Dannys gut filled with dread, something bad was going to happen, he just knew it.

Dick didnt expect Danny to respond to his question so he popped up from his chair and went into the kitchen. Danny watched with unease, now that Bruce was gone, would Dick do something mean? Dick came back with a bowl and spoon in hand, he set them down and grabbed the milk and cereal from across the table.

"Just because you don't want breakfast doesn't mean I don't want breakfast." Dick said as if sensing Danny's confusion. "You can explore a bit while I'm eating, just don't go too far away." Dick said with a mouth full of fruit loops.

Danny looked around his surroundings apprehensively, not really sure where to begin or if the house would store any unwanted surprises. Danny hopped down from his chair and shuffled around the long table to the archway he'd seen everyone go through. He saw nicely tiled floors and clean countertops, a black box was imbedded into the wall and the small halfa looked up curiously.

Green numbers stared back, Dannys eyes widened.

The white haired boy sped-limped back to Dick and started tugging on his shirt, trying to get the older boys attention. Dick looked down at the scared halfa as Danny pointed to a black box in the kitchen with numbers on it, fear evident in his face pale face.

"It's ok Danny, it's just a clock." Danny looked at it again with apprehension as Dick turned back to his cereal. Danny's panic grew as the number changed again, he tugged urgently on Dick's shirt. Dick looked down with worry this time, he wasn't really bothered by the boy's sudden tugging, he just didn't know what the boy was trying to tell him.

"B-boom." Danny said, pointing to the clock and making his fingers spread out to mimic that of an explosion. Danny thought the microwave was a bomb.

"No Danny, that's a microwave, not a bomb." Dick laughed lightly, the innocence of the child was adorable.

Yet the thought was so dark.

Dick didn't want to know what made Danny feel like anything with numbers on it was a bomb. The little halfa gave a weird look at Dick's chest and somehow deduced that he was telling the truth, as if he could see if he was lying or not.

Finished with his cereal and casting his weird thoughts to the side, Dick deposited his bowl in the sink and put the cereal and milk away. He walked past Danny and to the large stairs, he waited at the bottom until Danny limped up to him.

"I'm going to get dressed for the day, you can stay down here. Remember don't wander too far into the mansion, I don't want to have to hunt you down." Dick said with a smile, he meant it to be playful but the way the white haired boys gaze wavered and his eyes flashed panic made him reconsider his wording. "I mean, you don't want to get lost, it's a big house. If you feel scared sit on the couch in the living room, it super comfy. Or where ever you feel safest, I'll only be gone for a few minutes."

After seeing the boy slightly relax, Dick ran up the stairs, leaving Danny to the empty, hollow, eerie, mansion. Danny shuddered.

A phantom wind blew at Danny's hair, he turned slowly to look at the table in the kitchen, sitting there so plainly. His vision shook until the table was no longer mahogany, but white, the chairs escalated into people, the Guys In White. They smiled with large sharp teeth, waiting with knives in their hands to dissect their favorite toy.

Danny's heart beat wildly and loudly in his chest. His body became clammy and all the blood drained from his face. Memories filled his brain, he squeezed his eyes shut to block them out but when he looked back to the table they were still there. Danny backed up to the wall, it was beginning to be hard to breathe. A soft blue glow pulled at his vision.

Danny looked to his right and saw a figure. He was glowing a soft blue, wearing a purple robe and gloved hands with what looked to be watches on them. He had a dull blue complexion and green ectoplasm seeped from cuts all over his body. His eyes were blood red, a scar marring over one of them. His body had a huge clock embedded in it, but he blinked in and out of vision like a radio with bad connection. He seemed distraught, he was reaching out for him. A shiver traveled up the halfa's spine, a breath forced its way out of him and it curled into the air like fog. The small child's Addams Apple bobbed as he gulped, his his chest was tightening and his throat was threatening to close, but even then a pitiful squeak escaped him.

"Danny!" It said, the voice exactly like the one from his dream.

"Danny!" Dick said again, grabbing the child's attention. Danny whirled around to face the older boy, finding no trace of the glowing man with the staff. With a quick look Danny realized the table had reverted back to its original state and there were no Guys In White brandishing knives. It was all in his head.

"Danny? You good?" Dick asked hopefully, he wasnt liking this 'babysit the traumatized kid' gig. He was now wearing a green shirt, dark skinny jeans, and a navy blue jacket.

