A/N: (Stares at her new silver nail polish) Ooooo, shiny.... Uh, ahem, anyway. That last batch of reviews was pathetic yo! There seems to be a pattern here, you guys tend to not review when I have a cliffhanger. (Leers) And so, I got back at yall. See I could have had this chapter out yesterday, but since the amount of reviews was so minute, I delayed it until I had two chapters finished. SEE?! TOLD YA I WAS EVIL!!! Okay not really, but I can act pretty good can't I?

"I have lied to you, Raven, but for reasons you have also lied to me as well. If you let me explain before you judge me, I will do the same for you." Raven bit her bottom lip, it sounded fair, which was the problem. She wanted him to explain himself, but she didn't want to tell him anything. Still, it was only fair. She nodded and let him continue.

"The enchanted book use to by a diary of mine, but what you might have read of it and what was originally put down is probably vastly different. To begin with, I myself am what is called a Crystal Dragon, that is a dragon who has cleansed himself of a frightful demonic nature that they were born with. Yes, many dragons are rather 'evil', but the concept of the Chinese Yin-Yang holds true for us as well as for humans. In this case, my darkness was chocking my light. So I cleansed myself, unfortunately, this resulted in a separation of my being into two persons. Rorek and Malchior." He explained. Raven closed her eyes for a moment, taking in what she had just heard, and then opened them. She bid him to go on.

"My darkness and I wedged a constant war, one in which I was continuously bettering myself to win, and he was also doing the same. Most of our battles resulted in standstills, draws, or half-wins, but never victory. I was haunted by the demon my darkness had become, a fierce and feared dragon, claming a mighty castle for his own and becoming more powerful as I became more powerful. Eventually I realized that we would never be able to surpass each other, when one gained more power, so did the other. So I began studying to find a different way. And then I finally discovered a spell that would seal Malchior away, for good I had hoped.

"I trapped him in my book, but changed the pages least anyone should find it. It was, after all, my diary. I'm sure you can understand the things I didn't want anyone else to realize about me, even if I was gone by the time they found it.

"I didn't seal the book away with an impossible spell, I kept it with me. You see, it can't be destroyed, and even if it could, I would be killed along with it. Though I tried to completely separate myself from Malchior, I was never wholly able to purify myself of the dot of darkness in my white yin-yang. That's why I found your form of meditation so interesting, and also why I began admiring you. You are able to do something that I have spent my whole life trying to accomplish." He told her.

Raven shook her head, "No, you're wrong. Just because I told you the goal of that meditation, doesn't mean I have reached it. But go on." She told him.

"Right. Anyway, I did, in fact, find a seer. And she told me that one day Malchior would once again rise, and that I would have to preserve my power to defeat him. But I didn't do it by taking a page from the book, instead I placed an old spell on the book as well as the jewel I sealed myself in. I wanted to try and find a way of destroying us both. You see, even though I would die if the book was destroyed, he would not if I was. But if he were brought to life it wouldn't matter who died, the other would live. I'm not sure why it is that way, but I think the book itself has a more direct bond with my being because it use to be my diary." He explained. "I came here with the sole intention of reclaiming the book, but then..." His face went a little red and he looked back at her. He then took her hands into his own, "Raven, please don't hate me, I would have told you but I was...afraid." He said.

Raven blinked, "Afraid?" She questioned.

"Of what you would think of me, of how you would react when I told you the truth. You were already rather hostile towards me, and with good reason, but when I felt we were friends I...just didn't want you to know that about me. What do you think of me now, Raven?" He asked.

What did she think of him? That was a good question, but still a question she could hardly believe he was asking her. Raven averted her eyes, he thought he had an unfavorable origin, and past, but it was nothing, nothing compared to her own. She didn't hate him, quite the contrary, now she felt they might even have something more in common. Accept, her demons were still there.

