A/N: At long last, another chapter of "Firelight" is posted! I'm sorry for keeping everybody waiting for so long. With finishing up my Associate's Degree, job searching, and the holidays, updating this story has simply gotten away from me. Even so, my goal was to post one more chapter of this before the end of 2016, and it looks like I'm meeting my goal!

A lot happens in this chapter, things that are definitely going to drive the plot forward, so I hope you enjoy it; especially after the long wait. I really enjoyed writing this chapter, so I hope you enjoy reading it!

(As a side note, thank you guys so much for the favorites, the follows, and over 11k reads! You guys are the best! :D)

Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Titans.

Part III: Secrets: Chapter Twenty-Five

Put simply, the third floor of the museum is exactly as dull as Roy expected it to be. Polished display items, plaques with descriptions of the exhibits, and well-dressed middle aged adults droning on about "interesting" facts. That's all there is to it, really. It never matters how large the museum is, or the subjects that the museum focuses on. No matter what museum he has been to, they all follow the same agonizing pattern of displays, plaques, and tour guides. To make everything worse, he hasn't found anything that Black Shadow might be after, either. The only thing the uncostumed archer has stumbled across are dusty, useless, artifacts.

Sighing in a mixture of boredom and aggravation, Roy removes a bag of Skittles from his pocket and pops a handful into his mouth. While doing this he exits an exhibit about star constellations, the time spent there being the most wasted forty-five minutes of his life. Even more wasted was the fifteen minutes he spent arguing with a museum employee, convincing the balding fifty-year-old that he absolutely did not want to sign up for the next tour, neither did he want to visit the gift shop! Honestly, Roy can't decide who has it worse. Himself, Leila who is stuck learning about the Dark Ages, or Cyborg who is being lectured on Ancient Rome.

"I hope we can figure out what Black Shadow is after sometime today," grumbles Roy internally. "If I have to spend four straight days in this place, I'm going to turn crazy!"

Shoving another handful of Skittles into his mouth, the Titan navigates around families, couples, and school children as he makes his way to the next exhibit. Unfortunately for him, this exhibit has a tour every hour on the hour, and he is just in time for the next one. Giving another sigh, this one more aggravated than the previous, he pauses in the center of the hallway to stare at the sign beside the flawless glass doors. The background of the sign is bright orange in what appears to be a fiery, volatile, explosion. Written atop the image of the explosion, in bold black letters, are the words: "Planets of the Past: Gone but Not Forgotten".

"Great," Roy grumbles aloud this time. "An entire hour of mourning the loss of Planets that were destroyed thousands of years ago. This should be loads of fun."

With that being said, Roy saunters inside of the exhibit without a second thought. The section of the sign he didn't read, because he didn't care to read it more than anything, is the part that read: "New Attraction: Tribute to the late planet, Dabnod".

Meanwhile…

Damiana wonders if this is what asthma feels like. The feeling of being frozen in place, wide-eyed, unable to move or breathe no matter how much effort is put into it. The lungs being completely capable of functioning, and limbs being fully able to move, but the brain not comprehending anything to make these functions happen. If this is what asthma feels like, which she isn't entirely sure because she has never really thought about it, then Damiana thinks that she needs to purchase an inhaler.

To think, all it took to get such an extreme reaction out of her is a long-haired man with cherry red eyes. Of course, considering how she never thought that she would see these cherry red eyes again for as long as she lives, the girl's reaction is more than reasonable. Not just reasonable, but expected.

The whole time she sits on the hard tile gaping at the man before her, the man gapes back. For the first time in five years, she sees a pair of eyes shift colors other than her own. Apparently he recognizes her as much as she recognizes him, because an instant is all it takes for the red to shift to neon green. He stares at her with eyes the size of saucers, taking in every solitary feature. Her forehead, her nose, her eyes and mouth, her curly hair, his eyes rest on each of these features for longer than thirty seconds. In turn, Damiana observes him in the same fashion.

Somehow, after all of this, it is he who speaks first. The man's vocalizations are far from coherent, and don't come together to form words in any language. Even so, what he says is more than enough to confirm this man's identity. The word he's trying to share is enough to bring the girl to tears.

"Da- Da- Da- Da…mi…a-"

Though his eyes remain green, the irises are becoming tinged with gold. Damiana isn't the only one feeling emotional at their meeting, because salty liquid is seen in his eyes as well. Knowing exactly what it is he's trying to say, her tears escape to travel down her cheeks as she finishes for him.

"Da...mi...ana."

As if some powerful force has released its grip on her, Damiana finally regains the ability to move. Adjusting her posture, she reaches her left hand up to grasp her right upper arm. First she shifts it so that the Fire Phoenix is visible, and then she turns so that the metal arm cuff is facing him. Only then does she repeat herself.

Tears streaming down her face by this point, she confirms what he'd been trying to communicate. "Damiana." Meeting his gaze, she pokes him gently in the cheek to make sure that he isn't a phantom. "Yes. I am Damiana." Pausing, she adds thickly due to tears, "Adriel."

So caught up is Damiana in her emotions that she doesn't realize it, but the words she spoke were in their native tongue. Shifting his gaze to the armband bearing the Fire Phoenix, he finally comprehends what language she'd spoken in. Hearing the Dabnodian tongue spoken aloud must be the final straw, because an instant is what it takes for him to shoot forward with outstretched arms. The man, Adriel, embraces her so tightly that it feels like her innards might pop out. Yet, this doesn't bother Damiana in the slightest. In a mess of tears, shock, bliss, and heartfelt declarations, she returns his embrace just as tightly. The occasional passerby eyes them both oddly, but neither alien notices. Right now, all that exists on Earth is this moment between them.

