Phoenix Rises

Lo

I’m sitting in the bleachers watching “The Incredible Hatfields” as the practice for tonight’s show. I’ll admit the eldest brothers, Darrin and Malcolm are quite attractive; it’s just not the same. No one will ever be able to replace The Flying Graysons. I lean further back against the bleachers just as Darrin looks up at me, a smirk dancing on his lips. I roll my eyes and cross my arms over my chest. Darrin is a flirt and has been trying do fucking hard to get into my pants since the moment we met. But in the end? He’s no Dick Grayson.

“When are you going to let that boy off your hook?” A voice behind me states. I turn around and see the brightly colored hair of my sister-in-law, Megan. “That boy has been pining for you since the moment he’s laid his hazel eyes on you.”

“I’ve made it crystal clear I wasn’t interested.” I tell her. “I tell him that every time he tries and asks me out on a date.”

“You’ve got to stop pining after Grayson, Lo.” Megan sighs as she sits down next to me. “You need to move on, he clearly has.”

“Dick will always have a place in my heart.” I shrug. “I’ve had a crush on him since we were kids. I used to write Lauren and Dick Grayson in every single notebook I had. And I honestly thought before Garth’s death we would be together. Then he hooked up with Dawn and shot that notion to shit.”

“Is he coming tonight?”

“I invited him, Dawn, Hank and whoever the hell wants to come.” I reply. “If he shows up, he shows up.”

“You think he’s going to?” She asks. “I mean, if I witnessed my parents deaths at a circus, I’d avoid them like the fucking plague.”

“I would too.” I sigh before pulling myself up off the benches. “We’re dancing to the cinematic version of Rebel Yell tonight, just an FYI.”

“So leather and a lot of it?” Megan smirks. “Getting sexy for a certain Grayson?”

“Everyone loves when we dance to that song.” I roll my eyes. “Just look sexy, you know the routine.”

“Always, Sutton.” I smile at her before walking away.

I walk out of the big tent and run straight into a hard, muscular body before crashing onto the floor. “Fuck, I’m so sorry.” I look up and see Dick Grayson towering over me. “Dick, you came.”

He smiles before offering me a hand. I return the smile before putting my hand in his, allowing him to lift me up off the ground. “And I thought you said things started at 6pm.”

“Small things start at 6pm.” I inform him. “Big Tent events don’t start until roughly 7:45pm.”

“You lied to me.” The smile is still on his face.

“Technically I did no such thing.” I chuckle. “Besides, I figured we can use this time until I have to go on stage to hang out...For old times sake and I can meet the new Titans.” I look around him and see a few new faces. I wave at them. “Hi, I’m Lauren. You can call me Lo.”

“Hank called you Nix at the tower,” the adorable kid with bright green hair states. “Why?”

“You’ll find out tonight when I’m on stage.” I smile at him. “It’s hard to explain.”

“I’m Gar by the way.” He smiles before pointing to the girl with the dark purple/black hair next to him. “This is Rachel, next to her is Kory and next to her is Jason.” He points to everyone as he introduces him.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you.” Kory smiles, offering a hand which I gladly shake. “So how do you know Dick?”

“Haly’s Circus.” I smile at her before looking at Dick. “We’ve been attached at the hip most of our childhood. I even begged my parents to stay in Gotham after the accident. I couldn’t bear to be away from my partner in crime.”

“Why is Haly’s suddenly coming back?” Rachel questions. “I know it closed after the accident but why is it coming back?”

“My parents were raised on the circus circuit,” I start. “According to my father, my mom’s dying wish was that he opened up the circus once more; it was something they always wanted to do and were trying for so many years before her accident.”

“Accident?” Dick questions. “And it happened last year? The way you talked about it, it sounded like it was several years ago.”

“It was a car accident.” I inform him. “And no, it had nothing to do with Zucco killing people from Haly’s. This was after that.”

“You know about that?”

“Clay called me after you stopped Zucco.” She smiles. “It was nice to hear his voice again. I haven’t seen him since the funeral, it was nice.”

“I’m surprised Zucco didn’t come after you.” Dick states. “You were pretty important to me back then.”

“Our last night was pretty public, if you remember.” I let out a nervous chuckle. “He probably thought you wouldn’t have cared if anything happened to me.”

“Does this have to do with Jericho?” Rachel questions.

“Let’s not talk about the past.” I smile, quickly changing the subject. “Let me show you around before I have to disappear to get ready for my act.” I link arms with Dick before ushering people to start walking.

“Nice save.” Dick whispers to me.

“That’s a story for another day.” I whisper back. “They’ll find out eventually, just not right now.”

**

Dick

“So we know your family was the trapeze act, what did Lo’s family do or still does?” Rachel asks once we find our seats an hour later. We just walked in during opening acts.

“Fire breathing and fire dancing.” I reply back. “Her father and brothers did the fire breathing and her and her mother did the dancing and breathing. Her and her mother were always the main attraction, even when Lo was younger.”

“Isn’t this dangerous?” Gar asks, causing me to chuckle.

“Circus life is pretty dangerous all on its own.” I shrug. “It’s not more dangerous than flying across the tent on a trapeze.”

“But they are dealing with fuel, that’s dangerous.” Gar argues.

“Lo and her family are trained professionals.” I assure them. “They know what to avoid and what not to avoid. Like she said, her family was brought up in this life. Performing is all they know.”

“Nix knows how to kick ass as well.” Hank chuckles. “Or have we forgotten she was part of us.”

“She was a Titan?” Jason speaks for the first time. “What happened?”

“Same thing that happened to all of us...Jericho’s death.” Dawn sighs. “She took it the hardest I think. She really cared about him. We all did. But she really took a liking to him.”

“She kind blew up at all of us after that.” I sigh. “But that’s a story for another day, like she told me earlier.”

“Let me guess, she was Phoenix?” Gar asks. “That’s why Hank calls her Nix. It’s short for Phoenix.”

“She loves fire.” Hank laughs. “But yeah, she was the 4th bird themed superhero in our pack of misfits.”

“It must have been nice to have her around.” Kory states. “A nice little reminder of where you came from.”

“She meant a lot to me.” I smile. “More than she realized.”

Just as I say that, the lights in the big tent go completely off and music starts playing. Soon the torches surrounding the rings are lit. Only one stage light comes on, but even that is still dimmed. But it’s meant to be like that. Because in the center of the dimmed light, the star of the show. The Phoenix herself dances seductively to the music and at the climax of the song she does what she always does; blows the crowd away with her breath of fire…

“Doesn’t she realize kids are in the audience?” Hank chuckles. I can’t help but to chuckle too. She’s wearing black leather bra and hot pants, which is perfect to show off her infamous phoenix tattoo. She has a black leather harness on and a black crown on top of a fire red hair. This is a sexier version of her Phoenix costume.

“This is Lo we are talking about.” I laugh. “She doesn’t give two shits. She just wants to dance…”

“We’re meeting up with her after the show, right?” Rachel asks. “I’d love to actually get to know her, you know? She seems pretty cool. Plus I could get dirt on you.”

“I’m sure she’ll love that.” I chuckle at her before returning my attention to the show in front of me.