Phantom Titans

Planning for the Future

Lyle's POV: Once we got back to FentonWorks I helped Erin out of the car. "Thank you, kind sir." she teased. I don't know what I'd do without her. "Right this way, m'lady." I replied. I found that, strangely, the door was unlocked. My ghost sense didn't go off so we went in. To my surprise, I found Danny's sister Jazz sitting on the couch, who then jumped up and starting frantically explaining something. "Calm down." I said. "CALM DOWN?! NEVER TELL A WOMAN TO CALM DOWN! There's also this huge thing that you somehow have not seen." she blurted. "HAVE YOU NOT SEEN THE NEWS?!" Jazz tugged my arm and sat me down on the couch, turning the volume up.

A newscaster was standing in front of a burning building, something looked familiar about it. "Yes Dave, I'm here on the corner of Harper and Buckle at the site of the blaze now, which still has no known cause..." I immediately turned the TV off. The smoke I saw, corner of Harper and Buckle. "Erin! Your parents! Get on my back, we're flying." I said as I transformed. Erin looked at me with a worried look. "Taken care of." Jazz said, holding out a crop top and shorts. Taking just a moment to change, I flew to the Sanders' house with Erin on my back. The same reporter from the news broadcast saw me and I dismissed him. "Everyone and their mother knows who I am! Stand clear!" I exclaimed. Once inside the house I immediately began searching for the Sanders, who I found under a fallen beam. I carried them both out, one on each shoulder, as paramedics and police had arrived, as well as the rest of the media. Firefighters were busy putting out the blaze. "Give them room to breathe, goddamn it! And you couldn't have done that before I ran into a burning building? You're a fucking disgrace to your job title!" I swore. I put the two adults down where they where the medics took over. "I can't thank you enough for saving them." Erin said. I nodded. "I lost my dad. It would haunt me forever if you lost your parents." 

I've been really open with her lately, as well as anyone else I know I can trust. "I'm just glad your parents are safe." Suddenly I felt a hand on my shoulder. "Hi, sweetie. How you holding up?" a voice asked. I turned my head to see my mom standing behind me. "Mom! It's been how long? I'm sorry I haven't called. But I have good news. Erin's parents--"

"It's okay baby, it's only been a month. And I know, Erin called me. You're growing up so fast. I'm so proud of you. And you got your girlfriend the nicest dress. And I'm glad she likes the pearls. Hi, Erin." she said.

"Nice to see you again, Celia." Erin replied.

"But I do have one issue. Marriage? So soon? What would--" my mom immediately stopped herself. "No, you're right. It is a bit rushed. But graduation is getting close. And spending my life with Erin, that's what I want. And I'll be fine, I'm with the best girl in the whole world, if not the universe." As soon as I said that all I saw was a mess of light red curls as Erin kissed me. "Make sure Erin's parents are okay. You can take them back to your place." I said as Erin pulled me away from her parent's "house".

"My parents can rebuild the house. You don't have to burden your mom." she said, taking out her phone. "It's not a burden. And see that? I don't think you can salvage anything from that." I said in reference to the smoldering like of ash that was formerly the Sanders residence. "Your parents can stay with my mom until we can find you a new house. I'm thinking something like a townhouse, so there's plenty of space. In the meantime, you and I are going back. You know the drill. Wait, who are you calling?" I queried. "Danny, he should definitely know about this. Yeah, hey Danny, it's Erin. So I have some things to tell you. Lyle can explain more if you need more info."

Erin got on my back and I was surprised as she wrapped her legs around my waist. "Can't be too careful." she replied. To be honest, I felt a lot better in this moment than I ever did before. I was snapped out of my trance by Erin tugging my ear. "OW! Uncalled for! But I get your point. Please fasten your seat belt. OW! Okay, fine! You wanna go or not? Because I have the time." I said.

"I'm sorry, Lyle. I'm just worried about this. Your mom has a point about the marriage stuff. I guess I'm just taking out my frustrations on you." she said as I rose into the air. "Lyle!" a voice called. I looked around and saw Danny and the Titans flying towards me, Robin perched on Danny's back. "We came as soon as we could. So sorry about your house, Erin. But I heard Lyle here saved your folks." Robin said. I nodded. Suddenly I remembered something. I landed back on the ground with Erin and ran into the "house", still smoldering hot. I looked around frantically, trying to find something. "Please be alive, or at least treatable by medical standards." I thought. Just then I heard the telltale signs of barking coming from behind me. I was suddenly hit by a large mass, feeling a wet nose touching my face. "Jake! Oh thank goodness you're okay! How did you--"

"I think I can answer that." a familiar voice said. My ghost sense went off. Of course.

"Jake, no! What do you want, Skulker?" I asked, managing to hold    back the 90 pound angry canine with one hand, a ghost ray ready in my free hand. "I'm surprised. You should be thanking me." he said.

"Jake, stay! What do you mean by thank you? What have you ever done for me? I said stay, boy! OW! Bad dog!" I exclaimed as Jake, snarling at Skulker, bit my hand and escaped my grasp. "Jake! Come to Mommy!" Erin exclaimed. "I mean that if I hadn't heard the mutt's whining, he'd be d--UGH!" Skulker grunted as I punched him."He's a Malamute, you overgrown vending machine! Now do you want to do this the easy way and leave of your own accord or the hard way and shove you in the new and improved Fenton Thermos?" I said, pulling a disk about the size of a hockey puck out of my belt, it expanding into the Thermos. "I added in a few things, such as a carbon fiber structure thus making it a bit lighter and, oh screw it!" I quickly sucked a fleeing Skulker into the Thermos.

"Shall we relieve you of the dog called Jake?" a voice asked. "Oh, the Titans are still here. Yeah, Starfire could you take him back to FentonWorks?" I asked, to which the green-eyed alien nodded. As soon as the Titans left, I was surprised by a hand on my shoulder, unknowingly punching Danny in the face. "OW! What the fuck?!" he cursed, now sporting a bloody nose. "Oops, sorry. Anyway, what time is it?" I asked, suddenly feeling like I was going to barf. "About 6, why?" Danny asked, as Erin handed him a handkerchief and asking him to wash it after he was done. "Uh, no reason." I said, trying not to look like I was in a rush as I flew away.

Danny's POV: "You're really lucky to have him. I'm glad you two met." Danny said to Erin. "I know, I know." she said, still looking in the direction of my brother's flight. "You know we should be joining him." I said. She nodded as we transformed and flew off.

Lyle's POV: I was in a tizzy as I just made it home to run to the bathroom and vomit. "Oh God, something feels wrong. AAGH!" Something was definitely wrong. But not wrong in the usual sense, whatever that means. I dialed Erin and got her voicemail. "Erin, it's Lyle. Something is wrong, dreadfully wrong. Call me back as soon as-- AAAGH! Possible! Please!" I hung up after leaving the message, hoping that Erin wasn't too busy.