8-15-07 - Wow my past A/N were really annoying! So, rewrites here! Any chapter without a date beside it, is an unrevised chapter. If you're reading this for the first time..or again, I suggest you stop when you no longer see the dated A/N and wait for me to put up the rewrites. Thanks!

Chapter Four

Danny was standing in line at the cash register when when the gunman entered the store, waving his gun and demanding that everyone drop to the floor and hand over their wallets. Danny stood for a moment and surveyed the situation. "Going Ghost", and dispatching this guy via his ghost powers was the first thought on his mind, but he stopped. The store was loaded with video cameras and the last thing he wanted to do was expose his secret, he'd managed to keep them hidden for ten years, he intended on keeping it that way if he could.

The thief lined everyone up against the wall with threats of death and maiming to each one of them if they stepped out of line. Danny did his best to calm the woman standing beside him as she lapsed in a fit of hysteria by telling her edited versions of storys about Tucker and Sam. When the police arrived the gunman threatened to shoot them and be rid of them. Danny decided to sit quietly and observe for the time being. There wasn't anything he could do. Was he frightened? No. After having stood face to face with Skulker aiming an ectogun against his nose, this was nothing. Was he concerned for the people around him? Yes.

"I'm going to release all but one hostage!" The man with the gun announced. "It's too hard to keep track of you all." Danny could tell the man was nervous. "Any volunteers?" The gunman eyed the hysterical woman who began to sob in terror/

Danny took a deep breath and stepped forward. "Take me," he said as he raised both hands to show he was unarmed.

The gunman looked at Danny in surprise. The last thing anyone expected was for someone to volunteer themselves as a hostage. The group of people murmured amongst themselves and the gunman yelled at them to be quiet, then he looked Danny up and down. "What are you? A cop?" the man sneered.

"No," Danny answered. "My name is Danny Fenton. I'm a college student." He very carefully fished his college I.D. out of his pocket and showed it to the man.

"What's your major?" The man asked as he eyed Danny's identification.

"Aerospace Engineering," Danny answered. "Please let these people go. I'll stay and be your hostage." The robber thought about it for a moment then agreed. The people rushed out in fear and relief as the gunman yelled at them to leave.

Danny looked around the store thoughtfully. It would be much easier for him to go ghost now that there wasn't a crowd. The only thing he needed to do now was get rid of the video cameras.

"They're probably watching you." Danny said as he gestured to the cameras.

"I'm not worried," the gunman said. "It's closed circuit. I did my research before hitting this store"

"I'm an Aerospace Engineering major," Danny told him. "I know about these things. Trust me. They are watching your every move." He shifted his eyes around, acting as if they were being watched.

The gunman looked at Danny for a moment then at the cameras at the front of the store. "Well," he said. "I can do something about that." He aimed his gun and shot out all three of the cameras. "I'm an excellent shot," the man told Danny. "I've been practicing this for months. Danny only nodded his head in understanding.

"You know," Danny said. "I'm very hungry. I haven't eaten since this morning and we have this big supermarket. Do you mind if I make something to eat. Maybe a sandwich or something?"

The gunman gave Danny a look like he was crazy. "No!" he yelled. "There are candy bars by the register. Eat one of those."

"Okay," Danny replied nonchalantly. "Thanks." He walked over to one of the registers and began browsing the selection of candy. He waited until the gunman wasn't looking then ducked down and transformed into his ghostly self.

"Where did you go?" The gunman asked angrily as he ran over to where he'd last seen Danny. "Get back here now!" he demanded, his eyes now wide with terror.

Danny of course hadn't moved. He was standing right in front of the gunman. Danny reached forward and lifted the gun out of the man's hand. The theif watched with wide frightened eyes as the gun floated in midair then turned on him.

"Help!" the man yelled hysterically. "Ghost! Ghost! The supermarket is haunted!" Danny laughed as the man ran out of the market and into the waiting arms of the police. Danny quickly changed back to human form then picked up his groceries. He looked at the total which had already been tallied, put a wad of cash on the counter then carried his purchases out of the store. Suddenly he was assaulted with camera flashes and a microphone was shoved into his face.

