A/N: Well, my friends, another chapter is finished, and the chapter after this one is in the works. My goal is to try updating this story three times a month, though it may less or it may be more. All I know is that I love writing this story, and I will do my best to update it frequently. Of course, in order to get my Associates Degree, I have another internship coming up this summer. After that, I have to go to college in the fall, and then I need to start job searching so I can earn up some money to help me get my Bachelors Degree. Because of this, I am going to be very busy, so I don't know how much time I'm going to have for writing. Nonetheless, I will still do my best to get chapters posted. Out of everything I've written, "Firelight" has to be one of my favorite stories!

Anyhow, enough of my rambling. Onward with the next chapter! :D


Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Titans.


Part I: Inception: Chapter Eight

Even if he only figured out about her fire-wielding powers a few hours ago, Speedy has never been more thankful for Leila's abilities. Without Leila helping him take down Black Shadow's immortal robots, there isn't any doubt that he would have run out of arrows ages ago. Not only that, but he wouldn't have been able to come up with a plan to escape these things on his own, either. Not with another robot popping up in the place of each one that they destroy.

Speedy doesn't say any of this to the girl as he runs alongside her through the dusty corridors of the abandoned building late at night, but all of the thoughts are genuine, nonetheless. He might not be too fond of Leila, but he has to admit that he likes having her as an ally during a fight. To put it simply, her fire-wielding abilities are incredible! Not to mention that, even if she doesn't like him, she still takes careful measures to avoid burning him. That alone lets him know that she doesn't hate him too much.

As they sprint down the hallways, shooting arrows and streams of fire at the robots as they're being pursued, Speedy notices as Leila painstakingly examines the corridors. The expression on her face is an intense mixture of anxiety and desperation, making it known that she is not overly confident about this plan of hers. Until now, he'd never paid any attention to how bluntly her emotions display on her face. The girl, despite her otherwise cold exterior, is an open book in some ways.

At last, Leila speaks, bringing Speedy out of his inner musings. Once the girl shares her plan, the archer immediately understands her apprehension. Admittedly, what she says makes him nervous too…

Sprinting down the hallway with brown curls askew, she explains rapidly, "Okay, we're almost there. It has been a while since I've done this, but I still think I can pull this off with help." Giving an aggravated sigh, she continues, "I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'm going to need you to cover me for a minute while I'm trying to separate my energies. I won't be able to use my fire while I'm forcing them apart, so I'll be completely open to attack. It's because of this that I'm going to need you to fend off the robots."

Eyes widening beneath his mask, Speedy makes a frightened exclamation. "Hold on… You're not going to be able to use your fire at all?! And what do you mean by 'a minute'?! If you haven't used this move in ages, then is this plan of yours even going to work?!"

Irritation drips off of every word. "It doesn't matter how long it has been, okay?! If I did it before, then I can do it again! This is a move that is going to take out every single robot on this building's upper level without burning you!" She asks in frustration, "Are you willing to cover me while I separate the energies, or not? If not, then I'm not even going to try using this technique, because I won't be able to pull it off otherwise."

The archer nods firmly despite his uncertainty. "Don't worry about the robots. Just do what you need to do. I've got your back." Hesitantly, he clarifies, "You should probably try to work fast, though. It's like I said: I only have so many arrows."

Leila, too, gives a nod. "Don't worry. Working fast is part of the plan. I won't make you fight them off alone for too long, and once the energies are forced apart, you won't need to."

Interest growing, the archer quirks a brow. He has already tried refraining from asking this question, but he can ignore it no longer. "Leila, just out of curiosity, what do you mean by 'separating the energies'? What kind of move are you trying to do?"

Turning the final corner of this seemingly endless corridor, the two emerge into a large room crafted from stone and metal. It isn't as large as Black Shadow's secret room under the west corridor, but it is definitely still sizable. Based on empty shelves and old boxes, this was once an area meant for storage.

Meanwhile, as they back up to the room's farthest corner, Leila replies, "Explaining the science of it doesn't matter. All that matters is the result." Getting behind Speedy, the girl lowers herself into a crouching position so that he completely blocks her. "Now cover me. Black Shadow's robots are coming in here, and I need to do this fast."


This isn't the first time since coming to Earth that Damiana has questioned why her life turns out the way it does. At first the question was simply "Why did Dabnod get destroyed?" Then, after a few months of being on Earth up until a few days ago, the question was "Why do I always have to struggle to survive? Will there ever be a day when I don't have to worry?" And now, Damiana's most recent question, "How did I get pulled into coming here with the Titans?"

The Fates definitely enjoy messing with her. The girl is certain of this. Even so, the girl doesn't care too much about the events of her life at this particular moment. Instead, all of her focus is on holding her arms precisely three inches apart with the forearms facing upward. Using the most intense concentration that she can muster, Damiana feels as she forces the energies that combine to make her fire apart. As a result, the girl watches as small spurts of blue electricity pulse back and forth between her forearms.

