Author's Note: Yeah, I'm back! YOLO! So this is still in the Time and Space verse. The one shots do seem to follow a specific order which is basically the order that I have uploaded them in. Same with this one and the one I posted after this one. Double update so read this one first, though it honestly doesn't matter, then read Jumpy Jazz.
ENJOY!
Party People
It had taken awhile to come up with a plausible excuse as to why billionaire Vlad Masters, was to receive a pardon for his crimes on Earth. It had taken even longer for the Fenton parents to convince their three children, Danny, Danielle, and Jazz who was at college, to go along with the plan. Eventually the trio of Fenton children gave up stating that if anything went wrong, it was the parents' fault and they couldn't blame them and Jack and Maddie had agreed.
It had started with a meeting which would have ended in disaster if the Fentons hadn't called in a few favors. Security was tight thanks to Tucker and Sam, Tucker obviously had connections as Mayor and Sam being filthy rich. It also helped that the Fentons now had a few ghostly allies on their side, one of which made the situation much easier to control, literally.
Ghostwriter wrote out a new ending for Vlad on his new and improved keyboard. He made sure that people didn't remember the event with the Disasteroid or him being mayor. Everything else, however, still remained as it once was. He was the billionaire who lived in Wisconsin at one point, only to move to Amity Park for an unknown reason.
With that settled, Vlad had been spending much of his time in the Fenton household, trying to reconnect with Jack and Maddie while Danielle and Danny remained vigilant; Danielle not trusting Vlad as far as she could throw him and Danny because he was curious to know if his Vlad could change like two-thirds of the Vlad's he's encountered. It seemed that everything was fine, though Vlad did occasionally look as though he wanted to zap Jack for some reason or the other.
Vlad actually seemed quite content to just be with his best friends. Danny had to admit that it scared him how much he could see of himself in Vlad, Sam in his mom, and Tucker in his dad. It made his skin crawl, and one night...well, things just happened to get weird.
"Danny! Anni! Can you come here for a second?" Maddie called from the bottom of the stairs which led up to the bedrooms.
Danny and Danielle both groaned in their respective rooms, each one doing their own thing, Danny video games and Danielle homework. The two exited their rooms, ran their fingers through their hair and made their way down the stairs single filed. They each seemed to have a bored expression on their faces until their eyes widened and twitched at the sight before them.
"Oh not again," Danny stated as he smacked his forehead and ran his hand slowly down the front of his face. "I know that last time I went with you guys, but this is not happening. Nope, nuh-uh, nein, neit, nonka, iie, and however else you can possibly say no."
Danielle, for her part, remained quiet as she looked over Jack, Maddie and...and Vlad. Maddie wasn't wearing her radiation suit for a change, and her hair as somewhat wild with a big black bow at the top. Her lips were bright red and she had a beauty mark beneath her left eye. Her shirt seemed to have fishnet sleeves that cut off into blue spaghetti straps that hung off her shoulders and into a shirt that would show off her midriff if it hadn't been for the tight fitting black fabric of the shirt. There was then a skirt that reached above her knees and under the skirt was back fishnet stockings. Atop the fishnet stockings were a pair of black boots that reached the middle of her leg below her knees, and they had a modest sized heel. She had large hooped earrings in each ear and blue bangles on each of her wrists.
Jack wore a tall cap on his head and those stupid glasses with no lenses that have the multiple slits in them. He had a gigantic gold chain around his neck which had a huge dollar sign hanging off it. Below that was his orange jumpsuit and in his hand he carried an old time-y boombox that he had resting on his shoulder. On his feet were sneakers with untied shoe laces that didn't touch the ground.
Danielle's attention then fell to Vlad, whose expression looked just as silly as the clothing he was in. His hair was free of its ponytail and was barely grazing his shoulders. His goatee had been shaped up a bit, but of course, no one would be focusing on that because V-Man was rocking a white hoodie with gold parachute pants and shoes similar to Jack's. He had a black beanie cap on his head, and a white cap on top of that which was facing the back. He even seemed to have an earring in his ear, though on closer inspection it wasn't actually in his ear. It was a clip on. Despite being a simple clip on though, Danielle had a feeling that it was real gold.
Danielle immediately put her hand to her mouth to stifle her laughter, but between looking at Jack and Vlad...she knew her efforts were futile.
