Short, concluding chapter before the sequel, very special preview on the bottom, thanks a ton guys, I really appreciate all the support and I hope it continues. This chapter will wrap up James and give me more Titan time for the sequel, you will see why in the preview, so ENJOY!
Disclaimer: I don't own the Teen Titans or anything else in this story
JAMES ROOM
James was sleeping peacefully for the first time in what seemed like days when he heard his window being flung open. James jumped up from his bed to see Guardian in his room.
"Hey Guardian," James said, relived as he sat down again.
"Hello James, we have some things to discuss," Guardian said as he stood still.
"Like what? I have school tomorrow and I am very tired, are you sure this isn't something that can't wait for tomorrow?" James asked.
"Where have you been for the past three days," Guardian asked James calmly, a warrant for finding James had been issued but James showed up two hours later, on his own.
"What does it matter? I only missed one day of school," James said, obviously not wanting to tell Guardian what he had been doing.
"You didn't tell your parents, your mom was very worried, and so was I, I was worried you were kidnapped by my enemies," Guardian explained.
"Nothing happened, nothing at all, I just needed some time," James said as he stood up to somehow lead Guardian out of his room.
Guardian however, had different plans, he turned on the lights and he gasped at the sight in front of him. James had a bite mark on his neck, chin, cuts on his cheek, and his arms were in bad shape.
"What the hell happened to you?" Guardian said in shock.
"Nothing, nothing," James answered quietly.
"Did that Sue girl do this to you?" Guardian asked, sickened at the thought of human beings acting like this.
"I did worse to her," James answered weakly.
Guardian's eyes grew a little, "What have you two been doing?" he demanded. Guardian's eyes told James lying would just make his situation worse.
"We would pretty much keep each other company, get drunk, then have sex, very violent sex that is," James confessed, he was now full of shame at what he had been doing.
Guardian's reaction was typical; he slapped James hard, "Didn't you learn anything from Julie? What are you doing? I don't need explain the consequences of your actions, you know it!" Guardian said loudly.
"I know, damn it I know Guardian! We don't do it for love or passion, we just, we just do it to punish ourselves, she is naturally sterile, this isn't for pleasure, just for punishment," James said angrily, tears beginning to form in his eyes.
"Punishment? Punishment for what?" Guardian asked, still angry and disgusted.
"I failed my love, my daughter, I failed myself, she has failed herself and her family, that is our crime that deserves the punishment," James tried explaining.
"No, none of it is ever your fault, we are all just teenagers, so young, none of this is our fault," Guardian said quietly as he looked at the ring on his hand that wouldn't come off.
"I don't know what to do Guardian," James whispered.
"I don't know how to help you, try comforting each other, try forgetting your pasts and look for a future together. But please, stop doing this to your bodies, if not for me for Julie and for your daughter," Guardian said.
James nodded as he shook Guardian's hand, "Thanks, thanks a lot," he answered.
"Good night James," Guardian said after nodding to acknowledge the thanks. With that Guardian left the room and James. But before Guardian left the room he looked at the table and put twenty dollars on the table.
"Why did you put that money there?" James asked in slight surprise.
"Twenty bucks says you don't have it in you to conquer your fear and quit believing what everyone tells you," Guardian said as he stared into James eyes.
"This some joke?" James said as he looked in surprise.
Guardian decided to leave at that moment, he knew he had hurt James and had broken him down a little bit more than he intended to.
THE MORNING
TITANS TOWER
"How do I get this ring off?" Guardian asked Darkness when she entered the kitchen in the morning. He had tried removing it but it hadn't worked, it wouldn't budge. As it a result it was hard for Guardian to put on his gloves, let alone fight with his gloves on.
"I talked to my mother about the rules," Darkness said as she motioned Guardian to sit at the table with her.
"Did she mention why I can't get the ring off or how we can end this wedding?" Guardian asked, not angrily, but as a legitimate concern.
"Oh Guardian, you don't want to marry me?" Darkness said in mock sadness.
"Come on, you know you and me are too young to get married, we can't handle this responsibility," Guardian told her with a crooked grin.
"Apparently we are responsible enough," Darkness said as she tried moving her ring, which wouldn't budge.
"What does that mean?" Guardian asked, now assuming the ring had something to do with the marriage.
"If we both remove the ring, it means we aren't responsible, one of us is cheating, one of us is thinking seriously about cheating, or our love is gone or compromised," Darkness explained.
"So we are going to be in this situation for as long as we are in love," Guardian said as he looked in her eyes.
