Authors Note: I just wanted to say thank you for the great feedback I've gotten so far – I didn't expect to get it so quickly. To answer that one review, I've watched that episode so many times it's not even funny P Anways, our next chapter, yeah. This one came to me while I was in the bath. Yup, the bath is a wonderful place to think.

Bare in mind, I'm British, so some of the facts about America may not be correct.

Disclaimer: All mentioned characters belong to DC Comics.

Notes: Tweaking Cartoon Canon and mixing with Comic origins and brief character cameos. I don't know his fathers real name, bare with me.

Information Sources: Taken From W/ikipe/dia .org and comic books. As well as the cartoon.

Cyborg - Awards

Part One

Awards. Stars. Medals. Certificates. Ribbons. Trophies. Plaques.

Awards. Everyone knows what an award is, but everyone has different expectations on what a reward should be. Many people cling to the fact that the greatest award is having good friends and a lovely family. Other will laugh in scorn at those who say this and state that the only reward worth having is something that you can display, something glamorous, like a golden plaque, dedicated in your name. Or a glistening Trophy, placed high in a cabinet – only to be stared at, never touched.

Cyborg had seen – and held – many awards in his short life. He'd seen plaque's from the Mayor carved for his parents (He couldn't remember what for exactly, but from the way his fathers voiced had peaked up every time an important colleague or neighbour had asked about it showed him that it must have been very important) His parents had had many awards, Ribbons that lay sparkling on a polished cabinet. Gold and Silver medals, (All the bronze ones had been banished to the attic, his father said he couldn't bare to look at them) Earlier rewards before his parents had become scientists. Such as Golf trophies for his father and many that ranged from Outstanding Bravery to silly ones from high school for his mother.

Of course, Cyborg had his fair share of awards as well. Some he had gained while fighting with the Titans. Some he had not. He still remembered his first reward. It had been given to him in Primary School. It was a simple gift, but Cyborg had been young and striving for the attention any five year old child craves.

It was a golden star, given to him for outstanding sportsmanship in his P.E class. It wasn't a very big star, to be fair – it was about the size of his little finger nail – but to a five year old child, it was one of the best things he'd ever received. (And this was counting the time Tracy Thompson had swapped his disgusting cheese and pickle sandwich for her delicious turkey one – it was a hard swap, but he'd managed it)

His mother had congratulated him, stating that her little boy was growing up. But his father had said nothing. At that moment, Cyborg had thought that he had been rendered silent because of his amazing achievement, but in years to come, he soon realised that it was because of what it was for.

First awards are always the best, but the pleasure you feel about getting them drifts away over time.

Part Two

Over the time span of two years, his star had faded away. He wasn't sure where it had ended up – he could of sworn he lost it when he'd put his T-shirt in the washing machine a couple of months after. (His mother had demanded that he take it off his head after three weeks of it being stuck to it) But to be perfectly honest, he didn't care. A sparkling Bronze medal had taken its place now.

Yet again, it had been given to him for Sports. His school had taken part in the 'Under Eights Football playoffs' and he'd been one of the few children who'd participated who'd been able to score. His teacher had been very proud of him. They'd had a big party in the sports hall around Three 'o' clock – just before home time – and everyone had been asking if they could hold it. Cyborg had allowed them too, as long as they stayed near him when they were holding it (Last year Benny Briggs had stolen Katy Kutlins sticker. He didn't think his medal was more important than that sticker –it was a very shiny one- but he wasn't taking any chances.)

When his mother had picked him up from the school playground, he'd shown her the medal. She hadn't been able to say much.

"That's lovely Darling, but can it wait until we get back to the house? This traffic's murder right now." Cyborg had nodded his head and sat back in his chair admiring the medal.

The medal made beautiful rainbow colours on the back of his mother's seat as he twisted and turned it in the sunlight. The medal itself had a roughly carved picture of a football on it. His name was engraved on the back – well, to be honest, it was stuck on using sticky tape but that didn't bother him.

So he'd waited until they had gotten home. Cyborg received a smothering hug off his mother –who had insisted on getting a special box for his medal. It was placed up high, next to his mother medals, just a bit further away from his father's. Cyborg had been bursting with pride at that moment, face red with pleasure; he'd asked if his father would be able to see it. His mother responded with a nod of the head and said that he always checked the Award Cabinet every day after work, just to make sure that nothing was growing dusty.

