Downward Spiral by SupremeDramaOverlord

Chapter 14 - Don't Fight at the Dinner Table

Vlad's POV~

Nothing was going how I planned it would.

Yes, I had successfully lured Daniel here but that was the only single solitary thing that had gone right. The rest was nothing short of a washout. According to my grand plan, Daniel was supposed to have already enjoyed being here, he was supposed to have already accepted me as a father by now.

But he hadn't.

Whenever I was within sight of the younger halfa, he would not fail to glare coldly at me, seeming to hope that I would spontaneously combust. It didn't take a genius to see that the boy detested me. To top things off, Skulker had still failed to kill off those miserable Fentons. Incompetent bucket of bolts.

Releasing a heavy sigh, I ran a hand over my hair as I propped my elbows on the desk in front of me. Glancing at a clock from the other side of the study, I realized that Daniel was probably awake by now. He had been passed out for nearly the entire day. Having deprived himself of sleep for the past two nights had kept him deeply asleep. I had left him upstairs, tied and confined to his bedroom. I wanted him to remain there while I sorted this mess out. I realized too late that I had allowed things to spiral out of control! How could I turn things around?

Why did that child have to be so stubborn and difficult all the time?! Granted, I never expected it to be easy to convince Daniel that I was by far the superior parental candidate compared to those two imbeciles but I had thought I would have accomplished something in persuading him by this point. I had done everything a parent figure was supposed to do. I had provided for him, guided him, and accepted him for who and what he was. Why was the boy so persistent on leaving? Despite all this, I must confess that I was proud and impressed with the boy. He certainly was clever, using a butter knife to get through locked doors. The Little Badger was intelligent, resourceful, creative, and strong-willed. All traits I admired, even if they were used against me. I just needed to find a way to get him to channel that rebellious attitude elsewhere.

My mind wandered back to last night's events. Though I'd never tell him, I was a bit impressed that Daniel had managed to land a hit on me - as harmless as it was. I was distracted by the absurdity of being threatened with a kitchen utensil and he had chosen to take advantage of that. It was hardly a scratch and it had long since healed, but I was still secretly proud of the boy. He was learning a lot from me.

However, last night was a disaster. Just thinking about what had happened made me feel the slightest trace of guilt. I will confess that I should have handled the situation more tactfully. I had let my emotions get the better of me, something that never happens. It had amazed me when I realized how much power Daniel wielded over my emotions. I was so angry and frustrated that he was still remarkably desperate to run away from me and return to those miserable backstabbers! When he had blatantly rejected me yet again, it hurt too much and I had allowed my emotions to rule me. In allowing that, I had driven the child even further away from me. Until that point, I hadn't given him a reason to attempt an escape at such extreme measures. Now all I had accomplished was granting him even more determination to leave and run back to Jack and Maddie Fenton.

The lights in the room flickered as I clenched my fists, the knuckles turning white as my eyes burned.

They didn't deserve him, I did! If there was any justice in the world, Daniel should be my son, not theirs! After all the pain and suffering those two have inflicted on me, how can they possess the one thing I don't have but desperately desire?! A son's love is something that I should have! Not. Them!

I took a death breath before exhaling calmly. The lights stopped flickering and I could feel my ghostly energy residing. I carefully stood up and made my way leisurely towards Daniel's room.

It didn't matter. They didn't matter. By the end of the week, the Fentons shall all be dead and Daniel will be solely mine. If Skulker fails to finish the job by tomorrow night, I'll go up there and do the deed myself. It wouldn't be hard. Quite the contrary, it would bring me great pleasure to see the life drain from Jack and Maddie's eyes. My fingers twitched as I imagined having my hands wrapped around their throats. Strangling them to death would be ideal, considering it was one of the most painful ways to die. I wouldn't even need to use the full use of my powers to kill them. Indeed, it would be such a pleasure to visit my dear old college 'friends'. My lips stretched into a malevolent smile at the thought.

They had robbed me the chance of building a family of my very own all those terrible years ago. But now I had a chance of happiness. They had unknowingly presented me the opportunity of raising a son and I was not about to let that go.

When those imbeciles are finally six feet under, the boy would have no one to turn to but me. He would have no shelter but mine. The plan was going to be back on track. From now on, I would keep a clear and focused mind.

