Disclaimer: I don't own anything from Danny Phantom.

Note: I was going to wait and post the first chapter of "Nevermore's" sequel next year to start things off fresh but I couldn't help myself! There were just too many great ideas swirling in my head for how to progress into Owen's next big character arc that I had to go ahead and start writing! This part of Owen's story mostly focuses on gaining mastery of his new powers and finally coming face to face with the council who have big plans for him along with everyone else from Mistveil they believe to have similar gifts they can exploit. I have a few unexpected surprises planned too I am beyond excited to share! Still, one thing at a time so if you haven't already go read "Nevermore" for yourselves or feel free to check out the timeline I made for Owen listing key events in his life so far over on my Tumblr "The Soul's Pulse."

Chapter 1: Being A Great Dad For Dimwits

Owen's POV

"Alright. We're just going to ask you a few questions, then you're free to go." The officer began in a polite but firm tone so I nodded and waited patiently for the first one.

A few days have passed since the council sent those seven people to kidnap me along with a bunch of other kids from Mistveil during Vlad's charity event. And ever since then we've all been a little on edge about it. But at least I have the luxury of knowing the truth about why they're after us. It's because they're after anyone with supernatural powers whether its magical, telepathic, or both. Oh and apparently ghostly too which is a problem since it turns out they went after Danny the same day.

I never expected anyone else from Mistveil to have those sorts of abilities so if it wasn't for that vision I had that made me realize I'm not the only person the council was targeting and the registry Danny, Sam, and Tucker found in the trash I wouldn't have believed it. Then again, now that my powers as a Necromancer fully awakened I know what signs to look for unlike before when it took everything in me not to get overwhelmed by the strong emotions of those around me. Once I took the time to really look at the souls within them I could tell there was something different about a few of the other kids waiting for their turn to be questioned.

For one thing there was this pair of fraternal twins, a boy and a girl, who must've only been transferred to Mistveil recently since I've never met them before. They definitely had the look of someone who knows a lot more than they're telling. Not that it's all that surprising given the whole psychic twin trope you see in a lot of horror movies. Then there was a little girl named Flora I've only met a couple times since she's pretty shy. Actually Flora kind of reminds me of myself when I was younger since I'm pretty sure she probably has the power of clairvoyance. That plus the drawing Flora gave me after I lent her my pen for awhile because she seemed really bored waiting around cinched it for me when I realized it was supposed to be Danny's ghost form and he was hanging out with a large black werewolf dressed in green rags I can only assume is a friend of his. She couldn't possibly have known what they look like otherwise...

Those three definitely had the strongest aura or 'power signature' in the room, but there were a couple of others who also had smaller traces of potential powers inside. Here's the real kicker though. As much as I hate to say it, it turns out Tristan might be just as much of a 'freak' as I am since he has the same feel to him now that sets him apart from the rest too. Thank god he doesn't know that yet or that jerk might accuse me of cursing him somehow to make him this way. I mean, I always knew something felt off about him but wow, talk about poetic irony am I right?

Anyways, getting back to the whole interview thing I told the officer pretty much everything that I knew from the standpoint of a perfectly normal foster kid on the surface. That I was transferred to Mistveil three years ago and the director has done everything he possibly could to get me placed with a good family which we weren't having any luck with until Vlad came along. From there I told them how shocked I was when the social workers told us he had been arrested since he's been nothing but supportive throughout the entire adoption process even though I was originally a bit reserved about it given how many times they've fallen through at the last minute. And obviously I made it clear that I don't believe for one second that he's capable of setting up such an elaborate kidnapping scheme since the poor guy can barely get the younger kids at Mistveil to go to bed on time without begging for help from the other staff members on his team.

As for my close call during the charity event itself I told the officer I was hanging out with Danny -the youngest member of the Fenton family who are old friends of Vlad's- and his friends Sam and Tucker to try and process the bad news when all of a sudden we heard loud noises and ran out of the room to investigate. I also mentioned how I was there when Vlad hired security guards to make sure then event went smoothly and knew what uniforms the stadium workers wore so we could tell the three guards waiting for us outside were impostors. At first we assumed they were after me since Vlad Masters is about to become my foster dad and wanted his money so I used myself as bait to keep my friends safe.

