Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

"I can grant you another chance at a different life. In another world, where you aren't hunted for sport. Where you aren't viewed as a threat... Where you have a family to love."

Danny let out a wet scoff at that, "And why should I? Why should I take that offer of relief? When I'm the reason my family here is burnt to the point of ashes? I would just cause the other family I would be born into very unnecessary pain and hurt, Clockwork." Curling further into himself, Clockwork could only watch him sink deeper into his grief.

Clockwork's mouth stretched to a frown, eyes scanning Danny's desecrated form, "... It's so that you can take a break, while you wait for your fraid to reform. As ghosts that is." That got Danny to move, neck craning to meet his gaze, face morphing into desperate hope and welling tears, mouth shaking, throat slowly hurting, as if clogged from all the questions trying to burst out.

"R-really?" Trying to stay optimistic, he tensed to stabilize his sobbing, now calmed to sniffles, "Will they... Will they still stay the same when reforming? What about Ellie? She wasn't..." He trailed off, not able to finish.

"She will form fine, Danny. Despite not initially being an entity considered as separate from you, she had grown with your help and guidance, leading to her soul finding steady footing in finding her identity, autonomy and individuality. Though, once you meet her again, she may not appear the same. The reform into a full ghost would mean her appearance will mold into what she feels fit." Clockwork explained, weaving a stream of ectoplasm model of Ellie, features shifting constantly.

"Okay... She will still be Ellie either way." Danny consoled himself, taking deep breaths, an awkward pause between the two of them, "But clockwork, can I make a request?" He spoke while trying to stand on aching legs to level a reserved gaze at the Time Keeper.

"Anything you desire, Grandson." Clockwork let a sliver of love slip through his usually stoic demeanor, deciding that his image be damned, his grandson needs all the support he can get right now.

Danny noticed the name call, his heavy mood lightening by a miniscule bit, "I- I want to stay this way. No new lives, no new anything. Just me. I-" Danny's words got stuck in his throat, sobs threatening to take over, "I want to be the same Danny they last saw. The same Danny they accepted and loved—I don't want to leave them behind, Clockwork. I don't want to leave that "Danny" behind." 

"Alright, don't fret, Danny. What you want is what I want, and thankfully, it is what the timeline and The Realms need. Either way, I would still grant you your dues." Clockwork waved his small, short hands in a dismissive way, glad that he could help his precious grandson in any way.

Danny lowered his head, electric baby blues flicking to Clockwork and his burnt shoes, "Can I... Hug you?" Clockwork's large red orbs softened at the upper edges, opening his arms in a welcoming gesture, "Come here, Danny... I am very sorry." Despite Clockwork's unique physiology not allowing tears to form, a glossy sheen shimmered across his eyes.

Danny settled clockwork's floating form just right beneath his chin, pressed close to his chest as he lay his head, letting an anguished, shudery sob fall from his mouth, "It's okay, you old timer," He let out humourless laughs, not meant to mock, but to affirm.

The embrace lasted for what seemed like an eternity, the two beings letting their due pains wash over them, emptying their filled cups for more space in the future, Danny pulled back, hands still holding clockwork, "Uh—" Wiping a stray stream of snot and tears, he continued, "I think I'm ready, Clocky, so stop. Besides, It's kinda embarrassing..? And unbecoming of you, you old relic." He flashed a wry smile, pearly whites and short canines peaking through his lips.

"Stay stoic and cryptic, not this—" Danny gestured to Clockwork up and down, eyes squinting in judgement, "Sappy, old, lovey-dovey, doting-grandpa you." He said in regards to how clockwork usually acts when serious..

Clockwork chuckled, amused at how Danny's mood had improved, "Understood, little Daniel. Now, a word of advice," He paused, his face losing its warm smile, "When you are sent to this world, do not lash out—you will be inserted into a curated setting,"

He weaved the ectoplasmic replica of Ellie into a replica of a smaller, more miniature him curled in a corner of an unfriendly containment zone, "This world houses a similar profile matching yours, however, it is not an alternate-self. Something people call an exact "Carbon Copy", you both share the exact same interests, the exact same mannerisms, and the exact same personality. Unfortunately, this other World doppelganger does not share the same fate for greatness such as you, and is fated to die an early death." Danny frowned at that, feeling discomfort at the idea of death. He had always detested death taking a toll on innocent souls—be it inevitability or machinations, people should be able to enjoy the wonder of life. Even those who have done wrong.

"Born on 1994 July 5, Teenager Daniel J. Nightingale, aged 16. Born into a struggling family of 5, he lived an arduous life, and by the age of 8, had already juggled the responsibility of managing their home and his sisters, while working multiple side-hustles for extra income. He was an intelligent child, like yourself, but had sacrificed the opportunity to finish education to help provide for his family and help lift a small burden on his parent's shoulders. Being the eldest of the 3 siblings, he had developed an early emotional maturity, opting to cry alone when his stress reaches a breaking point, seeking no solace with anyone, guilty that he can't do more to help his family—" 

the ectoplasmic replicas kept shifting to multiple forms. One was a Family, a comical parallel to his own; The mother was larger than life—almost the same size as his dad, and the father had the same slim, slender build as his mother, graceful poise and bashful grin all the same. The only discrepancy were the two younger twin sisters, who had eerily similar looks to him, albeit younger and more childish— small pudgy cheeks helping support and frame the rest of the face. When grown, he would have probably mistaken them for Ellie, or more nominally, his biological children. They looked Fulfilled, despite hardships and struggle—their smiles outshine the idea of it.

"—that feeling only grew as time passed and, as a seemingly cruel constant with the Carbon copy theme, a tragedy struck. Both the twins had been involved in an accident. A drunk-driver had carelessly careened through the neighborhood, and had swerved into the two sisters, severely injuring them, to the point of a comatose state. The three remaining family members tried to settle the problem in court, but the injustice had yet been left to rest. The drunken driver was the son of a very powerful and very wealthy man—their hired team had easily gotten the case dismissed, leaving no reparations and closure for his family. Devastated, the remaining three could only watch as the young man get escorted outside of the courthouse, striding leisurely along a threatening row of guards, chin angled high, no remorse in his being—on his face a dirty, triumphant smirk flashed towards grieving family, while they could only grit their teeth in frustration and fury,"

Clockwork had shifted the forms again, this time forming a singular young man with striking features and a well kept figure. Despite that, his actions and vile demeanor had drastically lessened the appeal, Danny notes, the repulsive shine of the replica's lifelike eyes making him gag in disgust.

"The family, scraping every last bit of cent they could muster, were left on a bottomless fall towards bankruptcy and debt, as they tried to fund the facilities required to keep the stable state the twins were in. But, as luck would have it, a dangerous opportunity fell on the hands of Daniel."

The ectoplasm gave way to Daniel's exact, joyful and smiling form. Though, none of the ghostly features that Danny had were present, lacking his sharp canines and the soft pointed ends of his ears, and was somewhat thinner than his own, due to not being subjected to his hero work that built some muscle. But Clockwork's words had been retained—his smile was a reflection of his own, posture open and welcoming, and the same tense of his arms had been visible.

"Daniel, while searching for jobs, had stumbled across a suspiciously generous listing with a concerning amount of requirements, just for the interview of this 'job', but it had offered an upfront pay of 5 thousand just for the screening." Clockwork grimaced, a sarcastic deflection noticeable at the end. Danny nodded along, listening intently.

"The form had requested the job applicants to call the listed number, before they proceeded with the hiring. The receiver of the call had listed concerning requirements, which made the job sound like a cover for a human-trafficking operation; The meeting would take place in a private area chosen by them, An NDA must be signed before the meeting to ensure confidentiality, and that the applicant must have no Active relations—wether romantic nor friendships. Surprisingly, they allowed Minors, with parental consent. He had asked his to attend the interview, though both were reluctant In the job's possible context. After hearing the interviewer, an expressionless lady with a simple labt coat, explain the required work of the job did his parents angrily disagree. The upfront and monthly payment would allow them to cover the costs of the hospital's facilities and steadily pay the debt back, but at what cost? Their son? They had no intention of paying that price, but Daniel had thought otherwise, his life for his sisters were a worthwhile trade for him."

Shifting, the ectoplasm morphed Daniel's joyful smile into an enraged displeasure, and changing his stance into a different one, one arm outstretched while the other thumped his chest, a disembodied voice echoed, and voiced the feelings of the replica— 'It's MY choice! I only ask that you agree with me! If not for me, then for them! Please!'

Two figured fizzled and scratched into view in-front of the outraged boy, faces weary and distraught, and they too echoed with a voice, 'Even they wouldn't want this, Daniel. They would never want this.' All of the replicas then swirled, forming into a hugging pile of three, all echoing crying, with varying levels of severity.

Echoey sobs racked the sandwiched figure of Daniel, desperate and anguished, sniffling he continued 'P-please. Mom. Dad. This would help us, so so much. We could even send them to school when all of this is done! I just.. Need you to sign the consent waiver. Just a year and, if all goes well and the experimentations and testing aren't as bad as they sound, I can keep renewing the contract.' Daniel opened, hoping that his parents would take the assurance.

"In the end, they agreed. Not that they were convinced, but that they know Daniel would still find a way to enter regardless if they accepted or not," Clockwork waved his hand once more, reverting the figures to the replica of Daniel curled into a corner, "He had died not long after the experimentations had started, quietly too, though, not before producing unexpected stellar results for the project overseers— who are named Lex Luthor and Ra's Al Ghul."

Two figures formed, large and intimidating, watching overhead of the lidless box Daniel was contained. "Ra's Al Ghul, the one with the aged look," Clockwork made the described replica shine for a few seconds, "Despite his already concerning misuse and abuse of corrupted ectoplasm he coined 'Lazarus water' to cheat death to rule his empire, he had no intention of gaining a modicum of power with this project." Danny shook his head in disbelief, his words scrutinizing the irony, "Really? Are you sure about that? I feel like you're omitting an important detail about this, Clocky."

"For reasons I cannot disclose, for the sake of the timeline, you would need to find about such for yourself." Clockwork dismissed Danny's comment with a vague reply. His mood instantly dampened. He mumbled 'whatever', crossing his arms and rolling his eyes.

"The "Project" is something worth noting, Danny. While Ra's uses Lazarus water for his revival, in this project he uses Ectoplasm. Pure, undiluted Ectoplasm. And, with Daniel's streak of misfortune, he had given a positive reaction to it. Past test subjects of this project had only been reported to feel cold, and had given no negative reaction when coming into contact with it. But Daniel was able to interact with it. Mold it. Utilize it. The ectoplasm reacted like it does with any other ghost with Daniel, but every upside has it's downs for him. He started feeling frostbitten, fatigued. His energy levels were becoming more critical, his body slowly deteriorating. Of course, Ra's and by extension Luthor had been elated with the results, not bothering to notice the rapid decline of Daniel. The ectoplasm tried sustaining him, to its best efforts of nearing the creation of another halfa, but ultimately failed and resulted in his death. He is after all, still human." Clockwork sighed in pity. What is with him and tragic children?

"You are to be swapped during the exact moment of his death. Such ironic coincidence that he died during his birthday, but no matter, he will be put to rest in heaven..." Snapping his fingers, clockwork made the ectoplasmic replicas to dissipate, he asked the inevitable questi, "Are you ready, Danny?" A melancholic smile now graced Danny's face, saddened by the tragic fate of his weirdly non-alternate-universe doppel. 

"Sure, but I.. uh. Have one more question, before I go, Clockwork," Danny gazed intently at clockwork, Electric blue peering into Crimson red, "Will Daniel's family be fine? Will they be safe?" Clockwork hummed, rubbing his chin in contemplation before answering a few seconds later, "They will. However, it is your choice if you would like to return to them. Though, I already predict your bleeding heart won't abandon them." He grinned knowingly.

He closed his eyes, breathing deeply, before opening them, eyes determined, "I'm ready now." Clockwork nodded in response, "Remember, do not lash out, you must stay calm and sedate, just like Daniel during his final moments."

"Al—" a sudden weighty feeling washed over Danny, eyes suddenly feeling heavy, "—right..." His vision started to blot and blur, black spots growing for each passing second, before finally collapsing, body curled into a comfortable position.

"Goodbye. Grandson."

•••

••

•

A seismic rumble jolted Danny awake, the force of it briefly shaking the room, "H.. huh?" Rubbing his eyes, he blearily looked around the large empty white space. Before his senses returned to him—finally noticing the alarm and flashing Red lights, "What the hell?" 

Standing up, he rubbed his sore back and inspected the space. A small unassuming bed, multiple machines and terminals embedded into a wall with a domineering monitor connected to the tech. The screen effectively showed his subconscious energy output and radiated power. Not bad, he wasn't even leaking his ectoplasmic aura. 

He took a few more minutes to inspect the room around him, trying to search for something worth noting. He rummaged through most of the tools and drawers near his bed and near the Terminal Monitor, finding nothing. He found the constant blaring and flashing of the alarm and lights to be annoying though.

A loud hissing echoed throughout the space. Danny whipped his head into the direction of the noise, large doors of the chamber going ajar, as a man whose long red hair had been tied into a low ponytail, along with a weird looking man and a few other... Mutated rats? Whatever the hell those are entered the room.

"Hurry along now, Project Hallowed! We do not have time to waste!" Closing in on Danny, the man grabbed his hand and pulled him along. Exiting the room and into a continuous run into endless hallways, swerving and changing directions every few crossroads. Before finally reaching an elevator. 

Once all of the group had entered the Elevator, the man had pressed the button with the number 52, said button lit up yellow, as the overhead level indicator quickly ascended in numbers and they had descended more floors. Finally halting the moment they reach the 52nd level. Entering the level, Danny was met with a grotesque view. 

The walls, despite holding such vibrant gems for display, had a nasty fleshy look when paired with the red dim lighting. He had no time to further ponder the look, as the man had once again grabbed him and broke into a mad dash, dragging a listless Danny along.

They had skidded to a slow stop when they reached a massive door, the same one as his containment zone, getting wired by a lady wearing the same lab suit as the man. Another, much larger man wearing a yellow... Mask? Helmet? Maskmet? Danny doesn't know. Standing behind the woman, a similar mutated monkey perched on his shoulder.

"They're still in there? With the weapon?!" The man heaved for a few moments before turning his burning gaze towards the horned humanoid. And... Weapon? That got Danny tense for a moment, unsure whether or not to be worried or panicking, knowing a few intruders had locked themselves in with a probably highly dangerous weapon.

"We can't get the door open." The large man replied, voice calm and civil despite the rude tone the red-head had used. 

"Use your telekinesis!" He demanded. The horned humanoid showed no agitation, and replied in a monotone voice, "I have tried, to no avail..."

"Useless. This is a debacle. Get some G-trolls to muscle the door open, now!" The man growled, clenching his teeth,

The large man kept his lips thin and replies shorter, "Already on their way." Eyes darting around the room, the red-head let a concerning comment out, "You realize that, once we're in there, we can't ever let them leave."

"Doc, these aren't your typical meddling kids." Kids? The intruders were kids? Danny's face blanked, fist almost instinctively knocking both offenders out, itching to stop their would be harm. He forced himself to calm down, face still showing no sign of his growing hostility and body still lax and unassuming. The large man continued his warning, "You don't want to get on the wrong side of the justice league."

Danny was starting to grow agitated the more these two talked. So these kids were some kind of lackeys? Dirty workers for some league? He decided it would be best to confront this "justice league", A name that sounds ironic enough to make it seem like they don't enact justice.

"Better than getting on the wrong side of the Cadmus board of directors, believe me." The man spoke with a finality, before moving his head to look at the G-troll (Gnome) perched upon the other's shoulder, it's horns glowing an ominous red, "Contact the G-gnomes inside Kr." He instructed the now named G-gnome.

A minute passed by, some reverberations reaching Danny's body, yet the others don't seem to care nor mind it. Suddenly, two hands drill through the half of the door, before it slid right with a bang, opened by the now visible Black-haired, blue-eyed youth. The man pulled Danny further in, past the youth, to inspect the area inside, finding three teens of varying sizes, he smirked, before giving the stock-still youth a quirk of the lips and a praise with a condescending tone—

"Attaboy."

•••

••

•

———

—Inside a conference room with Dr. Desmond - Cadmus, DC—

———

Desmond stepped towards the middle of a circular formation, lights dimming and deactivating while multiple screens crane down and angle themselves to face him. A deep, disembodied voice echoed from one of the screens.

"Dr. Desmond, you require an audience with the light?" The voice of a man asked.

"Er... Yes, very sorry to disturb you at this late hour—"

"Just make your report." Another male voice interjected, disinterested in whatever excuse and placation Desmond had to offer. 

Voice shaky and posture small, Desmond continued, "O-of course!" He cleared his throat, "Well, we had a small fire here, at project Cadmus. The origin of which is still unknown, but it seems to have attracted some... unwanted attention." 

Desmond grimaced, nervous at the response of the board, "Three sidekicks; Robin, Aqualad, and Kid flash breached security. They found and released the superboy. Of course the clone is under our telepathic control, and as ordered, turned on his would-be liberators. The three are contained, and we don't believe the League knows they're here nor about the.. Uhh... Project Hallowed." He took a small pause, "What should I do with them?"

The two voices stayed silent for a little while after he finished before responding—

"Clone them." The second male voice spoke.

"The substitutes will serve the light, and only the Light." The first continued

"And, uh... What of the originals?" Desmond inquired, looking expectantly at the white figures on the screen.

"Dispose of them. Leave no trace." Desmond smirked at that order, "And ensure his Hallowed Grace is to be kept safe from harm and discovery. He is the only one worthwhile in Cadmus, so treat him with the respect he commands. Failure to do so will lead to your immediate execution!" A third voice chimed in, old and silver.

Desmond swallowed at that, smirk quickly forming into a terrified look, "Understood."

•••

••

•

Danny followed the clone, 'Superboy', he thought, while he was carrying the three unconscious bodies towards several vats or tubes to hold them. He took a seat in front of the control panel, leaning his back towards the base and sitting on the floor.

He decided to test his ectoplasm reserves. A simple check wouldn't hurt, after all, he had felt somewhat different than before. A few minutes pass before he heard a collective gasp. Good, the other ones seem to have awakened.

"What... What—what do you want?! Quit staring, you're creeping me out!" Danny rolled his eyes, quite the unfriendly chatter. He tuned out for a bit of time, opting to inspect his ectoplasm rather than focus on the hostile talk between the two parties. Flexing his hand, the steady stream of ectoplasm kept shifting.

He seems intact, his control is stable, but the color of the ectoplasm concerned him. Instead of the usual neon green, his had a deeper, more darker hue, an occasional flash of Gold and Black swirling with white specks had accompanied the change.

Yet, oddly enough, no difference could be felt when they did flash differently. An odd visual maybe? He pondered for a short time, before his thinking got interrupted by an unsavory remark, "He can talk?" Furrowing his brows, he stood from his hidden position and spoke to reply before Superboy could,

"Yes. He can. And what the hell do you mean by that?"

All of their gazes, including Superboy's, swerved to his figure, his own hands resting on his hips, one brow raised in challenge. "... Not like I said it?" Kid flash defended himself, albeit weakly, Danny huffed and rolled his eyes, unamused by the excuse, "Right..." He gave a sardonic smile, "like that helps your case."

Aqualad intervened with a statement directed at Superboy, "The genomorphs taught you telepathically."

"They taught me much. I can read, write. I know the names of things." Danny's faced morphed into one of forlorn, and coincidentally spoke at the same time with the youngest shackled boy, 

"But, have you seen them? Felt their beauty? Saw the shine of the stars in the clear night sky?"

"But have you seen them? Have they ever actually let you see the sky? Or the sun?" Robin asked, wanting the clone to ponder his situation.

"Images are implanted in my mind—" His eyes dart to the floor, "but no," head bowing in shame, "I have not seen them."

"Do you know what you are, who you are?" Aqualad questioned.

Superboy's posture suddenly straightened, as he recited the implanted settings written in his mind, "I am the Superboy, a Genomorph, a clone made from the DNA of the Superman. Created to replace him should he perish... To destroy him should he turn from the light." The talk of clones made Danny's heart ache for Ellie, the undeserved fate and treatment she had endured just because of the cruelty and evil of some people. It was disgusting, he condemned.

"To be like superman is a worthy aspiration. But like superman, you deserve a life of your own. Beyond that solar suit. Beyond your pod. Beyond Cadmus." Aqualad tried to appeal to Superboy, not for hidden motives, but to genuinely help him realize the injustice of his treatment.

