Reasons to Object

SUMMARY: After years of bachelorhood, billionaire Vladimir Masters is preparing to walk down the aisle with a woman that everyone thinks is his perfect match. Well, everyone but a certain spectral superhero who just doesn't know how to feel about her. Vlad/Danny

WARNINGS: Technically, this story is AU since I've pretty much pretended that season 3 and Phantom Planet haven't happened and fiddled around with some other things. And if it isn't obvious, this story is male/male, slash, BL, yaoi, etc.

DISCLAIMER: Danny Phantom Universe belongs to Butch Hartman and Nickelodeon.

I'm just gonna start out by saying that I've had this idea in my head for a while and this is going to be a chaptered story(my first official Vlad/Danny chaptered fanfic by the way). Although, unlike my other chaptered stories for other fandoms, I am not writing this all out at once so there will be a wait between updates, no more than two weeks is my goal.

With that said, on with the fic!

*Sorry for the late update of this chapter, my internet connection was having some problems and I was unable to uplaod anything to .


Chapter 4 - Rehearsals

Walking up to the front door of Vlad's mansion, Danny is a bit apprehensive. Though considering the last time he had been here, practically melting into the man's ministrations, the young ghost is understandably embarrassed by his behavior. He raises a hand and knocks on the wooden surface of the door. When it opens, the halfa is surprised to see somebody he had completely forgotten about in the last few days-Vlad's fiancée.

"Danny?"

"Oh! Hi, Charlotte . . . um, do you live here?"

"Well, not yet. I'm simply keeping some of my things here. I don't plan to move in officially until after Vlad and I return from our honeymoon," replies Charlotte, before she realizes that she's rambling. "So, what brings you by?"

"I just wanted to talk to Vlad about something."

At his explanation, the woman raises her eyebrow in confusion.

"Doesn't it take over two hours to get here from Amity Park? It must be very important."

Remembering that Vlad's fiancee had no idea of the man's ghost abilities, let alone his, Danny smiles lamely.

"Yeah, I guess."

"I'm sorry, Danny, but Vlad isn't here," begins Charlotte, her voice a bit remorseful. "He's actually at a meeting with my father at the moment."

"Oh okay. Um, I'm just came by to tell him something, but you don't have to tell him I came by or anything. I . . . uh, just decided to take a chance."

As the teen turns to walk away, he is stopped by the woman's words.

"Wait Danny, you can come in and wait for him, if you want. It shouldn't be any more than an hour or so. I don't want your trip to be in vain."

Against his better judgment, the half ghost follows the brunette into the large home, not that he needs any direction. In the past, Danny has made himself quite familiar with its palatial layout. As he makes himself comfortable on the lush green sofa, the phantom can't help but remember a particularly fun time he had there with Vlad one night. However, sitting there now, across from the man's fiancée, causes an uncomfortable blush to cross the ghost's face.

"Danny, are you alright? You look a bit flushed."

"Yeah, I'm fine. Don't worry about me."

Taking a long look at the young man before her, Charlotte decides to start a conversation.

"It's obvious that you and Vlad have a special relationship. He treasures you very much."

At her simple, innocent observation, the ghost's eyes widen to almost twice their size before he recovers.

"It's just because he would've been my godfather, that's all."

"Would've been? Oh, was that because of the time he spent in the hospital?"

"Yeah," supplies Danny, deciding to veer away from that topic. "He even tried to make me call him Uncle Vlad when I was younger, but I've never felt like he was any kind of parental figure to me."

"Vlad doesn't exactly embody paternal instincts does he?"

"Actually he does. Vlad would be a great father if given the chance, I've simply never seen him as one to me. And weirdly enough, that is one of the things I like about him."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, for better or worse he has never ignored me or been condescending just because I'm younger than him. Vlad doesn't hold back his opinions or accept my lame excuses. Regardless of my age, he expects the best from me at all times and constantly pushes me to do better."

"In his own way, Vlad's a good man."

"Fundamentally, I guess. But 'good' wouldn't be the first adjective I'd use to describe Vladimir Masters."

"What adjective would you use?"

At the woman's inquisition, Danny can't help the grin that forms on his face.

"That's a loaded question. Let's just say that complex is the only word inclusive enough."

"I suppose you are right," she agrees with a light smile. "Danny, may I ask you something?"

