Chapter Two

Sam sat down next to Danny at their usual table at the cafeteria and took his hand. He looked back to normal, except the brightness his blue eyes had dimmed. He looked tired.

"Are you feeling all right?" Sam asked. Danny only nodded his head. "You don't want to talk about it?" Danny shook his head. Sam sighed. "Danny!" He looked at her for a moment then smiled gently and squeezed her hand.

"It's all right Sam," he said. "I'm just tired and on edge…I guess. Dash had a few nasty things to say and I snapped. He unknowingly pushed all the right buttons that's all. I'm fine now. Really."

Sam opened her mouth to say something else, but Tucker had returned to the table and Valerie was with him.

"I heard you went funky on Dash Baxter's butt!" Valerie said in awe. Sam winced and Tucker smiled.

"It was nothing really," Danny said. He was ready to put the incident behind him. But it seemed that the school klutz suddenly turning the table on the school bully was big news. People were talking.

Paulina sauntered up to the group. She stood there smiling for a moment than said. "I hear you suddenly grew a spine and fought back against Dash," she said.

"Beat it Paulina," Sam growled. Paulina ignored her and leaned on the table between Danny and Sam.

"I think it's kinda cute," she said as she reached over and traced the line of Danny's ear with her finger. "I'd be willing to ditch my date to the dance if you want to me too." She fluttered her eyes.

Danny caught Paulina's hand. He smiled for a moment then dropped it. "No thanks Paulina. I'm going to the dance with Sam."

Paulina's expression grew ugly. "Why would you want to go to the dance with her when you could go with someone fabulous like me?"

"I don't know," Danny said as he pushed her away from the table. "Maybe I'm just not good enough for you." He looked at Sam who was smirking.

"That means get lost Loser," Sam said as she turned to Paulina.

"Loser?" Paulina said. "Loser! I'm not the loser. I am rich, popular and everyone loves and wants to be me."

"Keep telling yourself that Paulina and maybe it will come true one day," Sam said as Paulina flipped her hair in Danny's face and walked away.

Valerie rolled her eyes. "I can't believe I was ever friends with that moron." She looked down at her food then said. "Danny?" He looked at her quizzically. "Can you forgive me?" she asked. "For chasing you. For wanting to destroy you. For harassing you and being a pawn of Vlad's?" Danny said nothing. He only looked at Valerie. Sam watched the green ebb and flow on the edge of his blue eyes. He was fighting for control of something.

Sam shivered as Valerie continued to talk. "I mean I thought my father losing his job and me my popularity was the worst thing that could happen to me. But all of it was the best thing. I'm happier now. I can be me and hell yeah I can kick some serious ghost butt." Tucker laughed and Valerie smiled.

"Yeah," Danny said stiltedly. "I understand. No hard feelings." The relief washed on Valerie's face. She didn't know the group well enough to tell they were all at ill at ease. That something was wrong. Tucker laughed and played off the tension growing at the table.

"I need to talk to Danny for a minute," Sam said then pulled Danny out of the cafeteria with her.

"Something's wrong," She said as she turned on him in the hall. "Don't deny it something's defiantly going on here. Spill it."

Danny closed his eyes tiredly. "Nothing is going on," he said. "I'm just tired and today isn't turning out to be such a great day. I failed my vocab test this morning. Am getting a D in geography, but the good news is I have a B in science. I'm worried about Vlad and Dark Dan escaping. Dash Baxter had some pretty nasty things to say about my girl friend and one of my worst enemies is sitting at my table and I'm supposed to just forgive and forget like that."

Sam shrugged, "Yeah, but you know she was just being used, by Vlad She's a victim of circumstance. I think she's really sincere about her change of heart."

"I guess," Danny said as he looked down the hall. He felt really tired. Like he'd been fighting all day and all night. He smiled a little at Sam. She looked very worried. "I'm fine," he said as he put his hand on her shoulder.

Sam leaned forward and put her arms around him. "If you want I could go find Jazz and…"

"No!" he said forcefully. "I don't need any amateur psychoanalyzation right now. I'm just tired. I want to get to Clockwork and make sure Dark Dan is contained. I could careless about Vlad at this point. I'd flush the thermos down the toilet if I could."

"A lot of good that would do," Sam said as she laughed. She hugged him tight, trying not to be disturbed that he wasn't returning the embrace. She pulled back and smiled shakily at him. He managed a slight smile in return.

