I don't know where the hell is Metropolis so I'll assume its New York =) If anyone has a better idea for locations, I would appreciate any suggestion.

Huggs.

The Joker killed Danny Chase and we wanted him to pay. We tracked him down to two different possible locations: Metropolis and Nova Scotia. I have no idea what lead Nightwing to Nova Scottia. He explained but I can't remember. All I could think about back then was Titan's Tower exploding in front of me and Danny's voice, taunting Logan on the communicator, suddenly replaced by statics…

Two locations, one more likely than the other. We slipped up. Biggest mistake we could have ever made. Raven teleported Nightwing and me to Nova Scotia, to a fucking dead end. The others moved to Metropolis. They would talk with the local sups; see if the Joker had stricken anyone else. It was their last mission…

I still remember the sound of the explosion, the way the earth shook and the sky grew dark. The connection with the others-Star, Changeling, Donna, Jerincho- it died all too abruptly. I couldn't hear anything for a long time, only my own heart beat, only the dead silence of the empty space looming on the other side of the sea. Smoke rose from the ground like an ominous beast straining to reach the sky, to swallow it all…

Reality hit Raven faster than it hit me. She collapsed on her knees with a heart-rending wail. Her next shriek pierced my brain, forced me to react in any way I could. I knelt next to her and hugged her close. I know my body can offer no comfort-hard and cold as it is-but she leaned on me all the same, her fingers slipping on the smooth surface that is my flesh.

Nightwing started barking orders, urging me to do this and that, saying we had to do one thing and then something else. I didn't understand anything. All I could think was how odd his voice sounded; how shrill and broken. He was scared shitless…In that instant, it hit me: Starfire was probably dead. And so was Logan, and Donna and Jerincho….everyone gone. We were the only Titans left…

We had places where we could lick our wounds in private but we all stayed at my place that night. It wasn't even discussed. I could hear Gar's mocking comments: three mighty superheroes huddling together in a small apartment like spooked children…That little green bastard will bug me from behind the grave. That night, a self-made joke imagined with his voice in my head made me cry like a child.

The next morning, Joker's death was announced in the News. I smashed the TV in a rage. Superman had stolen my revenge; he did what I couldn't do, what my stupid stunned brain didn't think of doing. I hated him for that but then I learnt the Joker committed a far worse crime against Superman. The hatred disappeared, leaving a void in my chest and the bitter taste of despair in the back of my throat.

The funeral was arranged seven days later. It was a private ceremony but almost a hundred people attended. There were no graves because there were no corpses. The tombstones served as pillars to head sculptures. They were meant to be beautiful and I admired whoever had the skill to make stone resemble a human face so accurately but his skill didn't help my pain. It only worsened it. I wanted to smash those stone heads, wipe those fake smiles and yell in their deaf ears to get fucking real. They were dead, gone forever…

Thank God Sarah was there. Only looking at her made me feel better. Gar's tombstone made my stomach twist into knots; I felt like my head was going to explode when the Minister started talking about him, putting him to rest with a pre-arranged speech. I was afraid to grab her hand, afraid to crush it in a thoughtless act. She seemed to understand because she grabbed my wrist and leaned on my arm.

I looked at the others: Batman stood next to Nightwing. They kept their cool, professional, till the Minister addressed Star. Dick's cool face crumbled. He made this strangled heart-rending sound and covered his face to hide his tears. The Bat's armored hand was immediately on his shoulder but it was politely pushed aside. The grave cool front was back up…Damn…

Raven didn't break. I'm not even sure if she's listening to the world anymore. Not one word in seven days, no reaction at all. The dark shadow of her hood hides her eyes. I'm thankful for that She can't hide the red skin and the beastly fangs I can see on her mouth but I thank God I can't see her eyes…

Donna's last. I glanced at Wonder Woman. Again, I find no grief. I can feel the rage pulsating on her powerful muscles; see it on her gritted teeth and the deep scowl marring her pretty face. There is a fire in her eyes I have only seen on fanatics. She speaks as soon as the Priest's over; an ugly commanding voice…

"The JLA will meet at 4' in the Watch Tower to address all recent events and to aid a friend in need. Anyone who wishes to join is welcome."

She left without another word, rocketing up so hard the few humans in our midst were flown off their feet. She was a small dot in the sky in a second. I felt fear then. I knew of Superman's rampage for peace and seeing Wonder Woman acting like that…Only an idiot wouldn't be afraid thinking of those two working together in the state of mind they were in…

And then there was Raven…Red-possibly-four-eyed Raven.

"Nightwing, a word?"

"Superman's parents were kidnapped." He whispered back.

"How…?" I knew how. The Batman was…had been standing right behind him. He was gone now…Sneaky bastard…"…I'm gonna help."

"I'm in too…"

"Great…what're we gonna do 'bout Raven. Have you seen her face?"

"…yes….We'll get help once this is dealt with. For now, just leave her alone…"

I resented the directive and an irrational surge of hatred squeezed my heart. Listening to Nightwing got me to my friends' funeral…Not listening could have taken me to obliteration. I wasn't sure which was best but I knew it wasn't really his fault. It was mine for getting involved in all this shit...for thinking I'm indestructible. For all the metal in my body, I'm still human…and I'm gonna act like a human being…

Raven was standing by the tombstones, staring at Jerincho's stone face. I watched, hoping for a display of grief, of anger, of anything. Time wasted. I walked up to her.

"Hey…how are you holding up?"

A direct question; she had to answer. I had forgotten how soft her voice is, how hard it is for my human ear to catch what she says…

"…holding up?"

"How're you doing? You've been really quiet…I'm here for you, Raven, okay? I'm your friend and I'm still here…"

"Thank you."

A cloud of smoke spread out of her body. It consumed her. The dark odorless cloud was dispersed by the wind. I can't describe how frustrating it is to have a friend that can poof away. Can't even find her, can't keep an eye on her…

I can only hope she'll show up at the Watch Tower and that wherever she is, she's crying and raging as she should.

So, what do you think? Should I work on a second chapt? :D