Chapter 12: Almost Alone
(One Hour Later)
Raven walked quietly through Steel City. She knew that Titans East was around here but decided that it was the last place her fellow Titans would look for her.
"Raven?" Aqualad asked suddenly and Raven jumped, "don't tell me I spooked you?" he asked with an amused tone.
"I want to be alone," Raven responded coldly and kept walking.
"What's wrong?" Aqualad asked seriously as he picked up something in Raven's demeanour.
"Ask the others," Raven responded, "and if you do," she continued, "don't tell them where I am," she added and walked off.
Aqualad watched her walk away. He had to find out what had happened.
(Later at Noon at the Tower)
"What!" Aqualad cried incredulously, "Raven is Slade's daughter?"
"Pathetic isn't it?" Beast Boy asked, "having our worst enemy's daughter here under our nose this whole time?"
"And to believe we trusted her," Robin said hatefully, "Starfire's still a wreck because of her," he added.
"Well messing up both you and Raven's room a bit over the top," Aqualad stated, "Starfire's messed up," he said frankly.
"What do you mean Starfire's messed up?" Robin demanded.
"Well she messed up both your rooms," Aqualad pointed out, "you're not the one she's angry at."
"You don't get the point," Robin told him, "this is all Raven's fault," he said.
"I don't see that Robin," Aqualad disagreed, "Starfire reacted negatively because she wasn't able to accept Raven's revelation," he deduced, "plus her injury from Raven's negative reaction to being punched might've left some brain damage," he added.
"Are you saying that Starfire's insane?" Robin asked him darkly.
"No!" Aqualad cried, "but this is not rational behaviour," he continued, "you have to al least admit that Robin," he put forward.
"I don't have to admit anything," Robin responded.
Aqualad looked at Robin in confusion for a moment. Then looked at Beast Boy and then at Cyborg. Soon it all sunk in.
"Did Raven leave here because you ganged up on her?" Aqualad asked seriously.
"The only person who ganged…!" Beast Boy exploded.
"I asked you guys a question!" Aqualad interrupted loudly.
"Raven left because things are very tense around here," Cyborg spoke up, "Starfire had threatened her," he revealed, "but don't be mad with Starfire," he pleaded with Aqualad, "she's been badly affected by all this," he added.
"And I guess Raven isn't?" Aqualad asked, "did you guys think for a second how hard it was for her to tell you the truth?" he asked them, "knowing fully well that she had helped her biological father to escape only for him to kidnap Robin and worse commit that sadistic act on him?"
"Are you saying we should pity her?" Robin asked in with vague disbelief.
"Friends don't throw out pity," Aqualad told him, "friends care," he said to Robin, "tell me that she told you that you deserved it and I'll hate her like you obviously want me to."
"It doesn't matter what she told me," Robin said, "she caused it," he snarled.
"And you're telling me that Slade wouldn't be able to possibly escape like he's done before?" Aqualad put forward, "what if he was caught that time but escaped later and still caught and raped you Robin?" he asked, "would you blame Raven even then?"
"Yes," Robin responded simply.
"You don't care that Raven caused Slade to escape!" Aqualad exploded, "you're just mad that she's Slade daughter!" he shouted angrily.
"Yeah I'm angry!" Robin retorted, "why shouldn't I be!" he demanded.
"But you can't let your anger cloud your judgement," Aqualad advised.
"My judgement is not clouded!" Robin shouted, "all the others agree with me!" he screamed and pointed at Beast Boy and Cyborg.
"I agree," Beast Boy said.
But Cyborg remained silent.
"You don't disagree with me?" Robin asked, "do you?"
"I'm not going on a Raven manhunt," Cyborg responded, "I'm upset about her actions," he continued, "But I'm not going to hate her for her paternity," he told Robin firmly.
"Oh my God," Robin said with a laugh, "you're on her side aren't you?" he asked softly as he stepped back.
"I'm not on anyone's side," Cyborg responded seriously, "this is a serious issue," he stated, "it can't be dealt with childishly by just pointing fingers and taking sides."
"What do you mean pointing fingers dude!" Beast Boy shouted, "this is all Raven's fault!"
"But her paternity is not the issue here," Cyborg countered, "the issue is the fact that she prevented Slade's capture," he reminded Beast Boy.
"What do you MEAN that her paternity is not the issue here?" Robin demanded furiously, "it IS the issue!" he declared.
"Would it have mattered that Raven wasn't Slade's daughter and she still did what she did?" Cyborg asked Robin, "would the elimination of the fact that Raven is Slade's daughter make what happened to you any less unpleasant?"
"You don't know what happened to me," Robin responded, "you'll never know," he added in a dark whisper.
"Well if it makes people like this," Aqualad stated, "then I definitely wouldn't want it to happen to me," he declared.
"You're not a member here so shut up!" Robin exploded at Aqualad.
"Not even Bumble Bee can talk to me that that!" Aqualad shrieked, "don't you dare tell me to 'shut up'!"
"It's my tower so I can whoever the hell I want to shut up!" Robin retorted angrily.
"Funny, I thought this was the TITANS Tower!" Aqualad teased, "not Robin 'full of crap' Tower!" he shouted at Robin.
"Don't say that to Robin!" Beast Boy shouted in Robin's defence.
"What are you his girlfriend?" Aqualad demanded in annoyance.
"Wha…No!" Beast Boy responded with a now bright red face.
"Hey!" Cyborg cried, "don't go dissing BB like that," he told Aqualad firmly.
"So what about me?" Robin asked formally.
"You two are arguing each other's heads off," Cyborg told him, "I could care less what either of you two want to say to each other," he continued, "just leave Beast Boy out of it," he added.
"I can defend myself Raven lover," Beast Boy spat.
In a flash Aqualad boxed Beast Boy across the face.
"Don't you ever say that again," Aqualad snarled threateningly.
Robin and Cyborg looked at each other in shock while Beast Boy quickly regained his balance. There was now a huge red mark on his face.
"How dare you hit me?" Beast Boy asked in a soft but hateful voice, "you have the nerve to come into this Tower supporting Raven," he continued, "cussing us, dissing Robin, dissing me, and now you have the audacity to hit me in the face?" he demanded angrily.
"I'm sorry," Aqualad said after a moment of silence, "I shouldn't have hit you."
"Get out of here," Robin said coldly, "you're no longer welcomed," he added.
"Fine," Aqualad snapped, "but I'm not telling you where Raven is."
"She can rot in hell for all I care," Robin declared.
"And for your behaviour you'll definitely end up there," Aqualad countered, "Goodbye," he said formally and left the Tower.
"Good Riddance!" Beast Boy cried angrily after him.
"Who's side are you on?" Robin demanded as he now looked at Cyborg.
"The side that acts their age," Cyborg responded and left the room before Robin could respond.
End Chapter 12