Hey yo, author here! This chapter's going up early because the next few chapters are going to be absolutely monsters to write, so hopefully this tides people over. Been a long time coming but I'm here now so, enjoy haha. Still a ways to go in this (not wrapping up anytime soon) so to everyone who's stuck around this long, much love as always - Seadavid41

I don't own Teen Titans or any DC properties mentioned, if I did, probably would have got some more origin stories.

Ch. 17 Reckoning

Despite the impending battle with a man who had claimed himself to be the second-coming of Trigon the Terrible and his alleged army, Titans Tower had never felt so alive. When the Titans had originally set out to set up the Titans network during their war against the Brotherhood, they had merely intended to establish a communication system for young heroes that they could utilize if they thought a problem was too big to handle on their own and while they certainly managed this, they also inadvertently created the starting point for several long-lasting friendships. The Titans and Honorary Titans didn't simply work together. They were comrades, brothers and sisters in arms and any one of them would drop everything at the distress call of another.

When Nightwing and Cyborg made the decision to make use of the "Calling All Titans" feature of the communicators, they obviously thought that they would get a strong number. What they didn't expect was essentially everyone. Twelve hours on from when Raven first woke up, when a few particularly punctual Titans were scattered across Main Ops, the entire Tower was now teeming with heroes, ready to play whatever role they could. Bumblebee hadn't been able to hide her excitement when Titans East arrived first, signaled by Más and Menos running around her in a circle before latching onto their leaders legs. From then on, it just became a steady stream of young heroes, some of which the resident Titans of the Tower had never even met before.

Raven and Cyborg had both raised an eyebrow when Jericho had pulled on Nightwing's arm to motion to a girl he had brought with him, a girl who's outfit certainly raised questions at the minimum. Raven had seen the same expression on Nightwing's face but he had allowed himself to be led out of the room by the mute Titan, the girl following behind the pair of them. There was no time to dwell on it though, so the pair of them parked it for the moment to focus on the tasks at hand.

Nightwing had been briefing Titans as they arrived, informing them of the situation and the threat that had arisen. From there, it was all hands on deck. Any honorary Titans who had questions about what they could expect in an enemy enhanced with the Mark of Skath were sent Raven's way, who essentially began running an ongoing lecture on the topic. Titans who were comfortable with what to expect were then deployed around the Tower.

Titans with technological prowess or control of electricity, such as Kilowatt or Thunder and Lightning were sent to work with Cyborg to work on and power up the Tower defences, including trying to find a way to accommodate his Tower cannon with their energy, hopefully letting him use it and not deplete his entire battery. Power houses such as Wildebeest and Pantha were sent outside, grafting trenches and sources of cover around the Tower, in preparation for the area becoming a battlefield in the near future. Speedsters including Kid Flash and Más y Menos were deployed on frequent scouting missions, to ensure that Deathstroke's arrival was not a surprise. Anyone not on a specific task, was discussing tactics, training (albeit lightly) or finding anyway to make themselves useful. Despite the liveliness of the Tower, the determination of all of it's occupants did cast a certain tension over the building. Everyone knew it, but no one said it. It was like the calm before a storm…and that storm was approaching fast.

Amidst all of the chaos and planning, Nightwing had found himself with a moment to himself. Raven was finishing with the last of the late arrivals, Cyborg was down in the basement dealing with the Towers electrics and Starfire was planning aerial attack patterns with Argent, Hot Spot and Bumblebee on the roof. Main Ops was empty and for a moment, Nightwing was able to hear his own thoughts…and he wasn't sure if he liked that.

Rancid had been different, a demonic threat in the form of a villain they knew far to well. He'd incapacitated Cyborg, temporarily took down Starfire and it took Raven using her corporeal form, a move that always drained the empath, just to take him down. Now, Deathstroke promised he was approaching with some form of army. The details of which prisoners had escaped from cryogenic freezing had been sent to the Titans and there were some pretty big names on that list. If someone like Atlas or Plasmus had been juiced with the power Rancid had…who knew if the Titans even stood a chance? Nightwing stared out over the bay, almost as if he was expecting Deathstroke to loom on the horizon, signaling the end of days he sought to bring.

It had been a long day of comings and goings and Nightwing had become attune to listening to people arriving into Ops, as they were usually looking for him. But this time, he froze. He recognized the familiar sound of a rift in space opening. The last time he had heard that sound had been on one of the worst days of his life and he wasn't entirely sure how eager he was too see the person who had just appeared behind him…he wasn't even sure what that person thought of him.

The Herald silently moved to stand beside Nightwing, joining him in gazing out over the bay, seemingly content in letting the silence continue to reign over the duo. Surprisingly enough, Nightwing didn't feel the silence to be hostile…or even uncomfortable. Normally, he wasn't one to break his poker face, but he cared too much in this instance. It was on his shoulders to lead the Titans into battle and for that, he needed to know that every one of them actually believed that he was the right man for the job.

