Howdy hey.

Okay, so this has been written for a while, but I've been putting off posting it because this chapter was tough to write. When I finished it, I wasn't sure if I liked it, so I decided to leave it alone for a week or two and then come back to it.

I liked it a lot more tonight.

The next chapter is written also, but I'm gonna wait until at least next weekend to publish it. I think you'll know why at the end of this chapter (:

Ummm...I think that's all I have to say for this part of the A/N. Sorry guys, I'm tired right now. Lol.

I don't own Danny Phantom (:

Enjoy!

Wide Awake

Chapter Eighteen

November 2, 2013

Danny was not aware of falling asleep. When he thought back on that night later on, he could clearly remember compulsively stroking Sam's hair while simultaneously ensuring she stayed balanced on top of him. And then he blinked, and everything changed.

A hard slap across his face shocked him out of his sleep. Danny jerked up, limbs flailing, blindly swinging at the party responsible for the stinging pain across his cheek. A blurry figure shrouded in shadows stood over him.

"Get up." She snarled.

"Valerie?" He asked, rubbing his face. She slapped him a second time, on the opposite cheek. "Ow! What the hell is wrong with you?"

"Get up, get dressed, now!" She hissed. "Hurry up!"

He groaned and rolled his eyes. He was tempted to fall backwards against the pillows and slip back into sleep; he was reaching back to rearrange the pillows when he noticed he was the only person in the bed. "Where's Sam?" He demanded sharply, all traces of sleep gone from his voice.

"Outside getting the shit beaten out of her and I can't break them up. Get the fuck up, Fenton, now!" Valerie screeched.

He was on his feet in seconds, nearly tripping over his own discarded shirt. The walls of the house became a blur as the two of them streaked out of Sam's room and tore through the front door. Over the frantic pounding of his heartbeat, he could hear the sounds of a fight: feet skidding through dirt, involuntary grunts, fists pounding into flesh, and a gasp of pain. Danny's vision went red as he raced around the corner of the house.

In truth, he was fully expecting to see Lars towering over her, sneering down at her as she struggled to her feet. He was fully prepared to murder Lars right there on the spot. So naturally he was a bit more than shocked to find Tucker pacing several feet away from where Sam was on her knees, doubled over in pain. Tucker's lower lip was split, his nose was crooked and bleeding and glasses askew, and a deep bruise marked the edge of his jaw. Danny stumbled to a halt, eyes flickering between the two uncertainly.

The moment he caught sight of Danny, Tucker released a harsh, strangled laugh. "There he is now!" He shouted. Sam's head snapped up and her eyes locked on Danny's; he realized in that moment if Sam had made any progress in healing from her ordeal with Lars, it was obliterated now. If Danny had not noticed Tucker's injuries, he would have wondered if Sam had fought back at all.

"Tucker," Valerie said sharply, bringing him back to reality.

"No!" The boy shouted. "No, I won't apologize! Tell them what you told me, Sam!"

"He's...Danny," She gasped. From the corner of his eye, he could see Valerie freeze. "Seth's...Danny,"

"And how do you know, Sam?"

"He...showed me..."

Tucker stalked forward, eyes flashing dangerously. Danny quickly moved between him and Sam, unconsciously bending into a protective crouch over her. "I don't know what you did to convince her that you're him," He hissed, face inches from Danny's, "but you're a sick son of a bitch for using it to sleep with her."

"I did not sleep with her!" Danny shouted, a knee-jerk reaction to the accusation. As Tucker scoffed and rolled his eyes, Danny wildly thought of their high school days when he would vehemently deny being 'lovebirds' with Sam. Tucker had a fairly similar reaction to that, as well. He gulped. "But it's true. I didn't lie to her. Not about that." He suddenly noticed Tucker was two inches taller than him.