Rorek seemed to think she had given him the answer with her bowed head and removed his hands, "Raven, I...I know I'm not worthy of you, but I just—"

"Don't, don't you dare pity yourself over that. So you're a dragon, big deal." She then looked up at his eyes and gave him a severe look, "Yeah, you have a lot to be ashamed about. You tried to rid yourself of your darkness, you spent your life fighting against it so that you could be a pure being. So don't you dare say you're not worthy of anything, because if you do, then I will hate you. You think you're the only one with a past to be ashamed of? With something they hate about themselves? Try the entire population of earth. Very few people have lead clean lives. You have nothing, nothing to be ashamed of. Your darkness becoming another being probably couldn't have been helped, and it isn't your fault." She told him.

"But I've lied to you and—"

"That doesn't mean a thing. I have lied to you, we all have. Everyone lies to cover up what they don't want to be discovered." She told him.

There was a pause there, when they just looked at each other for a minute, and then Rorek couldn't help himself, he wrapped his arms around her and pressed his lips to hers.

It was gentle, but much deeper and longer than their first 'kiss', and this time she kissed him back. His lips were warm and soft, very gentle and, once again, completely the opposite of Malchior's. He held her closely, but he wasn't forcing her against him. He caressed her cheek, but only because she let him. He didn't push his tongue into her mouth, he didn't mash his lips onto hers, and all she could feel from him was love. No lust or hunger, just a gentle warmth.

"My mother was a woman named Arella, she was used by a satanic cult in dark, evil rituals until she was offered up as a sacrifice to a demon lord named, Trigon." Raven began.

"Trigon?!" Rorek exclaimed, recognition flashing in his eyes, which was going to make this that much harder to say. "How—"

"Just, let me finish." She told him. He bit his lip and nodded. She then closed her eyes so she wouldn't see his face and took in a deep breath. "But instead of devouring her, Trigon took her as his bride and raped her." She heard a sharp intake of breath and held up her hand to stop him from saying anything. "She fled to a place called Azarath, where demonic children are cared for and raised. There I grew up, and I was taught how to suppress my emotions, for they are dangerous to others, and to myself. If I ever completely loose control, Trigon will be resurrected and I will become the demon I have spent all of my life fighting. So, you see? We both have things we are ashamed of." She told him, finally opening her eyes.

His expression was a mixture of surprise, and admiration. "I think, I understand you much better now, Raven. Your immense power, and your dark exterior...Is there any way to free yourself?" He asked.

"I have to overcome my father's influence, that's what my meditation is for. As of yet I have been unable to completely break free...though once I..." She trailed off and looked down and shook her head.

"What?"

"It's nothing. But now, I think you have a little more explaining to do." She said, motioning to the bandage on his neck.

Rorek looked down, "I was...hoping they weren't real, hoping it was just my...well...that I was...attracted, to you, that caused the first dream. And then the second, I really did hear you screaming in my mind that time, I dreamed that I was the one who...um..."

"Yeah." She finished.

"But then, when I went to check on you...I was hoping I could poke my head through your door and find you fast asleep in your room, instead I saw you walking back to your room from the bathroom. I had hoped it was just a coincidence. But then tonight..." his hands turned to fists, "I, I'm sorry, I couldn't do anything! He brought me there, to watch him, to taunt me, to torment me. He made me watch you through his own eyes, and I..." He then swallowed hard. "When I woke up, the pain in my neck hadn't left, I found blood there. I was praying, wishing with all my might that it had all been Malchior's doing, that it wasn't really you in those dreams, just an illusion. But then I heard your muffled scream. It wasn't enough that it woke the others, obviously, but it was enough that I could hear it in the stillness."

It was a very uncomfortable situation, for both of them, but it seemed Rorek was taking this much harder than she initially was. Raven was slightly encouraged by this, so she put her hands on his. "It's my turn again." She said. He looked up and she gave him a gentle kiss before she 't get free from the book on his own, I don't think he ever could have. He needed someone else, someone with a magical understanding and enough power to use the counter curse. At first he was merely another story that I was reading, a story about a wizard called Malchior of Nall who faced and defeated the dread dragon Rorek. And then he talked to me...At the time, I wasn't as close to the other titans as I like to think I am now. I felt like I was completely alone, that no one understood me or really cared. I was easy pray for Malchior, he used my loneliness against me, he taught me more than I could have ever hoped to learn. He tricked me, he played off my feelings, using my desperation as a way to make me think I loved him, and also making me think he loved me back. Then I released him and realized, too late, that it was Malchior who had been the dreaded dragon in the story, and that he had changed the names. I used the spell I had learned by reading the book itself and was able to seal him back. After that I put him, and all the books of magic he had filled my room with, into a secret hiding place where I kept all the things I had, but wished I didn't."

