AN: Has a year already passed? Thank you to those of you who stuck around, and for the reviews! I hope this chapter was worth the wait. I just finished this and it's like 2 in the morning.

I can't remember if I have mentioned this or not, so I'll just put it here. The timeline of both the Gorillaz and DP parts of this story will be slightly AU. I'm not going to say how they are here though, because it would be a bunch of spoilers for the plot and spoilers suck.

Also, the game with the hidden Gorillaz song titles is still on! There's a few in this chapter I think.

Enjoy, and don't forget to leave a review!

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Danny had grown familiar with the oddities of the world that was linked to his own, where cold and silence seemed to go hand in hand and gravity was blithely ignored. Danny had little to any happy memories of the Ghost Zone, especially of Skulker's lonely island, where he currently found himself creeping through cold vegetation with Sam and Tucker. Shadows, tainted green by the otherworldly environment of the Ghost Zone, seemed to cast a sinister and deadly edge to everything now more than ever. Flashbacks of booby-traps, piercing darts, and the pulsing terror of being hunted like an animal had already set the young halfa's nerves on edge, making it difficult to remain wholly optimistic about the situation at hand. Between them, the trio had months of experience fighting ghosts and knew a little of what to expect. The musical celebrity they believed to be Skulker's prisoner somewhere on the island, and the sole reason for them being there, had no such experiences. The threat of 2D's violent death at the hand of the hunter was very real. Each of the three teens knew all too well, some more than others, of what harm Skulker was capable of inflicting upon others, and how the ghost gleefully carried out such tasks.

Knowing this, the young halfa had grabbed Sam and Tucker, pulling them into the invisibility and intangibility his powers gave him. They would be taking no risks during this mission. If Skulker could be expected to hurt the singer, he could hurt any of them. He would eagerly look forward to the opportunity to have a go at his favorite hunting target. Luckily for them, they had surprise on their side. Skulker still thought that Danny was bedridden with fever, and thus unworthy prey to hunt until his health improved. Danny wasn't near to being back to full health, he wanted nothing more than to return back to his bed, wrapped up in blankets to try and fight the aching chills in his body.

The halfa sniffed once, trying and failing to will the feverish symptoms away before pushing on.

Sam tightened her grip on Danny's gloved hand.

"Why not just fly there?" she whispered into where she assumed his ear to be. Her breath brushed across his cheek, causing him to blush.

"I, uh, in a moment." The halfa said absently, straining his ears to try and pick up the faintest sound of footsteps or weapons whirring. The less he had to worry about the looming threat of any of their disembodied heads becoming wall ornaments in the ghosts cave, the better. "You guys did bring some gear from the Speeder, right? We'll need it."

Tucker and Sam both felt for the weapons they had managed to snag from the meager supply the vehicle provided. A Jack o' Nine Tails was crammed into one of Sam's boots, and Tucker had pocketed his beloved lipstick blaster. They split the two wrist rays between them. As great a weapon as the Specter Speeder was, the vehicle was simply too large to bring along on the stealth mission. It had been left behind near the edge of the island.

"Yeah," Sam and Tucker whispered in unison, bracing themselves as Danny took to the sky. The skull-like cave came into view the moment they had cleared the trees. Two hollowed eye sockets seemed to glare at them hatefully, furious of their intrusion onto the island.

"Yikes." Tucker muttered. "Skulker really knows how to make a guy feel welcome."

Danny held his place, momentarily intimidated by the sheer size of the formation. His concentration was shattered to pieces as a sudden scream of terror erupted from the trees below, followed by the tell-tale sound of gunfire. The trio, now visible to all, gaped in horror.

"No!" Sam cried. Her attention had been down on the ground all along, allowing her a perfect view of a man who was running for his life.

"It's him! Skulker is going after the singer!"

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2D groaned, feeling the deep sleep he had fallen into slip away like sand. He squeezed his eyes shut tightly, trying to block out the rays assaulting light shining through his eyelids so that he could get a few more minutes of relaxation before having to face that damned whale, or even Murdoc. Sadly, he had already realized that it was a lost cause; he was wide awake now, but there was nothing wrong with wanting to stay comfortable for a few minutes more.

Eventually, 2D lazily rolled over, opening his left eye to study the time the digital clock on his nightstand projected. He blinked, suddenly staring owlishly around the room.

He wasn't in his room. He doubted he was anywhere on the island. It was far too clean. He looked back at the clock, then at the small bottle and handwritten note next to it. The memories flooded back in a wave.

The plastic bottle, white in color and with a childproof cap, was full of migraine pills. The note beside it read:

Here are the painkillers you asked for. Hope they help.

Vlad

He was still in America, in Vlad's castle.

