Links in the Chain
By Lacey52
.o.O.o.o.O.o.
A note: Um…the movies I'm talking about are totally fake and made up for me to just let Danny and Sam jabber about. Hope you guys like the chapter…it's longer than normal!
Edit! I can't believe I did that...Sam would never have real leather shoes! They're imitation...and I was going to put canvas...but I think imitation is a better substitution and one she would find more commonly and advocate.
.o.O.o.o.O.o.
Chapter Twenty Four: Dealing
.o.O.o.o.O.o.
"Yeah, I hear you Jazz!" Danny yelled down the stairs as he scooped up the rambunctious puppy before he could tumble down them….again, "I'll get the phone in a sec', tell Sam to hold on!"
"I don't think she's gonna' be too happy!" she called back annoyed, "She's mumbling something about a boot and introducing you to it!"
"Alright, alright," Danny came down the stairs, Matches in hand, or rather in arm. He had grown a bit in the weeks since the birthday party, "I'm here already! Gimme' that, and you," he smiled as he sat Matches down, "be good."
"I'm being good," Sam replied through the phone, "What? Did you think I was doing something bad?"
"Uh…" Danny's face colored quicker than Jazz thought possible, "Um, no?"
Jazz burst out laughing at Danny's reaction to whatever Sam had said and began to pester her brother, before he finally got tired of it and pushed her out of the living room, 'Can I possibly embarrass myself more? No, wait! I didn't mean that! Oh please, oh please, don't let me anything prove me wrong!'
"So," Sam began the conversation anew, not quite sure what had just transpired between brother and sister to have them yelling and laughing and fighting for the past two minutes, "Are you ready for your English test, or do I need to tutor you, again?"
"No, no," Danny leaned against the couch and smiled at the puppy's antics, as he slid across the floor and wound up upside down against the boy's feet, "Matches has been helping me, though it's more like helping distract me rather than help me study."
"Well, I just wanted to make sure," Sam laughed, "because if you had said you needed help, you would have cheated yourself out of a movie night. Tucker just called me and asked if we could get together for a break from studying."
"Score! Movie nights rock," Danny smiled, before coming down slightly, "Uh, I just remembered…I'm supposed to stay home tonight. Mom and Dad are in the wigwam thingy and are 'Not to be disturbed under great penalty' and Jazz actually managed to get a date…I'm the only one left to hold down the fort and make sure Matches doesn't decide to chew up anything else around here."
"So, what do you want to do?" he heard her answer back to him. He paused to consider for a moment, but found himself rather distracted once again by Matches, who had decided that one of the throw pillows was his new chew toy, "Danny? What do you want to do?"
"Huh?" he wrestled the pillow from the pup, "Oh, uh, you guys mind coming over here to watch the movies? I mean, I know Tucker will be disappointed at not getting to use your theater, but I don't want to give up a chance at movies with you…two. Both of you, that's what I meant!"
'Oh great,' Danny smacked a hand onto his forehead, hoping the sound didn't make it in the phone receiver, 'That was just great…now what's she gonna' think? I can't believe I said that, real good thing I threw the word 'two' in at the end…like she didn't notice it…'
'Okay,' Sam's eyes widened slightly, feeling something from her halfa, but not quite able to make out what it was, 'Wonder what he's thinking…I can't believe he actually said that…was it a slip of the tongue? Did he mean it? I mean I did notice it, but then he added Tucker in at the end…"
"Uh," Sam scrambled for something ordinary, normal, safe to say, "So we should just meet at your house. Right, I'll just call Tucker back then and let him know."
"Right," Danny answered her quickly, thankful for her ability to smooth over awkward situations, "you call him and I'll get the popcorn and movies out, unless you've got one to bring?"
"Nope," Sam shook her head on her own side, even though Danny couldn't see, "You're old movies are just fine. Tonight feels like a classics night anyway."
A tiny, playful growl and a tug at the bottom of his pants had Danny looking down with a frown, "Cool Sam, but I gotta' go. Matches is getting bored and decided to play chew-on-Danny. See you guys in an hour?"
