Disclaimer: I still don't own Danny Phantom or any of the characters. Danny Phantom is the property of Butch Hartman, Nickelodeon and Viacom International.
CW: Deleted Scenes
The Breakup
It's been months since the Disasteroid and since they started dating, but things were not the same anymore. The passion was gone…The spark had long faded and now it was almost like they were together just for the sake of being together…but they didn't want that…which would lead to the most difficult decision of their lives and the ultimate test for the friendship they risked in the process.
Mid-January
Almost a month before the events of Cupid's Wrath
It should have been so simple and easy. He had saved the world, revealed his secret and realized his true feelings for his longtime friend who had always been by his side. It was supposed to be their happily ever after….
They were supposed to be happily in love, dating, laughing and just being happy together. Sure, their new lifestyles might have made things a little more complicated but they had been through harder times and it should have been easy for them to make it work.
It should have been easy and simple….It should have been their happy ending together…
But it wasn't….Reality had to rear its ugly head…
They underestimated just how much their new lifestyles would have an effect….and they overestimated how much they thought they could work it out. When it wasn't the annoyance of dealing with the stubborn fans, the annoying paparazzi, the bothersome fan girls, especially one annoying Hispanic brat who had absolutely no respect or boundaries at all!...Not to mention a bunch of other garbage they slowly discovered that existed within the world of the famous.
It's been months since the Disasteroid incident happened and since they started dating, but things were not the same anymore. The passion was gone and the spark had long since faded and now it was almost like they were together just for the sake of being together…
But they couldn't keep it up…Not anymore…
They couldn't keep lying to each other and they couldn't keep lying to themselves…. which would lead to the most difficult decision of their lives and the ultimate test for the friendship they risked in the process.
They could only hope that they didn't ruin it when they took that big chance.
Unknown hilltop under a large oak tree
Samantha Leah Manson, also known as Sam Manson walked up the grassy hill to see her boyfriend of nearly five months waiting for her, under the shady tree and plastering a grin on his face but she had known him long enough to tell that it was forced and slightly awkward.
She's been seeing those smiles often lately…Too much for her liking.
"Hey…"He said to the Goth as she sat next to him.
"Hey…"She replied.
The two sat near each other, pleased that they had managed to find a moment of peace and quiet together, something that has become very, very rare to them now a day but she couldn't enjoy it as much as she wished she could…not anymore at least.
After about 5 minutes of uneasy silence between the two teenagers, Sam finally managed to find her voice.
"Danny…."Sam started but paused, getting his attention.
"What?..."He asked but Sam remained silent.
"Come on Manson…You have to do this….I know it's going to hurt….both of us….but if I don't do this…"Sam mentally tried to force herself to tell them what she truly felt right now.
"Danny….Do you remember when we started dating?..."Sam said suddenly, earning a blink of confusion from her boyfriend.
"How can I forget? There was a giant asteroid that was going to destroy the world and me and a ba-zillion other ghosts turned the world intangible..."He said with some humor in his voice.
"Yeah…"Sam said with a sad chuckle.
"It was great…at first…"Sam said looking down, causing Danny to frown when he heard that last part.
"At first?..."He asked as he had a sinking suspicion for this little meeting.
"Danny…Remember that we both promise to be nothing but honest with each other, right?..."Sam asked the boy who quickly nodded.
"The please…Be honest with me when I ask you this?..."Sam asked to the boy who nodded once more.
"Are you happy?..."Sam demanded, confusing him.
"What are you-?..."Danny started but Sam's glare silence him.
"Don't be dodgy…Danny, think about it! The paparazzi interrupting the dates, your stupid fans bugging us…and…be honest….Do you even still like kissing me?..."Sam asked the boy who didn't like being put on the spot like that.
He now knew what she was trying to do…but he didn't like it…He didn't like it at all!
