2. Welcome to the house of fun.

He was defiantly not dead; in fact he was pretty sure he was alive considering the amount of pain he was in. Who was he though, the fact that he had to ask that question was worrying enough but as he remembered the alley he began to feel even more uneasy. He tried to open his eyes but as soon as he did so the blindingly bright light forced him to close them again. He tried to remember who he was, there was defiantly something there but it was having trouble finding its way through his battered head.

Oh that's right, he thought to himself, I'm Chat, no wait that isn't right, hang on, Chit, nope, Chit Chat, no definitely not, or at least I really hope not. As this strange conversation with himself continued he began to feel rather distressed at the prospect of trying to recall all of the other details about himself. He might be here for years just trying to work out how to spell his name again. By now the mental conversation had finally achieved its objective.

'Ah that's right, Chris that's my name, I hope.'

With this rather shaky start behind him he began to recall his life piece by piece until he was fairly confident he knew himself again, when he had finished he wished he had left certain memories forgotten as that all to familiar scream came flooding back. Then a new memory barged into his head, Chris would later understand what it meant but at that particular moment it only served to confuse him more.

He had a vague image of several faces and voices standing above him but they were not the thugs, he didn't know how he knew this he just did, they talked about him, again he wasn't sure how he knew he just did. Then the memory began to go faint and Chris suspected that he had passed out again. He next remembered a strange sort of black, almost liquid spreading across his body and a strange feeling of weightlessness. He then recalled flying over water still suspended by this strange black energy and of somehow momentarily not existing before appearing on the other side of a wall. The memory again went fuzzy but he had a slight impression of a brightly lit corridor with lights flashing by on the ceiling before being laid out gently on a soft surface in an intensely bright room. In his current state the dream/memory only served to concern him as to the level of head injuries he had sustained.

Determined to find out where he was he opened an eye but again was shocked by the intensity of light which assaulted his eyes and sent his already sore head into a pounding world of pain. Three attempts later he was finally successful in holding his eyes open long enough to get a fair look at his surroundings. At first he tried to look down just to make sure his legs were there. He couldn't get his head to point down so he contented himself with looking across a strange pale flesh coloured landscape with strange marks all over its uneven surface. In the distance he could see two green wooded ridges. But it just didn't seem right, he blinked a few times and everything came momentarily into focus before again going back to the murky half vision he was currently reduced to. It was enough however to discover that he was lying on his back in some sort of hospital type room, and that the pale marked landscape was his bare chest and stomach now liberally covered in cuts and bruises, and that the green ridges were in fact his legs in his faded camouflaged cargo pants. He tried to sit up but an immense pain ran across his chest.

"Don't move."

Said a curt yet somehow comforting female voice. For a moment Chris thought he was talking to the black haired girl he had tried to rescue. But he dismissed this when the girl moved round to his front right side and looked down at him; no expression apparent on what Chris had to admit was a very pale yet pretty face. She had purple hair and a gem stone of some kind seemed to be attached to her forehead. He had seen this face before but he couldn't quite place it. The answer was coming slowly but surely, like an awkward piece of furniture being pushed up some stairs, then suddenly it became stuck and disappeared. While he was pondering this the girls face assumed a somewhat puzzled / intrigued expression.

"So how are you feeling?"

There was no warmth in the voice or expression whatsoever but still it made Chris feel that much better that somebody actually cared enough to ask him that question.

"Not to bad considering, I feel like I've broken a rib."

"Three actually, but I've just about taken care of that."

She placed her hands close to the tender and heavily bruised area on the right side of Chris's chest and suddenly a bright blue light that made his eyes water appeared.

"Yes there are still minor fractures where the broken bones where but they should heal pretty quickly, if you give them a chance."

"Thanks er, er."

He didn't want to say 'Thanks love', it somehow just didn't seem appropriate, not to mention he hated using the expression, especially with strangers, yet he still wanted to thank this pretty girl who had it seemed probably saved his life.

"Raven."

She answered the question for him again in a very matter of fact sort of way.

"Oh, thanks Raven thanks very much."

Somewhere deep inside Chris's pounding protesting head the name struck a cord. Again he had that feeling of something being dragged through his mind. But it got stuck and he still couldn't place the name or the face.

