Chapter 12
Mount Justice, September 7, 2010
There was currently a peace summit between two warring halves of a country but Danny couldn't care less.
He was still really shaken by his experience of losing his memories and how he'd acted towards his team and as a teen who hated confrontation...he avoided it, more accurately...he avoided them.
Whenever he would go to the Cave he would hide away in Tornado's room, tinkering away. Or he'd pretend to go to the Cave and instead spend time in Fawcett with Billy.
He was currently working on the wiring of Red Tornado's alter ego's body.
"You cannot stay shut away in here forever," Red Tornado said softly from where he'd entered the room behind the boy.
"And why can't I?" Danny huffed.
"You cannot avoid or try and forget what has happened," Tornado said simply, "You can only face it...and move forward with your friends."
"Cringe," Danny muttered.
"Phantom, I am kicking you out," Tornado said simply.
"I-what, no!" He protested, "You can't do that!"
"Come back after you socialize with your team."
Tornado gently gripped Danny's shoulders, guiding him over to the opening in the floor of his room, the door sliding open...the android dropping Danny out of the hole, boy flying and steadying himself and huffing at the door that slid shut. He could easily turn intangible and fly back into the room but Tornado was right he had to face his team.
First things first he had to find someone from his team.
Danny entered the training arena to see Kaldur peering at various hologram screens.
"Water you doing?" Danny grinned to himself at his oh so clever joke.
"Gathering some intel on Cheshire for Red Arrow," Kaldur hummed.
"Ah," Danny nodded in understanding, "Need any help?"
"I'm quite alright," Kaldur smiled softly, "But I do not mind the company."
Danny smiled softly and conjured himself a chair of ectoplasm, sitting as he simply enjoyed Kaldur's presence.
"Do you feel guilty over your actions in Bialya?" Kaldur asked after sending the necessary information to Red Arrow, "Is that why you are avoiding us?"
"Not so subtle about that, am I?" Danny smiled ruefully.
"As we have all said when we've managed to speak to you for a few moments before running off again these past few days...you have nothing to apologize for, nothing to feel ashamed about. Who you are is not something you control, nor is it something we blame you for. Instead, we are proud of how far you've come."
"..." Danny smiled softly, "Thank you...Kaldur, for saying that."
"Perhaps go to your brother? Superboy has been feeling irrationally like he is to blame for nearly losing you."
Danny's eyes widened, he'd really been the worst brother ever these past few days hasn't he? He hadn't even checked in on Superboy and Amazo.
Danny hurried to Superboy's room and knocked on the door.
"Come in!" A familiar voice called out.
Danny slid the door open and stepped into the room, nervously wringing his hands.
"Oh, hi!" Superboy straightened, beaming at Danny, "How-how are you?"
"I should be asking you that," Danny smiled weakly, "I...I guess I really scared you, huh?"
"I was never scared of you," Superboy promised, "I was scared for you. That...you only lost six months of memories...what was your life like?"
"..." Danny owed him an answer, didn't he, "Honestly...the last moment I had memories of before appearing in that desert were actually pretty good that...that's why I was so upset. I was under the impression I had been taken from a moment with people I loved and I just..." He shrugged, "I dunno, I wanted to get back to them, desperately."
"Do you need help?" Superboy offered, "Getting back to them?"
"They're...they don't exist in this plane of existence," Was the easiest way for Danny to phrase it without divulging the existence of his people.
He loved Superboy and he trusted him too but...he wrote the laws that the existence of the Infinite Realm was too be kept secret, he couldn't very well break them...not even for his Living family.
"You excited for school?" Danny asked, "You start today, right?"
"Yeah!" Superboy took the hint that he wanted to change the subject and happily obliged, "I'm...feeling nervous and excited."
"Don't worry about it too much," Danny advised, "Thing'll be fine and if anything goes wrong just give any of us a call, we'll drop anything to come get you."
"Thanks," Superboy smiled softly.
"Now then!" Danny announced dramatically, "We need to pick out your fit for later today!"
