Imaginary

Summary: Everything has a consequence now Sam has to learn to live with hers. All Danny can do is hope it doesn't kill her.

Rating: PG-13 for mature themes and language.

Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom. Butch Hartman does. And I don't own Imaginary, Evanescence does.

Chapter Five

And candy clouds of lullaby.

Danny dialed Sam's personal number for the fifth time this evening. As with every time before, her machine picked up. "Hey, this is Sam. You know what to do." Danny mouthed the words again along with the recording. He hung up not bothering to leave another message. He finally dialed the Manson's number. On the fourth ring, someone picked up. "Hello?"

"Hi, Mr. Manson. Uh, is Sam around?" Danny held the phone against his ear as he swung his legs off the edge of the bed. There was a long pause on the end of the line. Danny's eyes darted around. He had probably just imagined it but he could have sworn he heard a faint growl.

"No, Danny, is it? She won't be here anytime soon." He heard the line go click.

Danny was getting a little concerned. He clicked the off button and put it back on the cradle. He stared out the window towards Sam's. He sat there for a moment, debating whether or not to worry. She could just be out but he couldn't see why she wouldn't call him. Sam was good about things like this. He was just about to go ghost and go check on her when his phone rang.

He picked it up, thumbing it on. "Hello," he heard a soft sobbing on the other end. "Sam?"

"No," the voice responded softly. Danny's brow knitted for a moment as he tried to place the voice.

He almost asked who it was, when it hit him. "Mrs. Manson? Is that you? Is something wrong with Sam?"

"He could have killed her," she murmered. "He's never hit her before."

He knew instantly who she was talking about. "What happened to Sam?!" Everything in the world stopped.

"She tried to run. And the neighbor saw them. He blackmailed him. Said he would get his house taken away."

Danny was completely confused. "Who blackmailed who?"

"Joseph," she paused as if suddenly realizing that she wasn't clarifying much. "Sam's dad. He's blackmailing our neighbor." She sobbed into the receiver for a moment. "I've known that he could lose his temper. But he'd never touch Sam."

"Where is Sam now?" Danny couldn't imagine where she was. It had seemed that lately she had always come to him. Maybe she was with Tucker, but if he was totally honest with himself he couldn't see either her or Tucker in that scenario.

"Amnity Park Municipal Hospital," she whispered. Danny reeled back as if he had been slapped. He dropped the phone as if he had been scalded, backing into the edge of his bed and dropped to the floor. Sam's mom was saying something but it wasn't registering. She was in the hospital. Everything in him froze. He felt as if he couldn't breath and it felt like he couldn't breath. Tears clung to his ice blue eyes. No, he mouthed.

This wasn't happening he started trying to make himself wake up. Tears started to fall. Part of him screamed to get up, go to her, do anything but just sit there. But Danny couldn't he was stuck. He was going to lose her again. If there was a God out there, Danny thought he was pretty sick and twisted. What had Sam ever done to anyone?

For some reason, he suddenly felt betrayed. He felt like running away and never looking back, forcing himself to forget all of this. But then he pictured Sam's desperate rain and tear-streaked face as they sat on the top of the jungle gym that fateful night. He couldn't leave her. Not now, not ever.

Danny came back to reality and heard Mrs. Manson calling desperately to him through the phone. He picked it up. "I'm here," he choked out. Suddenly talking seemed a lot harder. "I'm going to go see her."

"Daniel, it's way past visiting hours they'll never let you in. You'll have to wait till morning." He twisted around and looked at the clock. 9:12. Danny smirked to himself any normal person would have to.

"Yeah," he stated. "Guess I'll have to."

. . . . . . . . . . . .

Danny floated silently invisibly through the halls of the hospital, glancing at signs. "Maternity…Cardiology… Where do they keep the normal people," he breathed. He darted to the side to avoid running into a nurse, realizing the moment he did it he could have just gone intangible. He finally ended up in a pediatric wing. He was about to turn around when he noticed it T-ed in about fifty feet. Three to eleven-year-olds were to the right, twelve to eighteen-year-olds to the left.

Danny had never really thought of them as 'pediatrics' material. But who know how these mad houses were set up. He floated around. Most these kids seem to be here on a more permanent basis. Pictures, notes, and photographs adorned most the doors. But the further down he got, the more there were just blank doors. These were the one's he peaked into. Nine doors and still no sign of Sam.

He looked into the tenth one and he was turning around before it struck him that it was Sam. She had gauze taped over so many spots on her neck and face. She was pale and there were needles stuck into her inner-arm and the back of her hand. Dark bruises mottled the pale skin. Her left eye was swollen shut. Danny stared at her in shock.

He became visible, yet didn't change back. He dropped to the floor and walked over to her side. He stood about two feet from her and stared. He couldn't tell anyone how long he stood there. But he must have made some noise cause Sam's right eye popped open and she turned towards him.

"Hey," he whispered, trying to sound cheerful. Sam stared at him for a moment her face blank. "What's wrong, Sam?"

Her eye seemed to analyze him. It sort of unnerved him, but he tried his hardest not to let it show. "Who are you," she asked softly.

That totally was not in the plot but it just hit me in the last four paragraphs and I changed my entire plot, because I thought this would be fun! Oh well bear with me, it's gonna be one heck of a ride. Thanks to my wonderful reviewers: dannyandsambelongtogether, Piezo, Red Jack Malicious, Nicci Heart, LadyEsca, autumngold, Shadow Sakura, Moody Maud, Lady-Ashanya, audi katia, Annie, Spice of Life, Akiko, CoLdPLaYeR813, Kagome51, Possesed Angel, Ryo's destiny, Weeble Wobble Chic, RainbowSerenity, KittenGoMoo, RavenForever, Samster The Hamster, and The Good Girl. Hope to hear from you all again!