A/N: This chapter is more on the long side. I just couldn't fit everything into a small space. But there is an awesome fight scene coming up! So sit back and enjoy…and please review!

Disclaimer: Wishing will get you nowhere. That is why I don't own the Teen Titans.

Chapter 7 New Addition to the Dream Team

Journal Entry 9

"Let's go around!" Arabell called to me from where she was already running the opposite way. When I didn't move right away, she stopped her retreat with Kid Wicked and yelled at me, "C'mon, Gene!"

"No," I told her without averting my eyes from Daphne, who was waiting for my next move. Her gun men were aiming right at us, itching for her command to go ahead and shoot. But her goal wasn't my murder, but for my capture. "If we go around so will they. Our only option is to fight."

"Are you serious?" Arabell yelled at me from behind. "We can't fight!" I glanced back at her and Kid Wicked with a frown. Her doubt was strong in her voice, but the emotion was weak.

Kid Wicked didn't look like he wanted to fight at all. He was still weak from his extreme portal ride from Indonesia to Japan. He would rather like to play it safe, but he was ready to go to war if I said so. That's what was so cool about him. He was loyal to anyone he was with.

"Either we fight her here or out on the streets where a lot of innocent people could get hurt," I said to her. I knew her weakness. She was trained on strict superhero rules. It was better to save innocent bystanders than to put them in danger. If I knew her right enough, this one planted thought could change her stubborn mind.

"Fine," Arabell finally said with a defeated sigh. "What's the plan?"

"Plan?" I asked, a little stunned by this question.

"You're the leader, Gene," Arabell said. "You've had a plan this whole time. What is it now?"

"But that was all made up on the spot," I said to get myself away from the leader spotlight. Arabell narrowed her eyes at me and gave me a distasteful look. Kid Wicked folded his arms across his chest and waited for a better answer. Did they really trust me that much to thrust so much responsibility on my shoulders? The thought scared and thrilled me at the same time.

"So," Arabell asked again, "What's the plan?" Her tone was sharp, and along with Kid Wicked's stare, their power berated me into submission. I chewed my lower lip while forcing my brain to think ahead. The creative juices began to flow as the seconds ticked on against me. Sooner than later Daphne was bound to become impatient with our stalling and let her men open fire on us. Time was against us.

We barely stood a good chance against the men with their rifles. If we got hit by one of those massive bullets we would be out of this game called life for good. A sly smile crept to my weary features as an idea hit me. There was a way for me to make the odds more even.

"Can you two distract them for a minute?" I asked them while sitting down right there in the grass. I crossed my legs and went into the lotus position for some quick meditation. Big moves meant having more of a clear mind. This next move I wanted to perform would need just that.

Arabell looked put off at first. She opened her mouth to protest, but Kid Wicked cut her off as he nudged her with his elbow. She glared at him with rage of being interrupted, but her fire was quickly put out when she saw the mute shake his head no and nod over to Daphne and her team. I gave him a smile of thanks before watching the two run past me.

I didn't allow myself to watch them in whatever distracting techniques they had planned to execute. I closed my eyes and centered my whole being on my breathing. Some gunfire echoed in the distance, too far away in my mind for it to matter. The mantra that binds my power was repeated in my head as the world was blocked from my mind. This only takes a few seconds, but for me it seems like a few long, peaceful hours. I hadn't meditated in days. This small break from the chaos was like a wave of serenity.

But I didn't let myself meditate any longer than I had to. I suddenly opened my eyes and stood up. During my meditating I had somehow gotten myself to levitate just like Raven did the last time she met up with me for a session. I didn't let this thought disrupt my clear and vibrant mind, though. I calmly walked into the field, looking straight ahead at Daphne.

"Cease fire!" I heard Daphne order her men. Arabell ran to my side while Kid Wicked stepped out of a portal to join me. Daphne called over to me in her military like voice, "Gene Summers, you are under arrest. If you do not come quietly, I will be forced to make you comply."

I didn't answer her. Instead I put out both my hands that erupted into black flames as I let my power flow through them. The men by the lady's side cocked their weapons. They knew I was about to do something. Daphne watched in dreaded curiosity as I made my hands into fists.

