Fan Fiction ❯ Phoenix's Rise ❯ Phoenix's Secret Part I ( Chapter 7 )

Chapter 7

Phoenix's Secret Part: I

“Are you Phoenix's friends?” A doctor in a long, white coat asked.

The Titans jumped up, and went up to the man. “Yes, we are,” Robin answered for all of them. “Is Phoenix going to be alright?”

“She should be, but . . .” The doctor trailed off.

“But . . . what?” Raven asked, impatiently.

“Whatever happened to her caused so much shock that she won't talk to us. Would you please try to get her to say what happened?” The Titans blinked, not saying a word. Phoenix not talking was a big shock, she was about the most talkative, energetic, and happy of all of the people they'd ever met.

Phoenix lay on her back on a small bed in a small, darkened room. Although her face showed no emotion of any kind . . . inside she was crying, lonely, and scared out of her mind. How did Slade find out? Should I tell the others? Did they find Slade where I left him? Do they already know what happened? When they find out what my secret is . . . will they understand . . . or will they charge me with murder? I'm not going to talk to anyone before I figure out the answers to all of my questions. Oh no, they're outside of my room right now! I need to get out of here! No, I can't . . . I'm too weak.

“Whoa! Hey, Phoenix,” Beast Boy exclaimed when he saw her heart-rate readings spike as the five walked through the door “, chill out, it's only us. What happened to you?”

No, I can't tell them . . . I won't. They'd never understand what happened to me. Even though all of this was going on in her head . . . Phoenix's face stayed the same, bland, and blank expression.

“That's the same reaction we've had when ever we try to ask what happened to her . . . it's as if she's afraid to say,” the doctor sighed, then left.

“Okay, Phoenix, the doc's gone. What happened?” Cyborg asked.

NOTHING.

“Phoenix, you can trust us . . . we want to help you,” Robin added. “What happened?”

NOTHING.

“Please, friend, why will you not speak to us?” Starfire asked.

NOTHING.

“Dude, come on, this whole silent treatment is getting old,” Beast Boy complained.

NOTHING.

“Phoenix,” Raven said telepathically “we can't help you if we don't know what's wrong. We need you to tell us what happened. Was it Slade, did he try to force you into being his apprentice?”

Phoenix's heart-rate spiked again. “Whoa,” Cyborg exclaimed “, there she goes again! What'd you ask her, Rae?”

“I asked if Slade was the cause of all of this. I sensed a lot of fear, and so many other negative emotions that it made my head hurt. Whatever Slade said or did really scared her,” Raven replied.

“Well, why won't she talk to us? We didn't do anything . . . unless Slade made up some big story,” Robin thought out loud. “We all know that he isn't above that.”

“Maybe she just needs some time to herself to think,” Raven suggested.

Yes, just leave me alone . . . please. I can't stand all of this! I don't want to think about any of this . . . especially not my secret. Not now . . . and not ever! It wasn't my fault . . . I didn't mean to do it . . . and now . . . my whole family is gone!

Outside of Phoenix's room, Raven told the others what she heard in Phoenix's mind before they left the room. “She kept thinking about her `secret', and that whatever happened wasn't her fault.”

“Why would that upset her so much?” Beast Boy wondered.

“I think I heard the answer to that too. Whatever happened made it so that her family is gone,” Raven replied quietly.

“If we knew Phoenix's real name, we could find out what happened to her family,” Cyborg suggested.

“But Phoenix won't even speak to us, so how do we find out her true name?” Starfire asked.

“I've got this one,” Robin spoke up. “We get Phoenix's finger prints, and then we do a scan of all of the recorded prints in police databases. After we do that, her real name should come up . . . then we search for other people with that same last name.”

Phoenix heard the entire conversation outside of her room, and panicked. She knew that they'd find out everything soon, and they might take it easier on her if she told them what happened if she told them right away . . . but she couldn't do it. “Hey, guys!” Did I say that?

The Titans froze, not knowing if Phoenix had really called to them. Then the same two words came from behind Phoenix's door.

“What is it, friend?” Starfire asked gently.

“If you really want to know what happened . . . I-I'll tell you,” Phoenix said quietly, not looking at anything but the ceiling.

“You don't have to, not right now. You should rest, and then you can tell us later,” Robin said.

I just hope that you'll understand.