Phantom X

Preface: Brothers Apart

Danny watched with wide eyes as the wire that held his parents aloft in the air snapped. The fact that his parents could fly—even with help—had always thrilled the 4 year old named Daniel Adam Grayson. Stars, space, even just the plan old sky, were exciting. His breathe caught in his throat as they fell, like angels from heaven. His brother, Dick, cried out beside him and jumped over the separation barrier, running towards the floor, where their parents had landed with a horrible thump. Danny soon followed his 7 year old brother, his mind refusing to comprehend what had happened.

"Dick? Why aren't they getting up?" He asked in a heartbroken voice. Richard John "Dick" Grayson looked at his brother, who was far too young to understand what had happened. Tears slipped down both boys faces. "Come, Mommy, wake up. Daddy, please, get up."

The two brothers were soon taken away to a nearby orphanage. That night, the Batman visited Dick, telling him that his parent's deaths weren't accidents, that they were murdered by a man named Tony Zucco. Batman offered him a deal; let him adopt Dick, and Batman would train him as his sidekick to avenge his parents. When Dick asked about his little brother, Batman replied that he was already to be adopted by another family that had seen the murder, but could only adopted one. The paperwork was already done and there was little he could do about it.

"But, brother, I don't want to leave you!" Danny sobbed that morning as his new parents were to take him to his new home. Dick smiled sadly and hugged his brother tightly.

"Don't worry, Danny." The soon to be superhero reassured him. "I promise you, 10 years from today, exactly, I'll come back to get you, and we can be a family again."

"Really?"

"Really."

Exactly Ten Years Later Danny's PoV*******************************************

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" I screamed as the Nasty Burger exploded, my second family, best friends, and teacher trapped inside. I was thrown back 20 ft. by the explosion. Somehow, I was uninjured by the blast and had managed to keep holding the Fenton Thermos that held my evil jerky self.

"They're dead." I whispered, tears flowing down my face. "I couldn't stop him in time." Then, a horrible thought came to me; Vlad was my godfather. Now that my parents are gone, I would have to live with him, whether I like it or not. "Not if I run away." I stated determinedly. Quickly turning back into Phantom, I flew back to my house before the cops could get there and into my house, where I quickly filled a bag full of the essentials—food, cloths, several Fenton Thermoses, Boo-merang, Fenton Blasters and the Fenton Phones. Before going down to the stairs, I put Dan's Thermos inside the Fenton Vault and blasted the handle off, making sure no one could ever get in. In the living room, I noticed a calendar with today's date circled several times. "Dick was supposed to come today…" I realized. "He probably died, knowing my luck… or he doesn't care." More tears ran down my cheeks before I blasted the calendar too and flew off towards the only other place I knew.

Gotham.

When I had left, a blue portal opened up in the Fenton Vault and Dan's Thermos was gone.

The Next Day Robin's PoV*********************************************** **

I put my head in my hands and sighed deeply before returning to my computer. For once I wasn't trying to track down Slade or Terra; I was trying to find my brother. I looked on another article that looked promising, but was let down once again. For the past year, I've been trying to find Danny. I've even missed the dead line, something I couldn't forgive myself for. I only hope that he can.

"Fenton Family Killed in Explosion!" I imdiatly clicked on the article, remembering the Fenton family as the ones who adopted Danny. "At 6:30 yesterday evening, most of the Fenton Family, along with Samantha Manson, Tucker Foley, and James Lancer, were killed in an explosion at the local fast food place, the Nasty Burger. Though the remains of young Daniel Fenton have not been found, he is believed to have been killed in the same blast. Billionaire Vlad Masters is funding the search…" I could read no more.

"I didn't save him." I whispered, almost like it wasn't true. "I didn't save my brother…"

Timeline: Right after UE for Danny, and right before Fractured for Robin.