note for a query.

A familiar is the spirit companion of a witch, usually a demon, that took the form of the black cat, toad or owl. The familiars job was watch the witch as she brewed potions and imbue the potions with magic. That's black cat and owls are usually were seen with suspicion in the olden days as their presence meant there was a witch around.

When Sam woke up she was still cranky with Phantom. Well, no so much cranky as rather annoyed.

Refusing to take her training. Come on! She needed this; she was going to get in trouble again. He was just in denial about it. Like her parents were about her being a Goth He was infuriating! Patronising! The little...little twit!

And then there was everything else he did that was so infuriating. Like that cocky smile of his that meant she couldn't speak for a second. And that sad look in his eyes when she yelled at him that made her feel awful. And his ability to go intangible, that was really annoying. And he was just as impossible, if not more impossible than Danny.

Oh.

Danny.

He never called her last night. Was he still at the hospital? What if he was really really hurt? Why didn't he call her?

She flipped open her cell and saw this message.

Coming to school 2day cause I'm fine. Really. Look o o eyes :)

From Danny of course. Sam shook her head. This boy. He worried her sometimes, he really did. She really didn't know if he was all there. She called his number.

"Hello Sam."

"How'd you know it was me?"

"I'm awesome like that."

"You're cheerful this morning."

"I had ice cream for breakfast. Now I'm surfing the sugar rush. Oh, and my sister wants to kill me."

"I'm slightly annoyed with you as well."

"Only slightly annoyed? I'm must be doing something wrong here."

"Unhyper yourself, boy, you didn't call me last night."

"I didn't...oh. Whoa, sorry."

"Aaaaand?" Sam could almost see Danny. And how he would be squirming. Really, she had him better trained than most girls had their boyfriends trained. They would gather in bunches and complain that their boy was out all the time and never spoke to them and didn't care. She just had pretend she was upset, and Danny would bend over backwards. It was wonderful.

"I dunno. I'm really sorry. I have no excuse. What can I do to make up?"

"How about the two of us go out this afternoon? If you buy me my favourite ice cream I might be persuaded to forgive you."

"Done! See you at school!"

"See ya."

As Sam hung up it was all she could do not yell in elation. Date with Danny! Yesssss.

She stopped dancing around for a minute to get changed and brush her teeth and grab something to have for breakfast. More or less in that order.

Danny. Such a strange person. Clueless as anything but so darn sweet. She wouldn't change him for anything, no matter how much he worried her.

She gave a diabolical giggle. Or she would have, only Goths don't giggle. It was all part of her master plan, see. Not-dates. Everyone at school was convinced they'd been going steady for years. There wasn't a girl in the school would look at Danny for fear of incurring Sam wrath.

Except for Paulina. That idiot would do anything to get her way. Worst thing was that Danny liked Paulina. Or at least, he did once. Actually he used to be interested in a lot of things, like popularity or being good at sports once. They used to talk about it. Sam was all for being as independent at possible and having nothing to do with the A list. He wanted to fit in.

And then Danny changed.

No. No no no no no. Not thinking about this before a date. She was going to enjoy herself, come hell or high water.

When she spotted Danny at school, he waved at her. He had a huge grin on his face and it seemed realer than any of the smiles that he'd worn for the last year.

Tucker looked slightly bemused.

"Okay. What am I missing?" he said.

"Oh for the love of-," sighed Danny, "For once I'm in a good mood and feeling awesome. Can't it just be like that?"

"Not if I'm not feeling awesome," whined Tucker. Danny rolled his eyes. Then he got an idea.

"Hey, is that the silver edition PDA? I though they didn't come out for three weeks yet."

Bingo. Tucker eyes lit up and he held up his new baby.

"Isn't she beautiful?" he cooed.

Sam and Danny made eye contact and grinned. Tucker. Who would change him for anything?

"Congratulations," said Sam, "She's beautiful."

In the corner of her eye she saw Danny desperately trying not to laugh.

"Did you bring me a card?" said Tucker.

"No, I'm sorry. I didn't realise you'd have her with you today. What are you calling her?"

"I was thinking of Mia..."

The was a soft thunk as Danny's bag hit the floor. He started laughing. Tucker and Sam high fived and led the snorting boy to class. It was going to be a good day.

In roll call Danny kept on breaking into random big grins.

"Mr Fenton, could you please share with the whole class what it is that is amusing you some much?" said Mr Lancer. It was getting on his nerves. Kids only grinned like that when they were planning something.

"Nothing, Mr Lancer," said Danny, with one such grin on his face.

"Well there must be something going on," said the exasperated teacher.

Tucker broke in, "We're deciding on a name for my baby."

"Your baby?"

"His baby," said Sam and pointed to the silver PDA, "I stand by Monica."

"I like Paige," said Danny.

"Wait, it's female?" said Valerie, as Tucker's face twisted in horror.

