017

— family by blood or choice —

THE ROOM WAS BRIGHT, ONE STARK WHITE WALL THE REST MADE OF GLASS, BUT IT FELT LIKE THE WALLS WERE CLOSING IN ON HER. Hazel sat crossed legged on a white couch, alternating between observing everyone that passed by and starring at the camera in the corner of the cramped room. Hazel cracked her neck to the side, the heavy power-dampening collar pulling at her muscles, its patchy grey colour matching the tight suit she was forced into.

The glass door to the left opened, the woman, Mercy Graves motioning toward the man in a fitted grey suit. He was slightly taller than Conner, easily taller than Hazel, and his hair had been shaved down to a buzzcut. Once the man stepped in, the door closed with the faint click of the lock echoing through the room. The man walked to the single seater chair adjacent from Hazel. He set a manila folder on the small coffee table between them, fixed his tie once more before turning to Hazel with a smile.

"Miss Lillis-"

"Please do not call me that," Hazel snapped, crossing her arms.

The man nodded and raised his hands in defence, a small soft smile on his face. "My apologies, Hazel. My name is Micheal Tarves, I am a researcher and Doctor here at CADMUS Labs. Can I get you anything? Tea? Coffee?" The man offered.

"Where is Gar?" Hazel questioned.

The man paused for a moment before nodding in realisation, "Ah, yes, Mr Logan," The man nodded. "He is comfortable and completely safe. As are you."

Hazel chuckled softly, shaking her head. "Comfortable is a stretch."

"Miss Hazel-"

"What do you want?" Hazel snapped, uncrossing her arms and legs, leaning forward. She stared at the man, her intense eyes staring down the man, "You can't fix what you didn't make."

Micheal nodded and tapped his fingers against his knee. "Seventeen." Hazel furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. "You've killed seventeen people and brought harm onto so many more."

"How do you-?"

"It's my job to know things, Miss Hazel," Micheal said. He grabbed the manila folder and flipped through it, his eyes skimming over the documents inside. "Your father left when you were three, your mother worked three jobs, so you spent a lot of time at your grandmothers, Lucia Lillis, she's the reason you know Spanish. Once you got into high school, you did the high school thing; underage drinking, drugs, damage to public property... Arrested three times. You lived fairly comfortably until your mother was attacked four months ago. You've been mostly off the grid since. Yes?"

Hazel stared for a moment before forcing her tense muscles to loosen as she gave a soft shrug. "So, you googled my name and paid attention to the news," Hazel scoffed and leant back in the chair. "Congratulations. I'll give you a medal."

"Hazel, please, just listen."

"After I see Gar," Hazel ordered.

"Hazel, if you answer my questions-"

"I want to see him," Hazel repeated, pushing herself to her feet.

"Miss Lillis-"

"I need to see Gar!" Hazel's shout made Micheal jump. A light exploded from her body, shooting out and smashing through the glass walls, the lights exploded and the electrical currents through the building started to sputter with Hazel's order.

The collar around her neck started to flash and sent a pain through Hazel's bones that felt like her muscles started to pull at her spine, an agonising burn that spread through her body. Hazel hissed and Micheal jumped to his feet, taking Hazel's arm and sitting her back on the couch. Glass crunched under his feet as he knelt in front of Hazel. He pressed a button on the collar and the pain subsided.

Hazel let out a heavy breath and Micheal rested his arms on the couch. She looked down at him, and he sighed, "Hazel... I am not here to fix or cure you," Micheal said softly, seemingly unshaken by Hazel's outburst of power. "I am here to show you who you are. What you are capable of. Whoever had been teaching you has taught you all they know. Your father is a legend, you could be too."

Hazel looked up at Micheal, confusion filling her eyes. 

"Your mother told you about your father, did she not?" Micheal questioned and Hazel shook her head softly. Micheal stood, grabbing the folder before sitting beside Hazel but still left some space. "We ran some blood tests, just to be sure. If you're questioning it..."

Hazel took a piece of paper he held out to her, her eyes scanning over the pages. "Your father is very powerful man, Videl. He assisted Superman himself. After further research, we discovered not only is this man your father, but the God of Creation." 

Micheal handed her a photo of a man with short dark hair, slightly pointed ears and adorned with green piercings; a special green stone that pierced the septum of his nose and two diamond shaped earrings made of the same material. "We have more DNA connections; two we believe to be your brother and sister. If you allow us to help you, Hazel, we can find them."

Hazel stared at the photo, confusion and unease filling her. "You- you could be lying," Hazel stammered, tossing the photo on the table.

"Hazel... I'm sure you're asking yourself can I afford to trust him?" Micheal started, closing the folder. "But you must ask yourself, can I afford not to."

