The Foundations We Build

Chapter 2: Ode To A Missing Mother

As chaotic as the Ghost Zone could be, there was a certain consistent calmness one could find in everyday life living inside its great expanse of green. Not every area was a warzone, a fact Dora found herself immensely grateful for after the last few months.

She tried to bury what had transpired in her heart, staying strong for her terrorized people who needed her stability to return to normal. They had rebuilt her destroyed castle and its surroundings to a near copy of the original, helping her feel more and more like it had all been just a bad dream. A trial she had needed to endure.

The only thing left was the pesky half-ghost hybrid that insisted on making almost daily visits to her home. A hybrid who, for the last few days had been strangely absent. And now, upon his return, appeared determined to make up for lost time.

"Did you know I have to sneak cash into his backpack? He won't simply askwhen he needs something. As if I'm not made of money."

Dora nodded patiently as Plasmius continued to rant. It seemed he was back with a vengeance; going from ignoring Danny's existence altogether to talking about him non-stop.

"I have to keep a copy of the school schedule in my desk- you would not believe how many events go on at a single public high school! I'll need to hire another assistant just to keep track of them all..."

"How has Danny felt these days? With all the changes...?" Dora said. The first thing she's said since Plasmius appeared in a stressed whirlwind.

Plasmius huffed, crossing his arms. For a moment, Dora could suspend reality and almost see a resemblance between the halfa in front of her and his younger counterpart. If they could do one thing right, it was to be petulant.

"He's fine, all things considered," Vlad said before his eyes narrowed again.

"At least I think he is. I can't tell whether I'm doing a great job as his guardian, giving him everything he needs, or if I'm ruining his life- he's such a resilient child it all looks the same on him."

Dora quickly covered her smile behind her hand. It was a good sign, she thought, that Vlad seemed to be less afraid of approaching this new dynamic. Perhaps she shouldn't worry so much for Danny, but it seemed nearly impossible after what they'd been through. What she'd seen in the Masters' house.

She greatly admired Jazz, and wished she could communicate with her again soon. There was something about the Fenton children that made you feel light- like hope. Danny especially, and Dora wanted nothing more than for the boy to get the same light and protection back that he'd shared with the humans around him.

This is what she'd tell herself when Vlad came knocking, anyway. She was doing this for Danny. A small way she might be able to help him; giving Vlad the advice and support he needed.

"Danny is good at keeping things hidden," Dora agreed. "Though, I'm sure his lack of a mother and a sister right now isn't helping."

Vlad cocked an eyebrow at her, causing her to stiffen. Had she said something strange? Plasmius opened and closed his mouth a few times before he simply said:

"How so?"

"Well," Dora spoke carefully. "There's just something about a mother- or older sister, that allows for vulnerability. Jazz even loved psychology. I'm sure Danny is used to sharing his feelings and could quite possibly be missing that outlet. Resulting in that same expression symptom you're talking about...?"

Vlad stared at her curiously for a moment. "I...suppose."

"All I mean is," said Dora. "A woman's touch in an adolescent's life isn't to be totally disregarded, don't you think?"

Vlad hummed in a half-hearted response, and she knew that was all she'd get to say on the matter today. Though, she didn't think it a total loss, for she knew Plasmius enough now to know he was mulling over her words even as he went to change the subject. She allowed him to ramble about his workload for a few minutes before he poorly excused himself, much to her amusement.

Somehow, she found herself feeling accomplished, and it was only midday!

School had been yet another hectic ride from class to class, hallway through crowded hallway, and Danny found himself wishing for the first time that he was as socially invisible as he was often literally.

Sam and Tucker helped, at least at first, defending their friend from the hoard of questions and pushy new 'friends'. His gothy friend was especially excited to watch him reject the popular kids' invitations and continue trying to live his normal life, ever the rebel she was to social norms.

Today though, Tucker had grievances. Grievances Danny was quite frankly not in the mood for.

"I'm just saying," Tucker was ranting. "You've gotta be tired of escaping onto this roof every other day. If we were just cool with the popular kids, we wouldn't have to rely on your powers all the time for privacy!"

Danny had finished lunch and was lazing on the roof, hands behind his back. For the first time in a while he wasn't worried about homework- Vlad had helped him with it all last night.