Finally finding it within herself to communicate after a long moment of sobbing, Damiana speaks. Her words are hard to decipher through tears even to somebody fluent in their language, but nevertheless, Adriel comprehends what she is saying perfectly.

"Oh, sweet fates! Sweet fates! Is this real?! This can't be real! How are you hugging me right now, Adriel?! You're supposed to be dead!"

Adriel's words are just as garbled, though overall decipherable. "I'm supposed to be dead? You're supposed to be dead! We're both supposed to be dead! Oh goodness! The fates have never been this kind before!" Tightening his grasp, he raises a large hand to cradle the back of her head before continuing. "Are you an illusion? I'm afraid to let go of you! If I do, you might disappear!"

Truthfully, Damiana is afraid of this exact same thing. Much like Adriel, she strengthens her embrace and keeps a firm hold of him so that he doesn't vanish in a puff of smoke. Using one tiny hand, she entwines her small fingers into his lengthy ponytail. With her other hand, she grabs hold of his shirt while burying her face into the crook of his neck. It's only when she does this that it hits Damiana full force that her elder brother's best friend is not an illusion.

She would hug him in the exact same manner as a little girl, and his hair always felt thick and soft. Along with this, his hugs were warm and kind in a manner that only Adriel could manage. He had a certain smell to him, too. It wasn't a bad smell, a good smell, neither did it smell like anything specific. The only way Damiana was ever able to describe the scent was as Adriel's smell. At the current moment, even though it has been over five years since she has last seen him, his hugs are exactly as she remembers. The thickness and softness of his lengthy ponytail, his kind warmth, his smell… Hardly a thing has changed. The only difference is that scents of the city mingle with Adriel's unique smell rather than the aroma of Dabnodian grasses, but underneath it, his personal smell still exists.

Upon processing all of this, Damiana finally manages a response. It is simple, but carries a lot of weight despite its simplicity.

"The Tamaraneans certainly gave it their best effort, but I haven't disappeared yet. I survived Dabnod being blown to bits, and survived on a foreign planet for five straight years, so don't think that I'm going to disappear so easily." Pulling back slightly, Damiana pokes him in the cheek once more; again, to ensure that he is a physical entity. "What I can't get over is that you're here! You and Saeran were Knights! You stayed behind to fight the Tamaraneans! How the heck are you alive?!"

Similar to Damiana, Adriel pulls back from the embrace. Bringing up his hands, he cups both sides of her face prior to tugging at her skin. Following this, he raises a forefinger and jabs lightly at her forehead. The entire time Damiana doesn't protest. Much like when she poked him in the cheek, she figures that this is a method to ensure that she is real. Not only that, but the sight of his neon green eyes tinged with gold, as well as his familiar slim facial features, functions as a second wave of reassurance. Adriel is not a phantom. He is real, here, and in-the-flesh.

Meanwhile, he responds to her comment. "You're darn right that the Tamaraneans tried their best. I'm not sure how much of that final battle you saw, but it was a complete bloodbath. I'm surprised that I made it as far as the Palace. They stormed the Ground Badger compound, and slaughtered every single member of my clan. The elders, my mother, the children… it was a nightmare. With everything they did to the Ground Badgers, I thought for sure that they would pick off the Fire Phoenixes! With you as their prodigy, the Fire Phoenixes were one of the most powerful clans of fire users on Dabnod!"

Eyes filling with fresh tears, Adriel embraces her tightly as he breaks down. "When I made it to the Palace, I didn't see a single member of the Fire Phoenix clan! I couldn't find Saeran, you, or your mother anywhere! I thought for sure that the Tamaraneans found your house and slaughtered you! Both my clan and my best friend's family getting killed off? I almost went crazy during that fight!" He takes a lengthy moment to sob before continuing. "After five years of torment, you have no idea what it means to see my best buddy's baby sister alive!"

A new bout of salty liquid filling her own eyes, Damiana replies. "Trust me, Adriel. I know exactly how you feel. When the Tamaraneans invaded, Saeran dragged me down to the Palace basement and shoved me onto an escape pod. We got separated from our mom, and toward the end, I had no idea what happened to her! I didn't see you, Jaegana, or anybody else from the Ground Badger clan, either! For all of these years, I thought for sure that everyone I loved was dead!" Joining him in their second embrace, she adds, "I'm so happy that you made it off Dabnod! I never thought I would see you again!"

Silence falls once these words are spoken, nothing filling the air besides the sound of joyful weeping. Damiana can never remember feeling the kind of happiness that she feels right now. After five long years, Damiana is no longer alone. Along with this, neither is Adriel.

Before the girl can find the time to soak in her friend's embrace and fully enjoy the fact that he is alive, however, loud clearing of the throat is heard. At first it doesn't faze either of them, but once this happens several times, it finally captures their attention. Pulling away from each other, the duo of Dabnodians looks up to notice a small crowd of people observing them. Some appear concerned, others aggravated, and additional people confused. Taking a moment to view their surroundings, Damiana sees that they are positioned directly in the center of the hallway. As a result, she stands to her feet while blushing crimson.

In spite of their heartfelt moment, apparently Adriel feels just as unsettled by their audience, because he, too, stands up. Rubbing the back of his head while wearing an awkward grin, he gives everybody swift apologies at their disruption of the peace prior to taking Damiana by the wrist and leading her away. Damiana is about to ask where Adriel is taking her, but this ends up being unnecessary. Less than a second is what it takes for the man to explain himself.

"I'll take you to my place so we can talk privately. It doesn't take a genius to figure out that we have a lot to catch up on, and I want to do it without worrying about getting caught."

