Whitewashed Years

By Comalies

Disclaimer - I no own, you no sue.

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Chapter One - The Drifting

1.1

"You're sure." Raven spoke softly, the dim lighting of her room only making this conversation harder. She was grateful for the warmth of her cloak, pulled around her shoulders and draping over her slim figure as she sat cross legged on her bed. The person standing before her nodded.

"I don't think any of us are really here anymore, Rae. Too many memories. Ghosts, ya know?" Cyborg spoke, avoiding Raven's eyes. Her fidgeted, obviously stressed. It was understandable. None of the Titans here had the heart to go on fighting in this place. "I think Titans East is where I belong, now." He took Raven's hand and pulled her to her feet, embracing the lithe empath. "You guys are my best friends, my family, but we all have to move on sometime or another."

She looked up at him and forced a smile. "I'm glad you know where to go from here. I wish you well." He smiled half-heartedly. "Besides, this will allow you and Bee some more time together… to figure things out."

He was almost completely shocked at that. She was a little shocked at it herself; it wasn't her type of comment, generally. This, she supposed after pondering, was a special case.

"Yeah, I guess it will." he commented as if that hadn't been part of his reasoning to begin with. Silence reigned. "I dunno how to tell the others. BB and Tee are still like a coupla lost puppies."

"Their both young, but they've got each other. I think that alone will help them more than anything." Raven returned. "They'll move on eventually."

As they moved towards Raven's door, a thought struck her. "It's sorta like before."

Cyborg looked down at her. "What?"

"The Drifting that Starfire talked about. I guess she really was the glue." If anyone else had died, would they be leaving, one by one? If she had died, would they have reacted this way?

Cyborg offered no solace to her thoughts as he left her room to return to his own.

1.2

It hadn't gone well. Raven's head was pounding from the arguing, Beast Boy calling Cyborg, and by extension Raven, a coward, for running away. Terra trying hard to calm him down, but obviously just as upset as him.

Raven rubbed her temples. Robin hadn't even bothered to come out of his room for the meeting. Some wonderful leader.

The feelings in the Tower were more than sore, more than grieving. The Titans were falling apart completely.

As Raven walked down the long hall, intending on a hot shower and a long night's sleep, she felt herself pause outside of Robin's room. Stealing her thunder, the boy hadn't come out for days. His friends made sure that he ate, but he hadn't left the room. Not since he'd gotten back from the funeral.

She knocked hesitantly. No response. She looked long and hard at the keypad before keying in the mandatory override code. The swish of it opening blew her short hair askew, but she was more concerned with the darkened room with it's stale smell.

"Robin, where are you?" she called into the dark. No response. "Robin?" She edged into the darkened room and reached for the lightswitch. She was hesitant to flick it on, but did finally. She found him then, sitting precariously on his windowsill. His eyes were as lifeless as she remembered them from just a few days ago. Her stomach turned to see him sitting there, immediately assuming the worst, but then halted.

Robin liked heights. Sitting there had to be soothing for him.

She approached but stayed several feet away from him. "You didn't come out for the meeting."

A lame way to start a conversation.

He didn't answer for a long time. "It doesn't matter." was his final conclusion.

Her temper sparked. "I'm glad you think it doesn't matter, Robin, because the Titans are falling apart around us." He didn't react: he didn't so much as flinch. "Cyborg is leaving, and I wouldn't be surprised if Beast Boy and Terra are gone by morning, too. This is it. The Titans are gone." His passive attitude was making Anger and Rage very happy indeed. She forced them down. "This is my notice as well. I'm leaving."

He turned and looked numbly at her. "Ok."

Throroughly pissed off, she turned and left his room. Left him to his memories, and his stale existence. She didn't know that it would be several years before she saw him again.