Know what these words spell as an acronym: brave, resilient, intelligent, noble? Just wondering if anyone caught that in the last chapter ;) I'd appreciate a review or two to let me know how I'm doing.

Chapter 11

Tinya was debating on whether or not she really wanted to see the others just yet. She was tired from her trip and could probably use some sleep before announcing her return. A sharp pain shot through her right arm when she accidentally bumped her nightstand, reminding her that she still had some healing to do. With a sigh, she gave in to the fact that, sooner or later, she was going to need Brainiac to take a look at her arm so he could assess the damage. Better sooner than later, she decided. She exited her room and went to search for the Coluan.

She found Brainiac in his computer lab. He was engrossed in whatever project he was working on. She knocked on the side of the open door to get his attention. "Brainy? I'm back."

He straightened up from his hunched position and turned his head to look at her. "Phantom Girl, we thought you had left. We were concerned."

"Well, I'm back. I didn't mean to worry anyone. I just needed to get away for a bit." She saw a speculative look on Brainiac's face and quickly rushed on before he asked any questions. "I had a bit of a scuffle, and I'm not sure about the damage. Will you take a look?"

In spite of his arched brow, he pushed away from his work table and motioned for her to follow him to the medical room next to his lab. Indicating that she sit down, he asked, "What happened?"

Phantom Girl pulled off her gloves and pushed back the sleeves of her uniform to show him the half-healed bruises from her encounter with the thugs outside the restaurant and the claw marks from her misadventure on Rawl. Her explanation was as close to the truth as she could make it without giving enough details to fully inform him of the true nature of her injuries. She breathed a sigh of relief when he accepted her explanation without question and properly bandaged her wounds after sterilizing them. Thankfully, the beast's claws hadn't torn into her skin deep enough to require stitches, but he did warn her to be careful as it was likely to be sensitive for the next few days.

As she started rearranging her uniform to cover her injuries back up, she asked, "So, who's all here at the Tower today?"

"Colossal Boy and Shrinking Violet have been sent out on an assignment, but I believe that Triplicate Girl, Bouncing Boy, Lightning Lad, Superman, Saturn Girl, and Timber Wolf are here, besides me, obviously," Brainiac answered promptly.

"Obviously." Phantom Girl said in a teasing manner, not that he would catch it.

Methodically putting everything back, Brainiac returned to his previous position at his work table as Phantom Girl left his lab in search of food. She was just now realizing how hungry she was since getting back.

She ran into Lightning Lad when the doors of the elevator slid open on the top floor. She laughed at his shocked expression. "Hey, stranger."

"You're back?" He shook his head and looked at her again. "You're back!"

"Yes, I'm back." She grinned. "Can't get rid of me that easily."

"Where have you been?" he asked.

"I just needed to get away for a bit. It's a long story." She waved his question away. "All that matters is I'm back and all in one piece."

"Everyone's been pretty worried about you. Have you let them know you're back?"

Phantom Girl shook her head. "Not yet. I just saw Brainiac before I came up here to grab something to eat. I'll let the others know when I get a chance."

"Well thanks to telepathy and super-hearing, I'm sure Saturn Girl and Superman already know your back. So that leaves Triplicate Girl and Bouncing Boy," Lightning Lad said thoughtfully. He snapped his fingers as something else occurred to him. "Oh, and Timber Wolf too. He hasn't really left the Tower since you disappeared. I mean, he hardly ever even leaves his room nowadays."

She started walking to the sitting bay with Lightning Lad falling into step beside her. She knew that her leaving would have affected Timber Wolf, but… "Why didn't you guys try to get through to him?"

Lightning Lad threw his hands up in the air. "We did try! Lots of us, but he just kept yelling at everyone to go away and leave him alone. After a few dozen times, we got the message and did as he asked." He shrugged. "I'm sorry, Phantom Girl, but we didn't know what else to do."

They stepped into the sitting bay where three differently colored Trips squealed, "Tinya's back!" before enveloping her in a hug. They stepped away to get a better look at her. All three started asking questions at the same time.

"Where have you been?"

"Why didn't you tell anyone where you were going?"

"Do you have any idea how worried we were?"

"One at a time," Phantom Girl raised her hands to slow them down. "I'm sorry for making you worry, but I just needed some time and space."

When she saw three disapproving looks, she added, "I'll try not to do it again, promise."

"We accept your attempt at an apology," they said before absorbing back into one. Triplicate Girl reached for Phantom Girl's arm. "Come, let's have a mini welcome back party."

Phantom Girl winced at the pressure of Triplicate Girl's grip. She carefully removed the other girl's hand from her arm, doing her best to hide her reaction. "Sounds like an idea. Why don't you get the rest of the gang up here?"

Smiling widely, Trip nodded and said, "Be back in a jiffy!"

Once Triplicate Girl had gone, Phantom Girl turned to crash on a sofa but stopped when she saw the skeptical look on Lightning Lad's face. "What?"

