OOC: Yes, I know it took awhile. Please don't be angry, as I've had quite a busy life lately and I can't spend as much time online as I used to. Warning, school is starting tomorrow and I will not be on as often. And to Raven2547, I don't know whether to take your words as a compliment that you like my writing, or an insult. Either way this should make you ahppy. And please, I know when I'm taking a long time and I swear I won't forget about this fic, but I do have a life besides this site and as I will soon be swamped with homework...I won't be on as much... Please if you want to remind me for one reason or another, don't review on my story with swearwords, email me at with swear words. I don't want them displayed on my review list...

Disclaimer: I do not own the Teen Titans, though Red's identity behind the mask is mine, as is Rose.

Raven..Raven...Raven, please answer me...

Robin laid upon his bed, his eyes shut behind the mask and his fists clenched as the name repeated across his mind. He took deep breaths in an effort to calm himself as frustration began to edge across him. Why wouldn't she answer? Raven was a part of him, she had been in his mind and they had a bond stronger than physical distance. She could hear him.

Raven, please. Hear me out...just listen to what I have to say...

Raven bit her lip as she glanced back at the doorway into the bedroom where Red slept, his eyes closed and his breaths moving his chest underneath the T-shirt. Raven slept in the clothes she had bought at the mall, though in fact she wasn't sleeping. Robin's voice continued to penetrate through her mind until at long last, completely aggravated, she crossed her legs and began to hover above the couch. After a few soft words, careful to not awaken Red, a black shadowy raven slipped from her body and through the roof, working until finally finding its way to Robin's room and settling upon the floor. She wasn't there but instead a shadowed form of her sat there, only her eyes shining from the spirit form, eyes glowing with a white hue.

"What do you want Robin?"

"I just want to talk to you." At the sight of her Robin's eyes widened but he calmed instantly. Better to see her like this, than in the clothes of the girl who had attacked him today. He wouldn't be able to stand that...

"There's nothing to talk about."

"Yes there is." Robin stepped forward, slipping from his bed and standing before the shadowed figure. He knew she was watching him, from wherever she was. She could feel her aura around him, stronger than if she were to come in human form. A chilly feeling, one that radiated around the person, but empty, empty of color and any emotion. Not even blue or sorrow.

"Raven I understand that you are angry with us, Beast Boy especially, but you have to realize we care about you. We've argued thousands of times before and its never led to this...Why now?"

"That's exactly it. We've argued thousands of times and this was the last straw..." The shadowy figure blinked, darkness shrouding the only light it held for a moment before looking back. There was nothing but shadow upon her, as if she was only a mere image cast from her own physique, if for all but her eyes.

"Raven...please. Its something more. You can tell me. I understand you."

"No you don't. You know me better than any other, but you do not understand me, Robin. Red X understands me. He makes me happy."

"But he's a-"

"A villain? Yes. You should know Robin. I was in your mind, remember? I know how you felt when you were Slade's apprentice. It was a thrill that you hated yet at the same time were addicted to. You wanted more. It's like once you tasted being bad you were hooked. I've never been a true good person and you know that. I've finally realized it. I'm not glass."

"You're not glass but you're not stone either, Rae."

Raven blinked again. Robin had called her Rae? Truly, only Cyborg often called her that- Terra had called her by that name once, and Beast Boy occasionally used the title when he was feeling daring. But never Robin.

"You who know me best, Robin. You understand what its like. I am happy with Red X, happier than I've been in a long time. I was treated like glass here. Everyone was afraid to anger me or speak to me in certain tones because I would burst. You kept me close because you feared me, just as you feared Terra. 'Keep your friends close and your enemies closer.' I don't belong with the Titans..."

"You don't belong with Red X!"

The eyes shifted and for a moment Robin could almost see the hint of a smile upon the shadow's lips.

"I don't belong anywhere. I was an outcast at birth. But I've finally found someone who I can be happy with, and I've just discovered how wonderful happiness feels."

