I'm BA-AAAACK! Couldn't leave ya'll hanging for too long or people are gonna start to hate me ;) right? But hey, maybe I should do it more often! Look at the number of reviews! Thanks so much you guys! Hopefully I'll meet a 100 before this is done! And don't worry I was only joking, no more 3 week breaks! I sat down and finished typing everything, so you can look out for an update from me every week for the last 3 chaps! (Unless, of course, you don't review... heh heh...)

On with the chapter!

Chapter 6

Sam gasped and stumbled backwards.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Electra sneered. Did I shock you?"

Sam's hand groped for the Fenton Ghost peeler that Danny had passed to her not too long ago, for safety's sake. The gun-like device was lying on her bedside table, beside the lamp.

Her fingers closed in around it and she whipped it forward, pointing it at the ghost girl as a smirk formed on her face, her calm regained. "Not really."

Electra simply chuckled sinisterly. And before Sam could even activate the Peeler, a rope-like cord of electricity shot forward from her attacker's wrist and snaked around her, binding her arms to her sides.

An involuntary squeak escaped the girl as she was forced to drop her weapon.

Electra sniffed. "You're lucky I can't harm humans yet. Or that rope around you would have you dead by now."

"You're never going to get away with this, Electra," Sam snarled, struggling against her binds, but to no avail.

"Oh?" Electra smiled as she wound the electrical cord around her hand, bringing Sam closer to her. "And who's going to see to that? Your heroic little ghost boyfriend, isn't he?"

And in that moment, Sam realized what Electra was going to do.

Violet eyes widened in silent, petrified fear...

"Sam!" Danny awoke with a start. He threw the covers off and sat up in bed, his heart thumping furiously as he found himself breathing hard, sweat pouring off his face.

It took him a few seconds to realize he'd only been dreaming. He drew up his knees, rested his head on them, and massaged his temples, eyes closed tiredly. "What a nightmare."

Danny drew in a deep breath. "Okay, calm down, Fenton," he told himself. "Sam's fine. It was just a dream." He lay back down, drew up his covers, and shut his eyes again.

Yes, it had all been a dream... just a dream... only a dream...

No... Something inside was telling him. No, it might just be real...

But Danny had already gone back to sleep.

The phone seemed to be ringing in his ear for way too long. Then, just as Danny was about to give up, there was a familiar click.

"Hey, it's Sam,"

"Sam, what's taking you so long –" He started to say.

"I can't come to the phone right now, so leave a message and I'll get back to you as soon as possible."

Danny groaned. "Great. The answering machine."

Tucker frowned from beside him on the couch. "That's not good. If she's not there, where can she be?"

It was already afternoon. The storm wasn't estimated to start for another half-hour or so, so it was still mostly safe, though all streets were already almost cleared. Jazz had gone up to her room to read, though she'd told Danny to get her if he needed anything. Their parents were still stuck in the lab trying to fix the malfunction in the Ghost Finder.

Thus, as planned, Sam and Tucker were to come over. But as of yet, only Tucker had reached the house, and Sam, who hadn't showed up, wasn't answering her private phone. And they were running late – VERY late – if they were going to search for Electra and stop her before the storm started.

Tucker fingered his chin for a couple of seconds, brow still furrowed. "Try leaving a message all the same," He suggested. "Maybe she's there but she's got her hands full or something."

A beep stating he could now begin his message sounded from the other end.

"Sam?" Danny asked. "You there?"

There was no answer.

Oh, this wasn't logical. Sam should have been over by now. If she wasn't, then she'd surely be at home, right?

Suddenly something hit him. What if...?

He quickly pushed away the thought. Nonsense. Dreams weren't real.

But was this one? People always said he and Sam shared a psychic connection...

What if he had really dreamt something real?

"And who's going to see to that? Your heroic little ghost boyfriend, isn't he?" Electra's voice rang on his head.

His grip tightened on the receiver, blue eyes flooding with sudden anxiety. "Sam, pick up the phone, please..."

It couldn't be real. It just couldn't...

Still there was nothing.

Maybe I should've checked on Sam last night. Maybe she is in trouble. Maybe...

"Hey!" Tucker broke in. "Call her cell phone. She's probably already on the way if she's not at home."

"Oh, right." Danny breathed a sigh of relief, suddenly feeling stupid. "Now why didn't I think of that?" Yeah, he just had to go jump into ridiculous conclusions.

He promptly put down the receiver, cutting off the line, picked it up again, and proceeded to dial Sam's cell phone number.

The phone started ringing over the line.

That was right. She was on her way now. And oh, yes, she had said something a few days ago about her parents being away on another business trip – this time to Hong Kong – until Monday. That was why nobody was picking up at home. Yeah. She probably just got held up or something. That would explain why she was late. Sam was absolutely fine; he needn't worry about a thing...

There was a click as the phone was picked up over the other end. "I knew you'd call sooner or later," Came a smooth, sultry voice. One that was definitely not Sam's, but just as familiar.

Shock hit Danny at first, but he quickly recovered. "Electra," He growled.

