Thanks for the reviews: SciFiGirl13, BadgersRule, Psycho but fun, Samantha-Girl Scout, giggleaid, shadowedstar213, cutereviewgirl, Kryptonite Riot Girl, inufan-308.
A quick note: You're all so wonderful to me! Psycho but fun said it was the most beautiful thing they'd ever read and even said this could be an actual book! (insert author blusing once more) Shadowedstar213 said I was one of the most talented author's she's ever reviewed for. (sniffles) I love you all so much! (huggles) Well, not really "love," but you know what I mean, right? I mean, you guys have sent me so many nice reviews, and I'm only on the fourth chapter! (starts crying again)
Disclaimer: See Chapter 1.
Chapter 4: Take me Somewhere New
Isn't anyone trying to find me
Won't somebody come take me home
It's a damn, cold night
Trying to figure out this life
Won't you take me by the hand
Take me somewhere new
I don't know who you are
But I, I'm with you
I'm with you
Sam held onto Danny's hand as he led her around the lab, describing some things to her and letting her touch others. "What about the portal?" she asked.
"It's over here." He led her over to it, standing behind her as her hands explored the outer edge of the octagon. "Don't step closer, or you'll fall into the Ghost Zone."
"I'll keep that in mind." Her hand passed over the yellow panels around the portal to touch the center. She gasped in surprise and pulled her hand away when it touched emptiness. "There's nothing there."
"That's the opening to the Ghost Zone. It's a swirling, yellow and green sky. Nothing else."
"I wish I could see it," she whispered softly.
"Danny, sweetie, are you down there?"
"Crap, my mom," he hissed. He put his arms around Sam who looked surprised. "You can kill me for this later, okay?"
She was about to ask what was going on, but his lips had pressed against hers. She was stunned, barely able to close her eyes. She heard footsteps; they barely registered over the blood pounding in her ears. She felt Danny pull away and opened her eyes.
"Oh, Danny! I didn't realize you were down here with your girlfriend," a motherly, female voice said.
Sam's mind had shut down from overload. She couldn't think straight, and she barely got her feet moving when Danny led her upstairs. All she could think of was that kiss. She had never been kissed before. She heard the trickle of the fountain and realized he'd taken them back to the park.
"You okay, Sam?" His voice barely registered in her mind. "I'm sorry about the kiss. I didn't know what else to do."
She finally found her voice. "That's okay. We'll just put that one down as a fake-out make-out." She was blushing, and she wished she could see if he was too. It would make her feel so much better. "Thanks for showing me the lab, Danny. Maybe we can explore the Ghost Zone together next time. I'll see you tomorrow." She walked away in a daze.
Her lips were soft against his, and he barely managed to remind himself that this was a fake kiss: a fake-out make-out.
Sam was glad he didn't insert names. Tucker already thought they were lovebirds, and the fake-out make-out only confirmed his suspicions. She swore one of these days Danny was going to confiscate his friend's PDA. That was where Tucker said he kept all his "lovebird evidence" at least.
Her inability to see was the only thing that allowed them to look at each other without blushing. Having recovered from the initial shock, Sam was back to normal. She pretended to have had no reaction to that kiss; her first kiss.
"Where do you want to go today, Sam?" the halfa asked, hands in his pockets.
"Take me somewhere new. What about the Ghost Zone?"
"It's your fault if we get attacked," he warned.
She laughed. "I look forward to it."
Danny led her back down to the lab and held onto her as they passed into the Ghost Zone. He described as much as he could, including a few of the weaker ghosts. Sam was fascinated with all of it. She thought she could see a slight lift in the darkness around her but brushed it off as part of her picture of the Ghost Zone.
"This is incredible, Danny," she said, holding his hand as they flew through the Ghost Zone. "No one's ever taken the time to do this for me."
He glanced at the thoughtful girl beside him. "Really? I thought maybe your parents would have."
"Are you kidding?" She laughed. "They wanted to get me blind-people crutches. I rebelled against my sightlessness, and look where it's got me. I'm almost normal." She smiled. "You know, it's funny. We've only met a couple of weeks ago, but I feel like I know more about you than what I don't know."
"Yeah, me too." He looked over at her and smiled as she closed her eyes in contentment. She was definitely the strangest person he'd ever met.
Their journey through the Ghost Zone was interrupted by a ghost attack from Johnny 13 and his shadow. Sam waited for Danny patiently, listening to the sounds of the battle before her. it seemed Johnny was a more worthy opponent of Danny's skills because the battle was longer, and the enemy got more shots in. Sam grew bored after a while and started exploring on her own.
When Danny finally defeated Johnny, he was startled to find Sam gone. He panicked, knowing she could've easily walked off an island into the nothingness atmosphere or opened a door and gotten lost. He flew in the direction he hoped she'd gone before finding her looking alone and scared a few miles away.
"Sam!" He flew down and picked her up, and the goth girl didn't object, burying her face in his shoulder. "Are you okay?" he asked gently.
"Just…take me home now."
"Okay…" He didn't try to hide the disappointment in his voice.
Sam didn't release Danny until he set her on the bed. "Thanks, Danny. I appreciate this."
"What happened, Sam?" He hovered above her bed, sitting cross-legged in the air.
"I got lost," she admitted, looking down. "I tried to call you, but I guess you couldn't hear me."
"You okay now?"
She nodded, smiling weakly. "I guess I just thought no one was going to come find me."
"I'll always come find you, Sam." He grinned, feeling like he was being cheesy to the max. "I'm with you."