Hello everyone! I bet you weren't expecting another update so soon, huh? Well sometimes all we need to push out content is a little extra motivation. I want to take a moment and thank all of you who reviewed the last chapter and left encouraging words in them. They meant a lot to me. Things are indeed getting better, and I hope to continue that path. Now, I have another chapter for you all, and I hope you enjoy it just the same. Here are the anonymous review replies.

vi: I've always felt that Beast Boy deserves more credit than he gets. The dude's got a good head on his shoulders.

Guest: Thanks for sticking with this story in spite of the language barrier, makes me happy to know that folks of all walks of life can enjoy it! And yes, while this story will soon come to a close, the journey is just beginning. This is but one piece of a massive universe, so be prepared for more. MUCH more.

NessaJayn: I appreciate the compliment, but don't put yourself down. I checked out your story, and it does have a lot of good things going for it. Maybe a few formatting changes here and there would help, but that will come in time! I've been writing fanfiction for over a decade now, and the time I spent learning how to make it really good has not gone to waste. It won't for you either, just keep at it!

And done. Now, enjoy this next chapter everyone. And believe me, you know what's still hitting the fan. I own nothing except the story.

"Any luck, Starfire?"

"No, and I have checked and double-checked and triple-checked the missing persons reports. No females resembling Terra have been reported as missing within the last six months."

"And beyond that?"

"Only one, and she only resembles Terra if she were Terra 50 years into the future."

"This is starting to turn into a dead end again." Robin grunted and got up from his chair to stretch his legs. Together with Starfire, the couple had been working on separate monitors of the Batcomputer for the past several hours, looking for any information on Terra's potential disappearance. "Well...keep looking, I'm gonna check in with Hotspot, see if he's found anything."

"Very well."

Robin sighed, Starfire was being short with him again. But this time, he didn't intend to back down from his stance. As disappointed as Starfire was in the whole situation, Robin was even more upset over it. He was the last one to give the thief his trust, and almost immediately it was broken by Red X stealing the suit from right under their noses. Why Starfire couldn't see that problem, he couldn't understand. "You want me to bring you something to eat, something to drink?"

"I do not require sustenance at this time, thank you."

The Boy Wonder shook his head and left to walk up the steps of the Batcave and head to the kitchen. With the headache he was nursing after the previous night's debacle, added to the stress of the investigation, he desperately needed a cup of coffee. Hot, black, coffee. Alfred generally had a fresh pot brewing at all hours of the day. But upon reaching the kitchen, Robin froze, as none other than Bruce Wayne was sitting at the table, slowly taking half-hearted sips from a cup of coffee that didn't even look warm anymore. Next to him was an untouched newspaper, no doubt delivered by Alfred hours ago. Taking a deep breath, Robin removed his mask and placed it into his robe pocket, walking in and forcing a smile onto his face. "Hey, Bruce. Slept in today?" Dick received no answer, so he turned to pour himself his own cup of coffee. "Well...it's good that you get a chance to rest and recover after all the all-nighters you've pulled. I know what that's like."

"Mhmm."

Dick's smile dropped, as Bruce just took another sip of his cold coffee. "Anyway...after a little time off, I'm sure you'll start feeling better. Who knows, maybe you'll get inspired all over again." Once again, Dick was met with silence, and he shook his head with a tired sigh and sat in the chair directly across from Bruce with his hot mug of coffee. "May I?" Dick gestured to the newspaper.

"Be my guest."

Dick snorted. Finally, some actual words from the man. "Thanks." As Dick pulled the paper over to his side, his communicator went off, and he glanced at his pocket for a moment before looking at Bruce. "Sorry, I-" But he didn't get a chance to finish his sentence, as Bruce was already walking away from the table, leaving his coffee behind. "Man, he gives up being Batman, and somehow he turns even more...Batman-y." Dick put his mask back on before answering the call. "Robin here, go ahead." He groaned.

"You okay, Robin?"

"Raven." Robin chuckled and massaged his forehead for a moment. "Honestly, Rae? No, not really. I'm a hot mess."

"Welcome to the club." Raven replied with a slight smirk. "So what's wrong?"

"The better question is what isn't." Robin scoffed. "You alone?"

"Yeah, I needed a break from all the tension, Jinx alone is close to making me blow up the Ops Center."

"She's stressed out, I understand." Robin nodded sagely. "I'm the same way when one of you guys go missing."

"Yes and no. When you're stressed out, you might slam a few doors here and there, maybe yell a lot. Jinx stressing out means she tosses hexes whenever someone says something she doesn't like. Kid Flash has already dodged three this morning trying to cheer her up."

"Touché."

"Anyway, yes, I am alone. What's going on?"

"I'm just gonna run down the list. If I go into detail, I'll be here for an hour." Robin started counting on his fingers. "Bruce, in a massive bout of depression, has sworn off crimefighting and retired as Batman. Starfire and I got into a fight with two of Gotham's major villains last night. Neither of us got away unscathed. I wake up after almost dying to find out Red X escaped with the suit and no one has any idea where he is. Starfire is mad at me again because I'm mad at Red X for stealing it. And as a massive cherry on top of the sundae of sadness, even with Beast Boy's admittedly genius bit of detective work, we're still no closer to finding Slade or Jericho than we were almost a week ago."

"Well...that's...a lot to take in." Raven said with her eyes wide. "Guess I'll ask the obvious question first. Are you physically okay?"

"Yeah, the antidote to Ivy's serum was Joker toxin, but Star got me back to the Batcave before the insanity could set in." Robin decided to omit the part about Starfire's reaction to the super sun potion. "Just wish she wouldn't get on my case every time I disapprove of Red X's actions."

"Want me to talk to her?"

"No, at least not yet. She's not so angry that she's taken off on me, she's down in the Batcave doing some research."

Raven actually smiled. "That's a good sign, Robin."

"How is her not talking to me a good sign?"

"She's not mad at you...or rather, she is, but she's mad that you're right." Raven replied. "Trust me on this one. You may be her boyfriend, but there are some things she tells me that she doesn't want even you to know about."

"So you're telling me why?"

"I'm just throwing you this one bone. And if you ever let it slip to Starfire, I'll deny it, and then you'll really be in trouble."

