A/N: My second attempt at a Terra-centric story. This has absolutely no Fushigi Yuugi in it whatsoever (thank goodness)! It starts with a time before Terra was born and goes up to the beginning of the next story, A Matter of Hope (we'd planned for four AMO stories, back before AMOT was even started. Pride was not one of the four concepts planned, but I'm doing it anyway). And, also, don't flame me because you hate Terra. Flame me because you hate the plot, writing style, OCs, ect. Not because you hate Terra.
This fic is largely based off of small comments in the Terra arc that don't seem to fit quite right, small actions that didn't have explanations. Such as, why did Terra opt to destroy the T-car in Aftershock 1, instead of simply altering the course of her weapons? Why did Beast Boy say, "I know all the terrible things she's done, exactly how messed up she is!"? I made up explanations and this is the result.
IMPORTANT! READ THIS: There's no Terra in this chapter. Go figure, eh? This chapter is to set up the story and let you become familiar with Rhea and Keb. That said, I'm pretty sure that the next chapter will be Terra.
Disclaimer: Story-wide. I do not own Teen Titans. I do own Rhea, Keb, and Delani (to an extent).
Full Summary: Terra-centric. Basically, if you hate Terra, don't read this. This story details Terra's past as I imagine it and describes her adventures after the events of Aftershock. Rated T for (sometimes repeated) character death. Planned to be TerraOC.
A Matter of Pride:
Chapter one; Siblings
Rhea's Diary
Dear Diary,
My name is Rhea. I am nine years old. I got this diary for Christmas. Daddy says that I should write about myself. He says that no one will ever read it. I believe him when he says that. Mommy died a year ago - the doctors said that she had leukemia but I don't know what that is - and I don't have any brothers or sisters. Daddy says that he won't ever read it. Daddy wouldn't lie to me.
He says he's 'going out with' a woman he met at work and maybe I'll have a new mommy. I don't want a new mommy. I want my Mommy back. Daddy says that this lady has a son, and he might be my brother. He says that our names are the same. I'd like to have a brother. I've never had any brothers or sisters before.
It's time for me to go to
bed now. Goodnight, Dear Diary.
Rhea
---
Dear Diary,
Daddy took me to meet his girlfriend today. She had her son with him. He's a lot older than me! His name is Keb. He said he was fifteen. And he was cute! I blushed when he smiled at me. Daddy laughed.
Keb... He's real cute. He's tall, lots taller than me, and his skin is sort of darkish-tan. Mine is pale pinkish. His hair was kind of goldish-brown and his eyes are real pretty, too, but they're dark and I can't tell the exact color. I tried to look like I wasn't looking, but he noticed and smiled at me again. My face went all hot and I had to look away.
Diary, what does a crush
feel like? I think I've just got my first one.
Rhea
---
Dear Diary,
I haven't written in a while! Sorry! Daddy's getting married. He's getting married to Keb's mommy. They want me to be the flower girl! I'm excited! I've never been a flower girl before. I get to wear a pretty dress and have my hair done up real pretty and throw flower petals! My dress is going to be green, except a lighter color of green than my eyes. Momma, that's what Daddy's new wife told me to call her, said that the dress will make my eyes look very pretty and that it will go with my hair, too. I can't wait!
Keb is in the wedding, too. He's the ring bearer. That means he stands around and has to be bored until the very end, and then he comes up with their wedding rings on a pillow and they give them to each other. He has to wear a suit and a tie. I'll bet he looks really nice in them.
Daddy was worried that I would be mad at him for getting married to Momma, so soon after Mommy died. But I told him that Momma makes him happy, and I saw that, so it was OK. Besides, I wanted Keb to be my brother. That way, we could spend all our time together!
I have to go, now. I'm
helping Momma pick out her dress!
Rhea
---
Dear Diary,
The wedding is tomorrow! I
can't wait! I'm so excited! While Daddy and Momma go on their
honeymoon, Keb and me will stay with Momma's parents. I haven't met
them, but Keb looked happy about that, so I think they're nice.
Rhea
---
Keb's Journal
August 15, 1988
My name is Keb. I'm
sixteen years old, yesterday. I live with my mother. Father left her
when I was small - ran off with another girl, I think, but Mother
never talks about him any more. I don't care that much about him,
either way. I'm kind of a solitary person. I like drawing more than I
like people. Well, that's not saying much. I don't have many friends
at my school but I think I've got a fan club. Whenever I go through
the hallways, I hear giggling, and everyone around me seems either
scared or jealous. I don't know why. It's creepy, the way they follow
me.
