Hola~

I might be posting this story on AO3 as well sometime in the future, under the same title and username. Just a heads up.

A/N: I'm taking some liberties with Dora's powers here, no major changes, but it's there.

The Life We Fight For

Chapter 28: A Web of Lies

There is an old saying that 'patience is a virtue'. Vlad Masters considered himself a living testament to the confirmation of that old proverb.

Twenty years he'd spent learning, practicing and growing his powers to new heights, rising above the odds with nothing but his own means and time. Life had dealt him a difficult hand, but he'd triumphed in the end.

Even now, his patience was being tested with both difficulty and tribulation, such like he had never known before. He would rally his strength as he always did and fight hard, even should the circumstances break him.

"Daniel! Take your medicine now!"

"You take it!"

Vlad pinched the bridge of his nose in a desperate attempt to not break down and blast something. Not 24 hours had passed since their fight and Daniel seemed hell-bent on starting another one.

"I am not in the mood to argue with you, brat," Vlad said, trying to keep his cool. "Get down here at once!"

Daniel looked down at him in mock confusion. He pushed on the ceiling until he was stomach-down in the air, his fingers lacing together behind his head.

"What was that?" he said. "Sorry, I don't think I can hear ya down there!"

Vlad grit his teeth and set down on the nightstand the very thing that started their current debate. A two ounce oral syringe filled with special antibiotics for half ghosts, made by Vlad himself.

It was on the larger side, not to mention glowing purple, but Daniel should have been past the age of fearing such things. Yet another of Jack Fenton's parenting failures he'd need to correct.

"If I have to come up there myself I promise you," Vlad paused, making sure the threat was heard. "As soon as you are well again you'll be over my knee faster than you can say 'Going Ghost'."

He finally got the boy's attention. After some hesitation, Danny lowered a few inches towards his bed beneath him, eyeing the syringe on the nightstand as if it would spontaneously attack him.

"Honestly, Daniel this is ridiculous," Vlad huffed.

"You're ridiculous."

The urge to murder hadn't been so strong in Vlad's soul since his days laying in bed with ecto-acne. He consistently reminded himself this was part of the job; that stress was normal in the life of a parent.

When Daniel was sitting on top of his bedsheets once more Vlad reached for the syringe. Again he was met with resistance, Daniel's voice changing to an ear-splitting annoyance of a sound.

"It's groooss!" Daniel complained, leaning back as Vlad advanced.

"You haven't tried it yet," he said, wishing for once that Godfrey were around.

The butler had been adamant that this was an opportune time to bond with Daniel and had promptly told him he was on his own. Of course, he'd used much more polite words than that, but the message wasn't any less clear.

"You said it was gross," Daniel said, almost as an accusation.

"I told you it would help you!" Vlad snapped, tired and annoyed. Strong restraints and a nice, handy gag came to mind.

Too bad he wasn't allowed to tie up his own son. It would've saved him so much time!

"Which means it's gross," continued Daniel. "Besides, I feel fine! Absolutely cured, even."

Vlad thought of an idea, one that might serve for more than just getting Daniel to obey. He stepped backward, moving from the bed to the door until he was just over 6 feet away.

"A deal then," said Vlad, "if you can walk to me, I'll give you this distributor to do as you please. Should you fail, you take it without complaint."

Daniel smirked and rose into the air, confident there was no way he wouldn't succeed. Vlad cleared his throat loudly.

"I believe I said 'walk to me', remember?"

This time the boy's face showed doubt. Vlad was hoping also to gauge just how bad Daniel was feeling with this test. Hearing him continually deny any pain or sickness was just prolonging his recovery and frustrating them both.

Daniel dropped onto the ground. His legs looked unstable for a moment, as if they would give out with an ounce more of weight, but he remained upright. Stubbornly the hero crossed his arms and walked, his eyes glued to the floor in front of him.

Vlad watched, counting the steps as they landed. One, two, three...

He raised an eyebrow when Daniel stopped. He'd been doing surprisingly well, even making Vlad worry he'd have to complete his side of the deal. But he had expected Daniel's energy to run out quickly, otherwise he wouldn't have made the bet.

