Hey everyone, I started writing all this out really, really late at night, so I'm going to proofread and correct it in the morning. That doesn't mean anyone can be a lazy non-reader. It also doesn't mean you shouldn't review!

Raven drifted into the main room, where Beast Boy and Cyborg were in fact finishing breakfast. Bumble Bee and Jinx were checking something on the flat panel display monitors on the left side of the room. Kid Flash and Starfire were playing some video game that neither of them was particularly good at. Raven made her way into the kitchen and began preparing a pot of tea for breakfast.

"Yo Raven, why are you up so late?" Beast Boy called. "Usually you're up before everyone else." Raven delayed answering until her tea was set to boil on the stove.

"I had something in my room that demanded my attention," Raven replied, her voice a perfect monotone once more.

"Well do you know where Robin is?" Cyborg asked. "He's always up at sunrise, but no one's seen him all day."

"I don't know where Robin is," Raven said. Raven's powers made lying very difficult, if not impossible. But Raven was so used to telling her friends what she thought of as 'remedial answers' that no guilt accompanied these responses. She really didn't know where Robin was. After they left her room, Robin had told her to go on ahead of him because he had something to take care of.

Raven had just finished her morning tea and set the empty mug in the sink when Robin walked in, cape fluttering behind him and expression back to its usual faint scowl.

"Dude, where were you? You missed breakfast," Beast Boy informed him. Cyborg stood up, stretched and strode over to his chef's hat.

"Sit your butt down. I'll make you some eggs to celebrate you finally sleeping in." The half-robot answered.

"Thanks, but I'll stick with a cup of coffee." Robin told him as he walked over to the coffee maker.

"But, you never turn down my scrambled eggs." Cyborg's eyes were wide with a mixture of bewilderment and indignation.

"Believe me, I'm not happy to do it," Robin yawned. He turned to face Cyborg before continuing. "But I have a consolation prize for you. I have to leave for a few days, and you're in charge of the Titans until I get back."

The effect these words had was immediate. Beast Boy fumbled his plate of tofu eggs. Kid Flash paused the game and looked over at Robin as if the latter had started singing in Russian. Starfire hovered several feet above the couch and gapped. Bumble Bee had frozen in mid speech, her mouth still forming an O. Jinx frowned at Robin like she didn't understand what he was saying. Raven stood blankly for a few seconds until the words clicked into her brain. The handle of her tea mug was still in her hand, but the rest of the mug was in pieces on the floor.

"Say what now?" Cyborg asked. Robin took a sip of his coffee before he gestured at Cyborg with the mug.

"You're in charge while I'm gone." Robin looked around at the room of silent gawkers. "Why? Do any of you have a problem with that?"

"No, but maybe you could tell us where you're going first?" Cyborg said. "Is this another one of your ridiculous soul searching quests like the one to find the True Master?"

"I'm just going to Gotham for a few days," Robin replied. He took another sip of his coffee and made a face. "We really need to get better coffee."

"Forget about the coffee for a minute," Bumble Bee snapped. "And tell us why you're going to Gotham anyway."

"Yeah, are you going to see Batman?" Beast Boy asked, jumping up. "Can we come too? Can I ride in the Batmobile? Can you introduce us to Batman? Can-"

"I'm not going to see Batman," Robin interrupted.

"What does Robin have to do with Batman anyway?" Jinx asked.

"Dude! Didn't you know that Robin used to be Batman's sidekick? Where have you been-"

"Thank you, Beast Boy," Robin drowned out the green shape shifter's tirade. "Anyway, I'm not going to see Batman: I'm going to check on an old friend there who might be in danger."

"Who is it?" Jinx asked.

"Yeah, man, you never talk about your time in Gotham. I thought you didn't have anyone to go back to." Cyborg said. Robin's scowl deepened a little.

"I don't have anything to go back to," Robin asserted.

"Then why do you have to leave to see this guy? Why can't you leave it to Batman?" Beast Boy asked. Robin narrowed his eyes.

"Do any of you remember what Two Face said about the bounty: 'soon there will be two less bats in the world.' Counting me, there were three bat-heroes in Gotham City." Robin paused, waiting for the meaning of those words to sink in.

"So, this friend you're going to see," Raven began. "You used to fight crime with him?" Robin nodded.

"Robin, I do not wish to bear bad news, but are you certain that this friend has not already been found by those less nice than us?" Starfire asked quietly. Robin drained the rest of his coffee in one gulp and slammed the cup into the sink.

