Disclaimer: By this means, I rightfully claim ownership to this fanfiction story and my original character within it, by my trademark signature T.M.O at the conclusion of every update. Any other characters that may appear in this work and are new, these are the rightful properties by their creators as well and cannot be reproduced, or duplicated without their individual consent. I do not own anything within the DC Universe, from Warner Brothers, or on Cartoon Network. The only original character and the name that I created for him; that I accept half ownership on is Falcon from this telling. Scififanfreak222 owns the second half of him as well, for drawing him upon a collaboration of various new designs and sketches within the year of 2010; and cannot be knowingly placed into another literary document, writing community, comic book series, and or televised broadcast without either of our written or verbal consent in front of legal consultants. TheForceIsStrongWithThisOne, Scififanfreak222, xSaffire55x, Novus Ordo Seclorum, and RavenxIsxAxBlackxRose; each of these fellow writers have helped me to press onwards with this story, every-time I have come across writers block. Without their outstanding guidance, the updates would have taken me even longer to complete.
Chapter 15 is here! An uneasy loss is revealed, a young nurse confronts a peculiar obstacle, while a deep awareness for truth brings doubts to Beast Boy. "Fire in the heart sends smoke into the head." -German Proverb-
Chapter 15 - Unsettling Elucidations
"Well, here we are. Back at Titans Tower." Raven said as the black bubble she used from her Telekinetic Teleportation ability, evaporated around her and Starfire. Her thick hood was removed, and her luscious A-Line hairstyle swayed in the breeze.
Starfire bowed her head, a terrible weight of grief from within her was clearly making her look and sound depressed. "Yes, but something does not feel . . . in place."
"We just had a tough fight with Slade." Raven soothingly rubbed the backside of her neck. "You're injured, Beast Boy is injured, and we still haven't received any intel on Falcon."
Starfire began to stroke her sore left leg, as the pain came and went in random spasms. "Yes." The Tamaranean Princess sighed. "It was indeed a fierce battle."
The sound of water creeping into the sandy beach, was within earshot of the female heroes. The Empath had transported them from the heart of the metropolis to the far end of it, yet she did not appear exhausted or out of breath.
"Raven." Starfire said while looking up from the ground.
The gray Enchantress turned to face her ally; "Yes?"
"I never truly noticed the calmness of our home, until now." She closed her eyes. "Can you . . . can you feel it?"
Raven looked left and then right, scanning her surroundings to try and observe what her teammate was prattling on about.
"I think . . ." Raven rasped. "I think it's because we are always too busy, running off to save the city that we never really slow down for a moment."
"But you understand this feeling, like I do?"
The blue cloaked Empath smirked. "Yeah. I do feel the quietness, the tranquility when I meditate."
For the ride back to their home, the two girls did not say a single word to each-other. They were contemplating over the events that had transpired, and it held their entire focus. It was only when they were back on the shore of their little island, when the reality of their sacrifices was gradually becoming understood; that both girls froze to admire the beauty of the new day.
Raven felt in her heart, that the main reason behind Starfire bringing this up now, was only to delay the inevitable outcome that she feared was about to be explained. The moment when Cyborg splintered off to secretly meet with Robin was skeptical enough, where the radio silence between him and them was yet another omen.
Starfire was so used to keeping her concerns in check, as her attractive smile and pleasing input blocked her deeper feelings quiet well, but Raven was very adjusted to each of her teammates. There were tiny signs of discomfort which Starfire was giving off, where the most obvious was in her way she reacted to being back home, and the constant rubbing of her sore lower limb.
"Strange." Starfire gently spoke. "For as long as we have lived here, I have yet to partake in a sunbathing at the beach."
Raven's left eyebrow popped slightly higher than her right. "We'll have to do something about that then, won't we?"
The two girls looked at each-other and smiled.
Raven was the first to break the silence between them, with a chuckle. "Another day, perhaps."
"Agreed."
"Right now, we have to get to the bottom of a some key issues." Raven resumed her focus back at Titans Tower. This caused Starfire to look in the same direction, and the agonizing dread slowly began to fester within them once more.
Raven pushed the wheelchair up the sloping zigzagging path, that led them from the shore, to the entrance of their home. The greenery became more visible the higher they climbed, as the warmth from the sunlight parted through the puffy clouds.
Starfire expressed a large grin in an effort to cheer up her companion, as the cloaked Enchantress that pushed the chair, was entirely focused on the sight of the big doors.
"Raven."
"Hmm."
"What do you think Slade wanted of friend Beast Boy?"
Raven stopped dead in her tracks, but only for a short moment to allow herself to expel the old air from her lungs.
"I don't know." Raven gripped the metallic handles a little tighter. "But we will get to the bottom of this, I can promise you that."
"Right." Starfire said with some of her usual confidence returning to her voice. "I am also curious, as to what Robin has uncovered in his own struggle last night."
"I am curious to learn about that too." Raven said as she brushed a hand through her silk smooth hair. "But my main concern above that, is what reason is Terra doing back, and why was she at the dam?"
"Raven." Starfire blinked after speaking her friend's name, as her smirk had evaporated into a serious frown. "I don't know where things will go. I . . . I just don't know what we are going to do."
The gray Empath nodded her head prior to speaking. "It is a new day, we will just have to take things one small step at a time."
"Right."
They entered the lobby within Titans Tower, where the long couches and furniture was dispersed across opposite ends, to allow a pathway towards the elevators. Magazines and newspapers were stacked upon a circular table, by a section of some fancy cushioned seats.
The ceiling lights turned on from the motion sensors built into the room, where the renowned insignia of the giant letter 'T' painted in a gold color, encircled by a ring where the background was dark blue, became even more visible.
"I forget how quiet things can be around here." Raven's voice echoed in the large hall, making the pair feel like they were in a cave.
Starfire grinned. "It is most wonderful to have returned to our home. Where do you think Robin and Cyborg are now?"
"Cyborg is probably tinkering in the garage, getting his T-Car cleaned and fixed from the scuffle last night."
"Oh."
"Where I'm guessing Robin is probably brewing in his room, going over everything."
Just then, the main elevator that they were standing in front of, past the final pillars and couches suddenly captured their attention. The white glowing letters and numbers over the top of the doors turned on, and the lift started to rise from the hanger area, built deep into the base of the island, where a variety of vehicles were stored such as Robin's R-Cycle, Beast Boy's B-Ped, and Cyborg's T-Car.