"I guess so," Darkness replied as she held his hands, also staring into his eyes.
Guardian quickly knocked himself out of the trance Darkness put him in and blushed a little.
"Is the legendary, dark, zealous hero Guardian blushing?" she taunted him playfully.
"Not now cutie pie, where is Robin?" he asked, he knew she hated cheesy nicknames like that.
"Maybe I should just put on an apron and start cooking for you while you go to work," Darkness grumbled.
"I am just playing with you, where is Robin?" Guardian asked, kinder.
"He went out to get more information on Jim, you know he is next," Darkness explained.
"Oh, I know he is next, he is a bloody murderer," Guardian said seriously as he got up to go to the main computer.
"Work before love," Darkness thought with a sigh, Guardian always went with his work, his never ending research. "I will get used to it," Darkness told herself.
DOWNTOWN JUMP CITY
Nightfire and Fireteen were out hunting that morning, for more information on Jim. They were dressed in disguise as they sat at a café, looking for anything suspicious, or any big fish in Jump City gangs.
"So, do you think we should strike at Jim full force like Guardian wants to?" Nightfire asked her friend Fireteen.
"I don't know, Robin does have a point that charging into battle screwed us last time, but I think we are doing too much research," Fireteen added.
"Yeah I know, we know where he is and his guards, yet Robin still wants detailed information on everything Jim is doing," Nightfire said in agreement.
"I hope he still doesn't think he has a friendship with the man," Fireteen said, she was still suspicious of Robin.
"No, not after what happened last time, he is a changed man," Nightfire said in defense of Robin.
"I really hope he is, I truly do," Fireteen answered.
"Look, its Boss Michael, what's he doing in Jim's café?" Nightfire said.
"Let's find out," Fireteen said as she got up.
"What are you stupid? Let's wait for him to leave before jumping him," Nightfire scolded Fireteen.
"Sorry, got a little carried away," Fireteen answered as she sat down a little embarrassed at her hot blood.
Nightfire just smiled at her, "Seems Robin isn't the only one desperate for information," she teased.
Fireteen glared at her, but broke into a half smile to show she wasn't serious.
JUMP CITY NORTH HIGH SCHOOL
"JAMES!" the coach yelled when he entered the workout room. To his surprise he saw James there and it angered him.
"Yeah coach?" the sweating James answered as he continued lifting the heavy weights. He had just ended another jump rope session and was now working on his triceps.
"James, why the hell are you still here?" the coach asked the sixteen year old quarterback phenomenon.
"Getting a head start for next season," James replied as he grunted while he continued to work out.
"The season ended last week," the coach replied tiredly. The team had lost in the State quarterfinals, not because of James, but because the defense failed to hold a 28 point lead.
"Doesn't hurt to get ready early," James answered cheerfully.
"You're kidding me right? You have been here for five hours! Since 2:00! Its Friday night, you should be out there, its 7:00, best days of your life!" the coach yelled at his star player.
"Can't I stay a little longer?" James asked. He didn't want to leave, lately his conscious was killing him, so James was trying to forget by working himself to death, him, a free weekend, not a good combination. James glanced at the mirror and turned away, he hated his reflection.
"Sorry buddy, I have children, I want to be with them," the coach said.
"Sorry, I better go, sorry again for keeping you," James said as he got up and grabbed a towel to wipe the sweat.
"No problem kid," the coach said with a smile. "What is on that guy's mind, like he is carrying the world on his shoulder," the coach thought.
SUE'S APARTMENT
James stood in front of the apartment in fear at what he was going to do tonight. "I cant do it, we are too young, I shouldn't do it tonight, and what if she says no? How will I react?" James thought. He held a boutique of roses in his arms, he was wearing his best clothes, his hear well made, it as a big night for him. James finally knocked on the door. Sue answered and looked him up and down in disgust.
"What do you want from me?" she said to him, anger in her voice. As she thought about it she felt like a whore for what she did with him.
"I came to beg for the forgiveness I don't deserve and to ask you to be mine," James said as he gave her the flowers, they were still at the doorway.
"We don't click, we can't be together," Sue said coldly to James.
James fell to his knees and said, "So, according to you we don't click… That's a lie and you know it. Come on Sue, we have so much in common, we are so shattered, so violated, so hurt, I, I love you, I want you to be my fiancé," James said as he pulled out the ring.
