I do not own the Teen Titans or anything related to them, however I do own this story and all of the non-original characters except for Isis, who I have been given permission to use by a friend of mine and all are copywrited. This means you can not copy the story or any of the characters or use them without permission from their original owners.

Reviewers:

Lavenderpaw: Thanks, I've read your fic I think, I thought it was cool .

Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter, I was very stuck as to how to move on to the next stage in the plot so I therefore dedicate this chapter and the one before this ((Which I forgot to mention at the beginning of the last chapter)) to my friend Ange-chan, without whom I could not have written this chapter. And now, I hope you enjoy our regular programming.

Teen Titans: Alpha

Reluctance

The room was dark and gloomy, a few red tinged up-lighters were dotted on the walls, giving the room the deepest of un-natural blood red glows. A figure paced the room, nothing more than a silhouette as they stopped and glared at a tattered photograph, pinned to a far wall. A girl with jet black locks, stained with scarlet streaks smiled back, her eyes hidden behind her mask, but the smile was there all the same. She looked younger, perhaps it was an old photograph, it definitely looked it from its tattered edges and the clear cuts and holes caused by frequent punishment certainly added to the aged effect.

"Everything is falling into place… Phoenix continues to run from the truth, but the truth will come out… I'll make sure of it… And when I do…" Another dagger glinted in his hand as he threw it at the picture, piercing the smiling girl right between the eyes.

Phoenix sat on the outside obstacle course of the training room, breathing slightly heavier than usual as she glanced around track. It was a wreck, the lasers lay in shattered pieces, the flying explosive disks had received a taste of their own medicine, the sink holes were covered in skid marks of dust and dirt and the maces lay on the floor in a heap, one of which looked as if it had been thrown at the wall and had a huge dent in it, the holes in the wall behind it stood as testament to this.

As Phoenix looked at the decimated assault course she closed her eyes behind her mask and sighed heavily. She thought of her mother and father. If she'd only gone and visited them like she had been meaning to she wouldn't be so worried and she wouldn't be snapping at her team mates, her friends.

She hugged herself quietly for a moment, then it occurred to her that she hadn't even attempted to check in on her dad. How stupid was she! She could check if he was alright and she'd have no reason to worry anymore! She got to her feet quickly, and was just about to dash to her room to call her dad when the siren went off for the second time today. She hesitated, standing amidst the rubble of the assault course.

When the siren went off Li had looked up and Taiyou had turned so he was now sitting the right way up on the sofa. The main doors opened and Zeru glided in, followed a moment or two later by Isis, who looked at Taiyou. The boy looked at her briefly and they both nodded, coming to a mutual, unspoken apology.

"Who is it?" Zeru asked, looking up at the main screen as Li brought it online.

"I don't know, who ever it is, they aren't in the database and I don't recognise them."

"Should we call Phoe?" Zeru asked tentatively Taiyou thought quietly and nodded;

"She'd want to know, even if she wants to be alone." His voice sounded quieter than usual, even for him and Isis couldn't help but notice the way he seemed to be affected by Phoenix's behaviour more than the rest of them. She'd suspected for some time that there was something that both the flame boy and their leader were not sharing with the rest of the group, but she hadn't actually been able to put a label to it, to define it.

Li nodded and started pressing buttons.

"Phoe, there's an unknown attacker in the city stirring up trouble, are you coming with us?" There was nothing but interference on the communicator line and after a few quiet moments where there was no reply Li spoke again;

"Phoe, whatever's up its ok to want to keep it to yourself, we don't mind, but we only want to help." There was another silence and all the Titans present looked at each other.

"Hey Phoe! Are you coming with us or not!" Zeru asked, his voice louder than he had anticipated and his tone impatient. Taiyou, however had run to the door.

"Dude, where are you going?" Zeru asked, but he, Isis and Li had followed Taiyou out of the door to where the boy ran to the doors of the training room.

"Phoe came this way, after I spoke to her." Taiyou said as he opened the door.

They walked into the training room cautiously. Seeing that everything was as it should be they walked to the door, leading to the outside assault course.

"Man! What happened to the obstacle course!" Zeru exclaimed and Isis finally spoke, her voice as cold and sarcastic as always, but with an undercurrent of what sounded like apprehension.

"I think you mean who." Their eyes, however, were drawn to where Taiyou was slowly walking forwards and as their eyes followed his decided path and line of sight they saw what had caught his attention and their eyes widened in shock and alarm…