Chapter 10: "Even If I Knew"

The summer heat coiled around Raven like a snake, constricting until her very last breath was squeezed out of her. The Titans, save one, were outside in night, with Robin barking orders. Raven listened, and felt irritation prick at her with every word.

"-Need to find her…"

She left her communicator, she didn't tell us where she was going, and she's been gone for two hours. It doesn't sound like she wants to be found anytime soon, Robin.

"…needs help…"

Starfire isn't just some lost little girl needing to be saved. She can take care of herself.

Raven looked at Cyborg and sent a telepathic wave of thought to him.

Cyborg!

Whoa, Raven? Girl, what are you doing inside my head! Cyborg gave her a questioning look, but didn't say anything out loud.

Don't worry, I'm not reading your thoughts or anything. Look, I know where Starfire is, and I think I need to talk to her alone. I know you can find her in an instant, but can you do me a favor and send Robin somewhere else while I talk to her?

Cyborg hesitated before thinking, Robin won't be happy.

Raven felt a flash of annoyance. To be blunt, I don't care what Robin will do or think. I'll just tell him later that it was my idea, okay?

Well, I guess you won't take no for an answer?

Raven narrowed her eyes.

The metal-man sighed inwardly. Alright, fine.

Robin turned to Cyborg. "Can you find her?"

Cyborg pressed a few buttons on his right arm. With a quick glance at Raven, he said, "She's that way." He pointed to his left, away from the beach.

Robin looked in that direction for a second, then started running with Beast Boy and Cyborg close behind. Raven followed for a few strides, then quickly changed into a shadowy raven and flew towards the ocean.


Raven landed on soft sand, with the sound of crashing waves in her ears. Without even looking in the other direction, she started walking to her right, her senses telling her that that was where Starfire had gone.

The beach was entirely deserted, save for a few ghost crabs which scuttled away when Raven came near. As the empath walked, she wondered why Starfire would go off alone like this. It wasn't like her.

Oh, you know why, said a voice in her head.

Raven ignored the voice and pushed the image of Beast Boy out of her mind. She wasn't concerned with him right now. But, the thought kept nagging at her. Starfire couldn't have done this because she and Beast Boy were fighting, could she?

Raven was brought back to reality when she saw a lone figure sitting on the sand. She walked towards it and stood behind it for a few moments before sitting next to it on the sand. Together, they sat in a taciturn vigil for many minutes.

Finally, Starfire spoke. "I am…confused. Why do you and Beast Boy fight so much?" She turned her head to Raven.

Raven's face remained blank. "I don't know. We're just, so different, I guess…"

You do know.

"You did not used to fight, at least not like this," Starfire recalled sadly.

You know it's your fault.

The empath took a deep breath. "I guess we've all grown apart, in one way or another."

Starfire nodded. It was the sad truth that all of them knew, but didn't want to admit. Something was different between them, between all of them. But no one knew what it was, or how to stop it.

They didn't say anything else after that. In the dark night, the two friends listened to the waves breaking along the shore.


"Raven, I need to talk to you."

It was later that night, after Raven brought Starfire back. Raven was reading a book in the living room, with Robin leaning against the back of the couch she was on.

Raven looked at him and closed her book. "Okay, what?" she asked, but already knowing what he wanted to talk about.

"I think you already know why Starfire left tonight."

The empath nodded tensely.

Robin sighed. "I need to know what's going on between you and Beast Boy. The truth?"

"Robin, you don't really want to know, you just want to reassure Starfire and tell her that everything's alright."

The Boy Wonder was taken aback by the boldness in her words, even if it was Raven.

Raven went on. "You treat her as if she's a little kid needing to be protected. She's not Robin! You-"

"At least I care enough about her to look out for her!" Robin interrupted hotly.

"You think I don't? She's my friend; I was just as worried as you were. I hate it that she did this because of me and Beast Boy."

"Then why won't you tell me what the problem is so I can help you?"

"Robin, even if I told you, even if I knew what the problem was, it's too far along for you to stop it." With that, she got up, walked down the stairs and to her room, with Robin following close behind.

At her bedroom door, Robin said, "Fine, I'll talk to Beast Boy then."

Raven snorted in what seemed like amusement and disbelief.

Robin glared at her. "You think I won't?"

"You think I haven't?"

Before Robin could reply, she walked into her room and closed the door.


Whee, yay…finally a couple chapters that don't entirely center on the two idiots! (coughBBandRaecough). Sorry if the grammar in these two chapters was kinda bad. The long break from school didn't help my writing skills much, or whatever writing skills there were in the first place! ;)

The next chapter will be up soon, and I mean it this time. There won't be a two month gap, I promise!