"No," he said. "In fact we haven't spoken since I left for Jump City." The room was silent for a total of four seconds.

"Look, Robin, are you sure this is a good idea?" Cyborg asked, his voice surprisingly gentle. "I mean…why now? You left so long ago and you never tried to visit before." Robin tried to speak, but Cyborg cut him off. "We're worried about you, man." Robin glared at his friends.

"I have to," Raven remained quiet while everyone else in the room groaned here we go again. Well, everyone except one.

"You're not going to tell them, are you." Kid Flash said. It was a statement, not a question. Robin turned on him.

"Now really isn't a good time to talk about this," Robin snapped.

"What will you not tell us, Robin?" Starfire asked.

"Just tell them part of it," Kid Flash proposed.

"Part of what?" Bumble Bee asked.

"Not now," Robin growled.

"What're you hiding from us dude?" Beast Boy asked.

"Why don't you let Kid Flash tell you himself?" Robin countered.

"That's a good question. Why won't you just tell me yourself?" Jinx asked her boyfriend.

"Ummm…" Kid Flash stood still. Jinx put her hands on her hips.

"Does it matter?"

Everyone turned to Raven with varying degrees of surprise on their faces. She met their eyes with her own deadpan, but her powers were starting to itch under her skin.

"Robin said he has to go. He promised he'd come back. He's our friend. What more do we need to know?" Raven intoned. The others shifted and looked away. Raven chanced a glance at Robin out of the corner of her eye. The Boy Wonder was smiling at her in that way he had last night and this morning, a small, secret smile just for her. It was gone in a moment, but Raven could feel the affection and gratitude behind the smile linger. Raven turned toward the sink and pulled her hood up so that no one could see her blush.

But when Robin left to pack, Raven couldn't help remember what he had said last night: I will never, never leave you. Raven trusted Robin, she really did, but somewhere in Nevermore, Timid was whispering every possible half-formed what-if. Raven left the main room, determined not to pressure Robin or push the issue of why.

"Thanks for sticking up for me back there." Raven yelped and sank into the floor. She dropped to the hallway below and froze, a blush creeping into her pale gray skin when she realized who had spoken. Raven rose back up, trying to maintain her deadpan as she faced Robin. Robin wasn't laughing, but he certainly seemed to be more cheerful than he had been before.

"Would you mind helping me pack?" Robin asked. "I could use an extra pair of hands." Raven could feel the excuse through their bond, but she decided to play along. She nodded and followed Robin into his room. He set out an extra clean uniform, a spare utility belt, and his red backpack on the bed. Raven stopped just inside the door.

"Could you get the door?" Robin asked her. "I don't want Silkie or B.B. getting in here while I'm packing." Another cover. Raven closed the door and locked it as an afterthought. She glided across the room to sit on the corner of the bed. Robin knelt next to the bed, busy laying out all his different weapons and organizing them to be packed. Raven remained silent, unsure how to begin.

"Thanks again for sticking up for me back there," Robin repeated. "You didn't have to do that." Raven shrugged.

"Maybe I did. No one seemed particularly keen to respect your privacy." He looked up at her, mouth curved up, eyes smiling. Raven felt the ghost of a smile appear on her own lips. Robin continued to look at her for a second before the smile evaporated, and he stared at the bed. Raven resumed her deadpan and looked away. Good job, Raven, make this more uncomfortable.

"They're right, you know," Robin said suddenly. Raven turned back to him. "I should be able to tell my friends exactly why I have to go."

"No, Robin. You have a right to your privacy. Some things are better left alone and untouched." Raven reminded him. Robin frowned. Raven could feel confusion and worry in his mind. Suddenly the confusion lifted, and Robin looked down, staring at a birdarang in his hand.

"So does that mean that you didn't like last night or that you don't want to do it again?" Robin asked. Raven could feel little waves of sadness and disappointment undulate from Robin to her through their bond. Raven realized what he meant and mentally punched herself in the face.

"No, last night was good. Fantastic. Last night was…perfect." Raven said, knowing with absolute certainty that her cheeks were glowing fiery. "And while we're talking about last night…Thanks for coming to see me. It, you, really helped a lot. And…I wouldn't say no to doing it again." Robin looked up at her, his smile morphing into a smirk. Raven reached out and lightly whacked the back of his head. "Next time don't jump to conclusions so quickly." Robin rubbed the back of his head and chuckled.

"Note taken." Robin went back to packing, but the atmosphere in the room was lighter.

