied, "Yes, but you won't be if you miss your plane." I handed her the bag at my feet, and she slung it over her shoulder.
"Now, there's dinner on the stove for you and that boy, so you can just warm that up whenever you get hungry. Vegetarian lasagna, your favorite." She chuckled at my brightened expression. "Oh, I"m going to miss you, sweetheart." Sarah hugged me one last time before stepping out the open door.
"I'll miss you too. Write me from Florida!"
She waved goodbye. "I promise." And closed the door behind her.
I turned around to look back at the living room, sighing. With thirty minutes until Greg showed up, I walked over to our enormous collection of DVD's, picking out my favorite horrors. He'd been on vacation with his brother and sister-in-law for over a week, and I was ecstatic over the fact that I'd be in his arms in a little under an hour.
Once I had a good selection of movies to watch, I stood up from my spot and moved towards the kitchen, my stomach rumbling. I stopped in my tracks when I noticed something glittering on the floor. Kneeling down, I picked up the sparkling item- Sarah's necklace. I fingered the tiny silver cross that I'd seen hanging from her neck for years. It had been a gift from her husband when they first got married over twenty years ago.
I stood up, walking into the kitchen and placing the necklace on the marble counter. I'd mail it to her as soon as she sent me an address.
Sighing, I looked at the clock, frowning when I saw that I still had a while. Biting my lip, I moved to the stove, where the vegetarian lasagna was covered with tinfoil. I reached above the stove and opened up a cabinet, pulling out a small plate. Setting the plate on the counter, I gathered a fork and a knife from the silverware drawer and cut myself a piece of the lasagna, placing it on my plate.
After I put the tinfoil back on the food, I put my plate into the microwave, setting it for two minutes. As soon as I had pressed "Start", the doorbell rang. I figured it was Sarah, returning for her necklace, but I gasped with surprise when I opened the door.
"Greg!" I threw my arms around my boyfriend, breathing in his delicious, woody smell. "What are you doing here? You weren't supposed to be here for another thirty minutes!"
He stepped back, pointing his thumb behind him. "Oh, well I can go if you want. I just figured that I'd show up early and surprise you, but if you don't want me..." He grinned as I slapped him playfully.
"Ha ha. Very funny." I took his hand and pulled him inside. "So how was California? Did you have fun?" He took off his jacket as I closed the door, hanging it on the coat rack.
"Yeah, it was great. I missed you though." He smiled crookedly, his brown eyes alight with happiness.
"Well, I missed you too." I said, moving back to the kitchen.
"Something smells good." Greg noted as he followed me. "Sarah cooking?" He sniffed the air before his eyes landed on the lasagna.
"No, she already left for Florida. You just missed her." I pulled my food out of the microwave and held it out to him. "Here, I'll fix me another plate."
"You're too good to me, Sam." he said, picking my fork up off the counter and shoving a bite of lasagna into his mouth. "Good God,this woman can cook!"
I laughed as I fixed my own food. "Yeah, Sarah's amazing." My eyes flickering to the necklace, I brushed it aside and jumped up onto the counter. "So, did you stay with your brother or did you go to a hotel?"
It didn't take long for him to rush into hilarious stories of California and his brother's crazy antics. He made me laugh so hard, there were moments I almost choked on my food. Greg, I always thought, would grow up to be a comic one day. The way he told stories was enough to make my sides hurt from laughing so hard.
Eventually, we finished our food and moved into the living room. Greg put in a new horror flick that he had found in California, but the stories didn't stop until the third person was killed by the main psychotic killer. Yay for untreated mental disorders.
My eyes were wide, glued to the TV screen as a leggy blond gripped a pair of sharp scissors in her hand. The blond swallowed thickly as she crept through the abandoned hospital, exhaling shakily. My hands unconsciously tightened in the knot that I'd made in Greg's shirt as the blond gasped at a spatter of blood at her feet.