"I live because of Cadmus! It is my home!" Superboy raged, dissonance still ingrained, though flickering from the looks of his unsure eyes.

Danny interjected the heartaching moment that he has heard before, "A home isn't like this, Superboy. A home is where a family waits for your return. Where a family embraces you with love, to cure your weary constitution from the day's hardships. Not a test tube. Not a pod. And certainly not a cage." Danny frowned, he could see the defiant silhouette of Ellie in place of him. Superboy only gave him a mistrustful glare.

"... I can show you the sparkle of the stars, the constellations." Danny offered, his heart melting at the sight of the unsure clone, he extended his hand to hold Superboy's for the others support. He knows the kindness must be overwhelming for a newly experiencing being. The clone tentatively took it.

"And we can show you the sun."

"Uh, pretty sure it's after midnight—"

"Not helping, smart-ass!" Danny growled at kid flash, who tried to shrink but was kept in place by the binds,

"You didn't let me finish," he murmured, feeling wronged "—But we can show you the moon!"

Aqualad joined in, "We can show you, introduce you to superman," Superboy's face softened in wonder, before a voice cut the forming bond short, "No, they can't." The large door slid open to reveal Dr. Desmond and two others, "They'll be otherwise occupied." The detestable man finished.

"Activate the cloning process," he turned to the woman beside him.

"Pass. Batcave's crowded enough." Robin retorted, but Desmond ignored him, turning to face Guardian instead, "And get the weapon back in it's pod!"

"Hey, how come he gets to call supey an it?" Kid flash spoke at a worse time.

A low growl emanated from Danny, "Do not call him a WEAPON! Especially not. An. IT!" Their eyes finally noticed the high priority project, said project was settled in a closed stance, tense all over, with the weird energy their discoveries had recorded, swirling and slithering threateningly close, all over him.

"Your Hallowed Grace! We mean no harm in... Our remarks." Deciding to follow earlier instructions, Desmond responded with Faux reverence and The project's title. Though, the name caught the attention of the 4 others, with Superboy taking it at a surface level, still unsure on what the Man meant by it. The same could be said for the others, but Aqualad had lived in a civilization with a royal-class ruling system, he Ingrained more than what was said.

"What is a Royal such as yourself doing here, your grace?" Aqualad's already soft voice becoming more subdue to show respect.

"I'm no Royal, dude. Don't get their words twisted." Danny shuddered, uncomfortable at how they referred to him in such a high way, "I'm just some guy they found at the wrong place and at the wrong time..."

Aqualad gave a non-committal hum, as his eyes locked on Guardian's closing figure, headed towards Superboy. Guardian's hand settled on Superboy's shoulder, eyes darting between Guardian and Aqualad.

"Help us." Aqualad gave a small please, handing Superboy his first right of choice. Superboy shrugged the hand off, turning to burn his gaze towards Guardian.

"Don't start thinking now." Desmond's Genomorphs hopped onto Superboy's shoulder, "See here, you're not a real boy, you're a weapon, and you belong to m—" before he could finish, Desmond got blasted away by a green beam, hitting both him and his G-gnome, with another separate beam hit the hidden Dubbilex.

"I said, don't call. Him. A. Weapon!" Danny sent another blast towards Guardian, flinging him straight towards one of the cave walls. Running towards Superboy to check, he patted him down, face, head and chest, "You okay, big guy?"

Snapping out of his induced stupor, Superboy gave a weak reply, showing Danny a rare small smile. Danny breathed a sigh of relief, "That's good. C'mon, let's get those guys out of those nasty tubes." He pulled the other along, stopping in front of the containers. Danny charged a small concentrated blast towards the one containing Aqualad, while Superboy opted to smash and break through the other two containers Hull and restraints.

"Well... That's one way of doing it, I guess."

Superboy grunted, lowering himself into a crouch, then lunging into the the space where the restraints binded the arms of the two boys, ripping them apart. 

"Thanks, dude. Man, that cuffing was starting to hurt." Kid flash raised his hand to bro fist Superboy, to no avail, as the clone just awkwardly stared at the raised fist.

"Pleasantries should be exchanged later, what we need is to find an exit." Aqualad reminded the group of their precarious situation, the lot of them still stuck 52 levels down underground. Aqualad and kid flash led them, running past the recovering Cadmus employees.

"You'll never get out of here, i'll have you back in pods before morning!" 

"You wish, Man-child!" Danny blew a raspberry at the prone, dilapidated figure of desmond.

"Man, that guy is not whelmed, not whelmed at all," Robin mused, throwing three consecutive bombs at the cloning pods, "What is with you and this whelmed thing?" Kid flash rhetorically asked, ironically the last one to follow, despite his superspeed.

The group ran as fast as they could, Danny floating steadily behind to defend from any surprise fire, "We are still 42 levels below ground, but if we can make the elevator—" Aqualad suddenly skidded to a stop with the rest of the members, multiple large G-trolls suddenly appearing to block their path, turning around, they were met with the army of Sharp-clawed genomorphs waiting.

One of the trolls tried to slam Superboy to the ground, the latter narrowly dodging the attack, and had retaliated with an uppercut, before another troll pressed him down with a fist. The others weaved through the snapping jaws of the G-trolls turning their heads towards the ruckus Superboy was making, "GRAHH! ARGH! HAA!" Slamming his fists into any of the G-trolls that try to grab him, debris falling from the ceiling because of the impact of the punches.

"Superboy, the goal is escape, not to bury ourselves here." Aqualad yelled at him, a defiant growl was his response, "You want escape?! Raaghh!" Grabbing the leg of a downed G-troll, he threw the victim into his still able comrades.

Aqualad turned to the elevator, forcing the safety doors open and glanced at the the other levels above, an intimidating height. Seeing the drop and possible room for elevation, Danny quickly volunteered, "I'm on it!" Danny jumped from the ledge, letting his flight activate, which to his surprise, felt much lighter than the already easy control of his ghostly flight. He extended his ectoplasm down to the others, which had taken the shape of a supported platform, "Hop on!"

The others, excluding Superboy, boarded the platform, with Superboy choosing to test his flight instead. Launching himself to Danny's height, he reached his side for a few moments, before starting an accelerated fall, "SUPERBOY!" Danny hurriedly extended a stream of ectoplasm, 5 jagged fizz turned into claw-like fingers, swiftly grabbing the descending clone.

"I- I fell. Superman can fly... Why can't I fly?" Superboy took hold of the construct for support, listlessly staring at Danny flying form, who only gave a saddened smile at the confused clone, "You shouldn't dwell on that, Superboy. If it helps, your leap can rival the height of tall buildings." 

Superboy only turned his gaze away, ashamed of his missing qualities. "... Hey—"

"It- it's fine. I don't want to talk about it... Thank you..."

Danny frowned, his attempt to comfort shutdown, "Alright... But, you can talk about it, you know? There's no shame in sharing and seeking validation." He soothed, leaving an open option available when the clone does choose to confide in him. An empty hum was all he could get, souring his already sad mood.

"Uh, guys—!" Noticing the high-speed descent of the approaching elevator, Danny hastily destroyed the doors to Sub-level 15. He threw them in before entering himself, narrowly avoiding the fate of being crushed... Wait, what? He had intangibility for God and Ancient's sake, he had no reason to panic.

After entering the level, they saw a few Genomorphs giving chase, they took tail and ran to the empty hallway besides them. They kept running for a few seconds, before Superboy suddenly barked an order, "Go left! Left!" They took the adviced turn, Superboy still not finished, now advising and taking the lead, "Right!" But it unfortunately lead them to a vent, Danny frustratingly muses.

"Great directions, supey. You trying to get us re-podded?" Kid Flash blamed the clone, much to Danny's displeasure.

"Hey! Stop trying to start fights! God and Ancient's above, can you shut your rude-mouth for one moment?" Danny did not like this guy's streak with snarky blaming, and now he's suddenly thrusted with the role of knocking this dude down a peg or two.

"Yeah, yeah, I'd love to chat with the local pretty boy, but sadly he's too busy babying a literal grown dude." Oh he is starting to grate on his nerves.

"Pretty— pretty boy?!" Danny screeched, cheeks flushing in indignation, before scrutinizing this smooth talking red-head, "W-well, what are YOU doing eyeing me? Mind your own damn business."

"No- no. I, I don't understand.. Sorry." Superboy got stumped, the chain of misfortunes starting to weigh on him.

"Don't apologize. This is perfect!" Robin interjected, smirk and smug eyes shining through the domino mask.

•••

"Agh, at this rate, we'll never get out." Kid flash complained, scurrying along the small yet spacious vent.

"Shh. Listen." Superboy turned and look towards the dark distance of the way they just came through, shrieks and clawed creatures crawling echoing, but only heard by him.

"Superboy, sorry to break it to you, but you're the only one who can hear that, or whatever it is." Danny sighed, exasperated at the lacking social awareness. He got an apologetic look from the clone, to which he responded with a slight, endearing smile.

Reaching the end of their route they exited from the high vent, landing next to an emergency exit, Robin quickly glided his fingers across the Holographic interface on his gloves, "I hacked the motion sensors." He declared with a smug air.

"Sweet!" Kid flash gave a short stead of support, bro code or whatever.

"Still plenty of them between us and out." Robin gave a reminder, one evasion does not mean they're safe.

"But I've finally got room to move." Kid flash snapped his goggles back into position, blitzing past the Emergency exit door and quickly ascended the stairs, before encountering a squad of genomorphs blocking the way up. He got surprised, but steeled himself as he ran past while tripping them, continuing his goal to ascent the stairs.

The others followed suit, before Robin called out, "More behind us!" Danny and Superboy turned, with the latter collapsing the stairs and the former erecting a thick ectoplasmic shield to wall the level off from jumping Genomorphs below.

The emergency security had been triggered by the pursuers, turning the lights red and activating pure steel doors to block their path. Kid flash painfully collided with the door, sending him back with an 'Ah!' and an 'Ooh!' but he quickly sat up, cradling his hurting head.

"Here.. let me help with that." Danny sped-up his flight and kneeled beside kid flash, pooling a small amount of ectoplasm and distributing it all over his hand, which he used to glide over the top part of Kid Flash's head, using it to soothe the pained boy.

"Thanks, I really appreciate it... Pretty boy." He flashed a lopsided smile at Danny, who only rolled his eyes with a disgusted look, "Continue what you're doing and I'm flash freezing your brain to slush."

"Awh..." The smile broke into a sad frown, "But it's the truth!" — "whaateveerrr." Danny stretched the A's and E's' with a disinterested tone.

"We're cut off from the street." Aqualad stopped just behind the two. A snarky reply came from the closed eyes, relaxing patient, "Thanks. My head hadn't noticed." To which Danny reprimanded with a light smack to the back of Kid Flash's head. "Ow.."

Aqualad and Superboy walked towards the door, punching and trying to pry it open, with Robin deciding to hack it's systems instead. All of their attempts failed, miserably, by time limit and physical limits. Thumping and growling came from the other end of their street, multiple G-trolls making themselves known.

"This way!" Kicking the door besides them ajar, they followed Robin's lead, only to be met with the waiting team of clawed genomorphs, G-trolls, G-gnomes, and Guardian. All G-gnomes' stubby horns buzzed to life, forcing the group to fall and submit. Excluding Danny, who was floating unaffected by the control, yet his stance was taut, readying himself for the showdown.

A mentally connected voice echoed from the side. Swerving his head, Danny was met with the sight of the horned humanoid, 'Perhaps for the sake of all genomorphs our brother Superboy should make up his own mind.'

Superboy eyes snapped open, quickly turning his head to meet the figure, 'It was you.'

'Yes, brother. I set the fire and lured your new friends down into Cadmus. Woke them when they were in danger—'

'—And guided me. Why?' Superboy interrupted to finish the thought, confused on what this being was planning.

'Because you are our hope, the Genomorphs hero. You will blaze a trail for all of our brothers, showing us the way to freedom.' Dubbilex answered, expectant on the answer of this budding hope.

Guardian groaned, his G-gnome leaving him, "Ugh... What's going on?" One by one, all of the other members awoke from their induced submission. Superboy stood, and Dubbilex gave a final question, 'what is your choice, brother?'

And Superboy responded, verbally, as if to announce his right to the world, "I...Choose...Freedom."

Guardian continued, his clarity finally returning to him, "Feels like.. fog lifting..." — "Guardian?" — "Go! I'll deal with Desmond." But a rustic voice cut the fanfare.

"I think not." The Genomorphs parted way, showing the unassuming form of Dr. Desmond, who only raised a vial with a glowing blue liquid, "Project blockbuster will give me the power to restore order to Cadmus." He downed the liquid in one go, throwing the empty vial aside. Groaning, his body contorted, bones cracking and skin ripping, failing to stay because of the rapid transformation. He fell down, and stood high with a roar.

"Everyone back!" Before Guardian could get himself hurt, Danny blocked him. Effectively stopping the hero from doing anything stupid.

"I think you guys should sit this one out." He floated in front of the erected shield wall, back turned on them to face the transformed monstrosity formerly known as Desmond. He darted towards the beast at an unprecedented speed, grappling him towards the ceiling, force of it cracking and destroying most of the wall's foundation. The shield that blocked them slowly dissipated, leaving a disbelieving group of sidekicks questioning everything. 

"Well.. that's one way to exit." Robin commented.

"You think he planned that?" Kid flash asked the other members of the group, looking at the large hole above.

"I doubt he's planning anything" Aqualad sighed.

"Yeah.." Superboy couldn't add much. He planned to take Desmond head-on, but hadn't accounted for the sudden choice of Danny.

•••

Yanking Desmond by the remaining strands of hair on his head, he spun mid-air, flinging the beast hurdling towards a pillar. Noticing the others exit through the hole he made, he warned them, "I suggest you guys take cover! This thing is tough, and I can't do much damage without heavy collateral!" Slipping through the arms of the lunging beast, he kicked it's chest, before decking an uppercut on Desmond's waiting face. Building quaking from the force of his hits.

"Alright! We'll cover for you!" Danny only grunted in response, blocking the large fist with his arms, and retaliated with a low-kick spin.

Duking it out, the two powerhouses kept exchanging blows, with the smaller of the two doing the most damage while receiving none in return. "Superboy, Kid flash, Aqualad!" Robin called out, tossing a few Bat-a-rangs, rigged to explode on Robin's command. "Destroy those pillars and embedded the Bat-a-rangs in them!" He pointed to the very few Pillar beams still left standing.

Responses shouted from each of their corners and areas, signalling the objective was done, but Danny hadn't noticed. "Hey!" Superboy grabbed the flying fighter mid-air, away from the downed mass of Desmond, landing and sprinted out towards the building doors with the rest of the group. The bombs detonated, making the building fall and collapse on their heads just as they were about to exit. Luckily, Danny encircled them with a clear ectoplasm bubble, Shielding them from harm and debris.

"What the hell were you guys thinking!" Danny scolded while maintaining the barrier as they got buried underneath all the rubble, "I mean, seriously, bombing the whole building? Some of you dimwits could've died!" He shot a nasty glare towards the panting group, who sheepishly scratched some part of their heads, excluding Aqualad, who only looked down in shame, muttering an apology.

Waving his hand with an odd sign, he flicked most of the piled mess of of the bubble, allowing him to safely deactivate it. 

"We... Did it." Danny wanted to give this dude a piece of his mind, before pausing when he noticed the proud smile beaming from his face. Resolve crumbled and grudges melted away, he allowed them to celebrate this achievement. Danny cleared his throat, Catching the attention of the group. His body suddenly locked from the sudden focus, flushed and embarrassed, he gave them their well earned praise, "Yeah, yeah. You guys... Did it." 

Trying to catch their breath, Robin blasted, "Was there any doubt?" Danny only grit his teeth, choosing to stay quiet. Whatever you mean—yes! There was a LOT of unmentioned doubt. Albeit all from his side. Robin turned to Kid flash to raise a five, their hand's meeting with a splotchy crack, reminding them of their injured state.

Admittedly, Danny found it annoying, as they had grew on him like a fungus. Inching closer towards the ground and towards the heaving group, he blanketed them with a generous amount of ectoplasm. It's cool touch soothing the hot pains all over their body.

Kid flash tilted his head, pointing behind Danny, Superboy following the finger, "See? The moon." Danny let the ectoplasm settle on them, before taking a seat in the front, pointing at the dazzling diamonds next to the large gem, "And those small things beside it? Those are stars. Though, regrettably, they are quite dim here."

A small moving dot in the sky moved towards them, closing the distance, silhouette becoming more coherent by the passing second. It was a man, wearing a caped suit, with a primary Red and Blue color pallette. An S crested in the middle of his chest.

"Oh! And Superman." Kid flash crossed his arms, glancing at Superboy, gauging his reaction, "Do we keep our promises or what?"

Not too far behind were his threateningly ominous and flying entourage. Danny balled his fist, a slight neon-gold-black shimmer all over his body. 

"Stand down, kid." A few of the group closed in on him, agitating him even further, "I suggest you back off for a bit, yeah?" Venom seeping from Danny's words, his stance already coiling, preparing for a possible battle. He noticed Superboy walk a few places towards the S crested man, aligning his ripped shirt to show a similar logo on the solar suit. He saw the man's brows raise in surprise, before they angled themselves into a menacing stoicism. His lips were pulled into a frown.

"Is that what I think it is?" A man dressed in an all dark suit asked, and on either side of his head, two protruding points. Probably ears, Danny muses.

"He doesn't like being called an it."

"He shouldn't be called an it."

Both he and Kid flash commented, before his gazed turned back towards the group in his front.

"He's Superman's clone."

"I'm Superman's clone."

Different looks got passed in between each of the entourage, eyeing Their own super and the clone.

"Start talking."

•••

"Cadmus will be Investigated, all 52 levels. But let's make one thing clear—"

Flash interrupted, "You should have called."

"And end results aside, we are not happy." Batman statement made something swirl in Danny's chest, but he let it go.

Batman continued to berate them, each stated offense stabbing Danny through his skull. Seriously, what is with these guys? I mean, sure, he shouldn't be the one to talk, Ghost Vigilantism and all that, but he had no orders to follow! Only his own and the Phantom Squad's.

"—You will not be doing this again." That caught Danny's attention, and he gave a humourless laugh that made Flash and Batman turn their gaze upon him, "I'm sorry... Pft... But, no. They will."

"Whoever you are, stand down. You have no business in these affairs." Aquaman tried to exclude Danny from the talk, but he didn't back down, "And whoever YOU are, I'm sorry, but no thanks. I'm pretty sure I have a say in this. I am, after all, a rescued subject." He childishly mocked the blonde man by sticking his tongue out. Isn't it a bit ironic using "Man-Child" as an insult when you yourself act so immature? Meh, he's exempt from that.

"I agree. We did good tonight." Aqualad defended Danny, the latter giving a grateful smile to the loyal boy. "Aqualad, stand down." Aquaman gave a warning glace at his protege.

"Apologies, my king, but no." A skeptical look dawned on Aquaman's face, "As I said, we did good work tonight," he stepped closer behind Danny, "The work you trained us to do." He raised his voice, unwavering and proud, "Together, on our own, we forged something powerful, something important."

"If this is about your treatment at the hall, the three of you—"

"The five of us, and it's not." Kid flash interrupted his mentor, exclusion of the two new companions they encountered left a feeling of injustice in his body.

"Batman, we're ready to use what you taught us." 

"Or why teach us at all?"

He pleaded with his mentor, who gave nothing away.

"Why let them tell us what to do? It's simple. Get on board or get out of the way." Superboy challenged the three adult heroes with his look, the others joining. Danny waved his hand, "Yeah. What the hell are your problems anyway? Training them for years, yet expecting them to stand down when a mission call is left unanswered? Super contradictory."

The eyes of Batman's cowl only squinted in response. Still silent as ever.

•••

••

•

———

—Mount justice - July 8, 4 days after the Cadmus break-in—

———

•

••

•••

After they had rested for a short while, Batman called them to the training area for a short talk. What kind of talk? Danny doesn't know. He sure hopes the others get a firm talking to, he can't handle another heart attack with their risks.

"This cave was the original secret sanctuary of the justice league." Taking a few steps to the right, he faced the 5 boys and continued, "We're calling it to service again. Since you five are so determined to stay together and fight the good fight, you'll do it on League terms. Red tornado volunteered to live here and be your supervisor. Black Canary's in charge of training." He paused and leveled them with a glare, "I will deploy you on missions."

"Real missions?" Robin asked, still unwilling to trust their word.