I could feel myself become part of every gun the five men were holding. After letting out a quick breath, I whispered my mantra and flung both my outstretched arms to the right side of my body. The rifles were ripped from the men's hands all at the same time and clanked loudly on the ground some yards away. I let my power go from them and put my hands on my hips.

"Now how are you going to force me?" I asked Daphne with a smug smile.

The woman frowned deeply in anger as her cold eyes narrowed into dangerous slits. "Arrest his friends!" she barked at her men who were still reeling from their massive loss. Her glare rested upon me as she added coolly, "Summers is mine."

An unsettling feeling twisted my stomach into a knot when she said this. Her anger was like a thick mist…just like the kid who controlled air from six months ago. My confidence vanished as some flashes from my fight with him tortured my spark of uncertainty. What if he was here? What if this fight ended up like my last one? I didn't have anyone to save me or my friends this time.

"Any advice, oh wise one?" Arabell asked me as all three of us backed up slowly. We weren't as confident as we wished we were.

"Um…yeah," I said with a weak smile, "Don't get arrested."

"Nice," Arabell muttered. She quickly brought her staff in front of her, and in a flash she was gone. I saw her reappear behind a gun man and whacked him in the back of the head. The man slumped to the ground out cold. A smile crossed the girl's lips before she bended time again and disappeared.

Kid Wicked was quickly putting his power to use by creating a portal above some man's head. He made it drop over the man, gulping the guy up in one small move. He was using his energy wisely.

I didn't have more time to watch my team. Daphne came at me with a powerful roundhouse kick. With an alarmed yell, I ducked from the leg swinging over my head. Before I could get over her first attack, the lady brought up her other leg and kneed me in the side of my head. I landed roughly on my side and quickly rolled out of the way as she brought down her heel.

I scrambled ungracefully to my feet with my eyes wide in surprise. I didn't suspect Daphne to be a good combat fighter. With a grunt, I crossed my arms and made a shield just as Daphne came at me with a few hard punches. I needed to get over my small shock and get into the game.

Letting my shield go, I swirled on my left leg and executed a sharp kick to Daphne's chest. My foot met its mark and sent the woman a few steps backwards. She then came at me with another punch. I created a small black platform for me to jump onto. I sprung off the black slab of magic and flipped over the woman coming at me.

I landed in a tight crouch behind Daphne and shot up right away. I spun around only to get a fist smashed into my nose. With a wince I stumbled backwards. I had barely any time to protect myself as Daphne came at me with a series of quick moves. Without thinking too deeply about it, I swiped my hands through the air and created short lasting force fields to prevent any of Daphne's moves from coming too close to me.

Finally we stood back to catch a breath. I took this small hiatus to check up on my team. Arabell was losing passion as the battle wore on. She was a novice superhero and hadn't fought this hard for so long before.

"This needs to end soon!" she shouted over to me before disappearing again. She reappeared next to a guy sneaking up on Kid Wicked and knocked him hard with her staff. Kid Wicked thanked her with a smile. The poor teen was wasted of all energy by now. He could barely create a portal as he weakly gasped for air at Arabell's protective side.

"Just a few more minutes, guys," I told them. "Hang on."

"Behind you!" Arabell suddenly yelled at me. I already knew what was there. I swiftly crouched down low to the ground and kicked out my leg. Daphne's punch went over my head as my heel shoved itself into her stomach. The lady gave a sharp gasp for breath while bending over in pain.

Arabell took this time to use her staff on Daphne when the lady was defenseless. With one last whack, Daphne was out for a good few minutes. I slowly stood back up with a relieved sigh. My senses suddenly told me there were more people than just us there. Before I could react, we were surrounded by more gunmen. They must have been the guys in the subway who had finally caught up with their knocked out leader. I was guessing they weren't too happy with me flinging them around like puppets a few minutes ago.

A cold piece of metal was pressed against the back of my head. I had to close my eyes to prevent my emotions from releasing. We had fought pretty hard. I was proud of my team for doing so much without question. I just wished I could have led them to victory instead of this painful defeat.

I could do nothing as my arms were forced behind my back and handcuffed tightly together. I opened my eyes and looked up at Arabell and Kid Wicked, who were getting the same treatment with rifles pointed at their skulls. Kid Wicked was going quietly. On the other hand, Arabell was thrashing around and shouting incoherently at the men trying to handcuff her.

