This chapter has been in the care of Nom de Plume, my beta reader. Thank you Nom de Plume!
Chapter Four
Errol sighed sadly as he allowed himself to enter Sam's subconscious. She was sad, very sad. He felt badly for her, but he ultimately felt she would be much happier when she cared for someone who actually returned her affections—rather than pining after someone who obviously was too dimwitted to see she cared.
He understood how lucky he was to escape from Danny as he sifted through Sam's subconscious. He chalked it up to being tired and having to work too hard on Dash. The boy was going to need a lot of help if he was going to be able to hold on to Sam. Errol wasn't going to stay with him forever. After testing out the limits of his tie to the Ghost Zone, he found he could venture further than he could before. It wouldn't be too long before he broke the bond that kept him tied to the city and he could leave Amity Park for a less crowded place to haunt.
The attraction Sam had for Dash had always been small and superficial, but now that she had spent time with him, talking to him, that attraction had grown. Errol was happy that she was willing to look toward someone other than Danny. Errol almost growled in disgust. Stupid boy.
"I love Danny," she said in her dreams. "Danny, not Dash."
"But Danny doesn't want you, Sam," Errol told her almost cruelly, wincing in sympathy as he felt her pain. "Dash does. He likes you. He accepts you for how you are. Give him a fair chance. Don't shut out a good thing just because you have a little crush on Danny."
He relaxed as he felt Sam acquiesce to his request. "Good," Errol told her comfortingly. "I knew you were a smart girl." He promised himself he would take care of her for as long as he could. Dash was malleable enough that he would bend to Sam's whims. She was strong in character; she would be the boss in the relationship. She would be happy.
Errol left feeling very pleased with himself. He allowed himself to return to the Ghost Zone for a few more hours of rest. He had an exhausting day ahead of him, and worried a little about how much strength he would have for the date. He would have to leave Dash before lunch and head to his temporary home to rest up to be able to use up so much power.
Danny sat up as his ghost sense went off. He looked around in alarm. It was so quick that if he had been sleeping well, he would have barely registered the blue breath wafting from his mouth.
He changed to his ghost form and flew swiftly down to the lab. The portal had recently been opened. Someone had gone through, but whether they had gone in or out was unclear. Danny suspected out; with the sole exception of that ghost he had chased earlier, the ghosts didn't go back in of their own accord. He frowned as he looked around the lab. Then it hit him. Sam. He needed to check on Sam!
Despite his fears, there was no ghost in her room. She was sleeping soundly, on her side with one hand tucked under her cheek. Danny watched her for a moment then looked around the room warily. He couldn't explain it, but he was sure a ghost had been here. He could almost sense it.
"No," Danny then said to himself. "You think there's a ghost because you're losing her. You could do something about a ghost. You can't do anything about Dash." Danny clenched his fists and his jaw as he thought of Dash, then Sam, then Dash and Sam together. He wondered how Sam could even consider it, especially when factoring in the torture the jock had put her friends through, and the teasing he had inflicted on her.
Danny watched Sam for a minute, feeling a little betrayed, but understanding that it was the only way he could deal with how much it hurt to think of her moving on, away from him. He gently replaced the covers Sam had kicked off and then lightly stroked the hair off her face. She murmured softly in her sleep and Danny sighed heavily. Why couldn't he have realized sooner how much he cared for her?
He flew out of her room and back home. Danny attempted to go back to sleep but felt too angry and upset to rest. He transformed back to his ghostly self and went into the Ghost Zone. He needed to get out all his pent up frustration and aggression, otherwise he was liable to make a fool out of himself in front of Sam by completely obliterating Dash.
Danny was lucky; a plethora of minor ghosts were hanging around the portal. He chased them, using them almost like target practice. He knew he needed to be careful. The last thing he needed was to run into a major ghost and tick them off; he'd learned his lesson with Ghostwriter about indiscriminate shows of temper.
What Danny didn't know was that he was being watched, and watched closely, by a very concerned major ghost. The concern wasn't for him, but for the minor and lesser ghosts Danny was tormenting, as the ghost saw it.
