A DANNY PHANTOM BIG BANG

Summary:

The woods are just trees, the trees are just wood While on a family hiking trip, Danny gets lost in the woods, but luckily he's found by a kind stranger who offers him refuge. Into the woods without delay, but careful not to lose the way Something seems off, however, but between being lost in the woods, or taking the risk to go into a house with food, Danny doesn't have much of a choice. Into the woods, who knows what may be lurking on the journey? Unaware of his new destiny, Danny has to survive the trials ahead, as he's unwittingly crowned the next heir of the Infinite Realms. Into the woods to see the King, earn a crown, and wear a ring. Into the woods, without delay, to face our ghost we know the way

Danny grumbles, kicking the stupid sticks, and leaves out of his way. One moment, he had been following his family on a hike in the woods, to build “stronger family bonds” and “build character” and whatever that third thing his dad had gone on about. 

And then the next thing he knew, he had spotted something weird on a tree. It looked like some weird glowing green goo oozing out of it. Best to just ignore that, only to notice his family was already gone and out of sight. This was not how he had wanted his day to go. Bad enough he had to be out in the woods when he could’ve just stayed home or with Tucker until his family came back from their camping trip.

Danny had hoped to spend his first week of summer vacation lazing around and hanging out with his friends, but when had he ever just gotten to do what he wanted to do?

“Never,” Danny mutters as he continues along what he thinks is the path, but he hesitates. He remembered his mom mentioning what to do if he was lost in the woods: to sit down and wait for help, but there was only one problem with that.

Danny did not like to sit still . He couldn’t sit down and wait, so Danny set out in the direction he thought his family had been heading in, but as the minutes turned to hours in his now solo hike. The shadows stretched and cast long shades around him as he walked. Danny began to feel uneasy. He still hadn’t heard his parents calling for him, he couldn’t recognize anything around him, and he was starting to get hungry.

“I could’ve been home. I could’ve just been at home playing video games. Not lost in the woods,” Danny mutters, finding comfort in his voiced thoughts, even if they were just to relieve some of his panic. The panic that he feels rises as he slowly comes to the understanding that he isn’t just looking for his family.

Danny Fenton, age 14, is lost.

The sun sinks lower and lower, and soon, Danny has to pull out his hand-cranked flashlight to light up the now-dark path, his senses on high alert. Every shadow was a monster, and every snapping stick was a creature waiting to drag him away from his little path. 

But Danny is unique in handling stressful situations; he’s a 14-year-old boy with parents who believe in the supernatural and a super-smart older sister who does more lecturing and parenting than his own parents.

So, he complains.

“Woods are dumb, they’re just filled with stupid leaves and stupid squirrels and not a single useful thing in the world. It’s all stupid!”

He kicks the ground in frustration, and he finally takes note of how tired he is. His legs ached, his hands were shaking, and the hunger is here.

He rubs at his eyes, ignoring how they burned before stubbornly continuing to walk, not caring if he knows where he’s going now. Sticking to a path will lead some somewhere. He just needs to find his family and find them fast.

But the sun is setting; the little flashlight wouldn’t be enough soon, and if he sits down now, he’ll be a sitting duck. So, he walks to keep his mind off his nerves. He walks even as it gets too dark to see, and the air grows cold and crisp.

Before the fear can set in – before he starts to scream in hopes someone will find him– a twig snaps behind him.

He whirls around with a yelp, only to come face to face with a man with pale gray hair. For a second, Danny thinks he sees his eyes glow before the man raises his hand up, and blinks revealing a deep blue.

“Bit late for you to be walking around in the woods, don’t you think?”

His voice is deep, yet his tone is light.

Danny’s still catching his breath, his hand gripping his flashlight, and he’s blinking away the burning in his eyes again as he slowly lowers his flashlight and takes a step back.

“Hey, are you alright?” the man asks, his voice warm, he’s wearing a sweater and light pink striped pajama pants. He’s holding his own flashlight downwards so as not to blind Danny with it.

“I-I’m… I can’t find my family,” Danny manages, still shaken. The man nods, looking around in the darkness before looking back down at Danny. Danny also makes note of how tall this guy is. Not the giant his dad is, but definitely past the 6-foot height.

