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. The boy's x-rays and actions seemed to tell its own story. Broken bones that had been healed, minute fractures across fingers, shins, arms, likely from fighting, scars litter the child's body, the most recent of which seemed to be a red angry one over his heart. He was quiet, and yet always alert. His clothes had many knives hidden on arms, legs, across his chest, and down his thighs.

Maddie and Jack had theorized that the portals could lead to different places as well as times, and the strange archaic robes the boy wore only seemed to support this theory. It was clear the boy had been spat out of the portal after all. It was a foregone conclusion that the boy, Danny, would join the Fenton Household. Whether because of the goodness of their hearts or merely fascination with where he'd come from, the mysterious child became Danny 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. He could feel his life slowly pooling around him and he wondered if he would die this time. There had been many close calls in the past, but nothing this serious. He'd never been this close to death that he could recall, the circumstances of his birth after all could not be remembered.

"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, his eyes frantically scanning the deserted training grounds looking for someone or something to help.

"Dami…" Danny said, his voice lost in the wind. The latest assassination attempt on the twins had only half failed, Dami survived. If his brother survived, that was good enough for Danyal. His eyes began to drift over the corpses around them, slowly falling on his mother and grandfather as they came out quietly surveying the damage around them.

"The boy wasn't fast enough." Grandfather looked at Danyal with disappointment. It was only the child's fault if he died after all. If he couldn't be fast enough to block a blade, he couldn't be fast enough to be an heir. He looked down at Danyal, surveying him over, as if to assess his wounds, but Danny knew it was just to calculate the worth of letting Danny live by tossing his body into the Lazarus Pit to heal.

"Grandfather! The pits! We need to get him to the Lazarus Pit!" Damian begged as he attempted to pull Danny once more, Danny gently squeezed Damian's hand and tried to get him to stay put, there was no use angering Grandfather with what Ra's considered frivolous attachments. If Danny was to be saved, it would be because Grandfather deemed him worthy enough to keep, not because Damian loved him or begged for Danny to be saved.

Ra's Al Ghul looked over the pair for a moment and for that one heart stopping moment, Damian was afraid Danny's life would end then and there… but then Ra's nodded and gestured to the league member closest to them to pick up the boy. The man moved forward like a shadow and slipped Danyal into his arms. Danny supposed he should be grateful that Ra's had let him live, but mostly he just felt tired.

Danny hissed in pain as he was moved, taken from his brother's arms and carried back into the shadows and through stone halls. He shivered slightly as cold began to take over his body despite the warmth of the lands they lived in. His lungs burned for air as he struggled to continue breathing despite the blood choking his lungs.

"This is the second time you've had to use my pit child." Ra's said emotionlessly, emotionless as it was, Danny knew it was an admonishment. The great Ra's Al Ghul didn't lower himself with petty praise or feelings, even his scoldings had a certain air of coldness to them. It seemed only Father, the mysterious Batman, was the only one capable of getting under Ra's skin and making him feel something.

Ra's sighed, the smallest hint of exasperation coming through as he glanced over Danyal, who still lay bleeding in the assassin's arms.

"I do hope you work harder once you are healed. Your mother convinced me you would be of use after all, despite your weakness in the womb." Ra's swept down the hallway, deeper and deeper into the tunnels.

"Yes… grandfather…" Danny rasped out. "You… are… gracious." he mumbled, he wasn't sure if the man heard him, but he knew better than to not respond, even if he was moments away from death.

Danny knew the story well, but couldn't say more in way of thanks, 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, emerging moments later crying. His coloring was pale compared to Damian, and it seemed to be a side effect of being born in the pit.

Yet Danyal had lived, despite his strange birth. He had lived and grown up next to Damian, who insisted he must be the older twin, since despite Danny being born first, technically Damian had been alive longer. They were taught many things, espionage, world history, war tactics, and of course how to fight. Hand to hand, sword, dagger, spear, hallpike, scimitar, bow and arrow, guns, anything and everything that could be used to fight with, they were taught. It wasn't long before they were sent on their first mission together at the tender age of five.

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. They worked together with such startling efficiency that they had become known as the Demon Twins among the ranks of the League. Better than that, the competition fueled them to new heights, they had come into the world with a rival as well as a friend.

Because of that 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, which is why he would let Danyal into the pit to be healed from his wounds. The boy was nearly dead after all.

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 still hear for now, though all he heard were the near silent footsteps of the assassins as he was carried through the halls to the pits. He was scared, he would never admit it to anyone, but he was terrified. 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 if he died. Danny was certain of that. Perhaps with time Dami would 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, of this Danny was sure.

The walk seemed to take an eternity, and yet 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, dipping down below the surface as the strange glow of its waters illuminated the faces of those present.