"Daniel Fenton," one reporter asked. "How did you get him to give up?"

"Are you all right?" another asked.

"Were you scared?" came another question.

"Many people are calling you a hero," yet another asked. "How do you respond to that?"

Danny looked into the camera, waved his hand and said. "Hi Mom!"

After talking to the police briefly, Danny was free to go. He started up his car, well no it's Sam's car, and drove home.

XxXxXxXxX

Tucker, Sam and Jazz sped into the parking lot just as Danny drove away. Of course they hadn't heard the update on the radio yet as the station had decided to take a extra long commercial break.

Sam jumped out of the car with Jazz following close behind. Tucker shook his head then caught Sam's car with Danny in it driving away out of the corner of his eye. He smiled and watched as Sam and Jazz approached the police.

"Kind of a disappointing ending," One officer said to the other. Jazz grabbed Sam's hand in terror as they approached.

"Excuse me," Sam began nervously "But ummm my fiancé is being held hostage and…"

"Danny Fenton is your fiancé?" One of the officers asked. Sam only nodded her head. "Well he was being held hostage, but…"

"Oh no!" Jazz cried as she clamped her hand to her heart. "He's been shot hasn't he?"

"Errr no," the other officer said gently. "He's a hero. He made the guy think the store was haunted by ghosts." Both officers laughed.

"Don't tell me." Sam started in a tired tone of voice. "He left right?"

"Yup," one officer answered. Sam and Jazz walked back to Tucker's car with stunned looks on their faces.

"Don't tell me," Tucker said. "Danny's fine and he just left. Right?"

"How did you know?" Jazz asked with wide eyes.

Tucker laughed. "I saw him drive off after you got out of the car."

"And you didn't call us back?" Sam asked in outrage.

Tucker shrugged as he laughed. "I didn't figure there was a point. You'd figure it out for yourselves. You should have seen the looks on your faces. It was classic."

XxXxXxXxXxX

Danny assumed Sam was still asleep when he arrived home. He started to cook dinner, having been semi-converted to Sam's vegetarian diet, he was cooking something with tofu, something he knew Tucker wouldn't appreciate. But then he didn't think Tucker would be home anytime soon.

He was cutting tofu into cubes when Sam ran into the house. She ran past the kitchen, first then stopped as she saw him out of the corner of her eye.

"You butthead!" She accused as she stood in the door.

"Butthead?" Danny asked in confusion as he smiled at her "I'm sorry I didn't wake you. I thought…" He stopped as he saw Tucker and Jazz enter the kitchen. "Hi guys," he said happily.

Everyone just stared at him. "So what's going on Danny?" Tucker finally asked.

"Nothing much," Danny replied casually as guestured to the tofu. "I was just making dinner. Sorry Tuck. I didn't know you'd be home."

"So," Sam said as she leaned against the counter and tapped her fingers against her arm "How was your trip to the store?"

"Fine," Danny said as if he was held hostage everyday. "You know how it is…"

"Oh yeah," Tucker said laughingly. "I know I get taken hostage every time I go for groceries. It's such an inconvenience."

Danny looked from Tucker to Sam who raised her eyebrows. "Oh," he said as he turned back to chopping tofu. "You know about that huh?"

"Uh, yeah!" Sam said in annoyance trying not to smile at the way Danny was trying to brush things off.

"So what happened?" Jazz asked as she sat down at the kitchen table. Sam stole a chunk of tofu and popped it into her mouth and Tucker grimaced.

"It wasn't a big deal," Danny began. "I mean come on Skulker, Vlad even Valerie were all worse and scarier than this guy." He looked at Sam who was looking back with a worried look on her face.

"This is not good Danny," Jazz began. "In my professional opinion…"

"Aghh!" Danny interrupted as he put his hands over his ears. "Not your professional opinion!

Jazz shook her head. "The fact that you feel untouchable is rather worrisome," she continued as she patted Sam's back.

