Chapter Five: I'm The Hero, Don't try to Save Me
It was a cold, desolate building. The kind of huge, run down, dilapidated building you would expect to find on Halloween specials or in ghost movies. Except this wasn't a movie and the screams and cries that echoed through the halls were from true terror and hopelessness. It was the old, abandoned hospital at the edge of town. Ever since the ghost bug incident no one had been up there, no one wanted to use it or even felt the need to use it. And Desire saw it as a perfect place for his new pets and subjects to 'set up shop' as they told him.
Desire flew over the building a few times and dove in through the ceiling happy with the new little plan forming in his head. The two men that were helping him now were normal, average men that had to work hard to earn their living. They were both reaching middle age and were capable of causing some major injures to who ever got in their way. Just two down-on-their-luck guys that wanted a break. And Desire was that break.
They had no power to give him, no extreme advantages for his mad power search. But they did give him one thing, and that was the understanding of the wants and needs of a human's mind and body. He let them kidnap girls and young women and keep them here to do with as they like. He keeps the police from catching on to them and makes sure the screams and pleas for help cannot be heard by the nearby city limits. They have their lustful desires fulfilled and he gets to learn everything he can about an average human. Both male and female of the species. They had enough females in the building for Desire to observe for quite a while.
As he fazed through the roof he popped his head into a room where the two men had a young woman around nineteen strapped to a chair. They kept chiding her about what they were going to do to her body and kept teasing her. Asking one another if they should kill her or not after they were done with her.
"Well, well… Are you boys having fun?" Desire flew in from the ceiling and landed on the floor watching the two men torment the poor young woman.
"Much," one said in a scruffy voice, "What's going on, Desire? Decide to join the fun?"
"Thank you for the invitation, but I have a bigger prize to be won," Desire said in a bland tone, obviously uninterested, "I want you to do something for me."
"It depends on what it is," the other replied and walked over to talk face to face with his partner and the ghost.
"I want you to kidnap and break this young woman," Desire put his hands together and when he separated them a picture of Sam came into view, smiling and talking with some co-workers, "She's very important to someone who is in my way… and in turn, your way as well. Can you do this for me when I have given you so much?"
The picture of Sam began to fade and the two men looked at one another, "She does look like fun."
"She also looks like a lot of work," the taller one sighed and then looked back at Desire with a smirk, "We'll do it. I've always said I like the challenge."
"Then it's set," Desire clapped his hands together to make the vision of Sam completely disappear, "I'll make the arrangements and tell you when to strike. Now, I leave you to your business."
"Thank you," one of the men smiled cruelly and turned back to his victim.
Desire smiled in triumph and left the room. A few moments later he could hear the frightened screams of the once innocent, nineteen year old girl.
Danny walked down the street with Sam and Valerie at each side. Ever since Tucker had passed away Valerie had kept closer tabs on Danny and Sam than ever before. She came over to Danny's house to keep them company and say hello to Jazz while she was on break from her internship. Valerie just didn't want anything to get between her and them. She was, in a very big way, paranoid about losing the two friends that she had left. Sam had the same fear about losing Danny for a couple of weeks after the incident, but found that he stuck to her like a shadow, unless she was at work. She liked the feeling of being watched over and decided it was something she could tease him about every once in a while.
"Sam, are you ever going to move back into your parent's house?" Valerie asked as they walked toward the mall.
"I don't know," Sam thought about it for a minute, "It kind of seems like an empty void over there even if my parents happen to be home. Besides, I like the fact that I get to have a sleep over at Danny's almost every night. Jazz doesn't mind and the guest bedroom is really comfy."
"Good to hear," Danny nodded, "The last time we got use out of the room was when we had Vlad over that one time. And I doubt he got any use out of the bed since he was up every night trying to find a way to steal the ecto-skelton from my dad."
"What?" Valerie asked from the side, "You can't mean Vlad Masters?"
"Oh yeah," Danny nodded, "He and my dad had a falling out and he's been trying to get back at my dad ever since."
Danny had to conveniently leave out the portion about how he was up most of the nights trying to fight Vlad back so he didn't take anything of importance from the lab. Or try to kill his dad in his sleep.
"He seems like a nice guy to me," Valerie shrugged and kept walking with them, "I mean, that's the impression I got from the few times I saw him."
"Here we are," Sam announced and motioned toward the mall's double door entrance, also happy for the change of conversation topic, "I'm heading for Hot Topics, how about you two?"
"I'll go with you," Danny raised his hand, "I have always wondered what drew you to that place anyway."
