A/N: Well…that didn't take me very long. I thought I was going to take a break, but…guess not. I'll be starting a job soon, so I probably won't be updating this as often, but then again, I seem to be addicted to writing. We'll see how things pan out; I'll try to update daily until I'm unable. Anyway…Welcome to "Adrift"! This fic is definitely focused on Danny/Sam and Sam's parents…yeah, they're main characters this time. Tuck, Val, and the Fentons will be getting relatively little screentime, but I love (my take on) Tucker too much to leave him out, so I'm sure we'll get some occasional updates on what they're doing throughout the story.

If you haven't read my first DP fic, "Journey of Secrets," I would suggest doing so. Really. I mean it. Go. You'll probably get lost without it…

Without further ado: Chapter #1. You know the drill! Read/review/fav/follow and ENJOY!

Chapter #1:

"This is going to be awful. I just know it."

The salty sea air is cool against their skin, but the sun beats down from above, earning a scowl from the black-clad girl standing beside a spiderweb-patterned suitcase. Beside her is a young man with black hair, a bright smile, and similarly bright blue eyes.

"Come on, Sam," he laughs, "It's a week-long cruise; our final Spring Break as high school students spent on the ocean!"

"Under the sun…with my parents," she growls.

"Think of the adventure!" he slings an arm around her shoulder, "The…romance of it all!"

"With my parents," she repeats emphatically.

He sighs, hanging his head in defeat, "It won't be that bad. I mean, we could be on the Titanic."

"Don't even joke, ghost-boy," she hisses, "you'll jinx us!"

"You can take the door," he smiles.

"That isn't even funny!"

"Sam," he laughs, "I'm a ghost with ice powers. I think I can handle a bit of ice-water."

She glares back, clearly unamused until a scene of the two of them cuddling in front of an oceanic sunset graces her mind. She can't fight the smile trying to climb onto her face, making his grin wider until she surrenders.

"You're such a dork," she laughs.

"And I'm all yours," he grins, "No school, no ghosts, nothing for the rest of the week."

She can't deny that the prospect entertains her, thinking of days relaxing with Danny. Curling next to him on deck at night, keeping warm – she doesn't know how he does that when his core body temperature is lower than hers – and not having to listen to Paulina ooze about her precious ghost-boy! She smiles, but her joy slips away as she catches a girl admiring the black-haired eye-candy beside her. She frowns, glaring in the bottle-blond's direction, and latches possessively to her boyfriend's arm.

"Sam?"

She pulls his face down, locking her lips with his, ::Don't worry about it.::

::…What?::

::I'll keep those surgically-modified Barbies away. Don't worry your pretty head.::

::Surgically-modified…?:: the image of the girl from earlier flashes through his mind from hers, ::…oh. I didn't even notice. I was too preoccupied with the lovely vampiress on my arm.::

::Good boy,:: she pulls away, enjoying the dazed smile on his face, and glares pointedly at the blond, who looks away as though she never cared.

"Must you two do that…in public?"

Pamela Manson, all five-foot-five of her, grimaces at the pair. Her red hair is perfectly curled, framing her face despite the elegant, woven sun-hat shading her face and large white sunglasses. She wears a matching sundress and strappy heels with her pearls; overall, in the sunlight, she's blinding.

Her husband, Jeremy, at five-ten, is carefully groomed as always. His blond hair is slicked back, and he wears a white, long-sleeved shirt – designer-brand – and grey slacks. A pair of designer shades is tucked into his chest pocket. His slate-blue eyes stare disapprovingly at his daughter, with her arm latched around her boyfriend.

"I was staking my claim," Sam declares proudly.

::Stake it anytime you want,:: Danny thinks, sounding almost breathless.

"Well, surely she would have gotten the hint with all of your…clinging," she sighs. Concentrating, the goth can pick up on the emotions and thoughts swimming from her, though only in pieces, ::Him…why? Ugh. She's a teenager…drop him…won't last…hurt someday:: Worry filters through her distaste, an emotion shared by her father. His disgust is more feigned than his wife's, but his worry is just as real.

Since gaining telepathy, she's learned a lot about her parents; particularly her father. He's not as prim and proper as his wife would like to believe, but follows her lead. If he thought she'd let him get away with it, he'd be in Bermuda shorts and flip-flops. He may not particularly adore Danny, but he doesn't hate him either. He just feels like it's his job to intimidate the boyfriend, as though his wife doesn't do that enough.

"Oh, leave them be!" someone behind them shouts, the sound of a scooter buzzing up behind them. Ida Manson scowls up at her daughter-in-law, "they're young! You probably don't remember what young love is like!" ::Seeing as you've been feeding on misery for centuries to keep your appearance.::

Sam stifles a laugh, "Thanks, Grandma."

::Do you think Tucker and Valerie will be okay handling the ghosts for a week?::

::Danny,:: she sighs, ::They'll be fine. No worrying about Amity Park, remember? Week of freedom?::

::Yeah,:: he squeezes her hand.

::They'll be fine. Your parents are there too.::

::You're right,:: she can feel him relax, ::Everything will be fine. No worries. Just…relaxation.::

::You need it,:: she reaches up and brushes the dark circle under one eye, ::You've more than earned it. It's our senior year. We'll be graduates in a few months. You've been fighting ghosts with hardly a single vacation for almost four years now. You have statues dedicated to your hard work all around the world. Even a hero like you has to take some time for himself.::

::I do, or I'll…:: she can feel the sharp pang of fear in his chest, ::Or I'll become like Vlad.::

::It'll never happen, Danny,:: she strokes his arm reassuringly. With his parents' knowledge of his ghost half, he's been able to recuperate in the Ghost Zone more often, removing – or at least minimizing – the scars on his body. He's spread his powers around to do the same with her and Tuck, freeing them from constant long sleeves and pants.

"Let's get going!" Ida grins, buzzing towards the ramp as quickly as she can. Sam follows behind, pulling her boyfriend by the hand. Mr. and Mrs. Manson follow behind primly, shaking their heads.

"Just a week of peace," she mutters, "hopefully."

"It'll be fine."

"There's a ball on board tomorrow night for all of the rich families to throw money to charity," she reminds, earning a grimace.

"Mostly fine."

"Your dancing is improving."

"I'm going to look like an idiot…while trussed up like a penguin."

"We won't actually have to dance that much; we just have to stand there and spout pointless small-talk with my family's business partners." ::I can help you the whole way.::

::That is comforting.:: he thinks dryly.

"It's the only major hitch," she tells herself more than him, "We have the rest of our time to ourselves. No ghosts."

"No ghosts."