Beginning Note: I feel so bad for not including Sam and Tucker more so far in the story. They're actually my favorite characters. It's just that Danny's going through a lot of secret things that he doesn't want them knowing about, or knowing all the details to, so I have to exclude them a lot. For now, anyway. I hope to expand on their sides of the story soon.

Chapter 11: No Rest For the Dead

Danny's average Thursday at school took an abrupt dive toward the paranormal, approximately five minutes into Algebra.

Already Danny's eyes were beginning to droop with boredom as he copied down what Mrs Smith wrote onto the whiteboard. As such, it took him a moment to react to the screams coming from directly behind him.

When he did, Danny's eyes flew open, and he turned around in his seat. His mouth fell open in shock as he beheld the sight of several students hovering near the ceiling, held tightly in green semi-translucent tentacles. The owners of these appendages were a pair of octopus-looking creatures, their red eyes sweeping wildly about the room as strange sounds garbled from their gaping mouths.

As one, their gaze settled right on Danny, and Vlad's words about ghosts detecting eachother came swimming back into his mind.

'Oh great.' Was the thought that followed quickly after.

The two flung out their tentacles, sending the teenagers crashing into the walls and floor. The teacher stood frozen behind her desk, shaking and unable to move. A distant part of Danny filed this image away for the next time she decided to yell at him.

The octopus-mutants screeched as they dove toward Danny, and the boy shot to his feet, overturning his desk as he skidded toward the door. The rational side of Danny knew it would be stupid to try and fight them while so many witnesses were around; the less-rational side was just scared.

Danny flung open the door with a cry and sprinted down the hall, not bothering to turn around and see if the ghosts were still following. The sounds of their shrieking told him well enough that they were on his tail.

They were gaining on him, and panic rose with the hum that welled inside him. Danny was quickly reaching the end of a hallway, taking note that no one had stepped outside any classrooms yet to investigate the noise. Seeing this as his only opportunity, Danny sprung upward on both feet, invisioning the floor as if it were water as he held his arms out in front of him. It worked, and he dove through the tiled floor, coming to land roughly on his stomach several feet blow, in a hallway on the ground level.

He scrambled back to his feet, knowing that the spectres would be quick to follow. He wasn't proven wrong as their angered wails filled his ears once again. He turned to look up at them, their heads touching the ceiling as they stared wide-eyed down at him. Their eyes and dripping mouths spoke of hunger, and Danny felt as though he were being hunted; again.

They reared back, firing a gelatinous black-green substance at him. He pivoted and began running once more, wishing he still had his cellphone with him so he could call his parents.

Danny felt his stomach drop as he turned a corner, only to realise it was another dead end. A window was the only thing ahead of him, and Danny knew he couldn't turn back without risking capture.

As he came closer to the closed window, Danny focused on seeing the solid glass as liquid he could pass freely through. This method had yet to fail him, and Danny dove through the obstacle, crashing down onto the grass outside and rolling forward.

He grit his teeth as he came to a stop, lying on his back and staring up at the bright sky above. To his surprise, the green ghosts didn't appear. Danny sat up, looking behind himself up at the window. Muffled cries could be heard suddenly within, and Danny realised that people must have finally left their classrooms to find the source of the noise.

A low growl settled in the back of his throat as Danny ran to the window, looking inside the school building at the scene rapidly escalating in the hallway. He glared at the two octo-mutants as they dived toward the gathering crowd of students and teachers, all of which were screaming and ducking, running in random directions in fright.

A roar broke through the din, causing everybody to freeze, including the ghost pair. A large wolf appeared from the ceiling, landing on the floor and setting its sights right on the two smaller ghosts. Fear overroad the hunger on their twin faces, and with matching cries, the ghosts fled in Danny's direction, the wolf giving chase.

They fazed through the window and Danny, the force of their retreat pushing Danny backward and landing him flat out on the ground a second time.

The wolf leapt through the wall as well, soaring over the boy's prone form and bounding after the fleeing octopi. Danny rose uncertainly to his feet, watching the three spectres shrink into the distance, heading toward the football field.

Questions streaming through his mind, Danny turned around and jumped sharply as he was met with several shocked faces pressed against the window. They were all staring at the now far-away ghosts, who's cries could still be heard. They didn't at all seem to notice Danny, and the teen had to glance down at himself to make sure he wasn't invisible. Nope; not invisible. Well, not really. Being a wallflower, he'd always had the ability to go unseen, even with a mass of people staring right toward him.

Deciding that the catastrophe was over, for now, Danny began to walk around the large brick building, reaching the front doors and making his way back to Algebra class.

Entering through the still-open door, Danny halted as every set of eyes in the room shot toward him, a stark contrast to only minutes earlier. The teacher could be seen clutching her phone to her ear, now huddling fully behind her desk. The students were all in the middle of righting the overturned desks, pausing now in their work to stare at Danny.

"What?" Was all the boy could think to say.

"We thought you'd been killed or something." One girl spoke up.

"Yeah," A guy put in, "Those monsters went right for you. How'd you get away?"

Not sure whether he liked or hated being the centre of their amazed expressions, Danny shrugged as he walked over to his desk, picking it up and placing it back in its spot.

"Some wolf thing came along and scared them away."

"Seriously?" A few voices spoke in unison, and now everyone was talking amongst themselves, trying to figure out what had just transpired.

No one bothered Danny with further questions, and the teen settled calmly into his desk, picking up his flung backpack and setting it beside him on the floor. He just wanted the day to resume as normal, but this wish went unfulfilled as sirens sounded dully in the distance.

The teacher spoke lowly into her phone before placing it back in its cradle, standing fully and looking toward the students.

"The police have arrived. We should all just remain here." She spoke in a wavering voice, and Danny began to feel bad for the poor woman. Seeing ghosts for the first time had really taken its toll on her.

The remainder of the class was spent in tense silence, frequently broken by whispers from students. The teacher had moved to stand beside the door, looking out into the hall as though she wasn't sure what would come down it, police officers or more ghosts.

In the end it turned out to be a pair of men dressed in white suits, dark sunglasses hiding their eyes from view as they entered the classroom.

They spent a few moments looking about the room, invisible gaze felt more than seen as it settled on each student in turn. The bell rang out, and most of the teenagers rose slowly from their seats, gathering their things.

One of the men raised a hand, halting the movements of all.

"Everyone is to stay in their rooms until inspection is over." He stated with authority.

"Inspection?" Mrs Smith asked.

"We are doing a sweep of the school building and surrounding area. Several witnesses claim that there were multiple ecto-entities within school grounds. If any of them remain, we'll be able to detect them."

Eyes going wide, Danny's arm sot into the air before he could control himself. Everyone's eyes settled on him as he spoke up, voice cracking slightly.

