#promsien

“Where is he?!” Vlad hissed into a walkie talkie. “I need him out of the way tonight. No swooping in at the last second like your last failed attempt.”

“I underestimated him. It won't happen again.” A voice sounded from the other side.

“I'm holding you to that. If not then you can forget the upgrades to your suit because there won't be a suit left to upgrade. Am I clear?”

A wisp of steam escaped his mouth and he spun around, coming face to face with none other than the mysterious Clockwork.

Now there weren't many ghosts Vlad feared and none that he would actually admit to such out loud but… if there ever was a ghost that almost broke that rule, it… he was the one in front of him.

“Clockwork! I…” He pocketed the walkie talkie quickly. “What are you doing here?”

“Just checking in.” Clockwork floated around Vlad and took a look at the notes on his desk, humming with a frown. “After the Fentons again are we? I was under the impression you were moving past that.”

“I… well why do you care?” Vlad retorted. “Didn't you tell me you don't intervene?”

“Oh I never said that. Just that I'm not going to rob you of your choices. Oftentimes linear beings such as yourself find comfort in those sorts of assurances.” Clockwork grinned. “Though as a friend it is essential I tell you when you are doing something you will most likely regret, hm?”

“You decided we are friends, I never agreed to such a trivial thing.”

“So you say every time this comes up and yet you still make tea for me every time I stop by.”

“That's just… common courtesy.”

“I see, and that's why you also make tea for the young Fenton boy… oh, wait.”

“Look, I don't need to be put under a microscope. I need-”

“To get revenge.”

“What? I… yes. You are right. It's what I deserve.”

“Well it's only right. The boy has embarrassed you how many times? Refused to join you? He deserves to suffer, surely.”

“Yes, right.” Vlad answered, looking a little suspicious. Clockwork didn’t encourage this normally.

“And his parents? They are so much worse, Jack made the mistake… no the deliberate move to permanently scar you. He is the oaf that ruined your chances with a woman who would obviously be more happy with you, am I wrong?” Clockwork challenged.

“No, you are right. That is exactly it.”

“And then they left you. Left you to rot in a hospital for years. Your best friends never sent so much as a note asking how you were. They went off and got married to spite you! You hate them, you hate all of them for forgetting you!” Clockwork was basically shouting at this point but Vlad barely realized it.

“Yes! Now you understand why I have to do what I have to do. I have to make them endure what they put me through.”

“Yes, these terrible people.” Suddenly a time screen appeared next to clockwork showing the three of them back in college. Jack had his head stuck in the fence of a graveyard and Maddie and Vlad were both losing it.

“Dude how did you even manage that?” Vlad asked between bouts of laughter.

“There was a ghost! I swear- DUDE THERE IT IS!”

“Where?!” Vlad looked in between the bars only to realize… his head was stuck too.

“Dude, how did you even manage that?” Jack said with a shit eating grin.

“Not cool.”

Maddie was cracking up behind them. “Well now I have two idiots in a fence.”

“Oh I am sorry.” The screen switched and the scene was Maddie putting a blanket over both him and Jack after an all nighter. “No, that's not right either…” The scene changed once again but this time Vlad wasn't in it. “Ah yes, here are those awful terrible people.”

Jack was crying, Maddie trying to comfort him. “Jack, the hospital called, he can see visitors now! He might even…” the unsaid ‘live’ hung heavy in the air.

“No! I can't he hates me, I know it. It's all my fault.”

“Wh-” Clockwork held a hand up to stop him. Motioning to the screen again.

“Jack you can't know that…” Maddie didn't sound terribly convinced herself.

“I ruined his life. The doctors are giving him a week before... He probably doesn't want me to be near him. I can't. You should just go alone.”

“I… I can't Jack. It's just as much my fault and I'm no good at serious situations… you always make things lighter. If anyone he needs you there.” The screen faded to black.

“Yes, such awful people. Truly terrible. They only stopped crying about it once their first was born, they had their hands so full they didn't have the time. Then your invitation came along and they were both hopeful. If you were willing to see them again then they were willing to try and pick up where they left off. Jack sees how you hate him. Don't mistake him for a fool. He just believes he deserves it. They don't cry over you anymore. The impact has been lessened over the course of twenty years. In time they were able to start a life together. They moved on, though they never forgot.”

Vlad realized he was crying and quickly wiped the tears away.

“So what about you? Surely you will never forget but you were on the right track to forgive. What caused you to revert to this state once again?”

“I-It's not that simple. I-”

Vlad was cut off once again, this time by Clockwork pulling him into a tight hug. Alarmed, he grabbed the ghost’s cloak, half expecting him to hurt him in some way but… nothing.