Part 31

Arsenal's vision was blurred as he opened his eyes to see a cold metallic floor reflect his aching face. He tried to gather his thoughts, the floor didn't seem familiar, where was he?

Jinx twirled the gun between her fingers, "This gun is nice and light," she tilted it back and forth admiring it.

Arsenal crooked his neck and flopped over onto his back. He looked over to see Jinx reclining in a chair holding his gun, "Where's your friend?" He didn't see the red head anywhere.

"She found the people you kidnapped," She grinned at him, "Good job huh?"

Damn Slade how could you let them be found? "If they're alive," he coughed out. He crawled over to the other side of the room and sat against the wall.

"Oh they're alive, one of them had to initiate their distress alarm," She laughed. "Us bad guys always think of ourselves as so cocky," She placed the back of her hand against her mouth to stop her laughter, "We gave ourselves so much credit but we never really got anything done," She placed her hands against the gun and pointed it at him, "Don't move any more than that. I can't guarantee I'll miss ya," Her large cheshire cat eyes winked at him, "I may shoot you for wearing black, I don't care for that color too much."

He gave her a puzzled look, "Then shoot me," he held his arms out, beckoning for her to shoot.

"Let's play a game," She crossed her legs, "I ask a question and you tell me the answer, okay?" She licked her lips, "Question one, what is Slade's plan?"

"I don't play games."

She pouted at him, "Now that's not very nice. You're hurting my feelings, and trust me you don't want to do that, now play nice," She aimed the gun back at him, "I'm not a good shot," she fired and missed his head by an inch, "See," she gave him a wide smile.

"I'm not afraid to die," He hoped his bluff worked. He rubbed a hand through his hair, "I didn't even cringe when you shot."

She frowned, "You didn't!" The corner of her mouth lifted, "Let me try again," She shot next to his chest.

She was aiming right at him. He ducked to the right as she blast and it just missed him. "Alright enough!"

"See told you I wasn't a good shot. Now what was Slade planning?"

"You're still thinking like a bad guy thinking that there is always some big plan, some colossal motive, but sometimes the answer is really quite simple… can you guess what it is?" He winked at her, "Come on pretty, tell me."

She wasn't going to play his games. She wasn't going to take his abuse, his innuendo. She got up and walked over towards him, she took the butt of the gun and smacked it against his cheek, knocking him over, "I said I was asking the questions!" She said abrasively. "Now just be nice and tell me what the plan was," She placed the gun right against the side of his head, "This time I won't miss."

He felt the tooth go down and for a moment he thought he'd choke on it. He felt the blood wash through his mouth, the sour taste washing itself with his saliva. He spat out the tooth and the blood; he felt some of it sticking to the outside of his mouth. He felt the gun being pushed against the side of his head, "Alright," he coughed out. "The plan was simple, eliminate the Titans one by one."

Jinx grinded her teeth and made it obvious and loud, "Why?" The words full of anger and no restraint, she didn't hide her hate, for if she did – he'd tell her nothing.

"Ugh," He moaned, "Slade figured that the Titans would fall apart if we attacked them individually and not as a team."

Jinx got up, "Nice plan." She got up and made her way to the door and then closed and locked the holding cell.

--

Cyborg in the security of his room was more in control of how to repair him self.

--

Starfire supplied Robin with some water and some food as he laid against the couch in the living room. She stared at his unmasked face. She watched as he quickly went through the food and water. His eyes closed as he leaned against the sofa, "I feel like hell," He waved his hand across his face.

"Let me help you to the shower?" Starfire asked reluctantly.

He nodded and was helped up by her. He placed a hand over her shoulder and neck, she placed an arm around his waist and hovered him to the bathroom, and she helped him inside and then closed the door.

She floated back to the living area, and looked out the glass that showed the entire city. What was she going to tell him? How was she going to tell him? She wished she was better at this 'English' language, she wished she knew how to really tell him. Of course she imagined what she wanted to say would be hard even if she knew how, after-all Raven had a hard time talking to Beast Boy about these things, it would only make sense for her to have some problems too.

She wanted to express so much to him. These past few days without him were the hardest in her life. It caused her to reflect on everything. She just imagined every moment with him when he wasn't here. She felt as though she took their friendship for granted.

She wasn't as strong as people thought she was. In reality she fell for every weakness that most people fell for. She was so weak when he was gone. She could barely get through the day with the thought that he was out there somewhere and she had no idea where.

Could she tell him all of that? What would he think of her? Would she consider telling him everything? Could she tell him how afraid she was?

Her head felt so heavy. Maybe it would be best of her to go and sit down, but there was something calming about looking out at the city, maybe it was because when there was no danger they could take some responsibility for the peace. Maybe it was because her home planet was so destructive that seeing the calm in the city created the same feeling inside of her. Of course maybe it was simply the beautiful view that eased her racing thoughts. At the moment there truly wasn't anyway to calm her completely. What should she tell him?

