Ch.22: Homecoming
Gotham City: January 9, 3:30EDT
Danny had tears streaming down his face as Vlad put his bags in the limo. They had a private jet waiting for them at the airport.
Bruce placed a hand on his shoulder but it did nothing to comfort the Ghost Boy. He was leaving and Masters had put a restraining order on Danny and Bruce, pretty much making sure they were never going to see each other again. It was the cruelest form of punishment Danny had ever had.
The court was only a few days ago but Wally had been there every day since then, trying to do his best to comfort the two grief-stricken boys. The adopted brother's had not been able to leave each other's sides since the court case.
Wally was missing at the moment. He had a test but promised to ditch every other class to hang out with Dick and say good-bye to Danny, since he was pretty much leaving his duties as a hero because Maddie forbade him to. It had been one of the heart-wrenching things Danny had ever heard in his entire life.
"Alright, we're ready to go Daniel." Vlad said with a smug smirk. Danny only saw red as he started walking forward and then lunged. Bruce, reacting fast, grabbed Danny's waist and started carrying him away.
"Let me go! Let me go! He deserves it! I want to wipe that smirk off his face!"
Bruce sighed.
"So do I, Danny, so do I." He mumbled. He set Danny down and before the teen could charge, he blocked him and placed his hands on Danny's shoulders.
"Calm down, hurting Masters isn't going to fix anything." Bruce soothed.
Danny looked up at him with a green glare, but the millionaire knew the anger wasn't directed at him. "It'll make me feel better."
Bruce rolled his eyes. "It's not going to make you feel better. Revenge is not the answer."
Danny continued glaring. "It's tempting to let my Totems rip him to shreds."
Bruce hoped Danny would keep his Totems wherever they are because when they're angry, they are scary and unstoppable.
"Danny, I'll find a way to bring you back. I have no way to know how to do that but I'll find a way." Bruce consoled. Danny's anger melted, leaving only tears. The halfa started sobbing, clutching Bruce like a life-line, which in this case he was.
After a few minutes, Bruce had to pry the teen away because it was obvious he wasn't going to let go. Danny then hugged Alfred who had been quiet, surprising the elderly man but giving some comfort at the same time. Then Danny went to Dick. Once again, they had to pry the two boys away and usher Danny into the limo, hoping he wouldn't phase out.
Vlad let out an irritated puff of air and followed Danny into the limo, where Maddie and Jazz were sitting, having not gotten out.
Watching them drive off was energy draining, but Bruce was happy Danny didn't phase out, knowing he would get into some serious trouble if he did.
Dick ran inside once the limo was gone and sprinted to his room. Bruce sighed and Alfred walked into the mansion silently. Bruce could only follow. Losing one of your own is a very hard thing.
Dick, after slamming his door shut, had walked to his desk, laid his head down, and started sobbing. Bruce and Alfred had tried to offer some comfort, but it just wouldn't do. Thirty minutes later, Wally comes rushing in, saying how sorry he was. Seeing his best friend a sobbing mess, he pulled up a chair and rubbed Dick's back.
Danny could only stare out the window of the limo as one of the saddest songs he had ever heard played in his ears. He didn't change it, his I-pod in his hand. His other hand was occupied holding a pillow that Danny had taken from his room. It was the one Dick used when he had a nightmare and Bruce was out, and the one Bruce used when Danny had a nightmare. It smelled like both of them and was semi-comforting.
The song, If Everyone Cared by Nickleback, continued to play in his ears. His choice of music says a lot, doesn't it?
Maddie watched her son as he drifted into Nevermore. It both saddened and angered her to see him like this. Why did he care so much for the vigilante and his ward? It still seemed to fog her mind.
She pulled his ear plugs from his ears.
"What?" Danny snapped, anger easily replacing his saddened features.
"You should appreciate what Vlad has done for you. He's giving you a normal life!" Maddie said.
Danny laughed hollowly. "Yeah, normal life. I can't have that. My ghost and my Lord of Order powers stop me having that."
Maddie rolled her eyes. She had heard about his 'Lord of Order' self and still didn't believe it though.
"The Lords of Order don't exist." Maddie insisted.
Danny hollowly laughed again. "Malachi, want to prove her wrong?"
