[Third Person Pov]
Danny stepped through the Ghost Portal and immediately pressed a hand against his chest. He stood there for several long seconds, head bowed, drawing in slow, deliberate breaths until his beating heart behind his ribs finally began to ease.
"That was not how I was expecting things to go," he muttered under his breath. "That really took a turn."
The feverish heat still clung to him—part adrenaline, part something else left over from the ordeal—and he started rubbing absently at the center of his sternum.
"That is not good for my heart."
He climbed the stairs in silence. When he reached the top landing and looked out across the empty house, he froze. The quiet that filled the rooms was no longer the oppressive, ringing silence he remembered from earlier visits. It felt almost… welcoming. Soft. Familiar.
A thought settled over him without warning, heavy and absolute.
'I don't want to go back to the manor.'
The realization locked into place with quiet finality. Danny's faint smile stiffened. He ran a hand over the back of his head, fingers threading through hair, and let out a long, tired sigh.
…
By the time he returned to Wayne Manor he found Alfred in the main hall and didn't bother with greetings.
"Is Bruce around?" he asked at once. "I want to have a word with him."
Alfred paused mid-task and turned, studying Danny's expression with practiced calm.
"He's currently out at a business meeting at Wayne Enterprises," Alfred said carefully. "Would you like me to deliver a message?"
"No. It's fine. I'll wait until he returns. I'll be in my room in the meantime."
Danny was already walking away before the last word fully left his mouth. Alfred watched him pass Dick in the corridor. The two of them locked eyes for a brief, wordless moment—Dick's expression unreadable, Danny's carefully blank—then Danny continued upstairs without slowing.
Alfred waited only until the younger man was out of earshot before stepping into a side room and placing a discreet call.
"Alfred?" Bruce's voice came through a moment later, low and slightly strained. He had clearly stepped away from whatever meeting he was in. "Is something the matter?"
"Not exactly," Alfred replied. "I'm calling to inform you that young Master Daniel has returned. He wishes to speak with you. And from the look on his face… the discussion appears rather serious."
A deliberate, measured sigh answered him.
"I'll finish things here as quickly as I can," Bruce said. The line went dead a second later.
…
When Bruce finally strode through the front doors of the manor, Alfred was already waiting.
"He's in his room," Alfred said quietly, taking the coat without ceremony. "Waiting."
Bruce frowned at the older man's expression—grim, complicated, carefully neutral. "What's with that look?"
"You'll see for yourself."
Bruce didn't press. He took the stairs two at a time and found Dick leaning against the wall just outside Danny's open doorway, arms crossed, jaw set. Dick didn't acknowledge him. His eyes stayed fixed on his feet.
Bruce stepped into the doorway and stopped.
Danny sat at the foot of the bed. The room looked stripped and barren compared to how it had been only days ago. Cardboard boxes sat beside him, already packed and sealed. A backpack rested against his shoulders.
"What is all this?" Bruce asked, voice low. "What's with the boxes?"
Danny looked up. He exhaled slowly, the sound heavy with resignation.
"I decided I'm moving out. I wanted you to be the first to know… but I needed a little help from Alfred with packing."
Bruce stared at him. "You're moving out."
"Yeah. Back to my parents' place." Danny's gaze drifted toward the window, away from Bruce's face.
"Why?" It was the only word Bruce could manage.
Danny brought his hands together in his lap, fingers interlocking tightly. His expression tightened, complicated and weary.
"Come on. Let's not kid ourselves. We both know the reason why." He paused, then added more quietly, "But it's not just that. This place… it just doesn't feel like home to me anymore."
The words landed like a physical blow. Bruce felt the air leave his lungs, though his face remained carefully controlled. Danny hadn't meant the statement as an attack, but the honesty of it cut deeper than any accusation could have.
Outside the doorway, Dick's hands curled into fists so tight his nails bit into his palms.
Danny's expression hardened as he crossed one arm over the other, fingers digging lightly into the fabric of his sleeve.
"I lied and kept secrets from the people closest to me for your sake," he said, voice steady but low. "It hurt me to do it. Every single time. But I didn't complain much because I knew it was what was required of me. I respected that. I understood how important it was. Even now, neither Sam nor Tucker know your real identity. They still think Batman and Robin are two completely separate people."
He lifted his gaze, meeting Bruce's eyes without flinching.
"Secrets are your thing. I get that. But they're not *my* thing."
