Disclaimer: Still don't own KH or anyone else

Chapter 6

Steve shifted closer at the reactions and then felt sick, enhanced eyesight could pick out the small scar from which the black lines branched out from…what was that? It didn't seem to be spreading at least. He glanced up, seeing the flash of fear in tired blue eyes…eyes with some red in them, so maybe both boys were mutants. But that wound looked healed, so shouldn't any infection be long gone? And then the shirt was pulled back further to attach leads and Steve's eyes locked onto the nice new scar…right over the kid's heart. From the way Bruce faltered again, he'd seen it too.

"Steve, get the ultrasound machine from the closet for me," Bruce told him, and Steve nodded, going to get it.

He hadn't needed more than basic patching up since the invasion but he'd helped Bruce with their teammates since he was strong enough to lug them around unconscious or hold them still if necessary so he knew where the equipment was. He grabbed the machine and wheeled it over, powering it up, seeing the older boy tense slightly.

"It's an ultrasound, it doesn't hurt," he assured him. Who knew if or when the boys had seen a doctor last. He'd actually looked into the machine when he'd first seen it, curious. They hadn't come into medicine until after he was in the ice after all. "It uses sound waves to get a look at what's going on under the skin."

And of course, the kid on the table passed out at that moment, the beeping of the heart rate monitor slowing, and Bruce swore.

"Does he have any current injuries?" he asked the other who shook his head.

"No," he looked between them, obviously concerned.

"We aren't going to hurt either of you," Steve promised. "We want to help your brother."

"Sora, his name is Sora. He…he was stabbed but that was months ago but…he hasn't been healing properly. He couldn't walk or anything for a long time and he's still exhausted."

"Is that the scar over his heart?" Bruce asked, and the boy nodded. "Okay, get the ultrasound over here, I want to make sure his heart healed. Where was he treated?"

"Nowhere."

And even Steve knew that was very bad. He held the bottle of gel out to Bruce who poured it onto a pale chest before carefully placing the probe on the gel, the screen thankfully showing the beat of the kid's heart. He didn't know how to read the grey images but the brief grimace from Bruce didn't look good.

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"Scarring, but the heartbeat is regular, no fluid around it or blood leaking…I'd prefer he see an actual cardiologist, I'm not a specialist," or even a medical doctor, but he could see that much.

Not wanting a hospital or not, if he'd seen fluid or blood, he'd have had to call an ambulance, he didn't have the skills to perform heart surgery. He also didn't like that Sora had passed out but that could be exhaustion. He moved the prove over his chest and down his abdomen, looking for anything that stood out. He knew enough biology to pick up on something obviously wrong and he wasn't finding anything. Would they allow blood tests?

He kept an ear on Steve and the brother, overhearing his name was Vanitas. Interesting names, definitely foreign sounding and they looked like there was something mixed into their heritage, Islander or Asian maybe? He took a blood sample from Sora and put the vial in the analyser, hoping nothing nasty would be found but he really didn't like that blackness.

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Kairi lay back on the couch, she hated being grounded but everyone had insisted she take time off. It had been close, too close and she knew it. She'd honestly thought she was going to die, but Xion had saved her. But hey, they had new intel which was good…except not really because somehow Dream Eaters, Nightmares, were showing up in the waking world. No one knew how and the closest they had to an expert was in a coma. But Riku hadn't really used his Dream Eater powers since Sora had vanished so he might not have been able to figure it out ether.

She missed them both so much it hurt. Riku might physically still be with them but that was it and even though it made her feel sick to even consider…he likely would never be back again. Even if he woke, would he still be Riku? Would he be more like he was during Sora's first journey if he was stuck part way between Nightmare and Spirit? That was if they could stop the transformation.

It was never meant to be like this, the three of them were meant to be together forever. But now Sora was dead and Riku might as well be. She was all alone, yeah, she had the others but it wasn't the same, she knew Naminé knew that but she'd never say anything to the others. She wanted them back, so badly, but there was nothing she could do.

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Sora woke slowly, feeling something firm but comfortable underneath his body. He felt…better than he had in ages. Still weak and tired, but better. He opened his eyes and blinked, looking around to see Vani asleep on a chair nearby and two men seated at a table across the room. There was something on his face, blowing air…something pinching in his arm too. "V…Vani?"

His brother jerked awake, scrambling up and over, taking his hand. "Sora." His other hand gently stroked through his hair. "You're awake, how do you feel?"

Sora could feel the men watching them but ignored them since Vanitas was. "Better. What's goin' on?" he shifted, frowning at the line connected to his arm.