Batman took a few steps towards his protege and replied, "Yes, but covert."

"The League will still handle the obvious stuff. There's a reason we have these big targets on our chests." Flash said, pointing to his logo on his chest.

"But Cadmus proves the bad guys are getting smarter. Batman needs a theme that can operate on the sly." Aquaman turned to look at the mentioned member.

"The Six of you will be that team."

"I'm sorry, six?"

"Cool! Wait. Six?"

Danny and Robin hear a few footsteps behind them. Along with Kid flash (now named wally) followed Batman's gaze, they were met with a Fair, green colored beauty. Soft Red hair framing her features. Distinctly different from her counterpart beside her, in terms of looks and anatomy.

"This is the Martian Manhunter's niece. Miss martian." Aquaman added. The girl, now named Miss martian, gave a small wave and smile, "Hi."

"Liking this gig more every minute." Wally whispered to Robin, unfortunately caught by Danny's sharp ears. He put a hand on his hip, flashing a satisfied smile at Robin, "Uh, welcome aboard. I'm kid flash. That's Robin, Aqualad. It's cool if you forget their names." He pointed at each of his friends, excluding Danny and Superboy, casually throwing the two mentioned "competition" under the bus.

"Oh, puh-lease, shut it, walls." Danny casually dropped a nickname, rolling his eyes at the noticeably desperate boy, "No lady likes an easy to lead man, you're just asking to be played at this point." He scoffed, turning his eyes to meet the Martian's sheepish one, "Hi! I'm Danny, Danny nightingale! Nice to meet you, miss martian." He brightly introduced himself, giving the nervous girl a warm and welcoming smile.

"I'm honored to be included." She clasped her hands. The rest of the members closed the distance between them, leaving Superboy and Danny behind. The latter caught the former gazing non-committaly towards the new member. Giggling, he teased the stoic boy, "You uninterested in introducing yourself? Or is this big guy really just shy?" He poked at the sturdy muscle of the clone's arm. "... I have no name to go by. Other than Superboy, I have nothing." He pitifully said.

Oof, great job Danny, poke a sore spot will ya? How about you just take another try at stabbing a wound at this point.

"Oh..." Sucking his teeth, Danny immediately scrambled his brain to think of something to save himself from the awkward situation,"How about we give you a name, big guy?" Superboy perked at the suggestion, and nodded in agreement. "Alright... What name would fit you the most... Hmm."

Scrutinizing every bit of him, Danny had laughably no names to give, deciding to just shoot his shots, "how about.. Dante? Ey? So we could match?" Superboy would only shake his head, "Really? Mmmn, how about.. Cody?" He seemed less disinterested and more drawn into the name, but it didn't catch his attention, "No?! Huh?? Okay.. then what about.. Colu- colt- Con...Conner! Conner! You look like a Conner to me!" Now that caught his interest. He seemingly brightened at the name.

"Conner... Conner... Conner.." Conner muttered a few times, trying to get used to his new name. "Alright then, Conner, let's go meet miss martian," he pulled the larger boy along, stopping just behind Robin. 

"Hi. I'm Conner..?" Miss martian's breath hitched for a small bit, but Danny didn't notice it. He bumped Conner on the shoulder and laughed, "Is that supposed to be a question, big guy?" Conner only shook his head. Opening his mouth to restate his name.

"I'm Conner." 

Miss martian suddenly shifted her clothing to match Conner's, an action that make Danny's right eyebrow quirk by a small increment, but he decided to ignore it anyway. Maybe Martian's had special clothing?

"I like your t-shirt." The compliment made Conner smile, turning his eyes to Danny with a grateful look and A bit more to his gaze. Danny only returned a brighter smile, glad that he's taking steps towards proper expression.

"Today is the day."

•••

"Cadmus changes today. With Desmond out of the picture, the board's placed me in charge."

He Turned to look at the lady, now maned Spence, "Dr. Spence, you're acting chief scientist. No more G-gnomes suppressing our wills. No more secret breeding projects. This is a kinder, more gentler Cadmus."

"—Then I will of course help in any way I can, brother." A room with several whitened Figures on large Monitor screens is viewing the live footage of Guardian, discussing the future direction of their discovered project.

"Can the light afford to leave guardian in charge without the G-gnomes?" Another male voice asked.

"We have subtler means of control." Another voice answered, "What concerns me is the children. Most especially His Hallowed Grace colluding with these malcontents. Though, we now know the League is willing to employ young heroes to do their dirty work. That's a dark twist."

"Yes, but one that can be played to our advantage. Even the temporary loss of both the weapon and His Hallowed Grace may prove useful. Eventually, everyone will see the light. The light in which his Grace will bathe us in." The last man spoke, finality echoing from his words.

•

••

•••

Chapter Text

The Nightingale Home

July 6, 2010

9:43 pm EDT

———

In the small, cozy area of the living room, Danny stood surrounded by three figures. Two of them—the parents of his deceased counterpart, Daniel—clung to him, their hands frantically patting his shoulders and arms as if to confirm he was real and whole. Weirdly, they were now his to claim. The third was a stoic man in all-black Kevlar, doing his best to give the family a semblance of privacy by studying a distant point on the wall.

"Are you sure you're okay, Daniel? You've been gone for months! They didn't even give us an update!" his parents cried in tandem. His father, Christopher, had nearly dissolved into a sobbing mess, his tears staining the shoulder of Danny's new shirt.

"I really am fine, Dad," Danny said, the lie tasting like ash. Look what those tests did to the real Daniel, he thought, guilt a cold stone in his gut. His counterpart was now forced to "enjoy" the afterlife without his family's embrace. Danny knew the despair Daniel must have felt, and he vowed to care for this family in his place—a final gift for the twin he never knew. "The tests weren't too bad. Enough about me. How are the twins? What did the doctors say?" He roughly steered the conversation away from himself.

His parents shared a look, silently agreeing to let the subject drop for now. "Nothing new," his father said, his shoulders slumping under the weight of the words. "Still no response to external stimulation. The doctors don't think they'll wake up anytime soon..."

His mother, Isabelle, however, remained outwardly strong, though Danny could see the turmoil in her eyes. She fixed him with a pointed look.

"Honey."

"Mom...?"

She sighed at his oblivious expression. "So," she began, her voice dropping an octave. "Do you mind telling us about all of this? The "hero" work? And don't even get me started on your breakout!"

Danny sheepishly scratched the back of his neck before his expression turned serious. "It's not a bad thing, Mom. I... I can't really explain it well." He gently shifted to pull her into a tight hug, laying his head on her chest. The steady rhythm of her heartbeat began to calm his own racing one. "Batman already told you everything, didn't he?"

They both hummed in affirmation. "You could get hurt, Daniel," Christopher said, his voice thick with worry. "I know that's an obvious thing to say, but it's more than that. You're being... hunted." His father's grip on him tightened. "The Justice League is our best option, but it puts a target on you. Their enemies are your hunters. Me and your mom... we feel so helpless. We feel like we failed you, Megan, Sophia. All of you."

Danny felt his own tears well up. "No, Dad. You didn't fail anyone. It's not your fault. Everyone has bad days; our family just had a long streak of the worst ones. But hey—" He pulled back, offering a tear-streaked smile. "Our good days are starting! Batman promised financial help. We can finally pay for the twins' treatments and clear our debts." His self-deprecating laugh did little to lighten the mood, but it coaxed reluctant smiles from his parents. "Think of it as a super high-profile job. One I even get paid for."

"A high-profile job that endangers your life every time you walk out the door," Isabelle countered. "So, not helping."

Danny rolled his eyes, the emotional moment shifting into familiar territory. "Okay, now you're just being difficult. Just take my word for it, okay? Jeez, would it kill you to be a little supportive?" he grumbled, the cuddly mood effectively soured.

"Ohhoho! I don't like that attitude, Dan-dan!" Christopher playfully snarked back, a smug laugh echoing in the cavernous room. "Who was it that got baited into being a willing fodder because of money?"

"Yeah, yeah, rub it in," Danny sneered, though his smile betrayed his true feelings. "And who spent that money?" He stuck his tongue out at his dad, the two of them suddenly acting more like squabbling siblings than father and son. "Just go already, both of you. Stop worrying about me! I'm not that weak."

"Alright, hon," Isabelle said, pulling him in for one last kiss on the forehead. "I'm sorry we missed your birthday..."

" 's fine," he mumbled with a rattling laugh. "How would you even have visited me? I doubt the lab took walk-ins."

"Still... hold on." Isabelle rummaged in her coat, pulling a palm-sized box from a seemingly impossible pocket. Danny hadn't seen any bulge that could have hidden it. "How did you—? Nevermind." He took the velvety, lapis-blue box she shoved into his hands. Its surface was clouded in patches of grey, and it looked suspiciously expensive, far beyond the budget of his financially struggling parents. His stomach tightened with a sense of foreboding.

He slowly angled the lid open.

...

His mouth dropped. Inside, nestled on a bed of black silk, was a breathtaking necklace. A thick, uniquely textured gold chain, its links shaped like a flowing stream, shone with the gleam of a golden river. Studded along it were small, sparkling citrines, culminating in a large pendant at its center: a miniature sun carved from a deep, amber-yellow tourmaline.

"Where... where did you get this, Mom?" he asked, his voice faint. His stomach churned.

Isabelle's pinched expression softened into a small, defeated smile—ironic in its happiness but genuine in its guilt. "...Happy late birthday, Danny. From me and your dad..." She took a sharp breath. "And your grandparents, apparently. That pretty little bribe came from them. They probably thought it would finally sway you into going to them—an incentive and a show of wealth." She gritted her teeth, frustration radiating from her. "It's disgusting. They are disgusting. They didn't lift a finger when you begged them to help Megan and Sophia while they were barely breathing in the ER! But the moment you showed a crack of desperation, some room to bargain, they pounced like starved animals."

She shook her head in bitter disapproval. Another biting miscommunication, thanks a lot, Clockwork! Danny thought, irritation flaring. The fake bastard didn't even mention a strained relationship with Daniel's maternal grandparents.

"You shouldn't have reached out to them, Danny," Isabelle continued, her voice firm. "Nor should you have mentioned the twins' state."

Playing the part of a chastened son, Danny looked down. "I'm sorry, Mom. I thought... maybe they would have cared..."

"They lost any semblance of care the moment they cut me off for loving your father. I've already told you that."

God, Grandpa Clockwork, Danny inwardly groaned, you had all the time in the world to explain the necessary details.

"Still," Isabelle's tone softened, laced with regret and a battered motherly pride. "I want you to enjoy that gift, despite it coming from them. The pendant itself is innocent, and you, of all of us, deserve it. I'm just sorry your father and I weren't the ones to give it to you... Come here, turn around."

Danny turned, handing her the box. She carefully lifted the necklace and brought it over his head, letting the cold metal settle just above his collarbone. The clasp, shaped like a dreamcatcher split evenly in the middle with another yellow gem as its lock, clicked into place. The jewelry felt unnaturally cold against his skin, a silent reminder of its intended purpose. He turned back to show her.

"It looks good on you, baby!" Isabelle said, though her smile was tight. "Though the yellow clashes with your blue eyes... Those scumbags didn't even try to make it match."

Christopher moved to his wife's side. "Stop exaggerating the clash, Isabelle. I think the deep amber makes a nice contrast with Danny's electric blue eyes. You just love to hate it because it came from your parents." He rolled his eyes affectionately and took her hand. "Happy late birthday, Danny. We love you." He then turned and raised his voice toward the dark figure in the distance. "Please protect our son, Mr. Batman, sir!"

Batman closed the distance, stopping beside Danny. "The Justice League and I will make sure of it," he assured them with solemn gravity. "We only ask that his residence be moved to our specially prepared base, where he will be most protected. We can also closely monitor his health for any adverse effects from the experimentation and respond quickly should he need medical assistance."

His parents nodded in unison. "We agree to those terms," Christopher said. "We know we can't support him properly right now. We only ask that we can visit him when it's safe."

"Noted." Batman placed a hand on Danny's shoulder. "Let's take our leave."

Danny followed him toward the front door but was stopped by his father's voice. "Yes, Dad?"

"Don't forget your luggage."

Danny's body snapped toward the stairs. "Right!" He hurriedly climbed them, his footsteps heavy with sudden urgency.

Isabelle laughed, the sound a little watery. "Oh, Danny. What an airheaded child. I think his new friends will warm up to him quickly. He's an earnest kid, Batman."

No emotion betrayed the Dark Knight's stoicism, but a small, almost imperceptible quirk at the corner of his lips told a different story.

—————

New England

1 Hour Later

10:44 PM EDT

———

The Bat-jet soared high above the clouds. Through the cockpit window, the stars looked strangely dim, as if fading from the world. Danny felt nothing wrong with them, so why did they seem so... drained?

"We're here. Welcome to Mount Justice." Batman's voice broke his reverie.

The side of a mountain, where it met the sea, slid open—massive doors camouflaged to match the terrain. They landed smoothly in a hidden bay, and the doors closed silently behind them.

"The appliances, necessities, and facilities are all in working order. The current inhabitants are you and Superboy." Batman opened the jet hatch, and Danny exited with his belongings, met by the sight of Superboy waiting a few meters away. The clone gave a small, hesitant wave.

Danny turned back to the open cockpit. "What about you, Batman?"

"I'm just dropping you off. Superboy will give you the tour." With that, the hatch closed, and the Bat-jet went airborne, exiting through the reopening mountain doors, which sealed shut once more.

"Alright!" Danny said to the now-quiet hangar. He spun around and ran up to Superboy, a bright, eager smile on his face. "Hi, Superboy!"

"Hey..." Superboy returned the greeting, seemingly unsure how to handle Danny's infectious energy. Despite his usual seriousness, a small, genuine smile touched his lips.

"So, what's there to see here? Anything fun? Cool? Different?"

Superboy nodded. "A lot of things here would probably count. But let's start with the dorm rooms." He motioned toward a long hallway. "The mountain is... tricky. It has maze-like hallways, so be careful. It took me a while to get used to it. I place random markings to help with directions." He stopped by the wall and tapped a small, jagged 'S'. "Like this one. Come on, the dorms are this way."

Danny followed, using his ghostly flight to keep an even pace. They walked in a comfortable silence for a minute before stopping at a crossroads.

"The dorm rooms are segregated into women's and men's wings for privacy," Superboy explained, pointing. "This way is the men's, the left leads to the women's."

He then took Danny's hand and gently pulled him along the right-hand path. "Are you— uhh— I—" Superboy stammered, trying to make small talk. Danny waited patiently, an unseen expectant eyebrow raised. "I-I forgot to thank you," he finally blurted out, his face flushing. "For backing me up. I really appreciate you standing up for me." He stared straight ahead, refusing to meet Danny's gaze.

"It's alright, no problem, really! I should be the one thanking you—for being alive and well." Danny's delighted giggle echoed in the hall. He sure looks like a fumbling fool when he's not all tense and guarded, Danny thought.

They continued at a leisurely pace. "So... how has living been, Superboy?" Danny prodded gently.

"It's... fine, I guess?" Superboy fell silent for a moment, his expression darkening. "It feels lonely. And honestly, I feel frustrated. Superman... he still hasn't spoken to me. Not once. He won't even give me the time of day! Did I... do something wrong?" His hands clenched, his voice straining with aggrieved anger.

Danny's face fell. He pulled his hand from Superboy's grip to land properly. "Hey. Hey. It's okay. You did nothing wrong." He reached out and clasped Superboy's hand again, his grip steady and strong. "Maybe Superman just isn't ready yet. But you, your creation, your existence... none of it is wrong."

Superboy's eyes softened. He took a deep, calming breath, the tension in his shoulders easing slightly. "...Thanks. I don't know how I would have reacted without your help back then."

"If I haven't said it enough, it's no problem. I'm glad to help. You just need some guidance dealing with this," Danny said, pulling one hand free and placing it flat against Superboy's strong chest, right over his heart. "The emotions you feel, and why you feel them." A sweet smile split the both of their faces, which seemed to freeze the glowing moment in time.

...

Danny couldn't help but inwardly marvel at the firm muscle. Had this not been a moment for comfort, I wouldn't mind feeling around a bit... And god, the feeling of his callouses... STOOOOP! OKAY OKAY- THATS ENOUGH! THAT IS ENOUGH-UHH! Danny mentally yelled at himself. 

"Oh—would you look at that—the rooms!" he exclaimed, tearing his eyes away from the clone's half-lidded gaze and that dangerously droopy smile. He quickly pulled away and made a beeline for the first door on the right. "Thanks for showing me to the dorms! But I think I'll explore the mountain on my own time."

"Alright. I'll see you tomorro—" Before Superboy could finish, Danny slammed the door in his face. "—row..." Superboy finished, dazed. He shrugged, a little bewildered, and turned toward his own room directly across the hall.

—————

Slamming the door on Superboy's face was not how he'd wanted to end the conversation! But how was he supposed to recover from that? He'd been full-on ogling the other boy, with cheeky thoughts to boot! Oh, my goodness... God's and Ancient's grace, how unsightly.

Danny forced his eyes open, wanting to leave that... moment... behind. He took in his new room. It had a dull look thanks to the mountain walls and the lack of personal touches, but it was nice and cozy. The bed was spotless, made up with two standard pillows and a neatly folded blue blanket.

Right now, he was too tired to care about anything else.

Danny plopped onto the bed—and then remembered he'd left his luggage bag back in the hangar bay.

"Ughh... damn it." He huffed, deciding to ignore the problem. Sue me, I'm tired, he thought. And that whole... whatever that tension was with Superboy? Yeah, that's mentally draining. "I'll just get it tomorrow... Stupid Superboy and his stupidly handsome face... Made me slip up like some kind of shy... just... whatever..."

He slowly drifted to sleep, his subconscious shaping a flow of ectoplasm into a noise-canceling earmuffs before he finally blacked out.

———

Across the hall, Superboy's enhanced ears caught every word of Danny's sleepy muttering.

So... stupidly handsome, huh?

A smug chuckle escaped him as he lay on his bed, arms pillowing his head.

But the smug expression dropped as he remembered how welcoming Danny had been—how accommodating. The other boy's face was always soft yet held a steady strength whenever Superboy felt lost. The way Danny made him feel... like a person. Like someone who deserved to exist.

...

It was something that made his own heart beat like crazy.

...

"Huh," Superboy whispered into the quiet of his room. "I guess you're not so bad yourself, Danny."

Chapter Text

Mount Justice

July 18, 11:16 EDT

———

"Recognized: Robin, B-01; Kid Flash, B-03; Phantom, B-05."

The Zeta-Tube flared with light, depositing the three heroes into the mission room. Aqualad, Superboy, and Miss Martian were already waiting by the holographic terminal.

Robin, Kid Flash, and Phantom—the latter two, Wally and Danny, currently off-duty and in their civilian clothes—hurried over. "Did you ask him?" "What did he say?" Robin and Wally demanded in tandem.

Aqualad turned, his expression offering no answers but a single opportunity. "He's arriving now."

Wally bumped Robin's shoulder, anticipation palpable in his voice. "Then what are we waiting for?" He was the first to sprint towards the hangar bay. The group shared a look. Danny flashed Conner an infectious grin, which the clone returned with a small, private smile. Conner took Danny's hand and led him to follow, with Megan floating closely behind, a rueful look on her face as she observed the pair. Glancing at the intertwined hands.

The hangar doors retracted, revealing the clear, open sky and the descending figure of Red Tornado. The team gathered a few meters from his landing spot.

"Red Tornado!" Wally waved.

"Greetings," the Android's flat voice replied. "Is there a reason you have intercepted me outside the cave?"

"We hoped you had a mission for us," Aqualad said, voicing the collective expectation.

"Mission assignments are Batman's responsibility."

"But it's been over a week, and nothing—" Robin started, stepping closer.

"You will be tested soon enough," Red Tornado raised a hand to stop him. "For the time being, simply enjoy each other's company."

"This team is not a social club," Aqualad countered, glancing at the others.

Danny rolled his eyes. "It isn't one, yes, but it is still a team, Aqualad." He pulled his hand from Conner's—an action the clone inwardly mourned—and settled it on his hip, shooting a dissatisfied look at the Atlantean.

Red Tornado pointed at Danny. "Correct. It is a team, and I am told that social interaction is an important team-building exercise." He lowered his hand. "Perhaps you can keep busy by familiarizing yourself with the cave." With that, he brushed past the group and walked towards the mountain's entrance without a backward glance.

" 'Keep busy,' " Wally grumbled, punching his fist into his palm.

