Titans Tower was lively like always, but Kara still wasn't used to. The large building itself felt too bright and too open sometimes. Her extremely heighten senses making her aware of every movement, voice, and person in the tower. Roa help her if she used her X-ray vison at the wrong time and say something she didn't mean to see. Again.
The main corridor stretched long and wide ahead of her, polished floors reflecting the overhead lights. Wide glass panels along one side gave a full view of the ocean outside, the afternoon sun turning the water into endless shifting silver. The walls carried reinforced panels, embedded security nodes, and clean display screens showing team alerts, training schedules, mission logs, and tower announcements.
Kara walked down the corridor beside Eve.
Eve moved with a casual ease, hands tucked into the pockets of her jacket, red hair bouncing slightly with each step.
Kara, on the other hand, was doing everything she could not to think too much. Her body still felt warm.
Not as bad as the nights before, but enough that she noticed it every time she moved. Her skin felt too sensitive under her suit. Her heart kept picking up for no reason. Her thoughts kept trying to drift back to Caius, and his beautiful amber eyes, rich and soft cocoa-brown skin, and the electric sensation that had shot through her body when she touched his hand.
And she hated it. Not because it felt bad, but because it felt too good, and she did not trust anything that affected her this strongly without her permission.
Kara glanced toward Eve.
" Eve. What do you think Nightwing is calling a meeting for?" she asked.
Eve shrugged. "No idea Kara. But it must be big if the leaders from the other Towers are coming."
Kara frowned slightly. " The other Towers?"
"Yeah," Eve said. " The Titans have other towers across the country. Tower East, North, South, this one, plus some members from Young Justice and retired senior Titans. I haven't met everyone yet either. And their still trying to establish a Tower West but no luck."
Kara crossed her arms as they walked. "That sounds like more than a team meeting. But a all hands on deck meeting"
"It probably is." Eve looked at her from the corner of her eye. "Speaking of big problems… how are you holding up after the whole pheromone thing?"
Kara sighed immediately. "I'm managing."
Eve raised an eyebrow. "That bad?"
Kara looked ahead, her cheeks warming despite herself. "I don't know how you humans do it. My body feels hot all the time, and I'm so frustrated. I don't know what to do with it."
Eve made a sympathetic face while holding back a little laugh. "That sounds awful."
"It is." Kara glanced at her. "Are you sure you can't just use your powers and remove whatever his pheromones did?"
Eve's expression turned serious immediately.
"No, Kara. I told this already."
"But your powers can manipulate matter."
"Not like that," Eve said. "Not safely. I don't know anything Viltrumite biology, and I definitely don't know enough about Kryptonian's to start altering your hormonal or reproductive systems without risk of damaging you."
Kara's mouth tightened.
Eve softened her tone. "I don't want to make it worse or hurt you. That's not something I'm guessing on."
Kara looked away, frustrated but she knew Eve was right.
Eve continued, "Look, Virgil got me an internship at S.T.A.R. Labs over the summer. I'm going to ask some questions there. They helped your cousin and you before when you both were in critical condition, right?"
Kara nodded slowly. "Yeah."
"So when I learn more," Eve said, "I'll get back to you. Until then, Kelex's advice is probably the safest thing."
Kara groaned under her breath. "Solar baths and waiting twenty years."
Eve winced. "Yeah. That part does suck. And probably makes it hard to want to date other people."
Kara sighed again. " I'm not worried about dating for right now. Well at least I won't have to see that guy again for a while."
Eve's mouth curved into a playful smile. "Was he cute in person?"
Kara turned her head too quickly. "What?"
Eve laughed. "Come on. You can admit it. Was he cute?"
Kara tried to look annoyed, but the heat rising in her cheeks betrayed her. "That is not the point."
"So he was."
Kara looked away. "He was… physically attractive."
Eve grinned. "That is the most Kryptonian way possible to say he was hot."
Kara glared at her.
Eve ignored it.
"I've never actually seen him at Olympian Designs or Gotham University."
Kara blinked. "Oh yeah, you're doing that internship thing at his mother's company, right?"
Eve nodded. "Paid internship and full ride scholarship program."
"And you both go to Gotham University?"
"Yeah. I been there for two years now. I major in Architecture & Atomic Physics."
Kara tilted her head. " I don't know what those are but ok. My question is how have you two never met?"
Eve shook her head. " Gotham University is huge campus, and we have different schedules. Plus, he only comes to the company sometimes from what I hear. He has other people handle most of the day-to-day oversight."
