Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom. Butch Hartman does. I would never dream of making money off his work, this is but one fanatic's homage. So please don't sic the rabid lawyer hordes upon me, there's not much for them to sue out of me.

Author's Note: This chapter was a pain in the butt to write. Not so much because of the emotions, but because it's Dan's recollection of two entirely different viewpoints. Hopefully this chapter won't be too confusing. Remember, this story is partner to my other fic Jeremiad, so keep a look out for where the two intersect each other:) Reviews are always appreciated!

Chapter 2- Masters

It's hard to describe my recollection of events after my arrival in Wisconsin. After all, my memory of that nine day span comes from two different points of view. The predominant recollection is that from Danny Fenton, but I also clearly recall many things of that time from Vlad Masters. Were I ever to try and explain it to someone, I imagine the tale would get quite confusing.

I- and for the moment I mean I as in Vlad Masters- spent a great deal of time pacing the empty halls of my castle. It took Daniel four days to get to Wisconsin from Amity Park, and I was frankly unsure what to do with the boy. I mourned the death of Maddie as I would my own wife, and you can just imagine how strange it is now to think of the woman with the combined memory of the slender ghost hunter as both my mother and object of desire. But I digress. To say that the arrangement would be uncomfortable would be an understatement.

I- and I mean I as in Danny Fenton- spent the four day road trip much as I had the that first day after the explosion, moping and oozing depression, unutterably useless with grief. I was also wondering what I would do in Wisconsin. After all, I had three more years of high school to go, and college as well. At least, if I wanted to be an astronaut. The future loomed dark and lonely, and I had hard decisions to make that I didn't want to. I think I found a rather more enjoyable "career" in the long run however. Pure catharsis, the "job" I would ultimately take upon myself.

When I finally arrived with my luggage and belongings, Vlad was on the steps waiting for me. How strange, to be face-to-face with my greatest enemy, with no witnesses, and no shots being fired. Were I not so weak then, I could have been rid of my arch-enemy. But no, I accepted the billionaire's shoddy attempt at consolation as he helped me bring my things inside.

While leading the young hybrid to his new room- mind you, this is Vlad's memory of the meeting now- I tried to think of something to say, failing miserably. The boy was the single greatest obstacle to my plans, plans that had ended in a fireball of burger sauce. I could no longer ruin Jack, in a way it was almost like he was still mocking me: he denied me even that satisfaction. And Maddie was likewise beyond my reach, leaving only this fourteen-year-old half-ghost reminder of what she and Jack had that I did not. But despite the boy being terribly vulnerable, having no drive to retaliate, I couldn't bring myself to get him out of my way permanently. In the past, I didn't really want to destroy him, but he was resolute in standing against me and my plans.

But there we were, two human-ghost hybrids in a castle in Wisconsin, with only the awkward silence of shared grief for companions. Honestly, Daniel looked little better than death warmed over, all his spunk gone, lost in that sea of guilt. I recall Vlad didn't feel much better than my younger half looked. We unpacked the boxes in silence aside from brief questions as to where to put something and equally brief answers to those questions. I figured that this arrangement could not continue like this, and forced a conversation over dinner that evening.

"So, what prompted the decision to come here, my boy?" I asked Daniel over pancakes that night. Yes, pancakes. It was either that or instant noodles, given that I wasn't much of a cook.

I slumped in my seat, slowly shredding the food on my plate absently- Danny's recollection here. "There wasn't anywhere else."

Obviously Daniel wasn't going to be terribly talkative, so I pressed the subject. "Mm-hmm, yes, I am the only person left besides you that knows anything about ghost hybrids. But that doesn't explain why you wanted to leave Amity Park."

My memory obviously blurs between the two different points of view, but it's a coherent enough recollection of events leading to my current existence.

I murmured something so quiet that my older half had to lean over, and still couldn't clearly hear what was said.

"Speak up, Daniel." I declared, exasperated.

"Valerie knows." I replied, still softly, but just loud enough for my other half to hear.

"You told her about hybrids?" I demanded, both eyebrows furrowed with concern. I didn't care if Daniel blew his own identity, but there would be serious repercussions of my secret getting out.