"That's giving you fluid and stuff you missed with the bad food and stuff. Probably why you're feeling better. According to them, we're both dehydrated and malnourished," Vanitas snorted.

Sora nodded, made sense. It'd been Cid who had gotten onto him about food on his third trip to Traverse Town, him and Aerith who had cornered Donald and Goofy about what a human kid needed to be healthy. He knew he hadn't been eating well since being in the city, good food was hard to get and very expensive. He reached for his face but Vani stopped him.

"You needed help breathing, leave it alone."

"Bad?" he asked tiredly, energy already fading a bit.

"They want you to see a specialist, there's…scarring, on your physical heart," Vanitas whispered.

Oh, that probably wasn't good.

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Bruce glanced over, glad to see Sora awake again but he didn't get up, giving Steve a look. Let the brothers talk and comfort each other. Vanitas was very protective of Sora and it made him wonder what they'd been through. Nothing good from the scars he'd found on both of them during their exams. Vanitas hadn't been keen on it or the IV but he had eventually given in. He was in better shape but they were both too skinny.

Sora's blood results showed some odd things that he just didn't know how to classify. No disease or infection thankfully, he'd been worried about sepsis or something with that blackness. But it remained a mystery. It wasn't spreading at least so hopefully it wasn't harming him. He was honestly surprised no one else had barged in yet, especially Tony since Jarvis would have informed him of their guests.

He'd run every test and scan he could, he couldn't find any neurological damage thankfully, but that didn't explain the weakness or being unable to walk for months. The boys were a mystery. Another glance showed Sora was flagging already so Bruce got up and went to the small fridge kept in the lab to grab some food, he should eat before he fell asleep again.

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Demyx ran down the stairs, hearing a crash…Ienzo! He dashed inside and barely hesitated before summoning his Sitar, glad that he had worked on techniques for smaller areas. He strummed the strings and water swirled around, forming a protective shield around Ienzo and the comatose Riku.

"Demyx!" Ienzo called his name,

"You okay?" he asked, watching the creature warily. That did not look like any Heartless or Nobody he'd seen before.

"We're fine. Be careful, that's a Nightmare."

Great.

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Ienzo checked Riku's monitors, relieved to find he was still stable, even as he kept an on Demyx, terrified for him. Demyx had never been a frontline fighter, he was a reconnaissance expert, just like Zexion had been a scientist and occasional spy. He'd never wished more that he still had his powers as he watched Demyx twist out of the way of an attack. Somehow, security had been breached and Riku was the target, could Dream Eaters sense each other? How else would they know Riku was there?

He had no way of getting Riku out of the room, if he removed the IV then Riku would wake and his transformation would continue, they would lose him. If they remained then the Nightmares could grab him which also would lead to him waking…there were no real options except to hope Demyx could drive them off, even temporarily. Could they move Riku to King Mickey's home or Master Yen Sid's? They had far greater magical protections after all.

But first, they had to get through this attack.

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Mickey burst into the room, magic flying as he dove into the fight. Demyx sagged against the wall, even a Nobody's impressive stamina had limits and it seemed most of his power was going to protecting Ienzo and Riku. He'd never had to fight Dream Eaters, had never thought they could cross to the waking world, but it seemed they were able to be beaten at least.

As the last Dream Eater vanished the wall of water collapsed before disappearing, and Ienzo lunged to catch Demyx as he slumped, exhausted, his Sitar fading away.

"Let's…let's not do that again," the Nobody panted.

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Vanitas carefully removed the IV from Sora's arm, glad he hadn't had one in for very long as it had felt very strange, although he did feel better as well. The two men had been rather helpful, but it was too risky to stay, they were too interested. They needed to leave before anything could happen. They might be okay helping Sora, but something not human? Since he could eat and drink, he'd figured the IV was safe enough to allow but he couldn't risk anything else.

"Vani?" Sora's eyes opened at the sting, but Vanitas quickly used a weak cure spell to seal the wound even as Sora sat up.

"Time to go," he answered, and Sora nodded, removing the thin tube from under his nose. Vanitas then helped him into the clothing that had been left for him. Having clean, new, clothing was nice and would make them stand out less wherever they ended up next.

He moved to the edge of the bed table thing and Vanitas helped him down, happy to see he was moving better. Hopefully he'd continue to improve the further they got from that blasted World.

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Jarvis sent an alarm to both Dr Banner and Captain Rogers as the two young men set about leaving. They were not prisoners but they did need further medical aid. He had also ensured the Tower's other occupants were alerted to their presence in case they went into the lab, although the odds on that were low.

