Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Danny Fenton stood outside a sleek, upscale apartment complex, shifting uncomfortably in his worn-out sneakers. Gotham City was... overwhelming. The towering buildings seemed to loom over him like silent sentinels, the air was thick with the scent of rain and car exhaust, and crime practically oozed from the sidewalks. Every few blocks, he'd catch sight of some sketchy deal going down, only for it to be broken up by a shadow swooping through the alleys.

Yet, here he was, standing in front of a place that screamed "rich people live here," debating whether or not this was the worst decision of his life.

He could turn around. He could say he tried and walk away. But no, he'd made it all the way here, booked a cheap hotel, and told his parents he'd be back in a few days. He wasn't about to back out now.

The doorman—a burly guy with a scowl so deep it looked permanent—eyed Danny suspiciously. “You lost, kid?”

Danny cleared his throat. “Uh, no. I’m here to see Selina Kyle.”

The scowl deepened. “Ms. Kyle doesn’t take unannounced visitors.”

“I figured,” Danny muttered, rubbing the back of his neck. “Can you at least call her? Tell her her son is here.”

The doorman’s expression barely changed, but Danny felt the shift in energy. People coming and going slowed just enough to be nosy, a few murmurs rippling through the small crowd. He resisted the urge to fidget, keeping his hands in his hoodie pocket.

And then, Danny felt it— someone staring at him. A presence so intense it made his ghost sense flare.

He turned his head just slightly.

Standing not too far away was a man in an expensive suit, staring at him like he’d seen a ghost (which, to be fair, wouldn’t be the first time). The man was tall, broad-shouldered, and had the kind of presence that screamed intimidating authority figure. His dark hair was slightly tousled like he’d run his hands through it in frustration. His jaw was clenched so tight it was a miracle his teeth didn’t crack. But it was his eyes—cold, calculating blue—that had Danny suddenly very aware that something was off.

The woman beside him, however, was a different story. Dressed in a sleek black dress with an amused smirk playing at her lips, she looked at Danny like a cat sizing up a mouse. Except... there was something softer in her gaze. Something hesitant.

Danny didn’t need a DNA test to figure out who they were.

Bruce Wayne. Gotham’s favorite billionaire, certified control freak, and, apparently, his biological father.

Selina Kyle. The woman who had given birth to him and left him in the care of two of the best parents in the world.

Danny exhaled sharply. Great. Just fantastic.

“Not in front of the child, Bruce,” Selina murmured, gripping Bruce’s wrist with a warning squeeze.

Bruce, for his part, still looked like he was buffering. Danny had seen computer screens freeze with more grace.

“This... is a conversation we should have somewhere else,” Bruce finally said, voice carefully measured.

And that was how Danny found himself sitting in Batburger, across from his incredibly overdressed biological parents, wondering how the hell this night had gone so sideways.

Selina, to her credit, handled things well. She was direct but calm, giving Danny the rundown of how she had gotten pregnant, how Bruce had been presumed dead (which, okay, wow, what?!), and how she hadn’t been in a place to raise a child. She didn’t try to guilt-trip him, didn’t ask for forgiveness—just laid out the facts and left the rest to him.

Danny respected that.

Bruce, on the other hand, was an entirely different story.

“And I have an extra room in Wayne Manor,” Bruce said, already making plans like Danny hadn’t been living his best life for seventeen years. “I can pay for your tuition at Gotham U, get you a job at Wayne Enterprises, and introduce you to my kids. Tim would like you, you’re about the same age—”

Selina elbowed him hard enough to make Bruce pause, but the damage was already done.

Danny slowly blinked at him before pushing back from the table, grabbing two extra Batburgers and stuffing them into his hoodie pocket as reparations.

“I came here to talk with my mother, Mr. Wayne. I don’t want your money or to be a nepo baby at your company,” Danny said flatly, his patience gone. “Thanks for the meal, though. I’ll be sure to tell my real parents about how much of an awkward disaster you are.”

Bruce tensed at the words, but Danny didn’t care. He turned and walked straight out of Batburger, ignoring the feeling of Bruce’s stare burning into the back of his head.

Selina, still at the table, let out a long sigh. “Oh, look at what you’ve done,” she finally said, shaking her head with exasperation. “You’ve scared our son off.”

Bruce exhaled sharply. “Maybe if you told me I had a son, I could’ve been more prepared for a surprise visit.”

“Maybe if you stayed dead like everybody thought you were, you wouldn’t be surprised that I had a son,” Selina shot back. “You weren’t there, Bruce.”

Across the restaurant, a waitress quietly erased the whiteboard that said “Days Without a Wayne Argument: 4” and reset it to 0.

Bruce let his head thud against the table. “This is going to be a disaster.”

Selina took a sip of her wine. “Oh, absolutely.”

Danny stormed back to his hotel, his heart still pounding.

What the hell had just happened?

He’d come to Gotham expecting to have one, maybe two awkward conversations with Selina Kyle and then leave. Now, he had a billionaire bio-dad trying to shove money and opportunities at him like that would suddenly make them family.

God, why did this have to be so weird ? He hadn’t even wanted to know his biological parents. He had parents. Jack and Maddie Fenton were the best people he knew. They’d raised him, loved him, taught him how to survive being half-dead. What did he need Bruce Wayne for?

And yet... something about the way Bruce had looked at him, like he’d just had the rug pulled out from under him, made something twist uncomfortably in Danny’s gut.

Did Bruce even know he had a son before tonight? Or had Selina kept him completely in the dark?

Danny flopped onto his hotel bed and groaned into his pillow. “I hate Gotham.”

His ghost sense went off, and Danny groaned even louder. “ What now? ”

The room was empty. But outside, perched on the neighboring rooftop, was a shadowy figure with pointed ears watching him.

Danny’s eye twitched.

“Oh, you have got to be kidding me.”

Suddenly, his phone buzzed. A text from Tucker popped up:

Tucker: "Hey, how's Gotham? Any billionaire drama yet?"

Danny sighed before typing back:

Danny: "Oh, you have NO idea."

Chapter Text

Danny had been in Gotham for less than twenty-four hours, and he already wanted to leave.

