Chapter 11:

He was a friend; not an enemy.

A lover; not a murderer.

Truths; never a deception.

And to think there I was, staring dumbfounded and in complete shock at Richard Grayson who was at the moment staring at me with distress. All I could think of was... Xavier. When Richard asked with concern plastered on his face, "Are you okay kory?"- all I could dare to muster was "Xavier..."

"Kory look, everything's going to be okay." Gentle arms wrapped around me as a security blanket; strong, warm... comforting, none the less. "I guess so." I stuttered, still attempting to hold up the victory of fighting back tears yet of course, losing most viciously, from which came across Richard's attention as he used his thumb to gently glide across my numb cheek and erase the tear.

"I- I just can not see Xavier destroying the lives of all those innocent citizens. I am sure he would never do anything like that."

"Kory, you haven't seen the real him- the one that lies under the red x costume. He's a criminal- a thief Kory, and now... a murderer."

I mumbled, "but why?"

Richard had no response to my question and in the end the only thing he had for me was to pull me closer into his grasp... it always felt so good to be around him. Like nothing else ever mattered. No matter how short or how emotional of the times we had together- in the end, everything turned out good.

"Why do you insist on comforting me?" I asked, he chuckled.

"Because I care about you Kory. You're the only one that ever made me feel good inside- you always know how to cheer me up. Whether it would be your beautiful eyes or your smile..." he trailed off, I blushed.

"And the same for me as well I believe Richard. You have fully helped me in times of my doubts. Not to mention you are a very challenging 'fighter of the snow balls'" I giggled.

"You've got a good arm yourself... one heck of an arm actually." He grimaced in pain and I gave an innocent grin.

"Richard," I cut off the small talk and sighed deeply, "I have never really thanked you for your help. I really needed to know the truth today and after a while, you trusted me enough to tell me... everything. And again, I thank you for that trust and companionship of friends." Richard grinned. "You're welcome Kory."

"But Richard," I hesitated, "Since I now have done the discovering of your secret identity, and that I have absorbed the knowledge that you are the leader of the teen titans and your companions at this school consistent of Rachel who is in fact Raven and Krystal who is in reality Crystal-"

"Kory. Don't worry, just ask me the question." I blushed with embarrassment at my never ending sentence that would of continued on in my slight fear of the outcome that was to happen...

"What is going to happen to Xavier?"

Richard hesitated, mouth left open ajar and eyes cast downward. "Kory, we- the teen titans and I- are going to have to do everything we can to bring him down."

"I understand..." I whispered, yet, uncertainty rested in the pause to follow.

"I'm sorry Kory."

"No Richard, Xavier... must be brought to justice." I sniffed.

"Kory..."

"He killed those people near the pier and through his acts of foolishness, disrupted the whole city.-"

"Kory!"

"Not to mention his previous enrollment in the gang the "Shadows" whom go around with power and authority to steal, harass, torture, kidnap-"

"Kory!"

"What Richard!" I sniffed.

"You really care for him don't you?" He sighed, hinting some form of... disappointment?

"He is my friend, what else would there be between us then consideration and care?"

"You know well by now that things aren't going to turn out well, don't you?"

"Things will always turn out good in the end. Just hope that the outcome of life will be satisfying and it will."

"Always remember that Rachel, Krystal and I will always be there for you. Never forget that." He assured me. I gave him a weak smile in my thanks. "...What about Cyborg and Beast Boy?" I giggled, trying to cheer myself up. The other members of the teen titans I had only heard about on T.V in school and had never actually seen them personally unlike the other residents. "Oh, them." He laughed, "Actually, we could go for a little visit if you wanted to..." He trailed off, grinning once my face lit up with excitement and the tears disappeared off my face. "You mean the actual tour of the tower of the titans?" I asked hopefully. "If you want to." He shrugged. In an instant I pranced up on him in a bone-crushing hug. "Oh thank you, thank you, thank you! I X'hal you my friend, I have always dreamed of visiting the wonderful tower of the titans and standing on the very roof that overlooks the whole city!"