Nightwing's gaze flitted from the bay to the man opposite him, who's gaze hadn't diverted from the dark waters far below. In the distance, the lights of Jump City flickered. The Titans had let Jump City police know about the impending threat and people had been told to stay in their homes tonight. Nightwing could only hope on such short notice that that was enough and that Deathstroke didn't have civilians involved in his plans. Nightwing's attention snapped back to the Herald as he let out a deep sigh.

"You know…as far as backdrops for epic battles go…this one's pretty beautiful, don't you think?"

Nightwing couldn't hide his surprise at the Herald's borderline candid tone, before turning back to the Bay.

"Yea…I suppose so."

The Herald rolled his neck, letting out a noise of contentment as a large crack sounded. "You know, this isn't the first time I've been called to arms by one of the Titans in an emergency."

Nightwing perked up at that. Obviously, he knew about how Beast Boy had taken charge of the few Titans that were left after the Brotherhood's plan was a success and brought them together to launch a final assault on their base to save everyone, but he'd only ever heard about it from the mouth of Titan's that hadn't been there, or read about it in mission logs. He'd never spoken to Pantha, Jericho (fair enough), Más or the Herald about what it had been like.

The Herald continue, not letting on whether he noticed Nightwings obvious interest. "I was ready to leave…I didn't think there was anyway to save everyone…I'd given up…we all had…except Beast Boy. He was so…determined…headstrong…he was a leader through and through, one I knew I could follow anywhere…and my faith was rewarded."

Nightwing found his voice for the first time in a while. "Yea…Beast Boy…he really stepped up to the plate that day."

The Herald nodded. "He really did…he probably had a good teacher…someone who inspired him…you know?"

Now Nightwing fully turned to face the Herald, immediately noting that the Herald had done the same. "You'd think so…but unfortunately, I think he had to learn to lead on his own."

"I don't think so Nightwing."

Nightwing went to interject, but found himself cut-off by an honorary Titan who was clearly just getting started. "Beast Boy and I became pretty good friends after the whole Brotherhood thing. You know I came to visit every so often, little things nothing major, but one time we talked about how the five of you met and he put his head in his hands in embarrassment when he mentioned that one of the first things he said to you was about asking for your autograph."

Nightwing couldn't help but let out a chuckle at that. The Beast Boy he'd first met all those years ago was barely a teenager. He'd found it weird how dumbstruck he'd been when they met for their first time. Now, thinking about it was like looking back fondly through an old photo album. Simpler times…before Deathstroke…before things changed. "Yea…I'd imagine that would have made him feel embarrassed in hindsight."

"Nightwing…do you really think that kind of admiration just…goes away?

Nightwing looked at him puzzled. "Well…yea…he was a kid, and he grew up?"

The Herald looked at Nightwing in disbelief. "Dude…Raven was from another dimension, Starfire was from space an Cyborg was already well into his teens. Beast Boy had just run away from one family, and by pure chance, ran straight into another. He may not admire you for the same reasons he did then….but Beast Boy was molded by the Titans…by his new family. Where else would he have learnt leadership? Empathy?...Although I will say, he didn't learn his comedy from you guys…in fact I still think he has yet to learn about that all…but my point is, you were his leader during the most influential years of his life. He may have stepped up, but you and the Titans…you showed him the way."

Nightwing could count on the fingers of one hand how many times he's been openly emotional with someone that wasn't Starfire in the last five years, and yet, here he was, clenching his fists to stop himself shaking.

"Yea…well it doesn't matter anyway…even if we did show him the way, as you say, we then promptly showed him the way out…and now he's proba-"

"I know, I know, I've already heard the story from Cyborg."

"You've spoken to Cyborg already?"

"I've spoken to Cyborg, Raven and Starfire already."

Nightwings jaw dropped. "But why? I thought you wouldn't have wanted anything to do with us aft-"

The Herald held up a hand, silencing Nightwing mid-sentence. "First of all, Starfire already told me that you think Beast Boy is still alive, so you don't have to act. I know Beast Boy pretty well too…he always has away of succeeding in the face of adversity, and if he shows up during this to save the day…you know what, I won't be surprised. Secondly, you and other Titans…you screwed up, no getting around it, but it was a mistake…a split second decision in the heat of a potentially life or death situation. That doesn't undo everything else you did for him...not for me anyway...if he is alive, that's a conversation you'll need to have one day. So, like I've said to the other Titans, and I speak on behalf of all of us that followed Beast Boy into battle that day…we talked about this…we're with you…unequivocally…till the end."

The Herald held out a hand, which after a few seconds, Nightwing grasped firmly, feeling a massive weight lift of his shoulders at the same time. "Thank you Herald…that means more than you know."

