Chapter 12:Breakfast

Disclaimer: I don't own Teen Titans.

"What am I going to do with you?" Blackfire heard the question in her mind. Rather than anger or resignation, however, she sensed a warmth behind the 'voice' that she hadn't felt in many years. I'm not alone anymore. She thought for a moment about her situation. We're moving so fast. It's like we've known been together for a long time.

But we have, haven't we? Maybe they weren't the best circumstances, but we hung out when I first came here and we've become very familiar with each other ever since.

And she knows me. I felt her touch my mind; she knows a lot that I've never told anyone.

Blackfire reached over and turned off the alarm before it rang. She discovered humans, like most races, had days that they preferred not to work quite as hard. Blackfire groaned. She didn't really feel like getting up either.

Blackfire felt warm. She couldn't feel her arm, but that seemed to her a small price to pay. She smiled. Raven lay next to her under the blanket, still asleep. As gently as possible she removed her numb arm from under Raven's sleeping form. She let it hang limp as she walked into the bathroom for a shower.

After she showered she grabbed some clothes and made for the roof. Blackfire had yet to figure out why they were called the salvation 'army', but she doubted their combat prowess. They were very helpful in acquiring clothes and food, though. Blackfire occasionally stopped by and said hello to them if she was headed in that direction. She recharged her batteries before putting on the clothing(over her suit) and heading back downstairs. Raven was still asleep, but Blackfire could tell she would wake up soon.

Blackfire kissed Raven lightly before moving towards the kitchen for something to write on.

She was looking for a pen when she felt a pair of arms encircle her waist. She leaned back slightly, pressing her body against Raven's.

"Morning." Blackfired smiled. "Good morning beautiful." Blackfire looked at Raven's still bare chest. The bandage was gone. The wound that had almost proven fatal looked like nothing more than a minor stab. Raven smiled at the look on Blackfire's face. "Good for something besides throwing things at people." Blackfire nodded. "Obviously. Hey, How about breakfast?" At the mention of the word breakfast Raven's stomach growled. Blackfire laughed. "I'll take that as a yes." A few minutes later they were on the street, headed for a diner.

They walked side-by-side, hips and shoulders brushing together as they walked. They both had an arm around the other, as if they couldn't stop being connected somehow. They sat down in a booth, facing each other. After they had ordered, Blackfire asked a question that surprised Raven. "How are my sister and Robin getting along?" Raven had to think for a moment. "Well, she's not sleeping in her room anymore, if that helps." Blackfire smiled. "It's good she found someone." After their food arrived they chatted about nothing for a while, enjoying each other's company while their legs rubbed against each other under the table.

When Blackfire pulled out cash to pay for the check Raven frowned. Blackfire looked at her for a second, then sighed. "Ask." To her credit, Raven didn't appear surprised. "Where do you get your money?" Blackfire threw a pair of twenties on the table and stormed out, not waiting for change. Or Raven.

Blackfire's progress was brought up short when Raven stepped through the wall and into her path. Blackfire was close to tears. "Before you say anything, I know why you asked. Now ask yourself whether it would have killed you to give me the benefit of the doubt. Doesn't your country say 'innocent until proven guilty?' Or is that just a bunch of pretty words a few blind old men put to paper in a time when people were proud enough to honor their commitments?"

Raven looked like she'd been slapped. "Blackfire…"

"Komand'r." Raven was confused. "What?"

Blackfire looked her in the eye. "My name is Komand'r. Blackfire was my arena name. That's where I got my money from. I spent a year and a half fighting in the slave pits of Cesson 9 until I could buy my freedom from slavers. Then I spent eight months in the gladiatorial games until I earned enough prize money to invest it in a small mining company. I bought controlling interest and moved the company's operation onto a moon I had scouted years earlier myself. Then I worked alongside my employees until we hit a vein of ore the size of your tower. I deposited my share in an account. Shortly after that was the first time I came to Earth. When I tried to access my funds a few cycles ago, they told me that it'd been liquidated into the bank. So I broke in and took the exact amount they owed me. Are you satisfied?"

Raven's next words surprised them both. "I'm sorry." Blackfire thought she detected a trace of shame in Raven's voice. "I'm just now getting to know you. It's hard for me to think of you as a person first instead of…"

Blackfire's expression and voice softened. "Instead of an enemy." Raven nodded without looking Blackfire in the eye. She's right. I haven't exactly shown her my best side. Blackfire could feel Raven's shame radiating from her as she stood on the sidewalk shivering. Shivering… Oh, I'm stupid! "Here." Blackfire stripped off her duster and wrapped it around Raven's shoulders. She held her for a second, only as long as she dared, before tilting Raven's chin up to look her in the eye. "C'mon. Let's go home." And with their fragile forming bond hanging by a thread, they walked back to the apartment arm in arm.