Edit: 6/5/18: Next wave of grammar fixes and wording tweaks or some scenes altered to avoid cliches. Took out AN question and answer sections.

Hey there everyone! I sure hope I did okay on this chapter. There are a lot of little things here and there mostly to add to the plot. And really it starts off with a lot of Vladdy goodness. I really hope I made his story believable.

*I was researching the Packers so I could know more about Vlad and stuff, when I learned about another team from Wisconsin, called the Wisconsin Badgers. They're a collage team (so they're I guess under the NFL) Anyways I froze and was like... "Oh my gosh. LITTLE BADGER!" I totally think that's why Vlad calls Danny that.

zzz- normal separation

ooo- dream or vision separation (could be a past event of some kind)

Mental thoughts or distant speaking

Some say the world will end in fire,

Some say in ice.

From what I've tasted of desire

I hold with those who favor fire.

But if I had to perish twice,

I think I know enough of hate

To say that for destruction ice

is also great and would suffice. ~ Robert Frost.

zzz

University of Wisconsin. 1986. 12:08 PM.

"Oh, butter biscuits! Don't you Neanderthals have anything better to do!?" Vlad whispered in urgency as he dashed through the halls. He yelped and ducked to make a flying football miss the back of his head. "This is so bogus!"

"Come back here, nerd!"

Vlad grumbled before his eyes locked onto Jack's large figure gesturing to the closet he was hiding in. Vlad dipped around the corner as fast as he could before slamming the door behind him.

"Where'd he go?"

"What a loser. I mean is he trying to look like a cornchip or what!?"

"Ha aha ha! You said it, man."

Once the bullies' voices faded, Jack immediately tugged on the cord to get light in the small room.

"Hey there V-man! Saw they were totally baggin' on you, so I thought you could use some help."

Vlad sighed in exasperation. "Thanks Jack."

Jack chuckled, not seeming to notice the sadness in his friend's voice until he saw Vlad stare at the ground for a moment. "They uh, weren't talking about your home again, were they?"

Vlad cocked a brow at Jack for seeming to have caught on so quick. He raked a hand through his hair. "It's like they don't even try to understand. Just because I'm Russian and my parents were Russian doesn't mean I'm communist!"

Jack nodded slowly. If there was one thing about Jack that Vlad liked the most it was that he was somewhat neutral. Jack was simple and didn't really process some of the more complicated aspects of life, which made him an overall nice person and one who disliked any sort of animosity. Of course, he could be very annoying and talk forever and be agonizingly stupid in his opinion, but he listened and that was at least one point over his parents.

"I know that, V-man. I bet ya the whole thing will blow over eventually. By the way, did you see the Colts versus Packers game? I wasn't able to catch it last night. Me and Mads went out to see the sequel to Alien the other night." Jack looked thoughtful. "For some reason Mads kept clinging to my arm when the monsters jumped out. I thought the movie was kind of silly, I mean can you imagine, Aliens? Ghosts. Now that's something real to be afraid of!"

Vlad stared at Jack for a moment before slapping a hand to his face and dragging it downwards. "How can someone be so clueless?" Vlad muttered to himself before answering Jack's question. "The Packers won."

"Aw nuts. Well your Packers did it again, Vladdie!"

Vlad smirked, enjoying the victory. "Why on earth do you even bother? The Packers are obviously superior within recent years."

Jack chuckled. "True. These things go in cycles though and besides, sometimes it's just fun to root for the underdog!"

Vlad looked at his friend in puzzlement as the larger young man made his way to the door a peaked out. Root for the underdog? Why?

"Coast is clear! Let's get to the cafeteria and see what the ladies have cooked up this time! They're sauerkraut is THE bombdigity V-man."

"Their knoephla isn't bad either…" Vlad hummed. "Still not as good as tetya Inna's though." Vlad paused from walking when he noticed Jack's blank stare. He sighed. "Potato dumpling soup."

"Ah! I get ya. For a second I thought you were talking a totally different language there."

Vlad sighed for what seemed like the hundredth time.

zzz

Vlad's dorm room. 3:09 PM.

Vlad collapsed on his bed and let out a long breath. At lunch he and Jack had found Maddie and enjoyed a meal together. Vlad had tried hard not to barf when he noticed how Maddie was trying to get Jack's attention.

It was something he just didn't understand. He would listen, he was an intellectual and knew what was reportedly required to have a loving relationship… from what he'd heard and read. Why did Maddie seek Jack over him? Why did no one see him as worthy? He was worthy and he knew it. After all you couldn't settle for less than the best and yet he'd learned that so many others seemed to do just that.

"Yesli vam ne udastsya Vy zabyli, kak pyl' pod sapogami." (If you don't succeed you are forgotten like dust beneath boots.) Vlad murmured, remembering something his father had repeated to him over and over and over again. That was usually when he'd had a bit too much vodka and would shove Vlad into a chair by the throat and start to lecture about being a man and having pride and not taking anything less than the best. They had been less than pleased when he'd decided to continue his education in the United States.

There was a part of Vlad that had wanted them to be proud of him, to give him attention they never would share. Once they had died however, he could only really think of how much of a hinderance they had been to him. They had held him down and he had tried to rely too much on their support to make himself happy. He didn't need another person to tell him is was good, great, incredible in every sense of the word. People were distractions in the big picture.

That was mostly the case anyways. There was his dear tetya Inna. His kind aunt Inna. He could still remember how she would yell out the names of the pastries she baked when in need of a curse. He wasn't sure if a true vile thing had ever left the dear's mouth. He'd actually felt sadder when she had passed away, than when his parents had gone. As soon as his parents had died, he'd quickly switched from a business degree to something radical and new as though to punish his dead parents for not giving him more attention. Thus, where Jack and Maddie had come in. He's seen their poster for a ghost studies club and joined. Eventually he'd befriended them to some degree and for once in a long while, felt like he was being treated right. Jack thought he was smart and Maddie thought he was clever and funny… They appreciated him.

