Links in the Chain
By Lacey52
.o.O.o.o.O.o.
A note: I have never felt so loved in my entire life. You people are amazing and I love you all! Never have I been so inspired to work on a story and its all because how much you boost my confidence level and how much love you've been showing me. Because you show me love, I want to write for you all, and thus, poof another chapter shall appear! Amazing how that works, isn't it?
Alright, down to the nitty-gritty:
I just realized I haven't put up a disclaimer, so, henceforth this disclaimer shall blanket my entire work, previous chapters included:
I do not own Danny Phantom, or anything thereby affiliated, nor do I own any product, show, book, or other item, idea, place, or persons mentioned in this fan-fiction, unless they are created by myself as a way to move the story forward. Thank you, that is all.
And last thing! This is a dream chapter, you'll know when the dream starts and when it ends hopefully, and don't hate me, but it's supposed to leave you a little confused. Just enjoy it for what it is and don't analyze it. It's a dream-memory, if that helps any!
.o.O.o.o.O.o.
Chapter Eight: Interlude: Dream Games
.o.O.o.o.O.o.
The so called 'all-nighter' that Tucker had called for had turned into an 'until two-ish' game night, both boys being worn out from the escapades at school, and of course the interesting phone conversations they had.
For Tucker, two conversations with his best friends had wiped him out. They were worried and stressing over the what-ifs, not that he could blame them. What had happened to Sam had deeply affect him and Danny, and in reality the entire school. People who had been friends were suddenly worst enemies, which was one of the saddest things to come out of the fifth grade fight.
Really, Tucker was worried as well, but nothing had happened as of yet, and since he and his friends couldn't predict the future, there was no point in stressing out over what might happen. Tucker, happy with his conclusion about the situation, was asleep as soon as he turned off his computer and got into bed.
For Danny, themessing aroundat school, fight with the Box Ghost, and talk with Tucker had been extremely draining, even though he was in such good shape. It was really more mental than anything else. Memories from elementary and middle school washed over him, even as he played on-line with Tucker. At about 1:50 in the morning, Danny couldn't take it anymore and decided that being unconscious was a better option than trying to get lost in a game.
Of course, he had to visit Sam first, or he really wouldn't have been able to get to sleep. At 2:27, he slipped back into his house, feeling slightly better about what was happening, relieved that tonight she had been asleep and not wanting to talk as she had a few times before. Danny fell onto his bed and didn't even bother to change out ofhis day clothes, only kicking off his shoes as an afterthought.
Tossing and turning, the halfa couldn't quite settle himself, but fell asleep none-the-less, his last thoughts on Sam and some of the better memories of their childhood. As he slept a tiny smile tugged on the corner of his lips, and the blessed release from the stress he was feeling finally came…
.o.O.o.o.O.o.
"Danny," a child's voice called. It was so familiar, and made him feel good, happy...
"Danny," it came again, but this time things were slightly more in focus. The background noise of the elementary cafeteria was a major contrast to the lilting voice so close to his side.
"Danny," it was Sam, only…not, "Hey, you awake?"
"Huh?" he turned to face her, a smiling face of about eight or nine years old coming into his slightly blurred vision as he shook the cobwebs from his mind, "I'm up! I'm up!"
A giggle sounded from his best friend as she poked his shoulder and scolded him about falling asleep so easily, "If you didn't stay up 'til eleven at night you wouldn't be falling asleep all the time!"
He observed her for a moment, as he blinked his way back into conciousness. Same face, same hair, but different clothes and no dark makeup. A dark blue t-shirt with a picture of a black puppy was halfway covered by the overalls Sam had on, onestrap unbuckled and the other twisted. Her hair was still up in the green ponytail she so adored, but looked a bit longer than it normally was. The swish, swish he heard came from the jean material of her overall coveredlegspassing each other as she swung her feet.
'I can swing my feet too,' he thought fora moment, copying her action and feeling just like a kid again.
"Yeah really," came another boy's voice, only it wasn't Tucker. Tucker was sitting across from him happily snacking on his turkey and cheese sandwich his mother had made him, same as always,"But staying up is kinda' cool, especially when your mom and dad don't catch you."
He knew that voice. He had that person in a couple of classes throughout his life, but to have Sam and Tucker and him sitting at a lunch table….it had to be third grade, 'Wait third grade? I'm...I'm dreaming...I think.'
"Yeah Dash," he answered back, just like he had when they had been friends, "It's a lot of fun, there's lots of cool movies on T.V. that late at night!"
Tucker then swallowed his mouthful and started talking to him as Sam and Dash laughed about something and sent tiny glances in Danny's direction. He caught Sam watching him, and knew what they were planning.
They were always planning, but Sam was just too easy to read. She was an open book, not just with her face and voice, but her feelings were so strong. And she was definitely feeling mischievous right now.
Dash and Sam had a game of sorts. Danny and Sam's 'connection' was no secret around the school and people loved the games that the pair played. Hide'n'seek was no longer an option for them, so other games had been invented by the kids in their neighborhood and those they saw at recess.
