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. Check out the mini-fics by my friend, Starfire Fury, called Teen Titans: Alpha Humor, they're mini-fics about these characters and they're really good and absolutely hilarious, so go read them!

Review reply:

Hi again moon-dragon91011, thanks for reviewing, I'm just putting the finishing touches to the chapter for my other Titans fic, I'll be posting that soon if I don't have any internet problems like I did today. Anyway, on with the next chapter!

Teen Titans: The Alpha Five

Zeru – Part 3

As Zeru hit Li with the pillow, the other Titans quietened down enough for him to continue.

Phoenix stopped and looked at him, Zeru was looking at the 'transformed' car in his hands.

"Why were you sleeping in the park?" Phoenix asked quietly and as Zeru looked at her, he saw that she had clasped her hands over her mouth, as if to tell him she had begun to wish she hadn't asked. Zeru shook his head.

"Its ok. My mom and dad both died about a month ago. I don't know why, the Doctors said it had been a tropical disease or something. We'd been coming back from this trip that we had to go on, something to do with work. Anyway, when we came back on the Aeroplane they started to get sick and they were taken to hospital. I overheard the Doctors talking, outside, saying that they were going to die and that there was nothing they could do."

"Oh no!" Phoenix gasped and Zeru carried on.

"I said goodbye to them, but I wasn't sure if they heard me, they both looked asleep. Then I ran out of the hospital and ran as far as I could. I lived in the park until yesterday when the police found me; turns out someone had seen me flying down from one of the apple trees after I had gone to pick one. They asked me some questions, but I hadn't got anyone they could send me to, I don't have any other family. So they sent me here. I guess they thought I'd fit in." Phoenix nodded, but her face was so sad.

"I'm so sorry." She whispered quietly and Zeru just smiled sadly.

"Like I said, they're not really gone."

"Wow Ze, I'm sorry dude." Li said quietly and Zeru shrugged like he'd done all those years ago.

"Like I said, they aren't really gone are they? I've still got my memories of them in my head, it isn't much, but it's something and it'll have to do won't it?" The other Titans looked slightly saddened at this. Zeru always seemed so cheerful, all the while he was carrying that around with him? It was incredible! Phoenix however, already knew all this. She knew that Zeru was laid back, if he was any more so he'd be horizontal, she admired that about him, the way he stayed calm and up beat even when things weren't exactly rosy in the garden.

"What happened next Ze?" Li asked in a slightly choked voice, as if all this had affected him more than he wanted to let on. Taiyou also looked like he'd seen a ghost or at least, something he hadn't wanted to remember, at least, not in front of the other Titans. Isis was shocked that she too wanted to know what happened next and that she felt sorry for Zeru – Zeru of all people! The annoying flying dork!

Zeru continued, still as brightly as ever, which took the Titans by surprise even more.

Phoenix sat quietly, whether she was stunned or just being thoughtful Zeru didn't know, but soon a call from downstairs shattered all thoughts that the two of them were having.

"Phoenix, Zeru, come here please!" They both looked at each other and flew downstairs, now knowing that each other could fly, it seemed pointless to hide it anymore. Phoenix's mom was bustling about in the kitchen and her dad was sitting at the kitchen table. He was looking through some files and such, but looked up as the two children entered the room.

"What is it daddy?"

Phoenix mentally cringed; in fact, forget mentally, you could see the wince on her face.

Her dad smiled at her, then at Zeru.

"Zeru, we know you don't have any family you can go to-" Phoenix's face fell slightly, looking at Zeru, who nodded, seemingly unaffected.

"Well, the police are happy for you to stay here, if you want to. You'll be safe here and you'll get to learn how to control your powers." Zeru thought back to the whole canteen accident. Phoenix looked at her dad, then to Zeru. Zeru bit his lip in thought and Phoenix's dad added,

"You don't have to give us a reply now if you don't want to." Zeru nodded and Phoenix just smiled at him.

"Its got to be better than sleeping in the park, right Zeru? At least you won't be alone." Zeru looked at her. He still couldn't believe that she was being so nice to him; after all, he was practically a stranger to her. He thought for another moment, then said quietly,

"Can I stay here please?" Phoenix beamed and her father smiled.

"Of course you can." Phoenix's mother was beaming like Phoenix.

"Glorious! You two go out to play and we'll sort out your things and your room later Zeru." The two nodded and went outside.

They walked for a while, coming across the park that Zeru had been using as his home.

"Come on Zeru, we don't have to go in there if you don't want to." Phoenix said, realising where they were and Zeru shook his head.