Lying on his stiff hotel bed, staring at the cracked ceiling, he tried to process everything. He came to Gotham with the simple plan of maybe, possibly seeing his biological mother. Instead, he'd been ambushed by the world's richest control freak, rejected an unsolicited job offer, and now had to deal with the fact that Batman was currently watching him from a rooftop.

Danny groaned, dragging a hand down his face. He turned his head, locking eyes with the dark figure crouched across the way. "Seriously?" he muttered under his breath. "You're not even being subtle."

Of course, Batman didn't respond. He just stayed there, looming. Brooding. Being weird.

Danny sighed, rolling off the bed. If Bruce Wayne wanted to play creepy stalker, fine. He'd play along.

Slipping into his intangibility, Danny phased through the wall and floated silently up onto the rooftop. He took a second to appreciate the stunned silence from Gotham's infamous vigilante before materializing fully.

"Do you have any idea how rude it is to spy on people?" Danny asked, crossing his arms.

Batman didn’t flinch, but his eyes narrowed slightly beneath the cowl. "You left in a hurry."

"Gee, I wonder why," Danny said dryly. "I don’t know, maybe it had something to do with a billionaire trying to bulldoze his way into my life with a job offer, tuition money, and a tour of his creepy mansion."

Batman didn’t react. Typical. But Danny could tell he was thinking —analyzing, processing. Whatever.

"You have ghost powers."

Danny resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "Wow, ten points to World’s Greatest Detective."

A pause. "You're aware that makes you a target."

"Oh no, really?" Danny gasped, pressing a hand to his chest in mock horror. "Because I was under the impression that Amity Park's chaotic ghost problem was just me hallucinating for the last three years."

Batman’s jaw tensed. "Selina didn’t mention anything about this."

"Because she probably doesn’t know," Danny shot back. "You think I called her up one day and went, ‘Hey, fun fact, I died and now I fight ghosts in my free time’?”

The Bat was silent.

Danny sighed, suddenly too exhausted to keep up the sarcasm. "Look. I’m fine. I can handle myself. I’ve been dealing with this stuff for a while now. I don’t need some rich guy I just met deciding he suddenly wants to play Dad." He turned away, stepping toward the edge of the roof. "I came here for Selina. Not you."

"I’m not trying to replace your parents."

Danny glanced over his shoulder. "Then stop acting like it."

He didn’t wait for a response before letting himself freefall off the rooftop, shifting into his ghost form midair. The rush of cold energy was familiar, grounding, and as he flew through Gotham’s skyline, he tried to push away the conflicting emotions Bruce Wayne had stirred in him.

The next morning, Danny woke up to three text messages from an unknown number.

[Unknown]: You need better security.

[Unknown]: Meet me at the Clocktower at noon.

[Unknown]: Don’t be late.

Danny squinted at his phone, debating whether to throw it out the window. Instead, he typed back a simple:

[Danny]: No.

A response came almost immediately.

[Unknown]: Bring coffee, and I’ll tell you how I got your number.

Danny sighed. What the hell was his life right now?

Gotham’s Clocktower was impressive, standing tall against the city’s skyline, its gears still ticking after decades of operation. Danny landed lightly on the ledge, his white hair flickering in the sunlight before shifting back to black as he powered down.

A red-haired woman in a sleek leather jacket sat cross-legged near the entrance, sipping from a coffee cup like she wasn’t waiting for a half-ghost teenager to show up.

Danny held out a cup. "You better have some great intel for me, because this is the good stuff."

Barbara Gordon—former Batgirl, current Oracle, and the one person in the Batfamily Danny hadn’t immediately written off—smirked as she took the cup. "I always have great intel. Also, you need to change your passwords. Your online security is atrocious."

Danny huffed. "Yeah, yeah. If you're gonna hack my stuff, at least tell me who gave you my number."

Barbara sipped her coffee. "Tim."

Danny groaned. "Ugh, does Bruce have all of his kids tracking me now?"

"Oh, absolutely," Barbara said cheerfully. "They’re taking bets on when you’ll crack and talk to Bruce again."

Danny pinched the bridge of his nose. "I hate rich people."

Barbara patted his shoulder sympathetically. "Yeah, that’s fair. But listen—Bruce is... trying. He sucks at it, but he’s trying."

"Yeah? Well, I didn’t ask him to."

"No. But that’s never stopped him before."

Danny sighed. "Great. Just what I needed. Another obsessive billionaire in my life."

Barbara laughed, raising her coffee cup in a toast. "Welcome to Gotham, kid."

Chapter Text

The next few days in Gotham were... chaotic, to say the least. Danny had never been one to shy away from weirdness, especially after the past few years of being half-dead and fighting ghosts, but Gotham had a special kind of madness.

First, there was the strange habit Gotham's citizens had of ignoring the constant presence of strange, brooding figures in capes. Batman was a local legend, sure, but that didn't mean everyone had to pretend like they weren't living under constant surveillance. He couldn’t go anywhere without feeling someone—or something—watching him. Whether it was Batman, his Bat Family, or just Gotham itself, Danny was beginning to feel like he couldn’t escape the looming presence of... well, Gotham.

The second issue was that Danny was growing accustomed to having his every move tracked. Barbara—who had introduced herself as Oracle—wasn’t subtle about it. She texted him regularly, gave him pointers on how to improve his digital security (which he mostly ignored), and offered her help on the side.

“You can’t be too careful in this city,” she had said, her tone the perfect balance of friendly and no-nonsense. “Bruce’s... approach may be a bit much, but you’ll appreciate having a team behind you.”

“Team? This city’s more like a cult,” Danny muttered the first time she had said that. “Can’t even get a coffee without some random person texting me about it.”

Barbara had just laughed. “That’s Gotham for you. Get used to it.”

And then, there was Bruce Wayne.

Danny could barely keep track of the number of times the man had tried to ‘reach out’ after their dinner at Batburger. The last message had come with a package. A telescope. A very expensive, very high-end telescope.

Danny had almost set it on fire.

But there was something in the back of his mind that kept him from actually going that far. Something about Bruce Wayne’s persistence. As much as he hated the idea of the rich billionaire trying to play dad, he couldn’t help but think there was something... sincere about it. And that made him want to avoid the man even more.

