Ok, fifth chapter, here we go.

King Cheetah: Thanks.

Miss A. LaRosa: LOL yeah I liked that one too. Thanks, I'm glad you liked it:)

rubianca: DO! You won't be disappointed! Yeah...bit ironic. Slade doesn't scare him (on most days) but a girl does. Poor Robin.

Water81: Nah, I don't like resorting to violence. LOL thanks, I like to avoid the sex scene...I mean, come on! What are they, fifteen? That's just wrong! Glad you liked it!

jambey: You mean I don't get to visit with your nice friend? Bummer! -shivers- I watched the creepiest movie today! The Interpretor...scary assasin dudes all over the place! I hate when that happens...makes me want to smash it. Really? Hmm...well whoever she gets them from, they have extremely good taste :P It was all the snuggling teenagers...and the whole R-cycle incident...and then trying and failing to tell her the truth. Yeah, she did have her cloak on...but its kinda thin...and the hoody was big, very big...basically it would keep her warm and protect against the rain better. Now I know Rae could have done that with her powers, but I liked the idea. Very chivalrous of Robin. Uh...woops! -nervous sweat drop- Oh well.

raeandrob4eva: SHE LIVES! Lol! Glad to have you back, and glad you like it so far! Hmm..more fluff...it's possible.

otakualways: THE HORROR! LOL thanks for reading.

Toasty souls: LOL thanks so much, glad you like it:) More it is then.

Angel Vanilla: Yes ma'am, I certainly do! Yes, it was definitely exciting...but I think I like the third one best. So great watching Spiro and Artemis match wits. The troll part in the fourth book was just aweful tho! Nearly chewed off my own hand...Glad you like it.

raggedywings: Thanks!

Aeris-Raven: LOL yeah I liked that one too. Yeah...kinda like in Hitch. The ladies like the guys that make a fool of themselves.

Desanera: LOL...hmmm...I don't know about that. Hopefully you like this chapter.

YoukaiTenshi: And how can I trust you? What reason do I have to believe on your word? LOL! Yeah I figured you weren't a stalker, but Mom sees things a bit differently. Glad you like it!

Mina: -sigh- Wish I was on vacation...ouch! Sunburn sucks! Nah, it's no problem, and the new chap was great! LOL yeah I liked that one too...such a smart aleck, he is. LOL yeah...I kinda pin my own likes and dislikes onto him when it comes to stuff they don't discuss in the show. Yes, you definitely should. They're great books. Glad you liked it:)

One to two days after the last chap. I DO NOT OWN THE SONG CRASH AND BURN, BY SAVAGE GARDEN.

Robin shuffled into the kitchen, yawning and scrubbing a hand through his hair. He really had no right to feel tired; it was ten o'clock, four hours later than he usually got up, but somehow he felt exhausted. It was almost like allowing himself to sleep appraised his body of exactly what it was missing. "Morning everybody. Sleep well?" he asked, smiling sleepily at his fellow Titans as he grabbed a barstool and reached for the morning paper.

"Good morning? GOOD MORNING? HA! Maybe some of us've had a good morning! Wish I could've been snoozing in my bed!"

Robin blinked, slightly surprised at Beast Boy's sudden attack. "Uh...who peed in your cheerios?"

Beast Boy scowled, bottom lip poking out in a childish pout. "RAVEN!"

Robin's eyes narrowed behind his mask. "What about Raven?" he demanded, sounding a lot more protective than he knew.

"What about her? LOOK AT THE TV!" he yelled, spit flying as he gesticulated furiously towards the couch.

Robin looked. The screen/window was utterly destroyed, which explained the odd breeze he had half-noticed upon entering the room. He jumped back, hopping on one foot and digging a shard out of his skin. Glass was scattered around the entire room, not just on the floor, but on the cupboards and counters as well, and that wasn't the only damage. The fridge was smoking, sparks flew from the lop-sided stove, and random bits of carpet were torn away from the floor. It looked like Hurricane Herman had struck in their living room. "What did you do?"

Beast Boy's mouth dropped open. "WHAT DID I DO? HELLOOO! WEREN'T YOU LISTENING? RAVEN'S THE ONE WHO--"

"You upset her. What did you do?" Robin glared fiercely behind his mask at the sputtering green changeling. Their relationship had been a bit...shaky ever since the whole Starfire incident, so he was not inclined to waste time being friendly.

Beast Boy turned to Cyborg, and suddenly he was no longer scowling, but grinning maliciously. "See, Cy? I told you!" Cyborg frowned, but did not respond.

