Only one specific reviewer mention this time, but for the rest of you, i really appreciate it. I am especially grateful to those that were reviewing from the start.

JPElles: Thanks for pointing out that error that conflicted with the comic, hopefully this will make amends. This one is yours.


The Power of a Storm

Chapter 5: Feelings

(Infirmary)

Starfire had long since fallen asleep waiting for Robin to wake up. It was late, and she was tired from grieving. Her head was resting on his chest, her arms spread across his body, almost like she was trying to protect him with them. The storm had died down some, it was no longer the roaring tempest it had been the night before. The rain still fell hard, but it no longer threatened to crack the skulls of those foolish enough to venture out. The moon was blocked by the thick black clouds so no light shone in the window. The only light came from the occasional flash of lightning, and the monitors attached to Robin.

Slowly and silently the door slid open. The stocky form of Cyborg blocked the light from the hallway. Slowly he slid the door closed, and tiptoed over to Robin's bed, trying not to wake Starfire. As he approached the bed, he heard Robin muttering in his sleep.

"Raven…no. No Raven… no. Please…. No."

Cyborg shook his head. Poor guy, he's really taken with her. He looked over at Starfire, still slumped across the Boy Wonder's chest. Too bad this had to happen. He picked up the tray of food he had left earlier, still uneaten. It was cold now, he knew she wouldn't eat it. He picked the tray up and headed out to the kitchen to clean it.

Leaving the room he once again took great care not to wake Starfire up. He closed the door and the room returned to the darkness it was before.

The room was quiet now, only the breathing of the two teens and the beeps from the machines could be heard. Robin had stopped muttering and had resumed his silent slumber. Over in a corner, near one of the unused beds, the ground grew darker. Slowly a figure rose from the floor. Raven stood silently in the corner for a minute, her hood drawn over her face. Slowly she glided over the ground to Robin's side. She looked at Starfire sleeping on him with contempt. Using her powers she gently lifted her companion off him, and placed her in the bed next to Robin. Starfire still hadn't woken up. Raven took her place in the chair and sat for a while, watching him sleep. Not speaking, not thinking. She just watched.

"…I'm sorry." She whispered. Gently she took her hand and placed it on his. "If I had known that this would have happened, that you would have done this, I wouldn't have told you. I'm so sorry Robin, this is all my fault." She hung her head down in shame. If the other titans knew I did this to him, they'd all hate me for sure. I'd lose my only family…

A tear slipped down her cheek and fell on his ungloved hand.

"Raven…" She jerked her head up to look at him. His eyes were still closed, his voice barely audible. She leaned closer to him, waiting to see if he would say something else.

"Please Raven…just let me prove it to you. It'll be ok, you'll see. I won't let you be alone…not anymore."

Something in her heart stirred. His words, even though they were the delirious words of sleep, touched her. He really must care to be dreaming about me. Something suddenly occurred to her. Wait, why isn't anything going wrong? Nothing had moved, just like the night before, when she had cried herself to sleep, nothing was happening, yet she was showing feelings. Why is this? Whenever he makes me feel…it seems to be okay. Was he right? Is this because I accept my sorrow and my guilt?

Next to her she heard Starfire stir. Letting go of Robin's hand she sank into the floor, leaving the way she came.


(Next Morning)

Things went normally this morning, except for Robin not being up. Raven had gotten her morning tea at her usual time, and done her morning meditation. Cyborg and Beastboy had their usual fight over tofu. This time Beastboy had won, since it was only the two of them being cooked for. Everyone else hated the tofu, but no one had the heart to tell Beastboy.

"I'm gonna go check on Robin, you ok in here BB?"

"I'll be fine, just as soon as my tofu waffles finish."

Cyborg looked at the pan in disgust. He hated that stuff, and showed no restraint about it. He left the kitchen and headed to the infirmary to check on Robin.


(Infirmary)

When Cyborg arrived he was surprised to see Robin awake, sitting up in bed.

"Robin! When'd you get up? We were worried about you!"

"I'm fine Cy. Nothing's broken…" Robin looked around. "…How did I get here?"

"You mean you don't remember?"

Robin shook his head.

"I found you yesterday around noon, lying in a pile of broken glass and some blood. Looked like you had broken everything in your bathroom and passed out. I brought you here to make sure you were ok."

Robin nodded, slowly, the memories coming back to him. The conversation with Cyborg, the fight with Raven, the bathroom, all of it.

"Raven… where is she?"

"Don't know, probably meditating. Why?"

"I need to speak with her."

"What about Star?"

"Take her with you, I don't want her to hear this."

Cyborg nodded, and picked up Starfire. "C'mon girl, you should be in your own bed."

She gave a small noise in reply and curled closer to his body, still sleeping.

The door closed behind them and Robin was left alone. He sat for a while, thinking over in his mind on what he would tell Raven. Realizing he was still in his day old boxers he got up and started pulling on some clothes. He sat back down on the bed, his elbows on his knees, still thinking.

"…Robin?" He quickly turned around at the voice and saw the woman he had been waiting for. "Cyborg said you wanted to see me."

He nodded and gestured for her to come over to the bed.

"Robin, before you say anything I want to apologize. This is all my fault, I shouldn't have-" He put a finger to her lips to silence her.

"No Raven, it's not. This is my fault, I'm responsible. If I hadn't rushed to tell you, none of this would have happened."

