Disclaimer: Teen Titans are NOT mine.

A/N: Don't hav much of an A/N, except go check out my new story 'Don't Forget to Live'.

TT2

Thursday September 17, 2019

Kimi let him fall fast asleep before she quietly stood and began out the door. She leaned against the wall just outside the door and softly began to cry. Tears fell down her cheeks, and she had no idea why she was crying. If she had to guess, she would say she were crying for Danny, for her best friend, for the boy that would be so through everything; even if they broke up. Kimi sniveled once and rested her fingers against her nose ot try and quiet herself, her other arm resting over her exposed abdomen.

"Kimi?" a gentle voice asked. Out of the shadows walked Sara, rubbing her eyes, frowning. "I heard some commotion and it took me a few minutes to wake up..." she trailed off. "Oh Kim, why are ya crying?"

Sara came forth and wrapped an arm around Kimi's shoulder, letting one of her new best friends cry into her shoulder. "Don't cry, Kim," Sara whispered. She was an expert at comforting her crying friends. Kimi pulled away and wrapped her arms around herself, her body shaking slightly, but not from the cold.

"C-Can you keep a secret?" Kimi asked. "I just-I need to tell someone and I need to know I can trust you with this. This is Danny, I love him, and I would never betray him."

"Of course. I can keep any secret," Sara replied, her head cocked to the left. "Spill."

Kimi sniffed. "When I was nine years-old, and Danny was almost ten, he told me a secret. He told me that his father was abusive, and they recently learned he had been having mental instabilities after his mother told him about Danny's powers."

Sara gasped lightly and again wrapped her arm around Kimi. "Kimi, it's ok, let it out."

Kimi turned to Sara and buried her head in her arm. "And then, one night when I was home with my mom, I thought I had heard something next door. We were next door neighbors, so naturally, I got worried about Danny. I told my mommy, and all of a sudden it began raining. I kept pestering my mom until she agreed to take me over there to show me nothing was wrong. Well, we went over." Kimi sniffed and then sobbed. "Oh it's horrible!"

Sara patted her shoulder as tears began to soak through her nightshirt. She grimaced, but for her friend's sake, dealt with it. "You can stop, Kimi. You don't have to finish."

"No, it's fine," she whispered. "Then, after my mom knocked a few times, she opened the door and began in. All the lights were on, but there was no movement inside. We ventured aorund a few of the rooms and..." in front of her eyes flashed a gruesome image. "...Danny, his mother, and his father were all lying there, on the ground. Danny had been scratched up, and had been shot-" she sobbed "-in the shoulder. His mother had been shot in the side. They were both still alive. His father had shot himself in the temple, and was already dead.."

Sara went rigid. "Oh dear...that's horrible!"

"I remember sobbing, clinging to my mother, burying my face in her skirt, and just telling her I wished it was a dream. She ordered me to go to our house, get under the covers, and stay there until she came to get me, but I refused. I sat in the den as my mom quickly called the police to try and save them. Fifteen minutes later, they were loading Danny onto a stretcher, with me at his side. His last words to me before they loaded him up were, 'Kimi, don't leave me...'," she told Sara. "I remember just smiling through my tears, telling him I could never do such a thing, and then looking at my watch. It was twelve 'o' one, and I remember this the most vividly. I leaned over and whispered 'happy birthday' in his ear."

"That's so morbid, yet so...I guess, romantic?" Sara suggested. "I never would've believed we all had such tragedy in our life before the Teen Titans. It's all so screwed up its like some sort of horror novel that we're living."

"I know," Kimi moaned, grief lacing her voice. "But I guess it's the tragedies that make us stronger in who we are."

TT2

Friday September 18, 2019

The next morning was a little tense. It was just an hour before training. Sara was on the couch, napping (she hadn't gotten to bed until almost two, but didn't feel like walking to her bedroom to sleep). Kyle was flipping through channels. Clara was still sleeping. Taku was making himself late breakfast. Kimi was typing furiously on her laptop.

"It's gonna be a slow day today," Kyle commented offhandedly. "Am I the only one that thinks so?"

Sara lazily raised her hand. "I think so too," she mumbled, then returning her hand to its position as her pillow. "Urgh! I can't get to sleep!"