Danny's heart rate subsided and his body relaxed, what ever had just happened was over. He nodded, eyes downcast and hands trembling.

"You want to do something?" Dick asked as he led the little boy to the living room, scanning the room for an object of great importance. He spotted the little black box and he grabbed it, grinning. "Lets watch something!" Dick announced and Danny limped slowly beside Dick.

Danny watched as Dick pressed a few buttons on the black box and the wall seemed to light up. Danny yelled and dove behind Dick, shaking as loud sounds emanated from all around them. Dick, equally surprised by Danny's reaction, quickly pressed another button and the TV turned off.

"Whoops, sorry Danny. I didnt think the TV would scare you." Dick said to the cowering halfa huddled behind him. "Shows how much I know..." Dick muttered to himself. Loud noises and a bright screen would have made him jumpy if he was that young and frightened. First few minuets of trying to keep the boy calm and he was already messing up. Fantastic.

"How..aboooout...." Dick drawled as he tried to think of something. "Hide and seek?"

Danny perked up from his huddled form, rising into a sitting position though his hands still trembled and his eyes darted around every now and then, his white hair flopping to the side as he tilted his head in question. Dick quickly explained.

"Its whenever one person hides and the other has to find that person." Danny frowned, he didnt like the idea of splitting up after the whole 'glowing guy' thing. He shook his head.

"Yeah maybe not.... How about tag?" Danny raised an eyebrow, even more confused.

"Its when someone has 'it' and you have run away from that person, the point of the game is to not have 'it'. But if you get 'it' you have to touch someone to give 'it' away." Danny stared at him blankly. Dick laughed. "Here, like this; Tag you're it!" He poked Danny on the chest and swiftly got up, running to the other side of the room. Danny sat there stunned and confused.

"Now come chase me!" Dick called, Danny hesitantly got off the couch and limped twards Dick. The acrobat smiled wide and ran slowly to the hallway, not wanting Danny to lose sight of him and panic.

Danny shuffled faster after Dick, he tripped over his bad leg but landed in a roll. He sprang back up and ran faster, running so fast he didnt notice his legs weren't touching the ground. Or that they weren't legs at all.

Dick yelped as he saw Danny zooming towards him. He ducked and Danny went straight over his head, he looked up quickly to see Danny flailing as he tried to control his flying. Eyes wide, Danny's arms windmilled and he slowed down enough so he could turn around and face Dick.

"Right, metahuman." Dick mumbled to himself after remembering what Bruce told him before he met Danny.

Danny saw his face and lowered himself to the ground, legs reappearing, sheepish that he had accidentally shown his powers. His panic grew as his mind filled with all the possibilities that could happen. What if Dick told Bruce and gave him back to the GIW? What if Dick and Bruce themselves wanted to experiment on him? What if they don't want him anymore? What if they decide he should die fully?

The little white haired halfa trembled as Dick approached him.

"Hey, hey, Danny it's ok. I won't hurt you because you can fly, it's actually kind of cool. I know lots of people that can fly." Dick said, Danny looked at his core, still yellow and a small strip of purple. Danny stared at the purple, if he was lying the purple would go away, if he was concerned the purple would stay. The purple did not dissipate.

Danny waited for a moment, thinking it over, forcing himself to focus and not think it was all a trick. He knew other people that could fly? Was flying a common thing? Were they like him? Danny was also surprised he wouldn't hurt him, if he did something without the GIW's permission the punishment was a full day in the electric chair. Danny internally shuddered at the thought.

Dick was close to Danny now, nearly touching, Dick wanted to lay a hand on his shoulder, or hug him, the boy looked like he could use a hug or two. But the acrobat felt he was still in the -I'm fine with you but don't get too comfy- stage of trust. Danny then smirked evilly, he poked him in the chest and said, "Tag!"

Dick was stunned for a moment, then laughed as he realized Danny had tricked him. Danny dashed away, heading for the living room, Dick ran after him, cackling and jumping over things. Danny dove under the coffee table and switched directions, Dick jumped over the table and followed suit.

Dick was honestly impressed with Danny's dodging skills, he knew all the tricks about how to lose someone tailing you. Dick didnt dwell too long on how Danny became so good at such a sport.

