Author's Note: Donna from the previous chapter is based on Donnie from "The Batman" and Ace being the Joker is from "The Superpowers Team: Galactic Guardians", where I first saw a version of the Royal Flush Gang.

Chapter 28: Weak

Barbara suddenly woke up and soon figured out she was in a hospital room but saw no one nearby. "Where's everyone?" She asked in desperation.

Danny sadly walked into the room. "Barbara, I have bad news to tell you. The doctors said you'll never walk again."

"NOOOOOOOOOO!" Barbara screamed in horror. "What happens now?"

"I'm a superhero without a secret identity." Danny stated. "I cannot date a weak civilian without jeopardizing her life."

Barbara couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"Not to mention that I prefer strong girls and you're no longer strong but don't worry." Danny said as other girls showed up and Barbara quickly recognized them as Kim Possible, Supergirl and Starfire. "I have other strong girls. Sure, Kim Possible doesn't have superpowers but you'd be amazed with what she can do in spite of that."

The shock was so great she woke up for real this time.

A dream? Reeeeeeal original, Luiz.

I couldn't help it, Wade.

Why didn't you vote for Sabrina?

Because the voting time had already ended by the time I learned of TMDDF.

Okay, go on with this. I'm not getting any younger. I'm not getting older either but that doesn't matter.

"Where am I?" Barbara asked. Hearing this, a nurse called the doctor, Danny and Commissioner Gordon.

"Princess!" The Commissioner exclaimed.

"Dad, I had a terrible nightmare!" Barbara told her father. "I couldn't walk anymore and Danny dumped me for Kim Possible, Supergirl and Starfire."

"Barbara, I'd never abandon you like that." Danny reassured her.

"About the other part of the nightmare, however…" The Commissioner tried to say but she figured it out on her own.

"So, no more being a cop for me?" Barbara sadly asked.

"Unless you try to pull a Joe Swanson, which I hope you don't." Commissioner Gordon.

"Who's Joe Swanson?" Danny asked.

"Are you still here?" James Gordon asked Danny with a frown.

"Dad." Barbara scolded her father. "About your question, Danny, Joe Swanson is a police officer from Quahog, Rhode Island. He lost his ability to walk back when he and other officers stopped a burglar but remains active."

"I thought cops under these circumstances were given full retirement." Danny commented.

"Quahog has a crazy Mayor who covers coffins with cement out of fear the town would be attacked with zombies." Commissioner Gordon explained. "Not to mention that some things said about him sound too absurd to be real even taking into account the supernatural myths that were proven to be real."

"Yeah." Barbara agreed. "I mean, his legs were eaten while he was lost at sea and later replaced with legs that also don't work? Him regaining his ability to walk only to lose it again at the hands of friends he ditched because they weren't as extreme as he is and he forgives them?"

"True, I can't believe those stories and I know ghosts exist." Danny replied.

"And don't worry, Dad." Barbara reassured her father. "I'd rather wait until medical science develops a way for me to walk again. If at least I didn't try to take advantage of that darkness to stop the gang."

And that settles the matter of having it established that Barbara was "crippled in battle". Luiz4200 is lazy.

Go unalive yourself, Wade.

Tried it. Didn't work.

Have you ever had news from your cousin Slade lately?

Not ever since Lex Luthor tried to recruit him to the Legion of Doom. I'm gonna see him now.

"First thing in the morning, I'm going to check with Bruce Wayne if the implants Wayne Enterprises is developing are ready for testing, Barb." Commissioner Gordon said.

"Thank you, Dad." Barbara replied with a smile.

The Commissioner then turned his attention to Danny. "Young man, it's late and you should be back home."

Taking his cue, Danny readied himself to leave. "Goodbye, Barbara. Goodbye, Commissioner."

At home, Danny was quickly hounded by his family. "Danny, we've just watched the news!" Maddie Fenton exclaimed. "Is Barbara okay?"

"She'll survive but the doctors are afraid she'll never walk again, Mom." Danny sadly explained.

"How terrible!" Maddie said. "I hope you're supportive."

"True." Jazz commented. "Your girlfriend will need every help she can get. If she needs a psychologist, refer her to me."

"If you don't mind, Jazz, it's been a long night and I need to sleep." Danny said and went to his room.

The next day, Danny and Jazz were telling the rest of Team Phantom about what happened. "So Dash was a victim of the Joker's venom for refusing to join the clown?" Tucker asked. "Now I regret saying he had it coming."

"But what about Batgirl?" Sam asked. "Can't Batman do anything about her legs?"

Wait a minute, does Phantom's sister know about Babs' secret?

Barbara allowed Danny to tell her, Wade.

"I won't say anything about Batman, but her father mentioned some implants developed by Wayne Enterprises." Danny explained.

"Yeah, I've read about them!" Tucker excitedly replied. Where technology was concerned, Tucker did his research. "The people who tested them said it was too painful to walk with them."

"Tucker!" Danny scolded his friend.

