Merry (late) Christmas and Happy New Year! Please R&R Let me know what you guys think!

CHAPTER 4

Sam sat in her car shocked as the rain continued to pelt down on it. She vaguely registered the front end of it was caved in from what she had hit slamming into it and her airbag was slowly deflating, but her breathing was slowly becoming more erratic and she was focusing on the person she saw fly forward. "Oh shit!" She cried ripping her seatbelt off and throwing the door open just remembering to place the car in park. Ignoring her own pain she ran in the rain to where they had landed a few feet away, sprawled on the ground looking absolutely dead. She kneeled down not caring how soaking wet she was becoming and turned the person so that she could see their face. They didn't look too bad compared to what just happened and in the dark she couldn't tell if it as a man or a woman. "Oh please." She begged. "Please be okay!" She placed a couple of fingers on their neck to feel for a pulse, ignoring the freezing rain and focused.

She didn't feel a heartbeat.

"No!" She cried, "Please, please, please, please, please be okay!" She begged once more, than somehow she saw their chest rise with breath. "Thank God!" She cried happily. Looking around she didn't see anyone else and Sam was not about to just leave them there. "The hospital!" She said thinking out loud. "I'll call the hospital!" She pulled out her phone and dialed 911. However no one picked up. She didn't even get a machine. Frustrated she tried again, but got the same result. Scared and shaken she jammed the phone back into her pocket. "Fine!" She snapped angered, "I'll take you to the hospital myself." She then grabbed their arm as gently as she could and loaded their unconscious body into the backseat of her car and laid them down. She then got into her seat and started driving as fast as possible, but still carefully. She didn't want a repeat and she didn't want to jostle her passenger causing more problems.

Sam finally made it to the hospital, but as she drove up to the doors she saw that all the lights were off. Nothing was on and the windows and doors were boarded up not to mention locked. Sam banged on the doors and called for help, but no one came. She ran back to her car slamming the door shut behind her angrily. "Who ever heard of a hospital that was closed!?" She snapped. She began driving again, where could she take them that they would get help? "The police station!" She said with a smile before turning down the main road again. However she ran into a similar problem. The station was closed, locked and boarded up. "What!?" She screeched. Again she got back into her car and started driving heading for the fire department. Same thing. She let out a scream then got back into her car. What else could she do?

Sam sighed worriedly and glanced back at her passenger who had not moved an inch, but was still breathing. She really didn't want to, but she had no choice. She had to take them home.

It didn't take her long to arrive back at her apartment, but it was a bit of a struggle to get the stranger inside. This person was not exactly dainty. Finally they made it up the steps of her landing, opened the front door and into her living room. Sam went straight to the couch and placed them on the furniture before going to the kitchen and wetting a wash cloth and bringing it back out. In the light now she could see it was a man and she began to inspect him for injuries, but was shocked immobile for a moment to see not a scratch on him! "How it that possible?" She asked softly to herself. She shook her head, "Let it go Sam. Worry about it later." Sam pulled off her wet jacket and flung it somewhere ignoring her semi wet wavy locks and wet clothes. He really was the important one now.

She then kneeled down to the couch and placed a cool wash cloth on the stranger's head. Now that she wasn't panicking entirely she had a chance to look at him and she noticed how strange he really was. He was incredibly pale. So much so she was worried he actually might be sick. His hair was pure white, but he looked no older than herself. Sure she knew people could 'grey' early, but this was unnatural. 'Maybe he dyed it.' Still she didn't think there was a color this white, but she supposed there had to be. On his chest was a symbol that looked like a white D with a P inside. Cleaver, but she had no idea what it stood for. What he wore however was very strange. It was a jumpsuit. It was black with a large white collar and white along the sides where his ribs would be stopping just below his arms. The black seemed to outline his muscular chest which Sam would admit was very nice. He also had white gloves and a white belt.

Looking at him sleeping, Sam conceded that he was very handsome. He had a strong jaw and his nose was proportionate. His face while he was sleeping was very soft and she wondered what his eyes were like.

