Brittle Glass

By: Pakkrat

Chapter 3: Check it out, a talking donut!

Note: Oops, I made the wrong chapter title for Chapter 2! Chapter 2 was (In One End and Out The Other). You'll understand later in the chapter with the donut joke. Also, I don't own the DC characters but I did come up with The Brood, and their evil demon lord... tee-hee. May not be end of the world but if I can I'll put my evil demon in all my stories. Wha-ha-ha-ha!

The morning was one of several surprises. Robin was not a surprise as he reads his morning paper and Cyborg dares B.B. to play him in a game. Starfire is floating around making a meal that smells really freaking good. Robin finally pulls away from the paper noticing the great smell, "Gee Star! That smells…" he blinks, "Wait, Raven?"

Raven turns around… and is smiling, "Hey! So what would you like first?"

Beast Boy and Cyborg are looking with their paddles in their laps, the screen blinks Game Over but they ignore it. Robin raises a brow to the skillets and pans with bacon, eggs, some toast, cooked greens, "Wow… this is… good?"

Raven just shrugs with the smile still, "Gee, thanks. So which would you prefer?" Robin shrugs and she just drops stuff on a plate. Robin pokes his pancakes, "Uh… Raven, these pancakes look like their… smiling."

Cyborg sits with his plate, "The omelets look like their smiling…"

Beast Boy is pale, "The plate… looks like it's…"

"Oh come on, I was just in a good mood and…" She floats past them with a final plate besides hers, "I guess it shows through the food."

Beast Boy glares to his meal, "Oh that guy from last night is on your mind?"

The other two boys ooh; she rolls her eyes saying, "Come on lay off."

Robin nudges Cyborg, "Wow, I wonder what this guy is like."

"Yeah, I mean Rae actually seems normal." Cyborg ducks from a spoonful of omelet that nearly hit him, "I'm just saying," he raises up slowly and sweating, "You don't show this kind of happy attitude usually."

Raven sort of seems to drop her happy expression and nudges her food, "Maybe… but I was just figuring…"

Robin looks at his paper again, his mouth was being inched with a forkful when his eyes widen he drops the fork and stands up tall, "No…" he drops the paper and runs to the garage, the titans raise equally worried brows. Cyborg grabs the paper as Beast Boy asks, "What the hell is his problem?"

Cyborg looks up sadly, Beast Boy asks, "What is it, you too?"

"Shut it B." Beast Boy goes to remark but Cyborg yells, "SHUT IT!"

Cyborg walks with the paper and sees Robin is already trying to get the cycle ready, "Robin you know it can't be true."

"Then why hasn't he called?" Robin looks angrily, "Weekly Cyborg, there is a weekly communication between us. If he needs me he says, or I need his council he gives it! This week… I didn't…" Robin falls on the cycle sobbing, Cyborg walks over and grabs his shoulder, "Robin, man, you have to chill! If it is true…" Robin looks up worried, "Well, would he want you to be crying like this?"

Robin shakes his head no, "I know Cyborg but… I just wanted to know…"

Cyborg lays the paper down on the worktable, "Hey, I'll send a message to the commissioner he'll say what's up. You just get back here and eat some of that food. When will we ever get a chance to have Raven cook something good."

Robin sighs, "I guess… I need to fill the team in anyway, after you make the calls."

The two leave the paper shifts a little as it was leaning off the edge, it falls on the floor letting the head print read "Batman Missing, Has the Dark Knight Been Slain?"

Will is lathering and rinsing his hair in the shower, a smile on his face he screams out "She had lavender hair Wintergreen! I mean, not a dye job it looked natural! Hell, is that even possible?"

Wintergreen sighs, outside the bathroom he just rolls an eye, "If it was natural than it must be sir." He chuckles a little; Will was actually acting something like a human being. "Sir, was there anything else." He mentally muses, 'That you have not told me.'

"Is there?" Will says it in a way like near euphoria, "She was a delicate looking girl, but the force in her fist." He raises his own fist and laughs a robust breath, "She could make for a perfect fighter maybe I could get her to spar with me! Then, the eyes are just as amazing as the hair, a darker shade, and yes she herself shows a darker essence than the other women I've known." Will stopped his ramblings and sighs deeply, "Raven, she was everything I ever wanted… since her."

