"This is crazy," Sam Manson whispered to herself. "Whoever heard of a goth that was afraid of thunderstorms?" Thunder boomed from outside her window and lightning flashed. Sam screamed and dove under her covers. "Okay, so I'm a goth afraid of thunderstorms." She shrieked again as another bolt of lightning lit up her room.

Quivering with fear Sam lay in terrified apprehension. She let out a bloodcurdling sound when the thunder crashed again. Her inner voice was wondering how her parents didn't hear her, but Sam wasn't paying attention to her inner voice. She was to busy trying not to cry. Thunderstorms had always upset her to the point where she became a blubbering mess. She would forever hate them, the evil scary things. She heard a tapping on the window pane and tensed. Things that went bump in the night and murdered you doing storms tapped on the window pain. A cool breeze filled the room.

"Sam?" Whispered a ghostly teenaged voice. Taking a deep breath Sam whipped off her covers in time to see Danny transform. "Skulker," he said and removed his T-shirt.

Sam bit her lip to keep from gasping. A large red wound cut across his abdomen. She bounced out of bed and made her way into the bathroom. Grabbing her usual kit Sam returned to see Danny still standing there. She pointed to the bed, not trusting her voice. She had managed to keep both of her friends from finding out her little secret. She gave a glance toward the window. The rain still hammered on the glass.

"Is something wrong?" Danny asked as Sam began to clean the wound. Sam shook her head. "You're lying to me, Sam, what is it?"

Sam didn't reply, just reached for the bandages. "Sam, I'm your best friend, you're going to end up telling me anyway." Sam shook her head. "This is weird, you being this quiet, usually you're ranting about how I should let a person sleep and learn to do this myself by now."

Sam gave him a look. In truth, she really enjoyed taking care of Danny. It gave her an excuse to touch him without seeming weird. "All done?" Danny wondered, as she gave him a pat on the chest and handed him his shirt. "That was quick." Too bad, he thought, I really wanted to spend more time with you. And I really don't want to go back out in that storm.

As though his thoughts were a trigger the thunder and lightning started up again. Unable to help herself Sam launched her body into Danny's lap and buried her head in his still bare shoulder. Danny rubbed circles on her bed as she clutched to him and shook. When the thunder and lightning took a break and Sam was still too terrified to look up Danny began to talk.

"This is why you wanted me out of here so bad. It's nothing to be ashamed of Sam, so you're scared. Everybody's scared of something." Sam still didn't reply, she was too embarrassed and she liked how Danny was holding to her. "Just look at me, please."

Sam looked up.

"If you want, I'll stay with you until the storm dies down, okay?" Sam nodded eagerly.

Pushing the first aid kit to the floor, the two teens climbed under the covers. They stayed on opposite sides of the bed, listening to each other breathe until the thunder crashed. Sam was shivering, crying and holding onto Danny before the lightning had a chance to even think about following. "It's okay, Sam, it's okay."

Sam clung to him and tried desperately to believe him.

*THE*NEXT*MORNING*

Sam woke up the next morning feeling surprisingly good. She'd slept better than she ever had, which was surprising considering the storm warning last night. Her eyes flew open. The storm! Danny! She was still wrapped in his arms, and he was still asleep. Sam relaxed against him. He was such a good friend.

Yes, such a good friend. Her inner voice spat, reminding her, again, of the fact that Danny didn't like her like that.

Danny stretched, yawned and opened his eyes. This wasn't his room. This was Sam's room. The storm. They were tangled together and she was already awake. "Sleep well?" He rasped, knowing that he'd slept like a baby.

"Yeah, you?"

"Great."

Sam sat up and Danny took that as he cue to roll out of the bed and prepare to leave. "Hey Danny?"

Danny turned, "yeah, Sam?"

"Thanks for staying last night, it really helped me." Sam blushed a little at her confession.

"Not a problem Sam, if you ever need me to come over again, just call. I'm always here for you." Danny moved to sit next to her on the bed.

"Again, thanks, you're a really good friend." Ugh, that word again, they both thought. They both treasured what they had, but yearned for something more.

Danny felt that the moment was right, that it was now or never. "Sam, I f-feel like last night was a-a . . . a turning point." Turning point? What an idiot! He thought.

Turning point? Is he going to- Sam was squealing in her head.

"What I mean is . . . I like you Sam, I like you more than a friend. And I want to give being a couple a try. I want you to be my girlfriend." Danny stuttered out quickly.

Words would not come, so Sam leaned forward and kissed him.

"Is that a yes?" Danny breathed after five seconds of absolutely heaven. Sam laughed and kissed him.

Who knew that she would learn to love thunderstorms?

Okay, haven't written DP in awhile, but they're showing re-runs of the show so I'm back in the mood. I don't own Danny Phantom. Hope y'all like it enough to review.

~DI4MGZ~