"WHAT?" Tucker yelped upon hearing Danny, sounding equally stunned.

"So it wasn't just a dream," Danny muttered under his breath, clenching a fist.

"Ah. So you do know it's me," The voice laughed. "I think you'd like to know what's happened to your little girlfriend."

Danny's grip tightened on the receiver again, this time squeezing it so hard his knuckles hurt. His own voice snarled. "What have you done with her?"

"Oh don't you worry. She's fine." Electra leered. "Let's just say she's... enjoying the scenery right now. Ah yes. Why don't I let her tell you how nice it is from so high up here?"

A different voice now – Sam's. She was yelling frantically.

"Danny whatever you do don't listen to her! She's crazy! She's using me as bait! You have to –"

She was cut off abruptly, and Electra's voice came on again.

"If you want to see her alive and safe, we'll be waiting at Casper High." she sneered.

Click.

Danny slammed down the receiver. "Tucker," he turned to his best friend, his blue eyes glowing an angry vivid green. "We're going to school."

"Boy. If Lancer knew we were heading for school despite it being cancelled, he'd flip for sure." Danny remarked as he and Tucker raced down the sidewalk, Tucker on the motorized kick-scooter, Danny in ghost mode and flying alongside, silver-white hair whipping in the wind. Both had their Fenton Phones on, just in case.

The Fenton Phones were tiny green earring-like devices that fitted nicely into their ears. They were made to filter out spectral noise but also served as communicators for Danny, Sam, and Tucker.

"So, what's the plan again?" Tucker asked.

"It's simple, really," Danny explained. "We just get Electra into the Thermos before the first bolt of lightning strikes, rescue Sam, and make it home before the rain starts. How hard can it be?" He shrugged nonchalantly.

"Very." Tucker looked up and frowned at the dark clouds that were approaching and swiftly gathering and approaching the town area. "I think the storm's gonna start much faster than expected.

Danny's brow furrowed as he, too, noticed the sky. "Good point."

Tucker pulled out his PDA, one hand still in control of the scooter as the other pressed away at his trusted device. He blinked at the information that appeared in green numerals on the screen.

"Oh no," He uttered. "According to my calculations, if the clouds are this close and travelling at the speed we see now, the first blot of lightning's gonna strike in less than three minutes!"

"What?" Danny yelped.

"We can't afford to lose anymore time!" Tucker told him.

"Right. Then let's MOVE!"

With that, the boys went full blast, Tucker's scooter roaring at full speed, Danny's two legs merging to form a wispy spectral tail so he could go faster – so fast, in fact, that his hair was whipped back completely from his face and his eyes were beginning to tear.

"We're lucky there's no traffic," Danny said. "Everyone's at home because of the storm." Sure enough, the streets were now completely empty except for the two teenaged boys.

Just as he spoke, the dark clouds gathering overhead moved to veil the sun, shielding it from sight, and all of Amity Park fell into gloom.

Casper High now loomed ahead.

Danny and Tucker stopped in front of the school's entrance. It was deserted. Danny landed, his green eyes scanning the area. "Well, I don't see anybody,"

"Up there!" Tucker suddenly hollered, pointing.

Danny's head snapped up.

There, from the highest point of the school - the top of the flagpole – and vividly outlined against the black storm clouds, was his other best friend. A luminescent blue cord of rope bound her, and its other end lay in the firm grip of none other than Elle Electra herself, floating slightly above the flagpole and suspending the Goth girl precariously high up in the air.

"Sam!" Danny's heart skipped a beat at the sight of her in such a dangerous position.

There was a sinister laugh. "I was going to call for a bargain," Electra smirked down at Danny and Tucker. "But seeing as how fast the storm is approaching, I'll simply leave you to make your own choice."

An uncertain frown crossed Danny's face. He was beginning to get a bad feeling about this. It looked like capturing the mad girl ghost and rescuing Sam was going to be harder than he thought.

"I know you have the power and the devices to stop me," Electra continued. "But now, it seems I've got leverage! In exactly twenty-five seconds from now, the first lightning bolt shall strike the highest point in the area, where I happen to be floating. But, at the same time, I shall release my little electric rope around your precious little girlfriend. So CHOOSE! The world, or her!"

"Oh no," Danny groaned. "We can't let the lightning touch Electra! And there's not enough time to fly up and save Sam and suck Electra into the Thermos!"

"Danny don't do it!" Sam's scream filled the air. She looked down anxiously at her two best friends from her position.

She could still see them, even though it was a terrifyingly long way down from where Electra was holding her. She swallowed, violet eyes wide and frightened.

Not that she was afraid of heights.

She had never been, and even if she had, that fear would've been conquered the one time Danny had taken her flying across town – just the two of them – when they'd been going to stop Ember.

But this was different. Danny would never, ever drop her. Electra, however, would.

And to fall from this high up would mean, without doubt, death.

In truth, the Goth girl was, for once, really and truly scared. But her life, to her, mattered much less than the fate of the rest of the world.