The sound of scraping metal made the blond's head snap up, and then the screen suddenly froze. I looked up at Greg with confusion, glaring at him when I realized that he had paused it. "Hey! What was that for?" I asked, crossing my arms over my chest.
He grinned crookedly. "I'm still thirsty," he stated simply as he stood up and grabbed his empty glass. "Do you want me to get you some more soda?"
I nodded, frowning at him and turning back to the TV as he stepped into the kitchen. The image on the screen was of the blond's fearful face. Over her shoulder, you could just barely make out the silhouette of the psychotic killer. His fingers were just slightly curled, making his hands look clawed. I shuddered as I anticipated what was about to happen and winced when I looked back to her terrified expression. Scary movies usually didn't get to me this bad, but this one just seemed more... I dunno... realthan any I'd seen before.
I wanted to tell her to run, to get out of there as fast as she could, but it wouldn't matter. She couldn't hear me, no matter how loudly I screamed.
"Don't tell me you're scared," Greg chuckled, flopping back onto the couch next to me.
I smacked him and he laughed, handing me my drink as a peace offering. Frowning, I took it, sulking quietly as I gulped down the soda.
"Oh, come on, Sam, admit it." He poked my side, making me twist out of his reach. "You're scared that Tommy's going to show up tonight in your bedroom and kill you."
I glared over the edge of my cup. "No. If I think about him tonight, it'll be because I'm hoping he's at your house, killing you."
He shook his head, picking up the remote and pressing play again. "Aw, you know you don't want me dead, Kitten."
Snorting, I said, "That's debatable."
My eyes and body grew heavy as the movie played on. I found my thoughts drifting, and it took me a bit longer to jump at the sudden reactions of the blond heroine than it usually did. Before I knew what had happened, I found my face buried in Greg's shirt. I yawned, and his hand reached up to rub my back. Smiling was the last thing I remembered before I fell asleep.
oO.Oo
There was something cold touching my stomach. My mind wasn't much but a foggy haze, but that much I knew. There was a sharp pain between my shoulder blades and there was something cold brushing across my stomach.
I opened my eyes with a soft groan, wincing at the light my pupils found. They adjusted, but the room was still spinning dizzyingly around me. Frowning, I closed my eyes again, trying to move away from the cold thing touching me. My body felt heavy, though, and my arms must have weighed fifty pounds each.
"Hey, hey, hey," A familiar voice scolded softly. "None of that."
I opened my eyes again. It was barely any better, but I could just barely make out Greg's form above me. I tried to ask what was going on, but I was too tired, too dizzy. My words came out slow and slurred, barely intelligible. The cold thing moved to my ribs, and I could feel something unclasping my bra. "What?" I mumbled. I didn't understand what was going on. What kept touching me? What was messing with my bra?
"Shhh, Sam... It's just me."
With a sharp gasp, I somehow pieced the puzzle together. It was Greg. His cold hand touching me. His fingers undoing the clasp.
"Stop," I said, my words slurred. I tried to move out of his grasp, but my body felt so heavy, and his weight was pressing me to the soft cushions beneath me.
I heard his low growl. "Damn. Shoulda given her both of 'em."
My mind vaguely acknowledged that, and I became aware of a bitter taste in my mouth. I tried to tell him to stop again, but my voice was barely audible, and his cold hands were moving towards the waistband of my shorts. "No," I commanded, but my demand held no authority. His frozen fingers were still pulling off my shorts.
I was faintly aware of hot tears on my cheeks. It was all so confusing. Maybe I was wrong- this wasn't Greg, the sweet, sensitive guy I'd dated for a year. It had to be someone else. A robber or some psycho. That made sense. Yeah, this was just some horrible dream brought on by watching scary movies.
The cold hand between my thighs was telling me differently.
"Stop moving!" A harsh whisper reached my ears. I let out a soft whimper and tried to beg for whoever it was to quit, but my words were still unintelligible. It was an effort just to lift my hands to push against his shoulders weakly. "Dammit, Sam!" Another cold hand pushed away my pathetic attempt.
