Part One: Dark Eyes


Chapter Five: Shadow World


His cell phone rang, some obscure Latin tune playing, and Sam had to arch an eyebrow in question at his ring tone choice. Danny blushed furiously and grabbed the noisy electronic device, flipping it open. He set down his slice of pizza and looked at the caller ID before placing his ear to it, a look of mild irritation on his face, which was not apparent whatsoever in his tone of voice.

"Tucker, what do you want?" It probably hadn't been detected by the youth on the other end, but she barely just made out the tiredness in his voice. Of course, it didn't sound as tired as she felt, that dead weight that made you feel as if you could fall forever, fall forever and do nothing about it. She had the kind of tiredness that made her want to sleep and never wake up. "Well, since you're bored, why don't you come over? There's something we need to investigate." There was a pause, him listening to Tucker's response. He looked over to Sam and a small blush rose to his face. "N-nothing like that is happening! Dammit, Tucker! I can't believe you'd say that." There was yet another pause. "That can't be true!" Pause. "It's not like that!" Pause. "How should I know if there's a tattoo there or not?" Pause. "Get your nerdy little ass down here before I tear your arms and legs off, put you on display, and have children laugh and call you "Stumpy" the rest of your life!" The phone was slammed shut.

"He's coming down, right?" She tried to hide her mirth, but was quite unsuccessful. A laugh escaped.

"He better," he grumbled. "I feel a lot more violent than just tearing limbs off and giving public humiliation."

She put her piece of pizza back down on the plate. Slowly, she crawled over to him (they had previously been sitting on the floor, playing Halo 2) until she was sitting right in front of him. A blush on her face faster than Danny's, she hugged him, not as a friend would, but hugged him intimately, her arms slinking around his neck, fingers twirling with his hair. He didn't question the strange behaviors anymore. He had felt terrible for when he had poking at Sam in the bathroom stall earlier today. It hadn't been his place to ask so many questions, so many harsh questions, but he had been so damned confused! He knew less of what was going on than her. She at least knew what her tormentor was doing. Him…it was as if he could be fighting air and be doing just as well. So that was why he didn't pull away from her or say anything. In fact, he accepted and welcomed it.

He pulled her into his lap. Her long, slim, pale legs wrapped around his waist. Her head rested on his shoulder, next to his neck. His head was also in between her shoulder and neck as well. He could have easily kissed her fragrant flesh, but resisted the temptation. He would resist it now, anyways. However, she hugged him more with her legs, he body melding closer with his. He had to control his breathing, or he was afraid he'd lose control over himself.

"You could do something else besides being violent," she whispered breathily into his ear.

That had come out of left field, for both of them! Why was she acting like this? She didn't know why, but it was as if she needed to be with him, close contact, skin to skin, anything to anything. But still, why was she acting like this? Shouldn't she have been terrified of this, that in her dreams, her torturer looked practically like Danny Phantom? The only difference was that the dream Phantom had crazily obsessed green eyes, had a different personality, but…the dream Phantom held a same desire for her and the Danny Phantom in reality. Oh God! How easily had that come at a time like this? Was she right? She could be, but there was only one way to know. For some reason, she wasn't scared how badly it could turn out, yet she needed to know. Her dreams had been so confusing, the dream Phantom saying that he loved her, loved her! She needed to know that if the Danny in real life loved her. She needed it, wanted it. She wanted one thing that wasn't insane in her life. Not knowing was making her insane, so she needed to know. That was why she was doing this. That was why! This was amazing! How could so much realization come in about ten seconds to her? Who cared? Right now, her body was wrapped around a very, very handsome boy.

"You could do something…a little more…sensual…." She gently pulled at his ear with her teeth.

What she had said, the way she said it, not to mention her mouth, delicious shivers coursed down his spine. He was once again acutely aware he could easily kiss her. He wouldn't but then again…wait…had Sam been…flirting! The thought hit him like a punch from Skulker. Why else would she have wrapped her legs around him? Why else would she have whispered that oddly cryptic phrase in his ear? Well, it wasn't cryptic, and she was definitely flirting with the way she had pulled at his ear. She would allow him to make an advance, and if not, he'd stop. It would just mean he was reading the signs wrong, but either way, he'd be that much closer to know Sam completely.

