It Happens

What If?

(In a huge barely furnished room at Raven's Mansion)

Robin set up an oval mat, two torches and a bowl of incense just like the book instructed. He was finally going to find out what things would be like right now if Raven had stayed with the Teen Titans.

"Rema lan. Gree chakan," Robin started to read, "nace amar glaw kenar…"

"What are you doing?" Raven demanded as she burst into the room and interrupted Robin's chanting, "give me that book," she ordered upon seeing it.

"No way!" Robin shouted, "I want to know."

"What difference will it make Robin?" Raven asked him, "knowing what could've been?"

"I just want to know," Robin said softly and looked at his feet.

Raven saw how much it meant to him. But she also worried about what would happen if it turned out that life would've been better. Robin would probably be shattered. Blaming himself and falling into a deep depression. And what if it was worse? Feeling hopeless can be just as dangerous as feeling depressed. And in some cases even worse.

"What's happened has happened Robin," Raven told him, "we're not meant to mess with it."

"I'm not messing with it anything," Robin protested, "I just want to know what would've happened if you had stayed with the Teen Titans," he told her, "please?" he begged her.

"Robin it's just not wise," Raven tried to explain, "I used that book a few times and only felt worse afterwards."

"But you used it," Robin pointed out.

"And regretted it Robin," Raven told him, "every time," she added.

"Well I won't regret it," Robin declared, "I just know that things will be better," he told her, "and maybe we can use it to help make things better here," he said happily.

Raven looked at Robin despairingly. What if things weren't better? What would happen to him and psyche if things were worse? Quite frankly Raven didn't want to know.

"Fine," Raven gave in, "but you have to promise me something," she added.

"What?" Robin asked.

"That you won't go to pieces if things turn out badly," Raven said seriously, "it can be really devastating when things turn out differently than expected," she told him.

"I promise I won't Raven," Robin promised.

"I'll hold you to that," Raven said seriously, "you can stay in the 'what if' world for up to a year," she told him, "but I don't think you need more than a day to assess if things are better there or worse," she said, "now stand in the middle of the mat while I do the chant," she instructed, "I can get you there faster," she added and Robin immediately obeyed her instruction.

Raven did the chant and suddenly the room started to become hazy for Robin.

"See you in twenty-four hours," Raven whispered and everything went black for Robin.

(5 a.m. in the world of 'What If')

(Robin's POV)

I slowly opened my eyes and looked around. I was in a bedroom with light blue walls, a white closet to the left and a brown closet to the right, a night table right beside me and a lamp right on top, there were a few paintings on the wall and a grand brown Victorian Style dresser beside the white door. Then I felt a stirring beside me. I looked to see red hair sticking out from a lump beside me, which was covered by a floral bedspread. I leaned closer and moved the bedspread slightly downwards. Sleeping there was an adult Starfire. I gasped and moved back slightly. She looked so sweet and innocent and I wondered what I was doing here. Then I remembered that Raven sent me here to see what it would be like now if she (Raven) had stayed with the Teen Titans. I guessed that it was still nighttime but when I checked the time on a large circular digital clock above the bed I realized that it was 5 a.m. in the morning. I guessed that it was probably the same time in the real world and I immediately wondered what Raven was doing back there. But I decided that it didn't matter since I'd find out what she was doing now. I looked back at an innocently sleeping Starfire. In the real world I had lost her. In this world I had her. I wished my one day in this world would never end.

"Star," I whispered and ran a hand through her beautiful smooth red hair.

"Mmmm," Starfire whispered in response with a smile and moved closer to my hand.

She looked so beautiful that I felt even more stupid about giving her up because I couldn't move on from being raped by Slade.

"I love you so much," I whispered tearfully and kissed her cheek.

"I too feel the emotion of love Robin," Starfire responded sleepily and I jumped, "oh, did I bring about the emotion of fear in you?" she asked with great concern as she sat up.

"Uh, No I'm fine Star," I told her.

"It is in the hours of early," Starfire pointed out, "wait, did you call me by the old affectionate nickname of Star?"

I suddenly felt uncomfortable. Had I said something wrong?