"Does he think we're falling for this?" Robin interjected, indignant.

Danny grimaced, cradling his head with his free hand. "I rushed from my hospital visitation for this?" Conner placed a comforting grip on his shoulder. "Thanks, big guy."

"Oh! I'll try and find out," Miss Martian offered. She focused on Red Tornado's retreating back, her eyes squinting. The target passed the hangar threshold, scanned by the identification field. She sighed in defeat. "I'm sorry. I forgot he's a machine—inorganic. I cannot read his mind."

"Nice try, though," Wally said, inching closer to her. "So, uh, you know what I'm thinking right now?"

Robin and Danny scoffed in unison.

"We all know what you're thinking right now."

"We all do.You're not that hard to read."

Robin elbowed Wally from behind while Danny pinched the speedster's arm. "Ow," Wally said, remarkably calm.

"...And now we tour the 'clubhouse,' " Aqualad said, his voice thick with irony and disappointment.

Miss Martian piped up. "Well, Superboy, Phantom, and I live here. We can play tour guides." She, Robin, and Wally turned to look at the two other cave inhabitants.

"Don't look at me," Conner said, his tone avoidant as he shifted behind Danny.

Danny's face morphed into a quizzical look before he decided. "Pass. I think Miss Martian would be the better fit." He waved a dismissive hand.

"Alright, we won't. A private tour sounds much more fun," Wally husked, making Danny mockingly gag.

"Smooth talking, Wally."

"She never said private!" Robin flustered.

"Team building," Aqualad declared firmly. "We will all go."

•••

The tour was brief. Miss Martian showed them the front hangar bay, the emergency exit that opened to a stunning view of the ocean ("The cave is actually the entire mountain!"), and the vast interior hangar with its auxiliary generators and Zeta-Tubes.

"It was hollowed out and reinforced by Superman and Green Lantern in the early days of the League," Robin explained.

"Then why abandon it for the Hall of Justice?" Conner asked, a frown on his face.

Danny added, "Why abandon it at all for a tourist trap?"

"The cave's secret location was compromised," Aqualad answered.

Conner scoffed. "Yeah. As if that makes sense."

Miss Martian pondered aloud. "If villains know of the cave, we must be on constant alert."

Robin took her hand from her chin. "The bad guys know we know they know about the place, so they'd never think to look here." He assured her in a confusing blurt.

Wally shot his friend a stink-eye before looking at Miss Martian with a soft smirk. "Uh, he means we're hiding in plain sight."

"Ah..." She scratched her head. "That's much clearer."

Conner's head suddenly shot up, and he sniffed the air. "I smell smoke."

Miss Martian gasped. "My cookies!" She spun and flew towards the kitchen.

•••

They found her staring sadly at a tray of blackened, ashy discs. "I was trying out Grammy Jones' recipe from episode 17 of—" She stopped herself, laughing nervously. "Ah, heh, nevermind..."

"I bet they'd have tasted great," Robin assured her, turning to look at Wally, who was pigging down on the burnt cookies. "He doesn't seem to mind."

Danny grimaced at the nasty 'cronch' nasty ash cookies echoed "Ew..."

Wally looked up. "I have a serious metabolism...?" he offered, trying to impress the Martian.

"I'll make more?"

"It was sweet of you to make any," Aqualad said.

"Thanks, Aqualad." She smiled.

Aqualad raised a hand. "We are all off-duty. Call me Kaldur'ahm. Actually, my friends call me Kaldur."

"I'm Wally, but you already knew that." He leaned on the kitchen island. "See? I already trust Danny enough with my secret I.D., and you by extension. Unlike Mr. Dark Glasses over here," he motioned at Robin, "Batman's forbidden Boy Wonder from telling anyone his real name."

Megan chuckled. "Mine's no secret! It's M'gann M'orzz. But, like, you can call me Megan. It's an Earth name, and I'm on Earth now." She tilted her head with an enthusiastic smile.

Danny and Conner reintroduced themselves.

"You all already know this, but I'm Danny. Or rather, Daniel J. Nightingale, but I'd prefer Danny. And this is—" He looked at Conner, nudging him.

"...Conner. Just Conner. No family name, as I have no family to call my own."

Danny frowned. "Hey..."

Conner pulled away and walked towards the lounge.

°Don't worry, Conner,° M'gann's voice echoed in his mind.

The clone grunted, his face scrunching in hot anger as he snapped his head towards her. °We'll find you a family name too. Something that suits you.°

"GET OUT OF MY HEAD!" Conner yelled, shocking her.

°What's wrong? I don't understand.° Her mental voice linked them all, and everyone winced, grasping their heads. °Everyone on Mars communicates telepathically.°

"M'gann, stop," Kaldur's firm voice cut through. "Things are different here on Earth. Here, your powers are an extreme invasion of privacy."

Danny nodded solemnly. "Besides, Conner... doesn't have the best experience with psychic telepathy." He avoided eye contact with M'gann.

Wally piped up, "Cadmus' creepy little psychic G-gnomes left a bad taste in his brain."

"That's underselling it, Wally," Danny chided. "He was mind-controlled by them. Forced to do someone's bidding."

M'gann looked horrified. "I— I didn't mean to—"

"Just. Stay. Out." Conner cut her off, punctuating each word with a snarl. He roughly grabbed Danny's hand and dragged him towards the lounge.

"Ow! That stings, Conner!" Danny interjected. Making the clone stop.

"...Sorry," Conner mumbled, releasing him. Still, Danny followed and sat beside him on the couch, gently patting his back.

A heavy silence fell over the room, broken by a sharp exclamation from the Martian.

"Hello, Megan!" She lightly tapped her forehead. "I know what we can do!" She flew past Robin and out of the kitchen. The others shrugged and followed.

"Conner, please. Let's go." Danny took the clone's hand, intertwining their fingers before tugging him to stand. "Let's see what she's up to."

M'gann flew back, catching the moment, which made her pause. "I- uhm... Conner, please?"

"Please, Conner?" Danny coaxed, earning a reluctant nod. "Alright." M'gann's face lit up, and she flew off again.

———

The large express elevator opened to the multi-level hangar bay. M'gann flared her arms in a 'surprise' motion. "It's my Martian Bio-ship!" A red, oblong-shaped vessel sat at rest on the platform.

"Cute. Not aerodynamic, but cute," Wally pointed out, failing to hide his skepticism.

"It's at rest, silly! I'll wake it." She gestured, and the ship shifted seamlessly into a sleek, trident-shaped aircraft, a hatch opening towards them.

"C'mon!" she beckoned, floating inside.

Danny couldn't hold his excitement. "THAT IS SO COOL!" he squealed, eyes wide with wonder. He dashed inside, letting go of Conner's hand.

The others shared a look and followed.

Danny took the front seat to the right, Conner to his left. M'gann took the helm. "Strap in for launch! Red Tornado, please open the bay doors."

The ship lifted and shot out of the cave at incredible speed, twisting and looping in the open air. Danny whooped. "This is amazing! It feels so nice to fly without using my own power!"

"Incredible!" Robin exclaimed.

Wally sighed dreamily, looking at M'gann. "She sure is." She turned towards him, and he frantically deflected, "I— I mean the ship! Yeah, and like all ships, it's a she."

Robin chuckled. "Fast with his feet—not so much with his mouth."

"Dude!"

Danny turned to Conner, who was staring stonily at the hull. "I may not have psychic powers, but I can guess what you're thinking~" he sang. "You overreacted, and you don't know how to apologize." His tone turned serious. "It's okay. Just say sorry with sincerity. Like you did when you thanked me." He laughed.

Conner flushed at the memory. Danny spun his chair to face M'gann. "He'll come around, don't worry."

"Hey, how about showing us a little Martian shape-shifting?" Robin suggested.

M'gann stood, her form shifting from the bottom-up into a female counterpart of Robin, then into a female version of Wally.

Wally grinned. "Is it wrong that I think I'm hot?"

Danny hummed. "Somewhat. It's a fine line. But... yes."

Robin clapped. "Impressive, but you're not exactly gonna fool anyone with those."

"Mimicking boys is a lot harder," she responded shyly.

"And your... clothes?" Kaldur asked.

"They're organic, like the ship. They respond to my mental commands."

"As long as they're the only ones," Conner snarked, venom in his tone.

"Conner!" Danny gasped.

"What?!"

Danny shook his head and slapped Conner's arm. "She's trying to make it up to you!" He turned to see M'gann's fallen expression. "Nice going!" he whispered to Conner, hissing. He leveled the clone with a scowl before sighing. "Look, just give her a chance. It was an innocent mistake. You're both new to being human. Find an ally in each other. Meet her halfway."

Conner's face was blank before he nodded marginally.

"That's great!" Danny breathed in relief. "That's a good habit—forgiving people. It will help with your anger." He took Conner's larger hand and rubbed smooth, steady circles into his palm.

"So!" Wally's voice cut through the tension. "Can you do that ghosting-through-walls thing that Manhunter does?"

"Density shifting?" She sounded unsure. "N-no... It's a very advanced technique."

"Flash can vibrate his molecules right through a wall." Robin smirked. "Hah, but when he does it? Bloody nose."

"Duuudeeee!"

"Oh! Here's something I can do!" The ship's hull hummed, and the ship outside the viewport seemed to vanish from the world. "Camouflage mode."

"That is pretty cool! So... anything else the ship can do?" Danny asked enthusiastically.

"Many more things! Like this one—" She was interrupted by an incoming signal.

'Red Tornado to Miss Martian. An emergency alert has been triggered at the Happy Harbor Power Plant. I suggest you investigate—covertly. I am sending coordinates.'

"Received. Adjusting course."

Robin scoffed. "Tornado's keeping us busy again."

"Well, a simple fire led you to Conner. We should find out what caused the alert," M'gann reasoned.

"I think we all know what caused it," Danny interjected, everyone following his gaze to the massive tornado speeding towards them.

"Hold on!" M'gann steadied the ship, maneuvering it with the wind flow to break through the eye. She brought the camouflaged ship low to the ground near the plant and opened a hatch. The team jumped out, each landing deftly.

"Robin, are tornadoes common in New England?" Kaldur turned, only to find the boy missing. "Robin? Robin!"

"He was just here..." M'gann spotted around.

•••

"Uhn!"

Danny and Conner were the first through the factory entrance, finding Robin crumpled on the floor.

"Who's this little fella?"

"Who's your new friend?"

Danny and Conner asked simultaneously. Green energy flickered around Danny's hand as his form shifted. His hair and clothing bleached to a familiar cloudy grey, his eyes glowing with intoxicating neon green ectoplasm.

Robin groaned, pushing himself up. "Didn't catch the name, but he plays rough!"

"My apologies! You may address me as Mr. Twister," the red android responded, blue tubes glowing across its body. It hurled two tornadoes at them.

Danny sized up the android, his fist curling with fluctuating ectoplasm. "What are you? Some rip-off Red Tornado?" He fired two weak but precise blasts, canceling out the tornadoes.

Conner lunged with a roar, only to be launched back by a concussive blast of air, slamming into a wall.

"Don't try to engage head-on!" Danny warned. "You'll just get sent flying! Fall back and—" But the others charged. "What?! No! Get back here!"

Wally was the first, using his speed for a flying kick. Twister flew back, creating a wall of air that redirected Wally out of the plant. Kaldur and M'gann charged, only to be spun around by tornadoes and flung into hard surfaces.

Robin stood next to Danny. "We're not children!" he yelled, throwing explosive batarangs.

"Objectively, you are," Twister countered, his voice bubbling. "Have you no adult supervision? I find your presence here quite... disturbing."

"We need no adult to supervise us, you annoying piece of shit!" Danny's potty mouth fired up, the constant dismissal grating on his nerves.

Danny helped his teammates up, a faint green energy soothing their minor injuries. "We would hate to see you 'disturbed'!" Robin mocked.

"Let's see if you're more turbed once we kick your can!" M'gann used her telekinesis to rip a pipe from above, creating a smokescreen.

Danny charged through the cover, delivering a flurry of pure-steel-denting punches that drove Twister out of the factory. "This—" clank "Is—" clink! "Indeed—!" clonk! "Quite—!" CLUNK! "TURBING!"

Twister finally flailed Danny off. "Thank you. What a... persistent child. Though, I admit, you are powerful. It seems I will have to settle for you in the meantime."

"You act as if you have a choice! Well, news flash—I MAKE THAT CHOICE!" Danny cracked the ground with his propulsion, claws protruding as he zoomed towards the flying figure.

If Twister were capable of fear, he would have felt it. This child was relentless.

Danny landed with a seismic wave. "You! I'll have your little robotic heart if it's the last thing I do!" he screamed, a wave of uncharacteristic rage surprising even himself. He snapped out of it by slapping his own cheek.

What the hell? he thought. Huh—my ghost half is still touchy from my family's deaths.

"Woah... You okay, dude?" Wally asked, concerned.

"Ye—yeah... Ugh... Just peachy," he shook his head, blinking away the foreign feeling.

"I would have thought you had all learned your limitations by now," Twister's voice rang out.

"What do you want?!" Kaldur screamed.

"Isn't it obvious? I'm waiting for a real hero."

Kaldur turned to M'gann. "Read his mind. Find his weakness."

"Wh-what?! I thought I wasn't supposed to—"

"It's okay with the bad guys," Robin said. "And that one is one big, blaring bad guy!"

M'gann focused, then sighed. "Nothing. I'm getting nothing!" She tapped her head. "Hello, Megan! Mr. Twister is Red Tornado in disguise! He's inorganic—an Android. And how many Androids do you know that can generate tornadoes?"

A lump of air seized Danny's throat. Oh... shit.

The others followed her conclusion, their faces falling with hurt.

"And Red Tornado sent us here!" Aqualad despaired.

"After saying we'd be tested soon enough. This is his test," Robin said, arms crossed in disillusionment.

"Speedy called it. We're a joke..." Wally hung his head.

"Well—not—it's—... If this is how you react to one probe, one little test, I'd be inclined to agree, but I don't!" Danny argued. "C'mon, guys, don't be like that!" But they were already swamped by their hasty conclusion.

"Just stop, Danny. Let's just... go. Accept it," Conner pleaded, looking like a kicked puppy.

"Not you too! What about all that talk about 'get on board or stay out of the way,' huh? Oh—" Danny was cut off as Conner rested his head on his shoulder, snaking his arms around him in an exhausted embrace.

Danny sighed. "Alright..." He sounded defeated, but only for Conner's sake.

Aqualad punched his palm in frustration. "This game is over," Wally said, making a crossing motion with his arms.

"We know who you are and what you want!" "So let's end this!"

Twister readied a large storm. "Well, consider it ended."

"Uhm... Guys..?" Danny tried.

"An impressive show, but we will not indulge you. We will not engage!" Kaldur naively accused.

"GUYS!!"

Dark clouds swirled, and a torrent of lightning struck down. Danny sped in, still carrying Conner, and shielded the others from the worst of the blast. Still, the turbulent winds threw them back, leaving Danny alone.

The half-ghost stood frozen, seizing from the lightning. The phantom pain of his death relapsed, causing him to convulse, leaving the others vulnerable.

"NO!!" Conner roared, leaping at Twister, only to be blasted back by another lightning strike, crashing into the still-suffering Danny.

M'gann regained her bearings and placed the Bio-ship between them and Twister.

"Fine then. I won't deny you children have power, especially that pale one. But playing hide-and-seek will not help me achieve my objectives. So stay concealed! If you confront me again, I will show no mercy." Twister balled his hands into fist, electricity cracking from it, before he flew towards the nearby town.

"Hey, hey! Danny! It's okay! It's okay..." Conner panicked, pulling the convulsing boy towards him. "HELP ME!" He screamed at the other members, who hurriedly enclosed them.

They all surrounded Danny, who was gasping, twitching, his eyes rolled back. "No, no, no, no! STAY WITH ME, DANNY!" Conner begged, holding his head and supporting him to stay sideways, habilitating breathing.

"W—wait! Let me—" M'gann tried.

"You stay the hell away from him! This is your fault!" Conner rabidly berated her. "You tricked us into believing Twister was Red Tornado!"

"She didn't do it on purpose!" Kaldur defended.

"DON'T! Butt! In! If you all hadn't ignored his words, he wouldn't be suffering! So STOP acting so innocent—"

A hysterical, racking cough interrupted him. Danny was hitting his own chest, heaving. "Stop... I—t... C-on—ner.. it—s," he inhaled a shaky breath, "It's.. Not.. Her.. fault..." He gave a weak smile, snuggling into Conner's palm. "... Feels nice..." He forced a small chuckle before his eyes fluttered shut, his breath evening out.

Conner sighed in relief, his tense shoulders relaxing. He listened to Danny's slow heartbeat, calming his inner turmoil. He lifted Danny in a bridal carry.

"I'll respect Danny's wishes. I'll forgive you and apologize," Conner said, his voice low. "But we meet halfway." He handed Danny to M'gann, who lifted him gently with her telekinesis. "You make it up to him. Help him recover. Do not let his state worsen. And most importantly—stay out of our way. You haven't trained enough with us. In time, you will learn, but now is not that time."

He turned and leaped towards the town, followed by Wally and Robin.

The two left behind stewed in self-doubt.

"... I was just trying to be a part of the team," M'gann whispered, looking at the peaceful Danny.

"To be honest, I am not sure we really have a team," Kaldur said before leaving her to guard the unconscious member.

•••

Danny cracked an eye open, peeking at M'gann. He felt bad for her.

"You're not half bad yourself, Megan," his weak voice spoke. He stared listlessly at the sky. "You just need to learn when to... stop trying too hard. You're earnest, but you can't please everybody. Take this team thing at your own pace. Show us a glimpse of the true you." He smiled.

"Okay... How do I... start?"

"Well, for one—you can start by transporting me back to the mountain... My whole body hurts like hell..."

She gave a wry chuckle. "Right! Back to the mountain."

———

"Team really needs your help!" M'gann called through the comms.

"If I intervened, it would not be of help. It is your mission," Red Tornado replied. "Still, it is an odd coincidence that this Twister shares my elemental abilities... and my immunity to telepathy."

Immunity to telepathy? ..!

"Hello, Megan!" She tapped her head, an idea forming.

———

Kaldur crashed through the wall of a nearby house with a pained yelp. Wally blurred forward to cover him, but a whip-crack of wind sent him tumbling head over heels across the asphalt. Conner lunged, a feral roar tearing from his throat, but Twister sidestepped with infuriating ease. Superboy’s fist slammed into the ground where the android had been, cratering the pavement.

Before Conner could recover, Twister gestured, and a compact tornado lifted the clone into the air. With a contemptuous flick of his wrist, Twister wrenched a boat from the nearby docks and sent it hurtling down. It landed on Conner with a sickening crunch of fiberglass and steel, pinning him beneath the wreckage.

The four heroes were being systematically dismantled, while Twister hadn't even broken a robotic sweat.

Ducking behind a fishing boat that had been speared upright into the earth, Wally watched as Robin uncoiled a long, yellow-modified belt from under his jacket, fastening it around his torso like a sash.

"Dude... You brought your utility belt?" Wally asked, voice thick with disbelief.

"Never leave home without it," Robin stated, his tone as disciplined as a soldier's. "First thing Batman taught me."

"Pshh. Yeah, right after 'never go to the bathroom without it,'" Wally snarked.

°Listen to me, all of you!°

M'gann's voice erupted in their minds, making the boys flinch in unison.

Conner's head snapped up, his eyes burning. "What did we just tell you?!" he snarled aloud.

°I can see that dirty look from up here, Conner! Calm down and listen, or I'll fly down there and beat you black and blue myself!° Danny's stern mental voice cut through, brooking no argument. °Go on, M'gann. Tell them.°

A wave of grateful relief preceded her thoughts. °Thank you, Danny. Look, I know I messed up. I see that now—we're a team. But I know what we need to do. Please... just trust me.°

°She's right,° Danny added, his tone shifting to one of sharp disappointment. °We're a team, not a squad of soldiers. We listen to each other. What you did back there? Freezing her out? That's the opposite of a team. But you can make it right. Start by listening to her plan.°

———

Red Tornado descended from the sky, landing between the team and their adversary. "Stand down. I had hoped you could handle this. Clearly, you cannot."

"But we have a plan now!" Robin protested.

"The subject is not up for debate." The android's flat tone left no room for argument, and the boys reluctantly fell back.

From across the bay, Mr. Twister's voice boomed. "I was beginning to believe you'd never show up."

