Jim Starluck- Yes, yes, I know. As pictures, it's better. She dyes her hair to make herself look older- I picture it as late thirties, gray just starting to come in. Crimped hair and all the other little changes would make her look like a completely different person, and who would put Raven as a secretary? Except I just saw an AU fanfic with Raven as a secretary for Robin, but mine was posted first. Of course you're looking for Raven. As the only real character not established as a Titan is Rachel, and Ray-chel, Ray-ven- the names are a bit too close for the casual setting, and I had to keep the personality close. Well, you can't fool all the people all the time- you can just come up with really fast plot changes.

They-Call-Me-Orange- I thought so. That was my favorite line to write. Semi-romantic interlude (even if Gar is scatterbrained enough to forget something from a letter), getting along, Raven makes a threat- that's very Raven. A guy I sit with at lunch has the little cups of applesauce with no spoon- he scoops up the applesauce with the piece of foil from the top. Yep, more BBRae coming up- eventually.

mirsan4ever- Do not question the author. There is a plan in place, which may or may not involve the object. No comment.

The Mad shoe- Will do, glad you love it. I love all the reviews- I swear they make me think of more things.

YumeTakato- Thanks, can't say I've heard that exclamation before, here it is.

RainSprite03- Thanks. Being tired is a very acceptable excuse, especially because I use it so often when reviewing. There's always this chapter, if you want to try your hand at a longer review. And the next one, and the next one- you have lots of chances.

XPhoenixX- I try constructive criticism, too. I have a few things that I'll work on, but it's nice to hear that someone found nothing. And of course you must review, if I'm ever to get up to one hundred so I can start dancing around the house (while writing, of course).

Mudd26- I try to not keep people waiting too long. Tell them to join- this place is the best, and is the greatest way to write- for yourself, with feedback from complete strangers. This story's going to be longer than I originally anticipated, so they'll have plenty of time to think of a pen-name. Or keyboard-name, but that just doesn't have the same ring to it.

Very short little notice this time- I heart reviewers!

"I have a good idea. Let's never do that again," Raven said after they had landed on top of her apartment complex. Well, he had landed. She had bumped to the ground after being carried a quarter mile by a pteranydon. No one had been given the opportunity to shoot a photo of the supposedly suicidal jumper or the girl being carted around by an extinct dinosaur, or so she hoped. Giving a reason for jumping would be difficult, even if other heroes could back her story. She had still told him to fly her (for convenience's sake, and she could say that honestly- she had forgotten the damned things had claws; it wasn't for comfort) to the place she called a house. It wasn't home. The Tower was home.

"I thought you'd do it. That's why I waited. You know, most people would scream or something when the see the ground coming at them that fast, not say something lost in the breeze."

"You didn't hear me?" She thought he would have- he had always heard the softest click of the roof's door shutting, and had known to come up when she wasn't destroying something. No one kept anything valuable on the roof- sometimes, while doing the deeper meditating, an emotion broke loose.

"No, I didn't. I was diving at top speed, coming from the side, and voices don't carry well in rushing currents of air. Besides, pteranydons are not known for their hearing.""

"Maybe I'll repeat it later."

"I really am sorry that the plan was useless. And about cutting your arm- I forgot that pteranydon had talons."

"Your plan wasn't useless."

"You don't have to patronize me, Rae. I know it was a stupid idea."

"Undoubtedly so, but it reminded me of something that will work."

"What?"

"I need to go have a chat with my emotions. The mirror's in my apartment, one floor down from here." They were standing on the roof. She opened the door to the interior with her room key, which was more a credit card than anything else.

"How long has it been, since you really meditated?" He could remember when she had meditated more than she had slept.

"Four and a half years- I couldn't find them. It wasn't Trigon, I know- I'd recognize his style anywhere. They just- weren't there."

"Why do you think you can find them now?"

"You're helping me look- all you really need to do is show up to be the catalyst. Happiness has been wanting to see you again, andKnowledge won't be able to keep away. You and Cyborg didn't completely trash the place last time, and you're less likely to blast things. Besides, the emotions like you."

"A lot?"

"Don't push it."