Wintergreen hears that and his demeanor drops a little, "Sir…" Will is chuckling, "Don't worry my friend I'll be okay."

The titans are going on the normal routine. Training, that was a good one for now. Robin is pounding away at a punching bag, Cyborg has his weights, Beast Boy tries his chance with a logic test… not so good, and Starfire is challenging her aim with flying disks. Raven is in the one spot meditating and raising objects of varying size with concentration. Raven stops her meditation and stands up; sweating a little she looks around, "I'm knocking off early, okay?"

Robin shrugs, "Sure if you feel you should."

Raven nods and leaves. She makes to the main room and shiftily she looks around, she floats to the phone, and with a deep breath she picks it up. "Okay, hardest part is down… no… not even close to the hard part…" Raven shakes her head; keep calm not the time to get all upset. She dials that number on the napkin, a ring, more ringing…

Wintergreen picks up the phone, "Yes?"

Raven blinks, "Will?"

"Hm? Yes that is my…" Wintergreen blinks, "May I ask whom this is?"

"It's me, Raven."

"Oh! Madam Raven!" Wintergreen hears something around thumping sounds; he turns and grabs his eyes as the phone was dropped. A hand grabs the phone and raises it to their ear, Will smiles pleasingly, "Raven! What a pleasure to hear from you so soon!" Wintergreen scrambles with his white coat to tie it onto Will's lower body, "I was a bit busy but hearing you called ushered me straight to you."

Raven kind of giggles, not a normal one and so when Starfire floats behind her to get some mustard she raises a brow, "Gee Will that sounds like a pickup line or something." Raven starts to coil the phone cord around her finger, "So, I was calling to ask if you might want to go out tonight." Starfire is wide eyed, the signs all point to a…

"Why of course! Where and when?"

"The café and tonight around the same time as last time." Starfire blurts out, "When are we to meet this Will?"

Raven turns in a glare, Starfire backs up nervously but Raven hears Will, "Was that Skye?"

"Yes…" Raven looks nervously to the phone, "Hm, does she want to come along?"

"Um… well…" Raven looks over to Starfire, "Would you like to come with me to meet Will tonight?" she motions her mouth no but Starfire screams in joy saying yes. Will is laughing, "Good, then later tonight my dear?"

"Yes… tonight… bye." Raven hangs up the phone and hangs her head, Starfire is twirling around in joy, "Oh friend Raven! It will be so much fun to meet this mystery person whom you have such an interest in!"

Raven looks over slowly, her teeth grinding and eyes fuming, Starfire gulps before flying quickly past the training room. Inside the training room Robin is on his back panting as his punching bag had been punching him! Beast Boy had won against the logic test, before it exploded! Then Cyborg had fallen through the floor with his weights! As Raven was loosing her emotions, the boys found the bad side of the effects.

This dive is pretty busy with criminals. They gather and squander around the area like mad. Drinking and gloating about their exploits they seem really idiotic. The sound of a fist hitting a counter catches all the criminals. The counter with the food, a man in a purple outfit is enraged, screaming "How can you charge that much for a donut? Look at this thing! It barely has donut, more hole!" He squeezes the donut in and out, "Hell, it's like it's talking!"

The man at the counter shrugs, "Whatever… he, a talking donut."

The man in purple smiles a large grin, "A humorous fellow eh? Well, allow me to say that this donut not only has the mouth…" he squeezes the donut so it seems to be smiling, "Hm, look it's smiling!" then letting it bend it laughs, "Now laughing! My lord, what could be so funny Mr. Donut?" The man raises the donut to his ear, he motions it and nods, "Oh that is funny! Why, you should hear this!" The figure raises the donut to the man, "He says… I have something that will really make you laugh!" The figure grabs inside his suit and the man behind the counter cringes.

The figure holds up a fish and points it through the donut. The man blinks, "A fish?" he smirks, "Gee man I thought you were…" The fish spits a yellow mist and the man starts coughing, and like Razor his body begins to react in laughter and hideous deformity before the entire room.

The other criminals hear the laughter and become frightened; they jump up and make a run for it. The figure stops his laughing as the man dies. The figure walks into the dive looking around, "Gee, must be a slow night!" letting more of the laughing go Baby-Bop and Pitch sit with the figure. "So, let's talk about tonight… where, oh where should we go next?"

Will stands outside the café; he waited a long while actually… "Did she forget?"

