Raventhedarkgoddess: Okay, I think I'm ready to write another chapter.

Terra: So what? Who cares, anyway?

Raventhedarkgoddess: The reviewers, dummy. Keep reveiwing. You guys are great. ^_^ And, without further adue, here's chapter five.

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Chapter Five: Another Loss

Robin wandered into the door, feeling sad and a little lost for the first time since he and the other Titans had moved into the tower. Normally, after a long battle, Raven and Starfire would be walking along ahead of him, talking and smiling. The lack of Raven standing in front of him and Starfire's sad, forlorn face only made him more upset than normal. Saying vague goodnights to the others, Robin walked up the stairs to his bedroom.

Robin flung himself lifelessly in front of his computer and clicked the internet explorer icon on his desktop. Robin had no idea what he was actually going to do, but he knew he couldn't sleep now. I'll just check my mail and listen to some music, the defeated teen thought. Up here, his gloomy thoughts and face couldn't affect the rest of the team. They were upset enough without him wrecking their moods.

"Huh?" Robin spotted a strange address among the names on his e-mail. The instant it was open, Robin heard the sounds of a female crying. No, Robin realized, not crying. Sobbing. And then a few whispered words. He recognized the voice almost imidiatly. Raven.

Robin slammed the delete key on his keyboard, but the sound had cut his heart like a knife. "What did he do to her?" Robin muttered aloud. Raven never cried, and now he'd heard her sobbing...If I find him, Robin vowed, I'm going to kick his ass.

Defensive about the little bird, aren't you? That annoying, nagging voice was back again. You know what, he silently shot back, maybe I like her. What's it to you? Then Robin turned and hit his head off the wall. No, this was all wrong. He liked STARFIRE, not Raven. Raven was just a teammate. It was natural to feel this concerned, right?

Wrong. Robin wouldn't admit it, but he knew he had fallen for Raven. Logging offline, Robin decided to go do a sweep of the city by himself. Getting up, Robin walked silently down the hall, mounted his motorcycle, and sped off into the night.

Starfire, her hair over the edge of her bed, heard footsteps in the hall outside her bedroom. Perhaps, she thought, one of the other Titans is still awake and would wish to talk to me. Starfire got up and followed the person down the hall.

It was Robin, but something in the way he stood told her to back off. Throwing on his helmet, Robin climbed aboard the motorcycle. Starfire decided to follow Robin. Although it was the middle of the day, Robin was as tired as the rest of them and Starfire felt he might need assistance.

Robin had the feeling he was being watched, but every time he turned around, saw nothing. so, shrugging, Robin decided to check out the nearest building. He was in the part of town that Terra had checked yesterday, and Robin decided that she was the most likely to have missed something. Or, he thought with fury, she didn't check at all.

Robin walked in and recognized the layout. The same one haunted him in his dreams at night. This was, without a doubt, Slade's new lair. And, he thought triumphantly, if I find Slade, then Raven is around.

Starfire decided she may as well go in after Robin. Leaning on the wall wasn't helping, and Robin could need help. So, without thinking of the dangers, Starfire ran in after Robin.

Robin looked around the dimly lit room. Not a soul in sight, Robin thought. He edged forward warily, carefully looking for any traps. Starfire followed quietly behind him, wondering if she should let Robin know she was here. Suddenly, a large hand caught around her mouth and she was dragged away.

Robin heard a noise and wheeled around, but could still see nothing. Cursing the dim light, Robin kept edging forward.

Raven lay on her bed, many hours after her breakdown. She'd cried herself into a heavy sleep and woken up with a pounding head. No more crying, she thought. I've got to get out of here. Each time, however, she tried to use her powers, the blast was usually deflected at her head. The whole room, between her tears and attempts, was in a chaotic state.

Without warning, the door unlocked and slammed into the wall. Fury welled up in Raven as she saw who it was. Slade stood there, and grabbed her wrist. "Robin's here," Slade said, but he said it with a chuckle that made Raven feel something was really wrong. Raven got up and followed, her mind jumping at the thought of Robin. Had he come for her?

Robin stepped into the center of the large room, glancing around. "Hello, Robin." Slade looked at him with a sense of glee in his eyes. "Giving up?"

"Not on your life!" Robin stared boldly ahead, daring Slade to challenge him.

"Fine." Slade snapped his fingers, and a swarm of robots that looked identical to the real Slade came out. One, Robin realized with a pang, was holding onto the wrist of Starfire.

Robin began his usual routine. Flip, kick, take down two...The one holding Starfire was evading his blows. Robin, as he ducked low, noticed that Slade was sitting down, next to..."Raven!"

"Help!" Starfire was being dragged now, toward the door. Robin looked from one girl to the other. Raven was stuck here with Slade, and Starfire was being taken...Raven or Star...Robin made the move toward Raven, but then Starfire screamed. turning almost in mid-jump, Robin ran toward Starfire.

Raven watched him, with almost all of her hope dying. She had thought, for one fleeting second, that Robin might care about her more than anyone else, and then he'd turned around. Slade grabbed her wrist. "Go and stand in the back hall. Do so or you will die." Raven did as she was told.

Robin wheeled back around, Starfire behind him, to face Slade. "Let Raven go!" Starfire and Robin readied their weapons. Slade just reached over and hit the self-destruct button on his computer.

"I don't think so. Twenty-four more hours, Robin!" Slade ran into the back hallway, only to find Raven waiting. She did not look at him or speak at all as they left the burning building.

Starfire tugged on Robin's arm. "We must go now, Robin." He was staring at the platform where Slade and Raven had been, mouth open and eyes sad. "Robin!" Starfire grabbed his shirt and flew out, the two of them leaving just before the building collapsed. "You have almost gotten us both killed!"

"Sorry, Star. Why did you follow me, anyway?" Robin felt a small bit of rage at her. If she hadn't followed, or at least hadn't screamed, Raven would be out of Slade's hands. And maybe, added that sly voice, she wouldn't hate you now.

"I am sorry, Robin." Starfire looked at him, hard. Robin stared back into her eyes, but for him, they no longer held warmth and love. He didn't understand it, except for the fact that Starfire couldn't be his girlfriend anymore. Now he understood it. He felt like he'd hurt himself, leaving Raven. He really did like her.

"Come on, Star." So, both of them climbing onto the motorcycle, they headed home while the building burnt to bits behind them. He had just, thanks to Slade, suffered another loss, and could really kill him for it.

Somewhere across town, Lecita saw the building burn. That meant the Titans had invaded him, and he'd be moving to his new lair. Lecita wondered how she could tell Slade that she was mad. And then the idea hit her. All I have to do, she thought, is tell the Titans where his lair is. And so, in the dying sun, Lecita threw her cloak on and headed for Titan Tower.

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Raventhedarkgoddess: Okay, chapter five.

Terra: Why? Who cares?

Raventhedarkgoddess: I told you, they do and I do. Please review. Hey, I'm a poet who don't know it.

Terra: She's hopeless.