Here it is, the last chapter. Hope you like. Small bit of fluff inside.

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Chapter Nine

Sam took a deep breath as they reached her house. For the first time in a long time she wished that her parents were home, not that it would do a lot of good if Vlad came for her, but at least she wouldn't be alone. The princess was probably still dancing downstairs, but a ghost wasn't good enough company, unless it was a certain ghost hybrid named Danny.

Danny himself seemed very detached from Sam. He stopped in front the house and took a deep breath. "I don't feel right about leaving you alone." He said. "Maybe you should come stay at my house."

Sam laughed, "I don't think either of us would be getting much rest at Casa Fenton. You live in a mad house." Danny smiled at the truth of that statement and followed Sam inside. They checked on the princess and found she was gone. Sam turned off the stereo then checked the messages on the answering machine.

"Hello Samantha," her mother's voice sounded from the machine. "I'm sorry. I know we said we'd be home this weekend, but we just won't be able to make it. The servants will be there for anything you need." Sam sighed then looked at Danny who was standing at the window.

"I need to call home," he said. "They're probably trying to mount a rescue operation into the Ghost Zone to get me back." Sam laughed and took the phone over to Danny. He took the phone gently, as if he was afraid to touch her. He refused to make eye contact with her. Sam sat down, feeling desolate. Maybe it wasn't Danny who was going to lose Sam, but Sam who was going to lose Danny. She wished she could go evil herself because of the unfairness of it all.

Danny dialed the phone and turned his back to Sam as he spoke. "Hi Mom, ummm it's me Danny"

"Danny!" Maddie exclaimed. "Jack!" she called over the phone. "Danny's on the phone!" She directed her attention back to Danny, "Are you all right Sweetie? Did you get away from the ghost?"

"Is it still there?" he heard his father asking. "Does he need us to come get it for him?"

"Everything's fine," Danny told his mother trying to keep her calm. "I'm at Sam's house. Yeah the ghost let me go. It's gone." Sam watched as Danny rubbed the back of his neck. He shot her a brief glance and continued talking on the phone. "Ummm Mom. Sam's alone and I was wondering if it was okay if…No Mom you don't have to worry about that. Sam and I are just friends. No Mom there's nothing to worry about. No Mom I think the house would be a little too frantic and Sam's a little shaken up from the ghost.. No really Mom you don't need to send Jazz over. Really Mom you can trust me. Yes. Yes. I promise. Love you too."

Danny had just about hung up the phone when his mother called out, "Danny. When you get home, you and I have something we need to talk about. Something important."

Danny looked briefly at Sam and blushed. "Mom I think we already had that conversation."

"No Sweetie," said Maddie, "This is an entirely different conversation. Tell Sam good night for me."

Sam bit her lip as she watched Danny hang up the phone. "Thanks for staying with me." She said as she watched him. "I'll set up the spare room for you."

Danny was still avoiding eye contact. "I'd like to sleep on the couch in your room if that's okay," he said. "I really don't feel comfortable leaving you on your own right now." Sam sighed, well at least he didn't want to leave her side, that was something to take comfort in. Danny followed her upstairs but he said nothing. She gave him a pillow and a blanket and he stretched out on the couch.

"Are you hungry?" Sam asked remembering that neither of them had eaten dinner. She didn't feel like eating. Her stomach was tied in too many knots.

"Not really," Danny replied.

"Do you mind if I take a shower?" Sam asked. "I'll just be in the next room. I'll even sing so you can hear me if you want."

"No, it's all right," Danny said as he lay back on the couch and closed his eyes. Sam hesitated for a moment then went to take her shower. The minute she was gone he stood and walked to the window. He lay his head against the cold glass and tried to untangle his thoughts and deal with his frayed emotions. But all he could see was Sam falling and falling and him failing and failing. He made a sound of disgust and changed to ghost form. He phased out of the house and began flying. Up he went, as high as he could go before the strange force that bound him to the planet stopped him and refused to let him go any further. Danny looked down below him. The lights of the town were barely pinpoints, he was so far up. Surely he was alone now.