"C'mere, you lazy, pathetic excuse for a superhero," Kyle reprimanded jokingly, opening his arm. She scrambled up and laid her head in his lap, thankful for the soft pillow, literally. He had been leaning over a pillow someone had left from their most recent movie night.

"Thank you," she chimed, letting her head sink into the pillow and purring contentedly. Kyle continued to flip through channels, but slowly and only after a few minutes did his fingers begin to rake through the tips of her hair.

The other teammates present noticed and began to giggle. Kyle made a rude remark involving a stick and their rear-ends. Clara sleepily stumbled into the room, poured herself a glass of orange juice, and then plopped down on the couch. "She's up before twelve, it's a miracle," Kyle snorted.

"He's touching Sara, it's NOT a miracle,"she retorted with a smirk, taking a large swig and effectively draining half the glass.

"Shut up you," was his near-effective response. Clara rolled her eyes, but said nothing.

"Shut up you,"she mimicked a few minutes later. He chose to be mature enough to stop the small altercation. "This is boring, I'm leaving," she announced, draining the remaining contents of her cup and floating it into the sink. "See y'all on the flip side,"she called back.

"Don't be late for training!" Kyle called to her. She snorted and let the door swish to a close behind her. She took three steps towards her room before a black mass sprung up from the floor and cut her off. Clara screamed and jumped back, falling on her rear-end.

"Clara?" Kyle called from the main room and a few seconds later he appeared out of the doorway. He raised an eyebrow upon seeing her on the floor. "And you screamed because...?"

"I thought I saw a mouse," she replied breathlessly, even though what she had just seen was definitely NOT a mouse.

"But Clare, you're not afraid of mice," Sara commented, appearing behind Kyle. Kyle's eyebrow went even farther up on his forehead.

"It just surprised me, that's all!" she snapped. "Can't I be scared of a rodent without getting the third degree? God!"

"Sorry," Sara retorted. "Just worried you might be dying or something."

In an angry huff she tugged on Kyle's sleeve and pulled him back into the living room. Clara sighed in relief and softly whispered, "Jake? Jake, come out, she's gone".

The black mass appeared again and took the form of Black Baron. He grasped at the top of his head and easily pulled off his mask to reveal his sparkling black-green eyes and his thin-lipped smile. "Hi," he greeted, before he came forward and hugged her tenderly.

"You almost got me in trouble," she mumbled into his ear. "You do that again and I might just have to never talk to you again."

"You know you couldn't do that," he teased back.

Clara pulled away and took his wrist. "C'mon, before we have another close call." She led him down the hallway and towards a secluded room, but as she rounded the corner she ran into Danny, who stumbled back but kept his balance. "Sorry, Clare, I-" but he cut himself off upon seeing Baron in her wake. "Hello," Danny greeted curtly.

"Oh shit," Jake cursed, and turned to run but Clara still had a hold on his wrist.

"He knows," she told him, pulling him back so he was close to her. "And Danny, thank you so much for keeping our little secret. It means so much to me."

"And don't hesitate to think that I won't kick your ass if you hurt her," Danny threatened. "Just so you know."

"If you knew me-the real me-you'd know I'd never hurt Clara," Jake retorted, venom in his voice, as he pushed her behind him and began to stare Danny down. "So much for your kicking my ass plan."

Danny's lip twitched and for a second Clara thought he was going to hit him, but his shoulders dropped and with one last glare he swept by Jake, intentionally bumping his shoulder as he went. Clara let out the breath she didn't know she had been holding, before tugging his wrist to pull him out of his stupor. "Look, we have training in a little while, so I have to go. I suppose there's a reason you've come to see me?"

"Yea, I've kind of got a free night tonight, so I was wondering if you'd like to go out. Like, on a real date. Dinner, a movie, maybe clubbing, I don't know. I haven't figured out the details yet,"he responded with his adorable smile.

"I'd love to," Clara responded, smiling back.

He positively beamed. "Ok, so be ready around seven, I'll pick you up downstairs in the driveway. I'll be waiting."

"Pick me up?" Clara asked.

"Yea, just wait. I'm sure you'll be surprised," he responded. Jake kissed her softly, before, with one last smile, he disappeared into the floor. Clara bit her lip to bate her large grin, but couldn't hold it, and let it spread across her face.