“I figured, you're a long way from the hiking trail, and in the direction you were headed you’d hit the river, but by then you’d be a three-day hike from the trail.” The man steps forward and brings himself down to Danny’s level. Once again Danny can’t help but take a step back but the man offers him a smile. The man then holds something out for him, and Danny can smell it before he sees it.

It’s beef jerky, and he hates jerky. He snatches it anyway. With the first bite, he fully registers how starved he was.

“You’re alright now. I know you’re probably wary of strangers in the woods, but right now, you’ve two choices. Stay here and wait for a search party to find you, or come with me. There’s not much service out here, but once we reach my cabinet, I’ve got a landline we can call your parents with.”

“How do you know I have parents?”

“I assume most children do. Would you prefer the term guardians?” the man says with a slight smile, and somehow that does make him feel better, and even if this was a bit freaky, what choice did he have?

Danny nods, and the man slowly turns and begins leading the way, with Danny a few just a few paces behind.

“What’s your name? What’re you even doing out here?” Danny asks, after a few moments of silence. The guy wasn’t much of a chatterbox, but Danny’s never met a silence he couldn’t fill; not even detention stood a chance.

The man lets out a small chuckle but answers easily enough; he seems to fall into an easy pace, making stepping over roots and random dirt pits look easy, almost like he’s floating while Danny stumbles here and there.

“My name is Vladimir Masters, and a late-night stroll on my own property tends to be a nice way to pass the time out here.”

“Your property? We’re in the middle of the woods last I checked,” Danny says with a confused frown. While Vlad probably couldn’t see it, he most definitely could hear it.

The man stops and turns a bit back toward the boy, letting Danny finally catch up to him.

“I own about 30 acres around here to get away from the public; notwithstanding the occasional hiker that gets lost now and then, it does well to let me get some privacy.”

“Away from the public?” Danny asks as Vlad seems to turn in a random direction, only for Danny to notice the small trail Vlad is leading them along.

“Are you famous or something…?” Danny trails off as his eyes finally catch the first signs of civilization. The house came up, a beacon of light in the dark forest, and it was huge . Cabinet his ass.

“Or something, yes; I own a couple of companies, a few patents here and there.” Vlad shrugs as he climbs up on the dazzling patio, a string of lights glowing just a bit brighter as he approaches.

Danny, a little less fearful and a little more hopeful climbs, the steps and walks in without hesitation. He’s in awe at the high ceilings and the strange antler chandelier and doesn’t notice Vlad still at the door.

He doesn’t see the man's shifting eyes or hear the small murmur of words he says under his breath. Danny only catches the shadows out of the corner of his eye and turns to see Vlad close the door behind him with only a slight click. Vlad smiles before he motions for Danny to follow him.

“I’m sure you're famished. Jerky can only do so much. Let’s get you something more filling to eat. Afterward, we can see about getting you in touch with your parents. Unfortunately, I don’t have my cell phone on me since I tend to not have my technology on me when I’m out in the woods; it tends to distract me from my relaxation time. Luckily I did think ahead and installed a landline.”

Danny feels the cool touch of air on his arm as Vlad opens the fridge. He expects to see mountains of food, not to be greeted by anything less than stuffed full. Staring in confusion, Vlad reaches past Danny and pulls out a black container which he places in the microwave without any fanfare.

“The staff stocks the fridge up when I alert them of my visits,” Vlad says offhandedly, and Danny remembers that okay, rich people things.

“Let this warm up and you can eat up, my boy. Then we can alert the authorities as to your whereabouts, and let your parents know you're alright.” Vlad gives him a small reassuring smile, and while Danny just wants to relax, to finally let the fear of getting lost in the woods fall behind him, he can’t shake the lingering chill.

Danny instead nods, and lets his eyes wander, taking in the black marble, the sleek black stools, and another chandelier.

The microwave beeps and all the worry and tension melt away at the smell of rich, fresh food. Vlad slides his portion over with a black steel fork already in his hand. Danny hesitates on the first bite but then scarfs the rest down, not looking up as he devours the contents, barely caring what to is.

