"I want to thank you," said Raven, drawing herself up regally before the gathered heroes. She cradled the stone protectively in her hands. "Thanks to your heroics we have managed to stave off disaster and save your world from destruction. Moreover you have helped me win a major battle against my enemy. And some of you," she added, glancing meaningfully at Beastboy, "Have helped me to save my soul. I am grateful."

"So are we," said Robin. "We're glad you called us all together. Otherwise we might not have won."

Silence reigned for a short while after that, each of them remembering all those instances when things could have gone wrong. If they'd been any slower, if they'd been any weaker, if they'd held back in any fashion, if any of them had fallen... they'd have lost.

"I will take the stone then, and place it somewhere safe," intoned Raven, breaking the silence. The wind rustled through the wasteland, blowing her cloak and letting it flap loosely around her shoulders. "Then I should return to my home. However..." she added hesitantly. "I cannot re-open a portal to my home for another few weeks, when the lunar alignment is correct. It seems I am without home for the time being."

"You could always crash with us," offered Cyborg. "BB and me got us a sweet deal on this apartment in downtown Jump, its big enough for a guest for a little while."

"I accept," said Raven, turning to depart. "I shall find you once the stone is secure."

With that, Raven was engulfed in black shadows in the form of her namesake, and then vanished before their eyes in the afternoon sunlight.

"Uhm," came a meek, hesitant voice, drawing all eyes to Starfire in moments. "I too am without home at the moment. Might I, uhm... 'crash' at someone's place as well?"

Robin smiled reassuringly, giving the Tamaranian girl a comforting pat on the shoulder. "Sure Star, you can stay with me... at least until we decide what to do with you."

"Oh thank you friend Robin!" she replied graciously, floating up alongside him.

As one, the gathered heroes headed back towards Jump City. Beastboy was already talking about the first thing he'd do when he got back home. Which seemed to be contesting between showering (since he was covered in dust and grime) and eating enough tofu bean burritos as to be considered a bio-hazard. Starfire floated alongside him, listening with rapt attention to him describe the wonders of life on Earth.

Cyborg and Robin walked a short distance behind the other two, safely out of earshot. Cyborg's internal repairs had enabled his legs to properly walk again, though with a stumble, and Robin was keeping close by so he wouldn't fall. But he also wanted a chance to speak to him.

"You don't think this is over either, do you?" he began, without preamble.

"Great minds think alike," quoted Cyborg, nodding his head. "Too easy. If this demon dude is as bad as Raven says, he ain't gonna take losing kindly. He'll be back for more."

"Then we have to be ready for him," said Robin enthusiastically. "All of us."

"Great minds indeed," said Cyborg again, with close to something of a smirk on his face. The gear in his mind (both literally and figuratively) were turning. He was formulating a plan. "You got wheels, Boy Wonder?"

"Bike can be here in ten if I give it a call, why?" asked Robin, already activating the remote-control on his utility belt to call the Robincycle.

"Loan it to me. Gotta take a ride."

Far away from Jump City, the lab of Dr. Silas Stone stood, on the edge of the city in which its only occupant worked. A brilliant man in the field of technology and, more importantly, cyber-robotics, Silas Stone was also very quiet, withdrawn individual, preferring to have as little to do with visitors as possible. His lab was usually always sealed, the security guard outside forbidding entrance to all but individuals of the highest importance.

Like today.

A shadow fell over Dr. Stone as he continued his work, which at the moment was reconstructing a broken mechanical arm he'd been trying to fix for the past week or so. A very broad shadow. Silas turned around, shocked and surprised by who his guest was.

"Hey dad," said Cyborg.

"My god, Victor," said Silas. The elder and younger Stones hadn't spoken to each other in nearly a full year now, ever since the accident that had claimed Elinore Stone, Cyborg's mother. Silas rushed forward, giving his son a hug, which Cyborg returned. All the bitterness their last words had caused to one another was wiped away, and they were happily reunited as father and son.