After a few rough minutes of struggling, the men were able to get Arabell to comply. I couldn't hold it back as I flinched when making eye contact with the girl. She wasn't angry like she looked. She was scared out of her mind. Ice tentacles crawled up my spine when our eyes met. She used anger to control her fear just like I have done. But fear had finally won its war over us and had my team and me in its cold grasp.

"I said kneel, damn it!" the man aiming his rifle at me repeated sharply. His command suddenly made its way to me. Before I could obey, he shoved a booted foot onto my back, forcing me to my knees with a small yell. Another gun barrel joined the other pressed against my head. If I did anything I'd be dead.

"Hawthorne is out," a man said to the second in command standing next to me. "What do we do with these two?" he asked while pointing to Kid Wicked and Arabell. I lifted my gaze from the grass to my friends with my mouth going dry. The fear coming from both of them was freezing me to the bone. I didn't realize at the time that I was shivering.

"We are only here for the boy," the second in command guy said. "We have him now. Dispose of the others. Leave no evidence."

"Yes, sir," the man said with a nod.

"No!" I whispered in disbelief. Something in me suddenly sparked. I had only been leader of these two for less than an hour, but that didn't mean I wasn't attached. Kid Wicked was nice to me even when he wasn't on my side. Arabell was the most annoying person I had met besides Slade, but lately I had begun to take a liking to her. They couldn't die like this! Not on my watch!

"No!" I screamed at the man heading over to the men aiming their rifles at my team's heads. The guy turned around in surprise of my outburst. "Don't touch them!" I yelled desperately. "You've got what you want. You've got me! Please just leave them alone."

The man paused for a second as he thought it over. He changed his mind when the second in command glared harshly at him. He turned back around and headed to my team with stiff steps.

"No, you can't do this!" I screamed, pushing myself to my feet.

"Hold him down, men!" the second in command ordered when he saw me get up.

I didn't even take two steps before being grabbed by about five beefy arms. I gave a loud yell of distress and kicked the air in front of me, struggling with everything I had to get free. I was forced onto my stomach and ordered to stay still or die. I couldn't move even if I wanted to. Three men were holding me down.

All I could do was watch in horror as Kid Wicked and Arabell were forced to their knees at gun point. I was screaming at the top of my lungs for it all to stop. This couldn't be the end of line! I just couldn't accept it. There was a second where I was about to resort to that monster I had turned into six months ago with the help of Red X. I had promised myself never to return to that dark state of mind, but if it was going to save my team, I had to.

Then a miracle happened.

The sound of helicopter blades swiftly cutting through the air suddenly exploded into all of our ears. The wind around us swirled everywhere. I stopped yelling and craned my head to look up to see what was going on. The men stopped their execution to stare up at the helicopter now flying a few yards above us.

"I have missiles, and I'm not afraid to use them on your sorry little asses!" the pilot of the helicopter shouted into a microphone headset. His voice boomed out of the speaker system on the copter. I knew the voice, but I just didn't think that he would be here. All I could do was drop my jaw in disbelief.

"Now," Red X spat into his microphone, "To prevent yourselves from blowing up, I advise you release the kid and his friends. If you harm them in any way, I'll lock onto your butts and make you never able to sit for the rest of your pathetic lives!" The gun men just stared at the copter and its hanging missiles in frozen shock. "Get moving!" Red X shouted to zap the men into action.

I was lifted back to my feet as quick as a wink. The other two were given the same course of action. As the handcuffs were on their way to coming off, I stole a quick glance over to my team. Arabell looked deeply confused but relieved. Kid Wicked was grinning from ear to ear, silently laughing for some unknown reason. I couldn't help but smile as well. This was a very good surprise on our parts.

As soon as the handcuffs were off of all of us, the three of us raced to the ladder let down from the helicopter. I let the others go up first. We zipped up the ladder and stuffed ourselves into the small cabin. Red X gave us some headphones to protect our ears before ordering us to strap into our seats.

