R&R!

I do not own Teen Titians


Their deal was….on hold to say the least.

Johnathan ran a frustrated hand through his hair and gritted his teeth.

Bruce was pissed, Uncle Dick was suspicious, though of what Johnathan didn't know. Diana seemed cautious, not wanting to betray her husband, but not wanting to justify his rash actions and emotions. The rest of the Bat-family seemed confused and lost while his own family seemed reserved. Will and Willow could care less what was going on, Vie seemed to be trying to stay out of it and not play favorites while his dad seemed to be simply observing from a distance, which was unusual for him. Meanwhile, his mom seemed oddly silent on the matter and also seemed to be avoiding him. Johnathan didn't know why.

Johnathan didn't know what to think or how to feel. He was lost and confused for starters. Watching Airen fight like that…. it'd been like something out of a movie like she'd been trained or something and he hadn't known. Which, with the world, he lived in wasn't out of the realm of possibilities, but for some reason, he kept telling himself that it was too farfetched.

On another note, he was angry. The way she'd held that gun to the thug's head….no, she hadn't pulled the trigger, but she'd been prepared to. Even as a cop he'd never been prepared to take a life, whether it was out of necessity or not. Again, it was almost like she was trained for stuff like that, and he didn't know. Again, not out of the realm of possibility, but the thought opened up to a paranoid and suspicious side of him that he didn't want to explore.

No one could accuse him of being overly trustworthy, but he made it a point to never suspect the people he was closest to. That lead to the dark path that Batman and even Nightwing lived on. That was the last thing he wanted.

All this to say, he was avoiding her. Until he could get his thoughts and emotions under control, he didn't trust himself around her. They'd hardly spoken to each other since Christmas, only necessary communication most of which was related through Violet.

So far both Airen and Violet seemed comfortable with the arraignment. Airen seemed just as upset over the whole situation as everyone else. As for Violet, she seemed content with being the messenger so long as the messages were civil, and it meant she could monitor their relationship.

"You good man?" Tony asked cautiously.

Ever since Christmas Johnathan had been stomping around the precinct glaring at everyone and biting whoever had the audacity to speak to him's head off. Everyone had quickly learned to give him a wide berth and only speak to him when necessary.

Johnathan nodded grimly in response to Tony. He didn't feel that Tony deserved to be snapped at.

Not wanting to pry Tony continued with what he came over to tell Johnathan in the first place.

"Alright, well we're about ready to start. Just waiting on the DA." Tony summed up.

Johnathan nodded in understanding. He really didn't want to be here, but since he'd been there when it happened, the Commissioner had requested his presence.

"Ehem. Boys." Tony and Johnathan looked up, startled by the newcomer. Uncle Dick stood there looking at them darkly.

"Detective Greyson! Ah, I didn't know you already here…." Tony sputtered.

"Tony." Uncle Dick acknowledged. He then turned to Johnathan. "A word."

Johnathan rolled his eyes and grumbled but followed his uncle to a more private corner. In his opinion, Uncle Dick was becoming more like Bruce every day.

"What do you want?" Johnathan asked harshly.

"Answers."

"About what?"

"About your little friend."

Johnathan blinked. "Tony? All his info is on file. In fact, I'd be surprised if you didn't know more than I do."

"Not that friend, your other one."

Johnathan looked at him confused. "What other friend? I don't know who-"

"The girl."

Johnathan felt pale and could hear his own heartbeat grow faster as he finally understood who Uncle Dick meant. The Beast growled somewhere deep inside his head.

"I don't know what you're-" Johnathan tried to deflect, but Dick cut him off.

"You know exactly what I'm talking about. No one fights like that unless they're trained, no one. I speak from experience."

Johnathan glared at him. "I know all about your "experience". No need to flaunt it."

"Logan I'm not flaunting anything. I'm genuinely concerned about the family's wellbeing. She's clearly trained to fight but by who? And why? If you're not asking these questions someone needs to."

Johnathan was suddenly angry.

"You're concerned? Or your Daddy's concerned and you're just playing the part of the dutiful errand boy?"