A tiny ding was heard for each of the few floors that had been passed, where the screen over the top now showed 'L' and it came to a halt. The doors parted in the middle and a towering figure was leaning inside a corner of the elevator, where his head was arched down and his focus was drawn to the ground.
"Cyborg!" Starfire gleefully cheered his name as she spotted him.
Raven's right eyebrow bobbed upwards, there was something unusual about his posture and crossed arms over his chest, as he had one leg pressed against the wall. All of these things revealed that he was in one of his sour moods.
"Starfire, Raven." The team mechanic acknowledged them, while his eyes still did not meet theirs. "Welcome home."
"So." The Empath replied. "I take it that you were busy with repairs to your car?"
This statement brought his attention up to her immediately. The black oil smeared across his cheeks and arms, the tiredness in his eyes, the scratches and dings that were not present when last they spoke in the hospital waiting room, all of these things revealed that as soon as he was home, he had to find something to work on.
With the horrific onslaught that his prized vehicle had gone through, as soon as he arrived at the Jump City Dockyards, the biggest concern for him was getting it fixed and cleaned. A meticulous task, but one which he had learned to get better at every time.
"I tell ya, this hero thing has its limits." Cyborg groaned as he rubbed the back of his neck. "For a while I've been pretty eager to chat with our dear old friends over at Titans East, and I've wanted to pick their brains about their latest member jumping ship."
"Jinx." Starfire spoke up, allowing the trio to reflect upon the mysterious turncoat. "I am positive that there is a completely rational explanation, for her doing what she did."
Cyborg glanced from her hand clasped along his right forearm, and he squinted his eye. "She damaged my car, and put you in that chair! She teamed up with Slade, Starfire. You can't get much more evil than that!"
"Let's get to the Infirmary. We can discuss things there." Raven interjected as she wheeled her sister teammate into the elevator. She became a much needed barrier between her two friends.
Cyborg stepped forwards and blocked them.
"Hey, what gives?" Raven interjected.
"Is Falcon not within the medical bay?" asked Starfire.
The team mechanic's human eye flashed open. "We're going to the Ops Room." Cyborg removed his arm from disrupting their path. "Everything will be explained up there."
The Tamaranean Princess looked up at the Gray Sorceress, and they exchanged nods, confirming their worst concerns prior to entering their home.
"Alright." Raven rasped, and the two cautiously entered.
He pressed the button allowing the doors to close. During their ride, the soft music that played in the background was eerie almost, where the heroes knew without saying anything out loud, that things were off to a pretty rocky start.
"So." Cyborg began talking as he looked up. "How's BB doing?"
Raven's lower lip twitched as she glanced away. After taking a brief pause for air to ease her boiling anxieties, the sorceress pressed on with the discussion.
"The doctor said that he's stable." Raven looked at the large technological expert. "However, we won't know just how extensive his injuries are, or how long until he will be able to rejoin our ranks."
"Well that's something." Cyborg sighed. "In fact, it's some of the best news I've heard all morning."
"Cyborg." Starfire twiddled with her fingers over her lap. "What happened to Falcon?"
Once again, that uncomfortable silence gripped them and it twisted their stomachs within the cramped little elevator. Their ride had suddenly come to a stop, and the black teenager's shoulders dropped a few inches lower, as he moved away from the wall.
"Come." Cyborg replied. "He's waiting."
The two heroines turned to look at one another, and they expressed tired confusion after hearing their co-captain saying this.
I knew it. I knew something was wrong, from the moment he met us. Raven said in her mind.
The group steadily made their way to the center of the room, down the steps and over to the curved sofa. The whiff of circulated air, the designs along the walls and floor brought a sense of tranquility, if only for a brief moment or two.
Cyborg departed from them, where he walked over to the glass window facing their extensive city, as Starfire and Raven remained alongside the center gold colored table.
"Where are they?" Starfire politely asked again, as their escort had his back turned. Only his reflection was spotted.
The technological expert pressed his right arm against the glass, where he slammed a fist into the sturdy material.
"Cyborg." Raven's all too familiar gravelly voice, caused him to peer over his shoulder. Now she was standing beside him with her hand upon his shoulder. "Where is he?"
"Pshhh." The male Titan answered in a gruff snarl, his voice slowly trailed off to decibels above a whisper. "It just doesn't make any damned sense, not anymore."
"I know that it's not easy, being in your position." Raven replied softly. "But we are all going through this, together."
"Together." Starfire chimed in.
Cyborg shifted his human eye at them both, prior to speaking. A tear was forming, but he kept it down. "Together."
Starfire wheeled herself closer to them, the internal pain and torment could no longer be held in check, where all parties were prepared to accept whatever struggle was bound to hit them.
"Cyborg, what exactly did Robin and you talk about?" Raven began the conversation, it was quite apparent that a piece of her just wanted to get this over with.
The half-robot half-human teenager, shifted his attention away from the city they protected to his own reflection once more. "It was hard, coming here when all I wanted to do was to go to the train station."
"We know." Starfire said.
"Then why did you come here?" asked Raven.
The gear-head unleashed a heavy sigh from his lungs. "We can't all do what we want when we want. Sacrifices are made, demanding struggles need resolutions."
"Cyborg." The blue cloaked sorceress jumped back in. "What happened?"
The mechanic slowly turned as the intensive wear of sleep deprivation was all too visible, from the morning sun pouring into the room. Raven could still feel the dirt and grime clinging to her from their mission, and she wanted to take a hot shower.
"Please friend." Starfire said, "If Falcon is not in the medical bay, and Robin is not here . . . then where have they gone to?"
Just then, the main doors were heard swooshing open. In stepped Robin, and everybody turned to look at their brave and heroic leader. Starfire beamed a heart-felt smile at him, Raven kept her always stoic frown in check, as Cyborg's face wrinkled from his now potent anger.
"You're here." Robin said with his head partially tilted. "Now we're together."
"Robin!" Starfire gleefully called to him.
"Not all of us." Cyborg quietly hissed, he was careful not to be overheard by the loving couple that was reunited.
The Tamaranean Princess wheeled herself towards Robin, and as she embraced her beau in an overly affectionate hug, he gently pushed her away. The look he gave was of despondency, and her expression of happiness to see him slowly altered to despair.
