A/N:

Sup peoples of the internet?! We did it! We did it! Yay! Lo hicimos! We did it!...I watched Dora this morning at 4:00 instead of going to sleep and I kind of just woke up...Well here's the next chapter filled with weirdness and not enough angst because I'm not good at writing that and am still burnt out from that last massive chapter.

Oh, Silent Night by Kvalificatsia on DeviantArt is what originally planted the seed of Vlad's powers for this fic. The way the light/energy is interchanging gave me ideas. It's a little sexy and I tend to shy away from the pedophilia/hebephilia/ephebophilia but it suits my purposes. That exact scene may or may not show up later.

And for the Titans, I'm trying to start it right around the mid-beginning of Season 4, before Trigon comes but after Slade shows up all glowing red and more crazy.

Disclaimer: Nothing has changed except for my growing hatred of Hartman for continuing Fairly Odd Parents and not Danny Phantom. And did you know the creators of TTG! didn't even watch or read the original TTs?! What kind of blasphemy?!

Chapter 12

When he was aware that he was awake, he felt too tired to move. Someone was talking to him but he had no idea what they were saying. It was like he was hearing them from underwater, garbled and confusing. Sleep sang its siren song only a short while after and he fell back asleep.

The second time, he tasted water. Someone had put a cup to his mouth and was making him drink. He took it gratefully, he felt so thirsty, just like the voice said. Afterwards he fell back asleep.

The third time, he felt himself getting dressed. His hands fastened one button after another on the deep red shirt he was wearing but he had no control over them. After he completed his task, a knock sounded throughout his space. He was suddenly aware of a room in which stood a very comfortable looking king bed with deep blue sheets, two ebony nightstands and a matching bookcase filled with tomes and novels about what topics he did not know. Facing him was the image of a dazed teenager staring curiously back at him. Before he could ask the other where he was, someone came through the door.

"When I knock, you should answer," a man called, commanding his attention.

He turned away from the teenager in the vanity to address the man who was clad in a clean, crisp white dress shirt that looked like his, black slacks, and black shoes and had his hair pulled back into a ponytail. The ensemble and the man's visage looked extremely familiar but the cotton in his head was too thick for him to think clearly.

"Did you not hear what I said, Daniel?" The man sighed exasperatedly.

"Da-Daniel?" He questioned. The name did not just sound familiar; it felt familiar.

The man's head snapped up in surprise and, in what felt like a second to the teenager, came face-to-face with the younger man. A hand grabbed the younger's chin to which the latter offered no resistance, just a slight crease in his brows as he physically began to express his confusion.

"Oh, this will not do," he tsked, lightly scolding the boy. Dismay must have shown on his face because the man looked into his eyes and smiled. "No, Daniel. There is no need to be sad. You are fine here. Safe. Content. Happy."

With each word, the man's eyes grew a deeper, more commanding red, drawing in the boy's attention. It reminded him of something. The name—my name—is Daniel. What was the man's name? He kept speaking and directing Daniel's eyes towards him whenever the boy tried to fight.

Fight? He sluggishly thought. Fight...I have to fight him. I have to fight—

"Vlad," Danny whimpered, remembering what he could, pushing back the worry of what he couldn't, and tried to fight the slow feeling that the Fruitloop was pushing on him.

The man's eyes flickered out, blinking from red to midnight blue in shock. He relaxed his grip on Danny's chin and started laughing. "I never expected this," he got out between his last petering out chuckles. "Even after all this time and training, you somehow manage to fight me..."

A manic grin spread across the man's face which was flushed with pride. "You're so strong, Daniel." It sounded like it was supposed to be a compliment but Vlad's face quickly turned enraged. "Why are you fighting this? Stop fighting! I've already won!"

Danny felt his mobility slowly return to him, a tingling feeling spreading through his limbs, along with the desperate sense to get as far away as possible from Vlad. He was able to twitch his fingers when his arm jolted slightly back by reflex when Vlad tried to grasp him.

The man quickly turned sober, his hand snapping back. The quick mood changes were completely freaking out Danny and only made him want to get away more.

"I see you still don't trust me. Nor do you believe me." Vlad stopped for a second before shaking his head and gaining a determined look. "No. That doesn't matter. If you don't believe why this is good, I'll just show you."

Unfortunately, Danny had only just gained motor control in his hands and could do nothing when Vlad came at him again, this time at full force, and told him, "Fall."