It will come, I hope, he thought as he extended his hand to shake the girls.

"I'm Chris, pleased to… argh."

A bolt of lightning pain leapt through his body ending in his toes.

"I wouldn't do that, you've also got a broken wrist."

"I gather"

Was his sarcastic reply, the faintest almost unperceivable beginnings of a smile spread across her face. His eyes watering he banged his head against the pillow in frustration, he soon wished he hadn't. The back of his head seemed to explode with pain and he involuntarily cried out.

"Will you just lie still."

Said the now slightly annoyed girl. He tried to sit up again but she forced him back and in a tone that left nothing to the imagination said.

"If you don't lie still then I will make you."

He whimpered and just gave up, deciding the girl probably knew what she was doing and talking about, he decided to do as he was told so he closed his eyes. He could taste blood in his mouth and it wasn't pleasant, especially considering just how dry his mouth was. The girl was doing something to his wrist and he could feel the pain lessening even as he opened his eyes and watched the strange blue energy engulf his hand. Suddenly the obvious question dawned on him.

"Where am I, if you don't mind me asking, Raven."

She sighed and looked at the abused form below her.

"We are in Titans tower, in the infirmary if you want to be specific."

Again this new piece of information stirred something in his memory, this time he could feel the answer coming to him but to his extreme annoyance it simply faded away as a new wave of pain flowed through his head. He really wanted to know just where he was and who he was in the company of. He finally gave up on his own brain as a source of information and asked the question he was dying to know.

"Er, Raven."

She looked up from his wrist.

"This is sort of embarrassing, but, well, I don't actually have any idea who you are or where I am."

"I just told you."

"Yes, but in my confused and semi conscious state I am at a loss for just what your answers mean."

She sighed again and looked him in the eye, he looked back into her eyes and was amazed at just how large and pretty they were, they were a deep violet and had a intelligent, knowing, almost mind reading look about them.

"Ok, what do you want to know?"

He smiled at this; finally he was going to have a clue about just what was going on, and who knew, he might even find out just what city he was in.

"Well firstly I would like to know just where I have seen you before, secondly I wouldn't mind being told why Titans tower rings a bell, and finally I would appreciate an explanation of just how I got here and what happened to me."

He thought for a second.

"Oh, and you wouldn't happen to know what happened to the girl I was with would you."

Then as an afterthought.

"By the way, how messed am I exactly, and where's my stuff, oh and by the way, can I have something to drink, I'm gagging."

Without answering the girl walked out of Chris's sight and returned with a styrofoam cup filled with water. She helped him sit up and then put the cup to his mouth. He eagerly drank, the water was cool and soothing, he took another great gulp and was rewarded with a great fit of coughing as the water went down the wrong way. The girl sighed as she eased him back down and looked inside the cup which was now sprayed with blood. She waited until the coughing had subsided and wiped away the blood from down the side of Chris's mouth with a paper towel.

"Better?"

She asked with a slightly unsure expression.

"Ach, ugh… much."

Said Chris still retching. She nodded and then looked at the door as if to make sure there was nobody there.

"Still want those answers?"

Chris nodded with tired smile.

The girl remained expressionless and pondered over the answers to the many questions and finally began to speak slowly and clearly, as if talking to a fool or a small child.

"Right then."

She began, sitting down and wrapping her cloak around her so that it covered her entire body despite her crossed legs. Chris noticed that she wasn't actually sitting down on anything and was in fact hovering a meter or so above the floor. Deciding he was obviously seeing things in his partially concussed state he concentrated on his desperately needed answers.

"Firstly, I have no idea why I look familiar to you, however if I was forced to guess I would say you probably saw me and the rest of the team on the TV or in a paper."

That made sense, Chris thought to himself, he remembered now all the papers he had taken from a pile. He had intended to use them to help light fires during his cross country move but had ended up reading them instead to entertain himself. He had read about the Teen Titans and their exploits. It all made sense now. She continued.

"As for the Titans 'ringing a bell'."

She assumed what Chris had to admit was a fair British accent when she quoted him.

"I would say that's also because of something you either saw or read."

Chris nodded and the girl continued.

