Dark Flame (A Titans East Fan fic)

Chapter 1

Ember sat curled up in an alleyway, struggling to stay comfortabl . She kept her face hidden under her jacket's hood, refusing to be recognized. Small snow flakes started falling from the sky sending Ember into a panic. Where was she going to go? Who would want her? She was nothing but a freak with an anger issue. With those depressing thoughts, Ember started to cry.

A nearby dumpster burst into flames, causing Ember to scream. "No! Please, not again!" She stood up, wrapping her around her stomach, forcing herself to stop being so emotional. She dug her nails into her side as a car started on fire. Just keep running, she thought to herself. Leave Steel City and never return; you have caused enough damage.

Just then a net flying through the air caught Ember and sent her rolling through the street. An unknown woman walked up to her and picked her up by her hair. Ember grunted in pain, trying her hardest to escape.

"Take another step, Titans, and the girl is history." Bumblebee, Mas y Minos, Aqualad, and Speedy stopped short when they saw the hostage Ember. Oh no, Ember thought. If the Titans East saw her powers she would be a goner.

"Stop now before somebody gets hurt!" Speedy shouted, his hand itching to reach back for arrow.

"Boys don't do anything stu-" Bee was in the middle of warning her teammates when Ember's scream stopped her.

"Let. Me. GO!" The net around Ember was engulfed in flames. The woman gasped and dropped Ember's hair as Ember was swallowed by the fire. The Titans backed away at first before launching into hero mode. Bee and Mas y Minos moved towards the woman while Speedy and Aqualad went to extinguish the fire.

The woman looked to the advancing Titans and jumped into the air flying away. Bee took off after her while Mas y Minos chased after at sonic speed on the ground. Meanwhile Aqualad lifted his hands to shoot water at the flames right as they suddenly vanished. Ember sat with her knees to her chest, covered in ashes.

After exchanging a glance with a just as confused Aqualad, Speedy rushed forward. He knelt in front of the girl, talking in a gentle voice. "I'm Speedy. What's your name?" The girl looked up into Speedy's eyes from underneath her hood. Speedy stared at her red eyes, waiting for an answer.

"M-m-my n-na-name's Emb-b-ber." The girl stuttered so bad that Speedy had to strain to hear. "And I-I'm real s-s-sorry for the f-f-fire, sir! It was an a-acid-dent!" She cried before burying her head in her knees. A fire circle around Ember and Speedy shot up from the ground, sending Aqulad cowering away his weakness.

"Speedy, I can't get any closer!" He shouted from the other side of the fire.

"We're fine!" Speedy yelled back over his shoulder. He turned back to Ember, reaching a hand out to her. "Are you creating the fire?" He asked his question gently. She ignored him until his hand fully rested on her shoulder, making Ember's head jerk upwards towards him.

"I can't control it. It's connected to my emotions somehow and I haven't found out how to make it stop, sir. It won't hurt me though... I can't say the same for others..." Ember's eyes start to cloud with dark memories and she whimpered, backing away on her hand and feet from Speedy. "Don't come closer, sir. I don't want to hurt you after you have so kind to me."

"You can't hurt me. I promise. Now I want you to take my hand and imagine the fire just going away." He extended his hand to her, hoping that this will work. Ember hesitated a second before taking his hand. She closed her eyes and prayed that it would go away. And just like that it did.

"I did it!" she yelled, never feeling so happy in her life. She tackled Speedy to the ground. She squeezed around his neck. "Thank you so much, sir!" She said.

"Sir?" Bee asked, walking over to the hugging couple on the ground.

"It's a long story," Speedy explains. Ember pulled away blushing, pulling her hood down even farther. "Where is the lady?"

"She got away. Teleported I think. What's with the girl?" Bee gestured to Ember. Ember frowned at being referred to as 'the girl.' She stood up to leave before any more fires broke out when Aqualad stopped her. He didn't come close to her though, scared of her fire.

"I think you should stay with us for while, until you get your.... powers.....under control," Aqualad said more to the team than Ember. Ember kept her face hidden in the shadow. She crossed her arms over her chest.

"I don't need you to babysit me! I have been taking care of myself my whole life, I don't need someone now," she turned on the heel of her holy sneakers, planning on leaving but Speedy grabbed her shoulder. Speedy was shocked; the girl who was terrified and he had just rescued was gone. In her place was a mean and anger driven girl instead.

"Ember, maybe you should stay," he said, his voice concerned and worried. Ember flinched away, not used to people touching her and caring for her. Nobody did that. Especially not when they saw her uncontrollable danger.

"I'm leaving and you can't stop me." She ran away and when the Titans started to follow, she threw up a wall of fire. When Aqualad had it all extinguished though, she was gone.