Danny slowly woke up again but this time he found himself back in the guest room at Vlad's manor. His body felt like lead, but he found the strength to move again and when he turned his head, he saw another IV bag, though thankfully this one was draining him of his ectoplasm. It was giving him more fluids into his body. The teen wondered why he was waking up for a second before he suddenly felt a familiar pressure in his lower belly.

"M'kay," Danny muttered as he pushed the covers off. Thank god he was waking up wearing his pajamas instead of just in his underwear again but then he noticed the IV bag tube was still attached to his wrist. Danny grunted, mentally debating grabbed the IV stand, and wobbled his way to the restroom. The stand helped steady his walking a bit.

After taking care of that problem, he wondered if Vlad took care of the ring that the teen swallowed. Then he thought of his ghost powers. Are they working again?

Danny tried to concentrate, he sees the white rings forming around his waist, they part, and then they disappear.

"Well, at least they aren't totally gone," Danny said to himself. It seems Vlad managed to help with that much. A determined expression grew on the teen's face. "It's time to settle this,"

Vlad was in his study and talking on his cell phone. "Listen, I understand your concern, but I can promise Daniel is fine-"

The doors burst open with a loud thud and Danny steps in with the IV bag still attached.

"Alright Vlad, I let you help me but I'm still mad at you for a lot of things!" Danny said angrily. "The first being that you lied to me again. Then you-"

But before Danny could rant anymore Vlad held out his phone to him, "Your sister would like a word with you," he said.

Danny was dumbfounded for a second before he swiped the phone off Vlad's hand. "This isn't over," he said before holding the phone to his ear. "Jazz?" he asked.

"Danny is that you!?" Jazz asked franticly.

"Yeah, Jazz it's me," Danny answered.

"Fenton..."

"Bismol,"

"Oh, thank goodness. I just saw the news about the Guys in White capturing you on tv. How did you escape? What was that explosion?"

"Jazz, calm down," Danny said. "It's a lot but can I explain it later. I need to talk to Vlad first."

"Oh I see, you're gonna question him as usual?"

"Yepp,"

"Okay, but if I don't hear from you again in half an hour, I'm dropping everything to come and get you, goodbye,"

Danny hangs up the phone and before he could say anything Vlad spoke first, "You shouldn't be out of bed yet, you're still recovering,"

"I feel fine enough," Danny replied.

"It's I feel well enough, little badger. I knew you were having trouble in math, but your grammar could also use some help."

Danny smiled.

"What are you smiling about?" Vlad asked crossing his arms.

"Pointing out my school problems like you've been spying on me again. You sound more like yourself now," Danny replied. "I kinda thought you either cloned yourself or were replaced by some imposter when I got here."

"No such luck for you there," Vlad pushes Daniel back to the guest room. "And besides, no one can do that good of an imitation,"

Danny begrudgingly lets Vlad take him back to the guest room. "I can name one right now. That spirit in the mirror you've been hiding from me," Danny saw Vlad's eyes widen slightly. "Why didn't you tell me? You said that there was nothing threatening going on in this mansion. But I'm pretty sure a ghost that drains half-ghost powers and traps you in a mirror counts as threatening."

"It's only been a threat to me. It would not have bothered you if you just left well enough alone,"

"I can't and you know that. You should also know that I'm not letting it go until I get a straight answer. I'll ask one more time. Why didn't you tell me about the mirror?" Danny asked sternly.

"Because there was nothing you could do about it!" Vlad answered. "The mirror took my powers because I allowed it to. I wanted to know where I went wrong, and it showed me." Vlad looks away. "I loved Maddie, but she will never return the favor for me. Jack did cause the accident but unlike me, he never meant any harm. I'm not saying he is completely innocent, but I understand that it's partly my fault too. But the one thing I regret most is... how I treated you," Vlad looks back at Danny, "Before we met, I never imagined that I would ever come across another half ghost. But then you did and the first thing I could think about was how to use you against Jack. I wanted you to join me, not just because we are both halfas but because-."

"I know what you wanted, and I figured it out for myself Plasmius," Danny said. "I didn't want to join you just because you were acting like a bad guy or because I thought I would turn evil if I did, you wanted to take me and mom to hurt my dad. I thought you didn't really care about helping me, you only cared about using me against my dad."

The teen sounded almost hurt when he admitted that. Vlad looked hurt too but quickly regained composure.

"Admittedly there is some truth to that," Vlad said. "And I wouldn't be surprised if you still have doubts, but I want you to know that I meant it when I said I wanted us to stop fighting."