Robin smirked. "Understood. Thanks for the pep talk, Raven. As long as I have you on the communicator, any word from Hotspot?"

"He's checked in a couple times, says there's no sign of Terra." Raven rolled her eyes. "Although I have a sneaking suspicion that he's having a little trouble focusing, all those girls in short skirts. Last time he said he was going to try and get into the attendance files and see if Terra's been absent for the past few days."

"Is it bad that I'm actually hoping he doesn't find Terra so it feels like we're not wasting our time with this?"

"Just a little." Raven smirked. "But I get it, this has been tough on all of us. Is there anything else you can do on your end?"

"Other than quadruple-checking the missing persons reports, not really. At least, not in the daytime."

"Then maybe you should take this time to take Starfire out on a date."

"She's mad at me, remember?"

"She's mad at you for being right, remember?" Raven raised an eyebrow. "Offer to go out with her, I think she'll appreciate the fresh air. You guys have been in hero mode non-stop since this whole thing started. You need some time to breathe, especially if last night was as bad as you say it was."

"Oh it was, believe me." Robin rubbed the back of his neck, exhaling through his nose as he pondered the idea. "But I can't just stop while the rest of you keep working."

"You just told me there's nothing else you can do for now, you absolutely can take a break." Raven fixed him with a pointed glare. "Look, if you don't want to do it for you, then do it for Starfire. She needs this, Robin. She never has, and probably never will be able to function on the premise of being a superhero 24/7, and quite frankly, I don't think you can either."

Robin looked away for a moment, his shoulders slumping. "Alright, you have a point. I'll give it a shot."

"Try not to look so disappointed, you're about to spend some quality time with her."

"You know I don't like to leave a case unfinished."

"You're not, you're trusting in your teammates to get the job done." Raven said pointedly. "Now get going, you're losing daylight."

"Well, when you put it that way." Robin scoffed. "Alright, good luck, Raven, and thanks again." The Boy Wonder hung up the communicator and took his mask off once more, rubbing his eyes as he turned his head to look in the direction of the Batcave, where his girlfriend was still working. Pushing away from the table, Dick put on a determined face and briskly walked down into the depths once more, where Starfire was still hovering in midair in front of the keyboard. "Hey, Star?"

"Yes, Robin?"

The somber tone made his heart ache. "Let's take a break, we've been working nonstop."

The suggestion actually made Starfire lose her flight for a moment, and she got up to look at her boyfriend with a baffled expression. "Robin, are you feeling alright? You wish to pause the search in favor of recreation? That does not sound like you." She suddenly narrowed her eyes. "You are not a hologram again, are you?"

Dick narrowed his eyes back at her. "No I'm not a hologram! Why is it every time I do something different you guys think I'm a hologram?"

Starfire put her hands on her hips. "I believe the phrase is, once bitten, twice shy."

"Alright, fine." He walked over to her and looked up into her eyes, smirking when she didn't even flinch from his approach. "Then maybe this'll convince you I'm real." He swiftly leaned up to capture her lips in a kiss, and after her squeak of surprise, she slowly began to return the gesture, relaxing even further when Dick put a hand behind her ear. "There," He said as he pulled back, grinning ear to ear. "I'm real, right?"

As soon as Starfire regained her senses, she shot him a half-hearted glare. "You are real. But I do not believe now is a good time to go out."

"Star," Dick sighed. "I know you're upset, but do we really have to have this discussion right now?" She didn't fight him when he reached for her hand. "Come on, let's go do something. You've been cooped up in this cave for too long already. We need to get some fresh air."

"That...would be nice." Starfire bit her bottom lip. "But...I am concerned."

"About what?"

"I am still not aware of how the Poison Ivy's serum affected my powers...I do not wish to go out into public until I can evaluate my ability to control them."

Dick said nothing for a few moments, then he smiled as he gave her hand a soft tug. "Come with me." He pulled her up the steps, stepping back into the light of the manor and closing the passageway behind him. Before long, he was able to hunt down Alfred, who was currently working on dusting the lampshades in the west wing of the manor. "Alfred!"

"Yes, Master Dick?"

"Can you do me a favor? Can you prepare a picnic for me and Star? We'll have it in the backyard."

Alfred smiled and put away his duster. "I would be delighted to, sir. I shall begin preparations right away."

"Thanks, Alfred." Dick watched the elderly man make his way to the kitchen, then he turned to Starfire with a satisfied grin. "How about that, Star? I think you can relax now."

"I must admit, a picnic sounds delightful." Starfire finally smiled. "Thank you, Richard."

"You can thank me later." He grabbed her hand again and started pulling her through the manor. "But for now, I think it's time you got a full tour of this place, and by the time we're done, Alfred will be waiting for us with our picnic. I think you're really gonna enjoy it."

Tensions were high in Titans Tower. While Robin and Starfire were enjoying some quality time, Raven was burdened with trying to keep her own emotions in check. On its own, this was no small feat. Talking to Robin always seemed to help, but with the added factors of Jinx's agitation, the mounting frustration from the rest of her team...and Raven's confusion regarding the true nature of her feelings for Beast Boy, it seemed that even the smallest distraction from her focus would be enough to set her off.

As she headed back into the Ops Center, she could sense the unease of everyone inside, and even without her empathic senses, she could hear shouting from the other side of the door. As she entered, she saw Cyborg and Jinx nose to nose with each other, glaring daggers as if they were mortal enemies all over again. "Oh no."

"It's been almost a week since Jericho disappeared and instead of continuing the search, you expect me to sit back and watch this screen for earthquakes like it's an old rerun of 'As The Earth Spins' like a moron?!"

"You tell me what's more moronic! Goin' out and searchin' every place we've already looked for the tenth time or trying somethin' different and seein' what happens! We ain't got nothin' to lose!"

"That's easy for you to say! It's not your teammate that's missing!" Jinx's fists were clenched into tight little balls, already sparking with pent up energy. "I dunno what Robin's thinking, but this whole thing is a complete waste of time! We shouldn't be giving up looking!"

