Disclaimer: I don't own anything from Danny Phantom, I'm a big fan and was feeling nostalgic.

(Chapter Updated 03/07/2018)

~Chapter 9~

Quote The Raven

It was kinda scary how efficient Vlad was when he put his mind to actively manipulating people. No sooner had they returned to the hospital then Vlad eloquently took care of the remaining 'loose ends' and arranged to have Owen discharged right away. That turned out to be a fairly easy thing to do since they didn't want the angry billionaire to sue them for malpractice or negligence. Especially when Owen managed to waltz right out the front doors in critical condition without anyone noticing until it was already too late...

Besides which Owen's doctor sincerely felt that he would be in better hands under the watchful eye of a private doctor anyway now that his condition was stable. At least a private doctor wouldn't get called away for every other medical emergency in the building like he had during the boy's stay since they didn't have many doctors on duty at such a small hospital. Still, even Vlad Masters couldn't blame them entirely for what happened since medical emergencies don't exactly happen on a strict schedule. They can happen to anyone at any time, like Owen's accident with the heater which ironically proved that very point.

Subsequently, since Owen honestly couldn't remember exactly what happened when he left the hospital or how he made it all the way to the forest on foot he just sat quietly while the doctor reexamined him one last time and went along with whatever Vlad told them as their cover story. His excuse for doing that instead of contributing to Vlad's lie was that frankly he was exhausted, sore all over, and too distracted by his own troubled thoughts to waste any energy talking. That's why it was easier for him to let Vlad take care of things for him and remain silent. At least for now since Owen wasn't entirely sure if he could trust Vlad or his good intentions just yet, if at all...

Despite what happened between them back at Vlad's castle Owen felt like something about him had changed in the few short days they'd known each-other. Owen couldn't pinpoint what it was exactly, but when Vlad hugged him near the edge of the woods before he sensed a faint trace of measurable warmth towards him swelling from the bottom of the man's cold heart. After that, Owen felt hopeful and dared to think that maybe Vlad was genuinely worried about him after all and thought of him as more than just an 'investment.' Though admittedly, Vlad was probably only shaking with fury about Owen wandering off like that when his arms were shaking around Owen's thin frame. Still, it was a nice to think that Vlad might really care about him that much and maybe he could become someone for Owen to turn to for help.

Honestly, Owen hadn't felt this way in a very long time. The only type of 'care' he'd received since his parents died was the kind adults obligated to give troubled-teens like him that only ever reached the surface of their hearts. Meaning it was either the faking-a-smile-and-totally-understanding-of-your-pain kind, or the I-am-trying-to-but-I'm-obviously-clueless-about-what-you're-actually-going-through kind. With Vlad, yeah, it was still true that he wanted something from Owen in return for his help but if nothing else at least Vlad was making an actual attempt to take him seriously now about what happened to him and why his parents were murdered by ghosts. Vlad wasn't faking it anymore, he wanted to understand his pain, his unique powers and gifts, all of it. For once, someone wanted to find out who Owen was as a person, a person who has been through hell and walked away with more then a few scars to prove he was stronger then anyone gave him credit for…

Owen knew he had a lot of explaining to do about how he ended up out in the middle of the forest, and judging from the heavy silence between them on the way back to Vlad's castle the billionaire was silently contemplating what could have happened though he doubted the man would guess that a ghost that Owen actually knew was involved. He was sure Vlad would want to know right away that it was actually Owen's old not-so-imaginary-ghost-friend from his childhood that put him there after making an unexpected appearance and then proceeded to kidnap and put some kind of hypnotic spell on Owen.

Truth be told, Owen wasn't exactly sure what the ghost's motives were aside from the whole enticing-him-to-burn-down-the-forest-before-the-fever-burnt-him-out-insteadthing. That this ghost wouldn't have gone through all the trouble of doing so if he seriously wanted Owen dead though. He could have easily killed him once they were alone and out of sight just like Owen suspected Vlad was planning to at first. Therefore, the only other logical assumption -for now at least- was that his secretive otherworldly spirit guide was trying to help him in his own bizarre away...

Good intentions or not though, Owen was still going to give that ghost a piece of his mind and confront him about a lot of things he felt his so-called protector needed to answer for. Even if the fever didn't kill him that tree nearly falling on top of him could have, not to mention Owen nearly broke his neck climbing up the ridge to get out of the river bed, so if this ghost really wanted to protect him he should have stuck around and explain things instead of hypnotizing Owen and letting him walk around like a zombie for who knows how long.

