Disclaimer: I'm not even going to bother.
Reviews: BlueMyst19, Ghostboy814, Aqua91, blah, Bubble Phantom HAlFa34, Psycho but fun, Sweeteen19.
A quick note: Wow, you guys are fast. I don't think Chapter 5 was even on there for an hour before I started receiving reviews! Anyway, here's the memorable ball scene people have been begging me for and the snow fight in the gardens too. Yay! Sorry for those that don't get to review for this chapter before receiving Chapter 7. I'm trying to update as quickly as I can for the person that asked me to.
Chapter 6: Falling in Love
Sam walked slowly through the gardens wearing a green winter outfit. She reached out and randomly touched a tree, simply thinking through the thoughts in her mind and surprising herself with each passing day. She smiled as Phillipe nudged her with his nose, and she rubbed his face before looking up at the balcony not too high up where Daniel stood watching her. He wore no jacket or cloak; he was a ghost, after all. One arm crossed his bandaged, wounded chest because it still stung, but it was healing.
She smiled at him before moving on, leading Phillipe through the snow. Daniel felt his breath catch in his throat as he watched her. She was so beautiful and kind and sweet and… The list could go on. He had never felt this way about anyone before. What did it mean? He looked up as Jazmine came to join him, managing a slight smile before turning back to Sam who was now leaning against one of the apple trees. How did she make him feel this way?
Sam had to catch her breath, trying to calm her racing heart. His green eyes were now an eery lime-green color every time he looked at her, and catching him looking at her like that… it made her hear
t skip a beat. She sighed softly, wrapping her arms around herself. How could someone be so perfect and yet so strange at the same time?
Daniel only went down into the garden when he lost sight of her. He followed her footsteps in the snow, hoping she hadn't run off again, but they ended abruptly, confusing him. "Sam?" he called out, hoping she was nearby.
At that moment, a mound of snow was thrown down on top of his head from up in a tree. When he managed to shake the snow out of his hair, he could hear Sam laughing from up above him. He looked up to find her sitting on a branch in the tree, grinning at him. He smirked then floated up to her, lobbing his own snowball. She leapt out of the tree, returning to the ground as he did, running for cover as he threw another snowball. She ducked and prepared another, catching him unawares and getting him in the face.
They ran around the trees like children, pelting each other with snowballs and laughing, enjoying each other's company. Sam's raven hair was dotted with white flecks, and her eyes were bright with laughter. Her cheeks were pink from the cold. Daniel's white hair was now wet, and he kept having to push his bangs out of his face because they were sticking to his forehead. His eyes glowed a brilliant lime green color with contentment and joy. He had never smiled or laughed so much, and Sam felt a fluttering in her stomach knowing she was the cause. Tucker, Dash, and her entire life left behind in Amity Park was forgotten as this twenty-year-old young woman held a snowball fight with an almost twenty-one-year-old ghost.
Daniel tackled the young woman as she circled the tree once more, using his invisibility to his advantage.
"Cheater!" she cried as they rolled in the snow, battling for dominancy. She finally flipped him onto his back, sitting on his stomach and pinning his hands in the snow with hers. "I win."
He would've pointed out that he could easily escape by sinking into the ground, but he didn't. He could feel the warmth of her body heat, a warmth that he hadn't experienced in nearly seven years. Something flickered in her lilac eyes then she stood, pulling away from him. He also stood, ignoring the disappointment building in him.
"I'm wet," she said, unnecessarily, "and it's cold."
"I'll take you inside," he offered, taking her hand and flying them both into the castle.
Sam rubbed her hands together, sitting before the huge fire place in the library. Daniel had presented it to her as a gift only a few days earlier. Daniel sat nearby, seemingly unaffected by the cold snow melting on him or the warm fire attempting to break through the shield around him. Sleepy and lethargic after the game in the garden, Sam rested her head in Daniel's lap once they were both dry. Almost unconsciously, he ran a hand through her long, dark locks, but she never trembled or winced at his ghostly cold touch. He wanted to feel the warmth again, and she was comforted by the simple gesture of love that he displayed.
As soon as he heard about the dinner, he knew he hadn't been the one to suggest it. He knew immediately that someone had planned something behind his back and had introduced it to Sam as his idea. Tonight, he and Sam were supposed to have a quiet, romantic dinner, and afterward, he was supposed to profess his love for her, hope for her returned affections, and break the spell. He only wished it was as easy as Plasmius had put it.