"Hey Star."

She turned around to see Robin back in suit leaning against the hallway wall. His black hair from being swamped down with sweat to now being clean and spiked as it usually was. His mask was back on, and his old battered cape was replaced. He gave her a smirk and a wink.

--

Her eyes were closed, her legs were crossed, and she hovered several feet in the air. Raven had been in Beast Boy's room for nearly twelve hours now. The nurses came and went and Beast Boy still hadn't awakened. She hoped that he was okay, and all the machines said he was.

Again she felt as though she was alone. It was a common thread in her life, she was so used to being alone that she knew the feeling completely. It was a cold dark pit that dwelled in her soul. A feeling of being ignored, a feeling of worthlessness, moments of realization that made the skin cringe and the mind wither, what was the point of living if you didn't touch someone else's life?

She had thought that she was good at holding all these feelings. She thought that she was destined to contain such emotions. It was the reason why she kept to herself. Movies, stories, and content people told the tale of love. A false ideal that everyone was destined to find their special someone. She had come to the thought that there were those who died with never finding someone who 'completed' them. After all there had to be people who were the common day hermit. People who lived their lives and never found anyone, she always figured she would be that person. After all, who could love her?

She opened her eyes and looked at the green, frail, teammate of hers. He probably thought much like her. Feeling that he was always going to be alone. Who would love someone that was green and had a toothy grin? Instead of becoming introverted from his loneliness, he tried too hard to be accepted. He knew that his over the top antics probably just caused him to feel pain when he was alone. He knew that he tried too hard and yet he kept trying, meanwhile she never even attempted. Nobody can hurt you if you don't let them in.

The truth was, that she wasn't good at being alone. She wasn't good at being without someone. It was the main reason why she let Malachoir in so quickly. She didn't want the thought of being unlovable to dominate her life. The small glimpse of not being completely abandoned for life is what caused her to fall for someone so quickly. It just proved that she was horrible at being alone. And yet when she was with Malachoir who was the one that tried his best to figure out what was going on? Who was the one watching over her? And who was the one that was there for her in the end?

Her feet hit the ground and she made her way back to her chair next to Beast Boy. She felt her cold exterior drop and tears form in her eyes. She placed her hand on Beast Boy's chest and again tried to heal it as much as she could. "Beast Boy," she called lightly and rubbed a hand through his hair. She placed her head between the crook of his neck and cried lightly, "Please be okay."

--

Jinx walked to her 'temporary' room, at least she considered it temporary. She was unsure of what to do. Cyborg had said that it would be close to impossible for her to be 'normal'. Did she want to stay with the Titans? She had been evil so long, how could she turn away from it? Even during the interrogation she used the skills she learned from the HIVE to get the information she wanted, but maybe that's what the Titans are missing, after-all she has made herself pretty useful as of late.

Then there was Cyborg. If she turned away she threw away any chance for a relationship. It was sad but true, she had a crush, and she thought she was above having a crush, or falling for one. If she turned away she would sacrifice the fact that she'd have to be alone. She wasn't sure if she would be okay being alone. Loneliness was a feeling that she wasn't sure she wanted to deal with on a daily basis.

She left her room and went down the hall and turned a corner. She went to Cyborg's room, and pressed the button to open the door. She spotted him busy with an instrument that seemed to have a bright flash at the end of it, she wasn't sure what it was, "Hey Trash Can," she walked in and made her way to the first chair she saw.

He turned away from his work and looked up at her, "Ha ha, are you planning on helping me?"

She twirled her hair with her hand, "I don't know, I'm not really the helping type."

He sighed, "You better help! My sonic cannon still works," he chuckled.

"I know nothing about technology," she counted.

He fiddled with trying to fit a metal cap in the back of his leg, but it made a pang sound and flew out of his grasp, "Can you just pick up pieces that I can't grab anymore?" Cyborg pointed to a pile of gears, wires, and other metallic objects.

It was her turn to sigh and she crawled over to the pile and began sorting out wires and other items, "Which do-hicky do you want first?"

--

"Robin," she looked down and closed her eyes, "There are things we must do the talking about," she opened her eyes and stared at the floor.

Robin semi-limped over to her, "Is everything okay Star?"

She sighed and sat down on the couch, "I am unsure."

He sat down next to her, "What do you mean," he smelled her sweet scent and realized how much he has missed her. He had longed for her when he was captured; she was one of the reasons why he hanged on for so long. She was pure and innocent. She was the epitome of what was good in the world, and to see her upset troubled him.

"I have some things, some things that I must admit," She looked over at him, "Some things about us."

He looked taken back, "Oh."