Dick grabbed the front of his shirt and pushed him back against the wall.

"This isn't funny. Don't make light of it. This is serious."

"Sure, it is, and I'm Batman."

"John…" Dick growled in frustration.

"'John' nothing! You're overreacting and you know it!" Johnathan pushed Dick off of him and started to walk away.

"I checked up on her."

That simple sentence froze Johnathan in his tracks.

"What?" He whispered.

"Did that ever occur to you? Huh? To check up on her? Do a background check? Your life, your family, and your family's money is at risk and you didn't even think to make sure she was legit?"

Johnathan clenched his fists.

"If you had then you would have discovered that a year ago Airen Stevens didn't exist. She's a fraud."

The Beast roared and Johnathan saw red. The next thing he knew he had Dick slammed up against the wall, his shirt balled up in his fists, and Dick dangling two feet off the ground.

"Don't. Ever. Say. That. Again." Johnathan growled low and deep.

Dick's eyes narrowed as he studied Johnathan. A moment later they widened in surprise.

"No…." he whispered. "You didn't actually….you wouldn't be that stupid…you did, didn't you?"

"Did what?" Johnathan growled harshly.

"You claimed her."

Johnathan snarled, which was all the answer Dick needed.

"How could you?! You have no idea who she is, and you just go and claim her! Do you realize how incredibly stupid that is!?" Dick was practically shouting, his face turning various shades of red.

"How is it any of your business!?" Johnathan roared.

"Because it's my family that you're screwing with! There's a reason you call me Uncle Dick! It concerns me!"

"Some family member! We haven't seen you in nearly six years since you married that woman and when we do, you're worth shit! She talks for you, makes decisions for you, she controls you! And you have the audacity to lecture me on my love life choices!?"

"At least I know who my wife is!"

"Do you?"

"More than you know your girlfriend."

"Umm…."

Dick and Johnathan turned to see the subject of their conversation standing at the end of the hall looking very confused.

"Ummm….hi?" Airen greeted with a question in her voice.

Frustrated and fed up with the whole situation in general, Johnathan released Dick with a growl. Without so much as a word to either Dick or Airen, Johnathan marched determinedly toward Airen. Without pausing he grabbed her arm as he passed her and pulled her along behind him. She protested, but he wasn't listening. It was time for answers, and he was going to get them one way or another.

Johnathan dragged her to the lobby and pulled her to a stop just outside of hearing range of everyone working there.

"What are you doing here?" He growled.

"Well hello to you too," Airen replied brushing off her arm where he had grabbed it.

"I don't have time for this," Johnathan said curtly.

"Don't have time for what? Standard greetings? That's just rude…."

"I mean it Airen! What are you doing here?"

"Sheesh, relax. I'm here to watch the interrogation of Jimmy Noler."

"What? Why? How did you even know that we were doing that today?"

"I already told you what, why, I don't know. As for the how that ties in with the person who asked me to come to watch."

"Who?"

"Your buddy, River Danby down at the DA's office."

Johnathan's eye twitched.

"When did he ask you?" Johnathan asked with deadly calm in his voice.

"At the New Year's party, he took me to."

Johnathan frowned.

"Now if you'll excuse me, I'm late and I don't want him to wonder-"

"No." Johnathan cut her off as she tried to move past him.

"What?" Airen looked up at him in astonishment.

"You heard me. I said no."

"I know what you said, I'm just wondering why you said it," Airen replied.

"I said it because I wanted to. I don't owe you any other explanation."

"The hell you don't! What business of yours is it if I watch the interview? What right do you have to tell me "no"?! It's not your case, not your criminal, and not your interview! So what right do you have to tell me no?!" Airen whisper yelled at him while poking him in the chest.

Johnathan didn't move. He stood solid and firm in his place as he glared down at her.

"Why did he take you to the New Year's party?" He growled changing the subject.

Airen took a step back, eyes widening in understanding for a brief moment. Then she matched his glare.

"Is that what this is about? Because I went to a party with someone else? Is why you're mad at me?"

Johnathan scoffed but she placed her finger back in his chest.

