Bruised

Chapter Fifteen

Saving Face

Media only tells enough to make you believe their story. Not the real one.

Batman kept to the shadows trying to find Vale. She was a good reporter, but she tended to run with whatever was given to her for a live coverage.

He kind of wished that Lois was there. She'd get the whole story first. She was still in Metropolis though on her way here.

He pulled to the side as someone passed and then grabbed Vale before she could scream.

"The GIW are the ones who took those that are inside hostage," Batman said. Vale just glared at him.

"They can't get inside the shield. No one can," Vale informed making Batman's eyes narrow.

"They're going after Phantom. I just got off the phone with the president." Vale's eyes widen as she stared at the man.

"I can't just…"

"Prevent any more coverage on this painting Phantom in a bad light, and I can get you an exclusive with Phantom." Her eyes stared at him before nodding.

That'd make her entire career.

"How do I know you're not lying?" she asked as she narrowed her eyes. Batman smirked.

"Phantom's trying to prevent going to war. Humans broke their law when they created a kill on sight order involving them," Batman explained making the reporter blink. "Phantom choose peace instead of coming at us with an army. He's in there trying to make peace now, and the GIW don't want it. They want to destroy all ghosts."

"I'll see what I can do," Vale agreed. Her career could take a quick dive for a bit, but she was counting on Phantom's interview to fix that. Batman nodded before disappearing.

"Phantom, you're not leaving this room," Horne said glaring at the ghost that was now pacing. Power flared around the ghost as he twitched. It's been about half an hour since they had gotten off the phone with Batman, and Phantom had gotten more antsy.

"I can't just stay here and do nothing," Phantom said as he twisted around and stared at Horne. Horne took in a breath at the cold air that was now in the room.

"Look, Batman is doing damage control, and Superman can handle the ghost for now," Horne said seeing a twitch in Phantom's frame. He learned enough about ghosts to wonder if they really do have an obsession.

"Phantom, no one is hurt. It's okay. I can see everyone. They're still safe."

"I can't," Phantom growled as he began pacing again. The ghost in the computers sighed before fog came out of one of them and a tall ghost with a mullet appeared. Phantom paused and stared at Technus.

"You need to, my King. You're starting to upset the humans here," Technus pointed out. Phantom stopped and looked around. Everyone was looking at him with wide eyes. "Ember told me…and with everything going on, you need to think rationally. No one is in danger as of yet. You are needed here though. You are needed to bring peace."

Phantom took in a breath and looked around again before meeting the president's eyes.

"I'm sorry. I dislike being trapped and not be able to do anything," Phantom said as he stood up a little straighter. The president nodded in understanding.

"It's fine, we're going to handle this," Horne said as he watched the power calm and he could feel the room warm up. "But, your friend here is right. You are needed here. If you leave, then that would not only put you in danger, but also our plan we made."

Phantom twitched at the word danger and Technus raised his hands up knowing that maybe using triggering words weren't such a great idea.

"How about we take a moment to just calm down," Technus said as bright green eyes went to him. "Phantom, focus on me for a moment."

"But…" Technus raised his hand to cut the president off.

"Phantom is currently in an attack. It happens sometimes, like what you call PTSD," Technus explained needing the humans to be quiet. "But for ghosts."

Horne understood what that meant and was okay with being silenced.

"I can't just sit on the sidelines," Phantom muttered as he twisted around and started pacing again. Technus slowly walked closer. He was glad that Phantom didn't register him as a threat.

Even though in the past he was.

"You're not. You being here is protecting these humans here. You being here is protecting the ghosts and the Zone herself," Technus said knowing that those words would help satisfy the King's obsession.

"Is it?" Phantom asked as he stopped and stared at the ghost.

"Yes," Technus said surely. He gently reached out to the ghost and kneeled down to Phantom's level. "You being here is the best protection we have right now. Not only for all of us, but you as well. If they got their hands on you, it would be bad for everyone. Staying here is the best protection we have right now."

"Alright, I think it's under control…for now," Phantom said as he looked down. Technus nodded before looking towards the president.