Tucker's fist connected to the side of his face before Danny even realized he was moving. The force of the blow sent him stumbling backwards, but he managed to keep his footing. His ghost hunting instincts, which for so long had laid dormant, kicked in and analyzed Tucker's approaching footsteps in the dust. He ducked as Tucker's fist whistled through the air, sailing straight over his head. Distantly he could hear Valerie frantically trying to move Sam out of the way, while Sam desperately screamed their names, begging them to stop.

They both ignored her.

Danny seized Tucker's outstretched arm and twisted it with deft, practiced movements. Tucker yelped as Danny shoved his arm up, forcing his hand up between his shoulder blades. "Listen to me." Danny panted. "I am not lying. My name is Danny Fenton and I was your best friend. I survived that night, but I thought you and Sam were dead until a few days ago when Valerie found me and told me you weren't. We lied about who I was because you and Sam were in denial and didn't believe Valerie when she told you the truth. Sam figured out who I am because I had to go ghost yesterday to get her away from Lars' place alive. I'm not lying because I want to get in her pants, okay? I love her."

With a tremendous amount of force and a deafening roar, Tucker ripped his arm out of Danny's grasp. Danny stepped backwards, alarm and adrenaline alike pumping through his veins as Tucker began to pace like a lion in a cage. "Don't talk about her like that!" He bellowed. "She belongs to him! He loves her, not you! You're not worthy of her!"

"Tucker!" Sam cried hoarsely from somewhere to the left. Tucker bristled and snarled in response. "I choose who I love, okay? I love Danny. I have always loved Danny. That's why you've gotta believe me when I tell you that this man is who he says he is. Tucker, please," Her voice broke. Danny chanced a glance away from Tucker's livid face to find tear tracks slicing through the blood and grime caked to her face, her blood-shot amethyst eyes glued to Tucker.

"It's true, Tuck," Valerie interrupted hesitantly. Danny noticed Tucker twitch, as if he wanted to glance at her, but could not draw his gaze away from Danny. "It's really him, he had to fly us out of the building I found him in because we got surrounded. I would have died without him."

"I can go ghost right now and prove it to you, Tucker." Danny said cautiously. Tucker snarled something under his breath, glowering at Danny all the while. "Come on, man. Please, just trust me."

"Tucker," Sam's voice was scarcely louder than a whisper.

A tense silence slithered up from the dust. Danny could feel it, every ounce of nervous energy billowing just below the surface, begging to be released. He was so focused on Tucker that he did not notice the way the wind slid through the trees, the branches of the bushes behind his best friend's back twitching slightly.

"Tucker!" Sam screeched, all evidence of pain suddenly gone from her voice. It had a new, hard edge now, one of sheer panic. Danny had not even fully turned his head toward her yet, the question just barely formed in his mind, when suddenly from the bushes burst a snarling, howling zombie. He watched in frozen horror as its' arms locked around Tucker's neck and the two fell to the ground in an explosion of dust. Tucker's cries mingled with the zombie's howls in a horrifying cocktail of sound. It was not until Sam threw herself into the fray that Danny sprang into action.

"Stay!" He roared to Valerie, pelting forward without waiting for a response. The zombie was now focused on Sam, reaching and clawing at her as she scrambled backwards. His feet left the ground as he subconsciously flashed to Phantom, seizing the zombie by the neck, dragging it away from Sam and Tucker, and slamming it into a tree. His fist connected with the thing's face three times before he even registered the pain of it was clawing at his sides. With a burst of savage energy he seized either side of its' face and yanked up, grunting his satisfaction as the creature's head tore away from the rest of its body. The body hit the ground with a dull, final thud, while the head continued to snarl and snap maniacally at him.

His upper lip curled as he turned his attention back up. He stared at it for a moment, gazing into its' steely eyes, an undeniable prickle of recognition tickling the back of his mind.

The realization hit him harder than a brick wall: it was Lars. The cropped brown hair and deep-set smirk lines were clearly recognizable now. He glanced down at the body and shuddered; he was still wearing that blood-stained wife beater when he turned. Danny turned his gaze back to Lars' head slowly. Lars' jaws were snapping, a demonic, disconnected howl escaping his cracked lips. Danny suddenly felt the urge to be sick.