He then hears the steps of two people, he turns and sees Raven, she wears some jeans and another top but this one was with sleeves which were loose at the wrist. The girl with her was odd, having a purple miniskirt, go-go boots, and the top like Raven except with a flower on the front she smiles her green eyes with a shine. Then the hair, black was not her color.

"Okay, your name is Skye that's all you need to remember… please don't embarrass me!"

"Oh friend Raven! I shall not embarrass you." Star walks right past Will, "So when do we meet this Will person."

"Skye…" Star keeps looking around, "Skye…" nothing, "Hey you!" Star turns to a confused Will and angry Raven, "This is Will."

Star looks starry eyed, "My goodness he is so… old."

Raven grabs her face, Will just smirks saying "My thank you for noticing."

"Pardon me it is only that friend Raven has not mentioned the age of her male suitor." Raven seems to shrink a little, "That, and the fact you are disabled makes for a puzzling ordeal." Raven shrinks a lot now, "However, I am sure it is the fact you are so physically formed she finds you a fitting mate for reproduction!"

"Oh just great… now I know I should have brought some rope." Will is holding his chin and chuckling, "She is a free minded person isn't she Raven?"

Raven looks up, his demeanor was not affected. Raven stands tall and shrugs, "Yes she speaks her mind."

"That's a healthy thing in all honesty. It shows she's a confident woman. You know, you could learn to do that too Raven." He opens the door for them, "Shall we?"

Raven blinks but she and Starfire go ahead, "So far so good. Remember, your name is Skye."

Starfire nods, "My name is Skye; at least it is for this night."

Raven and Skye sit down at the table like before; Will pulls an extra table over, "So, what will we talk about tonight?"

Skye taps her chin, "I do not know if my subjects would be appropriate for discussion in earth mating rituals called 'Dating'."

Raven shields her eyes and shakes her head, 'This is going to be a long ass night…'

Will sighs a little, "Then let me open the discussion, Skye?" Skye is looking at the menu, "Skye?" Raven glares at Skye, "Um… Skye?" Raven kicks Skye's leg, Skye yelps and rubs the spot, "Skye?" Skye blinks and turns to Will sweating, "Oh yes!"

"You have a strange accent, where are you from?"

"Ta…" Raven kicks her again, "Er, Texas! It is a small…" she looks to Raven who shakes her head no, "Large," Raven nods, "Large territory to the… South?" Raven nods, "Yes, South of these many territories of united formations!"

Will looks a little confused, "Yeah…" he looks to Raven, "So, what have you been up to?"

Raven smiles as it was easier then getting Star on track, "Nothing too much just some little things."

This is where they began talking more like a group of friends. The conversation hits many points, Starfire tells of the many thing of her home, Will never knew Texas was so… weird. Raven tries to make the most sense of it she could… which was oh so little. Will mentions his many travels across the world, and even some stories of adventure as an explorer. They keep talking until Will asks, "So, Skye do you have any boyfriends?" Star blushes, "I mean a nice looking girl like yourself must have a certain someone."

"Well there is a boy I like… he is quite wonderful."

"Boy wonder?" Raven raises a brow, "Not him again!"

Starfire just giggles as she drinks her coffee with mustard in it that caused many a look then. Will smirks at their talk, "Gee, so this is that girl talk I hear about? Not that big a deal."

"Then perhaps the speech of feminine hygiene is in order?"

Will coughs and looking at his watch he says "Gee… look at the time?"

Raven looks at a clock and nods, "Just a little over two hours this time." She stands up and Will grabs his money, "Again?"

"Why not? I need to pay for your friend too! Otherwise I would be playing favorites."

Starfire and Raven are outside as Will pays off the tab for the night. Raven smiles to Will as he exits, "I had a great time."

"As did I my dear."

The two look at each other a moment, Raven stands a little shorter than Will so she looks up at him rubbing her arm nervously, "So… um…"

Will smirks; "Well…" he leans down a little, "Is there, something you want?"

Raven sees the eye contact, "Well... maybe…"

Starfire floats in screaming "I had a glorious time Mr. Will! I hope to meet with you again soon!"

Will pulls back; Raven seems to sag a little as he shakes Starfire's hands saying "A pleasure perhaps another time?" He then turns to Raven and grabs her hand kissing it again, "Until the next time."

