Author's Note: This Plot bunny has been bothering me and distracting from my main work right now, so probably a one shot. Might add more depending on the response I get.
The last thing the Fentons had expected to come out of their Ghost Portal was a human boy.
The Fentons had been working on their portal for years, there had been some rough starts, but they were certain they had finally gotten it to work. Jack smiled at Maddie and pressed the button, the machinery whirled to life and green energy sparked inside the portal. They perked up with anticipation before the whole thing exploded in a blast of green light, cutting the power and leaving them in the dark. Something glowing shot across the room, hitting the floor before the glow dimmed and vanished.
Maddie cursed before the backup generator kicked in and lights in the Lab began to come back on, illuminating the mess that was once the portal.
"I think the ectoplasm overloaded it." Jack grumbled as he began to unplug wires from the portal. A soft childlike groan made them freeze. They turned, seeing the small child in black robes stir on the ground. They stared, they had assumed that whatever had shot out of the portal had been machinery, not a child.
The boy didn't remember much, his name, his birthday, but not much else. It was a foregone conclusion that Daniel would join the Fenton Household. Whether because of the goodness of their hearts or merely fascination with where he'd come from, Danny became a Fenton, with no memory of whence he came.
Danny leaned into his brother's hold, his teeth grit against the pain in his chest as his body trembled.
"Don't leave me." his brother was sobbing. "You can't leave me."
It was rare for them to be allowed such shows of weakness or affection, even at the tender young age of seven years old. They had lived in tandem, training, eating, sleeping, their whole lives. Killing side by side as they grew. It was a shame that they would be separated in death… by Danny's death.
"Dami…" Danny rasped out, trying to keep his blood from leaving him where the sword stuck out from his chest.
"Shhh… we'll use the pit. Grandfather can't fault us for this. You protected me. He can't… he can't see that as weakness… stronger together… we're stronger together Danny." Damian said as he tried to pick up his twin.
"Dami…" Danny said, his voice lost in the wind. The latest assassination attempt on the twins had only half failed. His eyes began to drift over the corpses around them, slowly falling on his mother and grandfather entering the chamber.
"The boy wasn't fast enough." Grandfather looked at Danny with disappointment.
"Grandfather! The pits! We need to get him to the Lazarus Pit!" Damian begged as he attempted to pull Danny once more.
Ra's Al Ghul looked over the pair for a moment and for that one heart stopping moment, Damian was afraid he'd deny Danny this, but then Ra's nodded and gestured with his head to have one of the assassins by his side move forward to take them boy.
Danny hissed in pain as he was moved, taken from his brother's arms and carried through stone halls. He shivered slightly as cold began to take over his body and his lungs burned for air as he struggled to continue breathing.
"This is the second time you've had to use my pits child." Ra's said emotionlessly as he glanced over Danyal in the assassin's arms. Danny knew the story well, but couldn't make a noise to confirm he'd heard the man, as his lungs refused to fill with air and spots began to take over his vision. Danyal had been born first, but had been born dead, only by the graces of Grandfather had he been revived in the pits, able to live as he had been so far. Grandfather thought of him as a weakness, perhaps even a burden, he only needed one heir after all. Talia had convinced him otherwise, afterall, someone needed to inherit the Demon's Head, who did that leave to succeed the Bat? If both children could be utilized then why not use them both. In the end Grandfather had agreed, and Danny was placed in the acrid waters of the pit.
The twins worked in perfect synchronicity after all, stronger and better together than apart. Each one was a deadly force unto themselves, even at such a young age, but together they were unstoppable. It made sense to perpetuate Danyal's life, even if Damian would one day rule as the head of the League. He'd make a decent Batman one day, even if Danyal had more of a penchant for the stars than expected. Ra's couldn't deny the results Danyal produced, and while he'd never admit it, being such a proud man, he was grateful that he had this second grandson.
Danny wasn't sure if his eyes were opened or closed, wasn't sure if he was breathing or not, wasn't even sure if his heart beat. He could hear still, around him, the near silent footsteps of the assassins as he was carried to the pits. He didn't want to leave Damian, couldn't bear the thought of abandoning his brother as he died a second time. Damian wouldn't recover, he was certain, perhaps with time he'd bury the pain, but he would be changed by the death. There would be no one to share little secrets with, to tell stories too, to dream of a future with. Damian would transform into a different person.