"Absolutely cured, was it?" Vlad said with a sigh. He moved forward to simply pick him up when Daniel let out a slow breath. Vlad frowned in response.

"What is it?" he asked.

Daniel's head stayed low, but thankfully Vlad's enhanced senses allowed him to hear the reply.

"You win," Daniel whispered, hands pressing tightly to his chest.

Vlad scooped up the pale, pajama-clad Phantom as gently as possible. He could feel his breath coming out in a wheeze despite not needing oxygen at all. The more he observed the more skeptical he grew. Vlad couldn't bring himself to believe this was just an average cold.

As he let Daniel settle beneath the blankets he was reminded of the task at hand. He put the end of the syringe to the sick boy's face, wishing on every star in the sky that he wouldn't have to endure more whining.

All he received was a groan before Daniel willingly drank the purple antibiotics in a quick few gulps. Though he'd tried to get it over with quickly it still took about 30 seconds in total.

Vlad expected all manner of gagging, complaining, and overall dramatics but received none. Daniel just dropped into his pillows once more, eyes still open but tired looking.

"You'll start feeling better soon, just wait," promised Vlad, unsure of why he felt the need to do so. Everything seemed to be new to him lately, especially with some of the more obvious changes...

"You're just saying that, Father," Daniel said. "And if that's the case I must look really pitiful right now."

Vlad internally relished the feeling of being a parent, blocking out all the voices telling him it was only temporary. He'd finally won and got what he had been wanting since he discovered Daniel's existence.

"You're spacing out again," Daniel said, frowning. Vlad chuckled.

"I'm only wondering when you're going to admit defeat and rest, little badger," he said.

Daniel pulled the covers tight over his head, effectively ending the conversation. If he'd been any other boy Vlad might have worried he'd be suffocated, but Daniel was no ordinary boy. Normal teenagers didn't have naturally white hair and glowing green eyes.

Vlad made his way out of the room and to his lab, confident for the first time that morning that Daniel was subdued for now. Once in his underground space he unlocked his ghost portal, watching as the doors parted to reveal green swirls of energy.

Almost immediately a familiar face came through, grinning as he landed with a metallic thud into the laboratory floor. Vlad closed the portal once more.

"I must say I'm surprised you've gotten so involved, Plasmius," said Skulker, "calling me to help you with the whelp's problem is definitely not like you..."

"Spare me your accusations of going soft," Vlad snapped. "This time it's not for Daniel. I have all I need from him."

Skulker crossed his hulking metal arms in stubborn confusion. He didn't trust Vlad's judgment when it came to the Fentons. Anyone with half a brain could tell he was obsessed with them.

"Then it is the woman in Ivix's clutches? The competent ghost hunter?" asked Skulker.

Vlad turned and brought up an image of a thermos on his monitor. In shape it appeared just like one of Phantom's, but the color scheme and level of technology were completely different. For one, there was a genetic lock on the thermos, just like on the ghost portal.

"I need to capture them both in this," said Vlad, gesturing to the model. "And you're going to build it for me."

Skulker frowned, skeptical. "A thermos that traps both humans and ghosts? What purpose would that serve?"

"I believe I can separate them while they remain trapped inside," Vlad explained. "If you build this correctly, I can use it like a programming device, and see what can genetically be done to get Ivix out of Maddie."

"Sounds an awful lot like experimenting to me," Skulker said.

Vlad rolled his eyes, pressing a button on the keyboard in front of him. The blueprints for his new thermos began downloading to Skulker's suit instantly.

"I would never do anything to harm Maddie," Vlad said, facing Skulker again.

"Except destroy her husband and kidnap her children, of course."

Vlad dismissed Skulker with a smirk, choosing to ignore the jab at his character. He didn't have anything to prove to his employee. It only mattered that Skulker could accomplish what he needed him to.

He locked the ghost portal, a habit he wasn't ashamed to admit came from paranoia. Their newest enemy didn't value the flashy, obvious attacks like so many other ghosts, so locked up tight the portal would stay.

