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Title: Justice League Presents: The Teen Titans

Fandom: DC Comics / Arrowverse

Disclaimer: All rights concerning the Arrowverse reserved to Greg Berlanti and Marc Guggenheim, all rights for the comics reserved to DC. This fanfiction on the other hand is entirely mine. No money is made with this, though reviews are more than welcomed.

Tags: team building, friendship, found family, fluff, slice of life, f/f, m/f

Main Pairings: Kory/Kara, the team in a platonic sense

Side Pairings: Clark/Diana, Bruce/Selina

DC Characters:

Teen Titans: Dick Grayson, Donna Troy, Conner Kent, Kara Danvers, Kaldur'ahm, Koriand'r / Kory Anders, M'gann M'orzz / Megan Morse

Justice League: J'onn J'onzz / John Jones, Bruce Wayne, Diana Prince, Clark Kent, Zatanna Zatara, Arthur Curry, Jefferson Pierce

Batman: Barbara Gordon, Selina Kyle, Alfred Pennyworth

Summary: The Justice League comes to the decision that the newly found Wonder Girl and Superboy need training. Together with the other heroes' sidekicks, they form a new team, the Teen Titans. Now, that team needs to find together.

Justice League Presents:

The Teen Titans

/Early 2009, Watchtower\

"This is amazing, C... Superman," whispered Kara in excitement.

She stood pressed against the glass, looking out of the Watchtower to see the sun rise over Earth. Clark smiled fondly at his cousin. The two of them had seen that before, without glass in front of them too. Yet she still found so much joy in this. Even after years of her being on Earth, she never stopped marveling at its beauty and it had helped Clark appreciate Earth more too.

"You know the Watchtower isn't a family vacation spot, Superman."

Ah, the local spoil-spot. Clark grinned a little as he rolled his eyes. Batman was a tough nut. His mask was lined with lead to prevent Clark from peeking at his identity and he took it very seriously that even now, after half a year of them being a team, they kept their secret identities a secret. That was fine by Clark; he wanted his family to be safe. Still, he found himself admiring Zatanna in a way – the magician had no dual identity, she helped save the world in her stage costume and then went back to Vegas for a week show (her popularity had risen since the first time they had saved the world together). Batman stood with his arms crossed and a glare on his face.

"Batman, Supergirl. I thought that... the next generation should get a peek at this place too."

That was when Clark's wife and their adopted children rounded the corner together. Diana Kent, princess of Themyscira, Wonder Woman. Even after two years of marriage, it still took his breath away every time he saw her and made him feel giddy to think of her as his wife. Behind Diana trailed Conner and Donna. It was still a little strange to Clark to look at them.

They looked exactly like Clark and Diana, but as teenagers. The only two surviving clones from that ill-conceived plan of Lex's. Cadmus, cloning Superman and Wonder Woman, to create an army that would be able to protect the world, if necessary even from Superman and Wonder Woman themselves. Only that the clones had been faulty. They had attacked humans, deeming them the danger to Earth. That was what had brought the Justice League together for the first time. Only Donna and Conner had gained their own conscience. Which was why Diana and Clark had taken them home with them. Ever since then had Donna and Conner lived on the Kent Farm.

"Aw. The entire Super Wonder family together," Zatanna cooed as she rounded the corner.

Well, not the entire. Diana and Clark's biological son was back with Martha on the farm. A toddler was not exactly fit for the Watchtower. But Kara, Donna and Conner were teenagers and all three had helped before. Donna and Conner had helped on the day of their 'birth', even. Kara had fought at Clark's side during bigger disasters when Diana had been in Themyscira and Arthur had been in Atlantis. She had all the same powers as Clark, after all she was his cousin.

"We were considering training them here," stated Diana in a professional voice. "Our... civilian life, we don't have the space or equipment to train Donna and Conner there. The Watchtower was built to hold all our powers – and mine and Superman's are Donna and Conner's powers."

"And while we're at that, we thought perhaps Supergirl could also..." Clark trailed off.

Kara grinned broadly, bouncing a little on her feet. She'd never meant to become a hero like Clark, she just wanted to live a human life. But she had those powers. And as a child, the Danvers couple had used power-dampeners for her own safety and the safety of those around her. Later on, Clark tried to teach her, but he wasn't that good at it. J'onn J'onzz had helped and had been a better teacher than Clark could ever hope to. Clark hoped perhaps that if they taught the kids here, then J'onn might give his input too. The Kents walked toward the control room, followed by a skeptical Batman and a curious Zatanna. Conner's eyes were curious, while Donna looked more amazed.

"I see we need some extra chairs for today's team meeting," noted Black Lightning playfully.

"Yes. I thought... We thought that what we have planned should be discussed with the entire team. But we also thought that the children have a right to be here when that decision is made."

Arthur was already in his seat, feet on the table and arms crossed behind his head. J'onn and Black Lightning had apparently been in a heated debate before the interruption, finishing quickly in hushed voices while the others took their seats at the table.

"And... what is it that you do have planned?" asked J'onn curiously.

"We wanted to train Donna and Conner at the Watchtower," replied Diana. "This is the safest environment to test their strength and properly train them, without damages and without the risk of civilians being endangered or learning the truth."

There was a stretch of silence in which the other Justice League members contemplated it for themselves. Clark wasn't worried about J'onn or Arthur; the two were family, after all. He couldn't entirely seize Zatanna and Black Lightning yet though. And he was fairly certain that Batman was going to be against this idea out of principle; the man was incredibly serious. He would most likely think that this compromised the Watchtower into a playground. From an outsider's perspective, Clark could understand that – and an outsider's perspective was what Batman had. They were colleagues. They trusted each other with their lives during missions, yes, but they didn't trust each other with their private lives just yet. The man was wearing a lead mask to ensure that too.

"I think that's an interesting proposal, however I don't think the Watchtower is the right place for it," stated Batman, much to everyone's surprise. "Bringing the children here compromises the place. It makes it more risky. Perhaps a proper training facility for them would be more beneficial."

Clark turned to stare at Diana in surprise, who looked no less surprised. Kara made an excited noise and reached to take Donna and Conner's hands. Training like this was exciting and she had grown more interested in the life of a hero ever since Clark had gotten married to Diana and more so now that Conner and Donna were living with them. Perhaps it was the fact that it felt less lonely now. A team, someone one could rely on, could make quite the difference.

"Just for three teenagers, you want to build a training facility?" asked Diana doubtfully.

"It's not just three, is it?" Batman turned his head to look at Supergirl and then at J'onn. "If I remember correctly, the reason Supergirl hasn't been able to help us was because she was off-planet with your... niece, was it? I assume said niece is still around too."