It was upon Danny's departure from the Ghost Zone that Errol appeared. He gathered together the shaken and shattered lesser ghosts and took them under his wings. If he had felt bad about trying to change Sam's heart regarding Danny, he didn't anymore. In fact, now he was determined to get the girl as far away from this sadistic boy as he possibly could. Errol was of the opinion that people like Danny could only hurt. They could never really love.
"Good morning, my beautiful Goth Angel," Dash said as he stood next to Sam who was busy turning the combination on her locker.
Sam snorted in amusement. "'Goth Angel'?" she asked. "Where did you get that from?"
Dash sputtered for a moment then said, "You look like an angel to me, but you're like Goth, you know. So 'Goth Angel'."
"Oookay," Sam said as she exchanged books. She was shaking her head and smiling.
"I'm sorry I didn't call last night," Dash said quickly. "I had a lot of homework to do, you know how it is."
"That's all right," Sam said. "I wasn't waiting for you to call anyway."
Dash watched her until she closed her locker. "Can I walk with you to class?" he asked.
Sam gave him an exasperated look. "I'm not your girlfriend," she said. "Stop treating me like I am."
"I can hope, right?" Dash asked. "Besides, I just like being with you, and if I can extend that time, then it's all cool."
"It's not cool," Sam said almost harshly, then regretting using such a mean tone as she looked at the hurt expression on Dash's face. "Your class is in the other direction, and it looks like Kwan is waiting to talk to you." Dash turned and looked over his shoulder and spotted his friend waiting patiently a few lockers away.
"Okay, fine," he said. "I'll see you in third period." He leaned forward like he was going to kiss her but then thought better of the action and walked away instead. Sam watched him go warily then turned and looked to see Danny and Tucker looking at her.
"What did he want?" Danny asked almost too sharply.
"To walk me to class," Sam answered.
"Ha," Tucker laughed. "What are you, his girlfriend?"
"No," Sam denied. "I'm not his girlfriend and I'm not going to be, so stop teasing me about it."
"Yeah, just like you weren't going to go out with him, but you are," Tuck continued to tease. He looked at Danny. "How much you want to bet he asks her to the end of the school year dance?"
"I don't want to," Danny said as he fought the sick to his stomach feeling which had been attacking him a lot lately, especially when thinking about Sam. Both Tucker and Sam looked at him sharply.
"Are you okay?" Sam asked. Danny looked at her for a moment. He considered saying something, but what? Declaring his undying love for her? She'd laugh at him. There was no way she'd believe it, not now.
"I was woken up by ghosts last night," he answered sleepily. "I'm feeling kinda tired."
"You can nap in class," Sam said kindly. "I'll take notes for you."
"Will you transfer them as nicely as you did for Dash?" Tucker teased. Sam sent him a pained look then turned her attention worriedly toward Danny.
"You're not hurt, are you?" she asked. "You look like you're going to be sick."
"I'm fine," Danny nearly growled. "I'm fine. Just tired, like I said."
"Wow," Sam said to Tucker. "And grumpy, too. Danny needs a nap." Danny looked at Sam and gave her an "Oh please" look. She smiled back and the knots in his stomach began to ease. He hadn't lost her completely, yet.
Kwan looked at Dash and shook his head. "We've all been talking, Dash, and we've decided that we're worried about you."
Dash gave Kwan a dirty look. "Worried about me? Why?"
Kwan sighed and took a deep breath as though he was anticipating a physical attack. "It's because, as Paulina puts it, you've been mooning around after that Goth girl and…"
"Whoa!" Dash said as he put up his hands. "Don't start with me, Kwan. You guys said you understood. That you'd be supportive."
"Dude," Kwan said slowly. "Calm down. We're just worried about you, that's all. I mean, you're just not yourself lately. When was the last time you pounded a geek?"
"I am retiring from geek-pounding, Kwan," Dash told his friend. "I think maybe it's time to like be a little nicer to people. I don't need to like beat up everyone just to prove I'm tough."
Kwan looked at Dash in shock. "Have you told your dad that? I mean, what is he going to say when he finds out your geek-beating count is down to nothing?"
Dash shrugged his shoulders. The truth be told, he was pretty worried about how his father would take the changes in his life; but Sam was right, he needed to stand up and be independent. He wasn't going to be his father's puppet anymore.
"Just like hang with us today," Kwan said. "Make us feel a little more comfortable, okay?"
