Silver Dust

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters in this.

Empathy is something they try to teach everyone but when Danny and Sam swap bodies neither of them were ready for this. D/S

Chapter 5: Since when?

School was almost let out into the summer and that meant clear skies, cool breezes to go with the perfect weather and freedom and happiness for all students. Well, this particular day meant close up views of cracked sidewalks for Danny who still hadn't gotten used to running in combat boots.

Sam and Tucker each grabbed an arm and pulled him up doing their best to dust him off. Danny groaned and fixed his bag that was swung over his shoulder.

"You might just look like a klutz today Sam."

"Don't worry about it Danny, I already look like I got hit by a truck." Sam attempted to reassure him while checking to see if her makeup was smeared because it was now a solid fact that Danny couldn't reapply it.

"You'd think after overshadowing people so often he'd be good at this." Tucker noted just as they arrived at school.

"You'd think after having my body for a day already he'd be good at this." Sam added under her breath and after a few goodbyes they immediately took off in their directions.

Danny didn't have to worry about falling so much when he was packed against a hoard of students or a wall where ever he went. Cries and cheers were being heard from every direction, and try as they might the teachers couldn't organize this chaos. He finally made it to Mr. Lancer's class and slipped in Sam's seat after pausing to think about it.

Mr. Lancer eyed him when he walked in and asked the standard question indicating the mark on his face. "Don't ask," Danny said after reciting this before school, "Just a really stupid accident on my part." The ran into a door excuse was getting old.

He wasn't sure about it though, but for most everyone it worked at least until he stopped in the girls bathroom after school. Paulina was there applying makeup and Danny stared for a second before shaking it off and washing his hands.

"How'd you get the bruise—some type of freak goth ritual." Paulina never even turned to look at him but laughed. "Shame they didn't kill you—it'd like be a service to the world."

"No," Danny said as a standard response trying to think of some comeback but he never really was gone after by Paulina.

"Whatever just go away with your loser boyfriend—I'm tired of seeing your face."

'Ouch,' was all Danny could think for a second 'Sam really was right. Paulina defiantly is a witch to her.'

"S---Danny's not my boyfriend! And we're not losers!" He finally retorted in a very Samish response.

Paulina put down the pink lip gloss and turned toward him.

"But you like him don't you!" She said in a tone that clearly stated she wasn't asking this to be nice.

Danny, flabbergasted, totally phased out for a moment. Sam like him? Did she?

"Well little Mss. Gothika he'll never go out with you anyway as long as I walk these halls."

"You don't even like him! And he doesn't go out with people that are completely nasty to his best friends!" Danny's raised his voice and clenched his fists.

He was seeing Paulina in a whole new light and this one was red that displayed flames and floating chibi devils in the background. And maybe since they swapped bodies a little bit of Sam had rubbed off on him.

"Are you sure about that?" She grinned manically.

Paulina strode out of the bathroom swaying her hips and sent a triumphant glance back at Danny. Sam had been waiting for him outside the girls bathroom flipping through a few pages from her English book. She'd hope she made Danny's grade practical but she knew he wouldn't have a problem passing the class now. The only one she had trouble in was the class she didn't share with him, but even that she'd managed to wing and she was proud of herself. At least until the Latin high school queen stopped in front of her and that emotion faded quick enough.

"Hey Danny," Paulina cooed batting her eyes in a fashion Sam had seen all to often—just never directed at her. "I was wondering if you wanted to go to the Nasty Burger with me today?"

"Um…" Sam panicked.

She was in Danny's body and had to play the part but this is Paulina—the girl she was hoping Danny would tear down since she'd ever met her! But….she couldn't ruin a chance for Danny since it wasn't her choice to make. So she just had to wing the part and die on the inside while imagine strangling Paulina to death. Yep.

"I guess I—"

"He is not going out with you!" Danny suddenly appeared next to her so quick she jumped.

The Latin queen stared ice daggers at Danny, well thinking it was Sam and snapped, "Let him answer for himself freak."

Sam slowly took this in. Danny didn't want to go out with Paulina? If it was just because of this confusing situation he wouldn't have said it like that.

"I'm not going out with you." Sam repeated feeling stupid.

Paulina's eyes narrowed to near slits and her cheeks flushed. A bit of a crowd was stopping to watch this and she was not going to be told off by two geeks.

"Why don't you let him think for himself!" She bit off and looked back toward Sam in Danny's body, "I know you like me Danny."

Danny grabbed Sam's hand feeling totally frustrated by the whole situation. Sure he could have thought it out more but he was serious when he said he wasn't going to go out with someone that was nasty to his best friends….well that wasn't entirely true—just now that he saw it from Sam's side.

"He can't go out with you," Danny said yanking Sam closer to him. "He is already going out with me!"