"Victor, what happened to you?" asked Silas, getting a good look at his son. He looked badly beaten up, damaged, his shiny chrome steel battered and broken and dented in a multitude of places.

"Long story dad. Listen... I know its been a while, but I want to ask a favor of you."

"A favor?"

"Yeah… I can repair myself up fine, I've been doing it for a while now so I'm used to it. But I wanted to start a special project with you dad."

"A special project?" asked the elder Stone, taken aback. It had been too long. The elder and younger stone had often done such projects years ago, starting from the day Victor had built a go-cart in the family garage all the way through his early years, assisted by his father. The last one, when Cyborg had cannibalized and re-built his own computer from scratch, had been just before the accident that had torn the two of them apart.

"I a very, -very- special project," said Cyborg.

Starfire peered up curiously at the home belonging to her newfound friend Robin. It wasn't very much, particularly when set against her own standards as a Princess being used to the huge palace back home. But it was filled with all manner of interesting things to catch and hold her attention. From the phone that rang half scared her to death before Robin showed her it was a communication device, to the strange red and white cans containing a drink he called "cola." It had a refreshingly cool taste to it.

"I thank you again for your hospitality, friend Robin," she said, laying down on his own single bed. He was sleeping on the floor in what he'd called a sleeping bag, much like the cocoons on Ke'ty'l IV. It made her smile. But it also made her feel safe, knowing he was nearby. He was every bit as great a protector as Galifore back home, despite his smaller stature and diminished strength. No, perhaps he was even greater.

"It's okay Starfire," he said, lying on his back. His mask still covered his face, he wasn't quite sure he was ready to show her who he really was behind it. "Tomorrow we'll try and contact your home world. I'm sure maybe the League will be able to relay something all the way to Vegas."

"Thank you," she said, lying her head back on the surprisingly soft pillow beneath her head. In moments, she was asleep.

But Robin was not. He wouldn't sleep that whole night. As soon as he heard her soft, gentle snores coming from the bed he slipped out of his sleeping bag and quietly made his way to the laptop positioned on his desk. He worked with the utmost quiet, trying not to disturb his guest. As he suspected, he'd received an e-mail from Cyborg. He opened it up, peering through the information he was sending him.

What he saw both impressed and amazed him. The man certainly knew what he was doing.

He typed into the keyboard, peering at the screen as he sent his message back to Cyborg.

Sender:

Receiver:

Message: Good work. I will handle the rest. You deal with your end.

Message sent, he started to go over other things. Specifically, the repair and redesigning of his equipment, since after tonight's encounter, he was going to need to kick things up a notch to stay on par with his newfound teammates.

No, his newfound friends.

A few days passed. Raven returned from her jaunt to the unknown to hide the stone in what she hoped was a place inaccessible to the Zornians, or any others who might serve her dark father. As it was, she believed she had. Counting on the stone's indestructible nature (unless soaked in innocent blood, of course) she'd placed it as far away from humans and in an inaccessible place to them as well. The molten center of the Earth. She doubted anyone short of her father could get it now, and he was safely sealed away. He'd have to find another way.

So Raven returned, spending her time with Cyborg and Beastboy, though they irritated her to no end with their hobbies and their habits. Beastboy in particular, with his constant tofu food cooking, singing, making jokes. It was enough to wear on Raven's nerves. Cyborg wasn't in much. He was busy working on a secret project. So was Robin. He was working to try and help Starfire contact the Vegas system, so far without any luck. But he was also working on another project that not even she knew of.

However, another week passed, a short two days before Raven would leave them, that all became clear to the gathered heroes.

Cyborg came across Beastboy and Raven, inviting them to follow him for "a surprise." Robin had made a similar offer to Starfire. The five teens met up on the docks of Jump City. Today was an usually foggy day, they could barely see their hands in front of their faces, as they boarded a specially chartered ship and headed out into the bay for an unknown destination.