Why am I writing in this
book about myself? I'm the only one that will ever read it. Is it
normal to talk to the journal like it's a person? I don't know. This
is a new thing for me.
Keb
---
August 21, 1988
Mother is dating a man
from her work (she's a newspaper journalist). She has been for about
five months, but I've never met him. Today, she took me to meet him
and his daughter. I shook his hand and greeted him politely. I don't
resent the fact that he's dating my mother. She's raised me on her
own for the past ten years - it's about time she started seeing
someone, in my opinion!
Just in case you're wondering, no, I've never dated anyone.
(I can't believe I'm
talking to a book. How pathetic am I?)
(Ack, asking the book
questions now...)
Anyway, Mr. Miller has a
little daughter, maybe eight or nine. I've never been good
at guessing ages but she looked around there. She was cute, in a
little kid way, with these big green eyes and brown hair, done in a
sloppy ponytail. She blushed when I smiled at her and stared at me
when she thought I wouldn't notice. Had my fan club (groan) gained a
new member? I hope not. This will be interesting...
Keb
---
September 12, 1988
One of the girls in my
fan club (gag) asked me out. I politely declined. I don't want to date
anyone. At least, not yet. It's not my style. I'd rather just draw a picture. Does that make any
sense?
Keb
---
September 29, 1988
Nothing much has happened
in my life... There's never anything much going on. Except - oh! The
fan club stopped following me, thank goodness! There's a new
kid at school and they're following him around now.
I can't help but feel
sorry for the guy. All that giggling... I shudder just thinking about
it. Maybe we could work together and disband the fan club or
something.
Keb
---
October 31, 1988
Halloween. Some of the
guys in my class egged their neighborhoods. That strikes me as
heartless. Halloween is a night for little kids to dress up and get
free candy. Why throw eggs at them?
Why am I still writing in
this book? I don't even do it often. It's kind of embarrassing... I
hope no one ever reads this...
Keb
---
November 17, 1988
Thanksgiving was today.
Mother and I went to Denver, Colorado and celebrated with our entire
family. Mother came from a pretty big family. We ate outdoors because
not everyone could fit in Aunt Amy's house! And Aunt Amy has a big
house. I liked seeing everyone again. My cousins were always the best
friends I ever had. We only see each other on Thanksgiving, and
sometimes at the Fourth of July and Christmas. But not usually.
Mostly, it's just Thanksgiving.
I can't wait until next
year. I'm already excited.
Keb
---
January 4, 1989
I haven't written in a
while. Here's why: Mr. Miller (okay, okay, fine, Luke)
proposed to Mother! I don't think I've ever seen her happier.
Actually, he proposed sometime in December. The wedding was to be immediately so we've all been busy
preparing for their wedding, even little Rhea. She's so excited. It's
cute. I won't have any trouble thinking of her as my sister from now
on.
Mother said that the two of us get to stay at Grandmother Becky's house while she and Luke are away on their honeymoon. She and my Grandfather Fred live pretty close to us. That is, Mother and me. We see them often and I enjoy going to visit them... even if Grandmother Becky calls me by the wrong name and Grandfather Fred keeps cracking weird jokes.
They'll love Rhea, too. She's a sweet little girl. I got to know her during the times when Luke and Mother were planning for their wedding. Well, sort of. She blushes and runs away whenever she sees me. Luke laughed and told me that she's normally not so shy. Maybe it's just that she's not used to having siblings?
Whatever. I'm tired and
going to bed now. I'll write more later... maybe. I'm still not sure
why I write in this thing.
Keb
---
Rhea's Diary
Dear Diary,
That was so much fun! I hope I get to be in a wedding again! I want to be the flower girl! But I didn't like it when Momma and Daddy kissed at the end. That was gross.
Keb's my brother now! I'm
so happy! We'll get to spend lots of time together. I like Keb a lot,
but whenever he comes near me, I get so embarrassed! I hope he doesn't
notice!
Rhea
---
Dear Diary,
Gramma Becky and Grampa Fred are really nice! Except, Gramma Becky keeps calling me Lily (?) and she calls Keb Presley (how do you get Presley out of Keb?). Grampa Fred tells jokes like, "Why did the frog cross the road? 'Cause he was stapled to the chicken!" And then he laughs and Keb laughs along with him, just to be polite, and I kind of giggle a little bit.
That poor frog! And the poor chicken, too! I got poked by a staple once, just on my thumb, and that hurt a lot! I don't ever want to actually staple myself.
Anyway, Gramma Becky likes to bake. She made us cookies. Grampa Fred got smacked when he tried to take one, though, because his 'diabetes was acting up and he shouldn't have any sugar or anything for a while' apparently. So Keb and me ate them and played Scrabble with Gramma Becky and Grampa Fred. I teamed up with Grampa Fred because I don't know enough words to play by myself and be any good.
