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Chapter Text

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There’s something about Paulina.

She’s the first. She’s the kind of girl to run straight into danger. 

The one who asks the group “what was that?” then instantly follows it up with “let's check it out!”

She’s got what Sam has dubbed ‘damsel in distress syndrome.’ 

A main character that not only attracts danger, she thrives from all the consequences it brings or causes.

It's getting really annoying to watch her wrap Danny around her little act. 

That's the worst part.

They’ve gone up a year and Sam assumed Danny’s nonsensical crush would stay back a year with their 14 year old selves. Sam has gotten used to being upended by life. This might be the cake taking one.

She watches with fists clenched and eye twitching as Paulina shrieks and slaps away bat ghosts attacking her. Sticker to her hair and causing her what might look like actual distress and Sam yearns foolishly for a moment that they're attacking her instead.

They screech like regular bats, but there's a ghoulish wail tacked to the end that makes regular civilians cower and fear.

Sam grips the Fenton thermos like a lifeline and watches with fury as Danny finally makes it to Paulina’s side, playing the chivalrous hero role to a T. A big fat, busty levelled, damsel playing, hair swishing T.

Sam hasn’t got her nails done, but she can feel her fingers forming claws. She’s holding herself back as Danny pulls and picks little bats out of Paulina’s hair, using the Fenton Pocket Thermos to store them until transfer.

He’s cooing and using little soothing words. He finally gets the last bat and doesn’t notice Paulina beaming at him like she’s on an episode of LifeLine. 

She then proceeds to pull a move as old as time. Flips her mangled hair over her shoulder, throws her chest up like a romantic novel cover character, bats her eyes and breathes in a way that allows Danny to watch her chest move up and down.

The bastard stares.

Obviously he does, what man wouldn’t? She’s like honey to a bear. Sam feels life drain from her, staring at Danny watching his longtime desired love interest seduce him. 

‘Teenage boys’ Sam thinks, and then turns to walk away before she gets sick.  

XXX

Sam lays in bed with the TV on when she finally gets home. She’s done a belly flop right onto the sheets and hasn’t moved since.

The TV plays a cheesy rom-com tv show with the two main characters finally expressing feelings for each other and Sam turns her face over to better watch them make work of the poorly written script. 

“The thought of you in danger had me awash with emotions” the man croons.

His love interest looks upset and becomes dramatically taken aback.

“You’ll never love me as long as Maria is in your sights.” The woman turns her back to him and peers out a fake window. She looks back over shoulder dramatically and Sam thinks her head must be aching from whiplash.

“I’m too strong and independent” she huffs, “and you loathe that.”

"Wouldn't any man?" He takes her in his arms and Sam reallllyyyyyyy hates the way her heart pounds. “I can’t think about her when all I could see was you hurt.” He kisses her square on the mouth and the woman melts right into him.

Sam watches them kiss heavily and it should be wrong but she's enamoured with how he holds her like she might break and caresses her back and she’s suddenly at the edge of her bed waiting intently for them to break so she understands it better.

“I saw you go into that fight” and they’re both breathless as they part, “I’ll never get over it-” he’s cut off as Maria slams the door open. A character that looks a ridiculous amount like the thorn in Sam’s side.

“Stop!” she shouts dramatically, and the lighting is red as she makes her way through the dingy set of cardboard. “She’s not good enough for you Marcel'' she spits viciously, “only I can play the woman to your man” and she takes a stupid gasp of air, throwing herself onto a sofa bed that creaks aggressively. “I was almost attacked on the way here, I needed a big strong man to saveeee me~” she flourishes and bats her eyes and heaves her chest and-

Sam grabs the remote with urgency, turning the TV off and sitting with wide-eyed silence.

“That was the worst thing I’ve ever seen” she mutters to herself and flops backwards again, arms and legs splayed out as she stares at the ceiling.

She closes her eyes for just a second, and dreams herself flopping onto a sofa bed that breaks under her weight. 

Danny never walks in.

XXX

They’re at the mall. A regular occurrence. The three of them get burgers and fries and giant milkshakes and stay out ‘fighting crime’ if you will, like it's just a normal walk in the park.

Sam’s gotten over the whole 'boys as friends will still act as boys' mantra instilled in her. She eats her fries but looks through the corner of her eyelashes as Danny and Tucker watch a cute girl with blonde braids sashay by.

She remembers when she was younger, and the urge to rip on this girl was immense, now she feels hollow and empty and dunks her fry into her root beer. 

It's dry.

Paulina enters with a flurry. She’s got a ruffle crop top on and skinny jeans that can’t really be that skinny. Star tails her like a drone, holding a multitude of coloured bags as they giggle and flounce and act like ladies.

There’s a pit in Sam’s stomach.

Danny’s drooling. No joke. 

Drool drips as he stares open-mouthed after the two bombshells. Tucker too, turns at the last minute and also proceeds to make an ass of himself. Sam half expects the two to start howling and banging their fists on the table like cartoon wolves. She gets an unexpected and very angering surprise as Paulina looks back, right over her bare shoulder, and throws Danny a wink.

She saw him. She knows about Sam’s crush. She is the absolute. Worst. 

Sam crushes her cup on the way to the garbage and is then subsequently startled at the sound of Paulina’s frantic scream.

Technus has her wrapped in a cable cord from the electronics store. She’s fighting for her life and actually looks to be in real danger for once.

Sam doesn’t even look. Danny hops the table, finds a spot, and goes ghost.

No battle cry.

Just a sense of dread as he runs to her. For her. 

She’s really got the act down. She even cries after, mascara dripping down her face as she buries her face into Danny’s shoulder.

He clutches her and strokes her hair and promises she’s safe.

Sam goes to find a spot to throw up. It's not the same.

They are not the same.

XXX

She buys herself a little crop top. A tiny jacket that barely keeps her warm. She got a long dangly necklace and boots that cover her ‘pants’ that fit all the way to the knee.

She feels girly.

She lets her hair down and glosses her lips with a berry stain and she grabs her favourite birthday clutch, kudos of her grandmother.

She’s bait and she likes it. It feels good to be 15 and older. Her form is still small, but she knows she’s pretty. She just never cared to show it.

Danny’s parents are throwing a get together for everyone at a fancy restaurant because Jack and Maddie finally created a weapon the G.I.W. could use long term, sans ghosts fighting. One pretty check later, all the families get an invite to a dinner at Amity’s fanciest restaurant.

Sam’s happy, because her parents are finally impressed and likeable towards the Fenton’s invitation. Even if it’s for shallow reasons, it's an excuse to get them to know and like Danny, and that's good enough for her. 

It's not her mother Sam is hoping will be impressed tonight, but her father. Who thinks none but the rich and pompous are good enough for his little Sammy. She hates it when the two get silent and say nothing. She’d rather the two fight then keep up this 'I don’t like you, let’s not speak at all' facade they’ve started. 

She loves her dad. She wants Danny to at least get along with him. You know. For future reasons not needed to be specified at this current time.

She makes sure to double check her look.

Smiles at herself in the mirror, practises a subtle hair flip and goes downstairs.

“Oh Sammy” her mother trills, hands clasped together in an eager clap, “you look wonderful! I don’t care for the all black, but what a great change in style!”

Sam forces a smile and nods, turning to wipe gloss from the corner of her lips in the hand mirror she pulls from her clutch.

“Let's get this over with” her father states, fixing his sleeve cuffs, “no staying out past 10pm on a school night” he reminds her, frowning as Sam turns to berate his timing choices. The restaurant doesn’t even close until midnight.

“What are you wearing?” he questions, eyebrows furrowed. 

“It's just an outfit dad.”

“Does this outfit have pants?” he glares at her as Pamela springs up beside him to get in on it. “Oh Thurston don’t! A night that Samantha finally dresses like a lady and you want her to change?! What if she grabs that hoodie and sweats combo instead?!”

The thought disgusts her father enough to drop the subject, but Sam can already tell he’s upset with her choices tonight. ‘Good’ she thinks.

They make it to the restaurant in record time, the whole lot of them have actually shown up on time.

Danny and Tucker are already sitting with their families, Danny goes to wave her down and freezes consequently.

He’s spotted her. His eyes are roving her body unlike in ways he’s looked at other attractive girls before and Sam feels her heart race with excitement.

Yes.

He stands up with alarm all over his face as they make their way to the table.

“Sam,” he says dumbly. He’s wearing a white button down shirt with the top two buttons opened and black pants with a dark brown belt. He’s already loosened his tie and eased into his seat before she got here.

Tucker’s got bread shoved into his mouth and it drops out as he looks at her dumbstruck.

“Wow” he responds, but pretends to look at something on the floor when Mr. Manson turns his head at him like a possessed doll in a horror film.

“Hey” Sam smiles.

Danny helps her into his seat as her parents start to bombard Jack and Maddie with questions about their recent success. Sam notes her dad is watching her and Danny very carefully out of the corner of his eye.

“You look” Danny starts and then pauses to roam her barely clad shoulders and tight pant leggings, “different.” He finishes.

“Thanks?” Sam looks at him as he tries to come to terms with her new look. “I mean…your hair….and your face…..and your….” he freezes as Mr. Manson chooses that moment to look at him dead in the face “love for the environment” Danny catches himself.

“Smooth” she smirks. “I'll take it as a compliment” she grabs a napkin and kisses the gloss onto it, noting Danny’s rapt attention at the lip stain she leaves on it.

