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Kindred Spirits	By : RedelliaValentinos Category: +1 through F > Danny Phantom Views: 206 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I don't own Danny Phantom, I don't own any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from writing this story, I write this purely for the enjoyment of writing. It's just me and a keyboard and my wild brain.

Chapter List
- 10
- 11
- 12
He comes to rather slowly. Danny notices the touch of fluff, first. Curling his fingers on his right hand, he feels plush softness and warmth. And purring. His brows knit together in confusion. He doesn't have a cat. Slowly, his eyes open. What he sees first is a quilted ceiling, in a deep blue with softly glowing constellations scattered across the surface. Turning his head slightly to the left yields dark blue curtains patterned with more constellations, and a large window. It's dark outside, he can see thousands of stars. No city lights in sight. He starts to shift, aiming to be upright and bracing against a mattress that definitely isn't his. His spine pops and cracks, he's been laying down for a while, he figures. He rewards his movement with a low groan of discomfort. Once he's seated with his back pressed against the pillows, he finally looks down at the ball of fluff that's settled on his lap.
Danny is wary at first. He doesn't have a cat, and doesn't particularly like them because they don't like him. But this one, draped across his legs as it is, seems content with being in his presence. Covered with long, white and layered hair, it gives off noticeable body heat. He slowly stretches a hand out to pet it, and hesitantly relaxes when the cat leans in, tilting its head for further attention. A jingle meets his ears and Danny looks down towards a collar. A polished heart dangles, bright and gold.
'Maddie' reads clearly on the golden tag.
"Huh. That's mom's name."
And Danny tries to remember. He doesn't know where he is. He remembers the Spinner. And the coin. Coins. How could he not?
Vaguely, other parts drift through. It's all sound, really. Words here and there. He shakes his head a little. It didn't make any sense. This bed, comfortable as it is now that he's sitting up, isn't his. The walls are a rich brown wooden paneling, like what he'd expect from a house built in the seventies. He remembers seeing such panel work in his grandparents' house once. He didn't care for it. But here, with the deep blue bedding, it actually worked. The warm wood seemed to contribute an air of calm. There's a string of lights lining the curtains on all sides, giving a soft yellow glow. Otherwise there's very little light.
Faintly, distantly, he hears footsteps approaching. Maddie tilts her ear towards the sound a few moments later, and he puzzles at having heard it before the cat did. His hearing shouldn't be that good. Heck, with all the music he's blasted through his headphones, he should be half deaf. Those steps slowly draw closer, and after a solid minute it feels like they're practically on top of him. But time still passes as they keep walking. And then the door opens.
Maddie looks up and calls out.
A man he's never seen before steps in. He's tall, with long silver hair draped over his shoulders, wearing a red robe that looks really expensive.
"I trust you've a little more sense about you, now, yes?"
Danny pulls the comforter up on instinct and bumps the leads attached to his chest, causing him to pull at his shirt and look underneath. "What the..."
The man goes up to the foot of the bed, hands tucked in the pockets of the robe.
"You've been out for quite some time in a state of hypothermia induced hibernation,'' he watches as the youngling disconnects the leads, ''It was necessary to monitor your heart. Do you remember anything?"
The boy looks up and his eyes drift to the side. "I remember..." He hesitates. If he says he spoke to a white harpy woman covered with feathers that flipped a coin, he might get committed. "I...I don't know. I think I was just dreaming. You'll think I'm nuts."
There's a sigh from the man, miniscule, barely audible, who promptly takes a hand out of his pocket and tosses something onto the bed. Danny hears the song of metal and retreats instantly, pulling his knees up to his chest and backing up into the headboard. Maddie yowls and leaps off the bed.
A silver dollar glares at him from its place on the bedding, shimmering even in the faint lighting.
"Try me."
Danny gulps. How could he know? "That isn't..."
"No," the man says, and leans down to pick up the coin. He turns it from side to side, almost studying the surface, before shoving it back into his pocket. "No, yours is in the void. ...just like mine." And he levels the boy with a look of sympathy and sadness.
