Man, I'm tired! It's like one in the morning right now, but I need to update before I go to bed. I'll be out all day at a pool party and then a birthday party so I won't have time later. Well here it is and yes, you are not dreaming, I updated quickly for once. It's short, but I hope you guys like it!


Chapter 10: Day one

After taking a shower Danny sat on his bed, although, he refused to think of it as such. His eyes sadly took in every detail of the room but his mind was truly focused on his unwanted thoughts.

He turned on the television, hoping to keep his mind from thinking of where he was or if he would see his family and friends again.

"You're a strong girl, Sara; you'll be out of this hospital bed- Flick- "Lassie! Lassie, where- Flick- "And so her husband's case went cold after two years of miss- Click.

Having turned off the TV, Danny threw himself down on the bed with a loud sigh. Why was it that everything around him cruelly reminded him of his predicament?

Danny never thought he could hold so much resentment for someone, like he now did for the older half ghost. He hated what Vlad was doing to him. The man made him feel so weak and powerless, like a defenseless, lost, little kid. He was literally at his mercy. Vlad was once more holding all the cards, but this time, there was nothing he could do against it. Out of all the things Vlad had done to him in the past, this was, by far, the worst of them all. No amount of physical pain could compare to the emotional pain he was experiencing right now.

Deciding to find another form of distraction, he bent over the side of his bed, grabbed his duffle bag, opened it, and pulled out his laptop. He was glad he brought it with him because with it, he could stay informed of anything that might happen in Amity Park.

There was a computer in the study room, but he did not plan on using it. "He probably had it wired or something, so he could spy on me," he thought angrily, booting up his computer to play cards.

The young hybrid yawned as he boringly played solitaire. He felt sleepy again. "Man, that stupid nightmare woke me up really early," he mumbled, annoyed. He didn't know why he was having these dreams again. He thought he was passed this, but since Jazz fell ill, they had begun all over again.

Danny's eyes widened as the next yawn that escaped him became ice cold. "Ghost sense" he thought, closing his laptop and pushing it under the bed. He quickly transformed into Phantom and became invisible.

At the knock that came shortly after, Danny sat frozen on the bed while his heart pounded loudly in his chest.

"Master Phantom, may I come in?" said an unknown voice.

Danny listened apprehensively, his form remained unmoving; the teen didn't even blink.

"Master Phantom?" the voice said again.

The repetition of his new title made him cringe and disgust momentarily passed his expression. After a frustrated sigh, he decided to answer. "What?" Danny asked angrily.

"Master Plasmius has asked me to inform you, breakfast is ready," the ghost replied.

Danny rolled his eyes at Vlad's title before glaring at the door. "Well, you can tell Master Plasmius, I don't care. If he wants company, tell him, I said, to buy a cat; maybe he can convince it to eat his gross food." Danny snapped.

The ghost remained silent for a few seconds before replying. "Y-Yes, young master."


Vlad sat at a large and elegant dinning table, reading a newspaper. He picked up his cup of coffee, took a sip, and placed it back on the table. He flipped to the next page and read on. A moment later he felt someone walk into the dinning room.

"Excuse me, s-sir?"

"Where is Daniel?" Vlad asked without taking his eyes off what he was reading.

"H-He is… well, h-he s-said…

Vlad looked up and glared at the stuttering ghost.

"H-He told me to inform you, he does not care for breakfast…a-and he mentioned something about purchasing a cat to keep you…c-company," the ghost informed meekly.

Vlad's glare went upwards, as if he could see through the ceiling. His anger, however, quickly turned into annoyance and he rolled his eyes. "Very well, you may leave," he calmly dismissed.

The ghost bowed respectfully, before floating out of the room. "He can not stay in there forever," the billionaire murmured, returning to his reading.


Danny Phantom floated above his bed, his bright, green eyes fixed on the door across from him; his gloved hands glowed with hot, green energy. He was ready to face the angry Plasmius that would walk through the door at any moment.