"What do you mean, 'detect them'? I mean, how do you even know ghosts were really here at all?"

"Are you stupid?" One fellow student spoke up. "What do you think was chasing you?"

Danny paid them and the mumbles that followed no mind, focusing on the men before him, waiting for their answer. A voice in his head was yelling loudly that he find a way to get out of there; that they would find out. And he didn't want to know what would happen if they discovered his secret.

"Just know that we have our ways of sniffing out a ghost, kid." The first man answered. "As for proof, one student managed to capture brief footage of the three spectres on his cellphone. We have confiscated the device for evaluation. In the meantime, you are all required to simply remain calm and wait until the inspection is complete. Shouldn't be too long now."

The room lapsed back into silence, and Danny's mind was whirling with all kinds of what-if scenarios. He wasn't sure what kind of ghost detection device they had, how strong it was, or even where it was. A small bit of hope remained within him, though; maybe the device was far away, or even outside, and wouldn't be able to pick up on him. It was a big maybe, but it was all he had to cling to.

He cast about mentally for any kind of excuse he could make to leave the room, to disappear and fly far away. He had one, but it was weak and definitely cliche.

Raising his hand again, slowly and with an internal sigh, Danny caught the attention of the entire room once more.

"Uh, could I go to the bathroom?" He asked, already knowing the answer.

"No." Came the predicted reply. "Everyone is to remain monitored until the search is complete."

"But it's an emergency." Danny continued, real desperation lacing into his tone.

This caused the second man to nudge the first with his elbow. "Ah c'mon, let the kid leave. If one of us goes and stands guard outside the restroom, he'll still technically be monitored."

The first, more serious of the two frowned at his partner, letting out a long sigh before glancing disapprovingly at Danny.

"Fine," He gave in. "But you're taking him. Keep an eye out for anything weird. Those spectres could be hiding nearby."

Internally cheering, Danny practically launched out of his desk toward the door. He opened it, taking a single step out into the hallway before he was halted by a hand gripping his shoulder.

"I'll lead th-" The second suited man spoke from behind, his words choked out as he quickly pulled away from Danny.

The teen turned to look up at him, body tense, knowing exactly what it was that had given the guy pause. He looked down at his hand before shaded eyes settled back on Danny.

"You guys really gotta raise the temperature in this place. This kid's freezing." He directed these words over his shoulder at the teacher, who watched on in silence. A few of the students nodded, shivering slightly in their seats for emphasis. Danny hadn't even noticed the temperature, but memory reminded him of just how cold the classrooms always were.

Thankfully that was as far as the subject went, and Danny was soon staring at the back of the man's pristine white suit as he led the way toward the nearest restroom. The fact that his pathetic little plan was working had Danny almost smiling. Maybe he would be able to get out of here with his secret intact.

Down two hallways they finally reached the second floor restrooms, and the man crossed his arms as he leaned against the wall. Danny rushed into the boys' restroom, closing and locking the first stall he reached. There he stood in silence, listening for any kind of noise that would indicate that he wasn't alone.

Hearing no such sounds, Danny allowed the hum to flow into his limbs. For a few moments he stared down at his hands, buzzing lowly with power. It was so easy to call it forth now. It had Danny more worried than impressed as he thought about it. Soon he wouldn't even be aware of the power coming and going, and this could lead to several unfortunate scenarios.

Mentally shaking himself back into the situation at hand, Danny leapt into the air, ascending through the multiple floors above him, gaining speed as he went. Bright sunlight momentarily blinded him as he rose from the rooftop of the highschool. Danny hovered in the air, a hand coming up to shield his eyes. He looked out toward the football field, half expecting to see the three ghosts still grappling somewhere in the distance.

Danny nearly plummeted toward the ground in fright as a blaring alarm echoed out, bouncing off the school walls and ringing in his ears. Eyes seeking out the source of the new noise, Danny felt a tremor of fear as he spotted a large machine several yards away, sitting in the parking lot. It was currently flashing a bright green light, shrieking its alarm as several people in white rushed about the area, their heads swiveling this way and that. A few held up small metallic squares that glinted in the light.

Danny knew that he had to be the one to trip the sensors, either by the use of his abilities or by coming within range of the machine, he wasn't sure. Glancing down at himself, Danny was relieved to find he was still invisible. They couldn't see him.

Well, that's what he thought, for about two seconds before a strange whistling noise joined the loud alarm. Danny looked back down at the people, and found them all to be looking up in his general direction, pointing their small square screens at him. They weren't the only things aimed at him, either, and Danny gasped aloud as he caught sight of one white-clothed person charging up a very intimidating looking gun. It was so large that it rested against the ground, propped up by the man's shoulder as he took aim, directly where Danny hovered.

The whistling died quickly, and then a bright white light shot from the barrel of the weapon, launching through the air toward Danny, who rocketed forward out of its path. He could feel the energy flowing off the white ball in bursts as it grazed past his legs. Danny continued to fly away he looked over his shoulder at the people, most now waving their small screens left and right, trying to relocate him. It seemed the gun needed time to power up between each shot, and that gave Danny a great amount of relief.

As Danny landed in a narrow alleyway near his home, he wondered if he'd just been better off staying in the classroom. Maybe they really wouldn't have been able to detect him.

'What if those square things got a good look at me? What if they could see my face!'

And thus Danny's thoughts spun in turmoil as he sat down against a brick wall, uncertain about what to do next. Between the oddity of the Ghost Zone, the random ghost attacks and these men in white, Danny felt utterly lost. He needed help; needed someone who could give him aid, and answers.


The phone rang twice before it was answered, the voice of a young woman on the other end.

"Hello, DALV Company; this is Stacey, how can I help you?" Her voice was flowered with peppiness, making Danny even more unsure of his decision.

"Uh, hi, i-is Mr Masters there?" Danny asked, glancing around himself as he stood inside the phone booth, feeling as though he were about to be attacked at any moment.

"And this is?" The woman questioned.

"Danny Fenton." The teen answered, other ear listening for the slightest sound of a gun charging up.

"Ah! Danny Fenton. Just one moment." With that, the woman's voice was replaced by light jazz music as Danny stood, glancing up and down the street and wondering why the woman sounded as if she'd heard his name before.

"Daniel." Vlad's voice nearly caused the boy to jump, and his eyes did yet another sweep of the surrounding area before calming himself enough to answer.

"Mr Masters, uh, it's me Danny."

Danny removed the phone from his ear and proceeded to hit himself on the forehead with it. Why of all times was he being so awkward! The quiet sound of Vlad chuckling did nothing for Danny's self confidence.

"Why aren't you calling from your cellphone, Daniel?" Mr Masters asked. "You would have been forwarded to my office immediately."