"You know what the definition of insanity is?" Cyborg lowered himself to her level to glare right into her eyes. "That's you right now. We've done the same thing over and over, and somehow you expect a different result. I understand how you feel, but unless you wanna start printing out fliers and handing 'em out to people, wanderin' around lookin' for Jericho is just gonna get you more of the same."

"Fine then! If you're not gonna help me find him, then I'll do it myself!" Jinx started stomping out of the Ops Center, and upon seeing Raven, she shot her a glare that could melt steel. "Put a wall in front of me again," She said in a dangerously low voice. "And you and I are gonna have it out right here."

With her empathic senses involuntarily on high alert, the anger and despair coming from Jinx made her feel sick to her stomach. Her other teammates, who sat and watched the exchange in silence, were just as miserable. It didn't take a detective to see that things were deteriorating rapidly. So without a word, Raven stepped aside, and watched Jinx leave without looking back. Once she was out of the tower, Raven could feel things become a little easier, but the fact she was still on edge was unacceptable. In the event of a fight, she would be useless like this. So while there was nothing she could do about Titans Europe, she could further explore her own issues. But before she set aside the time to do that, she needed to check in. She walked over to the exhausted metal man, his own fatigue dragging her down even more. "Cyborg, can I ask you something?"

"Yeah, what's up, Raven?"

"Is there anything going on that I should be aware of?"

"Depends on what you mean by that. Think you saw what just happened in here."

"Yeah...but no, that's not what I mean." Raven took a deep breath to gain just a little extra momentary control of herself. "I mean...is there any trouble in the city, any sign of Slade or Jericho...anything that would stop me from meditating."

Cyborg graced her with an understanding smile, and she felt a little better as the rush of sympathy comforted her. "I getcha. Gimme just a sec and I'll let ya know." With a few button presses on his communicator and a few moments of waiting, his smile widened slightly. "Titans East are reporting all clear on their sensors, and our computer scan is showin' no seismic activity anywhere near the Slade sightings. I'd say you're okay to do a little relaxin'."

"Thank you." She briskly walked back to her room, and after taking a deep breath, she reached for her mirror...and moments later, she was sucked back into her own mental world of Nevermore. Upon arrival, she found herself in a place she never explored before. The lighting was dim, but not eerily so. In fact, the atmosphere was distinctly serene. "This doesn't seem like Wisdom's domain, where am I?" She began to levitate and look around, and the first thing that caught her attention was how many photos there were of her friends laying around in intricate frames. There was one frame that showed the moment she and Starfire opened up to each other about their origins when they became body-swapped. There was another right next to it, where she and Starfire spent time facing the windows of the Ops Center in meditation.

On another table, she saw pictures of herself with Cyborg, fixing up the T-Car. Yet another table seemed to be dedicated to Robin, and her heart warmed seeing the moments where their psychic bond was at its strongest. He had become the big brother she never had, even more so than Cyborg. It comforted her to know that she didn't have to hide herself from him. But as she turned, her eyes widened in shock at the utter size of this last display. The word shrine popped into her mind, and the subject of said shrine filled Raven with an unpleasant feeling in the pit of her stomach. Plastered all over this massive display were various images of Beast Boy. Even his alter-ego Garfield Logan was placed on some sort of pedestal, much to her utter disbelief. "This can't be real."

"Welcome, Raven."

Raven reeled back from the sudden appearance of one of her emoticlones right in front of her face. Once she regained her bearings, her eyes narrowed slightly when she realized exactly which one it was invading her personal space. "Affection. Now it all makes sense."

"I'm glad to see you, you've never visited my domain before." The emoticlone's voice was soft, but not in the way that Timid's was. She was very confident, but tender at the same time. "I know you're here for answers, I'll do my best to give them to you."

She gave the violet emoticlone a skeptical glance, but decided to follow along as she hovered behind Affection as they made their way up to the top of a hill overseeing what seemed to be an ocean, the lighting gradually getting brighter until they were both bathed in the orange glow of a sunset. "Quite a place you have here."

"I think so." Affection hummed as she sat at the top of the hill, patting the grass next to her invitingly. "Have a seat."

Raven raised an eyebrow, but after a moment she sighed and sat down next to her, facing the sunset as a gentle ocean breeze kissed her face. She couldn't resist the urge to take a deep breath, taking in the tropical scent. Her tension released, and her frown vanished, replaced by a content smile. "Wow, I never realized a place like this existed in Nevermore."

"It didn't. At least, not up until recently."

Raven tilted her head curiously. "Really? Why's that?"

Affection chuckled and turned to give Raven a proud glance. "Because you never gave me the chance to establish myself." Affection removed her hood, the wind catching her short hair, making it wave. "Now that you've opened your mind, I've been given a chance to make a safe haven for you whenever you feel alone." She leaned back on the grass, closing her eyes as she put her arms behind her head as a cushion. "You know, Raven, there's a big difference between having privacy and being alone."

"I know that."

"Of course you do. But you never really accepted it before. Admittedly, having our father rattling around in here all the time made it difficult..." Affection opened one eye and smirked at Raven. "But you didn't exactly make it easier, pushing everyone away all the time. You tried so hard to keep a wall between you and the others." She sat up, and with a wave of her hand, the sun went down quickly. "This is my favorite part." Soon the light faded, and in its place, a sky filled with twinkling stars appeared, with certain formations shining brighter than others. "You didn't want them to get close to you. But slowly," One formation of stars began to move, and it became clear that the constellation represented Raven and Starfire, sharing moments of closeness like the ones in the picture frames Raven observed before. "They poked holes into your wall," The next constellation zoomed over with a flick of Affection's fingers, and now it displayed the embrace shared by Raven and Robin shortly after the defeat of Trigon. "And eventually they knocked it down completely, which opened up a whole new world of possibilities for you."

Raven watched the intricate dancing of the stars in awe. Each scene playing out in front of her filled her heart with a comforting warmth that made her hold her hands to her chest. Again she saw the formation of her bond with Robin, but in real time rather than just a freeze frame. Her increasing closeness with Starfire, her sister from another star system who loved unconditionally and unwaveringly. Cyborg, who in many ways she looked up to for his fierce loyalty to those he cared about, and his moments where he seemed wise beyond his years. Even her kids, Melvin, Timmy and Teether, made an appearance in the sparkling light show. Their group hug at the end of their adventure cemented all three of them a special place in her heart, and she knew from that day on she would spend the rest of her life making sure those kids would be well taken care of. If anyone dared to lay a finger on them, they would face the full wrath of her Rage.

