When a Vlad next woke he felt rested for what seemed the first time in ages even though everything had only become this bad yesterday, or at least he assumed it was yesterday. Time was hard to gauge here.

It was nice to find that Clockwork was still laying beside him, though he didn't seem to realize Vlad had awoken quite yet. He was fiddling with one of his wristwatches and a scene that Vlad couldn't quite make out from his position was playing on it, rewinding, fast forwarding, pausing in places.

"I still don't understand how you can tell what's going on in those screens if you can't see them." Vlad voiced quietly.

Clockwork jumped rather violently and Vlad got a face full of elbow. "I… oh you are awake I am so sorry." Clockwork winced as he seemed to realize something. "You're hurt. I should… I…" He frowned. "I'm not too familiar with human remedies."

Vlad propped himself up to a sitting position and assessed the damage. At once he was aware of a great deal of blood and upon further inspection there was a sharp pain when he touched his nose. It was broken and slightly crooked. "I forget how strong you are sometimes." He finally said with an amused chuckle. "Just a broken nose, nothing too grizzly."

Clockwork looked horrified. "I broke your nose? Vladimir I am so terribly sorry-"

"Just my nose." He repeated. "I think Danny has about twenty up on you at last count. Don't feel too bad, if anything feel bad for your poor bed, I don't know about ectoplasm but I can tell you right now that blood is the worst thing that can happen to fabric in the human world."

He didn't exactly seem amused by this line of thinking. "You bleeding is bad. Humans need blood. What can I do to make it stop?"

Vlad sighed. "I could do with some medical tape and gauze make sure it stays in place while it heals and probably some ice for swelling, but I'm not sure where you'd find any of that in the-" he trailed off because everything he just listed appeared on the bedspread right in front of him. "Er… well… huh."

"Could you please fix it now, before you heal? I think I may just lose my mind if I have to listen to you break it." Clockwork pleaded.

"Right, good idea." Vlad quickly set his nose back into place, wincing as he did so. It was better than having to re-break it however it took only a few moments to get it settled. "Tada." He held the ice pack on it to try and combat the swelling.

Suddenly all the surplus supplies were gone. "Why don't you change into something that isn't covered in blood?" Clockwork asked, still frowning.

"Sure as long as you aren't going to beat yourself up about this in my absence." Vlad countered.

"I broke your nose!" Clockwork burst out, looking completely horrified.

"I'm a bit more durable than your average human but mistakes can still happen." He put a comforting hand on Clockwork's shoulder and took it as a good sign that he didn't shrug it off. "I'm fine, stop being so worrisome." He turned to change and then realized he had no clothes, nor did he even know where a bathroom was, or if there were any. "Er…"

"Down the hall, third on the left, clothes will already be waiting for you." Clockwork answered before he could ask.

"Right. Thank you." He walked out of the room and found the bathroom. He didn't bother looking in the mirror as he changed, he already knew he looked ridiculous. Medical fix ups weren't his specialty and they probably never would be. The clothes were waiting there just as Clockwork had said, they were familiar ones too. One of the purple button down shirt and dress pant combos that Clockwork would wear in his human disguise. He couldn't help but smile at the sight of the very normal, very human clothes. He had half expected a tunic like the ones Clockwork wore. This was a welcome surprise.

Once he had cleaned up a bit and changed he headed back to the room and was relieved to see that Clockwork was no longer outwardly moping at least. In his absence he had changed the sheets of the bed and thrown the old ones… who knows where. Did the clocktower have a washing machine? It seemed comically mundane but who knew?

"I'll announce my presence now as to not alarm you again." He called from the doorway before entering the room and walking over to sit next to the ghost. "So…."

"So?" Clockwork asked in a good attempt at nonchalance.

"Will I be getting an answer on that question?" Vlad asked in a rather obvious attempt to distract from his injury.

"Question? What… oh! The screen question."

"Yes." Vlad nodded. "That one."

"Well the visual component is just… a side effect, or a convenience depending on your view of it. When I look- so to speak- at the screens, you could say I see time. I can sense time much in the same way you see images. What I perceive on the screens is different than what you see however, you would only see an action being carried out in the past, present or future. I see the temporal energy behind choices made and not made, how each choice will come to affect others in due time."