The walk seemed to take an eternity, perhaps it was no time at all. Danny's spirit began to ghost out of him, whisping around his body, before settling near Damian, attempting to comfort his twin… but it was no use, he had no voice, no true form, no weight or presence. He watched as his body was dumped into the glowing waters of the pit and his ghost snapped back into his body. It burned, the water healing his wounds, but drowning him, he screamed, but only let out air and blood into the waters. He fought for the surface, but it grew further and further away as the acidity of the water sunk beneath his skin.
He reached out a hand, he needed to get back to Damian… needed to… his mind clouded and he drifted deeper and deeper.
Danyal Al Ghul never surfaced from the pits.
Damian knew that the pits occasionally swallowed those placed inside, that even bodies refused to be found, that the waters seemed to completely eliminate a chosen few. He had never expected that to happen to Danyal though. His brother had been strong… but so kind. It was hard to be kind when you grew up as an assassin, and yet Danyal had managed it. Often helping Damian dress his wounds, slipping him sweets and other treats. He spent days staring at the surface of the pits, hoping beyond hope that Danyal would rise once more from their depths, that he wouldn't be gone forever. It felt like a part of him died the day Danyal had. His twin had taken a blow meant for him, because Damian had been sloppy, Danyal had died.
Grandfather said emotional bonds were a weakness, he had always disapproved of the bond between the twins and now Damian finally understood what he meant. Danyal made him weak, he buried Danyal in his heart, resolving to never care for another the same way, resolving to never become weak again. He thrived under the Assassins, he was ruthless, meticulous, never again would he be sloppy, and never again would he fail like he had failed Danyal.
Danyal was gone, completely erased from existence it seemed, his sword melted down to forge a new blade, his clothes discarded, the things from his room vanishing along with him as if he had never been there to begin with. Damian let himself mourn for only a week, before he too buried Danyal away in his memories. He would never see his brother again, so he may as well live as if he never had one to begin with.
He focused on succeeding his Grandfather, he focused on becoming the best of the best, highly trained in a variety of subjects, becoming a strong weapon at the hands of the Demon's Head. He had to be strong to inherit the title after all. He trained, he'd have to be good enough for two now. He had to be the best. He was the son of the Bat and the Heir to the Demon. Weaknesses such as love and bonds could not be afforded.
When he had come to live with his father, he hadn't spoken a word of his long dead brother, there was no point in talking about the boy who had died. Talking about Danyal wouldn't bring him back. Talking about Danyal wouldn't do anything to impress Father. He barely considered Danyal anymore, no point thinking of the dead after all.
As Father and his adopted brood slowly showed him how to be more human, he considered it a few times. Wondered what would have happened if Danyal had been the one to be the heir to Father's legacy, wondered what would have happened if they could have both come to live with Father.
Danyal would probably have integrated himself better and faster. He was always the better twin when it came to things like emotions. He wondered if Danny would have begun working to inherit Wayne Enterprises, and wondered if Drake would have liked him. Danyal always was clever when it came to devices and machinations. He thought that working with Drake would have suited him. He wondered if he would have decided to study astronomy and the stars more, the way Damian was now allowed to pursue the arts. He found himself wondering more and more about what life would have been like if Danyal continued to live by his side.
Grandfather thought this was weakness, but more and more Damian realized that it wasn't. Bonds could give you strength, be a source of power, be more than just a liability. When he first entered the Watchtower, his first thought was, "Danny would have loved this." If that wasn't a testament to how his time with Father and his adopted children had changed him, he didn't know what was. There had been years of him completely blocking out all thoughts of Danyal from his mind, only to have the first thought when entering space, be about his long dead twin.
Damian stared out at space, shoving those feelings away. Danyal was gone, and he had been mourned, but that didn't stop the nagging feeling in his chest, that he wished Danyal was here with him.
Damian turned away from the window and went back to Father's side, looking over the reports and tucking Danny back away in the corners of his mind and the furthest reaches of his heart. They had a mission, they couldn't afford distractions.
Damian would never tell Father of his twin, of his long dead brother. There was no point in it after all.
