Thoughts raced through Danny's mind,as zoomed down near-deserted streets in the earliness of morning.The sun was just a small,visible orangish and yellowy pink ball hovering just barely in the sky,but of course Danny's mind was on other things,Why didn't I just make up with Sam and Tuck (mostly Sam) in the first place!He mind echoed in his mind guiltly,Now Sam's in trouble,more ghosts are getting out,it may be the end of the world...and I have no clue where I'm going!

"I might be able to help with that!"Jade flew up beside Danny and gave a little wave,then she exclaimed thoughtfully,"Guess you better include me in the fight to save you're girl friend!"

"Thanks...hey!Wait.I didn't say,I thou-"That was when his face turned a very,very pale livid,as he stammered the rest,"Yo-You-you-you...ca-caaaann read mi-mi-err...minds?"

"Pretty awesome,huh?"Jade laughed only mock boastfully,then she turned to grin seriously at Danny,"Would of told you earlier,but I just wanted to let you know that me and Emerald areboth named after the colour green,no joke!The big bang theory has it all wrong and if you think zits were bad,you haven't seen anything yet,Dannyboy!"

"Who gave you permission to..."Danny started to argue,but as always,Jade cut him off when she had had enough,

"Not important.Now look,Blaze lives in the ghost zone where I use to wrangler unlawful ghost.Anyways,his possible exact location is up in his home in the Predator Caves."

Danny shuddered a litte at the name which he instictively took as meaning something bad and very likely not safe,"Why do they call it that?Uhh...the Predator part,I mean."

"Well,"Jade sobered,absorbing words before speaking them,"Ghost zone isn't an all bad place,some ghost wander freely and even happily among other ghost as friends and neighbours.But some,like Blaze,seek revenage.All the things you ever heard about ghost wandering around looking for what they've missed or what missed them,is very true.But in todays world,most ghost just want a taste of the 'real' world."

"I see,"Danny nodded evenly,trying hard to understand,"So most of the time they just want to finish what they missed out on and sometimes just to seek revenage for whatever reason?"

Jade suddenly turned to him and offered him a very normal-yet-odd-smile,it was then that it revealed something Danny had never seen before,impressiveness,"That's...right Danny."

Smiling back,they both flew off in the direction of Jade's house.They didn'tsay anything,until they phased through the window in Jade's room.That's when if occured to Danny,how were they going to get into ghost zone here?But his question was awnsered for him the next second,when Jade pulled off a dusty old cover off an even older TV-set.

"And...this would be?"Danny inquired her suspiciously.

"This would be,how I wouldget in and out of Ghost Zone everytime I visisted."She told him while she started to jiggled a knob,then she grinned short of in a sheepish manner,"I know,it's accient!How do you think my Mother got there?"

The screene was fuzzy and hard to make out at first,but then it turned from grey to black and white and then finally to a picture of what looked like some sort of 2-D swirling,spiraling vortex.Danny shallowed hard and then stepped back a bit.

"Um,maybe this isn't such a good ideeeeaaaa..."But before he could get it all out,a wildly excited Jade grabbed his arm and held on tightly as they were sucked into the Television.

They both landed in a bumpy heap on top of one another,outside a misty grey place.Danny shielded his eyes,as he stood up and tried peering through the fog.At first,it was so thick that he couldn't make out a thing.But then,just as he was about to give up,the thick fog parted and alittle opening was made so that Jade and Danny could just walk right though it.

"So..."Danny regarded the empty and desolant-looking grey and ebony place with some discomfort yet with wonder and intrigue as well,"This is the Ghost Zone,huh?"

"Yep,this is it!"Jade repiled breezily,then added,"Spooked?"

"You mean scared?Me?Nah!"Danny waved his hand dismissfully,as Jade started to approach the first cave,But I am scared for whatmight happen to Sam.

"Hah,I knew you liked-liked her."

"I do not!"

Theywere nearing the very top the very top middle cave and Danny noticed the glowing green,yellow and red eyes glaring ominously from the other sets of caves.So as they landed in front of thier desired one,Danny took one hand and pushed Jade gently aside,while boldly strolling in first.

"Hold it,hot-shot!"She told him quickly,pulling him right back out of the entrance,"It's not just that easy walking into Blaze's lair right all willy nelly.First,you have to learn what's expected."