"Yeah…" Vlad said slowly. "You lost me."

Clockwork chuckled. "Yes, I do have a tendency to do that when talking time with linear beings. One of the hazards of being me I suppose. Perhaps a better way to explain is to imagine a quilt. When you pull a loose thread, what happens?"

"Well, the whole quilt could run depending on what thread you are pulling, right?" That was simple enough.

"Right, so if time is a quilt and each decision is a thread then when a decision is made or changed the quilt can be drastically altered as a whole. Mind you, I cannot see colors or other things you may associate with traditional sight. I can perceive shapes and texture through touch and I judge distance as I told you before through a combination of the two, pulling from potential futures to see how long it would take to have me cross a room or even hold your hand. If I walk too far I feel myself hitting a door, too short and I can't reach the handle. Does that make sense?"

Vlad nodded. "Yes, so it's really a mix between other senses when interacting with the physical world but with the screens you are only using this other sense… right?"

"Yes, it's rather relaxing when the observants aren't breathing down your neck, you could liken it to knitting I suppose, though that would grossly simplify it."

"Hm…" Vlad rested his head on Clockwork's shoulder.

"Tired again?" Clockwork asked with a raised eyebrow.

"No, just thinking about something that observant said yesterday."

"Don't take anything they say to heart, they are trying to poke wherever they can to get a reaction."

"I know… but something they said, they were talking about me being the third lapse in judgement you made… I was just wondering who the other two were…"

Clockwork looked shocked, and Vlad wasn't sure why. "You… picked up on that then…"

"Well I mean I was listening outside the door, I thought you realized that what with me being thrown in the room and all."

"Of course I did I just meant, that bit specifically." Clockwork frowned. "Any prolonged contact with the outside world seems wrong in their eyes. I am supposed to just act on what they decide is best and keep my nose out of it the rest of the time. You are the third and arguably most egregious transgression." Clockwork shrugged. "In my opinion it was the best misstep I have ever made or will ever make."

That was actually pretty sweet, Vlad had to admit. "But… who were the first two?" He asked again.

"Yes, well…" He hesitated. "You, Daniel… you and Daniel." He said evasively.

That made sense, Danny did pop in frequently. So that accounted for two. "And the third?"

"Vlad, are you sure you want to know? You will not like it. There is not one future where you are happy that you found out."

"It's that bad huh?" He asked with a sigh. "I thought you couldn't see my future anymore."

"It is… difficult." Clockwork nodded. "And… I'm going off old futures, ones I looked at before we became involved. Your reaction could have changed but… it's unlikely."

"Well…" Vlad ventured. "We have already determined that unlikely is my middle name. Tell me. I want to know."

"Very well. However it would be better to show you. Once your nose heals up of course."

It would be another two hours before his nose was once again whole, of which the whole time Clockwork saw fit to be perfectly cryptic about what showing him meant. Vlad was sure it was just for dramatic effect but there was a serious air around him that Vlad didn't often see and he'd be lying if he said it didn't put him on edge.

Finally the time came and Clockwork lead him a long way away from the areas Vlad knew, down several halls and climbing two staircases before coming to a locked door. This was… odd to Vlad but no reason for concern by itself. He waited while Clockwork opened it and then followed him inside.

The room itself was amazing, little glowing stars everywhere he looked, floating like miniature galaxies. He looked over at Clockwork in wide eyed wonder and saw that he was frowning still. He had just started to ask him what was so bad about this room when his answer came in the form of someone practically breathing down his neck. Vlad froze, there was someone in here? Had there always been?

Vlad felt a clawed hand close around his neck and his eyes went wide. "I see you've brought a new friend for me Clocky." The voice practically purred. Vlad could feel the hair on the back of his neck stand up. "Or an old friend should I say?"

Clockwork went into action before Vlad could utter a word. He pointed the staff he always carried just to the right of Vlad, where the other person must have been. "Let him go or you will lose your hands, do you understand me? You are not to touch him."

