A/N: Companion piece to 'Memories'. Can be read without reading that story though.

Rating: T

Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom.


44. Two Roads

He was sitting in his comfortable chair in his library for the last time, surrounded by his books on the shelves that ran up all the way to the ceiling. It was dark in here, the only light coming from the powerful lamp next to his chair that lit the book on his lap. He wasn't looking at it though, he had looked at that particular page in that particular book too often in the last twenty-five years, he knew exactly what was there.

Instead, he gazed at the huge fireplace across the room, careful to look only at the bottom part of it, not wanting to look at the huge painting of himself that hung right above it. He couldn't bear to look at himself anymore and he knew it was time to end it all.

The door opened softly and a dark figure entered, carrying a pile of books. Vlad tore his gaze from the fireplace and forced himself to look at the boy. Not a boy anymore, a man now. A very powerful man.

"You sent for me, father?"

His voice was quiet, polite, obedient and Vlad knew he was totally loyal to him, willing to lay down his life for him if necessary. He placed the books carefully on the desk and then stood quietly to attention, awaiting Vlad's command as always, his hands clasped behind his back, his feet planted firmly on the thick carpet, about a foot apart. Perfect balance. It still amazed Vlad that the clumsy boy had achieved that.

"Have you spoken to your mother?"

Daniel nodded. "She'll be here shortly."

Vlad avoided his eyes, those eyes that had been so full of life five years ago, blazing with rage at his capture, defying him even after he had tortured the boy, beaten him into obedience. They were dead now, void of any emotion even when he killed. This was one of Vlad's greatest accomplishments, the turning of Danny Fenton, the ghost boy and super hero Danny Phantom, into Daniel Masters, perfectly groomed in his black dress pants, short black hair, long sleeved shirt that covered the scars on his wrists. That was what the outside world saw, a well behaved, intelligent young man, heir to his estate and the DALV company. Ruthless, like his father.

The door opened again and Maddie Masters entered, nervously moving her hands over her dark blue dress, but with that perpetual half smile on her face. She walked closer and stood still next to her son, who was now at least a head taller than she was. Vlad saw her eyes flicker in pain for a moment when she glanced at Daniel, but it was gone instantly and she looked back at him, trying to look adoring.

"You asked to see me, cupcake?" she asked sweetly.

His second accomplishment. Maddie Fenton had become Maddie Masters four years ago, after her husband died in a freak accident in the lab under their house. An accident he had orchestrated, no, Daniel had orchestrated. The boy had already been in his hands for a year at that time, undergoing a rigorous training both physical and mental. Vlad had squashed the boy's personality, tore him apart at the seams and then rebuilt him according to his own liking, his own image. His son.

It had taken some convincing and applying pressure, not only from him but also from Daniel, to get Maddie to marry him, but all she had wanted at that time was to be with her son, not realizing how much the boy had changed. How he had been... destroyed.

Vlad looked at the pair standing quietly before him, the young man waiting patiently, ignoring his mother as always, the woman fretting, trying to hide her fear. It had taken a long time for Vlad to realize that this wasn't what he wanted, that he had made a wrong decision, that he should never have come down this road.

"I'm going away for a while," he said and he studied their reaction to that.

He had never left them for more than a day in the last few years and even when he did, he checked up on them. He could never bring himself to trust them completely, even though he knew they wouldn't try anything.

It pained him to see the relief wash over Maddie's face and then her struggle to keep it inside, to not show it. Daniel's eyes flickered for a moment, but he remained quiet, his face expressionless. Vlad sighed, closed the college yearbook on his lap and placed it on the small table next to the chair. He stood up, walked to the fireplace and pulled the candle on the right side of it, causing the fireplace to slide sideways and revealing the stairs that led down to his lab.

"I'm sorry."

He spoke these last words without turning around, slowly descending the stairs, the sound of his footsteps echoing in the long hallway. The secret door closed behind him and he knew he would never see them again, even though their image was burned onto his retina. He blinked, forcing away the tears that suddenly tried to leak out of his eyes, furious that he'd let his emotions get the better of him for a moment.

The lab was empty and apart from the humming of the different computers and the ghost equipment being charged, quiet. His ghost portal was open, as always, since no ghost dared to enter his castle uninvited. Well, except for Klemper of course. He transformed as he closed in on the portal and in one fluid motion went through it, entering the swirling green of the ghost zone.

Without wasting time he set out course to the one ghost that could help him undo the mess he had made of not only his life, but also that of Maddie and Daniel, Clockwork. He had gone to see him a week ago, when he had come to realize he was at a dead end, that the road he had chosen was the wrong one, that he would never have what he wanted the most: Maddie's and Daniel's love. All he had was her fear and his dead eyed loyalty and only on the outside they seemed like a happy family.

The eerie glowing and swirling of the ghost zone passed him by, seemingly endless and confusing to anybody who didn't know his way around. Vlad didn't need a map, he had been there so many times he could probably find his way blindfolded and it wasn't long before he reached the more remote, empty part of the ghost zone that contained the strange castle that was Clockwork's liar.

He landed softly in front of it and then hesitated for a moment. Was he really ready go give it all up? Before he could get his confused mind in order however, the huge door opened, inviting him to come in. Of course Clockwork knew he had arrived, after all, the ancient ghost of time knew everything.

