Out of Sight, Out of Mind
Yes, it's another Sasha Cartwright and myself, isn't it wonderful?
Please review otherwise there will be no more of these stories because I'm getting ticked with the people that read but refuse to send a harmless few words of praise or advice or whatever. So review this time! Enjoy…
Vlad Plasmius flew as flew as fast as he could through the Ghost Zone, only just avoiding the blast of his newest enemy, Claimer.
"You can't hide forever, Plasmius!" taunted Claimer, firing his ectoplasmic blast, narrowly missing Vlad's head.
'Well, I can try!' thought Vlad, flying down some unknown venue of the ghost world.
At that same time, Danny Fenton was cleaning his father's lab and grumbling to himself. He would much rather be spending his Saturday afternoon at Dean's with Tucker and Sam instead of scrubbing goo off all his dad's ghost catching gadgets but with his parents going out of town for a few weeks, he had to get the lab clean before they left.
'This sucks,' thought Danny, lugging the mop and bucket of cleaning solution to the strange green stain on the floor. As Danny scrubbed, he heard a sound behind him that he knew all too well. The ghost portal was opening.
Danny turned around, hoping that nothing had come out of the portal, but when he found nothing, he went back to washing the floor.
'I think I lost him,' thought Vlad looking for Claimer only to turn and find him right behind himself.
"Boo." Said Claimer, almost making Vlad jump. "Surprised to see me?"
Vlad tried to come up with something to say but couldn't speak, the words frozen on his tongue. Before Vlad could respond, Claimer fired another blast, aimed directly at Vlad's head. Vlad ducked. As the blast narrowly grazed his head, Vlad could smell the hair, it had been singed.
Claimer laughed as he fired blast after blast at Vlad only to have them blocked or dodged. Then, full of rage, Claimer hurled one huge blast right at Vlad's chest.
Vlad swooped down, just missing the blast, but as he flew back up, Vlad watched in horror as the blast went passed him and into an open portal.
Danny stood in the middle of the lab floor mopping, completely oblivious to the battle that was taking place just feet away in the ghost zone. Occasionally he would glance up and look at the opened portal, but would simply go back to mopping.
He didn't have all day to be playing with the portal and if he hurried and got his chores done, he might still be able to meet Tucker and Sam at Dean's Arcade for a slice of pepperoni pizza.
Just then, the portal made a weird sound.
When Danny looked up to investigate the noise, he was greeted by a giant ectoplasmic blast smashing him squarely in the top half of his face.
His eyes exploded in pain as Danny let out a cry of pain and surprise as he fell to the floor clutching his face.
Seeing Danny lying on the floor of his father's lab, nursing the wound made from the blast meant for him, Vlad felt the overwhelming urge to run and help the injured boy, but, unfortunately, he had other matters to deal with. But as he would soon find out, Claimer's attention had drifted from himself to Danny.
"Stupid boy," Claimer stated as he charged his hands with another blast as if preparing to renew his attack.
"What are you doing?" Asked Vlad as he watched the ghost approach the open portal and the injured boy.
"Preventing further complications," replied Claimer, aiming his glowing hands at Danny.
"No!" Shouted Vlad, grabbing Claimer and pulling him away from Danny.
"Why not?" Questioned Claimer, as if trying to remind Vlad that moments before he, Vlad, had been the hunter's prey not this stupid human.
"It won't help anything," answered Vlad, adding an indifferent tone to his voice. "It will just send the humans after you and me both."
Then, seeing his argument wasn't swaying Claimer, Vlad added, "and Walked will have a field day."
Claimer digested what Vlad said and shook his head. The halfa had a point.
"All right." Agreed Claimer, "I'll let this stop, for now, but you better watch your back halfa, because I'll be watching you." And with that, Claimer disappeared into the endless recesses of the ghost world leaving Vlad with nothing to do but watch the scene beyond the portal unfold.
"My eyes! Great gobs of Granny's gravy!" Danny exclaimed in pain as he rolled around on the floor.
Danny tried to stand, holding his hand to his eyes as he ran blindly into the wall. He slid down the side and curled into a little ball as his eyes oozed green goo. Danny began rubbing his eyes fervently, trying to rid himself of the toxin.
"Oh! What did I ever do wrong? I was just minding my own business for once!" Danny whined scrapping the caked ectoplasm off of his face.
The door to the lab creaked open and Danny froze.
"Danny, is something wrong?" Maddie questioned as she walked down the stairs.
"Mom! Something went wrong with the portal!" Danny stated relaxing as he heard his mother running.
"Oh my goodness! Let's get you to the hospital!" Maddie exclaimed.
"No, the doctors don't know about ghosts, they'd just get the government involved. No, we can't have that. Let's take him next door to Doctor Robb, see if he knows anything." Jack stated quickly.
When the three were sitting comfortably in the living room of the next door neighbor/doctor, Danny decided to talk.
"Why can't I see?" Danny questioned as Maddie began to remove the gauze bandages from his eyes.
"Well, that's why we're here, honey." Maddie stated when the bandages were removed.
