Chapter 4 – Non-Hug

Saturday night at midnight, and Tucker was watching movies at Sam's place, both waiting for Danny to get off work. They wanted to talk about his new powers and the ghost dimension.

The Crow again? Don't you get tired of that show?

Sam sat up. She looked over at Tucker, he was sitting up looking at her too.

Danny? She felt his warm caress, but now it was like he was wrapping her in himself, a warm embrace from head to toe. He was getting better at this…this non-hug!

Tucker saw that Sam was smiling, eyes closed, face tilted toward the ceiling. She was enjoying something.

"Uh…Sam? You ok?" He concentrated. Danny?

He appeared before them and became human.

Tucker stopped the movie and turned on the lights. Sam got up and hugged Danny.

"Tuck, could you hear or…feel anything just now?" Danny was hoping Tucker didn't pick up the same thing as Sam. He was still practicing.

"I heard you complain about us watching The Crow. That's all. Whatever mushy stuff Sam was hearing, I didn't hear it…I just saw her listening."

"It wasn't listen…" Sam stopped short, turned from Tucker to look at Danny, and blushed. That always drove Danny crazy, and he wanted to take her in his arms, but they had to talk. He needed both of their advice, he needed them as a sounding board. They had proven many times in the past that he should listen to them.

"Uh, not that it is my business, just scientific curiosity, but uh…if you weren't listening, what exactly were you…?"

Maybe this was a bad idea. He began to guess. Sam gave Danny a worried glance.

"Never mind guys. Sorry I asked. I am just trying to see what …capabilities you have, it may be important in defeating Plasmius."

"Well, then let me show you a different sample Tuck. Listen up…"

Tucker could see himself superimposed on his real vision of Danny. He was looking through Danny's eyes. He could also feel what seemed like Danny shaking his hand, but his hand was at his side.

"WHOA! Dude! Nice to meet you!" Tucker shouted. Danny was smiling. He was still in human form!

Tucker was excited, and took out his PDA to make notes. "Appears to be a more focused form of overshadow effect, but finely tuned. Like getting better at shaving."

Danny gave Tucker the evil eye to say 'No pre-pubescent jokes'. He had just started shaving last week.

Tuck continued: "Important point number one! You don't have to go ghost to do this! Plasmius will think you are without powers, but you will be able to…hmmmm…MIGHT be able to…"

The wheels were turning in Tucker's mind now.

"Danny, you might be able to see through Plasmius' eyes! Know what he is doing, where he is going!" Tucker was smiling.

Sam saw the idea, but wasn't smiling. Her natural tendency to go against the mainstream made her speak:

"But Tucker, wouldn't Plasmius then be able to see through Danny's eyes too?"

Danny and Tucker looked at each other.

Tucker reached the logical conclusion: "Danny, does Plasmius have this power?"

"Not that I know of" This was why he needed their advice. This was a good question.

Tucker continued: "If he does he would have used it by now. He has demonstrated a lot of other tricks, but not this one. I don't think he has it."

"So I am a different kind of ghost than Plasmius?"

"Looks that way. I think you are a mutant Danny. And Plasmius may be the dinosaur."

A mutant? Sam thought. If Danny and I get married, what would our children be like?

You mean WHEN we get married! She looked at Danny. He was smiling. Now he was ready for a real hug.