Okay so thanks to the phandom chat and Ectofruitloop, this thing happened. Mostly because I had no idea what 'badger cereal' was and had to have it explained and then somehow the discussion happened about what if Vlad was really danny's father and how would Danny react. So yeah...here you go.
The muffled sounds of his mothers voice filtered through the floor boards and into Danny's room. He couldn't quite make out what she was saying but she sounded upset and it worried him that he didn't hear his fathers voice trying to comfort her. Jack was rarely away from Maddie's side for more than a few minutes, but she had been talking for over half and hour. Danny couldn't focus on his homework any longer and slowly he opened his door and snuck down to the living room. Listening closely as he got closer and her voice got clearer. Danny could definitely tell she was upset now and he leaned against the wall out of sight but closer enough to hear her side of the conversation.
"I don't care what you want…no he can't come stay Danny has school." She spat into the speaker of the phone.
Danny tilted his head to the side confused, who would want him to come…oh wait…Vlad. He sighed silently.
Maddie was quite and Danny could slightly hear squawking on the other end of the line. Cautiously he turned invisible wondering what Vlad was arguing about this time. He padded closer to his mom and leaned in so he could hear Vlad's voice clearer.
"Daniel should be spending some time here away from Jack and his wacked inventions, he needs some space to learn and grow." Vlad's voice was echoing slightly and Maddie hissed.
"He doesn't even like you Vlad." She snapped back.
Danny smiled a little having to silently congratulate his Mom for accepting that fact, he figured they shared that in common.
Vlad was silent on the other end for a moment before he spoke again, his voice laced with venom but still somehow sounding so proper.
"He's my son too Maddie if I want to see him…" His voice seemed to drown out in the shock that filled Danny's head.
Danny stumbled a few steps back to look at his Mom, her faced crumpled a bit and he somehow knew that it was true.
He shook his head not wanting to stick around for the rest of the conversation and ran back to his room. Closing the door and leaning on it heavily he took a breath.
"No way…that can't be right…" He spoke to himself and looked around his little room.
There was no way Vlad could be his father, his Mom and Dad loved each other too much to ever let a slip up like that come between them. Seriously, if it was true there would be no way Vlad would ever let him stay here with Jack, he hated him to much.
Danny started to pace the length of his room stepping over dirty clothes and half finished projects that he had lying around. He was starting to panic a little at the thought of Vlad actually being his father. The idea seemed to be poking holes in his brain and making its self all to known in the little loop holes that seemed to be quickly appearing. He didn't know what to do and a little whine escaped his throat. He needed more information and he needed it now.
Again he snuck out of his room and into the hall, heading for his parents room and sneaking to their closet. Pulling out the box that held all their important records he phased his hand through the locked box and pulled out his birth certificate. Just like he knew it would it had Maddie and Jacks name on it and he stuck it back in. It was only half reassuring though and he put the box back in the closet where he had found it. He knew well enough that it could be false and he sighed running his hands through his hair and giving it a little tug. He made his way back to his room and began to pace again he didn't know what to do and he flopped down on his bed with a groan. He needed an answer to this, it wasn't just something he could pretend he never hear. Vlad was his enemy on all fronts he couldn't just rest knowing that maybe his actual father might be trying to attack and kill him on some nights. He almost laughed at the idea that it was somewhat ironic that both his fathers tried to destroy him occasionally. He couldn't bring himself to even crack a smile though as he stood up. Deciding he needed info and he needed it from the source. What better place to go that right to the man who had caused all the problems. Changing into his ghost form he took off in the direction of Vlad's mansion trying to outrun his thoughts as they popped into his head. What would he say, how would he even start this conversation off.
As the mansion came into view he began to lose his edge, not quite sure if his spur of the moment idea had been a very good one. Taking a breath he phased through the mansions walls and began his search for Vlad.
He found him in his private lounge and slowly set down on the ground. Vlad didn't seem to notice he was there for a moment even though Danny saw his ghost sense go off. He was staring intently down at the phone on the coffee table. Danny didn't move for a moment and slowly Vlad looked over at him.
"Hello Daniel, what a coincidence…" Vlad sighed, like he wasn't in the mood to deal with him right now.
Danny didn't speak but walked over, his entire body tensed for a fight but Vlad showed no signs of moving from the couch other than to sip at the glass of some kind of alcohol in his hand.
"What brings you here?" Vlad asked looking up at him tiredly.
"You know exactly why I'm here." Danny snapped coming off a lot more aggressive than he had planned too.
Vlad suddenly didn't look quite as uninterested but he quickly covered it up.
"I have no idea, why don't you elaborate for me." He shrugged.
Danny's hands clenched at his sides and he stood up a little straighter.
"I heard you on the phone with my mom, fruitloop. There's no way in hell you are my father. Not even close." He huffed out in one breath watching as an amused smile crossed Vlad's face.
"Are you so sure about that Daniel?" Vlad asked pulling himself up a bit.
