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It's something unpredictable
But in the end is right
I hope you had the time of your life
-Green Day, "Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)"
Chapter 13: Epilogue
The Titans all gathered on the roof of the Tower, now back in the appropriate time, to say goodbye to Sarasim. She gave them all hugs and whispered words of goodbye and good luck, then she left to return back to the past, her appropriate time. Lora stood in the background, leaning against the door, watching with a small smile. She wondered if perhaps she needed to be doing the same thing. But then again, there wasn't much to wonder about. This Lora thought with a wider smile, and turned to slip quietly back inside.
Now she was in the kitchen, and she absentmindedly started cleaning, carefully avoiding the smelly refridgerator, peacefully pouring herself a glass of water and looking around the common room.
"Whatcha doing down here?"
Lora jumped when she realized Lann had followed her down. She seriously should have seen it coming. She turned and flicked him on the ear.
"Don't scare me like that!" she said with mock anger. Lann lifted himself onto the counter and swung his legs as he watched his sister straighten things.
"Can we stay here?" he asked suddenly. Lora looked up at him and refilled her empty glass.
"Do you want to?" she asked, a hint of a smile on her lips. Lann nodded eagerly.
"Mas and Menos are really cool, and the other Titans are too! Robin said he'd show me the training area and let me break stuff! And Bumblebee can be like another sister and Cyborg and Beast Boy have a cool Gamestation and I mean you and Speedy are-"
"Hey kid," came a new voice," Mas wants to show you something." Speedy walked by and ruffled Lann's brown hair. "I don't know what though; Bee's the Spanish speaker in the Tower." He gave Lora a crooked grin and turned back to her brother. "After all," he finished jokingly, "Your 'mother' and I need to talk."
Lora liked the way that sounded, and immediately blushed. Lann sped into the common room where some of the other Titans were now relaxing. Speedy laughed, but turned back to Lora with a more serious expression.
"Are you going back?" he demanded.
Lora just grinned at him. "Where will we stay here?" she asked.
"At the Tower. When it's rebuilt, or at an apartment nearby, or-Why are you smiling like that?" Lora stuck her tongue out in return and started to walk into the living room. Speedy followed.
"Seriously though," he continued as they entered the living room," Stay with me- um, us."
"I already know!" Lora laughed, rolling her eyes. "I'm the Prophet, remember?" Speedy stood dumbstruck.
"So did you know that Terra was going to interrupt us when we were in the cage from...?" Lora nodded and started laughing even harder. Cyborg passed through, giving them both weird looks before challenging Beast Boy (a happy Terra sitting on top of him) to video games. Lora stepped closer to Speedy and gave him an affectionate peck on the nose.
Aqualad walked out, carrying two mugs, and started laughing at them. "Speedy and Lora sitting in a tree," he said.
"Yeah? And who's the other mug for, Aqualad?" Lora shot back. Speedy applauded her and laughed at the look now gracing the Atlantian's face. Aqualad quickly moved past them, 'accidentally' spilling some hot tea on Speedy.
"Watch out for Silkie," he said as he left them. Lora gave him a questioning look that Speedy decided not to answer.
"Touche," he grumbled. Then he winced. "That's really hot," he said to Lora. "You couldn't have fortold that?" Lora just laughed and shook her head, stepping even closer.
"But I do fortell our returning to the kitchen to be alone," she said in his ear. Speedy grinned, and she blushed, and they both left the common room,where but for Cyborg and Beast Boy, a sense of peace had finally returned.
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Sarasim had left. Cyborg had given her a hug like everyone else, and she had given him a special smile, but then she had left. He wasn't sure whether to be angry, or sad, or just plain disappointed. He watched as the other trickled back inside, and soon he was standing alone on the roof.
They hadn't really gotten to know each other any better. And there were many opportunities to, but something just held Cyborg back, to keep her as more of a friend. He hadn't expected her to stay, but he had hoped she would regardless.
After all, Lora was probably staying...But Lora wasn't Sarasim and he wasn't Speedy. And life was just...life. He sighed and was about to go back in when he turned and came face to face with Raven.
"You can look at the book again if you want," she said quietly. "The one with her picture."
'Where's Aqualad?" Cyborg teased. Raven just glared at him and rolled her eyes.
"He's downstairs," she finally with a small chuckle. "But anyway, I came up here to tell you that if you needed it, you can just keep it I guess."
Cyborg grinned. "Thanks Raven, but I don't think I will. She was a good friend, nothing more and nothing less. Is Beast Boy down there too?"
Raven nodded. "He and Terra are playing video games, but she only won because she sat on him, and I think now he wants an opponent that won't be so...distracting. Now then, I want some tea."
Raven. A great friend. These were the things to cherish in life, thought Cyborg. Friendship, and video games. And pizza, always. He walked dowstairs and saw Lora giggling. It must be Speedy's doing, Cyborg thought, so he gave the redhead a funny look. It probably didn't turn out as a kissy face like he intended, but oh well.
Beast Boy and Terra were so funny, Cyborg thought as he sat down beside them and grabbed a controller. Bumblebee looked up from her book and smiled at him, and Raven had just sat down on the couch with Aqualad, two hot cups of tea between them. Robin and Starfire were probably on the roof, and would be down in a few minutes...hours.
"Yo BB! You're going down, my friend!"
