Disclaimer: I don't own Teen Titans, nothing much else to it. DC owns Teen Titans and all of the characters, not me get over it.

Author's Note: Ok people and faithful reviewers. My mother is too lazy to buy a Word program for our Mac as of yet, and the trial program I was using just ran out. I will try to use my dad's computer to update, but I only am at his house three out of seven days of the week at most. So don't be angry if I take some time to update, I'm trying here. I will try to get a program for my main computer.

Chapter Nine

The next day Laura got final word that she had lost her job, and regained it in the same day. When she woke up at around two, she immediately went down to the coffeehouse, begging for her job. But her boss, being a cold hard jerk, didn't want to "put his café in danger". She wasn't sure what had changed his mind, her constant nagging and begging, following around for almost an hour, or the amount of customers that piled into the café shortly after she left, asking where she was, but he contacted her that night telling her that she was rehired and to be there the next morning.

"I can't believe it," she said to herself, hanging up the phone. Everything was falling back into place from its slight displacement yesterday by Slade. The Titans didn't throw her out, Robin even seemed to trust her more than before. She lay down on the couch in the middle of the main room, closing her eyes and smiling as she heard a door open and someone walk in.

"Why are you so happy?" she heard Raven ask in a confused tone.

"Why shouldn't I be?" she asked back, opening her eyes and sitting up.

"No reason," Raven regained her monotone voice, walking around the couch and sitting in the middle of the floor, beginning to meditate, "I've just never really seen you happy." She added as she began to levitate.

"Well I did just get my job back," Laura told her as she stood up and went to the kitchen, getting a bowl, spoon, and box of cereal.

"Congratulations," Raven replied after a short pause, actually sounding glad for her, or somewhat glad. Laura sat at the counter, filling the bowl full of cereal and milk. It seemed to be the only thing she ate, breakfast lunch and dinner, at least it was since she came here. The two remained silent for some time after that, the only sound coming from Raven as she repeated the familiar phrase that Laura only really knew from hers and Raven's talks about the Orders of Scath and Azare. The two had become rather close through these talks, yet Raven still didn't trust her. Maybe it was because she sensed something not even Laura could possibly know about.

"Raven?"

"Hmm…"

"If the Order of Scath, and the Order of Azare are basically enemies, how is it possible that I'm a member of both?" the question seemed to come out of the blue, Raven had to think of her answer for a bit, not knowing how to explain.

"Well being in the Order of Azare is heredity, but only if you have a ring. The Order of Scath is also heredity, but you have to be inducted. So if both of your parents belonged to one of each, you would be a member of both."

"So if I didn't have this ring…"

"You would be a full member of the Order of Scath. Right now you're only a half member of each. Even though it may not show now, later in your life you will probably be pulled between, not sure which side you belong on." Raven though about what she had just said, if they were somehow able to get that ring from Laura, they would be forcing her into being a full member of the Order of Scath. She knew that was much worse than Laura just keeping the ring. She knew she needed to talk to Robin about this. Getting up she walked out of the room, not saying another word to Laura.

As she walked down the halls of the Tower, Raven checked nearly every room for Robin. The Evidence Room, the Training Room, even his room, he wasn't anywhere.

"Have you seen Robin anywhere?" she asked Beast Boy as she came saw him.

"No, I haven't seen him anywhere," he said, "But I'll let him know you're looking for him if I see him." As Raven started turning away he added, "Have you checked the roof?" Actually she hadn't, it hadn't occurred to her that he would be up there, he couldn't be in many other places. As she walked up onto the roof, she almost immediately saw him sitting by the edge, looking out over the water. She knew he was thinking, he always was when he came up here, but she needed to talk to him now.

"Robin?" Even though she said it softly, he jumped, as he was obviously in deep thought and hadn't heard her come onto the roof.

"Yeah Raven," he turned to face her as she sat down beside him.

"It's about Laura, or her ring," she told him, as soon as she had said it Robin knew she was serious.

"What about it?" he asked her growing concerned.

"I can't believe I didn't think of this before."

"Think of what?"

"What would happen."

"If what?"

"Sorry, I'm just concerned. We have bigger problem than getting that ring away from Laura right now," she explained, "In fact, we shouldn't. Right now it would cause more damage more than it would protect anything."

"What are you talking about?" Robin asked still not understanding, "Just a few weeks ago, you said…"

"I know what I said, but if we take that ring away from her, the balance of the Orders' she exists in would be greatly thrown of. Right now she's half a member of the Order of Scath, and half of the Order of Azare. That ring is the only thing keeping her in the Order of Azare, since she never chose to be in it. If we take it away now…"

"She'll be only a member of the Order of Scath."

