A/N- So I've decided to go with the every four days for uploading! Thanks for the reviews everyone! ;3 This chapter is pretty long but it's because there's plot in it! So enjoy and let know what ya think!
Chapter Six: Teacher's Pets
Not long after Tucker had gotten off the phone with Danny, Valerie made her way to the Nasty Burger. Tucker saving the table in the far back so while Team Lily discuss their topic, so other students wouldn't try to copy. Tucker was paranoid like that.
"Star and Kwan are on their way. Let's try to figure out a topic before they get here." Valerie noted while pulling out her notebook from her backpack.
Tucker looked up from the computer sitting in front of him. "Valerie...this is a group project. Shouldn't we wait for everyone else?"
Valerie gave him a cold look "Tucker."
"Yes?"
"What do you think EVERYONE is going to try to pick for a topic?"
"We-"
"I mean WHO do you think."
Tucker was thinking too hard on this. When he realized that, his look dulled instantly. He and Valerie both said in unison "Danny Phantom."
"We need to find a topic." Tucker said going back to his computer.
"Too bad there's been no ghosts for a while. Danny would be bombarded with people." Valerie laughed. She pulled out her phone to quickly check for messages.
"There's a reason ya know." Valerie looked up to the other and listened to him speak "He said that the ghosts have been distracted or something. Too busy complaining."
"I think it's deeper than complaints, Tucker." Valerie said not buying the reason.
Tucker shrugged "He's going to investigate it later. Right now we have this stupid project to worry about."
"At least we have a small break from it." The brunette smiled to Tucker while going back to her phone.
Valerie had found out Danny Phantom was Danny Fenton not too long after she found out the truth about her 'boss' Vlad Masters being Vlad Plasmius. As promised, the dirty man promoted her father and relocated them to the better part of Amity Park. It didn't change her at all. She got VERY shady of the man and it showed. Vlad wasn't able to fully trust her anymore, but he didn't demote her father. He just stopped bothering with the girl. She was way smarter than he gave her credit for.
The girl refocused her attention back to Danny Phantom. She wanted to know what else she could pull out of him before tearing him apart molecule by molecule. Instead the duo found themselves working together to stop the stronger ghosts. Valerie only improved in her ghost fighting skills, not failing to impress the halfa with what she was made of. Valerie's hatred toward Phantom faded over time. Phantom making sure to apologize to her for causing so much grief in her life, but insisted she was glad he came along...not in the sarcastic way she had told him when she had him all chained up.
She was sincerely glad he had came along when he did. He changed her life. Showed her she was more than just a pretty little doll that rode with the popular girls. He helped her find herself. He helped her build character and become the strong woman she is today.
Then Danny simply throws out there that he's actually Danny Fenton...morphs back...and Valerie is mortified that she never caught it.
Valerie knew the ghost boy had some hope that, because of his revealing, they'd be able to pick up their broken relationship...but no. Valerie liked Danny a whole lot. A lot more than she means to...but he is HALF ghost. He isn't completly human. That was something she couldn't put aside like Sam could. Danny claimed he understood her feelings and they simply remained close friends...and she became an official member of Team Phantom.
"Maybe the project should be about mainstream television and how everything on TV is about 14 years being pressured to have sex all the time?" Valerie asked scrolling through her phone.
"Or how about President Barack Obama!" Tucker asked coolly.
"Once again, it's just one of those default topics." Valerie sighed.
"Sarah Palin?"
Valerie just stared at the other very very evilly.
"Kidding kidding...but how about the state of Alaska. It is interesting." Tucker had to admit.
"Snow...polar bears...It's about exciting as a report on Antarctica." Valerie smiled sarcastically.
"Right...Star and Kwan will be put to sleep by the idea." The bell rung in the restaurant and as if on cue, the bright couple walked on in. Spotting Tucker and Valerie instantly.
"Hey Val!" Star beamed brightly to her friend, her eyes looked to Tucker dully. "Foley."
"Hey Foley! Sup?" Kwan greeted with a punch to his shoulder.
Tucker tried to hide his cringe and smiled up to him "Hey bro, take a seat." Damnit...Kwan was going to bust his arm right off at this rate. "You think of any topi-"
"-So me and Kwan thought of a great topic!" Star said to Valerie happily cutting off the glasses wearing teen.