She began walking down the hall towards her room, and just before she rounded the corner, she jumped into the air and let out an exclamation of her exuberance.

TT2

It was hours later when finally five-thirty rolled around. Clara couldn't wait any longer and began getting ready then. She took a shower in the bathroom connected to her room, and with the towel wrapped securely around her body, she walked across the hall to her sister's room. She knocked a few times, and her sister called for her to enter.

Clara did as was expected of her and saw her sister sitting at her window, watching the sky. It was nearing sunset, not quite there yet, but maybe an hour or two. "Isn't it so pretty?" Sara asked, before turning to her sister. "What can I do for ya?"

"I-er-I need help getting ready," Clara told her. "I'm going out tonight with a few friends of mine, and I want to look nice because they're setting me up with one of the new kids this year." That was the lie she had worked out in case anyone got suspicious.

"Aw, Clara!" Sara exclaimed. "That's so cute. C'mon." Sara stood and ushered her sister back into her own room. "I've got the perfect idea..."

Clara had dyed her hair black over the pieces of pink and dyed the tips of her hair purple that morning. Though she had been fond of the black and pink it clashed with too much of her clothing. Instead she chose a dark purple like Raven's on her tips, except the color was a little less subtle. Sara sat her sister down on her vanity stool and inspected the wide variety of her dark make-up.

"Well, we need to choose the outfit first, because make-up revolves around the outfit," Sara told her. "And don't worry, I'll make it something your style."

Sara wandered into Clara's walk-in closet and within minutes had emerged carrying massive amounts of purple and black. She dropped all of this onto Clara's bed. "Seekra La Tenoir Cope Ferta," Sara announced, waving her hand. The clothes sprang to life and clothed a three-dimensional holographic Clara that Sara had produced.

Clara stood form her vanity and inspected the model. "I have small hips," she noted. "Never noticed that."

Sara rolled her eyes. "The outfit?"

It was very simple, yet very elegant in a dark way. It was comprised of an off-the-shoulder fishnet top over a black thick-strapped tank top (both bared just enough midriff so you could see her dangling amethyst belly button piercing), a black pleated skirt with sections of purple plaid, purple and black fishnet stockings, and her glossy high-heeled black boots that came just below her knees.

"Couldn't have picked it better myself," Clara told her counterpart. "He'll love it."

"I'm sure he will," Sara responded with a satisfied smile. She then performed a spell so Clara's towel was replaced with the clothes on the holographic model, and the model dissipated. "No one can resist the color purple on a woman. It's a pleasing color to the eye," Sara stated confidently.

Since Clara's shower had taken twenty minutes, it was now six. One more hour to go.

Sara sat Clara down on her vanity stool again and, opting to do things the old-fashioned way (for them), plugged in the blow-dryer. Clara let her hair down from it's turban and Sara brushed all the small knots out of it. It was mere moments before the blow-dryer was going and it was another ten or fifteen minutes before her hair was expertly dried. Sara took a straight iron and let it heat up before perfectly straightening every piece of hair on Clara's head. Sara then pulled back her hair into a half-ponytail and tied it with a slim purple ribbon.

"Doesn't your hair look amazing?" Sara asked a while later so it was now 6:30.

"It does," Clara agreed with a small smile. Sara beamed back.

"Make-up, then jewelry, then we're done!" Sara announced. Sara grabbed massive amounts of make-up, and began working on Clara's face. She brushed on lights amount of pink blush, and lined her eyelids with black eyeliner. After this, she filled her tops lids with a light lavender color. After applying clear gloss she ordered Clara to smack her lips together to even it out. Her face looked perfect; not overly made-up, yet not too dull and bare.

"Now onto the jewelry!" Clara's twin announced, grabbing Clara's jewelry box and peering eagerly inside. Clara had numerous cartilage piercings that were silver studs, but Sara just left them in. Instead of putting in earrings, Sara took out a small amethyst gem on a silver chain and hooked it around her neck. She took out a pair of black gloves that stopped at the first joint on each finger, and let Clara slip them on.