Later

For this first time in his young life, Roy finds himself invested in a museum tour. He isn't invested in the same way an elderly person would be. Per se, he isn't oohing and awing at cracked vases while taking pictures for his grand kids. Rather, the Titan boy is staring at the space in front of him in a stunned trance, unable to move an inch as the tour guide speaks.

Until now, the potbellied man in his late thirties was droning on about a planet called Geode, another called Centorad, and about the thirty-first moon of Cintari. The guide explained in depth what each of these planets were like prior to their destruction, Roy listening with half an ear and finishing off three bags of Skittles in the process. Right now, however, he couldn't refrain from listening to the tour guide if his life depended on it.

Hanging on the nearest wall is a gargantuan photograph that is six feet tall and seven feet wide. There aren't any people in this photograph, neither are there buildings, but this doesn't matter. The only thing that matters to Roy is the mind-blowing sight of an endless field containing thick, violet, grasses.

Violet grasses. This isn't the first time Roy has seen this…

*Flashback*

It was the day before he, Cyborg, and Leila left for Metropolis. After learning about the function of Black Shadow's machine and about the measures they would have to take to stop him, it seemed like a heavy overcast was hanging over the Tower. Apparently this was particularly true for Leila, because soon after their transmission with the Titans in Jump City ended she'd locked herself in her bedroom. One thing he'd taken notice of during Leila's short time in the Titans East Tower is that she had a habit of locking herself in her room.

Even though Roy had never done anything about it before, he suddenly decided that he wanted to then. Having Leila all by herself the night before a big mission seemed completely wrong. Honestly, the thought of her being alone in general didn't seem right. It was for this reason that Roy ended up journeying away from the common room and up the hallway leading to their bedrooms. The others asked him where he was going, but he didn't answer. The redhead simply continued moving.

When he'd reached her bedroom and knocked on the door, his plan was to ask her to come to the common room the moment he entered. Bumblebee was already setting up the board games, after all, and he didn't want to miss Cyborg's face when Mas y Menos beat him at Candy Land again. Much to his surprise, however, thoughts of dragging Leila from her room vanished the instant she'd let him inside. How Leila did it he still isn't sure, but she'd managed to transform her plain white walls into a work of art. They were painted so vividly it was almost like she'd seen those images in real life.

On her walls were ponds and rivers, animals with neon fur and scales, a rose-colored Palace, and a tiny cabin of the same color. True, each wall was different, but each of them had two things in common as well. One was that they were all painted with the same type of vividness and passion, making it known that Leila had put a lot of care into her artwork. The second was that each of her walls contained images of thick, vibrant, grasses the color of deep violet.

When he'd finally observed her walls long enough to turn away, Roy noticed something about Leila that, in that moment, made absolutely no sense. Leila, too, was observing her walls. As she did so, pain was seen flickering through her false emerald orbs. Roy had no idea what brought it on, but with the agony crossing her features, somebody might as well have stabbed her in the gut.

When he'd complimented her on her walls, Leila's response had sounded equally pained.

"Yeah. It is amazing, isn't it? It's unlike anything you'll ever get to see. You could say that these places are part of a dream."

*End Flashback*

Currently, Roy gapes at what isn't one of Leila's paintings, but a photograph. A photograph of thick, violet, grasses that are identical to the images on Leila's bedroom walls. The more he stares, the more astonished he finds himself.

When he listens to the words spoken by the tour guide, Roy is so taken aback that his jaw is nearly touching the white tile of the museum floor. As the guide speaks, his eyes are filled with a particularly gloomy sort of despair.

"Okay, ladies and gentlemen, this brings us to the final planet on our tour. I know that there's still a half hour left, so you must be wondering why we've set so much time aside for this planet specifically. Well, to answer that question, this planet holds a special place in the hearts of the individuals at this museum. Unlike the other planets we have discussed here today, this one wasn't destroyed thousands or even hundreds of years ago." He pauses prior to making a final statement, sorrow filling his eyes. "Just to help it sink in how recently this planet was wiped out of existence, every single person in this room was already born when this planet's destruction occurred."

Roy looks from the tour guide, to the photograph, and back again. His emerald eyes are wider than saucers. As are everybody else's eyes, though the redhead doesn't notice. Instead, he can't stop himself from musing internally upon learning this piece of information.

"No… There's no way…"

Before he comprehends what he's doing, the Titan boy asks a loud question. Fortunately, no glares are sent his way, neither does anybody protest. Mostly, this is because everybody else wants to hear the answer as badly as Roy. As he speaks, he motions to a group of school children on the far side of the room.

"Hold on a second. You're telling us that everybody in this room was already born when this planet was destroyed. Those kids over there, they look like they're nine years old! You're telling us that this planet was destroyed less than nine years ago!"

The guide nods without the slightest bit of hesitation. "You're absolutely right. That's very perceptive of you. The planet was called Dabnod, and up until five years ago, it was teeming with life."

His emerald eyes widen once more, this time in unparalleled shock.

"Five years ago? That's not even half of my lifespan! I was twelve years old five years ago!" After a moment of hesitation, he allows his thoughts to go places that he originally was trying to banish. "And Leila… If what I'm thinking is right…she only would've been eleven…"

Before Roy can prevent it from happening, Leila's words from earlier today strike him in the gut. What she'd said to him when he caught her speaking that strange language in her hotel room; he'd tried getting her to explain why she wouldn't tell him what language it was, and this is what she'd told him:

"Fine, Speedy. You want an explanation? The language I'm speaking really doesn't matter, because I'm the only one left who speaks it. Everybody else who spoke it, my mother, my brother, my friends and family, all of them are dead. They've been dead for years. Since then I've had to ditch my first language, and speak English. Does that satisfy you, or do you want to hear the story of how my people were massacred, too?"

