Chapter Four

Danny was lost. He always new he had a soft spot for his best friend, but he never thought he'd think about her 24-7. On his work he couldn't concentrate all day, so his boss told him to go home early since he was doing more harm than good in the next rocket project.

On his way home he remembered that Sam's gallery wasn't far away from the Space Center so he took an alternative road to surprise her. He stopped in a bakery and bought sweets, bread with chocolate drops and two ice creams.

When he entered Sam's gallery he was surprised to find two or her paintings among several others from different painters. Maybe someone convinced her to show them.

"Can I help you, sir?" An older woman asked him politely.

"Yeah. I'm looking for Sam Manson." Danny said wondering how many people Sam had employed to work in that place.

"Ms. Manson is in her office." The woman answered. "I'll ask her if she's available. What's your name?"

"Can I go there by myself? I'd like to surprise her." Danny grinned, imagining Sam's reaction when she saw him.

"She's not in a good mood, sir. Maybe I should just introduce you." The woman insisted.

"Hey, I'm her best friend, she won't mind." Danny said and the woman agreed but still uncertain. She walked him to Sam's office, but didn't get inside. She walked away before Danny knocked on the door. "Sammy!" He opened the door and found the desk empty. He looked around and saw her lying down on a couch, with a hand hiding her eyes. "Hey, are you okay?"

"Danny?" She sat up in surprise and broke in a tired smile. "I never thought you'd come here."

"I thought you both might be hungry." He said, sitting down next to her and showing her the sweets he had bought.

"You read my mind." She moved closer to him and went straight to grab the ice cream. "Don't laugh. I want calories right now."

"I wasn't going to laugh." He smoothed her hair and took a piece of the bread, leaving the other ice cream to her in case she wanted it, too. "I heard you were in a bad mood."

"Yes, the stupid hormones make me feel tired AND hot. You have no idea how many people complained about the air conditioner." As she continued speaking and eating, Danny let his eyes study her face and wander downwards until he was staring at her cute growing belly. She in the middle of the fifth month and finally she started showing. "And then the painter said-" She stopped abruptly and Danny looked at her face worriedly. She looked scared at first, but then she relaxed and smiled, melting completely. "I think the baby kicked for the first time."

"He did?" Danny lost control of his powers and phased through the couch, falling on the floor as he looked at her, fascinated. He sat down again, embarrassed.

"Oh, he did it again!" She squealed, happily.

"C-c-can I?" His voiced trailed off before he finished his question, but Sam understood what he wanted. She grabbed his hand and put it under her shirt, on her growing stomach. Danny blushed when he felt her burning skin under his fingertips. The texture of her body felt so familiar to him. And then something moved. Oh dear... he was in an awe. He felt it. The baby moved under his fingers.

He looked up to Sam to contemplate her face, but when he saw her, she was looking down at him, expecting his reaction. And then it was impossible to control himself. He reached up and pressed his lips sweetly to hers. Her eyelids widened before closing and responding his kiss. But as quickly as the kiss started, it was finished.

"Sorry." Danny said quietly, looking down at his lap. He took his hands off her shirt and sat down straight. Both were now very quiet, thinking of what had just happened.

"That's okay." She offered him a hand and they stood up. "I think I'm going home early today. Do you want to come with me and finish all that food?"

"That would be great." He answered her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and helping her to her car. His heart was heavy the whole time. Why did he kiss her? What an idiot! How could he make a move on his pregnant best friend? How twisted was that?

And still, her lips had felt so sweet and so familiar to him, like he had kissed her a million times before. While he drove back home on his car as he let her drive in front of him, watching carefully the road to see if there was anything dangerous that could surprise her; he thought about how his relationship with Sam would be from now on.

He was taking care of her, like he always had, he was helping her through the pregnancy and he had pointed out more than once that the baby would need a father figure. If there was nobody else in Sam's life that would be him. He wanted to be that baby's father more than anything in his life.

He even thought about proposing to her! He could marry her and they would be a family. How beautiful it would be to lay down with her at night and wake up when their child jumped in between them, scared of a storm.

"Sam..." He asked her quietly, as he held the door open for her to enter his house. "You see... I was wondering when you're going to tell your parents about the baby." She immediately sat down on his couch, curling her feet under her, deep in thought.