Daniel was a smart child, one day he would see the light. Besides, the boy was at a very impressionable age. Eventually, he would grow to trust, respect, and love me like a dutiful son should. It was only a matter of time. I would simply have to step my game up until then. I would need to get the Little Badger comfortable around me. And I had the perfect plan to do it.

I would win. Maybe not immediately, but definitely. I always did.

Not to mention, Daniel Masters had a rather nice ring to it.

Danny's POV~

With an annoyed grunt, I stopped struggling. It didn't matter how hard I twisted or pulled, the ropes were there to stay. Once my ankles felt like they were on the verge of cutting into my skin, I stopping tugging and laid still on my side. The ropes were biting into my burning wrists. I seethed. It was bad enough I couldn't leave this horrible place but now that psychopath had the nerve to tie me up like an animal!

I grumbled under my breath as I shifted, trying to get in a position that didn't cramp my arms too badly. It was a pointless effort so I settled on my right side, staring at nothing in particular. Having nothing to do, I thought back to what had happened. I was so sure that I'd be able to escape this time.

It didn't make sense! Why would Vlad keep such a seemingly unimportant room locked up? I didn't find anything in there that could help me escape. It was just a boring office. Maybe there was just some overly expensive trinket in the room that he didn't want me to break? Naw, he didn't have a problem with us brawling it out in there last night. And besides, he had so many valuable trinkets just laying around, I'd be surprised if he really cared if something was damaged. He'd just buy something else to replace it. The guy probably uses hundred dollar bills as toilet paper.

No, there was obviously something in there that Vlad didn't want me to discover. The shield projector, maybe? A way to get this dumb bracelet off? Somehow, I needed to get back in there and have a better look around. But to be honest, I was starting to question if it'd really be worth it.

When Vlad had electrocuted me last night, it was… petrifying. It was like I was back inside that horrible portal in my basement. The experience was nearly identical. Nothing had existed except for excruciating pain and blinding lights.

Light exploding…

Flesh burning…

Blood boiling…

It was a memory I constantly tried to forget. It didn't happen all the time but every now and then I would occasionally have nightmares about it. They were always brief but inside my unconscious head they were never ending. It was always the same. I'd be standing inside the portal as it powered on, the walls lighting up and sparking dangerously. No matter how hard I tried to move, my feet were planted to the spot as if glued there. I'd always open my mouth to call out for help but no sound would ever come out. I always woke up when I felt the surge of power explode around me.

At least when Vlad knocked me out, I had a dreamless sleep. I don't think I could've handled that on top of everything else. Heck, there was still a numbing pulse that refused to go away in my wrists from where Vlad zapped me. Last night, I had thought he was going to kill me. I thought I was really going to die. For real this time.

I jumped at the sound of the bedroom's door unlocking, jerking me away from my thoughts. A heavy stone sunk to the bottom of my stomach as I heard the door open behind me. For a moment, I thought about pretending to be unconscious to avoid confrontation but I quickly shot that idea down. I might as well see what the psychopath wanted before he decided to go ballistic again.

There was a short stretch of silence before I slowly turned my head over my shoulder to glare hatefully at Vlad. I loaded my eyes with as much disgust and contempt as I could possibly generate. It irked me when the creep responded by smiling pleasantly at me. My blood turned to ice as a feeling of vulnerability gripped me. I was completely helpless if he decided to attack.

"Finally awake, I see."

My eyes narrowed as I remained silent. Ignoring my death glares, Vlad began to walk towards me. My muscles tensed and I rolled over so that I was now facing him. If my legs weren't tied I would've started kicking.

"Get away!" I hissed savagely through clenched teeth.

Vlad was clearly unsurprised by my hostility but nonetheless, halted in his tracks. A sly grin slid over his face, "I was going to untie you but if you'd rather stay that way, it is perfectly fine by me." He shrugged and began to turn away, "You could use more rest, anyway."

"Wait!"

He paused and half turned, raising a mocking eyebrow at me. Swallowing my pride, I ground my teeth before reluctantly rolling over again, allowing him access to my binds. I wasn't thrilled with having him behind me but my stiff arms were screaming at me. I felt myself go rigid as I heard Vlad approached me.

I was shocked when the ropes around my wrists just vanished. Surprise, I looked over as Vlad held his hands over his the binds around my legs. A purple aurora shrouded his hands before absorbing the ropes without him having to touch them. Instantly, I twisted and hopped off on the opposite side of the bed.

"How'd you do that?"