“It is” he responds, his voice is a little breathy as he continues to look at her. “You look…great! I’ve never seen you like…..like-…this” He’s floundering and it's awesome.

She momentarily thinks about the memory incident when she had put on that pepto bismol looking outfit to impress him. She still sits in regret with that one no matter how many times Danny says he forgives her for the memory wipe and the secondary shock.

“Thanks” she repeats and feels dread come over her as she sees nothing but the bane of her female existence walk into the same lobby of the same restaurant.

Paulina Sanchez. 

Following daintily behind her massive, burly and very scary looking father and her beautiful, petite and very feminine looking mother. They could be mistaken for sisters if Sam hadn’t met Mrs. Sanchez at her mother’s luncheon a couple months back.

They both had big pouty lips and hourglass figures and Danny was gone.

Why wouldn’t he be?

Paulina was poured into a skin tight, pastel pink dress with delicate silk folds and a strappy top and a gorgeous see through shawl covering her shoulders to complete the look. She's got a purse hanging from a delicate chain and she’s checking what she thinks is a stain on her front.

No she’s not. 

She’s pretending to do so. Top shifting to show a generous amount of cleavage, pointing directly in Danny’s hungry-eyed direction.

He’s sipping his water glass and spilling a great deal of it down his shirt, but he’s so absorbed in her, he doesn’t even acknowledge the waiter handing him a fistful of napkins.

Sam digs for her aspirin in the little zip pocket of her clutch, but suddenly the restaurant shakes, ceiling cracking and spilling little particles into the decorative butter.

Sam already knows what comes next.

It’s like ironic clockwork.

Skulker shoots through the ceiling with an evil grin, he’s firing a wrist gun without even looking for a target, darting his eyes around for any sight of Danny Phantom.

He’s sorely disappointed when Jack pulls out the Fenton Fisher, rips his suit off to reveal his orange jumpsuit, no shock there, and then reels Skulker in like an absolute unit.

Maddie seems awestruck as she stares at her husband and his ghostly reward, clutching his neck to Danny and Jazz’ embarrassment, and lavishing her husband with praise and attention and kisses.

The kids groan with agony. Pamela and Thurston praise his invention for once and Sam notes a noise that isn’t her apparent dismay.

It’s cracking.

The ceiling is cracking.

Right above Paulina Sanchez because of course it is.

Sam and Danny whip around at the same time and Sam feels a feeling of dread for once at the sight, because it actually looks like Danny won’t be on time for once, but he makes it.

He dives for her last minute. Paulina’s mother screams in horror and her father reaches for her with shock, but Danny makes impact before the ceiling does.

He gets a protective hand behind her head and lets his body take the brunt of the fall as they slide a bit and then come to a halt.

He’s holding her, slightly hovering as they stare at each other entranced. Her eyes are hooded because what girl wouldn’t be seduced by this scenario, and she looks at him like he hung Skulker on the wall above her mantle as an ode to her and solely her.

“Hi” Danny grins, he didn’t sound like that with Sam.

“Hi” she flirts back and stares into his eyes. Mr. Sanchez is at his side in an instant and helps Danny pull Paulina up. Suddenly Mr. and Mrs. Sanchez are all over him with hugs and thank you’s and dinner invitations to reward him and Danny tries to pull off the 'there’s no need anyone else would do the same' as he plays the perfect golden good boy. 

He wins the girl in the end.

Always.

Paulina is the girl.

Sam goes home.

XXX

Sam gives up in the final couple months of their second year at Casper because she can’t take the act anymore.

She also can’t get a part in this play.

Acting like a damsel is not in her D.N.A. She’s gonna leave this one to Paulina she thinks to herself over lunch.

Danny’s going over homework with Tucker across from her and Sam gets a prickling feeling in her stomach. It takes her all not to shout at the top of her lungs, but she looks back and sees Paulina walking towards her cheer squad.

Danny hones in on her too. Tucker right behind him. The rest of the male population follows suit like a pack.

Paulina walks with a purposeful side sway so her skirt swishes side to side. It shows off thigh and leg and is almost too indecent. This might be the one time Sam doesn’t fight back on the dress code.

Paulina makes it to her team and all click into position for a cheer pyramid.

Paulina gets to the top, but Sam can instantly see the girl at the bottom hasn’t got her bearings right and begins to shake with the struggle. Paulina wobbles with a start and then falls back with a cry.

Danny won’t make it in time even if he tries.

It genuinely surprises everyone when Dash of all people shoots forward and catches the falling girl with a grunt of effort. He’s been walking back from practice and seems to have noticed something other than football for once.

Paulina looks up at him with something akin to delight and wraps her arms around his neck, pouting her lips and going into full damsel mode.

“Oh Dash~” she purred, “you’re my herooooo, so big and strong-”

Danny slumps in his seat forlornly and picks at his steamed broccoli that’s been steaming for wayyyyy too long.

“I thought she only did that with Phantom,” he sulks. Sam thinks she can see him age a little as he frowns at what the school calls lunch.

“I’m such an idiot.”

“It's ok Danny,” Tucker consoles as Sam smiles sympathetically, like a good friend should.

“At least it was just her and none else.”

Sam has a bad feeling she’s not the first and only.

She throws her lunch away, sick to her stomach.

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Chapter Text

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Star is pretty.

She’s looked at by the Casper population on the daily. Asked out on the bi-weekly.

Sam figures if it weren’t for Paulina, she’d never get overlooked, really be the one in power, hold the head of their little popular clique.

That's what Sam figures, but she’s not a phenomenon. She’s just Star.

So she’s in the background, just like Sam. Unlike Sam, however, Star excels intellectually.

Mathematics.

Who’d have figured?

She's an A student. Perhaps too smart to even be at the grade level she is, but Star doesn’t have the one thing that could make her a superstar.

Confidence.

The confidence to get out of Paulina’s toxic hold.

So the two are both mean. Artificial. Aggressive with their popularity.

Sam wonders if they could have been friends. Not at this school of course. Maybe someday when there is no social structure holding them down by its organised little circuit. 

Not here. Not at Casper High.

Star coordinates her outfits to Paulina, it's funny if you really think about it.

She’s not allowed to match Palina, she can’t look better, she can’t wear earrings that dangle. Skirts are a monthly thing because Dash always stares at her thighs. Pants have to be ironed, shirts tucked in.

It’s too many rules to live by, but Sam watches Star do it flawlessly. 

It's like a galaxy of perfect rotation.

Sam gets envious really quickly.

XXX

It happens on a skirt day.

Star finds this sparkly blue mini that Sam twinges at because she herself was minutes away from getting it. Left it. Decided to come back the next day.

‘Last one!’ the worker lady croons, her eyes just as sparkly, but this store works on commission and Sam won’t be fooled so she leaves the skirt and feels her face drain as the boys of Casper High turn in unison.

Star is relaxed, smiling, walking beside Paulina and ignoring the Latina’s smarmy glare.

She’s paired it with white lace cut off tights, and an off the shoulder midriff top in a perfect complimentary blue and a dangling set of star earrings.

It’s a rulebreaker. Sam’s a little impressed. It’s a show of rebellion she never expected so she also stares a little, but then she notes Danny gawking and her stomach roils.

High school crushes are the worst.

He’s just as floored as the others as Star turns a corner, her walk is down to a runway model glide and she perfects that hair toss Sam can’t get quite right and it makes her skin crawl.

The urge to outdo her in spite of herself, hits her like a force. Stupid teenage girl hormones always slam her into this mindset of femininity that she can’t really say she hates.

Not if Danny would look at her like that too.

‘I can do that’ , she thinks, helpless, as Danny’s eyes slink down her laced up thighs and makes an obvious show of staring at her perfectly tanned shoulders.

Summer is way too kind to pretty girls.

Sam grips her backpack handle and feels a self-righteous smirk as Lancer prowls the hall, turning in alarm at Casper’s A-listers.

“EASY A!” Lancer shouts, fumbling with his stack of library returns “Miss Sanchez, Miss Jones, what are these scraps?!”

Paulina huffs as she daintily points out her supposed best friend.

“Like, mine is still up to standards Mr Lancer” she pouts and her accent rolls as she side eyes her blonde haired sidekick “some of us don’t get memos I guess.”

Star rolls her eyes and smiles up at Lancer, “I was just grabbing a jacket Mr Lancer” and just because she can, she looks over at Danny standing nearby and gives him a look that has him ripping off his jacket and wrapping it around her shoulders. 

The boys hoot and holler like children as he grins.

She blows him a kiss before turning to Lancer.

“See?”

Lancer looks angry again but then he spots a couple making out down the hall, his nostrils flare and he rushes down the crowded hallway without a look back.

‘It's not fair” Sam thinks, as Paulina and Star start arguing and everything returns to normal.

Tucker has Danny’s rapt attention once more with his new gadget, but his eyes have taken in a sight he wants to see again.

Sam stands no chance. 

She heads to math.

XXX

‘It's ok to be angry with them,’ her grandmother soothes that night, fixing her black hair into wavy curls.

Sam sits in a lilac, strapless, open-slit dress. She dresses up in matching purple butterfly heels and a set of pearl-drop earrings and sits at a doily covered table. 

‘The centrepiece is ugly’ she texts her grandmother, looking up as the waiter comes to fill her glass for a fifth time.