Vlad growled in slight frustration and pushed all his thoughts from his head. "Whatever." He didn't really care much about it. Though he was worried Jack and Maddie would leave him once Jack had sense knocked into him, he wasn't that worried. After all, he was smart and clever and funny and wonderful. His parents were wrong to ignore him.

Vlad sat up and glanced over the papers he'd put on his desk when he'd walked into his and Jack's shared dorm room. They were filled with calculations and equations for their work on a ghost portal prototype. There were so many things to account for and so many equations that each of the trio of friends had been given a third of the problems and solutions to sort out. Vlad didn't really think they could make an inter-dimensional portal. His logical mind said it wasn't possible, but a tiny bit of him wondered if he could see Inna again.

He walked over to his closet and pulled out his lab coat. Tomorrow they would be testing the portal for the first time. Later tonight they would be looking over the actual machine to make sure they'd built it correctly. Then the proper equations should tell them just how many watts and which chemicals they needed to make it run. Vlad was a bit nervous about Jack's work, but at the same time he knew it couldn't be too bad. Though he could really be dense at times, he'd seen his grades and work in general and Jack was a wiz with concepts and memory; Vlad did wonder however if his friend suffered from some type of dyslexia.

Vlad knew Jack and Mads would already be in the lab, so he gathered his things for the club, leaving behind his stuff from Physics and left the room.

zzz

Room 101. Science Building. 4:34 PM. The Next Day.

Vlad narrowed his eyes at the portal. "I'm telling you, Jack. It won't work."

"Bogus, V-man! It totally will. This Proto-Portal is guaranteed to bust open the wall into the ghost dimension." Jack boasted before turning around to gather the controller to the portal.

Vlad stood in front, eyeing the electronics and gadgets inside the ring of the portal, not realizing that Jack was about to test it.

"Jack these calculations you've done aren't right," Maddie expressed in worry.

"BONZAI!" Jack yelled out, startling Vlad just as the remote switched the portal on. For a moment, Vlad knew he should move. For some reason though, he was transfixed by the greenish glow of whatever they'd just created. A second later he felt an extraordinary amount of pain and couldn't see anything but white.

"AUGH! BOGUS!"

Slowly shapes started to form in his eyes and he could make out the blurry peach color of his own hands, since he'd instinctually grabbed his face after the blast of energy was gone. He could feel large bulbous pustules under his fingers and as he removed his hands to look for Jack and Maddie, he could only see their blurry forms.

In a pure panicked state, he ran from the lab. Not long after he rammed into a mass of flesh and then bounced off to only slam into the nearby poster board on the wall.

"Watch where you're-"

Vlad could recognize bully's demanding voice as Thomas, the typical offender, though he wondered why he'd stopped talking. All Vlad could still see was blurred forms.

"What the hell happened to your face, man!?"

"Whoa…"

"Sick…"

"What's up with the eyes?"

"Uck, grodie."

"V-man!"

Vlad backed up and bumped into what had to be Jack based on the size of the hand now on his shoulder.

"Nothing to see here!" Maddie expressed in a hurry before steering both Vlad and Jack away. Maddie had called nine-one-one. An ambulance was waiting…

zzz

Hospital. Two years later.

The first thing Vlad realized when he woke up was that there was a ceiling right over his head, as in almost smashing his nose in, close. For a brief moment a wave of panic at the possibility of being buried alive surged through him. He gasped and pushed on the ceiling only to feel himself falling… very very slowly. A quick look around made Vlad realize that he wasn't underground but floating… IN THE AIR! Vlad let out a startled and frightened gasp.

"Cheese logs!"

What had happened? Where was he? Was he in some form of afterlife? With a bit of effort, he managed to push hard enough against the ceiling to float down to his hospital bed. Before he could start to float off again, he hooked his arms up under the metal bannisters on his cot. It was good timing because a nurse walked in right afterwards.

She took one look and gasped. "Oh my god. You're… awake."

Vlad stared at her in confusion. "What… what happened?"

The nurse backed up a bit. "I'm sorry, let me go get the doctor first. He'll explain, Mr. Masters."

Then she rushed away. Vlad sat contemplating what little information he'd gathered. His world stopped though when he glanced up at the TV, which was showing the news. The year was nineteen eighty-eight. Two years had passed. A wave of confusion and udder disbelief rushed through Vlad's system and suddenly he found himself without a body from the waist down.

He did the first thing that came to mind and screamed bloody murder. It was then that the doctor and nurse rushed in; the sudden movement of the door seemed to be enough to shock Vlad and his legs came back into view right before the door opened fully.

"Mr. Masters, what's wrong?!" The doctor exclaimed.

Vlad glanced at them both in pure panic before he realized he couldn't possibly tell them the truth. After all, he didn't know the truth. So, he settled for something almost as shocking.

"What year is it!?"

The nurse gave him this ugly pitying look that made Vlad feel more like hitting something than providing any sort of comfort. The doctor coughed and let out a big sigh before starting.

"It appears as though you've been in some form of a coma for two years, Mr. Masters. However, strangely enough, you only had to be fed, watered, and helped with waste disposal. Your other body functions like breathing and heartbeat never lowered or changed. Though we weren't sure you'd wake up…" The doctor expressed. "I'm very sorry, sir."

Vlad started at him for a long moment, numbly. "I see… May I be discharged and given my bill?"

