Chapter 14, thank you for the support and I hope you enjoy it!

(Vlad's POV)

I sighed, running a hand down my face. Id stepped out of the shower and stood in front of the mirror. My hands had a death grip on the sink as I fought the next round of nausea spinning in my stomach. God, I haven't been this sick since the first months after the accident. I shut my eyes, taking in slow deep even breathes and force my heart rate to drop. My abdomen burned and id felt sickly light.

I slide a heavy hand down the smooth glass mirror and take in my appearance. I looked as awful as I felt. My arms were sickly thin, my ribs were protruding from my chest. All my muscles had vanished, eaten away for protein and I placed my hands on my face. The fine lines and wrinkles had vanished, leaving me with a face of a man half my age. I sigh, pulling at the skin, trying and failing to leave any lasting damage, any change from the day of the accident but like always, nothing changed. My skin bounced back, staying in place with a youthful lustre.

I lean forwards, seeing the hints of brown hair poking out around my roots and bend down. Opening the cupboard I look over the many boxes of grey hair dye and bleach. My fingers move with practiced ease, unboxing the dye, moving the bleach and mixing them in different containers. I clicked on the fan at the awful smell and leaned forwards, dropping some of the dye on the bright brown strands. Considering everything else that had happened this was the last thing I wanted to do but with my house now full of curious eyes I couldn't afford to be lazy. This type of thing was the last thing I wanted to drop on Daniel but as the boy got older soon his appearance would be questioned.

My talk with Danielle was relevantly easy.
She had never aged before.
Never had birthday parties filled with friends.
Never knew the joy of pulling on pants that were once too big and now fit perfectly.
She didn't know the amusement of looking in the mirror and rubbing your tongue in the gap that once held a baby tooth. And she would never know those joys.
Just like Danny and I would never know anything but this and what we used to know.

It was things like this that I thought of when I dyed my hair every two weeks. When I pulled up my pants that never grew larger or remembered my childhood perfectly with a memory that never failed.

But we will always be this...
Frozen.
Never changing.

(Dash's POV)

The house had fallen into a tense silence as the four of us sat in the living room. Valerie was glaring at the wall, flipping and catching the green blade in her hand. Jasmine had one leg over the arm of the love seat, her hands folded over her mouth, stabbing the sharp end of a second knife into her palm gently as she thought over whatever had happened downstairs.

I wasn't sure what had happened but even I was a little annoyed that Danny had just let Skulker go. After the hell he had caused I would have been more than happy to look the other direction as Vlad went to town on him.

Still, letting the bad guys go was such a Danny thing to do I shouldn't have been surprised. I think that knowledge was the only thing stopping the two females from gearing up and hunting down the two ghosts. I take in a deep breath, judging my injuries by the pain and was a bit happier that the burning had gone down tremendously.

The house hummed a deep blue and I watch Valerie and Jazz snap out of their inner monologues and stare at each other. Valerie lifts a hand, pressing something on her watch and swears. Jasmine chuckles, standing slowly and extends a hand to her girlfriend. I mean I wasn't entirely sure about that one but watching the two of them there was clearly something else going on. Valerie sighs, stretching to the right then the left and after a long groan pushing a second set of buttons. Jazz does the same and we watch the suits ripple once, the stretchy fabric changes, looking like an odd type of liquid and I can't help but smile as it moves down their arms and into the two thick black gloves.

Valerie sighs, moving her glasses to the top of her head and looks at us "Do you guys want Taco's?"

Jazz does the same, walking to the kitchen before the rest of us and I take in the large expensive kitchen. Being half-ghost, the thought of Vlad eating food seemed a little weird but the fact that I'd seen Danny have food many times should have calmed me down some. But the impossibly large kitchen only seemed to bring back that old feeling of loneliness and I couldn't hide the frown as I sat on one of the plush circular seats in front of the island. There were two tables, a thick stone island, polished and smoothed and a large dark oak table large enough to hold twenty. From the perfectly lined seats, I assumed Vlad never used the table.

Either Jazz and Valerie never noticed the heavy atmosphere or there were used to it as the two on them moved around the kitchen with practised ease. Just like fighting the two of them were in sync, Jazz went up, Valerie went down. Valerie grabbed the meet, Jazz sliced it open with a knife, flipping it onto the frying pan that she had grabbed moments before. Valerie clicks on the stove; the gas clicks twice and bursts into a warm heat.