It tells Danny everything he needs to know. It tells him he's not crazy. That it was all real. That he really was speaking to a harpy. That he's not the only one with this fate, whatever it entails. He wasn't dreaming. Faintly, words and phrases trickle through his mind, again. Tidbits of sound that have meaning, but he can't pick up enough to understand them. But they largely have one thing in common. With the exception of a few bytes of data, he can hear his sister's voice. Following that realization, something inside fractures.
The air chills a little as his emotions shift. The stranger looks around, huffs, and can see his own breath.
"Where am I?" He's been meaning to ask since he woke up to the cat on his lap. He can tell he's not in a hospital.
"You're in my home, in Wisconsin. My name is Vladimir Masters. You may call me Vlad.''
"Where's my mom?"
The stranger seems upset, suddenly. And Danny begins to worry. Was he not supposed to ask? Did something happen?
"If I had to guess," he pauses, "still tinkering with the portal with your father. Jasmine is out in the kitchen."
Knowing his sister is nearby soothes the ache a little, but...
"Mom and dad said the portal works. They...they've been studying it. And things have been coming through it. Ghosts. Or, so they say. I don't really care. I just wish you were here to yell at them. But, I guess it doesn't matter since they aren't here. So it's probably a good thing, huh? ...I'm sorry I didn't make it in this morning. Mom and dad are focused on the portal, so I've been working at the Nasty Burger. I never imagined dropping out of high school, but I had to. You'll never let me hear the end of it. The bills are a lot, the hospital was even nice enough to set up a payment plan, considering the circumstances. But since science comes first, what can I do?"
"Daniel?"
"Sam and Tucker came by yesterday, they've been visiting every other day or so... They miss you. Dash visited, too, which surprised me. The staff had to chase all the other football players out. The cheerleaders wanted to see you, but I didn't let them in. They wanted pictures. You hate that, I know. So I slammed the door in Paulina's face. It really shocked me, how they could be so self-centered. Oh, and Mr. Lancer came, too. For a few hours. He read you Robert Frost. What did you think?"
"Daniel?" It's muddled, in the distance and lost as his eyes seemingly cloud over.
"I was a friend of your parents. We attended college together. For a short while, anyway. I expect you are Jasmine?"
There's a hand on his shoulder and another waving in his face, but all he registers is the slight change of light, the shadow casting over his eyes.
"I don't understand... Mom and Dad never talked abut you. But this says you're our guardian?"
"I am stepping in. I'd like you to tell me what happened and what your brother's condition is."
"Why aren't...where's..."
"I don't even know you! Why would I tell you?! You're not my dad and you definitely aren't my uncle and you're not my cousin or my brother or a relative of any kind!"
"But I am one thing. I'm here."
"Where's...mom?"
"You don't know us."
"Don't...where..."
"No. I don't. But I do know your parents, and I'm willing to help. But I need to know what's going on with him."
"Daniel!'' Vlad grabs his shoulders and shakes, hoping that treating him more like a maraca will yield better results.
...Danny's eyes drift up to him, clouded but aware. ''Where are my parents?'' he asks again, words precise and clear.
Vlad pulls away and sits down on the edge of the bed with a sigh. ''Home, studying the portal. No, they don't know you're here. I doubt they're even aware of the accident.''
''Can I...'' Can I call them? Can I talk to them? The questions die on the edge of his vocal chords. Vlad spares him a look, waiting for him to finish. But he senses the boy won't. Among the messy array of emotions and epiphanies he knew were due, learning that the youngling halfa was aware of the neglect was not one of them. And he wasn't prepared for it.
''Daniel..."
Danny shakes his head lightly. ''Nevermind. It's...it's fine. I'm used to it. Forget it.''
There's a faint snarl that rumbles to the surface. It's otherworldly. Inhuman. Danny looks startled by the sound.
''Sorry!'' the man says quickly.
''What was that?''
''My other side slipping through. Don't worry about it. Jasmine is in the kitchen. I know it's nearly midnight, but...would you like to see her? She's been run through the wringer and I think it could do the both of you some good. Especially her. You weren't exactly in a...communicable state this morning."