"Watch what you say for now," Technus warned looking to Phantom for a moment before the ghost nodded lightly. "Protection is his obsession. As long as you don't say someone is…well, you know. He should be fairly easy to calm down."

"So tell him we're protected as long as he's here?" Horne asked thinking he understood what happened. Technus nodded before standing up and going back into the computer. Phantom twitched slightly and Horne wondered how bad it truly was for the ghost to ignore the fact that he couldn't just punch the problem in the face this time.

That he couldn't fight his way out of the mess and had to let others help him.

Horne wondered for the first time how a teenager managed to handle all of this without help, and he had a whole new respect for the young king.

Superman chased the ghost into the shield and felt the shield repel him.

He knew that at least the people outside the shield were safe for now. He nodded to the white suited agents that were outside patrolling. They seemed happy with the acknowledgement.

He wanted to beat in Phantom's head for this mess so badly and was finally able to grab ahold of the ghost.

It didn't last long before the ghost turned intangible before driving into the ground. Superman glared at the ground knowing that trying to punch though it would be pointless. He looked around and tried to figure out where it went.

He turned back to the house before looking through trying to find Phantom and the president.

He never should have left them alone.

Hawkgirl hit the shield with her mace and watched as it gave for a moment before making itself solid again.

"If you hit it enough, think it'll go down?" Diana asked wanting to get in there. Superman was chasing the little ghost thing.

"I'm not sure," Hawkgirl said as she wound up another attack. Superman landed in front of them.

"Stop, if you take the shield down then the ghost could threaten civilians," Superman warned as Hawkgirl dropped her mace.

"Then what are we supposed to do?" Hawkgirl asked as she watched Superman look over the lawn.

"We have to get Phantom away from the president. I figure they're still inside somewhere," Superman said. "But there's another ghost here."

"Why would Phantom send only one ghost when he'd have an army?" Diana asked making Superman shrug.

"I try not think like a madman," Superman muttered as he stared at the building. He did not want to face Phantom alone, but he also knew that trying to take down the shield was dangerous. "I don't know, maybe there's more."

"There's not," J'onn said as he looked over the lawn. "I can sense the one."

"He's right, there's only one, and Phantom's not to blame for this," Batman said as he appeared behind them making them jump. "Take down the shield if you can."

"No, we can't let the ghosts threaten these people," Superman motioned to the reporters that were still surrounding the area.

"No one is in any real danger. I literally just got off the phone with Phantom and the president. They're both fine, but as long as that shield is up then we've got a problem. This shield shouldn't be able to keep us out as well. I believe that the GIW is targeting the president."

"Why would they target the president?" Hawkgirl asked making Batman look to Superman.

"You'd know that answer Superman," Batman said knowingly. He had a feeling that Superman should have overheard or at least knew what happened that would send them off like this.

"The president ordered for them to be shut down effective immediately," Superman said as he looked at Batman. "But Phantom is still holding him hostage."

"Hardly," Batman said. "Phantom is still fighting for peace. Him staying with the president is the best way for that to happen. As long as Phantom doesn't show any unnecessary power, we should still be able to save this. Per how things work in the White House when under threat, Phantom is also under secret service protection. Technically speaking, the secret service are holding both of them until given the all clear."

"How do you know he's not tricking us?" Superman asked as he looked over everything again. But the ghost seemed to have disappeared. And wherever Phantom and the president was hidden by a lead lined room.

"He's not," Batman said. He knew without a doubt that Phantom wasn't tricking anyone. His gut was louder than it ever had been about it.

And from the reports he read over about his son's adventures in the Ghost Zone, he had a feeling that was because Gotham wanted him to trust and protect their king.

He had no idea that Gotham had been a ghost, that the city he protected was protecting him and his family in turn. To know that she was the one to crown the young king was definely an interesting turn of events.

Everything else in that report made Batman wish he hadn't read it.

Or at least that he had gone with them.

Batman knew that he should follow his gut, and if it really was Gotham telling him what to do, then she never led him astray before. May as well continue to follow her if she is the one wanting Phantom safe.