Bruce Wayne was trying to force his way into Danny’s life. The same way he had with so many others in his Bat-family, and from what Danny had gathered, Bruce wasn’t always very good at it. It was like watching a car crash in slow motion. It didn’t matter how hard Danny tried to avoid it; the force of it was inevitable.

Danny’s thoughts were interrupted by a light knock at the door. He glanced up from his book, the words blurring together as he leaned back in his chair.

With a deep sigh, he phased through the door to see Barbara standing in the hallway, looking far too casual for Gotham at this hour.

“Still haven’t figured out how to knock, huh?” Danny said, folding his arms over his chest.

Barbara raised an eyebrow, leaning against the doorframe with her arms crossed. “We’ve been through this. The Batfam doesn’t knock.”

“Great, so now you guys just break and enter whenever you feel like it?”

“More or less,” Barbara smirked. “So, you gonna come with me or what?”

“Come with you where?” Danny asked, warily.

Barbara glanced at her watch. “You’ve got a meeting with Bruce. He’s insistent. He doesn’t understand why you keep avoiding him.”

“Maybe because I don’t want his charity?” Danny shot back.

She grinned. “And yet you keep saying no, which means you're still listening to him.”

Danny rolled his eyes. “Fine, whatever. But I'm not doing this for him, I’m doing this because I want a tour of Wayne Tower. Maybe I’ll find something worth taking.”

Barbara laughed. “Come on. If you keep up this attitude, I’ll just tell Bruce to send in Dick and you’ll be the one in trouble.”

Danny froze. "Wait—Dick Grayson?"

“Oh, yeah,” she said casually, “he’s Bruce’s first kid. Used to be Robin, now Nightwing. Fun guy. You’ll like him.”

Danny didn’t know whether to feel intrigued or terrified. One of Bruce’s kids. Bruce. Bruce's kids. It was becoming a lot to process.

“You’re dragging me into this madness, aren’t you?” Danny said, more to himself than to Barbara.

“Definitely. Now, let’s go. Bruce is waiting.”

They took the elevator up to the top floor of Wayne Tower, a building that screamed wealth and control. Danny tried not to feel out of place, but it was hard when every other person he passed had that “I’m richer than you” vibe. It made him want to rip through the walls and phase out, but Barbara had given him that “Don’t cause a scene” look, so he resisted.

When they finally reached Bruce’s office, Barbara nudged him with her elbow before knocking softly. Danny couldn’t help but roll his eyes. This whole situation was ridiculous.

"Come in," came Bruce’s voice from inside.

Barbara opened the door, and Danny entered without a word. Bruce was sitting at his desk, looking like a picture of calm in his tailored suit. But Danny had seen enough people try to hide their discomfort to know Bruce was feeling anything but calm.

"You’re late," Bruce said in a deadpan tone.

“Couldn’t get away from Oracle here,” Danny muttered, making a vague motion toward Barbara, who waved it off.

“You didn’t have to come at all,” Bruce said, standing up and walking toward the windows, his posture rigid. “I’m not here to force you into anything you don’t want.”

“Then stop acting like I need a tour of your shiny tower,” Danny said, voice flat. “I get it. You’re rich. You can buy whatever you want, even a son.”

“I’m not trying to buy you,” Bruce replied, voice quiet but firm. “I’m offering you... options. You don’t have to take them. But you should know you have them.”

“Options for what, Bruce? A fancy bedroom in your mansion?” Danny snapped, not caring how bratty he sounded. "Or maybe a way to distract me while you figure out how to 'save' me from my powers?"

Bruce turned sharply. “I’m not trying to save you, Danny.”

Danny narrowed his eyes. “Then what are you trying to do?”

Bruce looked at him for a long time, his gaze softening just a little. “I’m trying to get to know you. Because I’m your father. Whether you want me to be or not.”

The silence stretched, and Danny couldn’t help but feel something in his chest twist uncomfortably. Bruce Wayne—the man who had no idea how to talk to his own kids—was trying to talk to him. And it was... confusing.

“Well, you’re doing a great job,” Danny muttered, rubbing his eyes. “Just stop trying to fix me. I’m fine.”

Bruce didn’t say anything, and for a moment, Danny almost thought the conversation was over. But then Bruce spoke again.

“You’re not alone in this, Danny,” he said quietly. “You don’t have to do it all by yourself.”

Danny clenched his fists, trying to ignore the knot in his stomach. "I didn’t ask for this. I didn’t ask for any of it."

“I know,” Bruce said softly. “But that doesn’t change the fact that I’m here. I’m not going anywhere.”

Chapter Text

Danny wasn’t sure what was worse: the constant feeling of being watched or the growing realization that Bruce Wayne was not going to let him leave Gotham without some kind of awkward bonding session. But today was the day—Bruce had promised that he'd stop hovering and allow Danny to meet the rest of his family.

And by "family," Bruce meant the literal Batfamily . Danny wasn’t sure whether to be excited, terrified, or just plain annoyed.

“So, are we doing this... family style?” Danny asked as he sat at the breakfast table in Wayne Manor, feeling a little out of place among the fine china and ridiculously expensive décor. He was pretty sure he was the first person in Gotham history to break into a billionaire’s home with the express purpose of avoiding him—and here he was, sitting in a ridiculously grand dining room, waiting for his weird, dysfunctional family reunion to kick off.

Bruce had insisted it’d be “casual,” but casual in Gotham meant something different than Danny was used to. Casual here meant a three-course meal served in the morning, a formal setting, and all the Batkids lurking like they were on alert for any sudden movements.

The first to arrive was Dick Grayson—Nightwing himself—who breezed into the room with a grin that was entirely too bright for Gotham.

“Hey, Danny!” Dick greeted, his tone too cheerful for this place. “Nice to meet you in person. I’ve heard a lot about you.”

Danny blinked. “Yeah, same. Apparently, I’m the topic of some bets around here.”

Dick raised an eyebrow, clearly interested. “Oh? Do tell.”

Barbara, who had tagged along—because, of course, she had—gave him a sidelong glance. “We’re betting on when Danny will finally crack and talk to Bruce.”

Danny groaned. “This is already my worst nightmare.”

“Ah, c’mon, it’s not that bad,” Dick said with a teasing grin. “We’re not all that bad. Just a little... overprotective.”

