32 Productions Presents…

A Teen Titan Fan Fiction The Teen Titans in…

"Shade"

Chapter Four

And this is how it ends.

Still At the Restaurant

The Titans watched helplessly as the orb slowly moved toward their home.

Cyborg: What do we do!
Beast Boy: Hello! Would somebody tell me what's happening!

Robin: …I don't know.

Shade formed a disc and took off toward the orb.

Starfire: Shade! What are you doing!

He didn't respond. He got in front of the orb and formed a barrier. The orb hit it and began to push through. It was obvious it wasn't going to hold, but he kept trying.

Robin: Raven, help him!

Raven took off, swooping around the ball. It was hotter then she thought. Shade must have burned himself getting as close as he did, the moron. She floated behind him.

Raven: Azarath Mentrion Zinthos!

Raven was attempting to put a wall behind Shade's but instead found her shield being sucked into the other, weaving around it. Her mind was briefly hit by a valley of emotions and memories. They came and went so fast she couldn't focus on them. It didn't matter. She had more important things to worry about. The orb was still coming, though it had slowed down a lot. Raven gritted her teeth. It was starting to cause a strain.

Raven: I…I thought she was weakening…

Shade: Think of how this would be if she wasn't.

Raven would rather not. Finally the orb began to fade. Suddenly it fell apart. Anyone watching would have been treated to a lovely light show.

Raven: …we did it. Hey…you okay?

Shade: Yeah…I just…need to…

Raven gasped as the disc he was on faded and he plummeted toward the ground. She dove after him, grabbing him before he could smack against the cold pavement. She sighed in relief. She noticed he was in fact burned. The others ran up to meet her. Beast Boy was facing the wrong way.

Beast Boy: Did we win?

Cyborg: Uh…I think so.

Starfire: …is he…?

Raven: He's fine. He just exhausted himself. Not eating for as long as he did probably didn't help either.

Robin: …let's get him back to the tower.

Med-lab

Shade sat up suddenly, gasping. He was aware of four things right away. One. He wasn't in the city anymore. Two. His body hurt like he had been sunburned all over. Three. He was so hungry his stomach hurt. Four. He needed to take a leak. Bad. He took care of that problem first, managing to find the bathroom on his first try, lucky him. As he came out, he bumped into Robin.

Robin: Oh, you're awake.

Shade: Yeah…how long was I out and what happened?

Robin: You don't remember?

Shade frowned as he thought.

Shade: The last thing I remember is that orb of light heading for the tower.

Robin: You and Raven stopped it.

When Robin said that Shade was suddenly hit with a wave of memories and emotions. They were faint and he couldn't grasp them for more then a second. He shook it off.

Robin: You passed out. It's been two days.

Shade: No wonder I'm so hungry.

Robin looked uncomfortable for a second. Shade folded his arms, ignoring the pain that came with it.

Shade: Say what's on your mind.

Robin: …when I was treating your burns, I saw your arms.

Shade sighed.

Shade: They're not self-inflicted if that's what you're worried about.

Robin: Then…

Shade: I told you before. I've had a rough childhood. They're all over me.

Robin's eyes widened under his mask.

Robin: All…over?

Shade: Yeah. Let's just say Mom was a bitch and leave it at that, okay? Now if you'll excuse me, I'd like to get something to eat before I leave.

Shade walked off. Robin sighed.

Robin: The main room is that way.

Robin pointed in the opposite direction that Shade had gone.

Shade: …right.

Main Room

Raven turned the page of her book as she heard the door open. She turned and saw that it was Shade.

Raven: Welcome back.

Shade: Uh…hey.

What was wrong with him? Suddenly his heart was pounding in his chest. He forced himself to calm down and opened the refrigerator.

Raven: Hey, go right ahead. Help yourself.

Shade: I think I earned a bite to eat.

Raven: …isn't that what I said?

Sometimes it was hard to tell if Raven was being sarcastic. Shade found a pack of hot dogs and took two out. He sat down and began to eat one. Raven shuddered.

Raven: You're suppose took cook those.

Shade swallowed.

Shade: Never used a cooking device like those before. Why take a chance? Besides, raw meat is the main food in my species diet.

Raven: That's…disturbing.

Shade shrugged.

Shade: If you'd prefer, I'll eat somewhere else.

Raven: I've watched Starfire eat. I can handle you eating raw hotdogs.

Shade took another bite and Raven turned a page in her book.

Raven: …why'd you do that anyway?

Shade: Do what?

Raven: Almost fry yourself trying to stop that ball of light. Nobody was in the tower, you knew that.

Shade: My stuff is in here.

Raven: …

Shade sighed.

Shade: I know what it's like to have no home…or at least not be welcomed in it.

Raven: …Shade…something happened when our powers weaved together back there. I'm not sure what it was. I think for the briefest of time our minds linked.

Shade: …so that's what that was.

Raven nodded.

Raven: It was so brief we didn't have time to really piece together what it was we were experiencing. It just came in a flash. It's nothing really. It'll probably have no further effect on either of us.

Shade: I barely remember it.

Raven: …all I remember is a feeling a depression. A terrible sadness.

Shade: Life hasn't been kind…to either of us, if memory serves.

Raven sighed.

Raven: If I had a glass, I'd drink to that.

Silence. A turned page. Another bite.

Raven: …any idea what you're going to do now?

Shade: …not really. Guess I'll keep looking for Krystal.

Raven: Can't be easy hunting your own sister.

Shade: She's my responsibility.

He shoved the last of the hotdog into his mouth and stood up.

Shade: That's what a brother does.

Raven: Where are you going?

Shade: To pack. I've no doubt overstayed my welcome by now.

Raven watched him leave then turned back to her book.

Beast Boy's Room

Beast Boy's eyes had healed enough so that he could see, but he needed to wear sunglasses. It was only for another day, or so he was told. He had to say, he looked damn good in them. He had been posing in front of the mirror for five minutes now. This has no real point, I just wanted to explain that he was okay. No permanent damage done.

Roof top

Shade picked up his bag and tossed it into the shadows.

Starfire: …you are departing.

Starfire rose into view and landed in front of him.

Shade: I did what I said I would. I've no place here now.

Starfire: I would not be so sure.

Starfire pointed behind him. All the Titans were there.

Robin: We talked it over…

Beast Boy: And despite what I said…

Raven elbowed him.

Raven: We all decided that maybe it would be better if you stuck around.

Cyborg: At least until we caught your sister.

Shade was struck speechless.

Shade: …you want me to stay here? You don't mind?

Starfire: You are as welcome here as any of us.

Beast Boy: …just try not to be such a dick, okay?

Robin handed him his communicator.

Robin: Welcome to the Teen Titans.

Shade: …I…I don't know what to say.

Starfire: You need not say anything.

Raven: …though as the new member you need to do the dishes.

Shade: Eh?

Everyone agreed with Raven's statement.

Cyborg: And when you're done that…

Robin pulled out a pink wig and a tutu.

Cyborg: …there's the little matter of initiation.

Shade: I'm not wearing that!

Beast Boy: Nobody said anything about wearing it, dude.

They left Shade standing there with Starfire, his jaw hanging open.

Starfire: It is not so bad. …just make sure you do not tense your muscles.

Starfire went through the door next.

Shade: …wait, what? Hey, hold on! What's that suppose to mean?

THE END