Unfortunately, there was nothing he could do as the older brother opened some kind of portal within the lab, both brothers walking in before it closed.

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He stood on the roof, staring out over the city as he took a brief break, patrolling mostly on his own was lonely but things were still often tense between him and the others, he still hadn't even told them he was missing an organ though it was in his medical file for emergencies. Then he…felt something…magic? He'd been around enough magic over the years to occasionally be able to sense it being used around him, despite having no gift for it himself. He looked around and then down into the alley to see a sphere of Darkness before two figures emerged and it vanished. He didn't hesitate to activate his comm. Magic users in Gotham? That was never good.

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Riku was made comfortable in the room off the castle infirmary even as the equipment was set into place. Disney Castle was not technological like Radiant Garden so it had taken some work to ensure the various monitors and machines would work there. He should be safer in the Castle, with the Cornerstone of Light giving its protection, but they had no guarantee the Dream Eaters wouldn't be able to get through.

Kairi sat on the edge of the larger and much more comfortable looking bed, holding a limp hand in hers. The castle had fresh air which would surely be better for Riku and natural light as well. He'd even had his hair cut when he was cleaned up after the battle so it now sat just on his shoulders. Even with the medications and nutrients he was being given, his limbs being moved to try and keep them limber…he was so skinny now. It hurt to see him like that when Riku had always worked so hard on fitness, even before they left the Islands.

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Lea grimaced as he read the message…that had been sent two weeks ago. He'd love to know how they were messing with the phones. Dream Eaters had attacked Ienzo and Riku, that was not good. If Demyx hadn't been there… but he had been and they were all safe, that was what mattered. Then again, Maleficent had managed to get into the Castle during Sora and Riku's exam and he'd managed to use a Dark Corridor to get there too, so the protections could be gotten around. Still, there was more protection there than at Radiant Garden unless people like Leon and Cloud moved permanently into the room with Riku.

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Sora leant on Vani as they walked through the Darkness. He was still tired, his leg still didn't want to work fully, but he felt a lot better than he had during their first trip so they were risking a longer one. The closer they got to home with each trip, the better.

How long had it been since he vanished? Time could flow differently and the further apart Worlds were the bigger the difference. Plus…there was something…missing. He remembered being back home with Kairi, everything fading, and then he was waking up in an alley. But his Heart told him there was something else, something between those two events and he had no clue how long it could have lasted. He'd woken feeling like he'd been in a bad fight but he didn't remember one.

He shook those thoughts off as they exited, freezing for a second in the dim light, it was just night on this World, that was all. His mind was clear, there was no madness, he was fine. He could feel Vanitas' magic entwined with his own growing power, protecting him from the Darkness. There was garbage in the alley they'd appeared in, something in the atmosphere was…oppressive but nothing like that World or those Worlds that hovered too close to Darkness. Glancing up there was a mix of tall and shorter buildings, shiny glass mixed with stone and gargoyles. And…was that a person on the roof? But then he blinked and it was gone, his imagination?

"Come on, let's find somewhere to sleep for the night," Vani murmured, and Sora nodded.

They could decide in the morning whether they should stay for a while or not. The man, Steve, had felt safe but they had been too insistent on medical stuff for them to stay. They would be more careful this time. They were clean and in new clothes so no one on the street should be suspicious, hopefully. If they could get him something to use as a walking stick then he'd probably get less attention on his leg too.

The people on the street kept their heads down, paying no attention to them which was nice. And with Vanitas' abilities it wasn't difficult to find an abandoned building to secure for the night. Sora even managed to spark a fire for warmth in a bunch of old paper. Unversed were quickly scattered about to act as an alarm system. It was weird but Sora could…sense them now, not like how he had felt them appearing behind him at the factory when he fought the younger Vanitas, now he could feel where they were all around the building, knew they were protecting them.

He couldn't feel his Keyblade though, not yet. It could take years, Riku had been five when he did the ceremony and it didn't appear for a decade! Then again, he'd already used one so maybe that'd make it easier? For now, he'd work on building up his magic, he remembered how to cast after all even if he usually used his Keyblade as a focus.

Vanitas had taken some food from the small fridge in the lab and they had a meal before settling down to sleep.

TBC….

So now they're in Gotham. I've been reading lots of Batman crossovers with Danny Phantom lately so I decided to add it. My knowledge of Batman pretty much comes from fanfics, I've never read the comics. I've seen some of the movies, that's it. Creepy Gotham is Dark but there's also Light so a pretty good city for both Sora and Vanitas.