"In regards to what happened you will first have to tell me what you can remember. As I wasn't there in the beginning, we only arrived after you were overwhelmed"

He sighed and rubbed his sore eyes tentatively with his good hand. He proceeded to give a rough account of his experiences from entering town to the strange figure he had thought he saw to his strange memory of being lifted and placed where he now lay. Doing his best not to draw out the suspense. The girl raised an eyebrow and then commented.

"Well you seem to have a good impression of what happened, at least until we arrived and helped you out."

He wondered about the 'we' part and decided to ask.

"Whose 'we'."

Before she could answer and as if to do so for her the door banged open and two figures entered. If Chris had still thought he was imagining the girl hovering he certainly didn't now. What intrigued him most was the sheer difference between the two figures, one was huge and appeared to be part robot although the human parts told him he was looking at a eighteen or older black male. His companion was by comparison tiny, it was however not this that made him stand out, it was the fact that he was green, not to mention his elf like ears. Chris momentarily thought about asking whether they had brought him to a costume party, but decided against it as he didn't want to insult his obvious saviours.

"How's our little hero."

Said the larger of the two as they walked across the room to the hovering girl.

"Ask him yourselves, he just came to and he won't stay still or quiet, much like Beast Boy really."

At this response the small green boy who Chris guessed was younger than him by a year or so pulled a face at the girl and then concentrated on Chris himself.

"So how are you feeling guy?"

"Chap would be more accurate."

Said the girl with a knowing look as she took advantage of the distraction to heal Chris's other wounds.

"Eh, what do you mean?"

Asked the larger of the two guys.

"He's English."

Replied the girl moving from Chris's wrist and onto some other unseen wound on the right side of his head without looking up.

"He is?"

Asked the small green one.

"Yes."

Replied the girl with a bored air to her answer.

"How do you know?"

Asked the larger boy. The girl looked up and then throwing a quick glance at Chris that said 'Why do I even bother' replied in a slightly angry tone.

"Because, you pair of morons, I asked him, I did tell you that he was awake as soon as you came in."

The 'Pair of morons' looked first to one another then back at the girl and then finally at Chris who smiled and gave a small wave with his good hand.

"Oh."

They replied in unison.

"So how are you feeling then, er 'chap'."

Chris did hope that this was the last time he would be asked that question. But decided to be polite about it.

"Oh not too bad, considering."

"What, considering you got totally wasted by about a hundred thugs."

Said the green one, an almost amused manner to his words as he looked up and down the many cuts and bruises adorning Chris's chest. He received a metallic elbow from his companion for this outburst. Chris frowned and then nodded grimly he then looked with a questioning expression at the pretty girl to his right. Catching his eye she looked up to the other two and said.

"I think he would like to know who you two are."

Said the girl to the others with a slight nod towards Chris.

"What, you mean he doesn't know who we are?"

Asked the green one in a surprised voice, looking at Chris as if he was something peculiar to be examined closely.

"Why should he, you something special?"

Asked the girl in a sarcastic voice while prodding Chris's right shoulder seemingly waiting for him to cry out in pain.

"Well yeah, kinda."

Said the partially robotic teenager looming above Chris.

"I mean can most people do this."

He put his robotic hand out and before Chris's eyes it changed into some sort of energy weapon. He continued, but not before Chris thought just how annoying it was that these people kept talking over him as if he wasn't lying there.

"Or are most people cyborg's."

"Yeah."

Added his small green companion.

"Are most people in England, like green, and can they do this."

Chris watched in surprise as the green boy disappeared onto the floor and then reappeared as a cat, which gracefully leapt onto the bed Chris lay upon. Chris was just about to say how impressed he was when the cat jumped again, but unfortunately this time onto Chris's very tender chest. It took a moment for the explosive waves of pain to reach Chris's senses, but when they did.

"OWWWWWWWWW, get off you mangy moggie!"

He knocked the cat from his bare chest scratching himself in the process and before either of the other two present could stop him tried to jump to his feet only to find his legs didn't work, and instead came crashing down flat onto his face with a loud cracking sound. He experienced a moment of excruciating pain and then knew no more.

