(Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Titans.)

Shadow glanced at Moonlight. "My mission has changed a few times since we got here. Raven's abduction made Moonlight's safety my highest priority. I have to keep her out of Chaldor's hands, or the world will not survive the destruction her creation will cause."

"What are you talking about?" Robin glared at the shady teen.

Irritably, Shadow explained the prophecy of Hammod and of the fate of the cousins. "I originally came to take Moonlight back. Now, I have to keep her out of trouble."

Moonlight was standing in Raven's dark room. She heard someone come up behind her.

"Staring at her stuff won't bring her back," Shadow murmured.

Moonlight spun around and attacked him. Shadow shoved her against the wall and pressed her knife to her own throat. "Listen, I'm not here to hurt you any more. I'm not your enemy." His face was close to hers. "Live with it." He released Moonlight. "You want your cousin back. I want to get Chaldor," Shadow muttered.

"Let me guess. You're proposing we work together," Moonlight spat.

Shadow smirked. "I can't find him without you. You can't get in without me."

"Why should I trust you?"

"You shouldn't. Chaldor and I... have personal problems. As far as I'm concerned, they outweigh the reward for you. I don't exactly want to unleash Hammod, and I've been ordered to keep you out of his hands." Shadow grabbed her wrist and traced the newest scar from the knife she'd just made. "You know better than anyone what that sword would do to you if you made it. I'm a mercenary, Moonlight, but I'm not heartless. I won't let anyone suffer like that if I can stop it."

"Then kill me."

"It wouldn't solve the problem of the sword, and dead people are hard to guard. At least alive you can fight for yourself. However, once this is over, so is our alliance."

"You assume we'll survive."

"You assume we'll die."

Moonlight turned away and looked at him out of the corner of her eye, silver eyes catching what little light there was. "Did Robin give up on keeping you in a cell?"

Shadow smirked. "The Boy Wonder is not a quitter."

"O.K... Here's the plan -"

"Robin, do you not think it is wise to find out how Moonlight and Shadow can aid us?"

Robin sighed, grudgingly admitting Starfire was right. "Yeah, but how reliable are they? Shadow has his own agenda. He'll be an asset until he can get what he wants. Moonlight is unstable. She's half demon, like Raven, but she's more likely to have mood swings. She may even turn on us, though that she never runs out of weapons is definitely a plus."

"That's not true." All four Titans turned to see Shadow standing in the doorway. "Each blade takes blood. Too much wears her out, and, of course, if she runs out of blood..."

"I die and it doesn't matter," Moonlight muttered from behind him.

Robin and Cyborg had guilty, embarrassed faces. Neither of them trusted Moonlight or Shadow. Robin recovered first. "How long have you two been standing there?"

"Long enough," Moonlight retorted in a tone that reminded the Titans of an angry Raven. "If I turn on anyone, it will be Chaldor. Shadow and I have come to a temporary understanding. We need to do the same. Shadow and I are coming, and we'll be working together. You can't stop us, but you can help us, and we'll help you."

There was a moment of silence. Shadow was glaring over his shoulder at Moonlight. Robin looked suspicious, Cyborg was shocked, Starfire looked innocent, and Beast Boy was, of course, lost. Shadow turned his glare to the Titans. "I can cover us all in shadows. The only way to infiltrate Chaldor's hideout will be invisibility."

Robin nodded slowly. "All right. To get this Chaldor guy out, we can use Moonlight for bait -"

"No," Shadow snapped. "We wouldn't be able to protect her, and Moonlight cannot be captured. I've dealt with Chaldor before. We have to be quick, silent, and unseen, or we will fail." His eyes narrowed in the face of the suspicious silence that followed. "I don't like you any more than you like me, and I trust you even less. For Raven's sake, you have to trust me. For your world's sake, we have to stop Chaldor."

"We could split up," Starfire ventured. "A few of us could remain here and protect Moonlight. The rest of us could go and rescue Raven."

"Or," Cyborg said, "we could split up at the place Raven's being kept.One group finds Raven. The other finds the bad guy."

That plan sounded better than any other, and it allowed Moonlight to go as well. Shadow would not be split up from Moonlight, and Robin did not trust Shadow. As they were arguing, Moonlight pushed past Shadow, shoving him into the door frame. She stood between them, glaring at Robin.

"Both of you, shut up! This is about Raven," she fumed. "Every second you waste arguing is a second more she's being held captive and undergoing who knows what." Shadow raised his eyebrows, giving her a condescending look she hated. Moonlight narrowed her eyes in response. "You gave your word, Shadow."

"We don't know where they are," Shadow murmured, shifting his black eyes to Robin.

"Cyborg, can you track her?" Robin irritably tore his gaze from Shadow.

"No problem."