Vlad's lips quirked upwards as he gave me an expression of false innocence, "How did I do what?"

"That thing!" Irritation lined my voice, his insulting teasing annoying me to no end.

"Thing?"

"The freaky glowing rope!"

Deciding to indulge me at last, Vlad tilted his head upwards and smiled haughtily, "I can create much more than mere rope. By manipulating ecto-energy, I am able to construct it into whatever I desire."

He demonstrated by holding out his hands. They glowed a bright violet and after craftily forming it with his hands, Vlad held a solid cable made of vibrant ghostly energy. After a few more hand movements, his hands absorbed it before he shot me a smirk, "I will teach you the technique after we have dinner."

"No!" I immediately blurted out in anger. I was beyond fed up with him. Even if I had enjoyed training and learning new things about my powers, it wasn't worth it. I didn't need him to teach me anything. Though it would be easier, I didn't want him to show me anything about my ghost powers anymore! If he figured it out on his own, then so could I.

Vlad's left brow quirked upwards. "No?"

"You heard me." Stubbornly, I folded my arms over my shoulder and jutted my chin into the air. "You may have me trapped here but that doesn't mean I have to do anything you say."

"Really now, Daniel," Vlad chided with a blasé tone. "There is no need to be so belligerent."

Like many words that came out of his mouth, I didn't really know what that word meant but I figured it was probably an insult. The words 'psychotic Fruitloop' came to mind, but Vlad quickly cut me off before I could say them.

"Why don't you get dressed and meet me downstairs in the dining room," his tone made it clear that it wasn't a suggestion. "I'm sure you must be starving. I'll expect you ready in no less than half an hour." And just like that, he turned swiftly on his heal and strode away.

I wanted to scream at him. Oh man, there were so many four letter words on the edge my tongue, waiting for me to spit them out to his retreating form. But… I didn't.

I was scared. Like, really scared. Yeah, I'd been freaked out ever since I got here but this time was different. I was terrified. Before now, I didn't care if I annoyed or irritated him. I even went out of my way to make the guy angry, mainly because he seemed so calm and collected all the time. But last night... I saw him angry and now I knew I didn't want him like that again. Or at least I don't want him mad with me being within a twelve-mile radius.

I had a high tolerance for pain, what was the worst that could happen? That's what I used to tell myself anyway. Well, I had found out.

And I didn't want that to happen ever again.

Feeling ashamed and defeated, I went into the closet, grabbed a change of clothes, and went into the bathroom. It wasn't the pain that terrified me when Vlad had shocked me with his powers, it was what I was reminded of. I never wanted to remember what happened inside that portal, I didn't want to run the risk of Vlad doing that to me again.

After changing out of the pajamas and into jeans and an oxford (seriously, what kind of nut doesn't have T-shirts?), I turned to the mirror. It had been a while since I've seen my reflection and I wasn't surprised by how crappy I looked.

I sent my reflection a halfhearted glare. The shadows under my eyes haven't gotten any better and my appearance still looked like I got run over by a bus. Not to mention that my hair was standing on end from the electric shock Vlad gave me last night. Plus I was still a scrawny mess of a teenager with more issues than most grown adults.

My problems at home were bad enough. Besides fighting rouge ghosts, protecting the town, juggling school, and keeping my secret, I had to make sure mom and dad don't shoot me out of the sky! Never mind a social life. And that was all before Vlad even reared his ugly head into my life. I didn't even know how or if I can get myself out of this mess.

I glared harder at the mirror as my fists clenched. I hated Vlad. I hated him for trying to murder my parents, for kidnapping me and dragging me into the middle of nowhere, and I hated him for everything he'd been putting me through.

Without warning, a burst power burned from behind my eyes and I gasped at the unexpected sensation. I stared at the mirror with my jaw hanging open. Was that… Did I just…?

Tentatively, I glanced at the closed bathroom door before slowly turning my attention back to my reflection. I fixed my gaze to my own intense, bloodshot, blue eyes. Never once did I blink as I concentrated with all my might. I focused on all the anger and disgust I held toward the older halfa, every horrible thing he'd done since I met him.

My eyes flashed a bright, otherworldly green!

Heart pounding, I stepped back from the mirror. Slowly, I looked down at my right hand where Vlad's bracelet was still wrapped around my wrist.

It didn't feel so tight anymore. In fact, I thought it felt a little loose.

Hardly daring to try, I turned my whole arm intangible and the bracelet fell to the floor with a soft, cling!

