Links in the Chain
By Lacey52

.o.O.o.o.O.o.

A note: You guys have been so wonderfully understanding of my leave of absence! I love you all and thank you all so much for your congratulations on my engagement. I've been so busy I haven't really had time to sit down and write, and let me tell you, I've felt terribly guilty about it!
I feel so bad about not getting this up sooner. I tried to post it on Wednesday evening, like I said I would, but the server was apparently down or overloaded. FF kept giving me a 'temorary timeout' message...I hate those things. Anywho, after that I couldn't get back on the internet until today, which is the day the boy left. (sighs and sniffles) Really it's no excuse for me not keeping my word and having this posted, but I just thought ya'll should know why it wasn't up until now.
Seriously though, thank you all for your continuing support and encouragement and love! I hope you enjoy and lots of love to everyone! Oh…almost forget…there's a tiny (and I really do mean tiny) Ranma reference if you can catch it! Disclaimer still applies...have fun you guys and Happy New Years!
Oooo...and I don't think I did the little um...conversation between the two guys very well...you'll know when you get there...but, eh, it's mah story and that's how it needed to happen...(shrugs)

.o.O.o.o.O.o.

Chapter Twenty Six: Revelry

.o.O.o.o.O.o.

'Halloween,' Sam thought to herself as she watched the people mill around her, 'has got to be one of my least favorite holidays.'

As she sighed for the fifth time, Danny turned to her and took out his fake teeth. Being a vampire was fun, but had it's disadvantages, like not being able to talk clearly as he had already found out, "What's wrong with you? It's all dark and spooky. I thought you'd like it here."

"Really," Tucker chimed in, "I mean, you do the whole dark, Goth girl thing…"

"It isn't that the party is bad," Sam shook her head, "It's that it's gotten commercialized. I mean, it isn't as bad as Christmas and I still love that holiday, but I just never thought that this one would be so…."

Sam paused as the third girl in a way too revealing costume walked by, catching both Danny and Tucker's eye. Danny though, turned back to Sam almost immediately, "So oversexed?"

Sam could only nod to Danny as she watched Tucker try yet again to talk to one of the scantily clad girls and fail miserably, 'Will he ever get the hint? If he only hit on one or two girls, they might give him a chance, but nooooo, he has to be a boy and hit on anything with decently sized breasts. Maybe I should talk to him….though I doubt he'd listen.'

"He tries a little too hard, doesn't he?" the halfa whispered to her, "I mean, he seems to like every girl…."

"Who knows," Sam shrugged and smiled tiredly at their friend, "maybe he does? I'm a one person type of gal myself, but maybe Tucker enjoys being seen as a wanna-be player?"

Danny couldn't help but laugh as he watched Tucker nearly get slapped. The girls he was choosing certainly wouldn't take anything less than someone on the 'A-List' as they were all members of it themselves. Danny could only wonder if he had been that blind with Paulina.

'Guess I just got caught up,' he sighed as he turned to look at Paulina, who was standing in a rather…less-than-appropriate pirate costume, 'She's nice to look at, but that's about it. She can be nice, though. Maybe someday she'll realize that there's more important things in life than looks and money…'

Danny and Sam watched as Paulina reached out and took a pirate patch from a girl's face before removing her hat and laughing about how second rate the poor girl looked compared to herself. The girl walked out of the room calmly, but with tears starting to trickle down her cheeks, 'Or maybe she won't ever learn that.'

"Are you still pining over Paulina?" Sam crossed her arms angrily, "God, Danny. I thought you were finally getting a brain. I guess you still think with your pants."

"What?" Danny turned back to the girl, a strong feeling of anger and jealousy knotting in his stomach, 'Jealous? Sam's jealous of Paulina? This could be a good thing…but not right now. Damage control, Fenton, damage control!'

"You can't even listen to me when she's in the same room," Sam shook her head, "I don't know why I bother trying."

"I wasn't staring at her that way," Danny tried to convince her, "I was just thinking how she'll never learn."

"Right," Sam rolled her eyes and turned to leave the room, "I can't believe I let you talk me into coming to this thing. 'No,' you said, 'They wouldn't come to this. It's not the 'A-List' type of party.' Ha! Not their type of party my a…"

"Sam, right?"

The disembodied voice floated through the air as several cans of spray paint entered the room and Sam was raised up in the air. Several people dropped their drinks and plates and fled the room. Others passed out. They weren't the bravest of people obviously.

"Uh," Sam looked down at Danny who shrugged and glance at the cans, "Yeah. Is this Huey?"

