Author Note: Okay, this chapter is totally lame, but I wanted a chapter with as little possible drama as I can do...there's still some angst, but hell, angst is just so...addicting. Ha, we all have it. Anyways, this chapter is much shorter than I would have liked, but I've been super busy, it's not even funny. So I'm probably not going to be updating as frequently...this is long past due time anyways, this chapter. So next chapter will probably be posted some time next week or even maybe in two weeks...school's starting soon, you know? Damn school....
Disclaimer: I hate Butch Hartman.
Inhaling the comforting and fresh scent of Danny, Sam immediately relaxed as she lay across his bed, hugging his pillow to her face. Danny's scent always brought relaxation and comfort to her; it was just something that happened. Whenever she would hug him, or brush past him, she could smell him and automatically feel at ease. What exactly did that mean? Sure, she'd smelled nice things before, but it was different with Danny. It was long she longed to be in his arms always and have his scent constantly around her.
Sam immediately through his pillow to the head of the bed and groaned. No, she was not falling for her best friend. It was impossible, out of the question, and horrible timing. Sam didn't have time to deal with a crush, if a crush it was, she had too much on her mind. She hadn't seen her father for over three weeks, and now, on Thanksgiving, she hadn't seen him either. A few days after Sam had confided in Danny, his parents had asked to speak to him in private one night. They told Danny everything Sam had told him—well, they told him Sam's dad had left. Mrs. Manson had told them, and they planned on telling Danny. Danny went along with it and didn't tell them Sam had already told him—he knew that was just between Sam and him. Sam hadn't been happy when she found out her mother had told other people—but the Fenton's were like her second family. So, instead of eating Thanksgiving dinner just Sam and her mom, the Fenton's had invited them over and Sam was thankful the tension was barely there. Her father was not brought up once.
"Do you suddenly not like my pillow?" Danny asked, raising his eyebrow from where he was sitting at his desk, looking through random CD's. The two of them had escaped their families and the hectic chaos of setting the table and carving the turkey, before dinner. Sam looked up to Danny and grinned, sitting up. She smoothed out her skirt and picked a lint off of her sweat.
"Nope, I was just thinking about...things," she said, bringing her feet close to her and holding her knees, looking at Danny playfully and grinning. She couldn't believe she actually thought about having a crush on Danny—it was almost laughable. It just seemed so...well...there. Danny had been there for her since they were kids, and she didn't know what she was feeling. All she knew was that if she didn't have Danny in her life, she doubted she'd be able to come through in the end. "And marveling in the fact that we have a four day weekend!"
Danny laughed and rolled up the sleeves to his button up shirt, the first couple of buttons undone and his undershirt visible. "Yeah, but it's not like there's anything to do..."
Sam grumbled. "And even if there was anything to do, you still don't have your car back."
Danny grinned and his face lit up, causing Sam to frown. "See, that's where you are wrong. I'm getting it back tomorrow! The called yesterday—I forgot to tell you."
Sam squealed and sighed, flinging her arms out on the bed and she flopped back in relief. "Thank goodness...dude, I was seriously starting to hate walking to school in the morning...and now we can go places."
Danny snorted, leaning back in his chair and throwing the CD's he was skimming through aside. "Like where? There's only the mall, bowling alley, movies, the bookstore, um I don't even know."
"We could go see a movie! Me, you and Tucker! The three of us haven't hung out in awhile, it'd be nice," Sam said, suddenly feeling ten times better. She needed to keep busy, to have plans, to keep her mind off her father and his 'girlfriend.' Danny looked thoughtfully at Sam and shrugged.
"Yeah, I guess it'd be pretty cool," he said. "Hey—sounds like all the noise down there stopped. I think it's time to eat."
Sam listened and nodded. "Yeah—I don't here your mom yelling at your dad for carving the turkey into a ghost anymore..."
Danny and Sam smirked, and then headed out of his room, shutting the door softly. Indeed, the turkey had been carved into a demented looking poultry ghost, making it very hard for Sam to not laugh when Mrs. Fenton handed her a slice of the 'ghost's' eyeball. Danny, however, was not so subtle about it, and laughed out loud when he saw it, causing his mother to swat him up side the head.
"It's not funny Danny!" she scolded, as Sam and Jazz began to crack up. "You're father is a little too obsessed to be healthy. No stop laughing—oh all three of you! Let's say grace before the food gets cold!"
Sam took her mother's hand which was on her right and Danny's in her left, and closed her eyes as they said grace. Sam was thankful to be in the presence of those she loved and who loved her back...not having her father around reduced a lot of the tension, though something disturbing still penetrated the air. As Sam said grace with everyone, she also silently prayed that she'd get through this, that they'd all get through this, together and strong. Sam vowed then and there that when she grew up and had her own family, she'd never, ever, make the mistakes her parents had. The mistakes that had corrupted the person she'd grown to be.