"Uh, yeah, I think a ghost stole my phone." Danny said, not bothering to ask how the man had known his cellphone number in the first place.

"I see." Vlad replied slowly. "Is that what you're calling about?"

"No, actually, there's something else. Uh, a big something, I think. Do you know anything about a bunch of people in white suits? They have this ghost detection machine, and-"

"Daniel, listen to me very carefully." Vlad interrupted, his voice becoming sharp. "Where are these people now? Are they anywhere near you?"

"Uh, no. I don't think so." Danny replied, looking over his shoulder again.

"Do you know where they are?"

"Back at my school. They're sweeping the area for ghosts."

"And why would they be doing that?" Now Vlad's tone had dipped down into something a little threatening, and Danny wasn't entirely sure who that unsaid threat was directed at.

"'C-cause there were some crazy ghosts trying to eat each other earlier." Danny supplied, rubbing at the sudden chills on the back of his neck.

He heard Vlad sigh into the phone on the other end, but whatever the man was about to say was drowned out by the sound of shattering glass. The impact of something large crashing into the phone booth had its thin glass walls crumbling, sending Danny to the ground inside.

Danny pushed himself to his hands and knees, grimacing as shards scraped and cut into him.

'Man, I'd love to go just one week without getting mangled.' He thought as he looked over his shoulder.

He was met by a pair of glowing eyes and bared, dripping teeth glaring down at him. He instantly recognised the large wolf from before as it lowered onto its haunches, preparing to pounce. Apparently, it was still hungry.

Growling low in its throat, the creature sprung forward, and Danny barely managed to sink through the ground in time. The dull vibration of the phone booth fully collapsing could be felt in the solid earth, and Danny had to fight off fear as he lay on his back, completely still in the stifling dirt and darkness. Though Danny had ceased breathing several days ago, the knowledge of the absence of oxygen had his ribs contracting, his mouth flying open in an attempt to draw in air.

Unable to handle it any longer, Danny crawled out of the ground, still intangible, hands not making any real contact with the dirt and concrete as he came to hover just inches off the ground.

He gasped in unneeded lungfuls of air, looking down at the white sidewalk, bits of glass and metal strewn about. He then became aware of voices shouting, and looked up to find a small group of people standing frozen across the street, staring at him.

'Oh...no.' Was the only line that ran through Danny's head, and instantly his body regained its solid form, dropping back down onto the ground. But it was too late, the damage done; they had seen him. Seen him ascend from out of the ground and float in the air.

Danny cast about for something, anything, to say or do. He was entirely unprepared for the second attack from the wolf. It crashed into his side, sending them both rolling down the road. They landed inches away from one another, the wolf shaking its head and quickly righting itself. As it lunged for the teen once more, Danny kicked it hard in the face. The ghostly canine squawked in surprise as its head was forced to the side, its body stumbling with it.

Danny took this opportunity to stand as well, gritting his teeth as he took in the shards of glass protruding out of various points on his bleeding body. Gripping the largest one, easily the size of his hand, Danny cried out as he yanked the offending glass from his left thigh. He held it threateningly as the wolf sized him up, cocking its head as it began slowly circling around him.

Danny moved with it, keeping the wolf at his front as he gripped the glass tightly, wielding it like a makeshift knife.

The people were now running into stores, peering through windows and pulling out their cellphones. Not wanting to be caught on camera, Danny turned and began sprinting toward an alleyway. He couldn't risk flying while eyes were still upon him, and in his dizzying panic he never once thought about invisibility.

The wolf was in pursuit, the sound of its teeth snapping just behind Danny's head. Said teen skidded out onto another street, relief spiralling down his limbs as he caught sight of Fenton Works looming above buildings, just a block away. Screams and shouts from nearby told Danny that there were still other people around, going about their normal days only to see a bloody boy sprinting past, followed closely by a giant wolf. The only thing Danny could do was run.

The creature finally managed to snap hold of him by the shirt, flinging Danny through the air. The boy crashed into a lamp post, and used it to stand as quickly as he could before the wolf was on him. He opened his eyes in time to see a gaping mouth full of teeth filling his vision. Thinking fast, Danny swung the glass shard, slicing the wolf along its bottom jaw and tongue. Green ectoplasm swelled and spilled forth down the animal's mouth as it shrieked, rearing back in stunned pain.

Danny didn't stay to watch as it shook its head violently, torn tongue flapping and green flying everywhere. He turned and continued the run toward his house.

Danny reached his home in seconds, leaping past the steps and flinging his front door open. He had no idea if the wolf was still chasing him, and didn't want to find out. Instead he shut the door and continued to sprint downstairs to the lab.

Danny skidded as he reached the basement, grunting as his stomach came into contact with a table that hadn't been there before. Danny looked down in confusion at the sleek metal surface, marred only by four small half-circles sticking out in each corner. He had no more time to contemplate this new addition to the lab, as his parents were both standing up from their desks, looking at him in matching alarmed expressions.

"Danny!" They yelled in unison.

Maddie rushed forward, gripping him tightly by the shoulders. The thought of his icy skin came fluttering into his mind, and Danny absently tried to pull away from his mother's hands. She was having none of it, and kept with him as he stepped back, her face growing stern, mixing in with the obvious worry.

"Danny, what happened to you?" She demanded.

"There's a ghost wolf outside!" Danny shouted back, alarm still coursing through him at the thought of the creature coming into his home.

Maddie whipped her head around to look at her husband.

"Jack, the shield!" She said, but the man was already dropping his tools and bounding up the stairs. Maddie wrapped her arms further around Danny as the two stood in silence, listening to the sound of Jack run all the way up to the OP Centre. Seconds later, the lights flickered briefly, signaling the activation of the shield.

Danny tried once again to move away from his mother, wary of any prolonged contact. He was surprised to feel her arms leave him, but the relief was short-lived, as Maddie immediately grabbed hold of his arm and dragged him to her desk.

"Sit." She ordered, pushing Danny down into her chair. He watched mutely as she reached up onto a high shelf, feeling about blindly before pulling a white and red box down. She set the first aid kit on the desk and began rummaging through it silently.

The sound of an ecto gun firing startled both of them, and Maddie looked toward the basement stairs, body held tense. The firing continued, and Maddie turned her attention back on her son, gripping a pair of tweezers tightly as her brows knit together.

"Uh, Mom?" Danny spoke up, confused, guilty and afraid all at once as he sat stiffly in the chair.

"It's just your father, sweetie." Maddie answered, pulling the chair with Danny out into the open. "He can handle himself against one ghost. It'll be fine."

Her tone sounded more tense than confidant, and Danny couldn't find much to say in response.

