Not Part Of The Team?

Robin was pacing around the main room, being careful to avoid stepping on the mess that hadn't been cleaned up yet, which was a bit tricky at some times. Beastboy was in the kitchen cooking up something for dinner; something that most likely involved tofu. Had Cyborg known this, he would've also been in the kitchen, yelling at Beastboy to cook something that didn't involve tofu or soymilk. But he didn't; he was on the lowest level of the tower--underground-- taking care of his "baby", making sure the paint job wasn't scratched or that the tires didn't have too little or too much air.

Raven had locked herself in her room, which was fine with everyone else since she had slipped into a very dark mood after announcing that Violet was indeed telling the truth. Starfire had decided to take Violet on a tour of the tower, despite her claim that she already knew her way around it.

Tap Tap Tap

Robin's feet carried him back and forth in a straight line, Violet's words still replaying in his head.

"So…you can't help me?"

"We can't right now; we don't even know the location of Slade's base"

There had been a look of utter disappointment and disbelief on her face then. There was something about that look; Robin hadn't been able to bring himself to look at it. He had hung his head in shame for not being able to help her, even though he knew it wasn't really his fault. But what could they do? Saying that she had come from the future had been one thing, but saying that she needed to break into Slade's headquarters was entirely something else.

"My parents gave me very precise instructions. I have to find Slade's base, get inside, and then I can go back to my own time. If I go back while in Slade's base, I'll end up back in his base in the future."

"Why didn't your parents just come here themselves?"

"Because they can't just go around walking in their past, you guys would definitely recognize them. And because they can't get into his base even if they knew where it was, no matter what time they were in, so they sent me because I'm not affected"

"Affected by what?

"I'm not allowed to say"

"Why?"

"……I'm not allowed to say"

Robin stopped pacing as the sound of laughter met his ears. What Violet and Starfire were laughing about as they came into the main room, he would never know, for at that moment, a small boom and a huge SPLAT resounded from the kitchen where Beastboy emerged, coughing through the wispy smoke.

"I am definitely not doing that again."

"Beastboy! Are you all right?" Robin yelled from the main room.

"Yeah! I just had a little trouble with the stove!"

"That did not sound little" Starfire commented.

"And it sure doesn't look little" Violet added.

"Yo!" Cyborg's face appeared on the big screen, "I thought I heard something--oh my gosh what did ya'lls do to the kitchen?!

Cyborg stared at the mess that had once been the kitchen, sticky brown goop dripping from the ceiling onto the now charcoal colored stove.

"Um…I goofed?" Beastboy offered.

"Well that's just great. What are we going to eat for dinner now?"

Violet looked around at everyone and suggested, "Pizza anyone?"

§§§

They all (except Raven who was still in her room) laughed as Beastboy gulped down his thirteenth piece of pizza.

"Ha! New record! Beat that Cy!"

"Don't worry I will!"

He reached into the box and grabbed his own thirteenth slice, quickly devouring it.

"You wouldn't dare"

Cyborg's hand hovered over the box, "Oh I would"

And he did, in full sublimity, swallowing it very slowly for effect.

"Boo ya!"

"Awww man, I almost hurled eating all those pizzas!"

Robin chuckled along with everyone else as he looked around. Violet seemed to fit in with everyone right away. She joked with everyone, seemed to know their interests and personalities, even looked like she belonged among them. But then again, she was from the future, and was already familiarized with everyone.

She laughed, "He's eaten the last piece Beastboy, so you can't beat the record"

Robin sank back into his chair (after pushing off some soda cans; they still hadn't cleaned up), smiled, and in doing so caught sight of the shoe he had seen stuck to ceiling.

"Hey Beastboy, how in the world did you get that shoe up there, and what is holding it up?"

Beastboy stood up, suddenly looking very cautious and said, "Uh…nothing"

He suspiciously tried to slide the open peanut butter jar behind him.

"Wait a minute, are you saying you used peanut butter?!"

"No, I didn't say that!"

"Wait just a minute! Did you spread peanut butter on the bottom of that shoe with that butter knife, and then stick the knife back in the jar?!"

"No…" he pushed the jar even farther behind himself.

A sucking sound followed after the eerie silence, upon which, with a sound POP, the said shoe released its grip and landed, peanut butter side down, on top of Robin's head.

"AUGH!!!"

§§§

Robin placed a hand on his wet hair gingerly, as if it would break.

"Do not fret friend Robin! All of the buttery peanuts have been washed out!"

His lower lip whimpered, and he said, almost inaudible, "My poor hair…"

"Uh, so…maybe we should all turn in for the night" Beastboy attempted to divert the conversation.

Violet rose to his help, yawning, "I am really tired. We should all go to our rooms."

"Where will you sleep though?" Starfire asked concerned.

"Why my room of course!" she smiled as if it was the most obvious fact in the world.

"Your room?" Robin asked, a hand still on his head.

She continued to smile and nodded as she walked out of the main room. Curiously, they followed her, wondering where her "room" was, but to their surprise, she stopped in front of…

"My room? I thought you were going to show us your room." Starfire tilted her head in confusion.

"This is my room"

"Violet…this is Star's room"

"It is?" she looked completely bewildered, "But it isn't her room in my time"

"What do you mean, 'not her room'?" Robin abandoned his hair.

"Nothing….oh shoot, I wasn't supposed to say that!"

"Why do I not have a room? Am I not still part of the Titans in your time?"

It had only been a question, but it made a horrible thought erupt in everyone's mind. All four of them stared at her until Starfire dared ask again, "Am I, or am I not part of the team in the future?"

Violet didn't answer and began to steadily bang her head on the door.