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He was floating, floating again, but where was he and why was he floating? He tentatively opened his eyes and was relived to find that they were not assaulted by any intense light. He looked around the darkened room. He seemed to be in the infirmary, but the pretty girl didn't seem to be around, in fact nobody seemed to be around. He pondered for a moment just what had happened and remembered the clumsy green cat. He brought his hands up to his chest and found that while it did hurt a lot it was not the intolerable pain of earlier. He slowly and gently tried to sit up, but couldn't, he looked down his still bare but now bandaged chest and saw that he was encompassed in that same black energy he remembered from his partial memory of being brought to the tower. He tried a little harder to rise and was surprised to find that it was relatively easy to break free from the black energy and that it hurt only a little to do so.

Now that he was right ways up he found that it was a lot easier to think straight and also that his surroundings made a lot more sense. He looked out of the large window to the left of the bed and could just see the beginnings of dawn approaching. He slipped out of the strange energy hovering a few inches above the bed, as he did so the energy seemed to fade and then disappeared, he slowly put his weight onto his unsteady legs. Again he was surprised to find that while they did ache he could confidently walk on them. Moving to the window he could faintly see water and in the distance a few lights from the city. Looking down he saw land and suddenly became aware of the fact that he was on an island.

"Of course."

He muttered to himself as he remembered one of the articles he had read during his lonely time in the mountains. It had been titled something like 'Greatest Pad on the Planet' it had described the Titans tower location and shape; he faintly recalled that the first letter in the title had been an actual photo of the tower. So, he thought I'm in a giant T on an island somewhere on the west coast. Well that's narrowed it down he mused. As he leaned on the window he shivered from its cold temperature, he wasn't usually affected by the cold but then again he usually had at least a shirt on. He turned to look in to the darkened room. There wasn't much to see, apart from another bed half hidden by a screen there was only some cupboards which he assumed contained medical supplies and some larger medical equipment, including a defibrillator which had been placed close to where he had lay. With that sobering thought he moved to the door which was in the wall facing the foot of the second bed.

He listened but could hear nothing on the other side. He leaned closer to the door and pressed his ear to the cold metal, still nothing. Before he could pull away the door opened automatically and Chris was sent staggering out into the dark corridor and into the opposite wall. He stifled a cry of pain as his now bandaged right hand struck the wall. He closed his eyes and not for the first time cursed his fate. He heard voices approaching and without knowing why darted back into the infirmary and with some difficulty climbed onto the bed before him. He turned over and feigned sleep, he really didn't know why he had panicked but it was done now and he would see it through. He could hear the voices more clearly now and the footsteps were coming closer.

"What do you mean you were taking a break BB."

Said a voice Chris recognised as the part cyborg teenager.

"What's the big problem Cy, I mean its not like I didn't watch him for a while, but I got bored after I counted his bruises, and besides its not like he's going anywhere is he?"

The door opened and Chris could sense the two standing in the doorway staring at him. He wondered just why they were staring until it struck him that in his haste to get back he had jumped into the wrong bed. Cursing himself inwardly he remained still and kept his face expressionless. After a few more seconds he heard the two Titans shuffle cautiously over to him and then in hurried but still hushed voices. Began talking to one another.

"So then BB, he's not going anywhere then is he."

"Well not far anyway."

"How did he get moved BB."

"I don't know."

"Hmmmm, you know what, I don't believe you, in fact I think this is all some big joke."

"Well it's not, ok."

"Yeah right."

Chris didn't know what to do, he hoped that they would just go but it sounded like at least one would stay no matter what happened. They were still talking and it seemed he was going to have to make his consciousness apparent, besides he wanted some more answers as well as his clothes, and a drink wouldn't go amiss he thought.

"Raven was right; it was a bad idea to let you take a shift at watching him."

"Hey I already told you I didn't do this, ok I didn't keep my eye on him but I didn't move him, especially not after the 'cat incident'."

"Yes that was a good idea wasn't it, it looks like he isn't impressed by 'The Face' either."

"Just shut up will ya, I can't be blamed for that I didn't know."

"Well maybe you should listen once in a while then, Raven totally said his ribs were messed up, speaking of which I'm hungry, just check that he's still breathing and we'll grab some chow before Star turns up and starts her shift watching him."