I slunk down in my chair and away from Vlad's accusing stare. "She only knows about me." I flinched at the memory of how that annoying girl had reacted. "She hates my guts."

I watched Daniel slide down further in his seat. Yes, that did sound rather like how the girl would react. Small wonder then that he had wanted to leave his hometown. Valerie was extremely dedicated to hunting ghosts, after all.

While I wished I could just disappear, Vlad eyed me with a slightly knowing nod. He was obviously pleased that his identity was still safe. "She tried to shoot me. She blamed me for..." I whimpered. "It is my fault."

I raised an eyebrow at Daniel's increased agitation. "What is your fault, my boy?" He tensed up, slamming one abruptly white-clad fist on the table.

"Everything!" I yowled, going ghost without really thinking about it. Vlad took a step back in surprise, changing to his ghost form in case I got violent. Ah, I was so emotional then, so prone to such juvenile outbursts. "None of this would have happened if I hadn't cheated on that test!"

I watched the younger hybrid, one eyebrow raised. Daniel had actually used his powers for a less-than-noble cause? Were the circumstances different, I would have made some crass remark about how good it feels to use ghost powers for personal gain. "You cheated on an exam? How... uncharacteristic of you, Daniel. So tell me, how is this test responsible for what happened?"

"Lancer found out!" I shouted, slamming my fist into the table hard enough to crack the wooden surface while Vlad watched me impassively. "He called my parents about it! He told them to come to the Nasty Burger, and Sam and Tucker came with me! Then... then..." I slumped against the battered table, unable to say it.

"Then there was the explosion, and everyone except you was killed by the blast." I finished for the boy, frowning as I pictured briefly how horrible it had to be for Maddie in those last moments in that inferno. Figuring Daniel wasn't going to attack me, I changed back to my human form and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Come now, you must be exhausted after all that."

I was too emotionally spent to argue, letting the billionaire lead me to my room. My quarters, more like it. I had an entire suite of rooms for my own, probably covering more floor space than my parents' entire basement lab. Vlad helped me sit down on the giant feather bed, suggesting I turn human again, take a hot shower, and get some sleep. I staggered half-dazed to the bathroom, the billionaire watching me with a genuinely concerned expression on his face. Funny to think that the cheesehead was capable of caring about anything other than himself.

I watched Daniel stagger right through the closed door to his personal restroom, and retreated to my private study as I heard the shower come on. I hadn't felt worried like this since my college days, when I first realized the implications of what Jack had done to me. The boy couldn't go on like this, that much was obvious. Maddie would be upset if she knew how bad off her son was. I mused on the situation while my younger half absently slipped out of his hazmat suit to shower.

Perhaps I was just sluggish or lazy in my emotional state, but I didn't bother turning back to human form before I climbed into the well-appointed shower, letting the hot water run down my spectral form. I was just a lost little boy with freakish powers that had cost me quite dearly. Had I but known the absolute freedom such powers could bring-! Instead, I stared blankly as the water flattened my white bangs against my face, partly obscuring my vision. In the low lighting of the shower, the water reflected the faint green shine from my eyes as I hovered there, in a strangely numb state after my outburst and confession of guilt. I couldn't function like this, a hero in too much shock and guilt to do anything. I couldn't help my family, so how could I possibly help anyone else? They were lost amid the water cascading from the shower head, but I know more of those useless tears slipped free.

I paced in my study, considering the situation. I was frankly worried that Daniel would simply not recover from the tragedy and the psychological blow Valerie had given him. The boy would either go through the rest of his life as a depressed shell of what he had been, or... I didn't like the thought, but I would not have been as successful as I was if I did not account for every possibility. Daniel's grief was holding him down, while his guilt kept a firm grip, preventing him from coming to terms with events. As I mused on the situation, a thought occurred to me, one that might solve the boy's problems, or at least provide a way to improve his situation. His powers were the source of his troubles; perhaps using one of the devices I had built, I could separate Daniel's ghost self from his human self, hopefully freeing the boy to begin the normal grieving process. I was not sure what I would do with his ghost self, but I was certain I would be able to handle it. I decided I would make the suggestion to Daniel after the boy had a few days to settle in to his new home.