They’re slow here. 

The restaurant in question. 

The clientele is all rich socialites so it doesn’t really matter in terms of business, but the staff have a tendency to be up your butt with service and refills.

Sam muses on it as she watches her father escort a young man towards her.

Sam’s forgotten anger returns with a vengeance. 

“You have to go,” her parents urge, “everyone will be there, anyone who is anyone will be there! Just one night Sammy, please” they beg at her and her mother makes her eyes glassy and so Sam forfeits like she’s seven all over again. 

Seven and pretending like she had a say in who she made friends with. Seven and preferring her overalls to the layered dresses her mother bought her, but like a doll she allows herself to be made up and re-dressed.

That’s what tonight is all about.

Her parents are dressing her up for display and the nattering idiot they’re going to put in front of her starts to already give her a migraine.

“This is Zacariah” her father beams, he’s gripping the poor soul by the shoulder, like he knows this guy is gonna turn and take off running the minute he lets go.

“He wants to go to Yale ” her father chirps as he pushes Zacariah into his chair. “We’ve got a future head of state here” and Zacariah pretends to be shy and waves the compliment off.

“Just a social and humanitarian degree at the moment, but I hope to get into something more serious like a bachelor’s soon.”

Sam blinks at him and sips at her water refill as her father winks at Zacariah and takes off for Pamela who looks way too pleased with their supposed match from across the room.

“You look good” he compliments out of the blue and Sam looks up wide-eyed.

“What?” she questions.

“I like the outfit” he says, picking a knife. “Purple compliments you well.”

Sam continues to stare. “This isn’t what I usually wear…….,” she responds, taking in her outfit. 

He smiles awkwardly at her “I know…….you like the uh………darker wardrobe aesthetic.”

Sam feels irked. 

“It's called goth,” she defends, “a great way to express yourself.”

“Maybe if you have an affinity for Satan” he sneers “or you’re a horror movie character. Dress and act like a lady, thus be treated like a lady” he butters a slice of bread and shoves the whole thing in his mouth in one bite.

Sam supposes something had to shut him up.

She can see now why her mother and father brought him over. It was probably like looking at some weird younger version of themselves, except Sam isn’t ready to act like a snobby rich lady this early on.

“Dressing like you have a personality doesn’t mean you just get a personality” she quips and he looks up just as irked with her and she feels satisfaction infiltrate.

She sips her glass and smiles pleasantly.

“Listen here-” he starts to get angry and Sam can almost see a person behind the mask, but then she feels the loom over her shoulder.

“Hey Sam!”

Danny.

In a delicious display of suit and tie. 

A  skinny teenager only a year ago. Ghost-fighting has really helped him fill out that suit he claims to hate so much. 

He’s already fiddled with the tie and left creases.

 Zacariah has already taken note with a distasteful sniff in their direction.

Sam feels warmth settle in her bones. There’s no changing Danny Fenton just by wrapping him in luxury.

She feels herself preen.

“Hey dude” she grins back, her arm covers the back end and she turns away from her lacklustre sitting companion.

“What are you doing here” and dread piles on her like a landed weight as Danny grins boyishly. He gives a subtle glance over his shoulder.

Star is at the middle table, fixing herself in a small compact hand mirror.

A tight blue dress flows down to her ankles, her hair is braided in twists over her shoulders.

She looks better than ever.

“Star asked me out” Danny explains, a delight to his tone she’s never heard before. “Turns out her father inherited his mother’s vast clothing line empire. She needed a date for tonight’s socialite event. Can you believe it!?” he turns to wave at Star who blows him a kiss like before and when he’s no longer looking she smirks at Sam.

‘I win’ her look says.

Sam doesn’t consider people as prizes, but she knows in this regard, Star has won Danny.

Sam is a loser.

“That's great” Sam swallows. “Congrats”

Danny looks over at her companion and his shoulders appear to stiffen.

“Hi” he says, but there's a bit of coldness to his tone.

Sam remembers her ‘date’ and swivels back to Zacariah glaring Danny down.

Boys.

Territorial over the dumbest things.

She doesn’t even know this guy.

“This is Zac-”

“Zacariah.”

They’re staring each other down. If this was a cartoon, steam would be escaping their nostrils and they might have some sort of stupid muscle flexing contest to boot.

“Oh” Sam says dumbly.

“Always Zacariah?” she doesn’t really understand why she doesn’t like that.

“Yes” he rolls his eyes like she’s stupid. “Always.”

Danny smirks like he’s won something she wasn’t aware they were fighting for.

“Zacariah it is.” Danny repeats. He’s got a tone of supremacy Sam doesn’t care for, but before she can acknowledge it there’s a commotion.

Her father jumps with a yelp, shoving Pamela behind him who cowers in fear of-

The Box Ghost.

Seriously? 

Except, ok, maybe.

The annoyance has boxes of the after-party entertainment.

Mainly box after box of fireworks.

Crap.

Shit.

Dammit.

Sam can’t run in this garbage dress, her ‘date’ is using the doily tablecloth as a cover shivering in cowardice.

Sam feels her stomach curl with disgust.

Even her human father has the drive to protect his wife.

Is this a joke?

She dashes for the door with the others, at least she can grab her Fenton thermos from her bag in the coat check, but a nameless firework is set off, knocks them all off their feet and she falls back into the desert table.

Cake smears her mouth and falls in chunks from her once perfectly styled hair.

Star screams in horror.

Danny jumps under a table, goes ghost and flies right into battle.

If it wasn’t the Box Ghost, it would have been something beautiful enough for the big screen, Star would be the perfect actress to play his damsel.

Sam hates herself even more.

This dress was a waste of fifty dollars, that's for sure.

XXX

Sam’s sick with the flu the next time it happens.

It’s just ironic now.

That's what she tells herself to keep from screaming in frustration and tearing her hair out.

Her pillows are fluffed, her heated blanket is cranked and she’s taken enough advil to place Jack Fenton into a long-term coma.

A steaming mug of ginger tea sits beside her as she thumbs through channels on her TV.

She grits her teeth at the latina actress on screen.

She’s gotten bouncier, more dramatic if that's even possible.

Her co-star is in a battle with the main villain of the story.

His nameless intended love interest from the last episode Sam watched is fighting another villain off to his right, and losing terribly.

It looks ok, but then Sam sees the rustic western stage background wobble and she’s drawn out of the scene entirely.

The hero’s damsel cries in mourning as her father takes a blow and falls.

She lays over his body distraught and cries big fat crocodile tears.

Sam really wants to meet these actors in person. Maybe get them to introduce themselves to Paulina, sign a couple of papers for her.

Sam sips from her tea, beating a small fist to her chest to release a cough when the channel flips itself to the local news.

The red-haired news anchor looks incredibly serious as she shuffles her papers.

“Local hero Danny Phantom is fighting what looks to be a blue-haired teenage girl. The two were seen on the roof of Music Mike’s Retrorium at 2pm today when the battle took a sudden shift. We go to Walter Evans on the field”

Walter Evans tugs at his suit collar and stares blankly from the screen for a solid ten seconds before nodding in acknowledgement.

“That's right Summer, get this-” the news anchor sweeps his arm behind him. “Moments ago Phantom was spotted in a hand-to-hand fight with a ghost I am being told goes by Ember McClain. Her hair appears to be on fire. Her skin is grey and she’s not winning this fight.”

The camera picks up Danny swinging Ember's guitar at her which obviously only infuriates the ghost girl, as she fires up her hair like a torch and lunges at him.

Danny knocks her down with a punch and then falls back into a fists up stance as Ember shakily stands up again.

Her eyes narrow and she jumps, smashing through the building roof, knocking a large sign off the building that plummets onto the civilians below. 

Sam gapes in horror, as people shriek and cry, running hard in opposite directions.

An oblivious Star emerges from the building seconds later, she hears the horrors around her and then looks up just in time to see the large sign about to swing down and crush her.

As Walter Evans yells in horror, weak to really do anything, what some might call a miracle and Sam calls piss-poor timing, comes to light just as spectacularly.

Danny flies in at the last minute, a stern, focused expression on his face as he picks Star up, hands below her knees and jets off to the side.

His breeze blows Walter Evans’ hair into a sharp cowlick.

People cheer.

Danny smiles shyly as Star wraps her arms around his neck and cries her thanks.

He soaks it up like a tool.

Sam can’t help the bitterness. She really can’t.

Walter Evans climbs over broken debris and shoves his mic into Danny’s mouth as Star finally detaches from Danny’s neck.

“Danny Phantom tell us, what happened, what's going through your mind?! Were you scared of that ghost?!?”

Walter pushes and Danny has to gently move the mic back before he takes a bite out of it.

“Ember?” he laughs as Star looks up at him like he hung her in the damn sky. “Nah, she’s not even my toughest battle today. There was a time though I suppose-”

He looks off fondly, the camera loves him.

Sam chokes on her tea.

Walter Evans turns to Star and grins “are you ok young lady? What was it like? Were you scared? How do you feel?” The man goes off and Star just keeps looking at Danny.

Danny blinks down at her confused and the blonde-haired girl reaches up to plant a kiss on his cheek. The smack heard round the world.

Walter falters, but his joy is evident. To have captured this on live TV. He can feel his pockets getting heavy.

“My hero” Star purrs and snuggles back into Danny’s chest, who's turned red like a tomato and is trying to fight off Walter shoving his mic through his teeth.

