"So, Daniel," Vlad was waiting in the hall when Danny phased through the wall, "Where have you been?"

"Er...out with Alesha," he shrugged. Vlad raised an eyebrow.

"What you do on your free time, and who you spend it with is your own business, but I saw your sister out there, and Alesha was no where in sight."

"I told her to go in, and then went to talk to Jazz," Danny said as he stomped past the white-haired man.

"I also thought that you had decided to leave your past life behind." Danny turned on the stairs and glared at him.

"What was that about my time, my business?" Vlad shrugged at his answer and walked away.

"By the way," the older man called over his shoulder. "I have some pressing business to attend to tomorrow, so no training session."

Danny stared after him for a few seconds, his eyes burning with contempt, but he shrugged it off and continued to his room.

8 8 8 8 8

Vlad stopped before he turned into his study, and watched the boy trudge up the stairs. He was progressing too quickly, far more quickly than Vlad himself had ever done. Danny had powers that he hadn't gotten until the end of his second year as a half-breed, and he seemed to be learning at an accelerated rate. At this pace, the boy could overpower him in only a few short years. The thing was, Vlad couldn't decide if it was due to his tutoring, or due to the fact that the porthole Danny had been hit by was actually correctly set up.

Now Vlad was finding himself regretting taking the other half-breed on. The boy still hated him, that much was sure, but he was here by choice. That's what the billionaire had wanted, and he was convinced it was the right move, no matter what happened. If he hadn't brought the boy here, Danny Phantom would continue to be a threat that stood between him and his prize. At the very least, he would need the boy here if he wanted to continue his pursuit. Shutting his door, he snapped his fingers, and the old butler ghost appeared at his side immediately.

"I need a new errand runner, seeing as both of our old ones are...preoccupied," he turned to the white-haired ghost. "Who would you suggest?"

"Miller would be an excellent runner," the ghost answered immediately. Vlad always found himself impressed with his servant's loyalty and excellent work. "Very well," Vlad nodded and sat at in his chair, facing the door. "Send him in, and tell Alesha that some work will be added to her schedule as well. I need to see both of them immediately, and send for my vultures." He glanced up as the butler's form disappeared through the wall. "Tonight, we begin phase two."

Amnity Park

"Jack, there are ghosts are everywhere!" Maddie said from one corner of the block she and her husband were scouting. It seemed to get their minds off of their missing son, and while she didn't think it was healthy, she didn't know how else to cope. When Danny disappeared, he'd taken most of her heart with him, or that's what it felt like. Worry for Jazz laced every feeling of loss for her son as well. She hadn't called that day, and Maddie couldn't help but worry. What if Jazz suddenly disappeared and they couldn't remember that either?

Shoving those thoughts aside, she glanced away from the meter she was holding, and looked at her husband. "There hasn't been this kind of a concentration since Inviso-Bill showed up!"

"Then we'll just need to work harder," Jack grinned at her. "Our new Fenton ghost cages should be full tonight!" Despite herself, she could see the pain that the large smile masked. Maddie couldn't help but feel a pang of sorrow at their situation. They had used to be so carefree...and now they couldn't even remember the event that had torn their family apart. She knew her husband was putting on his old face for her sake, and she loved him more than ever for it.

"I'd trade them for Danny," she whispered.

"What?" Jack turned to her. She was glad she had her goggles on, so he couldn't see the tears.

"Danny vanishes, and ghosts materialize," something suddenly seemed to click in her mind, but she couldn't grasp it...like she was trying to hold onto mist. Shaking the thought away, she continued. "I've always wanted to study spirits of this world, but I'd trade them in in a heartbeat if it would get Danny back." Jack looked down, and put a hand around her shoulder.

She was about to cave in and embrace her husband when her cell phone rang. She looked up at Jack and shrugged. He nodded and turned down the street towards the first set of ghost traps.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Mom," Jazz said softly. Maddie knew immediately something had happened.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"Nothing," Jazz said, "I'm just checking in, letting you know I'm okay." She was hiding something, Maddie knew...just like Danny had been hiding something from them, and she'd been to obsessed to see it.

"Right," Maddie nodded. "Thanks honey. Is there anything you need?"

"No. Thanks Mom. Bye," Jazz replied, and hung up. Maddie jogged and caught up with her husband.

"That was Jazz," she said, "But she seemed to be hiding something."

"What do you think it was?" The way he phrased the question brought reality pounding back down on her. Before, he would have brushed it off, or pretended to care. Well, at least they were more aware of each other now.

"I don't know...but..." She looked up as realization came to her. "Great Lakes...Wisconsin...she went to search for Danny!" She hit her head. Why hadn't she seen it before. Jazz had either found out something about him, or found him... Maddie didn't dare hope, but expressed her thoughts to her husband.

"Then what are we waiting around here for?" Jack asked, turning back towards their dwelling.

"What about the ghosts?" Maddie paused.

"We'll let the traps take care of it," Jack said, "and hope that will be enough until we get back." He turned and smiled at her. "Do you want to go for the Ghosts or Danny?" The hope in his smile caught onto her, and she grinned at him as they ran down the street.