They just stood there in silence for an astonished and terribley long time.Just standing there,staring at each other.Sam and Tuck,their eyes glued to thier best friend who was incredibley and unbelievebley half-ghost.Finally,when Danny could just almost feel them starting to reject them,Tucker spoke,it was slow and very,very mindful as he askedDanny,

"So...Danny?You're...uh,you're a g-g-ghost now?"

Danny nodded once and then noticed how Sam was still too shocked to say anything at all.She just seemed to have to take it all in very slowly and discreetly.But,after seeing that her friend was starting to look a little dissapointed at the thought that she might not want to be friends anymore,she drew in a deep breath and timidly started to walk a few steps toward him.Then,when her eyes were locked with his,she inquired still a little awestruck but also somewhat concernedly,

"Danny,how can you be a ghost?You're not even-"

"Dead?"Tucker offered with a small grin,his eyes switching over to Sam's frowning face for just a brief moment.

"Well,that's just it,I'm not dead.Something happened back at my house down in the basement and I woke up at this really weird girls house out cold and here I am not,"He told them honestly,not wanting to skip out anything that would rose even more suspicsion towards him.

As if there wasn't enough already to fill a book,but as the seconds turned into minutes of still being a little akward and amazed at the same time,they eventually seemed to start to adjust to his new form.Because just a few minutes after some brief questions and awnsers,Jade came up from behind them and nodding to Danny,stuck her hand out to shake thiers.

"It's really quite fascinating,"Jade was saying back at her apartment,"Being part ghost and all.Danny,now that you are,well...there's just no end to what you could do!"

"Hold up,are you saying Danny has some kind of magical 'ghost' powers now or something?"Tucker interrupted in his ususal,standerized voice,emphasing the word ghost with his fingers,"I mean,like he could be a super hero like Super Guy or the Crimson Chin and save people and stuff."

"Well,I suppose.But maybe it's better people didn't know right away;I mean besides you guys,I think it's probably best if Danny keep a low profile around town about his new you-know-what powers and abilitys,"Jade awnsered casually,jotting down occasional notes and markings in her now seemingly trademark little green notebook.

"So,you're basically saying that Danny should be doing what you suggest he should do,just because you happen to be a little older,some ghost wrangler and a quarter ghost yourself?"

Danny vaguely realized that Sam and Jade were getting into a lockdown arguement over what Danny should do now that he was what he was.But,Danny thought for a minute,why were they deciding his future for him and then more importantly,why was he just going ahead and letting them?

"Um,guys."He piped up from the other end of the couch,where they were inthe middle of a yell-at-the-top-of-your lungs screaming match about Danny's fate.

"Good luck trying,buddy."Tuck spoke up as well sympathically,getting up from the middle of the couch and strolling away into the kitchen,probably for a soda.

"Well,it's obvious he needs to come see me for certain lessons and ghost training..."Jade chirped airly,then grinned at Sam and kept her eyes on Danny,saying in her silkest,most slick tone of voice,"Of course...I never said it would be cheap."

"That's IT!"Sam exploded furiously,grinding her teeth together and trying hard to resist the temptation to doing something rather physically opposing to her,"You're just like anyof those preppy like hot-shot jocks!At first,I thought you sounded very sensible when it came how to help out Danny,but now you sound as if you own him!Well...we aren't gonna take it anymore!TUCKER!Come on Danny,let's go..."

But when he held back,it took her a moment to pause and then turn to see him still just standing there.He wasn't really looking at her,but he knew he had to say something.Because the look that was forming on her face,made it loud and clear,sheexpected some sort of explanation for hanging back.

"Well,Danny."Jade told him informatively,giving him a thoughtful glance out of the corner of her eyes which rested temporaily on Sam,"She's right.You're decision,so make it."

After a moment or to,Danny lifted his head up to it look directly into Sam's eyes.He admired a great many things about her,she smart,fun to be with,spoke her mind and sometimes had a perculiar sense of humor.But even though he wanted to go with her,even though he wanted to be with his friends and family in this great time in his life,something told him...that it was better if he got some other things done first.

"Sam,"He said gently,trying to sound calm,"I'm staying."

"What?"She nearly gasped,hastily cutting across in the room and over to stare at him in almost as much amazement as when she had discovered he was now part ghost,"You're...staying!With...her!Of all people!Danny,you hardly even know her...Danny,were you're friends and we care about you.You need to come with us...not."

But despite Sam shoot a venemous glare out of the corner of her eyes and Tuck walking back into the room with two arm loads of food and drinks,there wasn't much else said.Except that the next thing Danny knew after what he had guessed was about 3 or maybe 4 mintues,was that Sam brushed passed him and grabbed a hold of Tuck to pull him out along with her,stomping hotly passed Jade with a grunting sound.

"I thought..."He heard her say,as she pushed a questioning Tuck out the front door,"I thought that we were friends Danny!I thought we were more important then someone you hardly even know!I thought I wa...mm...I thought you cared."

Danny watched grimly,as he witnessed Sam with her pained eyes starting to sting with what he guessed might of been tears and the worried face of Tucker behind her,slowly start to close the door and leave.More silence filled the room and Danny had to think and fast.On the one hand,nothing hurt more then seeing the people her cared for most hurt themselfs,but on the other,he knew he had a mission to learn as much as he could and possibley learn to fight these ghosts.

"I'm...sorry,but you do realize you have to get in some practice before you go,right?"The unusally warm and empathic tone had returned to Jade's voice after quite some time of being absent and she seemed ready to help.

Still trying to decide between Jade's ever-changing personality and Sam's fired-up self and sorrow-filled self and his own uncertainys,Danny nodded slowly and plainingly,"Yeah,I know what I have to do...even if it pains the ones I l-lo-love."

Sorry this was so sad,I guess you know by the 1st ep they made up,but now Danny starts his new training in the next chapter and some more on the secrets and mysteries of the one and only Jade Black.And Emerald?Stay tuned!

Lavenderpaw