There was the sound of rustling fabric and I hissed as a sharp pain ripped through my lower stomach. "It's okay, Kitten," the voice said, and more tears made my face wet. "I can make you feel good, I swear."
"No," I whispered once more, but black was creeping upon the edges of my vision. A sob ripped from my throat and I squirmed in his grip. It didn't seem to affect him, though, and I knew it would be a long time before this torture would end.
XD...XD
Danny's hands clenched and unclenched in his pockets as he looked up at the girl sitting in front of the small crowd. He leaned over his lap and crossed his arms in front of his chest in an attempt to hide his no-doubt green eyes from the people around him.
Sam's testimony had him on the edge of his seat, making him hold onto any piece of control he had left. The urge to lunge out of his place behind Charlie and go ghost all over Greg's sorry butt was near to uncontrollable. But he had to keep his cool. For Sam.
"Thank you, Miss Manson." Vlad said, his voice thick. "Would you mind answering me a few questions?" His smile was thin, full of polite malice.
"Do I have a choice?" Sam grumbled tiredly, rubbing her temples with her middle fingers. Danny frowned. The case had started late, very late. She had spent so much energy worrying and pacing through the courthouse that she looked like she was about to collapse on her feet. It was already dark outside, and she should be resting, not relaying her story for the fourth time in twenty-four hours.
Vlad's lips twitched at her reply, but nobody said a word. "Miss Manson, did you tell your parents about what happened that next morning?" He inquired, fiddling with a pen as he leaned against the stand.
"They were in Rome the next morning," Sam muttered. "But, yes, I told them as soon as they got back."
"Did they file a police report?" Vlad asked, seemingly nonchalant, but Danny knew that he was up to something.
"No." The girl snapped, running a frustrated hand through her hair. "They didn't believe me."
"And that stopped you?"
Danny resisted snarling as Sam's brow furrowed. "What do you mean?"
"I mean," Vlad said, drawing out the latter word as he pushed off from the stand. "Just because they said 'no,' that stopped you from filing a report?"
She was confused, but Danny knew what Vlad was doing- trying to make her look bad in front of the jury. "Yes. They're my parents, why wouldn't I?"
"Well, because all of your friends that I've spoken to say that you were a bit of a rebel, that you didn't care what they thought." Sam visibly froze, and she muttered something (most likely a death threat) under her breath. "So, if everything they say about you is true, then why didn't you file the report anyway?"
"I was afraid," she whispered, her hand creeping towards her stomach. "I was ashamed."
"You know what else I learned from your little friends?" Vlad said, pacing towards the jury stand. He watched with obvious delight as Sam shook her head. "They told me that you had a bit of a wild streak." His smirk was nothing short of evil. "Key to your parents alcohol cabinet, dancing on a table at a party not two weeks before your supposed rape."
Danny could see the tears of hate and anger glittering in her eyes. He shot a glance at Charlie. Her hands were clasped so tightly in front of her that her knuckles were white. His eyes moved on to Vlad, and his stomach churned when he found a pair of sickly amused eyes staring back at him.
"What was your relationship with Mr. Sanders before July nineteenth?" Vlad asked, changing the subject once again, brushing invisible lint off of his designer suit.
"He was my boyfriend," Sam stated plainly. Danny could see the annoyance on her face, and he wished he could just take her home. It didn't even have to be home, as long as it was far away from Greg or Vlad. "We did normal couple stuff. Movie nights, picnics, talking on the phone until two in the morning. It wasn't very complicated."
"Hmm." Vlad paused, seemingly contemplating something. "What were your opinions on sex?"
Sam's frown deepened, if possible. "He wanted it. I wasn't ready. Simple as that."
"And what are your opinions now?"
Sam shrugged, sighing with aggravation. "Same as they were in July. I'd like to wait until marriage, and I'm not ready for it any time before I sign my life away." There was a painful tone hidden behind her annoyed reply, and Danny didn't miss it. He wasn't quite sure what it meant.