That, and maybe he could manage to actually keep Daniel out of the Ghost Zone now. He'd spent nearly all of a night reprogramming his security systems after the Foley boy had broken through.

He set to work on going over the blueprints he'd sent Skulker, making sure everything was perfect and running test after test to ensure it would not fail. His entire plan revolved around the new thermos doing its job. If he couldn't get it to work, Maddie might not make it long enough for him to design a second model.

After an hour and a half of putting the blueprints through simulations and diagnostics Vlad finally had enough peace of mind to turn off the monitor for the day. He rubbed around his eyes as he willed away the slight headache that had begun to form. No doubt from staring at the lit screen for so long.

It was that slight pain that reminded him of Daniel. Though if he were being honest, nearly anything could bring his thoughts to the other halfa. He wondered if other parents acted the same or if he was starting to lose it, becoming more obsessed than he was already.

As he headed upstairs with every intention of returning to Daniel's room Godfrey intercepted him and began to fill him in on what news he'd missed from work. He had been absent for many a day now and he didn't doubt he would have to do something about it soon.

"Your associates will begin to lose their respect for you, sir," Godfrey explained. "Rumors may be no cause for concern, but you must call a meeting before they decide to place their loyalties elsewhere, Mr. Masters."

Vlad sighed, realizing he'd left his single, rich, businessman life for too long. But with Daniel still living with him he had doubts that he could simply host a gala and have everything go without incident.

"We will start with a dinner party," said Vlad. "There is no need to call for a business meeting to discuss rumors. We just need a few, trusted associates and a few gossips that will relay to the world that I'm still breathing."

"Yes sir," said Godfrey, "we will have it scheduled before the month is over."

He bowed slightly before he turned to leave. Vlad had a thought and spoke quickly to stop him.

"And Godfrey?" he said, "Choose families that have older children. I intend to have Daniel accompany me."

Godfrey didn't seem to like the idea, his eyebrows furrowing in that suspicious and concerned way. It was all but his signature by now.

"And if people ask questions?" asked Godfrey. "How will you explain your relation?"

"He's my son of course," Vlad said with the lift of an eyebrow.

"The tabloids will love that," Godfrey said with a sigh. Vlad chuckled and waved a hand.

"Let them say whatever they like, it will only benefit me,"

Godfrey looked at him strangely for a moment. However, after a moment he seemed to understand and put a weathered hand to his temple, massaging it slowly.

"You want the rumors to start, so Daniel Fenton will feel pressured to stay Daniel Masters," Godfrey said, watching Vlad's face to determine if he was right. "The more people believe he's your long lost son the harder it will be for the boy to return to his life..."

"I cannot keep Daniel prisoner," said Vlad, unwilling to directly answer. "But I can give him an...incentive, to make the right decisions."

Though it was harsh to hear, Godfrey wasn't exactly new to Vlad's manipulation and plotting. As he usually did when his employer's mind was made up, the butler did nothing but nod his head. To reply with more defiance than he already had in the last 24 hours would be unseemly.

Vlad promptly left Godfrey with a satisfied smirk on his face. He'd almost forgotten how good it felt to reveal a well thought-out plan to an unsuspecting soul.

Though, he admitted it was more of a gamble than much else. Daniel could very well decide to ignore the implications of being introduced into high society, especially as the son of Vlad Masters himself. Businessmen and rich folk could be bullies, and as he recalled Daniel didn't do very well with bullies.

Before he realized it he was standing outside Daniel's bedroom door again. It was mostly suspicion that lead him there, he hadn't heard a single whine in nearly a couple of hours.

The boy was asleep when Vlad entered the room, the covers pushed to the foot of the bed in a heap of starry fabric. Luckily he hadn't changed back yet, his ghostly body was still glowing in the darkened bedroom, dreaming soundly. But his sleep wasn't very peaceful.

Daniel's breath was coming out in quick, wheezing gasps, and his hands were pressed to his chest. The first thing Vlad did was check that the Ectosignature Simulator he'd given him was working. It was glowing from underneath the bed as always, meaning a nightmare wasn't probable this time.

