AN: Hi!...So! … I'm back! … if... if that's good news for anyone? Haha but uh, seriously, thanks to everyone who has followed, favorited, and left me reviews. You guys? Really cool. I hate leaving things unfinished so damn it, I'm gonna chug on through and finish this fic! Hope you all enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom.

I'm pretty sure I wrote why it was rated M. Can't remember for the life of me why. We'll figure it out, neh?

It didn't take long for Vlad to be alerted that someone was in his mansion. The man had the best security money and knowledge could offer. He wasn't worried, either. About a year ago, he had installed a special device to alert him of the young hybrid's presence. It read the teen's unique ghost signature and processed it through all the weapon security. That way, the teen wouldn't be harmed. It was risky; considering Danny had an awful habit of snooping around. The billionaire would never intentionally hurt him. Not anymore. Funny how things change.

As he made his way down the stairs, he was surprised to see Danny sitting on his couch, his legs crossed and his elbow resting against the arm rest to hold the side of his head up. Walking along the couch to get to the front, the billionaire kept his air of casualness as he questioned the young hybrid's presence.

"It's rather late, Daniel. What are you doing here?"

Danny was still in his ghost form. The older man finally made his way around the couch and stopped at the opposite end of it to look down at the teen. Danny could see those blue eyes he admire widen at the sight of his glowing red ones. "I guess it is late, huh?" After his casual remark, Danny glanced to the clock. That's when he noticed it was almost three in the morning. "Sorry. I got a little too excited and came straight here."

Sitting down, Vlad suddenly felt worried. The teen's eyes were red instead of their normal green. He had seen something like this before when Freakshow was out of jail before sent right back. Could Danny have been taken over by the staff the crazy man had held once before? Skulker had informed him of the staff, but also said it broke a few years ago. "What about?" He figured he would watch the teen's reaction and see if he was being mind controlled.

Taking a deep breath, the young halfa turned on the couch so he could fully face the man. His legs were brought up and crossed, his hands placed in the small circle they made. "Hear me out, please." he could see Vlad's surprise at his plea. It encouraged him to go on. "I thought about what you said after you rescued me from my fight with Technus. You're right. You're a fucking Fruitloop," He wanted to smile at the sneer of distaste on the billionaire's face from his cursing, but continued, "But you're right."

"Pray tell what, exactly, I am right about, Daniel? You aren't making much sense." Danny narrowed his eyes, so Vlad added with a hand gesture, "Please continue."

The teen did. "Everyone I've rescued is ungrateful. I risk my life for them and it's rare for me to get a thank you. Most of the people I've saved decide to thank me by trying to destroy me. I've had these powers for two years and I haven't made much improvement with them. No one helps me. Everyone is too busy trying to figure out what the fuck I am – seriously Vlad, it's just a curse word – and how to dissect me instead of how they can help me improve myself. Even my own parents ask me for samples instead of saying 'hey, you're all bloodied up and hurt, do you need some help?' It's like no one gives a damn about me."

He took another deep, shuddering breath as he felt his body sag in defeat. He added, knowing he had Vlad's full attention, "You know what's the worst part? No one gave a damn about me when I was ordinary. No one cared what I did with my life or who I spent my time with because I was just too boring to care about. With my ghost powers, I'm unique. I stand out. People who do idolize me just want to know about my ghost half. They don't give a shit about me."

Danny felt all the hurt and anger buried deep within him surface. On some level, he must have always felt this way. When Vlad would point out how he truly felt about being the hero, he denied it. The teen didn't feel as if he had the luxury to think differently. He was the good guy. What super hero thinks the people he's rescued are ungrateful and undeserving?

Hands suddenly cupped the young halfa's cheeks. Not expecting the feel of such warmth on his face, Danny looked up. His eyes fell onto sympathetic blue ones. He hadn't realized he was shaking, but by the worry crossing the man's face, he realized he might have sounded a little hysterical at the end of his rant. Vlad ran his thumbs soothingly across the skin. The older man could see Danny's silent plea for him to understand; to sympathize with him. How could he not?

"Why are you bringing all this up, Little Badger?" Vlad had an idea, but he needed to hear it himself. His heart broke at how hurt the teen looked. It was as if the realization had hit him just now.

Danny raised his hands and placed them on top of the ones cupping his cheeks. His eyes never left Vlad's. He needed to convey that he meant what was leaving his mouth, "I want to join you. I've had it with these ungrateful jackasses. You were right from the start. You tried to warn me and I never listened. I understand now and I … I want you to take me in and I want to take over the world with you."