"Go ahead," replies the hero as a silver cat suddenly appears next to him. Recognizing the feline with his mother's name, Danny grins as he scratches Maddie behind her ears.

Noticing how much the cat seems to like the teen, as it normally hated anyone else besides her master, an interested expression settles on Charlotte's face.

"Well, this may be a bit odd to ask, but what were Vlad's previous girlfriends like?"

"Uh . . . he hasn't told you?"

"No, he doesn't like to talk about it."

Taking a minute to debate how he should answer the question, or if he should answer it at all, Danny focuses on the cat purring in his lap.

"Vlad's been a bachelor for as long as I've known him. Honestly, I didn't even know he dated at all. You'd have to ask my parents."

"Call me crazy, but somehow, I had thought that it would be a better decision to ask you."

"Why?"

"No particular reason."

As the two sit across from each other, there is an uneasy air between the two. Charlotte seems to be sizing the teenager up, in a way eerily-similar to how any woman would look at their fiancé's former lover, and Danny simply stares back at her, shifting uncomfortably underneath her gaze. However, there is no malice in her emerald-green eyes, simply curiosity.

"Danny, like I said, Vlad won't be back for some time. How about you and I get something to eat? If you don't mind, I'd like to continue our conversation and get to know you better."

"That sounds nice, Charlotte."


The hallway clock announces eight o'clock when Vlad walks into his mansion-the home he is preparing to share with someone besides a temperamental feline. Upon his arrival, the silver-haired cat affectionately threads it's way through her master's long legs with a soft purr.

"Good evening, Vlad," comes his fiancée's voice from the other room, her eyes briefly looking up from the book in her hands.

"Good evening to you, Charlotte."

"I wasn't expecting my father to keep you out so late."

"To be honest, neither was I."

His comment earns a soft laugh from the woman as she turns the page. Entering the sitting room, the man sits down on the couch, unknowingly in the exact same spot that was occupied by his younger counterpart. Forest green eyes notice the coincidence with a light smile. Watching the man make himself comfortable, Charlotte remembers the question that has been on her mind for the last few hours.

"Vlad, are you sure that you want to go through with this marriage?"

"Yes. I was serious when I asked you to marry me, Charlotte."

"I know that, but I'm trying to figure out if were you serious about wanting to marry me or just serious about going through with a convenient and lucrative business arrangement."

"There are advantages to both."

As Vlad reaches down to pick up the cat stretching up his leg, the woman laughs at his comment.

"Hmm, Danny was right about you."

At the mention of his paramour, Vlad's attention immediately focuses on the woman before him-even if the only sign of it is the shift of his gaze.

"You spoke with Daniel?"

"Yes, an entire conversation actually."

"He called?"

"He visited."

Now Vlad becomes visibly surprised. Clearing his throat, he goes back to gently petting the cat in his lap. The soft purr reaches his ears as he turns his focus back to Charlotte.

"You mentioned something about what Daniel had said?" prompts the billionaire, his voice perfectly calm.

"Well, we were talking about you. And out of curiosity, I asked him to describe you with one adjective and now I know that he chose the right one."

"I assume that it is some variant of the word insane?"

"No," replies the woman, a knowing grin on her lips. "He actually chose the word complex."

At the answer, Vlad smirks and crosses one of his long legs over the other. Observing the rare genuine expression on the enigmatic man's face, Charlotte's eyes gain a gleam of understanding.

"So, what was the reason behind his visit?"

"Danny didn't really say, but it seemed like there was something important he wished to talk about. We had an interesting chat. He would have stayed but he left in a hurry, saying that there was something he had to do."

"Yes, I can imagine," Vlad comments a bit annoyed, as he too had sensed the ghosts haunting Amity Park earlier that night.

"It's strange really . . ."

"What is strange?"

"Even though Danny's parents have known you for well over twenty years, I get the feeling that their son is the one that knows you the best," observes the woman, taking a good look at the man before her. "The way Maddie and Jack Fenton describe you, it makes you sounds like a completely different person. Danny, on the other hand, seems like he truly understands every facet of you."

Considering that statement, the man returns his attention to the feline softly purring in his lap. His gaze focuses on the content expression in Maddie's green eyes as it reminds him of another alluring set entirely.

"In fact," continues Charlotte, after a quick sip from her tea cup. "An observant person might deduce that you are going through with this marriage only to make a certain someone jealous."

