Whee. Second chapter, shorter than I thought it was going to be. I should find a better time to type and update this than 2 A.M., but I digress. Hope you enjoy, reviews always welcome, I don't own Danny Phantom, this'll be that last time I say that in this story since afterwards I'll assume you get the point, etc.

Chapter 2: Change of Heart
 Danny was fairly depressed as class dragged on. Sam was gone, he had forbade Tucker to speak because the boy was getting on Danny's last nerve, and Paulina had flat-out rejected any form of relationship with him ever. He wanted to go look for Sam more, but he couldn't get out of class. Besides, Lancer didn't ask him or Tucker where Sam was, so obviously she's out for a reason. He put his head down and lets his thoughts roam, his attention therefore drifting away from the lecture. Soon, another mental voice, different from the one in the previous chapter, piped up.

"You think Paulina dumping you is soooo horrible, but it really isn't. Now you can get over her, and concentrate on your real love."

Danny frowned. This wasn't what he needed. "Screw off. I made Tucker shut up for a reason." he snapped back.

"I'm your voice of reason, I can't 'screw off'. Besides, you know you like her, you admitted it when you assumed I was talking about Sam." the voice countered. Danny didn't reply. He was angry that he couldn't think of a reply to get him out of the bind.

"You just don't want to admit it because it's weird." accused the voice.

"And even if I do like her, so what?" Danny replied glumly. "It's not like she likes me like that anyway. She broke my heart once befo--"

"--Finish that sentence and I'll give you a mental stupid slap. That was just to break you

out of Ember's spell. She specifically said that she 'didn't know' if she wanted to actually be your girlfriend. Meaning she's considered it. Also, 'fake-out make-out'."

"The first word in there is 'fake'."

"Like Tucker said, it still has 'make' and 'out' in succession."

Danny sighed, frustrated. "I couldn't go out with her anyway. Paulina's just too... too..."

"Attractive." the voice finished. "And that's all she is, and that's all you like her for. You like Sam for everything else. All of the right things."

"Yeah, that'll go over well with her." Danny retorted with bitterness. 'Sam, I like you, I just don't think you're pretty.'"

"You think she's pretty, at least subconsciously. You just don't normally think about it because of the whole friendship thing. If you just imagine her body and analyze it, she'll illicit more of a reaction than Paulina ever will." the voice replied matter-of-factly.

Danny, taking the advice of what he thought was himself, quickly pulled up a mental image of Sam. A light tinge of red touched his cheeks, but he didn't get a chance to think about her further.

"What part of illicit more of a reaction didn't you get?"

Sam's body disappeared from the boy's mind, confusion filling the halfa's brain. After about thirty seconds, his mouth curled into a lewd smile. "Ohh, that kind of reaction."

The bell signaling the end of school rang. Danny had to stay late for detention, but he didn't feel that as crummy as he did before. "I'm glad I got this sorted out... with... myself."

"I promise I won't tell anyone you have heart to heart talks with yourself." the voice replied, amusement dripping from the sound.

Danny then thought of something to ask. "Why is it that my voice of reason is all witty and stuff, and I'm only a C student?"

The voice replied coyly: "It's hard to reach you with all of the stupid floating around."

"Hey!" Danny thought indignantly, but the voice made no reply.

Sam and Tal laughed as the dismissal bell rang. Sam stood up. "It's been nice talking to you. It's nice to talk with a person who doesn't ignore you when water vapor walks by."

Tal smirked. "Heh. I'm sure Danny'll come around."

Sam walked to the front of the room. "I think that all the time. It hasn't happened yet."

Tal stood up, eying the girl. She squinted at him; his gaze was a knowing one, and his eyes seemed to shimmer. It was freaky, but she didn't doubt him when he replied with, "Trust me. I'm cursed with the male mind, I know how it works. Once he takes a look at you from something other than a friend perspective, he'll forget all about Paulina."

Sam gave a warm smile at this. "I hope it'll be permanent this time." She turned to leave. "Well, bye, I guess. I should get home so I can answer when Tuck and Danny inevitably call." She opened the door.

"Hey, Sam?" Tal called out.

"Yeah?"

"Do you wanna meet me at the arcade tomorrow after school? Just to play games, hang out, and stuff?" he asked.

Sam looked at him with skeptical eyes. "...We've just met. Isn't that kinda fast?"

"Only if it's a date. If you remember my comment when you first got here, you'll see that's not the case. Besides, you've already spilled your guts to me."

She sighed and shrugged. "Point. But just so you know, that's the kind of thing Tucker and Danny would do."

"Point." he mimicked, "But they didn't show you the best game ever."

"Which is?"

"You'll find out tomorrow. See ya."

Sam frowned at the lockout, but obliged and left. "I never did agree to it..." she muttered to herself, knowing that she had gotten roped into it anyway.

Inside the room, Tal chuckled, and took off his glasses to clean them. "Yep, Sam. His mind, heart, and hormones are already being nudged in your direction. All I need to do is meet him to get a feel for his powers, and I'll be all set to bring you two together once and for all.

And by doing so, I bring about Mr. Phantom's demise. God, I love being me."

The junior laughed, before walking out of the door himself. When he left the room, the view of the lit up science lab faded. In its place was the dark, dusty room that hadn't been used in years.