Author's note: I love Danny/Paulina so much, guys. ^^

The Luckiest Girl in the World -Remastered-

Mile High Country

Paulina checked the time on her phone, the time on the wall of the Nasty Burger from the booth she was sitting in. Her legs shook and swung, her hands tapped against the table and each other. She looked at the entrance intently, waiting, hoping.

All right, worst case scenario, if he didn't show up, she could just try again tomorrow.

But what if he ignored her? Avoided her? What else did she even deserve from him? She had been so horrible to him in the past, had done nothing more than objectify him, played with him like a toy for her own sadistic amusement. He had so many other problems trying to protect the town that gave him nothing in return, and she only aggravated his troubles by mercilessly taunting him, pulling him in and then breaking him down just when she had him on the edge.

And what even was it about Danny that made her treat him like that in the first place? There had never been another boy she felt so compelled to string along. It had perhaps started with seeking petty revenge against Sam who had dared to insult her without even knowing her, but something about the boy kept her coming back for him, something about his adorable discomfited reactions and his beautiful eyes lit with so much hope. Even though she always thought of him as beneath her, she actually wanted him to keep pining for her. Any time she felt that he was moving on, she just had to be there to snatch him back, to keep him in her clutches even if she never planned on actually doing anything with him. She wanted him in her secret reserves, her treasury, her vault, locked away for her own pleasure whenever she wanted to bring him out to play.

But why?

Did she always like him even before she knew he was the ghost boy? Secretly? Like Star kept insisting? But she was just too ashamed to admit it because of his low status and so hid it under the pretense that she was just using him for fun?

Perhaps the real reason she had made the deal with Delphine to switch lives with Sam was not because she wanted to learn more about the ghost boy. Maybe what she really wanted was an excuse to be with Danny without marring her reputation, without anyone teasing her for it.

Well, she didn't care who teased her about having a crush on him now.

The front entrance opened. Paulina's breath caught.

"Danny!"

Danny looked in her direction and headed over. Paulina stood in greeting.

"You came!" she said breathlessly.

"Against my better judgment, yes." Danny slid into the booth across from her. "So, how was cheerleading practice?"

"It was great." Paulina sat down again. "Fine. Normal. Nothing too exciting to report. How was, uh…whatever you did?"

"Well, I spent a lot of time trying to decide whether or not to come here. Admittedly."

Paulina smiled shyly. "I'm so glad you did. Really."

Danny shrugged.

The two teens were silent as Danny looked down at the table and Paulina looked at him, waiting for him to raise his eyes.

"So, um." Paulina cleared her throat. "Do you want something to eat? Or drink?"

Danny finally looked up at her, albeit warily.

"I mean, I'll buy you something," said Paulina. "If you want."

Danny leaned back with a frown. "No, I'm fine. But thank you."

Paulina nodded and propped her elbows on the table, clasped her hands, leaned her forehead against them. Stalling, thinking. She was usually such a smooth-talker, but this boy had her at a complete loss for words.

"Paulina?"

Paulina lifted her head to see Danny studying her.

"What is all this about?" he asked quietly. "Why did you want me to meet you?" He sighed. "I mean, is there something you need from me? Because if there is, I mean…just let me know, okay? I'll help you out if I can. Just no tricks, okay?"

Paulina's eyes softened. "You're so sweet. But I don't need anything. Well, I mean, I just want to talk."

"About what?"

"Well…a little about yesterday."

"About what I said to you at lunch?"

"More about what Sam said."

Danny blinked in surprise. "What Sam said?" He glanced away as he thought for a moment. "Is that what this is about? Are you wanting to use me to get back at her?"

"No, no!" Paulina looked at him pleadingly. It hurt her that Danny would jump to such conclusions, but then again, she had done things exactly like that in the past to him, so it was painfully understandable.

Danny stood. "I can't be part of this, Paulina."

He began to leave. Paulina grabbed his arm. "Please, Danny. This isn't like that at all. I don't want to hurt Sam."

He looked back at her. Paulina maintained eye contact. "And I definitely don't want to hurt you, Danny."

