Disclaimer: I don't own the Teen Titans or any DC character. However, I do own Ghost Blade.

Note: Quite a bit of this story will be based on things that actually happens in DCcomics.

Ch3: Coping

Robin's fist slams into the wall with such force that it has made an impression in the wall. His team, minus one, turns toward him in curiosity. He slowly pulls his fist out of the wall and turns to regard them.

"What is wrong, friend Robin?" Starfire questioned. "We won, yes?" She asked as she moved up next to him and was waiting for a response in silence, possibly not even breathing.

Robin looked around at his friends and took a deep breath. "Our enemies keep calling me child or kid or boy and if they Robin, they say it in a way that shows me they aren't afraid. It's like they don't think I'm a threat and that I'm helpless without Batman." Robin paused; letting him words take effect on his friends and himself. "It's like I'll never leave Batman's shadow."

Cyborg walked up to his leader and placed his hand on the smaller man's shoulder. "Sure you will." It appeared Cyborg was not done, but he was cut off by a sudden out burst of anger from Robin.

"NOT AS ROBIN! I'll never escape as Robin!" He was actually taken aback by his own outburst as everyone else was. His next word came out as no more then a whisper. "I'm sorry."

"It is ok, friend Robin." Starfire placed her hand on his unoccupied shoulder. "Perhaps it is time to become who you are meant to be, yes?"

Robin turned a curious eye on the woman that he secretly loved. "You mean, become Nightwing?" Starfire just nodded in response. "That may not be such a bad idea." He patted her shoulder, in thanks, as he passed her towards the elevator.

As the doors of the elevator closed behind him, he realized that even though he really was bothered by what he had told his friends, he was truly upset that Raven was gone and he had used all of it as an excuse to get his mind off of her. The two of them had been getting close, not the closeness of lovers, but she had been opening up to him the most and he had open up to her enough to tell her about his past. The two of them had been becoming best friends. The elevator doors opened.

When he reached his room, his thoughts automatically turned to what Starfire had suggested. He was going to become Nightwing and now his thoughts had to be centered on that goal alone. And, even if they didn't have to be, it was better that they were.

(--- --- ---)

Everyone else had left the basement, but Cyborg had decided to tune up the T-Car. He cleaned his baby first and followed with a little buffing. He straitened the antenna and adjusted the mirrors. He turned on all the lights to check if they were working. Then he just sat in the car, his mind wondering.

Raven had been like his little sister to him. She had opened up to him little by little, starting after Overload had taken control of his first car and he had had to destroy it. She had rebuilt the car with him and that was the beginning of their 'sibling' like relationship. He missed her.

Cyborg was so caught up in his thoughts that he hadn't noticed that he had started buffing the car again and that he had been doing it for two hours.

(--- --- ---)

Beast Boy had went strait to the couch after entering the main room. He was just sitting there and watching a television that hadn't been turned on. He didn't care, even if he noticed, his thoughts were on a lost comrade.

He remembered their first kiss, on the beach, how perfect it had been for the both of them. She had made him laugh and he had done the same for her. They had been to kindred spirits and their love had been true. But, it had not been meant to be.

She had turned against him by promises of control over her powers. She had in the end redeemed herself, but now she was a statue for the rest of time. He had lost Terra because of her powers and now he had lost Raven for a similar reason no doubt.

Beast Boy felt tears streak down his cheeks. He felt like Raven had died and he knew that that was not the case, but none the less, she was still lost to him.

(--- --- ---)

Unlike the other Titans, Starfire had not lasted as long as her friends before thinking about Raven. As soon as she had entered the confines of her room she had burst into tears. She had lost her best friend, besides Robin or soon to be Nightwing, and now she felt alone, even though she was surrounded by friends.

"Starfire?" She looked up to find Kid Flash looking at her with concern.

Her tears didn't stop, but she was able to get a few words out between sobs. "I feel alone without friend Raven."

Starfire didn't notice the sting that Raven's name gave to Kid Flash. He walked over to her bed and sat down on the edge and, almost immediately, Starfire threw her arms around him. He pulled her close and rubbed her back while he whispered. "It will be ok, Star. Raven will come back to us when she's ready."

The word of comfort he was giving his friend were the ones that he himself wanted to hear. He wanted to be in Starfire's position, being comforted by a friend, because there was no doubt that Raven's decision to leave had hurt him the most for he loved her. He had to let her walk her path, even if it hurt him a little in the process. He just wanted someone to comfort him while he waited for her to return or until he got past her if she didn't.

(--- --- ---)

Batman sat in front of his computer in the bat cave. He knew he should give the Titans a little heads up and even check in on Robin. The line was picked up by the exact person he wanted to talk to.

"Hello Batman." By Robin's tone and choice of name, Batman knew that Robin knew this was a business call.

"Hello Robin," Batman decided to use the same tone as Robin, "A member of the Justice League decided that she would much prefer to be around a team about the same age as her and has quit. I was told that she was interested in joining the Teen Titans, so you might be seeing her soon."

Robin nodded. "Thanks for the heads up." Robin paused momentarily. "And, now I'm going to repay you with a heads up of my own. I've decided to drop the name of Robin and soon will be known as Nightwing."

It was clearly evident that Batman's eyebrow cocked. "Really?"

The image of Robin nodded. "And, one more thing. Can I ask a favor of you?" Batman nodded. "Raven has disappeared and I'd appreciate it if you could track her down, but if it's too much of an inconvenience or becomes one I'll understand."

Batman gave a slight nod to the man who was like his son. "I'll look into it." He promised and with that, he cut the line.

The dark knight's thought drifted to the 'child', Jason, which had tried to steal the tires off of the bat mobile. He knew that Jason was not what he appeared to be and that he was criminal, but, and interesting idea popped into his head. Why not see if he was interested in becoming the second Robin? He hadn't committed any crimes that couldn't be fixed and he already knew that Jason had bested his first protégé when he had stolen the suit from Titans Tower.

Yes, it was a very interesting idea.