Rachel's Story
Part 1
What had started out as an early evening shower had now turned into a full blown thunderstorm. Constant flashes of lightning illuminated the streets of Jump City while an almost nonstop rumble of thunder echoed between the downtown skyscrapers. The dark storm clouds blotted out the sun and made it seem much later than it actually was.
The loud, deep rumbles of thunder shook the windows of the downtown diner. The flashes of lightning brightened up the dimly lit eatery as the young man sat at one of the booths and stared out the window at the rain.
He was roughly 5' 9" with a tan complexion. He had shaggy blond hair and bright green eyes. He wore a pair of baggy khaki cargo pants and high top boots. On his top he wore a plain black t-shirt that was just barely tight enough to show off his muscular torso.
He turned his gaze back to the cup in his hands. It was full of a dark warm liquid that he briefly saw his reflection in before he took another sip. It was a familiar taste and it brought back waves of memories to him. He didn't always like tea but when it was all that she ever offered him he began to tolerate it, and eventually like it. 'She did always say it was an acquired taste.'
He sat the cup down and looked around the diner. It was completely empty save for him and three waitresses. There was an elderly couple when he first walked in to escape the rain but they soon left stating that they wanted to make it home before the storm got any worse. That left him alone with the wait staff.
He wasn't really hungry but he figured if he was going to stay he should order something. As he eyed the menu he didn't really see anything that looked good. He then noticed that they had a selection of herbal tea. This surprised him and he decided to try one. He honestly wasn't expecting much but to his surprise it was a lot better than he expected it to be. Nowhere near as good as hers but still, pretty tasty.
"Can I get you a refill?" a voice asked as it brought him out of his train of thought. A young waitress stood there with a new cup of tea for him. She placed it down on the coaster as she removed the almost empty one from in front of him.
"Thanks umm…Rachel," he said simply as he looked at her name tag. She was quite pretty. She was about 5' 3" and had a slender build. She had short black hair that ran down just past her ears. Her skin was a little paler then most but not too bad.
"You ok handsome? You look like you just saw a ghost," she asked him with a raised eyebrow. Apparently he had been staring at her for quite some time without realizing it.
"Oh, sorry," he said with a small smile as he looked down at the new cup in front of him.
"That's ok. I have that effect on men," she said jokingly.
"No it's just that you look a lot like this girl I used to know. Her name was Rachel too," he answered as he gave a gentle smile at her.
"Oh, is that a good thing or a bad thing?" she asked.
"Good I guess," he shrugged.
"An ex?"
He let out a deep sigh. "Yeah."
Seeing that this was an uncomfortable place for him she quickly tried to change the subject. "So you got a name or should I just call you the hot guy I get to wait on tonight?"
He chuckled as he heard this. "You're not too subtle are you?"
"Where is the fun in that?" she responded as she looked down at him with a seductive grin.
He began to blush as he answered. "My name is Garfield Logan."
"Garfield? Like the cat?"
"Yeah"
"Oh sweetie, I'm so sorry," she said as she placed a hand on his shoulder in mock comfort.
Garfield laughed. "Thanks. My friends just call me Gar…or BB."
She got a puzzled look on her face. "How do they get BB out of Garfield Logan?"
"Umm…long story," he said as he took the first sip of the new cup of tea.
"I'd like to hear it some time," she said as she placed the tray that she had been holding the whole time on the table and slid to the far side of the table, making sure that she reached far enough in front of him that her top would fall open just enough to give him a small show. She took a seat opposite of him in the booth.
He tried to keep from looking but it didn't work. "I actually don't live here. I used to but I'm just in town now to pick some stuff up from my old place."
"Yeah you're not one of our regulars. Where do you live now?"
"Texas. Amarillo," he answered, eying the other two girls giggling behind the counter as they looked in his direction. "Umm not trying to sound rude but, you don't have anything you have to do?"
"No, we're slow 'cause of the storm." She answered quickly never taking her eyes off him. "I have a cousin that lives in Dallas. Is that close to Amarillo?"
He laughed. "No. Amarillo is in northern Texas. It's a good six hour drive to Dallas."
"Oh," she said sounding somewhat disappointed.
"What's wrong?"
"Oh nothing just thinking that I haven't visited my cousin in quite a while."
"Wow, you really don't take it slow do you?" he stated, taking another sip of tea.
"Nah," she shook her head.
He looked out the window and noticed that the rain was starting to let up. There was still a constant rumble of thunder but there wasn't a waterfall of rain outside anymore. "Looks like it's letting up," he said, gazing out the window.
"Got somewhere you need to be?" she asked, not noticing the rain.
"Um well I kinda came here to gather up some stuff from my old place. They are talking like they are going to tear it down next year." Garfield worried that he might have said too much, but Rachel didn't seem to notice.
"Oh, you used to live in an apartment building or something?"
"Yeah, exactly," he jumped on the explanation.
"Which ones?"
'Crap, I didn't think that through.'
"Umm old ones. They haven't been used for a while."
"And you left some of your stuff there?" she asked incredulously.
"Well when I left I didn't really think it was for good."
"Oh…" she wasn't sure what he meant by this but she was willing to let a few odd quarks go. She looked him over. She would say that he wasn't her type but she would have to have a type first. He really was a looker.
She moved her gaze down to his hands. On his right ring finger was a small but very interesting looking ring. It was a silver band inlaid with a row of stones, a larger one at the center. "What's with the ring?" she asked, pointing at it with her pinky.
