The school bell rang and Terra took a deep breath and recomposed herself. She wiped her face one last time and blew her nose with the portable tissues her father kept in the glove compartment and turned to face Carver one more time as she got out of the car.
"Thank you," Terra said heavy with emotion, "I love you dad," she said as she held the door open before heading to class.
"I love you more sweetheart," Carver replied with all his heart.
Terra gave him a very warm smile. She shut the door and turned to head to class throwing her pack over her good shoulder.
Carver smiled back as she walked away. However, he was filled with a mixture of emotions. Had he been harbouring a fugitive this whole time? Was she really someone he could trust? The rest of his drive to work he battled his own mind. He loved her dearly. But he really knew absolutely nothing about her.
No. He thought to himself. She's my daughter. She's not evil. She's not dangerous. She's kind. She's loving. No matter what she's done in the past, that doesn't define her now.
Carver made up his mind. He would protect this girl no matter what the cost. She's suffered enough. In her lost past as well as her new future.
Lindsey was on her way to City Hall. Melissa's words swayed her to do things she didn't like in order to protect her daughter. She only wanted her safety and nothing more. If it meant lying and playing along in some stupid movement it would be a small price to her.
Lindsey had shown up early to make sure she could catch Melissa before her "confrence" began. She hoped she could speak with her about what her intentions were Before doing something she'd regret.
The sun was on its way to its peak. The time was 10:15AM and the day continued to grow nicer. City hall had a decent sized crowd in front of its steps waiting for, whatever this event was, to begin. This took her by surprise she was expecting a small group of maybe 20 people, not the hundreds that stood before her.
"Lindsey?" Melissa said walking away from the crowd in front of the stairs to city hall, "Lindsey Carver?"
Lindsey turned her head to face the voice calling her name. She recognized her face from the hospital and nod her head confirming she indeed was Lindsey Carver.
"Oh I'm so glad you could make it!" Melissa said excited, "this is a much better turn out than I'd expected," she turned back to the crowd of at least 100 people. There was such a commotion that even news trucks and reporters stood in front of cameras getting the event broadcast. Melissa turned back to Lindsey with a devious smile, "looks like we might get what we both want today."
Lindsey wasn't sure about this anymore. She didn't like the way that sounded.
"What do you mean?" She asked defensively, "I just want to ensure my little girl won't be tormented by those... Titans anymore," she didn't like saying their name.
"Rest assured!" Melissa spoke up, "we'll have those teens on the run! They wont be able to torment anyone anymore."
The clock tower above the building of city hall rang with a short gong only once, signifying it was half past the hour. Melissa turned to the crowd and grew a long grin.
"It's time," she said to Lindsey, "come up with me and let's get some justice."
Lindsey was still unsure about this but she felt she had come this far. She might as well see it through.
The two women walked up to a small podium with microphones for all news outlets on top of it along with microphones connected to a PA system. Melissa tapped on the microphones to test if they were active. A low thud echoed out of the PA system alerting the audience that the event was about to begin.
"Citizens of jump city," Melissa started, "I come to you as a concerned citizen myself. For too long have we kept our heads down as our precious city is destroyed over and over. For too long have we allowed those responsible for these damages get away with their actions with no punishment. Today we stand together as a people who have had enough! We all saw how the Teen Titans destroyed the city countless times. We all saw just a few weeks ago how they sent multiple innocent children to the hospital. Where are they now? In their Tower still free to roam the city. Still free to do whatever they please. Every single time this city was nearly destroyed by some mad person who do you think their real target was? I stand here to tell you blatant truth that no one else will. It was not you that were the targets of this reckless violence. It was not us they wanted to destroy. It was the Teen Titans! All of the problems we have had to endure have been their doing! We just happened to be innocent bystandards caught in the crossfire. Enough is enough!" The crowd was eating out of Melissa's hand. She spoke with a fierce determination that could make anyone believe anything she said. Melissa paused for a moment to let her words sink in before she continued again, "I stand before you with terrifying news," she said softly with sympathy. She turned and motioned her hand with an open outstretched palm to Linsey who stood behind her, "this brave young woman is the mother of the child who had nearly lost her life at the hands of the Titans two weeks ago. And now she is also the mother of a kidnapped child!" The crowd gasped and starting murmuring to one another, "Yes! The Titans not only almost killed her child, but they also took her in the night last night! The very first night she had in her own home after they nearly killed her!" The crowd grew angry as Melissa spoke. If this was really true then they had a much bigger problem than they had originally thought, "Fellow citizens, I'm not only relieved, but I am overjoyed to say the girl is back home and is safe. She managed to escape the Titans and found her way home. But I ask you, what if your child is next? Will you simply stand by as the Titans take everything we love and care about? Will you stand by as they destroy our beloved city? Or will you fight back and have them removed from our lives and leave us in peace?!"
The crowd roared in agreement. They completely believed everything this woman was saying. They believed that Teen Titans were the whole reason villains and criminals kept attacking their city. It was just a way to get to the Titans. If they weren't there then maybe these villains wouldn't be attacking all the time. But worst of all they believed that the Titans were child abductors.
At the school the bell rang notifying the students it was time for lunch. Terra was walking down the hallway to the cafeteria when she noticed she was getting a lot of looks from her classmates. It made her feel unbelievably uncomfortable. She thought maybe everyone had found out her past and were giving her dirty looks.
No. There's no way. Terra thought to herself. The only ones who know are me my dad and the Titans. They would never say anything to anyone...
"Terra!" Her friends called together as she enter the cafeteria. Her friends were just as protective as ever. Just as they were when Beastboy had first approached her.
"Oh my gosh!" Her brunette friend Claire had said, "I can't believe you got away!"
Terra looked at her with a completely confused look, "got away... from what?" She asked.
"What do you mean 'from what'?!" Claire cried out, "from the Teen Titans!"
Terra's heart lept out of her chest. How did they know she fought the Titans so long ago? Did the others really tell everyone?!
A dark toned girl named Jenae stood next to Claire, "how did you escape them last night?!" She asked. The pair were Terra's best friends.
"Last night?" Terra sounded even more confused.
Her friends stared at her with a great amount of concern. They looked at Terra like she was lucky to be alive. But she had no idea what they were talking about. They looked at each other and grabbed Terra's hand a dragged her through the school's cafeteria to the one TV that hung in the corner of the room.
Terra starred up at the TV to see the news playing a clip of what was being called a "protest ralley" out in front of city hall. The caption across the TV read:Titans Allegedly Abduct Student From Home Late Last Night.
"That's your mom right?" Claire said pointing the screen where a woman stood behind the podium.
Terra's face went red with rage. Now she knew why she was getting so many looks. Everyone thought she was a kidnap victim. She couldn't believe her mother would go to these lengths to get the Titans away from her.
"I can't believe you came to school after that," Jenae said looking at Terra in amazement.
Terra couldn't speak. She was furious beyond comprehension. She felt she had nothing to say to anyone except her mother. And it wasn't gonna be pretty.
Terra stormed out of the cafeteria and her friends started to follow her. She got to the doors and threw them open in a fury. Her friends stopped at the door in shock as to how Terra was reacting. At that moment they realized there was a lot more to this than they knew.
Terra began sprinting home. She had one thing on her mind and she would stop at nothing to make sure she got her message across. Her message was simple. Terra might not be a villain like her past. But in her preaent, her mother was the true villain.