He doesn’t even look at Vlad, as the man’s calm composure cracks, revealing a smile full of teeth, with a blood-red mist seeping through his lips, and flashing red eyes as he watches Daniel eat the meal without a second thought.

Vlad runs a hand through his hair, taking a breath as he turns to leave the room, back to normal as though nothing ever shifted.

“Eat up, young Daniel! You’re welcome to have as much as you’d like, I’ll be back in just a moment, young lad, those authorities won't call themselves,” he calls out, and Danny grunts in acknowledgment as he finishes the last spoonful.

Turning to the fridge without any shame, he grabs another black container, tearing off the lid. Not even bothering to warm up the meal, he forgoes his fork, using his hands, barely chewing through one meal until he was on to the next, and the next. The scraping of his nails on the container was the only sound in the kitchen.

He’s so focused on shoveling whatever he was eating into his stomach, he doesn’t question the absolute silence of the cabin home, how there isn’t even a single flicker of light or soft wind from the outside.

Finally, finally, he slows down, patting at his stomach, and lets out a large burp like any proud 14-year-old would. He feels full and now he’s his with such a wave of drowsiness he debates just laying his head down on the counter and falling asleep. 

He debates it for a moment, only to remember that Vlad was supposed to make a call, but he hadn’t come back.

Minutes feel like hours, and maybe an hour has passed, and when Vlad still isn’t back, Danny shoves himself off the kitchen counter he’d been leaning on – and remembering his manners, dumps all the empty containers into the sink– before making his way towards the doorway.

“Um, Mister Vlad?” Danny calls out, peeking around the doorway of the kitchen and up the stairs. The lights upstairs seemed to die out the higher up his eyes traveled, but there was still a soft light he could just make out the corner before it seemed to flicker and vanish.

He feels uneasy, and he feels that same goosebumpy feeling he’d felt when Vlad first found him in the woods.

However, with the promise of a phone at the top of the stairs Danny slowly climbs, pushing away the strange feeling.  His feet drag up the stairs, unaware of the growing shadows crawling off the walls of the kitchen, consuming it in darkness, the light traveling with him as he made it up and studied the strange paintings he found there.

He feels a sudden chill as he makes it to the top of the stairs, the sudden cool air chasing away some of the drowsiness as he looks around the hall, trying to remember which way Vlad had gone.

Ultimately Danny chooses to take the right, turning the corner into the hallway.

He admires the soft plush red carpet, and for a moment wonders if he should have taken off his dirty shoes.

He starts to make note of his surroundings. The walls are beige in color and he can’t tell if it’s wallpaper or paint, but can’t help but run his hand between where the colored sections meet the dark wood. It’s warm to the touch.

“Mister Vlad?” Danny calls out again, waiting to hear some kind of reply, as he turns another corner, still taking in the small antler chandeliers that add that lumberjack vibe to the cabin and even takes a moment to look at the picture frames on the wall.

Where he expects creepy portraits of people to stare back at him like any classic haunted house, the frames are just full of paintings of scenery. Pictures of the forest, from different angles and seasons, as if they weren’t already surrounded by miles of it.

He continues down the hall, the fluffy carpet, and the warmth of the cabin almost too comforting. As the chill leaves Danny, he feels his eyes growing heavy, his limbs dropping at his side.

He finally realizes how tired he is.

“Mister Vlad!” Danny calls, fighting back a yawn even as one of his hands comes to rub at his eyes. “Where’d you go?”

He feels his eyes fall closed for just a second, sleep calling him before he jumps awake only to find himself standing in front of an open door. The wood is the same brown tone as the wall and as it creaks open Danny sees into the room.

There is a large king-size bed with an unnecessary number of pillows and a pale-yellow comforter. The warm yellow lights fill up the room, and Danny feels himself almost tugged inside.

He notes the decor, the yellows, navy blues, and even touches of gray in the room. His feet go from plush carpet to hardwood floors, and he stops at the edge of the gray carpet just one step away from the bed.

Danny glances at an actual fireplace to his right, chasing away the cold, and the slight scent of pumpkin somehow fills the room.

