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Surprise Attacks
A Danny Phantom One-Shot
By Charli Jay
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Crowned in raven locks, the treetop empress aligned her eyesight with her prey. Locked on target, she smirked in utter glory at the success rate of her mission. Weapon in hand, she reached back slo-o-wly, and with a swift flick of her wrist, released it. 'DOINK!' was the next sound she heard, and had to cover her mouth with both hands to keep from cracking up into tiny little pieces from her strong branch.
"Darn squirrels," a dark-skinned boy with a cap on complained.
"They sure don't like you, Tuck," a black-haired boy with a pleased smile mused.
"Hah, hah, Danny," Tucker rolled his eyes. Another acorn shot from the branches high overhead and clobbered the crown of Danny's head.
"OW!" he yelled, rubbing the beaten spot with his right hand. Tucker leaned over, holding his stomach in fits of laughter, when the aerial attack grew worse. Acorns of every shape and size pelted down upon the two teenage victims from every possible angle.
"RUN, TUCKER, RUN! GHOST SQUIRRELS!" Danny yelled. They threw their hands over their heads protectively and started to run - when they heard hysterical female laughter overhead. The acorns stopped and now the leaves were shaking. Danny and Tucker frowned, ready to confront their attacker.
"That was PRICELESS!" a familiar girl's voice screeched above them. Tucker folded his hands over his chest and Danny pointed up towards the tree. Tucker nodded and unfolded his arms, and they both walked towards the tree. Meanwhile, the girl was still laughing so hard tears were streaming down her face - until a moment later, when she felt the steady surface beneath her quaking considerably.
"DANNY, TUCKER, STOP IT!" she yelled. But to no avail – the shaking and shuddering of the tree continued as the boys pushed and pulled on the trunk.
"AUGH!" the girl yelled as she felt her balance being lost. The next thing she felt was fear and: slipping! The tree was pretty tall, so when she hit ground, it was going to hurt! She screamed bloody murder as she felt the firm branches let her drop. Danny's heart filled with dread at the sound, and instinctively closed his eyes for a moment.
"Danny?" Tucker squeaked. A bright green light washed over the teenager next to him and Tucker shielded his eyes. Where the black-haired, denim-and-t-shirt-clad boy was placed, now stood a boy in a black costume of sorts, with snow-white hair and green eyes that glowed the color of the light that had consumed him.
"Cover me, Tuck," Danny said quickly as he leapt up from the ground and flew through the air. Tucker ran around in hysterical circles all of a sudden and Danny saw a flash of black and purple next to him on his left. Screaming still filled the air, so the few people present in the park assumed it was Tucker's screaming and left him alone. People are weird like that – very unobservant at the worst possible time. Or was it the best possible time, so that Danny's secret wasn't found out? His white hair blowing behind him, Danny dove for the object of rescue. And with a sharp jerk backward, he caught the falling girl with steady arms. When they finally screeched to a halt behind the large willow tree, the girl still had her pale arms wrapped around Danny's neck.
"Are you okay, Sam?" Danny asked her softly. All she could do was nod, and her face matched the color of Danny's hair. He quickly turned back into his normal human form and looked at her again.
"Are you hurt?" he asked again, legitimately concerned.
"No," Sam managed shakily. But somehow, she couldn't bring herself to let go of his shoulders. He was warm and still, and after a scare like that she needed stability.
"SAM!" Tucker yelled, after he had stopped running around pretending to scream like a girl. "Are you okay, Sam?" he asked excitedly.
"Fine," she said on instinct.
"Oh really," Tucker raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms. "Then why you holdin' on for dear life?" he asked blatantly.
"She's not," Danny responded – a little too quickly. "I mean, she's not hurting me or anything," he said, his cheeks flaming a few shades of unhealthy red.
"Uh huhhh," Tucker shook his head. "I'm going to buy some ice cream. You guys want anything?" he asked.
"No," they both responded in unison – standing under the tree with Sam's arms still wrapped around Danny's neck and Danny's arms still resting at the small of her back loosely.