"Don't act like that's a ridiculous thought! It's not, especially because it's true! You can't keep me from watching an interview just because you're jealous! On top of that, you can't be angry with me about going to the party with him. He asked you didn't. End of story."

"I'm not jealous! As for me telling you no, I can tell you no if I want to because I want to! I don't need another reason! I'm telling you no because I don't want you in there!"

"You can't tell me what to do! You don't own me! I'm not your…your…gah! I'm not yours to own or be controlled or ordered around!"

"Yes, you are," Johnathan growled. As he glared down at her he felt his eyes dilate and become dark slits. He could feel the Beast take over, but he didn't care. All he cared about was keeping Airen as far away from that lunatic of an enforcer and getting some answers from her.

Airen's eyes widened again in shock. This time when she glared at him, she took a step back, not forward.

"Do you even hear yourself?" She whispered. "I am not a prize or a trophy or a-a thing to be owned! You can't control and you cannot tell me what I can and cannot do! I will do whatever I damn well, please! And that includes me watching the interrogation of a well-known criminal that tried to kidnap me!"

"Do you even hear yourself!? That maniac tried to kidnap you for god only knows why and you want to go near him!? I don't think so!"

"But he didn't! I'm still here and I want to know why he even tried to kidnap me!"

"Yes, you're still here, although that shouldn't have happened. He should have been able to kidnap you." Johnathan bite hastily.

Airen looked at him confused for a moment before understanding once again dawned.

"That's what you're angry about. You're angry at me because you thought I was going to kill that guy. Right?"

Johnathan huffed. He didn't know how, but she could always read him like a book.

"You really think so little of me?" Airen asked quietly.

"I don't know what to think," Johnathan admitted. "I watched you fight like a trained assassin, then aim a gun at a man like you were ready to pull the trigger. That alone confuses me, but now I also have other people asking me questions that I honestly don't know the answers to. And here you are acting like you were justified. What am I supposed to think?"

"You're supposed to think that I didn't pull the trigger. You're supposed to think that I know better to do something like that unless absolutely necessary. Was I prepared to pull the trigger? Yes. I was defending myself and others and was willing to do whatever was necessary to secure their safety. You're supposed to think that that's a good thing." Airen said darkly.

"Well, it's not. We don't kill. Ever. End of story. As for the assassin like fighting, what am I supposed to think about that?"

Airen frowned. "Nothing. You're not supposed to think anything about that. This conversation is over." She said curtly.

She tried to push past him again, but he grabbed her arm.

"No, it's not. It's not over until I get some answers." He growled.

Airen glared up at him.

"What? Do you think I'm some sort of assassin or something?"

Johnathan gave her a look that indicated that that was exactly what he thought.

"Oh, come on. Now that's a ridiculous thought." She pulled her arm free and started to walk away.

"Where were you a year ago?" Johnathan blurted out. To be honest, the thought was bothering him. He didn't want Dick to be right, he was hoping Airen would deliver a plausible explanation.

Airen froze in her tracks. After a couple of heartbeats, she turned, surprise and…. fear? written all over her face.

"What?" She whispered.

"Dick did some checking. He said that a year ago you didn't exist. Why? Where were you a year ago?"

Airen looked at him as though she were in pain.

"Don't. Please. Please don't do this." She whispered.

"Do what?" Johnathan asked, heart sinking.

"Ask questions that you don't want the answer's too."

They stood there for a moment, just looking at each other silently. Just then River appeared out of nowhere.

"There you two are! The commissioner sent me to look for you, we're ready to get started."

River had barely finished his sentence before Airen turned around and briskly walked away. Johnathan sighed and hung his head, following dejectedly with a very confused River in tow.


Airen made sure that they stood far away from each other. She stood on one end of the room next to River while Johnathan stood on the other end in between Tony and Dick. They all watched silently as Commissioner Gordon interrogated Jimmy Noler.

To everyone's surprise, Batman had appeared to watch the interrogation as well. He stood in one corner of the interrogation room quietly while Commissioner Gordon asked all of the questions.

