Chapter 5- Fans and Feelings

Over the few days, the entire school was divided over Gotham's coolest hero. The girls of Gotham High generally preferred Batman.

"He must be soooo hot," they liked to squeal.

The guys favored Firewing. "There's nothing sexier than a hot girl who can kick your butt," senior president Mark Williams said repeatedly one day in the cafeteria, him and his friends having invaded the table Terry, Rachel and Max sat at.

"And you know she's hot…how? She wears a mask," his girlfriend pointed out.

"So does Batman and you seem to like him."

Indeed his girlfriend was wearing a t-shirt that said, "I LOVE Batman," on it.

This led to another squabble about who was ultimately the better hero.

"What do you guys think?" someone asked Terry and Rachel, who were merely sitting with Max and trying not to give their secrets away.

"No comment," Rachel said quietly.

"I think Firewing is better," Max said loudly.

The guys simultaneously gave a loud cheer and the girls looked at her in disgust.

"Why are you and Terry always spending time together, Rachel?" asked a cheerleader who had never spoken to Rachel in the three months she'd been at Gotham High.

"Rachel and I are friends," Terry said firmly.

Thankfully, the lunch bell rang and no more personal questions were asked.

"You should ask Terry out," a group of 'popular' girls hissed to Rachel in gym. "He is so fine and it's so obvious he likes you."

Rachel rolled her emerald eyes and went back to the conversation she and Max were having while playing soccer.

The gossip going around school about Rachel and Terry was that they had been dating for years, ever since seventh grade.

"I wasn't even in Gotham when I was in seventh grade!" Rachel defended herself.

It annoyed Terry, too.

"I hate how people can say things like they're true and know they're not. I didn't even know you until three months ago and neither did they. If I had been dating you since seventh grade, I would never have asked Dana out. How hard is that to comprehend?" he ranted.

"People are idiots," Rachel replied.

If there wasn't a Batman and Firewing debate or Terry and Rachel gossip being passed around school, the topic most discussed was the end of the school year dance, to be held in May.

This subject was huge, especially with the girls. Rumors about entertainment and themes flew about rapidly. Only the dance committee members knew and they would exchange knowing smiles whenever the dance came up.

Max was convinced Terry was going to ask Rachel.

"I have seen the way he looks at you Rachel. He has major feelings for you."

Rachel had grown tired of trying to convince Max Terry had no feelings for her.

"Whatever. Can you just go talk to your date about what color dress you're buying or something and leave me in peace for once?"

Max blushed slightly. "Kevin Waters is really cute. I'm so glad he asked me."

Rachel crept away, leaving Max to drool over her cute date.

"I hear there's a dance at your school, Rachel," Bruce said at dinner that night.

"Yeah, there is. I'm not going."

"Not even if Terry asked you?"

"H-how did y-you know about T-T-Terry?" Rachel spluttered.

"It's all in your expressions. And the way you take care of Belle is another clue. I haven't said anything and I won't."

"I'm still not going," Rachel said.

"You're the last Grayson to ever attend Gotham High. You have to leave some sort of mark."

"Isn't being Firewing more than enough?"

"You're going."

"I don't want to."

"Too bad."

Rachel found the one thing that took her mind off of everything going on in her life was patrolling Gotham. It allowed her to fly; something she'd always loved but had rarely had the opportunity to do. No criminal was safe from her and Terry.

Sometimes, however, the reporters made too big a deal out of simple things she had done that Terry had done in the past but got no credit for. Rachel knew he felt pushed aside when this happened and tried to cheer him up.

This tactic worked to a certain extent; as Terry was easily annoyed.

Max still swore that Terry had feelings for Rachel.

"You guys are so adorable together. He's over Dana; just talk to him about how you feel."

"For the billionth time, he doesn't like me."

"It's like destiny, I'm so sure, Rachel."

Rachel rolled her eyes and severed the conversation by walking away.

Terry, however, did have feelings for Rachel. He truly did, and hoped desperately that he hadn't shown any signs.

He'd heard Max and Rachel arguing over how he felt and Max was right. Rachel insisted that he didn't…well…because as far as she knew he didn't like her as more than a friend. He just assumed because Rachel insisted he had no feelings for her that she didn't want him to like her. It hurt him to know she possibly had feelings for someone else, but he made himself think he'd be happy for her no matter who she loved. If only the stupid dance wasn't coming up…

Terry was pondering who Rachel could like and possible ways to kill him when he got a call from Bruce. It was a Saturday night, so Bruce was lucky to reach him at all.

"Have you seen or heard from Rachel?"
"No…" Terry said slowly. "Why?"

"It's 9:15 and she left hours ago without a word. And I just remembered it would have been her parents' twentieth anniversary…she's upset…could-"

"You want me to look for her."

"Smart kid, McGinnis. Just bring her home."

"I will."

Rachel was sitting on a swing at the park. She heard Terry approach behind her, but she didn't say anything. Taking his cue from her neither did he.

Terry scrutinized her closely, noticing nothing except that she seemed to be cold. He cautiously walked up behind her and draped his jacket over her shoulders.

"Thanks," she said, her voice quiet and mournful.

"No problem," he replied, sitting down on the swing beside hers.

"When I was little, Daddy called me Titan's Princess. Sometimes I just want to be six years old again and be called Titan's Princess."

In the dark night (A/N no reference to Bruce intended) Terry could see the pearly tears that slid down Rachel's face.

"I know you miss them, Rachel."

"I loved them, you know. They promised they'd always be there for me and they lied."

