A/N: Gosh I'm so sorry this is late, but there's so much snow here that trying to get rid of it and staying warm became a priority. And, you know, we were a bit uninspired. Oh well, because it's up now. And I would like to respond to all the lovelies that reviewed during our absence.
teddy: glad you like this story! And we would love it if you wanted to make a fanfic for our fanfic. You can send it in an ask at this story's tumblr kineticfirehazard, and we'd be happy to read it! Hope you like this chapter.
guest: yes I know the art is spoilery, but just think season 2 is almost over! so we're getting there soon.
thewanderingstory: Hello! Glad you love this, because we love it too. And we wanted to be different than everyone else, so glad you enjoy it.
all other guests (there are like 5 of you i think): So happy you guys like the story, and the one that talks about Rachel getting kicked off, well, the reason is so this chapter can happen.
C: Oh my god it's so nice to hear that. It makes us so happy to know we're writing OC's well.
OKAY, NOW ONTO THE STORY (finally)
Rachel's POV
It was official. I was breaking up with Blue and quitting the team. My motive? Roy.
Roy, aka Arsenal, aka the only person born in this dimension that had the slightest idea what it was like to skip three years and shift dimensions. Who had missed a big chunk of character development time and was now hostile, vulgar, stubborn, (not Nat's type), and now on the run with a group of random teenagers. Who was now missing an arm because of the Light.
And he hadn't done anything wrong. Not, like, ignored an offer made by the matriarch of a powerful Middle Eastern nation or something. Only a complete idiot would do that.
Yeah.
As the saying goes, if you can't beat them, join them, and if you can't do that, make sure you're way out of range.
It would have been easier to have been kicked off the team – sure, ego-shattering and heart-wrenching to say goodbye to all my friends, but easier nonetheless. At least then I could've had League-arranged accommodations for a teenaged flaming girl, rather than have to figure this out all by myself.
All League locations would definitely be unavailable, which, unfortunately, ruled out a lot of locations I had become familiar with over the past five months. I wasn't quite ready to deal with a foster home, though, and I doubted I could stay with the Reyes after my relationship with Jaime was terminated. I could, feasibly, live on my own, but that would take a lot of getting used to. So the living conditions were kind of set as definite maybe.
I had no idea how to talk to Jaime. None. Hours of frantically (and pathetically) scanning M'Gann's books on teenage love had nothing on breaking up with someone you still loved completely. And I couldn't pretend that I didn't. I just had to hope that he understood.
Then there was Nat.
Like I said, it would have been easier for me to be kicked off the Team, so I was still mad at her for sticking up for me. Pointless, I know, but by now, you should have picked up on the fact that most of my brain cells have burned away. I wasn't sure how well my comic-loving best friend would take my proposition to leave the League and her super-speedy boyfriend and take on the task of existing as independent adults at the ages of fourteen and fifteen - no, just fifteen. We were the same age for, like, a week. Then I would be sixteen.
Huh.
Anyway, I was fairly sure she wouldn't take it well, and I had no way to convince her to go. I didn't even want to go.
So here I was, sitting on the roof of the Reyes house while Nightwing and Black Canary tried to tell Blue's parents that he would be alright in the end, but that the plan was super top secret. It didn't sound real to me, either.
"Rachel?" Milagro called, her voice shaky.
I swung off the edge of the roof and landed as lightly as I could on the lawn. Thank the lord I had good knees. I ran up to her. "Sup?" I asked. What a dumb question, I told myself. Sup. What the hell did you think she was going to say?!
She clung to my legs. "Is Jaime going to be back soon?"
Oh, Jesus. I wasn't good at lying to little kids. I broke down and told my cousin that Santa was a lie when he was only seven.
"He'll be back in, at most, a month." That is, if my intrusion to your timeline didn't screw everything up.
"You like him, right? You kissed that one time."
Inside, of course, I was screaming, but it only came out as a painfully forced laugh. "Y - yeah, I do like him."
"Do you miss him?"
"Of course I miss him! Everyone misses him!"
"Really?"
"Really. But you can't tell anyone he's missing, alright? It's special stuff."
