I'm sorry people. There have been a few factors holding back the updating of this chapter. #1 being that I got involved with reading an absolutely fantastic fanfic when I should have been writing. #2 Involves the word puking. #3 involves a head ache and #4 is all about exhaustion and cleaning that needs to be done. I cannot find inspiration in a dirty room. I cannot clean a dirty room unless I feel good. Bleh! Ok shouldn't have said bleh. Now feeling the urge to hurl. Maybe it's really just the thought of Vlad and Jazz together which is making me sick.
That all said, thank you from the bottom of my sad little heart for all the fantastic reviews I've received. I was blown away by the response, and made quite giddily happy. See, you the reviewer has the power to make ME…ME dance around the room in giddy glee, and if you knew me you'd think that was positively impossible, dour as I tend to be. Okay, I know you don't believe I'm dour because you don't believe dour people write shameless fluff. But well..okay so yeah I'm goofy giddy and your reviews make me goofy giddy and I need some exercise so…please?
Chapter Fourteen
Tucker remained calm and quiet as the big burly ghost collected him from his cell and took him up to Vlad's study where Jazz awaited. The ghost said nothing all the way there and neither did Tucker.
"In here," the ghost said as he opened the door and pushed Tucker inside. Jazz who was sitting in a chair in abject misery looked up and jumped.
"Tucker!" She cried as she rushed forward. The first thing she did was check him over to make sure he was all right then she hugged him and kissed him.
"Wow!" Tucker said as he held her close, feeling quite happy at her expressions of affection. "I guess you were worried about me huh?"
"Shhhhhh," Jazz said as she looked around the room. "We're being watched."
"By who?" Tucker whispered as he looked around, expecting to see either a video camera or a ghost floating along the ceiling. Ghosts floating along ceilings were not uncommon occurrences in his life, unfortunately.
"Whom," Jazz corrected as she raised her eyebrows.
Tucker rolled his eyes and repeated, "By whom?"
Jazz looked Tucker in the eyes for a moment then whispered softly. "Vlad."
"Vlad!" Tucker exclaimed as he instinctively pulled Jazz closer, if it was an attempt to protect her or be protected by her, Jazz couldn't tell. "What the hell does he want?"
"Quiet!" Jazz said as she looked around.
"Okay," Tucker lowered his voice. "What does he want? Our first born child?"
Jazz laughed a little bitterly. "Not exactly," Her eyes held Tucker's for a moment and he could see the panic she was holding back so carefully.
"Tell me what he's up to." Tucker urged quietly.
"He wants me to marry him and give him heirs." Jazz said as she blushed again. The expression on her face was the kind of look you'd expect see worn by an innocent man before being sent to his execution, which made Tucker's own sense of panic kick in, and so doing, his weird sense of humor. Tucker's eyes widened and then he started laughing.
"This isn't a comical situation," Jazz scolded.
"From my perspective it is," Tucker continued to laugh. "Just imagine it."
"I really would rather not," Jazz said in disgust.
"But just imagine the world filled with little Vlad juniors running around plotting evil," Tucker laughed again then covered his face with his hand. In his mind he saw little miniature versions of Vlad, wearing suits and pony tails with white hair and all running around causing mischief like demented little elves.
"Still not seeing the funny," Jazz hissed angrily as she watched Tucker crack up. "The whole idea is preposterous."
"All right," Tucker said as he took a deep breath and regained his composure. "Vlad wants to marry you and for you to have how many of his children?"
"Twenty!" Jazz said throwing out the first absurd number that popped into her shock addled brain. Tuck's eyes widened and Jazz shook her head. "I don't know Tuck! He didn't say, but I imagine he thinks one would be enough."
"Mrs. Jazz Masters." Tucker tried out. "Has sort of a creepy ring to it doesn't it?"
"Tuck!" Jazz nearly sobbed in panic. "Stop trying to be funny. This isn't funny. I don't want to marry Vlad. I want to marry you! I don't want to have Vlad's children. I want to have yours!"
"Hallelujah!" Tucker exclaimed as he grabbed Jazz by the waist and spun her around. "I knew it would take a crisis to knock the sense out of your head."
