In the doorway stood Danny. He was still wearing the clothes he had when he and Sam were on the fair. Now his attire had a few additions. Danny was wearing a pearly white cape, not as white as his hair, which were still a mess. There was the same 'DP' symbol on his chest. The most intriguing part was the flaming green crown on his head. The same crown Sam had seen in old books. The Crown of Fire. Danny smiled widely and opened his arms wide.

"Good evening, everyone!" He greeted, "I'm glad to see you all present here! All of you, even my enemies," Danny looked towards the certain table. There were robotic ghost, the guy with sunglasses in lab coat and some others. All of them were smirking.

"I sincerely hope," he was still looking at them, "that we can put our...let's call them disagreements, aside, at least for this evening. That was our joint victory and let's keep celebration the same way, agreed?" Some of them nodded, some had bored expressions on their faces, "well, at least I can brag that my enemies laugh into my face and then follow me in battle," people laughed along with himself.

"As for our high guests, welcome. I'm honored by your agreement to come, and I will be happy to know you personally"

"Well, who am I to interrupt your feast?" Phantom clapped his hands with a smirk, "Music, please"

On the scene appeared the musicians and started to play the compositions. The King meanwhile was having a conversation with some of the guests. Sam's mind still tried to understand what's going on around here. Danny was full of surprises, he didn't look like the one who took down almost a god. She started to wonder about his true age. Ghosts don't get old, so Phantom could easily be few times older than her, because to have so much power he needs to be old enough. Ember, who was still sitting nearby, looked at her.

"Why so surprised?" She asked, smirking.

"Why didn't he tell me anything?" Ember shrugged.

"Dipstick is pretty modest. Plus if you now ask him about it, he will probably say: 'You haven't asked'"
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

There was a loud sound of crash. One of the tables was turned upside down.

"Did someone got drunk already?" Danny asked loudly.

"No, this idiot tripped me!" The robotic ghost yelled, glaring at the one in sunglasses.

"I did no such thing, you fool!" He responded. Shaking his head, Phantom came to them and stood in between.

"Technus, Skulker, what did I just tell you fifteen minutes ago?" He asked calmly.

"Yeah, yeah, no fighting," they rolled their eyes.

"Exactly, but that doesn't seem like you have listened"

"Laugh while you can, whelp," Skulker said, "once this party of yours is over, I will hunt you down"

"And I, Technus, Master of all..."

"Just don't break anything again," Danny interrupted, shaking his head. He waved his hand and put the table back on its leg. Phantom walked away, taking a glass of wine from a servant on his way. He returned to having conversation with the man in purple cloak and staff in his hand.

"Where did we stop?"

"I was asking you about what you are going to do with your family," Clockwork said. Danny stopped the glass halfway before his face.

"What about them?" He asked.

"You of course noticed that the whole Amity Park now fears you more than ever"

"I'm not blind," Phantom stated bluntly, shaking the glass slightly and creating small waves of red liquid. He sighed, "I don't know, Clockwork. Can you advise me something?"

"I'm afraid no," Time Master said, "For now I just recommend you to relax. Maybe spend some time with your new 'konata'"

"Who do you mean?" Danny asked. Clockwork just raised a questioning eyebrow, as if saying 'seriously?'. Phantom made an 'o' with his mouth, before looking around the hall. His eyes fell on Sam, who finally decided to eat something and put some salad on her plate, talking lively with Ember about something.

"Well, I guess I'll take my leave then," Time Master said with a smirk on his face before walking away. Phantom tied his nonexistent tie and took his way to the table. Sam looked surprised, while Ember was just smirking widely, her theory confirmed. Danny was smiling cheerfully at his guests.

"How do you like the party, ladies?" He asked.

"Nah, good enough," Ember shrugged, making Danny gasp overdramatically.

"That is all I get? How could you." He said in mock hurt. Sam laughed under her nose slightly. Phantom looked at her.

"And what about you?" He set the untouched glass on the table.

"Oh, eh...I think it's very nice," Sam answered.

"Really? You didn't seem like you had fun a few minutes before," Ember stated with a smirk, "Just ask her out already, dipstick!"

"Wh-what do you mean?" Danny smiled at the confused girl in front of him. He offered his hand.

"May I offer you a little dance?" Sam's eyes widened in shock.

"I...I never d-danced before," stupid stuttering, where did it come from?

"Worry not. No one here can," Phantom grinned widely before gently grabbing her hand and easily lifting her from the chair. Sam yelped in surprise, but didn't resist.

They stood on the open space and Sam was very nervous, her eyes looking anywhere but her companion. The fact that many curious ghosts were watching them didn't help the matters. Even musicians noticed their king's initiative and prepared to play needed music.