“Overprotective?” Danny scoffed. “That’s one way to put it.”

Barbara smirked, sipping her coffee. “He’s a little touchy, isn’t he?”

Before Danny could respond, a soft voice interrupted them.

“Dick, Barbara, I think you’re scaring him.”

Danny turned to see a younger man enter the room—Tim Drake, Robin 3.0—or maybe it was Robin 4.0? He couldn’t keep track of all the Robins.

Tim was dressed casually in a hoodie and jeans, his posture a little stiff but friendly. He smiled shyly at Danny and extended his hand.

“Hi, I’m Tim. I... uh... know this all must be pretty weird.”

Danny blinked, taking the offered hand with a frown. “Weird? Yeah, that’s putting it lightly.”

Tim chuckled. “Yeah. We get that a lot.”

“And I’m Jason,” came a gruff voice from behind them.

Danny turned, spotting the man who seemed like the last person anyone would want to meet on their worst day: Jason Todd. He was dressed in a leather jacket, his usual scowl firmly in place.

“Great. Another one,” Danny muttered under his breath, then louder, added, “So, uh, do I get a manual or something? A pamphlet on what to expect?”

Jason snorted. “You’ll get used to it. We’re not all weirdos... Well, mostly not.”

“Speak for yourself,” Barbara added, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

Danny wasn’t sure if he wanted to laugh or just escape. These people were all kind of terrifying in their own ways, but there was something oddly... comforting about their dysfunctional energy. They were a mess, just like him, and maybe that was why Bruce kept pushing him toward them.

“I’m Cass,” a quiet voice interrupted his thoughts.

Danny turned and blinked. A girl around his age was standing there, dressed in workout clothes. She had short black hair and a cool, collected demeanor, standing like she was always ready for a fight.

“I—uh, nice to meet you, Cass,” Danny said, a little thrown off by how she seemed to observe him more than speak.

Barbara leaned in. “Cass doesn’t say much, but when she does, it’s usually important. She’s one of the most dangerous people I know.”

Danny nodded, half-amused. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

The final member of the family arrived, and Danny knew who it was the moment he heard the heavy footsteps.

“Damian,” Bruce’s voice called, deep and commanding.

Damian Wayne—the youngest of the Batkids and, somehow, the one who had the most attitude to match. Danny had seen enough videos and heard enough stories to know that Damian was practically Bruce in miniature, complete with a chip on his shoulder and an undeniable superiority complex.

Damian entered the room like he owned the place, arms crossed and eyes scanning the group with an appraising look. When his gaze landed on Danny, there was a flicker of something—curiosity or suspicion, maybe—but no warmth.

“Another half-blood?” Damian sneered. “You don’t belong here.”

Danny’s eyes narrowed. “Nice to meet you too, buddy.”

“Enough, Damian,” Bruce’s voice cut in, sharp and firm. “This is Danny. And he is part of this family now.”

Damian sneered again but said nothing.

“So, that’s it? All of you?” Danny asked, looking around the room.

“I’m sure you have more questions,” Barbara said with a grin. “You’ll get used to all of us eventually.”

“Yeah,” Tim added, “we’re like a big, messed-up puzzle. You just have to fit yourself in where you can.”

“Well,” Danny said, standing up and stretching, “I think I’m good for today. I need a break from the Batman Family Reunion.”

“Stick around, Danny,” Dick said with a grin. “There’s plenty more weirdness where that came from.”

“I’ll pass,” Danny said with a dry smile. “I’ve got enough chaos in my own life.”

But as he walked toward the door, he couldn’t help but glance back at them. There was something in their banter, their closeness, that pulled at him. The way they seemed to understand each other in ways Danny didn’t quite get yet. Maybe he didn’t belong here—yet—but part of him couldn't help but wonder if, just maybe, this strange, chaotic group of vigilantes could offer something more than what he’d had before.

Chapter Text

Dinner at Wayne Manor was, as usual, a quiet affair—at least, that’s how it started. Danny had already decided that the Batfamily had no real concept of what “casual” meant, and tonight was no exception. The dining table was impeccably set, the silverware gleaming under the dim light of the chandelier, and each of them seemed to have their own unique brand of tension.

Bruce had made sure everyone was present, which was just another reminder that Danny had somehow been roped into the Batfamily’s weird little ritual of family dinners .

Danny was still adjusting to the fact that he wasn’t in Amity Park, where chaos had a way of showing up whether you invited it or not. In Gotham, the chaos was more subtle, lurking in the undercurrent of every conversation, every glance.

“So, Danny,” Bruce said, breaking the silence with an almost awkward smile. “How are you adjusting to everything?”

Danny, who had been eyeing the food as if he might accidentally poison himself, shrugged. “I’ve had worse days. I mean, this place is kind of a fancy madhouse, but I think I can survive.”

Dick chuckled beside him, nudging him with his elbow. “You’re adjusting better than most. That’s something.”

“I’ve learned not to trust fancy meals,” Danny muttered. “Last time I did, I ended up getting chased by a giant ghost shark. I think that makes me the cautious type now.”

Jason, sitting at the far end of the table, snorted into his glass of water. "That sounds about right. Bet you didn’t see that one coming."

Danny shot him a wry grin. “Yeah, no kidding. What about you? Ever been chased by a ghost shark?”

Jason raised an eyebrow and leaned back in his chair, his usual scowl replaced with a small smirk. “You’d be surprised. Gotham’s got its own brand of weird. But nothing that could take me down like that.”

Barbara, ever the observer, had her eyes on Jason, studying his reactions. She seemed to pick up on the subtle change in his mood as the conversation shifted. Jason’s posture had relaxed slightly, the hard edge to his expression softening just a little as Danny had spoken.

“Jason’s a little... intense at times,” Barbara said casually. “But when he’s around you, he calms down. It’s kind of a miracle, actually.”

Danny blinked, turning his gaze from Barbara to Jason, who was suddenly very focused on his meal, poking at it with disinterest. There was something there, something about the way Jason was reacting that caught his attention. The anger that always seemed to hover at the edges of Jason’s personality wasn’t there. Instead, there was a weird... peace?

Jason let out a small grunt in response to Barbara’s comment, clearly not ready to acknowledge the truth in her words. But it was there, undeniable. Something in him seemed to ease when Danny was around.

