Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom.

Summary- Alternate Universe. After an attempt is made on Samantha Manson's life, the rougish, womanizing Phantom is assigned as her bodyguard. Initially viewing her as just another conquest, he is determined to seduce her. But he soon realises that charming the mayor's daughter is no easy feat. An unexpected romance blossoms between Sam and klutzy NASA candidate, Danny Fenton, leaving Sam forced to choose between two men that seem to be polar opposites, or so she thinks.

Rules of Engagement

Chapter 1

The first beams of morning light softly outlined the silhouettes of two figures on the bed.

The white haired man stirred, suddenly aware of the faint scent of unfamiliar designer perfume that permeated his senses. He yawned, stretching languidly as the last vestiges of rest slowly ebbed from his being, taking care not to disturb the sleeping form next to him as he untangled himself from beneath the sheets with practiced ease.

He rolled over and glanced at the clock on the bedside table. It read 9.43 AM.

"Fuck." He swore under his breath. He was already thirteen minutes late for an appointment.

The man retrieved his boxers from the foot of the bed, wincing as the poorly assembled Art Nouveau decor invaded his vision. It was far too early for colours this bright. He could have sworn her bedroom had not looked half as flamboyant in the dark.

He grabbed the rest of his clothes that had been haphazardly strewn across the floor and started getting dressed, casting occasional wary looks towards his bed partner.

Since he was already late, there was no point hurrying, although he would prefer to leave before the woman before him awoke.

He never stayed. Phantom hated the morning afters. The trivial pleasantries across the breakfast table, the awkward queries as to how he preferred his coffee, not to mention the inevitable exchanging of numbers, sure to be coupled with a simpering "Call me." and the batting of voluptuous eyelashes.

More often than not, said contact details were surreptitiously disposed of the moment he was out of their line of vision.

Women were always far too expectant. A one-night stand could hardly qualify as the start of a relationship, whatever they might think.

Even the incentive of sexual repercussions from the previous night was insufficient to compel him to remain.

The man ran a hand through his shocking white hair in an attempt to make himself appear more presentable, only succeeding in making it messier.

He had to wonder. At twenty-seven, perhaps he finally ought to consider settling down and relinquishing his erratic choice in career, mainly comprising of bounty hunting and bedding attractive strangers. Between the delegated espionage, assassinations and heist after successful heist, Phantom had nothing more to achieve. There was no amusement in what was no longer a challenge.

The bounty hunter shrugged on his shirt. He observed the blonde asleep in her bed, her heart shaped face accentuated by her fair tresses of pale hair splayed across the sheets, shining as though burnished in the sunlight.

Charlotte? Chloe? What was her name again? He frowned. It wasn't like it mattered, especially since he would never see her again.

She had been satisfactory despite her tastelessness in decor, Phantom decided as he studied her; the pale, formerly flawless expanse of her neck and shoulders now marred with angry red marks from his ministrations. She was going to have a hard time hiding those, he thought, smirking.

He had been gratified, but not satiated. Women like her were too easy. She had simply been a source of amusement to quell his boredom. A means to an end, unworthy of his respect.

Phantom glanced at the bedside clock a final time before taking his leave.

"Will he come?" The mayor questioned, unable to keep the edge of uncertainty from his voice.

His bodyguard shrugged, his own unease masked by his usual stoic tendencies. "I'm still not convinced that this Phantom is anything more than an urban legend, Mister Manson. But if he were to exist, I doubt he would place much emphasis on punctuality."

"I have a town council meeting in less than an hour." Jeremy Manson stated curtly. "If he's going to turn up, he had better do it soon."

He started as the Phantom materialised before them in a blinding flash of light.

"You're late." The mayor's voice was cold as he regarded his guest.

Tall and imposing, he appeared no different from the countless other bodyguards he had hired for her in the past, apart from his unconventional methods of arrival and shocking white hair.

"I'm impressed that you managed to contact me." The bounty hunter raised an eyebrow. "It appears I did not give you enough credit."

"I am the mayor, Phantom. I am well informed about everything that goes on in Amity Park, including matters concerning... exceptions such as yourself."

The white haired man inwardly smirked. If the conservative mayor were to be informed about the true extent of his reputation, Phantom highly doubted that he would have been even considered for the task of protecting the Manson's beloved Samantha.

Although it was highly unlikely that the daughter of a politician would ever attract his interest.

Despite the fact that this was not the first time he had worked on the side of the law, he was surprised to have received the job offer, from the mayor no less. He did not care for morality, only that his services were sold to the highest bidder.

Due to the ease with which he evaded surveillance equipment and his inability to be photographed, the only information present in his Interpol file was a mere alias. If even the Interpol was incapable of gathering information on him, he was doubtful how much a mere town mayor could have discovered.

"I believe you have a proposition." The mercenary he sat himself down in the overly plush armchair, leaning back as he deposited his heavy combat boots on the mayor's desk.

Jeremy Manson grimaced. Dirty marks on would be left on his perfectly polished marble furniture.

Phantom took no notice of his client's indignation, raising an eyebrow as though permitting him to speak.

The mayor bristled. To be subjected to such impertinence in his own office. He had heard that Phantom was ridiculously arrogant, but the extent of his ego was absurd.

"I am aware that you do not come cheap." Jeremy Manson stated, favouring Phantom with a dirty look as he attempted to reassert his dominance over the negotiations.