Kara narrowed her eyes slightly. "That sounds convenient."
Eve shrugged. "I guess, it would be nice to meet him in person I wanted to ask him a few things."
Kara sighed. "Fine, if you say so."
Then her mouth twitched despite herself. "Look all I can say is… he is very much Mister tall, dark, and handsome, ok."
Eve chuckled. "So he is hot."
Kara tried to keep her face neutral. "Unfortunately yes."
Eve bumped her shoulder lightly against Kara's arm.
"Well, too bad you won't see him anytime soon."
Kara let out a relieved breath. "Exactly."
They turned the corner toward the Tower's main entrance hall.
The space opened wide ahead of them, a massive gathering area with high ceilings, reinforced glass overlooking the water, and multiple branching corridors leading deeper into the Tower. The Titans had already gathered in clusters.
Bumblebee stood near one side with a group from another Tower. Cyborg was by the security console, speaking quietly with Static. Superboy stood farther back, arms crossed, looking serious. M'gann floated a little above the floor. That absence seemed to hang in the room even for those who didn't talk about it.
Nightwing stood at the front. When Dick Grayson stepped forward, and somehow the room adjusted around him.
"All right, everyone, listen up" Dick said.
The conversations lowered.
"This meeting is important. Some of you already know parts of what happened at the Hall of Justice. Some of you don't. We'll explain everything. But first…"
He paused.
"I'd like to introduce and welcome back one of the founding members of the Titans."
Kara's stomach tightened for no reason. Then Dick turned toward the entrance.
"Caius Dawn."
Cheers erupted first and then applause.
Some of the older Titans clapped immediately, faces lighting up with recognition and relief. Some of the newer members looked curious, whispering to one another. Others stared like they had heard the name but never expected to actually see the person.
Kara's eyes widened, as her heartbeat jumped hard enough that she heard it. "What the fuck," she whispered.
Eve turned to her. "What?"
Kara didn't answer.
Because she was examining him over again like he was a supermodel. He wore dark jeans, black boots, and a fitted dark shirt under a light jacket. He stood tall, six-three, with rich cocoa-brown skin, sharp masculine features, and amber eyes that immediately swept the room with awareness. His hair was neatly kept, his face calm, but there was a guarded edge to his posture.
Her body noticed him before her mind could stop it. Heat moved through her chest and her pulse picked up. She clenched her jaw and looked away for half a second, forcing herself to breathe.
Eve looked between Kara and Caius and slowly raised her eyebrows.
"Oh."
Kara muttered, "Don't."
Eve looked like she very much wanted to say something but wisely didn't. Caius stepped forward as the applause faded. He looked around the room, recognizing some faces and clearly cataloging new ones.
From Caius's point of view, it was a strange sight. So many faces. Some familiar from this life, while some others were familiar from comics and shows from his old life.
Some were older than he remembered. Some completely different from the versions in his memories. But the feeling was the same.
They were Titans.
This was a place full of young heroes who wanted to do good, or needed somewhere to belong, or both.
Dick stepped beside him. "You already know some of the senior members," Dick said. "But things changed while you were away. Let's do the formal introductions."
Caius nodded.
Dick gestured first toward a woman in a yellow and black suit with dark skin, with confident eyes, and a sharp smile.
"You already know Bumblebee."
Karen Duncan stepped forward immediately and pulled Caius into a hug. "It's good to see you again, Cai."
Caius hesitated only a second before hugging her back. "It's good to see you too, Karen. Glad to see you're doing well."
She pulled back and gave him a warm smile. "I could say the same to you. You got tall and bigger."
"People keep saying that."
"Because it's true." She smirked. "I'm leading Titans Tower East now, based near New York."
Caius nodded. " Congrats, that fits you."
Karen's expression softened. "We missed you."
Caius didn't answer immediately, but his face eased slightly. " Well, I'm here now."
Dick guided him onward. "You remember Red Star, he joined the team officially just after you left."
Infront of Caius stood a tall, powerfully built man. He stood around Caius's height, broad shoulders and a disciplined posture, with strong masculine facial feature for a man in his late teens to early twenties. His green uniform carried a giant red star symbol on his chest. His presence had the quiet, yet soft confidence.
Leonid Kovar looked at Caius for a long second, then smiled. "Caius, my friend," he said in a thick Russian accent.
Caius clasped his hand tightly. "Leonid. It's good to see you part of the Titans" He said in Russian
Red Star squeezed his hand once before letting go. "I lead Titans Tower North now, it's stationed in the mountains of Minnesota."