And more importantly, Owen was furious that the last time he needed help he wasn't there to protect him when his parents were overshadowed and they tried to kill him. Yet this old ghostly mentor suddenly decides to show up NOW of all times and dared to call himself Owen's ally? He had already left Owen to fend for himself once before, and now he was doing it again. That stupid ghost had some nerve, only showing himself now when Owen would have welcomed his help a long time ago. But now, that ghost was just another one to add to the list of ones Owen needed to keep an eye out for and stay far away from.

As expected, Owen slept through most of the trip back to Vlad's home. Well, he tried to anyway. At some point Owen jerked awake when a bird cry startled him awake and he bolted upright. A raven's to be exact...

"What is it Owen?" Vlad asked when he saw the boy wake with a start, peering up from the official documents he was looking over.

Glancing out the window, Owen relaxed back into his seat and replied, "Nothing. It's just that I thought I heard a raven."

Vlad raised an eyebrow. "A raven?"

"Yeah. I must've been dreaming about one," Owen shrugged, still watching the sky as if expecting to actually see one.

"Well, since you're awake anyway," Vlad began calmly, closing the folder then folding his hands on top of the files now resting on his lap. "We haven't spoken much since Daniel left after he helped me locate you in the forest. I assumed you were just tired from the whole ordeal and didn't want to wake you. But as I said, since you are awake now I'd like to hear what happened and how exactly you ended up in the forest young man, that is, if you can actually remember anything. You seemed rather dazed before I left to follow Daniel so I suspect you didn't mean to walk out of the hospital on purpose. In fact you couldn't have. Not in your condition. So something else must have spurred you into doing something so drastic and it wasn't out of fear of me. If your intention was to flee then you wouldn't have set the forest ablaze like that. At least not deliberately. Which reminds me, while the doctor and I were astonished that your fever had broken by the time I brought you back I have to ask. Are you SURE that you're feeling alright now my boy? Because if not I can actually call for my private doctor once we get home and he could be here within the hour."

In response to Vlad's question Owen sighed and shook his head, explaining, "I don't get it either but yeah, I'm feel fine now all things considering. I'm just sore all over and really tired. As for the rest of what you said, I'm not sure if I'm up to talking about it yet. Let's at least make it back to your castle in one piece because I have a lot of questions for you too. Although, some of them are about things I know you won't be able to answer…"

"Such as?" Vlad pressed, remaining composed.

Fidgeting a bit nervously in his seat Owen replied, "You asked me before how I knew so much about ghosts when I couldn't have seen all of those things first hand, right? The truth is that since before I can remember there's always been a figure wearing blood-red cloak in my dreams who would show me things from the past and tell me secrets about the ghost world in my dreams. His hood was always up though so I've never seen his face. I've only heard his voice and seen his silhouette in the distance when he showed me a vision. But yesterday…I saw him for the first time outside of my dreams. After I pushed him away I started to think he wasn't real but there he was, right in front of me. I knew he wasn't a fever dream or a hallucination. He's a very real ghost; a ghost that I couldn't sense even though he was so close to us like he'd been watching us the whole time that appeared right after you and that other half-ghost left."

"How did-?" Vlad began but stopped himself so Owen could finish explaining the rest of what he had to say.

"After meeting you, it wasn't hard to tell," Owen smiled apprehensively but then grew more somber as he stared idly out the window again, leaning his head against the cool glass. "That guy, Danny right? He has the same...in between feeling that you do whether you're in your human or ghost-form. Being around you feels like when you're standing in the middle of an open doorway, not yet stepping outside or back inside and the air swirling around you is at two different temperatures. Normal people feel warm to me, alive, like a summer breeze lightly brushing your skin. But a ghost's presence feels cold and unnatural, like when you can sense a pair of eyes watching you from behind and an unearthly chill runs up your spine to warn you of possible danger. It varies depending on what's in their hearts. Because the darkness I can sense in people feels like an oppressive weight on my chest as if I was trapped at the bottom of the ocean and the water pressure was slowly crushing me. That ghost I met though, he didn't feel warm or cold, just…hollow. It was like...he was less then a shadow on the wall because at least you can see that and know it's there. But I felt like nothing was there, just like-"

Concerned, Vlad raised a hand to stop him and stated, "It's alright Owen, that's enough for now. We'll have plenty of time to talk about this later. Go back to sleep. I'll wake you once we make it home."

Owen nodded gratefully and closed his eyes, easily drifting off back to sleep without a second thought. As for Vlad, this new piece of information Owen had just given him did answer one of his earlier questions, that he didn't learn all his ghost facts by seeing them first-hand. Still, Vlad was wondering the exact same thing as Owen about the sudden reappearance of this mysterious ghost; when it came right down to it, was he friend, or foe...?

