:Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Titans. The two week old chicken in my fridge is starting to scare me. Over ten inches of snow is a good reason to go outside for once.
:Author's Notes: Be prepared for some good ol' fashioned angst, people. (And a new twist.) Sorry for the late update!
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Ever Forward: Say Goodbye
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To Whom It May Concern:
I, Rose Smith, of my own free will and with all due intentions, hereby resign from the System Force and all affiliated efforts. Using the legislature from Section 7, lines 67-80, I will claim my last payment and retire into civilian life, keeping secret what I have seen and heard and done while on the System Force.
-Rose Smith, excerpted from her resignation letter
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Kevin paced, back and forth, back and forth, fists clenched so hard that his short nails dug into the tan skin mercilessly. Jacob watched with hidden worry, feeling like prey that hides and watches a predator go by- one that is not seeking them, but could turn on you anyway. Two weeks since Rose quit without a word to any of them, and the remaining members had finally had enough.
This was the breaking point.
The door opened suddenly and Kevin stilled, intent eyes that hadn't quite drained of hatred focused on the real prey. Tim walked in, face as motionless as it had once been animate, apparently unaware of the danger posed by his own teammate. Immediately the taller man stalked over, lips curling back in a silent snarl as Tim stopped, suddenly realizing that Kevin was coming his way.
"What do you want Kevin?" There was no emotion in that dead pan voice. The addressed man halted less than a foot away, emerald eyes full of stormy anger, and then socked his leader one on the jaw.
Instantly Jacob was up on his feet, grabbing Kevin's arms and pulling him back as Tim hit the floor, a stunned look in his eyes. Never, in the seven years that they had worked together, had Kevin hit anyone.
"Let me go, Jacob!" However Marls didn't let release him, waiting until Tim got back up on his feet. Then Kevin pulled away and his friend stepped back, feeling the air in the room change abruptly.
"You bastard." Once again, that stupid amazement in Tim's expression as he backed up the tiniest bit, away from the approaching man. "You arrogant, self centered, idiotic excuse for a human!" When Kevin swung again, the black haired man barely managed to deflect it.
"Do you know the only reason I stayed? Because Miranda asked me to. She cared too damn much about you and the people of the city, and so she asked me to stay!" Tim couldn't block everything, and Kevin wasn't losing his strength.
"That's enough Carson!" Lashing out a heavy hand, Jacob pulled the struggling man to him. When Kevin shuddered, he feared that he had somehow hurt the man- but no. There were tears falling from the hurt green eyes.
"We hid it from you, for so long. We started dating in our fourth year; such a damn long time, keeping it in so this wouldn't happen." Their leader had recovered enough to stand and was staring in shock at Kevin as the man let his ragged voice fall from his weary lips.
"We were married, Tim. A week and a half before you let your hurt pride and heart throw her out of the System Force. Married." He clenched his fists and sunk down to sit on a chair, crying with previously contained rage as the two other men reeled mentally from his words.
Married. And once Miranda had been taken off the team, she had been given a house on the outskirts of town, and the Force lived in their own on-site rooms… and Tim had been especially sure to not let Kevin have time to go outside.
The fact seemed to have hammered some humanness back into Tim, but when he tried to say something, stunned and groping for words, Kevin stood and handed him a piece of paper, to which was attached Jacob's resignation sheet also.
"I quit, Erics. The System Force is over."
When he walked out the door, it didn't slam behind him… only swung softly swung, the creaking sound almost like crying.
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