Vlad is creepy sometimes.
Jack Fenton loved his sweets almost as much as he loved ghost hunting.
Though fudge would always be his favorite, it certainly wasn't the only kind he liked. Maddie's snickerdoodles were absolutely divine, and no one made a better red velvet cupcake.
But those chocolate chip cookies, still warm from the oven, were undeniably her best. A touch of vanilla in the recipe helped, but something in the way she made them was different from any other Jack had ever tried.
So it's little surprise that Maddie was baking some for her husband that day, though Vlad Masters' arrival was unexpected.
"Maddie, dear, it's so good to see you!" The man exclaimed, "When was it last?"
Maddie scowled, putting the cookie sheet down and pulling off the oven mitts, "Not long enough. What are you doing in my house?"
Vlad, to his credit, didn't try to make excuses, "I'm here to see you, my dear."
Maddie scowled. Who did he think he was, blatantly trying to tear her family apart? She was no idiot; she knew full well that Vlad intended to take Her as his own, leaving her husband and their one-and-a-half-year-old daughter. Though unsure of how, she also knew he wanted to get Jack out of the picture.
Hopefully that just meant alive somewhere else.
"I'm not interested in anything you have to say, Vlad. I'm happy that you're healthy and that things are looking up for you, but even I can tell that those three years in the hospital have made you bitter," Maddie said, sounding a lot calmer than she felt.
Vlad frowned, "I am… not happy about it, perhaps, but I don't intend to let it define me. Rather, the trait that should define me is…" He swooped in and cradled Maddie's chin in one hand. She leaned back, cornered against the kitchen counter.
"The fact that I love you."
"NO!" Maddie yelled, pushing her college friend away. He blinked at her in shock as she spoke further, "I made a family with Jack. I married Jack, and I did so because I LOVE him."
Vlad stared for a moment, then his face settled into a mask of indifference, "I guess we'll need to fix that."
There was an itching sensation in the back of Maddie's mind and her vision went black.
This one literally resulted in one of my best friends talking to me for the first time! I have a few ideas for how to continue this one, actually, but it's low on my list of priorities right now.
Word Count: 387