Caius looked at Red Star. " Glad to see your already leading your own team."
Leonid gave a small nod. "The Titans have taught me alot and I hope to teach others to."
Dick moved to the next person.
A tall woman stood with arms folded, her stance wide and aggressive. She had tanned skin, thick powerful muscles, and wore a wrestling-inspired combat outfit with a mask that framed fierce eyes. Everything about her looked strong, from her shoulders and arms to her legs. She had the body of someone who had built herself through violence and training.
"This is Pantha," Dick said. "Leader of Titans Tower South in Florida."
Pantha looked Caius up and down with a mean expression.
Caius smiled slightly and then spoke in Spanish. "It is an honor to stand before the mighty Pantha."
Her expression shifted. Surprise broke through the glare.
"You know about me?"
"Of course," Caius said. "I saw your last three matches on TV. You were amazing."
Pantha stared at him for one more second. Then she smiled. "I like him."
Dick gave Caius a look. "He has that effect."
Caius glanced toward him.
"What about you? Are you still the leader of this Tower?"
Dick shook his head.
"Not officially. I spend time between here and Happy Harbor for the mentor program."
" The Young Justice program right ?" Caius said.
Dick nodded. "Exactly. Think of it like the Titans, but they work more closely with the League. Me, Conner, Wally, Donna, and some of the senior members help with those missions and training. It's mainly for Titan members or sidekicks who want to transition to the league or work in a more independent group for covert operations. "
"That makes sense," Caius said.
Dick then turned toward a young man standing nearby in the Robin suit. "Let me introduce you to the newest Robin. This is...."
"Tim Drake, right?" Caius said cutting of Dick.
The room paused.
Tim blinked.
Dick's eyebrows rose. "How did you know that?"
Caius gave a vague smile. "I have my ways."
Barbara, standing nearby, narrowed her eyes slightly like she absolutely did not believe that answer.
Caius looked toward Tim. "Sorry. I know some Titans like keeping civilian identities secret."
Tim studied him for a second, then shook his head. "It's fine. If Nightwing trusts you, that's enough for now. Plus everyone here knows my identity anyway. "
Dick placed a hand on Tim's shoulder. " The kids brilliant. Gives Batman a run for his money in brains, detective work, and maybe versatility to."
Tim looked mildly embarrassed by the praise, but he didn't deny it.
Caius nodded. Time drake has some of the greatest potential in the batfamily right after Dick to surpass batman.
"I figured."
Then Caius turned back toward Dick, his expression shifting.
"I need a favor."
Dick's face changed at the tone. "What kind of favor?"
Caius leaned closer and whispered something in his ear. Dick's eyes widened slightly. "Caius…"
Caius held his gaze.
"You don't need to do that to yourself," Dick said quietly.
"Yes, I do."
Dick's mouth tightened.
"It's been five years," Caius said. "I need to know. Please."
Before Dick could answer, Eve stepped forward.
"Sorry to interrupt."
Caius turned. And for the first time, he got a proper look at Samantha Eve Wilkins in person. His eyes widened slightly.
He recognized her instantly from his past-life memories. Atom Eve. The red hair, the bright eyes, the confidence, the casual beauty that somehow looked even stronger in person. The comics and show had not done her justice. She was gorgeous.
Beautiful in a way that was effortless, with a sharpness behind her expression that told him she was smarter than most people in any room she entered.
Eve smiled. "I wanted to introduce myself. I'm Samantha, but I go by Eve."
Caius caught himself quickly. "I'm familiar with you, Eve."
Eve tilted her head. That made a few people nearby look over.
Caius corrected smoothly. "From my mom's company."
Eve's brows rose slightly.
Caius continued, "I know you were part of Gotham's program for orphans and at-risk youth. You're attending Gotham University and working a paid internship through Olympian Designs."
Eve looked genuinely surprised. "You know all that?"
"I had to review your file to approve the scholarship and internship."
Not the full file. His mother's company had redacted pieces of Eve's file, but enough remained for him to recognize her. Enough to know her life in this world had some of the same scars as the one he knew. He kept that part to himself.
Eve crossed her arms, confidence returning. "So you approved my scholarship and internship," she said playfully, "and you know more about me than I know about you."
Caius smiled faintly. "You can change that."
Eve's smile sharpened. "Can I?"
"You can get my number and reach out anytime." A few Titans nearby reacted.
Wally's brows shot up.
Donna looked amused but her smile twitched.
Conner just smirked.