"He actually left a note?" the singer muttered. Not wanting to look the gift horse in the mouth, he gratefully accepted the drugs, popping the cap to steal a few for the time being. He stole a glance at the digital clock again, then groaned. He hadn't gotten up this early since he had been a teen in school. Yawning, 2D scanned the room. There wasn't anything else different from the day before, except for the fresh set of clothes he had asked for. Vlad had set them down by the door leading to the hall outside. It suddenly occurred to the singer that he was still dressed in the clothes he was wearing when he was snatched from Plastic Beach. The side of the bed he had slept in, dirtied with dust and dirt from the Ghost Zone, was evidence of that.

"Oh." He said, feeling a little guilty. When was the last time he had seen sheets as white as these had been?

The idea of a bath suddenly became very appealing. He slipped out from between the warm covers, kicking off his shoes before staggering into the bathroom. After relieving himself first, the singer set to looking around for soap and things to clean his hair with.

A bar of soap sat on a shelf recessed into the wall beside the bath. Next to it were twin bottles of shampoo and conditioner, their discovery successfully ending his search. He knew where the towels were too, due to his last visit to the bathroom, however hasty it was, so all that was left for him to do was to run the water in the bath, strip, and get in. 2D made sure the water temperature was almost too hot for him before sinking into it and resting his head against the edge just behind his neck. He could easily recall how the water on Plastic Beach, when he was able to actually get a bath, was almost always cold. It was yet another reason to never return to the island, if he ever needed one. A sigh of contentment escaped him, and he submerged himself, staying under for a few seconds before coming back up.

Nothing short of another ghost attack or the sudden appearance of a whale could make him get out of the water at this point. Smiling to himself, 2D grabbed both of the bottles, squeezing a portion of each out into his palm before massaging it through his hair. Hair washing products would be a rarity on the island as well; the singer had to take his time removing the grime that had gradually accumulated in his azure locks. Darkened eyes honed in on the bar of soap, still wrapped in patterned paper, before closing and shrouding his world in comfortable darkness. He could fall asleep if he really wanted to. Shaking his head, 2D grabbed the soap and tore the paper away. As he worked the bar into a foamy lather he recalled another memory of the floating prison. Murdoc had been decent enough to at least keep a supply of soap handy, but it smelled so odd that everyone was reluctant to use any of it unless the situation was dire, like in the summer. By then the entire island, being made of trash and constantly exposed to the sun during daytime hours, would smell so rank that it was a lost cause to even attempt to eliminate all odor from the island, even in 2D's underwater room. He gave a sniff at the soapy lather. Lavender, his mind was grateful to recognize.

The water eventually began to grow cold; 2D drained it away before it could become unbearable. After drying off and redressing in his underwear, for it seemed stupid to put the dirt-covered trousers and shirt on after the bath, he retraced his steps back to the bed to return to sleep.

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It wasn't until the alarm clock on Vlad's bedside table chirped "Good Morning, sweetie!" in a perfect impression of Maddie Fenton that the man awoke to face the day. 2D was already up again, having lost a battle with the bird outside his window that had been insistent on singing as shrilly as possible. He had pulled the borrowed clothes on out of courtesy to Vlad, and to avoid looking like the hung-over slob as Murdoc often was, before leaving his room.

They ran into each other later near the stairs, Vlad already in another suit and 2D barefoot in a pair of jeans and a faded orange shirt. The fabric felt new against his skin, as if it had rarely been worn. This was fairly accurate, owing to the fact that Vlad had by then unconsciously made it a habit to always dress in suits while in the presence of guests in order to keep up appearances. The clothes he loaned to the younger man had been pulled from the depths of his closet and would most likely end up back there as soon as they were no longer of any use. 2D seemed to appreciate the clothes. Obviously, the style was something he was very used to wearing.

"You look better," Vlad commented, privately relieved that the man had finally gotten cleaned up.

"I feel a lot better too. Thanks for the clothes; really appreciate it." 2D said, smiling. His stomach then felt the need to vocalize its need for sustenance, effectively dropping the wattage in his smile. Vlad smiled empathetically.

"My personal chef has already made breakfast." He announced, descending the steps to lead the way.

"I didn't know you had your own chef. You must be rich then, yeah?" 2D said in surprise, following the elder man.

"Yes. Yesterday was his day off for the week, so today's meal should be much better."

2D nodded, having no way of knowing said chef was nothing more than a ghost. He eagerly followed Vlad in silence, heavily anticipating the meal to come. The smells of delicious food and coffee assaulted his nose. It was close; that or someone was pumping the smell of bacon and coffee through the vents above.

