Chapter Text
“What the fuck you mean Fiancee?” Jason ground out as he approached the pair.
Cass stepped in front of Danny and caught her brother with both hands pushing his chest back, a light tinge of green in his eyes.
“Family,” She said once she had caught his eye, “Danny is family.”
“And not a threat.” Danny interjected behind her.
“Cass, honey, please step away from him.” Bruce said as he inched closer with his hands raised.
She rolled her eyes and signed with one hand, “I am not in danger with him.”
“I’m not really a danger to anyone sir.” He pointed out, letting out a yelp as he dodged Jason who was trying to reach over Cass.
“Coward! Cease your pathetic attempts to flee and die like a man!” Domain cried, pointing a katana at Danny.
Danny expertly dodging the pointest Wayne, “Too late for that buddy, I’m already halfway there.” He gestured to his shirt, a cartoonish ghost with the text ‘one foot in the gave’ below it.
With Cass now separated from Danny, the rest of the Bats put themselves between him and her while Bruce put his hands on her shoulders, “Honey, it's okay. I don't know how you made it back to us but we can keep you safe, Danny must be messing with your mind. You need to fight it.”
She crossed her arms and gave him a flat look as she blew hair out of her face. “Danny, just take his sword.” she called over her shoulder.
“Hm?” He caught the blade between his hands as Damian thrust it forward, “Okay!” He twisted the blade as he planted a foot on Damian's chest and pushed him back. “Wow, this is a really cool sword dude!” He said as he examined the craftsmanship. The reflection in the blade flashed red and he turned and saw Babs sitting there with a smirk drinking tea, “Oh hey Babs didn't see you there!” He waved and put the sword on the table.
She smiled, “Hey Danny.”
“Wait, what?” Dick stepped forward, “You know Danny?”
“As of yesterday I do,” She shot Danny a smirk, “But I gotta say kid grows on you quick.”
“Aww that's the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me.” Danny fake gushed.
“Like athletes foot, or jock itch.” She mused.
Danny clutched his chest, “Uhg, right for my heart!”
She raises an eyebrow “I thought your heart didn't beat?”
He shrugs, “Only half the time.” He looks across the table to meet eyes with Cass. “Always beats for Cass though.”
Her cheeks lit up, “Danny! You can't say those kinds of things around my family!” She signed as she marched around the opposite side of the table.
“But babe it's true!” He smiled. “You’ve made my heart beat since the day we met.”
Her blush deepened and she hid her face in his chest and wrapped him in a hug.
“And how long have you known each other exactly?” Bruce asked, shoulders still tense.
She turned and smirked at her family “14 years.”
“Wait, wait.” Duke waved his hands. “This is your 14 year long secret?”
She nodded poking Danny in the cheek, “Secret boyfriend.”
“Have you been dating my sister for 14 years!” Jason ground out.
Danny raised his hands in defense, “Whoa, no way! We were like 8 when we met but we didn't start dating until we were like 15, it's only been 7 years.”
“Not better kid.” Dick sighed, rubbing the sides of his head as Barbra snorted.
Danny perked up, “Hey that's what Babs said!”
“And when did you propose?” Steph asked with stars in her eyes.
“Yesterday,” He draped his arm over Cass’s shoulders and leaned his head next to hers, “On the watchtower.” He smiled as he played with her hair.
They all froze.
The kitchen to the door opened to Alfred wheeling in a cart. He looked around the room at the tense atmosphere, “Ah Master Danny, Lady Cassandra, I’m so glad you were able to attend. If everyone would be seated, dinner is ready.
“Oh, let me help,” Danny moved to help Alfred.
“Nonsense Master Danny.”
“Come on Alfie, Jazz put me through the ringer if I didn't help you. Please Grandpa.” Danny said with huge pleading eyes.
Alfred smiled, “I suppose there’s no helping it. I would hate to anger Lady Jasmine”
Danny punched the air in victory and began to assist in moving things to the table.
The rest of the family stared in disbelief, none of them had EVER convinced Alfred to let them help.
“Mindcontrol” Dick whispered.
“Nope.” Danny said as he moved trays to the table, "Can't do that, not to the living anyway.” He paused, “I could probably get it to work on Jason but that's only because he's kinda dead.” he shrugged. “Even then it only works like the Bene Gesserit, short commands that sound different than normal speech.”
“Like from Dune?” Tim’s face lit up.
“Exactly,” Danny snapped his fingers, “Just think of me as the Lisan al-Gaib.”
“A false prophet that manipulated and lied to get what he wanted?” Tim arched an eyebrow.
“Okay first off,” Danny cocked a hip and put his hand on it, “Paul Atreides WAS a prophet to the Fremen people, he freed them from their oppressor and was heralded as their leader.”
“And the whole galactic war?”
“Okay THAT was messed up.” Danny raised a finger, “Didn't make him a false prophet though just a really bad leader. He did what he was prophesied to do; he just fumbled the landing.”
“Billions of lives lost is fumbling the landing? Is that what you are comparing yourself to?”
“Hey I’m not defending his actions, I’m saying he fulfilled his prophecy. As someone who has one of those I can relate to him a little okay? But I mostly made the comparison because all the Bene Gesserit are women and I’m a guy, thus Paul.”
“And do you intend to go to war, King Phantom?” Bruce cut in, his jaw set shoulders tense and white knuckle grip on the chair in front of him.
Danny stood tall and met Bruce’s gaze, “No sir. I took the throne from a tyrant, I refuse to become one.”
