I let my fingers daintily trace along the outline of Phantom's face. It was nearing three o'clock in the morning and it had been hours since we had spoken a word to one another. We had only laid next to each other, just been together for hours. He had his arms locked around me, and I couldn't help but stare at him. I never would have imagined he would react the way he did to The Thing – it was one blessing I would always be thankful for.

While I was well aware that Phantom and I could not last forever (I was trying to avoid thinking about when we would end), he would definitely be one of the most influential people in my life. He was the first person that I ever truly connected to. He was my first kiss. He was a lot of things, and I suspected he would eventually become much more. I wanted to remember this moment; the moment he believed in me when I didn't even believe in myself. I wanted to engrave the words he said to me into my mind. I wanted to remember the outline of his face, the feel of his hand on my hip, and the chill of his skin.

Phantom parted his lips. "I never made good on my promise."

I reached up, as though in a dream, to run my fingers through his hair. "What promise was that?"

"To tell you my secret," he responded.

I didn't reply immediately. It was that slow, lazy part of the night where the blankets are soft and heavy, and the darkness insists you whisper to one another.

"You don't have to tell me that if you don't want to."

"I really want you to know."

I smiled, softly. "Okay, what's your secret, Phantom?"

"You can't say it like that," he chastised me gently, meeting my eyes. "I don't want you to react the wrong way."

"I promise not to be mad," I swore.

"It's not that I think you'll get mad." Phantom wrinkled his nose. "At least, I hope not."

"I promise not to overreact," I rephrased.

"Better," Phantom leaned forward and kissed my nose. He stayed on his stomach, propped up on his elbows as he studied me.

For reasons unknown to me, I blushed under his gaze.

"Sam," he whispered my name. He brought his gloved hand to rest against my cheek. "My secret is …" he choked on the words and stopped.

"What is it?" I asked, smiling at his verbal trip. I was genuinely curious now.

Phantom hesitated, flicking his eyes away from mine before bringing them back again. "I'm in love with you."

My stomach churned and I sat up quickly. Out of all the million things I'm sure he could have said that was definitely the least expected. "What?!" I shrieked.

"This is what I meant by reacting the wrong way."

"I just don't understand. How can you love me? We haven't even known each other that long and I'm really not that loveable and I don't understand-"

I would have continued, but Phantom placed a finger against my lips. "Breathe," he advised.

I drew a ragged breath as my thoughts continued to jumble around one another. "I just don't understand."

"Love doesn't work on time frames. I loved you long before this. I could try to explain why I love you, but I can't do this. It's because you're you."

"I'm not that special," I protested, feeling myself panicking. Love. Love. He said he loved me.

"But you are to me. I don't think you realize how much you mean to me."

"But love? People don't fall in love as teenagers."

"Of course they do. Weren't you listening? Love doesn't work on a schedule. You fall in love when you meet someone beautiful; so beautiful that you have to catch your breath when you even think of them. Love is when I can close my eyes and map out your face on my eyelids. Love is when I know the tempo of your heartbeat better than my own. Love is when you understand me without words. Love is when I don't have to pretend for you; when you accept me for who I am and don't question beyond that. Love is when you are my first and last thought of the day – and every thought in between. You are that and more, Sam. To say I like you doesn't do this justice – I am in love with you."

"Oh my god," I breathed out as I sunk into my mattress. I let all of my weight collapse into it and allowed it to hold me upright. "You're in love with me."

The words didn't feel right in my mouth. Somebody was in love with me. Not just someone – Phantom was in love with me. Things suddenly felt very different. I couldn't pinpoint it, but I could feel something different in the air; something different on the inside of me.

"Phantom," I began, "I think-"

He quickly silenced me. "Don't," he begged. "Whatever you were about to tell me –whether you do or don't return my feelings – I want you to be sure. I don't want an 'I think' in front of it. Can you promise me that?"

I nodded. There wasn't much I wouldn't do for him.

"Now you need to get to bed," he murmured. "It's late."

I shrugged, though now that he had mentioned bed, I was becoming more and more exhausted. "Tomorrow's only a half day," I muttered.

"That doesn't mean you don't have to rest," he replied.

Phantom pulled the blankets up around my shoulders. "Sleep babe," he whispered.

"Stay," I whispered.

"I always do," he replied with a chuckle.

And I was asleep.

(-.-)

"Sam," said Fenton.

"Sam," said Phantom.

They were standing next to each other, creeping toward me. They were separate, and then they weren't. Fenton and Phantom began to meld together, before stretching apart, taking on each other's features. Fenton's icy eyes made Phantom's white hair look so much colder; while Phantom's green eyes under Fenton's black hair made him like cat-like. They began to come together again, fusing into one eerily similar, but grotesque, mixture of Phantom and Fenton, life and death.

"Sam," said Phantom.

"Sam," said Fenton.

