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Chapter 10: Telling or Not Telling

Should he tell her or not?

Danny was torn terribly. It went against every one of his instincts to tell a complete stranger one of his darkest secrets. Perhaps if he'd already told his friends he wouldn't even be having this big of an internal conflict. But then his friends would have helped him through it, meaning that he wouldn't even be facing Raven at this moment. Meaning that he would still be at home, perhaps joking around Tucker and holding hands with Sam and—stop! Danny derailed his brain from that train of thought. It wasn't helping him any.

Raven saw Danny's hesitation, the fear crossing his face, and the doubt. She remembered her own fear and doubt when it came to telling her friends her secrets. It seemed that Danny was in the same predicament now.

For Danny, Raven's interruption into his tormented thoughts was a blessing.

"You don't have to tell me now."

This startled him; he looked at her. "What?"

"Think about it. I know what you're going through—the doubt, fear, hesitation… It's not easy but it has to be done."

Wide-eyed and disbelieving, Danny continued to listen, hearing Jazz's wisdom in her voice.

"None of us will judge you for whatever you're hiding." Raven smiled at him when skepticism crossed his features. "It's true. We all hid secrets and then had them accepted when the time came. Robin still has his."

Danny swallowed heavily, suddenly feeling tired. "I'll think about it," he whispered.

Raven heard him. "All right. Let me know when you're ready to talk. You should be able to find my room."

She walked back to the tower, leaving Danny uncertain as to whether he should follow her. Thinking that phasing into the tower would probably be considered rude, Danny unthinkingly floated after Raven, landing once having caught up.

The door clicked shut behind them, putting them in the relative dark of the garage. "Relative" because Danny's ghostly glow and green eyes easily lit up a circle of about a foot around the two.

"Is that how bright you normally glow?" Raven inquired curiously.

"No. I can do brighter." Danny shrugged, smiling shyly. "The more powerful a ghost the brighter they glow and the better they can control it. You might have noticed that the Cake Ghost wasn't very bright at all."

"So you're saying that you're a powerful ghost."

'Yipes!' Danny hurried to rectify his mistake. "No, sorry; I'm not. I was merely repeating something I heard from ghost experts."

Raven highly doubted that was the entire truth but decided to let it be. Obviously Danny wasn't comfortable talking about his power.

The ghost teen squirmed slightly under Raven's penetrating stare, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. The gesture struck Raven as oddly familiar, although she couldn't place it.

"Come on," she said abruptly, striding towards the door entering the lower level of the tower.

Danny walked up the steps after her, entered a dark hallway, and then followed her through the corridors.

"Where are we going?" Danny asked, trying to keep the turns in his head and failing. "Do you guys have a map?"

"We're going to the living area. You'll have to ask Cyborg for the map, but I can't see why you need one."

"Why's that?"

"You teleport, don't you?"

"…Yeah." They entered another dark hallway. "But I can't teleport just anywhere. I have to know where I'm going." Danny thought back to earlier. 'I just wanted to get away then. I didn't care where I ended up, just that I escaped.'

He rubbed his arms nervously, releasing some electricity. Lights flickered, making Raven stop.

"Looks like a fuse blew," she just said.

Then, without waiting for a reply, Raven turned left into a hallway and approached the doors that Danny presumed entered the living room/kitchen. She paused before them, seeming to ponder something.

"It's odd that they're closed," she finally said for Danny's benefit, realizing that he was feeling uncomfortable. "Normally when there's a power outage Cyborg keeps these doors open because they're automated."

"You can ask," Danny said, standing several inches behind her. He was just an inch taller.

"First I'll have to bypass the security system," Raven said, holding her hand up. It glowed black and a panel slid open on the wall on the right side. There were a bunch of buttons and a small screen.

Before Raven could do anything, Danny had turned both of them intangible, closed the panel, and slipped through the obstacle. He reverted back to tangibility once in the light. This startled the Titans standing before the windows.

Starfire was the first to greet them. "Hello, Raven. Hello, Danny. I hope everything went well?"

Danny hesitated, giving Raven the green light. "We made some progress."

Raven caught the halfa's eye, letting him know what she'd just done. Unsure of how to respond, Danny shifted his eyes elsewhere.

"And I was wondering what happened to all the lights," Raven continued. "It was completely dark save for Danny." She looked around the living room/kitchen. "Where's Cyborg?"

"Here." Cyborg popped out from under the counter. "It's pleasant news to hear that the one guy who glows in the dark is the one who blew out the lights in the first place."

Danny had a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. "What do you mean?"

"Your power blew out the fuse box and then some," Cyborg explained, getting to his feet. His hands, which had been fine tools, turned back into fingers. His eyes landed on the doors behind Danny and Raven, which were still closed. "I thought those were open."

"They're not," Raven stated.