"I like…sensual." His hands slowly went to the small of her back, resting there, not moving up or down. However, they slowly massaged the milky flesh at reach. His lips went to the jaw line a bit below the ear. It was such a light kiss, barely noticeable, but she noticed it by the spot of warm air. "Sensual is…great."

She pulled back a little, just enough to look into the wonderful blue eyes set in his face. He stared at her amethyst orbs. In two seconds, a strange sense of eternity passed. And then, he closed the distance between them. Slowly, he closed the distance between them. She was warm, inviting, tasted of green tea with a hint of mint. He was also warm, full of life, a fiery passion deep in him, just waiting for the opportune moment to arise. His breath was citrus tasting. Their lips touched softly, and the spark wasn't a spark, but like a flame on the first contact. He kissed her harder, and she responded with her own force. He smiled slightly, amazed at how they still fought for dominance, but not wanting to be out done, his tongue slipped out and slid across the bottom of her lip. She inhaled sharply and began to draw back, surprised at his action, but his hands pressed into her back and her mouth was forced on his.

Green eyes watched from inside, anger rising. However, there would soon be an encounter in the favorable element; shadows that is.


"I can't believe he'd react like that," Tucker sighed.

He slammed his foot on the accelerator. The moped reared up; back tire screeching on the pavement. It surged forward the last couple hundred feet he needed to go before coming to a halt in front of the easy to see Fenton Works. He leaned his mode of transportation up against the light pole outside the stoop and bounded up the steps. Mr. and Mrs. Fenton weren't in site, so he wasn't bombarded with their latest technological ghost-hunting device. Jazz must've been out. If she had been in, she would have been down immediately. Jazz had a sixth sense when people came into her home. She was damage control and tried to get to visitors before Mr. or Mrs. Fenton could. Since none of the eccentric Fenton members were around, he made a break for the second floor.

"I don't think you need me to investigate. You might just want Sam for that one. Are you and her getting it on?" He had to grin.

"N-nothing like that is happening! Dammit, Tucker! I can't believe you'd say that." It was just the sort of response he should expect from Danny. The boy got flustered every time he mentioned any sexual ideas of Sam.

"Well, you know that she's been wanting you for a while now, right? She so wants you."

"That can't be true!"

"I shouldn't come over. I'd be afraid to walk in on you two doing something down and dirty." He gave a few bars, trying to sound like a porn song, but failed miserably and went with, "Oh yeah!"

"It's not like that!" It was so easy to get Danny worked up. Tucker would have to think about more ways to torture the fellow.

"What kind of tattoo does she have on her backside?" At some place and time, a place and time he couldn't remember, Tucker had heard that Sam had gotten a tattoo on her backside. The only way he'd find out was if he got the two together. "I bet it's something dark."

"How should I know if there's a tattoo there or not?"

Damn, Tucker loved to do this. "You should find that out now. I'll let you two be."

The threat had been enough to get him off of his nerdy little ass and high tail it to Danny's. He made it to his friend's room in record time and placed his hand on the doorknob and would've opened it, but he heard something that made him pause.

"…sensual is…great…" That was Danny's voice.

There was silence, but then someone inhaled sharply. He was confused, and this made him pause even longer. He wasn't sure if he wanted to go in. Of course, he wasn't sure if he should listen or not. But then again, he wanted very badly to listen. After all, he might get some pointers on how he should act around Valerie.

There was a small moan. Whoa…was that Sam? Holy shit, this was hot! Tucker pressed his ear to the door, so as to hear what was happening better. There was a small stumbling sound. Did they fall to the floor? There was another moan, but then the sounds of activity stopped.

"Do you want me to stop?" That was Danny.

"Don't…please…" Sam's voice.

Tucker leaned in closer to the door. However, he forgot that the door wasn't locked and it swung inwards. He fell into the room, very loudly, very clumsily, right into Danny, who was lying on Sam, whose shirt had been pulled halfway up. Never before had something so awkward happened to any of them. At least no one else was around, but still…it was very awkward, and no one moved for a very long time. That was until Tucker rolled off of the two. Chaos broke out between the three and it was impossible to tell who was saying what, unless one listened closely.

"What the hell are you doing here?"

"Where you two getting it on?"

"Were you spying! God, you're a damned pervert!"

"You two were so getting it on!"

"Tucker! " "Idiot!"