Danny opened his eyes and saw, nothing. There were no colors, no shades, no light. Only darkness, a pitch-black darkness, could be seen. Danny gasped, now fully realizing his situation. Danny was blind!
"Calm down, I'm a doctor." A deep voice stated.
Everyone in the room turned to see (except Danny) Doctor Rob. He was your average thirty year old with thick black hair, a startling white smile, and a deep natural tan. He walked over to Danny, his black shirt rustling as he sat beside the boy.
You're lucky you caught me. I just got back from vacation and was heading in to the office." Doctor Rob stated.
"Oh, were did you go? We're getting ready to go to a science convention." Maddie spoke.
"Me? I just headed out west to be with my dad and brothers for a while. We've got a ranch out there, that's when I got my tan." The doctor stated with a disarming smile.
"Um, blind over here." Danny stated as everyone turned their attention back to the teen.
"Sorry, kid. I'll just run a few tests and see if there's anything I can do." Doctor Rob said opening his medicine bag.
"Here we go." Danny sighed.
1 Hour Later
"Well, it seems the tests won't be finished until Tuesday." The doctor stated with a grimace.
"Oh, we'll have to cancel our trip, because we've got to watch Danny." Jack stated depressed at this change.
"I could stay with Sam!" Danny exclaimed with a smile.
"Sorry, honey, but I don't like the thought of you spending the night with a girl?" Maddie stated.
"And Tucker's family is on a trip." Danny groaned.
"Jazz is going with you two?" Danny asked hope in his voice.
"Yes, she's spending time with us." Maddie stated with a nod of her head.
"What about other family members, or friends for that matter?" Doctor Rob asked.
"Well…" Maddie drawled.
"There's always Vladdy!" Jack said with a smile.
"You have got to be kidding." Danny groaned crossing his arms over his chest defiantly.
"Danny, so good to see you again!" Vlad welcomed as Jack picked up the wheelchair Danny was sitting in and set it on the ground.
"Always knew I could count on you, V-man!" Jack stated with a smile.
"Oh, Jack. You know how much I care about your children, almost as if they were my own." Vlad said with a smile as he walked over to Danny.
"Vlad?" Danny questioned as Vlad began pushing the wheelchair into his mansion.
"Bye honey!" Maddie called.
"Have fun!" Jack yelled firing up the R.V.
"No! Wait!" Danny yelled as the doors to the mansion slammed shut leaving Danny alone with Vlad in the silent black nothingness.
"How are you feeling, Danny?" Asked Vlad a strange hint of concern in his voice that made Danny slightly skeptical.
"Why do you care?" Spat Danny bitterly, unmoved by Vlad's smooth voice.
The elder man wasn't surprised or really offended by the teen's hostility. After all, it was his fault that Danny had lost his sight in the first place. That didn't mean that he couldn't at least try to help.
"Daniel." Said Vlad, helping Danny from the chair. "If we're going to be together for the next few weeks, we can at least be civil to each other."
"Listen Vlad," protested Danny, pushing the older man away. "In case you haven't noticed, we're not exactly on the best of terms and news flash, I'm blind! What's to keep you from taking advantage of my handicap?"
Danny's words stung Vlad, but he was persistent.
"Danny, I wouldn't," promised Vlad but he was cut off by Danny's angry reply.
"Sure you wouldn't. If you brought me back to my parents full of holes, you'd loose all of your chances of ever winning over my mom!" Danny yelled.
"Leave your mother out of this!" Shouted Vlad, trying not to loose his patience with the injured boy. It wasn't Danny's fault, but he wasn't going to let him reduce himself into thinking that he could never be anything but blind.
"Why should I?" Argued Danny, "Why don't you just leave me alone!"
Danny turned to storm off but without knowing where he was going, he ended up kicking over the wheelchair he had been sitting in and fell hard to the ground.
Vlad rushed over to the fallen boy, mentally kicking himself for upsetting him. This was going to be a long three weeks if it kept going on like this. Kneeling down to help Danny up, Vlad carefully lifted the boy back to his feet, praying that Danny wouldn't protest.
Danny, with no way of getting himself up alone simply let Vlad help him, not believing for an instant that the older halfa wouldn't lead him into a pit of poisonous snakes or vat of acid or something like that.
"Easy Danny," cooed Vlad, ushering Danny over to the green and gold sofa in front of the fireplace.
Danny crashed onto the couch, breathing heavily. His fall had taken a lot out of him.
Regret flooded Vlad like seawater, murky and green, over a levee wall. 'I never meant for this to happen,' he thought as he watched Danny struggle to catch his breath.
When the breathing evened and Danny began to relax, Vlad asked him, "Would you like something to drink?"
Danny nodded. He was really thirsty.
Vlad smiled in spite of himself. This was a start, a small start, but a start all the same.
"Good," he said cheerfully. "I'll call the maid." Then turning towards the kitchen, Vlad called "Syren, wouldn't you please come in here."
Danny heard the 'clip-clop' of high heels on tile floor and soon heard the voice of a young woman maybe a few years older than himself. The woman could have been his grandma for all he knew, but her presence made him a little less uneasy. Knowing he wasn't alone in that giant mansion with Vlad gave him a sudden burst of comfort.