She took a deep breath, "I was scared when you were gone. I was very scared, every moment I worried about you. I thought I might never see you again. I wasn't prepared for that. I denied it, I tried to tell myself you were okay, but I had no way to know. I had much time to myself to think and the more I thought the more I realized that I need you, I don't know why and I don't know how but I know that you are important to me, more so than anything else on this planet or any planet. I am unsure of my emotions, I am unsure of what Earth people consider love, but I think that I am in love with you."

There was a long silence and Robin just stared at her. He then took off his mask and looked at her with his real eyes. He then rubbed a hand along her cheek gave her a tender smile, and then their lips meet.

--

Raven asleep with her head next to Beast Boy's didn't hear his murmur as he began to wake up. His chest felt as though it was on fire. He let out a yelp and tried to move but that would just increase the pain. Something wasn't right. He lifted his arm and placed it near his head, he knew who was next to him. He looked over – not moving his head – and saw purple hair.

"Raven," he croaked out. "Ravee," he took a deep breath.

She awoke and lifted her head, and noticed a pair of eyes staring back at her. "Hey," she said lightly, smiling.

"Hi," he said with some trouble, he gasped slightly, "I didn't know I got hooked up with such a pretty nurse."

She rolled her eyes, "How are you feeling?"

He felt that was a weird question couldn't she tell he was in pain? "My chest hurts."

She walked to the other side of the bed and went to the morphine pump, she pressed a button a few times, "That should hopefully stop the pain, I didn't want to give you any more medicine while you were asleep. I feared you wouldn't wake up."

He pouted at her, "I thought you didn't do fear."

"I didn't do a lot of things, but you have changed that."

He grinned at her, "I always knew I would."

"We caught Arsenal, he was who attacked you."

Beast Boy closed his eyes, "I don't remember it at all."

She gave him a concerned look, "What do you mean you don't remember?"

"I don't remember getting hurt. I don't remember the fight at all."

She sat back down next to him. "I'm so glad you're awake."

He reached his hand up and she took it with both hands, "Promise me you'll be more careful in the future."

He sighed, "We're superheroes, danger follows us." He placed a hand up to his nose.

She grabbed his hand and placed it back down to his side, "They have oxygen hooked up, don't mess with it."

"Where are the others?"

"They're back at the tower, apparently Cyborg is still trying to put himself together, and Starfire is looking over Robin. I was really worried about you; I didn't think you'd make it. I'm not good at dealing with emotions, you know that, and the thought of losing you well it left a pit in my heart, I don't know how else to describe it. You make me a stronger person, you make me human, I always thought of myself as a demon, but with you, you've shown me that I am more than that, that I have feelings, I have a soul and that I am worth something."

He placed a hand against her cheek, "With or without me you will always be worth something, to someone."

She smiled, leaned down and kissed him tenderly.

--

Cyborg stood up and stretched his body. He looked down at his sensors, everything was working correctly, he gave Jinx a smirk, "Trash Can is a-okay."

Jinx got up and stretched as well, "It's about time," she yawned.

"Sounds like you should get some sleep."

"Do you ever sleep?"

He shrugged, "Depends on what you consider sleep, I power down."

She yawned again and sat down in a chair, "Isn't it hard?"

"Is what hard?"

"Are you more robot than human?"

He flexed his bicep and opened his hand; "I don't really have a choice in the matter, unlike you who has a choice."

She didn't catch on right away to what he meant but realized he was talking about whether she was going to stay with the Titans or not. She never really considered that it was a choice. At the moment she suddenly realized that she was lucky to even have a choice, "I think I am staying."

He gave a huge smile, "Best news I've heard all day."

"I have better news," she announced, "Speedy or um Arsenal or whatever is locked in the holding cell, he's working with Slade."

"Yeah, Robin and I kind of figured that. Now do we use him to catch Slade, or do we just hand him to the police?" He held his chin in his hand.

"You use him to get Slade," she said quickly as though there was no choice. "I can pry the information out of him."

"It's not that easy, if we don't hand him to the police we look more like criminals than heroes."

"So you're just going to let Slade get away?"

He shook his head, "As you know villains are pretty persistent. He'll pop his head back up again, and with you on our side we'll be that much stronger to take him down."

She blushed slightly, "I guess…."

"You know we never did have that dance at the HIVE academy."

Her eyes got large.

He held his hand out, "I'm programmed to funk."

She doubled over laughing, "That's the worst line I've ever heard Tin Man!"

--

Everyone is troubled

Everyone is the same

We all want to be the one

Want another to utter our name

We all want the same thing

To belong

To be loved

To be cared for

To be hugged

Changes happen in life

That makes our future bright

That allows the loneliest souls

Find their special light

To endure pain

To endure the sorrow

We all must fight through it

And hope for tomorrow

Love may not happen at first sight

It may be a hard fight

So find who you love

And hold them strong and tight

Dry your tears

Wish good morrow and goodnight

- end of part 31