Moonlight shines like daggers upon the blankets of the boy betrayed. No sleep, no rest, no good dreams of a dance, girls whirling in their dresses, pink and gold. No good dreams of a night that should have been his.

He shifts, no longer comfortable in his skin (his skin). Hands rock in a forlorn rock-a-bye, his legs (his legs) kicking against the wall. He sits up, sets the glasses back on - he can't bare to see the wide-eyed look, the deep shuddering breaths, reflected in black frames.

They were kids once, he and Danny, flying around like superheroes, their capes flapping in the wind.

Little smiles, green grass, comic books strewn across the yard.

Tuck doesn't remember much of the Accident save for splintered screaming, emerald light, and the gleam of a stranger's eyes.

(How could he forget).

The day of the dance, Tuck could feel it, taste it, his night in tow. Here they were, Danny and Tuck, hanging out, forming ties. Some sadness perhaps for Sam, but how were they supposed to know? Last thing he saw were glowing eyes - his own forced repetitions of no - firm, indisputable – stuck.

'It'll be alright,' his own mouth formed. No, not his mouth. Danny's mouth. A grin not his within the mirror, Tucker kicking, screaming in his own head, his own mind hacked by worst a friend.

(How could he forgive).

He stepped onto pavement, silent save for breathing - but it felt wrong. A ghost doesn't breathe, so in and out it went, mechanical, not natural - why.

Freedom. Air forced itself into Tuck's lungs - he coughed, spluttered, his hands curled into fists. Danny drifted into the night, phantom-black, hair ruffling in the wind.

Tucker wanted to yell, scream at him - he thought they were friends dammit. Who the hell as Danny to smile like that? Who the hell was Danny to pretend this was okay? This take away of choice, this betrayal of trust but no - there was Sam dressed up, smiling (how was he to know). He couldn't ruin her night. He couldn't ruin her joy. The time as still young.

But at the end of it all, Danny took even that away from him. The end of the dance, final waltz, two lovebirds broke denial - and all Tucker had was a ghost by his side.

Staring out of the window, Tucker sighs, breath invisible in the midnight gloom. Who is he anymore to Danny? Friend, secret-keeper – just another human?

He knows he can never tell Danny his true thoughts, his true feelings of that night so he'll force it down, put on the brave face, the brave mask of techno-geek side-kick.

Tucker laughs, harsh, choking - why the facade, Danny's his friend -

and a guy should never be scared of his best friend.