Sorry it's taking so long for things to happen, guys. I know every chapter right now explains about five minutes of actual story, but bear with me, stuff IS going to happen. I just...need to build up to it.

It Is Getting A Little Tense

In the hallway, Robin was glaring hard at Cyborg.

"Cyborg," He said. "What are you doing?"

"Rob, it's not that big of a deal---"

"It is. We have a reputation for enforcing the law. What does it look like when we start harboring criminals?"

"We're not harboring anything. Billy's taking care of legal stuff---"

"And what is Rancid doing?"

"Helping!"

"We both know that's a load of crap."

"Okay," Cyborg relented. "So it is crap."

"Well, at least you're admitting it."

"Yeah, I am."

"Look," Robin sighed. "I don't know if you've just got a soft spot for villains our age or what---"

"Yeah, I do, a little."

Robin froze. "What?"

"What?" Cyborg said. "You said it. I'm just agreeing."

"I didn't mean it!"

"Well, it's kinda the truth," Cyborg said. "I mean, I don't condone what they do, or their morals, because, dude, their morals are totally messed up---"

"Well at least you've got that straight," Robin muttered.

"But they ain't so bad," Cyborg continued. "Their morals suck, but they do have standards, you know. You'd be surprised, listening to them talk. They know what's going on. And they're fun. It's like an educational computer game. You play along, and you learn a bunch of stuff."

"An educational computer game," Robin repeated flatly.

"Okay, so that's a bad way to put it," Cyborg rubbed the back of his head. "I don't know how to explain it to you. Batman programmed you to think differently."

Robin bristled at that. "He did not program me. Those criminals are not a computer game. Stop talking like a computer specialist."

"I am a computer specialist. Look, they aren't staying forever," Cyborg said. "In an hour or two, they'll be gone."

Robin took a deep, calming breath. "They'd better be."

"You keep saying that."

"I don't know what else to say," Robin admitted. "I don't understand this. Any of it. Why you're being like this."

"Like what? Civil?" Cyborg demanded.

"They're criminals. We're harboring criminals. I don't know about you, but I care about this team, and dammit, we have a reputation to protect!"

"Your reputation! That's what you're worried about!" Cyborg sneered. "Look, if the pretty little press people find out, I'll take the heat, okay? So stop worrying. It's covered, Robin. I promise."

"Don't get like that with me!"

"What? I'm agreeing with you! Will you just calm down?"

"No!" Robin snapped. "I let the Billy thing slide. A lot. The more allowances I make…Cyborg, it just looks bad!"

Cyborg rubbed his head. "I'm not gonna say sorry. I'm not sorry at all. But I promise, this is going to work out. You just said before that you trusted me, man. Come on."

Robin ground his teeth. "I do. I said it, and I meant it. But Rancid's the last one. I don't want a single other one of them here today. Understand? No more playing nice."

Cyborg nodded. "Okay. Deal."

But it just wasn't meant to be…

"Downstairs, he said!"

"Well, I don't see any fucking stairs, do you?"

Billy and Johnny glared at each other.

"I came up with stairs," said Johnny.

"Well, I took the elevator. Johnny, it's gotta be fifty billion flights---"

"Fifty billion is not the number of everything!"

"its right there," Billy said, pointing at the elevator door. "We step in, we step out, and we're done. And we won't get lost!"

"Maybe we should get lost," said Johnny. "Get lost and get you outta here!"

The argument was interrupted as the elevator door slid open, revealing Kole, Gnark, and the three youngest Titans of all. Timmy was bawling loudly in Kole's arms while Gnark struggled to keep a grip on Teether's squirming body and Melvin's hand. Johnny winced as the sounds of children screaming assailed his ears. "Hey," He called over the noise to Kole, "Doll face! Can't you make him shut up?"

Kole whirled around to snap something at him, maybe to ask who the hell he was, but Timmy started up in fresh wails and she became too involved with shushing him to say anything about the "doll face" comment.

"Ridiculous," Billy muttered. "I hate spoiled brats."

"You were a spoiled brat once," Johnny reminded him.

Billy scrunched up his face in thought. The he opened his mouth and began to yell long and loud.

Five Titans and a biker criminal turned to stare at him. Timmy's screams faltered and died away, but Billy was still going. Finally he stopped, and smirked down at the little boy. "See? I can play that game too. And I play it better. That means you have to do whatever I tell you."

Timmy scowled up at him, but didn't argue.

"Yer gonna listen to this girl," Billy jerked a thumb in Kole's direction, "And yer gonna do whatever she says. And yer be nice about it. Understand?" He turned to Johnny. "Can I have a cigarette? My throat hurts."

"No smoking in the Tower," Kole said weakly. "Who are you?"

