Raven decided to bring the secret with her to the grave. She wanted badly to tell her friends, and it tortured her thoughts, when nothing else of interest crossed her mind. At least this time she wasn't lying, she was just being extremely secretive. She flipped the pancake lazily, showing a golden side done, waiting for the other to heat up. Raven stared with her eyes glazed, mouth closed, with a frown. Ands on her waist brought her out of the familiar trans.

"What's wrong?" he asked, kissing her neck, "you seem lost in thought lately. You resemble me before we met."

"I want to tell them, I really do," Raven said, embracing the kiss while trying not to burn their breakfast.

"But what happens if you tell them, our child is born, and you are able to return to the team, they will reject renewing the alliance? Just keep it between us until the right time," Slade said, trying to persuade her out of her misery of secrecy.

"I thought of that too. But they are my friends. And I think somewhere, they have accepted us," she said, flipping four pancakes onto a plate.

"You have changed heart."

"What do you mean?" Raven asked, breaking his grip on her.

"You used to have no care about what they thought, and now it sounds like life or death. Why are you eternally still unsure about your decision, when you clearly are choosing a life with me?"

"I am still a Titan."

"But you live with me," he said, sitting down at the table, a plate of two pancakes in front of him.

"I haven't given up my life of fighting crime."

"I haven't given up my life of crime."

"So we still live unchanged? After all of this, we still are who we chose to be?" Raven asked, digging the knife into the pancake, ripping it apart.

"It is destiny, my love."

"Is this sanity?"

"What is sanity, a general statement of our actions? Are we meant to be generalized? And if we are, what is normal?"

Raven paused at his questions. This was one wonder, of many, of human existence on Earth, and they were difficult to answer.

"We are generalized by our actions, but we are still very different in our ways, each unique."

"Ah, yes. This brings up the question of a higher power, a god. Or are we only completing what destiny has in store for us?"

"Depends on how you see the world. Some say we can't play a higher power."

"We can't? I have killed many men, and now am bringing new life into this corrupted world. Is that not the power that the heavens wield?"

"May it's not supposed to be in our hands."

"If it's not, than why can we choose right from wrong, good from bad. If not, than why are we on different sides, and still together?" Slade asked, leaving Raven speechless. His intelligence intrigued her thoroughly, and made him more appealing. The questions were quite lengthy to answer, and the discussion could last for hours. But not at this early in the morning, when drowsiness was still clouding their minds.

"You have me fooled," Raven shrugged.

"You have me captivated, with even the slightest of breaths," Slade responded romantically. Raven got up from her place at the table, her plate empty, and walked over and placed it in the sink. Slade followed, putting his dish in the sink also. Raven was pinned in-between the counter and Slade, facing toward the sink. She could feel her emotions starting to run high, happiness and passion taking flight, leaving her stomach to feel as if it was floating. He gently ran his fingers up her side, creating a tingling sensation, that made her twitch with pleasure. He pressed another kiss on her neck, planting both of them in a dream state of mind. His fingers wandered, remembering what is his, and kisses, more intense on her neck and shoulder. Raven turned to face him, and met his unmasked face, and lunged into his body, connecting the two by mouth. Little pecks turned to hungry wants, and the two went deeper into passion….

-xXx

"It's been three weeks. If sooner is longer than this, I swear I'm going to flip," Beast Boy said, pacing around the main room of the tower.

"Dude, relax," Cyborg said, trying to sooth him down.

"It's troubling enough to think that she may be gone fo--" Robin started.

"Do not say it, Robin," Starfire pleaded, trying to convince herself that her friend would return.

"But what happens if she is? What happens if it's just down to four? What happens if we fall apart!" Beast Boy nervously said, his pace turning into a jog. Cyborg held out his hand, and he ran into, causing him to halt suddenly.

"We won't fall apart, Beast Boy. Things are just going to be different," Robin reassured.

"Especially when Slade comes back out to play. Things will be more personal," Cyborg commented.

"I feel that Raven is still with us, and will come back," Starfire said, trying to find the light in a dark situation, "soon."

"Soon, is now. Now is soon. When is she really coming back? And if she does, will she stay?" Beast Boy said, as if sugar high.

"Shut up!" Cyborg, Robin, and Starfire said, trying to get him to silence.

"Why the sudden worry?" Robin asked.

" 'Cause I know she cares," Beast Boy said.

"Hasn't she always cared? Even if she did keep secrets from us, she thought it was for our benefit."

"Maybe Robin is right," Starfire agreed.

"Robin usually is. And he still thinks he is, even when he's wrong," Cyborg commented. Robin sagged at the partial insult. Red lights flashed, an ere glow spread. Robin ran to the computer. Cinderblock. What was he after this time?