"Who is Danny Fenton?"
A thrill of fear and excitement shot up Danny's spine and he glared at Vlad angrily. How dare he bring him into this! The look on Sam's face didn't say much less. Her gaze locked with Danny's, and they both knew where this was about to go.
"Your honor," Charlie said, her hands looking as if they were about to break in her own grasp. "I fail to see the relevance."
The judge, an old, thin woman, gave Charlie a look. "Continue, Mr. Masters."
"Please answer the question, Miss Manson," Vlad smirked. Sam gaped at him like a goldfish, and the jury broke out into quiet murmurs. "Remember," He shot her a steady glance. "You're under oath."
"Danny-" Sam broke off, clearing her throat. "Danny Fenton is a friend of mine. He goes to school with me."
"And he came here with you, correct?" At her curt nod, Vlad "hmm'ed" again and continued pacing. "Are you sleeping with him?"
The gossiped murmurs were louder now.
"No." Sam hissed. She paused and grimaced. "Well, yes..."
The judge gave the girl a wary look. "Get your story straight, Miss Manson."
Sam nodded and swallowed thickly. "I am sleeping with Danny," she said slowly. "But we're not having sex. We're not even in a romantic relationship..." The edges of Danny's lips twitched downwards.
"Is that right?" Vlad murmured, gazing at Sam through measuring eyes. He glided over to the desk where Greg was sitting, shuffled through a folder of papers before pulling out a couple. Stacking the papers neatly, he walked towards the jury, gently dropping the papers in front of the first juror, a middle-aged man.
"According to 'Inside the Mind,' by Dr. J. E. Wright, rape and sexual abuse victims usually abhor being touched, especially in an affectionate way." Vlad said, hiding his hand in his pocket. "Do you find that to be true? Does it bother you when people touch you?"
Sam looked like a deer caught in headlights, her eyes wide and frightened. "Not really," she whispered, twisting her fingers in the hem of her shirt.
Vlad nodded, looking away and casually walking across the room. "So. Let me get a few facts straight." He paused in front of the jury, not making eye contact with anyone. "You have a history of breaking into your parents liqueur cabinet; you didn't file a police report because your parents told you not to, despite your rebellious nature; and now you're sleeping with a boy you've known for just three months?"
Danny saw the pained look in Sam's eyes when she replied with a barely audible, "Yes."
"Well, then," Vlad murmured, his gaze moving to rest on Danny. "No further questions." He silently walked over to his desk, sitting down and clapping a hand on Greg's shoulder. Leaning over with a victorious smile, he whispered something in his ear.
Danny looked at Sam, who still had a shocked look on her features. She'd been played into a corner when every balance should have been tipped in her favor. Her shoulders were shaking, and her eyes were glazed over as she stared at Charlie, whose fists were clenched tightly.
"Thank you, Miss Manson," The judge sighed, stacking a few sheets of paper on her desk. "If there are no further questions, then I'll release court until tomorrow morning." She looked from Vlad to Charlie, and when neither spoke up, she tapped her gavel and stood, disappearing into a door.
Danny stood up slowly, glaring at Vlad, who was talking quietly with Greg. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Charlie stand up and run to where a bailiff was helping Sam down from the stand. He reluctantly tore his gaze from them and followed her, moving to where Charlie was trying to convince Sam that it'd turn out alright.
"Hey," he murmured, pulling her into a hug. She didn't pull away, but stiffened in his arms, still shaking uncontrollably. "Are you okay?" Danny felt her nod into his chest.
"C'mon," Charlie said softly, gathering her things off of her desk. "You two can stay at my place tonight." Picking up Sam's bag and handing it to Danny, she led the way out of the suddenly-crowded courtroom.
"I need to go to the bathroom," Sam whispered, pushing away and wandering off in the opposite direction.