"Yes of course, we have a few tests we have to run but other than being unresponsive, you're healthy, considering the amount of radiation you were exposed to. We'd also recommend a physiologist at some point since you've missed two years. The accident itself was also potentially traumatizing."

Vlad blinked and looked back up, recalling Jack and Maddie. "Have I had any visitors?"

The nurse stepped forward. "You can find that information out at the front desk."

"Alright."

zzz

A few hours later, Vlad found himself at the front desk.

"I'm afraid the last time anyone visited you was… two months after your hospitalization. After that, no one."

Vlad stared blankly at the wooden counter and the woman frowned.

"Sir, are… are you alright?"

Vlad looked up suddenly and gave a charming and pleasant smile. "Of course. Thank you. Have a wonderful day."

Vlad then turned on his heel, holding his lab coat bundled in his arms. People were distractions.

zzz

3 years later. Dr. Lucy Hall MD's Office.

"So, you went to their wedding? That's nice."

"Well of course. Who wouldn't congratulate them on such an occasion?"

Dr. Hall eyed the white-haired man closely. To most he'd seem charming and completely together, but she could see what others could not. "I see." She finished writing something down and stacked her notes. "I just need a moment to look over everything we've covered the last few days…"

"I really think this is unnecessary. I was unconscious for most of the experience. It really is water under the bridge."

Hall nodded. "Perhaps, but you weren't forced to come here…"

"Yes well… I just wanted to quell everyone's concerns. There weren't many people looking into my past before I become so wealthy. They've latched onto the ridiculous idea that the accident altered me in some way."

"Right. Well I need just a moment to look over everything and come to my conclusion."

"By all means."

Hall tore her gaze away from the famous billionaire and read through all her notes carefully and consistently. Several minutes later, she put down her papers, took off her reading glasses and looked evenly at Vlad Masters.

"From everything I've seen, heard and observed. I believe you simply have clinical Narcissism. This is something that can be handled-"

"Narcissism?" Vlad questioned in surprise.

Hall paused with her mouth open before snapping it shut. "Let me explain. Those with your type of Narcissism have trouble empathizing with others and have an overly increased sense of self-importance. But it is really something that can be suppressed if handled properly-"

Vlad let out a laugh. "My dear, I'm not Narcissistic."

Hall sighed internally. The denial, just another sign. "I understand it's not a term that sounds too favorable… but really it can be treated. From what you told me of your parents, it's likely they weren't consistent or reliable enough to give you a proper ratio of positive and negative feedback. You've learned to manipulate others because you think you are superior and deserve everyone's praise all the time. You've actually created two separate beings inside yourself-" Hall was the one to interrupt herself this time, when she saw Vlad's knuckles turn white from gripping the chair's arms; she almost thought she saw red in his eyes but disregarded it. She continued at a slower pace. "A self that is secure and grandiose and a self-hidden inside that is truly emotionally weak, sensitive, and unsure. You put your own insecurities on everyone else as a defensive technique."

Hall tensed only slightly when Vlad stood up sharply and gave her the most fear inducing look of malice she could remember.

"That's quite enough, Dr. Hall." Vlad then turned and went to walk out of the room. He spared a glanced over his shoulder. "And if you think of letting anything out as some are tempted to do to the wealthy and successful, don't. I will completely ruin you financially. Nothing personal, just giving a fair warning. I must defend myself against jealous peers, mustn't I?"

Hall sighed sadly. "Of course. It is patient confidentiality we're talking about."

Vlad gave a pleased smile. "Good-bye, Dr. Hall." The doors then shut to the doctor's study. Hall rubbed her temples.

"There isn't anything more you can do…" Hall anguished as she did after every person who left her sessions unresolved. "At least he is a businessman and there's evidence that that helps funnel Narcissistic tendencies into positive energy." She was able to let out a more relaxed sigh at the thought.

zzz

Present Day. Somewhere in Montana. 6:03 AM.

Vlad cracked his eyes open when the sun glowed behind his eyelids, disrupting the echoes of his past. The rays were truly brilliant in this part of the wilderness and accentuated every detail of his view with golden highlights.

He kept asking himself over and over what he'd truly done to deserve this horrible of a destiny. It seemed it would be this way truly from cradle to grave if the acne did its job.

Why couldn't people march forward like perfect little pawns and pieces? Why did they have to dip and dodge and waver and sway and change sides?

He didn't understand what he'd done wrong. Didn't he deserve to have nice things? To live properly? To gain things that belonged to him? To be happy?

As rage built in him and his core reacted to his emotion and his boils burned like fire in response to his ectoplasm use, he clenched his eyes shut… Now he had nothing, again. And he was completely alone, again. He would be hunted for his crimes and never be happy, unless he died quickly and was for some reason spared, despite him having pissed off most of the Ghost Zone for releasing Pariah Dark before.

Suddenly in a strange sort of calm washed over him and odd and foreign thought entered his mind. Hunted… Daniel…

And for the first time in a very long time, Vlad curiously wondered how someone other than himself was fairing…

zzz

Dr. Lucy Hall's Office. The day Vlad took Danny in Amity Park.

Ms. Hall stacked up the last of her papers as the news played on the small TV under her desk. She'd had a decent day in general and was happy to get the chance to go home. She rose and started putting everything into her briefcase. She halted in slight human curiosity when she heard an urgent news report.

There was something going on in Amity Park and she recognized the place like most for the ghost attacks that originated from there. She also knew that that was where one of her brightest students came from. She first watched in curiosity and then foreboding and then horror as the story progressed. Not only was her student Jazz Fenton on TV, but Danny Phantom was brawling with the Wisconsin Ghost… or Danny Fenton was brawling with her old patient, Vlad Masters as she soon found out.