"Yep," Sam smiled, "See ya' then. Bye."
"Bye," and Danny quickly deposited the phone back in it's holder to drop down beside the puppy and begin a tug of war match with one of his socks.
'Hope I don't really need that sock, it's gonna' get ripped to shreds,' Danny grinned happily as he and the pup went back and forth. Sometimes the puppy gained ground, but more often than not Danny was dragging Matches around and making patterns on the ground with the dog.
"Come on Matches," Danny finally stood up and headed towards the kitchen, puppy following after him faithfully, "let's go get things ready for those two. You get to see Sam. You remember her?"
Matches' ears perked up at the mention of the girl's name, head cocking to the side as he looked around in anticipation. Nose sniffing and tail twitching, the puppy seemed to smile as Danny watched in amusement. On the phone with Tucker, Sam chuckled quietly to herself away from the mouthpiece; something was entertaining her other best friend…
.o.O.o.o.O.o.
"And pencil's down. Please pass your test booklets and scan-tron papers to the front of the row," Lancer's calm voice crashed over the class as the thirty minutes allotted for their English exam come to a close, "Fred Baisley, would you mind collecting the tests for me?"
"Yes sir," Fred stood and began to gather the tests. A voice, however, caused him to pause for a second as the intercom linked to the main office crackled to life.
"Mr. Lancer," an office-aid called, "would you please come to the office for a few minutes? The principal requests your presence at an important meeting."
"I am currently in the middle of class," Mr. Lancer stood facing the intercom system, "Can this not wait until this period is over?"
"No sir, I'm afraid you are needed immediately for an emergency meeting."
"Watership Downs," Lancer shook his head, "are we planning a raid or something? I'll be right there, thank you."
As Lancer headed out of the class, Danny turned to Sam and began to converse about the movies the trio had watched the night before. Chattering away, the two didn't notice as they began to complete their sentences for one another more and more rapidly until they were almost speaking as if one person was talking. Ten minutes later had the two halfway through the second movie they had watched with Tucker.
"…and then that guy went to grab the dog, but it decided to take off…"
"…through his legs, yeah, and then it was so fake the way the special effect guys decided to…"
"…add in that totally bogus effect? Wasn't it great? I always wanted to try and climb up the…"
"…water tower, yeah me too. I can't believe they managed to fit a dinosaur into the story line, but that was just to create a more tense atmosphere, even though it had no other purpose than to torture the villagers…"
"Aw, but torturing villagers can be pretty cool, besides they deserved it after…"
"Hey," a voice interrupted them, "Will you two shut up and stop doing that? It's weird."
"What?" they both turned at the same time in confusion, then whipped their heads back to one another to stare in shock, realizing what their classmate was referring to. Sam blushed and muttered something under her breath, as Danny took stock of the classroom around them.
A few kids had their noses in their texts, diligently ignoring the situation that was rapidly forming around them. Others were staring in open shock at the display the two had just unknowingly put on, looking from girl to boy in disbelief. A handful of kids, however, were eyeing the two with a nervous, and yet somehow hungry look, that had Danny on edge.
'Okay,' Danny took a breath to keep his nerves and emotions in check, 'if they start anything, I can finish it, even if it means suspension…but talking first. Talking is good…'
"What were you two losers doing anyways?" one of the more popular girls sneered in their direction, "You sounded like you knew what the other was thinking…"
"Yeah," another kid joined in, "like back in the old days, when you two used to be psychics…"
"We weren't psychic," Danny eyed the other kids around him and Sam, "We just played games. You guys remember, the rigged guessing game on the playground…?"
"Yeah that's what Foley told everyone. He said it was all a big prank, that the two of you had everything set up," the girl began again, "but you know…some of us think that Foley is a liar."
"I don't know why you think that," Sam rolled her eyes as she sank further into her desk, 'Tucker couldn't lie his way out of a wet, tree destroying, paper bag.'
"Maybe he would try if he was doing it for his two best friends," the boy who had originally cut into their conversation stood up and chimed in, "Ya' know, the whole 'losers stick together' thing?"