Almost as soon as the thought left her she saw his chest rise higher than before and his eyes started blinking open. Finally he looked over at her and she gasped softly. His eyes were a startling toxic green and they were glowing. It was then that she noticed he too was glowing and now that he was awake it was much more prominent. Sam forced herself to focus. She must just be tired. It was almost one in the morning. People's eyes and bodies just didn't glow.

So instead she offered him a reassuring smile, "Hi." She said softly, "Don't be alarmed, but you're in my apartment. I…" Sam paused unsure of how to continue before she decided to just get it over with. She had to tell him eventually and she was more than likely going to get sued at best or go to jail at worst. "I accidently hit you with my car." She expected him to get angry, start yelling at her or freaking out, as she had done… or register that she was even talking. He however did none of these things. He just stared at her with an unreadable expression so Sam continued. "I tried to take you to the hospital, but it was closed. I never knew a hospital could be closed, but this town is very odd." She added almost to herself. "Anyway, I then tried to take you to the police station, and the fire department, but they were closed too, so I just brought you back to my apartment. I'm not a doctor so I don't really know how to help, but there wasn't any outward damage on you, that I could see. Are you alright? Are you in any pain?" She asked curiously.

Sam waited patiently for him to answer, but he just kept staring at her hardly even blinking. She tried again, "Can I get you anything? I'm afraid all I have right now is Advil." Still nothing. "Are you hungry?" Silence. "Do you need anything?" She asked again a little exasperated. She then forced herself to calm down. He did just get hit by her car. He could have a head injury and might still be processing everything.

"Name."

Sam blinked in surprise and looked at him. Had he just spoken? "What?"

"Your name." He repeated simply still looking at her intensely.

"Oh!" She cried in understanding, "Samantha. Samantha Manson, but you can just call me Sam. What's your name?" She asked when she remembered she knew nothing about him and noticing when he spoke he had an echo-y quality to it. Though she wasn't sure how that was even possible.

He paused for a while then answered. "Phantom."

Sam raised an eyebrow at the name, but said nothing. This was a free country and she certainly didn't care what people called each other. Everyone was entitled to whatever they wanted to call themselves.

She nodded, "Alright, Phantom. Can I get you anything?" He then went back into silent mode and Sam started to get the feeling something wasn't right. But she wasn't one to be intimidated so she plowed right on through. "How about some water. I'll go get us some." Getting up off the floor she walked into the still somewhat soaking and disgusting kitchen and proceeded to get water for herself and Phantom. Sam took a moment to compose and reminded herself that he was just hit by her car. He could still be seriously injured. However the longer she thought about it the more she got that feeling that he was just fine, but something else was seriously wrong and Sam needed to get away from him. She shook it off and headed back into the main room. Phantom was now sitting upright right where she had left him observing the room. When she reentered, he looked at her and watched her movements like a hawk causing her more unease. "Here you go." She said placing the water for him on the table then taking a seat in the chair across from the table. He just looked at it for a moment before looking back at her.

Sam took a drink of her own water before setting it down. "Is there someone I can call for you? It is almost one in the morning and I'm sure you need to get going." She said sweetly hoping to give him a gentle hint to leave, if he continued to refuse her help. Again he said nothing and her feeling of dread started to really take hold and she was getting pissed. Here she is trying to be nice, do everything she could to help him when a lot of people would have just run away, and he's wasn't doing anything! Narrowing her eyes at him she stood and placed her hands on her hips, "Look, Phantom. I'm sorry I hit you with my car, I really am, but if you refuse to help me help you than I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to leave." Phantom just continued to stare at her and that was Sam's last straw. Full on glaring at him now she marched over to her front door and opened it wide. "Out." She growled gesturing for him to leave.

Phantom then stood slowly and looked at her with an unreadable expression, "I'll not leave, just yet."

Sam stared at him for a second before her eyes became slits and her hands bunched into fits at her side, "Like hell you won't!" She cried before walking to her room and picking up her metal bat. Bringing it out and brandishing it in front of him, she glared at him, "Either you get out willingly or I beat it into your head!" Phantom then laughed. He actually laughed at her. This surprised Sam, but it made her even angrier. "You think I'm kidding!? I'm prepared to use this and believe me, if you think getting hit by my car was bad, you'll never survive a Manson beating by bat!" She yelled.

