Danny Phantom Fan Fiction ❯ Bittersweet Future ❯ If You Find a Time Medallion… ( Chapter 2 )

If You Find a Time Medallion…

Would calling this place deathly quiet be ironic? This place is so silent it makes crypts sound deafening. In fact, it's so still I think I can hear my own thoughts echo. Well it being quiet is a good thing right? It means I won't run into trouble, or maybe it means I'm the nosiest thing around so trouble will still find me. Yeah that's me, the noise maker, walking around in the middle Clockwork's tower in the Realm Beyond Time. Yup, just out for a normal lazy Friday stroll…through the Forbidden Zone and all. Damn it, what am I doing here? Danny continued his personal monologue as he crept through the bowels of Clockwork's citadel. He had managed to find the entrance to the Realm Beyond Time with moderate difficulty, but that was to be expected, the entrance was invisible after all.

At the moment, he was sneaking his way up Clockwork's tower, inside his citadel, Clockwork's personal domain. Unlike most ghosts, whose domain was signified by a specific door, Clockwork's was heralded by none. The only thing that distinguished his specific space from the empty coldness of the rest of the Zone, was the peculiar stopping of time, at the entrance to his territory. If one didn't know what to look for, they could easily pass it, even if given specific logistic instructions from someone who had been there. Danny floated at a crawling pace higher and higher into the tower.

He didn't want to run into anyone. Besides Clockwork, Danny knew the Observants, and their guards lived here. And while he was sure Clockwork wouldn't mind the friendly, if sudden visit, he wasn't so sure about the creatures who had once demanded his mentor of sorts end his life. This was especially so when he was on a mission to borrow something he had no business tampering with. Danny rounded another set of stairs, higher still into the tower. Clockwork's personal study, with his viewing screen and library was at the top. He floated along, not willing to risk the sound of his footfalls in the stairwell. Besides, he reasoned, it's a long way up, and I'm already tired.

A few more tense, silent, long minutes passed before he entered, unmolested, into Clockwork's private study. Danny's head swiveled left and then right; no one to be seen. He frowned; it wasn't like Clockwork to leave his tower unguarded. If he wasn't home, and he didn't seem to be, then surely he would leave guards in his place. Danny glided over towards the bookcase where Clockwork kept his repentant supply of books. To the left of them should be what he came for. Amity Park's hero slowed his floating to a snail's pace, hoping to even silence the displacement of air his passage caused through the tower's study.

Finally, and all too soon, he neared where Clockwork kept his most powerful devices, besides his staff. On a rack, hanging on something similar to key rings in the human world, hung the Time Medallions. There were five of them, with dark purple silk cloth tied to the golden pocket watches beneath. Danny held his breath, it wasn't as if he had lungs in ghost form in any case, and reached out for the nearest Medallion. It truly was almost too easy.

"Time in!" A solid voice resonated from opposite of where Danny now stood.

Danny shook his head, entirely disoriented. He could have sworn he was 100ft ahead of where he was now standing, about to make a grab for a Time Medallion. How exactly did I-

"Danny Phantom, how nice of you to visit." A bent and crooked form glided into Danny's line of sight.

Danny gasped. Dark purple robes, long white beard, staff with a clock on top, there was no doubt in his mind who it was. He was caught.

"Uh yeah, heh." Danny muttered nervously while rubbing an arm.

"And to what do I owe this visit young Phantom? Having trouble with a certain enemy of yours again? Or perhaps off to save the world as usual young hero." Clockwork inquired innocently.

Danny shifted from one foot to the other. He had been hoping to just grab one of those Medallions and run for it. In retrospect, it had been a really poorly thought out plan. I mean who sneaks up on the guardian of all time? Danny mentally berated himself. He sighed and shifted his feet some more. He was a bad liar, and he wasn't about to try and learn now, most especially to someone who probably already knew why he was here.

"I was hoping I could borrow, one of your Time Medallions."

"For what reason?" Clockwork shifted forms mid-sentence, his voice changing from old and graveled to youthful and bright.

"I-uh-um. Ok. So Vlad is causing trouble again." Danny started. When Clockwork didn't respond, Danny continued. "I mean, he's always causing trouble, but just more than usual. At least for me. I don't know what his problem is this time, but I've been beaten up four times this week. Well I've been in six fights, and well I know I fight a lot, but those are all his doing." Danny paused in mid-ramble for a breath.

"That's very interesting young Phantom, but I fail to see the need for one of my Time Medallions."

"That's just it, I'm out of ideas."

"So you were hoping to borrow some from the time stream?" Clockwork coyly asked.

"What? No!" Danny blustered out. "What I mean is, I'm out of ideas that don't involve either A) Revealing both of our secrets. B) Killing him. C) Letting him get what he wants. And since all of those are completely not happening, I decided to go with option D."

"Which is young Phantom?"

"Which is D ask Clockwork for help." Danny finished with a huff as if it should have been completely obvious.

Clockwork gave Danny a small smile before changing forms again, this time to his adult form. "I am flattered by your trust in me Phantom. However, I can offer no help. It is, as you would understand it, against the rules for me to interfere with the choices of someone inside the time stream, and so, I can offer you no assistance."

Danny's face twisted into a frown. "That's not true!" He argued back. "You've helped me before, like plenty of times."

Clockwork hummed before adding, "Indeed I have young Phantom, but only because not doing so would either cause further disruption to the time stream, or at the behest of my," Clockwork paused and changed forms again, "employers."

"You mean the guys who wanted me dead?"

"Correct young Phantom." Danny began pacing the room. He hadn't come all this way to be told no.

"So you can't offer me advice or assistance right?" Clockwork nodded his currently wizened head in agreement. "Then what if I just do something? You don't have to tell me if it's the right choice or not, I'll just do it and-"

"You see Danny, that depends entirely on the choice you are about to make. I can allow you to make any choice, expect that which would disrupt the time stream for others." Clockwork supplied.

"So if I was to use one of your Time Medallions, you could stop me, interfere with that choice, but you can't tell me what to eat for lunch on Tuesday."