For a moment, J'onn's posture stiffened. Mh. Clark tilted his head. M'gann had been living with J'onn since the girls had returned from their off-planet trip. A thoughtful look found its way onto J'onn's face as he considered this proposal. M'gann was a good girl, but she was still learning her shapeshifting abilities, which was why she mostly stayed at home.

"Can Kory come too then?" asked Kara in a hushed voice toward J'onn.

"Kory? I suppose, we could ask her what she thinks about this. She hasn't been too happy at our place, but I haven't had much time to teach her about human culture," agreed J'onn before turning toward the other Justice League members. "Kory is a... friend... from another planet. She is new to Earth and not used to how things are here and that others don't have the same abilities as her."

"Five then," commented Zatanna. "That... Sure. Five super-powered children."

"Uh. Can we make that six?" asked Arthur, lifting a hand.

"Are you sure about that?" asked Diana in her concerned big sister voice.

That made Clark smile a little. Arthur and Diana had been so close since Arthur's childhood. She had been a mentor and older sibling figure to her cousin, training him. Much like how Clark had been there for Kara. Only that by now, Arthur and Diana looked to be the same age, which came with her immortality. Something that Clark tried not to think of too much.

"What kind of conversation are you two having with your eyes there?" asked Black Lightning.

"I've... recently adopted a teenager," offered Arthur awkwardly. "More or less anyway. He's pretty independent. But yeah. He's, uh, my arch nemesis' son? He's been working at my side under the sea for a while now, as my... helper, I suppose. And I took him in after his father got locked up. He's... a fish out of water. Quite literally, kind of. He's half Atlantean."

"Anybody else got any sidekicks stowed away?" asked Zatanna jokingly.

"I do," confirmed Batman in his ever stoic manner. "And I'd like him to join this too."

Back Lightning looked thoughtful too, resting a hand on his chin. Privately, Jefferson Pierce was thinking about his daughters. His oldest, Anissa, was fifteen now and his younger daughter Jennifer was nine. Neither had shown signs of powers yet, but he felt as though it could still happen. If there was a facility to train young heroes, heroes still new to their powers, he would rest easier.

"I suppose it would be a good idea to give... young metas a chance. An option," offered Black Lightning. "I don't know how it was for you lot, but... figuring out my powers without guidance, feeling like I'm the only one who's like this, it wasn't easy."

"I've always had the support and aid of my sisters on Themyscira, but... I too felt... different, my powers are those of a demigod, there aren't many demigods on Themyscira. I think that, especially for the young who are struggling with their own identity and place in the world, this could be a beacon of hope," agreed Diana thoughtfully.

"We have been inspiring others. We are... the first open and widely known superheroes. Children are looking up to us," Clark smiled to himself. "And if there are children with powers among those we inspire, I suppose a training facility, a place they can come to for help, would be much safer than children trying to work it out themselves, or worse yet, going out as masked heroes too soon and getting themselves and others hurt in the process."

"It's decided then," Batman nodded, seeming pleased.

"Hold on. Who's going to be in charge of this?" asked Zatanna, voice filled with doubt.

"I'd volunteer my time," offered J'onn after a moment. "I helped Superman and Supergirl before. And unlike most of you, I don't have the responsibility of watching over a city."

"I'd suggest we all invest our time into this though," injected Black Lightning. "We all bring different... experiences, as well as powers into play. We have different things to teach and if we open this to a broader public at some point, there'll be kids who'll have different needs. If right now 70% of those kids are aliens, I guess you're the best bet to go to, but even so..."

"You make a good point," agreed J'onn. "Particularly Supergirl and Conner will benefit from Superman's teaching, for one. I will take charge and we can... create a schedule."

"Are we creating a school for superheroes?" asked Zatanna, one eyebrow raised.

"Well, I don't imagine it being a traditional school, but at least a safe place they can come to to learn about their powers. Among themselves, but with offered guidance from us more experienced heroes," Batman nodded slowly. "I don't believe that you can stop someone from becoming a hero if they set their mind to it. All we can do is give guidance."

And huh. That was more personal sharing that Batman had done in the past months. Interesting.

/break\

When Selina Kyle entered the Wayne Manor, she nearly stumbled over a very excited Dick. The boy had grown a lot since their first meeting. Still bright-eyed and so hard-working, but he was sixteen bordering on seventeen now. He'd filled out, grown tall and gained muscles from his hard training and gymnastics. From what Selina had heard from Kate and Harley, he was quite the teen heart-throb at school. She cleared her throat to stop him in his tracks.

"Hey, ma. Been a few weeks since you last dropped by," he grinned.

Selina was half sure that he only called her 'ma' to mess with her. She was definitely too young to have a sixteen year old son. Not to mention, her and Bruce weren't married. Though Dick was Bruce's charge, she did feel responsible for him. And for a while, he had lived with her. He was like a son to her, even if there was just a bit more than a decade between them.

"Yes, well, I've been busy. Not the whole world spins around your father," Selina grinned.

"Better not tell Bruce that, it might shock him," commented Alfred as he joined them.

He was... carrying a suitcase. Once Selina let go of Dick, the kid ran off again. Curiosity piqued, Selina followed Alfred. She'd always liked the man, he had something calming yet his wit was razor-sharp and he was not afraid to roast even Bruce himself. Not only had he been a good father to Bruce, he had also never held his tongue. He kept Bruce in line.

"What's going on here, Alfred?" asked Selina after a moment. "Am I missing something? Big batty family vacation? Don't tell me I'm not invited, I might pout."

"Your pout may work on Bruce, but I'm afraid I'm immune to it," Alfred smiled bemused. "And I'm afraid it's not a vacation. I highly doubt Bruce knows how to spell that. Dick is... leaving."

"What? Where are you leaving to, kiddo?" called Selina surprised.

Dick, who just came down the hall again carrying a bag, looked at her in excitement. "Bruce said the Justice League is starting some kind of so far unnamed junior program. He wants me there... less so because I need the training – I've been Robin for five years now – but more as his... spy, I suppose. Which, I'm only going to play along with to a certain extend. I will report back on worrisome things. But I do want this. I want this chance to step out of Bruce's shadow."

"Yeah?" Selina smiled a little, resting a hand on his shoulder. "You earned it, kiddo."

He had been Robin for five years now, actively chasing criminals. And he was great. But out here, in Gotham City, it was always Batman and Robin. Never just Robin. He was the sidekick, not the hero. And at nearly seventeen, she suspected that he was itching to become his own hero. Make a name for himself, instead of being the add-on to Batman.