Six years earlier Sue's innocence had been stolen by her own family member, she was just a little girl when it happened. Since that even, Sue built a stone wall and hid behind it, hiding her emotions, but at that moment those walls were broken down. "Someone loves me? He loves me? He wants to marry me!" she thought to herself.
"We aren't old enough," Sue answered, although she wanted to in the deepest part of her heart to have someone love her and marry her, she had to be sure.
"I know, I just want you to be officially mine until we are 18, then, the minute that happens, we will marry," James said. James felt the only way to fix his conscious was to make her happy and to marry her as his wife. He felt they could both burry their demons that way.
"Under what conditions?" Sue asked, she could tell by James nervousness he had something else to say.
"This summer you and I go into rehab and you start school next year," James said.
"For you, I will do anything," Sue replied.
James face lit up as he gave her a quick kiss but she pulled away. "What?" he asked in confusion.
"I won't give you any children," she said.
"I just want your company, I don't care for keeping my family name going, I just want to be happy and make you happy," James told the saddened girl as he silenced her with a deep kiss.
NORTHSIDE SLUMS
Robin entered Jim's office; it was a lot harder than it used to be. Jim had a lot of high-tech security and a ton of guards guarding him. Robin stood in a corner of the dimly lit room and waited. He didn't wait long for after a few minutes Jim stormed in. "Damn failures! I give one order and it can't get carried out!" he growled loudly as he grabbed a shot glass and went to his bar.
Robin came out of the shadow and shoved Jim against the wall hard, his hands around Jim's throat so he wouldn't be able to cry for help. "If you yell I will kill you," he said as he loosened his grip slowly, "Tell me why I shouldn't kill you anyways you murderer," Robin added.
"What?" Jim answered, still recovering from the fact he was nearly strangled.
"Don't play stupid, we know you hired those gunmen. I won't kill you now but I will give you a warning, do anything like that again and I will kill you myself. No more killings from you or you will get it," Robin said as he pushed Jim away and walked to the door.
"Sure birdman, sure birdman," Jim said when Robin was out. "Why didn't he kill me? He seemed like he wanted to," Jim thought as he fixed his shirt and called in his security to give them hell.
That finishes off Payback and now it's off to the sequel, Fall of Guardian Rise of the Titans, I will post the first chapter when I get the chance, hopefully in a few days. Here is a brief summery and preview of the sequel.
Six months after the events of Payback the standstill continues. Guardian's fears of falling into a comfortable standstill seem to be a reality, until a Titan is savagely and brutally attacked. There are three prime suspects and a Titan or two maybe involved. The Titans want blood and two former Titans, Batman and Cyborg maybe able to help them. Join in on this exciting adventure as the Titans reach the brink and cross lines previously thought unthinkable.
That is the brief preview, very brief, a ton more in that story, like Anna and Kili to just name a few. I am trying a new style, a mystery/drama/action, a lot darker than usual and I will make a big effort on scenery and stuff like that as well as more memorable dialogue.
Now here is some dialogue, random sections of the story:
"Put it on Guardian," Cyborg told the dark Titan as he handed the machine to him.
"No, I change my mind, I don't want to," Guardian replied as he stepped away.
"You don't have much of a choice here," Batman said simply as he approached Guardian, "It's for your own good," he added.
"I don't want to, you said we had a choice and I changed my mind like Darkness," Guardian said as he began floating to the door.
"Bad choice," Cyborg said quietly and with that he fired his sonic cannon knocking Guardian to the ground, making him nearly unconscious, nearly.
"Let's quickly put it on him," Batman said as he grabbed the machine and took it to the weakened Titan. Guardian suddenly lunged forward and attacked Batman.
"Why were you lying to me for so long?" Kili asked her coldly.
"I, I didn't want to lose your love, I thought you would get mad," Anna replied quietly.
"Your right, I am mad, I hate you. Yeah, I hate you for what you have been putting me through," Kili answered.
"Make a choice Guardian!" Darkness yelled at him.
"I don't want to damn it! I don't want to make a choice!" he growled menacingly at her as he gave her a very dangerous look.
"Then I guess you don't love me," she replied as Guardian stormed out of the room.
"Nightfire, was it all worth it in the end?" Fireteen asked as the two of them just watched what the Titans had all done.
"We will never know, literally, we will never know. Truth be told, after all we went through, I don't want to even know," Nightfire said as she lit herself a cigarette.
Hoped you enjoyed the preview, I am really looking forward to the story, it's really going to be a great mystery and rite of passage story. BUT DON'T FORGET TO:
PLEASE REVIEW!