A/N: Sup ya' ll.

Yea, I'm so sorry it took me FOREVER to update… because I made the TEXAS ALL-STATE CHOIR AGAIN! WOO! I was busy preparing for that… and then I had Charro Days… crazy stuff… and then the painter people came to paint my house and then the carpet people came after that… it was totally rude! And then my great-grandmother broke her hip spring break, and then my diabetic great grandfather went into the hospital… he's practically comatose… but it's okay. And then I almost forgot how I wanted to end this! But now it's all over and I have all this free time on my hands… so I'll finish this story for you patient readers!

By the way, this chapter won't be the last! YAY!

But it will be a long chapter. Thanks for your patience guys! And now you'll be rewarded!

Behind the Mask

Episode 5

Robin came back inside the cavern and presented to Slade Cyborg's mechanical arm. "Very good, Robin! You did what you had to do to get what you wanted. You're learning fast."

"Gimme the antidote!" Robin snapped as he slammed the arm on the ground. "I did what you asked."

Slade ignored his comment and continued. "Since you are no longer in the shadow of your mentor, I think "Robin" is now an inappropriate name. What do you think of Deathstroke?"

A booming voice came from the shadows. "Personally, I like Nightwing."

"Batman! Do come in." Slade greeted. "We were just talking about you."(A/N: I know some of you were confused, but when Slade said to Robin "since you are no longer in the shadow of your mentor"… he was talking about Robin being in the shadow of Batman… therefore, Slade was just talking about Batman… okay, now that that's taken care of, carry on!)

"I'm flattered." Batman replied sarcastically, now standing beside Robin. Both got into a fighting position in unison. Slade just chuckled. "How touching. Too bad your little reunion won't last!" Slade flipped in the air, taking out two iron staffs from his belt. Batman and Robin took out their staffs and blocked Slade's shots at them. As the fencing continued, Robin asked his ex-partner, "So what are you doing here?"

"Yes, Batman." Slade replied. "Please enlighten us."

"The commissioner from Jump City called me. I figured you might need some assistance." Batman replied after blocking another one of Slade's assaults.

"'Assistance'!" Robin cried in an outrage, now throwing his staff the ground. "You still don't think I can do this on my own!"

"Well none of this would have happened if it hadn't have been for your foolishness." Batman replied bluntly, trying to hit Slade.

"Excuse me!" Robin roared.

"You hear that, my young apprentice?" Slade asked, blocking Batman's strikes. "He still thinks you're incapable!"

Batman pushed Slade with his staff. "Are you actually gonna listen to a manipulator that preys on the weak?"

"So now I'm 'weak'!" Robin rolled his eyes. "You know, this is so like you! You forget that I no longer work with you. You shouldn't have even come!" Slade smiled as Robin faced-off with his former advisor. He took a step back and watched the two argue. "My sidekick days are over, Batman!" Robin snapped. "For the past three years I've been without you. I've been the hero. I don't need you coming back and fighting my battles!"

"I figured you could use the help is all. Can we finish this later?" Batman asked, glancing at Slade.

Robin growled. "Oh, only if you say so!"

"Don't give me attitude."

"What're you gonna do about it? Send me to a corner?"

"That's not such a bad idea."

"What! I'm not a baby!"

"Coulda fooled me."

"You can't tell me what to do! You're not my mentor!"

Batman grabbed Robin by his cape, pulled him towards him,and said in a low intimidating voice. "Get to the corner now! You can come back and fight when you've stopped whining!" Robin turned around and stomped to a corner.

"He's my villain!" The Boy Wonder muttered bitterly.

"Shut it!" Batman ordered. He turned back around to Slade. "Now, where were we?"

"We were in the middle of fighting a meaningless battle." Slade replied. "I have to agree with Robin. This battle does not concern you."

Batman smirked. "Actually, it does concern me. You see, everything Robin knows he learned from me. If you think my fighting skills are incapable of defeating you, well…"

"Well?"

"Let's put it to the test, shall we?"

"What are you suggesting?"

"I'm making you a deal. You defeat me, then I suppose your influence on my former apprentice would do him some good, and I'll practically give you the boy."