"Well, how nice of you to finally drop on in with us Robin." Raven chided their intrepid captain, as he and Starfire remained at one end of the room, as the Empath and Cyborg were standing at the other end.
"I'm sorry about that." Robin repudiated. "There were other matters that required my attention, but now that you both are here, we can finally move forwards."
Out of the corner of her left eye, the gray Empath noticed Cyborg acting in an irritated fashion in response to this.
"When last we spoke, you gave us rather specific instructions." Raven said as she resumed her focus onto The Boy Wonder.
"I did." Robin deadpanned.
"We did as we were ordered, now then . . . where is Falcon?"
The team leader's lower lip twitched, and he partially turned his body away. "This was never going to be easy. But now that you are here . . . there is no escaping it."
Starfire turned her head back and forth from her beloved, towards her other two close friends.
"Robin." Starfire clasped her hands together. "What is there no escape from, what are you trying to tell us?"
"Isn't it obvious?" Cyborg belted into the conversation. "You know Star, heck we all knew it the moment he put this entire thing together!"
While the team's computer expert threw his arms into the air, Robin ignored this outburst and he walked over to the kitchen counter, and he picked up a folded piece of what appeared to be a blanket. As he returned to the sofa, Raven made a startling discovery as the crimson color, and hood attached to it, this piece of garb belonged to their most recent addition.
"What . . . what is that?" Raven stuttered.
A small lump moved in Robin's throat.
"No." Starfire whispered as she saw what her comrades were taking notice to.
"This-" Robin said, "This is what I needed you all to be here for, to tell you the story of what happened."
Robin unfurled the garb, the long red cloak that belonged to their sixth teammate had new holes and rips scattered about it. Blood stains could be observed being dark blots, splashed here and there.
Raven approached him and grasped the smooth fabric between her fingers. There was a new hush that had steadily built between everybody, where the Empath closed her eyes as the revelation of this gesture was finally enough, to draw her own conclusions.
"Falcon's cloak." Raven stated, as her heart beat faster and louder, echoing within her eardrums.
"But Raven if that is here, then that must mean-" said Starfire.
"Falcon didn't make it." Cyborg was heard behind them all, interrupting her.
The Boy Wonder simply let the outer attire fall into Raven's hands. He turned and kept his back to the rest of his family, where his allies were distraught with pure horror and frustration, at this dastardly truth now being realized.
As their leader, it was his duty to be strong for the rest of his team, to keep a clear and focused mind-set when all things could go wrong, and when there was nowhere left for the others to find a moral compass. It was Robin's driving purpose to see things through to the end.
"I did what needed to be done." The Dark Knight's apprentice found his courage, and he spoke with confidence as his tone did not waver once. "There is no point in sugar coating the facts, we are heroes and we all understand the risks involved. Falcon was no different."
"Bull-spit! Don't give us that line!" Cyborg barked. "You know damned well what was at stake, and you went after Slade!"
"So what if I did?" Robin spun around to lock his focus onto the co-captain. "We set out to save the city, and it has been saved. Don't think for a second that I wouldn't change my mind on this, given the chance, I would do it exactly the same!"
Cyborg stepped forwards. "How can you say that? Falcon is DEAD!"
Silence gripped hold over everybody, and Starfire trembled in her wheelchair. Raven felt her knees buckle, where hers and the Tamaranean Princess's eyes fought the waterworks about to cascade down their cheeks.
"He's gone Robin." The gear-head continued. "Now, don't tell me if you could have done something differently, you wouldn't have. Any one of us would have! Hell, I was willing to run and assist him the instant I was done at the prison!"
"Yet you forget Cyborg. If you went after Falcon, who could have gotten to Starfire and disarmed the explosives when she herself was injured?"
"But you made a promise Robin." Raven's crackling voice cut-in. "You vowed that Falcon would be assisted, when your debacle was done with."
"And I upheld it."
"Did you?" Cyborg jumped right back in.
"There are two things you continue to ignore Cyborg." Robin interlocked his arms before continuing. "Blatantly or otherwise too full of yourself as an up and coming leader, I don't know or care to know. First of all, the crisis was forcing our hands. You were contesting with the prison break, Raven was dealing with Dr. Light at the Power Plant, Beast Boy hadn't even arrived at the dam, and Starfire was chasing Jinx."
"So what if we were divided, my plan was to get to him right away!"
Robin asked: "How big is Jump City Cyborg?"
"Why does it matter?"
"It should matter a great deal." Robin puffed out the stale air from his lungs before continuing. "That is reason two. We were too far separated that the closest and most logical person, to try any effort to check on him, was me."
"Yet you decided to go on a wild pursuit of Red X." said Cyborg. "In the hopes of maybe, possibly leading you to Slade. How did that turn out for you?"
Robin bowed his head, as he clenched his tightly squeezed fists. "My actions saved this city. We as a team saved it!"
Cyborg shook his head. "Yet you did not save Falcon. You chose to keep us going after the explosives, you made the calls for us to tackle, and you were the deciding factor in our actions. All of it lies on your shoulders!"
"Of course it does!" Robin angrily countered. "As the leader, I know more than any of you about the burden, the fears and doubts that keep me up at night. Oh yes Cyborg, I am fully aware."
Silence.
The Titan's captain breathed in to calm himself, prior to continuing. "Before you go making accusations about the true cost, and operations of the group as a whole, or of me, perhaps you should understand the weight of a dear friend's pending death, hanging over you the entire time you make any small decision! If you are so determined to be leader, yet unwilling to make the tough calls, then you are just a stubborn, spoiled child!"
"You failed him Robin! You failed us as the trust we placed in you is no longer there!"
"You think you can be leader?"
"I can do a heck of a better job than you!"
"You wouldn't make it one day."
"Humph. Your arrogance has blinded you on your high-perch. Don't you remember that I led the Titans East!"
"ENOUGH!" Raven's voice crashed through the fierce bickering, and the Waring parties became suddenly docile. "If Slade were here, he wouldn't need to throw a bomb or dilemma our way, we are already at each-other's throats!"
"Raven is correct." Starfire said. "We can not allow ourselves to break apart. Not when we most need to stick together."
Robin felt his head lower as the burning fuse to this explosive argument had abated, and the grief of Falcon's passing crashed upon him. In not realizing what he was stepping into, he silently accepted the notion of his brashness, as a weakness and not a strength.
