A/N: Another chapter is here, and less than two weeks after the previous! I'm so glad that I was able to get this chapter out fairly quickly! I'm very happy with how this chapter turned out, and thus far, it is one of my favorites!

Happy reading to you all, and enjoy!

Side Note: Also, if you guys are looking for more interesting Teen Titans stories, check out "Who I Was and What I Became" by UndiscoveredSpecies. It is well-written, attention grasping, and I can guarantee that the author's OC, Trigger, is going to grow on you. If you have time, give it a read, and don't be afraid to leave Undiscovered a review.

I have it favorited, so it should be toward the top of my favorites list on my profile if you're interested! :)

Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Titans.

Part III: Secrets: Chapter Twenty-Six

"Honestly, Dami? That is the most intense story I've heard during the years that I have been on Earth. You met the Titans East, got mixed up in their fight against a criminal insane enough to tear apart the Earth, became an official member of the Titans, and now you sneaked into Metropolis so that you can stop this guy. And somehow, you've accomplished all of this in less than three weeks." Chuckling, the man adds, "I always used to question if you were really related to Saeran with the two of you being so different, but at last there's some solid proof. Only someone related to him could get involved in something of this scale in such a short amount of time."

Damiana isn't sure if she should feel lighter or weighed down, but somehow she feels a little of both. She told Adriel the entire story of what she has been through from beginning to present. Spending the past five years homeless, her drifting brining her to Steel City, meeting Speedy that night at the cafe, all of that was covered. Running into the masked men in the abandon building, contacting the Titans, the fight with Black Shadow's robots the next night, she didn't leave out a single detail. Running away from the Titans only to rejoin them a few days later as "Firelight" is another detail she filled him in on, as are the details of Black Shadow's machine and how they tracked him to Metropolis.

Thus far, the only things Adriel aren't aware of would be her taco date on the dock with "Roy" and the fact that she has spoken in Dabnodian in front of him on two occasions. Neither did she tell him that Roy has been inside both her motel room and her bedroom, that she has been on the back of his motorcycle, or that he saw through her hair dye earlier today. She hasn't mentioned the exact members of the six-person team that is coming together in Metropolis to stop Black Shadow, either, deciding it best to avoid talk of Starfire.

After processing his words, Damiana replies to Adriel while sporting a contemplative frown.

"Things have definitely changed for me, I can tell you that. Making the leap from a homeless girl singing at a scummy café to a Teen Titan is a difficult change to fathom. Not to mention that I have the responsibility of helping the others take down Black Shadow. Taking down a villain that can open rifts to any planet during any period in history…the thought of it scares me..." Despite her fearful words, the girl's frown morphs into a small smile. "It's hard to explain, but for some reason I actually like it better this way. My life is more complicated without a doubt, but strangely enough, it feels worth it."

In spite of everything that has happened, from the horror with Black Shadow, to hiding her Dabnodian lineage, to agonizing over meeting the Princess of Tamaran, what she says to Adriel is true. Even though her life has been turned upside down, she has no regrets about joining the Titans East.

Reaching across the kitchen table to grasp her hand, her brother's best friend meets Damiana's eyes with his kind cherry gaze. As he speaks to her, she almost feels like they're back on Dabnod and he's giving her his special Adriel-brand advice.

"If Saeran was here, know that he'd be proud. Using your powers to become one of the heroes takes a lot of courage. Joining the Teen Titans isn't at all like joining the circus. You're using your abilities to fight insanely evil criminals; you aren't using them to put on a show. I'm sure the moment you decided to become a Titan, you knew that the criminals they fight are dangerous. If something happens during a mission, you might not live. Yet you're with them anyway. Courage is something I've lost since Dabnod, Dami, so I'm glad that you still have it."

What Adriel says is enough to cause Damiana's eyes to well up with tears. Jumping up from the kitchen chair, she rushes around the table to give the pony-tailed twenty-year-old a tight hug. Her tears don't escape, but nevertheless, her happiness is apparent.

"Thank you, Adriel. Coming from you, that means everything."

Adriel doesn't hesitate to return her hug. The only time he cuts the embrace short is when he speaks to the girl again.

"My words shouldn't surprise you. You're Damiana of the Fire Phoenix. Courage is something you've had from the time you were small." Following a brief pause, he continues. "Considering how the Tamaranean Princess is part of the group that you're teaming up with for this mission and how you've allowed yourself to get close to Speedy, your Dabnodian bravery is still marvelously intact."

False emerald eyes widening, Damiana takes a step away from Adriel and gapes at him. Her surprise is not something that is well hidden.

"How did you know that Starfire is coming to Metropolis? How did you know that I've gotten close to Speedy? I never told you either of those things!"

Twirling the end of his brownish-red ponytail around an index finger, the man shoots a knowing grin in her direction.

"How does your big brother's best buddy not know these things? Even after all these years, I can still read you." His grin softens to a smile with these next few statements. "When you got to the part about tracking your villain to Metropolis, I noticed how carefully you avoided mentioning which Titans are showing up for the job. While avoiding the topic you seemed nervous, so I concluded that the Tamaranean must be in the group. When it comes to your relationship with Speedy, I've been able tell that you're attached to him from the moment you mentioned the arrogant redhead who walked into the café. Every time you mention Speedy, your eyes light up like stars. It would only make sense that you've grown fond of him."

Damiana huffs slightly. "I hate to think that I can be read so easily." She returns to her chair at the kitchen table. Once seated, she asks a question while sighing in depression. "Since you know about the situation with Starfire, what do you suggest I do about it? Any advice?"

Adriel shrugs, his kind smile staying fully intact. "What advice is there to give? You're a smart girl. I'm sure that you already know what to do."

A pang of fear striking her in the gut, she exclaims, "What? No I don't! I have no idea what to do! How can you say that so easily?!"

"Because it's true," says Adriel bluntly. "In fact, you were probably planning on doing it already. Keep your Dabnodian lineage hidden, weather through this mission, and take out Black Shadow as painlessly as possible. Was that your plan, or wasn't it?"

Damiana gapes at him once more. In truth, Adriel guessed right. That is exactly what she was planning on doing.