Charlie started to follow. "We'll meet you outside," she said, trotting after the younger girl.
Sighing, Danny nodded, slinging Sam's backpack over his shoulder and following the small crowd of people out of the courthouse. It was a cold night, and he could see his breath as he sat on a bench facing the mermaid fountain.
He frowned as he watched people walk towards their cars, muttering quietly to each other. An elderly woman looked down, locking gazes with him before smiling sadly and continuing on. Danny clenched his fists in his lap. What was Vlad doing? Sam's life was none of his business, and yet he felt he had to come ruin it? Why was he intent on proving Greg innocent?
As if the devil had summoned him, Vlad waltzed out of the front doors, smoothing a hand over his graying hair as he smiled at the scene in front of him. "Ah, Daniel," he said warmly, sauntering over to where Danny was sitting. "It's a beautiful night, isn't it?"
The halfa repressed a snarl. "What are you doing here, Plasmius?" he hissed, sitting up straighter.
"Protecting an innocent young man from the lies of a lying snake," he replied casually, as if he were talking about the weather.
"Why?" Danny growled. "Why are you doing this to Sam? She has nothing to do with you and me."
"Me and you?" Vlad asked, touching a hand to his chest. "Tsk-tsk, Daniel. Why do you assume this has anything to do with us? How selfish."
"Stop playing around," Danny demanded, standing up. "You've never done anything for anyone but yourself your whole life. And now suddenly you're defending the man who raped my girlfr-" He broke off suddenly. "My friend?" Pausing, he glowered at his nemesis. "What do you want, Vlad? 'Cause you're sure not defending the innocent."
"How do you know?" The older man asked, tucking his hands in his pocket as he shifted his weight to his right. "There's never been any proof. All you know is what your little "Sam" told you." He sneered. "I bet she never even mentioned to you that she's been arrested for driving drunk before."
"She hasn't." Danny said. "But she doesn't have to- it's her life, her business. And you're in there laying it out for everyone to see."
Vlad laughed, throwing his head back. "And you're angry with me forthat? For speaking the truth in a place where the truth is meant to be uncovered? Don't fool yourself, m'boy." He put his hand on Danny's shoulder. "The only reason you're upset is because your little girlfriend isn't turning out to be as innocent as you thought."
They were silent, staring each other down before Danny spoke again. "Are you here just to reveal my secret? As some sick plot to get me to join you? Tell me, Vlad; I want to know."
"Daniel." He frowned, glaring at the younger halfa. "I have every right to be here, just like you do." His face suddenly turned into one of malice and spite. "Don't be rude just because she didn't tell you everything. She lied. That's what whores do."
Danny didn't remember lunging at him, or even hitting him. He didn't remember having to be pulled off by a nearby spectator, or hearing Sam yelling at him to calm down. The rage that had been building since his encounter with Greg earlier that morning pushed him into a blind fury, and the next thing he knew, Charlie was shouting at him, shoving him in the backseat of her car.
"Get yourself together, you idiot!" she said, holding him down as he tried to escape. "You'll be lucky if they don't press charges!"
He took several deep breaths in an attempt to calm himself down, but the fury still burned hot inside of him. Sam suddenly pushed past her friend, holding him to the seat with only her gaze. "712 Ferstreet Way," she said calmly, moving aside. "That's Charlie's address. Come home when you can get yourself under control."
"Sam," he murmured, finally able to be still long enough to plead with her.
She shook her head, stepping back and pointing in the direction of the highway. "Just go, Danny. Get out of here."
He was dumbstruck, her rejection heating his face with shame. His eyes met hers, begging, but she held firm, her mouth set in a frown. Hanging his head, he got out and walked behind the courthouse, going ghost before taking to the sky.
XD
712 Ferstreet Way was a small house. Not completely tiny- there had to be at least two bedrooms, but it was minuscule compared to Sam's mansion. It was an old looking house, maybe from the nineteen-thirties, painted a faded white with a front porch. It was the kind of house you didn't see much anymore, a classic.
