Heyyyyyyy (:

So this is chapter eight. Obviously. I am absolutely in love with this chapter. Words cannot describe how much I love it.

Seriously.

Anywho.

I don't wanna give away too much...but this chapter doesn't really explain anything. It sort of indulges in the fluff for a while.

Everything will make sense in the next chapter. Like, what the heck Vlad was doing with Sam. The creeper.

I hope you like it (:

It's got a little of everything.

I don't own Danny Phantom. Duh.

Chapter eight (:

Missing

Chapter Eight: Visions

August 11, 2011

Danny slowly dragged a chair beside Sam's bed, cringing at the loud scraping noise the legs made as they were dragged against the ground. He stared at Sam's sleeping figure for a moment, before taking her hand and gently squeezing it.

"Sam...I really hope this is the last time we'll ever be in the emergency room together..." He murmured, caressing the back of her hand with his thumb. She sighed in her sleep.

As he watched her, a sudden, very powerful wave of relief washed over him. She was safe. She was alive, and she was safe. He felt his eyelids droop as the fatigue caused by several sleepless nights caught up with him. Warm, heavy darkness overtook him.

He could hear voices ringing faintly in his ears. His eyes opened. He was standing in the emergency waiting room, watching people filter in and out. Obviously, I'm dreaming. Utterly confused, he glanced behind him and gasped in shock.

Sam and Tucker were sitting in the seats Danny and Jazz had occupied only minutes before. Tucker was biting his lip and ringing is hands nervously. Sam's amethyst eyes were bloodshot, her pale face bearing evidence of tears. She was chewing mercilessly on her fingernails.

"Stop it, Sam." Tucker said quietly. He caught her wrist in his hand and yanked it away. "You know Danny hates it when you do that."

"I'm sorry, okay? I'm just scared..." She stared at the ground miserably. Tucker wrapped his arm around her shoulders and gave her a gentle squeeze.

"He's gonna be fine," He assured her quietly. "You'll see. He'll be okay."

Danny was completely confused. What was going on? Who were they talking about? He considered asking them, but they had not shown any sign of being able to see him. So Danny decided to watch.

Jazz appeared in the doorway leading to the emergency room. She looked absolutely exhausted. Sam and Tucker leapt to their feet, gazing at Jazz hopefully. "He's gonna be alright." Jazz murmured. Sam and Tucker made sounds of relief. "Skulker's new upgrade really hit him hard...he almost didn't pull through. The nurses aren't letting anyone but family back there to see him until his condition improves...I'm sorry, guys."

"I'm his girlfriend!" Sam said fiercely. "That's not fair!"

"He's not very happy about it, either," Jazz said. She slipped over to Tucker and closed her eyes when he planted a soft kiss on her temple. "But he told me to give you a message. He says he loves you, Sam."

Sam gasped, tears welling up in her eyes. "He does?" She whispered. Jazz nodded as Tucker slid his arm around her waist. "Tell him I love him, too. More than he could ever imagine. And I can't wait to see him again..."

The scene faded as Jazz buried her face in Tucker's chest. Danny was in shock; what was he seeing? Was this a dream, or was it the future?

When his surroundings solidified, he realized that he was once again standing in the waiting room. A slightly older version of himself was pacing the floor in front of Tucker and Jazz, who were both occupying the same two seats as Tucker and Sam had been occupying in the previous scene. Tucker kept shooting Danny furtively apologetic glances.

"Dan-"

"Shut it." dream Danny growled. "You're such an idiot. You do realize you could have killed her?"

"It was an accident! I didn't know she was behind me!"

"Who swings a steak knife backwards?"

"I was trying to carve the turkey and Jazz surprised me!" Tucker paled. "I didn't mean to stab Sam!"

Danny started. Tucker stabbed Sam?

"It's my fault, Danny..." Jazz said quietly. "I...I guess I just caught Tucker off-guard. I told him...that I love him, and he wasn't expecting it...maybe it wasn't the smartest timing, doing it while he had a sharp knife in his hand, but..."