With an air of detachment Danny fished his cell phone out of his pocket. He flipped it open without looking away from Lars' head and lit the device with a green ectoplasmic flame. With a grunt, he drove it through Lars' forehead, a perverse sense of satisfaction shooting through his veins at the squeal of pain that Lars emitted before his lifeless eyes rolled to the back of his head.

Danny dropped the head at his feet, remaining quite still for a moment with a hand braced on the tree, trying to catch his breath and to stop his head from spinning. It was not until he heard a broken sob from somewhere behind him that he remembered what was happening only moments before.

Sam and Valerie were on their knees on either side of Tucker, who was lying on his back several feet from where Lars lay. In an instant, Danny was at Sam's side.

"His neck, his neck," She whispered, tears streaming down her face. Danny peered around her and gasped; a bloody bite mark was clearly visible right where Tucker's neck curved into his shoulder. Tucker's eyes were glassy and fixated on the canopy of leaves above his head. He glanced at Danny and groaned, eyes snapping shut in anguish.

"You weren't lying," Tucker mumbled, fat tears leaking from the corners of his eyes. Sam and Valerie both glanced up at him as he glanced down to find that he was still in Phantom form, the white of his uniform stained red with Lars' blood. "Oh God, oh God," Tucker cried as Danny quickly flashed back to Fenton. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry,"

"Sh, Tucker, sh. Save your strength." Sam whispered. Valerie buried her face in Tucker's chest and sobbed, hands balled to fists in the dirt.

"Danny," Tucker gasped. Danny leaned forward, snaking an arm around Sam's shoulders as he took Tucker's outstretched hand. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay, dude," Danny murmured. He squeezed Tucker's hand lightly. "You were looking out for your group, it's okay,"

"Protect them," Tucker's words were garbled. "Please, don't let anything happen to them."

"I won't," Danny whispered, tightening his hold around Sam's shoulders.

"S-Sam," Sam closed her eyes and visibly willed the tears to disappear. "I love you, okay?" Her eyes flashed open and the tears spilled out. "I'm sorry I've been an asshole lately, I was just..." his voice trailed and broke.

"I know, I know," She whispered through her tears. "I love you too, you asshole,"

His chuckle was watery and forced. "Val," He turned his head over to her, hand reaching blindly until it tangled in her hair. She turned her head to reveal a single blood-shot eye. "I'm so sorry," He clenched his jaw and choked down a sob. "I'm sorry I have to leave you like this...with the baby. With our baby," Her shoulders were trembling with silent sobs. "I love you. Both of you. Promise me you'll take care of yourself. And tell him about me when he's old enough to understand."

Seemingly unable to speak, Valerie simply nodded, leaned forward, and sealed Tucker's mouth with a lingering kiss. Sam turned away, burying her face in the crook of Danny's neck. He turned his head toward hers and plated a kiss against the crown of her head, glancing over her to find the entire population of their camp gathered by the house, watching the scene unfold in silence. Near the front stood Eams, his arms wound protectively around a crying Kee.

His attention was brought back to Tucker when Valerie pulled away and hid her face behind her trembling hands. "Sam," Tucker grunted.

"No!" Sam cried, jerking away from Danny. "I won't do it, I can't!"

"We made a deal, Sam. You promised." His voice was weak, but Danny could hear the conviction. "You have to."

"No, no, no, no..." Sam mumbled, turning away and practically diving into Danny's arms.

"What, what is it?" Danny asked, rubbing his hand up and down Sam's heaving back soothingly.

"They made a deal way back in the beginning that if one was bitten, the other would shoot them before they could convert," Valerie spat through her tears.

"I can't, I can't..." Sam whispered. Danny raised his hand to hold her head in place, glancing between her and Tucker. Nausea made his stomach churn.

