Chapter Nine

"Sixty two bottles of beer on the wall, sixty two bottles of beer. Take one down pass it around, Sixty one bottles of beer on the wall...," Jazz sang off key as she lay on her sleeping bag, on the floor as she looked up at the flickering lights of the ceiling.

Tucker, who had been singing off key with her up until Seventy nine bottles of beer on the wall, was now laying on his side, watching her. He couldn't believe it. Jazz couldn't carry a tune. For everything she was so perfect at, her inability to hold pitch was unexpected.

Her lack of vocal ability confirmed everything for him, he couldn't sing either, but they could sing together and neither of them would know the difference. They could be happy, maybe not making beautiful music, but it didn't matter as long as they both sang the same words. Tucker sighed heavily as he watched her.

Jazz knew Tucker was watching her as she sang, but she kept her eyes focused on the light on the ceiling, imagining bottles of beer floating around the room, trying to forget where she was, trying to forget Tucker was beside her. She didn't want to face him. His feelings for her or hers for him.

"Jazz," Tucker said and she held her breath for a moment.

"Yes?" she asked softly and closed her eyes as she waited. She wanted him to move toward her, place his lips against hers. She wanted to wrap her arms around him, pull him close and just forget the world and its stupid complications, at the same time she wanted to make him keep his distance.

Tucker sighed as he watched her eyes flutter closed. He laid down on his back then blinked. "I think I've found a way out," he answered softly.

Jazz's heart thumped painfully in her chest for a moment. "What?"

"A way out," Tucker said softly, pointing up to the ceiling as she opened her eyes and looked at him. Jazz followed the line of his vision, sighed in relief then turned her gaze to his face and smiled.

Tucker opened his mouth, but was held speechless by her beauty. It hurt to know that this girl, this woman could never, would never be his. He would never hold her, never share joy or pain with her. She would fade from his life like a turquoise and red sunset, leaving the darkness of night in her wake. He knew he'd never be quite the same again.

"I'll be so glad to get out of here," she said in a shaky, happy voice. "I don't want to spend another minute in this wretched room."

Tucker's heart tore as he looked away from Jazz and up at the air conditioning vent, their escape route. He knew she didn't mean it the way he interpreted it, but he was sure that what she couldn't stand was to spend another minute alone with him.

"Well let's go then," Tucker said as he stood. He offered his hand to Jazz who took it happily and let him help her stand. Jazz threw her arms around Tucker, hugged him tight and dropped a kiss on his neck, effectively leaving him in brain melt down as she looked up at the vent.

Tucker and Jazz moved the table and Tucker climbed up to remove the vent cover. He sighed heavily then reached into his pocket and came out with a small, multi-use tool with a screw driver attached. Jazz smiled up at him in admiration, but said nothing. She decided that it would be unwise to talk any more than she had to for fear she said something which gave away her feelings.

Jazz stepped back as Tucker pried the cover off of the vent then took the flashlight Jazz offered and shined it in the vent.

"It's small," he said softly as he looked down at Jazz.

"Do you think I'll fit?" She asked as she took his hand and stood beside him on the table.

Tucker put his hand around Jazz's waist as the table wobbled slightly, then looked into her eyes. "I hope you will," he answered then sighed deeply.

Jazz began winding her hair into a braid as she looked up at the vent, she was aware of Tucker's eyes on her, and the question in his gaze. She couldn't afford to answer him, even if for the moment, but that didn't mean she didn't want to.

"Okay," Jazz said as she finished braiding her hair then straightened her clothes and looked up at the vent, trying to figure the best way to climb through and trying to calm her fears about getting stuck.

"Jazz," Tucker started, his breath caught as she looked at him quickly then back up at the vent. He knew she was avoiding his eyes. He adjusted his hat in frustration

"Jazz," Tucker said softly, his heart skipped four beats as her eyes fluttered to meet his gaze. He put his hand on her cheek, the swallowed hard and bit his bottom lip with uncertainty at the look on Jazz's face.