"Hey," Sam finally turned to Danny, who was still smiling at her reassuringly, "again, no need to worry. Let me show you, alright? Here, put your right hand on my shoulder...yes, like that...pick your dress slightly with another," he gently wrapped his right hand around her torso, putting the free one behind his back.

Music flowed in a harmonious wave, from violins and flutes poured a beautiful melody, as it was suitable for such a moment as nothing else could ever be. Phantom was leading the pair, and they two were circling around the room. To her own surprise, Sam was very good at dancing and she couldn't help but smile as they made another circle. Danny noticed her reaction and smiled softly at the beautiful girl near him. Maybe it was the light, maybe music was affecting him, but that's how he felt about her. But he didn't know, or wasn't expecting that Sam had the same thoughts.

She chuckled inwardly at how the events turned out. Sam spent all her life in the forest, that was the first time she left it. And here she was, waltzing in circles with handsome boy of all people. Sam looked at Phantom, who was smiling at her.

"Never danced before, huh?" He asked teasingly. She blushed slightly.

"You aren't so bad yourself," Danny chuckled.

"Thanks. It's my first real time, actually. Dora managed to convince me at least to learn"

"Really?" In response Phantom winked.

He abruptly stopped and Sam would have fallen down, if he wasn't holding her hand in strong and gentle grip.

"Really," Danny said with a smirk. Sam glared playfully at him and pulled herself back.

That action caused them to be on the same level. Phantom's neon green eyes bored into her forest green ones, and their faces were very close, so the pair could feel each other's breathing. They were just standing like that for some time, but then the doors opened loudly and Fright Knight barged in the room. Danny's face changed into one of annoyance.

"What. Is it. Fright," Phantom asked, not happy a bit. The named knight bowed deeply.

"My apologies, milord. We have an emergency"

"What kind?"

"You put a watch near the portal and ordered to keep you updated if someone will approach," Phantom sighed, rubbing his temples. Then he asked an unexpected question.

"What time is it?"

"Eleven past noon, sire"

"Already? Flames," he cursed, before turning to Sam. Danny smiled sadly at her, "I'm sorry for such abrupt departure," he came closer, "I hope we will meet later again," Phantom whispered.

He winked, before turning around and following Fright Knight out of the hall.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

"Is that so important?" Phantom asked with crossed hands.

"Sire, if I may, I believe that that's for the best"

"Explain," he said sternly.

"Haven't you noticed how Undergrowth was looking at you? His glare could burn a hole in the wall"

"Just great," Danny muttered, "Anyways...What exactly happened?"

"One of the Fentons...your mother, I believe, noticed your absence..."

"And they simply assumed the rest," the king finished, "They think I kidnapped myself, don't they?" Fright Knight nodded.

"Sire, don't you think that you should tell them?" Phantom seemed to be in thought, before turning away.

"No. Not yet"
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

"Is he often like that?" Sam asked Ember, once she sat back at the table.

"He is. For different reasons before, though"

"What reasons?"

"He doesn't have the best relations with some ghosts. For different reasons, Skulker wants his pelt..."

"Eww"

"Why everyone reacts like that?!" Skulker shouted, passing nearby and accidentally overhearing the conversation.

"Yeah, anyways, the rest of the guys, sitting near him," she pointed to their table, "don't like dipstick 'cause he beated them all up in the past"

"Why?" Sam asked.

"Danny cares too much for that town he lives in. Scare one little human and he will appear to beat the shit out of you, stuff you in this stupid thermos of his and launch you back in the Ghost Zone before you can even blink," Ember snapped her fingers, symbolizing the point. And even if Sam didn't know what that 'thermos' thingy was, she supposed it was an unpleasant thing.

"What was that portal they talked about?" Sam recalled Fright Knight's words.

"Ah, there are just a ghost hunters. Don't worry, though," Ember added, seeing Sam's face, "they are worthless in their jobs. Dipstick does everything long before they even notice. And better be caught by him rather than that idiots. The point is, they made a portal here, stable, and working 24/7, just welcomes to go through"

"Did you?"

"Many. Many times, girl. Just follow Danny's rules and you can do whatever you want there"

"What rules?"

"Don't harm or scare humans and don't call unneeded attention, that's basically everything," Ember's face became suspicious, "And why so sudden interest?" She asked with a smirk.

"No reason. No reason at all," her blush proved futile any attempts to hide her true intentions.

"Relax, girl. I can show you the way, but there is one problem, though. I doubt your Pa would allow that"

Sam's face fell, how could she forget about him. She threw a sideglance at her father. He barely let her come on the ball, so thinking that he will allow to go to the Human World was stupid. Still, maybe she should try.