A/N

Wow! This is probably one of my favorite stories that I have written! I am not bragging, but seriously! It is sweet, romantic, dramatic, sad, and intense all at once! I can't wait for you to read it. Enjoy and Review!

I do NOT own Danny Phantom or the characters. This is simply a fan-made story for my fan's entertainment ^-^

Snow gently laid itself down upon the frozen land, resting and sighing contently as it relaxed into comfort. It lifted a hand lazily to spread winter to the mansion that remained in solitude in the Wisconsin valleys. Though when it approached the house, it saw the smoke rising from the chimney and, sensing fire and warmth nearby, hissed and pulled away.

Down the chimney, past the soot, and over many stacks of books left forgotten on the floor, a man sat in an armchair, turning time as he turned each page of the book he held. Vlad Masters smiled as he continued to flip through. It was no ordinary book. No, this book held much more meaning than just a regular book filled with random text and pointless illustrations. It was the yearbook from his high school days. Each page held a special memory; a certain reminder. But the most cherished of the memories were the pictures and captions that involved Maddie.

One in particular captured his attention and refused to let go. At the very end of the yearbook, there was a section dedicated to the seniors. And in that section, was the list of "Most likely to…" When he had found the section, he nearly skipped over it. But his eyes fell on one certain photo and his past was immediately, unexpectedly brought back. Like a hurricane, it thrashed and spun, carrying him along for the ride whether he wanted to or not. It was a picture of Maddie and Vlad, no older than eighteen, kissing beneath mistletoe at a Christmas school dance. Below it, in bold letters, it said "Most likely to marry his high school sweetheart". Vlad had long turned away from the page, ignoring the pain that came when he first saw it. Yet something made him flip back to it again and again. So, like he had done so time and time again that evening, he returned to the page and became lost in thought.

His memories brought him back to his high school days. He had nearly forgotten the warming, yet destroying fact that he and Maddie had dated during their sophomore, junior, and senior year. It was the best years of his life; a dream he never wished to wake from. But that dream was shattered the moment their senior year ended. Seeing that college was quickly nearing, they decided to end their relationship the moment they discovered their colleges were over fourteen hours in distance. So Jack and Vlad went to their college while Maddie left to pursue a different path. Unexpectedly, she transferred to Vlad and Jack's college after a sudden change in plans. She had an unexpected, sudden change of feelings too. The moment she arrived, Vlad wished to ask her out once more. But, his doubts prevented him from doing so and he soon discovered a change in her outlook towards his best friend, Jack Fenton.

Vlad sighed, his distressed, rugged breath whisking the past away and bringing him to the present once again.

"And she fell in love with Jack, I was put in the hospital after the accident, and she moved on," he said aloud to the emptiness of his library.

A soft purr pulled his attention to the corner of the room where his cat, Maddie, was standing to greet her master. She hopped onto the armrest of the chair and gently rubbed against him. He smiled solemnly and let his hand glide down her sleek body.

"I know, Maddie. I know," he whispered. "Why bother dwelling on the past? In the past, I was not a rich, successful man. I was not the mayor of Amity Park!" She stopped purring and glanced up at him as if saying something of her own. He frowned and shook his head, glaring at the ground. "I was also not a lonely man, wishing he had the woman he loved by his side either…"

She meowed, curled into a ball, and fell asleep on the arm of the chair. He opened the yearbook once more and brought the photograph up to his face. His eyes fixed upon the picture, that cherished time, and his vision became blurred with tears. Soon, his eyes were darting over to his cat, Maddie, who remained asleep, and back to the picture of his love, Maddie. Back and forth, back and forth, his heart began to race. The cat could never hide the pain of his absent lover; the holograms could never replace her true presence. And the picture could never bring that time when he was so happy back either. He stood, book in hand, and raised his arm.

"This is not enough!" he hollered.

And with that, he threw the yearbook into the blazing fire that hissed within the fireplace. He sat back down and smiled, pleased with the action. But as the fire began to dissolve the helpless fabric of the book, he could not help it when the tears grew in his eyes. His heart pounded and he leaped from his chair. Without thinking, he reached into the fire and grabbed the yearbook. The book still aflame, he quickly opened it up to the senior section and tore out the page that held the picture of Maddie and him. Sitting back, he brought the picture to his chest along with his legs and laid his head down on his knees. Only then, with the fire cracking and his cat watching intensely, did he weep.

A/N

And this is why Vlad has always been my favorite character…

I hope you liked it and it case you were wondering, this was a one-shot.