Thankfully Vlad and the real security guards showed up just in the nick of time to apprehend the would-be kidnappers and the rest the police already knew. As for the rest, I'm not entirely sure what lies those guys have come up with to keep things hush hush about the cult they're a part of, but at this point I don't really care. All that matters right now is we managed to beat them at their own game and better yet none of us have to go to a shelter thanks to Vlad presenting a more reasonable alternative than going into protective custody meaning we all get to stay with our foster families. So basically the rest of the kids at Mistveil are going to be kept under constant surveillance by a couple of officers to make sure nobody else tries to abduct them and they'll stop by to check up on me too from time to time.

I doubt that's the last we'll be seeing of the council and their minions but at least they know better than to assume we're easy targets. The part that concerns me the most however is that its not just foster kids the council are scoping out, its people like Danny who still have a family so I shutter to think what they might do to get them out of the way. At this point we know exactly what they're capable of since some of the council's predecessors helped orchestrate my murder in a past life and recently pinned the blame on the director for all of the mysterious abductions happening recently. In fact, Eris used to be one of their spies and was told to keep an eye out for gifted kids like us but she always just assumed everyone went with them willingly.

Kurst was right about that much at least. The council had us all fooled into believing they had good intentions, but in the end they're only interested in increasing their organizations power by bringing in new blood. So yeah, they've become the very definition of a cult instead of the talented group of exorcists protecting humanity against Wraiths and evil spirits they used to be...

Before all of this I was seriously considered talking to Danny in private about the whole secret-connection-to-Lilith-Mother-of-Demons thing too because in a way it effects him and Vlad just as much as it effects me. They are half-ghost after all which automatically makes them bigger targets for the other dark forces who're still after me for an entirely different reason. We've already fought and banished one Wraith together, two if you count the incomplete one Kurst created, but I have a bad feeling there's more where they came from just waiting for their chance to strike when we least expect it. That's why I think the council needs to get their act together and stop acting like a bunch of corrupt idiots if we're to stand any chance of stopping what's coming. I just don't know if I should bring any of this up to Vlad and the others yet given everything going on right now. Especially when I still don't know what any of this means and I never will unless we figure out a way to safely unseal the rest of my memories from before I became the person we all know now, back when I was someone else.

Either way we're have to confront the council soon and Vlad's already hard at work interrogating some of the people he fought as Plasmius at the charity event who somehow managed to get rid of the channeling crystals they were using before the police got their hands on them as evidence. Vlad was really hoping to find one he could analyze later at home but sadly there's no chance of that happening now. Apart from that, the police don't have any leads on what their true motives are.

I mean, who would ever suspect any of this had to do with an ancient cult that's been around for hundreds of years who know how to use real magic? The answer is, no one. Especially not a bunch of skeptics who probably don't believe in things like the paranormal at all. It's just easier that way. Too bad not all of us can rationally explain away those things since there are some truths that are undeniable no matter how hard we try to pretend otherwise. But I'm not that kind of person anymore. I've accepted what I am and embraced the parts of myself I once tried to ignore and I'm glad I did.

Bringing Vlad into my life was the one good thing Kurst ever did for me. It'll never make up for him letting my parents die and trying to manipulate me with an old promise I can't remember since that part of my memory is still sealed away. Vlad's been there for me through thick and thin, encouraging me when I felt like giving up, supporting me every step of the way, and now I can honestly say I can see us becoming a real family someday.

I know Vlad had his own reasons for taking me under his wing in the beginning but we've grown a lot closer since then and I trust him. I was even willing to die for Vlad when Kurst almost made him full ghost during our final confrontation. It all worked out in the end though because I stepped up to knock that creep down a few pegs and finally showed Kurst who's really boss. After all, he might have been a Necromancer once upon a time too, but I have the soul of the original who was given his powers by Death himself. That meant my true powers trumped his which were never designed for a ghost to have in the first place. After all, it's a Necromancer's job to guide lost souls to their final resting place and protect humanity from evil spirits, not to control them...

Our creed IS 'mortuos salva, vivos conserva' after all. In other words, 'save the dead, preserve the living' which used to actually mean something to him. And its why I have a lot of respect for what Danny and his friends do in Amity Park. They protect people. As for Vlad, he likes to think he's still the same selfish man he's always been but little by little I can tell he's starting to learn how to put the safety of others first. His primary focus might still be my safety but Vlad has saved a lot of lives recently too, like the lives of everyone in Salem when Nocturne put the whole town to sleep and the lives of his guests who came to visit the stadium a few days ago. So really, he's not entirely selfish anymore.

