Finally, chapter 8! Y'all'll be glad to know one plotbunny, A Mile in Each Others' Shoes was adopted by Sasia93. Unfortunately, another one took its place and I have yet another forming in my mind now. Argh! Just because one was adopted doesn't mean that any others can't go. I have two or three Harry Potter/Danny Phantom crossovers that are whining for new homes. And they are quite cute too. (Sigh) I'm gonna be putting the quotes from chapter 6 at the top of chapter 7, but that'll be later. I'm going to a magic show tonight!

Disclaimer: I don't own Danny Phantom or L&C, but I do own the two minor OCs in this chapter. The main characters are owned by people who decided it would be best to cancel the shows! (Throws pitchfork with a dart tip at picture of Butch Hartman; hits him in the nose.) I also don't own the original lovely song this chapter is named after. The song was been reworked to better go with the chapter. Nothing big, just pronoun changes, and the verses were changed slightly. See what the meanings hide in the verses.

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Chapter VIII: Listen to Your Heart

I know there's something in the wake of your smile.
I got a notion from the look in your eyes, yeah.
You built a love but that love fell apart.
Your little piece of heaven turned to dark.

The GAV rounded the corner on two wheels, almost throwing Sam on the floor. She grabbed a seatbelt and managed to hold on tight while still keeping a firm grip on Danny.

"We're here!" bellowed Jack as the GAV skidded to a stop. "Metropolis Hospital!"

They stumbled out, Superman, Lois, and Valerie landing beside the GAV. Jack picked Danny up, Sam reluctantly letting go, and taking him to the ER entrance. Doctors immediately swarmed them, taking Danny from his hands and laying him on a hospital stretcher. They rushed him off to only they knew where, leaving everyone else in the waiting room.

Lois was the first to speak. "Um, Perry's going to want the story yesterday. Call me when you get news on Danny. Here's my cell number and Clark's too." She handed a business card to Maddie.

"Where is Clark anyway?" asked Jack. "Fellow like him, I figured he'd be right with you." He looked over everyone's heads (which wasn't too hard to do, except for Superman, who he saw eye to eye), as if he expected Clark to suddenly appear.

Lois cleared her throat nervously. "He might already be back at the Planet typing up the story." She turned to Superman and said quietly, "Mind giving me a lift, partner?"

Superman grinned and said equally quietly. "No problem at all. I've got to fly there anyway." He scooped Lois in his arms again and flew away as quick as he could.

"I'll get back to the hotel," said Valerie. "Tucker's going to be worried, and Lancer's probably going to skin me alive. I'll tell him you're here, Sam."

Sam nodded. "Just tell them that Danny got injured by a ghost. He's used that excuse millions of times."

Valerie nodded and stepped into the shadows, activating her board and flying away, leaving Sam to sink into a hospital chair.

Over the course of the next hour, the family stayed in the waiting room. Mr. Lancer, accompanied by Tucker, had left the rest of the class in Lois and Clark's care while he came to check on Danny. He rushed in, white-faced.

"Sweet mother of Charles Dickens," he breathed as he heard what had happened. Carefully retold, of course, that Danny had been injured before Phantom had arrived on the scene. Tucker didn't say anything, but he did stare down at the floor. A hand on his leg made him look up.

"He's been through worse, Tucker," said Sam, although her sad expression said otherwise.

"Yeah, Danny's a strong guy. He'll bounce back in no time," said Tucker, weakly trying to smile.

Silence reigned for the next hour. Finally, a nurse called out Jack and Maddie's names. They looked at her expectantly.

"He suffered three broken ribs, and has multiple contusions, scrapes, and cuts all over his body. He's in the clear now, but we can't seem to bring him out of the coma he's in."

Sam's eyes filled with tears, and she rushed forward. The nurse moved to block Sam from entering, but was pushed aside by Sam as she rushed forward. She didn't protest when Mr. Lancer and Tucker walked in behind Jack and Maddie, evidently considering keeping non-family members out a lost cause.