Breathing in deep, she runs a small hand through her thick curls. "Alright, what you're saying is true. My plan does go something like that." Hesitating, she asks, "I take you don't have any words of wisdom for me, then?"

Again, Adriel shrugs. "Concerning the Tamaranean, I don't. You know what to do, and I trust your judgment. I know that you won't let one measly Tamaranean get in the way of taking out a criminal that could destroy Earth. You're too smart for that; you always have been. I also know that if you didn't trust yourself around Starfire at least a little bit, you wouldn't have joined the Titans in the first place."

Damiana doesn't give a verbal response. Though she disagrees with him, all she does is nod in understanding. Adriel puts far too much faith in her...

Surprisingly enough, however, he isn't through speaking. Apparently, he does have a piece of advice to offer. It is simply different from what she was expecting.

At this point his kind smile morphs into a frown of uncertainty, and the man stands from the kitchen table. Damiana stands from the table as well. The entire time she feels a mixture of puzzlement and anxiety. Taking a step toward the door leading to the large room with the wall of mirrors, Adriel motions for her to follow. While doing so, he speaks.

"When it comes to Speedy, on the other hand, I do have some advice. Advice that you will hopefully follow. If Saeran was here, know that he would tell you the same thing."

Again, Damiana doesn't give a verbal response. This time she doesn't nod, either. Rather, she follows him out of the kitchen and into the main room without question. At first she wonders if he's taking her to the upper level of his home, or if she is being ushered outside. It is because of this that Damiana is caught off guard when they stop in front of the wall of mirrors. Once they're stopped, Adriel grasps Damiana by the shoulder and tugs her closer. Keeping her shoulder in his gentle grip, he turns her body so that she is looking at her reflection. It is only once Damiana is viewing herself that he continues.

"Look at yourself, Damiana. Hopefully you're seeing what I'm seeing, and getting the picture."

Gazing at her image, the girl honestly doesn't see much. A pale face, golden brown curls, green eyes, a rather frail stature… What exactly is she supposed to be looking at?

Turning to face Adriel, she arches a puzzled brow. "I'm sorry, Adriel, but I don't understand. What are you wanting me to see?"

Much to her astonishment, the man's eyes shift from cherry red to a lilac color. Along with this, his cheeks are quickly becoming dusted with crimson. Clearing his throat in something akin to discomfort, he replies cautiously.

"Just be careful around Speedy. Okay, Dami? I haven't met him personally, so I don't know what he's like, but for all I know he's a playboy. Even if he isn't a playboy…well…he's still a man. Men…they have feelings…"

That last sentence is all it takes for it to hit Damiana. Suddenly, she knows exactly what he's trying to tell her. As a result, her face reddens.

Averting her gaze from Adriel's, she replies awkwardly. "Oh… You're talking about that… Well don't worry about it, Adriel. I didn't trust Speedy at first, either, but he has more than proven himself. He can be arrogant and he likes to tease, but that's just Speedy. When it comes down to it, I know that he wouldn't take advantage of me."

Discomfort never leaves Adriel, though he still manages to continue his lecture.

"It isn't necessarily about 'taking advantage'." Grasping her lightly by the chin, he forces her to view her reflection from top to bottom. "Again, Damiana, look at yourself. You've grown into a very beautiful woman. There aren't too many men who can resist a beautiful woman. If a man becomes attached to a beautiful woman, resisting is even harder. Men try not to show it, but we do have feelings, and can feel them very deeply at times. Know that even the strongest men have limitations."

Blushing profusely by this point, Damiana nods. "I understand, Adriel, and I will heed your advice. But if it helps, this mission we're on is strictly business. Speedy and I aren't romantically involved, and with the pressure we have on us to defeat Black Shadow, no romance is going to happen."

This time it is Adriel who nods. "Okay. I believe what you're saying. That was only a word of advice for the future." He pauses prior to continuing. "And Damiana, if you or the Titans ever need anything, feel free to come to me. A place to stay, help getting into the restricted areas of the museum, information, just say the word and I'll help. I may not be one of the heroes, but I'll do what I can. Black Shadow sounds particularly dangerous, and I want to do my part to bring him down."

All thoughts of their previous conversation vanishing, Damiana smiles. "Of course, Adriel. There's not a soul on Earth who I would rather go to."

Later

"An hour late! Both of you! How are both of you an hour late?!"

Damiana did her best to sprint back across the city to the museum, realizing how late the time must be only after leaving Adriel. He offered to take her back himself, but she politely declined. After all, the last thing she wants her teammates believing is that she ditches her Titan duties to hang out with attractive men. True, Adriel is her friend and she thought he was dead until running into him this afternoon, but Roy and Vic don't know that. If she wants to keep her Dabnodian lineage hidden, she doesn't want them knowing that either. With Adriel's eyes in their current color-changing state, he could be a dead giveaway that she's an alien.

It is for these reasons that Damiana keeps her tongue bitten, weathering through Victor's raised voice and his unpleasant scowl. Also the target of the man's aggravation is Roy, who sits on the edge of the museum's fountain in a type of dazed trance. Damiana can't help but raise a brow at this. In these types of situations, she has seen Roy act smug, calm, and even nervous. Never has she seen him act dazed, though. Such an expression on his face is very strange to her…

Victor continues lecturing them, saying that when he sets a time for them to meet up, he expects it to be followed. For once, however, Damiana finds herself listening only partially. Most of her attention is on the uncostumed archer, who has gone from staring blankly at Cyborg to staring at her. His expression is no longer dazed. Instead, curiosity is seen in his eyes. It isn't mild curiosity, but rather, it is a curiosity so intense that it gives Damiana chills. His penetrating emerald eyes with the brown flecks bore into her soul, as if trying to dig down until he uncovers her secrets. Never has the girl felt so unsettled by a person's stare; not even on Dabnod.

Doing her best to shake off the disturbing chill of Roy's intent gaze, almost wishing that he was wearing his mask, she turns so that she is facing their temporary leader. Apparently she didn't miss too much of what was said while focusing on the archer, because he just now reaching his point.

"When we come back tomorrow, I need both of you here at the meeting time. If we're going to make any progress, then we need to keep checking in with each other. We only have three days left to work with, so every second counts. Remember, Rob's counting on us, and so is everybody else. We aren't on vacation. This is serious."