Sara stood and let Clara observe herself in the mirror. "I look great. Couldn't have done it better myself." Clara hugged her sister tight. "Would you mind grabbing that black and purple purse over there and putting my stuff in it while I go brush my teeth?"

Sara nodded in compliance and drew up a purse with necessities: make-up, her cell-phone, her communicator, a compact, breath mints, and other such things. Clara quickly brushed her teeth and slung the purse over her shoulder. "How do I look?" she asked her counterpart.

"Amazing. The guy will drop dead and then thank the heavens for a date so hot," Sara assured her. "But, just for reassurance, let's put this to the test..."

Clara smirked as she let the living room door glide open before she began sauntering inside. "Who goes there?" Taku asked. Neither of the two boys playing video games, sitting on the couch, bothered to turn.

"It's me," Clara replied, her smirk ever-present on her face. Oh, this would be fun. "Hey boys, whatcha doing?" she asked innocently as she traced the back edge of the couch with her delicate, black-painter fingers.

"Playing SSX Tricky," Kyle replied, then shifting his body to the left and eagerly pressing on the control pad. Has anyone ever bothered to notice that when guys play a video game that involves steering, they turn their body the same way in hopes that it'll help them? Maybe it was just Clara, but she could've been sure this was true.

Clara flew over the couch and sat in between Kyle and Taku. Danny was nowhere to be seen.

"Whoa," Taku started, as he finally bothered to look at Clara. In turn, his player crashed into Kyle's. Perturbed, Kyle turned to look at Taku but caught sight of Clara. "Why are you all dolled up tonight, dollface?" Taku asked.

"Going out," she responded airily. "I'm going clubbing."

"And why aren't you taking the Titans with you?" Kyle asked with a small pout.

"It's my night to let loose...without Titans," she replied, with a small smirk. "Besides, you don't want to see me when I let loose. A little to crazy for the dear Titans. I couldn't scar them for life like that."

"I wouldn't mind," Taku replied eagerly.

Clara looked to her watch. It was six fifty-three. "Well, I gotta go. My friend is picking me up and he doesn't like it when I'm late."

"He?" Kyle asked skeptically.

"Yes, he," Clara responded. "Gosh, you make it sound like I have no guy friends!" With that she stood and confidently sauntered out of the room, the boys left staring after her. Sara was there, listening to every word, with a cocky smile on her face.

"My work here is done," Sara stated with pride in her voice. She smacked her sister's shoulder. "Got get 'em, tiger!"

"Oh, I sure will," Clara responded saucily, before bounding towards the driveway.

Clara wasted no time in getting down to the driveway. It was only six fifty-seven. Four minutes before he was late. Not that Clara cared. It's not like he couldn't be late. Being fashionably late was cool. Yea, so if he was late is was ok. Because it was fashionable.

Did I fail to mention Clara rambles when she's nervous?

She tapped the heel of her boot on the pavement and gripped the handle of her purse. "Why am I so nervous?" she asked herself. "It's just Jake, and we're just going on our first real date, It's not scary at all. It's cool. It'll be the best night of your life."

Clara sighed and blushed, even though there was nothing to blush about. She was nervous, and that was the plain and simple truth.

She checked her cell-phone. It was seven on the dot. And the roaring in her ears was getting louder. Wait, your ears didn't roar when you were nervous. Ears, actually, didn't roar at all. Clara furrowed her brow and turned around to see a black, red, and blue motorcycle roaring up the driveway, it's rider wearing a black helmet, a black leather jacket, a black band tee-shirt, and washed jeans hanging lower than his hips and exposing his boxers, even though it was belted with a shining stud belt.

He parked his motorcycle, took off his helmet, and revealed his perfectly gelled hair. Clara smiled, before running and jumping into his arms. "You look sexy," she whispered into his ear. He kissed her ear and she giggled lightly, something very unlike her.

"And you look be-a-utiful," he told her, pulling back and looking her over. "Not sexy, beautiful."

She smiled up at him, before kissing him on the lips. "So what's on the agenda tonight?" she asked him, resting her hands over his chest, her fingers playing with the soft material of his jacket. "Dinner, movie, dancing?" she began.

