Chapter Text
It took Phantom three days to get arrested again.
And this time it wasn’t even his fault!
Okay, it was kind of his fault.
Phantom had known it was a bad idea to interfere with a gang fight, especially when he looked like a human and couldn’t use his powers as freely.
Hell, Nightwing had even warned him against going after the gangs when he was all ghostly and powered up.
When Phantom had made the argument that they couldn’t even kill him, Nightwing had argued back that they could still hurt him, which was… strange.
It also filled Phantoms core with an unfamiliar happy buzz, and if Phantom hadn’t already been completely endeared to Nightwing by that point, he definitely would have been.
To Phantom, Nightwing was a cool breeze in the stifling hot unfamiliarity of his new… life? Afterlife?
Nightwing had bought him burgers to eat on rooftop ledges, and they’d talk and laugh together about everything and nothing at all.
And maybe Phantom was dumb for ignoring Nightwings advice, but there were innocent people huddled up behind store booths and how could he not help.
He had jumped into the fray, smoothly moving through the mass of bodies and fists and knifes, stealing and tossing as many guns as he could.
Unfortunately for him, that meant he was in the center of the crowd by the time the police showed up.
Most of the gang members froze quickly after the police showed up, Phantoms recent liberations of their weapons leaving them unable to match the firepower of the completely armed police forces.
Phantom looked around, trying to find a convenient spot to disappear to, when his eyes landed on something much less ideal.
Police officer Dick Grayson was staring directly at him, making his way through the crowd with a determined expression on his face.
Phantom stiffened up, now looking around even more frantically, but before he could take even three steps there was a heavy hand on his shoulder.
“I think you’re coming with me.” Officer Grayson smiled, but it felt almost as scary as a frown.
He had dragged Phantom to his car, nodding at Hawke, who was handcuffing a scowling man with an excessive amount of tattoos.
The car ride was silent and tense, and Phantom couldn’t stop himself from fidgeting with his hands.
Phantom felt a bit like he had disappointed a parent, which was kind of stupid, because he had only met Officer Grayson once before.
Officer Grayson dragged him through the police station, the hand on his shoulder steady, but surprisingly gentle.
Eventually Officer Grayson opened a door, gesturing inside to a room that was almost a duplicate of the room where they had first met.
Phantom sat down, and he wondered if this was what normal kids felt when they were called to the principals office.
“Hello, Wes.” Officer Grayson said, a strange emphasis on Phantom’s fake name.
“So I guess you figured out-“ Phantom started sheepishly.
“Yes I did figure out you aren’t actually Wes Weston. Want to share your actual name now?”
“It’s…” Quick Phantom, Think! “Jack.” Phantom finally decided on, trying to look casual about it.
“And what’s your last name, Jack?” Officer Grayson said, obviously doubting his words. Which was rude.
Fair, but still rude.
“Baxter.” Phantom answered quickly, having already prepared himself for the follow up question. Take that! Phantom could so plan ahead.
“And your middle name?” Officer Grayson asked, and Phantom was beginning to see why everyone was okay with calling him Dick.
“Sss…” Why did middle names even exist?
-Sometimes they were just second normal names but sometimes they could be letters and it was so stupid and Dick looked so smug about catching Phantom in his lie so he had to think of something-
“Samantha.” Phantom said after a moments pause, before balking at his own brain because What Was That.
“Samantha.” Officer Grayson repeated, one eyebrow raised.
“I was bullied a lot in school.” And if Phantom was being honest, that part probably wasn’t even a lie.
“Is that the reason you decided to join a gang then?” Officer Grayson asked, and Phantom had to do a double take.
“Wait wait wait! You think I was working with those nerds?” Phantom said incredulously, his mouth agape.
“You were in the middle of a gang fight.” Officer Grayson deadpanned, raising an eyebrow.
“Yeah, but give me some credit will ya? I have standards!” Phantom complained, pouting and leaning on the table in front of him.
“So what were you, apparently not a gang member, doing in the middle of a gang fight?” Officer Grayson asked.
“I was stealing their guns, obviously.” Phantom said proudly, before pausing. “Okay wait, that sounds bad. I was taking their guns so they would stop firing bullets everywhere. So technically, I was being helpful!” Phantom amended.
Officer Grayson stared blankly at him for a few seconds. He then sighed.
“Jack, do you have any parents or guardians?” Officer Grayson finally asked.
“So… What would qualify as a parent or guardian?” Phantom sheepishly dodged the question.
“I-“ Officer Grayson paused for a moment, looking at Phantom with something almost like pity. “Someone who offers you protection, somewhere safe to stay, food, and cares about you. Do you have someone like that Jack?”
Of course Phantom didn’t, he was a lost ghost who woke up knowing nothing and no one.
Except-
There was Nightwing.
Nightwing who offered him advice about Blüdhaven.
Nightwing who had slipped him an address on a piece of paper, leading to a small apartment and Phantom had passed out on the dusty couch, too scared to dirty up the bed but he had gotten to sleep inside and safe.
Nightwing who bought burgers to eat with Phantom, laughing and slipping him snacks with a gentle smile on his face.
Nightwing, who despite only knowing him for a few days offered him a gentle sort of kindness that was so unfamiliar and yet made his core feel so much like home.
“I do.” Phantom answered, his voice a bit unsure, before growing in confidence. “Yeah, I’ve got a dad.” Phantom grinned a bit, reveling in the newfound discovery of his sort of dad.
Officer Grayson looked almost disappointed, before putting on a grin that didn’t quite reach his eyes.
“Can you give me his contact information then?” Officer Grayson asked, and Phantom froze up a bit.
Even Phantom didn’t really know how to get in touch with the vigilante outside of meeting up on the rooftop that Phantom had gotten his nose slammed in by Nightwing.
Before Phantom could try to bullshit his way out, the door to their interrogation room opened up, and Phantom distantly recognized the face of the brunette who’d chased him after his failed attempt at stealing from Hawkes wallet.
“Grayson, we need some help; The gang members are making some trouble.” She said, and Grayson looked between Phantom and the door, before standing up.
“I’ll be back soon Jack.” Grayson said, making eye contact with Phantom before he closed the door behind him.
Phantom grinned, hopping out of his seat and popping his back.
His eyes scanned the ceiling, stopping when he spotted a small camera in the corner.
His grin widened as he flashed a peace sign towards the camera, before letting his core cover his body in the cool cloak of invisibility, quietly giggling to himself as he wondered what the officers reaction to his disappearance would be.
He was almost tempted to stick around just to see their faces, but he decided against it.
He turned to the wall closest to him, walking through.
He half-heartedly felt sorry for the confusion he’d cause Officer Grayson.
After all, it wasn’t everyday a criminal vanished from the interrogation room, just like a ghost.