Upon recalling these words, Roy's heart nearly stops.

"No. There is absolutely no way…"

The only thing that breaks Roy free from this thoughts are the words of the tour guide as he continues. For the first time in his life, he finds himself listening adamantly.

"Now that you know exactly how recent a planet Dabnod was, I hope that all of you are wearing your listening ears. For the last half hour of this tour, I am going to tell you everything there is to know about Dabnod and about the Dabnodian people. The Dabnodians were a strong, intelligent, and courageous people, and thousands of years from now, I have no doubt that they will continue to be known as one of the galaxy's superior races." Giving a small smile, he adds, "The planet Dabnod may be gone, but I never want to allow it to be forgotten."

Damiana knows that Roy and Victor are still inside of the museum. She knows that she is supposed to be there as well, searching the second floor to help figure out what Black Shadow is after. The girl also remembers that they're supposed to meet by the fountain on the first floor in less than two hours. Truthfully, their meeting time is closer to one hour by now. Yet, even with the vital tasks of a superhero hanging over her, Damiana hasn't left Adriel's side.

He released her wrist at one point prior exiting the museum, asking if she had people she was with or other things that she was doing. If that was the case, he said that he could easily give her directions to his place of residence as well as his phone number. Honestly, Damiana actually considered taking him up on this offer. She didn't want to desert Roy and Vic. Not to mention that Cyborg specifically told them not to be late to their meeting spot… Yet, in spite of these very large factors, Damiana ended up grabbing Adriel by the hand and leaving the building. Once their fingers were entwined, she didn't give a single backwards glance to the museum they were departing from.

They wove their way down sidewalks, across streets, in and out of subway cars, and more than anything, through vast crowds of people. The entire time they kept their fingers entwined, not wanting to take the slightest risk of being separated. Throughout the duration of their journey, Damiana felt like a little girl at the Annual Migration Festival the year she got separated from Mama and Saeran. She couldn't find her mother, couldn't find her brother, and nobody from her clan was seen. Luckily, Damiana managed to stumble across Adriel during her crisis. She held his hand tightly and didn't let him go for the entire night, spending the Annual Migration Festival with Adriel instead of her family.

Right now, as they work past people to make their way down a sidewalk, Damiana has the same feeling of not wanting to let him go. Instead of the strong, fierce, sixteen-year-old that Earth has transformed her into, she feels like a little girl in Adriel's presence. All this time Damiana feels like she has been searching the crowd for Mama and Saeran, and exactly like at the Annual Migration Festival that year, she found Adriel instead. Also like at the Festival, she is so happy and so relieved to finally come across the familiar face that she thought she might never find.

Weaving around a man with a briefcase and then a blonde woman wearing a dress, Damiana moves closer to Adriel. Upon glancing at him, she sees that he, too, is working to avoid colliding with others. Damiana isn't sure what section of Metropolis he brought them to, but she can tell that it is very different from the part of the city she's staying in with Roy and Victor. Instead of tall buildings, hotels, and tourist attractions, she sees a collection of smaller structures that are only one to three floors high. She also notes that it isn't a business section of Metropolis or a residential area. Rather, it appears to be an odd combination of the two.

Observing the row of buildings beside them, she spots a hair salon, a dentist office, a bakery, a TV repair shop, and a great many residential buildings. Some of the residential buildings are boarding houses, and others are small apartment complexes. Intriguingly, Damiana also notes that most businesses on this street double as homes, the place of business being on the bottom floor and the residential portions being on the upper levels. In her time on Earth Damiana has never seen a neighborhood quite like this one, so she can't help feeling fascinated.

It is apparent that Adriel takes notice of her wandering eyes, because he leans closer to speak to her. The entire time Damiana still has difficulty fathoming the sound of Dabnodian speech after five years of it being absent from her life. Yet, the sound of it also causes a smile to emerge.

"We're almost there, Damiana, so be patient. It won't be much longer."

The girl doesn't respond verbally. Rather, she gives a small grin and a nod. Once the exchange ends, they return their focus to weaving past people. Under normal circumstances Damiana would keep an eye out for their destination, but considering how she has no idea where Adriel lives, this is rendered impossible. They turn another street corner and walk one more block before Adriel's steps finally come to a halt. When Damiana lays eyes on the building she is expecting an apartment complex, or perhaps a boarding house. It is because of this that she is caught very off guard by what she sees.

In front of them isn't a residential building, but a business. It isn't a bakery or a dentist office like she'd seen on the previous block, either. Rather, it is a narrow, two-story, building with a neon pink sign lighting up the window. The sign reads "Monique's Belly Dancing Palace". Beneath the sign is a cartoon image of a woman dressed in gypsy-type clothing.

Momentarily forgetting that this is Adriel standing beside her, Damiana raises a skeptical brow in the same fashion that she would if she were staring questioningly at Roy.

"'Monique's Belly Dancing Palace'?"

Looking at her in surprise, as if he hadn't expected her to question him in such a blunt fashion, Adriel rubs the back of his neck while grinning awkwardly.

"Yeah. I teach belly dancing classes Monday through Thursday at six pm and on Saturdays at four. In exchange for taking over her evening classes, the owner of the building lets me live here at half-price."

Damiana stares into bright green eyes that are quickly shifting back to cherry red. Upon seeing this, as well as his familiar grin, her cynical expression softens to one of light humor. Of course. Only Adriel would take up the profession of belly dancing to earn money on Earth. Even after going through the nightmare of losing Dabnod and his clan, his personality still has the same vivacious edge to it.

