A Broken Birth :

Chapter Two : Everyone Has Secrets. Right?

" Dude, that is not cool! " Beast Boy scowled as he pulled his pants back up. He added, under his breath, " But it was funny. "

Cinderblock doubled over in laughter at the sight of Beast Boy's boxers; they were purple with what looked like green hearts. It was Kaleah's last resort since lightning and thunder had no effect on rock. Everytime she hit him with a bolt or two, he mocked her. It didn't take long for Kaleah's impatience and anger to get the better of her. But instead of lashing out at the dim-witted blockhead, she stepped aside to think of a way to distract him; that's where Beast Boy had come in.

Cyborg was running over to give her a high-five but a glower from Robin killed it. She assumed these were some of the reasons that suspended her membership into the Titans for a month now. Kaleah admitted that she could be goofy, but when it comes time to be serious, she's there 100. But then there were a few occasions which unnecessary damage was wrought upon the property of innocent citizens. The Titans and Kaleah brought their attention back to Cinderblock, who had recovered from laughing and resumed destruction. Starfire carried on with peppering him with Starbolts, Cyborg kept firing his canon, and Robin thew his disks while whacking with his staff. Raven's eyes were obsidian black like her power as she thrust a telephone pole at the small of Cinderblock's neck. Beast Boy, who was fashioned as in elephant, was attemption to overturn the villian by grabbing a rugged leg with his trunk.

In another attempt to zap Cinderblock, she directed a immense charge of red thunder and white lightning at his head. The light only added to the glow of the mid-day sun, making it so bright everyone had to shield their eyes. Over the crackled of energy, Robin could hear Kaleah saying something to Cinderblock, " It's basic science really; with enough power, you can overload any insulator. "

" GLARGH! " he growled.

The brilliance of her attack spread back two blocks, blinding everyone and everything. When the light died down, and everyone could see with their eyes, Cinderblock lay on the floor giving off a swirl of smoke. Kaleah felt pretty darn good at the moment; she had taken down the bad guy without causing excess wreckage or taking any to herself. But that feeling of triumph didn't linger, for in the next instant Cinderblock regained enough strength to clout her with a car. She smashed into a building, harder than when she had with Adonis. She reappeared, faltering in her flight, her face showing something between pain and sheer resentment. After having her around for a month, the Titans predicted that she'd go and give him a good piece of her mind. But she didn't; her eyes closed and she free-falled to the land below. Something in Robin's head snapped and his stomach churned.

--

After hauling Cinderblock to the maximum security jail with extreme difficulty, they saw to it that Kaleah was examined. Other than some medial cuts and bruises, she was fine. But that did nothing to explain why she wasn't waking up. The Titans took hourly turns to watch over Kaleah, who was in the infirmary room, in case she worsened or woke up. In the first four watches, nothing changed. Raven left the room and notified the Boy Wonder that his hour was now. He felt uneasy being in the same room alone with her, even though Kaleah wasn't awake. There was something about Kaleah that was unnerving. It wasn't that he felt that she was evil or bad news, actually he didn't know what to think of her. She could be so loony one second and dead serious the next.

The sunlight coming from a window hit the beads on the bracelet that cirlced Kaleah's left wrist. Robin gazed at her string of beads finding that more than 3/4's of the beads were white, leaving a few red ones. You could say it was a very unique bracelet but strange at the same time. He gently lifted her hand to get a better view of the jewelry. The bead that divided the red and white sections was red, fading into white. It would appear that the stones were either changing from white to red or red to white.

" Robin.. ? "

Surprised, he dropped her hand, his face coloring up. He muttered, " Sorry, I was looking at your bracelet. "

" It's exquisite isn't it? " Kaleah twisted a white bead lovingly, " My...sisters gave it to me. "

There was an uncomfortable silence, but it only felt that way in Robin's opinion. Kaleah enjoyed his company though he was often cold towards her, and that they barely talked. He broke the quietude when he flipped open his communicator and told the others Kaleah was awake. They shared another period of silence while waiting for Beast Boy and Cyborg to charge in. Kaleah was expecting them to look happy to see her up and at it but they all looked worried beyond her imagination.

" What happened to you back there? " Raven asked bluntly.

" Man, you just blacked out on us! " Cyborg exclaimed.

Kaleah bit her lip; she had wanted to avoid another one of her long-winded explanations. She looked at her friends questioning looks and couldn't deny them the right. She sat up in bed, crossed her legs, and took in a deep breath.

" I can explain but you have to promise me that this won't be the reason you let me join the Teen Titans. " Keleah waited for each of them to nod before continuing. " I was born the weaker twin and the doctor's gathered that I wouldn't make it through the night. These two scientists there offered to help me; they had an unstable, untested neuro-eletrocutor that would 'zap' me. My parents took the chance since there was no real risk involved. If it worked, I'd live to see the next day and if it didn't I wouldn't. Lucky for me, the neuro-electrocutor worked but only giving me the oppurtunity to live til I turned 18.

" But then my parents didn't want me, they thought I was some kind of science-created mutant; a freak in other words. The two scientists, Ferrah and Arabella, took me in and raised me. They gave me everything; sending me to lessons to learn different things, buying me whatever I wanted...A family. But I wanted to see more of the world before I left it. At 13, I left Avalon City to travel and do what I wanted. Ferrah and Arabella supported my choice, and sent me off with my own banking account. We made a pact that as long as I visited every year, they'd continue to give me an 'allowance'. This bracelet, " Kaleah motioned to her left hand, " they gave to me as a reminder of how long I'd have left. With each passing moment the red will fade, and once I turn 18, the entire thing will be snow white. "

No one commented on Kaleah's life story. Their heads hung low, thinking of what it would be like to be in her position. Kaleah didn't want them to feel sorry for her so she said, " But there's no pain when I die, I just fall asleep. I've never blamed my parents for leaving me, but I thank them for choosing the choice to try and save me. Ferrah and Arabella gave me the life my real parents couldn't have. I mean sure there are somethings I may never get to try out, like a boyfriend-- "

" Why not? " Beast Boy asked, cutting her short.

" Because I don't want any baggage, you know, making it harder for people when I leave. But I've always wanted my first kiss to be in the rain. " Kaleah giggled. " I doubt that's going to happen. "

--