"Yeah," the ghost melted back into view with a smile, "it is. I'm glad you remember me. I've been thinking about finding you and decided it would be cool for a ghost to visit on Halloween."

Huey's smile grew larger and he winked at the girl in his arms, "Great costume by the way. Nice colors and awesome design. That character, it's Emily, right?"

"Yeah," Sam nodded and tentatively smiled back, "I kinda' liked the character, so I thought I'd try the costume…I'm not really into Halloween though…"

"Oh," Huey's face melted and the cans flew in closer, which prompted Danny to change and made a grimace appear on the halfa's face, "So I guess it was kinda' lame for me to drop in then?"

"No," Sam hurriedly tried to appease him, "I'm flattered really, but uh, do you think you could put me down? It's really weird floating with you like this. No offense, but I don't know you too well…"

"Okay," he said with a smile and set her back on the ground, but much father away from Danny and with him between her and the halfa, "So, you wanna' blow this place and do something else? Something actually fun?"

"Well, I uh," Sam trailed off. This party wasn't her idea of fun, and Huey really was a nice ghost. The look on Danny's face though, and the feelings that crashed into her as soon as she paused to consider his offer, decided her answer, "I don't think that would be a good idea Huey."

"Well, why not?" he frowned, "That stupid halfa was just bothering you when I got here. You even said he wouldn't listen to you and you were really upset about being here…"

"It's not that I don't want to leave the party Huey," Sam tried to word her thoughts carefully, lest she make this seemingly friendly ghost upset, "I just don't think I should. I mean, what if something happened and no one knew how to get a hold of me, or if I got in trouble for not being where my parent's think I'm at?"

'Okay,' Sam thought to herself, 'so it isn't the truth exactly, but it is slightly true…I mean, what if something happened to me because of Huey and no one knew? What if someone needed me for something or Danny ran into a ghost he needed help with? What if Tucker finally gets himself beaten into unconsciousness and needs a doctor?'

"Oh," Huey seemed disappointed and the paint cans lowered to the floor, "Well, maybe I could see you another time? I'd really like to talk with you again…um, without the halfa or the other kid around. You know…like a date kinda' thing…"

Sam was flattered, but didn't particularly want the attention, "Huey, that's sweet and all, but I don't think it'd really work out, me being alive and all. Besides, I kinda' like someone else right now."

"You do?" Huey asked, his face dropping as he too came to rest on the floor like his paint cans.

"You do?" Danny's voice and face and feelings caught Sam off-guard. Happy, hopeful, anxious, jealous. It was such a strange mixture and rather powerful.

"I asked her first," Huey turned his eyes to Danny then, "Besides, she wasn't too happy with you a minute ago, so why don't you butt out?"

"I think you need to leave," Danny eyed the paint cans as they began to levitate once again, "I'm kinda' tired of this and I need to apologize to Sam."

"I don't think she wanted you around a minute ago," Huey frowned even deeper, "Sam was really upset with you."

"Hello, 'Sam' is right here," said girl pointed to herself and stepped between the boys who seemed to be facing off, "Both of you knock it off. Huey, I was upset with Danny but I got over it. I just needed a minute to cool down. Danny, I can handle this myself, but I appreciate knowing I have backup."

Both boys seemed shocked to see her standing between them and she took the opportunity to brush the spray paint cans aside and shake her head. 'Boys,' she rolled her eyes and stepped a little closer to the door.

"I'm gonna' head home you guys," Sam smiled at their flabbergasted faces, "I'll see ya' when I see ya' Huey. Talk to you tonight Danny. Please play nice, you two."

When Sam had finally made her way outside, Huey turned a glare on Danny, "Why do you get to talk to her tonight? She told me that…"

"I was in the room," Danny ground out angrily, eyes glowing a brighter than normal green, "and I get to talk to her because I'm her best friend. You aren't."

"So?" Huey said, "That doesn't mean I can't talk to her and take her out or…"

Huey didn't make it any father though, as Danny started walking closer, a very irate look on his face, "Just stay away from Sam. She told you she didn't want to see you that way, and you will respect that."

The painting ghost studied the halfa before him, looking up slightly as Danny beat him height-wise by an inch or two, "You like her don't you?" a grin split his face.

"I…" he was technically a ghost and yet he managed to blush, "That doesn't matter. I just don't want you getting her into any trouble."

"I wouldn't get Sam in trouble and you know it," Huey folded his arms and his cans set back down on the floor, "You like her. I get it, she's yours, I'll leave her alone. I just thought she was smart. And damn, but she's hot too…"

As Huey said this he watched Danny's fist begin to glow green, "Man, chill. I'm just observing, I won't steal her if you're all up on her that much."

