Major shouts out to Missmeliss4251. This chapter would not have happened if she hadn't set off some weird inspiration in my brain. Thanks Missmeliss4251!
Chapter Five
The next day at school was uneventful, boring even. There were no ghosts. Paulina and Dash even left the trio alone.
"So," Tucker said at lunch as he surveyed his ham, turkey and beef sandwich, then shot a look at Sam. "You haven't told us about this new nanny of yours."
"Governess," Sam corrected.
"Whatever," Tucker said. "Is she horrible or what?"
"Actually," Sam said thoughtfully. "She's not all that bad."
"Not all that bad?" Danny asked in surprise. "I thought you said she was horrible. You even called her Miss Snootypants."
Sam shrugged. "Really, she's not as bad as she seems at first. I mean, after you get to know her it turns out that she's actually nice."
Danny gave Sam an odd look. "What?" she asked. Then sighed. "She and I had a long talk last night. She's actually really cool."
"Are we talking about the same Miss Snootypants who called you a brat and a punk?" Danny asked.
"She called you a punk?" Tucker laughed. "Dude if we ever called you that we'd never get away alive."
Danny eyed Sam thoughtfully. He wondered about a ghost. Sam was acting slightly peculiar, but that could be chalked up to being tired. He reached over and phased his hand through hers. No. She wasn't being over shadowed. Sam turned and gave him a smile.
The day continued uneventfully. After school Sam went straight home. Miss Snooty…err Miss Hesslop was expecting her. Danny and Tucker watched her go, both feeling a little befuddled and Danny feeling very let down.
"She seems happy," Tucker said as he and Danny walked home.
"Yeah," Danny said absently. "You don't think there is a ghost involved do you?"
"Ummm, Dude wouldn't you have sensed it if she was a ghost?" Tucker asked.
"I didn't sense when you and Sam were overshadowed," Danny pointed out.
"True. But you were also a little upset. So maybe that threw off your ghost sense." Tucker countered. "Things have been pretty ghost free since your fight with Vlad."
Danny cringed. "Don't say that!" Suddenly there was a scream and Danny's ghost sense went off. "Every time someone says that a ghost shows up. It never fails."
"At least I have the Fenton Thermos," Tucker said brightly.
"I'm going ghost!" Danny cried and changed to ghost form.
He followed his sense to a store where he found none other than the Box Ghost flying around scaring shoppers and levitating boxes.
"Beware!" The Box Ghost cried. "For I am The Box Ghost! Master of all things cardboard and cubical!"
"You really need to find another line of work," Danny said as he flew up to the ghost who looked at Danny in shock. He darted left, then right then grabbed a box and threw it at Danny.
"Beware!" The Box Ghost cried. "For I will no longer enter your cylindrical container of doom!" With that he send a stack of boxes flying for Danny's head. Danny was able to duck and sent a ectoplasmic blast toward the ghost, who ducked out of the way. Tucker ran forward with the Fenton Thermos and sucked the ghost inside.
It wasn't too much later, after Tucker had put the thermos safely in his back pack, that Danny, in human form of course, walked up to Tucker.
"You have got to stop saying that," Danny said in annoyance.
Tucker put up his hands. "Dude I'm sorry." Danny just growled under his breath as they walked.
"Missing Sam eh?" Tucker finally asked.
"Yeah," Danny admitted. "This whole nanny thing totally bites."
Jazz came walking up between the two friends. "Hey little brother!" She said cheerfully. "What are we doing today?"
"What's with the we?" Danny asked.
Jazz shrugged her shoulders. "I just thought since Sam was off with her new nanny that we could…"
"Hey," Tucker said. "How did you know about the nanny? Did you tell her Danny?" Tucker stopped for a moment then said "Nanny, Danny, nanny, Danny. Ha! That's funny!" Both Danny and Jazz were giving him a pained look. He shot them a sparkling smile.
"Yeah," Danny said. "Who told you about the nanny?"
"Ummm" Jazz said as she looked around for a moment. "Sam did!"
"When did you talk to Sam?" Danny and Tucker asked together.
