Author's Notes::

This is a Romance Chapter Fic. There will be lots of chapters, lots of drama, and lots of pairings. This is based upon the animated series shown on Cartoon Network. There are borrowed references to the Teen Titans comic. Really, I have no interest in staying true to canon, do don't expect me to. DC changes so much with it's reboots anyway that it's too bothersome to try to keep up.

Fans of my story "Might Have Ben Hur" will be happy to know that that story takes place during the same time that this story is between Chapters 7 & 8.

Misc: The fic was originally named "Love Was Meant For You". The name was perfect and fitting, but I wasn't pleased with it. I just kind of threw the name together in efforts to get the story moving. I had written four chapters before even giving it a name and that bothered me as I was ready to have people start reading it. I spent a good year and half trying to come up with a new name for the fic, always coming up emptyhanded. Finally, I settled on naming it "SHINE" after Tohoshinki's 13th Japanese single. The decision came after reading the lyric translation to the song and deciding it would be a good fit.

Disclaimer::

I don't own anything but the story... trust me.. If I did though... the world would be a better place.

Pairings::

Raven/Robin, Raven/Kid Flash (Past-tense but mentioned), Starfire/Cyborg, Beast Boy/Terra

Summary::

After leaving the Teen Titans for 3 years in hopes of learning to control her powers, Raven is ready to return to the tower and re-join her friends. She has been through quite a bit; the murder of her father, a failed relationship, changing her entire outlook on life, learning to be mortal, and so much more. Now she is reflecting on the past 3 years without her friends as she returns home. She soon acquires a new romantic relationship, as other members of her team realize feelings they have had for those close by.

Spoilers up through Season Three's "Bunny Raven". Terra is in this story; just assume that she saved the town without being turned into stone. I'm not a huge Terra fan... but I wanted the challenge of going into her character with this story.

Rated R for language, violence, & suggestive themes.


Chapter Zero: Prologue

A pale and delicate hand, decked in black fingernail polish and wearing a simple platinum band with a 2 carat diamond on her ring finger, reaches down and turns on two knobs causing warm water to rush out of the faucet, beginning her morning shower.

Morrigana Lynne Rothers looks at herself in the large bathroom mirror. Her belly length black hair covering her naked breasts, the green eyes of her reflection looking back at her, her pouty lips placed so perfectly on her dainty face. She looked down at the reflection of her naked body. Her waist was thin, her hips were full, and her breasts had grown since she had moved into the apartment she called her own. Her body was curvy and luxurious, yet the curves were still easy enough to hide if she wanted to. Her skin was pale and soft, giving off the palest of pinks. She looked herself over once more and then sighed as she made her way towards her shower.

Today was a special day. Today was moving day. Things had fallen apart for her here in Gotham City. Much as she loved the city, it no longer had anything to offer her. She was moving back to her old home in Jump City. She had sent most of her items to await her in a phone-rented hotel room, just miles from her former home there. She had only kept what she needed to get through the next week. She was going to pack up her black Toyota Avalon and drive clear across the country to return to her former home, and former roommates.

She squirted some lavender body wash onto a black body sponge. She rubbed the sponge between her hands to lather it up and then rubbed the sponge up and down her body, covering every inch in a rich lavender scented film of bubbles. She tilted her head back into the water and she relished in the scent of the lather covering her body. After a quick rinse she pulled out the shampoo and squeezed a small amount onto her palm before massaging it into her scalp. She rinsed it out and repeated the process with her conditioner before moving on to shaving her under arms and legs. They didn't really need shaving, but she wanted them shaved just the same. She was going to be in her car for a long time and she didn't want to bother with any itching that the light stubble she had might have caused.

Morrigana heard the door open. "Ana!" Jennifer had let herself in. Jenn was Ana's best friend in Gotham. She had agreed to accompany her on the long drive back to Jump City, and would in turn; stay there for a few days to help her get things settled in. Ana, as the few friends she had in Gotham called her, finished off her shower and wrapped her body in a warm red bath towel. She quickly ran a comb through her hair and then wrapped it into a towel as well to soak up some of the water it was holding onto. She hated to have the water run down her body while she was trying so hard to get herself dried off. Afterwards she grabbed her purple bathrobe and snuggled her body into it before stepping out of the bathroom.