Dash gave Kwan a tired look. His friend could be way too oversensitive sometimes. "There is nothing wrong with a little sensitivity," said the voice in Dash's head.
"Okay," Dash said. "You can count me in at lunch, but tonight I have a date."
Kwan looked surprised. "When did she say yes?"
"Yesterday," Dash said proudly.
"Wow," Kwan said. "How come you didn't tell us?" Dash only shrugged.
"Don't bring her to Paulina's party tonight," Kwan warned.
"We're going bowling," Dash told Kwan proudly. "You don't have to worry about me bringing a no-lister to her party. Though if she agrees to go steady with me…"
"Wait," Kwan said in shock. "What do you mean, if she agrees to go steady with you? I thought you just wanted to go on a date with her, not make her your girlfriend or something."
Dash growled at Kwan in annoyance. "And I thought you said my love-life was none of your business." Kwan only shook his head disbelievingly and wisely said nothing more.
"You're really going through with this?" Tuck asked as he sat up in Sam's room watching her get ready for her date with Dash. She had abandoned her skirt and was wearing a pair of very distressed jeans along with her usual black and purple tank top.
Sam walked past Tucker and he stopped her. "Wait one minute!" he said.
He sniffed at Sam then gave her a weird look. "You're wearing perfume!" he accused.
Sam blushed slightly. "So?" she said. "I'm going on a date."
"A date with Dash," Tucker pointed out. "The guy you said you wouldn't go out with. The guy whose girlfriend you say you won't become, but you're wearing perfume, so I'm very suspicious, because you said you wouldn't go out with him but are going out with him."
Sam gave Tucker a pained look then frowned as she looked out the window. "Danny's mad at me, isn't he?"
Tucker shrugged his shoulders. "I think he's just hurt that you're like going to date one of his enemies."
"What?" Sam asked in near outrage. "Did he tell you this?"
"He didn't," Tucker answered. "I just know how he is. You know how he is."
"I guess," Sam said as she sat down. "But Dash has been different lately, don't you think? Besides, why is it okay for Danny to date someone who tries to kill him, but not okay for me to date Dash?"
Tucker shook his head. "I don't know. I mean, Dash has really put Danny and I through some tough times, Sam."
"Yeah, and it's all going to stop," Sam began. "I think me going out with him is a good thing, and…" she paused. "I think I kinda like him, Tuck."
"What happened to liking Danny?" Tucker asked as he watched emotions of sadness and resignation flit across Sam's face.
"He'll never see me that way. He's always after girls like Paulina and Valerie. I'm just his best friend. It's time I moved on."
"Just promise me we won't lose you to the A-list or something," Tucker said, feeling a little scared himself.
"You're kidding, right?" Sam asked.
"You never know," Tucker replied.
"No," Sam said as she shook her head. "It's more than likely that poor Dash will fall off the A-list."
"Hmm," Tucker said thoughtfully. "How can that happen if you only go on one date with him?"
Sam growled in exasperation then nearly jumped out of her skin as her mother knocked on the door. Pam Manson was beaming, grinning from ear to ear. "Sammykins, sweetie," she said in a tone which could cause instantaneous tooth decay. "Your date is here."
"I'll be right down, Mom," Sam said sadly.
"He's really cute, Samantha," her mother said. "I am so glad you are over that Fenton boy." She nodded at Tucker then left the room.
Sam sighed deeply. "And there is the whole reason why I can't date Dash. It would make her far, far too happy." Tucker laughed and followed.
Dash was standing in the foyer, looking nervous. He looked up at Sam descending the staircase and his face lit up.
"Hey Sam," he said then looked at Tucker. "And Foley." He paused for a moment then asked worriedly, "Is he coming with us?"
"No," Sam laughed. "He was just leaving."
"Yeah," Tucker said as he looked from Dash to Sam. "Have a nice time."
Sam hugged Tucker goodbye and whispered, "Do me a favor and keep your eye on a certain ghost boy. I really don't want him spying on me." Tucker nodded his head, looked briefly at Dash, then left.
"Are you ready?" Sam asked. Dash nodded his head and followed Sam out of the house.
"I didn't know you lived so close to me," Dash said. "I mean, this is a really nice house."