Clockwork smiled at Danny's deduction. "That is correct. I may interfere only so much as to stop you from interfering with the time path of others, as my duty to the stability of the time stream is first and foremost above all other duties."

Danny's pace picked up, as he tried to logic his way into advice from the time ghost. "So you can give me advice to not mess with those Medallions, and I can feel free to ignore it, and you can stop me, but you can't interfere in any other way." Danny stopped pacing and glanced up at Clockwork.

Clockwork's small smile broke out into a full-fledged grin. "Very good young Phantom. So what decision regarding these Medallions need I convince you to not make?" Clockwork worded his sentence carefully. While they had found a loophole, he still needed to speak gingerly.

Danny returned his grin wholeheartedly, before scrunching his eyebrows in concentration. He had caught the interesting way Clockwork had worded his sentence. He knew he had to ask questions carefully to get what he wanted. "I need convincing to not go back into the past." Danny stated.

"For what reason do you seek to travel there young Phantom? For how am I to convince you otherwise, unless I know your reasons for seeking this journey?"

"I want to make sure Vlad doesn't become my enemy." Danny answered. He was sticking to statements, it was easier that way. If Clockwork asked the questions, there was no way they weren't in the clear.

Clockwork frowned, and glided silently towards his large viewing screen. "But have you not tried as much in the past? You know as well as I that those attempts lead to nothing but failure and the destabilization of the time stream."

"I understand that, but I was going about it all wrong. I need to know where in the past I can end up, so that I can prevent Vlad from turning evil, but not stop me from being born."

"I cannot tell you that young Phantom; you need only know that the past is off-limits to you." Clockwork spoke sternly.

Danny realized he had beaten down the wrong path, and tried another angle. "You can't tell me when to go back to intervene, but can you show me a time when Vlad wasn't evil?" Clockwork looked ready to refuse. "I need to know that he wasn't always so bad, so I can be convinced to try and redeem him in the present, instead of the past."

Clockwork's impassive mask slipped a little in surprise. Clever boy he thought, before bringing his staff to the fore of the screen. The screen swirled to life before a scene flashed into view. "Here is your proof Danny, for in this time, Vlad Masters still leads an ordinary life, ghost powered or not."

Danny drew closer to the screen, and tried to identify something inside of it. Pictured, was an idyllic view of Amity Park from the sky. He'd seen it many times in his nightly patrols over the town. The view zoomed in on his family home, and effortlessly jumped inside. The dining room table was set for four, and surprisingly Vlad was helping set up the table. His mom, much younger than her current age, was taking a casserole out of the oven. His dad was nowhere to be seen, but when everyone's heads swiveled it was obvious he was just out of view in the new family lab. The fourth seat was taken by a bright red haired infant. She looked to be only a few months old, and her smiling cherubim face lit up the adults' faces with smiles of their own.

"What is this?" Danny asked.

Clockwork frowned in disapproval. "As I said your proof Danny Phantom."

"Oh no, I mean, when is this? I didn't know Vlad ever got along with my family. I don't remember-"

"You would not young Phantom, for you do not yet exist. It was but a small window of time, where Vlad Masters' heart was not yet consumed by hatred and jealousy. He, here, is all the good you are."

Danny eyebrows practically shot to the moon in response.

"It might surprise you Danny," Clockwork spoke with a chuckle in his tone, "but your mortal enemy of sorts was only an ordinary man at one time. Here he only wishes to have a family, and is content to share it with your father."

"What changed his mind?" Danny asked absentmindedly.

"I cannot answer that young Phantom." Clockwork hastily replied.

"What made him evil, when did he decide to give this all up?"

"And how will that help you decide if he is worth redemption in this time?" Clockwork retorted.

"It won't."

Clockwork raised an eyebrow.

"But it will help me know how to avoid his mistakes. The last thing the future wants is an evil me right?" Danny offered.

Clockwork once again had to praise Danny's quick thinking and logic. He's not as stupid as he pretends to be. The screen swirled again, and shifted to some point in the future of the last scene. Maddie was holding a still small, but slightly older red haired child in her arms. She was standing outside a tiny, but well furnished apartment suitcase in hand. She walked out the door and began down the steps leading to the exit of the building.

Vlad quickly appeared after her. He was flustered, half dressed, and sporting a case of 5'o'clock shadow. Maddie continued down the stairs completely disregarding the flustered Vlad nipping at her heels. She reached the bottom of the stairwell, and headed in a brisk clip towards the door. It was dark outside; it was the middle of the night.

Danny scrunched his face in confusion at the scene. "There's no sound." He commented. With a wave of his staff the scene rewound, and this time played through with sound.

"Maddie where are you going? It's 3am!" Vlad's distraught voice called from out of the screen.

"Home Vlad, I'm going home."

"Home Maddie? This is your home. Hold on a minute!" Vlad rushed out after Maddie's retreating form.

"I can't stay here Vlad. We can't stay here."

"Of course you can!" Vlad argued back as he followed her down the stairs. "You can stay here as long as you like, why can't you?"

"Because we don't belong here Vlad." Maddie's voice crackled from the early hour and her emotional stress. "I need to go home, my real home, with my husband."

"Maddie…Madeline! Wait just a minute! Come back here and talk this over with me. You can't leave in the middle of the night, this is ridiculous. Come back here!" Vlad's voice grew to a fever pitched as he rushed down the last flight of stairs and into the lobby. Maddie paused at the door to the lobby, and turned around to face Vlad again. Her face was tear-streaked, but determined.

"I'm so sorry Vlad; I never should have come over here. Please forgive me, for…all of this." Maddie pushed open the door and walked out into the night. "I'm so sorry." She whispered one last time before disappearing into a waiting car on the curb.