"That's all there is?" Tucker sat at Danny's computer. Sam lay on Danny's bed. Danny sat beside her, cross legged, his hand nonchalantly dragging up and down one of her legs. Tucker ignored it, knowing it was for the best. After all, twenty minutes ago, things got out of hand and more or less, Danny got to do the childish act of shadowing him and having him repeatedly say, "Quit hitting yourself." Sam had gotten enough amusement out of it, but the two tired of it and he was finally allowed to have his body back. Now, he was looking at an obscure message that didn't make any sense to him. Who was S? What games were going to begin? "Look…I may be a techno geek, but I'm not the detective type."

Danny gave a frustrated groan. His hand still stroked her leg. Sam didn't say anything. She closed her eyes for a moment, thinking, but then sat up and opened them again, looking to both Danny and Tucker. They looked to her, waiting for her to speak. She was obviously thinking, thinking hard, which was a surprised, because thoughts came so easily to Sam and she was usually able to speak without a pause.

"I…I want to…try something." She looked at Danny. "It might be a little dangerous, but I think…it's worth a try."

Tucker scoffed. "Let's just hear it. There's nothing else to do, so we might as well."

Sam glared at him, but then she looked at Danny. "I think Danny…if you can shadow people…maybe you can come to their dreams with them…" She stopped, obviously slightly angry at the thought. "I don't know…it's just…maybe if somebody came with me in the dream, maybe I wouldn't feel so bad. I think if someone else came along…at least there'd be another person there to help me." She shrugged, obviously helpless. "It's the best I can think of. So, what do you say?"

Danny bit his bottom lip. He looked away. Tucker was where he looked. He looked the other way. A doorway greeted him. He looked in another direction. It was Sam. She was staring, no expression to help him make a decision. He only saw amethyst. Amethyst so pure…He wanted to drown in it, to be cleansed, baptized. If he could forever drown in it, he would have been at peace.

"All right. Let's do it."


Her breathing was soft, shallow, but regular. His was almost nonexistent. But then again, he wasn't really in his body anymore. He was more inside Sam's. His mind was, anyways. He was converging his mind with hers, intertwining them. With any luck, it would work out and Danny would be able to visit Sam's dreams with her. Tucker, meanwhile, was keeping watch. If something went wrong, he was supposed to wake them up. Sam had explained that sometimes some things followed her into reality…physically.

Right now…Danny and Sam were dreaming. They weren't only dreaming. They were going to finally meet him. So soon, they were going to meet him, completely unprepared.

She opened her eyes. It was as if she had never fallen asleep, but the absence of Tucker stopped that idea. She was dreaming, but looking next to her and seeing Danny, she was happy someone had finally come along for the ride through hell. Almost instantly, he opened his eyes. He blinked once. Twice. He gave a small smile and squeezed her hand.

"Hey," he said softly.

She squeezed back. "Hey."

He looked around and frowned. "Why are we in my room?"

She shrugged. "I don't know, but every time I have one of these nightmares, it's in my bedroom, or sometimes yours." She felt a little scared, and scooted closer to Danny, who wrapped his arms around her in a comforting, protecting manner. "I think it's in a personal place to say that I can't ever run away. I should be afraid of my safe spot." Why hadn't anything happened yet? Where was he, her tormentor? "This is kind of strange, though. I don't know what's supposed to happen. Usually, he's here right away."

"Of course I'm here," a throaty voice replied. They both turned to see the Danny Phantom look alike, standing at the foot of the bed. However, he wasn't in the usual superhero jumpsuit. He wore black leather pants, with a silky black t-shirt that accented his upper body. He had a black leather jacket as well and black buckle boots. The only piece of wardrobe that wasn't black was a silver necklace with an ornamental S on in. He also wore some silver studs in his ear, three in the right, and two in the left. Sam began to shake. She wasn't sure if it was with fear or excitement. Danny began to place Sam behind him, prepared to defend her at any sign of hostility. Danny and his Phantom look alike glared daggers at each other. "I guess you brought your hero with you this time."