Sam thought it was lucky she didn't pass out right then. She was already going out with Danny? Since when—

Danny squeezed her hand tighter begging her to play along. He didn't know if Sam really like him, and if she did he wasn't sure he could ever find the nerve to ask her out. 'Since when did you start liking your best friend?' He asked himself but found no answer.

"Yeah, it's true. D—Sam and I are going out so the answer is no." Sam said attempting not to turn red but didn't bother to hid the smile.

She would have liked to curse Paulina out for good measure but she had to play Danny…dang he didn't know how to have fun sometimes. Paulina huffed and turned to walk away but not before knocking shoulders with Danny.

"You'll regret this geek." She said before storming off.

After the incident ended the crowd quickly dispersed leaving a very awkward couple standing their in the wake.

"I think I made you a new mortal enemy." Danny muttered rubbing the back of his neck.

Sam tried to catch his eye but he wouldn't look her way. Did he just do that to scare away Paulina? Or was he serious?

"Don't worry, it can't get much worse than it already is." She reasoned thankful for Tucker who ran over to the two.

"I missed the big hookup!" He said snapping his fingers for effect.

"If that is what you'd call a hookup. Not real traditional Danny."

Danny shrugged giving a half smile. "I guess now that the whole school thinks we're dating we are kind of locked in. So Sam," He tried to pull anything out of his head and when it seemed like he had no ideas but he managed to pull something off, "How about we don't disappoint them?"

Sam grinned while vaguely thinking if she saw that colonial witch right now she would hug the hell out of her in a totally un-gothish thing to do.

"Sure," She said but was cut off when she felt weightless for a second, and then the world was twirling in front of her.

The lights vanished and the next thing she was aware of was being pressed against a very cold surface from the back and sides of her current body. She took a sharp breath, her hands darting out to the sides to feel the new dimensions of her prison. Her heart was pounding—well at least that was until she heard Tucker laughing hysterically and Danny asking her if she okay.

'Great,' Sam reminded herself quite irritated, 'Danny's ghost powers. Phased straight into a friggin' locker. Shoving kids in one of these are inhumane.'

Sam sighed for a second then leaned forward in what small space she had.

"A little help?" She asked in an almost inaudible pleading voice.

Tucker tried to say something but was drown out by his own laughs. He did say something about 'the made my day' and Sam would keep that in mind next time he needed something.

"Sam," Danny moved toward the locker so only she and maybe Tucker could hear him, "Not our locker. You need to phase out." He waited for a moment after checking the halls. It was empty—well one of the last days of school, whom expected anyone to stay? Part of him knew he should have tried to teach Sam the basics of his power but he was way too distracted.

Tucker's dying laughs were the only noise for a moment before Sam let out a cut off yell.

"Sam?" He knocked on the locker officially becoming worried.

Tucker even stopped his streak and walked up behind the Danny.

Meanwhile Sam had done her best to focus her power's on the inside of the locker. At first she only managed to go invisible but then sink into the floor. She was sinking into what felt like quick sand and realizing what was wrong she let out a yell but plunged into a cold darkness.

'I'm in the ground.' She figured feeling around tentatively. This was cool, this was really neat just like flying was but it also scared the hell out of her. What if she became solid while she was still down here? How did she get out? It was a lot different when she had Danny there doing it for her.

Sam closed her eyes and focused on floating backwards feeling the coldness like a changing draft around her. Finally when she figured she cleared the lockers she willed herself up. The light nearly blinded her but she slowly took in her surroundings. She was in the cafeteria and still invisible. Being it was empty she let go of her powers and hit the ground. Cool, disturbing as hell, but wicked nonetheless. She smiled focusing her power again to run through the wall and then she trekked a short distance down the hall to where Danny and Tucker were. Danny immediately saw her and a wave of relief crossed her face. Tucker on the other hand didn't even notice she was there.

Sam had a devilish idea pop into her head. Lets just say, revenge is sweet.

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Clip from next chapter:

The trio stopped under the cool shade of the tree and collapsed beneath it.

"So your saying a ghost did this to Sam…I mean Danny." Tucker had to rethink the names for a second before glancing back up at Danny and the bruise that adorned his cheek.

"Yeah, it came after Sam for whatever reason. You might be in danger too." Danny had dropped down next to Tucker and leaned against the rough bark of the tree. He'd been thinking about the ghost for awhile now. If it had gone after Sam to get to him, why wouldn't it go after Tucker.

"I dunno man, I'm leaving tomorrow after school for vacation before the crowds. It wouldn't know where to hunt me down. Chances are it will probably just go after Sam again."

"Yeah," Danny said suddenly sounding more miserable than ever, "I was afraid of that."

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I hope I didn't bomb it with that hook up scene. As you can tell, I'm not real good at them and it was even harder to make it seem semi realisitic. The grammar is a bit off in this chapter but I've seriously been gone or busy and this has been haunting me. However, I should have the rest of this posted before January 5th next year.