It's kinda late... I
wonder if I'll be able to sneak another cookie before bedtime.
Rhea
---
Dear Diary,
It's been a whole week since I last wrote! I can't believe it. Momma and Daddy got back today. We all went home - Daddy, Momma, Keb, and me. Momma and Keb sold their house already, and they were staying in a hotel until Momma and Daddy were married. Now they live with us!
We live near some mountains. Our house is surrounded by big cliffs. Keb and me will have to walk about a mile to get to the bus stop (I like the walk, even though Daddy always offers to drive me. When it rains, I let him). Keb didn't look real happy when he found out but I think he'll like it. It's pretty, the little flowers growing out of the cliffs.
I've got school tomorrow. Time to sleep. Goodnight, Dear Diary.
Rhea
---
Dear Diary,
Sorry I haven't written for a while. Nothing much has been happening. Keb is my friend, now, though. I don't blush when he gets near me anymore. At least, not so much. It's not too noticeable.
Katie,
my best friend (I can't believe I haven't wrote about her!) says that
I'm lucky to have such a nice brother. She has a brother, too, and he's
annoying. He's younger than Keb is, but older than us. I don't like
being around him.
Rhea
---
Dear Diary,
I got an A on my math test! I hate math, so I'm
excited! My teacher said that I was getting so much better. Keb and
Daddy and Momma all helped me study for it. Someday, I'm going to help
Keb study for his math test and get an A on it. I'd help Daddy and
Momma, but they don't have math tests.
Rhea
---
Dear Diary,
It's been a long time since I wrote. Two months! I forgot about you.
I'm sorry. Momma's pregnant! That means that she's gonna have a baby!
I'll have a little brother or sister! I hope it's a girl. I hope she's
cute. I want a sister to play with. Keb doesn't like playing Barbies
with me, and Daddy and Momma aren't home very much. I wonder what Keb
does for fun? He's always in his room. Maybe he'll tell me if I ask,
but I don't want to be rude or anything... What should I do?
Rhea
---
Keb's Journal
January 15, 1989
Home sweet home... I guess. Mother and I moved in with Luke and Rhea.
It's nice here, even if I have to walk a mile to get to the bus stop.
The school is a different one than I went to before. It's pretty much
in the middle of no where. The people are fairly nice, I guess, but I
haven't taken pains to make friends and no one seems interested in
'adopting' the new kid. It's no big deal. I have my artwork, and that's
enough for me.
Rhea asked me to play Barbies with her. I tried, I really did! How
does she stand it? The whole point of Barbies, it seems, is to dress
super-skinny plastic figures in super-tight outfits that look awful...
And I'm sorry, but I don't like undressing plastic dolls. Especially
female ones. I hope she won't be too upset it I don't ever play Barbies
with her again.
Keb
---
January 31, 1989
We all helped Rhea study for her math test a few nights ago and
today, she came home excited and hyper. She ran up and hugged me,
yelling, "I got an A! I got an A!" She was so happy that I couldn't
help but smile and hug her back, congratulating her on a good job. She
kind of... squee-d happily and danced in a little circle, hopping
around and around waving her arms...
It
was a big deal for her, so it became a big deal for everyone. I guess
we're a real family now. That's... cool... It's nice, but it's also
really strange.
Keb
---
February 10, 1989
Rhea
asked me to play Barbies with her again today. I told her that I had
homework to do. I don't, I just didn't want to play Barbies. She looked
crestfallen but said okay, homework was more important than playing
Barbies. She retreated to her room and I to mine. I pulled out my
sketchbook and started to draw. I like drawing. It's quiet and a good
drawing doesn't necessarily take up as much room as a good piece of
writing. I'm good at it, too, kind of.
Keb
---
February 14, 1989
I
hate Valentine's day. A lot. At least three girls asked me out. (Groan)
Guess what I said. Yup, that's right. I said no. Luke and Mother went
to a fancy restaurant. They dropped Rhea and me at the nearest McDonalds
and we ate there. Well, at least no one I know was there.
Keb
---
February 27, 1989
There's nothing to write down. Nothing's been happening. I'll write when something happens.
Keb
---
March 5, 1989
Luke
said that I need to go out more. He called up some girls from my school
and asked them out for me. I think I might have whined, and pitifully
at that. Tomorrow, I'm going on my first ever date. Wish me luck.
Keb
---
March 6, 1989
I'm nervous. This date spells disaster for me. Why did I let Luke get me into this? And why am I still going along with it?