"Vlad has even made some kind of film to trick Danny and Sam…" Jazz told Tucker as she continued to watch his face, searching for comfort or some sort of emotion other than humor, she wasn't sure. Of course she was also trying to avoid her admission that she wanted to accept Tucker's proposal, she didn't add that she didn't consider it sensible. She bit her lip in worry. This wasn't the time for such a discussion.
"How many children are we going to have?" Tucker asked ignoring what Jazz was telling him and ignoring the situation. Maybe if he had his PDA he'd have been a little more comforting to Jazz, maybe he would have remained in good humor.
"I don't know!" Jazz answered in frustration. "Would you concentrate on the matter at hand? If you don't I'll render you incapable of fathering my children!"
"You're a hard woman, Jazz Fenton," Tucker teased as he closed his eyes and shook his head slowly. "Does Vlad know this?"
"I think that's what attracted him to me," Jazz answered humorlessly. "Now seriously Tuck stick with me."
"You just said you wanted to marry me," Tucker told her seriously. "Excuse me if I am a little elated. I was expecting at least a year of wooing you and bugging the heck out of you every day and even then I expected to be put off. I'm not going to forget about this either Jazz."
"You won't be able to marry me if Vlad has his way," Jazz hissed trying her best not to be moved by Tucker's elation. "Now will you listen to me?"
"I'm listening Honey Love," Tucker said teasingly as he smiled at Jazz and batted his eyes at her. She gave him a doubtful look and sighed.
"All right," Jazz said then took a deep breath and eyed Tucker warily for a moment longer. "Vlad says that a lawyer is coming in the morning with papers for me to sign, then he'll marry me tomorrow evening."
Tucker nodded his head. Jazz looked a him expectantly. "I wonder if he's planning on having cake." Tucker said absently.
"Tucker!" Jazz said in anguish. "Come on! This is horrible! Frightening! Creepy! I'm going to marry Vlad tomorrow evening."
Tucker shook his head. "No you're not," he told her. "It's just not going to happen."
"How can you be so sure?" Jazz asked as she wished she had Tucker's dumb confidence.
"For the same reason I know Danny and Sam won't be getting married any time soon. It's against the law of the Ghost Zone for a ghost to marry a human. Last time I looked you were still human Jazz, and Vlad is half ghost. At least I think he still is."
Jazz's eyes widened. "Oh yeah!" Then she frowned. "Tucker it's not like he can't break the law. Danny himself was talking of disregarding the whole thing all together and damning the consequences. You talk like a big bolt of lighting is going to strike Vlad dead before he says I do."
"You never know," Tucker said optimistically. "It might happen."
"Yeah well I don't want to take that chance. Do you?" Jazz said. She looked around the room and her eyes brightened. "Of course we could use the knowledge to our advantage."
XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX
For the first time in many years, Danny woke up with his ghost sense going off. His eyes popped open and he looked around in alarm. Sam was sleeping peacefully with her head on his shoulder and the world was quite. He figured he must be dreaming. Danny was about to drift back into the comfort of sleep, but a knocking on the front door jarred him back into wakefulness. He contemplated ignoring the knock for a moment, but as far as he knew Tucker hadn't come home yet and the visitor might be important.
Slipping on his bathrobe he stumbled to the door and looked tiredly a disgustingly chipper delivery boy.
"Good morning Sir!" the boy said happily. "Please sign on the line!" He handed Danny a clipboard and a pen.
"What am I signing for?" Danny asked as he penned the name Tucker Foley on the clipboard. Jack was forever trying to instill into Danny to never sign his real name unless it was a legal document he'd read thoroughly. Who knows what ghost trickery might be afoot trying to steal your signature. Danny didn't believe his father's notion for a moment, but the habit was still ingrained in his mind.
"Thank you sir!" The boy said as he took back the clip board and handed Danny a small package. Then bounded from the door step and on to a bike waiting on the sidewalk. Danny looked at the package for a second. It didn't dawn on the sleepy half ghost that it was highly usual for any thing to be delivered on a Sunday morning. He threw the package on the couch and headed back to the comfort of bed where he gathered his Sam close into his arms, tucked her head under his chin, and drifted back into the sanctuary of sleep.
It wasn't until early afternoon when Sam sat down on the couch and sat on the package with a complaint of, "who's the jerk who left this on the couch?" that Danny remembered the delivery.
Sam raised her eyebrows in skepticism as she eyed the package. "A delivery on Sunday morning?" she asked. "Are you sure it's not a bomb or something?"