Robin's eyes narrowed. "What are you mumbling about?" he snapped, a rising suspicion bringing an unnatural heat to his face.

BB turned back to him, the smug look still in place. "Oh nothing...just your little...'outing' with Raven. So, did you get some action?"

Forget unnatural heat. Robin's skin was on fire. "I...I don't know what you're talking about."

Beast Boy rolled his eyes and mimicked, "'I don't know what you're talking about'. Yeah, right! It's obvious, Bird Boy! You couldn't have Starfire, so you decided to set your sights a lot lower. Oh, how cute! You're blushing...almost as much as Raven did." The glint in his eyes drowned out their usual honest and cheerful light.

Robin was shaking slightly, fists and jaw clenched as he glared at Beast Boy. "Shut your mouth," he ordered, a dangerous growl escaping his lips.

The changeling stepped right up to him, standing on tip-toe to look him in the "eye". "Or what, Robin? You gonna sic your witch on me?"

That was the last straw. Before he could think, before he could stop himself, his fist shot out and collided with the smirking shape-shifter's face. He had rarely felt this angry before, and never at one of his teammates...but then again, none of his teammates had ever sunk so low.

Beast Boy stumbled back, his hand over his face and a trickle of blood seeping through his fingers. His eyes were wide with something that might have been fear or shock, probably both. Robin knew he should have felt guilty, knew he should have apologized and helped his friend up, but instead he found himself turning his back without a word. He had to find Raven.

The door was closed, and she was crying. Robin found himself wishing he had hit Beast Boy a little harder as he knocked hesitantly on the door. "Raven?"

When you feel all alone
And the world had turned its back on you

The quiet sobs continued, as painful as a knife in the ribs. No, not just hit him. He should have kicked him all the way to Intensive Care. Battling down the rock in his throat, he tried again. "Raven? Can I come in?" He sighed, leaning his forehead on the cool metal door. "Please, Rae. Please just let me in." When there was no response, he grew desperate. No more games. "Raven, I'm coming in." He knew all of their passwords, of course. Just one of those leader things. The door slid open, and he stepped through cautiously. Robin's heart was hammering, the anger that fueled that punch still coursing through him as he flexed his fingers gingerly. The knuckles would probably be bruised, but that was nothing compared to what Beast Boy would be looking at for the next week. This thought gave him a sort-of grim satisfaction, though it wasn't enough to quell his fury.

Once his eyes had adjusted to the dark, he saw Raven sitting by the heavily curtained window, surrounded by papers, books, and chunks of plaster lying helter-skelter around the room. But that wasn't what bothered him. His heart sank as she turned away, hiding her face in the curtain, her shoulders shaking slighlty. All anger faded out of him, and he wished he had it back.

Give me a moment please
To tame your wild wild heart

"Raven, look at me." His eyebrows were drawn into a peak, a deep frown tugging at the corners of his mouth. This was all his fault. If it weren't for his stupid, childish feelings, she wouldn't have been put through this. "Rae..."

"It's not your fault." She still faced the curtain, but the sound of her voice was comforting, even as the pain within it tore at his heart. "Don't blame yourself. It only makes things worse."

Robin took a hesitant step forward, silently pleading with her to look at him. He felt hollow without those amethyst eyes. "Raven, don't listen to what that idiot says. It's not true, any of it."

A deep sigh ruffled the black velvet curtain slightly. "This isn't about Beast Boy. Well...not entirely, anyway."

Robin frowned until his head began to ache. More? What else could there be?

"Robin..."

His heart plumetted, the way she said that dragging forth a truckload of his worst memories. Here he was again, he had let himself fall for the same stupid trick, only this time...it would hurt ten times worse.

I know you feel like the walls are closing in on you
It's hard to find relief and people can be so cold

A bitter laugh drifted across the air, filled with more pain than any sob had ever contained. "I suppose you can tell from the mess that my powers are not what one would call 'under control'."

Robin nodded slowly. What must it be like to be so enhanced and yet so limited by your abilities? To be in constant fear of hurting the ones you loved? He had experienced his fair share of that, but never to the extent that Raven suffered daily. People might not think it to look at them, but Raven was much stronger than he would ever be.

"Robin...these past few days have been... I can't do this, Robin. The price is far higher than I can afford. The risk is too great." Her voice, though bitter, was once again calm and emotionless, giving no hint to the pain in her eyes and the tears coursing down her cheeks.

