Alrighty everybody's favorite trio finally come into play! you got some explaining and some action and some confusion ooh it's good alright...

Not gonna bore you with and authors note so here we go

Disclaimer: Kiss my... I mean... sue me. i ain't saying it.

Chapter 2

Sam Manson was preparing for school. She put on her usual clothing; black t-shirt with lavender circle in the middle, black and green slightly plaid skirt with leggings, and combat boots. She did her usual make-up and hairstyle, took a peak in the mirror, and collected her things. She shoved everything she needed into her spider backpack and went down the stairs.

"Samantha, darling, may we speak with you?" Pamela, her overly eccentric bright mother, inquired from another room of the house.

From the stairs Sam ground out, "It's Sam," Oh, yeah, and if you're just itching to get Sam's combat boot up your ass, call her Samantha.

"Sam, please make your way to the kitchen immediately," Jeremy Manson demanded of his daughter.

No Sammykins, today? Sam thought, Maybe something's up.

She made her way to the kitchen a few thoughts running through her mind of what the issue could be but no concrete ideas coming to mind.

"Sit down," Pamela instructed her daughter as she walked into the kitchen, pointing to a chair next to her at the island. Sam took the seat at the kitchen table, the one farthest from her father, instead. Pamela sighed and rubbed her temples, "Fine, sit where you like. Listen, your father and I need to tell you something very important and a little difficult to hear," Sam had been thinking about what her day's events would consist of but upon noticing the sincerity and sobriety of her parent's demeanors she started to pay attention.

"I don't know how to tell you this," Jeremy softened his tense posture to one of a man who was worn through and ragged. This alarmed Sam severely and caused her to tense up considerably.

"Sir, if I may interrupt," Sam just now realized, as he spoke, that Walter, the Manson family butler, was in the room near the stove, "It is 6:30 a.m. and you asked me to tell you to call the morgue. Also if it isn't too bold, Sir, I suggest you leave this bit of information for telling after Sam arrives from school this afternoon, she's already late,"

I don't know if I should be relieved or pissed. I want to know what the hell is going on but at the same time I really don't, Sam thought to herself. She surveyed the room and decided that whatever her father chose she wouldn't argue with, Wait morgue?

"That is too bold," Jeremy snapped, "What and when I tell my daughter information is of no concern to you," he narrowed his eyes at his butler.

"Forgive me, Sir," Walter sighed, "Was not my place,"

"Jeremy," Pamela said softly, "Perhaps we should wait. You're upset; just let Sam go to school,"

Jeremy let out a breath in defeat, "I know, I know," he whispered, "I just can't think straight," he threw his gaze to Sam, "Go to school but come straight home," he stated with finality.

Sam couldn't take much more of the bizarre display her parents just put on so she dashed out the door. Usually she would catch the bus or run over to one of the boys homes to ride with them but today, she decided, she would walk. Sam simply needed to time to process.

In the hallways of Casper High School were found two boys whose mornings had gone relatively uneventfully. Danny Fenton and Tucker Foley wore their usual garb and talked about their usual stuff. They had lockers right next to each other. While Danny was putting some of his things in his locker Tucker rambled on.

"I was on level 86, dude! Did you have to call me last night because of The Box Ghost? You can handle that loser with your eyes closed," Tucker admonished his best friend, "Your Danny Phantom for pete's sake!" Tucker whispered this part, but not without intensity.

"Calm down, Tuck," Danny smiled as he shut his locker, "I just thought it'd be fun for us to kick his box butt together," they lingered a bit longer by their lockers waiting for the arrival of their other best friend, Sam.

"Or maybe you just wanted to hang out with Sam and needed an excuse so it wouldn't sound weird," he best friend jabbed. He was half right, Danny had indeed called Sam first when The Box Ghost showed up, but Danny would never admit it.

"Knock it off, Tucker," a realization hit Danny as he looked at the time, "Speaking of Sam, where is she?"

"Maybe she's still on her bus," Tucker suggested leaning on a locker.

"Nah, cuz Star is over there and she and Star ride the same bus," Danny pointed out.

"Maybe she got driven?" Tucker asked more than believed.

"In the limo? Really Tuck, Sam agreed to get driven to school in the limo," Danny eyed Tucker dubiously, "I think she'd rather watch you eat meat all day than let that happen,"

"Sorry, jeez," Tucker said defensively, "I don't see you coming up with any bright ideas. She could be sick,"

"She always texts us telling us when she's sick," Danny threw his hands up and said exasperatedly.

