Disclaimer: I do not own the Teen Titans. DC Comics does. I think. Cartoon Network? Eh, it ain't me anyways.


Chapter Two

"Hey Star?" Robin yawned, sleepily lifting his head from her shoulder. Starfire glanced up at him. "Do you think they're done?"

"Argumenting? Most likely," Starfire sighed warily. A cold wind nipped at the couple's shoulders, rain drizzling down, almost like pieces of the moon falling down on them. Robin didn't move, but instead stared straight ahead into the darkness of Jump City. Starfire shivered, but otherwise didn't move.

"I don't know what's been happening lately," Robin said, his voice raspy. "The team... It's just not the same anymore. Raven's been too quiet, Beast Boy's been too agressive, Cyborg... He just hasn't been the same, you know?"

"Yes," Starfire agreed, slowly tracing circles on her thigh. Her voice suddenly became quiet. "It has not been the same... Not at all."

For one silent, cold, moment Robin and Starfire's world was one.

Then it stopped. Beast Boy's scream broke through the cold air. Robin jumped up, pulling Starfire up with him. Together they burst through the roof door and into Titans Tower.

.oOo.

"Beast Boy! What's the matter?" Robin yelled, panting, Starfire and Cyborg right behind him. They stood in the dark, next to the one place where everyone was not welcome. Raven's room. Usually it was just intimidating, but today it seemed almost too gloomy, too haunted.

"She... She's gone. I-I killed her!" Beast Boy sobbed into what looked like Raven's cloak, breaking Robin's train of thought.

"What? Beast Boy you can't be serious!" Robin cried. Robin's stomach twisted and churned, giving him that feeling as if someone had just punched you, without you seeing beforehand. Beast Boy slowly nodded through his sobs, pointing toward Raven's room. Through his mask, Robin's eyes widened. Pushing through Beast Boy, he and the others shoved into Raven's room.

Robin scanned the room with his eyes, looking for any sign of Raven. Nothing. No one item was out of place, and everything was still. Only the slight pitter-patter of rain was ringing in their ears, like a faint bell about to lose its sound.

"Robin? I-Is Raven here?" Starfire squeaked, chewing at her thumbnail. Her heart pounded in her ears, drowning out every noise the others made. Cyborg scanned the room half-heartedly, his sensors blinking dully.

"What do you think?" Robin said darkly, not facing the two Titans. His shoulders slumped, and suddenly everything had changed. Their leader had practically given up, and now nothing stopped them from losing all hope. Starfire's realization of this made her gasp.

"Well she was here. Looks like she just left," Cyborg said shakily, looking up at Robin and Starfire, only Starfire returning the glance. "My heat detectors sense faint warmth."

"I think that was me," Beast Boy said softly, his voice wavering. Raven's cloak was clutched in his left hand, his right hand hiding something from their view. He spoke from the doorway, his shadow creating puzzles on the cold floor. "I sat on her bed for a second."

There was an awkward silence. It was one of those things, Cyborg thought to himself. One of those things you don't think it would--or could, even happen. Until it did.

"There wasn't any note? Any sign that Raven left?" Robin inquired, rubbing his chin. His heart just wasn't in it. Everyone knew that. It wasn't just another Titan, who wasn't as insecure as Raven. Her decisions were final, and well thought out. It made it hard to find someone who didn't want to be found, assuming she was still alive.

"No... Except for the fact that RAVEN ISN'T HERE, YOU DUMBASS!" Beast Boy screamed, clutching Raven's cloak to his chest. Cyborg and Starfire jumped back a bit. Robin finally turned toward the three.

"Don't you dare talk to me like that. I'm trying to help, while all you do is sit around crying your eyes out!" Robin hissed to Beast Boy, glaring at him. Starfire and Cyborg watched helplessly as the two turned against each other. Everything was going wrong, and no one could help.

"Friends? Is it possible that Raven has gone out for the night? A 'night on the town', if I am correct?" Starfire said feebly, tugging at her skirt.

"Of course Star! What a great point!" Robin laughed falsely. It was apparent that he was just saying that to make Starfire happy, and it wasn't fooling anyone. Including Starfire. But she just stood there, pretending to be the naive little alien girl. Again. Tension and anger were building in each of their minds, a little seed that grew every time they were pushed in the wrong way, until it bloomed, and took over them. Unfortunately Raven was an early bloomer.

"What should we do now?" Cyborg asked, massaging his broad forehead. Beast Boy's eyes burned with rage.