"C'mon son," Danielle heard Jack say to Danny who had his arms crossed and a look that read, 'you're kidding me' on his face. "It'll be fun, and this time pipsqueak gets to come along."
Hearing the nickname that Jack had given her caused Danielle to freeze. She looked to Jack with eyes blown wide and mouth agape. There was no way she was going out looking like they were. She shook her head as well as her hands.
"Oooooh no no no, I don't think so. I uh, I got way to much homework to do."
"One night won't hurt," Maddie said with a reassuring smile while Vlad rolled his eyes.
"Mom listen," Danny started as he stepped forward and placed his hand on Danielle's shoulder. "It's not that we don't want to go or anything, but this is the first time that you, dad, and Unkie Vlad are going out in public. As a group. Together. You should...have fun as adults. Rekindle that old friendship without us younglings there to, uh, throw off...your grove?"
The derisive snort from Vlad didn't go unnoticed, but the glare he sent Danny's way most certainly did. It was only when Jack spoke up and slapped Danny on the back did Vlad seem simultaneous satisfied and defeated.
"You've got a point, Danny boy! The last time the three of us were together and having a good time was when we were working on the prototype portal. We should hang out, just the three of us, just like old times! The kids can always go to the Material Grill's 80s Night next year."
Maddie looked to Danny and Danielle, both who were trying to put on their best disappointed faces.
"Again, I've got homework, mom," Danielle reminded while Danny nodded his head.
"And I really need to get back to my English. Mr. Lancer's been busting my chops," Danny told half truthfully. Lancer was more than pushing Danny to his limits lately and he really did need to get to his work, but he was too busy trying to beat the current level of Call for Dead III: Modern Ghosts. Colonel Chief wasn't going to stab zombies with plasma swords to liberate the ghosts in Vice City himself.
Maddie shook her head and sighed before she waved her hand at Danielle and Danny. She was outnumbered even if Vlad did agree that the kids should go. Immediately after getting their dismissal, Danielle and Danny ran up the stairs. They waited until they were out of view to give a sigh of relief and high five at their cunning.
Upon entering the Material Grill, Vlad, Maddie and Jack took a seat at one of the tables. It had been a long time since they had hung out in a public club like this, and an even longer time since they had all been content to just be in each others presence. Unlike the majority of the world, The Fentons, Sam, Tucker, Clockwork, Ghostwriter, Dan, and Desiree remembered the Disasteroid and the events that followed. It made hanging out like this quite difficult, but they had all agreed to try. That's what had prompted this outing, though Maddie had wanted the children to be there in case Vlad were to use the opportunity to do something stupid. Of course she couldn't say that out loud with Vlad present. She did have some tact.
"So..." Maddie started as she looked from Jack to Vlad.
"So," Vlad repeated, uncertain as to what was actually going to transpire now that they were at their desired location.
"Drinks!" Jack said and rushed off to go fetch some. Maddie just shook her head, as did Vlad, and the two sat there quietly.
Vlad shifted in his seat uncomfortably while Maddie kept her gaze everywhere else except on him. With shake of his head, Vlad decided that he would be the one to speak. He just had to know what this stupid little trip was all about.
"Why is it that you wanted us to come here? Surely you knew this would be, well, awkward?"
Maddie cast her gaze to Vlad, and first she was frowning, but her features softened.
"We used to be friends once," she began as her mind wandered back to their college days. "Not just friends, but best friends. You, Jack and I were always together, even when we weren't working on that portal. You may not think so, but I do miss those times and I do wish to be your friend again. I know you're still the Vlad we grew up with. I've seen it. That's what prompted me to bring you here tonight. I want to bring out my good friend V-Man, and you know how I am with getting what I want."
It was true, Vlad did know how things went when it came to Maddie getting her way. He sighed and then tried to relax. He should've known better, for the moment he felt at least a small amount of tension leave his body, Jack came bounding back with drinks. For once he managed not to spill anything as he set down the three drinks. Vlad picked up his glass and swirled it around a bit while Maddie took a sip of hers, surprised by the fact that Jack had brought them alcoholic beverages. She gave Jack a look, but Jack seemed to not take notice as he drank half of his glass in one gulp. Maddie didn't question it for she was watching Vlad as he swirled his around, something obviously on his mind.