By the end of the video and the start of discussions and speculations, the papers in Mrs. Hall's hands slid out from her limp fingers and littered the floor.

zzz

Present Day. Indiana. Fenton RV. 6:33 PM.

It had taken almost another full day to drive from Montana to Indiana and Amity Park. Though in this case the driver was taking it a bit slower than the first trip. They still had another hour or two before they would get home, but that was okay. None of them were really wanting to face what lay in wait there.

Within the car, Dani was sitting shot gun. At first, she had been sitting in the back with Danny and Sam while watching Cujo. Maddie had been worried that her mind would linger too much on the decline of her once college friend and so she'd politely asked her daughter to come up front and talk to her. This had also given Danny and Sam even more privacy since they'd been talking mostly to each other anyways. Sam was a tad concerned because Danny didn't seem to be panicking. Danny typically was prone to attacks in times like these and Sam knew how to handle a panicking Danny, a happy Danny, a sad and even angry Danny, but not an emotionless Danny.

What was a bit more disturbing what that he kept bringing up fond memories of the trio. Sam of course tried to act interested and smiled and laughed at the parts he would chuckle hollowly at. What worried her the most though was how all the memories he mentioned were before the accident.

Sam finally couldn't take it anymore. "Danny… are you okay?"

Danny looked at her and blinked slowly. "Yeah. My energy is back. I'm fine."

"You aren't… worried about getting home?" Sam asked carefully.

Danny frowned. "Of course, I'm worried."

"You aren't acting like I expected."

Danny gave her a bland smile. "Yeah I suppose I should panic but… I'm just trying really hard not to I guess."

That was when Sam realized how scared Danny really was. It wasn't that he wasn't worried or scared. It was that he was so worried and scared that he was desperately teetering on the edge of collapse.

Sam made Danny look at her. "I know I may sound like Jazz right now, but you can't do this. You have to express yourself, Danny."

Danny looked at her and those amethyst eyes for a long while. "I can't. I can't…"

Sam grit her teeth only slightly, though she wasn't mad at Danny's reply but what he was subconsciously referring to. "It's okay to cry, Danny. You don't have to act tough for me. You know how much I ha-" Sam corrected herself and chose a kinder word. "dislike fake people. I know you're brave and strong in so many ways. You don't have to hide your fear."

Danny stared at her for a moment before Sam could see tears start streaming down Danny's face. He let out a stuttering gasp right before Sam embraced him tightly, cupping his head with one hand as he circled his arms around her torso. He shook and sobbed, causing Maddie and Dani to glance back. Before long, Danny and Sam were both crying in each other's arms as Maddie pulled over. Maddie started to tear up and Dani did too before she grasped for her mother and was held. Cujo whined as Danny continued to sob.

"I don't want to die. I don't want to die in a lab. I already did that once, I can't do it again."

Dani grit her teeth and tried to cover her ears while Sam tried to sooth him as the small group sat in the RV on the side of the road.

"I'll lose it if they kill me like that… I'll lose it."

zzz

Amity Park. Fenton Residence. 8:44 PM.

By the time the sun had gone down, the group had returned to Amity Park. It was kind of a blessing in disguise since they could get Danny in the house without anyone seeing. It wasn't like they thought the authorities wouldn't come eventually if not within next day or so, but even a little bit of peace before the storm was worth it.

Jack and Jazz of course welcomed them all back with grateful and loving words and embraces. Sam offered to take Danny up to his bedroom to rest more, while Jazz took Dani. Jack and Maddie were obviously wanting to talk alone.

In Danny's room, Sam watched Danny sit at the foot of his bed and look at her as she stood before him.

"I don't want to but I have to go."

"Yeah."

"My parents will probably already have fainted from shock."

"Yeah."

Sam paused and placed a hand on Danny's. "I know it's hard, but… know that I love you Danny. Nothing will ever ever change that. Ever."

Danny looked up at her and finally smiled a bit. "You don't know how much that means to me. Really."

Sam leaned down and kissed Danny on the forehead. When she leaned back some part of her wanted so badly for him to get up and hug her, to show his normal fire and bravery, but she didn't demand it. She understood.

"Goodbye Danny." Sam spoke and then turned to walk out of his room. she glanced over her shoulder and gave into her one bit of desire to ask one thing of him. She was still worried, he'd cried but he hadn't really shown panic yet. "See you tomorrow?"

Danny nodded. "Yeah."

And with that she left, calling a chauffeur from her cellphone on the way out of the Fenton home. It seemed like she would be jumping from one battlefield to another for a while… it was time to go home to the lion's den.

Danny sat in his room before curling up under his covers. He was still very worried and scared about what the next days would bring. Danny focused and made sure his cold core was the one active before he started to grow sleepy. He wanted everything to be numb. He didn't want to think or feel his intense dread. He just wanted to dream.

zzz

Living Room. Fenton Residence. 9:21 PM.

"Do you really think his obsession grew to such an extreme?"

"I don't know, Jack. It's tough to say. I mean we're just learning a little more about what an obsession can do to ghosts. And Halfas? Just how much does the ghost half control the human or the human the ghost?"

Jazz watched quietly from the shadow of the darkened kitchen as her parents talked. She'd checked on Dani and Danny a while ago, Cujo had returned to the Zone, and she had come down to eavesdrop on her parents. It wasn't very becoming, but she was a worried young adult and had her own thoughts; being interested in what her parents thought about everything was only natural.

"Control?"

"You know what I mean. I know Danny isn't controlled and that would mean Vlad isn't, but…"

"It's their body but with ectoplasm integrated into their system. Though the core… that's the only part of the ghost half that still has so much mystery around it. I mean… when does control start and instinct and obsession end and vice versa?"