"Don't worry about…I ain't going into a battle with a leader who's doubting himself. We're gonna need you to step up, just like Beast Boy did…I know you've got this."

The Herald turned back to the window, to look out over the Bay, Nightwing joining him a few seconds later, noticing that a faint flutter of snow had begun descending from the heavens. With the sun slowly starting to set in the background, it really was quite the idyllic scene, a far cry from the events on the horizon.

"Crazy to think's it Christmas in two days, isn't it?"

Nightwing's head whipped back to the trumpet player. "What? But today's…"

Nightwing reached his hand into his pocket. He could only stare at his communicator in astonishment as he looked at the display that showed the date in the top right corner, the little "DEC-23" confirming that it was in fact that day before Christmas Eve.

"I had no idea…guess things have been pretty busy."

"Still have to get a gift for Star so?"

Nightwing shuddered, causing the Herald to chuckle. "Something tells me a simple celebration with everyone together will suffice."

Nightwing looked back out at the Bay, thoughts of what was to come in the following hours playing in his mind. "You know what…everyone together…for Christmas Day? I legitimately can't think of anything I'd want more."

Cyborg had been working in the garage alone for a while at this stage. He had sent Kilowatt with Thunder and Lightning back down to the basement to see if they could hook their powers up to the Towers main power source in case he needed to use his ultimate weapon, when he linked in with the Tower's systems. While he had made some adjustments that would mean he would be able to take several smaller shots as opposed to one world-bending blast, it was still a massive drain on his powers. If the electrically inclined Titans could figure out a way to help him out, he'd have a trump card ready to go. Currently, he was sat at work bench, making some adjustments to his sonic cannon. He'd been meaning to adjust the power levels of it before his next bout of combat and this was the first time he had found a moment to himself.

He let out a huff of frustration as he heard footsteps approaching from down the hall. The entire day, he had had Titans coming to him for "minor tech support", whether it was Speedy looking for adjustments on his homing arrows or Robin coming to him with some issues with how his bombs detonated. With the exception of the Herald, who had some much needed kind words for the metal Titan, everyone else who visited him only had their own issues on their mind. Cyborg just wanted to work in peace for five minutes. He heard the door open, and without looking up from the bench, he called out to the room's new occupant.

"Just give me five minutes and I'll help you with whatever you need, just tinkering with something."

"Actually, I came to see if you needed a hand Stone."

Cyborg spun around so quickly, that he lost his balance, promptly falling off his work stool and landing on his butt in the middle of the floor in an undignified heap. Jinx lasted all of three seconds, before laughing out loud, striding up to the metal Titan, holding an arm out.

"Okay, now you need a hand for sure."

Cyborg grumbled to himself, before reluctantly grabbing the sorceress's hand, who proceeded to pull him up about halfway, before letting go, allowing Cyborg to fall on his backside for the second time in a thirty second period. He looked up at Jinx, an indignant look on his face, to which Jinx simply smiled.

"What? The first time was so funny, and I didn't want to wait ages for the sequel. I hate it when movies do that."

She held out her hand again, which Cyborg stared at suspiciously, like he could potentially assess the odds of him ending up on his butt again by studying it. After a few seconds, he sighed and let out a small chuckle, allowing himself to be pulled by the pink-haired Titan.

"Yea…I hate it when movies do that too…good to see you Jinx."

"Likewise…now, whatcha working on?"

Cyborg held up his arm and pointed at his sonic cannon. While it was usually a sleek design, it currently had a cover removed on the front, exposing several frayed wires.

"Just taking some time for some self-improvement, nothing too major."

"Right, well something tells me you don't want my magic running about in there, so maybe I'll leave that to you."

Cyborg laughed. "Yea, that's probably for the best."

Cyborg made to turn back to his work bench, when he noticed Jinx walking lazily across the room towards a spare stool, which she grabbed and proceeded to drag back towards Cyborg, eventually setting it down beside him and sitting down, popping her feet up at the work station.

"Suppose I'll just bless you with the pleasure of my company so."

Cyborg turned back to focus on his arm. "Damn…I must have some really bad luck so."

He chuckled when he felt one of Jinx's boots nudge his shoulder, which was followed by an indignant huff, a noise not exactly befitting of the sorceress. "Be so lucky I should think."

Cyborg gave a short laugh, before he realised the situation he was in. Jinx and him certainly weren't on bad terms. After the Brotherhood of Evil where Jinx had changed sides, the two had had a heart to heart. Jinx still wasn't happy with how he'd tricked her as Victor Stone in the HIVE academy and Cyborg knew he had become friends with her in a way that he didn't need to as part of his espionage. But he had legitimately liked her. She was fun, easy to talk and honestly for him…the best thing he'd got out of his time in the HIVE. But now they were on the same side, and she was able to understand why he did it. However, this was the first time they had spoken since the party after the brotherhood. Suddenly, Cyborg found himself struggling for something to say. Luckily, Jinx had paid no notice to his struggles and seemed happy to strike up a conversation.

