Hello, the billionth update, but I only do it for you guys, so thanks to my reviewers!

Megan, Lacy, Dannysgf08, johanna, Live2write4ever, getfuzzyfan, Danny Phantom Lover, wishing for rain,

LaBOBuren, Grey Raven North, DP lover, RoseCat, Dragon Girl, Yayfulness, cakreut12, outlawarcher, Tuckers-Ghostly-Girl,

Faith's Melody, Anne Camp aka Obi-quiet, Penguin, Nickelback-DannyPhantom Lover, Unlikely-to-bear-it

Emberwings: Love Teen Titans. In fact I have a TT/DP crossover called Fired Up.

This story's getting a little bit deeper into the plot. Sneak peek after the chapter…and a bonus look at chapter nine and ten.

Disclaimer: I don't own Danny Phantom; Butch Hartman does.

I don't own Hotel Paper; Michelle Branch does.

Chapter Eight

Desperately

Danny watched as the door to the stairwell closed and then within an instant, changed back into his normal form. How could he have been so stupid to not even look to see if it was clear? Now, someone had seen. More specifically, Sam had seen.

He burst through the door and saw her turn around the corner at the end of the hallway to his left. He chased after her as fast as he could. Turning the corner, he saw him waiting for something in the middle of the second floor lobby.

"Sam," he said, breathing heavily.

"What are you?" she asked, her eyes wide.

"Please…can we go somewhere else to talk?" he asked, hoping no one would come by and overhear them even right now.

"Tell me what you are now, and then maybe," she said. Her mind seemed to have its own little debate within her. She now knew the truth…sort of, and that meant that he didn't have to hide anything from her. But that didn't mean he wasn't dangerous.

He looked around. "Not here," he said. "There's too many people around."

"You're that one that was on the news a while ago…I don't understand why I didn't see it before," she said. She turned around, not sure if she run again or stay behind and figure things out.

"Sam, wait, I can explain," he said.

"Explain what? That you're the one who's been causing all of this trouble? This is the huge secret you've been keeping from me?" she said. "I'm starting to wonder…" She trailed off.

"Please, I can tell you anything you want," he pleaded.

"Anything I want? Why couldn't you have told me this, you know, when we met?"

"Because this is how I didn't want you to react," he explained.

"How am I reacting Danny? Like any normalperson would." She stared at him. "I don't know you. But I know you're not normal."

"I'm no different," he said. "I'm the same guy you met. I just have…gifts."

"Gifts that hurt people? Or attack the city?" she asked.

"I never did that," he protested. "I was fighting the real person that was. And they framed me because of it."

"Danny?" called a voice.

They both looked up to see someone walk towards them. It was Tucker, and the look on his face was relieved as he finally caught sight of his best friend.

"Tuck," he said.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I think I lost them for the moment," he said. He turned back around, hoping to see Sam, but while he'd been distracted, she'd apparently run off again.

"Dang it," he whispered.

"Sorry," Tucker said, staring around. "What happened?"

"Sam…saw me going ghost," he whispered, annoyed.

Tucker let out a whistle. "What are you going to do?" he asked.

"I have no idea," he admitted. "I was…going to tell her. I didn't want her to find out like that. She took it just like Jazz did I think."

"Well…I do have a little good news," Tucker said. He brought out his laptop from his bag and held it out to show him. They leaned up against the wall as it turned on.

"Karissa Spectra, if it's the one I think it is, is the daughter of Penelope Spectra," he said, rolling his finger on the mouse pad.

"That sounds familiar," he said.

"Yeah I know," Tucker agreed. "I did some digging and found this." He pulled an article up and enlarged it. Danny read it aloud.

"Psychiatrist Penelope Drugen dies in drunk driving accident in 1977," he said. "Who's that?"

"That's what I didn't know, but I looked some more up on it anyway," Tucker said. He clicked on a picture and maximized it. "Does she look familiar?"

He examined the picture. The woman had red hair, shaped into flames on top of her head and green eyes. She looked like an overpeppy, young, normal woman. But Danny saw similarities between Penelope and Karissa.

"Is that her?" he asked.

"No, but I bet that's her mom. But why would her name be Drugen? Unless she was divorced or something."

"Drugen is her married name," he said. He clicked on another link. "I looked up some more and I found this."

Danny read again. "Penelope Spectra, teen therapist of the year," he said. "Ms. Spectra has traveled to over thirty schools nation wide, giving her token of help to teens everyday. Highly motivated, respected, and devoted, Spectra says she's going to give her award to her daughter Karissa in hopes that her teen will someday follow in her footsteps." He saw a picture of Karissa and Penelope, hugging together. Both of them looked the same.

"Yeah…but that doesn't explain why Karissa's a ghost," he said. "Or half ghost, if she was telling me the truth."

"It could be anything," Tucker said. "Penelope might have married a human after she died…or Karissa might have been in an accident like you were."