Danny didn't go back to school after they all parted from lunch. Tucker and Sam would realize he was gone as soon as they reached history class, but at the moment he didn't care. He went ghost and flew away as fast as he could. He end up at Sam's house. There was no one home to disturb him so he climbed into her bed and pulled the covers over his head, but instead of sleeping he lay there, thinking.

He closed his eyes He'd been through these feelings before. The night he fought Vlad and thought he'd lost Sam.

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 emotions flooding him, the fear, anger, the uncertainty. He should leave. He was supposed to be strong. He was supposed to be a hero, that's what was expected of him. He couldn't let Sam and Tucker down. And now even more people believed in him.

Maybe he was destined to become Dark Dan. The fact that timeline could end with the same horrible conclusion haunted him along with the emotional detachment he was fighting.

He thought the problem was Vlad, but it wasn't. The problem was Danny himself and the danger which lurked just under the surface, like a volcano about to erupt. The part of him that wanted to escape from his ghost half, or was the ghost half wanting to escape from his human half?

Danny's thoughts turned again to Sam. She again was hurt 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. Lately he just feel like he was going to snap. Danny wished he knew how to stop it. He'd been able to fight it off before. But now, as he realized that his worst enemy was himself, he wasn't sure what to do. He needed to talk to Clockwork he decided…and then he fell asleep.

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"Where's Danny?" Sam mouthed to Tucker as he walked into class and took his seat."

"I thought he'd be with you!" Tucker whispered. Sam felt a sick knot growing in her stomach. She closed her eyes and took several deep breaths. She needed to find Danny now. She stood and ran from the room she went to the only other person who could help. Jazz.

Jazz was just about to start her experiment with her lab partner when Sam rushed into the room. "Sorry," she said to everyone looking at her. "Family emergency."

"What's going on?" Jazz said in alarm as she let Sam drag her into the hall. "Did they escape?" she asked, her hand going to her throat.

"No," Sam said breathlessly. "Danny's gone." She explained the events of the day so far and his strange behavior.

"So you think Danny's gone rogue on us?" Jazz asked her turquoise eyes going wide, Sam idly wondered if her eyeballs would pop out of the sockets if she opened them any wider.

Sam shrugged her shoulders. "He said he was tired…"

"Well," Jazz said thoughtfully. "Where would you go if you were tired?"

"To bed," Sam answered then closed her eyes. "I think I know where he might be! I'll talk to you later."

"Sam," Jazz called as Sam zoomed down the hall away from her. "Don't you have class?"

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Sam ran home as fast as she could. There were a few times that she'd been envious of Danny's ability to fly, and none more so than now. She nearly was run over once as she zipped across the street and one time she fell, skinning her knee. She was breathless by the time she reached her house, but she kept running, right up the stairs and to her room.

Sam stopped and stood as her eyes searched. She couldn't catch her breath. She leaned against the wall for a moment then looked at her bed. There was Danny, or rather Phantom, sound asleep. She wasn't sure which bothered her more. The fact that he was still in ghost form or that he had chosen to come to her house for a rest. She crept over to the bed and put her hand on the side of his face and called his name.

"Let me sleep Sam," he mumbled as he placed his hand over hers.

"Okay Danny," she whispered as she sat on the bed beside him. "But before you do. Can you please change back to human form?"

"No," Danny said sleepily. "Too tired now." Without opening his eyes he pulled her over to him and kissed her softly. "Love you Sam. Go back to school. Don't worry. Everything fine."

"I'll stay here with you," Sam said. "I'm tired too."

"Should go back to school," Danny said softly his voice was fading out as he fell deeper into sleep. "Need you to take notes. C average to maintain."

"We can both look at Tucker's notes," Sam said as she lay down and cuddled up beside him. "I'm really tired too, and we're supposed to go to that dance tonight." Danny didn't answer. He'd already been pulled deep down into sleep.

Sam sighed and listened for his heartbeat, but of course he was in his ghost form. There was no heart beat. She closed her eyes and tried to relax, but she couldn't. All she knew was she wanted to be there when Danny woke up. Just to make sure he was still Danny. She felt bad for doubting him. Her last thought as she was pulled down into sleep was a worrisome one, The Phantom has no heart.

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Danny woke up to something vibrating at his side. He stirred and realized Sam was laying beside him, and that it was her cell phone ringing. He moved her over and retrieved it.