Hazel's hands twisted in unease, this man had seemingly been so truthful with her but just hours ago the people he worked with shot her and captured her friends. On one hand, the truth of her family had opened a door to a part of herself she never thought she would know. Yet, the pain these people had caused her, and her friends weighed heavy on her shoulders.

Once the silence had settled, Micheal gave Hazel's shoulder a soft squeeze. "I'll give you some time to think," Micheal said, keeping his voice soft. "But someone will come through to move you to a different room."

❁

"HEY, THIS IS HAZEL! SORRY I MISSED YOUR CALL-" Terran sighed and clicked her phone off, Hazel's voice message ringing in her ears for the seventh time. Terran sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Fuck."

Terran quickly paid the taxi driver and rushed to the entrance of the tower. She clicked the doorbell, waiting for an answer. Her foot tapped in impatience he fingers tapping against the wall. She pressed the button again, holding down the speaker button. "Hello? Haze? Gar?" Terran called. "Hazel...? Anyone?" Terran sighed and ran her hand down her face.

"No answer?" Donna questioned making Terran jump.

Terran looked back at Donna, who had stopped beside her. Terran's eyebrows furrowed, "No Rachel?"

"Went AWOL. You?"

"Gar and Hazel aren't answering," Terran relayed. "But Hazel messaged me this morning, I told her I would be here."

Donna reached past Terran and typed in the password. There was a small buzz then and the doors opened up for them. Terran and Donna stood in nervous silence as the elevator took them up. Terran watched the numbers tick up as the elevator raised higher. "Somethings wrong," Terran said, a twisting feeling rushing over her. Donna turned to her, watching Terran's eyes light up a bright blue.

Donna took a small step Infront of Terran, waiting for the doors to open. The doors binged at them then slowly opened, and Terran's heart sank to her stomach. The tower was a mess of glass from the shattered windows, wood scattered from broken furniture, burn marks that covered the walls, claw marks that had torn into the floor and vines had broken through the floor, dripping blood.

"Shit, shit, shit," Terran cursed.

Donna quickly motioned for her to be quiet as they stepped out of the elevator. Donna looked back at Terran, "You said you felt this. Can you tell whose blood that is?" Donna asked in a whisper.

Terran cringed, her stomach twisting at the sight of the red liquid stanning the floor but nodded anyway. She clenched her fists and stepped up to the first patch of blood, having her hand just above it. "Uh, I can't tell... I don't know who it's from." Terran stood and cautiously stepped to the largest pool of blood. "But," Terran hovered over the blood and resisted the urge to vomit. Flashes of bullets and the shallow echo of someone else's pain rain through her body. "Hazel..."

Donna wandered over to the kitchen, careful of the glass cracking under her shoes. She reached out, her fingers stopping just short of a bloody handprint staining the side of a cabinet. "Thats Gar's," Terran said slowly, standing on shaky legs. "Fuck me..." Terran turned down the hall but stopped from venturing into the darkness. "Hazel?" Terran called. "Gar? Dick?"

Donna's phone started to vibrate, and she immediately answered. "Rachel. I've been looking everywhere for you," Donna sighed. "Where have you-?" Donna paused as her phone started to crackle. Donna looked up and Terran and she walked back to her, listing to the static.

Rachel's voice crackled through the phone, "Donna-"

"Rachel!" Donna called.

"I need you... I'm at Elko Diner-" Rachel's voice echoed through static.

"Rachel!" Donna yelled. The line disconnected and Donna scrambled to call Rachel back.

"This voicemailbox is full. Please try again later. Goodbye," The automatic voice relayed.

Donna huffed, shoving her phone back into her pocket. "What's Elko diner?" Terran questioned.

"A diner... I hope," Donna sighed. She looked over the tower once more before walking to the elevator.

"Wait, wait, Donna hold on," Terran called, and Donna paused. "What about Hazel, an-and Gar?"

"You know as well as I do, whoever got in and won against Hazel and Gar is trained and dangerous," Donna warned. "And I have to find Rachel, she'll help us find Hazel." Terran sighed and looked over the room. Donna walked to Terran and placed her hand on her shoulder. "Listen, kid, I know you want to find her, I want to too. But I can't leave you alone here. As soon as we make sure Rachel's okay, we will find Hazel."

Terran nodded and they stepped into the elevator. They hopped into Donna's car, Terran directing then out of the city to a small dinner practically in the middle of nowhere. Donna parked the car but hadn't moved yet. "Is this a good idea?" Terran asked, looking up at the neon sign.

"I was raised by an island of warriors, and you can manipulate sound and nature. We will be fine," Donna assured and stepped from the car.

Terran dropped her head against the headrest and sighed, "Wonderful." She stepped from the car and followed after Donna. Donna pushed the door to the diner open, a small bell charm going off. The girls paused as they noticed a few others crowed the diner. Kory leaned against the table, Rachel stood beside her, and Dawn stood in the hallway to the back entrance.