Danny hears the door shut behind him; the click is light, and he’s too transfixed by how comfortable the bed looks to register that the door has closed by itself.

A canopy keeps out just the right amount of light and he’s already kicking off his shoes.

“Mister Vlad! ‘M going to bed!” He doesn’t care if he can find him anymore, or if Vlad even hears him.

That should freak him out, but any urgency of reaching his parents slowly dies down as Danny feels almost numb from his exhaustion.

He just wants to sleep, and as soon as his body hits the mattress, the soft touch of the comforter and the warmth of the bed are almost heavenly .

As soon as he barries his face into the cool silk pills Danny slips into a deep, deep sleep.

The soft comfort is the last sensation he feels until all he can do is dream. 

-

A/N:

I like "Into the Woods", It's a good musical, so yeah couldn't help putting up some parody lyrics.

And hi! Welcome to my new story, and my submission for Invisobang 2023! This was my first time participating in anything like this, and I entered as an author and got straight to work.

I had a lot of fun working on this submission, and the fact that it's my first completed work on AO3 is something I am proud of. It's also been an interesting story since it's my first time dipping my brain into the horror genre, and probably the last (at least for now).

And to add a few more words for Kay! I had the amazing privilege of working and being paired with KayleNosferatu who is SUCH AN AMAZING ARTIST. Half the fun little plot in this story would not exist without her input, and any time I felt I was losing motivation for this story, her art kept me going! I cannot sing enough praises for how amazing she is, not only as a person but as an artist. Her style fit so perfectly with my story, I couldn't ask for a better partner in crime!

So enjoy the story! And do mind the tags! There are some triggers in here, and I'm not quite sure I got all the tags, but there is a brief description of a corpse, maggots, overeating, known as ghost hunger, and the abuse of a minor.

Vlad is an asshole in this so beware!

Also a quick shout out to me Beta Readers! Z and VentisetteStars! These two helped me so much!

PART ONE: The Beginning

Dick:

Early August 2008

Dick slowly walked towards his meet-up spot on the road where Alfred was waiting. He couldn’t keep the smile and look of wonder off his face. It was the 6-month anniversary of his relationship with Bonnie Linseed, and Dick could not have imagined a more perfect date night. He had, with Alfred’s help, planned a wonderful 6-course picnic with all his love’s favorite finger foods. They drank sparkling cider in beautiful wine glasses, sitting on a cushion of grass covered by an enormous fluffy blanket. They dined in front of a perfectly still lake surrounded by dense forest. The moon and starts shined down brightly and lit up the night with an otherworldly glow. After the meal, magic happened, and the pair gave themselves to one another. It was gentle and beautiful—and a first for both teens.

When all was said and done, the couple used the container of warm towels that that Alfred had packed with the food to clean themselves up; then, they redressed and gathered the near-forgotten picnic items. As they slowly walked the trail back to the waiting car, both Dick and Bonnie had warm, silly grins on their faces. They were in love, and their expression of that love had been everything that they had hoped for—and more.

Dick hadn’t planned for anything physical to happen that night. One thing had led to another, and, well…IT happened. But—he had not gone into the evening unprepared. He was Batman’s protégé, after all. Precautions were taken, and everything appeared to go well. At least Dick thought so, and judging by the smile on Bonnie’s face, he guessed she did too. They stayed in contact over the following few weeks, but Dick found himself swamped with both schoolwork and Bat-missions. He felt horrible about not spending more time with his love, but he didn’t think that there was anything amiss.

Then, less than two months after they had first been intimate, Bonnie broke up with him. She adamantly stated that she did not want to be contacted by him again, and that what had happened that one night in the woods was wrong. Dick was devastated. He thought she had been ok after that magic night. She hadn’t given any sign of regret—unless he had missed it by being so caught up in other things.

Dick realized, after she hung up on him for the last time, that he had probably mistaken her quiet sighs and shy behavior following their interlude. He thought she was feeling romantic, when she was probably feeling regret the entire time. The shame he felt was overwhelming. He had not talked to Bruce about what had happened because he felt like it was a quiet promise between himself and Bonnie. Now, he kept quiet because he didn’t want Bruce to see his shame. Dick silently vowed to do better—to be better, and, most importantly, to wait before taking that step a second time.