Danny floated as he watched his body sink, waiting to see what would happen to him, waiting to see if he'd wake up, if he really was a ghost now or if he would once more walk among the living. There was the slightest hum in his chest, and given that he no longer had a heart to beat, Danny figured it was some sort of anxiety. He watched as his body finally disappeared from view, the last of his black robes sinking into the depth. He wondered if he would be one of the lost, one of those who did not come back from death… and then his ghost snapped back into his body like releasing the tension of a taut rubber band.

It burned.

The water of the pits was healing his wounds, but drowning him, burning him, suffocating 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.

He had to get free, had to breach the surface somewhere, he had to… had to… He had to go somewhere… meet someone… he couldn't remember. Why couldn't he remember? His eyes drifted shut once more, he stopped fighting and let himself be carried away by the waters, floating away in an expanse of glowing green.

Further and further away from his twin…

Danyal Al Ghul never surfaced from the pits.

Damian was heartbroken. He had lost his brother, his twin, to an assassination meant for both of them. Even though Grandfather had let Danyal use the pit to heal… he hadn't come back. Danyal had vanished from the pits, swallowed completely, not even his body could be found.

Damian knew that the pits occasionally swallowed those placed inside, that despite their wondrous healing powers, they were still a mystery. There were those times that the pit swallowed people so completely that even their bodies refused to be found. The waters seemed to completely eliminate a chosen few, leaving behind no trace of the person who entered those waters that were meant to heal.

Damian had never expected that to happen to Danyal though. His brother had been strong, skilled, smart, adaptable and yet… somehow he was 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. Teaching him about the stars, not just as the navigation guide as Grandfather would like, but the stories behind them, the science, the marvelous expanse of the universe.

Damian 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. Damian stared at the waters, wishing that he would see Danyal again, that his twin would reappear. His heart was wracked with pain whenever he thought of Danyal, his easy smile, his determined eyes, he mourned deeply the death of his twin.

Grandfather said emotional bonds were a weakness. Damian hadn't been sure, and Danyal had been quite flippant about it. Danyal had claimed that emotions weren't a weakness, but a source of strength at times. That's why they were stronger together after all, they cared for each other, they wouldn't let the other down. Grandfather had always disapproved of the bond between the twins and now Damian finally understood what he meant. Danyal made him weak after all. He stared at the bubbling green waters of the pit and buried Danyal in his heart, resolving to never care for another the same way, resolving to never become weak again. Only by doing so could Damian thrive under the Assassins. He would be ruthless, meticulous, never again would he be sloppy, and never again would he fail like he had failed Danyal.

It was strange to live in a world where his brother had gone. It seemed Danyal had been completely erased from existence. Danyal's 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 in the first place, as if he had never existed. No longer were there Demon Twins, but just Damian, heir to the Demon's Head. It hurt to see traces of his brother erased in such a manner, no one spoke of him, it truly was like Danyal and his death was just a dream, a dream that had turned into a terrible nightmare. 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. That was what the world expected of him.

Damian tucked away all thoughts of Danyal, not just of his brother, but of the warmth and joy he found at his side. Attachments were frivolous, emotions a weakness, the only thing that mattered was growing stronger. 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. Though that thought was brushed aside, he refused to think about the one who had once been at his side. 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, so he cast them aside. The only attachments he had were loyalty, fealty, and control over those under him.

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. Father didn't need to know about his fallen son, the one who was meant to be his heir, not Damian. The thoughts only weighed briefly on his mind, before they were pushed aside as meaningless.

As Father and his adopted brood slowly showed him how to be more human, he considered his brother once more. Time and time again he wondered what would have happened if Danyal had been the one to be the heir to Father's legacy, and wondered what would have happened if they could have both come to live with Father. Perhaps their lives would have been better, perhaps if they had come sooner, Danyal wouldn't have died. What would have happened if his brother were here with him now?

Thoughts like this plagued Damian the more he spent time with the Bats, the older he became. He thought more and more of his dead brother. He thought he had buried him so deep that he would never consider him again. The boy who died by his side haunted him now, the countless what ifs playing through his mind.

Danyal would probably have integrated himself better and faster. He was always the better twin when it came to things like emotions and adapting to suit the environment. It was one of the reasons Danny was the better lair, why he was able to charm people into giving him things such as the sweets he'd shared with Damian when they were children. He likely would have made friends faster than Damian had. Even now Damian really only had a small handful of friends, Jon Kent being the first one.

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, Danyal was a genius after all. Damian and Danyal had been groomed to be the best, of course Danny would have been able to make friends with Drake. Danny had once created a bomb from bits of scrap he'd come across on a mission and it was the deciding factor in their mission being a success. They'd both been trained in such ways of course, but Danny always seemed to be the sharper one when it came to engineering. Would Danny have pursued engineering though? or would he 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 as time passed Damian realized that it wasn't. Bonds could give you strength, be a source of power, be more than just a liability. His father and his brother's and their allies fought harder and faster, became stronger and more determined. Their strength being fueled by their loved ones, by their encouragement or by their drive to protect those they cared for. It was fascinating to watch, even more baffling to find himself following similar patterns without meaning to. He had people he would fight for, die for, and not just because of some misguided sense of loyalty or fealty, because he cared for them. It was startling, he wondered if this was what drove Danny to take that blow for him.