Robin hurriedly walked into the Tower and went straight to his room, ignoring the cries of Beast Boy and Cyborg to slow down and play a round of Mega Champions IV: Monkeys in Space. But he had cleared the area before Beast Boy could even finish the game title.

"Man, what's got his tights in a twist?" Cyborg asked, looking put out by Robin's abrupt dismissal.

Beast Boy just morphed into a falcon to fly to the couch, plopping down on it as a human. "I don't know but it probably has something to do with Batman. He did come back mad at something."

"And even though it's been two weeks," Raven offered, though she was usually the silent one in the group, "he still gives off the same vibes of when he came back. And even I have trouble emanating darkness as black as that."

Starfire floated lower to the ground as her mood became less light. "No. He was becoming on better terms with the Man of Bats. He said something about a friend he and everyone in the town have missed."

It took the group a second to understand what she meant. Beast Boy's head gears whirred rapidly before overheating, a steam and smoke mixture blowing out of his ears and his head spin. Cyborg's actual gears whirred audibly. Raven raised an eyebrow in as much physical expression of interest she allowed herself.

"You mean he went missing?" Raven filled in, not struggling as much as the boys with piecing together their teammate's odd phrasing.

"Yes," Starfire nodded. "That is what I said."

Raven just sighed and shook her head, followed by her disappearance to the roof to meditate. The three left over thought about Robin's dilemma for a while, unaware that Raven was still aware of their conflicting emotions. She did not want to leave her friends, not with Slade's appearance and enhanced powers and the prophecy being revealed to them. She knew the day was coming soon in which it would end for all of them and she wanted to be the farthest away, physically and emotionally, from them to keep them out of harm.

Some way down the line, they had become companions and friends which was a long shot away from the tag-team of supers they were when they first met. Raven cared for them now and that was stopping her from keeping all of her emotions at a minimum. She knew it best to leave them and flee to somewhere else but she could not bear leave them. Something told her that she would desperately need them in the weeks and months to come.

In the massive living room, Cyborg and Beast Boy gave up on worrying about Robin and his friend, figuring the former was on it dutifully and Batman was probably supporting him. Koriand'r meandered through the halls, thinking about any Tamaranian dishes she could cook Robin to cheer him up. He was the only one who she knew would smile whenever presented with her food, no matter how off recipe it was. Earth just did not have the right ingredients and the food never came out the right taste...or color. She neared her Friend Robin's room when she heard a yell.

"That's bull! How could they not even care? I don't care if they feel guilty or not! It's way past the time he could be found by almost any police force! The need to get their heads out of their—"

"Robin," a deep voice admonished. "Cursing and belittling an entire town of individuals will not help you or anyone find him faster...no matter how much they deserve it. Even though I have advised against it, I know you have been looking. I and others in and out of the League have continued looking as well."

Batman, Starfire reckoned, huffed and glared at Robin until he reclaimed his seat. Except for when Slade had Robin, Starfire had never heard that much emotion coming from Robin's mentor. Whoever this missing friend was must have been important.

"I know," Robin affirmed, still peeved. "But he shouldn't have gone missing in the first place. I was with him that night!"

Batman cut Robin off once more and said, "There was nothing you could have done. There were no signs of a struggle and Daniel's room was missing several articles of clothing and personal effects. He could have run away."

Robin glared back at the insinuation of his semi-friend's weakness in facing his situation. Batman only gave him a level look that told him he put no worth in that theory too.

"What about Masters?" Robin inquired.

At the mention, Batman's face, at least the part visible from his cowl, darkened measurably. "All ties between Wayne Enterprises and any company Vladimir Masters has more than 10% influence over were cut the day after Halloween. Except for the press conferences held every other day by the mayor over Daniel's well-being, there is no concrete evidence that he knows where the teenager is located. Neither of the Dr.s Fenton nor Jasmine, Samantha Manson nor Tucker Foley have come forward with a statement more than one that belies their anger or grief at his absence. Legally, there is nothing I can do."

Robin's dark room echoed the unspoken continuation of that answer. "So you are doing something?"

Batman smirked. "Just focus on your team, Robin. You have a visitor."

The screen went black, extinguishing the only source of illumination in the room. Covered in darkness, Robin wanted to continue to check on his leads and research more to try to get a break in his case. But he knew he had other, more immediate responsibilities, namely addressing the visitor.

"Hey, Star," he called, letting her know he knew she was there.