As Jazz's voice trailed, the door to the ER swung open, revealing an extremely disgruntled Sam. Her left thigh was wrapped in thick gauze and she was leaning heavily on crutches.

"Worst Thanksgiving ever." she huffed as Danny rushed forward and enveloped her in a hug.

The scene faded again, before solidifying to reveal an even older version of Sam. She was settled in her usual chair, a distinctly amused smirk on her face. She was completely alone as far as Danny could tell. Suddenly, an older version of himself burst through the front doors of the emergency room, catching sight of Sam. She grinned at him as he came closer, smiling through the passionate kiss he planted on his lips. Danny felt himself blush as he watched himself kiss Sam; it seemed so natural, so right.

"So she fainted?" Dream Danny asked as he dropped into the seat next to Sam.

"Oh man, it was hilarious." Sam chuckled as Danny draped his arm around her shoulders. "Tucker got down on one knee and had the box out, but he couldn't even get the words out of his mouth before she was on the ground. She was out like a light."

Danny laughed. "Leave it to Jazz to faint when she's getting proposed to..." He smiled and planted a swift kiss on Sam's cheek.

"It's weird...seems like every important thing that's ever happened between us has happened here," Sam observed, looking around the waiting room wistfully. "This is where we started dating...where we first said 'I love you'...our first fight was resolved here..."

"That one wasn't good." Danny said stiffly. "I was so mad, banging around upstairs, then the next thing I know you're screaming and laying on the ground in a puddle of your own blood with a steak knife sticking out of your thigh!"

"I didn't say it was good, just that it was important!" Sam huffed. "Our relationship has pretty much been dominated by this room."

"Let's add one more thing to that list of important things that have happened in this room," Danny said quietly. He slid off the chair onto one knee before Sam, extracting a small velvet box from the pocket of his jeans. "Sam, will you marry me?"

Sam stared at him. "You and Tucker planned this, didn't you? To propose to me and Jazz on the same night?" Danny grinned sheepishly and nodded. "Idiots." She kissed him deeply before snatching the box out of his hand. "Yes, by the way."

The scene faded and solidified again. This time, Danny and Jazz were sitting in the waiting room together. Dream Danny was dressed to the nine's in a sharp black tuxedo. Jazz was glowing in a beautiful white wedding gown. It was obvious dream Danny was struggling not to laugh; Jazz appeared as if she was going to either break down in tears or murder someone.

"This is not how my wedding was supposed to end." She mumbled, beating down a fold of her dress with an indignant huff. "We were supposed to ride off into the sunset together...not ride off to the ER!"

"Aw, c'mon, Jazzy," Dream Danny cooed. "Once they're done treating Tuck, you'll be on your way."

"You know, for someone who's future wife just experienced first degree burns, you're a lot more concerned with teasing me than her safety."

Dream Danny grinned. "At least she didn't set herself on fire..." he sang under his breath. Jazz's eyes narrowed into slits.

"He was just nervous! It's not his fault. He's a klutz. He gets it from someone else I know."

As he opened his mouth to retort, Tucker and Sam appeared in the doorway. Tucker, who was also wearing a tuxedo, had his entire right arm heavily bandaged. Sam, who was wearing what appeared to be a forest green bridesmaid dress that was slightly singed on her left side, was trailing along behind him, her face twisted in an effort to stop the roaring laughter threatening to escape her.

"Congratulations to the happy couple!" She shouted. She ran past Tucker and collapsed into a fit of laughter against Danny's chest.

"Real funny, guys."

The scene faded and solidified yet again. Sam and Tucker were sitting in the waiting room again, staring dejectedly down at the floor. Danny watched them curiously; they were probably about 22 years old here.

"They...they said it was a lab accident," Tucker said quietly. Sam nodded. "Do you think it was...?"

"It has Vlad written all over it," Sam murmured. Her eyes were locked on her intertwined fingers. "But honestly, I don't know what to believe..."

"How's Danny taking it?"

"Not well. Jazz?"

