She stared at her dark ceiling in front of her, the pitch black night that hung outside her window made it impossible to see beyond her lavish bed curtains.

It was nearing 2:00am and she'd just woken from a strange dream. One that had left her more confused than terrified.

She'd been sitting at a table in the park, talking animatedly about the importance of not always eating meat, she didn't know who she was talking to but she knew they needed to hear it. But a ghost flew down and distracted them, flying by and almost knocking her over, she had only been saved because she'd been shielded by a green dome.

She reacted instinctively, standing up quickly to grab a soup can? She wasn't sure… but she grabbed it and waited for the ghost to come for her again. When it finally appeared and it reached her, Sam had awoken from her dream.

She couldn't say she was exactly scared, which was why she was so confused, but she would say that it had left her heart racing. She tried to fall asleep, but everything about the dream had felt real but not.

It especially made her wonder who the people she had been talking to. She knew it wasn't Valerie, the only other person she could maybe sorta consider a friend. So who had she been at the park with… and why did she know just what to do against the ghost?

She sighed deeply and decided that she wasn't going to be able to sleep again, not for a while at least. Sam slowly slipped out of her dark bedsheets and crept across her room to the window. Each step left an eerie creak, the wood beneath her feet being old and creating an exciting thrill. She loved it that way.

She reached the window and opened it, letting the soft breeze run through her room. She smiled and stared up into the stars, gazing at the overwhelming sky. She didn't know why, but for a long time, the sight of the unknown darkness, lit with twinkling lights, gave her such ease in times of trouble.

She sighed and soon let her mind wander through the last few days. It'd been two days since Danny's alleged apology and she still grew embarrassed at the fact that she had cried in front of him.

She never cried in front of people, in fact, she rarely ever cried at all. She was a strong independent woman who prided herself in being unwavering in the eyes of adversaries, and yet… a small apology had resulted in a full breakdown. And in front of her worst enemy?

Well, she didn't know about that anymore either.

Of course she didn't actually believe his apology. Who would? She had questioned. She had been through a lot through high school.

Either by Ruined outfits at the hands of spilled coffee or she was singled out every lunch to be badmouthed and harassed for the whole school to see.

She had been forced to eat meat once. Tucker had successfully forced her into it and she had almost killed him. That was another time she had cried, but she had made sure she was at home.

Alone.

In her room with no one to know.

That'd been a rough day, especially for Tucker, who had landed himself in the hospital.

Apparently, broccoli shoved so far up someones nose is in fact a danger. He was fine now, but that was the last time they had spoken. She avoided him, and he avoided her.

That's why Tucker wasn't really one of her biggest threats, but she still didn't like him.

So how could, after everything, that reached blue eye'd boy expect her to forgive him? He was terrible, and egotistical, and hurtful, and honestly just plain the worst.

But, every time she'd have this rant in her head she couldn't stop herself from remembering the sadness soak into his eyes. A sorrow that was indescribable had remained behind his blue eyes and she couldn't bring herself to say it was fake. She had felt the genuine remorse from his apology and she was stuck. Going around and around again in an endless loop.

One side of her told her that he was just playing some dirty trick, one final laugh as they were in senior year.

But then, another side of her, told her that she should trust him. That he really did want to be friends and that she should give him a chance.

It was exhausting to feel like that. But it kept her up late at night, all to think about the boy with bright blue eyes.

A long sigh escaped her and Sam reached out the window, grabbing onto the overhanging ledge that she had always grabbed. She pulled herself up and began climbing the roof, confidently walking up to a place she hadn't been in a while.

The part of her roof where it dipped in to accommodate her parents giant window. She'd sit here when she couldn't sleep. And it'd been a long time since she'd taken a moment out here.

A noise brought her out of her thoughts and she stopped. There was no way someone else was up here, and there was no way her parents were up at this hour. She held her breath but pushed onward and only slowed when the air around her dropped ten degrees. An eerie feeling settled in her stomach as goosebumps appeared on her arms.

"Ghost"

She didn't know how she knew, but she knew.

She crouched down, creeping towards the glowing figure ahead of her. A familiar ghost sat in her spot, looking up towards the sky. The ghost had snowy white hair that messily styled on his head. He wore a black suite with white cuffs. White boots clung to his feet as he lied back, unaware of anything.

That feeling she'd been longing to feel again came in a rush, flowing through her heart as it caught in her veins. She could breath again.

She could feel how real the air felt when he was around and she could tell just be the clearing in her head who was in front of her.

"Phantom?" Sam whispered. The ghost whipped his head around, and rose off the roof an flew above her head quickly, looking down at her. When he got a good look at her, recognition rested on his face and he let out a breath. "What are you doing on my roof?"

Sam's mind raced as she watched the Ghostly hero, being both in awe at seeing him there, and slightly concerned that her house was on its way in becoming the next ghost hot spot.