Suddenly, Damiana feels a pang of guilt. Victor's right. This is serious. Maybe she should have taken Adriel up on his offer of a phone number and directions instead of leaving the museum with him. She cost them some valuable time by being so selfish.

Then again, Adriel is a museum employee. He stated to her that he can help the Titans if need be. He can even pull strings to get them inside restricted areas of the museum! So, considering this side of things, was leaving with him really such a bad decision?

False green eyes connecting with hazel, Damiana is about to give Victor an honest apology for being late. Along with this, she is prepared to give her word of agreement that she will be on time to the meeting spot tomorrow. Before the girl can do this, however, she tears her gaze away from Vic's and glances over at the redhead. He has been staring at her for over a minute now with the same expression of intensity. Frankly, it's creeping her out far too much to ignore.

Narrowing her eyes into a glare, the girl doesn't hesitate to call him out on his strange behavior.

"Roy, would you please cut it out with the creeper stare? You look like you're plotting a murder, and it's freaking me out!"

Upon hearing her voice, he blinks multiple times and shakes his head as though breaking free from a state of hypnosis. Once his senses are regained, he responds in what appears to be a mixture of apology and embarrassment.

"Huh? Oh. Sorry, Leila. I didn't notice I was staring. I guess I'm kind of out of it. Four hours at a museum for a guy who hates museums, you know?"

Damiana doesn't respond. Instead she peers into his deep, emerald, pools. His intense curiosity is still present, and along with this, it is stronger than it was before. Thus, Roy's apology doesn't work to calm her. If anything, she only feels more unsettled…

Shoving the observation aside, she turns away from Speedy and looks back at Cyborg. The whole time Damiana can't stop the burst of anxiety that courses through her. No one has ever given her that kind of a look before.

The Next Morning

If Roy had one wish, it would be for him to act normal around Leila. He does his best to treat her the same way he always has; like the cool girl with the bold personality and the fire powers. If she really is a part of this race of aliens, if she's a Dabnodian, then he highly doubts that this would change much about her. She would still make an awesome Titan, her personality would most likely remain intact, and she would still be enjoyable to be around. The only difference would be her origins. Of course, even this doesn't matter much. After that tour, he thinks that the Dabnodians have an amazing history. Truthfully, it saddens him that Planet Dabnod is gone.

Doing his best to shove such thoughts aside, Roy glances at Leila. Her thick, brown, curls hang down around her shoulders, the girl shoving them behind her ear as she nibbles on a blueberry bagel. The two of them are currently alone in his and Cyborg's hotel room, the disguised metallic man having stepped out to purchase cream cheese. Leila sits on the edge of Cyborg's bed and Roy sits on the edge of his own, their knees approximately three inches apart. As they loiter in the silence, Roy eats a bagel of his own. Rarely has it been this quiet between the two of them.

His flickering glances transforming into a steady gaze, he allows his emerald eyes to trail to her right upper arm. The metal cuff that she wears is firmly in place. It is gold in color, the only exception being the copper outline of a bird with outstretched wings. As Leila shifts her arm to raise the bagel to her mouth, early morning sunlight glints off it from a nearby window. It's almost as if the piece of jewelry is taunting him, daring him to ask Leila about it. Information, answers, satisfaction; Roy wants these things.

He swallows a bite of food prior to vocalizing his thoughts. The entire time he is careful to string the inquiry together as innocently as possible. In the process, Roy captures Leila's phony green gaze with his legitimate one. She appears taken aback by the question to say the least.

"Leila, just out of curiosity, why are you so attached to that bracelet? Is it special? I don't think that I've ever seen you without it."

A long moment passes where Leila doesn't respond. She chews her bagel slowly, eyeing him with uncertainty. It's as if she's weighing her answer in attempt to sort out what she should and should not tell him. When she finally replies, Roy is sad to see that her eyes are heavily guarded.

"What's with the sudden curiosity? You've never cared about my bracelet before."

Breakfast temporarily forgotten, Roy shrugs. "It's nothing. I got to thinking about it and realized that you never take it off." After a cautious moment of hesitation, he asks, "Why?"

Leila sighs softly. Her eyes are still guarded, but fortunately for Roy they appear a bit gentler than before. When she speaks, the tone of her voice is nostalgic.

"If you really want to know, then yes. My bracelet is special. It was a birthday present from my family."

Roy can't stop himself from smiling. If she answered this question, then maybe she will answer the next one. Though, like his previous inquiries, he is careful with his wording.

"A bracelet for your upper arm with a picture of a bird carved into it? That's an interesting birthday present for a little girl. If you were eight years old when they gave it to you, I would have expected plastic Disney-themed jewelry with glitter."

When her guard drops completely at his remark, Roy feels like he could give a fist-pump of victory. The only thing that makes him feel more victorious is when she rolls her eyes sarcastically and smiles. It's a gesture that is so purely Leila that it warms his heart.

"Of course you would think that. Like every other guy, you break out the little girl stereotypes when the word 'birthday' is mentioned." Pausing to take another bite of her bagel, she explains a moment later. "For your information, the armband was supposed to be for my twelfth birthday, not my eighth. As for the bird, my family wasn't just being random. The bird is called a fire phoenix, and it was very important to us. Think of it as my family's emblem."

Smiling kindly with glimmering green eyes , Roy nods. He's getting much farther than he thought he would, and in very little time at that.

"'Fire phoenix'? I've never heard of that bird before."

Leila meets his smile with a secretive one. "I wouldn't expect you to. They're pretty foreign."

Later That Day

They have discovered absolutely nothing of significance. Two days straight of searching the Metropolis Museum of History and Astrology, and like the day previous, nothing was found besides dusty artifacts. These artifacts are probably worth quite a lot, but Roy and the others know that none of them would be useful to Black Shadow. When Black Shadow needs money, he doesn't steal valuable items. He sends his henchmen to banks and has them take cash in its most convenient form. Besides, even if he was the kleptomaniac type of villain rather than the insane type, the man would have stolen something long before now. Four days have passed since he stole the schematics for his machine, and heaven knows that he wouldn't wait so long to earn more cash.