The back of Vlad's hand found Daniel's sweaty cheek. The heat he felt caused him to frown, feeling horrible for letting this happen. Daniel would have been fine right now, perhaps training or studying for a quiz, if only Vlad had seen his reckless plan coming.

Daniel shifted, taking Vlad's attention from his thoughts. He rolled over to face Vlad and his eyes fluttered for a moment before going still again.

Vlad sighed softly and went to the intercom on the wall, quietly asking that a late lunch be brought up. Daniel hadn't eaten since yesterday, insisting he didn't eat in ghost form, regardless of whether he could or not. The argument had escalated even further when Vlad then demanded he take medicine as Phantom, only ending with a threat to the boy's backside.

Waking Daniel was harder than Vlad would admit. He wanted to just let him sleep the day away, but he was only half ghost and still needed food to stay energized. It was strange enough watching Daniel move so sluggishly and hardly manage to walk.

Vlad squeezed his shoulder gently, hoping he didn't sleep as soundly in ghost form as he did in his human one. Luck must have been on his side, because Daniel opened his eyes immediately. He looked confused until he finally focused on the man in front of him.

"Afternoon," said Vlad. "How do you feel?"

Daniel groaned loudly and turned over, grasping for blankets that weren't there. Vlad laughed before dragging the cover back over his ward obligingly. He remembered his intercom call and instantly sobered.

"I have lunch coming–"

"No," Daniel snapped.

Unwilling to participate in another argument Vlad walked to the window and let in some light, yet another string of groans coming from the bed as he did.

"Eat something, then you can go back to sleep," said Vlad. Daniel merely sighed, his eyes closing once more.

"You're enjoying this," he grumbled. "You get to play parent while I suffer. Not fair."

Vlad held back a laugh this time, realizing the boy wasn't too far off the mark. He definitely didn't enjoy that he was sick, but acting like Daniel's parent was a little rewarding. Still, he couldn't let Daniel know that.

"Enough dramatics," Vlad said. "You need that medication again in half an hour, and I'd rather you not take it with an empty stomach."

"You won't have to worry, 'cause I won't be taking it at all," Daniel said.

He decided to let the topic go, at least for now. There was something nagging at him anyway. Vlad sat down beside Daniel, taking in his appearance for a moment before coming up with something.

"Daniel," Vlad waited for the boy to open his eyes before he continued. When he did, they were tired and barely lit up. Vlad raised his hand...

"Give me a high-five."

"What?" Daniel said. He stared at Vlad's hand like it was going to blast him.

"Just do it."

Daniel looked like he was going to obey for all of a moment before frowning and looking away.

"No," he said.

"I grow tired of hearing that word," Vlad said in warning. "Now obey me, or talk."

Daniel gave him what Vlad dubbed the 'sad eyes' and stayed silent. Vlad nearly faltered at the desperate, young expression but the lack of glow those green eyes had reminded him of why he needed Daniel to do this. If he wouldn't tell Vlad what was wrong he couldn't help.

After several seconds Daniel caught on and lowered his eyes. His hands twitched for a moment before he finally moved one, a cold, blue mist appearing for a second in the air. It was quick, but Vlad caught sight of it just before it dissipated into the air.

"I'm too hot," said Daniel. "If I don't cool down my core, it...it hurts, a lot."

Vlad was kicking himself for not realizing sooner that Daniel's core was uncomfortable in the heat. And it had been his idea to stay in ghost form!

"You can't keep using what little energy you have," said Vlad, "it's probably why you're not getting better. Your body can't fight off the illness if it's powering your...ghost ice?"

"But if I can't use my ice powers to cool down..." Danny trailed off, looking away.

"We'll lower your fever the old fashioned way, of course," Vlad said briskly. "First though, you have to eat. More urgently than before, actually."

"It'll be hot," Daniel complained, slowly removing his hands from his chest.

"And then we'll get you cold again," Vlad promised. "Trust, little badger."

Daniel sat up and crossed his arms, watching the door in dread. His hands were no longer producing a chill and it was only minutes before his core would start hurting.

"I really hope you're right about this, Father."