"...X'hal?" He questioned, scratching his head with confusion. "Kory, is that even a word?" I paused for a moment in deep concentration. "I am not sure..." I shook my head and glanced over at the titan's tower surrounded in swirling specks of snow.

"Come on, let's go." Richard beckoned. "This should cheer you up." Both of our grins were as wide as ever, and we both completely forgot about all our issues, but, I guess that could happen between the two of us.

"I thank you once more!" I exalted, grin still plastered on my face.

I pranced down the steps in my excitement- it wasn't everyday you got to get a personal tour of the Titans tower- with Richard behind me, shaking his head in astonishment at my enthusiasm. "You sure are very emotional..." He mumbled, suppressing a laughter when I tripped over a fallen piece of wood and found myself sprawled on the floor- smile still glued to my face as if the minor pain in my ankle didn't bother me one bit.

"Are you okay-"

Richard's laughing ceased almost instantly and the glowing sparkle that rested in his eyes faded; his face dropped to a pale shade.

I widened my eyes with fear.

"Richard what-"

He cut me off with a quick extension of his hand to signal to be quiet. Hawk like eyes scanned the perimeter of the warehouse and his body was positioned in a ready stance. I saw nothing but crates filled with nothing but mold and a rat scurry by from one end of the room to another with a quick tapping of his claws. There was a deathly silence that lingered... that silence before the plunge... the one before the sudden sharp inhale. "Richard..." I whispered timidly. He gave no response; no comfort. I sat there, frozen to the ground in fear as Richard continued to scan the area.

What was going on?

"Richard, please, what is going on?" I whispered again.

"Kory-" In an instant, faster than my brain could even comprehend, Richard had dropped to the ground and rolled over to my feet where he threw me to the ground, body on top of mine. A blinding light erupted, accompanied with a massive explosion that rang in my ears.

I cried out in shock and cradled my head which was throbbing in pain. Richard was on top of me, head buried into my arm and both of our hearts were racing. "Are you okay Kory?" Richard asked concerned plastered all over his face. "Yes, but please you are squishing me." He jumped up suddenly, "Sorry."

Turning back to face the many rows of boxes, he narrowed his eyes in concentration. A small metal pole rested in his hands. It then extended to around four feet in his grasp. "Stay here." He demanded.

"Please are you not going to call the others?" Was my concerned reply. "Here." I caught a yellow circular communicator device with a 'T' imprinted on the front cover. Flipping it open I stared in awe as the screen turned white and black with static. I pushed the only button on the side and held it down. "Hello? Um... Raven? Cyborg? Beast Boy? Krystal?" I called, a little uncertain how the communication device operated. "What is it Robin?" A male voice cam in, his face appeared on the screen. Half of his face was covered in robotic parts of blue and silver. "This is his friend Kory. Robin is in need of you're assistance-" The screen shrunk and three more heads popped up: Beast Boy, Raven, and Krystal-" There was a massive explosion and-"

"Red x!" Richard growled in the back round, I turned in shock to see Richard charge over deeper in the warehouse and disappear behind stacks of boxes. "We're on it." Cyborg nodded. "We'll be right there." Raven informed and Krystal added, "Stay away from Red X Kory."

"Hey! How come you two know her?" Beast boy scratched his head in confusion. The screen panned over to Raven walking over to the green skinned hero and slapping him over the head. "Shut up and let's go."

"Ow!" He moaned as the whole screen went black. I flipped the screen shut and peered around, talking cautious steps down the rows of boxes. Everything seemed, well, too quiet... "Richard..." I whispered timidly, clutching the Titans communicator in my sweaty palms. Suddenly Richard called out helplessly hidden between boxes, "Kory, Look out!" I swerved around to the sound of his voice. My eyes went wide with fear when I noticed a shadow loom over me. "Boo." I jumped and dodged away in fear as Red X approached me. Richard came running over at full speed with staff extended and twirling in his hands. "Show yourself you coward!" Richard yelled angrily. It had just come to my attention that in a split second Red X had... disappeared. "Kory, get out of here now!" Richard ordered.