"SHE'S female," he said, covering the device protectively.

"Right..."

"Is it like, act stupid day or something?" said Paulina, throwing her hair over her shoulder, "I mean, more so than usual, of course,"

Sam felt a flare on annoyance and then a stirring at the back of her mind as Phantom picked up on it.

"For you sweetie," said Sam, "Every day is act stupid day."

There was an award pause before Danny said gently, "Sam, your implying that she does it on purpose instead of it just being her inherit personality trait."

The popular girl swung around and glared at him, "Like you can talk!" she snapped at him.

"I am talking," he said with a condensing smile, "Or have you only just noticed I can? I wouldn't put it past her" he said to Sam clear enough so everyone could hear, "She's dense enough."

"You little..." astonished anger prevented Paulina from saying anymore. Mr Lancer stepped in.

"Everybody be quiet. Mr Fenton, Ms Sanchez, please refrain from insulting your class mates. Please get ready to go to your first class."

Sam didn't know what to think, as she stood up and pushed in her chair. Part of her was elated that Danny had backed her up like that, not just because it meant he was on her side but because it showed her he obviously didn't feel anything for Paulina anymore. But another part of her was slightly shocked. She knew Danny had a sarcastic streak, but he'd never let it out before. She hadn't realised that he could.

Apparently, neither did the rest of the class. Everyone was murmuring to themselves and casting glances in his direction.

Danny looked a little stunned himself. I don't know what got over me, he mouthed to her.

Oh, he was going to be in for it when Dash got wind of this. The jock was late to class and missed it all, but it was only a matter of time.

She was right.

Dash marched up to Danny as they stood by the lockers, pulling out books. You could feel him coming, he was so angry. People went quiet as he walked past. By the time he reached them they could hear his breathing. He marched up to them, and stood there until they turned to look of him.

He was puffing like a bull and cracking his knuckles. "You ready to die, Fentina?" he snarled.

Next to Sam, Danny turned pale as salt and backed up slightly. He was terrified. You couldn't see it if you didn't know him, but Sam did. His eyes were wider than before and a muscle moved on his temple.

No. Not again.

She straightened up and stepped forward to stand between Danny and Dash. Squaring her shoulders, she glared at the jock. Dash didn't dare hurt her. Her parent would sue his family for every last penny, and he knew it.

He sneered at her. "Stand aside, Mason. You don't wanna be dragged into this," he said threateningly.

"Why don't you make me?" she said scathingly.

"Is that a challenge?" he said and stepped forward. And just for a second she was scared. Then her mind shifted and she felt Phantom stir. He was nearby; she could feel it and he knew she was afraid. It was like fire. Fury kindled and licked around his mind, so strong she had to move away.

There was a sudden drop in temperature and the lights flickered. A long ghostly moan echoed down the hallway.

And Sam was gently pulled back by Danny, who's hands were so cold that they burned. She looked at him and went numb. His eyes were icy and he was angry...he looked like he could kill.

"Still here Fentoe nail? I thought you would've run while your girlfriend here was pummelled to the ground."

"You were going to hit her?" he asked coldly. What it Sam's imagination, or did his voice echo slightly?

Dash sneered and crossed his arms, "Would it've pissed you off?" he drawled.

Danny didn't say anything. He just pulled Sam back until he could stand in front of her. Then he straightened up. "What, are you just gonna stand there, Dash? Too scared to move?" he said. Somehow it was a taunt even though he said it in a serious voice.

Everyone was so quiet that Dash's sharp intake of breath could be heard.

"You little..." he snarled. And charged.

Danny swept Sam to the side, crouched down a little and shifted his weight. As Dash ran at him, he braced, pushed off, had his arms around Dash's waist before the jock could blink and flipped him over. Dash's weight and speed worked against him. They went crashing down in a tangle of limbs, Danny falling on Dash. There was a second before Danny surged to his feet and kicked Dash so hard in the ribs that he skidded over the ground. Dash groaned and struggled to his feet. "I'll kill you, you little jerk," he mumbled and swung his fist. Danny stepped to side and as Dash came sailing past, slugged him on the arm. The jock stumbled and lashed out, catching Danny on the shoulder. Then he cried out and covered his hand with his shirt. "What the hell is wrong with you?" Dash snapped, stepping away.

Because Danny was burning with cold and his shirt was covered in shards of frost. Dash had sliced his hand open on a hundred little blades when he'd hit Danny.

Danny rubbed his shoulder as the lights flickered on and off.

"You know what, Dash?" he said, "You've got it wrong. You won't kill me. If you ever scare Sam again, I will kill you."

Sam didn't doubt it. And Dash, stepping further and further away from Danny didn't either. She'd only seen Danny like this twice before. Once, when someone had insulted Danni soon after her death. And once when Tucker had been tied up and left in the school overnight. Both times someone got very badly injured. And that someone was not Danny.

