Author's Note: Sorry this update was so far from the last! It's only been a fortnight-ish, though! Not bad compared to how frequent and consistent I updated "Hay Fever".

I changed the rating to T just to be safe since there's violence and some mean-ness that happens.

Thank you for continuing with "Fight Anyway"! :D And I split this chapter into two parts since it covers A LOT of ground and characters, so please let me know if that style is okay reading-wise for you all, or not. I don't want you to be confused, but I try to pace it around lots of the characters that we need to get to know before –oh, wait, I can't share that with you yet. In my head, as the director, I see it as a movie and you know how it snips to various scenes that are going on at the same time? I see it as that.

Please read and review if you can! Thanks to all the follows and favorites; you guys make my heart sore.

Artemis Raven Courtney – Fab username, by the way. And I think you'll find out how he made that connection very soon! Thank you for your review! And thank you for letting me know about some un-clarity due to my end.

Dark Fire0407 – I am spoiled, spoiled, SPOILED by you and your constantly uplifting reviews, comments, and encouragements! Bless you, you sweet FanFic reader! And your hope of me adding in more characters is granted! I believe in this chap alone, you guys will meet 11 characters, plus revisit some older ones!

LibbieLies – You are a total sweetheart! Thank, thank you such a positive review! I'm a big fan of Jade, but I will admit that I don't know too much about her other than what Wiki says, so her backstory may not be entirely true to how it is in the Justice League. I hope that won't disappoint! And Jinx is a total boss. She's fab and will definitely be making bigger appearances at the Titans Academy school year surges on.

Speaking of moving onward, happy reading and have a great Easter Sunday! He is Risen!

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Teen Titans, or the characters, unfortunately. There'd be, like, ten season if I did, though.

Roy sat at the edge of his dorm room bed and ran a hand slowly through his hair, contemplating the last three days which were not spend the way he had envisioned the long weekend. He can peg the chaos to he and Richard having a shoot out against one another during free period after lunch that Thursday afternoon. Wally had just snagged them some snacks when in entered Jade Nguyen with a bone to pick with Roy. Full of fierce determination and an equal measure of anger, Jade marched up to him, Richard, and Wally who all stood slightly frightened of the girl.

"Yeah, that's Jade alright," Roy exhaled, staring at his hands in a lost daze.

"What did you do?" Richard asked at seeing Roy's reaction to her approaching presence.

"Why do you assume I did something?" defensively, Roy retaliated.

"You're Roy Harper," stated Richard as if that explained everything.

"Roy Nathaniel Harper!" shouted the obviously irate female as she crossed the lawn to the proximity of the accused aforementioned.

"Dude, what did you do?" Wally asked in a hushed tone to Roy who in reply just a shake of his head.

"You told the tabloids that I'm your girlfriend?!" demanded Jade, which simultaneously answered Richard and Wally's questions about Roy's actions.

Richard and Wally then allowed them a bit of privacy, but obviously stayed within earshot.

Roy glanced up just in time to notice that the irate girl was about to trod upon his dropped weapon from a few moments ago. "Hey, hey, hey, watch where you're step-"

Crack!

"Stepping," lamely, he finished his warning. Jade moved her foot and realized that underneath her combat boots lay Roy's bow and arrow in two pieces.

"Serves you right for what you did, Roy Natha-"

"What's with the full-name, name calling?" Roy interrupted.

"What's with making up relationship statuses with me, huh?" Jade berated, ferocity coating her brown eyes. "Explain yourself."

"Alright, alright, I get it," he coaxed in an annoyed tone. "I was at an event for Oliver a few weeks ago and the reporters just kept hounding Richard and me for details on our romantic interests."

"So, you just, what? Fibbed and said the first girl who you thought you could score?" accusingly, Jade inquired with narrowed eyes.

"Sheesh, no, give me some credit," Roy blabbered as he turned a humiliating rosy hue that wasn't due to the Indian Summer warmth in the air. "I did it to protect you." It was out before he could stop himself.

"'Protect me'? Protect me? Do you think I'm some helpless princess who is waiting for a handsome knight to swing by and save her?"

"Ah, gah, this isn't going well," he breathed as he smacked his sweating forehead with his palm.

"I'll say," Jade sniped with a snuff and crossed arms.