"How long do you think you'll be gone?" Raven asked. Robin judged his two bo staffs, weighing them in either hand before slipping both into his bag.

"I shouldn't need more than two or three days in Gotham, plus the ten hour ride there and back."

"So around three or four days," Raven supplied. A steel ball formed in her stomach. Raven chose to blame Passion. "What if Starfire is right about your friend?" Raven asked. Robin stared at the grappling hook in his hands.

"A week," he said. "I'm giving my self a week in Gotham, tops. After that, I'm coming back." Raven probed their bond and detected little needles of guilt.

"You don't have to come back so soon," Raven told him. "The team won't fall apart without you if you're gone for two weeks. It didn't when you left to see the True Master." Robin frowned, a pair of exploding disks in hand. He put the disks into his pack before closing it and slinging it over his shoulder.

"You heard Batman, Raven. Something strange is going on around here, and I don't like it. I don't feel comfortable leaving the team for long. Or you." Raven scrambled to control her powers and keep her façade.

"I'm not a weak little girl who needs saving, Robin." Raven told him. Robin laughed. Raven considered dropping the ceiling on him.

"Believe me, I know Raven," he said. "I think taking down an inter-dimensional demon gives you bragging rights." Raven looked down, surprisingly pleased with his praise. But if she was honest with herself, Raven didn't like him leaving the City. Robin's tendency to rush off after every villain was a little out of control, and Gotham was his home city. What if he decided to stay there while Batman was gone? He had promised not to leave her last night, but maybe he just said that to calm her down.

Raven knew she could not voice any of these things. Star had pressured Robin to stay next to her constantly, and everything crashed and burned because of it. Raven was going to let Robin go to Gotham without pressure. She was going to let Robin make his own choices. And she was going to hope that he really wouldn't leave her.

A hand on her shoulder made her jump, and her head whipped up, hair flying up into the shape of a raven.

"I'm coming right back," Robin said. "I'm not leaving you. I made a promise; I intend to keep it. And you don't have to be afraid of speaking your mind to me." Raven's eyes flew wide, and she stepped back. Outside a rock turned black and flew three hundred yards before crashing into the sea.

"How did you know?" She demanded. Robin shifted from foot to foot before tapping his head.

"I, uh, sorta heard you. In my head, I mean. I heard your voice, saying that maybe I won't come back and that you can't pressure me." Robin said. "You can trust me, you know." Raven could feel his disappointment like bitter sap clinging to his mind. Raven wanted to slap herself silly.

"I do trust you," Raven insisted. She tried to pour her sincerity into those words, but her voice came out in its usual monotone. "I just…" Raven faltered, unsure what was really bothering her so much. She looked to the side of the room and saw a section of wall where an alluring woman had been not twelve hours before. Oh, right, that was it.

"I guess Catwoman really threw me off," she admitted. Robin nodded, his face serious.

"I know what you mean. What she said about Wonder Woman and Superman waiting for Batman…after we caught Cinderblock a few nights ago, he told me that the Justice League didn't like the Titans. Apparently the League blames me for everything the Titans do, and they blame Batman for everything I do. The whole thing just seems a little suspicious to me."

Raven set her jaw, determinedly halting the flood of emotion that threatened to rise up.

"Yeah, that's what it is." Raven had meant to retain her monotone, but she was unable to withhold the biting sarcastic edge. She turned to leave, but Robin grabbed her bicep. Raven turned to face him. Robin had his face held in a tight scowl, concentrating. His lips moved frantically, like he was trying to repeat an entire conversation in a few seconds. Suddenly his face cleared, and he looked up at Raven, sheepish.

"Oh, you were talking about…oh," Raven tried to leave again, but Robin leapt up, bounding around and in front of her with the agility of a kangaroo. "Raven, Catwoman is a flirt. She likes making people uncomfortable, and she was just messing with us when she did that. And she was the one who kissed me." He told her. Raven found his desperation to explain both annoying and endearing.

"I promise, you don't have to worry about her. I don't want something like that to make things worse between us." Robin's words touched something that made Passion jump up and down and made Raven wary.

"That's the second time you said us," she noted, choosing her words carefully. Robin opened his mouth, froze, closed it, opened it again, and closed it again. He looked a fish out of water.

"Um…" Robin seemed to have los the power of speech. Raven raised an eyebrow.

"So what are we, exactly?" She asked, crossing her arms. Robin opened and closed his mouth one last time before finally speaking.

