[Third Person's PoV]
"News reports confirm that the catastrophic destruction in southern Star City today was the result of a violent confrontation between two ghostly entities—both unidentified," announced G. Gordon Godfrey, his voice sharp and unforgiving as he sat behind his signature desk on The G. Gordon Show.
"Eyewitnesses describe a spectral dragon-like monster rampaging through the city, only to be challenged by a second phantom—smaller, humanoid, and glowing with green light. The two engaged in a high-altitude, high-casualty battle that ended with entire blocks reduced to rubble."
Godfrey leaned forward, hands folded on the desk. Behind him, footage of the ruined Star City skyline flickered—buildings crumbled, fires blazed, and emergency sirens wailed in the background. Civilians cried out as rescue teams pulled survivors from the debris.
"Sources confirm over 15 confirmed dead and tens more injured or missing. And why? Because an untrained, unknown entity decided to play hero," he said, narrowing his eyes at the camera. "This so-called 'Kid Specter,' as some are calling him, demonstrated a shocking lack of control, judgment, and regard for human life. His inexperience turned a crisis into a disaster."
In a dark hotel room several floors above the city, Danny sat on the floor with his back against the bed. Still in his human form, his body was wrapped in bandages. The only light came from the television screen mounted on the wall.
He didn't move. He didn't blink. He just watched.
Godfrey's voice continued, cold and unwavering.
"This is exactly what happens when Heroes—if this is even a hero—go unchecked. No training. No affiliation. No accountability. Just chaos. The Justice League has yet to release a statement on this mysterious specter, but rest assured, the public is demanding answers. And justice."
Danny raised the remote control toward the television and pressed the power button, watching the screen fade to black with a soft click. A moment later, silence settled over the room. He let out a slow breath, leaning his head back against the wood of the bed, eyes fluttering shut.
"Not my fault… yeah right," he muttered under his breath, the words tinged with sarcasm and frustration.
He stayed like that for a while before he lifted his hand, a soft green glow ignited in the center of his palm, casting eerie shadows across the dim room.
The phone resting on his nightstand shivered before lifting into the air, floating gently over to his open hand. Danny brought it down to his lap, the green energy dissipating as he tapped the screen to wake it.
A series of notifications popped up immediately. Most were from Sam and Tucker—short messages checking in on him. 'You doing okay?', 'Having any fun?', 'Are you not allowed on your phone or something?,' and 'Dude, blink twice if you need help breaking out.'
Danny let out a small laugh, barely a breath. A faint smile tugged at the corners of his lips as he scrolled through the texts. His thumb hovered over their contact names, pausing between the call icons. He hesitated, then pressed Sam's number and hit the speakerphone option.
The phone lit up brighter, casting a pale blue glow across his face. The room was otherwise dark and still, the kind of stillness that made every sound echo.
Riiiing.
Riiiiiing.
The wait felt longer than it probably was. Then—
"Danny!" came Sam's voice, bright and excited through the speaker.
Danny's eyes closed and his body relaxed as if the sound alone eased some invisible weight off his shoulders. A real smile formed this time, more natural.
"Hey, Sam," he replied. "Feels like forever since we last talked, doesn't it?"
There was a pause, just long enough to feel heavy.
"What's wrong?" Sam asked, her tone dropping into something more serious—gentle, laced with immediate concern.
Danny blinked. "Wha—Why would something be wrong?" he asked, the corners of his lips twitching in disbelief. He even mouthed the word how silently to himself.
"Because your 'Hey, Sam' sounded weird and forced," she replied, unimpressed. She even mimicked his tone perfectly.
Danny chuckled at that, unable to help himself. "Only you would find something weird with such a casual greeting," he said, leaning forward slightly, his head bowed.
"Oh please, the only thing casual about it is that it's two words and six letters," Sam replied with a dramatic scoff. Then her voice softened again. "Seriously though, is everything okay?"
Danny let the silence hang for a moment before answering. "It's fine. I guess… I'm just feeling a little homesick."
"Homesick?" Sam repeated incredulously. "Danny, we're talking about Gotham. I figured if anything, you'd be the opposite of homesick—reluctant to return to this hell hole"
Danny chuckled again, though this time it was quieter. "Come on, how could I not be homesick? I'm missing the best part of Gotham."
