Hi, welcome back to TLWFF. Please keep your hands and feet inside the vehicle at all times and enjoy the ride.

For those who need a refresher:

Danny and his friends attempt to take matters into their own hands and defeat Deus Ivix on their own. Danny's hatred for the ghost drives him into an uncontrollable rage and their plan takes a turn for the worst when a cave collapse nearly takes their lives. Vlad saves them in the nick of time, and comes to the realization that he can't keep being Danny's ally in his current position. He backs Danny into a figurative corner and forces him to make a difficult choice between his freedom and his family's lives. With no other options, Danny decided to be adopted by Vlad. Where this new path will take them is yet to be seen...

The Life We Fight For

Chapter 25: At New Dawn

Danny felt numb. For all intents and purposes, he could barely feel his own body. Sounds were muffled, as if he were deep underwater and struggling to understand the world above the surface.

Vlad had won, and Danny was now going to be his son. It didn't feel real, especially when the day had begun so normally, as if he hadn't become a Masters only yesterday.

Vlad hadn't woken him up or been at breakfast, instead leaving Danny a note saying he'd gotten called in to one of his companies. He'd said it was some kind of emergency, which would normally be interesting, but Danny couldn't bring himself to care.

Jazz had taken to camping out in the library, locking herself up with a pile of books to pass the time. Danny was convinced she was ignoring both of the halfas, but he was never completely sure when it came to his sister.

He couldn't help but feel depressed, and in his mind Danny had every right to. On top of all that was already going on, with the fight he hadn't yet recovered from, his sister coming to the mansion, not knowing what Ivix had next up his sleeve...it finally seemed to be taking a toll on his psyche.

Danny was honestly glad that Vlad hadn't made an appearance yet, he wasn't sure he could handle the man's gloating. Besides, he needed the break from Vlad's no-nonsense lessons to relax. The teen still wasn't able to hold his ghost form for long, so low was his energy since yesterday.

He wasn't able to get out of everything though, as evidenced by his presence in the music room with his tutor. Although Danny had been warming up to the idea of playing the instrument, he didn't feel up to giving his best today. Problem is, it definitely showed.

"That's the third time you've forgotten the rest here," Sophie corrected him, pointing to the symbol on the page. "Something keeps taking your focus, are you feeling alright?"

"Yeah, sorry," Danny replied, frustration temporarily overpowering his sadness. "I just don't get why the little stuff matters so much. It sounds the same either way and I'm getting all the notes right, so what difference does it make?"

Sophie hesitated, surprised at her pupil's outburst. Normally Danny took critique very well, confident in his ability to try harder no matter what.

She took a moment to take in his tense and shaky posture, as well as his dull yet bitter gaze and sullen frown. It was safe to assume now that the short beginner's folk song in front of them was not what was truly bothering Danny. What was, however, remained a complete mystery.

"Details mean everything, if you take the time to notice them," Sophie said. "They reveal the true nature of the piece. Like seemingly insignificant moments in a person's life, you don't notice how they shape your character until you take a second look at them."

Danny had conversed with Jazz more than enough to know when someone was implying something important. He focused hard on what Miss Cienfuegos said and found he didn't like what he was hearing.

Danny's character was determined by the points in his life where he was pushed to the edge of his capabilities and either succeeded or lost. The most powerful example being his run-in with his older, evil self. An event he would never forget, as much as he might want to.

But, as he often found himself doing lately, his mind wandered to Vlad. He didn't know much about him other than what his family or Vlad himself had told him. The man seemed to know everything about Danny, but all the teen really knew was what he had done after getting ghost powers.

Danny began to think of what moments might define Vlad's character. There were quite a few evil schemes, the reunion, the Plasmius Maximus incident, and so much more.

However, alongside the images of Vlad's cocky smirk and evil laughter, there were other scenes entering the mix. Ones Danny had been content to forget about until now.

Vlad noticing the issues with Danny's core when he'd first arrived, and finding a solution. Vlad discovering the teenager's hypersensitivity to Blood Blossoms and destroying his own supply of them. The man holding the projector device he'd made to counter Danny's nightmares and prevent Ivix from taking control of him again...