"You care deeply for all of them, Raven. And they're a big part of why this place now exists." Affection said. "But as you might've guessed...I saved the most important piece for last."

The stars changed once more, and this time their focus became none other than Beast Boy...who proved time and time again that all he ever wanted was for her to smile and enjoy life. He would stop at nothing to make her laugh, even if his methods never actually worked. Again she saw the moment where they shared that embrace in the immediate aftermath of the Malchior incident. She still vividly remembered his emotions in that moment...so in tune with hers through their shared feeling of heartbreak, it was as if, for the briefest of moments, they were one entity, even more than when she literally merged her soul with Robin's. It wasn't manufactured by magic, it was as genuine as Beast Boy himself.

Then the scene shifted, and Raven couldn't help but be surprised at what she was looking at. It was when she and Beast Boy were on the beach...but it wasn't the time after he recovered from being the Beast...this happened just a few days prior to now, when she went to him in his moment of regret and reassured him that she still cared about him...maybe more than she even realized. The way she felt drawn into his gaze, the closeness. It was still very fresh, and she wrapped her arms around herself, a blush hidden underneath her cloak. It had been such a long time since she last felt anything remotely like that, not since Malchior...but unlike with him, where it was too good to be true...this moment with Beast Boy was undoubtedly, undeniably real. Because when it came to Beast Boy, it didn't matter what words came out of his mouth, his heart was incapable of lying.

"Do you understand now?"

Raven slowly opened her eyes, and turned to see Affection staring back at her with that same gentle smile. Then she realized that the two weren't alone, as all her other emoticlones were sitting behind them. Even Rage was uncharacteristically calm. "I think so." Raven nodded slowly, her smile fading as uncertainty washed over her again. "But...it can't really be true, can it? I mean...this is Beast Boy we're talking about here. I'm not gonna pretend I don't care about him...but, a crush? On him? Why? It isn't a lie to say he annoys me sometimes, and he is immature. He's-"

"Not Malchior." Affection's expression turned serious for the first time. "All your points are valid, but you're missing the main point again."

"Which is what?"

"You already know the answer, you don't need me to tell you." Affection crawled over, reaching to place a hand on Raven's heart, her eyes boring into her counterpart's. "Look inside yourself," She whispered. "And it'll become clear."

The next thing Raven knew, Affection and the other emoticlones had been replaced by another figure...Beast Boy...or at least, the image of Beast Boy, as he was as silent as a church mouse, simply smiling at her like everything in the world was as it should be. "This...can't be true. I can't...really be in love with you, can I?"

The image of Beast Boy said nothing, but took her hand and squeezed it, his smile still firmly in place.

"This...is wrong...but...it's also not." Slowly, she squeezed back, and she looked into the projection's deep green eyes, and all at once Raven was hit with a wave of emotions, the very same ones she felt each time she reached out to him before. The sincerity, the utter devotion, the undying desire to make her happy. These feelings, she realized in that moment, were all absent with the charming, charismatic character that was Malchior. The evil dragon matched her interests in knowledge and dark things...but there was no truth behind the kind words and tender glances. It was all a facade, one that she easily fell for because on the surface, he seemed to be perfect for her.

But her idea of perfection was flawed, based on superficial concepts like empty compliments and promises void of substance. Beast Boy was nothing like Malchior, but maybe that was the point her emotions were trying to explain to her. Beast Boy wasn't the tallest, he wasn't the smartest, he wasn't even the most charming individual she knew...but he would gladly give his life for her if it ever came to that. True, any one of her friends would do the same. But when it came to Beast Boy, there was a raw passion that no one could match. When she was in a bad mood, her other friends would just leave her be until she got over it.

Not Beast Boy. He would keep coming and coming, risking - quite frankly - life and limb to do his part to cheer her up, however misguided his attempts were. That sheer determination to fill her heart with joy and laughter, it was to be admired. And she did. She admired him. She admired his passion for living life to the fullest. She admired the raw openness and sincerity in his heart. And she wanted to share that with him.

She loved him.

"Beast Boy...I don't know where this is coming from...but...I want you to know, you really are special to me. I know I've been mean to you...and, honestly, you deserve better. But...I promise, I'll try to be better. You've always done everything you can to make me happy...it's only fair...that I do the same for you. That is...if you'll let me." Her heart beating a mile a minute, she closed her eyes and slowly leaned in to kiss him.

And she fell flat on her face in the grass. She shot back up and looked around, face red with embarrassment, only to realize that the projection of Beast Boy had vanished, along with the warm feeling his presence gave her. Suddenly she felt cold, lonely...and that's when it really hit her. This was not just her emotions playing tricks on her, this was no mere reaction to his recent kindness. When he wasn't around, it just...wasn't right. She wanted him around, she always did...from the first day they met and she said he was funny.

"And now you understand."

Raven whipped her head up, and standing over her was Affection, her hand outstretched to help Raven to her feet. She accepted the gesture, and then she turned around to see all of her emoticlones surrounding her once again. "I really am in love with Beast Boy."

Knowledge gave her a nod. "His actions have factually proven he cares for us deeply."

Timid wrapped her arms around herself. "He gives us butterflies when he says something nice about us."

Brave pumped a fist. "He boosts our confidence and makes us feel like we can do anything!"

Lazy gave a half-hearted shrug. "He doesn't care that we're not perfect."

Rude scoffed. "The idiot never gives up on us."

Happy jumped for joy. "He makes us wanna laugh!" Then she giggled. "Especially when he isn't trying to."

Wisdom folded her hands. "His unwavering passion for life helps us have hope for the future."

Then Raven turned to Rage, whose frown was still firmly in place. "And you? Do you have anything to say?"

The red emoticlone snarled, her fists clenched and shaking with anger. "I hate...that we can't find it in us to want to hurt him. No matter how angry he makes us, we'll always come to his defense...and we'll always forgive him, because if he ever does hurt us, it's never on purpose...and he does everything he can to learn from the experience so he doesn't repeat the mistake. No matter how hard we try...we can't hate him."

