Danny looked at Vlad for a moment, sky blue eyes meeting twilight blue. Then Danny looked down to their hands and Vlad smiled as the boy's face exploded into a deep blush. Danny pulled his hand away, folding it with the other in his lap, staring down.

Vlad laughed and ruffled the boy's hair. "Hey, so why don't you stay for dinner?" Vlad suggested, his smile inviting and his heart racing. He felt giddy.

"Dinner?" Danny asked, and then glanced out the window. "It is a bit late, isn't it?" Danny looked to Vlad, who had stood from the couch and headed into the kitchen. Danny quickly stood and followed.

"Yes, and you did suggest we do dinner again sometime," Vlad pointed out with a smirk, waggling in pointer finger.

"I did not," Danny huffed, but from the irritated blush on his face, Vlad knew he remembered well. "Fine, but I'll help this time. You know, just so you don't feel tempted to sneak some rat poison into my bowl."

Vlad chuckled as he shrugged off his black suit jacket and draped it over the back of the kitchen table chair. He buttoned his cuffs and carefully followed his sleeves up to his elbows. He looked to Danny, who had been watching Vlad carefully, almost awkwardly. He was staring at Vlad's hands.

Vlad smirked and put a hand to the boy's head, pushing back slightly so the boy would look up at him. "Focus Daniel. Breathe, it's just us here. Just two halfas, cooking dinner together. Not Plasmius and Phantom, or Masters and Fenton. Just Vlad and Danny. We know each other, no need to seem so put out."

Danny nodded with a weak smile. "Right. So, what should I do! I've never actually cooked, except to help my mom bake a cake once for Jasmine's eighteenth birthday."

Vlad walked over to the pantry and pulled out two aprons. He wrapped one securely around his slim waist and tossed Danny the other one. Danny grabbed it deftly and looked at it. He scowled and turned it so Vlad could read the large red block letterings that spelled out KISS THE COOK.

"Really?" Danny deadpanned, quirking an eyebrow as Vlad smirked, trying not to laugh. He walked over and took the apron, slipping it over Danny's head and then reaching his arms around to tie the strings behind Danny's back. Vlad smirked down at the boy.

"I think it's cute," Vlad said, finding Danny in his baking apron entirely endearing. He was tempted to follow the word's instructions and lean down, but contented himself with ruffling the soft black hair. "Go to the refrigerator and pull out the meat I left in there. I believe pork chops, sweet potatoes and carrots would be a nice dinner, don't you think?"

Danny smiled as he went over to the fridge. "I love sweet potatoes."

Vlad hid a small smile as he got to work getting all the materials. "Yes, I know."

…

"Here, hold it like this," Vlad said, having glanced at Danny struggling to peel the potatoes. The vegetable kept slipping from the boy's hands and Vlad kept wincing, scared the ghost boy would eventually cut himself.

"I know how to—" Danny began but cut off when Vlad stood behind him and reached around, his larger hands covering Danny's slightly smaller ones.

"Hold it this way, you'll have a better grip," Vlad muttered in Danny's ear. "And cut firm and quick, away from you." Vlad moved their right hands in unison, peeling the potato efficiently, small slices of brown skin neatly falling to the counter. Vlad kept up the motions for a few more minutes, his cheek touching the boy's cheek just barely.

When Vlad figured Danny would grasp the motions better, he stopped and straightened up, not completely releasing the boy yet. "There, think you can manage on your own now?" Vlad glanced to Danny with a smirk but faltered slightly when he saw the boy's face was a deep red. "Daniel? You okay?" Vlad asked, leaning forward slightly.

Danny flinched away, staring down at the potato and slicer in his hands. "Fine, I can handle slicing some potatoes." Vlad noticed a slight tremor in the boy's hands but he was peeling the potatoes much more securely. Vlad nodded.

"Afterwards, cut them into cubes and put them in this bowl. Then I'll show you how to prepare the meat and we'll see where your cooking skills lie, in comparison to your…mediocre fighting abilities."

"Hey, my fighting abilities are top, I've kicked your old ass plenty of times before!" Danny argued, his face returning to its normal pinkish hue.

