022
— to donna troy —
CLOUDS HUNG DARK AND HEAVY IN THE SKY, THE THREAT OF RAIN LOOMING ABOVE THEM. The Titans walked across the tarmac toward the Amazonins waiting for them. They stood in a line across from the warriors and Conner opened the door to the hearse. He, Dawn, Dick and Hank took Donna's coffin to a stand, each of their hands reluctant to let go. They moved to stand in a line with the rest of the Titans, who all wore black.
Dick passed the lasso, tied into a neat knot, to the Themysciran woman. She nodded and laid the gold lasso on top of the coffin. She said a few solemn words before thanking the Titans as they took the coffin to the plane. The others waited by the cars as Dick and Rachel walked to the plane. Terran looked at Hazel before motioning them to Dick and Rachel.
Terran stood beside Rachel and Dick stopped beside Hazel. "Are they taking her back to Themyscira?" Rachel asked, glancing up at the plane.
Dick nodded softly, "They have a place for warriors like Donna. Sacred grounds."
Terran spared a glance at Rachel before looking back up at Hazel and Dick. "We're gonna go with Donna," Terran spoke up, looking between the pair. "If anyone can bring her back, it's gonna be us."
"Look, we all wanna bring her back," Dick sighed.
"You don't understand," Rachel said, chuckling. "My powers are changing. Getting stronger and like, I think I've actually been inside your head. Like, I can take your thoughts and bring 'em to life."
"I've seen you do some amazing things," Dick said with a smile. "And considering what's in my head... that's pretty messed up."
Rachel smiled softly and looked at Terran. "What we're saying is, with Rachel's magic and my ability to walk around Limbo..." Terran trailed off, shrugging softly.
"If you wanna go, I'm not gonna stop you," Dick said. "But remember, doesn't matter how strong we are, we can't always change the world."
"But we can try. We should... try," Rachel nodded.
Hazel looked at Terran, a swirling mess of emotions in her stomach. "Go with Donna," Hazel encouraged, her voice soft. "Your rooms will be waiting for you when you get back."
"Who knows, maybe I'll stay on the island," Rachel shrugged.
"Please don't," Hazel muttered, a soft, sad smile on her face. "Space witch skin isn't made for the tropical sun."
"Yeah, I'll survive." Rachel chuckled. "Will you?"
"We'll miss you," Hazel said with a smile.
"And the others?" Terran asked, nodding to everyone else.
"I'll let 'em know," Dick assured. Rachel smiled and hugged Dick tight.
"Thanks," Rachel muttered.
"Be careful," Dick advised.
"Yes, sir," Rachel said nodding.
"Hey, Dick," Hazel spoke up. "Can I have a sec with them?" Dick nodded, sending a final smile their way before walking to the others. Hazel looked back at Rachel and held her tight. Rachel's hands fisted Hazel's shirt.
"Come back to me in one witchy piece please," Hazel muttered. Rachel nodded and pulled back.
"One witchy piece," Rachel repeated before walking to the jet.
"I gotta tell you something," Hazel turned to Terran. Hazel took a nervous beath and glanced over her shoulder. "When I was with CADMUS, I found out about our dad and our brother," Hazel relayed and Terran's eyebrows shot up. "From what I know, our dad is... a god. I'm gonna do my best to find them."
Terran nodded, her face stilled in shock before, a small smile took over her face. "You found me," Terran shrugged.
"Mutual effort," Hazel smiled.
Terran nodded and hugged Hazel quickly. "I'll look after her," Terran muttered. Hazel laughed softly.
Hazel walked back to the others, Dick in the middle of telling everyone about Rachel and Terran. Once the plane started up, they turned, standing tall as they watched the plane. Hazel hadn't really known Donna that well, but the realisation that she would almost certainly never see Donna again made her heart ache.
The sun reflected far off into the distance, bouncing light off Jason's windshield. Hazel met his eyes and smiled softly. He nodded before slipping his helmet off and speeding off.
❁
THE TOWER WAS EERILY SILENT BUT ALL THE ROOMS WERE FULL. Hazel shook the nerves from her hands as she walked down the hall, Dick busy in the kitchen. Dick turned to her and smiled. "Hey, you here to help?" Dick asked, watching as Hazel took a seat at the island.
"God no, I am an awful cook. I'll help where I can though," Hazel compromised, resting her hands on the island. She tapped her fingers against the counter making Dick look up at her. "But I wanted to run something by you or tell you something. I wanted to tell Gar, but I didn't want to bother him, and with what been going on with Dawn and Hank, and then Kory and her powers-"
"Haze," Dick called. Hazel looked up at Dick, stopping her sentence. "You can tell me whatever you need to. Even if it's stupid like your white socks turned pink."
Hazel laughed softly, the comment easing her nerves a little. "I- When I was at CADMUS, they looked into my family," Hazel started. "I have a brother apparently; they didn't know who he was."
"Did you want me to start looking?" Dick asked, pulling out a chopping board. "Carrots?"
Hazel rested her hands against the counter and when she pulled them a bunch of carrots rested on the black marble. "I'm gonna try it alone for a bit, do what I did with Terran," Hazel explained. "But they knew about my dad. Which explains how I turned one of your flares to sand. His name is Videl, the God of Creation." Dick stopped chopping and looked up at Hazel. "I don't know how much of it is true so I'm not in a super rush to find him, but I wanted to know if you had any books that I could use for research?"
