Raventhedarkgoddess: Well, after all the trouble I went through to get this file back ((And a lot of trouble with my school schedling... XX)) I THINK I'm ready to update again. Man, I miss the summer, when I had time to do this kind of stuff... At any rate, I'm complaining, you don't care, all the better reason to just get on with the freakin' fic, right?

Chapter Sixteen: Lost

"Are you sure you're going to be able to do this" Cyborg caught up with Lecita and held her wrist, forcing her to look upward toward his face. "If you're not okay, we can find another way to do this, or I can stay inside with you and Rae and Robin will take care of burying her... I just hate seeing you so upset..." His voice broke, hoping the statement didn't send her back to sobbing, trying his hardest to keep her stable so that she wouldn't go to peices at the graveside. I just wanna make her happy...

"I'm alright, Cyborg. Really, it's okay now, I'm just... We have to go through this. I have friends like you guys and... And we'll get through it, I don't want you to worry about me..." Her eyes caught with his, and she tried to concentrate on his metalic eye, non-blinking, unemotional, and red. In truth, she was rather afraid of the other half of his face, because it was contorted in silent pain, as if he was feeling her pain and wished he could help her, blinking furiously to supress what looked like tears of real sadness. Maybe he really does love me...

Abesently, she took his hand, and he did not pull away, letting her nestle against him, her black coat replacing the hidious black assassin robe she'd been wearing, her legs suddenly too weak to leave his side. "I'm sorry... Let's just go now, there's no need for me to go to peices..." Cyborg, surprisingly, did not push her away, but continued to help her.

Raven stood nearby, head down, hood up. Above her, hanging sickly on a cloud of black magic, was a coffin, small and heavy oak, and her other hand was intertwined with Robin's. He and I... I have to let him know I want him back... If he'll take me back...

Lecita turned to Raven, her head nodding in Raven's general direction, and Beast Boy and Terra broke apart just long enough to open the door. Terra was looking upset by the death, even though she had not really known Anna: Beast Boy was just doing what he could to get by, because he had hated death and the concept of death ever since he was a small child. Raven stepped between them, her solem face even darker than usual, Robin at her side. The only sound was the rain, falling around them, soft as teardrops. The heavens cry for us... Raven stopped the thought before it could fully take depressing hold.

They stopped by the ocean, their eyes on the water as it came up onto the shore, and Robin found a peaceful looking spot where he and Cyborg had come out to dig the grave: The ground was moist and muddy, and Raven lay the coffin next to it, both fearful and tired of supporting it. Poor Lecita... This has to have hit her hard... Some heros we are, if we can't even save those who we love and care about, how can we be responsible for this whole damn city? Robin looked out over the water, but no answer came to his mind, and his question remained unanswered as the few other Titans filed in around him.

As Robin slowly began to talk, choosing his words carefully, obviously trying to come up with something that wasn't dramatic but rather simple and comforting, Terra found her thoughts wandering as her eyes settled over the open casket lid, her blonde hair matted to her forehead, Beast Boy's hand pushing it back in comfort. She knew how upset she looked, but the thoughts that were upsetting her became rather like a familer chant, strange and horrible. What if I had done this? What if I had become a killer, killed the people I loved because I thought they were so evil? What would I have done then...? She fell back against Beast Boy, not speaking, just happy that she had not picked that path, the path of a killer. I'm happy in the mist of so much sadness... Is that wrong? I'm...confused...

"I don't have much else I can say... Except that she was a wonderful person and even though she's passed on, we're going to remember her forever as... As a comrade... A friend... And..." Robin paused to catch his breath, a cold raindrop mixing with a tear, making it impossible for him to see how the others were doing, how they were taking the finality of the moment. "A wonderful little sister. She was... a part of our family, the Teen Titan family, and... And we're all going to miss her."

"May... May I have a final second of goodbye... Please" Lecita took a timid step away from Cyborg, her eyes full of pain, and Robin blinked, clearing his head although the rain made it hard. "Just... It's important to me."

Robin gave her a quiet nod. "Take all the time you need" he said in an oddly strangled whisper. "Losing someone is painful." He stepped back and Raven took his hand, her violet eyes looking straight into his, welling up with tears as her powers opened the lid, sheilding the sisters, and permiting Lecita a private final moment. Don't lose your control... Raven sighed, holding it in, feeling Robin's hand lift a tear from her cheek. "I love you, Raven." The words slipped out.

It was all she could do to keep her shelter for the coffin and the girl inside it steady and visible. "I'm... I'm so sorry about... About what I said, and... I'd really like it if we could... I love you too." His arm slipped around her frail shoulders and they stayed like that, listening to Lecita murmmer until her head reappered. "I'm ready" her voice called to them finally, and they heard the heavy lid shut. She went back to Cyborg with her face stained with tears, but neither of them could say a word.

Raven felt her hand going in comands with her mind, although the part of her locked away, her heart, was surging with emotions, she refused to let them effect her concentration as she set the large oak coffin down, moved the headstone, and covered it, shuddering, still feeling Robin comforting her, trying to convince her she could do it. Finally, the task done, Raven moved away and the others moved away from the graveside, Lecita refusing to look over her shoulder. "Don't look back" Cyborg heard her whisper, and felt worse than ever.

Everyone sat inside, changed clothing and brushed hair shining in the light even though their eyes and hearts could not have reflected anymore differently. Terra snuggled against Beast Boy, both sleeping with a look of happiness on their faces, the rain still falling outside, Cyborg sat with Lectia again, talking, the pair of them trying to forget the past, and Robin sat with Raven on the same window ledge where they had gotten together. "Robin... do you know what tonight is"

"No..." He stared, bewildered. What could I have forgotten...?

"It's our two month aniversary..." She took his hand quietly, and the pair of them stared out into the rain, so different from the warm, atmospheric sunset that had lain behind them at one point. "I know you don't feel much like celebrating, but... I just wanted to let you know I'm really, really glad we're together."

Robin leaned against her shoulder, knowing in his heart that he was happy he had not been the one to bring up the date. "I'm... I'm glad too, Rae." She leaned over to him and gave him a kiss, both of them lost once again in their love. "Let's not fight anymore... I'm so sorry about earlier... About the other day..."

"Forget it. It was as much my fault as yours, and... We need to finish Slade this time. We need to take care of it, no more waiting, no more betrayal, no more hurt. My gift to you is going to be a protected world." I may not feel much like a hero anymore, but I'm not about to lose Raven, the team... I won't.

"Cyborg... Can we talk" Do it now. Do it while you can't feel anything, while you need love... Do it for your sister.

"Sure..." He couldn't have felt more lost. "What do you want to talk about"