His mouth turned instantly dry, his tongue unwilling to move as he fought for words. "Raven..."

When darkness is upon your door and
You feel like you can't take anymore

"No. I could have hurt him. I could have hurt Cyborg. I could have hurt..." Raven's voice trembled ever-so-slightly, these words choking her as though trying to stay inside and never be heard. "...You." She drew in a long, slow breath, and let it out carefully. "I can't let that happen, Robin. Ever."

No! There had to be a way! "Raven..."

Let me be the one you call
If you jump I'll break your fall
Lift you up and fly away with you into the night

"It's been...fun, Robin. I really enjoyed spending time with you. It's good to have a friend I can count on, but...my powers..." She sighed heavily, still facing the curtain. "I'm not made for fun."

His stomach tightened. Friend. She considered him a friend. Nothing more...and perhaps not even that anymore. "Rae..."

"I can't, Robin! I can't, don't you get that?" she yelled, but there was no anger in her voice; only sadness. "I can't have what I want. Ever."

Before he knew what he was doing, Robin gently took her by the shoulders, guiding her out of her seat and turning her to face him. Raven's eyes searched his face, flitting from his mask to his mouth, and back again. His face was grim, hurt or pain or disappointment creasing his brow and drawing his lips into a tight line. Almost matter-of-factly, he drew her against him, and wrapped his arms around her. The tears began to fall.

If you need to fall apart
I can mend a broken heart

"Robin...he...I didn't meant to...I'm sorry...always sorry..." she sobbed, still trying to hold herself together. She would not be a weak little child, not in front of Robin! ...Too late.

"Shhh...it's ok, Raven. It's ok." He felt the sting of his own tears, felt his own heart being ripped to shreds, but that didn't matter. All that mattered was Raven.

"I hate it. I hate it." This was beyond pain. No words could describe what her voice did to him. He knew that Raven felt infinitely more than she let on, but he never knew...never could have comprehended, and even now, it was hard to grasp. Like being hit by a tsunami and trying to understand every drop of water and every particle of debris simultaneously. He could hardly breathe with the enormity of it, but he continued to hug her, to stroke her hair, to do everything in his power to stop the wave.

If you need to crash then crash and burn
You're not alone

"Beast Boy...he said..." She was still crying, but her sobs were slowly subsiding, driven away by his comforting presence. "Why did you ask me to the movie, Robin? Why are you in here? Why do you...want to spend time with me?"

Robin tensed, a blush creeping into his cheeks. He'd better back out fast, or he would find himself with a stake through his heart again. "No reason. I...care about you, Raven. You're my...friend." The lies were hard to get out, leaving a bad taste on his tongue as the little voice in the back of his head screamed, "NO YOU IDIOT!" "Beast Boy doesn't know what he's talking about. Don't listen to him." He smiled, though it almost killed him. "You belong here, Raven." Here with me.

When you feel all alone
And a loyal friend is hard to find
You're caught in a one-way street
With the monsters in your head

She lifted her head slowly, looking him straight in the eye. "No, I don't. I don't belong anywhere." Raven's next words surprised even her. "I just...I try so hard to help people, I want to help people, but no matter what I do, someone always ends up hurt. I can bring no happiness, only pain and destruction. I don't belong anywhere, Robin." She tried to pull away, but Robin's hands were on her shoulders, gripping them gently but firmly.

"You belong here, Raven." His voice shook slightly, but this did not detract from the power of his words. "You belong here."

When hopes and dreams are far away and
You feel like you can't face the day

Raven felt almost stunned. She stared at him, completely speechless. What was this feeling? "Why?"

Without breaking her paralyzing gaze, he gently took her hand, placing it over his heart and holding it there. His other hand slowly inched towards her, finally finding its rest against the reassuring beat of his Raven's beautiful heart. Robin had not said a word, but in that instant, she knew why. She knew everything. She could feel it in the very beating of his heart.

Let me be the one you call
If you jump I'll break your fall
Lift you up and fly away with you into the night

"Robin..." She felt breathless, utterly unable to resist as his face drifted towards hers. A vague fear pulsed in the back of her mind, and she tried to bring it into focus, but all she could see was Robin. So fast...all of it happening so fast...what to do? "Robin, I can't--"

"No more words." With that whispered reply, Robin closed the distance. He had to know...he couldn't take anymore of this; everything was gray without Raven, nothing seemed worthwhile. No more hiding, no more fear. No more half-life.