Noticing he was being stared at, Vlad took a swig of the liquid, nearly choking on the carbonated alcohol.
"This is terrible," he stated as he looked towards Jack. Jack only smiled and drank the rest of his.
"S'not so bad. Then again, you never were the type for beer. You were more of the occasional red wine type of guy. I remember in college when we made our band, you remember? The Skunk Punks? At the party we had to promote ourselves I drank you so far underneath the table, ha!"
Vlad recalled the incident while Maddie frowned. She didn't remember probably because she had opted out of going so that she could finish studying.
"I seem to recall you attempting to drink the table by the end of the night," Vlad said with a small smirk.
Jack returned Vlad's smirk with a cheesy grin. "I won't deny what I can't remember. I also won't admit to it either. Point is, back then nobody could beat me when it came to downing the booze."
Vlad's smirk vanished when he realized what Jack was implying.
"Certainly you jest, Jack. With my ghost powers I'd wipe the floor with you."
"I'd take that bet," Jack stated as he rose from his chair.
"You, my rotund friend, are on."
Maddie opened her mouth to protest, but it died on her lips as Jack rushed off to get them their drinks. When he returned, it was with two huge glasses and a grin.
"Let's do it!"
Five glasses of beer and Jack was tipsy. Ten glasses of beer and Jack was totally drunk. Vlad had lost their drinking contest which was certainly surprising to Maddie, but not so much so for Jack. Maddie had opted not to drink since they needed a designated driver, so she just watched as Jack and Vlad rushed to the stage and danced while the different colored lights illuminated them from ahead. She had to admit that she hadn't been so relaxed in a very long time, and she was even having a bit fun watching her two best friends dancing on stage. She had been skeptical about them drinking, but then they had started and there was no stopping them. Somewhere along the line the three of them started talking about the good old days, some of the stories funny, some a bit sad, and others they probably hadn't meant to share. Either way, it was an enjoyable night.
On stage Vlad was doing the robot while Jack was doing the electric slide. Neither dance matched the song that was being played over head, but they didn't seem to care because they were having fun. Eventually Maddie stood up and joined them, dancing between her best friend/slash husband, and the best friend that she thought she had lost for good. Maddie looked to Vlad and smiled. He returned her smile and then moved back, putting some distance between them. Maddie found that a bit odd, but thought nothing more of it when Jack moved in to hug the two of them.
"I love you guys," he said happily, his voice slurred.
Vlad laughed as did Maddie, and then the three of them began to do the Can Can, just because they could.
The return trip to Fenton Works was full of bad singing and boisterous laughter. It had been a good, fun night, though the morning wouldn't be as fun. Maddie parked the RV and helped Jack out. She would have helped Vlad, but he seemed more stable. Perhaps it was the half ghost part of him that was working over time? She hadn't a clue. Vlad helped Maddie support Jack between them, and walked towards the entrance to the house. Jack was still singing, quite loudly which seemed to trigger Vlad's inner vocalist. The two sang some song that was hard to decipher due to mispronunciations and them half laughing not to mention being off tune. Before Maddie could get the key to open the door, Danny flung the door open and did a double take before moving aside.
"Mom, are are...wasted?"
Sam and Tucker, who had been on the floor with their school books out, despite it at least being one it the morning, looked over to see just what Danny was talking about. Maddie sighed as Vlad led Jack towards the couch, maneuvering him past Tucker, Sam and the books, and let the man flop down. Vlad then took the recliner chair and laid back himself.
Maddie sighed as she looked towards the children and nodded her head, slightly embarrassed.
"Now I really wish I had gone," Danny stated with a huge grin on his face. Sam and Tucker nodded silently in agreement for it was not every day a Fenton let loose like that let alone Vlad.
Vlad chuckled from where he sat which caused all in the room, minus a sleeping Jack, to look towards him. Maddie, who had her suspicions from the beginning looked to her best friend.
"You're not really though, are you Vladdie?"
Vlad opened his eyes all the way and grinned before he placed a finger to his mouth and shushed her.
"Let him have his victory."
Danny, Sam, and Tucker said nothing as Vlad reclined in the chair and began to doze off. It had been awhile since he had let loose, and though it was a fun experience, it was also tiring. It was so tiring, in fact, that he didn't even have the urge to change out of those ridiculous clothes.
END
