Wow, I got some reviews already- thank you so much. I'm not sure if we are allowed to respond to these, (I am too lazy to read the rules, but whatever) so I will anyway.

Liobit: I am glad you like the beginning. I made Danny a teacher because of the fact that he hates Lancer's class and figured it would be ironic. Plus he wanted to be an astronaut, so why not teach about science and space:-)

CalicoKitty13: I hope I can live up to your expectations. I'll try. My stories tend to be somewhat long, but that is just the way I write. (Slow plots, etc.) I am glad you like it.

Sammy: Thank you, and I'll try my best!

Shades of Pink: Thank you- and I was just bored with doing homework:) and needed a change of pace. I've had some writer's block on my novel, plus no time to work on it anyway. Ha ha- I actually did just go on a trip over the winter break and had a great time. You are right, getting out can do wonders. ;)

Okay, in this chapter, Sam gets a little jealous and sneaky. I didn't think I'd work with the whole 'pairing' thing, but I figured, why not try it and see what happens? Let me know what you think. (Oh, I also started writing this a while ago, so it may not match up exactly with current episodes, since I have missed quite a few of them.)

Amity Park (Present)

"Man, that was SWEET!" Tucker proclaimed after the last bell had rung, and he and his best friends Danny Fenton and Sam Manson left the science room in which they had just had their final class of the day. They had learned about the physical property of gravity and the effect of Newton's Three Laws of motion. "Just look at Palooka in there- totally and utterly baffled!" Tucker continued, with a laugh.

"Honestly, you two are so immature- especially you, Danny," Sam said quietly as she looked back at the teacher who was excitedly scribbling down notes as he fumbled with an eraser which had been sitting on the corner of his desk, examining it from every angle, then examining the area around it with scrutinizing detail. He then whipped out a camera and started taking pictures of it. "I can't believe you did that!"

"Yeah, in retrospect, I can't believe I did it either, but I couldn't help it. At least it was just a fun prank. I wasn't doing any real harm. Plus, he's boring enough as it is. The class seemed much more interesting afterwards, don't you think? Plus, he looks kind of happy now," the raven-haired boy replied as they trudged through the crowded hallways to their lockers.

"You messed with his head! He thinks he made a discovery that will forever change the way people think of science!" the girl replied.

"So, a 'random gravitational anomaly' is a big deal?" Tucker asked holding up his fingers to represent quotation marks.

"I suppose it is, to him!"

"So just because Danny left class, turned invisible, came back in and picked up an eraser making it appear to 'float' just as the teacher was talking about how gravity is always constant…" he started then paused in thought. "I'd say the senior class prank was worse."

"Well he has everyone in class who saw it to back up any claim he may make," Danny said. "And if worse comes to worse, I'll just admit I put strings on it or something and take the blame."

"Or just blame it on ghosts. This may be the only town where one may be able to get away with using that excuse," Tucker said. "Plus, it wouldn't really be a lie… exactly anyway…"

Sam just shook her head, sighed, and held back a hint of a laugh. "What will I do with you two? Good thing your sister wasn't there…"

"Yeah. However she has been awesome with keeping my secret, even though she can be a pain sometimes," Danny said, glancing around to make sure she wasn't around to hear him. "I'm actually glad I can trust her."

"Yeah, we gotta give her credit. But speaking of pains, man, that Lancer sure can be a big one too," Tucker said as they arrived at his locker and he unloaded the necessary books from his own into his backpack before they headed home for the day. "I hate having to start the day off in his class."

"Newsflash- Tucker had an epiphany," Sam muttered in her usual sour, monotonous tone.

Ignoring her comment, Tucker continued. "I mean, who gives a report on Friday to be due on Monday?"

"Yeah, looks like we have our work cut out for us this weekend," Danny answered glumly. I hope no ghosts decide to attack."

"It's due on the Monday two weeks from now," Sam pointed out. "If you had been paying attention, you would have known that."

"Oh," The two boys said in unison as they made the realization. "It was too early for that."

