Halloween DxS

     "Come on," Tucker groaned to no one in particular. "How long does it take?"
     Danny grinned. Patience was a virtue not many teenagers had; Tucker, of all people, would hardly be an exception.
     The infamous trio, Danny, Sam, and Tucker, now 15, were going trick-or-treating. A few of you might think they're a little old for that. You could be right. But Tucker was adamant when it came to this, and most of you know that neither Sam nor Danny were one to ditch their best friend. Well, Danny, anyway. Sam didn't have much of a choice. They'd agreed to meet at a place near the park at about six thirtyish – as Tucker had assured his friends over and over again, this was the best time and place to get candy. Even though it was barely after six, Tucker was itching to get going – his hat jingled with every impatient hop.
     Tucker had dressed as a jester this year (AN; GAH! CLOWN! RUUUN!). His mismatched clothes made Danny think that the circus would welcome Tucker with open arms, although he certainly didn't feel like one to talk. Needless to say, Danny didn't voice these thoughts out loud. Occasionally he wondered if the bell-hat, replacing Tucker's usual red beret, made the costume look sillier or not. Either way, it certainly fit his best friend's personality, and Tucker was definitely happy with it.
     Danny himself was a vampire. (AN; I regret to inform you that Danny will be unavailable for glomping.) He felt ridiculous, if authentic. He had the collar cape, the neat red bow tie, and the EXTREMELY white shirt his sister, Jaz, had insisted on ironing over and over again. Danny hadn't been able to get out of the house without having his hair smothered in hair gel, but he had expressly refused the face make-up and vampire teeth. He'd never hear the end of it from Sam or Tucker. Why had he dressed up as a vampire? Well, I'm half ghost, he reasoned. Why not try other parts of the supernatural world? Tucker had joked that Danny did it because he was trying to impress a certain Goth.
     This was true, of course, but Danny denied it.
     By the time Sam showed up, Tucker was dancing around like he needed to go to the bathroom. Danny quickly looked at Sam's costume. She had a simple, black dress with sleeves that just covered her shoulders and stopped just above her ankles, a black cloak (with a hood that hung onto her upper back), wrist ling velvet gloves, her usual combat boots, and spider fishnet covering her arms. Her hair was down and parted on the side, so her bangs slightly covered one of her amethyst eyes. Sam had replaced her purple lipstick with black, as well as black eyeshadow. Her eyes caught his, and she smiled. As he smiled back, he wondered how long he could stand up with her looking at him like that. Or looking like that.
     "Jeeze, Sam, what was -" Tucker caught the exchanged smiles. "Aaw. You know, a witch and vampire pairing is always hot."
     Sam's smile immediately slid off her face. "I'm not pairing up with anybody," she said firmly. "Besides, I'm not even a witch."
     "Too cliché," Danny joked, ignoring the slight stab he felt at Sam's words. He'd learned how to dull the little pinches that attacked him every time Sam had denied any implication that he and Sam were already or would be an item. He'd given up trying to figure out why it happened to him, or why he felt like that; but he knew you shouldn't. Liking your best friend like – that – is pretty much forbidden. He shook himself out of his thoughts. He DIDN'T feel about Sam that way and that was that.
     I don't think I need to tell you Danny had a hard time convincing himself of this.
     Danny came back to earth as Sam said something. They were trying to come up with titles for each other.
     "I am the Goddess of Darkness!" Sam declared, then snickered. Tucker chuckled as well and turned to Danny.
     "How about you?" Tucker inquired of Danny.
     Sam thought about it. "Carlisle," she decided. Tucker and Danny waited for an explanation.
     She looked exasperated. "Do you guys read, ever?" she asked. "Although it's a little too popular, the Twilight series is better than Harry Potter."
     "Have you read Harry Potter?"
     "No." Sam scowled. "But that's beside the point. Anyway, Carlisle Cullen was a vampire, but he didn't drink human blood; just animals."
     Danny grinned. "And how do you know I don't drink human blood?"
     This time it was Sam who smirked. "Show me the fangs you'd use to bite."
     Danny opened his mouth to argue, but Tucker cut across him. "We're wasting valuable candy time!" Tucker complained. "Let's get going!"
     "Actually, I was thinking we could hit a costume party," Sam said.
     Danny blinked, surprised. "We got invited? To a party?"
     Sam rolled her eyes. "Val's party, Danny. She invited you – us -"she corrected. "Herself. Don't tell me Count Clueless forgot."