"Yeah, you never stayed to find out. You and Tucker always ran off to the nearest video store and let me be for an hour or so."
"What about you, Valerie?" Danny looked at her to see if she was okay from the sudden mention of Tucker. It was becoming easier for him and Sam to talk about him, but Valerie still seemed unnerved by it now and again. For once he didn't see her squint or close her eyes to compose herself, she just gave them a small smile and looked to her left.
"I spy a new clothing store. I'll meet up with you guys at the food court after an hour or so. How does that sound?"
"Sounds great," Sam nodded and they split to go their separate ways. After Valerie was out of earshot Sam turned to Danny, "She didn't register it. I think she's growing numb."
"We went through it too if I remember right," Danny said referring to a week back when they didn't respond at all to their friend's name, "We just went through it sooner."
"We knew him longer," Sam sighed and walked into Hot Topics with Danny close behind. The cashier looked up and saw one of his favorite customers. He had his hair dyed a bright green and had it up in a Mohawk. He had a nose piercing, not to mention the few dozen more piercings in his ears.
"Hey there, Sam," he smiled and waved.
"Hey Nathaniel," Sam smiled back and motioned to Danny, "This is my friend, Danny. First time in the wonderful word of Goth accessories."
"Ah," Nathaniel nodded his head in understanding, "I got some more bracelets and earrings in, so enjoy yourself."
"Always," Sam grinned and walked Danny around the store looking at the different shirts and accessories. Danny felt unnerved by the whole experience, he wasn't used to the store or to the other punks and Goths surrounding him. He did notice a few other people who seemed to be under no labels, just regular people walking around, looking at the different shirts.
"Danny, lighten up," Sam jabbed him lightly in the stomach, "Goths and punks aren't the only ones that shop here, you know."
"I see that," he nodded and looked at the shirts to his side.
"Danny, what do you think?" Sam held up a pink shirt that had a 'My Little Pony' on it and plastered a smile on her face, "Is it me?"
"You're scaring me, Sam," he said in a rushed voice and his eyes wide open.
"I thought so," she nodded and put the shirt down.
Suddenly, from the back of the store, one of the aisles of bodices and jewelry tipped over. Clothes and items went flying all around the small store and Danny covered Sam with his body to protect her from any debris. When they both looked up, there stood Desire. He had a huge grin on his face and looked around the store as if he was looking for something or someone in particular.
"Ghost time," Danny growled and looked at Sam who had daggers in her eyes while she spotted the ghost, "Sam?"
"I know," she looked to her side to see that Nathaniel and the others probably ran to the back room. She shoved Danny to her side and into a changing room.
"I'm going Ghost!" Danny shouted and transformed, flying back out of the changing room passing by Sam and rushing toward Desire, "Sam, get out of here."
"Like that's going to happen," Sam scoffed and got the thermos out from her bag that was slung over her shoulder.
Danny didn't even have time to look over his shoulder to check if Sam did as she was asked. He flew fast toward Desire and punched him directly in the gut before the ghost saw him. Desire hit the ground and looked up at the ghost-boy.
"Well, well, well… I did find you here," he chuckled, "How are you doing these days, halfa? I heard that your friend didn't make it."
"Like you didn't know what would happen," Danny snarled and charged up his hands for a plasma ray, "You killed Tucker. And I made an oath that I made sure you paid for it."
"Oooo… violent now, are we?" the ghost chuckled, but stopped when Danny hit him hard again square in the face with a high energy plasma ray, "Okay, enough playing."
Desire created a large blast and shot it directly at Danny, crashing him into a far wall. Danny slid down the wall and hit one of the displays of a few dozen-fairy shirts. As Desire charged for another shot he was hit from behind with a purple colored plasma ray.
"Get away from here, ghost!" Valerie shouted from her jet sled, "Or I will make you regret the day you died."
"I never died, because I never lived," Desire roared and hit her off of her sled and into some comforters and pillowcases at the corner of the store. Valerie hit the back wall pretty hard and twisted her ankle. Desire stood over her and began to glow with a bright light, "Let's see if we can't rejoin you with your late friend."
"Get away from her," Danny tackled Desire from behind, making them both intangible and flew through the sidewall and into the next store over.
Valerie struggled to get back up, but fell back down a few times. Sam ran over to her and handed her a few torn pieces of clothing and a couple of metal bars from the broken racks for a splint, "Here."
"Why are you doing this for me?" Valerie asked from behind the mask, fearful that Sam may all ready now who she was, "You don't even know me."
"I don't want to see anyone get hurt," Sam replied and tied off Valerie's leg, "Now, don't move."