Raven blushes and the sign over the coffee house flutters in and out. Will turns to the sign and then Raven, "There is something of a pattern here…" he takes a step back, "Raven, just what do you do again?"

"Me? Oh, I'm a junior journalist! Eh-he! Nothing too great, you know."

Will looks at the sign, "Perhaps…" he turns away waving goodbye, "Until the next time you call."

Raven sighs deeply as Starfire is standing playfully with her eyes teasingly looking at Raven, "You want to be a Knorfka with him!"

"What?" Raven blushes and the sign blows up, "Damn it! Stop making me do that!"

Will returns to his place and enters the main control room, he sees Wintergreen tapping on the keys. "Did you find anything?"

"Yes… you may not like this sir."

"What?" Will looked at the screen, "Credit reports? How will that help?"

"There was a recent purchase at a criminal dive this afternoon. The spender used a very special credit card."

"Special just how special?"

"One of a kind special… and only one man has it."

The screen flashes, Will looks up and his face turns cold "What the hell is that clown doing in my city?"

"That is not the worst part sir. These men he has hired… they're from The Brood."

"What!" Will turns stunned, "The Brood? You mean those sick killers that hail some demon as their master, Akaige?"

"Yes sir." Wintergreen looks over to Will, "There is…" he sees the look on Will's face, "So, how was your date."

Will smiles, "That was the only good thing today. I don't know what it is but she really makes me feel…" Will sighs a little, "You know, I think if anything happened to her." Will shakes his head free, "Never mind I have to get some training done bring me a tea with some lemon in it please?"

Will walks off, Wintergreen nods "Yes sir." He looks up at the screen as Will was gone and flips the screen, it shows a short cut purple haired girl, with a chakra on her forehead and lavender eyes. Her name was Raven; the file was from the Teen Titans files… Wintergreen looks to see Will was truly gone, and then he closes the file. "I hope I'm right about not telling him this."

The tower is dark; Raven was surprised as was Starfire. The lights turn on and both the girls see three male figures tapping their feet impatiently. Cyborg asks, "Where were you?" Robin fumes, "What were you doing?" and Beast Boy flails his arms screaming "Who were you doing it with… whoa!"

The other two boys grab Beast Boy by the mouth and stuff him under the couch. Cyborg screams "You know what we've been doing all night? After you girls disappeared to the mall we had a call."

"Silly Cyborg! We were not at the mall all day. That was only to dye my hair and to prepare us to meet with Will."

Beast Boy pops his head out from the couch, "Will?"

Raven looks over, "Yes his name is Will." Robin smirks, "Really? That's a normal kind of name."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Cyborg slaps a hand over Robin's mouth, "Oh, you know just… you know."

"Oh so being a Goth I can't find a nice guy is that it?" Raven snarls at that kind of thought, she may be moody as hell and to a degree she was a demon's daughter, but Raven still was human. "Look, if you have something to say just say it."

Robin pulls from Cyborg, Cyborg lunges behind the couch, "Raven! Whenever you leave I want to be notified!" Raven is startled, "We can't take a chance your powers might act up. Especially after the whole mess with Trigon, your powers grew and so did the threat you give."

Raven looks wide eyed, "How can you say that?" She blinks, her eyes turn in hate, "Who do you think you are?" Raven floats to her room but Robin grabs her wrist, "Hold it! I'm not done here!"

"Let the hell off me!" Raven tugs at her arm but Robin has a good grip. "We're just trying to protect you Raven."

"Protect!" Raven pulls her hand free, "Protect me from what? Living? A normal life? Who the hell made you the leader of MY life?" Raven slaps Robin and he looks all stunned, "I'm not some kind of brittle glass! I won't just shatter all over the place, you said I was strong and now just because I'm trying to see about making a better life you get scared? You ever think being a Teen Titan isn't all our dreams and fantasies?" Raven turns around with her fists shaking, "Just… leave me alone."

She floats down the hall fast into her room. Robin blinks and then with a frustrated face he screams, "Raven!"

An orange girl floats down sticking her nose up, flames in her eyes, and hands on her hips she asks "Have you anything else you wish to pronounce? If so, direct them to me instead!"

Robin shifts a little uneasy, "Look Starfire this is…" Starfire glares her fiery eyes with more heat, "… Another time maybe…" Robin backs down as there was something in Star's eyes that really scared him. Beast Boy and Cyborg watch Robin make his way outside. Cyborg follows Robin, "What was that back there?"

