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Chapter Thirty-Seven: Rise

Superboy held Phantom as they comforted the ghost boy. It was rare for the prince of the Ghost Zone to show such vulnerability. He was always the type to be switching between the most lovable goofball that you could ever meet and being as serious as a military general. To ever see him cry or just lose composure completely was about a rare as finding a yellow rose among a field of black ones.

Superboy greatly cared for Phantom. He would never let anything happen to him as long as he was around. Most would never think that the even-tempered clone could be so soft around someone, but they had never seen him in love.

He first tried to have a relationship with Miss. Martian a few years ago, but even while he didn't hate it, it did not feel totally right. The martian girl misusing her telepathy and putting several villains and aliens in comas was just the excuse he needed to end their relationship. It helped bring her back to her usual sweet self, but they never got back together. And currently, he was very glad that they did not.

The most vulnerable that the Kryptonian clone had seen of him was when the two had shared their first kiss and officially became a couple. That memory always puts a smile on his face whenever he remembers it.

*****Flashback*****

The two heroes walked through the backyard of Mount Justice. Phantom and Siren had just gotten back from a trip to the Ghost Zone and Mystic Isles to take care of some of their royal duties, bit they hadn't told the team about their statues yet. Phantom had no clue what Superboy was up to since the clone had been the one to drag him out here. And in all honesty, he was always wary of the ones on the team that didn't know their status. He felt they wouldn't trust him fully if they didn't know him.

While there always was that slight spark between the ghost boy and the clone, but Danny's been cautious of everyone since the DAN problem. If seeing an evil version of yourself doesn't make you wary of potential troubles, nothing will.

''Never thought you'd ever want to take a walk, Conner,'' Danny smirked. ''You always struck me as a 'training to relax' kind of guy.''

''Even a half Kryptonian has to take it slow every once in a while,'' Conner chuckled. ''You could learn a thing, or two, from that.''

''Like it's my fault that most ghosts would attack in the middle of the night back in our old realm,'' Danny pouted, crossing his arms. ''Mostly the Box Ghost. That guy really needs a hobby.''

''At this point, attacking you just might be his hobby,'' Conner joked.

''Lucky me,'' Danny groaned, making Superboy snicker.

''So, other than the disaster you're forced to call your former home , anything else going on in the Ghost Zone,'' Conner asked, basically stalling his feelings at this point.

''For once, it's been quiet,'' Danny says. ''Only a few minor issues. Pandora's army is still searching for Davy Jones and Blackbeard with their ghost ship. Youngblood's been a big help with that. Frostbite's coming up with a way to trap Undergrowth in a cryo-chamber.''

''Well, everyone knows plants hate ice,'' Conner smirked. ''Frost, yes. Ice, no.''

''With the amount of time I spend with Lena and Krinos, it be a crime not to know anything about nature,'' Danny chuckled. ''We all know how protective they are of plants, especially Krinos.''

''No kidding,'' Conner agreed. ''Remember when you once told us about how he once gave chase to a group of business men that tried to bulldoze his forest?''