"Was it madness or…" Maddie paused. "Would one consider a ghost going after its obsession too strongly, mad? Would they both be considered madness or are they responsible for their actions?"

Jack finally sat down after standing and watching his wife pace a while. Jack gripped his head and clenched his eyes shut. "I've failed my son and my friend…"

Maddie stopped her walking and turned to look at Jack. "Jack honey… that's not true."

"Mads, you can't tell me that if I had been more careful, then Vlad would've never gotten ghost powers in the first place!" Maddie paused and Jack slumped. "That's what I thought."

"Maybe that's true, but you don't know that that's what caused Vlad to lose it. He could have been influenced by human thoughts rather than anything to do with his obsession."

"But his obsession IS Danny and you both!" Jack replied hotly, getting frustrated.

"How do you know that that is what caused his behavior?"

"Because Vlad was never like this before the accident!" Jack barked and then quieted when he realized he'd yelled at his wife for the first time in over twenty years. He put his head in his hands dejectedly. "And now I'm yelling at my wife. I really am a piece of work, huh?"

Maddie sighed and walked over to sit right next to her husband. She held his hand and rubbed it.

"No… It's fine." Maddie hummed. "Besides, we're just very stressed and confused."

"I could tell you what I think, if you want."

Both parents looked up to see their oldest daughter, walking towards them.

"Jazzypants, how long were you there?"

Jazz smiled sadly. "For several minutes." She walked over slowly and sat down on the other side of her mother. After a moment of silence, Jazz spoke.

"I've been studying psychology for several years now and while I still have a lot to learn about both humans and ghosts, I think I have an idea of what's going on with Vlad." Jazz paused to collect her thoughts. "Vlad's obsession is no stronger than any ghost, not Danny's, or Skulker's, or Clockwork's, or the Box Ghost's even. Every type of obsession pulls just the same, however; the difference comes in the environment the ghost is in. From what I've learned, it seems like a tentative theory could be that ghosts, though they prefer isolation, they actually thrive better when in company of others, be them ghosts or humans. Others can tamper their obsessions through actions or words, damping their ego's and altering their focus, reminding them a bit more what being a human was like. The longer a ghost is in isolation the more vicious they turn. Ghosts like Undergrowth and Vortex are so powerful that they've become very lonely creatures and so they've reverted to a more and more instinctual form and less human in reasoning and thought. As for an example of a ghost that was in fact a human before existing in the Zone, Skulker has isolated himself on his island for a while. It wasn't until he met Danny that he started to socialize and work with other ghosts. He was content to hunt and hunt until his end until Danny came along and make him truly work for his trophy." Jazz paused and shivered at having to call her brother a trophy. "So, he started working with other ghosts to get the job done. Sometimes Plasmius and others and then of course he met Ember in the process. I think he's gotten to the point that he respects Danny and this very weird, but complex interaction has tempered his obsession by not supplying immediate satisfaction. This change would also explain his recent confusion. He's become more and more indecisive on what he wants from Danny, his pelt or respect. Even Clockwork isn't exempt from this theory. I think that's why he bothers to talk to the Observants at all and even Danny and now others. He knew he could lose focus, why else would he need anyone to ever know where his lair is otherwise?"

Jack and Maddie looked at each other and then Jazz in slight awe.

Jazz coughed. "Anyways, so Vlad's obsession is no stronger than another. Now why would his obsession drive him to this point?" Jazz grasped her hands together. "I think. I think Vlad has actually tried to push others away, except for Danny and mom of course, but I believe that though they are both his focus, they aren't truly his obsession. He wants control. Control over everything, including who he's with and what the definition of a relationship is. The relationships he has, if any beings are important enough to him, are still superficial." Jazz locked eyes with her parents. "This is because he has and has probably always had Narcissism. He has issues with even empathizing with others, so there is nothing and no one to truly tamper his obsession since he will take no criticism. All this time it's been eating him, slowly. The red flags were there. It started slowly. First, he simply tried to impress mom and Danny by offering them things he thought they wanted and dad couldn't provide, when that didn't work, he tried to strand mom and Danny at his home, then came the fighting and the frustration, then the cloning, and pitting me and Danny against each other." Jazz let out a long sigh.

"He sought recognition and acceptance in life but didn't know how to interact with people the right way, so he sought to control them. Then he half-died. His Narcissism prevented anyone from truly tampering his growing obsession. He started to do things more and more outside his moral comfort zone. Then… finally he found out that you two knew Danny's secret and the last little bit of control he had over his obsession and in turn mom and Danny slipped out of his fingers." Jazz shook her head. "It was in some ways like a trap, not that it fully exonerates him from his actions, because there was some point that he could've realized something wasn't right, but still…" Jazz rested her head in her hand. "The only thing I can't figure out is what happened to make him so bitter. It's one thing to be centered around yourself and manipulative, it's another to want to kill dad. Maybe… you could tell me more about his past if you know anything?"

Maddie and Jack smiled at each other and nodded. Right before Maddie started to speak, she noticed Jazz's body quivering a bit.

"You cold, honey?"

Jazz shivered once more. "I guess. Did anyone turn the temperature down?"

Jack shrugged. "I think Danny does it sometimes or Dani. They both often have their cold cores active by default."

They all paused though in their conversation when they noticed a breath of icy mist float out from Jack's mouth at the end of his words.

"What in the…" Jack murmured.

Maddie narrowed her eyes and glanced around the room before her eyes opened in horror. Crawling down the banisters were layers of solid ice.