Maddie rolled her eyes and was about to tell her son to stop talking nonsense but a black tiger with white stripes appeared. His head was on Danny's lap and he took up the entire bench. His tail swished back and forth as if he were stalking his prey, which he might be doing…
"Mother Dear meet Malachi." Danny said, looking out the window, putting his ear plugs in his ears again, turning the music up till you could hear it through the ear plugs.
Jazz didn't look up from her book, her face emotionless. "I hope he knows that's not good for his hearing."
Maddie let out an irritated sigh, matching Vlad's face. But they both eyed the tiger uneasily. They watched in mild fascination as the tiger changed to a blue bird with a white mist falling from her wings, perch in Danny's lap. Almost immediately, the Ghost Boy's skin iced over and his face went emotionless.
The hybrid started stroking the bird's blue feathers, and the small bird cooed in response. Danny looked from the window to the bird with a hallow smile.
Over the rest of the limo ride and then the plane ride, different animals switched in and out to comfort the teen. His skin remained icy though, the tips of his hair frozen solid. There was a wolf, a cobra (Maddie flipped), a python (Maddie flipped again), an eagle, a raven, a black bird with red flames on his wings (Maddie flipped again), and a black bird with blue lightning on his wings (And again).
Once they got to Vlad's mansion, Danny was led wordlessly to his room. He walked in with his stuff and promptly locked it, unhearing to his mother's shouts.
Maddie kicked the door and walked away, vowing to get her son back one way or another.
Danny went to his bathroom and filled the tub up with ice cold water. He took off his shirt, his shoes, and his socks, before hopping in before the tub even filled up.
He sat shirtless under the running faucet, happy with the feeling of the water dripping over his skin. Isis's spell wore off and Danny found himself sad again. He rubbed his face and rested his hands over his eyes, biting his lip. He stayed like that till the tub was almost overflowing. He turned off the water and sat in the cold water.
He sat like that for a long time, not bothering to check the clock. Two hours later did he bother to check the time. He sighed and let himself slip under the water, not knowing tears had started falling from his eyes. His throat was closed off and Danny enjoyed the feeling off his windpipe constricting and his lungs practically falling in on themselves. Only when he desperately needed air did he come up, remembering his promise to himself.
Danny continued to dunk himself under the water until he noticed he had been in the bathroom for three hours. He undid the drain and got out. He shook off the water lazily and changed into sweats, leaving his jeans to dry.
He walked to the bed provided and fell onto it. His heart still ached to go home. He closed the curtains and turned off the lights before going crawling under the covers. As he was about to start sobbing, Isis got rid of the hurt with her magic spell and Danny was lulled to sleep by a song made from his animals in his head.
Maddie continued to think over all the reasons Danny didn't want to come back. Sure, he hated Vlad's guts but he loved her, didn't he? Was she and Jazz not enough? Is that why he wanted to stay with the billionaire? She just didn't know. Nothing made sense. Jazz told her that Danny would tell her he wished he wasn't a hero when they still lived in Amity as a happy family. Where did things go wrong?
Jazz could understand Danny's desire to stay with Bruce and Dick. They were heroes. Danny was a hero. He had hero friends. He was continually surrounded by the good of heroes, making him more of the hero he was than when he lived in Amity. In all of the pictures she saw, she could see Danny's childlike love for Batman and Robin. She sometimes saw pictures with Danny and other heroes and his love for them too.
Danny was just hurting after he had been violently snatched from his home. So he didn't see her and their mom as his family but she saw the way he still loved them both. Danny still loved them after all that they had put him through. He was just hurting.
For the next month, Danny remained locked in his room. The other occupants of the mansion hadn't even seen him. Of course, they heard him do a few things like email his friends, take freezing baths, scream in his sleep, etc. Every day they placed food outside his door so he could eat. His food was usually hardly touched, if touched at all. Vlad didn't dare go into the younger halfa's room for fear of what would happen because, surely, Danny would kill him.
It was a normal day, Vlad was working from home, Maddie was trying to think of ways to get Danny to come out of his room, and Jazz was reading, letting her baby brother come out of his shell on his own. Then, the doorbell went off.
Maddie answered it, being the closest to the door. Jazz and Vlad came, but the sound didn't even pique Danny's interest.
The woman on the doorstep was blonde with blue eyes. She wore a white blouse with a black sweater over, black dress pants, and black shoes. Her hair was long and wavy and she looked professional.
