INSIDE OUT (DP+Batman crossover)

Partners in lies

"Have you checked his room? I mean went through his stuff." Jason asked. He was expecting a positive answer but Tim only shook his head. He really didn't want to go through Danny's stuff, he would rather let the others do the job.

Seeing no other option, Jason and Tim made their way through the manor to Danny's empty room. Well not empty, but lacking his presence.

"He ran away..." Tim sighed as he opened the wardrobe. "He took his clothes." Jason plopped down on Danny's bed with an uneasy feeling in his guts.

"Is there anything that might give away his position?" The older vigilante asked with a sigh. Only shuffling could be heard for a few moments. Then Tim shot up from the wardrobe, a victorious look on his face. He held three different papers in his hands. Tim sat down next to his brother and laid the papers in front of them.

"I should check them first." Jason said and scooped the letters. "There might be some valuable information Danny doesn't want you to know."

"So he told you everything?" Tim gave his brother an unamused look and snagged one paper away from him. 

"Court of owls emblem..." Tim mumbled with wide eyes. "Do you think they took him?" With a distressed look, he snatched the remaining letters from his brother, who was frozen in shock. "And this is the league of shadows!" He nearly shouted.

"Sorry Danny, can't hide it from him now. You need help." Jason mumbled and gently took the letters back. The duo read through them carefully. When they finished, nobody knew what to say.

"So Danny is Phantom. The hero who disappeared. That means he must have gone through some torture which made him into Phantom, now the bad one. That's why he brought up the torture topic yesterday!" Tim summed up the whole situation, connecting small pieces of information into one. "And you knew?"

"Be quiet!" Jason hissed. "Please, now when you know, don't tell Bruce. You can help me rescue him but keep it to yourself." The older vigilante pleaded, looking directly at his brother.

"The one we were hunting was living under the same roof as we did. Poor Danny." Tears were now visible in Tim's eyes. "What have we done? He went through hell here and nobody was there to help him! How could I be so blind?" The younger vigilante was now fully crying. "If I knew about it, I would have helped him and this would never happen."

"Tim, you have to stop blaming yourself. It was my fault too. I should have been there for him more." Jason closed his watery eyes and hugged his crying brother.

"But how can I call myself a detective? I... I..."

"Tim, shut up!" Jason's outburst made his brother shut his mouth immediately. "We will find him." He said with a small smile. "I'm counting on you detective."

Tim wiped his tears and gave his brother a weak smile. "I'll see what I can do." He stuttered and made his way back into his room.

What have you gotten yourself into Danny? Jason thought as he hid those papers into his pocket.

.......

"Jason! I think I know where he is." Tim announced after only few minutes of searching. "You see, Danny's friend Ryan White is a member of the League of Shadows, so I think it would be his first choice."

"But what if he joined the Owls instead? To confuse us? I don't want to doubt what you said, but did you consider the option that Danny just ran away?" Tim's mood deflated in an instance.

"I'm so worried for Danny I didn't think of the simplest option." The younger vigilante sighed. "Why do you keep me here? You can do all of this by yourself."

"Tim..." Jason was getting irritated. "We went through this already." He growled and glared at his sibling.

"What are you two up to?" Dick asked from behind the doors, startling both of them.

"Just come in." Jason grumbled and sat back in his rolling chair. It was enough to have Tim here, he didn't need anyone else.

"Is this some kind of writing club?" Dick asked, pointing to the song Danny wrote. Tim looked at his brother, asking for help.

"Yeah... Tim and I... wanted to make our own little band. You know." Jason chuckled nervously and rubbed his neck.

"Can I join them?" The oldest vigilante asked cheerfully. 'Thanks god, he suspects nothing.' Jason thought and relaxed.

"It's kind of depressing, don't you think?" Dick asked while reading through the text.

"It's easier to write about it." Tim said with a shrug, playing along with Jason.

"Well then, I'm looking forwards to your premiere." Dick chuckled and disappeared.

"We have to be careful around him." Jason sighed. They need to find Danny ASAP. Before he gets into more trouble.!