"The kids!" Maddie yelled out in distress. Jack and Jazz jumped up and dashed for the stairs. Once they entered the hallways they could see ice coating the floor, walls and ceiling, slowly creeping down the hall but only from Danny's room. Everyone could now see their breaths.

"Jack, get the axe from the Ops center," Maddie said urgently.

Jack nodded and dashed down the stairs in time for Dani to float down the hall and take his place staring in shock at the ice. Maddie tripped and stumbled over to the door and started to ram her body into the ice coated wood. It hurt and it wasn't probably going to budge any time soon. She wouldn't stop though.

Dani then snapped out of her trance and flew right through Maddie and the door, into Danny's room.

zzz

Danny's room. 10:02 PM.

If he'd been more aware he'd have noticed the ice creeping out from his body and coating his bed and everything else it touched. He also would've noticed his connection to his hot core get blocked off and his emotions go completely numb. He didn't though.

Dani flew in and noticed the bump under the icy covers. She broke the thin ice away only to find Danny practically coated in his own ice shell. His shoulders up were the only things not fully iced. The thing that bothered Dani the most though, was that her brother's face was blue like Vlad's and his hair was white and stiff, glittering with bits of ice. He'd transformed while sleeping, but he'd still freeze to death if he kept getting colder.

The truth of the matter was that as half-humans, she and Danny could never master Cyrokinesis like full ice core ghosts could. Some ice core ghosts could almost reach absolute zero, which was a feat many scientists would be jealous of. Ghost had no flesh that could be damaged by severely cold temperatures. It wasn't that Danny and Dani's cores could produce the same effects; it was that it would kill them long before they got close.

At this point in time, Danny was getting dangerously cold.

"Danny stop it! Snap out of it!" Dani yelped. She grasped his head and shook it ever so carefully. He merely let out a freezing breath. The tears on Dani's cheeks started to freeze in contact with the air around them now. Their flesh could take freezing temperatures much better than normal humans before hypothermia or frostbite ate at them, but everything was cooling much too quickly.

"This isn't fair!" Dani screeched. "How dare you! You can't leave me like this!" Dani then started punching the ice around his torso as hard as she could, causing splitters of ice to fly everywhere. Her eyes glowed blue as she removed even more with her own Cyrokinesis. Danny just kept forming more in its place. Dani wailed and punched the ice harder, not noticing the green that was starting to dot the clear ice. "I stayed! I stayed for this family and for you! You can't just give up right now! You can't!" Dani shut her eyes and a few more tears froze near her eyes.

"Your hands…"

Dani's eyes snapped open and she saw some of the ice move away so that Danny could rub his hand over Dani's green stained knuckles. Some of the ice started to melt away and a flush of color started to bloom in Danny's face and black threaded its way back into his hair. It was strange to see him transform in a way that lacked his ring.

"Danny."

Danny frowned as he slowly sat up, the ice still trying to fade. "Dani I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I wasn't thinking about you or anyone else. I just wanted to hide and to keep myself from freaking out. I made a promise to my family once to never become a monster… but I forgot that I never gave you a promise."

Dani blinked as the tears frozen near her eyes melted and more liquid formed. Danny hugged her tightly as a banging started on the door and the ice still there broke some. Danny stared at the ground intently as a surge of determination came through him. He had to be stronger than this. If he'd learned anything from fighting ghosts, it was that giving up never ended with a happy result.

"I will never ever leave you."

Dani buried her head into his shoulder, wondering how he could dare to make a promise like that. Especially now that the world knew what he was and soon no doubt who she was.

Finally, with one last bang the door caved in under the force of the blow and the weight of the ice. Jack, Maddie and Jazz ran in to see the two siblings holding each other.

The family drew close.

"Danny are you okay?" Maddie asked.

Danny nodded quietly. "I… I'm just afraid now that everyone knows. What if they don't see me or Dani as human anymore?"

Jazz looked at her brother sadly. "So, your cold core reacted to your desire to not feel that fear and numbed you." Danny didn't answer but only nodded.

Jack and Maddie looked at each other before frowning. Jack looked back at Danny and spoke.

"It'll be okay everyone. We'll get through this." He then almost crushed his family with his arms in a large hug. Most everyone smiled at least a little even if they needed air.

"Danny honey and you too, Dani, do you need something to warm you both up? You're both freezing."

"Yeah, that would probably be nice," Dani replied to their mother.

"I think we all could use a warming up. It was cold in that hallway little bro," Jazz added, sniffling a bit.

"I'll heat some water and make some soup," Maddie answered, prompting Jack to release everyone from his hold.

An untold message seemed to pass among the family as everyone moved to leave Danny's room. They probably wouldn't be getting much sleep tonight.

zzz

Manson Residence. 9:20 PM.

Sam stared at her home through the tented car window, trying to gain enough nerve to get out of the car.

"Are you alright miss?" the driver asked, genuinely concerned about one of his dearest costumers.

Sam nodded slowly. "Yeah I guess. Just enjoying my freedom while it's still guaranteed here."

The driver gave her an understanding smile. "If it's any consolation, Miss Manson… I don't think of Mister Fenton any differently. Really it's astounding that he's been able to go for so long living two lives… er-"

"I understand your meaning. Thank you, Kyle. I appreciate it a lot and I know Danny would too."

"You have called David, right?"

"Yeah, oddly enough he was already looking over the Anti-Ecto Act before I'd called him. I guess he just knows me almost as well as you guys do."

"Perhaps."

Sam let out a long sigh before leaning up to pass the money through to the front seat.

Kyle shook his head. "Never mind the money this time, Miss Manson. This one's on me."

Sam stood their awkwardly in the car for a moment before smiling. "Thank you, Kyle."

"Good luck, Miss Manson."