"Yep! We should definately make the topic DANNY PHANTOM!" Kwan said over excitedly pounding his fists on the table.
"It's so original right?" Star asked. Her and her Asian boyfriend looking at the other two for an approval.
Tucker and Valerie exchanged looks and laughed lightly to each other. Valerie had to say something. They cannot take this important project and throw it at Danny. He has his own shit to figure out. "No. I hate him." She stayed smiling.
"Plus it's something everyone's doing." Tucker added dully.
Kwan looked surprised. "You really think other people are going to do that?"
A group of teens walked by talking.
"We're doing this project on Danny Phantom right?"
"Definitely!"
"Yes it's so original!"
Valerie motioned to the group as if to say 'told you'. Kwan and Star's faces turned grim at the realization that their project was less than original.
Tucker tried to raise their spirits a bit "We didn't think of-"
"-Did you guys think of anything?" Star asked cutting Tucker off yet again.
"No." Tucker said.
"Aww. What a bummy." Star sighed, pulling a bottle of water out of her purse.
'Bummy' Tucker thought to himself in disgust. This wasn't going to be the walk in the park he had hoped.
"We definately have to think of something good. We can't just think of any old topic." Valerie said trying to get serious here. "We need something no one else will do that is interesting enough to catch Lancer's attention."
"So uh...this project can be about anyone or anything?" Kwan asked to make sure.
"That's right, Kwan." Valerie nodded.
"If we want to impress Lancer...let's do this project about him." Kwan shrugged simply. "Interview him...gather facts about him. Video him. Write about him. He'll be so impressed with us he can't only give us a passing grade but recommendations for collage as well."
Tucker looked over his glasses at the other. Valerie put down her phone with wide eyes. Star dropped her water bottle in utter shock.
Kwan lowered his head. "Guess that was a stupid idea, huh?"
"THAT'S BRILLIANT!" Star, Tucker and Valerie shouted at the same time in the jocks face. Everyone in the restaurant went quiet as they looked to the source of the yelling. The three teens turn away pretending they didn't just do that. The conversations started up around them once again.
"Seriously Kwan, that is a great idea! Lancer is probably waiting for someone to do a project about him!" Valerie said encouragingly to the man. Kwan's face lit up with joy.
"Sounds like the only reason he'd offer to do this project." Tucker said to himself.
Star put a hand on Kwan's shoulder "I knew my baby was smart! Somewhere in there."
"It's nothing Star-cakes." Kwan said oh so proudly. "So how do we start this?"
"We can all look up his facebook and find out more about him." Tucker suggested.
Valerie put a hand up "Everyone knows his 'sister' is just him in a dress right?" The other three nodded. "Okay good."
"We are so gonna win this project!" Star cheered happily.
"Star, there's nothing to win. We just need the highest grade possible." Valerie noted.
Star let out an 'oh'...then smiled again. "We're so gonna ace this project!"
"That's more like it." Valerie smiled warmly.
Their team wasn't the greatest but everyone was willing to contribute to it. Everyone was cooperating. The four spent the next few hours gathered around Tucker's computer while looking up Lancer on facebook. Making up a fake account to access his information. It was fun finding a hot girl's picture and making the dud account and making up the ridiculous name of 'Weluv Tacobella' for it. Hey it worked, Lancer accepted the friendship!
"Holy shit, his name is William!" Kwan said surprised. For a moment he didn't think Lancer had a first name.
"I didn't know that either." Valerie was surprised as well.
"It suits him." Star smiled.
"Agreed." Tucker nodded.
The sun was finally setting in the town of Amity Park by the time the four made it outside. All of them laughing out loud in smiles over the time they'd just spent together. This project was beyond easy now. Everyone was on the same page, everyone had their own thing to do, and most importantly...THEIR TOPIC WAS THE BEST. They were going to get an easy A!
"Since seniors have off to work on their project for the next few days...we should go to breakfast before looking up Lancer's contacts." Valerie looked to her group mates for approval.
"Oh wow! I'm in!" Kwan said excitedly. He looked to Tucker. "Make sure to bring your computer again. I've never seen Internet run so smoothly before."
Tucker nodded to the jock "Of course, man. Make sure to bring your amazing brain."
"My cousin works at IHOF, she could give us a huge discount!" Star suggested happily.