Robin clenched his jaw, turning his gaze to the wall. How could he explain to her? She didn't watch the Titans walk through the door with their heads lowered. She didn't see defeat written upon their features. She didn't feel Starfire's head upon her shoulder as she attempted to keep the tears in. She didn't see the grave expression upon the face of a boy that was meant to be happy. She didn't watch Cyborg drown himself in work and cast wistful, sorrowful glances at the door of a friend's bedroom. She didn't watch as sorrow and fear ripped apart the team. She didn't feel the betrayal that swept through his body as he hurled through the air, his feet stinging form her bolt.

"Raven...I don't know how to say this..." Why was he suddenly as unclear as when he spoke with Starfire upon one of their last missions, when they were stranded on a alien planet.

She watched him, her eyes glowing as if mocking him, taunting him with silent words in a way that reminded him so much of Red X he shuddered.

"The Titans need you. They haven't been the same. Starfire cried, Rae, she was crying. And Cyborg couldn't say a word, not even when someone asked him what he wanted to eat. Beats Boy hasn't cracked a single joke. He just sits there like a mindless drone. They miss you."

"They feel ashamed, nothing more. Their friend hurt them." The impact of those words struck them both, Robin flinching as if she had driven a stake through his flesh and Raven's heart leaping.

"Raven, we need you. Come back."

"Robin...you remind me a lot of Red...Perhaps that's why I felt a stronger bond with you than most. But I am happy to be where I am. As Terra once said to you- 'I'm not some sad little girl waiting to be rescued.' I am happy. I want to be this way."

"But Raven-"

"Raven is dead Robin. Raven died the day I left the Tower and all I cared about behind. She exists only in soul within these walls. Rose lives now."

"Raven..."

Robin could say nothing more. He sighed, staring into her bright eyes and closing his own for a moment. He stepped back and took a note from the table and clenched it in his fist before holding it out.

"Take this, then. If you will not come back, take this."

The shadow stared at him for a long moment and extended a hand. Reaching out Robin dropped it within the shadow's grasp and touched her hand with his before taking it in his grip. It was solid, but it was cold. Icy.

"Raven will never die."

The shadow paused and turned the white eyes on to him for a long moment before pulling away.

"When I see you tomorrow, Robin, as I am sure I will, I will be Rose. I will act as if this never happened. Rose is not your friend."

"But Raven is. And she's the one who matters."

With wide eyes Raven stepped back and grasped the note firmly. "Goodbye Robin."

"Goodbye Raven."

With a soft word and a sigh the shadowy form took the figure of a raven once more and slipped through the ceiling. Robin sighed and climbed back onto his bed.

Raven was not lost. She consisted within the shell named Rose and that shell would be opened. Raven would return one day.

But what of Rose?

Two sides, two minds, two people, one body. Two lives, the hero, Raven, and the Villain, Rose. Both stubborn and proud and never-ending. How would Raven escape herself?

And how would she find happiness is Rose was destroyed?

It was a lose-lose situation. Either Raven remained a Villain and the Titans would be destroyed fighting her or they would be forced to capture her and put her prison. Or Raven would return with only a dead heart and shattered glass within her, where she would waste away and fade into the shadows already attacking her mind.

Robin closed his eyes.

"Raven..."

Hello by Evanescence

Playground school bell rings, again

Rain clouds come to play, again...

Has no one told you she's not breathing...

Hello, I am your mind,

giving you someone to talk to

Hello...

If I smile and don't believe

Soon I know I'll wake from this dream

Don't try to fix me, I'm not broken

Hellow, I am the lie

Living for you so you can hide...

Don't cry.

Suddenly I know I'm not sleeping

Hellow, I'm still here

All that's left of yesterday...

