Links
in the Chain
By Lacey52
.o.O.o.o.O.o.
A note: And Happy New Years! I have no clue what the year would be…so we'll just leave it out, lol. Lot's happens in this one. The picture from chapters 24 and 35 reappears, the mysterious black book of Sam's that you all probably thought I forgot about from chapter 19 comes back too, and another coupon from Danny's booklet. Not to mention a mother and son chat, and Valerie's first meeting with our halfa since she found out everything.
Oh dear Lord, this chapter is a beast! It's frickin' long….O.o; Have fun you guys….bwahahaha….
And I have a picture of Matches on DeviantArt now. My account name is LaceyBeans and I'll put a link in my profile for you guys.
.o.O.o.o.O.o.
Chapter Forty Two: Resolutions
.o.O.o.o.O.o.
"So," Maddie approached her son who was sitting on the arm of the chair, playing with his dog, "what are you and everyone doing for New Year's Eve?"
"Uh…actually, we aren't doing anything," Danny stopped messing with Matches to look up at his mother, a sad grin crossing his face, "Tuck and Sam aren't sure if they can make it or not. Their parents want time with them."
"Well, I can understand that," she ruffled his hair lovingly, noticing how long it was getting and thinking about giving him some money to go the barber shop to have it trimmed, "It'll be nice to have you around here for a bit today. It is the last day of the year."
Danny could only smile at his mother's loving tone. Some things would never change and her wanting to spend more quality time with him was one of them, "Yeah, it'll be nice to be home and maybe it'll be a nice, slow day. End on a good note, ya' know?"
"Danny," Maddie looked down at her son with concern, his behavior of late finally pushing her to intrude on her son's life, "you've been really distracted and down lately. Really, for a long while, but I thought that was just you being in high school. Now it's worse…but, I guess I might just be acting the 'over-protective mom' part…"
"Nah, I've just had a lot on my mind," the teen told her, then began a new train of thought with a frown, "Did you know Dash Baxter got kicked out of the 'A-list'? Well, got kicked out of the popular kids group is what I mean by 'A-list,' but you get the idea."
Not quite following where his thoughts were going or what had suddenly brought this new bit of information up, Maddie could only offer, "No, I didn't know," with slight surprise and a great deal of confusion.
"Yeah," Danny said, looking back down on Matches, who had taken to tugging on the left leg of his jeans, "and Sam invited him to hang out with us a couple of times…he actually came over to the house the other day."
"And this is the same Dash Baxter of the football and basketball team who is supposedly a big bully at school?"
"Yep," the young man intoned with a small grimace on his face, "that's him."
"Mmhm…" Maddie moved to sit by her son, noting his posture and sudden stoic face, "I think someone's a little jealous…."
"Mooom….geeze," Danny turned to face her, cutting her off before she could continue her sentence, "why does everyone assume that me and Sam are together? Does my family have to, too?"
"I never said that. You did," Maddie said with a chuckle noting her son's cheeks flushing. That was a sure sign that he was 'in like' with someone, but really she had known it all along…mother's intuition, if you will, "What I meant was someone else is taking the attention you usually receive from your best friend away from you. Anyone would get a little jealous about that, it doesn't have anything to do with romantic interests…though I think that might be an issue."
"I dunno'," Danny sighed, brushed the hair from his eyes, and sat back, leaning against her ever so slightly, "Everyone keeps pushing me and Sam together and she keeps pushing back. I do it too, just so she doesn't get the wrong idea and freak out if she doesn't like me that way. I don't think I'd mind…but Sam…"
"Did you ever think that maybe she only pushes so you don't 'freak out'? Maybe the two of you are thinking alike…"
Danny twisted to look at his mother then, the logic of what she had said sinking in, "Thinking alike?"
"Yes," Maddie nodded wisely to her son, praying that she could get it through her son's thick skull that he should pay closer attention to the girl he considered his best friend, "Maybe you're both afraid of what might happen. A little scared of loosing the strong friendship you've developed."