"Here we are," Vlad said, stopping at an open doorway. The sight beyond was one of the most beautiful things the vocalist had seen in years. Bowls of freshly cut fruit, cubed cheeses stacked and set on a saucer, a steaming pot of oatmeal, bacon and sausages still sizzling on a platter, and a heaping pile of pancakes accompanied by a glass bottle of syrup on the side, had all been set out in a grand display in the center of the table. Two places, one of which including the days paper, had been set at the end of the table beside a grand window overlooking the grounds. Pots of coffee and tea were set there, along with cream and sugar. Awestruck, 2D entered the room, practically drooling over the food.

The portions were small enough so that the two men could eat without leaving excessive amounts of food behind. Vlad was wealthy, though he saw no reason to flaunt this by buying more food than he needed.

The halfa was already making a plate for himself, and suggested the vocalist to do the same before the hot food cooled.

2D retrieved his plate and the bowl that came with it, going over to the food to take some pancakes, covering them with a few blueberries and syrup. He scooped a few globs of the oatmeal into his bowl, topping that off with a few sliced strawberries before returning to the end of the table to join Vlad in eating.

"These are really good!" he exclaimed minutes later, his words muffled from the mouthful of pancakes in his mouth. Vlad eyed him over his paper before finally smirking, despite himself. 2D's actions, as much as it bothered him to admit, reminded him of the way Daniel had eaten when he had come to the castle with his family during the college reunion. That had been before the actual reunion, when it was just the Fenton's over and the two halfa's were unaware of their shared status. Daniel had been far more polite towards him then.

"I'm glad you enjoy them." he said, taking a sip from his coffee. 2D grinned, spearing another piece of fluffy pancake, this time with a blueberry, and devouring it.

"Uh, feel free to have at the meat if you want; I'm vegetarian." 2D said after a few moments of silence. He was already on his second helping of pancakes and oatmeal and was making short work of them. A memory flickered on in Vlad's mind. He could feel the younger mans bruised eyes on him, and he glanced up, making eye contact before flicking his gaze over to what remained of the food. He himself had already eaten a plateful and there really wasn't that much left of the once glorious display.

"I'll hold you to that," Vlad said, getting up to claim the last of the sausages. He cut them up evenly, stabbing at the cut pieces with a fork before staying his hands. "I hope you don't take this the wrong way, but I was curious about your identity last night and took it upon myself to do a little research."

"That's fine. I could have told you myself if you really wanted to know though." 2D replied absently while carefully adding sugar to a cup of tea he had just poured. His eyebrows furrowed in concentration as he thought. "Wait, I was already asleep by then, I'll bet."

"You were." admitted the halfa. Forgetful fool, he added to himself. "You are part of a band, The Gorillaz?"

2D nodded. "Yeah. I do the vocals and keyboards, plus some melodica and other things." 2D said, smiling at the thought of his beloved melodica. He was fairly certain it was in the recording studio back on Plastic Beach; if he hadn't left it in his room last…

Vlad studied the man. Even though he had learned more about him, 2D still remained a mystery. How could anyone survive the car-induced trauma he had gone through and continue to be able to function normally? And his hair! How could it have ever naturally grown back blue? Did he just dye his eyebrows then? He decided to overlook that puzzle. After all, Vlad himself was technically half dead and could shot pink lasers from his hands. Who was he to judge what was normal?

"And you've been a part of this band for a decade now?" Vlad asked.

"More or less. Murdoc got me into it." 2D said, taking a sip of tea. He made a face, quickly setting the cup down and reaching for the sugar once more.

"Murdoc?"

"Mm-hm. After I woke out of this year-long coma one of the first things he asked me was if I wanted to start a band with him, the crazy bastard." The singer proclaimed, while haphazardly pouring a spoonful of sugar into the drink. White crumbs missed the rim of the cup, scattering onto the table. "What's really crazy is that he was the one who caused the accident in the first place, and the one that woke me up. Ruined my eyes, he did! That's when he came up with the nickname 2D, to go with the two dents in my head."

"That doesn't sound too pleasant." Vlad admitted. 2D shrugged, brushing the fallen sugar to the floor as subtly as possible under the ever-observant gaze of his host. The elder man didn't seem to mind the action however, and the singer pressed on.

"The only people who really call me by my proper name anymore are my parents. It's strange being called Stuart now. Doesn't really fit the image of a frontman either, does it? Sounds so…normal." He said.

"I could see it going either way." Vlad admitted. 2D shrugged again. "I don't regret joining the band though. It's been great for the most part. I met Noodle and Russ, got famous, traveled, got with loads of women," He ended with a wistful tone. Vlad made a face, taking a quick sip of his drink before clearing his throat.

"I don't intend to come across as rude, but would there be any way to contact the other members of your band, or even members of your family?"