"WHAT SHOULD WE DO? I'LL TELL YOU WHAT WE SHOULD DO! WE'RE GONNA GO OUT, AND SEARCH FOR RAVEN! OR MAYBE YOU JUST DON'T GET IT, SINCE YOUR BRAIN IS HALF-SCRAP METAL?!" Beast Boy roared, dropping Raven's cloak, his right hand still clutched tightly together. Cyborg seemed to lose his cool, but wasn't very good at showing it. He didn't say anything, but nodded stiffly, his mouth a tight, straight line.

"Beast Boy. Calm down. You know what happened last time. Don't make me do what I shouldn't," Robin hissed, making direct eye contact with Beast Boy, almost daring him to challenge him back. A slow moment passed, then Beast Boy sharply looked to his left, towards Starfire and Cyborg. They stared back.

"So what, man? We gonna search or what?" Cyborg said harshly, a bit of hurt leaking into his voice as well. Beast Boy slowly raised his eyes up to the giant man, and Cyborg raised his eyebrows.

"Uhh... Yeah," Beast Boy said sheepishly, bending down and picking up Raven's cloak, wrinkled and weathered from its recent abuse. Cyborg watched his every move, his metallic arms crossed.

"I'll take downtown. Beast Boy, you take upper Jump. Cyborg, you search Raven's usual hangouts, see if anyone's seen her. Starfire, you stay here, in case she comes back," Robin ordered, looking quickly to see if everyone agreed. They did. With a sharp nod of his head, Robin turned and silently walked out of Raven's door. Starfire watched him as he left, her green eyes piercing Robin's retreating back.

Beast Boy sighed, looking like he was about to apologize, but didn't. "So I'll go--"

"You heard him. Go," Cyborg snapped, taking a small step toward Beast Boy. Starfire watched with wide eyes. "I thought you wanted to find your dear darling Raven?"

Beast Boy opened his mouth to speak, but suddenly fell quiet with the touch of a single alien's hand. He stared at the floor, then mumbled something, something no one could hear. Cyborg cleared his throat loudly, a signal for Beast Boy to leave. Sighing, Beast Boy morphed into a hawk and flew out of Raven's open window.

Without three members of the team, Raven's room seemed creepier than ever before. Ghosts and demons danced in the shadows, hidden creatures whispering in the wind and rain. Starfire avoided Cyborg, who was watching her intently.

"You better stay here," Cyborg choked out. Starfire snapped back to reality, though it felt like a dream. No, a nightmare. "Donno... She-She might come back."

Starfire put an arm around Cyborg's enormous back, the cold metal piercing her skin, reminding her once again that no one was normal here. "I am sure she will, Cyborg."

"You know what Starfire? I'll stay here. Raven'll come back. Yup. She will," Cyborg was suddenly cheerful, and it scared Starfire. "And then, you know what? After we find her, we can all go sing and dance and be happy together!"

Starfire bit her lip. Never had she seen Cyborg--the team--act so terrible toward each other.

"That's what you want right Starfire? Right? Peace, love, no pain? No hurt? Right?!" Cyborg shouted, coming closer to her with every word. Starfire quivered under his size.

"Cyborg? I am sorry if I have done wrong! Please, do not--" Starfire was backed into a corner, Cyborg towering over her, when she was cut off.

"Get away from her!" A dark figure whispered, deadly serious. "Get away from her."

.oOo.

Robin slammed his foot angrily against the gas petal, dodging cars as he did so. Raven was nowhere to be found, not that it was a huge surprise. Every alley, every nook and cranny; Nothing! This made Robin even angrier, and surged forward, nearly hitting a large bus, which honked in annoyance. It wasn't just that he couldn't find Raven--It seemed he was always saving her, she was always in some danger that he needed to come rescue her from. Almost if that she... Liked it! Liked being saved at the nick of time! By Robin, too! He instantly thought of Starfire, and shook his head inwardly. Raven wouldn't do that... Would she?

"Aaarrgh!" Robin screamed as a large motorcycle slammed into him, breaking his concentration. He swerved and slid a good fifteen feet, nearly falling off the bridge he was driving on. Panting and clutching his ribcage, Robin looked down. Only an inch away were the black waters that surrounded his home. Wincing with every small move he made, Robin slowly got up, and staredup atthe face of his attacker.

"Red... Red X?" Robin gasped, his eyes full of hate and surprise.

"You got it," Red X breathed, crossing his arms. Wind nipped at his cape, giving him an eerie, half-dead look. His voice was more serious, more mature than his last visit.

"But why are you here? What did I do to you?!" Robin yelled angrily, taking a step toward him. Red X narrowed his eyes at the movement.

"You wanna fight, tough guy? Didn't get enough yet?" Red X taunted, tilting his masked head. "Murder isn't good enough?"

Robin stood, eyes wide open. Murder? Red X had to be on some kind of drugs, or something.