"I get it, Tuck, really," Danny said, eyes closed. The breeze blowing through his silvery hair felt nice. Not as good as flying though. "I'm just not ready to commit to this whole 'Masters' thing, you know? I don't want to talk to people about how I spend my weekends at the mansion I now go home to, or how Vlad insists on showing up to every school event parent's could be at, or, gosh, how he's legally my father-."

"Guardian," Sam reminded him gently. She hadn't looked up from the book in her hand once all of lunch period. Now, her purple eyes were locked on him.

Danny nodded gratefully. He could hear Vlad's voice in his head like it was said moments ago, instead of months.

'Call me whatever it is you feel strongest in that moment, alright?'

How difficult that turned out to be.

"Right," said Tucker. "I know you don't want to embrace your ultra rich and powerful guardian right now, but you know, maybe for you buddy here you could get me an in? Nothing much, just a reserved table at lunch, maybe a girl's number or two..."

"Can it, techno-creep," Sam snapped. She turned back to Danny and spoke as she began to tidy up her things.

"You can't rush trust, Danny. So just take your time, and let Vlad show you whether he really cares or not. All you have to do is give him the chance to show his true colors."

Danny wrapped an arm around her and Tucker's waists, grounding himself by looking at the ground before doing anything.

"It's the giving him a chance part I'm clueless on. How do I know I'm being fair?" He asked.

As they descended through the ceiling of the school Sam grabbed his jumpsuit tightly and shivered at the feeling of being intangible. She swore she would never get used to it.

"Just...be a kid." She said, stabilizing herself on the ground if the empty hallway as they landed. Sam offered Danny a sympathetic smile.

"Do what we rambunctious teens do best, and let the fruitloop figure out his part in all of it."

Danny let the rest of the day go by without bringing up Vlad again. He didn't feel quite settled, although he has taken Sam's advice to heart.

He wanted to talk to his newly acquired ghost butler friend about it, but Godfrey was strangely absent at pickup. He hadn't missed a day since Vlad had picked him up personally last week, and Danny sincerely hoped he hadn't done something wrong yet again.

He found Godfrey and Vlad together at dinner. They were in what seemed like a serious discussion when Danny sat down, and he nearly missed the small toss of Godfrey's head in his direction as they quieted. Danny raised his eyebrow at the two, and Vlad sighed. He fixed his tie as he turned to address Danny.

"How was school?" asked Vlad as Godfrey left them.

"I passed the civics test, if that's what's you're worried about."

Vlad set his fork down and Danny stiffened. Great, he couldn't go one minute without ticking the guy off, it seems.

"It's not, I know you studied." Said Vlad. "I meant socially. Has your change in status effected you much at Casper?"

"You mean, do I still get my butt handed to me by bullies I could bench with one hand?" Danny laughed, shoving a mouthful of potatoes in his mouth. "I'm fine, Vlad."

The man cringed at his lack of manners but didn't address it. Instead, he kept eye contact with Danny in that awful stare the younger knew he wasn't supposed to look away from.

"I'd appreciate it if you didn't assume what I mean and simply answer what I'm asking you, boy," said Vlad. "Do you feel like you're supported here, and at school? That you have people to go to when you need it- When you're overwhelmed?"

Danny floundered at the questioning, tearing his eyes away from Vlad's. Now of all times, after speaking to his friends and expressing his desire to give Vlad a fair chance, did the cheesehead decide to suddenly care. Figures.

"That's three different questions, but alright..." Danny replied. He hesitated for a bit until he caught Vlad's eyes narrowing at him.

"I wasn't lying, I really feel fine," he said quickly. "I have my friends, and I know they care about me. A-and you, too. Though I'm still getting used to that. I just- I don't know, I'm not sure what you want me to say."

"Nothing, little badger." Said Vlad. "If that's how you feel then that's good."

Vlad continued to tell him about some event he was holding this weekend but Danny couldn't care less. He kept pondering the other's bizarre line of questioning, hoping in the end it truly meant nothing.

Danny want sure what he would do if Vlad suddenly gave importance to his mental- or god forbid, emotionalwell-being instead of his ghost self and his powers. Blasting things was easy, but talking about all the pesky insecure thoughts Jazz constantly tried to pry out of him? Another thing entirely.

