Disclaimer: Don't own teen Titans or Batman, they belong to whoever created them. Who? Not me that's for sure.

A/N!WARNING! THIS IS WHERE THE RATING WILL BE TAKING IN EFFECT. FROM THIS CHAPTER ON, LOOK OUT! Just thought you'd like to know, continue if you dare.

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Tensions Rising, No Release

After lunch when Daniel left Raven was bombarded with questions from her teammates. It went something like this as they walked up to the hall where the rooms were.

"Friend Raven surely you do not mean your consideration for leaving us is that right?"

"Raven, girl, come on, don't do this we need you."

"Yeah Raven how could you? Are you sure your heads on right man? Have you been mediating properly?"

"Why?"

She stopped. She turned around to the one person that sounded the most hurt, he wasn't even looking at her when he asked. Even the other Titans stopped and silence to see Robin's head hanging low hiding his blue eyes from the world. Raven gulped, it was getting harder to fight her emotions as she heard the obvious pain in his voice. She whispered, "You know why?"

"So that's it?" he whispered back still looking to the ground his fists clenched and unclenched. Struggling to keep his voice steady, not from crying, no far from it. But from shouting, Raven could feel the deep anger he was hold towards her, It's for the better he dislikes me, that way when the year is done he'll be over me.

Why did that thought hurt her so much? She shook her head it didn't matter, and looked not only to Robin but the other Titans, "I'm sorry, all of you … but … I just feel like I have to go. Besides, it's only for a year."

"Yes, but the Earthen years are so long." Starfire thought aloud, "We will all miss you greatly friend Raven. Please, you promise to visit on the weekends?"

Raven nodded, "I promise, every weekend I'll be there."

Starfire smiled, "Then I am proud for you to be on your own. Maybe the Daniel is right? Maybe this is an opportunity of sorts."

SLAM!

Everyone jumped at the sound of a harsh abuse shut of a door. Apparently it must have been Robin cause he wasn't around for the moment; Cyborg scratched the human side of his head, "Gee, what's eating him?"

"I may be of assistance, but I think friend Robin is more then ever troubled by Raven's departure." Starfire shrugged, Beast Boy studied Raven's expression and he could tell she was getting frustrated.

"Uh, Raven, might I suggest a warm hot bath?" she gave him a suspicious look, he quickly covered up, "You look kind-a tense. Just a suggestion."

"Sure, see you guys later, I won't be down for dinner. Please give my apologize to Bruce and I'm sorry again to you all."

"Please, apologize are not needed," Starfire bowed her head and with a bright smile tugged Beast Boy's elbow, "Come my friend for you have promise to show me this DDR of a dancing game. I am most curious."

"Okay. Ow! Not so hard I'm following!" down the hall Beast Boy's whimpers of pan and Starfire's giggles of "joy" echoed through out the large manor. Leaving Cyborg and Raven alone, Raven could tell by his posture and slow intake and release of air that he was going to ask her the question she dread.

"Rav, is there something going on between the two of you?" he asked with a concerned tone, Raven wanted so desperately to rub her temples to keep the headache that was forming at bay. However thought better of it for fear of showing anything wrong to Cyborg. This business was hers and Robin's alone he didn't have to get involved.

So playing to part of befuddled Titan she raised a curious brow, "What? You mean me and Robin?"

Cyborg nodded his head and Raven sighed still plying her part. Wasn't like it was hard, she'd been playing parts for most of her life, this was nothing, "I assure you Cyborg everything's fine, nothing's going on between us, that's a promise."

The half-man, half-droid raised a questioning brow, before sighing and shaking his head. Putting a hand on her shoulder he whispered, "Don't promise something you can't keep. See ya tomorrow I guess."

Raven glared; even if the gesture and suggestion was suppose to be a friendly one she couldn't stop the sadistic side of her to rise. Shrugging his hand away from her shoulder she backed up and headed to her room not before calling back to him, "Don't begin to assume things you don't understand Cyborg. Robin's actions are his own, and so are mine if we cross it still wouldn't concern you."

"Not if it means the welfare of the team," Cyborg shot back, "Tell me Raven, what is your real reason for leaving the Titan's in a blink of an eye?"