Damiana can remember the first thing that she was taught as a child when first learning to properly wield her element. It is the same thing that every child on Dabnod had to learn. They were always taught about how Dabnodians have two hearts, and about how each heart has an individual purpose.

One heart, her father told her, is the equivalent to the hearts of humans and the wizards from Azarath. Their first heart pumps blood through their first set of veins and gives life to the body. The second heart, on the other hand, is very different. A Dabnodian's second heart pumps a mixture of energies through their body using a separate set of veins. Her father explained very thoroughly that the energies that the second heart produces is what causes their hair and eyes to change color, and it also gives them the ability to connect with their elements to wield them.

Then, after learning the basics, she was taught how to harness her second heart's energies to get the results that she wants. Producing fire using her hands, for example, forces Damiana to keep the mixture of energies completely even. Breathing fire using her mouth forces her to make sure that one of the energies is higher than all the rest. With Master's Level techniques, each of the energies that her second heart produces soar high above their normal levels, flooding her veins and causing her hair to turn to fire. Then, with lightning, there isn't a mixture at all. Rather, the energies are forced apart.

Forcing the energies that the second heart produces apart isn't something that is easy to accomplish. It goes against a Dabnodian body's every natural impulse, and in many cases, the body fights and forces the energies back together. Most Dabnodians never learned how to keep them apart long enough to produce anything of significance. Thus, why there weren't many fire users besides Damiana who could produce lightning. If the girl hadn't been so determined to prove herself, then she most likely wouldn't have learned how to do it, either.

Remembering how Mama and Saeran always tried to get her to stop attempting lightning almost causes the girl to chuckle. It's a good thing that she was a stubborn little girl. She and Speedy would never be able to escape these robots otherwise.

Forcing the energies apart with more effort than before, Damiana watches as the scant amount of blue static transforms into threatening electrically-charged bolts. It has taken her seven tries to separate the energies so far, and thirty seconds for each try, but this time it finally looks like she has it. Based on the stinging she feels flowing through her second set of veins as the energies fight to come back together, the girl is absolutely certain that the energies have been separated accurately.

Meanwhile, as she struggles to get to her feet due to the intense pain, the redheaded archer addresses her. "Leila, please tell me that you've almost got it! I'm running low on arrows over here! If you don't get it soon, both of us are done!"

Wincing in agony, she replies, "Don't worry, Speedy. I've got it. Get over here, and hold onto me."

It is obvious that her words catch him off guard, because he glances at her in a combination of shock and amusement. The whole time he continues shooting down robots, which are now rapidly pouring into the prior storage room. Upon observing their surroundings, Damiana can't help being surprised. In the space of three minutes, there are nearly four times the number of robots surrounding them. Besides the six feet of space around her and the archer, there are robots standing shoulder-to-shoulder. More enter the room every second.

The only thing that breaks Damiana's eyes away from the sight is Speedy. Despite the severity of the situation they're in, the archer decides to take time to use her words against her. "Hold onto you? This is a bit sudden coming from you, Leila, but we can cuddle if you really want to." He smirks.

Damiana manages to roll her eyes through the intensifying pain. "I don't mean it like that! Get your mind out of the gutter! I need you to hold onto me so my attack doesn't harm you!"

Shooting down several more of the robots, Speedy turns so that he is taking in her full image. By now Damiana's lightning has increased tenfold, the blue electricity completely surrounding both of her forearms and appearing as if it is ready to break away from her. The girl tries to keep it under control for a moment longer in spite of the agony that courses through her veins.

The expression of utter stupefaction on Speedy's face is priceless. "Is that…lightning?! How can you use lightning?! I thought that you could only use fire!"

"Nope. I can use lightning, too. It's a lot harder to use than fire, but I can wield it." Panting heavily, she demands, "Now will you please grab hold of me so that I can let go of it already? It's getting really hard to keep under control! Keeping the energies separated isn't feeling too pleasant right now, either."

Speedy complies and rushes toward her. Even so, he doesn't grab hold of her immediately. Appearing very uncertain, he makes another inquiry. "So…you're telling me that if I hold onto you…that your lightning won't hurt me? It's not that I don't trust you. I'm just not sure about this… If holding onto you won't stop your fire from killing me, then what's stopping your lightning from killing me?!"

The girl heaves a sigh as the pain becomes practically unbearable. This must be what childbirth is like. "Touching me won't stop my fire from burning you because fire harms the outside of the body. No matter what type of fire it is, it is never going to burn me. My body is impervious to fire. The same can't be said for you, so touching me won't help when it comes to fire.

"As for lighting, rather than acting as the creator, I act as a conductor. If you're making contact with stone or metal, then my lightning will hurt you, but by using me as an anchor, your physical contact with me overrides your contact with the other parts of the room. Because of that, rather than getting electrocuted, your body will act as a conductor the same as mine." Her quivering voice is thick with sarcasm. "Is that enough of an explanation, or do you need me to draw a diagram?"

