A/N: Hello! Here's chapter two. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own the Teen Titans
Goodbye, Halcyon Days
Adaptation (noun) – the action or process of changing or being changed
*Four Years Ago*
Mustering enough energy, the Titans drag themselves back to the Tower. Not a word is spoken on the way home or during the elevator ride. Once the doors open, the teens disperse, hobbling or limping to their room.
Raven is now awake, but not on her feet. Her powers taking too much out of her, rendering her immobile until fully rested. Robin didn't mind, in fact, he demanded he let her carry her; it gives him time to look over her injuries and quell his worries, knowing that she is safe.
Entering his room, door automatically closing behind him, he deposits the dark empath on his bed. Her leader quickly unbuckles her cloak and takes off her shoes; he pushes her into a lying position and pulls the covers over her.
He, too, takes off his cape, shoes, gloves, and mask before joining her. Knowing her thoughts are keeping her from sleep, he pulls her form into him, tucks her head under his chin, and runs a hand along her slender back, hoping it will put her nerves at ease.
'Robin?" The dark sorceress mumbles into his chest.
"Yeah, Rae?" He looks down at her, patiently waiting for whatever she is going to say.
"What are we going to do now?" Her innocent question is about to split his heart in two.
"I don't know. We'll have to see where it takes us." Oh how the tables have turned and the roles are reversed.
"Alright." Raven snuggles closer in his protective arms, warmth and comfort blanketing over her.
He kisses the top of her head, tightly secures his arm around her one more time, and finally follows her into the pull of unconsciousness.
.
.
.
With the amount of technology surrounding him, Cyborg can easily fix the robotic side of himself quickly, but his human side is another story. He scoffs out loud, remembering the times he cursed at his cybernetic half.
However, he has never been more grateful for it at this moment since it will take him half the amount of recovery time.
Beast Boy isn't any better, a small head wound is his major injury and no broken bones; everything else is the usual - cuts, scrapes, bruises, and light blood smear. He runs a damp face cloth over the head wound where dried blood is caked onto his face.
After that he rinses the cloth, draining the red liquid out, and hanging it to dry. All his minor injuries are covered with bandages or packs of ice on his bruises.
With some effort, he manages to climb into bed; the moment his head hits the pillow, he is out like a light.
Starfire has more than the two combined: a medium-sized head wound, a sprained wrist, and a body full of scrapes and scratches, make her body look like a cat did not like her. Which can be true, the enemy didn't like her, at all.
Remembering the instructions Cyborg told her about head wounds, she goes to work on cleaning herself up. An arm brace tightly secures onto her forearm, compressing it as best she can. The Tamaranean Princess washes up any dried blood and patches up her open cuts with bandages.
She curls into her fluffy bed, Silkie's presence a much-needed reassurance next to her.
.
.
.
Seeing as they arrived home early afternoon, they continued sleeping until late morning the next day. A teapot lightly whistling on the stove and the faint hum from the coffee machine are the only sounds in the Tower. Robin and Raven are the only two early birds, (a/n: pun intended) that is comforted by the early morning sunrise.
The pair stand in front of the large window in the kitchen, waiting for their daily cup of tea and coffee, embracing each other. Robin has his best friend wrapped tightly before him, his head rests atop hers. They revel in the comfortable silence.
"Something's changed, hasn't it?" Raven's rhetorical question didn't need answering. Robin absentmindedly nods.
The beeping noise of the coffee maker and the whistle of the teapot breaks them apart, each walking over towards their respective machines to grab their morning beverage.
"Morning." A yawning Cyborg walks in, ready to prepare breakfast.
"Good Morning." The two birds mumble out. Clanking pans and eggs cracking is the only noise penetrating the awkward silence.
At the smell of food cooking, Starfire floats in with a small, almost shy, "Greetings, Friends." She takes her place on Raven's left.
A separate tofu breakfast for Beast Boy, rouses said friend from sleep, droopy ears and a fist rubbing at his eye greets them.
The Titans sit in an extremely uncomfortable silence, all knowing that their entire dynamic has changed. We'll get through this. Raven snaps her head towards Robin, him entwining their fingers together and squeezing. I hope you're right.
.
.
.
Their days keep at it like this, some villains here and there are taken care of, but the fire in the belly is clearly burned out. It would have continued on for weeks if Cyborg hadn't snapped.
He calls every Titan out of their confinement, code for bedroom, and into the Main Room.
"Alright, this has gone on long enough. Clearly, we're not in sync anymore, either we do something and resolve it, or I'm walking out that door." The cybernetic teen will only take so much.