"Why?" 2D asked, suddenly looking at him with eyes narrowed in confusion.

You're in the country illegally, for starters, you somehow managed to break into my home, uninvited, and I want you out of my hair and back from wherever you came from.

Vlad could think of several reasons.

"I'm sure someone is wondering where you are." He finally said. 2D nodded in agreement. The singer sighed, turning to stare out the window in a weak effort to get some privacy as he thought.

"I've already been missing for a couple months now, trapped on that bloody island…" 2D's eyes widened.

"Oh, Murdoc won't have any idea where I am, will he?"

"No, I don't think he would-"

"This is great!" 2D said gleefully. Vlad stared blankly at him. "He's probably tearing the island to pieces looking for me! Ha!"

"Your relationship with him isn't the best, I've heard," Vlad ventured. 2D snorted, stabbing at a kiwi slice with his fork. It took several tries before he had it speared. The singer grinned down at the oddly green fruit before popping it into his mouth. He chewed thoughtfully, swallowing the food with a sip of tea.

"Murdoc… is a horror to be with." He sighed. "Being held captive on an island with him for as long as I had been was a nightmare. I almost want to call him, just to rub it in his rubbish face that I got away."

He grinned widely at the thought of such a call. Murdoc would no doubt demand to know where his singer had managed to wind up at, and would certainly not believe a word of the explanation, Vlad guessed. After all, how could 2D travel from Point Nemo to the American Midwest so quickly? It sounded insane. He probably wouldn't buy the story about the Ghost Zone either; writing it off as some drug-induced fantasy.

On the other hand, Murdoc himself wasn't exactly the picture of sanity. The man built a mansion on an island of trash and thought of himself as a genius for such a creation.

There was no way he would allow that psychopath near his home. He would keep quiet about 2D and keep the man from causing too much of a scene during his brief stay. The moment when Vlad would finally be rid of the idiotic singer couldn't come fast enough. Vlad took a measured sip of his drink, studying the man across from him. 2D was focused once more on his food, stirring the remainder of the oatmeal. The mush had taken on a slightly pink hue in places from the strawberries he had crushed with his spoon.

"I forgot to mention this to you earlier," Vlad said, setting his mug down. 2D glanced up curiously.

"I am hosting a formal party this evening. I understand if you do not want to go; I just wanted to make you aware of my plans." Vlad gave his best impression of a hospitable smile, which would have been effortless had he not just witnessed 2D suddenly dropping his spoon. The resounding crack against the porcelain bowl caused the halfas teeth to grind together as he recalled the cost and antiquity of the dishes being used.

"Wait, you're letting me stay here?" 2D asked, his dark eyes shining with gratitude. Vlad shrugged, hiding his clenched fist under the table. He wasn't opening his house to the man out of kindness of his hybrid heart; it was just business.

"For a few days, until you get back on your feet. I doubt you have any way to get back home by yourself at the moment." He said, subtly pointing out the younger man's lack of a passport, let alone money to get to wherever it was he wanted to go.

"I guess I couldn't just hitch a ride through that green place to get back to England then, right?"

"No, I'm afraid it doesn't work like that. You're incredibly lucky you managed to find a way back to Earth at all."

"Hmm." 2D hummed, taking another sip of tea. This news was pleasant to hear, but he couldn't ignore the fact that traveling through the Ghost Zone was incredibly quick and convenient, if one could get over the cold and the threat of meeting Skulker. That was an encounter that sounded about as appealing to the singer as voluntarily punching himself in the face. His hands cradled the warm porcelain. As out of place as he felt in the strange castle with a man he had only just met, 2D was feeling the safest he had ever been in years.

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Vlad had decided to give his odd guest a tour of the more public areas of his home after the meal. It was to be a short one, before he would excuse himself to go work privately in his lab. They walked past the doors to his private study, and Vlad could almost see the question of what was on the other side of the doors forming in 2D's battered mind. Time to tell the tale of the Dairy King. As with any usual guest who got the tour, he took the time to point out how the castle was said to be haunted by the previous owners' ghost. He always got a kick out of seeing the looks on people's faces at that. Some would wonder how he could sleep at night knowing that there was a ghost around. He would simply say that it was a lot easier than you would expect. The collection of Packers memorabilia was naturally overlooked for this tour. The fiasco that was Jack Fenton pushed Vlad to relocate the rarer pieces of the athletic collection to a more private location.

After the billiard room, the library had been the third room of the tour. This was planned, for the halfa had a feeling that his blue guest would find something of interest there. He was right. 2D had quickly become enamored by the grand piano he found in a lonely corner of the library.

Vlad had then made some excuse that he would have to leave 2D here, so that he could work on business matters alone.