"Maddie please come back. You-you just can't leave me like this. You can't…Maddie…" Vlad sobbed bitterly into the empty space where Maddie Fenton had been standing. The screen went black before starting back up again, at the beginning of the scene. It played through three more times before Danny snapped out of the staring trance with the viewer. His breath came in short gasps, his palms were sweating, and he felt physically ill. He was almost convinced that if he had a stomach at the moment he would vomit. What the hell did I just watch? Why was my mom at Vlad's house? When the hell did this happen? And…why do I suddenly feel like I already know the answer to why Vlad turned evil? Danny gulped down the queasy shakes in his stomach. He needed to find his voice.

"This is great and all, I mean freaky for a couple different reasons, but thanks for sharing. But still, this doesn't answer my question."

Clockwork fixed a hard stare in Danny's direction. "I think you know the answer to your question young Phantom. It is the reason for your un-ease. Perhaps a few more moments of self-examination will supply the reason to the forefront of your mind." Danny didn't have to say it out loud to know exactly what the reason was. He lived the nightmare, the distant shadow as a constant fear every day of his life. Every day since the day he learned it was possible he could lose every one of them. He wasn't about to re-examine that particular line of thought any further, and he didn't have to. He had his answer, it just wasn't the one he wanted to hear.

"It can't be true." Danny whispered.

"Enlighten me Danny. What can't be true?" Clockwork prompted.

Danny let out a shaky sigh, and rubbed both his arms. He felt freezing cold, like he had just been submerged in ice water, and it wasn't from the environment. "He can't have turned evil because of that." Danny supplied evasively.

"And why not? I see no reason he should be so immune, when you are not." Clockwork's words hit like an anvil to his stomach.

"Because it would mean-"

"That the two of you aren't so different after all." Clockwork finished. He added, "Yes, but I think just about everyone but you believes that." The screen drifted into mindless swirls, before settling back off in blank blackness.

Danny let out another shaky sigh before starting to pace again. Several minutes passed in silence. Danny had taken to floating the entire time he was in Clockwork's citadel, so his footfalls made no noise. Clockwork waited patiently for Danny to continue his tirade, for he knew he would. He sighed; he of all people knew dissuading the stubborn boy from a path was nearly impossible. He knew the odds intimately, had seen every possible way the conversation, this conversation could have gone.

It didn't mean he hadn't wanted to stop it from taking place. Being able to see every future, did not preclude him from preferences between them. The path the boy had chosen, had in all but a few chosen, to take was a harrowing one. At least he could take comfort in him not being alone on this journey. Still, I would be remiss if I did not try to dissuade him one last time.

Danny stilled his pacing, and turned around to face Clockwork again. He just had to convince him that this shouldn't happen. How could he though without jeopardizing his family? For Danny knew and understood it intimately now, his family's existence, perhaps even his very own, was the reason Vlad had chosen the way he did. If Vlad didn't come to be a half-ghost, then his parents would never have married. If Vlad hadn't gotten left standing by a door in the middle of the night, then he would have never been born.

If this, if that, if such and such. At the end of the day, if Vlad hadn't gotten shafted by Fate, Danny Phantom or Fenton would never exist. But it didn't have to be that way did it? Danny thought determined to find a way out of this logical fate trap. I mean, it's not like I want the guy to be happy or anything, he's evil…mostly. I just want him to not be my enemy. Maybe if I can just convince him to be good or something. No, no, no, that will never work. I mean it just doesn't work like that. He has to decide to be good, but maybe I can help convince him it's worthwhile? Danny paused and looked back over at the patiently waiting Clockwork, before starting to pace again. Yeah sure by doing what? The only thing that could convince him is…

Danny skidded to a stop, plopping out of the air and onto the stone bricked ground below. Clockwork sighed; he knew Danny had reached his decision. "Clockwork, I need to see one last thing." When Clockwork hummed expectantly Danny continued. "I need to see what made my mom show up at Vlad's doorstep."

Clockwork sighed heavily this time. "For what reason Phantom?"

"You're right; it doesn't matter why she showed up, just why she left." Clockwork began to refuse again, when Danny interrupted. "If I know what he did to mess it up, then I won't do it. If I don't destroy my own family,-"

"Then you can avoid your own horrible future. I am well aware of your reasoning Danny. I warn you, you are trifling with powerful matters." Clockwork left it at that, before waving his staff in front of his viewing screen again. It swirled back into life, before flickering onto the scene of a fierce verbal argument. Vlad and Maddie were bright red with anger, mere inches from each other's faces. Maddie pointed an angry finger in Vlad's direction, before taking a few steps back to glare more effectively at him.

Vlad darkened a few shades, before exploding back at her, gesturing wildly and quickly throwing an accusatory finger back at her. Undeterred by his anger, Maddie continued on with her line of thought. She placed her hands on her hips, and then pointed to a picture framed on an end table across the room. Vlad quickly stormed over to it, and flung it across the room. It slammed into a wall, and shattered with the force of his throw. Before it had even touched the ground, Vlad had whipped around towards Maddie yelling again. But she refused to back down, and dug her heels in as he stood inches over her glaring in anger. She took a deep breath and said something to Vlad, it was only then that Danny noticed there wasn't any sound.

"Hey listen, I know you probably have all of this memorized, what with this being your job and all, but um-"

Clockwork waved his staff once again, and sound boomed into existence.

"Apologize? Apologize! Madeline have you lost your mind?" Vlad's voice angrily boomed forth.

"I think an apology is definitely in order. You were way out of line." Maddie pointed a finger at him to punctuate her point.

"Out of line?" Vlad screamed back, face turned several shades darker in angry response. "I refuse to apologize to that bumbling fat oaf, Maddie. If I have an ounce of pride left in my body, I never will! There's no force on earth, not even you" Vlad paused and threw a finger back at her, "could convince me to apologize to him."

"There was once a time you would have without a single thought. What happened between then and now?"

"What happened? What happened! Your husband's incompetence happened Maddie! Or did you forget the four years I spent huddled in a hospital bed, barely alive?" Vlad's voice was thunderous with rage at this point.

