I rewrote this chapter four times! FOUR. That's unheard of for me, especially considering my three time rule. I'm not happy with it either. However, now that I am past this hump, the story should get better and more action/adventury.

Chapter Ten

It was late and Danny was exhausted after he finally finished dealing with Skulker and the Box Ghost. He decided to swing by Sam's house and check on her, he chastised himself a little for the need but he couldn't help it.

The light was off in Sam's room so he assumed she was a sleep, which was good, then he could resist the temptation to talk with her. What he really wanted to do was pour his heart out to her on how he'd messed everything up, but he couldn't without hurting her. On the other hand, she would know just how to fix things, she would make him feel better. She'd know what to do. He sighed heavily as he realized just how completely lost he was without Sam. He really needed to face his feelings for her, he just couldn't he was too scared.

Danny peeked through the window and frowned. Sam's room was empty. He frowned as he phased himself in and looked around. Something was wrong. He flew through the house. He found Sam's parents asleep in bed, but Sam was no where to be found.

He thought that maybe she decided to sleep outside, she had the habit on hot summer nights of sleeping in the back yard. Danny raced to the back yard but it was empty. His stomach began aching and a strange sense of panic began filling him with dread. He couldn't put his finger on the feeling, he just knew something had gone really wrong.

Danny flew through the park hoping that maybe Sam decided to be really crazy and go for a walk. It was something he doubted she would do, but he had to check. There was a familiar form sitting on the bench.

The first question running through his mind was, why was Tucker sitting on a park bench at ten at night? The second question was when did he get home? The third? Why hadn't he called?

Tucker looked up at Danny and sighed. "You're late."

"I am?" Danny asked.

"You should have been here thirty minutes ago," Tucker growled then stood.

"I'm sorry?" Danny asked as he followed Tucker, who was now walking through the park. Danny noticed that his friend was carrying two daisies.

Tucker looked at Danny for a minute then handed him a flower. "I figured you'd forget yours," he said flatly.

"Err yeah," Danny said. He was about to ask what the heck was going on when Tucker turned into the cemetery. Then he wasn't sure he wanted to know.

Tucker stopped at a grave then looked at Danny. "Well?" he asked.

Danny frowned and looked at the grave with a small make shift marker in the center. "Tuck?" he asked. "What are you doing?"

Tucker sighed in exasperation. "This is Sam's grave Danny. I know because I watched them put the marker there myself. Her parents won't uncover the marker until she's been gone a year."

"What?" Danny asked. His heart felt like it had stopped beating and he had to force himself to breath.

"A year!" Tucker said. "It's a Jewish custom." The Techno Geek kept his eyes downcast as he said something under his breath.

"No," Danny said as he shook his head and backed away from the grave. "No way. I just talked to her Tuck. I just talked to her a few hours ago. She was fine. I kissed her!"

Tucker gave Danny a sympathetic look. "Danny," he said. "I really don't have the strength to go through this. Do you want me to call Jazz? When you agreed to visit Sam you said it would be okay as long as there were no other people around, but you also promised no freaking out."

"No," Danny said then tried to calm himself. "You don't understand Tuck. Sam is alive. Is this a joke? Are you getting back at me for what I did? Is Valerie in on this too? I know I'm a jerk, but come on…."

Tucker dug his cell phone out of his pocket and dialed. "Jazz?" he said onto the phone. "He's freaking out."

"I'm not freaking out!" Danny screamed feeling on the edge of hysteria. "What was going on?

"Okay Jazz," Tuck said as he cast another worried look at Danny. "We'll meet you at the exit." He hung up the phone and looked at Danny a moment then pointed to the exit of the cemetery.

"I know you miss her Danny," Tucker said as they walked. "I do too, but you have to move on. You need to just let go."

"Danny," Jazz called as she ran through the cemetery gates. She rushed forward and threw her arms around her brother. "Are you all right?"

Danny looked around thoughtfully. There had to be an explanation for this. This was wrong all wrong. He let Jazz and Tucker lead him out of the cemetery and then put him in the back seat of Jazz's car. Danny remained in daze as he thought about how all this could have happened. Then he recalled the wish. He closed his eyes tight. Damn he should have known better. This was his fault.