Dick smiled, "I don't but I can get Bruce to send some."
Hazel nodded while smiling, "Thanks."
Dick quietly took a deep breath and set the knife aside, making Hazel look up at him. "When we went after Dr Light, I said you were nothing but backup," Dick said, and Hazel nodded softly. "I only said it because I was worried. Dr Light was dangerous, and I didn't wanna see you hurt."
Hazel chuckled softly and stood, walking to the fridge to grab a pair of drinks. "Apology accepted," Hazel shrugged. Hazel popped the lid off the drink, tossing it away as she walked down the halls, wandering to Gar's room. She knocked on the door softly and Gar looked up. He sat against the headboard, tossing a book in his hands.
"Can I come in?" Hazel asked and he nodded. Hazel walked to sit beside him, pulling up the sheets to sit beside him. She handed him a drink and set hers on his bedside table. "You wanna talk?"
"No," Gar whispered. He flipped the book in his hands. "I found this in Donna's room." Hazel took the book, reading over the cover of the book, Frida Kahlo. "I keep flipping it open then I start to read then my head hurts."
"The Diary of Frida Kahlo, An Intimate Self-Portrait," Hazel read aloud. "Get comfy." Hazel slid further into the covers and Gar's body fell against hers, his head on her shoulder as they pulled the pillows against them. Hazel started to read, Gar dipping in and out of sleep as she did.
A certain feeling of both celebrations and remembrance carried through the tower as the Titans gathered out for a dinner in Donna's honour. Even Bruce had shown up, sitting at the end of the table, smiling as everyone laughed. Hazel sat between Gar and Hank; her knee pressed against Gar's. She sighed softly as she waited for Dick to put all the food on the table. "What was her deal with tomatoes?" Gar asked, looking up at Dick.
"She called it, The Devil's Fruit," Kory answered.
"Hold on," Hank called. "Tomato is a fruit?"
Hazel and Kory laughed softly. "Anything that has seeds is fruit," Hazel informed, leaning back in her seat.
"Anything?" Gar questioned.
"Anything. Zucchinis, squash, eggplants," Hazel shrugged softly. Once Dick placed the last plate down everyone began to reach for the food. "Pass the potatoes, please." Hank reached over and slid the potatoes to Hazel.
Dick cleared his throat, smiling to himself. "Donna Troy and I were a couple of strays," Dick spoke up. Everyone set their forks down and looked up at Dick. "Nothing linking us other than parents that liked to dress up at night and fight crime. She saw us as family. But I wasn't much interested in family then. Families can be fucked up. I mean, look around. We've all spent our lives recovering from the damage done by our families. Donna knew something I didn't. If you throw enough strays together, you get the best kind of family. One bound not by DNA but by a collective sense of duty and devotion to another. And when you lose someone you love you need this. What we have right here."
Everyone looked around, smiling at whoever's eyes they met. Hank threw his arm around Hazel's shoulder, making her smile. Dick smiled, continuing his speech, "What's next for us all? I don't know. It's a million-dollar question. Anyway." Dick picked up the orange drink they had bought, the one Donna always drank. "...to Donna Troy. Thanks for giving me a second chance at family. And thanks to you guys for taking me back in. To the Titans."
"Titans," The others called back, raising their drinks.
"To Donna Troy," Kory announced.
"Donna Troy," The others recited back again and clinked their drinks together. They all drank. Hazel sipped it and ran her tongue over her teeth.
"Ugh, that's what she's been drinking this whole time?" Hank asked, setting the drink down.
"I think it's great," Dawn countered.
"I like it," Kory agreed.
"That's so strange," Hazel murmured.
"It's a great soda," Gar commented. He stood up and walked to the kitchen, digging into a cupboard.
"Yeah, right," Hank scoffed. "Barf."
"So picky," Kory remarked.
They laughed softly and started to eat their dinner. "Uh, guys," Gar called, looking over a tablet. Everyone turned to look at him, the room going silent. "There's cops and the bomb squad responding to a disturbance in the Mission District. Sounds bad."
Everyone stayed in silence, nervously looking around at each other. Dawn suddenly pushed her chair out and stood. She took a few steps away before turning to the others. "What are we waiting for?" Hank paused for a moment before standing as well, and then the others followed.
"I still don't have a suit," Hazel mumbled, taking a bite of potatoes.
"Check your room," Bruce insisted, sipping on his drink.
Hazel's eyes widened and she looked at Dick. He nodded softly and Hazel pushed her chair ack, making a terrible screech as she did. She sped for the hall, shouting over her shoulder, "Gar! Come on!" Gar set his drink down and chased after Hazel.
Hazel threw her doors opened, looking at her bed. Hazel walked to the bed, Gar stopping at her side as they looked down at the suit; dark green crossing made of a bullet proof Zylon fibber, as the little note said, the rest of the suit was some protective fabric dyed a light green, gold embellishments adoring the torso and shoulder pads.
"I'd say that's a pretty awesome suit," Gar laughed and Hazel smiled. "What do you think, Venom?"
— pain —