"Rich-"

"Go!" He shouted with aggravation once Red X appeared out of the sky as if he had been invisible and charged down at Richard. I froze there on the floor in fear, watching the fight unravel before me.

When I could pull together enough strength, I avoided the attacking two as they edged closer to me, sending blow after blow at each other. Finding a suitable place behind a crate large enough to conceal me, I waited in anticipation and hope that the other Titans would come soon to aid Richard. But in the meantime, maybe... I could help. It was a longshot, and not even practical. But if it was possible that I could have... maybe 'super powers' or some form of abnormal behavior, I could be a great help- or, in other words, a disaster. Replaying the events that hand unraveled in my life before where I had used these uncontrollable powers, I knew I was determined to do something- anything to help. "Remember your lesson with Xavier." I whispered to myself. Remember: Righteous fury.

Righteous fury...

Righteous- There was a massive explosion once Red X dropped a mini grenade. I ducked. The box was my shield; my protection and I was thankful for this since the whole from and top of the box shattered around me. "He's getting away!" Richard cried out as the rest of the team blasted in. "I've got him!" One of the yelled but was unsuccessful once Xavier ran out, dropping a smoke bomb behind him.

"Richard! What happened?" Krystal gasped in shock as he laid sprawled on the ground, minor injuries scattered over his body. They all gathered around to help and I staid behind the box. "Get him!"

"You're injured Richard!" Krystal protested gently brushing over a deep gash down his arm. "I'm fine!" He shrugged her off and started to rise up. "Richard!" She pleaded. Red X was getting away, and with the Titans down, I made it my stupid decision to run after him. I mean, maybe I could talk some sense into him. Enough was enough0 I charged from the boxes and sprinted across the warehouse and through the fading smoke. Falling snow blasted me once I reached out the rusted doors. I glanced at the fresh snow prints heading into the direction of the broken down part of the neighborhood- where I lived.

I chased him down the empty streets until I say him turn a corner into a dark alley... "Xavier!" I called out. The shadowy figure loomed at the end of the alley, rustling through the deep snow as he turned towards my beckoning plea. His tall complexion cast out a haunting shadow making him seem fierce and deadly in the setting sun. With a skull shaped mask that outlined his face came a vicious glare that bore through his covered eyes and burned my inner soul. Malevolence; evil... pulsing through his veins. A flowing black cape with fury rustled in the wind, flapping madly against his back. He posed rather defensively, stancing with his feet spaced apart and buried in the show so that he could react instantly to anything. Black gloved hands bearing the red 'x' were thrown up in fists and clenched.

There he was, ready to attack, yet, there I was...standing innocently, defenselessly, with hands pulled to my chest and head lowered to the snow. "I am asking you nicely to please stop now/" I whispered timidly, peeking up at a shocked Xavier lowering his hands steadily. "Kory..." I winched at his mechanical, cold, echoing voice emitting through the mask, replacing his true, warm, deep one.

With what ounce of strength, and, more or less- bravery I had left, my feet crunched through the feathery snow towards Xavier. He still stood somewhat defensively.

We were now only around three feet apart when I paused. Unable to keep my eyes directly at his face, I once more pulled my head down to gaze at the ground. Why did It have to come to this? After all Xavier and I had been through... which wasn't much seeing that not half of the school year had gone by- but enough that there was a strong bond of friendship between us. Strong enough to know that if things didn't turn out right for us, both of us would end up...

Shattered.

I choked, "Xavier..."

"Like the suit?" He joked, chuckling hoarsely. Frowning, I remained silent, absorbing the pulsing uncomfortableness flowing between us.

"Why Xavier?" I asked.

"Kory, it's not what you think-" He assured.

"Then what do I think?" I cried hopelessly. Tear droplets found their way down my cheeks as my eyes filled up with water. Tenderly he reached up a gloved hand to wipe away my tears and I grabbed his hand and help it close to me. Sadly, the only think I could think of was how Richard had caressed my cheek that way.