Two weeks after their breakup, Bruce informed Dick that Bonnie’s father had been offered a job transfer. The man had never approved of the relationship between Dick and his daughter—he did not like the spotlight that it put on his family. Bruce tried in his own way to be there for his son, as the man guiltily considered his fame the reason Bonnie’s family moved away. Dick pretended to take comfort from his father’s words, but deep inside, he knew it was somehow his fault that she was gone.

Bonnie

September-November 2008

Bonnie was late. Not as in “late for an event”-late, but as in her monthly cycle hadn’t come. She only realized it when it was a week overdue. Shock, terror, confusion, remorse—a miasma of emotions swirled in the teen. She wasn’t supposed to be a statistic! She hadn’t told a soul what had happened with Richard that night at the lake, and now she was grateful for her forethought. She sat down hard on her bed and tried to come up with a plan. She needed to know for sure before she did anything.

She decided her best option was to find out if her suspicions were correct, so she called up a few of her friends, and they met at the mall. During lunch, Bonnie made excuses about needing to pick up some “feminine items” at the pharmacy before going to the restroom. The “friends” she had chosen were rather shallow, and none of them volunteered to accompany Bonnie on her journey—as she suspected would be the case.

First, she went to the restroom and locked herself in a stall. Then, she pulled a hoodie out of her bag and tugged it on. She quickly pulled out a rolled-up cloth bag from inside her smaller purse. She shook it out to get rid of the wrinkles; she exchanged the small purse for the larger bag. She was grateful for being a tall girl. Hopefully, no one would question her age at the store. With a sigh and more than a few tears, she pulled up her hood and made her way out of the restrooms to the pharmacy.

Once inside, she easily found what she was looking for. She nabbed it, along with several other purchases. No one even looked her way as she checked out. Apparently, a teen dressed in a plain hoodie and jeans wasn’t an uncommon sight these days. A secret part of herself felt glad that she was not alone in her ordeal. For her transaction to be so unremarkable, there must be a lot of other girls in her position as well. The teen wasn’t sure what that boded for the future.

After a grueling afternoon of playing nice with vapid teens, Bonnie was ready to collapse. Unfortunately, she still had the test to do. When the little stick showed a positive result, her heart sank in her chest. Why? Why this, why NOW??? She had wanted to start a family one day—perhaps even with Richard, but it was really too soon. She could only hope that things would turn out for the best. Bonnie had honestly hoped that her parents would support her—perhaps even allow her to marry Richard—once she shared the news. Those hopes were crushed when she made her confession to her mother. The woman refused to speak even a word to her after being told of the situation. Her father’s reaction was even worse. Bonnie had been loudly banished to her room after facing her father’s long, scathing commentary about her morality and the disgrace she had brought to the family name.

She listened as her parents argued in the other room. This is all my fault! What am I going to do NOW?? Tears tracked down the young teen’s face, unnoticed as her vicious thoughts battered her already fragile emotions. An echoing thud reverberated around Bonnie’s home as the front door smashed into its frame; soon after, the roaring of a car engine speeding away from the home filled the sudden aching silence that had fallen upon the troubled home. The new mother-to-be fell into her pillow and cried herself to sleep—her future uncertain, her thoughts, dark.

Two days of angry glares and disappointed stares later, Bonnie was told that she was no longer allowed to speak to Richard. His calls went unanswered until the day her mother allowed her to properly “end” the relationship for appearances sake.  Not long after, her father secured a transfer to his company’s overseas office. The family quickly prepared to move to France.  As for Bonnie, an anonymous place at a convent had been secured for her to “finish out the time of her shame.”

Bonnie arrived at the convent with nothing but a small bag of belongings and harsh parting words from her parents. The stern nuns at the convent immediately assigned her a small, bare room furnished with only a small bed and dresser. There was a communal bathroom down the hall. Her days started early with prayers and chores, and ended the same. They were filled with lectures and acts of penance. She knew in her heart that she was not “dirty,” and that she had not done anything wrong. She knew she was being treated unfairly—and that her child would be treated the same way if she stayed where she was.