"Never thought of it that way…" he frowned and furrowed his brow as he began to think on what she had said. Sam did tend to show certain female signs of attraction for him, but he had always played that off as her being affectionate towards him as a friend or, dare he think it, brother. Danny shuddered at that thought, 'Well, I know for sure I don't want her to consider me her brother. That would be awkward…a brother can't like his sister like I like Sam…'
"Well, I wouldn't worry about it," Maddie nudged her son lovingly to shake him from his self induced stupor. He was thinking about it too much now, "Sam hates for things to suffer, be they animal, vegetable, mineral, or people. She probably just feels bad for Dash."
"Yeah, I guess. He hasn't been too much of a jerk lately…if he had been a jerk to her…" she watched her son's face grow darker, almost appearing older in the look he wore. It was not a child's or a teenager's face she saw, but a grown man's, 'It's the eyes…he looks so old…Danny, what's happening in your life that I don't see?'
"You're so protective, Danny," mother smiled sadly to son, "Just know that I don't think you have anything to worry about. Sam's been with you all these years. She's not going anywhere…call it a hunch, if you want."
Danny could only nod back to his mother as he willed his blush away. Matches impatiently playing with his legs and feet gave him a way to get his mind off of things, "I think I'm going to take Matches out for a while. I need to walk."
"Alright sweetie," Maddie stood and kissed her son's forehead, "just be back before lunch, it'll be about 12:30. Don't forget your jacket, the temperature's dropping. There's a cold front moving in."
"Alright Mom. Let's go, pup," Danny hooked Matches to his leash and grabbed a coat before heading out the door, chattering to his dog all the while, "You wanna' walk? Does you wanna' walk? Yes you do!"
Maddie Fenton could only stand in the doorway and watch a happy boy with his happy dog, enjoying the moment of peace that was so rarely displayed by her youngest child, 'I hope he works it all out. If not, Sam'll knock some sense into him.'
Chuckling at her own thoughts, and putting her worries out of her mind, she headed back inside to the warmth of their home. Cookies were on her mind, as Jack had been pestering her for more since he had eaten them all after Christmas. They'd have plenty of cookies for the celebration tonight, even if they were two shorter than she thought they would be.
.o.O.o.o.O.o.
'Gah, Mom was right,' Danny wrapped his coat closer to him as he headed back home, Matches right against his leg, 'That cold front is moving in, and fast. If I don't get home quick, Matches is gonna' hate me for a week…aw, and if Sam ever finds out we were out in this weather, I'm toast…'
"Fenton," the voice stopped him right beside a light post, "I think we need to talk."
"Do we have to talk outside?" Danny turned to face Valerie, shivering in his coat with Matches huddling between his legs, "Can we at least walk while we talk, it's kinda' cold right now."
"Fine with me," Valerie said and moved beside the boy and his dog, "That's not the same dog that ruined my Dad's job the first time is it?"
"No," Danny smiled down at the dog, who was ignoring the cold and occupying himself with sniffing the new comer, "This is Matches, I got him for my birthday…he was a surprise present from Sam and Tucker. He's really sweet, not like the little Cujo dog I had to catch that one time."
"Why don't you just go ghost and not worry about the cold?" Valerie asked, turning her head slightly to watch Danny as he shivered, "Wouldn't it be easier?"
"I guess," Danny shrugged, "but then Matches would still be cold, and I can't keep him and myself intangible the whole time. Besides, you're walking with me now and that wouldn't exactly be fair to you."
With a nod, Valerie upped her walking pace, Danny matching her step for step, "I don't really know what to think of you yet. I know who you are as Danny Fenton, but not really as Phantom."
"I'm not a different person, you know," Danny frowned and looked over at Valerie from the corner of his eyes, "I've don't have two personalities unless you split my two sides, and then things can get weird. It's still Danny, whether I'm Fenton or Phantom. I guess some people would think like you did, think that Phantom possess Fenton…"
Valerie blushed, though it was hard to see as her cheeks were already quite red from the cold and slight wind-burn, "I jumped to conclusions….I guess I've been doing that all my life, but I didn't exactly know all the facts. I just wanted to tell you what I know about the thing Vlad Masters sent me."
