Hurray for reviews! Thank you, Marta. I still don't own the Titans.That said, on with the show.


Chapter Five: No Escape From Reality

Aqualad was unfortunate enough to currently miss two homes. First, of course, Atlantis and secondly, the east tower. West tower was just as nice, the same down to the letter, except for one small detail. The hot tub in the east tower didn't use chlorine; he could breath in that hot tub.

He walked through the tower in his swim trunks and a t-shirt with a towel slung over his shoulder. Looking in the main room he saw the two resident couples on the sofa watching a movie. Robin had his arm around Star and she was leaning against him. Beast Boy was in the form of a kitten and resting on Terra's lap, purring loudly. Speedy and Cyborg were in the kitchen repairing the massively overused coffee machine. Hopefully they'd have that ready by morning. He continued walking.

It had taken him a while, but he had drained the hot tub on the roof and refilled it with seawater. He would have to refill the tub after he was done, but it was a small price to pay for this exquisite luxury. He stuck his head below the surface and took a few deep breaths and held them. No burning in his lungs or gills, he was going to be fine.

He slid into the hot water and sunk below the surface, resting on the bottom of the pool and looking up. Cyborg had made the jets himself so they were virtually silent. Aqualad closed his eyes and was almost asleep when he felt a disturbance above him. Entering the water and sliding down the side to sit down was a pair of slender, pale legs. The black bikini gave it away; Raven was joining him.

Aqualad slowly rose to the surface and brought his eyes out of the water. Raven blinked at him and said something, but he couldn't hear her. So he brought his entire head out of the water. His first breath of air was ragged as he cleared the water from his lungs. "What did you say?"

Raven smiled slightly, the corner of her mouth lifting just a little. "I said don't get up."

Aqualad nodded. "Oh." He turned his back to her, and grabbed his towel to dry his face off. He heard a sharp gasp from behind him and turned around. "Oh…sorry, I forget sometimes."

Raven looked at him wide eyed. He knew the question, it was written all over her face. "Are those your…?"

"Gills. Yes." He hesitated for a second, and then slowly turned around, sitting back down with his back to her. On both sides of his back, in the spaces between the ribs, were thin slits that dripped water. The top overlapped the bottom and when he exhaled, they opened slightly to reveal the bright pink interior. "You can touch them if you want."

Raven slowly brought her hand up and ran it down his back, feeling the ridges created by the repetition of rib and gill. Aqualad turned his back to the wall of the hot tub and looked out towards the ocean. "I didn't mean to startle you, I don't ever show them off."

Raven followed his gaze out to sea. "They're beautiful, actually."

Aqualad chuckled. "And unique. At least here they're unique. So I guess we share two similar qualities. You are unique and beautiful, as well.

Raven sunk a little deeper into the water of the hot tub, hoping she could use the steam as an excuse for why her cheeks felt so flushed just now. The last few days, she and Aqualad had been virtually inseparable. They didn't usually talk much but they were always together. She felt so comfortable around him. She had even let him bring her a cup of tea in her room. But it was always a bad idea for her to get comfortable around anyone.

She decided to play down the compliment. "Yeah, if you mean unique as creepy and beautiful as freakishly gothic."

Aqualad narrowed his eyes. "Hush. The more I get to know about you, the more I like you." He turned his head and met her eyes, coal black meeting soft violet. "I might not understand you completely, but I want to try."

Raven was shocked. She knew that with her friends she wasn't alone, that was a comfort she was grateful for. But it wasn't often that someone told her they wanted to understand her, let alone tried to. This, too, was a bad idea. There were too many secrets, too many untold horrors that she held. And the last time she had let someone get that close he had broken her heart.

She shook her head softly, clearing her thoughts and looking away from the Atlantian. "No, you don't want to get to know me."

He sighed and slid back below the surface of the water. Inside Raven's mind, though, she heard his voice. "You know as well as I do that that is a lie."

Raven startled and looked down into the water. He was resting at the bottom of the hot tub, his black eyes looking up at her. He waved. "Can you hear me now?" She nodded slowly. "Good."

"But how can I hear you?"

Underwater, Aqualad laughed. "Well, my telepathic abilities are usually limited to aquatic animals. But you're a telepath, too. All you have to do is be in the same body of water as me and we have a connection. He surfaced and kept his mouth shut. "Even when we can talk normally."

