Second chapter, whoo! I still don't own Danny Phantom, or anyone here...
Sam slowly uncurled her stiff body and stretched out. Sleeping on stone floors were not comfortable, and she missed a real bed fervently. She never slept in the hidden room, only met Tucker there at some days. She yawned enormously and moved quietly, trying not to disturb the other maids. They worked hard here, and it wasn't their fault.
Sam walked through the empty castle and started to set the main table for breakfast, her black clothes sooty from the kitchen and leaving streaks of gray on the black cloth. Sam saw the Fentons come down the stairs and silently groaned. Great. More morning people, as if her ex-parents weren't bad enough.
Sam took this opportunity to study their auras. Jazz, Tucker's soon-to-be bride, had a bright orange aura of controlled excitement. Sam hid a smile. Yes, she would make a good pair for her silly best friend.
The Queen's aura was rippling with hidden depths, yet full of cheer and goodwill. Her eyes were purple as well, but didn't hide the hidden sight of the Seer. Her talent must have something to do with sight though. Sam moved on the king's and had to stifle a chuckle. As deep as the Queen's aura was, her husband's was just as clear. Not particularly deep, but clear and pure and filled with reckless excitement and drive.
Sam looked at the last Fenton's, the only prince of Amity and blinked and took a double take. It was the same as Danny Phantom's aura, but instead of emerald, it had sapphire depths. It was still the same, and Sam hurried out of the dining area, her mind scrambling. Danny Phantom and Danny Fenton had to be the same person! So his hidden talent was a split self? That was interesting… Sam hurried on, determined that if he started talking to her, she'd get to the bottom of it.
Danny leaned back on his chair, making the front two legs lift.
"Danny," his mother scolded, "Don't do that. It's not polite."
Danny rolled his blue eyes and said, "Mom, it's just us and Tucker today. Who do I have to be polite to?"
Maddie paused a second and then said, "You have a point."
Danny whooped and punched the air as Jazz swatted him. "You could be polite to your older sister!" She said.
Danny grinned teasingly and said, "Yeah right. I'd die first!" Well, die ALL the way. Danny added in his head. Danny yawned and said, "I'm going to take a walk around the castle to see the sights. Tuck, will any of your technology attack me in ghost form?"
"Nah. I turned off the ghostly stuff that we use to defend against the ghosts when I heard you were coming."
"Thanks, dude." Danny winced slightly at as he thought of his old enemy, Plasmius. He hadn't seen him in a while, and had a bad feeling that he was cooking up some scheme. Well, he'd take it when he got to it. Danny got up and ran out before his mother could drag him back again.
Danny walked through the gardens, bored. He saw a figure sitting underneath an oak tree and brightened up as he recognized Sam. He turned ghost quickly and walked up as Danny Phantom. "Hey Sam." He greeted her with a smile.
Sam didn't look up. She was staring at the ground, trying to squelch the small feeling of betrayal at not being told the truth. She didn't really know him, so how was it her business? Sam said in a quiet voice, "When were you going to tell me?"
"Tell you what?" Danny asked, feeling his emerald eyes widen. Oh no. She couldn't know, no one knew.
"Tell me that you were Danny Fenton."
"I-I'm not the prince…" Danny stuttered, trying to make up a story to cover in his mind.
"Don't lie to me!" Sam yelled, leaping to her feet and facing him angrily, her amethyst eyes burning in his. She forgot the risk of letting someone meet her eyes and just glared, angry enough to punch him.
"B-but…" He trailed off, and then yelped as a very hard fist connected to his arm. "What was THAT for?" He said angrily.
"That was for lying! Don't ask how, but I know when you lie." Sam growled, her eyes flaring angrily. Danny took a deep breath and rubbed the back of his neck as Sam continued, "You have the same hair style, same way of speaking, and you rub the back of your neck when you get nervous, just like Fenton does."
Danny stared at her in confusion and said, "How did you see all that? You barely saw me as a human…"
Sam flushed and growled, "None of your business."
"It IS my business! Were you spying on me?"
"No! I work as a maid, moron! I see everyone yet no one sees me." Sam shot back.
"Oh," Danny said, thinking.
"Would you explain your power please? I know you're the same person, but I have no idea how you ever changed…"
"Well, um, I'm kinda half ghost…" Danny muttered, blushing scarlet. He waited for Sam's shriek of fear, and waited… and waited. He looked up and saw her blinking but nodding.
"Ok… I've heard of weird powers, but that's one of the weirder ones." Sam said with a slight grin.
"Not the weirdest?" Danny teased. He was relieved that Sam was taking it so cooly.
"Nope. I've seen worse."
"Really?"
"I try not to lie, when I can help it." Sam scowled at Danny.
"Look, I'm sorry. I can't tell people my secret!" Danny shot back and completely diverted from wondering what other powers were weirder. "You wouldn't understand having that big a secret!"
Sam flinched slightly and whispered, "I wish I didn't…" She shook her head and said louder, "I understand why you didn't say anything, but don't lie, please. It's just irritating."
