Without You

Reunion

It had been years since Garfield Logan and Tara Markov had last met, let alone spoken face to face. A lot has changed since then. They're older now, for one, and they seem to be on different paths. However, the undeniable chemistry they possess is something that neither of them can deny. It's something that's universally known to both of them, given the circumstances of what they've been through.

It's a miracle that either of them are still living in the first place. Garfield's often seen as a joker; to an extent, he is, but he has a serious side that doesn't come out very often. Tara has been underestimated her entire life, told she doesn't matter, she's a girl who just wants to feel valued as she matters, and people around her toss her aside, and criticize her for her mistakes. To put it simply, she's misunderstood.

One day, Garfield decides to exit his crummy apartment and goes outside to get some fresh air. The Teen Titans, as he knows them, have long disbanded; they're no longer working together to stop the world from evil threats. Dick has gone to do his own thing, vigilante work as Nightwing, Kori, well, she's back on Tamaran, Victor's busy with the Justice League, and Rachel she's on shaky ground with Gar. 

The two dated for a few years and eventually broke things off. They handled things professionally, understanding that things didn't work out, and neither dwelled on it too much. They don't talk anymore and maintain their distance from one another. It's not surprising, given their differences. They don't despise one another, but it's probably for the best. He walks into a forest and sits on a rock.

Part of him misses how simpler things used to be, from being a Teen Titan to a lone wolf adult trying to stop crime alone. It's far from easy. Hell, he's gotten nearly killed more times than he can count. The calming sounds of nature, the glistening moonlight, and the sounds of birds chirping were soothing. It's nights like this that remind him that life doesn't completely suck.

 Days like this are more tolerable than nearly being killed by Deathstroke or Rose Wilson, for that matter, too; being a superhero is far from easy. Sure, you have powers, but no matter what you do, you'll always have critics, people who doubt you and think the worst of you. In a way, he kind of hates it. Garfield sharply exhaled, trying to make sense of the changing times before him.

He squinted when he saw a familiar face, and it was none other than Tara Markov. A woman that he hadn't spoken to since he was 17. He is twenty-four now, and she's twenty-two, so a lot of time had passed since then. She has grown, and so has he. Is this destiny or a weird coincidence? Garfield isn't sure what to make of it. He takes a deep breath before speaking up.

"Hey Tara, it's been a while, hasn't it? What have you been up to?" He asked her curiously. She seemed curious before eventually responding to him. "Oh, not a lot. I am just re-evaluating my choices and trust in people. I got burned by someone who I thought was like my dad but turned out to be worse." It didn't take long to realize that she was referring to Slade, a notorious liar and horrible person, amongst many other negative adjectives.

Logan listened to her, taking solace in her tone. It sounded sincere and almost genuine, which surprised him. He was always hoping that she would end her connection to Slade. He's always been worried about her, especially given how much of a negative influence the man has had on her.