Jazz smiles, expertly flipping the meat in the pan. Valerie rolls her eyes, tossing a few spices on the meat as it cooks and waits till its stirred before adding more.

"Do you two have any allergy's we should be aware of?" Jazz asks, finally acknowledging the two of us sitting at the table.

I shake my head twice and watch her turn back to the food, the two of them seemed to be in their own little world. Kwan moves a chair over to me, placing a hand on mine as his head leans closer to me "what's wrong?"

I sigh, shrugging my shoulders and wince in tender pain and whisper back "This just feels wrong."

"You get used to it after a while." We both glance at Valerie, the brunette was glancing back with a soft smile "Things always feel different in this house, something about it holding Vlad's old ghosts," she shrugs once "It's gotten better but there's a lot of negative energy in these walls."

"Is that what all the mediation music is around the house?" Kwan asks.

Jazz hums, stirring the meat "Yes, it comes on every few hours and plays for one hour. It also comes on and stays on when the house is empty. It's some weird charka cleansing playlist Vlad has."

Jazz adds water and some spices from a glass container, the red and yellow powders mixed well with the meat and made my mouth water. Valerie had gotten out the toppings, grating bright orange cheese and setting a few bowls on the counter. I saw lettuce, white onions, tomatoes, sour cream, salsa, corn, lightly seasoned rice. It seemed anything and everything that could go in a taco was on here.

"So, how's school going?"

"What?"

"Small talk helps drown out the tension. Among other things…" Jazz sends Valerie a small smile.

Any happiness that I found died the moment I saw Vlad. I wasn't sure if he had seen me but I watched him struggle to lower himself onto the chair in front of a large computer and turn it on. The bright white light isn't enough to light the whole room and it again casts him in a shadow. Even with a house full of guests, Vlad hadn't been anywhere but the medical bay to see Danny and here, going through Skulker's latest upgrades. Despite his obvious tiredness, he left every time the small bell in Danny's room rang.

Like most of the house, the room was bare, having to much space for the things inside it and the barest amount of items and I felt that sadness return. So when he left the last time I slipped into the room, looking through a few of the shelves, my fingers going over the massive amount of books and maps of the city. A few of them had been rolled out onto the large table in the middle of the room and to my left sat a large circular door. The metal was obviously high tech and opened down the middle, sliding to each side. I had never seen one before but I assumed this was Vlad's ghost portal. The markings looked similar to Danny's thermos.

When he enters again I push myself against the wall and feel my heart beat faster when his eyes flash red. He pushes a few buttons, waking up the large screen and glances at me briefly "When you two are done exploring my house you may leave."

"How did you know I was here?" I step out of the shadows

"I've lived half my life in the shadows boy, you really think I wouldn't know when someone enters my domain." at my silence he smiles softly "Thank you for all you've done but we will take it from here."

I roll my eyes. Really? We're back to this again? "Like I told Jasmine, I'm not leaving him."

Vlad sighs like a tired father, not even glancing in my direction "You can do nothing more for him boy. Go home."

"I'm not leaving him."

"Why?"

"Because he needs a friend."

"He has his family."

"He needs a friend."

This time he looks at me "You're not his friend."

"Well, I'm something!"

"Yes, a tormenter turned protector by guilt. Don't you think he's had enough of that from me?"

"If he wanted you why did it take him so long to call?" He turns to look at me "I wanted to call on Friday night, he stopped me. Danny stopped me."

"Self-preservation, Denial, Guilt, fear? The list could be endless."

"It was more than that."

Vlad sighs, his head falling forward before he spins slowly, facing me in his large black oak desk chair. Despite everything I know I couldn't help but backstep, the man had been on the verge of death and even now in his weakened state he had more power than I ever hoped to hold "Did he tell you our secret? If he did I'll let you stay."

"What secret?"

A twisted smirk grows across his lips "Only the most important secret of all dear boy" his legs crossed, his long fingers entwined before his heart, his head cocked to the left. He was mocking me "The reason behind our truce." I stop "Did Daniel tell you what happened during those three days in the ghost zone?"

I pause, trying to remember what Danny and I had talked about, causing the smile to grow on Vlad's face.

"Like I said, self-preservation. Don't try to paint yourself as a hero, you are nothing to him." He uncrosses his legs and spins around tapping on his computer "Valerie will take you home, your parents must be worried sick." his hand moves to his earpiece "He's ready when you are my dear."