"What the hell are you talking about?!" Robin hollered, the wind whirling around them, making it hard to hear.

"Shut up! You know what you did!" Red X bellowed, throwing some kind of bomb at Robin, causing him to cough and stumble. "And now you're gonna pay!"

Robin coughed, then spoke out harshly. "Red X, I don't know what you're on, but leave me alone! I've got enough problems already!"

"SHUT UP!" Red X roared, tossing a blade in the shape of a red X at Robin. It hit him in the ankle, tearing his costume and causing him to fall down. He barely caught onto the side of the bridge, his legs dangling toward the water. Rain slowly dripped down on Robin's head, giving him the illusion that his head was bleeding.

"I swear to God, after I find Raven I'm going to kick your lying ass off!" Robin cursed at him, spitting at Red X's feet. This took him over the edge. Grinning madly, Red X kicked swiftly at Robin's hands and with a startled cry he fell down, down into the cold black waters.

"Hope birds can swim, Robbie," Red X whispered, throwing his masked head back in insane laughter.

.oOo.

"And in other news tonight, a young girl's body has been found in downtown Jump. Ronald Bronzo has the story. To you, Ron," A perky, blonde reporter read, organizing her papers. Beast Boy watched dully, sipping some dark liquid as he did so.

"That'd be ten-fifty, sir," Said a short, hairy, man, wiping his hands on his stained apron. Beast Boy nodded glumly and reached into his back pocket for some change. Two burly men shuffled their pool cues and talked in low voices, creating a low din. Beast Boy pulled out a wrinkled and damp twenty and absentmindedly shoved it toward the man, watching the news all along.

"Thank you Angela. Now, just two hours ago, the body of teenager Leona Mitchell was found in a nearby dumpster. Friends and family have refused to comment. However, one witness has spoken out. This is Chaz December, and he has witnessed this horrible crime," The reporter grimly passed the microphone to a young gothic male with black hair and a gray shirt, featuring a ghost pac-man. Beast Boy raised his eyebrows at the boy, and suddenly anger bubbling inside of him, and didn't know why.

"Yeah uhh... I was walking home at like eight, I had'ta pick up the car, then I heard like this really screwed up scream. So I stopped and made sure the girl was ok, cause you know, people gotta do these things. And there was this huge-ass black... Uhh... I donno what'a call it. Like an explosion or something or whatever, the smoke that was left over, but it wasn't exactly like that. But close. And yeah, so then I see this person--I couldn't tell if it was a chick or a guy, I only saw the back of their head, but it was dark hair. Like a dark cape too. I think it was black. Or really dark blue. And they were rushing, like they were scared or something. By then I was thinking where the hell was the scream coming from, then I notice the dumpster's open, it usually isn't, those lazy bastards never clean it anyways. So then I look in it and there was like this bag, and I could see red hair sticking out, so I'm freaking out, I mean there was a goddamn dead girl in the trash! And then I like threw some crap at my neighbor's window and she called the police, and now I get to tell the world that I saw a dead girl," Chaz spoke slowly, sticking his pale hands in his black pants, the reporter flinching at his language, though it was beeped out.

Beast Boy's stomach froze, his skin turning icy. It was Raven. It had to be. Who else used black energy, had dark hair, and a dark blue cape? Eyes staying glued to the TV, he watched as if his life depended on it.

"Though we have recieved a description, the killer has yet to be caught. All people are urged to be on the lookout for a '5"5 male or female with dark hair, suspicious clothing and questionable actions. If you have any information about the killer, please call our news hotline at once," The reporter concluded, facing the camera, and Beast Boy.

"Oh my god," Beast Boy whispered, realization bleeding through him. His hand trembled, the glass he held threating to fall. Raven murdered another human being, something any other criminal would be killed for. Would she be killed? Cyborg's words echoed in his ears.

It's tearing her apart.

Raven's unstable.

One more big fight... Who knows what could happen?

Who knows?

.oOo.

Author's Note:

Hey guys, what's up? Thanks soo much for reviewing, it means a lot to me. I know it's short; I know I intoduced a lot of uhh... Stuff in this chapter... Yeah I donno, it seemed semi-okay to me anyway. I know, this story is kinda fast-paced, and I'm not the best at this stuff, but bear with me. I tried working on the grammer, but it's still kinda... eeh... Tell me if I should change the rating. Oh and props to anyone who knows who Chaz December is! And HAPPY BIRTHDAY SHEENA! Go check out her stories, they kick ass (IceQueen071)!

And now...

A haiku for my reviewers...

A review makes me

Happy and giddy inside

So make me happy

(Please? Hehe I suck at haikus.)