"As if I was yours to give away in the first place!" Robin said from his corner.

"You stay out of it!" Batman snapped at the Boy Wonder. "If I defeat you, Robin stays with me, but I'm not expecting even that much from someone like you. More than likely, you won't keep your promise."

"You're probably right about that. So then what's the point?" Slade asked.

"I'll have gotten a good workout." Batman replied.

Slade paused to think for a moment, then nodded. "Alright. You're on."

Mayor Moore looked out the window from the Titan's Tower. Dark rain clouds lingered above Jump City, and there was lightning in the sky. He paced the floor nervously, thinking about his daughter. 'Please be okay.' Suddenly he heard a sharp noise cut through the silence; it was his cell phone on the couch. He rushed to the phone and answered it. "Hello?"

"Mayor, are you okay?"

"Commissioner." Mayor Moore sighed. "I'm fine. I'm at Titans Tower. They've got the place under lockdown, so no one can get in without Cyborg's pass code."

"Very good." The commissioner replied. "Any word from the Titans or Natalie?"

Mayor Moore shook his head. "N-no. Nothing."

"I'm sorry to hear that. Keep me posted if you hear from them."

"Thanks. I will." Mayor Moore hung up. He slumped on the couch and closed his eyes. A crash of thunder made him jump, and the lights started flickering. 'Calm down.' He'd reassure himself. 'It's just the storm. Everything will be'

Tap. Tap. Tap.

He got up from his seat; he was almost sure he heard a noise coming from the door.

Tap. Tap.

"Who's there?" Mayor Moore asked. 'Should I answer?'

Suddenly the doors burst open. Mayor Moore closed his eyes, hoping for the worst. Someone wrapped their arms around him tightly...

"Daddy."

The mayor opened his eyes to see his daughter and responded to her embrace. "Ali! You're okay!"

"Yes, but Raven isn't!"

Both father and daughter turned to the doorway to find Beast Boy carrying Raven, drenched in her blood. "I'll be in the medical wing." The changeling muttered to the two as he walked quickly. "Stay here."

"Beast Boy." Mayor Moore began. "I could call someone from the city to take a look at her."

"It's okay." Beast Boy replied. "They can't help her. No one can."

Batman and Slade stopped fighting to take a breath. Slade chuckled as he glared at his masked opponent. "Robin had fine training, but he's past beginner's level."

"If my skills are at a beginner's level, then why are you out of breath?" Batman asked.

"You said it yourself." Slade lunged at Batman with his staff. "I won't give up the boy!"

Meanwhile Starfire had come out of unconsciousness once more. "Where am I?" She tried to get up, but was too weak. She looked around, realizing she was in a cavern. 'But why?' Starfire suddenly remembered why she was there. She remembered her battle on the North side of Jump City with Slade's robots. She remembered her capture, when Slade injected her with a Tamaranian poison (courtesy of her big sister Blackfire), how they captured Ali. The last memory she encountered was Robin in an outfit similar to Slade's. "No!" She began to cry. "Perhaps it was a nightmare. Robin would not have betrayed me."

"Robin hasn't betrayed you." A familiar voice came from the entrance of the cavern. "And he never will."

It was the Boy Wonder, now dressed in his Robin uniform. "Robin!" Starfire cried. Tears of joy streamed down her cheeks as he took her in a warm embrace. "I missed you so much!" She whispered. Robin's hands held her shoulders as he looked into her eyes. "We have to go. We don't have a lot of time." He swooped Starfire into his arms and made his way out of the caverns.

Ali held Beast Boy's walkie-talkie in her hands. "If Cyborg or Robin calls, tell them we're back at Titans Tower." Beast Boy had told her before taking Raven to the medical wing. She examined the device carefully and thought to herself, 'If Cyborg can contact Beast Boy, then…'

"Cyborg! Come in, Cyborg!" Ali spoke into the microphone on the walkie-talkie. "It's me! Ali! I'm okay! Please Cyborg! Answer me!"

All she heard was static.

"Cyborg! If your there, answer me, please!"

Static.

