Raven sighed as they neared the port of Tortuga. She could already hear the gunshots, the screams, the music, and the laughter. It was a pirate's only safe port. They docked quickly and Raven felt the boots pounding across the deck to go have fun for a couple days.

She felt an arm go around her waist. "It's just you and me for three days," Roy murmured in her ear. She leaned back and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Does that give you ideas?" she asked, smirking. She felt him shudder in delight. "Come on Roy, you know better."

He sighed. "Alright." Raven felt him walk off down the gangplank. She cursed herself in seven different languages. Why do I have to go and ruin everything? She thought. He's like, the perfect guy and you had to go tell him off. With a shake of her head, she went to leave the ship.

Someone behind her cleared their throat. She whipped around and stomped the deck. Raven could tell it was Peter by the way the sound vibrated off him. "Miss Roth, would you like to accompany me to dinner?"

She thought for a second. "Sure, but I have no idea where you're gonna find a quiet place in Tortuga." She offered him her hand. He took it and led her down the gangplank.

"I've got a few ideas." Raven was led down one rowdy street after another. Right, left, left, left, right again, she thought, memorizing the way. Finally he stopped. "We're here." She noticed finally that some of the noise had died away.

Raven allowed herself to be led to a quiet table and sat down. She could smell bread baking in the kitchen and she could hear a couple other people eating dinner. "Where are we?" she asked quietly.

"We're in the only respectable inn in all of Tortuga," came the reply. "It belongs to a friend of Roy's. He's really nice and a great cook." Someone walked up behind her.

"What can I get ye?" he asked. He spoke the broad tongue of the pirates.

"Two specials, please Matthias," Peter grinned.

Raven's face was blank as she listened to the other conversations. "…and I heard that Bloody Roy Harper was back in town. Apparently, he's got himself a new crew member and she's a blue-blooded doxie." This conversation took place a few tables to their right.

"Really? Someone said he's got a bloody fortune on that ship. What's it called? The Revenge?"

"No, you stupid git, it's called The Avenger. I guess he's got well over a thousand pounds of gold there. Let's get some of the boys together tonight and raid it. It's the perfect chance for me to get back at the son of a bitch. Wadda ya say?"

"Sounds good to me." They stood, tossed a couple copper pieces on the table and left.

"Did you hear that?" Raven asked Peter.

"Hear what?" he turned back to her from his conversation with Matthias.

"Nevermind. I'm sorry, but I have to get going, Peter. There's something I forgot to take care of and it can't wait." She left, leaving behind a very confused Peter. She ran back to the ship and down into the crew's quarters. Raven pulled out her father's cloak and weapons. She readied her gear and went back out on deck. She walked back through the city. There were several barroom brawls which she gave a wide birth. She was looking for Roy.

"Raven!" someone behind her shouted. She froze and spun around. The lilac haired young woman knew that voice.

"Garret?" She had the wind knocked out of her as he barreled into her. "What are you guys doing here?"

"Richard's trting to stop some big raid tonight," came the reply. "We were told that we can't come because it was too risky."

"Good to know. I don't want to hurt you."

"What?"

"Nothing. It's not healthy to party with him tonight. Keep away from the docks." She continued walking, praying to the Goddess that he obeyed her. She was just about to head back down to the ship when a yell caught her attention. She turned toward the sound and heard someone getting the life beat out of them by someone bigger.

"That'll teach you to mess with Gold Tooth from now on." That was the voice of the man back at the inn. She ran down the alley and came to a stop in front of the beating. Silence fell when the men saw Raven standing there, cloak billowing about her. "Is this the doxie?" he whispered to his friend.

"Not many with purple hair running around." They let whoever they were beating fall to the ground and advanced on her.

"Leave-" Roy croaked. "Leave her alone."

"Shut up." The one called Gold Tooth kicked him in the side, sending a spurt of blood from his mouth. "Come here gixie. We don't bite." Raven stepped away from them. She drew her blade and moved to a fighting crouch.

"Don't hurt her," Roy groaned as he tried to pull himself to his feet. "She's blind."

"Oh, that changes things," said Gold Tooth's friend. He reached a hand out and brushed his fingers against her face. Raven turned her head and bit him. Hard. She couldn't tell if it was his blood in her mouth or Roy's. The man howled and stepped back. She guessed it was his blood.

