Disclaimer: I don't own Teen Titans

Author's Note: This story is a sequel to my other fan fiction, The Calm. Though it's not necessary to read it in order to follow this particular story, it does explain the circumstances surrounding Raven's broadcasting, and just what the Titans were doing on the roof in the first place!

Prologue

"Dudes, I am NOT bathing in front of you!"

Robin chuckled. "Beast Boy, they don't have indoor plumbing in this time period. The innkeeper went through the trouble of fetching water for us." Robin motioned at the two tubs in their rooms.

"I'll skip bathing, thank you very much!"

Cyborg grabbed Beast Boy by the shoulder. "No, you REALLY need that bath!"

"Okay, fine, but you two leave!"

"Whatever you say, dude." Cyborg and Robin left the room.

Beast Boy was taking off his clothes and was just out of his underwear when Rorek entered the room.

"Excuse me but I have…Ye gods!"

Beast Boy yelled and tried to put his underwear back on. Instead, he tripped and fell into the tub. Cyborg and Robin let out a roaring round of laughter. Rorek shuddered and tried to dump the mental image. Cyborg came around and put his hand on Rorek's shoulders.

"Sorry, man!" He tried to talk between laughs. "I couldn't resist!"

"Indeed," said Rorek flatly.

"Welcome to the Teen Titans," said Robin as he recovered from his laughing fit. As the commotion continued, Starfire and Raven were in the next room listening in.

"Boys!" Raven rolled her eyes.

Starfire giggled. "Yes, they are amusing."

Raven left the room and went outside.

"It's only been three days," she said to herself.

"A lot has happened hasn't it?" Raven turned around and saw Rorek standing behind her. "I…uh…saw more of your friend than I ever want to in a lifetime!"

Raven chuckled softly as Rorek came and stood right behind her. He slid his arms around her waist and rested his chin on her head.

"A lot has happened," he repeated. He closed his eyes and enjoyed the feel of her in his arms. This was so different from the first time they had met. Not only did Raven respect Rorek now, she was beginning to feel something deep for him.

"I'm glad we were able to finally understand each other, Raven."

"Me too. You've changed a lot."

"I had too. How much time do any of us have?"

Raven thought back to how this whole adventure got started.

"How much indeed," she replied. "How much indeed." Raven turned in Rorek arms. He lowered his scarf and brought his lips to hers. It was her first kiss…it was his too. He was hesitant at first, but feeling Raven's hand running through his hair edged him on. Rorek grew bolder as he embraced her and brought her closer. All the memories of bitterness and his empty life faded away. For the moment, they were happy.

I. The Great Slayer of Dragons? Yeah Right!

On the roof…

"I don't know what will happen to me," sighed Raven. "But I thank you all for being here to see me though it."

"Always!" shouted the others in unison.

"Raven, again, I promise that we'll find out what Slade is up to."

"I know you will, Robin. You were after all trained by the best."

Robin smiled as the two exchanged a look of understanding. They were now ready to face the tough battle ahead. The dark cloud that had covered their spirits had been driven away and replaced by joy and hope. Their hearts sang.

"Wonderful! I shall make a fresh batch of my homemade glorg!" Starfire flew back downstairs.

Suddenly, their stomachs knotted. Robin, Cyborg, and Beast Boy reluctantly followed Starfire down the stairs for her cooking. Raven, however, stayed on the roof a while longer. She contemplated her experience with Slade and thought about her ability to stop time.

She wondered if she was gaining new powers or losing control of what she always had. Raven decided to go back downstairs and join the other Titans. Before she reached the main room, she stopped by her room to pick up a book. She ran her index finger over the spines of the books trying to decide which one to read next. Suddenly, the chest that housed Malchior's book began to rumble with dark energy.

Raven was startled as she assumed an attack position. Her hand glowed with the same dark energy as she cautiously approached the chest.

"Deceiver! I swear I'll take you down again!" Her voice was low but threatening.

"Not this time," answered a feminine voice. Raven was shocked to realize that it was the sound of her own voice. She looked around to see where it was coming from.

"Is this another one of your games, Malchior? I've learned much since you have been sealed!"

"I can't explain," said the voice, "you'll just have to figure this out for yourself, and believe me you will!"

Her surroundings went white with a blinding light. She used her cape to shield her eyes. When she opened them, she realized that she was standing outside. When Raven saw the horses and the quaint cottages with straw roofs, she knew immediately that she was not in her time.

"Oh, great. This day just keeps getting better and better." Raven's tone was dry as she began to look for the book. "I really hate these time travel motifs. First Starfire, then Cyborg, and now me."

Raven started walking. She looked around as the villagers were staring at her suspiciously. Suddenly, a boy came in running through the town.

"Make way! Here he comes, the Slayer of Dragons…Rorek of Null!"

The townspeople lost interest in Raven as they were now focused on Rorek. Rorek was riding on a horse with his arms raised waving to the crowds. An entourage of women came screaming and running past Raven. As they approached him, he smiled and blew kisses to them.

"I mean I really, REALLY hate these time travel motifs," said Raven shaking her head. "Well, at least there's SOMEONE here that I know…sort of."

Raven held her position and waited to see how this would play out.

"Have no fear, good townsfolk! I, Rorek of Null shall slay the dreaded dragon Malchior!" The women swooned as Rorek stepped down from the horse. He stepped up to one of the women and tipped her chin up.

"Fair maiden. For you I would sail off the edge of the earth!" The other women began to close in on him.

"What about us!" They cried.

"Ahhh! Come to my place and I shall tell you!"

As the women giggled, Raven rubbed her temples. "I don't believe it! He's the Dark Age's version of Beast Boy! I am so out of here!" Raven began walking away from the crowd as Rorek spoke up.