They lapsed into silence as Maddie knelt on the floor before her son, taking hold of one of his arms. Her eyes moved up and down every inch of skin, running fingers lightly across streaks of blood. When they caught upon a splinter of glass, Maddie pulled them out with the tweezers. Danny pressed his lips together, wincing at each sharp sting as the glass left his skin piece by piece. The larger shards Maddie left alone, moving from his arms down to his legs.

Taking out a large pair of scissors, Maddie cut into the denim, steering clear of the bigger wounds, exposing Danny's equally injured legs. Thankfully there were less bits of glass, and Maddie was soon done, moving next to his torso.

His shirt was treated in the same manner, and Danny wanted nothing more than to vocalise his discomfort and annoyance. He could very well do this on his own. But the drawn face of his mother, looking very much like she had in Vlad's mansion, kept Danny's mouth sealed shut. He instead took to looking around the lab to occupy himself as Maddie pulled thin slivers from his side.

To be honest, he was quite surprised that she wasn't questioning him endlessly on the ghost that had attacked him, or attacking it herself along with her husband. She didn't even seem to care. This coupled with the memory of the bystanders' shocked faces replaying before his eyes left Danny feeling incredibly uncertain. The ghosts, his secret, the big machine and now this; Danny's mind was practically flipping inside his skull. He supposed every ghost must come with a healthy dose of Murphy's Law.

Maddie stood and clasped Danny by the cheeks, pulling his head forward and looking it over with equal scrutiny. Her fingers combed lightly through his hair, picking out loose glass. Danny jerked in surprise as her hand found a single shard near his forehead. Now he at least knew the source of the blood currently drying on his face. She pulled this one out as well, hissing between her teeth as fresh blood trickled past Danny's brow, tickling at his nose on its path downward.

As Danny attempted to wipe the red away, smearing it more than anything, Maddie fished out a roll of gauze. She ripped off a piece and folded it neatly, placing it in Danny's right hand.

"Hold this to your head, right here." She directed his hand up to the top of his head, and the teen obediently pressed the material down onto the wound as Maddie put aside the bandage roll, looking at him.

"This is almost over, Danny. We have to get those bigger pieces out, okay?" She said reassuringly, her hand moving toward a shard stuck in Danny's left shoulder.

"This'll hurt, but try to stay still." She spoke as her fingers tentatively gripped the glass.

Danny tensed in preparation, his eyes moving to look at the empty containment unit as he felt his mother's hand grasp the glass firmly. He squeezed his eyes shut at the first feel of the glass beginning to leave him. It sent jolts of pain skittering down his body, and was thankfully over in moments. Danny opened his eyes to watch as Maddie dropped the bloodied glass down on the table. He noted how little of the glass had actually been in him, feeling both relieved that the wounds weren't extensive, and terrified that such a small bit of glass could hurt so much.

The next two shards were removed in the same way, the pain quickly fading as soon as they left his skin. The last untouched wound held a piece of glass in similar size to the one Danny had wielded as a weapon. It sat buried in his left leg, below the knee. Sickeningly, Danny could see his skin bulging slightly out of place, forced to make room for the intrusion.

Feeling a bit faint, Danny quickly looked away as Maddie gripped the final shard. This one didn't give way as easily, and it took Maddie several seconds of pulling and twisting to get it out. Danny's hands shook as his body slumped down, looking at his mother, who held up the glass. His eyebrows rose at the sight of it, the red end far larger than the clear side.

'It must've gotten pushed further in one of the times I fell.' Danny thought absently, wanting nothing more than to lay down.

Acting on this want, Danny stood up shakily. Maddie laid a hand against his chest, stopping him from moving forward.

"Danny, where are you going?" She asked, dropping the glass among the others.

"Gonna take a shower." Danny answered in monotone, taking hold of his mother's hand and pushing it away, not looking at her as he continued forward. He was grateful when she didn't argue, and quickly made his way to the ground floor. He could worry about his mom later; for now he just needed to wash the blood away and get dressed in non-shredded clothes.


Standing under the warm water, cuts stinging anew, Danny tried not to think about his situation. It felt as if everything were hanging by a thread. If one of those people recognised him, or gave his description to the police, his whole world could come crashing down. Vlad had been right; it was a miracle he hadn't been caught before now.

Thoughts of the fellow ghost made Danny's mood even worse. How had the guy kept his own secret all these years? He was obviously much better at this whole thing than Danny, and the teen wished sorely for some kind of guidance, and help. He definitely needed it.

Danny could hear his father's boasting voice fill the house below, and knew the man had come back victorious.

Turning off the shower, Danny stepped out and grabbed a towel from the rack. Drying himself, he stepped in front of the mirror, looking at the small tears and holes in his body, blood welling up in a few. Most had already scabbed over, and Danny marveled at his rapid healing ability.

Leaving the bathroom, Danny quickly dressed in his room and descended down into the living room, where Jack stood with Maddie. The large man was grinning wide and holding up a plastic bag triumphantly. Inside the bag was green liquid, with small chunks floating within it.

Maddie's attention shifted to her son immediately, and she held up her gauze roll, walking toward him.

"Danny, we still need to wrap those-" She started.

"I'll do it, Mom." Danny interrupted, taking the bandages.

"Hey, Danny, get a load of this!" Jack exclaimed, holding up the bag. "Why, that stupid ghost didn't know what hit it! That's what happens when you mess with the Fentons!"

Danny turned and headed back upstairs, his father's joyous laughter following him all the way to his room. He thought he might have heard his mother call after him softly, but paid it no mind. He couldn't risk his mom touching him too much, and if she saw how quickly his wounds had healed in such a short amount of time, she'd definitely have questions. Maddie was no idiot, and for the first time in his life, Danny felt apprehension toward her.

'Oh well, what's the point in hiding. The police'll probably be kicking our door down any moment now. They'll know what I am. I'll probably be hauled off to some lab.'

Danny thoughts continue to turn in morbid circles as he lay on his bed, gauze forgotten in his loose grasp. He stared up at the ceiling, feeling exposed and wanting nothing more than to retreat into hiding, somewhere safe. He knew exactly where that someplace was, but with his parents awake and in the lab, it would be impossible to go there. The tempting idea of drugging his parents into sleep again nagged at him, but he pushed it roughly aside.

Craning his neck, Danny looked toward the upside-down image of his window. Green coated the normal blue of the sky, and Danny knew that the ghost shield was still up. True, no ghost could come in and attack him anymore, but he was effectively trapped. He hoped that he wouldn't be made to leave before his parents deactivated it. Not being able to cross through a ghost shield would be a pretty clear giveaway, after all.

A knock at the door brought Danny back to the present, and he listened as his mother climbed the basement stairs quickly to answer.

"Yes?" He could hear her say.

"Good evening, ma'am. You're the local ghost hunters, yes? We are with the GIW. We've received reports that a large ghost-like creature was spotted outside of your home." A man's voice spoke, muffled by its distance.

