Okay, so maybe personally going to find Vlad wasn't the greatest idea in the world.
I clutched my chest, struggling to keep my breathing under control. The hallways were dark, completely devoid of life. They seemed to stretch on for miles with every corner I turned, leading to either a new set of stairs or another dead end. I had no problem cursing Vlad and his stupid mansion. It was like a damn corn maze in here.
As I dragged myself down the halls, I couldn't stop my apprehension from creeping up, the dark shadows making me uncomfortable. I wouldn't let it stop me though, and pressed on. As soon as I found Vlad it would be fine. But still, I couldn't stop myself from glancing behind me every few steps, just to make sure.
I was right on the verge of just breaking things until he came to find me himself when I heard footsteps. They were muffled by the carpet, but that was no problem for me. I twisted around, glaring into the blackness. As far as I could see, I was alone, but the footsteps were getting closer. It was probably just a butler or something. I couldn't stop the slight fear that danced up my limbs. It wasn't until I heard a voice to match the steps that I relaxed.
"Daniel? What on Earth are you doing out of bed?" Vlad melted from the shadows, a stern expression on his face.
"I was-"
"You're not trying to run off to Fenton Works, are you?" his tone was severe, and the angry flare in his eye was easy to detect even in this darkness.
"No, I was looking for you." I put a hand on my hip, glaring right back even though I was about to fall over from fatigue.
He blinked in surprise for a moment, but it was instantly gone.
"You didn't have to wander down three floors to find me. I was just coming to check on you." He said in a dry tone, crossing his arms.
"Yeah? Well I figured you couldn't stand to look at me, actually." I bit back, hiding my hurt behind a thick layer of anger. But Vlad, ever the nosy jerk, wasn't fooled.
He didn't comment, instead giving me a raised eye brow in silent contemplation. Without a word he transformed into Plasmius, instantly setting all my nerves to battle mode on instinct. However, before I could raise my fists, he was standing in front of me and scooping my aching body into his arms.
"Hey! Put me down!"
"So you can walk up three flights of stairs on your own? I don't think so."
I was left to grumble under my breathe as he took flight, trying not to appear too grateful. He took seconds to pass through halls that took me ages to shuffle down. If only my strength had been up to par, then I could've flown myself.
It wasn't too long before we were back in my designated room, the papers still piled on the desk and the bed still ruffled from when Tucker had jumped on it. Vlad was unusually careful as he set me down, taking care not to jostle my broken ribs. I risked a glance at his expression, but it was like trying to judge the emotions of a rock.
"Now, what was so important that you had to wander around my mansion aimlessly?" He looked down at me, transforming back into Masters as he did so.
I squirmed, stalling as long as I could. How was I supposed to tell Plasmius that I was sorry. After all the hell he's put me through, he should be the one to say sorry first. I frowned, wondering yet again if staying here was the best option.
"Danny?"
But then again, judging by his most recent actions, maybe he's not quite the fruitloop I thought he was. After all, he did save me from Dad, and he even took the time to patch me up. And given his words during our fight, it's easy to tell that he really isn't looking to take advantage of this.
But still, this is Vlad Master's we're talking about. How long could I live under his roof going by his rules?
"Danny, if you've got something to say then kindly spit it out. I'm not going to wait forever."
"Um..."
I guess I was the jerk this time around, throwing everything he did for me back in his face. He may deserve a lot of things, but he didn't deserve my anger this time around.
"I uh..."
And who knows, maybe he'll take note of this and apologize for being a jerk later on down the road. Or better yet, he'll stop being such a jerk all together. That might be reaching kinda high though.
"Danny-"
"I just wanted to say that I'm sorry." I said quickly.
"What?" Vlad looked as though he misheard me.
"Sorry. For, you know, flipping out this morning. I was just really angry, and I didn't mean to take it out on you. I...I do want to stay here. If you let me." My eyes were glued to the sheets in front of me, unable to look up at him.
Vlad was silent for a short moment, leaving the tick of the clock to fill the space between us.
"Apology accepted." he said in an slightly smug tone, as though he knew I'd cave eventually.
I burned with anger, but pushed it away for now. I was too tired to start another fight. I had the feeling he wasn't finished talking anyways, and when he sat down on the bed next to me, I knew I was right.
"There are many things to consider, if you stay here." he said in a steadier, serious voice.
"I know, and just to make one thing clear, I have no intention of becoming your minion or pet or whatever." I glared, making this my only stipulation.
Vlad raised an amused eye brow, but nodded all the same.
"Yes, I suppose that's one thing to consider, but I was talking about something else entirely my dear boy."
I stared at him, my brain to tired to try and figure out what he was eluding to.
"What are you going to do about your father?"
"Jazz is taking care of that." I replied instantly.
"I wasn't aware that Jasmine was involved with all of this." That look in his eye when he found out Sam and Tucker had known all along came back.
"We just called her today. Me, Sam, and Tucker. I tried calling her ages ago, but she had lost her phone or something." I held my hands up defensively. "She said she's gonna deal with Dad."
"And what does that mean exactly? If I have Jack banging on my front door, demanding you back, I must say, my answer will be a violent one." he warned, a hard look in his eye.
"No no no, nothing like that. She uh...she's gonna turn him in." I squirmed, glancing away from Vlad for a moment.
"She's turning him in?" he repeated, his tone incredulous.