It was off.

It was off!

Feeling giddy with wild excitement and relief, I reached inside myself for that familiar ghostly energy. I wasn't disappointed. A chilly wave washed over me in a flash of silver light. Reflected in the mirror was a glow-in-the-dark boy with snowy white hair, neon bright eyes, and a black hazmat suit who smiled widely at me.

I had full access to my powers! I couldn't hold back an excited laugh as I floated a few feet off the floor. I could leave! I could finally go home!

I nearly flew straight through the ceiling before abruptly halting in mid-air. With a heavy sigh, my feet sank back to the tiled floor. I forgot about that stupid shield. I could now use my powers but I still couldn't leave this terrible place. I still couldn't get away from Vlad.

Deep in thought, my gaze fell on the bracelet, where it lay on the cold floor. I stared at it before shifting my focus to the red line around my sore wrist. Vlad must have unintentionally fried it last night when he barbequed me. If that was the case… I had the element of surprise.

I smirked as I picked up the bracelet. Phasing it around my arm, I put it right back over the red line it had caused. It looked like I had never taken it off.

Maybe I wasn't free just yet, but sneaking around and finding the shield generator was going to be so much easier. I just needed to keep Vlad from finding out.

As I got dressed, my mind went a million miles an hour. I had my powers back and Vlad had no idea. As long as he was kept in the dark about this, I had an advantage. I'd just need to be more careful. With that in mind, I made my way downstairs and stopped just outside the dining room.

I took a deep breath before slowly exhaling. No matter what happens I needed to keep a level temper. Tch, easier said than done when Vlad was involved. The guy really knew how to tick me off. If I got too angry, my eyes might flash and he'd know the bracelet was busted. I couldn't let that happen.

Making a mental note to avoid any eye contact, I braced my nerves before crossing the hallway and stepping through the open doorway to the dining room. I spared Vlad a glance as he greeted me in his usual snobby manner.

"Well, well. It seems you can be punctual after all."

I resisted the urge to shoot him one of my trademark glares that I normally reserve just for him. Without saying a word to Vlad, I forced myself to sit on the only available chair (the one bolted to the floor). I just wanted this unwanted interaction to be over and done with. I stared at the table as if it were the most interesting thing in the world. If I didn't, I was worried I might give Vlad the 'scary eyes' and the jig would be up.

Surprised by my lack of rude remarks, I saw Vlad giving me a quizzical look from the corner of my eye. Thankfully, he seemed to think there was nothing odd with my behavior. Miss Ragland materialized immediately afterward, flashing me one of her friendly smiles before serving the food and leaving.

I knew I hadn't eaten in awhile, but I wasn't feeling hungry. One glance out of the corner of my eye showed that Vlad was watching and to avoid suspicion, I reluctantly nibbled at the fancy food on my plate. I had no idea what it was, although it tasted like chicken. And I mean really fancy chicken. Probably the kind of stuff you'd find on the menu at a stuffy five-star restaurant. I wondered if Vlad had ever heard of the term, 'take-out'. Probably not.

"Do you honestly think I'll go away if you ignore me?" I wasn't looking at him, but I could definitely hear the smirk in his voice.

"I wish," I replied evenly while glaring at my plate, "But I wouldn't get that lucky."

I heard Vlad heave an exasperated sigh. "Why are you so convinced that I'm evil?"

Picking at my food with a fork, I answered without looking at him, "You want the list in alphabetical or chronological order?"

I stared at my plate as I heard Vlad's arrogant chuckling. The sound was obnoxious and I quickly turned my head away as I squeezed my eyes shut. Power and energy had ignited from behind my eyelids and there was no way I was going to let Vlad see. Not only would I lose the only chance I had of escaping, but I bet Vlad would be pissed if he found out.

"Ah, there's that teen wit of yours, again."

Finally, I sent Vlad a quick glare as I roughly slammed my fork down on the table. "Do you mind? I'm trying to eat here." Truthfully, I wasn't hungry but I'd gladly stuff my face if it meant I didn't have to verbally communicate with the creep. "If you want someone to talk to, go buy a cat."

I felt good when Vlad gave me an unamused glare of his own. I had finally gotten under his thick skin, however, I grew nervous when his face suddenly slid into another smirk. It was a smirk that said, 'hide yo wife, hide yo kids'.

