After an uneventful day, the Teen Titans spend the evening pursuing individual activities. Though Beast Boy and Cyborg's video game was fascinating, Robin couldn't seem to get into it with the same vigor he usually did. He watched for a while, but retired to his room to study. Raven had spent the evening in her room reading, and Starfire was listening to her stereo. Robin could tell because her room was on the other side of his. In fact, he was fairly certain she was singing along, too. Robin spent another hour on his quantum physics homework and then closed the books. He couldn't concentrate on it anymore but he wasn't sleepy either. Cautiously, Robin walked around to make sure everything was locked down for the night. Robin opened the door to the living room and found that even though Cyborg had given up long ago, Beast Boy had fallen asleep in front of the game still clutching a controller as though his life depended on it. Robin smiled at this. He picked up the remote from the back of the couch and clicked off the television as Beast Boy softly snored. Robin pulled out a throw blanket from a shelf and draped it over Beast Boy's lightly snoozing form. As he affectionately patted Beast Boy's shoulder, he could have sworn he heard the green-skinned Titan purr.
After making a complete circuit of the Tower, checking and rechecking the security system, Robin stared out the window, still unable to sleep.
"Fresh air," Robin murmured. "That's what I need." Robin quietly tiptoed out the front entrance of Titans Tower and walked briskly out to Starfire's garden. Finding a place near the large oak tree to sit, Robin stared up at the moon. It was full, and the milky silver light that issued from its surface was calming to his rattled nerves. The night breeze ruffled his spiked hair and Robin was reminded of better days. He and Raven had once gotten into this name-calling contest that went on for several days. It never ceased to amaze him what she could come up with to make fun of. Robin ran his hand through his hair as he remembered the morning she had told him that his spiky hair style looked like a porcupine's posterior. Robin cracked a grin as he remembered that Beast Boy and Cyborg had nearly choked to death on their food as they laughed. Terra had simply shaken her head, and Starfire...loveable, naïve, Starfire had only asked what a porcupine was. After recovering their wits, Beast Boy and Cyborg immediately turned their attention to Robin to see if he could come up with a suitable response. Raven watched out of the corner of her eye as she filled her tea cup.
"Better be careful, Raven," Robin had retorted. "Someone may need to call OPEC if yours gets any greasier."
Beast Boy was on the floor. Cyborg was laughing so hard tears issued from his eyes. Raven's tea cup turned black and then exploded and she left the room. When they saw her later, her hair had undoubtedly been washed.
Memories like these played in Robin's mind as he absorbed the night air until out of the corner of his eye, he thought he saw a person slinking along side the Tower. Instantly on high alert, Robin followed the apparent intruder and surprised whoever it was with a handful of his electric disks. The adversary pulled a staff from seemingly nowhere and easily swatted each disk from the sky. Robin pulled his own staff from its holster at his side and ran to do close combat with this apparently very skilled opponent. After a brief contact, the stranger hooked Robin with the end of her staff and threw him around behind her. As he flew through the air he felt a pair of ropes wind themselves around him, binding his wrists and ankles before he splashed down into the bay. Robin sank like a stone. He fought to right himself in the water but it was so dark he couldn't see which way was up. Just as he was using up the last of the oxygen in his lungs, a hand pulled him by his cape out of the water. Choking and sputtering, Robin shook with cold as he stared up into the masked eyes of his would-be nemesis.
"You saved me?" Robin coughed. "Why?"
"I did not recognize you at first, young Titan. Forgive me. Come, let us get you in out of the chill before you catch a cold," the stranger replied, removing her cape and draping around his shoulders as she untied him.
"But, who are you?" Robin asked, already a little less apprehensive.
"I am called ShadowFox," she answered.
"What are you doing here?" Robin asked.
"You ask many questions. I forgot that about you. I will explain all when you are inside. Come," ShadowFox replied, walking with Robin toward the tower. As they approached, Robin glanced up and winced as lights began to turn on inside the tower. His friends were awake. When Robin and ShadowFox arrived in the living room of the tower, Cyborg, Starfire and Beast Boy were gathered around the couch. The sound of soft crying was issuing from somewhere before them, and when Robin got closer, he saw Beast Boy seated on the couch with his arms around Raven. She hid her face in her hands and was trying hard to stop crying. Cyborg looked up from the scene and noted that Robin had brought home a new friend.
"Hey, Rob, perhaps now isn't the right time for company," Cyborg said.
"What is wrong? Is there something I can do?" ShadowFox asked.
"Not unless you know how to cure nightmares," Beast Boy snipped. "While you were taking a late night dip, Raven was telling us about what happened." Robin hung his head.
"If I may, it was not Robin's fault that he was not present. It was mine. Like a good leader, he assumed I was an enemy and was defending all of you and your home," ShadowFox replied.
"No offense or anything, but who are you?" Cyborg asked. ShadowFox approached the couch and sat down beside Beast Boy and Raven. Slowly, she pulled her mask away from her eyes and the Titans gasped in surprise.
"Dr. Ivanova!" Starfire cried.
After exhausting themselves with questions and explanations, the kids are nearly asleep half an hour later. The Titans, as though all they needed was the extra security of a mother figure, sat down around her and one by one all but Robin fall asleep. With his head resting on his knees, Robin looked at their guest.
"The guest rooms are on the fourth floor if you'd like to spend the night," Robin offered. ShadowFox smiled gently.
"Thank you, Robin, but due to some personal responsibilities, I cannot stay. I will make sure you are all asleep and then I will leave. I can use my telekinetic powers to reactivate the security system once I am out," ShadowFox said, still rubbing soothing circles on Beast Boy's back, even though he had fallen asleep across her lap long ago. Robin lifted Starfire into his arms as ShadowFox levitated Cyborg and Beast Boy. She carried Raven herself.
Fifteen minutes later, ShadowFox had plugged in Cyborg, turned off Beast Boy's still running video game, and kissed sleeping Raven's forehead as she tucked each of them in. Robin clicked on Starfire's flower shaped nightlight, and shuffled to his own room where ShadowFox pulled the covers up to his chin, ruffled his hair with her hand, smiled as his eyelids began to droop.
"I just wish we knew more about what Raven's going through. Maybe we could help her better or something," Robin murmured.
"No, Robin. It is not possible to explain. You cannot know the horror and fear she has faced unless you have touched upon it yourself." ShadowFox explains as she fights back tears. When Robin fell asleep, she turned off his desk lamp and quietly left the tower.
Dr. Ivanova walked quietly through a plain looking apartment building and timidly knocked on a door. The woman who answered the door smiled and admitted her in. Minutes later, Dr. Ivanova left the apartment carrying a small bundle. Climbing a flight of stairs and passing several other doors, she took her keys from her pocket and entered number 1231.
The two days later, shortly after breakfast, Raven returned to her room for her school books. She had gotten up today feeling like something was off balance, but she blew it off as part of the particularly stressful weekend. As she gathered her things, she glanced at the calendar on her wall. The little red symbol of a smiley with four evil-looking eyes was missing from this month. Raven bit her lip and pondered this. There were only a handful of things that an occurrence like that meant, but before she could invest too much thought into it, the crimson blinking alarm lights and siren went off in Titans Tower.
"Downtown! Titans, go!" Robin yelled. Raven's communicator went off seconds later.
"Raven, if you're feeling up to it we could really use your help!" Robin cried.
"Yes! Raven, please come with us!" Starfire added.
"I don't know if I should..." Raven murmured.
"I've got the cannon if you've got the whoop ass, Rae, let's go!" cried Cyborg. Siren abandoned her black backpack and took off down the hall to join the others.