Authors Note: Um... I hate to say this but I'm going to Nottingham for a week and may or may not be able to update... I promise I'll try and I will be writing whether it's on computer or not...please don't kill me?

Oh and thank you to my reviewers:

evilsangle - Ok, ok... breathe in... breathe out... feeling better? You're NOT allowed to have a heart attack! You're one of my best reviewers so you have to stay alive until you review this one! Now... read chapter five and yes, Robin doesn't take it very well...

Firedoll22 - The black orchid is the national flower of Belize and the 'Paphiopedilum' or 'Lady Slipper' orchid comes in a very nice shade of black... ok so I googled it! I didn't actually know this when I wrote that chapter but oh well. Thanks for the compliments.

Bara Midori Zeco - That was fun to write, I love it when people try to figure out their own minds. As for the question... um... both?

sillymail - but it's so fun to see my reviewers squirm...

cheeseshirt - Cocoa! Thank you and I'm not taking that bet... since by the time I read your review I'd already lost...

P.S. Caffeine rules all!

whitedarkness - I know it's so mean of me. Glad you think it's good!

Bunnysquirrel - Kitten? Ok... never mind I have cocoa!

Zodokai - I'll give you a clue... he gets rather upset...

mysti-eyed - The next chapter is here for your pleasure,

NumbuhZero - Anyhting for the Queen of the Gnomes, your majesty

Mad Pierrot Le Fou - Aww, thank you. i apologize for the chapter length, this one is longer...

Cherry Jade - That's a good idea but I doubt it... we'll just have to see,

ravenone - Of course

Heeheeitsme - Robin is definately fun to mess with. Glad you think everyone's in character, although Slade kinda had to be out a bit.

syunikiss - Thank you so much, flattery is priceless

DarkAngelImogen - Well here's the next chapter,

Shadowofazarath - Thank you... besides scary can be good...

ShadowVixen - You made me blush, thank you

Psychic Werewolf Assassin - I can bu try,

Rogue Warrior Spirit - I'm glad you're enjoying yourself... it's rather bizarre how much I've enjoyed writing this triangle...

Infamous One - It's fun to be unfair! And yes Slade definately has his charms but I'm not sure what the decision will be. Robin was definately a bit green eyed back there...

Disclaimer: All right! I admit it! I DO NOT OWN THE TEEN TITANS! Happy now?

An armoured hand moved a chess piece as he studied hiscompanion and noted her small smile. "I should give you flowers more often,"

She looked up from the chess board and met his gaze. "It was very sweet,"

"… sweet?"

"Yes," her smile widened slightly and become playful.

"Raven that's only slightly less of an insult than calling a man cute,"

"Very well… it was cute." The empath laughed as she felt his mock indignation.

"I will remember that," He remarked in an overly cold tone that sent her into more peals of laughter. Slade smiled, Raven had a beautiful laugh. Although he would never admit it, he had been… apprehensive of Ravens reaction tonight. He knew how highly she valued her privacy and had spent the last few hours deliberately not worrying that he'd over stepped his bounds. Yet she had been in a better mood this meeting than she had ever been before, or at least in his company. He had to remember how much she enjoyed gifts, nothing too extravagant though. She'd just see that as cliché and far too obvious. Small and heartfelt. Something to make her feel as special as she was… Slade paused. What exactly was he doing?

The villains thoughts were interrupted by a roar of rage and a swiftly moving teenager.

"SLADE!" Robins staff slammed down on the chair where the villain had been mere seconds before. Reacting to years of training Slade landed from his jump in a battle stance, staff outstretched… and looked across to the violet-eyed sorceress.

-FLASHBACK-

Raven walked into the warehouse with a scrap of paper clutched in her right hand. She had examined it for the last eight hours, ever since she'd found it outside the Towers front door.

Raven,

If you wish to continue our game then meet me in the southwest warehouse district before sunrise tonight. Number 560.

As always the choice is yours…

She knew who had written it immediately. She'd only been home three days since the white room… but she had missed playing chess for hours at a time… As soon as the thought of going had crossed her mind she had sent the letter to another dimension, determined to believe it was another of his tricks… and spent the rest of the morning thinking about it whenever her thoughts strayed.

Finally she had enough and brought it back to this world only slightly singed. After that she'd examined it in every way possible. Although the text was ornate enough to be handwritten it was definitely typed. The font was 'BlackChancery' and found in all Microsoft Word versions for several years. Not much of a clue considering roughly half of all computers in Jump City had Microsoft, including libraries. The ink it was written in was unbelievably standard and was sold in all but one of the twenty computer shops in the city limits alone. The paper wasn't very helpful either…

Which left only the message itself and her decision. She could tell her friends… they may actually catch him this time…

As much as Raven hated to admit it, she'd made her choice the moment she read it. Over the last three days her friends had given her more attention than she could stand, even when they respected her wishes and left her alone to meditate she could feel their emotions about her constantly, how worried they'd been, how much they missed her, how they were ecstatic to have her back… and it was driving her insane… Even Robin, the one Titan she could normally trust to not project his emotions was almost painful to be around but if she spent more than a few hours out of their company they started to worry…

For an empath it was an unbearable environment and she frequently found herself wishing for the quiet she'd found in his lair. To be able to speak to someone without every emotional nuance of their words being driven into her skull. To have an actual conversation that was more complex than what every one wanted to eat that night. Or to not talk at all and play a game that wasn't computerised and didn't require constant noise. Rather hard to do in a house of teenagers…

This gave her the opportunity she so desperately craved and after hours of denial she finally gave in to the fact that she wanted to go… even if it was a trap. At exactly four o'clock Raven rose from bed, got dressed, cast a little known spell on her room that, if it wasn't deactivated in three hours, would tell her friends what had happened (with a few modifications) and teleported to the meeting place with note in hand.