Chris didn't know why he did it; it just seemed like the right thing to do, a way of paying back the green Titan and distracting everyone from his bed hopping. So when he sensed that the small green one was close he held his breath. The green one leant closer and then emitted a panicked sound. He came even closer but still couldn't hear anything he turned to the waiting Titan and said.

"Oh man I can't hear him breathing."

"What!"

Said the larger of the two loudly.

"Shhhhhh, I'm listening."

Whispered the smaller figure angrily.

"Well listen closer."

Suggested the larger, still whispering but obviously not happy.

The small green one once more pushed his ear towards Chris's face and listened intently. He heard nothing until with a suddenness that sent him flying across the room in fright Chris announced with the subtlety of a tank that he was still living.

"BOO!"

The smaller green Titan leapt backwards morphing into a mouse as he did so. He landed on the bed closest to the window. The larger of the two burst out laughing and pointed at the now human form on the second bed. He wheezed and gasped, tears running down his face from his one human eye as he fought for breath. Chris sat up laughing himself now. The green Titan was laughing also on the other bed, albeit a little sheepishly.

"Ha ha, he got you good Beast Boy, you totally peed yourself."

"Did not."

The three of them continued to laugh loudly and breathlessly for several minuets, their amusement increased by Chris's obvious pain as his battered ribs ached with his laughter. Finally they began to regain control but only after the whole laborious process was started over again by the largest Titan doing a poor impression, poor as it was it was enough to send the amusing memory through their heads on another run. Eventually they stopped laughing and the smaller green Titan began to speak.

"Man you really scared me there dude, I thought you like, died or something."

"Yeah."

Added the other.

"It was perfect; I just wish I had had my camera."

Chris was surprised at the popularity of his actions; he had expected a far more angry response, he mused for a moment what would have happened if it had been the pretty girl called Raven who had discovered him, or some other. As it stood however Chris was happy that they hadn't.

"So how you feeling then Chris?"

For a moment Chris felt annoyed that again he had been asked that question but this faded when he realised that they had used his first name. Happy about that, as he had heard it few times during the past months he decided to be civil.

"Pretty good…"

"Considering."

The two Titans cut in in unison. After another fit of laughing they became somewhat excited.

"So, you feel up to a tour of the tower."

"Sure."

Answered Chris happy to be able to move around again and not to have to hide.

"Cool, let's go."

The two Titans began to leave but stopped when they noticed the sheepish look about Chris.

"What's the problem guy, you don't have to be scared, or are you still feeling I'll, I know I would."

Chris appreciated the admittance from the cyborg, but wasn't happy about the 'scared' part.

"I'm not scared and I feel fine, but well, I would kinda appreciate my shirt back."

"Oh sure, its under the bed, besides everyone has been in here so you wont be showing off anything we haven't already seen."

This information was not welcome, Chris had always been shy, he would be the first to admit it but around girls it was ten times worse, but this, this was just beyond belief. He ran his hand around for a second as he searched under the bed and found the tattered bloodstained remains of what had been his best shirt. He wondered why this embarrassing situation had not dawned upon him while he had been talking to the pretty girl 'Raven', he guessed he had been too confused by events and her beauty to think about the moral dilemmas that could follow. He held up the shirt for the two others to see and tutting said.

"Deary deary, me this will never come out."

The two Titans laughed again and then began discussing a solution. Chris didn't like what he heard.

"Well I'm sure we can find you an old shirt somewhere."

Said the cyborg.

"What about the stuff in my backpack?"

Asked Chris.

"Er well we were meaning to tell you about that."

Said the smaller green Titan with an uneasy glance at Chris's feet.

"What?"

Asked Chris with a deep feeling of dread.

"Well, erm, you see, it's like this, while we were chasing off the bad guys and saving the girl…"

"And you."

Added the tall cyborg eagerly. Too eagerly Chris noticed. It was as if Cyborg was doing his utmost to avoid the subject of 'the girl' this was strange Chris thought, but at that particular moment he wasn't concerned with the girl, only with his backpack and its contents.

"Yes."

Prompted Chris, waving his hands in a gesture that said 'get on with it'.

"Well your backpack, sorta took a direct hit from Cyborgs cannon."

The 'Cyborg' had his hand change into its weapon form at this and waved it at Chris shrugging apologetically as he did so.

