Authors note: Hey everybody. I just sorta' sat down and wrote this thing out today so there's bound to be mistakes.This storyis a one-shot so there will be no continuation. I do realise that it is different from the series but, hey, who gives a damn! I'm not going to continue it because it would just be the same sorta' stuff in the series but with more gramatical errors. So attempt to read this with an open mind and if you don't like Robin x Raven then... well, simply put, I wouldn't read this if I were you. D


Scarlet inscriptions danced painfully across her body. Like a mythical ballet they spiraled and crept their way upon her flesh making their imprint yet again. She gritted her teeth and gripped her bed sheets so hard her knuckles shone white. The blazing symbols ran down her arms down to her hands and along her chest and torso up to her neck. Her legs shone with their red brilliance too as the marks slithered. It was like being branded with the fires of Hell every night after sunset. She released her hands from the bed folds and panted slightly.

She was kneeling on her bed as a thunderstorm raged on outside of her window. Everyone else in the tower seemed to be asleep as she let her mind gently roam throughout the tall building. A large throb of pain brought her mind back into her body, however, as she grasped her upper arms. She bent over and rested her forehead on the bed sheets. They felt cool on her burning skin.

All that Raven wore was a pair of baggy shorts that went down to her mid-thighs and a loose tank top. Any material that pressed against her skin just made the pain of the brands more unbearable. She thought of the night when Slade first assaulted her and she began to think of Robin and how he had saved her that night. Suddenly her mind subconsciously connected with Robin's mind for a brief second through their bond.

"Raven?" Robin shot up out of bed when an image of Raven with weird tattoos over her body floated into his head. He whipped his socked feet out of bed and set them on the cold floor. Robin walked down to Raven's room to see if everything was all right. A lightning strike outside of the towers' windows illuminated his bare chest along with his baggy red shorts and socks. He knocked diligently on Raven's door. There was no answer but he heard a mild groan from inside, "Raven?" He typed in the passcode to over ride her door and it slid open with a quiet hiss.

Raven lay on her bed in a fetal position with her arms wrapped around her knees. Robin rushed to her bedside, "Raven? What's wrong?"

"Don't touch me," she said through gritted teeth, "What time is it?" Although the question didn't make that much sense to him Robin replied, " Uh… five till midnight," Raven tensed up as another wave of pain went through her brands. Robin went to touch her but she groaned again in pain, "D… don't touch me."

"But, I want to help you Raven," Robin said with sadness in his voice. Her body twitched and Robin could see the sweat glisten off of her skin. His masked eyes roamed up to her face and he noticed that she was staring strait ahead, until another wave of pain radiated through her features. She squeezed her eyes shut and let a soft whimper fall from her lips. Suddenly Raven moved her hands up to her forehead and pressed them there. She yelled out in what could only be described as pure agony. Robin grabbed her arms and pulled them away from her forehead. Suddenly he felt a twinge of pain in his forehead were Raven's brand was.

Her head fell forward towards Robin's chest after she stopped yelling. She had fainted. Robin watched as her red brands disappeared off of her skin. The one on her forehead glistened for a moment longer before it faded. Raven moaned slightly as she regained consciousness. Robin let go of her arms as she sat down on her bed.

"Raven? What was that?" Robin said sitting next to her on the bed. She sighed and shook her head. "Are you okay?" Robin inquired putting a hand on her back.

"How did you know I was in pain?" Robin was taken aback by her question, "I… I don't know. I just remember waking up after seeing an image of you in pain with those red tattoos."

"Our bond," she whispered to herself. She then lifted her head to look at Robin, "Our bond. I must have connected to you subconsciously asking for help."

"How long has this been happening?" Robin asked more worry filling his voice.

"Since my birthday," She rubbed her arms subconsciously.

"Raven!" Robins raised his voice in shock, "Why didn't you tell me, or anybody, about this? We could we trying to figure out what's going on to help you."

"I know what's going on," Raven fidgeted with her hands in her lap.

"What? Raven… I want to help you."

"It can't be helped Robin!" she shot at him and looked him strait into his masked eyes. Tears brimmed on her eyes, "It happens every night. Every single night." Her voice faded as her tears delicately spilled onto her cheeks." Robin gently pulled her weak body into a hug. As he wrapped his arms around her shoulders she did the same with her arms around his torso. "Every night," she sobbed delicately onto his bare chest.

Robin didn't know what to say. He was purely shocked by the whole incident. He remembered back to her birthday. When he'd rescued her from falling she seemed to be so shaken by something. Was it Slade who ripped all of her clothes? He gave her a gentle squeeze and rested his head on top of hers. After they had returned to the tower from the rooftop where they'd landed Robin remembered how she had acted after he told her that it was over. True, they still hadn't figured out Slades' motive but… what if Slade, with his new powers, had done this to her. The symbol that they had on their forehead was the same after all.

"It's okay Raven," Robin whispered. He could feel her gentle hands on his back and her damp face on his chest. Their bond, was this supposed to be a part of it? He didn't care. All he was worried about was Raven right now.

"Thank you," Raven whispered as she withdrew from his grasp, "I'll tell the team what is going on tomorrow morning." Robin smiled down at her, "Um… about our bond. How much further will it, uh… connect us?"

"I don't know," Raven peered at him, "I don't know if it's going to go any further."

"When you were in pain. I could feel some of it. Like a mild twinge of pain here and there," he said as he motioned towards his forehead. Raven frowned, "Sorry. I… uh, ever since my birthday I've been able to feel your worry for me. Not intentionally thought." Robin could feel a mild blush form on his face as another roll of thunder could be heard throughout the sky. Raven looked up at him, "Slade is a messenger… a messenger in a much greater plot."

"What? Did he do this to you?" Robin clenched the bed sheets in anger. Raven gently brought her hand down upon his. Robin relaxed as he felt her empathic powers work. "Slade put these symbols on me," Raven spoke with careful words, "But he is not the one causing me the pain."

"If he isn't… then who is?"

"It… it's my father," Robin felt her hand tense up on his, "He… he is using these symbols to tell me that… uh." Robin took her hand in his and gently squeezed it, "Raven? Are you alright?" She smiled up at him, "I will tell the team what's going on in the morning. There's too much to explain right now."

"As long as we know what's going on we can help you Raven." Raven glanced over at the teen next to her. None of the other Titans would have been this understanding. And yet, here he was, letting her attempt to explain what she was going through. Their bond had just increased. She felt a wave of contentment as Robin sighed. Why were these feelings surfacing? She'd never wanted them before, yet here they were. Love. Robin glanced over at her. Had he felt the same feeling she had?

"I'll always be here to help you Raven. We'll figure out a way to stop your father and Slade," he smiled down at her. He leaned in and gently gave her a kiss on her cheek. He stood up to leave and began to walk towards the door. He stopped in the doorway, "Good night Raven." Both teens felt each others and their own blush as Robin left Raven to go back to bed.

"Maybe," Raven whispered to herself, "Maybe he can find a way to stop Trigon from coming." She brushed her hand over her cheek where his lips had been.


She soon found that it was seven in the morning and that the thunderstorm had left. Rustling the covers she went to get ready for the day, which included telling all of the Titans what her destiny was and the prophecy that she was to fulfill. She sighed as she stepped into the common room where Robin had assembled everybody.

"Raven? Are you ready?" Robin asked as he motioned her over in front of the team. She sighed and began to tell the story from the beginning.


Authors note: I would love to have some reviews on this, but flames will be ignored. And please read my other authors note at the top before you ask if I will continue this.

Thanks!