"Is it tomorrow yet?" Tucker asked in excitement. The teens broke out in laughter but Valerie stopped them when she had an idea.
"We should invite 'Team Rose'...maybe if they spent more time together like us...they'll get along better."
Kwan nodded furiously "Hell yeah! That is a good idea, Val! Dash always works better on a full stomach. We can take my Mom's van!"
Star didn't look too pleased about having to share the same space with Sam and Danny. Sam was just a complete bitch. Not just because Paulina thought so...okay maybe because Paulina thought so. But Danny Fenton was always a freak in her eyes. His family were ghost hunters! Who seriously does that? "Sounds good." She smiled smally.
Valerie hugged the slightly taller girl. Valerie knows Star wouldn't like this, but her being a good sport like this was why Valerie never broke apart from her even when Paulina did. "Thanks Star."
"It's cool. Maybe...it'll be fun?" Star smiled, happily hugging her back.
"They're good people. I promise." Valerie assured her.
VROOM!
The four gasped for breath when about five white vans zoomed down the dark streets of Amity park. They went so fast, they were all nearly blown off their feet at the huge wind it caused.
"What the hell was that?" Tucker asked out loud. His beanie was turned sideways off his head.
"Whatever it was...it needs to never happen again!" Star whined, her hair standing sideways. Kwan was laughing at her mess of a head.
Valerie had caught a glimpse of the white cars. They were oddly familiar. She had definately seen those kind of vans somewhere before. It then hit her. "The Guys in White?"
A few hours earlier, Team Rose...which nobody agreed was a good name at all...found themselves at the Amity Park Town Park. Since they figured the Nasty Burger would be the place everyone would be at a critical time like this. Not the Library or computer lab or anywhere with easily researchable topics...
Paulina had a blanket in her purse...so she spread it out for them all to sit at. They all had their notebooks and pencils, let us not forget the peace offering booze and cocoa puffs, very ready to find a topic.
"We should do the topic about Danny Phantom!" Dash said excitedly.
Paulina agreed happily "Oh yes! The local ghost boy is definately someone I wanna research. Danny you can force him to come here and get all kinds of information."
"Yeah, except for the part in which everyone and their mother is using Danny Phantom as their subject." Sam said a bit annoyed. She pointed behind her, where teens were running around calling out Danny Phantom. Begging him to come out...and even offering him treats.
"How about just plain old ghosts?" Dash asked.
"I know we're trying to be as easy as possible, but I REALLY don't want to do a topic about ghosts." Danny spoke up, he took his beer and started to chug it down. Sadly knowing this wouldn't be a close enough amount to find his happy drunk place.
"Then what else is there, Fen-topsy-turby." Dash asked annoyed mostly by the fact Danny was chugging his beer down more effortlessly than he could.
Danny let out a sigh of relief from the cold drink. He smiled to Dash "How about...oh I dunno...Shakespeare. Lancer loves that kind of crap."
"Oh my god, Shakespeare is so annoying. Everyone always dies in his crummy stories." Paulina whined.
"I enjoy Shakespeare's works, myself." Sam smiled quite smug.
Paulina rolled her eyes "Of course you do."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Sam's eyes darting right at her.
Dash slammed his one hand down hard on the other in between the two, causing both girls to jump back from the heavy hands. "Stop it." He simply stated. "I think Fenton's got something going here."
"He does?" Sam and Paulina didn't say in unison, but almost at the same time.
Danny took the bottle from his mouth and tilted his head at Dash "I do?"
Dash nodded "We need a topic Lancer likes. That way he'll favor us and give us a good grade."
"That's a...that's a great idea!" Sam smiled at Dash's observation of Danny's suggestion. "We need to figure out what Lancer likes."
"He likes to play terrible mind games with us." Paulina nodded surely.
"That's what teachers do." Dash pointed out. He let out a soft hum as he rubbed at his chin. He looked to Danny who was busy trying to down the beer. "Fenton, you CAN contribute."
"I just did...four seconds ago." Danny let out a burp, finally finishing the drink. "You called it out."
"Uh...he is an English teacher...wow we are not writing a report about English teachers." Sam said cringing at the thought.
"No. NO WE SHOULD!" Dash said as a light bulb clicked on in his brain. Overwhelmed by the idea he couldn't even speak.
Sam took the hint and her eyes grew wide with excitement. "We should! About a certain English teacher!"