All were instances where Vlad had been selfless. And though the cruel, cold-hearted half ghost he'd met at the reunion still lingered, Danny was certain he no longer played a primary role in Vlad Masters' life.

Still, he couldn't help but feel like he was very much in Vlad's evil clutches in that moment, being pushed into a corner and made to choose an uncomfortable fate for the sake of his mother's life. It was too close to what Vlad used to be like, how he used to operate.

'Maybe he never really did stop scheming,' Danny thought, 'Maybe I just stalled the inevitable...'

"What if the piece turns out to be completely different than what you thought it was, after taking another look at it?" Danny wondered, his frown deepening. "You've been playing it all wrong, and the fault is on you. How are you supposed to just pick it back up again and start over?"

"Then it's time to approach it from another angle!" Sophie said without missing a beat. Danny's eyebrows creased together in uncertainty.

"What you've done before clearly hasn't worked," she continued to explain, "therefore it's about time to find a different way to go at it. Find a new way to achieve your goals, one that takes into account all of what the piece truly is."

Vlad didn't see the world in black and white. He didn't see it as good or bad, nor did he have a need for a high sense of morals. Vlad saw only shades of gray in the sky, and people on the Earth to manipulate as pawns. Danny just had to play the game, and make Vlad see that there was so much more to the world than an eternal chess match between God and man!

Danny's bright, sky-colored eyes glittered with the light of revelation and hope. The world seemed to take on a brighter hue than when he'd first seen it that morning, and he smirked for the first time in what felt like ages. The ghost boy squeezed his hands into determined fists.

"I have to work with him. All of him," Danny whispered, seeming to be looking at something very far away in the distance. Sophie raised an eyebrow.

"What was that?"

Danny didn't waste time to answer and stood abruptly from his seat. The bench below him wobbled dangerously with the force and Sophie scrambled to stabilize it. Danny began running towards the doors and looked back at her just long enough to shout.

"Thanks Miss C, you're the best!"

The woman simply looked on in surprise, only coming back to reality when the slam of the doors signaled Danny's departure. Sophie sighed softly, shaking her head. At least his spirits seemed to be lifted again.

Danny jogged up the stairs and into the hall where his bedroom was located, renewed determination fueling his steps. He phased into his room without a sound, not knowing if Jazz was in her room on the same floor and not wanting to risk her hearing him.

Vlad wanted a perfect half-ghost son? Fine, but this would be done Danny's way. If Vlad was able to make ultimatums and demands, so could he.

Danny all but ran into his unnecessarily huge closet and walked to the back, where he'd stashed away every evil suit and deadly tie Vlad had bought for him. Only once had he actually worn any of them, and he wasn't eager to go through the experience again. But now that he had a good reason, it wasn't as horrible an idea as it normally would be.

He avoided every mirror or other reflective object as he changed, afraid he'd die of embarrassment. Sam would definitely think he looked like a prissy rich kid, and if he were honest with himself, he did feel like one at times. Vlad spoiled him rotten, and Danny didn't even want to think about how much this suit had cost.

When he finally looked at himself in the mirror, he almost gagged, though admittedly he didn't think he looked too bad. It was a much better fit than the previous suit his parents had bought him, this one being an inky black with blue pinstripes and a tie to match.

At least the scars on his torso were now fully hidden under the collar and tie, that was definitely a plus. Danny didn't want to think about his look any more than he had to though, so he quickly moved on. There was something else bothering him, anyway.

He dropped a hand onto his head and sighed at how long and unruly his hair had gotten. If he let it grow much longer he'd be sporting a ponytail just like Vlad. The image nearly made him faint.

"Yeah, that's not going to work." Danny thought out loud. But cutting it himself was absolutely not an option. Not unless he wanted to give his bullies more things to tease him about.

Deciding to go out and hunt down the resident old man, Danny transformed into his ghost form and exited the room. As Phantom, he could both track down Godfrey's signature and hide his current fancy getup. He didn't need the butler to be more suspicious than he already would be.

Danny was able to find Godfrey relatively quickly, as he was overseeing the changing of decorations in the dining room. The closer it got to a meal time, the more likely it was that the staff member would be looking over the necessary preparations. If nothing else, Godfrey was very thorough in doing his job.