To put it bluntly, Speedy still doesn't seem convinced. With the powerful buzzing of the lightning that Damiana is holding and how it leaps about as if ready to kill, the alien girl honestly doesn't blame him for being skeptical. However, as the robots close in on them leaving them less than two feet of space, it is plain that all forms of skepticism immediately fly out the window for the archer. Before the robots can make a final strike, Damiana feels as muscular arms gloved in red wrap tightly around her waist. His bow can be easily seen in her peripheral vision, telling her that he didn't bother taking time to tuck it away.

"You know what? I have absolutely no reason not to trust you. Take these things out!"

Damiana gives a small smile prior to spreading her arms outward. That seemingly insignificant action of spreading her arms is all it takes for the girl's lighting to fill the room to capacity. Once her power is released, the room is flooded with an iridescent electric blue glow and the vicious zapping of super-charged electrical pulses.

The girl can feel as the electrical energy courses through her body in incredible pulses and as her second heart's natural energies collide back together. Luckily, there isn't any pain. Rather, the feel of lightning racing through her veins and turning her hair to static makes the girl feel an unbelievable sense of power that her fire has not yet matched. As a child, this is part of the reason she liked to use her lightning. The feel of it is painful while you're still holding it, but invigorating once you let it go.

In the meantime, Damiana can feel as Speedy tightens his grip around her waist. She can't tell if he's frightened by the feel of lightning coursing through his body without harming him, caught off guard by it, or both. Either way, all that matters to her is that he isn't screaming in pain or being electrocuted. Not only that, but the sight of each and every one of the robots collapsing to the ground matters to her as well.

Through the curtain of electric blue, she sees as the robots' eyes blink from black to nothingness several times as if they're attempting to repair themselves. Meanwhile, the lightning completely fries their circuits from the inside out, damaging them beyond repair and causing them to collapse to the ground lifelessly. It isn't just the robots that are being irreversibly damaged. Looking around, Damiana sees as large holes form in several of the walls and as one massive hole is created in the floor approximately ten feet in front of them.

For an entire sixty seconds, this continues. The sounds of ferocious electrical zapping, the booming of bricks, and the crashing of metal fill the room. To Damiana's relief, Speedy doesn't once let go. Under normal circumstances she would be repulsed by the fact that he is tightly embracing her, but right now she is just glad that he isn't one of the things in the room being zapped to death.

After what feels like ages, the lightning finally comes to a halt. With the electric blue mist vanishing, the wreckage of collapsed robots, crumbled bricks, and gaping holes are all that is left for them to look at. Surprised at the unbelievable amount of damage that a single bout of her lightning was able to do, the two don't move. They stay where they're at and gape at the damage.

The first to break the silence is Speedy. "Wow. That's some effective lightning."

Shoving a strand of false brown hair behind her ear, Damiana nods. "It's more effective than I imagined it would be. I knew that it would destroy the robots, but I didn't think it would do anything to the walls and the floor." The girl doesn't know why, but for some reason, she chuckles. "Then again, it has been almost five years since I've used it. I suppose I forgot how much damage my lightning can do."

Though she isn't facing him, the girl can tell just by his tone that he's smirking. "That's a nice laugh you have there. I like it. Now all we need is for you to smile."

It is only after he says this that the girl realizes that Speedy is still holding her around the waist. The archer is holding her so close that her back is pressed against his chest. Damiana has no idea how she didn't notice the close amount of contact earlier. Neither did she realize how strong his arms and chest feel. Without the robots and the lightning to distract her, it comes to her realization that Speedy is a pretty muscular guy. Coming from a Dabnodian girl who grew up around Royal Knights who were built like body-builders, this truth is of the most genuine sort…

Blushing profusely at the nature of her thoughts, Damiana scolds herself. "What the heck are you doing? Don't think of him like that! He's an arrogant playboy! Make him let go of you, idiot!"

Clearing her throat, Damiana addresses him sheepishly. "Uh…Speedy? The lightning is gone. You can let go now."

Much to Damiana's discomfort, her protests don't work. Instead, Speedy snuggles against her and rests his chin on her shoulder teasingly. By this point she doesn't only feel his muscles, but also his body heat. When he chuckles, she feels the warmth of his breath as well, causing the scarlet color of her cheeks to intensify. Damiana is praising the Fates for the fact that it's dark. Maybe he won't notice her blushing.

Unfortunately for Damiana, she learns that this isn't so. "Are you sure you want me to let go, Leila? You're pretty snugly. You're warm, too. Although, I'm not sure if the rest of you is as warm as your face is right now."

