Ohh I've been travelin on this road too long (too long)

Just trying to find my way back home (back home)

The old me is dead and gone, dead and gone

Ohh I've been travelin on this road too long (too long)

Just trying to find my way back home (back home)

The old me is dead and gone, dead and gone

Ever had one of dem days you wish woulda stayed home

Run into a group of niggas getting they hate on

You walk by they get wrong you reply then shit get blown

Way outta proportion way past discussion

Just you against them, pick one then rush em

Figure you get jumped hell thats next

They don't wanna stop there now they bustin

Now you gushin, ambulance rushin you to the hospital

with a bad concussion

Plus ya hit 4 times plus it hit ya spine paralyzed waist down

now ya wheel chair bound

Never mind that now you lucky to be alive,

Just think it all started you fussin with 3 guys

Nigga ya pride in the way but ya pride is the way

You could fuck around get shot die any day

Niggas die every day, all over bullshit, dope, money

Dice game, ordinary hood shit

Could this be cuz of hip hop music?

Or did the ones with the good sense not use it?

Usually niggas don't know what to do

When their back against the wall so they just start shootin

For red or for blue or for blow I guess,

From Bankhead or from your projects

No more stress, now I'm straight, now I get it now I take

Time to think, before I make mistakes just for my family's sake

That part of me left yesterday the heart of me is strong today

No regrets I'm blessed to say the old me dead and gone away

Ohh I've been travelin on this road too long (too long)

Just trying to find my way back home (back home)

The old me is dead and gone, dead and gone

Ohh I've been travelin on this road too long (too long)

Just trying to find my way back home (back home)

The old me is dead and gone, dead and gone

I ain't never been scared, I lived through tragedy

Situation coulda been dead lookin back at it

Most of that shit didn't even have to happen

But you don't think about it when you out there trappin

In apartments hangin, smokin and rappin

Niggas start shit didn't next thing ya know we cappin

Get locked up then didn't even get mad

Now think about damn what a life I had

Most of that shit look back just laugh

Some shit still look back get sad

Maybe my homeboy still be around

Had I not hit the nigga in the mouth that time

I won that fight, I lost that war

I can still see my nigga walkin out that door

Who'da thought I'd never see Philant no more

Got enough dead homies I don't want no more

Cost a nigga his jaw, cost me more

I'da took that ass-whoopin now for sure

Now think before I risk my life

Take them chances to get my stripes

A nigga put his hands on me alright

Otherwise stand there talk shit all night

Cuz I hit you, you sue me,

I shoot you, get locked up, who me?

No more stress, now I'm straight, now I get it now I take

Time to think before I make mistakes just for my family's sake

That part of me left yesterday the heart of me is strong today

No regrets I'm blessed to say the old me dead and gone away.

Ohh I've been travelin on this road too long (too long)

Just trying to find my way back home (back home)

The old me is dead and gone, dead and gone

Ohh I've been travelin on this road too long (too long)

Just trying to find my way back home (back home)

The old me is dead and gone, dead and gone

I turn my head to the east I dont see nobody by my side

I turn my head to the west still nobody in sight

So I turn my head to the north, swallow that pill that they call pride

The old me is dead and gone, but that new me will be alright

I turn my head to the east I dont see nobody by my side

I turn my head to the west still nobody in sight

So I turn my head to the north, swallow that pill that they call pride

The old me is dead and gone, but that new me will be alright

Ohh I've been travelin on this road too long (too long)

Just trying to find my way back home (back home)

The old me is dead and gone, dead and gone

Ohh I've been travelin on this road too long (too long)

Just trying to find my way back home (back home)

The old me is dead and gone, dead and gone

A New Day

Melvin looked at her former home. She had gotten control of her powers, learned what caused them. She could return here to her home, where the people she loved were. All through that time she had only had Bobby and he was only a small help. She had to learn to do things herself. Something hard to do when your seven and living on the streets. But here she was 14 going on 15 soon and had done it and now she could go home.

Bobby picked her up and went into the water; there he floated them to the island where the tower sat.

