A/N: Okay, I'm gonna try the fluff things again. Hope this works!

Chapter Fourteen

Jack had driven the trio of friends to the Nasty Burger, dropping them and saying Danny had to be home within a few hours. The trio entered the building, joking slightly and walked over to the counter to order their food. Danny seems a little thoughtful and far away, Sam noted, eyeing him curiously.

Danny was looking out the window, as if expecting to see somebody. He saw no one though. Sighing he turned to the questioning person at the counter. He ordered the regular: a burger, fries, soda. Tucker ordered the same thing, and Sam ordered almost the same thing except veggie style.

They paid for their food and looked around. The place wasn't too crowded, only about a quarter full, but most tables were taken. "Over there," Tucker said, pointing over to a table near the back.

"Alright," Sam mumbled and they all started over there. Tucker and Danny were talking when Sam suddenly lost her footing. It had felt as if she had tripped, but there was nothing to trip over. Her hands went up into the air, trying to get her balance back together, a small yelp of surprise escaping her throat. Her tray went flying to one side.

Danny took note of everything. As if the whole scene was going in slow motion. He jammed his tray into Tucker's arm automatically and, working quickly, made a half-turn so he'd be a foot or so in front of Sam, slipping his foot in front of her feet. After making sure that she would fall onto him should he fail to keep her up, he slipped an arm about Sam's waist, keeping her up from the floor. All of this occurred in nearly twelve seconds, Sam falling right into Danny, Sam not even able to get her balance back, his arm around her waist, keeping her close.

To make things worst, everyone in the building had turned to see the nearly impossible feat. Also to make things worst, Sam's legs ended up a little bit between Danny's. He was a bit turned to one side, head turned to be able to look at Sam. Sam's arm was slung over his shoulder while the grabbed on tightly to the arm around her waist. Both were breathing quickly, as if the whole thing had taken a lot out of them.

Sam blinked, Danny did so as well. What did just happen? None of it had registered in Danny's mind at all. They stared at each other. Confused. Tucker's snickering brought them back to reality. They turned to look at him, as if just barely noticing they were around other people.

They quickly turned to scan the rest of the restaurant. Everyone was looking at them. They had all turn to see when they'd heard the surprising yelp. Everyone seen exactly what had happened. Sam tripped. Danny gave his tray to Tucker. He stepped in front of her. He caught her. But how he managed to do so when they all saw that he'd been locked in conversation with Tucker was beyond them.

Oh, and just suddenly, out of nowhere, people began to clap! Danny really didn't think this was a type of situation to be clapping. He only caught Sam! Sheesh, people! But they were embarrassed either way. Sam stood up, still clinging on to Danny for dear life. She felt as if she never wanted to let go. She wanted him to be there, to be there to catch her every time she should fall. Metaphorically and literally. Oh great, he's got you saying clichés to yourself! Sam thought impatiently.

Her arm was still holding onto to Danny's arm and the other still was around his shoulders. His arm was also still around her waist. Both were so into the clapping they didn't notice each other's presence.

Well, they did, but at a subconscious level.

Soon, the clapping began to die down and Sam and Danny quickly moved to their seats, as if afraid to be caught off-guard like that again. Tucker sat looking at them, snickering and smirking broadly.

"What?" both teen chorused. They did even notice they were talking in sync again.

"You guys haven't even gotten to the part where you let go of each other's hands yet," Tucker explained semi-casually.

Danny and Sam took a second fort he words to sink in. Then, both working as if in an actual chorus, began apologizing as if their lives depended on it. Tucker watched them, sighing deeply, wondering how long it would take them to just shut up and accept their love for each other. He sighed again as he listened.

"I'm really sorry, I don't know what I was thinking."

"No, I should have noticed sooner, it was my fault."

"I didn't mean to hold your hand, just got caught in the moment."

"Yeah...me too." The words escaped Danny throat with a little difficulty. As if he had to think a little bit before each word was said. They dared not look up at each other. Their eyes were kept strictly on the table before them.

They each caught sight, however, of Tucker's smirk.

"I hate you, Tucker," both said at the same time.