I wasn't sure what I was expecting when I woke up this morning but wasn't this. My eyes opened up to the heavy banging on hammers on wood and saws speeding up.

Bang Bang Bang!

I blink, looking up at the ceiling. I was sleeping in the guest room, the pale cream ceilings looked back at me. My bedroom was a mess, the bed and wall broken. I rub my face, wincing as the action burns. I move down, touching my chest. Only when I pulled in a full breath did my ribs burn. I roll off the bed, catching myself in a low crouch and stand up, saving myself unnecessary pain.

I move over to the mirror, pulling up my shirt and check out the green and yellow bruising covering my chest and spreading down to my stomach. Skulker had broken fifteen ribs in our fight, punctured a lung and given both of us a nasty second-degree concussion. Had it not been for Frostbite I would be dead. Kwan was luckier, getting off with a deep gash on his shoulder and small bruises over his back and arms.

I drop my shirt, rubbing my neck gently. I opened the door, pulling back slightly as sparks ran down above me. I look up at long blue legs, held in tight blue spandex. A woman was standing above the door, melting metal into the wall.

I move around her when the sparks stop and see my mother "Oh, good morning Dash. How did you sleep, baby?"

"Um, fine... what's going on?"

She goes to open her mouth when a louder voice echoes "Maddy! Maddy?! Where are you?!" The loud welding stops as the woman in blue shuts off her blow torch. I see a large man in an orange jumpsuit come out and he runs to the ladder, his voice in a not so soft whisper "Maddy, I believe we have direct contact here."

She looks at him, then me, jumping off the tall ladder. "You! Boy! Come here!"

She sets down the torch, grabbing a square machine from the man. I step forwards, the sweat pouring down my face when I see the man in orange, pull off his large goggles, showing me a familiar face.

Oh my god, it was Danny's parents.

A metal detector is shoved in my face. I pause, watching the bar move up the scale, faster and faster before it hits ten screaming loudly like a boiling kettle "Bingo! Red hot!"

"What ate you-"

Maddy cuts me off, looking at my mother "Your suspicions were right madam, your son has been in direct contact with ghosts. Recently in fact."

"W-what?" I sputter, looking around at the hanging wires and metal machines above each door "what is going on here?"

"There has been tremendous ghost activity in your house son, so your mother called us!" He sticks a proud thumb in his face "don't worry. When the new security system is working a ghost won't be able to get within twenty feet of this place or my name isn't Jack Fenton!"

"What?!"

"After their done here were sending them to Kwan's house." My father places a gentle hand on my shoulder "I'm not going to gave my son's best friend go through this a third time."

I feel my mother's soft hand take mine "Dash baby, we're not angry but I don't understand why you didn't tell us the truth."

Her worried eyes bore into mine. I look down, noticing the dust on the floor and the mud stains on Margret's freshly cleaned carpets. The old worry hits me full force "Where's Margret!?" I snap, remembering my reason for checking the house "is she okay? We were looking for her when-"

"Margret's fine Dash." My dad states, leading us downstairs "She said she had an omen when she touched the door and left the house to try and find you at the school. She didn't step one foot into the house until the police were finished."

I released the breath I was holding I allow my parents to lead me downstairs. My hands move, touching the smooth railing down the staircase like I had so many times before but none of this seemed real. I see men moving boxes of stuff into the house, placing the wires, metal, large tools over the red carpet.

"Mom, dad... don't you think this is too much?"

"Nonsense. Dash, you've almost died twice now. I'm not leaving you in this house unprotected."

"Don't fight her Dash," my father sighs "it took me two days to convince her to drop personal bodyguards."

"Bodyguards?!"

"Don't worry madam, with these you won't need bodyguards." Maddy had walked into the kitchen, come up behind me and snapped something around my waist before I could stop her.

"What the-" my yell pf surprise stops my words, what felt like cold metal suddenly moves, tightening around my waist and locking in place.

I look down at a thick, metallic silver belt with black lines and green circles covering it as details. Two notches on one end, and a metallic circular buckle with a green keyhole

"What is this?!"

"The Spector deflector." I pull but the metal refuses to budge even the slightest. I could get one finger in between the metal but I knew right away it wasn't coming off easily "The Specter Deflector uses the same technology as the Fenton Ghost Shield. Any ghost that touches you will be electrocuted rendering them unconscious. After that, you call us and we will remove it from the premises."