Jazz tilted her face up as Tucker moved toward her, deciding that even though she thought it was wrong, she still wanted to kiss him. Besides, considering the situation it could be explained away as being caught up in the moment, with no real meaning.

Tucker moved forward and brushed his lips against her cheek. He stifled a groan as he forced himself to pull away. Kissing her cheek would never be enough, not ever, but he wasn't going to overstep his bounds no matter how badly he wanted to. She didn't want him, he could accept that, but he still needed something as he sent her up the air shaft.

"Be safe," Tucker told her as he moved away from her and looked up at the vent. He missed the hungry, anguished look in her eyes as she put her hand to her cheek. She wanted to throw her arms around him and kiss him properly, but decided that discretion was the better part of valor.

"I will be," she said as she watched him bend down and cup his hand for her to use as a way to get up into the vent.

"Are you ready?" he asked. Jazz nodded, put her foot in his cupped hands and was hoisted up to the vent. She immediately felt stifled as four aluminum walls closed in around her. She shimmed a little way through the air duct then took a deep calming breath.

"Tucker," she called. "The air duct narrows. I can't go any further."

"Damn!" Tucker hissed. "Come out I'll be waiting to help you out.

"Okay," Jazz answered as she attempted to move backwards. She didn't budge. She tried again and then again. She was sweating and the dust she was stirring had begun to clog her lungs and she coughed then wheezed and tried to move again.

"Jazz?" Tucker asked loudly. "Are you all right?"

"I'm stuck," Jazz answered weakly. "I need to think." She did her best to calm the panic rising in her chest, but she felt as if she was being crushed, she couldn't breath and the more she struggled the more stuck she seemed to become. She couldn't move her arms, She couldn't move period.

"Jazz?" Tucker yelled frantically as he listed to her cough then stop struggling. "Baby, are you all right?"

"I'm stuck," she sobbed. "I'm stuck Tucker I can't move." Tucker cursed under his breath as he jumped from the table, threw his hat across the room then grabbed the chair and put it on the table.

He could hear Jazz whimpering in the duct and coughing occasionally and he was scared. If she was truly stuck, there was no way to get her out. Would she die up there? He could make out her the bottom of her feet, around twenty four inches into the duct then did his best to half climb in the tiny air way.

"It's okay Jazz," he told her soothingly as he reached for her feet. "I'm going to get you out of there."

"It's no use," Jazz cried. "I'm stuck." She closed her eyes as she felt him grab her feet then cried out as he pulled.

"Straighten out your arms, baby," Tucker called and Jazz opened her eyes. She felt so stupid, that's all she needed to do all along. She stretched out one arm and then the other then sighed in relief as Tucker started pulling her out of the air duct.

"Wait!" Jazz cried as she felt her shirt catch on one of the screws connecting one section of the vent to the other, but Tucker was too eager to get her out of the vent and before she knew it Jazz was again on the table, this time she was wrapped in Tucker's arms and he pulled her close.

"Are you all right?" he queried as she clung to him. "You're not hurt are you?"

"No," Jazz squeaked as she pressed closer to Tucker, though she wasn't looking for comfort so much as covering.

Tucker smoothed his hands across her waist then paused and swallowed hard as he smoothed his hand up her back. Instead of coming in contact with the soft material of her black sweater, his hand brushed against bare skin and then the strap of her bra.

"Where's your shirt?" Tucker asked as his throat constricted. Closing his eyes was just as bad and keeping them open. He could imagine her, there in is arms in a white lacey bra and nothing else. He opened his eyes again and trembled, hyper aware of her breasts pressing against his chest as her breath wafted against his neck.

"In the air duct," Jazz answered. "If you lift me up…"

"Yeah," Tucker began as he tried not look as he knelt down to lift Jazz back into the vent, but he was male, red blooded male completely in love with the woman in question and he couldn't resist looking any more than he could have escaped the gravitational pull of a black hole. He knew he was going to be doomed forever, but he had no choice really.