"Friend Robin, I will never be of the understanding how you know of me at your door," she answered, smiling as she stood at his door, staying out of the darkness.

He met her in the light and beckoned her to follow him down the hall. Starfire began to fly again as she accompanied her closest friend to the Tower's massive living room. When they entered, Raven teleported in, surrounded by the large, black silhouette of her namesake, sensing that something was about to happen. At the objection of Cyborg and Beast Boy, she used her powers to turn off the television, effectively ruining their game.

"Hey!" Beast Boy yelled. "What's the big idea?"

Cyborg, on the other hand, caught on before whacking Beast Boy in the back of the head, telling him to shut up and pay attention.

"Titans," Robin called, bringing his team to attention. "I know I have been…distant as of late and we cannot afford being anything but together at this time…which is why I am going to tell you a little about the mission Batman had me on when I left."

They all gathered around the massive wrap-around couch in the front half of the living space, readily listening to Robin's story. But, before he could actually tell them anything of importance, a massive siren with flashing red lights went off, disturbing all wildlife around the Tower.

They all sighed but knew that a hero's work was never done. So, at the call of their leader—"Titans. Go!"—they rushed off once more to save the day.

His entire body was shivering from the cold emanating from the metal table he had been laid on. His eyes were already open when he snapped out of his trance as he realized he was facing a myriad of screens, all off. As his mind caught up to his body, Danny struggled as much as he could in the metal shackles that bound his arms, hands, legs, and feet. The last thing he fully remembered was what happened this morning—at least he thought it was this morning—when he was barely able to fight Vlad.

"What did he want to show me?" He wondered out loud.

Nothing answered him but the hiss and steam of some experiment somewhere in the lab that he could not see. The monotonous white tile and steel and chrome did not reveal which lab of Vlad's he was in, whether it was the one in his Wisconsin mansion, the Amity Park mansion, or in some other secret facility thousands of miles from his home and family.

Speaking about family, Vlad admitted that he was the one that made them all act that way towards Danny. As the teenager began to realize that most all of what had happened the last few months was Vlad's fault, his futile struggles grew more and more frantic, fueled by short bursts of wild rage. He was getting nowhere and doing nothing but hurting himself but Danny didn't stop. He felt compelled to keep going until either the metal or his joints gave out.

"Calm down," came the quiet demand that halted his movements. Danny felt himself flounce back slightly on the metal slab as he saw Vlad come into his field of view. Instead of immediately talking to Danny, however, the man fiddled a bit with a computer, making a few of the screens come to life. They showed pictures of different news articles, networks, and surveillance footage from their location and Casper High and FentonWorks. Danny felt himself care less and less, however, as Vlad ignored him. He felt his worries wash away as his heartbeat slowed down. Vlad continued to work on whatever he was doing, slightly whistling a tune as he prepared the video footage.

"Now, Daniel," Vlad offered, leaving the master computer and coming closer to him. "I believe I have a promise to fulfill." He watched as Danny watched him, no longer struggling against his restraints nor hyperventilating at his predicament.

"You didn't believe me," the older man seethed, barely controlling the emotions broiling inside of him. "So, here is your proof…of why it's better for you here…of why they don't deserve you…of why, even without my help, they would have turned on you anyway."

Vlad turned on one of the screens near the middle, it playing a broadcast dated five days after Halloween. It showed Tiffany Snow reporting the numbers for AAHH! and the upcoming events.

"Pay attention, Daniel."

His eyes became glued to the moving screen and his every cell focused on the broadcast.

"And now," Snow continued, "we have a special report from our in-the-field reporter Lance Thunder who usually reports on special events or ghost related anomalies. Lance?"

The screen switched to the blond, overly-coiffed, man in front of a brownstone which had one small teal Bug in the drive way and a large, silver and green FAV (Fenton Assault Vehicle) with a large flaming green "F" on the side pulling up. Two other news teams seemed to be reporting the same story, having set up outside the Fenton household as well.

"Thank you Tiffany," he answered, a grim expression donning his face. "Usually, when reporting around or about the Fentons, I have information regarding ghosts, ghosts, and more ghosts. But, now, I bring dire news pertaining to the family. Daniel a.k.a. Danny Fenton has been reported missing and was last seen by teacher, William Lancer, and classmates, Dash Baxter, Paulina Sanchez, Star Chapman, and Kwan Sie, on the night of Halloween."