"So…what do you think the end game of this whole thing?"

Cyborg turned to the enchantress and tilted his head. "Huh? What do you mean?"

"I mean…Deathstroke doesn't seem like someone you can just throw into a jail cell and he's made his intentions pretty clear…how do you see this ending?"

Cyborg leaned back from his desk, pondering over the question that had been raised to him. In all honesty, he hadn't actually considered that far ahead. They knew Deathstroke's goal, so the mission was to protect Raven and bring Deathstroke down and one of those was more inherently obvious to do.

"I….I honestly don't know? I suppose it's one of those things we'll have to work out on the go."

Jinx twiddled her thumbs, an oddly nervous look adorning her features. "Cyborg…based on the brief's Raven was giving out…it seems pretty obvious that he doesn't intend to show mercy to any of us that him or his little group manage to take down…do you think we're gonna lose any Titans tonight?...I already heard about Beast Boy…"

Cyborg stopped fiddling with his arm, putting the screwdriver he was using down on the desk. His head lowered slightly and Jinx started to worry that she'd brought up a topic that Cyborg didn't want to talk about.

"We ain't losing a Titan…not if I, or any of the others have anything to do with it…not another one…and I don't care what it takes to ensure that…if Deathstroke wants to play kill or be killed…well…so be it."

"Don't talk like that. That's not who you are and you know it."

The forcefulness in Jinx's voice caught his attention and he was even more surprised when he felt her small hand find it's way to rest on top of his much larger one. He looked up at her, concern evident in her eyes, a look that very much went against the personality he had come to know the sorceress had.

"You're better than that and I know, that no matter what they've taken from you or may still take from you, you'd regret it if you did something like that…something that couldn't be undone."

"I regret a lot of things already."

"So don't add to that list. I came down here because everyone in the Tower knows how dangerous this is going to be. You and I were good friends in the HIVE, and I know we sorted out our…ahem…misunderstanding, but we haven't spoken since. I don't know what's gonna happen tonight so ahead of it…I just want to know that I've got a friend back."

Cyborg turned fully to face Jinx, who had averted her gaze from the metal Titan. "You never lost me as a friend…I promise you that."

"Good, cause if you had said anything else, I would have zapped you out of your chair."

Cyborg laughed before reaching over and giving Jinx a hug, one that she returned immediately with surprising force. When they pulled apart, Jinx had a mischievous glint in her eye. "Soooo….anybody you want to…ahem…affirm relationships with before this all kicks off?"

Cyborg, who had thought he was finished navigating Jinx's questions, raised an eyebrow. "I don't think so…but you clearly have an idea for me?"

Jinx gave an evil grin. "Oh it's nothing, just I'm super happy with Kid Flash, you know the whole dating thing, and I'm pretty sure Bee will say yes when you ask her out."

Jinx burst out laughing as she completed her hat-trick, as Cyborg jolted around to face her and lost his balance, ending up with him on the floor for a third time. "How…but…when did you…"

"Honey, you are not subtle. Every time she enters the room you can't take your eyes off her and don't worry…she's the same, your both just oblivious as anything. Don't be afraid to let her know how you feel…after all, we don't know what's gonna happen tomorrow."

Cyborg slowly got up to his feet and brushed himself off, getting over his initial shock. "Every titan is getting through tomorrow, I guarantee it…and when we do…I'll do something about it…fair?"

"Are you making me a promise Stone?"

"Yea…I am."

Jinx grinned like a Cheshire cat before standing up to make her way for the door. "Good…cause I'll hold you to it, and if you back out, I will happily act on your behalf."

Cyborg chuckled. "I wouldn't expect anything less."

Just like that, Jinx was gone, off to attend to some other duty in the Tower. Yet, Cyborg couldn't help but feel that they were that little bit closer, something he'd wished they could be since he left the HIVE. He turned back to his work bench, so distracted by his thoughts that he didn't hear the door open again.

Speedy coughed to get Cyborg's attention. "Hey man…my automated arrow sorter is giving me some grief still…any chance you could have a look at it?"

Cyborg sighed and waved a hand, indicating for Speedy to come over. Life as the towers resident tech support was a twenty hour job. But, even as he began assessing Speedy's quiver for what felt like the fifth time today, he couldn't help but feel a little more…supported. Although, he did put the promise he'd made to Jinx to the back of his mind. That was a problem for future Cyborg.