"And I was not aware that money would be a problem." The bounty hunter replied, crossing his boots on the mayor's desk, satire so thick in his voice that the mayor had to suppress the urge to end negotiations right then. He clenched his fists, willing himself to endure Phantom's mockery for the sake of his daughter.

Samantha had to be protected at all costs, and no one was better suited for the task than Phantom. There was no point prolonging this encounter.

"My offer is more than substantial considering the circumstances." The mayor asserted firmly, cutting to the chase as he slipped a piece of paper towards Phantom.

The outlaw glanced at the figures on the paper with an expression of mild interest, giving the mayor no indication regarding the other job offers he had received.

"I believe the circumstances do not take into account the fact that you did not see fit to inform me that she had survived a failed assassination attempt." He raised an eyebrow.

"It was hardly a specific attempt on her life," the mayor denied. "Samantha tends to... aggravate others with her idealistic views." He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "As it is, I have forbidden her from attending any further public protests."

"I assume you also want me to protect her against ghost attacks."

The politician nodded, readjusting his spectacles. "In a town like Amity Park, that goes without saying."

"Agreed. Although I am curious - why hire a ghost when there are hundreds of bodyguards out there desperate for the opportunity to protect the sole heir of Manson Enterprises?" Phantom queried, raising an eyebrow.

"My reasons are my own," the mayor parried, meeting the bounty hunter's eyes with a level gaze. He was under absolutely no inclination to trust Phantom. Nor was there any reason to give the mercenary any more leverage than he already had.

"Fair enough." Phantom replied, smirking.

If Jeremy Manson ever went back on his word, the outlaw could easily bed his daughter in vengeance, publicly humiliating the mayor in the process. Or perhaps his wife. Whichever proved to be the crueler exploit.

The mayor silently surveyed the outlaw before him. He could not deny that Phantom's presence was intimidating. Hopefully that would be enough to deter future attackers from harming his daughter. However, his initial concern remained.

"As a potential client, I feel that I deserve some answers. What exactly are you?"

"Who or what I am is none of your business. I believe your primary concern is the safety of your daughter."

"How am I to know that Samantha will be safe in your care?" He challenged, in what he hoped came across as an air of heedless skepticism. "We have had no proof as of yet that you are half as good as you say you are."

He nervously licked his lips, ruining the impression that he was trying to portray.

Phantom raised an eyebrow, unable to decide if he should feel insulted or amused by the mayor's lack of conviction regarding his capabilities. "The fact that I have managed to enter one of the most secure buildings in the country undetected is proof enough of my worth."

"You were expected," the mayor maintained, resisting the urge to look away from his guest's uncanny green eyes.

The man smirked, favoring him with a look that could not be classed as anything other than predatory.

"Do you really expect me to believe that in a town where ghosts are despised, their own mayor would publicly advertise the fact that his own subordinates are so incompetent that you need to hire ghosts?"

The mayor's bodyguard squared his shoulders and attempted to glare the Phantom down, betraying his own unease by checking the breast pocket of his blazer for his S&W revolver.

Despite the coolness of the room, Jeremy Manson felt the beginnings of beads of sweat forming on his brow. Although he had anticipated a professional, he had expected a brute that relied almost completely on brawn. The fact that Phantom would be intelligent had not been accounted for.

The mayor was not well schooled in the workings of criminality, but he knew enough that the man standing before him did not earn his reputation as one of the most dangerous men in the country with blunt wit.

Perhaps meeting alone with such a questionable individual was beyond foolish.

If half the rumors were to be believed-

The outlaw laughed, as if he knew exactly what was going through the mayor's mind.

"The rumors do not even begin to account for what I am truly capable of."

The mayor's bodyguard interpreted the bounty hunter's statement as a threat, finally releasing the building tension of confrontation as he drew his weapon.

"I refuse to succumb to blackmail." Jeremy Manson's eyes narrowed, emboldened by his bodyguard's display of force.

Phantom raised an eyebrow at the man holding him at gunpoint, eyeing the hulking bodyguard before him with amusement.

Abruptly, the barrel of the revolver crumpled, as if being crushed by an invisible force. The mayor sprang from his seat, backing away as his bodyguard yelped in shock, dropping the weapon as though he had been burned.

The outlaw smirked. "You already have."

All his years of schooling his features not to reveal his unease, no matter what the situation, could not have prepared Jeremy Manson for this. Knowing it was too late, he pursed his shuddering lips into a thin line in an attempt to recompose himself. Phantom had already witnessed his fear.

As a politician, Jeremy Manson had mastered more than the basics of reading other's facial expressions. There was something inhuman in the glint in Phantom's unnaturally coloured eyes as the fierce green bore through the mayor's vision.

Jeremy Manson could not suppress an involuntary shudder at the exchange.

This was a man that revelled in his own immorality.

Deciding negotiations were over, Phantom turned to leave. "I suggest you add a few more zeros to your offer. We will be in contact shortly."

Author's Notes: As you can see, I am trying out a new style of writing, with shorter chapters and slightly more abstract descriptions. Since I'm still relatively new to the world of fanfiction, this is sort of testing the waters to see what I can and can't do.

For those of you waiting for the next installment of Metanoia, I assure you that it's on its way. How could I possibly abandon my baby?:)

Thanks go to timydamonkey, who has kindly agreed to beta for me while BlueMyst19 is busy with her life:)

Reviews and constructive criticism would be very helpful, since I have been worrying myself silly about this fic over the past few days.

Thanks for reading!

Hugs and Kisses,

Twisted Creampuff