"Alrighty then," Tucker said, shaking his head still as he walked away.
Sam and Danny nervously faced each other after finally letting go.
"Close call," Sam said sheepishly.
"In more ways than one," Danny whispered under his breath.
"Huh?" Sam asked curiously.
"Huh? What?" Danny asked, trying desperately not to give away what he had said.
"Oh. I thought you said something to me," Sam said, looking down at her shoes.
"Not exactly," Danny smiled sideways.
"Well... I'm sorry if I hurt you guys with the acorns, I was just playing," Sam said, trying hard to change the subject -- even though she really just wanted to talk to Danny.
Really talk to him.
They sat down under the shade of the tree, its branches dripping from the very top like cascading waterfalls of leafy green. The summer sun washed the surface of their town and basked the citizens in its warmth. Sam wrapped her arms around her knees and rested her chin on her arms. Danny leaned against the tree with his back and let his legs stretch out where he could see his feet. Sam poked at one of his worn tennis shoes.
"Do you know how many years you've worn these shoes?" she teased him.
"Yes, yes I do. That would be two years. Two years of no growth – in height or foot." Danny sighed and closed his bright blue eyes. Sam laughed at him and he peeked over at her with his right eye.
"What's so funny?" he asked - now opening both eyes.
"You are," she said, picking at the grass to her right.
"How am I funnier than any guy you know?" he asked her.
"Oh, I didn't say that," she teased again. "But you are pretty funny."
Danny smiled at her and she smiled back, meeting his crystal blue gaze with her expressive violet eyes.
"You're pretty great yourself," he told her, his smile still stuck on his face.
"Oh really. Greater than Paulina?" Sam asked mockingly, now staring down at the grass.
"Well, yeah," he started to say. But something in her eyes just made him stop and stare at her.
"What? What is it?" she asked, tilting her head to one side.
Gosh, you're killing me! He thought as he looked at her.
You're going to be the death of me, Sam thought as her heart raced from the odd look in his eyes.
"You know, I don't know if I'd be good at it, but I've never done it before, and I was wondering, maybe it would be easier with a little practice, and..." Danny started to stammer. Sam just looked at him and blinked.
"Are you suggesting what I THINK you're suggesting?" she asked blankly.
"Well of course that depends on what you THINK I'm suggesting because if it's something different or you don't think what I'm suggesting is a good idea then I'd feel more awkward than usual..." Danny rambled on, but was interrupted by Sam edging closer. Without proper time to inhale a deep, steadying breath, her lips met his with a quick, catlike motion. He closed his eyes and she pulled away, leaving a stupid look on his face and a smile lingering on his lips.
Sam was going to say something to explain herself, but was interrupted by Tucker's voice.
"WHY are you guys just sitting here? Danny, haven't you had ice cold breath at all today?" Tucker demanded. Danny and Sam exchanged glances, and fell over in hysterics.
"I hope that's what you think I was suggesting," Danny said to her, still laughing.
"Sure was!" Sam said, now on her back in fits of laughter.
"Could somebody PLEASE fill me in here?" Tucker whined.
"No," they both said in unison.
"I swear if I hear that again today I'm going to run away screaming." Tucker frowned.
"No," they repeated, falling over again with laughter as Tucker ran away – screaming. Once they had caught their breath, they were lying in the grass facing each other, each one resting the side of their head in their hand, elbows bent and arms resting on the grass.
"You know, that was the oddest thing," Sam said, speaking first and knowing Danny was too shy to say it.
"Noooooo, not at all," Danny said, sarcasm dripping from his words.
"Oh REALLY? So you wouldn't be shocked if I did it again later?" Sam asked, raising a curious dark eyebrow.
"Nope," Danny said, smiling at her.
"Okay fine." She said simply, pretending to get up. Danny looked up at her, still smiling like a fool. And she looked back at him, bent down, and kissed him square on his lips again. And then she ran – off across the fields into the sunshine, with Danny still sitting – stunned - beneath the willow tree.