Steph leaned over to Cass “Any idea what they are talking about?”
“Dorks talking about Dorky stuff.” She signed and the two shared a laugh.
“If that is quite enough talk of prophets and their wars, can you all please sit. I worked hard on this as a celebratory dinner for Lady Cassandra.” Alfred pleaded.
Danny abashed for derailing the start of their dinner, “I'm sorry Alfie.” he rubbed the back of his neck. He took his seat next to Cass who took his hand and squeezed it with a smile.
“Think nothing of it my boy,” He placed his hand on Danny’s shoulder before looking at the rest of his charges, “Master Danny has not placed Lady Barbara, Lady Cassandra nor I under any sort of suggestion or control. He simply talked to us and showed us who he is. He opened himself up to us despite his history showing him the dangers that come along with that. What I ask of you is the same each of you has asked this family to do at one point or another, sit and listen with an open mind and no preconceptions. To hear him out.”
Dick raises his hand. “Are we going to pass over that whole Jason is kinda dead thing?”
“Dying leaves a mark on a person's soul.” Cass signed, “Jason’s death means he is technically a denizen of the Infinite Realms.”
Danny nodded along, “And while you are in no uncertainty alive a part of you is also dead. Technically you classify as a revenant.” Danny said as he transferred food to his plate.
“I’m not a revenant.” Jason grit his teeth. “I have no idea what that even means.”
Danny thought about it for a moment, “It's less, ‘you are a revenant’ more, you have been touched by death and exhibit these characteristics thus could be categorized as a revenant.” He pauses acquiring food to start counting on his fingers, “Bouts of uncontrollable rage. An obsession with the death of a person or persons, likely those who wronged you if not the kind of person they represent. A space that you consider yours, not like a home but a neighborhood or a town, a haunt. Crime Alley is Red Hood's territory right? Anything and everything that goes on in that part of town goes by you and if it doesn't you get really angry right?”
“But that’s all because of the pits.” Jason said not entirely sure of himself any more.
Danny shook his head, “The Lazarus pits were the catalyst for the return of your soul from the other side and yea maybe you had some kind of residual extreme rage that came along with how gunked up they are but they are not responsible for all of this. Jason, coming back has consequences, it changes you definitely and irrevocably. But that doesn't make you wrong or broken. In fact you are easily the most healthy revenant I have ever seen.”
Jason blinked, “What?”
“Yea, you have a haunt that you control, an outlet for your obsession, and from what Cass says you don't have any rage that isn't tied to an event or an action that sets you off. Like finding out your sister has a secret boyfriend” Danny takes a breath. “My sister Jazz is a psychologist. She likes to equate people like us, people who came back, as having a disability. Like ADHD or being on the spectrum. It's not always visible on the outside but it impacts us every day, in little ways, when you least expect it. The world is going to look at you and say you look normal, why won’t you act like it? You must be broken and need to be fixed or worse controlled. They are idiots, nothing is wrong with you Jason, you are just different.”
At some point Jason started crying a little. Realizing as much he quickly wiped them away. “Damn spooky, I was not expecting a therapy session for dinner today.”
Danny let out a bark of a laugh, “Sorry to therapize on you, I tend to get a little too serious when it comes to the topic. As serious as the grave.” He waggled his eyebrows.
Cass let out a long suffering sigh as Danny gave her a big smile.
“You are such a dork.” She signed.
“Yea,” He smiled, “But I’m your dork, forever!” Danny cackled as Cass buried her face in her hands.
Danny collected himself and started eating his food, “Anyway, I'm sure you all have your questions. But first spark notes of the life of Danny Fenton, please hold all questions until the end.
Grew up with borderline supervillain parents, died due to entirely foreseeable and avoidable circumstances, did it wrong so now I'm half dead and half alive.
Said accident created a portal to a dimension called the Infinite Realms full of ghosts, beings who are, by nature, very interested in where they came from and have an incredibly warped sense of normal. This leads to them coming over from the other side and causing a ruckus.
I felt it was my responsibility and donned the name Danny Phantom, fought said ghosts and sent them back to the Realms. At the same time I fought against my borderline supervillain parents and a secret government agency hell bent on wiping out all ghosts and destroying the Infinite Realms.
After about a year of fighting my least favorite and only godparent/archenemy/weird uncle, in an attempt to gain the power to beat me accidentally unleashed a millennia old ghost called Pariah Dark who was the previous Ghost King.
One fist fight later my town is saved and I can go to bed, only to find my ghost grandpa telling me I’m the new Ghost King.
After begrudgingly accepting my role as King things were fine for a little while until my parents caught Phantom and made good on their promise to tear me apart molecule by molecule. After escaping my friends helped me change my name and flee to the only safe space I knew I could keep safe, my wonderful girlfriend here in Gotham.
I basically lived in safehouses for a while until I got my GED then applied for all the Wayne scholarships I could to get through my undergrad. After finishing I was able to land a job at your company because Mr. Fox thinks I’m smart or something.
One day I get a text from my girlfriend telling me that her dad and his friends are summoning the Ghost King to give a rain storm an altitude adjustment. Said girlfriend suggests that due to said family doubting her we should play a prank on them.
Que me asking my ghost grandpa to help me by stopping time so I could talk to my lovely girlfriends Grandpa and older sister to convince them to be there for my proposal.
And, well, you know the rest
Any questions?”
The rest of the family stared blankly at him.
“I have so, SO many questions.”