This one, though, was one of his favorite.
Sam began to set it up. Sometimes it was books, sometimes it was a milk carton, but more often than not, it was her bottle of water.
She edged her arm towards the bottle, which Dash had set right on the edge of the table. The closer she got her hand to it, the more the feeling of happy and silly grew from her and Danny found himself smiling just because she was feeling it so strongly.
Strong emotions from Sam were like a giant neon sign telling Danny exactly what was going on with her in the back of his mind. Tucker liked to call it 'Sam-dar', like the radar he had been learning about from his dad. He called it 'Dan-dar' for Sam, because she could feel the same.
Right now, it was at the level when she was almost succeeding, where her anxiousness and nervousness came into play….
'Wait for it,' Danny coached himself, 'let her get just a little closer…and…now!'
His hand shot out to grab the bottle away from her, just as she went to push it over the edge of the table, "Come on Sam, you thought you could actually get one past me today?"
Sam pouted as she turned back to Dash, "I told you I wouldn't be able to do it, he isn't distracted by anything good."
Dash and Danny just laughed as Tucker nearly chocked on his sandwich, "Hey I was talking to him! You just called me not good!"
Of course, Sam just retaliated by sticking her tongue out at the boy, "I didn't mean it that way Tucker!
"Don't fight guys," Danny cut in, smiling and generally glowing from the happiness and affection he felt coming from Sam. There was also a little…would that be pride, mixed in? Yeah, she was proud of him for catching her, "We're friends, right? Friends don't get mad."
"Nope," Tucker laughed, "They get even!"
"You couldn't think up anything good enough to get even with Sam," Dash frowned, but it quickly flipped back into a smile, "Besides you're too afraid of her to try anything."
"So? You are too," Tucker pouted as he bit off more of his sandwich.
Danny just laughed and turned to smile at Sam, who was already beaming at him, "I told Dash I wouldn't be able to trick you today and knock the bottle off the table. You always catch me."
Danny shrugged and nudged her with his shoulder, "Not always. Sometimes I'm being dumb and thinking about something else."
"That's not being dumb," Sam wrinkled her nose, but it was all starting to fade out for Danny, becoming less clear and sounding distant, "You can't think about me all the time."
"Yes I can," his third-grade self smiled back at her, "I'll always be thinkin' about you…'cause you're right here in my h…"
.o.O.o.o.O.o.
"Danny," it was a voice. A girl again…
"Danny," and it was getting clearer, as was the sound of a television and multiple inventions down in the basement of his house
"Danny, wake up!" it was Jazz, his oh so beloved sister.
"Dunwanna'," came his slurred reply as he rolled over and flipped a pillow over his head, "Go 'way, Jazz…"
"Oh, come on, it's already one in the afternoon," Jazz dutifully grabbed her brother's legs and began to pull him off his bed, "Don't you want to go and see Sam and Tucker? I'm sure they're both already awake and ready to start all those summer plans you three always make."
Danny sat up finally as Jazz sat on the edge of his bed, tired of pulling on him, "We didn't make any plans yet. Only ones I know of are, Sam wants to go to a concert and take us with her, and I made Sam promise that she wouldn't abandon me at the Fourth of July thing Mom and Dad are planning on setting up."
Jazz smiled knowingly at her little brother, who wasn't exactly little anymore, 'Only got plans with Sam, huh? I knew it.'
What she said though was completely different of course, "Oh, I see. So you and Sam made plans to be alone and bumped off Tucker, I gotcha'."
Or maybe they weren't so different. Sisters have a habit of picking on their siblings at any given opportunity and Danny, in his sleep-addled state, had set himself up.
"Get out," Danny grumbled playfully as he gently smacked his sister with his pillow, "I'll be down after I get a shower."
"See ya' then, lover boy," Jazz taunted playfully, laughing all the way downstairs. Danny just yawned and stretched, rubbing the sleep from his eyes and preparing himself to actually get up off his bed before he fell asleep again. That wasn't the easiest thing for him to accomplish, mind you.
'I haven't thought about third grade in a long time,' he sighed to himself as he stood and grabbed a change of clothes, 'At least it was a good dream about it. Kinda' a memory...'
A small smile flickered across his lips and eyes, 'And I was pretty smart for only being a third grader. You didn't know it then Sam, but I was right.'
He headed down the hall and took a deep breath, 'You are right here in my head…and my heart.'
Danny turned on the water in the shower and waited for it to warm up, trying to look at his reflection in the mirror and instead seeing a memory or two he wished he could forget, 'I just wish things between you and me and Dash had turned out differently. He was actually a good guy once upon a time.'
Steam began to fill the bathroom, fogging up the mirror, 'But 'once upon a time' only happens in fairy tales and dreams these days for me. It's got to turn out good. After all I've been through the past few years, I deserve it. Even if I have to make it myself, I'm going to have a happy ever after.'
And with that last thought firm and fresh in his mind, Danny got ready to meet the day, or rather what was left of it. Such was his life though, he chuckled to himself, "And I wouldn't have it any other way."