"It's a Steinway." Vlad said, picking up on the man's sudden interest. "It belonged to the previous owner of this castle, I believe."

"Really?" 2D said absently. His feet led him to the bench in front of the piano. Unable to help himself, the man ran a hand over the slim keys and plucked a few, playing a short melody with his hand. He smiled softly and felt comforted, as if he had run into an old and trusted friend.

Vlad saw his chance.

"Feel free to play the piano. I never do."

"Great!" 2D was already seated on the bench. The halfa nodded, made his goodbyes, and left.

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The halfa stalked a few paces away from the closed door before giving up the ghost and flying to his private study. He pulled a modified phone from an interior pocket of his jacket, quickly typing a code in. The recipient picked up on the other end almost immediately. He knew better than to keep the Vlad waiting.

"I believe I have something you've lost." Vlad said. His tone was as cold and sharp as ice. It chilled Skulker to his core, and he slowed in his flight to a halt.

"What do you mean?" he asked, adjusting the volume so that he would be sure he heard everything else correctly. He made a face as the sound of an angry intake of air assaulted his speaker.

"Somehow, an imbecilic rock star managed to break down the door to my portal!" Vlad hissed. "What is the meaning of this?"

"Sir, I have no idea."

"He spoke of a ghost who fits your description perfectly."

"I left him with Ember-"

"What for?"

"The ghost child has been ill for some time; I decided to find new prey. Ember heard and asked me to bring the human to her so they could play music together."

"…Are you aware of how ridiculous you sound right now?"

"Yes. I had been planning on killing him, but he managed to escape soon after I had him on my island." the hunter said, frustration and disappointment evident in his voice.

Vlad crossed the room to sit on the edge of his desk. He sighed, pulling the modified phone away from his ear and kneading the space between his eyes. Skulker fell silent, knowing it was best to be patient.

"Killing him is out of the question. The idiot is a celebrity. Imagine if his ghost made it back to Earth! You have to put him back wherever you found him." Vlad snapped. He felt like he was scolding a child for bringing a wild animal into the home to keep as a pet.

"…Fine." Skulker grumbled. "Ember has no desire to see him either, so what do you suggest we do with the punk?"

"I think you mean 'you', Skulker, I have no intention of becoming involved in this any further. Just put him back where you found him!"

Knowing he was in a different world than the vengeful halfa, and thus safe from any immediate threat, Skulker dared to roll his eyes. He felt very much like a dog being called to play fetch. Still, it wasn't as if he had anything to do. Vlad seemed to know this, and laid out his plan.

2D's surprise departure would have to wait until after the formal event he was hosting that evening. Once the last guest was gone, the hunt would be on.

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The day changed from average to unfamiliar when 2D admitted over lunch that he had nothing to wear to the dinner Vlad had mentioned at breakfast. Because of this, Vlad had had to make a call to his tailor so that a suit could be made. It would have to be custom, since 2D had such a strange shape with his long limbs that were almost cartoonishly sized and his short torso.

Once there, after a short explanation and a quick session of getting his measurements taken, the singer was rigged up in what would soon be his completed ensemble for the evening. 2D eyed the suit warily. He felt incredibly stiff in it, but the fabric was dotted with pins, so it was expected. He had to keep himself from slouching to stop the pins from pricking him. When he admitted to Vlad that he had no dress clothes with him, a fact they both already knew, and didn't think he had even a bowtie back home in England, the wealthy man took it upon himself to call his driver and have them taken to the tailors. 2D was dressed in a white long sleeved dress shirt under a black suit, the jacket decorated with black silk along the lapels as well as on the top pocket. He was given a pair of black dress shoes, after he told an assistant what his shoe size was, and had to wear them during the fitting. Finally, he was given a black bowtie. He became a little ruffled at this last addition to the outfit, grudgingly admitting that he forgot how to tie a bow.

"We'll include a guide for that with the purchase." The tailor assured him.

"Oh. That's good then." 2D said. He stepped off the little platform the tailor had him stand on, preparing to retreat back into his dressing room to put his normal clothes back on. "Wait, I can't afford any of this."

Both the tailor and the assistant stared at him, neither looking too happy. 2D quickly tried to defend himself, failing horribly, and was only saved by Vlad. The halfa had situated himself off to the side in an armchair. He held the days paper open before him like a shield as he reread the days reports, waiting for this event to end. He looked up sharply when the mood in the room suddenly dropped.

"You can put it on my bill, George." Vlad said after a noticeable beat, standing up. He folded the paper sharply, setting it down on his seat. 2D immediately fell silent, closing his mouth when he realized he had been giving off the appearance of a fish as he tried to properly thank the man. "He really doesn't have any money on him I'm afraid. His luggage was misplaced at the airport. Didn't you say your money was with it, Stuart?"

