Safe haven

X'ara stuck close to MJ and Kori as they entered the agency building, still clearly afraid to be out in public. In an attempt to comfort the young woman, MJ and Kori each took one of her hands in theirs as they walked to Emily's office.

"You're OK doing this, X'ara? Meeting with Emily?" Kori asked, sensing X'ara's anxiety. "We can reschedule if you're uncomfortable... or we could have the meeting somewhere else..."

Xara looked at Kori gratefully. She hadn't expected Blackfire's sister to be so compassionate. "I appreciate the offer, Princess Koriand'r, but the sooner we have this meeting, the safer I'll be. It is better to get it overwith now."

Kori gave X'ara a reassuring smile. "You're right. It is best we hold this meeting now." Kori couldn't help but empathize with X'ara. She too was a victim of Blackfire's cruelty, and ended up exiled from her home, find refuge so far from everything she loved. Still, she couldn't help but feel lucky -- she'd ended up finding a new family on Earth, and a new purpose in protecting it. Best of all, it led her to Mary Jane. Brutal as her enslavement was, that made everything she went through more than worth it. Kori had to give X'ara a better life somehow. She had to.

"And remember, if you need us, we're right here with you," MJ added, squeezing X'ara's hand gently. MJ recalled how difficult it had been to get her foot in the door when she began modelling, barely scraping rent together for a terrible little apartment. She remembered the offers from countless creeps in the business, promising her the world if she did things their way. She'd always refused, vowing to get into the business in an honest way, which, for a while, seemed impossible. Still, she worked hard and refused to compromise her integrity, and eventually, she did start getting work; after meeting Kori, though, her career really began to take off. MJ couldn't help but smile when she thought about that; after all, she *was* sleeping with Kori. Of course, there was one key difference; at this point, MJ was pretty sure she was in love with her. And while Kori might have kissed her impulsively on their first meeting, she'd never pressured MJ into doing anything. X'ara, on the other hand, had suffered at the hands of scummy modelling agents, and it infuriated MJ to no end. She was determined to make things right for the Tamaranean exile.

"Thank you. I believe you two will protect me," X'ara told the couple.

The trio entered Emily's office, where the vampire manager had been waiting.

"Kori. MJ. Good to see you again," greeted Emily. "And you must be X'ara. It's nice to finally meet you."

X'ara timidly shook Emily's outstretched hand, her anxiety obvious to the manager. "I-I am X'ara of Tamaran," she said timidly.

"Please, sit down. Can I get you anything? I understand you're afraid, so if there's anything I can do to help calm you, let me know."

"No, thank you. I am fine for now," X'ara said, her hands still gripping tightly to Kori & MJ's as they sat down.

"All right... well if anything comes to mind, don't hesitate to ask me for anything. Kori & MJ have told me about what you've been through, and I want to help you. I used to be a model, myself, and I know that there are all kinds of creeps and scumbags out there that exploit innocent aspiring models. It's why I started the Looker agency -- to make sure those aspiring models are treated fairly. I want to protect women like them. Women like you. We can help you, X'ara... if you let us."

X'ara looked up at the vampire woman, still feeling a measure of anxiety, but also realizing that this was far better than the alternative. "I... I accept your offer. You have my gratitude, Miss Briggs."

"Excellent. Kori and I have already made living arrangements for you at Titans Tower, where you will be safe. Furthermore, should you require it, I will personally assign you bodyguards as needed. I personally guarantee that Kingsley and his... Goblin will not harm you under my watch," Emily said confidently.

"We've arranged it so your living quarters will be next to mine," Kori explained. "Should you need anything, MJ & I will be nearby."

"Thank you, everyone. I appreciate everything you have done for me -- I hope some time I can repay the favor," X'ara said gratefully.

"Anytime, X'ara. Now, if you don't mind me asking, do you have any idea why Kingsley is trying to intimidate you like this? He's put so much effort into coming after you... did you witness anything or discover anything he may not have wanted you to see?" Emily asked.

"I... I cannot recall," X'ara answered. "If I try to remember what has happened over the past few months, I... I panic. I am sorry..."

"Don't apologize," Emily said reassuringly. "You've been through a lot. I won't **** you to do anything you might be uncomfortable with -- if at any point you decide you're ready to talk, though, please, let me know." Emily had also considered asking X'ara if she'd be willing to let Jean read her mind to find out more about Kingsley and the Hobgoblin, but the manager decided to hold off on that until she felt X'ara was ready.