Danny shoved his hands in his pockets as he looked up at the house from the street, sighing. Somebody in the front room was still up, despite the late hour, and golden light was pouring onto the front porch. He frowned, walking up to the front door and knocking lightly.
It was Charlie that came to the door, a cup of something hot in her hand. She had changed into pajamas, a long-sleeved shirt and a pair of sweatpants, and her hair was pulled back. "You know," she said, leaning against the door-frame. "Coming out to see you trying to maul Greg's lawyer after twenty minutes of trying to get Sam to stop crying really was the cherry on top of a fabulous day."
Danny sighed again, running a hand through his messy hair. "Look, I'm sorry, okay? I don't know what came over me."
"Yeah, you do," she said, not moving from her spot in the doorway. "You saw him, got pissed off that he made Sam look bad in front of the jury, and jumped him."
"That's part of it..." he muttered, crossing his arms in front of his chest. "Look. I know I over-reacted and I'm sorry. Is Sam awake?"
"Nah." Charlie shook her head, walking back into the house. She motioned him in over her shoulder and disappeared into another room. "She pretty much passed out as soon as she got here. Left her alone for two seconds to get her something to eat and she was dead to the world."
"That's good," Danny said, stepping inside and closing the door behind him. "She needs her rest."
"Yep." Charlie reappeared in the living room, two cups now in her hands. She handed one to him. "Here. Warm up." After he took it, she flopped back onto the loveseat and bent over a mess of papers. "So," she began, taking a sip from her cup (the best chocolate Danny had ever had, it turned out to be). "You said 'that's part of it.' Is there more to why you attacked Mr. Masters?"
Danny repressed a low growl. "He called her a whore," he hissed, sitting down on the couch. "I don't remember much of anything past that."
"Well, then," She leaned back. "Screw what I said before. You have every right to murder him."
He laughed shortly, shaking his head and gulping his hot chocolate. "No. I don't. Sam wouldn't let me; she hates it when I fight for her, much less get in big trouble for her." Danny gave Charlie a measured look. "That's why this conversation goes no farther than this living room."
"Hey," she raised her cup in a 'cheers' fashion. "It's between you, me, and the coffee table."
"Good."
They quickly finished off their hot chocolate, and after a while, Charlie gathered her things and started towards a dark hallway. "I'm heading to bed," she said. "There's blankets in that closet if you need them." She disappeared, and then returned to throw a pillow at him. "G'night, Danny."
He nodded. "Night, Charlie."
She disappeared again, and he leaned back against the pillow. For a moment, he debated finding Sam's room, but then he decided against it and stretched his legs out, laying his head on his arm. He closed his eyes and was out in a minute.
oO.Oo
There was something clattering in the kitchen.
Danny sat up straight, the pillow falling to the floor with a soft 'thump.' His nightmare slithered into the night, a twisting of dark images he was already forgetting. Quietly, as to not alert the person in the kitchen of his presence, he crawled off of the couch and tip-toed in the dark, flipping on the lights.
"God, Danny!" Sam whispered loudly, leaning over the counter. "Are you trying to give me a heart attack?" A bowl was sitting by her hand, half-filled with chocolate-chip ice-cream.
"Sorry," he murmured. "I didn't know it was you."
"Well, now you do!" she hissed, slapping the lid back onto the ice-cream carton. Scowling, she shoved the carton back into the open freezer and picked up her bowl, stopping to get a spoon from a drawer before shoving past Danny.
"Sam..." he began as she maneuvered her way through the dark to her room. Frowning, he followed her, closing the door behind him. She was sitting on the unmade bed, the thick quilt a crumpled mess on the floor. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you."
She merely spooned ice-cream into her mouth.
"I'm sorry about earlier, too. With Vlad." Danny sighed, moving to sit on the end of her bed. "I didn't mean for any of that to happen, especially for me to freak out that way."