“Well, I’m not exactly a calming presence,” Danny said, half-joking. “I mean, I am a ghost, after all.”

That made Tim laugh. “Yeah, no kidding. We’ve been trying to figure out how you’re not more of a headache. For everyone’s sake.”

Danny smiled at that, feeling a little less out of place. “I guess I’ve had a lot of practice with controlling the chaos. Or maybe I just like to let it happen. Either way, I’m used to dealing with... unexpected things.” He shot a glance toward Jason, who now seemed strangely calmer. “I’m guessing you’ve got your own brand of... unexpected, huh?”

Jason’s eyes flickered to him for a moment, his expression unreadable. Then he sighed, leaning back and crossing his arms. “You could say that. You’re not wrong. But this”—he gestured to the group at the table—“isn’t exactly... normal . You’re used to this kind of thing?”

Danny leaned forward, shrugging. “If by ‘this kind of thing’ you mean a bunch of people with issues sitting around eating ridiculously fancy food... then, yeah, I’m getting there.”

Bruce shot him a pointed look, one of those silent ‘behave yourself’ kinds of looks that Danny was getting really good at ignoring.

"Enough about me," Danny said, trying to steer the conversation away from his tendency to be snarky. "What about you guys? What’s it like being... well, this ? All the time."

Cass, who had been mostly silent throughout the meal, spoke up. “It’s strange. We were all... different before we found each other. But together, we make sense. We’re family.” Her eyes flickered to Damian for a second before she added, “We take care of each other.”

Damian, who hadn’t spoken much since Danny’s arrival, added with a huff, “Family or not, I still don’t know why Bruce insists on keeping track of you.” His eyes narrowed at Danny. “I have a feeling you won’t be as easy to deal with as they think.”

Danny didn’t flinch. “You’ll figure me out eventually. I’m just here for a visit. Not looking for any family reunions.”

Jason, who had been silently listening to the back-and-forth, finally spoke up again. This time, his voice was quieter, more subdued. “Not every family’s perfect. Some of us... just don’t know how to act around people who actually care .”

Danny blinked, unsure of how to respond. He had heard the rumors, seen the footage of Jason’s resurrection and his complicated relationship with the Batfamily. The anger in his eyes had always been more than just about fighting. It was deeper. Personal.

But with Danny? There was something different in the air tonight. Jason wasn’t glaring at anyone. He wasn’t tense or ready to snap. For some reason, Danny—just a random half-ghost kid—was the one thing in Gotham that seemed to calm him down. The fact that Danny didn’t press him for answers, didn’t push him to be better , gave him the space to just... exist.

Danny looked at Jason across the table, giving him a small, understanding nod.

“I get it,” Danny said softly. “Not all families work the same way. And sometimes it’s nice to just... not have to be on all the time. No expectations. No pretending.”

Jason’s gaze met his, and for the first time since Danny had met him, he didn’t look at him like a threat. He looked... human.

“Yeah,” Jason muttered. “I guess you do get it.”

The rest of the dinner continued with a strange, comfortable silence, the tension from earlier easing in the presence of Danny’s calm and steady demeanor. By the end of the night, Danny wasn’t sure whether he was actually starting to like these people or if he was just too tired to fight it. Either way, he was learning that maybe, just maybe, Gotham’s chaotic Batfamily wasn’t as bad as it seemed.

Chapter Text

The sun was low in the sky, casting long shadows across Gotham as Danny made his way through the streets of the city. It had been a week since he'd arrived, and he’d spent most of that time navigating awkward family dinners, strange encounters with Batman and the Batfamily, and the constant hum of Gotham’s ever-present chaos. But today was different.

Today, Danny was going to spend some time with Selina.

He had finally gathered the courage to reach out to her the night before, and now, he was on his way to the only person in this city who might actually understand him. After all, she was his mother—or, at least, the woman who had given birth to him. Selina had always kept her distance, allowing Danny to find his own way, but now, he was ready to take the first step in figuring out what kind of relationship they could have.

He walked up to her apartment building, a modest but well-kept building in a part of Gotham that wasn’t quite as ominous as most of the city. He had always imagined Selina’s place being more… dramatic. The kind of place you would expect a cat burglar to live, hidden behind a wall of luxury. Instead, her apartment was warm, lived-in, and almost comforting.

Danny knocked on the door, his heart racing for reasons he didn’t want to admit. A few moments later, the door opened, and there she was.

Selina Kyle, his mother, but not really a mother in the traditional sense. She didn’t hover over him like his adoptive parents had. She didn’t try to impose any rules or expectations. She was simply… there. Like a cool aunt who didn’t need to take the place of anyone else in his life.

“Well, look at you,” Selina said, her sharp eyes scanning him with a slight smirk on her face. “You’re looking less like a ghost and more like a real person every time I see you.”

Danny couldn’t help but smile at that. “Thanks, I think. I’ve been trying to blend in, but Gotham’s got a way of making you stand out.”

Selina stepped aside, letting him in. “Gotham does have that effect on people. Come on in. I was just finishing up some work.”

Danny followed her into the apartment, taking in the soft lighting, the comfortable furniture, and the open windows that looked out over the city. It was a sharp contrast to the grim, shadowy atmosphere that usually surrounded the rest of Gotham. In here, there was a sense of peace, and Danny appreciated that more than he cared to admit.

“So,” Selina said, dropping her bag on the kitchen counter as she started preparing something to drink. “What’s going on in that head of yours? You’ve been quiet since you got into town.”

Danny leaned against the counter, arms crossed as he thought for a moment. “I don’t know. A lot has happened since I got here. I thought I was just coming to meet you, but... then Batman started stalking me, and now the whole Batfamily seems to think I’m their latest project.”

Selina raised an eyebrow, her lips curling into an amused smile. “The Batfamily? Oh, that’s rich. Bruce has always had a way of pulling people into his little orbit without realizing it.”

Danny sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. “You could say that again. I don’t know what it is, but I guess I’m the latest ‘problem’ he’s decided to fix.”

“Bruce doesn’t do well with the ‘not broken’ people in his life,” Selina said, voice laced with an edge of something Danny couldn’t quite place. “He likes to play the hero, to think he can fix everyone. But you…” She turned, her eyes studying him carefully, “you’re not like anyone else he’s dealt with. Not in the way he’s used to, anyway.”