"I don't know if there is anything we can do to fix it." The guilt emitting out of their leader is palpable.
"I see…well, if that's it then I'm going to go pack up my stuff." A voice stops him from walking toward his room.
"You said you wouldn't do this to me. You of all people I thought would be the last one to leave the team. Why are you doing this?" Although he is used to his little sister's monotone voice, he can hear it tremble.
"I know and I'm sorry." He turns to the rest of the Titans. "I didn't want to be the one to put it out on the table. I wanted to wait and see if I was wrong." Cyborg starts to explain.
"If what was wrong?" Beast Boy's ears harshly slump.
"If our team is starting to grow apart was wrong. At first, I didn't notice it. Err…I did, but I never brought attention to it, brushing it off as normal. But the battle with Slade, Two-Face, and the Joker made me question our behavior before we encountered them." They can see where he is going with this.
"It was leading up to it and…I guess that battle was the push it needed. I need to leave the hero life, that's why I called you all in here." The silence is unbearable for all of them. They didn't move or speak for at least ten minutes. Cyborg's voice is still ringing in their ears.
"Well, if you really thought this through and you're alright with it, then I won't stop you." In the back of Robin's mind, he knows this would be coming, but he didn't know when. Respecting his friend's wishes, he didn't object to the half-robot's desires.
Getting approval from his leader, a grateful Cyborg turns his hopeful eyes on the others.
"If that is what you wish, then I wish you the safest of travels, Friend." Starfire receives a kiss on the cheek in return.
"Promise me that when we're old and wrinkly we'll find each other and reminisce on the good ole' days?" A tear escapes the green shape-shifter's eye.
"Cross my heart and hope to die." Cyborg raises two fingers in the air, his hand covering his heart.
"Rae?" Cyborg didn't know what to expect from his baby sister.
"Get outta here." She gives him a weak smile, telling him she is only joking. He has the widest smile on his face, her opinion meaning the most to him.
He simply pulls her into his arms and presses a kiss to her temple. She finally extracts herself out of his strong arms.
"I may be letting you go, but that doesn't mean you're allowed to keep me in the dark about your wellbeing." Cyborg smiles at Raven's endearing threat.
One final group hug later and Cyborg is out the door the next day.
.
.
.
Days pass, two birds are closer than ever and one by one the Titans start leaving. This time it's their Alien Princess.
"My apologies, Friends, but I concur with what Friend Cyborg said a while ago. Farewell, I hope you will do the understanding."
"It's okay, Star. No need to apologize." Beast Boy nonchalantly waves her off, but his insides are in knots.
"Thank you for the understanding of my wishes." She's humbled by their willingness to respect her difficult decision.
"If that's what you wish, then I won't stop you." Robin's repeated statement to their robot friend brings tears to her eyes.
"I am most gracious." Starfire couldn't move from her spot even if she wanted to.
"I'll miss my sister." Raven admits, letting go of her dignity and acting on her emotions.
"Thank you, all. I wish you the most joyous life and I hope to meet again soon."
Another group hug and Starfire is on her way back to rule over Tameran.
.
.
.
The last to leave is Beat Boy, saying his true calling is at the petting zoo.
"Come on guys, this isn't goodbye. I think you'll see me more often than the other two." He chastises the birds, tearing up any way.
"A petting zoo, go figure. I'm not stopping you from your calling." Robin sadly smirks at the shape-shifter.
"Although you were a pain in the ass, you made things entertaining around here. It'll be weird to not hear you defend tofu anymore." Beast Boy beames at finally hearing a compliment from the dark empath.
"I really appreciate you guys, truly. Come by the petting zoo sometime, okay?"
"Don't count on it." Raven is willing to give him one compliment.
The last group hug amongst the Titans and a green eagle soars into the great unknown.
.
.
.
Their teammates all depart in the span of two weeks, leaving two resident birds alone in an all too quiet Tower. A week after they left found the empath and the leader lounging on the couch in the Main Room. The former's feet lay across the latter's lap.
"It's too quiet in here." Raven tucks closer to her boyfriend, his arm adjusting to firmly wrap around her shoulders.
"I know. It'll get better, eventually." He didn't know what else to say to soothe his girlfriend.
"And what if it doesn't?" The dark sorceress couldn't help but question his confidence.
"I don't know, Rae. I don't know." The last thing he wants to do is break a promise to her.
She didn't say anything after that, deciding to play with his hand. They sit like that everyday when the sun is about to set, just ruminating.
A/N: I hope you enjoyed the second chapter. I apologize for how short the chapters have been, but I promise they'll be longer after this.
Thanks for reading!
