(Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Titans.)

The Titans, Shadow, and Moonlight wasted no time preparing for their rescue mission. Cyborg immediately went to his room and began tracking Raven. Robin carefully checked his many gadgets as he sat on the couch. He glanced up at Moonlight. "Shouldn't you sharpen your knives or something?"

Moonlight flashed him a vicious smile. "Each is as good as new." A knife slipped into her hand, apparently from nowhere. A drop of blood caught the light as it rolled down the glistening blade. Moonlight looked out the window. "How long is this going to take?"

"Not everyone is as reckless as you, Lucine." Shadow formed in front of Moonlight, blocking the Boy Wonder from view. He snatched the knife out of her half-resistant fingers and lowered his voice. "Come on."

She hesitated less than a moment. Moonlight saw a glimmer of mischief in Shadow's black eyes, and she was restless. Without so much as a glance at the Titan, she followed Shadow up to the roof. The two stood silently, facing the wind as it wisped across the starlit water beneath them. The light of the moon would have painted the scene silver, but it was hidden behind a group of thick clouds. After a few moments of listening to the waves break against the rocks on the edge of the Titan's island, Moonlight demanded, "Are we going or not?"

"Not." Shadow turned his black eyes to her. "Not yet. We can't do this without the Titans, so we have to wait." Moonlight's silver eyes narrowed, and she opened her mouth to speak. "You'd rather just charge in and die? Forget it, Moonlight." Shadow gazed out at the water again. "You've never fought anyone like Chaldor before. He's as manipulative as the old man who got you and your family into this mess, but he's powerful, too. Please leave him to me."

"Please?" Moonlight smiled bitterly. "I never thought I'd hear that from you."

"Moonlight," Shadow's soft voice held a hard edge, "don't."

His tone silenced her for a moment. Finally, she retorted, "If he's in my way, I'll kill him."

Shadow's black eyes were cold when he faced her. "Back inside. Now."

Moonlight's chin rose, and her silver eyes became as hard as steel, but she bit her tongue as Shadow grabbed her arm and ushered her back into the Tower. Something about his manner made clear how important it was for her to obey. Moonlight glanced over her shoulder just in time to see the first ray of moonlight break through the dark clouds. There was a full moon that night, a full blood moon.

"Moonlight, look at me." Shadow's order pulled her wide eyes away from the parting clouds. "Walk faster, and keep your eyes on the floor."

The girl obeyed. Her hands were shaking. She hugged herself tightly as her blood froze in her veins. The blood moon was the Demon's Eye. Its light would turn her into her demon form, and she could not turn back while in its sight. It would ruin everything! She couldn't rescue Raven in her demon form. The timing couldn't have been worse! Moonlight hated that part of her heritage. She hated it more than anything else, more than –

"Moonlight!" Her gaze had begun drifting back to the heavens. Shadow covered her eyes with his hands, urging her to walk a little faster still. "Don't you dare turn on us now. Raven needs your help."

Blindness. Moonlight would have stopped if Shadow hadn't been pushing her forward. For her, there was usually no such thing as absolute darkness, but with Shadow's hands and powers covering her eyes, she could see nothing. Blindness was one of her deepest fears. Only her even greater fear of the Demon's Eye kept her from resisting. The few seconds it took to enter the Tower seemed to stretch over an eternity.

"You're hyperventilating," Shadow remarked drolly as he released her. "Calm down. You're out of the Demon's Eye now."

With a snarl, Moonlight shoved him and flashed away.

"Shadow-"

"Robin, did Moonlight come through here?"

"She's in the basement. She won't talk to anyone. What did you say to her?" Robin's masked eyes were narrow with suspicion.

Shadow smirked. "It doesn't concern you, Robin. Are you ready yet? We're both getting impatient."

"We're ready," Robin growled.

Moonlight spun around, startled by a slight sound. She turned back quickly in a futile attempt to hide her tears from Shadow.

"You're not afraid, are you?"

"Afraid? Afraid of what," Moonlight demanded, "the fight? No."

"I don't mean the fight, Lucine." Shadow shifted into the darkness and reformed in front of her. "I mean the Demon's Eye," he said as he wiped her tears away with his sleeve.

Moonlight swatted his hand away, hoping anger would mask her terror. "What are you doing here?"

"We're ready when you are," he replied with his customary, condescending smirk. He had figured she would hate for him to show any empathy, and he had been right. She would shove away her fear just so he wouldn't see it, meaning she wouldn't be distracted in the upcoming fight. Still, as he watched her leave, Shadow's expression softened to concern. If they failed-

"Yo, Shadow, come on, man," Cyborg called.

Shadow shook his head as he climbed the stairs, realizing he did have sympathy for Desdemona.