"Parents always promise they'll be there forever. No one keeps that promise Rach," Terry said gently.

"But I thought that my parents of all people could keep it." Tears streamed down Rachel's face.

Terry knew exactly what to do. He got off his swing, pulled Rachel up by her hand, and held her securely in the quiet night.
Comforted by him, Rachel's sobs subsided slowly.

"Th-thanks, Terry. I feel like such an idiot, crying all over you. I'm so sorry."

"You, Rachel Anne Korilaire Grayson, are the least idiotic person I've ever met. You're intelligent, kind, and beautiful. And I don't mind you crying. To tell you the truth, I kind of like holding you."

He immediately regretted this admission. 'What signal am I trying to send? The girl just lost her mother, is crying on my shoulder and I tell her she's beautiful? Why did I say I liked holding her? Why does she do this to me? Of course, it's not her fault, but still. I'm a jerk. Next I'm going to admit that I lo-'

"You like holding me?" Rachel asked with a hint of hopefulness in her voice.

"Yeah," he said slowly. "It's nice."

"Did Bruce send you out to look for me? I didn't tell him where I was going when I left and he's always been really protective of me, especially since Daddy died."

"Yeah, he did. Are you sure you're OK?"

"I'll be fine. I just need to let them go. My parents, I mean."

"OK. Do you promise?" Terry looked her in the eye and found it hard not to go blind, they were so brilliantly jade.

"Promise."

"I'm holding you to that. If I have to come looking for you again-"

"You won't."

"Good. You know something Rachel? It's always the heroes who have the horrible pasts, isn't it?"

Rachel chuckled. "What's with that, anyway?"

"Karma," Terry replied. "Anyway, can you believe how crazy people are going over the stupid dance?"

"Tell me about it. Who are you asking?"

"No one."

Pretending this information didn't hurt her, Rachel said, "Oh."

"I might still go, though, if I knew if this one girl was going…"

"I see."

"Is Bruce making you go? It seems like the kind of thing he'd have you do, probably to throw any suspicion of you being Firewing off."

"He's making me go," Rachel replied quietly.

"Maybe I'll see you there. By the way, have you been asked by anyone?"

"By several jocks, but I haven't accepted."

This made Terry feel slightly better.

"Have you been asked by anyone?" Rachel wanted to know.

"Dana."

"Dana? As in-"

"The one who cheated on me. Yes that Dana."

"No way," Rachel said slowly.

"I couldn't believe it, either."

"And you said…"

"I said no of course," Terry replied.

"She has some nerve, though, doesn't she?"

"Yeah, she does. Anyway, it's late. You should get back before Bruce has a heart attack," Terry said gently.

"That wouldn't be a good idea. Thanks for everything, Terry."

"It's no problem."

He drove her home and walked her up to the front entrance.

This was followed by the awkward porch silence where both wanted to say something but couldn't.

"So," Rachel said finally.

"So," Terry agreed.

Silence.

It struck her then that he was taller than her. In fact, the top of her head just reached his shoulder.

"Night, Terry," she said, stood on her tiptoes, kissed him on the cheek, and darted inside.

Terry was left outside, speechless.

"OK, Rachel, you kissed him, which means he knows you like him," Max said the following Monday.

"It was a friendly kiss on the cheek," Rachel pointed out.

"He didn't think of it that way."

"Did he say he thought of it as more than friends?"

"Yes, he did. Or maybe he said he hoped it was more than that."

"Whatever."

Bruce, unfortunately, had been serious about the dance. He gave her a blank check and sent her off to the mall with Max.

"Have fun!" he called sarcastically.

Because Max was driving, Rachel had no choice but to go and get a dress.

"What color are you looking for?" Max asked as they entered the mall.

"The exit," Rachel mumbled.

"Rachel," Max said warningly.

"Fine. I don't know, what color do you think I should get?"

"Purple. It goes great with your black hair and green eyes."

"Off we go then."

It took an hour for Rachel and Max to find a nice dress.

Following Max's advice, Rachel found a lavender dress. It had a square neckline that managed to show off her endowed chest but not show too much skin. The fabric was some sort of cross between silk and satin.

"I'm thinking every boy is gonna be after you in that dress, Rachel," Max said.

"It's nice, but there's a problem. I don't have anything to wear with it. All the necklaces I have would never match this."

"We can fix that."

Rachel hastily filled out the check and followed Max.

Max found a necklace for Rachel that went perfectly with the lavender dress. It was the initial 'R'. It was encrusted with small purple stones.

"My treat," Max insisted.

"Successful trip, ladies?" Bruce asked, seeing the girls sprawled across Rachel's bed.

"Very," Rachel replied.

"I've got to head home. It's my night to make dinner."

Max gathered her packages and left.

"How much damage did you do?"

Rachel found the receipt. "Not too bad."

"No, not too bad. Especially when Terry sees you, right?"

Rachel blushed. "Stop it Bruce."

April 20

Today I picked out my dress for the stupid dance that isn't so stupid because Terry will be there. Max thinks I should try to make him jealous so he'll admit his feelings for me. I told her she's gone insane and she should get herself checked for brain damage. Anyway, the dress is purple. My mom always liked purple. I am almost looking forward to this dance. I don't know why. I suppose I am secretly hoping Terry does have feelings for me and will tell me. It's odd, but if he kisses me, it'll be my first kiss. I'm sixteen and I might get my first kiss in a week.

Rachel

Sorry this has taken so long…I was very happy with how this turned out…Please tell me what you thought in a review! Please, no flames!

-iluvrobbie