Dinner finished with Danny heading to his room with a lame excuse of homework he and Vlad both knew was already finished. People were coming to the mansion for some kind of rich people expo tomorrow and he couldn't be less thrilled. Once more he would be forced to hear 'Daniel Masters', 'the Masters boy', and 'Vlad's son' over and over again. It seemed the more he tried to escape it the more it made itself prevalent in his life.

Danny changed forms and ditched the mansion entirely. A long flight around town felt like heaven to his weighed-down mind.

But just as every other flight of his ended lately, he landed softly on the roof of his parent's home. The FentonWorks sign beamed brightly at him as he phases past and inside the house, passing through until he reached the living room.

No one was there but he could faintly her the sounds of his mother humming coming from the kitchen. Of course, she would be preparing dinner right now. They usually ate later than Vlad did.

Strangely, he almost couldn't remember what it felt like to come home and help his mom finish dinner. To set the table, or take the trash out with his dad after the man had made his own attempt at a meal before Maddie got there.

Danny didn't move from the living room. He didn't want to actually see his family. Or rather, he too desperately wanted to, and he couldn't allow himself to lose it right now. One look at his mom's smiling face and he'd drop his invisibility immediately.

He couldn't put himself in danger at FentonWorks again. To Jack and Maddie Fenton, he was just a ghost.

'But they did accept me, as brief as it was...' Danny thought, his body betraying him and taking a step towards the kitchen.

Jazz came jogging down the stairs just before he reached the kitchen's threshold. Her red hair swept through him as she passed by, leaving a tingling sensation over his intangible form.

"Mom!" Said Jazz. "You know I said I'd help you set the table, right? You didn't have to do it yourself!"

Danny turned away as his mother replied, voice tired but still light enough he knew that smile was on her face.

"I know sweetheart," she said, "I just somehow forget everytime you ask to do it. How did I even manage to get everything done before you started helping out, hm?"

'It was my job,' Danny wanted to scream. 'Jazz never liked kitchen chores.'

Instead of making his anguish known, though, he simply rose into the air and left before he could hurt his own feelings even more.

When the mansion came into view, Danny let the scene at FentonWorks fade away from memory. Normally he fought against the feeling of safety he found flying home to Vlad's, but today he needed it. Needed to remember why he was here in the first place.

Why home now was a big empty house full of ghosts and not a ghost hunter's headquarters. Why the portal here was locked up tight and the one at his parents' was wide open. Why he could sleep without fearing his powers would act up instead of staying awake on nights he felt less in-control. He was safe at the Masters Mansion, that's all that mattered.

That's what he needed to believe. For his sanity's sake.

Daniel has been nothing but a brooding brat all morning, and Vlad was at his wits end.

He couldn't pry the issue out of Daniel no matter how hard he tried, yet there was something clearly bothering the little gremlin. He hated everything Godfrey tried to dress him in for the evening event, causing Vlad to come up from his preparations and deal with it, and absolutely would not talk to him at breakfast or lunch.

Vlad was ready to pull his neat, tied-up hair out. He wasn't even sure where the boy was right now, and he was due to be by Vlad's side in mere minutes. He'd made it very clear- despite Daniel's scowling from across the lunch table- that this expo was non-negotiable. He needed the teen here.

Preferably before he had an aneurysm.

Godfrey walked over to him, weaving through the crowds of press people and machinists. The room was buzzing in anticipation to start the showcase, and Vlad didn't want to wait much longer, either.

"Haven't seen him either, I take it?" Said the ghost. To the naked eye he was just another server, only if you looked close enough could you tell his eyes were just a little too bright, his exposed skin just a tad green.

"When I get my hands on him, Godfrey, this social event will be the least of his worries. I swear it." Vlad said, his body tightening.

He stomped over to the small stage as Godfrey scrambled to leave the room, no doing to search for his ward. It didn't matter. Daniel was late, and Vlad was miffed to say the least.

As the showcase commenced, Vlad looked around at the groups of reporters, inventors, and investors he'd loaded the guest list with. This event was to show mechanical advancements in ghost fighting technology. A cause that, as the mayor of Amity Park, he was greatly concerned with. Among other things.

He scanned the tables set up around him and began to make his rounds. Remembering through every handshake and smile why he was doing this.

