A/N: As usual, Standard Disclaimers Apply

Chapter Fourteen: Stormy Waters

The Teen Titans dashed across the square and skidded to a halt. The boys traded glances and shook their heads looking at the busted in front doors of Cook's Electronics. Speedy leaned on his bow while Cyborg accessed the security system's computers.

"I've heard of returning to the scene of the crime, but this is ridiculous," Speedy groaned.

"No kidding!" Beast Boy agreed, "I'd hate to have these guys' insurance bill. This is like, what, the fiftieth time this place as been robbed?"

"Well, c'mon, let's go bust some heads," the archer called as he drew his bow and rushed the door. Beast Boy and Kid Flash followed closely behind.

"Wait!" Robin yelled in vain.

The three Titans burst through the door. The interior of the electronics store was, of course, dark. Heavy shadows stretched out in front of them as the flashing neon glow lit their backs.

"You guys hear that?" Beast Boy asked croakily.

"Yeah," Kid Flash agreed. His eyes widened, trying to take in as much light as possible. "It kind of sounds like…"

"…clicking," Speedy finished. He drew his bow. His arm touched something and stuck solid. His hand opened reflexively and his flare arrow fired. The room burst with light, and the Titans found themselves surrounded by thick, rope-like webs.

Beast Boy yelped in fright and ran around the room stumbling into Kid Flash, tangling both of them into the webs. The elfin Titan panicked and transformed into a strange assortment of creatures, only tangling himself more. Speedy turned and pulled against the web instinctively, and snarled his hand in the stickiness.

Kid Flash took a deep breath and centered himself. Suddenly a red bolt shot across the room and struck the gold and scarlet speedster square in the chest. His body went rigid.

"Well, well, well," a voice said above them. The two impetuous Titans looked up and saw a strange boy, dressed in jeans, a white tee shirt, and a leather jacket but with a giant, four-legged spider where his head would be. He hung from the ceiling, using his spider legs, and his multifaceted, red eyes narrowed. "What have I caught?"

The light from Speedy's flare arrow flickered out.

…..

Lightning flashed sharply overhead and the Interceptor shook from thunder. Argent, Mr. Cotton and Anamaria pulled on the rigging, keeping the sails taught. The silver-skinned girl's muscles ached and her hands were raw, but she gritted her teeth and hardened herself. Her powers failed her, and she cursed Control Freak under her breath. Rain hammered against Argent saturating her to her very center.

Captain Sparrow was barking orders and encouragement from the wheel over the storm, and the crew filled themselves with his brash confidence.

"We're not going to die," she said mantra-like. "It's the middle of the movie."

The ship dipped, and her feet dropped out from under her. A wave crashed over the side, pulling Argent toward the churning sea. A strong arm flashed out and grabbed her wrist as she tumbled over the side.

"Hang on!" she heard over the roaring water.

Argent coughed out the water in her lungs as she was hoisted back on deck. The silver-skinned girl flipped her dark hair out of her eyes and looked up. Soaked, bedraggled, but still standing valiantly as the first moment he appeared, was William Turner. Argent couldn't help herself, she threw her arms around his neck.

"Thank you," she said as her lips approached his.

She vanished, as if she were never there.

Argent blinked and looked around. She was back at the Tower, in her faded Green Day tee shirt and boxer shorts. Bumble Bee held a DVD case excitedly while Raven brandished Control Freak's remote. Donna and Starfire were discussing what season someone was, while Jinx twirled a pair of tweezers in her fingertips.

The other girls smiled warmly.

Argent narrowed her eyes in disgust. "Okay, just for the record, I officially hate you all."

…..

Beast Boy swallowed down his heart as the spider creature dropped from the ceiling. His disturbing silhouette shadowed the trapped archer and changeling.

"You know, after knocking off a couple of liquor stores and now Cook's, I've built up quite an appetite…"

"Dinner's been canceled, Fang," a familiar commanding voice growled from the door. "I'm surprised Kitten let you off her leash."

Fang turned to see Robin standing in the doorway. The Teen Wonder's arms folded across his chest and a confident, lopsided grin curled his lips.

The spider-boy charged wildly. "That bitch broke up with me because of you!"

Robin threw down a smoke grenade and blanketed the doorway in a concealing fog.

"I loved her," he coughed, "and she threw me aside after you beat the Brotherhood!" Fang called Robin a particularly nasty name as he rushed through the fog. The creature found himself out in the open. "It was always 'Robin this' and 'Robin that.' Come out and fight you loser!"

"I'm so flattered, I can't see straight," Robin said sardonically. He stood in the middle of the street and baited Fang to "Bring it."

Fang roared and leapt at the Teen Wonder. A blast from Cyborg's sonic cannon struck the creature squarely in his human chest. Fang fell to the ground in a heap looking up to see the sole of Robin's steel tipped boot.

Aqualad walked into Cook's and shook his head. "When are you going to learn to think things through, Roy?"

"About the same time you grow a sense of humor, Gill head. Now get us the hell out of here!"

Aqualad rolled his eyes and pulled the moisture from the webs, leaving them dry and brittle. Beast Boy transformed into a gorilla and did the rest. Speedy scowled and pulled the webbing off his body while Kid Flash flopped to the floor. Slowly, the color returned to Kid Flash's cheeks, and he took deep, painful breaths. He pulled himself to his knees as the last of Fang's venomous sting worked out of his system.

"Aw man," Beast Boy said, pulling the gummy substance from his hair, "if this keeps up, I'm going to be bald."