She knew what Danny was thinking, though, and she couldn't allow him to do that.

"Don't do it, please! She pleaded. "I'm just one, small, insignificant life! You can't let her harm the world just because of me!"

She was screaming herself hoarse, and cold winds were buffeting against her, but Sam couldn't care less. All that mattered was that Danny listened. If he did, her life would be at stake, but she already knew what she wanted...

A tear trickled down her cheek following a wetness in her eyes - something she hadn't felt in years, as she finally whispered, "Forget about me..."

"Tucker, how much time do we have left?" Danny asked frantically down below as he turned to his other best friend.

"Nineteen seconds," Tucker reported gravely.

"Great," Danny muttered. He was going to have to think – fast. Surely there had to be some way to stall the lightning or at least stop it from reaching Electra – like how a mirror reflected light...

"That's it!" He exclaimed. "Tuck, what are you carrying inside your backpack?"

Tucker hurriedly turned and rummaged through his brown haversack. "Well aside from my organizer I've got five cell phones, two spare PDAs, an mp3 player I never really use –"

"That should do it. I need you to throw it up to stop the lightning when it comes down."

"WHAT?" Tucker stared at him in horror and quickly hugged his bag close to himself, protectively. "NO WAY! And it's not going to work anyway! The lightning's still going to get to Electra! We need far more than that to cut the path of the lightning completely!"

At that Danny moaned. "No..." It only meant one thing. He had to choose...

Both boys looked desperately at the PDA in Tucker's hand. It was still ticking. Eleven seconds...

"Danny!"Sam yelled again, ignorant of the ghost beside her and the tears that were now flowing freely down her cheeks. "Fly up and get Electra NOW!"

"Look. If you don't shut up.." Electra growled, her ice blue eyes menacingly cold. Her right hand lit up with blue electricity. Sam glared at her but didn't say another word.

9 seconds... 8...

Danny squeezed his eyes shut and clenched his fists, but it didn't help the raging tempest within him. He couldn't just let Sam die!

7...

"Danny!" Tucker urged. "Seven seconds left!"

Danny groaned again, still trying to decide... the world was more important...

But Sam... no, he couldn't... just couldn't... it'd be too painful. But Sam didn't want him to...

The scales tipped in his head. The world... Sam...

6... 5...

Danny knew what he had to do. His eyes flew open. "Tucker, just throw everything you have up there!"

"But..." Tucker began to protest.

"Tucker please!" Danny yelled. "Which is more important to you? Sam or your technology!"

Tucker's lip trembled. He pouted. He whimpered as he stared back and forth between his bag and Sam.

"Alright!" He finally relented, and grabbed all of his technology out except for the PDA he was currently using, and bound it together with a loose cable he had inside. "But it might not work…"

4...

"JUST DO IT! THAT'S AN ORDER!" And with that Danny took off.

3... 2...

Up by the flagpole, Sam shut her eyes, and all time seemed to stand still.

This was it. This was how she was going to die, a sacrifice for the fate of all humanity... She would lose everything... everyone she loved...

Including Danny.

Yes, she finally admitted, she did love him.

Too bad he was never going to know it. Electra smirked and began to loosen the rope around her.

Down below, Tucker flung his treasured bundle of technology up toward the flagpole, hoping fervently that someway, somehow, he wouldn't be doing it for nothing, and it'd actually work...

1...

Electra yanked the rope off Sam.

At the same time, lightning streaked across the sky, a bright bolt of blue that seemed to sear through the gloom of the clouds, and a loud crash of thunder followed...

Dun dun dun... another cliffy! TOLD you I'd get meaner. So what DID he choose? Ok, that might be easy to guess. But what hapens after that? And how are they gonna stop Electra? You'll find out soon! Stay tuned and look out for chapter 7 coming next week!

And thank you Mental Mess, NamelessHeretic, zfighter1989, AnaKiN-PaDme 4eVa, sam manson rulez, Kenastar101, ANIME FAN ANGUS, Fullmetal Fool, sugarontop1, Stephanie, rdx earthlink. net, rikagirls, Princess Emmie, Laurell, and Ellimere Ancelstierre for your reviews on chapter 5!

Riverfox 237: Yo! Yep, it's great being pals with ya! BTW, just wanted to say it here, my other friend Sammi, who's "ice-meets-Fire" here in fanfiction, wants to join the LotR fic, so I'll be putting her in the next time I update. Chapter 1 will be in for a reloading!

phantomgurl210: You really think it reads like a real episode? THANK YOU! You just made my day!

Spiffy McFloogan: Best Friend telepathy, huh? Cool name, and thanks for ya suggestion!

hg097: Oops! Thanks for pointing out the typo, I'll go change it after this!

cakreut12 and divalady963, thanks so much for bothering to tell me all that happened in Reign Storm - I really appreciate your efforts :)

Last but not least, my gratitude also to TetraLink17 for adding me to your c2, which, I will presume, boosted the review count once again! Thank you!

Yep yep... that's all, until Chapter 7! You want it? You'll have to review!