Disclaimer: Blah blah blah… I think I'm going to cry if I have to say it.

The Truth about Mia

The battered and tired group returned to the tower after a staggering battle in the streets. There had been no reason to fight save the local gangs, who were getting more and more rambunctious wanted to rough the vigilantes up a bit. Most of the team was already changed before they noticed that Mia wasn't going anywhere fast. A gash on her leg had stopped her at the door. It wasn't deep but enough to cripple her.

"Mia, you're hurt. Come inside we'll take care of that leg." Tim tried to coax her up on to her good leg to hopple in the room.

"No! No, just stay back. I'm fine; I can take care of my self." She cried, trying to stanch the flow with her hands and a torn strip of her uniform. She shouldn't bleed anymore but the true damage was done.

At her yell, of course, the team assembled. Needless to say, Bart was first on the scene. "what'swrong,areyouhurt,canyoustand,weshouldgetyoutothehospital." Trying to keep him away was like swatting an immortal fly.

"Mia what's wrong?" Gar asked. The first one to notice her tears.

"I just…It's…I…I'm so ashamed." She tried to protect her wound and her heart. She curled up in to a ball pinning the gash to her chest.

"Stop!" Ravens sudden voice halted Vic and Conner. "Let her speak, and Tim, go get the first aid." She lowered her hood and look at the young woman with nothing but compassion. "What's there to be ashamed of Mia, we all get hurt on occasion."

"I should, I should have told you all sooner. I couldn't. There was so much to tell and I Put you in danger rather than embarrass myself. I shouldn't be a Titan. I shouldn't be anything." She barely lifted her head up when she said this. "I should have been brave enough to say no."

"Mia, you're only human…I'm mean sure you're one of two on the team but what could possibly make you…" Gar asked creeping closer, trying to comfort his friend.

"I'm dangerous…I…I'm HIV positive." She finally spit out the horrible truth that gnawed at her chest whenever there was blood on the scene or her friends had a cut that she might bleed into in a fight. It was a risky paranoid world, but one she had to live in because of her own stupid mistakes and some things she couldn't help, and some things she could.

Connor smiled. "Mia…That's no reason to quit the team.. none of us are perfect…I still don't know the limits of my powers."

Raven nodded. "None of us did when we first joined. It was a concern. What it we did something unexpected? But we didn't turn anyone away just because they couldn't help who they were. I…I still siphon off your dreams…all of you." She bowed her head in shame. "I've tried to stop, but I need them, good or bad whatever you see I see."

Vic put his hand on her shoulder, "you know they still haven't found out how to stop someone from transferring Gar's sickness all over again."

Beastboy smiled and ran his hand threw his hair. "Yeah… And all those kids, they shouldn't have to deal with that."

Mia untucked and looked up. "You're not mad?"

"Hell no!" Gar exclaimed. "We all have our secrets… and when you're part of a team they don't stay that way very long. For example…I'm wearing Bart's underwear."

"EWWW!" Came from Cassie who had been hiding in the doorway.

"Nothing else was clean… It's not that big a deal."

Vic cracked a smile. "I beg to differ. Mia's sick, so what, we love her and it's not going to change. Connor's working on control. Raven's stealing our dreams…so what she's been doing that for years, and we don't mind sharing. But the underwear thing… that's just a step to far."

Mia gave him a watery smile as Tim came in carrying a medic kit. "what did I miss?"

"We'll fill you in later, Huh? For now, take care of her…and wear gloves." Vic suggested.

"I always do…its protocol."

"right of course."