Disclaimer: I don't own the Teen Titans. If I did, the show would not be safe for seven-year-olds.

Two Sides of Law

Chapter Sixteen

A Stranger on the Street

RAVEN

I had stormed out of Red X's place before he could say a word. I was walking down the street quickly. Anger pulsed through my veins. But the anger wasn't towards Collin so much as it was to me. Myself. How stupid was I? I mean, he was a villain. He could have been like Malchior and just wanted my trust and then try to kill me. He could have murdered me in those three days and no one would have known. No one had known where I was. Why did I trust him? I should have known he was lying to me. I should have known a guy like him would be taken. I should have known…

My pace slowed as anger cooled. By this time, I'd walked down at least three blocks. I pulled the strap of my bag higher on my shoulder and kept walking, avoiding people that weren't paying attention. I sidestepped several people who were reading or talking on their cell phones. I spotted a café at the end of the street and ducked inside. I had some serious thinking to do.

I ordered a cup of tea and sat quietly at my booth, stirring in honey. I sighed and brought the cup to my mouth slowly. I looked out the window to see people rushing about and people leaning out of their cars, yelling rude things to other drivers. People ignored others on the sidewalk and went on their way, still in work clothes, some carrying briefcases or tote bags.

I sat quietly, thinking about anything and everything. I thought about Malchior and how he'd made me feel special and loved. How he'd embrace me. How he'd call me "Sweet Raven". How he'd talk to me. How he comforted me. How he made jokes at all the right times. And how he tricked me. Almost a year and a half later came Robin. He was a better…boyfriend…Although I was only dating him for a week or so, I could definitely tell. Robin wasn't out to trick me or use me. He loved me, and I loved him. And last came Red X. He, Collin, had been the boy I loved, but Red X had went to his head. I guess the super villain thing made him want to juggle girls. I don't know.

As I sat there and dwelled on every last detail of my relationships, I felt worse and worse. I felt completely and utterly dim. I'd made the mistake of being with a villain once, but twice? And Robin. What would he think when he found me? How much would he hate me? And was my leaving a mistake? Should I have tried to work things out with the Boy Wonder? A knot tied itself in my stomach and I blinked automatically, believing the tears were coming.

"Honey?" I looked up to see the waitress looking down at me. She was rather heavy with curly blonde hair. She wiped her hands on her apron. "We're closin' up in a few minutes." Her southern accent was unmistakable.

"Oh. Sorry." I glanced and noticed it had gotten much darker and I was the only customer left in the place. I turned to my bag and left a dollar on the table for a tip and scooped up my belongings. The woman sat down and looked at me.

"What's wrong?"

"Excuse me?" I asked, surprised.

"Don't try to fool me, honey. I got three girls all 'bout your age an' I can tell when somethin's wrong." The woman had a knowing smile plastered to her pudgy, slightly wrinkled face. "'Mon. Spill it." I hesitated and put my bag down.

"Boys." I replied simply. The waitress laughed.

"Need a manual, don' they?"

"Yeah." I gave a small smirk, fiddling with my hands.

"What happened?"

"Well, I was going with this guy a year or two ago." The lady nodded, sincerely interested. "And he was using me, so we broke up."

"Ain't over him yet?" she questioned.

"I don't know. Just thinking of how badly my relationships end."

"Honey, they're always gon' be messy!" She exclaimed, waving me off. "Don' worry 'bout it. What happened wit' the others?"

"This other guy I was dating was always blaming me for things I didn't do. He yelled at me and I tried to explain myself, but he wouldn't listen. We broke up last week." I went on. This talk was really helping me, even if I was talking to a complete stranger.

"Oh, I had me one o' those before. Nasty little buggers. Gotta give it to 'em straight forward. Ain't gotta 'splain yourself neither."

"And I just broke up with another guy today." I added.

"What he do?"

"Cheated on me." I said, looking away.

The woman and I went on talking for a good five or ten minutes before I suggested I leave so she could close up. She nodded and waved good-bye as I walked down the street.

"Come again if you need me to knock some sense into 'em! Just ask for Leslie!" Leslie called. I waved and continued on down the street.

Few people were on the streets. I walked absentmindedly, not paying attention to the world around me. Suddenly, I bumped shoulders with a passing person. I turned to apologize, and so did he. I looked up to see two white-masked eyes looking down at me.

"Sor-" His eyes widened. I nervously adjusted the strap on my bag. It was Robin. "Rae?" Wow, even with a disguise he recognized me. I sighed and dropped my bag. I muttered a spell to return me to my normal appearance. "Raven!" He wrapped his arms around me and kissed my forehead.

"Robin, let go."

"What?"

"You don't know where I've been. You won't want to be with me anymore." I told him.

"You've been with Red X, but that doesn't mean I don't want to be with you." My eyes widened with his words. He'd known. I pulled back and brushed hair from my eyes. He smiled. "He's in jail."

"Really? How'd you find him?" I asked. He took my hand and picked up my bag, leading me back down the street.

"My vision." I stopped dead and my heart skipped a beat. I'd forgotten all about that dream of his! He knew I'd cheated on him and he still wanted to be with me!

"Robin, I'm-"

"It's okay." He swung our hands, smiling. "Everyone deserves a second chance." And he kissed me.

………………………………...

A/N: I know. Really short chappie, but 'tis late (for me), so I'll write more next time.