"Like the kind of stuff you do?"
"Yeah."
"Oh," said Milagro.
"What is it?"
"Will you get lost, too?"
"Hopefully not," I said.
Nat's POV
"Okay, Kinetica, return to base. Captain Marvel will take over your patrol." I was confused. My patrol lasted at least another hour. Why would Nightwing send me back early?
"Wait, what?"
"You're the only one who can calm Phoenix down."
That caught my attention. "What is wrong with Rachel?"
Dick didn't say anything for a moment. "Get back to base." Shit, shit, shit. I didn't even try to hide my green trail as I flew as fast as I could from Central City to Bludhaven. Was she in trouble? Oh gosh I didn't want to think about that. I could see the base right below me. Flying down, I ran through the door.
"What the hell is happen- Rachel what are you doing?"
She had a black trash bag full of her stuff on an empty bed. Her clothes looked slightly charred, like she had caught on fire but caught herself. "Nothing Nat."
"She's trying to quit." Timmy was sitting on the bannister, fixing his sunglasses.
I whirled around to Rachel. "I'm sorry, what? Rachel you can't quit."
She cocked an eyebrow. "Sure I can. With Blue and-"
"We're getting him back Rachel!" I usually didn't yell, but I was pissed. I would not have my best friend leave over some guy. "Remember 'Intervention'? The Team saves him. Jaime still loves you, and he is still there. So don't ruin your life just because a boy is taken-"
"It's not about Jaime! It's - it's more than that!" Her hair began to flicker and spark.
"Well than what is it then? Because you don't want to stay here? Where in hell can you go? Nowhere! Rachel, I'm your best friend, you can't just leave me!" Tears brimmed my eyes. I couldn't lose another person. I just couldn't.
She dropped the bag, her voice wavering as she spoke. "But I can't stay here, Nat. I- I'm sorry."
"I don't care whether you're sorry or not. I can't lose you. After Da-" My voice caught on his name.
"After who, Nat?"
I glared at the floor, speaking quietly. "I won't let you leave."
She was still burning, looking less and less like my best friend. She looked vicious, powerful...primal. It was like she was a goddess about to punish the world, and not the girl who was losing herself over her boyfriend. "You have no say over what I do, Nat. You have no idea what else I'm going through right now. I don't need you in my way-"
"Because you're scared!" Creating a protective layer around me I shook Rachel's shoulders, feeling a tear fall. "I was scared before Rachel, I've been scared for so long. But we're here for each other. We stand for each other. We're friends. You can't just kick all of that to the curb."
"God, Nat, you make it sound like I'm dying." She shrugged out of my grip, her flames dying as she walked quietly into the Zeta Tube, her fingers pressing through the plastic of the garbage bag. "It's not my best solution, but it's the only one I can think of. I'm sorry." Turning her head just the slightest bit she whispered, "I really am."
Then she was gone. I couldn't feel myself falling until my knees made contact with the ground. Tim was suddenly by my side… I forgot he was there. "Nat."
"She's gone Timmy." Without warning, he pulled me into a hug as I cried into his uniform. "She left. I have to get her to change her mind. I -" My voice cracked. "I have to."
Rachel's POV
The Zeta Tube let out in the bad part of El Paso - specifically, an alley that smelled like several small animals had died in it. I shoved my hands in my pockets with the com-piece and tried not to breathe through my nose.
This was, unfortunately, ideal for my needs.
I walked to the very back of the alley and looked down in the corner. A small pile of dirt with an optimistic dandelion poking out of it.
I kicked into the dirt with my shoe, trying not to disturb the weed. When I had made a satisfying hole, I removed the com-piece from my pocket, double-checked the bag's seal, and placed it in. I was careful not to trigger the button as I packed the dirt down.
Hopefully that would keep it safe.
I stepped back to survey my work. The dandelion looked slightly wilted and extremely disapproving, but there were some things you just couldn't help.
I jogged (ugh) back into the Zeta Tube before I realized I had no idea where I should go. I had about fifty bucks in my wallet - maybe more if I had waited until my birthday to leave - and I could just crash in my old house until -
No. I could stay in my old house in Rodeo until I could come up with a better idea. Until then, however, I was pretty much on free reign.
