A/N: An update later in the day than usual…but I still completed it! Longest chapter of this fic so far! A big thanks to all have reviewed so far! Also, a reminder: If you're reading this without having read Journey of Secrets, you will VERY LIKELY be lost…probably from chapter one. Note: It's been shown in-series that Danny can talk (and probably breathe) underwater. ("Double-Cross My Heart" and "Girls' Night Out.")

Anyway, as always…read/review/fav/follow and…ENJOY!

Chapter #3: Second Day

Sam lies on the beach chair she's pulled into the shade, reading a book she'd bought at the Skulk and Lurk before leaving Amity. The Caribbean sun shines brightly overhead, sparkling on the water.

"You should join me," Danny pouts, floating serenely in the nearly-empty pool. It's early morning on the second day of the cruise, early enough that few passengers – especially those who would be interested in the pool – are walking around.

"I'm perfectly fine here," she retorts, peeking around the pages with a smirk, "Just admiring the view," she makes it perfectly clear what she means, slowly drinking in his toned chest. Her eye locks briefly on a scar that slashes over his left shoulder, crosses his collarbone, and ends just over his heart. With regular healing, it's gotten smaller than it was little over a year ago, but she feels as though that particular scar will never completely vanish.

He rolls over and leans his elbows on the edge, his cheeks mildly pink beneath a slightly irritated gaze. His eyes slowly move up her milk-white legs until he finally meets her own, smirking as her own cheeks heat.

"I still think you should join me. We have to pool all to ourselves at the moment; it isn't going to last long," he gives his most charming smile, "Come on, Sam."

She sighs, unable to argue with those pleading blue eyes, "Okay," she earmarks her page and places it carefully in her waterproof bag, "But I'm out of here the moment people show up."

He chuckles, "Understood."

She slides her feet into the cool water first, planning to ease herself in.

Not that she should have expected that to happen.

Danny launches from underwater, wrapping his arms around her shoulders and dragging her under. His lips find hers, colder than the water, and supply the air she hadn't had time to grab. She finally opens her eyes, stinging in the chlorine, and delivers her best glare. He laughs, his voice clear even underwater.

::Danny! Don't scare me like that!::

He takes her chin in his hand, a smug smile spreading over his face, "How should I scare you?" he growls, tracing an icy finger over her lips.

They paddle to the surface, and she punches his shoulder, "You jerk!"

"You were taking too long," he grins.

"…is it weird that when you said that under Freakshow's control I thought it was kind of hot?"

"Wait…what?"

She wraps her arms around his neck, imitating his tone as best as she can, "'How should I scare you?'"

He kisses her briefly, "Mmm…I don't think it's odd. I have a similar story."

"Oh really?" she raises an eyebrow.

"Remember the time you were Undergrowth's caretaker?" he asks, mimicking her in return, whispering into her ear, "'Stay, Danny, stay and rule with me.' …maybe it was just the little green dress talking though," he smirks.

Her face burns, earning him another punch to the shoulder.

"…or maybe it was the vines…"

She punches him again, her face brighter than before.

"…and I should shut up before you give me a bruise," he laughs.

"That would be the wisest choice," she growls, red to her ears, unaware that her boyfriend matches.

"Well," he coughs, pulling away, "I can see people beginning to mill around. They'll be out soon."

"Yeah. I think I'm going to hit the gym. I prefer to take my exercise somewhere out of the sunlight."

"I'll stay out here. Have fun," he grins as she climbs from the pool. She can sense a flicker of something, but she can feel him shove a wall over it – they've learned how to block their minds from one another for the sake of their sanity.

"…did you want to say something?" she challenges.

"…watch out for guys at the gym," he frowns, "let me know if you need help."

"I can handle myself – you, on the other hand, will be powerless against one of the Barbies on board," she smirks, "You're too nice."

"I'll call if I need you," he winks, a smile returning to his face.

"See you in about two hours?" she begins to walk towards her cabin.

"Yeah," he replies

-BREAK-

It's barely more than an hour later when she can feel him panicking as she walks towards her room to shower.

::Sam, help!:: he shouts, ::this girl is clinging to my arm–::

::On my way,:: she laughs. She can imagine exactly what he looks like right now, his face red with embarrassment, trying to escape. Sure enough, that's what she finds on the other side. She notices with displeasure that the primary culprit is the girl from yesterday, though she's roped some friends into helping her.

"For the fifth time," she hears Danny splutter, "I have a girlfriend!"

"A girlfriend who would appreciate it if you stopped trying to wear him," she snorts, glaring down at the offender, her arms crossed over her chest.

"Sam!" He grins.

"Her?" the girl pouts, "She doesn't look like much fun, Danny."

Sam raises an eyebrow.

"We were playing a game of volleyball," he explains.