He pats one of her cheeks playfully with his much larger hand. Having never been this close to a boy her age before, Damiana can't help feeling uncomfortable at the amount of physical contact. Now that the lightning is gone, much like was stated earlier, the archer's embrace completely repulses her. Or at least that's what she tells herself…

An agitated scowl crossing her face, the alien girl stomps on his foot and kicks him hard in the shin before shoving him away roughly. Speedy gives a loud "ouch!". Damiana watches as he jumps around the room holding onto one of his boot-covered legs in pain.

The girl does her best to maintain her scowl, but instead replaces it with her own brand of smug smile. "I told you to let go of me, didn't I? Next time let go of me, and this won't happen."

The archer returns the smirk in spite of his agony. "It was worth it just to see you blush."

It is only after this that her smirk fades. "Don't get any ideas. There is a such thing as blushing in irritation, you know. I'm not exactly a Speedy fangirl."

"I know. I can tell," he replies while rubbing the front of his leg and wincing. "If there's one thing I can say for you, it's that you're definitely not the fangirl type."

Damiana has no idea why, but the remark causes her smile to return. What he said feels like the nicest thing that anyone on Earth has ever said to her. "Thanks. Anyway, we should go find the rest of your team. They're probably wondering where we're at."


Meanwhile…

Bumblebee can't remember ever being surrounded by this many robots. She has taken many of them out by flying above them and zapping them with her stingers. Others she has destroyed by kicking them with her heeled shoes or punching them with her fists. At times when there have been far too many surrounding the woman for her to handle on her own, Aqualad has swooped in with a wave of water and caused them all to short out. Occasionally, Mas y Menos will run past and cause them to go flying as well. Yet, despite all of their efforts, Black Shadow's metal concoctions still go undefeated.

The winged leader of the Titans East stands back-to-back with Aqualad, such a dense amount of robots surrounding them that they don't bother counting. All they know is that the number is massive, almost like a sea of metal, leaving them no room for escape. Knowing that they aren't going to get out of this situation easily, the duo works together to take down the robots like the team they are.

Using her stingers, Bee zaps ten of the robots as quickly as she can manage and causes each of them to collapse to the ground about a second apart. Once they're down, she flaps her wings rapidly and takes to the air. As soon as she is above them, she gives each of them swift kicks along with zapping them with her stingers, forcing the machines to go flying across the room. All the while, Aqualad brings pipes out of the ground with his Atlantian powers and floods out the remaining robots, not leaving a single machine standing.

Mas y Menos remain close by, running rapidly and sending robots awhirl before they have a chance to reach their two teammates. It is only too sad that, despite the twins' best efforts, a multitude of machines slips past them and makes their way toward Aqualad and Bumblebee. The moment they reach the winged woman and the Atlantian, the cycle of zapping them down and flooding them out starts anew.

While busting pipes, Aqualad shouts to Bumblebee who is zipping through the air. The desperation in his voice is palpable. "It would be great if Speedy was here. His arrows would really be useful!"

Shooting down two robots with her stingers and kicking four of them in the chest, Bee replies with equal desperation. "I know. I'm feeling the same way, but there's nothing we can do about it. The robots got in between us and separated him and Leila from the rest of the group. If they're attacking them as heavily as they're attacking us, I doubt that they're going to get here to back us up anytime soon." She adds in concern, "I hope they're doing okay."

"Yeah," says Aqualad as he punches a robot that survived his water attack. "I hope so, too."

Another mass of robots makes their way past the twins and surrounds the duo. This group being a bit larger than the previous, they are once again preparing to fight giving it their all. It's too bad for Black Shadow that he chose this team of young heroes rather than a different one.

Right as Bee is preparing to zap several of the machines with her stingers, and as Aqualad is getting ready to bust open more pipes, something very unexpected happens. One moment the room is completely stable. There are no breaks in the walls or in the floor besides the places where the aquatic Titan brought forth the pipes. Then, sections of the ceiling begin collapsing all over the massive, factory-sized, room.

To the Titans' complete and utter shock, bricks come crashing down out of nowhere along with cement and enormous pieces of drywall. Chocolate eyes widening, the female Titan flies out of the way of a cement slab before it crashes into her. Aqualad is directly beneath her, jumping out of the path of the debris like they're bullets. Mas y Menos dodge the falling wreckage as well, running at the speed of light while screaming in panic.

"¡Ah! ¡El apocalipsis se acerca!"

Bumblebee shouts, a wild torrent of blue electricity clearly visible through one of the gaps in the ceiling. "What's going on?! Is this one of Black Shadow's tricks?!"

Aqualad replies from the ground below, his eyes widening in awe. "I don't think so, Bumblebee. Look!"

Shifting her gaze to where the aquatic Titan is standing, the woman watches the scene with her mouth hanging agape. The robots have stopped moving as if they're frozen in place by an unseen force. Their eyes, which were previously as black as the night, flicker between color and being completely blank.