"You do realize that I've never actually fought you like a true adversary right?" Vlad countered with a smirk.

"Wait wait, what are you trying to say?" Danny asked suspiciously. "You never considered me a real threat!?"

Vlad laughed. "Oh no, Daniel, don't misunderstand me. You're very strong and sometimes you can be a threat. But I just never fought with everything I had before, not against you, not like I would someone I actually wanted to kill. Most times I'm just trying to gage out where your level has gotten to, observing what you've learn so far, or testing you."

"So why don't you stop messing around, and let's have a real fight?" Danny asked, a daring smile on his face and his blue eyes going acid green. Vlad looked to the boy, to the band aid on his cheek and merely shook his head.

"As fun as that would be, I gave you my word, and I am nothing if not a man of my word," Vlad said with an air of pride, chin raised.

"Right," Danny said with a roll of his eyes, finishing peeling the last potato. "Like a chivalrous knight or valiant gentleman. My hero."

Vlad smiled as Danny began cutting up the potatoes, his heart fluttering lightly at the domesticity of the scene. The teasing conversations, the casual touches, the air of home Vlad felt right now, for the first time in too many years. He couldn't resist reaching out once more to gently ruffle the boy's hair before getting to work with dinner, reveling in the simple fact that Danny didn't shake off those touches.

…

The two sat at the table, Vlad's eyebrows scrunched together in concerned amusement and Danny's face twisted into an irritated red blotch of embarrassment. They stared down at the plates of food before them, mainly constructed by Danny with the aid of Vlad's advice.

"Well, as they say, never judge a book by its cover," Vlad began awkwardly, picking up his silverware. "It might not taste as bad as it looks, but we'll never know just sitting here." Vlad cut into the meat and took a bite. He chewed and cringed slightly, forcing a smile to his face. Danny, who had been watching expectantly, turned even redder, which couldn't have been healthy, and looked very much like he wanted to turn invisible and sink into the floor. Considering that it was possible, Vlad was surprised the boy didn't do just that. "It's not that—"

Danny stuck his hand into his pants pocket, pulling out a worn looking black wallet. "I've got about thirty dollars from allowance money. It's not a lot but it should be enough to pay for Chinese maybe, or we could drive to—"

Vlad held up a hand, already cutting into the meal on his plate with patience. "Its fine Daniel, put your wallet away." Vlad looked down at the food Danny had made with his own hands, that Danny and Vlad had essentially made together. Vlad smiled and ate another piece of the tough, slightly overcooked pork chop. It was delicious. "It's edible Daniel, no need to let it go to waste. It's only your first time preparing a meal, I didn't expect it to be five star."

Vlad continued eating quietly, focusing on the food instead of the boy across form him. "The potatoes turned out pretty good, actually," Vlad commented.

"You cooked those, I just peeled them and cut them up," Danny murmured, his fork poking at the food.

"But looked how wonderfully you cut them, into perfect little squares!" Vlad exclaimed with a laugh, managing to pull a light eye-roll from the teenager. "Daniel, I know you wanted to show off, but I'm proud and you did well."

Danny looked up to Vlad and then down at his food. "It wasn't like I was trying to impress you or anything…"

Vlad smiled warmly. "Of course not."

The two finished their dinners quietly, Vlad clearing the table once they were done. "For dessert, we can bake a cake if you like, since apparently you at least have some experience in that," Vlad suggested with a smirk, putting the dirty dishes into the sink. "We can stop by the store quickly, and you can pick out chocolate or vanilla and whatever frosting you—"

"Actually, I was going to head home," Danny said awkwardly, scratching his head. "Not that this wasn't fun but…well it's late and…"

Vlad paused, his arms in his suit jacket. He continued pulling it on after a moment, buttoning the bottom and smoothing it out, keeping his face neutral.