"What can I do for you Mr. Matters?" Asked the woman. Danny couldn't tell for sure, but the voice had a certain ring to it that could only be described as…blond.
Vlad gave a small sigh that told Danny that the billionaire was used to the young woman mispronouncing his name. He wanted to laugh but given his present predicament and the fact that he wanted to stay on Vlad's good side, Danny remained silent.
"Yes, Syren." Said Vlad. "Could I have-" then turning to Danny asked, "What would you like to drink?"
Danny had no idea what fancy rich people drank so he was a little lost in what to ask for. Finally, he simply replied, "Mountain Dew."
"All right," said Vlad, almost indifferently. "I need two Mountain Dews, Syren."
"Okkie dokkie!" Answered the slightly ditsy maid. "Coming right up, Mr. Vlasters." With that, Syren was off to the kitchen, at least Danny assumed by the fading 'clip-clop' of her heels.
Vlad turned to Danny and whispered, "I know she's a little… okay a lot annoying, but I'm doing this as a favor to my cook so try not to kill her even if the temptation is overwhelming."
"I promise nothing." Answered Danny with a smirk.
Moments later, the clopping of Syren returned as she brought the sodas for her employer and his guest. First, she handed Vlad his and then extending the unopened soda to Danny, who unable to see it, simply ignored everything around him.
Syren, in her infinite tact, waved the can in front of Danny, back and forth as if waiting for him to catch it like a dog.
Vlad, unable to take Syren's cruel spectacle, took the can from her. "Thank you, Syren." He said evenly.
Syren leaned in towards Vlad and talked in a hushed voice that only she and Vlad and unfortunately, Danny could hear.
"Your guest isn't very polite." She told Vlad with Danny sitting right next to him.
Vlad rolled his eyes at Syren's insensitivity and bluntness. "He can't see," Vlad explained to Syren quietly.
"What?" Asked Syren in her blond voice.
"He can't see." Vlad said, only a little louder so Danny wouldn't have to hear.
"What?" Questioned Syren, still not understanding.
"I'm blind." Stated Danny.
"Oh," exclaimed Syren, the words finally registering.
Vlad sighed knowing how hard this was for Danny, not only having to admit this setback to himself but to others as well. What happened next made Vlad want to jump from his seat and pummel Syren until she couldn't speak anymore. Apparently, Syren mistook the word 'blind' for the term 'deaf' and began shouting everything she said.
"OH! NICE TO MEET YOU!" Shouted Syren, leaving a ringing in not only Danny's ears but in Vlad's also. "I'M GOING BACK TO THE KITCHEN! CALL ME IF YOU NEED ANYTHING!" She yelled as she clopped back to the kitchen.
"Is she gone?" Whispered Danny once the clopping and ringing had disappeared.
"Don't worry," replied Vlad reassuringly, "not all the people will be like that."
"How do you know that?" Asked Danny bitterly.
"You don't," answered Vlad, "you'll just have to trust me."
"Why should I do that?" Asked Danny.
"Well," pondered Vlad, "I haven't killed you so far."
"True." Smirked Danny.
Vlad carefully opened one of the Mountain Dews and handed it to Danny, first taking the boy's hand and putting the can in it, wrapping his fingers around it.
"Thanks." Danny said trying to take a drink, but before Vlad could warn him, Danny missed the opening and spilled the soda down his shirt. "Dang it!" Shouted Danny as he tried to wipe the sticky yellow liquid off his shirt with his hands as it soaked into the white fabric. "Why didn't you tell me the opening was on the other side?" Growled Danny, disgusted by the sticky feeling of his suddenly clingy shirt.
"I tried to." Said Vlad, taking a neatly folded handkerchief from his pocket and helping Danny clean up the mess. "Next time, feel around the edge before you take a drink, then you'll know where the opening is." Vlad instructed.
Putting the soda back in Danny's hand, Vlad took his other hand and helped him feel his way around the rim until Danny found the opening.
"This is going to take forever," sighed Danny as he toke a small drink. "It's like I have to learn everything all over again!"
"It will get easier with time," explained Vlad.
"I sure hope you're right." Said Danny, going to take another sip, missing, and soaking himself in soda once again.
"Maybe we should get you a glass," suggested Vlad as Danny groaned.
"As long as Syren doesn't bring it I'll be fine." Replied Danny.
Vlad laughed as he made his way over to his brandy decanter, taking one of the glasses and returning to his seat beside Danny on the sofa.
"Try this," Vlad said, putting the glass in Danny's empty hand.
"Thanks," replied Danny, pouring the Mountain Dew perfectly in the glass. Unfortunately, the glass overflowed and poured the drink on Danny's pants.
"At least I won't miss the opening," sighed Danny, drinking the contents of the small glass.
"Next time," instructed Vlad, "put one of your fingers at the brim so it doesn't overflow."
"Like this?" Asked Danny, putting one finger of the hand that held the glass into the cup until it touched the liquid.