"Uh we're girls!" Jazz replied. "We talk. Does it matter where we do it? She's my brother's girlfriend for goodness sake! I have to have some kind of relationship with her. I mean really! Do you think that I would snub her if we like, ran into each other in the bathroom or something? I mean it's not like she and I never talked or anything or that we are strangers or that she thinks I am entirely too perky or something like that."
"Riiiiiight!" Danny said.
"What you don't believe me?" Jazz said worriedly.
"Actually, no," Tucker replied. "We don't. You've been eavesdropping haven't you?"
Jazz remained frozen in thought for a moment before she laughed lightly and said. "Oops you caught me. Ha ha. So sorry." Danny gave her an angry stare and she held up her hands. "I don't have a choice but to eavesdrop. You always leave me out of the loop. How else am I going to find out what you're up to?"
"Why don't you walk up and say, 'Hey Danny what have you been up to'? Maybe we'd tell you." Danny said his sister as he and Tucker started walking again.
"You're missing Sam aren't you?" Jazz asked as she followed the friends.
"Yeah he is," Tucker answered. "He'd pretty miffed about the nanny thing. I was about to suggest that maybe we should go up to Sam's house, check out the nanny. Maybe she's a ghost."
"No," Danny said. "If she were a ghost I'd know it."
"Yeah but you didn't know it when Sam and I were overshadowed." Tucker reminded Danny.
"True," Danny began. "but…"
"But nothing," Jazz said. "Does everything and everyone have to be a ghost. Just because Sam didn't like her and now she does doesn't mean the nanny is overshadowed by a ghost or something. I mean maybe Sam has been lonely. Her parents do neglect her you know. Maybe it's just nice for her to have an authority figure at home who cares about her."
Tucker and Danny both sighed. "You have a point Jazz," Danny said. "We'll just have to give her some time."
"But you've asked to the dance on Friday right?" Tucker asked.
"No. Not yet," Danny answered.
"Maybe you should," Tucker started then stopped and paled. "I just said dance didn't I?" He looked around warily. Expecting the princess to appear and start begging him to take her to the ball. When nothing happened he relaxed visibly.
"I'll call her later this evening." Danny said. "I'll ask her then."
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Sam looked at the phone apprehensively as it sat on her desk ringing. She looked at the clock. It was 7:30. She hesitated for a moment then answered, "Manson residence. Samantha speaking."
"Hey Sam!" Danny said. "We missed you today."
"I missed you guys too," Sam whispered softly as she looked over her shoulder. She felt like someone was in the room with her.
"So," Danny continued. "About the dance Friday. Are you going?"
Sam smiled and said, "I don't know. Are you asking?"
"I don't know," Danny replied. "Would you say yes?"
"Yes!" Sam laughed.
"Oh good!" Danny said. "So? Will you?"
Sam grinned and decided to make Danny suffer and ask her outright instead of the round about way like he was trying to do. "Will I what?" She asked.
Danny sighed in exasperation. "Go to the dance with me?"
"Is it a date?" Sam asked as she pushed.
Danny caught on to her teasing. "Yes," he answered. "I'll even pick you up. I'll bring flowers and chocolate and no Tuck." As Sam laughed the worried knot which had begun growing in Danny's stomach since Sam's distance at school began to dissipate. They talked for awhile. Until Sam looked up at the clock and told Danny she needed to go. Miss Hesslop would be checking on her.
"I'll see you at school tomorrow," She said.
"Ok," Danny said then hesitated. "Sam?"
"I love you too Danny," Sam laughed. Danny laughed, and the call ended.
Sam hung up the phone and turned to see Miss Hesslop standing in the door way. "You're boyfriend?" the woman asked.
"Yeah," Sam said as she looked away from the woman and at the phone again.
Miss Hesslop walked over and stood with her hand on her shoulder.
"I've been meaning to talk to you about that," Miss Hesslop said.
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Tucker entered the cafeteria and realized Sam and Danny weren't there yet. He wouldn't be surprised if they didn't show. It was Wednesday and some how the two hadn't been able to spend much time together.