Danny sighed. "I'm not doubting that anymore. If you still wanted me dead, you could've not warned me about the GIW or get rid of me while I was unconscious in your lab. What I do doubt is your motives. Do you want us to stop fighting because you really want us to stop being enemies or because you think the spirit will give you back your powers if you do?"

"Daniel at this rate, I wouldn't care if I got even a fraction of my powers back. I don't want to live another day like this. Everyone hating me when all I ever wanted was... love and acceptance. I have tried to take it by force and all I've ever done was make it worse, not just for myself but everyone else. Especially you, Daniel. And I'm... I'm sorry."

Danny was bewildered. "Uh? Sorry for what exactly?" Vlad frowned. "C'mon Vlad, sorry for what?"

Vlad clenched his fists. "You're going to make me say it aren't you?"

"You want me to believe you've had a change of heart, don't you? Now tell me what you're sorry for?"

"I'm sorry for Everything, understand!?" Vlad exclaimed. "I'm sorry for hurting you in every way possible! Physically, emotionally, and even mentally! I'm sorry for treating you like an ignorant child for me to manipulate and or a tool for my revenge against your father. I'm sorry for hurting your friends and family! And I'm sorry being a-... ah."

"Come on Vlad, say it," Danny prompted with a smile.

"A. Seriously. Crazed-Up... Fruitloop," Vlad finally admits between his teeth.

Danny takes in a deep breath, feeling satisfied. "You done?" he asked. After Vlad nods, the teen punches his arm. "That's for taking so long,"

Vlad can feel his anger rising but the burning feeling in his chest was quickly calmed when Danny suddenly rushes towards him and wraps his arms around the man's waist in a hug. He half expected Danny to use his ice powers or wrap another specter-deflector around his waist again... but neither of those things happened.

"And this is for apologizing," Danny muttered not letting go just yet. "And I'm sorry too. I know you've been hurt a long time and I wanted to help you a bunch of times, but I didn't know how. Your fruitloopiness didn't help but I didn't make things easier either. I even stopped thinking that you're still half-human, just another ghost for me to fight. I know that's wrong and I'm sorry."

Danny was about to let go when felt arms wrap around his shoulder, barely though. As if Vlad was so afraid of hurting the teen.

"We've both made mistakes little badger," Vlad said in such a soft tone Danny didn't think was possible. "I more than you at this point but I'm willing to try and change things for the better... for both of us, how about you?"

Danny steps away and rubs the back of his neck nervously. "On two conditions," he said.

"Name it,"

"First, don't tell anyone about me hugging you. Okay?"

Vlad couldn't help himself and chuckle. "Very well then, and the second,"

"Don't just apologize to me. You got to apologize to a lot of other people too. My parents, my sister, my friends. Everyone I care about that you hurt."

"Deal," Vlad said holding his hand out to Danny.

Danny doesn't hesitate as he reaches out and shakes Vlad's hand. But Vlad started to frown.

"What's wrong?" Danny asked. "Don't tell me you already hate this,"

"No. It's not that," Vlad replied. "I just want you to know that I had every intention of making amends with all of them too."

"I just wanted to be sure, I guess," An awkward silence followed until Danny cleared his throat. "So when do you think you'll get your powers back?"

"I'll figure that out after I talk to the mirror spirit again."

"Let me talk to the mirror," Danny said and was about to walk out the room when Vlad stopped him.

"No, you just woke up and are still recovering. Letting the spirit take away your powers now would be too dangerous. I'll deal with it," Vlad helps stick the IV bag back into Danny's arm.

The teen flinched but did not protest. "But you've used so much what if there's none left,"

"I won't let you get hurt because of me again," Vlad said. "Now get back into bed Daniel. I'll call you for lunch later,"

Danny thought for a moment, still not used to Vlad sounding like he cared. "Okay, but do you have my cellphone? I need to call Sam and Jazz or they'll kick down your door to rescue me."

Vlad pulls the cellphone out of his pocket. "Here, although I would refrain from calling miss Manson,"

Danny raised an eyebrow at that as he took back his cellphone, "Why would you say that?" he asked.

"She held a protest at the GIW headquarters and got arrested. As far as I can tell, she is safe. Her parents have placed her under house arrest."

"She did that?" Danny asked not knowing it was Vlad who put her up to it. "She did it for me, I know it. At least I still have Jazz and Tuck,"

"I'll leave you to it. Until lunch then,"

Danny was on the phone with his sister on the other line and he was sitting on his bed with an IV bag still attached to his arm.

