Sorry for the delay everyone. i meant to post this chapter on Saturday but an evil virus took over my computer. after failed attempts to fix it myself i finally gave in and called a professional and i got it back this morning, so yay!

so i hope you like this chapter. let me know.

Chapter 24. Chances.

The rest of the trip was uneventful. After Beast Boy and Meliah touched land, they decided to rest for half a day before continuing. It took them two and a half days more which they barely stopped to eat or rest but finally arrived at the village where they used to live.

Some of the people gave them curious looks and others even whispered among themselves but after a few minutes, one of the elders recognized them. Beast Boy and Meliah had been concerned that scars and green skin would bring bad memories to the locals but they were recognized and even welcomed with open arms because of those traits.

Beast boy was surprised and even proud of himself for being able to remember their dialect. It took a few minutes for his brain to process the change but soon was able to remember even how to speak it. The older man offered them to take him to Garfield's old house but he refused, not ready for that kind of memories yet so instead the elder took him to his own house.

They walked thru dirt roads among the houses and other buildings that had been there ten years ago. Technology and civilization had barely passed by, but overall, everything looked the same.

Meliah however was suspicious of her surroundings, Garfield noticed her uneasiness. She looked as if she was expecting an ambush at any time or hunting for pray. He placed a hand on her shoulder to get her attention but she merely tilted her head in his direction but never stopped looking ahead, averting her eyes to anything and anyone that moved. Cat like instincts allowed her to never miss a move no matter how small.

"M?"…

"Hmmm?" She said still not looking at him.

"Meliah!" He stopped her suddenly and grabbed her by the shoulders forcing her to face him. When she did he noticed her eyes were different. A narrow vertical line where the irises should have been, just like that of a cat under a bright light.

"What?" She said somewhat annoyed.

"What are you doing M? stop that!"

"Stop what? What are you talking about?"

"You're hunting!"

"No… I'm walking"

"M?… you're hunting or expecting something to jump at you out of nowhere and you're ready to attack. Meliah, this people are peaceful, they wont hurt you."

Slowly her eyes opened wide as she realized what he meant. Muscles she had no idea were tense, started to relax and her eyes were back to normal."

"I'm sorry Gar, that will be a habit hard to break"

"It was rather a lifestyle for you, wasn't it?" He said as the sad realization of the extent of her troubled past was sinking in.

"It was, yes" then she scuffed to herself as they resumed walking.

"What?"

" "Was" I never thought I would actually be saying that" she smiled in wonder.

"Well, believe it, because from now on all that is part of a past you don't have to look back to." he said with a smile. His optimism was contagious and made her smile as well.

They arrived to the man's house and his wife met them at the door who immediately recognized Garfield. She offered them lunch and a place to rest. They accepted the food but instead, they asked to be directed to his parents graves. There was an instant change in the couple's mood as the memories were too sad but complied with their request and after a late lunch, they followed the path the older man had pointed out to them. They started out on foot, but after coming across the pond, memories of the monkey's attack made them change their mind and flew the rest of the way.

After a few minutes in the air, they could smell the water and the rumble it created when it fell onto the rocks. The waterfall was one of the places he had no intention of ever visiting, but for some unnerving reason, the locals had thought it appropriate to give them a place where they had been alive last.

Garfield decided to fly above the water, to follow its flow to the edge but that's when it hit him. Memories of that fateful day passed before his eyes. One minute he could see the worst of the storm and the next was the sunny day they were actually in. He saw the boat almost sinking and his parents floating next to it, trying to hold on to whatever they could, just as the last time he turned around right before the lightning hit. He was panicking. The same fear and despair of so long ago was overwhelming him once more.

Deep inside he knew it wasn't real and was tempted to give into fear while circling around the edge of the waterfall, but the memories were so strong that at some point the lost control and mid air, he turned back human and while holding his head and eyes closed, he let himself fall towards the rocks.

But he opened his eyes with a start as he realized what was happening, half way down along the waterfall he regained control of his fear and turned back into a falcon and flew up high to clear his mind, that's when he saw Meliah floating unconscious at the edge and soon started to fall. He picked up speed as he dived into the air and caught her by the shoulders and slowed her fall towards the edge of the river at the bottom of the rocks.