To forget everything for just a moment, I let go of Xavier's hand and flung myself into his grasp- burying my head into his chest and holding on tight so that we would never let go. Agreeing very happily to this gesture, Xavier stroked my hair gently as he whispered into my ear, "I'm sorry Kory."

"Please Xavier, stop this madness." I pleaded, still held in his grasp. "Please."

"I can't Kory. I just can't" That wasn't the answer I wanted to hear. I squeezed my eyes shut and opened them as more tears spilled out unchecked. "Yes you can, you have to, you-"

"How kory?!" He hissed in my ear, pulling us apart. He glared at me with distaste. "What am I going to do now with the Titan's on my back and the whole city wanting me for dead? Huh?!"

It's not that complicated." I argued softly while trying to cal Xavier down who was boiling up with fury.

"Not that complicated?" He spat, "No Kory, It's far more complex than you think. What do you exactly want me to do?- Pull off this costume and waltz back into my life like nothing every happened?" "You chose this life Xavier- and you can turn it around." I protested, trying-yet failing- to stay calm.

"Turn it around? Do you want me to go to prison or something?" He stomped around in the snow as it crunched under his feet, leaving a much trampled on path of increasing foot prints. "It would be the best think you could-"

"So you really want me to go to prison?" He shouted, astonished. "It's more complex than that-"

"More complex? Now you're telling me!" He sneered.

"Richard said that it would be best for you to turn yourself in-"

"Richard said!" He mocked sarcastically. His harsh, altered voice seemed to dig into my side and force me to take a few steps back in defeat. "Of course you'll listen to that ass-hole! After the way he treated you on the first day of school?!"

"Don't talk about him that way. Richard is... a good fried- much more loyal than- than you ever were!" I spat harshly, yet I felt a stinging pain in my stomach that warned me I had gone to far.

"Loyal huh?"

"Well, why don't you ask your loyal friend Robin who made the suit- who first used it to turn against good. Cause you know Kory- I only stole it after Robin used it. Since it almost literally had my name on it I though 'why not steal the suit and go have some fun?' But go find out how that bastard used it to betray his own friends! Not to mention the time he turned against the whole city a while back and joined a villain mastermind named slade and almost destroyed the whole city." I heard his loud panting when he ceased from talking. His arms were flailing in the air madly to support his expressions and he had gotten 6 inches away from my face and narrowed his eyes till his mask showed only black slit lines, "What do you think about that?"

With a powerful blow, he brought his hand across my cheek- hard.

Shock filled up instantly but, this time instead of tears, I was filled with anger... unwanted anger...

"I..." I stuttered, holding back on the rising anger with my clenched fists. Suddenly, I released my fists and lowered my hands while softening up my facial expression and trying to rid of the anger. "I think I never want to see you again. Just go run away Xavier- leave me in peace. You've done enough damage. I'm leaving!" My face was emotionless, yet hinted more than I wanted- sorrow. An agonizing sorrow releasing itself in my body and burned me from the inside out.

There was an all to common silence filled with guilt- sorrow. As I turned to leave, Xavier reached out and grabbed my arm to hold me back. "Let me go Xavier." I demanded, half-heartedly struggling from his grasp because I was left with nothing but exhaustion to fuel my energy.

"No." Was his fierce reply.

"Let me go!" I yelled.

"No Kory, Stop!" He demanded as I struggled even more from his grasp. His arms wrapped around my waist as he pulled me tighter and more forcefully. Frightened none the less, I let out a blood piercing scream until Xavier forced his hand over my mouth. As if a sort of switch flipped on inside of him, I found myself in the grasps of the real Xavier- Red x; the gang member of the shadows. This was because he felt no emotion, had no feelings and was pumped with anger beyond the limits.