"Look," Roy began, "somehow the press knew you attended this school…"

"They have their devious ways!" unwantedly, interjected Richard from his spot a dozen feet away. Roy glared at both he and Wally who responded by scampering a few feet further.

"They somehow knew you went to school here," repeated Roy as he refocused his vision on Jade. "And they were spicing up some rumor about you and Richard having chemistry together."

"As if," scoffed Jade as she bent down to retrieve a bow shrapnel to aimlessly fiddle with whilst she chastised her classmate. "And it's biology that we have together, not chemistry."

"Oh?" Roy perked up at this statement.

"Get on with it, Arrow Boy," demanded she as she, hypothetically, teasingly pointed the piece of wood at him in effort to urge him to go on.

"Right," he continued, ignoring her snarky nickname for him and her holding the piece of bow at him like a weapon. "So the press were throwing question after question at Richard to see if he'd ask you out, or if you guys were already engaged –I know, I know. They can fabricate some wicked stuff. And I wanted to help him out, so I… cut in."

"By saying that you're dating me?" Jade asked, eyebrows rose at his explanation.

Briefly, he hesitated on continuing. He could just leave the situation where it was, and clumsily climb out of this hole he dug himself into. But he made the mistake of admiring how the sun blared in her eyes, making them a shade lighter and Jade not seem as threatening. He was a fool to think that seeing her with her windblown hair which scattered statically about her head would be any less attractive than her typical bun thing she usually does –not that he paid attention, that is. Roy reached up and scratched the back of his neck as he responded with: "By saying that he'd have to go over my dead body for him to get to you…"

This was not the answer Jade was expecting. Her frown faltered, and in response she could only manage out uttering a humbled, "Oh."

"Yeah," Roy heaved in a tired exhale in reply. He dropped his hand from his neck and let his long limbs dangle beside his red tee that held the infamous "s" symbol on the breast pocket from his favorite archery brand. She allowed her arms to detangle from crossing in front of her chest and grip the broken arrow piece she didn't seem to remember she was holding.

The two stood there, only a few feet separating them, but both so lost in their own thoughts, that they might as well be on different planets. "It could work, you know," Roy commented, refusing to drown in the awkwardness engulfing them.

Jade glanced up from her gaze at the grass, confused and asked, "Us?"

"A fake us," he corrected. "I'm connected to big money. By the press and people associating you with me, they'll pine after you. They'll want you."

"Want me for admission into Justice University?" she murmured in wonder, unaware that she just blurted her dreams to Roy Harper.

"Quite possibly," he smirked as he leaned to reply in her ear.

She swatted him away and glanced away to hide her rosy cheeks. She will not give Roy the satisfaction that he can make her blush, not matter how platonic he wanted their dynamic to be.

He slipped his smirk into a gentle smile and continued. "I know of some situations that would prohibit you from entering that school, or anywhere decent really… without a powerful name supporting you," Roy added, but avoided eye contact. He wasn't planning on telling her that he knew. It just… came out.

Jade visibly paled, had Roy brought his light hazel eyes up to her face from the grass. "The press will have a field day with that," she finally admitted.

"They can't sell a story if they don't have the scoop," Roy stated, braving a glance at her face. She wasn't scowling anymore, which only weakened his resolve at making this deal as sweet for him as possible. "I'm good at covering my trail."

"And my past?" she quickly scanned the area to make sure students, especially Richard and Wally, were keeping their distance. "This… situation, you can keep it under wraps?" hope was evident in Jade's inquiring voice. She truly did want to move on from that time and embrace what the future could hold for a girl with ambition like hers.

"I have so far, haven't I?" he answered with a wink.

"What's in it for you, though?" Jade asked as her long limbs found their way back into her signature stance of weaving across her jade-green leather jacket, black tank, and denim skinny jeans. "I don't see you as the type to go digging through schoolmate's pasts just to offer them a deal so they get a shot at a good future without any benefits from your end. What do you get out of this, Roy Nathaniel Harper?"

"I get you on my arm," he replied slyly as he picked up the undamaged second bow that Richard was using, and spun it between his three fingers smoothly.

"Ha ha," drily, Jade retorted. "For real." Gently, she shoved his shoulder with her statement to help emphasize her point. He grinned and reached into the bundle of unused arrows from the sheath.

"If I have a girl," he held a lone arrow and stared at it as he replied, "then the press is pretty much happy. I'm free to not have my life meddled with as much," he answered honestly and stringed the arrow onto the bow.

