Chapter 9

Outsiders POV

Batman was just about to round the last corner to the med-bay where the unknown energy had been detected. When he heard Sam shout,

"Danny"

Batman stopped once he rounded the corner. Everybody's eyes were on the figure in the door to the med-bay. He looked like he had just gotten up out of bed still half-asleep. None of them would have guessed that just a few hours ago a sword had torn a hole through his body. Danny slowly took a step forward and his eyes seem to clear a little bit.

"Hey Sam, did I pass out on the way to Frostbite's again?" Danny said in a groggy tone as he slowly lumbered out into the hall. Batman recognised that name as being the same as the "ghost" that had contacted that other boys PDA. Danny's eyes lazily drifted over Kid Flash and Superboy.

"Wait a second, do I know you?" Danny said.

His eyes were alert but his tone was still groggy with sleep like he was just coming off of powerful pain medicine. He blinked slowly before he spoke again still looking as though he were fighting off sleep.

"You, you're Kid Flash, and Superman?" He looked confused and his eyes rolled once more over his surroundings. Finally, he seemed to notice Batman at the back of the hall.

"Batman? All right I see how it is. This is all just a dream. I'll close my eyes count to ten and ooff-" he was cut off by Sam literally tackling him to the ground in a hug, effectively stunning him. Tears threatened to spill out of her eyes.

At the sudden motion. Superboy and Flash finally seemed to react to what was going on. In the back of Batman's mind. he decided he was going to have to increase training in "unusual circumstances" when this whole debacle was over.

"What is going on here? He was practically cryo Frozen just a few minutes ago. He was definitely in no condition to walk, and the Steep decrease in temperature certainly wouldn't help." Kid Flash began muttering. Superboy was shocked but narrowed his eyes and began to get to his feet.

Batman decided now was a good time to make his presence known to the rest of them.

"Superboy-" everyone stopped moving "Kid Flash, please take these two to room 538 and check to make sure both of them are okay."

Kid Flash scrambled off the floor and attempted to help Sam and Danny to get off the floor. As soon as he extended his hand to Sam, it was batted away as Sam gave him a death glare that could almost match the infamous bat-glare.

"We don't need help." Sam proclaimed, then proceeded to help the still groggy Danny up. Expertly, she propped him up and nodded to Kid Flash to lead the way.

Obligingly, he began leading them towards the room.

Superboy and Batman watched this with curiosity. Batman, took note of the practiced movements and concluded that Sam had either been trained or had done this a lot. This was yet another piece of evidence that she was no ordinary civilian.

"Superboy, brief me on the situation" Batman said.

C_c

Sam and the slowly waking Danny were led by Kid Flash to what looked like an interrogation room with a cot hastily put in the corner. Danny was brought over to the cot and sat down. Kid Flash then exited the room and closed the door. As soon as the door closed, Danny spoke up.

"So Sam, could you explain why we seem to be in a JL prison cell?" Danny's speech was still a little slurred.

Sam looked him dead in the eye for a second before hugging him.

"I was worried sick about you."

Danny was taken aback by Sam's uncharacteristic display. But he decided to just go with it. Suddenly, a familiar voice interrupted the embrace.

"Alright love birds break it up." Tucker interjected frome Sam's Fenton-phones.

Immediately, the hug was broken and they both shouted in unison. "We are not love birds!"

Tucker cracked up laughing as Danny and Sam looked at each other blushing. Danny, now fully awake, stood up and grabbed one of Sam's Fenton-phones.

Danny began speaking entirely in Esperanto.

"Alright Tucker, could you give an explanation for why me and sam are in a Justice league interrogation room?" So Sam and Tucker filled each other in, still in Esperanto.

Meanwhile, Kid Flash entered the room behind the one-way mirror after getting a snack from the kitchen. That Danny kid seemed to be more awake and talking to Sam. He flipped the sound on and was immediately shocked. They were speaking a different language! KF hit the record button. Then Megan floated into the room.

"Hi Megan." Wally said, as he turned down the volume from the interrogation room.

"So what are they talking about?"

"I do not know… do you think you could find out?"

"Sure I'll try." Megan said as she turned towards the one-way mirror. Wally could tell that she was using telepathy. Suddenly, she stumbled backwards disoriented. Megan looked a little shaken.

Wally rushed over to the downed Megan asking "Megan, are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine, but I don't... there's something strange about that boy."

"You mean stranger than having super healing, and the ability to coat large areas with unnatural unmelting Ice." Megan just rolled her eyes at Wally's attempt to lighten the mood.

"Sam has her own set of issues, but Danny, it's like he's not even there. I can't sense him at all. It's almost like, he doesn't exist."

C_c

Batman walked into his lab after being briefed by Superboy on the energy surge and its cause. He decided it would probably be better to interrogate them sooner rather than later. But he better have something to get them to actually start talking. Batman began doing cursory research. Once he was done, he put the unusual sword in one secure case and put the knife in another. Both would be excellent Leverage if Sam decided to play dumb. Batman made his way to the room Sam was supposed to be in. Batman walked into the room with the one-way mirror that was attached to the interrogation room. When he opened the door, he saw Kid Flash and Miss Martian sitting in the back listening to a conversation in some unusual language. Batman looked through the one way mirror and saw Sam and Danny sitting on a cot talking to each other. Danny's voice drifted through the speakers.

