Brothers?

Frate Mai Mare

Watching my two families come together and enjoy a meal was one of the best experiences I have ever had. Sam and Damian started debating about being vegetarian, and Tucker, Dick and Bruce started discussing the new tech Wayne Inc. was working on. Jazz seemed to be having a deep conversation with Jason, I just hope she's not psychoanalyzing him, I think his issues are a bit beyond her for now. I felt warmth flow through me, and I couldn't help but smile. I glanced over at my Dad who was having a quiet conversation with Alfred about food and recipes. He glanced up and smiled at me. I grinned back and went back to watching everyone.

Dick came over and sat next to me after he finished eating. He took a deep breath and let it out. He looks me in the eyes and says "I'm sorry for putting the cuff on you Danny." "I may have overreacted."

I look at him exasperated and say "may have?"

He grins and says "shut up."

I smile back and say "I shouldn't have left the Manor, but the cuff was made for Vlad." "Dick.....it's hurting me." He looked horrified and I continued "My core is building up, too long with this thing on and I'll freeze completely." "My powers and Vlad's are similar but fundamentally different, it wouldn't cause him pain." "I should have said something when you put it on but I was feeling petulant and being a brat." "I'm sorry."

He hugs me and says "why don't we go down to the Cave and I'll get that thing off of you."

I shake my head and say "I'm good right now I just want to enjoy seeing my friends and family, but yeah, as soon as they're gone I would like for this thing to come off." Dick nods understanding why I don't want to go right now. As soon as everyone is finished eating I drag everyone but Bruce and my Dad to the theater room for a movie marathon. We watch movies and just catch up. Sam and Tucker tell me about different members of the Justice League coming to town and defending against the ghost, they also explained how lately they haven't been needed because my Dad had shut down the portal. Odd, I'll have to ask him about that. They also explained how the Box Ghost had scared Dash into running right into a trash can in front of the whole cafeteria. I'll have to send him a thank you card for that. We chatted in between movies for hours, when I got up to get myself some more snacks, a sharp pain went through my chest causing me to spill the drink I had in my hand all over my shirt. Sam and Tucker gave me a concerned look but I just waved them off, and told everyone I was going up to my room to change and get cleaned up.

I go upstairs and got cleaned up and had just put on a new shirt, when something in the mirror caught my attention. I looked up just in time to see Plasmius coming toward me. I spun around quickly and kicked him right in the chest. He grunted and flew back. I ran toward the door and yelled as loud as I could "HELP!" I was almost to the door, when I felt a sharp pain in the back of my head, then everything faded to darkness.

I come back to consciousness slowly, first I can make out the soft mummer of voices. A soft tenor I recognize as Vlad, and a distinctive soprano I would recognize anywhere. Mom? I try to listen to what they're saying but they're speaking too softly for me to hear. I can feel a heavy weight in my chest and a constant ache. It feels like my core is frozen solid. My head aches dully, and feels like it's been stuffed with cotton. I can feel that I'm laying on something solid and cold, and that my hand and feet are in hard, metal restraints. I let out an involuntary shiver, reminding me that I need to let out my ice powers.

I hear Vlad and my Mom come toward me and my Mom says softly "Danny?" I can't help but open my eyes and look at her. She looks terrible. She's lost weight, her skin has an unnatural pallor, her hair is stringy and unwashed and her eyes are bloodshot giving her a wild, demented look. She reaches out to run her hand through my hair and I flinch back. She frowns and puts her hand down.

I glance over at Vlad who looks like he has been ill recently. I look back at my Mom and say "what am I doing here?" "You couldn't have just called me?"

She smiles at me, which let me tell you as crazy as she looks is not comforting at all, she says "Danny I have great news!" "I have found a cure for your condition, I've even tested it so I know it works!" "Isn't that great!" "Once we have gotten rid of Phantom we can be a family again!"

I just stare at her blankly for a moment thinking through what she said. I try to work out what she means then I say "Mom listen, Phantom isn't a separate being." "He's me." "I am Phantom." "What do you mean you tested it...." I look over at Vlad with horror "You let her strip you of your ghost powers?!!!" "How?!"

He nods and says "blood blossom extract injected right into a vein, right after I went and retrieved you for her." "It is an unpleasant experience but once it's over everything will be fine." "We will be a family." "You won't have to worry about anything Daniel I can give you the world, you won't need your powers."

I suck in a sharp breath and say "Vlad you know as well as I do that your accident and mine were different." "Your core never fully developed but mine did, if she injects me with blood blossom extract it won't 'fix' me it will destabilize both of my forms and kill me."

I look over at my mom desperately hoping I can get through to her. She is getting the blood blossom extract ready in a syringe and I say "mom please don't do this." "It will kill me." "I'm still me!" "I'm still Danny, no matter what form I take." "I'm still the little boy you used to hold and comfort when I was sick." "I'm the same kid you told all about the constellations and used to stargaze with." "Mom please, I love you, I want you to be happy." "I want us to be a family." "Please don't do this." "It won't work I will die." I look at her with everything I'm feeling and beg softly one last time. "Please."

She wavers uncertainly for a moment then says "it worked on Vlad it will work for you too, you'll see." She stuck the needle into the bend of my elbow and injected me with the extract.

It took a moment for the pain to hit me but when it did, all I could do was scream in agony.