Vlad felt now more than ever that Dora had been right about Daniel. That he hadn't been entirely prudent when it came to the boy's sudden lack of a mother figure.

The women around him were hand picked by Godfrey and himself. All of them were geniuses; experts in their field. Vlad introduced himself easily to each one, mentally ticking and crossing out boxes as he went.

The head of robotics at an international enterprise was a good match for Vlad, but she was too calculated, precise. Not intimidating to him, but to a 14 year old certainly. Not to mention Daniel wasn't in need of another strict parent. Obviously, given his missing presence at that moment, Vlad's current standards were too much for the boy to handle already.

The loud media producer who had helped him gain his initial fame was closer to Daniel's needs. She was sweet, a bit invasive (perhaps enough to get through Daniel's shell) and already head over heels for Vlad. It helped that she already liked Daniel enough to put him in several of her tabloid articles already, all favorable.

Still, he felt it wasn't quite perfect. He never imagined he would be so detached thinking about a partner. Maddie had ignited such a fire in him that now in its absence there was only coldness. Regardless, this wasn't for him, as he constantly reminded himself. This was for his son.

His son, that had just as well miraculously made his appearance at the expo doors, seemingly caught by Godfrey and all but shoved inside. The butler crossed his arms behind Daniel and said something to him Vlad's sensitive hearing couldn't pick up before the boy begrudgingly began to make his way over.

Vlad ignored him other than to straighten his shirt collar when he was close enough. The woman in front of him, whose name he'd already forgotten, didn't seem to mind his distracted gaze. Was that a good thing or bad thing? He'd lost track of his green and red flags already.

He didn't torture Daniel for too long. Vlad quickly realized he wasn't getting any hints from his ward regarding his personal mission tonight. Daniel was polite, smiling and answering when spoken to, but didn't heed much of any else about anyone Vlad introduced him to.

"Go ahead and watch the showcase," Vlad said once they had a moment away from the crowds. "Let me know if there's anything interesting I should throw money at. You are a ghost hunting expert too, right?"

Vlad almost laughed at the determined gleam in Daniel's eyes as he went off to watch the demonstrations. Underneath the bratty exterior the teen could be quite eager to please. With a bit of encouragement, of course.

He hadn't been entirely unthoughtful of Daniel in his planning for tonight. Vlad had made sure to invite some of the kids Daniel had run into already at his events, hoping he would have a friend or two. Though asking Daniel to be friendly with rich kids was almost like asking him to stop fighting ghosts. Nigh impossible.

Though, it seemed he might not have a choice, as Vlad watched none other than the Kline boy make his way over to his son with a wicked smirk on his face.

'If he needs me, he'll get me,' Vlad began to repeat in his head as he forced himself to turn away and continue chatting.

The demonstrations almost made Danny forget where he was, and better yet, who. He felt like he was sitting on the couch, watching his parents show him their latest inventions.

Except everyone here had teams of people, all making machines that barely scratched the surface of what the Fenton parents could do. In a tiny basement-turned-lab there has been scientific and technological discoveries unlike these corporate nerds had ever seen.

It made him feel a bit prideful, in a good way, thinking about how smart his family was. He'd gotten lucky, getting his powers. Otherwise he might never live up to how much good they could put into the world.

He felt a tap on his shoulder and half expected it to be Vlad, but was surprised when he was met with piercing honey brown eyes he swore he'd seen before. He racked his brain for an answer but came up with nothing. What he wouldn't give for Sam's awesome memory with faces right about now.

"I thought you wouldn't make it, fashionably late as you were," said the boy, standing over him at full straightened height. "You do remember me, don't you?"

Danny rubbed at the back of his neck, thinking. "Um, Christmas party?"

The boy frowned, unamused. Suddenly, Danny remembered. That was the same condescending look he'd gotten the first time Vlad had made him attend one of these rich people events.

Bullies come in all tax brackets, it seems.

"Sterling Kline; do try not to forget it this time." Said the boy with a huff. "My father oversees manufacturing for all the crazy machines your father asks for."

'Your father'. Danny bristled, somehow more bothered by this spoiled kid talking about his relationship to Vlad than the oblivious adults around him.

"I'm sure he's grateful for...that." Danny said. "Ghost tech is kind of Vlad's thing. Is your dad doing a demonstration tonight?"