Danny didn't respond, he simply took the package and tore it open. "It's a CD," he said as he walked over to the television and slipped it into the player as he flicked on the television. They both watched open mouthed as Jazz appeared on the screen beside Tucker and informed them that they were fine, but decided to run away together.
Sam looked at Danny for a moment then sighed. "You're going to kill Tuck?" Danny only nodded his head then frowned in confusion as he played the CD again and again as he wondered what he was going to tell his parents.
They watched the CD a few times and each time they rewound and watched again, they began to feel that something wasn't right.
"A puzzle," Sam said as she leaned against Danny. He advanced the picture one frame at a time.
"If Tuck were here he'd already have this figured out." Danny growled in annoyance.
Sam smiled as she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Jazz is right, we are kind of useless without Tuck."
"As angry as he is at us sometimes," Danny began. "I don't believe he would just leave without letting us know." He replayed the CD again.
"And Jazz," Danny continued. "She just doesn't do stuff like this. She has never done something major without careful consideration and planning. Dad is still in the hospital too. There is no way she'd leave him."
Sam grimaced as she watched Danny replay again. "Do you think it's a ghost?"
"Yes," Danny said reluctantly as he remembered his ghost sense going off that morning. "But why and who?" He hit play again.
"Hi Mom, Dad, Daniel and Samantha," Jazz said perkily. "Tucker and I are sending you this tape to let you know we decided to run away together."
"Don't worry guys. I'll take good care of Jasmine," said Tucker. "We'll contact you soon."
"I love you all," Jazz called then the screen went blank.
Something snapped inside Sam's mind and she sat up and away from Danny. She turned and looked at him and blinked a moment.
"What?" Danny asked in alarm.
"I've never heard Tucker call her Jasmine. Never." Sam answered. Danny quickly rewound and listened again.
"Jazz only calls me Daniel when she's angry," Danny said.
"And if she wants to tick me off, she knows not to call me Samantha!" Sam growled.
Danny sighed. "Now the question is, was the message intentional or was it a slip up?"
Blue eyes met lavender. It didn't need to be said, but they said it together anyway, "Vlad."
XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX
Jazz woke up in the same opulent bedroom she'd been lead to after Vlad walked in and broke up her reunion with Tucker. She looked around and hoped that Tucker had been placed in a room just as nice. On the wall hung what Jazz considered one of Sam's most disturbing paintings. "Plasmius cut up and rendered in butter". She stifled a smile and was about to climb out of bed when a woman walked into the room.
"I've been instructed to tell you to dress," The woman said stiffly as she threw a blue frilly dress on the bed. "I will wait in the hall. Knock when you are done and I will lead you to breakfast."
Jazz looked at the dress on her bed dubiously. While it would be nice to change out of her sleep rumpled clothes, putting on anything Vlad had chosen with her in mind was completely abhorrent. Jazz also decided it wouldn't be prudent to make Vlad angry so she quickly donned the dress and knocked on the door. The woman opened the door, eyed her dispassionately, adjusted a few wrinkles out of the dress then motioned for Jazz to follow her.
"Good morning my darling girl," Vlad said as Jazz was lead into the dinning room. He stood and she sat. "You look lovely this morning. Are you hungry?"
"No," Jazz said as she looked at the array of breakfast foods spread across the table. Her stomach growled loudly, making her look like a liar.
"You must eat," Vlad said as he pushed in her chair and sat beside her. "You are quite under nourished."
"My weight is quite normal for my age and height," Jazz said as she watched Vlad piling food on to her plate.
"Don't be ridiculous," Vlad said smoothly as he smiled kindly at her. Jazz shuddered.
"Where is Tucker?" Jazz asked looking at the plate laden with sausage, eggs and pancakes."
"Still sleeping," Vlad answered. "What Mr. Foley is or is not doing at the moment is irrelevant."
"I beg to differ," Jazz said coldly. "Mr. Foley's well being is obviously now my responsibility seeing how his presence here is required for my cooperation. Therefore Uncle Vlad, I would like to see him as soon as humanly possible."
Vlad threw back his head and laughed, "Oh my darling. You are quite droll" He gave he a smiling look but the look in his eyes warned her not to cross him.