Cyborg had thought that was silly at the time. There were a lot of things up there. It seemed very stupid of his father to check on them every night just to see if they were dusty. He repeated what he'd heard one of his fathers workers say once in his head. Jeez, Silias. Do you have a life? Because, you know, I know a nice place where you can get one. That lady was nice; he'd often wondered why he'd never saw her again.

Cyborg had waited a long time for his father to come home. His reaction to his prize was…Different than what he'd expected.

"Oh…" That was it. A brief smile and nod of the head before he had exited to the room and gone upstairs to email a work colleague.

His mother had sighed and followed him out of the room. Cyborg bit his lip and grabbed a stool. He remembered what his father had always said about bronze. Carefully easing it from it's special box, he took one last look at it before placing it back and walking up the stairs silently. Cyborg climbed up the wooden steps to the attic and slipped it into a spare place among all the other boxes. Taking one last look behind him, he made a vow to do better.

"I'll try for gold, I'll make dad proud." He whispered as he climbed down from the tiny room.

His mother had asked him where his medal had gone, but he'd refused to tell her. Stating, that it was just a stupid prize and there was no reason to get upset over it. But in his heart – in years to come – he'd always feel a little longing for that medal. After all, it was his first big prize.

Part Three

He could still remember the cheering. Cyborg was now nine years old, a lot had changed in those two years. He'd grown much taller and he was now better at sports. The vow he'd made had made him try harder than ever to reach gold. And he had; when he was eight. But that didn't matter now, because he'd gotten a certificate.

It wasn't just any certificate either. It wasn't one of the ones you got at the end of the year assembly if you'd been picked out of all your classmates. Oh no, this was a very special one indeed. The prize he had been given stated that he had gained a place for definite in his High Schools football team. Cyborg still had two years to go before he was properly ready for High School (When he was eleven his mother said) but a Game teacher from the school had been doing a coaching program and was offering prizes out for different things. He and four others had been granted permission for the football team.

Usually, prizes that were won in school time would be given out in an assembly, no parents allowed. But this was different. The school had been planning this for weeks. Parents and family had been allowed entry for this award ceremony only (His father had complained it was a rip off. He'd won one of the prizes and they still had to pay $3.50 to watch it)

"Victor Stone." He'd stood up to cheers when his name was called.

Doing what everybody else had – a wave and a big beaming smile (Though people who were there had stated that his smile was the biggest) – before shaking the Ladies right hand and taking the thick slab of paper with his own hand.

As he looked out into the crowd, his eyes searched for his family. His uncle and aunt had come along with their three children. Cyborg's gaze locked with his mothers, she was crying, tears of joy, she'd said later. He caught his fathers stare and looked back. Cyborg's smile widened as he saw that his father was really smiling. It wasn't the fake one he'd plastered on at many parent teacher conferences. It was his real one. The one where you could see all his bright pearly teeth. The one where you could swear honest to god that you had just been blinded by it.

People told him he had gained his fathers smile; and at that moment, they couldn't have been any more right. As streamers and balloons went off at the after party; Cyborg sought out his small family gathering. As he was squished in the tight hold of his Aunt's hug, he felt a prickle of tears threatening to fall. He'd made his father proud, and that mattered more than a stupid certificate. It meant a lot more.

Part Four

It had been the last game of the year, and an eleven year old Victor Stone had just played the winning goal. The score had been tied for a while; until he had scored. The final result was 2-1 to his High school.

There had been a big party, there was always a party – whether they had won or lost. There was cake and many different types of crisps and sweets. Cyborg had sat down with a couple of his friends from the team and his girlfriend – a peppy girl from the cheerleading squad.

"Oh Vic darling! You were simply amazing!" her high pitched voice echoed down his ear and he had to fight the urge to cringe.

"I'm going to get us something to drink!" she waved a dainty hand behind her as she ran away, skirt blowing in the wind.

His friends had wolf whistled at her and he punched them playfully.

"Shut up guys."

They'd laughed at him and Jimmy started to replay to whole game with three others. Cyborg laughed alongside them, all the while gazing at the small group of people who were glaring at him from the corner. His laughs simmered away; but none of his friends seemed to notice.

Of course, these people had only just gained the right to be called his friends. The ones in the corner had been his best buddies before he'd become famous on the football field. They still blamed him for ditching them, even though he made an effort to talk to them every day. He was about to walk up to them and engage them into conversation when his coach spoke up and grabbed him into a friendly headlock.