With the can and glass empty, Danny gave them to Vlad who in turn set them on the end table.
"I feel like I'm in 'The Miracle Worker'," stated Danny suddenly.
"And you're the miracle worker?" Asked Vlad mockingly.
"Don't push your luck." Answered Danny.
"I'm doing fine on luck, you on the other hand must have none." Vlad stated with a smirk.
"Shut up! You wait until this happens to you! Then we'll see who's laughing." Danny grumbled.
Vlad chocked on his inhaled breath. "Now, now Daniel. No need to make threats." Vlad criticized suddenly worried.
"Nervous yet?" Danny asked with an evil smile.
"You're worse than I am." Vlad grumbled folding his arms over his chest.
"Oh, nonsense." Danny dismissed with a rather feminine wave of his hand.
"I don't act like that!" Vlad stated glaring at the teen.
"Sure." Danny drawled as Vlad began to worry about himself even more.
The clock on the wall chimed 10:00 p.m.
"It's pretty late," Vlad stated, pushing the grim thoughts from his mind, "I can show you to your room if you like."
Danny nodded. He was really tired.
Helping Danny up, Vlad led Danny up the stairs and towards the guest bedroom.
'Now your room is right next to mine," Vlad told Danny, but before Danny could reply with something witty, he added, "it's either me or Syren."
Knowing that, Danny said nothing as they ascended to the second floor.
"The room at the top of the landing is the bathroom," explained Vlad, "my room is the door next to it on left and yours is the one next to it."
"On the left?" asked Danny.
"Yes," replied Vlad.
"Thanks Vlad" said Danny awkwardly, "for helping me."
"You're very welcome," replied Vlad with a small smile.
When they reached the guest bedroom, Vlad led Danny over to the bed and helped him sit down.
"If you need anything, I'm right next door," said Vlad. As Vlad turned off the light, he heard a voice call out to him from the darkness.
"Good night Vlad," said Danny.
"Good night Danny," answered Vlad.
With Danny settled, Vlad headed off to his own room.
This was the closest to being a parent that Vlad had ever come and hopefully, he was doing a good job.
It was definitely a new experience taking care of a child let alone a child that couldn't see, but Vlad felt up to the challenge.
What Danny needed was a friend to help him cope with this setback and a teacher to teach him how to maintain a normal life in spite of everything. Vlad was determined to be both for Danny.
He really needed it right now.
When Danny woke up at 3:14 a.m., he knew only one thing: he had to go to the bathroom.
Not wanting to wake Vlad, Danny stumbled out of bed, feeling along the wall until he found the frame of the opened bedroom door.
'I must be getting better at this,' thought Danny as he felt his way along the wall to the bathroom, fumbling only once.
In the bathroom, Danny had only a few minor problems, that is, until he went to wash his hands.
Fortunately, Danny found the sink, but couldn't distinguish the dials between hot and cold.
The first dial Danny turned on sent arctic temperature water onto his previously warm hands.
Danny immediately turned the other dial, only to be greeted by a shower of scolding hot water.
After messing with the knobs for what seemed like forever, Danny finally got the water to the right temperature.
Fed up with the water, Danny reached around the counter for the soap.
There was only one bottle on the seemingly endless counter so, figuring it had to be some kind of soap, Danny snatched the bottle, removed the stopper, and poured some of its contents onto his hands.
The liquid that Danny had poured gave off the scent of unpleasantly expensive French cologne that made Danny a little nervous about the price.
'I hope it's not rare or expensive,' thought Danny as he carefully put the stopper back in the bottle and returned it to its place on the counter.
No matter what Vlad had said, Danny didn't want to test the man's patience and present generosity with the loss of some fancy cologne.
Danny felt along the wall until he found what he hoped was the towel rack and dried his hands on the towels, trying not to mess anything else up.
As carefully as he could, Danny made his way across the bathroom floor and back to the door.
Closing the door, Danny stepped into the hallway.
This had gone very smoothly if he could just get back to his room….but no.
As Danny made his way down the hallway, he tripped and fell, landing hard and disoriented on the hallway floor.
Completely lost in the middle of the floor, unable to he where he was, Danny felt around for something, anything to help him.
Finally finding the wall, Danny could feel a door.
Relieved, Danny pulled himself to his feet, opened the door, and entered the room.
Feeling around, Danny touched a dresser just like the one in his room.
Following the wall, Danny managed to find the bed in the room, pulled back the blankets, and crawled into bed.
Mission accomplished!
Vlad wasn't sure where it was coming from, but he couldn't help smelling his aftershave lotion in his sleep.
He had had vivid dreams before, but never so vivid that he could smell.
Vlad tried to ignore it, but after several minutes, he couldn't stand it.
Rolling over, Vlad hoped the smell would be better, but instead the small was worse. He tossed and turned, trying to get away from the smell, but it seemed to be everywhere.
Unable to fall back asleep, Vlad decided to get up. He drowsily opened his eyes and froze. There was something on the pillow next to his own head. And that something was…another head.
Vlad let out a girlish screech and jumped out of his bed, landing hard on the floor. The owner of the head, startled by Vlad's scream, too jumped from the bed and landed on the other side of it on the floor.