"23rd Street," Robin said bleakly.

"A street of shopping, I hear!" Starfire perked up.

"What does he want there?" Cyborg asked, turning away from the computer heading towards the exit.

"Don't know. Titans, go!" Robin said, running out the door.

-xXx

"Well, that's one way of doing shopping errands," Raven said, in monotone.

"It's easy, and neither of us have to leave the house," Slade pointed out, "we don't want the presses attention, especially since people have probably noticed you gone for quite awhile."

"I guess."

"Miss your duty?"

Raven looked up at him, "My duty, my priority right now is here."

"You are loosing practice, come with me."

"Uh, why do you care?"

"Because I love you."

"Good enough answer for me," Raven replied smiling, following him down to the basement.

-xXx

Cyborg was thrown into the air with one swipe of Cinderblock's hand, his sonic cannon shooting out blue streams into the nearby buildings, breaking the glass. Beast Boy turned into the Tyrannosaurus Rex, and swung his mighty tail at him. Cinderblock was slightly thrown off balance, but didn't seem to pay any attention to the attacking Titans.

"Why is he not fighting back?" questioned the Tameranian.

"It appears he's shopping," Robin said, slightly dazed. Cinderblock kept on tearing threw the stores, gathering up items. Starfire flew up to see what he was stealing.

"They seem to be everyday items," she called down to the rest of the team.

-xXx

She seemed to be pretty good, but not good enough to be of any threat without her powers. Raven punched the bag with furry, her muscles receiving a good work out, since her main focus was her powers.

"Unleash your anger, use your emotions to your advantage," Slade instructed.

"My emotions must be under control."

"There is nothing that you can break of any value in here. Beside you and I. Feel your emotions."

Raven breathed in and out, slowly letting her mental grip loosen. She started to punch the bag again, her eyes starting to glow white. The strength was tripled, and grew as she slowly let go of all emotions, setting them free to destroy. With one last punch, the bag was ripped from its place, and flew to the wall of the basement. Black flames engulfed Raven, her eyes a pure white. Slade was truly stunned, and was amazed by her strength, a strength that he could presume very useful for himself.

"Imagine if you used this in battle," Slade said, still wide-eyed.

"It's to dangerous. I shouldn't have done that…."

"If you do more of this, you can practice having minimal control on your powers, and unleash their potential."

"My emotions could easily control me, and all would be lost."

"You take to much caution," Slade stated.

"I help the city, I provide protection."

"From people like me, who never seem to go away. Without my mischief, the balance of the good and evil of the city would be thrown off, and chaos would break loose. A hiatus formed from no hiatus to begin with. So, consider your team lucky it's only me who's threatening your pathetic lives, and not the city high with perfection."

Raven thought about this, and he was right.

"Even when a candle is lit, and all can be seen, a shadow still lingers on the surface."

"I am that shadow."

"And I am your light," Raven said, smiling flirtatiously.

-xXx

Starfire continued to throw star bolts at the monster, and it seemed to be weakening him. But Cinderblock didn't care. He would finish this mission, no matter the cost.

-xXx

A high-pitched sound ringed through the house, and Slade reacted immediately.

"God damn it, Cinderblock," he said, running up the stairs.

"I will finish the job," Raven said, a black bird forming behind her back.

"No, Raven! You can't risk--." To late, she was gone.

-xXx

The Titans kept pelting him with attacks, until something in the distance caught there eye. It was a black bird, and before it stood a cloaked figure. Raven.

"Raven!'' Beast Boy cheered. But Raven didn't seem interested in the team, nor Cinderblock. She wrapped the groceries in her black magic, and teleported away, not even acknowledging the existence of anyone around her.

"Did Raven assist in the capturing of shopping items?" Starfire asked.

"No, it couldn't be," Beast Boy reassured himself.

"Could it?" Cyborg asked, second guessing his initial thoughts.

"We saw her to soon," Robin pointed out.

"Or maybe, we were to late," Beast Boy said, sagging.

Meanwhile, Cinderblock tried with all the energy he had left in him to stand erect, and to flee the scene. Fortunately, for the Titans, he collapsed to the ground instead. The teens transported their prisoner to a high security facility, and headed on their way home.

-xXx

"Hunny, I'm home!" Raven called in a cheerful mood.

"You better wish the Titans don't report your sighting," Slade threatened.

"I had to do--," Slade grabbed her left arm and squeezed it causing her to yelp.

"If anybody should have went, it should have been me."

"Oww…you are--"

"Do you understand for--" Raven blasted some black magic at him, making him stager backwards.

"Next time were you about to say? There may not be a next time. I will move back into the tower."

"Do not make such an assumption, for I am your provider. You and I are one, by not only what we have accomplished in your womb, but by marriage."