She glared at him sternly. She was scared now. What if he already knew? "If you can read my thoughts, why haven't you yet?"

Aqualad leaned back against the wall next to her and shrugged. "Fish are easy to read. Marine mammals are harder, they think more. But I've never met anyone like you, so I wouldn't even know where to begin. And I wouldn't even dare. I wouldn't insult you by taking anything you didn't want to give me in the first place."

Raven looked out towards the sea with a distant expression on her face. This was Aqualad, whom she had known for years now. He wouldn't betray her like that cursed dragon. He wouldn't hurt her like her father. She knew she could trust all her friends with anything, even the prophecy surrounding her, but something about Aqualad made trust so much easier. After a long time, Raven finally closed her eyes and leaned over towards Aqualad. Her head came to rest on his shoulder. "Give me time?"

"All the time you need."


It was late, far too late. Aqualad heard the knock on his door and groaned, the clock beside the bed stated that it was three in the morning. He opened the door and leaned heavily against the doorjamb, not bothering to notice whom he was addressing. "You're lucky I wasn't sleeping in the bathtub tonight. This had better be really important."

Raven lowered the hood of her cloak and held her arms out, revealing the fact that beneath the cloak she was in her bikini. "Put your trunks on and meet me in the hot tub. The water is ready for you." With that she levitated up and through the ceiling, headed for the roof.

Aqualad blinked, suddenly awake, Raven and her bikini driving away any lingering desire to go back to sleep. He quickly changed and silently ran through the halls of the tower, careful not to wake anyone else up. He reached the roof and walked towards the hot tub, all was dark except for the few soft underwater lights in the hot tub. They were more than enough to illuminate the girl that awaited him.

She didn't turn around as he approached. "What took you so long?"

He slipped into the water next to her. "Not all of us can float, fly, or walk through walls."

Her next words were in his head. "So…what do you want to know about me?"

He replied likewise. "Anything you want to tell me. I just don't want to feel like we're total strangers all the time."

Raven nodded and closed her eyes. When she opened them again, they were glowing white. "You won't feel the same way about me once you know the truth." She took his hands in hers and narrowed her eyes. "Azarath Metrion Zinthos." Raven's voice echoed and her eyes turned pitch black as her eyes became his.

Then it began.

It lasted only a few seconds, but it seemed like longer for Aqualad. He saw through Raven's eyes. Her mother, her father, her home of Azarath. Her time with the titans, her emotions through her mirror, her time with Malchior. And then Slade, the prophecy, the rivers of fire and flesh turned to stone. Aqualad screamed and fell backward into the water.


When Aqualad woke up, he tried to remember where he was. It was warm and he was underwater. Perhaps the volcanic vents near Atlantis? No, the water didn't smell like sulfur. He was comfortable, the pillow supporting his head was soft and smooth, and he was holding something.

He opened his eyes, looking up through the water. Above him, looking down through the water was Raven, it was her lap he rested upon and it was her hand that he was holding. He relaxed again, closing his eyes. "Was I out long?"

"Not long."

He kept her hand in his, but rose from the water and sat beside her. He stared out across the dark ocean and thought for a moment. "So…you'll bring about the end of the world someday?"

Raven only nodded, if she tried to say anything the tears would come. She knew what was coming next. He would tell her she was a demonic terror, that she had no right to be a titan. He would get up and leave her all alone again.

He squeezed her hand lightly. "I guess we should enjoy the time we have together, then. Yes?"

Raven's normally calm voice was choked by a sob. One of the many transmitter towers atop the tower bent into an unusual shape at the emotional outburst. "That's all you have to say?"

Aqualad sighed and pulled her head down so she was resting on his shoulder again. "Look, out of anyone you could have told all this to, an Atlantian was the best choice. We're masters of avoiding inevitable destruction. Massive cataclysm destroys your civilization and sinks your city below the water? No problem! You grow a set of gills and start all over again. The girl you like is destined to destroy the world? No problem! You work something out."

Raven was still crying, but she was laughing now. The transmitter tower bent itself right again. "You are something else."

Aqualad leaned over and kissed the top of her head. "I think you mean I'm unique. Would you like to hear about Atlantis?"

Raven nodded, and Aqualad shared his memories of his home with her until the sun rose over the sea.