Danny nodded, still confused how Sam had pieced together his secret from observations. That was extraordinary. Danny blurted out, suddenly worried, "You won't tell anyone, will you?"
Sam looked at him, annoyed. "Of course not! I'm not going to tell anyone, and who'd believe me anyway?"
"Good point.." Danny chuckled. He smiled and said, "You should meet Tucker. You'd get along great."
"No thanks." Sam said quickly. "I have to get back to work. "
Danny blinked, remembering that Sam was a maid. She seemed different from them, more defiant and less docile as the other maids. And he liked that. Danny wasn't thinking clearly, and he instinctively leaned down and touched his lips to hers. He felt her freeze, then pulled back and said, "See ya." He smiled cheerfully before flying into the castle.
Sam was frozen, and then moved slowly. She touched her lips and then growled, "How dare he! We barely know each other, and he just, just KISSES me!" She turned on her heel and stomped into the kitchen, starting to wash dishes angrily, her cheeks scarlet. She didn't want to admit it, but it had felt warm and he tasted good. Sam shook her head in disgust and scrubbed at the plates viciously.
All the other maids just stared and backed away slowly from her anger.
Danny was almost floating as he walked beside Tucker in the palace. "Dude, what happened?" Tucker asked, staring at his best friend.
Danny flushed and muttered, " She guessed my secret, and I-I kissed her…"
Tucker blinked once before starting to laugh, "This cannot be happening… YOU kissed Sam? This is too good to be true…."
Danny was blushed redder and pushed his friend and said, "Oh shut up Tuck. Wait, how do you know Sam?"
Tucker opened his mouth and said, "She works at my palace, I HAVE to know her! She's become a friend to me."
Danny spoke without thinking, "Do you meet her in that room connected to yours? Oh, um…"
Tucker stared and said, "You spied on me?"
"No! I was awake and wondered where you went… I just saw an empty room…"
"Well, you can come tonight. You said she knows your secret, right? Well, you get to explain why you know about the room."
"Aww, Tucker.."
Sam glared at the two boys in the room. The black haired, blue eyed one was next to her while the prince of this castle sat across from her, on a chair.
"Explain. Now."
Danny stared at the ground and flushed as he muttered, "Um, I followed Tucker, saw you, and am totally confused. You look familiar…."
Sam sighed and rubbed her face with her hand. "Think of Hapus."
It clicked in Danny's head and he said, "Wait, you're the princess of Hapus? How was I that stupid to not notice that?"
"Clueless." Tucker supplied helpfully.
Danny glared and said, "Shut up Tuck."
Tucker grinned and Sam rolled her amethyst eyes. "Don't tell anyone." She said to Danny. "Tell, and I will personally make sure that you become full ghost."
Danny nodded meekly. Sam growled and turned around, before collecting herself and slumping her shoulders to make herself look more mundane. But she can't hide it. Danny thought. Can't hide the fact that she isn't just anyone, she's a beautiful princess…. Wait, why am I thinking this? She's a friend! Just a friend!
Maddie and Jack were sitting in a dining room, Maddie tuning up her equipment, and Jack eating fudge. Then a servant came in and said, "Excuse me, your majesties, but King Vlad is here to see you."
Maddie looked up as Jack boomed, "Well show Vladdie in!" Vlad walked in and Jack continued, "Vladdie! Good to see you!" He crushed Vlad in a hug, though the man was just staring at Maddie, and trying to not think of the disgusting Jack Fenton hugging him.
"Dear Maddie," He said as he broke out of Jack's embrace and smiled warmly at the woman, with a look full of desire. "I have a proposition for you."
Danny yawned as he got to his feet, climbing out of the bed. He was exhausted. Tucker had finally explained to Danny that Sam was hiding out at his castle, but he wouldn't tell why. It was confusing him, and he decided to take an early morning flight to calm down. It always seemed to work before.
Danny turned ghost and flew out of his room, going through the walls, relieved not to have to worry about ghost shields. Tucker had been as good as his word, and despite the fact that he had had to put the Box Ghost away in the thermos again. (Did the Box Ghost just follow him or just have a knack for being in the wrong place at the wrong time?)
Tucker's castle was next to a great forest, even though it was the center of all new technology in the area. Tucker's castle brought the term "Techno Geek's Lair" to a whole new level. Danny turned visible, knowing that no one would be up at this early hour, and Tucker would erase his flight from the security cameras. He saw a figure sitting in the top of one of the tall trees, and stopped midair. Who was that? Her short hair was blowing in the wind as she faced the great forest. The girl was on the tallest limb that could support her in the tree, as if she wanted to climb all the way to the sky. It was…. Sam?
Danny's heart skittered as he flew closer and said hesitantly, "Sam?"
Her head whirled and she almost fell out of the tree in surprise. "Danny? How are you flying?"
Danny smirked as he flew in front of her and said, "Half ghost, remember?"
