Family
A Danny Phantom FanFiction by Cordria
…this is the 100 drabble challenge of a connected variety that will go in an order that resembles chapters so this collection of singular one-shots will kind of look a lot like a full-fledged fiction…
Drabble 7: Heaven
Vlad leaned over one of the flickering computer screens in his lab and gave the monitor a sharp tap. As the picture steadied, Vlad let a small smile cross his face. The numbers were there, the data was there – the only question was how to ensure the new clones' survival.
He had already chosen to cut down on the number of clones in process from four to three, giving each cloning tank an extra thirty-three percent more computing power. He was even in the process of hiring someone to create a complex algorithm to lessen the original amount of spectral energy flowing into the pods to hopefully forestall the dramatic cellular breakdown demonstrated in both Spark and Bones.
With still no idea why Danielle had turned out female, Vlad did the only thing he could think of to rectify that – he had ordered Skulker to only catch male ghosts to drain energy from. There was a slim possibility that Danielle had been exposed to female ghostly energy at a critical developmental state, thus turning her female. The girl's blood tests showed that she still had one 'X' and one 'Y' chromosome; for some reason she was male at the human genetic level, yet female in appearance.
"This is going to work this time," he vowed to himself, calling up an image of Daniel and Maddie on the screen. His fingers brushed over the pictures gently, lovingly resting on Maddie's figure. "I'm going to have my family. First, a son, then I'll steal you away from your prison."
"Dada?"
Vlad glanced down, blinking in surprise when he found Danielle toddling towards him. He was sure that he had closed the lab's door. How in the world could she have found him down here? "Maddie," he called out, activating the Maddie program.
"Y-yes Sugarpea?" the program stuttered as the static-filled hologram shimmered into view.
"How did Danielle get down here?"
The program froze for a moment as its computers worked on an answer. "It ap-appears she walked-ed-ed through the wall-wall, Dear. Intangibility."
"MAMA!" Danielle laughed, changing her path from her father towards the newly appeared hologram. The Maddie program smiled down at the child.
"Why is she down here?"
Again, the program hesitated. "Perhaps sh-she is hungry-gry."
Vlad nodded slowly. He wasn't sure when the last time he'd fed the four clones. Not for the first time, he cursed the fact that the children hadn't turned out more normal – if they had, he could've just hired a revolving set of nannies. He was already contemplating getting one anyways. Surely he could find someone willing to keep their mouth shut and work with the four misshapen children.
"I'm busy," he told Danielle. "I'll be up to feed you soon."
Danielle blinked at him, not quite understanding.
"Go upstairs. I'm working on your brother."
"Brudder?" She smiled, knowing that word, and took a few more steps closer. "I see?"
Vlad hesitated, but then nodded and scooped her up. He pointed to the computer screen where the picture of Maddie and Danny was still displayed. "See him? That's Danny. That's going to be your brother someday."
The young girl studied the picture as seriously as a two-year-old could, but she couldn't figure out how that picture was going to be her brother. So she just smiled a little bigger. Brothers were fun.
"And he'll be right," Vlad said, almost to himself, "not wrong like you and the other three."
Danielle looked up at her father, confused as to why he thought she how she was wrong, then snuggled a little closer in the hope that would make up for it. "Dada," she said softly.
"See her? That's your mother – your real mother, not some silly hologram. She's perfect and loving and gentle and kind. You should get to meet her some time." Vlad's voice dropped to a soft whisper as he unconsciously held the small child closer to him. "I still remember the first time I saw her. College initiation day. She was sitting up in a tree, trying to get a better view of the presenter. Something must have scared her – a bird or something – and she tipped over backwards."
He chuckled. "That's how we met. Her hanging upside down by her knees, me inches from running into her, staring at each other in surprise." A gentle smile was on his face, then he glanced down at Danielle. "You've got her eyes, you know. You remind me of her all the time."
Danielle didn't answer. She loved the feel of her father's warm, strong arm holding her close. Even the uncomfortable feeling of hunger in her stomach faded away when he held her like this. She let her eyes drift closed.
"Someday, Danielle. Someday it'll be me and Maddie and our perfect son, just like I always dreamed."
The little girl wondered for a moment where she fit into the dream, but she fell asleep before she could really decide. Being like this, warm and held and close, felt like heaven.
Vlad stared at the picture, his mind a million miles away. "It'll be like heaven."
Family is not who you have or what they can do...
it's the love that grows despite everything that can come between you.