"What's this? A maiden dressed in strange garb!" Rorek broke from the crowd and walked briskly to catch up to Raven. When he reached her, she stopped and just kept staring straight ahead with her fists clenched at her sides.

"What country do you hail from, Strange Maiden?"

"Beyond the edge of the earth," replied Raven coldly hoping to throw him off.

"Beyond the edge of the earth?" Asked Rorek loud enough for the crowd to hear. Then he whispered in her ear, "Or beyond time…fair Titan." Raven froze. Rorek smirked as he turned to the crowd. "Fear not! I recognize her now! She and I were both students of the Great Magician."

The crowed cheered. "We must take our leave now, Good People, as the dark maiden I have much to discuss!"

"Awww," sighed the women.

"Another time, maidens. Another time." As the crowd dissipated, Rorek turned to Raven.

"You realize that I just saved your life," smiled Rorek.

Raven raised one eyebrow as she looked at him. "How's THAT exactly?"

"You were going to be burned at the stake for being a witch. The townspeople were just waiting for the right moment to tackle you." He still had that cheesy grin that Raven had come to hate very quickly. "I distracted them for you."

"You must be proud." She said flatly.

"Oh yes! I can now defeat Malchior!"

"Okay, you've lost me!"

"I know who you are. Just as you are an empath and can sense emotions, I am a telepath and can read your mind."

Raven immediately put up a barrier to shield her mind.

"It doesn't matter," said Rorek at her attempt. "I know all I need to know. If you defeated Malchior in another time, then you can defeat him now!"

"Whoa! Who said anything about ME defeating him? Why can't you, oh Great Slayer of Dragons?"

Rorek's smile faded. He looked around to be sure no one could hear him and spoke in a hushed voice. "All I can do is read minds. I was born this way. I'm really not even that good at it. I'm just able to pick up bits and pieces of information. I am no student of the Great Magician!" Rorek threw his hands up in frustration. "I came across a dragon one day. It tried to have me for dinner. Malchior showed up and fought it. While they were fighting, I hid myself. Malchior just simply broke its neck. It was so vicious!"

"Just like humans kill each other," said Raven.

"Right. After Malchior had left, I walked up to the body. I just stared at it because I had never seen such a gruesome way to die. I don't know how long I stood there, but some villagers came running up behind me. They thought that I had killed it. Besides the grotesque way the neck was aligned, there was no way of telling how it died. They just assumed I had used some magic and it had fallen like that." Rorek shuddered as he continued. "Anyway, I…"

"Let me finish for you, Rorek. You liked the attention and rather than confess what really happened, you went along with the idea of 'The Slayer of Dragons, Rorek of Null!'" Raven rolled her eyes as she held up two fingers on both hands to quote that last statement. "Am I right?" She asked crossing her arms.

Rorek simply nodded timidly.

"So this false bravado and ladies' man thing you have going is just part of the act?"

"Well… not exactly."

"A Dark Age's version of Beast Boy," sighed Raven as she turned and walked away.

"Wait! Where are you going?"

"Home. I don't know how, but I need to get back to my friends."

"Aren't you going to help me?" Rorek asked in desperation.

"No." Raven walked away with her arms sill crossed. She was confused. How exactly did Rorek defeat Malchior? She began to wonder if the whole "Malchior vs. Rorek" story was another one of Malchior's lies. At this point it seemed possible. But why use the name of some sniveling charlatan with an inferiority complex like Rorek? Why not use another name? Then again, Raven wouldn't have known one way or the other who Rorek was. Was it Malchior's way of mocking Rorek? But then who sealed up Malchior in the first place? Raven's head was swimming. She needed to lie down and realized she had no where to go. Raven stopped cold in her tracks. She wasn't afraid of the townspeople as she knew she could take them on. Yet, Raven knew that wouldn't improve her situation any. She sighed and walked back to Rorek who had sunk into despair. His spirits lifted when he saw her turn back.

"So you'll help, then?" Rorek asked hopefully.

"Yes, but I need you to get me a place to stay for the evening. Tomorrow, I can think more clearly."

"Yes, yes, of course! This way, fair Titan."

"Call me Raven."

"Raven," he repeated.

"You know, Rorek, if you knew that I could defeat Malchior, then why would you think that I was in danger of being burned at the stake by a mob?"

Rorek fell silent. Raven decided not to press further. She needed to pick her fights, and right now, she just wanted a place to stay.

Later that night, Raven was lying on a bed at the inn. She stared at the ceiling as she heard the sound of Rorek harping on about his latest fictional exploits to the sound of women giggling. She groaned and rolled onto her side. After she had dozed off, the voices came…

"Awww, Raven, why can't you have fun like the rest of us…"
"You you've been inside my mind, let me inside yours…"
"Perhaps we should do the hanging out…"
"We've got a piñata shaped like Beast Boy…"
"We're glad you were born…"
"We stopped by your room and the door was knocked down…"
"You're too busy being rude and cranky to feel anything at all…"
"Maybe you were right, maybe it was just a car…"
"Rest. He can't hurt you…"
"You're safe. You're with friends…"

All the voices were coming at one time in an endless loop. Raven shot up drenched in sweat. The inn was quiet, indicating that the occupants had turned in for the night. Raven looked around and let herself fall back onto the bed. She pulled the covers up to her neck. In the short time she had been here, Raven realized that she really missed them. She wondered if she would ever see them again. Raven hoped that they weren't too worried about her as she was about them.

"Be strong, Raven! Don't let the voices get to you. You're stronger than that!" Raven kept repeating those words even though the tears flowed silently down her cheek into the pillow.

To be continued…