Danny studied her. Paulina could see his internal struggle in his expression, the apprehension and pain and confusion and longing.

Paulina gently stroked his arm. "Will you take a walk with me outside?"

"You don't want to stay here?"

"No. I realize this isn't really the best place to have a serious talk."

"Serious?"

Paulina nodded. "Yes. I have something really important to talk to you about."

Danny breathed audibly as he considered the request. "Okay."

Paulina smiled and led him outside and toward the nearest park. The wind picked up just a little as the clouds moved over the sinking sun. Danny glanced around, scanned the area, looked everywhere except at Paulina.

"Are you looking for something?" asked Paulina.

Danny continued to not look at her. "Sorry, it's just…I'm sort of expecting Dash or someone to ambush me."

Paulina averted her gaze to the ground. "Danny, I know that you're worried this is a prank, but I promise I want to have a real conversation with you."

"A real conversation about what?" Danny moaned just a little. "Can you please just tell me already?"

Paulina bit her lip. "Well…I'm kind of afraid to."

Danny did not reply, but Paulina could sense his curiosity.

"I just don't know what you'll say. I'm afraid of what you'll say. But I just have to tell you."

In the park, they found an empty bench and sat down together.

"What Sam said yesterday. Well, it got me thinking." Paulina paused and nervously put her hands together. "She's right."

Danny creased his brow.

"She's right about you being out of my league. You are out of my league. You're out of everyone's league, in a league all your own."

Danny's mouth hung open in baffled shock. He shook his head, stumbled over his words. "That's—she—that's not—I really have no idea why she—"

"I know you don't believe it yourself. But that doesn't mean it isn't true."

Danny seemed thoroughly confused and completely uncomfortable now. Paulina would've found his expression endearing, perhaps, if there wasn't so much pain behind it.

"I think you're great, Danny. You are truly amazing, and you really should be proud of what you've done, what you continue to do everyday."

Paulina gazed at him with admiration. Danny met her gaze with bewilderment.

"And there's something else Sam was right about."

Danny's eye twitched.

"She was right about me having a crush on you."

Danny stared at her disbelievingly. "What? You…what?" He looked away and put a hand to his forehead. "Oh, God, this is a trick, isn't it?"

He started to stand. Paulina pulled him back down.

"No, I swear this is the truth. Please, Danny, I'm serious. I've had a crush on you for so long now."

"Oh, yeah? Is that why you've been taunting me and teasing me and saying to my face that I'm a loser? Because you just like me so damn much?"

"Yes!" cried Paulina.

Danny frowned, clearly not expecting such an emphatic affirmation.

"Yes, that's why, Danny. Look, I was a bitch, okay? I liked you, but you were…well, you know. Not one of the popular cool kids. I didn't want to ruin my reputation. But I still wanted to interact with you, and I didn't want you to stop liking me. So I did the only thing I could to be around you and talk to you without bringing myself down the social ladder. I was mean to you and I insulted you and I strung you along and then I would laugh about it later with Star or even Dash or Kwan."

Danny remained quiet. Paulina couldn't meet his gaze.

"I wanted you but knew I couldn't have you. And I didn't want to ignore you because then you'd move on to another girl." Paulina crossed her arms and leaned forward. "And I didn't want to lose you like that."

Danny was now staring off into the distance. Paulina remained bent over as she waited for him to say something, anything.

"I…I just…I don't…" Danny sighed and put a hand in his hair. "This makes no sense to me."

"I know. I really am sorry for confusing you like this, for being so terrible to you, but I was in denial about it for a long time. But not anymore." She smiled to herself, giggled just a little. "But I really have always liked you, ever since you first came up to me under that tree and your pants fell down."

Danny groaned. "Oh, jeez, don't remind me. That was beyond humiliating."

"Aw, I thought it was kind of cute. You were so nervous." Paulina grinned at him. "And I gave you points for originality, remember?"

Danny smiled back weakly, then he became serious again. "What about Phantom? The ghost boy? I thought you had a thing for him."

