Danny awoke the next morning to the sounds of roaring engines and explosions coming from a couple of feet in front of him. His sleep-numbed mind snapped into combat mode, and he vaulted behind the couch for cover, blasting the source of the noise with a ghost ray.
"Dude! Overreact much?" Beast Boy uncovered his head, regarding the smoking remains of the Gamestation. "We just got a new one after the last time Overload attacked! What's your deal?"
Danny poked his head up from behind the couch. "Sorry, but I'm not used to waking up to explosions." He grinned sheepishly. "Um, I'll buy you another one..."
"Nah, don't worry about it." Cyborg spoke up from the end of the couch. "Appliances never last too long around here, so I got another one."
Beast Boy's head snapped up from where he was mourning the melted video game console. "You did? That's awesome! Let's go get it!" He dashed off, and Cyborg followed him, knowing he'd probably make a huge mess looking for it himself.
Tucker stood up from the other end of the couch. "You are looking seriously paranoid right now. I've never seen you attack an inanimate object that wasn't controlled by a ghost. What's up?"
"I don't think I slept well. I had some weird dreams last night." He scanned the room for a clock, rubbing his eyes sleepily. "What time is it?"
"It's 12:30, Sleeping Beauty." Sam walked up behind Danny and poked him in the ribs. "No one could get you up." Danny jumped, partly from the poke and partly from the sudden realization that everyone had seen his human form while he was asleep. He considered changing back right then, but the damage had already been done, and besides, staying in ghost form all day would be exhausting. Sam frowned at the look on his face. "What? You look worried."
"I'm worried about my secret identity. Everyone has seen my face now, I bet."
"Like I told Sam yesterday, these are the good guys." Tucker clapped Danny on the shoulder. "Secret identities are no problem."
"New friend Danny, you are awake!" Starfire entered the room and came over to them. "We were concerned when we could not awaken you."
"I'm okay, I just wore myself out last night." Danny rubbed the back of his head and supressed a yawn. Jeez, how did I expend so much energy? I bet ghosts don't have this problem. "So is there any breakfast...err, lunch around?"
"Oh yes!" Starfire excitedly started pushing the three of them towards the kitchen. "I shall make a new Earth dish I have discovered for you!"
The blue and orange...thing...Starfire placed in front of them once she had finished making it didn't look like anything anyone from Earth would make.
Danny poked at it gingerly. "Um, what is it, exactly?"
Starfire held up a cookbook. "It is the food called lasagna. Please, taste. I wish to know how I did."
It tasted mostly of toothpaste and orange peels. It was hard to chew, with crunchy bits that didn't really taste like food. Swallowing was a lot of work, and the aftertaste was...nausea-inducing. At the risk of hurting Starfire's feelings, Danny and Sam found a way to choke down their helpings. Tucker, however...
"This is...great! Can I--hrk--have some more?" His face belied the twisting sensation in his stomach. Starfire beamed and piled seconds onto his plate.
"Talk about anything to impress a girl," Sam muttered to Danny when Starfire got up to start cleaning the kitchen. Tucker quickly dropped the remainder of his food into the waiting mouth of Silkie, who had taken up begging for food during meals.
"Hey, need any help?" Tucker slid up beside her as she lifted a pile of dishes into the sink.
"That is most kind of you. Thank you." She smiled again, so warm that the room seemed to brighten momentarily.
Danny nudged Sam conspiratorially. "Come on, let's let loverboy work his magic."
"Sure we shouldn't stick around in case she decides to tie him in a knot?"
Danny saw Starfire giggling at some joke Tucker must have made. "Somehow, I think he'll be okay."
---
This place is huge, Danny thought as he wandered the halls of Titans Tower. How do they keep from getting lost in here? There should really be a map or something. He and Sam had split up to explore, mostly because she insisted on looking for the bathroom by herself.
"Go check the place out yourself, she says. I'll be fine on my own, she says." Danny muttered as he walked through the gym again. I haven't seen her in half an hour, so one of us must be lost. And judging by the fact that I've been in this room at least six times, it's probably me.