Bruce frowned, standing over him with the quiet intensity that usually settled arguments before they began. "Don't you think you're being a bit hasty with this decision? Why don't you wait a little longer before deciding something so drastic? You're still upset—"
"My emotions aren't clouding my judgment." Danny interrupted with a sharp shake of his head. "I thought this through. I even had a heart to heart with Alfred while I was packing. We both agreed this is what's best for me right now."
His frustration finally cracked through the careful control he had been holding onto.
"This is the second time I've been undermined in this household. The first time was with my parents' weapons. You didn't think to consult me, and you saw how that ended. And now this. There is only so much I'm willing to take"
Danny looked up at Bruce again. For a brief moment his eyes flashed a vivid, unnatural green.
"I don't want to wait around for a third or fourth time for you to decide something for me without asking first. I get that you're the adult here and I'm just a kid, so your judgment comes before mine. But it's still common courtesy. It's still respect."
His voice softened, though the resolve beneath it remained unshaken.
"And don't get me wrong. I love you, Bruce. You're like a second father to me at this point. I still want to keep learning from you. I still want to go on patrol every night. But I just can't stay in a place where I don't feel respected or acknowledged."
Danny lowered his head, staring at the floor between them.
"Thank you for everything you've done for me. I will always be grateful to youl but I'm sorry, I've already made my decision… and there's no changing that."
Bruce's jaw tightened. For several long seconds he said nothing. Then, quieter:
"Have you thought everything through? What are you going to do for food? For basic necessities?"
Danny shrugged, the motion almost casual. "I was planning on getting a part-time job. I didn't want to rely on you forever. Not to brag, but I'm pretty crafty with my hands. I could work as a mechanic or something similar. With the skills I've picked up by now, it shouldn't be hard."
Bruce stared at him for a long moment. Finally his shoulders dropped in quiet defeat, and he let out a slow sigh.
"No. There's no need. I'll handle it. It's the least I can do."
He dragged a hand through his hair in frustration, then asked, almost reluctantly, "So there's really nothing I can do to change your mind?"
Danny's mouth twitched. He rubbed his thumb and fingers together in an exaggerated gesture. "I mean… I could be bribed if you really want me to stay. Money talks, as they say. But it's gonna cost you."
A short, reluctant huff of amusement escaped Bruce. He shook his head, then reached out with careful hesitation and rested a hand on Danny's head, ruffling his hair.
"Fine. If this is really what you want… and you truly believe it's for the best… I won't stop you. Just know that if you ever feel like you want to come back, my doors are always open to you."
Danny exhaled in quiet relief. A small, genuine smile touched his lips as he nodded. "Thank you."
Outside the open doorway, Dick clicked his tongue once, sharp and bitter, then turned and walked away, hands shoved deep into his pockets.
…
Later, Alfred and Bruce helped Danny carry every box and bag out of the manor and into the waiting car, then into the house that had once been his parents' home. They set everything down in a neat pile just inside the entrance.
When the last box was in place, Alfred wiped his forehead and regarded Danny with a mixture of pride and quiet concern.
"Are you certain you won't require us to help you organize all of this?"
Danny finished dusting his hands and stood among the cardboard towers, looking around the familiar space. "It's fine. I've got it handled. Organizing everything will be my first step toward actual independence."
Alfred chuckled softly, then brought a hand to his chest and offered a small, formal bow of acknowledgment.
Danny walked them both to the door. He waved them off, thanking them again for the help, and waited until the car disappeared down the street before closing the door behind him.
Alone now, he stood in the quiet of the house. There was no despondency in the silence this time—only a strange, steady calm.
He planted his hands on his hips, took a deep breath, and let the reality of the moment settle over him. Surrounded by boxes, he smiled.
"Home, sweet home."
[End of Volume 1: Prologue — He was just 14]
…
A/N: Let's go baby!! Finally, holy shit this volume took forever to complete.
Yeah now that this volume is over I'm here to announce that I'm dropping this fic.
I'm joking, lol.
Thank you everyone for the continuous support ✌😘✌, I honestly only didn't give up until now because of all of you, even when I clearly lost my way half of the time when writing.
Anyways, now for something I've been wanting to do for this fic for a really long time, where everyone tells me their favorite moment of the volume.
And this volume was a long one, practically the entire fic, so there's a lot of moments to choose from.
I think we can all agree that my top two moments were the Phantom dragon and end of the Desiree arc, especially with that final involving death.
But that's just me, what about y'all?
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