"Hi, I'm Dinah Lance. I'm a close friend of Danny's. Mr. Wayne asked me to see how Danny was doing, as he couldn't do it himself." The woman said, giving Vlad a pointed glare. The older man smiled coolly instead of countering with his own glare.
"Ah yes, please, do come in." Vlad said, and Dinah walked in, inspecting her surroundings as she did.
Jazz walked to the com and pressed a button. "Danny, a lady by the name of Dinah Lance is here. She says she knows you."
A second later, the black wolf they now know as Ebony ran down the steps and inspected the woman. Dinah only smiled. "Tell Danny I'm here for a session if he's up to it."
The wolf, for a second, only stared in shock. Then she gave a nod before disappearing.
"A session?" Jazz asked, but was cut off by a loud noise from upstairs. They heard a door slam open and a minute later, Danny was racing down the stairs and heading right towards Dinah. He didn't hesitate to hug the blonde haired woman, who had the air knocked out of her. It was a minute before they heard Danny's soft cries.
Dinah didn't hesitate to hug him back sadly. "Ah sweetie, it's alright. It's alright. It's going to be alright. Let it out. Shhhh…"
Maddie, Vlad, and Jazz could only stare shocked. This woman did something where they failed. She got Danny out of his room with little to no effort. One suggestion and that was it. Apparently, they were closer than she let on.
Dinah stroked Danny's head and got a look at him. She narrowed her eyes. "Has he been eating?"
Jazz sighed and shook her head. "No. He hardly does and we haven't seen him in a month. He locked his door and then put a chair in front of the door, locking himself in."
Dinah sighed. "Bruce is going to have a fit." She mumbled.
"I wasn't hungry." Danny mumbled.
Dinah continued stroking his head as she sighed. "Stress has a way of making you lose your appetite but you have to eat as much as you can, alright?"
Danny nodded and whispered something into Dinah's ear.
The older woman nodded. "Alright, do you know a place where no one will eavesdrop?"
Danny nodded and Dinah copied his actions. "Show me the way, Ghost Boy."
The three specters were surprised to hear a strained laugh come from Danny's mouth.
"Wait a minute!" Maddie screeched, making Dinah and Danny stop. The halfa took a step behind Dinah, a scowl appearing on his face. Maddie glared at Dinah with a fury not known to man. "Where are you taking him?"
Dinah was unfazed and returned with her own glare. "He's taking me to his room so I can do a therapy session. I'm a psychiatrist. When Danny needs to talk to someone, he's always gone to Mr. Wayne or me. Your son has never told another living being what goes on in his mind because he fears he'll be a burden. I, as a psychiatrist, am sworn to secrecy and cannot tell you anything. It's the one reason he actually tells me."
Maddie continued to glare. "Not even his mother?"
Dinah continued to return the glare. "No. I've only ever told Mr. Wayne anything with Danny's permission for anything important."
Maddie crossed her arms. "Would you tell me, since I am his mother?"
Dinah shook her head. "Not without your son's permission."
Maddie sighed. "Fine. Go on."
Danny dragged Dinah up the stairs and out of sight. Jazz was looking in absolute adoration as they left. Danny was friends with a psychiatrist.
Danny drug Dinah into his room, locked the door, and put the chair up to it. Dinah looked at him weirdly. "Is that necessary?"
Danny turned to her, tears still shining. Dinah gave him a sympathetic look and opened her arms. Danny ran to her and gripped her as he started sobbing again.
Dinah led him to the bed and they sat down, Danny still gripping her like a life-line. Dinah sighed as she rubbed Danny's back. "It's alright baby. It's ok. You can cry. It's ok. It's alright."
Danny took his face from her chest and looked up. "I miss everyone. It hurts."
Dinah moved some hair from his face. "I know. Everyone misses you too. They're all sad and they've had a few missions since you left. They say it's not the same without you."
She took something from her back pocket and gave it to Danny, who took it in his clammy hands. He opened it and found notes from everyone. He leaned against Dinah as he read it.
Hey Danny! We miss you over here! Bruce misses you, Alfred misses you, I miss you… We wish you were here with us! It's really depressing, they keep listening to sad music, and I'm ok with it! I hope I can visit soon! Or you can visit us! But seriously, sending emails and texts isn't the same. I have a prank planned for Wally whenever we see each other next! Hope it's soon! I mean, even the Joker misses you! Which is really weird…
Love,
Dick, your frate
Dude, I'm so sorry I didn't make it in time! I tried but there was this one question I couldn't find the answer to and my mom would've killed me if I failed the test! We're all depressed with you missing. We always thought the Team would stay together but with one of our own missing, it's weird. Missions aren't fun anymore because no one has the energy to make sarcastic comments. We hope you visit soon and I really am sorry that I missed your outing. Dick told me you went kicking and screaming. It didn't surprise me and I wish I'd have been there.