He stopped in the middle of an intersection. "This is getting me nowhere. Time to start exploring like a ghost would." The twin rings of light spread out from his waist, changing him into Phantom. Picking a wall at random, he phased his head through, followed by the rest of his body. The room was fairly dark, with numerous objects decorating the walls.
"Looks like some kind of trophy room," Danny mused as he floated past a black and orange mask hanging on one wall. There were other objects, as well. A creepy puppet, some kind of bizarre remote control, a top hat, and a tall glass tube containing a black bodysuit. The only color to it was a red x-shaped slash on the chest. The mask had a skull motif with another x on the forehead. He paused in front of it for a moment.
"Sweet costume." He glanced down at his own outfit. "Wonder if I could pull off a cape like that." Danny shrugged, then floated out of the room.
After venturing through several rather uninteresting rooms, Danny happened upon another one that caught his attention. It looked remarkably similar to Sam's room, except for the absence of the massive speakers Sam loved. "Whose bedroom is this?"
"Mine. And there's a reason why the door's closed," said Raven from behind him.
Danny spun around embarassedly, changing back to his human form. "Sorry for barging in like this, but I was looking around and I got lost and...wow. I'm terrible at making excuses, huh?"
"Yes, you are." She was sitting cross-legged on her bed, hood down, studying him. "Even though you can pass through walls, you still need to respect other people's privacy."
Why hasn't she kicked me out yet? Danny wondered, then started backing towards the door. "Well, I'll just...get out of your hair, then..."
Raven hesitated briefly before speaking up. "I don't really mind if you stay and talk to me for a bit." She tried to hide a blush. Holy hell, I hope I didn't just sound as desperate as I think I did.
"Oookay." Danny sat on the only chair in the room. "Talk about what?"
"What happened to you last night? I get the feeling that's not exactly normal for a ghost." She shifted to sit facing him with her legs tucked under her.
Danny laughed nervously. "I just got tired. But I'm not exactly a ghost, either." Raven raised an eyebrow as he continued. "A few months ago, there was an accident in my parent's lab, and ghost energy fused with my DNA. Really, I'm only half ghost."
"So, you're half dead?"
He scratched his head. "When you put it like that, it sounds a lot worse. Half dead..." Danny looked distant for a moment.
"I didn't mean to upset you."
He looked back at her, a little surprised at the concern in her voice. "It's okay. At least I'm not all the way dead, right?" His attempt at a joke fell flat. He continued in a more serious tone. "At first it was pretty hard getting used to being only half human. Actually, I'm not so sure I'm used to it even now."
Raven pushed an errant lock of hair back as she responded. "I know what that's like." It was Danny's turn to raise an eyebrow. "My father's a demon." She grimaced as she said it.
"I take it you don't like him much?" Danny ventured cautiously.
Raven's voice was a very flat, controlled sort of calm that sounded like it was concealing a greater anger. "He used me to try to take over the world. He nearly killed my friends, not to mention the entire population of the city." She took a deep breath. "I do my best not to acknowledge him as my father."
"That's...wow." Danny shook his head. "Terrible doesn't seem like a bad enough word."
Raven stood up silently, walking over to the window. She gathered her cloak around her. "He's been dealt with. It doesn't matter, now. All I can do is..." Her shoulders shook slightly. Dammit, do not start getting upset! "...pretend he doesn't exist."
She was surprised when Danny walked up behind her, but she managed not to flinch as he laid a hand on her shoulder. Tension seemed to leech out of her slightly at his touch. "I guess it's my turn to apologize, huh?"
Raven turned her head, seeing that apologetic half-smile. "Don't worry about it." She focused briefly, lifting off the ground and floating through the closed window in front of her. She motioned for Danny to follow.
The confused ghost hybrid changed again, passing through the window and floating after her as she landed on the roof. "What are we doing up here?" Danny wondered as he landed next to her.
"The room was feeling a little cramped," she replied, cloak flapping slightly in the wind. "I come up here to meditate sometimes."