Raven actually snorted. "Well, that's honestly more than I expected from you."

Then Affection placed her hand on Raven's shoulder. "He loves us, his emotions ring true each time we connect." Affection giggled. "And you have no idea how happy it makes me that I can finally say that, now that you've said it yourself."

"So that's what it took for you to give me a straight answer, huh?" Raven smirked. "I had to go through Hell and back to figure it out for myself first."

"As I stated previously," Knowledge spoke up. "We are merely manifestations of your own emotions. We cannot tell you anything you do not already know. That also means, if you refuse to admit something to yourself, we are bound by that limitation...so we imply, we point you in the right direction...in Affection's case, she puts together a presentation in the sky. I believe it's a bit drastic, but it was certainly effective."

"No denying that." Then Raven frowned, looking down at the ground with an uncertain expression. "So...now that I've learned the truth...what do I do about it? Do I just...go up to him and confess?"

"No!" Timid squealed as she pulled her hood over her head. "He won't believe us! He'll think we're making fun of him!"

"Oh please," Brave waved the grey emotion off with a roll of her eyes. "There's no time like the present! Take the challenge, let's sweep the green bean off his feet and give him a time he'll never forget!"

"He'll probably think we're making fun of him." Rude crossed her arms. "Oversensitive dingbat's still acting squirrely because of the Terra thing going on."

Everyone became silent after that. The mentioning of Terra was always a sore subject. But now, even more so, Raven was filled with trepidation. "I can't believe I'm saying this...but, Timid and Rude have a point." She turned to Affection. "I know what we want...but I don't think now is the time to pursue it. Beast Boy is still hurting, and he's desperate to find Terra and make sure she's safe."

Affection didn't even flinch. "Of course he is, that's part of why we love him so much. His loyalty knows no bounds." Affection placed her hands on Raven's shoulders. "You know better than anyone, Raven. Love isn't only shown through hugs and kisses, flowers or going out on dates. It's shown in our everyday interactions, how we treat people. You don't need to become Starfire or anything, all that matters is that you be yourself. Your true self." Her eyes softened. "Just be kind to him, and in time, I believe everything will work out."

Raven smiled. "I think I can handle that."

"Good." Affection stepped back. "Now go on, he needs you...and remember, if you ever need a place to find comfort...this is your safe haven."

Affection faded away, and Raven turned to see the other emoticlones all doing the same one by one, until she was the only one left. Then she looked up into the sky. The stars had shifted once more. Now, it displayed no specific memory, but rather an image borne of her imagination. Her and Beast Boy sharing an intimate embrace...and they both appeared deliriously happy. "I do understand now...and when the time is right, it'll happen."

Red X hit the ground for what seemed like the 100th time in the last hour. From the moment he shook Slade's hand, he found himself in an impromptu combat training session that was leaving him sore in places he never knew he had. "Next time I make a deal with someone, I'm reading the fine print." The masked thief grunted as he wobbled back to his feet. "I hope you don't expect me to do anything tonight, you'll be lucky if I can even stand up after this is over."

Slade put his hands behind his back. "You fight like a street thug. What little actual fighting skill you have is either haphazardly self-taught or dependent on your suit's power."

"Which you conveniently insist I'm not allowed to use."

"The Red X suit is a powerful weapon, but without it your abilities are severely limited. If you intend to reach your full potential, you need to be able to hold your own without a handicap." Slade got into a fighting stance. "Now, as I told you, fists up, feet shoulder-width apart, toe-to-heel. Defend yourself!" Slade charged, swinging his fists as Red X dodged out of the way of his strikes, blocking when that wasn't an option. "When you're in a fight, the temptation to go for the kill shot, so to speak, is strong. But unless you properly set it up, you're just leaving yourself open to defeat." Red X suddenly swung his fist, and after a quick dodge, Slade launched an uppercut into the boy's gut that knocked the wind out of him, causing him to crumple. "You have potential, but I have much to teach you."

"Fine." Red X wheezed. "But can we take a break before you kill me? Or was that the point?"

"Dear boy, if I wanted you dead, you would not be here having this discussion." Slade grabbed the boy by the cape and lifted him onto his feet. "We will continue working on the basics until-" Then Slade stopped, as in the shadows, he caught another figure beckoning him. "Excuse me, there's something I must attend to. Feel free to wander, but don't go back to the surface until I say so."

"Oh, sure, no problem." Red X scoffed as he limped down a tunnel. "This better be worth it." The discomfort he felt being in the old sewers had begun to fade, but he couldn't help but wonder if that had more to do with the bruises developing everywhere than his actual psychological state. Pain tended to shift focus away from other problems. Now he knew how Dick and Terra felt, working under Slade.

The thought of Terra made Red X freeze in his tracks. The original reason he came down into his own personal hellscape looking for Slade in the first place. He had to admit, the idea of becoming the world's greatest thief and finally being free was extremely appealing...but this was not why he was here. He needed to find Terra, and get her out of here if possible. After that...well, he would cross that bridge when he got to it. Clenching his fists with new resolve, he began dashing through the sewers once more, ignoring the pain his body was in. If he ran into Slade, he would just say he was familiarizing himself with the routes, testing his ability to think fast and react faster. It'd be a long shot, but Slade didn't seem to mind his sarcastic quips as long as he remained obedient. He'd have to run the risk of lying to him if push came to shove.

Soon enough he ran into another area...this was where he knew the Sewer King usually slept. Maybe this was Slade's room now? He looked around for any possible security measures, and after seeing none, he tried to open the door, only to find it was locked. "Right, that fits." Checking again for an audience, he held up his index finger, and a lock pick popped out of it as he began working on the old lock. "Weird he hasn't made any improvements...unless he isn't planning on staying." It only took minutes for him to pick the old-style lock, and the door slowly creaked open, showing nothing inside except for a bed...and someone laying in it...a blonde someone. "Terra?!" He rushed inside, closing the door behind him and locking it again just in case Slade decided to make an entrance. Reactivating his night vision, Red X identified a light switch, but no security cameras from what he could tell. He flipped the switch and turned his night vision back off again, and the figure laying in bed reacted to the sudden brightness. "Are you Terra?"