Vlad quickly turned on the bedside lamp and rounded the end of the bed to discover the perpetrator: Danny, lying dazed and confused on the bedroom floor.
Realizing that it was just Danny, Vlad rushed to the blind boy's side.
"Danny, are you all right?" asked Vlad, helping the still dazed and very confused boy to his feet.
"I think so," answered Danny, his face pale with fright.
As Vlad looked the boy over, he couldn't see any harm done. The only odd thing about Danny, besides the fact that he was in the wrong room, was that the boy's hands smelled like cologne: Vlad's aftershave lotion.
"Did you get lost?" questioned Vlad, not sure whether to tend to the boy or strangle Danny for scaring him.
"Not really," replied Danny, the color returning to his face, " I was in the bathroom and when I went back to my room, I stumbled and get disoriented. So I went into your room, thinking it was mine."
Vlad had started to say, "It was dark, you couldn't have seen," but remembering Danny's dilemma, decided on a different topic.
"Did you knock something over?" asked Vlad, almost waiting for Danny to show him hands bloodied by a broken aftershave bottle.
"No," answered Danny honestly, looking down at his hands despite the fact that he couldn't see them, "I went to wash my hands and when I couldn't find the soap, I used what was in the bottle on the counter. It smelled expensive so I put it back before you got mad."
Vlad was impressed by Danny's independent venture and the fact that the aftershave wasn't incredibly expensive was also a plus.
"Come on," Vlad said, ushering Danny, " let's get you back to bed."
With no further disturbances, the Master of the house and his guest slept in peace until a much more reasonable time.
When Danny woke up everything was, unfortunately, black. Blind black. Danny waited in the room as if waiting for someone to tell him what the clock on the wall read. He hated feeling so helpless.
Then he remembered to clock downstairs that made noise to tell what time it was. Danny felt that that would help a lot more than his wall clock.
Same as before, Danny felt along the wall and down the banister until he reached the bottom floor then, as best as he could, Danny walked over and sat on the sofa.
All the while, Vlad watched this in silence from the doorway of the kitchen. It was amazing how well Danny was adapting to his new environment in spite of the fact he couldn't see it.
As Danny sat on the sofa, he heard a voice call to him that made him jump.
"Good morning," said Vlad, hoping he didn't scare Danny, but when Danny jumped and landed on the floor, Vlad realized he had.
Vlad rushed over to Danny and helped him back up.
"Good morning," answered Danny, almost getting used to people helping him off the floor.
"Did you sleep well?" asked Vlad, avoiding the confrontation in his bedroom at 3:30 a.m.
"Yes," replied Danny, "despite the obvious."
Vlad laughed. Today was getting off to a better start than yesterday, "Would you like some breakfast?"
Danny nodded. Breakfast sounded good.
"Do you like Reese's Pieces?" asked Vlad, watching the expression on Danny's face change.
"Reese's, for breakfast?" questioned Danny in a voice that sounded nothing but skeptical.
"You'll see," replied Vlad mysteriously.
'Candy for breakfast,' thought Danny, 'I thought this guy was
rich.'
Vlad led Danny into the kitchen. The only thing that
was familiar to Danny was the sound of something frying, but he
couldn't smell anything. Before Danny could register the smell, he
heard Vlad ask, "Do you like French toast?" as he sat Danny at a
small table.
'What is with this guy and asking questions?' wondered Danny, but all he said was, "yes."
"Good," said Vlad, smacking his hands together like a banker.
'Pieces and French toast,' thought Danny, 'this guy has lost his…." but before he could finish, his nose was filled with the scent of syrup and peanut butter that smelled surprisingly good.
Handing Danny a fork, Vlad said, "Dig in, I made plenty."
15 minutes and ten slices of French toast later, Danny had figured out how to properly use a fork. However, after Danny cut himself twice in a matter of five seconds, Vlad decided it would probably be a good idea to take the knife away.
"Did you like my brilliant idea?" Vlad questioned as he folded his apron and placed it in the top drawer of the bake center.
"Yeah, it was really good. Still surprises me that you cook," Danny stated as he leaned back in the chair.
"Well, I had to survive alone when that dreadful accident occurred. Your mother left me, your father ignored me, and to the world, I didn't exist. You will know what that feels like," Vlad stated as he pulled up a bar stool and sat next to the young boy.
"I know what it feels like to be ignored," Danny stated quietly, pushing his plate away.
"Oh really?" Vlad questioned.
"Look at where I am now. Everyone else has forgotten me. They threw me to you because they figured that you would catch me," Danny stated with a sigh.
"Catch you I did," Vlad said as he took a wet rag to Danny's cheek.
"Yeah, you did catch me, didn't you?" Danny asked slowly.
"Yeah," Vlad stated trying desperately to dodge the fact that he had thrown him into this position to begin with.
Before Danny could say anything, Vlad got up from the table.
"We'd better get you ready or we're going to be late," said Vlad, looking at his watch.
"Late for what?" asked Danny, licking the last of the syrup off his lips.
