Clockwork smiled as he looked in on Danny and Vlad in the limo surprised but happy to see the picturesque scene. Vlad was asleep holding onto Danny's bag with an almost adorable expression while Danny looked over at him with the utmost love and a tender smile on his lips. When first looked upon it would seem like they were a happy couple but if you knew the truth it was heartbreakingly sad.

He chuckled when he watched Danny pull out his phone and take a picture. A few moments later he was confused as to why the teen blushed and quickly looked out the window.

"I wonder what made him react like that?" Clockwork mumbled to himself.

With a small smile he pulled up another mirror to look back and see what was on Danny's phone before he had blushed. After a moment he paused on the small text and read the last thing that was sent to him.

Clockwork nearly laughed outright himself but refrained in time. He liked this new friend Danny had met at the convention. She was witty, stubborn and truly loyal to those she cared about. It did strike him as odd that she could seemingly be timid when not provoked. With the way she looked he would say she was overall…cute. In a way he guessed. Not that he ever took the time to pay attention to others but she had a sense of innocence about her.

Nella was a good choice to befriend and so is her partner Aria. But that wouldn't be until a couple more days.

The Shyle glowed softly and moved in a circle in the air. It seemed to be excited for some reason. Clockwork thought perhaps it was in sync with the young halfa and wanted to make a new destiny for him. A happier one.

"You know, I have the perfect place to trap them together!"

The voice came as a surprise and made Clockwork jump. "Where would that be my Lord?"

"Nowhere truly special just inside my mystical rose."

"Are you sure? What if they can never get out?"

"They will, I have utmost faith in them. Don't you?"

"Of course I do." Clockwork smiled.

"Let's wait a few more days though. Let them get settled in for a bit, I guess, then surprise them."

Clockwork could feel him smirking. Of course his Lord would want to surprise people and honor them with seeing the inner world of his mystical rose. Even Clockwork himself hadn't seen the inside before and he hoped that whatever lay inside didn't wind up killing Danny and Vlad. It would be heartbreaking.

"Then we will wait a few more days." Clockwork said as he closed the window, cutting off his vision of Danny and Vlad.

Danny woke up to hitting his head on the window due to a speed bump and wished he hadn't decided to sleep at all. He looked over at Vlad and saw the arrogant ass was still sleeping peacefully. Sighing he looked at the time on his phone and saw it had only been just a few hours.

I thought he said it would be a few hours to get there and here we are still riding in this damn limo.

When the limo hit what seemed like a pothole Vlad wound up hitting his head against the window this time.

Danny laughed at the sour expression on Vlad's face.

"What the hell are you laughing at?" Vlad snapped at him.

"Oh, still moody are we or is that just your perpetual state?" Danny smirked at him from his side of the limo. "Don't worry if it makes you feel better the driver had it in for both of us and I have a bump to prove it."

"The only bump I see is that useless thing you call a head on your shoulders. How is it you managed to get so far in school?" Vlad sneered.

"Talent, naturally. Annoy the hell out of certain teachers and they pass you just to get rid of you."

"Leave it to you to cheat your way out of high school." Vlad muttered under his breath.

Danny smiled at him while he wasn't looking. He watched the older man lean his head back as if to go back to sleep only to hit another pothole, jolting him to attention.

When Vlad reached for the button to cuss the driver out Danny spoke, stopping him.

"Thank you, Vlad." He said as sincerely as possible and hoped the other believed him.

Vlad froze upon hearing those words. Slowly he dropped his hand and looked at the teenager.

"What are you thanking me for?" Vlad asked.

Danny held up the hand with the bracelet and smiled. "For the bracelet of course and taking care of me while no one else could."

Vlad had no words at hearing all of that but his heart felt like it would burst and that annoyed the hell out of him. He didn't understand why Danny's words affected him so much. Perhaps it was because of Maddie that he held certain affection for the boy. He didn't know.

"Hmph. I only agreed because it's what Maddie wanted. It had nothing to do with you or will it ever." Vlad turned away and closed his eyes ignoring him.

Danny wanted to hit him but the pain in his heart prevented him from doing so. He knew Vlad would most likely say something like that but he didn't know it would still hurt to hear such words. He vaguely wondered if Vlad would ever change or if he'd be fixated on someone he could never have.

With a look of misery he stared outside his window and intended to ignore Vlad.

He only got about seven minutes of quiet staring before his phone rang startling him. He looked at it and saw Nella's face.

With a smile he answered. "Hey Nella."

"Hey what's up lovebird?"

"Oh, just living in misery. And still riding in this limo. What are you doing today?" Danny could feel more than see Vlad glare at him.

"Ouch. That bad sweetie? I gotta say I thought your secret love would be a little nicer. I'm going home on a bus so I say you have a better ride than I do."

Danny laughed imagining her being uncomfortable on a bus. "An answer to your question would be yes. It is. And I thought he would be too but alas I'm still waiting. Sorry that you have to ride the bus."

"If you want my opinion he seems to be repressing his kind and endearing heart." Nella snickered. "He may have money but what do you want to bet he doesn't have love? I mean come on love is the most prized treasure in this world. And don't worry about me let's talk all about you. For now then it'll be all about me."