His thoughts had shifted… The boy who died became Danyal, became Danny, became brother, became twin, rising up in his thoughts once more. He haunted Damian, and yet Damian wasn't upset about it anymore. He mourned in private, but held onto the shining memories he kept with his twin. So much so that when he first entered the Watchtower at his father's side, his first thought was, "Danny would have loved this," as he stared at the dark expanse of space. If that wasn't a testament to how his time with Father and the bat family 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 slowly. Danny was gone, and he had been mourned, but that didn't stop the nagging feeling in his chest, that he wished Danny was here with him. While he wouldn't completely banish Danny from his thoughts any more, he knew it wasn't wise to dwell too much on the what ifs. Damian stared at the stars as if he could see enough for both himself and his long dead brother, and then he 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. Mourning another child he had never known would be a distraction to the mission, and in some small way, Damian wanted to keep Danny to himself. Danny was his twin, and as childish as it seemed, he didn't want to share him with anyone else, especially when he was gone. Even so… as time wore on, he thought more about his twin, about the life they could have had together. He kept Danny close to his heart, hoping that wherever Danny had ended up he was happy, and that when they met again Damian could share all that he'd learned with him, share all that he'd seen and done. Wouldn't Danny be amazed by that? Danny was forever young in his memory, he felt more like an older brother at times. Danny had died young, and Damian kept growing.

Birthdays came and went. It was strange to celebrate one's birthday to begin with, it was even stranger when Danny 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. Dannyl 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 becoming impossible to remember his voice, the sound of his laughter, if they weren't twins Damian doubted he would even remember Danny's face anymore. Granted he knew Danny was of a lighter complexion, a remnant of his death before life, and his eyes were piercing blue like Father's. It seemed quite ironic how the more Damian thought of Danny, the less he truly remembered of his brother.

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… but they sparkled with more mischief, that much he could remember. He vaguely recalled the scar on Danny's lip from a training exercise when they were five. He could somewhat recall the frown on his face when they were forced to kill 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, he wished Danny wasn't dead.

Damian opened his eyes, not realizing the family had gone quiet as he silently wished for his late twin brother. Drake was the first to speak, and break the silence.

"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. I am merely following 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. It wasn't as if he'd tried very hard to stab his brother after all, serious attempts on his adopted sibling's life were part of his dark past. Damian clicked his tongue again before turning toward the cake and pulling the now unlit 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. They gathered around the cake and began to cut it and distribute it, and thoughts of Danny were once more pushed to the side.

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 a lot, he was his first friend after all… but in some ways the boy reminded him of Danny and at times that hurt. His eyes were a different shade of blue than Danny's, but his kindness was similar, even if Danny was more subdued. Damian was certain Danny would have gotten along well with the super powered teen. Damian shook his head, dispelling those thoughts as he focused once more on Jon.

"It isn't a grand affair, it wasn't as if the party was widely attended, just a small get together. The birthday gala this weekend is going to be the more extreme event of the two. Besides, it isn't like my birthday is anything special." Damian waved him off, but John frowned.

"Still, it's your birthday man! You're an important friend and it was the day you were born! 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 gently. He tried to keep things more professional when behind the mask. When Jon's face fell he quickly added, "But thank you. Your gesture of friendship is appreciated."

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, and was impressed by the precision.

"I'm impressed. Your control over your heat vision has greatly improved." Damian said approvingly before slipping the package into one of the pockets on his belt. Jon smiled, almost glowing under the praise. He floated closer and "sat" midair next to Damian on his gargoyle perch.

"Welp, I'm glad you think so. Are you busy tonight? What? Does the big bad Bats not let you take the night off for your birthday?" Jon asked, clearly the other teen had something planned along with some gentle teasing of his friend.

"I prefer to patrol honestly. It is just another day to me." Damian said with a shake of his head, scanning the streets once more to check if there was anything suspicious. While he wanted to spend time with his friend, he had responsibilities. "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. It's so cool, it's like got all the big heroes and you can fight as villains too! It's kinda awesome, because we could play as our dads or as eachother or… um… others." Jon said sheepishly as he trailed off noticing Damian's raised eyebrow, even behind the mask.

"Perhaps this weekend." Damian allowed, he wasn't one to shirk his duties, and he'd already made a commitment to this patrol, not to mention he'd spend a little time at midnight to say happy birthday to Danny. Jon frowned a little in disappointment and Damian shrugged like there was nothing he could do about it.