"I feel like being in a relationship would have the opposite affect," she stated logically.

"Right, if you were famous." Roy glanced from locking in on the target and took in her scowl. "Hey, sorry! It's the truth. Since you're regular, the press cares, but it's only half as juicy compared to a celebrity power couple or something."

"So, let me get this straight," she sliced her hand through the air as if clearing the table. "We're going to be a pretend couple so you won't have the press to deal with and I will get my past covered along with a letter or recommendation from Oliver Queen to Justice University."

"I don't remember that last part being mentioned," Roy said as he pulled back the arrow with ease.

"If I'm going to give up part of my high school career for you, Roy Harper, then I'm going to get something solid out of it," Jade commandeered. "I've been managing this long without you, I can do so for my remaining days in this city as well."

"You won't have to, Jade," he sincerely stated, once again looking away from the target to stare directly into her eyes. Quickly, before he could lose himself, he ripped away his gaze, and zeroed in on the center yellow of the multi-colored circles twenty-five yards from his position.

"So, we have a deal, then?" she asked, leaning on her tiptoes as if she were an anxious child waiting for a treat.

"Deal," he stated as he released the arrow and hit the bulls-eye.

Her last six words and Roy's reply of one kept repeating themselves in his head. Almost to the point of mocking him at his stupidity of letting someone in on his life with Oliver, let alone a girl classmate who he'll have to deal with everyday during the school year for the next three years.

Roy slumped even more so on his dorm bed, not wanting it to be Monday morning already. He dropped his head in his hands, putting off the school day for as long as possible, hoping a fever would take him ill, a traffic jam for Mod would detain the teacher, a meteorite to strike the school, anything that would stop him from having to face Jade in history at 8:30 a.m. sharp.

Rachel pursed her lips as Vic and Gar dropped off the load of her new roommate's things. She had cleverly been able to avoid having a roommate, only two suitemates, thus far into the school year. Apparently things were changing. And not only was her roommate a girl of her complete opposite, but it was that bubbly, bright, and talkative girl Vic gave a ride to that morning.

Their new dorm dynamic would be interesting for sure. It was already peppy with Karen Beecher and Sara Sims, both cheerleaders, residing as suitemates to Rachel. They didn't comment on the amount of purple, navy blue, black, and gray used in her room, and she didn't give her opinion on Karen's yellow fad or on Sara's obnoxious motivational posters. This new girl would throw off that unspoken, but mutual respect, about suitemates interacting more than a greeting or a question about homework.

She sighed and dropped her weekend duffle on her bed, mentally planning to come up later to unpack. She smoothed the few wrinkles that happened with the bag on her black puffy comforter. A neat freak didn't necessarily quite describe Rachel, but she definitely appreciated order and control.

Grabbing her books for her morning classes: history, French, biology, and British Literature, she couldn't help but allow a smooth smile to grace her pale face. The thought of a certain someone in her morning schedule made her nearly giddy, but she dismissed the thought as she slung her bag over her navy blue, quarter-length sleeved tunic that spun about her should she move faster than her typical pace. She paired the long blouse with white skinny jeans and black boots that hit her knees.

The look was missing something, though. She snagged a festive belt that had ruby-looking half circles inside the gold loops that made up the belt. Her look was trendy, she decided, which almost made her change it since she didn't want people to assume she to be a conformist, but knew that it was pointless to consider so much of how other's think of your own look. Thus, she left her dorm on a moderately happy note.

"I don't know a better way to kick things off on this beautiful-as-you-can-get-in-America Monday morning after a long weekend than by telling you about your project," chimed Mr. Mod in his own mad way. Collectively, the class groaned at the news. "Now, now, duckies, no fret. It's not due until midterms. However, it's a doozy, so I suggest to get on it now." Mod sent a glare Gar's way who in return snapped and pointed his fingers back with a wink at the stuffy instructor.

"This project will be a group effort and I expect everyone in the group to contribute to the assignment. And to prevent horrid choices, which you Americans tend to make so often due to your inability to stick with your origins, I'll be assigning the groups of five." A louder groan grumbled throughout the darkening classroom. "I have posted the groups here." Mr. Mod gestured to a piece of paper with a list of names on it he had taped to the whiteboard. Immediately, the students hustled out of their seats and jammed themselves to examine the paper.