"Thanks. I got a lot more to take care of. And Kate, Babs and Harley insisted on throwing me a party to see me off, so... I hope you're not mad, but I'll have to go?"

"Go and get packed. Gotta be ready to become a hero," Silena smiled to herself.

After Dick ran off, Silena turned toward Alfred once more, seeing the fond smile on his lips as he watched Dick. "It's just for the summer for now; he still hasn't finished school, after all. After the summer, Bruce wants to see how things will continue."

"Mh. Where is our resident brooding billionaire anyway?"

"He's in his study, I believe. Fretting about the little bird leaving the nest," replied Alfred.

Waving at Alfred, she walked toward the study to find Bruce brooding on his arm-chair. She walked over to him and leaned over him, her hands on the arm-rests of the chair. He looked up when she put herself into his line of sight. The brooding look was replaced by a small smile and it meant the world to her that she was able to put such a smile onto his lips.

"So Dick is leaving for the summer, mh?" whispered Selina. "Will you be alright?"

"Babara has been a great help as Batgirl, I'm sure we'll be fine without Robin."

Selina rolled her eyes pointedly. "I didn't ask about Batman. I'm asking about you. He's your son. It's been you, Alfred and Dick in this big manor for the past, what, decade?"

"Eight years," corrected Bruce, though there was a certain look in his eyes. "I... genuinely don't know. I worry about him when we're out there together. But I'm there with him then. This is different. He's grown now, I know. He'll be eighteen all too soon, move out, start his own life..."

"I'm sure he'll be fine," her voice was gentle as she leaned in to kiss him. "He's a Wayne. Those are pretty tough in my experience. He's going to ruin that place in no time."

"That is partially what I'm afraid of," Bruce grumbled a bit, making Selina laugh.

/break\

"Listen, kid. I have a proposal for you," Arthur called out.

Kaldur came stumbling down the stairs. Though he was half-human, he had spent nearly his whole life under the sea. His father had been... Well. Arthur and Black Manta had quite a bound of history with each other. He'd first encountered the man many years ago. The man had stolen from Atlantis, that was how he had first caught Arthur's attention. Orm and Atlanna had requested so.

While his mom was living on shore, in the lighthouse with his dad, Arthur and his half-brother Orm had an arrangement. While Arthur was the hero of Atlantis and preferred living on shore, his brother Orm had actually been raised full-time in Atlantis, at the court, trained to lead their people. Arthur wasn't much for sitting on a throne and not doing anything, so he gladly left that up to Orm.

"What is it, Arthur?" asked Kaldur eagerly.

He was a good kid. At first, Kaldur'ahm had been his father's spy. Sent to find out all of Arthur's secrets for Black Manta. But... Arthur treated him well, kindly. He taught Kaldur everything he knew, eagerly shared everything he knew – stories of the world, both worlds. All three worlds, Themyscira considered. In the end, Arthur had been a good enough influence on Kaldur to make him change sides. Betray his father. Something Arthur knew hadn't been easy for Kaldur. And when Black Manta went to prison in Atlantis a few months ago, that had hit Kaldur'ahm hard. Arthur had opened his home to the kid, told him he could stay as long as he needed. He was still a teenager, not old enough to stay all on his own. Not familiar enough with the human world either.

"You know those friends of mine, the Justice League?" Arthur leaned forward some.

Rhetorical question, of course Kaldur knew. After all, he knew Diana and Clark personally. Frowning curiously, Kaldur'ahm approached him and sat down opposite him, listening attentively.

"And you know Diana and Clark's kids – the older ones, Conner and Donna. You met them a few times too. What do you think of them?" wanted Arthur to know.

Kaldur shrugged a bit. "I don't... know. Donna is fun. Conner is a little stoic at times. I don't dislike them though. I just haven't spent enough time with them to have a real opinion."

"Okay," Arthur nodded. "Would you be interested in spending more time with them? The Justice League came up with this idea, a team of you teenage wanna-be heroes, to offer you various ways of training. I know you're well-trained. Your father trained you all your life. I trained you for the past year or so. But you were mainly trained to fight in the water, with the water. I think this could be a good way for you to broaden your skills. Learn to fight on land, learn more about the human world, maybe... make some connections of your own."

"You think it's a good idea?" Kaldur looked doubtful.

"I don't know if it'll be for you," Arthur shrugged and leaned back casually. "But... I gotta admit, it's pretty nice to work with the Justice League. It's been me and Di ever since I started out as a hero, I always had her to have my back. And you've always had me to have your back. But for us, joining the team meant networking. Different skill-sets that come in handy in different situations. Sometimes, I got an angry sea-witch and I get to call up Z to come and help out. When I'm after some bastard who tried to cover up an oil-spill, I can rely on Batman's detective skills to give me the info he needs and I've actually worked with his associate Poison Ivy before; she is big on taking out Eco-terroists and threats to our planet. We're kindred spirits in that, even if I'm about the sea and she's about the plans on land. It's good to know that there are people I can rely on, when something feels like too much or when I am not the ideal match for whatever danger I ran into."

Kaldur folded his hands in his lap, frowning to himself. "Okay. I... guess it's worth a try."

/break\

M'gann was nervous when she approached the T shaped tower. She'd never been to San Francisco before. Honestly, she still wasn't entirely sure how the Justice League had decided on San Francisco – maybe because it was a large city without a hero in it, perhaps because it was out of the way of any of the JL members' jurisdictions. The tower was... standing out. But then that had been the plan, according to J'onn. Batman had it built specifically for them.

"How do you like the name?" asked J'onn.

"It's... catchy but perhaps aiming a bit... high," admitted M'gann.

She knew Clark had come up with it. The Teen Titans. Considering the Justice League was widely regarded like new gods living on their own Olympus overseeing Earth. So he had thought it would be poetic for the next generation to have a name related to the Greco-Roman tradition too. And a catch alliteration, at that. She supposed it worked well enough.

"I like this a lot! This place is fascinating," chimed Kory eagerly.

M'gann and J'onn turned toward the Tamaranean princess. M'gann smiled at her best friend. After fleeing from Mars, M'gann had met Koriand'r on Venus. The two had made plans to go to Earth together. Their landing on Earth had drawn the attention of the DEO – and with it, its director, John Jones. J'onn J'onzz. When he realized what she was, he had... covered for her. Had made up a tale of her being his niece. He'd been working on making the DEO more alien-friendly for years and though run by an alien, they were still very wary. M'gann was happy to slip into the role of a green Martian and of J'onn's niece. Perhaps not at first, because she hadn't known him – though she had taken a peek into his mind too, to know if she could trust him. It was only after a while on Earth that she grew more comfortable here and in this life. She loved J'onn, he had taken her in and met her with kindness. The kindness of a man who had lost his own two daughters during the war. Though she wasn't necessarily a replacement, she was someone who was here to receive the love he had to give. And being an orphan herself, she was glad to accept that love.

