AN: This just might be the most dialogue heavy story I have every written. Well, I suppose one must expect that when one has scenes with six characters who all want their say.



Robin leaned against the wall with arms crossed, watching Beast Boy and Cyborg talking to Laros. Beast Boy was talking the most, accompanied by wide, sweeping gestures and much jumping up and down. Cyborg sometimes pitched in, laughing his great, booming laugh at his friend's comments. Laros was mostly quiet, though he smiled a lopsided smile and nodded his head.

Robin considered going upstairs to find Starfire, thinking that perhaps he could help her talk to Raven. He decided against it, partly because he knew he wouldn't be able to help that much, but mostly because he wanted to keep his eye on Laros. There was something about him, something about the way he smiled and the way he talked, that Robin simply didn't trust.

"Lady Aleran!"

He was startled out of his thinking by Laros's cry. He turned to see Raven standing on the bottom step of the stairway, the end of her cloak puddling on the step behind her. She wasn't saying a word, but her eyes, gleaming in the shadow of her hood, looked around at each of them in turn. They fixed on Robin, then wandered to Beast Boy, and Cyborg, and finally Laros.

Her eyes stayed there for a moment before fixing themselves straight ahead. "I've made my decision," she said, stepping out into the room. Raven turned toward Laros. "I will be going with you."

Laros smiled and bowed. "Of course, Milady."

"But," and here Raven's eyes narrowed dangerously, "only until my father is defeated, and no longer. I will not settle down in the City, I will not head the Sentinels, and I will not take care of any problems but him. Understood?"

"Of course, Milady," he said again.

"Don't call me that," there was acid in her voice. "And don't call me Aleran, either. I am Raven."

"You do realize, don't you," Laros said, "that we have been trying to overthrow Hailorn for years? If you're going to stay in Azerath until he falls, you'll most probably be waiting for years as well. Are you sure you'll be able to stand my company for that long?"

"I'll manage."

Cyborg clapped his large hands together. "Okay then! When are we leaving?"

Raven turned toward him and sighed. "We are not. I'm going and Laros is going, but the rest of you will be staying here."

"What!" Beast Boy yelled, "You can't go conquering evil without us! We're a team!" He was so upset, his head was rapidly changing shape. First a green dog head sat on his shoulders, then a lizard, a rabbit, an eagle, and finally an elephant head that was so heavy it made him topple over.

"I'm sorry," said Raven as Beast Boy sprang up from the floor, proper head restored. She continued, "But Azerath is a dangerous place, and if anything happened to any of you there, it would be my fault."

"But..." cried Cyborg and Beast Boy at the same time.

"And anyway, it's not your fight. He's my father, and I have to defeat him. Alone."

"But..." they yelled again.

"No buts, I'm going and you are not."

Just then, Starfire came hurtling down the staircase and into the room, a blur of white nightdress and reddish hair. "Wait Raven, I–" She slid to a halt in front of the other girl. "Good you have not left yet. I am going with you!"

"Yeah! And us too!" said Cyborg firmly.

"No," said Raven, just as firmly.

Flustered, Starfire turned to Robin, who had remained quiet during the entire exchange. "Please, Robin! Make Raven see that she must take us with her! We are her teammates, we are her friends, we are her family!"

Robin remained silent for a moment more, and then said, slowly and carefully, "I understand why Raven would want to face her father alone. If I could take down Slade on my own..."

"Robin!" Starfire reached out and grabbed his arm.

"Wait a minute, Starfire, I'm not finished. I was saying, that I would if I could, but I understand that I need help when it comes to him, and Raven needs help when it comes to her father."

Laros interrupted, "She will have the Secret Sentinels to help her, and we're not exactly weaklings."

Robin nodded, a bit reluctant to admit that Laros had a point. "You're right about that. But so was Starfire when she said that we're Raven's family. We have a duty to her. Of course, we also have a duty to the city."

"Exactly," said Raven. "You can't go and fight Father, because you have to stay here and fight crime. Trust me, the police are helpless without you."

Robin nodded again. "That settles it. Titan's, we're staying here."

There was an immediate uproar as Starfire, Cyborg, and Beast Boy all started talking at once.

"Robin! You can not let her–"

"Robin, dog, you can't seriously–"

"Awww, come on Robin, you wanna go as much as–"

Laros did not raise his voice, but somehow he managed to be heard above the clamor.

"Excuse me if I intrude, being the outsider here, and all," everyone fell silent, "but it seems to me that one of you could go with the blackbird and I, and the others stay. We'd be even; three on this side, three on the other."

Robin considered this. "I suppose three Titans could handle the city's crime for awhile."

Smiles broke out on the three other teenagers' faces.

It was Starfire whose face fell first. "But which one of us will go with Raven?"

"That would be me," said Robin.

"Hey!" cried Cyborg. "You're the only one who didn't want to go!"

"And what if Slade attacks?" said Beast Boy. "You need to be here."

Robin shook his head. "You can handle things without me."

"That may be true..."

"Anyway," interrupted Robin, "I need to keep an eye on him." He nodded toward Laros. "No offense."

"None taken."

Cyborg and Beast Boy both opened their mouths to speak, but Robin raised a hand to stop them. "As leader of the Teen Titans, my decision is final." He hesitated for a moment. "What do you think, Starfire," he asked, not looking at her.

Starfire hesitated, biting her lip. "If you say that you should go Robin, I am happy to let you."

"Okay then!" said Laros, clapping his hands. "Masked-One, Blackbird, shall we go?"

Raven nodded. A moment later, Robin did as well. Without speaking the three of them moved toward the door.

"Wait!" They stopped, turning toward Starfire.

"We will accompany you," she said.

Raven looked at her friend. "I'm not sure that's a good idea."

"It is the polite thing to do," Starfire insisted.

Raven nodded. "Let's go then."

On the way out of Titan Tower, Robin asked her. "How are we going to get to this place, this Azerath?"

"I'll explain when we get there."