In the medical wing, Beast Boy laid Raven down gently and stood beside her. His eyes were red from holding back the tears. "No one can help you." Beast Boy spoke to her as if she were listening, hoping she was listening. "It's up to you, Raven. You can heal yourself from the worst injuries. I know you can do it again." He grabbed a chair and sat beside her.

"You may have thought what you pulled back there was heroic… but it was a really stupid thing to do." Beast Boy shrugged. "Why would you do it? Why did you save me? You should know… If I could, I would take your place in a heartbeat." He gave a slight smile as he continued. "I really thought we would win this thing and come out of it okay." Beast Boy's face went crimson. "Actually, I was gonna ask you out on a date when we got back. That's why you gotta be okay. I have to take you out." For a moment, the changeling's eyes lit up, and he was back to his old animated self. "No tofu restaurants, no veggie-burgers, I swear! We'd go wherever you'd wanna go and we'd have a lot of fun. I'm a real fun guy. I just wish you had the chance to find that out."

As the glow in his eyes dimmed, the shape shifter reached for Raven's hand and squeezed it, hoping that she'd squeeze back. But she didn't. And she possibly wouldn't ever.

"AHHHHH!" Slade roared as he attempted to punch his opponent. Batman continued to dodge Slade's attacks. The villain tried to punch him once more, but Batman grabbed Slade's fist, punched him in the jaw, then kicked him in the gut. Slade butted heads with Batman, causing him to retreat. Slade then disappeared in the shadows.

Batman looked around the cave. "Can't hide forever." He muttered into the darkness.

"Is that the best you've got?" Slade's voice echoed in the cave.

"Quit hiding and you'll find out." Batman replied, pressing a button on the side of his mask. He activated his night-vision lenses to his mask.

"Did you really think I wouldn't notice Robin's disappearing act?" Slade's voice echoed once more.

"So why are you still fighting me?" Batman asked as he searched the darkness.

Silence.

Batman switched from night-vision lenses to heat sensory lenses by once again pushing the button on the side of his mask. He heard a pebble move from behind him. He turned around quickly to find a large blob of red before him. Batman's lenses changed back to normal, revealing Slade's pulled back fist. Before he could throw a punch, Batman shot a line to the top of the cave and threw three orbs at Slade's direction. Once the orbs hit the ground, smoke seeped from them, and in a matter of seconds, the lower half of the cave was covered in thick smoke. Batman looked down at Slade, who was trying to find a way out.

"Batman, come in!" A voice came from Batman's earpiece. He pressed a button on his left wrist and answered. "Report."

"Starfire's with me. We're outside the caves."

"Head back to Gotham City and wait for me there." Batman looked back down and could no longer find Slade.

Meanwhile, outside the caves, Robin situated himself and Starfire on his motorcycle. He looked back. Did Bruce need his help retrieving the antidote? No, he couldn't go back in there. He wouldn't. Going back would put Starfire in danger once more. They were almost safe. "Don't look back." Robin said, now starting up the motorcycle. He kissed Starfire's cheek before driving away.

Ali continued to speak into the microphone of the walkie-talkie. "Cyborg, can you hear me? Cyborg!"

"Any word?" A voice came from behind her. She whirled around to see her father.

"Not from Cyborg or Robin." She answered sadly. 'Cyborg, please be okay.'

"Natalie…" Mayor Moore began.

"Please don't say what I think you're going to say." Ali whispered as the tears filled her eyes. "Because I won't let myself believe it."

The smoke finally cleared and Batman jumped down from the line. 'Where are you?' He thought to himself. He turned around and felt the impact from a metal staff hit his stomach. He fell to his knees, trying to breathe. Slade stood over him. "YOU!" He kicked Batman in the stomach, picked him up by the neck, and slammed him against the cave's walls. "This is your fault my plan is ruined!" Batman tried to break free, but the villain punched him in the face and continued to choke him.

"I had it all planned before I staged my death! And you ruined everything!" Slade began. Batman spat blood at Slade's good eye and kicked him in the groin. Slade went down. Batman seized this opportunity to tie him up. Afterwards, the Caped Crusader took a few steps back. Slade was struggling to break free. "Give me the antidote!"

"What are you talking about?" Batman asked.

"The Tamaranian cure! Give it back to me!"