For some reason, 2D was suddenly unable to open his mouth, let alone voice any sort of noise. A remote corner of his mind wisely suggested that it would be best for him to play along, so he nodded. George, the tailor sighed.

"Well, that is unfortunate." He said before excusing himself to go and get the bill. Vlad followed, leaving 2D alone with the assistant until he too excused himself to go and organize the ties on display.

"Guess I'll go take these off then." He thought, shutting himself in the dressing room.

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Hours later, after the sun had set, 2D and Vlad were back at the castle, dressed in their suits. The businessman had mingled easily with the crowd and was soon lost in talk with a glittering CEO.

It had taken a few drinks before 2D was comfortable in the formal environment, surrounded by expensive inky black suits and richly designed dresses. The suit he wore felt foreign against his skin, and the tie seemed to tighten with every breath he took. To make matters more uncomfortable, the makeup he had been persuaded by the tailor to wear to cover the worst of the bruising made him feel ridiculous.

"I can't have someone with a face in that state wearing my name!" the tailor had hissed to Vlad, one of his few customers with whom he could talk so openly. To preserve the designers name as best as they could, concealer was applied. There was nothing short of glasses to be done for 2D's void eyes, but the singer complained, saying that he wouldn't be able to see much of anything at all then.

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2D still felt out of his element, having been in isolation for so long, by choice in Beirut and by force during his captivity on Plastic Beach. Clutching a glass of liquid courage in a hand, he stayed towards the edges of the room. These weren't the people he had grown accustomed to being around either; they looked like they frequented wine tasting parties and golf courses in their free time. 2D drained his glass in one gulp. A small smile appeared on his face as the familiar figure of Vlad Masters strode towards him. Here was someone he knew, albeit barely.

"You are awfully quiet, Stuart," the billionaire stated, retrieving a glass of champagne for himself from a waiters tray as they crossed paths.

"I'm out of my element here, to be honest." 2D confessed, waving a hand to gesture to the vast room. "The crowds I'm used to are younger, and louder." He pointly looked away from an aging heiress and her gossiping companion as they stared owlishly and with open prejudice at his hair color.

"At concerts for your band, I assume?"

"Yeah, but the last one was ages ago." 2D said sadly, glancing down into the small glass of brandy in his hand before raising the glass to his lips and downing the contents. He shuddered, letting the feeling wash over him and flush away the pang of loneliness. Vlad clapped a hand on the vocalists frail shoulder in what could have passed as a genuine gesture of friendship if he had been anyone else. 2D wasn't aware of the man's true face however, and fell for the act. He smiled softly, appreciating the comfort.

"I'm sure they don't care." Vlad said smoothly, realizing the slipup moments too late. 2D's eyes widened at this, earning a chuckle from the halfa as if he thought the mistake was all on the vocalist. Vlad pressed on. "Tell me, do people think less of The Beatles simply because they haven't held a live concert in decades?"

"Uh, no?" 2D ventured. Vlad nodded.

"Why not make the best of the evening, get to know a few people?"

2D wasn't sure what to make of this.

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He didn't exactly remember how it had happened. One moment he was watching the young woman with the dark mass of long curly hair play the piano, the very same one from earlier. It had been dragged from the library to its current location. 2D crossed the room before he knew it, exchanging his empty glass for a full one as he went and almost tripping the poor waiter in the process. The woman saw him coming and gave him a flirty wink before returning her gaze to the keys so she could finish her song, ending it with a flourish.

2D took a swig of drink and grinned. "Lovely tune there. Is it The Proclaimers?"

The woman laughed, shaking her head. 2D's grin widened. "Well, I could play some. My fingers are good with a keyboard."

The woman gave him a look before rising from the stool, taking his champagne glass away with elegant fingers. "I get paid by the hour. Why don't you cover for me?" she offered, taking a sip of the bubbling drink. 2D blinked.

"Uh, right. Ok then!"

2D slid into position on the stool, positioning his spidery hands over the keys. Smiling, he began to play.

He ended up playing for a good remaining portion of the evening,

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The people began to gradually leave the castle as the night went on, until there were only a few left. The woman with the curly hair had escaped with several others after gracefully accepting and then later unintentionally misplacing 2D's hastily written phone number he had scrawled out on a napkin. He had admitted that he had no idea if the number still worked, that he had been trapped on an island for some time and was unable to pay his bills at all.

The thought of heading off to bed had crossed his mind more than once. After the sun had set for the day, however, everything in the luxurious home had taken on a sinister hue. It was creepy, and he kind of enjoyed the trill of it. He had already retreated to his room to finally change out of his suit and into the borrowed pajamas that had been delivered to his room at some point during the day. His own clothes were missing. In the wash, he assumed.