Raven had hoped she was wrong. That her eyes were playing tricks on her. The situation before her could not possibly be real. Yet, here she was in Main Ops, where she had been briefing Titans on the enemies that they could expect to face, staring at the last honorary titans to arrive. They hadn't been able to travel to the Tower by themselves and had required piggy backs from Kid Flash. Raven stared, jaw dropped, at the small forms of Melvin, Timmy and Teether, the massive, lumbering form of Bobby behind them. She had been faced away when they entered the room, examining one of the tomes from her room, a tome she had promptly dropped in shock when she turned to face the attendees of her final brief. To their credit, the three children looked at her with wide, interested eyes, clearly ready to learn.

Raven, realizing that her mouth had been agape for far too long, snapped back to reality. "No, absolutely not, there is zero chance you guys are getting involved with this."

The three children, who up until this point, had been excited about a brief from Raven, looked at her with disbelief. Melvin stepped forward, an upset look on her face. "What do you mean? Why not?"

Raven stared at her in disbelief. "What do you mean why not? The three of you! You're just…kids! There is no way you are going out into a battle like this! I will not let that happen!"

Melvin stared Raven down in defiance, with Timmy and Teether taking a step back from their sister and the ensuing argument, a wise decision on both their parts. "Why wouldn't we? We fought the Brotherhood with you already, what's changed since then?"

Raven balked, not expecting Melvin to speak back to her. "That was different! I was sent there to protect you! Because Mallah had been sent after you already! You were on the Brotherhood's hit list! Deathstroke doesn't know who any of you are, and I am not having you wandering into a battlefield when you could get hurt!"

Melvin stepped forward, not willing to back down. "Oh, so when it's us that needed protecting, it was perfectly fine for you to throw yourself in the path of an oncoming tank to protect us, but now that you're the one that needs help, you think we're just going to leave you alone!?"

On another occasion, Raven would have been impressed with the logical argument Melvin was putting forward. The kid was smart and Raven liked to think she'd got some of it from the time she'd spent with her. But now, she was not happy about being on the receiving end.

"Yes! Exactly that! The three of you, you're…you're just kids! You have your whole lives ahead of you and I'm not going t-"

Raven was silenced as Melvin reached into her pocket, pulling out her Titans communicator. She turned around for a second and motioned for her brothers to do the same, with the pair of them producing their own communicators. Melvin turned back to Raven. "See this? We got a message saying Calling All Titans, and the whole point of you coming to protect us in the first place was because Robin saw potential in us. We're Titans too and we have the same right to be here as any other Titan!"

Raven was going to half to speak to Nightwing. This had to be a mistake. There was no reason for the three of them to be involved. She didn't know how long they had till Deathstroke made his move, but surely Kid Flash could get them out of the city. So caught up in her thoughts, Raven didn't even notice that Melvin had moved from her spot in front of her until she felt a tug on her cape. Looking down, she looked straight into Melvin's wide eyes, glistening with unshed tears.

"We want to protect you, just like you came to protect us…if there's something…anything we can do…then we're gonna do it. We already talked about it amongst ourselves. We know that we didn't have to come…but we wanted too. You once said to us that we had you, whenever we needed you…well that goes both ways."

Raven could barely believe the words coming out of the young girl's mouth. Life wasn't fair. She looked past Melvin for a second to the two boys, who were staring at the two of them, awkwardly looking away. Raven glanced back down at Melvin. How long had she'd been the one too take care of them? How much quicker had she been forced to grow up than other girls her age? Raven got down on one knee and caught Melvin by surprise as she pulled the young girl into a hug, but quickly returned it, gripping the sides of Raven's cloak and burying her face into the crook of her neck. The boys, taking this as a sign to proceed with caution, stumbled forwards, and joined in on the impromptu group hug. Raven pulled them back and took the three of them in.

"I know…you do have every right to be here…but this is a different kind of fight…and a different kind of enemy…this is me being selfish, but I can't see you get hurt…not for me."

Melvin wiped her eyes. "Then teach us. Show us what to expect. Prepare us."

Raven looked at the three children in front of her…her kids. "Okay…I will, but that doesn't mean any of you are wandering around aimlessly out there. We can discuss where you can be best placed…but if you're here…then I need to make sure you know what you're up against."

The three kids beamed at Raven before tackling her again in another hug, and against all of Raven's will power, she couldn't help but let out a giggle at their antics. "Okay, okay, come on so…I have a lot to show you."

The three kids dislodged themselves from Raven's midriff. Melvin wiped an eye before smiling at her. "Thank you…you're part of our family now…and we always protect one of our own."

Raven smiled, before it faltered just a little bit, remembering that her own family was a little fractured at the minute. Melvin noticed the change in Raven's expression and latched herself around Raven again. This time, the hug wasn't energetic or happy. It was almost somber, with Melvin being surprisingly gentle. "We know about your missing friend…we only got to meet Beast Boy once or twice, but he seemed important to you."