"I was thinking we could get some dinner, then go to a concert where my best friend is playing. I was hoping you'd like him cuz I promise I'd make an appearance for him tonight, and I forgot when I made our date," he told her, his hands coming up to rest over hers.

"Sounds great," she replied with a smile.

He smiled in return.

Jake grabbed a helmet and offered it to Clara. She took it gratefully and slipped it cautiously over her head, not wishing to ruin her hair. Jake took the other and slipped it over his own head, before inviting Clara to climb on in back. She did so and wrapped her arms around his waist, before he revved up the motorcycle and took off at full speed.

She squealed in delight as he raced through the roads of Jump City. "I hope pizza's ok with you," he called back.

"Of course!" she yelled over the roaring winds. "I've been dying for pizza all day!"

He took a sharp turn and within a few minutes was parking outside the Pizza Place. The couple removed their helmets and rested them on the seat of the motorcycle. Hand in hand, they began towards the entrance. Jake requested a balcony table, and they were led outside.

As they looked over their menus, across the table from one another, Jake set his down and began watching her intently. Their eyes made contact and she noticed that he had been watching her. "Is there a reason you're staring at me?" she asked with a blush.

"No, just watching you," he replied in an innocent voice, batting his eyelashes at her.

She pushed a lock of onyx hair behind her ear. "Why thank you. I've never had someone obsessively watch over me like that before. It's quite flattering," she joked. He smiled in response, and they said no more.

The waitress came and took their orders, two slices of vegetarian for Clara and two slices of sausage for Jake. "You're a vegetarian?" Jake asked, intrigued.

"Yea, ever since I was little," Clara told him. "I'm not a vegan, because I hate soy milk, but I'm a strict vegetarian."

"That's cool," he replied. "I don't think I've ever met a vegetarian before. All my friends are the biggest carnivores."

Clara let out an enchanting laugh. "I know a few people like that. No one believes I can be a vegetarian, but I am." She shrugged. The waitress came back with their drinks and their slices of pizza (they were pre-made, so service was fast).

They ate with a little conversation and as soon as they were done Jake paid and they began on their way once more. "You know the community center, right?" Jake asked Clara as they began towards his motorcycle. Clara nodded. "That's where the concert is, just so you know. They play there a lot. The band is Cosmic." He opened up his leather jacket to reveal the tight shirt under neath, that had a logo and 'Cosmic' written underneath "My friend Adam gave me this shirt for free cause I promote his band so much. I'm like his little groupie, with less sex."

Clara chuckled, giving him a short kiss before they both donned the helmets once more and began on their way, Clara's head buried in his pronounced shoulder blade. He smiled to himself as she did so.

They pulled up to a dark building pounding with rock music and shining with bright neon lights. Jake helped Clara off of the motorcycle and carefully took the helmet off of her head, before kissing her forehead. She chuckled. "Thank you," she murmured, watching as he rested both helmets on the seat of his motorcycle. Jake took her waist and began to lead her inside.

Clara surveyed her surroundings. As she entered there was a counter, and beyond that there were some pool tables, a few torn up couches and arm chairs, a stage, and a dance floor. A band was already playing, and by the way Jake waved to the lead singer Clara assumed it was Cosmic.

"C'mon," he whispered in her ear, after he paid for both of them, leading her towards the stage. There was a large crowd of young people already there, clapping their hands in tune to the music, shouting out the lyrics. Clara bopped her head. This music was pretty good for an undiscovered band.

Jake and Clara moved towards the front of the crowd so the lead singer could just barely slap his fingertips from his spot on stage, while he was still singing. After a few notes, the song was over, and the lead singer began speaking into the microphone. "And I'm glad to see Jake Jinks' sorry ass here tonight,"he joked.

"Fuck you, man!" Jake called back over the din of the crowd.

"What was that?" the guy faked, cupping his ear with his hand. "What'd you say? Fuck me? Hey Arabella, I'm sure you'd like to fuck me!" The guy pointed to a girl in the back, who was now stringing profanities, blushing, and slightly agreeing.

"Shut up!" Jake yelled.

The guy took Jake's hand and pulled him up on stage, clapping his shoulder and giving him a brotherly hug. "C'mon, y'all, give it up for Jakey Poo, who seems to have bagged himself a lady! We all know how bad he is with that!"