He paused for a second as three figures came out of the large FAV. "Except for the police report filed two days ago by Jack and Maddie Fenton, no word other word has come from them about Daniel's whereabouts."

As the figures neared the door, Lance motioned for the cameraman to follow him as they and two other news teams approached the family.

"Mr. and Mrs. Fenton! Have you heard of your son since his disappearance?"

"Mr. and Mrs. Fenton! Was Daniel kidnapped and if so, what for?"

"Jasmine! Does this have anything to do with the incident months ago with him disproving some of your most famous theories?"

"Was Daniel run out of his house? Did he leave of his own volition?"

"What kind of parents wait three days and finally notice their child is missing?"

"Why is it that you have not personally looked for Daniel or put any 'missing' posters up for him?"

These questions and all that followed were met with the stiff and unrelenting shoulders of Jack, Maddie, and Jazz who all went into the house, with Jack slamming the door behind them and Maddie swiftly closing the curtains when the cameraman and photographers moved to the windows in front.

"As you can see," Lance reported, "they continue to refuse comment even with Daniel's grim situation. It has been well over 48 hours since he was last spotted. The chances of finding him, whether he ran away or was taken, are more than dismal. Moreover, with no evidence that the incident was ghostly, the Fentons nor anyone else can investigate in that aspect. The search for Daniel Fenton continues and all this reporter can ask is, 'Does his family even care?' This is Lancer Thunder, on the field. Tiffany?"

Vlad cut off that screen and started another which had the time stamp of during the first broadcast. It was of a surveillance camera showing footage of the inside of the Fentons' living room. Not ten seconds after the he pressed the play button did the three come into the house with Maddie shutting the curtains and Jack slamming the door shut.

Jazz fell on the couch and her mother soon after, leaving her father to lean his heavy load on the door. The silence of the room was broken only periodically by the ticking of the second hand of a clock watching them all. Jazz was about to throw a rock at the thing to shut it up, its infernal ticking plucking at her last nerve. She was beaten to the punch by Maddie who picked up a magazine and threw it at the clock, knocking it off the wall and breaking it as it crashed to the floor.

Jack looked at it a bit despondently. "That was a wedding gift from my mother," he whispered. No one answered him, however, as the family just kept their thoughts to himself.

Jazz was the first one to say anything of significance. "Did either of you see him that day?"

Maddie's head snapped up. "Jasmine," she scolded, "I told you we hadn't. Your father and I had been working in the lab all day, trying to improve some equipment for the deal with Mr. Wayne. Daniel never showed his face."

Jack muttered something that neither of them caught.

"What was that?" Maddie asked, face bland but still slightly angry.

"Stupid," he repeated. "Stupid. Stupid. Stupid boy."

He only became angrier as he said it, as did Jazz and Maddie, but not at Jack, Danny could tell. They all stared into the distance, agreeing with Jack.

"If he hadn't been in the way…"

"If he had just been here…"

"If he had just been normal…"

"Stupid, stupid boy…"

Vlad paused the feed before it could go any longer and turned towards Danny. It was odd, how calm he was, even as his face was sullen and his emotions retreated. It was weird, how quiet he was as tears threatened to fall down his face. It was good, Vlad thought, how the day was progressing between the two.

"Here's the next," the man said, bringing Danny's attention to another screen showing what looked like a darkened movie theatre with the ending credits of a movie playing on the screen. As he pressed play, Danny noticed that there were only two heads in the rows, one with a familiar top pony-tail and the other with a beret. As the screen went black and the lights turned on, Danny recognized the area as the private theatre in the Manson mansion and the two patrons as Samantha Manson and Tucker Foley.

"So, still not as good as Dead Teacher II," Tucker offered.

"What are you talking about?" Samantha argued, glaring at him from her seat. "Dead Teacher IV is the best of the series!"

Tucker scoffed, turning towards her in incredulity. "Woman, something must be wrong with your eyes! The climax and ending of the second movie with Carson and Mrs. Lassiter surviving the breakout was so much better than the that jock Bryson being taken out by some zombie baby at the very end, Manson!"

"Yeah?" Samantha screamed. "At least they used make-shift weapons that didn't fall immediately apart and actually used the chem lab this time! And if you think any part of Carson living and not succumbing to the virus after Billy scratched him and bled on him is plausible then you're out of your tech-infested mind, Foley!"

The two steamed at each other for a bit longer before both turning behind them and yelling, "Danny! Tell him/her I'm right!"