He hasn't changed nearly as much as she has. Damiana knows for a fact that, unlike Adriel, she isn't anything at all like she used to be. Before Dabnod was destroyed, she was sweet, happy, and blissfully unaware of reality. Now the only way Damiana can think to describe herself is as a strong, bold, teenager who was forced to grow up far too quickly. Suddenly, Damiana can't help but wonder what Adriel must think of her current self…

She isn't certain on why, but Damiana is relieved when the sound of Adriel rifling through his pockets distracts her from her thoughts. A second passes and he pulls out a key, swiftly unlocking the door to the belly dancing studio and pulling them both inside. The instant they're in, he locks the door behind them. It's only once they're alone that the silence seems overwhelming. The honking of car horns and shouting of civilians is dulled by the surrounding walls, making everything far too quiet.

Looking around, Damiana sees that room they're standing in is empty save for a wall of mirrors, a wooden floor, and a radio. At the far end of the room is an ajar door leading to another room, and a closed door that most likely leads to a closet. Besides this, nothing else is seen.

Shifting her gaze to Adriel, she notices that he is two steps away and is motioning for her to follow. He speaks to her in Dabnodian while smiling happily.

"Let's go to the kitchen, Damiana. I'm sure we could both use a snack. Running into your best buddy's baby sister after thinking she's dead and dragging her across the city is hungry work. I'm sure it's the same from your end. Only…I'm not your best buddy's baby sister… I'm more like your big brother's best buddy. You didn't have to drag me across the city, either. Instead, you were being dragged across the city to a place completely unknown to you. So, I guess it really isn't the same from your end…" Pausing to mull over his words, Adriel waves a hand dismissively. "Oh well. I guess it doesn't matter. Discovering your big brother's best buddy and being dragged across Metropolis still must be hungry work, so I'm sure you want some food."

Laughing in amusement, Damiana follows without hesitation. She responds in the same language, her pleasant demeanor never vanishing.

"You could've just asked me if I want food. Either way, my answer is yes."

It is here that Adriel gives his own laugh. Since he is twenty rather than fifteen it is deeper than she remembers, but it is still undeniably the same in its lightheartedness.

"Even if your answer was no, I would still feed you. With as much as I used to mooch off the Fire Phoenixes, I owe it."

Damiana's smile grows at his words. When they pass through the ajar door at the far side of the room, it grows larger still. A brand of pep in his step that only Adriel can manage, he passes a small table and a set of cupboards before stopping in front of the refrigerator. He takes a moment to adjust his reddish-brown ponytail prior to retrieving a carton of ice cream from the freezer. Once the ice cream is in hand, he doesn't bother scavenging through the cupboards for bowls. Rather, he grabs two spoons from a nearby drawer prior to making his way to the table.

Taking this as her cue to sit down, Damiana places herself in one of the wooden chairs. It's only after Adriel sits in the chair next to hers that she speaks to him. What she says is jesting, and she is certain that it gives them both a pinch of nostalgia.

"Saeran wouldn't approve of us eating from the same container. We couldn't even sneak starberries from each other's plates without him throwing a fit."

Adriel laughs softly at her comment. "What you're saying is probably true. Instead of taking a third eating utensil and joining us, he would probably lecture us about manners."

Each of them chuckles lightly as they take a spoon. Removing the lid from the carton, Damiana takes a spoonful of mint chip and shoves into her mouth. Adriel does the same. A lengthy moment of silence passes as they enjoy the frozen treat.

When one of them finally breaks this silence, it is Adriel. He doesn't make a jesting remark like Damiana had done, but instead he changes the atmosphere of the room to a more serious one. Somehow, he does it with only a single question.

"This isn't Dabnod, is it?"

Knowing exactly what he's referring to, Damiana sighs while shutting her eyes firmly.

"No. It isn't, Adriel. Then again, who are we kidding? Earth will never be Dabnod."

Another lapse in dialogue passes, the only sound being the metal of their spoons scrapping the sides of the carton. It takes what feels like eternity, but at long last, Adriel speaks again. In a way, what he says is surprising. Yet, at the same time, it isn't surprising at all.

"We know what happened on that last night, Damiana. Even if we didn't, we pretty much covered it when we ran into each other at the museum. So, for right now, let's not focus on what we've lost." Following an abnormally lengthy silence, Adriel continues. "Let's start with the unknowns. What brings my best buddy's baby sister to Metropolis?"

Damiana doesn't answer. Instead she allows his question to sink in. The whole time she stares at her warped reflection in the empty spoon intently, as if it holds all the answers. Truthfully, Adriel doesn't realize what a complicated question he has just asked her…

It is because of this that she directs the question back at him. Not only will it give her time to consider how much information she should give away, but she will also get answers to her own questions. Though she hasn't outwardly mentioned it, Damiana is every bit as curious about Adriel's presence in Metropolis as he is about hers.

Running her free hand through her thick tresses, Damiana gazes up at him. "Actually, Adriel, do you think you can explain your side of things first? The reason why I'm in Metropolis… It's a long story, and it will take a lot of explaining."

Adriel nods. "Okay. I can go first. It doesn't matter. My story isn't overly complicated anyway." He takes another bite of mint chip ice cream before continuing. "To make a long story short, I've been living in Metropolis for the past two years. I made some connections with people who live in this city, so when I decided to settle down here, I got my job at the museum the same day I arrived. I had connections with the woman who owns this belly dancing studio, too, and when she wanted someone to take it over, she decided on me. Since then I have been doing well at the museum and with the studio, my pay has been going up, and for the past two years I've been living comfortably."