A full minute passes, the electric blue lightning continuing above Bumblebee, the debris still falling, and the robots continuing to glitch. It is only after what feels like ages that all of this comes to an abrupt halt. The lightning and falling bricks cease, and the machines clatter to the ground unresponsively. The whole time, neither Aqualad, nor Bee, nor the twins has any idea what to make of the sudden turn of events. Instead, once the danger is past, they make their way toward each other and stare at the wreckage in a state of bewilderment.

"Well…I guess we won..." says Aqualad while scratching his head. "Go team?"

Looking around at the fallen robots, and then up at the holes in the ceiling, Bumblebee is every bit as confused as Aqualad. Where the heck did the lightning come from? And why did Black Shadow's robots suddenly collapse? This situation makes little to no sense. Not only that, but before they have time to try and piece things together on their own, an all too familiar voice comes from behind them.

"This is such a disappointment. Test number one was an absolute failure! My henchmen said that these robots were unaffected by lightning! It's too bad they forgot to mention that they're only immune to lightning in small doses, and that large amounts of it will cause all of the robots to shut down even if only a few of them are affected." Sighing in aggravation, he continues, "My henchmen are such idiots. I should have made the robots myself and left the replicas of the cities to them."

His voice catching them off guard, the four Titans turn to where they think his voice is coming from. Much to their surprise, Black Shadow isn't hiding in the walls with the shadows like usual. He is squatted beside one of his robots, his narrowed hazel eyes examining it in disappointment. Pulling it closer, he opens the chest cavity and peers inside. After shaking his head in displeasure, he slams the chest cavity shut, stands, and kicks the broken piece of tin aside.

"It really is such a shame. I was so proud of them, too. They were supposed to be my first legendary feat of how my shadows and technology can work together. What a laugh." Turning his gaze away from his ruined creations, the villain lifts his head and faces the Titans with an impish smirk. "I don't know where you picked your fiery little friend up at, but that girl is definitely a force to be reckoned with. She was able to destroy all of my robots in one shot with the help of Green Arrow's plucky redhead. Congratulations."

Bumblebee's eyes widen at Black Shadow's claim. Marching over to the brown-haired criminal with her heeled boots clicking against the cement, Bee grabs him forcefully by the collar of his black jumpsuit. Once she has him, she pulls him down so that they're at eye level. There is fury in her gaze. When Black Shadow retains his smirk, this only causes her to grow all the more angry.

"Don't play games with us, Black Shadow! Did Leila and Speedy really pull off destroying all of these robots, or is this another one of your tricks? You'd better start spilling now, or I plan on putting you in a world of hurt!"

A long moment of silence passes as the Titans wait for him to respond. Much to their frustration, he never does. Black Shadow remains calmly in Bumblebee's grasp, smirk never fading and a sickening brand of amusement flickering darkly in his gaze. He and Bumblebee have a staring contest that could have very well lasted all night if the girl hadn't continued shouting.

"What did I say about playing games with us?! What's with your obsession over the Teen Titans and the Justice League?! Why did you rob all of those banks and jewelry stores?! What are you planning?! If there's one thing that I know for certain, it's that those robots of yours are the tip of the iceberg of a much bigger plan! The Titans East aren't stupid, Black Shadow, so start talking!"

At last, Black Shadow replies. First it is with devilish chuckles, and then with words. "If you aren't stupid, then why do you have more questions than answers? I've been planning my revenge against the hero world for a long time, Bumblebee, and I don't plan on ruining it by giving everything away. It's true that Speedy and your fiery death goddess surprised me by destroying all of my robots, but the losses are nothing compared to the reward that's coming."

Again, Bumblebee glares at him. "Reward? What reward are you talking about?"

Before Black Shadow can respond, Aqualad asks the man a question from several feet away. It isn't a secret that the aquatic Titan sounds increasingly disturbed. "'Fiery death goddess'? You do realize that Leila is still a teenager, right?"

Shrugging, the villain responds nonchalantly. "Yes, but I don't see why it matters. She has to be about sixteen or seventeen, and I'm not exactly elderly. I'm twenty-two! Evil mastermind or not, I'm a man with needs." After a slight pause, he responds to Bumblebee's question. "And when it comes to my reward, don't stress yourself out thinking about it. You'll see what it is in time. All of you will see."

Before they can blink, the villain morphs from a three-dimensional person into a two-dimensional shadow, slipping through the winged girl's grasp effortlessly. A second later, he reappears five feet away from them, being a three-dimensional human once again. "Well, Titans, the night has been interesting. I look forward to seeing you again after I up my game a bit. It's clear that I have a lot of work to do."

Black Shadow raises one of his hands into the air slowly and intentionally. Having no idea what he plans on doing, Aqualad, Bumblebee, and the twins immediately shift into their defensive stances. When an odd black orb forms in the palm of his hand, the four are already moving toward him prepared to attack.