"Hmm good old meatloaf," Tucker sighed as he got ready to dig into his lunch. He was about to take his first bite when he heard her. He thought he'd seen the last of her, but there she was drifting toward him. Where was Danny when you needed him?
"I want to go to the ball!" She cried. Everyone in the cafeteria screamed and started to run out.
The princess had just about reached him when someone shot a blast at her. She ducked just in time. Valerie came shooting into the cafeteria and Tucker took cover under his table. "I want to go to the ball!" The princess said desperately trying to reach him. Valerie shot again and the princess seemed to have thought better of trying to talk to Tucker. She looked at Valerie for a moment then disappeared. Valerie stood there in her red outfit for a moment, bent down and looked at Tuck hiding under the table then took off.
"Darn Princess!" Tucker exclaimed. He dusted himself off then sat back down to try and eat again. He was just about to take a bite when Valerie, out of her ghost hunting disguise, appeared beside him.
"Tucker." She said.
"Yes?" he answered.
"Is that princess ghost after you?" She asked as she sat down beside him.
"Princess ghost?" Tucker asked playing dumb.
"Yeah! Don't pretend that she isn't haunting you Tucker." Valerie said as she sat down.
"I-I guess she wants me to take her to the dance," Tucker finally answered.
"The dance?" Valerie said. "Why?"
"Cause I'm a cool guy?" Tucker asked. Valerie gave him a doubtful look and Tucker sighed. "Look," he continued. "She's a ghost. She likes to dance. She thinks she wants to dance with me. End of story." He took a bite of his meatloaf, finally.
"Strange," Valerie said. "I think you need to be protected."
Tucker nearly choked. "What?" he said. "Protected?
"You're going to the dance with me," Valerie declared.
"I am?" Tucker said hopefully.
"Yes!" Valerie growled as she pointed him. "And don't try to weasel out of it."
"Ok," Tucker said as he smiled. "When do I pick you up."
Valerie narrowed her eyes at Tucker. "I'll pick you up!" she said then walked away.
"Yes!" Tucker said as he pumped his fist in the air. Now if only Danny and Sam were around to tell his good news too!
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Sam looked at her hands as she wrung them together, sitting next to Danny on a bench at lunch time. She was nervous. How do you break up with someone you liked so much? She didn't want to do it, but Miss Hesslop said it would be for the best. Sam wanted more than anything to please Miss Hesslop. She couldn't say exactly why, but her good opinion meant everything to her.
"I don't know if we should…" Sam started. Danny put his hand on her shoulder and she stopped and closed her eyes. This was so hard. She didn't want to hurt Danny. He meant so much to her. But this was the right thing to do. Miss Hesslop said so. "I mean maybe we should stop this."
Danny's heart was racing as he sat there beside Sam. He could tell by the way she was sitting that she was upset. He wanted to comfort her, but she seemed to be pulling away from him. "Stop what?" he asked.
"This!" Sam said with tears in here eyes. "You and me. I just don't think it's going to work. I'm not ready for a relationship..
Danny's racing heart dropped into his stomach. "Sam?" He asked. "What are you saying?"
"I'm saying that I think we're better off staying friends." Sam continued. She was afraid to look at Danny. She just wanted to get this over with and run so she could cry. This hurt more than she expected it to, she needed to talk to Miss Hesslop.
Danny didn't know what to say. Well, that wasn't true. He had something to say but he was afraid to speak in case he hurt her feelings in anger or showed how deeply he was hurting.
"I understand Sam," Danny finally said. "But promise me one thing."
"What?" Sam said as she looked up into his deep blue eyes. It was a big mistake. She nearly threw herself in his arms and begging him to forget everything she said. That she was being silly.
"Say you'll still go to the dance with me," He asked. "As just friends."
"Just friends?" Sam asked as she did her best to repress her tears.
"Forever," Danny said.
"All right." Sam answered. "But I need to go now." Danny watched her go, then sighed. Something was up with Miss Hesslop. She was doing something to Sam. Either she was a ghost or…well there was no other option. Danny was sure she was a ghost and he was going to stop her from getting in between him and Sam, some how.