"Well, genius of all things Sam, you tell me where she is then!" Tucker yelled with a slight smile tugging at his lips.

"I don't know," Danny mumbled. It wasn't like Sam to be late or disappear without telling him. Maybe she was attacked by a ghost! Danny's mind of course jumped to worst case scenario.

"Danny, you're going to flip yourself out if you think of all the what if's," Tucker told him, "She probably just slept in or something, man," Tucker was trying his best to put his friends mind at rest.

"Ya know that actually makes sense. Thanks Tuck," Danny nodded, "Come on, I seriously can't afford another tardy in Lancers class," and the two made their way to English class.

Sam was nearly to Casper High. Man, I'm really late, she thought, I better hurry. She had been so lost in thought that she hadn't even realized she was moving at a snail's pace.

Suddenly, Desiree rose from the ground in front of her.

"Seriously? I don't have time for this," Sam complained.

"I am Desiree," she started.

"Listen, skip the shouting your name and title to the heavens and just get to the motives part already. I'm not as patient as Danny," Sam yelled.

"You dare interrupt me?" Desiree screamed.

"Yeah, I do dare actually. Helloooo, I'm Sam Manson, remember?" Sam bit out as sarcastically as she could.

"Peasant! How dare you speak to me that way," Desiree kept screaming as she launched a ghost ray at me.

"I'm literally just a block from school. Just my luck," Sam sighed as she dodged the ghost ray.

Desiree sent a few more blasts at Sam and she ducked and dodged. One ray was pretty close to hitting her and when she was distracted Desiree came up behind her and punched her out. Sam flew all the way into a tree and grunted as she hit the ground, "Okay, genie ghost without her lamp time you found a new one," Sam reached for her bag and took out a Fenton Thermos. Unlike the boys, she was always prepared.

"Uh, uh, uh," Desiree smiled. She put out her hand and a pink glow encased it as the Fenton Thermos became a snake. Sam shrieked and dropped the now poisonous thing in her hand.

"New trick, huh? I like it, but I think I liked your old trick better," Sam mentally face-palmed herself for not thinking of it earlier, "I wish you were back in the,"

Sam was interrupted as Danny Phantom flew out into the courtyard were Desiree and Sam were battling, "Hey, Desiree! I got a wish for ya, leave my friends alone,"

Sam sighed as her moment was taken and Danny hot-headedly flew right into Desiree knocking her into the ground. This was just like the time that Danny tried to save her from Aragon. She had been doing fine until he showed up and ruined it. He honestly doesn't think I can handle on my own, Sam mused, making her even more upset than she had been from the day's events.

The two ghosts became intangible and flew through the ground leaving Sam in the destroyed courtyard, alone. She sighed and made her way over to the front steps. Just as she was about to enter the building Danny flew smack into her, "Hey watch it will ya?"

"A little busy, Sam," Danny said and went back to shooting energy blasts at Desiree.

Sam had decided she had enough of this. She turned around from the school building; she had perfect attendance anyway, and made her way over to the fight.

"I am Desiree, the wishing ghost, and you cannot defeat me," Desiree screamed at Danny.

"Oh yeah, well double check your crystal ball lady cuz this fight isn't over yet," Danny replied.

Just as Danny was about to lunge Sam walked right in between the two of them and turned to Desiree.

"Sam, what are you doing? Get out of the way, it's dangerous!" Danny yelled at her.

"Danny?" Sam said sweetly.

"Yeah?" Danny said a little confused.

"Shut up," Sam told him and she turned back to Desiree, "I wish you were in The Ghost Zone,"

"Your heart's desire is my command," Desiree started to be covered in a pink mist and disappeared with a small, "Oops,"

"Wow, why didn't I think of that?" Danny laughed and scratched the back of his neck. He flew down next to Sam and transformed back into Fenton.

"You were too busy being all fists and bravado to notice I had everything under control before you got out here," Sam snapped.

"Jeez, sorry Sam, what's got you in a bad mood?" Danny asked defensively.

"Ugh!" Sam groaned, "It's nothing. Let's just get to class before Lancer bites both of our heads off,"

"I'm pretty sure first periods over," Danny remarked studying Sam carefully, "We have Ms. Tetslaff to deal with now. Speaking of first period being over, where were you this morning?"

"I'll explain later, let's just go before we have to run extra laps," Sam started walking away without a reply.