The young man turned both visible and tangible as he entered the dining room and approached the group of employees, mostly ghost maids, going about their duties. They didn't acknowledge him for the most part, a majority of them preferring to remain focused on their task, but he did receive a few smiles and greetings before Godfrey finally noticed him. The stately ghost smiled warmly as Danny came forward.

"Good afternoon, young Mr. Masters!"

Danny tensed, his next step halting for a stunned moment. He'd almost forgotten what it was he was putting on the line with his ambitious change in appearance and approach. The title the elder had used made him hesitate for a brief moment, thinking over what he was going to do.

His slight costume change was just to prove to Vlad that he was willing to compromise, to pick his battles and play the game the man had set up. What he really wanted was to talk to the halfa when they saw each other at lunch. Miss Cienfuegos had inspired him to try his hand at playing by Vlad's rules, but whether he would succeed or not was an entirely different matter.

There were a few things that needed to change if the two were going to continue living together, and Vlad seemed to be the last person that would bring it up. Danny was hopeful that if he played his cards right, something good just might come out of this lousy morning.

Finding his confidence again, Danny continued to Godfrey's side of the room, a small smile plastered forcefully on his face. If Godfrey had noticed his hesitation he didn't show it, only smiling pleasantly in return as Danny neared.

"Mr Masters will be returning for lunch, is there anything I can help you with right now?" said Godfrey. Danny nodded, watching the other employees go about redecorating the room.

"Actually," Danny replied. "I was hoping you'd help me out. I was thinking of cutting my hair..."

Godfrey seemed to move at superhuman speeds, gripping Danny's shoulders firmly and guiding him back out of the room once again. He had a proud sort of twinkle in his eyes that Danny didn't understand, and seemed all too happy to push him out into the hall. The teen didn't protest, simply letting himself be guided in the direction of the servant's quarters.

"We'll have to work hard with this, yes indeed," Godfrey said crisply, seemingly speaking to himself. "Been waiting an eternity to get my hands on this wild mess..."

Danny was ushered into a large but simple restroom, after which Godfrey proceeded to get the boy settled on a stool. It was situated in front of a mirror, so Danny could see the elder move around behind him. As he gathered up things him needed from around the room, Godfrey spoke to Danny in a chipper, conversational voice.

"I will have this done before sir gets home, I simply must see his reaction to this!" he exclaimed. "By the way, what prompted this sudden decision?"

Danny toyed with the idea of telling Godfrey about his plan, but the thought did not last long. He didn't want to risk Vlad finding out about Danny's plot to confront him and then shooting him down in the man's own, fruitloop-y fashion. The less the butler knew, the better.

"I just figured it was time for a little change," Danny lied. "Besides, Vlad's always telling me I should look sharp, I guess today's the day."

Godfrey approached him from behind, wielding scissors. His wrinkled face always seemed to calm Danny. The ghost could ask him to drink poison and the teen would not be alarmed at all.

"Today's the day indeed," Godfrey replied, tilting Danny's chin until he was satisfied the boy's head was straight. "After seeing you, I'm sure your fa-"

"Yeah!" Danny quickly cut him off. He couldn't bear to hear Godfrey use that title in reference to Vlad. He may be playing a Masters for now, but it didn't seem right to call Vlad his father. Even if it was someone else saying it.

"I'll make the cheesehead's day, that's for sure," he finished, trying not to sound as awkward as he felt. Godfrey simply hummed in response, and Danny relaxed a bit.

Once again, luck seemed to be on his side, for Godfrey either didn't think anything of Danny's outburst, or wouldn't address it. For a few moments there was only the soft snipping sound of Godfrey's scissors cutting away at white locks of hair.

As Danny sat patiently still, he felt anxiety grow in the pit of his stomach. He'd been upset when Vlad presented him with the adoption papers in the first place, sure, but it hasn't seemed entirely real until now.

Not only was he skeptical of Vlad's moral code, but having seen his future and what transpired when Danny had lived with the billionaire left him paranoid. He knew it was unfair to Vlad, who he'd promised a clean slate, but there was a lot more than his comfort at stake. The more Danny thought about it, the more stressed out he became.