"So...that's why...I wasn't sure how Malchior had broken the spell, I figured he might have been able to gather up and store enough power to break free." Rorek said, a considering look on his face.

"Rorek, I...when I first saw you...well...that's the reason I was so...so hostile towards you. Malchior...broke me, and you looked so much like, and acted so much like the person he had pretended to be...I almost couldn't handle it." She told him.

"I knew." He said.

"What?"

"When I saw you the first time, I saw the recognition in your eyes, I knew you had seen Malchior in my image, but at the time I wasn't sure what it had meant." He explained. She nodded and let out a deep breath. There was a pause for a bit, and then, "So, what now?" He asked.

"Hm?"

"Do we tell the others? Or do we try to handle this on our own? I think you're safe from Malchior for a while, you scared him more than me, and I was the one who suffered the injury." He said with a lighthearted voice.

"I think we should probably tell the others, if only so we'll have some support if things go awry. I've learned the hard way that it isn't a good idea to keep these kinds of things secret for a long time." She answered.

"How do you think they'll take it?" he asked her.

"If I know them..."

"Dude! You mean we got an actual dragon on our side?!" BB exclaimed.

"SAWEEEEEEEET!" Cyborg Cheered.

"I am overjoyed to have the honor of meeting you! On my home planet we were told stories of the Crystal Dragons and how they are such wise and honorable creatures!" Starfire exclaimed.

It seemed the only one who wasn't particularly excited about this new information was Robin, for obvious reasons of course. "Why didn't you tell us sooner?" Robin asked.

"I didn't know if I could trust you with such information. And would you have trusted me if you knew the whole truth?" Rorek replied.

"No, not at first. Of course I didn't anyway. I don't trust anyone right off the bat." He said.

"I would expect nothing less." Rorek said with a friendly smile.

"So the Malchior is the incarnation of that darkness which you cleansed yourself of to become the Crystal Dragon?" Starfire repeated.

"Yes, I am ashamed to say. Most Crystal Dragons have their darkness trapped within a black jewel, but I suppose they did not have so much evil to rid themselves of." Rorek sighed.

"So...these dreams you and Raven have been having with Malchior, what are they like?" Robin asked.

"We're not discussing it." Raven said with a very creepy air.

"O-kay. Anything particular we might be able to go by though?" Robin asked.

"I had recently decided to put a spell on the chest I had put his book in, that was how, he claims, he was able to connect to my mind. He also claims that I dream inside of the pages of his book. But that's about it." Raven answered.

"Any chance he might be the one helping Bale-whats-his-face?" Asked Beast Boy.

"No, while in the book he can barely cast any magic unless magic is given to him." Rorek answered. "It would be impossible for him to even communicate with Balegor, much less help him cast old-magic spells."

"Darn."

"So how many major problems does that make?" Cyborg asked.

"We have Slade, Balegor, Balegor's Master, and now Malchior." Starfire counted.

"Actually, he's only a problem for Rorek and I." Raven pointed out.

"Um, yeah, you know? I'm still confused, how does the connection between Rorek and Malchior explain why Rorek has that bandage on his neck?" Beast Boy asked.

"I bit him." Raven answered. Everyone's eyes widened.

"Uh, what?" BB spoke.

"I almost lost control over my emotions...you do remember that I am half demon, right?" She asked.

"Yeah, you're half demon, not half vampire!" He exclaimed.

"Demons also thrive on the blood of other beings, though unlike vampires, not only can they drink the blood of creatures that are not human, but they don't have to drink to survive." Raven explained. "There is a difference, but the fangs are still there." She told them.

"Really?" BB asked, he looked closely at her mouth, waiting for her to open it again.

"I don't have them now, idiot. I'm in control." She grumbled.

"Hey, Rorek? Could I have a word?" Robin asked.

"Of course." Rorek answered, getting up to follow him into the next room.