"Of course! We don't even look alike at all, and besides you're crazy." He crossed his arms glaring down at Vlad.
"You don't even find it a tad bit interesting that we're the only two halfa's out there? Or that your mother and I went to college together. That we're friends in general?" Vlad asked him raising a brow.
Danny staled for a minute and looked at him angrily.
"So that doesn't mean anything, none of it does. I got turned into this in that stupid machine, it had nothing to do with you." He growled.
Vlad sighed and shook his head.
"It has a whole lot more to do with me than you think, boy."
"No it doesn't! I'm not your son, end of story, I just came here to clear that up." Danny huffed, turning to leave the room and Vlad behind.
"If your so certain than you wouldn't mind taking a little test to prove it would you." Vlad called to him.
Danny froze and turned around, this could be his chance to find out for real or not of Vlad was his father. He almost didn't want to know but he was so positive that it was impossible that he came back to Vlad.
"Sure, what the heck, let's do it and put your crazy fruitloop mind to rest." He snapped and Vlad just laughed.
"C'mon then, like you said, let's do it." Vlad said as he stood and clapped a hand on Danny's shoulder making him flinch.
Vlad lead the way down out of the room and to his lab and Danny hesitantly followed not quite sure if this was safe or not. For all he knew Vlad could be leading him into a trap. Swallowing heavily he walked into the lab where Vlad was standing over a table preparing some things.
"Come here." Vlad motioned turning around.
Danny slowly walked over expecting needles and scary things but Vlad held up a cotton swab.
"Open your mouth." He told him.
Danny balked at the idea and shook his head.
"No way, that's weird." He argued.
Vlad sighed and rolled his eyes.
"It's not weird, it's how you take a DNA test, now stop being a pest and open up." Vlad told him clearly irritated with his behavior.
Sighing loudly Danny opened his mouth and let Vlad swab the inside of his cheek, pulling away once he was done to glare at him and watch that he didn't tamper with the test.
Vlad did the same to himself and put the samples to be analyzed.
"We have to wait while the test runs so why don't you stop glaring and make yourself more comfortable." Vlad said turning to perch himself on the edge of the counter while he watched the computer screen run through the motions.
Danny wasn't so quick to relax though but as he saw the loading bar was going to take a while. Shrugging he leaned against a counter top and looked over at Vlad who was still intently watching the screen. He wasn't really sure how to break the awkward silence that seemed to hang around them. It felt like everything was holding its breath waiting for these test results to come in and the longer it took the more worked up Danny could feel himself getting.
He didn't want Vlad to be his father, he liked how his life was now even with all the crazy ghost hunting and stupid inventions blowing up every now and again. Sure it was weird and a little hectic but it sure beat having this crazy fruitloop as a father. He still couldn't believe that it even might be possible and the look of disbelief must have shown on his face because Vlad turned to him with a brow raised.
"You look perplexed Daniel." He said softly shifting his weight a little lean back on his hand.
"Well yeah, how would you feel if your entire life might be a lie and your arch nemesis might actually be your father." Danny spat back looking down at his hands to see they were starting to tremble a little and he hid them behind his back.
"I suppose it wouldn't be the most pleasant thing to find out in the world but come on Daniel, having me as your father really wouldn't be that bad would it?" Vlad asked tilting his head to the side.
"Yes it would be that bad, I already have a father and a family. I like how my life is now and every time I'm happy you have to stick your stupid face in and mess everything up." Danny hissed, the shaking had traveled from his hands up his arms and now he was trembling all over. Closing his eyes he tried to stop it not wanting Vlad to see how upset this thing really made him.
"Oh…Little badger…" Vlad said softly.
Danny heard the sound of Vlad's feet hitting the ground as he jumped off the counter and walked over to him. He flinched as he lay a hand on his shoulder.
"It's okay, you don't need to worry…nothing's going to change in your life. If I wanted you here by force I could have brought you years ago." He said and Danny looked up at him.
"Than why didn't you? If I really am your son why didn't you demand I be here?" Danny asked looking at him menacingly.
"Because I didn't want you here against your will Daniel, it's rather simple, I want you to want to be here. Yes I want you as my son more than anything in the world, but only when you want to be my son." Vlad explained with actual compassion in his voice.
Danny didn't know what to say and instead stared down at his boots whishing this was all a bad dream and he would wake up in his bed shaking and scared but safe.
Hesitantly Vlad pulled the shaking boy to his chest in a hug, surprised when Danny didn't immediately pull away. Instead he didn't move just let his hands fall to his sides and a small sigh escaped his lips as Vlad held him close. It could almost be called a tender moment but before either of them could think to much into it the computer beeped and Danny jumped pulling away from him.
"What does it say?" Danny asked him tension stringing his voice out higher then usual.
Almost painstakingly slow Vlad went to the computer and reviewed the results motioning Daniel over to see for himself. Danny practically ran to his side even though he was scared to death of what he would see.