Danny was convinced something was majorly wrong but decided he wouldn't press Sam about it. At least not until lunch that is.

Second period gym passed by without a hitch. Sam would usually tone it down and run laps with Danny and Tucker but today she ran as fast as she could. She had passed up Dash about a lap ago. This alerted the boys to some serious weirdness and told them that their lunch hour sure as hell wouldn't be boring.

Third period took a lot longer, it was history. They had a test that hour that Danny hadn't studied for and that Tucker didn't care about.

"Now class," their teacher announced, "Time to hand in your exam. You can have the rest of the time to read Chapter 13, no talking. I'm going to grade your tests and you'll get them back at the end of the class period,"

Sam groaned and handed her test to Danny, who sat next to her, and he handed both of their tests to Tucker, who sat in front of him. Sam then proceeded to open her book and put her head down on it. She felt a tap on her shoulder. It was Danny and he handed her a note. The note read: Hey Sam, is something wrong? You seem really out of it today.

She replied: No, Sorry I snapped at you earlier I'm just tired that's all. Didn't sleep well last night.

She handed him the note and watched as he read it. His features lit up and he quickly scribbled a reply before handing the paper to her again.

This time it said: Don't worry no biggie, just glad you're alright. So are we still hanging out after school today?

Good he fell for it, Sam felt terrible for lying to Danny, especially when he was so trusting, but I need to figure out what the heck's happened before I try to explain it. Oh, crap how do I explain not hanging out after school? We've been planning a movie marathon at Danny's ever since we learned that his parents were going to a ghost hunting seminar tonight.

Sam wrote: Sorry, can't come. Another time? and passed it on to Danny. She knew this wouldn't satisfy him and that he would ask why but at least it bought her a little more time to think of an excuse.

The note of course was quickly returned saying: What? Why not, Sam? You know we've been planning this since like, forever! Are you sure everything's ok?

Sam read over the note and Danny surely caught her pencil hesitate.

"Alright class," saved by the teacher Sam put one finger up to tell Danny she'd reply after the teacher was done talking. He frowned but nodded reluctantly. The teacher continued, "I have finished grading your exams and am going to pass them back now," she went row after row, "Mr. Foley, not too horrible," as she placed a C+ test on Tuckers desk. Tucker whooped for joy and the teacher glared at him disapprovingly, "Mr. Fenton, same as usual," she placed a solid D test on Danny's desk. He looked at it and shrugged. He shoved it in his folder to be forgotten, "Ms. Manson," the teacher paused, "I'm very disappointed in you," she placed the test face down on her desk. Sam had been distracted the whole time she was taking it with thoughts of her parents and the ghost fight. She knew she hadn't done well. She flipped over the test and saw a big red F at the top of the page. She gasped slightly and groaned in annoyance at herself. She had expected lower than a B but and F? Her parents were going to kill her.

"What did you get, Sam," Tucker asked cheerfully.

"I don't even want to talk about it, Foley," she snipped.

"Come on, Sam," Danny nudged her good-humoredly, "it can't be that bad,"

"Yeah, Sam. What? Did Miss A+ get a B?" Tucker teased.

"Oh, yeah, Tuck? Well if you insist on sticking your nose in my business, how does an F sound? Bad enough?" Sam was beyond confused and upset, the day was going from bad to worse and it wasn't even half way over.

"Whoa! An F? You never get an F Sam," Tucker was shocked.

"Thanks for the reminder," she spat.

"Your definitely not okay, Sam," Danny interjected, "This isn't like you. You don't get bad grades and, sure you're a goth, but you're usually not this mad all the time. What's going on?" Danny wasn't going to give up.

"Like I said in the note, I didn't sleep last night," Sam sighed and softened a bit, "Sorry guys it's just that nothing is going right about today,"

"Don't worry, Sam," Tucker tried to cheer her up, "Danny gets F's all the time and he hasn't failed out of high school yet,"

"Thanks, Tuck," Danny elbowed him because of the jab at his expense but honesty if it made Sam feel better, Danny would get over it.

"Oof! No problem, pal," Tucker breathed.

"Yeah but it's not failing high school I'm worried about. Danny's parents don't kill him every time he gets an F. Mine will most definitely kill me when they find out and after this morning," Sam rambled unable to stop herself.

Sam's little slip up didn't go unnoticed by Danny, "What happened this morning?" he asked.

Sam cursed under her breath, "Um, nothing. My parents were… arguing?" Sam asked rather than said.