Arabell suddenly wrapped her arms around my neck with a giddy laugh. I laughed at her sudden emotion change and from the relief washing over me. Arabell hugged Kid Wicked as well, but didn't get much of a response from the teen. We got into our seats just as Red X steered us away from the park and toward the airport.

"I'm glad I wasn't too late," Red X said to us through the headphones. "You guys looked to be on the very end of your rope. Shrimp looked like he was ready to get himself killed with all those guys on him." He laughed light heartedly at this.

"Where did you come from?" I asked him with a grin, ignoring the nickname he had bestowed upon me six months ago. "And how do you know how to drive a helicopter?"

"There are many things I've picked up during my lame years not being Red X. But didn't Kid Wicked tell you about me?" Red X asked.

"No," Arabell and I answered at the same time. We looked over to Kid Wicked with mock anger in our glares. He stared back at us with his arms folded in front of him and gave a nonchalant shrug.

"Well, the definition of serious himself, Robin, made sure both Kid Wicked and I went to Japan," Red X explained. His quick American way of talking was refreshing after hearing so much Japanese and Arabell's constant questioning. "I told Kid Wicked that I would be back for him soon," Red X said. "I guess he didn't believe me."

"Shocking," I mumbled into my microphone.

"I heard that, shrimp," Red X shot back.

"Aw, he calls you shrimp," Arabell said with a girly giggle. "How do you guys know each other? Are you guys' brothers or something?"

There was a pause before Red X and I broke out into laughter. That was funniest thing I had heard all day. The nickname had been given out of spite, not brotherly childish antics. It was weird, though. On different circumstances I think I would have kicked the thief where it counted and laughed at him. But because he had actually saved us in a real time of need, my view on the thief's character was bent. The resentment I had toward him was gone. So maybe that was why Arabell thought of us as related.

"That's a story not to ever be told," I said, trying to keep the lightness in my voice. I turned my head toward my window to hide my face. The events of my life in the past year were catching up with me suddenly. I just wished so badly to get over my great change and move on with what I had, but something was keeping me from being free. It was like I had all this baggage and didn't know where it came from or how to get rid of it.

Having both Kid Wicked and Red X show up had triggered all the memories I had of that time I had been captured by Slade and told who I really was…a mistake. But knowing I wasn't meant to be born didn't bother me as much as knowing my two best friends were in trouble. Zach was gone, captured by Daphne's people. Rose was still in a coma in a hospital in the States. And it was all my fault.

-A Few Hours Later-

The sound of someone sinking into the seat next to me made me open my sleepy eyes. We had pulled some strings to get us some seats on a red eye flight to Australia. From there we would double back to Indonesia. But it would take us a few long hours to get to Sydney. Our plane was barely full, so we had all gotten our own seats. Most of us had gone straight to sleep, but not me. I didn't want to face the Voice that night.

I turned my head away from my window to look at the person now sitting beside me. It was Arabell. She had wrapped herself in a blue blanket that had been given to her by a flight attendant. She managed a small smile as I yawned and turned my whole body around to talk to her.

"Did I wake you?" she asked.

"I don't sleep," I answered. "I'm one of those pure blooded insomniacs." That got a small laugh from the girl. "What do you need?" I asked her.

"Who was that woman today coming after you?" she asked after a small pause.

I frowned deeply while answering, "She's part of a section of the government that deals with super humans. She has orders to capture me because I'm supposedly 'unsafe' for the world." I didn't add the part where I actually could be a hazard. With this demon guy telling me I would be the one to release him, I was beginning to rethink about my rebellion against being locked up.

"The future is totally different than this," Arabell said with a grim chuckle. "Superheroes grow up in the government system. The second they find a super human, they take that person and put them in the system."

"The system?" I asked with the raise of an eyebrow.

"Yeah, I'm part of the super human system," Arabell explained. "You go to a boarding school till you complete all the tests. Based on your personality and skill, they sign you to a team, group, solo job, or ban you from ever being a superhero of any kind. I'm striving to be in a team, but only the best can be assigned to one."

"Wow," I said after a second of thinking this over. "That's…organized."

Arabell rolled her eyes at this. "It also takes you away from your family," she said bitterly. "I was five when they found out my power. I had to leave everything. I couldn't even bring a picture of my parents and little sister. But, hey, I'm learning something other than crap they shove down regular kids' throats. But…" she trailed off in thought then asked, "Don't you have moments when you wished you were just a regular kid?"

