Hello readers! I wanted to take a quick moment and thank you for reading this story - it means a lot to me. This story has been in the works for close to ten years, having started from a small plot bunny back when I was very active in the DP Fan realm. The story has been in and out of production sense, simply because I didn't want to be one of those authors who publishes a few chapters and then never finishes.

I'm happy to say that I have resumed production and over the past year have progressed immensely on this story, and even found a beta reader. I've gotten so far that I am finally ready and confident to post this story.

Quick description: "Danny Fenton and Sarah Manson were the class couple, destined to be together forever. Until one night when Danny disappeared, leaving Sarah heartbroken. Fifty years later, Samantha Manson is pretty much a loner, wandering the world with no real path. One night she makes a drastic decision and finds herself in the hands of a mysterious young ghostly hero."

Happy reading!

Past and Present

PROLOGUE

Amity Park, 50 years ago.

"I can't believe we graduate tomorrow," Sarah Manson commented. She was sitting next to him on the bed, running her fingers through his jet black hair.

"And then, we go our separate ways," Danny sighed.

Danny and Sarah had known each other since pre-school, sharing play dates, holidays, math tests, and memories. And somewhere between the semester they had both spent with mono and the epic CAT test, they had finally decided to start dating. What seemed like a good decision at the time was slowly turning sour as their last summer before college approached.

Danny had plans to attend an academy for pilots, which was very far away from Amity Park, their hometown. Sarah, on the other hand, was going to attend a community college in town: she hated the idea of picking up and leaving. Both knew they would forever be friends, but being so far apart would never work for anything more.

"Well, at least we have all summer together," Sarah replied.

"And we're going to spend it doing all the things we love. Walking the beach, exploring the creepy buildings around town, and buying new records of course!"

Danny and Sarah were pretty good about spending time doing nothing, and one of their favorite nothings was the local record store. They often found themselves spending hours sorting through new and old tunes, looking for the most off the wall ones they could find.

"I don't know, Danny…, I mean nothing will ever beat that Elvis record we found last week!" Sarah said with a small smile as she reached over to her player.

Soon the tune of "Can't Help Falling in Love" began to fill the air.

They both looked at each other as they recognized the song, the words flooding their brains.

"Sarah! Danny! It's getting late, shouldn't you two be calling it a night?"

The voice of Sarah's mom was came from downstairs,breaking the trance and alerting them that time was up, and Danny needed to be heading home.

"We're about to graduate high school and the curfew is still nine o'clock. Man, Sarah, you need to get your parents on board with this dating thing…" Danny joked.

"Believe me, I've tried. But when you suddenly inherit money from toothpick wrappers, all sense of anything else kind of goes out the window…; like a ghost."

Sarah's family was rich. They hadn't always been, but about five years ago a rich uncle had died and left all his money to them. She had hoped nothing would change, but it all did. Her parents, who once took an interest in her life, now only cared about whether or not she was alive. She hated it, for she was always being controlled by her parents and their money. Which is why Danny was the only person outside of her family who knew: If anyone at school found out, she'd lose control of that also.

She and Danny were not the most popular people at their school, Casper High. They had a few other friends, mostly just so they wouldn't be alone at the lunch table, but that was it. They tried not to mind it most days – being popular was overrated – but Sarah sometimes wondered what would happen if she shared her family's secret.

"Well, I guess, and honestly my sister is probably worried sick anyway," Danny said, thinking of his sister, Jasmine, and how overprotective she could get.

"I'll call you tonight, when I get home, ok?"

He leaned in for one last goodbye kiss on the cheek before heading to the door. All Sarah could do was blush as he left, wishing this moment would never end.

'I sure am going to miss this…'

It was nine thirty and Danny still hadn't called. Sarah wasn't too worried: he had forgotten before, but after what they had done today, she was sure he wouldn't just forget.

So she waited.

Ten. Nothing.

Ten thirty. Nothing.

Eleven. Nothing.

She gave up around eleven thirty, when she herself was getting really tired.

'I guess I'll just talk to him tomorrow,' she thought as she drifted off to sleep.

Danny found himself wandering the streets of Amity Park, knowing that his curfew was a little bit later, and therefore he had time to just walk and think.