"Like you could," Danny blushed again as he said this, but ignored it and folded his arms, "Sam's my best friend, anyways, so it's not like it matters. It's just a crush…"

"Uh huh," Huey said unconvinced, "That you've had how long?"

"Um, that I've had for a while…" Danny winced, 'That I've had for years.'

"Dude," Huey smiled, "I know when I've lost. She was watching you the whole party. I was just waiting until you two left each other alone…took a fight to get you apart. She digs you, stop worrying."

"Uh, so," Danny stood up slightly straighter, "we aren't going to fight, right? 'Cause I really don't want to fight you. You're an alright guy, for a ghost."

"You're cool too, for a halfa," Huey chuckled, "but you're stupid for not going after her…"

"Right," Danny nodded and looked Huey dead in the eye, "but you aren't going to ask her out again, got it?"

"Dude," Huey laughed as he faded from view, "No prob. Go get her already, you two were so cute this whole dang party, it was giving me cavities."

"Shut up," Danny grinned in the ghost's general direction as Tucker peeked out from behind the couch, "Aw crap, how long were you there?"

"The entire time," a rather impish grin slid across Tucker's face, "I think you should listen to Huey though and go apologize to Sam."

"Fine," and the halfa disappeared from sight, "but if you tell Sam about this little chat, you're gonna' have a haunted house."

"Threat noted," Tucker chuckled as the temperature finally seemed to rise again slightly.

"Where is he?" and a ball of ectoplasmic goo flying at him had the boy ducking behind the couch all over again though, "My ghost trackers said that stupid ghost kid was here!"

"Va…Valerie?" Tucker's head appeared back over the edge as he pushed his glasses back up his nose, "I mean…uh…"

"Foley!" the girl gasped and marched over to the couch, "Where is he? And how do you know who I am?"

"I…your voice, it sounds just like this girl named Valerie, and I uh…"

Tucker never was very good at lying. The next thing he knew the girl had hauled him from his hiding place and removed her helmet to glare at him, "I know you know who I am."

"Right," he nodded nervously, "No more trying to get out of trouble then, got it. Can I help you in some way so I can possibly keep myself from bodily harm?"

"The ghost kid, was he here?"

"Yes, but you just missed him," Tucker pried her hands from his shirt-front, "He left right before you came in."

"Again," Valerie hung her head and shook it in despair, "I missed him again! Do you have any idea how many times I have been this close," she demonstrated with her thumb and forefinger, "to catching him? Do you?"

"Not really…" Tucker trailed off as the girl's face took on a strange expression.

"Ever since the Fourth of July when I saw him and Manson talking I have been trying to get him so I could interrogate him. Every time I get near to where my radars detect him, poof! He vanishes."

"Uh," the boy's eyebrows raised, "if it's any consolation, he is a ghost. They're kinda' tricky to follow seeing as they can turn invisible and stuff."

"That's not even the worst part," Valerie kicked at a soda can lying on the floor, only to miss and slam her foot into a table leg, "Ow…"

"You alright?" and at her glare he shrugged, "Heh, sorry…standard question."

"I'm not alright. My foot hurts, my head hurts, and I'm going to be grounded for the rest of my life!" Valerie hobbled over to sit on the couch Tucker was previously behind, "This has been the worst school year ever. Even my grades are bad…"

"You know," Tucker nervously sat beside her, "at the risk of sounding like even more of a dork than I am, and at the risk of you thinking I'm trying to get a girl like I always do, I'm just gonna' say this. It always helps to talk, and I've got a pretty good set of ears."

"How could that possibly help my foot?" she glared angrily at the young man beside her, "Besides, it's not like you have ghost problems."

"That's what you think," Tucker rolled his eyes, "If you talk, it'll get your mind off your foot, too. So just start talking, I'm game."

"Hm, you've got a point Foley. Ever since the fourth," Valerie rolled her ankle and grimaced as pain shot up her leg, "I've been thinking about that stupid ghost kid. When I saw them on the hill, I couldn't see exactly who it was, and at first I thought it was Fenton talking to Manson, not the ghost guy. I realized that their voices sound exactly the same then."

'Oh God,' Tucker thought to himself as he nervously shifted beside the hunter, 'She's figuring it out!'

"And you know, they kinda' look alike too, only wrong hair and eye color. But I know that it's absurd to compare the two because one is dead and the other is obviously alive."

"Right," Tucker nodded his head a little too quickly and earned a strange glance from the girl.

