This is a mini-ficlet just to let you all know that I'm still alive and haven't abandoned you. Chapter Four of Takeoffs and Landings is going through numerous revamping/re-writes; until I get it exactly the way I want it. This was originally a submission for a Robin/Raven Valentine's Day fanfic contest, but I've bulked it up a bit. Hope you like, and thanks for all of the kind reviews on my other story.
Disclaimer: I don't own Teen Titans, hence me putting this up on
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"Why are you still here? All of the others have left."
Raven didn't answer. She stood silently in the doorway, the light from the hallway silhouetting her figure.
"I said, why are you still here?" Robin asked again, softer this time. He turned towards the door. Raven stepped inside the dark room. As she moved closer to Robin, she noticed the bad state he was in. His eyes were bloodshot, and his disheveled appearance made him look like he hadn't slept for days. She suppressed a gasp.
"I'm here to try to keep what's left of the team together," Raven replied, avoiding his eyes. "You'd work yourself to death if it wasn't for us."
"You," corrected Robin. "I'd work myself to death if it wasn't for you."
"Listen," said Raven, changing the subject, "You have to stop this! If Slade doesn't want to be found, he won't be! And after that last battle, I don't know if we can afford to go chasing after him!" Raven's tone indicated urgency, which Robin chose to ignore.
"He's already tried to kill you more than once! What happens if he comes back and tries to hurt you again?"
"Then we'll deal with it. You have to stop obsessing over Slade." Raven put a hand on Robin's shoulder. "Why don't you take some time off to chill? You're not going to catch Slade in the condition you're in now."
Robin stood up. "What if he attacks and we're not ready?"
"We'll get the others back. They'll handle it," was Raven's reply.
"But what if they don't come back?" asked Robin.
"Don't worry, they will," replied Raven, looking into Robin's eyes. They were shining from the soft light of the hallway. "Come on, let's clean you up."
"Hey, Raven?" Robin asked as she led him to the door.
"What?"
"Thanks."
Raven smiled softly, and pushed open the door into the hallway. No matter what, she'd be there for him. However, she was caught unaware when Robin pulled her into a big, tight hug.
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Beast Boy was the first to leave. He had been acting strangely for a while, not cracking jokes any more, not arguing with Cyborg, not smiling or laughing. Cyborg had dismissed it as a passing phase, telling himself that the green changeling would be back to normal in no time, but Raven knew better. It was deeper than that; it was an emotional detachment to the team, severed when Terra died. As the days passed by, Beast Boy got quieter and passive. It had begun to affect the team, resulting in an angry outburst from Robin. The next day, he just disappeared; leaving the team a short note saying that he was going to "find himself". Though no one else blamed him, Robin felt like it was his fault. He had been spending less and less time with the team, and more trying to find Slade. It was Slade's fault that Terra was dead, he had to pay.
Starfire was next. Robin was becoming obsessive in his quest to bring Slade to justice. Starfire tried to draw him out, but he only got fed up with her. The rift between Cyborg and Robin had also grown, which Starfire had tried in vain to patch up. Her efforts were fruitless, and usually ended with unkind words between the two. While Raven was passive in trying to get the two to act civilly towards each other, Starfire was aggressive, declaring that she could no longer stay in the tower while the two fought. Expecting them to make up, Starfire was deeply affected when they wouldn't, and left for Tamaran to visit some family.
Cyborg was the last of the three to leave. His confrontations with Robin had become too much, their tempers flaring violently at each other. Frankly, Raven was surprised that he stayed as long as he did, though now she missed the half-robot deeply. He found a place to stay in the next town over, and offered Raven the chance to come with him. Raven declined, trying not to show any emotion towards him, but ending up failing miserably. Just after the door had closed, she almost broke down in tears.
By this point, Robin had fallen into a deep depression. He was indirectly responsible for Terra's death. It was his fault Slade hadn't been captured yet. It was he who had driven all of his friends away, all of them except for Raven.
He did know why Raven had stayed. Maybe she couldn't find anywhere else to live. Maybe she liked the Tower empty, but he knew that she missed the others as much as he did. It didn't stop her from bringing Robin his meals when he'd missed them, or news about Jump City. Every day he expected her to stop showing up, but she never did. Maybe it was because he had saved her from one of Slade's nastier monsters at the last battle, and she felt the need to repay the debt. An unconscious Raven was falling into a dark abyss only to awaken, not lying helplessly at the bottom, but flying upwards into the sun in the arms of the Boy Wonder. Maybe it was just loyalty to the team. Whatever it was, it had kept Robin sane through the hours of his meticulous research. All he knew was that she stayed, and he was glad.
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"Hey Raven?"
"Yes, Robin?"
"Why did you stay?"
It was a simple question and yet, it took Raven a lot of thinking to come up with an answer. However, when she did, she knew it was the right one.
"For you, Robin. For you."
Fin.
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Well, did you enjoy that? It's purposely a little cryptic, but I think you can piece together the pieces of the puzzle. This may be the last thing I post for a while, as I go back to school tomorrow. Make me happy and send me lots of nice reviews! I'll keep at Chapter Four 'til it's suitable! Love you all.