"Yeah." I sighed. "She said he might have to do some jail time, and then he'd go through a bunch of therapy sessions and stuff. Jazz said...that I'd be better off staying with you than going into the foster care system."
"Your sister is a smart girl." He smiled, sounding pleased.
I rolled my eyes.
"Well don't get too comfy. Once my dad is done with all his therapy or whatever he's gonna do, I'm going back. He'll be my old Dad again, so there won't be anything to worry about."
Vlad frowned, looking throughly unconvinced.
"I hope, for his sake, what you say will be true." he said darkly.
I had to repress a shiver, Vlad's blunt threat scaring me slightly. I know very well that he hold up on his threats, especially ones that concern my Dad.
"Jazz is coming in three days." I said, to break the tense silence and Vlad's slowly returning homicidal demeanor.
"Is she?" he muttered distractedly.
I sighed impatiently.
"Look, he'll be just fine once he gets some help. He's not gonna try and hurt me again."
"And how do you know this, Danny? What makes you so sure?" he snapped.
"Cause he's my Dad."
"That's a pathetic excuse."
I sat back into the pillows, my defiant anger wanting to scream in protest, but my aching ribs were putting up a good argument. Instead I glared at the bed, trying to concoct some reason as to why with was all the bed's fault.
We both simmered in silence for a moment, each in our own little world, until Vlad relinquished his anger with a heavy sigh.
"Arguing over the future will get us no where." he murmured, "At least I know you'll be fine for a while."
I looked up at him curiously, but didn't bother to say anything in response.
"I suppose there will eventually be a court hearing." he looked at me.
"Yeah, I guess." I shrugged, not wanting to think about it.
Vlad paused for a moment, obviously considering the gentlest approach to what ever it was he was going to ask next.
"We will need evidence to support our claims." He said slowly.
"Great. Then go find some evid-oh." It took a moment to click, but when it finally did I felt my stomach drop six feet under. The look in his eye said everything.
"I..." I swallowed thickly, "I'm gonna have to testify against him, aren't I."
"Not necessarily." He said, standing up and striding over to his desk.
"In most cases, it's difficult to get evidence of the abuse itself because the victim usually doesn't tell anyone." here he paused in rummaging through his desk drawers and gave me a pointed look.
"But occasionally," he stood straight, fiddling with a small silver square, "the opportunity for hard evidence arises."
He stood next to my bed again and held up a small silver camera.
"I'm sorry Danny, but unless you want to testify in person, Jazz will need pictures of the abuse to hold up her case in court."
I stared at the little camera, extreme discomfort bubbling in me. I had to have my picture taken with all the bruises? It made this whole situation feel more permanent somehow, like I'd never be able to shake it off completely.
"Do I have to?" I asked, my voice sounding pitiful even in my own ears.
"It's the only way to guarantee his conviction." he replied.
"But I don't want my Dad to be convicted." I argued weakly.
"Don't you want him to get the help he needs?"
"Well, yeah." I mumbled.
"Then we need these pictures. I need to change your bandages anyways." He said matter of factly, setting the camera on the table.
I didn't say much of anything as Vlad took the pictures, feeling oddly exposed. These were gonna be shown to a jury full of strangers? They're gonna think I'm so weak. Vlad was quick, moving on to the next injury after the snap of a photo. Soon, it was over, and I was wrapped up in clean new bandages and back under the covers. I still couldn't stop myself from glancing at the camera that held the offending pictures though. Eventually, Vlad just returned the camera to his desk.
"You need to rest." He said sternly. "You've over exerted yourself today. Your wounds should be farther along the healing process by now. I suppose it's a good thing though. It gave us better pictures, you could say." Vlad's voice trailed off and he stared out the window.
"Yipee." I hated those stupid pictures.
It was then that I realized Vlad hadn't technically given me an answer yet as to my staying here for a while, and knowing Vlad, if I didn't get a specific answer from him he'd twist something around and suddenly I'd be in a worse hell. I quickly remedied this.
"So...I can stay here?"
"Of course you can, it was never even a question." Vlad waved offhandedly.
I blinked and couldn't repress a budding smile, a curious suspicion in my gut.
"You never actually intended on letting me leave, did you?" I asked.
Vlad glanced back at me with an affirmative smirk, and I expanded into a grin. It wasn't particularly funny, but it was something I'd expect from Vlad, and I couldn't describe the relief of having something that I knew would remain constant. Vlad was always going to be a manipulative, controlling, stuck-up fruitloop, and there was no getting around that.
"What are you grinning at?" Vlad asked suspiciously, my infectious smile spreading to him.
"Nothing." I said lightly.
"Mhmm." He smirked disbelievingly, "Go to sleep and stop your plotting."
"Whatever. Plotting's your thing." I rolled my eyes, settling down into the soft covers.
Vlad looked down at me with a fond smile and soft eyes. I decided if Vlad looked like that more often, than maybe living here for a while wouldn't be so bad. But, you know, this is Vlad were talking about.
I turned over in the silken sheets as Vlad turned the bedside light off. I was more comfortable than I thought I'd be as the room was plunged into a soft darkness, wrapping me in a cocoon rather than permeating my mind with unpleasant flashbacks. Vlad's muffled footsteps crept away, the hinges to the ornate door silent.
"Good night, Danny." He said quietly, and shut the door with a click.