Disclaimer: I don't own the Teen Titans.
Hey folks! I'm back. This chapter is kind of short, but I think the nextchapter will be a lot longer. Anyways, thanks to everyone who reviewed. Now, on with the show!
Chapter 17: Glass
Robin swung his staff angrily at the monster, pushing it back from Starfire, who had fallen when the monster threw a car at her. The monster turned its attention away from the alien and fought back at Robin. The leader continued trying to keep the monster under control, but was quickly becoming angry and tired. Suddenly the monster swiped its unsheathed claws at the Boy Wonder, and he fell backwards as he dodged the attack.
The monster stood over him, ready to make another swipe, when suddenly another body crashed into it and the monster went flying off of Robin. His savior offered the masked boy a hand.
"Nice tackle, Cyborg," complimented Robin, accepting the hand and standing up.
"You know it," boasted the metallic man, running back after the monster.
As the three Titans worked at keeping the monster under relative control, Alice watched from the sidelines, amazed at the site before her.
'Such teamwork! Such friendship!' her mind thought in awe.
She had never had friends. She had never been allowed to go outside and play with the other children her age and she had never gone to school. She was nice, and she knew it, but when you're only social interaction with people your own age was making small talk with the cashier at the grocery store, you weren't going to have a lot of friends. Or any, for that matter.
Alice's thoughts soon drifted to wondering what she was going to do when Frank was put in jail (she refused to believe such a mediocre villain such as Frank would defeat the Teen Titans). She knew that she would probably be able to keep the house, but how would she pay the bills? She didn't have a job, and she didn't think she was qualified for anything. A part-time job, or even two, wouldn't be enough to pay for groceries, bills and other necessities. She had read all of Frank's books, and was sure she'd do a great job as some sort of scientist or doctor, but she highly doubted anyone would hire a seventeen year old girl who didn't have a high school degree, let alone college. She could always earn her degrees over the Internet, but still she would need money sooner or later.
'Damn Frank! Why did he have to be such a moron and turn evil?' she complained in her head. Suddenly remembering Frank, she looked around the street for him. She soon spotted him standing on the roof of a building, watching the fight.
On an impulse, Alice ran towards the double doors of the building. A bus that the monster had thrown blocked the doors. Groaning, Alice looked for another way to get the roof. Looking around the side of the building, she smiled.
"That'll work," she mumbled, walking towards the fire escape. She pulled down the metal ladder and made her way slowly up to the top of the building. When she got to the top, she pulled herself over the edge and looked at Frank's back. She slowly made her way over to him, trying to be silent.
"Hello, dear," he said, still facing the street below.
"Frank," she acknowledged. Cautiously, she walked over and stood beside him, watching the fight below.
Beast Boy opened his eyes. For a second he wasn't sure what had happened, then he remembered. There had been a jolt and now he was… where was he?
Looking around Beast Boy wanted to smile. He was standing in the street; they had taken control of the monster! Immediately he looked around for Raven.
'I'm right here,' said a voice in his head. Beast Boy's eyes widened.
'Are you still stuck in our mind?' he asked frantically.
'No,' she replied. 'I'm right here. We're in the same body I can see, feel, hear and smell everything you do.'
Beast Boy was about to reply when suddenly he felt a body slam into him and Raven. Looking down, he saw a black cape and hair with way too much gel in it.
"Robin, we're in control." The words came tumbling out of Beast Boy's mouth, before he had even thought them and he blinked in confusion.
'I said that, not you,' explained Raven.
Robin smiled and held up a hand to Cyborg, who was getting ready to grab onto the monster.
"They did it!" grinned Robin.
Starfire squealed and flew down from where she had been floating out of the monster's reach. She quickly enveloped them in a bone-crushing hug.
"Friends! You were victorious!" she said happily, clasping her hands in front of her.
"Now we just need to cut you with glass and poke a needle into you!" added Cyborg.
"Where's Alice?" asked Robin, looking back at the T-car, where she had last been seen.
Suddenly an angry yell reverberated around the empty street. Everyone looked up to see the Frightful Combiner and Alice looking down at the Titans. Alice was grinning triumphantly, but the Combiner's face was scrunched up with rage.
"You've taken control of my monster! You've ruined my plans!" he hollered at them.
"You really think we'd be beaten by a guy who calls himself the 'Frightful Combiner'?" replied Robin, smirking at Frank's lame alias.
The Combiner's face twisted in even more anger, and he suddenly grabbed Alice's arm. Lifting her with surprising ease, the Combiner held her over the edge of the building. Alice tried to scream but it got caught in her throat, so all she could do was look down at the ground, ten stories down.
"You haven't beaten me yet," he snarled. He reached in Alice's jacket pocket and pulled out the syringe. "I made those monsters, and I know you need to inject them with this right after the separation or they'll die. Now, meet my demands or I'll drop the girl, and the serum too."
Alice looked up suddenly with a determined look on her face. She was sure she'd fall, but if it was the last thing she did, she'd make sure the needle was safe so Beast Boy and Raven would live.
She started swinging, building up momentum until she was able to hold onto the ledge of the building with her free arm. The Combiner looked down at her, but she quickly pulled herself back onto the roof. Getting to her feet she lunged at him, grabbing for the needle.
"What are you doing?" he growled, as he landed on the ground on his back. He tried to push her off but her adrenaline was making her strong.
"I won't… let you drop… the needle. It's… important to them," she told him, she was panting as she struggled against him.
"Why bother with them? You don't even know them!" Frank replied.
"Because… it's the right… thing… to do!" she answered, quickly losing strength, while the Combiner didn't even seem to be trying.
He pushed her off and stood up, holding his hand over the side of the building. She ran over to him and rammed into his side. As he fell back onto the roof, she grabbed the needle from his loosened hand.
She looked back at the Combiner. He was lying on the ground, winded. As she looked at him trying to regain his breath, she felt a sudden wave of guilt wash over her. This wasn't the Frightful Combiner; this was Frank Carson. Frank Carson who found her on his doorstep and raised her. Frank Carson who fed her and gave her a home. Frank Carson who trapped her inside his house and never let her have friends. Her guilt dissipated and she ran back to the side of the building.
Starfire quickly flew up and grabbed Alice under her arms. They flew down to the ground quickly and Alice handed the syringe to Cyborg.
Cyborg ran over to Beast Boy and Raven and picked up a piece of fallen glass.
Beast Boy and Raven held out their arm and Cyborg gently scraped the glass over their skin. As soon as the blood began dripping out of the cut, he poked the needle into their arm, right above the cut.
Raven and Beast Boy gasped as their bodies separated. The other Titans watched as Beast Boy and Raven's separate bodies fell to the ground and didn't get up.
There it is! Chapter 17! I'm pretty sure there'll only be one more chapter, but with me you never know. This whole fic was only supposed to be, like seven to ten chapters, butI kept gettingmore ideas ;
So, review please!