Sorry it has taken me so long to update. I have been really burnt out on Danny Phantom Fan Fic, plus I have been working on (semi) Original Fic!! YES!! Check out my original work over at Deviant Art!!

Chapter Eight

Danny and Sam wisely said nothing to Tucker the next time they met, this time at Sam's house. Tucker was moody, quite unlike himself and Sam and Danny felt bad for him. He said little and left early.

"I think this is a mess we can never clear up," Danny told Sam after Tucker had gone home.

"It scares me," Sam replied sadly. "I've never seen Tuck…sad."

"Once," Danny corrected. "We've seen him sad once."

"But not like this," Sam argued. "He's depressed. It's like she's taken something out of him. Tucker's supposed to be silly and weird not and brooding and quite."

"Jazz hasn't been herself either," Danny remarked. "All she does is study. I think her grades have gone up, if that's even possible." Sam snorted and leaned into Danny as he put his arm around her.

"So you said you had a plan," Sam started then sighed happily as Danny kissed her neck.

"Yup," Danny replied. She could feel him smiling against her skin and she smiled too. "But I don't know if it's a good idea Sam. It might cause more problems than it solves. Maybe they'll just, get over each other given the right space and time."

"This is why I was always afraid of confessing how I felt about you," Sam said sorrowfully. "I was afraid it would mess our friendship like it has Tucker and Jazz."

Danny shook his head then moved so he could kiss Sam's lips. "What's happening with Tucker and Jazz could never have happened between you and I," he told her as he pulled away, his blue eyes holding her purple gaze.

"Why?" Sam asked breathlessly.

It took awhile for Danny to answer as he kissed her again then again and again for a long period of time. "Because," he answered as they surfaced for air. "I'm not as stupid as Jazz." Sam chuckled as she pulled him back down for another kiss

Danny didn't tell Sam much about his plan to force Tucker and Jazz talk to each other so they could hopefully work things out between them, except that he would tell her when it happened. Weeks passed and things didn't get better and Sam accused Danny of stalling.

"I know what you're trying to do," Sam accused as she showed up in Danny's room.

"What?" he asked her innocently as he looked up from his homework. Sam sighed as she sat down beside him and looked at the math problem he was working on. She smirked slightly, took the pencil out of his hand and corrected his equation.

"Oh!" Danny said as he took in the error he made, then thanked Sam.

"Jazz cracked her door open when I came upstairs," Sam continued. "Do you think she knows Tucker won't come within twenty feet of your house?"

"She has to," Danny replied. "He hasn't been here since they last fought."

"Maybe hope springs eternal," Sam laughed and tucked Danny's pencil behind his ear. He pulled her down into his lap and Sam smiled.

"So what am I trying to do?" Danny finally asked, addressing the accusation she made when she first came into the room.

"You're hoping that they'll just forget each other and go back to normal," Sam answered. "Either that or you just want to keep you and I a secret forever, and I'm warning you, one of us is about to slip."

"It's neither," Danny answered softly as he stroked Sam's hair. "It's just taking more thought than I anticipated getting my plan together. Usually I'd go to Tuck for this, but I can't."

"Why not let me help?" Sam asked feeling a little irritated.

"Because I want to impress you," Danny answered as he blushed slightly. "Plus you might not like the idea."

Sam watched Danny a minute. "As long as it's not trapping them in the Fenton thermos, I don't think I'd hate any idea you have."

"Well considering we can't," Danny laughed then kissed her neck. Sam shivered then narrowed her eyes at Danny.

"Just trust me," he whispered and then suddenly a wisp of blue breath escaped, wafting between them like an unwelcome specter itself.

"Damn," Danny cursed. Sam laughed then stood and watched Danny transform.

"Have fun," she told him as he phased out of the house, chuckling at his muttered curse.

Danny called few moments later telling her, "This is it Sam. Here is what I need you to do."

Jazz was working on her extra credit homework, something which she had to bribe her English teacher to give her when there was a frantic knock on the door and Sam walked in looking panicked.

"What's wrong?" Jazz asked.

"Ghosts," Sam answered breathlessly. "Danny just left to take care of a ghost, but….but it's worse than he thought and he needs help. There's more than one."

Jazz gave Sam an odd look. "Danny has you and Tuck, you don't need me."

"Tuck's already there," Sam growled. "The ghosts are overwhelming them. They need help. Danny's overwhelmed and Tuck's trapped in a corner and they need more thermoses and help!" Sam didn't need to say anything else. Jazz jumped from her bed and ran downstairs as fast as she could, with Sam close on he heels as she related that Danny and Tucker were fighting the ghosts in an abandoned warehouse.