The crowd yelled their agreement. "Who needs you?" Jake asked into the microphone.. "Whatevs."

Clara smiled up at him. Jake smiled back down at her, jumping off the stage to join her side once more. "We're taking five until our next song. Jake and I need to catch up and I need to meet this lovely lady that's way too pretty for him," the guy joked into the microphone, before swinging his guitar to his side, pulling it over his head, and setting it in its stand. He jumped down from the stage, and as it quieted, came up to Jake and Clara.

"Hey Boy-o," Jake greeted. "This pretty lady you're referring to happens to be my date tonight, so lay offa her. I know how you like to try and get it on with everything female on two legs."

He smiled. "Don't listen to Jake. I'm a nice guy, really! Anyways, I'm Adam. Lead singer and guitarist for Cosmic. And, unfortunately, Jake's best friend."

Jake punched him in the arm. "Hey man!"

Clara smiled. "Nice to meet you Adam, I'm Clara." They quickly hugged, and Clara returned back to her position leaning into Jake's body with his arms around her waist. "I've heard so much about you."

"Really?" Adam asked, surprised.

"No," Clara responded with a joking smile.

Adam feigned hurt and laid a hand over his heart. "That hurt."

"What can I say? I'm a heartbreaker," Clara kidded, shooting him a friendly smile. Adam smiled back, leaning his weight on one leg and crossing his arms over his chest.

"You look familiar," Adam told her, surveying her. "I cant put my finger on it, but I've seen you somewhere." He continued to think, looking her over, trying to remember. "Oh well, maybe it'll come to me eventually. Jake knows how bad I am with remembering things." He shook his blonde hair from his head. "It's the hair. Makes me stupid."

Jake and Clara chuckled. Clara knew the blonde superstition wasn't true, for her sister was very clever, but said nothing. Adam said quick goodbyes and jumped back on stage, gathering up the other three members of the band and beginning to get things rolling again. "This song's for the one who finally decided to show," Adam joked, beginning a tune. The drummer clicked one drumstick against another, as Adam counted them off; "One two three four!"

"How old is Adam?" Clara asked.

"Sixteen, my age," he told her.

"Cool," she responded. "He seems older...like seventeen, I suppose. Anyways, you know I'm turning sixteen on December second, right?"

"Of course, I'd never forget you're birthday," he told her. "Duh."

Clara chuckled softly. "Well, we're planning on just having a big party at the tower. I'm trying to think of ways to invite you without too much suspicion arising." Soon, Clara's voice was drowned out by the music and they just began dancing along. Jake was actually singing along, too!

It was much dancing, a few photo ops by the community center workers, and many pounding songs later that Adam's band was done and there would be about twenty minutes until the next one. Adam packed up his guitar and put all of his things in his car (a slightly dented but otherwise very sleek silver Mitzubishi) before coming back to hang out with Jake and Clara. Jake was sitting on one of the couches, Clara on his lap and leaning into his body, playing with his hair. Adam plopped back onto the couch and wiped his forehead with the back of his hand.

"I'm wiped!" he exclaimed, but neither of the two next to him noticed. He sighed. "I didn't want to have to do this, but you two are too sickening." He stood, and before she knew what hit her, Clara was slung over Adam's shoulder, dazed, looking back at a surprised Jake.

"Jake!" she squealed, beating on Adam's back. "Lemme go!"

"No! Y'all are too sickening, I have to separate you somehow!" Adam retorted. Clara would have resorted to using her magic, but didn't wish to draw attention to herself.

"Adam! Let her go!" Jake called as he ran to catch up. Adam laughed as he set Clara down. She huffed and rolled her eyes at him but smiled either way. "You remind me of a guy I know. Such a childish sense of humor."

"I'll take that as a compliment," Adam replied, as Jake caught up and glared at Adam.

"We were in the middle of something, thank you very much!" Jake exclaimed.

"Yea, a make-out session!"

Clara blushed.

"Adam..." Jake trailed off. "Don't make me tell Arabelle what you told me last weekend," he smiled as the words left his lips in a taunting manner. "She'd absolutely die to hear it, don't you think?" Jake asked in his very creepy way of being tantalizing.