"Wait! Where are you going?" Valerie asked as Sam ran out of the Hot Topic store and saw her Goth friend barely dodged a plasma ray coming at her, "God… Sam, be careful."
Danny fired a few dozen shots at Desire and missed all but two shots in the specter's side, "Not as good of a dodge as I am, Desire. Give up."
"Give up when I faired so well last time?" Desire snickered and rushed forward, pinning Danny to the wall, "Tell me… because I am quite curious. You want to see your friend again? What exactly would you give up to see him alive? To tell him everything you wanted him to know?"
"Like you could help with that," Danny growled, "You're the one that took him away."
"And I can bring him back if that is what you desire," he reached his intangible hand into Danny's chest much like what he had done to Sam before and grabbed a hold of his heart. Danny screamed out in horror and pain as the ice-cold grip tightened in his chest. Desire opened his eyes and saw flashes of Tucker back to normal and strolling the mall with his friends, picking out a tux for the prom with Danny in the fitting room right next to his. He probed deeper into Danny's wants and needs and saw a much deeper desire. One that included the girl in a nice dress, with multicolored lights surrounding her. Desire let go of Danny's heart and glided back from the ghost boy for a moment.
Danny tried to recover quickly, gripping at his chest and looked up at the ghost, "Don't do that again…"
"I was wondering, to get back your lost friend… would you give her to me in his place?" Desire turned his head to the side and Danny followed his gaze until it landed on Sam who was holding the Fenton thermos.
"Sam," Danny whispered. Desire chuckled and shot a large beam directly at Sam. She saw the beam heading directly for her, but just like before, she felt frozen in place. Her legs wouldn't operate and she felt like she was cemented to the ground. Danny took off like a shot and raced toward Sam. He grabbed her around the waist and tackled her down to the floor and away from the blast.
"That's exactly what I thought," Desire smiled to himself and disappeared in a flash.
Danny looked down at his best friend that was now pinned beneath him. He took her face in his hands and looked into her eyes, "Sam, you okay?"
"I'm fine, Danny. Thank you," she said sincerely and saw Danny take a huge sigh of relief.
He turned around to find that Desire was gone and he dropped his head back to Sam and helped her up, "I thought I told you to get out of here."
"You should have known that I don't follow orders very well," she brushed herself off and watched as he turned back into regular Danny, careful that no one could see him, "Especially when one of my friends are in danger."
"I have super powers, you don't!" he leaned toward her, pointing to his own chest.
"That doesn't mean that you are unbeatable, Danny!" Sam yelled back at him, "I was trying to help you!"
"Well, don't!" he turned away from her in frustration.
"Why not?" she stood behind him, her rage growing.
"I'm the hero here, I got to protect you."
"Is that it? Because you got the hero ego on your brain? 'Look at me, I got the super powers, so I gotta save everybody! Screw my own well-being!' You're important too, Danny," Sam argued from behind his back.
"No, that's not it."
"Then what is it?" she turned him around so she could see his eyes and found his face was worried… even sad. He took a deep breath and it looked like he was trying to hold something back, when he just blurted it out
"Because I care about you too much! Okay?" he sighed and ran a hand through his hair. He closed his eyes to compose himself once again. Once he opened them he found Sam staring at him with a confused and surprised look on her face. He looked up at the ceiling and couldn't believe what he had just said. With another deep breath he looked back down at the floor and kicked at a piece of debris from the fight.
"Let's just find Valerie and go home, okay?" he whispered and Sam just nodded.
They made it over to the food court where Valerie finally limped herself over to one of the tables. Sam and Danny came over and looked at her foot, which was now in the proper bandaging and not the crude bandaging that Sam had explained to him only a few moments ago.
"What the heck happened, Val?" Danny asked.
"Let's just say there were some crazy shoppers today," she smiled a bit, "You guys okay?"
"We're all right," Danny nodded.
"No major damage done," Sam mumbled as she traced some wooden gain patterns on the food court table. Danny took a glance look back at her and noticed her eyes were cast downward.
"In that case, if you two don't mind, I'm going to head on home. My dad's outside ready to pick me up. He rushed over as soon as the news bulletin went out that there was a ghost in the mall."
"Okay, we'll talk to you later, Valerie," Sam nodded and hugged her friend as she hobbled out of the mall's front entrance.
"I think we should head home too," Danny said in a low voice. Sam nodded once again and followed him out. They walked in silence all the way back to Danny's house, which wasn't like them at all. Jazz even noticed a slight change in their attitude when they got home as they went to their separate rooms.