Jazz was expecting him to cup his hands so he could lift her up to retrieve her shirt, but instead he looked, his eyes scanning her body slowly. She could feel her cheeks burning with a blush as his eyes lingered on her purple, butterfly embroidered bra. His gaze met hers almost questioningly and she pointed to the vent. Tucker took a deep breath, cupped his hands then hoisted her up, his eyes still glued to the creamy skin of her stomach. He wondered her skin tasted as delicious as it looked. He ached to find out, but knew for a fact that he never would.

"Okay," Jazz said as she grabbed her sweater. Tucker pulled her back down and again into his arms.

Why did she have to wear a bra from Victoria's Secret? Why? Why did his mother have to get Victoria's Secret catalogues in the mail? Why did he have to be a normal hormonal teenage boy and steal the catalogue? Why did he have to imagine Jazz in every skimpy article of clothing in the damn thing? And why? Why did she have to be there in his arms, wearing that bra, his fantasy come to life?

"Thanks," Jazz told him as she hugged Tucker tight. She wanted to slip her sweater over her head and cover herself again, but Tucker was holding on to her for what seemed like dear life.

"I'm all right," Jazz began soothingly as she nuzzled her face against his neck. She could feel rather then hear the growling sound vibrating in his throat and before she knew what hit her, he was kissing her, his tongue plunging past her lips as he pressed her closer.

She rationalized very briefly that this should under no circumstances be happening, but her relief at being rescued from the vent broke down all her reasoning skills and the taste and feel of him was too good to resist.

The table they were standing on quivered beneath them and Tucker managed enough presence of mind to work Jazz into a sitting position which finally ended with his feet on the floor and her legs around his waist as their kiss continued.

Predictably, reason worked it's way into Jazz's mind, and she ended the kiss, pulling away reluctantly as she put her hands on either side of Tucker's face and forced him to look into her eyes. What she found there was hurt, shame and sadness. Jazz sighed heavily as she smoothed her fingers across his cheek. He was already moving away from her, closing himself off, and as irrational as she knew it was, she wanted to fight him, pull him back to her and kiss him senseless.

"So looks like we're still stuck," Tucker said as he put more space between them then turned his back to her, closing his eyes tight as he struggled to catch his breath.

Jazz pulled on her shirt, jumped off the table then walked toward Tucker and put her hand on his shoulder. She expected him to at least turn and look at her, but he only stiffened and stepped away from her.

"What about the bathroom window?" Jazz asked. "We could pry off the…"

"No," Tucker said. "It's too narrow. Neither of us could squeeze through." Jazz cursed herself for a moment for not being as tiny as Sam or not having ghost powers like Danny. The two of them would have already been out of the room.

"We should talk then," Jazz started nervously.

"About what?" Tucker asked shortly.

"You and me," Jazz answered.

"There is no you and me," Tucker replied coolly. "You're my best friend's sister. You're two years older than me. You're smart, funny, beautiful and beyond me…"

"Oh Tuck," Jazz laughed and he turned and looked at her, his eyes full of questions and pain.

"Things wouldn't work out between us because I'm leaving for college in the fall. There's no time for us…."

Tucker frowned as he mentally calculated. "We have six months," he finally said. "How is that no time?"

"Six months of what?" Jazz asked helplessly. "Six months of looking forward to breaking up when I leave…"

"Well," Tucker started as he turned and looked at Jazz his eyes full of hope. "We would at least have that six months together. I'm tired of feeling like I've been torn to shreds, Jazz. I love you. I want to be with you. If six months is all I can get, then I'd rather take it than have nothing."

Jazz's eyes filled with tears. "I think nothing would be better Tuck," she said as she closed her eyes so she wouldn't have to see the hurt look on his face. "It would be better than being together for six months, only to have my heart wrenched out at the end of everything and…"

"Wait…" Tucker said as his breath caught. "Your heart? Jazz? Your heart?"