Sometimes I feel like I'm the one being selfish for letting him, Danny, and Eris keep putting themselves in danger for my sake. That's why I want to do my part even if its just talking to a police officer and that's exactly what I'm doing. At least that's what I was doing until I kinda zoned out for a bit while the guy in front of me was writing a couple of things down. Guess I was a bit tired because I haven't been sleeping well the past few days to the point where one moment seemed to blur into the next before I knew it.

I was just about to leave when the officer called after me and added. "Wait, before you go Owen there's one last thing I'd like to ask you off record."

Already guessing what question he had in mind I replied. "Sure, what is it?"

"In your own words what do you make of Vlad Masters?" He asked with a mixture of curiosity and worry. "You've told us how wonderful he's been to you these past two weeks but I gotta be honest kid, the man's hard to get a read on. From where I stand adopting you seems more like a PR move for him rather than any genuine desire to be a single parent. I've got a couple of little ones at home myself and another on the way but I honestly can't tell if he's good father material or not."

Thinking about his question for a second I smiled since I could tell the officer's question was perfectly sincere and answered. "I'd say we're kindred spirits in a lot of ways since Vlad's had to deal with a fair share of disappointments in his life just like I have. He's been living alone for over twenty years but that's not the life Vlad wanted for himself, not really. Vlad's always wanted to be a father but given his social position that's not an easy thing to do when it's so hard to know who to trust.

"It's the same for foster kids who don't have families they can rely on anymore. We basically have to start our whole lives over with a bunch of strangers who either don't know what they're doing, have too many mouths to feed as it is, or they're just after money from the government. So when it comes to Vlad I think we're both slowly learning how to trust people again, how to let ourselves be vulnerable again, and most importantly learning when it's ok to let someone see the pain behind the masks we've always have to wear to fool everyone into thinking we have under emotions completely control when sometimes these are the scariest things anyone can do."

Nodding in approval the officer chuckled. "That's a good answer. I'll be honest, I was worried you might have been coached on what to say or something but looks like I was mistaken. And you're right, being rich and famous isn't all sunshine and roses so I suppose its no wonder he's so standoffish..."

Straightening the file on the table in front of us the officer folded his hands over it and getting back into professional mode he finished with. "Thank you for your cooperation, Owen. We'll be in touch and should anything else come up we'll let Mr. Masters know. Another officer should be stopping by your place soon to confirm his mansion is secure just like we did at the Mistveil building but if there's any trouble before then be sure to call us immediately and we'll get there as soon as we can. You can go now."

"Thanks officer. I hope what I've told you will help prove the director's just another victim of whatever is going on right now like the rest of us." And with that I walked out of the interrogation room to meet up with Vlad who was already waiting for me out front. Guess he must've finished his side of things a lot earlier than I did but all it took was one look for me to know Vlad was just as eager to get out of there as I was.

Vlad's POV

They're a stubborn lot, I'll give them that. But I'll get answers out of them one way or another. I mused to myself while using a couple of my favorite intimidation tactics.

Of course there was only so much I could do to them while these idiots were behind bars, but that only meant I had to get a little more creative. For the most part I stuck to overshadowing the officer in charge of the prisoners and toying with them by saying things nobody else could know since there weren't any witnesses when I appeared in front of them as Plasmius apart from the two social workers who were smart enough to pretend they never saw a thing. Better that than to lose their jobs or worse, end up in a mental institution.

Considering the prisoners occupation as cultists and kidnappers though I didn't have to worry about mentally scarring them so much. And they knew I wasn't someone to be trifled with now and more importantly none of them had enough power to contest against me without the use of their channeling crystals. True their individual powers were still intact, but those were no match for mine.

I had cut my interview with the authorities short while Owen was preoccupied then made my way to the cells to chat with our dear old friends in the meantime. It was quite easy frankly to get at least one or two of them to spill their guts out in the end but the others took a lot more convincing since there was someone else they had to be afraid of besides me. Apparently the man who sent them wasn't supposed to interfere during the charity event at all and acted entirely on his own without permission. He offered them a sizable bonus and promised to put in a good word for them if his plan to secure Owen and the Mistveil children at the same time had succeeded, which obviously it didn't.

