Disclaimer: Not owning, not really caring. But that would be cool.

Author's note: I really hope that this chapter is interesting. I won't type up chapter ten until I see the Ghost Hunter's episode on Wednesday (10/27). I need to see something. On with the fic!

Chapter9: Hour Glass

(Read, think, then know.)

'-'

It had been another month since the incident. It was October and instead of planning what to do on Halloween, designing their Halloween costumes or buying things for a party, they were inside Tuck's house, looking for information on the Black Miko. They had found nothing. Not the least bit of information since they started in June (o-O).

"Danny, it has been five months straight that we've been looking, nonstop. We're not gonna find anything on the internet" Tuck turned around in his chair to tell Danny.

"We haven't found anything yet. We are NOT going to stop until we find something" Danny barked at Tuck.

"Yes Sergeant Danny sir" Sam said raising her hand in an emotionless salute.

"Stop it Sam, this is no time to be playing" he retorted.

"Jeeze Danny, what is your problem?" Tuck said angrily.

"Yeah, ever since Ri disappeared you've been really rude" Sam added.

"Because you guys haven't been trying hard enough!!!"

"We have been trying as hard as we can! You're just not seeing that!" Tuck yelled at him.

"Exactly!" Sam added. "I mean, just because you have a thing for her-"

"Wait, wait, wait, what did you say?!" Danny cut off Sam and glaring at her.

"I said" Sam said much slower than before. "That just because you-"

"I do not have a 'thing' for her" he said back at her, coming out of the corner he had been sulking in.

"Yes you do actually" Tuck said still scanning the computer for sites they didn't check.

"I do not! What would make you think that?!"

"Well first off, you've been biting our heads off for the past five months trying to find her" Sam counted on her hand.

"Second, you have NEVER been this angry about any disappearences" Tuck added.

"Third, this has been the first ghost you've been trying to find out the most information on" Sam included.

"Fourth… Hey, where're you going?" Tuck asked.

"To get some air" Danny mumbled. He slammed the door to Tuck's room, stormed down the hall, and out of Tuck's house into the dark, cold autumn night.

Danny himself didn't know why he was mad. The past months had been his worst. He had some voice in the back of his head that was there in the darkest part of his day. This voice only made him feel worse and slowly making him loose hope in finding Ri. Finding Ri was the only thing that was on his mind. Day or night, without fail, she had never slipped his mind. His own friends thought he had a crush on her but he didn't.

Or do I? No I don't! Yes, I really care for her, but I don't love her, do I? No, I mean, yes, I mean no, I mean- I DON'T KNOW!

He slammed his fist into the wall of Tuck's house. The pain went throughout his arm, but he didn't care. The pain felt good to him. It was some sigh of relief. He started hitting his head against the building (like when you failed a test or are stressed, how you bang your head into the desk, not hard, but not soft). He felt like just crying, but no tears came. He hated his life and wished he didn't exist.

Just let me die…

Now, now, that is no way to talk is it?

You again, why won't you leave me alone?

That would be too easy child…

Look, can you just leave me alone? I'm kinda busy…

Oh please child! You are not busy!

Yes I am. Just leave me alone…

Not until you die…

'-'

Ri tried to tear away form the shackles that bound her to the wall. The sound of people's cries and fear had been the only thing she had heard for the time she had been there. She had no idea how long it had been. She had not eaten at all since May. She was surprised she lasted that long and so was the Black Miko. She hated it there and was trying to get out.

'Come on, BREAK FREE!!!!!!'

A burst of light and she awoke in an alley. She had no idea where she was. The place was not familiar to her. She walked out to the street to see that it was dark. It looked about ten o'clock at night. She wandered aimlessly into the road and into the night. She was dizzy and ill. The place had no identity to her. She wished she knew where she was. She thought for a moment and hoped that maybe Danny would hear her. Hear her crying for help. She needed to tell him she was here. But how would she do it? She didn't know where he was. Should she just call?

What should I do? She thought. Before she could answer herself, a sound emitted from her mouth:

Once upon a year gone by

She saw herself give in…

'-'

JUST LEAVE ME ALONE! JEEZE, DON'T YOU HAVE SOMETHING ELSE TO DO THAN MAKE MY LIFE MISERABLE?

Bloody- where is she?!

What?

Things were silent, until

Once upon a year gone by

She saw herself give in

Every time she closed her eyes

She saw what could have been…

"That voice…" Danny thought aloud. "It sounds like…"

He turned to see Ri walking to him. She was very battered up. Her sleek black hair lost its luster. Her clothes were faded and she seemed lifeless. She was not the girl he had once known. She seemed to be someone else.

"Ri?" he slightly called out.

She looked up at him. For the first time in his life he felt as if the whole world didn't matter. Nothing mattered at that point. Ri was back with him. She was back. He ran up to her and embraced her in his arms. He had not been happier in his life. She pushed away from him and turned around.

