A/N: Hello, again! Y'all must be sooo tired of me by now! I'M BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK! And fifteen! XD Heh, Virginia was fun, but we all practically killed each other on the ride home…. ; Anyways, here's the new chapter!

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Chapter 14: April 4, 2009

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I leaned back in the grass, sighing. This was my favorite spot, always had been.

I was in a small forest just outside Amity Park on a hillside. I was surrounded by trees, lying in the middle of a circular, grassy area. Looking up, I could see the sky through a small break in the trees. It was so peaceful here….

I sighed. It was my eighteenth birthday, and I felt horrible. There was going to be a surprise party for me once I got back. I had overheard Tucker talking about it. Sam was supposed to bring me to my house for the party. I had told everyone that I would be out for awhile, and Sam made me promise to come by her house on the way home. No one bothered to ask why I had left.

The thing was, over the past few weeks, the ghosts have gotten smarter, and tougher. I, meanwhile, had gotten more and more stressed. It didn't take much for me to get mad, and it took even less for me to start yelling at the nearest person. I had taken to coming back here to cool down whenever things got too bad around home. No one knew about this spot but me, though I have hinted where it is to Sam. I was going to bring her here someday, so she could see how beautiful and relaxing it was. I knew she'd love it, with all the plants and animals in their natural habitats…. I just had to wait for the--

I gasped as a foot came flying down from the sky. I rolled out of the way just in time, then my ghost sense activated.

"--Perfect timing," I muttered to myself, finishing my previous thought aloud. I looked at the ghost and was shocked to see Plasmius looking back at me.

"What do you want, Plasmius?" I growled, transforming quickly. I ducked under an ectoblast and waited for an answer.

"What do you think I want, son?" he replied, shooting again. I jumped over it.

"My dad as a corpse, my mom as your wife, me as your son, the Packers as your property," I smirked, "and a cat as your only friend cause you're a lonely, single guy in your forties."

"Ha, ha, very funny, Daniel," he said. I winced at the use of my full name, which I still hate. "You're actually right, except the last part, of course. Although there's something you left out."

I thought through what I had just said, then shrugged, stating, "That's all you've ever been after since I met you. Wow, you're obsessive, aren't you?" I smirked again as he glared at me.

"Actually, I have a message for you…."

I narrowed my eyes and looked at him suspiciously. "From who?"

It was his turn to smirk as he replied, "Dan."

I knew by the look on his face that the terror was clearly visible on mine. "Y--you're lying!" I stuttered, horrified.

"Is he?" a new voice asked, one that I had last heard screaming, "Too weak to escape and you're too late to save them!" I looked up, paling, at the face of my future-evil-self-from-an-alternate-universe-and-worst-enemy, Dan Phantom.

I gulped, then asked, albeit shakily, "W--what's the m--message?"

Dan laughed. Never a good sign. I was just about to repeat myself when he finally answered. "You must leave Amity Park, today. Tell no one where you're going because we will kill them if you say where you went. And you'd better leave," he threatened.

"Oh?" I said, glaring at him. "And if I don't?"

"Your girlfriend seems to like her life. It would be very unfortunate for her if it was taken away…."

My eyes widened, and my mouth dried. I tried several times to speak, and on the sixth, I was finally able to whisper, "Y--you… you can't!"

Dan and Vlad chuckled, then Dan said, "Just try me."

I knew they weren't kidding. They were completely serious. If I didn't do as they said, they'd… they'd kill Sam….

I hung my head as my knees gave out beneath me. Crumpling to the floor, I whispered, "Fine, I'll leave, but," I looked up, my eyes pleading, "can I just have a few more minutes?"

"Why?" Dan asked, glaring suspiciously at me.

"To pack some stuff and run by my and Sam's houses so people don't panic."

"You have five minutes to leave," he snapped. "As long as you're outside of a five mile radius in five minutes, Sam lives. If you're still here…."

"Right," I said glumly. They flew off, knowing I would follow their rules. I flew to my house invisibly, grabbed an already-packed bag of clothes, food, and money, some paper, and a pen, and flew back out. I shrunk the bag so it fit in one of the pockets on the strap for the Fenton Thermos. That was a new power I had gotten recently. I took out the paper and wrote, as steadily as I could while my hand was still shaking, a note for Sam. I flew quickly back to my secret spot and put it there, hoping Sam would find it. Then, I flew towards Sam's house, transforming back when I was within a block of it. I ran towards it, away from my house, where Sam thought I was going. She was waiting outside on her porch.

I tried to run by her, but it didn't work. She grabbed my arm, pulling me towards her, looking confused.