Danny rolled onto his stomach and listened carefully.

"Yes, we are, and yes, my husband has already taken care of it." Maddie replied, pride evident in her tone.

"We see." Said a second voice, sounding more annoyed than relieved that the ghost was now gone or destroyed.

"Yes well, if that's all then I really should be getting back to work." Maddie said shortly.

"Just one more thing, ma'am. A humanoid spectre was also seen in the area, though it's not known where it fled. Have you or your husband encountered it as well?" The first one asked.

"A human ghost?" Maddie's voice rose in pitch, and Danny could practically envision the excited look on her face. "Where? When?"

"Just a half hour ago, a few blocks down. It was spotted only briefly, and then fled, followed by the wolf." The first answered.

"So I take you haven't seen it, ma'am?" The second added.

"No, but we'll definitely keep an eye out." Maddie spoke, and Danny buried his face in his blankets, stomach dropping. Great, now his parents knew there was a human ghost running around. And was it really necessary for those two to tell her about it being followed by the wolf? What if she put two and two together?

Danny tuned their goodbyes out as he got up, walking over to his window. He opened it, leaning his head out to watch as the white-suited pair left his front steps. He envied their ability to walk through the shield. They climbed into a white car, windows tinted black, and drove out of sight.

Still worried that his identity might be revealed, Danny's desire to be near the safety of the Ghost Zone drove him downstairs. He dared go no further than the living room, however, not wanting to be near his parents while they undoubtedly talked about the new human ghost. He settled down onto the couch just as the front door opened. Jazz entered, looking tired and stressed. Danny figured she'd just spent the afternoon with one of her more difficult charges. Why she insisted on playing school volunteer counselor, Danny would never know.

The older girl spared Danny a glance as she made her way upstairs, closing herself in her bedroom quietly. Danny looked back to the tv screen, which was playing out the local news.

Some teenaged boy from Danny's school had been killed in a fire last night, which had begun in his bedroom. Danny thought he recognised the kid from the photograph shown. What sparked Danny's interest was the fact that the flames were, according to reports, not red or orange at all, but blue. Giant blue flames had engulfed everything in the boy's room, including him. His body was recovered, scorched beyond recognition. The camera then panned to the grieving family members, standing outside their home amid the sirens and people. Danny quickly flipped to another channel.

Everything passed into a blur as Danny lost himself in afternoon cartoons, mind wandering, not paying full attention to the antics of the animated characters. His family moved about in the house, his mother prepared dinner, and the sky darkened.

The sound of the doorbell had Danny falling back into the present, more out of fear than curiosity. The first thought entering his head was that it was scientists or police, here to escort him off to a cell or lab.

Imagination created a few choice scenarios that played before his eyes as Danny slumped further into the cushions of the couch, fighting off the urge to turn invisible as his mother called to him from the kitchen.

"Danny, honey, can you get that?" She asked over the dull clank of pots and cutlery.

Danny braced himself as he walked toward the door, hand reaching out to slowly turn the knob. He wasn't sure if he was relieved or even more alarmed when he registered who exactly it was that stood calmly before him, posture straight, clothes pristine, and a small smile ever present.

"Mr Masters!" He exclaimed in surprise, eyes widening.

"Hello, Daniel." Vlad greeted in reply, his smile widening by a fraction as he stood, arms folded behind his back, in the cool night air.

Danny took a moment to look behind the man, and noted that the ghost shield had been taken down at some point by his parents. At least now he didn't have to worry about being trapped in the morning.

"Who is it, sweetie?" Maddie called once more, coming out of the kitchen to see for herself. As Danny stepped back to reveal the man, Maddie's expression became similar to Danny's own, surprise widening her eyes and lacing its fingers into her tone.

"Vlad? What are you doing all the way out here?" She asked, coming to stand fully in the living room. The man now smiled fully as he stepped into the house, Danny closing the door behind him.

"Good evening, Maddie, my dear. I was in the neighborhood on business and decided to stop by for a short visit. The reunion didn't end on the best note, after all."

Maddie gave a nod to this, her expression falling into sad contemplation briefly before snapping herself out of it. She then offered a smile up at her friend, gesturing toward the kitchen as she spoke.

"Well, since you're here, why don't you join us for dinner?"

"Oh, I couldn't impose." The man protested politely, waving his hands in gesture.

"Oh nonsense, you're welcome here anytime." The woman insisted, turning and walking toward the door to the lab.

Vlad sighed lightly and shrugged in a gesture of concede, watching momentarily as Maddie yelled down to Jack that dinner was ready before turning his eyes back on Danny.

"We'll have time to talk afterward." He said in a low voice, unnoticed by Maddie, who was busy calling up to Jazz.

Danny only nodded mutely in return, certain that this 'brief visit' of Vlad's was anything but, and mystified that the man would travel all this way, and in such a short amount of time, to see him after their interrupted phone conversation.

The house rumbled with the thunderous footfalls of Jack as he bounded upstairs, face alight at the mention of dinner, only to explode into a supernova of delight when he caught sight of Vlad standing in the middle of the living room.

"Vladdie!" He cried out as he ran toward the slighter man, arms thrown out.

Danny mentally commended Vlad for not flinching or dodging his father's advancement, taking the crushing hug in stride.

"Ah, yes, hello Jack." Vlad said after Jack released him, smoothing out his suit jacket and straightening his tie.

Danny watched the two men continue on into the kitchen, Jack already boasting about his latest inventions and inviting Vlad down to the basement to have a look after dinner. The second man all too happily agreed.

Jazz entered the living room, tapping Danny over the shoulder as she passed by him, snapping the teen out of his thoughts. He quickly followed, and soon the entire family, new guest included, were enjoying the late afternoon meal, some more than others.

Jack's mouth seemed to be permanently stuffed with food. This of course didn't stop him from carrying on his conversation with Vlad, who appeared to be doing his best to both understand Jack as well as dodge the small bits of food and spit flying from the large man's mouth. Danny watched them from across the table as he passed the mashed potatoes to his sister, feeling sympathetic for the billionaire.

"Danny, you'd better get some food on your plate, before your father eats it all." Maddie spoke up, quirking an eyebrow at her son's empty plate.

Danny looked down in surprise, and found that his mother's words were true; he'd neglected to put anything on his plate, its clean surface catching the light. Strange, he hadn't even noticed.

"Oh, yeah." Was all the teenager could say. "Sorry."

Jazz handed him a bowl with a confused expression, and Danny began quickly piling food onto his plate. Perhaps a bit much, he realised, when he was finished. He truly had no appetite, not even a craving for anything set before him.

Thankfully, everyone carried on with their conversations, Maddie and Jazz discussing school while Jack just continued babbling nonsensically. Danny looked over to Vlad, and saw that he as well was eating food and occasionally replying to Jack, as normal. He was behaving so normal. How did he do it?

