Hello! Thanks to my reviewers!

Tizamiki, Anne Camp aka Obi-quiet, Daphne22, SilverstarsEbonyskies, Chibi Millenia Phantom, Sasia, Uru Baen, Galateagirl, Queen S of Randomness, Sirithiliel, Phantom of a Rose, JTN, Nightwingstar, ghostlover15, lindy12, XxFadedxMemoriesxX, Master of Procrastination

Okay, one more little thought filled chapter and then we'll get some more action in around here. Right now, it's just kind of a this-versus-this, tip the scale part of the story. Soon you'll get some more fun!

Previously In Fastball: Danny's decision to turn down Coach Kinder's offer seemed fine to him—but wrong to everyone else, including, oddly, his two best friends. Aware of how weird it would be to change his mind now, he goes home, only to see Coach Kinder speaking with his parents to get him onto the team! After giving him a few days to make his choice, Danny's got a lot to think about.

Fastball

Chapter Three:

A Little Persuasion

"I don't know," Danny grumbled, falling freely onto the couch.

"Well, tell me what you're worried about," Sam said, sitting down on top of his stomach. She offered him a piece of celery but he declined, shaking his head and swallowing.

"Disappointing my parents more," he replied. "You should have seen the looks on their faces. I don't get that often. They were actually…proud."

"Danny, they're proud of you whether you're on the baseball team or not," she told him, making a face. "You know that."

"I don't do anything to make them feel proud of me," he said. "My grades are pretty horrible sometimes and I'm not involved with any other extra thing besides ghost hunting."

"Danny…" She trailed off. "So what else is on your mind besides your parents?"

"I know he said he'd train me. But the fact is…a year's worth of training, could never get me to the level that they're at…Sure, I know how to play, but it's a lot more difficult when someone's not there, telling you what to do."

"You're afraid of making your own decisions?" she said with a giggle.

"Sometimes," he replied, not laughing.

She frowned, sighing and then stretched out, laying her head on his chest. "Danny, this is baseball. Not the end of the world. Besides, the coach will help. They've got those sign things. Tell you whether to take a pitch or steal or whatever."

"That's not the point," he grumbled.

"What is your point, you're confusing me?" Sam teased, grinning and leaning up to look at his face. "Look…there are a lot of things I understand about you that no one else does. But this...really really crosses the line of understanding."

"This whole thing confuses me."

"So…tell me what's really bothering you." She sat up and pulled him towards her. He leaned back on the couch cushion, sighing.

"I guess I keep trying to make excuses."

"I got that a while ago," she mused. She cocked her head curiously. "But why? Why torture yourself endlessly I wonder."

"Because I know I'm not good enough to do this." He averted her gaze and she squeezed his hand in hers. "And…maybe…maybe this small part of me wants to but…"

"If this is something you want to do, do it Danny. There's nothing and no one stopping you but yourself," she said.

"Sam…I can't do this…"

She hugged him tightly and then pulled away just as quick. "Danny…you have so much faith and trust in everyone else…why not yourself?"

"What do I have to show for it anymore? A few ghost battles that could have ended up ugly? Anytime I try to do anything…I just want to find the one thing that…that I'll really know I'm good at. And this…is not it."

"You'll never know if you don't try," she tried.

"Attempt to try you mean?" he wondered, raising an eyebrow.

"At least you know you did, right?"

He turned towards her and she leaned her chin on his shoulder. "You really want me to do this, don't you?"

"Why? Is my pep talk working?"

Danny shrugged. "Maybe a little."

"You're afraid."

"I didn't say that."

"Did you have to?"

"I'm not scared, I'm just…"

"Lost?" she offered, staring blankly ahead. "Confused? Dazed? Dazed and confused?" She managed to make him laugh and smiled. "Come on Danny. Tell me what you want. You're not telling me something."

"If I tell you, you're going to think I'm crazy," he admitted.

"I honestly already knew that, but go ahead and try me," she told him.

He ignored her comment and sighed. "I have this…really weird feeling that by some miraculous chance, I might actually be good…and the team really likes it and everything and I gain…stardom I guess, that everything will be different."

"Different how?"

"All these small little experiences I've had with popularity. I think you've noticed they didn't last long. At all. And every single time, I feel like I've left you and Tucker in the dust and I have. And I don't want to do that. But I think if I really do get popular, I'll forget everything and--"

"Danny," she tried to intervene.

"—leave you all alone and you'll hate me and in the end, I'll end up having no one at all and I won't be able to handle that because--"

"Danny," she said slowly, putting her hand to his mouth. "Shut up…"

"I was serious," he told her.

"So am I, but you're rambling. And bad…That's not going to happen and you know it. If you do get popular, who cares?"

