Disclaimers: I don't own the teen titans. Never have, and sadly, never will.

This has some depressing moments in there. It's a Rae/star pairing, and they are just normal people. And Starfire can speak like normal peoples.

On with the story!

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The harsh winds of winter snapped at Kory's heels as she fought through the snow and made her way through the roots and trees of the forest.

All I wanted to do was take a nice walk through the forest. Next thing I know it's snowing, and I'm freezing my butt off!

She wrapped her sweater tightly around her, wishing for the umpteenth time that she'd brought a jacket instead. But she'd been in so much pain…in such a hurry to get out of the house and away from her life that she'd forgotten. Memories of what drove her into the cold brought tears to her eyes as her mind went over what had happened just hours ago…

Flashback

She had just gotten back from dance class and was making her way up the stairs of the mansion when moans and groans caught her attention. Curiosity getting the better of her, she pushed open the door and gasped.

Richard looked up, his face a beet red and tried to cover up himself and her sister. (I have no idea what Blackfire's name is on Tameran. Sorry!)

"uh…Kory…it's not what it looks like."

"oh stop lying Richard. Its time you've told the truth. Sister dear, we've been seeing each other for the past six weeks."

Kory blinked back tears and cleared her throat. "I…have to…go somewhere else."

Running down the stairs at top speed, she grabbed a sweater and took off, heading into the woods. Whenever she was angry or upset, a nice walk always calmed her down.

That was when the wind started picking up, and the snow started falling…

End flashback

a low growl snapped her out of her thoughts. Looking up, she saw a pack of wolves circling around her with a hungry look in their eyes. all at once they lunged at her. she screamed, kicked, scratched, cursed and everything else she could think of until she wore herself out and passed out from the pain.

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Rachael stumbled away from her house and into the woods that surrounded them. today was just like any other day. Her father came home from work every day and would beat her until he was either hungry, or she passed out, whichever came first.

But today was different. Today she was turning 18. today she would load up her mother's car and drive until she ran out of gas. Wherever she stopped, was where she'd start her new life. but for now, she would walk around the woods and say one last good-bye to her sanctuary.

Her father hadn't forgotten about her birthday. It just happened to be one of his weak moments, when he was nice and kind. His eyes would go glassy and dull and she would stay close to listen to what he had to confess.

"I know I haven't been a good father in these past years. But I just keep remembering the time when your mother was in labor, and how you made it and she didn't. and I get so mad…so…ANGRY…"

Then his eyes had cleared and a sharp pain appeared on the back of her shoulder, and she saw the bloodied knife in his hands.

"my last goodbye present."

And here she was, walking in the snow, ignoring the trail of blood she had trailing behind her. she knew she could die if she didn't wrap up her shoulder, but she couldn't find a place to rest at long enough to do so.

Finally she spied a cabin up ahead and walked in before slamming the door shut and locking it.

Now for my shoulder.

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It hurt everywhere. All at once too. how was she still alive anyway? The wolves seemed to be gone, so she opened up her eyes and tried to sit up and see what damage had been done. Except for a few scratches and a real nasty gash on her leg, she couldn't see anything major.

Must've been lucky.

Pulling herself up, she tested her leg to see if she could put any weight on it. it hurt like hell, and every time she breathed spots appeared in her eyes, but it wasn't that bad. The cold pretty much numbed everything anyways.

Seeing a light up ahead, she started limping towards it, stopping every few minutes to rest. Finally, she arrived at the front door and pushed it open. There was a girl there, about her age, leaning against the wall and breathing heavily. Seeing the blood dripping on the floor from the wound on her shoulder, she rushed to her side and made the girl sit down before starting on her shoulder.

"you don't have to do this."

Kory tore off another piece of her shirt and used it to wrap up the wound.

"I know." nothing more was said between the two as Kory continued cleaning up Rachael, who in turn was looking at her leg.

"this is kind of like a slumber party, now that I think of it." she mused out loud. Rachael smirked.

"If I had known that this was what girls did at slumber parties, I'd have had one years ago."

Kory stopped before looking up at her.

"this…happens a lot?"

She stared at her, wondering if she should tell her or not. What did it matter? By tomorrow, she'd be out of this place, the day after maybe, if the storm didn't let up.

"it does doesn't it?"

Rachael snapped to attention. "doesn't what?"

"you getting hurt. it happens a lot doesn't it?"

"yeah." Her gaze saddened. "it does."

"you wanna talk about it?" Kory asked, as she sat down besides her. Rachael was silent for a while, collecting her thoughts and words. Kory was about to repeat the question again when she spoke up.

"my father and mother were a very happy couple. They had everything any person could ever want. a nice car, a good house, plenty of money, and a cute little boy. But about two weeks into the boys life he drowned. My mother was devastated. She started eating and sleeping less. My father was afraid she would kill her self when one day she came from the doctor's office and told my dad the good news. She was pregnant. Right away, things got better.

She started eating right and exorcising. Things went back to being normal. But as they say, nothing ever lasts…. she died in labor. At first my dad was sweet and kind. A little overprotective, but kind. But when I turned six, I made the mistake of asking what had happened to my mother. And he…well, he made sure I'd never make that mistake again. Then the beatings kept coming more and more. He kept saying that it was my fault and that I should have died instead. But we both knew that she would have died if I had. So it was a loss either way."

She watched Kory nod softly and shiver from the cold. Pulling her against her tightly, she ran her hands through her silky red hair.

"what about you? what's your story?"

Kory sighed before beginning her story.