Feeling exasperated at the amount of progress that has been made in terms of their villain, the redhead looks across the table at Leila. Based on the gleam in her false green eyes, she, too, is upset by their situation. The two of them sit in a booth in the back corner of a small pizza parlor that they stumbled across. Their pizza arrived five minutes ago, but when it had sardines as a topping in place of sausage, Cyborg took it to the front counter to exchange it. Due to the large amount of people in the nearly endless line, it is apparent that getting another pizza will take a while.

For this reason, despite his dismay over Black Shadow, Roy does his best to strike up a conversation with his favorite fire-using teammate. When her gloomy disposition vanishes, he takes this as a positive sign.

"It's too bad that our friend from the sea isn't here. If he was, I would've eaten a slice of that pizza. No joke."

Leila's lips twitch upward into a smirk, and her eyes shine in a mixture of humor and mischief. The sight of her alone is enough to cause Roy to grin.

"Are you kidding? I wouldn't have just eaten the anchovy pizza. I would've ordered it on purpose! Don't get me wrong. He's a good teammate, but I have to admit that it's pretty funny when he freaks out." Laughter escaping from her rosebud lips, she adds, "When we threw sixteen dollars out the window of your car, I thought he was going to have an aneurysm!"

That last statement is all it takes for the two to burst into laughter. Admittedly, that is a good memory for Roy. Before that day, he'd never had a teammate join in on one of his jokes before. It was a fun afternoon. True, Aqualad got revenge on them once they got inside the grocery store, but still.

Meanwhile, Leila makes another statement. One that he agrees with completely.

"To be honest, I kind of wish that he was here. The rest of our team and BB, too. I know that we're not here to have fun, but considering how the museum closed at four pm today, we might as well. Metropolis is so big, and it would be a lot of fun having them here!"

Raising a hand to his chest, Roy is unable to stop himself from feigning offense at her statement. Even so, it is plain by the glint of his vivid green orbs that he is only joking. Leila shakes her head at him as he speaks.

"Excuse me, but are you saying that Vic and I aren't fun? I have never felt so insulted."

"You know that's not what I'm saying, Roy. Of course you and Vic are fun! Not once did I insinuate that you weren't."

He doesn't miss the glimmer in her eyes as she looks at him. When their gazes lock, he wonders what color her sparkling orbs really are beneath the contact lenses. If Leila is from the deceased Planet Dabnod, which he is ninety-five percent certain that she is by now, what color do her features turn when she's happy? Orange and yellow like her fire? Gold and copper, perhaps? Suddenly, Roy wants this answer more than anything.

Apparently he has been looking at her for too long, because Leila clears her throat in an awkward fashion and breaks eye contact. Her cheeks redden, thus, bringing a tint of pink to his own face. They sit in silence for a moment until, at last, Roy speaks. Removing his phone from his shorts pocket, he does so with a smile.

"It won't take us long to eat once the pizza gets here, and after we're done, I highly doubt we'll want to spend the rest of the night back at the hotel. The hotel is nice, but it's not that great." Raising the device so that it is in her line of vision, he asks, "Do you want to see if anything interesting is happening in this city tonight? We could always find something on Google."

Nodding, the girl with the counterfeit brown curls returns his smile. "Sure. It beats trapping ourselves in our rooms and watching reruns of Full House."

He moves closer to the wall upon hearing the statement of approval, motioning for her to come sit beside him. The whole time he taps the internet icon rapidly, wanting the Google homepage to obscure his background of Erza Scarlet wearing her Flame Empress Armor. Sadly, however, Leila doesn't come to him. She gapes at the archer with a raised brow. In turn, Roy stares in confusion.

"What?" he asks. "Are you afraid I'll bite you?"

Leila shakes her head. "No. It's just… Why do you want me over there?"

Roy shrugs. "Why not? If we're looking for something, you should be able to see the screen. It's easier than passing my phone across the table."

Though it is hesitant, she gives a nod. "Okay. I guess that makes sense."

Getting to her feet, Leila slides into his side of the booth a second later. The moment she's beside him, he understands the reason behind her hesitation. The already cramped booth suddenly feels much smaller. Their sides are less than an inch away from touching, and by the time she sidles close enough to get a good view of his phone, the two of them are tight against each other. Nevertheless, Roy manages to shove this realization aside in order to type the necessary words into the search bar. Her curled tresses brushing against his cheek and the feel of her body heat only add to the distraction, however, meaning that he spells a word incorrectly. It is Leila's question "You spell 'events' with an 'x'?" that causes such an error to come to his attention, unfortunately...

It's lucky for Roy that it doesn't take long to get used to the sensation of her nearness. He scrolls through a list of places and events on a website about Metropolis' tourist attractions with ease, the only distraction being Leila's hair. She shifts her head every now and again, causing it to tickle his cheek and chin severely. It's only when she speaks that this mild irritant is momentarily forgotten.

What catches his attention isn't so much the girl's words, but her jesting tone. "Hey, what do you know? Tonight is discount night at the Metropolis Museum of Art. I bet you're just dying to go there! Everyone knows how much you love museums."

Scoffing, he jabs her lightly in the side. "In your dreams. The day I go to a museum for fun is the day Robin finally says yes to singing karaoke with Starfire."

Laughing, she returns his jab. "Actually, that could work. Apparently, there is a Karaoke Lounge opening sometime this week. You can get on stage with them and sing along to Katy Perry."

Scrolling down further on the list, he chuckles. "What is this? 'Tease Roy Day'?"

"Sort of," says the girl simply. "Yesterday was 'Tease Leila Day', so I figured I would even it out."

From here it falls silent between the two of them. It isn't tense or awkward, but rather it is comfortable. Leila's hair tickles him worse every minute, but like before, he does his best to ignore it. When he finally runs across something interesting on the website they're browsing, something that doesn't have anything to do with museums or restaurant openings, Roy shoves aside the feel of Leila's hair completely. Finally a place in this city that actually looks enjoyable!

Happiness in his tone instead of jesting this time, he speaks to the girl.

"Oh, cool! Metropolis put in an amusement park last month! Google is good for finding information, after all." Pausing, he asks, "Leila, are you seeing this?"

