A couple years later and, unbeknownst to Sam or Danny, Nick was let out. He had convinced the warden to let him out six months early on good behavior. According to the warden, Nick was a model inmate. Nick, however, only wanted out for one reason: vengeance. Sam was his, no matter what she, that stupid ghost boy, or anyone else said.

One night, while her parents were on a business trip, Sam walked in the door after going to the movies with Danny. She hadn't been in her room two minutes when she heard the doorbell ring. Crap, I left my mace in my room! She thought, her face not betraying her surprise as she opened the door revealing Nick.

"Scream and you're dead." He said as he held her mouth closed with one hand, the other holding a knife to her throat. He pried her mouth open as he asked her "Ain't ya gonna give me a kiss?" She tasted something as he forced his tongue into her mouth. Beer.

"Nick, you're drunk." She said as she wriggled free. "We are not together anymore. You're an abusive bast-" She was cut off by a powerful backhanded smack to the cheek, which knocked her off her feet, sending her into an end table which broke as she stumbled and fell, the spikes on the backs of his gloved fingers leaving four scars side by side.

"You're mine, you stupid little cu-" Nick replied, cut off as he felt his jaw shatter. Lightheaded, he realized that not only was he being pulled to his feet by his collar, but also through the roof of the Manson household. He must have been a couple hundred feet in the air by the time he stopped.

"What the hell's going on?"

"DON'T YOU EVER GO NEAR SAM AGAIN, DO YOU HEAR ME?" Danny asked, his face contorted in fury as he appeared inches from Nick's face

"Hey, let me go."

"As you wish." He let go of Nick before swooping down and catching him by the collar again.

"Hey, man, we're cool, right?"

"No, man, we're not cool, MAN. If I so much as smell you near Sam again, you're dead. Hear me, bud?" The two of them flew back down until Danny was about ten feet in the air, at which point he threw Nick onto the sidewalk. Danny phased trough the door as Nick took off down the street, never to be seen from again.

"Sam?" Danny asked, not finding her by the broken end table. He found her in the far corner of the kitchen floor, sitting on the floor, arms around her knees, head down, sobbing hysterically. She jumped as Danny touched her unharmed cheek.

"Sam, it's ok, it's ok, it's just me. Everything'll be fine, I just need to get a look at you." He lifted her too her feet. "Well, it seems that you don't have a scratch on you, except for the scars on your cheek, which we can take care of right away." He said as he applied some bandages. "Sam, since I don't want you to be alone tonight, I was wondering if you'd like to sleep at my place?"

"I-I-I'd like that."

Danny embraced her as he went intangible and flew back home. "Just let it out, Sam." He said, stroking her back as she wept into his shoulder. He transformed back into Danny Fenton as he knocked on his door, which was answered by his mother, Maddie.

"Sam, is everything alright?"

"Everything's fine, mom." Danny replied for her as he held the girl bridal style. "Nick Brownstone came back and smacked Sam around, or at least that's what Danny Phantom told me as I watched Nick running away. I was wondering if Sam could sleep in my room tonight?"

"Sure."

"Thanks, mom."

"Yeah, thanks, Mrs. Fenton."

"Any time, sweetie."

Danny laid Sam down in his bed as he laid out a sleeping bag on the floor.

"Goodnight, Sam."

"Goodnight, Danny. I can't thank you guys enough."

"You don't have to, Sam, you're my best friend. I care for you. I love you." Said Danny as he sat on the edge of the bed, stroking her hair.

"I love you, too."

(A/N: The sequel, "Save Me, Danny," is now up.)