Delusional Illusions: Chapter II

Life was unfair... Everyone knew that little fact. Well, it was more of life not being fair rather than being unfair. He was ridiculously rich, incredibly handsome for a man his age, and above all that, he had money coming out the wazoo. Like, wouldn't anyone love to have money coming out the wazoo? Adding to that, he had power the likes of which no one had ever seen. Heck, even past the ghostly powers he possessed, he was easily one of the most powerful men in Wisconsin (Which doesn't really count for much, like it or not.). But somehow, Vlad Masters wasn't even halfway satisfied with his life. The power, the looks, and the monetary gains were nothing if he didn't have anyone to share it with... and all that sentimental garbage.

He looked out of the window of his expensive mansion. He sighed bitterly as torrential raindrops pounded the terrain. His empty home was depressing, the rain was depressing, and he too, was depressed. There was only a certain something or someone that could bring him out of this miserable funk, and he knew that it was something that even he couldn't reach.

Maddie... He thought solemnly.

Maddie... all his powers and riches couldn't make her his. He loved her so... Oh, boy-howdy, did he love her so. Back in the college years, his quiet admiration for her has blossomed into full-blown love (Not a disease). He tried to court the young lady into being his. He had all the looks, the charm, charisma, but it never helped his cause. Because, she fell in love too… and who was it that she fall for? She fell for his understudy of all people, Jack Fenton. Everyone and their grandmother knew that moron Jack didn't deserve her... Or, at least that's what the silver-maned man believed. He wasn't much for human contact these days.

It just so happened that they would go on to spawn a child who would end up being one of his tormentors to this day. His sadness slowly turned into a seething rage. Many priceless heirlooms were destroyed when he thought about matters like this.

It was one of those things that would make a grown man like himself want to jump up and down like a petulant child. All these years he spent trying to find why, why... dang it, WHY Maddie would choose Jack over him, and the only thing he would end up with is a splitting headache from thinking as hard as he did.

His quiet rage bubbled back down to sadness. He didn't feel like taking out his frustrations as Plasmius, he just didn't have the energy to do much of anything at this point. After some more pacing, the forty-something man took a seat in his trusty recliner. Maybe things would be better tomorrow. Perhaps Jack would die of cancer overnight and Maddie would come running to him. Sure, it was horrifically unrealistic, but he was rich. What was the difference between a genius and total looney, anyway? A couple of bucks usually made the difference.

He had a couple of bucks, he knew that much.

Vlad sighed wearily as he tilted the seat back and let his fatigue take him over.

A loud knock on the front door snapped Vlad out of his temporary respite. The tall man got up from his recliner and stretched wearily. He checked his watch.

'What the Vienna Fingers? It was nearly five-in-the-morning.'

Masters rarely had visitors. Actually, very few... OK... one or two. All right, you pulled my leg; he had no visitors, ever. Who would come here in this secluded area at this time of night, or in the early morning?

Another long knock at the door jarred the silver-haired man out of his thought process. It must've been still raining. A loud thunderclap proved to match his hypothesis. Whoever it was, the poor retch was probably looking for shelter of some sort. His first impulse was to ignore whoever it happened to be. Seriously, though, who actually obeys their first impulse, even though it's usually the right one? The man was curious, that's for sure.

Who knows, it may have been someone really unexpected. Letting his curiosity get the better of him, he rose up out of his chair and answered the door.

Now, Vlad Masters was a man of high stature and dignity, and... Great Scott! Look at who it was at his doorstep!

Maddie Fenton!

"Hum-Hummina," the multi-millionaire uttered. As if his disorientation and outright confusion wasn't at its peak, the brunette collapsed into his arms and began to sob softly. The man dared not to speak… and not move

"Oh, Vlad… I've just realized that I've made a terrible, terrible mistake!" She said in between loud gasps for breath.

"What mistake was that?" Vlad asked.

The ghost huntress sniffled. "You know it. I know it."

He did?

"Jack," she spat out.

Inside, Vlad could have sworn that he heard choruses and orchestras when the love of his life had uttered that lovely word. The man wanted really hard to contain his joy. It was such a good thing that he was as tall as he was, because his grin was border-line on the Hannibal Lector-scale. Aside from that, he wanted to ask his poor Maddie what made her come to this reasoning, and why she didn't come to it like... fifteen to eighteen years ago.

"You mean that after all these years you're admitting you made a mistake with Jack?"

"Yes!" She confessed, still in his arms. "I mean, he's a total idiot who pays attention to ghosts than he does his family."

Vlad shook his head above her. "I-I'm sorry to hear that."

"Even if it's the unquestioned truth," he continued under his breath.