"I do…and you will too if I turn into some jerk."

"If you're the person I think you are, that won't happen," she said. He cast a hopeful look her direction and she placed a hand on his forehead. "Listen to what I'm saying, okay?"

"I feel like I'm in some sci—fi movie and you're going to like implant something in my brain," he joked.

"Then, human—half human, whatever, listen up," she mocked, rolling her eyes. "Even if you become popular, I trust that you've been through enough to never turn your back on us. Not me or Tucker. You'll make new friends and gain something you deserve if you try hard enough. And you will never, ever, ever take us for granted or forget us. Right?"

"Right," he said.

"Anything else on your mind while I'm traveling through your brain waves?"

"I don't know," he replied, giving a small smile. "Is there?"

"Never…" she joked, laughing. "Well then, try for this dream and find out. Once you know what else is holding you back, maybe you can push past it and really enjoy yourself for once. What do you say?"

"You have this strange way of getting people to do things, you know?" he asked, grinning. She shoved him in the back and he jerked forwards, laughing. "What?"

"Yeah, I knew where your head was," she said, jumping gracefully over his head and in front of him. "Way down that dirty gutter."

"I didn't say anything," he told her, holding up his hands in the non-guilty pose.

"You didn't need to, it was written all over your face," she said, swinging a couch pillow back and forth in front of her. He watched the movement, remaining silent. She sighed and smiled. "So…what are you going to do?" He didn't reply and she stopped moving the pillow. "Danny?"

"Yeah?" he asked, bouncing back into reality.

"You get hypnotized easily, don't you?" she teased.

He stole the fluffy pillow away from her and glared. "I was just zoning out."

She stole it back fast. "I noticed. So…deal or no deal Danny? Going to attempt…trying out for the baseball team? You said he's given you until Monday. That's a good offer…But if you wait that long to tell him yes, he might have changed his own mind by then…"

"Okay, okay…"

"Okay, what? You'll try out or you're just trying to get me to shut up?"

"Never," he replied, looking up at her and then back down at the carpet around her feet. Finally, he nodded. She smacked him hard with the pillow. "Ow, what?" he wondered, his eyes wide as he held up his hands to block it.

"Just checking to see if that head of yours is screwed on tight. Cause I can't hear your head rattle," she told him.

"I'll talk to the coach," he told her.

"And say…?"

"That I'm going to try out for the team," he said.

"Exactly. See…I knew you'd see things my way."

"Your way? Your way is starting to scare me," he blurted, grabbing the pillow once again and keeping it away from her. She reached for it and he kicked out at her legs and sent her crashing right into him on the couch.

"Oh, ow," she grumbled. She stared into his eyes and smiled, kissing him once on the nose. She traced a finger along his chin and he closed his eyes, enjoying her gentle touch. Brushing her hair from her face, she rested her head upon his chest, listening to his heart beat. "You can do this Danny, I know you can."

He didn't say a word, praying she was right.

That's a new question I have a lot more in my stories I've noticed. Deal or no deal, ha ha. That show is actually kind of addicting…kind of weird. Anyway, love D/S. By the way, Valerie & Vlad aren't in this story (as well as other minor characters but those are two major ones anymore that I thought I'd mention). I introduce a couple new characters like I've mentioned before.

As for the next chapter, it's actually kind of funny. The whole chapter is between Danny and Coach Kinder. 3 down, 25 to go, ha ha. It's amazing how a baseball story can turn out to be 28 chapters. Too fun.

Please R&R! Here's your sneak peek!

Chapter Four: Kinder's Challenge

"I've been thinking a lot about what you said earlier…about the whole "one time, never gonna happen again thing, just a lucky shot" and I'll tell you what kiddo. I'll make you a deal," he said, standing up and walking over to a shelf lined against a wall.

Danny watched as he grabbed a bucket from one of the higher levels and gave a curious look inside to see it was full of vividly light green balls. He picked one randomly and tossed it up and down.

"I know this is a softball, but I save the real baseballs at the school," he said. He lightly threw it over to Danny, who caught it unexpectedly with one hand. Kinder raised an eyebrow and then pointed over at the far wall where a paintball target had been painted in red across the wall. "You throw that ball straight into the bullseye and you join the team. You miss and you don't have to. I'll give you three chances. Majority rules of course. If you miss, I'll leave you alone, but if you don't…"

Lateraina Wolf

NEXT UPDATES: Life Sucks And Then You Die, A Cross Between Crimes, The Boy At The Rock Show, Jet Plane, Hanging ByA Moment, Infinity, Extremities, Our Truth, Royalties (New), Cars (New), Stand Up (New)