Raven returned the hug, but her mind was elsewhere. She was hearing Melvin's words, but her gaze was fixed over her shoulder, at a point on the opposite wall. It was her point of focus and she tried to hold back tears. Melvin continued on, oblivious to the affect she was having on the empath.

"You know…none of us have very good memories of our parents, but I do have one or two moments that stick out…mom used to have saying that she'd use…it was the last words she said to us before she….left…she used to say that family was like the branches on a tree and that even though we grow in different directions, our roots remain as one. I don't know what happened to your friend…but I know he'll find his way home…I just know it."

Raven couldn't hold it in anymore. She squeezed her eyes such for a moment, before opening them again, allowing a few tears to trickle silently down her cheeks. In her defence, she found it completely unfair that a child so young could say something so profound.

"Thanks Melvin…that means a lot."

"No problem…and I meant every word."

Sensing that Raven needed a boost, Melvin dislodged herself from the empath, a new fire in her eyes. "Alright, let's talk about these demon things we might see. I don't know about you, but Bobby has been itching for a fight."

Raven looked past Melvin and couldn't help but let out a laugh as she watched Bobby give off a trademark wide grin as he rubbed his knuckles. Truly, he was the most terrifying teddy bear Raven had ever seen. Raven turned to the three kids, that she considered family…that she loved like family.

"Right…let's get you guys up to speed."

Starfire had been on the roof for most of the night. Earlier, she had been going over aerial attack patterns with other flying Titans, just to make sure they were all on the same page. She'd then found herself on the roof, soaking up the sun's rays, to make sure she was as full strength if Deathstroke mad his approach come nightfall. Now, she was simply sat on the edge of the Tower, enjoying the view. Jumpy City glistened in the distance, the lights from the city flickering across the surface of the bay, like fireflies against a night sky. She always been amazed by the city. On Tamaran, she was used to grand banquet halls and royal palaces. But, Jump City, with it's towering buildings and bustling streets, fell of people, each with their own unique stories and experiences? Starfire could barely get her head around it.

She didn't want there to be a battle here. She'd been devastated when Slade, with Terra at his side, had taken control of the city, and reduced it to a shadow of it's former glory, or when she'd gazed upon the apocalyptic ruins of Jump when Trigon had come to Earth. Now, once again, Jump City, and the people who lived in it, were possibly about to become casualties of someone's else's war. Her heart sank at the thought of it.

"Ah, I was wondering where I would be able to find my dear friend at a time like this."

Starfire recognized the voice immediately by its slightly eastern European cadence and floated into the air whilst turning around to face her new companion. She flew forwards, capturing the man in a bone-crushing hug, which her returned with just as much force.

"Oh Red Star! It is truly wonderful to see you!"

Starfire's words, as always were full of a joy and enthusiasm so pure, that it would truly be impossible to fake. However, in this case, her euphoria was completely justified. Starfire would never be able to forget the mission that brough her and the Titans to Siberia, where she'd met him for the first time. Shunned by his people for a power he couldn't control, Starfire had been able to empathize with the so-called "perfect solider." Not that she was shunned by her people on Tamaran, but with her sister residing there…it was easier for Galfore and her kingdom if she stayed away. She didn't mind, for she had a new home on Earth. But regardless, she knew what it was like to feel unwelcome amongst your own kind.

He wanted to give up…there was no way that he could offer any good to the world, but Starfire would not have it. He had put himself through so much, just to keep his people safe as it was. In her mind, he was already a hero. Then, he stepped up and was essential in taking down the monster that had caught the attention of the Titans in the first place, but at a cost, as the energy inside him became too much to bear. She'd never forget the moments she shared in space with him. There were no words that could be said, even if either of them wanted too as they simply would've been lost in the vacuum, but they hadn't been necessary. Red Star had become the perfect soldier, just not in the way the experiments had designed him to be. He had become humble, caring and willing to fight for a people that had cast him out…a true hero in Starfire's eyes. She had watched the energy inside of him become critical, the explosion oddly silent in the vast emptiness of space. But it had never felt like an end…only the start of something new.

Her instincts had turned out to be correct, as during their time of ultimate need, Red Star had returned, arriving at the last possible moment to help her escape from Kitten and Killer Moth. They had had no time to reminisce. Starfire didn't even have a moment to process that this was the first time she had seen Red Star alive since their last encounter in space. But Red Star had always been a military man…a solider first and foremost. He was already onto the next mission, a last set of GPS coordinates for Bumblebee, who had been taken out of the sky, which ultimately led to three Titans crashing the Brotherhood of Evil's base as a group, right alongside Cyborg, Raven and the honorary Titans they had gathered, with Beast Boy's entourage already embroiled in combat.