"You know," she began, swallowing a mouthful. "The whole case could have fallen through right there if that guy hadn't pulled you off of him! If Mr. Masters had chosen to press charges, I would've killed you myself!"
"I know," he sighed. "But you have to listen to me- I know him. He's a halfa like me."
Sam went quiet, looking out the window as he spoke.
"My parents were friends with him in high school and some experiment gone wrong turned him like me. Ever since, he's been trying to get rid of me and my dad and get with my mom." He smiled faintly when she snorted. "I was asking him what he was doing here, he said some uncalled for things, and it got out of hand."
She set the empty bowl on her bedside table. "Small world, I guess." she shrugged, leaning back against the bed's pillows.
"I strongly doubt that." he replied darkly, looking away. "I mean, he's been trying to make life miserable for me ever since he found out I exist. And now he'shere messing up everything for you. I just don't want him thinking that if he messes with you that I'll-"
"Hey, Danny?" Sam interrupted, leaning forwards on her knees.
"Yeah?"
"Shut up." And she closed the gap between them, pressing her lips to his for a fleeting moment before pulling back.
A warm shock spread through him, starting at the base of his spine. "What..." he shook his head. "I don't understand. This morning, you were treating me like a pariah."
"That was my 'thank you.'" she said, blushing. "I overheard you and Charlie talking earlier."
"Oh." He felt his face flush as well. "You're welcome. But that still doesn't explain why you were so cold towards me last night and this morning."
She frowned, looking down at her hands. "You can do better."
Huh? "Better?" Danny was stricken with confusion. "Better than what? You? Sam, I think-"
At that moment, his breath was stolen away as a whisp of blue spilled from his mouth. "Dang..." He muttered, standing up. "Sam, be careful; I think Vlad's here." Frowning, he held a shushing finger to his lips, quietly sneaking out of the room.
He padded through the house softly, silently going ghost as he phased through the ceiling to check outside. Nothing. Sighing, Danny drifted back into the warm house, landing without making a noise. If Plasmius had come for a fight, he had better get it away from Charlie and Sam. Danny sneaked back into Sam's room without a word, still looking over his shoulder.
"Is he here?" she whispered, frozen like a statue on her bed.
"I don't know," he murmured, looking out the window warily. "I don't see him, and he's not usually one to sneak around. If he wants to be there, he makes sure everyone knows it." Quickly phasing back to Danny Fenton, he sighed. "But I know my ghost sense just went off."
"What if it's not Vlad?" she asked softly, shifting carefully.
"Who else would it be?"
Sam shrugged, slipping off of the bed, despite Danny's protests. Biting her lip gently, she glided into the dark living room.
"Sam!" he hissed.
"I think I found something."
Danny stood straight, walking back to where she was waiting, a brown paper bag sitting at her feet. "A gift from Vlad, do you think?" he asked sarcastically, moving towards her and picking up the bag.
He reached in warily, expecting something to pop out and attack him, but the first thing his hand touched was something cold and delicate. Furrowing his eyebrows, he picked it up, holding it out for Sam to see. A small, silver cross hung from a delicate chain in his hands.
"That's Sarah's!" she exclaimed in a whisper, taking it gingerly. "What's it doing here?"
"Did you ever send it back to her?" Danny asked, releasing it for her.
"No. It was gone when I woke up the next morning," she murmured, her left hand sliding towards her swollen stomach. "I figured Greg took it, thinking it was mine." After a moment of inspecting it, she grabbed the paper bag. "What else is in there?"
He shrugged, letting her take it from his hands. "I don't think it's anything dangerous."
Sam reached in, the paper bag crumpling as she pulled out a large cassette-tape. "What..." her face fell with confusion, but then her eyes suddenly widened and her jaw dropped.
"What is it?" He asked her, taking a step forward.
"Charlie!" she shouted, disappearing into the dark hallway. "Charlie, wake up! This case isours!"