"Robin-"

"No. Let me finish. I owe you many apologies, many more than I can make. I did a lot of things that I shouldn't have, a lot of things I regret doing. The first being yelling at you. I didn't mean to do it, I was just so mad. Mad because you had rejected me, and that doesn't justify what I did. You're not inhuman Rae, you're more human than I am. You are willing to give up your very emotions to keep us safe. That's the noblest sacrifice that anyone could make. No one with a cold heart could do that, most people couldn't do anything like that. You're better than us Rae, better than all of us."

Raven just looked at him, trying to contain her emotions and the thoughts that burned in her.

"I won't bother you about this anymore Raven, it was unfair of me to try and tempt you into a relationship you clearly are not ready to have."

She looked into his mask, unable to tell what he was thinking.

"I wish I could believe you…"

He raised his own hand to his face, grabbing the edge of his mask. Slowly he pulled it off. Raven let out a gasp. His eyes were beautiful. They were blue, and seemed to go on forever into a swirling abyss of vibrant colors that dazzled the eyes of the viewer. She could get lost in those eyes, easily.

"Raven, I want what's best for you, and I now realize that a relationship, that us, isn't what's best." She could see the love in his eyes and was touched. He deserves to know. It was her turn to spill her heart, to make amends.

"Robin, thank you. I feel honored to have your affection, I know Starfire would die for it." Robin's muscles tensed at her name. Raven ignored it and continued to speak. "But I know that it would make me happier than I have ever been in my life to be with someone, with you, but the happiness is something I cannot afford. I can't let my feelings hurt you. I realized last night when I came to see you, and heard you talking about me in your sleep, that I do have feelings for you too, but I can't let them out. I can't risk hurting you."

Robin nodded, he wasn't angry. He understood, her love for the team, for him, transcended her desire for her own happiness.

"Raven, I meant what I said. Denying those feelings is the problem, I can help you." After pausing for a moment he added, "If you'll let me."

I can't, I can't risk him getting hurt. I can't let myself fall in love. Raven shook her head.

"I'll deal with this on my own. I don't want to risk hurting you, not the one person that appreciates me for who I am."

Robin said nothing, he just stared at her. His gaze piercing her harsh exterior, digging down to the depths of her heart. Without words, he managed to convey his message. I will help you Raven, I swear it. I won't give up on you. Not now, not ever.

She turned and left the room, forcing back the tears. Leaving him in that room was hard for her, but she still managed to put up a tough front. She paused at the door, and turned her head to the side slightly, just as he had done to her the night before.

"…You should see Starfire, she was really upset over your…condition."

She left and let the door slide shut behind her. Robin lay down on the bed and closed his eyes. This is going to be hard, but it'll be worth it. I know it is.


(Infirmary, Lunch Time)

Cyborg had come back to check on Robin, and make sure all was well, physically and mentally. He had attached some new wires to Robin, and replacing the ones Robin had removed that morning.

"Look's like everything's ok."

"I told you, I'm fine."

Cyborg heaved a sigh and turned to face Robin. "Look, I know this has nothing to do with any physical injury. Something went on in your mind that made you snap, that's why your bathroom is trashed, and that's why you're here. So you going to tell me or do I have to force it out of you?"

Robin remained silent, still sitting on the infirmary bed. Cyborg walked over to him and sat down.

"Look, Star told me something, about how you were concerned about money. Don't worry about it, it's no big deal. Just go ask Batman, he gave us the money to build this place, why not pay for the bills?"

Robin shook his head. "It's not that easy Cyborg, I told him to stop because we were getting enough donations, and because I was tired of having to be in debt to him. He raised me after my parents died, he's the closest thing to a father I have. I owe him so much, I was tired of using him as a crutch to support myself. So I asked to have him withdraw his funding of the tower."

"Robin, if he really is like a father to you, then you shouldn't be afraid to go to him for help. That's what fathers are for, to help you when you need it. We can reduce the cost too, if it's easier for you to ask for less. I'll build a generator for the tower underground. Asking for help isn't a weakness Robin, it's a strength."

Robin nodded and sighed. Cyborg was right and he knew it.

"After the storm clears, I'll contact him."

"Good, and another thing we need to talk about. You need to find a better way to let off steam than waling on that punching bag. It keeps breaking and we both know it isn't working that well." Cyborg gave a small chuckle.

Robin smiled and said, "You're right. Again. But, what else can I do?"

"Why not ask Raven to let you meditate with her. I'm sure it will do you both some good." Cyborg winked at Robin and his face burst into a huge grin that almost reached his ears. Robin too gave a grin.

"You need to stop being right so much, it's getting on my nerves." The grin on Robin's face grew into a full-blown smile. Cyborg started to laugh.

The two friends shared a laugh, letting off some tension. As the laughter stopped, neither teen said anything. They merely sat and had a moment of bonding. After a while Cyborg's stomach gave a rumble.

"Time to eat. I'll come back in a while, and do another check. After that you should be able to go free."

Robin nodded, accepting this as reasonable. As long as he was able to leave the infirmary that day he would be happy.

"Want anything while I'm out?"

"Yeah."

Cyborg raised an eyebrow. "What do you want?"

"…Lunch, I'm starving."

Cyborg gave a laugh. "You got it man, you got it."

He then walked out of the room humming to himself, glad to have the old Robin back. Back in the room Robin smiled to himself and lay back on the bed. Meditating… That would be nice…Maybe it will be good for me, for us.


Here's that update you all wanted. Keep sending me ideas, you may change my mind on what i am doing.