Cyborg observed this very feeling as well, where his over-eagerness to take the reins by force, would only lead to further heart-ache and mistrust between him and his allies.
"Falcon's death, is more than one person's burden to carry." Raven found her voice again. "Deep down . . . I feared this was the reality of our situation, and like a child, I chose to believe it was not so. But we can not run from things, we can not ignore the sacrifices we must embrace, I shall carry this grief with me. Always."
"As will I." Cyborg replied.
"And I." Starfire said next as her voice trembled.
"Always." Robin's voice trailed off slightly, as he was the last to respond.
Raven brought their fallen teammate's cloak up to her nose, and she sniffed in the aroma to bring forth any memories she could. Images of the group laughing in this very room, of Falcon grinning and passing a sudden quip at Beast Boy, rushed through her brain.
A few tears trickled down her pale face, where the sadness of his loss broke through her impenetrable wall. As she wiped it away she revealed a half-smirk, as even those few days which he was with them, and he may have caused more of a head-ache than he had intended too, there were moments of an actual friendship being embraced.
"This whole thing stinks to high-heaven." said Cyborg, as he scratched the back of his bald head.
Robin stood in front of him. "I know you are angry with me. I don't hold that against you, where we are only effective when we are united."
"Agreed." Raven deadpanned.
Cyborg shifted his focus from Raven, then back to Robin. "And what exactly are you saying?"
"This whole thing with Falcon, it brings up a similar issue with Terra." Robin placed his hand onto Cyborg's shoulder. "Don't you see, that this is exactly what Slade wants!"
The black teenager pondered over this statement, and he stroked his chin. "I'm not a fool Robin, of course I understand that this is a part of a much bigger strategy."
"Then it is finished." answered Robin. "Until this business with Slade is complete, you'll fight alongside me, and not jump against me every step of the way."
Cyborg looked down at the outstretched hand, it was a gesture of camaraderie and an attempt to rekindle the link that had been broken. As he blinked, he felt the eyes of all his teammates on him, waiting enviously to see this overdrawn quarrel put to rest.
"It doesn't seem like I have a choice in this." Cyborg clasped his and Robin's arms tightly in a powerful embrace. "But, as much as you want to bring Slade down for all he's done, he and I have a score to settle."
Starfire and Raven breathed in a deep sigh of relief, as their male teammates made a truce. While the leader and co-captain had found that their allegiance against a common enemy bound them once again, the unspoken reality was that once this mountain, this great obstacle had been overcome, in all likelihood the recurring splinters of which Alpha-Male of their group was better suited to command them, would soon force them to go their separate ways.
"We will overcome this." interjected Starfire. "For Falcon."
"All of Jump City is depending on us." Raven replied.
Robin turned and faced the long window, as his teammates were rallying to bring the full weight of justice, to their greatest enemy.
Cyborg pumped a fist into the air. "I swear by all I hold dear, that I'll fight to the end of this."
Robin scanned the extensive skyline, searching for where the criminal mastermind's lair could be. In a whisper that only Raven heard he said; "To the very end."
A thin wisp of curved smoke, slowly arose from the warm cup of coffee residing upon a white napkin. The gentle scent continued sneaking upwards, dissipating into the air as it traveled beyond the young girl's beautiful nose.
The hot liquid helped a great deal to ease the discomfort of the long night, while the blur of her vision and the aches in her body gradually escaped her. After taking a slurp, the sluggish state she was in had all but dissipated.
The ripples in the drink were bouncing up and down, inside of the foam container, as she used a straw to stir the mixture into a small vortex. Her captivating blue eyes glanced to the warm liquid before her, and she became hypnotized by the image within the cup, spinning into the ever deepening hole that she had created.
After spending time with Gretchen in the peaceful garden, Elizabeth had decided to continue with her main purpose, and so she left her little companion, and was back inside the hospital. She was ready to meet her father, yet he was in a conference at the moment with other high ranking doctors, and he was not to be disturbed.
The fourteen-year-old sat in a chair within his office, as the creaking of the rickety seat began to steadily annoy her.
"This place is so neat and tidy." Elizabeth remarked as she spun in the stool. "He really likes to keep things organized."
She slowly sat up as a picture caught her attention, and she leaned over to pick it up. In the photograph, she noticed a young man with a dark brown hair and wearing glasses, with his arm wrapped around a young beautiful woman with long black hair, and both people were smiling.
The photograph had a story of its own, and Elizabeth gently released a sigh from her body, as she mused over fleeting memories of her childhood.
"How am I doing now?" The attractive teenage girl questioned out-loud, as she slightly looked up to the ceiling.
She placed the picture back down onto the counter, and she leaned back into the chair, propping her legs onto the desk with one foot over the other. She continued to sip her coffee, relaxing her spine from the work-load.
The shadow of a man approached the blinds hanging over the door window, and the doorknob turned. Elizabeth spun in the chair expecting to see the person that this room belonged to, but as the light was turned on, there was a different face that appeared.
"Fancy seeing you here." The twenty-six-year-old male nurse said, as he rubbed the back of his neck.
Elizabeth rolled her eyes, as she spun in the chair. "Jefferson, why am I not surprised?"
The older man grinned, prior to speaking again. "You're a whipper-snapper, aren't you?"
"I call it how I see it." She turned in a circle while tilting her head back, and her vision became flipped. "So where's the other guy?"
"Chris, oh, he finished for the day and he went home." He stood in the doorway with a hand behind his neck. "Last thing he said, was something about having enough of a fill for one night and he had to get a beer."
"You two are almost inseparable. From the moment I got here, there you two were. Quite the odd pair." Elizabeth quickly slapped her left leg against the side of the table, and she looked up. "What's the deal between you two anyway?"
Jefferson Stims shrugged his shoulders before walking over. "Well, he's been here longer than me, and he's been a good mentor." He picked up a different picture on the desk, scanned it and revealed a confused look. "So, you're Mr. Jackson's daughter?"
"Why do you sound so shocked?"
"Huh." He placed it back down. "You don't look like him. You're father I mean."
After taking another sip, she stared deeply into her drink. "So, is the meeting over yet?"
"Oh, yes. That's the reason I came down here anyway. To come and get you."
