"You have to let me see him!" Vlad yelled at the other, before he could even think of replying Vlad continued with his rant. "It's been three years, three fucking years! And don't give me that 'In time' bullshit that you always answer. I've been here for too long, not that I'm not grateful for everything that you've done! I am, I'm more than grateful! But I need to see him so let me fucking see him!!" Clockwork looked at Vlad with a blank, bored expression for a few moments before answering "If you're quite done swearing, which even though I can see time surprises me to no end, honestly what happened to you yelling out pastry names? Anyway, I was going to say, yes."

Vlad was taken back this response to say the least. "Wait what?" The other male rolled his eyes. "I said yes, you may see him." Vlad didn't even know what to say, he hadn't expected Clockwork to finally relent and agree. "Why?" He whispered, afraid that if he spoke too loud whatever illusion this was would shatter. The master of all time smiled in response and spread his arms. "You're right, you have been here for the past three years, and you have been patient, in your own way at least. And I'm letting you go now because... it's time." "I don't even know what to say to him!" Vlad yelled "What can I say!? If you tell me to say sorry to him I swear I will attempt to take your time staff and hit you over the head with it."

"Last time you tried that it did not end so well, for you at least." Clockwork mused. "I'll admit, that was idiotic on my behalf but still! 'Sorry' cannot fix everything! 'Sorry' does not change everything I've done!" Vlad said half panicked. "No, it doesn't" "That's not very helpful." "No, it isn't." Vlad looked as if he was ready to tear his own hair out. "Instead of simply telling him you're sorry," Clockwork offered "why not tell him your story?" "Would you quit it with the riddles!? For the past three years I've been listening to your riddles!" "Ironic as this may seem," Clockwork sighed "I haven't the time to argue with you so stop whining and get on with it!" He then used his time staff to make a portal directly above the Fenton Works and all too gracefully pushed Vlad through.

Daniel Fenton was in his room laying on his bed staring up at the poster he had hung on the ceiling. The poster had been a present he had received on his thirteenth birthday from Jazz. It showed a galaxy of stars and comets with the words 'Reach for the Stars' on it. The now eighteen almost nineteen year old Danny sighed heavily. "Guess that's what you're doing now Vlad." He said aloud to the empty room. Last week had been the anniversary of when Danny had saved the Earth from the Disasteroid. Lots of good things had come from the Disasteroid incident ironically. Shortly after it Danny had proposed a truce to the ghosts stating that as long as they didn't cause trouble he wouldn't bother them, which would allow the ghosts to come and go to the human world as they pleased. Many accepted the offer quickly, but Danny still had the occasional show down with Skulker or Technus or ghosts of that variety, or just one that wanted to show off.

But many of Danny's old foes had changed. Ember could often be found doing concerts in community colleges or the park instead of hypnotizing people. Nocturne was harvesting dreams the 'old fashioned way', which was how he used to harvest dreams before he had switched to the dream helmets. Kitty and Johnny 13 were usually driving around Amity when they weren't in the ghost zone, and Johnny had taught Danny a good deal about mechanics. Another good thing that had come from the Disasteroid was Danielle. She had come to Danny almost immediately after incident and his parents were all too happy to adopt here. Sam and Danny had broken up less than three months of being together, both agreeing it was better to be friends.

He hadn't been sad or upset when they broke up, he actually felt kind of relieved in an odd way. It confused him to no end, he knew that he hadn't been in love in love with Sam, but still, he should have been a little upset right?

Bad things had also come from that fated day too. The bulling at school had gotten worse for one thing. Not at all as physical as before now that Dash knew that Danny could defend himself but a lot more verbal, which hurt him much more for some reason. Dash, along with the other bullies would call him things like a freak, failed experiment, all sorts of things regarding his ghost half. But Dash had gotten bored of that after two years. Now the football jock decided to make fun of how he looked like a girl, calling him Fentina whenever he saw him. He had also saying that Danny was gay just because he took cooking and art class. What bothered Danny wasn't how Dash would call him gay, he was pansexual after all, it was how the bully would say that as if it were a bad thing. Another bad thing had happened from because of that day, he had lost Vlad. Danny had never told his friends but he when he was fourteen he had a crush on Vlad, and still had those lingering feelings.

At first he thought that he was mistaking his feelings, that he merely hated the man and that was all. He also had known that Sam had a crush on him, despite what his friends always said he was clueless he wasn't; he just didn't want to hurt her feelings. He always felt so hopeless and confused about Vlad and himself, so Danny always found that he would throw himself at anyone who would love him back. He never really admitted to himself how he felt about the other man until he started having some eh hem, 'interesting' dreams about Vlad. He'd give anything to have dreams again but all he'd been having for the past two years were nightmares. Horrible sick nightmares revolving around one thing, Dan. Danny hated Dan, utterly despised him, and was terrified of turning into him. Danny had promised his family, his friends and himself that he wouldn't turn into that. But if he had promised that, shouldn't Dan have disappeared while they were fighting? Simply ceased to exist? That's the part that worried him the most, if he had already said that he wasn't going to turn into Dan, then Dan should have just vanished. Poof, done. That had to mean he could still turn into him right?

Besides, the Box Ghost and the Lunch Lady had already had Box Lunch who was already one year old, Danny loved babysitting her though. And Skulker and Technus already had some kind of alliance going on. Danny groaned and looked at the clock. 10:37, he had to meet Sam, Tucker and Dani at Sam's house to play some Doom at eleven. Danny sighed and forced himself to get out of bed. He went to the dresser and messily pulled his hair into a ponytail using a white scrunchy. He had let his hair grow out over the years and it was already past his shoulders, yet another thing Dash teased him about. But Danny wasn't about to cut his hair just to satisfy the bully. Besides, school didn't start for a few more weeks so for the most part he was able to avoid Dash. Danny went to the window and opened it, ready to transform. Instead he found himself face to face with a ghost who had a fist raised as if he were about to knock. 'Funny, my ghost sense didn't go off.' Danny thought as he looked the ghost over. The specter had long black hair, longer than his own, silver colored jumpsuit with a black V on the chest. Black boots and gloves, a crimson cape, blue, no, teal skin. Danny felt ice in his veins as he looked the ghost in the eyes. They were a beautiful magenta tinted red color, full of fear, warmth and uncertainty. Everything came crashing down on Danny as he looked down on those eyes, all the oxygen seemed to have left him. His voice came out barely a whisper.

"Vlad?"