Sam then got out of the car and waved to Kyle as he drove off. She then turned and faced the building again. Looking around and seeing no one on the street, she let out a relieved sigh. She could understand people being a bit more cautious at approaching the Fenton Residence due to their security system and the fact they were probably scared of Danny or other ghosts that may defend them, but why there weren't people around her home made her wonder. And what about Tucker? I wonder if he's gotten the chance to really talk to his parents yet. They seemed eerily calm at the Hospital before and then there's Valerie's dad…

Sam shook her head and walked towards the door. She knocked.

"I'm sorry but the Mansons are not taking statements at this time."

"Hobson, it's me, Sam."

There was a bit of quiet, where Sam knew Hobson would be checking to make sure it was her by looking through the peep-hole. The door then opened the Hobson ushered her inside.

"I'm so glad you've returned, miss. Your parents have been rather worried."

Sam sighed in controlled frustration. "I can imagine."

The two walked into the large living room to see Ida sitting on her scooter, weaving something, Pamela rubbing her hands together and Jeremy arguing harshly with someone on the phone.

"What do you mean, 'you haven't found anything.'!?" A pause. "I'm not paying you to run around with your head up your caboose!"

"Hey, everyone." Sam finally offered.

Ida looked up and gave a calm smile while Pamela stood up sharply, gapping. Jeremy quickly hung up and moved forward and Sam was embraced by her mother.

"Oh Sammykins… Sammy." Pamela murmured.

Sam was a little stunned at first, because it really sounded like her parents had been worried. She'd been expecting loud voices from the start.

"Where on earth have you been, young lady?" Jeremy finally asked.

Hobson left the room as the real conversation started.

"I had to go help Danny."

Jeremy and Pamela gave each other a look. Before Pamela spoke up.

"But dear, why?"

Sam felt a bit of defensiveness bubble up inside her. She tried to remember how calm Danny tried to be in these sorts of situations but couldn't help but get angry.

"What do you mean why?! Because I love him!" Sam snapped folding her arms.

Pamela immediately reacted to her daughter's answer while Jeremy seemed more or less confused.

"But Sammy, he's a ghost! He hasn't hurt you or that Foley boy, has he? I knew he was a bad seed."

Sam shook her head viciously. "Typical. You immediately have to throw this all on Danny. Danny isn't just a ghost. He's still biologically human too. He needs food, water, shelter, oxygen, everything!"

Jeremy furrowed his brows. "How is that even possible though?"

"It just is, okay? He's not dead."

Pamela huffed. "Those Fentons they just had to make everything complicated, didn't they? I bet the reports are right and they caused their boy's condition. What did they expect from tampering with such strange things?"

Sam subtly grit her teeth; all the while Ida was watching quietly.

"Actually, it wasn't their fault at all. They did create the portal, but it wasn't working. I was the one dare Danny to go into it. If anything, it's my fault he's a Halfa."

"A what?" Jeremy questioned.

"It's a term for a half-ghost," Sam replied.

Pamela started getting a bit hysterical. "He could've done anything to you. What on earth were you thinking, sticking around with him!? And dating the boy?! That's just unacceptable!"

"Why is it 'unacceptable'?" Sam asked with a bit of bitter sarcasm.

Pamela stopped and looked at her daughter quietly. "Honey… If you really love him like you say you do and you were maybe planning on marrying him one day, did it not occur to you that he could poison you with his… um…"

Jeremy swallowed. "His seed?"

Sam froze for a moment, not quite understanding their meaning until it came crashing down on her. Really, she knew the thought of taking that next step had crossed her or Danny's mind once or twice, with mere glances or unspoken words, but up to this point they'd never done, IT. Some part of them had pictured maybe late college or after marriage, seeing as they simply didn't require that to be happy with each other. But now this. What if Danny could poison her with ectoplasm? Every one of his cells was laced with ectoplasm so even if Clockwork had subtly explained to Danny that he was still healthy in that regard, did that even mean they could still be compatible one day? She wondered if Danny had thought of it. Knowing him, probably not. But then a calm feeling came back threw her raging mind and made her realize it didn't matter. So far, she hadn't been poisoned by a kiss or by holding hands or sharing drinks or even getting his blood into her own small cuts. Even if it was more dangerous in THAT case, it wouldn't stop her from loving him.

"It doesn't matter."

"Excuse me?" Pamela asked in confusion, sure that her daughter had been using that time to come to reason. Ida merely smiled and bowed her head, wishing her husband could see this.

"I love Danny for Danny. Even if we can't… I love him."

Jeremy seemed to grow quieter.

"And about the other stuff, yeah… Danny could've done a lot of terrible things. Horrible things, but he didn't. But you know who did?" Sam asked, getting her bravery back. She looked her parents right in the eyes. "Vlad. The mayor you thought was a perfect role model, the man you voted for, the billionaire, the businessman in the perfect suit and his face on every magazine. He had the same opportunities as Danny. He took them and ran with them and Danny didn't. If anything, Danny could've gotten all the money he wanted and everything he could've dreamed of by going to Vlad. Then he would've been perfect for you. A lying, rich, thief of a suitor, hm?"

"I guess you're right," Jeremy replied, surprising both Pamela and Sam. "However, Danny has still been skipping school, stealing, kidnapping, and damaging property. He may bit a bit better than Vlad, but not much, honey. Don't you see we're just worried about your choices, here?"

Sam felt a bit of appreciation rush through her at the tone of her father's voice. It had love in there and it wasn't a demand; she didn't feel the need to push farther away.

"Dad." Sam sighed. "Let me explain, please."

Jeremy nodded while Pamela seemed to try hard to quiet herself even if she was wondering what in the word her husband was thinking.

