I stood with a couple suitcases from my home, glancing down at a small wooden frame in my hand. The picture brought back a flash of memories; memories of the once happy family I would have to forget about. My father stood behind me, his orange jumpsuit drawing most of the attention to him, he had a bright happy face in the picture. I would never forget his cloudy expression when I told him. Standing beside dad was mom. She wore her blue jump suit, one hip popped out with her hand resting on it. She was wearing a bright, happy smile. Her happy smile had turned to tears when I told her. In front of mom was my older sister, Jazz. She was almost the spitting image of mom. She also looked happy in the picture. So wise my sister was, I loved her so much. She kept her composure, she knew that she was my sister and no matter what I said would change that. Then there was me, standing beside Jazz, a loving arm wrapped around her and a bright smile on my face. It was all before I told them the two biggest secrets of my life. Jazz claimed she knew one of them, but I wasn't sure.

Sighing, I looked up at the large mansion I had found myself in front of. I could've gone to one of my two best friend's houses, but I would never be able to bring myself to tell them why. Sam Manson and Tucker Foely were all I had and I couldn't ruin what I did have with them if I told. They were already risking their lives everyday and had been lying to everyone. I knew they wouldn't approve of my new secret.

I shuffled my beat up red Chuck's on the pavement below and decided whether or not I should go to the door. The decision to come had been a tough one, but with no where else to go, it was my only option. Once I stepped through the door and into the fancy interior within, I knew it would really be over. There would be no going back to my family, I would've betrayed everything. It was just something I felt I couldn't do, but knew I had to unless I wanted to sleep on some dirty park bench.

Sucking in a breath I started the decent to the door, taking my time. I knew who he was. I knew the man that lived in the large house was my arch enemy, was the one that was terrible to my father and was always trying to take mom from him. However, I had to do it. If he were to kick me out, then I wouldn't have anywhere to go. I had to at least try.

Running a shaking hand through my hair and sighing once again, I reached up and knocked on the door, then stood back, hoping that he would come to the door and offer me some hospitality. I knew I had been cruel to him, heck we'd even try to kill each other, but I couldn't see him being so cruel as to leave me homeless. I hoped that all I'd have to do would be explain everything and he would accept me, or do the opposite of my hopes and kick me out, just like my parents did.

I heard footsteps echoing from within the home and the door soon opened, revealing a middle aged man, silver hair pulled back into a neat ponytail, with a neatly trimmed goatee and piercing grey eyes. Those eyes widened in suprise.

"Daniel?"

I nodded and looked down, setting down the only belongings I had with me, "I-I need a place to stay. I know we haven't gotten along, but you're the only one that can help... Please?" I looked up and hoped he'd see that I was serious, that I wasn't going to be my usual witty self. I knew I wouldn't be able to ever feel witty again, not after what happened.

"Yes." Vlad Masters answered, opening the door wider and stepping aside. He actually had a concerned look in his eyes. It was something I had never seen before.

I hesitated a little, then picked my belongings up and headed inside, sticking the picture under my armpit.

"I'll show you where you can stay." He said, closing the door. The click of the lock latching made me wince. It was final, I had stepped through, there was no going back to my family. I could never step foot inside Fenton Works again. It was the worst feeling ever, even worse then the times when Jazz had accidentally sucked me into the Fenton Thermos. I felt empty now, like nothing would ever be happy again.

I followed Vlad up a large case of stairs and into a bedroom, which turned out to be the first door on the right. It was the same room I stayed in when Vlad found out I was half-ghost and our fued really began. I gave him an incredilous look, but he just shrugged it off, turning away from me as I set my bags on the large canopy bed.

"Would you like something to drink or eat?" Vlad asked once I turned back to him. I noticed he was looking down and avoiding contact, which made me wonder what was going on. Why was he being so nice to me? Usually he had some kind of witty banter. He didn't even question me like I thought he would have when I asked if I could stay... Unless he had different plans, that is.

I had to stop myself from going ghost right then. I couldn't ruin what I had built up, I couldn't get kicked out of another home.

Instead, I shook my head, "No thanks."

Vlad nodded then opened his mouth again, but closed it quickly, "Well, I'll leave you alone." He then left my new room and closed the door behind him.