Quickly, before he could change his mind, he entered and swiftly walked to the center of the castle, passing the huge gears and dials, towards the swirling gray mirrors that allowed the time master to view all that was, is and could have been. The possibilities were endless and again Vlad felt the surge of jealousy go through him when he neared the floating form of an old man with glowing red eyes, a large staff in his hands with a clock on top of it. He knew better than to act on it though.

"Hello Vlad, come to tell me your decision?"

The old man shifted to a child and then back to a young man, making Vlad feel slightly uncomfortable. He suspected that Clockwork did it on purpose, to emphasize his antiquity and wisdom.

"I.. I have a condition," Vlad said, silently cursing himself for stuttering.

Clockwork smiled.

"I know," he said, "You wish to see what will become of them."

Vlad steeled himself. "Yes. Or no deal."

Clockwork studied him for a moment, as if trying to gauge whether he was up to it.

"Very well."

The time master turned around and pointed his staff to one of the mirrors, causing it to clear instantly. Vlad drifted closer and squinted at it, trying to discern what it was he saw.

He could see a park, enclosed with three and four story buildings, some sort of campus. Amity Park Community College, he realized as he recognized the place. People were walking on the paths, mostly in pairs, chatting quietly, happily. But his eyes were drawn almost immediately to a lone figure crossing the grass, dressed all in black and carrying a battered backpack that seemed to be filled with books. He was looking at the ground and Vlad couldn't see his face, because his long black hair hung in front of it, yet he knew that this was Danny Fenton. The alternate Danny Fenton.

He studied the young man coming closer to where he was watching, frowning. This was what would become of Daniel if he changed the way things would go? This sloppy, skinny figure with long hair, not even closely resembling the powerful, confident, strong being he created, but a punk? He looked disapprovingly at the tattered combat boots and the spiked wristbands. Then he realized what those wristbands were covering and he winced.

"Scarred for life," he thought, then, "I caused that."

Vlad stepped back automatically when Danny came very close to the point from where he was viewing him, but the boy stopped before he could pass him by and looked up. To Vlad's dismay he looked tired and worn out, his eyes bloodshot and haunted, his expression grim. He was about to speak up, to tell the ghost of time that the deal was off when he saw Clockwork raise his hand to silence him, as if he already knew what Vlad was going to say.

Vlad closed his mouth and continued to watch the scene unfold. Danny appeared to be looking around, scanning the area, searching for something and then suddenly everything changed.

A strange looking van came into view, adorned with a satellite dish and several odd looking protrusions which would look eccentric to the innocent onlooker, but were recognized by Vlad as being an array of ghost weapons. It stopped and Vlad was not surprised to see Maddie jumping out from behind the wheel. If Jack had been driving, the arrival would not have been as quiet.

Danny waved and smiled, lighting up his face and the tired look was gone. He walked over to his mother and hugged her briefly, then pulled a Fenton thermos from his backpack and handed it to her, saying something Vlad couldn't hear and gesturing towards the buildings to their right. Maddie nodded, reached into the car and handed him a new thermos. Danny looked at his watch, gave her a hurried kiss for which, Vlad noticed, he had to bend down and took off in a slow jog, his backpack awkwardly bouncing on his back.

Maddie stared after him and Vlad thought she looked worried, but happy. Then the image faded away, leaving only a slow swirling white fog. He closed his eyes and let the image sink in for a moment, before turning to Clockwork.

"Well?"

Vlad let out an angry growl, irritated by the smug tone of voice from the ancient ghost.

"You know everything. So you know my decision as well. I cannot go down this road again."

Another wave of Clockwork's staff showed another image in the mirror, frozen in time. The same image Clockwork had shown him a week ago, when he had first come to him for advice. He saw himself, five years ago, standing in the doorway of Danny's room, a surprised and frightened look on his face. On the other side of the room was Danny, glowing, sweating, looking frightening in his attempt to free himself from the wristbands Vlad used to control him with in the beginning of his capture. He had managed to get one off already, leaving a deep burn wound on his wrist and Vlad thought he could actually see bone shining through.

He knew what had happened after that. He had run over to his son, had grabbed his wrists and had yelled at him to stop hurting himself. The boy had broken down and collapsed against him, sobbing, saying he was sorry, he loved him, called him father. From that moment on, everything had been easy. In retrospect, this had been the beginning of the end. According to Clockwork, this was the pivotal moment, this was where the change had to be made. Danny Fenton must be allowed to escape.

"You know what to do."

It wasn't a question and Vlad nodded. Two black rings appeared around his waist, transforming him back to his vulnerable human form. He turned from the image to face Clockwork and his eyes widened in fear when he saw the scythe coming at him, the time ghost's face set in an evil grin. A blinding pain, then nothing.


He stood in the doorway, looking at his son in fear and was about to rush to him to stop him when a thought hit him.

"Don't!"

It stopped him cold and the fear he had up until then been suppressing, washed over him like a tidal wave, making him step back involuntarily. He felt the boy grow more powerful, accessing, feeding from his fear and he knew he was now unable to stop him.

The blast hit him hard and he flew out of the room into the hallway, coming to a full stop against the wall opposing the door to Danny's room. Consciousness was fading away and as he smelled his burned skin and singed clothes, one last fleeting memory of his decision flared. He'd taken the second road now, the one that would deprive him of his son, the love of his life and would ultimately claim his life.

It was a price worth paying.