There was still hope, however, and Danny firmly believed in it. Vlad had changed. Even if he was the only one who could see it, it remained an obvious fact. Vlad was different now, as if he really cared for and tried to help Danny. If only Danny could teach Vlad to extend that care to others, he could confidently say he'd done his job as the good guy.

Having met Vlad in his evil self's timeline, Danny knew the man was capable of seeing the error of his ways. But this Vlad hadn't gotten his ghost half ripped from him, or gone through a worldwide catastrophe at the hands of Danny's unending grief.

This Vlad had everything he wanted at the snap of his fingers, and power like no one else in the ghost zone. And now, he also had Danny, who he had been scheming and plotting for since they'd met.

'But he's still missing something,' Danny thought, 'he doesn't have my mom, yet."

And if Danny had anything to say about it, Vlad never would. But the teenager firmly believed that his parents were the keys to Vlad's neverending bad decisions and evil plans. If Vlad could learn to let go, maybe he'd finally be happy.

The younger had already made a deal to end the schemes against Jack Fenton, but as far as Vlad was concerned, Maddie was fair game. So, Danny had to make sure that when he confronted Vlad, he didn't leave until his mother was completely off the table. If Vlad could manipulate and strategize to get what he wanted, so could Danny.

The ghost boy was jolted out of his thoughts by a knocking at the door, to which Godfrey promptly bid the person to enter and a maid appeared in the doorway. She bowed her head respectfully at Danny before addressing the butler.

"Mr. Masters has returned home," she informed them. "And it is almost lunchtime, so I've come to fetch both you and young Mr. Masters. Miss Fenton has chosen to eat lunch elsewhere, today."

"Thank you, Nina," Godfrey replied. "We're nearly done here."

As the girl departed, Godfrey finished the final touches on Danny's hair, before gesturing to the mirror in front of them. Danny tilted his head around, getting a view of his glowing white from all angles. It was nice and short again, but Godfrey had graciously kept his bangs long, as Danny liked them.

"Now, off to the dining room with you," Godfrey ordered lightly, "I must ensure that everything is in order in the kitchen."

Danny didn't object, deciding to no longer delay the inevitable, and hurried out of the room. He waited until he was far away from Godfrey so that he could transform back into his human half without being seen. Straightening his tie as best he could, Danny proceeded to the dining room.

Once he arrived at the double doors, he poked his head inside using intangibility. He spotted Vlad right away, sitting in his usual spot at the head of the table with his phone in hand.

Danny righted himself in front of the door once more and entered. Vlad didn't immediately look up, instead keeping his focus down at his cellphone as he greeted the other.

"Good afternoon," Vlad said, "I trust you were able to successfully keep up your schedule this morning without me...?"

As soon as Danny was seated he looked down at his lap and answered, trying not to sound awkward. It seemed he was doing that quite a lot, lately.

"Yeah, I guess."

Plates of food were placed in front of them, but Danny barely noticed. He suddenly didn't have an appetite at all.

"What are you doing?" Danny questioned, raising an eyebrow at Vlad's phone. "Seriously, don't you ever stop working?"

Vlad must have found him amusing, for he chuckled a bit before graciously putting away the device. With the phone successfully hidden within his suit pocket, he finally began to look at Danny.

"Apologies, Daniel. I'm just making final arrangements for your adop-"

Vlad's voice cut off, and he was left speechless as he finally took in Danny's appearance. Danny couldn't help but let a smirk slip through his defenses at the normally suave and collected man's lack of words.

"Your old guy cat got your tongue, V-Man?" Danny taunted.

That seemed to wake him up and Vlad immediately cleared his throat. He blinked a few times, assuring himself he was certainly not dreaming.

"I don't suppose I should feel the need to ask your music teacher if you actually showed up this morning..." Said Vlad. He had a hard time believing Danny actually managed to tie a windsor knot around his neck successfully within an hour. Not to mention cut his hair.

"Hey!"

"Regardless," Vlad continued. "You clean up quite nicely, little badger."

Danny fought down a blush of embarrassment. He wasn't the attention seeking type, so having the spotlight on him just didn't feel right. Luckily, he had other plans he could concentrate on.

"Thanks..." came his half hearted reply. Danny took an inaudible deep breath. "Listen, Vlad, we need to talk."