"He's apologized to you so many times for that, I've even lost count. He's your friend Vlad he's always been your friend." Maddie place her hands on her hips before pointing across the room. "And there's the proof of it, sitting right on your table." Without a second thought Vlad rushed over to the picture she had pointed towards and hurled it across the room. Maddie stifled a gasp; she had never seen him this angry before.

"My friend Madeline? NO! He hasn't been my friend since the day he crippled me through his own idiocy and waltzed away with the woman I loved. He hasn't been my friend since he had the nerve to court you in front of my very eyes, while I lay sick and damn near death in a hospital bed of his own making. My friend Maddie? If that's what friends are for I sure as fuck don't need enemies!" Vlad finished his angry tirade inches from Maddie's face, glaring down at her, daring her to continue to defend Jack Fenton.

Maddie let out a shaky breath before saying, "If you love me, then you'll do this one thing for me." Maddie's mouth was drawn in an angry line. "If you love me, more than you hate him, you can apologize. Could you do that, just for me?" Maddie's voice hitched higher at the end of the question, hopeful that this would be enough for him to let this go.

Vlad took a few steps back, completely blown away by the request. He looked like the wind had been knocked out of him, with her simple request having sucked all of the indignant anger from his body. He blinked as he began processing her question, and stared at his shoes for a moment. His immediate response, almost instinctual at this point was 'yes', because he'd truthfully, he thought, told her he'd do anything for her. But now that she was asking for something, so simple, but so hard for him, he didn't know if he could do it. All he had to do was apologize, and not because he wanted to, but because the love of his life had asked it of him. Vlad clenched his fists and sighed when he found his answer. Did he hate him that much? Or did he just love her that little. Vlad looked up back at Maddie and said,

"No." There was no waver in his voice, no weakness. His answer was final. The scene swirled out of existence and began up again at the beginning. This time Danny only watched it another time through, looking for the perfect time to intervene, or the perfect thing to say to convince Vlad to apologize. He frowned when no opportunity presented itself.

"So Danny Phantom, are you quite satisfied? You have much to learn from this." Clockwork intoned calmly.

"What are you talking about?" Danny muttered back distracted by his determination to convince Vlad to not make this mistake.

"The ability to forgive is a great one. Had you had it already in your possession, you would not be on my doorstep trying to 'borrow' one of my Time Medallions."

Danny's frown deepened as he took in Clockwork's words. "Me? Forgive Vlad? Yeah right! That Cheese Head is totally destroying my life!" Danny quickly replied back.

Clockwork only let a small smile grace his face before shaking his head in disbelief. Only someone as bull-headed as him couldn't see his words reflected in the life of another. Clockwork mulled over. "What is it that you want young Phantom?"

"A chance to fix my life."

"I believe I've already given you such a chance, have I not?" Clockwork countered.

"I mean, I chance to fix my life to how it should have been." Danny clarified.

"Explain yourself Danny, you are on treacherous territory."

"What I mean is, right now my family is missing an uncle. Maybe it doesn't have to be that way." Clockwork sighed deeply.

"And how is it, do you propose, that this uncle be gained?"

"All I have to do is convince Vlad to apologize to my dad, and wham! One big happy family." Danny beamed.

"And how do you suppose to do that? If your mother was unsuccessful, how do you think to succeed where even she failed?" Clockwork replied.

"Because…because I'm a very convincing person. Heck I convinced you to help me two times before, so I must be pretty good at this kind of thing right?" Danny answered hesitantly.

"Correct young Phantom." Clockwork moved from in front of the viewer, and back towards his bookcase. He paused in front of the rack with the Time Medallions, and lifted one from its resting place. Clockwork floated over to where Danny was standing and held out his hand.

Danny glowed with visible relief and reached for the Medallion, only to find his own hand grasped within Clockwork's. "Listen closely Danny Phantom, for the path you are about to chose is wrought with danger and pain, not all of which physical or your own, and none which avoidable. If you chose to take this Medallion, the past and the future is in your hands. You will shape it with how you chose to influence the decisions of others, as it will take you outside of the time stream once again. Phantom-Danny," Clockwork's steely mask fell slightly, some of his warm affection for Danny spilling through. "Be careful, and don't be afraid to put your trust in someone you now feel is undeserving of it. In someone whom you feel is the most unlikely person worthy of it in existence. Trust him. You'll find he will see you through more often than not."

Clockwork's mask slid back into place, and with a much sterner voice he continued. "Finally Phantom, know that whatever decisions you make that change the flow of time are your own. I will not step in and stop you from making them, and you will be left with the consequences, the full consequences, of your actions this time. If you do something that threatens the balance of reality itself, I will have no choice as Time's guardian but to destroy you to prevent your havoc from being wrought in the first place. Do you understand me?" Clockwork's eyes bore deeply into Danny's as he waited for a reply.

Danny's breath hitched at the gravity of Clockwork's question; did he really want to agree to something that might get him killed on accident? I don't know everything that could happen if I mess with this one thing. Maybe I really shouldn't do this. Just as he was having second thoughts about his decision, his cellphone buzzed. Surprisingly, the thing carried signals into the Ghost Zone. He could thank his techno-geek best friend for that little upgrade. He flipped it opened and read the text from his sister. Sure he was about to take a Time Medallion and he had a nearly all-powerful being waiting for his answer, but this text had to be important! Inside the text read, 'Danny, where r u! Mom and Dad worried and angry, g.b.h.s. Jazz' Danny growled angrily. He was late again, and as irrational as it was, he was sure it was all Vlad's fault somehow. He had made his decision.

"Yeah I understand completely." Danny ground out angrily.

Clockwork let the Medallion fall into Danny's hands and stepped away. "If only you truly did, young Phantom." Before Danny could argue back, Clockwork waved his staff, to silence him. "I have set the Medallion back with enough time for you to do your task. It will take you back before the incident; to give you time to speak with Vlad Masters. Use your time wisely, Phantom. You will not get another opportunity."

Danny nodded and response and slid his hands inside the cloth of the Medallion's necklace. Danny flashed Clockwork a brilliant smile before saying, "Don't look so solemn Clockwork; I'll be back before you know it!" And with that, Danny slipped the Time Medallion in place and disappeared.