"Hello!" Danny exclaimed as he walked over and phased his hand through Jazz's head. "I kinda am untouchable!" Jazz gave him an exasperated look.

"Face it Jazz," Tucker said in amusement. "You're never going to get through to him. Fenton thick skull. You know?" Jazz sighed as she looked at Tucker and smiled.

"I'm hungry," Tucker announced as he eyed the tofu like it was going to spring to life and eat him. "Do you want to go get a pizza with me?"

"Okay, but we need to at least have veggies on it," Jazz said as she followed Tucker out of the kitchen. Danny and Sam laughed as they heard her say to Tucker, "And as an African American male you should really be aware of the statistics for heart disease…" They heard Tucker groan and started laughing.

"You were scared weren't you?" Danny asked Sam as he returned to his cooking, he didn't look at her, he hoped she wasn't angry at him.

"Who me?" Sam asked in surprise. "Why would I be scared?"

"Nothing I suppose," Danny answered as he lifted his arms so Sam who was now leaning against his back, watching him cook, could put hers around his middle. Sam snuggled into Danny and breathed in the smell of him. It was hard to describe. He smelled like soap, sporty deodorant and something else Sam couldn't name. It wasn't an unpleasant smell, it was just…what? Ghostly? Sam wanted to say it was almost the faint smell of roses. She'd read somewhere that many good spirits brought with them the fragrance of roses. Whatever it was, it was a scent she was very familiar with. It never left Danny and she loved it. She'd even swiped one of his shirts from the laundry from time to time just so she could sleep enveloped in the smell of him. The habit started when they were in high school together, before her feelings for him had become so painfully obvious to everyone except Danny himself..

"Sam?" Danny asked gently.

"Hmmm?" Sam answered almost sleepily against his back and he laughed the rumbling of his laughter sent chills through her and made her knees week.

"I ummm can't move," he told her. Sam smiled, let him go then sat down at the table and watched him cook.

"You're my slave," she announced as she relaxed. "I have you trained perfectly." Danny shot her a mock look of annoyance and Sam laughed.

She continued watched Danny cook for awhile then said. "You know what? I was scared."

"I know," Danny replied, not turning around.

"I think they need to do some kind of study on women's hands," Sam said as she frowned at the ring on her left hand. "Because the minute you put that ring on my finger I became scared I was going to lose you. I was almost hysterical." Of course, as calm as she was trying to act, the anxiousness she'd been feeling hadn't completely warn off yet.

Danny washed his hands then turned and put a plate of food in front of Sam. "The feeling will wear off," he said confidently.

"How do you know?" Sam asked skeptically, her stomach growled as she waited for Danny to sit with her.

"I don't," Danny said softly as he put his plate on the table and sat. "I was just trying to make you feel better."

"Gee thanks," Sam laughed. They ate companionable silence then when they were finished, Sam did the clean up.

"Ahh!" Danny said as he relaxed at the table. "You see I have you trained perfectly. I do the fun part and then have you to clean up after me." Sam turned and gave him a look of mock annoyance and he chuckled.

"I really was scared though," Sam said as she finished washing the dishes. "I know you think it's ridiculous, but I'm used to you fighting ghosts, not living people."

"Vlad and Valerie are living people," Danny pointed out. "Not that I have to fight Val anymore. The ghosts are a lot more dangerous than people. People are predictable. You never know what a ghost is going to do."

"Except the Box Ghost," Sam said as she laughed. Danny stood and put his arms around Sam.

"The Box what?" he said as he kissed the back of her neck. Sam shivered then turned in Danny's arms and lifted her face to kiss him. After some time Danny lifted Sam into his arms and carried her down the hall.

XxXxXxX

"Do you really think we should have left them alone?" Jazz asked as she watched Tucker eating pizza at the small corner restaurant Tucker frequented.

"Why not?" Tucker asked in confusiob. "They've been alone lots of times before."

"But after such a traumatic experience…" Jazz began worriedly.