"Though it wouldn't hurt to start working on it now…" she started thinking aloud."Well then, MOVIE NIGHT at Sam's house!" the boys cried without letting her finish.

"Seriously, why do I even bother?" The goth girl pondered aloud. "I think I'm going to start on the report tonight. You boys will have to find something else to keep yourselves busy."

"On a Fridaynight?" Danny asked amazed. "Wow, you sound like my sister- don't let all that studying go to your head though. Not a good result. Plus, we have two whole weeks- you just said so yourself."

"Well I just thought I'd try to get ahead in my work this week. My parents have to go out of town on some kind of 'business' trip, and I'll be busy having to stay here with Grandma, not to mention inevitably having to help you with ghost fighting."

"So, can't your grandma take care of herself?" Tucker asked.

"She sure can- in fact, under normal circumstances, she would most likely be dragging me all over to places I don't want to go, showing me off to all her elderly friends, you know. Then she would follow me around, trying all the things she sees me do in an attempt to re-live her youth."

"That can be annoying," Tucker said.

"Sounds like she's just trying to have fun and find ways to relate to you, Sam. What's the big deal?" Danny asked.

"She's been kind of sick lately- nothing terrible, but still. Although mom and dad got the best doctors around for her, I'm just worried that something might happen, and I don't want to have to worry about falling behind in my school work in addition to all this. I think she has just started to realize she isn't getting any younger. She is pretty old, after all and well…" she stopped mid sentence.

"I see," Danny said. "Your grandma's a trooper though. She'll pull through, I'm sure of it."

"Yeah- don't worry so much. I know she'll feel better soon," Tucker answered. "Plus, only the good die young. She'll be around a while."
Sam couldn't help but smile. "True…"

"Well if you'd like, we can help you keep an eye on her just in case…" Danny started when Tucker cut in.

"…By having a mega movie mash at your house!" Tucker cried happily and then noticed the disappointed expression on Sam's face. "Right. Then afterwards, we could all work on our reports together." He added to cheer her up.

Sam's frown turned upside down as she beamed at her friends and they all hugged each other. "Thanks guys. I'm so lucky to have friends like you!" She then turned around to come face to face with the one and only Valerie Gray, who smiled maliciously at her.

"You know, I couldn't help but overhear that last bit of your touching little story," the girl said. "And I agree. You are lucky to have such good friends who care about you." She said the word 'friends' with an over-emphasis that only Sam seemed to pick up on, and she glared at the girl with balled fists as Valerie turned her attention Danny, smiled, then faced the dark-haired girl again. "See ya around- oh and Danny, do you think you could meet me for lunch tomorrow at the mall? I have something I absolutely must ask you."

"Huh?" Danny asked, surprised. "What do you want to know?"

"Meet me at noon in the food court by the McWendy's and I'll let you know. I'd rather not talk here. Oh, and come alone." She glared at Tucker and Sam, whose face had turned beet red.

"Um, uh…"

"Great, then it's a date. I'll see you there, Danny," and before he could reply, she disappeared into the crowd of students, most of whom were eagerly making their way to the exit, leaving a rather confused boy in her wake.

"Um, what the heck just happened?" Tucker asked.

"I…don't…know…" Danny said, dumbfounded.

"It kind of sounded like she asked you on a date," Tucker said.

"You think?"

"Duh."

"What do you think she wanted to ask me about?"

"If you like her, I guess."

"Did she ever say she liked me?"

"Actually, she hinted at it once."

"What? And you never told me?"

Tucker glanced over at Sam, who turned away. He noted her hard expression had turned more upset. "Er, come to think of it, she wants to kick your other self into the next world permanently, right? She probably just has some questions about ghost hunting, since she knows about your parents," Tucker said, trying to make Sam feel better. He had a feeling she liked Danny, and didn't want to make her disappointed.

"Well great, nothing like having lunch with someone who wants to kill me- whether she knows it or not."

"That better be all she wants to know…" Sam mumbled under her breath and incoherently to the others.

"What was that, Sam?"

"Oh nothing. So, who's up for movies at my place?"

