First of all, I want to apologize for the long waiting. Its just that the source and the inspiration that drove me was gone… it was during the time that my mom had her heart surgery and that she lay on intensive care for weeks.

My mom and I aren't quite close, she isn't exactly the motherly type… in fact, she's what drives me to write. All the frustration, anger, hurt and… things to deep to describe… I always worked it out in my stories, almost all of them have a reasonable amount of drama, it emphasis the importance of good friends that truly understand you, or really try to… anyway, my mum's better, (so is my feeling) which isn't good for the people who likes this story.

Normally, the story counted for 15 chapters, and I have them all planned out, but just couldn't place the right "feeling" in it… so this is next to last chapter, though the next one is bound to be 5000 words, and is somewhat in progress… I'm sorry for all the waiting, but I'm a writer that values the "story spirit" in short: I don't write for my fans, I write for myself, I just display it… (though you guys motivated me)

I love all the reviews, even the one or two spam's… its what's makes it all worth it…

I'm finishing this story… that's a promise… and with the end of this story, a new one is being made. (good news for the Danny Phantom fans, more info in my profile)

(Btw: there is a slight change in my profile, more based on the stories.)

Chapter 11 : Annoyance And Friends

Ned felt his heart drop at the same moment he opened the door, he was about to confront his injured girlfriend, a girl all people but him assumed dead, the very girl who had been on the news non-stop since she's been found. Ned braced himself for the shock that awaited him; he took a deep breath and walked into the room. Someone had closed the curtains, making the room dim and quite depressing. A wave of annoyance went through him; it was like, again, everyone assumed her dead... or dying.

Ned looked at the girl he loved so much and felt his heart break; several wires went in and out of her motionless body, a heart monitor bleeped, her left hand was bandaged, and her face was pale but looked so peaceful at the same time: like she could've been sleeping.

Ned sat down on the chair next to her bed and took her bandaged hand in his; enclosing it tenderly with his both hands.

He simply sat there, looking at her while fear and worry went through him like several hurricanes. A soft sob escaped him and he laid his forehead on the back of her hand. "Please be alright," Ever so softly, he kissed her hand. "I'm sorry that I didn't found you sooner, and I'm sorry for... everything... you're the best thing that ever happened to me... I wouldn't know what to do if..." Ned's lips quivered. "No, You're strong, I know you are... you survived the train accident, and you will survive this!" He gently stroke her hair.

"I promise this now, and always... No matter what happens, you're the only one that will ever make my heart do flip-flops... the only one who will ever know that I'm secretly afraid in the dark... well, was... You're my light... Whenever I'm in the dark, all I have to do is think of you, and all my fears are gone. You're the one that can make me smile when my world is a grimm place... and I need you to do that again, I need you to take away my fears and worry's of losing you... I need you to look at me and tell me that you'll be alright... And I need you most of all to wake up. I never loved anyone as much as I love you, and since that accident... I'm scared... scared of how I feel, I know that, when you ... when you... die... a huge part of my will die with you, I know that I'll never feel all this for another girl. True I was in love with Susie... but IN love, not actual love... you...," Ned sighed dreamingly. "When you smile, my heart swells up and smiles with you, when you're hurt, I can feel your pain inside of me. When your aunt died, I cried with you... I know when you're upset, even when you say so much as 'hi' I know if there's something wrong... When I think of you, I feel all warm and comfy inside, and when I see you, I can't help but sigh happily. I love every part of you, I even find your very, very aggressive side cute... sort of... in a scared way... and if you die, I'll die with you, 'cause I know that I wouldn't make it without you, I never felt this about Susie, never will... you're the one that keeps me going... Please wake up..." tears welled up in Ned's eyes, but he let them fall, holding her hand against his cheek, desperate for her touch.

Ned felt a warm, comforting hand on his shoulder. He looked up and saw Cookie and Susie standing on either side of him. "How long have you guys been standing there?" he asked, wiping his tears away.