"I am here now." Red Tornado swiped a hand through the air, generating a tornado that looked oddly... transparent. He launched it forward. Twister retaliated with a vortex of his own, and the two forces of nature collided and dissolved into a gust of wind.

"We are evenly matched, Twister," Red Tornado called out, sending another fabricated whirlwind.

"No, Tornado," Twister retorted, slamming a fist into the ground and unleashing a geyser of pressure to block the attack. "We are not." He followed with a crackling stream of electricity. Red Tornado dodged, but the bolt struck the wrecked boat embedded in the ground. The subsequent explosion sent shrapnel flying, and the concussive blast knocked the League member from the sky. He hit the ground with a series of painful, metallic clangs, electricity arcing across his chassis.

Twister landed triumphantly beside him. "Remain still, Android." His fingers split open, releasing long wires that latched onto Red Tornado's head. "The reprogramming will not take long."

M'gann's features shimmered and shifted back to her own. She grabbed the wires, her voice dripping with smug innocence. "Longer than you might think."

"NO!"

With a thrust of her hands, she launched Twister backward with a telekinetic blast—directly into the vortex Wally was generating with a super-speed spin. The android was flung from the whirlwind like a cannonball, straight into Conner's waiting fists.

The clone delivered a series of shattering blows, his fists piercing the armored chest plate. Smoke and sparks erupted from Twister's body. With one final, brutal punch to the face, Conner sent the android flying across the dock. He bounced twice before skidding into the water.

As he splashed down, Kaldur was already there, driving a metal pole into his hull and the water. A surge of bio-electricity conducted through the bay, making Twister convulse. The damaged android burst back through the surface, only to be caught in M'gann's telekinetic grip. With a sharp mental command, she ripped both of his arms from their sockets. Robin finished the combination, planting two batarang-explosives on Twister's back. The blast sent him crashing back to the pier in a heap of mangled metal.

The armless shell managed to push itself onto its knees. Its chest cavity hissed open, ejecting a dazed, groaning pilot onto the ground.

"Foul. I—I call foul!" the man sputtered.

Before anyone could react, M'gann lifted a large chunk of debris with her mind and brought it down, crushing the figure.

"M'GANN, NO!" Kaldur shouted, too late. The team stared at her in horror.

Robin was in her face in an instant. "We don't know how things are done on Mars, but on Earth? We don't execute our captives!" he snarled.

A cool, knowing smile graced M'gann's lips. "You said you trust me." With a flick of her wrist, she lifted the debris, revealing the crushed remains beneath—a mess of sparking wires and shattered mechanics. "That's why I couldn't read his mind!" she declared, a note of vindication in her voice.

"Cool, souvenir!" Wally said, plucking a still-intact optical sensor from the scrap pile.

The tension shattered into collective relief. Kaldur approached and placed a calming hand on M'gann's shoulder. "I am sorry. We should have had more faith in you."

"Yeah! You ROCKED this mission—get it? Rocked. Heh." Wally gestured enthusiastically at the destroyed android and the scattered debris.

"Ignore him. We're all 'turbed' you're on the team," Robin said, the compliment clear in his tone despite the lack of a formal apology.

"Thanks, me too," M'gann replied, sheepishly scratching her cheek. "But you guys should be thanking Danny, really. He helped with... it."

°You shouldn't put yourself down like that,° Danny's voice echoed weakly in their minds. °I just said a few words. It was your courage that powered through and led the team.° A pained moan followed the thought. °Now get your sorry asses back on the Bio-Ship! My body is burning, and I, for one, require some serious medical attention!°

———

Danny was wheeled into the mission room by Conner, his face scrunched in misery. "Just carry me, big guy," he grumbled, hands shooting up in a grabby motion. "C'mon now, up up!"

Conner smiled, gently lifting Danny into a bridal carry. "I—I was just joking..." Danny mumbled, his face flushing.

Conner let out a victorious laugh, his face beaming. Danny's frozen expression thawed into a guffaw. "Alright!" He snuggled closer, leaning his head on Conner's pec. "Mmmnn... you sure are comfortable... Warm and fuzzy..." His breathy exhale warmed the clone's chin.

Conner snapped his head forward, walking rigidly towards the mission room where the rest of the team waited. Trying to ignore what Danny's breath was making him feel.

———

"Consider this matter closed," Red Tornado said, turning to leave.

"Batman, Aquaman, and Flash, they'd have jumped right in to fix things," Wally stated.

"Guess if we're gonna have a babysitter, a heartless machine is exactly what we need," Robin said, motioning towards Tornado.

Danny sent a small beam of ectoplasm that slapped the back of Robin's head. "Oof!"

"That's quite the rude comment."

"Dude! Harsh!"

Danny readied a larger, glowing green beam on his fingertip. "You wanna try again?" he glared.

"All valid concerns, but inaccurate," Red Tornado said, turning back. "I have a heart—carbon-steel alloy. I also have excellent hearing."

Wally winced.

"Hah. Right... Sorry I'll strive to be more accurate next time—," Robin said.

"Ahem..!" Danny coughed loudly, waggling his finger.

"—And, more respectful," Kaldur added, a hand on Robin's shoulder.

Tornado continued on his way.

"Speedy was SO wrong. This team thing?" Wally said, walking with Robin and Kaldur.

"Might just work out," Kaldur finished.

Conner followed but was stopped by Danny tapping his chest. Who motioned to the side with his head. He followed Danny's gaze to M'gann, who was waiting expectantly. 

"I'm sorry," Conner said softly. That made the Martian beam with a bright smile, she flew off with a spin.

Danny smiled, proud. As Conner moved to catch up to the others, Danny tugged him to stop.

"Hey? Conner?"

"Hm?"

Danny pulled Conner's face down and gave him a small peck on the cheek. "Consider that your reward for doing well today. For managing your emotions."

Conner was silent for a moment, a soft look on his face. "I-uh... Can I... get another one?" he asked shyly.

Danny laughed. "Okay, sure, but I'll do you one better!" He pulled Conner into a long kiss on the lips, which took the other by surprise.

"Mmghhfff~"

"Mmmn!"

He tasted amazing. Steady. Strong. It made his head spin. Conner's usually so rough outside, but who'd knew he'd be this soft of a kisser? Danny subconsciously gripped tighter, something that made him laugh inwardly—and who'd knew the usually selfless hero was this greedy? He pulled away with a shaky, airy breath, wiping stray saliva from Conner's bottom lip.

He giggled, his expression turning sultry. "I'd like to continue, but here isn't exactly... ethical, now is it?" Conner nodded, hypnotized from the moment they kissed. "Well..? What are you waiting for?"

"R-right!"

---

Later, in Conner's room, Conner grumbled as Danny lay using his chest as a pillow on the small bed. Well... He WASN'T complaining or anything.

"Pfft— Stop sulking, you big baby. I'm trying to enjoy your warmth." Despite the small bed, it felt spacious and cozy with Conner as his mattress.

"Hey..."

"...So—"

They spoke at the same time, leading to a back-and-forth before Danny nudged Conner to continue.

"What does this make us?" Conner asked.

"Oh? That's it? I thought it meant what it looked like?" Danny gave a quizzical look. "Do you... not want to?"

"No—NO! I mean— Yes, I want to! ... Would you want to..?" Conner frantically interjected.

"Then yes, big guy, I want to— be your boyfriend, that is." Danny gave him a sweet smile, locking their fingers together and pressing the back of Conner's hand to his cheek.

Conner looked dazed. "Is this a dream?"

"No, Conner, it isn't. A dream wouldn't feel like this. I'm a very real Danny. Unless...?"

"No. No! I would like it to stay this way."

"Hahaha! Alrighty, then. I'll stay here for the night."

Chapter Text

Mount Justice

August 3, 13:08 EDT

———

The mission to Santa Prisca had been a chain of near-disasters.

M’gann’s suspicious slip-up, the cave-in, Danny's unwanted nomination for leader—thankfully deflected by Kaldur’s steady presence—and the final, literal explosion that painted their efforts as barely-controlled chaos. The only bright spot had been Batman’s gruff, hard-won praise, a small ember of validation that the team was now huddled around in the mission room.

Danny, however, was far from the celebratory air hockey game. He was tucked into an ectoplasmic construct, a couch, just above the Holographic Air hockey game, a silent anchor for Conner. The clone’s trip to Metropolis had ended as it began: with a door shut in his face. Danny could feel the tension thrumming under Conner’s skin, a live wire of frustration and hurt.

"I thank whatever higher-powers looked down upon us. That mission run blew, both literally and figuratively," Danny grumbled, his voice muffled by Conner’s shirt. He wasn't just seeking comfort; he was giving it. He shifted closer, a deliberate press of his body, a solid and cool weight against Conner’s side.

"I'm here, baby. You're not alone in this." Danny whispered.

Conner responded by burying his face in Danny’s unruly hair, his breathing slowing just a fraction as he inhaled the other boy’s unique, ozone-and-frost scent.

"We did good! Batman even said so~" Wally boasted, chin held high as he crossed his arms.

Danny lifted his head just enough to be heard clearly, his tone dry. "He also heavily hinted that despite his praise, he wants us to make sure that each mission isn't always done with barely passable performance. I don't want to let that small inkling of his words go to your head!"

"Whatever! Aren't you just jealous you didn't get named leader—"

"OH HELL NO! HARD PASS!"

Danny twisted his whole body to level a glare at the speedster, who met it with a cool smirk. The movement was sharp, defensive. "I would rather not, really. Being leader would just force me to constantly micromanage and watch the lot of you guys, and I don't want to babysit a bunch of risk-responsible people. You guys can go do that in your own time." The words were harsh, but the underlying current was a bone-deep weariness. He’d had enough of responsibility in his past life; the weight of it still felt like a phantom crown, heavy and cold.

"You are way too strict on your criterion, Danny," Aqualad said from below, his voice a calm, low rumble meant to soothe.

"Y-yeah! Besides, we just became a team, and I thought you were all about teamwork?" M'gann added, though her gaze kept flickering to the two boys on the couch, her expression tinged with a green hue of envy. Ironic.

"That only applies when you guys don't immediately rush in! And by the way, I am still very VERY bitter about what happened with Mr. Twister—Which all of you still haven't thanked me for." He rolled his eyes, his lips curling in a genuine, if petty, discontent.

" 'oh thank you, Great Phantom! We are forever in your debt and in our favor,' " Wally mocked, bowing in languid, exaggerated motions.

A cruel, cold laugh escaped Danny, one he’d perfected in another life. His ectoplasm vibrated in his throat, layering his voice with a taunting reverberation and the dying whispers of forgotten spirits. "Hah! That's a new one, Wally, but it's a very fitting sight. You sure you weren't born to be a cute worshipper?"

The temperature in the room seemed to drop. "Oh... That is creepy, dude.." Wally shivered, his bravado faltering.

"Ahem!"

The sound cut through the room. Black Canary and Martian Manhunter stood at the entrance to the main hallway.

"Ready for training, everyone?" Black Canary asked to confirm, her voice firm.

"Black Canary. Uncle J'onn!" M'gann floated over to envelop J'onn in a hug. As the Martian placed a hand on her shoulder, Danny felt Conner stiffen beside him, his fists clenching as he watched the easy familial affection.

"M'gann, I was in the neighborhood so I thought I'd see how you were adjusting."

"A few bumps, but I'm learning."

"That is all I can ask."

Black Canary stepped towards the center of the training area, her movements slightly stilted as she tried to remove her coat, revealing a bandaged injury. "I consider it an honor to be your teacher. I'll throw a lot at you. Everything I've learned from my own mentor—" She groaned in pain. "—My own bruises."

Danny was moving before she finished speaking, a silent, fluid drift from the couch, from Conner, to her side. "Here, let me help with that." His hands, glowing with a soft, chartreuse light, hovered over the bandages. A steady, soothing flow of ectoplasm seeped into the wound, a coolness that fought the inflammation. It was an instinct, this need to mend what was broken.

"Thank you..." she muttered, giving him a grateful smile that he returned with a small, understanding one of his own.

"What happened?" M'gann asked, her voice laced with worry.

"The job. Now, combat is about controlling conflict, putting the battle on your terms. You should always be acting, never reacting. I'll need a sparring partner to demonstrate."

Wally's hand shot up, banana peel discarded on the floor. "Right here. Yeah! And after this... Swish." He motioned finger guns at her with a wink. "I'll show you my moves."

Black Canary's expression shifted into something devious. In a blur of motion, she struck, blocked, and swept Wally's legs out from under him, toppling him onto his back.

"Aah! Uh! O-ohhh, hurts so good."

"Good block," she said, helping him up. "But did anyone see what he did wrong?"

"Ooh, ooh! He hit on teacher and got served?" "He let himself get distracted by thirsting over you?" Robin and Danny chimed in simultaneously.

"Dudes!"

Black Canary shook her head. "He allowed me to dictate the terms of—"

"Oh, please." Conner’s voice was a low, skeptical rumble. He jumped from the couch and stood up, a tower of simmering frustration. "With my powers, the battle's always on my terms." He thumped a fist against his own chest, the sound dull and heavy. "I'm a living weapon, and this is a waste of my time."

"Let's not use that tone, Conner.. Nothing is ever a waste of time."

"Prove it."

Danny and Black Canary spoke at the same time. Danny’s words were soft, pleading, his face etched with a sad frown. The way Conner referred to himself as a thing, a weapon, made something in Danny’s core ache with a protective, sorrowful longing.

The direct challenge caught Conner off guard. He raised a brow, his gaze locking with Canary’s as he stalked forward, his movements all tightly-coiled power. Danny drifted back, giving them space to duel but keeping his worried eyes on Conner.

The fight was short and brutal. Conner led with a straightforward punch, which Canary effortlessly redirected into an overhead throw, slamming him onto the ground, it's alarms blaring a buzz of 'Fail'. He was back on his feet in a half-kneel in an instant, a guttural grunt tearing from his throat, teeth bared in raw anger.

"You're angry. Good, but don't react. Channel that anger into—"

He rushed her again, a blur of motion driven purely by emotion. She flowed over his shoulders and swept his legs out from under him once more.

"That's it! I'm done." He surged to his feet, his pride more bruised than his body.

"Training is mandatory." She reached for his shoulder, her touch meant to be grounding, but he flicked it away as if burned.

Danny was there in the next second, his own movement a quiet glide. He didn't grab or restrain; he simply took Conner’s hand, his cool fingers lacing with the clone’s warm, trembling ones. It was a tether. Conner’s grip tightened, and he pulled Danny into a brief, desperate hug, hiding his face in the smaller boy’s shoulder.

"You okay..?" Danny whispered, his voice for Conner alone. The angry mask had melted away, leaving only a deeply dissatisfied hurt. " ... Still hurt about what happened earlier?"

A tight, jerky nod was the only answer.

Black Canary watched, her expression softening with regret. "I apologize—"

A holographic flash interrupted her. Batman’s cowl filled the screen.

"Batman to the cave."

———

Litchfield County

August 3, 20:08 EDT

———

"Motor squad, You are a Go." Batman's gruff voice echoed in their comms.

Engines roared to life, a chorus of mechanical power. Danny settled behind Conner on the motorcycle, his arms wrapping around the clone’s waist. He held on not for stability, but for connection, a silent promise that their earlier tension was forgiven, even if not forgotten. The group segregated into 2 parts, 3 members each, and followed their mission objectives.

"If dislike is the opposite of like, is disaster the opposite of aster? See, instead of things going wrong, they go right." Robin’s motorcycle kept pace with theirs, his attempt at small talk cutting through the rumble.

"Hey, Rob?" Danny's voice was clear over the comm.

"Yeah?"

"What is with you and the opposite of words?" The question held no malice, only a genuine, curious warmth.

"Just a bright mind reeling from all the words that get thrown around by the villains, why do you ask?"

"Nothing. Just curious." Danny hummed, and with a cheeky squeeze to Conner’s side, he tried to inject a little lightness into the other boy’s rigid posture. Conner gently slapped the hands away, a silent request for space. "Ow..." Danny whined softly, the sound more playful than pained.

They rode in silence for a moment before Robin tried again. "So, uh, clearly you're not feeling the aster. What's wrong?" he asked Conner.

"Yeah, what's wrong, Conny?" Danny tried the new nickname, relieved when Conner’s shoulders relaxed a fraction.

" ... Canary," Conner muttered, his gaze fixed on the road ahead. "what business does she have teaching combat skills to a guy with super strength?" The question was laced with a deep-seated insecurity, a belief that his only value was raw power.

"Taking down stronger guys is part of the gig. Canary learned that the hard way. Same with Batman and well, me," Robin stated, his tone matter-of-fact.

"Huh? Are you seriously that shallow, Conner?" Danny’s voice held a note of disbelief. He leaned forward, his words meant for Conner’s ear alone. "You do realize just punching through tough situations won't get you very far. Even I still bother with training, Conner!" It was less a criticism and more a plea for him to see his own potential.

He felt Conner’s entire body go taut.

"Why are you fighting with me?!" Conner’s voice was a raw shout of anger as he suddenly accelerated, the bike surging forward and leaving Robin behind in a spray of gravel and a trail of red.

"I am not fighting with you! You know it isn't like that!" Danny defended, his own frustration beginning to simmer.

"Then what is it?! Another thing wrong about me? Another thing missing? Another thing you want to fix?!"

The words were a physical blow. Fix him? When had he ever tried to fix him? The accusation stung, poisoning Danny’s well-intentioned worry.

"God and Ancient's sake, Conner, No! Why are you—"

"THEN WHAT IS IT!" The scream was so full of pain it made Danny flinch back, his grip loosening.

"It's— the fact that— why— UGH! Just whatever! You want to know what it is?! Well, here you go!" Hurt and anger overriding sense, Danny’s form flickered and he launched himself backward off the moving motorcycle, landing lightly on the air beside a wide-eyed Robin.

"DANNY!" Conner’s stomach plummeted. He whipped his head around, a terrified scream tearing from his throat, only to see the halfa floating safely, his expression a mix of fury and hurt.

"I—I'm sor-"

"Keep your eyes on the Damn road! Don't even look at me. Don't even think about talking to me." Danny’s voice was ice, the chill carrying over the comms.

Conner’s face crumpled. He opened his mouth to protest.

"I said don't!" Danny snapped, the finality in his tone leaving no room for argument.

Conner’s jaw snapped shut. He turned back to the road, his posture slumping in defeat, a picture of utter dejection.

A beat of silence.

"So, uhhh, trouble in paradise?" Robin ventured, his gaze flicking between the flying Danny and the retreating Conner.

"Stop acting coy. You heard all of it." Danny sighed, the sound heavy with his own hurt. Fix him? The idea was absurd. He just wanted Conner to see his own worth, to understand that he was more than his DNA.

And that comment about Canary... It offended Danny on a fundamental level. His entire career as a vigilante was a testament to the fact that power alone meant nothing without control, without skill. He’d learned that the hard way, alone, until Ellie—

•••

Oh.

•••

The memory of his little clone, of the guidance he’d tried to give her, washed over him. The anger drained from him, replaced by a wave of profound understanding and loneliness. 

•••

He shouldn't have been so quick to anger. 

•••

He missed Ellie.

•••

With his guilt already overflowing, threatening to eat him alive, he sped up, flying until he was level with Conner’s motorcycle. The clone was trying to maintain a stony facade and kept his gaze in-front of him, but his white-knuckled grip on the handles and the tense line of his shoulders betrayed him.

" ... Hey... Conner?" Danny’s voice was small, all his pride swallowed by guilt.

Conner flinched, then straightened up, muscles tensing further. He failed to hold the silence. "Y-yeah..?"

"I'm sorry—" Danny began, but Conner cut him off, his voice rushed and thick with regret.

"No, No! You shouldn't. I... I should be the one saying sorry! I didn't mean—"

Before he could finish, a swarm of green, robotic monkeys ascended from the corn stalks, latching onto the moving truck.

Guess their heart-to-heart would have to wait.

"Monkey robots swarming the objective!" Danny relayed, his hero instincts snapping back into place.

"I saw. Robot monkeys! Ha ha! Totally Ivo's tweaked style. Swat them off before they capsize the truck!" Robin ordered.

"Already on it!" Danny’s hands became a blur, firing rapid ectoplasmic beams from his fingertips like a shotgun barrage, disintegrating the mechanical pests.

"I hate monkeys..." Conner drawled, his voice dripping with a venom so potent it was almost comical.

"Conner, babe, I love you, truly, I do, even after that fight, but please don't say it like that!" Danny yelped.

"Huh?" Conner shot him a confused look, but the pet name made his face visibly brighten.