(-.-)

I dragged myself up the front steps of Casper. I took a deep breath and plunged myself through the front doors. Knowing that it was a half day cheered me up slightly – I didn't have to be here as long. I headed for my locker and was just about to undo the lock, when I heard it.

"GHOST!"

The high-pitched scream echoed off the concrete halls, bouncing off the floors. I tensed, my bag dropping to the floor. I looked wildly for the ghost the voice had been shouting about, but I didn't see anything. There was a mad rush of students making a break for the door and I didn't think twice about joining them.

I was swept up into the crowd. There were elbows hitting me, and the heat of bodies felt suffocating, but I didn't care. My emotions were getting caught up in their panic. I was beginning to panic. The students of Casper had to be used to ghost attacks by now, familiar enough with them that it didn't cause a panic every time they saw one. I was worried about what kind of ghost was in there, and if Phantom would show up. He said that he was a protector, that he fought ghosts. I didn't want him here. I didn't want him to fight, because I knew that he could be wounded and I knew I would call out for him.

That would bring unwanted attention to us both.

I broke through the front doors with a gasp. The cold air of winter smashed into my heated skin as the students separated, spreading across the lawns. The police were already there, spreading around the perimeter, attempting to keep the student body contained on the property as best they could. I took my place on a picnic table, wedged between a few other students.

"What ghost is it?" One of them, a stocky boy with bright blue hair, asked me.

I was only able to shrug. "Someone shouted ghost and I left."

"Well," the girl on the other side of me began dramatically, "I heard it was the dragon ghost!"

While the boy with blue hair scoffed and said how weak the dragon ghost was, I felt as though I was going to throw up. I'd heard nothing of the dragon ghost since my first few days in Amity. I could feel my healed scars begin to ache at the very thought of it. I didn't want to be afraid of the ghost, and I didn't think I was truly afraid. I just didn't want to get hurt again and the throb from my abdomen was telling me I would.

I was jarred from my thoughts when the girl exclaimed, "The Fenton's are here!"

I looked to see a white, chunky truck screech into Casper's driveway. There were multiple … things hanging off the vehicle, several were lit up or beeping. I saw Fenton's parents come sprawling out of the vehicle. I looked at them differently now, knowing they had three children instead of the two I had met. As I watched Maddie dart into the building, some kind of weapon in hand, I could see where Phantom got his catlike movements from. As I saw Jack bumble after his wife, I also saw where he learned to love.

It was then that the cry went out. It was not a shout that made people panic again. No one was injured. No, he had arrived.

"PHANTOM'S HERE!"

There was a smattering of cheers at the news. While others accepted him as a hero, I twisted my hands together in worry. I didn't want him showing up after school with green blood showing through his gloves.

"Be safe," I whispered, though there was no way he would hear me.

"You say something?" The blue-haired boy asked me.

I shook my head. "No."

"I haven't seen you around before." The girl said, squinting at me. "You are?"

"Sam Manson."

"Hmm," she contemplated me so more. "New?"

"This year."

"I'm Tara. This is my twin, Jackass."

"It's Jackson," the blue haired boy said quickly. "Her real name is Turd."

"Excuse me?" She snapped. "Who's older?"

"By less than two minutes!"

They bickered. I stared at the school. I hadn't heard any explosions or use of weapons yet, but I was still worried for him. He was in there against a ghost (who I know he can defeat but still …) and his ghost hunting parents. I gasped. His parents were hunting him! Oh. My Phantom. I wanted to hold him.

"You don't say much."

It took me a moment to realize Tara was speaking to me.

"I don't have much to say," I replied.

Jackson nodded. "I like you," he announced, slapping his hands against my jeans.

"We're hanging out." Tara told me.

"What?" My jaw slightly hung open. I wasn't even in the present; my mind was inside of the school, with him, hoping Phantom was okay.

"You free Monday?"

"No, cheer practice."

"You're a cheerleader?" Tara whined. "Darlin', where did you go wrong?"

"Tuesday?" Jackson suggested, talking over his sister.

"Tutoring a kid."

"At least she's smart." Tara sighed.

"Hey," I snapped, finally feeling offended.

She didn't even bother to look contrite.

"Wednesday?" Jackson distracted me.

"Sure." I agreed.

"Meet us here after school." Tara instructed, not even flinching when there came a loud bang from the inside of the school.

I jolted and clutched at my chest.

"Jesus, you are new," Jackson was rolling his eyes. "That was just a Fenton Blaster."

"Blaster?" I squeaked. That sounded painful.

"Don't worry, none of their equipment will harm a human. The Fenton's completely pulverize ghosts though!" Tara grinned wickedly at the thought.

I gulped. What she had said had been exactly what I had been afraid of.

I don't own anything recognizable. Thanks to my beta: foreversky. Don't forget about the poll: Danny is winning with a 55%!

~TLL~