Vlad could hear his heart hammering in his chest; the force of it pounded in his own ears. The blood flowed at an alarmingly fast rate through him as he heard the words he waited so long to hear from the teenage boy. Closing his eyes, he reminded himself that the teen was not himself. Danny couldn't be; not if those red eyes were anything to go off on. Disappointment washed over him as cold as ice. How he had dreamed of this moment, but it had to be a lie. At his name being called, he opened his eyes and gazed into the searching red ones.

"You don't mean that, Daniel." The teen whipped back as if he had been slapped. Immediately, Vlad held on so Danny wouldn't try to break away. "Your eyes are off, Little Badger. It looks to me as if you are being controlled."

Eyes furrowing, Danny tried to think of what the man could mean. Controlled? Seeing his own reflection off the blue orbs, realization dawned on him. The teen laughed. Vlad looked a bit weary at that. "Oh! No, no, I'm not being controlled. See, this dude had this staff..." The man immediately tensed . Danny quickly said, "Wait, wait, just hear me out, okay?"

The older hybrid still looked wearily. "Fine. Explain."

"This dude with a staff came at me and tried to control me. It was kind of like how Freakshow did it but only... I didn't lose my consciousness. See, when Freakshow did it, I had no idea he was trying to control me. This time, I felt the guy's intentions. The orb didn't make me feel controlled. I felt free. So I put my hand on the orb and broke it. The misty stuff went on my arm and just disappeared."

After listening to the explanation, Vlad raised a brow. "That still sounds as if you were controlled Daniel." he frowned at the teen's protest.

"No! I'm not … like, being controlled. I know I absorbed the energy thing into my body. Nothing made me do it. I just … felt like I should. It kind of made me realize everything. Kind of like...everything I never wanted to open my eyes to, I finally was able to."

Pulling away from the young hybrid, Vlad pinched the bridge of his nose. He ignored the look of disappointment on Danny's face. Really, the teen had no right to look so cute like that. It was like some kind of disappointed puppy. He took in everything the young halfa said. "Let me get this straight... You absorbed an unknown energy into your body without taking the moment to think about what sort of consequences could come with it?"

Danny nodded eagerly. "Yes! Yes that's exactly—oh wait. That... that sounds stupid, doesn't it?" Flinching, he rubbed the back of his head. Jeez, when Vlad phrased it like that it just sounded reckless and thoughtless. It partly was, but that was completely besides the point in the teen's mind.

Giving Danny a look, Vlad rolled his eyes. "Daniel, if you'll allow me to take you into my lab, I rather research this. Who knows what that energy is doing to your body." Or his will, but he figured that was already implied.

Danny couldn't help it. He pouted as his body sagged in defeat. There was no point in protesting. "Fine. If that'll get you to believe me."

"It will."

"I guess this has to wait until tomorrow?" It was late. Vlad was still in his pajamas so Danny realized he might have woken the man up from his sleep. He wasn't tired himself, but he had to pity Vlad. Now that he was actually looking at him, he could see the exhaustion.

Smiling lightly, the billionaire stood up. "Ideally. I really am tired. Would you like to stay in the guest room?"

Biting his lower lip, the teen thought about sleeping the guest room. He could, but it felt … lonely. It wasn't as if he wasn't used to sleeping on his own. Quite the opposite but for some reason, he didn't want to be alone. Sleeping on a bed by himself was just not appealing. With a deep breath, he asked almost in a hushed whisper without looking at Vlad, "Can I sleep with you?"

Surprised by the question, Vlad's breath caught. Swallowing past the lump in his throat, he felt his mind scream no; to tell the teen it wasn't right. He should sleep in his own room since he had over fifty to chose from and yet the protest couldn't make it past his lips. Instead, he found himself replying, "Of course."

Eagerly, Danny hopped off the couch and caught up with the man walking towards the bedroom. They walked side by side. The teen felt his stomach fluttering nervously, completely unaware that Vlad was reacting the same way. When they made it into the bedroom, Vlad got onto his king size bed. He was happy to note the teen looked happy to be joining him. Danny kicked off his shoes, removed his socks, shirt and jeans before crawling onto the large mattress. The older man felt his mouth dry at the sight of the exotic looking half ghost crawling towards him, clad in only boxers.