She hadn't even got a chance to see him that much in the following days. He had been one of the first to leave, citing that his village needed him. Starfire's heart had warmed at that. After all this time, he was finally being seen as someone to be relied on….and he deserved it more than anyone else. Still, a small part of her had wished that they had been able to enjoy some time together outside of a set of dire circumstances. Now, here they were again, about to face another fight. That didn't mean she wouldn't enjoy the time she had.

The two separated, and Starfire gently floated down to the roof. Red Star smiled at her. "Yes, yes, it is good to see you too, although I wish it were not under such concerning circumstances."

Starfire's smile faltered just the slightest bit. "Yes…it always seems that the times I get to spend with the honorary Titans in general always signal that something bad is about to happen. I fear that this time is no different."

Red Star motioned to where Starfire had been sitting on the edge of the roof and the two made their way back over and took a seat, two sets of legs dangling over the edge of the building. "You are concerned that something bad is going to happen? This did not happen when we fought the Brotherhood, no? We face an enemy soon, but we have put the proper strategies in place. Yet you are still worried?"

Starfire couldn't help bit give him a smile, although a slightly forlorn one. Red Star was a solider through and through and Starfire could appreciate his rational thought process. His attitdue would not be out of place on Tamaran. They had taken every step they could too be ready for Deathstroke…so why was she still nervous? Starfire leaned back on her hands, looking up at the sky, which was dotted with glistening stars.

"You make it sound so simple…on my planet, we are a race built for war. Our entire history is based on conquests of our most successful warriors. Even X'Hal, who we look upon as our goddess…her history is set in violence. I could never fully understand it…these battles and wars…our friends and comrades…their lives are risked every time…why would anyone want this...or at least not fear it?"

Red Star chuckled, glancing up at the stars that Starfire had taken such a keen interest in. "You know, back before I was involved in the experiments that made me who I am today, we had a saying amongst ourselves in the barracks…"Любовь до гроба".

Starfire looked at him with confused eyes. "I am sorry, I am not familiar with this language, but if you would like me to learn…"

Red Star held up his hands. "It is okay, I am aware of how you are able to absorb languages and I have no desire to experience the wrath of your leader. In English, it means undying love, but if you translate it directly, it means love until you're in the coffin."

Starfire looked at Red Star with wide-eyes. "But that sounds most horrible! I do not wish for any of my friends to die!"

Red Star laughed again, but stopped when Starfire's distraught expression didn't go away. "You misunderstand my friend. This saying…it is not about death…it is about what keeps a solider human. Where I came from, death was normalized…to a worrisome degree. But we all had people we cared about…wives, mothers, fathers, children…people that wanted us to come home. It was a reminder for us. No matter what we faced, or what we saw, we would not forget what we we're fighting for…who we we're fighting for…and we would know this should it be one of our times to draw a final breath."

Starfire looked at Red Star as if she still didn't understand, so Red Star elaborated. "It is good that you worry for your friends…you care for them, you don't want to see them hurt. This is the mark of a good soldier and a good friend. Despite being around violence and destruction so much, you care just as much as you did when you started doing this…you don't even realize it, but you've been living by that saying your entire life."

Starfire's eyes widened as Red Star's words slowly started to sink in as she came to understand what he meant. "I suppose you are right…but that does not mean I am looking forward to the coming conflict."

"Nor should you be. Battle and war is never to be taken lightly…there is no glory in battle that is worth the blood it costs."

Starfire looked over at Red Star inquisitively. "Is that another saying in your native language?"

Red Star gazed out over the bay, a far away look in his eyes. "No…that is simply me…learned through experience."

Starfire opened her mouth to say something, but closed it again shortly after. Sometimes, actions spoke louder than words and she sidled closer to Red Star, resting a head on his shoulder. "Well…this love you speak of…it gives us something to fight for, right? And that's something Deathstroke doesn't have."

Red Star smiled, still staring over the Bay. "You are exactly right my friend…and that is something that can never be taken from us."

The two continued to stare out over the Bay, letting time slip away slowly, before Starfire was brought out of her distracted state by a faint glow emanating from the edge of the island. She squinted her eyes, trying to discern exactly what had caught her attention, before her hands shot to her mouth to conceal her gasp. She got to her feet, pointing out what she had seen to Red Star, who followed her finger, his eyes narrowing at what he saw.

"Well…it seems the enemy has decided to make their move. Come Starfire, let us get ready."

Starfire and Red Star hurried inside, leaving the object of their concern on the edge of the island. Deathstroke stood, his double-edged axe in his grasp, the blade ablaze. Both beside and behind him, a combination of his own machines and enemies of the Titans that had been imbued with his powers were waiting for his command, with even more still on the way. Tonight, he would take the Tower, he would finish the Titans and he would claim what was rightfully his.