"My...fit?" Superboy repeated.
Danny merely cackled madly as he hurried off to go find his brother some clothes for his first day of school.
★・・・★・・・★
Mount Justice, September 7, 2010
Danny, Amazo and Kaldur, with J'onn and Red Tornado went into the main garage to see M'gann and Superboy off to their first day of classes.
As Danny looked on at his brother he beamed at how perfect he looked in the outfit he'd picked out for him. Superboy wore ripped blue jeans that disappeared under Superboy's favorite combat boots. He wore a belt that had two parts, on part that went through the loops of his waist and one part that rested digonally across his waist. He also wore a loose crop top that showed off a lot of his stomach over which he wore a different leather jacket, this one with spikes on the shoulders.
"Look at you two!" He gushed.
"Ready for school?" M'gann asked Superboy giddily, "I made our lunches!"
"The first day of a scholastic season carries great cultural resonance," J'onn said softly, "We want to wish you both well."
"I guess it's not a kryptonian thing?" The boy rose a brow, not that he was too upset, he had his brothers and that was all he could want.
"You may wish to change before you depart," Kaldur adressed M'gann.
"Of course!" She squealed, "I spent hours picking out this outfit!" Her clothes changed into a skirt and an undershirt that was white over a maroon blouse the same color as the skirt, "Can M'gann M'orzz pass as an Earth girl now?"
"Well..." Kaldur looked pointedly to her skin.
Danny, who was no longer the subtle person he once was helpfully provided with, "Your skin's green, humans aren't usually green."
The girl laughed and spun, skin turning caucasion, "Meet Megan Morse!" She curtsied, "What's your new name?" She turned to Superboy.
"My...what?" He asked, bewildered.
"I chose the name John Jones for myself," J'onn said as he shifted into his alter ego, "And suggested John Smith for Red Tornado. You could be a John too?"
"Pass," Superboy said gruffly.
"Hmm," Danny circled his brother, "You need something unique. Oh! Got it-"
"I think he looks like a Connor," M'gann said thoughtfully.
in the show m'gann picks the name connor for superboy cus connor's the name of megan's love interest in hello megan, in this fic cus they're strictly friends in the show hello megan connor will be megan's gay bff (because it's an old sitcom that was like the only reason a guy would be friends with a girl and not want to sleep with her would be because he's gay)
Danny gasped in mock horror, "Connor's not very unique."
"It is not unique at all," Amazo agreed, "Amazo on the other hand is quite unique."
"I don't need something unique," Superboy said softly although...he would've preferred his brother naming him he just wanted to get this over with, "Connor's fine."
"A last name will also be required," Kaldur hummed.
"Perhaps Kent," J'onn suggested airily.
"Oh, in memory of Dr. Fate! The late Kent Nelson!" M'gann lit up and the way J'onn's heartbeat faltered ever so slightly had Danny knowing that wasn't the reason.
"Of...course," The martian shifted back to his usual form.
"Connor Kent," Danny repeated, "I like it," He smiled, the name did remind him of that reporter guy but, oh well.
"Okay," Connor smiled softly, "I guess, I do too."
"Well, Connor Kent!" M'gann beamed, "Let's head to school!"
"One last hug, fratello," Danny pulled Conner into a hug, the boy softening and hugging him back, "You too!" Danny grabbed Amazo and pulled him into the hug, the three brothers holding each other tightly before Danny reluctantly let them both go.
"Wait, shouldn't I be Connor Nelson?" Connor wondered as he followed M'gann out of the cave.
"They grow up so fast," J'onn sighed wistfully, Danny watching them go with a small smile.
★・・・★・・・★
Gotham City, September 7, 2010
Danny held Hal's hand tightly as he stood before the gates of his future school.
"You'll be okay," Hal promised, "And remember, we don't have to do this."
"If Conner's getting forced to endure middle school I can do this," He huffed.
As 'dignified' as he was acting now he couldn't help but wince as he remembered how he'd acted only an hour before.
"Ew, I changed my mind!" Danny whined dramatically as Amazo all but dragged him to the zeta tube, "I don't wanna go to school!"