He suddenly remembered Vlad mentioning something about a ghost haunting the castle. Maybe it would be like Del, someone to talk to. Grinning at the thought alone of seeing a ghost, the singer committed himself to wandering the halls.

Vlad was still in the parlor chatting with some overly perfumed dignitaries, 2D realized as he crept past an ornate set of stairs. He could hear his host's laughter at some joke he had missed. The billionaire had been there for some time. How many jokes and stories could one person have? Shaking his head, 2D continued on. He suddenly realized how odd it would look if he got caught wandering around in his current state, pajama-clad in the house of a man that, truly, he barley knew.

2D wandered down the hall, stopping at a rather fancy set of doors. He had been past them earlier, and they had been tightly shut then. Now, however, one of the doors was slightly ajar. He could see that there was a light within; casting a flickering glare about what would otherwise be a darkened room. A fire! He pushed the door open further, stepping in to find, not a growing blaze of destruction and tedious insurance situations, but a computer monitor displaying a flashing image. It was an animated screensaver imitation of an actual fireplace. He breathed a sigh of relief.

Crisis adverted; 2D took the opportunity to look around the new room. It was a study, or perhaps a smaller library? Whatever it was, it seemed to get more visitations than the actual library. Where that room had been stuffy from being shut for too long, this room clearly got more attention. Favored books had been pulled off shelves to be left on the side table beside the plush easy chair, or placed beside the computer for easy access. 2D had little interest in actually reading any of the printed material, so he shuffled past it all as his body seemed to gravitate towards the massive fireplace across the room and the expensive trinkets that sat atop its mantle. The man bit his lip, glancing over his shoulder. He had seen many parts of the castle already, but this room was new to him. Vlad probably didn't want him here. It was also rather late; if Vlad were to find him snooping at this hour he would be angry. He stared at the mantle. There were twin American football statues resting there, and they beckoned. Amused, 2D reached out to pick up one for a better look.

Just for a moment, and he will never know, his mind wagered. Just too have a look.

The man carefully wiped his palms on his shirt before reaching out to pick up the statue.

The state swung forward on a hidden swing, abruptly snapping back before 2D even had a chance to squeal in surprise. The fireplace emitted an audible crack before splitting in two right down its middle.

"…What?" he couldn't help but gasp in astonishment as the white stonework separating, each side sliding away from the other to reveal a hidden staircase behind that lead down to the unknown. He wasn't meant to know about this doorway. Stupidly, he advanced forward, going down a few steps to try and see what lay at the bottom.

Shink!

The door slid shut, barring his only way out. 2D cursed, blindly pawing at the smooth stone to try and find a switch to open them. He must have triggered something, because lights turned on seemingly at his touch, lining the gentle downward slope of the stairs. The end was around the corner and out of sight. Knowing he had no other choice now, 2D went down.

He hoped that there was another way out so Vlad would never find out he had been snooping

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It was another twenty minutes before Vlad had been able to get the last of his guests to leave his property for the night. His waved politely at the retreating vehicles until they were out of sight before wearily shutting the front door of the castle. He leaned against the wood, rubbing the bridge of his nose. The castle was now silent again, he was alone—

No. No he wasn't. Where was 2D?

The singer hadn't been seen since he vacated the piano bench. Vlad assumed the younger man had gone to bed. It was well past time for him to retire to his own room for the night. Yawning, the halfa scanned the area before turning intangible and flying up to his room. He stopped short when he saw 2D's bedroom door.

"I should have known better." Vlad thought to himself. After knocking at 2D's half-open door and not receiving any sort of answer, he had intangibly barged into the room to investigate. It would have been logical for 2D to have taken advantage of the bed, he was in need of a good night's rest, but the bed was empty. The only ways Vlad was able to know for certain that the man had been in the room was the small collection of dirt that remained around the white armchair, the borrowed clothes from the morning, and the discarded suit from earlier, laid out carefully at the end of the bed. He assumed 2D had chosen to wear the clothes he had given him to sleep in: a simple pair of flannel lounge pants that were boldly colored in green and yellow, and a yellow Packers jersey. They were both gifts from Jack so, naturally, the man had no desire to keep them. He had every intention to throw them out as soon as this ordeal was over with.

So, if the singer wasn't here, where was he? Grumbling to himself about bothersome guests and incompetent hunter-ghosts, Vlad phased out of the room and headed off down the hall.

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There wasn't another way out, 2D came to realize. He eventually realized that there were only two ways out of the strange metallic lab: the stairs he came in on, and the strange portal, now shut down, that he had first arrived in. There was another door, but it was locked tight. He remembered how angry Vlad had been when he first saw him, how the silver haired man had hoisted him into the air as if he weighed nothing. Nearly thirty-five minutes had passed since 2D had gotten himself stuck in the lab. He was beginning to grow more and more anxious.