"I see."

Answered Chris darkly, and the two Titans exchanged guilty glances.

"Sorry man, it just kinda happened."

"It's all right."

Replied Chris with a very tired voice.

"Really?"

"Yes you know, nothing important, just everything I own."

Chris said with an obviously fake smile and a world weary sigh. As the two Titans looked at the floor like a pair of naughty children Chris pondered just what he had lost. Not much he had to admit but still the few links with his previous life and his very few comforting personal possessions. He pictured them lying there now scattered around the darkened filthy alley. The image pained him, but there was no point in dwelling on it. He was determined not to let his new found friends, peculiar as they were, feel bad about the manner in which they had saved his life.

"Honestly, its all right I didn't have much in there anyway, nothing particularly worth keeping anyway, so let's go, but I still need a shirt."

He forced a believable smile and dumping the ruined shirt into a bin turned to face his new companions.

"Great, wait hear a minute."

With that Cyborg left the infirmary and disappeared into the corridor, although his footsteps could be heard long after he was out of sight. The one remaining Titan 'Beast Boy' shuffled nervously. Perhaps he was still unhappy about his part in the cat incident Chris thought to himself.

"I'm not mad about the cat incident you know, I'm always doing really stupid things myself."

Beast Boy seemed to brighten at this mixture of assurance and confession. His elf like ears shot up and he ceased to hang limp like a defeated warrior.

"Cool, really?"

"Yeah, if I'm not knocking things over or falling flat on my face I usually spend the rest of my time being annoying and immature."

Beast Boys eyes lit up at this Chris noticed, good, thought Chris he had successfully described beast boy and then reversed it so as to make him think they had plenty in common. Chris was aware that he himself had often been annoying and immature before he had started travelling, but was unsure just whether he was still like that now. He hoped he was but there was a deep suspicion within him that he would never truly open up all the way again. Still why act down and dark when he was with two obviously bright and fun loving people. He just hoped that he would fit in.

"So."

Asked Beast Boy, much more confidently now.

"Do you like video games, movies and that sort of thing?"

Chris pondered the question, true he hadn't had much opportunity for that kind of stuff lately, but even so he had once been very much into that sort of thing. Lately he preferred to just sit and read quietly, but he was sure he could still handle a Game Station controller with a notable degree of precision.

"Yeah sure, love all that stuff."

He answered the question without any particular excitement. Beast boy looked fit to burst and was on the verge of saying something else when Cyborg could be heard thundering up the corridor. The two occupants of the infirmary looked towards the door and watched as it opened to reveal Cyborg looking mildly flustered.

"Guess what."

He said with barely hidden excitement.

"What?"

Asked Beast boy, looking somewhat surprised yet happy about the appearance of his fellow Titan, he only ever looked like this when something very good was within sight.

"Star just called, her and Robin are still hunting down the last of the bad guys that escaped when we found Chris, and Raven's disappeared somewhere, so we've got the whole tower to ourselves."

Beast Boys jaw dropped as if he had just seen an angel.

"The whole tower."

He repeated, stunned.

"The whole tower."

Answered the bearer of this apparently very good news. Beast boy turned to Chris and smiled at his bewildered face.

"This my friend, is a very, very, very good thing."

"So it would appear."

Answered Chris in a somewhat sceptical voice.

"So let's go yall, times awasting."

Cyborg threw an old T-shirt in Chris's rough direction and then ran from the room shouting happily about something or other.

"C'mon dude, get dressed and let's go."

Shouted Beast Boy as he followed his companion who could still be heard shouting in merriment further down the corridor. Chris looked briefly at the front of the shirt which had the picture of a vaguely familiar space ship on the front and the fading text 'Warp Trek Convention', sighing and shaking his head Chris suddenly realised that he was alone and without further ado threw on the old, somewhat strange smelling shirt and clutching his aching chest stumbled out of the infirmary and towards the dying sounds of his exited new friends, shouting as he went.

"Wait for me, I may be crippled."

Finally catching up to the others as they waited at a doorway he was amazed at the room before him, while he was still sucking in all the details Beast Boy simply said.

"Dude, welcome to the house of fun."

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Second chapter done and dusted. Third on the way, sometime soon, please R&R, thanks.