"About Lancer? This report revolving around Mr. Lancer?" Danny's smiled spreading wide across his face.
"Lancer loves himself more than anything! He's going to love a report written about himself!" Paulina squealed happily. Innuendo very intended.
"FUCK YES!" Dash pumped his fist into the air. "Lancer is going to be our group topic."
"Not only will we get an amazing grade...he'll cut us all kinds of slack for the rest of the year!" Danny laughed in pure joy at his realization.
Sam nodded mischievously. That dark smile finding her lips. "If we play our cards right, we might even be able to send a copy of the report to the newspapers...and qualify him to become teacher of the year."
"This is going to be the best report ever!" Paulina said holding her hand out for a high five. The other three immediately throwing their hands into the five overjoyed with their oh so original idea. Realizing that they were all getting too happy with their enemies, the hands fell back to themselves.
The next hour was spent gathering as much information about Lancer that they knew from being in his English class for the past four years. Which was not even close to the amount needed to do a whole project. They'd have to go right to the source. Right to Lancer's house. He'd be so pleased and proud...that he'd never test the four again. They'd have get out of jail free cards for the rest of high school.
Darkness was slowly falling upon Amity Park and it was time to go home for the night. The teenagers packed up their things and quietly exited the park. Not having much to say to one another now that the topic wasn't about the project. They walked the darkening trail, the street lights turned on and guided their way.
"Why did it get so cold all of a sudden?" Paulina pouted.
"I wish I knew." Sam said in agreement. The cold catching up to her, she pulled out a pack of cigarettes from out of her jacket pocket. This would give her some warmth.
Dash was a bit taken back at the sight of the dark girl lighting up her cigarette. He would have never guessed she was a smoker. She seemed to...nerdish? Nerd kids were goody goody...then again most goths are known to be potheads.
"You want one Dash?" Sam slowly asked the jock who was so obviously looking at her in a weird way.
"Sure." Dash nodded, taking a cigarette from the pack Sam offered to him.
There was a silence again as they walked. Dash just...holding onto the cancer stick...fiddling with it.
"You want a lighter Dash?" Sam asked in the same slow tone, but this time cracking a small smile of amusement.
"Please."
"You want me to smoke it for you Dash?" Sam smiled evilly, Danny and Paulina both trying to hold back laughter at the blonde.
Dash smiled along with the others, handing the lighter back to Sam after taking a long drag. "No no. I can handle that one...these cigarettes are high quality...nice!"
"Thank you. If I'm going to destroy my lungs with tar, I'd rather be classy about it."
"Sounds like words to live by." Dash nodded.
Sam just had to ask "Paulina do you smoke?"
Paulina shook her head...then tilted it. "Sometimes once in a while. I'm not a fiend like, Dash."
"I'm not a fiend!" Dash argued quickly.
Paulina put a hand on Sam's shoulder, leaning in close to her and whispering loud enough for Dash to hear "He so is!"
Sam didn't show her surprise at the seemingly sudden physical interaction with Paulina. Trying to ignore the warm breath brushing against her skin so gently, she laughed heartedly with Paulina. A situation she didn't see herself in eight hours ago.
"What about you, Fenton? You obviously like to drink so..." Dash asked looking over to Danny. Danny was walking along beside him with his arms crossed.
"I'm a once in a while kind of guy too. " Danny said with a light smile. Feeling secretly awkward that Dash was speaking civilly to him for once. He pushed the awkward feeling aside, feeling like being a bit more open."I am more of a drinker, yeah. It's a wee bit cold...a light does sound nice." He hummed a bit lightly...maybe he can take a drag from Sam?
"Bring a jacket next time will ya, Fenton? Really. Did you not realize how cold it was?" Dash blurted out harshly at the sudden realization that it had to be a good 40 degrees and Danny was carelessly prancing around without a jacket.
Danny bit his lip and turned away, simply saying "No."
The blonde was confused now. No witty sarcastic assholish comeback. Danny Fenton...answered a question without any lip! Dash just let it go, continuing in a much in a much softer tone."Well...the weather's going to be chilly. Tomorrow when we go out...bring a sweater or something. We can't afford you getting sick." He turned his gaze from Danny, taking another drag.
"Thanks for the concern. I wish you'd have thought about my health when you were using me as a human punching bag." Danny replied simply. He realized that he didn't mean to say that...and he still couldn't care.