"Are you still upset with him?"
"Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, Danny," Valerie adjusted her gloves and coat, trying to keep herself insulated from the winter weather, "I hate him for playing me like he did. The next time he dares to show his face, he's going to get up close and personal with the little device he sent me. He's ghost half is going to be separated from him and then destroyed. It's a two-in-one machine."
Noting her wicked smirk, Danny made sure to note that he should never get on Valerie's bad side while she had the device in her possession….the process was more than likely painful, to both halves of the hybrid, if he knew Vlad at all.
"Vlad mentioned something about meeting up with me sometime later this year when he sent me this device," Valerie drew his wondering attention back to her, "He sounded eager. It was kinda' creepy, and I fight ghosts all the time."
"Don't worry about it Valerie," Danny smiled for the girl beside him, "He won't be after you at all, it's me that he wants. I've ruined every plan he's had so far, and I'm pretty sure he's going to go after my family, like he always does."
"I just wanted to warn you," Valerie stopped walking, ever watchful of Danny, "I don't really trust you all the way yet, but I felt like I at least owed you that much. I'm sorry that so much is going wrong."
"It's fine," Danny shrugged, "I'm used to it. Actually this is a pretty normal thing for me. If it isn't Vlad after me or my family or some invention, then it's another ghost who's after me or out to take over the world. They seem to enjoy that idea…"
"Look," Valerie looked back over her shoulder, "I've got to get back home, New Year's Eve with my Dad, ya' know? We ain't cool yet, but we aren't fighting."
Taking her proffered hand, Danny nodded his head once as they shook, allowing a small smile to show, "That's fine with me. I don't want to fight you Valerie. Take as long as you need, just don't do anything crazy, alright? You've got an ally now."
"I'll keep that in mind Danny Fenton," Valerie gave a tiny smile as she left, 'I'll definitely keep that in mind.'
.o.O.o.o.O.o.
"Danny?" Jack called from the kitchen, "You back son? It's nearly lunch time!"
"Uh," Danny frowned as he took off his winter gear and let Matches off his leash, "I'm not hungry Dad, I think I'm just going to go up to my room, if you don't mind."
"Are you not feeling well, honey?" Maddie immediately came out of the kitchen to check her son over, "Did you start feeling bad during your walk? It is awfully cold out there."
"I'm fine Mom, just not very hungry right now," the boy walked away from his parents, "If Sam or Tucker show up, holler at me or send them up. I'll either be on the computer or asleep."
As Maddie and Jack watched their son slip into his room, Jazz watched a stressed out young man retreat to a place of rest, 'I hope you can handle whatever is bothering you Danny…you shouldn't have to worry on New Year's Eve…'
The phone rang, startling Jazz out of her contemplation, and she picked it up after the first ring, only to find that Danny had beaten her to it upstairs, "Hey Sam. How'd you know I needed to talk?"
"I always know when you need to talk, I just felt like something was really wrong."
A sigh and a pause and then Danny's voice was heard again, "I just got back from walking Matches and talking with Valerie. Apparently we aren't 'cool' with each other yet, but she's okay with us being allies. She also told me that Vlad seemed to be scheming something, and I really don't like the way things are shaping up. He sent her a device that can split halfas and then destroy their ghost half and he was all gleeful about it…"
"I knew about the device being able to split you, but completely destroy your ghost half? That's pretty dangerous," Jazz thought about putting the phone back in its cradle, but figured she might as well listen, 'You never know when information can come in handy with helping a person. Listen to everything around you. That's what that one book Danny bought me for Christmas said…'
"I dunno' Sam…" another sigh, "I'm so tired of thinking right now…I think I'm going to get on the internet. Want to get on with me and play a game or something?"
"I can't," it sounded like she winced, "I snuck away just to call you as it is. No promises on it, but I'll try my best to come over later tonight."
"That's good," Danny's voice softened a bit, "Thanks for calling, you always know how to make me feel a little better."