Gold Tooth reached down and grabbed his own boot knife while Raven drew her cutlass. He lunged at her. Raven side-stepped it and came back at him, cutting open his shirt but not touching his skin. "Ha! Missed!" the large man laughed. The laugh turned into a gurgle. He looked down and saw Raven's blade sticking out of his stomach. "But, you're blind," he said before falling to the ground.

Raven dislodged the blade from his limp body and whirled on the other man. He fled, a look of horror that only Roy could see on his face. The violet-eyed beauty wiped her blade off on Gold Tooth's shirt. She put it away and knelt next to Roy. "You okay?" she whispered.

He reached up and brushed a lock of hair back from her face. "Now I am. Help me up." Raven pulled him to his feet and slung his arm around her shoulders. They made their way back down to the docks.

Raven smelled the fire before she heard it.

"Oh my Goddess," Roy breathed. The Avenger was on fire. He went to run, but found that it hurt. "Raven, the ship!" She stopped moving. "What are you doing? My ship is on fire and you're just standing here!"

Raven turned to face him. He gulped. Her eyes were glowing white. "Do not patronize me," she hissed. She grabbed his hand. "Hold on." Her feet lifted off the ground. He quickly felt his own feet leave the ground. "Don't move unless you want your ship to burn."

He held fast to her hand as they rose and flew over the city. "Raven," he breathed. She glared back at him. "Nevermind." she flew until they were directly over the flaming ship. The heat was unbearable. Raven moved her hand out in front of her. There was a loud hiss and they were surrounded by a thick black smoke. The two of them slowly sank to the steaming deck of The Avenger. Raven sighed and collapsed to her knees. Roy winced as she let go of him.

"There," she whispered. "Your precious ship is fine." She fell back, unconscious.

"Raven!" Roy looked around and saw that nobody was coming to her aid. He couldn't do anything to help her in his condition. "Oh, Goddess," Roy muttered.

"Roy!" His eyes snapped up to focus on a teen running toward him. "Where's-" He saw Raven. "Raven! He turned around and yelled. "I found her boys!"

The rest of the crew from The Rogue came running down the hill. Victor was the first one to reach the unconscious young woman in front of Roy. "Oh, Rae," he said picking her up.

"Who the hell are you?" Roy demanded.

"We're friends of Raven's," said Vic. Roy nodded. "Let's get her out of the smoke." He carried her into Roy's cabin. Setting her on the bed, the big man straightened. "She'll be okay," he told the worried Garret. "Let's get outta here before she wakes up."

The boys left the cabin to find Roy standing outside, waiting for them. "How did you know what was happening?" demanded the captain.

"That would be my doing." All the men looked at the black haired Richard as he walked up the gangplank. "Permission to come aboard?"

"No," said the other three all at once. "Who are you?"

"That's Richard Grayson," Victor hissed. "His father-"

"Sank Raven's father's ship then killed him," Roy finished. "The likes of you are not welcome aboard The Avenger. Be gone." Richard shrugged and walked down the gangplank. Roy looked at the other two. "How do you know Dick?"

"We were part of his crew. But after he just left Raven on that island, we decided to-uh-disappear at the next port. Go figure it would be Tortuga."

"Okay," he drew the word out as it registered in his mind. "Well, are you two in need of a job?" They both nodded. "Welcome aboard. You start watch now." He walked back into his cabin where Raven was just waking up. She sighed and stretched. Roy smiled and sat down next to her.

"How's the ship?" she asked quietly in a monotonous voice.

He smiled. "It's not on fire anymore." Raven nodded. "Are you okay?" Again, a nod. "Listen, Raven I-" He was interrupted as she leaned forward and kissed him. He was too shocked to do anything but let it happen. When she pulled away, Raven was a darker shade of pink. "Well, that saves me the trouble having to explain this."

Roy cupped her face in his hands and eased his lips over hers. Raven trembled at his touch. He sent little lightning bolts through her body. He brushed his tongue against her lips, asking entrance. Raven opened her mouth, inviting him in, but instead, he pulled away and sighed. He's too polite, she thought. I will teach him to be less polite. "Roy," she breathed. He grinned cockily.

"Captain!" shouted Peter. "Some people are coming down the dock and they don't look to happy."

Roy growled. "Come on." He took Raven's hand and they ran topside.

"Raven!" someone shouted. It was Richard. "It's them. The ones here for Roy!"

"Not Roy." Richard whipped around and came face to face with a very big man. "We're here for Raven."