A/N. The end is here! And I am blessing you all with this and the epilogue in the sane day! I hope you all enjoy this. :)
Tucker and the Fentons gathered in the living room around the couch where they had moved Sarah's body. She still wasn't breathing, and they hadn't witnessed any sign of life as they had moved her. The worry was really beginning to set in now, realizing that she may not be coming back and not knowing how to break the news to Sam when she and Danny finally returned.
"She was always so welcoming when I'd come over to visit Sam," Tucker began, "never judging me for my weird quirks, always excited to know that I was there for Sam."
"It just doesn't make sense!" Jack boomed. "She was fine earlier today!"
"Jack… we don't live in a world that makes sense anymore. Ghosts of the past returning. Prophecies coming true. I bet you anything there's a link in all of this."
Even though she was trying to be sensible, in the back of her mind, Maddie couldn't make sense of it all either.
"Mads, there has to be something we can do!" Jack tried.
"Like what? We can't bring people back from the dead!" Maddie said angrily.
"Yeah, only one ghost could do that, and we just defeated him."
All three figures turned, shock clear on their faces, to see Danny and Sam at the top of the basement stairs.
"Sam!" Tucker cried, running over to hug his friend.
"Danny," The Fentons sighed as Danny took another step into the room.
"You did it?" Maddie asked, stepping forward.
"Yup," was all Danny could say.
"Clockwork, he's… gone?"
"Something like that," Danny grinned.
"And you're… well wait, what are you now?" Maddie asked, noticing that Danny had returned in his human form.
"It's a long story, but I think we need to save that for later. Right now, we just need to wake Sarah."
"Grandma!" Sam had been so wrapped in her embrace with Tucker that she had almost forgotten why they'd rushed home. Letting him go, she ran over to her grandmother. Kneeling by the couch, she looked up to the Fentons.
"What happened exactly?"
"Oh sweetie, we don't know. She was fine while we were downstairs helping Danny navigate. But then when I came up to check, she was on the floor, passed out cold."
Sam looked at Danny, puzzlement in her eyes.
"You don't think it has to do with me?"
"Huh?"
Danny had had a long day, and the events of his most recent confrontation were all starting to blur together.
"When I took off my medallion and almost died... there's been a link between us this whole time. What if that link is what did this?"
Danny's mind reeled.
'Could it be true? The connection between Sam and Sarah has always been strong, but is it strong enough to affect one when the other is down?'
"Sam, be reasonable. How is that even possible?"
"You're asking me about how something is possible! You're a boy from the past who returned as a ghost and is practically human again! Don't ask me how something is possible anymore Danny!"
Sam couldn't take it. She just knew there was a link to her own near-death and her grandmother. But how were they supposed to break it?
'She has a point you know,' thought Danny. 'You did return from the dead and you are regaining humanity. Not to mention how you managed to revive her in the Ghost Zone. There has to be a cure…'
Danny turned back to the group, an idea in his head.
"In the Zone, when Sam almost… died… I somehow managed to bring her back. It was just like those old fairy tales where one character admits their love for the other and they all live happily ever after. What if... I have to admit my love again. For Sam. Break whatever link is left between me and Sarah, so that she can finally be free of our past?"
"But Danny, how could that work?" Maddie pointed out. "Even if you do that now, it won't seem authentic since you planned it."
"She's right you know," Tucker added.
"Well then, maybe it's not me that has to do it. Maybe it's Sam," Danny concluded as they all turned to look at her.
"Me? What… how… huh?" Sam stumbled.
"Sam, you need to save your grandmother. Ever since I revealed the truth about us, you've had this fear that I'd want to go back to her."
"But... but…"
"Don't deny it Sam! Even now I can tell you are worried about my commitment to her. And yes, she was my first, but now, don't you see, my feelings aren't what they were anymore. I can't keep living in the past. I have to learn to adapt to this crazy modern world, and I need to be with you as I do it. Not someone from 50 years ago, but someone from right here, right now. Someone who I saved from a rooftop weeks ago, and someone who has saved me on countless occasions since. Someone who will always have my back no matter how weird it is that I'm a ghost and that I don't get the point of those iPhone things."
"Danny, it's not that. I do believe that you're in this with me for the long run, but I just…"
"Listen to what your heart is saying. You know that after all of this, we are destined to be together. Heck! I bet we were even destined to be together before you were born. I bet Clockwork had this crazy plan and knew that because of my death back then, Sarah would end up with a family now, and you'd come along and find me. That seems like something he'd do, right? So stop denying what you know is true."
"I know. I think I've known for a while now. It's just, hard. I know I said I would help you when it's time to take on ghosts and save the world, but what if I'm not? What if something happens, or what if… we break up?" Sam stuttered at this last one, finding it hard to believe that would ever happen.