"Of course. Last, as always." Sterling said, head held so high Danny wondered how his neck didn't cramp. "The place reserved for the best."

Danny hummed and went to turn back to the stage, but Sterling suddenly looped his arms around his a tugged him back around. He didn't feel particularly strong, but Danny was trying to be low-key and shoving this kid off of him and into the infirmary wasn't quite in line with that. He allowed himself to be moved, this time getting a good look at the other's face as he bent down to look at him squarely.

"We weren't finished, you and I." Sterling said softly. "I was wondering, if you could solve a puzzle for me..."

Sterling gave him a sharp smile before tightening his grip ever so slightly on Danny arm.

"What does a lonely billionaire bachelor obsessed with ghosts, a pair of kooky inventors, and their reject used-to-be son have in common? I've been pondering it since we met, and yet I can't figure out what the connection is here!"

Danny glanced over Sterling's shoulder, but couldn't catch where Vlad had gone off to. He grit his teeth and pried his arm free from Sterling's grip, who simply held up his hands innocently.

"Nothing," Danny said, "there's nothing special about me. And they're still my parents. Vlad's just...one as well."

"The plot just continues to thicken!" Sterling exclaimed. Danny glanced around anxiously, hoping no one cared to tune in to their current conversation.

"I hope you know I'm not one to do my research half-baked," Sterling continued. "There was no mention of you in my inquiry to the FentonWorks staff, or rather, the Fenton family. You've been wiped clean, it seems."

Danny glowered up at the smirking teen, hands in fists at his side. It took everything in him to just stand there. Just let this uptight, silver spoon jerk insult him. At least the bullies at Casper High were simpler to deal with. He couldn't throw punches here.

Sterling leaned in one more time as the main lighting dimmed, and stage lights came on around the area. The last demonstration was starting.

"The next time you want to go around acting all proud, remember you're nothing but a charity project. And if your parents didn't even want you, how long do you think Masters will? Better start humbling yourself, Daniel."

Sterling walked off just as Mr. Kline beckoned him to his side. Danny watched as the took the stage and introduced their invention to the crowd.

Danny felt abuzz with rage, storming off to the side and away from the main viewing area. He caught Vlad eyeing him from afar but it didn't matter. Nothing mattered.

Not when he couldn't convince himself what Sterling had said wasn't at least half wrong.

He shook his head once, clearing his thoughts as the machine was unveiled before them. A large, hulking thing, with an orb shaped cage on one side connected to a tube that ran through a large processor.

Bill, as Sterling's father introduced himself, began to explain how this machine was to convert ectoplasm into energy. Danny's stomach rolled as he realized there was a tiny blob of a ghost trapped inside the orb cage of the machine.

"Ectoplasm is a natural energy source of sorts to these ghosts," said Bill. "So why couldn't we use it ourselves? How many resources could be saved if the very thing the authorities are fighting are what powers their weapons? Their gear?"

"It only takes a small amount of ectoplasm to charge a whole outfit of tech for hunters." Bill continued as he went to plug in his processor. It began to whir softly, and the blob inside the orb began to bounce around rapidly, slamming into its glass confines.

"Observe."

Danny didn't think. All he could feel was utter contempt for this father-son duo and their twisted invention. Bully of a father, makes a bully of a son. Ghosts like that don't hurt anyone, that's the only way they could have gotten their hands on it, anyway.

He snuck around and went invisible just as the orb began to glow green. He knelt down and pointed his finger at the back of the processor, aiming a tiny, precise ectoblast at the base of it power cord.

With a dramatic clunk, the whirring ceased and the distracted chattering around the stage halted. Everyone stood staring as Bill rounded the machine angrily. Danny dipped away quickly but smiling as the man ripped the cord from the power source and inspected it.

"Embarrassing, isn't it?" Danny could hear people whispering as he ducked back into the crowd and dropped invisibility.

Good, the Klines deserved a little embarrassment.

"This isn't possible," Bill said angrily, and Sterling patted his back trying desperately to calm him.

"An overload of power, that's all." Came Vlad's charismatic voice over the mic as he took over the stage. "It was a fine idea, though. Let's give William Kline a round of applause everyone, shall we?"