This feeling...it had no name. At least, no name that could truly do it justice. It was like the first breath of life, like the plunge of death. It was stumbling forward in the darkness to be met by the sunbeams of morning. Slowly, lovingly, it pried open her locks, crumbled her fortresses, vanished her barriers, and all without her knowledge. Nothing mattered. Nothing but Robin.

If you need to fall apart
I can mend a broken heart

It was everything -everything- he had ever dreamed of and more. The world and all its glories were pale in comparison. He was truly alive for the first time. Raven was inside him, surrounding him, knowing everything, seeing him as no other person had ever seen him before. He was helpless, he was weak -oh so weak-, he was vulnerable, but it didn't matter. He didn't need a mask. Not with Raven.

If you need to crash then crash and burn
You're not alone

At first, her power merely struck the odd book, tearing out a page or scorching a cover, but slowly, black tentacles began to gather, weak at first but steadily growing in strength. The darkness wrapped itself around Robin, pulsing, tightening...

With a gasp of pain and surprise, Robin pulled back, eyes widening as they fell upon Raven and the dark tendrils of power emenating from her. They were constricting, slowly squeezing the air from his lungs as he choked, his ears ringing and his eyes growing dark...

"NO! ROBIN! Azarath Metrio--"

Robin was lifted off the ground and slammed against the wall, his head rebounding helplessly, the impact nearly sending him into unconsciousness. But her power was not through yet. With a sickening lurch, he sped away from the wall, and approached it once again, gathering speed...

Horrified, desperate, Raven fought wildly against Rage, released by her carelessness and quickly overpowering her. Sweat broke out on her forehead, her fists clenched as she shook from head to toe. Summoning all of her strength, she hit Rage like a whirlwind, pushing and straining until, at long last, the barriers were restored, the locks clicked into place, and the fortress was impenetrable once more. "STOP!"

Mere inches from the wall, the black tendrils of power released him, trailing away aimlessly like swirls of smoke, contianed and controlled once more. Robin slumped weakly to the ground, gasping and choking on the greatly missed blessing of oxygen as pain throbbed dully through him. He was still a little unsure as to how one minute, he was in Heaven, and the next, he was becoming personally aquainted with the wall. Then he heard a loud curse from somewhere above him, and the pieces fell into place. Raven had lost control.

"Robin! No...I..." She twisted her hands together, standing over him as he sat up unsteadily, a small trickle of blood running down the side of his face.

Cause there has always been heartache and pain
But when it's over you'll breathe again

Robin struggled to his feet, holding onto the wall for support. "Raven, I'm fine. Don't--"

"Get out."

You'll breathe again

Robin's eyes widened behind his mask. "But, Raven--"

"Get out now." Raven took a ginger step toward him, and shoved him hard in the chest, a solitary tear running down her cheek. "I can't, Robin. Just...just go! Now!"

"Raven, I won't--"

"For once in your life, listen to someone besides yourself!" Raven pushed and shoved him out the door, letting it slide closed behind him. With a thick sheet of cold metal between them, Raven relaxed ever-so-slightly, sliding down the door to sit, hunched over and panting, on the floor. Never again. She could never let that happen again.

When you feel all alone
And the world has turned its back on you

Robin stood absolutely still, his eyes burning holes in the door; the only thing keeping him from Raven. Didn't she understand? He didn't care what happened to him. What was a little cut, if it meant he could be with her? "Raven? I'm not going to just go away. I don't care what happens! ...Raven? I..." The words stuck in his throat. Even now, he couldn't make himself say them. "Raven..."

Give me a moment please
To tame your wild wild heart

"Please, just go."

Those words chilled him to the bone, ringing in his ears like a death sentence as his face slowly hardened, lips drawn into a tight, neutral line. There was his answer. He reached up and adjusted his mask, almost as though to make sure it was still there, then strode away, back straight and head erect. He passed up his bedroom door, heading in the general direction of the training room to take it out on the machines. What better way to cure heartache than to throw yourself recklessly into your work? He had to forget...had to forget her...

Let me be the one you call
If you jump I'll break your fall
Lift you up and fly away with you into the night
If you need to fall apart
I can mend a broken heart
If you need to crash then crash and burn
You're not alone

Forgetting Raven was like deciding not to breathe.

There you have it. We all knew it was going to happen some day. Review and tell me what you think, review and keep this story alive! I have an idea for chapter six, but you have to review to get it! Laters people! -yawns wide enough to swallow China- ...Dusty Oh, and let's all pray that my story (or maybe my whole acount) does not get deleted!