Black Shadow chuckles. "Don't be so quick to jump the gun, Titans. There's no need for that."

The black orb transforms from a shadowy sphere into a medium-sized, metallic, object. Admittedly, the object doesn't look like much. It is a silver and blue semi-circle with the top colored black. There is a column of silver buttons attached to one of the two blue stripes that the object has, and the other blue stripe contains a keypad. To put simply, the metallic object that Black Shadow holds is an unnamed machine.

Staring the criminal down threateningly, Aqualad demands, "What is that machine you're holding?!"

Looking from the metallic semi-circle, to the group of four, and back again, Black Shadow gives a shrug of false innocence. Then he takes the object and rolls it across the floor in the heroes' direction. At first they think that the machine is really a bomb, but to their surprise and their unease, the machine doesn't do anything. It doesn't beep, it doesn't flash, and nothing pops out of it. It remains perfectly stable.

"That, Aqualad, is for you Titans to figure out on your own. Consider it a prize to the fiery death goddess for bringing down all of my robots in one shot." Transforming one of the nearby shadows into a long, creeping, tentacle, the villain pushes the metallic semi-circle closer to them in an insistent fashion. "Go on and take it. Don't be shy. Examine it all you want. I highly doubt that you're going to figure out what this device is for, anyway. This technology is far too advanced - even for someone from the Titans West team like Cyborg."

It is only after the machine is directly at their feet that Black Shadow vanishes the tentacle. Then, in less than an instant, he vanishes as well. All that's left in his absence is the flickering of the lights and his scratchy, pitchy, disembodied voice. "I wish the Teen Titans a lot of luck, and remember to keep an eye on the shadows. The shadows are always watching."

Once that is said, the flickering of the lights stops, as does the villain's voice. Where he is at and how he vanished, they don't know. All they know for sure is that he is gone. They don't know this due to the lack of his voice, but because the entire sensation of his presence has wholly disappeared. Even so, his disappearance brings no comfort. Instead, the feeling that is left is a hollow one filled with dread.

Chocolate eyes brimming with complete and utter terror, Bumblebee delicately bends over and picks up the machine that Black Shadow left behind. It isn't very big now that the woman inspects it closely. In all, it's only about the size of a flower pot. The metallic object is also cold as though it is made out of ice, exactly like its creator.

Gulping, the winged woman straightens her posture and turns to face Aqualad and Mas y Menos. She commands softly, "Aqualad, go find Speedy and Leila. Tell them what happened, and bring them back to the Tower. Both of them."

The aquatic Titan gapes slack-jawed. "Bring Speedy and Leila back to the Tower? Why?! Leila isn't even a Titan!"

"She is now. Whether she likes it or not, she's involved."

Understanding washing over him, Aqualad nods in surrender. "What you're saying is true. I don't think that Leila is going to accept being a Titan easily, though." He sighs. "I'll go find them and tell them what happened."

With that being said, he sprints in the direction of the stairs leading to the upper level. He knows that this is where Speedy and Leila must be. As he departs, Bumblebee turns to face Mas y Menos. Like Bee, terror is seen very clearly in their eyes.

"Mas, Menos, let's get this machine back to the Tower. We also need to contact the Titans West as soon as possible. Telling the Titans West about this isn't something that can be put off."


Speedy would never admit this to Leila for fear of sounding like a freak, but he is very glad that she chose to use her lightning. This isn't just because it destroyed all of the robots, but because nothing he has felt could ever compare to the feel of lightning wildly coursing through his body. The feeling was incredible! Never has he had that much uncontained energy pulsing through him before. It made him feel so powerful! Does Leila feel that way every time she uses her fire? If so, Speedy envies her for getting to feel that kind of a rush all the time.

Then again, Speedy doesn't resent her too much. For one thing, he actually got the opportunity to feel what her lightning is like. It isn't every day that someone gets to have electricity harmlessly pass through their body. Along with that, he got the opportunity to see the strong-willed fire user blush. She said it was out of annoyance, but the archer doesn't buy it for a second. He was able to genuinely make her lose her composure, and for one reason or another, this pleases him immensely. Who knew that he was able to make Leila blush?!

Satisfied with tonight's events despite their trouble, Speedy steps over robots and piles of bricks while keeping a few steps ahead of the fire user. At this point, the fact that she, too, can weave over bricks and downed robots without difficulty doesn't surprise him. There is no denying that this girl has skill. It sure is a good thing that he took a pie break when searching for that robber a few nights ago. He and the rest of the Titans never would have met her otherwise.

Speaking of the other Titans, he should contact them in case they're still fighting Black Shadow's robots. Not that he would be much help to them now that he has been almost completely depleted of arrows, but that doesn't mean that he doesn't still have enough arrows to get a few good shots in. Leila's fire whips and her fire blade would be helpful, too. Hopefully the others aren't having it too rough right now.