Group 1 - Karen Beecher, Trenten Brooks, Roy Harper, Jade Nguyen, Connor Wilde

Group 2 - Jeremy Frank, Leonid Kovar, Thomas Rocket, Gan Storm, Kilo Watt,

Group 3 - Kole Crystals, Clay Gnark, Kitten Moth, Sara Sims, Donna Troy

Group 4 - Adonis Aarons, Amber McKenney, Nya Miko, Ryuku Nguyen, Billy Numerous

Group 5 - Richard Grayson, Garfield Logan, Rachel Roth, Victor Stone, Kori Anders

"Look at that, day one and someone already ships us," Roy commentated to Jade at seeing that they were placed in a group together. His joke hopefully hid his inner joy at seeing the pairing, but it'd be detrimental to their dynamic should she know that.

"Get over yourself," she smiled with another shove to his arm. This reaction reassured him that she seemed fine with their set up, he allowed a grin to spread over his smooth complexion. He didn't even know why he had dreaded facing Jade now; she was totally cool with them being a couple and wouldn't abuse it, to his knowledge.

"'Ships' you?" inquired a third party. Jade and Roy stopped their smiles when they realized that someone heard their jesting.

"Hey, Ryuku," Roy greeted in a flat voice.

"Roy Harper," Ryuku responded. "Are you dating Jade?"

"Ryuku, it's not what you think," Jade attempted to object.

"Yes," answered Roy tersely, cutting off Jade's defense.

"Treat her right," he commanded as he turned to go to his seat.
"Or what?" challenged Roy.

Ryuku stopped his trek and rotated to face Roy. "That's it," he stated. "Treat her right."

"Sheesh," Roy muttered to Jade once the Samurai wanna-be left the premises. "What's his deal?"

"More like: why did he left you off so easily?" corrected Jade. "He's protective, and I'm surprised he didn't bust out your personal records for a background check right here and now." Roy raised an eyebrow at her comment; Jade realized she left a few pieces out of this current puzzle. "Cousin," she explained. "But more like a brother. We spent a lot of time together growing up and have been close ever since."

Roy nodded with a thin line replacing his smile from moments ago and tightly gripped his pencil. Good to know.

"Well, all right," cheered Vic as he and Gar high fived after receiving notice that they'll be in a group together. Richard shot the three a smile in celebration, and Rachel actually put down her book with a ghost of a grin creasing her lips – she didn't rush up to the paper, but could well enough figure out the results due to people's reactions.

"Who's Kori Anders?" Gar asked as he glanced at the roster once more.

"Ah, that reminds me," Mr. Mod stated while he motioned for everyone to take back his or her respective seats. "Your fifth member will be our newest addition to our history class. Miss Anders, go ahead and move your things to the empty chair beside Richard, behind Victor."

Richard glanced up at hearing his name mentioned and caught movement from the spare chair near the front of the room. Quietly and eloquently, the new student strode towards him.

Her long red hair swung with each graceful step and her lean frame easily maneuvered between the desks. She wore a cream, billowy dress that hit her mid-thigh and had three-quarter length sleeves that drifted with her trek. Her dark plum leggings had lilac Aztec designs, which all tucked neatly into light brown ankle boots that made her frame seem impossibly tall. A dainty, dark green circle snuggled upon a thread-like silver chain at her collarbone gave her the overall look of an autumn fairy, more or less.

She was breathtakingly beautiful with her skin resembling tanned sand in color but rich silk in smoothness. Naturally, a smile graced her face, but that was nothing compared to her large eyes that emeralds envied for their hue. However, their brightness instantly went dark and guarded when she neared enough to register who she was told to sit beside.

Aware of the entire class watching her verses listening to Mod continue his lecture; she shoved any hesitation of nearing Richard and slipped into her seat.

Richard wanted to talk to this girl who seemed instantly wary around him; he didn't get a chance as the moment she sat down, she whipped out a notebook and raced her pen along the crisp paper to jot down all Mod rambled about. He sighed and eased out his own paper, not to write notes from lecture, though. Quickly, he scrawled out a message asking the four others in the group to meet in the study nook by the library during their lunch time/free period.

