Cyborg jammed his fingers into the remote control as if the amount of pressure he applied was somehow proportional to his score. He shot the targets around him until the screen flashed a yellow box reading "New High Score!". He could imagine the jingle it was playing, but his television was muted so he couldn't hear it for himself. He glanced to the only other person in his room and sighed.

Raven's purple hair was spread across the pillow. She was laying on her side with her cape off her shoulders and on the bed next to her. Cyborg watched her slow breathing. Laying there, fast asleep, she looked smaller. Younger. Ever since her last birthday – when she was reminded that she was supposed to help destroy the world – it was silently acknowledged between the team that Raven was the strongest one out of all of them if she ever released her full potential. Cyborg always admired her firm hold on her powers but looking at her now, the way her eyes were tightly shut and her fingers intertwined with his sheets, she did not look like the strongest member of a superhero team. She looked like a teenage girl who was in pain.

A loud bang came from the door. Raven jumped up, her eyes full of black magic. Cyborg placed a hang on her shoulder. "Relax," he whispered. He stepped in front of the door. "Yeah?"

"Have you seen Raven?" Robin's voice called through the door. "She isn't in her room."

"She's in here," Cyborg replied, opening the door.

"Great," Robin said with a smile. "Rae, come on, I need a favor." Cyborg gave Robin a warning look but Robin ignored it and pulled Raven from the room.

"What's going on?" Raven asked.

"Well, I need you to issue a public statement for the press," Robin replied. "Just that there was an emergency where you are from and you had to leave without warning but you're back and you're glad to be home and stuff."

"Robin – I know the press has been all over the Titans lately but… I can't make a statement right now. Another time," Raven said turning around to leave.

"Don't worry, I wrote the whole thing for you. Just read it right off the cards," Robin replied. He continued to lead her towards the door.

Raven looked at the cards in her hand. "I realize I have been gone for a while. I would like to make a public apology to the city for my absence. A few weeks ago, I was alerted about an emergency taking place in my home – Azarath. Unfortunately, it required me to leave right away… Robin, this is bullshit. I'm not reading this."

"You'll do fine," Robin said. He opened the front door to the tower where people where already waiting.

"Robin, I am not reading this," Raven mumbled so only he could hear.

Robin smiled and shook hands with the mayor, giving Raven a nod. Raven stood in front of a small group of people with cameras and microphones aimed at her. "Excuse me," Raven said. She pushed her way through the crowd and to the edge of the island, leaving Robin alone in front of nosy reporters. He made a smooth recovery from Raven's leaving and the press ate up every word he said. Raven watched from the distance as he spilled lies out to the city he was supposed to protect.

"Kind of messed up, right?"

Raven turned around to see the dark haired man she knew to be Red X standing nearby. "What do you want, X?" Raven turned her head away from him and back to Robin.

"Quiet, don't go around calling me that unless I'm in my mask. It's Steven and I came to hear the big speech. I wanted to see first hand what you were going to say."

"It's all lies," Raven replied. "Azar forbid he ever admitted defeat."

"It's not about lying, you know," Steven said. "He's trying to keep up a strong front so that we criminals don't think now is a good time to do our criminal acts."

"Does it make that much of a difference though? You would do it anyway," Raven replied.

"Well I would, of course. But I'm the best there is; it doesn't matter for me. Other smaller criminals though, they tend to be opportunistic," he said. "You look a lot better than you did when you left my place."Raven didn't reply. Steven glanced back to Robin. "Want to go get coffee?"

"No."

Steven just nodded. "Alright. Let me know if you change your mind and need a break from all this." Raven just continue to speak. When she looked behind her Steven was gone.

"Rae, what are you doing all the way over here?" Beast Boy asked as he climbed up the shore towards the tower. Raven nearly jumped at the sound of his voice but she kept her expression calm.

"Robin wanted me to give a speech," Raven replied.

"He's not trying to be cold, you know," Beast Boy said. "While you were… gone… the mayor had a talk with Robin about how if things don't change soon, the Titan's won't be so welcome here anymore. Lately we have just been wasting tax dollars in hospital bills. Since that Robin has been in a political mindset 24/7. It sucks but that is all that is keeping us together right now."

A/N

Who would you rather see Raven with?

Beast Boy

Robin

Cyborg

Slade willingly

Slade unwillingly

Red X

Other (Fill in who)

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