Disclaimer: I still don't own Danny Phantom.

Living with Tucker

OOOOOOO

Danny and Sam spent most of Christmas break holed up in her house, watching television, eating, and generally being lazy. Currently they were lying on the rug in front of the fireplace flipping through an old photo album.

"Hey, Danny remember this?" It was a picture of Danny, Sam, and Tucker at their first high school dance.

"Oh yeah, that's when I gave Paulina that amulet and she kept turning into a dragon."

Sam smirked. "I don't think she needed the amulet to do that." Turning the page Sam cringed and slammed the album shut and said brightly "well, that's that, what should we do now?" She tried to get up but Danny tightened the arm he had around her.

"Oh I don't know…why don't we find out what you're hiding in the photo album," he said with a grin as he grabbed it from her and turned away flipping through the pages.

"Danny Fenton give that back" Sam growled as she crawled over him trying to reach the album but it was too late, Danny had found the page, Sam groaned and buried her face in his back, embarrassed. She felt him start to shake silently and her face grew hotter. Flopping over onto to her back she said "all right, go ahead, laugh it up Fenton. Just wait until I ask your mom to show me your baby pictures." He stopped laughing, clearing his throat. He rolled over and put the album down on the floor next to them.

"Sorry, I just never quite pictured you that way.

In the picture was a two-year-old Sam dressed in a bright pink and yellow flower costume, standing alone on a small stage, with a radiant smile on her little face.

"But you were really adorable."

"I'm never going to live this down" Sam muttered.

Even with exams over they were still incredibly busy. Danny had found out that he was being sent out of state for three days to a larger space center to fulfill his training requirements. He had been staying with Sam, only going to the apartment to pick up clothes and personal items and now was arguing with Sam about what she should do while he was away.

"Sam, please you can't stay here by yourself with this guy still out there. You can stay in my room at the apartment, that way Tucker will be there." Sam shook her head.

"You know how I feel about this, I won't let some weirdo control my life, and if I do that then he's already won."

Danny rubbed the back of his neck, trying to be patient. "All right, then I'll see if Tucker or Jazz can stay here then."

"Danny, that's not fair to them, I mean Jazz works such long hours at the Psych Center, and Tucker still hides when he sees me. Besides, where would they sleep? They certainly won't get any sleep on this thing." She gestured to the couch and Danny made a face, he could attest to that, having fallen asleep on it the night he fought with Plasmius and waking with a stiff neck.

"Well, I'll just have to call the center and tell them I can't go right now and they'll have to reschedule the trip."

Sam growled, totally exasperated. "Danny, you can't do that, you have to finish this training to get your degree. They might not even do another trip down there until next year." He shrugged his shoulders.

"That's the chance I'll have to take, if I have to wait a year I will. You're more important, period."

Sam turned away from him crossing her arms and tapping her foot as she closed her eyes and counted. She dropped her shoulders, leaned her head back, and blew out a breath; she knew he would cancel the trip in a heartbeat. He's not doing anything wrong; I can't get mad at him for caring.

"Fine" she grumbled.

"What?" Danny asked, not hearing her. She turned around and gave him a sour face.

"I said fine, I'll stay at the apartment if it will make you feel better, but don't expect me to like it!" Sam said, shaking her finger at him. Danny's eyes showed surprise and relief.

"Really?" He walked over and gave her a hug, squeezing her tight. "Thank you Sam. I know how hard it is for you to do that, I just want you to be safe while I'm gone."

"I know that Danny."

Although Tucker complained that Danny was leading him to the slaughter leaving him alone with Sam, he agreed to the plan.

OOOOOOO

Sam, Danny, and Tucker stood at the security checkpoint in the airport. A loud voice called over the intercom, "Flight 523 will now begin boarding, all passengers must have boarding passes and a picture ID, again Flight 523 is now boarding."

"Okay, I've got to go, thanks Tuck you're the best."

"No problem man, we'll see you in a few days."

Danny nodded and turned to Sam. Giving her a hug and raising his hand to caress her cheek he leaned down and kissed her thoroughly.

"Be careful."

Sam rolled her eyes at him but smiled to let him know she was teasing. Leaning down to kiss her again, he whispered, "I love you Sammi." She wrapped her arms around his neck once more and whispered back "I love you Danny."

Tucker, who had turned away to give them some privacy, looked over his shoulder at the two lovers.

"Uh, guys, not to interrupt the hearts and flowers moment, but I think Danny's plane is about to leave without him."

They pulled apart and looked to see the security guard and attendants getting ready to close the door at the gate. Danny swore, grabbed his bag, planted a quick kiss on Sam's cheek, and ran for the door yelling for them to wait. As the attendant stopped and took his ticket, he turned and waved to Sam and Tucker before heading through the door.

OOOOOOO

Sam stood by the bathroom door with her arms crossed, steaming. She could hear the shower going and Tucker mutilating a perfectly good classic rock song.

"Tucker, Hurry up! You've been in there for an hour and a half!" she yelled pounding on the door. Walking into the kitchen, she cleared the breakfast dishes from the table, feeling her stomach lurch at the remains of Tucker's bacon, sausage, ham, and eggs. She heard the bathroom door open just as she was finishing the dishes. Wiping her hands, she muttered "finally." She walked back through the living room toward the bathroom.

"God Tuck, you spend more time in the bathroom than my mother," she said as she started to brush her teeth.

Tucker's laugh came from the other side of the door. "Well, I need to be ready for the ladies Sam." Sam grabbed his arm as she left the bathroom and pulled him toward the door.

"Well come on lover boy, we're going to be late for classes."

OOOOOOO

Sam walked out the doors after her late class and looked around for Tucker. When she didn't see him, she sat down on the stone steps to wait and waved goodbye to several people. Ten minutes went by and still she didn't see Tucker. She reached for her cell phone and groaned when she realized that she had left it at the apartment that morning when they left in a rush. Closing her eyes, she let her mind wander. Thank god, Danny will be back tomorrow, otherwise I might have to murder Tuck in his sleep. She was contemplating replacing his regular breakfast of meat, meat and more meat with alfalfa sprouts when she heard footsteps. She stood up to look and saw a man wandering down the sidewalk. He was wearing jeans and a sleeveless leather jacket. When a car passed and honked, the man turned around to flash a crude gesture and that's when Sam saw the symbol on the jacket. She recognized it from the news; it was the symbol of a local street gang with a bad reputation. Sam quickly tried to duck down on the staircase, but too late, he had already seen her. She glanced around and saw that everyone had left the parking lot. Great, and Tucker's not here. He walked across the lawn over to the bottom of the staircase and stopped, looking her over.

"Well hello sweet thing, what are you doing out here all on your own?"

Sam lifted her head defiantly and glared at him. "I don't think that's any of your business." The man faked a hurt look.

"Now no need to be that way baby, I'm just trying to be friendly here." The man walked up one step and Sam backed up on the top step with her back to the doors. She reached her hands behind her back and jiggled the handle. Oh no, they're locked already.

"Well I don't want to be friendly with you, so get lost," she said loudly. He advanced two more steps, now there was only one more step before the top.

"Are you waiting for a ride? I could give you a real nice ride." The man said letting his eyes wander insolently over her and licking his lips. Sam shuddered in revulsion and glanced around again. Still no Tucker, where the hell is he?