"Yeah? You sure about this?" asked M'gann, watching Kory fly a circle around them.

"Yes! I want to meet more people, learn more about Earth," Kory smiled brightly.

The three of them took the elevator up to the top-floor, where the living quarters and head-quarters of the Teen Titans. The tower was shaped like a T which seemed silly, but practical for people knowing what it was. The shaft leading up to it was where all the training floors were, each designed with specific environments in mind, to give them various options to learn.

"You're here," Batman stated in a neutral voice.

The man was slightly unsettling. Partially so because M'gann couldn't read him; J'onn had told her he couldn't either. Only when Batman permitted it and even then he knew how to shield the private thoughts about his civil identity. Someone had taught Batman to protect his mind, a skill neither M'gann nor J'onn had ever seen on Earth before.

"Yes! Hello. I'm Kory. Kory Anders. That's my human name," declared Kory.

She was smiling as she flew up to Batman, offering her hand. The orange-skinned alien with the flaming hair was enough to startle even Batman. The man took a moment before accepting the hand. Next to him sat a boy in a strange red and green outfit.

"It's a pleasure to meet you," Batman nodded. "This is my sidekick, Robin. He will join the team."

"Oh! Robin, hello. That's a nice name," Kory flew over to circle the teen instead.

He looked surprised too, watching her. M'gann giggled just a little as she went to join him. There was a long table with chairs around it, emblems attached to the back of each chair. A mirroring of the arrangement the Justice League had. M'gann's chair had the red circle and red x in the center of it, the same as Martian Manhunter's. Smiling, M'gann sat down.

"So—o, which one is mine?" asked Kara as she entered. "There is two emblems of El."

"You sit next to me," declared M'gann with a grin.

Kara nodded pleased at that. The three alien girls were friends – for Kara, they had been the first non-Earthlings outside her cousin and J'onn that she had gotten to meet since arriving on Earth. She'd been glad to meet other girls with powers, girls who knew what it felt like to be from another planet. In M'gann's case, also that she understood what it felt like to be one of the last of her own kind, her planet out of her reach. There was a solace to their company.

"Kara," Kory's smile seemed to brighten even more as she sat down on M'gann's other side.

As always, Kara's entire face went red, which made M'gann chuckle amused. The blonde had the most obvious crush on Kory, but Kory was such a sweetheart – and also not entirely familiar with how humans projected their feelings. M'gann's attention was drawn when the Kents entered the room too. Apparently, Kara had flown ahead on her own. Clark – well, no Superman – had an arm around his wife's shoulders, both smiling at the teenagers in front of them.

"If I count correctly, the only one we're missing are Aquaman and Aqualad," commented Batman.

"Aquaman is... not the most punctual," replied Diana with an amused look.

Conner sat down next to Kara, with Donna on his other side. The last empty seat was between Donna and Robin. M'gann found it interesting that she could feel the same shields in his mind as in Batman's. Whoever trained the Justice Leaguer had also trained the boy.

"A Robin is a bird, does that mean you have bird-powers?" asked Kory curiously.

She had turned her attention away from M'gann and Kara to instead look at the one person at the table that she didn't know. Robin blinked a few times, still seeming distracted by her alien appearance. Aliens were a new concept for most humans. And even so, the only aliens they were familiar with were the Kryptonians and the Martians. The Kryptonians had the same physical appearance as humans, Kara and Clark in particular benefiting from looking like white humans.

J'onn showed his green skin very rarely, he mostly took on the appearance of who had once been known as Hank Henshaw. A black man. A face he had taken on out of necessity back then, but had by now embraced. Even as he went by an Anglicized version of his birth name – John Jones – he kept that face. He had found an identity with that and he had found comfort in the sense of otherness. J'onn had told M'gann once, when she had asked him, that he thought being a black man in the United States was the closest to feeling like an alien even in his civil identity. It made him remember that he was different and he found comfort in the community that understood parts of their struggle. M'gann had chosen a black girl's face to fit into the role of J'onn's niece and she was still trying to figure out who Megan Morse was and what her identity was.

But even so, the Martians presented human for most of their time. Koriand'r didn't. Her glowing orange skin and flowing flame hair stood out, so did her brightly shining green eyes. There was no hiding her Tamaranean nature. And knowing someone was alien while still looking human was different than being confronted by someone alien looking. M'gann knew that.

"I... no," replied Robin after a moment. "I don't have bird-powers."

"Then what kind of powers do you have?" wanted Conner to know curiously.

"I'm a martial artist, acrobat, I know how to wield a variety of weapons," listed Robin.

"You're human," concluded Donna surprised, blinking. "Not alien, not meta, not Amazonian."

"Plain old human," confirmed Robin with a crooked grin.

M'gann could see the way Clark and Diana had one of their telepathic conversations. Though neither of them had telepathic powers, the two had worked together for so long now and knew each other so well that they were able to have what J'onn called 'marriage telepathy', where they could communicate without words and without actual telepathy. In the end, neither of the two spoke up, so she supposed that they could accept this. Most likely, M'gann assumed, because Batman himself was only human. Perhaps a human on the team was beneficial for perspective alone.

"Sorry we're late! Got held up with a shipwreck!" Arthur came barreling in.

He was directly followed by another. Kaldur'ahm. After a quick look at the table, nodding at everyone in greeting and taking the last empty seat – between Donna and Robin, the chair with the Aquaman A on it. M'gann didn't know him all that well, she had mostly had contact with Kara and recently gotten to know Conner and Donna because of her ties to Kara, but she knew that Arthur was a trusted ally and friend to J'onn, Clark and Diana, so if he trusted this boy and saw him worthy to carry his name and fight at his side, M'gann was certain he would be a good addition to the team.

"Welcome, Teen Titans. I'm J'onn J'onzz, I will be your primary... teacher, mentor if you will. I will be living in the tower with you, so you can reach me any time if you have questions, concerns or the desire to train. There will be a training schedule for you and the other Justice League members will frequently be by to offer you training lessons themselves, since each of us have something different to offer you, to teach you. Outside of these set training sessions, it is... up to you how you will spend your time and after a first assessment of your individual abilities, we have plans of letting you, on your own as a team, take on smaller missions here in San Francisco."