"It's just that you haven't refered me by that old nickname of affection for years," Starfire told me and I felt relieved, "are you within the feelings of okay, Robin?" she asked me.

"Yeah," I responded.

"Good," Starfire said happily, "for a moment I thought you were still feeling feelings of sadness over Beast Boy's act of suicide."

I froze. Beast Boy was dead?

"Robin?" Starfire asked but I was still too deep in shock to respond, "life partner are you within the emotion of okay?" she asked me desperately.

"Wha…?" I asked surprised by what she just said.

"I mean husband," Starfire corrected herself.

I felt another wave of shock wash over me.

Starfire and I married? But she and Cyborg….. That means that we're truly together in this world. Which means…. (Robin's thoughts)

I suddenly grabbed Starfire and kissed her passionately. She was shocked for a moment but she soon melted into the kiss and that kiss was the most wonderful thing I ever felt in a long time. Then things got even more passionate and we ended up making love.

(In the World of What If- 8:30 a.m. at the Residence of Starfire and Robin)

Starfire and I laughed and I kissed her neck as I played with her as she tried to cook breakfast.

"I can't do the act of cooking with you doing the act of intimacy Robin," Starfire protested.

"Then stop doing the act of cooking," I suggested flirtatiously.

"But I want to do the act of cooking," Starfire protested, "I've finally learned some earth food cooking including the cooking of sausages, pancakes and sunny side up eggs," she said proudly.

I looked at Starfire in surprise. The Starfire in the real world still couldn't cook earth foods (or cook them in the way Earthlings do). Plus she'd mastered the great machine that if you're too lazy to cook it's your best friend. The microwave. Her favourite 'home cooked' meals were Hot Pockets, Eggos and TV dinners. 'Nough said.

"Are you disappointed?" Starfire asked.

"Oh, no, no," I said quickly, "I love the fact that you can cook earth food in earth ways," I told her.

"For that I feel the emotion of glad," Starfire said happily, "now take the position of sitting before I have to put my hand down," she said sternly.

"You mean 'foot down' Starfire," I corrected her, "I'll sit down," I added and sat at our wooden circular table.

Fifteen minutes later Starfire came to the table with heaping plates of pancakes, sunny side up eggs and sausages. The smell of the food made my mouth water and I had knife and fork ready in each hand. As soon as she shared my half I started to gorge myself with it immediately. Half way through however I noticed that Starfire hadn't touched her food and was in fact just staring at me. I gobbled up an egg that was hanging half way out of my mouth.

"You are different," Starfire said suddenly.

I suddenly felt guilty. I was obviously not the Robin she loved.

"You have finally done the act of loosening up!" Starfire cried happily and I fell off my chair in shock, "am I incorrect?" she asked.

"No!" I shouted and got back up and sat down, "I'm loose," I declared.

"Happiness and Celebration!" Starfire shouted, "so, you will experiment then?" she asked softly and shyly.

"Experiment with what?" I asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Bed Intimacy?" Starfire asked shyly but with a mischievous glint in her eyes.

"Sex?" I asked and she nodded, "but didn't we just do it this morning?" I pointed out.

Starfire suddenly looked disappointed.

"Well I don't have a problem doing it again," I made sure to say, "but I never figured you to be…."

"What? Exciting?" Starfire snapped suddenly, "I'm sorry life partner but I need to do the talk," she told me.

I gulped. 'The Talk' was NEVER good.

"You and I have been in the act of marriage for nearly six earth months," Starfire said and I simply nodded, "you made the act of promising me things would be in the range of different when we did the marriage," she told me, "but it is not different Robin," she pointed out, "it's worse," she said sadly.

"And that's bad," I said slowly as I worried what would come next.

"I think we need a time of separation," Starfire announced and I felt my heart fall through the floor, "I know this will bring the emotion of shock to you," she admitted, "but I can't do the act of pretending that everything is okay," she told me, "I thought I could change you back to the old Robin," she said, "or at least do the melting of your iced up heart of beating and behaviour of cold formality."

"But I can change Starfire," I immediately insisted, "I swear!"