It took them a while before realizing they were talking to thin air, a ghost of a memory, instead of an actual person. Blushing furiously, they turned to each other and huffed.

"Why are we asking for him, anyway?" Tucker asked.

Samantha looked at him oddly, "Because he always broke our ties."

"You mean, he always thought for us," Tucker corrected. "He probably would have said Dead Teacher III just to spite us!"

Samantha thought for a while and nodded. "Yeah…you're probably right. Wanna play Doom?"

"What about Mega Champions?" Tucker offered. "I know you have the fifth one that isn't supposed to come out for a few years anyway. It's supposed to be better than the fourth with the space monkeys."

"Not really," she muttered, "it's just them going through different dimensions. It's so like Doom that it's ridiculous."

They continued to argue, completely ignoring the missing party that once completed their trio, until Vlad paused the video and turned off that screen.

Turning once more to see Danny's reaction, Vlad was satisfied to see the teenager's face a mix of sadness and anger. His tears were flowing freely now but his mouth was turned down into an obstinate frown that could turn into a snarl and did.

"Why, Vlad?" Danny growled. "Why are you showing me this?"

Smiling, Vlad said, "To show you. Guide you. Teach you. Almost done, now. Just a few more and then we can start on your lessons for the day."

Danny was confused at the mention of a lesson but payed full attention, as ordered, to the next reel of footage the screens in front of him displayed. It showed a video of a press conference with a multitude of cameras behind a near sea of reporters and other individuals Danny recognized as Amity Parkers. A podium in the center of a stage was littered with microphones all displaying the name of their respective channels. The crowd's whispers were a dull roar before being silenced by a graying, brunette coming to speak.

"Good afternoon citizens of Amity Park and guests," she started, drawing the attention of all attendees. "Today's press conference was called by our good mayor, Vlad Masters, to address a few issues dear to his heart. As he comes, please keep your questions and statements to a minimum." Even with her demure mannerisms, all could tell that she meant the last request as an order to be followed.

At the end of the introduction, Vlad appeared on the screen, coming next to the assistant who was still glaring a few more than eager reporters down. He thanked her as she left the stage, once more making an "I see you" motion to one person who looked like they were about to interrupt.

"Thank you, all, for coming in this dreadful time," he began. "It has been a very good year, with ghost attacks decreasing 100% and overall net profit increasing near 100-fold with the lack of necessary repairs. The community, as well, has been amazingly cohesive and supporting of those hurt or inconvenienced by any attack. We should all be very proud of ourselves." A light applause sounded throughout the crowd as a few waited for the main point of the meeting.

"However, it seems that once more we, as a community, must band together, possibly with the help of a few others, to help one of our fellow citizens," Vlad continued, his face turning morose. "As of six days ago, son and brother of Jack and Maddie and Jasmine Fenton and my godson, Daniel Fenton, has been missing. Except for a few missing items and a report from a group of people who had seen him last including me, on Halloween night, there are no leads on his location."

Vlad's face was as expressive as his voice, laden with sorrow and despair that was felt by everyone in the audience as a few people began to cry silently. Vlad even sniffed a little.

"I just wanted to ask Daniel, if he did…run away…to return to those who miss him. Or, to those who took him, pray that when we find you, there is not a scratch on that young boy's head." The last statement was said with such conviction that Vlad had swayed the audience into believing that he would do anything to bring his godson home.

"Now," the man said as he tried to control his emotions, "we will open this time to a short Q & A and call this meeting to a close."

The invitation brought most reporters out of their reverie and opened the flood gates.

"Mayor Masters! How close are you to this young man?"

"Mr. Masters! Does the Fenton family, who have denied comment, support your search for their missing member?"

"Sir! Does Daniel have anything to do with the missing ghosts?"

"Was this kidnapping a sign of their return?"

"Does his disappearance have anything to do with Wayne Enterprises pulling out of any deals with your companies?"

"What others have you pulled in in the search for the youngest Fenton?"

"When he is found, do you think he will want to return to his family, become emancipated, or live with you, the only person who seems to genuinely care about his well-being?"

Past Vlad answered the questions one by one, proving again and again how he wanted the focus to be only on Daniel and how hard they were looking for him. But present Vlad turned off the screens and turned once more to Danny who had been forced the see everything in the broadcasts and the other screens which had been scrolling through news articles and silent footage of other surveillance cameras.