"I…don't know."

"Great." Raven said sarcastically before stepping around Robin.

"What do you want us to be?" The question made Raven jerk to a halt. Her stomach flopped over. She turned to face Robin, thankful for the cloak that hid her face and body from him.

"I…don't know." She admitted. Raven shook her head slowly, forcing back her rising frustration. "All I know is that I have to keep control, and I don't think a relationship would help me keep control." Robin looked about as happy with that Raven felt. He tried to speak, but Raven cut him off. "But I don't want you to leave me, Robin."

Robin took a cautious step forward, and Raven remained still. He took another step forward and slowly took her hand in his, like he was afraid she would run if he moved too quickly.

"I don't want to leave you either," he admitted, voice soft. "This whole thing is…confusing." Raven smirked a little. That was an understatement. "But I meant what I said last night." They stood, Robin's hand awkwardly grasping hers. In that moment Raven realized how strange she must look to Robin with her purple hair and eyes, her gray skin, and her ruby chakra.

"Why don't we think about what we want while I'm gone?" Robin suggested. "And when I get back we'll try and figure out what the hell is going on."

"Alright," Raven agreed. She was fairly certain Robin would want to keep being friends after he thought about it logically, but she was careful not to let that thought stray across their bond. Besides, the thought threw her emotions into turmoil. Outside another boulder shattered into fragments.

Robin shifted his feet a little before he walked toward the door. He stopped with his hand on the knob and walked back to Raven. He ran a hand through his hair, looked to the side, and looked back toward Raven. His nervousness was almost tangible.

"This probably isn't my best idea. It definitely won't help me think straight or drive safely, but…" Robin moistened his lips. Raven had a hard time looking back at his eyes. "I want to make sure you know that you don't have to worry about Catwoman."

Raven was about to tell him that she got it and he could just go when Robin darted down and pressed his lips to hers. His mouth hit hers with more force than before, but his lips were just as gentle. Raven's hands automatically locked onto his shoulders, fingers curling her short nails down onto the bone of his shoulder blade, whether to hold him close or push him away she wasn't sure.

Robin pulled back just as quickly as he had darted in. Both Titans were unnaturally breathless. Raven stared at him, mouth still parted. She closed it quickly, but her hands slithered off his shoulders slowly. Robin's hands had attached themselves to her hips, and his fingers brushed the top of her thigh as they slid away. Raven's mind matched Robin's exactly: perfectly blank.

Robin blinked stupidly and walked out the door, tripping over his feet as he left. Raven heard the faint roar of his motorcycle pulling out of the garage about forty seconds later. He must have jumped all five flights of stairs to get there so fast. Raven's lips were electric. She put up her hood and left Robin's room through a portal to the roof. She walked to the edge of the roof. Robin was already too far gone for her to see him. She flicked her tongue tip along her lips without thinking. His taste lingered, overlaid with the flavor of coffee.

They really needed to get better coffee.

Raven wondered what he felt when they kissed. Her brain had shut down so completely both times that she didn't know. Raven crossed her legs and levitated into the lotus position. She closed her eyes, facing the sun, and began to chant.

"Azarath Metrion Zinthos…Azarath Metrion Zinthos…"

Raven meditated for several hours, her mind and thoughts clear and emotion free for the first time in she couldn't even remember how long. When Raven finally stopped she judged it to be about six. Deciding that dinner with her friends wasn't the worst idea, she descended the stairs toward the main room, where she knew hungry teens would be gathering like a hyena pack to argue over what to eat.

As she rounded the corner of a hallway, the end of a black cape whisked out of sight. Raven froze. It couldn't be Robin, could it? Raven reached out toward the other hallway and encountered a very familiar mind, a mind she would instantly recognize anywhere. Raven walked quietly, following the presence, into a room she hadn't thought about in a long time. A figure was bent over a computer screen, typing something. His red, yellow, and green clothes were as obvious a traffic light. A black cape was skewed slightly to one side, like its wearer had been riding on a motorcycle for hours. Raven knew masked eyes stared at the monitor.

"What are doing?" Raven said, her voice carrying only a slight trace of annoyance. The figure screamed like a little girl and jumped, whirling around and cowering a little. Raven narrowed her eyes.

"Oh, uh, hey Raven, what's up?" Beast Boy grinned nervously.

"Do just wait for Robin to leave so that you can play with his things?" Raven asked.