Clockwork paced back to his seat before the viewer in silence. He fell back into the chair with surprising tiredness, and waved his staff a final time across the screen. In it, a fiery lab burned away with two men struggling inside the rubble. The screen flashed to a scene with Danny flying away at full speed; a regimen of white clad soldiers chasing after him. A third scene had him relaxing in a field of wild flowers, but in this scene he wasn't alone. Finally, a scene showed Danny hoisting the Time Medallion off of his frame, just about to disappear.

"All is as it should be." Clockwork stood from his spot in front of the viewing screen and started out of the room. He paused at the threshold and looked back into the room at the scene paused on his viewer. A small smile graced his lips as he said, "Good luck Danny."

He was falling, drifting, floating away. It was dark and cold, or maybe it was so hot it seemed cold again. He didn't know how long he had been falling, just that it was long enough to get used to the spinning dropping sensation in his gut. Suddenly, there was something solid underneath him. He gripped his head, so that's where the spinning's coming from he thought distantly. His head lolled to one side, and he was dimly aware that was where the dropping sensation kept coming from too. He lay still on the ground a few more minutes, trying to calm his alternatively pounding and spinning head.

A few deep breaths accomplished what minutes of stillness could not, and the world came into overly bright colorful relief. The boy sighed and stumbled his way back onto his feet. A few minutes of walking should work the blood back into my legs. He numbly staggered through vaguely familiar streets, each step making his gait more powerful and steady. He rounded a corner, and the last few hours came vividly back to him.

I'm not in ghost form, I'm in Amity Park, I visited Clockwork, and now there's a weird heaviness around my neck. He glanced down at the pocket watch swinging to and fro with each of his footfalls, and smiled wanly. He had gotten what he wanted after all. Danny tucked the Medallion inside his clothes; it wouldn't do to have anyone see it. With new determination in his steps, Danny set out with his plan back in mind.

Ok. Clockwork said he'd sent me back with enough time to convince Vlad to not be an asshole, as if there was ever enough time for that. Danny thought sardonically. So all I have to do is find him or something, and I'll be able to talk to him. Simple right? Danny stopped sharply when he realized he hadn't thought this through all that well. That really wasn't unusual for him, but he had to be more careful than usual. This time one mistake could cost him the right to even exist.

He didn't want to be on his mentor's bad side. While Clockwork was more than willingly to help, him even being here proved it, he still had a duty to protect the time stream. Whatever that means. Danny thought with a roll of his eyes. He started back out towards his home. It was as good a place to as any. At least he was relatively sure Vlad would actually be around in the area. Unlike in the future, Vlad was a normal and welcome part of his parent's lives. The door to his house showed up faster than he expected, so much in fact, he nearly bumped right into the door from being lost in thought.

He had worked up a plan and a speech to get into the house, or at the very least, to get some information on where Vlad was. He must live in town; he apparently was there often enough. Danny took a deep breath to summon up his courage, and rapped on the door. Several loud bangs and a crash emanated from the other side of the door, and then it was abruptly thrown open. On the other side of the threshold stood a young Jack Fenton. Other than the gray hair and a few winkles, dad looks exactly the same. Go figure. Danny was broken out of his musings by the sound of someone clearing their throat. He blinked when he realized he had been staring blankly at the man in front of him and started talking to fill the expectant silence.

"Um hi! I'm looking for Vlad Masters. Is he around?" Danny tried to peek past his linebacker physiqued father, only to have him block the view.

"You friends with Vladdy?"

"I uh yeah sorta. I met him earlier today and was hoping we could continue our conversation over dinner like he offered. Is he here?" Danny tried to pry out information again.

"No…" Jack ventured a response. "He's not here at the moment, but I can tell him you stopped by. What did you say your name was?"

"I didn't. It's um-" Danny searched around for a suitable pseudonym to hand over. "It's Daniel Moley." Oh yeah brilliant Fenton, just combine the last names of your two best friends in the most awkward way ever. Jack seemed to mull over the name in his head for a moment.

"I don't remember him mentioning any Moley's…"

"Uh that's because I used my adoptive father's last name." When Jack started at the admission, Danny continued. "I don't really like my new last name, so I only give it out when I have to. Like earlier today, since the conversation was really about a business deal for my father."

Jack took in the new information with a large grin. "Is that all? Vladdy getting into business, you know I always told him he had a natural talent for it." Jack barely left room for breath before bellowing, "Maddie! Set another seat at the table, we have a guest." Maddie called an affirmative back as Jack moved away from the door frame to let Danny pass inside.

"Hey kid, why don't you get comfy on the couch in the living room while we finish up dinner? V-man should be here any minute." Jack pointed over to a brand new couch in front of an analog television before heading back towards the kitchen.

Danny flopped down onto the couch trying to settle into his usual comfortable position. Wow this is harder than I remember; guess it still needs to be worked in a little. Danny mentally complained as he attempted to work himself deeper into the stiff cushions.

From just out of view, he could hear his mother humming a soft tune in the kitchen. Her voice was soothing, and his body from sore and tired from all of the various fights and scrapes of the week. Even if the couch is stiff, it won't hurt to just close my eyes for a bit. Danny reasoned vaguely as his eyes drifted close. A gentle hand on his shoulder brought him out of dream land. He opened his eyes and saw his young mother staring down at him. Her soft purple eyes shone with concern.

"Are you ok Daniel?" Maddie asked softly. Somewhere in Danny's misty thoughts, he wondered when his mother had learned his name. His mouth felt like it was full of cotton balls.

"Erm…What time is it?" Danny wondered sleepily.

"It's only 6pm; you got here about an hour ago. Dinner's ready if you're hungry." And with that, Maddie moved away from him, and back towards the kitchen.

Danny shook his head and looked down at his sleep wrinkled clothes. Man. I was more tired than I thought. I shouldn't have gone to sleep. Danny stretched his sore muscles and started towards the kitchen, when he heard the front door open. He turned around, and found the reason he was back in this time staring him down. Vlad had his hands full in the doorway, one arm full of bags, the other juggling the keys to the house.