“Phantom over here, is this your-?”

Sam smashes the TV remote against the wall and flops into her pillows.

She buries her face into her hands and will forever believe the tears running down her face are coming from sickness. Her antibodies are too busy fighting off the flu to bother helping her fight off her stupid teenage emotions.

She feels good for once, calling the staff in, to remove the TV from her bedroom.

She never wants to see it again.

XXX

They’re celebrating when it happens.

In the park. Fireworks again, but this time they go off proper and controlled with no interference so Sam doesn’t mind.

She also pretends she doesn’t mind how cold it is. She pretends the insistent natter of all the surrounding couples or the impending sinking feeling something is going to happen doesn’t make her skin crawl.

She ignores Tucker hitting on every girl within a two foot radius.

She then finds herself ignorant of Danny's arrival.

He’s brought a cooler with extra food and a Fenton Thermos because duh.

He’s got his jacket slung over his shoulder so he must be overheating, but then she remembers the ice powers and figures he might even be holding himself together with his ice core and just brought the jacket for show.

Either way, he looks really cute, all frazzled and worried he hasn’t brought enough for everyone, triple checking drinks and oh-

A pack of veggie dogs sits precariously at the top like a shining beacon for Sam to wonder at. Her heart flutters with delight and she looks up and all hope is wrenched out.

Star and Paulina.

In flowy summer dresses, with tight tops and long skirts, hair pinned with jewels, cute little flats on their feet and Sam wills herself to hide inside her leggings and baggy t-shirt.

Why the hell didn’t she dress up a little?

Her mother had warned her it would be a social event, but she didn’t care. She never cares.

Then she sees Danny look Star up and down and her heart sinks.

She swallows thickly and pretends again. She tips back her fizzy lemonade while trying not to pay attention to Danny winking at Star as she turns and wiggles her fingers at him.

Obnoxious. Unsettling. Heartbreaking.

Like holding the world in the palm of your hand and making humanity watch as you crush it.

She realises she's chugged a whole can, no break, in record time she guesses, because suddenly, loud thunderous applause and hollering sounds from the bleachers.

A couple of frat boys in backwards ball caps are pounding the air with their fists, cupping their mouths and egging her on as she finishes the drink.

Just for fun, she tips the empty can to them in solidarity and they go off again like a pack.

Their yells get Danny’s attention and he stares them down in an odd manner.

A possessive, mind your business, I may gut you type of manner.

The two guys look shaken and turn to mind their phones but Sam glares up at Danny when he comes closer.

“What's your problem?” she questions, “they were joking around.”

“You know those guys.” A statement, but it feels like he's thrown her right onto a thin, cracking ice lake.

“No” she huffs, “I just noticed them. They’re obviously frat boys here to get some” and she throws her finger up to quote “willing and easy babes.”

She smiles at the sound of her mocking tough guy voice but it disappears as Danny’s eyes do this thing when he’s irritated and the rims of his iris are suddenly green and he’s close to having them glow so she drops it.

“I was just joking” she soothes, flicking stray hair over her shoulder, she doesn’t spot Danny watching her do it and drops her eyes away to Tucker who’s gotten up to start cooking.

“Right” Danny mutters and he takes the jacket off his shoulder to hand to her.

She looks up startled.

“You have to be cold” he states “that's your rattiest t-shirt.”

“Oh….right. Thanks”

She slides her arms into his jacket and smiles as he throws Tucker the pack of veggie dogs with a shout of “for Sam!”

She also chooses not to acknowledge Tucker’s look of pure disgust and make it a nice night instead, but then, like she knows the universe waits for her, there's another shout.

“Hey Dannyyyyy! Can you help us get our BBQ up? The grills not working” Paulina pouts, waving her tongs at him. Star smiles over her shoulder, making sure he gets a good look at who exactly he’ll be helping.

Danny breaks into a grin, takes off and then stops suddenly to look back at Sam with a dead puppy expression.

“Ugh! Just GO!” she shoos her hand at him and he thanks her like a mad man, bowing dramatically and blowing her fake kisses with sweeping bows.

She sincerely hates how that makes her smile.

Tucker has their grill working fine , so they eat.

Danny’s definitely been gifted generous thanks by Paulina and Star for his helping hand, Sam can see that for sure. 

They eat beside him, leaning onto their hands and sitting too close for comfort. They’ve laid out a makeshift picnic on a fluffy blanket and take turns fighting over who will hand feed him grapes for dessert.

Danny is a puddle of male happiness and Sam hates them.

She HATES them.

She’s so jealous she can’t remember why she hates them.

Does she hate them for their actions or does she want to be them? 

She can’t figure it out in time to make a decision and goes home alone.

XXX

They’re only 15.

They have time.

Sam knows men don’t mature in high school. This is a fact as much as the sun rises.

The sky is blue. 

The grass is green.

Stars lay across the galaxy and Paulina controls the only boy Sam has ever truly wanted.

She can’t stomach the thought of Danny touching someone else.

She can’t think about Danny kissing Star or Paulina or some random Suzie out in the world.

Her thoughts are always rampant. She wants and wants and wants.

Sam doesn’t take action.

She can’t, it's not fair.

He’s got so much on his plate, she figures to herself, laying on her bed and watching the same telenovela from the last time she was sick. 

She won’t burden him with feelings he’ll never reciprocate.

It's them vs her.

She’ll lose. Danny shouldn’t go into battles thinking she likes him. Thinking about her feelings for him. She’s his friend. He can't.

He’s got choices, she muses to herself, as she watches the lead marry the latina co-star.

His action-packed, runner-up sidekick watches gutless from the benches, her heart torn as he kisses his new wife. 

She loses, and Sam does too.

The TV is back in her room. Her parents lecture her about its price and misusing the staff and she sits silent, watching the screen fade to black.

➹ < 〰 > ➷

Chapter Text

➹ < 〰️  >➷

Valerie is yellow and orange.

A perfect color combination. 

Fire and heat and anger and warmth and all the good things that leave a pleasant buzzing atmosphere.

She’s what Sam is and isn’t.

Judgemental, temperamental, and a vicious nature fed by hand from Paulina Sanchez.

Popularity and money make the best onto the worst and the worst the enemy you never knew you had.

Sam stares at her English essay, Lancer prattles on about the writing system, Sam notes out of the corner of her eye, that Valerie is chatting with Paulina and Star.

Danny looks over, he catches eyes with Valerie, tries to smile kindly and Valerie shoots him a look that could quite literally kill.

Valerie is yellow and orange.

Sam sits in black and blue.

X

X

X

When your life goes downhill, whatever the case is: bankruptcy, divorce, teenage ghost boy and his dog ruin your existence ; it's always important to keep to your integrity, your wit, your values or morality.

Perhaps, in some cases, it's better to just pretend you’re still the same person you were before this incident had even occurred .

However, if you’re Valerie Gray , you ignore all that , realise the true character of the people around you who pretended to be your friends and make a complete three-sixty.

Sam muses constantly about hers and Valerie's differences. 

Where they’re a lot alike; stubborn, hard-headed, passionate, rough around the edges, they fade into the epitome of night and day.

If it wasn’t obvious before, Sam realises how voluptuous Valerie is, especially in comparison to her own small, skinny frame and lack of assets. She notices early on that all the girls Danny’s into are somewhat busty, well-rounded, shapely figures.

Sam runs her hands over her small chest, past her well-toned stomach and curses how little she truly has to offer. 

Her butt laughs mockingly at her.

Valerie on the other hand, has A LOT to offer. Even before the riches to rags situation, Danny would look over a time or two to check Valerie out. After he met her the first time this swiftly shut off, but then…..

Cujo……

Sam loves cats. She’s a cat person. After the Cujo incident, she’ll never be a dog person as long as she lives.

He was cute, then he helped set off the events that would lead Sam to lay on her pillow night after night, mourning the nights that never were.

How tepid her life has become, what woe plagues her.

Error is something an animal can digest, tragedy is one she cannot stomach.

Her life is color.

Colors that only arise in black and orange.

X

X

X

Sam lets the paper fall to her thigh as the room rumbles with snaps. 

She looks up and the owner of Skulk and Lurk smiles at her. She swallows back a grimace. 

The man is pushing thirty-five and he never misses a single read.

Sam follows the side steps down and is greeted by a new face.

“Hey, I’m Jared” Jared grins.

He’s stopped snapping and holds his hand out. The charcoal lining his eyes makes Sam’s stomach flutter.

“Sam” she responds, sliding her hand into his own. “Just Sam.”

“Well just Sam” he chuckles, “I just really liked your read. Very gloomy” he looks at her from under his lashes. 

His eyes are blue. 

His hair is black. His beanie he tugs off to run a hand through his hair and dishevel the slick back look it creates.

“You new here?” Sam inquires. She watches him tilt his head curiously before his lips quirk into a small smile.

“My uncle owns the place” he gestures to his table in the corner. A half empty drink. A small reading lamp set with green rhinestones and false gems. 

Sam follows him to the quiet and they sit opposite as he smiles at her. 

“You like the goth stuff huh” he leans his chair back casually. He sips from his straw. Sam bites back the urge to stare at his lips.

“You don’t?” She offers.

He chuckles again and makes a hand motion for the waiter with the slick back pony.

She flounces over and Jared gives a look to Sam.