"What makes you think I have it? The only reason why I'm fighting you is so I can retrieve the antidote to save Starfire!" Batman explained.

"A likely story!" Slade snarled. "Then if you don't have it?"

"What makes me so sure you don't have it and your trying to buy time for whatever it is your buying time for?"

"Why would I be buying time when I could be kicking your –"

"Yea, okay! You don't have it." Batman interrupted. "But neither do I!"

"So if we don't have it…"

"Robin, come in!" Batman pressed the button on his left wrist and spoke into the built-inmicrophone.

"Bruce. What's wrong?" Robin's voice came from Batman's earpiece.

"Did you take Starfire's antidote before leaving?"

"Uh, I thought that was your job!" Robin snapped.

"Yea, I know." Batman sighed. "It seems Slade's misplaced the medicine."

"I didn't 'misplace' anything!" Slade growled from the floor. "You took it from me!"

"Beat it out of him!" Robin roared from the other line. "He HAS to have it! If he doesn't, then…"

"I'll try the beating thing." Batman said. He looked back at Slade, now standing with the cable that bound him in his right hand. "You really thought that would hold me?"

"Long enough for me to ask Robin if he had the antidote."

"He's my apprentice!" Slade hissed. "He belongs with me! Not with you! Not with the Teen Titans! Not with that Tamaranian!"

"Shut up!" Batman said irritably. "You're obsessed. We get it! Now help me find that antidote!"

"And why should I?" Slade asked. Behind the mask, his lip curled. "Now with the antidote missing, Starfire is as sure as dead, and it will be your fault! Robin won't want anything to do with you or the Titans! He'll be all alone and vulnerable for the takings. You may have won the battle, Batman, but I will win the war!"

Ali peered through the window of a metal door. Inside Beast Boy was sitting by Raven's side holding her limp hand. Ali opened the door and asked, "Can I come in?"

Beast Boy didn't respond and continued to look at Raven. Ali stepped inside and closed the door. "Beast Boy, will Raven be okay?"

Silence.

Ali shifted her weight on one leg and asked, "Um, can I get you anything? Food, water?"

Silence.

'He probably wants to be alone with her.' Ali thought. She retreated and put her hand on the doorknob. "If you need anything… I'll be in the—"

"I don't know."

"What?" Ali turned back around.

"I don't know if she'll be okay." Beast Boy clarified. "Only she can save herself."

"What do you mean? Those wounds look fatal for a human to survive." Ali said, now taking a few steps closer to the changeling before he replied. "Raven isn't human. She's the daughter of a demon, a dude named Trigon,and he hasgreat powers, healing powers included."

"Her father's a demon?" Ali said, now pulling up a chair beside Beast Boy.

"He's a pretty scary guy." Beast Boy replied. "But her mother was human. I'm pretty certain a demon can heal themselves from these injuries. I'm just hoping half-demons can as well."

Batman pinned Slade down to the ground. "So where's the antidote, bastard?"

Slade chuckled. "I really don't know what you mean!"

"WRONG ANSWER!" Batman smashed Slade's face into the ground several times before asking him again. "Where is it?"

"GO TO HELL!"

Batman continued to smash his face into the ground. "You first!" Suddenly, there was an explosion a few feet away from the two, causing them to fly backwards to the wall. "I'm assuming this is your doing?" Slade asked his adversary.

"Don't look at me!" Batman snapped before another explosion went off in the cave and sent them flying in opposite directions. The walls around the two were shaking; boulders and debris were flying every which way. A fire grew and began to spread.

"You just wait, Batman!" Slade cried from the other side of the cave. He began to walk through the flames. "Robin will despise you for your failure to retrieve the cure for his love. And he'll be too guilty to return to the Titans. Poor vulnerable Robin! He'll have nowhere left to go. Except back to me—"

A boulder came crashing into Slade, and as he fell to the ground, an explosion beneath him exploded. Batman's eyes went wide in terror as the caves crumbled around him. He pressed a button on his right arm, his cape now flame resistant, and made his way out of the caves.

Batman watched from the outside the caves collapse. He looked down and sighed, realizing that Slade was right. Robin wouldn't dare go back to the Titans, and he'd be so disgusted with him. "Dick will be so disappointed. Any chance of me getting that antidote burned along with Slade."

