Disclaimer: I do not own the Teen Titans, they are the registered trademarks of DC Comics, Cartoon Network and the WB.


The smoke cleared and the Titans found themselves facing a young man who looked to be in his late-twenties. He was handsome yes, but other than his chiseled aristocratic features and smooth alabaster skin he was also perfectly unremarkable in almost every way.

Almost when one barred the small, insignificant fact that he had six large black wings protruding from his back that seemed to disappear in the matching black tailored suit he wore.

Beast Boy and Cyborg had identical stunned expressions on their faces. Whatever they had been expecting an angel certainly hadn't been it. Starfire was enthralled in an almost childish delight at the sight of a man whom one could easily picture at the feet of the Divine. Robin was more reserved his hand had not wavered from its' position hovering slightly above his birdarang.

Raven's reaction was perhaps more startling than even the appearance of the winged stranger. Dropping to her knees before the man she bowed her head respectfully.

"Milord...to what do I owe this unexpected honor?" Still not moving from her position from the man's feet Raven's polite inquiry did not hide the apprehension she evidently felt at the stranger's arrival.

Bending slightly the new arrival grasped Raven's hand and guided her onto her feet.

"Raven there is no need for pretenses, you know as well as I that my coming can mean nothing good for you. Besides, it has been many years since I have seen my granddaughter turn around so I can look at you."

If the other Titans had reacted poorly to the site of Raven bowing to someone, the news that the interloper who looked no older than 28 was in fact her grandfather completely bowled them over.

"Whoa, whoa. Hold on a minute, you expect us to believe that you are Raven's Grandfather? You don't even look old enough to be her father let alone her grandfather!" As always Beast Boy's high-pitched yammering broke the silence.

Robin stepped forward now, no doubt trying to reassert his authority as leader over the rag-tag bunch of misfits. "Raven I think you have some explaining to do, but it would be best to continue this back at Titans Tower."

Before any of the Titans could tell whether or not Raven was going to listen to Robin Starfire raced forward arms flung out in preparation to envelope the man in one of her infamous bone-breaking hugs. Two feet away from the winged being she came to an abrupt halt as she slammed into a pulsating wall of black energy.

"Ow! ...Friend Raven why did you prevent me from greeting your grandfather? Was I not greeting him in the proper manner befitting one who's status affords him the title 'Grand'?" The green-eyed alien looked extremely distressed at the thought of offending her friend. Raven taking pity on her responded, "Star, you did nothing wrong, let's just hold off on any and all hugs at the moment, ok?"

Ravens attempt at appeasement seemed to work as Starfire's lower lip stopped trembling and she was once again safely ensconced in her perpetual state of oblivious naivety Although Raven's voice was even and unruffled the uneasy looks she kept shooting to the man who professed to be her grandfather betrayed an underlying sense of anxiety.

"All right y'all lets get in the T-Car and head home." Cyborg took the lead as he and the others moved to the car.

Neither Raven nor her companion moved.

"Friend Raven, are you not joining us in our quest to return to the Tower?"

"I'll meet you all there." A shadowy portal opened behind Raven and both she and the stranger were gone before the others could voice their protests.

Turning to Robin Beast Boy said, "Are you going to even bother telling me that there isn't anything weird about this whole situation?"

Robin continued on to the T-Car picking up the lead from Cyborg without showing any sign of having heard Beast Boy.­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­


Raven's grandfather surveyed the room. The dark colors, large bookshelves. And generally depressing aura was very much Raven. To his amusement a set of Greek comedy and tragedy masks were featured prominently in the room's décor, he appreciated the gesture; the masks were one of his divine symbols.

"Wait, don't tell me, this is your room."

Raven closed her eyes and let the deep rumbling baritone of her grandfather's voice sooth her. Of all her blood relatives her grandfather was her favorite...not that it meant all that much when one took into account his competition. Willing herself out of the trance she had fallen into she ignored his sarcastic query instead asking him a question of her own.

"Is my lord suffering from a mid-life crisis, or is there a reason for the dark angel guise?"

Her grandfather's response was simple. He turned back to Raven as he became encased in a cloud of black mist and when it receded a man with thick black hair streaked with silver, dark olive skin in his mid-thirties was left standing in elegant black clothing wearing a familiar smirk on his face.

"Raven, as impertinent as ever I see."

Raven gave a shadow of a smile at the more familiar form of her grandfather.

"Why are you here, grandfather?"

"Can't a man visit his favorite granddaughter without raising unwarranted suspicions?" The familiar glint of mischief in her grandfather's eyes warmed her.

"A man yes, but you are no man milord."

"Your sense of humor is impeccable, my dear."

"I am related to the infamous Dark God of trickery, mischief, and impending doom aren't I?"

Moros' amused countenance sobered. "Yes, you are and we've been watching you."