Seconds ticked by, turning into a few minutes, then several, and Vlad had yet to appear. Tired of focusing the energy in his hand, Danny released it, changed forms, and plopped back on the bed. "Huh… I thought for sure he would try to kick my butt," Danny said with a quizzical frown.

His attention went to his grumbling stomach. Yes, he was hungry. He had not eaten since yesterday morning, but at the moment, he would rather starve then eat with his arch-enemy. Danny, however, did not concern himself; he had snacks in his bag and for now that would be enough. He pulled out a bag of chocolate chip cookies from his bag and then grabbed his computer from under the bed. He munched on the cookies and continued his game of solitaire.


Jazz looked around the hospital room, her sleepy eyes slowly adjusting to the dim lighting. "Mom?" she called with a scratchy voice upon noticing her sitting in a nearby chair.

Maddie raised her sad eyes and smiled at her daughter. "How are you feeling, sweetie?" she asked with a motherly tone as she stood. She picked up a water container and offered it to Jazz.

"I'm okay; just dizzy," she said softly after taking a few sips of water. Upon closer inspection, Jazz finally noted her mom's red and puffy eyes. "Mom, what's wrong?"

Maddie's eyes glazed with tears at the question, but she still remained calm. She couldn't tell her sick daughter about Danny. "I'm worried about you, sweetheart." Maddie honestly replied.

"I'll be fine, mom; you don't have to worry." Jazz comforted with a sure smile.

Her mother only nodded.

"Where are Dad and Danny?" Jazz asked, remembering they were not in the room.

Maddie purposely turned her attention towards Jazz's messy hair. She combed it with her fingers as she answered. "Your father is doing something really important and Danny I haven't seen. He should be with his friends," she informed half truthfully. Jack was in fact doing something important. Both parents quickly decided it was best to contact the police since it was clear from their son's letter that he had truly ran away. Jack advised his wife to stay with their daughter while he did that and continued his own search for Danny as well.

Jazz nodded as her thoughts moved to her dream last night or at least she believed it was. She dreamt Danny had come to see her but what she found peculiar was that he was in his ghost form. She had so much medication running through her yesterday that she honestly didn't know what was real and what wasn't. "I wouldn't be surprised if I was hallucinating." Her thoughts were interrupted by a hospital assistant bringing in her lunch. "I'll just ask Danny later," she resolved.


Danny awoke at a knock on his door. "Sir?"

The teenager groaned in annoyance. It was the same ghost from earlier. He moved his gaze towards the clock hanging on the wall and realized it was past noon. "I fell asleep." Danny rolled on his back and stared up at the ceiling before answering the ghost outside his room. "What do you want?"

"It's lunch time, young master."

"Am I supposed to care?" the half-ghost replied in a dry tone.

There was a moment of silence and then the spirit spoke once more. "Does that mean you will not be attending, sir?"

"What do you think?!" Danny shouted, angrily sitting up. He had no idea who the ghost was, but he didn't care. It worked for Vlad and that was enough for him to detest it.

"Yes sir; my apologies."

Danny sighed once he felt the ghostly presence leave. He looked around and let out a louder sigh. "What am I going to do?" he sadly asked himself, passing a hand through his hair. The teen then scowled and punched the mattress. "Why is he keeping me here anyways?" He angrily left the bed and went into the study room. Danny plopped down on the wheeled chair and spun himself. "Whatever the reason I'll make sure he doesn't get it," he assured himself. He finally ceased his spinning when his attention dully went to the large bookcase. Dizzy, Danny staggered towards it and gazed up at the numerous books on the shelves. The bookcase was high enough to require a ladder to reach the higher shelves. Danny smirked at the wheeled ladder on the far side of the bookcase. He didn't need it; he had something better. The half ghost switched into his Phantom form and floated up. He didn't like reading, but given the circumstances, he could give it a try. "Romance novel? Pass. Geography? No, thanks. Paranormal studies? Eeh..." Danny shrugged and pulled out the book. He crossed his legs in mid-air as he flipped through the pages. "Ghost behavior?" Danny shrugged again and began reading.