Elizabeth ruffled with her hair a little bit. "Ugh. Why he doesn't just come down here himself is beyond me."
As she stood out of the chair and grabbed her black shoulder bag, Jefferson methodically stroked his chin. "He's a man of rituals and rigid format."
"I know."
"He's been aware of you still being here, ever since you landed in the helicopter."
"Which was hours ago."
"True, but he was very busy. He has a big reputation, and it tends to cause a stir of things between the higher-ups."
"That's my old man for you." She neatly shifted the pictures back in their original places upon the desk. "He never leaves his post until the job is done."
"That is quiet an attribute to have."
"Yeah." She pulled at the strap to her bag. "Stubbornness is something we are quiet well known for."
"That's a noble trait too." Jefferson stepped aside as she approached him. "When I was your age, heck, playing with friends and getting the girls was all I focused on."
"Shocker." Elizabeth sarcastically whipped back.
"I'm serious. I mean my grades were sub-par, and I didn't really have a drive for anything other than the moment."
The teenager quietly nodded her head. "Most people only care about the here and now, not really thinking about down the road."
"Right."
The two walked down the corridor towards the elevator, and they patiently waited alongside a doctor in a lab coat, an old man grasping a cane wearing a trench coat, while also donning a fedora, and two young medical interns with clipboards beneath their arms.
The two younger men talked to each other in a corner, the doctor was content at staring at his smart-phone, as the old man silently stared at the top of the doorway, watching the various levels pass on by.
"How is it working for my old man?" Elizabeth asked while staring ahead.
"I don't have any complaints." Jefferson looked up as his hands were tucked in his pant pockets. "He's persistent with things, almost to the point of being a perfectionist."
She grinned as the ding revealed that their ride was here. "Sounds about right."
"Do you guys have German heritage?"
"Yes." She squeezed her way through the group of other people that had gathered around them.
"Thought so." He followed her closely as they stood next to each other. "I have some of that in me too, on my mother's side."
Elizabeth breathed in through her nose, as the increasingly cramped space was intolerable. She felt like a sardine while more strangers poured in.
"My father has some Italian and Lithuanian stock." He continued speaking. "I guess you could say, that I'm pretty much a mutt of Central Europe."
"Technically, most people are."
"Yeah, that's a good point."
She shook her head, as the conversation was dull but it did ease the tension she was feeling right now. Having gone from saving a life after crawling through the wreckage at the train station was one thing, yet the unspoken fear of being stuck in this little metal box, dangling precariously in a shaft with no way of getting out, that was a nightmare scenario she always felt could happen to her one day.
"You okay?" He asked as he observed that her head was bowed.
"I'll be fine." The lift came to a jerking halt, and the doors opened. "Where to now?"
He signaled her to follow him. "This way."
They pressed on, down another hallway as the other people in the elevator, waited for the doors to seal behind them. Elizabeth focused on the male nurse's backside as he lead the way.
"Do you want to know what I find most amusing with just about everybody I talk with?" He asked while partially tilting his head over his shoulder.
"That they all find your observations quiet dull?"
"Nope." He chuckled. "It's that everybody wants to be treated normal. Everybody chooses to accept that there are normal people in the world, but from the things I gather . . . nobody is."
"Uh-huh. Funny how the world works, when the average person desperately struggles to be something that they know they never can be." Elizabeth waited and stared at a beautiful woman hunkered over a bed of a small child, weeping. "It's a strange thing about human nature, to envy things. What other people have, that we ourselves wish to obtain."
Jefferson Stims did not expect to have this sort of deep conversation with a teenage girl, and he sensed a spark in her spirit that he was drawn to. It was something that revealed more about her, than only the basic medical help she provided.
"So then, what do you want?" He asked.
She shifted her captivating blue eyes away from the room, as the woman faced her. Her fingers tightened around the cup, and she sighed. "I guess . . . I need to find an answer."
"Don't we all?"
He began walking again, and she followed him. Their silhouettes clung to the white walls, while the voices of people and staff crept up around them.
"There is a reason I may give off a vibe of a cold shoulder." She spoke in a soft tone. "I just don't like talking about myself. Do you get me?"
"Yeah. I think so."
"Good." She finished her drink and after passing a silver trash bin, she approached it and placed the cup into the container. "Let's keep going."
"Perhaps we should reintroduce ourselves?"
She placed a hand over her chin, and she shook her head. "I think I see why your buddy left when he did. He's the smart one."
"Oh . . . ?"
"Some people can be the Chatty-Cathy type."
"Clearly."
"Where I'm sure you and others of that creed get along just fine."
"I try to get along with all kinds of people."
She revealed a glare of impatience and frustration at him. "I'm not one of them."
"Oh."
A calm silence had befallen them, and the propulsion in their confab had suddenly died out. He shrugged his shoulders and winked at her.
"I like the silence, of being away from people and things; and I kind of prefer not having to talk. No offense."
"None taken." he shrugged his upper torso.
A hush had befallen them.
"Well?" Elizabeth asked.
"Well what?"
"Aren't you going to lead me to where we need to go?"
He slapped his forehead, emphasizing his point. "But of course! Right this way."
Silence.
"Did I come off too strong or something?" he asked, while scratching his neatly groomed brown hair.
"I already told you, that I don't like talking about myself."
"Yeah, I got that." Jefferson tapped his chin with his index finger. "Then perhaps I should break the ice by going over things of my past."
Elizabeth rolled her eyes with obvious disdain. "That's not what I meant either."
"I know what you're thinking. How did a devilishly attractive, go-getting guy such as myself wind up in this hospital of all places, right?"
"I take it that it was a rhetorical question?" she rasped.
"Well, I never really fancied myself to anything other than the here and now, right in the instant gratification as I told you earlier."
"Forget I even asked." Elizabeth puffed, while keeping her eyes darting from room to room, spotting the patients and staff members doing their various jobs.
"But something changed in me." He took his right hand out from his pocket and grasped the air above him. "My brother . . . he needed some serious medical help."
Elizabeth's focus gradually lifted, to study the twenty-six-year-old. All of a sudden, things clicked in her brain and she felt compassion for him.
"See, I never thought I could do much but some of these extra credit classes I was taking, they suddenly dawned on me when I got to him." His lips quivered. "It was almost spontaneous, the entire thing. Pulling him out of the water, checking his vitals, doing the normal steps before I jumped to C.P.R."