Vlad raised an eyebrow, setting down his fork gently. His gaze held suspicion as it focused on Danny.

"If this is about yesterday, you know I had no other choice-"

"Of course you had other choices!" Danny cut in, irritating the man beside him. "You could always just, you know, not become my guardian!"

Vlad's eyes narrowed in warning but Danny wouldn't allow himself to back down. Besides, this was his life they were discussing, not Vlad Masters'.

The billionaire's reply was more forceful than the last, his words adopting a sharp bite. Still, Danny held no self preservation.

"If you would simply listen to me, and stop seeing everything I do as either good or evil-!"

"Maybe, I don't know-" Danny interrupted once again. "Because you're a bad guy?!"

"Daniel, I'm warning you," Vlad said in a deep, angered growl. "Interrupt me again, and you'll regret it."

Finally the boy crossed his arms in silent protest, still annoyed but no longer quite so suicidal. Vlad took the brief reprieve to breathe and calm himself before speaking.

"It is for the best that I become your legal guardian. It has already been over a month since you were brought here, if this continues to be a long term alliance..." Vlad sighed, feeling a headache begin to form. "I just need you to trust me, my boy. This is in your best interest, I promise you."

Danny felt angry, sad and frustrated seemingly all at once. How could something be for the best if it felt so wrong?

He had to make this situation more bearable. Otherwise, he'd end up depressed and alone, like a caged bird. Sam would probably find such a thing poetic in some way, but Danny just found it sad.

"I have conditions," Danny said suddenly. He avoided Vlad's eyes, not wanting to see his expression and lose his confidence.

"Smart move, child," Vlad mockingly praised. "But why should I have to comply with any of your demands?"

Danny frowned, feeling about ready to pop, like a balloon under too much pressure. He grit his teeth together, thinking quickly of a convincing answer.

"You've never raised a kid before," Danny pointed out. "You're at a disadvantage, fruitloop. And really, there's nothing stopping me from having fun now that the great Vlad Masters is in charge of me. My kind of fun just might include redecorating the Packers Room the ghostly way or taking over the kitchen for a day or two...who knows?"

Vlad glared intensely at Danny's innocent smile. The boy's conscience was too heroic to go through with such things, he had to be bluffing.

"You're honestly threatening me with childish misbehavior?" Vlad questioned with a scoff. "I think I've already proven I can handle even multiple of you teenagers."

"Can you?" Danny taunted. He thought hard on what could really push Vlad's buttons. "Say, how long do you think it would take the Guys in White to tear this place down to rubble if they get an anonymous call that there's ghost activity in this place?"

That seemed to hit the mark, making Vlad tense for a moment before scowling. His eyes lit up brightly for a few seconds, their crimson hues burning with anger. Danny held his calm and guiltless gaze.

"I mean, those guys work fast, especially for a ghost emergency," Danny added. "Building a brand new house might not put a guy like you in debt, but you can't speed up the time it'll take to construct it..."

Vlad's eyes flashed red and Danny knew he'd won. The man's glare was intense, but Danny did not back down. After a few tense moments, the older halfa exhaled loudly.

"What did you have in mind?"

Danny's smirk faded slightly as his mood went from mischievous to serious. He was glad Vlad was willing to listen now, but also worried about how he would respond.

"Well, if we're doing this, being...family I mean," Danny began, "we have to do it right. That means no more hiding important stuff from me, or trying to make me your evil apprentice, and we have to act casual around each other. You know, like normal families."

"I think it's rather obvious that neither of us truly understand the 'normal' family lifestyle," Vlad scoffed. "but I'll play along. That means that you, dear boy, have to be a proper representative of my name. You must be respectful and obedient, as well as be able to come to me with any needs or desires, as it will be my job as your parent to fulfill them."

"And if I'm not respectful or obedient?" Danny challenged.

"Same as always." Vlad shrugged. "you'll be punished."

Danny's shoulders slumped a bit, as he was secretly hoping Vlad would turn over a new leaf with his embarrassing disciplinary methods. Deciding it was a battle for another day, Danny continued on.

"I want to go back to school. At Casper High."

Vlad hardly needed to think. "No."

"Why not?!" Danny complained, his words melting together with his growing frustration.