"Yeah," Sam said, not wanting to talk about the fact that her parents were rich.
"It's just cool because I can visit you easily," Dash said.
Sam gave him a funny look and said, "You're assuming that you'd be invited to visit me," she said.
"Don't panic, Dash," said the voice in his head comfortingly. "She's just teasing you."
"Oh," Dash said out loud. Sam gave him a strange look and he laughed nervously as they left Sam's house and headed to the bowling alley.
"Ha ha!" Sam laughed as the ball rolled down the alley and knocked down all ten pins. "Another strike! I win! Again!" Dash laughed and shook his head not understanding how she could kick his butt so thoroughly.
"I have a bowling alley at home," Sam said as she answered his unasked question. "I get in a lot of practice."
Dash looked at her in surprise. "You do?" he asked. "That's totally cool."
Sam nodded her head. "You'll have to come over sometime and check it out."
"Really?" Dash said happily. "I know you want to grab her and hug her," the voice in his head said. "But don't." Dash sighed in frustration.
Sam thought about it for a minute then said, "Sure."
"Cool," Dash replied.
He looked down at the score sheet in front of him. "Do you want to play another game, or maybe we could go to the Nasty Burger?"
"I am feeling a little hungry," Sam said.
"Great! Me too," Dash replied. Sam sat to change her shoes, but just as he had done before, Dash knelt before her to help. He untied the soft bowling shoes and held her white socked foot in his hand for a moment before helping her on with one boot and then the other. He looked up at Sam and found her smiling in amusement.
"Don't say anything," Errol warned. "Just soak in the moment."
Dash took the shoes back to the counter and paid for the game then met Sam at the door. He smiled at her tenderly then took her hand and walked with her to the Nasty Burger.
"You're holding my hand," Sam said as she raised her eyebrows at Dash.
"I know," Dash replied as he grinned. "I'm doing it on purpose." Sam rolled her eyes and squeezed his hand in response. Dash sighed happily and thanked the voice in his head. He might be going crazy, but he'd gladly go crazy if it meant he got to hold Sam's hand.
"You're not going to kiss her, you know," Errol informed Dash.Dash mentally groaned in disappointment. He actually knew what it was like to kiss the girl beside him. Actually she had kissed him. He couldn't remember why or how, but he knew it had happened. The memory was seared into his mind. He had pretended to be horrified, but in reality he had liked it. He couldn't wait to find out if kissing her would be the same, or possibly better.
"She's not that kind of girl, Dash," the voice warned. "There were extenuating circumstances which caused her to kiss you before. If you want to kiss her, to really kiss her, you'll have to wait."
Sam entered the Nasty Burger and almost turned to leave. It was her worst nightmare. At one table sat Danny and Tucker. They hadn't seen her yet. Tuck's back was to her and Danny was sitting with his head down, his hand in his hair.
At yet another table sat Paulina, Star, and the one and only Valerie. She took a shaky breath and stared to turn around. She bumped into Dash who looked at her worriedly.
"What's wrong?" he asked as he looked across the restaurant. "Oh!" he said.
"Maybe we should leave," Sam suggested. "I mean…this can't be good."
"No," Dash said. "It is good." He led Sam to a secluded booth and motioned for her to sit.
"What would you like, my lady?" he asked sweetly.
Sam snorted in disbelief. "We're just full of old fashioned chivalry, aren't we?"
"Yes," Dash said as he waggled his eyebrows. "Now place your order before it's too late."
"Just a salad and a soda," Sam answered as she cast a quick glance toward Tucker and Danny. They hadn't noticed her yet.
"I'll be right back," Dash said. He paused. "Don't worry. Everything will be fine."
"Dash!" Paulina called as she spotted the jock. "What are you doing here. I thought you were on your date with that gee…um, Go…girl, Sam."
Sam watched as Danny's head snapped up. He looked at Dash for a minute then scanned the restaurant looking for Sam. She smiled when he finally spotted her and waved. He waved back sadly. Tucker turned around and grinned at Sam.
"How is it going?" Tucker mouthed. Sam put up her thumbs and watched as Danny rolled his eyes. She frowned and shook her head.
Dash returned to the table and they sat for the rest of the evening unhindered by anyone. Sam was aware that Tucker and Danny left not too long after they arrived. Her heart was aching and she began to feel really guilty for enjoying Dash's company.