From all he had seen, even if it were fake, Vlad was the only one who cared where he was. His family discarded him with insults. His friends discarded him without further thought. His peers and neighbors discarded him as the sob story on the 7 o'clock news. None of them actually cared. He had known this for a while but in Vlad's presence, with the constant fluctuation of emotions, his head whirled deeper into a dark pit of more volatile emotions. His anger at their dismissal warred with his sorrow at being so easily put away in their minds. The conflict between these two only brought an emptiness that went far past nonchalance. It was as if a hole had been carved into his entire being, a hole that would have been, that was supposed to have been, full of understanding, love, and care.

As a human, the emotional connection with others close to him was necessary for productivity. As a ghost, it was vital. His core was tethered to his obsession, his purpose, to protect and those whom he protected affected him with their emotional output. Most ghosts fed on the fear of those they played with or tormented. Some, including Danny, fed—him unconsciously—on the more positive emotions which is why his aura made others feel safe and warm. But now, he was being starved. And the only one available to fill that hole was Vlad who was just pushing his own poisonous emotions into his reluctant charge.

"Your first lesson will be centered around patience," Vlad announced, satisfied with Danny's reaction—or finishing lack thereof—to the videos. "You were always so gung-ho before and we need to fix every little flaw and polish you into the great son I know you can be."

Vlad approached Danny, who favored staring into the blank screens than face the man, and lovingly stroked the closest side of his face. "You're going to be so happy with me, Daniel. Neither of us have to be alone ever again. No more worrying if people actually care. No more fretting over the safety of others."

Danny let the man pet his cheek while trying to face the inevitability of his situation. Of course, the added calm and ambivalence Vlad was forcing on him did not help him fight. But the reality of the people he thought cared about him not trying to find him and just insulting him and throwing him away like an insignificant piece of lint encouraged the belief that, even without Vlad's interference, they would have kicked him out of their lives anyway.

He heard Vlad tell him that he was going to leave him there for at least three hours to let his thoughts stew over what was happening. But Danny opted to ignore the man outwardly instead of giving him the satisfaction of any response. He understood that Vlad had won whatever battle the two had just fought but did not understand the potency of the underhandedness. Because of their being together for a little over two weeks, Vlad's hold over him was almost palpable. From the way he felt before, Danny guessed that Vlad had completely snuffed his mind and completely controlled all of him.

Now, instead of just smothering Danny, Vlad was trying to win him over…or at least make others lesser in the teenager's eyes. And the more Danny thought about it, the more he realized that if he could not find his own anchor, Vlad was going to control his entire existence. Most of him did not care but he held on to the little piece of him that told him to fight. Even if he could no longer rely on those whom he thought loved him, he sure as hell was not going to let Vlad become his sole companion.

Eyes and mouth set hard, Danny stared forward at the blank screens and passively listened to the experiments bubbling behind him. He had to win. He had to.

Vlad may have never lied to Danny, but he had omitted the truth. This time, since Danny was captive, Vlad could control any and all outside information that could get to the boy. He, in a room separate from the lab in which the other was located, watched a large wall of screens. On his left, past Dannys and Daniels smiled, interacted with others, read books, or robotically performed other tasks at Vlad's command. The silver-haired man sighed fondly at one screen in particular which showed present Danny still strapped to the metal table.

"Soon," he assured himself and the boy who was deaf to him. "But…there's no rush." He slid his wheeled chair to the other half of the wall and entered a few commands into the keyboard, bringing up the same screens he had his charge looking at earlier.

One video played the three Fentons mad and muttering in their living room. Jazz's fists were clenched in her lap. Maddie was stomping her feet, wearing down the carpet. Jack still leaned on the door and pounded his fists on it. But his tempo slowed as he slumped and fell to the floor. The thud knocked Maddie and Jazz out of their grumbling to look at the patriarch of the family.

"That stu—," he tried to say. "Stu-u-pid bo-oy! Why did he…? Why couldn't…? I-I didn't mean it!" Tears were rolling down his normally jovial face as his body racked with sobs. "Danny-boy," he cried. "I'm sorry, son. I'm so sorry…"

After the shock kind of rolled away, Jazz wiped her eyes as her vision had become blurry sometime in the past few minutes. Her hands came away wet with tears and shook as she tried to calm them and focus on the problem. Maddie went over to her husband and grabbed on to him, letting him latch on to her, as they cried together. She rested his chin on her shoulder. With his gargantuan size, in that tender moment, he dwarfed her even though it was him being coddled.