"I'll do it." He heard himself say grimly. He registered that Sam had jerked away from him, her horrified expression almost identical to Valerie's, but he did not break eye contact with Tucker. "I'll do it." He repeated.

Tucker searched his expression for a few endless moments, before nodding slowly. "Okay," He rasped.

"I need a gun," Danny muttered. Someone shoved the butt of a rifle toward him; he glanced up to find Eams clutching the barrel, pointedly looking away. The moment Danny took it, Eams trotted quickly back toward Kee without looking back.

The four of them stood, Danny helping Sam, Valerie helping Tucker. Tucker stepped toward Danny, reaching to take Danny's free hand. "Take care of my son like he's your own, okay?" He whispered.

Danny nodded numbly. He felt as though he was watching the scene through a long tube; everything was disconnected and dark around the edges. Valerie lead Tucker several yards away as Sam clung to Danny's arm. She was sobbing in earnest, shoulders heaving and face hidden as a warm wet spot rapidly spread across his shirt. Danny scarcely felt it, as he was busy watching Valerie and Tucker kiss. Tucker dropped to his knees and planted a kiss on Valerie's flat stomach.

His own vision blurred with tears as Valerie stumbled away and clung to a tree for support. Blood rushed through his ears as he raised the gun slowly, tucking the butt into his shoulder. A sudden memory of standing through the roof of the Jeep in the same position flashed across his mind, but he blinked it away quickly. Tucker was watching him with an oddly calm look on his face.

"Wait, wait!" Sam cried suddenly, yanking the barrel down. "Let me do it," She whispered.

"Sam -"

"No! We made a deal, we promised each other!" She screamed. Tucker dropped his gaze to the ground. "I promised you I would, and I'm gonna keep that promise."

She pulled the gun from Danny's hands and he stepped to the side, allowing her to take his place. She licked her lips nervously, slowly raising the shotgun and tucking it into place.

"Get the kids out of here," Tucker called hoarsely. Danny registered movement near the place where the rest of the survivors stood; either Kee or Ana-Lucia shepherding Libby and Charlie into the house, but his gaze stayed focused on Sam's dirty, pale face. The door of the house slammed shut, the sound much louder than normal in the utter silence that pressed down on the group.

Despite the fact that he felt as though he was trying to stand still in the middle of a tornado, Danny's hand was strong and steady when he placed it on Sam's shoulder and squeezed. She glanced at him blindly over the shotgun, and their eyes met for only a brief moment before she was refocusing her attention on Tucker.

Her lips trembled as they parted. "I'm sorry," She whispered. Tucker's eyes slid shut.

Danny reacted to the sound before he was aware of hearing it. His right hand shot forward, seizing the gun, while his left tightened on Sam's shoulder. He did not look down at her when she asked him what he was doing; instead, he studied the inky sky above them.

"Sh," He shushed her when she asked him a second time. He stepped around her and craned his neck. The sound was familiar, but he could not quite remember where he knew it from. "Do you hear that?"

He did not think it was possible for the group to get any quieter, but they promptly proved him wrong. The sound grew louder, as if the source was getting closer.

"It almost sounds like a..." Danny's voice trailed in his uncertainty.

"Helicopter," Sam whispered.

"Yeah," He murmured, glancing down at her. She was staring at the sky as well, her eyes wide. "How'd you know that's what -"

"Helicopter," She repeated hoarsely. She pointed up, to the north. He followed her gaze and gasped.

A helicopter was approaching their ranch.

Okay, OKAY, the next chapter IS WRITTEN. I just need to edit. So you guys just enjoy the suspense until then (:

I also want to let you guys know that I'm about to publish another little drabble thing as soon as I'm done here. I'm not sure what it's gonna be titled yet, but it'll be from Tucker's point of view and it'll be MUCH lighter than this story. So if you need something to calm yourself down (this chapter got me all worked up at the end), might I suggest my next fic? (:

Alright. Until next weekend (on this piece) (:

Thanks for reading!

Tori