He closed his eyes. He decided that he was a danger to his friends, his family and the world. If something happened and he let go of his human side and the cold unemotional phantom took over…nothing would matter anymore. All he'd been fighting against since his accident would be for nothing. But it would be so easy to escape these terrible emotions and his terrible love for Sam. He should leave them. Take himself out of their lives so not to harm them, but then what about him? What would he have to hold on to? Danny wiped the tears from his eyes with disgust. He was supposed to be strong. He was supposed to be a hero, and here he was crying like a baby out in the cold night air. Maybe Vlad was right. Maybe Danny was just like him. Maybe he was destined to turn into Evil Dan. He did prove that he could change the timeline, but what if every timeline ended with the same horrible conclusion?

The problem was Vlad, Danny decided. If he wasn't constantly pushing and pushing and pushing him and threatening and tampering. Everything would be fine. He'd still have to fight ghosts, but how many of the ghosts who were currently wreaking havoc in Amity Park were sent by Vlad? He didn't even want to take the time to consider his parent's role in his dilemma. He loved them, that was as far as he would let his thinking go.

Danny's thoughts turned back to Sam. Poor Sam, he could tell she was hurting and confused by his distance. He wanted to reach out to her, but he couldn't. He was afraid that he'd lose control of his emotions, but he was also afraid because he could feel a certain coldness creeping into his heart like an insidious fog. Danny wished he knew how to stop it. He gathered himself together and flew back down to Sam's house. She was still in the shower. He tried to revert back to human form, but couldn't. Again and again he tried. But nothing.

"Damn it!" he said. Then was shocked at the evil tone of his voice. Sam would be out of the bathroom soon and he didn't want her to see him like this. He didn't know what he would do when face to face with her. Dark thoughts raced through his mind and he did all he could to shove them back in. He needed help. He grabbed the phone and called Tucker. His mother told Danny that Tucker had fallen asleep and she wasn't going to wake him. Danny nearly roared at her in anger but he hung up the phone instead. He hesitated a moment and called Jazz on her cell phone.

"Jazz you need to get over here now!" he commanded. Mercifully Jazz didn't ask questions. She just told him she'd be there as fast as she could.

Danny walked over to the bathroom door. "Sam," he said as normally as possible. "I need you to stay in there until I tell you it's safe to come out."

"What?" Sam said as she opened the bathroom door and came face to face with a pretty evil looking version of Danny. A look of fright passed across her face briefly before she composed herself. "Looks like you've been up to no good." She said dryly as she walked past him into the room.

"I told you to stay in the bathroom," Danny said menacingly as he followed her.

"And I didn't," Sam said as she turned face to face with Bad Guy Danny. "Are you going to do something about it? Be a big fat meanie? Hold me down and tickle me until I cry? Now why don't you just calm down and change back to human and we'll talk."

"I can't," Danny told her. "I'm having trouble keeping the bad out. The bad really, really wants to come out Sam." He advanced on her. Sam tried to escape but soon he had her pined in one spot. "You really should have obeyed me Don't do it again," He growled

"Let me go!" Sam demanded as she stared into Bad Guy Danny's eyes. "I mean it!"

Danny laughed. It sounded so terrible that Sam wanted to run and hide. Run and hide from Danny of all people. "This is your fault," Bad Guy Danny said. "If I didn't feel so much for you. If you didn't insist on following me into dangerous situations. Things wouldn't have to be this way. "

Sam rolled her eyes. "Oh please!" she said in exasperation. "Keep telling yourself that."

"If I seem to recall correctly," Danny continued. "I wouldn't have had my accident if it wasn't for you.

"Oh that's a low blow Danny!" Sam accused. She thought about struggling for a moment, but decided instead to try to reach the good Danny inside of the bad.

"So what?" She said. "Are you going to be like Vlad now?"

Danny laughed that horrible laugh again. It sent chills down Sam's spine. "If you think about it. Vlad is almost like my father. If it weren't for him. I would not be like this. He does show me significantly more attention than Dad. Dad would leave me in an instant if a ghost appeared."

"Oh and like you wouldn't and haven't done the same thing?" Sam pointed out. "How many times have you left important people and important situations to take fight a ghost? You do it to protect us. You're not protecting us like this." Danny let her go and she took several steps back. She could tell that reached him. The good part of him.