As fond as Damiana is of Adriel, and as happy as she is that he hasn't been suffering, she can't stop a pang of bitterness from striking. Adriel was living comfortably while she was homeless? He's living an easy life while she is dealing with keeping her secret, defeating Black Shadow, and worrying about meeting Starfire? Where's the fairness in that?! If Adriel has been alive all this time, why couldn't she have been by his side straight from the beginning?! As happy as she is for Adriel, all of this is so unfair…

Doing her best to shove her unpleasant thoughts aside, Damiana brings up another question for Adriel. What he told her has left some gaps, and admittedly, she wants them filled in.

Taking a large bite of ice cream, Damiana asks the question aloud a second later. "I hope you're okay with me asking this, Adriel, but what did you do before settling down in Metropolis? You said you made 'connections'? How did you do that?"

It is apparent that her question wasn't digging too deep, because Adriel replies immediately. He even smiles while doing so.

"Honestly, Dami, you might not believe me if I tell you. There's every chance that you'll laugh me out of here, but sweet fates, I'll tell you anyway." Pausing momentarily, he confesses. "Before living in Metropolis, I was a very prominent act in a traveling circus."

Eyes widening slightly, Damiana finds herself gaping at him. The circus? That's how Adriel made his connections? He was an act in a circus? That's the most ridiculous thing she has ever heard!

Thinking that he must be joking, Damiana gives a small chortle. "A traveling circus? You're telling me that the reason you're doing so well right now is because you dressed up as a clown, or tamed lions, or something?"

Pointing his spoon at her, Adriel gasps in a show of mild offense. "A clown or a lion tamer? You're demoting my act to something on that level? I did nothing like that!"

Damiana didn't notice it earlier, but spread throughout the kitchen are piles of plain, gray, stones. Most often people would think that stones are meant to look decorative. These stones, however, do not appear decorative in the least. They're large, oddly shaped, and serve as an eyesore more than anything. Yet, when Adriel raises his free hand to the air, it is suddenly understood why these hideous things are here. The instant he lifts his hand, one of the stones flies rapidly in his direction. Once it reaches him, Adriel doesn't release his hold on it. Instead he allows the rock to float, the object hovering several inches above his hand.

Setting his spoon down on the table, Adriel focuses both hands on the stone. A few seconds later the rock begins shuddering. Another second is what it takes for the shuddering to turn violent, the rock cracking and turning inside-out similarly to a heated popcorn kernel. Only, rather than a kernel turning to popcorn, this unattractive stone is remolded into a dazzling, white, gemstone. Not a hint of gray is left to be seen. The only thing left in the rock's place is a piece of glimmering crystal.

As Damiana gapes widely at the feat he just accomplished, Adriel explains while wearing a grin.

"This, Damiana, is what my act was. Who needs clowns or lion tamers? I could use my rock-wielding abilities to perform a variety of tricks, including turning rocks into crystals. When there was a crowd that we wanted to do things big for, they surrounded me with rocks and I could even make it rain crystals." Hesitating, he adds while tapping his chin thoughtfully, "Although, there were times when I didn't use my rock powers at all. After spending time with the so-called 'gypsies' of the circus, I found out that I was good at belly dancing. So, if there was ever a crowd filled to the brim with teenage girls, then I would be forced dance…"

Upon making this confession, Adriel quickly cuts his explanation short. Damiana doesn't miss the way he blushes in discomfort.

"But I suppose the whole belly dancing thing is beside the point. To answer your question about my connections, the woman who owns this building was the cousin of the wannabe gypsies who traveled with the circus. Though I wasn't one of them, our circus did have lion tamers, and the uncle of one of the lion tamers had a position at the Metropolis Museum of History and Astrology.

"When I decided that I wanted to quit the circus two years ago, the other performers were aware of my…unique set of circumstances…and pulled strings to help me out. They all agreed to keep my secret for me, and in turn, I would work hard for their relatives and be a good employee. We've kept the promises we said we would keep, and because of this, my life has turned out fairly well since Dabnod."

It is only after Adriel has explained everything thoroughly and fully that Damiana processes his words. Using his rock-wielding abilities as a circus performer? That makes sense now that she thinks about it. Elemental abilities could make for decent entertainment depending on how they are used; especially on planets where most individuals don't have superpowers. For someone with a personality as lively as Adriel's, using his abilities to join the circus makes even more sense. The fact that he made friends during his years in the circus and that they assisted him makes sense as well. Aside from being lively, Adriel is also very likable.

It takes several lengthy moments, but at last Damiana responds. "When you explain it that way, your story makes sense. Now that I think about it, you always did have unique ideas when it came to your rock-wielding abilities." Pausing slightly, she adds, "I understand how you made connections, too. After spending three years in the circus, the other performers were bound to take a liking to you."

Consuming another spoonful of mint chip, Adriel shrugs nonchalantly while smiling. "I guess that's true in a way. My mother, father, and sister used to say that I'm pleasant to be around. In Saeran's opinion I was an excessively outgoing showoff, but still pleasant." Hesitating in a thoughtful fashion, he continues a second later. "Of course, it was more than that with the people at the circus. I'm very close friends with them, and I trust them. I trusted them enough to tell them the truth, after all."

Once Adriel finishes speaking, that is when other details of their conversation finally come to her attention. When this happens, Damiana gapes at the man with the cherry red eyes.

They were aware of his 'unique set of circumstances'? They 'kept his secret'? He trusted them enough to 'tell them the truth'?

Mouth hanging agape, the only thing Damiana feels is shock. Did Adriel honestly confess such a gargantuan secret to the humans?! Did he really tell them that he's an alien? Why would he do such a thing?! Who knows how they could have reacted?!

Surprise not leaving her features for an instant, she continues gaping as she asks Adriel this question. Noticing her blunt astonishment, Adriel returns her gaze with curiosity as she speaks.

