Disclaimer: wow. haven't had to do one of these in a long time! well I still own nothing. especially not Teen titans.

Came up with this at work. Been meaning to write something similar for a while but chapter titles and series of one shots took over my mind. Been a bit since I did a random one. Enjoy!

Called a Father

"Something on your mind?"

Robin stopped staring at Raven from his spot next to the window as she approached him. He'd been thinking at his perch just watching her for about half an hour. The others were talking about other ways to celebrate their defeat of Trigon. Neither Raven nor Robin cared what they did next really, so long as they moved on.

But part of Robin just wouldn't. It was why he's been watching his teammate, debating whether or not to ask her something. Guess now the debate was over. "Just… something you said earlier. When we were fighting… you said a lot of things about fathers. I know you don't think of Trigon as a father to you, but I just don't see us or those monks from Azurath you mentioned as ideal parental figures, like what you mentioned. I see us protecting you, but…"

It really was confusing him. From what little he knew about her past, she had a very lonely and loveless childhood. She wasn't really given an image of what parents should do for their children. "Where did you learn how fathers are supposed to act?"

Raven stared a moment at him before blushing slightly and looking away. "I… well… from you."

That took the teen back a step. "From me?"

"Remember when I went into your mind?" she started as an explanation. Robin's heart stopped a moment before nodding. He really didn't like thinking about that dust incident. "It took a little while before I could calm you down enough to communicate with you, to see what you saw. I saw things, small things, from your past. I also felt the panic and fear running through you. Part of you was begging to be saved. By someone you cared about very strongly. Someone you knew would come to help you."

She looked away before continuing. "I saw two men in your mind you thought highly of. One was catching you from off of a trapeze when you were little. The other carrying you under his coat through the rain. You were laughing with both of them. I could describe them—"

"Don't." Instantly he recalled those instances. Learning acrobatics with his father when he was little were some of his most precious memories. His daddy always caught him back then. And the other… Bruce… Some days he just forgot his umbrella when it was raining and he'd keep him dry while Dick would entertain him with stories of his day. Those were good times. Good memories. It pained him to think about it when one was dead and he wasn't talking to the other.

He looked down and away, feeling guilt and worry at the same time. Robin had thought of his loved ones in Gotham when he saw the people of Jump turned to stone. He wanted to know how they were, to check on them, but held back because of that argument over a year ago. Part of him wanted to call and see, but the other part filled with fear kept him back. So he buried it. And now Raven was opening up those feelings he was burying.

"I know who you're talking about."

The empathy nodded before continuing. "I remembered those feelings and memories you had about them, towards them. I can only imagine from what I saw from your mind, the commonalities between them, that they acted as fathers while mine clearly didn't. They gave you protection, warmth, taught you everything you know. They were always there for you. My father did none of that."

Robin continued to look away, remembering his parents and Bruce as she spoke. Yeah, they were there for him during their turns. He just wished it was longer. "What about your mother? Didn't she—"

"No. She was nothing like yours either. A good woman, but we didn't interact much. " Raven looked back to his face, knowing she made him uncomfortable. "From what I saw, and believe me, it wasn't much, you had a good childhood. I only wish more people had parents like yours. And people who would take them in if something should happen."

He said nothing in response as the guilt set in again. Robin really was lucky. If someone else had found him back then… if Slade had found him… "Yeah… Guess I did."

Raven sensed he didn't want to talk anymore, so gave him a slight smile and a pat on his shoulder before walking back to the couch to see what the others were doing. Robin stood still for a while longer, then looked out the window. No one knew why he liked that particular spot, but then again no one quite knew his past. Raven said no names. It was likely she didn't know or refused to know. And in this instant it helped.

Just barely in view from that spot alone in the tower, was the sign he nearly destroyed during his apprenticeship. Bruce bought the building and set up one of his tech firms only after the Titans started. When he opened the place was the only time he was in town. They talked briefly, set up some rules, then made no contact since. At the time Robin was fine with it, a bit irked the man didn't trust him to be on his own completely but understood it. Now and a few times since, he found some comfort seeing 'WAYNE' from a distance. Bruce would never be too far away if he ever wanted to talk to him.

So why hadn't he? Robin glanced to his belt and the pocket holing his cellphone and special bat communicator (the pouch itself was specially sealed unless he opened it). Most the people in the world had turned to stone the other day. If he was swinging at the time…

Silently he took out the phone and looked at the keypad. He hadn't called in over a year, nearly two. Could he call now? Should he? Nerves turned his stomach into knots. He had to call him, just to see if he was alright. To say thanks for not being like Trigon. But he couldn't, not really. Had to, but couldn't. Why was this so hard? Just speed-dial one. Or two even for the manor. Two. Definitely two. He'd get Alfred and that'd be good enough. He should have gotten Alfred's private number before leaving so he could talk to him at least. Yeah… he'd definitely call the manor.

Slowly he pressed the buttons on his phone and brought it up to his ear, his mouth dry in anticipation. He heard the phone on the other end ring once. Alfred usually picked it up within three rings. He licked his lips nervously. What was he going to say?

"Hey Robin!"

Instantly the fearless leader snapped his phone shut, stiffening at Beast Boy's voice. Robin jerked his eyes over to his green teammate. "Y..yeah?"

"We're gonna watch a movie! Wanna join us?" The former doom patrol member gave him his biggest grin in excited anticipation. He wanted a yes.

So his friend smiled for him. "Sure BB. Be there in a minute."

This satisfied the shape-shifter, making him bound back to the chairs where the others were. Robin watched him leave for a moment then looked back to his phone. Call ended before it began. Some bitter loss entered his chest, but he put the cell back in its place anyway. He glanced back to the distant sign before turning away and returning to his friends. There would be another day.

On the other side of the country one butler's hand hovered over a phone no longer ringing. He looked to the side panel and read the number curiously. Eyes widened in surprise as he recognized it. A slight smile appeared on his face. Well, he called. That was one step in the right direction.

END

A/N: yeah, I saw 'the end' and the part where Raven describes what a father is really seemed important. Kinda wondered what Rob was thinking the whole time. I was going to write one where he did think about it right then and there, basically thinking 'ah crap. lay on the guilt will ya raven? Now i've gotta call Bruce if he's alive after this' or some thing like that, but... nah! This turned out okay anyway. As for their reconciliation, better luck next time.