"Which wouldn't be good. I'd say we're better off just leaving her with the ring; it's the safer option. We should also keep an eye on her."

"Why?"

"She doesn't feel it, but she's being pulled between good and evil. That's probably why she doesn't want to be a hero, which is probably for the best. The more she's pushed to one side, the more she'll be pulled to the other side."

"Like a game of tug of war."

"Yeah, which is why I'm worried about her staying with us."

"You don't want us to push her to be good."

"Right, she's best being neutral. It's the closest to good she'll ever be able to get, and also the farthest from evil. Robin I'm sorry, I know you two have gotten close…"

"Close? We've just trained together, we're not that close," Robin immediately defended himself, "I understand Raven, we can find her someplace else to stay."

"Great," Raven replied getting up, "I'm glad you understand."

Had it really become that obvious how close they were? How long had his friends known about this? Did Raven think he had feelings for Laura? Did he? He had no answer really for any of these questions, especially not the last one. They were just friends right? Two people helping each other out by training with each other, teaching each other new moves, there was nothing more. Wasn't it? Did Laura feel anything for him? She couldn't, could she? Everything had just seemingly gotten so complicated in one moment.

"Robin," he heard from behind him as if she knew what he was thinking.

"Yeah?" he turned to face Laura, who didn't move from the doorway back down to the Tower. He could tell that she was worried; it was painted on her face.

"I heard you and Raven talking," she said, obviously holding back her fear. She had a way of doing that, always trying to hold in her emotions, it was like a mask of her own.

"How much?" he asked almost cringing.

"About how it would be best for me to leave the Tower," she closed her eyes, "Where am I going to live? I can't go back to that warehouse, and I need to have a house to keep me job…"

"Don't worry about it," Robin said walking over to her, "We're not going to throw you into the streets."

"I've just been told that so many times," she said, "Don't worry, it's almost lost all meaning."

"You can trust me," he assured her, "Why shouldn't you? Just know that this is for the best."

"I know," she said, "To keep my sub conscious in balance." She became silent, as if thinking, "I'm just worried."

"I know."

"I'm tired of this," a deep voice said loudly.

"You think I enjoy having this argument all the time?" another voice said, not trying this time to be quiet. They had stopped thinking about their daughter in the other room after some time.

"No, I'm tired of you," after this was said there was some silence coming from the room, as if neither of them knew what to say.

"What?" the woman hesitated to say, shocked at what had just been said.

"I'm tired of you," the man said, "You're so naïve, always thinking people are trying to help Laura, when you and I both know they only wanted to use her!"

"Do not talk to me like that!" the woman had regained her confidence, "Just leave! Just leave and go to the bar like you always do!"

"Maybe I won't come back this time!" Again there was a pause, this one seemed to last forever.

"May-Maybe you shouldn't," the woman was obviously shaken again. There was no more talk after this, just the sound of another slamming door, and softly the cries of a worried woman and a deafening silence coming from the room. A worried thirteen year old quickly got out of her bed, quietly going to the living room. She climbed into her mother's arms, neither of them saying anything, the only noise coming from the two were their scared cries.

The next morning Laura saw the she and her mother must have fallen asleep on the couch. She carefully got up, not wanting to wake her mother, and went to the kitchen to get herself breakfast. As she sat at the kitchen table eating a bowl of cereal, her mother had woken up, realizing just what her daughter had. She also walked into the kitchen making herself a pot of coffee and sitting down across from her daughter. For some time the two said nothing, as Laura stared down at her cereal, and her mother staring across the table, thinking about her future.

"Mom?" Laura asked suddenly, "I'm sorry." She sniffed, still upset from what had happened last night.

"For what honey?" her mother looked surprised, not understanding what her daughter meant.

"For what happened," she said, "You know I had a part in what happened." For about a minute her mother looked at her, her eyes filled with guilt.

"It was not your fault," she said sternly after awhile, "What happened was bound to happen, it had nothing to do with you."

"You know it was!" she looked at her mother, both of them knowing the truth.

"Don't worry about it," her mother assured her, "We don't need him."

A/N: Ok then. Not as short as my previous chapter, but not my longest. Just so you were wondering. I may know a lot about the Teen Titan's comics, but I don't really know much about the Order of Scath and Azare, only what the show tells me. So please don't review flaming me for that, I just did what made the story easiest for me. And again, if I don't update for awhile, its because I'm only able to write like once a week at my dad's house now. So If you didn't read my other author's note, go do that. Please review though, it will make all of us happier.