"Hello?" he answered groggily.

"Danny!" Tucker yelled. "It's Danny." He yelled over his shoulder. "Where is he?" Danny could hear his father yelling in the back ground. "Is he all right?" he could hear his mother saying. "Tell him he better get his butt home! So I can kick it!" Jack bellowed.

Danny took a deep breath. "Tell them I'm all right. Sam's with me. We're both okay. We were just not feeling well. We'll be home soon."

"The dance.." Tucker started to say.

"I'm really not in the mood for a dance," Danny said. "Don't worry about us. You go with Valerie. Have a good time. We'll see you tomorrow." He didn't wait for Tuck to say anything more. He simply hung up and shut off the phone, threw it on the night stand, pulled Sam into his arms and fell back to sleep.

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"Where are they?" Jack said as Tucker hung up the phone.

Tucker shrugged his shoulder and winced away from Mr. Fenton. "Err I don't know. He didn't say. All he said was they were tired and weren't going to the dance."

"I am going to find them!" Jack declared while holding one finger up in the air. "And when I do I am going to string them up to the nearest tree and…."

"Honey," Maddie said. "Let them be. They've been under a lot of stress. I wanted them to go to the dance so they would relax. Relaxation is the key here."

"But..But..But," Jack said.

"No but. It's fine. Now go in the basement and get back to work." Maddie ordered as she pointed to the door.

"Err," Tucker said as he looked longingly at the door. "I um…need to go home and get ready for the dance now. I'll be back tomorrow." With that he ran out the door and didn't look back for fear that Jack would be chasing him.

Tucker was looking forward to the dance. He was going with Valerie, his long time crush. He was disappointed that Danny and Sam wouldn't be there, but he was fine with that. More time for he and Valerie to get to know each other and hopefully forge some kind of relationship. Plus, with Danny not at the dance, the likely hood of a ghost, one in particular, showing up was minimized greatly.

He showered quickly then changed into clothes he felt appropriate for a casual Friday night dance then squirted on a little aftershave. "Not too much Foley" he warned himself as he hummed.

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Tucker was not shy. He walked into the gym proudly with Valerie on his arm. Only a few heads turned. Valerie was between being happy to be at the dance with Tucker and worried that people would think they were dating.

"That wouldn't be such a bad thing would it?" Tucker asked as he spun Valerie out onto the dance floor.

"I didn't say it would be," Valerie laughed. "I'm just saying I don't want people thinking something that isn't true."

"But would you want it to be true?" Tucker probed. He'd personally love it if he could walk down the halls of Casper High knowing that his girl was none other than Valerie Gray. He couldn't do better than Paulina herself, but Valerie was not only drop dead gorgeous but she was smart and funny.

Tucker's PDA beeped and he reached for it and checked it out. It was time to get refreshment. Valerie gave him a funny look and said, "Look Tucker. I know you're a techno geek and all, but sometimes you just gotta put it aside." She smiled as she attempted to take the PDA out of his iron grip. "Let go!" she ordered as she wrested it away from him then smiled at the people walking by who looked at her in surprise. She took a look at the PDA then turned it off.

"You don't need a PDA at a dance," She said then lead him back out to the dance floor.

Tucker felt a little odd without his PDA but he was willing to go with it. After all he Tucker Foley had a girl to romance. If the PDA was going to get in the way then the PDA was going to go.

Tucker Foley had some great moves on the dance floor and Valerie Gray was pleasantly pleased. A crowd drew around them and before they knew it Dash was there. Dash was of course upset. Not only had Danny Fenton eluded a beating today, he had actually humiliated Dash. Fentonio was supposed to be at the dance with the Goth girl and they were no where in site. Dash was feeling very thwarted and very bitter.

"Yo Techno Geek!" Dash bellowed. "Stepping out without your shadows eh? Must be feeling a little out of place. Is that why you're attached to Valerie like a tick?"

"Ignore him," Valerie said as Tucker's gaze shifted over to Dash. "He's not worth our time."

Tucker wasn't worried about Dash. Firstly Dash rarely picked on him and secondly he wasn't above standing up for himself. He defiantly wanted to show Valerie that he could hold his own with anyone. He certainly didn't want her to try and fight his fight for him. He figured she was that kind of girl.

"Don't worry," Tucker said to Valerie. "I'm ignoring him. I'm a lover not a fighter."

Valerie laughed. "I know. I've heard you say that before."