"So," Dash said as he walked Sam to her door. "Can I see you tomorrow?" he asked. "Maybe we can talk a walk in the park or something like that."
Sam shook her head. "I don't know that it would be a good idea, Dash."
"Why not?" the jock asked. "Didn't you have a good time? I thought we clicked really well, and I really like you, Sam."
Sam looked up at Dash for a moment she vaguely wondered if he was going to kiss her. Did she want him to? She searched her heart and decided the answer was yes.
"I should go." She reached for the doorknob but Dash stopped her.
"Park. Tomorrow?" he asked. "Please? You don't have to spend the whole day with me, just a couple of hours so I don't miss you so bad until I see you on Monday."
"You're going to miss me?" Sam said wryly. "Really?"
"Yes," Dash said softly as he put her hand to her face and ran his finger along her jaw. Sam shivered and he smiled.
Sam closed her eyes and sighed. "Okay. Tomorrow. In the park, around noon. Okay?"
Dash leaned forward. He really, really wanted to kiss her. His hand trailed back behind her neck and her face tilted up.
"Don't you dare!" the voice in his head chastised. "Do it and you'll be on your own! Kiss her cheek if you have to, but touch her lips and it's over."
Dash sighed then brushed his lips lightly on her cheek then pulled away. His breath was taken away as Sam slowly opened her lavender eyes and smiled at him sleepily.
"Good night, Dash," she said.
"Good night Sam," he replied as he watched her open then close the door. He walked away happy as he thanked the wonderful voice in his head.
"You let him kiss you?" Danny said as Sam walked into her room and shut the door. She squeaked in fright, nearly jumping out of her skin.
"Danny!" she said as she clutched her hand to her chest. "You scared me!"
"Sorry," Danny apologized. "It wasn't my intention."
Sam noted that he was standing near her window still. "You were spying on me!" she accused.
"No I wasn't," Danny said defensively. "I just came to find out how everything went."
Sam gave him an irritated look. "He didn't kiss me, kiss me," she said. "He just kissed my cheek."
Danny watched as a small smile grew on Sam's face. "It looked like you wanted him to kiss you," he accused.
"I did," Sam answered honestly. "But he didn't."
Danny felt like the bottom had dropped out of his heart. "You did?"
Sam laughed as she sat down. "Yeah. I had a good time. I like him."
Danny blinked at Sam a minute then shook his head. "Listen to yourself, Sam. It's Dash. Dash Baxter, world-class jerk."
"And he's my friend," Sam said pointedly. "People can change. He hasn't beat anyone up lately."
"Your boyfriend?" Danny asked softly. His stomach began to ache and he felt weak and scared, especially as a dreamy smile bloomed on Sam's face.
"Maybe," she answered. "I don't know." Her admission seemed to trouble her as she sat down and looked at Danny.
"You're going out with him again?" Danny asked as he held her eyes with his own azure glare. Sam reflected in amazement that two pairs of blue eyes could be so different.
"I'm meeting him in the park tomorrow," Sam answered. "It's not a big deal, Danny. We're just friends. Really."
"Well," Danny said as he walked around the room. "You got all mad when I started dating Valerie. I think I should be entitled to get mad for you dating Dash. I mean the situation isn't so different."
"Yes it is!" Sam said angrily. "It's entirely different. Valerie is a risk to your life! She tries to kill you regularly. If she found out about your ghost half, then you can kiss life as you know it goodbye. I had objections because I was worried about you. The situation with Dash can't even be compared."
"Well I'm worried about you, too!" Danny half yelled. "It's like you're betraying everything you stand for. The next thing you know you'll be sitting at the A-list table talking about parties and dances and manicures, while wearing pink!"
"Don't be silly, Danny," Sam laughed. "That's not going to happen."
"Just like going on a date with Dash wasn't going to happen," Danny growled. "Just like becoming his girlfriend wasn't going to happen. Really, Sam, I don't believe you."
"You think I'm that shallow?" Sam asked in outrage. Danny just shrugged his shoulders.
Sam took a deep breath to calm herself. "You know what, Danny? Someone actually likes me for once. He's not trying to change who I am. He's just enjoying my company like I enjoy his. What's wrong with someone actually liking me for a change?"