"I think I should just call them and say it. I've procrastinated enough." She sighed, seeing that she didn't have an easy way out of that one. "They're going to be so angry."

"I've got an idea." Danny said, sitting down next to her and putting a hand on her thigh in a daring move. She didn't notice and he didn't care. "We can spend Christmas in Amity Park. There could be a big party in my house and we invite your parents. They won't be mad if they see that everyone is happy for you."

"You don't know them." Sam shook her head. "But I agree that it'd be better to tell them during Christmas; not that they actually celebrate it, but that would be an excuse." She turned on his TV and laid down on the couch, wrapping her arms around him and bringing him down to cuddle with her, something that was becoming more and more natural between them two.

"You're not looking forward to this." He said, opening a lollipop and sticking it on her mouth without her permission – yes! He loved feeding her like that! He got another lollipop to himself as he lay there, with his hands on her stomach, watching some stupid TV show.

"Not at all. My parents will be so upset." She whispered quietly, more to herself than to him. "What will they say when I tell them I'll be a single mother?"

"You don't have to tell them that..." Danny said, making her turn her head to look at him.

"Danny..." She said in a whisper, smiling broadly at him. "Would you like to be the baby's father?" His hands were gone in a blink of an eye. He sat up on the couch looking at her stunned.

"What do you mean?"

"Well..." She sat up as well, looking down at her lap, scared of what she was going to say next. "... you know... you could help me raise the baby. Take him out for a game. Spend time with him. Doing stuff a father would do."

"Sam..." His stunned face slowly softened, making her relax and wait patiently for what he had to say. "I think you've just made me the happiest man on earth." He embraced her tightly, holding her for all the got. She laughed, delighted.

"You're so corny."

"I've wanted to offer it myself for a while." He said in her hair. "But I thought you'd get mad."

"How could I ever be mad?"

Later that night, lying alone on her bed Sam broke down in sobs. What kind of game was she playing with Danny? He was the real father and now she had just invited him to be what he already was! She couldn't keep the truth from him forever. What if the baby was born looking exactly like him? She'd be lost and she would lose his friendship forever. She didn't have the courage to tell him the truth, just yet.

She'd have to keep lying to him.

oOoOoOoOoOo

Sam gripped Danny's hand strongly as they stood at the Fenton's front porch, waiting for someone to open the door. She was six months pregnant and there was no way she could hide her belly anymore. Danny thought it was very cute to see her like that, even though she insisted she was fat and horrible, he saw nothing horrible about her, actually, he could swear she was getting even more beautiful each day that passed.

She was wearing a wrap over shirt with long sleeves, a small skirt and knit black tights. On top of everything she had a jacket, not because she was cold, but because Danny wouldn't let her leave without one.

Jazz, looking very cheerful opened the door to welcome them and her eyes immediately set on Sam's stomach and her eyes grew in surprise.

"Oh my gosh..." She said quietly, eyeing Danny suspiciously.

"You hang your mouth open for as long as you want, Jazz, but first, step aside and let us in. It's freezing out here." Danny said, putting one hand over Sam's shoulders and pushing her inside.

"Sorry, I mean." Jazz took a deep breath and tried to calm down. "Listen, what's the meaning of this?"

"Well..." Danny eyed Sam and he saw her shutting her mouth tightly and turning over, blushing. "You're going to be an aunt."

"So, you're together?!" She asked rhetorically, throwing herself in Danny's arms and kissing him in the cheek. "You have no idea how long I've waited for this." Then she let Danny go and held Sam, carefully but tightly. "I'm so happy for you. Congratulations, though I think you're very young for this, that's still great news!"

"We're not exactly together, Jazz." Danny corrected her, taking Sam's and his own jacket and putting them in the closet.

"Who's not together?" Jack and Maddie appeared from downstairs. Jack was wearing his old jumpsuit with a Santa hat and Maddie had a pullover over her own jumpsuit.

