Split in the Middle

Danny!!

"Danny!" Where are you, boy?"

Danny giggled, the little boy hiding in the closet of his room, peeking out of the door. Vlad was outside, looking for the black-haired toddler. Vlad was scratching the back of his head in confusion, but his face held a ghost of a smile. It has been one and a half years since Vlad took the boy in, raising him as his own. He will never forget the day the boy walked in his life as well as all the others.

"Master!" Vlad sighed, hearing Skulker behind him. The silver-haired man crossed his hands behind his back and turned to greet Skulker.

"What is it, Skulker?" Vlad opened my eyes to the most astonishing sight. It was an infant. Skulker was carrying a boy, not even a year old, in his arms. He has black hair and blue eyes, looking at me curiously.

"Who might this be?" Vlad gestured to the boy with a confused look.

"A halfie." Skulker answered, ignoring the boy's hands reaching for his face. Vlad frowned, looking at the baby.

"An infant? How can that be?" He made a tentative motion to poke the baby's cheek. Danny smiled at Vlad and touched his finger briefly. "He doesn't look any less than 4 months old."

Skulker shook his head. "He's a halfie, alright." The ghost suddenly dropped the baby and Vlad reflexively tried to catch the baby. However, the most surprising thing happened. The baby transformed in front of his eyes, his black hair now white, his blue eyes a ghostly green. He was now floating in the air, crying now. Danny was surprised by the sudden drop and reached out for Vlad. The millionaire didn't know what to do, but let the baby reach him. Vlad did not know where to put his hands as he settled to just cradle the boy awkwardly. The little half-ghost seems used to the awkward gestures and didn't mind it. His hands reached out for Vlad's fingers, encircling them the best he could, and he smiled. Vlad was surprised.

"He seems affectionate for a person with ghost blood in his veins. " At that moment, Danny giggled and cooed to Vlad.

Skulker shrugged in nonchalance. "He is just a child, Master."The cyborg ghost couldn't blame Master for doubting his ghost side. Danny was more affectionate than others. It proved he still has human blood in his veins.

Vlad was looking at the boy with scrutiny. "Do we know anything about the boy?"

Skulker nodded at the question. "His name was attached to the tag of his clothes. He is called Daniel."

"Huh, Daniel." Vlad let Danny grip his finger with a smile. Unknowingly, Vlad felt a warm feeling on his chest. "Why do you give him to me?"

Skulker looked at Danny one last time. The boy is a unique breed and a rare one beside Vlad. He knew his master is more like a ghost due to his ruthlessness and cruelty, but Danny is different. He is still a child and from the start, the boy seems to be more human than ghost. He felt that Danny's existence will change the Ghost Zone. Though, Skulker doesn't know if it is for the better or worse. The ghosts will have to wait. But first, Danny should at least live well until then. Not that the fact that he likes the boy took part in his decision in any way. "He is a half-ghost like you. I thought it was best if he was with one of the same circumstances. That way, he can be part of both worlds, ghost and human."

Vlad considered his explanation and nodded. "I can understand the judgment." He raised the boy up in his arms and gave a small smile to Danny. "I will raise the boy."

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Vlad must admit that it was a struggle. A bachelor like him had to experience his first diaper-changing, feeding, and all the responsibilities. There had been times in which he wanted to give up, but the smile Danny would give him made it all worth it. Vlad admits that he is a bitter man, who holds a grudge over his enemy, the Fentons. He couldn't forget the bitterness he felt when Maddie married Jack and how that husband of hers caused his ghost transformation. He would do anything to achieve his revenge. However, It has been only one year, but Danny had made forget his ambition. Before he knew it, he forgot why he hated the Fentons.

Vlad was still looking for Danny, his head reeling at where he would be. Suddenly, he heard silent snoring and paused in front of the closet. Danny was much more mischevious ever since he learned to walk as well as flying through the air in his ghost form. Vlad grinned and quietly opened the door, revealing Danny sleeping with their adopted dog, Cujo. Last week, Danny found Cujo in the Ghost Zone and the ghost doy and him fell in love at first sight. Thus, with Danny's pleading eyes, Cujo became the official pet of the house.

