Chapter 8 Christmas Special

Danny's PoV******************************************

I winced as Selena started yelling in my ear. "I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU! NOT ONLY DO YOU WAIT AN ENTIRE DAY TO CALL ME AFTER YOU DISAPPEAR IN A FIRERY INFERNO, BUT YOU HAVE THE NERVE TO DO IT RIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS!" Kevin was looking at me with a sympathetic expression while Cory was silent laughing in the background. The two have been confused when I'd brought back an unconscious girl and, without any explanation, asked to use their phone. After I'd removed Terra's memories, I'd realized that Selena was probably worried about me. I had no idea it was this bad, though.

"Yes, Selena, I know it was inconsiderate of me, but just a lot happened. If it makes you feel better, I'm sure my friends would love to invite you and a few Gotham villains to spend Christmas with us." I smirked as Kevin's face lit up and Cory's turned to horror. Kevin began running around the room, yelling about all the preparations he'd have to make. "They seemed thrilled."

"Well…" Selena hesitated before giving in. "Fine. Tell me the address, and I'll go. But no one else. We can do something else to bother our favorite bird boy." Smirking, I recited the address. "Ok. See you in a few days."

"Bye Selena. Hurry here; my new little sister wants to me you." Leaving her gasping, I hung up on her. "Only Catwoman's coming, so don't go all out, Kevin." I said to the others, Cory visible relieved and Kevin disappointed. I looked down to see Sammy tugging on my sleeve.

"Who that?"

"That was your Aunt Kitty, Sammy. She's coming over for the holidays." The creak of a door opening drew all our eyes to where Terra, awake, was standing in the doorway. "Hey! You're finally awake!"

"Yeah…" She nervously rubbed the back of her neck, just like I did. "Who are you guys? And where am I?"

"You're in a homeless shelter run by these two idiots." I pointed to Kevin and Cory, the later still running around, trying to get ready for Christmas. "I'm Danny, the red head is Cory, the other is Kevin, and this," I rubbed the top of Sammy's head and she purred with happiness. "Is my little sister, Sammy. I found you unconscious outside during the attack."

"Umm… Attack?"

"Some super villain attacked the city, but the Teen Titans took care of it." I noticed a flinch from her as I said Teen Titans. We'll have to watch out for that later; don't want to cause a relapse. "Anyway, who are you? How'd you get here?"

"I…I don't remember." Tears began to well up in her eyes. "I don't know."

"Hey, it's okay." I walked up to her and wrapped her in a hug. "Shh…it's okay. You can stay with us until you remember." Which won't be for a long time, hopefully. She looked up at me with a small smile and a blush. "How about we call you Tero for now? It's Esperanto, and I think it's very pretty. Just like you."

Her blush became even worse. "Thanks…Danny."

Robin's PoV Christmas Eve**********************************************

I paced back and forth in my room, eyes glaring into the neon green ones in the pictures on my wall. I'd gotten Cyborg to print off several pictures of 'Phantom' from his mechanical eye and they were all now taped to my wall. This was more than a regular criminal—this was the creature that is after my little brother.

Breath, Robin. I saw that he had flight, invisibility, intangibility, heightened senses, and that sonic wail. Why did he feel the need to stop Slade? It was obvious that he didn't want to—Phantom had said so himself! And what about the people he had mentioned? Where they villains like him, or innocent people that he'd tricked into helping him find Danny? "ARGH!" I slammed my fists down on the table. Not only had I no idea where he'd taken Terra—if she'd survived the cave collapse that Phantom had caused—it was virtually impossible to get any information on him. All I could find where some articles about how he kidnapped the mayor, and was caught stealing for this man named Freak show.

"Friend Robin?" I looked over to my door to see Starfire poking her head in. "We were wondering if you would be joining us for the merry making in the living room."

"I'm fine, Starfire." I told her looking back to my wall. She tried to say something else, but just left instead. I felt bad about it, but I had to find my brother. I can make it up to her later, though.

Danny's PoV Christmas Day************************************

"Okay, everyone, time to open presents!" Kevin squealed as we all sat around the makeshift tree he'd bought. We'd gotten each other presents—using money borrowed from Cory and Kevin—from the Goodwill around. Though I'd have to go out on a job to be able pay them back for their kindness…Anyway, besides presents, we also had to get Tero some new clothes, and Sammy shoes, which I'd stupidly forgotten when raiding the super store. We all got separate presents out from under the tree and opened them.

Kevin had gotten some knitting supplies from Sammy and I, a weird desert snow globe from Tero, and something he blushed immensely at and would show us from Cory. Cory got some new plants from Sammy, Tero, and I and Kevin got him a little heart shaped necklace, which we all thought was very cute. Tero got some cute onyx bracelets from Cory, a matching necklace from Kevin, and an old, but still pretty good, guitar from Sammy and I. Apparently, Kevin and Cory thought it would be funny if they got Sammy a bunch of catnip toys (It wasn't; she was bouncing off the walls), Tero got her a verity of hats besides the red beret I got her, and I gave her new books, so I could help her learn to read.

"Danny's turn, Danny's turn!" Sammy yelled as she ran around the room. The other's gave me their presents—mangas from Cory, a leather jacket from Kevin, a necklace with an old English 'D' on it from Tero and Sammy—and I thought we were all done. Until I heard a voice from the door.

"So, you brats started without me?" I looked up to see…

"Selena!" Standing up with a start, I smiled at my former mentor. "I was expecting you tomorrow. There goes my planning to steal you a present." The others didn't care that I was talking about illegal activities in front of them—Kevin and Cory understood that stealing was one of the talents I did best, Sammy didn't see how it was bad, and Tero just didn't really care.

"Yeah, well, I was going to be here last night, but I had to get a present for you." She held out a box, wrapped with newspaper. "I thought that while I was here, I might as well check up on bird boy, and this was lying out, practically unguarded. Go on, open it."

Rolling my eyes, I took the box and shredded the paper. I opened the box and a smirk stretched onto my mouth. I'd heard rumors about this back in Gotham, but never believed them. After all, you usually don't hear about hero's straying from the path of 'goodness'. "What'd you get, Danny?" Tero asked.

I took out the skull mask and placed it over my face. "A new suit."

Merry Christmas! Everyone review for such an early update! Please? As a present to me?

And this is how Danny gets the Red X suit. Anti-climatic, I know.