Leila adjusts the position of her head to view his phone more closely. As a result, Roy ends up tasting a mouthful of hair. Expelling the brown curls from his mouth, he listens as she responds.

"Huh? Oh yeah. I saw it. I was halfway through reading the description." Sounding cheerful, she adds, "We should go!"

Pulling a final strand of hair from his mouth, he points out in a teasing yet serious manner, "On the way there, maybe you should buy yourself some hairclips. I can now say for a fact that even if strawberry shampoo smells like strawberries, the taste isn't there. Brown hair dye doesn't taste as good as it looks, either."

Leila's posture turns rigid with embarrassment. Pulling a plain, black, hair tie out from her jeans pocket, she slides to the other end of the seat and begins the process of pulling it into a ponytail. While doing so, she replies in an odd mixture of jesting and apology.

"I wish you would've told me that my hair was bugging you sooner. I hate to think that you've been suffering in silence for the past twenty minutes. Sorry." Smirking, she adds, "I would've dyed my hair a different color, but I highly doubt that black or blonde dye would taste any better."

Roy doesn't attempt stopping the smile that crosses his face at her remark. Leila truly is one of a kind.

Before he knows it, words come out of his mouth. By the time he's speaking, his smile has vanished entirely. Nothing but seriousness is left in its place.

"Then maybe you should stop putting dye in it. Personally, I think that bright, color-changing, hair would taste better if it accidentally got in my mouth than hair dye would."

In the instant that passes after he says this, all traces of humor disappear from Leila's face. The only thing remaining is a dense combination of fear and shock. Suddenly, Roy wishes that he hadn't said anything.

When she makes a statement, this wish multiples by ten.

"My hair does nothing like that. I have no idea what you're talking about. Only freaks have hair that can change color."

Sighing sadly, Roy replies in the gentlest fashion he can manage. He doesn't realize it, but an emotion similar to desperation glimmers deeply in his eyes.

"Leila… Your hair was purple, and right after I pointed it out, it turned green. I saw. Your hair changes color. It doesn't take Einstein to put two and two together." Green eyes locking with contact-covered orbs, he adds, "And just so you know, it absolutely does not make you a freak. Different, yes, but never a freak."

In that moment, Leila doesn't respond. Instead, she points her head toward the pizza parlor's tiled floor. She does her best to hide her face from view, but Roy still catches sight of the silver droplets that trail down her cheeks. Standing up from the booth, she turns so that her back is facing him. Only then does she give her response. Unfortunately, it isn't at all what the archer wants to hear.

"I have to get out of here. Don't talk to me for the rest of the day. Just leave me alone. If Cyborg asks, I have something important to do back the hotel."

Emerald eyes widening fearfully, Roy leaps to his feet and shoots his arm in her direction. By some stroke of luck, he manages to catch her by the shoulder.

"Leila, stop! Don't run away! Talk to me!"

She doesn't say anything more. Shrugging off his hand, she sprints out the door like a whirlwind. As much as he wants to, Roy doesn't go after her.

Terror. The only emotion Damiana feels is terror. Hearing her speak in the Dabnodian language yesterday, asking about her armband this morning, and confessing that he knows her hair changes color this evening. Roy is getting so close to learning the truth that it's petrifying. Nobody has ever gotten this close to finding out that she isn't human. Not even Mrs. Tucker or her boss at the café. Somehow, she always managed to hold them at arm's length just enough so that they never had any suspicions. The same can't be said for Roy, though.

Roy wormed his way into her life the moment he stepped inside the café that night, and as much as she doesn't want to admit it, she let him. It was supposed to be a temporary deal where she helped the Titans get information on their criminal, and before Damiana noticed it happening, she became attached.

Adriel was right about what he said to her the day prior. Out of all the Titans, she feels the closest attachment to Speedy. So much that he isn't even 'Speedy' anymore. He has gone from being the arrogant archer that she saw on the News every night, to her friend, Roy. Because of this, he has gotten so close to finding out that she is a Dabnodian that she didn't even notice that her guard had dropped. When she finally saw that her walls fell down, they were piles of rubble at her feet.

Running a frazzled hand through her thick tresses, Damiana stares at her reflection from where she sits in the jacuzzi-sized bathtub. The only thing she can see is a miniscule portion of her body from the shoulders up. Despite the warmth of Metropolis' weather, the girl feels like she could freeze to death. Along with this, she is unable to keep her body from trembling no matter the effort she puts into it. As a result, she filled the tub with hot water and decided to soak. The door to the bathroom is open, but the hotel room's main door is firmly locked, enabling her to view her reflection through the steam.

While the steaming bath has worked to calm her shivering body to an extent, it hasn't been entirely effective. Damiana's shoulders are still trembling, and her skin is as pale as a phantom's. Admittedly, she feels chilled while sitting in water that is nearly scalding. Of course, none of this can compare to her eyes. With her contact lenses currently removed, they are a horrendous combination of charcoal and stormy gray. They are bloodshot as well, obvious tear stains on her cheeks and beneath her eyes. The remnants of her terrified sorrow aren't vanishing anytime soon, either, because tears are still trailing down her face.

Turning away from the mirror, she sinks deeper into the tub. As she does this, the girl expresses her distress aloud.

"How could I let this happen? All it will take now is one more slipup for him to find out. If he figures out what I am, I'm done for." Following an incredibly lengthy pause, she continues. "Once word gets out that I'm a Dabnodian, it's over. They'll take Starfire's side, and I'll probably end up kicked out of the Titans. 'Tamaran destroyed Dabnod?', they'll say. 'Well then, the Dabnodians must be dangerous! An alien with enough power to destroy entire cities? She must want revenge against our precious Starfire!'"

The girl scoffs bitterly. "That's why I've never bothered getting close to anybody. They like me when I'm human, but the moment they figure out I'm an alien, they'll see me in a whole different light. I won't be their teammate anymore. The only thing they're going to see are ulterior motives that don't exist. Little would they guess that just because I hate Starfire doesn't mean that I'm going to kill her. I'm a Dabnodian, for crying out loud! We would never stoop to that kind of level for something a low as revenge." Giving an unladylike snort, she adds, "It's disgraceful to me as much as it was the monarchy."