Three Titans were gathered in Titans' Tower. Once in the Tower, they were at a loss for what to do. Bumblebee would be a few days late- she was visiting a sister while giving the Titans time to get used to each other all over again before adding someone new to the equation. Vic felt awkward talking to Kori and Dick while they made out on the couch- it wasn't that he didn't do the same thing with Bumblebee (but better, in his mind at least), it was that those were his friends. The Amazing Velcro couple split after only a few minutes, off to see what had become of their rooms.

Vic stayed away from the garage. She had visited him often there, doing some small job or other while listening to him talk or talking to him. She had explained her emotions further to him, once. She found out later that week that he had dutifully parroted the information to (an infatuated, but she missed those adjectives) Beast Boy. After seeing that his entire garage would be in danger, he apologized. He didn't feel guilty about his actions- if B knew that messing with Raven too much would cause Titans' Tower to implode, he might lay off the irritating a little.

Kori could barely stand the sight of the kitchen. Raven had given her clandestine cooking lessons, threatening death if Starfire told anyone about exactly how much Raven knew about cooking- it didn't fit with the dark and mysterious image she liked a little too much for her own good. Raven never wore the pink frilly apron that had been found in the kitchen (no one ever would confess, but they knew one of the guys had hidden the item beneath the fondue set), but she never seemed to make a mess. She had been unbelievably patient with teaching basic techniques like measurement or breaking eggs, using the ways of their current planet. Instead, Kori looked around her room, settling on her diary and smiling at how she used to speak and write.

Dick avoided the training room. He still remembered the fight he had so arrogantly challenged her to, shortly after training with the Grand Master. He had trounced her thoroughly, in his words- he neglected to mention she was defeated after fifty-eight minutes of Tokyo standard practice free-style martial arts aided with bo staffs, his specialty. He then had the audacity to brag about his superiority. He was pinned to the wall in .027 seconds by Raven, who hadn't even used her powers. She moved faster than a human had a right to. In answer to his shocked question of "How did you do that?" while she walked away, leaving him to stare at an indent left from his impact of the wall, she had only shrugged and reminded him that she was half demon.

"Is there anything we can do?" Dick asked, already hating doing nothing.

"No. Raven will show herself if she wants to be found. Gar knows this." Starfire was quickly tiring of being the one patient enough to calm everyone else's insecurities.

"Something just came in- a report that a green pteranydon caught a dark-haired woman after she jumped off the Stone Technologies bridge spanning the Stone Gardens." Vic stood suddenly, ignoring his usual careful rising, and the tell-tale clinks echoed past his hologram. "She was caught, just barely, but didn't even try to save herself using her powers- not a single spark."

"It could have been planned," Kori pointed out, earning two disgusted looks.

"She probably took something. If she was falling, she wasn't saving herself, or screaming. She expected it. She did that fall on purpose," Vic argued. "Off my bridge- she was probably saying something."

"That bridge is the highest and easiest to jump from, as well as easiest to reach." Dick was already scanning a map of the neighborhood. He grabbed his cell phone, pushing the button that made it double as a communicator. "Gar? Are you there?"

All that answered was static. Vic slipped off the ring that kept a hologram image in place. It was his own design, guaranteed to keep perfectly steady. To go for Raven, he wasn't Vic Stone. He was Cyborg. "Are we going in now, or do I have to convince you?"

"I'm in," Dick said immediately.

"Give me a minute- I'm changing into something more appropriate."

"Like what?" Robin asked, rolling his eyes. Starfire was always worrying about what she wore. What he did not notice was that her choices of clothing invariably fir the situation, and often helped her reach a goal.

Starfire pulled one of her old outfits from her purse, dating from when she had been a completealien to the planet's customs. "This. I'm always ready, just in case I need it. You boys take all the time you need, but I'll be back here in sixty seconds."

Vic and Dick looked at each other as Starfire flew to her room. "I'll get the car and cycle ready. This is my Cyborg outfit. You get changed- Nightwing is sitting this one out, Robin. This is a reunion of the Teen Titans."

"Who's the leader here?"

"We're all adults, Rob. Deal?"

"Deal, but only if you don't take my line."

"Wha- oh. That line. I've wanted to say that for years, but I'll save it for when you're too drunk to care while I take your R-Cycle for a spin."

"Thanks, Cyborg. Glad to know of your selfless devotion to the team." The old alias fit easily.