As the raven re-entered the apartment Raven's eyes opened wearily, the note clenched in her fist tightly. She threw it on top of her bag and walked over to the couch, falling upon it and sighing loudly. Suddenly the memory of the large bed within her room at the Tower called to her and she bit her lip, No, she didn't belong there.

A trembling hand reached towards her bag and she took the note in her grip, opening it to reveal the handwriting within, many different types as a matter of fact, the first neat and elegant, curved with a fancy flourish, the second a mere scrawl, the third large and bulky letters from a patient and weary hand,and thelast a steady and full script.

The Titans.

Raven cast the note upon her bag once more and closed he eyes. She wasn't going to read that. It was most likely a plea for her return.

She flipped over, lying upon her side and facing the couch back, biting her lipin an attempt to keep tears in. She betrayed them but they deserved it. Theytreated her badly...she was getting revenge.

But why did it feel so bad?

Perhaps because she had seen what betrayal did to them. She had listened to the soft sobs of Beast Boy withinhis room the night Terra left. She had seen Starfire's face when Robin 'betrayed'them. Raven had seen them suffer and she knew what pain she was causing them.

A tear slipped down her face unbidden and she closed her eyes, a single sob escaping her. Why was she doing this to her friends?

No, they're not your friends.

They cared for me..

They treated you like glass. They fear you.

They sheltered me. They rasied me. They protected me.

They are nothing.

They are my friends.

Red is your friend.

So are the Titans.

Are you weak, Raven? Do you not see what they are doing? They are playing you like a fool, making you believe they miss you when in truth they don't care about your happiness. They just don't want you to hurt them... Robin should have understood when you told him you were happy with Red.

He cares...

Robin is a fool.

No...

Yes. Raven,I am your stronger part. I am the willing, the strong, the bold, the cunning. I am Rose. I know better.

You are merely a name I have given to one of my emotions, hatred.

And you are nothing but a cowering wimp.

No.

Yes. Your mind is filled with emotions, each with a different colored cloak, how cute. You are the white, the pure, the whole, of how wonderful. But I am the red, I am what makes Red love you, the fierce fighter within you and the anger and sarcasm that he knows you as. What are you? You are nothing but Raven..oh Raven. The sad, lonely little girl who hid behind her books all her life, afraid of the real world.

Stop it!

Why should I? You are nothing, Raven, nothing.

I am something you damned thing!

Prove it.

I will. You'll see.

I bet I will.

Red creeped out from the room a few minutes later, looking down upon the now sleeping Raven with sorrow in his eyes. Reaching out he took the note upon her bag in his hands and sat down in a chair, reading it by what little light the room held even at night.

Raven,

My friend we have all missed you so much. I believe you are happy, as you were smiling and laughing when I saw you, but friend Raven, why does your happiness come from hurting us? We do care about you. I realize you are not interested in the painting of the toenails or the sharing of girl secrets, but you are a friend we all miss so dearly. You are the one who is reassuring simply by being there, your ways of being honest are brutal yet revealing facts to us lies hid from view. We miss you Raven. If you are truly happy, then I do not wish for you to come back, as you seemed quite unhappy here.

Your friend forever, Starfire

raven,

im not good at writing notes buti really wanted you to know this we do care about you. your not another Terra your a friend And though we dont get along well at time,i really hope you know that you mean a lot to us.i hope you come back.

-beast boy

Rae,

You know what you did was wrong. We all know it. But what we did was wrong too. We forgot how important you are to us, Rae and you reminded us of it. We really care about you. BB hasn't been normal since you left, and Star hasn't either. Robin just stares off into space. i'm the one who handles it the best I suppose becauseI know you. You've always been like my sister. I can talk to you and you can talk to me. I don't understand what you're dealing with riht now, but I want you to know I care. We all care.

Cyborg

Raven I know you well. I know you didn't meant to hurt us and we all care about you. Reconsider and come back to us.

-Robin

Red stared at the paper and returned it to the bag with a silent sigh. Raven didn't belong here...But Rose did.