Danny snorted softly. “I think that’s the understatement of the year.”

Selina chuckled, moving to the fridge to grab some wine. She poured herself a glass before offering one to him, but Danny shook his head.

“I’m good, thanks,” Danny said. “Not really a drinker.”

She shrugged and took a sip herself before setting the bottle down. “You know, you don’t have to get involved in all of this,” she said, waving her hand in the general direction of the city. “You could go back to Amity Park. I’m sure your parents are—”

“No,” Danny interrupted, his voice firm. “I’m not going back. Not after everything. They told me the truth about who I am, and I need to figure this out. I need to figure me out. I’ve been living my whole life in the dark about what I am, and now I just… I can’t go back to pretending I’m normal. Not anymore.”

Selina’s eyes softened, her expression more vulnerable than Danny had seen it before. She set her glass down and walked over to him, placing a hand on his shoulder.

“Danny,” she began, her voice gentle, “I didn’t want to be your mother. I thought I wasn’t cut out for it. I wanted to let you make your own way in the world, to have the space to decide who you are without me pushing you in any one direction. But now, I see I might have been wrong. Maybe I should have been more involved.”

Danny blinked, surprised by her words. He had never heard Selina speak like this before, so open, so honest. She wasn’t trying to be some perfect figure in his life; she was just being herself.

“Yeah,” Danny said softly, “I get that. I’m not exactly an easy person to deal with, either.”

Selina chuckled, her fingers brushing through her hair as she sat down at the kitchen table. “No one ever said you had to be easy. And you’re right—you don’t have to pretend. Neither of us do. I’ve lived my life in the shadows, Danny. But maybe it’s time for me to step out into the light, just a little. For you.”

Danny stood there for a moment, the weight of her words settling in. Despite the distance, the differences between them, something clicked. They might not be a traditional mother and son, but that didn’t mean they couldn’t have something real. Something that wasn’t defined by what others expected from them.

“Maybe we could figure this out together,” Danny said, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips. “One step at a time.”

Selina gave him a crooked smile in return, her eyes soft with something he hadn’t expected—affection. “That’s the plan, kid.”

And for the first time since he’d arrived in Gotham, Danny felt like he might actually be able to do this. He wasn’t sure what the future held, but for the first time in a long while, he wasn’t alone.

Chapter Text

Selina Kyle stood in front of the large window of her apartment, her hands resting on the edge of the sill. Gotham stretched out before her, the city glowing with life, yet casting long, dark shadows where the light couldn’t reach. It was a city that had made her, shaped her, and yet it had never been home—not in the way she always dreamed a home could be.

Tonight, she found herself reflecting on everything that had happened in the last few days—the arrival of Danny, her biological son, the one she hadn’t seen in nearly seventeen years. The one she hadn’t expected to ever see again.

The one she wasn’t sure she knew how to be a mother to.

The first time she’d laid eyes on him again, she'd been struck by how much he looked like her—same sharp features, same fire in his eyes. But there were other things in him that weren’t hers. His ease with the supernatural, the strange, almost otherworldly aura that clung to him like a second skin. She didn’t know what to make of it at first, but one thing was certain: the boy was different from the little baby she had given up.

She had always believed it was for the best, keeping her distance. There was so much she didn’t know about being a mother, and so much she had tried to bury in the years since. After all, Gotham itself had taught her how to keep her heart behind walls—how to hide, how to survive. Becoming a mother had never been part of the plan. But Danny… Danny had changed that.

The moment she saw him in her apartment after all these years, a flood of emotions hit her—a mix of guilt, sadness, and something more powerful. Something she hadn’t expected: a deep, aching desire to be there for him, to try and make up for lost time. She hadn’t realized how much she had missed him, or maybe how much she had missed being a part of his life. She had always been so careful not to be “too much”—too controlling, too demanding—but as she’d watched him in her apartment, she couldn’t help but feel the pull to connect .

She had never been one to express emotions easily, but when he told her he didn’t need a replacement parent, she understood. She wasn’t trying to replace anyone—especially not the Fentons—but she did want to be there for him. Even if he didn’t need her, even if it was awkward, even if it felt like there were miles between them. She wanted to try. She needed to try.

And then, today… that bond they shared during their quiet afternoon together. They hadn’t said much, but that was okay. They didn’t need to. He didn’t need her to be anyone but herself. They didn’t need to force anything. Just the mere act of sitting in the same space, of being two imperfect people who had come together after so much time, felt like a step forward. Maybe not the whole journey, but a step.

Her thoughts drifted back to the last time she had seen him—the day she’d left him behind. Seventeen years ago. Back then, it had been the only choice she felt she had. Her life as Catwoman had been dangerous, unpredictable, and she hadn’t wanted to drag a child into that. She’d thought it was better for him to grow up somewhere safe, somewhere normal. She had never doubted that Danny deserved better than her, better than the life she could offer. It had been a sacrifice, but one she thought was for his future.

But now… now she wondered if maybe she’d been wrong. Maybe there had been a different path—one where she could’ve been a part of his life, one where she could have found a balance between the woman she was and the mother he needed. She hadn’t been prepared for the weight of regret that washed over her as she watched him interact with the rest of the world, with the Batfamily.

She could see the way he handled himself, so mature for his age, but she could also see the cracks in his armor. The way he bristled at their attempts to “fix” him, their incessant need to pry into his life. And the way he withdrew when things got too overwhelming. It was clear that he had grown up in a world that demanded resilience, just like she had. But it wasn’t the same. Danny wasn’t her, and he wasn’t the kind of person to let people in easily.

Selina sighed, dragging her hand down her face. She had to respect that about him. He didn’t want to be coddled or treated like some fragile thing to fix. He wanted to be his own person, and she couldn’t blame him for that. She’d always been the same way, fighting for control over her own life in a world that constantly tried to take it from her.

Her mind wandered back to Danny's words, his dry wit and sarcastic remarks. He was so much like her in some ways, but there were other pieces of him that she could see were shaped by his own battles. He wasn’t the little boy she remembered, and that was both a relief and a disappointment. It wasn’t that she didn’t love the person he had become, but it was a reminder of how much time they had lost.