Birthdays came and went. It was strange to celebrate a birthday to begin with, it was even stranger when Danyal wouldn't be by his side for it. He stared at the fifteen candles placed on his cake and closed his eyes. He wished for the same thing he'd wished for the past two years, he wished to see Danny one last time.
He knew it was childish and fanciful to make wishes, and of course he would never tell his family what he wished for. Danyal was dead, and he wasn't coming back… but… in the privacy of his mind, he wished that he could see his brother once more. It was impossible to remember his voice, the sound of his laughter, if they weren't twins Damian doubted he would even remember Danyal's face anymore. He had spent over half his life apart from the person he'd come into the world with. He could only vaguely remember Danny's smile, and his eyes… his eyes were more like father's than his own… Danyal had been of a paler completion, likely due to the circumstances of his birth, but the little quirks were fading from memory. He couldn't remember exactly how Danny looked when he started talking about space and the stars. He knew his twin had been excited, had enjoyed both the history and science about the stars, but he couldn't remember. He wished he could.
Damian opened his eyes, not realizing the family had gone quiet as he silently wished for his brother. Drake was the first to speak.
"What did you wish for Dames?" He said with a small smile.
"Tch… Wishes are juvenile and undignified. I wouldn't stoop so low. I merely engage in this pointless ritual to please Father and Pennyworth. It is merely tradition." He said, rolling his eyes.
"Dami is too mature for wishes. As always." Grayson chuckled and ruffled Damian's hair. Damian, predictably, attempted to stab him, but as always Grayson maneuvered out of the way. Damian clicked his tongue again before turning toward the cake and pulling the candles out.
"I also despise frivolous nicknames, as you well know Grayson." Damian glared at the man. Only Danny got to call him by a nickname, and Danny was dead.
When the celebrations were over Damian retreated to the quiet of his bedroom, silently preparing for the usual nightly patrol. Most of the others asked for patrol off during their celebrations, but Damian didn't want that. He was proud to be Robin, proud to be by Father's side. He enjoyed going out on patrol, even when his adopted siblings were appalled by his wanting to go out and do anything resembling crime fighting on his birthday. He'd spent the first ten or so years of his life not truly celebrating his birthday, it was just another day to him after all.
He perched on top of a gargoyle and scanned the streets below, frowning slightly as he sensed a presence approaching him from behind.
"Sorry I missed the party." a familiar voice said sheepishly and he fought the urge to roll his eyes and he looked at Jonathan floating quietly beside the building he was perched on. Damian liked Johnathan, but in some ways the boy reminded him of Danny. He was certain Danny would have gotten along well with the super powered teen. Damian shook his head.
"It isn't a grand affair." He scoffed.
"Still, it's your birthday man! I'm sorry I wasn't there to celebrate it with you. Dad said I couldn't come till I finished my homework and that took forever! Anyway… Happy Birthday." Jon smiled and handed over a small package. Damian inspected it before looking up at the other teen.
"You… you do realize this is highly unprofessional." Damian chastised, when Jon's face fell he quickly added, "But thank you. Your gesture of friendship is appreciated." He nodded. Jon smiled again and Damian inspected the package before opening it. It was a simple tie clip, but with both Superman and Batman's logo engraved onto it, Damian could tell Jon had done it himself with his heat vision.
"I'm impressed. Your control over your heat vision has improved." Damian said approvingly before slipping the package into one of the pockets on his belt. Jon smiled.
"Glad you think so. Are you busy? Bats doesn't let you take the night off for your birthday?" Jon asked, clearly the other teen had something planned.
"I prefer to patrol." Damian said with a shake of his head. "Why? Did you have something in mind?"
"I thought maybe you'd want to hit the arcade or something? They've got this cool new VR game in Metropolis I think you'd like." Jon said sheepishly.
"Perhaps this weekend." Damian allowed, he wasn't one to shirk his duties, and he'd already made a commitment to this patrol.
"I'm sure B will let you take time off to go tonight." Oracle's voice sounded from the coms. Jon smiled hopefully and Damian resisted the urge to roll his eyes
"I'm already in uniform. It would be better to make plans for this weekend. Father may be taking a trip that way this weekend anyway." Damian shook his head, Jon deflated a little but then nodded.
"I'll see you this weekend then." Jon smiled before saluting and flying away.
