The Phantom Robin

6: At The Door

After Danny had left the Fentons, he first went to Sam and Tucker. He told them everything. They comforted him the best they could, but there wasn't much they could do.

"You need to get out of town. Talk with Vlad. He might be willing to help you." Sam made a face at her own suggestion.

They all made a face, but she was right. He was Danny's best option. However, that didn't mean Danny would just listen without checking going to Clockwork first. Of course, that meant he either had to make a portal or go back to the Fenton's. He chose the personal portal.

It was difficult and exhausting, and he ended somewhere he wasn't used to, but he continued on to where the ancient ghost resided. Just because he wasn't used to the area didn't necessarily mean that he didn't know where he was. Benefits of his parents not giving a damn about proper safety measures.

After the visit to Clockwork, it took him a few more days to really go see Vlad. Flying there took several hours, but saying goodbye to Sam, Tucker, and Jazz-over the phone for her- was difficult. He didn't know when or if he'll be back. Then there was what he had discovered thanks to Clockwork, and it wasn't kind.

Vlad himself was rather surprised to see the other Halfa, especially as this sad empty shell. That definitely worried the older ghost. Had something happened with his parents? With his relationship with Sammatha and Tucker? Perhaps Jasmine got hurt?

"Can... Can I stay here... For a few days or so..." The boy's once confident, defiant tone was now soft and meek.

The billionaire could only agree, questions bubbling in his mind. He would have to call Jack and Maddie to see if they- Maddie- were okay. If they were, then it had to be something else.

The teen suddenly tensed as he remembered Vlad's creepy obsession with Maddie. The older Halfa would more than likely call them to ask if she was alright. He couldn't have that.

"Don't... Don't call them... Please don't..." There was a note of desperation in the boy's voice that made more questions form in the older halfa's brain. He had pushed them aside for the time being, as long as Maddie was okay, if the response was anything to go by.

It was a week in before Vlad had asked his questions. Danny was hesitant, but he answered them slowly and to the best of his ability. By the end, the young adult was being hugged and comforted by the other as he cried and sobbed. As he blubbered about how stupid he was and many other insulting things about himself. The rich Halfa made a note to get the other into therapy and to call off attacks on the Amity Park. The boy very much wasn't in a stable condition to fight... He was more likely to get himself fully dead!

A few more weeks went by before Danny set off to Gotham. He had researched a little about Bruce Wayne and Vlad told Danny all he could about the city's most eligible bachelor. Apparently, the man had a habit of adopting orphaned children. His first child being Dick Greyson, but his oldest being someone named Jason Todd, a boy who was claimed to have died some years back only to return alive and well.

"It must've been hard on Dickie... Dealing with a death like that... A-And I... I wasn't there..." Once again, the two halfas ended up hugging while the younger cried out of his own new grief and guilt.

Before the boy officially left, Vlad gave him his number along with a bag full of ghost hunting items that were more effective than the Fenton's. The fire Halfa assumed the boy didn't want to be seeing that name for a while. He had also given him a black card with a set amount of money on it. That he would secretly give a monthly allowance to.

"It's to ensure you don't spend too much energy. Try and get some sleep." The end of the white-haired man's voice was stern, his blue eyes narrowing. It wasn't hard to spot the growing dark circles under the younger man's eyes.

Danny just smiled and nodded. He hadn't been able to sleep much after his visit to Clockwork, what he had seen... He wonders how Dick could ever smile again. But he'll try to sleep on his way to his brother. Doesn't mean he'll actually do it; it just means he'll try.

On the way there, he had to stop so many times. There either were people in trouble, ghosts he needed to catch or some other problem he had to help with. As exhausting as it was, he felt better after helping people. It kept his mind off of certain people and events.

Despite all the delays, he was soon at the Wayne Manor's front door. He may be trespassing, but he doubts that any servant of the Wayne's would open the gate for him if he just said he was Dick's brother. Who'd believe him? There wasn't a record of him anywhere online that didn't involve some digging. Deep digging. Like stalkery, obsessed deep digging.

He shakily raised a hand to the intimidating door, head lightly spinning. It was an odd thing to feel about a door. It might've just been his own paranoia mixed with the lack of sleep and lack of food.

Quickly, he knocked on the door, nibbling the bottom of his lip. The air felt a nauseating mix of too thin and too thick. His limbs felt like lead and his head filled with Helium. It was worse when he began to think. Would Dick even want to see him? Would Bruce Wayne even take him in? How would the other adopted children react to him? Would they hate him? Not believe him? Try to hurt him?

Suddenly, the door was yanked open, causing blue and green eyes to meet.

Wally paused as he stared at a young face that reminded him so much of Dick. No, it was Dick's face, it was when he was at least fifteen or sixteen. The difference was the blue eyes in front of him were softer, there wasn't an ounce of darkness in them, only this deep sadness.

"I-Is Dickie here? I-I'm Danny!" Danny had rushed the last bit out, his vision beginning to swim worse than before.

He gulped down some air as his ears began to ring. His body was beginning to shut down. Was he standing or sitting? He felt weightless in the worst way.

"Danny?" A familiar voice cried out.

Said teen lifted his head up as he swayed. It was clear he wasn't going to stay standing for much longer.

"I-I didn't know." With those three words out in the open, he fainted.