AN: yet another apology. ^^' rl and other fandoms aside, i'd been working out one that involves Phantom/Evil Dan but fell down the research rabbithole. i realized that the OC i was adding doesn't get explained so this came about, i've been wanting to do it for a while but couldn't figure out how.


He couldn't believe he was celebrating a birthday of all things, but somehow Jack of all people remembered so here he was. The only reason he didn't lie his way out of it was Daniel finally decided to come home for the weekend. Vlad couldn't help the slight chuckle as he saw the carfull pull up. Four others piled out of the Impala as Daniel came round, opening the trunk so three of them could pick up gifts, he didn't miss that they left their bags. Turning to the front door Vlad smiled as Danny walked in, calling out "Hello, anyone here."

He didn't miss that either.

The elder halfa walked over as Jack and Maddie fawned over and scolded their son for not coming home sooner. He nodded at the three with gifts, almost jumping as the newest member of the group cut in. "Wow, you're alive."

"What? Of course we are, how rude of you to say such things." Maddie turned in shock.

The young man raised his hand, scratching the back of his head much like Daniel. "Sorry, I figured you were in a coma or something. Dan and I live in the same building and the only visitor I've seen that wasn't a classmate I assumed is an uncle, considering they call each other by name. But the others explained it to me so," he turned from the Fentons to him, offering his hand. "Mr. Masters, it's an honor to finally meet you, especially on your birthday."

"Vlad, Mom, Dad; this is Garrett Jones, he lives on the floor below me and we're in Engineering together." Daniel introduced the brunett, eyes darting back to Vlad at 'below'.

"You know I hate it when you call me Garrett." he snapped, turning to Danny as Vlad took his hand smiling as the others groaned.

"Get used to it Rett, Vlad only calls people by their full name." the creole girl said as she slumped against the redheaded young man.

Vlad smiled as he raised one finger, "Now that's not entirely true Gabrielle."

"Liam is my birthname, I don't count." the ginger pointed right at Vlad.

"And you've know Dan for years and barely use it." the tan young lady with bleached blond hair stated from his son's side.

"Believe me guys, you almost don't want him too. He says it like you're three years old." he added as he tugged Rett back.

"Now Danny." Vlad kept a straight face as he put just the right amount of concern and chiding in his tone.

"See!" he swung his hands at Vlad, making his friends laugh. Vlad didn't miss the way all five of them caught sight of those behind him as Danny turned back to his parents. "Well, the only one left is Mari, or Marisol according to Vlad." he added, nodding to her. "We've got a few general courses together and go to the same gym. Gabi and I have the same major so we've got half our classes together this semester. And Liam is in my two history courses."

Rett suddenly cut in, "Does that mean I can call you Vladimir?"

Danny choked on air as everyone stared in shock. Vlad quickly shook it off, cocking one eye. "Who said it's short for Vladimir?"

"Dammit, now I want my laptop!" Rett jumped as Danny slapped the back of his head.

"No hacking. You're already in enough trouble even if it is just your dad. Behave."

Vlad didn't think anyone missed the overdone pout as Rett hung his head. "Yes sir." the saucy little wink was something else though, and much to his suprise Daniel only smiled. It confused him even more as he took Marisol's hand and walked further into the room, the others following to set their gifts on the coffee table.

The younger halfa looked at the others in confusion. "Okay Jazz I can understand, but why are you guys here?" he turned to a fidgetting Mr. Foley and Miss Mason's hard glare.

"Like you've got room to talk, you brought your friends along." Sam snapped back.

"If it wasn't obvious enough, we've met Vlad. We like Vlad, we wanted to come." Liam snapped back as the girls glared at Sam.

"Rett joined in before I could stop him." Danny added, rolling his eyes.

"Dad took both my computers and all my credit cards, I was going stir-crazy. Just imagine what would have happened if you'd left me behind." Rett piped in.

"You'd probably use the school's system to hack into something dangerous." Liam glared as he set his present down.

"Naw, already did that. How do you think they found me so fast?" the shit-eating grin made Mr. Foley gawk.

Jasmine swung her hands at Rett, "How could you misappropriate school materials like that?!"

"Easy I-" Danny slapped his hand over Rett's mouth, turning his head and glaring at him. "Don't make me tie you up."

Half Daniel's friends laughed at the threat, the young man giggling as he pulled Daniel's hand away. "Don't make offers you're not willing to keep Dan."

This time Daniel blushed slightly as Marisol snapped. "Garrett!"

He huffed as the others shook off their surprise. "It's not my fault you guys let me have that energy drink."

Daniel sighed as he headed toward the kitchen, "I told you he looses his brain-to-mouth filter."

"If he's this loose-lipped when he's on caffeine, I wonder what he's like on alcohol." Vlad postulated.

"You don't wanna know," Marisol replied as she followed Dan.

Gabrielle giggled. "Rett gets sappy when he's drunk. Mari and I caught him whining about his ex-boyfriend finding a new partner before him."

"If I'd seen the new guy first I wouldn't have," Rett flopped on the couch. "It's obvious he's still in the closet."

"It's nothing to be ashamed of, maybe your former partner can be the support he needs to step forward." Jazz piped in.

"Can't be, probably thinks he's gotta live up to that damn stereotype." Rett shook his head.