Paulina paused as she considered what to say next. "I still do," she said finally.

"You can't like both of us."

Paulina reached out and took his hand. "Danny, I know you think that's true. I know that you've been struggling with so many people who like just one of you but hate the other. I know that's difficult for you."

Danny looked at with her alarm.

"I know that you think Valerie will always hate Phantom even if she likes you which is why you're so heartbroken over her. And I know you think that I just like Phantom and don't care about you. And I know you think that Sam is the only girl who could ever like both of you, but that's not true." Paulina moved in closer to him, placed her hand along his jawline. "I can like both of you. I do like both of you."

Danny turned to her fully and stared into her eyes. "Do you know?"

Paulina swallowed nervously. "Yes, Danny. I know."

"What do you know?" Danny gently held her shoulders. "Tell me exactly. If you really do know, then you'll know why I need you to say it directly."

Paulina placed her hands on top of his. "I know you're the ghost boy."

Danny stared at her, looked away, looked off into the distance, his eyes large and unfocused. Paulina chewed her lip as she waited for him to say something.

"How do you know?"

"I…I saw you transform once."

"Oh, really? When?"

"Ah…um…"

"Because last I talked to you before today, you were treating me just the same as usual. No, worse than you ever have. Telling me I'm not good enough for you or any girl."

Paulina cringed. "I'm so sorry I said that."

"You're treating me differently now, suddenly being all nice and apologetic, so that means you saw me transform sometime between lunch yesterday and this afternoon. But unless you were somehow in my room last night, that would be impossible. I didn't transform anywhere else or at any other time."

Paulina made no reply. How was she going to fix this?

"Who are you?"

Paulina cocked a brow. "Who am I?"

Danny stood and turned stern eyes on her. "All of this. This whole setup. You really thought I'd buy this? Paulina just suddenly asking to talk to me? Wanting to be alone with me? And then she tells me she has a crush on me? And then she says she knows I'm Phantom? I didn't trust any of this from the beginning."

Paulina's jaw hung open. "Danny, what are you—?"

"Drop the act." Danny glared at her crossly. "You thought you could just overshadow a girl you think I like to get my guard down or something? Or to use me? To make another ghost jealous? Kitty, is it you again?"

"Again?"

"Whoever you are, just get out of her. You're wasting your time."

Paulina stood as well, shook her head to indicate her lack of understanding.

Danny sighed. "Fine. I'll take you out myself."

"You'll what?"

Danny put a rough hand on her shoulder. He blurred and distorted. Her blood burned, her stomach sloshed, her skin prickled.

When everything came back into focus, she was on the ground with Danny leaning over her, holding her with one arm supporting her head.

"Paulina, I'm so sorry. Are you okay?"

Paulina gazed into his alarmed blue eyes. She managed to nod.

"Please forgive me. I really thought—I'm so sorry. There's no excuse."

Paulina sat up and allowed Danny to help her to her feet. "What happened? What exactly did you do?"

Danny guiltily held her hands in his. "I…overshadowed you. To see if you were being possessed."

"You thought I was possessed? Like by a ghost?"

"Well, it's just—I have a lot of enemies, you know? And they're always looking for ways to get at me. And I just thought…I mean, this was all so strange and sudden."

"I'm sorry," said Paulina, not sure what else to say.

"How did you figure it out? Really?"

"Well, it's pretty obvious, don't you think?"

"Considering the entire town including my parents still hasn't figured it out, I'd have to say no."

"Well, it was admittedly hard for me to believe at first, but now that I know…" She studied him, his face, the shape of his eyes, the sweep of his hair. "It is pretty obvious."

Danny gazed at her with amazement and admiration. But then his expression changed to one of uneasy apprehension. "And you're okay with it? With who I really am?" He looked down, his worry appearing to deepen. "And what I said to you yesterday at school?"

Paulina put a hand under his chin and tilted his head back up. "You didn't say anything that wasn't true. And I want to change. I want to be better. I want to be better for you."

Danny said nothing, but his eyes never left hers.