XD
"So, Mr. Sanders," Vlad said, looking Greg straight in the eye as he asked his question. "You say that Miss Manson invited you over for movies. And then what?"
Danny couldn't help but smirk as the brunette replied. "She told me she had missed me and that she was ready to have sex." Greg shrugged, leaning back in his seat. "So we did."
"Did she ever tell you to stop?" Masters inquired, pacing towards the jury. "Did she change her mind at all?"
"Nope." He sneered. "Everything she said was a lie. When she called me the next day, she told me that she'd broken into her parents' alcohol cabinet again."
"No further questions," Vlad murmured, taking his seat as Charlie stood.
"If you answer this one question right," Charlie began, holding her hands behind her back as she walked up to the stand. "Then this case will be closed and you will go to jail. Given, it will be a shorter amount of time than if you answer it wrong." She frowned and leaned over the stand so she was looking Greg directly in the eye. "Is that the truth?"
He didn't even falter. "Yes."
Danny rolled his eyes as she sighed, pushing away and moving back towards the center of the room. "Okay, then," she mumbled to herself. "We'll have to do it the long way." She spun around so she was looking at him again. "What did you do for the fourth of July, Mr. Sanders?"
Danny could see the confusion on his face as he slouched in his seat. "What's that got do with anything?" he asked bluntly.
"Just answer the question," the judge demanded, folding her arms over her chest.
Greg shrugged. "I shot off some firecrackers at my house with some friends and then went to a party."
"Was Sam with you?" Charlie continued, smiling politely.
"No." He sighed, looking at the ceiling in thought. "I went by her house to see if she wanted to sneak out and come to the party with me, but her parents were home and almost caught us."
"Hmm." Charlie tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. "So she didn't come because her parents woke up to the sound of you breaking in?"
"Hey," Greg said, holding his hands palm-outwards in defense. "It was only to see if Sam wanted to come. I never did it to steal anything."
"I know, I know," Charlie said, pacing back towards hers and Sam's desk and sitting on top of it. "You're on trial for rape and abuse, not breaking and entering. But that's what happened, correct?"
He nodded. "Yeah. Her parents freaked out, thought someone was trying to rob them."
"Really? And what did they do after that?" she asked casually, fiddling with the pencil on her desk.
Danny smiled. It took Greg a minute to realize where this was leading, and he tried to cover it up well when he did. But the minute realization flashed across his face, his shoulders tensed and his expression dropped. "They got a security system." He tried to make his voice sound nonchalant, but it came out wavering anyways.
"Yes, they did," Charlie said, grinning. "They got the FDT Premium Package, which includes alarms able to be tripped from the outside, an alarm on the inside that will go off if a window or door opens during the set period, and camcorders in three rooms of the house." She tilted her head to the side as she looked at Greg. "Their room, the living room, and Sam's room."
"Then watch the tape," Greg bluffed, better in-control of his emotions. "It'll tell the truth."
"But the 'living room' tape for that night was stolen," Charlie said, standing up and walking over towards a door next to the judge's stand. She rapped loudly on it and glided back to the desk, grabbing the tape from her briefcase as a large television was wheeled in. "We stumbled upon it, though," she continued, turning on the TV and slipping the tape into the ancient VCR. "And look who got his hand caught in the cookie jar..."
The entire courtroom went silent as the tape played, showing that July night's events exactly as Sam had told them. Danny didn't need to see it- he'd watched it with Charlie after Sam fell asleep the night before- so he let his gaze move to Sam. Her eyes weren't on the screen either, but her head was held high.
The video pretty much closed the case. Once Charlie announced that she had no more questions, the jury went back, only to emerge ten minutes later with their verdict.
"Guilty."
XD
Fear not, all. This is not over yet! There's still a lot more that has to happen before I can put this in my 'complete' pile (population: one). Once again, I'm sorry for the huge time gap between the last chapter and this one! I will do my best to churn out a better chapter for you next!
Love always!
Curiosity