He let Jazz and Tucker lead him up to his room then watched as they stood and talked in whispering tones. Danny wondered where Desiree could be hiding, surely she was nearby enjoying the misery she was causing.

"Danny," Jazz said as she sat beside her brother. "Are you okay?"

Danny broke away from his thoughts and looked at his sister then at Tucker. He felt really bad for them, and he supposed he would be pretty bad off if he let himself actually accept the situation.

"Okay," he finally said as he took his sister's hand. "I want you guys to hear me out and then I'm going to need your help okay?" He looked at his sister then at Tucker. They both nodded.

"Let me tell you about my day. I spent it with Sam. She just came back yesterday. She was doing fine, looking wonderful, beautiful, phenomenal." Danny paused and closed his eyes as the realization he had been fighting for a long time hit him. He was completely and totally in love with Sam, he knew he cared about her but, he didn't understand exactly how deeply those emotions ran until he was faced with her complete exit out of his life.

Danny wondered how he managed to fool himself. How could he even think that Sam wasn't the girl kind of girl he wanted, when in fact she was the only girl he wanted. Period. It didn't matter that she wasn't popular or that she was a little odd. So was he. It was normal. He smiled to himself. Accepting how he really felt solved at least one of his problems. It didn't make it all go away, but at least it resolved some issues. He didn't have to worry about making a decision, his heart made it for him a long time ago, he was just too stupid and shallow to realize it. The only questions were, did he even deserve her, and could she possibly manage to feel the same way?

"Danny?" Jazz asked. "Are you okay? Do you need me to get something for you?"

"No," Danny smiled as the full impact of his realization was hitting him. "I'm fine. Really." He looked at Tucker and took a deep breath.

"I've been dating Valerie right?" He asked.

"You were," Tucker said then looked at Jazz.

"But when Sam died you broke ties with everyone." Jazz said. "Except Tuck."

"We've seen Valerie ghost hunting, but that's about it," Tucker added. "She's really been picking up the slack since you refused to fight anymore."

Danny nodded his head as though he understood. "The last thing I remember," he began as he told them about his relationship with Valerie and the day he spent with Sam. He left out nothing. Then he told them about the confrontation with Valerie, her ultimatum and his wish.

"So you see," Danny finished. "None of this really happened. Sam is fine. This is just a result of Desiree's manipulation, and my utter and complete stupidity."

Jazz and Tucker looked at each other for a moment then Jazz sighed. "We really want to believe you Danny. It's just…"

"It's just what?" Danny asked as he raised one eyebrow. "Just that you're ready to give up? You're willing to just give up on Sam?"

"Hell no!" Tucker cried. "Let's find Desiree and and," he paused. "And do something really bad to her. I want to do something really, really bad to her."

"Good," Danny said as he patted Tucker's shoulder. "Then let's find her and kick some ghost butt!" He turned and looked at Jazz who had her arms folded and was looking sad.

"How are you going to find her? I mean what if you don't?" Jazz asked then chewed on her bottom lip as she waited for an answer.

"Oh we'll find her," Danny said as he went ghost. "I can promise you that."

Jazz nodded her head, her vision was fixed somewhere on the floor. "And what if it wasn't Desiree? Or what if she can't put things back the right way?"

"Geeze Jazz," Danny groaned. "Enough with the pessimism already." Jazz smiled shakily at her brother then watched as he flew out of the room to search the area.

"He's completely lost his mind," Jazz said as she shook her head.

Tucker sighed. "I hope not Jazz. I hope he's right."

"We should be cautious," Jazz warned.

Tucker nodded his head. "How about cautiously optimistic?" Jazz agreed.

XxXxXxXxX

Danny had been very optimistic that he'd be able to find Desiree quickly, but unfortunately the wishing ghost chose to remain elusive. He returned to Jazz and Tucker with a glum expression.

"What if we make wishes?" Tucker asked. "I mean that might attract her at the least."

"Any wishes she grants will only make her more powerful," Danny said. "Plus you know how she twists them."

"Then make the wishes benign," Jazz suggested. "Like, I wish I had new shoes."

Danny shook his head and laughed. "You would be amazed at how Desiree can twist even a simple wish."