"Where are you going?" she asked. "Your house is that way." She pointed in the direction I had come from.

"Sam," I whispered, wishing that some rain would come to hide the tears I was bound to shed, "I'm… I'm sorry." I hung my head, trying to turn away and leave, but she pulled me back.

"What are you talking about?" she said, sounding worried. "Danny, what's going on?"

"I can't tell you!" I said, trying to make her see. "Just… just remember… that place I told you about, that I go to to calm down…. Remember it, Sam!" I could see tears forming in her eyes, something very unusual. I tried desperately to hide my own.

"Danny! Just tell me what you mean!" she cried out, releasing her tears in two silent streams that ran down her face. "Tell me, Danny, please…."

I shook my head, lowering it in grief. This is not going as planned…. "I wish I could…."

"What are you talking about? Danny, what's going on?" she repeated, shaking me by my arm, which she held tight as if afraid I would disappear. I remembered Dan's warning and became frantic.

You have five minutes to leave. As long as you're outside of a five mile radius in five minutes, Sam lives. If you're still here….

I knew the time was almost up. I needed to get out of there!

"Let go of me, Sam," I snapped coldly and harshly.

"What?" she gasped, noticing how stiff I had become. She glanced up at me in confusion, still crying.

"Let GO!" I pulled harshly away from her, nearly hitting her and backing up in fright when she fell of what I had done. "I'm… I'm sorry," I whispered, knowing she probably wouldn't hear it. I turned and ran, feeling mad at myself for what I had done, and hearing Sam on her porch behind me, sobbing as I had begun to cry.

Why? Why me? Why do they always pinpoint me? Why can't they just leave me and my friends and family alone? They've never done anything to them, so why are they the ones in trouble? If the ghosts want me, they should come straight to me, instead of attacking my friends first. If it's a fight they want, ticking me off is just gonna make it worse….

But I dunno how it could get worse….

I transformed and flew as far away as I could, hoping I would see Sam again….

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LYRICS

There's a place off Ocean Avenue Where I used to sit and talk with you We were both 16 and it felt so right Sleeping all day, staying up all night Staying up all night

There's a place on the corner of Cherry Street We would walk on the beach in our bare feet We were both 18 and it felt so right Sleeping all day, staying up all night Staying up all night

If I could find you now things would get betterWe could leave this town and run forever Let your waves crash down on me and take me away

There's a piece of you that's here with me It's everywhere I go, it's everything I see When I sleep, I dream and it gets me by I can make believe that you're here tonight That you're here tonight

If I could find you now things would get betterWe could leave this town and run forever I know somewhere, somehow we'll be together Let your waves crash down on me and take me away

I remember the look in your eyes When I told you that this was goodbye You were begging me not tonight Not here, not now We're looking up at the same night sky And keep pretending the sun will not rise Be together for one more night Somewhere, somehow

If I could find you now things would get better We could leave this town and run forever I know somewhere, somehow we'll be together Let your waves crash down on me and take me away

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A/N: sobs Okay, that one made me cry even more than when 'Rissa died! pulls out tissue and blows nose Anyway, next chappy goes back to present time when--ah, you'll see! BYES, y'all!

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Sneak Peek

Sam stared at the picture in shock. After a few moments, he pulled up the sleeve of his shirt to look at a scar he couldn't remember getting… until today. It started just below his elbow and went to his wrist. It still hurt occasionally, too.

Sam gasped, suddenly noticing something. Their plan, he thought, Sam's in danger! He stood up quickly, about to transform and fly out to find Dan and Vlad when he thought of something else. He ran out of his room, down the hallway, and to Kay's room. He knocked harshly on the door, which opened immediately to reveal a very mad Kay.

"Do you have any idea what time it is?" she growled.

"Uh… no," Sam replied honestly.

"It is three in the freakin' mornin'!"

"Well, sorry. Look, Kay, I've got to leave, a 'right?"

Kay softened and looked at him in sympathy. "You remembered, didn't you?" Sam nodded. "Awww, poor Sammy!"

"Don't call me that," Sam said, blushing. "Look, I… I need you to do something for me, okay?"

"Yeah, what do you want me to do?"

"If I'm not back by… eight this morning, show Sam the part of the exhibit we blocked off. You didn't put up all the pictures of MG, did you?"

Kay shrugged. "There wasn't enough room."

"Take down the pictures of Marissa and put up the rest of the pictures of MG."

Kay smiled slightly. "Just say it."

Sam gave her a withering look, sighed, then said, "The pictures of… Sam."

Kay grinned broadly and hugged Sam, whispering, "Good luck. You can beat 'em… Danny." She let go, smiled again, sniffled, then shut the door in his face.