Danny swept his gaze across the landscape, taking in the spectacular view of the harbor and city, not to mention...Whoa, easy now, Danny. I don't know if she'll appreciate you checking her out. "Yeah, the view from up here is really nice," he said, very deliberately not looking at her plainly visible legs.
Raven glanced sideways at him. He's broadcasting nervousness like crazy. Either he likes me or he's scared spitless of me. She sighed imperceptibly. Story of my life, I guess. But I don't think he's scared...maybe worried I might decide to hurt him for looking at me like he just was...Raven ruthlessly attempted to quash the fluttering in her stomach as she stepped closer to him than 'just talking' warranted. Since when did I get so bold?
Danny watched Raven disconcertedly as she stepped up to him. Okay, what's she doing? Should I back up, or...Her voice snapped him out of his current line of thought.
"Do you believe in love?" What the hell kind of question is that? Am I completely insane?
"Wha? Yeah, I guess I do."
"I didn't use to, but..." Ohgodohgodohgodohgod. She drew imperceptibly closer to him. I can't believe I'm about to...what the hell am I doing? Part of her thought, but most of her was going beyond rational thinking.
Their faces reddened simultaneously as their lips were only inches apart...
---
Robin stood over the desk in his room, going over the newspaper clippings he'd managed to collect. Amity Park and Phantom had sounded so familiar when he'd first heard them, and the information he'd gathered on both explained why. Amity Park had been in the news numerous times as a center of ghost activity, fitting with last night's news broadcast. As for Phantom, this particular ghost was either famous or infamous, depending on who you asked. Public opinion of him had fluctuated considerably since he first appeared. Although he always seemed to try his best to defend the innocent, inevitably there was plenty of collateral damage.
I doubt that he's untrustworthy, Robin mused. Still, it's probably best to keep an eye on him while he's here.
Robin exited his room, heading for the living room to see if the ghost kid in question was awake yet. Obviously, he wasn't exactly a ghost, since he seemed to need food and rest. Not to mention the fact that his appearance had changed to a normal human teen while he was asleep.
Tucker and Starfire were seated on the couch as the Boy Wonder walked into the room. He stood there for a few minutes, listening to Tucker recount a story about a ghost named Skulker and a purple-backed gorilla, mostly making himself sound humorously incompetent. Starfire looked enraptured by the tale.
Robin supressed jealousy. I could tell funny stories like that. I just...don't...know any. He walked over and stood behind the couch. "Starfire, have you seen Danny anywhere?"
"Yes, he was here not long ago." She looked up at him. "Have you finished the work you were doing?"
"I found what I needed."
"Wonderful!" Starfire clasped her hands together joyously. "Then perhaps we should invite our new friends to participate in the watching of movies, or explore the mall of shopping together, or--"
"Actually, Star, I think we'd better try to come up with a plan to catch that ghost." Robin interrupted. He withdrew his communicator and depressed a small button on the side. One of the round objects on Starfire's uniform started blinking, as would similar devices on the others. Robin turned towards the door, awaiting the rest of the team.
---
Raven jumped back several feet as the clasp of her cloak started blinking unexcpectedly. Danny let out the breath he hadn't realized he was holding. Was she about to kiss me? It sure looked like it.
Raven flipped her hood up, mostly concealing a terrific blush. "Come on, Robin's calling us." She disappeared inside without waiting for an answer.
Danny followed, still very freaked out by what had almost just happened, but sort of regretting that it hadn't. If I live a hundred years, he thought, I don't think I'll ever understand women.
---
A/N: Hey, look everybody! It's that guy! That takes forever to update! Wow! Sorry for the delay, peeps, but you know how life gets sometimes. Also, let me just say HOWD AH GEET ZO MENNEH REVIWZORZ ALREDHEEH! You people must like reading this stuff, I guess. Thanks for your continued interest, and rest assured, no matter how long it takes for me to actually update, I'll stop writing when I stop breathing. Actually, I won't, since I plan on coming back as a ghost. Kind of like that Ghost Writer fellow, but not so rhyme-obsessed.