He hadn't seen Danny yet, and it gave him a chance to take in his appearance. Gone were the frown lines and dark circles from too much work. Absent were the newly pressed business suit and expensive shoes. He was even missing the pony-tail, his hair cropped into a short cut that was slightly longer on the top than the sides. The cut actually reminded Danny of his, except for the bright silver color.

Vlad shifted the bags into his right arm after he had placed the house keys into his back pocket, and shut the door with his foot. He walked right past him and into the kitchen, the picture of distraction. Danny blinked at his retreat, frozen between wanting to follow him, and the strange sensation of seeing his arch-enemy so at ease and at home in his home. "Maddie, sorry I'm late. I picked up a few things on the way over." Vlad set the bags down on the kitchen counter before turning to Jack. "And I made dessert as promised. It's your favorite." Vlad reached inside a paper sack on the counter to reveal a large container of home-made marble fudge.

"Awesome V-man! You always make the best fudge." Jack snapped up the container and began to pry open the lid, only to have Maddie smack the back of his hand with a kitchen spoon.

"None of that Jack, you'll spoil your appetite, and I worked hard on this reunion dinner. You can have all the fudge you want after you eat my stuffed pasta shells" Maddie hoisted the large casserole dish from off of the kitchen counter and onto the table. A soft keening noise came from near the table.

"And how could I forget about you?" Vlad cooed and bent over to pick something up from near the table. He lifted it high above his head, and Danny caught a glimpse of shockingly bright red hair. "How's my little peanut?" Vlad planted several loud kisses on the baby's cheek, before settling her in his arms.

"Oh I can't believe you call her that." Maddie replied with a smile.

"And why shouldn't I my dear? You ate enough peanut butter to be growing a peanut tree instead of a child." Vlad teased back. It was all just too much for Danny. Peanut? Vlad and my mom getting along? Him making my dad fudge? What kind of freaky alternate dimension have I wandered into? Danny thought dizzily. He continued to gap in disbelief when Vlad turned around far enough to see him. At first they just stared at one another, each lost in mixture of disbelief and surprise. Then, slowly, Vlad handed over the small infant over to her father, and walked into the living room with Danny. "I'm sorry; I walked right past you without introducing myself." Vlad held out a hand, "Vlad Masters."

Danny stared at the offered hand; his brain was still several seconds behind the present. As if the hand had just materialized in front of him, Danny jumped back a few feet before catching himself and grasping the offered appendage. "Um, yeah Daniel Moley." Danny said meekly.

Vlad raised an eyebrow at Danny's impersonation of a startled deer, and said over his shoulder, "Jack I didn't know you had invited someone else over for dinner?"

"Me? No way Vladdie, he's your friend. He asked for you." Jack called back.

Vlad removed his hand from a stunned Danny's own, before fixing at icy stare on Danny. "I did no such-" Vlad abruptly ended his sentence and turned back to the kitchen. "Could you stay here for a moment Daniel?" It was more of a statement than a question, for Vlad was already half-way to the next room.

Danny gulped, Vlad hadn't been there five minutes and his entire cover story was blown. He could hear Vlad and his father talking about something in rapid hushed tones. He needed to think of something quick.

"What do you mean you didn't invite him over?" Jack whispered.

"I mean just what I said Jack. I didn't invite him over. I don't even know who that child is, I was hoping you did."

"But you have to know him Vlad, he asked for you specifically. He must know you; he came over here asking for you."

"I'm telling you Jack," Vlad began again, more insistent, "I've never seen this boy in my life. For all I know he's some kind of con artist." Vlad frowned before glancing over his shoulder and back into the living room. Danny was standing staring at the ground.

"Con artist! Come on Vlad, he's a kid, maybe you met him and just don't remember?" Jack offered.

Vlad shook his head before continuing, "Not a chance Jack. Even if I had met him, why would I invite over someone whose name I can't even remember hearing before today?" Vlad crossed his arms and looked over his shoulder again. Danny was statue still. "How long has he been in here?"

"I-like an hour. He was waiting for you." Jack responded.

Vlad hummed in response and tapped his foot. His eyes looked far-off for a moment while he thought things through, before he suddenly pivoted on his heel and walked right towards Danny.

Uh-oh. Not enough time, and I know that walk. Danny thought apprehensively.

"So Daniel, Jack tells me you were looking for me. Care to enlighten me as to the reason?" Vlad started blandly.

"Uh yeah. I can't believe you don't remember me. We met last Saturday. We were talking about business ventures and I must say Mr. Masters-"

"Yes that's very nice," Vlad interrupted, "but surely it wasn't your own business venture we were discussing young man."

Danny gulped; he had cut clean through his attempt at flattery. This is very bad news. Danny thought getting more nervous by the second. "No of course not! It was my father's. I'm sure you remember-"

"I'm afraid I do not. I have a lot on my mind now a days, perhaps you could remind me. What was your father's name again?" Vlad interrupted a second time. Danny's poorly crafted story was being shredded to pieces.

He rubbed his sweaty palms on the top of his jeans. "His name? Um-"

"Daniel why don't you stop this silly charade and tell me what is you really want? What were you hoping to do? Stay around long enough to get something valuable?"

"What no! I'm not a thief." Danny squeaked out defensively.

"And yet you have given me a false name, entered this house under false pretenses, and appeared out of thin air on the Fenton doorstep. What would you have me believe?" Vlad stared coldly into Danny's eyes, as if trying to distill the truth from his fear filled gaze. Shit, this is not going at all as planned! Danny thought panicking more by the moment.

Danny swallowed through the growing lump in his throat, and looked back at his feet. He was as good as found out, and he'd been in this time less than two hours! "I, what I mean is, um…" Danny fumbled for any good excuse, and came up empty. He could feel the collective gazes of the adults in the room boring into him. Each set of eyes felt like a hot poker against his skin. Danny sighed shakily, the stress of the conversation was adding a hard weight to the tiredness and stress of this last week. He didn't have a choice; he decided to go with some truth. "I…don't really have a place to stay." He said quietly. He heard Vlad sigh loudly in front of him.