So,they ventured into the cave together.While Jade devised a plan that consisted of one of them distracting Blaze,while the other went to free Sam.Of course,Danny instantly volunteered to go get Sam,but offered back-up assistance if necessary.

"Not that I don't think you can't take care of yourself,"Danny was rambling on nervously,but the corner of Jade's mouth pulled into a smirk,"What?Why are you smiling?"

"Nothing,"Jade chuckled slightly,as the dark dissapeared and the lighting of a single flame burned on the other side of the cave.That was when,they hearda soft,rumble of growling.

"This is not the girl,"He barked in a muffled bark,it was muffled because,Sam was dangling in a limp in his mouth.

"Sam!"Danny shouted suddenly,starting to fly over to her hastily,but he felt Jade hold him back.So Danny watched helplessly,almost in tears,as he dropped Sam's lifeless body.

"Go,"She saidcurtly,finally pushed him forward,letting whatever irratation or anger seep into her suddenly cool mood,she cracked her knuckles and knee,before shooting up into the air and giving Danny a fast glance,"Danny,go,NOW!"

Nodding,Danny rushed over to Sam as Jade and Blaze went at it.At first,he feared the worse,staring miserably at her motionless form.But soon,he realized with both joy and relief,she was just unconscious.And she appeared to be unharmed.Danny leaned down and smoothed back her shiny,black air.Which was brunette naturally,when all of a sudden,her eye lids fluttered open and she sat straight up.

"Uh..."She groaned wearily,rubbing her head,"What the,Danny!Why are we here and why are...you're still ghost?"

Danny was stunned with a puzzling look,"Um,yeah,why?"

At that moment,the look Danny had been recieveing since the whole 'rebellion' incident a week ago flashed back.It was a look Danny had come to know and despise greatly.But he watched with grief,as Sam stood right up and began to leave.

"Sam!"He called to her despreately,flying after her and grabbing a hold of her wrist not to tight but tight enough to keep her from leaving,"Sam,please,we really need to talk."

"Talk,"She whispered in a low,emotionless voice,then she turned on Danny glowering,her greenish-purple eyes flashing with anger and possibley pain,"What's there to talk about,Daniel!The fact that you turned on you're 'real' friends,just to hang out with that preppy little no it all."

"She's not a-"Danny began with some mild temper,but then looked at Sam sadly and sighed deeply,"Listen,Sam.We've been friends our whole lifes,Jade is just someone who was there to help me out a little bit.She's my friend too,I guess.But Sam,you and Tuck have been here longer.I'll always put you guys before a stranger,but just not this time.I'm sorry Sam."

The battle that had been raging on the last few minutes had settled down and that was when Danny started getting worried.As he turned to look over his shoulder,he realized with shock that both Jade and the Wolf were long gone.

"No,"He whispered under his breath,dropping to his knees,"Not her too,I just...I just don't know what to do anymore!I...I...I just wanna give up on these stupid powers!"

"Danny,giving up is not you."Sam came from behind him and told him with and put an arm around his shoulder,saying to him softly,"You never give up and you're powers aren't stupid.Maybe I did geta little too upset,but I was just...I don't know.I guess...I was just a little bit scared."

"Of what?"Danny asked without looking up at her.

"Of losing you."Sam sniffled and soon she was consumed by over-wheleming tears,as she slid down onto the cave floor.

"You,scared?"Danny got up and helped her up,saying in a surprised tone of voice,"You were afraid of losing me?"

Sam nodded slowly,"Of losing you to that ghost side."

"Sam,"Danny told her in a new air of confidence,"No matter how much I might change on the outside and maybe even the inside,deep down,I hope you know I'll always be me.Danny,"

Nodding again,she got to her feet as well,"You're right.I was judging our friendship from the wrong perspective.Which was wrong,but,it's almost like I couldn't help it.Like,it was all pulling me with such a great force...that for a second...I lost the sense of knowing who my friends were and maybe even...who I was.Guess I owe you an apology too."

"No,don't.Besides,we need to find Jade."Danny told her in a way that made him realize,he had felt the exact same way."

OK,a lot more questions and things will be awnsered in the upcoming and possibley ending chapter.But hey,Sam and Danny are back together...yay!Anyways,thanks for staying with me this far.And hope it's been what pll like to read and uhh...blah,blather,stuff.K,c ya homies,byez 4 now!

LP