"They closed suddenly a moment ago," Beast Boy said from his spot on the couch. "I think it happened when the lights flickered on. I thought that was you." He was referring to Cyborg.

Danny flushed slightly. "Sorry about that. It was me."

Everyone stared at him, causing him to shift nervously. He caught Raven raising an eyebrow questioningly and he explained further. "I rubbed off some electricity accidentally."

Just as the silence was becoming unbearable, Robin spoke. "It's no problem, Danny," he said, smiling at him. "Cyborg's great at fixing these things."

It took most of Danny's willpower to stop his jaw from dropping. Had Robin been possessed by a ghost? Wasn't he vehemently opposed to Danny just an hour or two ago? And what was up with him addressing him so familiarly? He had been calling him "Phantom" before!

Not wanting to seem rude, Danny observed the other Titans, remaining quiet. None of them had reacted oddly to Robin's strange—to Danny—behavior. And he could have sworn he heard Raven mutter, "Finally."

There was another awkward silence for a moment.

"So…" Cyborg broke it. "I think I've fixed what was busted. Let me double check." Cyborg flipped something.

They all waited for a minute. Just as Cyborg frowned and was about to do something, loud music made them all jump a foot in the air.

Robin was about to comment on the TV being on when it changed to black and blessed silence fell. But only for a moment.

"No!" Cyborg fell to his knees. "It fried again!"

Everyone turned to see Danny trying to calm his hair, which was sticking out in all directions like a bad case of bed hair. He felt the presence of multiple eyes on him and abandoned the attempt, grinning apologetically.

"Sorry. It startled me."

Robin took a deep breath, caught the stares of all his teammates, and smiled broadly, going right up to Danny. "If you have time, do you mind coming with me for a moment? I've got a couple of questions about something."

Slightly panicked, Danny looked for help. But the only help he got were looks of encouragement. No other choice open to him, Danny let Robin lead him out like they were best of friends (the doors were open again). All the while, Danny was focusing on his ecto-electricity powers, never noticing the looks exchanged between those in the room.

Left in silence, Beast Boy, Cyborg, and Starfire turned to Raven.

"Did you find anything out about him?" Beast Boy asked eagerly.

Raven thought for a moment. It would be violating Danny's privacy if she said anything now. The best thing to do would be to wait for Danny to come clean on his own terms. If everyone else knew, it would pressure him and he would probably run. Raven didn't want that.

Only a ten second delay followed after the original question. Not long enough for suspicion.

"Only that he glows in the dark," she finally answered, picking a safe subject.

Cyborg didn't look surprised. "That makes sense. My sensors have been picking up that he lets out a constant flow of energy."

"Ghosts glow naturally," Raven argued.

"Maybe they do but like you said yourself, these ghosts are different. I'm guessing that the energy he lets out turns into that glow he was giving off in the dark."

Under the glances of Starfire and Beast Boy, Raven remained quiet.

Cyborg scratched his head, shrugging. "In any case"—his face morphed into aggravation—"now I've got to fix this…again."

Grumbling, Cyborg disappeared from view.

Raven turned to the other two. "Did you talk to Robin? He was acting differently."

Starfire beamed. "Robin has agreed to give Danny a proper chance!"

The purple-cloaked Titan smiled, pleased. "That's great. That's really great…"

"I'm sorry if I gave you the wrong impression earlier," Robin apologized. "I was just…" He couldn't seem to find a word that wouldn't insult Danny.

"Distrustful? Worried?" Danny suggested. He smiled wryly. "I'm not hurt. I got that often because of what I am."

" 'Got'?"

He'd caught that… Danny went for the truth. "I get it less frequently now because people know who I am. But there's still the occasional ghost hater…" He shrugged, smiling like it wasn't a big deal.

Robin was silent for a moment. "I see."

'Do you?' Danny stopped walking as Robin did. 'No. I don't think you do.'

"This is where I normally work," Robin said, leading Danny to the room he'd been working in earlier.

Danny blinked at all the newspaper articles on the walls. Pictures of a man with one eye particularly jumped out at him. 'Wow. Obsessed much?'

Robin didn't explain the pictures. He just walked over to a bench with a toolbox on it and a blackened stick.

The boy wonder picked it up, holding it out for Danny. "You dropped this earlier."

After looking at it as if it might be diseased, Danny delicately took it. "Thanks. Why are you giving me this?" He held it up to his eyes. "It looks like someone took several screwdrivers to it."

"I did," Robin confessed unashamedly.

'Okay. Nice and blunt.' Danny pressed the activating button and waited. Nothing happened. Sighing, he put the ruined Fenton Electrifier back on the table.

"You can't fix it?" Robin asked, surprising Danny.

"Sadly, no. I didn't make it."

"Where do you get those contraptions from?" Robin waved a hand at Danny's silver belt.