'Just great. Even when there's a guy who's been dead for twenty years in the room, I'm still the freak.'

Danny sighed quietly, picking up his spoon. He ate slowly, and by the time everyone around him was standing up with their empty plates, Danny had barely made a dent.

"Honey, are you feeling alright?" Maddie asked as she set her dishes on the growing pile in the sink.

"Yeah, Mom. Just not hungry." Danny replied, rising as well and frowning down at his almost untouched dinner.

The two men were already down in the lab, Jack's voice echoing up into the kitchen, and Danny quickly left the table and his mother to follow them. When he entered the lab, his father was gesturing at the new table, indicating the corners as he spoke.

"And these straps will, in theory, be able to impede a ghost's tangibility. Of course, it's still a work in progress, but we can't wait to try it out!" Jack grinned with excitement, running his hand along the cold metal surface.

"Fascinating, Jack." Vlad replied, smiling, before turning to look toward the closed portal.

"I see you've managed to actually create a ghost portal. Not an easy feat, as I'm sure you recall." He said, giving Jack a pointed look.

The larger man's expression dropped a fraction at Vlad's words, causing Danny's eyebrows to rise in confusion. But soon Jack was grinning fully again, sweeping an arm toward the portal in gesture.

"Trust me, V-Man, it wasn't easy. Took Maddie and I far too long to finally perfect." Jack beamed toward the device with pride.

"Oh? And just how did you manage to finally get it to work, hm?" Vlad questioned, his smile spreading. He glanced sideways toward Danny, who still stood by the stairs, and the boy felt his stomach flutter in apprehension. Vlad was either an actual idiot, or he was messing with him. Danny didn't like either of these prospects.

Danny looked on as Jack paused, scraping fingers along the stubble on his chin. Finally, the man turned to Vlad with an unsure expression, shrugging his shoulders, his words coming out less enthusiastic than before.

"I, uh, we're not really sure, Vlad. Actually, that's something we're still theorising about."

"So it just...what, turned on one day?" Vlad feigned a look of fascination, and Danny was now frowning heavily at the both of them.

"Yep. The darnedest thing, right?" Jack laughed, though the uncertainty still remained.

Danny turned on his heel, shoulders tensed, and marched up the stairs, the pair's conversation floating up to meet his ears as he walked into the kitchen. He glanced at his mother and sister, still sitting at the cleared table, Jazz's notebooks and texts piled around them. Seemed Maddie was helping her daughter with science class, which had always been Jazz's academic weakness. Jazz was looking increasingly frazzled as Maddie patiently explained the written passage for the third time.

Danny entered his room with a huff, poking through his backpack and dragging out his homework. He'd been falling steadily behind, and knew that he couldn't let his grade average fall any more than it already had. Missing half of school today was definitely not going to help the situation. With a dramatic groan, Danny began reading over his English assignment, time moving forward at a crawl, a light breeze flowing through his still-open window.

A small, sharp knock at his door had Danny sitting back up. He had a pretty good idea who it was behind the painted wood, and his frown returned.

"Come in." He spoke, pushing his papers and books to the end of his bed as he stood up.

Just as expected, Vlad entered the room, closing the door behind him. His eyes swept breifly around the room, smile fixed in its same location. When his eyes settled on Danny, taking in the boy's irritated expression and crossed arms, Vlad's smile only grew wider. Danny bristled at the man's obvious enjoyment over his distress.

"What's your deal?" Danny asked, anger rising ever higher as Vlad continued to look pleased with the situation. "Are you the dumbest guy on earth or something?"

"Why Daniel, are you referring to the little conversation I had with your father downstairs? You shouldn't have left so soon. Your father showed me quite a few of his ghost weapons." Arms folded behind his back, Vlad took to strolling slowly around the room, looking at several objects in turn.

"I don't care about their stupid inventions; you're missing the point."

Danny watched the man move around, arms falling to hang limply at his sides. He knew Vlad was baiting him, pushing his buttons on purpose, but that only further added to Danny's mounting stress. He was in a delicate situation as it was, without this man adding fuel to the proverbial fire.

"Oh no, Daniel, I believe it's you who's missing the point." Vlad spoke, looking up at one of Danny's band posters with a disapproving stare.

"Okay, if you don't stop talking in circles, I'm kicking you outta my room." Danny stated firmly, though mentally he had no idea how he'd actually achieve his threat, should Vlad call his bluff.

The billionaire looked over at him, staring at Danny for a few seconds, smile never so much as wavering. He then turned to face the teen fully, inclining his head toward Danny.

"Alright, Daniel, no need to get angry. You've definitely inherited your mother's quick temper." Vlad came to stand before Danny as he continued. "Though you may have also caught your father's rather thick-headedness."

"Hey!" Danny shot back. "I'm not an idiot! And neither is my dad." Danny threw in the last sentence more out of familial loyalty than actual conviction.

Vlad laughed quietly at this, and Danny was beginning to regret calling him for help. He seemed to only want to add to his problems, and mock Danny and his family while he was doing it.

Vlad seemed to sense that he'd reached the end of Danny's patience, and held his hands up in a placating gesture.

"Easy, Daniel, I meant no offense. Your parents and I have all known each other far longer than you've been alive, and dead, for that matter."

Vlad paused, watching Danny as though waiting to see whether the boy would laugh at his play on words or not. Danny's face didn't twitch. Vlad sighed lightly, shrugging his shoulders at some obtuse mental thought before continuing with his words and trek around the room.

"Daniel, do you know why I spoke so, well, directly with your father? It is because he's a man of science. He and your mother. And more than that they are simply human. They will believe what is presented to them. If they look at you and I, and believe we are alive, then that is what they'll see. No matter the hints and clues that present themselves to them. Do you understand?"

Now Danny's posture had relaxed, his expression thoughtful, though still a little upset at Vlad's obvious kick at his parents' wit. But even so, he had to agree. To him, the clues to his demise were all too clear, and he often found himself wondering how they hadn't found out yet.

"You should become more interested in their work, Daniel." Vlad commented as he glanced over the mess strung along Danny's bedroom floor with a frown.

"Why?" Danny asked, resisting the urge to shove a nearby candy wrapper under his bed.

"Your parents are ghost hunters; it is their occupation and their life-long passion." Vlad turned once again to face Danny, his expression now serious. "They have made, and will continue to make, weapons and defenses against ghosts, against you and I. The only hope you will have of keeping them in the dark about your secret is to understand how all of their inventions work. You may even become knowledgeable enough to sabotage their work."

"Sabotage their work? I can't just go around breaking my parents' equipment." Danny objected.

