The Lantern Brothers: 002

"I know what I saw!" Matt shouts. Danny stares at his brother with deep concern and worry. "And what I saw, as we're being shoved off the damn stupid trail we've been trapped on for a week!" Matt yells at the mix of rangers, social workers and cops. They'd made it out of the forest alive, Danny's got a broken leg, Matt's arm is broken and they're sharing a cocktail of fractures between every other bone, but they're alive. "Was that motherfucker and the whore I unfortunately have to legally call my mother, push us off it! I got video! Don't you dare fuckin' try to make it sound like I'm overreacting cause she 'remarried'! I'm pissed as Hell cause she tried to kill my brother and me!" Matt screams at the deputy who had the audacity to accuse him of simply being upset about his mother marrying someone new.

"Uhm...Matty," Danny attempts to keep his brother from speaking again because Danny just knows that his brother is going to say something mean.

"That the shit you do Old Man? You cheat on your wife and now your daughters fuckin' hate you and whatever cheap slut you're with?!" Like that. Danny hobbles over to his brother and pushes him away from the deputy who looks like he's only just realized the truth about something.

"Okay, calm down. Let's take a deep breath."

"Don't you coddle me. I'm not a baby."

"I'm telling you to stop before you get arrested." Danny says tiredly as he wobbles. Matt steadies him.

"Why are you tryin' to walk anyway? You should be resting."

"So should you." Danny counters. "Now just sit down while we wait for Dad and Sue to come get us. And be nice."

"I am always nice."

"You are not. You're mean and cranky and you gave that deputy trauma just by talking to him."

"That's his fault for being weak." Matt says pointedly, loudly. "I'm nice to you."

"Cause I'm your only friend." Danny smiles at his brother. "And we're both alive, Dad's gonna come get us, we won't ever have to see Mom again. Just relax and sit with me." Danny tells Matt, knowing that if Danny says it Matt will do it. He still pulls out his secret weapon. "Please, Matty?" The way Matt folds is far less dramatic to anyone but Danny. Danny knows he is Matt's favorite everything, he knows his brother would do anything for him, he also knows that he's the only person alive that's allowed to call Matt, Matty. The only other person was their grandmother and she's sadly gone. So when Danny asks nicely, makes sure to bat his eyes up at Matt and uses that name...Matt melts like butter on a hot skillet.

It's a super power Danny never uses for evil, but he enjoys having all the same.

"...I hate you."

"Liar." Danny beams at him.

"I hate when you do that." Matt corrects though he really doesn't. Danny's his baby brother no matter how close in age they are. Matt loves him. Matt's always loved him. Matt sits next to him on the bench they were given to wait. "I was so scared I was gonna lose you when we fell."

"I know. But I'm tough. I learned that from you."

"You right by the way." Danny quirks his brow at his brother. "You are my only friend."

"Don't be dumb. We have friends."

"You have friends. I just follow you cause I don't want you to forget about me." Danny leans against his brother and Matt wraps an arm around him.

"I can't be Trick without my Treat." Danny says simply. The cops get them a hotel room until tomorrow when their father and Sue, their very kind step-mother, come to get them. Two beds but neither brother was willing to sleep separately after today. Matt needed Danny close or just wouldn't sleep and Danny wanted Matt close by to keep away any bad dreams. "Why didn't you tell them about the ghosts?"

"We go over this every time." Matt sighs tiredly. All he wants is to sleep. They'd showered and now Matt has his brother tucked in right where he belongs with Matt and no he's asking stupid questions. "We don't tell the cops about ghost shit because they don't arrest ghosts."

"We could tell Archer."

"I don't like Archer." Matt reminds his brother. "Stupid weirdo with his weirdo freak club."

"Val likes Archer."

"Val likes anything you like." Matt points out. How his clueless idiot of a brother doesn't get that Valentino Heartnet is absolutely in love with him, Matt will never know. Danny's intuition clearly doesn't tell him that part. "I told them we came across some bones and what looked burial grounds. Gave em the coordinates. They'll deal with it."

"And if they don't?" Danny asks.

"Then we let Archer and his creepy little club of freaks and weirdos loose." Matt answers. His phone pings. Matt grumbles. "I wanna sleep." Danny moves to grab the phone and puts it on silent.

"I'll deal with it. Can we get pancakes tomorrow morning?" Danny asks. He loves pancakes.

"I'll buy you a fucking 12-course meal just lemme sleep." Danny chuckles and shuts off Matt's phone, he's got his own to text their friends, theirs because Matt is awkward about it but they all include Matt because they do like him. Not just because Danny's part of a packaged deal.

"Night, Treat. Love you."

"Love you too, Trick.

&&&

Danny awakens to the feeling of being watched. He see those glowing eyes of the ghost woman from the forest. He does his best to remain still and silent.

"You sent them."

"...the cops?" Danny asks. She nods. "Uhm...yeah?"

"The others are gone. Found peace." Danny stares at her. She seems lost.

"Did you not...find peace?"

"I forget what peace feels like." She admits. "I will stay with you."

"Oh no. You don't have-"

"I want to." She says. "Give me a name and I will come when called. Only by you two. No one else." Danny thinks about his response. A name? For a woman murderer and left alone in the woods. A soul that wants Danny to give it a name.

"Tecca." He says. She tilts her head curiously and leans closer to him.

"What does it mean, Seer?"

"What does Seer mean?" Danny asks. She smiles this oddly devious smile at him.

"I asked you first." She whispers.

"Survivor." Her smiles softens. The glow in her eyes dims just a bit.

"Seer means that you can see us. You have a blessing, or a curse if you so see it. It is a choice you make, Seer. You and your soul guard."

"Matty?"

"Whatever you call him. His love protects you from the evils of this world and the world of the dead. It is why I cannot harm you though every part of my nature wishes to."

"Oh." Danny murmurs. She nods.

"I will make you a deal. You will carry me with you, let me follow you. I will serve you during that time...but eventually you will meet two men by the surnames of Childs and Addler...and you will make it so I can finish my business and find peace."

"What are you gonna do?" Danny whispers. She smiles wickedly, demonically.

"It will not ease your soul to know their fates. Simply bring me to them." She holds a bone out to him. A small thing, the tip stained a deep oxblood color. Danny stares at it.

"What is that?"

"The rib that stabbed my boy's heart when their ancestors killed him. Carry that, and you carry me." Tecca tells him honestly. "I will protect you both until my vengeance is enacted. Do you accept my offer?" Danny takes the bone in his hand. He should think about this, should wake Matt up and talk about it...but he can't help but feel pity for Tecca and what she must've gone through.

"I accept." Tecca smiles at him and then disappears. Danny blinks and suddenly it's daylight. Matt has his phone in his hand and he's looking for places for them to go eat.

"The fuck is wrong with you? Look like you've seen a ghost." Danny looks around for the bone, and feels an odd weight in his chest.

"Carry it with you." He mumbles. The bone is his now. He sees Tecca in the corner.

"Trick? What's up?" Danny can tell him later.

"Nothing. Weird dream. They found the bodies." Matt rolls his eyes as he stands up.

"You and your weird powers. C'mon Weirdo. Let's go get you pancakes." Danny looks at Tecca. She nods.

"No harm will come to you." She promises ominously.