"It's Tuesday," explained Vlad, helping Danny from the chair, " we have to go to the hospital for your appointment with Dr. Rob." Noticing Danny's look of displeasure, Vlad added, "Yes you have to go."
"I could hide," protested Danny, more than a little worried about the results of his tests.
"You wouldn't be too hard to find," replied Vlad with a smirk.
Nearly an hour later, Danny and Vlad were sitting side-by-side in the billionaire's limo with Chamberlain, Vlad's new chauffer, behind the wheel.
Vlad was surprised by Danny's progress. Danny had been able to get ready almost entirely by himself. The only problem had been convincing Danny that his hoodie wasn't attacking him when he accidentally put it on backwards.
The elder man glanced sideways at the boy sitting next to him. Danny's face was unbelievably pale and his eyes remained downcast thought there was no way he could see the floor below him.
A twinge of guilt stabbed at Vlad again. If it wasn't for him, the boy sitting next to him wouldn't be so afraid. He wouldn't even be blind.
He wanted to tell Danny that he knew how he felt, but no matter how hard he tried, Vlad knew he could never feel the way Danny felt now.
Instead Vlad simply looked at Danny's downcast face and said, "It's okay to be scared."
"You have no idea," replied Danny.
The drive to the hospital was a quiet one and before they knew it, Danny and Vlad were sitting quietly in the waiting room at the children's clinic.
The billionaire looked out of place amidst the giant murals of purple bunnies and yellow ducks playing jump rope but fortunately, they wouldn't be there long.
A secretary's voice from the desk across from them made Danny jump.
"Mr. Fenton," the woman's voice said, "Dr. Rob will see you now."
"Too bad I won't see him," muttered Danny bitterly as Vlad helped him out of the chair he had nearly fallen out of and into the examination room.
Vlad led Danny into the room pointed out by the secretary and was greeted by the dazzling smile and raven black hair that could only be Dr. Rob.
"There he is," a voice Danny recognized as Dr. Rob, "how are you feeling?"
"Blind," replied Danny, all his bitterness gone, replaced instead by fear.
Dr. Rob gave Danny an understanding smile while Vlad remained unsure what to do. This blindness was really upsetting and it was all his fault.
The examination lasted for nearly 45 minutes. Dr. Rob did a number of tests, trying to see if Danny's eyesight was improving at all.
After the examination, Dr. Rob instructed the nurse, Sylia, to take Danny back to the waiting room for a few minutes. When Danny was out of the room. Dr. Rob pulled Vlad over for a few moments to talk.
"Mr. Masters?" asked Dr. Rob, extending his hand.
"Dr. Rob," answered Vlad, shaking the doctor's hand, "is that your real name?"
"No," replied the young doctor with a smile, "my name is Roberts, but it was shortened to Rob to be easier for kids and a little less intimidating."
'Could have fooled me,' Vlad thought as Dr. Rob flashed another one of his unpleasantly bright smiles.
"Maddie told me that you would be bringing Danny for his appointment," said Dr. Rob, becoming more serious.
"How is he?" asked Vlad remembering the real reason he was there, "really."
Dr. Rob let out a sigh.
"The blast that hit Danny has severely injured the tissues in and around his eyes,' the doctor explained, "the tissue isn't swelling which is a blessing in itself, but it is scaring."
"What does that mean?" asked Vlad, not sure what the doctor was trying to say.
"It means that fortunately, the tissue is healing," said the doctor, "but with so much damage, the likeliness of Danny's eyes fully healing is next to none. If the tissues do heal enough, there's a chance he might be able to see with special glasses."
"I don't understand," admitted Vlad.
"There's a chance that Danny's eyesight will be what it was even if the tissues heal," explained the doctor, "it's more than likely that Danny will never be able to see again."
The news hit Vlad like a baseball bat to the stomach.
Danny blind… forever?
And it was all his fault.
Vlad felt the tears well in his eyes, but steeled himself…for Danny's sake.
"What do you purpose we do?" asked Vlad, swallowing his tears.
"Try to keep things as normal as possible," instructed the doctor, "we have a specialist that can help Danny adjust to this."
'I have a feeling that that is going to be harder than you think,' thought Vlad top himself.
"Can I take him home now?" asked Vlad, still trying to wrap his mind around what the doctor had said.
"I think that would be best," replied the doctor, reaching into his desk drawer and pulling out a small orange bottle that Vlad recognized as a prescription bottle.
"These are to prevent infection in Danny's eyes," said the doctor, handing the bottle to Vlad, "just follow the instructions on the bottle and everything should be fine."
"All right," answered Vlad numbly, taking the bottle from the doctor and walking out of the room and back to the waiting room to get Danny.
He found Danny sitting at a line green table in a chair shaped like a tiger with a piece of paper and a bucket of crayons in front of him looking very out of place.
Vlad pulled up a chair next to him and watched quietly as Danny rummaged through the bucket as if looking for the right color.
Vlad wanted to cry because he knew that Danny would probably never find it again.
Danny had heard Vlad sit down. When he found a crayon, Danny held it up in front of the elder man.