The teenagers started whispering excitedly at that. Most had expected this to be a pure training exercise. Or, if they got to go out, with adult supervision. The chance to be heroes on their own, make a name for themselves, was quite exciting, if M'gann was being honest.

/break\

Dick was studying his teammates. Learning about them. The way they moved, talked, thought. What kind of opinions and attitudes they had. Bruce had taught him to study people, because studying them meant knowing them, understanding them. Asserting whether someone was enemy or asset. After the first week, he came to the decision that he liked his team. Some more than others, but they all had a good core. A heroic core. It was... interesting to learn all of their individual motivations, their history. Their different points of view on the world.

Having been raised at a circus, he'd always seen various people with various experiences and viewpoints based on said experiences. But then he had moved to Gotham and into the privileged life of being a billionaire's adopted son. He got to see the other side of Gotham when he had stayed with Selina and even now, she kept him grounded, showed him how life in the city was for others.

This? This was so much different than life in Gotham – or any exclusively human society, really – ever even could be. They all brought different culture to this team, cultures that most humans had never even considered. M'gann, the survivor of a genocide on her home-planet, a refugee on Earth, a shapeshifting Martian who could take on any humanoid form. Kara, one of the last two survivors of the death of her home-planet Krypton, an alien who had to flee for her home did no longer exist. Koriand'r, the princess of the alien-planet Tamaranean, who had fled the crown to seek adventures in the universe, and who stood out physically among the others with her flaming hair and orange skin and intense, green eyes. Kaldur'ahm, the half-Atlantean who had grown up in the ocean, the son of a super-villain who was working so hard to not be his father. Donna, the clone of an actual demigod, and Conner, the clone of Superman, who had both only been alive so shortly.

All of them were struggling with finding their place among humans, learning about human society, behavior and how to fit in. Even Kara, who had been on Earth for years now, was struggling still with feeling normal, because she constantly had to suppress her powers and pretend to be something she wasn't. This here, was her chance to embrace who she was. It was that chance for all of them – to figure out themselves and their powers in a set, safe environment.

"So you're liking your team so far?" asked Babs on the phone.

Dick was laying on his bed, head hanging over the edge of it as he held the phone in front of his face to look at his best friend. Barbara looked skeptical, as though she was waiting for him to give some secret signal so she could come to San Francisco and rescue him. He appreciated it.

"Actually, I am," confirmed Dick with a small grin. "I'm getting along best with Donna, we've been sparring a lot with each other and... bonding... during it. Watch out, I might upgrade from a Batgirl to a Wonder Girl as my best friend, you better step up your game when I return."

"Oh please," Barbara rolled her eyes pointedly at him. "Like I can't replace you with Harley or Kate in an instance. In fact, it's been going well with just the three of us. Well, and Alfred's daughter Julia – her mom just dumped her with Alfred, saying 'this is your daughter, I have a mission to go onto, watch over her'. You should have seen his face when this fully grown teen stood in front of him."

"Seriously? I'm gone for a week and I miss that?" Dick gaped, nearly dropping his phone.

"Ye—eah," Barbara sighed. "It's been an... adjustment at Wayne Manor, from what I've seen."

"You gotta keep me updated on that," demanded Dick. "Anyway, I gotta go. It's time for dinner."

He waved at Barbara and hung up before rolling off his bed and running out of his room. By the time he entered the kitchen, the three alien girls were already gathered. Kara and Koriand'r were at the stove, cooking together. Koriand'r kept trying to add coriander to the food because she found delight in the shared name, while Kara tried telling her that it wasn't a fit. However, Kara was also busy blushing and, as always, having a hard time saying no to Kory.

"Why is Kara this awkward around Kory anyway?" Dick asked M'gann curiously.

He knew the three girls had been friends the longest. M'gann laughed and tucked her red hair behind her ear. Most of the time, she was in her Martian form, but she was also trying to get used to her human form so she tried to spend more time in that too. The other day, she had gotten her hair dyed by Kara, the old-fashioned human way, instead of just changing it with her shapeshifting powers. The red hair was put into countless small braids. It suited her well, in both her human form as well as her Martian form, in Dick's opinion.

"Kara has the hugest crush on Kory," whispered M'gann teasingly. "You see, Tamaraneans learn languages through... mouth to mouth contact... It doesn't mean much in their culture. But, not knowing what it means in human culture, Kory just kissed Kara when her and me first came to Earth and Kara's been dazed since then. And developing a huge crush on Kory."

Dick raised his eyebrows and turned back to watch the girls. How had he missed that? He'd been so busy observing them individually and seizing them up, he hadn't paid much attention to their dynamics with each other. Guess he really did have a lot to learn still...

"What about Kory?" asked Dick next, folding his arms on the table-top.

"Honestly, I don't know. I'm not overly familiar with Tamaranean culture. I know that she can't seem to read the obvious signs in Kara because of the cultural differences, so..." M'gann sighed.

"We should help them," declared Dick with a small smirk.

"Didn't peck Robin for a matchmaker," the Martian side-eyed him curiously.

"Eh, everybody needs a hobby," Dick shrugged. "So... you take Kara, nudge her into using her words, and I'll see if I can get anything out of Kory regarding her feelings?"

"Sounds like a solid plan to me," M'gann nodded. "But for now, let's save dinner from Kory."

/break\

"...The Flash saves Central City museum from another robbery, returning the stolen items in record-time. In... a flash, one might say," joked the news-reporter on the TV.

"What do you guys think about that?" asked Kaldur'ahm with a frown. "That new Flash."

The team was sitting together in the living-room, Kaldur'ahm and Robin watching the news. Conner was eating cereals, while Kara, M'gann, Donna and Koriand'r were playing a card-game. Both Kaldur'ahm and Dick liked to keep current with the events, used the news to find potential situations they could dissolve as a team. It was the role they had come into over the past two weeks. Robin was a strategist and he had learned a lot from Batman, so the two of them shared leadership. The others seemed fine with that, no one else wanted to step up as leader.

"Suspicious," commented Kara as she looked up from her cards. "From what I heard from my cousin, the Flash used to be a hero... many years ago. And then he disappeared. It's strange that he reemerges just months after the Justice League formed."

"While the timing does seem suspicious," agreed M'gann. "He... seems authentic? I mean, one could put on a costume and pretend to be, but... this young, new Flash, he has the same powers. The speedster powers of the original Flash, leaving behind lightning-like traces in the air."