Vlad's already perfect posture seemed to straighten slightly as his eyes narrowed craftily, "If you continue to act this way, I suppose I will not show you the surprise I got you."

Instantly, I felt the blood drain from my face as I thought about what terrible things Vlad would label as 'surprises'. As I stared at him in growing horror, the older halfa rolled his eyes before pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Relax, Daniel." His tone was flat as he stood from his chair. I jumped up to be ready for anything which only caused him to shake his head. "You must always be so dramatic. Why do you constantly assume that I am going to hurt you?"

"Again, you want the list in alphabetical or chronological order?"

Vlad walked over to the other side of the room where a box was propped against an open window. He carefully picked it up before turning to me with a grin, "In any case, I think you will quite enjoy this."

Hesitantly, I accepted the box out of curiosity. It was a model rocket, the kind you build yourself. It was one of the really expensive ones that could be launched into the air if built right. Something that probably would have taken me a year to save up for.

Did Vlad honestly think he could bribe me? I mean the rocket was cool, but not that cool. I loved model rockets, but right now the thing I held in my hands disgusted me. I mean come on! The guy hired a bunch of mangy green vultures to claw out my dad's eyes, tried to kill both my parents at a freaking college reunion, kidnapped me and dragged me to the middle of the Rockies, nearly fried me to a crisp, and a toy was going to magically make us best friends for life? Okay, I knew he's crazy, but I didn't think he was stupid. Wasn't he supposed to be an evil genius or something? This was beyond insulting. How in the world could he believe that he could just buy me?! Especially after everything he's done?

I turned my head away and shut my eyes tight as the furious energy flared inside my eyes. My face burned and I trembled from the rage I felt. There was nothing I wanted to do more than pick a fight with the Fruitloop. But I had a lot at stake here. I couldn't allow him to figure out the bracelet broke. It took a lot of willpower, but I managed to reel in my powers. My eyes stopped burning even though my face didn't.

I gave Vlad an indignant scowl before shoving the package into his chest. "You can't buy me, Vlad."

A small, miffed frown appeared on his face before he forced it right back into my arms. "It is a gift, not a bribe. It is something you can use to entertain yourself with."

I grew even more furious. It wasn't a bribe, it was a distraction! He wanted to keep me busy so I wouldn't make any more escape attempts. That was probably the true purpose of this stupid 'gift'.

"Oh! Well in that case, I love it, really!" I made my voice extra sarcastic as I gave him a big, mocking smile. "It's just what I always wanted! I'll be sure to take good care of it, V-man!" Immediately, I turned around and drop-kicked it out the open window. Without sparing a glance in Vlad's direction, I waved a hand over my shoulder as I marched out of the room. "Night, Fruitloop."

Special thanks to Mollie Nail.

Anon: It's really cool how much you pay attention to the details in my story! It's good to know readers are enjoying my content, however, judging from your reaction to chapter 12, you've probably been yelling at the screen from Vlad's actions from the last two chapters. I'm glad I was able to make some scenes tense to read, I really wanted to put you all on the edge of your seats! From your reviews, I can tell you really wanted Vlad and Danny to come to an understanding. Unfortunately, that wouldn't really make for an interesting story. Conflict is what's driving the entire plot! Besides, I don't think I'm capable of writing scenes like that. Originally, most of the chapters didn't have so much fighting in them. But once I get my hands on the keyboard, my imagination gets out of hand.

Olliepops16: Trust me, I know how dark fanfiction can get. I have read things that came straight out the darkest and twisted minds of the human race. But you can rest assured that everything I write is going to stay K+, though I might stray on the borders of that rating. I'm really glad that you are enjoying my story so much! It makes me really happy to know that my writing excites readers like you so much! And thanks for the congratulations :)

Padackles: Thanks for the support! I hope I can continue to bring you great chapters!

Specter14: It's awesome to know that you like my ideas and changes to the Danny Phantom universe! And lol, you really should finish Checkmate. It's one of the best DP fics out there. By the way, I've seen some of your work on Deviantart. Your art style is pretty cool.

Tailor.G: Thank you very much! I put a lot of work into making my story.

AkabaneKazama: Ok, wow. Don't take this the wrong way but you need to chill. I love the reviews you sent me but this story is rated k+. Under no circumstances will a 14-year-old chop off his own hand in this story. I'm not saying that's a bad idea, it's just not going to happen in this particular fanfic. But again, I really appreciate all of the reviews you gave me!