Danny clapped the hardest he ever had in his life. He could barely stop the smile from forming. He caught a white coat slipping past him in a flurry, eyes latching on to the figure tucking down by the machine on stage.

It was a woman, tall and smart-looking, with a lab coat on Danny recognized as coming from Axiom Labs. She pushed her long black hair back and all but snatched the cord from Bill.

"The power surges were accounted for," she said, "Unless the surge protector failed. But this damage, it doesn't look like heat damage. It looks like it was...blasted, exploded."

Vlad's eyebrows jumped up, and he turned, not to the machine, but to the crowd. Danny put his head down as fast as he could, but not fast enough that he didn't see Vlad's sharp blue eyes catch his and narrow dangerously.

Crap.

"Thank you for the insight, miss...?" Vlad prompted.

"Vivian, sir," said the lab coat. "Head machinist."

"Right," said Vlad.

The man quickly closed out the showcase, bidding the crowd a good night before stepping aside and searching the departing groups as the headed out. Danny stood where he was. He wouldn't run, but he most certainly wasn't going to offer himself up like a criminal to his ghostly guardian.

Vlad walked down and grabbed his wrist, saying nothing as he was dragged over to where the Klines and Vivian were cleaning up. The older halfa cleared his throat as he approached, before all but shoving Danny in front of him.

"I don't believe I properly introduced my son to you," he said. "This is Daniel. He's a big fan of your inventions, and would like to express his deepest regretat the demonstration's hiccups tonight."

Danny stuttered out an affirmative, hating the amount of eyes on him, especially Sterling's judgy ones.

"Y-yeah," he said, "the idea was great. I'm so sorry it didn't work out like you wanted."

Sterling rolled his eyes and went to respond first, but the machinist from before was quicker.

"You're into ghost tech, Daniel?" Asked Vivian. "It's a rather difficult study, for a teenager. I'm impressed."

"Daniel is incredibly clever when it comes to ghost tech," Vlad said. Danny didn't need to look behind him to know the man was all but glowing, no ghost powers needed. Bragging on your kids was a universal hobby for all parents, apparently.

"That's amazing," Vivian said warmly. Danny didn't trust lab coats, but she seemed nice enough. He shook her hand when she reached out to him, bending down just slightly. She was almost as tall as Vlad.

"Perhaps you'll work for your father's lab one day, hm? Then I can see you in action."

Vlad mercifully took over the conversation from there and bid them farewell before pulling him away to do the same with the rest of the departing guests, standing at the man's side by the exit like a good ward. Would it do anything to get him out of trouble, acting well-behaved now? Probably not, but a half-ghost could dream.

He was excused to his room shortly after, the location's significance not lost on him. With the last bit of his defiance Danny changed into his pajamas and headed for Vlad's rooms instead. Surely it didn't matter that much where Vlad yelled at him.

Danny changed forms and sighed, floating on his back languidly. After Vlad had abandoned him and ignored his calls, he found himself hiding out in Vlad's rooms. Something about the lingering ectosignature causing him to relax, Godfrey had said. It was better than the projector in his bedroom, anyway.

"You could at least pretend to be remorseful, you know." Vlad's voice rang out after a while. Danny sat up, sitting cross-legged in the air.

"That machine had it coming," was all Danny replied.

Vlad shrugged off his suit jacket and neatly hung it up, taking his sweet time. Like he knew Danny hated.

"Since when do we use our ghost powers to take out inventions we don't like?" Vlad asked. He didn't sound angry, just curious. Danny scoffed.

"Since it was designed to hurt ghosts, that's when."

"All ghost hunting gear is designed to hurt ghosts," Vlad reasoned. "Why the sudden distaste?"

Danny shrugged. Wrong move, apparently. Vlad crossed his arms and stared at him for a long moment.

Oh, he's doing the counting thing. Deep breaths included. Not good.

"I can't do a single thing about the stuff that bothers you if you won't communicatethem," Vlad said after 10 seconds. Danny's arms wrapped around himself in a tight self-hug.

"I don't need you to get rid of every little inconvenience of mine," he replied. "I can handle myself. I'm not one of those spoiled rich kid twerps."

"Ah, so this is about the boy!" said Vlad startling Danny. "What on earth does the Kline boy have to do with you shooting out a power supply?"