Jazz quirked an eye brow and set down the newspaper she was reading from, "It looks like it is time for another big sister, little brother talk."
Jazz climbed the stairs and walked by Sam's temporary room where the radio was playing some Evanescence and she could also hear Sam's faint voice humming along with the music. She then continued on to Danny's room and lightly tapped on the door.
"Yeah?" came the faint reply and she opened the door and popped her head in.
"Can we talk?" she asked.
"Do I ever have a choice with you?" Danny smirked and she took that as a yes and closed the door behind her. He was on his bed, staring at the ceiling and trying to count the small dots in the texture.
"What's going on between you and Sam?" she blurted out as she took a seat in Danny's desk chair and sat by his bed. That was Jazz for you, straight to the point.
"Nothing," Danny said and looked at her, "Don't worry about it."
"I worry when you aren't talking to the only best friend you have left," Jazz nodded her head in her explanation, "You two left here with Valerie and couldn't stay away from one another, and you come home and go straight to your separate rooms. Usually you two are up here together watching some TV."
Danny sighed and sat up, "There was a ghost attack at the mall today. It was the same ghost that killed Tucker."
"Oh my… was anyone hurt?" Jazz asked as she moved herself to the bed to comfort her brother.
"Valerie got her ankle sprained, but there was nothing real serious," Danny looked out the window and could faintly hear Sam beginning to sing along with Amy Lee on her radio, "Sam almost got hurt. I saved her just in time… and I yelled at her for trying to help."
"Why?"
"Because I don't want to see her hurt, Jazz," Danny got up from his bed and stood at the foot of it, "I know she has been ghost hunting by my side from the very beginning. But after Tucker, I don't want to loose her too. She means a lot to me, not that other people don't. She's all I got left. Sure, there's Valerie and you and Mom and Dad. But…but…"
He put his hand to his head in frustration. He didn't know how to explain it, especially to his sister. Sam was special and she meant so much to him that it hurt, but he didn't know how to put it in words.
"You love her, Danny," Jazz said softly from the bed and she smiled at her brother who did a complete one-eighty and looked at her square in the eyes.
"Wha- what?" he grabbed the footboard of his bed and tried to catch his breath.
"It's different," Jazz laughed and helped her brother back to his bed, "The way you feel about her, I mean. She's different from everyone else around you. I've seen it in the way you look and act around her. You had to realize it sometime, Danny. I just hope that you can get it through your thick skull that people who care about you will risk everything to help you. People who love you will gladly put their lives on the line to make sure you will get home safe. That includes Sam."
Danny fell back on his bed. The realization had come fast and swift like a hard punch to the jaw. Yeah, he knew he had a crush on Sam. He knew that he felt something past what 'just friends' would allow. He was in love with Sam and he now could admit it to himself, thanks to his sister. But to say it to Sam… how was he going to pull that off?
'Great, I can fight ghosts from another dimension, but I can't tell my best friend that I love them?' Danny sighed and looked at Jazz, "So what's your advice?"
"Hey, I'm doing an internship to become a doctor, not a psychiatrist," Jazz threw her hands up.
"Jazz!" Danny whined.
Jazz got off his bed and went toward the door, "Look Danny, as a sister, I say that you follow what your heart tells you. Yeah, you don't want her to get hurt. But she's not going to let you go out there all by yourself. You just got to deal with the fact that she will always be in as much danger as the rest of us. She has to deal with the fact that you are in that mortal danger constantly… knowing that you are out there fighting for her and she can't do one, single thing to help."
Danny cringed at the things he said to her, 'I have super powers! You don't!'
"Just take it slow, huh?" Jazz asked from the doorway and Danny nodded. She closed the door behind her and passed by Sam's room to hear another song come over the radio and Sam still singing along with it. Jazz smiled and continued down the stairs to finish her paper and get dinner ready.
Unknown to Jazz or Danny, Sam was having the same turmoil in her own head. She knew that she loved Danny. More so than a friend… Even if she didn't want to prove Jenna right at work, she couldn't deny it in her head. And now to know what he said… it was confusing as hell and she didn't know how to take it. Maybe she would talk with Jazz after work the next day. It would help her get things off her chest and out in the open.
She began to whisper to herself under the sound of the radio, "This would be a hell of a lot easier if he wasn't my best friend…"
A/N: And next chapter... complete. Yeah, I'm proud of myself. I can write like heck if I have the right muse. And right now that is Danny and Sam. Okay. Now on to write my next chapter. If I am good neough I might be able to finish it tonight or tomorrow morning... hm...