"Oh yeah?" she asked skeptically, flopping back on her own bed, arms hugging a pillow across her chest as she stared at the ceiling. "And what would that be?"
"You guys," Danny said softly, almost shyly.
There was a pause. Sam didn't say anything.
"…Danny…" she finally muttered, voice muffled as she pressed her face into the pillow. "I beg of you—for all that is dark, twisted, and evil—please stop letting Bruce Wayne influence your personality. You're starting to sound way too flirtatious."
Danny burst out laughing on the other end.
Sam, meanwhile, muted herself and proceeded to violently pummel the nearest pillow in sheer embarrassment. Her cheeks were burning, and no amount of sarcasm could cover it up.
She peeked over at her phone, still smiling even as her face remained flushed. The way he laughed made her chest tighten in the best way.
Yeah… she missed him too.
She unmuted herself and asked with mock irritation, "Did you go on that stupid business trip of yours just to learn how to develop a flirty personality?"
Danny smirked, then let his expression soften into something a little more distant. "Of course not... This trip actually taught me a lot. It was useful. Educational, even," he said quietly, though there was a faint melancholy in his voice that didn't go unnoticed.
"Yeah right," Sam snorted. "What could you possibly have learned in Star City—" she paused mid-sentence, her voice catching. Then, she practically shouted, her bed creaking as she suddenly sat upright, "Oh my god, Danny!"
Danny blinked, flinching slightly at the sudden change in her tone.
"The attack in Star City!" she exclaimed, her voice sharp with panic. "I saw what happened online! It said the chaos started during that charity event between Wayne Enterprises and Queen Industries. Danny—tell me you weren't there. You were there, weren't you? You were at the attack!"
Danny's entire body tensed. His grip tightened around the phone as he silently cursed himself. 'Darn it. I should've called Tucker. He wouldn't have figured it out this fast.'
"I swear, if you're hurt and you didn't say anything—"
"I'm not hurt," Danny quickly cut in, biting his lip as he forced himself to lie. "Dick and I… we weren't even at the event when it happened. We were goofing off somewhere else—got escorted out to safety when the commotion started."
There was a beat of silence on the line. A long, heavy pause.
"…Danny," Sam said slowly, her tone flat but filled with concern. "Are you lying to me? Just to keep me from worrying?"
Danny's heart pounded in his chest. "No. Of course not. I'm being honest," he replied, though his face twisted into a grimace, far more painful than any physical injury he'd endured during the chaos.
"Promise me," she said quietly but firmly. "Promise me that you're not lying."
Danny tried to laugh it off. "Isn't that kind of counterintuitive? Like, if I was lying, wouldn't I—"
"Danny," Sam cut in sharply, drawing out his name in that warning tone that made it impossible to keep playing around.
Danny let out a quiet sigh, slowly curling into himself, his knees drawn up as he pressed his forehead to them, the phone now resting lightly on his lap.
"I promise," he murmured. "I'm not injured."
There was a long pause before Sam exhaled, the tension in her voice easing slightly. "Alright. That's good. Just know… if I see even a scratch on you, we're gonna have serious problems."
"Yes, Mom," Danny said sarcastically, rolling his eyes even though she couldn't see him.
Sam huffed. "If being worried about you makes me your mom, then I might as well just adopt you."
Danny chuckled. "Do I have to dress the part? 'Cause I don't think black really works for me. I'm more of a blue guy."
"Smart mouth," she shot back with a scoff.
They both laughed, the tension easing as their playful banter returned. The sound of their shared amusement filled the space between them, turning the emotional weight of the conversation into something lighter—something warm.
After that, they drifted into a more comfortable silence, the kind of silence that didn't need to be filled. A silence reassured by their presence on the other line.
"Sam…" Danny said softly.
"Hmm?" she hummed in response, her voice gentle now.
"Thanks."
"Hmph. What are you thanking me for, doofus? There's no need for that. We're best friends, aren't we?"
"The best," Danny agreed with a quiet smile.
And so, they kept talking—about everything and nothing. They talked about school, their latest dumb encounters, random gossip, inside jokes. They teased each other, shared quiet thoughts, and at some points just listened to the sound of the other breathing.
Eventually, their voices grew softer, their responses slower. Words faded into sleepy murmurs until both of them fell asleep with the call still connected.
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