"She's so lucky to have you," Susie said softly, wiping her tears away as well.

Ned smiled and repeated the words he said to his cousin earlyer, "No, I'm lucky to have her, I never had and never will feel the way she makes me feel, she's the only one that knows so much about me and doesn't run for it, I'm lucky that I can call her my girlfriend, and I'm lucky that a girl like her loves me the way she does..." Ned sighed. "Cheesy... I know,"

"Maybe... but still touchy, c'mon, you need a drink," Cookie said, putting a comforting arm around Neds shoulders.

"I can't leave her Cookie... not again..." Ned said determinedly.

"Susie made the doctor swear to call you when anything changed... bit scary actually..." Cookie said with a frown.

"I gave him your number..." Susie said with a faint smile.

"But..." Ned looked confusedly at Susie.

"I know how much you love her Ned, if I didn't knew before, I know now, especially after your speech..." Susie interrupted.

Ned adverted his eyes. "You heard that huh?"

Susie nodded. "What you two feel for each other... I just pity the one who ever tries to interfere that... I know perfectly well how a fight with Jennifer feels like... you don't want to be on her bad side..."

flashback

"I thought you where my friend Jennifer Mosely..." Susie yelled through the decorated gym.

Jennifer turned and looked at Susie, eyebrows frowned, eyes dark. "You mean I'm not?"

"Which friend steals boyfriends? You're a boyfriend stealing backstabber!" Susie shouted beside herself of rage.

"I'm a what now?" Jennifer said, with highly lifted eyebrows.

"You heard me, you wench..." Susie said with murderous eyes.

Jennifer walked towards Susie 'till she stood inches away from her, looking her square in the eye. "Do you really, really believe that I'm after Ned?"

Susie took a step backwards, intimidated by the fierce look in Jennifer's eyes in which she kept looking nonetheless. "I know that he's after you..." it was a statement, with the same tone as she would've used if it was about the weather.

"Why... does everyone... keep saying that?!" Jennifer exclaimed, rubbing her temples. "I'm getting sick of it... really..."

"You just never see what's right in front of your nose, do you Jennifer?" Susie spat.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Jennifer asked, confused.

"You never notice how guys are all over you... or when one looks at you on a very special way..." Susie said, more calmly.

Jennifer just gawped at her.

"Loomer for example... he never looks at me the way he looks at you, and same goes for Ned..." Susie didn't shouted or yelled anymore, she just sounded sad.

Jennifer opened and closed her mouth several times, but her voice bailed on her.

"And you two can say that you're just friends as much as you two want... you and I both know that that's not true... there's something between you two that no one can explain or even understand... Ned's been looking at you for the whole evening... he wasn't even jealous when Triston asked me to dance with him! Now tell me Jennifer... in all honesty, that you don't feel anything when he touches you, or during one of your triple shared kisses... if you can tell me that, I'll take it all back," Susie looked piercingly at her best friend, waiting, hoping for a sign of denial.

Jennifer just dumbfounded looked at Susie, unsure what to say. "We're just friends," came the weak retort. "And I doubt that there will ever be more than friendship between Ned and me..."

"You know that's a lie..." said the voice of Missy Meany.

Susie looked at the crowd on her left and saw Missy standing there, wearing an elegantly green dress.

"Stay out of it Missy..." Jennifer said warningly, shooting a glare in her direction, and receiving one just as fierce.

"She might be on to something, you know..." Susie said frowning.

Jennifer rubbed her temples. "I'm to drunk to handle this right now..."

"You kissed him three times, how can you kiss someone without feelings?" Susie asked placing her hands on her hips in a stubborn manner.

"I could ask you the same question..." Jennifer said with one raised eyebrow.

Susie looked downright insulted by this. "How dare you?!"

"Just admit it Suus... you never really liked any guy you dated, did you?" Jennifer went on, ignoring Susie's outburst.

"Yes I did!" It came out in a very defensive way, but it seemed like Susie wasn't sure of this.