"Nothing,"Danny said, drawing out the word. He didn't care if he got called out for whining.

This morning was just a fluke. He got in his head about what he saw at FentonWorks, and it made him a little...irritable. a miscalculation, honestly. He hadn't meant to get so lost in his brooding that he was late to the expo.

He'd rather be thrown into the Ghost Zone unarmed than tell Vlad a pompous punk was bullying him tonight, though. It was a massive blow to his pride just thinking about it.

"Fine," Vlad said. He walked past Danny and began pulling his phone and keys from his pocket, setting his alarm clock, getting ready for bed.

"You don't want to talk to me? That's perfectly alright," Vlad stopped and pointed the pillow in his hand at Danny. "You have a bedroom, and if I'm not wrong I sent you to it earlier. So I suggest you go there. And stay there this time."

Danny took the free pass for what it was, dropping down and changing forms into his pajama-clad Fenton, er, Masters self. Human, as much as he could be.

Before he crossed the threshold into the hall he called out behind him to Vlad. An olive branch? A check in to gauge how ticked Vlad was at him? He wasn't sure.

"Goodnight," Danny said, not daring to look back.

"Goodnight, little badger."

Vlad work up bright, early, and annoyed. He was reminded of the early days post ecto-acne, when everyday was a headache getting used to his powers.

It felt like each time he tried to do something good, something selfless, it just backfired on him.

Give Daniel space? Neglectful.

Let him do whatever he wants? Permissive.

Try and get him to open up? Invasive.

How could he ever win when it constantly felt like he was competing? Competing with parents that weren't even there anymore, at that!

Vlad gripped the thick wood of his vanity dresser and started with contempt at his reflection. All that he has sacrificed, and he was still missing the thing he had worked the hardest for. Daniel's complete trust and love as his son.

He could see it in every hesitant step toward him when they were at the expo, could tell Daniel wasn't entirely sure he wanted to be at Vlad's side. Everytime the boy looked off to the side as Vlad confronted him trying desperately to get to the bottom of his worries and issues- the man just knew he was thinking of Jack and Maddie.

If things didn't change he'd forever be in competition with the ghost- no pun intended- of parents that didn't even give Daniel the childhood he deserved. It was finally Vlad's turn to win and he couldn't even relish in it properly because the boy just. Wouldn't. Submit.

Vlad shook his head once, blinking hard. He was overthinking things, again. Going too far.

He left his hair down, having no intentions of going in to work today. Arrangements could be made without him for a single day. As he dressed and then exited his room, he continued to ruminate in a more calm manner.

Daniel didn't trust him because he hadn't shown himself to be worthy of it. And, like Dora had said, there was something vital he was missing in his life with these new accommodations. Something Vlad aimed to remedy posthaste.

Vlad sat down at his desk and moved aside the mountain of paperwork on it. Godfrey joined him in the study quickly with a slightly concerned look on his aged features. The symbolism was not lost on him, that the head butler was the one waiting on him this morning and not any of his other hired assistants.

"Plans this morning, sir?" Asked Godfrey.

Vlad began jotting down a list with his right hand and taking out his cell phone with the other. He quickly finished and held it out to Godfrey as he turned his attention to his phone.

"I'll need these things prepared and set by this evening," he said, setting the phone to his ear.

Godfrey glanced down at the list and furrowed his brow. He watched as Vlad smirked at his phone screen and brought it to his ear.

"What exactly are we preparing for, may I ask?" said Godfrey. Vlad looked up at him, nonchalant.

"I'm having a guest over, if she'll have me," said Vlad.

"She,sir?"

"I'm asking a woman on a date, Godfrey," Vlad rolled his eyes. "Try not to look like a fish out of water."

Vlad turned his attention to the phone, as the other line connected. Godfrey scratched at the back of his neck, slowly backing out of the room. The half ghost paid no mind to his confusion.

"Yes, this is Mayor Masters," said Vlad, drumming his fingers on the desk. "I'd like to speak to your head of machinery. Tell her it's a...personal call."

Next Time: Vlad's plans to to reintroduce a mother into Danny's life bring up serious questions, buried feelings, and regrets.

Hope you enjoyed. If you are review-shy simply copy-paste 'sparkles~' and I'll know you had a positive read. Stay safe.

-P