Love,
Wally
Hi Danny! We miss you so much! Not even baking is fun anymore. We've all tried to separate our minds from your leaving but it hurts so much. I even think your telepathy reached out to mine because the day Robin came and told us you were taken from Batman, I had felt someone screaming in my mind. It hurt to know it was yours. Oh Danny, I miss you! Please come visit us soon!
Love,
Megan
Hey Danny… We miss you. Telling my feelings is not my forte so… Yeah… Just… Hope to see you soon. Come visit anytime. Soon would be nice. I'd like to learn some new moves. Wolf and Sphere miss you too. They say hi.
Love…
Superboy
Hey Danny! This is Artemis. I miss you so much! Everyone here is so mopey and Wally feels guilty for not doing something. It's all eating us on the inside and Canary's been trying to help us through it. Batman finally decided to send her after you and we were all to give you a note, so here's mine!... Yeah, I suck at feelings and it's hard to say how much it hurts that you're gone. But it helps a little to know you'd feel the same way.
Love,
Artemis.
Dear Danny,
My friend, it is truly sad to see that you are not on the Team anymore. Even the League is sad. I miss your input on missions. You have helped a lot, especially when we went to India and the others would not listen. You are truly loyal and I wish I had the same loyal-ness. I hope we can or you can visit soon. Do not forget us.
Love,
Kaldur
Hey Danny! I know I didn't know you very long, but I think I can call you my friend. I miss you just as much as the others, that's how I know you're a friend. I wonder if you'd be the same way if I left. I hope I never find out. I hope you can visit. We all miss you dearly.
Love,
Rocket
Danny held the piece of paper reverently, and looked at the photo that was attached. It was of the entire Team with the League after they had defeated Klarion and Vandal Savage. All of them were smiling, even Batman, who had a ghost of a smile playing on his lips.
He missed them. He really did. He wanted to go home. This wasn't home. Planning pranks with Dick, messing with Wally, giving Artemis assurances, welcoming Rocket, giving kind suggestions to Kaldur, teaching Superboy, watching Megan bake; that was home. Standing side by side with the Caped Crusader was home.
A few more tears leaked from Danny's eyes and Dinah wiped them away.
"I wanna go home." Danny said, head bowing. Dinah wrapped her arms around Danny from behind and brought him closer, stroking his hair again.
"I know, Danny. I know. We all miss you. It hurts the Team that one of their own is missing. Bruce is grief-stricken. He's gotten so used to having two protégés that sometimes he thinks you're still there. Dick, oh Dick, is the same way. He gets excited and then he remembers you aren't there anymore."
Danny latched onto Dinah's arm, silent tears still rolling down his face. "Why did the jury decide Vlad? It looked like they wanted me to stay with Bruce."
Dinah sighed. "I don't know Danny. Maybe it's because Maddie is your mother. I just don't know."
Danny sniffed. "When'd you get here? And when are you leaving?"
Dinah rubbed Danny's arms. "I got here this morning and am leaving tonight. I thought you'd be better off than this. I thought your mother, your sister, or even Vlad would be able to take care of you better than they have. I was wrong, so wrong, but I'll stay with you until I can't anymore, alright?"
Danny nodded in understanding. Dinah gave him a small smile. "You're such a good kid."
Danny cracked a small smile and let Dinah started rocking him. "Now, have you been having any nightmares?"
The blonde woman asked, getting down to business for the minute.
Danny went into his detailed accounts of his horrific nightmares. All of them involved his friends dying in some way or another. Dick was killed by the Joker, Wally wasn't quick enough and got shot, Megan fell into a volcano, etc. Some of them were so stupid he shouldn't have worried but he did because they were all so real.
After Dinah told him to calm down and assured him that things like that wouldn't happen if they could help it and decided to change the subject. Dinah made an eating schedule that she made Danny promise to stick to, because if he didn't, she threatened that she would come back and force feed him. She was deadly serious when saying this.