"Oh we're so glad to see you." Maddie said hugging her son. "My little boy, you barely visit us anymore." She moved to hug Sam and her jaw dropped; "That's a surprise." She said and Sam shrugged. "Congratulations dear." Maddie held Sam who breathed in relief in the woman's arms. Danny smiled at the scene. He already knew his family wouldn't disappoint him and would be happy for Sam. "And who's the father?" Shit... she had to ask.

"That would be me, mom." Danny said quietly, but still very proud of the trouble he was getting in. Sam looked at him with a small inaudible gasp, followed by everyone stunned in silence. Okay, maybe he hadn't talked to Sam about telling everyone he was the father and cutting off the detail he was 'invited' to be the father long after she was pregnant, but still, he couldn't see much a difference. They could think he slept with Sam for all he cared.

"Danny, why don't we get those ecto-weapons you wanted to explore the ghost zone?" Sam said in a high pitched voice, through gritted teeth and didn't give him time to answer. She grabbed him by his wrists and dragged him down to the basement. "What the hell are you doing?"

"I told you I accept taking the father role." He laughed at her distress. "What's the big deal?"

"The big deal is that they will think you're the real father; that we slept together!" She said almost running out of breath. Danny noticed how rapid and desperate she was breathing and made her sit down in a chair. "They'll ask about marriage!"

"We don't have to say that we are getting married." Danny shrugged. "Hey, breathe; I'll do the talking now." He put a hand on her forehead, noticing she was warmer than usual, her cheeks were burning. "What I meant to say here is that I don't mind what they think. I'm going to be your baby's father and that's final. Your parents will be upset, I know, but I think it would be worse if they found out you slept with some bastard who abandoned you."

"He's not a bastard." She answered quietly, closing her eyes and letting a single tear fall. How many more blows like that was she willing to take? Danny was so upset about that whole thing that if she ever told him the truth she'd shatter his heart in a thousand pieces.

"Do you love him?" He crouched down in front of her, his hands around her hips to encourage her answer. He had to know. More than a minute passed and the only thing he got from her was more tears. He sighed impatiently. "I want to know who he is." He lifted her face with a single finger on her chin. "I want to know who this man I'm so incredibly jealous of is."

"Don't ruin this night to me, Danny." She said quietly, taking his hands of her. "Don't ask such things."

"Did he force you?" The words blurted out before he could control himself. Sam turned around, surprised that he'd even suggest such a thing. "I'm sorry for asking, I still am paranoid about that Josh."

"He didn't force me... not for long anyway." She walked past him, leaving Danny standing there in silence as she walked up the stairs to talk to everyone else. He didn't know what to think. All he knew was that he hated that man, whoever he was.

The day had been quiet. Too quiet. Like calm before a storm. Danny and Sam had been congratulated so many times that they had lost account of it by the middle of the day and nobody spoke of marriage. The Fenton's were just glad to have a new member in the family.

Tucker arrived and fainted when he saw Sam's stomach. She rolled her eyes and left Danny to take care of him while she helped Maddie in the kitchen. Danny thought Tucker's face was priceless. He had given up hopping his best friends for years now and suddenly he goes and gets surprised like that.

"So, how is the feeling of becoming a father?" Tucker grinned.

"I've never been happier." Danny laughed in awe. "But I'm sure you know about it. How are Gabriel and Valerie?"

"They're fine. They're spending time with Val's father, I must return there shortly before she bites my head off."

The bell rang again and Danny suddenly went serious. Sam appeared at the kitchen door, expectantly. Jazz showed up behind her and put a hand on her shoulder, sensing Sam's tension. She didn't have to say anything for Sam to know that all the Fenton's were there for her, whatever her parents said.

Danny opened the door and the Manson's shot him a dirty look, giving him their jackets. They were polite enough to say hello and also to bring presents to put under the tree with the others, but there was a snobbish aura around them.

"Where is my baby girl?" Mrs. Manson asked adoringly.

"I'm here, mom." Sam said quietly, taking her apron off and standing in the middle of the living room. All eyes were on her. Maddie and Jazz looked at the Manson's from the kitchen; Tucker didn't move from his spot on the sofa, Jack even let a spoon of pudding fall on the floor, waiting for a reaction. Mrs. Manson's eyes were focused on her daughter's stomach, her mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water.