"If the S-Conner is going to school you must as well, brother mine," Amazo huffed.
"No!" Danny protested, "Tornado! Help me, please!"
"You need to socialize," Was all Tornado said.
"J'onn!"
"I wish you luck on all your endeavors," The martian struggled to fight off an amused smirk.
"School's so gross, though, how could I have wanted to return?" Danny whined.
"Have fun!" Kaldur bade Danny farewell as Amazo shoved him into the zeta tube, the boy teleporting out of the tube and into Hal's awaiting arms.
"It's a pretty prestigious school," Hal hummed, "Got top of the line classes and educators! My little boy's gonna do great!" He ruffled Danny's hair, the ghost leaning into the affection.
"I don't start today, do I?" Danny asked.
"Nah, we're just touring for today and we're gonna get your books and uniform."
"Uniform?!" Danny gasped, apalled.
"Oh, did I forget to mention that?" Hal chuckled nervously.
"I can't believe I have to wear a uniform," Danny groaned, "Well," He said contemplatively, "At least the humans won't judge based on what I wear."
"Ah, yeah, that's something you can't do," Hal winced, "No calling people 'humans,' okay? They don't know you aren't one."
"I can pretend to be human," Danny nodded, before frowning, "Can humans turn their heads all the way ar-no," He said decidedly, "They can't do that."
"Can you?" Hal asked nervously.
"It may be hard but yeah," Danny blinked, he grabbed his head and began to twist-
"No!" Hal yelped, "No, it's okay, I don't need a demo."
"Ew, people," Danny cringed as a man and presumably, his son approached.
"Mr. Wayne!" Hal greeted with a pleasant smile.
"Mr. Jordan," Bruce greeted curtly, "I trust this is your ward?"
"Yup!" Hal beamed, ruffling Danny's hair, "Daniel Jordan."
"Hi," Danny greeted with an awkwardly shy smile.
"I-I'm Dick!" The other boy introduced himself, "Dick Grayson."
"My ward," Bruce smiled warmly.
"Nice to meet you," Danny mustered up a smile, subconsciously standing a bit closer to Hal.
"Dick'll share a lot of classes with you," Bruce explained, "He skipped a grade so he'll be in your freshman classes."
"I think humans are great," Danny blurted out before hastily correcting himself, "People, children. I think people children are great!"
"Me too," Bruce chuckled softly, "I happen to be an...associate of Batman's," This proved to be a mistake to say as Danny immediately searched his exposed skin for signs of puncture wounds, "And he told me about your...status. Also," He reached into a bag and pulled out a small box, offering it to the boy.
"I can't accept," Danny immediately denied.
"Um?" Bruce blinked.
"Why don't you see what it is, kiddo?" Hal encouraged.
"Oh, right," Danny opened the slender box to revel a sleek black phone.
"Wayne Tech's newest model," Bruce said, pride evident in his voice.
"Oh!" Danny nodded in understanding, "Oh, thank you! This is great!"
"So...I take it you can accept this gift?" Bruce chuckled.
"Of course!" Danny smiled.
"Why...were you thinking you couldn't accept?" Dick couldn't help but wonder.
"Ah," Danny sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck, "I thought perhaps it was an engagement proposal and I didn't want to get on your husbands bad side."
"My...my husband?" Bruce repeats.
"Batman," Danny blinked, ignoring the not so stifled wheeze that came from Hal, "You mentioned you're an associate of his but I see no bite marks which means you are under his protection and vampires don't really tend to care for just any humans which means you must be intimately important to him. Thus, you're his human husband."
"..." The trio was silent as they gawked at Danny.
"And it was rather conceited of me to think you were proposing but human customs allude me from time to time so...I apologize for that misunderstanding and my outright refusal of said non existent proposal, I didn't want to anger your husband."
"Oh," Dick laughed, the noise distantly familiar to Danny, the boy throwing an arm around Danny, pulling him close, "We're gonna get along great."
Fratello -- brother