"So what do you think?" Danny asked after having told Jazz what had happened.

"It sounds like he's being sincere this time," Jazz said. "I have seen him play the caring uncle once, but I could tell right away that it was for show."

"Vlad's a lot of things but I never thought redeemable would be one of them," Danny said.

"Danny, anyone is capable of redemption but it's ultimately their decision to do take the opportunity." Jazz pointed out.

"But this is Vlad we're talking about,"

"I know little brother but even Vlad still has a heart. He's also still human, technically, so he can change. You of all people should understand that."

Danny sighed and fell back on the bed. "I know. But after everything where are we even supposed to start? He can't exactly teach me any new Halfa powers right now?"

"No, but what you can do is reflect,"

"Seriously Jazz? Reflecting is what got us into this mess in the first place!" Danny said in aggravation.

"Not that kind of reflecting Danny. I meant reflect as in thinking back to where things went right and wrong between you and Vlad. No matter what the reasons for your rivalry, at this point the most important thing is that you learn your lessons and use the knowledge you gained to help you and Vlad build a better relationship."

"That's... actually not a bad idea," Danny said in a calmer voice. "Plus it sounds less painful than the other option."

"Let's start with the bad things first. What went wrong between you two?"

"Well, he lied to me, he beat me up, sent a bunch of ghosts to-"

"Let's just start with that first one," Jazz interjected. "Vlad lied to you. Never a good start but it seems he's trying to be more honest with you now,"

"Barely,"

"It's still something. Now, what went right between you two?"

Danny went silent for a few seconds. "I got nothing,"

"Danny!"

"Okay... well he did bring me back home after I beat Pariah Dark in the Ghost Zone."

"That's a good start. Now, what has he done recently?"

"He offered to let me stay at his place, even though I was against it."

"What else?"

"So far Vlad the only thing-... or person who hasn't hurt me,"

"One more for good measure,"

"He apologized. And I think he meant it this time,"

"Good. And how did that make you feel?"

"Pretty good actually," Danny said truthfully. "But I don't know what to do for him now,"

"Well, if what you said about the mirror is true chances are Vlad will need your help right about now,"

Danny sat up, "I gotta go. Wish me luck,"

"Good luck Danny,"

Danny hangs up the phone and rushes out of the guest room. After searching the rooms, Danny finally found Vlad in his bed looking worn out and pale.

"Vlad!" Danny cried out. The teen saw the mirror in Vlad's hand and ripped it away from him.

Vlad opened his eyes and looked at Danny. "Daniel?" he said in a weak voice.

"You can't keep using the mirror Vlad, it's killing you," Danny said firmly. "I'm gonna take this back to the Ghost Zone where it belongs."

"No!" Vlad exclaimed trying to take the mirror back. "I need it,"

"No, you don't! It hurts to use, trust me I know, and the more you use it the worst you'll get. If I take it back to the zone, maybe you'll get your full powers back."

"And maybe it won't. This could take days even weeks until my full powers back!"

"That's okay though because I'll be here,"

Vlad blinked twice before saying, "Excuse me?" he asked.

"Hello? I'm here for two weeks, remember? And this is, what, day four? I'll be here to help if you need it. As long as it's not crazy, I'll help you. Starting by getting rid of this mirror,"

The half ghost but was about to step out when Vlad called out his name.

"This isn't easy for me to say, mostly because of exhausted I feel, but you're doing the right thing. Using that mirror is too dangerous and if you want to take it away, fine. But please, don't take it the Ghost Zone. Just hide it somewhere in the house until I have regained some of my power back then we can figure out what to do with it from there,"

"How do I know you won't try to take it back when my back is turned?"

"You have my word that I won't touch without consulting with you first,"

"Mmmm... your word isn't much," Danny said turning his head before glancing at an angry Vlad Masters. "I'm kidding. Okay, I'll keep the mirror hidden until I think you're better. Until then, can I get you some water or something?"

"Thank you, little badger, but right now I just need some sleep," Vlad said. He settled into bed but when he looked back at his door Danny was gone. Vlad began to wonder why when he heard some shuffling downstairs as Danny went through the shelves.

"Where do billionaires keep their drinking cups?" Vlad heard Danny say before he slipped into unconsciousness with a small smile on his face.

A/N; Happy to be writing again. The next and final chapter will be uploaded soon, possibly next week. Have a good day/night