"my whole life, since I was born, has been all about my sister. How perfect she was, how pretty she was, how popular. I felt like an outsider in my own house. My parents basically ignored me. I was lucky if they even remembered to tell me dinner was ready. My sister knew this and took every chance she could to rub it in. she loved causing me misery. At school, she made sure everyone knew I was her shadow, and who wants to be friends with a shadow? I went to school alone, ate lunch alone, came home alone, my whole life was just me, alone. The only thing I had going for me was dance. It was the one thing I could do better than my sister, and she hated that. So she took the only person who gave a damn about my feelings away from me. I found them having sex today, and she took pleasure in causing me heartbreak by saying they'd been seeing each other for months. He was the only thing I had…and she took that away."

Sobs wracked her body and Rachael couldn't help but feel something for her new friend. Without thinking, she wrapped her hands around her body and rocked her gently, whispering soothingly until she felt Kory relax in her arms.

"I'm sorry. you're the last person that should have to go through that."

"as are you. oh, I forgot. What's your name?"

Rachael scratched her head. "yeah, I guess I kinda forgot that, huh? Well its Rachael D'mon."

"D'mon. I like it. my names Kory Anders."

"Anders…eh, it'll do."

"hey!" the red head shoved her slightly, careful to watch her friend's wounds.

"so how long do you think we're in for?"

"do you know that you switch moods as quickly as I do underwear?"

Kory wrinkled her nose. "which, I hope, is a lot."

Rachael rolled her eyes. "no. I only change them once a month, along with my showers, and that's IF you catch me on a good day."

A day had passed since they'd stumbled across each other. The snow was starting to let up, but no where's near enough for them to start traveling. Rachael's shoulder wound had only gotten worse, and it hurt every time she moved, so she stayed in one place, watching Kory try to stuff the cracks in the windows with bits of her clothing to keep the cold wind from coming in.

Kory wasn't doing so great either. Earlier that day, when she had torn off the first big piece of clothing, she saw a big slash across her stomach. It didn't look too deep, but it was about six inches long and it worried her. Still, Rachael was hurt, and that was all that mattered. She could stand a little pain. She'd been doing it her whole life. okay, so it was basically emotional pain, but still…

She kept working until she couldn't see and had to work by lamp.

"Sit down, Kory, I'm starting to get sea sick, watching you move around like that."

Suddenly, she felt dizzy and nodded, collapsing next to her friend.

"Kory..." Rachael tried to move and gasped at the pain that shot through her shoulder. Ignoring it, she scooted across the floor, getting a good look at the gash that went from her hip to the bottom of her chest.

"oh god, Kory! Why didn't you say anything?" she regretted yelling as a huge headache erupted in her head.

The red head winced as the pain suddenly increased. "it didn't look too deep…I thought…"

"damn it, you stupid girl, it didn't matter if it was deep or not, you should have said something!"

A cough racked Rachael's body, soon to be followed by several others. Kory smiled sadly. "you should have told me that your shoulder wound was deeper."

"its…not…that deep…" she whispered between coughs.

Kory felt her eyes growing heavy and started to close them, jolting awake as Rachael shook her.

"no! don't go to sleep Kory!"

"why…not" she wheezed.

Her friend closed her eyes tightly. "because I'm not sure if you'll wake up."

She began shaking. "I don't want to die, Rachael. I don't want to go alone."

Rachael lost the battle and her tears started to fall. "you wont go alone, Kory. I'll go with you."

Kory shook her head. "I can't die. I'm not ready."

But her fears slowly vanished as Rachael laid her head down on her chest, her breathing becoming slow. "You're never ready to die, Kor. That's what makes death so difficult."

She smiled gently, closing her eyes. "don't leave me, Rachael."

"I'll never leave you."

The air became harder to breath, so heavy, so thick…

"I guess this is good-bye."

Pain? What pain? All she felt was a blanket of peace settling over her.

"G'bye….Kor…….."

"Bye…..Rach….."

They said their good-bye's with a small smile on their face, as the angel of death looked down on them. It was her job, to take the souls of the dead to the other side. And yet…as she saw those two souls becoming one, comforting each other as they awaited death, she felt that it wasn't right to take them away from the earth so soon.

Rachael felt the sun across her face and jolted awake. She mentally slapped herself. Any second now, her shoulder would remind her of how stupid that move was. But to her surprise, she didn't feel anything.

"what the…"

Taking in a deep breath, she gave her arm a sharp pinch, her eyes watering as her actions drew blood.

No, not a dream.

"top movin….sleepy…"

For some reason, she placed a chaste kiss on Kory's lips, causing her eyes to open slowly.

"we…we're alive? But…how?"

She shrugged and stood up, offering a hand down to the red head. "does it really matter, Kor?"

Kory smiled before taking her hand and pulling herself up. "no, I guess not."

The snow had stopped falling, and the sun was just starting to come out. Rachael looked down and saw Kory picking up a small ball of fur.

"Awwwwww….the little guy must've snuck in sometime during the night."

Rachael opened up the cabin door and walked outside, shivering as a gust of cold wind rushed past her. a warmth appeared next to her side as Kory laid her head on her shoulder.

"so, what now?"

She raised an eyebrow. "again, does it matter?"

Kory laughed before giving her a quick kiss. "promise you wont leave me?"

"you don't have anything to worry about, Kor. I'm not going anywhere for a long, long time."

The Angel of Death looked down on the two girls as they walked out of the woods, and towards Rachael's car, followed by the little wolf. A small smile made it's way onto her face as she saw the two share a passionate kiss before getting in and taking off.

She'd done good this time, she'd done good. She knew that someday she'd have to take those girls away from each other, but for the time being… she'd let them live life to the fullest. After all, you didn't get second chances every day.

Hey guys, what's up? I've been working on this story for quite awhile, as you can tell because of the title. I'd forgotten about it, and was deleting files that I didn't need on my computer, when I came across it and decided to work on it again. If you like it, great! If you don't…well, who asked you anyway. Lol. K, later!