"Duh," I said with a laugh. "I think every superhero thinks that at least once in their life time." Before I knew what I was saying, I blurted out softly, "I just wish I actually had a…a family to try and remember."

"Oh, I'm sorry, Gene," she quickly tried to apologize.

"No, don't apologize!" I commanded harshly before she could say anything else. "I didn't mean to try to make you feel bad for me. I shouldn't have said that." Arabell gave me a concerned look as if she was talking to a crazy person. "How 'bout both our lives suck?" I asked with a laugh. "We both have equal crappy lives. That means we don't have to feel sorry for each other."

Arabell laughed when hearing this. "Okay," she said with a giggle. "But what are we going to do with all this crap?" I actually laughed when she said that. It was a question I would have asked. Maybe Arabell wasn't as annoying as I had made her out to be.

"We're just gonna have to deal with the smell," I answered with a grin.

"You know what?" she asked.

"Shoot," I answered. I leaned my seat back and put my arms under my head to look up at her.

"You have a calming effect, you know?" she said. The smile on her face betrayed the seriousness I felt coming off her. I lifted an eyebrow in silent question, a suspicious grin coming to my face. "No, don't laugh," she laughed at me. My grin only widened at this.

"Okay, how am I calming?" I asked her, "Because I've been acting extra rude to you for the past 24 hours to get you away from me. I wouldn't really call offensiveness a calming effect."

"I don't know," she said with the shake of her head. "Five minutes ago I was thinking about this morning and getting all emotional about it, so I came over here to talk to you. But the second I sat down I just…"

"…felt the awesome power of my calming effect?" I answered for her.

"Yeah," she said peacefully, smiling brightly. I found myself liking that smile.

"You are one strange person," I told her. "No wonder you traveled to the past. It is where all the crack pots thrive. You would blend right in."

Suddenly Kid Wicked joined us by sitting next to Arabell. He put out a piece of paper which read I can't sleep. What are you guys talking about?

"Apparently I have great soothing abilities," I said. Kid Wicked smiled slightly but didn't question my randomness.

"Shut up," Arabell said playfully while punching my shoulder. "I say one thing and you blow it out of proportion."

"Because I'm so overdramatic," I said sarcastically. Arabell rolled her eyes while Kid Wicked gave a silent laugh. With yawns, the two leaned their seats back. We were worn out from our battle with Daphne's men and waiting half the day in the airport. We hadn't rested our heightened senses the whole time we sat in the airport in fear of seeing Daphne again.

"Can we go shopping once we get to Australia?" Arabell asked as we all stared up at the boring ceiling of the plane. Kid Wicked held up his notepad for all of us to see it. It simply read No.

"What he said…or wrote. You know what I mean," I said with a yawn.

"We have a six hour lay over," Arabell protested. "What else are we going to do?"

No answer.

"Boys," Arabell muttered in pretend disgust. I chuckled lightly, on the edges of dream world. I hadn't realized how tired I was till now. But I just couldn't allow myself to sleep. I didn't want to face the Voice that night. I'd been chased, shot at, and used as a punching bag. I couldn't bear to be tortured some more by some inter dimensional demon.

"Even though we went through a lot of bad luck and sure to experience more, I kind of like this," Arabell said in a sleep laden voice before yawning. "I just have this feeling that everything we're doing is…"

"…The right thing," I answered for her. The girl had fallen asleep in mid sentence. She was already snoring faintly. I noticed Kid Wicked was lights out too. For a few more minutes I just stared up at the ceiling, pondering Arabell's sentence. It did feel like what I was doing was the right thing for me to do, even though I constantly was unsure of myself.

Before I knew it, I drifted off to sleep. After a whole month of suffering, I finally got a peaceful night's rest. There was no fire, ash laden breezes, or dark voices. It was just a void of silent blackness. It was like heaven.

End of Journal Entry 9

A/N: Review people! I don't care if you think it sucked! Just review 'cause I love feedback of whatever kind. When people don't give it to me, I automatically think people don't care about my fan fic. When no one cares, it's hard for me to keep on typing to a dead audience. So please review. Thanks!