"The simple answer? I can't protect yo,." replied Vlad. "I believe I've already explained this to you; I wouldn't be upholding my end of the deal if I allow you to be put in harm's way."

The ghost boy's hands moved to grip the edges of the seat, his knuckles turning white at the force. Why didn't Vlad understand?

"But I have ghost powers too, remember? I don't need you breathing down my neck all the time!" Danny reminded him. Vlad frowned, feeling annoyed that he was just getting to know the teen and was already going to lose precious time with him at this rate.

"Ivix has already proven to be a formidable opponent," stated Vlad, "or have we conveniently forgotten what event led up to this moment in the first place?"

Danny's cheeks grew hot as he was forced to recall his failed attempt to fight the evil ghost. Still, he felt he wasn't asking for much, yet.

"It's just school!" Danny whined, "I want to see my friends, and feel like a normal teenager again."

The sound of the younger halfa's complaining tone was like nails on a chalkboard to Vlad, making him grit his teeth in annoyance and nearly go to plug his ears. There was absolutely no way that would be allowed in the Masters household, no sir.

"I can't understand you," Vlad said, sounding as casual as possible. Inside, he was borderline livid.

"What?" came Danny's confused reply, followed by that awful tone, "Why not?"

The billionaire wanted nothing more than to cringe and blast the boy's voice box to pieces, but that wouldn't be a very appropriate action for a new father. Vlad tried again, this time deciding to be blunt.

"I can't understand you when you're whining."

Danny seemed even more confused for all of a moment before finally understanding, and shooting an insulted glare Vlad's way. But his face still reddened a bit more, so the man knew he had gotten the message regardless.

"I'm not-" Danny caught himself this time, quickly starting over. "I'm not whining. I just think it's been way too long since I've been to school."

"Oh how little your faith in me has become," Vlad sighed. "Do you honestly think I hadn't thought of that earlier? Your school is under the impression that you are quarantined with a horribly contagious disease, and are being tutored until further notice."

"You can't do that!" Danny exclaimed. When Vlad didn't answer for a few moments, the teen huffed in anger. Right, the guy 'couldn't understand' his tone. "You're not my parent, how could you have gotten away with that?"

"I'm the mayor," Vlad reminded him simply. "Is it really that difficult to believe I called your school on your behalf?"

Danny wasn't sure if he wanted to scream, cry, or both. Either way, he knew a lost cause when he saw one. And he was absolutely certain Vlad was going to remain stubborn on this particular matter. He was better off quitting while he was ahead.

"Fine, you win," Danny admitted. "I'll keep doing lessons with you."

"What a relief," Vlad muttered sarcastically. He took a sip of his now lukewarm tea, hoping it would still work to calm him a bit. He would have even taken a few stress balls at that point, anything to loosen the tenseness in his body. Vlad set down his teacup. "Is that all?"

Danny shook his head, looking downward. "One more thing..."

Vlad nearly rolled his eyes, but noticing the boy's change in demeanor he sobered and waited patiently for Danny to continue. The hero took to fidgeting in his seat for a bit before finding the confidence to speak again.

"If I stay here as your son... I want you to give up on marrying my mom."

At first, the man didn't make a sound. He was not quite in shock, but seemed instead to be very deep in thought. But that all changed in the next moment, as he threw his head back and began to laugh. Danny frowned.

"I'm serious!" cried Danny. Vlad wiped at imaginary tears and once again reeled in his emotions. His eyes still had a look of mirth to them but for the most part he'd calmed down rather quickly.

"My entire existence has revolved around Maddie Fenton for longer than you have even been alive," Vlad snapped, "and you think you can just ask me to throw it all away? You're adorable, Daniel, really."

"You're already here," he continued. "Regardless of whether or not your mother is in my sights, you will soon be my son. Face it, boy, I already have you."

Danny's blood was boiling. If Vlad truly loved his mom, he wouldn't continue to hurt her and her family as he did. The man would be happier if he could just let go of the idea that he could convince Maddie Fenton that she was meant for him.

"What would it take for you to give up? What do you want from me?" Danny pushed, not ready to admit defeat. Vlad scoffed.

"I don't need anything from you, period. Now drop this nonsense already," he replied.

