True to his word Danny wrote letters to his friends and family. He didn't volunteer any information about his time with the Guys in White, but he gave the others at the cave codenames so that he could tell his family something. In return, they kept him informed about how things were in Amity Park, having refrained beforehand in case Danny didn't want to know. He continued to train with Black Canary and the team to improve his hand to hand combat and a few days later Danielle asked to join in. Garfield even joined in, feeling left out, and learnt the basics while the others learned more advanced techniques and forms.

Every day, Garfield trained his powers and Danny and Danielle had friendly spars. They got more and more intense every time and became true spectacles despite both holding back and being in their human forms but Danny was growing ever more confident in his powers. He no longer feared being intangible at all and even returned to using his old tactics such as sinking into the ground to sneak attack, impressing Black Canary and the team. He also had full control and confidence in his ghost ray again.

The only thing holding him back from trying a true spar was the fact that he still couldn't change into Phantom. Every time he tried, he thought about the experiments. It angered him so much that he couldn't bring himself to do something so simple.

He moved out of the medical facility a week after Danielle moved into the cave, now also under the Justice League's protection. It was a big step. Leaving the security blanket that the medical facility had become and had been cause for celebration in the cave, much to Danny's embarrassment and annoyance. But it made Black Canary proud to see Danny's progress. He'd come a long way since the almost mute boy unable to stand by himself and couldn't bring himself to leave the medical facility.

Two weeks after Danny visited Amity Park, everyone was at the cave for a rare fun Friday evening watching a couple of movies. All the team had permission to stay the night. Wally and Artemis cuddled together on a few cushions. Danielle sat beside Danny and Garfield. Conner and M'gann were also huddled together. Robin, Kaldur, Zatanna and Raquel sat on the couch together as friends. Popcorn, fizzy drinks and chocolate was plentiful. It was a relaxed and enjoyable evening.

However mid-way into the first movie, Danny and Danielle's ghost senses went off. The only one to notice was Garfield. Danny shared a look with Danielle before he got up and left to get his thermos in his room.

"Shouldn't you go after him?" Garfield whispered. Danielle shook her head.

"He's just getting the thermos. Besides he can handle it," Danielle replied.

Danny exited his room, closing the door behind him. He then went for a quick patrol through the cave but found nothing. With a sigh, he returned to the kitchen and motioned to Danielle. She discretely went over to him at the door.

"I've had a quick look in the cave but I can't see any ghosts. They might be outside," Danny muttered. Danielle nodded.

"Do you want me to come with? Or warn the others?" Danielle asked. Danny shook his head.

"I don't want to ruin everyone's night. I really doubt it's anything to worry about. If I'm not back before the end of the movie though, feel free to panic," Danny replied with a smirk. Danielle nodded again.

"I'll give you twenty minutes before I come to give you back up," Danielle decided and then returned to her seat.

Danny smiled as he left the kitchen again and exited the cave. It was dark already. He charged his hand with his ghost energy and scowled at the gloom around him. It was a cloudy starless night.

"Whelp," a voice called behind him. Danny sighed and turned to the voice.

"You're ruining a nice evening Skulker," Danny grumbled.

"I thought you'd like a progress report Daniel," another voice drawled. Danny froze.

"Vlad?!" Danny exclaimed in shock. A pink energy appeared and illuminated a blue skinned ghost with pointed black hair and vampire fangs standing a few feet away from the robotic hunter. Vlad rolled his red pupil less eyes.

"Come now Daniel, is it really that surprising that I could track you down?" Vlad retorted.

"Honestly, I didn't think you'd want to find me. Least of all to give me a progress report?" Danny replied with a raised eyebrow. Vlad shrugged.

"If you're not interested, I suppose I could just leave," Vlad offered, letting his glowing energy fade.

"Vlad, just tell me what you came here to tell me," Danny demanded with annoyance, closing the distance so his charged ghost ray illuminated the three of them. Vlad crossed his arms.

"I've started to investigate the Guys in White. I'm afraid there's nothing incriminating on their records, other than their reports on you of course little badger. But I have found an intriguing partnership with LexCorp. I've done a little digging and Lex Luthor has a lot of skeletons in his closet," Vlad revealed. Danny blinked in surprise.

"Okay. Thanks for doing that but I don't understand… why are you telling me this?" Danny inquired.

"You asked me to get the Guys in White shut down. It's the least I could do," Vlad replied with a shrug. Danny raised a sceptical eyebrow.

"You did it because they found out about halfas didn't you?" Danny retorted. Vlad smirked.

"Well, it was a contributing factor," Vlad admitted. Danny shook his head in disbelief.

"You know, you really are a selfish person. Whatever. What did you find?" Danny muttered. Vlad frowned.

"Lex Luthor has many connections Daniel. Most are not savoury characters. I only know these groups because of my own dark activities. He is a very dangerous man Daniel. I would advise against going against him," Vlad warned.

Danny gave a serious nod.

"I'll keep that in mind. I wasn't planning on taking a fight to anyone," Danny replied. Vlad shook his head.

"You don't understand Daniel. If Luthor approaches you with an offer. Take it. He is not the kind of person you can say no to. I'd suspect, not that there was proof, that Luthor would have connections to this Light you told me about. If you deny Luthor whatever he wants, you will regret it," Vlad elaborated. Danny raised an eyebrow.

"I'm not going to work for some criminal Vlad. And I won't go back to the Guys in White," Danny growled. Vlad sighed.

"I know. And I wouldn't ask you to. I doubt a report can truly describe what those… those creatures did to you. But… Daniel, you asked me to do some digging and this is what I found. I'm sorry I couldn't help more," Vlad replied.

Danny scowled.

"You had no right to go poking around the files about me Vlad," Danny grumbled, annoyed that his arch foe now knew what he'd been through. Vlad shrugged.

"The files pertaining to your imprisonment and subsequent participation in experimentation were not clearly labelled. Your actual name, either your birth name or your chosen ghost name, were only mentioned in a handful of documents. In truth, I couldn't be certain the file was about you until after I'd read a great deal into the reports," Vlad retorted. Danny frowned but didn't comment further, he could tell that Vlad was telling the truth.

"If it makes you feel better, I don't wish to share what I read. Least of all with your little friends or your mother," Vlad interjected. Danny gave Vlad a suspicious glance. The older halfa smirked.

"What do you get out of keeping quiet?" Danny asked carefully.

"You, in my debt. As well as doing as you asked of me," Vlad answered easily. Danny sighed. Of course there was a bigger reason behind Vlad's "kindness".

"Whatever. Is that all you wanted to tell me? Watch out for Lex Luthor and take whatever deal he offers me," Danny summarised. Vlad frowned.

"You could be a little more grateful Daniel. It took a great deal of finesse and care to get that information without putting myself at risk of discovery," Vlad scolded. Danny rolled his eyes.

"Fine. Thanks," Danny snarled. Vlad smirked before scowling again and looking past Danny. Danny turned to see a group of people running over to them.

So Danny is getting a lot better. Leaving the medical facility, getting better confidence with his powers, writing to his loved ones.

But on another note… Vlad is outside Mount Justice!

What will the team do? What will Danielle do? What will Danny do?

Until the next chapter.