As Fierce As Love

by Tavalya Ra

E-mail: clearbluedelphia at yahoo dot com

Rating: PG-13

Category: Angst

Warnings: Character death and slash

Summary: After Maddie's funeral, Jack makes a confession- and Vlad makes a choice.

Disclaimer: Danny Phantom is owned by Butch Hartman. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.


Vlad did not weep at the funeral. His hatred burned like a furnace, its heat evaporating the tears that might have left his eyes. Jack threw a rose after the casket, before the first clump of dirt was tossed upon it and Vlad wanted to kill him in that very moment, no matter how many would witness the deed.

That blast was meant for you! I meant for you to die, not her- never her!

Never Maddie. Not one love lying cold in the grave, like another love that was cold in his heart.

I will never forgive you, Jack Fenton.

He followed the family back to Fentonworks, lacking the enthusiasm to exchange glares with Daniel; yet from the look on the boy's face Vlad realized he knew. Phantom would come for his revenge and perhaps would even have it- but not before Plasmius had satisfied his own need.

The children retreated upstairs, leaving the men alone in the front room. Jack sagged onto the sofa and murmured, "I can't believe she's gone."

Vlad said nothing.

"It was a ghost," continued Jack, lifting his eyes. "The Wisconsin Ghost appeared out of nowhere-"

Vlad stared at him coldly.

A wounded look crossed Jack's visage and he croaked, "Vladdy, I-"

"I loved her," he said softly, yet with clear malice. "Nothing will ever convince me you loved her more than me."

Jack raised his hands to his face and for a moment Vlad thought he would witness the pathetic sight of the other man sobbing. Yet Jack merely inhaled a ragged breath and shuddered.

"I should have gone after you. Years ago, when the proto-portal exploded. I should have come to you in the hospital-"

Vlad stiffened as a fist of iron squeezed his heart. How dare the other man revisit these old wounds or even acknowledge they existed, especially today?

"Just shut up," he demanded flatly.

"No, it's true," Jack insisted. "I don't know why I let you go. I loved her- God, Vlad, did I love her- but you-"

"Shut up!" Vlad screamed, turning his head aside. "You've denied me everything I ever wanted- both her and you!"

A hand touched his shoulder and he almost jerked away in revulsion. Vlad wondered at that his hate did not sear the other man through cloth and skin.

"I know it's been decades," Jack began. "I know we both lost-"

"You didn't lose Maddie. You can't lose something if it's something you stole!"

"Vlad-"

"I hate you."

"But do you still love me?"

Vlad's stomach clenched. He felt the pressure on his shoulder shift and knew Jack was leaning forward- knew what Jack meant to do. He surprised himself by not resisting. Closing his eyes, he allowed Jack's lips to cover his and opened his mouth to receive Jack's kiss. Yet the gesture did not have the power to carry Vlad back over to years or sweep them away. Rather than lose himself in the other man's need and passion, he remembered quite clearly the one thing left which still mattered.

Turning his arm intangible, he reached into Jack's gut and yanked out the man's intestines.

Jack immediately released him and staggered backwards, clutching at the ropy viscera hanging loose from his body despite the absence of a wound. He gawked at Vlad, disbelieving that what the other man had just done was possible as equally as that the other man had.

"Yes, I still love you, Jack," said Vlad. "As strongly and as fiercely as I hate you."