I knew the stakes were high right from the start

The sky did not weep the day Bard's body was commited to the earth. Nor did the sun hide its grief behind darkened, gloomy clouds of sorrow. Instead, it was quite the opposite: The sky was as clear as a still mountain lake and the sun shone down proudly and benevolently as if it were bestowing blessings and benedictions upon anyone and everything its light touched. The air was surprisingly temperate and the warm breeze that blew steadily affectionately kissed the skin.

When she dealt the cards I dealt my heart

An elderly, black suited priest stood before the small crowd of Bard's family and friends, his nose buried in an old, weatherbeaten Bible. The public memorial would be held later. The Titans had wanted this to be a private affair.

"As I walk through the valley of the shadow of death." The priest read mechanically. "I shall fear no evil, for thou art with me..."

Now I just found a game that I can't play

The narrow, wispy-haired blonde girl, clad in a simple black dress, tuned him out and turned to look upon the sad, grim-faced procession of Superboy, Robin, Cyborg and Beast Boy carrying Bard's coffin to its final resting place in an act as old as death itself. Terra had never even seen him in person, only pictures, but she knew how much he had meant to the Titans and Beast Boy...and to herself. She watched the four Titan boys carefully sit the coffin down into the grave. With that task done, Beast Boy immediately turned and clung to her.

Terra heard Beast Boy sniff audibly when the distinctive sound of dirt thudding upon the top of Bard's wooden casket reached their ears. She peeked around Beast Boy's mourning figure and saw the rest of the crowd that had come to see Bard put to rest. Commissioner Walker and his teenage daughter, Holly, was there, along with Nicole, the life under her heart already starting to show. Speedy was there as well, his head bowed respectfully while leaning forward on his bow. And, of course, the other Titans.

This is where the cowboy rides away

Robin, stony-faced, held a weeping Starfire despite the black metal brace on his knee. Superboy was turned away, unable to watch and Cyborg was the very picture of solemnity. And Raven stood with her hood up and her head bowed. Her face was hidden, and Terra was inclined to believed it was intentional.

And my heart is sinking like the setting sun

After the sad business of burying the cowboy was finished, Commissioner Walker and his daughter caught up with the Titans.

"I'm really sorry, kids." He gave them his condolences. "Bard...was a damn good man."

Robin nodded at him.

"Thank you, Commissioner."

Setting all the things I wish I'd done

"Y-you guys might not know this..." Holly stepped forward hesitantly, her arm in a sling. "But...I had the biggest crush on Bard..."

"..."

"O-okay," Holly laughed nervously. "M-maybe you did..."

Starfire wiped at her eyes.

"Friend Bard was indeed lovable."

"Y-yeah..."

It's hard to say goodbye to yesterday

"Um..." Terra fidgeted. "Do you guys mind if, ya know, I go and...pay my respects?"

Robin smiled thinly at her.

"We'll wait for you here." He told her gently.

Though Bard's tombstone was only fifty or so yards away, it seemed to Terra that it took her forever to reach it. Once there, she stood before the freshly dug grave nervously, unconsciously grasping the gold cross pendant that hung down from around her neck.

"Um...hi." She waved selfconsciously. "I-I've never talked to a dead person before...so don't hold it against me if I screw it up, okay?"

The breeze pulled at her hair as she took in a long, shuddering breath and collected her thoughts.

"Beast Boy told me about you and showed me pictures of you and stuff. Hehehe, I almost laughed when BB told me Raven had a COWBOY for a brother!" She suddenly stopped. "N-nothing against cowboys, you understand. It's just...heheheh...RAVEN!"

Terra didn't get an answer.

"A-anyway," she continued. "I could tell from BB's stories that he really looked up to you and that he and the other Titans really cared about you."

Silence.

"Well, I-I just wanted to, ya know, say thank you; for giving me and Beast Boy a second chance. I won't...I PROMISE I won't mess it up this time."

This is where the cowboy rides away

Her only answer was a warm, carressing breeze. Terra stood there for a moment as if expecting one, but then she bowed her head, turned, and slowly made her way back to the Titans.

Jonny 'Bard' Johnson

? - 2006

Forever Remembered As:

'The Titans' Song'

TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT

We've been in and out of love and in between

Later on, Terra sat on the half-circle couch in her room in Titans Tower. The room had felt slightly different when she first entered it again, but she couldn't put her finger on how. She gazed out the large window in front of her at the ocean, feeling a strange combination of melancholy and hope.

KNOCK! KNOCK!

"Terra!" A muffled voice forced it's way in from outside her door. "It's Beast Boy!"

"Beast Boy, c'mon in."

The green changeling walked into the room, carrying a black notebook under his arm.

"What's that?" Terra asked, pointing at it.

"We found it in Bard's-er-your room the other day." Beast Boy explained. "It's like...a story he wrote. About him being a Titan and stuff."

"You've read it?"

Beast Boy nodded.

"We've been passing it around all day. I wanted to read it first." He admitted. "But we figured Raven should...a-all things considered, ya know."

"Who's turn is it to read now?" Terra asked him.

"Well...that's why I'm here. I wanted you to read it." Beast Boy explained, holding it out to her. "It'll kinda, I dunno, help you get to know him."

"Aw, Beast Boy..." Terra smiled up at him, taking the notebook. "Thank you." She kissed him on the cheek.

And now we've played the final showdown scene

Beast Boy laughed nervously, turned beet red, waved and quickly left her alone to read. Terra turned to the notebook, opened it up and, on the very first page, read:

If you're reading this, it probably means that I've...moved on. That's not a sad thing, so don't make it out to be. I'll miss ya'll, of course, but I'm certain I'll see ya'll again someday.