"Ghost hunters gave them to me," Danny replied truthfully.

"You associate with ghost hunters?" Robin sounded disbelieving.

'It does sound far-fetched.' Danny shifted his weight. "They know me."

Robin's face remained blank; he turned to face a wall full of pictures of the one-eyed man. The lighting was bad as only Danny's ghostly glow was there; Cyborg's tech skills hadn't kicked in yet.

"His name is Slade," Robin said suddenly, startling Danny.

'Eh?' Danny stayed quiet, waiting for an elaboration.

"He gave us trouble for a long time," Robin went on. "He died once…"

Danny couldn't stop himself. " 'Once'?"

"A demon resurrected him and he went after Raven. More I can't tell you." He placed a hand on a picture. "We had a friend named Terra."

' "Had"?'

"She couldn't control her powers. When I found out, she thought we would throw her out. She didn't wait for an answer and just ran away."

Robin faced the white-haired hero. "She returned as an apprentice of Slade. We didn't know until Beast Boy found out. Only a short while later and the two tried to take over Jump City. They very nearly succeeded."

The Titan was silent for a long while, staring at the ground, although Danny sensed the story wasn't over yet. He didn't press Robin, knowing full well how such a story could take a toll on the person narrating it.

His patience was soon rewarded.

Still keeping his gaze on the ground, Robin continued. "Beast Boy was the one that turned Terra around. But during it all, her power nearly caused an earthquake. She stopped it, buried Slade in lava, and turned to stone. We still haven't found a way to turn her back, although Beast Boy is convinced she's back, just with amnesia."

Robin's masked eyes met Danny's electric green ones. "Do you see why I told you this?"

"I—"

"I didn't trust you before because you are a ghost. On top of that, you are a ghost that can't control his own power. I…I kept seeing Terra in your place, something I shouldn't have done. It took all my friends to tell me I should give you a chance. But tell me this: Is it wise for me to give you a chance?"

Taken slightly aback, Danny studied Robin, noting his flushed cheeks and barely aggressive stance. 'I really wish Jazz were here. She'd tell me what to say.'

Making up his mind, Danny carefully formulated his answer. "I understand why you couldn't trust me. When I first started hunting ghosts, my entire town didn't trust me. It took time for me to gain that trust. I can't say that I'm not glad you're giving me a chance. I wish I could say 'Trust me' but I know that the words of someone you mistrust won't help you much. The only thing I can say is to trust your friends and believe in them." He smiled, remembering Sam and Tucker. "They're the best you have when you have nothing at all."

Robin tilted his head forward, acknowledging Danny; his face was shrouded in shadows. "I can't trust you right now," he finally said. "But I'm giving you a chance to earn it."

Danny smiled, relieved. "That's all I'm asking."

Robin smiled at him, too. "Good."

The lights flickered on then, bathing the two in brightness.

"Great." Robin turned a cheerful face to Danny, creeping the half-ghost out since he wasn't used to seeing such an expression on Robin. "I have to say that I'm glad for that. Your glow is just slightly creepy."

Danny didn't know what to say to that. "…Thanks." In his mind: 'That face of yours is creepy, too.'

"You up for joining us?" Robin offered.

"Thanks but…I think I'm gonna go lie down. I have to think some about what you and Raven told me."

"Sure."

Danny stepped out of the room, pausing then. He turned embarrassedly to Robin. "Er…I hate to ask this but…do you have a map?"

It was quiet in his room. Too quiet. He caught himself wishing to go back to the Titans before he reminded himself that he was here to think. So he needed the quiet.

But…now that he was alone he could almost hear his new power whispering to him, promising him great things if only he'd give in. Or was that just in his imagination? Danny wasn't sure. It all seemed to meld together in his tired brain.

'I need to turn back. But what about cameras?' Danny almost called himself paranoid before reminding himself that he needed to be careful in this environment. He couldn't afford feeling too secure.

These thoughts in mind, Danny scanned the room. He could seem to sense every electrical pulse and tell where they were coming from. As far as he could tell, nothing like a camera or even a microphone was in his room.

Letting out a heavy sigh, Danny released his ghost half, turning into a very tired Danny Fenton. He dropped the sleeping bag Robin had thoughtfully given him and collapsed on it, grunting when his bones came into contact with the floor.

Tiredly rolling over, Danny looked once at the map Robin had expertly drawn. Really, the guy wasn't so bad once you were on friendly terms with him.

"A map? I don't see why that would be a problem. This tower can be confusing."

"Thanks."

"I'll also get you something to lie on since the room doesn't have anything. You may not sleep but ghosts do like to relax, right?"

"Right…"

Come to think of it, since nobody knew he was half-ghost, it would have been awkward explaining why he needed a mattress or a sleeping bag.