"So I've been trying to track him down and talk to him. I…I'm not too sure about him now," she sighed and shook her head as if having an internal debate, "Anyways, every time I get close to him he disappears on me. In August I thought I'd find him in an alleyway, but the only thing left were traces of a battle, and then it seemed like he broke into the school and wrecked havoc. In September, I swore he was all over town during the third week. I just can't catch a break."

"Well, it could be worse…" Tucker tried to consol her, but was rudely interrupted.

"And it is about to get that way," a stern voice stated harshly, "Valerie, you have already been grounded three times this week alone. I put tracking devices on your clothes thinking I was being paranoid, but now I'm glad I did. You are, technically, now grounded until you are thirty eight. Get to the car young lady."

"Dad, but I was just….and it was a Halloween party and I wanted to…" she trailed off as her father crossed his arms, "Fine."

As he turned a glaring eye on Tucker, said boy just nervously gulped and nodded his head in acknowledgement. Watching the man leave, Tucker let out the breath he had been holding, 'Oh man, Valerie is getting closer….then again her dad is keeping a closer watch on her. I wonder if I can get some of those tracking devices…they could come in handy on keepin' a handle on the hot ladies…'

Tucker decided that his thoughts were rambling a bit much for his liking and that video games were out of the question for the night. Sleeping though...sleeping could be a very good thing...

.o.O.o.o.O.o.

"Oh come on Sam. Please talk to me!"

A 'hm' and a turned head had Danny trying again for what felt like the millionth time on the long walk to the girl's mansion, "Even if you say that I'm a sorry loser, which I deserve, it'd be better than this."

A sigh and a roll of the eyes later, Sam felt that she had finally gotten her point across as the boy's footsteps stopped behind her. It wasn't that she was exceedingly angry with him anymore, she just didn't feel like talking right then, so she darn well wasn't going to.

Well, she wasn't going to, that is, until she ran smack dab into a rather firm wall of Danny's chest as he phased right up in front of her and caused them both to loose their balance, "Ack!"

Danny winced as his butt came into contact with the hard ground. Sure, he could have phased through and saved himself some pain, but that really wouldn't have been fair to Sam, and he felt he deserved a little punishment, "You okay?"

"Peachy," Sam replied as she grimaced and took his proffered hand, "My butt likes sidewalks apparently. It's attracted to them rather forcefully."

"Sorry about that," Danny half-heartedly grinned down at the girl as he pulled her up, "I just wanted you to stop walking and actually talk to me. It worked, but not very well…"

"I just don't feel like talking right now Danny," Sam started to walk again, though this time Danny didn't feel as though she was giving him the cold shoulder, "It's really not you. I just have a lot on my mind."

Silence passed between them for a block or so before Danny finally brought up the nerve to ask Sam something that was still bothering him, "Hey Sam…when Huey wanted you to leave the party with him….would you of? If I hadn't been there?"

Frowning, Sam stopped walking to face him, "I dunno'. Maybe, but I really doubt it. I just wanted to go home after I got upset with you. I really do feel like I'm invisible whenever some pretty girl is around. You and Tucker just lose your heads…"

"…and we completely ignore you when that happens," Danny finished for her and sighed, "I don't mean to…and I really was just thinking that Paulina would never learn that being popular isn't everything. I wasn't staring at her boobs or anything and I'm sorry I made you mad."

"You certainly aren't the best at apologizing Danny Fenton," Sam heaved another sigh, 'Okay I have sighed way too much tonight. Move on, Sam, move on. Think happy, depressing Goth-like thoughts…ugh, that was such a contradiction…'

"Yeah, sorry 'bout that," Danny tilted his head downwards piteously, then snapped it back up as he smiled at Sam, "How about I make it up to you with an ice cream? With those little black bat gummies you like?"

"Somehow Danny," Sam smiled at the boy, "You talked me into it."

"Always knew the way to a girl's heart was through her stomach!" Danny laughed as he prepared to run from his friend, 'Yep,' he thought as she lunged at him, 'it pays to be ready to run…I guess this means she's not too mad anymore.'

And honestly, Sam wasn't mad. She was too busy enjoying herself and thinking about Danny's last statement and laughing eyes and this feeling of deep…affection washing over her.

'Because that's what it is. Affection, nothing else. Seriously, what else could it be? Just affection,' Sam took one more look and couldn't help but melt at Danny's blue eyes gazing straight back into hers as they ran into the ice cream shop with two minutes until closing time, 'Geeze, I really need to stop lying to myself. It isn't affection, exactly…but what is it, then?'

That little thought would be bothering the both of them for quite a long time to come.