To no one's surprise, Noler didn't give away any new information. All of the answers he gave were vague and downright unhelpful if he bothered to answer at all. It wasn't until after the interrogation was over that the interesting stuff happened.

Batman and the Commissioner had left to have a private pow-wow while everyone else was comparing notes and waited for some officers to move Noler back to his cell.

Airen felt a sense of accomplishment as she noted the very long and large bandage that covered Noler's face as River gave her some notes on the interrogation.

"Usually, we get a little more out of a suspect during an interview, but this wasn't really surprising. Anytime an upper level of any gang or mob comes in you can expect for them to be pretty quiet. It's the bosses or the low-ranking cronies that we really get to talk. They're the ones who go for the deals. Enforcers? Not really. Every once and a while we'll get lucky and one will want to flip on his boss, but usually, they're not the ones who talk." River was explaining.

"Uh-huh…" Airen nodded and tried to listen as best she could despite being plagued by thoughts of her and Johnathan's earlier argument.

Suddenly Dick appeared out of nowhere next to them.

"Sorry but River if you don't mind, I need to-" Dick was saying when a shout interrupted him.

Two officers had just brought Noler out when he caught sight of Airen. In a sudden move, he jerked free of his handlers with a shout and rushed toward her.

"You BITCH!" Noler screamed as he raced toward Airen.

Airen stood frozen in shock unable to do anything other than stand and watch in horror as Noler came closer and closer. His eyes were red, bloodshot, and there was hate and murder in them. He sneered and snarled and screamed as he ran towards her.

Just before he reached her, Airen felt herself being pushed out of the way. A hand grasped her arm firmly but gently and pulled her back as a body stood between her and Noler. Airen shook herself out of her daze and realized that it was Dick who had come to her rescue.

Dick kept his one hand on Airen's arm to keep her in place and reached his other one out and caught Noler by the throat.

"Touch her, and you deal with me. Got it?" Dick said firmly.

Noler snarled and choked out something that Airen figured was best left unrepeated. Dick gave Noler a little shake and snarled.

"Leave her alone, or I will personally make sure life in prison becomes very difficult for you. I don't care whose protection you have. Is that clear?"

This time Noler nodded begrudgingly. With one final shake, Dick let Noler go to the handlers. They hurried Noler out without any more fight from him. When they were gone Dick released Airen. He started to walk away without so much as looking at her.

"Thank you," Airen called after him.

He paused briefly and said, "I didn't do it for you."

With that, he walked out the door and left.


Johnathan stormed up to the apartment door, let himself in, and slammed it shut. Violet had given him his own key when she had moved in, but out of respect for Airen he only used it when she wasn't there, or he was trying to piss her off. This time neither applied and he didn't care. He was seeing red.

Fashion Week had just ended a couple of days ago without so much as a word from her. This, of course, wasn't unusual. Their new normal since the Jimmy Noler interview had been silence and avoidance. Sure, he kept tabs on her, just to make sure she was safe of course, but that didn't mean he actually wanted to talk to her.

The problem was that all through Fashion Week she had been seen at parties, events, and shows with River Danby. This wasn't entirely unusual either. She was a model; River was a wealthy and popular celebrity that often-frequented things such as Fashion Week on the norm. It was only natural that they would run into each other at those types of things.

The thing that ticked Johnathan off was that dating rumors about the two had been circulating ever since they were seen at the New Year's party together. This past week the rumors had only grown in popularity and intensity. And now…. Johnathan sneered. This afternoon her modeling agency had released an official announcement that said that she and River were officially dating. The Beast had literally roared in his head and he had crushed whatever paper cup he'd been holding when he read it.

As soon as he had gotten off of work he had come straight over to her apartment. Badge, gun, and all.

"AIREN!" He roared.

Something in the kitchen crashed and he heard glass shattering along with a small "eep".

Airen came out from the kitchen looking frazzled and wiping her hands on a towel.

"Yes?" She replied looking and sounding annoyed.

"What the actual fuck!?" Johnathan shouted.

Airen looked at him as if he was putting her out.

"It would help my explanation if I knew what you were talking about." She said calmly as she placed the towel on the bar.