Danny was having fun before Dick's cackle morphed into a GIW laugh. He was back in the large white room, Dick no longer a human but a robot, intent on killing him. Danny flew with renewed speed, adrenaline kicking in.

Dick stopped running as he realized this was no longer a game, Danny was really scared.

Dick turned the corner into the living room and saw Danny crashed into the wall before falling to the floor, the little boy scrambled to his hands and knees and crawled away with shuttering breaths. Danny paused to curl himself up in front of the fireplace, trembling with scared whimpers and his head down. Dick walked slowly to him, the crouched down to his level.

"It's ok Danny, I'm not going to hurt you. I'm sorry Danny, maybe we shouldn't play that game." Dick tried to rest his hand on the little boy's shoulder but Danny shuffled away with a terrified squeak.

"R-ro-rob... r-robots..." Danny quivered, Dick finally understood.

"There are no robots here Danny, I will protect you."

"Y-you-you pr-pro-romise?"

"I pro-"

A large crash interrupted Dick, Danny yelped and grabbed onto Dick as the acrobat stood up quickly. Poised now, Dick went into Robin mode. The noise came from the living room wall, logic told him Alfred was still asleep so it couldn't be him, and the wall did not lead to outside.

"Danny stay behind me." Dick whispered lowly. Danny held onto the bottom of Dick's shirt as the duo crept forward towards the noise. Memories flashed through the halfas head, terror claiming his body, his face pale and sweaty with fear.

thunk thunk

Danny felt his breath catch in his throat, his fists tightening (if that was possible) on Dicks shirt, he closed his eyes and buried his face into Dicks back. He wanted to be anywhere but here.

The halfas already trembling body shivered as he got unexpectedly cold, a breath of condensation pushed its way out of his mouth. Dick felt the boy was shaking and his worry increased but he didnt let it show, Danny didn't need to know he was confused and a little scared too. Of course Danny could see how worried he was weather Dick wanted him to or not because of his core vision.

"Danny, when I tell you to, jump on my back and hang on. I can't carry you but if you hold onto me I can run." Dick whispered, Danny nodded numbly as the words finally got through to the child.

A small dog burst into the room, both Danny and Dick jumped back. After getting over the shock that it was just a puppy Dick evaluated the dog. It was glowing green and black and held something metal in its mouth. Its little tail wagged as it bounded around the room knocking over things as it ran.

Dick was honestly at a loss, that not what he was expecting.

"Oh..kay then... Let's not touch the glowing green dog just yet, he might be radioactive or something." Dick said, Danny shuffled closer to the older kid as his watery eyes watched the dog come around the corner of the couch.

The dog saw the two kids and happily ran over, they scrambled back until their backs were up against the wall.

"Danny now!"

Danny jumped and latched onto Dick's torso, wrapping his legs around his waist like he did with Bruce's leg. His arms grabbed his shoulders, not wanting to accidentally strangle his 'protector'. Once Dick felt like Danny was secure Dick used the wall to leap over the dog, landing on the top of the couch.

Dick jumped again to land on the fireplace mantel, putting his acrobat skills to use. He pushed off the wall with one leg and caught the chandelier with one hand. He grunted as he hauled himself up, the chandelier swinging with the momentum.

Danny looked over Dick's shoulder to the dog below them, yapping with drool flying everywhere while the long piece of metal was discarded next to him. Dick spied the metal and how far away the dog was from it.

"I'll be right back Danny, stay here, and don't fall." Danny shakily let go of Dick.

The acrobat jumped down and landed in a smooth somersault, grabbing the metal he landed next to and swiftly jumped onto the couch again. The dog, seeing that someone was on his level again, ran over to Dick. Before the dog could touch him Dick maneuvered his way back onto the chandelier.

Danny swayed with the chandelier as it swung from side to side, he liked being up here, the rhythm was... comforting. His panic was dying down though he was still very cautious, when Dick came back the halfa scooted closer. Dick inspected the price of metal, wondering what it was and where it came from. A sudden noise, or the lack there of, made the boys look down.

The dog was gone.

Dick gave a quick look around, trying to see if the dog went into another room. They stayed silent, trying to see if they could hear the dog's incessant yapping. The only sound was that of the chandelier, rocking back and forth on its squeaky hinge, the delicate glass crystals surrounding them clinking together as they were pushed by laws of physics. Dismissing the dog for now, Dick turned his attention onto the piece of metal.