Stupid, so stupid…Vlad was getting carried away. This was nice. More than nice, it was good. Very good, but it didn't really mean anything. Danny wasn't his friend; the suspicions were still there. Things were better, yes, and Vlad felt good about how things were progressing. But he couldn't spend the whole night with Danny as though this were normal, he couldn't just drive to the store and pick out cake mix and bake in the kitchen together and then sit and eat and watch TV and then head to bed like—

"Right, of course, of course!" Vlad said, shaking his head. "Silly me, you're what, sixteen? You must have a curfew still, poor boy." Vlad put a hand to Danny's back, guiding the boy to the door. "Now, this has been fun, thank you very much for…coming by to talk. A poor old man like me can get lonely so it's nice to have company every now and then." Vlad paused, his hand on the doorknob. He tightened his grip, afraid to ask but needing to none the less. "If it's not too much of an inconvenience Daniel, perhaps we could do something like this regularly."

Danny's eyes widened slightly as he stared up at Vlad. He quirked an eyebrow, lowering his chin. "You mean…suffering through my horrible cooking?"

Vlad laughed. "I simply mean spending time together. I already told you that I'm no longer taking the role of villain in your life. So instead I'd wish to make a different role for myself. I think spending time together like this would help. I know it would definitely improve your skills in the kitchen."

Danny kept his eyes trained to Vlad's, once again searching. Vlad sighed. "I guess what I'm saying Little Badger, is that I'd like to start over with you."

Three different emotions flashed over the ghost boy's face—surprise, confusion, suspicion—until he closed his eyes and sighed, an unreadable emotion in the boy's blue eyes when he opened them again. "That would be nice, Vlad. Really."

Vlad smiled, his heart jumping and his mind racing. All the things they could do together now! Not only would he be able to teach Danny the finer points in cooking, but he could tutor Danny in any classes he was having trouble in, finally train him with his ghost powers, they could see movies together and find out what kinds of movies they liked, or take flies through the ghost zone, filling in the missing pieces of Danny's electronic Inifimap—

"But." The word shot straight through Vlad's thoughts and sunk deep. Danny fixed Vlad with a hard stare. "We have too much in common."

Vlad's confusion was evident, but he articulated, "Huh?"

"You can't let go of the past, and neither can I."

Vlad felt the words like a knife in the chest, twisted and piercing.

"Daniel, our situations are—"

"Different?" Danny asked. "No, they're not. Not really. I'd love to…" Danny sighed, shaking his head. He looked regretful and irritated. He shot a glare at Vlad. "I'd love to be closer to you Vlad, really! Tucker said it himself, that having you as an ally would be great, especially for learning new things and having someone to talk to that's experienced in this ghost stuff, and that doesn't want to kill me! You're a scary enemy but you'd make an amazing ally, and even so, just hanging out with you without the ghost stuff isn't bad. You're …a cool guy, when you're not being a total ass. And even though I believe you when you say you're not scheming anything, I just can't let go of what you did."

Vlad blinked, his mouth dry. "Daniel, I don't expect…I mean, despite my feelings towards your father, they don't affect how I feel about you." Vlad's voice was low, not so much pleading as it was imploring. "What your father did destroyed my life, but I've never done something that irreversible to you, have I?"

"What my dad did during your accident was just that…an accident! But what you did to me and my friends and my family, you did that willingly, with intent! So yes, I suppose it is different and yes, in a way it is irreversible because your actions were so much worse! Because you lost all my trust. If you still hate my parents, if you still can't forget something that happened twenty years ago, then how can I believe you really changed!? I mean, what if one day my dad says something stupid and because you still hate him so much, you snap and try something! What if because I defend him, you get angry at me and break your promise to never fight me? You're just as reckless as me, just as hot-tempered. You used to be predictable though, I knew you were always up to something, knew I couldn't trust you, knew you were the enemy. Now… now I don't know where we stand together, don't know what to expect from you anymore. At all. God Vlad…" Danny ran his fingers in hair, irritation evident in his angry eyes. "I just wish…I really wish…I could trust you."

Vlad's hand dropped from the doorknob. He stared at Danny, not sure what he was feeling at this moment. Danny stared back, apparently waiting for Vlad to say something, do something, anything. But when Vlad did nothing but stare, Danny dropped his gaze. "I'm sorry," Danny said. The teen looked about ready to say something else, but closed his mouth and looked to the door. "I'll see ya."

Danny reached for the door and opened it, making Vlad step back a few feet to allow him to leave.

Say something! Come on, Vladimir, don't let him go! Say something, stop him, DO SOMETHING!