Enjoying the silence and aloneness, I took the picture out again, tears formed in my eyes. It was all over, I wouldn't be able to see them again. I was only fifteen and without family. Only my ghost powers, Vlad, and the two friends I would probably never be able to face again. I knew that mom and dad had probably told Sam and Tucker about me, it would've have suprised me in the slightest. I only wondered if the two were trying to check up on me, or if they just decided to leave me be.

Tears filled my eyes and a large lump formed in my throat. I tried my best to stop everything, I had held my emotions in so well, I couldn't let myself fall apart. I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to get rid of everything, but behind my eyes was mom's tearstained cheeks. They snapped open and the sob escaped my throat. I threw the picture across the room in anger, wincing when it smashed against the wall opposite, the glass falling to the floor with an almost melodic sound. I then put my face in my hands and started to sob uncontrollably, tears leaking from my eyes, down my arms and onto my white shirt. Loud, wet cries escaped my throat. Honestly, it was the most pitiful thing I'd ever done.

I hadn't even noticed the bedroom door open, but I felt a shift in the bed, as if someone had sat down. I lifted my face from my wet hands and jumped a little when I saw Vlad, concern covering every inch of his face.

"I-I'm sorry.." I whispered, trying to wipe my eyes, but the tears wouldn't stop, much to my embarassment. Vlad had never seen me cry and I really never wanted him to witness it.

"Daniel, what happened?" He asked, ignoring my apology and scooting closer. I didn't mind, in all honesty, I was enjoying his presence.

"Mom and dad kicked me out because I told them-" I cut myself off because of the emotion that had overcame me. Another pitiful sounding sob escaped me. Vlad layed his hand on my shoulder, squeezing gently.

"You don't have to continue, Danny." He whispered softly.

I looked at him, his grey eyes full of understanding. How could Vlad understand, though? He wasn't kicked out of his home for being who he was. He wasn't as close to his family as I was with mine. My mom and dad were right, I was disgusting. Both for being a ghost and being- Gay. It was a word I had grown to hate, a word my family had grown to hate. The half-ghost part they could accept and they were the most notorious ghost hunters in Amity Park, but when I came out about who I was, that's when everything really started to go down. That was it.

"They kicked me out because I came out about being gay." I said, my voice sounding strong despite the tears I'd just shed. Anger was starting to consume me. They shouldn't have kicked me out, I didn't deserve it. I was just trying to be myself.

He looked down sadly, removing his hand from my shoulder, "Danny, you aren't alone."

I arched an eyebrow at the man in front of me, "What do you mean?" There was no way Vlad could be talking about what I thought he was. He was always going after my mom, and he had never shown interest in other males from what I had seen.

"It was never about your Maddie, Daniel. It was you." Vlad confessed, looking ashamed with himself.

I knew I looked thouroughly confused, but I couldn't find it within myself to be disgusted or angry at the forty-two year old. Instead, I felt happy that he really knew what I was talking about, and the fact that he held feelings for- me. The confusion came from the fact that a week ago we had been fighting each other, almost to death and now he was confessing his love for me. I knew it wasn't a joke, though. Vlad was a terrible liar and I always knew if he was lying.

He leaned close to me, his eyes smoldering with an emotion I couldn't place. I didn't know what my face held, but my eyes suddenly closed half way and I closed the medium sized gap between us, pressing my lips against his thin, pink ones. We both gasped at the same time, but his hands suddenly found themselves around my thin body, pulling me close to his. I rested mine against his chest and broke the kiss, resting my forhead against his, my eyes remaining closed.

"Y-you feel the same?" He breathed, his breath smelling of mint and tingling my nose.

In all honesty, I didn't know what I felt for Vlad, but I knew it was no longer the hatred I had felt for him in the past. He was my savior. Maybe it was just my way of being thankful towards him, but I leaned in again and kissed his lips. The age difference would be hard to keep a secret, but the fact that we were both gay made my coming out seem less of a terrible thing. I wasn't alone in this, I had Vlad with me.

For the first time since I had gotten kicked out, I felt truely happy and it was all because of Vlad Masters.