Robin shut the door and turned to Rorek, "I just want to verify a few things. First off, what do you know about the relation Raven had with Malchior?" He asked.

"Most of it, I think. Malchior pretended to be me and used Raven's troubles against her to free himself. I don't think we need to go into detail about it though." Rorek answered, his expression grim.

"So, what is your relationship, and intentions, with Raven now? How do you feel about her?" He questioned.

Rorek looked up, slightly taken aback. "That's a...rather personal question, Robin."

"Well, this is a rather personal situation. Do you know what Raven was like the first week after Malchior's betrayal? She was little more than a walking corpse. At first it seemed she would get over it, and then it became apparent that it was an act. Do you know what cutting is?" Robin asked.

Rorek shifted a bit, "No, not what you mean I'm sure." He answered.

"It's self-mutilation. It's where you take something sharp and you inflict injury upon yourself." Rorek looked shocked, and he took a step back. "If Starfire hadn't caught her doing it, she might not have stopped. You don't believe me? Just look at her arms, I'm pretty sure the scars have yet to heal completely. But we were there for her, we all did our best to make her feel wanted, even needed. We wanted to make sure she knew she belonged, and that she had people who cared about her no matter how many walls she put up around herself. It worked, but just barely. But if it happens again, with you, I don't think anything will work."

"Please, you must realize that I would never do anything to harm her." Rorek defended.

"Yes, well, you've proven that you can lie in spite of your supposed 'purity'." Robin came back. "I'm not going to interfere, this is Raven's business, and yours. And if she wants to trust you like she had trusted Malchior, that's her decision, I won't get in the way. But know this, if I so much as find a shred of evidence against you, I don't care how much magic or power you have, you will pay for it. Are we clear on that?"

Rorek merely nodded his acknowledgment, looking shaken at the new information.

"Azrath, Metriom, Zynthos!" Raven cried, sending the devastating beam of black lightening at the newest member of H.I.V.E., Zacroma.

"Eeeeek!" She shrieked, just barely dodging in time, her choppy blond hair standing on end. "You can play fair or not play at all!" Her annoyingly high voice taunted. She shot a blue beam of light from the gem imbedded into her right palm. It took the form of an anvil and flew at Raven. She stopped it just in time with her own magic, but then it melted away into nothing again.

"Shall we dance?" Zacroma asked the large emerald snake that was Beast Boy. She spun around him swiftly, causing BB to get dizzy, and then she pulled on the metal chain she had wrapped around him and flung him over the dock into the water.

"I would." Robin said, launching at her from behind, hoping to grab her around the waist.

"Uh, uh, uh, you weren't invited!" She taunted, jumping gracefully out of his grasp, causing him to fall to the ground. She then landed on top of him, as if to rub it in, and then flew back up into the air, where she met Starfire.

"You are being a very bad girl. If you do not wish to be hurt you must give yourself up now!" Starfire said, her hands and eyes glowing emerald with her power.

Zacroma rolled her eyes, "Oh dear! I am so very sorry! I have now seen the error of my ways and will go freely with you. Please teach me how to be a goody goody like you so that I might kiss the boots of those nice men called police." She said, her voice cloyingly sweet. She then shot another beam of blue light, which turned into a blob of molten hot iron. Starfire dodged it, but was suddenly hit by a metal door and was falling into the water.

Beast Boy turned into a peterodactil and flew Cyborg up into the air at her. The android shot plasma blasts at her, one of which hit and knocked her out of the air. "Oh yeah! Hows that, ya loony?!" He cheered.

"It hurt!" She cried back, now flying towards him.

"Uh oh." He grimaced, Beast Boy wasn't fast enough to escape that speed so he just kept shooting, and she kept dodging.

Zacroma almost had her hands on Cyborg's metallic body parts, but before she could touch it she found herself in a bubble of solid light. "Hey! This isn't fair!!!" She yelled, hitting her prison frantically.

"Fair or no, it is just." Rorek told her. Zacroma formed a sword and sliced through the barrier, destroying it.

"Not very strong was it?" Raven asked.

"Not against a sword no." He answered, dodging to the right of her weapon.

"You may be cute, but I have a job to do!" She said.

"Azrath, Metriom, Zynthos!" Raven chanted. The sword became engulfed in her black energy and was taken from her hands.