"Sam, let's sit down for a minute." Tucker asked; sweat freely falling down his face. After discovering the "booooooo-merang" wasn't picking up their friend, they decided to look for him on foot, (technically on foot and scooter). Tucker "borrowed" the Fenton Ghost Finder to aid their search. So far, they only ran into the Box Ghost.

Sam nodded in agreement and they both sat down at the closest park bench. They remained silent for a few minutes, but then growling broke it.

"Was that your stomach or mine?" Sam asked tiredly

"I think it was mine." Tucker replied in the same demeanor.

"Tucker, I don't get why Danny would do this." Sam said, desperation edging her tone

"I don't either, Sam. I mean, he was pretty upset lately because of Jazz, but I don't see why that would make him leave."

"Tucker, we're his best friends; how did we not see this coming?"

"…he kept pushing us away" Tucker murmured thoughtfully.

"I should have insisted more." Sam said sadly, her gaze falling towards the ground.

Tucker placed a hand on his friend's shoulder. "Sam, I feel the same way but he couldn't have gone far, right?" he replied with an optimistic smile.

"Tucker, he can fly," Sam reminded with a frown.

"Still, Sam, we'll find him," he assured her.

The girl's purple eyes lit with determination. "You're right, Tucker; we will find him and when we do, I'm going to give him a piece of my mind for making us worry like this," she said seriously, before hearing her stomach growl.

Sam looked at her watch and it read 5pm. They had been searching for Danny since morning and both had not eaten anything all day.

"Come on, Tuck, let's keep looking." Sam stood up, grabbed her scooter, and wheeled it beside her. Tucker nodded and followed his friend's actions.


Danny threw the book across the room, while he rested on the bed. He turned on his stomach and propped up his head with his hands. He couldn't read any more of that, no matter how bored he was. Whoever wrote that nonsense had obviously never seen, much less, known, a real ghost. The book assured ghosts were shy and docile creatures who avoided human interaction at all cost. "Oh yeah, Ember and Skulker are definitely shy and docile." Danny mumbled sarcastically. He brought his face down against the soft mattress and yawned, from both boredom and exhaustion. He had been feeling tired all day; whether it was because he had absolutely nothing to do or because his body was paying him back for the lack of sleep the last few weeks, he didn't know. He never thought time could drag any slower then when he was in school but today certainly proved him wrong. Danny's eyes eventually dimmed, his eyelids grew heavier, and he was soon asleep once again.


Walking into his mansion Vlad let out a loud, relieved sigh. He really hated going to company meetings. It was always the same nonsense! The board members would debate pointless issues or suggest some idiotic ideas that were a complete waste of his time. He wanted to shout that they were as competent as a piece of cheese, but like always, he had to put on a smile and calmly explain why their suggestions were unwise.

The older half-ghost headed towards his private study as he contemplated the different ways he could easily dispose of those stupid buffoons, but then he remembered that would mean he'd have to hire more stupid buffoons and he didn't feel like wasting his time on such a worthless affair.

"I much rather spend it on more productive matters," he stated wickedly, entering his secret lab and approaching a large computer mainframe. "Open file: BS-NB 3501."

"File opened and ready for request," the machine responded.

"Requesting complete analysis of host." Vlad calmly observed his command being carried out. Other smaller screens lit up and beeped, while the main screen displayed an outline of a human body. A flashing green line slowly traveled from the head to the feet, before traveling back up and repeating the process.

"Insert currently active by 60 percent. Red blood cell level low by 1.2 million per cubic millimeter. Temperature 99.1 Fahrenheit. Heart Rate 85 bpm. Blood pressure 90 over 45."

"Conclude Data," Vlad commanded.

"Conclusion: Host's vitals low, but stable."

"Wonderful," Vlad declared. Having done what he came to do, the billionaire left his lab and headed to his room.

"Excuse me, sir?"

Vlad halted and turned towards his ghostly butler. "Yes?"

"Supper is served."

He nodded in response before continuing his walk down the corridor.

"Uh, sir?"