"You've said these words before," Starfire said sadly, "and it always goes back to the same way of feeling of boredom and being unloved," she said, "I'm sorry," she said and got to he feet.

"But things will be different Starfire!" I cried and knelt before her, "please don't leave me," I begged, "I'll do anything you want," I tried to bargain.

"That's the problem Robin," Starfire responded, "you won't exit your shell of coldness unless I start the act of leaving," she continued, "Slade's act of rape changed you," she told me, "and I cannot be with what it's changed you into," she said sadly, "goodbye," she whispered and pushed me aside.

"Starfire," I said tearfully, "don't leave me," I begged as tears fell down my cheeks, "please?"

"I am feeling the emotion of sorry but no," Starfire responded and walked off.

I bent into my lap and started to cry. I don't know for how long I cried but it was definitely for a good while.

"You might want to go home now," a voice said suddenly and I looked up to see Raven.

But I quickly realized that this wasn't a 'What If' Raven but the Raven that I had left back in the real world.

"What are you doing here?" I hissed at her.

"Well since you've been crying for forty-five minutes straight and Starfire left fifteen minutes ago…" Raven told me.

"What!" I cried interrupting her, "Starfire's gone?" I demanded after I jumped to my feet, "where did she go?" I snarled.

"I don't know," Raven told me, "I only came here to watch over you," she added.

"Why?" I asked darkly.

"Because as shocking as it may be I care alright!" Raven shouted angrily and suddenly a table exploded, "why the fuck is this happening!" she screamed and the cupboard melted, "you know, this didn't start until yesterday," she added and glared at me.

"What!" I shouted.

"Nothing," Raven responded but she still looked upset, "anyway, Beast Boy killed himself because he could never have either one of the women he loved," she informed me, "and his infatuation with drugs didn't help."

"Drugs!" I cried incredulously, "what kind of loony world is this?"

"I warned you," Raven told me, "things don't always happen the way that you'd like."

"Well at least in this world I have Starfire," I declared.

"You only have her because of her love for you," Raven countered, "for whatever reason me staying with the Teen Titans somehow allowed you two to be together," she observed, "but not happily," she added.

"Duh!" I spat.

"So what are you going to do now?" Raven asked me as if I hadn't just spoken, "you know how you and Starfire turned out," she said, "anything else?"

"What about Cyborg?" I asked.

"Cyborg and I are married," Raven told me and my mouth fell to the floor, "he and I live together in Mech City with a two month old baby girl," she added.

"What?" I asked incredulously, "what about Aqualad?"

"Seems he couldn't accept my marriage and disappeared without a trace," Raven revealed to me, "Bumblebee and Speedy died in a factory explosion two months before the sixteen year old age limit came and unlike in our world, Steel City allowed a new Titans East," she said.

"So how was life for you?" I asked.

"I was still hated like I was after Beast Boy revealed who I was," Raven told me, "but I stayed with the Teen Titans in this reality," she said, "worst mistake EVER," she added.

"What!" I shouted, "staying with the Teen Titans is the best thing that could've happened to you!" I declared.

"Best!" Raven shrieked and a table blew up, "I look so weak and sickly Robin that a hiccup could kill me," she told me, "I look like I'm this weak, scared, unhappy person that Cyborg still loved anyway and decided to marry and have a child with," she said, "I'd rather be like I am now and strong but lonely than being pathetic and weak like that and be with somebody," she said, "I even pity Cyborg for choosing to be with me and I'm like that," she added.

"So you don't think you turned out better here?" I asked.

"No," Raven said honestly, "staying with the Titans in this world only kept me in direct contact with people who hate me on a twenty-four hour basis," she told me, "and from what I've seen from my What if self, it broke me," she said then sighed.

"So no matter what things turn out badly for us," I whispered to myself, "I want to go home," I said immediately.

"Sorry Robin," Raven responded, "you can't leave until the twenty-four hours is up."

"So what do I do here?" I demanded angrily.

"Eat, dance, masturbate, I don't care," Raven said and went to the fridge, "you chose to come here," she reminded me, "until time is up you're stuck here," she said simply as she closed the door and now had a can of Pepsi in her hand.

