At this point, Danny couldn't take anything seriously.

He was so incredibly sleep deprived and emotionally drained that even something as simple as someone sneezing in class would send him into a fit of giggles that could not be contained. Rumors passed from person to person, talk of him being on drugs common in the hallways of Casper High. It wasn't a farfetched accusation, either; Danny definitely looked the part with his bloodshot eyes and messy, just-rolled-out-of-bed hair that surely hadn't been washed in many, many days.

Danny's strange behavior was beginning to become popular with the teachers, too. At one point, Mr. Lancer handed Danny a note and told him to hand it to his parents immediately. Danny had cackled loudly and thrown the note into the trashcan whilst departing from the classroom, shoulders still shaking from poorly contained laughter.

After about a week or so, when Danny's behavior had already become old news and students moved on to discuss prom coming up in two months (it was all anybody seemed to talk about), Sam and Tucker started to become concerned as well. They'd seen him like this before, but it usually only lasted a day or less, not a week. The night before, whilst Danny was on patrol, Sam and Tucker had made the decision to meet up and converse about their plan of action.

The very next day, at lunch, the duo approached their usual table in silence, gently setting down their trays and watching Danny rake lines into his mashed potatoes with his fork. That was something else Sam and Tucker had noticed: he didn't seem to be eating that much. It was surely taking a toll, seeing as only a week had passed and his jaw line was already far more chiseled than before.

Sam and Tucker glanced at each other.

"Why the long faces?" Danny asked suddenly, a grin lifting his cheeks but not quite reaching his eyes. He laughed suddenly, throwing a fry in Tucker's direction. It bounced off his cheek and landed dejectedly by his tray, which only sent Danny into a longer, more pronounced fit of giggles. A few students from surrounding tables rolled their eyes and continued on with their conversations.

"Danny, Tucker and I are concerned about your mental health," Sam said, pushing her tray aside and clasping her hands together on the table.

Danny cackled once, fork smashing into his perfectly raked mashed potatoes. He started over, flattening the top of the mound and gently running over the top. "Join the club; I'll make jackets."

"Danny," Tucker said resting his elbows on the table as well. He brought his hands up to his mouth and rested his chin atop them, studying his best friend intently. "You know you can tell us anything, right? You're aware of that?"

Danny's smile faltered but remained on his face. "Yeah, I'm aware of that. There's just nothing wrong."

"You're joking," Sam deadpanned.

Danny snorted, shook his head, and focused his attention once more on raking his potatoes into perfectly straight lines. He didn't respond.

"Look, you need some well-deserved rest. Tuck and I can take up the night patrols and you can get some sleep and work on your school—"

"NO!" Danny shouted suddenly, and the cafeteria went momentarily silent before starting up conversation once more, though much more hushed than before. People were sending their table strange looks.

A single tear fell down Danny's cheek and he brushed at it, chuckling under his breath. "No. I'm fine, guys, really."

"Why won't you let us help you?" Tucker queried, voice filled with both anger and concern. He slammed his fist down on the table. The long-forgotten fry shook.

"Because I can't let you get hurt!" Danny screamed. This time, the entire cafeteria went completely and utterly silent. Danny's smile fell, revealing the features of someone too young for the age in his eyes. Tears fell freely from his eyes and silently onto the table below. "I-I can't let anyone get hurt. I couldn't forgive myself."

He stood suddenly, eyes following his movements, and walked quickly towards the exit with his head down. The doors swung open and closed. Whispers broke out among the students left in the lunchroom.

"I'll go after him," Sam said, standing. She jogged after him and into the hallway.

Danny was already gone. In fact, there was no sign of him ever being in here. Not even the faint sound of his sneakers against shiny linoleum could be heard.

Tucker ran out from the cafeteria, sliding to a stop beside Sam. He surveyed the empty, silent hallway once before saying, "He always goes to the roof when he's thinking something over."

"How the hell are we gonna get up there?" Sam queried, eyebrows furrowed.

"There's a ladder in the upstairs janitor's closet." He started jogging in the direction of the stairs.

"I'm not even going to ask."

Sam and Tucker made it to the janitor's closet and up the ladder quickly enough, Tucker undoing the hatch and pushing it open. Cool spring breeze quickly met them, pressing down upon them as they climbed the rest of the way up the ladder and onto the roof above.

Phantom was sitting on the edge of the roof as though he had collapsed there, legs folded uncomfortably beneath him. He glanced back when the hatch opened, revealing tear-stained cheeks and wide, entirely green eyes. Not even the whites of his eyes or his pupils were visible in that expanse of neon, staring blankly back at them. Danny's shoulders were shaking.

Sam watched as Tucker broke out into a run, his red beret caught by the wind and falling despondently to the concrete rooftop. He fell to his knees and wrapped warm arms around Danny's cold body.

Danny's breath hitched, his eyes widening minutely. Then, as if something broke inside him, he fell into Tucker's hug, entirely green eyes seeping into white sclera and blue iris. His entire body shook with each horrible sob. Streaks of black colored his once stark-white hair.

Sam ran for the two boys, dropping to her knees and ripping her fishnet tights on the concrete. She wrapped her arms around both Tucker and Danny, letting the ghost boy nuzzle his head into her shoulder. He choked and shook, fresh tears wetting the fabric of her purple sweater.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, encased in Sam and Tucker's hug like a Danny sandwich. "I'm so sorry."

Sam ran her fingers through his now black hair, tears beginning to brim her eyes as well. "It's alright, Danny.

"It's okay."

here's some good old fashioned angst for ya. in case you haven't been able to tell yet, i really like writing sam and tucker comforting danny. it's just nice. they're such good friends wow i'm love them

also review pls

xx