Behind Eve, Kara's face darkened into a scowl before she could stop herself.
Caius noticed the moment he say her, his heart sped up and a uncontrollable rhythm. He took a deep breath, didn't say anything, and focused back on Eve.
Eve held out her hand. "Phone please."
Caius handed it to her. She typed her number in with quick fingers, then called herself so she had his. When she handed it back, her smile was confident and a little teasing.
"There you go."
"Thanks," Caius said.
Kara crossed her arms harder from the back, her eyes fixed on him. She didn't know what this feeling was but she hated it.
Conner walked over before the energy could get any stranger.
"Cai."
Caius turned toward him.
"Can we go somewhere for a minute and talk? I'll also give you the tour."
Caius nodded. "Of course."
He glanced back at Dick. "Can you please do it?"
Dick's expression was solemn. "Fine," he said. "I just hope it helps you."
Caius nodded once. "Me too."
Then he followed Conner down one of the side corridors. Conner gave him the tour of the Tower, which started in the common room.
It was massive, bigger than Caius remembered in some ways. Wide couches, gaming systems, large screens, and what looked like luxury reinforced furniture that could survive superhuman roughhousing, shelves of movies and books, and a large table covered with half-finished snacks. Floor-to-ceiling windows overlooked the ocean, giving the entire space a bright open feeling.
"This is still the main hangout space," Conner said. "Try not to judge the mess, it's usually worse. Reminds me of when Raven and Omen made everyone clean up like crazy."
Caius looked around. "It feels different."
"Yeah," Conner said. "After rebuilding, Cyborg pushed for better emergency shutters, blast fields, and evacuation routes. Static helped wire most of the power systems. We also added hidden safe rooms on every floor."
Caius nodded. "Good. I just hope we never have to use them, but I know that not likely to be the case."
Conner didn't say anything. He just walked forward.
They moved next to the memorial room. The moment they entered, Caius stopped.
The room was quiet. Soft light illuminated statues and plaques arranged along the walls. Some were full statues. Some were holographic memorials. Some were simple names engraved in metal.
Fallen Titans.
The air here felt sacred.
Caius stepped inside slowly. His eyes moved over the names.
Roy Harper. ( Speedy)
Garfield Logan. (Beast Boy)
Hank Hall ( Hawk)
Joseph Wilson (Jericho)
And a few others, too many others. His breathing tightened, but he kept moving.
Conner stood beside him. " We lost a few of them over the years, too many.
Caius stopped in front of Gar's memorial. Beast Boy's hologram smiled in looping stillness, frozen in a version of him that felt too alive and too painful at the same time.
Caius swallowed. "I'm sorry," he whispered.
Conner looked away. They stayed there for a few moments before Caius finally turned.
"Show me the rest."
Conner nodded. The armory came next.
The room was heavily secured, with weapon lockers, training gear, non-lethal restraints, mission suits, emergency equipment, and specialized tools for metas of different abilities. Caius noticed Nth-metal reinforced containment cuffs in one locked case and made a mental note.
Then came the kitchen, it was enormous.
Multiple fridges. Industrial ovens. Reinforced counters. A pantry large enough to feed a small army. A whole section labeled WALLY / DO NOT TOUCH WITHOUT PERMISSION, which, based on the half-empty shelves, had been ignored by everyone.
Caius stared at it. " Wally still the biggest expense in the Tower?"
Conner nodded. " Yup."
They passed the communal showers.
Caius raised an eyebrow. " Your letting a bunch of hormonal teenagers shower in the same place?
Conner shrugged. "Don't look at me it wasn't my idea. Between everything we do with training cleanup, disaster responses, and all that. There are private ones and gender specific ones too."
Then Conner showed him his room. Caius stepped inside and stopped.
It was large. Much larger than expected and then his last room.
A wide bed. With clean modern furniture. A desk with a secure terminal. Bookshelves. A small kitchenette and private bathroom, large walk-in closet. Large windows overlooking the ocean. There was even a reinforced balcony outside.
Everything was clean.
Caius walked toward the window and looked out. The ocean stretched endlessly beneath the afternoon light.
"This is nice," he said.
Conner leaned against the doorframe. "Dick kept it ready."
Caius looked back at him. This is basically a large studio apartment.
Conner looked away slightly. "He said if you ever came back, you shouldn't feel like you had to sleep in a guest room."
Caius didn't respond right away. His throat tightened slightly. Then he nodded. "Tell him thanks."
"Tell him yourself."
Caius almost smiled. "Yeah."
