Son Of The Bat (Son of Batman Reader x Raven)

Chapter 9.3

    A sign flashed red, reading 'On Air'. "So let me ask you this, man. How do you become a Titan, exactly?" Kevin Smith asked, a mic in front of him as Gar sat on the other side of the table. "I mean, is there an audition? Do you look at videos? 'Cause I've been working out, y'know? I want in."

Across the city, Jaime was serving food at the center. "Well, Kev. I guess the most important thing to being a Titan, is to have a strong sense of family." Jaime froze, as his family walked in the center. He ran from his friend at his side, hugging his sister. "Some of us don't have our own, so we support the ones that do."

Jaime hugged his mother. Before finally looking back at his father. He scratched his head, only looking up as Jaime hugged him. Gar stood in the corner, watching the reunion with a smile.

Gar shrugged back in the podcast studio. "Of course, an outgoing personality doesn't hurt, but, you know. Something cool." "Something cool? Li-You-you turn into animals! Man, that's beyond cool." "Thanks."

Titans Tower stood in the sunlight. And a figure stood near the edge. "But it's not just about the cool super powers, snazzy uniforms, and daring adventures, it's about helping each other grow, be better people. And when they're down at their lowest, lifting them up."

It was Y/n on the edge. He held Slade's mask in his hand, and tossed it over the edge of the roof. Tears were in his eyes, looking down at the fall ahead. And it seemed all too enticing. One more step forward, it's all it took.

A hand grabbed his own hand as he lifted his first foot. The hand pulled him from the ledge, and he turned. Rachel stood there, looking at him sadly. And he collapsed, tears welling down his face as he hugged her. "Listen, I know you're not supposed to talk about this. But I just gotta ask. There's a new girl, right?"

A woman flew behind them, dressed in a red suit with white stars. "All I can say is that she's a wonderful addition to the team." The woman fell out of the sky, quickly catching herself. "Come on, Gar." "Starfire would kill me." "There's no way Starfire's listening to this man. She's brushing her hair."

Kory sat on the couch in her new apartment, holding a photo in her hands. A photo of three boys, from six years ago. Dick Grayson and Jason Todd stood side to side, and sitting on their shoulders was ten year old Y/n. They all had stupid grins on their faces, and Y/n sat crooked because Jason's shoulder was taller that Dick's. But Kory smiled sadly, running her fingers over Dick's image.

Gar shrugged, waving his hands. "Forget it, my lips are sealed." Gar said, transforming in his seat. "No way, he just turned into a seal, folks, I swear. But really, Gar, is she gonna like, replace Terra?" "Tara...?"

Gar froze. "Yeah, y'know. There are lots of stories about her." "I know." "Ooh, too soon?" "Yeah..." "I mean that's cool, honestly. If you don't want-" "I'd like to say something."

In the wreckage, Gar was searching the rubble. "There are a lot of people who get handed a rough life." Gar's hands wiped away the dirt, and Tara's head creeped through the rocks. "They never asked for it, but... they do what they can."

Gar pulled her from the rubble, holding her against his chest. "Many of them can't rise above the hurt. It's just too hard. I've been watching someone I know drown for a year now." Her eyes were open, and she smiled at Gar. "But in the end, when the chips were down, and she finally showed her true self, Tara Markov was like a diamond."

Gar hugged her as the team rose over the rubble. Jason and Kory stood on his right, Rachel, Jaime, and farther away Y/n, who held a sword and a cloth. He stayed there, while the others walked closer. "The most beautiful thing that I've ever seen."