"I mean really Danny," She continued. "If you want to be like Dear old Vlad then so be it. But if you think about it, it's pretty pathetic. He lives in Wisconsin. He can't even by the Green Bay Packers and he's obsessed with your mother! That's what drives him!"

Danny laughed, but the laugh wasn't so horrible this time. It sounded more like Danny. "But I put those I love in danger. You, Tucker, Mom, Dad…"

"You protect us!" Sam said as she reached out and took Danny's hand. "Imagine all the horrible things that would have happened to us all if you didn't have your powers. They still would have happened, but no one would have been there to save us."

"But I couldn't save you!" Danny cried. His stature was changing. His eyes were glowing green again, his skin looked a little more human.

"You didn't have to," Sam said. "I'm fine aren't I? You didn't save me and I'm fine!"

"But Vlad," Danny started to say.

"No but Vlad!" Sam demanded. "Maybe he'll move to a small town, get a cat and decide he never wants to see you again."

Danny's eyes danced with humor. "I don't think that's likely."

"But hope springs eternal." Sam pointed out. "And I love you."

Danny reverted back to his human self. "I don't know if I can handle loving you." He said. "Especially if it means I might lose you."

"Don't be dumb!" Sam said as she plunked Danny on the head with a finger. "We can take things slow if you want."

"Really slow." Danny announced.

"But not too slow," Sam warned. "Things can't go back to the way they were. I want to be your girl friend. I want to be able to pound Paulina into a pulp should she look at you the wrong way."

Danny grinned rakishly at Sam, "I might try to get her attention just to see that."

Sam took a few steps forward and put her arms around Danny. "Besides. No matter what happens, "I'll never fear you. Not even big bad guy Danny." Danny chuckled. Sam lifted her face to kiss him.

"Danny!" Jazz yelled she slammed the bedroom door open and ran into the room. "What's wrong…" she stopped short and looked at the two love birds. "Oh," she said as she put her hands on her hips. "I see." Danny filled his sister in on his struggle with darkness. Her eyes grew wide as he told her how easily he felt it would be just to slip right on over to the dark side

Sam, of the ever wicked sense of humor sang, "Come on over. Come on over baby." Jazz and Danny sent her a pained look. "What?" she said innocently then smiled evilly.

"Do you think it will happen again?" Jazz asked. "I mean what if you can't go ghost anymore without it happening?"

"There's only one way to find out," Danny answered. "Going ghost!" Both Sam and Jazz winced as the blinding light surrounded Danny. When all was said and done they stood face to face with his good old ghost self. They made him fly around the room a few times, go intangible, and phase through a few things before they were satisfied that he was okay. He was able to revert to human form without a problem.

"Then everything is ok?" Jazz asked almost sounding disappointed. "I'm not needed here?"

"Nope," Sam and Danny said together just as the phone rang. Sam hesitated for a moment then picked it up.

"Sam it's Tucker. Is Danny there? I think we got a problem?" Sam's heart sunk. "What is it? She asked as she shot a glance at Danny.

"It's the princess," Tucker said sounding a little groggy. "She's here, at my house, and she wants to dance."

"Umm Danny will be over to get her Tucker, " Sam promised and hung up the phone. She turned to Danny. "I guess we sort of have trouble."

"That could be an understatement," Jazz said. "Because I think Mom might know."

"Know what?" Danny asked in horror.

Both Sam and Jazz gave each other a look of fear and Danny covered his eyes with his hand. "Oh boy!"

The End…..

for now

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And there you have it. The end of my very first fan fic ever. Ok ok I rushed and it seems to have a high cheese content. Sorry I guess I'm not good at endings. But there is going to be this sequel you see and well….you'll just have to wait and see…

We will delve into the question: Does Maddie Fenton know about Danny's secret? Or are we just a leeeetle bit paranoid. And what about the pesky princess stalking poor Tucker? Will Valerie be jealous? What about Evil Danny? Is he gone for good? And what about Danny and Sam, can their love last or will the pressures of ghost hunting tear them apart? Find out in the spine tingling sequel tentatively named: "Mum's The Word", coming to a computer screen near you………

Thanks to all my reviewers. You kept this story going. And please do review this so I know where I stand on the sequel...Reviews will help me along.

Special shouts out to Pottersparky! You ROCK!