Removing his Titan communicator from his pocket, Speedy turns to face the girl. She is moving a bit more slowly than she was previously. Leila has gone from a little bit behind him to lagging behind by several feet. Even so, he doesn't let the observation bother him too much. After everything she has done tonight, it is blatantly obvious that she doesn't need someone to look after her.

Pausing in his steps, he addresses her. "Hey, I'm going to contact my team. We split up a while ago, and I haven't heard a thing from them."

Meeting his masked gaze, the brunette shrugs. "Go ahead and contact them. Don't let me stop you."

Giving a nod of comprehension, Speedy turns away from her and continues weaving around the wreckage. Opening his communicator, he is about to try contacting Bumblebee or Aqualad. There is no doubt that they're together, so it doesn't matter which one of them he contacts first. However, before he can make the call, a thud comes from behind him along with a loud "oomph!".

Stunned, the archer turns to see Leila hanging on desperately to the wall with one of her hands. The other is pressed against her forehead as if she is having a migraine. Her skin is a ghastly shade of white, making her look as though she is about to pass out. When she has to move her other hand away from her forehead and use that one to cling to the wall as well, it becomes very apparent that Leila isn't in as good of shape as he thought. Growing concerned, Speedy tucks away his communicator and rushes toward her. Contacting his teammates can wait.

Speedy watches as the girl trembles. She almost falls away from the wall and collapses to the ground, forcing the archer to reach out with his gloved arms to help steady her. With one hand on her back and the other gripping her lightly by the upper arm, he speaks to her. "Leila, are you okay? No offense, but you're not looking so good."

Much to his amazement, she doesn't shrug off his grasp. In fact, she seems to welcome it. Based on how she stumbles upon releasing the wall, Leila is no doubt dizzy. It takes a few seconds, but at last the fire user responds. "Don't worry, Speedy. I'll be fine in a minute. I'm just starting to feel the after effects of the lightning. They'll be gone soon." She adds with what sounds like humiliation, "I hate to admit it, but…lightning kind of takes it out of me…"

Eyes widen beneath his mask. "This happens every single time you use your lightning?! Why didn't you tell me that your powers hurt you?!"

"Because they don't. I can use my fire all day and all night, and it doesn't hurt me in the slightest. Fire is basically a part of me. Lightning, on the other hand, is not. It goes against my body's basic nature to create lightning, and my body fights against it, so some negative side effects are bound to kick in at some point."

"I wish you would have mentioned that earlier," retorts Speedy while keeping his grip on the girl. "If I would've known that this would happen, we could have found another way to beat the robots."

The girl stumbles once more as she attempts walking, forcing him to wrap the arm that was on her back completely around her shoulders. Using the hand that was previously grasping her upper arm, Speedy places one of her arms so that it is wrapped around his upper back. Knowing that Leila is completely supported and that she isn't going to fall down now, he takes her and continues down the hallway.

As they walk, Leila responds to his previous statement. "Don't you get it? There wasn't another way to beat those things! If there was, then I wouldn't have resorted to using my lightning! Know that I never pull out my lightning without considering every other option I have available first. I only use it when it's the only option I have, and this was one of those times." Huffing, she adds, "Also, if it will help you sleep tonight, these side effects aren't anything permanent. They'll go away in twenty minutes, or an hour, or two."

Leila's words don't cause Speedy's worry to subside - not even a little bit. "An hour or two?! Will you even be able to make it home like this?! You can barely walk at all right now, and this is while I'm helping you!"

Opening her mouth partway, Leila appears ready to respond. However, before she has the chance, footsteps echo from up the hallway. Taken off guard, the archer and the fire user jolt prior to turning in the direction of the sound. At first Speedy is afraid that it might be Black Shadow, one of his henchmen, or some kind of super robot. It is because of this that when he sees the familiar figure of Aqualad, the archer is incredibly relieved. He watches as the aquatic Titan weaves around downed robots and piles of debris.

With Leila in the state that she's in, Speedy doesn't rush to meet him. Instead, he lets Aqualad come to them. "Speedy, Leila, there you are! I've been looking everywhere for you! Bumblebee wants all of us to meet her back at the Tower. Now. We don't have any time to lose. This is important."

His focus momentarily distracted from the girl he's supporting, Speedy asks, "Bee is back at the Tower already? Does this mean that you were able to beat the robots?"

Aqualad's gaze turns in Leila's direction. "Actually, no. We were fighting the robots, and all of them shut down out of nowhere. Black Shadow showed up and said that you and Leila took them down by using some kind of large-scale lightning attack. Pieces of the ceiling started falling, and we could see lightning, so I assume that what Black Shadow told us is true."

Giving his own glance to Leila, he confirms, "Yeah, it's true. Leila took all of them out in one go." He adds with contempt, "Of course, while she was using her lightning, she forgot to mention that it has side effects that pretty much drain her of her energy and kill her! I guess bringing down a few lousy pieces of tin is worth risking her life over!"