The figure said nothing, and as soon as the blanket fell, the figure turned around, eyes squinted as they adjusted to the light. Then their eyes widened, seeing who was in front of them.

"You're not Terra...you're the one the Titans are looking for! You're Jericho, aren't you!" Red X received a nod in response. "Well, you're not who I was looking for. But as long as I'm here, what's Slade want with you?" Red X was answered with a slump of Jericho's shoulders, as the boy pointed at his eyes with his fingers. "Okay, don't have time to play charades. You're gonna have to use words." Again, Red X got no verbal answer, although he realized what was happening when Jericho pointed at his own throat and shook his head. "Oh, you can't talk. Sorry about that. Well...you're gonna have to give me something I can work with, otherwise-" The door started to unlock, and his heart racing faster than ever before, Red X slammed the button on his belt and disappeared from the room...just seconds before Slade entered. He reappeared on top of one of the light fixtures just outside the same room, his breaths shallow and heart palpitating as he tried to calm his nerves. "I think I hate this!"

"Come along my boy, it's time for you to finally play your part in this plan." Slade came out of the room, Jericho somberly walking in front of him as they started making their way back to the main room.

"Something tells me I better be there to see this." Another press of the button, and Red X teleported into the main room again, only way up high in the rafters to avoid being seen by his new master. Soon after, Slade and Jericho walked in, and instead of stopping in the middle of the room, or even on the throne, they kept walking, forcing Red X to carefully walk along the intact railings to keep them in sight. His heart lurched when he realized that Slade was leading Jericho towards the old punishment room, the one the Sewer King used to shine a bright light in the faces of any disobedient underdwellers. He briefly thought that Slade was going to throw Jericho in there, but he soon realized that the reality was actually much worse.

"Please, please, I'll do anything! Just let me go!" Moments later, a girl was tossed out into the open by Slade. She rolled to a stop and didn't even bother to try and get back up. She was wearing a school uniform, but it was torn, and completely disgusting as she'd obviously been rolling around in sewer muck. She appeared sickly pale, as if she'd been deprived of food and water for far too long, and there were dark circles under her eyes, suggesting she hadn't slept. "Please...you've kept me here...for days! What is it you want?!" She sobbed desperately. "Money? M-My body?"

Red X took a sharp intake of breath hearing her say that. No doubt about it, this was Terra. And the very thought that Slade could have wanted Terra for something as rotten and despicable as rape made Red X's blood boil. "This monster has to pay."

Slade approached the feeble teenager, and put his finger under her chin as he got up close to her face. "Don't flatter yourself, my dear. I'm a simple man, with very simple goals. You are here for one purpose, and one purpose only. Revenge." He let go of her face, and he stood up straight to tower over her.

"R-Revenge? On who?!"

"You, of course."

"Me?! I-I don't even know who you are! I've never even met you!"

"And that, Terra, is where you're wrong."

"That's not my name!" She screamed, tears streaming down her face. "First Beast Boy, and now you! Whoever this Terra girl is, I'm not her!"

"In a manner of speaking, you're correct." Slade began circling the cowering girl, his eye never looking away from her. "The girl who used to be my apprentice, the girl who betrayed me...who killed me, she is gone. She's been buried, deep inside your subconscious."

"What are you talking about?"

"I've been keeping tabs on you since your...miraculous return, my dear. I've been biding my time, waiting for the perfect opportunity to exact revenge."

"I didn't do anything to you!"

"Nothing that you're consciously aware of." Slade then looked up, and he actually chuckled before placing his attention back on her. "You were my apprentice, you helped me take over an entire city. But you were too weak to finish the job. Fortunately, I have found a new apprentice." Slade looked up again. "Come down and introduce yourself, Mr. X."

Red X's blood ran cold, but he quickly recovered and obeyed the command, leaping down from the rafters and coming out into the open. "You rang?"

"I did." Slade walked over to Red X, looking down at him with his eye narrowed. "You're proving to be quite the troublemaker, aren't you?"

Red X gulped behind his mask. "Well, it's part of my charm. I can't help but be curious. Who is she?"

Slade did not reply at first, examining the thief closely before standing straight once more. "I can appreciate your attempt at stealth, Mr. X. But next time, I would appreciate if you simply made your presence known. After all, you are my apprentice. You should be aware of the things I'm doing. Everything can be an object lesson." He turned to Terra again. "Consider this a two-fold lesson."

"And the lessons are?"

"Lesson one, what sort of actions must be taken in order to achieve goals, no matter what they may be..." Slade lifted Terra off the ground, the girl refusing to look at him as she turned away and squeezed her eyes shut. "The second lesson...what happens to those who disobey my orders." Slade tossed Terra like a ragdoll once again, and the girl grunted as she rolled in front of Jericho, who had been watching the entire time in silent horror. "You've done horrible things, Terra. And instead of facing them, you did what you always do. You ran. You locked the memory of who you once were deep inside, along with your remarkable power."

Terra slowly pushed herself up to her hands and knees. "I have no power, I'm just a regular girl!"

"I know you believe that. But as hard as you tried to bury your true self, you couldn't keep it completely down. Your late night wanderings to the old amusement park, road trips to the quaint little diners you once frequented...even your willingness to humor the green Titan you once carried deep feelings for."

"That's not true! I don't even know him!"

"Not right now you don't. But I digress. There's no point in taking revenge when you have no idea how you wronged me." Slade lifted his head to look at Jericho. "That's where you come in."

Jericho violently shook his head.

"Come now, do you think I would've gone through all this trouble to take care of you if I planned on harming you?"

Hearing that made Jericho's eyes narrow in obvious anger, as he pointed towards Terra, then gestured his refusal with his arms spread wide before crossing them and turning his back on Slade.

"How noble," Slade drawled. "Let me put it this way, son."

"Wait, son?!"

