Author's Note: I wanted to wait to write this... But I just couldn't! I really hope you like it, because this is my first non-Potter story. This one's probably not going to be really long, but we'll see.

Chapter 1: No Matter What

Joey's Point Of View

"Follow me, everything is alright.
I'll be the one to tuck you in at night.
And if you want to leave I can guarantee,
You won't find nobody else like me."
-Follow Me, Uncle Kracker

I am always thinking to myself. But most of the time, I just explore my mountain. I always think of it to be my mountain, because nothing really comes up here. A couple of songbirds, maybe, but other than that, nothing. I think about my family, mostly. My 17-year-old older brother, Grant, who retains short chestnut hair, like Mom, and hazel eyes. Our mom has dark brown eyes, and long, beautiful chestnut hair. Our dad is old now, so he has gray hair. It used to be golden-blonde, and he used to have two sea-blue eyes, but he only has one now. Me, on the other hand, I have emerald-green eyes and curly, golden-blonde hair. I'm 14-years-old too, by the way. But my birthday is in a couple of days.

My family isn't the same anymore. I loved when me and Grant were little and we used to fight because we shared a bedroom together. I loved when Mom bought me a small piano that I played all of the time. I loved when Dad taught me and Grant to fight when Mom wasn't home. But all of that's over. Ever since that day.

I remember that day. I was seven, and Grant was eight. His birthday was in a couple of days. I was going to sing a song for him at his party. But that day, screams were screamed, throats were cut, voices were lost, eyes were shot, and happiness in our family left with my voice and Dad's eye. Three years later, on my 10th birthday, I was brought up here. In the mountains of Tibet.

Dad said that I needed to be safe. He left me with a backpack, my guitar, a spear for fishing, and a medium-sized box. In the backpack were a couple of packets of seeds, clothes, water, a hammer, a chisel, and a small knife. He told me not to open the box until I was older. He told me that he loved me, and that he will visit me sometime. I still didn't understand why he took me up to the mountain, but he just left me with the words,

Whatever you do, Joey, stay safe. And don't leave this mountain.

I nodded, and I gave my dad the last hug I would give him in five years.

I opened my eyes into the warmth of the sunshine. In just a couple of days, I would have spent exactly five years on this mountain. My dad didn't ever come for me. I just jumped to conclusions that he was dead. I felt really sad when I thought about that. Someone came for me though. He went by the name Beast Boy. He just climbed out of the middle of nowhere and threw a device in my hand. He said that if I was ever in trouble to call them. I didn't really trust him, since I've never seen him before in my life. Before I knew it, I was being chased by these two people off of my mountain. My dad said that I would be safe up here. But then again, I trusted Beast Boy in the first place, and he had gotten me into the trouble in the first place.

I left my mountain. Another Titan, Herald, came and picked me up. I was skeptical at first, seeing that Dad told me not to leave, but for some reason, I went with him. He took me to this safe house, and these other weird-looking Titans were there, too. I tried not to smile while there, because Dad told me that, 'smiling meant trust, and don't trust anyone you don't know.' After that, we were fighting the Brotherhood of Evil, and while I was there, I saw someone that I couldn't believe was there.

William was there. He used to watch me and Grant all the time when we were little. Always called us 'Master Joseph and Master Grant.' He was just running around when I caught up to him. I caught his hand, and he flung around, about to hit me, when he remembered who I was.

He yelled at me to leave, that my dad wouldn't want me there. I signed to him that I would stay with him, but he just grabbed my hand and pulled me to an empty hall. He asked me who brought me here, and I signed back that Beast Boy did. His eyes widened and shook his head. He told me that my dad worked against the Titans. I signed that he couldn't, because that my dad is good. He told me that he wasn't. He was very bad.

It all made sense to me after that. Why my dad wasn't dead, why he is hiding from me, why my dad took me to the mountain, why my voice was permanently lost. But I knew my dad couldn't be the worst, because Jackal is the worst. Anyways, after William told me all of this, I told him to leave. I didn't want him hurt. He refused. So, I fought him, to at least force him to stay back. After a notorious fight, the "bad" side lost, but I made sure William stood alive. After, we talked (Author's Note: I'm going to use the words talk/talked/talking a lot, I don't know any other words, but yes, Joey can't talk), catching up on the so many lost years. I knew the others were watching him talk to me, but I didn't care. He told me that he was going to tell my dad about this, but I told him that that was fine. He also told me that it was good to see me, and I smiled at that and signed that it was good to see him, too. I gave him a hug and he left. Robin, down below, asked me why I was talking to him, that he is evil, but I just shake my head. Herald translated to him that I said that he's just an old family friend.

After that, we went back to the Titans' tower, which we had a get-together. I left as soon as I could, because I trusted William, and I didn't want to stay with the Titans, good or not.

I walked over to the river, and filled a bucket with water. I walked over to the rock which I sit upon in the daytime, and which I sleep upon at night. I keep a couple of things on that large rock. My guitar, my box from Dad, and a family picture, which I keep under a smaller rock to keep from blowing away. I put the bucket next to the rock, and I sat upon it once again. I picked up my guitar and started to play a song I taught myself. I heard a noise behind me, and I stopped playing my instrument. I turned around to see nothing, and I once again started to play the guitar. I heard the noise again; it was a noise that sounded like someone was climbing my mountain. My mountain was really high up, and almost impossible to reach. Again, but frustrated, I started to play my guitar on my mountain. At yet another noise, I lost it. I angrily stomped over to the ledge and looked over it. I couldn't believe what I saw.

I know that this isn't very good... But I hope you like it! 9

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