Timmy knew something was coming. He didn’t know what but he knew that something was coming. He went to the window in his room that looked out over the bay and there he saw something that he hadn’t seen in a long time, Melvin on Bobby coming toward the tower. He had waited now for a long time six years to be exact. Then he heard the doors to his room open and saw Raven in her white cloaked glory with his fair haired brother Teether behind her, they knew too. I ran to the bottom of the winding steps of the tower and raced outside. There I stood and amplified my voice “MELVIN!!” I shouted. The relief that I saw when her head snapped up was shot lived because she decided to try and stand up and fell off Bobby. She went under and panic gripped me. Then all of a sudden I saw black energy encase Melvin and Bobby and the floated to shore. Once they got there I ran to my sister and hugged her Teether in between us. Then I looked at her and I knew that Melvin had changed. Her steps as she walked with us were not springy and carefree. She walked as if she would never get her dream of reaching the sky, like the world was not filled with rainbows and sunshine. The clothes she was wearing looked like they had seen better days. The jean shorts that she was wearing were almost black with dirt. The shirt she was wearing was ripped at the bottom but was in better condition than the jeans, the black jacket on her body was the only piece of clothing on her that was clean. She looked weary.

Raven sensed that someone was watching them. It wasn’t anyone in the tower she was sure. Then she looked above them and then she knew. He cared for her, whoever he was, he cared. She gave him a slight nod and she thought that she saw the sides of his mouth twitch up into a smile. The surge of relief that she felt from the boy was overwhelming. The silent exchange that they had, the wonder evident, if he could trust her with his treasure. It was weird feeling that feeling towards Melvin a girl so young, who looked young but was older than her years in her mind. She was oblivious or she repressed the feelings. But Raven knew there was a story.

Melvin felt lighter, like her she was safe that the things she had seen would not hurt her. That she could escape from the dark life in the streets of Jump City.

Then all of a sudden she felt a thought enter her head ‘We need to talk’ Raven knew something. The all of a sudden she felt something on her back. She looked back and saw Teether. She started running with him on her back. She then saw something fall down from the sky. A sliver feather with black streaks and she smiled. Then she knew what Raven wanted to talk about. Hopefully he would leave her alone, for a while anyway; he knew she was in the care of Raven.

As she ran into the tower and up the steps into the common room she found that it had stayed the same, except for the game system and the TV. Then I heard Timmy’s voice in my ear calling everyone in the tower. I waited and I heard the gasps of everyone. I watched them rub their eyes or pinch themselves. Then I noticed something, Hot Spot had his arm around Argent. Weren’t she and Herald going out? Well in six years things could change. Then she saw their faces and she knew that if she asked both would blast her and Herald stood on the other side of the room seemingly put out, either this had happened recently or Herald could really hold a grudge. Then she scanned the room looking at Robin’s black hair it reminded her of the boy that she knew and her mind went back to him on the day that they met.

Flashback

She was wandering around the city. She had passed the last of the industrial district and it was getting dark. She needed somewhere to go and there was no place to go unless she found another power to make herself smaller. Luckily, she found a broken down shack and spread her blankets around and went to sleep.

She woke up to someone watching her. The eyes of the face were discerning reminding herself of the fright that Monsieur Mala had put into her when they were running away from him with Raven. But the eyes were beautiful, a silver blue color it progressed from silver around the rim, but in the middle it switched from silver to a dull blue that got bright as it progressed toward the pupil. It was scary but yet alluringly beautiful. Then the stranger saw that she was up. Their head shot up and saw me. It looked like a kid a little older than my 8 years old maybe 9 or 10. He was dark skinned and I wondered how he inherited those eyes, he had jet black hair that was tied at the back of his neck. He spoke and said, “You know this isn’t the high class part of Jump you could get raped, mugged, kidnapped, and whole lot of other things. You are way out of place and you uniform makes you stick out, people here aren’t really keen to the Titans no matter how young. Watch yourself, get some new clothes or if you have some, change. Ill help you out but you need to do better I will not always be here. My name’s Silver, and your name is?”

“Melvin.”

“Melvin! Melvin! Melvin!”

“Huh… yeah?”

“You spaced out.”

“Sorry.”

“Melvin we need to talk,” said Raven.

“Why?”

Raven let her to her room and shut the door. “This morning when you came back there was another person in the sky watching you. Then the feather dropped. They were watching you and don’t try to lie to me, I’ll know if you do or not anyway.”

“He was a friend from when I went away.”

“Expound.”

“He helped me out a little helped me get my powers in check, it was like puberty but with my powers.”

“I could’ve helped you,” Raven said sounding a little hurt.

“I just needed time to sort out my thoughts.”

“At seven years old Melvin.”

“Yes.”

“No you didn’t, you needed us not the streets.”

“So I needed people whose priorities were dating, saving the world, and keeping the annoying little kids in check.”

“That wasn’t true.”