"I mean, if you still have any feelings for me. Any at all." Paulina bit her lip. "I know that this is really sudden and that you need time to think it over, but please know that I'm here when or if you're ever ready."

She placed a gentle hand on the side of his face, smiled at him, then started to walk away.

"Paulina, wait."

Paulina turned back to see Danny holding a hand up.

"Just let me think for a moment."

Paulina watched him look into the distance, his eyes glazed over. In the coming twilight, they almost seemed to glow.

She tried to imagine what he was thinking about. Her? The first time they met? The way she had laughed at him? The way she had treated and used him? How she had been cruel to not only him but his friends as well?

Or was he thinking about her good points, the good times they had together? His initial impression of her beauty? The way he held her to him while floating above Dash's roof? How he had protected her from the rain? How she had tried to protect him from Valerie?

"I really like you, Danny," she said softly.

Danny finally focused on her. "I really like you, too." He drew in a shuddering breath. "But this, it's just—I still don't know if I can trust you. I want to trust you, Paulina. But you've tricked me like this before, and I don't…and then what you said to Sam, I just don't know if I can…" He shook his head.

With tears in her eyes, Paulina moved in close and wrapped her arms around him. She rested her head on his shoulder and memorized the feel of him against her in case this was the last time he'd let her be this close to him. He seemed stiff, unsure, but not reluctant.

"You're so warm," she murmured. "So much warmer than when we were on Dash's roof."

Danny said nothing for a moment. "Is it better this way?"

Paulina nodded and held him tighter, breathed him in.

His arms were then around her as well, his hands tracing her sides and moving up her back.

Comfortable, tender.

Paulina at last pulled away from him and gazed at him happily. "So much better this way."

Danny returned her happy gaze, his eyes half-closed with dreamy bliss. "Probably nicer without the rain, huh?"

"I don't know. It was kind of romantic when you made us intangible." Paulina looked up at the clouds. "But I hope it doesn't rain tonight."

"I'm sure the weather will be just as it was last night."

Paulina looked back at him. "Really?"

"Yup. Dark."

Paulina snorted and covered her mouth as she giggled.

Danny smiled at her fondly. "Paulina."

She stopped giggling and blushed as he leaned into her, her chest bending back as his mouth met hers. The most sensuous massage, the softest contact, the rawest feelings.

He leaned his forehead against hers. "Is this real?"

Paulina traced a finger over his lips, memorizing their shape and texture. "If it isn't, then it's the best dream I've ever had."

Danny chuckled. "Do you want to go on a flight with me?"

"A flight?"

"Yeah, kind of like a walk. Except we would fly." Danny thought for a moment. "Well, I'd fly. And I'd hang onto you."

"That sounds like the perfect way to continue this dream."

Danny glanced around and transformed. He held out a gloved hand to her, just as he had when he asked her to dance on Dash's roof. She placed her hand in his and allowed him to lift her into the air, into the darkening sky lit by the quickly setting sun and dotted with a smattering of stars. Nothing below them, nothing to tie them down. Paulina put a hand over his that was tight around her waist. He gave her a smile before increasing their speed and taking them even higher.

Was this sort of thing really just ordinary to Danny? Or did he still marvel at what he was able to experience that no other human could?

Paulina closed her eyes and snuggled in close to him. This certainly wasn't ordinary to her.

-DP-

Sam checked the time for the twentieth time in five minutes. "Where is he? I thought he'd be back by now."

In Sam's room, Tucker sat across from her in a chair. "Beats me."

"I just can't believe he decided to go meet her. I mean, really, how stupid is he? Hasn't he learned his lesson with her by now?"

"Yes, you've expressed your disbelief many times now," said Tucker.

Sam took a pillow from her bed and threw it across the room. "Stupid Paulina! She ruins everything." She flopped down on her bed with a growl. "Why would he even want to be with her? After yesterday? And after all she's done to him?" She sat up and worriedly looked at Tucker. "And what if it really was just a trick? What if this was just a prank to get back at him for yesterday?"

"Don't you think they'd try to include you, too? You apparently said some strong words to all of them yesterday."