"Big fat hairy deal! I can just make anoth—hey!" Zacroma exclaimed as Rorek grabbed her right hand and wound a white spell around it. But she flung her other hand at him and pressed it onto his chestplate. Rorek cried out in pain as the armor began to melt onto him.

"In the water!" Raven exclaimed. She grabbed his leg and flung him down into the lake, hopefully he'd be able to get out. She then turned white flashing eyes onto Zacroma, who was trying to take Rorek's spell off like it was a bandage. "Azrath, Metriom, Zynthos!" She cried, shooting Zacroma with a binding spell of her own.

"Mystics never play fair!!!" She cried as she plummeted to the ground, where Beast Boy caught her in his claws and gave her a safe landing.

Raven dove for the area where she had thrown Rorek, and didn't stop, even when she hit the water, until she found him again.

"Ah!" Rorek exclaimed, flinching at the touch of the burn salve. "Is it suppose to hurt like this?" He asked, breathlessly.

"We might have to take him to the hospital, those burns look second degree." Robin said as Beast Boy tried to apply another handful onto his bare back, and failing.

Rorek grunted out his pain, but let Beast Boy try to smooth it. Suddenly he let out a yelp and jumped up. "Sorry! Sorry! It's these nails, I accidentally scratched it!" Beast Boy exclaimed.

"Perhaps I should seek a healer instead." Rorek heaved. "Or Lady Raven could heal it, I believe." He said.

"Actually, I can only heal small cuts and bruises. The first time I had to heal you up it was only a large collection of small cuts and bruises that I had to mend. If that's a second degree burn, all I can do is make sure it doesn't infect and help it a little." Raven answered, coming into the room with a large bundle of bandages in her arms. Starfire followed her with more chemicals that had "burn relief" or "heals burns" on the labels.

"Uh, Star? That's drain cleaner, it causes burns if applied to skin." Beast Boy pointed out when Starfire offered him one of her many bottles.

"Oh! Oops. Perhaps these others might help at least." Starfire said.

Cyborg then came into the room with his pathetic attempt at mending the remains of Rorek's armor. "Sorry, man, I think it's down for the count." He said.

"He means he can't fix it." Raven translated, "Now sit down," She ordered.

"So, what's the healing rate of dragons?" Robin asked.

"Swift, actually. If something doesn't kill us within five minutes we'll heal back up within time." Rorek said, doing as Raven told him.

Beast Boy was about to try the salve again, but Raven swiped it. "If you scratch him again it'll do more harm than good." She told him. She then, without thinking, put some of it onto her own hand and started to smooth it out on Rorek's back.

"If it's bad it takes—" He gasped and tensed a bit at Raven's touch, "two months at most. Small wounds will be gone within the day, that is if there aren't so many." He said, forcing himself to relax.

"What about those burns?" Robin asked him.

"I'm a dragon, my first element is fire. They will hurt very much for a while, but I expect they'll heal completely within two to three weeks. And that's including the time it'll take for the scares to disappear." He explained.

"You know what though, you don't look all that bad with a ponytail." Cyborg said in an attempt to cheer him up. (They'd needed some way of keeping his long hair away from his back)

"Funny, very funny." He said. Raven finished with the salve and then brought both of her hands to his back, using her healing powers to help mend it.

"Here, do your front while I do this." She said, handing him the salve. He took it and obeyed, flinching as his own hand touched his skin.

"What do you think will happen to the Zacroma?" Asked Starfire.

"Her main talent is the manipulation and production of metal objects, but she can only produce with that gem. So they're going to do a surgery to take it off and then give her some counseling. If it doesn't work they'll drug her and lock her up in a special chamber like all the other super villains." Robin answered.

"Is this good?" Rorek asked, turning around so that Raven could use her powers on his chest.

"Yeah, it means she might get a second chance. And if she doesn't, well, she'll probably escape from prison and be another pain in the butt for us." Beast Boy answered.

"Well, I have some news that might lighten the mood a bit." Robin said. "Seems our funder decided to pay the entire electric bill, the only thing we have to get is our food. And after that everyone can get what's left of their paychecks back. Which is a bit of a bummer because I just got a job of my own." He told them. Both Cyborg and Beast Boy cheered.