"But he still could be up to something," Danny argued. "And he may not be trying to change you now, but…"
"Stop!" Sam yelled. "Just stop. Who I date is my business. Okay? If you're worried about losing me, it's not going to happen. You and Tuck still are and always will be my best friends."
Danny closed his eyes. Sam walked toward him and put her arms around him and hugged him tight. He sighed deeply as he returned the embrace.
"Don't you think I deserve to be happy?" Sam asked against his shoulder. "Can't I be loved by someone for once?"
"I-I love you," Danny said as he squeezed his eyes shut tight and held Sam tight.
"But not in the right way," Sam said as she pushed away from Danny. "I don't want to be loved as just your friend. I want to be loved as a girl, for who I am. I wouldn't say Dash loves me, but he likes me and maybe there's a chance there."
"Sam," Danny nearly pleaded. She held up her hand.
"Just trust me, Danny," she said. "I know you're worried. But I can take care of myself. Besides, I have you and Tuck at my back. I'm not scared of anyone or anything. I'm protected."
Danny nodded his head. "I guess I'm for whatever will make you happy," he said. "I should go."
"I'll talk to you tomorrow okay? Around three-ish? Maybe you I and Tucker can go to the arcade or something."
"Okay," Danny said. "'Night, Sam."
"Goodnight, Danny," she replied, then sighed heavily as she watched him leave.
"I think I might love her," Dash said to the voice in his head the following afternoon as he walked to Sam's house. "I mean it."
"Well," Errol replied, "you might be rushing things a bit, but I believe you." He had spent a great deal of his time in Sam's dreams after the date.
"Good," Dash said as he patted the little box in his pocket. "So you agree that it's okay to give it to her?"
"Yes," Errol answered. He had visited Sam's dreams. He knew the gesture would touch her heart. He knew it was very uncharacteristic of her to look before she leapt, but he was sure he had pushed her feelings for Dash beyond the point of reason. He was pleased that he could affect her so quickly; he had worried that it would take much longer than it had. When he had entered her dreams that night, they were of Dash, not Danny. He just hoped she wouldn't change her mind in her waking moments.
Sam was waiting for Dash as he arrived at her house. She smiled as she walked toward him and he resisted the urge to grab her and hug her tight.
"Are you ready to go?" he asked.
"Yup," Sam replied as she took Dash's hand and walked beside him.
"I almost called you this morning," Dash told her. "I just was scared that maybe you'd change your mind."
"No way," Sam said happily. "I said I would go with you to the park, and here I am."
"Cool," Dash said as he let her lead him away. They talked very little, when they did it was about school and a little about movies, but mostly they just enjoyed each other's company. Almost two hours later found them sitting on a bench, hand in hand still talking.
"Oh!" Dash said as he sat up. "I have something for you." He fished the box out of his pocket and handed it to Sam. She looked at him doubtfully and he sighed in exasperation and opened it up for her. Inside was a little pink enamel heart. Sam looked at it and blinked.
"This is for me?" she asked. Her next response made her feel terrible. "I don't do pink, Dash."
He frowned as he took the necklace out of the box. "It's not pink," he said. "It's salmon."
Sam laughed as he put it around her neck. "It's pink," she disagreed then gasped as Dash's lips briefly brushed against her own.
"It's my heart," he said shyly. "You can have it if you want it, and if you don't, I understand perfectly."
Sam gave him a teasingly cynical look. "You're smooth," she accused. "First you con me into going out with you, then you con me into going out with you again, and now you want to give me your heart? We've only been out together twice."
Dash silently cursed the voice in his head, he had told him this was the right thing to do. That Sam would be swept of her feet. Well, it was wrong.
"But you know," Sam continued, "it may be pink, but I love it. And this might be our second date, but I'll gladly accept your heart." Dash took a deep breath and smiled. Sam bit her lip a second then moved close to Dash and pressed her lips against his. The jock didn't even take time to listen to the voice shrieking alarm in his head, he simply put his arms around her and kissed her back.
Dude! Dash said in his mind. Just shut up and enjoy the moment! The voice stilled and Dash continued to kiss Sam, thinking happily that she tasted like cinnamon and apples.
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