Billy gave her his hard look. "Who wants to know?"

"Billy, man, come on," Johnny said, handing him a pack and a lighter. "Let's frickin' go while the elevator's here."

Kole's eyes widened. "Billy? As in Billy Numerous?"

Billy shrugged. "I guess."

"Then I know exactly who you are," Kole said. "You attacked us with the Brotherhood of Evil."

"Yeah, probably," Billy said. "We attacked a lot of people. "Who're you?"

"As if you don't know!"

Billy gave a vague, noncommittal chuckle. "No, seriously, who are you?"

Kole narrowed her eyes. "You can't be serious."

Billy flashed a desperate look in Johnny's direction. "Yeah, actually, I am."

"You are not," Johnny said incredulously. "You couldn't have forgotten already."

"I am well known for my selective memory."

"Yeah, but---"

"Gnark!" The caveman behind Kole pointed a craggy finger at Billy.

"There, see?" Kole said triumphantly. "Even Gnark remembers you!"

"Well, congrats to him, then," Billy pulled a cigarette out of the carton and began to light it.

"Hey, mister," Little Melvin piped up. "You better not smoke in here."

"Oh really? Why not?"

"Because cigarettes killed Elvis," Melvin said. "You wanna die like Elvis?"

"Oh, darlin'," Billy chuckled ruefully. "Have I got news fer you. Cigarettes did not kill Elvis."

"Then what did?"

"Okay, we're going now!" Johnny took Billy by the arm and dragged him into the elevator. As the doors slid shut, he called back, "Awful nice talkin' with you, dollface!"

"MY NAME IS NOT DOLL---" And the doors were shut.

Johnny turned to Billy, shaking his head. "What was that for? Acting like you've never seen her."

"But I haven't. Have I?"

Johnny's eyebrows shot up. "Say what?"

"Well, I may have seen her before," Billy admitted. "But I don't think it was anything too memorable...was it?" He added doubtfully.

"Dude, you helped bring her down in the Brotherhood of Evil thing."

"I did?"

"You guys fought, like, personally."

"We did?"

"You totally kicked her ass!" Johnny said angrily.

Billy sucked hard on his cigarette. "Huh. Go figure. I don't remember."

Johnny sighed. "You know what? Forget it." He turned to the key pad next to the door. "Okay. Which button?"

"Hell if I know," Billy snorted.

"Well, the elevator was your fucking idea!"

The doors slid open again, making both boys jump. Speedy appeared, clutching Billy's papers in one hand and the elevator door in another.

"Dude," He panted. "You've got to finish these."

"Why?" Billy whined. "They aren't gonna do crap…"

"You've got to do it because Cyborg pulled strings for you," Hot Spot said, walking up behind Speedy. "Not that returning favors would mean anything to someone like you."

Billy broke into a dangerous grin. "Hey, I return favors everyday. You've got one coming, pal. My hand fucking hurts."

"I thought you couldn't feel pain?"

"I never said that!"

"Hey, girls!" Speedy called. "Garage or not?"

"Garage!" Johnny said quickly. "Which button?"

"The blue one. Billy, near your elbow. What?"

Billy was shooting off hard, dirty looks at Speedy as Johnny reached over and pushed the button.

"Dude, what?" Speedy said. "What'd I do?"

"Shut up," Billy grumbled, crossing his arms and leaning back against the elevator wall as the four began their descent.

"But I'm hungry!"

"But I'm not!"

See-More and Kid Flash were trying very hard not to glare at each other.

Wally just didn't know what to do. He knew the first disagreement between new friends was always the touchiest, the one that came back later when they fought over some chick or a car. Normally that was fine, so went life. But this was the first disagreement with a HIVE…

…friend?

"Look, I make a living off of going at superspeed," Wally said. "It'll only take a second, I swear."

"You may take a second, but other people don't," Seymour pointed out. "I don't wanna wait around forever! I've got other stuff to do. Besides, you're broke."

Wally narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "What makes you say that?"

Seymour sighed, and proceeded to tug Wally's wallet out of his back pocket. Before Wally could accuse him of anything, he said, "Wallace West, age fifteen, birth date Janurary 12, no cash, two cards. All I took was information," He added quickly, holding it out for Wally to take, "All I left was fingerprints."

"Is this how you usually get acquainted with people?"

"Easier than asking you a bunch of dumb questions."

Wally shook his head. "When did you do that? I didn't even notice."

Seymour shrugged, and innocently said, "Maybe you should put a bell on it."

They shared a grin.

"I'm still hungry," Wally said, "And there's money on the card."

"Those things aren't trustworthy," Seymour sniffed. "There's a Starbucks near here. I can get you free stuff."

"I'm not eating stolen food," Wally warned him.

