Thanks to Snickerer, Toronada Silverwind,Sanne-chan, MissMune, heavensong, Yami-chan and Unrealistic, a light amongst shadows, Chibi Hime, and anyone who faved or reviewed while I've been MIA. Yes, I know it's been a while…

Chapter 5: The Morning After

I wake up in the Fentons' guest bedroom to the smell of pancakes, but I stay in bed for a few minutes just enjoying the mood. It's odd, you can sleep in absolute luxury for twenty years and yet you never wake up feeling at peace with the world until you're somewhere imperfect and near friends. I'm going to miss this, but I don't belong here and it's foolish to think that I do.

After a couple minutes of staring at the ceiling with summer light coming through the blinds, I get up and dress, then make my way downstairs to the kitchen. Maddie turns from the stove and gives me a smile. I smile back and take a seat at the table. It feels surreal, knowing this is only a brief respite from my life, knowing that this is the last day I'll ever be happy.

"It'll be a few minutes before breakfast, Vlad," Maddie tells me. "Jack's in the basement, if you want to go visit."

Tempting, actually, but I spent most of last night with Jack, laughing and tinkering like we used to do in college. But now, I want to spend time with my dear Maddie, before I leave this time and place forever. Besides, there really is only so much ghost-inspired enthusiasm a man can take.

"I'd rather not," I say. "A few of those inventions look rather unsettling." And since I know they hone in on Daniel, I'd rather not take chances. If Jack and Maddie knew about me… Well, for starters, that could set Plasmius off early.

"Oh, they're only bad if you're a ghost!" Maddie says blithely. "They don't hurt humans at all. You know that." Right. That's what she said about the Proto-Portal too. I'm not making the mistake of completely believing that again, even from her.

"Still…"

"You always were a bit of a coward, Vlad." She busies herself with spatula and ladle so she won't have to meet my eyes. The Vlad she knows would have lost control for a moment, but me, I know I'm a coward now and even though it still hurts my pride, it's simply who I am. My pride could use the wounding.

Before the conversation between us can get any more awkward, Jazmine arrives in the kitchen and proceeds to ignore me as she starts setting the table. Well, except for the occasional elbow or well placed foot. She really is protective of her brother, isn't she?

Maddie finishes cooking breakfast and disappears downstairs to fetch Jack. Jazmine heads off to find Daniel, and I? I sit and stare off into space for a moment, running over potential conversation openers. I only have one chance at this, and it has to go well.

I'm jolted back to reality by Jack's feet on the stairs and shouting about "Fenton Flapjacks." Upstairs, Danny's protesting about being woken up, if I'm hearing correctly. I can understand that, given that we only went to bed a few hours ago, but he needs to get up. I neatly fold my napkin and lay it beside my plate.

"It sounds like Daniel's having a little trouble getting out of bed this morning," I chuckle. "I'll go see how he's doing. Don't wait for us, please." I'm gone before they can protest, and hear Jack's happy munching all the way to the stairs.

I find Jazmine attempting to pull her brother out of bed while verbally berating him with everything she can think of. Obviously she's not getting anywhere, and I cross the floor to kneel next to Daniel's face, laying a calming hand on the girl's shoulder as I pass.

"Daniel," I hiss, giving his shoulder a shove. "I think you're forgetting something."

"Fwhun?"

"The plan, Danny. You, me, downstairs? Your parents? Wisconsin?"

"Vlad?" He rubs his eyes a little. Well, it's a start.

"Yes. Now come on, we need to leave in an hour." I grab a wrist protuding from the bedsheets and give it a yank. At this rate I'm going to have to stoop to incenti–

"Awright, awright, I'm up. Happy?" He runs a hand through his hair to get rid of the worst of the bedhead and grabs his clothes off the floor.

"Very. I'll see you downstairs." Or not. Where on earth was Jazmine hiding that?

"Wisconsin, Danny?" she spits past me. "You agreed to Wisconsin?" She turns her face back to me. "What did you do to him, Vlad?"

"It's only for a few days, Jazmine. I need your brother's help with something important, and then he'll be returned to you, free of charge. I promise."

She's still got that gun raised. I don't think she believes me.

"It's true, Jazz. We were up all night talk–" Daniel yawns, "–king, and we've got a plan all ready, and he needs me to help carry it out. It's important."

I wrap a hand around the barrel digging into my stomach, and sigh. Jazmine isn't going to let this go without knowing more of the details.

"I'm not the Vlad you remember, Jazmine," I begin.

"You kidnapped him two days ago."

"Ten years ago, actually." I give her a soft smile and try to move the ectogun. "I'm from the future, Jazm– Jazz. In my timeline I do some terrible things, things I still can't really believe myself capable of, and I've come back to your present to stop myself. But I need Daniel's help."

"Are you saying you didn't blackmail him?" she asks harshly.

I shrug. "Either he helps me, or the world ends."

"Leave it, Jazz," Daniel growls. "I believe him, and I'm going to Wisconsin. End of story."

She lowers the gun, finally. "Then I'm coming with you."

"No!" Please tell me I'm not starting to feel protective? "I mean, Jazmine, you could be killed and I'm not about to endanger anyone needlessly." She responds with a look that says she knows I just admitted to knowingly endangering her brother. I drop eye contact.

"And that means no Sam or Tucker either, okay?" Danny puts in forcefully, then pushes past the two of us and heads to the washroom. I give Jazmine a warning glance and follow him out the door.

A minute later I'm back at the kitchen table, beside Jazmine, chatting away with my friends as if nothing ever happened between us. Daniel entered, looking blearily, grumpy, and resigned, and spears a stack of pancakes for his own plate. The conversation goes on, and I gradually steer it towards Daniel's life, and, more importantly, his unexplained absence from school several days ago and the bad influence of his friends. Daniel plays along perfectly, as we planned, and by the end of the fantastic meal, it's been agreed that he'll come back to Wisconsin with me for a while to clean up his act.

Of course, he and I both know that won't happen, but I wish it were true. I could teach that boy some remarkable things that would make his problems disappear. And I'm not talking about embezzlement.