Conner pushed off the doorframe. "Last stop is the training room."
They walked down to the training level.
This part of the Tower had clearly been upgraded heavily. The main gym was divided into several sections. One area had regular free weights and bars for human-level training. Another had warning signs and reinforced racks labeled SUPERHUMAN WEIGHTS with measurements listed in tons. Only enhanced-strength individuals were allowed there without supervision.
A large door led to a swimming pool. Another led to a combat room with padded walls and modular terrain systems.
Conner led Caius to a white door labeled SIMULATION ROOM.
He stopped outside it.
"Caius," Conner said.
Caius already knew from his tone. "You need a favor."
Conner nodded.
Caius smirked faintly and took off his jacket. "I figure I know where this is going."
Conner opened the door and stepped inside. The simulation room was a wide white chamber with seamless walls, floor, and ceiling. Panels glowed softly as the system booted up. Conner walked to a control console and input a sequence.
"I've been frustrated since that day," Conner said.
Caius stepped inside, folding his jacket and setting it near the wall.
Conner kept his back turned for a second. "When Mark attacked us… I was useless."
"You weren't useless."
Conner turned sharply. "I was. Titans died left and right, and I was supposed to be one of the strongest members on the team, but I couldn't anything. Because of that their blood is on my hands as well."
The room stayed quiet.
Conner's jaw tightened. "I hit him hard as I could and he barely moved. He broke through us like we were nothing. I've trained my ass off for five years so I would never feel that powerless again. So I would never have to see my friends die in front of me if there was something I could do."
Caius didn't interrupt. Because he understood more then anyone what Conner was going through.
Conner continued, "And now I hear there may be Viltrumite soldiers who are at least as strong as me. Maybe stronger."
His hands curled into fists. "I need to see how far I've come."
Caius studied him for a moment. Then nodded. "That's fair, I can understand your pain Conner."
Conner looked at him. "But know this I'll be testing myself too," Caius said. "I only awakened my Viltrumite powers a few days ago. I still don't fully know how strong I am now. And after everything with the League… and Mark"
His eyes hardened slightly. "I'm frustrated too."
Conner gave a short nod. "Then no holding back?"
Caius tilted his head. "Serious but no broken bones. But understand this. We will have to kick it up a notch eventually. This playing defense while the other team plays offense only goes so far. Not to mention the Viltrumites are the one group you don't want to hold back against. Considering they have hundreds of years of killing maybe even thousands under there belt."
Conner smirked. " I know and we will get to that point eventually, but for right now the basics. Plus I want to see whose TTK is better."
Caius smiled faintly. "Yeah. Let's."
The white room shifted, as the walls dissolved into a wide open grassy field beneath a bright sky. Mountains rose in the distance, tall and jagged, with snow along their peaks. Wind moved through the grass around their feet. The simulation was so detailed Caius could smell earth and cold air.
Outside the room on the above second floor, Kara and Eve arrived with several other Titans. Kara's eyes fixed on Caius immediately. Eve noticed and leaned toward her.
"You okay?"
"Fine," Kara said too fast.
Eve smiled. "Right."
Donna joined them, watching with interest. Wally appeared next to her with a big of chips.
"Oh, this is going to be good."
Barbara stood near the back. Dick arrived a moment later, his expression still solemn from whatever favor Caius had asked of him, but his attention locked on the simulation now.
Inside the field, Conner and Caius walked away from each other until several yards separated them.
Caius rolled his shoulders as his body felt different.
The Viltrumite power in his body sat like a second engine waiting for permission to cut loose. His tactile telekinesis rested over his skin it, a familiar and golden translucent aura slowly radiated off him, then it disappeared.
Conner stood as a red translucent aura, slowly radiated off him like heat before disappearing. crouched slightly, fists raised.
Caius did the same. "Whenever you're ready," Caius said.
Conner smiled. "Now."
They launched and vanished instantly. They then reappeared as their fists collided in the center of the field.
The shockwave exploded outward.
Grass flattened in a widening circle. The simulated air cracked from the impact. Dust and loose earth blasted away from their feet as both men held the clash for half a second, fist against fist, strength pushing against strength, tactile fields grinding invisibly between them.
Outside the room, several Titans reacted at once. Wally whistled. "Okay, yeah. this is definitely gonna be good."
Kara's eyes narrowed. While Eve leaned closer to the railing.
Inside the simulation, Conner grinned through clenched teeth. "You got stronger."
Caius smiled back, his amber eyes sharp. "So did you."
Then they moved again vanishing front sight.