Sam blinked and then her face flooded with color. Oh yeah…. She remembered now. "What are you doing here?"
"I needed to clear my head." Danny said, shrugging. "Why are you all the way up here? Why not stick to the ground?"
"Same reason. I needed to get out of there for a bit, and no one looks at the tops of trees. Besides, I like it up here." She stared out across the forest and smiled at the scenery. It was beautiful.
Danny blinked and smiled a sly smile. "You want to go higher?" He asked.
Sam looked at him and nodded, wondering what he was thinking about.
Danny smirked and his arm snaked around her waist. Sam flushed at the contact and glared, but entirely forgot as she rose with Danny as he flew up. She drew in a deep breath. Oh wow. Her arm went around his waist to stabilize herself and she stared downwards as the world fell away at her feet.
Danny smiled down at Sam as he saw her radiant expression. He had never seen her looking this happy. What was more surprising was how right this felt. He had always felt kinda awkward carrying someone else when he saved them from a ghost, but this felt nothing like that. Sam looked awestruck and wonderfully happy.
She glanced up at him and he smiled, feeling to giddy at satisfaction of making the serious minded girl smile so peacefully. "This is… wow. Just wow." She murmured.
"I know." Danny said, but he was looking at her, not at the picture beneath them. The forest and castle were stained with the golden shine of the first sunlight. The sunlight was just touching their faces, and it made Sam's beautiful expression even more radiant. He couldn't help the smile the spread across his own face, and he blinked when Sam broke the silence.
"I have to get back." Her face looked sadder, and Danny nodded before gliding downwards.
Sam spread her fingers on her free hand and felt the wind rush through them. It was so exhilarating, and Sam had to admit that part of the excitement was being with Danny. She sighed as her feet touched the ground, and she felt as if the earth's pull was ten times heavier now. When they were flying, it was so easy and she felt lighter than the air itself. Sam looked at Danny's face as the flash of light signified him changing from Phantom to Fenton and saw it slightly withdrawn. She wanted to thank him. Sam hesitated and then gave Danny a quick hug before blushing and stepped back. "Thanks. It was great." She turned and ran back before she could do anything else stupid. Sam couldn't help the giddy smile on her face as she ran back into the castle and to her duties as maid.
Danny just watched her go, his mouth agape. He had never expected her to hug him, and hadn't had time to act on the impulse to hold her to him before she had fled. His face spread into a wide smile that he couldn't stop. His heart stuttered in his chest and he walked back into the castle, still smiling goofily.
Danny fiddled with the utensils on the table, trying to forget about Sam, though she kept creeping in on his thoughts. It was driving him mad. He'd be thinking of something normal, like the great pot roast of the other night, and then Sam's rant on how she didn't eat anything with a face would reappear in his memory, and he'd smile at the memory of her face, alive with anger for the animals.
God, he was so dead.
He saw his parents walk in and smiled, but froze as another figure walked in behind them. Vlad. Vlad Masters, not Plasmius. Danny reminded himself as he stopped himself from attacking him. Vlad was not Plasmius now, and he couldn't reveal the other halfa's secret to his parents. Vlad would hurt Jazz and Tucker if he did. Though he wondered if Sam could ferret that secret out too…..
Damn it. Now he was back to Sam.
"Daniel, my boy. How nice to see you!" Vlad greeted with a poisonous smile.
"What is it, Vlad?" Danny asked coldly.
"Why, little badger, I thought you'd be more welcoming to someone who brought you good news."
Danny blinked. Since when did Vlad bring him good news?
"I see you're confused. But let me introduce you to the heir of my kingdom, my adopted daughter, Ms. Gray."
A beautiful, dark skinned girl walked in with billowing dark hair. She smiled and said, "Remember Danny? We met at one of those balls. I'm Valerie, remember?"
Danny blinked and said, "Valerie? Yeah, I remember, what are you doing here?" What he remembered was lust at her good looks, and how he had followed the girl like a lost puppy. But now she just seemed like a shadow, compared to the girl who kept creeping into his thoughts.
Vlad stepped to Valerie's shoulder and put his hand on her shoulder and said, "Well, Daniel, we've decided to unite our kingdoms by having you two get married. Won't that be great?"
Danny froze. The summer before, marrying Valerie would've seemed a dream come true, but now…. Now he could only think of Sam. He didn't want Valerie, he would much rather marry Sam… "But-" he started.
"It's all arranged darling!" His mother smiled happily, and Danny's smile was frozen. I don't want Valerie to be my wife. I want Sam…
Hehe, I feel evil. Their relationship is just starting, and already there are issues! :) And yay fluff! It was my first attempt and DS fluff, and I always saw Sam as a person who would love to climb trees. I don't know why, but it seemed sweet. This chapter was mostly written when I posted the first one, so that's why I can actually post it soon. The third is coming along, but not done yet.
Thank you to klrob for pushing me to put this up here, and to her, ClassicCartoon27, and DannySamLover20 for being my first reviewers. Thanks guys!