Vlad stood there, and watched as Danny left, rooted to the spot by some deep sense of loss, and stubbornness. The door closed, and Danny was gone.

Moments passed, minutes, and finally Vlad stepped forward and collapsed, his knees hitting hard on the floor, his forehead thumping against the wooden door. "Fudge buckets!" Vlad hissed, hitting his fist against the wall. What was he supposed to do!

Every encounter he felt closer to Danny, closer still to happiness and yet it felt as though he were always taking one step forward and three steps back! What was he doing wrong!?

Vlad shut his eyes and shook his head, knowing perfectly well what he was doing wrong. Danny had spelled it out for him, plain and simple. A sixteen year old…explaining to me the main issue in our complex, otherwise impossible, relationship.

It's Jack. It's always Jack! Vlad felt the anger rising, like it always did when he thought about that oaf. The memory of pain, of fear, and the years of boiling rage, of bitter regret. He ruins everything! He ruined my life, took away my chances with Maddie and NOW he's ruining my relationship with Daniel!

Vlad's core heated and he saw red, felt his forked tongue hissing against a pair of razor fangs. His fault…all his fault…it's always him, he ruins everything!

I'LL KILL HIM!

"Stop, before you ruin everything."

Vlad hissed, rising gracefully to glare at the mirror in the hall with piercing red eyes.

"He's already ruined everything!" Vlad bellowed. "All my misfortune, all my suffering, all the things that were taken from me…it's all because of Jack Fenton!"

"No, Vlad Masters, it's because of you."

"No!"

"Yes," the spirit said, her voice as calm as ever. "Look at yourself."

Vlad watched as the spirit faded from view, her solid blue eyes disappearing, the fog clearing until Vlad only saw his own reflection in the mirror. Saw the pointed ears, sickly blue skin, black hair like horns and fangs like a beast. Red eyes like a demon. He hadn't even felt himself change.

"He did this…he made me like this—"

"No, Vlad!" Despite her not being visible, the spirit's voice was strong. "Jack Fenton made you half ghost, yes. But you turned yourself into a monster. You ignored their calls and their invites, you turned to trickery and thievery to gain your wealth, you allowed yourself to become so consumed by your bitterness and hatred that all you can see is red when you think of Jack Fenton. That's why you're eyes are solid red now instead of the glowing blue they originally were, that's why your skin is blue and sinister, it's because of the evil that seeped from your heart when the ectoplasm ravaged your body, now living within Plasimus' core."

Vlad shook his head, shutting his eyes, the words like needles in his ears, making him angrier, making it harder to think. It wasn't his fault, it couldn't be all his fault!

"You need to face yourself, look deep inside yourself and accept it all, face the truth before you can ever hope to gain acceptance from others."

"There you go again, telling me about myself, about what I need and what I want! I know it all!" Vlad yelled, glaring at the mirror despite no longer seeing the spirit there. He was merely yelling at himself. "I'm not to blame! I will have it all!"

"Then you need to let go—"

"I won't! It's all I have, all that's left!"

"If you want Daniel—"

"I don't!"

"You do. You love him."

"I…" Vlad blinked and shook his head, snarling like an animal, like a beast straining against the restraints that bound him. "I don't know! I don't know, I don't know!"

"You have trouble seeing into yourself, trouble compromising and facing your own problems and inner demons…" the spirit said calmly, her voice cool as steel. She appeared in the mirror once again, obscuring Vlad's vision of himself. Vlad let out a breath, a sound like a cry of relief or a cry of anguish. "Many have had similar problems but yours…" The solid blue eyes seemed to see through Vlad momentarily. "Yours are bigger, and much worse. It's time you finally faced them Vlad. It's the only way. I wish you luck."

The mist vanished, as did the spirit, once again leaving Vlad staring at himself, breathing heavily. He glared at the mirror momentarily, opening his mouth to ask the mirror a question, but paused, red eyes widening when he saw something in the mirror behind him. A dark figure.

Vlad quickly turned, expecting it to be gone but there it stood.

"You…" Vlad growled, the sound low in his throat. "Who are you? You've been following me around for some time now, a shadow on my wall."