"I can't," said the youngest. "And I know you, there's always something you want. So go ahead cheesehead, you get one request- I get my mom safe from you. That's the deal."

Vlad realized he wasn't going to get the halfa to simply drop the subject, so he decided to try another tactic. If Danny was going to throw him a condition he couldn't commit to, Vlad would do the same.

"Fine!" said Vlad, "I'll leave Maddie alone, and even be a 'normal' parent. But in return...you must refer to me as 'father' from now on!"

He watched as Daniel's face paled, feeling victorious. Vlad smirked in satisfaction as he noticed the teen's eyes widen significantly and his lips pursed together. He knew Danny would never willingly use such a title in reference to a 'villain', too absorbed was he in his own Good or Bad view of the world to actually consider-

"I'll do it."

Vlad froze. Daniel wasn't looking down anymore, but staring up at him through his long lashes, determination brightening his cool toned eyes. It took Vlad several moments to get a grip.

"No, you won't," Vlad answered dumbly, "I know you won't. You're too naive to actually find the will to call me-"

"Father," Danny finished, ignoring the fruitloop's starstruck look, "That's what you don't get, Plasmius. I'll do anything for my family, if it means they get to live safely and happily."

As much as he had longed to hear Danny use that name, Vlad still wasn't completely convinced. He hadn't gotten to be the man he was today by being trusting and easily manipulated, that was for certain. Even if the boy beside him happened to be a heroic angel, Vlad still had his doubts.

"You've always been quick to distrust me," Vlad accused, "but how do I know you'll keep your word? Don't forget what you're asking of me in return, Daniel."

"I promise you I'll keep my word," Danny said, "and believe me, I don't break my promises."

Confliction reigned in Vlad's heart for a few moments longer, his romantic love for Maddie battling his paternal love for Daniel in an all-out brawl. He'd already given up Jack, now it seemed he'd be left with nothing. He looked down at Daniel.

He did have something though. Or rather, someone. And that someone was incredibly, absolutely, undeniably special. Indeed, Daniel had changed him more than anyone else in his entire life, and he'd done it in a matter of weeks. No one else cared enough to try as hard as Daniel did. For that, Vlad could say he owed the brat. Just this once.

"Alright. You have a deal."

Danny's face brightened in relief. His chest felt as if a weight had been lifted from it, finally allowing him to take deep, calming breaths. Vlad looked down at the table and sighed, raising a hand to snap his fingers quickly.

"We'll need these reheated immediately. All this talk has let our lunch get cold," Vlad muttered. Godfrey entered the room soon after and cleared their plates, sneaking Danny an approving nod at his new look before retreating back to the kitchen.

"I think I've lost my appetite, actually..." Danny admitted, rubbing at the back of his neck.

"You are not skipping meals. You're much too thin as is. Besides," Vlad said. "You still need to regain the energy you lost in the Ghost Zone."

"But Vl- Father, just once isn't a big deal." Danny nearly slipped, but caught himself quickly enough. It helped that he didn't use 'father' when he spoke to Jack Fenton, the ghost hunter would always be known as his dad. If he separated the two synonyms in his mind, it made the situation just a bit more bearable.

Now if Vlad had asked Danny to call him 'dad', it might not have been so easy. There was only one set of parents in his life right now.

Vlad raised an eyebrow and Danny groaned, remembering their previous conversation. "I'm not whining."

"Surely not."

Their food made a reappearance and Vlad stubbornly waited until Danny took a bite of a pastry before eating his own. The teenager almost laughed at how the cheesehead had changed, going from dark, brooding archenemy to strict but protective ally.

"Thanks," Danny said suddenly. "For taking the deal, I mean."

Vlad looked at him with an expression Danny couldn't quite identify. He seemed as if he were looking at a puzzle, unable to completely figure it out. Eventually the billionaire just chuckled, shaking his head before replying in a tired tone.

"You're welcome, son."

Next Chapter: Living the high life isn't as glamorous as it seems...

That was probably the most dialogue I've ever put into one chapter, wow. But it had to happen. Not much action or change of scenery in this one guys, just a heck of a lot of feelings. And parental Vlad. Who doesn't love a fruitloop daddy?

...

...just me then...? :P

Sparkle!

-P

Special thanks to the betas of this chapter.