"So what is this big surprise you wanted to show us, Cy?" asked Beastboy, shivering slightly in the cool, damp morning air.

"Patience BB, we'll be there soon."

"Is our surprise and there surprise the same surprise?" asked Starfire, indicating the other three heroes. Robin nodded, sharing a smirk with Cyborg. They'd planned well for this, it seemed. "Oh wonderful, I am enjoying the surprises!"

"We'll be there soon," said Robin.

The gathered heroes waited in silence. A vigilante, a machine, a metamorph, a princess and a mystic, they all watched on the horizon as a shape became visible in the fog. An island in the middle of the bay, previously untouched by Jump City officials until a week ago, when it had been purchased on the behalf of Dr. Silas Stone. And another shape came into view as well as the sun finally pierced through the fog, illuminating the island. It reflected off the bright metal of the object, nearly blinding some of the heroes as they peered up at it, waiting for the light to dim so they could see it properly.

It was a T. A great huge building in the shape of a huge T, that looked as advanced as anything any of them had ever seen. State-of-the-art.

"Welcome," said Cyborg, taking up the role of tour guide. "To Titan's Tower."

As one, the gathered heroes had made their way into the living room of Titan's Tower, led their by Cyborg. They were now beyond impressed, they were in awe. The doors slid shut behind them with a soft hiss, showing them a wonderful room filled with everything any of them could ever want. A tiny kitchen, stocked full of foodstuffs, a giant big screen tv, complete with gamestations and games, a computer desk, and a stereo system that could've literally blown the clothes off of a super-villainess if turned up to full volume.

"Wow," said Cyborg. He too was impressed, not having expected quite so much from his father. He'd outdone himself. "Good work dad," he whispered to himself.

"Wondrous," said Starfire, rifling through the food in the fridge. "This is all truly amazing!"

"Dude, this is amazing!" said Beastboy, rummaging through the videogames strewn out on the floor before the game station. He'd never seen some of them, they were brand new.

"Impressive," stated Raven, admiring a collection of books along the far wall. "But what has this to do with us?" she asked aloud, directing her question at Cyborg and Robin.

Cyborg graciously turned over the imaginary podium to Robin, stepping aside. All the others listen attentively as the seventeen-year-old Boy Wonder drew himself up to his full height and addressed them. He paused briefly, his throat dry, and took a moment to look at his audience. His teammates. His friends.

"A few weeks ago," said Robin. "We saved the world. We did something together that none of us would have been able to do alone. And I think, that if we stay together as a team we can do a lot more good in the world. We can be a force to fight for truth and justice."

"And pizza!" joked Beastboy. Robin allowed himself a smirk at that.

"We can be…," he went on dramatically. "… the Teen Titans."

A hush came over the room as he held up the redesigned communicator that Cyborg and he had made, a small thick disk with the stylish white T logo emblazed on it, with a short antennae. Cyborg and Robin had come up with the name, thinking back to one of their favorite classic movies, Clash of the Titans.

"Well you know I'm in," said Cyborg, holding up his own communicator.

"Me too!" said Beastboy, accepting one of the communicators from Robin and placing it on his belt.

"I as well," said Starfire enthusiastically, admiring the communicator in her hand like it was a beautiful gemstone before placing it on her belt as well.

Raven merely nodded, accepting the communicator. But as she did, she felt she'd joined more than a team. She glanced over at Cyborg, who nodded knowingly at her. Here, at least, she could be among peers. People she could relate to. People she could be... normal... around.

"This'll be our home and our base of operations," said Robin. "We've had everything worked out with Jump City officials. They'll sanction any actions we take to stop the bad guys here. And we've already arranged to have Cyborg's and Beastboy's things moved into their respective rooms." He paused then, glancing at the female members of the team present. "I'm afraid we couldn't really get anything for you two, though we've set aside space."