"Well, if you don't like the idea of Barbara going through that, I've researched another solution." Tucker said. "Does the name Hank McCoy ring any bells?"

"He's the Secretary of Mutant Affairs." Sam replied, wondering where Tucker was going to. "What does he have to do with Barbara's condition?"

"During his youth, Hank McCoy was so bullied over his mutation he tried to develop a serum to neutralize it." Tucker answered. "As a result, he developed a serum that temporarily restored Professor Charles Xavier's ability to walk back in the 1970's. They told the general public that Professor Xavier discontinued the serum usage because of side effects but, it's worth a shot."

"Agreed." Sam replied. "It'll be a waste if Batgirl is forced to retire so early."

"It's not only about that, Sam." Danny argued. "If the serum works, Barbara can be far from the only wheelchair bound individual to walk again."

"Assuming the side effects aren't still a problem." Sam commented. "There must be a reason Professor Xavier stopped using the serum. If Barbara ever uses the serum, I'm afraid she'll have to limit it to whenever she needs to be Batgirl."

"There's also the fact it's my fault Barbara's like that." Danny said.

"Nonsense, little brother." Jazz reassured Danny. "Was the Joker going after her to get you?"

"No, but I wasn't able to stop him." Danny sadly replied. "All my powers, and the Joker could threaten the bystanders in a way I couldn't protect all of them."

"Still not your fault, Danny." Jazz pointed out. "If you blame yourself, you should open up to Barbara. Don't tell her about the serum, however. It's too soon to raise her hopes. Tell Batman."

"I will." Danny replied. "It's funny but I can't help but think I know the name Xavier from somewhere."

"Professor Charles Xavier heads Xavier's Institute for Gifted Youngsters, Danny." Sam pointed out. "I'd love to be a mutant and be there to learn how to deal with the uniqueness that comes with being one."

"Danny, isn't that the place you suggested Katie Kaboom to go so she'd learn to control her powers?" Tucker asked.

"Yeah!" Danny answered while being reminded of how much he feared Katie.

"You dated a mutant?" Sam asked.

"Yes, Sam." Danny answered, remembering on time not to say 'two', since Kitty, unlike Barbara, didn't give Danny permission to reveal.

Unbeknownst to anyone in Team Phantom, Bruce Wayne was already going to New York to meet Hank McCoy. Since the meeting wasn't about a "mutant affair", they met in Professor Xavier's office at the Institute instead of McCoy's at the Mutant Affairs' office. "Thanks for agreeing to meet me, Dr. McCoy." Bruce said.

"Professor Xavier reassured me I can trust you, Mr. Wayne, but I'm intrigued about the reason you wanted to meet me since it not being a mutant affair was the reason he told me you didn't want to meet in my office." Hank McCoy replied.

"Dr. McCoy, I'm aware that you once developed a serum that temporarily restored Professor Xavier's ability to walk and I'd like to mass-produce the serum and help other people to regain that ability." Bruce Wayne explained.

"Mr. Wayne, I don't know what the Professor said, but the side effects concern me." Hank McCoy stated.

"Professor Xavier warned me that he suffered an intellect decrease, Dr. McCoy." Bruce explained. "My theory is that it happened because his intellect depends on his mental powers and they were suppressed by the serum. Other than that, should I ever be concerned about what the serum might do to people with no powers to suppress?"

"To be honest, Mr. Wayne, since regaining the ability to walk was just a side effect that I deemed not good enough to make up for the loss of intellect, I never stopped to think about that." Hank McCoy answered. "Based on my studies, I'd say it might help fix a non-powered human's broken spine but I'd need to examine each volunteer to know which ones my serum could help and those would need a new dose injected into them every 12 hours."

Meanwhile, Danny flew to Gotham City to visit Barbara. "Your sister is right, Danny." Barbara reassured her boyfriend. "What happened to me wasn't your fault."

"That's debatable." Commissioner Gordon grumbled.

'He doesn't have ghost powers but somehow I'm no less afraid of him than I'm afraid of Phanty's Dad.' Danny thought. "So, how're you doing? Sorry, standard question."

"Well, Dad consulted Mr. Wayne about getting some implants but we were told the research and development of those was halted by the inability to find volunteers who weren't afraid Magneto would control them through the implants." Barbara explained.

"Mr. Wayne said he was going to New York to see if Dr. McCoy would be willing to sell his serum." Commissioner Gordon commented.

"Oh, you also heard of it." Danny commented.

"One of the senior doctors mentioned the serum at the hospital, Danny." Barbara explained. "What about you?"

"Tucker made a web search." Danny answered.

"For a creep who uses a fake profile to trick girls, he's not so bad." Commissioner Gordon commented. "I'm still glad he didn't date my daughter, however."

"Dad hired a crew to adjust the house to my needs." Barbara told her boyfriend. "Would you like to help?"

"Sure thing, Barbara." Danny answered. Felling guilty over his girlfriend's condition or not, he's willing to help her.

End chapter.

Disclaimer: Joe Swanson and the Mayor of the town where he lives are characters from "Family Guy".