“Yes it is you and I both know it is you guys didn’t even know I was gone until a week after and I told you!”

“Hey do not go and blame this on us, how would you feel if you were seventeen and beat your biggest adversary, would three kids be your priority? Could you honestly say that you wouldn’t be as concerned?”

“See you’re admitting it.”

“We were stupid we didn’t have our priorities in check.”

“Raven I don’t want to argue I just got back and for the first time home is a place not a person.”

Raven looked at the youth knowing who she was talking about and couldn’t help the pang of guilt that enveloped her. Had she really done this to this girl, how fucked up was she as a teen.

A Week Later……

Melvin sat looking out the window, bored. It was a weird feeling, boredom; she was more of a person to feel scared for her life, swamped, starving, cold, exhausted, anything but bored. She missed the adrenaline running through her system. Slowly she drifted off into a daydream:

Flashback

Melvin sat in the new hiding place staring out at the sunset the first time in forever. She had stopped wearing her hair in pigtails opting for a messy bun or long ponytail, her uniform from the Titans stowed in her book bag. Her overall appearance was shabby and slightly defeated she hadn’t felt like she was on top of the world for a while now a difference she was just getting accustomed to, she missed the idle moments in the Tower, but she could never return.

All of a sudden she heard gunshots and felt rather than saw Silver fall into her, no doubt he flew quickly to get here.

“Melvin! Where is everyone else?”

“They left me.”

“Later for that we have to move it, where is Bobby?”

“He’s here.”

“Okay hold onto me we have to go and now!”

Suddenly she was whipped up into the air high above the creatures and random vagabonds that made up one of the most deadly gangs in this district. Clinging to Silver, her savior of few words, she opened her eyes and gasped at the sight.

“Why would you hate this, the sunset is prettier here than in the Tower, even though the light reflects off the walls making the room glow, here everything glows. This is the only time this place looks pretty.”

Silver looked down on her feeling pity at the young age of eight. He wished he could see what she saw in the world and hoped in vain that this scene would repeat, here in the sky with the strange girl in his arms. A WHOOSH by his ear alerts him of the still impending threat of death. He picks up speed.

Melvin feels randomly euphoric a stray giggle bubbling up preceding laughter, all of a sudden a boyish laugh joins her and her mind changes, the prettiest, most breathtaking thing in the world is Silver’s laugh.

Zoning back into the world Melvin hears the laughter of the Titans echoing in the main room. All of a sudden a face appears in front of her window, silver blue eyes meet her shocked gaze.

“Open the window.”

“What are you doing here.”

“To save Rapunzel from her tower,” he deadpanned.

“Very funny.”

Amongst the merriment Raven stopped laughing. She sensed the same person from before and Melvin’s own boredom leaving her replaced with a feeling she hoped Melvin wouldn’t realize soon. She had just gotten her back.

“Aww come on Mel, just one time I let you free fall and the I’ll never do it again.”

“Fine,” Melvin said with a huff.

All of a sudden she was being dropped through a cloud and instead of anger euphoria built up. Maybe this would be harder than she planned, staying away from Silver. She didn’t know what it was, maybe it was the fact that she would do anything to see him smile, or the fact that even though she was with her family, she felt more complete now, free falling, Silver zipping to get her. All of a sudden her bare feet skimmed the tip of the water as he caught her. She laughed exhilarated, this was the most fun she had had in the past week.

“I should’ve bet you that you’d miss me.”

“I don’t,” he said a little immaturity sinking into his tone.

“Then why are you here?” she said with a smile.

“..”

“Well?”

“I guess I did miss you a little, don’t know why, you’re so annoying.”

“Hmph, you’re a jerk.” Melvin felt herself drop suddenly and then she was caught again.

“What was that you were saying?”

Timmy watched his older sister in the arms of this older boy, the elated look on her face, and wished that he could understand her. The person there was a stranger in his sister’s body and he despised her for leaving him and Teether with the Titans, but for some strange reason he understood. He watched until his sister was deposited in her room.

“Cyborg?!” Melvin inquired knocking on the door to his room. Finally tired of standing outside the room she phased through the door.

“Oh My God!!!”

“Melvin!!!!!!”

A/N:

Well I guess it’s safe to say I’m back, I have no apology worth typing, so deal with it. I finally have a direction with the story, so I’m going to take it. Give me some feedback if you want.

Chapter Song: T.I. featuring Justin Timberlake- Dead and Gone

~In the Shadow of the Moon