Tucker gave her a shocked look and blushed. "You have?" he asked. Valerie nodded her head and Tucker's blush deepened.

"It's kinda why I like you Foley." Valerie said. "It shows you've got confidence."

"Oh yeah," Tucker said adopting a rather pseudo suave expression. "Tucker Foley has confidence." Then he turned around and tripped right over Dash Baxter's foot.

"Watch where you're going Techno Geek." Dash said then moved forward to step on Tuck's hand, but Tuck was fast and was able to get out of the way.

"Watch it yourself!" Valerie said as she pushed Dash. "If you don't I'm gonna personally kick your tail!"

Dash laughed. "Yeah Foley you're little girlfriend is going to kick my butt for you."

"She's not my girl friend," Tucker said just as Valerie growled, "He's not my boyfriend." They looked at each other in shock.

"Gross you two sound like Sam and Danny," Dash remarked as he walked away. "Lovebirds! That's really gross."

Tucker stood and dusted himself off and Valerie looked in the other direction. "Imagine the audacity of that jerk," Tucker said. "Trying to say we're like Danny and Sam."

"I know!" Valerie said in outrage. "He called us lovebirds!" She stole a small glace at Tucker and blushed. Tucker was too busy trying to hide his own blush to notice.

"Come on." Valerie said as she grabbed Tucker's hand. "Lets burn up the dance floor."

Tucker was just about to open his mouth to agree when someone screamed and the gym began to empty. "Ghost!" they heard. Tucker turned and saw none other than Princess floating toward him.

"I want to go to the ball!" the princess cried as she reached out a hand toward Tucker.

"Oh geeze!" He said as he took a few steps back. Valerie took a defensive stance and was glad she had the forethought to be packing a small plasmic weapon in her dress.

"All right ghost!" she said to the princess. "Step away from my man and you won't get hurt…" She paused and looked at Tucker. "Not that you're my man or anything okay?"

Tucker grabbed Valerie's arm as she was about to shoot the princess. "Wait!" he said. "You don't know who this is. She's harmless. Don't hurt her."

"You like her!" Valerie accused. "You really like her and oh yuck she's a Ghost Tucker!"

"I don't like her!" Tucker denied. "It's just that Danny, Sam and I we kinda owe her. She saved Sam's life and.."

"I see," Valerie said coldly. "Then I'll just leave you here to dance with this ghost and…"

"No wait!" Tucker said in desperation as he grabbed Valerie's hand. "You don't understand. I can't hurt her! But she's driving me crazy! She won't leave me alone!"

The look of anger faded from Valerie's face as she surveyed Tucker's expression of desperation. "All right Foley," She said then turned to Princess who was tugging on Tucker's sleeve.

Valerie stepped between Tucker and the princess. "Listen up girly," She said. "Tucker here is my date for the dance. Not yours."

The princess began to look angry and whined. "But I want to go to the ball and dance with the prince."

"The prince is mine tonight!" Valerie said then pointed to the door. "Go find some other victim to dance with!" The princess looked at Tucker for a moment then began crying as she ran away.

"I feel so bad," Tucker said as he watched her go. "You know the ladies love the Tuckster…"

Valerie laughed. "You're so cute when you're trying to be smooth!" She grabbed his arm and pulled him back on to the dance floor.

Tucker was very relieved that no one bothered them for the rest of the night. He and Valerie made plans to spend the next day together. He hoped Danny and Sam wouldn't mind if he ditched them.

Valerie's father drove Tucker home. When it was time to say good night, Tucker wondered if he should pull a smooth little move and kiss Valerie good night. He moved to try and she looked at him with narrowed eyes. "Don't even think about it Foley!" she growled.

"Hey can't blame me for trying to kiss a pretty girl!" He said as he unpuckered his lips.

Valerie laughed. "Yeah but I'm a pretty girl who can kick your butt so just watch yourself!" With that Tucker went inside and went to bed. Reflecting on what a wonderful time he had with Valerie…and looking forward to seeing if they had any future together.

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Here I say that I'm not going to update and what do I do? I update. I hope I wrote Tucker ok. It's kinda shallow I know. But well. I'm just not feeling Tucker. I like Tuck and Val. I'm just not feeling it. Now that I've got that out of the way, the rest of the story is going to progress quite well. I'm not going to publish another chapter until I have the one I'm working on at present written. So review review review and I might become inspired to give you another chapter….