While it wasn't much to go off of since they were all being infuriatingly tight-lipped about everything else it proved one thing. Kurst was correct to assume their obsession with amassing their power in one place through Owen and these other gifted children has not diminished and some members of the council are willing to do anything to take it for themselves. And ironically it is Kurst's absence as Owen's secret protector that made this man bold enough to strike at him out in public whereas before they could only spy on Owen from afar or rely on Eris to give them updates on the status of his awakening.

That's another thing that perplexes me. Considering how valuable these children are to the council one would think retrieving Eris would be just as important as capturing Owen because from what I can tell she possesses a rare talent even among other young witches scattered through their ranks which I doubt they'd want to risk losing entirely. So perhaps that means the man behind this is the same person who reported her missing but then made absolutely no efforts to rescue Eris when she first disappeared. Surely they must have had someone keeping in an eye on her through the same scrying magic she's been demonstrating to me before that to give them a rough idea where Eris was last seen.

Whatever the case may be there's some discord happening within the council that I can most certainly use to my advantage. I'd much rather divide and conquer so their whole organization crumbles under its own weight than have to resort to anything overly drastic which might put Owen in danger again. Mind you I have every intention of training him to the best of my abilities considering I still have a lot to learn about Necromancers, but that doesn't mean I want to send Owen into battle any time soon either. To be honest he shouldn't have to fight at all since the boy has already seen too much bloodshed already...

The council is responsible for every bad thing that has happened to him before he was reborn and after. They deceived Kurst, perhaps even resorted to the dark arts to control him which led to the seeds of darkness being planted in his heart that almost turned what was left of him into a Wraith. They made Owen's childhood infinitely more difficult by lurking around his family for so long, causing his mother to isolate him for his own good. And finally they sent Eris in to befriend him to make it easier to coax Owen into joining them without knowing any better. If I hadn't stepped in when I did, who knows what might have happened.

My original intentions for approaching him were far from pure in the beginning either and it wasn't until Owen's mature yet empathetic personality really started to grow on me that I truly began reconsidering my actions. I wanted to be something more to Owen than an unexpected mentor there to educate him on what ghosts are really like. I wanted to be a father, which is something I never thought I'd feel again after Dani betrayed me and Daniel rejected my offer to become a better father to him than Jack could ever hope to be time and time again. Yet, oddly enough, thanks to Owen I've been given the opportunity to mend the broken bridge between Daniel and I thanks to the truce he made possible.

There are times when I still wonder what could have been, but that's all in the past now. For starters Dani is never going to see me as her father again and I've made my peace with that. In some ways I even wish her well in spite of everything because it helped open my eyes to the monster I had nearly became in pursuit of the perfect son. And while I will always see Daniel as a son to me in one form or another I can safely say I am just as happy to welcome Owen into my family, someone whom I fully intend to cherish with all of the love in my heart I have left to give.

Owen gets to have it all. Whatever he needs from this moment on, I will provide it. And right now that starts with helping him reclaim everything that the council has stolen away from him. They stole his best friend in the life before by warping Kurst's mind, they stole Eris's trust in their cause, and now they're trying to steal their freedom. Well, unfortunately for them Kurst and Eris are no longer their puppets and I'm going to do everything in my power to make sure we keep it that way.

Once my business with the lowlifes who tried to kidnap Owen was concluded I had ample time to mentally cataloged everything I learned while waiting for him to return so we could go home together as I stood patiently next to the front door. I had every confidence Owen would not to say anything unnecessary during his meeting with the police and thankfully no longer felt the urge to shadow him invisibly since I knew it might inevitably end up distracting him. It's become much more difficult to conceal my ghost signature from Owen at all to be frank, however, I don't necessarily think that's such a bad thing.

Owen understands my unique perspective on certain matters and how I go about doing things, reserving judgment until after he learns both sides of the story which I greatly appreciate. Unlike Daniel, who sadly still tends to view most of the world in black and white even now. And in turn I have come to understand the purpose behind a Necromancers natural ability to discern between the truly repentant soul and a malicious one bent on destruction. These people exist to help guide lost souls, using their gifts to decide who they are meant to lend their aid to, evaluate, imprison, or battle against. It's refreshing in a way to see first hand how Owen always does his best to understand the reasoning behind everything someone does regardless of how good or bad they seem on the surface because he knows there is almost always more to it than that.