After, they just kind of talked. Dinah talked to Danny about his feelings and such and told him how to deal with them instead of having Isis freeze them every time they became too much. She told him how it was unhealthy and etc, etc.
When Dinah had to leave, Danny clung to her, and the heroine promised to come back soon. She wasn't sure when and told him it might be awhile but she'd come back. That had put Danny's fears at ease. Before she left though, he stopped her.
"What is it Danny?" Dinah asked.
"Can you tell Wally he has the worst handwriting I've ever seen?" Danny asked.
The undercover heroine started laughing but nodded. "Anything else?"
Danny let a ghost of a smile play on his lips. "Tell them I miss them."
Dinah smiled. "I don't have to."
Danny watched from his window as her rental car drove out of sight. He was saddened as he watched the person he thought of as a mother left. It also ached that his biological one was just down the hall but he didn't love her that way anymore.
He sighed and walked to his computer and started checking his email. Dick had made a habit of emailing him every day, and Bruce emailed as often as he could, being Batman and a billionaire. He read over Dick's first and sent a reply. It was just a review of his day, and asking for his. He replied, saying it was a surprise.
Bruce's was a reassurance that he was doing everything he could to figure out a way around the restraining order or how to get him back. Danny sighed as he re-read it. His replies were usually short because it hurt to say something to his father-figure and not to actually have him there. He decided today was different.
Hey Bruce. I know you're doing everything you can and I appreciate it. I miss you so much. Dinah came today. It felt nice seeing someone I know and love but…
Something snapped in Danny again. No more going around his feelings today. He promised Dinah he'd stop that. Tears sprang to his eyes.
I wish it was you! I wish you were here! I miss you more than you know, more than anyone knows! It hurts that the constant thing in my life is not constant anymore and that we're trying to keep a relationship over a stupid email! I want to come home! I want you, Dick, Alfred, Wally, everyone! I don't care what I have to endure to get home, Paĉjo! As long as I get there, it's worth it! I feel something breaking every time I wake up to this cursed mansion! I want to come home!
Love,
Danny
Danny finished abruptly but he was crying so badly it was hard to see the keys. He pressed 'send' and climbed under the covers of the bed he was staying. He let everything out, like Dinah said. He already missed her presence and reassurances. He wished she stayed longer. That stupid jury made the wrong decision and he wanted to know why.
Danny grabbed his laptop and went under the covers again. Remembering the names of every one of the people in the jury, he hacked into their emails. He silently thanked Dick that he taught him before he was taken away because what he found was very interesting.
The jury consisted of Jackie Green, Lucille Miller, Denise Baker, Sonya Gonzalez, Dolly Carter, Sally Rogers, Salvador Hernandez, Santiago Hayes, Giovanni Morris, Leopold Bell, Kendrick Cooper, and Valentino Perez. The entire jury was contacted by Vladimir Masters and was offered to be paid most handsomely for voting for him instead of Bruce. Five of them, Lucille Miller, Denise Baker, Santiago Hayes, Leopold Bell, and Kendrick Cooper, stuck to their duties instead of taking the offer. The other seven, Jackie Green, Sonya Gonzalez, Dolly Carter, Sally Rogers, Salvador Hernandez, Giovanni Morris, and Valentino Perez, took the offer though.
None of them knew the others were offered. They all thought they were the only ones sent this email. So, the guilty seven voted Masters, while the innocent five voted Wayne. Seven outnumbers five and Masters one by just a little.
Knowing Vlad did this angered Danny. He should've known.
He shut his laptop and picked it up before getting up. He phased through the door and started stomping down the hall. He felt Malachi and Ebony appear next to him. The three radiated anger and Danny felt Runner wanting to join them.
He stomped down the stairs and burst into the kitchen, much to the surprise of his supervisors.
"Vlad." Danny hissed. Malachi and Ebony both snarled in disgust.
"Yes Daniel?" Vlad asked innocently, which made Danny's anger sky rocket. "You rigged the voting!"
Vlad leaned back in his seat. "I did no such thing."
Danny laid his laptop on the table and opened up his computer. He brought up all the emails and read them out-loud, angrily.
"Dear Mrs. Green, this is Vladimir Masters. I am the one fighting for custody over Daniel Fenton. If you vote for me, I will pay you a sum of five thousand dollars. Please think about my offer. I am a man of my word. Sincerely, Mr. Vladimir Masters. You wrote the same thing for the entire jury but only seven of them agreed to your offer, causing the majority of the jury to vote for you."