Footsteps thudded heavily towards a large stone door, their sound getting louder and louder as the person inside took a deep, calming breath. It was dimly lit and hardly furnished inside the room, with just a few chairs and a desk along one wall. The sound of boots running came even closer until soldiers were storming inside, blowing out the one candle on the desk in their haste.

"Your majesty!" said one, "You are no longer safe here, they're inside the castle!"

Dora stood and gently waved her hand over the smoking wick, lighting it anew. She was as calm as she could be despite there being sounds of battle not too far off.

"I will stay with my people," she said with finality. "I refuse to run."

Another of her guards, one that had helped her many times and whom she would even regard a friend stepped forward. His limp right arm hung bloodied from his shoulder, his entire sleeve in tatters.

"Please My Queen," said Virgil, "the intruders were last seen heading for the dungeons. If they manage to free him..."

"They won't," Dora said, "I will make sure of it!"

She stepped forward, but her path remained blocked by her guards. Her face darkened but the soldiers would not move, their expressions sad and worried.

"We cannot let you sacrifice yourself like this," Virgil said. "We will help you escape and you will bring back help to us. Until then, we fight and survive."

Their were several nods throughout the group. Virgil held his good arm out for Dora to take, giving her a smile. She hesitated, but the looks on her brave men's faces convinced her to link her arm with Virgil's. For once, she would be the one to take orders.

Virgil shouted for the others to cover them and led Dora out of the safe room and down the passageways. They ran as fast as Dora could handle until the sounds of ectoblasts and crackling fire faded. She was panting by the time they reached a high tower, flying swiftly up to the top while some guards stayed below to block the entrance.

The few guards left aided in getting the two out onto a balcony of the tower, keeping watch all the while. Dora felt a jolt of emotion in her chest when she looked out at the burning buildings of her kingdom and heard the shouts of her fellow ghosts as they fought desperately.

Her hands trembled as she brought them up to Virgil's face. They glowed a bright blue for a moment before the light sank into his skin and disappeared. He backed away from her, his skin beginning to change color.

"You'll need to hop on quickly," he said, his voice gruff. "We won't have much time to fly away."

Dora nodded and watched as Virgil changed into a dragon. She wasted no time and climbed up onto his back, holding on as tightly as she dared before giving Virgil the signal to fly.

Within a second they were in the air, speeding over the fiery pit that was once Dora's glorious kingdom. The smoke burnt in her nose and brought tears to her eyes but she could not look away. Maybe if she witnessed their suffering she could somehow atone for her sin of failing to protect them.

She should've seen this coming. She should have prepared and had the forethought to ready her defenses before it was too late. Her brother would have rallied the soldiers and had the clones scattered long before they could reach the castle doors...

They had traveled for barely a minute before she heard it. A loud, crackling 'boom!' that rippled across the floating rock and rumbled through the ground. Dora turned around in time to see a large, dark dragon emerging from the rubble of the east side of her castle.

Her brother had been freed.

"No!" Dora yelled, praying that he would not see Virgil. Aragon was the fastest dragon she knew, she could not risk her friend getting attacked.

"Your majesty?" Virgil called, "I need you to promise me that you'll flee should I be finished here."

Dora opened her mouth to protest immediately but her eyes welled up and her throat caught. She couldn't think of anyone that wouldn't say the exact same thing in his position. All of her men were brave and greatly devoted to her.

"Your life will not be a waste," she said, "I will return the kingdom to its previous glory with Danny's help. He's lent me his aid once, I'm sure he'll do it again."

There was a loud, sudden roar behind them and Dora quickly brushed the tears from her eyes. The red irises hardened as she sobered and turned to see how quickly Aragon was coming at them.

If he knew she was there, he didn't look like it. He was smiling and advancing at a dangerously fast speed, slicing a rooftop clean off a particularly tall house, like it was butter. Unfazed he gained on them, another animalistic roar tearing from his throat.

Dora turned invisible and gripped onto Virgil tightly. She knew they could not outfly a bigger and faster dragon like her brother, but they didn't have to. At this point the goal had changed. Dora just had to get out alive, and return with more power than her own. Aragon would not kill the inhabitants of her kingdom, he was too hungry for the throne.