Danny wanted to tell her that he didn't care about the press or the fans…He wanted to tell her that he was happy and he would tell her that he liked kissing her as much as ever…but he was looking into her light purple eyes right now…
He wanted to tell her all that…but he promised her that he wouldn't lie…..and he could never lie to her when she looked at him like that.
When he hesitated in answering, Sam already knew her answer.
"I see…"Sam said solemnly, trying to ignore the pain she felt. Her mind knew this would happen but her emotions still weren't use to it…but she had to grow up and see this through, not just for her but for him as well….
"Danny…I am going to be honest…When we started out…I was really happy but…."Sam paused a bit, trying to make this as painless as possible, not just for him but for her as well.
"It's not working out, is it?..."Danny answered and Sam could see the hurt in his eyes when he said that.
Sam looked down, hating every minute of this but it had to be done.
"Danny….I know that you felt it too…The fading spark and all the stupid fights…"Sam said and noticed him flinching a bit, proving it to be true.
"I did Sam…but I wanted to make it work between us…"He said looking down.
"I did too Danny…but we can't keep lying to ourselves like this…I think we were…we were…"Sam paused once more.
"We were a mistake?..."He supplied, feeling hurt by the very thought but Sam quickly shook her head.
"Of course not! I just think that maybe we were together for the wrong reasons…"Sam explained.
"Think about it Danny…Ever since freshman year, people kept telling us that we were supposed to be together….and I already knew I had feelings for you and I was happy that you said you felt the same way for me….but I don't think that was enough…"Sam continued.
"Danny…You're a wonderful guy…Probably the best one I know…but we have to be realistic here…I know you don't like going to my gothic poetry readings, I know that you don't like my ultra-recyclo-vegetarian diet and I know that you and I have only a few of the same interests which are the same kind of music, ghost fighting, video games and action movies…but that can only go for so much…"Sam confessed what she truly felt about their relationship.
She mentally braced herself for possible anger, sadness and the possibility of begging him not to end the friendship they risked in retaliation…She could probably live with losing their romance but she knew she would never be able to bare losing his friendship.
Danny was a big part of her life….She wanted to be with him….even if she couldn't love him.
Instead of screaming, yelling or possible tears, Danny only gave her a downcast look before turning his attention to her, with a sad but emotionally controlled face.
"So…does this mean that we are…we are breaking up?..."He asked her in a sad voice, which broke her heart even more that if he yelled at her.
"That depends…I said my part….now it's time for you to tell yours…Tell me what you really felt all this time Danny…Find a hole in my logic, tell me in some way that I am wrong about any of this…Tell me how you actually feel about being my boyfriend…so long that it's the truth…"Sam said gently to him.
Danny thought in silence for a while, thinking back to the last few months of his life with the gothic girl he thought he would always be with.
He hated the fact that she was doing this to him…
He hated what she just said of the flaws in their relationship…and what he hated most was that he could see what she was trying to say.
He hated the fact that he's been feeling the same thing as well.
He hated the fact that he couldn't see her as much do to his new life and career.
He hated the fact that he didn't have as much in common with her as he wanted to have.
He hated the fact that the spark between them fated and he really hated that now they were just together just for the sake of being together.
He hated that she pointed all that out…and he hated the fact that he couldn't even be mad at her because of it.
"I….I…I don't think…I don't think it's enough either…"He confessed.
He had done it….He confirmed everything she just said to be true…and that he felt the same way despite the fact that he didn't want to.
"I see…."Sam said, looking down, ignoring her heartbreaking.
It hurt…but they had no choice…They couldn't keep lying.
"When did it all go south Sam?...'He asked the girl he once though he loved.
"I don't know…but the last few weeks haven't been any fun for either of us…'She said with a bitter tone in her voice.
"I know…"He said, with a bitter smile on his face.