Carefully, he slipped the note to his left to Rachel who barely nodded, then flicked it up to Gar in front of him who also let Vic look over to read. Once Richard got it back, he placed it on the edge of the girl's desk. Apparently, she was so engrossed in the lecture she didn't notice Richard's actions and jumped at his gesture of the note. Confused, she looked at him who in return tried to motion for her to read it. She put her pen down with pursed lips and picked up the note, but not before checking up front to make sure Mod wasn't observing this scene simultaneously.

Strangely, she didn't respond in any way of confirming or not about the information regarding the group project; simply, she placed the note on Richard's desk corner, grabbed her pen, and continued to rush after the information Mod spewed.

He huffed out another sigh, and then decided to follow suit with the note takings of the lesson and grouchily slapped some key points in his notebook.

Tyson Joto clenched his hands into firm fists as he slouched in Professor Chang's first hour biology lecture. But it wasn't the study of life that was bothering him, but the overly annoying three, as he called them, gabbing and harassing behind him. Tavis Storm, Sid Block, and Seymour Isaacs currently had their victim be the humble and quiet Jericho Joseph.

Personally, Tyson can't handle people who bullied others, probably why he always fought back to those who would belittle him. This then, however, earned him the reputation of a hot-tempered kid who can't keep a lid on his steam.

He knew he wouldn't be able to confront the bullies without absolutely loosing it; he needed backup as much as he hated to entertain that thought. He preferred to keep a low profile and that meant not having too many people surrounding you for hanging out or dates. That was just fine with him, though.

It was a small first period class, so his options would be limited. Glancing left he only saw two girls who couldn't care less about this class, let alone a student being bullied in it. Then to his right was Wally, his suitemate, being entirely too absorbed in trying to impress the Hex girl. Tyson rolled his eyes at that scene.

Apparently very limited options for back-up indeed. He pursed his lips as he realized that he would have to take this solo

He'd ask Toni, but the beautiful and wealthy Antonia Monetti was visiting family for the long weekend; she wouldn't be back until this afternoon late. But the bullying would unfortunately possibly last until then as well.

Tyson sighed and muttered to the three behind him, "Would you guys stop?"

"What's this? Do we have a soul who dares stand up to us?" Tavis sneered.

Tyson honestly didn't know how Tavis ended up in the bad crowd; he wasn't very intimidating like the hulking Sid. Tavis was lanky with blondish-white hair, light brown eyes that could pass as yellow or gold in certain lights, and the boy was all-talk, no muscle.

Sid was the brawn of this particular three. He easily passed 6 foot and neared the halfway mark on up to seven. He wasn't bright, but made up for it with his bulging biceps that have smashed cinderblocks –Tyson's seen it.

Then there was Seymour would throw the trash, but then would go and blush at Jin Hex's presence.

This squad was a mess, and was only a portion of the greater "bad guys" or whatever at T.A. Thankfully, teachers and counselors tried to space the troubled kids apart, but sometimes it'd end up with a gaggle of them in the same class such as first period biology alongside Tyson.

"You guys need to lay off Jericho," Tyson stated. "What's he done to you?"

"I don't think we asked you?" Sid remarked with narrowed black eyes.

"I don't think he asked to be picked on," he retorted, hands clenching.

"I-I'm okay, Tyson, really," piped in Jericho, paling at the thought of a fight brewing between the guys surrounding him.

"I beg to differ," Tyson objected, eyes focused on Sid's face that was begging for a fistful.

"Just go back to your books, Joto. You need all the help you can get, Moroccan Moron," Seymour commented.

"I doubt he can even read American," Sid added with a sneer, oblivious to his grammatical flaw in his insult.

"He can read?" Tavis jabbed with a light cackle.

"Mr. Joto, the lesson is up here, not behind you," interjected Professor Chang who probably believed his lectures were from the Creator of life Himself. Tyson begrudgingly cranked his body back to face the front, anger still boiling inside him, though.

Once Professor Chang resumed raving about genetics, Tavis sneered and leaned forward to Tyson's ear and whispered, "Aw, is the little boy who can't control his angry getting a little upset?"

"Mr. Storm, you seat, please," commanded Professor Chang.

Tavis waited a few moments, and then stated in a low tone, just loud enough for Tyson to hear without moving. "Do you know what gets me mad, Tyson-Wyson?"

Thankfully, the bell rang then, dismissing first period. Tyson snagged his books and hustled it out of there, but a sudden jerk caused him from getting far once in the hallway.