Vlad sighed. "Yes?" he asked, stopping once more to address the ghost.

"Did you want me to inform the young master?" the butler asked fearfully.

Vlad's expression changed into amusement "Derek, the boy is not going to bite you …the most he will do is fire a couple of ectoplasmic blasts at your head, so you see, there is no need to fret, my good ghost."

The ghost, now known as 'Derek', gulped nervously and decided to just nod at his employer's cynical attempt of making him feel better.

"Has Daniel been out of his room yet?" Vlad inquired, his tone serious once again.

"From what I'm aware of, no, sir; he has refused to eat anything as well."

Vlad nodded with a thoughtful look on his face. "Do not worry about the boy; I'll attend to him personally," he stated, walking the opposite way he was before.

Vlad slowly strolled past the stairs and down towards Danny's room, the whole time debating on what he should do. It was clear he had reached a decision when two black rings formed around the man's waste, moved away from each other, and left Plasmius in their place. He became invisible and without hesitation, phased through the bedroom door.

Vlad stopped his approach the moment he noticed the young boy sleeping peacefully on his stomach with his arms as his pillow. The billionaire couldn't help but smile genuinely at the sight… he looked so innocent. Who would guess that this teenage boy was really a fiery human-ghost hybrid, infamous in the Ghost Zone and Earth?

Plasmius floated closer, but halted when Danny turned on his side, huddled his knees close to his stomach and placed his hands under his face.

Vlad sighed, unable to suppress his fatherly affection for the young half ghost any longer. "Daniel… I would give anything to have been your father instead of your enemy, to have you look at me with affection instead of hate, but life has been cruel to both of us… no, not life …Jack Fenton."

Vlad's red eyes darkened as well as his thoughts. "It would be so easy to get my revenge on that fat imbecile right now," he contemplated, his dark gaze focusing on the resting boy in front of him, while deadly, red energy slowly started leaking into one of his hands.

"Destroying you would hurt Jack more then any physical pain I could inflict on him. I would have my revenge and I would alleviate myself of the torn in my heart that you are Daniel." Vlad thought; all the while the ectoplasm intensified and darkened in his grasp. Danny mumbled something incoherent as he huddled his body into a tighter ball, due to the ghostly chill his arch enemy emitted. "And yet …I am unable to do it. You are so important to me that it sickens me." Vlad bitterly let the hot energy in his hand die. "I need you at my side Daniel; even if the only way to do that is by force." The billionaire's bitter expression saddened. "Sweet dreams, son," he wished in a whisper before stepping away from Danny and phasing through the door.

Vlad returned to his human form as he walked down the hallway. Nearing the stairs he noticed his butler on the first floor. "Derek, you can tell the maids to clear the table. I will not be dining tonight and neither is Daniel. Just bring me a cup of tea to my room," he ordered, before continuing towards his dormitory.


What a fun day for Danny, huh? riiiiight. Yes, a slow chapter, but for some reason I enjoyed writing this one. I'm sorry to report that you guys will see chapters like these pop up every now and then. This story is complex and because of it, it requires alot of plot building, so for those who dislike slow chapters, please bear through them. In good news, the next one is twice as long as this one and very exciting. Another of my personal favorites. Oh and it should be up Saturday! Update on MLB, well, I have the next chapter written out but I haven't had time to revise it so I'm not sure when I will update. Hopefully sometime this coming week, so be patient with me. Thanks for reading and... I'm feeling extremely giddy from how late it is so my reviewers for this chapter will get a sneak peak at the next chapter, if you want it of course. huh, sounds like a bribe, doesn't it? Well it is! See? Vlad's getting into my head! Did I mention my muse is Vlad? Well he is and he's an evil little thing... he tranqulized Benji, my beta's muse and now Me Against the World can't update her stories! I sucked him in the thermos for that, but I had to release him today so he could help me with MLB. Problem is he overshadows me alot, hence why he is getting his way in this story... He's also making me write this pointless note here at the end. He's trying to manipulate you all! Run! mkay, that's enough. Ta! ...Vlad again.