If Owen couldn't sense him at all though even with his heightened ghost senses then this had to at least be a unique type of ghost, perhaps even one of a kind that could completely mask his ectoplasmic signature. Either way Vlad didn't like the fact that someone managed to slip by him and whisk Owen away like that while he was distracted. He had expected a visit from his young adversary eventually once the news spread about Owen staying with him and Danny caught wind of it. Vlad just did not expect him to drop by THIS soon after finding out about his orphaned guest. That was something else that had to be dealt with soon as well. Placating Daniel and getting him to agree to the official terms of their newly formed -if only temporary- truce.

For now though simply having Owen safely back in his care was more then enough and Vlad was only just now beginning to realize how fond he'd grown of this queer young teenager. So much so that despite the truce he'd made with Danny, to be perfectly honest, Vlad didn't want Owen to leave...

Whether it was in a week and a half or longer, Vlad wanted Owen to stay with him against his better judgment for any number of reasons. Vlad wanted nothing more than to break the promise he made to Owen in the back of the ambulance, the doctor, and even the media of sending him home once he was well enough. It was clear to him now that it might be better for Owen to stay with him after all in case any of his other new powers were as destructive as the one he had now to summon blue fire at will.

This had gone beyond mere fascination because of his abilities, Owen was special to Vlad. Really, even if he did go back what was there to go back to for Owen? More useless therapy sessions to convince Owen that ghosts weren't real and his parents killed themselves? That he was only using his ability to see ghosts as an excuse for their actions, a coping mechanism for dealing with the trauma of his parent's violent suicide along with their failed attempt to willingly murder of their only child as well? To go back to a place where doubtlessly there were some of the other orphans who either gave Owen a wide berth because they thought he was a freak or one step away from becoming a killer too or would go out of their way to cruelly remind him time and time again just how abnormal he was even compared to the rest of them because of his appearance? To go back to a place where there were also likely people in that sad excuse of a town that still ridiculed Owen behind his back and blamed him for something that was never his fault? As if Owen was the one who somehow drove his parents to madness...?

No. What Owen needed in his life was someone who understood him and the dangerous nature of his 'condition.' As honorable as Danny's intentions were, Vlad knew Maddie and Jack well enough to know that things would get complicated fast once they found out about his abilities, especially given the fact that they've never encountered a human being with anything of the sort. Undoubtedly, even if Vlad and Danny somehow managed to convince them that what happened two years ago was real and Owen needed protection from the ghosts that were after him, it wouldn't take long for them to notice something odd about him if his powers raged out of control again like it did in the forest. And their first assumption would be that Owen was possessed by a ghost -seeing as they were incapable of believing that a normal human could possess otherworldly powers which why they had yet to find out their own son was half-ghost- and they'd likely resort to one of their over-the-top methods of extraction to get it out of him. And doing so would only make matters worse and make him feel unsafe around other people all over again, afraid of both of hurting them and being hurt BY them.

Sending Owen there for a little while could still work in their favor if Vlad could convince Danny not to tell them anything other than the poor kid was being targeted by some extremely homicidal ghosts. After that they'd be free to use all their anti-ghost precautions only when and if the need arose because they WERE ghost hunters after all and it was their job, all they needed was the right motivation and protecting someone in need would be just what they needed. It was the only time Vlad had ever seen Jack in particular even remotely competent, when he needed to protect his family like he did when Vlad tried to steal the Fenton Ghost portal and put a price on Danny Phantom's head and that oaf managed to defeat him with those blasted Ghost Gloves. Regardless of what Vlad decided to do next as far as Owen was concerned, Danny was involved in this now one way or another and Vlad wasn't going to let him get out of helping now that he'd insisted upon getting involved.

Speaking of which, it had taken Vlad by surprise honestly when Owen defended him and disagreed with what Danny said about Vlad's intentions, but that probably had a less to do with how Owen truly felt and a lot to do with the fact that he had no idea what Danny was talking about at the time. Either way they were sure to end up discussing Danny along with the rest of the current situation they were all in soon enough. And from there, decide how to spend these short two weeks together from here on out.

"I have to hand to you Mr. Masters, whoever you hired to fix this place up work fast," Owen commented while comfortably settling back into the same room Vlad gave him before. In fact all of his things had been safely returned there too, aside from the one item Vlad was about to return to him now.