"Nah, come on." He pulled her into the park and they walked around, laughing and joking and just talking.

"So when's your birthday?" Phoenix asked and Zeru replied,

"Fourth of June." Phoenix grinned.

"Ha! I'm older than you!" Zeru stuck his tongue out at her.

"Hey, park boy! This your girlfriend?" Zeru cringed slightly and Phoenix raised a masked eyebrow. They turned to see a group of slightly older boys laughing at him.

"No. Shut up and go away." Zeru said, Phoenix didn't like the look on his face, it looked upset and frightened.

"Now why should I listen to you? You pathetic little squirt. You do know that he lives in a tree?" He smirked at Phoenix and Zeru held his head in shame. Phoenix glared.

"Yes I do, at least I know that he did." The bullies seemed taken aback by this, but the leading bully continued anyway.

"Then you know he's a tramp. Pathetic little midget." He pushed Zeru to the ground as the other boys laughed. Phoenix stepped in front of Zeru angrily.

"Leave him alone you big bully!" The boys all "Ooooooo'ed" as Phoenix glared at them and the bullies laughed.

"Awwww look, he's so pathetic he has to get a girl to protect him."

"I said leave him alone." Phoenix said, her tone getting more and more furious.

"And what are you going to do little missy?" They sniggered and Phoenix smirked.

"Could you pick your teeth up off the floor with two broken arms and broken fingers?" The bullies' smiles were wiped off their faces, replaced by looks of anger and fury.

"Its ok Phoenix, just let it go." Phoenix however would not let it go.

"You threatening us you little punk?" The leader asked and Phoenix clapped sarcastically.

"Give the boy a medal. You've actually got a brain cell and not just fluff in between your ears."

"Why you little!" He swung for her and Phoenix flew, dodging out of the way, catching his arm and twisting it behind his back as she hovered to his height. The bully winced and yelped in pain as the other bullies looked on in shock.

"Does it hurt?" Phoenix asked slowly, as if teaching a two year old. The bully nodded. "What was that?"

"Yes!" The bully squealed and Phoenix smiled knowingly.

"Good. Now, are you going to stop picking on people in future?" The bully nodded and Phoenix twisted his arm more, applying more pressure. "What was that?"

"YES!" Phoenix smiled and let go, watching the bully run away. His gang watched him, then turned back to Phoenix with stunned faces.

"Boo." She said quietly and they all screamed and ran off. She laughed and turned to help Zeru to his feet.

"Thanks." He muttered, slightly embarrassed and Phoenix just smiled.

"Don't mention it." They walked out of the park, having had enough anyway.

"How'd you do that?" Zeru asked as they walked back to Phoenix's house… Well now it was their house… Wow, weird…

"Do what?" She asked innocently and Zeru raised an eyebrow.

"The whole-" He twisted himself up, doing an impression of the bully.

"Oh that." She replied and she smiled, "Easy, my dad taught me." Zeru smiled. In truth, he was amazed. Not only had she been nice enough to play with him and convince him to stay at her house, but now she was protecting him from bullies, like a big sister would, a big sister that he never had.

"Thanks Phoenix." He said quietly, as they walked along and Phoenix looked at him.

"What for?" She asked and Zeru just smiled at her. She knew full well what he meant.

So Zeru stayed with Phoenix and her family until they were both old enough to go to the Academy. The rest is history.

"Wow, so Phoe has always been a butt kicker." Li said as Zeru finished and Phoenix looked at him.

"I'll take that as a complement." They all sat there for a quiet moment before they realised the time, well Li's stomach grumbled loudly and they realised it was time for dinner.

"Anyone for pizza?" Taiyou suggested and the Titans all nodded.

"Let me go and get my jacket." Zeru said and all the Titans nodded as Zeru flew to his room. He opened the door and picked his jacket up off the bed. As he went to leave he stopped. He turned round and walked to his desk, unlocking the top drawer and opening it.

There sat a little toy car with paper wings attached to it. He smiled down at it, picking it up as a voice spoke to him from the doorway.

"Are you coming or what?" Isis asked impatiently, Zeru had turned around quickly, hiding the toy car behind his back and dropping it into the drawer once more, but Isis had already seen it. He pushed the drawer shut as he replied,

"Yeah I'm coming." Isis raised a brow at him as he walked past her out of the doorway. She stood there for a moment, with a slight smile on her face, before she raised an eyebrow at herself and followed him down the corridor, the door sliding shut behind them.

Aww bless lol. Well there's the end of Zeru's story. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Another three chapter mini fic will be coming your way soon! Lol. Now go review and read my friend, Starfire Fury's fics, go!