After unleashing these thoughts, Damiana falls silent. There's more that she is afraid of, though she doesn't confess it aloud. She doesn't even want to confess it internally. Yet, to the girl's dismay, she confesses anyway. The thought almost forces her to dissolve into tears once more.

"What if I don't get kicked out of the Titans? What if Robin agrees to let me stay on the Titans East team, and requests that our teams stay separated? Then what? Will the rest of my team still like me? What if they hate me for separating them from their friends, and on top of that, think that my Dabnodian lineage is weird?" Stormy gray eyes widening with fear, she wonders, "What if Roy thinks that my lineage is weird?"

Damiana's gut twists into knots. The idea of Roy thinking that everything that makes Damiana herself is weird is more than disappointing. It's heartbreaking.

Noticing that her sorrowful state has increased, Damiana raises a hand and slaps her face harshly. While doing this, she scolds herself.

"Come on, Damiana! Get ahold of yourself! Crying over something that hasn't happened yet? You're being ridiculous." Taking a deep breath, she continues. "Roy has absolutely no idea that you're an alien. He is only aware of the hair and the language. For all he knows, you're a human with a genetic mutation who speaks a rare, foreign, dialect. The first conclusion he would jump to would never be a lost space alien from a destroyed planet. Stop being so paranoid."

Taking an additional breath, Damiana sinks farther into the tub. She does her best to stop thinking about these new conflicts that have arisen, but unfortunately, they keep forcing their way back in. Even if nobody knows the truth right now, the nagging voice inside her head tells her that someone will find out eventually. That is simply a part of being close to others. Eventually they find out each other's secrets. More than that, sharing secrets is supposed to be a good thing…

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

Eyes widening at the random memory of Adriel's words to her, Damiana sighs. Yet, she smiles. Back amongst the living for less than two days, and already his newest lectures are plaguing her mind. As soon as she can sneak away from the other Titans without being missed, she needs to meet with Adriel again. If anyone can understand the dilemma she's having, it's him. True, his only advice will be to take a risk and share her identity with the other Titans in spite of Starfire, but even if his advice won't help, a listening ear would be nice.

Calm washing over her at the thought of Adriel's familiar smile and kind eyes, Damiana feels herself relaxing. Keeping her mind pinned on seeing Adriel again, the girl soothes herself to the point where she can honestly enjoy her bath. She should exit this room to face Roy and Vic sometime tonight, and when she does, she wants to look as "Leila" as possible.

Unfortunately for Damiana, however, she doesn't get to relax for very long. One moment she is alone, the only thing keeping her company the steam of the bath water as well as the noise of a crying child from somewhere up the hallway. Then, the next thing she knows, the sound of the hotel room's main door coming unlocked is heard. A second later it can be heard swinging open, Cyborg's voice echoing in accompaniment.

Damiana groans despondently. So much for facing them later.

"Leila? I don't know what happened between you and Roy, but I've been knocking for the past five minutes and haven't heard an answer. I thought I'd let myself in to see if you're okay." When she doesn't answer, he calls her name again. "Leila?!"

Releasing a dejected sigh, Damiana calls out in response. "Don't worry, Vic. I'm fine. Roy has just been getting on my nerves, and I wanted to be alone for a while."

His footsteps come closer to the bathroom at the sound of her voice, his tone one of concern. "Are you sure you're okay? I saw you when you ran out the door. You looked pretty upset."

"I was, but again, don't worry. I'm over it," says Damiana blankly.

When Cyborg's footsteps continue coming closer, the monotone leaves the alien girl's voice. An instant is all it takes for it to transform into a panicked shout.

"Wait! Don't come in here! I'm—"

"AHHH!"

A pair of wide, hazel, eyes gape at her in shock, forcing Damiana to cross her legs and cover her chest using her forearms. To her relief, a second is what it takes for the six-foot-four man to leap out of the doorway. When he apologizes, the burning humiliation in his voice is something that even a deaf person could hear.

"I am SO sorry! The door was open! I thought you were brushing your hair or something!"

Irritation plain in her voice, she doesn't hesitate to shout. "Yesterday Roy barges in here, and today it's you! Can't I get any privacy?! And what part of 'Don't come in here' don't you understand?!"

"I didn't hear you say that! I was too busy worrying about the girl who ran out of the pizza place crying!" Pausing slightly, he asks, "What are you taking a bath for, anyway? It's only five-thirty at night."

Her special areas still covered, she replies in discomfort. "I can take a bath if I want to. Is it wrong for a woman to soak in a tub of warm water?"

Cyborg replies sounding uncertain. "No… I guess not…" After a moment of silence, he asks, "Did Roy say that you smell bad or something? Is that why you ran off to go take a bath?"

Damiana's mouth hangs agape at the question. "What? No! Of course not! Actually, he said that my hair smells like strawberries."

"Really? You ran away crying because of that? I'd hate to see what your reaction would be if he said you look pretty."

The girl sighs. "That isn't the reason why I ran away. It's something between me and Roy, and it's really hard to explain." Though he can't see her, she gives a small smile with this next statement. "But either way, thanks for checking on me. I appreciate it. Just make sure to be wary of the bathroom door next time around."

She can't see him in the same way that he can't see her, though she is certain that the disguised metal man is returning her smile.

"You're welcome, and don't worry. I've learned my lesson. Believe me." For a moment Damiana thinks that he is going to exit the room. That is, until he asks a question. "Leila, are you leaving your room at all tonight? I talked to Roy, and he seems pretty down. Whatever is going on between you two, I really think you should get it solved."

Damiana releases another sigh, this one sounding heavy. "Don't count on it, Vic. It's a lot more complicated than you think. Trust me."

Cyborg gives a sigh that matches hers. "At least think about talking to him, okay? No matter how complicated this problem is, I'm sure you can find a way to patch it up."

It is only after this is said that the man exits the hotel room, the door clicking shut behind him. Damiana isn't sure why, but she no longer feels the fear or the sorrow that she did earlier. Instead, the inside of her chest feels heavy, making her wonder if Victor could be right.