"Hell no! She'd slit my throat if she heard that!" he gasped. "Man, please don't! I'll do anything!"

Jake laughed. "Hah, man, you're begging. That's sad."

"Oh go-" Adam refrained himself before grabbing his best friend's head and giving him a noogie. "Who's got who begging now? Go ahead, beg for me to stop! You know you don't want me mussing up your perfect hair! Go ahead, beg!"

"Man, quit it!" Jake called. "Clara, help me out here!"

Clara smirked and hesitated before walking over and taking Adam's arm. That'll be enough, children," she scolded them playfully. "You don't want me to have to give you a time-out, eh?" Clara asked, an eyebrow raised.

"I'd like to see one of your time-outs," Adam murmured suggestively, and Jake whacked him in the back of the head.

"That's my girl you're talking about," Jake told him threateningly, before going over to Clara and picking her up bridal style. "I'm taking her away from you before you can steal her from me."

"No one can steal me from you," Clara chuckled, kissing him on the lips.

It was a good while before Clara and Jake were finally on the way home. She was behind him on his motorcycle, her eyes fluttering closed as she nearly fell asleep on his shoulder. He got off once they were back at the Tower and gently shook her awake. She opened her eyes and smacked her lips, before looking up at him. "Did I fall asleep?" she asked dazedly.

"Yea," he replied smiling. "Kind of cute, really, but I need to get you home sometime."

Clara smirked. "Are you sure about that one? I'm sure no one would worry bout lil ol me." She climbed off and removed the helmet, placing it on the seat and looking up to him. "I had a great time. Thanks for that. We should do it more often."

"We should," he whispered back, leaning down to kiss her softly. After, he embraced her tightly and kissed her again. "Really. That was one of the best nights I've had in a long time."

And he wasn't lying.

"Same here."

And neither was she.

They kissed once more before he let Clara wander towards the front door. She watched him drive away, before she opened up the door and let herself inside. She leaned against the door for a few minutes, sighing contentedly, before beginning towards the living room to get a glass of water before bed. But when she entered the living room, she found she wasn't alone. Sara was sitting on the couch, watching a movie, her eyes half-lidded.

"Where have you been?" she asked her counterpart.

"I was out," was Clara's airy response.

"For-" Sara checked her watch "-six hours?"

"Yea, you got a problem?" Clara asked, pouring herself a glass of water.

"I worried. You know I worry. Why didn't you call?" Sara asked, standing up and facing her sister with a stony expression set in her features.

"I forgot, and my cell-phone and communicator died," Clara responded. "I've been home later, it's really no big deal," Clara told her. "I'm fine, aren't I?"

"I didn't know where you were! I panicked! I almost sent the other Titans out looking for you! Y'know, Mooney's mom got kidnapped and you weren't there to help me when we needed to do a mental relocation! I couldn't get to you! Now it won't be possible for us to find her exact location because we ran out of time!" Her voice was rising, and had before now been monotone. It was now gaining feeling. "I got worried. I was worried that you were lying in a dumpster somewhere!"

"I can take care of myself, you know! I'm fifteen, in case you haven't noticed!" Clara replied in a heated voice.

"Yes, but you can be naive sometimes! You let your guard down sometimes! I didn't know where you were and no one else did! I didn't want you to get hurt!" Sara told her slightly younger sister, her voice scratchy and laced with misery.

"Sara..." Clara started, and couldn't stop what she was about to say next even if she tried. "Stop trying to be like mom! I know you worry about me, but you will never fill her shoes! Stop trying to be her and just be a normal fifteen-year old for once! Stop trying to fill the void that she left when she died!"

Sara's eyes sprang with tears. "I just care about you, Clare. I love you."

Clara immediately felt bad and came forward to envelope her sister in a hug. "I'm sorry Sara, it's just you need to stop worrying about me. Worry about yourself. You're the one that needs taking care of, not me. I can take care of myself. Worry about your own problems, babe."

Clara hugged her sister tight and then let go, pulling back to look into her tired eyes. "Ok?"

"Ok," Sara breathed in a reply, wiping her eyes. Clara smiled softly.

"C'mon, let's get to bed."

Clara took her sister's hand and they began the trek to their adjacent bedrooms.

TT2