"Oh.. uh, nevermind..." Danny muttered, feeling a flush creep up his neck. Conner had no idea what that goofy face of innocent joy made Danny feel. "Just focus on the monkeys!"

"Superboy! Switch your ride to battle mode!" Robin commanded.

"No point—" Conner started to grumble.

Danny loudly cleared his throat over the comms, a sound that very clearly said, Don't you dare. Conner sighed. "... Alright."

Danny landed on the roof of the truck, his form becoming a whirlwind of destruction and intangibility as he phased through swarms of monkeys. One group bypassed him entirely, charging toward the two motorcycles.

"Oh shit! Watch out!"

"Arghh!" Conner screamed, his hands flying to his face as twin lasers seared his eyes. His motorcycle swerved and crashed. It slid towards Robin's Motorcycle, crashing into his ride.

In a flash, Danny was there. Ectoplasm surged from his hands, forming a wide, flexible shield for Robin and a gentle, cradling construct that caught Conner mid-fall. "I've got you both! Cover for me, Robin, while I try healing Conner."

"On it!" Robin leaped nimbly onto the shield Danny provided, using it as a springboard. Danny lowered him to the truck's roof, his free hand already molding a new construct—a cool, soothing, eyeless green domino mask that he carefully placed over Conner’s burned eyes.

"You okay, baby?"

A pained grunt was his answer.

"Good." Danny sped up, landing solidly on the truck beside Robin. He stretched his hands out, and a massive net of ectoplasm erupted, enveloping the entire now-stopped truck and ensnaring the remaining monkey-bots in a glowing, sticky web.

"Now, Robin! While they're stuck!"

Robin didn't need telling twice. He sliced through the restrained robots with ruthless efficiency until the last one fizzled into silence.

"Whew!" Robin stretched, a grin on his face. "You, Phantom, are the MVP of this mission!"

A ping came from their comms. "Aqualad to Phantom, Robin, and Superboy. We've lost our Cargo. Did you—"

"No, surprisingly. Thanks to Phantom, our objective is still safe and secured."

"What?!" Wally’s surprised shout crackled through the comm. "Awh, man! Total bummer."

Danny recoiled from disbelief, why the hell is this guy sad that we protected our parts?? "Excuse me, but what the hell are you trying to say by that reaction?" His voice was flat and dangerous.

"Ooooh.... Forgot you were on this comm line."

"Excuse you?! Oh, Kid Flash, I will DOGWALK you when training session comes. And don't expect any healing after it."

"Didn't exactly count on it, you tyrant." Wally’s retort was weak, but it got a genuine laugh from Danny.

M'gann’s sigh was audible. "If this professor is still alive, he always seems to be two steps ahead of us... M-maybe we should contact Red Tornado?"

"M'gann, no," Danny interjected, his tone firm but not unkind. "He will literally not help unless it is something we cannot handle, and the situation still seems pretty manageable. We just need to find the rest of the parts while keeping ours safe."

"That's a great plan!" Wally drawled. "Except for the part about us not knowing where to look!"

"Strike two, Kid. Make your next snark count," Danny warned, a playful threat lacing his words.

"Hold that thought," Robin interrupted, kneeling beside a deactivated monkey-bot. "Maybe we do." He removed the cover and plugged a wire into its back panel.

"We'd have heard by now if the decoy trucks had been attacked. So how did these monkeys know exactly which truck to target?" A holographic screen materialized from his wrist. "Hah! The parts have GPS! I can track the signal. And looks like the other set of parts are closing in on... Gotham City." His voice wavered on the city’s name, a flicker of dread crossing his features.

"That far south? M'gann and I won't get there anytime soon. I'm sending Kid on ahead to meet you—" Aqualad began.

"Hold that thought," Danny cut in. "Just send your coordinates to me. I can fly way faster than Kid can run. I'll come get you myself. So we can bust this Ivo together."

A chorus of Wally's surprised "What?!" and the team's "Huh?"s echoed over the comm, except Conner, who simply stood by Danny’s side, quietly pressing apologetic kisses to the back of his hand, eyes focused on Danny

That made him sigh dreamily. 

"Ahem... I know, surprising, seeing as how slow I usually fly, but you'll get the explanation later. After the mission is done."

"Oh, that is so not fair..." Wally grumbled. "You have all of your powers; a versatile psychic-like ability, super strength, insane durability, and now supersonic flight?!"

"I can fly way past the speed of light, actually, but that's only if I am in an environment capable of supporting the conditions," Danny said vaguely. Conditions like being inside the realms, but he won't tell them that. Not exactly the time.

" ... Yeah, yeah,, okay, you're basically a God-like super, I get it!" Wally rolled his eyes, unseen by Danny.

"Just send the cords, Kaldur," Danny said, ending the debate.

"Alright. Sending you the coordinates now."

———

Gotham City

August 3, 21:21 EDT

———

"So, why exactly are we using Gotham City Academy as the baiting grounds?" Robin asked, a strange, unplaceable tension in his voice.

°Just a hunch. Plus, we're near the place Ivo was headed, right? A big-win—large-lose situation. We either get all the parts because Ivo is coming here personally, or we get our first "mission failed" because we don't defend the remaining parts well enough. Seems like a pretty good gamble to me.° Danny spoke through the newly-established mental link as he wove thick veils of shimmering ectoplasm over the gymnasium windows, and sturdy chains on the doors. °Don't forget to link up, we need the element of surprise here.°

The team connected their minds, a cacophony of focused thoughts. But their preparation was for naught. With a deafening explosion, a section of the wall burst inward, bypassing all their barriers.

Standing in the dust and rubble was a small, ginger man in a befitting outfit. And behind him... Danny’s jaw dropped. Goodness, when does the absurdity of this world end.

"Oh, you have got to be— HE'S GOT A SPARE?!" Danny’s shrill scream of disbelief echoed in the cavernous room.

"Not really, no. Zephyr is no Amazo, but it will have to do." Ivo said, his voice squeaky-pinched and smug. "Now, now. I don't usually attend these things in person, but I do still need Amazo's parts for my plans." He pointed a dismissive finger at Danny and Conner. "Zephyr, end them, Priority Alpha."

The tall, lean robot—Zephyr—extended a hand. Its palm split open, revealing an arm cannon that crackled with a familiar, terrifying blue energy. Electricity. Conner’s body seized in recognition, but his instinct was faster than his fear. He threw himself in front of Danny, taking the full blast to his back.

"AGHHH!!!" The surge of pain was immense, but the memory of Danny convulsing against Mr. Twister’ attack was a more powerful motivator than any electricity. He would not let Danny suffer like that again.

"CONNER! Are you okay?!" Danny cried out. Conner only nodded, his face a mask of agony, but he remained standing, a shield between Danny and the robot. Danny immediately enveloped them in a dome of solid ectoplasm, the electric attacks fizzling against its surface.

"Hey... Hey! It's okay, I got you, just stay still..." Danny’s voice was a frantic whisper as he pressed his hands against Conner’s back, pouring concentrated, cooling ectoplasm into the scorched tissue.

°Uhh, guys? A little help here! GUYS!° Danny screamed through the mental link.

°Me and M'gann are currently restrained! The monkey bots caught us by surprise!° Kaldur’s thought was strained.

°Robin and I aren't!° Wally added.

°Then what the hell are you two doing dilly-dallying? Get out here and help us!°

°We'd love to, cutie tyrant, but we're also under blast by this Zephyr bot!° Wally said, his words punctuated by the sound of him sliding under a energy ray.

°HEY! Don't flirt with him!° Conner’s threatening growl reverberated through the mind-link, fierce even through his pain.

°Okay, Jeez, I get it! Not like I'd get a chance with him anytime soon. Well, at least not with your possessive guarding. Unfortunately for Danny, You're shielding your good friend from a worthwhile time with me~° Wally’s cheeky provocation was a step too far. Friend? Was he truly that oblivious?

°Friend? FRIEND?! I—° Conner’s mental roar was cut off as Danny gently bumped his chest with a fist.

"Let him draw his own conclusions. We don't need his big mouth making nonsense about us anytime soon," Danny shook his head and whispered, his voice firm.

Conner subsided, grumbling.

Danny switched back to the link. °Okay, you're good to go, Conner. On three, you guys charge straight towards Ivo, okay? Don't mind me and the Robot. I can protect myself, and draw its attention.°

Robin and Wally acknowledged—They burst from their hiding spots, a coordinated strike force heading straight for the smirking Ivo. The professor’s languid posture vanished, replaced by a frantic scramble to avoid Robin’s grapple. "ZEPHYR! Protect your master, priority al—"

THWACK!

A blunt, green-tailed arrow smacked squarely into the back of his head, dropping him like a stone. The arrow bounced and landed near Robin's feet. The robot, seeing its creator fall, surged forward to protect him. But Danny was faster. Whips of ectoplasm, chilled with cryokinesis, snaked out and wrapped around its limbs and head, freezing it in place.

"Help me disassemble it, now!" Robin yelled, rushing forward.

"Dude, it's frozen," Wally said, gesturing at the immobilized bot.

"Don't take any chances!" Aqualad agreed, joining them.

"I agree with that wholeheartedly! Still pretty scared this thing can fry me at any moment," Danny admitted, maintaining his hold.

"So Godlike stats, but super vulnerable to volts? Lame." Wally jabbed, unknowingly touching a nerve. Danny let it go. Now wasn't the time... But only if he knew.

"Danny, are you alright?"

"Conner! Are you alright?"

Conner and M'gann asked in unison. The Martian reached out to touch Conner’s arm, her concern evident... Hm. Danny raised a brow but said nothing. Thankfully, Conner subtly pulled away from her touch, his focus entirely on scanning Danny for any sign of injury.

Heh.

M'gann, darling, I may love you as a family, but back off. This family-bond ain't deep enough for that type of drama.

"Yeah, I'm fine, Conner, not even a singe." Danny’s smile was a bright, genuine thing, and it coaxed a soft, answering smile from Conner. "What about you, bubs?" he added, the pet name deliberate and intimate. What a low blow for Danny, but the pet name and moment should be enough to deter the still-trying girl.

"I-i uh. Huh.. Hm..."

M'gann’s face fell, a flash of hurt in her eyes before she masked it. A small, uncharitable part of Danny felt a nasty spike of satisfaction. He had learned about her crush on Conner in the meantime, which wasn't that hard to spot, especially since her sprees of... Misplaced advances.

Conner chuckled, blissfully unaware of the silent exchange. "I'm fine. Just feeling the aster."

That made Danny sigh in fond exasperation. "Oh my... God and Ancient's, Conner, don't encourage Robin."

"Hey. Where did Ivo go?" Wally pointed at the empty space where the unconscious professor had been.

A churning beat of silence...

Shit! Where DID he go?!

A cold dread settled in Danny’s stomach. He was gone.

———

Mount Justice

August 4, 01:06 EDT

———

"The Amazo android, as well as a new type; Zephyr, is now in pieces again. Safely being analyzed at two separate STAR Labs," Aqualad reported to the League members assembled in the cave. "But Ivo escaped, and since he originated the tech, he's arguably more dangerous than the Androids." The unsatisfied look on his face was mirrored by every young hero.

"Capturing the professor will be a League priority," Black Canary assured them.

"But we understand your mission encountered other... Complications," Martian Manhunter added.

Batman stepped forward, his presence commanding silence. "And complications come with the job. Your ability to handle them has impressed the League."

"The whole League?" Conner asked, his voice hopeful but cautious.

Batman’s scowl was unwavering, but he did not dismiss the question. " ... Given time, yes. Kryptonians, as you know, have very hard heads." A ghost of a smirk touched Conner’s lips. He glanced at Danny and winked, who gave an unimpressed eye-roll that couldn't hide the fond smile that was already splitting his face into two.

"Of course, there's no shame in asking for help. That is why the League exists, because there are some problems even we can't handle individually."

"Please," Robin cut in, his tone dripping with dismissal. "If we needed help, we'd never get the chance to ask!" He produced an arrow from his belt—the one that had knocked out Ivo. "Look familiar?"

Batman took it, inspecting it for a moment before handing it to Green Arrow.

"You were following us, babysitting! You still don't trust us."

Green Arrow pulled an identical arrow from his own quiver, comparing the two. "We didn't follow you," Batman stated, his arms crossed.

Robin saw the subtle differences and paused, his anger deflating into hope. "And that's not your arrow... But that means—"

"Speedy!" Wally exclaimed.

"He has our backs,"Kaldur finished, his mood visibly lifting.

"I don't know who this Speedy guy is," Danny said, allowing a small pool of ectoplasm to form in his palm before crushing it with a force that made the energy explode and vanish with a sharp crack. "But if he ever needs anyone decimated, you should tell him to hit me up. Anyone that helps us is cool on my part."

The gathered adults (save for the implacable Batman, who only raised an eyebrow, and Red Tornado, who could feel no fear) winced almost in unison. They had no desire to be on the receiving end of that power.

Wally snatched the outlier arrow from Green Arrow. "Thank you! Souvenir for the mission!"

Danny’s attention, however, was on Conner. He watched as the clone approached Black Canary, hesitated, and began to turn away. Danny gave a small, encouraging shake of his head and mouthed, 'Go on!' It was all the push Conner needed. He cleared his throat, drawing her attention.

"... I'm ready."

Canary hummed in approval, a small, proud smile gracing her lips.

 "Good. Because I'm here."

•••

••

•

Chapter Text

Mount Justice

August 8, 09:58 EDT

———

The sun over Happy Harbor beach was a generous, forgiving warmth, not the harsh glare of a mission’s spotlight. Danny stretched his toes in the sand, feeling each granule shift beneath him. This was a different kind of ache—the pleasant weariness of a body at rest, not the bone-deep fatigue that followed from the close call with the Zephyr bot.

M’gann floated a few inches above her towel, her face tilted to the sky. “Hello, Megan. We should hit the beach every day!” she exclaimed, gesturing to the gentle, rolling waves that whispered against the shore.

Robin, perched on a rock like a sunbathing gargoyle, adopted a theatrically solemn expression. “First, a moment of silence for our absent comrade.”

The group fell quiet, the only sounds the cry of gulls and the shushing sea. After a count of three, the solemnity shattered.

“Poor Wally,” Danny cackled, his grin wide and mischievous. “He misses his once-in-a-lifetime chance to realize his dream—to see us in wonderful skin-showing swimwear.” He nudged M’gann, who caught on and giggled, a light, bubbling sound.

They were all in various states of undress, a collage of sunscreen and bright fabric. Danny, for his part, had opted for comfort over exhibition: a loose, white tank top that billowed in the salt-tinged breeze, and dark shorts that were, admittedly, a bit snug. He rationalized it as practicality—easier to move in if needed—but a small, vain part of him, the part that remembered awkward high school years, appreciated the way Conner’s eyes kept drifting to him.

Currently, he was perched on Conner’s broad shoulders, a vantage point he claimed with casual ownership. Conner’s hands, large and warm, settled on his thighs, thumbs tracing idle circles.

“Baby, stop squishing my thighs!” Danny slapped at the clone’s hands, not with force, but with a playful scold that held no real heat.

“But they feel so nice,” Conner murmured, the words vibrating through his chest and into Danny’s legs. He leaned his head back, his dark hair brushing against Danny’s stomach. There was a contentment in his posture that was still new, a loosening of the constant tension that usually held him like a coiled spring.

Danny sighed, a sound full of fond exasperation. “Thank you, but we’re here to enjoy the beach, not be frisky. So stop for a moment.”

Conner chuckled, a low, warm rumble. He didn’t remove his hands, but his grip gentled into a simple, steadying hold. “No squishing,” he agreed, his thumbs now just resting, a point of grounding heat. They continued to move, now tapping with the palm.

When Danny tried to grab the offending hands, Conner jostled him lightly, making him yelp and grab onto the clone’s head for balance. “Ah-ah! You said no squishing, not no patting.”

“Alright, okay,” Danny laughed, the sound bright and clear. “If you don’t want to listen… then I guess you just need some discipline! Put me down, or else..!” The threat was empty, dripping with amusement.

Conner craned his neck to look up at him, sunlight catching the flecks of blue in his eyes. “Or else what?” he drawled, the challenge a low, playful purr.

Oh, playing the hard game, are we? Danny thought, a spark of mischief lighting inside him. His form flickered, becoming insubstantial as smoke, and he phased effortlessly out of Conner’s grasp, floating just out of reach. The sea breeze felt cooler on his suddenly intangible skin.

“Or else you get no ‘happy hour’ time with me!” he declared, hovering like a teasing specter.

Conner’s laugh boomed across the sand, a genuine, unguarded sound that made several nearby birds take flight. He lowered into a slight crouch, his gaze turning intense, a smolder that was both a joke and a promise. “I’m giving you two options,” he said, his voice dropping to a husky register. “You either fly down here yourself, and I don’t get cut from my happy hour… or I snatch you and prove to you that you’re the one who needs it.”

Danny felt a familiar flutter in his chest, a mix of affection and thrilling anticipation. He slowly lowered himself, his feet sinking into the warm sand as he solidifed. “Okay, okay! I’ll fly down!” He stepped into Conner’s waiting space. “But we both know you’re the one who benefits most from it.”

Conner’s smirk was triumphant. He pinched Danny’s side, making him yelp and squirm. “Ahh! You little—”

His protest was cut off as Conner captured his mouth in a brief, sweet kiss. It was over before it could deepen, a soft press of lips that tasted like salt and sunshine. “Hah… fine,” Danny breathed, a soft smile touching his lips. “You win this round.”

With a whoop of pure joy, Conner lifted him, hands secure around his waist, and spun him around. The world became a blur of blue sky, golden sand, and Conner’s brilliant, carefree smile. Danny laughed, a sound of pure, unburdened happiness, as Conner launched him gently into the air a few times before setting him back on his feet, steadying him with hands that never seemed to want to let go.

The sight of Conner like this—uncomplicatedly happy, human in his delight—made something in Danny’s core soften and melt. It was a victory more precious than any mission success.

“Hey, Baby?” Danny said, his voice quieter now.

“Hmm?” Conner was still looking at him, that soft smile lingering.

“You should smile more in public. Your smile is really wonderful, and the sun makes it look stunning…” Danny felt a faint heat rise to his own cheeks. He wasn’t usually so openly sentimental, but the moment felt right, insulated by the sound of the waves and the warmth between them.

Conner blinked. His smile faltered, replaced by a look of stunned, flustered surprise. His cheeks flushed a faint pink, and he stammered, soundless for a moment before managing a choked, “I—you—uh…”

Danny grinned, the awkwardness endearing. “Yeah, yeah, recover in your own time. But now is not that time!” He grabbed Conner’s hand, his own cool against the clone’s warmth, and dragged the still-rebooting super-teen toward the water. With a delighted squeal, he splashed into the shallows, the cool shock a perfect contrast to the sun.

“GUYS! Let’s go! The water is just right!” he called, waving to Robin, M’gann, and Kaldur, who were lounging further up the beach.

The afternoon dissolved into a cacophony of laughter and playful shouts. They made enormous splashes that soaked unsuspecting sunbathers (mostly Robin), played a chaotic game of beach ball that involved more super-powered leaps than rules, and built an elaborate, doomed sandcastle that Kaldur designed with architectural seriousness. They took turns at the portable grill, with M’gann enthusiastically, if mistakenly, using her telekinesis to flip burgers into the stratosphere.

The crowning achievement was burying Conner in a mountain of sand, leaving only his head exposed. Danny took particular, smug delight in this, appointing himself chief caretaker to the immobilized clone. He fed Conner slices of chilled watermelon, held a juice box to his lips, gently wiped a trickle of sweat from his temple with the edge of his tank top, and massaged his scalp with careful fingers. But mostly, he just sat beside him, running his fingers through Conner’s sun-warmed hair, his gaze soft with a love so vast and quiet it felt like its own kind of force.

Too bad Wally isn’t here, Danny mused, a mischievous part of him missing the speedster’s dramatic reactions to their displays. He makes such a good audience.

———

“Recognized: Kid Flash, B-0-3.”

The announcement echoed in the cave. A moment later, Wally West skidded into the mission room, a surfboard under one arm and a brightly colored beach ball in hand. He was decked out in garish floral trunks and a loose shirt. “The wall-man is here! Now let’s get the party star—” His foot caught on the tip of the surfboard. With a comical “Oof!” he went down hard, skidding across the polished floor to land at the feet of two very un-beach-like figures: Batman and Red Tornado. The beach ball bounced merrily past them.

“—ted,” he finished weakly, looking up at the stoic heroes.