"What color is this?" the blind boy asked, unable to tell himself.
"Blue," answered Vlad, watching Danny put it back and look for another one.
"What color's this one?" asked Danny, his temper seeming to worsen as the time elapsed and he couldn't find the color he needed.
"Green," replied Vlad.
His answer was the right one because Danny took the crayon and began using it on the page in front of him.
The picture was of an elephant balancing on a big rubber ball, but since Danny couldn't tell what it was or wear the lines were, half of the ball and part of the elephant turned green under the boy's hand.
Fed up with the whole thing, Danny slammed the crayon down in irritation and sat silently for several minutes. Danny wanted to scream in anger. He hated feeling so helpless. After several minutes Danny asked, "Can we go now?"
"Of course we can," replied Vlad, getting up from his chair.
Danny pulled himself from his chair and together, they left the hospital.
"How are you feeling?" Vlad asked Danny as they sat side-by-side once again in the limo.
Danny hadn't said anything since they left the hospital and sat dangerously quiet next to the billionaire with his eyes downcast.
Danny's brooding silence scared Vlad a little. He had never been so quiet.
"My head hurts a little," answered Danny, his eyes not leaving the floor.
"When we get back to the mansion we can have some pizza and Mountain Dew, how does that sound?" offered Vlad, but one look at Danny proved that he wasn't paying attention.
"Am I ever going to see again?" asked Danny, taking his eyes from the floor for the first time since they had left the hospital. His gazed pierced Vlad's heart.
"I don't know," replied Vlad honestly. Now he was the one that felt helpless.
Danny looked back down again, the hope gone from his face, replaced instead by fear and disappointment.
The limo was once again filled with silence as the car and its passengers sped down the highway. Suddenly, Danny's voice broke the stillness.
"I don't want to die alone," he stated, sitting up in his seat. "I'll be all alone," Danny said, his voice riddled with anguish, "no one can love a blind boy." It was then that the tears started falling, not only Danny's but Vlad's as well.
Vlad pulled Danny into a tight hug, giving the strength that he himself didn't feel.
"Don't worry," choked Vlad, his hand rubbing the back of Danny's neck, "I'll never leave you."
Chamberlain climbed down the stairs to find Vlad Masters sipping brandy in front of the roaring fireplace of the front room.
The last week had been trying on the elder man and the chauffer knew exactly why.
The week had started well with Danny starting his sign language and brail at the hospital.
At first, Danny caught on quickly and was learning enough to talk in small sentences with signs, but as the week drug on and the words got harder, Danny began to struggle and lose faith.
Today, Danny had gotten so frustrated, he had stormed out of the room but sat before he tripped and fell onto the cold tiled floor.
The fall hadn't hurt Danny physically, but it just seemed to demolish what little hope he had and added to the never-ending list of things he couldn't do.
Danny didn't talk the entire ride home or during lunch and had excused himself with a mumble about being tired.
It had been going so well, but now it seemed more hopeless than ever.
"I've put the car up," stated Chamberlain, walking over to Vlad.
"Thank you Chamberlain," replied Vlad absently, swirling the brandy in his glass.
The chauffer sighed.
"That boy's really getting to you isn't he?" probed the servant, edging closer until he was standing next to Vlad.
Vlad opened his lips to speak, but checked himself. This was not Chamberlain's problem. Rearranging his words, Vlad simply sighed.
"More than you know," he answered quietly, emptying the contents of his glass.
Chamberlain allowed his gazed to travel from Vlad to the staircase that led to the second floor and Danny's bedroom.
"It wouldn't be all that hard,' the chauffer said softly, not looking away from the stairs,
"What do you mean?" questioned Vlad, not sure what Chamberlain was saying.
"If the boy's a problem," shrugged Chamberlain, "you can always fix it."
Vlad was astonished by the man's suggestion.
"Are you saying I should kill him?" he asked.
"The boy's blind," reminded Chamberlain, "anything could happen to him. He could try to come downstairs for breakfast and trip. Stairs are very unforgiving. So are slick floors."
"You're a monster," gasped Vlad, "I would never do that."
"You don't have to," stated Chamberlain, "I will take care of that little annoyance personally."
"No, I won't let you," declared Vlad, moving so that he stood in front of the stairs, blocking the way.
"So quaint," smirked the chauffer, pulling a pistol from his coat and aiming it at Vlad's chest, "but you can't protect him forever."
"I don't have to," replied Vlad, "just long enough."
The two were pulled from their conversation by the quiet opening of a door and out came none other than Danny.
"Vlad?" the boy asked, feeling his way along the wall.
"It's all right Danny," answered Vlad, thinking frantically about how he could protect Danny and escape Chamberlain, "go back to your room."
"I heard people talking," said Danny, moving from the wall to the banister, "is everything okay?"
"Yes, everything's fine," promised Vlad, "just please…"
"Why don't you tell him the truth about me Vlad?" asked Chamberlain, not lowering his weapon, "or do you not remember either?"
Noticing Vlad's confusion, Chamberlain decided to help him along.