Later

"I'll be back in a while, Roy. I just thought I'd check out this auto shop that I've been hearing about. Word on the street is Metropolis has a lot of cool gadgets that they don't sell in Jump City, and the T-car could use an upgrade."

Roy, who'd previously been peering into a hand mirror and combing his hair, glances over at Victor as he nears the exit. Having heard him, the archer nods.

"Okay. Have fun with your car parts."

The first thing Roy expects is a jolly comeback, or perhaps a joking quip. It is for this reason that the lack of response catches him off guard. Removing his attention from his hair, the redhead looks in Vic's direction while raising a puzzled brow. When the metal man finally says something, it is sounds serious rather than lighthearted. Thus, his brow raises farther.

"You know, I'll be gone for a while. After the auto shop, I might go the arcade, and then maybe an all-you-can-eat buffet. I could be gone for hours."

Emerald eyes brim with confusion. "Okay. Thanks for letting me know, I guess... If a thief tries stealing your wallet and your six-foot-four height and melon-sized muscles aren't enough to scare them off, I guess I can call the cops for you?"

Victor sighs. "That's not the point I was trying to make, and you know it, man. I'll be gone for the whole evening. While I'm out, it would be a good time to apologize to Leila. I'm not sure what you did, but she said she probably won't leave her room tonight. Even if you have to talk to her through the wall or slide an apology letter under the door, tell her you're sorry." Hazel eyes locking with green, he adds, "I can tell by your face that you really are sorry, so I see no reason not to let her know."

Roy aims his gaze away from Vic at his concluding statement. He doesn't return it to his hand mirror. Rather, the blue swirled pattern on their beds' comforters just became very interesting.

One moment of silence later, he responds.

"I'll try apologizing to her, Vic, but there are no guarantees that it will make things better. On her way out of the restaurant, she told me not to talk to her for the rest of the night and to leave her alone. I overstepped one boundary already, so I'm not sure if overstepping another one is the answer."

This time it is Victor who raises a brow. "What do you mean you overstepped her boundaries? What exactly did you do?"

He raises a hand to massage his temple. "Let's just say that I learned something she didn't want me learning."

Victor's brow raises higher. "I'd ask what you learned, but I'm guessing it's none of my business." He reaches for the doorknob. "I'll be back later. In the meantime, I hope you and Leila work things out."

With that said, the man exits the room. The door closes behind him with a soft click. Once Victor is gone, Roy doesn't go back to fixing his hair. He continues staring intently at the bedspread, trying to figure out his next course of action.

Soon after Cyborg left, Damiana finished bathing and put her clothes back on. If Cyborg randomly let himself into her room, there's no telling when Roy will decide to pop in. The last thing she needs is for him to catch her naked, too. Things are tense between them already. A mishap like that, and the tension would triple. Another thing that would cause an increase in tension would be him seeing her without her contact lenses. Therefore, she put them back in without a second thought.

Currently, the girl sits in the center of the bed amid her silent hotel room. Beside her bed on the floor is the bag that she packed for the trip. In it are necessary things such as clothes, but along with this, she packed a few additional items. These items would be the Phoenix Index, and the two other books she owns that are written in Dabnodian. Originally she was going to leave them at the Tower, but it pained her to part with them. Because of this, she shoved them inside her duffel bag along with her necessities. Sitting open in her lap is one of these precious books. The one she is holding is not the Phoenix Index, but a silver and green book with a hard cover.

Out of the three remnants of Dabnod that she owns, this is the one that she looks at the least. Within the pages are not just words, but images of home. Violet fields, expansive oceans, villages built from rose stone and obsidian, the Palace, each of these places are shown here. They aren't paintings or illustrations, either. Each picture shown in this book is a photograph, and every time Damiana flips through the pages, she can feel both of her hearts shattering. Viewing the photos is such a sweet sorrow. Many of the memories that go with these places are happy, yet an unparalleled ache rises in her chest when she realizes that all of it is gone.

Five years have passed. She is a different person now than she was then. She is stronger, bolder, braver, and smarter. Not to mention that she has Adriel again. With these factors combined, it seems like the pain should go away. Yet, it doesn't. As she stares at a photograph of the Dabnodian Palace, a photograph filled with Knights, Scribes, and glimmering Courtiers, the pain hits her fresh. It feels like it was only yesterday when she saw her planet explode from that escape pod. Somehow, the fact that she has Adriel again doesn't help, neither does the fact that she is different. When it comes down to it, she is on a foreign planet filled with beings who will never understand. Even if she confessed that she is an alien, they still wouldn't understand. Not a single human on Earth would be able to comprehend the pain she's feeling, neither would they attempt it.

An ache panging through her chest that won't go away, Damiana flips the page so that she is looking at a picture of a Dabnodian sunset. Such a marvelous combination of teals, pinks, and silver. It's much too sad that she will never see it again—

Suddenly, before she can view the image for a moment longer, loud knocking sounds off from the other side of the door. Along with knocking comes the sound of a familiar voice.

"Hey, Leila? Is it okay if I come in? It's Roy."

Closing her book and shoving it back in her bag, Damiana is unable to refrain from rolling her eyes. How did she know that he would show up? Psychic abilities must be a side-effect of hot baths.

Shoving her bag under the bed, the girl grants him a snarky retort. "Wow? It's Roy standing outside my door? I never would've guessed. For some reason, I thought it was the muffin man."

The irritation in his tone, as slight as it is, is impossible to miss. "Come on, Leila. Don't be sarcastic with me. I came to apologize. Can you please let me in?"

Resuming her upright position, Damiana faces the door as though it is Roy's face. "I told you earlier that I don't want to talk. What part of 'leave me alone' is hard for you to understand?"

The unseen redhead releases a groan. "And what part of 'I came to apologize' is hard for you to understand?" His voice softening, he continues with sincerity. "I really am sorry, okay? I shouldn't have brought up the hair. You don't like showing it to people, and I was out of line by mentioning it. You put a lot of effort into hiding it, so I should've known that my knowing about it would bother you."

Once he is through speaking, Damiana doesn't respond. She continues staring at the door, mesmerized. What mesmerizes her aren't his words, but his tone of voice.