"HA! I so beat you!" Sam laughed victoriously as she sunk yet again Danny's ship as they sat in the Fenton's living room playing Battleship. Her mom and the Fenton's plus Danny's grandparents were in the kitchen having coffee and desert after dinner, while Jazz sat on the couch and read a magazine, occasionally paying attention to their game.
"That's the eighth time you've beat me," Danny sighed, sitting his back against the couch and taking a bite of his cookie on the napkin beside him. "Let's play something else—please."
Sam frowned and put her head on her hands. "Oh come on Danny, just because I'm so much better than you at this game, doesn't mean you have to be a sore loser."
Danny smirked and closed his battleship and placed it into the box. "I'm not a sore loser, you're just a sore winner, loser."
Jazz rolled her eyes from the couch and looked down at her little brother. "Oh come on Danny, she's better at the game than you, fair and square. Stop your whining."
Danny rolled his eyes at his sister and looked at Sam, who was grinning. "I'm done playing games with you, you battleship whore. Let's go for a walk or something before it gets dark—some fresh air. Burn off those calories, you know."
Sam snorted and put away her own battleship and sighed. "Okay...a walk sounds nice. Hey Jazz, you want to come with us?"
Jazz looked up from her magazine and shook her head. "Nah, you took go ahead. I'm reading this article on 'How to Tell What a Troubled Mind Looks Like.' It's complete bullshit, but it's pretty funny. You two go ahead."
Sam grinned at Jazz and grabbed her pea coat from the couch. Danny grabbed his hoodie. "Mom, Dad! Me and Sam are going for a walk—be back soon!" Then the two of them headed out the door, into the cold evening.
"Oh Jesus it's cold," Sam muttered once they started off down the sidewalk. "What possessed you to make us take a walk, huh?"
Danny shrugged and grinned, sticking his hands into his hoodie to keep them warm. "Just wanted to get out. Can't take being in my house for very long."
Sam grinned as they made their way down the street, the cold penetrating their skin and their minds. Sam felt extremely confused lately, and she couldn't help it. Danny was always there for her, yet she felt she could never repay him the same way he had...he'd always been there for her, and she'd always been there for him, but it was something more. It was like she wasn't whole if she wasn't with Danny...if Danny was upset, she was upset. If Danny was safe and happy, Sam felt safe and happy...it was strange, but she couldn't place it...it was like they held that ethereal connection only they knew and could feel.
Danny looked over at Sam who looked deep in thought. He frowned...ever since she'd confided in him; she'd been rather awkward around him. As if she'd discovered something knew or as if she was afraid he'd think her foolish or weak. It was weird...it was like she was almost embarrassed about confiding in him...as if her parents fighting and her father being gone for a long time was something to be embarrassed of...as if she was dwindling the situation. Sam always did that...she always had those barriers, of course, but she always made her 'problems' to be out as if they were less...as if it was no big deal...when in truth, it was taking over her.
Sam felt Danny's gaze and she couldn't help but blush. Why was she blushing, exactly? She cursed it, but turned to look at him as they continued to make their way to...nowhere.
"What?" she asked. Danny shrugged and grinned lazily. Sam rolled her eyes but couldn't help but smirk. "So...where are you going anyway Danny?"
Danny looked at Sam and raised his eyebrows. "I don't know Sam...it's incredibly freezing...let's go back to my house...this was such a bad idea, sorry..."
Sam giggled and they turned around, making their way back to his house...Despite the obvious waste of time, something about just being with Danny and doing pointless, stupid things made Sam get all happy immediately and weirdly giddy. It was like...she almost had a crush. Sam didn't have time for a crush right then, especially with Danny Fenton, the boy she'd known since she was four! It was insane...stupid, pathetic, amusing, hell it was even a bit sad. But she couldn't help it...what if she did like Danny? It would be weird, awkward that was for sure...he didn't like her that way anyway, so what was the point in getting all worked up about it? Shaking all those thoughts out of her head as the two of them turned onto Danny's street, Sam stuck her hands in her pockets, guarding them from the cold.
"I can't fucking wait until you get your car back."
Danny just smirked.
Hey errybody! Hoped you liked this chapter...still, not as long as I would have liked but it took me forever and I don't care if it was pointless, it was just showing a little somethin' somethin' you know...holla! DxS is FiNaLly coming into play, right? But it's not much, and I don't intend it to be...but whatever...this fic isn't like about DxS romance it's more about DxS friendship...ya know? But there's still a little somethin' somethin'...hehe. Anyways, thanks to all my reviewers!! BIG JUICY STRAWBERRIES FOR ALL OF YOU!!!! grins evilly and throws strawberries about Thanks to: Annie, Moody Maud, Ryo's destiny, autumngold, Danni-2005, LeoDiabla, Sakura Scout, Fox of Light, Mrs. Granger-Weasley, Chrisoriented, Starbolt1218. THANKS EVERYONE!! Love and Strawberries, The Good Girl.