Gar chuckled a bit. "This was given to me by a friend of mine. Guy named Victor."
"You wear a ring that was given to you by a guy?" She asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Oh it's not what it sounds like. He made one for everyone in our little circle of friends."
"Okaaayyy," she said, eying him with a smile. "You're a different one, that's for sure."
"Heh, you have no idea," he laughed.
Gar turned up the cup and finished the last few drops before setting it back down on the table. He glanced at the clock on the wall behind the bar; almost 8:30.
"I really need to head out. Get this done before it gets too late," he said as he stood up from the booth.
"Oh, ok," Rachel said with just a hint of disappointment in her voice as she followed suit and got up from the table. "Umm I get off in an hour. I could give you a ride if you want to wait," she offered.
"No, that's ok. I think I need to have a walk anyways. Clear my head. How much do I owe you?"
"Nothing Mr. Logan. It's on the house," she said as she gathered up the cups and napkins and placed them on the tray as she began to wipe down the table.
"I can't do let you do that."
"You're not letting me. I'm doing it anyways."
"Ok, if you must," he said as he traded grins with her.
She finished up and made her way behind the counter. The other two waitress who had been gossiping about them quickly rushed over to talk to her. 'Still got it' he thought to himself.
As he started to make his way to the front door Rachel called after him. "Hey, don't forget your receipt," she said as she ran up to meet him at the door.
"But you said it was on the house," he said taking the small piece of paper from her hand.
"It is but you're gonna want that," she said as she reached over and gave him a quick hug. Garfield only halfheartedly returned it, still trying to figure out what she meant by her last comment.
She let go and began to slowly walk back over to the counter, wiggling her hips a little as she walked.
Gar stared for a moment before finally uttering a simple "Bye," and walking out the front door.
As he rounded the corner he looked down and opened the folded receipt he was handed. It was blank save for one hastily scribbled note. 'Rachel Lock – 555-0123.'
He let out a small chuckle and placed it back into his pant pocket. "I guess I should head to the tower."
The rain had slowed to a sprinkle. The smell of fresh rain always cheered him up, even on this night. 'Amazing.'
The sound of distant thunder and car tires splashing in the street as they passed harmonized into a symphony of the city. He could have spent hours listening to that sound. The sounds and the cool breeze on his face were so nice. That, and the fact that a cute waitress just hit on him would make it a pretty good night any other time, but not this night.
"I don't want to do this," he spoke to himself.
'Come on now. You have been planning this for weeks.'
"Yeah, it needs to be done," he said with a sigh.
He continued his trip down the streets of his former city. Taking it slow and enjoying the night air. Even if he had told Rachel that he was in a hurry he really wasn't.
As he rounded the next corner he saw a familiar sight: the park where he and all his friends used to come and play so often. Well Dick, Victor, Kori, and him would have fun. Rachel would usually sit and read her books. He had always wondered how someone could look so unbelievably beautiful by just sitting under a tree reading a book.
He moved on through the park. He could see Titans Tower off in the distance. It stood there solitary in the middle of the bay. It looked as it always did, and it brought a smile to his face.
'Home.'
He knew what he had to do would be hard. That's why he had been putting it off for so long. He almost couldn't believe it when Dick told him they were going to tear it down.
The phone was ringing again. Whoever this unrecognized number was they were persistent. Finally he decided to answer it. If he didn't they probably wouldn't stop calling.
"Hello," he answered.
"Gar, it's been a while. How's life in Texas?"
"Rob…Dick. Hot, really hot. It's good to hear from you."
"Well let's wait until you hear what I have to say first," his former boss said.
"What's up?" he asked curiously.
"The Tower BB, they are talking like they want to tear it down," Grayson said flatly.
"What!? Why?" Garfield asked in shock.
"Yeah, city council wants to build a lighthouse there or something."
"Jump City doesn't need a lighthouse!" Gar screamed in protest.
"I know. It's some sort of plan to beautify the city or something," Dick said with a large amount of irritation in his voice.
"That's stupid," Gar spat.
"I know. Hey we all sorta left some stuff in the tower. They don't plan on starting the demolition until sometime next year. If you have anything you need to pick up go there and do it next chance you get."
"We aren't going to try and fight this?"
"How? For what reason? I know it was our home for a while but the tower isn't in use anymore. There really isn't a reason for them not to," Dick reasoned.
"So that's it then?"
"I'm sorry man. I have already let Victor, Kori, and…well everyone, know about it. They will all make it down there on their own time."
"Wow. Ok well I guess I should too. I can be down there early next month."
"Good," Dick said. "Victor said the security systems should still recognize us and let us in. Even after all these years."
"Thanks. Bye Dick," he said as he slowly took the phone away from his ear.
"So long BB." The phone beeped and went back to the menu screen.
"This can't be happening."
Three weeks later he stood on the pier looking out at his former home. A sense of excitement, nervousness and despair filled his heart all at the same time.
He brought up his right hand and eyed the ring there. It was so long since he had last removed it. This had become his new face, his new self. But it felt good to be the real him every now and again. He reached over and twisted the large stone at the center of the ring. His clothes had dissolved into a familiar purple and black outfit. and his bronze skin was now a deep shade of green. His shaggy blond hair had now returned to its natural jade coloring.
He drew in a deep breath and exhaled. "Hello Beast Boy," he said to himself before morphing into a falcon and making his way towards the tower.