"That must have been hard." Her blue eyes darted from his handsome face, back to her shoes.
"Yeah. I was pretty shaken-up." A lump moved in Jefferson's throat. "But it was my brother, of course I would do anything to save him."
"Anybody would."
"So, do you have any siblings?"
Elizabeth stopped, and her guide turned to notice that her mood was quickly darkened by this topic.
"I had . . . a brother." Elizabeth scratched her left elbow, to ease the stress from her spirit. It was something she did when she was nervous.
"I didn't mean to bring up sour memories or nothing." Jefferson stammered. "We're almost there, just a little further."
The teenager did not speak, as their journey was steady. As they went down another corridor, their quick walking speed began to slow down, and then finally they stopped. Jefferson Stims turned around and gestured with his thumb over his shoulder.
"You're old man is in room 274." The male nurse retracted his hand. "It's just ahead, the third door on your right."
"Third door on the right. Got-it." She passed him, and after taking a few steps she stopped and twirled around. "You know, you could have just told me what room he was in. You didn't have to actually walk me here."
He put his hands in his front pockets. "I figured you could use the company."
"More like you needed someone to talk to."
He smirked. "Guilty." He took a low and elegant bow. "It was a pleasure getting to meet you. We should do this again sometime."
"Don't hold your breath."
"Well, I can hold my breath for some time."
"Take care of yourself Jeff." She smiled and turned her back, then she gave a quick wave as she continued on with her journey.
Two tasks had been accomplished since she had arrived, yet the third was a challenge on its own. She knew that her father was quite a busy man, but trying to raise a teenager as independent and determined as Elizabeth positioned herself, a format of delicate guidance and rules quickly became the maneuvering battleground between them.
She was fourteen, she was rebellious and determined to doing things her way, while her father was clinging to the past, and he was still trying to acknowledge that she was growing from just his little girl, into an adult.
Beast Boy's hands were over his hips, as he kept his back to the dark and mysterious entity. His lips were closed, yet the familiar sharp lower tooth protruded upwards; and he just stood quietly on the verdant knoll, in the field of knee high-grass and weeds.
Directly behind him stood The Beast, concealed in long gray robes and partially enveloped by the mist.
Their discussion had brought a powerful silence between them, and the changeling was thinking over what his next action could be; where he only ran into more problems. The choices were difficult to pick, and he was desperately trying to stop himself from tumbling any deeper into the void.
"You must decide." The muscular cicerone remarked.
"This isn't fair!" Beast Boy turned around. "Why do I have to choose?"
"There are steps you must take. In life, there are certain doors that you must enter."
"This is heavy."
"Life is all about choices, you must take an active part or decisions will be made for you."
"That is force, not choice!"
"Ask yourself this then." The manifestation walked forwards. "Are you happy?"
"I don't have to stand for this." Beast Boy spread his arms out. "You are a piece of me, I'm in control of the things in my life, not the other way around!"
The cloaked figure took another step. "Are you happy?"
Beast Boy's eyes quivered. "I'm in charge of my own life, to let an emotion as vile and detestable as you run the show; to control me . . . that is never going to happen!"
"Yet you turned to me for help when confronted with the impossible, to secure your friend's life for you when all of your strength, all of your might and willpower had failed you." The Beast pointed a finger at the teenager. "Lest you forget all of the other moments of doubt and fear, that you did turn to me, then you clearly are an ignorant fool."
"And your point?" The Teen Titan hissed.
"A crucial time you turned my assistance away most recently, has caused the predicament you find yourself in; right in this very moment. I offered you my assistance when you were confronted with your greatest enemy, and you refused. You made the arrogant decision then as you have always done, and the repercussions speak volumes."
Beast Boy's eyelids lowered and he clenched his fists, yet he loosened his grip as he felt the presence of this manifestation suddenly standing a few feet in front of him. The hero raised his head, as he tried to locate a face of the hidden entity, but he saw only blackness and red eyes.
"Again I ask, not out of some contrived scheme to make you weaker but to awaken you to the truth. Are you happy?"
"No."
"Why do you think that is?"
"For as long as I can remember, I have placed trust in others." Beast Boy bit his lower lip. "But as I see the world now, there is only doubt and conflict with the very people; I have grown to call my friends and family."
The guide removed his hand. "You know what must be done Garfield, it is tearing you to pieces as the uncertainty and lies have only forced you to turn, to me. Do not be troubled, where Slade saw weakness, I see strength."
"Why is this happening?" The hero raised his right gloved hand and he studied it, while clenching his fingers tightly. "What can I do?"
"There is a story, it is of a fighter who is compelled to do the right thing and toss away all forms of power; as fear clouds his motives. Fear that he will become corrupted into the very thing, he set out to destroy."
Beast Boy grinned. "Nice story."
"A quest of the self, it is a journey of purging the soul from fear." The guide tilted his head. "You are on a path of fulfilling your very destiny."
"Ah. So the point arises."
"This is not some simple game." The cloaked figure kept his back straight and his posture firm. His voice swiftly became hostile with intent. "You, like the heroes of classic tales and legends must understand what I am offering."
Beast Boy stepped backwards, his heartbeat was thumping loudly as this discussion wrapped itself around his brain. It was like a vine of sharp thorns, that was strangling all avenues of escape.
"I'm not interested." Beast Boy rasped, as his confidence was steadily building.
The chaperone shook his head. "Perhaps I was wrong. I believed you were ready to embrace the truth of the situation, the future you are creating for your friends, yet you stubbornly refuse my offer at every critical juncture and impasse."
The wind steadily picked up around them, and their clothing was disarranged from the current of cool air, as they stood without speaking for a long time, upon opposing parts of the ridge.
"Tell me." Beast Boy began speaking; "You know as well as I do, that the true strength of a hero does not come from within him, rather it is the unbreakable will over even his own personal desires. His friends and family cheering him on, reminding him of his task. Isn't this true?"
"There is truth with your words." The menacing guide responded as he folded his hands together. "But you have overlooked what is right in front of you, and now we must circle back to it."
The changeling interlocked his arms over his chest, he was uncertain of what was going to transpire between this emotion which manifested as this cloaked wayward guide, and himself.
"You will never be satisfied." Beast Boy revealed a frustrated glare. "The real irony of this entire thing, is that you claim to stand for the best choice, and yet you offer nothing but a total barbarity and hatred to consume me!"
