I suppose you should know, I don't own Teen Titans.

The Way Things Are

5 months later

Raven sat on the couch, deeply immersed in one of her poetry books. She stirred her tea absentmindedly with a small silver spoon that caught the light half way through its rotation every time she sent it around. She didn't even realize when she began to recite "Alone" to the empty room.

From childhood's hour I have not been
As others were; I have not seen
As others saw; I could not bring
My passions from a common spring.
From the same source I have not taken
My sorrow; I could not awaken
My heart to joy at the same tone;
And all I loved, I loved alone.
Then- in my childhood, in the dawn
Of a most stormy life- was drawn
From every depth of good and ill
The mystery which binds me still:
From the torrent, or the fountain,
From the red cliff of the mountain,
From the sun that round me rolled
In its autumn tint of gold,
From the lightning in the sky
As it passed me flying by,
From the thunder and the storm,
And the cloud that took the form
(When the rest of Heaven was blue)
Of a demon in my view.

"You give it a lot of feeling."

Raven glanced up at the speaker. She relaxed when she saw it was Robin. The boy wonder sat down next to the dark girl. He paused before going on.

"I need help," he said.

"With Starfire I'm guessing," sighed Raven.

"Yeah," Robin paused again, "It's just that...I love her, but I don't think she loves me back."

Raven's grip tightened around her mug, "How can you be sure?"

"I can tell, trust me. I think she likes someone else."

"Well..." Raven continued carefully, "If she didn't like you, why would she be going out with you."

"Oh, you know Starfire; she wouldn't want to hurt my feelings or something."

"You know what," said Raven, setting her book down on the couch and standing up, "I'm going to go talk to her."

Robin grinned, "Would you? That'd be awesome."

As Raven made her way out of the room Robin called after her, "Thanks Rea, you're the best!"

---

Starfire stared at her the ceiling of her room. It was covered with pictures of her and her teammates, but most of the pictures were of Raven. She was thinking of all the times they had shared, when Raven herself walking into the room. She was the same as always, dark cloak and leotard, but she was also holding a blue mug full of tea no doubt. She closed the door behind her before coming over and taking a seat next to Starfire on the bed.

"Star," she began, "We need to talk."

"What about, friend Raven?" asked the red-headed alien.

"Robin," answered Raven.

"Oh," Starfire slumped back against the head board of her bed.

"Do you love him?" asked Raven, very suddenly.

"What?" Starfire snapped back up.

"Do you love him?" Raven's eyes held a sadness Starfire had never seen before. She couldn't stand the sight of her heart's desire feeling pain.

"No, I do not love him," the red-head said quietly.

Raven didn't say anything. She sat shaking, holding back tears. She couldn't believe it. What was this girl doing to her Robin? Why was she playing him like this? She couldn't take it anymore.

"Dump him," she managed to say.

"I cannot do that," whispered Starfire, "He would be so upset-"

"You're already making him upset!" cried Raven, "He loves you, but he knows you don't love back. You're hurting him." The tears began to push forth. Raven hunched forward in an attempt to force them back.

"I cannot love him when I love some one else," Starfire muttered.

Raven glared at her, "Who you love instead then?"

Starfire didn't reply.

"Tell me!" shouted Raven, "Who?"

"You," Starfire whispered.

Raven's mug exploded. Both girls were splattered with scalding tea. Starfire jumped up but Raven didn't move. She was in shock.

"Why..." she whispered, "Why are you doing this to me? Why are going out with him when you...love me?"

"I could not bear to see you two together," said Starfire, looking down at the dark girl on her bed, "It would kill me."

Raven jumped up, "And you think it doesn't kill me?!" she screamed, "It kills me everyday!" She choked back a sob, "You're sick," she spat and disappeared in a cloud of black smoke.

A small noise made Starfire turned and to see Robin standing in the now open door. Tears were running down his face, but he didn't seem to notice. "You are sick," he whispered. He turned on his heels and left Starfire by herself. She sank down to her knees and sobbed.

---

Damn, this one sucks! Why did I write another chapter? sigh I don't even know how to finish it. Maybe I'll just leave it like this. I don't know. I just don't know.