After the majority of the crying had settled down, Maddie said, "He…our son will come back."

Jazz scoffed, knowing so much more than she ever told her parents. "And what if he decides against that?"

Jack got up, hauling Maddie with him, and said, "He's a Fenton. And Fentons stick together."

And even though this had not been true the last few months, they all knew that in the end, Fenton family bonds were thicker than blood and a few harsh words. But looking at the situation around them, they all knew they would have to offer so much more than ham and fudge to gain back the trust of Danny.

Vlad abruptly shut off this video with an ectoblast thrown in rage.

"You fools! Do you really think he would come back after all you put him through?" He hollered, infuriated. His fists slammed on the desk and left indents as he tried to calm down. "Well, it's no matter. He's here now…where he belongs."

Vlad moved on to the next video with the young Miss Manson and Mr. Foley. They were still fighting over what to do in the private movie theatre. Their voices had raised to screaming levels and they looked ready to launch their still resting snacks at each other.

"You only act this way because you don't get enough protein in your diet!"

"Well your arteries are so clogged from all of the red meat that barely any oxygen gets to your brain!"

"Your anarchy only comes from your boredom from being a little, spoiled rich girl!"

"The only reason you're obsessed with technology and the newest thing is the inevitability that you'll never be anything or get anywhere!"

The constant screaming and belligerent insults only worsened as they had no one to referee the fight. Neither of the two calmed down until they were both nearly foaming from their mouths, panting excessively. The silence echoed the growing emptiness they felt. Their bond had been manipulated and weird from the beginning, as had their pushing away Danny. This growing hole inside of them made them mad at each other and, mostly, at themselves.

Tucker backed down first, as was his usual, and sighed, pulling off his beret. "This is getting us nowhere."

"Really, Foley?" Samantha mocked. "I thought we were starting to resolve all of life's issues. Maybe we'd finally find out why the answer to the ultimate question is 42!"

The sass along with the awkward situation made both of them fluster and then laugh as loudly and care-free as before this entire mess started. The laughter fell off as giggles while Tucker fell off of his seat and rolled a bit on the floor.

"Yo-ou…" Tucker struggled to get out. "You're such a dork."

She smirked down at him. "Coming from the King, I'll take that as a complement."

"Nay," he rebutted, "I am merely a Jester in this Court of Kooks. And you are a fine Lady, indeed. But our King…our king…"

"…is gone," she finished.

Danny had always been the worst of the three. It was just, before the accident, he hid it so well that whenever the trio messed around or got into trouble, most of the focus was on the goth or the geek. But he was the main mastermind of all of their hijinks. Without him, they didn't feel complete. And they had just thrown him away like some unimportant piece of trash.

"I miss him," Tuck admitted. Sam nodded, agreeing with him before grabbing his closest hand in a squeeze. Before, she would have held on tighter and they may have hugged but, ever since Danny left, the touchy-feely stage of their relationship had melted away, as had the overall feelings that originally got them together.

"Talked to Jazz the other day," she offered. It had been a little while past the video that Danny and Vlad had seen of his nuclear family in their living room. "They were looking through D—through his room to see if they could find where he went."

She was silent for a while which made Tuck look up at her from where he still lounged on the floor. She was looking down at him with unfocused anger.

"He left Buzz," she said.

Tuck jolted to an upright seating position.

"Buzz?" Both he and the lonely and creepy billionaire asked. Tuck continued, "Then does that mean—?"

"Maybe," she interrupted. "And if so, then how would we get him back even after…?"

Tuck just smiled a bit and laughed. "He's Danny; that's how." Sam almost kicked him, which would have hurt—a lot—with her steel-toed boots, but he evaded in time with a follow-up. "After all we've been through, there's no way he wouldn't give us a second chance. Even after all we put him through…"

He stopped talking, in favor of picking absently at the carpet beneath him. They looked extremely guilty, more than what Vlad believed they had any right to.

"It is your fault you slobbering children are so weak-willed," Vlad spoke, ignored by the now paused recording. "Daniel fought me for months and is continuing to fight me while it took you and the other idiots only a few days! It even only took a few hours with the other ghosts!"

He gleefully ran through other footage he had not shown to Danny for he had yet to edit it to suit his purposes.

Lancer was sitting despondently at his desk, reading a book and sighing, "Daniel, where are you?"