"And if Karissa's her daughter…then she would have ghost powers," he said.

"Exactly. But…Penelope doesn't have such a good track record since last year," he said, turning back to the computer. He clicked on another link and pulled up another article.

"Senior dies in freak accident," he read. "Therapist Penelope Spectra was the last witness to this brutal death, and says that they were in a session together when suddenly the room lost power and the eighteen year old girl was zapped by some unknown force, resulting in his death. Funeral processions for Nichole Suamel will be held next Tuesday. Remaining family are her parents, Todd and Rachel Suamel and two brothers, Jarod and Michael." He skimmed over the rest of the article. "This is great Tuck."

"I'm a Techno-Geek," he said.

"Now you admit that?" he asked, laughing.

"Yeps," he said. He turned to him, serious now. "Is there anything you need me to do?"

"No, you've done a lot so far," he said.

"Then Danny?" he asked. "You know where to find me. Now, go find your girl." He didn't need to be told twice.

……………………………………….

Sam walked down the hall, turning into a stairwell, humming to the music overhead playing softly. "Oh, why can't I ignore it? I keep giving in but I should know better. Cause there was something bout the way you looked at me and it's strange that things change, but not me wanting you so desperately."

Thoughts kept shooting into her brain, forcing all of her emotions to go one way and then the other. She wondered if she would have ever told him about his secret…. Would she really have reacted different had he told her upfront? Would she have loved him the same way? When she'd heard the rumors about him…she'd thought it had been cool. She'd always believed in ghosts and spirits. And now that she actually knew the person…she wasn't sure what to believe anymore.

"Going somewhere?" asked a voice.

She shook her head and ignored her. Her old friend was like a gnat. Always there when she felt like she could annoy someone. She walked down to the bottom of the stairs and she followed her anyway.

"He still hasn't come after you, huh?"

"Shut up Karissa," Sam yelled, stopping.

"I knew it. It's obvious who he prefers still," she said.

"You're out of luck Kari," she said. "He doesn't like—"

"Phantoms like whoever they choose, thank you very much," Karissa interrupted.

Sam froze at the word. No way. Turning around slowly, she met Karissa's familiar, triumphant green eyes. "How do you know?"

"I've known for a while hun," she said, walking over to her. "It's quite obvious Mr. Fenton is a bad boy. Or should I call him Danny Phantom?" Sam shook her head, looking away, but she continued. "Put the pieces together Sam. Even in his normal human form, he can see the similarities. Clumsiness, nervous, shy and untrustworthy. He snuck us into the pool using his powers. He's the one who got you past the security guards; did you really believe that they walked right past you? It's invisibility."

"Those things don't show he's a bad person," she said.

"Heck, he could be invisible right now, watching us, but he's not," she said. "He's off somewhere, clearly not looking for you. He's probably finding out the best way to burn this place to the ground. Phantoms are devious."

"I don't believe you," Sam said. She wasn't sure if she believed herself.

"You think what you want," she said. "But he's the one who's not here."

"Well, you have to know, I'm quite full of surprises," said a voice. Sam looked up and gasped, seeing Danny sit at the top of the stairs she'd just come down, on top of the railing. He slid down the long rail and landed perfectly on his feet.

Karissa glared at him. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm looking for Sam," he said, giving her an equal look of hate. "In fact, I was, had I not been chased down by your little helpers."

"I wouldn't know anything about that," she said.

"About what?" Sam asked.

"She sent a ghost hunter after me," he replied. "The same one that attacked me from before. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," she said, looking down. "But how do I know who's telling the truth?"

"Because I'm not going to hide anything else from you. I won't make that mistake ever again," he said.

She looked up. "I need some time to think."

He nodded swallowing. "I'll wait."

She hated the look she saw in his gorgeous blue eyes…but she couldn't deny everything that was happening around her. "Excuse me," she said. She walked out of the stairwell and disappeared out on the floor.

Karissa sighed. "Well, now that she's gone," she said. She punched out with her arm and he ducked in time, catching her wrist as she reeled back to do it again.

"You just love to stir up trouble don't you?" he asked, changing back into his ghost form. He held her wrist tightly, making sure she didn't wriggle away.

"What can I say, it's in my blood?" she challenged.

"Jarod, stop! Listen, I can help you!" shouted a voice.

Both of them looked up, distracted for a moment. They could hear footsteps echoing above them, and two arguing voices. Danny recognized them both.

Lurching away from Karissa, he went invisible as fast as he could, leaving Karissa standing there, looking awkward as the two men reached them.

"You again, have you seen him?" Jarod demanded.

"Who?" she teased.

"Don't mess with me," he snapped.

"Jarod, calm down," Jack said.

"You know, I'm tired of you. You said you wanted to help me," he said. In one simple attack, Jarod punched out and hit Jack Fenton in the face. The blow caused him to fall unconscious and he crumpled to the ground. "When really, you were against me the whole time."

"Something tells me…you shouldn't have done that," Karissa said.