"And why not?" Vlad countered. "This is about more than family obligations or hurt feelings, Daniel. This is about survival, and secrecy. Those two things are key for ghosts like us. Your father showed me the plans for their new Spectre Speeder. It seems to be coming along quite well."

Vlad walked back to the front of the room, standing near the door. "If you don't want them ever stepping foot into the Ghost Zone, Daniel, I suggest you get well acquainted with their plans for this new invention."

With that, Vlad opened Danny's door, the dark of the silent hallway leaking into the room. He swept an arm out in gesture, his voice falling to a near whisper.

"Now, let's be off then, before any interruptions."

"Uh, be off? To where?" Danny asked, his voice lowering as well.

"To the portal, of course, we still have some things to discuss, and-"

"Woah, wait. But what about my parents?" Danny asked, stepping forward.

"A mild sedative, Daniel, nothing harmful. Just enough to make them too tired to work. They went up to their room before I came in here. As far as they know, the day has worn them out, and I am well on my way back home."

Danny's eye widened slightly at Vlad's tactics, wanting to be angry about the man drugging his parents, but knowing it would only make him a hypocrite. He walked quietly out into the hallway, looking toward his parents' closed door as Vlad joined him, closing his bedroom door with a quiet click.

"I take it your parents have some sort of ghost detection device on at all times?" Vlad asked lowly.

"Uh, yeah. It senses spikes of ecto energy in the house." Danny whispered back.

"Best to continue on foot, then." The man spoke, descending the stairs quietly, followed by the teenager.

When they reached the lab, silent and dark, Vlad went to the release button, pressing it and stepping back as the two metal doors slid aside, casting the long room in the green glow of the portal.

Without hesitation, Vlad stepped into the swirling mass, leaving Danny to cast one last paranoid glance at the stairway before following. Somehow it made him more uneasy to be doing this with another person rather than just on his own. He also couldn't shake the memory of nearly getting caught the last time he'd visited the Ghost Zone.

As Danny entered the realm, he saw no sight of Vlad. Upon walking up into the kitchen, Danny found the man standing in the middle of the living room, looking around himself with one hand rubbing idly at his chin.

"Amazing." He muttered to himself and Danny came to stand behind him. "It's an almost exact replica."

"What, the house?" Danny asked.

"Yes, I've never seen such a strong connection before." Vlad replied, turning to the boy with a strange look on his face.

"I don't understand." Was all Danny could say, glancing around himself in confusion. It wasn't like there was a mansion surrounding them, just an ordinary house.

"It must have something to do with the portal's stability. Maddie certainly has outdone herself with it. It's nearly perfect." Vlad went back to muttering, walking around in a small circle. "But that can't be all."

He then turned back to Danny, pointing at the teen. "You. You died within the portal, didn't you?"

"Uh, yeah." Danny wasn't sure where Vlad was going with all of this talk. In fact, Vlad seemed completely entranced with their surroundings.

"I suspected as much." Vlad went back to pacing in his circle, arms folding behind his back. "It makes sense, then."

"What makes sense?" Danny asked, feeling like there was something huge he was missing.

"Do you know how man-made ghost portals are created, Daniel?" Vlad asked in place of an answer.

Danny thought back to what seemed a lifetime ago, and nodded, remembering his mother's words about rituals and sacrifices. Vlad returned the nod, coming again to a stop.

"To open a portal, life must be taken. Only death can open the realm of the dead, Daniel. And even then, the openings linger briefly. The stability of the Fenton portal, along with your death, must have been enough to keep this portal active as long as it's been. Even so, I wouldn't be terribly surprised if one day it fails."

"Fails? You mean the portal could stop working any time?" Danny asked, alarmed.

"Well, theoretically, yes. But personally, I doubt it. Maddie's work is the best in the field I've ever seen. And you're quite a strong ghost, Daniel."

The boy raised a skeptical eyebrow at the unexpected compliment. Vlad smiled slightly in response.

"You are. You're simply still adjusting to your new abilities. But a ghost such as yourself, created in the way you were. You've got the makings of a very powerful spirit, Daniel. You just need guidance to help you along the way."

"You can say that again." Danny frowned. "I've been practically caught a hundred times. And a bunch of people saw me today!"

Danny smacked a hand over his forehead, remembering the events of earlier, nearly forgotten. He was so stupid! A fresh wave of mental beratement knocked around in his head, interrupted by Vlad's worried voice.

"People saw you? When?"

"When that wolf thing was trying to eat me. I was out on the street and, well...I kind of floated up out of the ground."

Vlad settled Danny with a look that told the boy exactly how careless he'd been. The man sighed lowly, rubbing the bridge of his nose for a moment before walking over to one of the front windows, gazing out of it as he spoke.

"I'll keep a close watch over any reports concerning a ghost boy. It'll most likely come to nothing; no need to worry too much over it."

"How would you know what reports the Amity police are getting?" Danny asked, though he had a good idea already.

Vlad let out a short laugh. "Oh dear boy, I think you keep forgetting that I have enough money to buy any information I need. And what money can't buy, certain other abilities can gain."

Before Danny could come up with a response, Vlad turned back to him with his familiar smile back in place.

"Now, how about a demonstration of these up and coming powers of yours?"

"Uh, here, now?" Danny asked, feeling put on the spot.

"Why not? Here in the Ghost Zone, your abilities will be more powerful, and come to you more easily. It's an ideal place to practice, and develop your strength. If you want to rise to your potential, Daniel, you'll need to start training. It's how I've come as far as I have."

"Well," Danny spoke slowly, "Then why don't you show me some of your powers?"

Vlad seemed to think it over for a moment, before his smile grew. He reached over and opened the front door, beckoning for Danny to follow him outside.

Once standing out on the small island of grass and dirt, Vlad once again went silent, eyes sweeping up and down the plot of land.

"Amazing..." He muttered, getting that strange look on his face again as he looked toward Danny.

"Best to keep this outdoors." Vlad commented, schooling his expression back to a confidant patience.

In seconds, a liquidy purple glow enveloped Vlad's right hand. It swirled there as Vlad held his hand up for Danny to see, the teen's mouth falling open at the sight. His powers didn't look like that. Danny was also caught off guard by the now changed color of Vlad's eyes. Where once dark blue swam within his irises, glowing purple churned in circles around bright pink pinpoints.

Suddenly Vlad was shooting his arm out, over Danny's head, and the boy ducked down instinctively as a blasting sound filled the air. He turned and looked up to see a burst of churning pink liquid sail off into the distance.

"An ectoplasmic blast, the most basic of all ghosts' powers. I'm sure you've at least come that far?"

Danny heard the subtle patronising tone, and he lowered his eyebrows, conjuring up his own energy within his palm. It's bright green contrasted sharply against the purple still lingering in Vlad's hand. Danny took a moment to stare down at it, for the first time really examining this power he held. The green buzzed, laces of white twirling and sparking up his fingers.