I went to the fridge and took out a bottle of beer. Raven used her powers and got me a can opener.

"Thank You," I said softly and popped off the cork.

"I see that Starfire's become a real good cook," Raven observed, "in our world she's just a master of the microwave."

(Normal POV)

"I know," Robin responded as he started to drink his beer, "this world is very different from our own."

"Yet it is our world," Raven told him, "just in a different reality," she added.

"That's true," Robin agreed as Raven finally started to drink her Pepsi, "who do you think we're meant to be with in our world?" he asked suddenly.

"For me personally, nobody," Raven said, "I'm just meant to leave Earth and live a nomadic life on some far off planet where no one knows me," she said.

"You're leaving Earth?" Robin asked incredulously and Raven looked surprise at his reactive, "why?" he asked her.

"Because there's nothing here for me," Raven said honestly, "Terra's dead, Blackfire's going back to Tameran, Jinx has Gizmo and I have a chance of a much happier life elsewhere," she listed, "Earth hates me," she concluded.

"But I don't hate you," Robin said desperately, "please don't leave?" he begged and held unto her free hand with both of his after resting down the beer.

Raven looked at Robin incredulously. Did he just say that he didn't hate her? More so did he say that he didn't want her to leave?

"Are you okay Robin?" Raven asked feeling very concerned.

"No," Robin said firmly and let go of Raven's hand, "and I'll never be," he told her, "you might hate me for saying it but your father's act that night changed me."

"I don't hate you for saying that," Raven responded, "it would've changed anybody," she admitted, "in fact it did change somebody," she said with a light chuckle, "well everybody actually," she said frankly and drank her Pepsi until it was done.

Robin watched as Raven drank her Pepsi. He didn't know why but in this world he suddenly found her mesmerizing. Her standing in this family fashioned kitchen wearing a blue jeans jacket, a black-buttoned shirt, blue jeans, black sneakers, a black wristwatch and purple costume bead jewellery on both her hands and around her neck just made her look attractive and very appealing. He looked over her purple skin and her purple hair; which she had left hanging loosely, and wondered what was suddenly making her look so beautiful. As soon as Raven finished her drink and started to open her eyes, Robin blushed and looked away. Raven suddenly belched and let out a laugh then apologized.

"Sorry," Raven apologized quickly and didn't pay any mind to the red that was appearing upon her cheeks, "I don't usually belch so loudly, I swear."

"That's okay," Robin said nervously with a smile, "it's natural to belch," he added and Raven threw away the can.

"Not that loud," Raven countered.

"Well we're alone here," Robin pointed out, "no one's going to criticize you."

"I guess not," Raven said with a shrug, "wait," she said suddenly, "are we having a calm and civil conversation?" she asked him.

"I guess so," Robin said but Raven noticed a mischievous glint in Robin's eye.

"What are you thinking?" Raven asked carefully but suspiciously.

"Nothing," Robin said mischievously as he moved closer to her, "Raven, have you ever felt like doing anything crazy, just something random?" he asked her as he came right up to her face.

"N… Yeah," Raven said and she noticed how her voice shook, "what do you want?" she asked him darkly.

"I don't know," Robin said suddenly and moved away.

Raven was surprised. For a moment the atmosphere seemed to be getting sexual, then it just fizzled and disappeared. But Raven had the feeling that something was wrong. Then it hit her.

"Robin," Raven said as she now came closer to him, "um, come here," she said and took him in her arms.

At first Robin didn't hug back. But when he did he hugged Raven very tightly.

"What's wrong with me?" Robin whispered tearfully.

"Nothing's wrong with you," Raven comforted him, "you've just changed," she told him, "you haven't faded away," she said and kissed him on the head.

Robin looked up at her. His eyes showed her someone who was lost.

"I'm sorry that I hurt you," Robin said softly then rested his face on her cheek.

"It's okay Robin," Raven responded, "I forgive you."

"Thank You," Robin whispered.

End Chapter 8

Reggae: Today is October 5, 2005. I've completed this chapter and I have two more to go. Wish me luck in completing this story before October 12, 2005. Please review and thank you for reading.