"Alright everybody! Now we all know Vic here's one of the best players on our field," cheers and screams of his name had been yelled at that comment, coach made a hand gestured for them to quieten up. "So in honour of his great achievements, we've decided to give him this."

A large box was placed into his hands and all thoughts of visiting the corner group were forgotten.

"Open it then Vic," a chant began. "Open it Vic, Open it Vic!"

It carried on for a while until Cyborg shouted at them that he would open it. He got a roar of approval for that. With trembling hands, he unlocked the clasp on the box and took out what was in it. He stared at it, speechless, as his eyes caught sight of a marvellous blue ribbon that lay in his hands.

Twirling the string that held the ribbon in his hands, his coach left and the football team surrounded him.

"Let me hold it Vic!" and "Go Vic!" were the some of the only things he heard as he stood shell-shocked at his reward.

Of course, the cheerleading team wouldn't be out done and began climbing up on the tables and starting a new cheer. Cyborg smiled and looked around the happy faces. The happiness of the day began to leak away as he saw the small group that was rolling there eyes at the antics of his team-mates and his girlfriends posse. He'd come to a decision a long time ago, and that was to make his father proud of him. But, he thought, was it really worth losing some of his best friends just to make him proud? He had no time to think about it as he was drawn into the middle of a group hug.

Should I really be doing this?

Part Five

Cyborg was now thirteen. Many awards had followed him in his years of football. He had so many his father had to build him a shelf of his own. His relationship with his girlfriend was flourishing and he was nearly everyone's friend. He knew all the member of the chess club, the maths team and the many other cliques that his friends wouldn't be caught dead talking to. Of course, he took Science club because of a certain Sarah Simms that had forced him into taking it. Just because he was a jock, didn't mean he was a stupid one like Brad and Kyle – the schools 'hotties. After him, of course.

Gaining the respect of these many people hadn't been easy of course. But everybody looked up to him for help and just plain admired him.

But right now, none of that mattered. Cyborg's hands were sweaty as he wrung them over and over again. He had been chosen to give a speech for the football team. Their High school had won a trophy for their excellence in the 'Twelve and over' category. Every one had been given a small trophy before hand, but it was his job to collect the schools trophy. It wasn't and easy job, in fact, it was down right frightening. But he had to do it, for his school, and for his father.

He and his parents hadn't really seen eye to eye over the past year or two. His mother and father begged him to start concentrating on his school work more than, as his father put it, a brain dead sport. After all the rows and arguments, Cyborg still wanted to make his father proud.

"And now, we would like to welcome Victor Stone."

He gulped and walked over to the stand. Looking out over the crowd like he had done four years ago, he sought out the eyes of his family and smiled when he saw everyone there.

"Friends, teachers and family….."

Part Six

Cyborg laughed as he saw Beast Boy slick back his hair. The Titans had been in Jump City for over two years now and the Mayor thought it was time to give them a reward for their efforts. Staring over at his new teamates, Cyborg had to hold back a full blown laugh as he saw what most of them were doing. Robin was gently coaxing Starfire away from the snack table, which hosted a variety of fizzy drinks (They all remembered what had happened the last time Starfire had gotten her hands on one) Raven was mediating, trying not to allow the huge vein on her head to burst as Beast Boy cracked another chicken joke. But it was Terra who made him laugh the most. She was sat down, hands pressed hard to her face as she tried not to laugh at Beast Boys many jokes. As he stopped, she released her hands and stated that she was going for more punch. There was no denying it though; he'd seen the blush.

A lot had gone on in the past four years. There had been tragedy when he reached fifteen, things had gone on that he didn't want to repeat. Of course, life with the Titans was no walk in the park, but it was better than earlier times.

As their names were called out, Cyborg took the stage, placing a hand on Robin's shoulder, he urged the younger boy to begin speaking. He had to look around crowds when he was up on centre stage, and he was glad he did. His eyes locked with his fathers and his smile widened. He'd finally made his old man proud.

Cyborg began thinking of all the awards he'd gained before. He supposed that Sarah Simms was right. Family and friends might just be the best awards in life.

Awards. Stars. Medals. Certificates. Ribbons. Trophies. Plaques. Family. Friends

End Of Cyborg – Awards

Authors Note: Well, there we have it, I didn't want to add the scene where his mother died, it would of taken focus away from the theme. But anyways, hope you enjoyed it. R&R please!