"Right back at you, Robin. Suit up, before we get all sentimental. I'mgonna start rusting if you make me cry."

Starfire walked in, fully dressed and ready to fight. She had even taken care of hair and makeup. When she said one minute, she meant precisely sixty seconds. One odd trait she kept was an uncanny knowledge of time, started when Robin began his be-on-TIME phase. After she told him exactly how late he was each time he asked them to meet, in milliseconds, without a watch, he was through with the punctuality obsession, and went back to Slade. "Sorry to interrupt your 'moment,' but you really should get ready, Robin. I'll get the cycle for you."

Robin dashed off, leaving Starfire to roll her eyes. "Men. They never do grow up, do they?" Ignoring an indignant Cyborg, she headed for the garage. Raven would agree, she was sure, and decided that such a close friend, even after five years, could use a proper rescue, Titan-style, from whatever had kept her from coming out of the dark.

"Rae, are you sure this is your apartment?" Gar looked around. The suite of rooms was professionally decorated, all in bright colors. Not a single item looked like it belonged to Raven. The only odd thing in the entire apartment was the open air vent covers, but that could just be a personal preference. She did glance at them expectantly, as if something might jump out, but he didn't comment. Instead, he followed her into her bedroom, where she took a white trunk from the dresser. The top two layers were removed quickly to be thrown on the dresser, rows of typical cosmetics. Beneath the top layers, there was a small compartment.

Raven pulled out the few items. She had her old uniform, cloak and all. She didn't have to hide beneath the cloak, in case a smile was showing, but loved the comfort of the habitual outfit she had worn for years. She had two books- the Book of Scrapping from Starfire, and her Book of Azar. The last item she removed nearly reverently- her meditation mirror.

"Star made me the book of scrapping. I've added to it, a little," she said, running a hand along the bright cover. She had missed her friends, and couldn't explain why she hadn't come back to the Tower. Something inside her hadn't wanted her to, she guessed. She set the scrapbook aside, along with her more personal volume, but held her old uniform for a minute. "I haven't worn this in a long time."

"We all agreed to wear ours to the reunion." He ripped his coat open, trying to imitate one of the heroes made popular in movies, television, and comics. What he managed to do was rip off a button before finally taking off the coat the usual awkward way, revealing his purple uniform. "Still fits, see?"

"You're still a twig, you mean." She stepped into her bathroom, closing the door gently but firmly. She believed in privacy. He hadn't said anything for a full minute by the time she had dressed in the old leotard and cape, as familiar as a second skin. She hadn't guessed that she missed the costume, mobility mixed with enough modesty and mystery to keep her comfortable.

He was staring at the mirror. The surface was slightly cloudy, like some kind of scum had settled across it. It didn't gleam in even bright light. Something about her mirror was very different. She saw where his gaze was directed.

"I told you that everything has changed, Gar."

"No stalling, Rae. Let's do this."

"I'm just reminding you that this place will not be the same. You will be in the mirror with me, so I'll control where we land. The instant your life is danger, yell for Pinkie. She'll get you out."

"Pinkie?" He grinned, trying to get rid of the tangible tension in the room. "I never would plug you for having pet-names for the emotions."

"I do, for a few of them. Vee's new- she came after your unplanned visit, when we- I met someone. The newest still hasn't said a word- she's called Dovey. Timid has gotten stronger- she might be changed to Shy, soon." Raven spoke of that change like a proud mother- her emotions were like sisters, but they were less mature than she, for the most part.

"I don't mean to go somewhere I'm not welcome, Rae. If you want me to sit this out, just tell me. The place is a bit creepy. The first time, Vic and I had no idea what the mirror was."

"It's fine, Gar. I could use some back-up. Something is wrong, and I don't know what it is." That was the closest she would come to asking for help, and they both knew it.

"I'm in. What do I do?"

"Just- wait for a minute. I'm going to open a doorway into my mind. This should work, even if nothing else will. Getting someone else in is trickier, but entirely possible."

She sat cross-legged on the bed, breathing deeply in counts, just like a novice in meditation. She had out of shape, mentally- she would have to fix this. Later, Rae- one problem at a time. Her mind cleared, leaving her with tunnel vision. She waved a hand- a doorway appeared in the floor of the room. She jumped in, moving gracefully. She remembered how this worked, when physically entering her own mind. She waited for him to follow before snapping the portal shut and looking around her mind.