"Not stolen. Given. I know people. It's cool."

"I just don't know about coffee," Wally said. "Caffeine screws me up. Do you know anybody at Labou?"

Seymour wrinkled his nose. "Hell no. Labou employees are all pissed off college students."

"What does that make Starbucks employees?"

"Happy college students. It's true!" Seymour said when Wally laughed. "They're hella nice. I get free shit all the time."

"Ha ha. Seriously. It'll only take a second. I'll be right back. Don't steal anything?"

Seymour made a motion similar to an eye roll. "Yes, mom."

"Be good!" Wally cackled, and was gone.

Seymour chewed his lip for a second, then pulled out his communicator. He twisted a few gears that revealed a keypad, and began typing…

"Dude! You have texting?" Wally was at his shoulder, finishing a sandwich.

Seymour squawked. "Is it safe for you to be speeding out of costume? Give me a frikkin' heart attack!"

"You have texting?" Wally repeated though a full mouth, grabbing for Seymour's communicator. He gulped down the last bit of lettuce. "That's so not fair! The Titans don't even have texting!"

"Gizmo did some upgrades…hey, give it back, man!"

"Dude, you guys can't have texting if we don't have texting. It just doesn't work."

The My Chemical Romance jingle began, and Wally pressed a button experimentally, ignoring Seymour's half-hearted protests. Gizmo appeared on the screen.

"Seymour, this is Vito, telling you that Billy was a SHITHEAD and…hey, who the fuck are you?"

"Wallace," Seymour said with relish over Wally's shoulder. "I just picked him up. He's cool."

"He looks familiar," Vito said suspiciously.

"Yeah, you know him," Seymour agreed, finally snatching his communicator back. "What'd Billy do?"

"Really stupid shit. Again. He killed some guy."

Seymour's jaw dropped. "Douche! He is so totally not living with us anymore. I get dibs on the Bentley, man. That car is so effing mine."

"Good to know you've got your priorities in order," Vito said dryly.

"How'd he do it?"

"Oh, apparently he shot the guy."

Seymour did a double take. "What?"

"He used a gun. Apparently. Which is bullshit, because we all know Billy has the eyesight of a rabid dog. My vote's on a machete. He always said that's how he'd do it."

"You guys!" Wally called desperately. "It's not true!"

Both criminals turned to look at the redhead. "Seriously," Vito said aside to Seymour. "Who is that guy?"

"Kid Flash. Can't you recognize my handsome face?" Wally grinned. "Billy didn't kill anybody. Cyborg bailed him out, and he's at Titan's Tower doing paperwork right now."

"Okay, I knew he got arrested but…why's he at the Tower if he didn't do anything?" Seymour asked as Vito glowered at the super speedster.

"He was there, and well, you know…criminal on the scene, makes him a prime suspect," Wally said, trying to sound nonchalant and not guilty. He didn't have to worry; Seymour was nodding slowly even as Vito rolled his eyes.

"Well," The little genius said, "That's cool, but somebody needs to tell Montego. He's totally flipping out."

"You're there, you do it," Seymour said.

"And put myself in the line of fire? No thanks."

"Well, somebody's got to!"

"Well, not me! Here, I can put him on right now if you want---"

"No, nononono---"

"Seymour?"

A glance over Seymour's shoulder informed Wally that Mammoth's face had been added to the screen. They were talking three-way.

"Three way calls? What the hell? Dude, I have got to get Cyborg on this---"

Seymour elbowed him hard in the ribs, and he shut up as Mammoth said:

"Explanation. Now."

"Um…I don't really…I've only got…he can tell you better!" Seymour said, passing the communicator off to Wally, who didn't even have enough wits to stutter at the behemoth's glare.

"You. Explain. Now. You look familiar. Have I beaten you up before?"

Wally squeaked. "Not the last time we met, actually, it was the other way around…kind of…"

Mammoth stared at him for a second. "Kid Flash? Seymour, what the hell are you doing with Kid Flash?"

Seymour opened his mouth, but no words seemed to come. Wally decided it was time to make a coherent answer. "Just talking about stuff. It's cool."

Mammoth's glare was colder. Wally backed away from the communicator carefully.

"Look," Seymour tried. "There's a lot of stuff going on, so maybe we could talk about this…?"

The communicator snapped shut in his hand as Kyd Wykkyd appeared before him on the sidewalk. Seymour looked from teleporter to communicator to teleporter again, jaw gaping.

"You made me hang up on Mammoth," He said softly. And then:

"YOU MADE ME HANG UP ON MAMMOTH!"

Next time, two parties collide, and the Titans get a visit from aliens...one XL alien in particular! And just how bad IS Billy's eyesight anyway?