Tucker laughed. "Jazz we're talking Danny and Sam here. Both of them are used to traumatic experiences. Heck, even you should be used to traumatic experiences by now."

"True," Jazz said as she smiled wryly. "But that still doesn't negate the fact that…"

Tucker interrupted her and growled. "You know what? You are a traumatic experience!"

"What?" Jazz asked with wide eyes. "How am I a traumatic experience?"

Tucker just looked at her and laughed. "Really?" Jazz continued to ask. "Tell me! I want to know."

"Clueless," Tucker said teasingly. Jazz narrowed her eyes at Tucker.

Jazz gave him an annoyed look "You know I could be off on my honeymoon right now. Nice warm tropical Caribbean water…."

"With that jerk Todd," Tucker said as he took her hand.

"He wasn't a jerk." Jazz laughed weakly. "Well not that bad of a jerk." She looked at Tucker for a moment. "Okay you're right he was a complete jerk."

"He reminded Danny and me of Vlad." Tucker told her as he twined his fingers with hers..

"Vlad?" Jazz asked in confusion. "He's nothing like Vlad. Where do you get that comparison?"

"It's hard to explain," Tucker answered. He fidgeted a moment then looked around and pulled out his PDA.

"You really should get help for that addiction," Jazz said as she pointed to the pocket computer in Tucker's hand. "Your tendency to rely on devices such as that in uncomfortable situations is a warning sign for…" She trailed off as she noticed the exasperated look on Tucker's face.

"All right," she said as she leaned her elbows on the table. "What is it?"

"It's nothing," Tucker said as he looked down at his PDA.

"It's something," Jazz said as she reached over and took the PDA. She looked at the game he was playing for a moment and smiled.

"I'm just worried that you'll start regretting your runaway bride act," Tucker admitted sadly. "After all you could be in the Caribbean right now."

"With that jerk who reminds you of Vlad," Jazz said gently. "And I no Tucker I'm not expecting some type of proposal from you or anything. It's way too soon for that."

Tucker laughed. "Can you read me that well?"

"It's all those years of reading psychology books," Jazz answered. "It kinda clued me into a lot of stuff."

"Then why are you so clueless?" Tucker teased. Jazz shrugged as she looked at him. Tucker had grown tall and handsome and these days tended to be chased by girls a little more than he chased them. He'd grown rather serious within the last few years. She was about to say something else when her cell phone rang.

Jazz looked at the caller I.D. and frowned. "Who is it?" Tucker asked as he read the expression on her face.

Jazz sighed, "Wisconsin. Can this day be anymore difficult?" She flipped open the phone. "Hi Uncle Vlad…"

"Jasmine," Vlad drawled. "Your brother wouldn't happen to be with you would he?"

"Err No," Jazz answered. "Why?"

"I called his number, but there was no answer," Vlad answered smoothly. "I heard the news report and wanted to make sure he was all right."

Jazz laughed. "Of course he's all right. Why wouldn't he be? Now if you will excuse me…"

"Jasmine," Vlad interrupted, something in his voice kept her from hanging up as she intended. "It is imperative that I speak with Daniel."

"Well he's not here!" Jazz said in annoyance.

"Can you find him for me please?" Vlad asked.

Jazz sighed, "Why?"

"I would rather talk to Daniel first?" Vlad answered his voice then took on tone that made her skin crawl, "Are you alone Jasmine?"

Chills ran up Jazz's spine and she looked at Tucker in alarm. "I-I'm with Tucker," she answered almost breathlessly.

"Jasmine." Vlad said firmly. "There as been a slight accident and well…your Father he.."

"My father?" Jazz gasped. The phone slipped out of her fingers as she fainted. Tucker luckily was able pull her up and hold her in his arms as he took the the phone and had a brief conversation with Vlad.

"Yes Mr. Masters. She'll be fine." Tucker said as he assured Vlad he would take care of Jazz and find Danny. He hung up the phone and prayed that Jack Fenton was going to be all right.

XxXxXxX