Danny made his way under the green blanket and lied beside the man. Since there were so many pillows on the bed, he had his own. Smiling, he closed his eyes and relaxed into the heavenly soft bed. He switched back to his human self before inhaling the older hybrid's scent. Vlad studied the teen before closing his own eyes. When was the last time he slept next to someone? It felt wonderful. Danny was so small and frail looking, he wanted nothing more than to pull him close and wrap his arms around him. He settled for enjoying the feel of having a warm body so close to his.

Vlad woke up a few hours later. Danny was still on his side of the bed, only inches away from him, sleeping. The teen's confession was too good to be true. Overall, he seemed normal. Other than the realization that the people don't care about him, he behaved no different than he usually did. The only thing he could tell shifted within Danny was his morale. Still, that could make a significant difference if he was being controlled. The energy he absorbed could have, for lack of a better word, a mind of its own. It could be using Danny to do its bidding.

Then there was the other, unrealistic option. The young hybrid really could mean everything that he said. They could join together and take over the ghost zone and the world. It had always been a dream for Vlad to take over and rule. The teen always stopped him which, up until only a year ago, had bothered him. When he saw Danny struggling to protect the people of Amity Park and the ghosts in the ghost zone, he dropped it. It wasn't worth hurting him. Fate decided to play with his emotions by now throwing an alternative to his face: have Danny be his side to rule.

He wanted to take it. He didn't want to make sure the teen had his own free will still in his grasp. It was taking all his will power to not just dismiss the evidence of the red eyes telling him there was something off with the young halfa. Yet, he wouldn't forgive himself if he went through with it. Danny meant more to him than anyone could ever imagine. It would kill him if he took advantage. No, he learned to place someone's needs above his own desires. Well...when it came to Danny.

After studying the beautiful sleeping teen before him, he gently reached over and shook the small shoulder. "Daniel. Daniel, it's time to get up, my dear boy. It's nearly eleven." He had forced himself to sleep longer for the teen's sake. Danny was by no means an early riser.

Blue eyes slowly revealed itself. The older man had half expected to see red. Was Danny's ghost half only being controlled then? The teen didn't look surprised to see him. Instead, he stretched his body, not knowing how crazy he was driving the man by doing so with the skin he revealed, and smiled. "Mornin' Fruitloop."

Smiling in return, Vlad ran his hand through the black mopped hair. "Good morning. Are you ready to go to the lab? I rather nothing be in your stomach while I run some tests."

Disappointed that he won't be fed first, Danny sat up. "Okay. Can we eat after?"

"I'll make your favorite."

"Red velvet pancakes?"

"With whip cream and those awful sprinkles I remember you being fond of."

"Stalker." Danny said affectionately, not surprised that Vlad actually knew his favorites. He then added for good measure as they got out of bed, "Creep."

Vlad only hummed in response, clearly amused. They made their way into the lab. When asked to switch to his ghost form, the young halfa immediately did. Looking into a mirror, Danny noticed his red eyes. No wonder Vlad was concerned. Hopping onto the table in the middle of the lab, he was suddenly scanned. Several times. Each scan was a different color. A few of them focused on his head, his chest, and his stomach. The rest were full body. Whistling, he let his legs dangle and swung them as he waited for the results.

The image of the teen's body showed up in Vlad's screen. Results of the scan appeared moments later. As the older hybrid studied them, he made sure they were detailed. The older man didn't want to leave any room for doubt. Glancing over to Danny, he smiled at the sight of the carefree smile on his face. It looked beautiful on him. Looking back over to his results, his eyes widened. His scanners couldn't find a single thing wrong with the young hybrid. As far as it was concerned, the young half ghost was in perfect health and completely void of any contamination.

"So did I pass?"

Danny's voice startled the man. He would have jumped in surprise had he not caught himself in time. Glancing over to the teen, he swallowed. His heart was racing in his chest. Danny was fine. Everything that he had said was true. The young halfa had meant every word and there was nothing his scanners could find to prove otherwise. Nothing.

"Yes."

Grinning, Danny flew over to the older man. His legs switched to their spectral tail as he wrapped it around the older man's chest and then down to his waist. Cupping the pale cheeks, he leaned in close so their lips were only inches apart. "So Fruitloop... I'll ask again." he brushed their lips together. "Will you take me in and let me join you?"

The man would be damn fool to say no to that.

And Vlad Masters was no fool.

AN: NOW I REMEMBER. DANNY IS UNDERAGED. Got'cha. Well, I hope you guys liked the update :) If not … sorry ;_;