Dash and Danny glared at each other when-

"Small Gods, people, what is going on here?" snapped Mr Lancer, completely and utterly destroying the atmosphere. The spell was broken, and people began the chatter to each other.

"Okay, okay, get to class people," said the teacher, shooing the students away, "Your all late already and if it wasn't for the fact that there so many of you out, I'd give everyone a detention." He turned to face the boys, who were still standing still.

"What's going on?" he said suspiciously.

"Nothing, Mr Lancer," said Sam, carefully walking to Danny and pulling him away, "Just talking and lost track of time."

"What, all of you? There must have been over forty students standing around, Ms Mason."

"Drama, sir," cut in Tucker, "Discussing a flash mob that's going to be done at the mall this weekend. Sorry sir didn't mean to take too long."

"Yes but-"

"Gotta go sir!"

"Mr Baxter doesn't do drama..."

But they were gone.

"Are you going to keep on doing that?" asked Tucker.

"What?" said a distracted Danny.

"You know, suddenly showing you are proficient at skills that your entire reputation is built around not having? I thought you didn't do magic. Or fight. Definitely not both at the same time."

"What?"

"You know I painted my elephant pink yesterday night?"

"Wha-Excuse me? You did what?" Danny gave Tucker a muddled look. Tucker, in return, patted Danny on the head.

"It's okay. Don't think too hard." Tucker was, surprisingly, perfectly okay with having a slightly violent friend. Both times Danny had lost it before, Tucker had been the only one not fazed by it all. Because, as he put it, Danny hadn't flipped at them. He never would. And who doesn't feel slightly cosy inside knowing you have a berserker on your side, he said. Which wasn't the right way of looking at the situation, Sam was sure. But what could she say?

Danny had just fought another guy for her. And despite the fact that what he'd done was wrong, she still felt...

Happy.

He had fought for her.

He had fought for her.

"You alright?" he asked. She just nodded with a smile. How could she tell him what she was feeling? He would never get it. She was princess and he was her knight. Which is a totally out dated and flawed ideal and implied that women couldn't do anything but be saved. BUT, who doesn't want a knight? Who doesn't want a cute, sensitive guy to sweep one off her feet and fawn over her and please her? Every girl wants to be adored. Sam wanted to be adored. And Danny, he just made her feel wonderful without doing anything. She was addicted to that light in his eyes that only seemed to shine for her.

No he wouldn't get it. Clueless boy.

"You've never done that before," she said.

"You've never been scared by Dash before."

"Well, actually I have. All the time."

"What? You have... Before?" he turned to her and looked so worried that she couldn't help but smile.

"Danny.." she almost laughed, "I'm scared out of my mind every time he goes after you. Every time you've been scared, every time you've been hurt, I'm scared. It's just today I was scared for me too."

He stopped and stared at the ground. "Sam..." he said sadly, "You're scared? Don't you feel safe?" He made a twitching movement with his hand.

"Safe? When you keep on going off and getting hurt?"

"I what?"

"Don't play dumb. The running off? In class, in lunch, after school? Any of this ringing a bell?"

Danny was looking slightly freaked out

"You realised? What I was doing?" He was going pale. "How much do you know?"

"Enough, dude," said Tucker, "More than enough. We know that your hiding something from us and have been for two and half years. That every time you breath mists you run off and come back limping and that you're always expecting something to attack. We know. We're your friends, dude. We know you."

Danny was shell shocked. "You..." he stuttered and looked from one to the other. "You know? Why didn't you say?"

"Cause we're your friends. Come on, man. Are you deaf? We just figured that with Danni dyeing and Dash picking you as his punching bag and Val going off on her own and everything else, that the last thing you needed was me and Sam ditching you. Cause we're awesome like that."

"You guys..."

"Here's my stop. Play nice, you two." said Tucker before walking into a class room. Sam heard as she and Danny walked on...

"The panda cake is in the house! Mrs Sealy! You can stop panicking now, I'm here!"

"Mr Foley, you are late!"

"I'm sorry miss; I got attacked by the purple giraffe."

"What, again?"

The two of them laughed quietly. Computing class. The nerds were weird. They had their own sub culture and everything, with code words and hand signals and secret meetings in the middle of maths. She still didn't know what purple giraffe stood for.

She glanced at Danny from the corner of her eye. Her Danny, she was sure.

"I might just skip Wizardry today," she said, "And sit with you in the library. And help you with your Espanyol. And stuff."

"Thanks Sam," he said, still recovering from the fight and their conversation, "I'd like some company today."

"Remember our outing," she said.

"Wouldn't miss it for the world," he said, and linked arms with her.

She smiled, and hugged him close. She wouldn't change him for the world.

I have not uploaded in ages. That's why I'm bribing you with two chapters.