"Not for long." A voice replied.

The sun began to rise, and the inhabitants of Titan's Tower were fast asleep. Beast Boy had climbed onto the hospital bed with Raven and slept beside her the rest of the night, still holding her hand (A/N: For all you pervs, all BB and Rae did was SLEEP!). Mayor Moore and Ali were sleeping on the couch, the walkie-talkie still held in Ali's hand and close to her ear. As soon as the sun's light toughed her face, she woke up and stretched. She noticed the walkie-talkie and her hand and jumped off the couch. "Oh my gosh!" She spoke into the microphone. "Cyborg? Are you there?" She heard static. "Cyborg! Can you hear me?" She felt hot tears roll down her face.

"You rang, your majesty?" The voice she'd longed to hear replied sarcastically.

Ali turned around and found Cyborg standing in the doorway, holding his arm. She smiled, wiped her tears away, and ran to him. He held out his arms wide open for her embrace, but instead, received a…

SMACK!

"OW! HEY!" Cyborg said, now clutching his swollen cheek where Ali slapped. "What gives?"

"I've been calling you all night! I don't hear a word from you! Now you come back here expecting a welcome home party?"

"Ali, I was given specific orders!" Cyborg tried to explain. "If I hadn't followed them, it would have put everyone in danger! And I didn't wanna lose you again. I really care about you."

Ali smiled and hugged him. "I was so worried about you!"

Cyborg pulled away and looked into her eyes. "I'm sorry." Both of them slowly made their way to each other's lips when suddenly…

"Ahem!"

Ali whirled around. "Daddy! You're awake!" She and Cyborgtook a large step back from each other. "Um, Cyborg's back!"

"I can see that!" Mayor Moore growled. He then grew serious."But where's Robin?"

Ali gasped. "Where is Robin?"

"I'll explain everything later. How's Raven doing?" Cyborg asked.

"Not too good last time I checked." She replied. "Beast Boy spent the whole night in the hospital wing. He didn't leave her side one minute!… He's a good boyfriend!" She glared at Cyborg. The humanoid went red.

"What's this talk about boyfriends?" Mayor Moore asked, glaring at the two of them. Ali's face turned two shades of red. "Um, I'll make breakfast! Who wants eggs?"

Beast Boy's eyes opened. He looked at the clock on the wall. 7:33 AM. He looked at the unconscious beauty lying beside him. He got up from the bed and checked her wounds. Gone. Beast Boy couldn't believe his eyes. There wasn't a scratch on her. Her breathing was normal, too. He grabbed hold of her limp hand. "Raven?" The changeling murmured. "Rae?"

Suddenly, Beast Boy felt a squeeze from her hand. "Didn't I tell you not to call me that?" The shape-shifter heard a familiar monotonous voice. Raven's eyes were now open, and she was smiling at him. "RAVEN!" Beast Boy took her in a tight embrace.

"Uh… Beast Boy! I just woke up! Do you want me to suffocate to death?" Raven asked, trying to get him off her.

"Sorry." He said, now looking into her eyes. "Could you not say 'death'? I was beginning to think the worst!"

"I'm fine now. I just needed a few hours to recuperate. Did we win?" Raven asked.

"I dunno, but now that you're okay, I've already won." Beast Boy smiled. Raven's pale cheeks got a littlepink from his remark, and noticing she was beginning to feel unconfortable, he coughed and changed the subject. "So how are you feeling?"

"Like I just got stabbed." Raven replied.

Beast Boy tilted his head. "Why'd you do it? Why'd you save me?"

Raven rolled her eyes. "Because somebody had to! I knew Terra was up to no good all along. And you didn't listen!" Beast Boy nodded and bowed his head. "I should have listened. But I wanted so badly to believe that... that the only person that cared for me was back in my life... uh... that is until she turned all psychotic on me..." Raven's cheeks went red when she said, "You know... she's not the only person who cares for you," she paused and added. "This team... we all care about you." Beast Boy gave a small smile. Both of them were quiet before Raven spoke up once more.