Because she knew that where ever phantom was, along came the rest of the ghosts in Amity Park.

"Oh, uh," Phantom awkwardly scratched his neck. "Sorry, I just like looking up at the stars." He too was surveying her as his glowing green eyes darted back in forth between her face and his surroundings.

He looked nervous. As to why? She wasn't sure, but she knew that familiar nervous tick was going to get on her nerves. Why did everyone she knew named danny had that same stupid tick.

"stop that," she bit at him, engrossed solely in the way he held himself. She realized her mistake when the boy reacted.

He looked taken aback but nodded his head solemnly. "Sorry, I can go," he said: a sad expression on his face, clearly her irritation was taken the wrong way.

Her heart stopped for a second as she realized what she had said. She quickly shook her head in protest and reached the ghost quickly in stride. The ghost hesitantly landed back on the ground, their eyes meeting once again.

"No no, please I didn't mean for you to leave I'm just," she sighed deeply trying to express herself to the ghost in front of her. Despite the eye contact, she still had to look up to meet them. A realization that he was at least a head taller than her wouldn't be recognized till later.

She wasn't sure why she was feeling comfortable with someone that had been pronounced dangerous; nevertheless, she began to spill her thoughts to him. "It's just, the way you scratched your neck reminded me about this stupid guy I know and he's really pissing me off and I- I'm sorry this is weird to tell you. I didn't mean to yell at you."

Phantom awkwardly laughed but nodded his head in understanding. "I'm sorry for frightening you, I didn't realize anyone would be up here."

"Yeah…" she laughed to herself, smiling at the ground. "It's always been a spot for me to unwind,"

"I know," she heard him whisper, mostly to himself but she caught it and looked at him confused.

"What did you say?" She questioned, getting closer to the ghost and prodding him further.

"I said… uh, it's um," he stammered and she gave him a once over. His eyes were what initially grabbed her attention but she moved down toward the white DP logo that stood out against the black jumpsuit that he always wore. "I said I know that's it's a nice place to unwind."

She looked back up in his eyes and had noticed that his cheeks were glowing green underneath his skin. She didn't know what that meant either but she decided that she was done staring at him.

"Yeah, sure," she didn't believe him exactly, but she wanted to keep him here longer. It was the first time she'd ever gotten to speak to him, so she was beyond excited. Despite her previous scowl. "Do you come here often?"

He smirked at her, his initial awkwardness being replaced by his heroic cockiness, and floated above her again coming face to face with her as he lazily relaxed above her. "Is that a pick up line?" She blanched and scoffed to herself, but it didn't stop the heat from rising to her cheeks. "Cause I don't think you could handle all this." He flipped right side up and goofily sprawled out.

She smiled at his playful behavior and rolled her eyes. "Oh, trust me. I'm not interested." She would never admit to having anything in common with Paulina.

By the look on his face, she could tell she wasn't fooling him. "Then how come you were wondering if I came here often."

"Because you're on my roof."

He awkwardly sat back up, if you could call it that as he was still floating, as his eyes opened in realization. "Touché," he remarked, now sitting up to lean against the opposite side from where she was from. "You can sit down if you want," he Said, using his head to point toward the wall.

She looked at him, wondering what he could possibly want from her. Obviously she knew what she wanted from him, but why he had any interest to stay made her a little questionable.

But once again, a part of her put full faith in him, just like she always had. So, despite the fact that she had just met him, she sat down, letting herself relax into the spot she always took to stargaze.

"I come up here because my friend used to live here," he whispered, breaking the silence that had enveloped them. "So now it's your turn." He looked up at her hopefully and Sam said nothing. She let the wind rustle her unkept hair as she took in the sight of the stars above her.

She had wanted to question him on the subject, but the fact his eyes never seemed to meet her was an indication that he wanted it left alone.

"I had a nightmare, at least…" she began, letting her thought bubble up. "I think it was a nightmare. Honestly it felt more like a dream, but it's just too confusing."

"Oh," he responded. The small sound getting her attention. Despite the fact that he looked like he didn't want to talk, he clearly had listened. "I thought it would've been that guy who's pissing you off."

She laughed to herself, wondering how mad she had to have looked for the ghost to realize that it wasn't just the dream that had led her out here. "Yeah, I guess you're right. He's been on my mind as well."

Phantom looked at her intently, and it sent a shiver down her spine. She felt a rush of emotion at his intense stare, but she could barely recognize anything she felt.

"Oh I'm sorry," he apologized, scooting a little farther from her and closer to the edge of the house. "I know I'm kinda cold,"

"No no," she said, blushing at her involuntarily reaction to his gaze. "It's okay," she smiled reassuringly at him and wondered why she felt the need to make him feel comfortable.

Of course she wanted to blame that on her small liking, not crush, toward the ghost hero, but she felt it ran much deeper than that.