The shadow didn't speak or move, simply a dark figure in the dim hallway. My ghost senses aren't going off…is this thing even a spirit…? Vlad wondered. He clenched his fists, a dull pink emitting from his fingers. Well, whatever this thing is…it's about to wish it hadn't appeared to me today!

Vlad barely tensed in order to raise his arms, when the shadow moved forward, one arm reaching out with blurred movements, gripping Vlad's forehead in a tight grip. Vlad reached up to try and dislodge the grip but the shadow's other hand shot out and grabbed Vlad's hand.

"What are you—"

Two familiar red eyes opened towards the top of the shadow and a fanged mouth opened. A bright pink glow emitted from Vlad's chest suddenly, and Vlad heard a sharp inhale. The pink aura began flowing away from Vlad and into the shadow's mouth.

Vlad's eyes widened and he struggled, a pain erupting in the very center of his chest, like hooks in his heart were trying to pull it free, ripping and yanking. Vlad screamed and thrashed, feeling his energy diminishing as a steady stream of pink mist flow from him into the shadow's gaping mouth.

"Stop!" Vlad shouted and released a burst of energy, which felt like Vlad were ripping all the hooks out, leaving him reeling in pain, but it had managed to push the shadow creature away. Vlad leaned against the wall, huffing heavily, putting a hand to his chest. He wasn't injured, and the pain dulled to an internal ache, leaving him hollow.

That thing…was it just eating my core energy…?

Vlad looked to the creature before him, eyes widening as he noticed features he hadn't before. Horn like spikes on the head…movement like a cape…red eyes and fangs…

It looked like a shadow duplicate of Plasmius.

"What the hell…" Vlad muttered, eyes wide. The creature moved and Vlad flinched, but the shadow merely turned and fazed out of the front door.

Vlad stood there, stunned. It just left? What was that thing? Why did it look like me?

Slumping to the ground, Vlad let the black rings circle him, feeling the relief of blood and warmth and a heartbeat wash over him, erasing the ache of his injured core.

Where had that thing come from? What was it? Vlad glanced to the door, glad it was gone, but curiosity peaked.

He sighed, trying to catch his breath when he suddenly realized, "Danny!" Vlad stood up, jumping into the air and transforming, immediately jetting out of the house. That thing might be after any ghost in town, and Danny's got such an eye for trouble! Vlad thought panicked. If that thing catches hold of him, it may very well suck out all the life force in his core! Vlad wasn't exactly sure what that would mean for a half ghost, but he didn't want to find out on Danny.

Vlad searched the town, but because he couldn't sense the shadow creature, he wasn't sure where it had flown off to. Vlad growled in frustration and headed towards Fenton Works.

If that creature finds Danny first, Danny will recognize it and think it's me! The thought suddenly popped into Vlad's mind as he neared the Fenton home. I can't let that happen! I need to protect him!

Plasmius rounded a corner and paused. The shadow was there, and it was fighting Danny!

"No!" Vlad shouted and rushed forward. He reached out and grabbed the shadow, slamming it into the building across the street.

"Plasmius!" Danny called. "What's going on?"

Vlad looked over his shoulder and floated over to Danny. "Daniel, that creature is not me, or anything I've done! I promise, I have no idea what—"

Danny disappeared as Vlad was grabbed and slammed to the street below. The shadow pinned Vlad's arms, its mouth opening and Vlad's pink aura rising and trailing into the shadow. Pain erupted inside Vlad. He tried to bite his lip, feeling a wetness as his fangs pierced his blue lip. He wouldn't scream in front of Danny. He needed to be strong!

"Hey! Stop, let him go!" A green blast sent the shadow away from Vlad, who rolled over, gripping his midsection and gasping for breath. He felt dizzy, stumbling to his feet. He looked over to see Danny blasting the shadow over and over, a fierceness to his actions.

"Daniel…Daniel, be careful! That thing eats ghost's core energy!" Vlad shouted, but flinched when Danny glanced over at Vlad, resulting in the shadow creature striking out, grabbing Danny by the throat and throwing him at a Fenton Works wall.