"You should respect my wants and needs as your wife."

"When did I ever deprive you of your opinion?"

"When you said that I couldn't have done a simple task," Raven pouted.

"I was trying to protect you, is that not my job? Besides, the press could be all over your appearance, taking stolen goods."

"Protect me from what? There was no danger."

"Do not underestimate what lies in the shadows, never mind the light. Danger lurks in and around every corner. Do not be careless," Slade lectured.

"Whatever," Raven said, grabbing some food to be put in the fridge. Slade stood their and sighed, picking up items that needed to be put away.

'Women…,' Slade thought to himself.

'Men…,' Raven sighed within the privacy of her thoughts.

-xXx

His heart stopped with the remembrance of what started their last feud. His breathing became less, and his lungs adjusted to the smaller intake of air. All in under ten seconds, he remembered, and knew, where Raven was the past three weeks…

"I am taken, Beast Boy. Our paths do not cross at that point. We will never be…what you want," Raven said, choking back tears.

"What are you saying?" Beast Boy asked. Raven broke her gaze with his stare, and looked to dark floor of her room. Another tear slid down her face, and she was distraught with emotions.

"I am--am…," Raven's voice trailed off.

"What are you!" Beast Boy asked, frustrated.

"I am engaged!" Raven cried.

"To Slade…?"

"Oh, why do you have to be so dense…."

-xXx

"Where's Raven?" Robin yelled, his voice hoarse.

"Right where she should be," Slade responded. Robin attacked, and Slade fluently blocked it, "Why so interested all of a sudden? Starfire isn't good enough to tickle your fancy?" Starfire looked at Robin confused, while Beast Boy and Cyborg faintly smiled, finding the comment slightly funny. Cyborg elbowed Beast Boy, and slyly said, "His fancy is so tickled by her, I'm surprised that he hasn't laid her." Beast Boy clasped his hands over his mouth, trying to keep his feeling in.

"What is so funny, friends?" Starfire asked.

"Nothing," the two simultaneously said, smiling wide.

Robin took a punch to the mouth, and fell backwards.

"She is apart of my personal life, and I will say what I please," Slade commented, standing over Robin clutching his bloodied mouth.

"Why did you come here?" Robin questioned, spitting blood and saliva.

"You seemed bored, and I know that Robin can't stand his mind at ease."

"I know I can't stand you."

"How predictable of you to say. You are always so predictable," Slade said, sidestepping, "which makes you so easy to defeat. From your lines to your form, you repeat. I think you need some change." Robin watched as Slade sidestepped closer to his fellow teammates, wondering what he was up to.

"What are implying?" Robin asked, his gaze narrowing, trying to figure out what he was doing.

"I am going to imply nothing. I am going to show you," Slade said, smiling under his mask. He lifted his elbow, and with a thrust, pushed it into Starfire's sternum, causing her to momentarily loose her breath. After he elbowed her, he hit her chin up, and kicked her stomach, sending her ten feet to the ground.

"Starfire!" Robin yelled, running towards her. Slade grabbed Robin's cloak and flung him backwards.

"Don't let emotions get in the way. She will recover soon, worry about yourself," Slade taunted.

Kneeling at Starfire's side, Beast Boy said, "And Raven is not your weakness? Why are you hiding her from us? Not unless she doesn't know that you are gone. Do you really care so deeply about your lover, your wife?"

"What?" Robin and Cyborg gasped; Starfire tried to put a surprised expression on her face. Slade was surprised he knew, but his stance didn't change.

"You married her?" Robin said, still trying to comprehend the idea.

"She gladly accepted. But once again, you are meddling through my personal life. And I am not to fond of it." Slade turned to attack Robin, and once Robin threw Slade's punches away from his face for a moment, he told the team to get Starfire out of there.

"No--Robin!" she managed to get out. Slade grabbed his wrist, and kicked his feet out from under him. Still holding on to his wrist, Slade pulled him down to the ground, Robin's face smashing into the concrete of the street. Cyborg and Beast Boy watched in pain, as Robin lay on the ground, moving slowly trying to regain a standing composure.

Beast Boy nodded in agreement, and he flew away as a Pterodactyl, clutching onto Starfire's wrists. Cyborg made visible his sonic canon, and aimed it at Slade's head.

'How predictable,' Slade thought, throwing himself down on the ground. The shot was fired, and hit Robin in the stomach, and knocked him to the ground.

"As much as I like to see you writhe in pain, I must attend to the needs of my wife," Slade said to the two, throwing a device that produced smoke, and when it cleared, he was gone.

"How could she…why did he…makes no sense…," Robin said, on the ground. Cyborg ran to his side, and gently lifted him, and placed him in the T-car, and drove speedily to the tower.