Slade ignored Red X's stunned outburst and walked up to Jericho, staring down at him menacingly. "If you refuse to do this, I will personally see to it that your days as a Teen Titan come to a swift end. Imagine what Robin will do when he realizes that he recruited the son of his mortal enemy." When Jericho wilted from the threat and slowly made his way over to the whimpering Terra, Slade chortled in satisfaction. "Good, Joseph. That's my boy."

Jericho glared at Slade over his shoulder, before kneeling in front of Terra.

"What are you gonna do to me?" Her only answer was an apologetic look from Jericho...then his eyes inverted colors, and he phased into Terra's body. "H-He just went inside me!" Then she grabbed her head, screaming at the top of her lungs, as images flashed in her mind, completely foreign to her and yet...painfully familiar as they were forced to the surface by Jericho's power. "What are you doing to me?! Stop it!"

Have to leave, can't let anyone else get hurt because of me...have to run away, never come back.

"That's not me! It can't be me!"

I go where the wind takes me, y'know? I get to see new places, meet new people, stomp a few bad guys here and there.

"Get out of my head! Please! You're hurting me!"

You lack control, Terra. And when you lose control, you are more dangerous than anything I've ever seen.

Don't lose control! Don't lose control!

Now, Terra...how can you lose something...you've never had?

"Please! I don't want to see anymore!"

Come on, Raven? What stings the most? That I tricked you? That I nearly wiped out your team? That everyone liked me better than you? Or was it that deep down inside you really believed I was your friend?

"Stop! Stop! STOP IT!" Terra's eyes suddenly began to glow, and the area around them began to shake. "Get out! Do you hear me?! GET OUT!"

You can't treat me like this!

Can't I? Who else would have you my dear? You've done horrible things. Unforgivable things. Where else can you possibly go?

You have to stop me, Beast Boy! Please! I don't wanna fight anymore!

Then don't let Slade control you anymore!

You! Can't! Control! Me! Anymore!

The earthquake intensified, and the room began to crumble and fall apart around them. Slade was unfazed, while Red X kept dodging debris and an occasional falling rat. "Hey! She's gonna bring the whole place down!" Red X shouted.

But Slade didn't even react, standing there without so much as flinching as rusted metal fell from above him. "Any moment now."

You were the best friend...I ever had...

The earthquake was now so strong that Red X couldn't even keep his balance, and he would've been crushed by the rafters had he not suddenly teleported away from his spot and reappeared underneath one of the only solid structures left. "You've gotta stop! She'll kill us!"

Terra screamed and sobbed, the memories flooding her mind so quickly that it felt like she was going to explode. Every scene, every uttered word...every terrible thing she did. She remembered. She remembered who was responsible. "Enough!" Her eyes narrowed in rage, and the earthquake came to a sudden stop as she clenched her fists, lifted two sizeable rocks that had fallen from the ceiling with her power, and launched them right at Slade, who side-stepped the attack without breaking a sweat. "Why couldn't you just leave me alone?!" Terra cried, hot tears streaming down her cheeks. "Why couldn't you just let me live a normal life?! Be a normal person!"

"Dear child, you are anything but normal." Slade scoffed. "You've done your part, son. You may come out now." Within seconds, Jericho leaped out of Terra's body and splashed into the water unearthed by Terra's tantrum on his hands and knees, regretful tears dripping into the pool he had forced out of her. "Return to your room. I know it hurts now. But I'm hopeful that someday you'll understand and come back to me willingly."

Jericho glared at his father, teeth gritted in fury. Then he turned to Terra, who was also down on her hands and knees after having her memories forcefully brought to the surface. Again he looked at her apologetically, and he lowered his head in shame when she refused to look at him, slowly getting up to leave and go back to the room he'd been locked inside.

As for Terra, she was still crying. Now that she remembered everything, she could barely breathe from the amount of guilt and shame weighing heavily on her heart. "Are you happy now, Slade?" She hiccuped, lifting her head just enough so she could see him. "I remember. I remember the monster you turned me into. The traitor, the murderer. I remember breaking the heart of the only person who ever really cared about me. Now, I just have one question for you..." Her eyes and fists glowed with power as she stood up. "Why shouldn't I kill you again right now?"

"You easily could with your power. However, we're directly underneath the Gotham Theater District. I sincerely doubt you want the blood of thousands more innocent lives on your hands." The man stared her down, and laughed when she powered down and fell back into the water in surrender. "I'm glad you've come to terms with reality." Slade replied smoothly. "But my revenge has only just begun." Slade glanced at Red X, who was standing completely still and in silence. "Take note, apprentice. There are times when in order to get what you want, others need to suffer to make it happen. There can be no line you're not willing to cross for the sake of accomplishing your goals."

"I'll...keep that in mind." Red X said quietly. "But what about the earthquake she made? I'm willing to bet Batman knows where we are now."

"Fear not, the Batman will be of no consequence. Nonetheless, just in case, I do have a means of making sure his time is preoccupied...perhaps permanently so." Slade turned to go down the only passageway that hadn't been blocked off. "Take her back to her cell, I have a few last pieces of unfinished business to attend to. Be prepared to move out on my command. Come nightfall, we put the finishing touches on my master plan." Slade took a few steps, but then stopped as he turned back to Red X. "Oh, and before I forget, I suspect your suit is running low on xenothium. Here." He tossed Red X a vial of the unstable power source. "I want you at full power for your assignment. Failure is not an option."

"Got it." As soon as Slade left, he glanced over to Terra. He could feel his heart breaking for her. When he first saw her at her school, his heart picked up speed without his consent. Now, she was bruised and bloodied, cold, wet and hungry. Part of him wished he'd never come looking for her, he would have been spared the tragic scene before him. But the other part of him was more determined than ever. He had to help her, somehow. He slowly made his way over to her, trying to figure out the best way to approach this. "Look...I can't imagine what that must've been like...if it's any consolation, I didn't enjoy a single second of that."

"It's not."

"Yeah...I didn't think it would be."

"Look, don't talk to me. Just do what your master says and get lost."

"He's not my master."

Terra actually scoffed, sneering at Red X with a hateful gaze. "That's what I thought too. I thought Slade cared about me. But I was wrong. Now he's found another sucker to brainwash. What'd he promise you? Power? Freedom?"