"What?! I'm not wearing this!" I tug again, the strong metal not budging

"And don't worry about the belt falling off, it's unremovable with the key." She places a briefcase with three other belts on the table and hands the key to my mother "its heatproof, static-free, self-charging and completely resistant to any... fluids you may get on it." She turns to me in the last part, smiling a knowing smile only a mother would know.

"Thank you, Madeline." I scramble for excuses

"Mom! How am I supposed to play football in this?! What if it breaks?! What if someone hits me and they get hurt?! What if I get hurt?!"

"Well, you can remove it for practice then."

"With what key?" I snap "are you really going to ditch work every day to release me from my shackles?" I see my father's dark look and bite my tongue.

"Well, I suppose we could always send Margret?" My mother tries softly, her hand on her mouth.

"You're going to make her come all the way to school, mom she has a whole workload already."

"What is going on with you? I thought you'd be relieved to have ghost protection." I exhale harshly, looking away.

This was frustrating. I hated lying to them like this...

"Dash..." my mother pushes again

"JUST LEAVE ME ALONE ALRIGHT!? GOD, I CANT BREATHE AROUND YOU TWO!"

I dash from the kitchen, ripping open the front door and swipe my keys off the hanger. I hear my mothers call out, her footsteps behind me but I unlock and enter my car in record time and start the car. I lock the door as she bangs on the window, I turn away, hiding my tears and toss the car into reverse.

"Dash! Dash, please! Don't go, baby!" I turn the wheel, heading down the driveway as she falls to her knees "DASH!"

The large automated gates open and I drive out, turning down the road and head into town.

I brush some tears away, leaning my arm on the window and bite my fingers. These were four more obstacles I didn't need right now! I glance in the rear-view mirror and pull over when I know I'm not followed. I throw the car until park and hit the steering wheel in angry.

"Damn it!" I hit it again, over and over until my hand throbbed.

I pull my hands up and lean back, crying in frustration and guilt. Heavy sobs filled my car and I lean forwards burying my head in my arms.

Knock knock knock.

I jump, looking up with teary eyes and find Jazz Fenton staring at me. Her face was soft. She knocks a second time when I look away.

"What do you want?" I hated how weak my voice sounds

"Open the door Dash."

When I look away, she walks around the car. Her helmet covers her face and her hand moves, tapping on her wristwatch. I watch her suit glow and lean away when she phases through the door to sit in my passenger seat.

"Oh my god! What do you want?! Are you following me or something?!" Her helmet snaps up and she stares at me

"No. I was hoping to visit my parents but they're not home." She runs her hands through her long hair, the glossy locks shone in the sun "do you want to talk about it?"

"No."

"You hate lying to them right?" I glance at her slowly "look Dash, we may have gotten off to a rough start but if anyone knows how it feels to keep secrets, it's me. My parents still don't know Danny's a ghost, Vlad's a ghost. That I'm a hunter. Or the fact that I'm dating my brother's Ex-girlfriend." She chuckles "the point is, I've been there. Okay. So talk to me."

…

…

…

Jasmine had reached over, unlocking my belt with a spare key. She ripped off a Velcro patch wrapped around her arm and I watch her pull out a few tools and within thirty seconds she had opened the gadget and hooked up her miniature computer.

"Yeah... My parents mean well but they tend to make everything worse." She sighs, massaging her temples "My father made a ghost oven that turns our turkeys into possessed poultry."

"Seriously?"

"Welcome to the Fenton family Christmas," she laughs "If you're going to spend any time with Danny, you'll have to get used to it." She leans her head back, tapping a few more buttons. The belt hums and glows brightly. She checks it again before looking at me softly "Having done this for four years I can tell you with honesty it doesn't get easier. But we've survived it by talking to each other." The computer beeps. Override complete. VP level 0. DF level 0. Flashed across the screen. She disconnected and places the belt in my hands, wrapping her hands over mine "For better or worse you're in this now. My phone will always be on, so will my door."

I glance at the belt "what did you do?"

"I reset it. It won't hurt Danny or Vlad if you touch them." She winks and rewraps her cords "ill send you a spare key in a few days until then you'll have to manage." She punches me lightly in the arm before getting out of my car. Her long hair fans over the seat as she leans down to look at me "Valerie and I can solve most of the problems you'll have, you just have to ask. Now go home, apologize to your parents and breathe. You're not alone in this."

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