Danny jumps slightly. ''Are you serious?! I've been...''
Vlad nods. ''And it's the sixteenth of May, in case you were wondering.''
Danny looks horrified.
''Why don't we go out to the kitchen and get a small meal into you, hm? I'd wager you haven't eaten a thing since March 4th, and saline can only provide so much at a time.''
As if on cue, Danny's stomach started to growl, pulling a chuckle from Vlad. ''There. See? Even your body thinks you should put the next panic attack aside for now.'' He starts to help Danny towards the edge of the bed and the boy fusses away.
''I can walk,'' he protests, ''It was just an electric shock. My legs are fine.''
Vlad bites back the sigh. ''Yes, but you've been on your back for several months. Your muscles will be weak from lack of use!'' He reaches for him again and Danny gives a swat.
''I'm fine! I can do it!'' He gets his feet out from under the blanket and over the side. He's stubborn, he wants to do it himself. He doesn't want to be perceived as weak. Vlad understands this. But as he watches him start to shake, transferring his weight to his knees, the older halfa knows better.
''You are not fine, Daniel! You've been in a coma! You can't jus-''
Danny falls to the floor with a surprised shout. He lays there briefly, eyes wide. ''What the...'' He gets on his hands and knees and tries again, only for his limbs to fail at the slightest shift of weight. Vlad pulls him up from the floor and plops him on the edge of the bed.
''I told you. You're not fine.''
''But I feel-''
''-Daniel!'' the man snaps, ''Your body has been through a dramatic existential shift! You've spent the last two and a half months asleep! You haven't moved your legs once since the accident! You need to let me help you!''
The boy looks up at him, looking ready to burst into tears for a second time. But he doesn't. He looks away in silence. The elder halfa doesn't bite back the sigh this time. It escapes with relative ease and he extends and open hand. ''Please?''
Danny spares a glance at it, frustrated with the entire situation. After a minute of consideration, he places his hand in the other. ''Fine.''
''Good. Now your other hand...''
It takes about half an hour. Several stumbles, yes, but Vlad is there for the boy to brace against. He doesn't let him fall a third time. With gentle words and even gentler coaxing, Vlad gets him standing, however unsteady, under his own power. When he's sure Danny can hold his own for a moment, he puts some distance between them, allowing the youth to cling to the post of the bed for support.
''Alright. Now, walk to me.''
Danny's face becomes reminiscent of a deer in headlights.
''Come on. Standing is one thing. Take a step,'' he holds his arms out, open and ready to catch.
Danny hesitates. His breathing excallerates as he places one foot forward.
''Come on,'' he urges softly. Vlad watches the shift of weight. Danny put his other foot forward, boldly beginning to pull away from the post. The man watches with baited breath, ready to intervene, ready to rescue and even coddle if necessary. But he starts with infantile steps. He's wobbling, shaking, a rattle is gripping the youth in his bones, but he presses on stubbornly. And in that moment, as he watches Danny's fingers drift away from the bedpost, he knows this is worth it. It's worth barging into their lives unannounced. It was worth nearly lying to the state and practically kidnapping him. Because if he hadn't, he wouldn't be here, now, helping a confused half life. And the child would have no guidance, no support, no protection, no encouragement. He internally shudders to think of what might happen if he hadn't stormed in uninvited.
He senses, as Danny gets within reach of him, that in another world, this is not how it goes. In another world, in another time, Danny doesn't fall into his arms shaking, grabbing onto his robe for comfort and support. He doesn't move to sit with him on the floor with his arms wrapped around him, trying to calm him down. Danny doesn't relax into his chest and soak up the warmth of his core. They don't bond. Not like this.
Vlad can feel the smaller lungs and heart working overtime through the palm he's stroking circles into his back with. He hears a soft sniffle and knows the child is overwhelmed by it all.
''It's okay, son, you're just half dead. And you're not the only one... Just breath...''
- 10
- 11
- 12
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Kindred Spirits