Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot.

A steady stream of people walked into the small building. A gathering of those who liked darkness, and those who were just miserable. They came to watch others bare their souls in the small gothic cafe.

Near the back of the room sat something not many would expect to see in this kind of a setting.

A super hero.

Or more precisely, a super heroine. The woman hid her face from the world, but all those who were near easily recognized her as Raven of the Teen Titans. Despite what people thought, she rarely came to this sort of event. But every once in a while she felt like leaving the confines of the tower, and when she did, she came here. This simply wasn't the place where people socialized. They all tended to leave each other alone.

Raven sat drinking a cup of what most assumed was coffee. Those who knew her however would have immediately known that the cup probably held herbal tea. Raven stared out over the crowd gathered. She'd never seen the building quite so full, it didn't make much sense for her. This had always been a place where she could come to be alone and to just be one of the crowd. Today however the building was almost teeming with life.

Raven leaned over and tapped on the shoulder of one of the few waitresses who walked around bringing people their coffee and other refreshments. "Yes?"

"Why is it so crowded in here tonight? I've never seen it this way."

"Simple enough. Hood's coming tonight."

"Who's Hood?"

"You don't know? That's strange. Hood shows up every month, just like clockwork. He shows up, reads a poem and leaves. Never talks to anyone, never orders anything. Just does his thing and leaves. He's picked up quite a following."

"I see that. Thank you."

"No problem." The waitress walked off into the crowd.

Raven sat sipping her tea, waiting, even looking forward to the night's entertainment.

A hush fell over the crowd. Near the front, a small figure dressed in a dark red jacket was making his way to the front of the room. His face was hidden by the hood he'd pulled over it. He glanced around the room as he began to recite.

"So alone, so alone Too much for me I must atone.
My heart drops Just like a stone.
So alone, so alone

The woman that I hold so dear Wishes I was nowhere near and buried in the ground so drear The woman that I love so dear.

How to live, how to live I have so much I've yet to give I love my friends but they don't know Day in day out, blow by blow I just don't know, I just don't know how to live, how to live."

The figure on the stage stopped reciting. He slowly moved away from the microphone. He walked off the small stage and headed for the door. Raven couldn't believe it as she cut through the crowd to intercept him. "Keep trying, she'll come around."

The man hidden behind the hood turned to look at her. His voice was thick with barely concealed pain. "Maybe." He turned and walked through the door. He stepped into the alley and made his way up the fire escape to the roof. He slid off the red jacket and the pair of pants that helped hide his identity.

He placed them in his hiding spot where they would remain till his next visit.

"Maybe one day you will." The young man jumped off the roof. On the way down his form changed to that of a green falcon.

End