They took Jazz's car, neither talking as Jazz sped to the specified location. They jumped from the car and ran into the warehouse. It was quiet, dark and creepy.

"Nice," Sam said as Jazz who was always prepared for every eventuality, handed her a flashlight.

"Danny?" Sam called. "Tucker?" There was no answer.

"Maybe they left." Jazz said as she shivered. The dark warehouse was something from one of her nightmares, and she didn't want to be there without Danny. She patted the ectoblaster at her hip reassuringly as she followed Sam in the darkness.

They were just about to turn and go back when they heard Danny's angry voice. They ran through the maze of halls and found Tucker pressed against a wall.

"He's in there," Tucker said as he pointed into the room across from him.

"Get down!" Danny yelled as several blasts flew out of the room.

Sam pushed Jazz toward Tucker. "Take cover in there!" she said pointing to the room across the hall. "I'm going to get these extra thermoses to Danny. Tucker grabbed Jazz hand as she started to argue with Sam, questioning why Sam was the one who got to stay behind and why she and Tucker had to hide like two cowards.

Tuck kept himself between the door and Jazz, just to be on the safe side. They looked at each other for a moment then started toward the door. They could hear Sam and Danny yelling back and forth.

"We should help," Tucker said as he took Jazz's hand and carefully started toward the door. Unfortunately, before they could reach it, the door slammed shut! They both ran forward and did their best to reopen it, but the door wouldn't budge

"We're trapped!" Jazz cried as she kicked at the door and did her best to control the panic rising up from her stomach to her throat. Tucker pressed his ear against the door and frowned at what he heard.

"It's Skulker," he told Jazz who pressed her ear to the door. They listened to Sam scream, then Danny yelling, "NO! Sam!"

"Oh no!" Jazz gasped as Tucker did his best to try to pry open the door, even using the ectoblaster.

"And now that your little girlfriend has been dispatched," they could hear Skulker announcing just outside the door. "I will take your head and mount it on my fire place."

"Never!" they heard Danny shout. They listened as Danny fought and then was defeated. They listened to Skulker's shout of triumph then there was silence.

"What just happened?" Jazz said as they pulled away from the door and looked at each other.

Tucker was in a daze. "I think Skulker just defeated, Danny." He replied, his thoughts on Sam. He hoped she was only knocked senseless. She would rescue them when she regained consciousness and then they'd figure out how to rescue Danny.

Jazz put her hand to her throat and looked around the room. It was empty except for a table, one chair, and a dingy little refrigerator. There was another door out of the room, but they found it was connected to a small bathroom with a teeny tiny window neither could ever dream of fitting through.

"At least there's food," Tucker said as he opened the refrigerator and found it stocked with soda, cupcakes and stuff for sandwiches.

"Someone comes in here," Jazz said in relief as they perused the contents of the refrigerator. "They must live here. We're not trapped forever."

"Who would live here?" Tucker asked as he looked around the dingy room.

"I don't know!" Jazz answered irritably. "Someone has to. They'll rescue us."

"Not before we run out of food I hope," Tucker replied as he closed the refrigerator door.

"We'll just have to ration what he have," Jazz said softly then walked over and sat in the chair then looked guilty at Tuck.

"It's okay," he told her. "I can stand." Jazz nodded her head then laid her head down on the table and took a deep calming breath. She told herself there was nothing to be worried about, she was going to be fine, besides Tucker was with her and he'd never let anything bad happen to her, plus, she could take care of herself, it just didn't help that she had too many nightmares about being trapped in a warehouse.

Tucker watched Jazz for a moment. She looked as upset as he felt, and he decided it wouldn't be a big deal if they took comfort in each other. This was an extreme situation. His stomach tied itself up in a million knots as he walked toward Jazz and put his hand on her back. She turned immediately then stood and put her arms around his neck and pressed close.

"It's ok," Tucker soothed as Jazz trembled. "We're going to get out of here."

"What about Danny?" she said as she pressed her face against Tucker's neck. "What about Sam? We need to get out of here now."

Tucker took a deep breath then it hit him all of the sudden. He had his PDA and his cell phone. Jazz had to have hers. They could call for help. He closed his eyes for a moment as he buried his face in Jazz's hair and took a deep breath, she smelled so good. Holding her felt so good. He decided he could forget about the PDA and the cell phones for a little bit, this was probably going to be his last chance to hold her and the temptation was almost too good to pass up. One thing kept pulling at him, keeping him from completely enjoying the situation. Two things actually, his best friends. They needed him.

"Jazz," Tucker whispered softly as he nuzzled her hair.

"Yes?" Jazz asked breathlessly as she closed her eyes and fought the content smile curling on her lips.