After one particularly brutal day, Bonnie realized that if she did not leave soon, she would no longer be able to. That night, after her evening duties were done, she quietly packed her meager belongings, bundled up with as much clothing as she could, and fled through her bedroom window into the night. She did not know where she was going, nor did she care. She just needed her freedom and a place to have her child in peace.

She stopped in the countryside late that night, and found an abandoned shed behind an old vineyard. Weary and drained, she made herself a small bed and tried to sleep. She was awakened by the sensation of cool metal on her chest. She jolted up in surprise and had to choke back a scream at the sight that greeted her.

A tall, blue being floated in front of her. He(?) was wearing a long purple cloak and carried a large staff topped with a stopwatch. A jagged scar ran down across his face, through his eye. That, plus the fact that the being had a wispy tail instead of legs, told Bonnie that this was a being from another world. She had not believed in God or the devil, but she suddenly wondered if she had been wrong. Perhaps this was a demon sent to drag her away for her “sins.” Still, she found enough courage to speak. “Who—who are you? What do you want with me?”

The being smiled; it only made him look creepier. His words were comforting, though. “Hello, Bonnie. My name is Clockwork. I am known as the Master of Time. You have been chosen for a very important task—one that has and will be fraught with sacrifice. I am here simply to offer my aid. Your child has an amazing destiny to fulfil, and I would like to help you in any way I can.”

Suddenly, Bonnie’s eyes filled with tears. She had faced human rejection time and time again since this whole ordeal started. Somehow, here, in this place, and otherworldly being was offering his aid. The young woman took a deep breath and let it out slowly. She stared at the medallion on her chest for a long minute. Finally, she gathered her courage and looked this “Clockwork” in the eye. “I need a safe place for me and my child. I don’t want my baby to be born in a place that will make him feel like he is bad or wrong just because his parents were young and made some foolish choices. Will you help me?” 

The self-proclaimed Master of Time nodded once and smiled at his newest charge. “I already have a place prepared. Gather your things quickly, and we can leave.”

Bonnie did as she was told. Once her meager belongings were back in her bag, she turned to the luminous being. She took a deep breath. “I’m ready.”

Clockwork reached out and gently gripped the gold medallion that was hanging around Bonnie’s neck. He tilted his head, inspecting her for a second, then smiled again. “You are an excellent mother.”

Bonnie gave him a confused half-smile. “Oh…kay.”

“When I remove this amulet, Time will start to flow again. The ones searching for you are near. You must quickly take my hand and allow yourself to come with me to the place I have set aside for your time of need.” Clockwork looked serious.

The teen mother gave a sharp nod. “Of course. Thank you for your help.”

Clockwork’s responding smile was predatory. “Thank YOU for being open-minded and fighting for the future of you and your child. You pain has not, and will never be in vain. TIME IN.”

Bonnie was a bit confused, but that was quickly overcome by the swirling feel of something shifting around her, as the medallion was removed from her neck. Suddenly, she could hear angry voices drawing near to her hiding place. She looked up at Clockwork’s outstretched hand. She took it without a second thought. A feeling of dizziness washed over her, and then everything went black.

A few minutes later, the men reached the abandoned shed where Bonnie had sheltered from the night. It was completely empty. There was no sign that anyone had ever been there. The search would continue for many days, but no trace of Bonnie was ever found.

PART TWO: The Manor

August 2023

Time moved on, and so did Dick. Bruce’s family grew, as more and more children came to call Wayne Manor home. Jason’s death and resurrection changed the fabric of the family’s connection to one another—it also changed Bruce. After the family’s messy reunion with their “lost sheep,” Clark Kent, one of Bruce’s oldest friends, convinced Bruce to go to therapy and deal with his many issues. Things didn’t improve right away, but by the time Damien moved into the family home, it had been transformed from a place of darkness and grief into a place of love and acceptance.