"You know… it wouldn't kill you to act like a normal teen for once." Oracle sighed and Damian scoffed.
"I have never been a normal teen. I don't intend to start now." He responded before grappling over to the next building and looking over the alleyways. He slipped across rooftops, occasionally checking in and informing the rest of the bats what he was doing and where he was. Thoughts of Danny had been pushed from his mind as he fell into the familiar rhythm of patrol. He caught a few muggers, broke up a couple drug deals, and rescued a cat from a tree. It was a generally uneventful night until he saw Him.
Black hair and startling bright blue eyes.
"Danny?" Damian breathed softly. The boy looked up, pausing as he saw Robin on the rooftops, only Danny would have been able to notice him so quickly and hear him above the roar of the city. Danny's eyes narrowed slightly in suspicion before he took a few steps back, hiding in the shadows of the alley. Damian's breath caught in his throat at how seamlessly the boy melted into the shadows, had Mother cloned his twin? Damian himself had been cloned several times, but he hadn't thought his dead twin would be cloned as well. Anger warred with grief inside him and he swung toward the place Danyal had vanished. There was no one there, he hadn't entirely expected there to be, but there wasn't anywhere for the boy to go, not that that had ever stopped them before. He grit his teeth and surveyed the alley, there were marks from shoes in the dirt and grime, recent ones, then they just vanished. He frowned and searched nearby, but found no other evidence of someone being there.
Perhaps some sort of supernatural interference was in play, something that preyed on his emotions or memories. He couldn't be certain. He grappled to the next building and paused as a familiar head of black hair sat on the edge of the roof, looking down over the town. Damian pressed his coms and whispered.
"I'm uncertain, but I may have a magic user or something on my hands." He informed the others, Oracle would send his location to them. Damian hesitantly approached.
"Not a magic user." Danny corrected as he sighed and looked down at his shoes, he glanced over at Robin. "I know Batman has that thing about meta's in his city… but I'm not really a meta either… I just… I need help." He said, his voice cracking with pain and emotion near the end.
"Help?" Damian asked, he kept his stance ready for a fight as he surveyed the other black haired teen. Danny sighed and looked back over the city, trembling slightly.
"I… I just…" He ran his hand through his hair and sighed, he was leaving himself so exposed, whatever this creature was it could not be Danyal, Danyal would never leave himself vulnerable to attack like this. Damian's eyes narrowed, anger flaring up inside him once more. How dare this person, this thing, use Danyal's face, especially today of all days. It made him want to demand answers by force if necessary. He approached, intent on attacking the threat, the fake shifted and turned, looking at Robin, his brow furrowed in confusion.
"Why…" the fake started then trailed off, he glanced at the sword Damian had drawn. "Of course." He sighed heavily.
"Why are you here? Why choose that form?" Damian demanded pointing the sword at the fake. Danyal couldn't be fifteen, he'd died at seven years old, this thing impersonating him had chosen to make a mockery of that.
"Fuck… this was not how I wanted this to go." the fake grimaced. "And on my birthday too." He grumbled. Damian lunged and the fake twisted out of the way, rolling and taking a fighting stance as he stared Damian down.
"I don't want to fight! I came for help!" the fake said, his hands up in surrender even as the rest of his stance said he was more than willing to fight. Damian glared at the teen.
"Then why are you wearing my dead twin's face?" He snarled. The fake froze, his eyes going wide as he blinked slowly, processing that information.
"Twin?" He asked, confused. "I… this is just my face." He protested as he gestured to himself. "This isn't a magic disguise or trick, this is just me!" He scoffed as if he were offended by the idea he was impersonating anyone.
"Robin, stand down." Came Batman's voice as he landed on the roof beside him. The fake looked at Batman, uncertainty shining in his eyes before glancing back at Robin.
"This has to be some manner of trickery." Damian protested.
"Stand down." Batman said firmly and Damian reluctantly sheathed his katana. The fake relaxed slightly, but still looked nervous as he looked between Batman and Robin.
"Hi… uh… My name is Danny… Danny Fenton and… I really need your help." He said, he nervously rubbed his hand over his neck while Batman scrutinized him.
"What do you need help with?" Batman asked, the fake… hesitated before taking a deep breath and looking up at Batman with determination.
"What do you know about ghosts?"