As he's talking about her hair, Roy does it in a fashion that is so…casual. Now that she thinks about it, he even sounded casual about it in the restaurant. He knows that her hair changes color, and more than likely, he is aware that her eyes change color, too. He has probably been aware of this since yesterday afternoon. Yet, he doesn't act freaked out by it. True, there has been that odd, curious, stare that he has been giving her, but nothing about it says that he thinks she's weird.

She has strange hair and eyes that change color! Doesn't that freak him out?

The fear that Damiana felt back at the restaurant and while soaking in the bathtub is gone. It has completely drained away, as if somebody pulled a plug. The only thing left is surprise, and along with it, curiosity.

False green orbs wider than disks, the girl stands up from the bed and moves toward the door. Before she can comprehend exactly what she's doing, she throws it open in order to face Roy. When they are no longer separated by the white-washed wooden plank, he appears stunned to say the least.

Emerald locking onto emerald, she makes a blunt statement.

"You know about my hair, and you know about my eyes."

By this point brown-flecked eyes are puzzled as much as stunned. Not releasing her gaze for an instant, he answers with caution. It's as if he is afraid that the slightest misstep will bring the barrier of the door between them once more. Which, truthfully, is probably his exact fear.

"Yes. I know, because I saw your hair. It would make sense that your eyes do the same thing."

A long moment passes. During that moment, all she does is stare at him. Roy's facial expression grows more bewildered with every passing second. The only time his confusion seems to ebb is when Damiana resumes speaking.

Pointing an index finger in his direction, she says, "You know, and it doesn't freak you out."

Before Roy can do so much as nod, the girl reaches out and grabs onto his elbow. Yanking him by the arm, she pulls him into the room and slams the door shut. It is only after securing the lock that she continues.

"You know that my hair and eyes change color. More than that, they change color with my emotions! When I'm sad, they're one color, and then something can make me happy and the colors change. For every emotion I feel, there is a color to match. I'm a walking piece of mood jewelry!"

It is here that Damiana hesitates. It is the longest moment of hesitation that Damiana has ever taken in her life. Based on the expression of massive shock on Roy's face, this is very possibly the lengthiest pause of his own life. One of her hands hovering in the air, at a place between her left eye and falling back to her side, the two stand firmly in place in a silent deadlock. As this moment passes, Damiana questions if she is really going to do it. Along with this, she questions why she would do it, and wonders just how crazy spending time with the Titans is turning her.

Then, in a display that would make Adriel applaud, her fingertips make the rest of the journey to her left eye. All reason, logic, and previous arguments vanish, as does her left contact lens which flies across the room. It lands on the carpeting somewhere beside the nightstand, and for the first time in her life, Damiana doesn't care where it's at. The only thing she cares about is Roy, who stands in front of her gaping.

Pointing at her unveiled eye, she continues from where she left off.

"Look at this! I'm not sure what color it is right now, but I know that it isn't normal! I had my contacts out earlier while I was taking a bath, and they were pitch black at one point because I was scared. Then I was sad, and they turned gray. Later if you make me angry, they'll turn midnight blue." Pausing, she exclaims, "How does this not freak you out?!"

Roy doesn't respond right away. He gapes at her widely, drinking in the sight of her single unobscured eye. When he finally speaks, much to Damiana's amazement, a smile crosses his face. It isn't a smug smirk or a teasing grin. Instead, the smile he wears is one of pure happiness. It feels like both of her hearts are warmed through at the sight of it.

"Pink," he says simply. Brown flecks practically dancing, he adds, "A few seconds ago, it was green. Not green like mine, but bright, popping, neon green. Right now, your eye is pink. Not hot pink, but light pink. I'm not sure if different shades mean anything, so I thought I would be specific."

It is only after he is through that Damiana raises her hand again, removing her right contact and flicking it across the room in the same manner as the left one. Every bit as surprised as she was before, Damiana stares at him widely as she repeats her question.

"Again, just in case you're deaf, how does this not freak you out?!"

Roy responds without hesitation. "Honestly, there really isn't much to be freaked out by. Is this surprising? Absolutely. The average person doesn't have color-changing hair and eyes, so of course it's surprising. But just so you know, surprising and weird aren't the same thing. It's like I told you back at the restaurant. Your hair and eyes make you different, but they don't make you a freak."

Their eyes connect again, and all of a sudden, Damiana feels both hearts thudding. Not with fear, but with a mixture of happiness and disbelief. She never thought that she would see this happen. Roy does not think that her hair and eyes are weird!

As quickly as her happiness appears, however, it is replaced by the age-old enemy that she has been facing ever since first coming to Earth; fear.

When Roy first reaches for her arm, she hasn't the slightest clue what he's doing. She thinks that it might be a kind gesture, or that maybe he is going to tell her to put her contacts back in so they can go somewhere. They spoke of going to the amusement park back at the pizza parlor, after all.

Even when he pulls her closer and brings her forearm up to eye-level, she still doesn't know what he's doing. The only time she figures it out is when he extends his pointer finger and runs it over the inside part of her wrist. Holding her arm at a flat angle so both of them can see, she watches in full view as he traces over her veins. Not the blue veins connected to the heart that transport blood, but a pair of orange veins; the veins that are attached to the heart controlling her energy.

What he says next horrifies Damiana to the core.

"The things that I know about you don't freak me out. Not even a little bit. And since we're done beating around the bush, I know a lot more than you think I do."

A/N: As sad as I am to say it, that's all for now. Don't worry, though, because this isn't the end. Roy's and Damiana's confrontation will continue into the next chapter. Not only that, but within another chapter or two, Robin, Starfire, and Saeran are going to get involved. The only reason I didn't bring them in earlier was because I wanted to introduce Adriel first, and because I wanted Roy to learn the truth before Damiana meets her brother. Things are going to get a lot more interesting very soon, so stay tuned!

Also, a quick question, what are everybody's thoughts on Part Three so far? While I am very thankful for the few people who have been leaving reviews, I still haven't been getting a whole lot of feedback. Because of this, I am at a loss for what the majority of readers are thinking...

Even if it is short, please leave a review. I would love to hear your thoughts!

Until next time. :)

Forever and Always,

~OCQ