"Oh, I shall gather my things," said Starfire, zipping up into the air. "I fear I left them in the woods where I landed, so very far away. I hope they are still there," she said, flying out towards a window.

"Star wait...!"

She crashed clear through the glass window, barely noticing its presence as she flew up into the air graceful as a bird, heading to find her things. Robin peered up out the broken window, watching her depart.

"I got a spare window down in the basement," said Cyborg, half-expecting this. "I'll go get one."

"I'll give you a hand," said Beastboy.

"I will obtain my own things," intoned Raven. "Now that the lunar alignment is correct I can simply have them transported from my home here."

"Sure, I'll show you your room," said Robin, leading the dark mystic to it.

"An interesting idea these... Teen Titans. We could all benefit greatly from one another."

"I sure hope so," said Robin.

Starfire returned perhaps an hour or so later, drifting down to the rooftop. She was delighted to note that Robin was there waiting for her.

"Hey Star... find everything you needed?" he asked.

"I did," she said, a satchel of some unknown alien hide slung over her shoulder. "It is not much though, I fear."

"It's fine, we'll drop by the mall if you need anything else."

"Mall?" she asked quizzically.

"I'll explain later," he said. "Oh, and we've rigged up a interstellar system here to transmit mail. You can send some to your home world."

"Oh wonderful joyous news!" she cried out, grabbing Robin in a bone-crushing (literally) bear hug then zipping past him and into the Tower to contact Galifore on Tamaran, leaving her satchel behind. Robin smiled as he watched her go, delighted he'd made her happy. Then, wringing out his body and making sure his ribs weren't broken, he bent down to grab up her satchel and carry it to her room.

Problem is, he ended up dragging it instead of carrying it.

Cyborg was waltzing down the corridor with the great glass window slung under his arm, whistling a merry tune to himself as he happened to pass by Raven's new room. He spotted a book lying on the floor and, curious, reached down to pick it up, placing the glass against the side wall.

"The Book of Azar," he read aloud, seeing its title. Then he shrugged. He dunno what it meant but it must've been Raven's. She was the only one really into books. He knocked on her door, then slid it open perhaps a few inches. "Hey Rae, found a ... a..."

Darkness filled the room, dark and nearly impenetrable. Through it, he could barely make out a blue-cloaked figure sitting in the darkness in a cross-legged, meditative stance. He saw in Raven's hand a small mirror, though instead of her face reflected in the glass he saw only four reddish eyes glaring out at him. As quickly as the door opened it slammed shut.

"Not now," growled Raven's voice through the door. "Do not come in my room. It's dangerous."

"Uh... yeah... sure, sorry," said Cyborg, blinking his eyes fearfully. He hesitantly laid the book down in front of her door again. "Just trying to return your book."

A black aura surrounded the book, the door slid open, and the book was seemingly sucked inside by a black tentacle, then abruptly slammed shut again. Cyborg made a mental note, then and there, not to go back in. And from that day forward, that was Raven's room.

No one went in Raven's room.

Beastboy, meanwhile, was rummaging through the kitchen, searching for some food. Not just any old food either. Tofu. Beastboy was a very staunch vegetarian, which wouldn't have surprised anyone who knew him. A boy who could transform into any animal alive tended to have a respect for not eating such animals in his humanoid form.

However, he'd just found some tofu and was preparing to cook it when a sudden blaring alarm went throughout the entire Tower. As one, the Titans converged on the central room, abandoning their former tasks.

"What are these bright lights and pounding sounds?" asked Starfire. "Is this something good?"

"Nu-uh, bad," guessed Beastboy, though he didn't have any idea either.

"I set up the system to alert the Titans if there's a crime going on the police can't handle," said Cyborg, crouching over Robin as he leapt into the computer chair and typed in to find out what the problem was.

"Got it, there's a monster called Plasmus tearing up a pizza place just east of here."

"Well then what're we waiting for?" asked Beastboy.

"Nothing," replied Cyborg.