I finally reverted to my human form as I tugged on my pajamas and climbed into bed, feeling so terribly alone in that huge castle. I lay there in the dark for several hours, curled up into a tight little ball of sorrow wearing rocketship pajamas. Horribly tacky things, no less. At least Vlad wasn't trying to convert me to his twisted ideology. In his own sly sort of way, the cheesehead was trying to be something other than a crazed up fruit loop. It was nearly dawn when I finally nodded off and dreamt red dreams where I was useless, a failure.

The next two days passed quietly, we didn't interact much. My younger half was too busy wallowing in pathetic misery, while my older half seemed preoccupied, lost in some scheme. It was the morning of the third day that I finally felt it was time to voice my proposal to Daniel.

"Daniel, might I make a suggestion?" I addressed my younger half over a bowl of soggy cereal.

"What is it, Vlad?" I replied in a flat tone, not meeting the billionaire's gaze.

"These painful emotions are tearing you apart, my boy." I raised an eyebrow, studying Daniel's rumpled clothes and unkempt hair. "You simply can't keep on like this."

I shrugged, half-lidded eyes barely taking note of Vlad. "I dunno what I'm going to do."

"What would you say if I told you I could make the hurt just go away? No more grief, no more guilt, you could have a normal life." I studied the boy closely as I made the pitch. Startled, his hazy blue eyes finally met mine.

"Wh-what do you mean you can make it go away?" I stammered, a brief flicker of my old animosity toward the billionaire coming briefly back to me. Surely this had to be some evil plot! I looked at Vlad's expression, but found no trace of his usual cruel smirk.

"I mean exactly that, Daniel." I crossed my arms as I explained to the baffled boy. "It would be an operation, slightly risky of course. Using the equipment in my lab, I am fairly certain I could remove your ghost half. No more powers, no more of the guilt that goes with it. What do you say, hmm?"

I frowned, considering the billionaire's offer. I had been separated from my ghost self once before, and the experience had been quite bizarre. My ghost self had gone off on a heroic kick, while I had actually enjoyed a normal weekend with Sam and Tucker, free of responsibilities, free to enjoy life. Well, aside from that business with stopping Technus, at any rate. Vlad sat there waiting patiently for my answer as I considered the implications. I was desperate to be free of those useless emotions, sorrow and shame that were threatening to drive me over the brink.

"You don't have to answer immediately." I got up. "Think about it, take your time. I'm sure it is a difficult decision, not to be taken lightly."

I excused myself, returning to my lab to do some work. Just because Jack was dead and my rivalry with Daniel was effectively ended did not mean I was lacking on schemes to implement. I had a multi-billion dollar business empire to run, after all. I hoped the boy would agree to this drastic solution, but I resolved to myself that if he did not agree, I would not force it upon him. Who knew that my older half could be such a sap?

After the billionaire left, I spent the better part of the day roaming aimlessly as I thought about it. I ended up changing to my ghost form and spending several hours flying over the wilderness that surrounded the massive estate. The chill wind in my face was refreshing as I caught sight of a clearing not far from the manor. I was leaning in favor of the operation, and was starting to figure that this was my final flight. I spiraled to a silent landing in the clearing, perching atop an odd little natural rock formation as I watched the sun sink lower into the sky. The thought of being able to move on from my grief seemed utterly alien at the time, but I knew I could not carry on the way I had been forever. As the sun finally set at the end of that long day, I came to my decision, kicking into the air off the boulders and returning to the castle.

Daniel was a bit late, it was getting dark out when I finally found him walking into the kitchen. Or rather, flying in as he came through the wall and changed back to normal. The boy still looked awful, but there was something in the way he was carrying himself that indicated to me that he had come to a decision, and was perhaps starting to feel better about the idea as a whole.

"Vlad." I addressed the older hybrid, taking a deep breath as I told him what I had decided out there in that little wooden clearing. "I'll do it."