Suddenly her amethyst eyes lost their fire and Cyborg knew he hit the right note, Raven was like his kid sister and he cared for her greatly in that way as well as Starfire, but not as strong. Raven was more of a person that looked like she had everything under control and in checks, when really, now that Cyborg knew her well enough. He saw that she struggled everyday, with what? He had yet to find out, which was why he found himself more so protective of her than any other Titan. Raven may have been able to hold her own in a real battlefield, but when it came to other things it was a whole different ballgame.

Click, she had gone into her room, no comment, not even a look in the eye before she disappeared into her solitude. Cyborg shook his head, he could feel it, tension was rising high and it wasn't about to simmer. Something told him that before she left something was going to happen. Whether good or bad, the tension in the air hd to be relieved one way or the other.

--

Monday. The crew found themselves back at their tower, home, but for one certain member it was just a place to eat sleep and dwell in shelter for the night to get her things ready for her trip back to Gotham tomorrow. Yes, at the ball Raven had told Daniel she had accepted his offer while dancing a formal waltz and she had to say even thinking of it now made her blush. She shook her head angrily as she grabbed her things and quickly made her way to her room to finish her packing. While the other Titans headed to their own rooms for a good old fashion sleep session.

Don't be stupid girl! He's going to be your boss for the next year, no need to be screwin' around now. Besides this was suppose to be an opportunity to get your head straight and really think about your life … and … his. She sighed as she slowed her rapid packing until she completely stopped to sit on her bed … the bed she'd never sleep in for the next year. The bed where she first really felt secured … she was leaving it all behind, for the moment she took to sit and actually think about this. She realized she'd be leaving all the people who cared about her and vise-versa behind; she'd be leaving the place that had started her whole life on earth behind.

Another sigh escaped her lips as she continued to put things away working on automatic as she packed and then headed to the bathroom to take a much-needed shower. Her mind was a scattered mess, that much she could tell, and to top it off her mark was beginning to sudden fill her body with a strange pang of pain. Ever since that day Robin slammed the door on her and the other's, the marking would hint an infliction of pain while she bathed and when she got to close to Robin.

Now was no better, but now it seemed to be even more intense than before. She winced and rolled her shoulder around to try and ease it as she finished off her shower. Wrapping a towel around her she didn't bother to dry herself off as she walked to the mirror and turned her shoulder to it. The tattoo was not showing any weird signs, but it was beginning to hurt like hell! Why?

It never usually lasted this long, what's up? Quickly drying off and getting ready to put on her nightclothes she involuntarily winced again as her hand shot up to hold her shoulder. Squeezing it like someone trying to stop the bleeding from a bullet wound. Why was it hurting so much? Maybe it's just a minor bone ache or something. Maybe working it off or meditating would do the trick.

Satisfied for these suggestions she quickly threw on a sports bra with a cross back and loose sweat pants. Then taking her position in the middle of her room and breathing in her patterns with her eyes closed she tried to find her center. Azarath … Metrion … Zinthous … Azarath … Metrion … Zinthous … Azarath … Metrion … Zinthous … Azarath … Metrion … Zinthous …Azarath …fuck! What the hell! Ah!

Dropping from her floating position she quickly shot her hand to her shoulder again, the pain had only intensified. Groaning in discomfort she stood up, This isn't working. With a growl she left her room for a walk to the kitchen, she didn't know what would be there, but she had to be there for some reason. It wasn't on her own accord that she was going in that direction, her feet were acting as if they had a mind of it's own. It didn't matter to her as long as the pain eased up cause she strangely felt uncomfortable in her room.

Coming out from the elevator and heading fro the kitchen, she found to her utter shock a certain Boy Wonder leaning against the far wall drinking down bottled water as if he had been dehydrated all his life. Judging by the poor lighting with only the island lamp on she could tell he was wearing no shirt and was glistening with sweat. Apparent that he had been in the training room, Raven's breath hitched when he looked her way. His mask on.

Suddenly, the air grew thick, the silence was deafening, and the bodies grew tense. Movement seemed implausible, but Robin defied it by tossing the bottle to the trashcan, never taking his eyes off her. The only thing she thought of when she heard a successful swoosh was, Nice shot. Other then that when he made his way around the island, Raven gulped. All the funnies had jumped out the window to suffer the fall of the rocks below than to face up to the look Robin was giving her. With his mask on she couldn't make up her mind whether she liked it or not, cause with it on she couldn't tell what he was thinking so it was difficult to calculate her next move. Then again she didn't want to know cause she'd be afraid her naughty little mind would be right.