"Hell is empty…and all the devils are here."

Snow may seem like a delight of the season to those on land, who can enjoy it's simplistic beauty and venture in doors once the chill sets in. Then, they can watch it peacefully from their comfy homes, a fire raging in the background and gaze out as little flakes trickle down from the sky. However, to those without the ability to enjoy such comforts, snow was an obstacle, which made simple tasks more difficult and more importantly, made travelling much more difficult.

A grey-headed albatross had been fighting against the strong winds that accompanied the snow along the California coastline for several hours. This particular species was a unique creature, known for being the fastest species of bird on the planet at level flight. Also, being a resident of Antarctic waters normally, it was more than accustomed to dealing with biting winds and snowy conditions. But, this albatross had other priorities. Firstly, it wasn't flying to hunt, or to migrate. It was making a beeline for Jump City as if it's life depended on it. Secondly, despite it's name, this bird was far more green than grey.

Beast Boy hadn't taken a second to rest since he awoke from he's untimely state of unconsciousness, only stopping to return to his campsite to pick up his Doom Patrol communicator, his new hoodie that he'd been given by Negative Man and his old uniform. He didn't know if he would need it, but if felt wrong to leave it behind. From there, he'd taken the form of the Beast, choosing to travel on foot initially. Despite his urgency, he couldn't help but notice that as the beast, he was moving faster and more fluidly than he ever had before. It was like he was a machine and for the first time, all the gears were turning together in unison. He'd gone on foot until he reached the Campbell River in Canada, where he had stopped at, "The Ideal Café", a diner on the river, for a quick meal and some water.

From there, he'd walked out, found an alley out back and took the form of an albatross. He didn't have time to consider what bird could fly the longest while conserving energy or what was efficient for him. This was simply choosing the form that would get him to Jump quickest if he gave it absolutely everything. Going on foot wasn't an option anymore. He didn't have time to be weaving in and out of urban areas as the beast. As a bird now, he could get to Jump City in a straight line.

He'd been in the air for almost nine hours, only stopping briefly to take a minute to stretch, or on one occasion to pop into a convenience store as a mouse, grab a quick bottle of water and protein bar, and get back out undetected. He'd left five dollars on the floor, he just didn't have time for questions.

His efforts had been rewarded as he flew inland for the first time in several hours, finally recognizing some familiar places and landmarks for the first time. Whilst he didn't pause, his mind began to realize exactly where he was and what he was about to do. This was going to be his first time back in Jump City since he'd left. His first time seeing who he'd left behind…at least, if he wasn't too late. How would they react to him? Hell, how was he going to react to them? These thoughts muddled his mind for the next while, until he was snapped out of it by a site that brought him back to reality like he'd been slapped in the face.

In the distance, still only a faint outline visible to the naked eye, but his keen eyesight as an albatross, highlighted it in clear focus, the Titans Tower stood proud in the centre of Jump City. The lights were on, shing like a beacon across bay, projecting hope to Jump City and all its residents.

"I'm not too late."

Beast Boy kept flying, his eyes locked onto the building, his thoughts flying to what he was going to say to the Titans. Did he just walk in? "Oh hi, I'm back, I still don't know if we're all good, but I'm here to help out." No that didn't sound right. Inevitably though, his mind drifted to Raven. Somehow over the last few months, he almost felt like they had grown closer. It sounded ridiculous to him, but all the times she'd reached out to him, the fact she had seen what he thought…thought of her…well…it was a complicated situation.

All of Beast Boy's thoughts flew out the window as the island came into clearer view, to the point Beast Boy could make out the shapes of people whizzing about in the air and on the ground. The occasional burst of green and red from the air, as well as a familiar blue on the ground told him everything he needed too know. Deathstroke had launched his first assault. Scanning across the island, his eyes came to rest on the figure who had disposed of him only a matter of days ago. He stood confidently, as what looked like a combination of people and his robots marched forward, his axe alight in his hands.

Beast Boy squeezed his eyes shut, maintaining his flight in the adverse conditions. Everything he had done over the past few months, all his training, all his dedication, everything he'd lost and left behind…was for this moment. It was time to show everyone, especially Deathstroke, that he didn't need someone to show him what power was. He had it, under control, on his own.

"Come on Beast…if Deathstroke wants a war…let's give him a war."

Beast Boy felt a roar of approval in his head, and the albatross increased it's speed to such an extent that no bird alive would have been able to match it. All thoughts of how Beast Boy was going to meet the Titans again flew out the window. He'd always been more of an act first, think later kind of guy anyway. Beast Boy tore through the sky towards the T-shaped Tower. Beast Boy was ready for a fight...for war.

A.N - I don't usually leave notes at the end, but this time I can't resist, see ya'll for Ch.18 Homecoming (Part 1). I hope it won't disappoint :)