Valerie cried on her father's shoulder as Damon pat her back, trying to comfort her and swear to her that she was not the cause of Danny's disappearance.

Maddie and Jack were sitting on Danny's bed, clutching a photo album and telling each other stories they both made Danny promise never to tell the other.

Jazz perused books with Sam and Tuck at Skulk and Lurk where the darker clothed girl spoke in hushed tones to other morose teenagers and pouting young adults about something Vlad could not catch.

However, he did not truly care about anything that was happening on the multiple screens. All he cared about was the massive picture made by at least twenty displays on his left. The pictures had changed to show Danny's entire body in view as he stared, not as calmly as before, but set with new purpose, on the slab. Vlad's joy and anticipation grew as Danny's glare formed and hardened. Even though he knew the boy could not see him, he imagined that Danny was looking his way and reacting to what was going on around him.

"Soon, my son. We'll be the family we're meant to be."

A/N:

Thanks for reading! I'm going to try to make Vlad's attitude devolve more in the next chapter but I would think that he would have enough control over his emotions unless a certain group of people kept pestering him and trying to foil his plans...ANTYWAYS! On the the other stuff!

Response to Reviewers:

Synaps: Why thank you very much! Seriously...I'm blushing! And there will be much more D&D interaction later.

MaidenZorriah: Nope...Vlad will need serious therapy before any trust shall go his way. Thanks again!

MiaulinK:...I...You...YOU READ MY STORY? THE F*&%? You're about to make my ego soar! Thank you so much and I am trying desperately to update regularly but...sigh. And there's no need to thank me! I should be thanking you! "Hidden Phantom" has been one of my latest obsessions! It's not fair how young you are and you're already this good!

NoSignalBlueScreen: Meep! What is it people I read reading me?! Thank you so much!

Poohbearmorris: Believe it! And he did but Vlad will get his comeuppance soon...very soon.

Good Witch of Babble: Sorry I was gone for so long but the main thing I looked forward to was reading your review! Ah! Write! If you need a beta or a backboard there are so many people here who want you to write, including me, especially me! And of course Danny'll save himself, otherwise he wouldn't have grown as a person (so says Clockwork). And I was thinking about the appearance of a new power to help him escape! I have an idea but it won't show until about two chapters more even though what you wrote is almost exactly what I was thinking.

Vlad has gone off the deep end and is hanging by his pinky nail. And Danny would have been able to live with it and just internalized his discomfort and all the badness they would have eventually thrown at him until he couldn't take it anymore. That was Vlad's original plan but with Dick and Bruce just messed it up. The snapping will come after much creepiness and freakiness ensues. Vlad's a little too far gone for him to correct himself and Danny's just going to suffer for a while from it like a doll trapped in a doll house.

And it is ridiculous how easily manipulated Danny's friends and family were by Vlad...like I didn't write it that way...But I think our ideas aren't crossing as much anymore. Your thoughts almost align with mine but there's a significant amount that I'm changing so I hope you're pleasantly, or at least slightly, surprised! Sorry for the laziness of this chapter but it'll pick up next week!

randomphandom: Your username is glorious! And he's a Fruitloop for a reason! Eventually the snapping out and snapping at will come but all of this manipulation is going to leave its mark and that's gonna be a chapter I'll love to write!

EmeraldSeaGamer: Hush, child. He'll get better...eventually...hopefully...maybe.

Guest of honor: They really can't do anything legally and Vlad just snatched him out of nowhere! It calmed down this chapter because I was completely lost on what to do but the next few will be glorious indeed!

PhoenixWillowsRox88: But no! They all care deep down! It's just that Vlad went mondo-mad-mastermind and manipulated everyone! And Gray Ghost is a good ship but it won't happen...maybe.

Ninuhuju: It does, doesn't it? And I do love it but I have no way to legally watch it (I really want to though) because I don't have a TV! But I'm about to break down and find it somewhere on the interwebs.

allietheepic7: There will be screaming...wailing almost :P And I don't think Bats will get the chance to lay a hand on Vlad before a certain someone else will.

east231: It is creepier and that was EXACTLY what I was going for!

Bobbing Apple: I want that to be a fic. Grown-up!Danny with Vlad and they break up but Vlad goes stalker ex...someone get on this NOW!

Well that's it for a little while! Hope you enjoyed this slight explanation/fluff/insight/burnt-out chapter! Thanks to all of you who followed/favorited/continued to read this story for some reason!

Love, JennaUtena. Deuces!