A big thanks to writerofthefuture for the input, I will keep that in mind. I'm hopping that this chapter will bring more reviews, but if it doesn't.......... Damn.

Disclaimer: I do not own the Teen Titans, but I do own Raphael. (Mwhahahahah)

Ch. 2: A cold truth.

Raven secretly crept across the night sky. Bounding from roof top to roof top. closely watching the stranger, judging his every move. She had been following the two all night, just in case. It wasn't like she was stalking them. She was just keeping an eye on her ally. She trusted Robin with her life but not with his own. Besides, she had a bad feeling about this guy. He was new to her, and if he tried to hurt her friend, she wanted to be there to stop him.

Raphael had been quiet all evening. In fact, he had not said a word since they left. He hardly even looked at Robin at all. As though the idea of eye contact was painful. He walked along the sidewalk, gazing down his set path. Why? What had happened? They finally reach the small coffee shop that they used to hang out at, but still the awkward silence prevailed. In fact it was not until they had gotten there coffee and sat down outside that Robin finally asked.

"Ok, your really starting to freak me out man." Robin said anxiously. "What's up with you? You leave us all alone for three years and then out of the blue you show up at my house. You dieing or somthin?" The color once again drain completely from Raphael's face. Robins eyes widen and he sets the cup down on the round little table. "Raphael," Robin question his voice, for the first time, desperate and scared, "What's going on."

Raphael looks up from his coffee. "There's been an accident." His jaw clenched as though he were trying to hold something back, tying not to show his grief. But Robin saw straight through his charade. This only made things worse. Some thing terrible must have happened for Raphael to be this upset.

"Batman, Bruce, has been hurt very badly," Raphael's voice shook and he looked again down at the table, "He may not survive." A lump formed in Robins throat and he turned sickly pale.

"How?" Robin asked as tears gathered in his eyes. He felt as though he had to know what happened, but deep down inside he really didn't want to. He looked as though the very basis on which his life was built had been torn from beneath him. He sank back into his chair, a look of dumbstruck misery set on his face. The realization that the closest thing to a father he had ever known could die.

"He can't be hurt not now. No, no, i-it's a lie, He can't be hurt." This couldn't be happening. He didn't want to lose Bruce. Bruce was his friend, his mentor, more than anything, his father. Bruce had taken care of him, taken him under his wing, gave him a home, gave him a name!!!

"I'm sorry Robin. I wish it were a lie." Robin began to panic. He couldn't stand losing his father again. He would have no one left. He stood forcefully knocking his chair to the ground.

"NO, your WRONG!!!!" Robin screamed at the top of his lungs. He fled from the table knocking things over left and right as he tried to escape this awful truth that had befallen him. Robin shot across the street and disappeared into the lateral alley way. Raphael leapt to his feat and chased after him, Raven following close behind.

Hundreds of thoughts spun around and around in Robins head. He stumbled aimlessly down the abandoned alleys. Why? Why did this happen? How could this happen? Bruce was always careful. He was never caught off guard. Robin leaned against the alley wall. His breath came in heavy gasps. And still he questioned. Could I have done something? Would I have made a difference? I should have been there. I should have been there to watch his back. I could have done something. He fell to his knees tears flowing from his eyes. They had always been careful. They had always come out alright. A few close calls but never anything serious. Not like this. He turned and sat with his back to the wall, pulling his legs up to his chest, and resting his head on his knees. He had neither the desire nor the courage to face his shattered world right now.

A hand pressed gently on his shoulder. Robin looked up to see Raphael leaning next to him, the same look of grief and overwhelming sadness on his face as he was sure graced his own. Robin turned away, .

"How is this possible?" Robin questioned. "He's always careful, always watching his back. No one, can catch him off guard." He stared blankly at the wall across from him, as though he were starring straight through. Raphael turned and sat next to him. This tragedy had reduced this once proud hero to a broken and scared little child. Raphael knew exactly how he felt, and he hated himself for not being able to fix it. He hated Joker for hurting his friend, he hated the police for allowing that fucking freak to escape in the first place, he hated Bruce for getting hurt and making his family miserable, and he hated himself for hating Bruce. He hated everything, and he hated that.

"What's going to happen now?" a weak little voice asked from beside him, he was so busy hating himself that he almost didn't hear it. He looked over to see Robin looking back at him. "What do we do now?" Raphael put his arm around his little brothers shoulders, and pulled him into a brotherly embrace. This simple show of affection meant everything to Robin. He realized that no matter what happened, he would never be alone.

"Now, my little brother," Raphael says as he smiled at him, "we hope."

Raven looks down up on the two from the adjacent roof top. A moment ago she had been trying to comprehend the magnitude of what had happened, until she heard her friend scream in defiance. She snapped out of her thoughts, and turned just in time to see Robin take off from his so called brother, obviously distraught. She watched the other boy run after him and quickly followed. She had every intension of killing the little bastard until she saw Robin huddled into a ball in the alley way. At that point, she had an almost overwhelming urge to comfort him. she fought the urge, and instead moved to the roof top. Raven feared that if he knew she was there, he would be angry with her for following them. The boy walked up to Robin and sat down next to him. She was relieved that he comforted her friend, but at the same time disappointed that she didn't get to kill him. She watched as Raphael got up and helped Robin to his feet. The two began to walk back down the alley way. They had decided to head back to the tower, and if she wasn't there when they got back she would be in allot of trouble. Although she was reluctant to leave Robin with the stranger, she didn't want to be caught either. So she took of toward the tower and arrived just before them.

There's chapter 2. Sorry it took so long. Hope this one is ok, and thanks again to writerofthefuture. Please review. C'ya