"Actually, I have a confession to make. If I seemed somewhat cold-hearted the past few weeks, it's because I've been trying so hard not to let my emotions go haywire. Seeing you with Terra brought back horrible memories... horible feelings I'd been trying to forget."

"Feelings?" Beast Boy asked. "Like what? Hatred? Anger?"

"Hurt. Loneliness." Raven chuckled. "I couldn't stand the thought of you and Terra. Not becauseI knew she was bad news, but because... I wasn't the one you wanted." She looked into Beast Boy's eyes and sighed. "When you asked why I saved you... I really did it because I…" She began shaking. She closed her eyes and finished. "Because I-I love you. And I know I'm not Terra..."

Beast Boy's eyes went wide and he interrupted. "Whoa! Dude!"

"Something I said?" Raven asked, uncertain of his reaction.

"Uh, yea! I'm surprised nothing's happened! No explosions. Nothing's broken."

"A side-affect of my injury. It won't last long, trust me." Raven said.

"So, uh, what if I did this?" Beast Boy asked before moving into a passionate kiss. Raven's heart fluttered as she gave in. Beast Boy retreated, looked into her eyes, and smiled. "I love you, too."

Both of them looked around cautiously. "No explosions." Raven smiled. "Nothing's broken." Shecleared her throat and spoke seriously."Look, about Terra..." Raven began.

"Look, I know Terra andI had a thing, and you're right. You're not Terra." He took her hand and kissed it. "You're Raven. And I love you just the way you are."

"You know, once I get my full strength back," Raven began. "You won't be able to warm up to me this easily. I'll be moody, and if you tried to kiss me, I'd probably blow you up with my mind."

"Well, then!" Beast Boy laughed. "I guess I'll have to stab you every now and then..."

Raven looked at him emotionlessly.

"Ah, back to your old self,I see?"

"Hmm..." Raven thought to herself for a second. "Not quite! If I can still do this..." And shepulled him into another passionate kiss.(A/N: OMG... I almost went through a chapter without rhyming... until now!)

It was now ten in the morning when Cyborg, Ali, and Mayor Moore went into the hospital wing to find Raven conscious and regaining her strength. "So what did I miss?" Raven asked.

"What did we all miss?" Mayor Moore rephrased.

"Cyborg was the only one there who can fill us in." Beast Boy replied.

"So start talking!" Ali playfully pushed Cyborg's shoulder, but quickly ceased when she saw her father glaring.

"This is what happened." Cyborg began. "Robin had to retrieve Star's medicine, and Slade would only give him the cure if he became his apprentice again. So Robin did it, and then he was ordered to kill me. Robin and I were fighting when he smoke-screened the place. He pulled me aside, knowing we were being watched, and told me his plan. Robin was gonna fake my death, and take back my removable arm to prove to Slade that I was truly dead. Once that happened, I controlled my arm to retrieving the antidote unsuspectingly while Slade and Batman were fighting."

"Batman!" Everyone exclaimed in unison.

"That's right. Batman showed up 'cause Robin called him. He asked Batman to fight Slade as a distraction so I could get the medicine. Meanwhile, Robin found Star and both of them headed back to Gotham to wait for Batman and Star's cure. It took me five minutes tops to get the cure, and after that, I set detonators all over the caves."

"And Slade?" Raven asked.

"Dead. I blew 'im up!" Cyborg grinned. "And 'cause Batman saw."

"So what about Star and Robin? When will they be coming back?" Beast Boy asked.

"Probably when they're both healed." Raven replied.

"Which reminds me," Beast Boy said. "You need to rest."

"I do not! I've rested all night!"

"Get to bed!" Beast Boy said before pecking her on the cheek. Cyborg's good eye popped out of his head. "Wait, wait, wait! Did I miss something?"

Beast Boy and Raven went crimson. Not knowing what to do, Raven slapped him instinctively, and they looked at each other coldly.

"Don't kiss me! I hate you!"

"Take a nap already!"

A/N: Another chapter finished! The next chapter will be the last… tear… and the next chapter, I will thank EVERYONE who's reviewed… so for Pete's sake! (I never understood that saying… who's Pete?) Read and review! And I'll try to update ASAP!

Until next time kiddoes!

-kiki