"Hey Jenn. You all packed and everything?" She called over to her friend who was standing at the stove making a small batch of pancakes.

"You're just getting out of the shower?! Girl! You were supposed to be like dressed and ready to go by now!" She yelled over at her. Jennifer always was just a bit too perky... especially early in the morning... She reminded Ana of a close friend back in Jump City. 'Kori...' she thought to herself with a sigh.

"Sorry... Woke up late... had a lot of trouble falling asleep last night. Kept... thinking." She sighed deeply.

Jennifer nodded. Ana had been going through a lot lately and leaving Gotham was going to be a huge step for her right now. "Well girl, go get dressed and breakfast should be ready by the time your done and then we will try and get out of town by noon."

Ana nodded and turned to go back to the bedroom to pull on some clothing. She put on a pair of boy cut black underwear, a black under wire bra, a pair of dark blue Levi jeans, and a thick black men's wife-beater shirt. She dug through her bag and found a pair of white socks and pulled those on her feet before pulling on her black boots.

She made her way back to the bathroom and quickly put a comb through her hair again before blow-drying it straight. She slipped some lip gloss on her lips and headed back to the bedroom to pack up all the gadgets she had used that morning. When she had satisfied herself with completing her task, she followed the sweet aroma of Jennifer's banana pancakes to the kitchen where she sat herself at the bar and began to eat the plate Jennifer had sat down in front of her.

Jennifer looked at Ana somewhat nervously. She wanted to ask her something, but felt very awkward about it, considering what it involved. She decided to just give in and quench her curiosity.

"Um... Ana... Did...did you... erm... say goodbye to..." She chickened out. "Mr. Wayne?"

"Hmm? Oh yeah, called him yesterday and stopped by last night. He's sad to have me leave but... I think he and Alfred will be fine" She went back to eating the few remaining bites of her pancake.

"Oh... and you closed your lease right?"

"Mm-hmm, Mrs. Granger was really sweet about it... Plus I think she will be happy that there wont be anymore yelling like there was the past few weeks" Ana's face fell slightly as she thought of all the fighting that she had been involved in for the past few weeks.

"Oh... and..." Jennifer took a deep breath; she knew she was possibly opening a can of worms. "And... Wally?"

Ana's face went pale. 'Wally' she sighed deeply at the thought of her former fiancée. She had been dating Walter West for the past two and a half years, and they had been engaged for just over two years now, but two weeks ago he had learned something about her that he never expected and he freaked. He yelled at her for three days straight, talking about trust and finally, he broke up with her.

"I...tried to call him, but as expected he isn't taking my calls. I guess I'll just wait till I'm back in Jump City and then send his ring back to him through insured postal mail." She sighed. She missed Wally a lot. She hated that he was so upset with her, but she couldn't change that past, and she couldn't be honest with him when she met him. It was for his safety, as well as her own.

Jennifer nodded at Ana's response and then stood up to clear away the dishes she had used. She ran the dishes back to her own apartment and then came back. Ana was ready and had already begun loading her things into her car. Jennifer followed suit and put her suitcase in the trunk and her duffel bag in the backseat next to the cooler. They had bought it to fill with drinks for the ride. They buckled themselves into the car, and with a quick look goodbye, they were off.

Ana thought to herself as she drove her way to the freeway, while Jennifer sang off key to an old Elvis Presley song on the radio. She missed Wally already. And now she was moving back to Jump City and would probably never see him again. All because of who she was.

You see, Morrigana Rothers, was only known by that in Gotham City... It was a name that was created for her to use while there, so that her presence in Gotham could remain undetected. She didn't want the friends she had from Jump City to find her. She didn't want the Monks of the royal court to find her and force her to take the throne. She just wanted to remain invisible. Only Jennifer, Bruce Wayne, and Bruce's butler Alfred had known her true identity until she decided to make the mistake of telling Wally. Morrigana Rothers was simply a charade to hide her true self. Morrigana Rothers was a charade to hide power.

Morrigana Rothers was in reality, Raven Roth.