"Is he? I couldn't tell." Danny said dryly. "How can you tell anyway it's kinda impossible for me-"

"Why do I get the feeling I'm the one you two are talking about?" Vlad interrupted.

"Hold on for a sec Nella." Danny turned to Vlad with a genuine smile. "And what if we are? I thought you loved being the center of attention? Don't worry it's not all bad. Maybe."

When Vlad only glared at him he chuckled. "What is it you'd like to know about me Nella?"

"How about…what's your favorite color?"

"Midnight blue and sometimes blue gray. Next question."

Vlad didn't think anything about that answer except to figure it was probably the teenager's favorite colors.

"Wasn't that his eye color? Let me guess, his eyes turn blue gray with some sort of emotion right?" Nella chuckled lightly. "Aria's do the same thing. She has whiskey colored eyes that get lighter when she's happy. It's beautiful."

"Yes it is and I know because it's been about four or five years since I 'met' him. Tell me about your fiancée." Danny could almost hear her smile. "Is she that awesome Nella?"

"Are you fucking kidding me? She's absolutely positively fucking fantastic!" Nella sighed. "Aria has the most beautiful black hair that runs down to her thighs. Her voice is smokey and it makes you shiver in delight just hearing it in a casual conversation. She has such flawless and fine features it seems she was a born queen and when she smiles it's like my whole world shifts. I've never felt so much for one person and I know I have my whole life ahead of me but when I think of her I want nothing else but her. I'd do anything for her, be anything she wanted me to be and I would have no problems with it whatsoever as long as she is there beside me. I love her with all my being."

Danny let out a shuddering breath and could feel Vlad staring at him. He wanted to cry out of admiration, respect, and a little bit of jealousy. To have that kind of love was what he wanted but that seemed to be out of his reach. His exes never cared for him enough not to hurt him but he got over it. Listening to Nella speak about Aria was kind of like how he felt about Vlad. Only there was that gaping rift in between them.

"That sounds so wonderful." Danny said. "Why does something like that elude me every chance I get? But I'm happy for you and Aria and hope you both have a wonderful wedding."

"What are you talking about? If it eludes you then fucking catch it! Nothing worth keeping was ever easy to find or catch. If that man truly is the one for you fight to get him and when you do don't ever let go. I let go twice with Aria and I don't want you to make that mistake. It hurt me and her in a bad way so please never let go. And if I have anything to say about it you're coming to the wedding!"

Danny laughed at her. She was right and spoke with such passion he couldn't help but love her for it. She was truly magnificent. And to invite an almost perfect stranger to her wedding made her a saint in his eyes though he knew she was timidly fierce underneath.

Vlad's head had snapped up at hearing fiancée and when it was confirmed that both getting married were women his head reeled. His Daniel was friends with lesbians? He knew Daniel had seen the girl at the convention but did he know her before that or did they just meet? He didn't know but the moment he saw Daniel with such a look of longing that it brought tears to the boy's eyes he wanted to rip the phone from his grasp and tell the girl not to talk to him again.

He looked back at the boy when he heard him laugh and wondered if he had heard Daniel so happy around him. The answer was no and that made his heart hurt. Would things have been different if he had gone about a nicer more supportive way? Would Daniel look up to him?

The whole idea brought something else to his mind for some reason it was how Daniel sought him out everywhere in everything. Unbeknownst to the teenager he had taken to hiding and watching the young halfa for weeks on end trying to figure him out. He noticed how Daniel would start to look around in suspicion when he was around but when he sent one of his machines he did nothing as if he hadn't noticed its presence.

There were a few times Daniel knew he was in the crowd and would seek his eyes only to disappear when Daniel found him. It baffled him how in tune the brat was to him. A few ghosts had noticed that when he shifted so did Daniel. It was odd to hear it at first since it was Ember and Desiree who had told him that. They said Daniel accommodated him in a way they have never seen. He didn't like those two but for some reason he couldn't forget what they told him.

Could Daniel be that in tune with me?

"Vladdie is staring into space, great." Danny chuckled.

"I'm what?" Vlad growled in response.

"You heard me. Now tell me how long we have until we get to Wisconsin."

"I don't know, a few more hours?" Vlad said as he shifted in his seat made himself more comfortable.

"You never told me how long it would take Vlad." Danny huffed. "I didn't realize how far away Wisconsin was just driving."

"Of course you didn't."

"Do you always resort to being sarcastic or is this just you being an asshole?" Danny glared at him.

"Perhaps the latter, who knows?" Vlad shrugged his shoulders. "You done with your conversation with that girl?"

"Yes and I have been for a while now. I'm hungry." Danny said with a smile. "Let's eat out at one of those fast food places you hate so much."

Vlad growled. "Hell no. If you're going to eat at least choose something a little healthier for you."

"I didn't realize you cared about what I ate as long as I was out of your hair." Danny said quietly. "Hasn't it always been that way though? Being angry at each other and trying go our separate ways? Or was it us being angry at what happened to us and taking it out on each other?"