"Where are your parents Daniel?" Danny's eyes snapped up towards Vlad. His face had softened significantly. Danny was tempted to just spill everything out right then and there, only the weight of the hidden Medallion stopped him. My parents are right in front of me, and they've never felt so far before. Danny reflected ruefully.

"They, I- I can't go back please." Danny settled for a half-truth. He couldn't go back till he had completed the reason for being back here or all of this effort would be for nothing. Besides, he didn't even really know how to work that time Medallion.

Vlad closed the distance between them, and knelt down to Danny's level. "Why not Daniel?" He asked with surprising gentleness.

"They're dead." Ok first full lie; let's see how he takes it.

Vlad frowned before saying, "Your father-"

"Adoptive father." Danny corrected immediately.

Vlad shook his head before continuing, "Why can't you go back to him?"

Danny just shrugged helplessly. He was at the limit of his lying ability, not like he was especially endowed to begin with. Hopefully the silence would fill in the blanks. Vlad reached out and grabbed his left arm, and Danny couldn't stifle a wince; Skulker had tossed him by that arm during their first fight that week.

Vlad's eyebrows nearly rose above his hairline in response before quickly removing his hand. Danny stood staring at the ground as Vlad moved away and grabbed the other adults in the room's attention. The three of them walked back into the kitchen, leaving Danny in silence.

Maddie rocked her child in her arms, and hummed to her softly.

The little girl was clearly exhausted.

Vlad shook his head, before leaning against the kitchen counter.

Maddie was the first to break the silence. "What are we are going to do about him?"

"I don't know Maddie, but he can't stay here." Jack replied.

"I don't see why not. Just for the night, it wouldn't hurt anything."

"Vlad he's obviously a run away. What we need to do is call the police, and have them take him home." Maddie frowned in thought. "I'm sure his father misses him."

"I honestly doubt that." Vlad replied with venom.

Maddie looked shocked before responding, "Why would you say something like that? Of course his guardian misses him. I don't know what I'd do if something happened and I couldn't find Jasmine." Maddie held the sleeping girl a little tighter at the thought.

"Yes well, you actually care. I'm not so sure about his father."

"Come on Vlad, kids run away. I'm sure it has nothing to do with his dad. You can't watch them all the time."

"Jack," Vlad started, "kids Daniel's age don't run away without a reason. And it sure isn't because mommy and daddy won't give them their own phone line."

"Come on Vlad-"

"And that doesn't explain all those bruises and scrapes I saw."

"Vlad he's a run away. He could have gotten into plenty of fights to get those." Maddie explained.

"Right, that's why he practically jumps out of his skin whenever one of us gets within ten feet. Or maybe why he won't give us his real last name? And when does a kid his size start fights?"

"Vlad-"

"Maddie it doesn't matter why he left, and I don't really care. No way someone his age up and leaves without a reason. And it's never a simple one either." Vlad crossed his arms, ready for an argument over this.

"Vlad he isn't staying here." Jack said sternly.

"Then he'll stay with me." Vlad supplied quickly. Jack looked ready to argue, before Vlad cut him off.

"Just for the night Jack, the boy's exhausted. Just look at him." Vlad pointed out of the kitchen and back towards the living room. Inside Danny was swaying on his feet, trying to pretend to not listen to the conversation about him in the next room.

Jack sighed, and shuffled his feet in a perfect replica of Danny at Clockwork's tower. "Well, alright Vlad. It is your place and all; I'm not going to stop you. We can talk this over more in the morning." Jack glanced back out at a swaying Danny. His head was bobbing, and he was no longer pretending to not listen. It was taking all his effort to stay awake at the moment, let alone eavesdrop.

Vlad smiled appreciatively at his old friend, before slapping his shoulder. "Thanks Jack, I'll get him over to my place." Vlad grabbed up his stuff, and began looking for his keys.

"Vlad." Maddie called. Vlad stopped wandering the kitchen and looked over at Maddie. She was holding his keys and a container of left over shells, Jasmine now securely in her father's arms. Vlad walked over to her with a smile, and grabbed both items from her hands.

"Thanks, Mads. I'll be back tomorrow so we can talk about what to do with Daniel." Vlad walked over and planted a kiss on sleeping Jasmine's forehead. "See you tomorrow peanut." Vlad and Jack managed a well balanced and shuffled hug, before he turned and left the kitchen. By the time Vlad came back into the living room, Danny looked to be doing a fine impersonation of a drunken sailor on the deck of a ship in a hurricane. "Daniel?" Vlad whispered.

Danny snapped out of his fatigue induced swaying and looked over at Vlad. "Come on, you're coming with me."

Danny blinked in response, his sleep addled brain needing a few extra seconds to catch up. His eyes widened when he understood the sentence. "Oh…OH! Oh thank you. I um-"

"Nevermind. Just come with me, and I'll get you a bed for the night alright?" Vlad offered as he walked right past Danny and towards the front door.

Danny shuffled behind him, his tired body hearing the words 'bed' and 'night' had him already heading for the door, when his brain caught up again. His arch-enemy was offering him a bed for the night, well away from the usual safety of his parent's home. Maybe I'm not that sleepy Danny reflected numbly. He stopped on the threshold to the Fenton family home, not entirely willing to leave with Vlad of all people.

Vlad opened the door to an unassuming mid-sized sedan, and set the leftovers on the passenger seat next to him. He glanced back at the door when he realized Danny hadn't followed him. "Come on Daniel, we have to go." He smiled warmly, trying to encourage Danny to leave the house.

Danny wavered between the warmth of his family home, and the unknown inside Vlad's car. His every instinct screamed danger whenever and wherever Vlad was concerned, and the whole brigade of warning bells were going off now. He shuffled a little back away from the door. "I-I mean I don't mean to be rude, but can't I-" Danny stuttered.