"Just leave Tucker out of it. He was telling the truth, all those old games," Danny shook his head and stood up, "they were just that. Games."
"I don't think I'd talk to me that way if I were you," the boy cracked his knuckles.
"I'll talk however I want, and…"
"Is there a problem gentlemen?" Lancer's stern voice stopped both boys in their tracks.
"No sir," Danny said through clenched teeth, sitting back down stiffly, "We were just having a friendly little debate."
"Is that so, Mr. Fenton?" the vice-principle turned to the other boy, "Is that right Mr. Dillinger, would you agree?"
"Uh, yes sir," he nodded, his fists balling slightly as they hung by his side. An undisguised look was sent Danny and Sam's way though, clearly stating, 'I am not happy.'
"Good then you will sit. Down. Now. Class please turn in your text to page three hundred and forty," and Lancer was back in front of the chalk board, continuing the next part of their lesson.
"Pst," a noise caught Danny's attention, one of the football boys calling him, "That wasn't a wise move, Fenton. Don't try to pull it again, or your little girlfriend might get hurt."
"Shut up," Sam crossed her arms, "I can hear you, you know, and besides I'm not his girlfriend."
"You shut up," another girl hissed back at Sam, "You are such a freak!"
"Sarah Grayson," Lancer's voice called out, "Would you like to share something with the class?"
"No, sir, Mr. Lancer," Sarah replied sweetly, "I was just…asking for Sam's notes. Isn't that right, Sam?"
"Nope," Sam smirked, pretending to pick at a piece of lint on her shirt.
"Ms. Grayson, please keep to the lying to a minimum," Lancer frowned, "else wise, be ready to attend detention."
The rest of the class period passed in silence, though Danny was starting to dread the hallway after the class, and with good reason. The teasing that had started in the class got worse, though no one got physical. Names calling and verbal barbs were hurled at the pair, but Danny and Sam shot them right back.
"Just shut up already," the halfa said angrily to the boy who had threatened him in class, "I don't care what you think, call me whatever you want. I already put up with it."
"Only losers put up with it," the guy seemed to enjoy stalking them as they walked to their lockers, "So dweeb, do your psychic thing and tell me something."
Danny slammed his locker shut as he turned around to face the boy, a slight crowd already gathering around the two, "Look. I am not psychic, I never was psychic, and I never will be psychic. If you and everyone else had half a brain in your head, you would realize that we never claimed to be psychic, we just claimed to be able to figure out what the other was thinking, sometimes. Sam isn't psychic. I am not psychic. Think you can get that basic concept through your head?"
The boy stood for a moment, face drawn into a frown, while those around him shook their heads at the display. Taking the hint, the Dillinger backed down and turned towards his class in disgust, leaving Sam and Danny standing with a few others.
"Uh," a girl nervously stepped up to the pair, only to be given a disdainful look from them both, "I don't know you, but I've heard about what everyone says happened. I think most of the people around here could care less if you two were really, um do…uh…well whatever you guys do…but guys like Jason Dillinger and Sarah Grayson are just idiots for acting the way they do."
A few of the others who were still around nodded their agreement. It seemed as though Danny and Sam had some support after all.
"Really?" Danny asked, confused, "Are you in our English class or something?"
"Yeah," she nodded her head, "I sit in the back, though…and I'm kinda' quiet most of the time. I just thought you should know that not everyone thinks you being, well, you said you aren't psychic but, whatever it is…not everyone thinks that it's weird, whatever you two have. I mean, I know you said you don't have whatever it is, but I don't think that two second or even third graders could pull off what you claimed you did. And Tucker Foley really couldn't lie to save his life, I have him in sixth, and the whole idea that the two of you pulled some sort of prank for nearly four years is ridiculous, because like I said, a second grader couldn't think that up, but I think I'm just rambling now…"
"Uh-huh," Danny tried to digest everything he heard, "So even if we did have some sort of connection, you aren't all weirded out by it?"
"No, even though it's different, it's nothing to be scared of or to make that big a deal of unless you two wanted to…" the girl blushed as Danny's ice blue gaze rested intensely on her.