"Nu, do ni iru kun klarigo 3, ĝuste kun vi, Tucker, kaj vi, Sam, bonega."

"Kid Flash, take Sam to the room next door." Batman calmly commanded. Kid Flash immediately jumped up and carried out Batman's order. Batman then turned towards Megan.

"They were having a conversation. what was it about?"

"I'm sorry Batman I don't know. They were speaking in that weird language the entire time…" looking down, Megan continued "I can't get into their minds… but we did record the whole thing. Or most of it at least."

Batman simply nodded at this new information as he watched Kid Flash take Sam to the Next Room.

He watched Kid Flash walk out of the room then waited a couple minutes more. Only then did he enter the room. He saw Sam sitting on a chair across the table that was in the middle of the room. As he approached the table, he pulled out a manila envelope and placed it on the table.

"Samantha Manson, sole heir to the Manson estate. There are just a few questions that I would like you to answer. You are not in trouble. However, there have been a large number of unusual events surrounding you and your friend. I was hoping you could shed a little light on that." Batman said.

"Do you know who this is?" Batman showed Sam an image, obviously taken from a security camera.

Sam sighed. "Yes, I know who that is. That's Tucker. He's a techno geek and Danny's best friend."

"Danny's friend? Not yours?"

Sam looked a little sheepish and said, "Yeah, he's my friend, but more so Danny's."

Sam began fiddling with her earring. Batman nodded. Then he unexpectedly pulled out a small syringe.

"What was in this shot that you gave your friend Danny?"

Sam stared bug-eyed at the syringe while her mind tried to process what was happening. Suddenly, she just face palms before looking up at Batman and saying, "Before I tell you that, I need to explain a little bit about how this all started."

"When Danny was 14, his parents built a machine. It was supposed to view a world unseen, the ghost Zone. But when it didn't work, they just quit. A couple days later Tucker Danny and I were in their lab and… I convinced Danny to go into the portal" Sam said before falling silent for several seconds, never once looking up. When she continued her voice was a little choked up.

"The portal turned on with him inside." Batman and Sam sat there in silence for several more minutes.

Batman had seen the portal. He saw the machines hooked up to it to power it. If Danny was in the middle of it when that thing started up… something occurred to Batman, did Danny's parents even know? Sam continued before he could finish that line of thinking.

"After that, Danny got abilities... we think his body fused with some of the ectoplasm from the ghost Zone... The thing I injected Danny with was a modified version of something his Dad created, ecto-dejecto. It is a concoction we made earlier this week that revitalizes Danny and should jumpstart his powers."

"How do you know this?"

"After a while we got curious so we, me, Danny and Tucker, started exploring the ghost Zone. We learned a lot about ourselves and Danny's new powers. We also, kind of, got a reputation there from several... incidents."

"What kind of insidens?"

"Overthrowing corrupt dictatorial regime and helping to save the entire ghost Zone from a tyrannical ruler who had just woken up from a 3000 year slumber and was on a Warpath." Sam said feigning sheepishness.

Batman sighed. This may be more difficult than he thought. That at least explained some things.

"I guess asking if you've got any enemies would be pointless. I believe you, and your friends Tucker and Danny, may have a very dangerous person after you three. You may know him has Danny Phantom." Sam's mouth fell open in shock.

Batman was intrigued by her response but it wasn't wholly unexpected considering Phantoms MO.

"Sam, I know it's hard for you to believe, but Phantom is dangerous-"

"Dangerous! Just because he's a ghost doesn't mean he's evil or dangerous! Not all ghosts are evil. I've been to their home. Heck, I've seen the best and the worst in them. They're just like us Can't you see they're human too? You're in the Justice League for Pete's sake. You work with aliens on a daily basis. I would think you were above such prejudicial nonsense. What proof do you have that Phantom is dangerous? What proof? That's right, you don't have any."

Batman slid the manila folder over to Sam.

Sam looked skeptically at the folder before opening it. Inside was a picture of Danny Phantom on the galactic wanted list. Below that was a list of the crimes he was accused of.

The assassination of 3 Galactic Empires rulers.

Genocide.

Causing extinction level events on 5 planets.

Killing 15 Green Lanterns.

"This is insanity! Why would you believe such slanderous things?" Sam blurted out upon seeing the information. She just couldn't believe it. There was no way this was at all true. But then again, dark Dan had already caused an apocalypse level event 10 years from now. Was he still out there somewhere? Did he do this? How did Danny defeat him? No. Either way, this wasn't the Danny she knew. She couldn't allow the Justice League to think Danny was a criminal. "What is it that even makes you think that Danny Phantom's after us?"

Batman calmly pulled the sword from underneath his cloak and placed it on the table so that Sam could clearly see Phantoms symbol on its hilt and the base of its blade. He then watched as Sam's eyes widened almost comically.

"You recognize this or don't you?" Batman asked although it wasn't really a question but more of an observation. Batman continued "This is the blade that is responsible for that incident at the football field" Sam winced slightly when he said this and looked down in shame.