Danny slammed his laptop shut, glaring angrily at the man that took him from his home.
Maddie looked at Vlad, shocked. "Is this true Vlad?"
The man in question shrugged. "You wanted your son, and now you have him."
Maddie glared. "This is not the way I wanted him. If the jury thought Danny would've been better off with Mr. Wayne, I would've let him."
Vlad leaned back. "Well he's here now. I made your dream come true. You should be thankful."
Danny made up his mind. "Runner, you're allowed to attack."
No one had time to react as the white Amarok suddenly appeared, already lunging at Vlad. The white haired man didn't have time to react as Runner pinned him to the ground.
"Ebony."
The black wolf ran forward and placed her jaws around Vlad's neck, drawing some blood. Both wolves were snarling.
Vlad looked at them both uneasily, but then smirked.
Danny read his mind. "You can't phase through their grip. They are Totems, after all."
Vlad glared. "I never liked telepathy."
Danny smirked. "Good. Now, if you need me, I'll be on a road-trip. Runner, Ebony, you may let go of him in an hour."
Vlad sputtered in protest. "Maddie, aren't you going to help me?"
The red haired woman glared. "No."
Jazz smiled. "Go Mom!"
Danny transformed and phased through the roof, dragging his laptop along. The adults and red haired teen watched him go. Ebony put a little more pressure on Vlad's neck when he tried moving.
Danny flew as fast as he could, continually picking up speed. He had just past another city when he broke the sound barrier. He whooped in joy but he heard it a minute after he shouted.
An hour later, he felt Ebony and Runner release Vlad but he was already at his destination; Wayne Manor. He flew straight into the wall and phased inside. Finding where he was, he zoomed down the hall into Bruce's office. He wasn't there.
Danny got to work and brought up the seven people on the jury who were guilty. He brought up the specific email that proved Vlad's bribe. His fingers zoomed across the keyboard and different windows came up. He placed them in organized sections of the screen and was ready for his presentation when Bruce walked in.
The billionaire choked on his coffee when he saw his protégé sitting on his computer, doing work. He looked at his coffee. Maybe sleep deprivation was finally catching up...
"Bruce!" Danny shouted and hugged his mentor.
Nope, not sleep deprived.
He wrapped his arms around Danny when he remembered something. "You're supposed to be with Masters!"
Danny's happy expression turned to hatred. "He rigged the voting."
Bruce looked at him seriously. "Why am I not surprised?"
Danny gave a dry laugh. "Cause he's a fruit loop. Anyways, the jury was bribed. Seven of the twelve took the bribe. Vlad got just enough votes to get custody over me. The emails are over there." Danny said in one breath.
Bruce nodded, walked over, and skimmed through the emails. He copied and pasted them, then sent them to Judge Brown. Bruce then turned back to his protégé. "You know you're going to have to go back to Masters right?"
Danny gave a reluctant nod. "But it'll be after I know we're getting a redo. I refuse to be in that psychos hold without knowing there is a way out."
Bruce nodded, accepting the answer. They paced/sat in a nervous silence for about an hour. Then they got a response from Judge Brown. He was absolutely furious that his people were bribed and allowed another court case set up in three days. He also said he'd get reliable people to do that case.
Danny cheered. "Yes!"
Bruce chuckled sadly. "You're going to have to go back to Master's now."
Danny shrugged, his sadness long forgotten. "I figured but I won't worry. It's three days and I can easily monitor Vlad by using telepathy. Besides, if he were to try a sneak attack, my Totems would kick his sorry butt so badly it wouldn't be funny."
Bruce laughed. "Alright, just be careful, got it?"
Danny nodded. "Always!"
Bruce nodded in praise and Danny phased through the roof. To stick his head back in. "See you then,P aĉjo!"
Bruce wasn't allowed an answer as Danny disappeared.
Three days later, they found themselves at the court house once again. Dick was more than ecstatic to see Danny again. The two boys had spent the whole time telling each other how much they missed each other before the case started. Danny also gave Bruce a hug and said some words before Dick tackled him.
The case went by smoothly. The new jury was stoic and meant all business. Judge Brown had assured them that the new jury was made up of the most reliable people he could use for this case.
Danny had once again called Vlad a stalker but did not reveal he had bribed the last jury. He didn't need to.
The jury didn't even bother to go to their little room before they gave Judge Brown their answer.
