Disclaimer: I don't own the Teen Titans or any other related person, place or thing. I do own Gem, Evelyn Feather-Duster and anything related to her. In other words you get the idea and this whole disclaimer thing is s crock of ! Because If I owned anything important, this would be an episode and not just a fanfic! Duh?

Disclaimer 2: Any songs I may use in here belong to their respective owners and not me because otherwise I'd have my personal assistant writing this instead of myself working my fingers to the bone.

Warning: This is a hint of Rob/Rae Cy/Bee major O.C/Red X fic. Plus the possibility of a few character deaths. Hope you enjoy!

Summary: Two girls connected by the threads of fate fight to avoid their intertwined destiny, Rob/Rae O.C/Red X

Till the End

Chapter 4 A Place to Stay

Red X watched the two leave from the shadows of the rave in interest. He hadn't expected the girl to be up and moving around so soon, but he was thankful she had made it. He'd thought about interrupting them and asking her for a dance but something about her told him it wasn't a good idea.

"Traye? What the hell are you doing out here?" a deep voice asked from the doorway of the rave.

"Hey Karl. I'm just about to leave." Traye/Red X answered watching the girl walk down the street her eyes darting around at the shadows. The streetlights were on but they were beginning to dim. He waved to Karl and followed the girl in the shadows. He was close enough to hear her muttering to herself.

"Come on Gem, it's almost over, just stay away from the dark. Keep walking...screw this." she hissed suddenly she darted under a streetlight and stood silently with her arms wrapped around herself.

The circle of light that the lamp provided was slowly receding but the darkness was becoming a dull gray and kept getting lighter. He stood for a few moments watching her, she was strange and intriguing but he had things to do. He took off down the street and headed for the largest mansion in Jump City.

Even though he was considered one of the richest young adults in Jump City, he enjoyed his master thief life. He walked up through the heavy wrought iron gates and entered his home, though he spent little time there. He groaned as he brushed off the questions of his in home staff away and practically passed out on his bed.

Gem leaned against the streetlight and whimpered slightly. She hated being in the dark, ever since she was twelve and her abusive father had locked her into a dungeon like closet and gotten so drunk he had forgotten her. That was when she had discovered her powers.

She had been on the verge of losing her mind after two days of pure silent darkness, with no food or water. Her mind kept playing the same line over and over again. Dark and silent like the coffins of the dead. Her mind was screaming and she had long since cried her last tear.

She had finally given up and accepted that she was going to die there when an explosion of rainbow colored light erupted from her body and blew the door off her prison. She had crawled out and just lain there for what seemed like forever letting the light wash over her body.

Later she found out her father had been murdered during an armed burglary that he was part of, three hours after he had thrown her into the closet. She had pretty much gotten over her fear but she still wasn't comfortable in the dark. She could feel it repressing her powers and knowing her powers lost strength in the darkness scared her. Gem opened her eyes and blinked the sun was slowly rising into the sky and she could feel the warmth rush over her. This was her favorite part of the day, the time when the sun replenished her soul and powers after a long and depriving night.

She stood up and walked towards the center of town. She had only been in Jump City since yesterday and she needed to find a place to stay. She took out a wad of cash that she had tied in a rubber band. It was about a thousand dollars. She had gotten it from her older brother.

He had moved out and gone to college almost three months before the incident with the closet and had never come back or had any contact with her. So when she turned fifteen she had gone out looking for him, she had worked odd jumps to feed herself ever since she had run away from DCF in New York.

Then she had found him, living it up in a huge house about four hours from Jump City. He had become a world-renowned scientist. He had a wife and three kids, two girls and a boy. And had completely forgotten about his twelve year old sister that he had left at home. Gem had stayed with them for a few days and despite her nieces and nephews begging had left, her brother out of pity and guilt handed her a bundle of bills.

Now almost a year later she still had almost all of it left and she was going to make her life in Jump City. She made a few turns and caught sight of a small modest hotel. A small neon sign flashed the vacancy sign and she smiled. She opened the door and walked inside, a blast of cold hair hit her and she shivered.

An old bald man leered at her from behind the counter and she groaned inwardly. "You looking for something cutie?" the man asked.

Gem raised an eyebrow at this, "Yeah a place to stay." she answered mildly.

He smirked as his eyes wandered over her body. Gem held back the urge to fry his ass where he stood.

"We got room." he answered.

Gem rolled her eyes, "Good, how much?" she asked looking around at the lobby.

"Well that depends what are you offering?" Gem glared at him and looked up in surprise when an elderly lady entered the lobby her small blue watery eyes glaring at the man behind the counter.

"You leave that young gal alone!" she demanded, placing a gentle hand on Gem's arm. "Come along dear. If you like you can stay with me."

Gem looked up at her confused, "How...what...I'm confused." the lady smiled.