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Miss Hesslop smiled as she hung up the phone with Sam. The girl was a tough nut to crack, but Miss Hesslop had sufficient power over her now to talk her into breaking off her relationship with Danny. Isolating Sam away from everyone else should be easy. Vlad would be pleased. She toyed with the silver bracelet on her wrist. It enabled her to stay in the human form of Miss Hesslop and avoid detection from Danny Phantom, as long as he didn't get too close or worse, touch her.
Miss Hesslop really was none other than Penelope Spectra, and she loved her work. She loved depressing people and feeding off their emotions. Sam was stronger than most people and she was becoming quiet powerful from her. She took off the blanket and changed to her ghost form. She needed to visit Vlad, let him in on the developments and get the next plan of action.
It didn't take her long to reach him. He was standing in his study looking at a picture of Maddie Fenton. Spectra felt that Vlad had strange taste in women. But what did she know, she was a ghost he was human. Humans were strange.
"What are you doing here?" Vlad asked impatiently.
"You wanted updates," Spectra said in annoyance. "So I am here to give you an update."
"You could have used the phone!" Vlad told her.
Spectra gave him a cold look. "I am a ghost. I don't do telephones."
"You're lucky to have found me here," He said. "I was about to leave for….my other venture."
"Playing it close to the vest are we?" Spectra asked as she leaned against the wall and watched Vlad. She wished he would just spill the plan so she knew what to expect. But of course, he didn't trust her.
Vlad smiled. "So is the girl is under your power?"
"Yes." Spectra said. "It won't be too long before she is completely isolated from all the people in her life. How long do I have to toy with her before I can kill her? Draining her this slowly is difficult. It takes a great deal of will power and…"
Vlad held up his hand. "The minute Danny is mine you can do with her what ever you wish. All I have to do is break the bond between them. She is what's keeping him linked to his human side. Killing her off simply makes him angrier and makes her a martyr to him, but if she breaks his heart and lives well…that's another story."
"So what's the purpose?" Spectra said in confusion. "How will you have Danny Phantom?"
Vlad laughed. "I've already told you enough already. Now go back to Miss Manson's house and wait for me to contact you this time. I am already late!"
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Danny didn't tell Tucker what had happened between him and Sam. He simply told his friend that he wasn't feeling well and didn't feel like hanging out after school. Tucker was a little disappointed. He wanted to glory in the fact that he was going to the dance with Valerie, but Danny wasn't talking. Tucker wondered if it had anything to do with Sam and decided that he would pay her a little visit after school.
Jazz was waiting for Danny when he got home. "Are we going ghost hunting tonight?" she asked eagerly.
"No," Danny growled shortly. "I'm staying home. I don't care if all the ghosts from the Ghost Zone are terrorizing Amity Park."
"Gee Danny," Jazz replied. "You're sure in a bad mood. You'd think that maybe Sam broke up with you or something." Danny shot her an evil glare. "Sam broke up with you?" Jazz exclaimed. "No way! No way! Really?"
"Hello Jazz. Hello Danny," Maddie said as she surfaced from the basement. "How was school today?
Jazz ran over to Maddie and hugged her and hugged her and hugged her. "Mom! I love you! I really, really love you….Mom!"
"That's nice Sweetie," Maddie said. "And I love you too." Jazz squealed in happiness and Danny gave her a skeptical look. She stopped her celebrating then turned to Maddie.
"Danny is upset Mom." She half whispered. "Sam broke up with him today."
Maddie turned to Danny who was looking crushed. "Oh Sweetie what happened?"
Jazz leaned toward Maddie. "She probably didn't want to have a boyfriend who is." Jazz looked around for others. "Part ghost!" she whispered. Danny's shoulders dropped further and his expression grew sadder. "Can't really say I'd blame her." Jazz continued cheerfully then bounced happily upstairs.
"I'm so sorry Sweetie," Maddie said as she reached out to console her son.
"It's okay." Danny choked. "It's fine. Really. We're still friends and everything, so it's all okay." Maddie gave him a sympathetic look. "I'm going upstairs," he said. "To bed." Maddie watched him go, feeling very sad for her son.
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