"Leave me and Jericho alone," Tyson spat at Sid who strongly restrained the miffed teen.

"You didn't answer my question, Joto," Tavis commentated as he stepped up close and frowned at the silence from the Moroccan transfer. Tyson swallowed and fixated his unique dark green eyes onto a spot on the floor. "You obviously get upset when people put hippie guitar-playing pacifists into their proper place, which is under my boot, but do you know what makes me mad?"

"You guys, this isn't necessary," piped in Jericho once he left the classroom and saw Tavis throwing words at a trapped Tyson.

"Shut up, hippie," Seymour sneered.

"You're horrible," Tyson flat out stated, but he wasn't sure which one of the three he was directing the comment to.

Then, Johnny Rancid exited his first hour class of geometry and caught the scene of Tavis up in Tyson's face while Sid restrained the dark-completed kid, Seymour held a snarky grin, and, lo and behold, wimpy, hippie kid cowering nearby. "This Monday may not be bad after all," Johnny wickedly muttered to himself as he nodded to Fang, Kyd, and Xavier to follow him.

"Do you know what gets me mad?" Tavis repeated, eyes narrowed but flashing.

"That they allowed his trash to enter this school," Johnny interjected as he entered the proximity, "let alone this country." He crossed his tattooed arms and smirked at seeing the desired result of Tyson loosing his feeble grip on his temper.

Tyson flung his fiery fist left, which Johnny caught, but then Tyson socked his stronger right arm into the smirking face of Johnny Rancid. Johnny stumbled back in shock, but before retaliation could happen, Sid pinned Tyson's shoulders to the solid wall, allowing Tavis and Seymour to hurl insults as Johnny wiped his mouth and thrust his large fist at Tyson's chin. This action slammed his head to hit the wall, making his vision have sudden black spots.

Johnny shoved Sid aside, snagged Tyson's hands and clamped them above the prisoner's head.

"Guys, stop, please," begged the forever peacekeeper, Jericho, with big spring green eyes and a sad expression at the resolution of violence. Sid kicked Jericho's knees, which buckled the boy, and resulted him collapsing on the hard floor, hitting his skull on the ground in the process of the tumble.

"You're not wanted here, Hot Head," Johnny growled to the struggling Tyson who locked his dark green eyes with Johnny's black ones. "Why don't you go cool down?"

Tyson, trusting that Johnny's grip was sure, jumped and lifted his legs to a curled position, then sprang them at the enemy's stomach. Johnny collapsed with the kicking collision to his gut that also let go of his hold on Tyson's wrists.

Tyson cut off his inner victory to see if Jericho was okay. As he squatted next to the down kid who sat up and rubbed his sore head, Tyson found himself staring at profession heels that were tapping in irritation. He glanced up and discovered a woman glaring down at him with an irate expression upon her face.

"Hey, Principal Farr," lamely, Jericho greeted as he cradled his head.

"Mr. Rancid, Block, Isaacs, Storm, Joto, and Joseph," Principal Rita Farr impressively named the accused, a skill acquired from many years head of a school, in an exasperated manner as if she was used to grouping the first five together for trouble. If she was surprised at having to ring in Jericho Joseph for a fight, she didn't show it. "My office. Now, gentlemen."

"Mr. Mod, I cannot work with him," the girl stated to the teacher after Mod dismissed the students to gather with their groups for the final few minutes of class.

Richard was at the door and slowed his exit to meet with his group just a few feet outside in the hall. This statement from the new girl prickled his ears with the upmost curiosity.

"Sure you can, duckie," Mod answered. "Plus, you have no say in the matter."

"What does that have to do with ducks?" she quietly asked herself as she released a frustrated huff and ventured out of the room to the waiting group members in the hall.

"Hey, so, uh," Richard began once she came out of the room but with her back to them. As soon as Richard tried to formulate a coherent sentence, however, she twirled around with anger flashing in her emerald orbs.

"Do not talk to me!" demanded the new girl. "I refuse to work on this assignment with you."

"Why are you so hateful, and to a guy you've never even met?" retaliated Richard, heat rising in his face at the obvious rejection by the girl.

"I just do not wish to be in your group," she stated with arms crossing over her chest.

"What if I don't want you in my group," Richard snapped as he copied her actions and folded his hands inside the creases of his dry elbows.

