The flight home was a quiet one. But unlike the recent silence, this one was comfortable. They flew through the clouds content with their achievement, the sub-events tucked neatly in the back of their mind until later.

The Manson abode came into view faster than both had expected and Sam felt a sting of disappointment that the night should end so soon which mirrored Danny's expression. He carried her through the wall casually, setting her gently on her silk and satin bed before landing gracefully on the floor, letting the duffle bag land next to her. He continued to massage his shoulder from carrying such weight.

Sam turned to the bag and unzipped it with glee. She was rewarded with a flock of rabbits that hopped toward her playfully, delighted to be out of their traveling case. Fantom joined the batch, wiggling free of Sam's pocket and leaving to hop around the bed, exploring their new location.

Danny smiled at the happy animal-rescuer and gently moved aside some bunnies to sit next to her. "What are you going to do with them all?" He asked while one jumped on his lap, getting to the point that it wanted to be petted.

"Oh I bet I can contact some animal lovers, we're very useful that way." She smiled and scooped up Fantom. "But this guy, this guy is mine." She smiled and pressed the creature to herself, snuggling into it and Fantom sniffing her hair.

Danny chuckled at her expression, which followed a hidden cringe that wasn't well hidden. The rabbit in his lap immediately hopped away from his sudden movement. "Danny?" Sam immediately set her little comrade down and moved to Danny's front. "What's wrong, did you get hurt."

He shook his head and gave a nervous smile. "It's nothing, a scratch really." He closed his hand around his right side.

His reply was a glare, followed by Sam kneeling in front of him with a no-fooling-around attitude. "Let me see."

He directed his shameful face above her head and lifted his hand away from his waist. The jumpsuit was tattered, revealing similar torn skin. The wound was deep and singed by the looks of it, one of Valerie's guns. Thankfully nothing fatal but it would be there for a few days. Sam gave a worried look to his face that he glanced at before avoiding her gaze. Sam stood and left him for a few seconds, disappearing to her closet before coming back out with a medical kit. She kneeled in front of him again and opened the metal case, pulling out some alcohol cleaner and bandages.

Danny raised an eyebrow at her. "Get hurt much?" he asked, referring to the convenient supplies. Sam's face turned a shade of light pink and her brow furrowed, caught between concern and embarrassment.

"Ever since…well you started fighting I kind of …prepared myself for something to happen. Just in case…well.." She struggled, Dabbing alcohol on a cotton swab and trying to figure out the best angle to get it on with. Danny watched her with slight guilt, realizing exactly how much worry he was putting on her. Worrying about if he'll make it out of the ghost fights…

"Um...Danny…your shirt…it-it needs to come off." Sam said, looking at medical kit, ruffling a hand in her hair. If the moment could get any more uncomfortable, the tension would suffocate her. Danny was stuck between blushing and laughing. There was a shuffling of clothing and when it stopped Sam lifted her gaze back up to her friend. Friend right?

Green met purple with intimacy for the 3rd time that night. Danny's breathing slowed and he heard the steady beat crack and shake. What was going on? He never grew so…intense when he saw Sam before. Why now? Was it because he had finally realized what he held for her? He shifted in his seat, wanting to take her and… NO! Look away from her! He quickly complied one of the rabbits wrestling with another catching his attention.

Ha see! He doesn't want you truly, its just lust, crazy boy hormones. The little voice in the back of Sam's head smirked and snickered. Hormones! If it was hormones how come he doesn't kiss attack Paulina like…he did earlier? She asked herself and mentally nodded at the logic. How do you know he isn't? He mind asked, having the satisfaction of getting the last word. She focused her attention on him instead, his wound now open for treating, exposing a shoulder and chest, stomach and neck, the jumpsuit hanging off the other shoulder languidly. The traces of forming muscles could be found on his uncovered parts now, his a reward from all the ghost hunting.

A gulp formed in her throat as she leaned forward to him, pressing the alcohol dowsed cotton swab to his injury. A cringe was his reaction and she glanced at his face. "Sorry."

"It's alright." He answered but his eyes didn't meet hers that relieved her of his flickering desire and yet disappointed her at the absence of it. She unrolled a bandage wrap and started to circle it around his waist and over the damage.

Danny bit his lip and pretended not to feel the light caress of her fingers as it grazed lovingly across his skin. He had lost self-control more than once and this was not a time to do it now. Here there was no fatal drop, or ghost hunter to interrupt them. Here he was afraid what would happen if he went to far.

Sam did not know if she had liked his forward actions from the earlier night, they were strong but not without pleasure. Still she couldn't decide. What she could decide was that she hated this silence now. He seemed to be rejecting her when he had wanted her so much before. She whished he would just pick one and make life easier.

She knew that if she did not bring up what happened now, they would never speak of it again. The ember incident, the fake out make outs, the stolen smiles and hugs at the dance…it was never spoken of again. She finished the bandage ties and sat back on her knees, fiddling her fingers. "Danny…"

Danny raised his eyes to her face that hid away from him, looking at her twiddling thumbs. "Yes?" Please don't ask me what happened…please Sam…

"What happened earlier…" A blush tinted her cheeks and he knew what was coming. He desperately changed the subject.

"Sorry about Valerie Sam…it was supposed to be a fun birthday for you and…I couldn't stop her from ruining it. Hopefully she won't say anything later." He said and forced a smile of sorts.

"No…the birthday was great and Valerie was dealt with…what I meant was…before when you—"

"I'm sorry I dropped you." He insisted. She shook her head.

"No, I meant after that…when—"

"The rabbits?" He persisted. Sam had tried to put it delicately. Trying to figure out what to call his actions.