"A little better, but you're still not feeling your best," Jazz heard Sam searching for something over the phone, "Here it is…I think I've got something that you'll really get a kick out of. Maybe I'll be able to bring it over tonight."
"That's be nice," Danny said tiredly, "Hate to rush you off the phone, but if we're not playing on the net, then I'm going to take a nap…I've been up almost all day, and on vacation, that's ridiculous."
"Alright Danny," Sam laughed at his weak attempt at humor, "but make sure you get enough rest to repair your damaged sense of humor. Talk to you later."
"Haha, and talk to you later, too," and the phone was off with a click and Jazz was left listening to silence before she hung up, 'I guess that's a good reason to act the way he does…he has way too many problems for a sixteen year old.'
Hoping against hope that he'd cheer up on his own, Jazz decided to leave well enough alone for the time being. An hour later and Jazz was reevaluating her decision to leave him be.
.o.O.o.o.O.o.
Jazz was worried about her brother, not that this was unusual or anything, but the fact that he had retreated upstairs as soon as he had come in from the weather and had been barricaded in his room for the past five hours or so and hadn't even come down for a snack was a strange thing indeed. For a growing Fenton boy, missing a meal was near sacrilege.
"Danny! Aren't you going to watch the show with us?" she stood on the bottom of the stairs, yelling up to her little brother, worry etched on her face, as well as on her parents' behind her. A soft, glum answer of, "No…" floated back down to them, causing the frown on Jazz's face to deepen.
"But we'd love for you to join us," she was going to try every trick she knew of against her brother, "Mom made cookies and Dad's hording them, so you'd better hurry up!"
"No thanks!" came the slightly louder reply, though it was not what Jazz had been hoping for.
Concerned older sister she may be, but that didn't mean she wouldn't play dirty if it got the wanted result of Danny coming downstairs, "But Sam's saying the house is boring with you upstairs and her being stuck in the living room…"
The thud of someone falling out of bed was followed by a muffled curse and Danny's door being thrown open, "Geeze, you could of told me! She's here?"
"No," Jazz answered with a laugh at his ruffled appearance and the rush he had caught himself in trying to get to Sam, "I just wanted to see if it'd work to get you downstairs…that's the fastest I've seen you move in a while…."
Danny could only grumble all the way back up the stairs and into his room, shutting his door with an irritated, "Stupid, evil, older sisters!"
Glad she had at least gotten him out of his funk, Jazz went back to helping her mother bake the cookies and ice them. If Danny was in that bad of a mood it was best to just let him be for a while longer. His friends would more than likely manage to make it over sometime tonight, and that would cheer him up like nothing else, 'Especially if Sam comes over.'
Her mother shared a secret laugh with her as soon as she caught her eye. Poor Danny, he was so obvious about it and so oblivious to Sam. Something was bound to happen eventually…
.o.O.o.o.O.o.
"Danny boy," Jack called up the stairs to his son, who was still in his room glued to the computer, "you coming down? It's only twenty minutes 'til the ball drops…"
"No thanks, Dad," Danny took a break and leaned back in his chair, "I'll just ring in the New Year while I'm asleep…"
'No way Murphy's law can catch me then,' Danny thought to himself. Stretching and signing off the internet, Danny yawned and ran a hand tiredly over his face. The stress of the coming year was already eating at him and sleep was the easiest way to distract himself without his friends around. He opened his door to tell them his intentions, but was cut off by his sister.
"Danny, Sam's here!"
"Haha, Jazz, I'm not falling for that again. You just want to see me come running down the stairs like Matches does when she comes over," but he had to pause as Matches did go rushing down the stairs, "Oh yeah, nice trick, but I'm sure you bribed him with a treat to get him to do that!"
"Or it could be that I actually am here and made it up the stairs in order to drag your sorry butt out of bed and for you to watch the New Year come in, fireworks and all."
"Sam!" Danny leaned out of his doorframe to see her coming up the stairs, Matches hot on her heels, "You're here!"