Shocked that she would even think those things after all they had been through, Danny took a moment before replying.
"Sam. Destiny is weird. Believe me, I know. And time is weird. Things can change. And if something happens and we end up… breaking up… well that's life I guess. But for the time being, I need to know that you are going to be by my side and help me figure this out. We need each other, Sam. And Sarah wouldn't want it any other way."
Sam looked into his blue eyes again, still so used to the green ones that had saved her that night. Could she really get used to this? Being a part of this crazy destiny? She thought for a moment, thought about everything that had happened since that night. All they had been through… together.
"That night… when I almost… I didn't think anyone cared. Anyone wanted to see me alive. But then you took my hand and haven't let go. Danny, as much as I saved you, you've saved me more. You've shown me that life is worth living, and as long as you're here, I will be too."
Suddenly Sam jerked forward, having been leaning against the couch this whole time. Everyone else looked her way and froze.
Sarah sat up, chipper as ever. "What?"
"Grandma!" Sam stepped forward, embracing her in warm hug.
"Oh Sammy, don't be so dramatic, you act as if I just died or something." She turned to Danny at this and gave him a small wink.
"But, how?"
"Why don't you tell me that. One minute I'm out on a walk and the next I'm on the ground, passed out. Hearing voices worried about me but unable to do anything. The whole time, all I can think about is how you two need to stop that annoying ghost and get back here to wake me up!"
"So you heard… everything?" Danny asked.
"Yes, Danny, everything. And don't worry, I'm not upset. Why would you, a strong, young man—er ghost?—want to get back together with me, an elderly old fogey?"
"Grandma, you're not THAT old!"
"Either way, I'm not here to stand in anyone's way. Yes, it seems odd that my granddaughter is in love with my ex-boyfriend, but given the circumstances, well… it's fine. Now give me my scooter so we can be moving on."
Danny and Sam both turned to each other, utter confusion on their faces. Was that really it?
"Hold up Sarah!" Maddie said before reaching for the scooter. "You almost died today. I think we need to run some tests."
"Ha! No thanks! I'll take my chances," Sarah replied with a hint of sarcasm.
"Well, at least let's stick around long enough to hear how they did it!" Jack added, excitement in his voice. "Or am I the only one who wants to hear about how Danny defeated the great Clockwork!"
Everyone turned to look at Danny again.
"Oh yea… that." Danny half grinned as he rubbed his arms. "I guess I should start at the beginning."
"So after all this time, all it took was you learning to control your powers?" Tucker asked, still in awe of Danny's story.
"I think it's always been more that that," Danny commented, a bit worn out from his explanation. "Someone in that Zone has known for centuries that by creating me, he'd be creating his own undoing. But I don't know if controlling my powers is really what defeated him."
"But until you really learned to take control, you didn't have the power to end him," Jack added.
"Right. But controlling my abilities is only half of the story. If we've all learned anything today, it's that love and family are just as powerful as any ghost."
"And your love for Sam, it's what helped you, isn't it?" Maddie added.
Danny looked at Sam, a sparkle in his eyes, and nodded.
"If she hadn't been there with me, I don't think I ever would have realized my true potential. Not to mention all the human emotions I was feeling before that when I was around her."
"But, dude, now what?" Tucker asked.
He again looked at Sam, this time implying that she should answer.
"I just confessed my love, isn't that enough for you?" she said with a bit of sarcasm.
Danny chuckled.
"I don't know. I don't know if I'm human. I don't know if I'm a ghost. I think I'm both. Does that mean I'll start aging again? Maybe. Does that mean I can sleep and eat and do all the things I used to do? Probably. Unfortunately, the Observants didn't really tell me much. But I think… I'm ok with that. Because I have Sam. And Sarah. And you guys. You're my family now. And no matter what time period I'm from, I'm here, in the now, and I'm not going anywhere."
The group grinned at this, happy to know that Danny had found his peace.
"But don't think for a minute you guys can start treating me like a kid! I've seen and done more than any of you. And curfews? NOPE."
Danny laughed at his own joke this time, but in the process a wisp of cold air came from his mouth. Eyes glowing green, he whipped his head around to see a streak fly by the window.
Sam grabbed his hand, sensing that he had a job to do.
"Remember what he said. Your job isn't done. It probably won't ever be. But that's ok. Go. Do what you were destined to do."
He looked around and nodded, determination on his face as he let two glowing rings form around his body to transform into his now familiar ghost form.
A/N: Ok so there is one last bit before the real ending. But what did you guys think? Does this ending do justice to the story? I am pretty happy with it.
Lisa