"When you kissed me!" She urged. She looked up at him with a confused gaze. Danny sighed and yet again avoided her penetrating look, brushing his hand against the back of his neck. He stood, feeling as if he couldn't get away from her. Walking to the other side of the room and putting his suit back on and tightening the glove on his arm.

"Sam…I-I'm sorry.. I didn't know what I was doing…I…" He stammered. How was he supposed to explain this to her? 'Oh sorry Sam, I just thought I could just kiss you and touch you and—' No no. Defiantly not explaining like that.

Sam sighed. So it was lust was it? That look he had given her, as if he needed her to be close to him…that was desire? She had to know. "Danny… I don't want you apology." She murmured to his back. He turned to face her; she looked at his profile and saw the glimmer of confusion and…hope in his eyes? She bit her lip. "I just want to know why."

No! Damn it! No she can't know. His mind yelled and he looked away from her, trying to unravel the knot in his throat. "I…" He backtracked. Why couldn't she know? Because it would ruin your friendship. Wouldn't what happen already wreck it…and…didn't she like it?

He didn't know the answer to that.

So he would test it.

He turned back to her, but Sam couldn't see his eyes. The silky white locks of his face shielded them. The uneven cut of his hair that hid his very expressive eyes seemed to cast a dark shadow across his face. She blinked as he kneeled in front of her and a reached out to hold her cheek. His hand lingered and stayed there, as if waiting for her to respond. She did by reaching out and moving the hair away from his eyes.

The action revealed green eyes aglow with that emotion she had been seeing before. The one she wouldn't dare name that now she had to. Desire yes…but…

Ache. He craved her to love him as he did her and she knew she did. Teen love or pure love she didn't know and when his lips met her she knew she didn't care.

Just as before he was possessive and strong. She raised her hands into his hair and gave him another loving caress, dragging her fingers through his hair. Reassuring him that this was not going to end and he slowed down, convinced. They leaned back onto the carpet floor, abandoning the thought of having to separate to get on the bed.

Danny knew at her reaction that she did indeed like it and that it was safe to tell her. He let go suddenly, only to have Sam follow him and nip at his reluctant lips, asking him not to go yet. A smile spread across his face softly before he returned to her, satisfying her need for now until later. "Sam…" he breathed and she shuddered at his icy breath. "I…I do this because… you make me this way…"

She looked at him oddly, her fingers toying with his hair. He gave a small chuckle, and continued. "I realized today how much you mean to me…and now whenever I look at you I want to…well…" He gave up explaining how he felt and instead showed her, lowering his head to nibble her ear lobe and he felt her stiffen suddenly. He smirked and lifted to look at her shocked face. "Sam…do…do you want me to feel this way?" he asked. "Do you mind if I…touch you?" He asked with a questioning look, adding to the statement while lifting his hand to race her lips.

She blinked several times, waiting for her mind to process everything he just said and send the answer to her voice box. "Danny…I-I…"

He looked at her with such intensity she felt extremely small. Would he stop if she asked him to? Would their relationship (whatever it was) end?

Did she want it too?

"I…I want you to." She said with confidence but then a blush burned her cheeks. "That is…I …I mean.." Where is your brain when you need it?

He silenced her with a kiss she fully expected to blaze her mouth all over again, but it was surprisingly gentle and tender, understanding. "I promise not to go too far…" he whispered begging her to accept this, his eyes shining with longing she had only seen once before that night.

She smiled at him and nodded and pressed his forehead to hers, smiling. He lifted her up to a sitting position and leaned against the bed, looking at her. He heard soft shuffling above him and then a heavy weight on his head. He tried to look up at what was scrabbling against his head. Across from him Sam gave a laugh and picked up Fantom of Danny's head. She settled back down and petted the creature before looking back up at Danny. "When we do get…deep in the moment…can we be sure to do it in more...private places." She asked him with a small blush and smile gracing her features; she couldn't help her personality and gave a drawl. "As romantic as open skies and lab storages are…"

He laughed and she decided that he seemed much more at ease now that feelings were out in the open. "Sorry, I just couldn't help how fantastic you look in dull areas." He teased. She chuckled and looked at him with question.

"Why me? Why not…oh I don't know…Paulina?" She asked, half teasing and half wondering. He looked at her with surprise.

"Paulina? Come on Sam you can't think I'm really that shallow." She gave him a look that made him sigh. He shifted forward and gave her a chaste kiss. "You make me this way, not her."

She seemed satisfied with that answer and changed positions so she could lean against his shoulder, Fantom happily sleeping in her lap as she settled to sleep in Danny's. The hybrid grinned, content in simply watching her breath slowly and softly until she gave in to unconsciousness.

It was a little while after that he stood with Sam in hi arms, turning to find on whole side of the bed covered with sleeping rabbits, piled together in al kinds of crazy positions. He lifted the covers and placed her in, taking Fantom to put next to her. He gave her the comfort of taking off her boots and jacket. Hs shifted and hugged her pillow close to herself seeking the odd warmth of his cold being. He leaned down and kissed her forehead, brushing back her hair.

"Happy Birthday Sam." He said in a quiet whisper.

He proceeded to float off the ground, flying backwards to keep an eye on her before turning intangible and gliding out and to his own home across the glittering sky of Amity.

Weee shortness. And no it's not done!

Sequel! Or should I just continue this story?
Either way both would start at the day after.

Review please! I shall reward you with more typing!

And do so quickly because I'm moving at the end of the month and will be computer-less at that time!

Till next chpater or sequel...
Ba77