"I'm so sorry Danny…I hated doing this but….the only thing I ask for you is…that we can still be friends…And I don't mean that in that stupid, hallow "I'm letting you down easy kind of way"...I seriously mean it…You're still very important to me Danny…I can't bear the thought of losing you…Even if we can't be boyfriend and girlfriend, I still want to be your friend…"Sam said pleadingly to the half ghost teen hero.
Danny looked into her eyes and could tell that she meant every word she just said, it was obvious whatever they had shared was gone now but she still wanted him to be in her life.
Deep down, he wanted the same…He didn't want to lose her…Not after everything they have been through.
Finally giving a real smile for the first time since he got there, Danny nodded to Sam.
"I think I would be happy to do that…"He said to her, still hurt but had hope that he still mattered to her.
"Thank you…"She said honestly to her friend, feeling a great weight lifted from her shoulders.
"One more time though…You know…For old times' sake…"Danny asked and Sam knew what he was asking.
"Of course Danny…"She said before kissing him for what would be the last time.
This kiss had none of the passion or pleasure of their previous ones….This kiss was the proof that what they once had been over now…but they still held no ill will to each other.
They still cared for each other…and they had to accept it.
Once they parted, Sam had taken off the class ring he had given her when they had their first real kiss together, making their breakup 100% official.
"Here…I think it be best for both of us if you take this back…Give it to someone else who can give you what I can't give you…"Sam said honestly but Danny shook his head.
"Unless her name is Sam's too, I can't use this ring, remember it's engraved…"Danny joked, causing her to roll her eyes.
"Whatever…"Sam said pleasantly, relieved that no matter what, he at least wasn't going to shut her out.
"Want a ride home?...'Danny offered to his gir-…ex-girlfriend.
He knew he had to get used to that.
"Sure…"Sam said as Danny picked her up and carried her bridal style to Manson Manor.
The flight together was an awkward one, both trying to have a normal conversation, trying to ignore the fact that they had broken up or how much it hurt.
It hurt that what they once had between them was over now.
It hurt that this would have been their last kiss together as a couple.
And it hurt that come tomorrow, the entire world will find out about it and cause them all kinds of grief about it, especially a certain spoiled fan girl who would no doubt relish the fact that the ghost boy was single now.
It hurt that they wouldn't get to at least brood in privacy.
But…But they were at least happy that no matter what, they still cared about each other.
Both teens were happy that it was a mutual breakup and still wanted to see each other…as soon as they had time to brood.
Both were happy that no matter what, they didn't lose the friendship that was still so precious to both of them.
They were just happy that they were still friends and would always be.
No matter what, no matter how many shifts and how many relationships they will face in the future….they would always be friends
-To be continued-
Next time on CW: Deleted Scenes
If Only
REPLIES to my loyal and totally awesome reviewers:
Zachary Gilmore: As always, thank you very much….
Wiseguy2415: Never had truer words been said, my good friend.
Kimera20: She certainly did….
Danifan3000: The reason I created Priscilla was exactly because it would be throwing salt in Paulina's wound since her existence is proof that the Sanchez have moved on and another dose of karma that Paulina's beauty will return in a few years at most…but someone else will have it.
Also, no…What Paulina did was horrible, but it's been years since the trial and her parents cut all contact from Paulina…They don't want Priscilla to ever know about her former sister and as bad as what happened, Paulina has already been punished and Priscilla wasn't even born when that happened so she will forever remain happily oblivious about it.
Invader Johnny: For Paulina's fate…I'll leave that up to interpretation but I can say that Paulina doesn't have any real survivor skills and it could go either way…
I am glad you were pleased, since no matter where you go and where you end up, there will always be people who will be cruel for no reason other for the sake of being cruel and for wanting a victim…It was another great dose of karma that Paulina ended up receiving the same kind of crap she always dished out during her glory days…
As for Priscilla, Mr. and Mrs. Sanchez are doing everything they can to make sure their new daughter doesn't end up like Paulina, but I can that the chances of her becoming a better person that her sister is very high J
:) Till next time beautiful people, remember to read and review :)