His toes had begun to grow cold, so 2D had by this point already seated himself on a somewhat comfortable desk chair, pulling his legs up so he could rest his chin on his knees.

This lab was an odd one, he had decided. He would never go so far as to call himself a scientist, but it didn't take a total idiot to notice how strange the setup in this secret room was. Its purple color scheme was also a bit strange, but interesting, in an eerie sort of way. The oppressive silence of the place, due to the powered-down state of the various machines, created a haunting void of sound. The blue hair at the nape of his neck began to stand on end, as if his body were trying to warn him of what was to come.

2D missed this, missed the way the temperature in the room suddenly dropped, missed the fanged figure that phased down into the room from out of an area of ceiling behind him.

Vlad glared down at the singer. It was time to have some fun.

Vlad shouted an unintelligible threat, flying at him and grabbing 2D by the shoulders before the younger man ever had a chance of getting away.

"Why are you here, who allowed this?" Vlad bellowed, shaking the terrified singer. 2D screamed, flapping his hands at his attacker wildly in an attempt to get the fanged face away from him. Vlad slapped 2Ds pale hands back, mocking him. The singer thrashed around in an effort to pull himself free of the hand that continued to hold his shoulder in a painfully tight grip. He kicked his bare feet at Vlad's shins, his stomach. At the sound of his yellow shirt being torn, he was reminded of zombies tearing their teeth into people, pulling their flesh away to be consumed. He knew this wasn't a zombie he was dealing with, and not knowing exactly what was terrorizing him only amplified his terror. This wasn't a movie, this was actually happening!

"No! Let me go!" he cried, throwing a wild punch at the halfa's chest. Vlad cackled; the attack had done more harm to the singer than it had to him. Smirking evilly, he raised his free hand, summoning a ball of otherworldly energy before blasting 2D in the chest. The force knocked the thin man free of Vlad and back into a wall, where he collided with an audible thud before falling to the ground. He lay there, stunned, and gave no indication that he heard his attacker as Vlad theatrically shouted threats of death at him.

He may be unconscious, Vlad realized, walking across the room. He came to a stop at 2D's feet, his shadow looming ominously over his slack form. A malicious glint shone in his red eyes as he pointed a finger at the wall next to 2D's head, releasing a small blast of ectoplasmic energy. The wall cracked, sending miniature bits of rubble flying. One piece smacked 2Ds face before rebounding. Suddenly, the young man came to, immediately noticing the pair of black boots before him and the menacing figure that wore them. His dark eyes trailed up, halting when they fell upon the glowing red eyes staring him down. A new wave of fear cascaded over the singer, and he whimpered as the… the monster leaned down to grab him.

"S-stay back!" the singer squeaked, his voice hitching as he fought to get enough air into his body. Practically hyperventilating by this point, 2D flinched back into the wall, realizing too late that there was nowhere for him to go. Again, 2D's mind went back to all the films he had seen, to the zombie movies he practically had memorized. Think, his mind screamed. It's the slowest person in the group who becomes zombie food first. Move!

Desperate, he kicked out, knocking the hand away. Vlad, who had been anticipating this, seized him by the ankle and wrenched the thin man away from the wall. Spinning sharply ninety degrees before releasing 2D caused the terrified man to slide across the floor and into the middle of the room. Vlad followed after him, pouncing with the intention to land a boot on 2D's puny chest and effectively pin him against the linoleum. The tables had quickly turned however, and now 2D was the one anticipating the next move and acting on it. He rolled frantically, as if his clothes were ablaze, and scrambled to his feet. The floor chilled his bare feet, but he welcomed it, somehow knowing that the discomfort was helping to keep him focused. The desire to get away was unbearable, but fear kept him rooted to the spot. To Vlad, he had the appearance of a deer caught in the headlights of oncoming traffic, uncertain of what exactly to do next. 2D had seen how fast this monster could move, and guessed he had no chance of outrunning him. He had no idea how to fight it either. What kind of weakness could this demonic Dracula have anyway? Vlad sensed 2D's fight or flight dilemma and helped him come to a decision by shooting at his feet, narrowly missing his toes.

"Flipping heck!" 2D shrieked, turning to run blindly out of the room like a bullet shot out of a gun. Vlad waited for the sounds of his guest's screams and frantically retreating footsteps to fade away before returning to his human form, laughing heartily, and then hysterically.

"Oh, I really should do that again sometime!" he sighed, wiping his eye. "The next time the Fenton's are over then…" he promised himself, imagining the look of horror on Jack's face.

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