"But the worst thing is," she paused to look into her old friend's teal eyes. "I never got a chance to see who the real one for me was, even if he was right in front of me all this time."

Was she referring to who Vlad thought that she was referring to? Because if it was who Vlad thought she was referring to, the millionaire would definitely do about… seventy-seven cartwheels by about now.

Maddie's violet, amethyst-like eyes were staring directly at him, unmoving, never wavering for the rain, the lightning, thunder, or any other force of nature that could possibly distract her. The man had never felt so nervous in his life. After nearly two decades and an admitted mistake, was Maddie actually choosing him? This was too good to be true. And if it was true, it was better than any amount of money or any dramatic Green Bay Packer victory... ever.

Well, maybe Super Bowl XXXI came narrowly close, but...this was Maddie we're talking about here!

"You're talking about me?" He asked, almost breathless from the closeness between himself and the love of his life.

She nodded her head. She nodded her head! Oh, sweet sack of scandalous scallops on a shrimp sandwich, she nodded! Whatever Vlad was feeling, it was somewhere between total bliss and a massive heart attack.

"What about Jasmine, and Daniel?" He asked breathlessly.

Why was he trying to sandbag his own happiness with that question? He quickly regretted asking the question as his lady love took on a thoughtful look, as if to surmise the question. The answer from Maddie came swiftly.

"Please, Vlad… You would make a better father than Jack could ever be," she replied, the look in her eyes told him everything he needed to know, yet Vlad, who had spent most of his years solitary and bitter, didn't know what to do at this point. It was like everything he had wished and hoped for suddenly came true.

Heck, while he was getting everything at once, he may as well go ahead and wish for Brett Favre's retirement… then again, not all miracles were feasible.

"S-so, what do we do now?" The always confident Vlad asked uneasily.

"I have an idea," the brunette suggested, a mischievous look in those royal purple orbs of hers.

Perhaps it was a combination of a lot of great things happening to him at once, but everything to Vlad had turned into a haze of happiness. He had barely heard what his Maddie had said. Although, when the forty-something woman puckered her lips in his general direction, everything had become clear as day.

Oh, he had waited for a day like this, and it was finally happening! The man had become so giddy that there was a ringing in his ears. But, to heck with the ringing, Maddie... what was her maiden name anyway? Ugh, forget that!

All he knew at the moment that his lips were rightfully upon Maddie's and for all it was worth, he wanted to stay like this for as long as could, and he tried his darnedest.

At long last, the wayward lovers broke their embrace. Vlad was at a loss for words while Maddie beamed dreamily, resting her head on the chest of the tall man.

"You're even a better kisser than Jack," she commented hazily.

Vlad subconscious yelled to him. "SCORE!"

Everything was falling into place. This was just too good to be true. The halfa still didn't know why there was a ringing in his ear, but he figured that it would go away. He had more important things to worry about… like, how quickly he could lead Maddie to his bedroom.

"M-Maddie… You don't know how happy you've made me," he gushed. His eyes nearly brimmed with joyous tears. "You…"

"Oh, Vlad Masters… say that you love me, and I'm yours forever!" She declared as dramatically as any Broadway… or off-Broadway show.

"Yes, I love you Madeline. I love…"

Words overcame him. The man couldn't let his love be known with words anymore. As quickly as he could, he wrapped his arms around the lithesome brunette and kissed her with all his might. He almost felt as if he was floating as they continued to lovingly snog each other in the middle of the doorway. Masters closed his eyes, hoping that the ringing in his ears would cease… but it just didn't. The kiss continued on as everything seemed to swirl into a haze.

Yet, the ringing continued.

"Riiiiiing."

"I love you, Maddie. Kiss"

"Be with me forever, Maddie. Kiss"

"Riiiiiing."

"Golden Grahams! What on Earth is all that…"

"Riiiiiing!"

Vlad Masters woke up in his luxurious bedroom, intent fully on what the heck was interrupting from his passionate embrace with… Maddie?

What the…

Where was Maddie?

The man's mind raced furiously. It must've been hours ago when she was at his doorstep and was professing her love. But, she should be in bed with him. And, what in the heck was…

…and then he figured out what the ringing was all about.

The silver-haired man gritted his teeth until it absolutely hurt, reached over to his nightstand, and flung his alarm clock clear across the room, making a nice dent in the wall. Undoubtedly, he had another dream of his lost love… but this one felt so freaking real...

The man hung his head low. If only he could sleep forever…

End of Chapter Two.

I feel sorry for the Vlad-man. He's got money coming out the wazoo, for God sake! What woman wouldn't want him, least of all Maddie?

Answers? Comments? Questions about why it took me a year to finish a chapter? Review!