Summary: The Titans discover a shy heroine, and offer her a place in their family. But can she overcome her fears, herself, and her secret crush? Red X/OC

Chapter Two: Settle

For the next week, Snow carefully tiptoed around the Titans in her new home. Despite their overwhelming friendliness, Snow was careful. She felt like she was roomed with a bunch of tame bears.

First there was Robin. Snow pointed him out as a leader automatically when they first met. The way he held himself, the affirmity in his voice, his small commanding gestures, were all signs that he was a fair but stern leader. However, she felt like she'd seen a stranger side to him. When they returned to the Tower, Robin had jumped onto the couch and played video games with such fevor she saw no more of the leader in him when he grinned boyishly and started his battle royale with Cyborg or Beast Boy. It was enough to make her head spin. which side of Robin was she to trust?

Then there was Cyborg. If not for his sheer size and strength, Snow trembled in his prescene because of his overall position. He must have been second in command with Robin, and Snow was shocked slightly that he would willingly serve under another. Despite the ranks in power, it never seemed that way. They treated each other like equals. But Cyborg's brute size and strength left Snow even more cautious then ever, tiptoeing quietly in and out of rooms he was in. But with each passing day, she willed herself to step a bit closer to him and try to initiate some kind of peaceful conversation.

And of course there was Beast Boy, easily one of the most fun loving, laid back, and impish people Snow thought she'd ever meet. She had barely been shown her room when he popped out of nowhere and started properly introducing himself, with various animal transformations to assist. It blew Snow over like a hurricane as she squeaked like a mouse and retreated to her safe haven. He had apologetically transformed into a mouse to apologize, but there was still the lasting shock. Snow was baffled, and fascinated, by his overall attitude in battle and at home, where he could change his moods and ideas as quickly as his form.

Starfire was kind enough for Snow to trust her slightly, but somehow too otherworldly for her to feel in tune with her. She had learned why quickly, of her alien race and her friendship with the Titans. It awed Snow to learn of other planets but she felt that incomprehensible barrier. There would be a long time period before she fell into place with Starfire, a rhythm so to speak, before she could comprehend it all. Still...she trusted Starfire the most, and was even willing enough to follow her to the mall where they selected a vast amount of clothes to replace the tatty old ones. In a way it almost hurt Snow, to see her old life be thrown so easily away by this bright new one.

Raven. Snow thought she felt a slight connection with her, if only slightly, at first. She seemed to be a loner, an outcast, before meeting her friends who had accepted her into the fold as they did Snow. But that tiny connection seemed to snap when they arrived home. She wasn't a loner because she was forced to, she was a loner because she wanted to. She often retreated to her room for hours, appearing sometimes to eat or play the off game with her friends. Unless it was missions though, she remained a recluse. Snow lived closest to her room, but she felt that ocean that divided their worlds.

The Titans themselves were concerned with her overwhelming shyness. When they entered a room she was alone in, she squeal and apologize before flurrying out like a frightened butterfly before the Titans had a chance to keep her there. She crept around them, cautious, wary, and bashful. It was a complete switch from Terra. The problem wasn't them trusting her, but her trusting them. Therefore, they devised a plan....

Snow's eyes flushed wide open as a knock reverbrated on her door. She had dozed off in the warmth of the room, blank and bare with the lack of posessions. Snow's humble collection of items were silent in one corner closest to Snow, her new clothes put away. She had fallen into her bed, wearing her new ensemble, a thick woolly sweater over a light pink shirt, and a suede skirt that went to her knees, trimmed with pho fur. She wore a pair of pearly gray stockings and pho fur lined boots. Unlike her chilly home on the street, it was a soft and warm place in her room. A lamp had been turned on, and the curtains were parted slightly, revealing the setting sun, but the soothing heat had lulled her to sleep. However, the knock set up all defenses that had been stripped away in the safety of her room. Her fingertips automatically began turning to their stone form, before slipping back into skin. She scurried to the door and pulled it open, peeking her head open slightly. No one was in the hallways, but there was a line that attached to her door knob. Puzzled, she lifted and tugged on the string, and saw it lead away down another hall. Bewildered, but curious, she skimmed it in her small hands as she followed it, not paying attention to where the halls were going. Finally, it ended at the cracks of an automatic door. Pressing her hand to open it, it swept open....

"SURPRISE!"

She nearly screamed in surprise as she fell backwards. The entire living room was decked with balloons and streamers, and a colorful banner was hung above that read in big letters, WELCOME SNOW, OFFICIAL TITAN. Foods of all kinds were laid out on the tables and every Titan wore a party hat, even the brooding Raven, and everyone wore a smile. However, they quickly went over to check on their shocked friend.

"What-I....What is all this?" she stuttered. Beast Boy helped pull her back up where she wobbled on her feet, overwhelmed by the surprise. Cyborg steadied her with his sturdy arms and ushered her to the couch.

"We wanted to give you a proper welcome! So we decided to throw a party! Do you like it?" Starfire asked eagerly, clasping her hands before her before her anticipating an answer. Snow was overwhelmed with feeling. A party? For her? It was a strange, dizzying, but good feeling. She nodded and smiled slightly at Starfire's cheer. The party quickly went underway as her plate was crammed with food of all kinds. She nibbled at it, still feeling maddeningly happy. Her smile seemed glued to her face. They played card games, board games and video games. Snow was much better at board games, but didn't mind playing video games, even if she was beaten terribly. The joy filled her up like a hot air balloon. As she was surrounded by smiles and laughter, the happiness brimmed over as she felt hot tears leaking out of her eyes. The initial shock turned the Titans into mother hens, squaking worriedly over Snow as she cried and laughed at the same time.

"What's wrong? Is the food bad? Do we need to make Beast Boy do the kitten thing again?" Cyborg flustered over Snow. Beast Boy helpfully morphed into his adorable kitten form. But Snow shook her head, her shoulders trembling and her sides aching with laughter.

"No...I..ahh...never thought....not for one moment..." she choked between tears and laughter, "I'd be so....so....happy..." She soon began to calm down as her laughter toned away and she wiped away the blurry tears from her face. The Titans smiled back at their new sister, glad to see this strange...mind-blowing happiness. But it didn't last for long.

The alarms rang like wild as the distress signal popped up on the screen, replacing their video game. A flashing light blared on a junction. The Titans instantly jumped to action.

"Trouble! It's a robbery at the Hawkes Science Foundation!" Robin informed. Then his teeth began to grit as he read the bottom of the screen.

"It's Red X...."