He still kept coming; he wasn't stopping, forcing her to back up to the wall behind her she gasped his name and he did the same. Before she new it he had crushed his lips down upon hers in a hungry kiss, and reason was screaming for her to stop him. You know what she did? Nothing, she let it scream as Robin worked wonders on her. Forcing his tongue through her lips she immediately allowed him access to wage war for dominance.

Her hands found their way roaming over his body and so he did the same, every time his hand brushed against her skin it sent waves of fire coursing through her veins. When had this happened? What had happened between them to cause this agitating sexual tension – all thoughts seized when she felt him tease her breast by running a nimble finger over her sports bra. Moaning into the kiss she instinctively pushed up against him, even in their state of dress there was too much clothing between them.

"…Robin …" she gasped and whispered his name ever so slightly as she felt his mouth leave hers to trail wet kisses down her jaw to her neck leaving red marks wherever his lips touched. Abandoning her neck to cover her lips with his again he found his hands had a mind of their own as they pushed up her bra and cupped her breast. Messaging and molding them the faint sound of shattering glass in the cupboards tickled their senses, but he could careless. All he cared about right now was Raven, was finally having her however he wished.

Just the way she whispered his name drove him crazy he wanted her more than anything and the thought of her leaving him tomorrow made his action ever more the fevering. Wrapping his arms around her waist he weightlessly picked her up quite please with how she wrapped those damn sexy legs of hers around him. He growled in frustrating when she felt her most intimate area brush against his. Disposing of her on the island he relished her cry of pleasure when they met for that brief moment. Just for that more sounds of things breaking and imploding surrounded them.

Robin captured her lips once again he stifled any and all moans as he teasingly trailed his right hand down her chest, past her stomach, lingering over her belly button … and then … "Oooohhh … Robin … I don't … ah …"

She was losing it, trashing the tower under Robin's every caress, this had to stop, "Robin … naahhooo … Robin."

He could tell, Robin could tell she was struggling with something, as much as he wanted to, as much as much as needed her, he wasn't going to have her unless she truly wanted it. So pulling her sports bra back down and with a final kiss it took every bit of will power he could muster to stop him from ravishing her again when she whimpered in disappointment. "I don't want you to stay on weekends?"

Raven still dazed and wondering why he had stopped yet grateful for it gave him a curious look, "What?"

"Visit only when you deem it necessary," god it was killing him inside for saying this … but … if she was right … oh damn she looked so tempting just sitting there. Leaning in for another kiss he was jumping for joy when she did not push him away. Chastise and sweet, nothing like they had before, Robin once again held himself back as he just leaned his forehead with hers. Looking deep into her confused violet eyes. God she looked so sweet, putting a hand to her cheek he said barely above a whisper, "If you're right about this whole demon thing, I don't want you to come back to stay on weekends. Only come when you feel like it … that's … that's … that's a … goddamn it! I can't even say it!"

His fist met the countertop in a harsh slam, but Raven wasn't fazed. Coming out of her dazed like state she reached her hands up to take off the mask that covered his beautiful sapphire eyes. Only to find he was really struggling within himself to restrain himself for their sake. He looked so frustrated, so desperate to have her that she was almost ready to give herself up for him. She didn't like the way he looked, didn't like the way his deep blue eyes clashed and raged. Cupping his face she kissed his forehead, then this eyes and then his lips, "I know Robin … I know … I'll follow your orders, I won't come to visit if you don't want me to."

He suddenly grabbed her, held her in a tight embrace his ocean blue eyes showing everything he was feeling, "Damn it all Raven. This doesn't feel like a spell or whatever it is. I want you, and only you. I don't want you to go where I can't see you –" he kissed between her eyes, " –where I can't hear you –" he kissed her right ear, " –where I can't taste you –" he kissed her lips and lingered there for a moment before breaking and holding her tight, leaning her head on his chest while he rested his on top of hers, " –I want you so badly Raven, please, defy my order and stay."

Playing with her hair Raven was fighting with all fantasy to listen and stay, she felt so safe in his arms. So secured and protected, she'd never want to leave his comforting warmth, but that was fantasy and this was reality. With one kiss on his chest she pulled away from him and he moved, the warmth they wanted gone, for good? Only time will tell as Robin helped Raven off the counter and followed her out the kitchen. Deciding that all the silver where that had been demolished was going to be left till tomorrow. They were actually surprised none of the other's has come down to check to the ruckus. Boy were they wrong.