"I don't think we're in Kansas anymore," Gar joked weakly.

"I pretty sure I've never been in Kansas in the first place." She paused for only a minute, searching in vain to sense an emotion, a change in the monotonous flat plain that extended as far as she could see, or even one of the many four-eyed birds she usually found all over and had to clear out, spies from her father. Someone had gotten rid of them. Maybe Dovey- but Dovey didn't speak, and wouldn't know the incantation. The plain was only too flat and a dull shade of gray-purple, almost identical to the sky above the horizon. All that made the ground different than tile was the texture and smell, of dying earthworms after the rain. That wasn't the usual scent of alien wildflowers and wild-growing tea.

"Houston, we have a problem," she breathed, her voice carrying too easily across the flat landscape.

Rae had made a joke- he still wasn't used to it. From what she said, however, something was wrong. "What?" he asked, sounding much more nervous than he would like to be.

"Pinkie at least should be here. Vee would be off sulking, but Timid should stop by to say hi. And then, there's the one emotion who always trying to ambush me." She looked around the completely flat landscape, one that looked like grainy photographs of the moon where the craters were obscured. It was just the same aslast time- she hadhoped it was a fluke because theemotions were sulking."Bravery isn't here."

"I'm guessing this is a bad thing?"

"Yeah. This is bad."

­­­­­­­"This is her apartment." Robin adjusted his mask. He wasn't used to it, after so many years of the Nightwing outfit or going around bare-faced. Finally, he ripped it off and jammed it into a pocket. "I've knocked eight times. Cyborg?"

He had already blown in the door. "Way ahead of you, as usual." He stepped inside, looking around doubtfully. "Are we talking about the same Raven? These rooms have just been decorated in bright colors, and I don't even see any creepy books. If you told me the wrong room, we could have a problem"

"She's lived here for at least four years- we track employees randomly. Maybe she's changed. Spread out- she could be laying low in here." Robin had reverted from single-vigilante to leader mode very quickly. He liked being Nightwing, but there was something about having a team look to him for decisions. Besides, he liked his old uniform better, not that he would admit it.

"She'll know we're here, thanks to the male solution of blasting her door to splinters. I could have picked the lock." Starfire cut Robin off as he walked. "I'm checking her bathroom. You can't stand looking at a tampon box, let alone inside it for clues, and a girl deserves privacy."

"That's just disturbing!" Robin protested. "I mean, it's made to get bloody, and it's funny looking, and- I can still search. I'll be fine."

Starfire shook her head. "Check the kitchen."

Cyborg had already moved into her bedroom. He let out a word he hadn't known as a teenager before yelling for the other two. "Guys! Get in here!" They ran in. When Cyborg used that tone, something was about to destroy the planet or civilization as they knew it, someone's life was in danger, or he was late for an anniversary date with Bumblebee and hadn't bought a gift yet.

They found an odd scene. A Book of Scrapping, the Book of Azar, a heeled left shoe, a lab coat, and a mirror he recognized were strewn across the room. The coat was Gar's. He knew what the mirror meant, if both of them had been in the room recently enough that they had been knocking just after they left, according to thermal scanners. Cyborg was carefully staying at least eight feet away from the mirror, lying innocently on the floor.

"Where are they?" Starfire asked.

"In Raven's mind."

"What?" Robin demanded.

"Is this anything like the time you and Be- Gar explored her mind and met Trigon? She told me about her emotions, once, to try and help me understand why her partaking of the Pudding of Joy would not be a good idea."

"Yes," Cyborg said, just as Robin looked puzzled. "When?"

"A few years ago, after Slade first showed up, before Terra- BB and I went into her room without her permission. He picked up that mirror, and it sucked us in. We met her emotions. Trigon showed up, and she defeated him only by using all of the emotions. That was about when B started to feel something but a need to annoy Raven. Happiness let on that Raven thought his jokes were funny. That crush was just simmering during the whole Terra episode." Cyborg finally took a breath. Robotic lungs were helpful, sometimes, especially when defining time relative to major events the Titans had been through. "Raven must have taken him inside."

"So, what do we do?" Robin asked.

Cyborg's answer was simple. "Wait."