"You're hiding something, aren't you?" he asked.

"I just hurt my arm. It's nothing." She shrugged nonchalantly.

"If you say so…" he still sounded uncertain.

Thankfully, she was saved by the arrival of Saturn Girl.

"Tinya, it's good to see you home," the telepath said.

"Thanks, it's good to be home," Phantom Girl replied, taking a seat.

Did your unexplained absence have something to do with Timber Wolf? Saturn Girl's voice asked in her head.

Phantom Girl met Saturn Girl's inquiring glance as she answered, Stay out of it, Imra. What happened is between him and me. If he wants to share, that's his call to make.

With Saturn Girl's nod, Phantom Girl knew that the telepath would respect her wishes to not talk about where she'd been or why she left.

"Hey, care to share with the rest of us?" Lightning Lad's voice pulled the two of them from their private exchange.

Saturn Girl looked at Lightning Lad. "Her business is her own. We must respect that."

"I agree." Phantom Girl turned in her seat at the sound of Superman's arrival. His blue eyes were as sincere as ever. "Glad you made it back."

"We all are," Trip said, coming in right behind Superman with Bouncing Boy in tow.

"Next time you feel like taking a vacation, leave behind a shopping companion for Trip," was Bouncing Boy's welcome.

Triplicate Girl looped her arm through Bouncing Boy's. "C'mon, Bouncy, it wasn't that bad, was it?"

Phantom Girl stifled a laugh at the blush that covered the round boy's face. She glanced around at her friends. "Where are Brainiac and Timber Wolf?"

…

"We're right here," Brainiac announced.

Timber Wolf noted the looks of surprise on his teammates as he too entered into the sitting bay with the Coluan. The only one who seemed unsurprised was, of course, Tinya. The smile on her face made him glad that he'd decided to join them. Now that the group was together, Triplicate Girl dragged Bouncing Boy and Superman into the kitchen to make "party food" and had Lightning Lad help Saturn Girl with making some punch while she set Brainiac to getting everything else ready. When Tinya attempted to help, she had just been shooed away by the purple part of Triplicate Girl.

Lightning Lad looked up from where he and Saturn Girl were making punch. "Hey, how come they get off the hook with this little shindig?"

"A.) Phantom Girl just got back, and B.) Timber Wolf is on clean-up duty," an orange Trip scolded while the purple and white nodded in agreement.

Laughing and shaking her head at Lightning Lad's bluster, Phantom Girl came over to where Timber Wolf was standing just inside the entrance to the sitting bay. She leaned against the wall behind them as she watched the other legionnaires. "Glad you made it, Timber Wolf."

Looking at her from the corner of his eye, he asked, "Have you given up on 'Brin'?"

She dipped her head, her hair falling between them like a curtain. "Of course not," she answered. "I just didn't think you wanted me grandly announcing it to the world without your permission."

"You've got that right," he snorted. They stood in silence, neither of them looking at the other, until he leaned close to her ear so that only she would hear when he said, "I don't mind you calling me Brin."

She tilted her face towards him when he pulled back away. There was a soft smile that made him sure he'd made the right decision. Her eyes glanced over at where the others were working to pull a make-shift party together. "What about the others? Will you tell them?"

Timber Wolf shook his head. "No, not yet. I'm not ready for that," his mouth twisted into a wry grin, "The only reason you know is because you're so freakishly stubborn and reckless."

"I am not reckless." Crossing her arms, Phantom Girl gave him a childish pout.

"Yes, you are," he said as he laughed. It was his first real laugh in a long time. With everything that had been going on for the past few weeks, he finally felt hopeful that everything would work out, and it was thanks to her. "You are the most reckless, difficult, and confusing person I have ever met."

She stuck her tongue out at him in response. A call from Triplicate Girl let them know that the food was ready. As they made their way over to where the others had already started serving themselves, Phantom Girl said, "I'm not the only one in this family who is difficult."

Family. The word made him pause. It had been so long since he'd truly been a part of one that he wasn't sure he remembered what it felt like. Looking at each legionnaire, he thought about this group of teenagers who had taken him in and given him a home. As he noted the interactions of the people around him, he realized that the bonds that tied these people together were stronger than friends and teammates. It wasn't going to be easy, and it was going to take time, but he knew that one day he would trust each of them with the truth of who he was.

As different as each Legion member was and no matter their differences, at the end of the day, they were there for each other. They were Brin's family and Timber Wolf's pack; he just hadn't been able to see that before now. His eyes rested on Phantom Girl, laughing at something Triplicate Girl had said, and knew that without her stubborn refusal to give up on him, he might not have ever accepted who he was or who he could be. She had found Brin, brought him back to life, and helped him find a family to replace the one he'd lost. It was a debt that he knew he could never repay, but he wasn't going let that stop him from trying to every day.

…

A/N: Here ends my first fanfiction. Thank you for reading and reviewing. I truly appreciate the advice and encouragement. Let me know how I can improve on my next story