"Hmmm." Dick examined the foreign object, it looked to be in the shape of a boomerang, it was grey and green and not much else. He saw a little bit of writing on the side, 'Property of GIW'. Dick stiffened then relaxed as to not worry Danny, it was owned, and probably made, by the guys who experimented on Danny.

Curious, Dick threw the boomerang. Danny and Dick watched as it traveled around the room and came back to Dick. Or, at least, Dick thought it would. Instead it evaded Dick's hands and hit Danny on the head.

"Sorry Danny! I didn't know it would do that." Dick said as Danny rubbed his head with tears welling in his eyes. Dick glared at the boomerang, definitely GIW related. "Here, let's get you down, maybe we can find something else to do." Danny nodded and his tears went away surprisingly quick. Dick would have thought Danny would be more skittish about being hit by the boomerang.

Danny held onto Dick again like a koala and Dick jumped down from the chandelier gracefully, despite the extra weight. Not like Danny was much weight anyway, he was like,30 pounds. Much too small for a child at his age, usually nine year olds were about 70-90 pounds, Wally would faint just lookin at the kid. Dick and Danny slumped on the couch, thinking about what had just happened.

Dick thought about the weird glowing dog that had appeared and disappeared as fast as Wally when Artemis is mad. The dog didn't seem inherently threatening, the colors were of some concern, something had to be related between the green and black fur to the green and gray metal boomerang. Dick fingered the boomerang, examining every aspect of it, it didn't seem threatening either. How and why was it in that dog's mouth? How did the dog get in the house? Was the dog sent by the GIW? Questions like these rattled around in Dick's head.

Dick slouched deeper into the couch, putting his feet up on the coffee table with Danny sitting beside him, the halfa swinging his legs over the edge of the couch with tiredly blinking eyes.

Danny yawned as they lounged on the couch, tired from all the stress of the late night. Dick yawned against his will, Danny was spreading the horrid thing. Danny had slept all day and quite far into the night, so far that it was only until Bruce came from a late night meet with Gordon that the vigilante had heard Dannys screams. Dick had been asleep since the early patrol (definition of 'early' is very loose in this house) he was easily woken by the ear piercing sounds that broke into his sleep around four in the morning. But that was an hour ago, since then he and Danny had met, eaten an early breakfast, and chased by a potentially radioactive dog.

Good thing Dick didn't have school tomorrow.

The boy wonder held the boomerang and glared at it. It was a weapon against Danny, it had deliberately moved around his hands like it had a mind of its own and went straight to Danny.

Dick needed to tell Batman, but he was taken from his thoughts as a sudden weight fell on his gut. It was Danny, he was laying on top of his belly with his head, arms, and legs dangling over his side and onto the couch. Dick smirked, Danny yawned once more and again Dick was defeated by the mechanism. Danny shivered, a trail of condensation escaped his mouth and promptly fell asleep.

Dick wanted to ask about that, the same thing had appeared when the dog appeared. He wondered if the two things were related. Probably, Dick thought, Danny can obviously fly, I wonder what other powers he has. Dick watched Danny's gentle breathing and his bony body that seemed so fragile. Except there was untold strength in him, a strength that kept him going for however long he was with the GIW.

Dick's thoughts trailed off as he too succumbed to sleep.

-0o0o0o0 I AM THE BOX GHOST FEAR ME AND ALL THINGS SQUARE 0o0o0o0-

-0o0o0o0o0o0 BEWARE 0o0o0o0o0o0-

Bruce entered the room, Alfred in tow, and stumbled upon an adorable sight.

Dick and Danny were on the couch, Danny on Dick's stomach and Dick's hands on Danny's back. Both sound asleep, each of them had a calm resting face until Danny snored. It was so loud Bruce jumped, not expecting such a large noise to come from the little child. Alfred covered his mouth to keep from laughing out loud and potentially waking the sleeping children.

Bruce smiled fondly at the two boys, but it fell away into a frown when he saw a thin strip of metal in the shape of a boomerang on the couch next to them. Bruce went over and picked it up, careful not to make too much noise, and looked at it. He immediately saw the GIW inscription, he scowled and looked around the room, it didnt seem too disturbed. What happened?