“Uh……just a coke is fine”

“”You? Jare?” the brunette pops her gum.

“Same” he responds, “and we’ll share the veggie nachos.”

“That’s not on the menu” she quips, but her eyes twinkle. 

“Make an exception for me,” he grins, she titters and then turns to flounce off.

Sam wonders if she would look good in a skirt that is tiny and flouncy.

Bile rises, her outfit makes her queasy. She was experimenting with style and after the whole Paulina fiasco, just gave up entirely.

The mid-drift top and patterned skirt are the staple. They’ve always been the same colors.

Jared smiles at her and her heart starts racing. “Your reading was great” he watches her carefully. “Heartbreak?”

“NO!” Sam feels herself rush, “I just…….life isn’t fair sometimes….” she finishes off dumbly.

“Understandable. Relatable. Hateable. How’s that? Did I do good?”

She can’t help the giggle. It’s girly and flirty. It comes out of nowhere. “Very good, we just need to darken up the wardrobe.”

He throws a dramatic hand over his chain lined vest. “Not my jacket, my skivvies! You can’t!”

Sam giggles again, “also the ripped jeans are too blue” she jokes, “perhaps a dreary grey?”

“You fiend” he throws the back of his hand over his eyes and pretends to collapse and Sam really can’t help the smile that lights her face. 

They share nachos, they chat like they’re old friends. He walks her home.

She swears he doesn’t need to, she fights him the whole way, but he’s so easygoing. So laid back and careless in a careful kind of way.

Seriously. What bothers him? 

He shrugs that off too with an easy smile and he reads over her poetry till he memorises it.

She gets to her door.

They lock eyes. He smiles again, but his eyes aren’t blue enough. His smile isn’t lopsided, it's pretty and squared to his face.

His hair isn’t dark enough. He’s there. He’s leaning-

She hits a nervous laugh, jams her key in the door and bolts inside, thanks him for a great evening, ignores his startled expression and clicks the lock shut.

She thinks about Danny and Val and their almost kiss on the ferris wheel last week.

She thinks about Technus and how he meddled so ruthlessly. Against her.

She thinks she might be ruined for good.

She really didn't sleep well that night.

X

X

X

There’s no way he’s left his number.

It’s in the flower pot next to the ledge by her door. It's got a silly smiley face in the corner. It’s got his number in sharpie, because of course it does.

She can’t just be a terrible person and get away with it.

She texts him.

He responds, he ignores her apology. He writes her a silly poem about purple.

She feels her face heat.

Her eyes have bewitched him, he’s a goner, he tells her. He uses a dozen emojis that make no sense at all.

Croissant. Grapes. Kite. Demon Grin. Zombie. Pen. Egg. Plant. Snake. Watermelon. Puppy.

Cujo .

Danny and Valerie have made amends.

Tolerable is better then hated and wasted right?

She still sees Danny stare longingly after Valerie even weeks after their break up fight. Tucker shakes his head. Sam pretends she couldn’t care less.

Her backpack has something interesting in it. She rifles through.

Her cell phone pings.

Jared.

“Come to the Skulk and Lurk tonight. Our table. I’ll be wearing a green beanie. Salsa dancer emoji.”

Sam bites her lip and smiles.

Danny stares at her.

“Who’s that?” he questions. He doesn’t stop looking until she peeks up and blushes, shoving her phone away.

“Nobody! Nothing! See you in English!” Dashes to the classroom and leaves her two best friends in the dust.

She knows Danny won’t forget that one either.

X

X

X

She tells herself she’ll only go for an hour. She has to let him down easily. It's not fair to string Jared along and pretend like she’s over Danny when she’s tossing and turning on the nightly over him.

She spots him in a heartbeat, the same waitress from the first night is leaning over the table, filling waters, but quite obviously letting her shirt slip down a little.

Sam makes sure to take in Jared, focusing on his phone and completely ignoring her.

Sam’s phone pings and she looks at it and it says “ MAYDAY!! SKULKER AT THE CAFE YOU LIKE SAM! ARE YOU NEARBY?!?!”

Ping!

“Sam, HELP. Lady won’t leave me alone. SOS. How do you tell a woman you're allergic to water so she’ll leave you alone without it sounding ridiculous and made up?!?!?”

Sam can’t help herself.

She smiles. She walks a little faster. 

She Danny’s-

……….

DANNY?!?!?!

He’s in the window. Full ghost form. Arms crossed. He stares at her eerily. There’s something creepy in his eyes. Possessive. Dark. 

He’s never looked at anyone like this before. Sam thinks she’s caught him glancing like this at her once or twice when he thinks she’s not looking, but it's Sam. Sam is used to looks. She can feel them and acknowledge them and counter them. She knows when someone is staring.

Danny is staring, and they hold gazes for far too long. Jared finally looks up and waves Sam over and Sam is spooked into stiff movement to the table.

Danny stares her down intensely, like she’s been caught rifling through his sock drawers.

There’s no Valerie in sight. There’s no Paulina. There’s no Star. There’s no Gregor .

Danny continues to stare, and when Sam gets to the table and flops into her seat, he uncrosses his arms and walks around the other side of the building.

It's to go human again no doubt, but something in Sam quivers.

She knows she hasn’t, but it feels like she’s done something entirely too wrong. Like she shouldn’t have sat down.

She’s strong and independent. She has her flaws, sure who doesn’t , but she doesn’t scare easily. She’s been brave and tough since she was a child.

Danny doesn’t own her. She enforces this thought into her mind.

He caught her through the window right after the text. Peering through to make sure she was safe and available. It’s not her fault she’s not available.

It’s not her fault.

It’s not her fault.

It’s not her -

“Can we help you?”

Jared is staring right at Danny. 

Danny stares right at Sam. 

Sam stares at the water droplet dribbling down her glass.

“Sam” Danny’s lips tighten as they catch eyes.

“ Yeah ?” it’s too meek to be her. It's not her. She doesn’t owe Danny anything. He cast her aside for a girl who pointed guns at him. Who was just as mean to the rest of them as all the others. One character change couldn’t fix that to Sam.

She doesn’t owe him .

“I texted you” he states simply, he ignores Jared entirely. He watches Sam as she fiddles with her phone.

“Bad reception” she lies.

Danny responds by turning to Jared, finally acknowledging the other elephant in the room. Jared almost looks taken aback by the look in Danny’s eyes.

It's a cold, dead (no pun intended), kind of stare.

It’s truly haunting coming from her childhood friend. Especially because Danny is never scary. Sam remembers the Fright Knight incident fondly.

“What are you doing here?” Sam baits, just as Jared pipes up “Your Danny?”

Danny looks at Sam for a minute longer, then turns to Jared with something he’s done before. Male squaring male. Sam hates it.

“ Danny ” Sam presses, “ WHAT are you doing here?” 

“I texted you” he responds cooly. His eyes aren’t glowing, but damn. They’re as close as it can get. He’s pissed. “You didn’t respond. I was worried.”

“I’m fine” she settles with, “and we’re-” she freezes with Jared’s acknowledgement, and Danny seems to as well. There’s another round of tense silence as Jared blinks.

“Sorry, Danny, right?” Jared tries again, hand extended. “Sam’s told me a lot about you.”

It's obvious Jared can sense the tension, and bless him, he’s trying his best to control it. However, Danny is like a bull with a red flag, focused, staring, ready to attack.

“Danny” Sam stands and grabs his arm, Danny seems to lax at her hold. He keeps his eyes on Jared as Sam ushers him away. They step out to the cool night air and Danny seems back to normal at just him and Sam outside the cafe and bookstore.

“What is this?” she knows she’s begging, but she’s a little freaked out with the behaviour lately. “What is going on with you? You were being rude-”

“Who is that guy?” Danny cuts off.

Sam looks genuinely taken aback.

“Danny he tried to introduce himself--”

“You seemed to have a really cozy set up in there. Is he the one you were texting at school?”

Sam honestly feels like screaming. 

“Why does it matter?” She bites out. “Why do you care? You have your picks don’t you?” They both know which picks she’s talking about.

“Where’s Valerie?” she whispers and Danny perks at her name. 

“She wanted to meet” he slumps a little, jamming his hands into his pockets. “Try to talk it out and maybe reconnect before the end of the year.”

Sam’s heart lurches.

“She stood me up” he looks away and Sam can’t help the joy, the delight that Valerie is still a little mean. A little too busy. A little too much . 

Sam feels ugly with it.

Danny looks at her from under his lashes and Sam wants to kiss him until the streetlights turn on.

Jared had stood up and started towards them.

Sam holds herself back as Danny grits his teeth. “Bad reception” he reminds Sam as her phone pings from her hand.

“If Skulker was here-”

“IF?!” Sam finds fury in herself again, “what do you mean if?! You fake texted me about a ghost sighting Danny?!”

She grips her phone tightly as Danny frowns.

“There’s always ghosts out here” and there’s something in his voice as he looks at her.

“How dare you” Sam hisses. “It's the Gregor incident all over again!”

“I was right about Gregor!” He shouts back at her, he grabs her by the arms and Jared speeds up his walk from the window.

“I was right Sam! He was using you and he was fake! I protected you” His voice takes on a tone she’s never heard him use before.

“I didn’t ask for protection ” Sam states coldly. 

“Valerie hated it” Danny murmurs, but Sam hears him loud and clear.”Valerie hates it” He corrects himself. 

