Author's Note: I own nothing.

18 A Trick Of Her Own

By the tine they had reached Vlad's chalet Dani's slightly battered watch read eleven o'clock. A full hour before her powers would return, she needed an edge that she didn't have. She grabbed her mom's wrist before she made it up the stairs.

"Before you go in there and… flirt our way out of this I wanted to say I love you." She pulled her mother into a hug, quickly slipping the key off her belt.

"Aw I love you too Dani." She pulled away, Dani quickly slipping the key in her pocket as her mother knocked on the door. Vlad answered almost unbelievably fast, he smiled wide, there was only a hint of smugness in his face.

"You've returned! Please come in out of the cold." As Maddie passed into the house Vlad glanced down at his watch. "And not a moment too soon Danielle." She resisted the urge to step on his foot as she stepped into the warmth of his house. Since he'd shorted out her powers the cold had taken hold and it was a relief to get somewhere warm. Vlad closed the door behind Dani and opened his mouth to speak but Maddie beat him to it patting Dani on the shoulder.

"Dani how about you go clean yourself up in the bathroom while the adults have a bit of a talk." Her tone was flirtatious and Vlad blinked, he clearly hadn't been expecting that at all. Dani nodded forcing a smile.

"Yeah sure." She stalked off to the bathroom as Vlad trailed her mother into the den. She shuddered once they were out of view. "I'll just be over here, trying not to vomit." She said double checking that both adults were out of earshot. She pulled the key out of her pocket and unlocked the belt. "Ok one problem down." She muttered tucking the belt into her pocket.

She did head to the bathroom, worried that her healing factor would become obvious once it kicked back in if she didn't take care of her injuries now. It took her a half hour to get fully cleaned up and bandaged. Most of the damage was minor. She'd managed to stay ahead of Vlad's pets until she could find her mother. She shook her head at herself as she splashed some water on her face. Glancing down at her watch she frowned. Eleven thirty five. Another twenty five minutes before she could kick Vlad's ass. She grabbed a towel off the rack and dried her face, thinking. She'd never beat him head on. Not while he was at full power. Tapping a finger on the counter she glanced in the mirror and caught sight of the belt sticking out of her pocket. The Specter Deflector would kneecap him, power wise. But if she could get her hands on the Plasmius Maximus… He would probably have tucked it away somewhere though. She needed him calm, off guard. Remembering his face as her mother had flirted with him she realized what she had to do. She had to make him think he was getting what he wanted. She glanced down at her watch again. Eleven forty five. Fifteen minutes.

It took her ten of those to find her mother and Vlad. They were in the den. Dani slipped in quiet as a mouse and spotted a problem. For Vlad to be completely at ease he had to think he held all the cards. The grandfather clock ticking away next to her read five minutes to midnight. She glanced at Vlad who was completely enraptured by her mother, who looked wildly uncomfortable. Dani would rescue her in a minute. She turned to the clock and turned the minute hand back so the clock now read fifteen minutes to midnight. She could rely on her watch. Four minutes. She turned, stepping away from the clock and clearing her throat. Maddie turned, flashing a grateful smile at Dani. Vlad looked annoyed to be interrupted.

"Dani! Good, that means the bathroom is free. I've been in the woods all night I need to freshen up." She shot the last statement at Vlad with a flirtatious smile. Dani repressed a gag. Vlad grinned.

"I shall await with baited breath!" He'd fallen for the trick hook line and sinker. Maddie stepped over to her daughter, patting her on the shoulder. She looked like she was examining the small scrape on Dani's face but with her back to Vlad she muttered.

"Keep bait breath busy, I'm gonna see if I can't find a phone." Dani nodded lightly. Perfect, she wouldn't have to worry about her mother walking in on her fighting Plasmius. Maddie left with a final wave and Dani checked her watch again. Three minutes.

"So Uncle Vlad." She began and he scoffed.

"Oh don't even try Danielle," he glanced at the grandfather clock. "Especially with your powers shorted out for the next fourteen minutes. You're barely a threat to me with them. Without them. Well I wouldn't need fourteen seconds would I?" He asked his eyes flashing red. Dani clapped a hand over her heart faining hurt, hoping it wouldn't be too obvious that she was faking.