"But you know that Dash practically lives to humiliate Danny."

"True, but Danny can take care of himself. He would never let Dash or anyone take things too far."

"I just wish he'd answer my texts." Sam sent another text for good measure. "I just want to know he's okay."

"I'm sure he's fine, Sam." Tucker stood with a sigh. "Look, I'll see you tomorrow, okay? I need to get home." He headed to Sam's door, then stopped abruptly and turned around. "Sam, why did you do that?"

Sam cocked a brow. "Why did I do what?"

He walked up to her. "Why did you tell Danny that you didn't like him? I finally got him to realize his own feelings, and then you—you—why?"

Sam's mouth fell open. She suddenly remembered. Sunday evening, Danny was about to confess his feelings for her, but she had cut him off, told him she didn't feel anything for him in return.

"You two are driving me crazy!" cried Tucker. "Danny didn't ask you to the dance, and then you tell him you don't like him?"

"I…" Sam raised her hands in confused defeat. "I don't know. Everything I did this past week, it's like…I remember doing it, but I don't remember thinking about it. I don't remember thinking at all about anything."

Tucker gave her a puzzled look. "What do you mean?"

"It just felt like I was doing things mindlessly, you know?"

"No, I don't." Tucker sighed. "I don't know what was going on with you this past week, but just tell me something." He studied her closely. "Do you like Danny?"

Sam nodded. "Yes. Very much so."

"And Danny does feel the same way, so promise me that you'll fix this, okay?"

Tucker then left Sam alone to wonder where her half-ghost friend and crush was. She moved to her bedroom window and pulled back the curtains so that she could stare out into the night.

The past week seemed like a dream that she couldn't quite remember. Almost as if it wasn't really her living through it, as if she was absent from her body and mind.

And what could possibly explain such a phenomenon? A brain tumor? Or maybe a ghost? Wouldn't be the first time a ghost had screwed with her.

There was no way she would've willingly told Danny she didn't like him. She absolutely liked him and had waited so long to hear him confess that he felt the same. So what could've possibly made her do anything other than hug him close and kiss him?

Well, everything was back to normal now. She felt present again. She would just have to tell him how she really felt. That very night, even. As soon as he returned from whatever Paulina wanted him for, she'd correct this situation.

Something glowing and moving in the sky caught her eye. She looked up through her window and opened it so that she could lean out farther. She instantly recognized Danny's shining ghostly form as he flew beneath the stars and clouds, but he wasn't alone. He was hanging onto someone, keeping this other darkened form aloft.

Her breath caught in her throat. Paulina. He had an arm around Paulina.

She turned and collapsed to the floor as a flurry of questions bombarded her. Why were they flying together? What had happened earlier between them? Why had he transformed? Was there a ghost fight or something? Did he reveal his identity to Paulina?

She felt a horrible weight bearing down on her.

Paulina had once again beaten her out.

Original reviews

Jenna Dax: I think Sam is the really stressed one right now. She is so confused by what happened the previous week, and now to see Paulina with Danny? No fury like a woman scorned (or head over heels in love and is clueless to admit it.)

Dark Lady: Paulina is manipulating all of this (Danny's feelings for example, if she hadn't of had "Sam" tell him she didn't like him he'd of had more doubts on his feelings), even if she doesn't realize it. I still dislike her, but I will recognize that she has human emotions.

kristi: please please PLEASEE dont let him end up with paulina

seek refuge: Whoa. Double whoa. In the SAME CHAPTER you made me feel empathy for Paulina (that's a feat in itself!) and then not long afterwords, I'm like choking up like "Oh My God, what about Sam!"

starshinesoldier: Love the Paulina/Danny interaction. But Sam comes off a bit bitchy. Oh well, this is still great... XD besides, it's not like I like Sam. -waves Paulina/Danny flag-

Balkoth: There are so many writers that would try to capture all the emotion you squeezed into this and give the post a rushed feeling. With you, it's a different story.

Autumnmycat23: I love your story but please make Danny and Sam get together. Paulina doesn't deserve to be with Danny.