"Well, see ya later, Sam," Danny and Tucker both said as they headed out. Danny had had to go to his locker by the band room on his way out, and Tucker had left to go home, leaving Sam to empty her books on her own. She watched her two best friends leave as she emptied her bag and heaved some of her heavier books into her locker that she didn't need that night. True, she would see them again in a few hours, but she had to admit that she was never happier than when she was with them. She sighed as she finished her task, shut the door, and picked up her book bag as she too, headed out.

I wonder why I feel so jealous every time he talks to her, she thought to herself as she tried to sort out her feelings. Maybe I just don't want him getting hurt…

"Hey," a voice cut off her train of thought, and she slightly jumped.

"Valerie!" Sam said in a semi-surprised tone and faked a smile. "I thought you left."

"Nah, I had to run to the office, but I'm heading home now."

"Oh… so what do you want?" the goth asked her.

"Just to let you know that the challenge is still on." She smiled maliciously, yet still retained a hint of kindness. "You'd better make a move soon, and if you don't I will."

Sam stood dumbfounded again. She opened her mouth to say something, but no words came out. Valerie smirked.

"Slow and steady doesn't always win the race." The girl continued in a somewhat mocking tone. "I still can't believe he keeps running all over the place and doesn't have a girlfriend yet, or a job…" she continued, appearing to try to egg Sam on.

"Well he does kind of have a job, and he's the best there is at what he does!" an infuriated Sam exploded without thinking, then instantly gasped and covered her mouth.

"He does?" Valerie said. "What does he do?"

"He er…" Sam could have made something up, but her contempt for Valerie caused her to blurt something out that she thought would distract her from trying to steal Danny away from her, especially after what Tucker had said.

"He works for his parents."

"Doing what, paperwork?"

"No," Sam countered, then replied, "ghost hunting."

"He wh… what?" Valerie stammered, her eyes wide. "You're telling me that puny Daniel Fenton hunts ghosts?"

"That's right," Sam said. "Is it that surprising? He tries to keep it quiet, but I can trust you, right. He thinks it's kind of silly. Promise me you won't tell anyone."

This time it was Valerie who stood dumbstruck before responding. "Nah, I won't tell, but he hunts ghosts? I never would have thought he was the type."

"He knows quite a bit about it, and catches more ghosts in one night then any other ghost hunter. He's even better at it then his folks."

"He actually can catch them?" Valerie said amazed. I only just shoot at them until they go away, she thought. Though I do have that thermos thing Mr. Masters gave me that supposedly can do that. I wish I knew how to use it!

"Of course. Then he sends them back to where they came from."

"Where do they come from?"

"That's a secret only real ghost hunters know," Sam smirked. She could see the anger growing on Valerie's face and reveled in it.

"What do you mean by that!"

"Wow, you are certainly getting worked up over this," Sam said coyly. "Why would it bother you that he's the best ghost hunter around?"

"He can't be! You're lying! He's not…! I…" Valerie blurted but froze, remembering that she had never told Sam about her own ghost hunting. Did she know? Nah.

"And why do you doubt it?"

"I… just always thought his parents were the greatest ghost hunters ever. I uh... find it hard to believe that anyone could be better then they are," Valerie covered.

"Oh, there hasn't been one ghost hunter who has beaten his record yet. Although, no one has really ever challenged him..."

"Well maybe times will change," Valerie said quietly, but not so quietly Sam didn't hear. "See ya around Sam," she said and hurried off.

Sam smiled. "Chew on that for a while, Valerie," she snorted and smiled, knowing that whatever thoughts she had of asking him on a date had been forgotten, at least temporarily. She would definitely reveal her secret to him and challenge him to a contest. She knew Valerie too well to know she'd never want to be considered second best at anything. Sam also knew she already considered herself better than the Fentons as far as her ghost-hunting prowess was concerned; she had even been told such by Vlad Masters himself. Using Valerie's own competitiveness against her by pitting her against Danny was sure to work out to her advantage.

I hope this doesn't blow up in my face, she thought. But Danny can beat her, even as a human with his parents' equipment. He wouldn't have to blow his secret. I'll just have to warn him tonight.