"Hurtful! Do you really think mom made the decision to come back on her own?" Dani asked laying the bait. Vlad closed the book he'd absently picked up when Maddie left the room. He set it down and stood, his face almost hopeful. Dani resisted the urge to check her watch again. She needed him completely off guard if this was going to work.

"What do you mean?" He sounded genuinely hopeful and if he hadn't sent a pack of dead animals to rip her to shreds earlier that night Dani might have felt bad about what was coming.

"We had a talk about it and came to a decision together, as a family. And as a family we decided that we both want to stay here with you." Vlad's face broke into a smile at Dani's words.

"Really?"

"Of course. What do you say? How about a hug, new Dad?" It was a ploy and maybe if Vlad didn't think he was on the precipice of everything he'd ever wanted he would have seen through it. Instead he grinned even wider and threw his arms around Dani. He never saw her pull the Specter Deflector out of her pocket, quickly wrapping it around his waist. He only realized it was even there when she clicked the key in the lock, activating the belt and dancing backward away from the sparks and electricity dancing over Vlad's skin. He cried out in pain yanking at the belt to try and get it off.

"You little bitch! You know what this will mean for you don't you!" He snarled transforming, it was jerky though. Clearly the belt was hurting him but it wasn't going to stop him entirely. Hopefully it would be enough. Dani glanced down at her watch. Midnight on the dot.

"Yeah, a much fairer fight." She stated as the world seemed to right itself. The horrible feeling of wrongness that had hovered over her for the last three hours vanished and she transformed grinning as power flooded her system.

For once she beat Vlad outright, leaving him panting on the floor. He swore as he tried to pull himself back to his feet. Panting he fell back to the floor, still Plasmius.

"Ok fine, so you've defeated me Danielle. But you've forgotten my pets." He whistled loudly and his creations emerged from the floor. "Get her!" Dani raised her hands towards the beasts.

"Me? Why are you mad at me? I'm not the one who turned your pelts into wall art." She pointed out gesturing around at the pelts all over the room. The animals growled, turning from Dani to Plasmius still on the floor. He managed to pull himself to his knees.

"Don't even think about it you little pests! Even drained I am still far more powerful than you!" He threatened and Dani spotted the device she'd been looking for sitting out on the side table. She snatched up the Plasmius Maximus, flicked it on and jammed it into Vlad's side just above the Specter Deflector. He cried out as he transformed back into himself. He blinked at her and she spotted a flicker of fear in his eyes, which was just a little bit satisfying. "Don't worry I'll give you a five minute head start."

"Really?"

"Minutes, seconds you know how bad we Fenton's can be at math." She smirked at him as he finally got the message and took off, running out of the house. "Get him!" She ordered the ghostly beasts and they took off after Vlad. Dani was sure he'd get away long enough for his powers to return. She had. She transformed back into herself with a satisfied sigh. And just in time too as her mother came back into the room.

"Where's Vlad?" Maddie asked and Dani shrugged.

"He said something about running out for a bite. How are we getting out of here?" She really didn't want to still be here when Vlad got back. Maddie sighed running a hand over her face.

"I have no idea. I couldn't find a phone anywhere. Not in the cars, the ATVs or the helicopter!" Dani snorted as Maddie went bright red seeming to have just realized what she'd said.

"Maybe we could just take the helicopter?" Dani suggested and Maddie laughed. Maddie turned to lead Dani out to the helicopter and Dani hesitated. She pulled the key to the Specter Deflector out of her pocket and placed it where she'd found the Plasmius Maximus. That she put in her pocket. She'd break it when she got home. They loaded up into the helicopter and Maddie began to fly them home.

"So we agree we shouldn't say anything to your father about this. He would be heartbroken if he found out Vlad is such a horrible person. If he asks the airport lost our luggage." Maddie said, eyes still fixed on the sky. Dani nodded.

"That's probably a good idea." Not that either of them knew how bad Vlad really was but then again if she told them he would reveal her secret. It was the only thing keeping her from outing Plasmius to her parents. She shook her head and sighed. Maddie sighed as well.

"I know this weekend wasn't what we wanted but maybe we can try again some other time?"

"Sure mom. Let's just not go to anymore Dalv events, something about this weekend tells me that company might be less than legitimate." Dani pointed out and Maddie laughed.

"Sure sweetie."