"It doesn't matter." Red X sighed as he grabbed Terra by the arm, being as gentle as he could. Then he lifted her up, pulling her along to put her back in the punishment room. "I want you to know something." He whispered. "I'm not here to be Slade's apprentice...I came here to find you."

Terra raised an eyebrow skeptically. "That supposed to be funny?"

"I'm not laughing." Red X replied. "I've had my eye on you too...of course, I wasn't after revenge...I uh...I actually thought you were cute."

"Ugh." Terra groaned in disgust. "Trust me, it's best if you steer clear of me. Trouble seems to follow me everywhere I go, whether I want it to or not." She narrowed her eyes at Red X. "And if you're smart, you'll forget all about me and get out while you still can."

"I intend to get out. But not without you." Red X carefully helped her into the cell, which was still shining brightly. His thought that she'd been unable to sleep was right. "I know you have no reason to trust me, but I'm on your side. All I ask is that you let me handle this." He suddenly produced a red x blade from his hand, and he sliced into the wires powering the light, immediately causing the room to go dark. "Get some sleep...I can't get you out of here just yet, but I'm gonna try and bring you something to eat...maybe a towel so you can dry off or something."

Now Terra's expression was one of disbelief. "Why are you doing this? You don't even know me."

"Because..." Red X looked away. "I'd like to change that. I...I like you."

Terra blushed. "You're serious."

"I am." He decided in that moment to take a leap of faith, as he removed his mask and showed her his face. "My name is Jason Todd..." He said with his true voice. "And I know what it's like to do things I wish I could take back. But if there's one thing I've learned recently...it's never too late to change."

"You sound just like Beast Boy."

"Good. He's smarter than anyone gives him credit for...and he's my friend too...at least, I hope he still is." He placed his mask back on and turned to leave before Terra could ask what he meant. "I'll be back for you." He closed the cell door, and with his fists clenched, he marched through the demolished room, picturing just what he was going to do next. "I promise."

As far as Dick was concerned, Alfred had outdone himself yet again. The food, as always, was superb. He'd whipped up some small bacon, fig and arugula sandwiches on a baguette loaf, along with a thermos filled with freshly-made pumpkin soup. The combination sounded strange to be sure, but when everything was put together, it was delicious. His girlfriend appreciated the whole grain mustard thrown into the mix, and ate through almost all the sandwiches on her own. Dick couldn't help but wonder if her appetite had been affected by Ivy's serum. But she seemed happy enough, so he let the thought slide as he poured himself another glass of Alfred's recommended beverage option. It was a simple mix of apple cider, pineapple juice and ginger ale, but it was quite refreshing and did wonders in countering the smokiness of the bacon.

After taking another slow sip, he leaned back and looked up into the clear blue sky. Out in the afternoon sun, surrounded by the crisp autumn air, on a soft blanket with the most beautiful girl in the universe by his side...in this moment, life couldn't be better. "I'm glad we did this."

"As am I."

Probably the best thing about this whole diversion was that Starfire was smiling at him again. Whether it was as herself, or her alter-ego Kory Anders, her smile held the same charm and affection that made his heart melt whenever she used it. "How about your powers? Under control?"

Her smile faded slightly as she looked down at her free hand, the other holding a cup of Alfred's soup. "I believe I can maintain control." She lit up a starbolt, and this time she was only slightly surprised by how quickly it grew to her previously known full strength. "It will take time to fully get used to the increase. I feel as if I am only using half the energy to yield the same results I used to."

"So all in all, things worked out for the best." He said as he took another sip of his drink. "All Ivy managed to do was make you even stronger..." He hummed and put his drink down as he shifted closer to her, leaning on his elbow and shooting her a flirtatious gaze from below. "Why does that idea turn me on so much?"

Kory put down the soup next to her, and laid on her stomach so she could match his gaze directly. "Perhaps you and friend Lana have something in common. She likes powerful men...and perhaps you enjoy powerful women."

Dick grinned and started leaning in to steal a kiss. "You may have something there-"

"Forgive the interruption, Master Dick."

"Ugh." Dick groaned and plopped his face into the blanket for a moment, much to Kory's amusement as she giggled at his comical reaction. Then Dick turned so he was facing the elderly butler standing in the nearby doorway. "What's up, Alfred?"

"Miss Barbara Gordon called, she's apparently been trying to reach you since this morning."

Dick's eyes widened, and he reached for his cell phone, feeling around his pockets only to find out that he actually didn't have it with him. "Shoot. I dunno where I put it, I haven't seen it since we got here yesterday! Did she leave a message? Anything about the commissioner?"

"I'm afraid Commissioner Gordon is still in critical condition. However, she did leave a request that you come and see her as soon as possible. She made it abundantly clear that it's urgent she speak to you."

"Then we must not waste any time." Kory leaped up to her feet with a determined expression. "Our friend is in trouble, we must assist her." Then all of a sudden, the drinks on the blanket fell over as the ground began to shake, and Kory looked at her hands in confusion. "Perhaps I am not as in control as I believed...I did not think I used enough strength to create a tremor!"

"I...don't think that's you, Star..."

Then the shaking intensified, enough that the chandeliers in Wayne Manor began to swing. And just as soon as it started, it came to an abrupt stop. "That was quite the bizarre incident." Alfred said.

"Bizarre is right." Dick grabbed his mask and slapped it back onto his face, and he was about to make a call when his communicator started beeping in his hand. "Cyborg? I was just about to call you!"

"I figured. We just detected some serious seismic activity near Gotham City."

Robin raised an eyebrow. "You don't seem as excited as you should be. This could be the clue we've been looking for!"

"It would be, except..."

"Except what?"

"Well the tremor was extremely localized, and by the time the computer was able to start triangulating the epicenter...it was already gone." Cyborg sighed. "All we were able to do is narrow it down to all of Gotham City...sorry, Rob. We lost 'er."

A/N: And so Beast Boy was right. It was Terra. And the poor girl just can't catch a break, can she? What is Red X going to do to help her if he's trapped as Slade's apprentice? What's going on with Barbara? Where did Jinx run off to? All of these things will be answered in time. In the meantime, if you liked this chapter, please just hit the review button and leave a little comment telling me what you think! Until next time everyone!