"Danny skipped school to fight ghosts or heal from fighting ghosts or because he'd been kidnapped. He didn't do it to rebel like maybe I would've a few years ago. All he ever wanted was to be an astronaut, but I took that away from him. So, he fought ghosts, protecting people from danger even when they hated him. He stole because he was forced to by Freakshow-"

"The anemic clown man?" Jeremy asked.

Sam nodded. "You were right about him." He froze. "Not the individuality or the intrigue of the bizarre, but the man…" She returned to her explanation. "He used a staff to control ghosts against their will to steal for him. Danny was susceptible because of his ghost half. He had a day or two gap in his memories from that incident and when he found out that he'd injured those police officers, he was crushed. The property damage is from the fights with ghosts. What do you expect? You don't blame a firefighter for property damage if they have to break down a door, do you? Also, because ghosts don't need to sleep like he does, he ends up staying awake long after everyone, including Tucker and me, to fight ghosts that come at night. He never has time to do homework or study. And the mayor thing was a misunderstanding. The Mayor had been overshadowed or possessed and the ghost inside wanted to make everyone believe that Danny had hurt the mayor."

Sam held out her hands pleadingly. "Don't you see. Danny's one of the most selfless people you'll ever know. He's completely innocent in all of this!"

Pamela seemed to be worriedly rubbing her hands again and Jeremy was frowning. It wasn't really that they didn't believe their daughter now, but there was still one thing that concerned them.

"I guess you're right, but…" Jeremy started, making Sam confused. "Even if he's a hero and a good boy, this is dangerous, Sammy, dangerous and risky to be around him at all. I'm just not sure me and your mother are okay with you being with him."

"But-"

Pamela sighed. "I… I just don't know Sammykins."

"Now hold on a moment."

Everyone looked over to see Ida moving her scooter forward to be closer to her family.

"Yes, it's true. Maybe Danny does bring trouble, but this is a once in a life time opportunity you could be taking from your daughter, Jeremy, Pam."

"Mother…" Jeremy started but he was silenced with a comical glare form the older woman.

"Let me speak, dearie. Now what was I saying… oh yes. Let's keep in mind what these kids have been doing. They've been saving lives, protecting innocent people, while still trying to get a good education all at once. Considering everything, I'd say they've been doing a pretty amazing job. Not to mention I'm sure that boy would throw his life away to protect anyone much less his friends and family. They're really no different from soldiers as harsh as that is. Those friends that you've tried so hard to separate Sam from have helped her grow. The boys keep her grounded and that new Gray girl has even helped give Sam girl time."

Sam groaned and slapped her face.

"The little spitfire was able to convince Sam to buy colored clothing, even if it wasn't too different and only two pieces. That's what good friends are supposed to do, accept a person for who they are and maybe try to push them out of their comfort zone, reasonably at least.

Pamela looked at Sam in shock. "You have colored clothing?"

"It's just a green shirt and one pale dress. It's not… it's not real that big of a deal."

Ida interrupted and continued her spiel. "This is potentially true love. A kind of love that people dream of, write about, wish for…" Ida gestured grandly. "That boy is willing to do anything for your girl. He'd give his life to protect her or even just to make her happy." Ida looked at her son and daughter closely. "Is that not the kind of man a father dreams of for his daughter?"

Pamela let out a long sigh, while Jeremy relaxed and dropped his hands to his sides. "I suppose."

Sam was looking at everyone there as though they were crazy. "Wait, you mean it?"

Jeremy turned to face his daughter. "Sammy. We do love you. I know sometimes you think we don't, but-"

"We've always just wanted what's… I mean what we thought was best for you. I guess that's just the problem, we didn't give you enough freedom to make good choices."

Sam's face softened a bit.

"I just hope Danny will be okay," Pamela spoke finally then looked at her husband. "I mean what will the government do about this?"

Sam gulped and stared at the ground. "Yeah..."

After several minutes of quiet, the family said good night to Sam, giving a few, slightly awkward hugs before she walked off to her room.

Ida hummed, grabbing Jeremy and Pamela's attention. "Now we can do nothing more for them."

Pamela and Jeremy both seemed confused and gave each other a look.

Ida looked at Jeremy and Pamela with a soft smile. "I'm proud of you both. I know you got a bit distracted and caught up with what you thought she needed, but she just needs time. Time and for you accept some of her interests. You'll see, she'll never be exactly what you imagined, but then again that would be boring, now wouldn't it?" Ida started to laugh at what seemed to be an inside joke of her own design, making Jeremy and Pamela wonder a bit at the old woman, motoring towards her room for the night.

So, what did you guys think? Like I said before, I hope Vlad's backstory was helpful and done well enough. Also, I hope I didn't make Danny too... uh wimpy? melodramatic? He wasn't really trying to kill himself or anything, he was more or less trying to escape reality and his core overacted to his stress. Really Dread was the emotion I was wanting to push the most that and a sense of hopelessness, we are talking about the government and a super-powered human.

Also, bam, Sam's parents. What about that? I didn't want it to really be a screaming match and they're both still unsure about the whole thing, but Ida's there to help them out.

And Jazz's theory. This is supposed to give a bit more explanation behind Vlad. His human mentality and his ghost mentality have been clashing against each other for a long time. The Narcissism even explains why Vlad was pretty rude and still pretty whack in Masters of Time. The trauma of losing his friends and all their family, as well as watching Danny's human half be slaughtered also helped break down Vlad's self-created image in TUE as well, making him actually realize mistakes. Regardless more things about all of this will be explained later as well as where Jack and Maddie were during the time Vlad was in the hospital.

Thank you all for your reviews, support, follows, etc!

I hope to keep you all entertained!

~NoSignal