She fell on her side and he fell on his hands and knees, panting heavily. The girl started to move and coughed, spitting water from her lungs. She propped herself on one arm but Garfield was at her side and helped her sit down. She was disoriented but when she saw him, she hugged him tightly and started to cry.

"Meliah, what happened?"

"I don't know. I was right behind you but I got distracted, I looked down and all of a sudden I couldn't breath, I panicked and fell…" after a few minutes of silence Garfield finally spoke with a choked whisper.

"I saw it… everything all over again. The storm, the wind… the lightning… I have never been more scared in my life."

"And yet you still managed to come back for me, thank you" she hugged him once more and gave him a kiss on the cheek. He barely smiled before getting up and helped her to her feet.

"Don't mention it, just.. Tell me where they are"

"In a small clearing beyond those trees" she said nodding towards the greenery behind them. They started to walk and Garfield picked up a few wild flowers he found on the way carefully arranged a small bouquet.

The clearing was indeed small, with patches of grass here and there. On the far left were two small tombstones with traces of flowers that someone had left not long ago and other small trinkets that no doubt, the locals had arranged for them.

The one on the left read " Mark Logan. 1965-2000. Loving husband and father. Beloved friend and doctor. We'll remember you always."

"Marie Logan. 1968-2000. Loving wife and mother. Beloved friend and doctor. We'll remember you always"

Garfield caught his breath at seeing the names of his parents engraved in the stones. Even though he already knew, now the fact that they were gone and had been for a while, sank in with tremendous force.

They walked towards the graves but a few feet away he stopped, took the communicator from his belt and placed it on her hands. Reluctantly, he turned to her for a moment and softly said "please… I wish to be alone". she placed a hand over his and without a word nodded once. Garfield resumed walking and fell on his knees in between the graves.

His entire frame was shaking, she heard him sniff and with a trembling hand placed the bouquet over his mother's grave while he lifted his other hand and softly, brushed his fingers over his father's name. A single tear run freely on Meliah's cheek while she walked backwards to give him privacy. And after a few shaking breaths, he finally said " hi mom… hi dad… I'm sorry it took me so long but… I'm back…"

…

…

It had been a week since they came back to the Tower and some took their routine too soon. Upon arrival, Robin had gone to his office to check on the crime rate. Luckily the major villains had not taken advantage of their absence and no one other than low life thieves trying to break in a bank or a jewelry store, had made an attempt but it was nothing the local PD couldn't handle.

Starfire just sighed after watching him go into his office. Sad and disappointed, she hung her head and levitated towards the doors. Without a word, Raven had appeared in front of the girl before she went thru the doors, placed her hand on her shoulder and attempted to ask if she was ok but the alien pulled her into a bone crushing hug for interminable seconds. When she let go, gave Raven a small smile and said "I'm ok friend Raven but for now, I wish to retire to my room and rest" and without a word, flew away from the sorceress to her room.

Once onside, she leaned against the door and let her tears run free. After a few minutes of moping around, she took a deep breath, wrapped her arms around herself and walked to her bed. But something caught her eye and a flicker of hope sparked her smile. A single stem rose, laid on top of a white folded paper with her name on it. She lifted the rose to her nose to smell the soft scent then carefully opened the paper.

"Hello gorgeous, welcome home. I just wanted to tell you how much I enjoyed your company this last couple of days and if you ever need to talk, just call. Anytime." Signed Red X.

Although a bit disappointed it wasn't from Robin, it still made her feel better knowing that at least someone else enjoyed her company. With a last sniff at the rose, she pulled out her communicator and dialed the number on the note.

At first the screen was dark, no sound either. "Friend Red X?" she spoke shyly into the device.

"Hey Gorgeous. I see you found my note"

"yes, and I wanted to thank you… for giving some joy to my day… I was wondering if…" a knock interrupted her, she placed the open communicator on her bed and opened the door. It was Robin. Her heart skipped a beat and a smile formed on her lips.

