Disclaimer: I still do not own Danny Phantom. This is getting ridiculous.

--

Author's Note: I still love everyone who reviews. It also makes me so happy to get emails saying that someone added me to 'Author Alert' or 'Story Alert'. You guys who do that brighten up my day. :D

Crazy's Not A Label

Chapter Two

--

"Hey, Sam, can we walk a little?"

I rolled my eyes. Here, Angie - my good deed of the day, I thought to myself. Angie was really nice, but big on salvation, so she was always after me. My sharp tongue and the "malice" I held could only be balanced by doing good deeds, and the way I saw it, anything I did with Danny must count as a good deed - I wasn't having fun, but he was. It was charitable, right? "Why not, Danny?"

He didn't catch my sarcasm. "I know this great little spot-"

"Let me guess. The shady spot under the tree by the fountain, near the gazebo, the one you get to by the path covered by the trellis intertwined with vines," I recited.

"Wow, you-"

"Really know your way around here," I finished. "Yeah. I've lived almost my whole life here, Danny. I think by now, I know it through and through."

"Oh."

He stopped talking, and it occurred to me that maybe I had just used up everything he was going to say in those short minutes. I glanced over at him. He was so innocent..."So, um, how did, uh, you know about that spot?" I asked. I couldn't believe I was doing this, being...nice to Danny! Genuinely nice! An honest-to-God good deed. No sarcasm! And it was almost killing me.

"Well, I knew someone who was in here for awhile. Not, um, a relative, just a friend. We did this charity work in school a few years back, and we visited the retirement homes. After I got to know her, she was transferred out of the program, and moved here."

"Wow, tough. Maybe I know her? What's her name - Elmira? Harriet? Elsa? Sandra?" I guessed, suggesting the names of some older tenants, down on level B, the floor below us.

"No," Danny said, softly. "Nadine. Nadine Rosenberg."

"I don't think I know any Nadine," I said, frowning. I was thinking. Was she that friend of Olivia's? The one whose son always sent her baskets of fruits and pastries and sweets that the whole floor heard about, since she can't have sugar and hates fruit?

Danny lowered his eyes, his dark eyelashes almost scraping his cheeks. "You, uh, wouldn't. She's...not among us anymore."

"Oh. Wow. Danny, I'm really, really, really sorry." Immediately I wanted to bite my razor-blade tongue. Sorry?! What was I, turning into one of them? And all because of Danny? I had to remember, I couldn't be blinded by this boy and forget my past.

He shrugged, saying, "Yeah. What can you do about it though, right? Sometimes, life just sucks."

I couldn't even come up with anything clever to say with that - I was too shocked that I actually agreed with something Danny said - so I just stood there, silent. He stayed silent, too, and we both stood there - close enough that if I liked to, I could have reached out and pushed back that messy hair, until finally Danny moved.

"I better get back. I...sort of have to get home or my parents will freak," Danny explained, actually wincing as if I'd make fun of him.

"No, that's cool," I said, reassuring him. "My parents are...well, you know, not so concerned about where I am, so..."

Great, I thought, watching Danny's face fall. I tried to cheer him up, and I only depressed him.

"So, I...guess I'll see you around?" I asked, already knowing the answer.

Danny visibly perked up at this. "Yeah, I'll see you! Bye, Sam!" He turned and walked back into the building. I watched him until he disappeared between the glass doors.

It was weird. I'd never thought hanging out with Danny could feel so...nice.

--DP--

"So, when is Danny coming back?"

"Like I know," I replied, briefly picking my head up to glare at Kates from across the room. "What do I look like - his day planner?"

She rolled her eyes. "Actually, his weekly planner. And of course you'd know, I know he'd tell you anything."

"Don't even start with that! He doesn't like me, Kates, so drop it!" I protested, hoping for once she'd listen to me. I got my answer soon enough.

"Oh Danny," she sighed in a high voice, fluttering her eyelashes, "When will I ever see you again? Tomorrow - from 3:30 to 6:00? Oh, I can't wait that long, Danny! And only two and a half hours? Can't you stay longer, for me?" She paused and then started again, in a deeper voice, "Oh, Sammy, I'd love to but - you know me. Busy, busy, busy. But you know girl - I'd be with you always and forever, if you only wanted."

"I do not sound like that!" I said, indignant.

"Sound like what?"

I looked up, surprised, my mouth already moving to form words. "Wow, Kates! That sounded almost exactly like..."

"Danny!" Kates shrieked.

"Yeah...just like..." I started, and then looked to where Kates trembling finger was pointed. "Oh...Danny?"

Danny grinned. "Yeah?"

"Uh...what time is it?" I asked the first thing that came to mind, trying to cover up my surprise.

"Just about 3:30," Danny said, his baby blue eyes turning puzzled as Kates and I burst into infectious giggles.

Review! Tell me what you think about Sam and Danny. Tell me any ideas you have (I already wrote the story, but I'll consider your ideas and maybe I can fit them in). Tell me your favorite character. Tell me something you did today. Tell me your favorite number. Tell me anything, just review! Please?