"Right," Sam said, face blank, but shock clear in her voice, "I need to get to class…so does everyone else," she stated looking around, "so lets all frolic merrily along to our impending doom…I mean education…"
Danny laughed and nodded as the others moved off laughing as well, the halfa sending a small wave and smile to Sam as they parted ways. Today was shaping up to be interesting, but tonight would make up for it, 'I think things are getting better….oh God, please don't let me jinx myself!'
.o.O.o.o.O.o.
"Explain to me why we're watching this movie again?" Tucker raised his eyebrows as Sam popped the tape into the VCR, "And why couldn't we watch this on DVD at Sam's amazing, awesome, astounding theater?"
"We're watching this again because I want to try and find all the hidden references to other movies," Sam stated calmly.
"We're watching it here because Mom and Dad are still locked in their teepee in the basement and Jazz has some school project that she's working on with a friend. She decided to spend the night, so I have to take care of Matches," Danny rubbed the puppy's belly, "Isn't that right?"
With a yip, the puppy was up and licking Danny's face for all he was worth, "Ack, dog slobber!"
Sam and Tucker both started laughing as the television hummed gently and the movie began. Flicking off the lights with the puppy tucked under his arms, Danny moved back to the couch, stealing the popcorn bowl and sitting beside Sam.
Halfway through the movie, during which all three had been calling out what scene or line or prop was taken from whatever other movie, Sam unlaced her boots and deposited them behind the couch. Turning back to face the movie, she curled up with a pillow and promptly resumed her 'movie parody' hunt.
Matches finally got tired of sitting on the couch with his boy and wiggled desperately until Danny put him down.
At the end of the movie a horrific cry rocked the house as soon as Danny turned the lights back on. Both Maddie and Jack rushed upstairs with ghost equipment in hand. Tucker jumped over the back of the chair he was sitting in and Danny hurtled the couch to where Sam was crouching.
Apparently she was crouching in despair, shock, and anger, or so Tucker noticed as Danny popped back up and backed away rapidly from the small girl as she rose with her boots in hand. Or rather what was left of them…
Matches apparently had a taste for black imitation leather.
"Daniel. James. Fenton!" Sam's face was calm but her voice was anything but, "Your dog just ate my shoes!"
Sam advanced on the poor boy while his parents shook their heads and tried to keep from laughing, quite unlike Tucker who was sitting slumped on the floor with tears of mirth streaming down his face.
"No, wait!" Danny held up his hands to try and fend her off, but his back hit the wall, "What're you going to do?"
"I'm going to strangle you to death with the remains of the only pair of shoes I have here!"
As she stood on her tip toes, trying desperately to go eye to eye with the halfa, but only managing eye to nose, Sam glared for all she was worth, ignoring the flash from a camera that Danny's mother had produced.
"You can't kill me Sam!" Danny smirked wickedly then.
"And why not?" Sam backed off slightly, crossing her arms and tapping her foot as she waited for an explanation.
A small, blue, green, and black coupon book was pulled from the boy's back pocket and quickly flipped through. Page removed and thrust in Sam's face, said girl could only seethe silently as she read the card.
'Get out of trouble free,' Sam ripped the paper to shreds, 'Damn you Danny Fenton! Why did I have to like you enough to go and make you that?'
"I am not walking home," Sam glared. She definitely got her wish as five minutes later, Tucker was gone and she was on her way home, not sure if she should be perturbed or thankful, "Put me down Danny!"
"No way," the boy said over his shoulder at the girl currently riding piggy-back, "You need to get home without walking, I couldn't exactly go ghost in front of my parents and take you, it's not that far to your house and I need the exercise, and Matches needed to go for a walk, right boy?"
After Danny's excessive amount of reasoning, the puppy heard it's name and cocked it's head questioningly. Danny laughed and Sam, enjoying what was happening, decided that thankful was probably the best way to feel.
'Yep,' Danny thought to himself after he dropped Sam off in her room, waited to tuck her in, and then turned to leave with his birthday puppy, 'even if school isn't the best…at least there are people who don't think like those stupid jocks do…things are looking up…I just hope it all lasts.'