"Yeah, but I want to head up to the roof for a minute. I've got something I want to tell you…but it's a secret, so you'll have to ante up that coupon for secrets I made you," Sam smiled at him wickedly, clutching the purple backpack to her and anticipating his reaction. A series of emotions ran through her from Danny…he was obviously weighing the pros and cons of the situation.
"But I was saving it for something special," he answered her after a minute, the black book he had been teasing her about in her house immediately coming to mind, 'I really want to know what she has to say…but I really, really want to know what she's got in that book that she doesn't want me to see…'
"You were saving it for the next time that black book of mine came into conversation," Sam smirked at how easy it was to read the halfa now. She reached into her backpack and pulled out the aforementioned black book, "What say you now?"
"I say, where's that coupon book?" and so began a frantic search through old clothes and scattered model parts and comic books, things flying every which way and being phased out of the halfa's way to lessen the searching problem.
"So," Sam stood back and watched him dig through his laundry from the past week, ducking a sock that was heading towards her face like a missile, "….find it yet?"
"Found it!" the boy held it up triumphantly, his other hand holding his own jacket to wear outside, "Why do we have to go to the roof?"
"I wanted to see the fireworks and besides that…my mission, as assigned to my by your two worried parental units and an overly invested in your health sister, is to get you out of your room. They didn't say, however, where out of your room, so its up to the roof to watch fireworks, however much damage this may cause to our reputations," Sam stopped her speech however, when Danny simply grabbed her around the waist and floated up through the ceiling, choosing speed and convenience over the conventional route of walking up the stairs.
"Reputations? What do you mean by that, you don't care about what people think, and I'm starting to really not care at all…."
"Two hormonal teens, alone in the boy's room," Sam started sarcastically, her eyebrow raised, "boy with a grope quota, girl who has that 'bad girl' Goth thing going for her…."
"What's that have to do with anything?" Danny asked in confusion, not getting her joking reference, pulling on his jacket and moving to sit beside her on the edge of the building, "It's not like we're going to…"
"Danny?" they both heard his mother's voice coming from his open bedroom window, "Sam? Where did you two get to?"
"Up on the roof Mom!" Danny shouted as they both hung over the edge, peering down at his window. Maddie's head soon appeared out of it, looking up with curiosity and slight apprehension seeing them sitting on the edge of the roof.
"Wait…why're you two up there?" she asked, craning her neck to be able to see the two teens better.
"Uh…" but Danny couldn't find a good enough reason besides 'Sam wanted to be up here,' to fill in his mother with. Sam, however, saved his butt like usual and elbowed him to get him to shut his gaping mouth.
"I'll field this one, don't bust your brain…," she whispered to him before smiling down at Maddie, "I got him out of the room, but we decided to watch the actual fireworks versus the ones seen on TV."
"Well," Danny noticed a certain wary look in her eyes that he hadn't seen in quite a while, "have fun, be careful, and behave you two. Come down when the fireworks slow down and we'll have some eggnog and cookies. I managed to keep my loving husband from hogging all the little ghost shaped ones so you two can have some of them."
"Oh we'll behave," Danny said laughingly, winking to his Mom while trying to edge an arm around Sam's shoulders. Sam, however, didn't appreciate his joke and smacked him upside the head, "Ouch…we'll be down after while Mom!"
Maddie could only smile and shake her head as she drew her head back inside and headed for the living room, listening to the bickering pair on the roof above her until the television drowned out the sounds, 'Those two…maybe they'll talk tonight…'
Back up on the roof, after Sam felt that she had sufficiently beaten Danny for his 'dumb, immature joke', the young woman smiled at her best friend, wiggling her fingers and biting back a laugh, "So where's that coupon?"
Danny pulled out the coupon book and flipped through it, teasingly holding it in front of her only to pull it away from her seconds later, "How much do I want to know what you're secret is?"
"Fine," Sam stated and stood, "I'll just be going, but," she once again pulled the black book from her sack, "you'll never find out what this is…such a pity really, I thought it would at least make you laugh."