"Tell me you've just gotten fat." Mrs. Manson said horrified, with a hand on her chest, expecting it to be one of her daughter's bad jokes. Then, Sam shook her head in a pained expression. "Well, then I hope it's the child of a noble European gentleman and that you're arranging a proper wedding."

"Actually, Mr. and Mrs. Manson." Danny stood in between mother and daughter, sensing a huge fight coming. "That's our child."

Sam's heart beat wildly inside her chest. Danny was taking the fight for her. And the words "our child" made her tremble with the pure pleasure of hearing say it with such conviction. He really wanted that baby.

The commotion that happened next was something that only the Manson's could have started. Mrs. Manson cried out as if she had been insulted, then she took two steps back and fainted on her husband's arms, who was telling Sam how disappointed he was and how it stupid, irresponsible and offending it was to a girl of her status quo to sleep with someone before marriage.

"You've disappointed us beyond words, Samantha." Mr. Manson said, fanning his wife with a scarf. "From all things I've expected from you... I didn't think you'd sink so low."

"Well, I'm proud of her." Danny hissed, grasping Sam's hand to help her remain strong. He found out that she was shaking, either from sadness or from anger, whatever it was, her face remained cold, facing her parents without saying a word to not disrespect them even further. "I wish you could see what a wonderful person she is, outside that little rich world of yours."

"Danny, don't rub in it, sweetheart." Maddie said, stepping forward to help Mrs. Manson up. "Do you need some ice?"

"No." Mrs. Manson said, crying her eyes out ruining her make up. "I need to get out of here. Let's just go home, dear." She said, standing up and getting her purse and jacket.

"Well, if you can't be happy for your own daughter, I think it would be for the best if you leave." Maddie said.

"She's so happy, you know." Danny stepped towards the Manson's, opening the door for them. He felt like he was holding his heart on his own hands. "Maybe some day you'll realize your mistake." He said before closing the door on their nose. He didn't turn around to face everyone else. He remained facing the door, breathing hard and sharp. He was hoping the Manson's would be more considerate than that.

"Sam? What's wrong?" Tucker asked, breaking the uncomfortable silence. Danny froze and turned around to see Sam sitting heavily on the floor, her hands covering her face.

"Sam!" Danny shouted, too and thanks to his ghost powers he got next to her before anybody else.

"I'm just dizzy." She said in a small shaky voice and Danny knew she was also crying. While Danny and Tucker panicked, not knowing what to do, Maddie knowing very well what it was like to be pregnant, was the one calming them down with a motherly smile.

"Maybe you should just lay down for a while dear. I doubt you had a pleasant time at the plane and now this mess. You need to get some sleep."

"Actually, mom, I'm taking her to a hospital." Danny said, scoping Sam up in his arms, so worried that even Jack couldn't help a smile.

"That won't be necessary dear." Maddie said. "She's fine, she just needs some rest."

"Rest would be nice." Sam answered, weakly.

"Fine, I'm taking her to my old room." Danny said, turning intangible and flying up to his room and laying her down on his bed. She smiled reassuringly at him and he sat down next to her. "I guess this Christmas party wasn't a good idea."

"I think this is great so far." She answered. "Never mind my parents, it's not like I wasn't expecting that." She looked up to the ceiling to avoid his eyes. She was doing that a lot lately, Danny noticed.

"Still, they could have been a little sensitive. I mean... shouting like that to a pregnant woman." He had a scowl on his face. That Christmas party wasn't nice to him either. "Maybe we should just have stayed home."

"And miss the way your mom and Jazz gave me the birth speech? Never." She joked. "Now get out of here and let me take a nap."

Later, they opened their gifts. Sam had given him a golden watch and Danny had given her a diamond ring that she promised she'd never take off her finger.

You guys noticed that this is supposed to be a short story, right? That's why I'm not working too much with descriptions like I normally do. This is just something I wrote when I got bored and yeah, there's a couple of chapter to go before the ending.

I totally love to read all those reviews! I mean, I thought this story sucked so much that it's barely be noticed and then you guys send me all those reviews and make me the happiest author!

For those who have been wondering, I promise you my next update is going to be "Redemption" because I decided to take my time and work harder on that one before updating. I hope you guys will like it.

Thanks for the reviews, everyone!