"I'll give you a hint," the chauffer said, allowing his eyes to emerge from their disguise and glow their usual green.
"It's you!" Vlad gasped, realizing for the first time who Chamberlain really was.
"Bingo!" answered the chauffer, and with a laugh, he transformed from humble Chamberlain into the notorious Claimer.
"H-how did you find me?" stammered Vlad, dazed by this declaration.
"There aren't that many halfas that live in Wisconsin," replied Claimer with an evil smile, "and after I found you, I had to keep tabs on you. What better way to know where you are than to take you there as your faithful chauffer?"
"Why didn't you kill me before Danny came?" asked Vlad," he doesn't have anything to do with this."
"I wouldn't have involved the boy if you hadn't been so interested in him, and come to find out you're a friend of the family," declared Claimer, "any friend of yours is an enemy of mine. Now I'm going to finish your sorry halfa ass off right here, right now!"
As Claimer was talking, he didn't notice what Danny was doing at the top of the stairs.
Danny had begun to suspect the voice that was talking to Vlad, but with nothing he could really do, he stood frozen at the banister. The one thing that Danny had done was charge his hands. Even if he couldn't use them, he still had them just in case.
As the conversation grew more intense, Danny knew something was wrong. The sound of Claimer's ghost transformation stamped the idea in his mind. Danny knew he was Vlad's only chance, but how could he help if he couldn't see?
From the voice of the stranger, Danny could tell roughly where he was. He couldn't tell for sure so he couldn't take a chance of hitting Vlad, but if he didn't, Danny had no idea what would happen to Vlad.
He had to do this, but he only had one shot.
Just as Claimer leveled his pistol on Vlad he was blasted in the chest with a huge ball of energy.
The blast wasn't very strong, but it caught him off guard, knocking the ghost onto the floor.
Vlad looked away from Claimer to see Danny at the top of the stairs: one hand on the banister and one hand raised glowing green.
Danny's shot had saved him.
Vlad didn't have much time to react because Claimer was rising to his feet.
The ghost was furious at the stupid human that had knocked him to the floor.
Vlad saw Claimer get up.
He knew he had to warn Danny but how?
Danny stood at the stairs, unsure of what he had hit.
"Vlad?" he called, wanting desperately to know what had become of the older halfa.
"Danny!" Vlad answered, trying to assure Danny that he was okay, but with his eyes trained on Danny, he could not watch Claimer stand and fire a blast straight at Danny.
The hit smashed Danny square in the chest and sent him falling down the great staircase.
"Danny! No!" shouted Vlad, spinning around to face Claimer, his own hands glowing red.
Before the other ghost could react, Vlad was plowing shot after shot into his body.
Defeated, Claimer became intangible and disappeared through the floor.
"This isn't over," Claimer threatened, his face sinking beyond the tile, but Vlad couldn't have been less interested.
His thoughts were with Danny.
Vlad rushed over to the staircase and found Danny lying face down at its base.
Getting to his knees, Vlad knelt by Danny.
"Oh no," he said, gently rolling the boy over, but as he did, Vlad saw Danny's blue eyes staring back at him.
"Vlad?" asked Danny, eyeing the elder man.
"Danny, I was so worried," said Vlad, helping the boy sit up, all the while thanking God for his safety, "I thought for sure…wait a minute. Can you see me?"
Danny focused on the area where he had heard Vlad's voice. Slowly, the black faded into color and the blurs sharpened, if only just a bit. Enough at least, to allow Danny to see Vlad staring back at him.
"Yea," answered Danny, "I can. Only some colors and shapes, but the black is gone."
Vlad looked at his jacket and got an idea.
"What color is this?" asked Vlad, pointing to the black of his suit's jacket.
"Black," Danny replied.
"Yes," said Vlad, pointing instead to his shirt, "What color is this?"
"Blue," Danny answered, seeing the blue of the shirt, "light blue."
"Good," congratulated Vlad, now directing Danny to his tie, "What color is this?"
"I can't tell," admitted Danny, squinting at the article of clothing.
"You can't see it?" questioned Vlad, disappointed by the answer.
"No," corrected Danny, "I can't describe it. It's like blue and green at the same time. Did you wear that in public?"
"I think you're going to be just fine," diagnosed Vlad, actually a little happy to hear the sarcasm in Danny's voice.
"I'll see you in two weeks Danny," said Dr. Rob as he and Danny stood from their seats in his office.
"Thanks Doc," thanked Danny, walking from the office and into the waiting room for the first time without hitting the wall.
"Is he going to be okay?" asked Vlad, too standing from his seat.
"In all honesty Mr. Masters, I never expected Danny to see again," admitted Dr. Rob, "this is something just short of a miracle."
"Maybe," replied Vlad mysteriously, exiting the office.
When Vlad entered the waiting room, he found Danny once again at the lime table with the tiger chair, rummaging through his bucket of crayons.
Before him sat a picture of an alley cat riding a bicycle and though the coloring wasn't perfect, it was better than before.
"How does it look?" asked Danny, holding up the picture for Vlad to see.
"It looks just fine," answered Vlad.
The End