Tucker chuckled at them speaking in sync again. "You know you love me," Tucker said. Both teens rolled their eyes. Wow, they're really thinking alike today, Tucker noted silently. "Here, Danny," he said, passing the tray of food in front of his friend.

Only then did Sam notice she'd dropped her food. She stood quickly. That would be something to help her keep her mind off Danny.

Danny, of course, also noticed this and stood as well. Sam looked at him as he made his way into the aisle and looked at her. He smiled at her confused look. "I'll do it," he said and walked to the counter. Sam was going to object on his buying her food, but felt her insides turn to mush the minute he smiled. She sat back down and only watched helplessly. Tucker looked at her, then at Danny. He had a feeling today would only get better and better.

Meanwhile, I guess not even walking to the counter was safe these days. Danny ordered what Sam had earlier, and was waiting for it when a chill ran up and down his spine. He waited but didn't see the blue breath leave his throat. He could have sworn his ghost sense would have gone off. He quickly turned to everyone in the restaurant, eyes scanning over every detail. He knew his ghost sense was going to go off, so why didn't it?

Danny was about to call it quits when he caught sight of something. Down at the very back of the place, where the light hardly reached, the darkened corner held a hazy silhouette. He watched it with serious, yet curious,eyes. Who the heck was that? And why was he or whatever it was, looking at Sam. Directly at Sam. Why couldn't Tucker see him? He was right there. Danny glanced at Sam's unknowing figure as she talked to Tucker, seemingly annoyed, then back at the figure.

But... But he was gone. He blinked. Had his eyes been playing tricks on him? "Hey, kid!" came the voice of a currently annoyed employee.

"Huh?" Danny questioned, turning back to the counter.

"Here's your food," the person said.

"Oh, thanks," Danny replied, taking the tray and making his way back to the table with Sam and Tucker. His blue eyes kept scanning around, especially near the back, for the culprit. And he had a feeling he knew who he was. Vlad.

"Thanks, Danny," Sam said as he sat down and passed her the tray.

"No problem," Danny replied quickly. He kept his own tray in front of him, looking at it and thinking at the same time. Now Sam knew something was wrong. Before she'd just thought he was a little distant because of the whole falling on your head thing, but no. This had to be something serious. It had to be to keep him this silent.

Danny was so preoccupied with his thoughts, he had noticed he'd been holding the spot of his arm where he'd gotten hurt. Sam did. So did Tucker.

"Danny, what's on your mind? You seem distant." Sam's soft voice penetrated his train of thought.

"Nothing," Danny said, suddenly sighing deeply and looking at his food. He'd already been looking at it, but didn't even notice he was. He picked up a fry, put it in his mouth. "Say, Tuck, you didn't notice anything strange earlier?" he asked then, looking at Tucker dead in the eye. His expression was firm, totally serious. No time for joking Tucker, it said.

"No, why?" Tucker asked. Danny shrugged one shoulder and turned away from them, looking at every angle of the restaurant. Sam put down the fry she'd been eating and looked at Danny. She was certain there was something he wasn't telling them. She glanced at Tucker. He nodded. He knew it too.

"Danny, I'm not in myright to call your words bull, but we think...scratch that, we know you're not telling us something," Sam said. Danny shrugged again, not looking at them still. Sam glanced at Tucker again and turned to Danny fully. "Turning the cold shoulder to us and giving the silent treatment won't change our suspicions," Sam said firmly.

Danny sighed and turned to them. "It's nothing," he said, looking at her in the eye. Sam blinked. He turned again, going back into a state of thought. Sam didn't understand. His eyes...they puzzled her deeply. There was something there she did not quiet comprehend. No. Something was missing.

She turned back to her food. He was joyful a while ago, what changed? She knew something was different. She also knew he wasn't telling them. Telling her more like it. Tucker almost never took anything seriously so not telling him was reasonable. But not telling her? He should know she'll always understand. Besides, they were friends, right? Yes. Of course. Best friends.

Sighing, she took her eyes off Danny and looked at her tray. She picked up another fry and plopped it into her mouth. If he didn't want to tell them, then it was for their own good. He would never hide something so important if it wasn't for their own good, right? Of course.

E/N: I put some fluff, and some seriousness. If I disappointed you, I'm sorry. Please don't come after me!

--Airamé Phantom