The chaperone growled like a feral hound, before talking. "If you are so determined to keep me locked away due to your fear of what I am capable of, then why is it, that I have never overstepped my intentions?"
The Teen Titan scowled with abhorrence at the manifestation. He could not offer any rebuttal in their debate, and his companion only drove this point across even stronger.
"Listen to what you yourself have even said. That you are deeply unhappy, that you allow me to fight for you in your worst times, but above all of these things, you are lost in where to turn for answers."
"I don't need a lecture." Beast Boy's voice crackled in its normal manner. "But, I do know when I'm beaten; and you've put me in a tough spot."
"What I am trying to make you see, is that all humans have willpower from friends and family to call upon. The unfortunate reality that you know to be unshakable, is that the cheering and compassion of your allies won't be enough to press on."
Beast Boy squinted his eyes. "What are you saying?"
"I am exposing the world that you have decided to ignore, the reality of your consequences; the failures that have forever marked you."
"I haven't abandoned anything!"
"Poor child, you have completely dismembered yourself of your greatest asset. While I may be a potent and untamable force of pure strength and raw power, by disowning me as a piece of you, you have only become weaker."
"You're wrong."
"Am I?" The cloaked figure released a heavy sigh before continuing his rant. "Again you forget, that I have been with you since the beginning. There was never any disconnect from me on the subject. You know this to be the one and only truth, the hidden reality that you have shut your eyes to."
Beast Boy felt his legs tremble. "I know who I am, I have always known!" The young hero growled as he loosened up his muscles.
"Still ignorant and childish . . . pity." The chaperone shook his head in obvious disagreement, as he walked around him. "You will never learn."
"While you are a part of me, I want you to know right here and now, that for certain I don't want anything you are offering!"
"Even when it most suits your needs, that is a most foolish endeavor."
"So, I'm a fool then." Beast Boy smirked. "Who cares about an un-balanced raw power that can drive a person. I have friends, I have a family and that's all the strength I need. Their courage and devotion to me, is way more powerful than my anger alone could ever muster."
The tall mystic figure showed his backside to the teenager. His voice had suddenly became softer and less harsh. "Death my child, is a most lonesome feeling. You may have your friends, a place to call home; but what will you do when the time comes, as these things are gradually stripped away from you?"
Beast Boy's eyes became wide, yet he did not speak.
"What power will you be able to tap into, when all other avenues have failed you, when there is no-one to answer your calls of help, and when you have locked me away. What then will you do, confronted with a threat that is so determined to bring about your demise and you have nothing to fight it with?"
"I won't let you out. I cannot."
A very serious bolt of lightning flashed across the heavens, followed quickly by a rumbling echo of thunder. The two opposing forces remained standing in the grassy field, undaunted and unafraid to back down in either of their motives.
"All I have wanted to show you, all I have ever wanted to give you . . . is nothing but the ability to control your own destiny." The wolf snarled as the bitter struggle lingered onwards.
"To be fully embraced with anger and hatred, that is a foul temper to keep." Beast Boy shook his head, as the face of Falcon rushed into his thoughts. "There is another I know who has chosen to let the anger consume him, and he is struggling. I can keep a clearer idea of where things go, if I remain calm."
"To remain calm in the most dire of circumstances is not going to help you. You will find that the only reality you can depend on, is me."
Another flash of lightning crackled across the heavens, as a steady trickle of rain quickly became a torrent. The two figures clothing was becoming soaked, and the refreshing water poured down the changeling's face and nose.
"You're wrong!" Beast Boy replied with his head bowed. "I took my own path, even after knowing the sacrifices that would be made, where the envy you crave over me is your own blindness!"
"I have been a patient observer, watching and taking stock in what kind of man you are growing into." The guide walked forwards and placed a hand onto the teenager's shoulder.
"What are you after?" Beast Boy quizzically asked.
"If you will not listen, then I will have no alternative but to show all that you have forgotten."
"Wait . . . what are you-"
Beast Boy felt his head pop backwards in a sudden jerking motion, as though he was being hurtled backwards in a violent car accident. Everything around him became enveloped in a sharp blast of white light, as the verdant knoll vanished!
"Look!" The chaperone demanded.
"I won't!"
"LOOK!"
Beast Boy lazily opened his eyes as horrible pains and agony's of his life flashed all around him. He was bloodied, broken, abandoned time and again and in every memory he noticed himself grin and he lifted himself back to his feet, ready to continue the fight to the bitter end.
The green hero gulped, as his throat was dry but he could not quench his thirst. In almost every memory that was being revealed, a temper of unbridled fury was felt in his heart, as he pressed forwards with the onslaughts.
He would find the energy somehow, to transform into any variations of animals, to use his powers and to help his teammates win the day. Then, just as unpleasantly and impatiently as the flashes were brought forwards, the cloaked figure pulled his arm away and the two found themselves standing in the field again.
Beast Boy keeled over, clutching his knees as he wheezed. "Wha . . . what was that for?"
"That was the only way to demonstrate my point." The hooded figure placed his hands into the long sleeves again. "You have forgotten the crucial element of your past. Without any trace of me, you would have perished long ago."
Beast Boy squeezed his fists, he felt defeated. "You want me to make up my mind on something then?"
"Yes."
"Pertaining to a possible romantic bond?"
The more threatening and imposing stranger nodded his head in silence.
"What then is your purpose in any of this, why should it even matter?" Beast Boy questioned.
"The romantic connection you seek to build, that is entirely up to you." The dark entity replied. "You will choose what you have known this entire time, or you will go unto new territory, a future that is uncertain for everything you hold dear."
Beast Boy grunted. "So, that is why you're here. The real reason then, to make me see this debacle, because you yourself cannot function properly."
"You have sharp wit, I'll give you credit for that."
The changeling arched his neck backwards, then he began to clear away the rainwater in his eyes. As the pause in their confab appeared to last much too long, the green hero grinned before talking.
"So Raven or Terra huh?"
"The road to manhood is not an easy path." The guide answered. "You are growing up, yet the thing of concern that drives a wedge now more deeply than before, is who of these two young women do you find yourself compatible with?"
"Well shoot. As much as I don't want to admit this, you do make a solid point. Where should I even begin though? I mean, where can you help in a tricky thing like this?"
