"It probably doesn't mean anything." Sam was reassuring me, as I told her my fears that Jazz suspected something. "But, I think that you were right about the other thing. I mean, everyone being reincarnated. It's too much of a coincidence to be a mistake."

"Yes, but that makes me scared of one thing." I admitted. Sam shifted on the couch, so that her head was on my shoulder and my arm was around her shoulders.

"What would that be?" Her purple eyes glanced at me."

"That history is going to repeat itself."

"Repeat itself . . ." Her eyes found mine, and I stared into their endless depths as her face mirrored her thoughts. "You'd don't think that I'll be killed again? That the same things will happen?"

"Why not? Face facts Sam, this is my life, recreated, modernized."

"With twists." She added.

"So? Same type of plot, same ending." I argued.

"Your life is not written down in a book Danny! It's not a script for you to follow!" She shouted back. That's probably where I should have stopped.

"WHAT LIFE! I'M DEAD! Dead, Sam. Do you understand what the means? You're going to live and long and happy life! I'll be the same forever! You'll get married, have kids. I will still be dead. I should have never come."

Sam took one look at me, and I guess she didn't like what she saw. Because she ran. I've never, in all my years, seen someone move that fast. It's not like I hadn't expected it since the beginning, but it still hurt. I turned away from her, and caught my reflection in the mirror.

My eyes were like frozen pools of ice, my face was violent, rough and I recognized the look. Dash had been wearing it on their 'date.' I felt like smashing the mirror, just to get rid of the monster I was staring at. And it was undeniable. I was a monster. Even this brief taste of happiness was something I didn't deserve. More over, what did she do to deserve this punishment?

***

"Are you okay, Danny?" Tucker asked me as we sat at play practice the next afternoon.

"I'll be fine Tuck." I whispered as I tried to keep my eyes away from Sam.

"I'm not an idiot Danny." Tucker turned around in his seat in front of me. "What happened between you two?"

"Just an arguement." I answered. I was really tempted to just leave the play. I could, especially since I was acting in it with Sam, but, I couldn't let all of those people down, plus, it was a way to be close to Sam again.

"I've known Sam forever, and she's never looked like this. Not even when her parents a-" Tucker stopped short, realizing he'd betrayed a friend by saying to much.

"What did her parents do?" I demanded. If he said what I was thinking. I don't know if I could handle it.

"I can't say." Tucker gazed up at me definatly.

"Tell me!" I demanded again, this time I must have looked menacing enough to convince him.

"Her father sexually abused her and her mother physically and verbally." He squeaked out.

"Play practice is over!" Lisa called. I love how sometimes things just work out. I stormed from the auditorium. The locks on all the lockers were pulled toward me by a magnetic force.

I stormed from the school. I had no idea where I was going. I stopped when I stepped in water. I was at the brook. The memory of Sam haunted this place. I shivered, driving back chills.

I heard footsteps in the woods. It was strange, I couldn't tell who it was. Whoever it was completely blocked me. I couldn't get an aura, a scent, a thought. It was unnerving. I followed the person's footsteps. Whoever it was was running, fast.

I heard splashes as my mystery person crossed the brook. I flew after whoever. I was trying to wait to see where the went before I caught up with them. Finally my mystery person collapsed to the ground, and I heard sobs. It was a female voice, angellicaly so, and at that moment I knew who it was.

Sam.

I turned intangible and stepped out into the place she had stopped at. Her knees were curled up and she was resting her forhead on them, but I could see the flow of tears.

"You can come closer," She choked out. "I'm not going to bite."

I turned tangible and took a few hesitant steps toward the shaking girl. "How did you . . .?"

"When you've spent so much time with someone they grow on you. You know where they are, no matter where you are." She answered. She could do that? Know where I was? I hadn't even known who was running through the woods until she made a sounds.

"Tucker said he told you about my parents." With that one sentence she brought back all of the pain I'd felt, the feeling of betrayal. I'd trusted her with everything I had, and she lead me to believe that she just led a rebellious rich kid life.

"Why are you still living with them?" The words were out of my mouth before I could stop them.

Sam looked at me, a sad smile on her face. "My parents are so powerful, and being under the protection of Vlad Masters, they're untouchable. I'm fine now, though. They haven't touched me since I learned to fight back." She looked so small, so vulnerable, just lying there. I remembered my words from yesterday. My anger, frustration. My outburst. My expression. I didn't know if she would let me close after that. I ignored it, and took a chance. I sat beside her.

"I still don't like it." I admitted.

"Neither do I, but we both have to live- I mean cope with it." I noticed almost sadly how she refrained from saying 'lived.' My heart felt tortured as I realized that she was now scared. Of me. Scared to set me off again. I wrapped my arm around her shoulders and pulled her close as possible.

"I'm sorry for what I said yesterday. I was just feeling so angry and hurt. I was scared, I guess."

"Scared?" Sam looked at me again, leaning into my arm.

"Scared." I confirmed. "I was so scared that history was going to repeat itself, and I would lose you again. This time for good."

"How do you know that?" She asked suddenly. "If it happened once, it could happen again."

"You lost me." I said with a blank stare.

"If I die, who's to say that in a couple of years another Samantha Manson will come along."

"You have no siblings." I pointed out. She gave a snort.

"I have eight sisters and fourteen brothers. All older." I stared at her.

"How old are your parents?" I asked.

"Between all the plastic surgery I can't tell." Sam answered with a shrug. And just like that we were back to playful banter, and a kiss in between. We both acted like yesterday hadn't happened. Yet we were both painfully aware that it.

I gave a sigh, and look up at the tree. I noticed something. "Hey, remember this?" I asked. She stood, confused.

"It's a tree."

"Just like the desk is a desk." I replied, but I took her hand and directed it to a shape carved into the bark.

"Bonfire of 1810." She remembered. I knew because that light sprang into her eyes. "Didn't we set Jasmine on fire?"

"Totally on accident. My stick was burning."

"And you just had to drop it on her dress." Sam finished. "I want to go back one more time." Sam said, and gazed off in the direction of the house.

"Why?" I was genuinly curious. I knew we'd have to go back sooner or later.

"There's something important that we, or I, or you, overlooked. Something crucial." Sam started off, following a thin trail. I had no choice but to go after her.

She pushed open the creaky old door. The house seemed to be holding it's breath. I left the door open to try and clear out some of the muskiness.

Sam looked around and moved toward the kitchen. She hadn't gone in there since I had assured her that I had checked it. Maybe she just wanted to be sure. I entered the little room to find Sam holding the piece of paper I had glanced at and sat back down. Sam looked at it. Read it again. And again. Her eyes seemed to swirl with the tornado of thoughts in her head. Finally her expression took on a bit of revulsion and understanding. Then she whispered five words to me and ran out of the room.

"They never found the body."

Let's just say you guys are lucky that my muses are being pushy about updates. I'm really trying to finish this fic soon. Just so I can mentally picture faces about the ending from reviews. I do believe none of you will expect the ending. Yes, I am challenging all of you who think that they can crack the case! It's not incredibly obvious, but I think I dropped a few clues that might lead you close to the train of thought I am currently following. Ah, good luck.

I have some Danny Phantom summaries that I'm willing to hand out if anyone needs something to write. Just pm me. Ideas are appreciated, you'll get your credit. Complaints ignored unless it's in the form of constructive criticism. Reviews motivate me. Don't own story will probably be coming to a closing soon, but, that just leaves room for more things to come through. I hope some of you will check out my other fics.

~DI4MGZ~