"When paid enough, people will walk barefoot into hell as the saying goes. Mind you I learned the hard way in the early years of my wealth NEVER to offer to pay workers by the hour or in advance. It's astounding how lazy and unethical these people become in their any given practice just to get paid more money for a minimal amount effort, usually they end up waiting until the last minute to get anything done. I however, prefer to do things right the first time and well in advance to avoid mistakes," Vlad smiled after saying this then reached into the pocket of his suit and pulled out a small black velvet box. "This is for you Owen, it's part of my apology to you for everything that's happened since you've arrived at my castle and the mistakes I've made. I was wrong to push you into a corner like that, knowing full well that you've suffered horrors that even Daniel and I can scarcely imagine. And please, I've already told you that you may call me Vlad."

Taking the box he offered, Owen slowly opened it to find his dad's antique wrist watch nestled inside surrounded by expensive looking black silk. It was ticking softly again even more clearly than it used to in fact and the worn out leather straps had been replaced with brand new ones designed in the exact same style as the original. The watch itself looked like it was professionally cleaned and polished too, thus making it shine like new. And when Owen looked more closely at it he could see that a few of the faded numerals on the clock face had clearly been re-engraved by a master craftsman. It was like new life was breathed into it.

If Owen didn't know any better he'd say the watch WAS brand new, but, there were clear signs left on it that proved it was still the original watch. Specifically, it still carried the familiar warmth of his father's life-essence. Even after two years Owen felt that those feelings still clung to it, a powerful imprint of his father's memory just like the traces left behind on many of the old items in his mother's antique shop. Objects that contained the same echoes of their owner's essence, their memories, and their emotions that kept these items linked to those whom they'd previously belonged to...

Reverently closing the ornate velvet box, Owen looked up at Vlad and said in return with a warm smile, "There's another saying that says everyone deserves a second chance. I…well, to tell you the truth I don't remember much of happened during our talk either before I, you know, blew up the wall? Some of it is still a bit fuzzy in my head but I stand by what I said to you at the very end. You're not a bad person, Mr. Masters. Ah, I mean Vlad," he corrected before continuing. "You know, honestly, even if you were faking it like everyone else about understanding what I've been through and caring about what happens to me now, I don't care anymore. It's possible that no one will ever understand. But, what matters is that you're trying to. I...really loved my parents. Even when I was little I didn't have many friends because of the whole ghost thing so my parents were my whole world, aside from the one I had to pretend not to see. Ever since they died, I've been trying to become I'm something I'm not and never will be. Normal. What happened the day we met reminded me that no matter what I do, that's not going to change, I can't change who I am and what I can do. So, I'm done trying."

"What are you trying to say Owen?" Vlad wondered aloud, resisting the urge to smile a little smugly.

"I'm trying to say that I want to try and make this work. We both want answers and I…" Blinking tears out of his eyes and hating how choked up he sounded, Owen told him straight out. "I don't want to be alone again. I don't want to deal with any of this by myself anymore. The way I am now I can't go back to Mistveil. After what happened last night, I just can't! If I do, I'm scared that something bad will happen again. If it was just about seeing ghosts, I think I could probably still deal with it on my own like I always have but this new power isn't anything like that. It can hurt PEOPLE! I already hurt you with it and you're half-ghost! What if I accidentally kill someone next time? What if I-!"

"Owen! Owen…calm down dear boy, take a deep breath," Vlad said soothingly, pulling Owen into another hug and began gently stroking his hair affectionately. "It's going to be alright. You've been through enough the past few days and it's understandable that you are feeling hesitant and uncertain about what the future holds. But don't go making any brash decisions about whether you can or want to go back to Mistveil just yet. We still have time to address the matter later. My first concern right now is your safety. That is why I had a ghost-shield installed in your room just in case that scoundrel tries to pull another disappearing act with you, so hopefully you'll be able to rest easy tonight. Mind you, I'll still be able to enter your room in human form even when it's on of course or deactivate it in the event of another emergency. But I promise, you have nothing to fear from me anymore. I won't turn into my ghost-form or use my powers unless I have to, and from here on out I won't let anything bad happen to you while you're in my care. You're not alone anymore, Owen. I'm here for you. And I will remain by your side because everyone deserves to have at least one person on their side during dark times like this." With a more cynical tone, Vlad smirked wickedly, "And who could be a better ally to you then Vlad Masters, aka Vlad Plasmius himself...? The most powerful man and quite possibly the most powerful ghost there is? If anyone can destroy your enemies, it's me. So rest assured my boy if anyone so much as lays a hand on you again, I will personally snap it in half so they know better then to cross me again."