'Sarah. We've been together since preschool, and after graduation tomorrow, everything changes.'

'Why did I decide to go off to school in D.C. ? Why can't I just stay here, with her, forever?'

'Come on man! You've wanted to be a pilot longer than you've known her, and you know that you'll never forgive yourself if you give that up.'

At this point, Danny found himself in front of a local market, advertisements in the windows for meat sales, $1 milk, and discount flowers.

'There's always next year…' he thought as opened the shop door.

'And tonight, you need to take a chance.'

It was the last day of school. They were graduating tonight.

Sarah waited at her locker for Danny. She just needed to see him, to be sure he was okay. He never showed up.

'Danny, where are you?'

In class, the teachers called role. No Danny.

By the time the day had ended, Sarah was getting very worried. He hadn't been at school all day and she hadn't talked to him since yesterday afternoon. Where was he?

'Maybe he's just sick and needed to get better for graduation.'

After school, she decided she couldn't stand not knowing anymore, and headed straight for Danny's place.

Upon entering his house (something she was allowed to do without knocking, since the family knew her so well), she knew something was wrong.

His mom was standing in the kitchen, the phone to her ear.

"Yes, that's right. He's 5'8" and has jet black hair and blue eyes. Yes, officer, last night."

'That can't be good'.

Her heart sank. Where was Danny? Obviously not here.

"Yes, I understand you are working on other cases. Yes, the explosion, I saw the news. Any chance they're...?"

She paused.

"I see, well if you find anything please let me know."

His father was running around, a bunch of signs in his hands. Sarah couldn't manage to stop him, so she continued to look around.

Danny's older sister, Jasmine, was sitting on the couch, her mass of red hair leaning into her hands.

"Jazz., Jazz? Are you ok? Shouldn't you be in class?"

Jasmine was currently attending the local community college, and Sarah knew that it took a pretty big emergency to keep her from attending class.

The girl looked up at her brother's girlfriend, tears filling her eyes.

"No one knows, he's been gone since last night…" She leaned back into her hands, a sobbing sound coming from underneath.

Sarah took that as her cue to leave.

'Danny never made it home? Why didn't I worry more? What kind of person AM I?!'

Her heart sank. Danny, her Danny, was missing.

She had been looking forward to graduation all year. She and Danny both walking across that stage. She and Danny sharing that moment. She and Danny, finally ready to face the world. Now, however, she didn't feel like going.

Every hour since that afternoon, until she finally had to get ready for graduation, she had called his family to see if Danny had showed up. He never did.

Everyone was worried, but she was probably the most worried, maybe even more than his parents were.

She was now dreading graduation. Hearing his name but not seeing him walk across that stage…. They had both worked so hard for this, and now he was gone. In her mind, she kept hoping he'd show up, but in her heart she knew he wouldn't. He was gone, and her life would never be the same.

Weeks passed. Police gave up, determining that Danny was likely dead. The night in question had led to several suggestions, from a few local fires and kidnappings to a bigger explosion at a nearby store. Officers assumed he had stopped off at the store on his way home, but no definite evidence came to light.

His parents were in mourning, wishing they knew what had happened, or at least that they'd had one last chance to say goodbye.

Jasmine had retreated to her room, not wanting to be disturbed as she tried to figure things out. She and Danny had been really close, sharing so much, that it affected her harder even than it did her parents.

Sarah was devastated. The last thing they had discussed was her parents' fortune, and looking back she knew what she should have said instead. What she should have done.

Dressed in black, umbrella in hand, she approached the tombstone with tears in her eyes and an iris in her hands: yet another favorite thing of theirs'.

"Danny. I love you."

She kissed the flower and placed it on this stone.

It read:

"Daniel Fenton. Gone too soon."

"Oh dear girl. I wish I didn't have to hurt you through all of this. But please understand, it's for the greater good."

Floating above a sea of stones, the figure looked down upon the blank one, waiting for the precise moment to turn.

A distant clock struck twelve as the figure went from very young to very old within seconds, pointing his staff at the blank stone.

"Daniel Fenton. We will meet again."

Thank you so much for reading! I plan to post chapter 1 in the next day or soon and then update on a weekly basis from there.

If you liked this, please review and favorite.

Thanks!

Lisa