A/N: I am so sorry for the delay in updating. I actually managed to break my laptop, and I haven't had time to sit at the computer during the day to update. But with summer approaching, I should be updating all my stories more frequently.

And if you're wondering, it is possible to write fan fiction while listening to Young Jeezy

When Danny woke up several hours later, Vlad was in the kitchen debating whether to cook lunch or to order something for them to eat. He found himself feeling very thankful for such a mundane and normal concern to occupy his mind in place of the cruel and unusual topic of the death of one boy's whole family and both his best friends; this new concern was perhaps less normal or reoccurring than those that occupied the average person's brain. But it did not mean that the topic of the death of Daniel's family was completely removed from his thinking. Vlad's initial concern over the Fentons' death was simply Daniel's own well being and state of mind. Now, however he found and it guilted him to realize so, that his concern had shifted from the state of mind of Daniel to his own state of mind.

Initially, the only thing that had pained him was seeing his Daniel in so much emotional pain. Perhaps he'd been so distracted with Daniel that he hadn't realized how much pain he had been in himself. Now, he did not think Daniel-he thought Maddie. The beautiful, beautiful woman he dreamed of making his own, for who's children he longed. And now it seemed to finally set in, the knowledge: Maddie Fenton was dead, and that meant, obviously, that she would never be back. It was something he realized he would need to accept sooner or later, and he thought the sooner the better for both him and Daniel. If he moped around in the pain of losing someone he loved, so would Daniel. If he moved on and looked ahead to better the future, perhaps Daniel would as well.

So as Daniel slept, Vlad sat and allowed himself to grieve. Though he felt such overwhelming sadness, he did not cry. He could not cry. Perhaps it was because he still possessed such resentment that she had chosen Jack over him, but perhaps it was because his heart was so hardened he was incapable of expressing his sadness in such a way. Instead, he grieved her death very silently, his body completely unmoving, his eyes closed and his head down. He sat in the kitchen like this for a very long time. He heard the ticking of the clock on the wall as each minute passed, and after some time, the sound became simply white soon enough, soon after he felt he could accept his loss, his grieving came his reminiscing of her beauty, her smile, her voice, and everything that made him sweat and made his heart beat wildly. And soon, he stood up, smiling, a bit with soft eyes, and began to rummage through the Fentons' kitchen to search for lunch.

Danny came into the kitchen soon after Vlad had finished. His face was flushed, his hair was askew, his eyes were sleepy and confused, and he was visibly disoriented. He fixed his gaze on Vlad lazily.

"Hi," he mumbled, his voice a bit hoarse.

Vlad smiled at him softly. "Hello, little badger. Did you have a nice nap?"

Danny nodded quietly, saying nothing.

"Are you hungry, Daniel?"

"Yes."

"Then, let's have something to eat. Come here and sit down," Vlad said, pointing to a chair that he'd pulled out for him at the kitchen table.

Danny obeyed and slowly came to the kitchen table and lowered himself into the seat Vlad had pulled out for him. He folded his arms on the table and rested his head on them as he sighed exasperatedly. Vlad frowned.

"Danny, what's wrong?"

"Oh, nothing. Just pretty woozy," he sighed.

"Oh. Well, that's to be expected. But you'll feel better after you eat."

"Mm."

"Would you like me to cook lunch, or would you like me to order us something to eat?"

"It's up to you," Danny said expressionlessly.

"Daniel, I want you to choose."

"I'm fine with whatever."

"Come now, little badger. I want you to be satisfied. You don't have to worry about what I'll enjoy, and I certainly will understand if you'd rather order something than have me cook."

Danny paused for a moment, then said, "Actually, can we eat out? I don't want to spend another minute in this hellhole if I don't have to."

"...Well, I suppose that's fine, if you're sure," Vlad said slowly, staring at him inquiringly. "Do you have any idea where you'd like to go?"

"Not really."

"What are you hungry for."

"Food."

Vlad laughed. "Yes, little badger, but what kind of food?"

"As long as the place isn't a fuckin' burger joint, it'll be fine," Danny said suddenly, his face showing strong resentment, though it did not seem to be necessarily directed at Vlad. His lips were snarled in a frown.

Vlad sighed deeply, then reached across the table and laid a gentle hand on Danny's shoulder.

"I wouldn't do that to you."

Danny's face suddenly softened and he looked directly at Vlad. "I know," he said quietly.

In those two small words, Vlad became suddenly aware of how the dynamic between them had shifted for the first time since he'd come here. Daniel, who had once put his guard up at even the sound of his name, was giving himself over to him in these two small but significant words of trust. And while this change felt like such a blessing, Vlad also felt fear being instilled in him rapidly. The realization came to him, the cold truth, as he realized just how powerful death really was. Because, not only did it have the power to change Daniel, the strong-willed and defiant ghost-boy, but it had the power to change him as well, and he had believed, at least, himself to be the strongest being alive. He had gone from greatly resenting and even hating Daniel at times to feeling his heart break at the sight of even the slightest trace of a frown on his face.

This realization was sickening-knowing that there was something strong than he-but still, for Daniel's sake, he forced himself to smile. At first, the smile was completely forced, but when Danny gave him a small smile back, he felt it melt into an easy, natural one, as he remembered that even if Daniel and he had been changed, something good could come of it.

"Well, little badger," Vlad said, still smiling, "since it seems like you'd like a little time away from home, I know the owner of a Japanese restaurant an hour or so out of Amity. How does that sound?"

Danny's smile grew. "Sounds killer."

"...That's a good thing, right?"

Danny dissolved into a fit of laughter and fell out of his chair, clutching his stomach. Vlad watched him with an eyebrow raised.