     Danny didn't get why he was called clueless. Tucker had dropped a hint once, saying it had to do with Sam. Danny took that to mean Sam liked him, but he dismissed it as one of Tucker's futile attempts to get the two together. Sam returning his feelings. He wasn't in the 4th grade anymore. Anyway, Danny was sure that if Sam DID like him, he would notice. His senses had developed rather strongly from the situations his powers put himself in. (AN; I also regret to inform you Danny will not be available for bricking afterwards as well.)
     Now Danny remembered – Valerie had cornered the trio two days before, right after a ghost fight between him, the *Red Huntress, and the Box Ghost. He put his hand to his face. "Of course!" he exclaimed. "Val's party!"
     Tucker pouted exaggeratingly. "I thought we were trick-or-treating."
     "Of course, Tuck!" Sam rolled her eyes again.
     "Yeah," Danny said, reassuring his friend. "We'll crash the party at, nine or something."
     Tucker immediately straightened up, cheery demeanor obvious. The promise of girls and candy? He was SO there!
     At that inspiring thought, he grabbed Danny and Sam by the arms. "Then let's get going!" he commanded, dragging them as he kept a quick pace. "If we're going to fill these pillow cases filled by nine, we have a lot of work to do."
     Danny laughed, and went along with it, allowing himself to be pulled along. He looked over at Sam, who looked repulsed that she was being dragged.
DSDSDSDSDSDSDSDSDSDSDSDSDSDSDSDSDSDSDSDSDSDSDSDSDSDSDSDS
     By the time they'd gotten back to the park, where the party was taking place, it was in full swing. They'd left the loot at Tucker's, Sam promising Tucker could have her bag because she "didn't need anymore chocolate". Danny knew, however, that Sam would demand her candy back within the next week. It was part of Halloween. He wondered how Sam would try and convince Tucker this year.
     Sam saw one of her friends from Art class, Shelby (WHEE! ^^), who was dressed up in something black – he couldn't see her clearly. Sam went over to greet her. Almost immediately after, Tucker sidled off to a princess who looked suspiciously like Ashley. Danny blinked. "Okay, leave me by myself," he muttered, half smiling. "I'll find a way to occupy myself, just you wait…" Danny looked around a few times, looking for someone he could talk to comfortably.
     He felt a hand on his shoulder. "Hey, Neil Armstrong."
     Danny jumped slightly and turned around, to see Valerie as a half-devil, half-angel. Wow, irony, he thought.
     "Where are the other Musketeers?" she asked, referring to Sam and Tucker. Danny shrugged, and Valerie laughed. "You need more friends, Danny," she joked, then added quickly, "Not that there's anything WRONG with Sam and Tucker -"
     "Val, it's okay, don't worry about it," Danny assured her. He gestured toward the rest of the park. "Nice party. You actually know all these people?"
     Valerie chuckled. "Yep. Hey, think I could introduce you to a couple of my friends? They don't go to Casper, so I don't think you know them."
     "…are they girls?"
     "Yes."
     Danny smirked, and Valerie slapped his arm. "Get a grip, Fenton."
     "Whatever, Gray."
     "Come on!" She grabbed his arm, and for the second time that night, Danny found himself being dragged.
     "Hey!" he protested, trying to free himself. Valerie didn't seem to notice his attempted escape. They stopped in front of two girls – both brunettes, but one had a darker shade then the other. They looked about the same age, one year age difference at the most. They were talking animatedly until they saw Valerie. Both greeted her enthusiastically.
     "Hey, guys," Valerie responded. She moved a little so they could see (a disgruntled) Danny clearly. "Danny, this is Rebecca -" she gestured to the lighter brunette – "and Dana." Valerie motioned towards the other girl. "Rebecca, Dana, this is Danny."
     Danny felt some sort of strange recognition with Rebecca and Dana, though he couldn't place why. He couldn't remember seeing them any time in his life.
     Dana seemed to scan him. Then she grinned. "Think fast!" she exclaimed, and threw a punch at Danny. His fast reflexes allowed him to dodge it, but barely. He raised his eyebrows at Valerie, but she didn't look surprised. Rebecca seemed a little calmer than her friend. She smiled. "Aren't you, like, the boy with ghostly powers or something?"
     Danny stared at her. He'd never met her before, but she'd somehow known his secret – and blown it in front of Valerie. Luckily, Valerie misunderstood Rebecca.
     "Rebecca, Danny's dressed as a vampire." Valerie said. "Not a ghost."
     Danny glanced at Rebecca, who sent him a knowing smile. His sense of familiarity was growing.
     Dana elbowed Rebecca. "Well, if anyone needed a gee-ay, it'd be Danny, wouldn't it?" They both laughed.