Reflecting on my own actions over the past twenty years it turns out I'm a prime example of this. I've done many truly terrible things in my life while wholeheartedly believing I'm in the right or they were entirely justified. It's strange admitting that to myself now, but I think that's because Owen has always treated me with a measure of understanding, patience, and respect I didn't realize I missed so much. I've been alone for so long that having someone there who I can be true to myself around without fretting over the possibility of being rejected again is...liberating.

I was so caught up in my musings I almost didn't notice Owen walking towards me until I turned my head to once again be greeted his warm smile. He looked mentally exhausted but surprisingly optimistic so I had a feeling everything had gone smoothly on his end. Neither of us said anything when he reached me apart from sharing a fond greeting since we wanted to wait until we were well out of earshot before telling each other what we've really been up to. Owen didn't need to know the exact details of my separate interrogation but I suspect he'll be interested in hearing my theory about Eris's current predicament.

The second the car door closed behind him, Owen practically sank into his seat with a heavy sigh, obviously glad we were done dealing with all of these formalities for the time being. I was tempted to suggest taking a short nap during our drive back to the mansion but quickly changed my mind when I saw the look in his eyes, a look I'd recognize anywhere. It was the look of someone with something important to say that couldn't wait.

"So, how'd it go 'dad?' Find out anything interesting?" Owen began cheekily to calm his nerves a bit before delving into the serious part of our conversation.

Smiling at him I wordlessly turned the key, letting the engine rev for a moment for dramatic effect, then pulled out of the parking lot before finally retorting in response as we entered the rest of the street traffic. "You first, son."

In response Owen sat up straight again and replied indignantly. "Oh come on! We both know whatever you were doing this whole time has to be way more exciting than what I did. Well, ok, as long as you don't count the fact that it turns out there WERE some super-powered kids on that hit list we found after all."

Raising an eyebrow at him I corrected. "Owen, a hit list is something entirely different as I'm sure you well know. No one was planning to kill you, not this time at any rate."

"Yeah I know. Just wanted to make sure you're paying attention." He began while stifling a small yawn. "But seriously Vlad, being able to sense more than just ghost signatures now is going to take some time getting used to. It's like I can pick up on anything that's even remotely paranormal about a person and that's how I found out my old buddy Tristan might be 'special' too."

Once he got started there was no stopping him so Owen then proceeded to tell me everything he picked up on in the waiting room as well as sharing the cover story he relayed to the police officer who was taking statements. There were a couple of parts during his explanation that seemed a bit disjointed from the rest but I assumed those were just a sign of his fatigue starting to show. Eventually I had no choice but to ask Owen to calm down and take a deep breath while we were waiting for the light to turn green at the last street before we made it out of town,.

Taking one hand off the steering wheel and gently placing it on the back of his neck, rubbing it affectionately, I told him. "That's enough for now, my boy. I know this whole situation has been hard on you but I promise everything is going to be alright so there's no need to rush things. We've done our part and bought ourselves more than enough time to plan out our next move. Therefore I believe you've earned the right to take it easy and rest for awhile."

"Are you sure?" Owen asked, tilting his head to look at me blearily as I felt the remaining tension slowly ebbed out of his back and shoulders.

Leaning over to briefly press my forehead to his while still supporting the back of his neck I smiled. "Yes. You've been hard at work getting ready for this and going nonstop for days. But it's over now so I'm telling you it's alright to take a step back and take pride in yourself for a job well done."

Instead of answering me directly Owen nodded with an appreciative smile and comfortably rested his head against the glass of the passenger's side window, prompting me to finally let go of the back of his neck since the light had just turned green and it was time to go anyway. Owen must have closed his eyes and nodded off not long after that too thanks to the impromptu neck message I gave him. It must have really done the trick to calm his nerves since I haven't seen him look this carefree in his sleep for a while now so I mentally gave myself a pat on the back for successfully utilizing one of the suggestions I found in a book I've been reading called 'Being A Great Dad For Dimwits...'

And I'd like to think I'm doing a much better job of it this time around.