"I wish I had new perfectly normal, non-ghostly, unenchanted shoes!" Jazz said as she raised her eyebrows at Danny. He only shook his head.

"I bet they'll end up really ugly though," Tucker said.

Jazz sighed. "But it doesn't matter because as you see. No shoes. She must not be around." Danny sat on his bed and frowned he changed back to human form and laid back.

"You know," Tuck said. "I think we should all get some sleep. Things will look better in the morning and then we can make a plan to find Desiree and make her pay for taking Sam from us." He smiled grimly.

"I don't want to sleep." Danny said angrily. "I don't want to spend too much time in a world where Sam is dead. I want to put things right. I want to fix my mistakes. I want to fess up to my idiocy and move on."

"Fess up to your idiocy?" Jazz said as she settled herself on the end of the bed. "That sounds really good. Where shall we begin?"

"Get real," Danny said as he kicked Jazz off his bed. She laughed then frowned and looked thoughtful.

"I need to sleep," Tucker said. "I'm tired. This has been a really emotional day."

"Can you stay here?" Danny asked. He really didn't want to be alone. Tucker looked at his friend for a moment then at Jazz who nodded her head.

"Let me call my mom," he said as he dug his cell phone out of his pocket.

XxXxXxXxXxX

Danny didn't think it was possible, but as soon as his head hit the pillow, he was asleep. It was a restless sleep though, and he kept startling awake, then remembering his new reality and having to calm himself down to relax.

He had just about dozed off again when his ghost sense went off. He sat up hoping that it was the wishing ghost who'd triggered his alarm, but instead it was a dark haired girl sitting on the chest near his bed.

"Hey Sam," Danny said as he put his feet on the floor. "Are you haunting me now?"

Sam laughed. "I have been for awhile," she answered. "Do you forget so quickly?"

"No," Danny said sadly he looked at her for a moment, taking in her pale, almost blue skin and her eyes that seemed to shift between lavender and green.

"I have a lot to talk to you about." Danny finally said as he reached over and took her hand. He phased right through her. He frowned then looked at Sam who was laughing a little.

"You finally accept that I'm here, real, a ghost and not some figment of your crazed up imagination and I still can't make my self solid," Sam said in frustration. "Being a ghost sucks."

Danny smiled and transformed to his ghostly self. Sam's smile grew wider as Danny took her hand. "See," he said. "It doesn't matter."

"Okay," Sam said. "So you have a lot to talk to me about. We have an eternity. Where do you want to begin?"

Danny's eyebrows furrowed. "Why are you here with me anyway?"

"Because with you is where I want to be," Sam answered. "It's the only place I ever wanted to be. Even when I was alive and you were stupid to see that I love you."

"You did?" Danny asked then shook his head. "I mean you do? You still do right?"

"I wouldn't be here otherwise," Sam answered. "You're my unfinished business."

Danny smiled. "I have a story to tell you," he said as he pulled her to sit beside him on the bed. "You have to promise. Promise not to be angry with me."

"What you're going to tell me that you were dating Valerie?" Sam asked. "I know." She looked thoughtful for a moment. "Well I didn't know before, but I know now. It doesn't upset me."

"Are you sure?" Danny asked.

Sam shrugged her shoulders. "I know now that I have a part of you that will never belong to Valerie," she said as she stared into Danny's eyes. "I guess if I were still alive I'd be upset, but now it's no big deal. Everything changes when you're dead. The things in life that you thought were so important, don't seem to matter so much anymore."

Danny chuckled nervously. "Well that's good to know." Sam nodded her head and looked at Danny solemnly.

"So tell me your story," She ordered. "I like hearing your voice."

Danny looked toward Tuck sleeping on the cot at the end of his bed and sighed. "Come outside with me. We'll sit on the roof and I'll talk as much as you want." Sam only smiled as she followed Danny out of the room.

They settled on the roof and Danny put his arm around Sam who leaned into him. "I'm a really big jerk," Danny started.

"What did you do this time?" Sam teased as she squeezed his hand.

"You remember Desiree don't you?" Danny asked.

Sam rolled her eyes. "I'm dead Danny, not suffering from amnesia, of course I remember Desiree."