"I care about you too," Jazz finally admitted. "I can't say I love you, but I guess I probably do and…" The rest of her speech was cut off as Tucker kissed her again. Jazz wrapped her arms around him and just gave in to the emotions filling her heart and the needy aching heat pooling in the pit of her stomach.

"So," Tucker began sometime later after they'd kissed each other silly. "Six months? Please just say your mine for six months."

"Yours?" Jazz asked in amusement.

"Or I'm yours," Tucker continued. "Whatever, just say we can date, belong to each other until you leave for college."

Jazz took a deep breath as she searched his face. "What if I don't want to let go of you after six months?"

Tucker shrugged. "Then we'll find a way to work things out."

"And what if it doesn't work out?" Jazz asked softly.

"We'll deal with that when the time comes," Tucker answered as he threaded his hand through her hair. "Please Jazz, say yes. Please."

"Yes," Jazz answered then paused. "That is if we ever get out of here alive."

Tucker pulled her close. "We'll get out of here," He promised as he rocked her from side to side. "With your brains and my…I don't know…we'll figure something out."

---

"Danny no!" Sam whispered from where they stood invisible in the corner as she squeezed his arm and watched Jazz kissing Tucker, shirtless on the table, or was that Tucker kissing Jazz? Sam couldn't tell. "If you show yourself now, you're going to ruin everything."

"She's half naked!" Danny hissed as he pointed to his sister, unfortunately Sam couldn't see him pointing. "He's kissing my half naked sister. They're making out!!!"

"I know," Sam tried not to laugh. "Just wait and see what happens okay?"

"Fine," Danny whispered angrily. "But the moment he takes off her bra…" Sam laughed and then frowned and gestured toward Jazz as she pushed Tucker away. She heard Danny sigh in relief, but she felt bad for Tucker. The look on his face was tragic.

"Well," Danny sighed. "It doesn't look like it's going to work. Let's go get them out."

"Just wait a moment longer," Sam told him. "Let them work things out."

"Fine," he sighed. They watched as Tucker and Jazz began ironing out their relationship and Sam sighed while Danny grumbled.

"I think we've seen enough," Sam told him gently as she smiled at Tucker and Jazz. Danny phased them out of the room then let go of Sam and transformed back to human mode.

"It worked," she told him happily as she hugged then kissed him quickly.

"Yeah," Danny said sourly. "But maybe a little too well."

"Too well?" Sam asked as she put her hand on her hip.

Danny sighed and looked up at the sky. "I was hoping they'd just patch things up between them and be friends."

"Oh Danny," Sam laughed. "I thought you were fine with them being together."

Danny shook his head as he started walking around to the entrance of the warehouse. "You don't understand, Sam," he started. "I have things hard enough as it is. I have school work to try not to fail, I have Dash's bullying to avoid, I have ghosts to fight and I have the girl of my dreams, the last thing I need is to be constantly worried that my best friend is doing inappropriate things to my sister."

Sam snickered and Danny gave her an irritated look. She smiled then took his hand and kissed him again. "I really love you, Danny." She said then walked into the warehouse.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Danny asked.

Sam turned and gave him a flirtatious look. "It means that you're going to be far too busy with me to give your sister and Tucker a second thought, and that's probably good for them." Danny smiled and Sam laughed.

"I'm glad we didn't have to leave them in there long," Danny said to Sam as he broke the ectoplasmic lock he put on the door then swung it open. The sight he was confronted with when he looked into the room, nearly knocked the wind out of him.

"Get your hands off my sister you lousy pervert!" Danny said as he strode forward and grabbed Tucker, who had his hands almost up Jazz's shirt. "Touch her like that again and best friend or not, I turn you ghost."

"Danny!" Jazz screeched. "Leave my boyfriend alone! What happened to our privacy policy?"

"It went right out the window when you started kissing my best friend," Danny growled. "Really, Jazz. Tucker? I mean…he's…he's Tucker."