His mouth went dry when he saw the results blinking in front of him and his world started to spin.
"It's a match." He whispered quietly filling the deafening silence that had started to spread.
Vlad nodded, he knew it would be this was all for Danny's sake and now the poor boy was standing stock still staring in disbelief at the screen.
"No…no, no, no…" he muttered slowly shaking his head from side to side, "This can't be right you must have…rigged it somehow or something I don't know…"
He felt Vlad lay a hand on his back but he couldn't even move to react. Despite the protests he knew the results were true and he didn't know what to say or do. Swallowing thickly he looked over at Vlad who looked down at him not with the smug look he had expected to see but with something akin to sorrow.
"Let's get you back up stairs and maybe something to drink…" Vlad said softly and gently pushed Danny in the direction of the exit.
Danny let himself be moved barely even realizing what was happening as his feet trudged against the floor. He watched tile change to carpet without registering only trying to sort out the thoughts in his head that seemed to be spinning a million miles a minute without giving him time to even see what they were about. He was so invested in his thoughts that he missed a step and tumbled forward tripping over his own feet. Before he could hit the ground though he felt Vlad grab him by the back of the shirt and haul him upright.
"Careful Daniel…" He muttered and Danny only nodded.
Back in the lounge Danny sat down on the couch with his hands in his lap simply staring at them while Vlad moved around the room doing something outside of his peripheral vision. After a few moments Vlad sat beside him and placed a cup of tea in his hands.
"Here you go…it'll make you feel better." Vlad said softly.
Danny muttered a thanks and absently sipped at the scalding liquid. He hissed slightly as it burnt his tongue and blew on the tea to help it cool. If Vlad saw him burn himself he didn't say anything only lay his hand on Danny's back again and gently patted him.
"Are you going to be okay Daniel?" He asked his not so new found son.
Danny shook his head, his hands beginning to tremble so he set the tea down on the coffee table worried he would spill it.
"No…I'm not okay…what do I do now?" He asked weakly feeling lost.
What would he do, how could he look at his mom or dad…well jack…the same way again. How could he fight Vlad now? Would they still fight? What happens next?
Frustrated he shook his head trying to clear his thoughts.
"Nothing, you don't have to do anything…" Vlad said simply and Danny looked up at him kind of surprised.
"What you're not going to tell me to stay with you, disown my dad, take on your mantel." Danny frowned in disbelief.
Vlad shrugged a little and shook his head.
"No, like I said I want you to be here because you want to…but it would mean a great deal to me if you would visit me. I can help you Danny, we're the only two halfa's in the world. There's lots I can teach you and…I'd like to spend time with you…" Vlad mumbled the last part almost as if he were embarrassed to say it.
Danny was quiet while he thought over Vlad's words. Frankly the fact that he wasn't demanding that he stay with him was surprising and a bit shocking. It almost made him think that maybe Vlad wasn't as bad as he had thought all this time.
"Why…why do you want me around so bad?" Danny asked him.
"I've had to watch my son be raised by other people, I want to get to know you better. I've been dying to tell you for years but I just couldn't. You would have never found out if it hadn't been for your snooping." Vlad smirked at him trying to bring a smile to the distraught younger halfa's face.
"I was not snooping." Danny countered giving a defiant pout.
"You were or else you wouldn't have found out." Vlad pointed out, glad for the small familiar argument.
Danny snorted and shook his head.
"Stubborn fruitloop." He muttered but there was a hint of a smile on his lips.
Vlad laughed a bit and leaned back cuffing the back of Danny's head in a playful way that meant no harm. It was a simple gesture but it broke the heavy atmosphere as they fell into an almost normal banter.
A few months later Danny packed his bags for the month of summer break he would be spending with Vlad. He had never told his mom or anyone else that he knew Vlad was his father not even Tucker and Sam. Over the months since he found out though him and Vlad had run into each other a few times but their battles instead of being deadly matches had turned into lessons on how to fight usually followed by Danny tagging along back to Vlad's mansion to see the latest technology he was working on. From there it had lead to visits in his human form curiosity drawing him to learn more about his father. Jack was over whelmed that Danny had become friends with Vlad and encouraged him to spend weekends there, which after some particularly nasty run ins with Jack's strange devices hadn't actually sounded like that bad of an idea.
Now he was spending the month with him and he could hardly believe that he was actually happy to spend time with Vlad. He would have never taken him to be the actual fatherly type but as far as dads went he wasn't half bad. Shaking his head with a little laugh Danny dragged his bags into the back of the van where Jack was impatiently waiting to drive him to the mansion. Danny smiled as he hopped in the seat and did up his seatbelt.
"Alright, let's go." He told his dad and they sped off.
So I hope you enjoyed it, this is my first time writing something like this and I felt like it needed a happy ending because there is just so much angst in the phandom and I wanted happiness for once. So hurray for the happy and everyone is okay.