The hand disappeared and that deep voice chuckled. "Oh, a little possessive of your little friend hm?" Vlad was given the impression of flames before he was suddenly face to face with a ghost. He took in the malicious look set into the glowing red eyes that were now inches from his own and he transformed, suddenly feeling like it was a very bad idea to be human around this ghost.

"Oh and he still has a ghost form, how quaint." The ghost bared his teeth in a cruel mockery of a grin. "Did I scare the little halfa?" He crooned mockingly. "I'm so sorry."

"Who are you?" Vlad asked when he finally found his voice.

"You didn't tell him?" The ghost turned to Clockwork with a gleeful look. "Maybe not so possessive then, is he a toy for me?"

"No, he is not." Clockwork replied sternly. "It seemed that your identity was better received coming from you, believe it or not. Do not harm him or I will be forced to tell him myself."

"Is that so? Well then I shall try to be on my best behavior, hm?" The ghost said in what Vlad thought was a rather uncanny impression of his own voice. The ghost turned back around and grinned maliciously. "Well, simply put, I'm you, but better."

"What?" Vlad asked sharply. "You look nothing like me." Vlad studied the ghost and found little in common with his own ghost form. The eye color and the fangs? Sure. But plenty of ghosts had those features. His face was completely wrong… though there was some similarity he couldn't place.

"Like I said, I'm the superior version. Though for simplicity sake you may call me Dan."

"Dan?" Vlad took in more of his appearance, namely the familiar symbol on his chest. Him, Danny, him and Danny. He didn't understand how exactly but both Danny and himself were involved in this… person. "I don't quite-"

"Understand?" Dan finished in that near perfect mockery of his voice. There was a flash as a pair of familiar rings swept over Dan revealing… Vlad? "It's quite simple really, when you take two parts unstable half ghost with a desire to cease feeling..." The rings swept over him again to reveal a fourteen year old Danny, complete with an exact echo of the boy's voice. "And add the technology to remove the humanity that those impulses stem from…" once again he changed back into Dan. "And you get a product that is more than the sum of its parts."

Vlad crossed his arms, putting up a front of bravado he did not feel. "Right. I'd like to go now." He turned to Clockwork who nodded.

"Oh come now, not leaving so soon are you old man?" Dan asked in a sickly sweet voice. "I so rarely get company you know. Besides, don't you want to hear how I happened? Or perhaps what will happen to you?"

"No." Vlad said firmly. "Not… not today. Thank you Dan." He walked over to Clockwork and more or less hid behind him. "Are we okay to leave?" Clockwork nodded again and backed him out of the room, locking the door behind him. But not before he heard Dan call "Come back again soon, we will have some real fun."

"Well…" Clockwork began as they started to descend the first staircase. "There is mistake number two. He lives in that room. It's locked to keep others from going in there accidentally or without my supervision. However he can't get out, the time bubble is all that's holding him together, as his future currently has no way to come to pass."

"Right…" Vlad said weakly, realizing that he had been there the whole time. "You were right. I'm not happy about it…"

"Yes, Well your curiosity is not something that can be curtailed easily." Clockwork said with a sour laugh.

"But I suppose I can appreciate knowing about him. The way he seemed to relish in the circumstances of his own creation… it wasn't good was it?"

"No, good would not be a word I would use to describe it." Clockwork said with a rueful smile. "I would say I'm surprised at how well you are taking all of this but at this point you have proven that you always do and think what I least expect."

"He's not someone I'd like to run into alone, don't get me wrong, but he has something to do with me, my future and Danny's, right?"

"Not exactly, no. Like I said, he has to do with a future that no longer exists. Daniel stopped it from happening but due to my hand in it, I am now responsible for him." He started walking again. "I apologize for not letting you know I had another… guest."

"It's okay. Like you said, he can't get out, right?"

"Right. If he tries he will just be destroying himself."

They continued to walk in silence for some time. Once they were back to the bedroom Vlad spoke up. "It's too much for today… but I would like to hear his story sometime soon."

"Right…" Clockwork nodded. "Again, I don't think you will like it but… you handled this much better than I thought you would."

"How about tomorrow?" Vlad asked as they finally walked back into the viewing room. "I don't have much of a schedule anymore but I'll clear it and we can go over it then."

Clockwork frowned, but nodded again. "Tomorrow then."