"Adriel… When you say that you told your friends the truth…and that they understood your circumstances… Did you tell them that you're a Dabnodian?!"

Despite Damiana's shocked reaction, one that practically borders on panic, the man gives a simple nod in response. When he speaks, it almost sounds like he's giving her the time or confirming the weather report.

"Of course I told them that I'm a Dabnodian. They're my friends."

If Damiana's reaction wasn't panicked before, then it doubtlessly is now. "But…Adriel…that's crazy! You can't just go around telling people that you're an alien! We're different from humans! We have color-changing hair and eyes, two hearts, and we have powers that can wipe out entire cities!"

Again, Adriel nods in in nonchalance. "Yes, I know that. That's why I'm careful with who I tell. My employers, for example, have no idea that I'm a Dabnodian. But the people who I bonded with at the circus know, and several of my coworkers know. I don't go announcing it to the World, because that could cause trouble. However, having those select few individuals know who I am helps. It's not the same as it was on Dabnod, and it never will be, but having friends makes it better."

The carton of ice cream completely forgotten by this point, Damiana runs a hand through her curly tresses with a sigh. It isn't a secret how forlorn her sigh sounds.

"Are you sure about that, Adriel? What if you finally get close to somebody and finally start to feel normal, and then that person finds out? What if they stop treating you like a being with feelings, and start treating you like an alien? If that's what I'm going to have to put up with when I decide to tell someone, then I don't want to tell anybody."

Damiana isn't sure exactly what she said to trigger this reaction, but an instant is what it takes for Adriel's cherry-colored eyes to shift to a blinding shade of neon green. Along with this, they widen to the size of disks. As he speaks, his voice is unbelieving.

"Damiana…I don't mean to jump to conclusions…but with the way you're talking, it sounds like you have literally gone five years without telling a single person who you are." Releasing a nervous chuckle, he asks, "That isn't true, right? Because the only way for you to accomplish something like that would be to cut yourself off from people, hide, and never make friends with anyone."

The girl doesn't speak in this moment. Then again, she doesn't have to. The frightened and downcast expression on her face is all Adriel needs. Upon catching sight of her features, the man unleashes his own form of panic.

"Sweet fates… You have literally been cutting yourself off from others and not bothering to make friends for the past five years?! That's half a decade, Damiana! How have you survived without making friends?! How have you been providing for yourself?! Where have you been living?! Without friends, how have you been getting by at all?!"

Damiana sighs once more, this time sounding anxious more than anything. "Adriel? Do you remember what I told you before? It's a long story."

Giving a sigh of his own, Adriel speaks sounding worried. "How long?"

Breathing in deep, she gives the briefest explanation she can manage. "Well, I suppose it isn't terribly long. The first four years and forty-nine weeks of it are me moving from scummy job to scummy job and from park bench to park bench. It's only recently that the story has gotten long, and it's all thanks to this arrogant redhead who walked into a café three weeks ago."

Oddly enough, Damiana finds her dour expression morphing into a smile at that last sentence. It is obvious that Adriel spots it, because he, too, begins smiling.

"Alright then. By all means, tell me everything."

In that moment, Damiana decides not to leave out a single detail of her story. She has already kept far too many secrets. She isn't about to start keeping them from Adriel too. It is because of this that her smile grows wider as she begins telling the tale.

"You've heard of the Teen Titans, right? Well, about a year ago, my aimless wandering took me to Steel City. Steel City is the town that's protected by the Titans East branch of the Teen Titans. When I first ended up there, I didn't think that anything would happen." After a moment of hesitation, she continues, "You see, I was wrong about that…"

Meanwhile…

The potbellied tour guide has been speaking for well over fifteen minutes, and for once Roy can't stop listening. At first all he spoke about was Dabnod's Monarchy, the planet's Knight system, and the inner workings of Dabnodian clans. As the man spoke, they moved around the massive room to view various photographs and artifacts. There were two things Roy saw that fascinated him in particular. The first was a photograph of a squadron of Knights, and the second were pieces of jewelry bearing images of things such as animals.

What struck him about the photograph wasn't so much the scenery. The violet grasses that surrounded the armored men as well as the gargantuan birds that were seen in the background hardly caught his eye. It was the fact that the men in the photo appeared completely and utterly human that made it him look twice. There was no odd orange-tinted skin like there is with Tamaraneans, neither were the whites of their eyes an off color. No gems were seen in the center of their foreheads like with Azarathians, either. Aside from this, there weren't any gills, scales, extra limbs, third eyes, or anything at all to suggest that they weren't human. The only thing about them that made them stick out were hair and eyes that shined blinding neon colors.

The fact that there used to be a planet filled with aliens that appeared so un-alien is simply amazing to Roy!

As for the jewelry, what caused the artifacts to be particularly attention grasping to the redhead was the tour guide's explanation. It wasn't just jewelry, he'd told them. For millennia, it was a tradition on Dabnod for children to earn one of these pieces of jewelry on their twelfth birthday. Each piece of jewelry had something called a "clan symbol" engraved into it, and earning one of these on their twelfth birthday meant that they were becoming a member of their clan. In the tour guide's exact words, it was a Dabnodian rite of passage.

When somebody asked 'why clan symbols?', the guide had gone on to explain that surnames weren't something that existed on Dabnod. Rather than being deemed "The Johnson Family" or "The McDougals" there was a symbol that represented each family. For some families, the symbol was an animal such as a snake, a bird, or a fish. Other families chose a type of plant, a rock, a body of water, or even a star. The guide had been on such a roll that he even threw in the interesting factoid that the piece of jewelry given to the child was specified by gender. Men, he said, wore their clan symbol on a belt around their waist, while women wore theirs on a metal cuff on their right upper arm.