"No you didn't..." Jennifer insisted. "When you dated Loomer... you never really cared for him... he was just a way to feel less lonely, so you could have someone who could care for you,"

"You don't know anything about me!" Susie yelled, her face red of anger.

"I know more about you then you think..." Jennifer said softly.

"No you don't... no one does..." Susie said firmly, crossing her arms in front of her chest.

"Not even your parents... who never seems to have time to talk with their daughter... they're never there when you come home from school, and even if they are, they never have time to listen to you..." Jennifer said this with a strange glint in her eyes.

"I don't need your pity Mosely!" Susie screamed, tears welling up in her eyes.

"I don't pity you Susie... I admire your strength... but dating guys for the sake of having the feeling of being loved isn't right..." Jennifer said gently.

With a scream of agony Susie collapsed on her knees and her whole body shook of the furious sobs that escaped her lumped throat.

"I'm not strong... I wasn't... until..," Susie sobbed harder.

"Until you dated Ned..." Jennifer finished the sentence. "He... he just brings the best out of people, gives them the strength to deal with whatever is bothering them... he gave you the strength to deal with the absence of attention from your parents... just like he gives me the strength to deal with my problems... he's a very loyal friend, one you can always count on... he would never hurt anyone intentionally, and always tries to do good for everyone..."

"And you took him from me!" Susie's outburst surprised Jennifer, just like the fierce push Susie gave her.

"I didn't!" Jennifer exclaimed. "You're just so self consumed that you take everything as a personal assault and never gives people to explain themselves... and when they can explain, you'd never listen... you're so protective of your fragile heart that you lock everyone out, pushing them away..."

"Ow c'mon Jennifer... you always comes first... and when he's with me, all he does is talking about you..." Susie wiped her eyes and looked at Jennifer with hatred.

"Ned and I go way back... I know him as long as I can remember...we'd never been separated more then two days in a row... and we're neighbors... you knew how close Ned and I are when you started dating him... and you perfectly knew that no one would ever come between our friendship..." Jennifer said, getting tired of keeping explaining that she and Ned are just friends.

"Friendship," Susie barked the word. "He has a lot more on his mind then friendship..."

Jennifer let out a growl of frustration.

"I'm going to say it for the last time... Ned and I are just friends... nothing more... not ever!" If Jennifer had looked to her right, she would've seen the hurt expression on Ned's face when she said this, slowly, without anyone noticing he walked out of the gym.

"Why won't you just admit it already?!" both Susie and Missy yelled.

"There's nothing to admit! I don't love Ned, and I never will!" At the exact time Jennifer screamed this Ned was at the door. Tears welled up in his eyes and a sob escaped him when he pressed the doors open.

"What is it that you're afraid of?" Cookie asked with a frown.

"See! see! Even Simon thinks so!" Missy exclaimed.

"And I told you to stay out of this!" Jennifer said irritably.

Missy crossed her arms, but didn't said a word.

"You know you love him Mosely... you know you do..." Susie said insistently.

"No I don't! Why? Why would I risk our life-long friendship over something like feelings I don't even know I have?" Jennifer screeched.

"I knew it!" again, both Susie and Missy shouted out.

Jennifer closed her eyes and sighed deeply. "I can't risk all that for something that wouldn't even work out... we simply know to much of each other... It wouldn't be right..."

"So you do... love him?" Cookie asked with a sly grin.

"Yes Cookie I do..." Jennifer admitted finally, still with closed eyes. A single teardrop rolled over her cheek.

Before anyone could stop her, or even saw it happen Susie stepped forwards and slapped Jennifer square across the face. Jennifer's head yanked to the other direction of the force.

"Looks like banshee-Susie came out huh?" Jennifer spat.

"You bitch!" Susie yelled, attacking once more.

In one swift movement, Jennifer tackled her to the floor. The next moment Jennifer sat on Susie's waist, pinning her hands down above her head.

"What gives?!" Jennifer shrieked, through all the catcalls and whistles.