"Perhaps he's like us," offered Donna, motioning at herself and Conner. "A clone of the original Flash. If Lex Luthor somehow came by the DNA of Superman and Wonder Woman, who is to say that he didn't uncover the original Flash, his grave – I assume he has died, as it has been so much time – and taken his DNA to clone him too. Perhaps in a different facility."

"That..." Robin blinked a couple of times. "That's a good theory. We should bring that up with the Justice League the next chance we get. Either way, as long as the Flash does good..."

Kaldur'ahm hummed in agreement. He personally hadn't heard about the Flash, until this new one popped up. He'd talked to Arthur about it and his foster father had laughed and told him about the stories from his childhood, even got the comic books out that were based on the Flash and his side-kicks Liberty Belle and Johnny Quick. Kaldur'ahm had considered reading them research, but he had to admit that he enjoyed them a lot. They were an exciting, different insight into the hero life.

From the corner of his eyes, he watched Robin turn off the TV and head outside onto the balcony. After a moment, Kaldur'ahm decided to get up and follow. Robin fascinated him the most, among the team. Perhaps because Kara, Conner and Donna were part of his new family – the children of Clark and Diana, as well as Clark's cousin, and Diana was Arthur's cousin. For simplicity's sake, they called each other cousins too, him and those three. Technically, Conner and Donna were Clark and Diana's clones, but the hero couple had taken them in, had – with some cheating on the legal system – officially adopted the two. And Kaldur'ahm was grateful to Arthur for taking him in, treating him like his son. It was hard for Kaldur'ahm to think of Arthur as a father figure, especially after Arthur had helped him send his own father to prison, but Arthur was... family, now.

"You're..." Kaldur'ahm paused, unsure how to continue that sentence.

"Charming? Good looking?" offered Robin with a broad, teasing grin.

"Different," concluded Kaldur'ahm after a moment. "You're a human without super-powers. Every one of us brings... special, physical abilities to the table. And yet you... can hold your own, without fear. That's... impressive. It's easier to be brave when you're downright invulnerable, like Kara and Conner. You... work very hard and use your brain to get out of tricky situations. It's impressive."

"Why, thank you," Robin looked surprised and nearly flustered at that.

"But you also other yourself from the rest of us," continued Kaldur'ahm, judgment in his eyes. "Look at them, Kara is still in her pajamas. Donna is wearing sweat-pants. But you don the mask. You always don the mask. You haven't told us your real name yet either. You don't trust us."

The look on Robin's face shifted and though Kaldur'ahm couldn't see his eyes, he imagined guilt in them. Robin turned away from him, looking out over the city instead, his arms folded on the balcony's rail. Kaldur'ahm copies his pose and also enjoyed the view as he waited.

"It's not necessarily about how much I trust you. It's more that... my secret is not entirely my secret," offered Robin after a moment. "You are Aqualad because Aquaman took you in when you... had no one else, right? Just... imagine that Robin came to be the same way. Only that you don't have a civil identity that you need to protect. You can tell us your name is Kaldur'ahm, because that means nothing up here on the surface. The same goes for Kory, her home and anyone to whom the name Koriand'r means something are far, far away... And Donna and Conner, their names have been picked by them when they had been saved by the Justice League, they weren't born into this world and give away their parents and grandparents and whatnot. Kara's only shared her birth-name with us, Kara Zor-El, not her legal human name, if I might point out. And M'gann doesn't have anything to hide either, everybody knows that the Martian Manhunter is the head of the DEO."

Kaldur'ahm hummed softly, rubbing his face in thought. He hadn't considered that yet. None of them had anything to lose, to risk, by saying their names. Though Donna, Conner and Kara did opt not to mention their legal last names; for all anyone else knew, Donna and Conner didn't have one.

"Telling us your name means we could deduce Batman's identity and he isn't ready to share that with the Justice League yet," Kaldur'ahm nodded in understanding. "But still, if Conner, Donna and Kara can share their first names with us... Give us a sign of trust."

Robin heaved a sigh and turned to fully face him, supporting himself with one elbow on the balcony rail, offering him a half-smirk. "Okay, fine. You can call me Dick. That'll have to do."

"Never been asked to call someone Dick," muttered Kaldur'ahm with a grin, shaking his hand.

/break\

The words mom and dad still laid heavy on Conner's tongue. He knew Diana and Clark were something different than that and though they had been living with the two for months now and they had been nothing but parental to Conner and Donna, Conner didn't know how to feel about it. He was still overwhelmed by his own existence. But he did find solace in the siblinghood with Donna, because she was the only one who understood what his existence felt like. He had also found his own kind of connection to Kara. She was the only one alive who could truly teach him about the culture he supposedly came from – Krypton. Even if he personally had not come from there. He was the clone of a Kryptonian, he had the DNA and power of one. The sense of culture helped him feel more like he was real. Conner soaked up everything she told him about Krypton.

"I love dogs," Kara smiled as she ruffled Krypto's fur. "They are loyal and kind."

Krypto whined, as though he was agreeing with her. He happily laid between Kara and Conner, letting both of them pet him. The three were on the roof of the Titans Tower. There was a salt-water pool up here and Kaldur'ahm was swimming his rounds in it while the Kryptonians sat on the ledge, legs dangling over it, enjoying the first rays of the sun.

"You have been less awkward around Koriand'r lately," noted Conner when the silence had stretched on too long. "Does that mean you stopped liking her...?"

He wasn't good with these things yet. Human emotions. Humans got to grow into them, experience them one by one and learn how to express them. Donna and Conner had come into them all, at once, and since they were physically speaking teenagers, everybody expected them to understand these things. Conner didn't. Emotions were incredibly overwhelming. One time he had gotten really mad at Donna for eating the last slice of grandma's apple pie and he had accidentally nearly burned down the barn with his heat-vision, because strong emotions triggered his powers.

"N... No," Kara flushed brightly and turned to look away. "I guess it just... means that Kory and I have become closer friends, I don't know. She was just this... ridiculously pretty girl that I couldn't talk to before, but now that we live together and work together, fight side by side, she has become... more human to me. Uhm. Metaphorically speaking."

She paused for a beat and regarded him thoughtfully before she seemed to understand that he was still confused. "We tend to idolize the people we have crushes on, because a crush is something very superficial. You're attracted to a person's positive traits, good looks. And then we put them on a pedestal, admire them. But when... feelings deepen, we come to appreciate the whole person. They become more human to us in the sense that we acknowledge their flaws too, accept that they don't stand on that pedestal above us. I fight with Kory as my equal and she's my friend. She can drive me crazy, but... even that, I find charming. I like her a lot."