"That was weak even by Danny's standards, Sam," Tucker piped in, "and he's a grade-f liar,"

"Just drop it okay? I'm not in the mood," Sam realized her words held a lot more hostility than she meant them to. She breathed out and furrowed her brow. She tried to put a smile on her face and continued, "So it's almost lunch and only one ghost attack,"

Danny could see how hard she was trying to act normal but he still couldn't let it go, "Listen, Sam if you won't talk about it now you'll have to talk about it at lunch,"

"Oh man, D. You've done it know," Tucker whispered.

"Done what," Danny asked.

"Clueless," Tucker replied.

Danny looked back over to Sam and he realized what Tucker meant. He face-palmed as his actions sunk in to his mind, I told Sam that she had to do something. You don't force Sam to do anything, Danny's mind reeled at him.

Sam raised her hand and the teacher told her to approach her desk, "What is it Ms. Manson?"

"Can I stay after class and talk to you about extra-credit to make up for that F?" Sam asked politely.

"Sure, Ms. Manson, but what about lunch?" her teacher asked.

"I brought one," Sam answered.

"Alright then, you can stay," her teacher stated.

"Thank you," Sam returned to her desk a smug smile on her face.

"What was that all about?" Tucker asked.

"I'm staying after class so I can make up for that F," Sam explained.

"You mean so you can avoid us," Danny accused, "You are so impossible sometimes!"

The bell rang just as Danny said that. The boys packed up their stuff and made to leave. Sam approached the front of the classroom. Danny was still in the doorway and turned back to look at Sam. The gesture obviously meant he was giving her a chance to change her mind. She looked into his eyes and they seemed to beg her, come with me. She stopped what she was doing and held the gaze a little longer. She wanted to go with him, she really did, and Danny was her best friend but she was just so confused and angry. She didn't want to say something that she would regret. She looked away from his eyes and to the ground her hair falling around to shield her face.

Danny was crest-fallen and looked down as well, but in defeat not regret. He sighed and heard Tucker yell, "Hurry up dude. I'm starving!"

When Sam looked up at the door way again Danny was no longer there. She thought that was for the best because if she had seen that look in his eyes just one more time, she would have gone with him.

She spent the rest of the day tactfully avoiding them both. She went to fourth period without stopping at her locker. When they were in biology she was partnered with Star, who really wasn't so bad without Paulina, and dutifully avoided Danny and Tucker's gazes. For fifth period she had French which thankfully neither of them had. Besides Danny had to fight The Box Ghost anyway. When sixth period math rolled around she was in trouble because Mrs. Ishyama was filling in for their teacher and she usually let people sit wherever they wanted to. Sam ran into the classroom and was one of the first students there. She found a corner seat in the back with all three surrounding seats, next to, diagonal, and in front of, taken. So she sat in that seat and the slackers that sat around her gave her a funny look but didn't say anything. Danny and Tucker came in right after she sat down and noticed were she was. They glanced at her sadly and found to empty seats in the middle of the classroom. In the middle of Mrs. Ishyama talking about conjectures one of the slackers sitting next to her handed Sam a folded up note. It read, from Danny, on the front. Sam had half a mind to toss it in the trash but instead she discreetly tried to read it.

It said: Sam, you can avoid us all day but eventually you're going to have to talk to us.

I scrawled hastily: I don't have to avoid you all day. Just long enough for me to get home. I refolded the note and passed it back to, Ally I think her name is?, and told her to pass it back up to Danny.

He opened up the note and frowned at its contents. He quickly wrote a message back and resent the note my way.

I received it and saw that it only said two words: Why, Sam?

Boy does that kid know how to get to me, Sam thought, but I have to stay strong. Hell, I don't even know for sure why I'm doing this. So Sam folded up the note without writing anything on it and sent it back to Danny. He opened it and looked back at Sam. The look wasn't accusatory or angry it was just sad. Sam had had enough of hurting Danny today. Sam had had enough of today period. She just wanted to get home and… Nope she didn't want to get home either. She had no idea what was waiting for her at home. She wished that for once time would just stop. She sent out a silent plea to Clockwork to freeze time for just a little while. Of course it went unanswered because as everyone knows time goes on.

oohs man i can't wait you guys! the next chapters a good one!

can anyone guess at what has the mansons so freaked

tell me in a review!

starting to get longer the chapters are but confusion does persist (whoa yoda moment)

don't worry if you stick with me until the end you won't be disappointed

i hope...

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