     He had no idea what they were talking about and looked to Valerie for help. She shrugged. "Well, er…it was nice meeting you." He smiled and hurried off in another direction, Valerie trailing behind.
     "Danny, I'm sure that if you actually talked to them, you would've gotten along fine."
     He shrugged, trying to get rid of the feeling he'd gotten when he'd talked to Val's friends. "I feel like I already know them…it's weird. There's something familiar about those two, I just can't put my finger on it," Danny admitted. "Dana…Rebecca…" he muttered. He didn't remember anyone with those names. "Do they go to our school?"
     "I already told you, Count Clueless," Valerie said. That was the second time he'd been called by that name. "They don't. But my dad's traveled here and there; they live in a nearby town. Maybe you knew them when you were really young or something."
     "I don't think so..." Danny shook his head, and looked to the people that were dancing to the music they heard.
     "Well, Rebecca says she's seen you a LOT – even on TV. Mostly on TV. Dana told me that you were her father from another timeline, and that she knew someone – Gwen, I think – that wrote stories about you and Sam. Does anything ring a bell?"
     Danny stared at her.
     "Gall, Danny, I'm kidding! I didn't think you'd believe me!" she laughed. "Then again, weird stuff like that always happens to you…"
     "You have no idea," Danny muttered, thinking of Rebecca and how she knew his secret. Not to mention his life since he was 14…
     "Hmmm…"
     "What?"
     "Speaking of you and Sam…" Valerie eyed Danny's expression, wondering if it was safe to go through these waters.
     Danny himself avoided her glance, wondering the same thing. He didn't think that discussing his feeling about Sam with Valerie was on top – or even close to the top – of his priority list. Especially since it was Valerie. He trusted her, and all, but talking about Sam with Valerie wasn't an experiment he wanted to try. Most of the time, almost all of the time, she was great to talk too, like Sam, but this was a sensitive subject. Plus, he thought that if he dug to find what Valerie was asking…..well, he was afraid of what he would find.
     In truth, he was falling harder and harder for Sam every day. It had been subtle at first; he'd noticed the way she moved, the little hand motions she would make when she was feeling differently, and it hadn't happened very often, but now, he was bordering on obsession. Danny often (subconsciously, of course. NOT) wondered why it took him so long to see Sam the way he saw her now (AN; NOT that way, you perverts.). Valerie was pretty cool – besides the whole “annihilate his alter-ego” thing – and she was a great friend overall, but something didn’t CLICK with her. Him and Sam, he felt that they were two parts of a whole. Or something WAY less cheesy.
     But he wasn’t willing to risk the awesome friendship that had blossomed over the years over his own feelings. That’d be selfish. They were pushing the boundaries with fake-out make-outs. It was obvious by Sam’s denial (almost daily now) of anything going on like that between them; her feelings were “best friends” only.
     Valerie, however, noticed the slight change in Danny’s face, and sighed in exasperation. Danny’s not stupid, she knew; but sometimes it seemed every guy could be such a dolt when it came to this kind of thing…
      “What?” Danny asked, his face turning slightly guarded.
      “You and Sam,” she said raising her eyebrows at him, “Are both moronic, clueless, idiots when it comes to each other. In a good way.” She added the last sentence as an after thought.
     Danny blinked. He didn’t get it (big surprise THERE). Valerie sighed again, and turned him around, facing where Sam was. “Look,” Valerie said, pointing in her direction. “Just go over there and…whatever.”
      “But - ” Danny started to protest but Valerie shoved him towards Sam’s direction. When he regained his footing, he was right behind Sam. Shelby  was still talking to her.
      “Yeah, I heard Meyer was going to rewrite - ” She saw Danny. “Hello.”
     He put  hand up slightly in greeting. “Hey, Shelby.” When he looked her in the eye, he felt the uncomfortable sense of familiarity again.
     Sam turned around, and Shelby gave a small smile. “Well, I’m gonna go annoy some strangers,” she said (Danny wasn’t sure if she was joking or not), walking towards some unlucky person. Sam chuckled, and faced Danny. “What?” she asked, not unfriendly.
     He shrugged. Like he could say that Valerie had shoved him over here. “I was going to sit down, and I came over to say hi to you and Shelby…” he drawled off, the lame excuse sounding pathetic. He gestured to where Shelby had gone. “I didn’t think she’d leave though.”
      “It’s okay – I probably would’ve gone with her if you hadn’t showed up.”
     Danny wondered what that was supposed to mean.
      “I’ll sit down with you; my legs are about to collapse,” she admitted.
