I'm so sorry about how long this last chapter took. For a long time I wasn't sure how to end it, but here it is. Enjoy!
Danny woke slowly, hearing complete silence. Weakly, he pushed himself up to a sitting position and looked around. Everything was a little blurry, but he could immediately tell what one of the shapes was. Standing slowly, feeling very dizzy as he did so, he walked over to the shape and knelt down in front of it. Gently, he turned it over and looked down at the face of Sam.
"S-Sam?" he asked.
Her eyes remained closed.
"Sam?"
Suddenly he heard someone come up behind him. He whirled, his left hand glowing green, but he relaxed when he saw it was Robin. Looking back at Sam again, he said, "She's not moving."
Robin was silent, staring at him. "Danny..."
"Help me pick her up. We need to get her back to the-" Danny suddenly stopped when he felt something slightly sticky and wet as he reached to grab her. He stopped and looked at his hand. It had red on it. Red and black. It was then that he noticed the smell. That burnt smell. He looked down at her again and tried to clear his vision. Once the fuzziness went away, he took in a breath. Reaper hadn't just thrown her. He'd burnt her. "No... Robin, help me!" Danny shouted, grabbing her up in his arms and standing.
"Danny..." Robin said, putting his hand on his shoulder.
Danny looked at him, still holding her limp body tightly.
"Danny... she... she passed on ten minutes ago."
Danny stared at him like he hadn't heard. His stare was blank and his face pale.
"I'm sorry."
"W-what?" Danny asked, his voice quiet.
"Danny," said a familiar voice.
Danny turned and his eyes went wide. "Sam..."
Sam stood a few feet away from him, her hair a light blue and her skin was pale. She was staring at him, half-smiling, but you could see that she had been crying.
Danny looked at the body in his arms and then at the ghost a few feet away from him, trying to figure it out in his mind. "Sam... is that..."
"I'm so sorry," Sam said.
Danny gently put down the body and went over to her and touched her cold skin. "No, Sam, I'm sorry. I couldn't... I didn't save you."
"Danny, it isn't your fault," Sam said, smiling at him.
Danny suddenly grabbed her and hugged her tightly, letting tears run down his face as he whispered, "I'm sorry I didn't save you... I'm so sorry..."
She hugged him back. "You're going to have to teach me how to be a ghost, you know," Sam said.
Danny chuckled a little and pulled away to look at her face. "What am I going to tell your family? How do I... how am I supposed to keep going without you?"
"I'm still here," Sam said. "I'll haunt you forever."
Danny smiled a little.
The other Titans and Tucker came up behind them, but neither of them noticed.
"Sam..." Danny said.
She looked at him.
"I love you."
Now tears came down her face and she hugged him again.
"Sam."
Danny and Sam turned to see Clockwork.
"Sam, come with me. I'm here to show you your new life."
Danny suddenly scowled and pushed Sam behind him. "Why did you let her die?! You could havesaved her!" he shouted in frustration.
"I am afraid I could not. I am very sorry. If she hadn't have died, you would have died."
"I don't care!" Danny shouted.
"Danny..." Sam said.
"Its hard to understand now," Clockwork said, "but in time, you'll see that you needed to live. There's still more for you to do. Sam's time is up."
"Danny, it's okay," Sam said.
He looked at her and his face relaxed and he nodded.
Sam smiled at him and went over to Clockwork. "I'm ready," she said and then turned and looked at Danny. "I'll see you later."
Danny nodded, but she could see that he was fighting off more tears.
Sam then looked at the others. "See you guys later."
"It was very nice to have met you," Starfire said, smiling faintly.
"Good luck," Beast Boy said.
Clockwork held out his hand and Sam took it. Then, they disappeared.
This story was dedicated to the first season of Danny Phantom. They really lost site in my opinion of what the show was about in the end there. There will always be troubles and chaos, but what makes you a hero, is walking on despite them.
