Before anyone reds this, I just want to say that I have been extremely grateful to get your positive reviews every week. That being said, I'm afraid that I won't be updating for a bit. I'm almost finshed with my Avatar story and I can't concentrate on anything else until it's done. Don't worry, I'm not gonna disappear for a month, but it will probably take more time then usual to get the next chapter up. Of course, that gives me more time to make it good, and believe you me, I have to do that. So you guys'll hear from me again soon, so please be patient.

Chap. 28

One More Hurdle

I could tell you that Rivers and Katie got together soon after this and worked out everything in a mature fashion and simply got together. But these are teenagers we're discussing here. So instead of that, they continued to hide their feelings and act with some awkwardness towards each other. They also continued, along with the others to train and protect the city as they awaited the coming of Slade. But eventually, they reached the state that all students reach; where there is nothing left to learn. The Elementals finally ran out of things to teach them, three weeks ahead of schedule. They knew that the training schedule, while lessened, would still be effective as a form of practice. But the four of them were stumped as to how to 'graduate' the New Titans. But then one night, inspiration came……

"No..no… aw dammit!" Eddie swore at the TV screen. "Looks like I win." Terra said gleefully as the baseball player on TV rounded home. In their time together, Eddie and Terra had discovered that they shared quite a few interests, including a love for baseball. Every week, they would sit and watch their personal favorites play and bet chores on who won. The game in question at the moment was between the New York Mets and Arizona Diamondbacks. The Mets were Eddie's team, and the Diamondbacks Terra's. Since the game was between their hometown favorites, they had grouped together the chores they each hated the most and bet them against each other. Which meant that now, Eddie would be in charge of cleaning all the rooms in the East Wing of the Tower and the West, as well as toilet duties. "Why couldn't you have been a New Yorker?" he moaned, as he put his face in his hands. "What, so I could root for the Yankees? Pussies." Terra answered. At that, Eddie raised his face and looked at the girl with a smile. "You are my child." He said with a grin.

Terra smiled back, but looked away a second later. Eddie mentally sighed and turned back to the screen. Even thought Terra had been living with Eddie for more then two months, she still wasn't able to call him Dad. Eddie wasn't by nature a patient man, but in this case, he knew he had to make an exception. Still, it pained him to see her turn away every time he even mentioned the fact she was his daughter. Just let it go man. Sooner or later, she'll come around. He thought, as he watched the 'backs celebrate onscreen. "Yeah, try to win another Series without Jackson." He muttered. "Hey, at least we have plenty of good players." Terra said, rejoining the conversation. "Yeah right. Without the Unit, you guys won't see another championship…." "Until you guys do?" "Hey at least the Mets aren't some two-year expansion club. We've got history. We've got Tommy Agee, Tom Seaver, Jerry Koosman, Jerry Grote, Willie Mays,…" "Yeah, but the definitive word there is history. Once Piazza's gone, all you'll have Pedro and he's just about out of gas." Terra said. "Yeah? Well put all those old guys together with Piazza and Pedro and we'd still beat the Diamondbacks. How many of those guys are in their first year of major league play anyway?"

Terra was prepared to make a retort, but then a spark went off in her head. "What is it?" Eddie asked. "I think you just said something genius." "What?" Eddie asked, unsure about what was genius about theoretical baseball. "We can't put the old Mets against the new Diamondbacks, but we can still make that kind of match-up and get the others 'graduated' at the same time." Again, Eddie was stumped. But a second later, realization dawned. "Oh my God, that's brilliant! Let's run it past Brett and Sara, then make some phone calls." He said, as he got off the couch to do just that. "Man, I'm a genius even when I don't realize it." He said as Terra got up to follow him. "Well, I had to get those brains from somewhere." Terra said, as she followed. Eddie didn't stop walking, but he smiled a bit when he heard her say that. It wasn't 'Dad', but it was a step in the right direction.

Three days later……

The sun beat down on the island on a warm Saturday morning. Even though it was only midway through the spring season, it got hot quite fast in California, so the temperature was already eighty degrees by the time the New Titans arrived in the early afternoon. As the barge took the car onto the island, the car pulled onto the isle and three days opened almost instantly. "LAND!" Bart cried out, as he practically kissed the ground. The others echoed his statements. "C'mon, it wasn't that bad." Martin swore, as he too exited the car. "Dude, you drive like you're on cocaine!" Bart replied vehemently. "I still can't believe your dad let you drive that thing in public." "Or that he lets you drive." Lisa added. "The windows are tinted, no one can see in." Martin argued. "Whatever. Why did he send you to pick us up?" Rivers asked. "He said he had some work to do in the shop, and that I needed practice driving." Martin replied. "Well, he was definitely right about that." Bart said. "You little…." Martin swore, but Katie cut him off. "Guys, let's just go and do this ok? Besides, Mr. Stone said he'd drive us back." "Thank God." Bart replied. Martin glared, but backed off and the kids began to walk up the island.

However the group found something different when the reached the Tower. They found the Elementals standing there, as always. But this time, they found them standing there looking ready for the beach. Eddie and Brett were dressed in trunks, sandals, and T-shirts, while Sara wore an oversized tee and shorts. Only Terra was dressed in her uniform. "Are we missing something?" Rivers asked. "Or did we come to the wrong island?" "No, everything's right." Brett said with a smile. "See, you guys have become excellent heroes and perfected your skills. So today, we're taking a break." "Huh?" asked Martin. "I know this lagoon a few miles past the city. We'll be heading there today (The kids cheered) after you go through your last test (The kids stopped cheering)." "Last test?" Lisa asked. "You'll see in a few minutes. For now, just go get changed." Sara said. The kids looked at each other in confusion, but went inside the Tower.

A few minutes later, they emerged in their uniforms. "So what exactly is this thing?" Metallix asked. "I'm not really in the mood for an obstacle course." "It could be worse." Kestrel replied. "And what do you know that's worse?" he asked. "You don't want to know." Metallix would've elaborated on his question, but then Terra moved over to join the group. "Are you doing this with us?" Sunblaze asked in surprise. "Well, we thought the ranks should be even." "Even?" the young boy asked. But before Terra could answer, Owl yelled, "Look!" The New Titans looked up, in time to see a huge black object falling from the sky. Within seconds, it landed in front of them. The New Titans stared in wonder, but then their mouths dropped in shock as the black suddenly vanished. Behind them, Brett smiled and said, "The final test- New Titans vs. Teen Titans, winner-take-all."