Daniel had seen a slight blush cross Sam's cheeks when she spoke of how much she was looking forward to the dinner tonight. Did that mean she was nervous about being in his company? He looked down at his pale, nearly transparent hands. He had set aside the usual jumpsuit for clothing fitting a prince: black dress trousers, a white dress shirt, and a maroon jacket embroidered with gold. He felt like a fool. Skulker, Plasmius, and Jack had spent the last two hours helping him prepare for tonight, even to the point of attempting to tame his ghostly white hair.
He looked up in the mirror once more, taking a deep breath. Sam was worth it, he reminded himself. And this was it. Tonight would be the night, or he would die alone and unwanted.
Sam could feel butterflies in her stomach as Jazmine finished her hair. She had pinned her hair up in a bun, leaving locks of hair curled in ringlets to frame her face. She was unbelievably nervous, glancing down at the gown she wore. It was a ball gown, with the hoop skirt and petticoats, and it was gold in color. She had to admit, she had never worn anything so… regal. She felt like a princess
"I don't think I can do this," Sam whispered as Jazmine fastened a simple diamond necklace about her neck.
"Yes, you can," the ghostly girl urged, smiling encouragingly. "You at least can put on a brave face. Poor Danny doesn't have that same luck. You'll be fine."
Sam nodded slowly, fingering the necklace around her neck. Tonight would be the night, or she would return to Amity Park and forget everything that had happened in this castle.
Daniel felt like he could barely breath as she stood at the end of the stairs, watching as Sam made her way down. The gown made her look all the more stunning, bringing out the soft, lilac color of her eyes. He reached for her hand as she stepped toward him, sensing her own nervousness in the trembling of her hand.
He led her to the table, pulling out her chair for her so she could sit. They ate together in near silence, listening to the invisible orchestra playing around them. He glanced up at her often, catching a light blush crossing her cheeks as she smiled at him. She was everything he needed and wanted; was it possible that he was in love?
Sam nearly jumped when a voice whispered in her ear, "Make him dance." Of course, Jazmine would be the one to suggest it.
She took a deep breath. Dancing… Sam didn't dance. She suddenly felt very attached to her chair, but she managed to pull herself up and make her way over to Daniel who had stood as well. She grasped both his hands, leading him onto the dance floor. He gulped as she took one of his hands in hers then led the other to her waist. If only he knew how much her heart raced as his own was.
They moved back and forth across the dance floor, and Sam was surprised at how well he danced. She moved closer, setting her head on his chest. He looked up, glancing at Jazmine uncertainly who smiled at him. The young woman he danced with sighed and closed her eyes. Even with the strange ghostly chill that surrounded him, she felt oddly warm as though just being with him was enough to warm her heart. She had a feeling that she was falling in love.
He led her out to the balcony, sitting beside her on a stone bench that adorned it. She smiled up at him before gazing out to the sky, never noticing he held her hands in his.
"Sam," he whispered, "are you…happy here with me?"
She looked over at him, still smiling. "Well, yes, but…" She looked away again, sighing sadly.
"What is it?" he asked, moving closer to her, still holding her hands in his own.
"It's just… my friend, my whole life in Amity Park… I'll never see any of it again."
He removed his hands from hers and took the mirror from an inner pocket of his jacket. He handed it to her. "Here. Ask it whatever you want to see, and it will show it to you."
She looked up at him then back at the mirror. "I'd like to see Tucker… please."
A blinding flash came from the mirror, making her look away. She turned back moments later. Tucker was struggling against the wind, making his way through the forest on foot. He coughed and stumbled, nearly falling.
"Oh, no," she whispered. "Tucker's sick and lost in the woods. He could die!" She looked up at Daniel who abruptly stood and moved away, gripping the railing tightly.
"Then you must go to him," he said softly, head bowed.
"A-are you sure?"
He nodded, swallowing hard. "You must save your friend."
She went to his side, holding out the mirror, but he shook his head. "Keep it," he whispered, turning to her and gently pressing the mirror into her hands. "So you can always have a way to look back."
She hugged the mirror to her chest then reached out and lightly touched his cheek so he met her gaze. Lilac eyes looked into lime green ones then she leaned forward and gently kissed him on the cheek.
"Thank you," she whispered before moving to leave.
Sam urged Phillipe into a gallop, the gates opened by invisible guards. Daniel watched her leave with sad, emerald eyes, a single tear trailing down his cheek. He had lost her.
A/N: Wow, Plasmius is good? Okay, that's just a little creepy... Maybe I should've made it a different ghost... Nah.