"Electricity. Figures, I suppose." Vlad commented, and Danny looked up at him. The man gestured at Danny's hand, and the boy wordlessly straightened his arm, palm outward, and focused on sending the energy outward.

It took him a few seconds on concentration, but soon a small ball of green flew forward, white static buzzing off it as it journeyed out into the vast open space, at a much slower rate than Vlad's.

Danny's shoulders slumped, and while Vlad's smile grew, he didn't rib Danny about his lacking talent, which the boy was grateful for.

"You should come here as often as you can, Daniel, and train hard if you ever wish to gain full control over your powers. The Ghost Zone is filled with ambient energy, which guarantees you'll rarely run low on energy. It can also help to speed up your healing process. Remember that, Daniel. If you are ever gravely injured, try to get back here as soon as possible, before it's too late."

"Wait, can ghosts die?" Danny asked, taken off guard by Vlad's grave wording. "I mean, they're already dead, so..."

"A ghost can be destroyed." Vlad spoke, dark frown overtaking his face. "Never assume you are invincible, Daniel. Even with your healing abilities, you can be beaten. Your powers drained and your body unable to draw forth the energy to stitch your skin back together."

The intensity drained out of the man, and he smiled once more at Danny before rising up into the empty space, talking down to the boy.

"I assume you know how to do the other basics; flying, invisibility, intangibility."

Instead of a verbal answer, Danny kicked off the ground and hovering at eye level with Vlad. The man's obvious approval lightened Danny's mood as they both drifted slowly back down to land.

"You will discover more abilities unique to yourself as you train. Be careful, though; new powers can have unexpected results, and be difficult to control."

Vlad led the way back inside through the still-open front door.

"Now, what was this about a stolen cellphone?" He asked over his shoulder as they walked into the living room.

"Argh!" Danny groaned loudly, smacking himself over the head again. He'd completely forgotten!

"You really shouldn't do that to yourself, Daniel. It's unhealthy." Vlad spoke as the teen desolutely closed and locked the door.

"Aw man, my parents are gonna be pissed when they find out." Danny bemoaned, losing himself to the depths of self-pity.

"Oh, I don't think they need to find out. At least, as long as they don't get too close a look at your phone." Vlad said, reaching into his jacket pocket and pulling out a small black cellphone. "I don't know the exact design of your last phone. But I think you'll find this one to be an improvement."

"Wait what?" Danny exclaimed in surprise.

Vlad held out the new phone to Danny, and the teenager took it slowly, looking down at the pristine, shiny black. It was obviously one of the newest models he'd seen advertised on television, and Danny couldn't quite believe that Vlad would actually go through the trouble of getting it for him.

"So...you bought this for me?" Danny asked, still unwilling to get his hopes up too high.

"Of course. I have no need for two cellphones. I'm not that busy a man." Vlad seemed utterly pleased with himself and the reaction he was getting, but Danny was too overcome with relief to get annoyed about it. He had a new cellphone! A brand new cellphone, ten times better than his years old one. Better yet, his parents weren't going to demolish him!

"Thanks." Danny said sincerely, tearing his eyes away from the device to look up at the man. "You didn't have to get me a whole new phone, though. I mean, I figured at the most you'd help me look around for the old one."

"There's not much point in that." Vlad said, waving his hand dismissively. "If someone has indeed made off with your phone, it's long gone by now, buried deep in another ghost's lair. The Ghost Zone is vast and largely uncharted."

"Well, thanks all the same." Danny smiled. "Really."

Maybe Vlad wasn't so irritating after all.

"We should get back." Vlad said, pointing toward the basement door. "I do have early morning appointments that I can't miss. The flight back home does take some time, after all."

"Yeah." Danny replied, feeling guilty for making the man come all this way just to give him a new phone.

As the two began walking toward the kitchen, Danny paused mid-step. A small niggling at the back of his head caused him to stop. Someone...someone was calling to him. From upstairs. Oh yeah...

Danny's eyes moved upward, and he could see most of his bedroom door from his spot in the living room. He couldn't just come and go from the Ghost Zone without at least giving a brief hello.

"Daniel?" Vlad spoke up, a paces away, raising an eyebrow at the teen.

"Um, I..." Danny's said haltingly. "I'll catch up to you. I forgot something in my room."

Without waiting for a reply, Danny flew up to his bedroom, fazing through the door as well as his closet. He landed in the small, dark space, feeling about for the familiar material. His free hand connected with warmth, and Danny leaned down to press his face against the bag in a sort of partial-hug. He then rushed back downstairs, not wanting Vlad to grow impatient and come see what he was up to.

Vlad was waiting for him in the warped lab, a sort of off smile replacing his usual one. It made Danny feel suddenly defensive, and he realised for the first time that there was another ghost in his home, his territory. He practically glared at the man.

Vlad held up his hands again, though the smile remained.

"It's alright, Daniel. I think I understand. I also understand the need to protect something precious. More precious than anything else, hm? Well, no need in talking about it, as I'm sure you'll just get agitated. Shall we?"

Danny looked blankly at Vlad as the man held his arm out, signalling for Danny to go first. After a moment's hesitation, Danny forced his anger and suspicion down, and stepped toward the portal. This was Vlad, not some random intruder. The man had already proven that he only wanted to help.

Coming to stand back in the mortal world, Danny felt the air press in around his body as Vlad joined him. The man rolled his shoulders lightly, and Danny felt glad that he wasn't the only one who had to adjust to the sudden weight of gravity.

"Well, Daniel, this is where I give my goodbyes. For now." Vlad said, reaching out and placing a hand momentarily upon the boy's shoulder. "I'll be stopping by for more visits, of course. Must make sure you're not slipping up and revealing yourself to dozens of people; again, that is."

The patronising tone was back, and Danny frowned up at the man. Vlad was truly never going to let him slide by with anything, was he? The man chuckled lowly as he watched the annoyance play across Danny's face.

Before long, Danny was back in his room, leaning out his window and watching the black streak in the sky that was Vlad Masters, rapidly disappearing out of sight. Danny then proceeded to spend the next few hours starting up and customising his new cellphone, before eventually dropping into a deep sleep.

(Ah, mentor Vlad is definitely fun to write. I love writing him and the way he messes with people, namely Danny in this chapter. I always figured Vlad was the type to push people's buttons, figuring out what irks them and enjoying every second of it. It's one of the reasons I believe Maddie didn't fall for him. Maddie much prefers people who are direct and honest, like Jack. Also, I'm basing Vlad's powers off of something called teleplasm. I think every ghost's powers would be slightly different based off how they died. Anyway, reviews are always enjoyed, thanks for reading!)