But maybe that was the nature of life. There were things you couldn’t undo, choices you couldn’t take back. But there was always a way forward, always room for new beginnings.

And she was determined to find that path with him—one way or another.

As the hours stretched on and the city grew quieter, Selina found herself thinking about the future. Gotham was a dangerous place, and there was no telling what might happen next, but she could offer him something. She could offer him stability, a sense of family, if he would allow it. Not the perfect family—the one that no one had—but something real. Something they both could define together.

She wouldn’t push him. She wouldn’t try to force a relationship or demand answers. All she could do was be there when he needed her. Just like she’d been all those years ago, when he had needed to be safe. But now, maybe… he needed to know she was more than a distant memory.

Selina’s gaze softened, her heart stirring with a sense of purpose she hadn’t felt in a long time.

She wasn’t sure where this journey would take them, but for the first time in years, she was ready to take that step.

Chapter Text

Danny sat on the edge of the couch in the manor, his legs swung over the side as he leaned back, staring at some painting on the wall. He hated the feeling of being out of place, like a stranger in his own skin. A ghost in a city full of flesh.

He hadn’t expected things to get this complicated when he showed up in Gotham. Meeting his biological mother was supposed to be… simple. Maybe awkward, maybe a little painful, but nothing he couldn’t handle. What he hadn’t planned on was the Batfamily, or the fact that Bruce Wayne had decided that he needed to fix his life. And to top it all off, Danny hadn’t expected to feel like a part of something again.

A part of them .

He reached into his pocket, pulling out his phone. There was a string of missed texts from his friends back home, and for a moment, he let himself settle into the comfort of seeing their names. The crew. The people who knew him, who knew the real him, not the one Gotham was trying to force him to be.

He tapped on the group chat.

[Sam]: How’s Gotham? Found your mom yet?

[Jazz]: Please tell me you're not getting involved in Batman’s mess.

[Tucker]: Yo, don’t let those freaks push you around. You’re a Fenton! Hold your ground!

Danny chuckled lightly at Tucker’s enthusiasm. It was nice to have someone in his corner, even from a distance. He could almost hear Tucker’s voice in his head—loud, confident, and slightly reckless.

He typed back.

[Danny]: Yeah, I found her. It’s… weird. A lot weirder than I thought it’d be.

[Jazz]: You’re not saying that in a good way, are you?

[Danny]: Not exactly. But it’s not bad , either. Just complicated. Gotham’s a mess. And Bruce Wayne is… something else.

[Tucker]: Bruce Wayne? The billionaire freak? What’s he want from you?

[Danny]: He’s trying to act like my dad, or something. Not sure I’m buying it, though. Feels like he’s trying to fix me, which… no thanks.

[Jazz]: Please don’t let him drag you into whatever crazy thing he's planning. I don’t trust that guy.

[Danny]: I’m not letting him. But it’s hard to avoid when he's everywhere. Even when I tried to escape him, I ended up in a weird standoff with Batman .

[Sam]: Oh great, now the Bat's involved? Awesome.

[Tucker]: Dude, you got stuck in a fight with Batman? How is that even a thing?

[Danny]: I’m a ghost. Anything’s possible. But he’s not as scary as everyone makes him out to be. He’s just… a guy in a bat costume. Like, come on.

[Jazz]: Oh, so you did get in a fight. Please tell me you didn’t do something crazy.

[Danny]: I may or may not have phased through the roof to escape his creepy spying. No big deal.

[Sam]: You’re lucky you’re not in some kind of Arkham cell right now.

Danny couldn’t help but laugh, his fingers tapping against the screen. It was nice to hear from his friends, especially after all the insanity of the past couple of days. It reminded him of who he was before Gotham. Before everything got complicated.

[Danny]: Yeah, I’m just trying to keep it low-key. I don’t need Gotham’s crazy coming after me. Especially not the Batfamily.

[Jazz]: Danny, listen to me. I know you’re trying to figure this out, but just remember: Gotham’s not normal. It’s not like Amity Park. You’re dealing with people who have their own weirdness, and they might try to pull you in without you even realizing it.

[Tucker]: I agree with Jazz. You’re already dealing with enough. Don’t get caught up in their mess. They don’t know how to deal with actual weirdness like you.

[Sam]: Yeah, stay true to yourself. Gotham doesn’t deserve your time.

Danny smiled at the support from his friends. He’d forgotten how good it felt to have people who really had his back.

But something else weighed on his mind as he looked at the messages. Something that had been nagging at him since he arrived in Gotham.

[Danny]: I don’t know, guys… part of me feels like I might actually be needed here. Not by Bruce. Not by Batman. But by my mom. I don’t think she’s ever really had someone, you know? Maybe I can help. I don’t know if I can be what she wants me to be, but... I don’t want to leave her like I did before.

There was a pause before Jazz’s response came through.

[Jazz]: Just be careful. I don’t want you to get too caught up in Gotham. You’re not their project. You’re Danny. Remember who you are.

Danny thought about that for a moment, chewing on the words. He had a lot of things to figure out—things he didn’t have answers to yet. But for the first time in a long while, he wasn’t sure where his future was headed. Maybe that wasn’t such a bad thing.

[Tucker]: Dude, as long as you don’t let the Batfamily adopt you, we’re good.

[Sam]: Seriously. Just don’t get sucked into their weird, bat-filled vortex.

Danny grinned, leaning back against the couch. [Danny]: Yeah, yeah. No bat adoption here.

But the reality of it all lingered in the back of his mind. Gotham was complicated . There were a lot of people here—people who didn’t just have big personalities but big expectations . But at least he had his crew to keep him grounded. And maybe… just maybe, he could help out here. Even if it wasn’t in the way Bruce Wayne expected.

Chapter Text

The night was still, the only sounds coming from the distant hum of Gotham’s ever-busy streets. The glow from the Bat-signal pierced through the darkness, calling for Gotham’s protector. But tonight, there was something different about the way the shadows moved, the way the air felt thick with anticipation. Danny Fenton Nightingale Kyle (Wayne)—also known as Phantom—was hovering on the edge of the rooftop, staring down at the city below.

