Almost Lovers (Five)

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Sam sat staring straight ahead, gulping slightly and kicking the snow lightly. When Danny had called her that Saturday morning, he sounded sad and torn, and Sam wanted to know why. She was sitting on their park bench, the one that faced through a natural part in the trees where the sun could be seen while it set. It was a place she knew all too well, a place she had frequented with Danny often. It was their place. And Danny had asked to meet her here to talk about something.

She wondered what it could be. He sounded just so sad on the phone… what if something happened? What if something happened to someone in his family? No, surely, he would have said that right on the phone. What if something happened to his powers? Would that be something saved for the bench?

Her thoughts were racing as she sat and wondered. Eventually she heard the shuffling of snow, and she saw Danny making his way through the new snow, looking tired and worn. She smiled as he sat down, but he didn't smile back. Her smile faded and she furrowed her brow, concern filling her face. He looked as if he hadn't slept all night.

She was worried. For the past few months, certain rogue ghosts had been ganging up on Danny, and she was scared that it would be a matter of time before they captured him and he vanished forever. What if he had a run in with them? What if his days were numbered?

"Danny?" she said apprehensively when he didn't say anything. "What's going on? What's the matter?" Danny just looked at her, and then turned in his seat so he was facing her. Sam turned as well, placing a hand on his cheek. His cheeks felt slightly damp, and a bit wrinkly; he had been crying a lot.

"Sam…" he said feebly, clearing his throat and starting again. "Sam," he said, looking into her eyes, "I… have to talk to you about something."

"About what?" she asked, scooting closer to him. She took his hands in hers. "What's wrong?"

"Sam, I…" he started, not knowing how to finish. He looked away, and then looked at her again, his face focused.

"Sam, I want you to punch me."

"What?" Sam cried, taken aback by the request. "Punch you?"

"Yes," Danny said, slipping out of her hands and spreading his arms wide. "Punch me. Hurt me. Do something to me, please."

"But—"

"Just do it!" Danny closed his eyes and turned his head, arms still spread. He wasn't sure what to expect; normally Sam only followed his instructions that made sense, but sometimes…

Suddenly, he felt her hands on his neck and her lips against his, and for a second he just wanted to fall into the kiss and let things be. For a moment, he couldn't even believe that he wasn't in love with this girl any longer; his heart erupted and he wanted to just hug her, envelope her, love her. How could he imagine anyone better?

But… he had done something wrong, and he deserved to be punished. And as he kissed her, he realized that there was something different about this kiss. And it wasn't Sam that was making it different. It was something that was in Valerie's that wasn't here. In hers, there had been a certain spark, a certain passion that had flooded his senses when he kissed Valerie, something he had never experienced with Sam. Maybe, he thought, those first few times he had kissed Sam, when she left him breathless, it had happened, but he had been taken aback by it.

Danny pushed Sam away, and Sam frowned, folding her hands in her lap.

"I can't," he muttered. "Please, Sam, I… I just want you to hurt me as much as I hurt you."

"What? But when have you hurt me?" she asked. Danny just turned back forwards and placed his feet on the ground, staring at his feet. At first, Sam had no idea what he was talking about. Hurt her? Hell, he had done just the opposite; he made her feel like she was the most valuable thing on earth. But a creeping, horrible sensation snuck into the back of her mind. Something that she had been subconsciously wondering for weeks, especially when Danny sometimes wasn't home late at night when she would call his cellphone after waking up in the middle of the night. She knew he did late night ghost patrols, but… she had that feeling.

His silence, his tears, and the defeated look on his face confirmed her worst fears. Without uttering a word, she knew exactly what had happened.

Her face fell and her mouth dropped open; her hands immediately covered it, and she couldn't stop the tears from falling down her cheeks. She shook her head slowly, whispering "No" over and over again. Danny put his face in his hands, leaning on his knees.

"No, Danny… you, you can't have—"

"I did," he whispered. "I did." Sam moved back on the bench, away from him. She clutched the ring on her left ring finger, shaking so hard from shock and sadness she was sure she was shaking the entire bench.

"But—why— I don't understand," Sam said in a soft voice. Danny couldn't bear to hear her. If only she were screaming, it would have been better. But hearing the sadness and disappointment in her voice… it broke his heart.

"I… I love you, Sam," he said. looking back up at her. He expected her to be angry, but all he saw was sadness. He was looking at the face of the strongest person he knew, and her face was completely broken down and heartbroken.

"I'm so sorry." Sam shook her head, closing her eyes and wiping away her tears. When she opened them again, he had vanished.

A little shocked at his sudden disappearance, she reached out across the bench to see if he was just invisible. But there was no one there. He was gone.

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This is a lot of fun to write. Anyway, there's one more installment after this, then there won't be any more for awhile. School is starting to come full-swing, and I really want to finish the next chapter of Empyreal at some point. And now I have essays to write for various classes and scholarships, soooooo...