The chaperone began walking down a sloping side of the hill. He stopped and turned in the pouring rain, where he waved the shape-shifter over to him. "Come. The first part of your journey is over, but the next stage has only just begun."
"Cryptic." Beast Boy shrugged his shoulders. "Fortunately for us both, I kind of dig the mysterious vibe you have going."
While they ventured forwards, in the distance a tree gradually became visible, and a large body of water was spotted next to it. The environment was rather cold, and everything was dripping wet from the deluge; but the brave young hero could not alter things this time, he was entirely at the mercy of his illusive companion.
{{End Of Scene}}
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Reviews From The Previous Chapter:
muddie: "Whoa! Your chapters are A-M-A-Z-I-N-G (both in length and in content)! If I'm not mistaken, I took more than an hour to read this chapter, and halfway through I got confused cos' my brain got overloaded, not because your language was confusing, but I hesitated to reread parts because I took too long, hahahahaha! (Yes I'm a silly reader!) From the sure length of your chapters, I can sense your dedication in writing this story which is great! I really admire you for that! Honestly, if your story was split into average-length chapters, it would probably be 6X long! (Orz) But enough with the gushing (finally!) Your story is really complex to read with all the different subplots entwined together, it's like a fancy soap opera. While it is really interesting and shows off your OSM ability as a writer, it can also be taxing for the reader to switch back and forth between scenes. Maybe in each chapter, it would be better to develop only 1 or 2 subplots or try and combine the subplot's soon so that there are less scene changes."
~~I thank you for jumping into the story my friend. {;-D} It means even more to me, when I know that it is an engaging and a very hooking tale to grab, as that is what I aimed for in the beginning. When I first started this grand telling now close to a full year passed; it came into my mind that I needed to strive forwards always, and to improve my many different writing techniques. Thanks for the helpful advice, the answer to why the updates are so long, is because I draw into the things going on around the characters, and specific actions. Trying to stretch out the story to have a better effect on the mind of the readers, by delving into the mind-set of the characters we all enjoy is tiring to craft, but I think it helps.~~
Linzerj: "Oh. My. Gosh. Another awesome encounter with the Beast, except it's BB and the Beast in BB's mind! Awesome! I love the Red X and Blackfire part, too – I don't want him to die, though! I love him! I can't wait to see what happens with Falcon and Beast Boy and Raven and Red X and all the other peoples!"
~~The Beast coming forth to actually talk with the changeling face-to-face, was a very filling scene to plot out; a long time before I even began chapter one. I have recently found however, a rather specific struggle as a writer, is to nailing their dialogue down. I do enjoy plotting and then working the more complex and intricate pieces on any story out, it just takes time to get things in their proper places. As for Blackfire and Red X, I think they would make a good couple too, almost like a reverse take on a Robin and Starfire pairing.~~
bk00: "I cannot freakin' believe you. You did not kill off X, not after the flashback, not after him meeting Blackfire (though these two as a couple, I'm liking the idea)! Nice work on the Beast early on, I love the way Raven dismissed Terra at the hospital, and an overall wonderful chapter!"
~~Believe what you will as the reader, but even I don't know if Red X made it. I wanted to allow Blackfire her introduction, and by proving to Slade that she had what it took to bring any enemies to their horrible fates, it gave a strong foundation for this new partnership. The flashbacks were there for a connection to be formed, linking how Jason Todd went from one life to the next. How he became a hero from a lost orphan; working with Batman after Richard or the first Robin left; where The Joker made his move and tragedy struck. Luckily he would later return as the Red Hood, to drop this false identity and become Red X in Jump City. In the comics and in the animated movie titled 'Batman Under The Red Hood' Jason is older (in his twenties) and more villainous. It seems you're not alone on Red X and Blackfire at making a good romance. Bringing forth The Beast I believed was essential, simply it is a harbored dark-side for Beast Boy and yet; I personally feel that this powerful manifestation could help him understand, some of the most crucial points in his life. All I can really explain about these decisions, was that they grabbed my attention and I felt I should just go with it.~~
Scififanfreak222: "WoWZaz! … *blinks* that was awesome! I cannot even BELIEVE how good (and kinda sad D'X) this chapter was! Haha, BB is in denial. Blackfire's intro was nicely done, which reminds me… WHY DID YOU KILL OFF JAYCE? HE IS SO COOL AND AWESOME! WHY? *Cries hysterically* Sorry bout that. ^ ^; as usual your fight-scenes were top notch, and how you wrote in Jason's past was awesome. I'm glad you used the dialogue from 'Batman Under The Red Hood'. That was such a powerful scene, heartbreaking actually, and how you weaved it into your storyline was superb. I can't wait for more, and I'd like to see what Blackfire is REALLY up to, as she doesn't seem to be the type who likes to take orders from other people. I wonder what's going on?"
~~Thanks for the wonderful compliments sci-fi. {;-)Taking out a key player like Red X had been growing on me, where he is one of the many casualties to be inflicted but, both him and Slade working together has impressive potential in more stories. To make one betray the other, then having them fight was a deeply captivating scene to craft out. There were other places I was seriously considering taking their uneasy alliance, but with Blackfire making her move as she did, that idea grabbed me, and channeled my efforts into how the previous chapter concluded. Good eye in catching where I was inspired for Red X's backstory.~~
xSaffire55x: "Awesome! Elizabeth; she seems to be hiding something? So much tension but awesome. Update soon please."
~~Everybody has their secrets. This young nurse has more than plenty to be revealed later on, I'm sure. I try my best to update as quickly as possible but again, the chapters are very lengthy. To put forth the effort it does take a number of weeks to hammer through everything, before I even submit it to my account. In knowing that you and many others are still engrossed with my telling, I know that I can press forwards with even more confidence.~~
A/N: Go on, take a bow my friends and pat yourselves on the back for making it thus far! Have a few Oreos is what I say, we all earned them. I also wanted to tip my hat to muddie, for her insight with this truly difficult art. Your aid was essential on this chapter, thank you. For those living in the United States and elsewhere abroad, I wanted to wish you all a Happy Holiday season, and a very Merry Christmas. I hope the time with families was an adventure. So, consider this update like a final present left wrapped beneath the tree, one story for you all to read and to get caught back up in the telling, on our heroic and intrepid heroes.
~~T.M.O~~