"I'm afraid not Daniel. Maddie and Jack can't offer you room for the night." Vlad said with a small frown. "Now don't be so stubborn, I know you're tired." Vlad motioned to the car again, hoping to prompt Danny out of the house and down the stairs.

Danny for his part was still wavering with indecision. It hurt to have his parents basically throw him out, but he just didn't trust Vlad. Still, I don't want to wear out his hospitality. I have nowhere else to go. Danny thought forlornly. Just then Clockwork's advice came back to him. Don't be afraid to put your trust in someone you now feel is undeserving of it. Trust him. Clockwork had urged him. Well I guess no time like the present. Danny sighed, and plotted down the stairs and into the open car situated the leftovers container on his lap, and snapped his seatbelt in place. The car pulled smoothly away from Danny's family home, and he found the movement of the car soothing. It was getting harder to stay awake again. Danny was half expecting Vlad to immediately start in on the questions. To his relief, the cabin was soundless. Danny glanced over at Vlad with bleary eyes half way asleep already.

Vlad smiled from his spot in the driver's seat, and said, "Go on to sleep Daniel, I live over an hour away." Somewhere Danny's mind processed the information as he slid soothed by the movement of the car into a deep sleep.

The car's sudden stop is what startled him awake. He was so tired, it still felt like the car was moving while his eyes told him for sure they were standing still. Danny leaned away from the car door just in enough time to avoid flopping out of the seat when it opened. Vlad stood on the other side shaking his head down at a clearly half awake Danny. "How about you do me a favor?" Vlad said while leaning down to unbuckle Danny from his seat.

Danny nodded dumbly in response, only half listening. "How about you hold that container for me while we head up the stairs?" Vlad asked.

"But why can't you hold it? It's your food." Danny argued back, never too tired to be contrary.

"Ah because," Vlad said while scooping Danny up without a second thought, "my hands are already full."

"Huh wah no! Put me down I can walk!" Danny protested loudly. He began to weakly struggle against Vlad's hold.

"Come on Daniel, you're dead on your feet, and my apartment is on the fifth floor." Vlad leaned over towards his ear before adding, "I swear I won't tell anyone alright?"

Danny gave another few weak struggles before settling back. It's ok, just once. I mean who is he going to tell? Danny pondered slowly, before he recalled something else. This was Vlad he was dealing with. Even if he didn't tell anyone else, there's no way he wouldn't remember this, and he'd never live it down.

"I said put me down!" Danny punctuated his command with a sharp elbow to Vlad's ribs.

Vlad yelped, mostly out of surprise, and nearly dropped Danny on his backside. "Daniel, what in the world-"

"Just put me down goddamn it. I'm not a child!" Danny spat angrily at him.

Vlad quickly set Danny back onto his feet inside the building lobby, but didn't let go until he was sure Danny could stand on his own. "Alright Daniel, there." Vlad ran a hand through the longer section of his hair, sweeping it away from his face. He shook his head and headed for the stairs. "Stubborn little badger." Vlad muttered while rounding the first flight of stairs.

Danny, who wasn't far behind, glared up the stairs at him in response. "What did you just call me?" Danny hissed out.

Vlad raised an eyebrow before stopping at the next landing to answer. "I called you a little badger and you certainly act like one. Stubborn, absurdly willful and temperamental, and sort of violent. Have you ever met a badger? You'd make good friends with them Daniel." Vlad shrugged and started back up the stairs when Danny caught up.

Danny sulked in silence as he clomped up the stairs. His everything burned. I really should have taken Vlad's offer. Danny thought regretting his earlier nasty behavior. Danny ran into Vlad's back when he stopped in front of an apartment door. Danny rubbed his sore noise, silently adding it to the running list of things that hurt.

Vlad reached into his pocket and slid his key into the lock. With a twist and a turn of the lock, the door creaked open. Vlad stepped aside, and gestured for Danny to enter first.

Danny gladly took the offer, making a beeline for a couch right near the entrance. He fell down more than sat, even more tired from what should have been an easy trip upstairs. Danny looked over at the clock. It was only 8pm, and he felt like he'd just run Heartbreak Hill of the Boston Marathon. Danny's eyes traveled over to where Vlad was setting the leftovers into his fridge. He could see the bathroom from where he was sitting and a hallway must have led off into the bedroom in the back. All and all, it was small, but nice enough.

Vlad sat next to Danny on the couch.

Danny sighed, he hadn't been acting nice to him at all, and Vlad was the one letting him stay. "Listen, I'm sorry for earlier." Danny voiced what had been on his mind for a few minutes.

"For what Daniel?" Vlad handed over a stack of towels to Danny.

Danny looked shocked to see them appear in his lap. He looked over at Vlad and said, "For hitting you. And for lying earlier, that was wrong too. I feel bad about it, but I didn't know what else to do."

"It's alright Daniel I know you didn't mean it." Vlad ruffled Danny's hair good-naturedly before shooing him towards the bathroom with an order to wash up for the night. Danny was too tired to argue about a bath, and happily complied. A quarter hour later found Danny awkwardly dressed on some of Vlad's old clothes and once again droopy eyed. "Now Daniel the bed is that direction." Vlad said while pointing down the hallway where Danny had guessed the room lay.

"Bu-"

"Don't you dare argue with me. Now the mattress isn't the softest in the world, but it's much better than this couch, and you need the rest." Vlad quickly shushed Danny objections, and shuffled him towards the bedroom in the back.

Danny settled bonelessly into the lumpy mattress with a sigh, and looked over toward the door. "Now if you need anything, I'm right out front alright?" Vlad reassured with a small smile before flicking off the lights. Even if he was being sent to bed before 9pm like a kid, Danny had to admit he was too drained to argue it. Danny shifted on the bad old mattress and felt the Medallion move with him. Stupid Medallion. Just what in the hell have I gotten myself into? Well, maybe this adventure will go better than the last two. Danny silently prayed before drifting off into a peaceful sleep.

…then the past may be what you seek.