Keb
---
March 6, 1989 (Entry two)
That was TERRIBLE! I am NEVER doing that again! EVER! I can't believe I let Luke talk me into that. I want to remember this, and know why I'll never ask a girl out in the future. So I'll write it down:
We went to an Italian restaurant. Luke gave me money to pay for it. Leigh met me at the door and practically clung to me the whole time. (Groan) I led her/dragged her/fled to a window seat. She sat on one side. I sat on the other. We ordered and talked while we waited for our food. Well, actually, she talked and I pretended to be listening. Our food came and I pretended to be too absorbed in my food to say anything. She was, too, for real. Disgusting.
After dinner, I paid and wondered if I could escape yet. She, all coy and syrup (gag), batted her eyelashes and asked if I'd walk her home. "I don't live far," she said, "only a couple blocks away." Politeness did not allow me to reject her... So we ended up walking out of the restaurant. She still clung to me. About halfway down the block, she leaned toward me and puckered out her lips. I'm kind of ashamed of myself, but I pushed her away quite roughly and ran. Not a polite thing to do at all, but I didn't want to be dating her, let alone kissing! I ran all the way home. Luke asked me how it went. I could only glare at him.
Now... What am I going to do when I see Leigh at school tomorrow?
Keb
---
March 24, 1989
Leigh hasn't talked to me, thank goodness.
Luke hasn't set up any more dates for me. I am eternally grateful for
that. There's big news - Mother is pregnant! I didn't expect that. By
the time the baby is born, I'll be seventeen. That's a big gap. Rhea
will be ten, I think. Her birthday is sometime in June, I think, or
July. Not completely sure. Anyway, Rhea is very, very excited. I am,
too, I guess. It was a shock to be sure, but it's... exciting. A
brother or sibling by blood, rather than law? A new thing for me.
I'm
still not so great at writing long entries. I'm done for now, probably
another couple weeks. I'm going to go draw... it's all I'm really good
at. I want to get a career in art one day but with my grades, I'll
probably end up as a cashier at McDonald's.
Keb
---
March 27, 1989
Rhea came up to me today and asked what I do in my room all the time. I was surprised. I thought she already knew. She looked all shy and nervous, like she thought I'd hurt her or something. I told her to wait a minute and went to my room to get my sketchbook. I flipped through it in my room until I found a picture of Rhea that I'd been working on, on and off. I really liked this picture. I'd shaded it and done a little bit of color and it looked exactly like her. Almost.
She was
delighted. She asked me if I drew pictures a lot, so I showed her some
others. Who knew that someone would actually think that my drawing were
so good? All I saw were the mistakes. Go figure.
Keb
---
Rhea's Diary
Dear Diary,
I asked Keb what he always did in his room. I thought he'd tell me to go away, Katie's brother always says mean things like that, but he didn't. He showed me a picture he drew! It was of me! And it was really good, I felt like I was looking in a mirror! He got embarrassed when I told him that though and said it wasn't as good as I said it was. But it's really good, honest, cross my heart and hope to die it is!
Rhea
---
Dear Diary,
I'm not gonna write in you for a while. I took you to school that one time, remember? And I was going to write in you... But Jessica, that mean girl, she took you and read you aloud! To our whole class! Everyone laughed at me... I don't want them to tease me, so I'm not going to write in you very much... only for big things, and when the baby is born and stuff... I hope you don't mind. I'm sorry.
Rhea
---
Dear Diary,
I'm ten now. It feels weird for me to write in you after all this time... My birthday is today. I'm supposed to be at the party right now. I just wanted to tell you.
Rhea
---
Dear Diary,
The baby was born today! It's a girl - I've got a sister! I'm so excited! I'm so happy! I've got a little sister! Her name is Delani, and it's pronounced like Deli, sort of. Dell-ay-nee. It's a pretty name, I think. She's absolutely adorable. I'm so excited! Delani... I can't wait until she grows up a little bit. I know we'll be best friends forever and ever. We'll play together and talk together and we can sometimes have sleepovers, meaning she sleeps in my room or I sleep in her room instead of we sleep in our own rooms every night. Aren't you so happy, Diary?
Rhea
---
Dear Diary,
It's been years since I've written in this silly little book. Looking back on all my entries, I cannot believe how naive I was... how stupid. I believed that Delani would be my friend? I was a fool.
My name is Rhea Miller. I am twenty-six years old. My father, Lucas Miller, and my step-mother, Katherine Miller, are dead. My step-brother, Keb Miller, is dead. I should be dead, but I am not. So I will take this second chance to kill Delani, once and for all.
Rhea.
---