Upon learning these tidbits of information, Roy couldn't stop himself from gaping in astonishment. The violet grasses painted on her bedroom wall… The strange language she speaks that he has never been able to place… The so-called "massacre" of her friends and family… Not to mention that Leila wears a metal cuff on her right upper arm with a bird engraved into it. Her clan symbol, perhaps? That would certainly explain why she always wears it even when out of her Firelight uniform. Admittedly, the facts are adding up more and more. With how human the Dabnodians look, this is especially true...

Meanwhile, what he has learned so far is not the end of this new plethora of information. Right now, it looks like the tour guide is straying away from the topic of Dabnodian culture to the people themselves. Considering how they are facing a chart that reveals various organs within the Dabnodian body, they are about to get a lesson in these aliens' biological functions. Pointing at an illustration of a Dabnodian chest cavity, one that Roy notices has two hearts side-by-side with the right heart slightly lower, the thirty-year-old tour guide speaks.

"In the time that Dabnod was around for, the planet's inhabitants were unlike any other species in the galaxy. The lone factor that set them apart, the thing that gave them everything from their unique physical features to their stunning abilities, was their second heart. Much like humans, Dabnodians had one heart that would pump blood through their bodies to give them life; this would be the heart on the left. The other heart, however, didn't contain blood. The heart on the right contained a dense mixture of liquid energies that, when fed to their bodies, had many marvelous effects.

"Because their second hearts produced such strong liquid energies, and so much of it at one time, excess heart energy would build up. Thus, this extra energy would need to be stored in another part of the body. In the cases of the Dabnodians, it was sent to special glands behind their eyes and to their hair follicles. This resulted in one of the Dabnodians peoples' key traits; their vivid hair and eyes that changed color with their emotions. Whenever Dabnodians' emotions would shift, let's say from happiness to despair, their second heart would produce energies of a different color. So, if they were happy one minute, their hair could be a bright color such as gold or orange. Then if they heard some bad news, the bright color would instantly shift to something like dark gray or an icky purple color."

Once this is said, the tour guide pauses in his speech. Roy is thankful for this, as it gives him an opportunity to mull everything over. Color-changing hair and eyes… During their confrontation in her motel room, it was pretty much confirmed that Leila's hair changes color.

His head spinning, a side effect of the facts falling so perfectly into place, the redhead can't refrain from asking a question. At this point, it's now or never.

Raising his hand to catch the tour guide's attention, Roy makes his inquiry loud and clear. "Out of curiosity, if a Dabnodian wanted to, could they hide their hair and eyes to blend in with another humanoid species? With hair dye and colored contacts, for example?" Following somewhat of a pause, he adds, "Hypothetically speaking, of course."

Meeting his emerald gaze, the guide gives a small frown. "Honestly, kid, there might not be anything hypothetical about it. The Dabnodians were an ingenious race. For all we know, some of them got off the planet before it was destroyed and are spread throughout the universe fighting for survival."

The blunt statement causes Roy to gulp. Along with this, his heart begins racing. He isn't sure if the guide realizes it or not, but he all but confirmed everything he has been wondering throughout the tour.

Meanwhile, the potbellied man continues. "Theoretical or not, my answer is yes. If a Dabnodian wanted to, they could easily hide their color-changing hair and eyes using basic Earth tools like contact lenses and hair dye." Pausing, he continues while stroking his chin thoughtfully. "Though, the hair dye would probably start to be counterproductive after four to seven years. With the heart energy coating the follicles, their hair would more than likely build a resistance to it. Not to mention their second set of veins. A close enough peek at one of their wrists, and they could be done for either way."

Roy's eyes widen at the man's final two sentences. Opening his mouth, he is about to ask another question. One that he is dying to have the answer to. Before it can leave his mouth, however, somebody else is already asking it.

"Second set of veins?" asks a woman somewhere behind him. "Are you saying that if these aliens really are hiding out on Earth, finding them is as easy as searching their wrists for extra veins?"

Giving his chin another thoughtful stroke, the man stays silent for a long moment. The entire time Roy's head spins. When the guide finally speaks, his head only spins more. Not so much from shock, but from feeling overwhelmed by the amount of evidence confirming his suspicions.

Raising one of his arms, the guide motions to his wrist as he speaks. "Actually, it is that easy. See the blue veins beneath the skin? Those veins are attached to our heart; we only have one. Dabnodians have two hearts, so naturally, they will have another set of veins. They flow with liquid energy instead of blood, though, so they will be a color like orange or red instead of blue."

Upon hearing this, Roy impulsively rotates his arm so that he is looking at his own blue vessels. At some point the guide goes back to speaking, but he doesn't hear a word he says. All Roy can do is stare at his wrist, wondering if Leila's looks the same or if she has vividly colored veins running alongside the blue ones. Although, the redhead feels it in his gut that he already knows the answer.

A/N: I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter! With Damiana's reunion with Adriel, and with Speedy starting to piece everything together, it was a blast to write! Admittedly, my original idea was having Damiana confess to Speedy that she is a Dabnodian without him having any prior knowledge, but in reality I don't think that would happen. Even with everything they've been through, Damiana has only known him for a few weeks, and she guards the fact that she is an alien very closely. Because of this, I think having Speedy figure out everything on his own is the better way to go.

If you liked this chapter, I'm sure that you will like the next chapter even better. Things are really starting to build up, and in the next chapter there is definitely going to be drama! I can't wait to finish writing it, and I'm even more eager to get it posted!

Until next time, my friends, and thanks again to all of you who are reading! I'm glad that you're enjoying "Firelight"! :)

Forever and Always,

OCQ