"Got it," she smirks, "I told you you're too nice, Danny. Now," she frowns at the unwanted accessory on his arm, "get off of him, please."

She clings tighter momentarily, and Danny flinches away.

"I said," Sam growls, "let. Him. Go."

She releases his arm, and he hauls himself from the pool quickly, snatching his towel from a nearby chair – the one she'd been sitting in earlier, Sam notices with a smile.

"Go shower," she smiles, kissing his cheek, ::Just staking my claim again.::

::I said you could do it whenever you want,:: he grins back, "See you in a few."

He disappears around a corner, and she turns back to the blond in the pool, who glares up with angry brown eyes.

"I thought I made it clear yesterday," Sam hisses, "That he's mine."

"People break up all the time," she shrugs, "he can seriously upgrade."

The other people in the pool their age watch the two women closely, while others try to ignore the growing tension in the air.

"How is silicon an upgrade?" she snorts in reply. Her eyes dance over the perfect honey-blond curls, barely touched by water, golden-brown skin, the blinding white, designer bikini, and the large designer sunglasses.

She, on the other hand, is a sweaty mess in sweatpants; but Danny had smiled when he saw her.

"Excuse me?" the girl gasps, echoed by others around them.

"You heard me," Sam retorts, "Stay away from Danny, got it? He's not interested, and…" she smiles mysteriously as she turns away, "…you couldn't handle him anyway."

-BREAK-

"You're sure I don't look like an idiot?"

"I'm positive, Danny," she laughs as he straightens his ice-blue tie nervously for what seems to be the hundredth time.

"You look amazing, if I haven't already told you," he smiles. Her hair is loose, falling nearly to her shoulders. She wears a corseted, long, black gown with an ice-blue layer underneath, fading up from the hem. A black spider web necklace with a tiny, silver-and-blue spider adorns her neck, with matching earrings and bracelet. She's forgone her usual lavender makeup in favor of a subtle pale blue – recommended by Crystal in her usual, silent way.

"You have," she smirks, taking his arm, "But it doesn't hurt to remind me."

"You ready?" Jeremy smiles at his daughter, but it quickly vanishes as Pamela pushes him aside to scan the teens' attire critically.

"Yeah, Dad," she replies.

"…It'll do," Pam frowns, "I wish you'd go with something with a little more color…and change the accessories…but it'll work."

::That's as close as we'll ever get to a compliment,:: Sam thinks dryly, ::Savor this moment, Danny.::

::I am,:: he replies solemnly.

The party is a burst of color, full of colorful food spreads and designer dresses. There are wealthy families from all over the U.S., including several parents from Amity Park; Paulina had run off to Italy with the other A-Listers for Spring Break, but her mother can be seen chatting with Dash's parents in a corner of the room, sporting a shimmering crimson dress. Her younger daughter stands by the table with her father.

::See? Practically no one is dancing,:: she assures.

"Mr. and Mrs. Manson," a warm voice greets, and an older gentleman strides over, "How are you?"

"We're well," Pam replies with a smile, "and you, Mr. Lacroix?"

"I'm well."

"You remember our daughter, Samantha," she smiles, "And the young man is her boyfriend, Danny Fenton."

"Nice to meet you, Sir," Danny smiles, shaking his hand.

"Fenton…" he muses quietly, "Anyway, Pamela…is Ida with you?"

"Still kickin'!" the elderly woman shouts, buzzing through the doors, "How's it going, Al?"

"Well, Ida," he laughs, "How about you?"

The four adults cluster away in conversation, and Sam pulls Danny towards the buffet table.

"That was…?"

"Alphonse Lacroix is the owner of this ship. I'm not sure if you've noticed, but this isn't your average family cruise vessel," she answers, taking a strawberry on a toothpick, "he's an old friend of my grandmother's. He and my grandfather were college buddies or something."

"Got it."

"…that blond from earlier is here," she growls.

He grimaces, "Really?"

"Yeah…Ugh, I should've known. She's his granddaughter."

"…is that going to be a problem?"

"No," she shrugs, "I told you; Al likes us. It won't change because of her."

"That's good," he smiles, "Hey, look," he nods at the orchestra, "think they play 'Nearer My God to Thee'?"

She elbows him in the ribs, "still not funny."

"You're right," he sobers, "The door quip was way funnier."

"You're awful," she laughs.

He laughs with her, until a chill races through his body. His head snaps up, his eyes scanning the room.

"No," she groans, noticing his alert state, "This was supposed to be ghost free."

"You have the lipstick blaster, right?"

"Yeah. You're wearing a wrist-ray, aren't you?" she indicates the small, flat, watch-shaped band around his wrist.