"I wasn't trying to amuse you Uncle Vlad," Jazz said coldly.
Vlad gave her a look of irritation. "I believe it's time to drop the pretense of being your Uncle. I have never been so and I will never be your Uncle."
"You'll never be my husband either," Jazz said boldly. "And I can…"
"Enough," Vlad said. He disregarded the fact that Jazz hadn't touched the food on her plate. "Come walk with me in the garden Maddie."
"Maddie?" Jazz asked as Vlad grabbed her elbow and lifted her from the chair and forced her to walk with him.
Jazz wondered when Vlad's decent into insanity had begun. Had he always had the tendency toward madness? Was it something caused by the accident he'd had in the ghost portal which gave him ghostly powers? It could have been the ghostly powers themselves, seeping into his brain and poisoning him with the crazy. She began to worry for Danny. Would he start going crazy? Crazier than he already was?
Vlad walked her outside and gestured to the large and perfectly groomed lawns. "Soon my dear. All of this will be yours."
"I don't think so," Jazz said as she shook her head. "There are things you don't understand."
"Oh I understand things very well," Vlad said. "Don't worry Jazz. You will be happy here."
"Do you know about the law?" Jazz asked. If she was going to play her trump card, now was as good a time as any.
"The law?" Vlad asked as he blinked at Jazz thoughtfully. "When has the law of the human world ever applied to the likes of me?"
Jazz shook her head. "That isn't what I mean Uncle Vlad," she said slowly and deliberately. "I am speaking of the laws of the Ghost Zone."
"What do you know of the Ghost Zone laws?" Vlad asked softly, yet his expression was hard and angry.
"What Danny has told me," Jazz answered. Vlad looked at her blankly for a moment than asked her to continue. "He and Sam are upset because they were told that ghosts are not allowed to marry humans and Danny is considered a ghost."
"Very interesting," Vlad said as he rubbed his chin. "Interesting indeed." He gave Jazz a considering look. "I will check into this law, as you call it. There are always loopholes and conditions in law. Even more so in the Ghost Zone."
"Can I please see Tucker while you do your research?" Jazz asked.
"No," came Vlad's answer. Then he informed her that his lawyer would arrive in an hour. He expected her to sign the presented paperwork without complaint and to not try to influence anyone to help her. Everyone in his employ was loyal.
"As soon as the papers are signed," Vlad said coldly. "I will allow you to spend an hour with Mr. Foley as a reward. However as my wife to be I expect that you will not engage in affection of an amorous nature with Mr. Foley." He then moved to kiss her on the cheek but Jazz moved away and gave him a warning look.
"Mad man," Jazz said angrily to herself as he left her standing in the garden. "Mad man, Sicko, Lunatic!"
XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX
Maddie sighed as she turned off the television and turned to Danny and Sam. "You're trying to tell me that Jazz and Tucker have been kidnapped by Vlad?" she asked. Both Danny and Sam nodded.
Maddie put her hands on her hips and looked out the window. "Why would he do something like that?"
"We're not sure," Danny answered. "We don't' know what to tell Dad. I'm sure he's already noticed today that Jazz hasn't been by to see him and well…"
"This development would upset him too much," Maddie said worriedly. "Even if Jazz had genuinely run away, he would be beside himself."
"He's going to notice if I'm gone too," Danny said. "But I'm leaving Sam here with you while I go to rescue them."
"You're what?" Sam asked in outrage. "You're not leaving me here!"
"Someone has to cover for us," Danny told her. "There isn't anyone left but you and Mom."
Sam sighed in exasperation . "Fine." Danny smiled at her and she stuck out her tongue.
"What will I tell your father?" Maddie asked worriedly.
"Tell him we came while he was asleep," Danny suggested. Maddie gave her son a look that told him there was no way Jack would believe that.
"You know," Sam said thoughtfully. "People can't visit Jack if they're sick. Why don't we tell him that Jazz and Danny have the flu?"
"Brillant!" Danny said as he hugged Sam. "Perfect! That should work." Sam rolled her eyes.
"You're really going to owe me big for this one mister!" She warned.
"I'll pay whatever you ask," Danny promised as he kissed her. Sam laughed then watched as he transformed into his ghostly form and flew away.
"Don't worry Sweetie," Maddie said as she patted Sam's arm. "Everything will be fine." Sam nodded her head and wondered and dreaded what curve ball fate would throw next.
XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX
Vlad was surprised and baffled to learn that the law of the Ghost Zone stated quite clearly and concisely that no ghostly being would be permitted to join in any type of marital contract with a person from the living world. There were no sub articles, no paragraph fours, no exceptions. There were just the cold, hard proclamation.
"But I am not a just a ghostly being," Vlad told Walker, the ghost in charge of enforcement of all ghostly law.
"Looks like a ghost," Walker said as he eyed Vlad. "Talks like a ghost, floats like a ghost. Must be a ghost."
"But I'm a human!" Vlad exclaimed. "Flesh and blood. Living!"
"A human who is half ghost," Walker said coldly,
"Is there anyway around this?" Vlad asked. "There is a way around everything."
"Make her a ghost," Walker answered as he laughed. "Either that or you have to talk to the tribunal, but changing their minds on Ghost matters simply cannot be done."
"Tribunal?" Vlad asked. He'd never heard of any Ghost Zone tribunal.
"Three ghosts," Walker said. "Melchior, Gaspar and Basnater"
"What?" Vlad said in disgust. "Two are the names of the three wise men. Who is the other guy?"
"He doesn't like being called Bathlasar anymore, says the name is too commonly used in video games," Walker answered humorlessly.
"All right." Vlad said. "How do I see this tribunal?
"You don't" Walker answered.
"What do you mean I don't." Vlad asked he was becoming more and more angry by the minute.
Walker looked at Vlad Plasmius for a moment and said. "You do not see the Tribunal. The Tribunal sees you."
"Then how do I deal with my situation?" Vlad asked in irritation, he was quickly losing his patience.
"The Tribunal knows you wish to see them. If they deemed it important they will contact you." Walker replied then grinned. "It may take several thousand of your human years, but they'll get around to it, eventually."
Vlad growled in disgust. "And if I break this law?"
"We all come after you," Walker answered as he laughed. "It will be open season to obliterate you." He smiled wolfishly. "And trust me we will. It will be fun!"
Vlad sighed. "Thank you for your assistance Walker."
"I would like to tell you it was a pleasure Plasmius," Walker drawled. "But it never is"
XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX
Jazz and Tucker were sitting in the garden when Vlad returned. He was in a fowl mood as he strode into the garden and grabbed Jazz forcefully by the arm. "Come with me," he ordered. Jazz looked at Tucker as Vlad began dragging her into the house. Tucker said nothing and followed.
Down in Vlad's lab, Jazz and Tucker were each tied into a chair. They watched while Vlad muttered to himself and then began to power down the ghost portal.
"This is going to take a few minutes," he told them, as if they knew what he was doing.
"For what?" Tucker asked. Vlad didn't answer he just shot Tucker a look of evil hatred.
"Uncle Vlad." Jazz said softly. "Why are you turning off your ghost portal?"
Vlad said nothing as he picked up Jazz, chair and all and placed her in the center of the now quiet portal.
"Wait!" Jazz cried in panic as the realization of what Vlad was doing hit her. "You can't do this!"
"I cannot marry you if you are a human," Vlad said as he adjusted dials thoughtfully. Jazz gave Tucker a panicked look.
"I don't want to become half ghost!" Jazz cried.
"Vlad!" Tucker yelled. "You can't do this."
"You can't stop me," Vlad said as he stepped back from the control panel for a moment.
"I mean," Tucker started hoping he was right. "You don't know the proper settings! For all you know you could kill her! Or give her a case of ecto-acne. She's too beautiful for that fate! Please."
Vlad smiled bitterly at Tucker, "I doubt you are going to give me the proper readings."
"That's only because I don't know them," Tucker said quickly as Vlad walked across the room to restore power to the portal. "But I know who does!"
Vlad stopped before hitting the button and turned to look at Tucker. "Who?" he asked.
"S-Sam," Tucker stuttered. As soon as Sam's name passed his lips, Tucker closed his eyes. Someone was going to kill him. Either it was going to be Vlad or Danny. Either way, he was dead, he knew it.
XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX
So past sickness and a very messy room, reading a GREAT fan fic and Pming. I got this chapter done. Yup. So review because I love you. Review because you love me. Review because you want to. Review because I want you to! Simply…REVIEW!