"Ah, wait!" the halfa grabbed her pant leg before she could get too far, "I was just kidding Sam, cut a guy some slack and sit back down…here," he handed her the coupon as she moved to stand beside him again, "There's the coupon."
"Thanks," Sam gracefully snatched it from his fingers, turning on her heel and making a beeline for the stairwell, "I'll be going now…."
"I don't think so!" Danny hopped up and phased the mysterious book from her hands, dancing back from her to keep it out of her grasp. He started to open it but stopped as a feeling of panic shot over him and Sam slammed the cover shut, "Wait! I have to explain first. Otherwise it would be really embarrassing and I'm not up for that."
Danny just nodded and sat down, patting the space beside him for Sam to sit next to him. He made sure to sit her on his right, as the wind was coming from the left and he could provide at least a bit of a wind block for her smaller frame, if not some amount of warmth from his own body heat.
"So…," Sam jumped right into her explanation of the book Danny was still holding onto, "right after that time that you and Tucker forgot me because of that stupid wish I made…well, I had to use my diary to get you to believe that I was your friend. This book started out as a way to make sure that if any of us every forgot, we'd have a way to convince them that everything that happened, really did happened. You following me?"
"Yeah I gotcha'," Danny nodded to her with a smile, "You wanted to have something incase someone forgot. Check, I'm still with ya'."
"Okay so…" Sam started to twist her hands before she pointed to the book, "Well, I made this and it's well…uh, I'm not sure exactly what to call it…because it went from a failsafe to a…scrapbook as bad as that sounds."
Danny opened the blank cover to the first page, where he found a picture of the three of them standing in front of the ghost portal, the date of the accident written in delicate cursive beneath it, "That was the first time I went into the portal," Danny breathed out as he scanned the small, spidery writing beneath the date, reading the description of the day and what had happened, "So it really is a…"
"…scrapbook," Sam finished for him, not even thinking about how easily they could talk and think in sync now, "but I prefer to think of it as a memoir, story thingy. Sounds a little more Gothic to call it a 'memoir' as opposed to 'scrapbook.' It's all up to date…well, up to today anyways."
Sam sat and watched the young man flip through the different pages, memories and images floating over both their minds and being shared mentally, causing them to laugh one moment and sigh the next. Not all the memories of Danny's fights and adventures were good, but the result of the book was what Sam had hoped for.
Danny sat swinging his legs over the ledge, laughing at the picture of him and Tucker laying on the floor and hugging, "Heh, you know this is really…"
"…something? Eh, I think it's more stupid than anything…Who'd have thought the resident Goth was all artsy, craftsy?" Sam finished with a grimace plastered on her face, a feeling of awkwardness and worry tugging at Danny's mind from her. He decided to set her straight.
"Ah, c'mon Sam, this is awesome, it took a lot of time and is a really good idea…we might need it one of these days, and until then, it's nice to be able to have something to look at. You know I like it…" the smile that was plastered on his face was genuine and made her roll her eyes one second only to blush the next at the strong feeling of…well, it was stronger than affection, and that was all Sam was allowing herself to think at the moment.
"I can feel it, so yeah, I know. I feel like you really like it…"
"Well," Danny leaned the slightest bit closer to her, their arms and legs brushing as the first fireworks started to go off outside the city limits, "that's because I do…"
.o.O.o.o.O.o.
Downstairs, the door was thrown open and Tucker walked in with a bag of goodies. Chips, dips, candies and cookies, everything a teenager believes he or she needs for a successful party, New Year's Eve parties included.
"I am here, let the party begin!" Tucker stated as he reached the living room, only to find two adults and a Jazz staring at him. Tucker didn't consider Jazz an adult, but he didn't exactly see her as a teenager either, "Wait, where's Danny? And isn't Sam supposed to be over here, she called me…"
"They're up on the roof watching fireworks," Jazz stated before the boy started heading for the stairs, "but I don't think…"
"Thanks Jazz," Tucker cut her off with a smile, "I'll just head up there and bring them back down with me so they won't miss the ball drop."