Vlad glared at the creature, eyes glowing. The thing looked slightly bigger, the black mass thicker, the red of its eyes brighter. It's getting stronger…

It raced forward and grabbed Danny before the boy could fall to the ground. It pinned him by the neck and Vlad watched as a bright green mist left the boy's chest and entered the shadow. Vlad's stomach roiled and his blood turned cold when Danny shut his eyes and began screaming.

"No!" Vlad shouted, racing forward but the shadow was suddenly in front of him. But it was also still feeding from Danny. It can duplicate!?

This clone shadow reached out and a clawed hand attacked, deep scratches lining Vlad's abdomen. It struck and struck, sometimes hitting when Vlad was too slow. What is this thing!?

"AHHH!" Danny screamed, struggling against the shadow. Vlad glanced to Danny, but that moment of distraction was enough for the clone to attack, grabbing Vlad, wrapping around Vlad like a python, squeezing and squeezing.

Vlad felt those hooks inside him again, felt that agonizing pull as the shadow fed, eating away at his essence. No no no…Vlad struggled, flexing and pushing but he felt his energy draining, felt his strength fading. I can't fail him…I can't let him down, not now…

"Hey! You ecto-freaks better stay away from my home, or there'll be trouble!"

For the first time in Vlad's life since the accident, Vlad was grateful to hear the overly excited voice of Jack Fenton. Vlad forced his eyes open in time to see Jack shoot the shadow feeding from Danny. Phantom didn't move, merely fell to the ground.

A second shot would have hit Vlad in the chest, but instead hit the clone that was wrapped around him. Vlad sighed in relief, hurrying to the ground and towards Danny.

"Daniel? Danny!" Vlad called, putting his hand to Danny's shoulder and shaking lightly. He could have cried with joy when Danny groaned and opened his eyes, sitting up and rubbing his chest.

"Ugh…Vlad, what—what happened?" Danny murmured, looking up. "Mom! Dad!" He immediately covered his mouth but his parents hadn't heard so he continued watching quietly. Vlad turned and watched as Jack and Maddie fought the shadows. "Wait there's two of those things now? What are they? My ghost sense didn't go off when it arrived. And why do they look like—"

Danny cut off at a sharp cry. Maddie had been grabbed by one of the shadows and lifted into the air.

"Maddie!" Jack and Vlad called, just as Danny cried, "Mom!"

Vlad and Danny rose into the fight, Vlad blasting the clone and Danny catching his mother, who had dropped from the creature's grip. Vlad fought the clone, moving fast despite his soreness. He couldn't let up for even a moment. If this thing grabbed him, it'd only get stronger. The main shadow, that had been feasting on Phantom's core, was nearly three times bigger now, not effected by the blasts from Jack, Maddie and Danny.

Vlad focused on the beast before him. "What are you?" Vlad hissed, dodging a clawed attack.

"You have trouble seeing into yourself, facing your own problems and inner demons…" the mirror spirit had said. "Many have had similar problems but yours…Yours are bigger, and much worse. It's time you finally faced them Vlad. It's the only way. I wish you luck."

Is that was she had been talking about…? Vlad thought, blasting the clone away for a moment. "I had thought she was being metaphorical…not literal!"

Vlad looked to the larger shadow, a monster of a creature, a shadow of himself. Is this all my bitterness…all my anger and hatred…? The shadow didn't speak, only hissed and growled, attacking and fighting, red eyes terrible and fanged mouth gaping, greedy and selfish and angry. It may have been the mirror's doing…but somehow all the anguish I've felt…all those repressed emotions have materialized into…

Danny was suddenly hit, thrown away from Jack and Maddie's side, crashing to the streets below. The clone noticed and ignored Vlad, flitting towards Danny. "Oh no you don't," Vlad growled and raced after it.

"Jack!" Vlad paused briefly, looking back towards the others at Maddie's terrified cry. Her hood had fallen off, her hair wild around her and a cut on one cheek. Jack was struggling under the weight of the grand monster's hand, the hunter reaching desperately for his weapon that had been thrown just out of reach.

"Ahhh!" Vlad looked to see the clone had reached Danny, the green mist feeding into it. Vlad grabbed his cape and whipped it around himself, teleporting down by Danny. He roared with anger, a blaring pink blast knocking the clone from Danny. He looked down to see the boy's left shoulder revealed, the suit torn and a green liquid flowing from a deep wound. Green ectoplasm trailed down from his nose, and his white hair was dusty with debris.