The billionaire smiled, caring the boy in his arms and tucking him into his crib. After ruffling his boy's head, he closed the door quietly to the boy's bedroom. He went inside his study, deciding to do last minute work, but then he heard footsteps. He quietly turned around, seeing Skulker. Skulker had a solemn look, his biotic hand clenching on a paper, crumbling it.

"Have you found them?" There was a pause before Skulker nodded stiffly. He slammed the paper on the desk roughly, denting the desk. Vlad rolled his eyes, picking up the sheet. It was a newspaper article and he froze when he saw the name Amity Park.

Skulker has a deep grim look on his face. "Yes, unfortunately."

Vlad paled, knowing that this was bad news. Amity Park is a peaceful town for the most part, except for one thing. He prayed that it wasn't them. It can't be. "What do you mean?"

"There are rumors in Amity Park." Vlad closed his eyes and refused to look at the article. He didn't want to see any mention of their names. This must be a cruel joke. No. It can't be. He was finally forgetting about them. However, he knew the chances. He remembered their postcard, announcing a newborn. Vlad remembered ripping the card before looking at the picture, but he saw a glimpse of the letter. A newborn son.

Skulker was no better. He couldn't believe that Danny was related to them. They were irritating and knew nothing about ghosts, yet they deem us as monsters. His hands clenched at the injury they gave him a while back. It healed, but the humiliation was still fresh. He kept checking to make sure, hoping that it was a mistake. But after many times, the result was still the same. "Danny may be the missing son of the Fentons."

And the truth is out. Vlad thought long and hard at this revelation. He couldn't give Danny back. He knew Maddie and Jack. They were ghost hunters and if they knew Danny had ghost blood in him as well, they would-- NO! He closed his eyes, breathing in slowly. Vlad could guess how Danny became a half-ghost, most likely from their inventions. He gave a sad chuckle at how life can be so cruel. To be a son of a family that hates the blood you have in your veins. "We can't give him back, Skulker. With the way Danny is now, he could get--"

"I know." Skulker knew. With the way Danny is now, who knows what they will do to him? Skulker thought about Danny. The boy just turned had his first birthday a few months ago. He remembered the event. Vlad had to invite everyone from the ghost zone to Danny's birthday and then Danny whined that he wanted it to look like the Ghost Zone. Skulker would remember the exact words little Danny said.

I want green.

" But one day, he will know." That whelp is not naive. That boy maybe be young, but he was strangely perceptive. That boy knew that the ghosts that he surrounds himself , the ones he deemed as friends didn't like humans. But he didn't pry. He was content that we didn't hate him. A person that has some human in him. He knew he wasn't a full ghost as he can see none of us can transform. He is still too young to understand why but he somehow knew he was different. However, the one thing that the child does not know is that we have been changing. We didn't go to the human zone too much and stopped terrorizing the humans as our last resort. Every ghost has a reason of why they want to go the Human World, but world domination was the last thing on our minds now. We didn't want Danny to feel guilty over his human side. That brat was fine just the way he is.

Vlad nodded, understanding Skulker's words. "I will tell him when he can understand." Danny is still too young. He still needs to control his flying and he hasn't turned invisible or intangible yet. With his instability as a ghost, Danny was sure to reveal his ghost side. "He needs to control his powers."

Vlad looked at the hunter with a stern stare. "We must keep this a secret until then."

Skulker nodded. "Yes, Master."

Until Danny was ready.

NOTE: SORRY! This book is going really slowly, but I can't promise that it will get better. However, I really want to keep writing this story. I hope you would still want to continue reading this book. I don't know when the next update is but it will come soon. Right now, I'm trying to finish the HTYD fanfiction, To Protect Its Own! So until then. THANK YOU!