Staring blankly at the ceiling, Danny folded the map up for later use. He lay spread-eagle on the sleeping bag, desperately wanting to sleep. His mind wouldn't let him.

Adjusting his belt to fit more comfortably, he rolled over on his side again, running through everything Raven had told him earlier.

'She says I can trust them, but can I really? I don't think anyone's ever had a secret like mine.'

A loud voice shouted in his head. "Stupid! Think it through properly!"

Danny gasped loudly, jolting upright. "Sam?"

No one answered.

Disappointed, Danny sank back. 'No. Just in my head.

'Still… I have to think it through better.'

The ghost teen sat upright to get his blood flowing, his knees drawn up. He leant forward, thinking.

'Secrets are always different. No two are the same. But they all have the same significance to those hiding them. Who am I to assume my secret is better? It's definitely more dangerous but it's not better…'

Danny remembered his evil future self electrocuting him before throwing him to the ground; he shivered. 'But I'm not ready for that to be revealed. Not yet. Maybe I can start small…'

He called everything Mr. Robinson had told him. 'None of them besides Robin are fully human. So I guess that being half-ghost may not be that big of an issue.' He remembered what Raven had told him regarding his fear. 'I am afraid. But I can't seem to help it. No matter what I do, it's like a disease; it keeps growing. How can she help?'

This question left Danny at a loss and with a sick feeling in his stomach. The kind of feeling that hit you only when you felt utterly helpless and clueless. Danny had felt that several times before but never in such magnitude. He hated the feeling.

'There's nothing I can do.' Danny swallowed helplessly. 'But maybe…maybe telling them what I am will make things easier. Especially if I tell all of them.'

Already feeling greatly relieved, Danny lay back. 'After a good night's sleep, though.'

No sooner had he decided this did something else strike him. What about his duplicate?

"Is everything all right, Robin?" Starfire asked as Robin entered. "Where is Danny?"

"He's in his room," Robin replied calmly. "He said he needed to think."

"You didn't say something rude, did you?" Beast Boy inquired suspiciously.

"No."

The silence dragged out for five minutes.

"Well?" Cyborg finally prompted.

"What we discussed is between us," Robin said, evading the subject. "For now anyway."

"But you're giving him a chance," Raven said to make sure.

"I'll tell you guys this much: I can't trust him yet. But Danny has agreed to earn it."

Raven exhaled loudly. "All right. I guess that's the best we can do for now."

The leader of the Titans looked completely disgruntled. A dark storm cloud hung over his head.

"So while Danny is chilling in his room, what do you guys want to do?" Beast Boy asked brightly.

They all looked at him strangely.

"I'm going to sleep" was all Raven said. She left the room.

"Same here," Robin said, exiting after Raven.

"I am tired as well." Starfire floated after Robin.

"Here, too." Cyborg covered a large yawn and left, leaving Beast Boy alone.

His ears drooped slightly before perking. He struck a heroic pose. "All right. That leaves me free to—" He yawned loudly. His mouth snapped shut and muttered disgustedly, "That leaves me free to go to bed. Blast it…"

"Do you have any place to stay for the night, Danny?"

"I do," Danny lied, nodding his head. "My parents didn't leave me without housing. If you don't mind me asking, sir, what about you?"

"I'll be fine. My apartment was elsewhere anyway."

"Good," Danny said, relieved. "But what about your shop?"

Mr. Robinson looked at his ruined antique store, sighing heavily. "I'll salvage what I can, have it repaired, and then open it up again. I am sorry about your job."

"No problem." Danny shrugged casually, hoping the real Danny had found something by now. "If you need me I'll be around. This is my number."

Mr. Robinson took the slip of paper offered, smiling kindly. "Many thanks, Danny. Have a good night."

Danny smiled back at the old man who was just slightly smaller. "You, too, sir."

He waved goodbye and walked around the corner, stopping by a huge pothole. He sincerely hoped that the number he gave Mr. Robinson worked. By some stroke of luck he did have his cell phone on him. He just didn't know if it worked. The real Danny didn't know he had his cell phone: It had been a recent discovery.

'I need to let him know.' Concentrating intensely, the duplicate tried sending everything that had happened to his real counterpart. To his immense relief, he felt a small response of acknowledgement.

His job done, Danny #2 dissipated into green smoke.

Thanks to Marie Ravenclaw, Kirby77DP77, Dragon260, musiclover9419, stick fight3, X-Whitemagic58-X, Nightraze, Slayer End, Copa-Phantom, Shiva the Sarcastic, SpartanCommander, starr1095, DGirl101, stonecold8290, Teribane, and KrC for reviewing!

musiclover9419: Vlad does have ecto-electricity powers. That will be covered in a later chapter.

DGirl101: I'm glad you liked it! I hope your story goes well, too. :)