A/N: Saw The Ultimate Enemy again today. It made me realize why I love the series (and Vlad)so much. Anyway, this popped into my brain after viewing; it's from Vlad's POV, of course. I suppose you could say he's reminiscing, if you wanted to. Oh, and, by the way, for those of you who keep asking, I can't think of a way to sequel "Not Even a Promise." I suppose a bad writer would force the issue, and a good writer would figure out a way to do it (which one am I...?). But I promise, I'm working up another Dark Danny fic. Anyway, that having been said, on with the story.
I didn't want to do it. I mean, clearly the boy was distraught, but still...I could have found another way. I could have helped him instead of tearing him in half.
But I was a fool. I took the easy way out. I chose to indulge him, to help him take the easy road, and look where it's gotten me.
Old.
Alone.
Sitting in a destroyed mansion, waiting for the inevitable end to come.
I know I could have done it differently. These past ten years, I've dwelled and dwelled upon it, like a man poking at an open wound, and I cannot believe that I made the choice I did.
But he begged me.
He begged.
Even with that darkness inside me, even with the ghostly half of myself that constantly raged and screamed for destruction, I pitied him.
I...pitied...him...
And he destroyed me, didn't he? He destroyed me...and saved me. Saved me from that darkness I lived with for two decades, and destroyed me with my own powers. If that is not irony, then...
How could I? How could I not? What was I to do? Deny the boy, and leave him to suffer?
But it could have happened differently. It takes strength of character to live with a horror such as he endured...and, in the end, he was not strong enough.
But it wasn't physical strength, or even ghost powers, that made him strong in those days that seem so long ago. It was his humanity.
It took me a long time to realize that, and, when I did, it was too late.
Still, I could almost weep for the chance I lost. I could have helped him; I could have had a son, if only vicariously.
But I didn't.
And that is but one of my regrets.