Dick was now living in Gotham, after quitting his job in Bludhaven. After Jason had reconciled with the family, the former police officer wanted to be closer to the people he loved. He now worked as a gymnastics coach at the local community center. Jason kept his apartment in Crime Alley, but made time to come to the Manor as often as he could. Tim also had an apartment in Gotham, while Duke lived in the dorms at Gotham University. The girls lived in their own respective places. Damian was the only child left living at the Manor. Days and seasons passed, and it seemed like the family had finally settled into its own version of “normal”—until the day a ragged young teen rang the bell at the gate.

“Wayne Manor, how may I help you, sir?” Alfred’s voice was calm, clear, and toned to be non-threatening to the nervous figure he saw on the camera feed.

“I-um…I’m looking for Richard Grayson.”

Alfred knew that Dick often helped students who were in some sort of trouble, although he found it odd that this young man would come to the Manor looking for him. Instincts honed over the course of decades of caring for the Wayne family members told him that this young man—child, really—was somehow different. The scruffy-looking boy kept glancing around, as if he were afraid that he was being followed. It lent a sense of urgency to the situation. The true patriarch of the family quickly decided to give shelter to the young caller. He would call Dick while the boy was walking to the house.

“Master Richard is not currently in, but you are welcome to come in and wait for him.”

The teen jumped at the response from the speaker, then hefted his backpack up on his too-slim shoulders. After taking another quick look around, he responded. “I…I think I’ll do that.”

“Splendid. May I ask your name so that I can let him know who is waiting for him?” The voice from the speaker was calming.

“Danny. My name is Danny.”

“Well then, Mister Danny. I will see you at the door.” The speaker cut off, and the gate swung open.

Danny started the long walk up the drive. “You can do this. You can do this.” He repeated to himself. He did not look back.

Alfred watched as the young man started the long walk up the driveway to the Manor. He quickly sent a message to Bruce, who was working in the ‘Cave that his presence was required upstairs, as they were about to have a teenaged visitor. He did not elaborate further. With that done, the elder man checked the security feed to check on Danny. The boy was half-way to the house already.

Impressive. Alfred allowed himself a small smile, and then he turned to the telephone next to the monitor in the kitchen. Pennyworth quickly dialed the number to his eldest grandchild. He did not have long to wait before his call was answered.

“Hey Alfie! What’s up? You don’t usually call in the middle of the day like this. Is something wrong?”

“Greetings, Master Richard. I cannot say with certainty whether there is a problem yet, but there is a situation at the Manor that requires your presence. Will you please make your way here as soon as possible? There is a young man waiting to meet with you. I would assume that he is one of your students, but I am not sure.”

“Huh.” Dick mused out loud. “I can’t think of anyone in my classes that would go to the Manor to meet with me…I’ll be there as soon as I can lock up. Thank you, Alfred.”

“You are most welcome, Master Richard. I have taken the liberty of calling Master Bruce up to the kitchen to greet the child with me. We will take care of the boy until you arrive.”

“Thanks, Alfie! You’re the best!” Dick’s boundless enthusiasm was clear even over the telephone lines.

“Indeed.” The elder allowed himself a private smile.

“What’s going on, Alfred?” Bruce looked at the older man with concern.

The more-than-a-butler turned to face his charge. “It appears that Master Richard has a visitor.”

“Here? Why would one of Dick’s students come here looking for him?” Bruce’s mind began to churn with possibilities.

“I wouldn’t wager a guess, but it is apparent that the young man is in distress.”

At Alfred’s words, Bruce immediately pulled up a security summary of the property on his phone. He let out a relieved breath when he saw that there were no other people or vehicles in the vicinity of Wayne Manor—besides the troubled teen approaching the door. “At least he wasn’t followed.” The Bat noted.

“There is that, sir.” Alfred nodded. “I have summoned Master Richard. He should be here within the hour.”

Bruce turned towards the door, staring at it as if he could see through to the outside. “Let’s go meet our mystery guest.” Both curiosity and wariness could be heard in his voice.

The two men arrived at the door seconds before the smallest of knocks could be heard. Alfred opened the door gracefully. “Welcome to Wayne Manor, sir. This is Master Bruce, the head of the household, Master Richard’s father.”