Robin smirked and stood, looking at the team before him. Whoever or whatever Plasmus was, he didn't stand a chance.

"Titan's! Go!"

Author's Notes:

Cyborg's father was the original creator of Titan's Tower, though the animated series seems to suggest perhaps Cyborg built it, or at least worked heavily on it ("... -my- security system..." Betrayal). Again, the coming together of the Titans was heavily influenced by the Justice League episode 'Secret Origins,' though I tried to make it as different as possible considering the circumstances. The book of Azar was seen briefly in 'Fractured' as it was flown around by Larry. The remarks concerning Raven's room are, of course, fairly common throughout the animated Titan series in one variation or another. Basically, off-limits. And now group intricacies start to come into play. Next time: as promised, the origins of Slade and Terra.

Elrohirthewriter: Isn't it just though? Pure Justice League… I like that. Makes it sound dramatic. Glad you liked the use of bugspray. I'd originally planned for holy water but that might bring up religious references and I tend to avoid those if at all possible. And nah, the goth chicks are always the most dangerous. Never underestimate.

Sandman Cometh: Wow, the opinion of someone who's watched the cartoon -and- read the comics. I feel now that I have actually done the right thing. Actual episode? Nah, too long… direct-to-DVD Teen Titan's movie though. Heck, I'd watch it.

Koriand'r Star: Raven picked up the stone, read back, she picks it up right before they flee. And as you can see here, she deals with it. As to her telepathy, I had originally intended to explain it, but that was before I saw "Haunted." Turns out animated Raven -is- telepathic. So no need to explain. Glad you enjoyed Robin's "ultimate" weapon and the Justice League entrance. And yeah I agree, the Titans aren't save the world. They're city at most, really.

Todd fan: -Sends over Livewire to jolt your brain-. Clear! Clear! Damnit don't die on us, we need you! Clear!! Just glad you're still reading and enjoying it, Todd fan.

Nightbolt101: I might. We'll see what happens. Glad you're enjoying the story. No such thing as a too-long review. I love long reviews. They're so deliciously scrumptious. Mmmmm… reviews.

Gijinka Renamon: Mmmhmmm. But just those two, no one else. They're the only ones who have enough back history to work with. But yes I've been working hard on those two. Still am, in fact, but they'll be ready shortly.

Jin: Wow, okay, way to scare the heck out of me. Glad you're enjoying your find.

TheGeek: Plenty more where that came from, just sit tight and hold on to your spandex!

ViciousAssassin: Ah yes but if I put them all together all at once it would seem perhaps a trifle… stale? It's been done, after all. Cyborg's aim was up, Robin's warning was just a precaution. But you can't take your time when its life or death situation. Glad you enjoyed the JL reference, everything else you mentioned is above I think. As for Robin's belt… enough. It holds enough.

Milnipwuserloop2: Oh I shall, believe me. Patience though. I need to work within continuity, it's a little nitpick of mine. When the show is over, as with Evo, I shall write so many stories you will not recognize the Titans when I am done with them. Did you enjoy the finale? Oh, and hope you enjoy the epilogue coming next.

Tigress419: Oh of course not, this is a Teen Titan story and I'll focus on the Teen Titans. But even they need back-up every once in a while. Glad you're still enjoying the story, the final chapter and epilogue are coming up.

Spazzfire: Meh. Math is for chumps. Count the shells maybe. Hehe, glad you liked the secret weapon and its execution. And yeah, you could've defeated the Ravager. Maybe. I doubt it though. I made him one bad mo-fo.

Tink: Oh that wasn't it. Nor is this. I've got one more. Fiery passion? Cool. Just back off, this fic likes to stay single so it can mingle with the other fics.

WildSpiritofDarknesss2: Well think of it this way, in this particular story I made them practically back-up for the Titans, so they got the grunt work. Pity you don't like 'em, I imagine someday the Titans will grow up to be something like them.