"… I was upset. About… Batman."

"Oh. You took it out on Raven?"

"I didn't mean to it was just." Robin slumps on the wall, "I can't explain it Cyborg, something just snapped in me."

Cyborg shrugs, "This happens to the best of us. Just make sure you apologize there's nothing worse than a pissed Raven remember."

Robin smiles over shamefully, "Yeah… I will."

Starfire knocks on Raven's door, "Friend Raven? May I speak with you?"

"What?" Raven's voice is mixed with her monotone version, something of regret. Ever since Trigon Raven has a greater amount of trouble with emotions she feels on a larger scale than what she is used to doing. Things may still explode, but she is still able to feel with less worry over the fact her father was pretty much gone. Raven opens her door and looks with her eyes in a blank fashion, "I'm not apologizing, not this time."

"I do not believe you should. It is Robin who must apologize." Star holds her one arm at the elbow letting the other hang, "Friend Raven what he said may have been at anger or concern, yet his words were still of a friend. He is concerned for you, as I too am."

"Really? You seemed to like him."

"He was a great person!" Star smiles, "In truth I found him very handsome and alluring, yet it is still very difficult to know what a person truly wants. If it is possible this Will is not looking for you as a mate." Raven blanches her face; mate was different for Star, "He may have ulterior motives I feel you must consider. Do be careful that is all that I request of you."

Raven smiles, "Sure thing Star." Raven turns to her side, "Uh… thanks for coming along it made me feel easier with you around." Raven chuckles, "Oh, and Texas never had a Mythril Mine before…"

"I see! Well pardon me if my knowledge of Tameran was not so in accordance to Texas history." The two girls giggle together before parting ways. Robin walks up to the door, "Raven…" she opens the door and gives a blank stare, "Um… I'm sorry about…"

"It's okay I forgive you."

Robin smiles, "Really? Thanks!" an egg breaks over his head, Raven smirks, "Like I forgave Beast Boy." And she closes the door. Robin wipes the egg off murmuring "What a day… could it get any worse?"

The figure smiles widely as was his fashion, taking off his hat he tosses it onto a chair inside the poorly lit hideout. "What an afternoon, I should have left enough trails to get those brats to notice me." He sits in a chair, and leans back into it. "My, what time is it?" he looks to a clock and sees the time, late night, "Hm… I think I need a little music!" he turns to a record and plays it off the spindle it was an opera song, the tragic clown.

The figure drums his fingers along his chest, a smile gleams in the light as his face shows in the pale form. "Mr. J!" Baby-Bop runs in and falls to his knees heaving and wheezing, "Mr. J! They found the body of Razor!"

"… What time is it?" Baby-Bop blinks under his shades, "You know I love to listen to this song every night at around this time…" he swings his fists onto the chair's armrests, "I like to listen in peace too! Is that too much to have freaking asked?" Mr. J grabs for his side, Baby-Bop jumps up and is shaking as Mr. J takes… a thing of breath mints and pops one in his mouth, "Mmm!" he slaps his cheek, "Oh dear my boy look at you!" Baby-Bop looks down at the puddle at his feet, "You best get a new diaper that one has a leak!" as Baby-Bop readies to leave the figure, Mr. J raises his hand, "Oh, and my good boy! Would you be so kind as to call me," He leers the green eyes and face of criminal brutality to the frightened man, "Joker, just Joker would suffice… after all, we are associates in crime."

Baby-bop nods, "Yes Joker." He leaves and The Joker sighs deeply, and rests himself into the chair, "Now that Bird Boy is going to see my nice little gift I wonder what this causes in the kiddies corner?" The Joker chuckles lowly to himself, and it grows into the sadistic laughter that was key to his name, The Joker, the only man ever to find in death… the greatest comedy of all.

Note: Don-don-DON! Yes, it was he, the malicious madman of mirth and my favorite villain of all time, The Joker! Yeah I think you all saw it coming. Thanks for the reviews, I hope you all like the story so far. Inspired, this story is by Banished Knight and her idea of Slade and Raven meeting in a Café. I try not to use most her ideas, I feel I have most my original ones. Still, how can you really explain the two meeting if not a chance meeting, or he kidnaps her ass?