"Uh, Tucker," Maddie poked her head out of the kitchen with a plate of cookies that she was about to ice in her hands, "maybe you should wait for…"
"I've already got it covered Mrs. Fenton," the techno-whiz misunderstood what she was trying to tell him and patted the bag he was carrying, "I brought goodies for us, no worries on our part. We'll be back for cookies later though, that I can promise."
Even Jack tried to warn him, but he too was stopped, "But Tucker you really should just…"
"I'll be up and back down with them real quick, promise. We won't miss anything, stop worrying you guys!"
As Tucker took off up the stairs the three of them stood staring at his retreating form before moving to look at one another and then up to the roof over their heads. They sighed knowingly and shook their heads, the new year hadn't even started and it was already showing signs of being rather trying.
.o.O.o.o.O.o
"I'm glad, ya' know?" Sam sat huddled beside Danny, trying to soak up as much warmth as she could, "I thought this might cheer you up a bit after I called this afternoon. There's been a lot going on lately, huh?"
"Yeah, but somehow you always know just what to do," the halfa wrapped his arms around the girl in a heartfelt hug and smiled down at her, "Thank you Sam, really. I love it."
Sam could only hug back, "Good. I've done my job then," and smiled as the fireworks began to pick up their pace, "We'll just have to make sure this year is not so full of craziness, huh?"
Leaning back a little Danny looked down at his best friend, the girl who was always there and saw a brief flash of him leaning down and capturing her lips. Sam's image prompted his own, and soon she was wearing a blush to match his own, "Sam…I…"
The halfa leaned his head down, tilting his head slightly, daring for half a second to close his eyes and just feel Sam's emotions flowing through him as he moved closer.
"Hey guys!" the door opened and slammed against the wall, "I brought snacks!"
Danny laughed and hugged Sam again, setting his face into her shoulder just as Tucker came into their line of sight, "Sorry….I think we should pitch him over the edge."
At Danny's light and slightly flustered laugh, Sam stepped back and laughed as well, "I'm all for that."
"Ooo," Tucker's face took on a wicked look, "did I interrupt a 'blushy moment' again?"
"Nope," Danny answered smoothly for once in his life, holding up the book and showing it to Tucker, "just thanking Sam for the book. It's pretty cool."
Sam watched as a picture fell out of the book and fluttered to the ground. Dipping down she picked it up and flipped it over, laughing under her breath at the one she saw. Tucker had just nodded his head at Danny's quick explanation of the book and then snapped his fingers, "Ah, shoot, I forgot the drinks….you two finish up with the gift exchange or whatever and meet me downstairs. It's midnight in like a minute or two. "
As Tucker rushed off, Sam tugged on Danny's sleeve, handing him the picture when she finally got his attention, "Here, this came out…I just glued it in not too long ago, but I guess we can get some tape and make sure it sticks."
Taking the picture, he smiled at the captured moment of Sam on her tiptoes looking as though she was about to strangle the much larger Danny, "Hey, my Mom took that picture. How'd you get it?"
"She gave it to me for my birthday," Sam smiled before she got in his face, once again on her tiptoes and mimicking the picture, "I thought you might like it…to remind you to never let your dog chew up my shoes ever, ever again."
"R…right," Danny swallowed hard, not from fear but from the fact that she was close to him again, and his nerves were shot from trying to kiss her the first time, 'I can't do this. I was insane to even try it the first time…'
"Good, well," the Goth grabbed Danny's hand and checked the watch he often wore, "it's midnight right…."
And right before the fireworks lit the sky proclaiming the arrival of midnight, Sam leaned up and kissed Danny gently on the cheek, "Now. Happy New Year Danny. Thanks for being such a sweet guy in the last one, I don't know what I'd have done without you."
"N…no problem," Danny smiled happily, trying to keep his blush down and his hand from touching his face, "Thanks for everything too, Sam…Happy New Year."
As Sam smiled at him and turned to head downstairs, thousands of images and feelings crashed over them both, giving them the sense of vertigo. Their minds and pulses racing, they were both thinking very similar things.