It was a simple statement and it succeeded in turning Raven's black blood to ice. Her mind started racing, thinking back to any and all actions since her departure from Azarath that could get her in trouble. She winced mentally recalling incidents that had once seemed innocent, even amusing, that now in her grandfather's presence seemed incriminating blows that testified to her general unworthiness.

"Calm yourself Raven; you've not succeeded in falling out of my favor just yet."

Somehow this failed to reassure Raven.

"My Lord there are numerous things to take into account when evaluating my behavior as a Titan..." Raven trailed off as she realized she was making excuses for her actions -- a practice she had always loathed.

"Certain events did provide excellent entertainment for Nemesis and me," Raven flinched at the mention of Moros' wife. A nice enough woman, whom Raven was fond of, if a little wary of—she was just a tad bit on the vindictive side. "But I must admit to being completely under whelmed by your performance as a Teen Titan. Even making allowances for keeping your cover there can be no explanation for your handling of the Terra situation.

First of all you ignored a premonition that warned you of a possible betrayal coming from Terra and let yourself be led astray by same sort of naïve desire to believe in the inner-good of mortals.

And then in battle you completely lost control of your temper and not only did it cost you the fight, in your lack of control you channeled far to much of your dark power and pulled your father from the far recesses of your mind, where he had been almost dormant, back to the surface."


Starfire broke the silence of the T-Car. "Robin, I do not understand, how can friend Raven's grandfather be friend Raven's grandfather when he appears to be so young?"

Beast Boy was already responding before Robin could even open his mouth. "I'll tell you how Star, he's a vampire that's how! I've always thought Raven would make a good vampire it only makes sense that her grandfather is one." Jubilant, Beast Boy sat back satisfied with his deductive capabilities.

Cyborg and Robin exchanged equally exasperated glances. Cyborg, in his characteristic sensitive way offered his opinion on Beast Boy theories.

"Man that is the stupidest thing I have ever heard!"

Beast Boy slumped down in his seat. He was only deterred for a moment before he continued with another outburst. "No way dude I'm totally right! Hear me out for a sec. She called the guy in the freaky wings 'My Lord', right? "Course she did because he's so the King of the Vampires, that's why he's got wings and that also makes Raven like Ashaka the Queen of the Damned like in that book she always reads!"

"First off BB, it's Akasha and secondly--" Cyborg picked up where Robin left off, "Raven would be a Princess not a Queen and lastly--"

"Raven is not a vampire!" Against the chorus of both Cyborg and Robin Beast Boy quailed. "Alright, jeez I was just saying is all." Beast Boy continued to mutter to himself under his breath.

Starfire said nothing but resigned herself to remaining confused until she could return to the Tower and question Raven herself.

When the Titans returned to the Tower there was no sign of either Raven of the strange man.

"Robin face it, we've searched the entire Tower twice, the only place they could be is in Raven's room."

"But it is Raven's room, no one should be in friend Raven's room! She has told us repeatedly to stay away from her domicile of sleep and you Robin have told me to respect the desire for aloneness."

"I know Star, and in any other circumstances you would be right in wanting to respect Raven's privacy but today she owes us all an explanation." Robin's level-headed argument reassured Starfire but failed to sway Beast Boy or Cyborg.

"Dude there's no way you're getting me anywhere near those vampires!"

"For the last time Beast Boy, Raven is not a vampire!"

"Oh yeah? Then explain why she has a coffin in her room." Starfire and Robin starred at Beast Boy, eyes comically wide with shock.

Starfire turned to Robin, "Robin, what is a coffin?"

"A coffin is...well, it's like a box...that you, er, put dead people in and then you bury the box underground." Robin tried to be as tactful as possible to avoid any potential difficulties with Starfire's emotion outbursts. He didn't appear to be successful as Starfire looked immensely distressed. Fortunately for Robin Cyborg provided a distraction.

"Man Raven doesn't have a coffin in her room! I should know, I was with you when we went in."

Beast Boy flushed, "There could have been, you never know we weren't in there long who knows what else she's got in there: animal sacrifices, voodoo rituals, blood drained from babies, souls of innocents all sorts of freaky stuff..."

Beast Boy trailed off as he realized the rest of the Titans were long gone, presumably to Raven's room. "Good luck guys I'll try to find your shrunken heads to bring to a shaman once they're done with you!" Snickering, Beast Boy congratulated himself on staying away from both Raven and the stranger, saving himself from what would no doubt be a grisly death for the rest of the Teen Titans.

"Who would be responsible for shrinking their heads, Beast Boy?" The familiar monotone voice stopped Beast Boy mid-laugh as he froze and prayed to any and all benevolent Gods that the person behind him wasn't who he thought it was.
A/N: Hope you all enjoyed this chapter. I'm still looking for a betareader if anyone is interested.