"Let her go Xavier!" A sigh of relief swept over me as Rachel- or Raven because of the navy blue cape resting on her shoulders and matching leotard complete with gold belt encrusted with rich crimson gems laying loosely on her waist. Hood over her head and eyes glowing a brilliant white, her hand was outstretched and pointing at Xavier with a fiery black orb emitting from her pam.

"She said, let her go!" A six and a half foot African American towered in the alley. There was blue and silver robotic parts equipped permanently around his body- arms, legs, chest and covering his head partially. One robotic eye blinked red and the other was a dark chocolate brown. His arm was raised up a sparkling blue as it made a fierce energizing sound.

...This was Cyborg.

As the fourth member of the teen Titans swooped down in eagle form, Krystal ran up behind the animal shifting changeling with her hands glowing white with energy from the ice absorbing up in her- turning her flowing blonde hair an abnormal white. Beast Boy morphed back into his human form- well, as human as he could get with short green spiked hair, fangs, and pointed ears. Not to mention his whole body was... green.

The finally; my sigh of relief and the final member of the Team. With a grappling hook I hand he dived off the crumbling brick roof like a soaring falcon, and jumped down at full speed, slowing down when the hook and wire caught on the roof. He ran over to his team. His steel toed boots slid in the snow as he whipped around to face us with his famously known weapon called the "bird-a-rang" (more like a boomerang with blades) outstretched in his hand. Once Robin hand stanced ready to attach, in fury, Xavier clenched his hands and the 'X' symbols on his gloves extended into a red colored 'X' formed blade that dangerously edged to my cheek- his hand against my neck.

"Xavier..." I choked as he pressed the blade deeper into my skin. The cool metal came in deep contact with my cheek and try as hard as I could to edge upward to avoid the sharp blade- it was hopeless. I gasped for breath and my heart was pounding rapidly in my chest.

"You hurt her and it'll be the last think you do." Robin warned with an icy, cold voice, demandingly strong and brave- just like a team leader was expected to have.

"You take one more step and I will hurt her."

"Xavier!" I gasped, "Why are you doing this?! I thought you were my friend!" I pleaded, trying to help him spark some sort of recollection of all the times we had together. Like when he would peck me on the cheek every morning.

"Well, I guess the same goes for both of us then huh?" was his cocky reply.

"Just stop Xavier!" I begged.

"Why should I?" He snapped.

"Because we're friends. And friends don't harm each other." I tried to convince him, but in the end it seemed hopeless. I gave a sudden, great jerk. Taken by surprise, Xavier almost released me before his blade sliced a thin line down my cheek deep enough to penetrate but not enough to leave a permanent scar. I cried out in shock and he gripped onto me even tighter. Robin growled with anger but Raven held him back from attacking for the blade was once again pressed to my cheek. This time though, Xavier bent down and whispered into my ear, "I'm sorry cutie, but I have to do this..."

My face became pale.

My anger built up inside of me, "NO! You will not!" Anger released with a great force and I felt my eyes burn a green my hands turned white hot. My eyes flashed dangerously.

A dark, furious expression played across my face and I let out a vicious war cry. Before anyone could react, there was a massive explosion of blinding green light and everyone was thrown back. Xavier laid sprawled on the ground in the snow. His blades retracted and I witnessed a horrific event- all down his stomach were torn pieces of fabric and burn marks trailed down his arms. His mask was slightly askew.

"What were you thinking?" I yelled, hands clenched and my eyes were still glowing a vivid green. "Pull yourself together Xavier! What happened to you?!" Like Raven, I found my hands emitting a green energy pulsing through my body.

"Kory, I'm sorry." He whispered painfully, clutching his stomach grimly.

At that moment I lowered my hands and my eyes turned back to normal. Falling to my knees I sighed deeply with exhaustion as my breathing slowed down back to normal, yet jagged and harsh.

An all to familiar feeling came upon me as I clutched my head in pain. "I am also sorry Xavier..." I whispered faintly before collapsing into the snow.

"Kory!" Richard yelled, "Raven, help her!" Richard pleaded.

"Azerath Metrion Zinthos!" Was the last think I heard before passing out.