"Now, your majesty!" hissed Virgil when he could feel Aragon's hot breath at his tail. Dora leapt from his back just in time for the former prince to swipe his talons down across Virgil's wing.

Dora saw Virgil plummet, crying out and smacking her brother away. But Aragon simply turned and sunk his sharp teeth into the other dragon's shoulder, green spurting out from the wound. Dora's breath shuddered horribly, and it took all she had in her to turn and fly away.

She didn't stop until the sound of frantic shrieks stopped, and when she turned her head her precious home was no longer in sight. It was uncertain how long she had been flying for, both grief and determination had prevented her from tiring with time.

Dora could see ghosts up ahead; they were small, a great way off from her position, but she could see they were a good sized group. She flew fast, waving her arms as she went.

"Hello, over here!" she yelled, close enough to see the ghosts were all in uniforms, crisp and intimidating. The leader looked at her, his pinstriped suit standing out from the rest.

"A lost little lady all by 'erself out here?" he said, "Now that's definitely against the rules..."

Vlad wrung out a cold washcloth into the sink where he stood, his sleeves pinned up and hair slightly messy. It had taken an hour to get Daniel to eat and take another dose of medication, this one modified with fever reducer.

Still, another half hour later Daniel complained about being hot and whined about the cough that had just started, all while Vlad tried his best to be patient. A feat much easier said than done, as he'd grown to learn.

He returned to the space themed bedroom in question and Daniel was again holding his hands to his chest as he sat with his legs pulled up. Vlad sighed and draped the cloth around the back of his neck, making the boy jump.

"Hey!" Daniel yelped, coughing a bit afterwards.

"Stop that," said Vlad, taking Daniel's wrists into his hand and pulling them away from his chest. Daniel's voice broke out into that horrid tone that made Vlad's skin crawl.

"It's too hot," he said dramatically, though he didn't fight Vlad's hold.

"Your temperature has already gone down a bit, just endure a bit longer."

Vlad's grip loosened and Daniel wrapped his arms around his knees. As much as he wished he could take away the child's pain, he could only get his body back into condition to fight the sickness. The rest was up to Daniel.

"You're just saying that. It's still totally boiling in here," Daniel whined. The sound was like nails on a chalkboard to Vlad but he shook it off, keeping his cool.

"Relax. Why not lay down, hm?" said Vlad.

Daniel shook his head and coughed, which then set off a fit that left him gasping. Vlad had sent Godfrey a call for water to be brought up and then found himself unsure of what to do. If he'd known Daniel was going to get sick he might have picked up a parenting book on the subject but he couldn't simply do so now.

Vlad sat down again, watching helplessly as Daniel fidgeted, unable to stay still. The boy's chest had started to hurt again, and now he was coughing too. This must be one of the boy's unlucky weeks.

Godfrey entered a few minutes later with a pitcher of water and a glass. As soon as he had Daniel set to drinking some, he pulled Vlad aside with a serious expression.

"There was a call from the Ghost Zone," he said in a whisper. "It's an emergency. You're needed in the study as soon as possible."

"Who is it?" asked Vlad. Godfrey shook his head, eyeing Daniel.

"I can't leave him now, Godfrey," Vlad said with conviction.

Godfrey moved in front of him, blocking his view of the boy. He didn't know all of the details surrounding their guests visit but he needed Vlad to focus. Daniel was stable, for now at least. There was no urgency here besides that of a parent wanting to be near their suffering child.

"I'll stay," said Godfrey. "If anything changes I'll call you immediately, but please sir-"

"I can't Godfrey, not right now," Vlad interrupted. He heard Daniel put his glass down forcefully and sigh, letting loose a stray cough for good measure.

"Just go already," Daniel said, annoyed. "I'm not a baby you know. I can sit still and look pretty for a while without you."

As much as Vlad wanted to be hurt by his comment Daniel had a point. It was easy to forget he was approaching fifteen years of age. He vaguely wondered if he would hit a growth spurt soon...