He then walked towards her still smirking at her, watching her purposefully and Sam wasn't going to wait around for what he had planned. Once he was close enough she swung the bat at him as hard as she could. Imagine her surprise when he caught it in mid swing with one hand before it hit him, acting like it was something he did every day. He didn't even look at the bat, just continued to watch her. She stared wide eyed and a little frightened as he yanked the bat from her throwing it across the room and stepped closer to her. Sam didn't even realize she was backing up until her back hit the wall.

Phantom leaned in close to her face, smirking all the while, "The beauty has spirit." He said shocking her out of her frightened state.

'Did… did he just call me beautiful?' She thought thoroughly confused.

However she didn't have much time to dwell on that thought as he then reached up and gently caressed her face shocking her with how cold he was. "I like that." He whispered leaning down towards her. Sam was stock still not knowing what to do. She was saved from whatever he was about to try, as a large growling green thing hurdled itself into the room going through the wall and tackling Phantom to the ground. Sam still shocked stared as the giant dog looking thing had Phantom pinned to the ground waging its incredibly small tail happily and licking a smiling Phantom. "Cujo off!" Phantom cried. At once the Dog backed down and sat panting and wagging its tail happily. Phantom stood and whipped his face off just as 'Cujo' noticed Sam. The dog's happy-go-lucky demeanor changed immediately and it was on its feet growling menacingly at Sam. Sam gasped and moved back into the wall as much as she could as it advanced. "Down." Phantom ordered, halting the dog's approach at once. The dog whined a little before it took a few steps back towards Phantom and sat beside him.

Sam's breathing was completely irregular now as her heart pounded in her chest. She didn't think that it could get any worse, but that thought was quickly changed as three more people or as she quickly learned as they entered, green, glowing and floating into the room, that it could get much worse. The first one she noticed was a large green thing. It had red eyes and black gloves and a black shirt that had a lightning bolt in the shape of a V. He didn't have any legs instead it was a swirling… vortex of some kind. The next one was another being that was green. This one was dressed in a white cape with a black trench coat outfit and had long white hair in a mullet with green gloves and black sunglasses. The final one was a metal skull person that had green flaming hair. They all looked to her and the skull person held up his arm and out came what looked like a rocket launcher and he aimed it right at her.

Sam stared at the gun and the strange being in front of her barely able to process anything else. "My Liege!" The skull thing cried looking relieved as it looked to Phantom.

"See? I told you Cujo would find him." The white haired person said crossing his arms.

"Are you alright, my Lord?" The skull thing asked still looking at Phantom ignoring the white-haired person.

Phantom rolled his eyes, "I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself Skullker." He answered.

'Skullker' bowed his head slightly in understanding then turned to glare at her once more, "Do you wish for me to dispose of this human for you, my Prince?"

Sam's eyes widened and she felt her heart rate speed up sure that they all could hear it. Her curiosity was peaked, however. What were these things and who was Phantom that they were calling him a prince? She was terrified she was going to actually die for something she had no idea about. She was also angry. Who were these people to just barge in and start talking like they were in charge and to actually threaten her!? However, she was too terrified to do anything about it besides just stand there and hope they didn't kill her.

Phantom just stared at her for a moment, "…No." He finally answered causing Skullker to lower his weapon and take a step back as Phantom again stepped up to her once more and leaned down to her taking her chin gently in his cold hands. Sam closed her eyes and flinched away from him as much as she could, but he held firm and raised her face closer to his causing her to open her eyes and see his glowing green orbs looking right at her, a smirk on his face. "I look forward to seeing you again Samantha." He said softly. Sam simply looked back at him as they stared at each other for a few seconds before he suddenly disappeared, and the cold disappeared with him. The three others and the dog also quickly disappeared leaving Sam alone in her apartment with the door open.

Sam stood there in the way of the door for a few seconds before robotically shutting and locking it. She moved over to the couch and was about to sit down when her legs failed, and her head swam. She then promptly passed out.