"I think I have a way out," Tucker answered and she sighed heavily. She didn't want out. She wanted to just stay here like this. Here she could be with Tucker and it was all ok, it was all reasonable and understandable.

"Good," she said then pulled away slowly. She should want out. She did want out, she just really wanted to be close to him.

"I never go anywhere without my PDA and my cell," Tucker began as he moved Jazz out of his arms and reached into his pocket.

"Oh yeah," Jazz laughed weakly as she reached into her own for her cell phone, but came up empty handed. She reasoned that she must have left it on her night stand. She looked at Tucker who was frantically patting his pockets then looking around the room.

"It's gone!" He cried. "My PDA is gone. My cell phone too!"

"No!" Jazz said in dismay as she looked around the dingy room. Tucker sat down and Jazz looked around for an escape, unfortunately there was no way out.

They were silent for awhile, with Jazz pacing around the room and Tucker sitting in the chair staring at table. He wondered what could have happened to his PDA. He never, ever left home without it. He knew it was in his pocket when he left with Danny. There was no doubt in his mind.

Sam and Danny stood outside the door to the room Tucker and Jazz were locked in and acted out the script Danny handed to Sam. She looked at him doubtfully, and then tried not to laugh as she acted out the scene as best she could. When she was done, Danny slid a tape recorder out of his pocket and pushed a button.

"And now that your little girlfriend has been dispatched," bellowed Skulker from the recorder "I will take your head and mount it on my fire place."

"Never!" Danny shouted as he winked at Sam and mouthed that he would be right back as he flew around, shooting at the walls and crying out in mock pain. He hit the button again and the recording of Skulker shouted out in triumph.

Sam kept her hands over her mouth as they crept softly from the abandoned warehouse. "Where did you get that recording?" she asked as Danny's eyes gleamed with devilment.

"I talked Skulker into helping me," Danny answered and would say no more. He transformed from ghost mode then handed Sam Tucker's PDA and cell phone.

"You are far more devious than I've given you credit for, Daniel Fenton!" Sam exclaimed as she looked at the PDA. "How did you get this away from him without getting caught."

"I did it in the heat of battle," Danny answered as he smiled smugly. "Finally my ghost powers are good for something."

"Yeah," Sam snorted. "Finally, because up until now, they've been utterly useless." Danny grinned at her and put his arm around her waist as they walked to Jazz's car.

"Whose driving?" he asked.

"Not you," Sam said as she jumped into the driver's side.

"Aww come on Sam," Danny begged. "I want to drive. My Dad's been working really hard teaching me."

"That's why I want to drive," Sam told him. "Because if you drive anything like your dad…" She frowned as she looked at the car then sighed.

"What's wrong?" Danny asked.

"I only drive automatic," she said as she jiggled the gear shift.

"My dad taught Jazz to drive," Danny pointed out.

"Yeah but Jazz is like, an old lady in her heart or soul or something. She'd never drive crazy."

Danny raised his eyebrows. "Clearly you've never been in the car with her when she's mad." Sam snorted and Danny sighed.

"We're really going to leave them there?" Sam asked as she pointed back at the warehouse.

Danny sighed. "We can come back," he said. "I just don't want the police seeing Jazz's care and getting suspicious."

"You know," Sam said as she smiled at Danny. "You are getting far too good at all this secret stuff. You're starting to scare me."

"Oh," Danny said as he got out of the passenger side of the car as Sam slid over so he could take the driver's side. "I was kinda hoping I was turning you on." Sam snorted and looked out the window as she tried to hide her blush.

Danny started the car then indicated that Sam should fasten her seat belt. She gave him a dubious look then closed her eyes and prepared to take off from the parking lot like a rocket ship bound for Mars.

"What do you think will happen with them?" Sam asked as she gave Danny a weird look. He was not driving like she expected he would In fact, he was driving more like a grandmother than a boy joy riding in his sister's car.

"They'll work out what ever their problem is," Danny said then smiled. "Besides they'll have to compromise and get along. I only put one chair in the room…and two sleeping bags in the cabinet.

Sam gave him an amused look. "And a space heater I hope. It's supposed to get cold tonight."

"It is?" Danny asked worriedly.

Sam shrugged her shoulders. "They can always share a sleeping bag," she told him. "No big deal.

She grinned at Danny's white knuckles as he gripped the steering wheel. "They better clear up their problems with each other pretty fast," he said almost angrily. "There's no way I'm letting them share a sleeping bag. No way."

Sam chuckled and Danny gave her a look which told her he wasn't amused. "You know what would be cute? Little baby Tucker and Jazz's."

"Shut up, Sam," Danny growled. Sam smiled and hoped herself that Tucker and Jazz could work out their problems quickly. She was more than ready for the world to know about her and Danny. Way more than ready.