“What?” Sam gives in.

“Being saved.” Danny looks at her again and he looks small and soft and boyish all over again. There he is. Her Danny.

“She doesn’t like when I’m heroic. She hates being in peril. She’s so….”

“Hard-headed?” Sam finishes lamely.

Danny smiles tightly again, as if it's too much trouble to even think about. 

“Yeah” he says back, just as lame. 

The wind breezes by just as Jared opens the entrance door.

Sam’s hair blows softly and Danny blinks with alarm as Jared hustles up.

“You ok?” he lays his hand on the small of Sam’s waist. Danny’s eyes go green and Sam hurries it off of her.

“We’re fine, just talking. About stuff.” Could she be any worse?

“ Private stuff.” Danny clips. 

Jared finally looks like he’s had enough. He takes Danny in and Danny glares back and then Jared huffs, because he’s not a fighter. Not even a little bit. Not at all.

He’s a peacemaker.

“Come on” he tells Sam, “Typhoon has a new set starting” but when Sam’s back is turned, Jared peers over his shoulder at Danny and smirks.

Danny’s eyes are locked on the hand at her waist again.

Sam doesn’t shrug it off as they go in.

X

X

X

She’s choking back an eggplant parm when it happens. The big screen at the mall has started playing the same terrible rom-com Tellanova with her favorite actors for all food eaters to eat too. Fantastic.

The male lead spins his first actress lead in a dance, they pretend not to bump into set pieces as they go around the room.

She almost bites her tongue as a scream cuts the voices and she spins to see a mother gripping her child. 

Technus looms over them both with a furious grin as he whips mechanical arms from his new body. Another upgrade then. 

Sam grabs at her jacket with hopes of a Fenton Thermos bulging from one of the pockets.

She trips a little in her rush and barely misses getting her head lopped off by his robotic limb.

She dives for the floor as her name is called.

Danny swoops in, fists already poised and landing smack in the middle of Technus’ chest, knocking him backwards, giant metal foot stamping through a seating table and just barely dodging the other patrons.

Sam gets pelted with food and other mentionables.

She looks up just in time to see Red Huntress gliding in on her board.

The two come in like thunder and lightning. 

Sam stares in amazement. 

They compliment each other really well. Flying and swooping and hitting. Punches are thrown and they just…. match . 

Then Valerie goes off script and starts pelting Technus with her own weapons, just barely misses Danny, who looks mad as hell at almost being missiled through the chest, firing guns and not really looking where they hit.

Danny barely stops some shrapnel from pelting some onlookers in the crowd.

Sam ushers some children to a safer area before she takes out her lipstick ecto-blaster, thanks Jazz subconsciously, and lands a hit to Technus’ skull with it that temporarily blinds him and makes him stumble a few so Danny can land a barrage of punches that takes him down a second.

The landing triggers a row of weaker walls to collapse, and they in turn shatter the glass above the food court. A large shard makes its way to Valerie.

She doesn’t see it. 

Danny runs at her and knocks her out of the way. He takes the hit against his stomach and Sam’s throat closes as Danny falls. Ectoplasm spills from the gash and Valerie dashes to his side.

She cradles him in her arms and Sam stands stunned.

They match the glitching TV screen to a t from across the room.

Danny blinks up at her and smiles as Valerie furiously yells at him. Her voice is shaking and frustrated tears stream from her eyes. The mask fogs up and Sam can tell it's an emotional moment. Just between the two.

She doesn’t stay to see how they finish off Technus together.

X

X

X

Jared has stopped texting.

Sam knows why.

The first time she pretended to be on vacation. Away from her phone. That’s what she messages to him.

He leaves her on read, gets a little hurt, then starts texting her again.

The second, and last time, she’s at the movies with Danny and Tucker.

She sits to Tucker’s right, then Danny at the aisle. 

He prefers it to make a speedy exit when needed. Her heart aches at the thought of him planning normal teenage hangouts with exit plans.

It’s not fair, and it's her fault.

He forgave her a long time ago.

“Come on Sam, who else will do it?” He chuckles to her when she apologizes again for the upteenth time. 

Her phone buzzes and Sam quickly turns it off to the beady eyes of the other movie goers. 

She doesn’t know it's Jared’s last request for her to spend some time with him. He’s getting pretty sick of playing fourth wheel.

“ Girls shouldn’t have male friends ” the message reads, “ I fooled myself . I should have known you were in love with him. The poem, the way you spoke about him……it's over. ”

No emojis. 

Short, sweet and to the point.

She’s upset that she’s not upset.

She carefully deletes his number. She resets herself to being alone in a trio.

Her true and first real break-up. She hates that she’s not sad.

She really does.

Danny knocks on her kitchen door a little while later. She gets up from her waffles and opens it to let him in.

“Hey” he smiles, hands in his pockets, jacket over his t-shirt. Boyish smile.

Her heart thuds.

“Hey” she responds. “I thought you were on that road trip with Valerie?”

Danny’s smile disappears.

“We’ve decided to see other people.” He’s curt and almost rude with it.

“I don’t understand” Sam frowns, she watches him steal a waffle and batter it with syrup and berries from the table. “You got back together? Didn’t you?”

“At the food court” he nods. He takes a big bite as if he can chew forever and avoid her questions. “Then it got too much.”

He stares at her from over her strawberry.

“What did?” Sam eggs him.

“She told me I was too much…….jumping to take blows for her. Fighting harder than her. Stealing her enemies…”

He laughs coldly. 

“She said I was too overprotective. It wasn’t cute anymore. That I wasn’t leaving her any fight .”

He stares at the plate. “She’s not a damsel. I never thought she was, but…….”

“But?” Sam prompts. She swallows thickly.

“But I guess I was treating her like one. No, that’s not true. I know I was. She just……she always jumps into battles too! She doesn’t make plans, she doesn’t communicate- !”

He looks up at her, then he buries his face into his hands. The waffle hits the plate and splashes syrup on the tablecloth.

“It’s over” he mumbles into his hands. “I can’t-I just….wanted to protect her. I thought we could make it work.” He stares at the syrup stain.

“I need a little of both” he looks up at her and she feels her throat tighten.

“Soft and sweet and just a little hard-headed. Competent and solid and able to fight back.”

He stands up and the look he gives her scares her.

“I need someone to protect because of the ghost side” he pivots around the table and she takes a cautious step back like she’s not sure her house is real. 

Then his eyes soften as he looks at her. “I also need someone for the Fenton side. Smart, capable, talks back a bit” he chuckles and Sam squirms.

“That wasn’t Valerie” she tries to soften the situation. Get it together Manson. Don’t let him near. Don’t let him win .

“No.” He agrees. He steps closer and she thinks her stomach is where her heart is and vice versa.

“Not her.” Danny comes in close, his fingers smooth down her cheek. “She can’t-”

“Sam?”

Her father has them both jumping back startled.

He walks into the doorframe and stares Danny down. 

Danny swallows and looks away so Thurston can have his win of their staring match.

“What’s going on here? I thought you finished breakfast?” 

“I uh-” she starts, but her father cuts her off.

“What are you doing here?” He stares angrily at Danny. There’s a hint of disgust that triggers Sam.

“The uh….breakfast at my house wasn’t edible” Danny looks down at the plate. “Sam was just sharing.”

Thurston swallows whatever retort he’s about to make because he knows it’ll put Sam in a foul mood.

“Finish up” he states “I have work to do at the table.”

Sam hopes his computer sits right in the syrup.

“Sam-” Danny tries to start up, but Sam has heard enough. He just ended things with Valerie. She was just an afterthought. A solution to a problem.

“Go. Danny.” She turns away as he falters for her. Her father starts to move in closer, but Danny huffs and storms out angrily with a yell of “Fine! Whatever!”

Looks like they’re fighting again. This time, Sam doesn’t feel too bad about it. He started it.

She watches her father firmly shut the door.

He claps his hands of dirt mockingly.

Sam lets a small smile slip.

➹ < 〰️  >➷

Chapter Text

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They’re two weeks from graduation.

It shouldn’t be this hard. She made up her mind a long time ago. It was a normal, quick decision. The college of her dreams. Her acceptance letter. Her joy.

These are the good times.

There’s been a lack of new ghosts in the last bit. Danny’s sick of fighting the same characters over and over again. It’s childish really. So Sam gets too excited (as she should) and gushes to him about her acceptance letter, thinking it might excite him. Something new at least.

They were rocky with the whole rebound Valerie situation, but it's hard to stay mad at him. Near impossible when he looks at her and she squashes the needy half of herself that wants to jump head first into his arms like when they were younger teens.

She remembers her gut clenching when he looks at the letter, ( no pun intended ) dead inside.

She swallows thickly and watches him process her decision to move two towns over, a firm three hour drive, straight out of Amity-

“A NICE PLACE TO LIVE”

She mocks the slogan internally, trying to distract herself mentally while Danny tenses over the letter and then looks up at her.

His eyes are dark.

She can’t read him for a second.

“Are you leaving before your birthday?”

Late August, just before school, eighteen years old, free . Free from her parents, just on the cusp of adulthood, ready to-

“Yes.” she responds, swallowing back bile. “I was hoping to.”

Danny nods solemnly, his thumbs making small circles over the letter, they move repeatedly over “Sam Manson” and the date of address.