"I'm sure B will let you take time off to go tonight." Oracle's voice sounded from the coms. Jon smiled hopefully, having heard the suggestion with his super hearing. Damian resisted the urge to roll his eyes

"I'm already in uniform. It would be better to make plans for this weekend after the Gala. Father may be taking a trip that way this Sunday anyway." Damian shook his head, Jon deflated a little but then nodded, cheering himself with the idea that he'd be able to spend a whole day with Damian instead of just a few hours.

"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 through the comms and Damian scoffed.

"I have never been a normal child nor 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, truly Gotham never slept. However, 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. Was he hallucinating or had Danny really been there?

He grit his teeth and surveyed the alley, there were marks from shoes in the dirt and grime, recent ones, then they just vanished. If it was Danny he wouldn't have left such an obvious trace, he would have vanished just as they had been taught with no hope of finding him again. He frowned and searched nearby, but found no other evidence of someone being there. Why leave a trace at all, only for it to vanish halfway down the alley? Was he imagining things? Was Danny real? The strange trace of someone passing through then vanishing told him that something was there, even if it wasn't a clone of his twin.

Perhaps some sort of supernatural interference was in play, something that preyed on his emotions or memories? If so, why did Danny look his age? Could it really be a clone? If it wasn't a clone and was some sort of supernatural creature… how did that fit in with the tracks he had found? Was this some sort of meta with an ability to shapeshift? Magic? He couldn't be certain. He grappled to the next building at the end of the alley, landing on the roof scanning the area only to pause as a familiar head of black hair caught his eye.

It was as untidy as ever, gently blowing sideways in the breeze as the boy his age looked out over the rooftops. The line of his body told Damian that the boy, the clone, whatever he was, knew that Damian was there. He was alert, ready to take off or fight at any moment, just as Damian and Danyal had been trained to. Yet the posture this imposter took was one of relaxation as he sat on the edge of the roof, purposefully trying to make himself look less imposing. He didn't sit at his full height, he slouched slightly, and swung his legs idly, shoes gently bumping against the roof and bouncing back out. Damian approached with caution, as the boy sat there, not looking back to him, merely looking down over the town. Damian pressed his coms and whispered to the group line.

"I'm uncertain, but I may have a magic user or meta or something on my hands." He informed the others, Oracle would send his location to them, someone would arrive, Damian would be in charge of assessing this person and seeing if he was a threat. With that in mind Robin hesitantly approached.

"Not a magic user." A familiar voice corrected as the boy sighed and looked down at his shoes, he glanced over at Robin, a small uneasy smile on his face as if he was grateful for one of the bats but unsure if he could trust them. Damian scanned his face, that face was his, paler, somehow with more scars than he'd expected, bright blue eyes that seemed to glow in the dim light. The hair at the back of his neck raised and his instincts screamed at him that whatever this was, it was a threat.

"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." The threat continued, his voice cracking with pain and emotion near the end. This was enough to distract Damian from immediately attacking despite the danger this creature seemed to bring.

"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, exposing his back to Damian.

"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, beating answers out of him, before he knew it his hand was on the hilt of his sword. As if sending the change, the fake shifted and turned, looking at Robin, his brow furrowed in confusion, like he already knew that Damian was showing hostility.

"Why…" the fake started then trailed off, he glanced at the sword Damian had drawn. "Of course." He sighed heavily, as if he knew exactly why Damian was showing hostility.

"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. How could Danny grow up and be in front of him when he had died half a lifetime ago.

"Fuck… this was not how I wanted this to go." the fake grimaced. "And on my birthday too." He grumbled. Damian saw red as he lunged at fake Danny, the imposter twisted out of the way easily before rolling and taking a fighting stance as he stared Damian down. For a minute his eyes seemed to flash green, but that could have also been a trick of the light.

"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, a snarl coming up his throat.

"Then why are you wearing my dead twin's face?" He growled. 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. The two of them stared at each other, assessing the other, minute shifts in stance showing what the other's next move would be. Damian lifted his katana at the imposter before a voice broke through the fog of rage.

"Robin, stand down." Batman's order rang across the roof as he landed next to Robin. The fake looked at Batman, uncertainty shining in his eyes before glancing back at Robin, unsure if the Batman meant to save him, or attack further.

"This has to be some manner of trickery." Damian protested to his father, he couldn't make him understand with how he'd never told him of Danyal, but perhaps he had heard enough over the comms to put some pieces together.

"Stand down." Batman said again firmly and Damian reluctantly sheathed his katana, stalking to father's side to glare at the imposter. The fake relaxed slightly, but still looked nervous as he looked between Batman and Robin. He slowly stepped forward to introduce himself.

"Hi… uh… My name is Danny… Danny Fenton and… I… we 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, his voice low and gruff, clearly distrusting. The fake hesitated before taking a deep breath and looking up at Batman with determination.

"What do you know about ghosts?"