     They rested on a bench a little away from the activity of the party. They could still see the people and the lights. They sat together in companionable (not awkward) silence.
     Danny noticed Sam shiver, and he sat closer to her so she wouldn’t be so cold. They still said nothing. And then –
      “I’m already craving the chocolate I gave to Tucker,” Sam confessed.
      “Really,” Danny said, finding this slightly funny. Sam’s head was resting against his shoulder, looking straight ahead. He could kiss her right now, if he wanted to. Which he did. Even though he couldn’t.
     So close, but so far away, he though sourly. Just his luck that things could end up so complicated AND cheesy. It was almost too much…
     As for Sam, she was trying to prevent the blush that was fighting to appear on her cheeks from being so close to Danny. She wondered why he’d come closer. Maybe he was teasing her? Did she look cold?
      “Yeah,” she replied. “You think you could convince him to give it back?” she asked sarcastically. Danny took it at face value, though, and his reply was out of his mouth before he could do anything to prevent it. “Possibly,” he shrugged. “I might need convincing, though.”
     Danny blinked. I didn’t just say that, did I? He looked at Sam, who had sat up and looked at him, digesting what he’d said.
     Just when Danny was thinking this might’ve taken a turn for the worst, Sam leaned her head to his and kissed him full on the mouth. But before Danny could register what was happening, she’d pulled away, and stood up, looking a little upset.
      “I just – I’m so sorry, Danny, I didn’t…I mean - ” she tried to say. She wasn’t scared, but she wasn’t sure how to deal with the situation. Danny stood up too. “Look, I – ” Sam hesitated, as if she really didn’t want to say what was going to come next. “That could just be a fake-out make-out. I’m really sorry.”
     Danny looked a little surprised. “Sam, why are you saying you’re sorry? There’s nothing to apologize for.”
     Sam glared at him. “Of course there is. I just kissed you.”
     Danny decided to cross a line.  In his opinion, if he didn’t get an answer to anything right now, he wouldn’t ever get any answers. He wasn’t sure he could deal with this gae much longer. “Did you not want to?”
     Sam wasn’t sure how to answer that. “Erm...well, not to say THAT, Danny, but - ”
     This time Danny closed the small distance between them and he kissed her, stroking her back until she relaxed, putting her hands around his neck, kissing him back. He rested his hands at her waist, and the kiss became deeper, both feeling their old friendship turning completely inside out, overwhelming Danny almost as much as the accident had, except MUCH more pleasant.
     Neither had tasted anything this sweet.
<center>BREAK</center>
     Tucker grinned. His two best friends had FINALLY gotten together before November. And without his help! He hadn’t seen that coming! True, it’d been cut close, but it was done. He’d made $200 tonight!
      “Count Dracula and Angel of Darkness.” Tucker grinned at his own joke.
      “You know, something tells me that if you called Sam that to her face, she’d kick your butt.”
     Tucker whipped around to where the voice was. “Oh, its you, Valerie,” he said, relief showing on his face.
      “What, expecting someone else?” she teased. “Congrats on them getting together.” Val chuckled. “You probably got a lot of money.”
     Which was true; Tucker was sure Lancer would regret his part of the pool, that was for sure. But if Valerie and Sam got into a catfight, he lost $50….”Really?” he said cautiously.
     Valerie understood part of his hesitancy to believe her. “Really. I mean…” she paused. “It was obvious he cared about Sam on a whole different level than anyone else. Maybe not necessarily more - but definitely in a different way.” Valerie smiled. “And Danny deserves someone who cares about him the same way.” She laughed outright this time. “And if I know anything about Sam…”
     Tucker snickered as well.
      “Exactly. They’ll both be happy, and that’s good.”
     Tucker blinked. “But doesn’t it hurt?”
     Valerie laughed again. “You don’t have that much tact, do you?” She poked him. “Of course it hurts. But I think I’ll be able to get over it. I have part way already. I have to. I’m the one who told Danny to get over me in the first place.” She looked a little sad at this, but she was determined to do what she thought would be best.
      “Wow. That’s…pretty mature.”
      “Thanks.” Val grinned. “You know, I think you owe me.”
      “What??”
      “I kinda pushed Danny over there. And I gave him the exasperated mood thing, too.”
      “20 bucks.”
      “30.”
      “Fine.” Tucker groaned.
      “I wonder what’s happening.” Valerie said.
      “What do you mean?”
      “Danny and Sam.”
     Tucker shrugged. “I think Danny’s thinking he’s glad he left his vampire teeth at home…”
     Valerie gave him a strange look.