"No way, you are in for a thrashing, metal butt!"
Cyborg laughed and looked back at Bumblebee and winked. Sarasim was gone, but Bee had always been, well, buzzing around in the back of his mind. Maybe she was the one who kept him from getting too close to either girl. Who knew what would happen next?
Only time would tell.
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Robin carefully placed the Clock on its own pedastal in the evidence room, across from Control Freak's remote. The pedastal had been intended for Slade's mask, but Robin looked back at the lovely redhead behind him and decided that he wouldn't have made any other choice. Her green eyes laughed at him, and he grabbed her hand. He heard Cyborg and Raven pass by, and then he led Starfire onto the roof again.
The sun was setting, and everything was simply quiet.
"Well," Robin said, "it's over."
"Yes," Starfire agreed. They sat in silence, just watching, like they had done so many times before. But then he looked down at their entwined fingers and knew it wasn't exactly the same.
"Thank you, Robin," Starfire said after a quiet while. "Are you better now?
"Yeah, Lora's good at healing things," he replied. "And haven't I told you before not to thank me?"
She giggled. "I still deem it necessary to do so."
They both turned their heads back towards the sky. "It's pretty," Starfire said. Robin realized that those had been the words that started it all. He remembered what he had thought and a small smile graced his masked face.
"It's beyond pretty, Star," he said. "Kinda like you."
Starfire blushed and leaned in and gave him a kiss.
Robin grinned at her and kissed her back. Slade was gone, and she wasn't dead, and everything was normal. He squeezed her hand and the two Titans sat on the roof, well after the sun had set.
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Beast Boy watched as Terra did her victory dance once again. He didn't have the heart to tell her that he was letting her win...it was worth it to watch her dance. Everything was returning normal now. Aside from the fact that nearly everyone had paired off; it seemed he and his blondie started a trend.
He decided it was time to stop letting her in, as other Titans were coming down and joining them. And so Beast Boy, fingers flying around the controller, took the lead in the racing game.
Until Terra sat on him. Wow. That definitely made him drop his controller. Beast Boy was sure there was a goofy grin plastered across his face.
This was confirmd when Bumblebee laughed at him, settled on a corner of the couch with a book. Beast Boy grinned. Everything was definitely back to normal.
Bumblebee shook her head at them and returned to her book. She heard giggling in the background, but decided to ignore it. Raven walked through and sat down beside Aqualad, and after her came Cyborg. She gave him a smile. Just because, they were friends. Although now that Sarasim was gone...? What terrible thoughts, Bumblebee thought to herself. Sarasim was nice, and she'd miss her. And everyone was just friends. That was okay. Mas and Menos dashed through, muttering something about a camera in spanish. Bumblebee ignored that as well and turned back to her book as Lann lifted one above his head and they suddenly got quiet. Little boys. What do you do with them? A light bulb cracked above her, but Bumblebee didn't care.
Mas and Menos were back. Everyone was safe. Everyone was friends. Everything was cool.
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Raven clinked her mug against Aqualad's and twined her fingers with his, giving him a rare and special smile. In return he kissed her quickly, and the lightbulb cracked.
Raven looked around the room, at every face, at all her friends.
Cyborg and Beast Boy, playing video games as Terra cheered them on. Bumblebee, reading her book peacefully, a small smile playing on the corner of her lips. Speedy and Lora sneaking into the kitchen. And Mas, Menos, and Lann following them with a video camera...Raven pointed this out to Aqualad and he laughed quietly, muttering something about the 'perfect prank'.
These were her friends. This was her home, her heart. Time after time they caught each other. They watched each other's backs. They rode motorcycles to hospitals for each other, and cleared pathways on a crowded road. They rescued one another, and they enjoyed each other. She looked up at Aqualad. They knew each other.
They kissed on swingsets, or in oceans, or in cages(almost). They let each other in their mind. They teased each other, and yelled at one another. Family.
Time and again they would be there for each other. Forever and always, they were true friends- they were Titans.
-The End-
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Well, there it is. I'm kind of sad, but perhaps a sequel will turn up...Tell me what you guys thought! This story was so much fun to write, especially since it was my first fanfiction ever.
This is a thank you to all my reviewers; not only did you take the time to read my fanfiction, but you guys also reviewed! It was really encouraging, thanks so much:
I am your evil twin: You were my first reviewer! Thank you so much.
Aurora Maryte: I hope I made the chapters long enough for you, haha. Thanks bunches!
Alena Stronghammer: Thank you for your review as well. Interesting quote by Voldemort...
Duskana: Thank you for putting up with all of my evil cliffies! And for reviewing!
kickbutt91: Thanks for the review, and have a Happy New Year!
Heroine of the Valley: You have been one of my best reviewers, I think you did one for every chapter! Thank you so much for all the encouragement. And for telling me that, no, Aqualad is not merman.
Princess Aelita Lyoko: Love the pen name. Love the reviews. Thanks a zillion!
Arainia: Thank you for telling me that my story was "bloody brilliant"! It made me feel good about myself, haha.
And now...what should I write next?
1. a sequel 2. a Kid Flash/Jinx fic- maybe they'll be in college.
3. a fun little pointless fic where everyone (including KF and Jinx) is in a band
Which do you think? Let me know in a review. Until next fic,
-Silver Miracles