N shadows stepped out a curious yet fascinated Starfire, she heard it all … the talking, she heard what they both had to say and to say she was confused was more than an understatement. She didn't understand Robin's order to keep her from weekend visits. Where she was concerned she always thought lovers tried everything they could to be around each other, not tell them to leave and practically to never return. Then for that matter, what did Robin mean about demon? Starfire gasped, I hope friend Raven's father does not try to kill again, but I thought we got rid of him? Oh, I do not understand this; I must talk to Cyborg or Beast Boy. Surely one of them will understand this odd behavior.

With that thought in mind she waited an agonizing few confused minutes until she boarded the elevator giving Robin and Raven enough time to separate into their rooms or … something like. Coming up to the hall where their rooms were she quickly flew down to Cyborg's room thinking that maybe since he is the oldest he'd know more. Coming to his door she urgently knocked loud enough for only him to hear.

Inside Cyborg grumbled grumpily, now what did the world want? Couldn't it tell he was trying to sleep? Getting up and walking to the door he pressed the button and swoosh there on the other side he saw a very away Starfire with a very curious face. He yawned, "Star? What up? Raven's plane leaves about 8:00 in the morning, you better go back to sleep if you plan to see her off."

"Friend Cyrborg I am most sorry to disturb your sleep, but I have saw something that has peaked my curiosity."

Cyborg rased a brow and let her in before closing the door and leaning against it for support, it was to late in the night for this, but when an alien girl finds something of interest there's no letting it down. "Alright, spit it out, what's so fascinating at this night hour Star?"

"Robin and Raven," she stated so matter-of-factly, Cyborg shook his head still trying to wake up.

"What? What about them? Aren't they in their rooms?"

"That is what troubles me, they were not, they were in the kitchen where I have waken up to check on the noise of destruction."

"Noise of destruction? Were they fighting?"

"No quite the opposite. Answer me this my metal friend, when two lovers rendezvous into the night, should they not talk of love and staying together instead of being apart?"

Now Cyborg was wide awake an giving Starfire an age old look of confusion, "What are you talking about? Lovers? Rendezvous? Raven and Robin? What?"

Starfire shyly began to make circles on the floor looking very much like a child caught doing something bad, "My intrusion went unnoticed, but it seems that our two friends have more than just tension rising Cyborg. Robin spoke of Raven's demon, and of her to never visit unless she says so, yet he sounded saddened at his order. Why would one give an order they clearly do not mean?"

"Okay," Cyborg shook his head again, it was too late for this, but everything Starfire mentioned was not making sense. Yet at least, "Take it back a bit, you said you saw Raven and Robin in the kitchen."

"Only heard."

"What made you go down?"

"The sounds of destruction."

"What sounds of destruction?"

"Like maddening animals stampeding and taking frustration out on or silver where, have you not heard it? It was awfully loud."

"Okay and while checking for this you heard the two talking? Not fighting?"

Starfire seemed to be contemplating the question and answering slowly, "Well, friend Robin sounded restraint, and friend Raven sounded flushed. I hardly think that's fighting so I'll answer yes to your first and no to your second."

Cyborg gave a dry look, he knew what she meant, now he knew what the real beef was between them was. However the puzzle was still not solved, "Okay, they were talking, about what?"

"Raven's demon, and Robin not wanting her to come back on the weekends of her year trip … yet that's what troubles me. Why would Robin go to such great lengths to keep Raven out of his reach when he clearly wants her? Why would she agree to him? Friend Cyborg please help me to solve this mystery."

Taking a deep breath he yawned again and answered, "I think it has something to do with her demon you mentioned."

"Are we going to save the world again Cyborg?" Starfire inquired, Cyborg shook his head.

"Far from it … I think … this might just be a battle only Robin and Raven could fight, so I think it's best we only intervene when necessary. Yeah."

Starfire pouted, "I worry about them Cyborg."

Cyborg sighed and pressed the button to where his door slid open and so to lead her out, "I do to, but worrying won't get them any better. Go to sleep Starfire, and don't worry too much."

Before she left she turned and smiled up at her friend, "Thank you for everything, I feel a little better know I'm not the only one worried about our friends well being. Good-night."

"Night Star," before walked out completely Cyborg called back to her, "Hey Star, don't do this again, I am way to tired for relationship problems."

Shed giggled, "Of course."