With head high and radiating confidence Raven stepped into the darkly light interior and gasped. Inside was something she hadn't dared to believe. Set on top of a small, elegant yet simple oak table was a beautifully carved beech and mahogany chess set. Although she didn't know it yet, every visit would herald a new board and matching pieces, even if they had left a game unfinished he would change it and move the corresponding pieces to where they had been the night before.

From the shadows came a cold voice, containing a level of threat that was second nature to him. "You believed it was a trap and yet you still came?"

The young sorceress elegantly sat at one of the two chairs surrounding the table and waited for her opponent. As he came stepped out of the shadows she glanced at him and asked a question close to her heart in a voice more emotionless than his. "Why Slade?" The masked villain was silent until he sat opposite her with a grace born from years of fighting.

"The company was enjoyable,"

For the next two hours the two remained silent. Neither needing conversation… nor even the traditional calls of the game. All was silent as the two enemies expertly played, won, lost and started again. For two hours they merely relaxed in each others company, as the sun rose another game ended and they both looked at each other. Slade inclined his head slightly in a silent question to which Raven merely nodded once. Yes, she was leaving now. As the two opponents rose Slade broke the silence.

"Will you come again?" Raven glanced at the board. Once again she had fun… and the company was pleasant… she already knew what she wanted but she couldn't let this turn into something that would betray her friends. An idea flashed across her mind, something that would allow her to continue without putting her friends in danger.

"I will come tomorrow if you make me a promise," Slade looked at her curiously, as much as he had hoped she would say yes he'd never expected her to do so and definitely not as soon as tomorrow. Yet it wouldn't hurt to find out what the empath wanted...

"Which is?"

"That you will not attack my friends. You will not fight the Titans,"

"Even if they attack me first?" Raven raised her gaze to Slades and nodded slightly. "Very well… I promise Raven."

The empath came tomorrow at the same time, and the day after, and the day after that for weeks. Slade kept his promise. None of the Titans but one heard anything of the villain, there was not even a report of any activity resembling Slade…

-END OF FLASHBACK-

In her hypnotic eyes he remembered the promise. A mere moment after he had landed, Slade straightened from his stance and allowed his staff to contract once more. He would not break his word to her.

If Robin saw that his enemy was now unarmed he gave no sign. With another cry of rage the youth attacked, his staff an extension of his arm as he executed perfect blows, each one strong enough to break bones, and would have… ifthey had hit the victim. With an easy grace Slade dodged every kick, every blow yet never attempting to retaliate. Both of them were masters who had been fighting for years, but Slade had the advantage, in a fair fight he would win. Especially as Robin was fighting angry, allowing gaps in his defence to attack. However dodging blows was far more difficult than fighting his opponent, concentrating his mind Slade allowed himself a glance at the sorceress still standing at the centre of the room.

'Raven I can not continue this,' quickly Slade jumped backwards, not having time to see if she had gotten his message as Robins staff thrust horizontally in a move designed to sweep an opponent of their feet… helpless.

At Slades silentplea Raven shook herself out of her shock. Slade was in trouble, he could've fought but he hadn't. He had kept his word and would continue to do so… not that that would be for very long if Robin didn't stop…

"Azarath Metrion Zinthos," with a wave of her arms Robin was encased in Ravens trademark black magic, restraining him as Slade calmly walked away. For a brief moment he allowed his aura to show, knowing that Raven would catch the turmoil of emotions, gratitude for her intervention, sympathy for her situation… and the unspoken promise of sanctuary if she chose. Raven silently thanked him for the offer before turning back to a still struggling youth.

"Robin, listen to me…"

"Traitor!" he snarled before allowing himself to relax and look into her eyes. "Raven… how could you do this…?"

"Robin I have not betrayed you. I never could,"

His eyes narrowed at her denial, his voice filled with anger. "And Slade was just an illusion?"

Raven sighed, she knew she couldn't explain, but he deserved the attempt. "We were… playing chess…"

Robin relaxed as his mind reeled in confusion, his gaze travelled across the miraculously undamaged chess set. The white had been winning… "What?"

"Chess…" she avoided his eyes, her monotone still in place but filled with sorrow… yet there was no trace of guilt…

"It's Slade! He's a criminal!"

"He made me a promise that he would not hurt you,"

At her words Robin stopped, his eyes filled with sympathy as he though of a reason for her actions.

"Blackmail? Why didn't you tell us…?"

Raven merely shook her head as she released the Boy Wonder from her magic restraints, "Not blackmail Robin. Slade is not threatening me…"

"Then why Raven?"

"It was just… someone who understood me…"

"We're your friends Raven… why couldn't you trust us?" Raven sighed yet offered no excuse as she met his eyes. "We're going home."

She nodded before asking for his plans. "Are you going to tell the others?"

Robin paused as he walked away, not trusting himself to look at her and sighed. When he answered her it was in a whisper filled with pain. "No… they don't need to know…" he continued walking, not looking back as she teleported back to the Tower.