"Obviously she doesn't like you," Danny retorted. His eyes flashed an angry green. His ghost powers were on hand. "So, are you really me, or are you just some crazed poser?" Sam saw the beginnings of a ghost ray forming in his hand. Amazing. It was amazing how overprotective he could get when someone was interested in her. Then, how could he be so blind when it was the other way around? Wait! That wasn't the point right now. Right now, they had a nightmare to face. Maybe…she should let Danny handle this his own way. After all, she gave up on fighting this, or at least she thought she had. "Do you even have your own name, or did you have to take my name as well?"

The look alike arched an eyebrow, a hint of amusement on his handsome features. "Wow. Someone finally is taking charge for themselves." He gave a sexy sly grin, the kind that ended up making Sam blush. Luckily, neither of them noticed. The look alike held out his hand. It glowed with ectoplasmic energy. "I am my own, but since I came from you, I thought I would emulate my creator. It's supposed to be flattery. I guess I could look like myself." He gave a little laugh. "Nah. I won't do it right now. That would just ruin all the fun and games, wouldn't it?"

Danny had enough. He jumped off the bed and confronted his…whatever half. The two stood exactly same height, same fiery life held in the both of them. They glared defiantly at each other. There was a strange burst of power between them. Sam could feel the heat coming from it, so powerful. However, she couldn't take it anymore and jumped between the two of them, pushing them apart.

"Enough!" she shouted. The two stopped, irritated at the sudden interruption. She turned to the Danny Phantom look a like. "These are my dreams. You can't hurt me. I'm so sick and tired of it. Just…tell me who you are."

He laughed again. "My, my, kitty. You've grown bold, haven't you?" He looked to Danny again. "I suppose that's what a hero does to someone like you." Another laugh. "But, you obviously don't know I control this world."

"What?" Sam backed up into Danny. Fear began to course through her. "How can you control my dreams?"

He giggled insanely, a high pitch to it. It was horribly disturbing. Danny put Sam behind him. The change came over him. Two rings of light parted from his waistline. After the glowing rings disappeared at his head and feet, he was the true Danny Phantom, the blazing silver D emblem on his chest. The look a like stopped giggling. His smile left him, and lightning fast he let fly a punch and hit the real Danny Phantom squarely in the face. He went flying into Sam, knocking her over. The two hit the floor hard, but Danny had enough sense in him to roll off of her.

A black buckled boot stomped next to his head. He looked up to see his look a like holding an ectoplasmic whip. His eyes widened in surprise at the fact that he had been punched so fast, and at the fact he hadn't seen a whip as strange as the one before him right now.

On its own, the whip snaked around his neck.

A realization came to Danny.

He might get the shit beat out of him.

"Aw fuck," was all he said before the look a like hurled him into the air and into the opposite wall. "Shit," he groaned.

The look a like bent down to Sam, who was still on the ground. He gave another sexy sly grin and laid his whip on her thigh, which proceeded to wrap around her waist on its own accord. She shivered and looked over to Danny, still stuck in the wall, his head bent down. Was he knocked out? Oh God she hoped not. Wasn't he supposed to help her? No, no, no!

"Danny," she whispered.

He lifted her into the air until she was entangled in his arms. He kissed her roughly, a dominating force. She could only gasp and let him ravish her.

"This isn't a dream, Sam," he murmured. "This is my world, the world of shadows."

"Sam," Danny moaned. He fell out of the wall. "Sam…I'm coming."

"I'm from the darkness itself, the inner evil everyone has but never wants to admit. I rule the shadows, next to the light, never touching, always wanting. While you're here, you're mine, body and soul."

"But…who are you?" She felt like liquid in his arms. Danny? Where was Danny?

"Who am I?" He stroked her face.

Her heartbeat stopped for one second. Two seconds.

"Shade."

And then all Sam could hear was someone screaming her name.

Danny?


Look at me and stare into my eyes

We'll watch the world go by

Hold my hand and let's fly away,

Fly away from our problems day after day

Just come, come and fly away

Fly away, fly away, fly away

With me…

Let the games begin.


End Chapter


Author's Notes: Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh! I don't know about you guys, but that chapter had me on the edge of my seat! I hope I can make the next one just as good. Wait…did you guys like it! I hope so! I'm really going to need reviews for this one, okay? I worked my butt off. Also, did you guys like the little poem at the end? I kind of suck at that stuff, so I hope you don't mind me inserting my crap. Anyways…please give lots of reviews! After all, it's Christmas and reviews are the best gifts in the world! Stay tuned for chapter six. Ciao.