"Daniel, stay with me, it's okay," Vlad soothed, putting his hand under Danny's head and lifting him up into a sitting position.

"Vlad…my parents…" Danny groaned, his green eyes wide and shining as he searched them out. He saw them over Vlad's shoulder. "No!"

Vlad turned and saw the monster shadow cornering them, both hunters without their weapons and badly injured. "Does it only feed off ghost energy? W-what if it does something else to humans?" Danny voice was high as he tried to rise. Vlad held him down. "Let me go! I have to help them!"

Vlad created his own clone but the pull on his core hurt deeply. Just then, the clone of the shadow appeared again, bigger from its feast. It raced down towards the two halfas.

"Protect them!" Vlad shouted at his clone, just as he turned and covered Danny with his body. The clone of the shadow latched onto him, sinking its fangs into Vlad's shoulder. Vlad screamed as it fed from him, his core feeling like it was being pulled apart, stretching and ripping, like claws tearing everything inside him.

Vlad tasted the acidic ecto-plasm in his mouth, heard the echo in his ears of screaming, saw only red and pain in his eyes.

Vlad opened his eyes as his body got heavier, as the pain consumed him. He saw Danny below him, cut and bruised and bleeding, his mouth open as though he were screaming something but Vlad couldn't hear any of it. He was just happy the ghost boy was alive.

Vlad felt his energy slipping away, and felt the black rings circle him, turning his ghost form human. He was immediately released and thrown to the side, landing harshly on the concrete, his head hitting the curb and his vision going black.

…

"Vlad! No, Vlad!" Danny screamed, watching as Vlad's pink aura was consumed and absorbed into the shadow creature, as pink ecto-plasm leaked from Vlad's lips and from his chest and from the wound where the beast's fangs pierced his blue skin. Vlad's red eyes opened and stared down at Danny, a small smile spreading over pink stained lips before he slipped into his human form.

The shadow clone hissed and pulled away, throwing Vlad to the side. Before it could now begin feasting on Danny, the ghost boy's eyes turned an icy blue and he hit the shadow with a frozen blast, blowing it away.

"Mom, dad!" Danny cried, looking over to see Vlad's clone, which had a pink energy shield around itself, Jack and Maddie, disappear as Vlad apparently lost consciousness. Danny glanced to Vlad's still form but raced to his parents. "Stay back!" Danny demanded, landing in front of Jack and Maddie, between them and the monster.

"Ghost boy! We don't need your protection!" Danny groaned and turned to see Maddie glaring at him. She had a large bruise on her forehead and a cut on her cheek. Jack was leaning against her heavily, cradling his arm tenderly.

He'd rarely seen them so beat up from a ghost fight, and when they did, his blood boiled and felt scared. These were his parents! They were supposed to be the strong ones, the ones who knew what to do, and had the power to do it. But now, Danny had the power. He had to protect them.

Danny glanced to where Vlad had been thrown but couldn't see him through the debris and the great shadow monster before him. Vlad is the strong one…he better be okay. Please Vlad, be okay!

Danny ignored the shouts from the Fenton hunters; they were in no position to shoot him in the back anyway, especially with a bigger problem rearing up before him. The smaller shadow clone shifted closer and then disappeared. The main ghost got bigger as all the core energy the clone had absorbed went into the main shadow.

Great, Danny thought, not backing down but swallowing uncomfortably. He immediately started a barrage of attacks; ecto-blasts, ecto-energy balls, ecto-dics, even some core ice attacks but the monster was too strong.

It reached out with a hand but Danny narrowly dodged the clawed grip. He stayed where he was. I can't move! I can't leave them! Danny glanced over to see Maddie talking to Jack, assessing injuries and their options.

The distraction was a mistake though. When Danny turned back, the clawed hand was mere feet away. Danny only had time to flinch and throw his arms in front of him, tensing as he expected the sting of attack but when it didn't come, he opened his eyes.

Vlad Masters stood before him, blood pouring from the new wounds on his chest.