Haunted eyes flicked back and forth between the two men. The teen stood before them wearing only a worn NASA hoodie, faded jeans, and scuffed shoes that were currently tracing patterns on the entryway rug. His only possessions appeared to be stuffed into a single, worn backpack that was rather full; the edges were frayed. The ear of what looked like a stuffed animal poked out of one of the holes in the sides. It looked old.

Alfred cleared his throat. “Mister Daniel…”

The teen shook his head quickly. “Um, no…uh, it’s Danny, just Danny.” 

“Very well, then, Mister Danny, would you like to join us in the kitchen for some refreshments while we wait for Master Richard to return?”

The teen’s hand went to the back of his neck and began to rub across his spine in a nervous fashion. Both Bruce and Alfred were struck at how familiar the young man looked.

Finally, Danny nodded, and the trio made their way to the kitchen. While they walked, Danny’s eyes were wide. He noticed all the pictures on the wall in the hallway. He was captivated by the mixture of photographs of smiling faces, hand-drawn artwork that was extremely true-to-life, and the other special items like diplomas—and there were quite a few of those!

Once in the kitchen, Alfred motioned to a chair, and Danny obediently sat down. He swallowed hard when Bruce sat down across from him. The teen tried to unobtrusively study the man that had half of a city named after him. Bruce pretended not to notice.

Alfred stood silently for a moment, taking all this in. Something about the boy reminded him of his oldest grandson. He tried to shake the feeling, but the elder man’s instincts told him that this young man was important. Just how important was yet to be seen.

“Master Bruce, would you prefer coffee or hot chocolate?” Alfred turned, and Danny squeaked. Both adults hid their smiles. “Mister Danny, would hot chocolate be acceptable, or would you prefer another drink?”

Bruce smiled at Danny. “I’ll take a hot chocolate, Alfred.” Why does the boy look so familiar?? The Bat in him kept jumping into his thoughts.

Danny blushed. “A hot chocolate would be nice, I guess. But could I have a small glass of water first?”

“Of course, young sir. I will bring it to you before I start the chocolates.” The elder man went and got a small glass from the cupboard and filled it with water. He brought it to Danny and left it with a smile. Then, Alfred went into the pantry to grab the ingredients for his signature hot chocolate. He took the time to try and place the boy’s face. He left the pantry with a deep sigh, still unable to make a connection, and began to prepare the hot drinks.

Meanwhile, Bruce tried to make “Danny” feel more at ease in the Manor. “So, Danny, are you from around here, or are you just visiting Gotham?” It should have been a simple question, but Danny’s response showed that there was a deeper answer than he had suspected.

Danny looked at the floor and bit his lip. Bruce couldn’t help but notice that his hands were tightly clasped together and his knuckles were white.

“Danny?” Bruce spoke softly, like one would speak to a frightened child.

Danny raised his face, looking almost broken, and choked out, “it’s kind of private.”

Alfred decided to interrupt for the boy’s sake. “Here are your drinks, sirs.” He nodded to the pair and quickly took the water glass out of the room. He would use the glass for some quick DNA testing. The mystery surrounding the young man needed some answers.

Bruce sipped his drink and watched the teen for a few silent minutes. Finally, he swallowed the heaviness in his gut and walked around to Danny. He did not miss the fact that Danny flinched when he put his hand his shoulder. “You are in a safe place, Danny.”

Danny briefly looked Bruce in the eye, searching for lies, and then dropped his head. He mumbled, “That’s what they said, too.” At first Danny didn’t think the man heard him, but Bruce caught his words clearly.

“Who’s ‘they’ Danny?” Bruce gently asked; the Bat was quietly rising with his anger at the thought that someone had hurt this child.

Danny started to get up; his eyes were filled with tears. “I…maybe I made a mistake coming here. I’m sorry to bother you…”

Bruce let Danny stand, but he didn’t remove his hand from the teen’s shoulder. “If you’re in trouble, I want you to know that it’s going to be alright. I promise that we will do our best to help you. You are not the first teen in need to grace our kitchen, and I’m sure you won’t be the last.”