"yes Robin?"

"Hey Star, I just wanted to make sure you were ok… um… I didn't wake you up, didn't I?" he asked when he saw her eyes a bit irritated.

"Oh no Robin, I was just… sitting on my bed"

"Good…um… I also wanted to tell you something…"

"Yes Robin…" hands clasped at her chest and an expectant smile made him gulp but something caught his eye on her bed… a rose? For some reason he lost his courage and instead he said " We'll resume training tomorrow at seven"

Her disappointment was obvious and that made him feel worse but didn't know how to fix it. So distracted was by the flower that he just turned around and left without waiting for her response.

"Ok" She said mostly to herself as she closed the door, curious herself as to what would have made him change his mind. She was sure he was about to say something else. She went back to her bed lost in thought.

"I see nothing has changed' said the thief softly. She picked up the device in her hands and tried to hold her tears again and let out a deep sigh before speaking " I guess I shouldn't have expected anything after all"

For some reason he had a soft spot for sad pretty females and the thief felt compelled to distract the girl out of her misery. "Tell you what gorgeous. Why don't you meet me at the park"

"I don't know, Robin might not like it"

"So don't tell him. The idea is for you to get away from him for a bit. Just one hour. What do you say?"

Starfire looked towards her closed door, then to the window then smiled to herself. "Very well friend. I shall meet you at the fountain of water in fifteen minutes" and with that, she headed to her window while she closed her communicator and flew away from the tower.

Raven, who had been distracted with a similar note and a purple flower saw the alien girl fly away towards the city. She figured Starfire just needed some fresh air, after all she wasn't in the best of her spirits as usual but, why did she leave thru her window?

She flipped her communicator open and dialed the number from her note.

"Hello beautiful" the sensuous voice said.

"I see you venture once more in the tower… into my room no less. I'm curious as to how you did that. I'm also curious about Starfire, I saw her leave the tower a few minutes ago. Do you have anything to do with that? Because if you do, I swear something happens to her and I'll…"

"I know, I know. You'll hunt me down and sent me to another dimension. Thrust me, after all I've seen you can do, I'm well aware of the consequences if I misbehave. don't worry, she'll be safe with me… unless you're… jealous?"

"Don't be ridiculous!, I just want to make sure she's not in any danger" she snapped, eyes glowing red.

"Fine, don't worry, she'll be fine" there was silence for almost a minute before he spoke again "Raven? Have you heard from Beast Boy yet?" he asked curious. Not a mocking hint in his tone.

"No" she simply said, but her eyes were no longer glowing.

"Hang in there beautiful, I'm sure he'll be back soon. Well I have to go now, Starfire will be here soon… will you be ok?"

"I'll be fine. Bye." she said and closed the device. "Why does he care anyway?" she asked herself " and why do I feel so… familiar with him?… is like I'm talking to Robin… probably that's why Starfire likes to talk to him as well. Better make sure he's telling the truth"

Raven opened a portal and phased thru the floor and reappeared behind a bush in the park. It didn't take long for her to find her friend and the thief. The water fountain was Starfire's favorite spot in the park.

The circumference was almost the same as their sofa in the tower. Three enormous ceramic bowls tilted the opposite way from each other and the never ending water pouring from the smallest bowl from the top made the alien girl wonder how come they were never full as it also seemed they were suspended in mid air just above each other. She could stare at it for hours, and she had done so in the past.

There was no one around as it perhaps it was too late in the afternoon for anyone to venture on this side of the park. Starfire was sitting at the edge of the fountain opposite Red X. she couldn't hear what they were saying but saw the girl smile for the first time that day. As the minutes ticked by, they seemed more at ease, at some point, Starfire pointed at the fountain, probably telling him why was she so intrigued by it. They laughed some more but then the girl looked around, it was getting darker, only some light from the sun going down was sipping thru the trees.

They got up and Raven watched how the alien gave the thief a bone crushing hug before flying away. She could have sworn she heard something crack but he never complained. After Starfire left, Raven saw him watch her until she was no longer visible.

Raven opened a portal one more time and disappeared in the shadows.