"I already told you, I'm going to be fine! Lightning just drains me a bit!" She grumbles with irritation.

"Oh, really? You're going to be fine? You can barely walk!"

Based on the way the two glare at each other, it is very apparent that they could have a complete blow-out argument at this very moment. The only reason this doesn't happen is because of Aqualad. Even if the aquatic hero wants to address Leila's condition and the specifics of what occurred during the battle, he doesn't. Rather, he brings up something else entirely; something very important that Speedy is glad he decides not to skip over.

"Speedy, I'm sure that Leila knows what her body is capable of more than any of us. If she says that she's going to be fine, then unless she takes a turn for the worst, we have to assume that she's going to be fine. Right now, the Titans East have bigger things to worry about." Aqualad turns around stiffly and motions for them to follow. "If Leila can't walk, then pick her up bridal style and bring her back to the Tower. She's in this, too, so she needs to come with us."

Emerald eyes widening, Leila gapes back and forth between both men. Forcefully pulling free from Speedy's grasp, she takes several steps away from them and stares them down angrily. Her entire persona screaming with rage, the girl shouts, "Oh, so that's it, huh?! You think that you can kidnap me and force me to go to Titans Tower with you?! I'm sorry, but I am not one of you guys! There is no way that you're making me go with you! I'm going back to my motel room and going to sleep! I'm sorry about your creepy villain, Black Shadow, but he's your problem. There is no way that I'm getting involved in any of this!"

Speedy has no idea how he does it, but Aqualad manages to stay calm despite her outburst. When he responds to the girl, he still sounds as tranquil as ever. "We aren't kidnapping you, Leila, and we aren't forcing you into this. The fact of the matter is that you're already involved. Even if you don't want to 'officially' join the Titans, then you at least need to come back to the Tower with us to learn about what's going on with Black Shadow. Bumblebee said that herself." Tapping his chin thoughtfully, he adds, "Not only that, but I have to side with Speedy about the side effects of the lightning. You're shaking and you're barely standing. Maybe you should come back to the Tower with us just so we can make sure that you'll be okay."

Certainly enough, the aquatic Titan isn't exaggerating. Leila is as pale as a sheet of paper, and is trembling like a flower on a windy day. Any moment now, she is going to collapse. Speedy takes a step toward her in attempt to help steady her once more. Sadly, the second he reaches for her, she slaps his hand away and takes a wobbly step backwards.

"No! Don't touch me! I am not involved in this, I am not a Titan, and I'm not coming with you!"

"I'm not trying to bind and gag you!" snaps Speedy. "I'm trying to catch you before you crack your skull open on the cement!"

Reaching both palms outward, she catches herself on the wall as she stumbles. "Y-you don't need to catch me!" she stutters. "I-I'm f-fine…"

Leila isn't fine, because her eyes roll to the back of her head and she passes out. Like a rock plummeting to the earth, Leila loses her grip on the wall and her unconscious form crashes toward the ground. It's lucky for her that Speedy manages to jump forward and catch her in time.

Kneeling on the dusty cement covered in small bits of metal, Speedy holds the girl in is arms bridal style. Her long golden-brown curls are tangled like a rat's nest, her body trembles, and her small form feels undeniably cold. Shoving a strand of hair out of her face using the pad of his thumb, the redhead pulls the girl closer and gets to his feet. He can't get over how light she is. It feels almost like he's holding an eleven-year-old girl rather than a sixteen-year-old.

Releasing every ounce of stress he's holding in one massive sigh, Speedy turns to his teammate. "You know that she isn't going to be happy when she wakes up in Titans Tower, right?"

"Yeah, I know, but we don't have too many options. She has gotten in deep, and even if she hasn't, we can't just leave her here."

"I know. I would never leave her here. I'm just giving you some forewarning."

Aqualad turns and begins walking up the hallway. Although he doesn't face the archer, he still responds. "I know you wouldn't leave her. I can tell."

Once these words are spoken, Speedy doesn't utter a single syllable. He follows close behind Aqualad in silence, the small-framed fire user safely in his grasp. As he gazes down at her with intensity in his masked eyes, only one thought occurs to him. For such a feisty girl who contains so much power, she looks tiny, helpless, and afraid while she's passed out.


A/N: That is it for now, my friends! From here on out, things are going to get a lot more interesting for the Titans; both the Titans East and the Titans West. Also, we'll get to see a little bit of Saeran in the next chapter. It has been a while since I've included him, so I thought that I would. Right now it is my plan to flash back and forth between the Titans East and the Titans West in the next chapter. Of course, plans change, so I'm not sure how much the Titans West are going to be involved. Neither do I know when my next update is going to be. Nonetheless, I will try to finish the next chapter and do another update for you guys soon. Until next time! :)

Forever and Always,

~OCQ