Danny nodded his head. "Well when I saw you earlier, you were alive as Tuck or Jazz."

"Or you," Sam added. Danny shook his head and snorted.

"I spent the day with you," Danny continued as he closed his eyes then yawned. "I was supposed to tell you that Valerie and I had begun seriously dating, but instead I kissed you and kissed you and kissed you."

Sam's eyes sparkled with amusement. "You kissed me? Why?"

"Because I love you," Danny answered. "But I was stupid and was scared to love you. I thought being with Valerie was better."

"Why? Sam asked. "Because she wants to kill you?"

"Because I figured that with Valerie I would be accepted. You know be part of the A-list. Be normal."

Sam pulled away slightly and looked at Danny a moment. "You know, I hate insulting you, but you're really, really dumb. I mean really dumb."

"I know," Danny said as he looked down. He hated looking into her eyes, he didn't want to see her as a ghost.

"You are looking for acceptance from a person who likes one side of you and hated the other," Sam continued then laughed. "Acceptance from Valerie. No way that's going to happen."

"Well if she doesn't know about Danny Phantom what does it matter?" Danny asked.

Sam growled in exasperation. "Because your ghost half is a part of you, a pretty wonderful part of you. If she loves you, she only loves part of you. Not all of you. That sucks. You want popularity and acceptance and normalcy all based on an illusion."

Danny thought for a moment then sighed heavily. "I don't want to be weird."

"Weird is a state of mind," Sam laughed. "It's all perspective. I think people like Paulina and Dash are pretty weird. I can't understand why you would want that? They are small minded, small hearted, narrow little people. That's what you aspire to be?"

"But it's normal," Danny argued. "I mean they are normal. No ghosts. No ghostly powers. Just school and dances and their silly little dramas."

Sam shook her head as she smoothed her fingers through Danny's snow white hair. "Being part of their shallow little world won't take away the fact that you do have ghosts in your life and you do have ghostly powers. As far as their silly little dramas, do you really want to be a part of that stupid stuff?"

"I want to be liked too. To be popular and not the object of ridicule." Danny told Sam as she moved from smoothing his hair to tracing his ear with one finger. He sighed shakily and closed his eyes.

"You are liked," Sam answered. "By the people who matter to you. Who cares about those who don't? Besides, Danny Phantom's popularity rating is pretty high. Most of the town sees you as a hero. That's pretty cool. None of the popular crowd can boast that fact." Sam traced Danny's bottom lip with her finger. Danny took her hand and kissed her palm.

"If you would stop running so hard from who you are," Sam said as she sighed and moved away from Danny slightly. "You'd see that going for the normalcy and acceptance of the popular crowd is trading down in comparison to what you have. You are exceptional and unique. You are gifted and strong and brave. It would be like trading pure gold for gold plated." Danny looked out across the skyline. She was right. He hoped he wasn't too late to save her.

"Why didn't you ever tell me this stuff while you were alive?" Danny asked.

Sam laughed bitterly. "I tried! Jazz tried too. But you and your partner in crime were too busy plotting your rise to the A-list to hear us."

Danny sighed as he thought of Tucker and all their antics to become part of the in crowd. He looked at Sam for a moment then shook his head. "I'm sorry I didn't listen."

"Yeah well you're an idiot," Sam told him. "So I forgive you."

"I really love you Sam," Danny told her.

Sam grinned. "I'm glad you told me, but I knew that already. I hope you can tell me when I'm alive."

"But I'm afraid of hurting you. I've been so bad." Danny said.

Sam laughed as she shook her head. "Why do you think I'm so weak? I understand and know more than you give me credit for."

"I should be getting back to sleep," Danny said then sighed.

"Yes," Sam agreed. "And don't worry. I'll always be with you." Danny looked at her sadly then phased himself down to his room, leaving Sam on the roof. He hoped he could find Desiree and fix things. The thought of Sam as a ghost was almost worse than Sam being dead.

XxXxXxXxXxX

I know. I know. Bad stuff bad bad bad. Forgive me, if I don't keep writing I'll just stop entirely. I promise things will get better.

Review. I wouldn't mind hearing that this wasn't as bad as I thought, but I will accept it if you think it's worse.