The wall has wedged itself between Aurelia and Clara all over again.

It is reminiscent of those few moments when Aurelia was seventeen and they were fighting over her aunt's increased protectiveness. This time, their fight starts off due to a similar reason. Except this time, Aurelia feels the chance of resolving their arguments is very less. They are both very stubborn after all and when two stubborn people with magic clash and argue, there's bound to be sparks.

And yes, Aurelia means that in the literal sense of the word. Blue sparks from Clara and golden from her; clashing. Was it something that usually happened? A void between a family that would only grow as time passes, becoming a chasm of angry words? Was this what Aurelia and Clara had come too?

Their day had started off normally enough but had somehow devolved into something that had been enough to drive a strange wedge between them.

Aurelia remembers she was going home after a busy day, full of classes. She was tired and all she wanted was to rest. She did not even have the strength to keep her eyes open, let alone go on patrol. She just wanted to sleep and for once, she hoped her aunt wasn't gonna make her go or train.

But then, that was where things had started to go wrong. And Aurelia did partly blame herself.

She remembers sitting down on the couch, yawning and stretching her arms, when her aunt had walked out of her room, dressed in full Lumière garb, ready to leave for their usual patrol. Clara had already been in a mood for some reason, probably due to a League mission or something.

"Why aren't you ready yet? You know that we have to go for patrol, right?" Clara had asked, her voice strangely harsh.

"I have had a really long day today in college and I'd appreciate it if you would let me stay at home," Aurelia replied. "I feel like I've not slept in days."

"That's really not an excuse. So get up and get ready for patrol."

"Yeah, no. I think I'm just gonna stay at home and rest. My body really hurts."

"Alright, fine. Then you finish training with that book of spells you picked up last week and when I come back, you show me how well you can perform them."

"Clara, I literally said I've had a long day today. Why can't I just stay at home and rest? I can obviously make up for this tomorrow."

The look in Clara's eyes had darkened and she sat across from Aurelia, meeting her eyes with an intense stare. "This is the fourth time you've skipped out on patrol in the last one and a half week, Aurelia. Do you not realise the importance of this job?"

"College is important too," Aurelia replied, eyes narrowing as she crossed her arms. "You can't just expect me to not be tired when I come home from college. Criminal psychology is a tough degree. It takes a lot of work."

"You were the one who chose to do that. I said that you had an option to take a gap year and evaluate your choices, but you didn't take it," Clara stated firmly. "And your poor time management skills show up as well,"

"Because I wanted to go to college!" Aurelia's voice had been raised. "I like it there, even with all the work they put on us. And I want to do this degree. I can't just be stuck patrolling every day of my life with you. I need a break too."

"A break?" Clara scoffed. "In our line of work, there is no time for a break. Who knows what kind of monster is waiting out there to attack someone? Do you not get how important it is to be on alert?"

"What?" Aurelia rarely felt so angry, but that moment, it was like an angry fire was ignited inside her. "So just patrolling is important to you? My education isn't? Clara, for fuck's sake, we live in Ann Arbor. This is not Gotham! Or heck even Detroit! We don't have that much crime happening here."

"Precautions are necessary. I can't just sit here relaxing, while people out there do monstrous things."

"So what? College isn't important? That's what you're saying? That I should spend my life patrolling and watching out for others? Because that's what I am supposed to do?"

"Yes!" Clara replied in a strong tone. "You have your powers for a reason, Aurelia. The Phoenix chose you for a reason. You are meant to protect people. You can't just back out of it."

"Well, I'm not gonna move from here." To make her point, Aurelia laid back on the couch, her back against the soft cushions. "I don't care about patrol. Not when I've had a long day and I just want to rest."

"God, when did you, of all people, become so lazy?"

"I'm not lazy!" Aurelia sneered angrily. "Maybe you don't notice, but I've grown up now. I'm tired of constantly following you around, patrolling, pretending that I want to be there, when I don't."

"So you wanna quit? After all these years, you just wanna stop?" Clara questioned, her eyes angry and fists clenching the side of the couch.

"Yes! I do! In fact, you know what? I'm done. I'm done being Lumen," Aurelia got up from the couch, hands fisted at her sides. "I'm done constantly being in your shadow. I can't be my own person as long as I am still in your shadow. So, hell yeah, I quit. And I am not gonna put on Lumen's outfit. Not anymore."

With finality in her words, Aurelia had stormed off in the direction of her room, making sure to slam the door of her room so hard that Clara got a message to stay away. And it seemed like she did because the main entrance door was also slammed shut, just as though a cannon had hit it.

And it had happened then. The wall had become solid concrete between the two. Aurelia and Clara now stood on opposite sides and maybe they would never reconcile.

True to her word, Aurelia doesn't put on the Lumen costume anymore. In fact, her lack of appearances began to be commented upon and picked up by newspapers who wondered where the young 'sidekick' has gone. It is the same reason as to why Dick calls her up almost two weeks after the fight to ask about the same.