"How could you tell? He seemed pretty openminded to me." Gabrielle asked as the old trio looked confused.

Vlad couldn't get the smirk off his face at the irony. "A 'takes one to know one' scenario Garrett my boy?"

The young man smiled and nodded. "When you've known since you were twelve you learn how to read people."

"It helps growing up in a big city." Liam said as Dan and Mari came back with drinks. "Our high school had a support and activist group so we were pretty active in the community."

"So are you gay too?" Tucker asked.

Liam practically answered by pulling Gabrielle down to sit with him. "No but my moms are."

"What's with the 20 questions guys?" Daniel almost glared.

Vlad smiled as he put his hand on the other halfa's shoulder. "Calm yourself my boy, they were simply explaining Garrett's state while intoxicated."

"Young man, are you drinking underage?" Maddie spun around, almost knocking the tray out of Danny's hands.

"Danny." Jack's attempt at concern fell flat as he rolled his eyes.

"Come now Jack, I distinctly remember rushing someone to the ER for alcohol poisoning our sophomore year. If he had, you can't really scold the boy for doing it a year earlier than you." Vlad cut in, making Maddie scoff at her husband as all the youngsters laughed.


The night was surprisingly entertaining watching Danny's new friends covertly scold and condemn his old friends for their treatment of him, all while making sure his parents were told everything they ignored about his life in and out of school. The only ones that started to show a hint of guilt where Maddie and surprisingly Mr. Foley. But it was Daniel's actions that were most peculiar, so the slight nod towards the back as he headed to the kitchen had Vlad covertly checking to see whom it was meant for. No one else reacting, he followed his son into the backyard. Daniel stood a few feet away from the window light, head turned skyward as he stepped closer. "Go ahead and ask Vlad." He softly said.

"Daniel, I thought you are Marisol were together." He was just as quiet as he stood beside him.

"We realized it wasn't gonna work. Mari and I are great when there's others around, but when we're alone it just gets physical." Daniel glared at the stern look Vlad sent. "We had protection. But after the second time we both realized romance wasn't for us. We agreed neither of us are ready for anything serious so we backed off. Then Rett started hanging around and well…"

Vlad smiled. "You didn't realize he was flirting with you."

"I just thought he was teasing me so I did it right back." Daniel half-chuckled as he turned to his mentor. "Mari's the one that pointed it out. I asked Liam about it and he agreed, so when they went home for a weekend I thought about it." Movement in the windows had both men turning towards each other, the younger giving a crooked smile. "When they came back I told Rett I know I like girls, I never considered if I like both."

They turned as the door opened. "I know I get too racy with my words alot, but I assure you I haven't pushed Dan into anything Mr. Masters." Rett stated as he joined them. Dan nodded once as Rett took his right hand.

Vlad couldn't help noticing Rett was the one with his back to the house now. Dan's left eye flashing green in the darkness reminded him, "Why Danny?" He let both eyes go red for a blink, smirking at Rett's slight gasp.

Danny chuckled, "You know my control slips when I'm sick. I just sneezed as I got out of bed so my foot went through the floor."

Rett let go of his hand, slapping Danny's shoulder. "Scared the hell out of me too. Ran through the building in my boxers just to figure out what was going on." He turned to Vlad, "Don't worry, I may be a chatterbox but I can keep a secret."

"So that's two now." Vlad hummed.

Both guys nodded. "Gabi said she'd be able to talk to her aunt about it over Christmas break." Danny said as they turned to go inside. "I think Liam's getting suspicious though."

"His grandma's really superstitious, believes in the fae folk and everything, he's almost as bad. Of course he's gonna suspect something when you get the chills in every supposedly haunted building on campus." Rett added.

Vlad fought to keep the smile off his face as they found Daniel's old and the rest of his new friends all standing in the kitchen. "Danny?" the slight warble in Miss Manson's voice forced Vlad to turn away and close the door.

"What?" Danny asked back, looking at them all in confusion, feeling Rett squeeze his hand before letting go. "There's nothing between us Manson so you have no right." She squared her shoulders and glared.

"What's going on in here?" Jack butting in cut her off.

Danny took Rett's hand again even as he offered his other to Mari. "We decided it's time to go."

"Danny, don't be rediculous. It's an eight hour drive back to your school." Maddie cut in as she started cleaning the kitchen. "I cleaned up your room for you yesterday."

"Actually, we're staying at Vlad's." Danny said as he led them out of the kitchen. "There's not enough room for all of us to stay."

"Of course there is son." Jack declared, "You and your girl can stay in your room and the couch is big enough for the other three."

Vlad had to bite his tongue at the glare all five were shooting at the idiot. "With all the booby traps you've got in this house I wouldn't let anyone stay here. You probably added more since I left." Danny crossed his arms. "Vlad invited us to his house for his birthday long before you told me about this party. I'm not going to ingore his wishes or my friends just so you can act like we're a happy family again."

"Danny," Maddie had tears in her voice as she stepped closer.

Liam stepped up between them, grabbing Dan's arm and pulling him towards the door. "I wouldn't want to come back to this either." Liam muttered, making the Fentons freeze in place as Rett and the girls followed them outside.


I'm not too sure about this, yeah the language is a bit racy but i tried to keep the romance more canon-ish. let me know if i should keep the relationship or not.