Raven looked out the window. She was alone, again. She normally liked it like this, it was her comfort zone. But not lately. She couldn't explain it, but assumed it was part of her human side. Damn the fact that humans were social creatures.

She was the back up. The ones the others would go to if everybody else was busy, or if they needed her for something. She had always known this. It was good enough before, it gave her just enough contact to feel satisfied. But now the others needed her less and less. Robin and Starfire had finally admitted to each other that they felt more than friendly for each other and were often off together on a date or being couple-y and wanted to be alone. Cyborg had begun dating Bumblebee so he was often off visiting her or off somewhere with her while she was visiting. Beast Boy seemed to finally learn that she needed her alone time and decided to give her all the time she needed.

The problem was that she didn't need as much time with out his constant pestering. Half the time that she used to spend meditating was to offset the annoyance that he gave her. She now found herself with extra time that she filled with thought, and there is only so much thinking someone can do before it turns dark.

She now found herself thinking that the Titans only needed her for her powers. That they really didn't need her for her, just what she did for the team. That they really didn't care for or about her. They never came for her or asked her to talk or join a game. They never talked to her unless it was in battle or training. There were never any "Hey, how ya doing?"'s or any "Hey, we're going to the mall. You wanna come with?"'s. None of the things that usually went along with friendship. It was only "Titans, Trouble!" and "Raven, I need your help.". That was it.

True. She didn't seek them out, but she felt, awkward, doing that. She had never felt comfortable being the one to seek others' company out. She felt like she might get in their way, or just bother them. She also feared that they really didn't like her. She didn't want to push herself on anyone who really didn't want to be around her. No, she would rather suffer than do that.

She looked out at the rain falling out side the Tower. She wanted to go for a walk. The only thing holding her back was that the others would see her go out. She just wanted them to want her, not worry for her. She decided to phase out of the Tower, this seemed like a logical explanation. This way here she could take her walk and nobody need worry. They couldn't worry if they thought she was in her room meditating. She grabbed her cloak and put it on, no sense getting sick. She phased out of the Tower and onto the shore on the other side of the Bay.

She saw a few people run from place to place, trying to avoid the rain. She just walked on, not aware of where her feet were taking her. She paid minimal attention to the street signs so that she had a vague idea where she was.

She kept walking until her legs felt weak, then continued some more. The walking was therapeutic. The constant motion of her legs and her cloak swishing around her. She had her arms folded, almost hugging, around her. Her head was bent down to keep the rain from hitting her eyes. It had thoroughly soaked her clothes and she was feeling the cold. She looked around her. She was at the park. She remembered all the times the team had come here. Then, they had tried to get her to play, to join in on the fun. She never did. She felt bad about that now. She regretted every time she said "I need to be alone" and went off to meditate. At the time she thought it was best for everybody. Now she wasn't so sure. This depression she had sunk into couldn't be good for her powers. But it was something she couldn't shake.

She found herself near the play ground. She walked over to a swing and idly swung back and forth. She eventually swung back and forth higher and higher. She loved the weightless feeling it gave her. It was a free feeling. Like she left her problems on the ground and they couldn't reach her here.

She didn't know how long she was swinging before she felt someone push her. Startled, she leapt off the swing and turned around, ready for battle. What she saw, however, was a chucking Beast Boy. She heaved a sigh and gave him a glare for startling her.

"Sorry. I would've said something, but you looked so calm." he defended, "I didn't want to disturb you."

"It's ok." she said, her glare fading from her face, replaced by her usual poker face.

"Are ok?" he asked.

"Why wouldn't I be?"

"Well, for one, you've been more shut out lately. For another, you're swinging in the park, in the rain." She looked harder at the usually smiling elf in front of her. He seemed saddened for some reason. He just wasn't his usual happy self.

"Are you ok?" she asked him.

"You haven't answered my question." he persisted.

"I just need to work some things out." she said, "I don't really want to talk about it."

"You know if you ever do feel like talking about it, I'm here, right?"

"Yes." she said, though she knew she would never go to him. He would think her stupid or weak. They all would. No, she would remain silent. "Once again, are you ok?"

"I will be." he said. As he did so, he looked off in the direction that Raven knew the school was. The school Terra attended. She felt her heart drop for him. How could she hurt him like that? He visited her weekly, if not daily, when she was stone. Now that she is restored, she doesn't want to be with him? Yes, she felt bad for him.

"Want to talk?"

"Not rally." he said, a sad sort of smile on his face, "Maybe later."

"Well, I'm here." she returned his sentiments.

"Thanks." he said. He looked up at her, and she at him. At that moment, the rain lessened to a small sprinkling, and the sun poked through the diminishing clouds, creating a rainbow.

"Want to head to the Tower?" she asked.

"Not really. Wanna swing some more?" he asked holding out a swing for her.

"Sure." she said and walked to the swing. She got on and felt him push her. "Beast Boy?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks."

"For what?"

"Being my friend."