Sam nearly started crying again as she looked at Danny. He was paler than his ghost form, and a machine nearby hissed as it kept pure oxygen pumped into his system. Cardio monitors beeped rhythmically. She put a hand on his. They were cold, colder than usual.

"I'll leave you alone, then," muttered the nurse, who quietly walked out, her heels making a faint clicking as she left. Sam and Tucker pulled up chairs while Maddie sat on the edge of the bed. Jack remained standing, but his hands on Maddie's shoulders were gently reassuring her that everything would be all right. Mr. Lancer stood at the door to ensure no one disturbed their peace.

But while they kept watch, another fight was being played out that none could see.

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Sometimes I wonder if that fight was worthwhile.
The precious moments were all lost in the tide, yeah.
They're swept away and nothing is what it seems,
the feeling of belonging to my dreams.

Danny looked at the abyss around him. It was familiar, yet strange at the same time. The only solid thing in the entire place was the 10 foot by 10 foot slab of rock he stood on.

"All right, what's going on?" he muttered. As if the void had been waiting, it started glowing softly. Two figures formed in front of Danny.

The figure on the right was his ghost form, but he was cloaked in some sort of black robe over the jumpsuit, like some sort of grim reaper. The gloves and boots that had been silver were now black as well. He held a scythe in his right hand. Black hair and glowing green eyes peered out at him under the hood.

The figure on the left was his human form, but his shirt and pants were pure white. Even the jeans were white. (A/N: Think Morgan Freeman as God in Bruce Almighty.) His hair was white also, and his blue eyes were innocent-looking. A faint glow came from him.

The ghost-like reaper spoke. "What happened was you overexerted yourself. You didn't take into account that Dan's anger made his Wail more powerful than usual."

The other Danny spoke. "Your energy was almost totally drained fighting him. You are still alive, but barely."

"Okay," said Danny slowly. "So, what do I need to do to get back to reality?"

"It's simple," said Grim Phantom. "You have to will yourself to live. Find something to grab ahold of. Or else you die."

"What could that be?" demanded Danny.

Angel Danny grinned. "He really is clueless, isn't he?" Grim Phantom simply replied with a noncommittal "Hmph." Angel Danny turned his attention to his attention back to Danny. "What do you think about Sam?"

"Sam?" Danny was really confused now. "What does she have to do with this?"

"I'll ask again. What do you think about Sam?"

And there are voices
that want to be heard.
So much to mention
but I can't find the words.
The scent of magic,
the beauty that's been
when love was wilder than the wind.

"Well, she's smart, a great friend, pretty–" Danny stopped.

"Go on," prodded Angel Danny.

"She's well…Sam."

Angel Danny rolled his eyes. "I wish there was a brick wall I could bang my head against."

Grim Phantom nodded. "God gave him eyes, yet he doesn't see."

Danny was getting confused now. "What on earth are you two going on about?"

"Hello!" said Angel Danny. He rapped Danny gently on the side of his head. "Anyone in there, Fenton? You…love…her!"

Danny was silent as the angel's words sank in. Yeah, he thought of Sam as a great friend, but did he really love her?

"The answer's yes," said Grim Phantom in a bored tone. Danny glared at him, and Grim Phantom held up his hands in defense. "Hey, it's your mind. We're simply branches of it. Therefore, what you think, we hear."

"Close your eyes, Danny," said Angel Danny. Danny did so. "Don't think, just feel. Feel Sam."

Danny reluctantly closed his eyes and concentrated on Sam. Suddenly, he felt like he was floating in mid-air.

"Open your eyes."

Danny did and his eyes widened at the sight. It was night, judging by the way the full moon was pouring light through the window. His mother was curled up at the foot of his bed. His father had somehow managed to fit into a chair and was now snoring loudly. Sam and Tucker were back to back in their chairs, bright orange Fenton earphones sticking out of their ears. Mr. Lancer had put a chair just inside and beside the door and was sleeping soundly, although he kept muttering names from classic books.