"What if I do not want to be here!"

"Good, then go back to where you came from!" Instantly, he regretted his words, and not just because of the reaction the stranger had. Anger, frustration, and helplessness overwhelmed her green eyes via tears. She sank to the ground and buried her head in her arms. Richard, uncertain of how to console, shuffled back to the three other members of the group.

"What's her deal?" Gar mumbled to Vic beside him.

"She's gonna wreck the whole project," Vic commented as the three guys watched her.

"I won't let her. I won't lose this fight," Richard stated in a diplomatic tone. Before he could take a step, however, a hand lightly touched his shoulder.

"Maybe… fighting isn't the answer," suggested Rachel. The four silently took in Rachel's advice as they observed the lost girl, alien to her surroundings. Richard felt a tug to reach out to here and bridge the obvious gap between them specifically.

"Wait here," Richard commanded to the others.

"What, you're the boss or something?" Accusingly, Vic asked. "At least she's met me, BB, and Rachel. She's never seen you before except when you're insulting her."

"Just give me a chance," Richard encouraged. He knew he had a connection with this girl somehow; he just couldn't place when, where, or why. He began to cautiously approach the girl.

"Hey," he said. She snapped her head up in response to his voice. A frown settled on her face at seeing whom was speaking to her. "Easy," he continued. "My name is Richard, and I don't want to hurt you, I just want to help," he coaxed in a gentle tone. Slowly, he reached for her hand and helped her stand up.

"Gopta," she muttered in a tone that suggested gratitude, he presumed.

For some reason, hearing this foreign girl speak her native language that he heard prior at some point made it all click. Richard realized who she was and why she was familiar: this was the girl that he followed after her escape from the ship back in Europe over the summer. He had tracked her down at the docks, and released her from her handcuffs, but she sprinted before any information was exchanged, or even a complete studying of each other could be accomplished between them.

"Hey, wait. I know you," Richard muttered aloud to mirror his thought process of piecing it together.

The girl must have understood that he fully connected who she was now. Desperate, she stopped him from announcing he knew her by yanking his collar and pressing her lips to a casual, but uncomfortably close place on the corner of his mouth and cheek.

That caught his attention.

She pulled back from the peck after a moment, hand still embracing his shirt's collar, and leaned close to his ear. "If you wish not to be destroyed," she whispered so only he could hear, "you will leave me alone." Her tone was pleading and desperate. It wasn't a threat, or even a demand, more like a deal for his safety and her separation. However, he wasn't interested in deals that didn't have him spinning it in his favor –perk of being raised by a billionaire businessman. Obviously, she knew more of the situation than he did, but he sensed she was trying to protect him and the others even if it meant her seclusion.

She noticed she was still clinging to his shirt, released her tight grip, and fled the area just as the dismissal bell rang, ending first period.

"Well," Vic commentated after a few moments of processing the scene just before them, "the girl sure knows how to make an impression."

Author's Note: Noticeable quotes/situations from the episode "Go!"

Disclaimer: I mean absolutely no, no, no disrespect to Moroccans, or the country, or transfer students from other countries. I think you are fabulous, but obviously some in the story don't realize that yet.

Stay tuned! And PLEASE leave a review should time allow you to do so. They really are encouraging and let me think where I need to step up my game, or clarify, or who you're ready for an appearance of, too! :D

Characters who you met/were mentioned in "Chapter Five – A Monday Down for the Books, part 1":

Roy Harper – Speedy

Richard Grayson - Robin

Wally West - Kid Flash

Jade Nguyen – Cheshire

Professor Chang – Professor Chang

Tyson Joto – Hot Spot

Jin Hex - Jinx

Tavis Storm - Lightning

Sid Block - Cinderblock

Seymour Isaacs – See-More

Jericho Joseph – Jericho (Sub-note: I know that his alias is Joseph Wilson, not Jericho, but I like the look of this better)

Toni Monetti - Argent

Johnny Rancid – Johnny Rancid

Willis "Fang" McDonald - Fang

Kyndyl "Kyd" Wick – Kyd Wykkyd

Principal Rita Farr – Elasti-Girl

Mr. Mod – Mad Mod

Ryuku Nguyen – Brushido (Sub-note: I know that 'Nguyen' is not Ryuku's alias last name, but, hey, my story ;))

Kori Anders – Starfire