From his spot floating near the training area, where he’d been idly practicing shaping ectoplasm into sea creatures, Danny chuckled. “Sorry Wally, but I believe you’re a bit too many hours late.” He drifted down, his Phantom form solidifying as he offered a hand.

“Wall-man, huh?” a new, dryly amused voice cut in. A girl with blonde hair tied in a ponytail stood with her arms crossed, a quiver on her back. “I love the uniform. What exactly are your powers?”

Wally took Danny’s hand, accepting the help up and the subtle, cool wave of healing energy that seeped into his scraped chest. “Thanks, sugar…” he whispered, a quick, instinctive flirt that earned a warning glare from across the room where Conner was. Wally turned his attention to the new girl, his brow furrowed. “Uh, who’s this?”

“She’s Artemis, our new teammate!” Danny said brightly, stepping between them with a friendly smile.

“Artemis, your new teammate,” the girl stated, her tone cool, her gaze assessing Wally with undisguised skepticism.

“Thanks, sugar…” Wally muttered again to Danny, before addressing Artemis. “Kid Flash. Never heard of you.”

Green Arrow stepped forward, placing a reassuring hand on Artemis’s shoulder. “Um, she’s my new protégé.”

“What happened to your old one?” Wally asked, oblivious to the tension he was poking.

“Recognized: Speedy, B-0-6.”

The Zeta-tubes flared again. The figure that emerged was older, sharper than any of them remembered. He wore a red chestplate over a black suit, a domino mask, and a brace on one arm. His expression was closed-off, a wall of simmering resentment.

“Well, for starters,” the newcomer said, his voice a low gravel, “he doesn’t go by Speedy anymore.”

“Oh, so you’re the mysterious Speedy Robin, Aqualad, and Robin had been talking about!” Danny floated forward, his demeanor open and welcoming despite the chill in the air. “Nice to meet you. I’m Phantom, also known as Danny in civvies.” He offered a hand.

The man’s grip was firm, brief. “Call me Red Arrow,” he said, his eyes already moving past Danny.

“Alright, Red Arrow,” Danny nodded, withdrawing his hand and taking a slight step back, reading the room.

“Roy! You look—” Green Arrow began, his voice tinged with a complicated warmth.

“Replaceable,” Roy interrupted, the word a bullet. He brushed past Danny, moving to stand directly in front of his former mentor.

“It’s not like that. You told me you were going solo,” Green Arrow said, the excuse sounding thin even to his own ears.

“So why waste time finding a sub?” Roy’s gaze flicked to Artemis, dismissive and cold. “Can she even use that bow?”

“Yes, she can,” Artemis replied, her voice level, but her knuckles were white where she gripped her own arm.

“Who even are you?”

“I’m his niece.”
“She’s my niece.”

The simultaneous reply from Artemis and Green Arrow was a beat too quick, too rehearsed. Danny’s eyes narrowed slightly. A bit practiced, he thought.

“Another niece?” Robin muttered under his breath, skepticism clear on his face.

“But she’s not your replacement,” Kaldur interjected smoothly, stepping forward with his usual diplomatic grace. “We’ve always wanted you on the team, and we have no quota on Archers.” He spread his hands in a gesture of inclusion.

“And if we did,” Wally added with a weak attempt at his old camaraderie, “you know who we’d pick.”

“Ahem.” Danny cleared his throat, the sound gentle but carrying. All eyes turned to him. “I know you’re old friends and all, but isn’t it a bit too rude to treat her like she's not even here? Even if she wasn’t the first pick, at least treat her with some modesty.” He shook his head, his disapproval quiet but firm.

Artemis’s shoulders lost a fraction of their tension. “Thanks,” she murmured, almost to herself. “At least someone here isn’t prejudiced…”

“Don’t mention it,” Danny said, offering her a small, encouraging smile.

“Good for you, you got a backup to help weigh your position,” Roy snarked, his bitterness twisting his words.

Danny’s lips thinned. “I rescind what I said. He’s getting no favors from me.”

“Whatever, Baywatch,” Artemis shot back, finding her footing. “I’m here to stay.”

Kaldur’s calm voice cut through the brewing argument. “You came to us for a reason.” It wasn’t a question.

Roy’s posture shifted, the personal anger banked for professional focus. “Yeah. A reason named Dr. Serling Roquette.”

That name ignited a spark in Robin. He tapped his wrist computer, and holographic windows bloomed in the air. “Nanorobotics genius and claytronics expert at Royal University in Star City—vanished two weeks ago!”

“Abducted two weeks ago,” Roy corrected, his tone grim. “By the League of Shadows.”

“Whoa! You want us to rescue her from the Shadows?” “Hardcore!” Robin and Wally shared a quick, excited handshake.

“What’s this League of Shadows?” Danny asked, his brow furrowed. The name meant nothing to him, but the reaction of the others suggested it should. His question hung in the air, unanswered. He clicked his tongue in quiet frustration. Selective hearing when the moment calls for them, he thought, forcing himself to take a slow breath. Calm down. Don’t let it compound.

“I already rescued her,” Roy stated, dousing their excitement. He walked to the holoscreens and pulled a small switch from his vest. A new series of images appeared: schematics of swirling, silvery particles. “Only one problem. The Shadows had already coerced her into creating a weapon.” He launched into a technical explanation of the Fog, its purpose, its terrifying capability for data theft and disintegration.

“Perfect for extortion, manipulation, power-broking,” Artemis summarized, cutting him off with an air of casual knowledge. “Yeah, sounds like the Shadows.”

Wally’s eyes narrowed and shot her a condescending smirk, hands on his hips. “Like you know anything about the Shadows.”

She snarked with her own condescending smirk.

His stance quickly faded into a frustrated confusion. "Who are you?!” he exclaimed, his frustration boiling over.

“Again—” Danny’s voice was firmer now, a thread of ice in it. “—what exactly are the Shadows?”

“Nothing much,” Wally said, turning to Danny with a theatrical shrug. “Just an organization ruled by Ra’s al Ghul, sugarplum.” The pet name was a deliberate needle, and it hit its mark. Conner, who had been a silent, brooding presence, let out a low, warning growl.

But the name ‘Ra’s al Ghul’ echoed in Danny’s mind, connecting to half-remembered voice of Clockwork. “Is this Ra’s… possibly involved with something called the Lazarus Pits?”

“Lazarus? Like the biblical figure?” Wally shrugged, giving Danny a slow, flirtatious wink. “Don’t think I’ve heard of it, babe.”

Across the room, Batman, who had been a statue of silent observation, went perfectly still. The lines of his cowl seemed to deepen, though the movement was invisible to the others.

“You watch your mouth, pickings,” Conner snarled, taking a step forward, his hands clenching into fists. “Or do you have a death wish?”

“Not really doing anything here, am I?” Wally met his gaze, hands on his hips in a deliberately provocative stance. “Still, Danny could do a whole lot better than you—take me, for example.”

“Why you—?!”

“I think,” Danny’s voice cut through sharply, not loud, but carrying a weight that silenced the room. He was biting his lip, his gaze inward, troubled. “I think I may have something that will interest the… the League, maybe? Not a thing, but information you’d probably want to know.”

“Shoot away, kid,” Green Arrow said, his curiosity piqued.

Danny took a steadying breath. The words felt dangerous. “Does the League know Ra’s is colluding with Luthor and Cadmus?”

A collective jolt went through the team. A chorus of surprised exclamations filled the cave—everyone except Batman, who remained an unmoving monument.

“Negative. I do not have such recollection in my database,” Red Tornado intoned.

“No,” Green Arrow said slowly, his skepticism warring with concern. “Or at least, I don’t think so. I’ve never heard of any of this… Why do you say so, Danny?”

Shit, Danny thought, panic licking at his insides. I should have brought this up later. “The— uhm…” He scrambled, his mind racing. How to explain the connection between Ra’s, Luthor, ectoplasm, and his own past without unraveling everything?

He felt trapped, not by the others, but by the secret he carried. The cave walls seemed to press in. “As you know,” he began, haltingly, “I am also a rescue from Cadmus—just like Conner.” He gestured between them. “What you probably didn’t know is that I… was kinda… the special priority? Even during Project Kr—Conner’s creation.”

“Special priority how? And why?” It was Batman who spoke now, his voice a low rumble that demanded attention. He had taken a step closer, his focus entirely on Danny.

“I don’t know, on both questions, really,” Danny admitted, his discomfort growing under the weight of that gaze. He looked around, at his friends’ confused faces, at Conner’s worried frown. He felt exposed. “Though I—uh—I, uhm… Huh…” The words tangled in his throat, caught on the truth he couldn’t speak.

Batman watched him for a long, silent moment. “Danny will be exempted from this mission,” he declared, his tone leaving no room for argument. “I will require him for thorough questioning.”

“What?! But he—” Conner started, protective anger flaring.

“—Is urgently needed for this,” Batman cut him off, his gaze never leaving Danny. “The answers he provides may give me a proper lead, or at the very least, an idea. This is urgent for reasons I cannot disclose.”

“But he’s our greatest trump card!” Robin protested, his tactical mind overriding his usual deference. “He’s the team’s best powerhouse! The team’s fighting capability is decent, but Danny is our fallback if anything major happens!” It wasn’t a lack of faith; it was the cold calculus of risk, and Phantom was their most reliable safety net.

“That is no excuse,” Batman stated, unmoved. “You shouldn’t rely too much on his abilities when the other members themselves can cover.”

“I said as a fall—”

“Enough. That is an order.” The finality in Batman’s voice brooked no further debate. Robin fell silent, frustration etched on his face.

Danny shifted awkwardly. “So… uh?”

“You will stay.” Batman gave him a single, curt nod. It was a dismissal and a command. Danny felt a flicker of gratitude mixed with dread. Thanks for reading between the lines, big man-bat, he thought, even though I’m not sure what you read.

“Moving on,” Roy said, turning the group’s attention back to himself. “Roquette is working on a virus to render the Fog inert.”

Robin, forcing his mind back to the mission, picked up the thread. “But if the Shadows know she can do that—”

“They’ll target her,” Roy finished, pulling up a new image on the holoscreen: a schematic of a large, modern building. “I stashed her at the local high school’s computer lab.”

“You left her alone?” Green Arrow’s disbelief was palpable.

“She’s safe enough for now,” Roy said defensively.

“Then let’s you and I keep her that way.”

“You and I?” Roy’s voice was thick with sarcasm. “Don’t you wanna take your new protégé?”

Green Arrow moved to argue, but Batman’s hand on his shoulder stopped him. A silent communication passed between the two Leaguers. Green Arrow turned back, his expression resigned. “You brought this to the team. It’s their mission, which means it’s hers now, too.”

Roy scoffed, a sound of pure disgust. He turned on his heel and stalked past the silent group, heading straight for the Zeta-tubes.

“Then my job’s done.”

“Recognized: Speedy—”

“That’s Red Arrow, B-0-6. Update.”

The light flashed, and he was gone, leaving behind a heavy silence and a bitter-looking Wally, who glared at Artemis.

“Well,” Danny said softly, breaking the quiet. He offered Artemis another small smile as he watched Batman and Green Arrow also move toward the tubes, their destination set for the Watchtower. “Welcome to the team, Artemis.”

“Override, Batman, 0-2.”

“Access granted.”

One by one, Batman, Green Arrow, and finally Danny, with a last reassuring look at Conner, vanished into the light. The cave felt suddenly larger, emptier.

“This blows, man,” Wally muttered, slumping against nothing but the air. “Not only does Spee—sorry, Red Arrow—bail on us, but Phantom too? Yeah, we, or at least I, definitely don’t like the newcomer.” He gestured vaguely in Artemis’s direction.

Artemis just clicked her tongue and looked away, her expression unreadable.

———

Watchtower

August 8, 13:27 EDT

———

The silence of the Watchtower’s meeting room was profound, broken only by the soft hum of life support and the distant stars spinning slowly in the enormous viewport. Danny stood in the center of the U-shaped table, feeling disproportionately small. His hands moved almost of their own accord, wisps of chartreuse ectoplasm rising from his fingertips and weaving themselves into intricate, tiny shapes: a school of glowing fish that swam lazy circles, a turtle that paddled through the air.

“That is all of what I can tell you, Batman,” he finished, his voice sounding too loud in the quiet.

Batman didn’t respond immediately. He was seated, a dark shape against the starlight, surrounded by a constellation of holographic files: lab reports, cargo manifests, satellite images, and a prominent image of a vial containing a viscous, glowing green substance.

Ectoplasm. But not like anything the Ghosts usually produce. This was darker, denser, swirling with an uncontrolled life. It looked… trapped. It looked like the deep, wild ectoplasm from the heart of the Ghost Zone. Not the refined energy of of his pre-changed self, nor his current production.

This is bad, Danny thought, a cold knot forming in his stomach. A Zone leak? Here? Well, this is bad... Clearly another Ghost zone problem, but who should be responsible for it?

•••

Oh, who is he kidding? Of course it's him. It's always him. He was, after all, the one who was forced to answer the Pariah problem anyway, what's one more forced adventure to solve another problem?

•••

The responsibility settled on his shoulders with a familiar, weary weight. Of course it was him. It was always him.

“I see no reason to prolong this meeting,” Batman finally said, his voice a low gravel. “So why do you insist on extending it?”

Danny watched the little ectoplasmic turtle bump its head gently against Batman’s impassive cowl. The man reached up, almost absently, and gave it a slow stroke with a gloved finger before the construct dissolved.

“Do you wish to talk about it, Danny?”

“I do… I just—eugh.” The block was back. The secret was a stone in his throat. Highest-rated ghost bachelor by his enemies, supposedly 'freshest friend' (By Sam and Tucker), he thought with bitter irony. Can’t even confess the truth to the world’s greatest detective.

“Take your time.” Batman dismissed the holoscreens with a tap on the table. He leaned forward slightly, his posture less intimidating, more… waiting. It was the shift of a predator to a guardian, subtle but real.

Danny took a deep, shuddering breath. The steady, silent presence helped. “Hoooh, OKAY—okay!… Can I make a request?”

A batarang-sharp eyebrow raised above the cowl. A slow nod.

“Can you, uh… shit.” Danny scratched nervously at his neck, his eyes flickering with an unstable green light. And Unseen by either of them, the stars in the viewport seemed to stutter in their steady burn. “Now I’m sure this may sound very VERY suspicious and may paint me in a REALLY bad light, but—I need you to keep some hush-hush, ‘cus this pretty-little-not-so-pretty info dump may… complicate things for me.” He settled on the milder term.

Batman’s nod was slower this time, more measured. “I am listening.”

“I am… not exactly… Danny J. Nightingale.” The words felt like pulling shrapnel from his own chest. “He’s… dead. Has been for quite some time now.”

The air in the room seemed to freeze. Batman didn’t move, but the lines of his body hardened, his jaw tightening beneath the cowl. The silence became a physical pressure.

“Alright,” he said finally, the single word strained, tight with controlled reaction.

“Now-now hold on!” Danny rushed on, his hands up. “It does sound a liiiittle—oh, who am I kidding—a lot bad. But I have a reason! A pretty good one.” He sighed, the fight draining out of him, replaced by a deep, old sadness. “I’m someone else. Well, not really, but actually… I’m a ghost. Not his ghost. Just a random ghost who’s their own different person.” A breathy, self-deprecating laugh escaped him. “You know, we look the same—act the same, even. But no one knew he died. That I was different. That I… replaced him.”

The tears came then, hot and unbidden, welling in the corners of his eyes. He didn’t try to stop them. “I just… feel bad. I know I was hurting too, but—Mom, Dad… his family? How can I—how would they react..? I replaced their son, parade as him, share meals with them, visit his comatose sisters?” His voice cracked. “That’s—that’s just—”

“Ahem.”

Danny flinched, wiping hastily at his eyes. “I’m sorry… that was—woo! Hah… a bit much. Goodness, trying to guilt you into listening? That’s a low blow, even for Dan—”

“—Stop.” Batman raised a hand, not in anger, but to halt the spiral. His gaze, when Danny met it, had softened from stone to something closer to weathered granite—still hard, but with seams of understanding. “And no, I don’t mean your confession. I needed to pull you back. You need a clear mind to explain. Do you want to continue?”

Danny nodded, taking another shaky breath. “Yeah… Okay.” He focused on the steady, dark presence across from him. “Sorry. It’s just… been eating away at me. Every time I visit his family, it feels wrong.”

“That is understandable,” Batman said, his voice quieter now. “It is difficult to adjust to such a… displacement. Even I have faced similar… complications of identity.”

“You?” Danny couldn’t help the small, wet sniff of disbelief. “The big, responsible Bat? Hard to believe when you’re always so stoic, cool, brooding… that trick where you just straighten your back and harden your face. The one that immediately shuts the team up.”

A low, almost imperceptible rumble came from Batman. “That is one way to describe it, Danny.”

“Right, right.” Danny wiped his face again. The ectoplasmic glow around him flickered and faded, his Phantom suit dissolving into the casual clothes he’d worn beneath: skinny jeans and an oversized, star-speckled t-shirt. He looked younger, more vulnerable. “I’m Daniel James Fenton. Not an alternate of Nightingale, but… the closest thing. We share the same likes, interests up to a point. The friend who helped with the swap said we were identical in every way that mattered. I didn’t believe him until I saw no one suspected a thing.”

He created a simple, glowing green chair from ectoplasm and sank into it, the weight of the story pressing him down. “He died just as the team broke into Cadmus… the timing still irks me.” He looked up, his eyes meeting the white lenses of the cowl. “I doubt he could have survived. His body didn’t react well to… well, this.” He raised a hand, letting a stream of pure, vibrant ectoplasm coil around his fingers like a living serpent.

“And what exactly is ‘this’?” Batman asked. He tapped the table, and the image of the corrupted vial reappeared. “We have a designation: ‘L-W-S001’. Lazarus Water. But its properties are anomalous.”

“Because it isn’t Lazarus Water,” Danny said, his voice gaining certainty. “It’s ectoplasm. Or a corrupted form of it. Lazarus Water is to ectoplasm what crude oil is to a refined fuel. That’s why the effects are so different.”

“ ‘Ectoplasm’? The fictional substance of spectral entities?”

“The very real substance,” Danny confirmed. He offered a wry, sheepish smile. “Though it’s not just what ghosts are made of. That’s like saying atoms are just what makes up a rock. It’s… more. It’s the substrate that connects realities, stabilizes dimensional walls. Think of hell, for example—”

“Right.” Batman activated a recording function on his wrist computer with a soft click.

Danny’s eyes darted to it, a flash of nervousness returning. “Oh. I-uh… Is that a Plan B in case I go rogue?”

Batman shook his head, a slow, deliberate motion. “No. I agreed to confidentiality. You confided because you judged my character to be trustworthy. I will not betray that. This is for cataloging only. You have my word.”

The tension in Danny’s shoulders released. “Okay. That’s… thank you. Really.” He took another breath, the last of his barriers crumbling. “So, ectoplasm. It’s the reason demons can cross into your world. It connects hell to Earth, and by extension… all of existence.”

“By extension? Elaborate.”

Danny hummed, tapping his chin as he gazed out at the starfield. “You sound unsure,” Batman observed.

“Not unsure. Just thinking.” Danny’s eyes were distant, seeing beyond the stars. “My explanations are always horrible. People say I’m blunt. So… why not skip the explanation?” He looked back at Batman, a decisive glint in his eye. “I can show you.”

“And what exactly would you show me?”

“Another world.” The answer came with no hesitation.

Batman was silent for a long moment. “Do you mean another planet—”

“No.” Danny cut him off, then winced. “Oh! Sorry. But, respectfully, no. I mean another world. A different plane of existence. Like hell, but… more foundational.”

“Apology accepted. But I am cautious.”

“Understandable.” Danny shuddered slightly. “The Realms—that’s what it’s called—don’t always give warm welcomes. The general idea of hospitality there involves a lot of dueling, brawling, fighting until you’re both battered… It makes sense, in a way. Ghosts are beings of concentrated emotion, and ectoplasm itself is semi-sentient. Volatile.”

“That would explain an incident during a prior investigation of this substance.” Batman enlarged the hologram of the vial. “This sample was taken during a covert mission .”

Danny leaned forward, his eyes sharpening. “That’s pure ectoplasm. Probably straight from a stable portal… but that’s odd. Stable portals are massive ectoplasmic beacons for ghosts. I haven’t felt a single fluctuation.” His gaze went distant again, his senses stretching outward, searching for a frequency only he could hear. “Every world has an ectoplasmic background field except for a few spots. Yours is weak, like mine was… but this,” he pointed at the vial, “implies a strong, localized source that’s being actively hidden.”

