Author's Note: I was severely disappointed by the number of reviews on this one, people. Come on, show me some love! I'm only giving SagePoints to the first five people that answer, as I don't want too many people copying. It only takes a minute to look up some lyrics, so make me feel good, please?

"Caught": Rated K+ for some really mild references that some people might not even see.


"Sam, I'll see you after school, okay?"

She nodded and kissed him, smiling as she walked down the hall to her last class of the day. Life, for once, was great. She almost didn't feel morbid. And that was big. She and Danny had been dating for three whole weeks, and so far neither man nor ghost could do their relationship harm. Ah, sweet bliss.

Classes went by faster lately, and that day was no exception. The bell rang and Sam sprang out of her seat, intent on meeting Danny by the front steps of the school. She was waylaid, however by her history teacher.

"Samantha, I'd like to speak to you for a moment about your research paper."

Sam sighed but walked over; she knew Danny would either wait or come to find her.


Danny waited by the front steps of the school. Sam was late, but he wasn't too bothered by it. Students were still filtering out of the doors, which meant some classes were still just letting out. He leaned back on the stone steps, letting the spring sun warm his skin. With eyes closed, he did not see the approaching girl.

"Danny!" squealed the voice from beside him, and he jumped.

"Huh?" He looked around for who had spoken to him.

Paulina stood there. "Danny, silly, were you asleep?" she crooned.

"No, not asleep, just waiting."

"Oh, good. Listen, you're so good at astrology, I was wondering if you could come by my house and tutor me? My parents won't be home, so we won't need to worry about distractions…" She fluttered her eyelashes and smiled sweetly, pressing her books close to her chest so that her breasts were pushed up.

A year ago, he would have fallen for it, but he was over that by then. "Paulina, I'm not so sure—"

"Oh, please Danny?" she pleaded. "I really need help!"

His face contorted uncertainly and he lifted a hand to his neck. "Well, er… I, I guess…"

"Really? Oh, thank you, Danny! I could just kiss you!"

And, to his utter surprise, she did. Paulina put her books down, glancing behind him, and then wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him full on the mouth. Danny's eyes widened exponentially as he fought to catch his balance after Paulina threw herself at him. He ended up having to hold on to her so that neither of them would fall over. He was just about to pull away when…

"Danny? What the hell?"

He jumped back about three feet, wiping his mouth as he spun around. "Sam! I… that was absolutely not what it looked like…"

"Oh really?" she asked, her arms crossed. "And what did it look like?"

Danny glanced at Paulina, who had a strange smile on her face. "Like I was kissing Paulina."

"So you weren't kissing her? Gee, I could have sworn that's what mouth-on-mouth contact was usually called, at least when you're not unconscious. You didn't happen to be unconscious, did you, Danny?" Her voice was rising. Paulina stepped in.

"Ah, I'm going to go. I'll see you tonight, Danny."

She turned and pranced away. Sam began to fume.

"Tonight? What, am I dumped and replaced before I even get out of class?"

"No! Sam, please, just listen!"

"I think I've heard enough. See you around, Danny."

She grabbed her backpack and ran. Danny tried to go after her, but she had a head start and could already run faster than him. There were too many people around; he couldn't change to Danny Phantom. Just then, Tucker came out the side entrance of the cafeteria, a chicken leg in his hand. He took one look at Danny's face and half a glance at Sam's receding back.

Around a piece of meat he asked, "Did I miss something?"


Up in her room, Sam was sitting on her bed. A photo album sat in front of her, filled with pictures of her childhood and teen years. She had begun at the beginning, watching a little girl with black hair and dark blue eyes playing in front of a grand home. Pages later, that little girl was taller, wore more black, and the dark blue had changed to a rich purple. There were two other additions to the later pictures… boys. Danny and Tucker. Her best friends. She flipped to the most recent pages, gazing at the pictures without Tucker in them. Sam and Danny eating, Sam and Danny acting weird as usual, and Sam and Danny kissing. It was this last one that hurt the most.

She knew what those lips felt like, and she knew the way his arms could hold her really tight, as if he didn't want to let go. And she'd seen those lips on another girl's… seen those arms around a different waist. It didn't fit. What had changed? Why had he done this?

She began to cry. Thinking back on all the times she and Danny had together, it was no wonder she'd fallen in love with him. He was a funny, quirky, sweet, clueless, heroic teenager. Every time she looked at him it was something new; a different emotion on his face. And she had seen him in almost every situation imaginable.

And she'd finally seen him with another girl.

But that's what she got. She fell in love, and it seemed like everyone she loved failed her. From neglectful parents to a senile grandmother that died way too soon to a boy she thought she'd be able to spend her life with… She'd fallen again, and she'd crashed and burned.

Sam sniffed and brushed away the last of her tears. With a final snap she shut the photo album, and shoved it under her bed. She'd made her decision. She just wouldn't fall in love anymore. "Danny," she said to the air around her. "I'm leaving it up to my instincts now, and not my heart. It's the only way…"

"I always thought that your heart was your best instinct of all," said a disembodied voice. Danny's voice. Sam frowned.

"Danny, show yourself."

He did. Danny Phantom stood there, his white hair windblown and in his face from flying. Sam had to resist the urge to brush it back. Even looking at him then made her giddy, and she'd just finished crying over him. Was she nuts?

Danny half smiled. "Sam, can we please talk?"

"What would we have to talk about?"

"The truth. I know what you saw seems pretty irrefutable, but can I please tell my side of the story?"

That look on his face… it was too much. She sighed. "Fine. You have two minutes."

He began right away. "I was waiting for you, and she cornered me. You know I haven't liked Paulina in months, but she came up and asked me to help her study. It sounded more like a date at her house to me, so I turned her down, but she kept begging. I said okay, but I was going to set up a different place to meet, somewhere more neutral. And she got all excited and just kissed me! I really didn't want her to. It was completely random and the only reason I touched her was so I wouldn't fall over. What would you have done if you came outside and saw her lying on top of me? Don't answer that. What I'm trying to say is that I don't have feelings for Paulina, I have feelings for you. IloveyouandIalwayswill!" he finished, the last words running together to try and fit into the two minutes. He gazed at Sam's face, trying to gauge her reaction.

She was having a hard time not believing him. She wanted to be wary, but this was Danny! He'd almost always been truthful with her, and what happened did sound like something Paulina would do… The whole time during his speech she'd been fighting with herself, and she still wasn't sure. She hated not trusting him. Sam stood up and walked toward him. "How do I know you're not lying?" she asked.

Danny frowned and reached out, placing his hands on her hips. "Look in my eyes, Sam. Does it look like I'm lying? You're the only girl I want." He kissed her, and she melted. There was no way she could resist him. Even when he made her cry she wanted to be with him. He invaded her dreams nightly, and her thoughts daily. There was no way she could be without him. Sam kissed Danny back, and he gripped her tightly. He pulled away but rested his forehead on hers. "I don't ever want to lose you, Sam."

She smiled. "You can't lose me, Danny. I'm caught."


FLUFF HEALS THE SOUL!

Okay, the last one was too angsty for me not to make this one fluffy. I heart fluff.

SagePoint: It's another one by Sugarcult. Look forward to some different bands soon. :cough: Evanescence :cough:

The asnwer to last chapter: The song title was "Saying Goodbye." Congrats to all who got it right!