Danny had been looking out the window when he said all that and hadn't realized he was even talking. When he felt eyes on him he turned to see Vlad staring at him in bafflement and thoughtfulness. He wanted to brush his fingers over Vlad's cheek and then over those perfect lips of his. He just wanted to feel the other man without having to tell himself he couldn't.

Without thinking Danny brought his hand up to touch Vlad. When his fingers were but inches away a bigger hand came up and gently latched on to his wrist. He didn't let that stop him and kept moving his hand towards the billionaires face. Confusion met his eyes while Danny only smiled gently. Vlad's hand didn't let go but he didn't stop him either.

"To me it's like we've been fighting for no reason. You can't let go and I barely moved on." Danny's fingertips brushed Vlad's cheek gently. "I'm not the hero they make me out to be, because it's not like I wanted to protect them. I just didn't want to live with the guilt of not doing anything if had the power to. My whole life I've been you, though me at the same time. I've had no one but my sister, Sam and Tucker at my side and recently I've lost them too."

He brushed his fingertips along his jaw relishing in the way the older man shivered while Vlad's hand had slid to his forearm.

"Did you know that Amity Park basically hates me, Danny Fenton, but they absolutely worship Danny Phantom? How can you hate one person and then turn around and love them that much and not notice how much alike they look or how similar their names are? Danny Fenton is nothing but an outcast, Danny Phantom a hero. I hate it and I'm numb about it." He slid his fingertips back over that jaw and moved it to the corner of his eye and slowly traced beneath it, over his nose and then finally to those lips. "I used the infinity gauntlet on the whole world to erase their memories of me being Phantom. Two weeks in that media hell and I couldn't take it. Just in case anyone found out who you were I swiped everyone's memory of you as well. Now all they know is Vladimir Masters, rich business tycoon who's thinking about making an empire."

Danny felt Vlad's heated breath on his fingertips and looked up to find the man had closed his eyes and was deep in thought. He removed his hand from Vlad's face. Vlad kept ahold of his arm but in a gentle way.

"I also asked Clockwork to give me a way to bring you back to earth. I couldn't stand to have you suffer alone in such a place. It was the first time I had anything negative to think about space." Danny felt that hand grip his arm firmly.

"Why would you do all that?" the voice was emotionless and it made Danny's heart sink and his mind go to a bad place.

"Because I could and it was in my power to. I'm sorry if it wasn't what you wanted me to do."

"You were always so adamant about taking away other peoples wills and yet when it came down to you it didn't matter." Vlad growled out.

Danny thought about his first ex and the way when he got mad he would grip his arm just like Vlad was doing. Without meaning to he began to tremble. He hated his ex more than anything at this moment. Hated all the horrible memories he brought with it. The names and coercion were the worst.

When he felt Vlad pull at his arm he thought it was in a harmful way and closed his eyes and held his breath. God he didn't want Vlad to be like him. Or like his other ex.

He flinched as he felt arms around him but after a moment he realized he was being hugged. Vlad's arms were wrapped around him as if to protect him and that wasn't something Danny had ever truly felt from someone. No one had ever wanted to make him feel so protected and Danny didn't want Vlad to let go.

"What choice did we give you, Daniel? We all in, some way, made you feel unwanted and yet because you didn't want to feel guilty or not, you saved us all from our own hell. No one may know it and I'm glad you told me at least." Those arms wrapped around him tighter pulling him fully into the older man's body. "Try and tell again you're not the hero when you are. Do you think I wanted to spend the rest of my life floating aimlessly about? Granted the time I did spend in space I had a lot to think about how I could have done things differently. I could have had a life of my own if my vision wasn't so clouded. Had I looked at your mother I would have seen how truly happy she was with Jack. Thanks to you I can live some sort of life now."

By the time he stopped talking Danny had quit trembling and embraced Vlad. The fruit loop had a way with words as well they just weren't the ones he wanted to hear. It was selfish yes, but he wanted to hear Vlad tell him how much he couldn't live without him and how much he loved him. Needed to hear that he at least cared in some way.

But he was grateful to hear Vlad give his gratitude. It showed he cared enough not to fight him all the time. And that gave some hope to look forward to.

When they pulled away from each other Vlad glanced over at him.

"This doesn't change anything Daniel. Not really." Vlad then proceeded to stare out of his window.

"Of course it doesn't Vlad." Danny smiled at him for a moment before snatching his bag away from Vlad's side startling him.

But it does Vlad. It changes everything.

I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! X3 I didn't think it'd take that turn in the limo but it sort of wormed it's way into the chapter. Danny is still a good person at heart I just think it's Amity Park he has a problem with. I noticed when I watched it that a lot of the people kinda looked down on him. Maybe because of Jack Fenton? I don't know really. I do know I didn't like it watching it. It was sad and heartbreaking. XC

I know there are a lot of reviews I never replied back to and I'd like to take this moment to thank you all for your awesome reviews and support. X3 I never expected to get very many but I got quite a few. So thank you all again. And to those who read but didn't review that's perfectly okay because I'm still happy you followed this story. X3 I hope you all always find something enjoyable to read.

Mirage leaving now! Bye-bye! XD