"What's the matter?" Danny asked her.

"Do you need to tell me something?" she asked him, looking at the sky.

"Uh, not that I know" he answered. He didn't know what she was talking about.

"Are you sure? You have something on your mind that seems to be bothering you. What is it?"

"How do you know?"

"I told you already. I can hear what a person is feeling of thinking. That's a trait I received when I became slightly blind."

He thought for a moment. He had nothing to tell her. There was so much that has happened in the past few months, but nothing he wanted to tell her. And yet…

"I think I want to tell you something, but I don't…"

"You don't what?"

He knew what he was talking about, but he didn't. No one knew. No one except Sam and Tuck. But they didn't know what they knew.

"I- I- well, I want to- to tell- to tell you…"

He didn't have the guts to tell her. He couldn't admit it. What if she didn't respond the way he hoped? What if she didn't feel the same way he did?

But what if she does?

He had to try. He was going to tell her. He had his mind made up. He had to tell her. Otherwise she wouldn't know.

"Okay. I need to tell you- to tell you-"

"WAIT!" she exclaimed before he could even get the words out of his mouth. She was violently shaking her head. "No, no, no, no, NO!!!" she shouted at him. "Don't say it! I know what you're gonna say, and I don't want to hear it!"

Wow, he thought. That's gotta be a record.

Why did she think it couldn't work? Why? Did she not want it to work out?

"Why? Why do you say that?" He needed to know.

"Because Danny," she started. "Because I know that it won't work. I knew that this would happen. I knew that you'd be upset. But I couldn't-"

"That doesn't answer my question. Why do you think this can't happen?" He was upset. The first girl that he ever truly fell in love with turned him down and didn't explain why. Or at least he didn't let her finish. She was silent.

"You didn't answer me. Why don't you think this ca-"

"BECAUSE SAM WAS HERE FIRST!!!!" she screamed. Both Danny and Ri were shocked.

"I- I- I didn't mean it like that, it just-"

"What did you mean 'Sam was here first'?" he asked her.

"Well, it's just that- it's just that- oh, Sam has feelings for you. I can't lie to you. That's why it can't happen. She has deep feelings for you and I know she hates me for it."

Danny was in shock. Sam of all people, was in love with him? He hadn't realized it. It really didn't make sense. Why Sam of all people? Was Ri lying and this was just some scheme to get out of hurting his feelings? Yet now things started to clear up. Things did make sense. All the things that had happened, all the signs, everything made sense. Yet he still didn't understand. Did Ri feel the same or not?

"Well, do you-"

"Yes, yes I feel the same. But it can't happen. Danny -inhale- I don't think I'll be here very long."

"Why?" he asked cautiously.

"I –I- I think I might die."

Danny froze. This information was coming out of Ri's mouth. She thought she was going to die. Why did she think that? Was she just wishing this or was it real? And if it was real, how did she know this?

"RI," he asked slowly. "How do you know this?"

"I have a feeling. This is going to happen, and if this really happened loosing me would be twice as hard. And I don't want you to be in pain…"

Danny didn't know what to think. There was so much to think about. He needed to show her she wasn't going to die. He needed to show her that he needed her.

"And, I really think-"

Danny didn't know what had come over him. He just grabbed her by the shoulder and turned her around. They held a stare for a moment. He was going to show her he needed her. But before he could do anything, she melted away, like she did in his dream. She had slipped through his grasp.

"Danny!" Sam shouted from the door of Tuck's house. He turned to see her.

Well this is gonna be awkward.

Tuck shouted out to him "We think we've got something!"

'-'

The essence of Ri leads her back to where she had just broken away from. She was chained up to the wall again, only this time, so was her neck.

"YOU STUPID CHILD!!!!!!!" The Black Miko shouted appearing before her. "Did you really think you could get away?!?! You are supposed to stay here until December!!!! Your stupidity just cost you pain onto him!!!" She disappeared with no further question.

'-'

There is chapter nine. It wasn't all that good, but once again, it had information. It was a really shmaltzy chapter, but it answers everyone's (or just the ones who thought this) that Ri and Danny are not, I repeat, not end up together. If anyone was hoping that (I doubt it) I'm sorry. Now If you think this is going to be a DannySam fic again, well- guess what? The power went out in my house yesterday (or when you read this, 10/27) and it was out through the whole day!!!! I missed Ghost Hunters!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was so upset!!! I needed to see something. So now I have to make things up!!!! I wanted the next part to be based on facts. Signing Off. PS: TOday (10/28) is one of my old friend's birthday: Megan Cheny! I haven't talked to her since fourth grade, and according to the girls in my class, she didn't like me, but I'll wish her happy birthday anyways if she ever comes across this story.