"Thank you," whispered Conner. "You're... always patient and explain things well."

"No problem," Kara grinned at him. "I felt similarly lost when I first landed here, because everyone expressed themselves so differently from how I was used to from home and I had to learn it all."

"You're also really good with your words," added Conner. "Like your cousin."

"I don't know about that," Kara looked nearly sheepish. "I mean. I admire Kal a lot, but I'm not sure if a career in... writing... is something for me? Then again, I also thought I wouldn't ever don a superhero get-up, yet here I am in a red skirt, with my family crest on my chest, wearing a cape..."

"You're a good hero," Conner frowned a little. "You don't have to measure yourself up to Superman. Diana told me the same. I... can look up to Superman and take him as a guide, but I shouldn't try to be him. The world already has a Superman, I have to be who I am. Whoever that is."

"I'm sure you'll figure it out," Kara leaned her head against his shoulder.

/break\

Donna had lived at the Kent Farm for a few days before Diana had offered her something else. She had taken Donna to Themyscira, to show her their roots, just as Clark had taken Conner to the Fortress of Solitude together with Kara to teach him about Krypton. Donna had stayed in Themyscira for two months or so, learning how to fight, getting to know the Amazons and where Diana had come from. Meeting her... grandmother, Hippolyta. It had felt strange, more bizarre even than the farm. And she didn't feel like there was a place for her on the island. They were magic, she had been created with science. Man's science, at that. Many Amazons seemed to distrust her. But she wanted to give it a real chance and she wanted to learn from them, so she had stayed there for two months before returning to the Kent Farm. It felt much more like home. Diana looked at her with kindness and taught her with patience. Martha was simply filled with love. And while Clark was quite awkward about how to interact with teenagers, he was trying very hard.

And while the Kent Farm was home, Donna had come to appreciate the Titans Tower too. It helped establish her own identity, instead of following Diana's lead. Figuring things out for herself, with her new team. Her new friends. That felt good, having friends. Strangely, it was easier to define herself through others, through how she interacted with them and felt about them, how they treated her. The self was a construct and the people in her life were the building blocks to do so.

"You've gotten exceptionally good at blocking Kory's starblasts," complimented Dick.

Those two were her favorites, honestly. Best friends, was what Kara called it. She liked that term. Grinning, Donna dodged another one of Kory's attack and rolled away backward the way Dick had taught her to. The way they all trained with each other, taught each other and learned from each other, truly was helpful, because each brought their own set of skills into this.

"Thanks, doing my best," Donna chuckled and then turned to block one of Dick's attacks.

They were going all out, all three against each other. It was an interesting exercise that kept one on their toes, having to face two difficult opponents alone. She used her lasso like a whip – a parting gift from Diana when her and Clark had dropped them off at the tower, it was identical to Diana's – and managed to capture Dick. The boy grunted annoyed, trying to wiggle free.

"Good catch," Kory giggled. "I think we should call it a day anyway. Get showered before dinner. Kara and Conner are cooking today, I'm looking forward to that! There will be cake."

Mh, yes. Kara knew how to make ma Kent's apple pie nearly as good as Martha's. Donna let go of Dick and he shook himself out a little before the three left the training room they had used.

"How are things at home? You've been on the phone when I got you earlier," asked Donna.

Dick was secretive about the details of his life, but he still shared things with them these days, things he thought were vague enough not to give anything away about his real identity. Donna knew he talked to his best friend from home at least every second day and it made him miss home.

"Feeling a little replaced," admitted Dick with a lopsided grin. "New girl moved there shortly after we started this gig and she seems to be fitting right in with all my friends. My best friend said that she even started dating – my kind of cousin. The two are now girlfriends. It's her first girlfriend.. and I missed it. My opportunity to tease her, I mean she barely came out before I left."

"Girlfriends?" echoed Kory confused. "Like Donna and me?"

Donna flushed at that, biting her lip. "No, that... it doesn't mean two girls who are friends, it means being... romantic. In a relationship. I don't know what you'd call it."

"Oh. Okay," Kory blinked curiously. "And... where did your cousin come out from?"

Donna had to laugh just a bit at that. "I'm sorry. I'm not laughing at you. More at how silly the phrase is, I suppose. In this case, Dick didn't mean it literally, that his cousin walked out of a physical space. It's an idiom. Gay people 'come out' when telling others about their sexuality."

Now, Kory looked even more confused, so Dick stepped up. "My cousin's a lesbian. That means she's a girl who likes girls, not boys. She'd never been ashamed of it, but she also only recently came to terms with it and came out to the family, so it's special."

"Why is it special?" asked Kory very confused. "Why do gay people have to do it? What is special about a girl liking girls? I like girls too. And boys. And others that your language has no word for. But who I like does not matter for anyone aside from the person I like?"

How to explain heteronormativity to a Tamaranean...? Donna furrowed her brows, exchanging a look with Dick, who raised both of his eyebrows and shrugged curiously.

"Okay so..." Dick paused, licking his lips. "Here, there is... Something is seen as the norm. Men liking women, women liking men. And if behavior differs from this perceived norm, it... is treated as different and having to be... announced. Like we need to justify ourselves."

"We?" echoed Donna surprised and looked at him.

"Oh, yeah, I am gay as a rainbow," confirmed Dick with a shit-eating grin, waving at them. "That means I'm a guy who likes guys, Kory. Some people see it as a show of trust to be told, or to tell others. To some, it's very personal. Me, I think... of it similarly as you. Who I like is between me and the person I like and not really anyone else's business."

"And do you?" asked Kory curiously. "Like someone, I mean."

Dick tilted his head thoughtfully. "Nothing serious right now, no. What about you?"

"Yes!" Kory smiled brightly, in that blinding sunshine way of hers. "I like Kara."

"Y... You do?" Donna blinked surprised. "But... uh, why haven't you told her?"

"I've been courting her but she hasn't accepted my advances so far," now Kory looked sad.

"...Kory. I think there might be a cultural obstacle here and she might not be aware that you are interested in her. Maybe you should consider using your words," suggested Dick kindly.

"...We don't do things so straightforward in my culture," admitted Kory doubtfully. "We court and if the advances are wanted, the other will court us back."

"But if two different cultures clash, it's best to use your words," argued Dick. "It's what we've all been doing here, right? With food, routines, traditions. If we offended each other by accident, the other didn't just storm off, instead explained why they're hurt and what the offending behavior was. That's how we have been navigating our team-work, right? With words."