Huh.
I stared at the list of Zeta Tube locations, weighing my options. Tel Aviv sounded nice, but I still wasn't familiar with the language (Gotham didn't offer Arabic as a course). New York, Gotham, Philadelphia, and DC were all nice, but were way too close to Nat and all of the people I was trying to break away from. Same with Star City, Central City, and Metropolis.
My eyes strayed westwards and came to rest at the Grand Canyon. I smiled faintly, remembering the summer trip my family had gone on one year, when dad still liked us.
I would go there.
When the Zeta Tube let me out, I was surprised by how similar the place looked when I was six. Of course the names were different, but the color schemes were relatively the same, along with the setup of the food court and the parking lot.
I strayed out across the lot, glancing at happy families enjoying their tine together.
One kid was really going at a trash can - just completely destroying the thing with a stick he had found somewhere. "Shouldn't you show a little respect for the trash can?" I said, sitting at a table near the boy.
The kid looked up at me, and I gasped.
It had been almost five years since I had seen a picture of my dad as a kid - Mom was pretty touchy about the subject but couldn't give them up - but this kid took me way back. He looked exactly like my - my half-sibling Michael from Dad's Family 2.0. From his beat little ensemble his secretary mother used to dress him in when he was two to his wave of brown hair that hung in his chestnut eyes, the same shade as mine.
"Why should I listen to you?" he pouted.
"I don't know," I said dazedly.
The kid sauntered away, leaving me staring after him. His family was not Family 2.0, but - but damn did he look like Dad.
I didn't know what to do.
I buried my face in my hands, willing myself not to cry. A boyfriend possessed by an alien, a doppelgänger of a half-sibling, a queen who wanted me to pretty much kill my best friend, and let's not forget pyrokinesis.
Could life be any more fucked up?
Nat's POV
"Nat." I felt someone poke my shoulder. I kept my head down on the table. "Nat, what's wrong?"
Suddenly Carrie grabbed me by the arms, shaking me. "Nat!"
"Ah! What the hell?"
"You. You look like hell."
"Gee thanks."
"Come on, only true friends are as honest as I am."
She sat down across from me, and I tried my hardest to ignore her. Of course, that was kind of hard, with her staring at me so intently.
"What's up?" she said finally, after deciding I wasn't going to say anything.
"Nothing. Everything's peachy in Nat's world," I said monotonously.
"Is it...Bart?" asked Carrie.
"No, Bart's fine."
"Is it...your parents?"
"No, I'm sure they're fine."
"That sounds like you don't know where they are," she pointed out.
Way to go, Carrie, you get a gold star, I thought. "I've actually been staying with a friend for - yeah, for the entire time you've known me."
"Did something happen to your parents?"
I shook my head.
"Did something happen to your friend?"
I sighed and went to put my head down, but Carrie caught it halfway and propped me back up.
"What did they do?"
"She's - she's been so stupid lately. She's been having troubles with her boyfriend, but she claims that's not it. And when I ask her what the real problem is, she just says she's protecting me by not saying anything. She's just -" I pushed Carrie's hand away and fell on the table "- it's just complicated."
"Dang," said Carrie.
"I just want her to tell me what the problem is so I can help her."
"Well, what do you think the problem is?"
"Boyfriend, probably, but that's so dumb. Like - okay, so maybe she is a hopeless romantic, but it's bound to work out eventually -"
"Maybe she doesn't think so," said Carrie thoughtfully.
I shook my head. "Okay, ignore that. Not a boyfriend thing. So...I guess it could be her p - her, uh, her...pyromaniac tendencies."
"Pyromaniac tendencies?!" said Carrie.
"Yeah, that could be -"
"What are you doing staying with a girl that has pyromaniac tendencies?!"
"It's very sporadic arson, but sometimes she does have her slip-ups. It's a lot better than you think it is, trust me."
"Does she go to this school? What's her name?"
"Her name's Rachel, and she goes to Gotham."
Carrie stared at me.
"What?" I demanded.
"Where the hell do you live?!" said Carrie.