"Lia, is everything okay?" Dick asks, voice soft and slightly concerned. He, of course, kept tabs on her (not like stalking or anything, but just watched over her because he was overly concerned about her. She was his girlfriend, after all). The almost disappearance of Lumen had been a question on his mind for the entire day.

"Everything's fine," Aurelia replies, voice calm and soft. "Why do you ask?"

"Lumen hasn't been sighted for almost two weeks now," He tells her, conveying to her what she already knows, but in his own concerned way. "It's starting to be noticed, so I thought I would ask you. Did something happen? You aren't hurt, are you?"

"No, no," Aurelia shakes her head, although there is no way Dick sees that. She's on her bed in her room for now. "I'm not hurt. But something kinda happened."

"What?" Dick immediately asks. "What happened?"

"Clara and I got into a big fight. It happened because of a stupid reason, really. But maybe it was a long time coming. Basically, I quit."

"What do you mean, you quit? Like actually quit? Like you stopped being Lumen?"

"No, no! Nothing like that. Although I may have made it sound like that. I just told her that I don't wanna be Lumen in her shadow anymore. I wanna do my own thing, y'know? Kind of like Donna."

It had only been a couple of weeks, but Donna had quit being Wonder Girl. It had caused a lot of commotion with Diana, just as Roy's departure had with Oliver. Maybe, that is also a reason Aurelia quit. She'd have to thank Donna for the inspiration.

"So branching out then?" Dick said. "You'll still be Lumen though."

"Yeah," Aurelia's voice softened. "I'll still be Lumen. It's not like I can get rid of it that easily. Maybe I'll move to another city or something and be Lumen there and teleport back to Ann Arbor for college."

"Huh, sounds like a plan. Gotham in your mind?" Dick asks smoothly. And she just knows he's smiling. He's annoying that way, but she still loves him. A lot.

"Nah, not really. I've not decided anything yet," Aurelia replies, grinning slightly. "I still need to think about it. On that note, have you done that yet? Told Bruce?"

"I'm doing that tonight or maybe tomorrow. Haven't really decided anything," Dick says. "Let's hope it goes well."

"It will," Aurelia reassures him, knowing that he is slightly nervous about this whole situation. After all, he has been Robin for much longer than her. It will be harder for him to tell Bruce that he doesn't want to work with him anymore. "I'm sure it will. You're Dick Grayson. You can do it. I believe in you."

"How come you always know what to say all the time? Is this some sort of magic of yours?"

"Not magic. As your girlfriend, I have to be right all the time, you know. It's my job to put you in your place."

"Ha, ha, ha. You are so funny."

"Oh, I know I am."

"Did you just flip your hair? I know you just flipped your hair."

"No. Why would I do that?" Aurelia had flipped her hair, but it's not like she was going to tell him that. "Anyways, I gotta go now. I wanna talk to Donna too. I have to tell her about me quitting. Then I'm talking to Roy too.."

"You're in touch with him?" Dick questions, his voice showing his surprise. "He actually replies to you?"

"Kind of. It's just me texting him at this point and him replying a week later. He's Roy, after all," Aurelia answers. "Anyways, I'm gonna hang up now. Let's talk later."

"Yeah, let's do that," Dick says to her. Almost a second later, he remembers something important. It had completely slipped his mind before and only hit him just then. "Hey, before you do that, there's something I wanted to ask. Hawk and Dove are in town tomorrow. You wanna meet them?"

"Huh, are they? Sure, I wouldn't mind that." In a teasing tone, she adds, "I bet you're glad you found two more bird themed vigilantes, Boy Wonder."

"Oh shut up, you," He scolds her playfully. "You're really annoying, you know that?"

"I know, I am," Aurelia says, grinning. "But you love me for it."

His tone softens. "Yeah, I do...I love you."

"I love you too, Dick Grayson. See you tomorrow." With that, Aurelia hangs up, albeit reluctant. She could talk to Dick forever, if time allowed them. God, she loves that boy so much. So fucking much.

She leans back on the headboard, dialling Donna's number now. Pressing the phone against her ear, she waits for the older girl to pick up the call. One ring...two rings...three rings...

At the third ring, Donna picks up the call. "Hello, Lia? What's up?"

"Hey Donna," Aurelia says. "There's something I need to tell you..."

Sorry about the delay in posting this chapter! I kind of lost inspiration with this chapter since this is just a filler but I was watching season 1 of Titans again and I managed to complete it today. I really hope you enjoyed reading this chapter. I know the fight between Clara and Lia might have been silly, but Aurelia's reactions are what mine would have been. As a college student, with five tough papers, I can see why Aurelia would be stressed out and want to stop. 

But...Lumen is not gonna stop because we are getting to the formation of Titans in the next chapter. Which means one thing:

I really hoped you enjoyed reading this chapter. Let me know your thoughts in the comments!