"Same."

They sat in defeated silence for a moment. It was obvious that a great loss had struck them.

Suddenly, dream Danny appeared in the doorway. He was leaning heavily into the frame, his weary eyes on the floor. Sam and Tucker stood immediately and rushed toward him. Sam pressed herself against his chest, snaking her arms around his waist and tucking her head beneath his chin. He lifted his hands almost instinctually and pressed them against her back; Danny felt a small explosion in his chest when he saw a wedding ring shining on dream Danny's left ring finger.

"She's gone." Dream Danny's whisper was hoarse and broken; tears flowed easily down his face as he wound a hand into Sam's hair. He clutched her closer to his heart as if she was the only source of happiness left in his life. Tucker furrowed his brow and placed a consoling hand on Danny's shoulder. "My mom's...gone,"

The scene faded and solidified. An even older version of Sam, probably about 25, was settled in the emergency room, completely alone. She was fiddling with the ring on her left hand, pressing her hands against her abdomen occasionally. She looked completely nervous about...something.

Danny watched with mounting curiosity as Sam fidgeted. Who's in this time? He wondered.

Suddenly, Tucker appeared in the doorway. He was wearing pale blue scrubs, a hairnet, and a surgical mask. But his huge grin was still visible.

Sam was on her feet in an instant. "Well?" She asked breathlessly.

"I'm a daddy," Tucker breathed. Sam squealed in excitement and hugged him.

"Oh Tucker, congratulations!" She squeeked, squeezing his neck. "So?"

"So what?" He asked as she pulled away.

"What's the gender of the baby?"

"It's a girl. I have a beautiful baby daughter."

"What's her name?"

"Madeline. Madeline Jane Foley."

Sam's eyes welled with tears. "Beautiful." She whispered. "I know Danny will approve."

"Come meet your niece, Sam."

"Tucker...wait. I...I need to tell you something. This is strictly because you're my best friend...next to Danny." Tucker nodded his eyes widening slightly. "I'm...pregnant."

"Shut up. Seriously?"

"Seriously."

"Danny doesn't know?"

"Not yet...I'm gonna tell him when he gets back home tonight."

The scene faded and solidified. Tucker, Jazz, and Sam were all sitting in the waiting room together. Jazz was cooing to a small bundle of blankets pressed against her chest; fat, tiny fists were waving around the folds of the blanket. Sam's belly was swollen slightly; the bulge of her pregnancy made her glow. Tucker was watching Jazz and Maddie with an affectionate smile, before turning his attention to his pregnant best friend.

"So what happened?" Tucker asked pointedly.

Sam grinned sheepishly. "Well...I kind of found out today that I'm...pregnant..."

"We knew that already," Jazz rolled her eyes, glancing up at her sister-in-law.

"You didn't let me finish!" Sam snapped. "I found out I'm pregnant...with twins."

They both stared, open-mouthed. "Twins?" Tucker asked faintly. Sam nodded.

"I guess it took Danny off-guard...because he kind of...passed out."

"Wait, he fainted?"

"Yep."

"HA! Now I can finally use something against his stupid blackmail for when I fainted when Tucker proposed to me! TAKE THAT, DANNY!"

"Take what?" a dazed voice called from the doorway. Dream Danny was standing there, rubbing his head confusedly with a dopey grin on his face. "Did you guys know I'm having twins?"

Danny woke with a start. He was still sitting in Sam's hospital room, clutching her hand. She was watching him from her bed, her eyes half-lidded, her lips turned up in an affectionate smile.

"Maybe this hospital isn't so bad after all," Danny murmured, returning her smile.

"What?"

"Nevermind. Hey, will you be my girlfriend?"

Totes adorb.

I'm really tired. It's 1 AM. I'm going to sleep.

Review if you want a chocolate kiss. If you don't review I'm gonna chase you around the playground, tackle you, and give you cooties. That's right. Beware the cooties.

Mkay I'm gonna go before I embarrass myself anymore than I already have here.

I love you (:

- Tori