This is the last and final chapter of my story. I feel sad and happy at the same time. Sad that the end is near and happy that I was able to bring the story to what I feel is a successful close.

From behind me Tucker yelled a triumphant, "I told you so!" But I barely noticed it. The time belt was screaming in horror and agony as it started to shrink from Sam's body. All of the metal was moving towards Sam's waist, and her head was fully uncovered.

Both of Sam's amethyst eyes sprang open with surprise. She looked like she was in a terrible amount of pain, as if the time belt was going to go out with a fight. I stared into her eyes and saw uncertainty in them.

Then I watched as the time belt stopped receding and began growing again. My simple confession of love hadn't been enough. Sam looked down at the metal and then back at me. Hope, confusion, and terror were all in her eyes. "Danny, did you really mean what you said? Do you really love me?"

I didn't answer. Instead I walked towards Sam and wrapped my arms around her. Under my fingers I could feel the metal squirming but I didn't care. Sam looked into my eyes and I looked into hers, and we slowly came closer. Our lips met and then Sam collapsed into my embrace.

For how long we stood kissing each other I'll never know. It felt like either a lifetime or ten seconds; long but still too short. Later Tucker had told me that when Sam and I had kissed, my aura had become blindingly bright, and that metal was melting under my black gloved fingers.

Finally or suddenly we broke apart, and Sam had a dreamy look on her face. "Wow," she said in a kind of awe struck voice, "If I had known you could kiss like that, I would have told you that I loved you sooner!" I smiled and stepped back.

Something fell to the floor with a thud, and all three of us looked down. A singed piece of golden metal was lying on the floor. It was twisted and bent, and as we watched it crumbled and became ashes.

That was all that was left of the device my parents had painstakingly created. Who knows how many people it had endangered just by existing? Sam was almost killed, and Tucker was in enough pain to have been almost dead. The time belt had seemed so innocent at first.

Sam looked around the huge chamber and then at me. "I don't think I will ever come in here again." She said. Then she walked over to Tucker, who was struggling to stand, but still couldn't. I walked over after Sam and carefully lifted Tucker up. Sam grabbed my hand and I flew us out of the cavern.

We landed outside Sam's house in the abandoned Amity Park. Sam looked around guiltily at all of the destruction and when she looked back at me there were tears forming in the corners of her eyes. I put one arm around her and I felt wet tears flow through the shoulder of my costume.

I carefully set Tucker down and he looked at me with understanding eyes. Then I changed back into my human form and pulled Sam into a better hug. I had never seen her cry before, but if I had been through what she had been through the past six days I think I would have done the same thing.

The hairs on the back of my neck stood up and I watched blue smoke come out of my mouth. Tiredly I turned my head towards the ghost and wondered why things like that always happen when I'm busy.

My eyes widened in surprise at the tall ghost before me. He smiled and then became smaller. Clockwork waved at me and spoke. His voice deep and mellow like it always was. "It is about time you two got together." Sam straightened at the sound of his voice and lifted her tear stained face off my chest.

"Don't worry about the destruction caused by the time belt. I have control over time now that the belt is gone. Everything will become the way it is supposed to be." He thought for a moment, and I noticed that Sam looked very much relieved at what he had said.

"If you want I can erase your memories." He said. "And you would live your lives as if none of this ever happened."

"No thanks." I said, and I couldn't help but notice Sam's almost grateful smile. Clockwork smiled too and I decided that he wouldn't mind if I asked some questions. "Um, Clockwork, could I ask you something?" he nodded his now bearded head. "What will happen to this universe? Will Vlad be okay?"

Again Clockwork nodded. "I will fix this world, and as for your father, he will be fine. The best thing you could do is go back to your own world, and then none of this will have happened." I sighed. I would miss Vlad, but he wouldn't miss me. He wouldn't remember. But I guess it was for the best. "Are you ready?" Clockwork asked.

This time I nodded, and Clockwork waved the staff that had appeared in his hand. The world shimmered, and then faded into blackness. I woke up with Sam lying on top of me and Tucker was somewhere off to my right.

I sat up and my eyes adjusted to the dark. We were in a small cramped space and I heard Sam mutter something. A light switch was on the wall, and I flicked it on. The light was blinding after the darkness, but I stared around in shock at my surroundings despite the pain.

We were in the closet at Sam's house. The same closet where I had first helped Sam strap on the time belt six days ago. This time there was no belt in my hands, and we still could here the noise from the party outside.

Tucker stood up and groaned. All of his cuts and broken bones were gone, but he was also back in his waiter outfit. I turned to Sam who stared back at me intently. "Was it all just a dream Danny?" she asked.

I smiled. "No" I said. And I kissed her again to prove my point. She smiled when we had broken apart and Tucker started laughing his head off. We both glared at him but he continued laughing.

"Oh man, you guys should have seen what just happened." He said between laughs. "Right as you started kissing Sam's parents opened the door!" Sam turned pale. "They stared at the two of you and I thought they would have a heart attack!" he started rolling on the floor.

Sam sighed. "They would have found out eventually." She said. "And besides, their used to me shocking them with my actions." Sam looked at me with a smirk on her face and said, "Let's get out of here."

I was about to go ghost when Sam stopped me. "Not like that. It is my house. Let's go out like we own the place. "That should really bug my parents." I smiled at Sam and we left the closet hand in hand. Tucker followed behind us.

We got stares from everyone as we left the closet. To my surprise I realized that I didn't even care and smiled as we left. I saw Sam's parents giving me an evil look from one corner of the room, and I flashed them the biggest grin I could manage.

The street outside Sam's house was quiet, and I realized that once again it was Saturday. Tucker smiled at us and then left to go to his house. I continued walking with Sam and we walked out of town to watch the sun set.

As we walked home in the dark I heard a voice that was so familiar yet different. "Ah, so young Daniel finally has confessed his feelings for Samantha. How touching." Sam and I turned around and came face to face with Vlad Plasmius.

It is amazing how one event could change a person so much. How an accident could ruin the life of one man, and give another an ensured good life. In another world Vlad was a kind loving father of two, but in this world he was bitter and evil. But to the good Vlad I had made a promise, and I intended to keep it.

I walked up to Vlad without changing into my ghost form and looked up at his burning red eyes. "Vlad," I said and he looked at me with a look of surprise that I was talking instead of fighting, "I forgive you for everything you have done. My father ruined your life on accident. Maybe, if it hadn't happened, things would have been different between us. But it did happen."

Sam and I left a stunned looking Vlad and continued walking down the street. After awhile she looked at me and we kissed for the third time. Maybe life with an archenemy and a ghost hunting father wouldn't be so bad after all.

The End

And that's all she wrote. The next chapter is what happens to a lot of other people after the story. I really do suggest reading it, because it kind of gives the story a slightly happier ending.