"Vlad!"

"Danny…do you trust me?" Vlad asked, groaning as he turned from human to ghost. The black rings stuttered a bit on his chest, as red blood turned lighter, to an inhuman pink. Danny stared at Vlad's back a moment, at a loss for words. "I'm going to over shadow you."

"W-what?" Danny finally said. "H-how would that…" Danny looked around him at the monster, at Vlad, and back at his parents. There was no time!

"Daniel! Do you trust me!" Was Vlad's only answer, his voice bordering on desperate as he barked the question.

Danny paused for only a moment. "Yes."

…

Vlad nodded, staring up at the beast a moment more before turning intangible and floating backwards, sinking into Danny's form. There was a jolt, as their cores touched and then merged. It was like electricity through the body, igniting every nerve ending in a flash, making them energized and alive. It was a warm feeling, intense and heavy.

Vlad tried to move but a pull stopped him. Daniel, you have to trust me. Give me control. Vlad felt Danny's reluctance, his mistrust, his insecurity, and his protectiveness of his parents. Vlad felt it and understood it all. It's alright, Daniel.

Their cores synced up and Vlad was in. He looked down at his white gloved hands, his small young body wrapped in a black suit with a D insignia on the chest. He looked up and noticed a pure white fringe of hair in front of his eyes.

I feel so light…so young. The power this boy possesses without the knowledge to use it; incredible!

Vlad smirked up at the monster with Danny's young face, green eyes shining red with excitement and renewed power. "Now I'll show you how it's done!"

Vlad took a step back to steady himself and inhaled deeply, chest puffed out. He ignited his core energy, Danny's ice core, and released it. A ghostly wail erupted from Danny's mouth, piercing and huge, tinged with the frozen properties.

The shadow creature received a direct hit, his body backing away. Ice slowly formed around its body as the ghostly wail hit again and again, the streets tearing up, windows shattering, dust flying up into the air.

The creature finally stopped moving, its body now solid ice. Vlad stopped the attack and fell from Danny's body.

Danny slumped to his knees and transformed back into a human, exhaustion written all over his face. Vlad nearly followed suit, his body aching, every muscle screaming and his core in a lot of pain. But he held on, for just a bit longer.

He stood straight, glaring at the frozen monster. "This thing…I subconsciously created it. It's a formation of all the bitterness I've held onto, of all the mixed up anger and humiliation and regret." Vlad stepped in front of Danny. "Because of all these blasted feelings, I've lost so many people… hurt so many people. I'm not going to let that happen anymore! I'm not going to let myself be dragged down by all these old feelings anymore!"

Vlad rose, face to face with the frozen shadow. "I'm not going to hurt the only people I've found myself caring for, the only people who've cared about me despite everything I've done." He surged forward, his body trembling with the building power until he was illuminating pink, eyes blazing. "I won't let you hurt my family!"

Vlad blasted straight through the demon creature's head. It glowed for a moment and then burst, sharps of ice shooting out, slush and snow falling to the ground. Vlad fell to the streets, groaning as the black rings slipped around him finally.

I did it. It's over… Vlad thought, as his head lolled to the side. He saw Danny rushing towards him, just before Vlad's lead eyes closed, a small smile forming on his lips. He was so tired, but he'd never felt lighter.

Danny's okay. I'm never going to hurt him again. I swear.

It's all finally over.

Happy Valentine's Day, everyone! ^^

First off, I'd like you say thank you all so much for all the reviews and favorites and follows! Every chapter I get more, and I'm just so happy to have so much support for my very slow build, slow updating story xD You all are so amazing, thank you guys a bunch, really!

Another longish chapter, and so much has happened! This has been a chapter I've had planned and have been excited to write since the beginning. I hoped it turned out alright, I really don't like writing action scenes despite loving the intensity of them. If there's any questions or confusion for a certain part, just ask and I'll try to explain haha

(For a loyal fan, Crooked Conchita Liddell! You're comments always make me smile and see, I managed to get the update for Valentine's Day! 3)

Thanks again so much, leave a review, it would really make my Valentine's Day! Next chapter to be up within the week! Have a great holiday filled with chocolate and hearts and Pompous pep! :)