An eyebrow is arched as piercing blue eyes focus on the woman across the table. Her inquisitive forest green eyes staring right back at him.

"However, that same observant person would also know that you are a dangerous man, Vladimir Masters, and simply concern herself with her own upcoming wedding preparations."

"I'm only dangerous to certain people," replies Vlad with a knowing smile. His gaze becomes a bit distant as certain thoughts cross his mind. "At my base level, I suppose that I am just a hopeless romantic."

The woman smirks at the statement as the man stands up, displacing the cat in his lap.

"I must be going, I have an important phone call that I must make. Excuse me, ladies."

"Of course."

With that, the man heads upstairs leaving his fiancée and female cat to themselves. Once he is alone in his personal office, Vlad locks the door behind him as his face gains a very serious expression.

"I thought I told you and the others to leave Daniel alone for the time being."

Smirking, Skulker makes himself visible, his large form glowing with eerie glow of all specters. The dangerous tone that Vlad's voice has gained, as well as the flicker of red in the man's eyes, doesn't go unnoticed by the phantom hunter. He simply shakes off the twinge of fear it evokes and opts to make himself comfortable in Vlad's plush chair.

"You did. And I let them know. We ghosts don't follow orders well. Some choose to listen, and some don't."

"I see."

The ghost watches as Vlad makes his way over to the large window that overlooks the sprawling landscape before it. The dark forms of trees oddly manage to capture the hybrid's attention as his mind goes to work.

"So, is the whelp yours yet?"

"So crude, Skulker," replies Vlad after a moment, a grin on his lips. "I had hoped that our interactions over the years would have improved that."

"So, that a no?"

"For the moment. Yet, I have reason to believe that will change, very soon."

"Really?"

"I know Daniel better than you do."

"Yeah, I bet," replies the hunter. "Personally, I don't see why you don't just capture him and be done with it."

"Daniel is not some trophy to be acquired, my dear Skulker. That mentality is exactly why you've failed in capturing him. For what I want Daniel for, requires far more finesse. He needs to come to me of his own free will, so I can be patient and wait. Besides, badgers are known to be particularly feisty creatures when forced to do anything."

"Hnn, do you want the report or not?"

"Well, that is the reason why you are in my employ."

Taking that as a signal to get on with it, Skulker leans back into the chair.

"The Ghost Zone is pretty quiet, for the Ghost Zone anyway. Though everyone is pretty interested to see how things between you and the whelp turn out. Some are even taking bets on it."

"Bets?"

"I have quite a sum on the outcome."

"And? Are you betting for, or against the house?"

"I'm no fool, Plasmius. Now, you said you had a job for me?"

"Inform whoever attacked Amity Park tonight to cease their actions. Feel free to be creative."

"You're being a bit extreme. Even for you."

"It is a rather delicate time for Daniel," Vlad begins, his voice deceivingly calm. "I'd rather his focus be on other things than ghost attacks at the moment."

"It was just Technus, up to his usual pathetically-harmless mischief. No real threat, I bet Phantom wasn't even hurt."

"That technological annoyance better hope not, as I need little excuse to use him as a punching bag in which to vent my own current frustrations," states the man with a tense tone as he seamlessly shifts into his alternate form.

"Where are you off to?"

"Just do as I ask, Skulker."

The newly-transformed Plasmius disappears from his home and reappears in the sky over Amity Park, just in time to see Danny fly onto the rooftop of a nearby building. Red eyes watch as the young hero touches down, his spectral tail splitting to form a pair of black spandex-clad legs. Soundlessly landing behind him, Vlad softly walks towards the other hybrid.

"Hello Daniel, finishing your patrol?"

"Vlad?" Danny exclaims, surprised that he hadn't detected the villain. "What are you doing here?"

"Just keeping an eye on things."

"Well, it's not needed. I'm more than capable of handling the ghosts that haunt Amity Park."

"I know. In fact, I often watch you do it."

". . . That's kinda weird."

"Not from my perspective," replies Vlad, ignoring the amused look on his adversary's face. "You are wonderfully graceful in flight, my boy. I actually find it intriguingly incongruous with your normal social awkwardness."

His well-worded comment receives a pointed glare from the younger ghost's green eyes, the darkness surrounding them only intensifying their glow.

"Only you could make a criticism sound even remotely flattering."

"Only for you, Little Badger."