"Uh, hi," Terran said with a shocked tone.

"Is this real, or am I going crazy?" Kory questioned, motioning around.

"This is definitely real," Dawn confirmed with a nod.

Rachel turned away from Kory, glaring at Donna, "Why are you following me?"

"Ease up Sabrina the teenage witch," Terran said sighing. "You called us."

"No, I didn't Poison Ivy," Rachel denied.

"You did though, you called me saying you needed help and come to Elko Diner," Donna insisted, keeping her voice steady.

"My engine light went out," Dawn spoke up. "Kory?"

Kory shrugged softly, "I'm just here for the donuts."

The entrance door opened, and the bell chimed. A man in suit pants and a white jacket walked through and stood in front of everyone. "Bruce?" Donna questioned.

"I'm so glad you all could make it," Bruce smiled.

Bruce quickly sat down, urging everyone to explain their situation, beginning from Dick's idea to restart the Titans to the abandoned tower. "This is troubling news," Bruce nodded, his leg crossed over the other as he listened. "And no Conner, Gar or Hazel?"

"No," Terran said shaking her head standing by Donna. "We found Hazel's blood, bloody paw prints, broken glass and no one shut down the mainframe."

"Neither of them would leave it like that," Donna insisted. "So, when Rachel called me, I thought maybe she knew where they were."

Rachel shook her head, her body shifting uncomfortably, "I never talked to them."

Bruce took a breath and he nodded softly, "I am aware of what's happened to all of you. And I- I'm sorry. Lies can tear a family apart and you've been living in the aftermath of that. And it's a lonely place to be. But this was a... This is a family of choice. Breaking apart was a choice. In the light of this news, I'm asking you to make another one. To come together. Walking away from bad feelings is easy. It's much harder to take the blow, and come back for more, but that's what a family does. If you can unite, you can face any threat. But if darkness arrives while you're still cast apart, I truly believe that none of you will survive." Bruce stood, wiping his hands on his pants.

"If you won't protect one another... who will?" Bruce turned to walk away but spotted the doughnuts. He cleared his throat and grabbed a jelly doughnut before walking out the door, the bell ringing through the diner. Rachel stood and followed Terran to the window watching as Bruce got in his car and sped away.

"Did he just leave?" Donna asked, looking up at the girls.

"Yep," Terran confirmed with a nod.

There was a beat of silence then Kory spoke up, "So, let me get this straight. Bruce Wayne somehow miraculously arranged for us all to meet in this diner in the middle of nowhere to mansplain us into putting the Titans back together?"

"Yep," Dawn said again. "I think that's exactly what just happened." Dawn pulled on her jacket and grabbed her bag.

The TV in the next room sprung to life in a garbled static. There was a moment where they glanced between each other before walking to the next room to gather around the TV screen. Terran leaned on the counter, Rachel standing beside her, "Today's top story, two men escape Kane Jail, apparently aided by imprisoned Detroit Police Detective Dick Grayson," The reporter relayed. "More details on this story and more on our next news update."

"You gotta be fucking kidding me," Donna cursed.

Donna turned and walked out of the diner; the others close behind. "Donna, wait," Rachel called but Donna kept walking.

"Troy, where are you going?" Kory questioned.

Donna paused and turned back to look at the others. "Back to San Francisco," Donna answered.

Rachel's hand shot out, gripping Donna's wrist, "No, we need to save Dick."

Donna pulled her arm from Rachel's grasp, "Dick's on his own."

"What is wrong with you?"

"Me?!" Donna snapped. She took a soft breath as she looked down at Rachel's pleading eyes, "Look, I know Dick Grayson, okay? He put himself up on that cross. Nailed himself to it. Now he's going to have to take himself down, too."

"Donna's right," Dawn agreed. "Whatever Dick's doing, he's doing to himself."

The two turned and Terran followed after them. "Terran, he took you in," Rachel called and they paused again.

"And my sister is missing," Terran snapped, and Rachel looked down. "Y'know? ...Hazel? The one you don't care about... the one that died for you." Both Kory and Rachel refused to meet Terran's glare as she urged them to say something. Terran shrugged and the three turned to walk away again.

"I'm having dreams again!" Rachel yelled in a desperate plea and the girls finally stopped. "I was at Dick's funeral. Deathstroke killed him." Rachel shuddered softly. "Look... I know that I sound crazy. I know that. But Dick needs my help. And I really need yours. Please."

Dawn and Terran looked at Donna, Terran silently begging Donna to go. "I'm sorry Rachel, but Gar and Hazel need us more," Donna said after a few beats of silence. "Terran, let's go." Donna and Terran slid into the car, Terran leaving the passenger seat for Dawn. Dawn said a few more words to Rachel before sliding into the seat next to Donna. Donna started the engine and sped off.

— pain —