"Well, hehehe," Beast Boy laughed, still uneasy. Raven scowled faintly. After a moment he stood straight. Something about his demeanor changed, becoming a little more serious and curious.

"The old Red X suit is gone, right?" He asked. Raven frowned.

"Yes, Red X stole it. That's why he's called Red X." Raven said.

"But Robin took his belt after he helped us beat Professor Chang." Beast Boy pressed.

"Yeah, and Red X stole that too," Raven reminded him. Beast Boy nodded slowly.

"That's what I thought too."

"Beast Boy. You were there, remember?" Raven spoke slowly, wondering how dense her friend was.

"Then what's in there?" Beast Boy gestured over his shoulder to the immense vault behind the computer. Raven frowned.

"Nothing should be in there."

"Then why is it locked?" Beast Boy asked. Raven stared at him.

"Why would you be down here pulling on it anyway?" Beast Boy shuffled his feet for a moment and ducked his head. Raven knew he'd been snooping again.

"Well, three days ago when you were locked in your room, I was looking for Robin, and I saw him come out of here. I was curious so I went in and pulled on the door, but it wouldn't open. I tried unlocking it, but I couldn't get it to open."

"And you didn't ask Cyborg to help you open it or just ask Robin what was inside, why?" Raven asked. Beast Boy blinked as if neither thought had occurred to him. Raven sighed. "And you thought wearing Robin's clothes would help you unlock it, how?" Beast Boy brightened.

"Well, I figured it had some kind of fingerprint or eye scanner, so if I wore Robin's mask and gloves I could get in." Beast Boy put his fists on his hips and thrust out his chest proudly, Robin's too-big clothes baggy around him. It caused Raven physical pain to resist rolling her eyes, but she managed.

"Robin has real hands and eyes under the mask and gloves." She told him. Beast Boy put a hand behind his head and grinned sheepishly.

"Hehe, I knew that. Well, I'm going down to dinner, see you later, Raven." Beast Boy ran off, a trail of embarrassment lingering in his wake. Raven shook her head. She hoped he would learn one day.

Raven didn't leave right away. She stared at the computer for a moment. She looked down the hallway. No one was there. She walked over and typed the Titan's generic opening code. No effect. She tried the code for classified or dangerous objects, like the kind on some of their trophies in the evidence room. Access denied. She typed in the override code Cyborg had taught her. Strike three.

Raven frowned. The only higher code was known only by Cyborg. Did Robin know it too? Maybe. Then again, the case containing his old circus costume had been locked with a code Robin made up himself. Would Cyborg know if Robin had put his own defenses on the lock? She wasn't sure. Raven teethed her lip. She raised her hands slowly and focused on the door. She spoke quietly, concentrating on being subtle.

"Azarath Met-" Raven stopped in the middle of her mantra. The black energy that had just begun to emerge dissipated. Raven stared at the door, but she was thinking about Robin's disappointment when he thought she didn't trust him. Raven didn't want him to think that ever again. It wasn't true, and this vault didn't directly concern her. She would wait until Robin got back from Gotham to ask him about it.

Raven turned and strode from the room, pushing the vault to the back of her mind and mentally preparing herself for the tedious dinner debate.

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A man watched the tiny red bike vroom down the crowded highway at speeds that would have been impossible for anyone of lesser skill. He waited until it was out of sight before lumbering through the trees back to where his temporary employer was waiting. He didn't like being anyone's underling, but so far this guy was ok. And they shared the same enemy. He was willing to work with his smarter, if weaker, companion if it meant taking down their common annoyance. He saw the black and white suit just a few seconds before he saw the glint of the coin flipped ten, twelve, fifteen feet into the air before it was snatched back. His employer turned, revealing the damaged side of his face.

"Robin gone." He said. Two Face grinned.

"Good job, Grundy. Ha, maybe this little stakeout wasn't a waste of time. Ivy really pulled through for us on this one. Wonder how the poison bitch found out about the Bat?" The one time district attorney mused. Solomon Grundy chuckled boorishly.

"Now we go get your little friends out of jail?" He asked, speaking with the slow choppiness of a child. Two Face shook his head and flipped his trademark coin a good twenty feet, catching it without looking.

"Not until tonight. And remember, Grundy, we need to do this as quietly as possible."

"But if the kiddies catch us?" Grundy asked. Two Face flipped his coin. It sailed thirty feet straight up. He caught it easily and flipped it onto the back of his hand. Two Face stared at the coin for a moment before nodding to his thuggish companion. Grundy grinned.