Danny shivers as a gust of cold night air decides to blow by, silently cursing that his ghost form has such thin clothing. Feeling strong arms suddenly wrap around him, the ghost jumps with a soft gasp. The elder hybrid's core effectively warming Danny as the white cape curls around him protectively.

And as much as he wishes he could, the young hero can't resist the embrace, his body already betraying him as he leans back into the firm chest.

"Thank you."

"It's no problem."

A few moments of silence pass between the two hybrids, the night sky providing a strange type of privacy. Danny, however, is the first to break the silence as a thought comes to his mind.

"Hey Vlad, do you remember the last time we did this?"

"Of course," the elder replies with a nostalgic smile. "You were still learning how to control your ice powers and managed to freeze yourself. I did it to keep you from developing frostbite. Though, at the time you were far less cooperative than you are now."

"Yeah, well back then I just saw you as a threat. It was easier to think of you that way, admitting that I liked you was way more complicated."

With surprisingly little effort, Vlad picks up Daniel and sits down on the roof. The villain situates himself so that the hero sits comfortably between his legs and is still wrapped in Plasmius' full cape. Despite the younger ghost's growth spurt in recent years, the man still possesses his larger frame. Using it to his advantage, Vlad shares his body heat with the young phantom.

"Much better."

"I really shouldn't be letting you do this."

"Hasn't stopped us before."

"I still don't have an answer for you yet," begins Danny, his fingers fiddling around with the edge of the man's white cloak. "But I am really thinking about it. I just want to make sure that you know that."

"I know. And the fact that you are seriously thinking over my offer is a good sign, however-"

"Vlad, I know it's a lot to ask, but could we not talk about that right now?"

Looking down at the ghost currently in his arms, Vlad can see the warm expression Danny has on his face. Saying nothing, the man simply reclines back, his gaze turning to the blanket of stars above them.

"So, how is your family?

"Really, Vlad?"

"You asked to talk about something besides the topic on both our minds. I'm simply obliging your request."

"True, I did. But you're always asking about me. How are you?"

"Besides the obvious, I'm fine."

"Seriously, Vlad, talk to me. Any new inventions, lately?"

At the question, the vampiric ghost raises an eyebrow in honest surprise.

"You want to know about that? I was under the impression that the specifics of my experiments bored you."

"I like listening to you speak. Your voice is calming, even when you start to monologue."

A deep chuckle leaves Plasmius' throat before he begins to speak.

"Very well, I am actually in the process of developing a more sensitive ghost tracker."

"Neat. So, how do you go about doing that?"

"Well, every ghost has a unique spectral trail that differentiates them from other ghosts. I simply record that data, analyze it and then enter it into a computer database. Using that information, I will in theory be able to locate specific ghosts all throughout the Ghost Zone."

"Impressive."

"I like to think so. However, eventually I'd like to upgrade the machine so that the A.I. would be able recognize these trails as well as simply following them. My main concern of course lies in developing technology that is sensitive enough to read the various anomalies and-"

Danny's eyes drift close as he listens to the deep, resonating voice, the man's warm body enticing him into a much-needed sleep. When the phantom wakes again, he is being lowered onto the familiar bed in his apartment. Cracking an eye open, he watches as Vlad places an unmarked envelope on his bedside table.

"What's that?" mumbles Danny, still a bit groggy as he snuggles into his pillow.

"A plane ticket to Canada."

"Canada?"

Chuckling at the rather adorable tone of the tired hero, the man runs a hand through dark, unruly hair. The man taking secret delight in the fact that the young ghost trusted him enough to shift back to his human from while asleep.

"Your mother will inform you of the details tomorrow. Goodnight, Little Badger. Enjoy your rest."

"Goodnight, Vlad."

-To be continued-


So, this part was actually a lot of fun for me to write. I've been wanting to give Charlotte Howard some depth for a while(I didn't want her to be completely unaware of the situation around her or just a simple background character).

But, as you could probably tell, the real point of this chapter was to give a glimpse into Vlad's side of this endeavor as well as illustrate which direction that Danny's decision is going in so far. And a random Skulker appearance is always fun, right?

Anyway, Next Chapter: The final preparations of Vlad and Charlotte's wedding are underway as the moment of truth for Danny approaches. Though, as the deadline nears it wrecks havoc on both halfas nerves.

Thanks again for all the feedback, every bit of it is appreciated!

Later Days!

RENKA