I walked into the main room of Titans Tower, feeling a lot more tired than I should. I looked at the futon, reconsidered and plopped down on the couch instead. I didn't feel up to a round two with Raven. I propped up my boots and laid back, resting my head on the arm rest. I propped my hat forward over my eyes. I really needed to relax. Forget about everything and just relax.
I settled in deeper and closed my eyes.
"Beast Boy!" Cyborg thundered at the top of his lungs. "Stop moping!"
I winced.
"I'm trying, dude!" Beast Boy whined just as loud. "But...Terra!"
I groaned under my breath. This was one of the downsides to living with nothing but teenagers. I took a moment to remind myself that I was a teenager, too.
"I'm telling you, dawg! You can't be with the girl every minute of every day!"
"...But I want to."
Cyborg sighed.
Moving as little as possible, I pushed my hat up with one finger just enough to peek under the brim. Cyborg was in the kitchen, making a sandwich. Beast Boy stood disconsolately beside him. He turned to me-
I let the hat fall back down.
"Dude, I didn't even notice Bard in here." I heard Beast Boy say. "I hope we didn't wake him up."
The refrigerator door shut.
"Nah, we didn't wake him up."
Fooled'em...
"He was never asleep to begin with." Cyborg finished. "He's faking."
I started. I sat up and pushed my cowboy hat to where it belonged. I turned and looked at him.
"How in the world did you know that?"
Cyborg laughed and tapped his chest.
"I've got more sensors than you can shake a lasso at, cowboy!" He winked. "You were holding your breath."
"Huh..." I blinked. "Reckon I'll have to keep that in mind for when we play poker." I looked at Beast Boy. "You missing Terra?"
"Ugh..." Cyborg put a metal hand over his eyes. "Don't remind me."
"Ya know, I might be going out on a limb here but..." I scratched my chin. "I assume the place she's at does have a phone."
Beast Boy stared at me.
I looked back.
SWOOSH!
In a blur of green Beast Boy ran out of the room.
"ThanksBardbye!"
I shook my head and couldn't help but smile.
Cyborg slathered mayonnaise on a sub bun.
I shuddered.
"All right, man. I've waited long enough. What happened yesterday?"
I sighed. I didn't want to think about it right now.
"You can't leave us in the dark forever."
I sat up straighter and yawned for no good reason.
"Robin could tell you better than me."
"Yeah, well...He won't." Cyborg looked at me. "You're stuck with the job, it looks like."
"Ain't that just fine and dandy?" I took in a deep breath and told him the story as much as I knew. About Fraust hooking up with Static and Starfire and, later on. Mister Freeze. About the fight with Michael, Simon and Leslie...Hull, Silverflare and Pulsade...and the eventual teaming up with them. The raid on the Neo HIVE facility with Booker and Chang and Mammoth and Gizmo and Kyd Wikkyd and Red-X. I skipped the part with Zillah. It wasn't important.
"What about the actual rescue?" Cyborg said after I was finished. "You were kinda vague on that."
The corners of my mouth tightened.
"I was off chasing a few baddies. I wasn't there for it."
"Sounds like ya'll were busy."
"Amen." I said under my breath.
"So," Cyborg chomped into his triple-layered sandwich. "Who were you chasing?"
I hesitated-
Beast Boy walked back into the room with a phone pressed into his ear.
"Terra! So good to hear your voice!"
We could plainly hear Terra giggle from the other side. Beast Boy must have had the volume all the way up or something.
"I've only been gone for a day!"
"One day too long!"
"Heheheh!"
Over her giggling, we heard a retching sound in the background.
"Um..." Beast Boy scratched his neck with his free hand. "One of the contestants getting ready for the pageant...?"
"Nu-uh. It's just Bard's girlfriend, Lisa. You're too sweet for her."
"Lisa?" I repeated. "Who's-" I guess a lot had happened. I suddenly remembered and felt like a fool because of it. "Oh yeah, I-" I stopped again. "SHE'S NOT MY GIRLFRIEND!"
Then, from the phone:
"...-NOT MY BOYFRIEND!"
I sweat dropped as everyone laughed around me. I folded my arms across my chest.
"...Shush."
They didn't.
TTTTTTTTTT
Detective Decker stepped into Walker's tiny office and plopped a greasy bag on his dented desk.
"I can't believe you actually enjoy eating that shit." Decker grunted. "Your vein's gonna get clogged up faster than a blonde working girl at a French whorehouse."
Walker reached into the bag and chomped into an overflowing chili dog.
"If I wanted someone to bitch at me, I'd remarry." He said around a mouth full of meat and grease. "Holly's bad enough as it is."
Decker groaned even as he reached into a box of noodles with a pair of chopsticks.
"Don't wanna hear about your damn daughter."
"You're just jealous cause you don't have any kids."
"Bullshit!" Decker breathed. "It's a damn blessing. I don't have to mess with any snot-nosed kids that look as ugly as me."
"Yeah, well, my daughter's the most beautiful girl on the planet as far as I'm concerned."
"She didn't get from you, that's for damn sure."
Walker picked some chilli out of his mustache.
"Hell no. Got it from her mother."
"Yeah..."
They ate in silence for a few minutes, Walker at his desk and Decker leaning against the wall.
"I'm worried about her." Walker mumbled gruffly, barely audible. "If something happened to her..."
"I know."
"I tried to get her to quit the pageant, but the girl's as stubborn as I am."
"..." Decker slurped up noodles.
Walker suddenly slammed his fist down on the table, sending mustard packets flying.
"Damn it!" Walker snarled. "I just wish I knew what that ass clown Brit was up to! If he hurts my little girl, I'll frickin' kill him and then bring him back so I can kill his ass again."
"Relax. All this worrying won't mean anything if you have damn heart attack."
"...That doesn't sound to bad right now."
"Shut the hell up and let's get to work."
Walker looked up. He blinked.
"Ahem...righto." He paused. "Why can't I quit you?"
"Cause it takes a bastard to love a bastard. Now let's get some damn work done so we can bust Mod's ass."
"Yes sir."