"No no, I deserve that." Dash sighed. Feeling a bit of pride that he was able to hold himself back like that. He was trying to be nice to the boy and he just threw it in his face. "It's cool."
Sam exhaled her smoke in relief, she was about ready to step in between the two. Paulina was relieved as well. Also feeling happy that her speech registered a little bit to the man. That is until...
"No, it's not cool." Danny tried to explain, lowering his hands down to his sides. He just wanted to do anything to get this stupid night over and done with. The day was dragging on forever..so much was happening...he needed more alcohol! Or sleep...sleep is healthier. "I'm sorry. It's just hard..."
"Well it's hard for me too!" Dash spat back, throwing his cigarette into the street harshly.
"How the hell is it hard for you?" Danny snapped, not even remembering the apology from three seconds ago. "You're not the one getting shoved in lockers or beat up or picked on. You're the one DOING it! To me! For no fucking reason!"
The group had stopped walking entirely. They stood under a dark street light that was a bit late turning on. Dash and Danny just staring at each other in silence. Paulina and Sam watching from a safe distance. Sam threw her cigarette down and stepped on it. She was about to stop this, but Paulina gently took her arm.
"Let them talk it out." Paulina said as nicely as she could. She expected the other to simply to push her away. To her surprise, Sam just stepped back and watched quietly. Paulina was right. Their mess with something they had to figure out. Like her and Paulina's beef could only be settled between the two of them...Sam kinda hoped that wouldn't happen for a while.
"It's hard for me because..." Dash started but cut himself off. Looking down to the slightly shorter young man. His blue eyes looked to him furiously. As if the hatred from all these years sat in that gaze. It would be an intimidating look for anyone else except the scrawny runt. "...because..."
The light flashed on from the street light, causing Danny to jump at the sudden light. He breathed with a laugh. "Timing."
"WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?"
Danny jumped back again at the shrill screaming of Paulina. His head, along with Sam and Dash, turned quick in the direction of Paulina's finger at the white wall of an old building beside them. Danny's eyes widened in horror, subconsciously taking a step back. "Get away from it."
The white wall had words written on it. Words...written in the same black substance that attacked Danny in the shower earlier that evening. Sam inched in closer to read off the wall in a tone much quieter than her usual.
"The ceremony has started
Your days are numbered
One by one you fall
Until there are none
The white of the lily consumed by dark
The red of the rose will be your spilled blood
The conquers will become the conquered"
"That didn't even rhyme." Dash sighed at the awkward attempt at poem. He walked right up to it and went to touch it.
"DASH NO!" Danny roared speeding at the other faster than humanly possible. He grabbed the bigger man by the shirt and pulled him back with all his might. Dash's eyes widened, not even sure of what he was seeing.
A tiny black hand reached out for him. The hand missed him by a centimeter thanks to Danny pulling him away in the nick of time. They both hit the concrete hard. Dash scrambled to his bottom just looking in dis belief while Danny was trying to calm himself down before having a panic attack.
Paulina and Sam looked down to the two boys then back to the wall. Which was now nothing but a block of the black substance. The words had...melted? The goo hardened on the wall, making no attempts to 'attack' again.
"That was a ghost right?" Paulina asked in shock. Never before had she seen any ghost do that.
"A brand spanking new actually threatening ghost." Sam breathed out. She turned to Paulina, snapping her fingers at her for her attention. "Pen and Paper...you have any?"
While Paulina dug through her purse to find a pen and some paper, Danny gotten back up the ground. He looked down to Dash who still looked pretty freaked out. "You okay?"
"No!" Dash answered as if Danny were completely nuts. "What the hell was that? How did you know about that?"
"I didn't!" Danny quickly defended. "I saw it coming at you, so I pulled you back..."
"Thanks." Dash interrupted. This shouldn't be turned into an argument right now.
Danny nodded, he held a hand out for Dash. Dash sat there for a second before grabbing the arm and using it to get himself to his feet.
"Write this down." Sam instructed Paulina, who was ready to write. Sam repeated the words on the wall while it was still fresh on her mind. Paulina managed to get everything Sam had said down on paper. "Okay...thanks."
"You're welcome." Paulina nodded, ripping the page out of her Sayanara Pussycat notebook and handing it to Sam. "Now what?"