"I can stand losing against you in many things Jennifer... But you taking away the best thing that ever happened to me... no way!" Susie yelled, fighting pointlessly against Jennifer's grip.

"I'm not taking anything away!" Jennifer yelled back.

"So you never going to do something with your feelings?" Cookie asked, baffled.

"No, Cookie, I won't..." Jennifer said with a sigh.

"But..." Cookie said weakly.

"No buts... like I've said before... I value Ned's friendship to much to risk it all..." Jennifer said, looking fiercely at Cookie.

"Besides... I would never do that to a friend... Not even when she went all ballistic on me..." she added, looking at Susie.

Susie just looked up at her best friend, tears in her eyes. "Why?"

"Because I... I don't fully know why... part of me is scared... another part values friendship over deeper feelings for a guy," Jennifer released her grip on Susie's wrists, but didn't stood up. "Its complicated..."

"I'm sorry I slapped you," Susie said, crying again.

"Don't worry about it... I kinda understand..." Jennifer smiled weakly to her friend.

"Can you get off of me now? you're not exactly a feather..." Susie said with a smile.

"Sure," Jennifer got up and helped Susie to her feet as well.

Susie looked at Jennifer confusedly.

"Wait... that's it?" Missy said disappointedly. "No fight?"

"Missy..." Jennifer looked again fiercely at the blonde girl. "Shut it! Or you'll have a fight!"

"Speaking of fights... where's the subject of our fight? Where's Ned?" Susie asked, looking around her.

"I think I know..." Cookie said, walking towards the doors of the gym.

"Cookie?"

"Yes Mose?"

"Never, ever, a word to Ned over anything I just said..."

"Got it..."

End Flashback

When Ned, Cookie and Susie walked into the reception hall, they were suddenly crowded by camera-men and news reporters.

"Ned, can you have a word please?" A woman with short brown hair shouted, nearly pressing Ned against the wall.

"You always hold on to your story that Jennifer Mosely was still alive, and still out there... no one believed you... how did that made you feel?"

"Do you think she'll make it?"

"How did you know she was still out there?"

"What went through you when you found her?"

"IF she wakes up, what will be the first thing you'll say to her?"

"ENOUGH!" Ned bellowed so forcefully that the entire news crew actually backed off a few steps, the one more baffled then the other.

"While you all ask me this ridiculous questions a girl is fighting for her life! She may not even make it and all you care about is your stupid news! At the funeral, you all fought to make me look like a moron first! Well I was right, she was still alive! No one took me serious when I said that, but now she's found and fighting for her life with all her might you all act like a bunch of chickens fighting over corn! I never actually punched someone... but I just saw the girl I love with my entire being struggle for her life... I saw her wounds when they pulled her out underneath the train rails... I saw her lying lifeless on the bed... I saw numberless wires running in and out of her body! And me and only me saw her first... lying there underneath the train rails, in a three feet deep hole, with her blood everywhere..." Ned blinked a few tears away. "You all have no idea what all that did to me... I'm heartbroken to see the girl I love more then my live so wounded... I'm scared to lose her... I'm terrified... and all you can do is ask stupid, retarded questions! Get a life and bug yourselves about that!" Ned pushed his way through the crowd, slamming his shoulders hard into a few camera-men.

"The words of a teenage boy who dreads the fate of his beloved girlfriend, who is still in critical condition,"

Ned wanted to turn around and punch her lights out, but Cookie stopped him. "Leave them Ned... They're not worth it..."

Ned sighed and nodded. Together, the three of them walked towards the cafeteria.

For nearly two hours, Cookie and Susie tried their best to cheer Ned up, but no avail. All Ned could think of was how his girlfriend lay alone in that semi-dark room, fighting for her life. Images of her smile, her laugh, her face, swam trough his head, making him feel both in love and scared to death. He had no idea how long he'd have to miss her, or how long he would've to wait for any improvement in her condition... The only thing he could do was waiting helplessly while praying for a miracle. And Ned knew that he would need all the patience and strength he could muster.