"How are you sure?" Superman asked staring at his friend. Batman smiled at him. "According to the Fentons…"

"Wait, how do you know about the Fentons?" Batman asked narrowing his eyes. Superman blinked for a moment.

"They were in the meeting for a moment and then the president kicked us out when they asked about hybrids," Superman explained when Batman felt his eyes widen.

"You didn't tell them about Phantom did you?" Batman asked getting a guilty look from Superman. "Phantom's their son, you idiot. Telling them that information should come from him, not from you. You may have just put him in danger from his own parents!"

Superman's eyes widen in shock as that information settled into his head.

Phantom was acting weird because he knew exactly what he'd be walking into. He knew who to look out for and the Fentons were people he knew very well, and he had to prevent anyone from knowing that he knew them very well.

He just put the kid in danger from his own parents by telling them that information.

"I didn't know…" Superman whispered. Batman glared at him.

"We'll talk about telling people about hidden secret identities later. But if anything happens to him because of the information you gave out, I'll make sure you pay," Batman threatened before turning to Hawkgirl. "Get that shield down." Hawkgirl nodded before glaring at Superman and beating the shield with her mace.

Diana was also glaring at Superman knowing that the man of steel had just put a child in danger.

"Damnit, I was supposed to go with the kid," Ember paced angrily in the Batcave where Alfred had pulled up all the information he could for her.

"Phantom didn't want any unnecessary shows of powers," Alfred explained as he looked over the information. "So far it seems that the president and Phantom are staying together which could end badly or may show that Phantom wasn't the one who was causing these problems."

"Ugh, why does he always have to do stuff on his own, the stupid kid," Ember muttered as she sat down and started spinning in the chair.

Suddenly the doors opened and someone rode in on a motorcycle. Alfred turned to them with a smile.

"Ah, Master Jason," he greeted as the Red Hood took off his helmet. He looked at Ember suspiciously as she grinned at him.

Gotham did like to mess with the Red Hood a lot. Ember could feel her mirth as Jason walked closer.

"What are you still doing here?" Jason asked knowing that the last time he was here cause of the ghosts they messed with him the whole time.

"Phantom's being stupid," Ember shrugged as she stared at his crotch. He moved over enough so she couldn't keep staring at him like that. "So Batsy was kind enough to let me watch this unfold from his lovely dark cave."

"Well…alright," Jason said sighing. Ember grinned again.

"Did you really steal the tires off the Batmobile?" she asked making Jason sigh and throw his head back.

"Where are you getting your information?" Jason asked getting annoyed. She kept getting information that not even the Batman knew about with him. Especially if it happened here in Gotham.

He asked everyone and they told him that they didn't tell her anything. They hardly talked to her, but that she was doing the same thing to them as well. Although Nightwing and Red seemed to know a bit more about why Ember might know about some of things she was asking about.

"The city knows all," Ember said with a grin. Jason groaned again really wishing that Phantom would have taken her.

Horne watched as Phantom typed on the computer and looked over towards his team that was avoiding the ghost. Phantom was watching as Hawkgirl hit the shield with her mace. It seemed each hit was weakening it through, and that was a good thing. But it seemed like something else was going on. The white suited agents that were going around the house seemed confused.

Which was good since they were never fully in on the secret service side of things. They knew he had a panic room, but had no idea where it was.

"I don't like this," Phantom muttered as he watched them go through the Oval Office. He was glad that they had grabbed their notes about the new peace treaty they were making. It still needed to be put into a document that he could take to the ghosts and see if they approved.

It seemed the agents were trying to destroy some of their drafts that were left on the desk in an effort to stop the peace treaty.

I'm close to an ending, just have like a fight scene and slight redemption of a stupid character...don't worry, it'll make sense once you read that part, but I'm now working on twenty-one.

Also, I have my little criminal Danny one, and I recently read a couple with Danny being Damin's twin, and I love that, and I kinda want to do my own on it, but am unsure since it seems like some people dislike that trope...

but I also wouldn't be writing for everyone, just myself cause I kinda like that type of AU. So i'm liking that idea as well.

Okay, I just love DC/DP crossovers and will probably only write that type for the time being...maybe...XD

See y'all next time! Love y'all