“Ok” he says quietly. “I think this place has a lake closer to the town than we do. Time to get a tan huh?” he jokes sadly.

Sam’s lips twitch slightly. 

“Never.” She quips.

Danny smiles and then hands her back the letter slowly, he lets their fingers graze. “Are you still coming to the barbeque?”

“Is your mom handling the food?”

“Yes.”

“Then absolutely .” She can’t wait to see the burgers flip to life.

X

X

X

It's weird. 

Danny hasn’t looked at her like this in a long time.

Right after the accident, when she’s able to force herself to remember the sheer terror of his stagger out of the portal, skin steaming and the smell overwhelming, she can still clearly picture the way he looked up at her.

Right at her. Eyes cold and dead, but a possessive desire that she could never really shake. 

It had happened again with Gregor. See “ Elliot .” Then finally, Jared.

Something about the gaze was possessive, haunting, controlling . She wonders if Freakshow’s power never truly left him.

He never looked at Paulina or Valerie that way, but Sam is a bit older, and this doesn’t please her as much as it used to at the age of fourteen.

Now, it's creepy .

They’re all dressed in their Grad outfits, caps on, so their moms can get pre-photos.

His dad is flipping the burgers. His mom is locking the ones with teeth into the Fenton Ecto-Fridge. A mini cage-like fridge with the word “Fenton” on it.

Every time Tucker walks by her, whether to grab the bag of buns or to snag a photo with her or even grins at her for saying something witty, Danny turns and stares her down.

Possessive. Like he owns her.

She was annoyed before, but now she’s a bit angry.

He keeps bringing up all the people he doesn’t know in her new town.

“Gotta be careful Sam, College guys can be worse than Dash, we don’t know them.”

“We?” she questions and he clams up for a couple more days.

He starts up again at the BBQ.

“I’ve heard from some of the other guys that they break up with their girlfriends before they get to school. They like to date around, use women. We don’t want that to happen.”

She finally gives him a taste of his own medicine and just stares at him. Unable to come up with a single thought or rhetoric. 

Danny looks back at her. He ignores a buzzing call from Valerie. He shoots down Paulina’s “let get lunch before I vacation.” He flat out tells Star to stop messaging him on Facebook.

The two latter had started faking ghost sightings to see Danny Phantom. Danny Fenton had matured to the point he found he disliked that his ghost-half was the only one getting attention. The house calls were getting a bit too much on top of that.

“ His poor ego ”, she thinks snidely.

“I’ll know when I get there” she tried to look away when Danny halts moving animatedly and just stands to stare at her again.

Are his iris’ green again? Just a thin circle, more controlled, not flashing when angry like when he was a younger teen.

“You will,” he whispers. “You’ll see what they’re like.”

“Will I?” she quips again.

“You will.” Firm. Sure. “You’ll need me then. I’ll be there.” 

She looks up at him, right under her lashes. She’s anticipating the answer.

“How will you do that?”

His eyes are green, he smiles. “I’m strong Sam, I can fly. I’m bigger. I’m more powerful. Do you need me?” he leans in and his breath is freezing, slicing at her cheek “just call my name. I’ll be there. No other man would do that for you. Just me.”

She snorts internally, he’s hardly a man at the fresh age of eighteen just two months ago. Her heart pounds, but she plays it off. Doesn’t want to antagonise what's already settling.

“Thanks Danny” she swallows fear and annoyance and the foolish, girly part of her heart pounds. “I will, I’ll call if I need you.”

“I’m the only one” he repeats, voice full of promise.

“You” she smiles tightly, “just you.”

He eases back and smiles like he always does. His eyes are that clear shade of blue again.

“Let me get you a veggie dog!”

She can’t even pretend to take a bite when he brings it.

X

X

X

The first week of school starts and she’s troubled.

In her haste to leave behind her dysfunctional, non-accepting, overbearing parents, she must have lost the will to think rationally.

Or its maturity. 

Either way she accepts Paulina’s Facebook request.

The Latina woman gushes with delight, about missing her and the rest of the school and Star and how all the women at her College are jealous and vindictive and “ honestly Sam it's because I’m too pretty .”

Her accent seems thicker, her skin is tanner. She wears a tighter than tight body suit with a cute pink sweater draped over it for a touch of coverage.

She shows Sam a cute insta photo of her and her current boyfriend Nick. He’s the southern cowboy type. They met in language studies. He stops her right at the end of class and hands her a paper flower he folded from nerves while debating when to speak to her.

“He’s sweet and charming!” Paulina beams. They match her outfits to the ribbon she ties to his hat when they hit the races or events in town.

“Money’s tight now” Paulina pouts, shaking her charm bracelet at the camera as Sam munches on popcorn and eyes in on it, “but you seriously can’t tell him to stop buying me stuff!”

She giggles cutely then zones in on Sam and gets serious. 

“How are things with you?”

Sam stops trying to tongue out the kernel stuck in her teeth to look at her with a raised eyebrow.

“Good so far. It’s only a week in for me. Mostly unpacking still, a lot of rules on dorm etiquette to go over” she grumbles.

Paulina smiles knowingly. 

“And how’s your little boyfriend?”

Sam freezes.

“What?” 

Paulina’s looks concerned too.

“Don’t tell me you and Fenton broke up ?”

“Fenton…DANNY FENTON?!”

Paulina snorts, “I don’t know any others.”

“Danny and I are NOT dating.” Sam stresses as she sets the popcorn bowl aside. “Who told you we were?!”

Now Paulina’s eyebrow raises, she also has the audacity to look annoyed with her .

“You have been dating since the start of school.”

“Says WHO ?”

“Pssh, come on sweetie, everyone knew you had a thing for each other. You’re telling me you and Fenton haven't dated since Freshman year?”

“Nope” Sam let the “pe” sound hit a little harder so it lands.

“Really?” Paulina hums thoughtfully. “That’s rough.”

Sam blinks and then shoves another handful of popcorn in her mouth. Is that a good way to change the subject?

“Why is it rough?” she can’t help the hysteria in her voice. She can’t .

“You haven’t seen him since, have you?” Paulina sympathizes.

“Not since Grad when we said goodbye.” Sam acknowledges. He had looked extra sad when she got into the car to take her there as per her parents request to actually get her there.

She hadn’t thought of it since as Tucker was also there to say goodbye, tears streaming and kleenex wiping his sniffles. He was the most emotional of the trio anyway.

She thought they both looked sad. Had Danny been sadder? He had done a pretty good job of hiding it when he hugged her so tight she couldn’t breathe.  

“He was a wreck when I left” Paulina glances at her nails “baggy eyes, old dirty clothes. He keeps looking off to the highway like you’ll drive back in any second.”

She actually looks a little torn up for a second.

“I thought maybe it was something he’d get over. Dash sees him all the time while they take Amity Community College together. Says he looks worse day-by-day.”

Sam can feel her stomach clench.

Her leaving couldn’t be that bad could it? She has to shake herself from thinking about the worrying thought of “should I have stayed?”

This was one of her dream schools. She will call Danny tomorrow. Right after the team lake luncheon her co-eds were planning at the lake.

X

X

X

“Where are you?”

Good God he looks awful . Paulina was right. Bags was an understatement. There was full blown luggage under his usually bright blue eyes.

“At the lake” Sam responds, she sips her mountain dew and then turns the camera around to show the gorgeous view of the water. A couple girls make peace signs and grin when Sam pans over them and she smiles.

She turns back to Danny and he hasn’t moved a muscle. He looks, and she really has to hold herself back from speaking out loud. Gaunt, hollow…….. …ghostly .

She would smile at the inside joke with him if he didn’t look two seconds away from blowing over from a light breeze.

“Have you been eating?”

“Are you my mother?” he responds, and it slices something mean at her.

“Sorry, I’m worried that’s all” she bites back and looks away ready to hang up.

“No wait Sam” he halts her with a broken tone. “I’m sorry, no excuse to talk to you like that……I miss you .” He finishes. “Sorry.”

It's so lame. It's…..heartbreaking.

“I miss you too” she smiles softly, “so much Danny, you have no idea. I’m worried about you too though. I’ve been hearing it's been rough back at home.”

“Just the usual family stuff” he pencils something on paper and then looks up at her. “Is everything ok with you?”

She nods as one of the team leaders Duncan walks over to get her for the next event.

Back on topic she tries to remember, why does he look-

“Sammy!” Duncan yells, waving his hand. “Next event, let's go!”

“What?” Danny asks coldly.

“What?” Sam mirrors.

“What did he call you?” Danny's lips are tight. He sours and his eyes - 

Those flashing green eyes are back. Phantom being held back by a thread. He’s just under the surface, ready to jump into action and save his next damsel………

Sam rolls her eyes and huffs.

“I’ve told them multiple times to stop nick-naming me, you know how much I hate it. They tend not to take no well-”

“Who?” Danny cuts her off instantly. “Who doesn’t take no well? That guy. Just say the word, I’m there. I’ll fucking k -”

“Danny stop!” Her alarm must just egg him on further because he sits stone straight, at her command in an instant.

“Sam, I miss you . Being apart at this distance is driving me crazy. I can’t be this far from you for long.” He’s so vulnerable and paranoid and twitching a bit by holding himself back.

She swallows the next lump in her throat. “I miss you too” she repeats from earlier, “but you have to ease back. It was a harmless comment. It's a nickname Danny” her heart thuds as he swiped his hand over his face aggressively.