He’d been watching Gotham’s caped crusader for a while now. Batman. The Bat. Whatever you wanted to call him. Danny had spent the past few days circling Gotham’s rooftops, testing the waters, trying to understand this strange city. And, maybe… just maybe, he was considering joining Batman’s patrol.

He wasn’t sure why it felt like the right thing to do. Maybe it was because Gotham needed it. Maybe it was because he needed to do something meaningful here. He had his powers, after all—he could help. He had helped before.

The city was practically begging for a hero like him, right?

“Phantom.”

Danny froze, hearing the gravelly voice of Gotham’s resident billionaire detective below him. Slowly, he turned around to see Bruce Wayne—Batman—his dad stepping out of the shadows.

“What do you want, Bats?” Danny said with a smirk, floating closer to the edge of the rooftop to face him.

Bruce didn’t flinch. He just stood there, his cape billowing slightly in the wind. “I know what you’re thinking,” he said, his voice low, controlled. “But you’re not joining patrol.”

Danny’s brows furrowed in disbelief. “Excuse me? I’m a ghost! What do you mean, I’m not joining patrol? I can do whatever I want.”

“I mean,” Bruce said slowly, “you’re not joining patrol because you’re not a vigilante.”

Danny’s lips twisted into a grin. “Not a vigilante? Dude, I’m literally a ghost . I have more crime-fighting experience than half of your city’s cops combined.”

Bruce’s jaw tightened as he crossed his arms, standing his ground. “That’s not the point. You’re not going to be part of this. Gotham doesn’t need another… wild card.”

Danny’s grin faltered as he narrowed his eyes. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“You’re not ready for this life,” Bruce said, his voice almost… paternal, like he was trying to protect Danny. But Danny didn’t want protection. He didn’t need another parent . He wasn’t going to let Gotham be the thing that kept him from doing what he was capable of. “You can’t just go around thinking you’re invincible because of your powers. You need to understand what it means to be a part of something like this. Gotham’s not like Amity Park.”

“Amity Park…” Danny muttered, his voice turning distant for a moment. That was where he was a hero. It had been his city—his responsibility. “Gotham needs someone to actually help it. Someone who’s not afraid to get their hands dirty. I can do this, Bruce. I’ve been doing it for years. I know what I’m doing.”

Bruce’s gaze hardened. “And that’s the problem. You think you can just swoop in and fix things, but this city isn’t your playground. You’ll burn out, just like everyone else. You’ll make mistakes, and when you do, people will get hurt.”

Danny clenched his fists, his ghost powers flaring slightly in agitation. “I’m not like you. I’m not just some billionaire who gets to play hero when it’s convenient. I’m a ghost . I’ve been fighting evil my whole life. I’m ready for this.”

“You’re not ready to face what this city really is,” Bruce repeated, his voice quiet but firm. “And that’s not something I’m going to let you learn the hard way.”

Danny glared at him, but Bruce’s eyes softened a little, a flicker of something that almost looked like regret. “Look, I know what you’re trying to do. But you’re not going to be able to do it here.”

The silence between them stretched, heavy and thick. Danny’s mind was racing, conflicted. He had been a hero in Amity Park. He had been the one to step in when no one else could. But here… here, Bruce was trying to tell him that he couldn’t do that. That he wasn’t allowed to make Gotham his responsibility.

“I don’t need your approval,” Danny said quietly, the words stinging as he spoke them. “I’m not asking you for permission. But I’m going to help this city. Whether you like it or not.”

Bruce didn’t respond at first. Instead, he stared at Danny, his lips pressing into a thin line. Then, almost reluctantly, he spoke.

“I’m not going to stop you from doing what you want, but understand this: I’m not going to let you end up like so many others who’ve tried to fight Gotham’s darkness alone. It’s not worth the cost.”

Danny’s eyes flickered, his expression unreadable. “We’ll see, Bruce. We’ll see.”

And before Bruce could respond, Danny phased through the rooftop, his body vanishing into the night.

Later that night, the Batfamily gathered around the Batcomputer, as usual. The sound of their voices bounced off the walls, but for once, no one was cracking jokes or exchanging banter. No, tonight, there was a different kind of tension in the air—one that had nothing to do with Gotham’s usual chaos.

Danny’s decision to not only interact with Bruce Wayne but also to get involved in Gotham’s crime-fighting scene had been an issue since day one. But now, it seemed that he was getting more than just Bruce’s attention.

“You all saw Phantom earlier?” Dick asked, breaking the silence in the Batcave as he scrolled through the various feeds on the Batcomputer.

Jason, who had been quietly standing off to the side, didn’t look up from his spot but muttered, “I can’t believe that kid is already planning to jump into the fight. Does he not understand what Gotham is?”

“I don’t think he does,” Tim chimed in, his voice quiet. “But I’m not sure he cares.”

Barbara, sitting at her terminal, folded her arms and glanced at her teammates. “You guys are forgetting something. That kid has more experience than any of us. He was Amity Park’s hero . He fought ghosts, dealt with supernatural threats, and kept his city safe. And he was alone. Just like we were.”

That caught everyone’s attention. Jason raised an eyebrow. “Wait, wait. That kid? He was the one that handled all the weird ghost stuff back in his town?”

Barbara nodded. “He was. And if he could do that, who’s to say he can’t help us with Gotham’s own darkness?”

Dick’s eyes widened in realization. “So… he’s been a hero for longer than most of us.”

Tim leaned back in his chair, hands steepled under his chin. “Which makes him more dangerous. He’s not some kid looking for a way to belong. He’s already lived the life of a hero. And now he’s here, ready to do the same thing.”

“But Gotham’s not Amity Park,” Jason interjected, clearly skeptical. “He doesn’t get it.”

“Maybe he doesn’t,” Bruce’s voice interrupted, as he entered the room, “but we can’t let him face Gotham alone. Not without understanding the real cost of this life.”

The family fell silent as they processed Bruce’s words, the weight of the situation hanging in the air. Danny—Phantom—was no longer just some anomaly. He was someone they couldn’t ignore. A hero who didn’t need their permission to do what he thought was right.

And far above them all, floating silently through the night, Danny Fenton knew one thing for sure: He was going to change this city. Gotham would be his city, whether Bruce Wayne liked it or not.