“Is that significant?”

“Very.” Danny’s expression was grim. “It means something—or someone—from the Realms has established a territory here and is masking it to avoid detection. Probably to skirt Realm Law.”

“Elaborate on ‘Realm Law’.”

Danny gave a nervous cough. “Big stuff, Batman. Mind-breaking level… and I kinda forgot I’m not really supposed to be telling any living being this. You included. Seeing as you're not connected with any mysticism nor the cosmology of the world.”

A faint, almost imperceptible sigh. “It seems you are not a very rule-abiding citizen, Danny.”

“Righty-o… basic citizenship rule of the Realms. But you’re Batman, so you’re fine… I think?”

“Define ‘fine’.” Despite the words, Batman gave a small, acknowledging tilt of his head. “But thank you for the trust. This information could prove vital.”

“Don’t thank me yet,” Danny said, attempting a weak joke. To his surprise, it earned a low, gravelly chuckle.

“Anyway,” Danny continued, growing more serious. “The Realms house all of creation: afterlives, pantheons, abstract realms, the works. And there are laws. The big one for us is the Non-Interference Law. Higher beings—gods, primordials, powerful ghosts, nascent beings, Enlightened—can’t just waltz into the physical plane and start messing around without a ‘due cause’ or an avatar to limit their power. An avatar makes it… legal, for lack of a better word. The being behind this hidden portal is either skirting that law or is powerful enough to ignore it. Which is why I’m offering you a trip. Not just to sightsee, but to consult a… friend. Someone who might know what we’re dealing with.”

“The one who helped you enter this world?”

“Clockwork. He’s a… bigwig. Has sway. A—The primordial of time.”

Batman’s eyebrow arched again. “And you are on casual terms with him?”

“Well, I’m not too bad myself, y’know,” Danny said, a hint of pride breaking through his anxiety. He crossed his arms. “I’m not just a hero in the League sense. Back home, I was a savior. I dethroned a tyrant, and by extension freed an entire dimension from the rule of said tyrant, the works basically.” The statement was simple, stark, and carried the weight of truth.

“The leading revolutionary, then.”

“Something like that.” Danny stood up, ectoplasm shimmering around his hands. He wove a thin, glowing cord that snaked out, encircling both his and Batman’s wrists, forming a cool, intangible tether. “This will keep us linked in the Zone. If we get separated, stay put. The ectoplasm has my signature. Any hostile ghost gets too close…” He flicked a tendril of energy at the bond. Instantly, jagged shards of ice exploded from it, spearing the ectoplasm and sapping its energy until it dissipated. “They get a very cold warning. Ready?”

Batman gave a single, curt nod.

Danny closed his eyes. He raised his hands, palms facing the empty space between them. Ectoplasm poured forth, not as an attack, but as a key. The air before them rippled, then cracked like glass, a spiderweb of green light spreading outwards. With a sound like a deep, twisting sigh, the cracks widened into a swirling, verdant vortex.

He looked at Batman one last time, then, gripping the tether, stepped forward, pulling the Dark Knight with him into the emerald unknown.

———

The Infinite Realms — The Edenic Gardens

August 8, 17:28 EDT

———

The transition was less a journey to find Clockwork and more a continuous rearrangement of reality. One moment, they were in the sterile silence of the Watchtower; the next they were in a long-winded and confusing path towards a landscape of impossible beauty.

The air was thick with the scent of foreign blossoms and rich, damp earth. Trees with leaves of silver and copper rustled in a gentle breeze. Flowers glowed with their own inner light, humming softly. Butterflies the size of bats, their wings mosaics of stained glass, drifted through groves of crystalline fruit. It was serene, breathtaking, and utterly alien.

Batman’s posture was rigid, his senses cataloging every detail, every potential threat. But his eyes, behind the cowl, were wide.

What struck Danny, however, was the unnatural quiet. Ghosts flitted at the edges of perception—a glowing will-o’-the-wisp here, a shadowy figure there—but they all kept their distance. None approached. None even seemed curious about the living man in their midst. It was… off. Ghosts were nosy, territorial, or aggressively social. This polite avoidance was a red flag.

Atleast the Gang welcomed him! Well— Ember, Johnny, and Kitty did (Even kujo! He took his time playing with the hell hound—2 hours to be exact, but it was worth the time. Kujo even made Batman relent to playing with him!), the rest were supposedly busy with something. Which again, ODD! What the hell happened that made them so busy? Yeah, sure, sure, the Ghosts that jump him constantly back in his starting days were busy!!!

Psshhh- tap-outs. 

Did he do something that somehow made them hate him during his absence? Like, why is he out here catching invisible strays?! He wasn't even present in whatever shit show happened! Hell, even the others that did greet him were acting weird and avoidant! (Except Kujo. God and Ancient's he loves that dog.)

Did I do something? Danny wondered, a thread of anxiety weaving through his awe. Why is everyone acting so… weird?

“Is there a ceremony I am unaware of?” Batman asked, his voice low. “You mentioned Realm beings do not give warm welcomes to the living.”

“That was supposed to be the case,” Danny murmured, swatting gently at a swarm of particularly clingy, opalescent butterflies. “Some of my friends are avoiding me too. Something’s happening.”

“Everything in the Realms has been weird so far,” he admitted aloud. “Clockwork detests visiting these gardens. His wife is the groundskeeper.”

“Do they not have a good relationship?”

“It’s… complicated. They can speak without violence, but that’s the ceiling. Mostly, they sabotage each other.” Danny extended his senses, searching for the familiar, powerful presence of the Garden’s mistress. He found nothing. “Hm. That’s also surprising. I don’t sense her anywhere.”

“Is it a cause for concern?” Batman was kneeling, examining a flower whose petals shifted color like a nebula.

An old, familiar voice, dry and layered with the echoes of ticking clocks, cut through the perfumed air. “No. It shouldn’t be.”

From behind a bush of singing lilies, a small figure floated into view on a neon-green cloud. He was an old man in purple robes, a staff in hand, his red eyes sharp and knowing. “Welcome back to the Realms, Danny.” He smiled, then turned his ancient gaze to Batman. “And welcome to your first of many visits, Bruce Wayne.”

Danny’s head whipped around. “You’re Bruce Wayne?!” The disbelief was plain on his face.

Batman—Bruce—made a low, displeased sound in his throat and gave a single, terse nod. “Yes.”

“You know what?” Danny muttered, shaking his head. “I somewhat see it. The billionaire playboy himbo as Batman… not what I expected.”

“Hn.”

Clockwork ignored the byplay. “What do you require of me, Danny?”

“Well, some answers would be much appre—”

“What he always requires of you, dear husband.” A new voice, silvery and smooth as a moonlit river, filled the clearing. The title ‘husband’ was dipped in affectionate mockery. The swarm of butterflies Danny had been batting away suddenly coalesced, swirling into a vortex of starlight and deep void. The light solidified, sculpting itself into the form of a woman. She was tall, her hearty body an echo of the night sky, her smile warm yet infinitely old. “Help. Something you refuse to properly give.”

“Grandma Night!” Danny’s face lit up. “You’ve been here the whole time?”

“Hello, grandson.” Her arms opened, and Danny stepped into an embrace that felt like being wrapped in a cool, gentle darkness. “How has the new family been treating you?”

“It’s been good… They’re wonderful. They treat me very well.”

“That is reassuring.” She caressed his hair, her touch soothing. “I heard about what happened with Danielle, Jazz, and the others… My condolences.” She pressed a kiss to his temple, and Danny felt a wave of homesickness so acute it stole his breath.

“Mhm… I miss them,” he whispered, his voice thick.

“I know, Starscourge, I know.” She held him a moment longer. “Is this why dear old Time asked for my Garden? You know you can ask for my assistance, darling. I am always happy to help.”

“I didn’t want to trouble you… with everything about Uncle Dream and all…”

“You are no trouble. His passing was written for eons past. The new incarnation is promising. It would do the Dreaming good. I hear he shares your name—Daniel Hall— and your compassion.” With a wave of her hand, the garden rearranged itself. Vines wove into plush chairs with lily-pad backs. A giant, flat-topped mushroom sprouted, laden with pastries that smelled of stardust and dreams. She guided Danny to a seat and pushed a plate toward him. On it sat a dusted-gray sphere, cradled by a claw of solidified magma. “Help yourself. I recommend the Moon Bursts. A new creation I conjured that has a few liberties from your recommendations. I enjoyed the process of making them!” Night giggled in delight, hands resting in her lap as she took her seat.

Danny sliced into the supple, bouncy flesh of the treat with relative easy and ate, his moan of delight was genuine. “Oh, Grandma, this might be your best one yet!”

She chuckled. “You always say that. But I will accept it.”

“Then you outdo yourself each time!”

“So,” Night said, her voice cooling as she turned her starry gaze to Clockwork. “What did Danny need, Time? Do not omit anything. I am warning you.”

Clockwork sighed, the sound like shifting gears. “I am afraid I cannot make that promise, Night.”

She hummed, a non-committal sound that made the very light in the garden dim and warp, black fractures jagging through the air. She turned back to Danny, wiping a stray crumb from his cheek. “You eat like a child, darling.”

Danny giggled. “I act so as a gift to you. You enjoy babying me. Don’t deny it.”

“I do. I deeply enjoy the moments where I can treasure my family. The Creator knows how lonely I am.”

“Do they still not visit?”

“No.” The bitterness in the word was a winter frost. “They would rather mourn in solitude than confide in their mother. They only visit when they need something. Unlike you.”

“I enjoy our tea time, Grandma.”

“I am aware.” She shot a look at Clockwork that could freeze time itself. “Otherwise, I would have chased you away the moment you entered my realm. Similar to your grandfather here.”

Clockwork rolled his crimson eyes. Danny snorted. “There, there, Grandpa. I'm sure Grandma doesn't mean it.”

“I do,” Night said, but a hint of humor touched her voice. "I mean it with every vindication my being is capable of feeling."

Bruce observed in silence, a strategist in a room of tectonic forces. He understood, now, how profoundly Danny had undersold his own significance.

Clockwork cleared his throat. “What did you want to ask about, Danny?”

Danny swallowed. “The Realm being living in my world. The one hiding the portal.”

“I am afraid now is not the time yet, Danny.”

“But—what? How is it not the—”

“He asked a simple question, Time.” Night’s voice dropped, as it became the silence between stars. The black fractures in the light sharpened, aiming toward Clockwork. “Do not test me.”

Clockwork floated higher and stood his ground—well, cloud.—a pulse of temporal force holding the encroaching darkness at bay. “This concerns the entirety of the Realms, Night. It is best Danny learn through his own efforts. He should enjoy his new friends.”

A laugh, sharp and echoing, burst from Night. “Weak excuses! I thought you would change after you had Dream send that message. How wrong I was.” She leaned forward, her form seeming to grow, drinking the light. “You keep Danny away from this danger. I already lost a son. I will not lose him too!”

“And you are still as selfish as ever!” Clockwork’s voice rose, the ticking of countless clocks layering beneath his words. “Do you think I enjoy his suffering? These choices create outcomes—it is for the Realms! For the Balance!”

“Oh, your facade of Balance!” Night’s eyes blazed. “You used that with Dream! With Despair! And look! They were erased. We are Concepts. We accept our replaceability. But Danny is not replaceable! He is not a piece to be sacrificed!”

"You used to call me foolish for my attachment to mortals, but who here is truly 'foolish' now? You fell for Danny! You fell and became foolish yourself, you hypocrite!" Clockwork jabbed his staff at the direction of Night.

"That is a different case—" Night tried defending herself, her tone heavily offended.

"—How is it different! You love the boy as if he hails from your own womb— from our family!"

"Well he might as well have! His masterful control and perfect affinity with my domain ascertains my claim on his lineage! Had you been blinded during his battle with the Tyrant? Or are you just——" 

The argument raged, ancient grievances and cosmic philosophies clashing around them. Danny felt utterly small and awkward. He glanced at Bruce, who was observing the duel of primordials with detached analytical focus. Danny sighed, created a thick ectoplasmic bubble around the man, mouthing ‘Sorry’, and took a deep breath of his own.

He let the power build in his throat, not the devastating cry of his Wail, but a focused, resonant pulse of will and ectoplasm, amplified by the very energy of the Realms.

“HEY!”

(I fear that I need to break immersion just so that I can say; please imagine this text fonted in neon green. I do not know how to do work skins, and quite frankly, I am too dumb and lazy to learn CSS for ao3. Thank you.)

The word echoed like a thunderclap of neon-green light and force. It didn’t damage; it demanded attention.

Both Concepts froze, turning to him as one.

“Yes, darling?”

“Yes, Danny?”

“Can we, like, not?” Danny asked, exhaustion and exasperation in his voice.

“Not what, Starscourge?” Night asked, confused.

“Fight! Not fight, Grandma!” Danny spread his hands. “If Grandpa says it’s not the time, then it isn’t. We can’t blame him for the rules of his own domain.”

“Thank you, Danny.”

“You are too soft on him,” Night chided, but the fury was gone, replaced by weary affection.

“As much as I hate it,” Danny said, the admission painful, “he has a point. You’re letting your love for me cloud things. I’m… a result of a ‘favorable outcome.’ I can’t really argue with the method now.”

Night sighed, the sound like a distant galaxy exhaling. She sank into her seat. “Alright…”

“Since that’s all I get,” Danny said, forcing cheer into his voice, “why not use the time for a proper visit? Our tea time is long overdue, Grandma.”

“That would be wonderful.” She finally smiled again, then eyed Bruce and Clockwork. “Though, not with them around. Our private tea time stays private, thank you.”

“Okay, Grandma.”

Danny stood, popped the bubble around Bruce, and dissolved the tether. He opened a new portal, the green vortex swirling to life. “I guess this is it, Batman. Sorry we didn’t learn more.”

Bruce shook his head. “I understand the implications. I am grateful for the effort.” He offered Danny a nod, a gesture of respect, then stepped through the portal without a backward glance.

When the vortex closed, Night sighed. “I said private, Time. Or has your hearing failed you?”

Clockwork rolled his red eyes and snarled, "I believe I heard well enough, it is just that, I do not particularly care. I am staying."

“…Suit yourself.”

And so, they talked. Or rather, Night and Danny talked, with Clockwork as a silent, excluded spectator. Danny shared everything: the lab, the team, the missions, the laughter, the fear. And finally, he talked about Conner. He didn’t notice how his voice softened, how a dopey, utterly besotted smile spread across his face, how his eyes grew distant and fond. Night watched him, her own ancient heart swelling with a joy she rarely felt.

“I do hope the marriage is soon. You seem so fulfilled with him.”

“Grandma, noooo! We’re too young for that…”

“I was a young Concept when I had my union with Time,” she said, nostalgia coloring her voice. “Make no mistake—I do not regret it.”

“I’ll wait until we’re proper adults. For now, we’ll just enjoy our time in this lower level.” Danny giggled, leaning on the table, his mind drifting. Conner as a husband… He could see it. The suit, the tears (definitely from Conner), the cottage, the future… a quiet, joyful eternity of possibilities.

•••

“You are quite immersed in the thought, darling.” Night laughed, and the garden blossoms swayed in harmony. “Are you sure you want to wait?”

“I’m sure. I’ll wait until he’s ready. He’s still discovering who he is.”

“Can you survive the wait?”

Danny’s smile was soft, certain, and filled with a love that felt older than Time (Hey, Clockwork). “Yes. If it’s for Conner, I will wait an eternity.”

———

Mount Justice

August 8, 22:55 EDT

———

Artemis felt numb.

The mission had been a success. The Fog was neutralized, Dr. Roquette was safe. But… her sister, Cheshire, had been there. A razor’s edge from exposing her, from destroying this fragile new life before it began. 

The first mission with the team and she's already almost compromised—by her own sister no less. A shameful choice, really. What was she supposed to do? She had yet to build a solid footing and foundation in the team. If she's exposed this early on, it is an instant boot from the team. No process and certainly no cases.

The team was in the mission room, the post-mission adrenaline fading into weary quiet. She sat on the floor with M’gann, mechanically polishing her bow, the Martian’s cheerful chatter washing over her like distant rain. Conner, Kaldur, and Wally were in a tense, silent three-way spar, their movements sharp, fueled by leftover tension. Mainly just tension between Conner and Wally. The clone wanted to maim the speedster for trying with Danny.

“Recognized: Phantom, B-0-5.”

“Hey guys!”

The voice was a sunbeam cutting through fog. Danny waltzed in, not with his usual ghostly drift, but with a buoyant, almost skipping step. He looked… radiant. Renewed. In his arms, he carried a large, translucent dome. Inside was a cake of impossible beauty. It was tall, layered, frosted a soft yellow, and adorned with intricate vines and flowers so exquisitely detailed they looked real—violets, lilies, lotuses, and blossoms from no Earthly garden. The fragrance that seeped from the container was intoxicating: vanilla, honey, and something utterly alien and wonderful.

“I brought something since I heard you guys did well stopping the Fog!” He beamed, heading for the kitchen. “C’mon!”

The spell of gloom broke. They followed, drawn by the scent and Danny’s infectious energy. In the kitchen, he was already plating generous slices.

Wally took a plate, rotating it. “This is—wow! Did you make this, babe?” The old pet name slipped out.

Conner, who had taken his own slice, ignored the jab (with visible effort) and sniffed the cake suspiciously, his super-senses analyzing the unknown aromas.

Danny saw his hesitation and laughed. He took Conner’s plate, bumping his shoulder. “It’s not poisonous, big guy. Guarantee. I made it with my grandma.” He forked a small piece and held it up. “Try it.”

Conner eyed it, then took a cautious bite. His eyes widened, and a soft, surprised hum vibrated in his chest. He took the plate back with a nod.

“Good, right?” Danny turned, handing out slices. “Take as much as you want. Fair warning: eat more than your metabolism can handle, and you’ll be in a very effective food coma.” He looked pointedly at Wally, who was already shoveling a second huge bite into his mouth, cheeks bulging.

“Whahg? ‘m nuff gu’na gowf ovehboad,” he mumbled.

Danny snorted. “Yeah… ‘nuff’. Pfft.” He raised his own plate, the gesture a toast. “To Artemis! Welcome to the team.”

Artemis managed a small, sheepish smile. “Hah. Thanks.”

“Would you mind if I called you Art? Sounds kinda cool.”

“Psh, sounds kinda dumb, you mean. But yeah, okay.”

“Woohoo! Give it up for Art! Short for Arthritis!” Danny clapped, his joke eliciting a chorus of groans and a genuine laugh from Artemis.

“Okay, I take it back. You may not call me Art.”

But she was still smiling. The cold stone of shame in her stomach felt a little lighter. The cake was sweet, the company was warm, and for the first time since she’d walked into the cave, she didn’t feel like an outsider waiting to be exposed.

Yeah, she thought, taking another bite of the impossible cake.

Maybe… just maybe, I can stay a little longer.

•••

Chapter Text

Placeholder babes. There's nothing to see here but ominous texts next to a searing white.

Chapter Text

Hi. If ur seeing this then I am writing it while in a hospital.

Why am I in a hospital? Because I'm an unfortunate soul that's why.

Some jackass hit the back of my head (just near the spinal connection in the neck) with a METAL Baseball bat. What in the world did I do to them? Matter of fact, what did I do to deserve getting jumped 😭

[I am lucky I am not braindead rn so yay for that..! Just a somewhat not-so-minor concussion.]

They didn't do anything else other than almost making me a newly downgraded human— i.e forever paralyze me from the neck down.

Good thing the bystanders caught the guy... I am definitely pressing charges. Attempted murder, Battery, assault, all the horrid stuff. I want to milk that guy DRY, though it seems like he doesn't have much anyway. Which is a problem—I am not scratching my parent's wallet for the jackassery of some pathetic rando.

So I'm currently writing this pissed, confused, and raging. I will flail in my hospital bed in just a short while after posting this. No reason other than I can't dump the excess anger anywhere else. I need somewhere to vent and this is the perfect website, cus it's all anonymous. Well not exactly, If something goes wrong this is instantly going to haunt me for the entirety of my Ao3 account lifespan.

So I'm sorry for the delay. I promise I will minimize it to 3 or less days (even though I didn't promise a schedule—it's more of my own psychological deadline. So I would stress if I didn't upload on my given date...)

Will delete this vent sometime in the future, which will coincide with the upload of the new chap. 

Stay safe guys. Be wary of Bat wielding menaces or Any menace that wields weaponsm