"Bruce Wayne has custody over Daniel Fenton."
Though everyone knew that was going to happen, everyone cheered anyway. Danny and Dick had screamed 'YES' before hugging their mentor. Then the two zoomed off to go celebrate in private louder.
Maddie had watched the whole scene sadly but if this is what made her son happy, then so be it. As she was heading to Vlad's limo, already thinking of other people to go to for the time being till she got a house, Danny walked up to her, smiling brightly. It was something she hadn't seen on his face for two years.
"Hey Mom." He said awkwardly.
Maddie gave her son a small smile. "Hi Danny."
Danny rubbed his neck. "So, I'm heading out. Dick already called all my friends and we're going to go celebrate, but I just wanted you to know that I love you and I'm sorry for the way I acted."
Maddie grew misty eyed. "Oh Danny, I love you too! Please come visit your sister and I some time!"
Danny nodded. "Of course Mom! Thank you so much!"
He hugged her before giving one to Jazz, who had been watching silently, and then ran off. Maddie waved as he went.
So...
She was going to move in with her sister, it seemed.
Danny, Robin, and Batman walked out of the Zeta-tubes and the Ghost Boy was immediately under a pile of teen girls. Robin laughed at him as the other boys ran up.
The girls, after five minutes, let Danny up to greet the boys. The teens mingled happily, telling each other how much they missed each other. Wolf gave Danny a giant lick and Sphere gave Danny some beeps of welcome. The hybrid greeted both of them warmly.
Black Canary and Red Tornado came around a while later and had welcomed him back just as warmly. The group had stayed together the whole day and by ten p.m., they were all tired. Danny grinned as everyone started falling asleep. The entire Team was piled on one couch. People were laying on top of others and were in weird positions.
Danny chuckled as his vision blurred. "I am so not leaving home for a long time."
I loved how in the last chapter everyone was either in tears or planning to kill me (you know which one you are). And everyone had a mutual agreement that Vlad was up to something while I was on this end, going "Nah. Vlad's just being a pain again. Not everything I do has an ulterior motive."
Kadzait: Just 99.99% of it.
What he said. And people... I am well aware Maddie and Jazz are OOC.
Thanks to these people for favoriting and/or following: Whirlwindwonder, Phantom heir daughter of Zeus, Shelby. e. Corley, and Raushea.
Thanks to Whirlwindwonder for favoriting me in general!
Reviews:
KuriMaster13: THANKS! Glad ya'll agree! XD
Suntan140: That did not happen! Too bad... :D
Skymuse: I shall keep doing my thing! XD
BrownHair2918: O.O Wow... That was an awesome idea that I kinda wished I did but didn't do it cause I had this chapter written months ago soo... And I'm your favorite writer? *dies*
Bibbledoo: Ho ho, the ideas get better. XD
DannyPhantom619: *face-palms* I read your review and I was like "YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE ABLE TO GUESS WHAT I'M GOING TO DO!" I just found it hilarious how you were the only one who guessed correctly. XD
Hitmoi-tama: Hahaha! Glad you're excited! XD
Breyannia: Short and simple explanation for that: Wouldn't you just be a little ticked off if you thought someone was dead for, like, two years and then you find out they were alive the entire time after your whole life is screwed up? Logic says no. Emotions say yes. XD
Supaherolena02: Thank you for that review that made me crack up. *laughs*
Anonymous: I would HOPE I got the lyrics right! That's my friend and I's theme song! We love it so much.
EternalMadameBlaze: PLEASE DON'T KILL ME. O.O
TomgirlBre: You made me crack up. Very hard. Thank you for that. *big smile and laughter*
BringbackDannyPhantom: *face-palm* That's one way to spoil a plot. XD
IWasNeverReal: Glad you were so excited! Totally made my day and I totally cracked up at your review! XD
LeanneRK: Dude chill, you're back. That's all I care about. :D Glad you enjoyed the updates! Hehehehe! XD
Azorawing: I had a feeling you'd enjoy the Totem thing. Clears a lot of crap up. XD
Idalia: I'm just going to say how awesome I am for being able to make you review. XD And staying anonymous is fine. I could care less.
Lee: Hahaha! For whatever reason, you made me laugh. It was awesome. XD
Sina Xiel: O.O Someone needs a chill pill. XD
Bibbledoo: He has, hasn't he? So he's a stalker and a murderer.