"We should just go home." Danny said looking to them all seriously. "We all need to hurry home before-"
Sirens blazed throughout the once quiet street. In less than a second the four were surrounded by at least five white vans. Stepping out of the vans were guys...dressed in white suits.
"-the Guys in White come, apparently." Danny finished wearily.
"Hey! Those are the weirdos that stalked me today!" Paulina threw her finger out at them angrily. "Those vans were exactly the same!"
"Alright you kids are to go home immediately!" One of the guys in white stepped forward. A redheaded man in black shades. Danny and Sam noticed these guys in white were not the usual ones that came around and annoyed them. These guys were different..except for the fact they were ALL as inhumanly muscular as the usual.
Sam crossed her arms and scowled "Yeah...no. We're all legal adults now."
"Well...you legal adults go home immediately!" The redheaded guy threatened. Another guy stepped beside him. A guy with obviously dyed blue hair.
"This is a government emergency. I am Agent Martinez...that is Agent Blake. We work for the Supernatural branch of the Guys in White." Agent Martinez stated professionally.
"Wait. There's more than just ghost hunting when it comes to the Guys in White?" Sam asked thoroughly surprised.
Agent Blake nodded "There is. Now get out of here before we have to take you in custody for not cooperating."
"You don't have to tell me twice." Dash said quickly as he hurried down the street away from that weirdness. Paulina followed after hurriedly. Sam saw Danny just staring at the wall of hardened goo...it had to mean something to him. But what?
Sam gently slipped her arm in Danny's. Danny looked to her nervously. Not knowing what she was doing. When she smiled gently, it made him feel at ease for the moment "Let's go, Danny." She whispered gently, pulling him away from the scene while the Guys in White were setting up their caution tape.
Once they were far enough, Danny stopped in his tracks. Sam, who was still holding on to him, stopped as well. Dash and Paulina were walking a bit ahead so they were out of earshot. Danny looked to Sam seriously. "Sam. Make sure Dash and Paulina get home safe. I have to go see what's up with that."
"Danny, no!" Sam gripped his arm tighter. "I'll go with you. Can you just wait for a minute?"
"I can't wait. I have to talk to someone about this, right now." Danny said honestly looking down to her.
"Who?"
"...One of my never ending contacts of people who owe me." Danny cracked a smile. Sam hated that smile so much. It just made her really believe he was okay, when he obviously wasn't. "This isn't a matter of ghosts right now. I said I'll tell you what's going on when I can...and if things go the way I want them to...I will know everything plus more."
"Be careful. Just be careful." Sam stressed to the other teen. Her eyes looking up into his, as if she were searching for something. Searching for anything so he'd reconsider.
Danny bent down a bit, pushing the bangs off of Sam's forehead before pressing a gentle kiss against the now exposed forehead. "No promises." He smiled gently. "I'll try hard."
Sam blushed trying not to look as awkward as she felt...which wasn't working. Why...the hell did Danny just do that? "Okay..."
Danny's smile faded when Sam's eyes didn't go back to his. His heart ached a bit at the unsaid rejection. Why did he do that? That was...stupid. So stupid. Beyond stupid. Idiotic. He walked past Sam, leaving her standing there silently looking to the ground.
"Dash, Paulina..." Danny walked up to them. The duo stopped and turned, not noticing the others had stopped before. "My house is over there...so I'm going to just head home now."
"Danny you shouldn't walk alone! Not after that weird thing that just happened!" Paulina said concerned.
"Don't worry, Paulina. My parents hunt ghosts...I can handle myself. You all stick together." Danny said with smile. It was funny...concern coming from Paulina would have melted his heart a few years ago...
Dash nodded with no objection of Fenton leaving. "Stay safe."
"I will, night." Danny turned and saw Sam walking over to the smaller group. His smile faded instantly. "Sam I-"
"-Please don't do that again." Sam whispered without even looking at the halfa. She walked past him and up to the other two. The three continued down the sidewalk toward their respective homes.
Danny didn't want to look back. So he didn't. He went off quickly and found an alleyway. With a flash of light, he transformed to his ghost half. He took the skies to head home. His focus should be on this reoccurring incident with the mysterious black goo...but it was on Sam.
Sam. Sam. Sam.
He thought it was the right thing to do at the moment...
They really weren't going to get back together, were they?