"Why…" the ghost began again, bringing her from her thoughts. "Why is he on your mind?"

She didn't know why he was so curious. Perhaps being dead left you lonely, or excited about the living. However, no matter the reason behind it, Sam felt odly comfortable under his gaze.

"He's my archenemies," she began, not noticing his wince at her words. "He's this boy that has tormented me for years and yet, and yet lately he's been acting so strange." She looked up, into the hero's eyes. Wanting to find him listening, wanting to know if he had felt the undeniable desire to speak to one another as she did.

He seemed engrossed in her words so she continued without hesitation, convincing herself that the strange ghost who she had adored for years, was just as interested in her as she was of him.

"It began a week ago when I saw him alone at The Nasty Burger, you know the restaurant full of grease that gets attacked by ghosts every other week?" The boy chuckled and she grew warm at the sound. "And he seemed so confused, just sitting there without any of his lackeys there to bully anyone else with."

"But that's not the weird part," she said, growing slightly quieter as she remembered the way he called her name. "The way he said my name made me feel like we were actually friends. That just for a single second I could imagine a life where we could laugh and we wouldn't fight."

Obviously she hadn't wanted to admit that out loud, but she felt like she was going to explode if she didn't tell someone. And the only person who she could tell, despite her grandmother who was out of town for a wedding, was the ghost standing in front of her.

This whole situation was just one jumbled mess of emotions, and confusing in a ghost weirdly didn't feel like the strangest thing to happen to her.

"I didn't believe it though, how could I? We'd hated each-other for much longer than that second and he was always so scheming and evil I couldn't trust a word he said." Phantom nodded his head and continued to look at me.

"It's just so confusing, because no matter how much I think about it," she breathed out a long sad sigh and put her hands in her face. "I can't seem to shake that he looked so genuine,"

She looked back up at the ghost and he had a solemn look on his face.

"Maybe he is genuine."

Another long sigh.

"Maybe he's sorry and wants your forgiveness."

"What if I don't want to forgive him?" Sam cried, hands thrown up in the air. She clenched her jaw and continued. "Why do I have to forgive him?"

"You don't have to," he whispered, a sound that sent shivers down Sam's spine. For his voice seemed to grow eerie, echoing through her mind. "It's his fault for treating you like that, and now he needs to pay for that."

He was angry, clearly Sam could tell but she didn't know why. Maybe it was his hero complex, someone who needed to save everyone no matter the circumstance.

"Thanks Phantom," she smiled, despite her troubles, having someone listen to her, albeit a ghost, was helpful. It was nice that was getting mad for her. No matter how odd it felt for him to be upset for her despite they just met.

She began to grow slightly uncomfortable, the realization of everything that had happened dawning on her. She clammed up and decided it was the Ghosts turn to spill some secrets.

"So…about that friend who used to live here."

"Oh wow look at the time," Phantom said, shooting up and flying an over her head again. Sam got up as well and grew disappointed, but didn't voice it. "It's super late and I know you probably have school tomorrow…"

"You know if you're going to keep using my house you're going to have to tell me one day," it was a wish more than a command. She honestly just wanted to talk to him more.

He looked at her and hung his head, a very childlike thing to do. The girl giggled to herself, wondering how such a mighty ghost could look so defeated.

"Fine…." He pouted when he finally met her eyes, "but only if you tell me more about that guy."

She didint see how her story could be any more interesting than his but she nodded her head.

Phantom, the ghost that had been protecting the two Nero years, the ghost she had always wanted to know more about, wanted to hear more about HER.

She smiled as he began to slowly ascend, when a realization dawned on her.

"You know!" She yelled, taking a chance of waking the neighbors so late into the night, "you don't even know my name!"

The boy stopped flying and looked back down at her. He flew back, once again coming face to face with the girl and stuck out his hand.

"I'm Danny Phantom," he smiled goofily at her and she blushed.

"I'm Sam Manson, it's nice to meet you." She grabbed his hand and through the gloves she could feel how cold he was. But that didn't stop the heat that left her breathless as he stared into her eyes.

"Nice to meet you too…" he said, letting go of her hand. "Sam," he whispered her name in her ear as he flew off, this ghostly voice causing an echo to resonate throughout her body.

She stood still as he left, not letting herself crumble to the floor till he was out of view. She took the moment he left to catch her breath, blushing ferociously as she sat on her knees.

She didn't realize how important the sound of her name was until recently. For the second time that week she had felt a rush of adrenaline and intimacy behind her name and this time it had left her blood running hot as it made its way through her.

She sat back again once she regained herself, missing the cool fresh air that surrounded her when he was with her. But nonetheless she let out a small laugh as she felt a warm feeling tickle her chest.

It had been a long miserable couple of days, months even, but she was utterly content if it meant that it lead her to meeting her hero.