A Broken Birth :
Chapter Three : Unknown FarewellI
Cyborg's somewhat fatherly instincts kicked in when Kaleah had wanted to go out. He wasn't the only one; no one wanted yesterday's incident to repeat itself. Kaleah stubbornly insisted that she was fine but Cyborg, with the back-up of four Titans, was firm. She gave in to Cyborg's extremely specific orders ( Kaleah had ways of finding loopholes and worming her way out ) and settled herself on the couch while the Titans went out to rent a movie. Boredom loomed in the Tower as soon as the five Titans left, leaving Kaleah to deal with it alone. She spotted the undone dishes, it was BB's turn, in the sink and sighed.
--
In truth, the Titans weren't renting a movie or doing anything related to a big-screen cinema copied onto a disk and mass produced. They had ventured into the park and found themselves a satisfying private spot. The sky was slightly gray with the sun peeping through the clouds and the wind was calm and quiet. They all took a seat on the grass, waiting for someone to speak, most likely Robin.
" Kaleah's been with us for weeks on in now, and it's about time for us to consider her membership. " Robin started out.
" Come on dude, do we really need to consider? She's amazing! " Cyborg burst out. " She'd make a great addition to the team. "
" Her powers kick the butt! " Starfire added.
Robin cupped his left elbow in his right hand while his left hand rubbed his chin.
--
Having done the dirty dishes, Kaleah set out to clean the Tower. This was something that would overcome her when she became bored to the extreme. She did not clean anyone's rooms, especially stayed away from Raven's, but she did clean every other nook and cranny of the Tower.
--
" This isn't that hard Robin. " Beast Boy chimed in.
" We have to think about the goods and bads of having her on the team. " Robin told his team. " She tends to be ...uh, un-focused sometimes. "
" She was able to knock out Cinderblock, even though she was side-tracked by her frustration." Raven noted in her flat voice.
--
If anyone was watching right now, they'd see Kaleah sprawled on the floor with her arm strectching to under the couch. They would hear the loud,deafening hum of a vaccum cleaner. Of course then they'd wonder why she didn't just pick up the couch with one hand and vaccum with the other. Easy question, she didn't want to misplace any of their furniture or belongings. The hand-held vaccum sucked onto something that was too big and began to make funny noises. Kaleah brought the machine out to find that it had captured one of Robin's Bird-A-Rangs. She picked it up gingerly in her hands, holding it to her chest. Then, as if it burned to hold it, she threw the weapon across the room and looked at it like she would a tarantula.
" This...isn't right... " she whispered hoarsely to herself.
She ran a hand through her hair, trying to calm down and figure out what to do. Quickly, she ran to her room and dug around for her backpack.
--
" So it is decided? " Starfire asked Robin for the millionth time.
" Yes. " Robin exhaled.
Cyborg busted the doors open and yelled, " KALEAH! Get your butt down here! "
Seconds ticked by and Kaleah didn't appear. Cyborg assumed she was in herroom, listening toloud music as usual.Raven commented on the cleanliness of the Tower, not counting the stray Bird-A-Rang and the vaccum that was still on. The Titans shared confused looks when Starfire came back from Kaleah's room and informed them it had been cleaned out. She had left but why when she was so close to her goal of becoming a Titan? The month she spent trying to prove her self worthy was wasted.
" Women. " Beast Boy rolled his eyes. " They're so complicated. "
They had no idea why she left, where she was, and when she'd be coming back. Starfire marked the day that Kaleah left, June 8.
An estimated year passes with no news from Kaleah. Though they did miss her, nothing much really changed around the Tower. Beast Boy lost someone to join in on his silly pranks. Cyborg lost a commendable challenger for Off Road Races Max and in sports. Starfire and Raven lost a friend to talk to and kill time with. Robin lost an excellent sparring partner. When Kaleah was around, no one was lonely because it was an even number. But with her absent, someone would be alone at some point.
--
June 15...
It was 7am in the morning when the doorbell, along with pounding that shook the Tower, woke the Titans. Each one of them stumbled from their rooms to answer the door. Beast Boy complained about how this was interrupting his beauty sleep and would de-beautify him. Cyborglooked as if he was sleepingon his feet.Starfire and Robin's hair were tousled and Raven just looked grumpier than usual. The same thought ran through all five minds : Who could it be? The only way to the Tower was by water transportantion, swimming, or flying. The teens were completely, highly alert in case it was an attack. The doors whooshed open and Robin yelled, " Titans go! "
Then everything stopped, for standing in their doorway was Kaleah holding a cake. She blinked a couple of times and smiled, " I see you guys didn't miss me. "
" Kaleah! You are, " Starfire jumped to hug, more like tackle, Kaleah, " back! "
Kaleah threw the cake into air where it was engulfed in a black power and brought down to safety. But then Kaleah, on the other hand, was knocked off her feet due to the force of Starfire's hug. A handshake from Robin, and high fives from Beast Boy and Cyborg. From Raven there was, " What's the cake for? "
" Oh yeah! " She whipped out of her backpack, a pack of candles, some party hats, streamers, and a lighter. " My birthday was a week ago, and I didn't get a cake and now I do! "
" Speaking of the past, Leah, where were you... " Beast Boy stopped to do some math with his fingers, " in the last ten years! "
" You might want to drop the zero. " Raven monotoned. " It's only been a year. "
" I was visiting my sister, Nicky. We meet privately every year because our parents think I'd be a bad influence or something on her. " Kaleah shrugged her shoulders causually. " Robin, can I talk to you on the roof privately. "
" Uh, sure. "
--
" So what do you need to talk about. " Robin stepped out onto the roof and Kaleah took a seat at the edge.
" I don't normally live life by rules, I don't want anything else to limit me but, I do have some. There's how I should'nt reveal my secret, don't get attached to one place, and don't fall in love; and I broke all three. "
" Er... " Robin kicked a small pebble on the ground, wondering why she chose to talk to him. Unlike saving lives and quantum physics, feelings were not his forte.
" When I first saw him, I knew there'd be something, even though it'd be one-sided. He's handsome, mysterious, smart, daring, determined, but understanding and a little on the short side ( or it just might be my heels... ) " Kaleah continued on with a smile.
" Uh, so who is he? " The words left his mouth before he even knew it. He wanted to know, was it Cyborg? Beast Boy? The question seemed to amused Kaleah as a chuckle escaped her lips. She shook her head, pulled her knees up to her chest, and looked up at Robin.
" Talk about dense, it's you Robin. " Kaleah laughed at Robin's surprised expression, it was what she'd thought his reaction would be. " I don't expect you to return these feelings, I came into this knowing it'd be unrequitted. With the time I have left, I just want to use it wisely; do what I want to do, go where ever I please, and get out whatever I need to say. Simply living life to the fullest and making the best of it. I've already experienced so much and now I can add a little more to that.
" I'm not going to jepordize the relationship between you and Starfire, I'm not staying for long. "
" Why? " Again, he spoke before thinking.
--