"That's not Phantoms blade." Sam said quietly.

Batman raised his eyebrow underneath his cowl but stayed silent waiting for Sam to continue.

"Long story short. We traveled around the time stream using the natural portals in the ghost Zone while chasing after a megalomaniacal Madman… and While we were stranded in ancient China we found a bladesmith and helped him out; in return he crafted us a sword. We had it emblazoned with the emblem of the town's hero. But we accidentally left it back in ancient China. But that's kind of beside the point right now. That's not Phantoms blade, you still don't have any proof."

"Be that as it may, somebody clearly had it out for you. Until we can determine who wants you three dead, you're staying with us. Under protective custody. After this is done, I'll contact your parents."

Batman turned away from Sam and held the door open for her. Sam started to object but something stopped her. She then stood up and followed Batman back to the other room where Danny was waiting. Sam immediately ran up to Denny and threw her arms around his neck in a hug. Batman called to Wally, "Kid Flash, bring the other one up into this room. When she released Danny, Batman motioned for Danny to follow him. Once they reached the other interrogation room, Batman closed the door and motioned for Danny to sit.

"So, what do you want to know. I'm guessing Sam told you a lot about our various Adventures. Is there anything I could clear up for you." Danny said hunching his shoulders making himself as small as possible.

Batman was surprised, Danny was nothing like what he expected. Batman studied Danny. He looked nervous. His body language was in a almost perfect position to make him as harmless and unassuming as possible. But when Danny saw the envelope still lying open on the table his eyes changed, they no longer looked harmless instead they were hardened, and… weary? Not entirely unlike those he had seen in the mirror some mornings. But they quickly changed to match the rest of his body once again.

"Your friend told me everything. I'd like you to clear some things up. Tell me about your powers."

"Oh, um… well, I can kind of go invisible and intangible." as he talked he did a quick demonstration of some of them, flickering into invisibility, passing his hand through the table

"Oh, and I can also fly. Let's see I've got some sort of super healing and I can lift a lot but I I'm not really all that strong…" floating a few inches above his chair for a second before setting back down.

"Oh, and I can create and manipulate this stuff my parents call ectoplasm." with this he held up his hands talk to them and open them with a small green ball between them.

"I see… do your parents know?" as soon as Batman said this, Danny stiffened. His eyes once again took on the weary appearance as he lowered his head. Looking at his hands which were now fidgeting with the green energy in his hands, Danny began speaking.

"About this?" he said while holding the energy up. "No."

"Why not." Batman demanded.

"My powers are derived from my production and manipulation of ectoplasm, stuff that ghosts are made of… and the definition of ghost is anything that produces and manipulates ectoplasm." Danny paused for a long moment.

"Are you afraid your parents will hurt you?" Batman prodded.

"No!… buuuut they aren't exactly all that good at keeping secrets, if my parents let it slip to the wrong people, well... because of a UN resolution stripping dangerous interdimensional beings of their basic rights, ghosts aren't really safe on Earth. I'd be lucky to escape with just a couple lacerations."

Batman was appalled at what Danny had implied. But at least he had some context and a place to start the real investigation. Now to get down to business.

"Well Danny, I'm putting you and your friends under Justice League protection." Batman said.

"What? Why?" Danny was shocked. Is this a nightmare or a dream come true? He was actually going to be meeting the Justice League, but on the other hand he was essentially under arrest.

"You saw the file. We have reason to believe that this entity is after you and your friends for some unknown reason." As Batman said this, Danny picked up the file and began reading its contents in full. He then flipped the page.

"NONONONONONO! You're gone. You can't be here. There's No way!" There on the second page, staring up at him, was dark Dan. Danny began breathing heavily. It could not be. He was gone. Clockwork had him. Clockwork wouldn't let him go.

As soon as Danny had flipped the page and began screaming, Batman shot out of his chair and rushed to the other side of the table. Danny's eyes were wide and fixed on the picture on the second page, one of Danny Phantom smiling maniacally as he choked out an unidentified alien. Danny fell through the chair, scrambled across the floor and curled up in the corner. Batman didn't know how or why, but Danny seemed terrified of Phantom. Batman quickly closed the folder and looked Danny straight in the eye and said, "He's not here. You're safe."

Batman sat down beside Danny and put a hand on his shoulder. After several seconds, Danny stopped shaking and slowly uncurled himself. In a meek voice, Danny said, "Are we done?"

Batman just nodded and led him to the room where Sam and Tucker were waiting. As soon as Danny saw Sam, he barreled into her in a tackle hug and began crying. Sam seemed shocked for several seconds before just beginning to rub circles on Danny's back in order to calm him down. She shot Batman a look that clearly said, "What did you do?"

Batman decided he would wait before asking the trio anymore questions.

AN: I am extremely sorry for the overly long wait. Finals hit me like a truck and the holiday season was almost as bad. By the time I could actually write again I had crazy writer's block. Don't think I'll be able to keep a every other week schedule from this point on. But I will try to at least post once a month I'm really sorry please leave any comments you want they keep me motivated. Please and thank you.