"Yep," his eyes scan the room. A noise reaches his ears, a deep rumbling. A shadow flicks across his vision, flying through the chandelier above, which creaks dangerously in response. He begins to run as it falls, pushing several people out of the way, the last of which is an older woman, who is caught by her husband. She stares in mute horror as the crystal flies into the air, shattering against the glossy, tiled floor.

"Danny!" Sam shouts, rushing forward as the air clears.

He stands, his face inches away from a twisted band of metal, "I'm okay," he assures, taking a careful step back, "I don't think I've even torn my suit."

"Are you really alright, young man?" the husband of the earlier woman asks.

"Yes…what about her?" he smiles.

"I…I'm fine," she stammers, "My word, you…saved my life. You could have died."

"I feel like I hear that a lot," he mutters, "Really, I'm fine. Don't worry."

The rumbling gets louder again, and a motorcycle bursts through the wall, accompanied by a loud whoop and a pitch-black shadow. The other guests stumble out of the way hurriedly, shrieking in fear. Lacroix orders his men to fetch some ecto-weapons.

Danny takes a step forward, ignoring the shouts of others to get back, "Johnny…" he growls, approaching the biker.

"Hey," he smirks, "You have any idea how far I had to drive to–"

"I don't care," he frowns, "I'm not in the mood. What'd you do, tick off Kitty again?"

"She's been angry at him since the day they blew into the afterlife together in a ball of fire," Sam snorts, "Probably even before then."

"Why are you so–"

"I'm on a vacation, Johnny," Danny growls, "A ghost-less vacation."

"Whoops, sorry, but can you just–"

"Do what every other guy in your situation does," he sighs.

"…like what?"

"Buy her flowers, chocolates, and apologize profusely!" He takes him by his jacket, hauling him to eye-level.

"And in your case," Sam intervenes, "Sleep on the couch for a few days."

"Come on, man! Help a guy out!"

"Get lost, Johnny," he growls.

"Did you wake up on the wrong side of the bed or something?"

"I said…get lost," his eyes flash green, unnoticed by the other guests. The spectral biker holds up his hands in surrender.

"I got it, man, no need for the scary eyes," he shrugs, "I'm headed back to Amity, just as soon as you let me go."

Danny drops him heavily to his bike, "Spread the word. Next ghost that troubles me for some insignificant reason gets blasted all the way to Klemper's realm at least."

"Yeah, yeah," he shrugs, "Whatever, I'm out of here," he revs his bike.

"Wait!" Sam shouts as he rides off, "Not through the–" There is a loud crash, and the lights flicker before dying, reviving on the emergency generator,"…engine room."

Danny massages his temples and clenches his jaw, green flicking through his irises briefly, "Well…it could be worse."

"Oh no," Sam groans, "You did not just say that."

"…" he swears softly, "that was not supposed to leave my head."

As though on cue, the ship heaves suddenly, sending the passengers sprawling across the floor. Danny grunts, cushioning Sam's fall with his body as he cradles her against his chest. The cold spirals through him again.

"Another ghost?" she asks, feeling the cool gasp against her ear.

"Yeah," he grunts, "It's—look out!" he leaps towards her parents, planting himself between them and a tumbling table, which cracks against his skull loudly.

"Danny!" Sam shouts, watching as he slumps to the ground.

"Daniel?" Jeremy asks, bending over the prone teen. Pam, trembling, clutches her husband's arm.

Blood already pools on the floor beneath his head, and Sam brushes her father's hands away, his face pale and blue eyes wide, "His pulse…"

"It's there," she answers quickly, "It's just really hard to find," she presses her fingers to his neck, waiting long enough to feel the gentle pulse against her fingertips, "It's a pretty nasty injury, but he'll be okay. Danny's tougher than he looks," she glances around at the room, steadying herself as best as she can, and clears her throat.

"We need to get somewhere where the furniture is either absent or bolted down!" she shouts, gathering the attention of her fellow passengers, "At least until we can ride this out!"

Al Lacroix nods, directing them all to a nearby parlor, where he relays the directions over the ship's intercom. It's a tight fit in the smaller room, but, as advertised, the furnishings are bolted in place. Danny is placed on the couch, and Sam uses a first-aid kit from the room to bandage his head.

"That's an impressive boyfriend your daughter has," Al rumbles quietly to Jeremy, while Pam makes small-talk with another woman across the room.

"Yeah," he admits, "Pam doesn't like him, though."

"She doesn't really like anyone," he snorts, "what about you?"

"…Sam's my little girl," he whispers quietly, "Even if she's gothic and…all around abnormal, she's still my only child. I like him…and I don't."

Al hums, stumbling briefly as the ship heaves again, "You're just relieved she's not dating a complete scumbag. I've been there."

"And?"

"And what?"

"What happened?"

"She married him."