"You're dating him!? You told me that you were just friends!"

"That's what you're mad about?"

"Duh!" Johnathan felt like an idiot, but he was too mad to care.

"What do you care?" Airen asked crossing her arms and leaning up against the bar.

"Excuse me?!"

"You heard me."

"Why wouldn't I care!? I told you! You're mine! We had a deal!" Johnathan was shouting so much the neighbors could probably hear him, but again he didn't care.

"And I told you that I am not something to be owned! I am a person! Someone you love and cherish and protect! Someone you talk to and share burdens with! I am my own person and make my own decisions! River understands that and you clearly don't!" Airen shouted back.

She took his silence as permission to continue.

"As for our deal, you haven't spoken to me or seen me since Noler's interview, and before then you made Siberia seem warm and close. I took that to mean that our little deal was off! If it wasn't then that's news to me, news that you should have communicated with me yourself! And you wonder why I don't want to date you!" Airen shouted.

"Relationships are built on trust, respect, and honesty. Clearly, you have none of those for me." She kept going. "You didn't even tell me about Black Hawke. How do you expect me to trust you enough to date you if you refuse to tell me the truth?"

"You're one to talk." Johnathan bit back. "You won't even tell me where you were a year ago and explain to me why it is Dick seems to think that you didn't exist a year ago!"

"You have no right to throw that in my face! My reasons are personal and none of your business!" She pointed at him accusingly.

Growling and glaring at her, Johnathan advanced toward her. "Oh, and you have the right to throw Black Hawke in my face!?"

"That's different!"

"Is it?"

"Yes!"

He was now standing in front of her, so close he could see the flecks of gold in her eyes.


Airen's breath hitched as he stood there looking down at her. He had backed her into the bar, invading her space so that he was overwhelming her senses. So that he was the only thing she could see, hear and smell. He was so close she could smell the coffee and mint on his breath. She quickly glanced down at his lips, then back up at his eyes.

He was looking at her lips too. He glanced back up at her and their eyes met. For a brief moment, she saw the pupils in his eyes dilate and turn into feline slits. Then he was on her.

His lips crashed onto hers and he wrapped his arms around her, one around her waist the other around her neck. His grasp was firm and strong, but not painful. His lips worked magic against her own, moving in a slight rhythmic motion, slow and steady.

For a moment she stood stiff and surprised, wondering if she should push him away. But he felt so good, and whether she wanted to admit it or not, she had been wanting this to happen, waiting for it even, since that day he had picked her up from her photoshoot.

Making her decision, Airen melted into him not wanting to fight it anymore. Fighting her feelings had been so hard and she had been doing it for so long she was tired of it. So, she gave in and melted into him. She wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her hands into his thick, dark hair. She deepened the kiss by tilting her head and moving with him.

He growled deep in his throat in response, and she smiled against his mouth. He nipped at her lip and she moaned against his lips. He purred in response and she felt his hands moving. They ran up and down the length of her body, exploring her every curve.

Suddenly he grasped her ass firmly and she eeped in surprise. She felt his smile and could hear him chuckle. Before she could respond he lifted her up and placed her on the bar behind her. She opened her legs to let him in closer and he obliged.

He separated his mouth from hers and attached it to her neck. He began to slowly work his way down her neck, kissing and gently sucking his way down. As he did, he pressed himself into her making Airen gasp and lean her head back both in pleasure and to give him better access.

Johnathan had just reached her collarbone and began to nibble on it when a loud knock on the door startled both of them out of their little bubble of pleasure. Airen lifted her head and looked at the door in confusion while Johnathan buried his face in her neck and groaned in agony.

Airen looked at him slightly amused.

"Come on, I need to answer it." She said nudging him to let her down.

"This better be good. And I mean life or death good." Johnathan growled into her neck before moving.

Airen hopped down from the bar doing her best not to laugh.

She ran a hand through her hair and straightened her shirt imagining the sight she must be. With a smile, she unlocked the door and opened it to see who it was.

When she saw who was at the door, the smile on Airen's face fell and a sense of dread filled her heart.

"Mar'i."