"Then Godfrey is staying, so be good for him," Vlad teased, waving a hand condescendingly as he opened the door. "Father will be back soon!"

"Father should really get a cat!"

Vlad chuckled, closing the door behind him before more insults could be heard. He realized as he continued on that he had not asked Godfrey who had come through the portal. The butler knew there were only a handful of ghosts Vlad would let into his home without good reason, and he doubted Skulker had finished his project so soon...

He entered his study and immediately Walker's clean, white, glowing suit stood out against the dark ornate theme of his study. The skull-faced ghost was leaning on his desk with a cocky smirk, though Vlad was not the least intimidated.

"You've come at a bad time, Warden," Vlad said, somewhat threateningly.

"Sir Plasmius!"

Vlad's brows creased and he turned to his left, just noticing the woman sitting beside his bookcase. She was so silent he'd missed her entirely. The lady stood and he could then clearly see his visitor's face.

"What on Earth...?"

"Warden Walker tells me Danny is still under your protection, so I've come here looking for him." Dora said, trying her best to sound confident. "Something terrible has happened to my home and I need his help to save my people."

Vlad analyzed her carefully, tapping into his ghost side for a moment and smelling the faint smoke scent coming from her. Her clothes bore unseemly wrinkles and her hair was wind-whipped. She didn't appear to be lying so far; something had definitely happened.

"Daniel cannot help you," Vlad said, "but I'm curious to know why you need his aid so badly."

"Yer ghost friend and his copies wrecked the kingdom," Walker said, answering so Vlad understood. "Ivix set loose Aragon, and Danny Phantom is the only one that can put him back. Or so says the dragon girl..."

Dora nodded, dabbing at her eyes. Vlad was unsure of what to do, for once. He hadn't anticipated an attack so direct coming from a ghost known for trickery and manipulation. There was more to this and he was sure of it.

"I understand this must be hard for you," said Vlad to Dora. "So let's have a nice, calm dinner prepared and one of the maids can help you clean up. After that–"

"I'll tell you what you wish to know," Dora finished, "but in return I must speak to Danny myself. He will understand my situation better than anyone here."

'That is what I'm afraid of,' Vlad thought. Outwardly, he was the epitome of a gentleman.

"Of course, I'm sure he'll be excited to see you."

As Vlad used the intercom on his desk to summon his staff, he pulled Walker aside. The warden's presence alone was worrisome. If not for their plans he would question Walker's motives for helping Dora.

"What part do you play in this tragedy?" Vlad asked. Walker smirked, daring to shrug his shoulders.

"The damsel in distress had info on our ghost. It seemed appropriate to play rescuer."

Vlad didn't believe him in the slightest. But with Dora tight-lipped about the events until seeing his son, (who would not be allowed into the Ghost Zone for obvious reasons) he would push away his curiosity. At least for now.

"Surely you're not gonna follow through with your plan now that Prince Aragon is on his side?" Walker said. Vlad laughed softly, earning a confused glance from Dora.

"The plan stays." he said. "There is no dragon or ghost that can keep me from Maddie."

Walker rolled his eyes. Of all the weaknesses for a great and powerful ghost to have, it had to be a woman.

"How romantic..."

Vlad's thought kept straying to Daniel and how he knew next to nothing about the relationship he had with Dora, or other passive ghosts. He'd learned quickly about Frostbite, (and would not be venturing out to the Far Frozen anytime soon) but he hardly knew anything about the non-villains Daniel had encountered. He hoped to change that soon enough.

A couple of maids arrived to escort Dora to a guest room and Vlad dismissed Walker with little thought. Of all the times for Ivix to strike he'd chosen now, when he was drowning in work, needed to plan a social party and had a sick halfa in his home.

It was just another Tuesday in the Masters household...

Next Chapter: Vlad's attack on Ivix gets put off in favor of revealing Daniel Masters to the world. Danny on the other hand, has other plans...

Weird place to end but another scene would have really bulked up this chapter. Yikes.

Anyway, thanks for reading~ please review and let me know what you think~

Special thanks to all my betas. (Listed on my profile)

-P