Danny let out a cry of fury, feeling his eyes burn as they glowed vividly and he became visible again, appearing right behind Jarod.

Getting in a good hit, he dropped kicked him in the back from behind. Jarod stumbled forward and the weapon he'd been holding clattered to the ground.

"Told you," Karissa said.

"You!" Jarod yelled.

"I figured it out, Jarod," he said, stepping over to him. "There's only one reason why you asked my dad for help anyway. You think a ghost killed your sister."

"How did…" he stammered.

"Her name was Nichole, wasn't it?" he asked, remembering the article. "Senior in high school, almost about to graduate. And then someone killed her."

"Creatures like you are the ones who killed her," he muttered.

"There's a difference between some ghosts. I'm not evil," he said. "I've never killed anything. But there are a few that do."

"Shut up!" Karissa said.

"Oh, so you know about your mom's reputation?" he asked. "Jarod, I want you to meet the daughter of Penelope Spectra."

"Spectra?" he asked.

"I believe her mom was the last one who saw your sister. Alive. Right before she killed her," he said. "And you know she did it."
Jarod stared between them. "You're right." He stood up and picked up his gun and pointed it directly at her.

Karissa gave Danny a deadly look, swallowing hard. Jarod's fingers pulled back on the trigger, as he held one eye closed. "This should hurt by the way."

"No, wait—" she cried.

"I've waited two years," he said. "To decimate any ghost. Even if they didn't kill Nichole." He pressed the button and a large ball of lightning streaked towards Karissa.

He switched weapons and pointed one at Danny, striking the trigger fast. A bolt of black energy soared towards him. Pain shot up and down him and there was a light as he changed back into his human form.

And then everything went black.

………………………………………….

Sam walked out of the stairwell, clutching her arms together for warmth that wouldn't come. She walked towards the lobby and without looking up, walked straight out of the hotel and to her car again.

Something told her to run. She had a few thousand dollars. She could get anything she needed with it. Go away forever.

But she'd never see Danny again.

Crying softly, she wondered if her heart would ever be the same again. This wasn't fair to her. It honestly wasn't fair to him either.

Climbing into her car, she started the engine and turned up the Evanescence music full blast, hoping the noise would at least carry some of her pain away.

She pressed down the gas pedal and pulled out of the hotel parking lot, leaving everything behind. She could get clothes and other stuff later. Heck, maybe if she came back in a week or two, the hotel might have her things put away in the lost and found.

The cd switched in her car and she found herself unable to listen to Linkin Park at the moment. Switching it to the radio, she heard a familiar song.

"Something 'bout the way you looked at me, made me think for a moment, that maybe we were meant to be, living our lives separately, and it's strange how things change, but not me wanting you so desperately."

Something in her heart decided that maybe she could handle Linkin Park and so she dug around to get the cd back out. Glancing up, she put the cd between her lips so she could drive with both hands as she pulled out onto an empty road.

She put the cd in and the Forward for their album, Meteora began playing. Looking down, she sighed, then looked back up.

Screaming, she threw on the brakes and the car came to a screeching halt. Breathing hard, she couldn't believe she'd been such an idiot to not look before she continued to drive. Through her windshield, she saw someone standing, inches away from her 'Stang, staring at her.

The girl's face was pale, but she could see faint dirt spots on her cheeks as if she'd been in some rough battle. Immediately she recognized it. She couldn't deny the straggly red hair and wide blue-green eyes.

"Jazz?"

………………………………………….

Well, that should be interesting. And it is my friends, it will be I hope. Please R&R! Here's your sneak peek!

Chapter Nine: Breathe

"Are you sure?" she asked.

"I've never been more sure," Jazz replied.

"How long have you known?" she asked.

"A few years," she replied. "Danny and I are pretty close. He was always going off to do the field work and I was always the protective one, waiting at home for him."

"I never would have thought he would have told you about his ghost powers," Sam said, sitting back and drinking her coffee. "I wish he would have told me. I wonder why he didn't."

"Because he doesn't love you."

And a little surprise for you, a sneak peek for chapter eleven!

Chapter Eleven: Hotel Paper

"I could have given you anything you wanted, but you had to go and screw that up, didn't you?" Karissa said, shoving him up against the wall.

"I don't make deals with evil ghosts, sorry to confuse you," he said, trying to break away. The cuff was too strong, and his other hand wouldn't cooperate as she did the other one.

She stared into him. "You would if it was something you really wanted," she said.

"You won't hurt Sam," he demanded.

"Oh, I wasn't talking about Sam," she said. "I was talking about something else."

"Like what?" he asked.

"What's the one thing you've been wanting back since it was taken away from you Danny?" she asked. "The one thing that you've been without since you were fifteen."

He caught on and a new fierce wave of emotions hit him.

"You want your mother back, don't you?"

Ah, poor Danny. I seem to torture him so much. Please R&R!

Lateraina Wolf