Shit, I thought. "T-there's a second Gotham. Out near the edge of the state. It's like a 30 minute drive."
"Damn," said Carrie.
She stared off into the distance in silence, most likely lost in thought. I didn't mind.
"I'm trying to fix her," I said quietly.
"People don't usually change easily," said Carrie. "Aren't you scared? She's a pyromaniac."
"I'm not scared for me, I'm scared for her. She's roaming the country looking for something I don't think she can achieve, mainly because she left it behind."
"Deep."
"Oh, shut up," I said.
She smiled, and I felt the muscles in my cheeks tighten against my will.
"So are you excited to go out with Bart?" she asked.
"Totally," I said.
"Do you know what you're gonna wear, or do you need me to help you decide?"
I shrugged.
Carrie started talking about what she thought a guy like Bart would like (for some reason, she kept bringing it up), and I nodded along, only half-interested. I looked down at my phone, spying a text from Timmy. We're following leads with Rachel. The Bio-Ship will pick you and Bart up soon.
"Wait, what period is this?"
"Fourth. Like alway- where are you going?" I hopped up, swinging my bag over my shoulder. "Nat?"
"Um…" My eyes darted back and forth, finding Bart on the hill, reading. "Bye." I ran. Twenty nine steps to get to him. Twenty three. Sixteen.
"C'mon." I grabbed his arm, yanking him up.
"Nat, what the heck are you-"
"We have to get to," I checked my phone again, "the top of the nearest building. Preferably in costume." The last part I whispered.
"Why?"
"Nat why did you run off like that?" Damnit. Carrie appeared next to me, her mouth drawn into a straight line.
"I-um-" Shit I couldn't stutter now. "I got a lead on Rachel."
She sighed. "And?"
"Cover for me?"
"Bart too?" When she said her name, it sounded different than the rest of the sentence. What the hell?
"Yes. Please."
"Get going. But now you're leaving me alone with Pete of all people in science, so you owe me. I expect an explanation."
I was already walking away, pulling Bart along with me. "Sure, 'course."
"You're welcome." She flipped her ponytail so it nearly collided with my face, and walked off.
Quietly I said, "Thanks."
Rachel's POV
Shit to the fucking shit. I sat down on a random roof in a random town, staring down at all the happy families. Normal people. I spotted the Michael-twin multiple times, each a stab in my chest. Yet I couldn't look away.
It was proof that my family could be here. Proof that I could be someone.
Nothing would take that away from me. Especially stupid feelings and a Team that is better without me. That's for certain.
Nat's POV
CENTRAL CITY
MAY 30TH
"Nat this is mode." I blew a piece of hair from my face as I leaned against the small ledge of the roof. Bart was pacing back and forth very fast. "Rachel left? Why didn't you tell me sooner?" He grabbed my shoulder, looking at my sadly. Shrugging out of his grip, I glared at the ground.
"Because I wanted to try and fix the situation before I told someone."
"Nat you can't fix everything."
"I'm not t-t-trying to." My hands were shaking. Too long without medication. Too long without Rachel to talk to. Too long. I slid down to the ground, my knees coming to nearly touching my nose. "I just… I'm not use to having someone to talk to about my problems, Bart."
"And that's making you feel the mode, Ken- Nat." He slung his arm over my shoulder, placing a kiss on my forehead. I shook, still not used to that. I don't think I ever will be to be honest. Bart holding me, liking me.
"Believe me, I know." I stretched my legs out. A small pop riveted through me from just below my right hip. I really needed to do yoga or something. "But, I'm used to it, Bart."
He said something, but by that point I wasn't listening. The sky seemed different, haunted almost just above some of the buildings. Distorted. The air around it was humming as the distortion came closer. "Here's our ride."
"What?"
A/N: So we switched a few canon things around, by that I mean timing, but hey we can change it if we want. It's fanfiction. So, what do you guys think will happen to Rachel? Will Bart and Nat ever go out on a date? And what did you think of this chapter overall? Was it worth the wait? Hopefully we will see you next week, but if there's no school tomorrow, maybe 26 will be up by Sunday. Cross your fingers.