'I can't believe I just did that,' Sam bit her lip to keep herself from smiling too widely as she passed Tucker on the way down the stairs, 'Maybe he'll start getting a clue now…and maybe this'll help with all these crazy images we keep sending each other. I like Danny, I know I do, so no more denied or repressed feelings there. This year, I'm going to be honest with myself…that's my resolution…and I guess that means starting now. I don't just like Danny…I really like Danny, but is it love?'
Smiling at Jazz and grabbing a plate of cookies to guard from Danny's dad, Sam thought back on everything they had been through, 'I think it might be. Who would have ever guessed, me, the dark girl of the trio would be able to admit to being in love?'
Upstairs, Danny had been going through something along the same line of thought, 'Oh man…she just…oh man…'
Blinking, he stood near the edge of the roof, looking out over the buildings as they were illuminated by the fireworks that were now going full-tilt, 'She just kissed my cheek and she was definitely thinking about kissing me just like that other time, and I know she knew I was thinking about kissing her…Mom's right, she's gotta' be…but does Sam want to be more than friends?'
'Is she okay with how it is now, cause I'd really either be just friends or us be…well, something with some sort of label to work off of…this is so frustrating!' Danny took a deep breath, and immediately focused back on the thought of Sam kissing his cheek, a smirk coming to his face, 'After I get the mess with Vlad straightened out, I will talk to her. I just have to figure out how…'
"Hey you," Tucker pushed him hard from behind, causing him to float out over the edge of the building, "Come down from there and stop showing off, I get it, you can float and see everything better…
"Huh?" Danny looked at Tucker blankly for a moment before looking down and realizing he was floating a good four feet in the air, "Oh, sorry, I was just watching the show…."
"Great," Tucker laughed as he watched his best friend come back down to earth, in more than one sense, "Now you can come downstairs before your parents freak out. What the heck did you do to get them so worried about you?"
"Gee I dunno'," Danny shrugged and laughed as they headed back in, "they just must be paranoid…like there're ghosts or something…."
Laughing with him, Tucker shook his head, wondering what had suddenly cheered Danny up, before realizing how stupid he was being and reminded himself to talk to Sam about whatever had happened.
"Whatever! Let's go, ghost cookies don't last forever! Especially with your dad around…."
All Danny could think was how the year, for once, had started on not just a good note, but a great note. Praying with everything he had as he walked downstairs that he wouldn't blush as soon as he laid eyes on Sam, Danny braved the living room, smiling when his Mother brought him cookies, his Dad handed him a glass of eggnog, and Jazz snatched up the book and hid it under the couch, after looking at the first page and smiling of course.
Mouthing, 'Thank you,' to his sister, he moved to the kitchen to sit down beside Sam, who looked like she was guarding a plate of cookies and three glasses of soda.
'She probably is,' Danny laughed to himself as she handed him his glass and snatched up a cookie for herself before Tucker could demolish them all, 'Dad probably wants that last plate…but looks like he's got competition this year in Tuck.'
As the small group of family and friends settled down and enjoyed the ringing in of a new year together, Danny took a moment to thank God for everything in his life….namely for a midnight kiss, even if it was just on the cheek. He felt like he was in one of those corny stories where characters would proclaimed to never wash their cheek again.
Mr. Murphy was also on Danny's list to thank right then. Things were starting to look up and, for once, nothing was going wrong…as of yet, 'Always have to put a 'yet' on there just to be safe,' the halfa laughed to himself earning several humored glances.
'Now I just gotta' figure out one last thing,' the young man smiled happily to himself as he and Sam brushed hands going for the last cookie and they both blushed, 'I just gotta' figure out what to do about Sam. Fighting in life and death situations? No problem. Being half a human and half a thing of myth? Easy. Dealing with ghosts, ghost hunters, wacky machines attacking me in my own home, and evil archenemies? Piece of cake.'
'Talking about feelings with your best friend, who could be potentially damaging with her boots and could probably sic my own dog on me?' Danny could only laugh, 'Yeah, still working on that. Resolution number one this year: Grow a backbone at some point!'