“We’re best friends” she turns to join the crowd “you have to remember that. I trust you to protect me, but these people won’t hurt me, it's harmless fun.”

“You don’t know that” he’s firm. She watches his finger swipe up to ‘end call.’

“Call for me if any of those guys start to get rowdy or stop hearing “no” as harmless fun.”

“I wi-”

The call cuts. 

Sam turns to the group of men she only knows by name and takes an extra shaky breath.

Danny’s getting to her. That’s how she’ll fool herself. That’s all.

X

X

X

Duncan left with Sabrina twenty minutes ago to go God knows where. 

That leaves Sam with some guy named Liam who sits extra close to her and tells her how they have so much in common, even though the only thing they have in common is their school start time.

He smiles weirdly and he smells like his soda can is full of beer even though the event was strictly “no BYO and no alcohol permitted.” 

Technically the lake is sitting on school property. Townsfolk have to call and get permitted before they can show up. The school doesn’t take favorably to drinking on premises which is something Duncan is a stickler for.

Not Liam.

He eyes Sam’s arms and she feels like she has to explain all the paint.

“There was a tattoo event,” she explains.

He hums thoughtfully, but his next words make her sick to her core.

“I’ve always had a thing for goth babes.” He chuckles as he eyes the intricate roses and skulls Sam requested up and down her arms and just over the collar to the swell of her breasts. “Couldn’t say it in high school, but we’re past that aren't we?”

His eyes do this thing up and down her body that Sam decides she doesn’t like.

“I had this girlfriend for a while,” he continued, “but my boys thought she was creepy. She dressed like death, and then I broke up with her. She was never the same. Moved towns and shit. Stupid.”

Eloquent. 

Sam can’t really say anything, so she smiles tightly and tries to catch eyes with one of the girls whose tongue is down some other guy’s throat.

What was her name again?

Name event B comes to mind.

Becca, Brittany, Bria?

Brianna.

She ignores Sam’s pleading eyes. Drags the guy against her. Tongue right back in there.

Liam grins.

“Doesn’t that look like fun?” he smirks.

Sam blinks, “no.” She responds simply. “Not really.”

He doesn’t take the hint.

He moves straight to her side and places his hand on her knee and Sam twitches aggressively away from him.

“DON’T touch me” she bites.

He huffs angrily and blows the slick backed bangs from his eyes. “Bitch you ain’t that hot.”

He grabs the hanging strap from her jeans and drags her closer and she flips out. “GET OFF OF ME!” her hands swipe at him. He pushes her arms down to her sides and how is this lanky asshole stronger than her?!?!?

“Stop playing hard to get Sam, you don’t have a lot of choices” Brianna sneers as the guy she’s absorbing with lip contact peels away from her to laugh cruelly.

Sam’s stomach sinks and she’s forced down to the fake log bench and starts thrashing harder.

“HELPPP!” She bellows, gets her bearings and starts shrieking “FIRE” at the top of her lungs. Her heart races a mile a minute and then tears come to her eyes and it's over.

For Liam.

“ DANNY !!!”

It's so fast Sam can’t catch it. A speed that breaks barriers and whips the table away from its fastening bolts in the ground.

The false benches flip everyone over and Sam barely has time to duck and cover when she spots the black and white blur.

Danny topples the loser to the ground, his hands around his throat. His eyes are glowing off the charts. Phantom is on in full force and he’s chaotic. Alarming. Ghostly.

His fingers are making holes in Liam’s neck and he’s clutching tighter still. His hands are starting to glow and Sam can see the shirt collar starting to fry. 

Ectoplasm bolts.

She freezes in place, Danny’s mouth is starting to open, except it's more of an unhinging by the looks of it and she’s gutted.

It's over. 

The ghostly wail.

“DANNY STOP! YOU‘LL KILL HIM!”

Everyone begins to freak out, running left and right. His ecto-signature is off the charts by the feels of it. Brianna takes to the woods and the guy she was swapping spit with runs for the hills back in the direction of the school.

Sam can vaguely hear Duncan shouting in the distance but she’s too floored to care.

Danny’s lost his mind and he’s about to obliterate this guy.

Sam sits up and staggers to him.

He locks up full bodied as Liam chokes under him, gasping and clawing at Danny's face. Danny doesn't even flinch. His eyes catch Sam and he watches her moving closer to him. She cradles his face with both hands and he looks into her eyes.

A small ring of blue. Barely there but breaking through. For her.

“Please.” She whispers as she strokes her thumb over his cheek. “Stop it. I know you want to kill him, but it's not worth it. He’s not worth that.”

Danny stares at her silently for a moment, but when Liam starts up again Danny’s temper flares and he shoots out a fist and knocks him out in one strike.

“He was going to-”

She cuts him off by wrapping her arms around his neck.

Dragging him to her and he clings right back. They hold each other a moment, but then it’s Danny’s turn to lock up as Sam starts to cry.

Small hitching sobs. Tears running down her face.

He pulls her closer with his hand to the back of her head. Nestles her face into his neck. Plants a kiss to the top of her hair.

She sobs a little harder and his arms strengthen their hold.

He finally can’t take seeing the collapsed body beside him, his ghost-half screaming at him.

He picks Sam up with the classic bridal hold and turns to walk them slowly out of the woods.

She cries in his arms, overwhelmed and he just holds her.

They take the long way.

X

X

X

The dorm was large and spacious when she first got there, now it felt like the walls were closing in on her. 

Was the event so terrifying it qualified shaking? She feels silly and frantic and scared.

She wants to feel worse but Danny holds her and strokes her hair and kisses her forehead and whispers soothing words about how it's not her fault and he's here and she cries again because it feels the complete opposite.

They lay on top of the sheets and she lets him hold her until she feels overwhelmed and sits up to push him away.

“Sorry” she breathes, arms curled around herself.

“You don’t need to be.”

And that’s always him isn’t it. Quick to get over their little spats. Their irritations. She feels flawed and leans up against the wall.

Her bangs curl her forehead and she huffs them out of her face before she looks at him.

Eyes red and swollen. She looks a mess and she swallows back a witty “take a picture” as he stares at her.

“I guess you were right” she rests her nose on her knees and peers up at him as he frowns, eyebrows constricting.

“Right?”

She looks away and out the small window.

“About needing you. About the guys out here.”

He frowns harder, a cute little wrinkle forming as he looks at her.

“I don’t want to be right,” he responds. “I wish I hadn’t been. Not like that. I was being…..mean when about what I said before. Childish maybe.”

Now he looks out the window and picks the fraying string from his jeans.

“I wasn’t trying to control you or pick your battles. I was just……”

“I missed you” Sam blurts out. Danny looks up alarmed and they stare at each other a moment too long.

“I missed you the moment I left…….then I heard how it was affecting you” she mutters the last bit and he tilts her head up to look at him, his eyes are sad. Just like the last day. Just like the BBQ.

“I missed you too,” he responds. “Did Paulina tell you about me?” He looks away, his arms crossed as he leans against the wall.

“What does it matter?” she quips at him. “Did you or didn’t you? You must have. To be here right when I needed you. You must have missed this at least. That’s always it isn’t it?” she’s getting angry again but she seriously can’t help it, “you don’t want to control me , missing me was a front for that, but the controlling side of you took off and needed to be here to “save me.”

She finger quotes angrily and now he’s angry too, sitting up to confront her.

“I knew something would go wrong. I know how these guys think Sam! Whether it was the guys from our school years together or these freaks at college, they all think the same! I came to save you because I MISSED YOU! Not because of some……”

“Sick obsession” Sam finishes and she catches him off guard cause he stares at her coldly.

“It was Paulina. Then Valerie. Hell, even Star got a taste of that obsessive energy.”

She feels way too spiteful, emotions ringing up to the service, bile rising, she might be sick with it at this point. Her fists clench and she gets ready to stand up and leave.

“You knew what Phantom might become if you left me” he stops her in her tracks.

She flounders. “I-”

“You knew, because you helped create him. I needed you, you left me. I missed you, I obsessed over you. I told you these bastards would be different. I’m not there to protect you. I’m not here 24/7 to take care of the bad guys. I-”

“Stop” Sam pauses him, and she hates herself the most when tears start pouring down her face. He looks a little broken with it. Serves him right.

“I get it. It is my fault. I thought I could be good enough for you, just like this. Just Sam Manson. Playing a damsel felt good when it mattered to you.”

“That’s not-”

“I’m not Paulina. I’m not Star. I’m not Valerie. I can’t be any of them for you.”

“I don’t want you to be” he stands up and grabs her arms and tugs her right to him, she wants to fight back but she’s just so damned drained.

“I only ever want Sam Manson.” He wipes her tears with his thumbs and damn him again for looking so frazzled and cute and put together and completely flawed all at once.

He kisses her eyelids and then he leans his forehead against hers and it's over. 

He wins. 

She’s always been a sore loser.

“I’m sorry.” He whispers,”I am….but please don’t shut me out. Not tonight. We can be angry tomorrow. I accept that I can’t change you. I’ve told you this before. I want you Sam. Not a version of. Not some victim playing a damsel card…just you Sam.”

She cries again silently, but he won't let her just be sad without him. His tears come too, and he picks her up like a damsel, walks her to the bed and holds her while they sleep.

When she awakes, he’s already gone.

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