"That is wonderful! This means that we can now have our pizza celebration!" Starfire rejoiced.

"Yay! I don't have to work anymore!" Beast Boy exclaimed.

"I thought you liked your job." Raven said as she grabbed a roll of bandage cloth. "Starfire help me with this." She said.

"Oh, I can—" Rorek started.

"Don't move." Raven ordered before he could finish.

"I do like my job, but it's the fact that it's a job." Beast Boy answered. Raven rolled her eyes.

"Nothing wrong with a little extra money." Robin said. He didn't say it out loud, but it didn't take an empath like Raven to figure out that he wanted to become as independent from Bruce Wayne as he possibly could.

"Personally, I think I'll keep my job. My co-workers are really coo." Cyborg said.

"So long as it doesn't intervene in our initial job, saving the city, I vote we just keep our jobs, if only to have more individual pocket money." Robin suggested.

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever, can we go out for pizza now?! I'm suffering from withdraw!" Beast Boy exclaimed, holding his tummy.

"You must wait longer, Beast Boy, for Rorek is in no condition to go outside." Starfire said.

"Aw maaaaaaan." Beast Boy melted to the ground in despair.

"It's alright, you can all go on without me." Rorek said.

"But we must not! For it would be our celebration in honor of gaining a new member on the team, and the celebration would not be right if the cause for it were not there as well!" Exclaimed Starfire.

Raven tied off the third roll of bandages at Rorek's shoulder before she let him get up. "No really, I don't mind. Besides, I don't much care for this, pizza, of your time." He told them.

"Whaaaaaaaat?! How can you not like pizza!?" Beast Boy exclaimed.

"Yeah! Everyone likes pizza!" Cyborg agreed.

"Well, I would like it, but I don't think I could ever obtain a taste for those spicy circles and tiny fishes." He answered.

"Dude, you mean you've only had anchovies and pepperoni? That is like the most disgusting thing I have ever heard. That's it, we're not going without him!" Beast Boy declared.

"You have not tried pizza until you've eaten Canadian bacon and mushrooms!" Cyborg exclaimed.

"Again?" Raven sighed.

"It's the only thing Cy and I will agree on, and it rules all other pizzas, save maybe for the all vegetables." BB answered.

"Nope, meat lovers is da best yo!" Cyborg refuted.

"Veggi plate!" Beast Boy argued.

"Meat lovers!" Cyborg exclaimed.

"Veggi plate!"

"Meat lovers!"

"There they go again." Raven sighed.

"I'll...just order several kinds." Robin sighed, walking to the telephone. Neither of the other guys heard him as they continued arguing.

"Order?" Rorek looked to Raven for an explanation.

"You can have it prepared and brought to your home, all you have to do is call and ask them for what you want, then you give them your address. Unfortunately, since we're on an island, we have to go and get it, or the price for delivery will be more than the pizza itself." She answered.

"Oh, I see. Well, I suppose that solves our problem then." He said.

"Just don't tell them." Raven said.

"Meat lovers!"

"Veggi plate!"

A/N: (Gasp!) Rorek doesn't have his armor anymore!!! NOOOO—Oh well, at least we got to see him with his shirt off . lol!

(Reads Dr. Evans' review) (And begins to sweat) Oh crap, he's that kind of immortal?! (Grins nervously) Eh, heheheheheh, Why did he have to be a dragon slayer? OF ALL THE JOB APPLICATIONS HE COULD HAVE PICKED FROM!!! Er, I wasn't, really planning on taking over the world, seriously! Too polluted for my tastes, and way too many political stuffs to deal with. I'd rather take over...ah, Saturn! Yeah, Saturn! Much nicer atmosphere, and a lot more moons. Really! I'm a good dragon! Look at how cute I am! (Puppy dog eyes) Er, I have a kitten! (Holds up adorable fluffy white kitten) You can't hurt me, because then she'll miss her mommy and there will be no one to give her milk every morning! Er... COME ANYWHERE NEAR ME AND I SCREAM RAPE!!!! (Barricades her doors and hides under her desk) (Sucks thumb)