"I will. Thank you, Miss Briggs," X'ara said. She was still terrified, but for perhaps the first time since arriving on Earth, the Tamaranean woman had found people she felt she could trust.

Titans Tower

"Are you sure you'll be OK here?" Kori asked. "MJ and I have another shoot, but we can reschedule with Emily if you need us."

"I will be fine," X'ara said, not wanting to impose too much on her hosts. "You two go to work. I do not want to be any more of a burden on you then I already am."

"You're not a burden. We want to help," MJ said sympathetically.

X'ara looked at MJ gratefully. "I appreciate your kind words, Miss Watson. but I wish to try and settle in on my own -- besides, I am very tired and plan on sleeping while you are away. Please, go."

"Don't call me Miss Watson, X'ara. It's MJ to friends," MJ said warmly. X'ara smiled, comforted by the idea of finally having a human friend after so much misery.

"X'ara, these are my friends Cassie & Gar. While we are away, they will be here if you need anything," Kori said as Wonder Girl and Beast Boy walked into the room. X'ara shook their hands, still hesitant, but feeling a little more secure in her new home.

"'Sup?" Gar said enthusiastically.

"Happy to meet you, X'ara. How're you feeling?" Cassie asked.

"I-I am still scared, but I am improving," X'ara stammered.

"Maybe this'll help," Beast Boy said, morphing into a puppy. X'ara chuckled at the gesture, picking him up and scratching behind his ear.

"Don't worry -- you're safe here," Cassie added. "If there's anything we can do to help you, let us know. And any time you're up for it, I'd really like to get to know you better."

"This is great... I see why dogs love this so much," Gar said approvingly as X'ara scratched his ear. "Someone get me a squeaky toy!"

MJ & Kori looked happily at X'ara as they saw her smile genuinely for what seemed like the first time.

"We'll let you get settled in now. Come on, Gar -- who wants to fetch the ball in the courtyard?!" Cassie said as she and Gar left X'ara's quarters.

"All right, X'ara. We'll be back as soon as we can -- and if you need anything from us at any time, please do not hesitate to call us," Kori told X'ara.

"I am sure I will be fine," X'ara said, still smiling. "Please, go to your photoshoot. You have done so much for me already."

"If you say so," MJ said as she & Kori took turns hugging X'ara before leaving.

X'ara immediately crawled into her bed and fell asleep. Her slumber wasn't as restless as it had been lately; she was still scared and traumatized, and it would still take a long time for the scars to adequately heal -- and even then, she knew they'd never heal fully. Right now, though, for the first time since arriving on Earth, she felt a sense of security, which was an immense comfort to her.

"You know, I understood most of what you were saying," MJ proudly told Kori as the couple left Titans Tower.

"I beg your pardon?"

"When we were showing X'ara around the tower. You two were talking in Tamaranean. You were telling her how the Titans, how they had become your family... and you went on and on how amazing I was," MJ grinned.

Kori beamed widely, touched by the effort MJ had made to learn about her world. "You've been studying the Tamaranean language?"

"I just want to learn everything I can about my amazing bulldozer," MJ said, speaking in Tamaranean.

"...Your amazing bulldozer?" Kori chuckled, repeating the phrase in English.

MJ blushed and started laughing as well. "Real smooth, MJ..."

"Don't feel too bad -- the Tamaranean words for 'girlfriend' and 'bulldozer' sound nearly identical," Kori explained. "It just makes me happy knowing you have made such an effort to learn my native tongue."

"Too bad I can't learn language the same way you do. I'd know Tamaranean forwards and backwards if I could," MJ reflected.

"Perhaps we should try again," suggested Kori, grabbing MJ and kissing her deeply. "So, did you learn anything?"

"I don't know -- I think we need to keep trying," MJ cooed playfully before kissing Kori again. "Mmm. I think I might have learned something that time."

"Perhaps we should schedule a more in-depth lesson tonight, after work?" Kori offered.

"Sounds good to me, bulldozer," MJ agreed. "But I guess we should get to the studio. We don't want to keep our favorite photographer waiting."

"That is true -- I do enjoy our shoots with Donna... speaking of which, I believe she has shown a little extra... excitement during our recent shoots," Kori opined.

MJ grinned mischievously -- she knew exactly where Kori was going with this, and she loved it. "So it wasn't just me. Think she'd enjoy taking some more, shall we say, private photos for us today?"

"I'm sure she will," Kori nodded. "She has said that her favorite photos are the ones she has taken of us, after all."

"Guess we'll just have to ask, then," MJ remarked excitedly.