Donna tilted her head. He was right. There had been many cultures brought together at this tower and sometimes, offensive things were said without them being intended that way. They'd clashed, even physically, at first, over misunderstandings. Until they started talking. Kory nodded slowly.

/break\

Koriand'r found Earth very confusing. Even though she had acquired the English language from Kara, it was one thing to understand the literal meaning of words and a whole different one to understand semantics. And Earth had so many of those. They said the strangest things that made no sense but were intended as some kind of word-picture painted to mean something entirely different. Misunderstanding them had led to even some fights, which was upsetting. She liked the friends she had made here and she liked fighting at their side, having their backs.

"Why are humans so confusing?" asked Kory frustrated.

"Can't help you with that," M'gann chuckled. "What is confusing you right now?"

"How do I tell someone I like them?" wanted Kory to know. "This... seems much more complicated on Earth than it has to be. I was made aware that you see sexuality as something more... confusing too. So I'm not sure if me liking her would offend her."

"Her?" echoed M'gann surprised, turning toward a window.

The two of them were shopping. People kept staring at Kory but she didn't care, she had stopped caring about that a while ago. She only cared about what those she cared about thought and they didn't stare at her like she was different, they looked at her as a friend, made her feel at home here.

"Yes. Kara," Kory frowned. "She is so sweet and kind. She's... warm. I like her warmth. She's like living sunshine. I'm a star, I mean, star-powered. I feel drawn to her star-energy."

"Okay," M'gann nodded seriously, looking at her. "How about this. You invite her out. Just the two of you, without the rest of the team, next time you're both not on shift. Take her somewhere nice, like the pizza place you both like? And then you have... an open conversation with her. You know you can do that. You're a very honest and direct person, Koriand'r."

"You are of course right, M'gann, I just..." Kory heaved a sigh and tilted her head back.

Instead, she looked up at the sky, marveling at the endless blue of Earth's sky. It was beautiful and it made her think of Kara's eyes. Ever since she had come to Earth, Kara had been such a big part of that. She had given Kory the English language, had guided her into understanding human traditions more – J'onn had opened his home to her and he was trying, but between the Justice League and the DEO, he was a very busy man who could not also dedicate all his time into teaching Koriand'r and M'gann everything. So Kara, who had needed to be taught herself too at first, had taken them under her wing – and she seemed so happy about it. Yes, she had her cousin, but her cousin had been raised on Earth, he didn't know what it was like to be alien, to be of an alien-culture. And while their backgrounds were vastly different – M'gann was a refugee who had to leave her home-planet behind but under other circumstances than Kara herself, and Koriand'r had made a deliberate choice for herself to relinquish the throne to her sister and went on an adventure. She had found that adventure here, becoming a hero on Earth. The things her and her team did were amazing – saving actual lives, helping people, doing good. Good in a way she never thought she would as queen.

"Thank you, you are a very good friend, M'gann," Kory smiled at the Martian girl.

"Any time you need something. We're a team. On missions and outside," M'gann grinned.

/break\

Kara was untypically nervous. This morning, they had stopped a bank-robbery and afterward, Kory had asked her if the two of them could get pizza that evening, since neither had monitor duty. They took shifts, two of them had to be on post at all times, in case of emergency. Tonight, Kara and Kory were both off. But to be asked to go somewhere? Only them? Kara's heart was racing. And Kory looked so good. She was wearing a purple dress that twirled around her.

"I'm glad you said yes," Kory smiled at her over their pizza. "I wanted to talk to you."

They were sharing a pizza, as an appetizer. Being Kryptonian, Kara had a strong metabolism. As a teenage girl on Earth, she had grown very self-conscious about that, but in their team, most had a higher metabolism, or liked to eat weirder things because of their culture, and it made Kara feel so much more like she fit in with them and could just be herself.

"Really?" asked Kara with her mouth full. "Uh. I mean, what about?"

"I like you very much," stated Kory, looking very serious. "I would like for you to be my partner. Not... the fighting kind of partner. The... romantic kind of partner. You make me smile, genuinely smile, even when I feel... down. It's like you give others hope with your mere presence. I enjoy spending time with you and I feel... understood by you, even when you don't understand something I do, you always try to understand and are open to it, to me."

Kara swallowed hard, nearly choking on her pizza, as she stared at the Tamaranean. "...Really?"

"Yes. I didn't... We usually don't talk about these things," admitted Kory, looking nearly flustered. "We speak through actions more so than words when it comes to romantic or sexual desires. But I have been made aware that words... would work better. So here are my words."

A small smile blossomed on Kara's lips at that. This was so sweet. Kory was always so thoughtful and sweet and being near her made Kara happy, even when she had felt unhappy before.

"I like you too. A lot," replied Kara. "You are... amazing, Kory. You say I give you hope, but you give me... happiness? It's so easy to be happy around you, to see the bright side."

"Does that mean we are girlfriends now?" Kory perked up excitedly.

"I... I... yes," Kara blushed brightly. "If that is what you want... Yes."

"I'm unsure what it entails to be girlfriends, though I've been reading up on it, and I think I'd like that very much, Kara Zor-El. May I kiss you now?" asked Kory.

Kara nodded and leaned over the table to meet Kory half-way. Kissing Kory was hot – physically hot. Starfire ran warmer than humans. It felt like basking in the first real sunlight of spring and Kara melted into it, trying to scoot closer, until she could feel something squishy under her palms. When their kiss broke, she looked down to see that she had been leaning onto their pizza.

"Oh..." Kara reached for a napkin in embarrassment.

"It's okay! We can order a new one," Kory smiled reassuringly at her.

"And maybe a couple burgers?" suggested Kara once her hands were clean.

"And milkshakes!" Kory nodded enthusiastically and waved the waitress over.

A girlfriend. Kara hadn't thought she would get one of those in San Francisco. But then she also hadn't expected to make friends. She'd expected professional relationships among the team, but they had grown close like a family, making her feel as welcomed as the Danvers family had when she had first come to Earth. A place to belong, people to belong to.

She reached over the table to take Kory's hand, just as both their attention was drawn to the TV in the corner that broadcasted a robbery, featuring Robin, Wonder Girl and Aqualad in the process of stopping it. It was good to have a team, to know that not all responsibility rested on one's shoulders. That they got to live a life too. That she could go on... dates, while the city was protected.

~*~ The End ~*~


Author's note: So the Teen Titans kinda just... came together, based on all the teens I had introduced to this point. There will be more later on, including the more traditional Teen Titans line-up, but it felt a little overcrowded to introduce four entirely new and unrelated to the world so far heroes in this story.

Next up is going to be the story of The Flash!