Raven: I"ve never been afraid to die...but sometimes I'm afraid to leave you behind. You're a wonderful person, but I don't think you allow yourself to see that. You focus on the worst in yourself instead of the best. I'm afraid that, if I'm not here...you'll allow yourself to be drowned in the darkness. And that's a thought I can't bear. You need faith to light your path. I know your issues with God, but don't worry: I'll work as a go-between. Whenever you need help, just ask me and I'l make sure you get it. What are brothers for? I love you, Raven. Don't ever forget that.

I love you all. Remember: This is farewell, but it ain't goodbye.

God Bless You,

Jonny

Terra sniffed back a tear and turned the page.

TITANS' SONG

CHAPTER ONE

COUNTRIFIED RELATIONS

Terra had never considered herself as much of a reader, but she read 'Titans' Song' in one sitting. She didn't exactly mean to, but the pages just seemed to turn themselves. She felt the shocked disbelief of the cowboy when he had found his long-lost sister. She felt the adoration and respect he felt for Starfire, as well as the heartbreak he felt from giving her up. The earth maiden was taken along for the ride, sharing Bard's trials and tribulations and adventures with the Teen Titans: His conversations with Raven. The pain of paralysis. The joy of healing. His brawls with his best friend, Tim. The betrayal and rebirth of ZIllah. The angst of the Robert Gray incident and the exultation of once again finding his true love, only to tragically lose her again.

And as the credits roll a sad song starts to play

Terra was there through it all. As she read, she felt as if she had found and was getting to know a new friend. And, as she finished, she truly felt as if she had lost one as well. She sadly set aside the notebook and once again looked out the window before her, the sun much lower than it had been when she had began reading. And as she sat there, her mind contemplative...she realized the truth.

As likable as Bard was, he hadn't been true Titan material. Most of the time, anyway, he could physically take care of himself in a fight. But that was as far as it went. He was never a great help to his teammates and nor was he a dominant solo force that could lay waste to the masses. He had been a bad role model. He'd been next to clueless about the sophisticated technology the Titans had to work with on a regular basis. And he had never, ever been good at obeying orders, much to Robin's chagrin.

This is where the cowboy rides away

But that didn't matter. Because, whether or not the Titans had been aware of it or not, they hadn't signed Bard up to be a team member. No, they had signed him up to be a FAMILY member. As a superhero team consisting of robots and aliens and others, the Titans benefited the most from Bard's humanity; it seeped from the cowboy's every pore.

Despite his humanity, Bard's greatest power came from his faith. It gave him a kind of power that separated him from everything else. It was almost as if he had a holy aura around him: Invisible, but almost touchable. A palpable shield of percieved nothingness. But it was everything. And also because of it, respect and kindness enbodied him. Even more than that though, he had a true love that seemed to include everyone and only one at the same time. It was hard for Terra to grasp. Although she might not be able to put it into words...she FELT it.

Terra tucked the notebook under her arm and headed out of the room.

The Titans had lost more than a teammate, a friend, or even a sibling...

They'd lost an angel.

Yes the last goodbye's the hardest one to say

TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT

Terra knew she would find Raven on the roof of Titans Tower. During her first stint as a Teen Titan, Terra knew that Raven had much preferred the isolation of her room. But, from reading 'Titan's Song', she now knew Raven's favorite place of solace was the rooftop.

And she was right. Raven sat near the edge of the rooftop, hugging her knees to her chest. It was a sitting position that conveyed vulnerability, and that was new for Terra. Terra had seen many sides of Raven during her stay, but vulnerability or weakness hadn't been one of them.

Raven, Terra knew from experience, always had a kind of forboding presence about her. She never spoke to Raven unless she felt she had to. The dark sorceress of the Titans had always been a private person, and Terra had felt obliged to respect that.

But now it was different. She was much more...approachable. Not like Starfire or Beast Boy, but much better than her former self.

"Was there something you wanted, Terra?"

"Bard's book." Terra said, holding it out. "I came to give it back to you. I'm guessing he would want you to have it."

Raven stood and turned to face her, but Terra made no move to hand her the notebook. The dark sorceress looked at her shrewdly.

"You want to talk about it, don't you?"

Terra nodded slowly.

"Only if you're willing, of course."

Raven took in deep breath and turned to look out at the horizon.

"I think I am..."

"It just...amazes me. Ya know...The Titans and Bard beat Trigon. They beat the devil. I still can't believe it."

Raven looked at her evenly.

"That's because they didn't."

Terra blinked.

"They defeated my perception of Trigon...the essence of him that was inside of me. That's all."

Silence fell between them.

Until-

"I know it's not my place...but I gotta ask."

"..." Raven waited.

"Do...do you believe now? What Bard believed, I mean, with God and Jesus and all that?"

Raven turned to look out at the fading sun. She said nothing for the longest time, and Terra thought she wouldn't answer. But then Raven half turned towards her. Tears streamed openly down her face, but her lips were upturned into a serene smile.

"I...I don't know." She replied truthfully. "B-but...Bard did. And I g-guess...I guess that's good enough for me."

Terra felt something significant in the air as she stood there and watched Raven cry and smile. The wind blew, tugging at their hair and whispering something she could almost, but not quite, understand.

And the sun set.

This is where the cowboy rides away...

THE END

AUTHOR'S NOTES

I want to thank all of you from the bottom of my heart for reading and reviewing this amazing piece of drivel. There are many others I want to thank, but I fear naming them for missing anyone.

But I must thank Post and Cid. Post, you were and are an amazing influence on me, an inspiration to be sure. You've been a good though eccentric friend, and even politely looked the other way on my oh so blantant plagiarism. And Cid, you've always been my soundboard and advice guy. And you've never complained, which amaze me greatly. Thank you both.

And thanks to all that have read this.

Bard of Tales,

Lord Belgarion

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