Everything and everyone seemed to have a fuzziness to them, like it was them who weren't really there. Danny knew it was actually the other way around. As he watched, Sam woke up.

"Mmph," she muttered as she put pressure on her left leg, which had fallen asleep from lack of blood pressure. She quietly hobbled over to Danny's other side.

"Hey," she whispered. "You know, they say when someone's…someone's in a coma, that they… that they can hear you." She glanced around to make sure nobody had woken up.

"Tucker's gonna tease me endlessly if he finds out I chose now of all times to tell you this."

Danny tried to lean in closer and found he was now floating above his mom. He could see Sam's face clearly now.

"You can't die, Danny. And you know why? 'Cause you're too stubborn." When Danny didn't move, she bit her lip. "But there's another reason, you know? There always is." She sighed. "The truth is, Danny, all those taunts we've ever gotten…about my loving you…well, they're true. Every single one of them." Sam paused. "Except the one where apparently we really were making out that night Valerie found us." She smiled. "Though the look on your face was certainly convincing enough for all of us."

She gently touched his hands and winced from the coldness of them.

"I'll see you in the morning." She bent over him and gave him a quick peck on the cheek before walking back to her chair and falling back to sleep.

Listen to your heart
when she's calling for you.
Listen to your heart
there's nothing else you can do.
I don't know where you're going
and I don't know why,
but listen to your heart
before you tell her goodbye.

Listen to your heart, mm-mmmmmm

The scene dissolved and once again Danny found himself standing on the lone rock in the abyss. Angel Danny had made a piece of rock jut up about two feet and was sitting on it, humming to himself. Grim Phantom, however, was pacing. Or, at least, he was walking three steps one way, turning around and going three steps the other way, his cloak swishing as he did so.

"Hey, you're back!" said Angel Danny, hopping up from the rock, which instantly withdrew back into the rest of the rock, leaving no trace of its existence.

"I take it you've made your decision," said Grim Phantom, finally standing still. It wasn't a question.

"Yes, I have," said Danny. "I'm gonna live."

Grim Phantom sighed. "Well, that's one less to take with me."

"Hold on, I thought you said you were branches of my mind." Danny thought he felt his heart skip. "You didn't mention you were the Angels of Death!"

Grim Phantom smirked. "We lied." He took his scythe and ripped a hole in the abyss, and stepped out.

Angel Danny shrugged, his hands in his pants pockets. "He's always liked doing that. Scared some woman once, and the poor thing really did die." He rolled his eyes. "The next day was known as the day nobody died anywhere 'cause we were being interrogated about it." He sighed loudly. "Anyway, good luck with your life. We'll be back…someday." With that, he snapped his fingers and Danny had to look away as Angel Danny disappeared in a flash of white light.

Now it was just him in the abyss. Grinning, he thought of his body and felt the pull that would take him home. That would take him to Sam.

I don't know where you're going
and I don't know why,
but listen to your heart
before…you tell her goodbye.

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Looks like I threw a bit of a twister in at the end huh? Whoo! So, make this chapter worthwhile and review! I am running low on fuel! Must. Have. Reviews!

Here's to the ones who have graciously reviewed.

Cylon One, Quacked Lurker, Sunshine Silverjojo, Splout, pottersparky, Oraman Asturi, lily fae, phantomfreek, ghostlover15, dragongirl k, Yami-chan and Unrealistic, CRESCENT-MOON-89101112, egyptianqueen777, Sasia93, Lady Elyn the druid of Serria, Kaji Blaze the Crimson Serafin, Saphira Arya Potter, Flame of Chaos, dragon-game, Plushiemon, and Calico Kitty 09.

So, about two chapters left in this story and then it's the end. (Sigh) Now, off to write chapter 9. I've got a pretty general idea for it, as well as chapter 10, which will be the epilogue. So make sure y'all review and I'll see you there!