Jazz rolled her eyes then looked at Sam who was standing in the doorway with her arms crossed wearing an amused smile. Jazz's irritated look turned evil as the turned back to her brother. "You know Danny," Jazz started. "If you'd finally do the right thing and tell Sam you're hopelessly in love with her and maybe you'll stop interfering in my love life."

Danny narrowed his eyes at the smug look on Jazz's face. "Sam?" he called. "Can you come here a second?"

Sam took a deep breath and walked over to Danny. "What?" she asked.

He looked at her and winked. "I love you, Sammy."

"I love you too," Sam replied as she smoothed a strand of wayward hair from his eyes. "But even if you are the love of my life, call me Sammy one more time and I'll kill you." Danny looked at Jazz and smiled.

"Wait!" Tucker said as he moved forward. "What's going on with you two?"

"Nothing new," Sam asked.

"Well nothing that hasn't been going on for a few weeks," Danny answered.

"Has it only been a few weeks?" Sam asked thoughtfully. Danny nodded and she shook her head.

"You two are together?" Jazz asked.

"Yeah," Danny and Sam said in unison then smiled at each other.

"Thank goodness!" Tucker sighed then smiled at Jazz who smiled back sweetly. All four of the friends started out of the room, but Jazz paused.

"Wait," she said then looked at Danny then Sam. "What happened? We thought Skulker got you. We thought Sam was…."

"Hurt," Tucker inserted. "We though Sam was hurt and Danny was taken hostage."

Danny and Sam looked at each other then smiled. "It was a set up," Sam finally answered.

"My idea," Danny announced proudly.

"To get you talking to each other," Sam finished. Danny put his arm around her and smiled.

"A set up?" Jazz asked angrily then paused as they reached the parking lot. "Where's my car?"

Danny laughed slightly. "Well a funny thing happened," he laughed.

"Danny," Jazz growled warningly.

Danny looked around then transformed into Phantom. "I guess I'll be flying everyone back to my house," he laughed nervously.

"But my car!" Jazz cried.

"Is parked safely at home, in the driveway," Sam told her gently.

"How?" Jazz asked angrily. "You didn't drive my car did you, Danny?"

"Like an eighty two year old grandmother," Sam answered dryly.

Tucker laughed. "Was he weaving all over the road?"

Sam sighed. "No, Danny is actually a pretty competent driver,' she replied then cleared her throat and smiled sweetly at her boyfriend. "I was surprised."

"Thank you Sammykins," Danny said then dove away from her batting hand. Jazz and Tucker stood arm and arm as they watched Sam chase Danny around the parking lot and then they looked at each other.

"Here I was thinking we'd be able to get him busy with Sam and keep him out of our business," Jazz said sadly.

Tucker shook his head. "It's kinda scary to think that Danny of all people was two steps a head of us."

Jazz smiled up at him then adjusted Tucker's hat and glasses. "Don't worry, Sweetie," she told him softly. "He won't stay two steps a head of us for long." Tucker smiled then watched with an open mouth as the chase between Danny and Sam shifted and Danny grabbed Sam and kissed her deeply.

"Uh," Tucker said and Jazz closed his mouth. "Just enjoy the moment, Tuck," she said as she arched up on her tip toes. "Those two will always, always be stuck in love."

The End

Dear and beloved faithful readers. Thank you for sticking with me through this story. It has become exceedingly difficult for me to write Danny Phantom stories lately, mostly because my new interest has been taking precidence. Go over to Deviant art and look up Circus Prima. I am one of the writers of the world...there is art as well. I'd like to recommend my Circus Prima fic called, A Hair Thing or The Most Important letter as a starting off point. I love Circus Prima, created by my friend Capn-Nomy. EnnaNyltiak also writes for Circus Prima, her fics are amazing and I'm sure you would all love Lune and Soleil.

As for Danny and I. I will try to continue writing him and continue looking for other story ideas. Thank you everyone.

Love,
Nonny