Disclaimer: I don't own the Teen Titans, only the name Angel and the character Ronan

A/N: Enjoy … and sorry for the wait, my Internet was rejecting me for a while.

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The Lonely Temptress

"Kitten Moth? You sure?"

"Yeah …" Ravens sighed tiredly and sat at the edge of the bed Rorek was sitting up in with his back against the wall. A book resting on his lap that he had been reading before Raven had walked in, tilting his head as if it'll help understand what she was talking about. Her violet hews found his ice blue eyes and Rorek listened carefully, "… We don't have much time Rorek … I just over heard Robin and Angel downstairs … Slade's throwing a party Wednesday and I have a strong feeling Trigon's going to be there."

Rorek frowned and sighed, "Well … that only means he's getting desperate … I guess … that is a good thing."

They looked at one another and knew, just knew with the dull shine in each other's eyes that even with that little bit of an opinion didn't help boost confidence. Raven crawled effortlessly onto the bed, and laid her head on Rorek's pillow. Closing her eyes and sighing, feeling a little comforted when Rorek reached a hand out and began to pet her hair.

Gently smoothing the strands back and away from her face Raven gulped and curled into a small ball. Whispering so softly, so quietly the AC in the room was almost too loud for Rorek to pick up. Yet he heard her, but only because she repeated it sullenly, "I'm tired Rorek … so tired …"

Tired? Robin snorted in his head; you look exhausted! Ignoring his injury he leaned and moved the hair from the side of her face so he could whisper in her ear just as softly as she had, "Then go to sleep Raven … just go to sleep."

"I can't …" she droned on, even though her eyes stayed closed and her body was so relaxed along with her regulated breathing. Rorek already knew she was off, drifting into the darkness where time and space over lap one another and reality meant little to the mind. Kissing the side of her head he frowned deeply when she whimpered and curled into a tighter ball repeating once again, "… I can't … he won't let me …"

"Don't worry about him Raven," Rorek whispered reassuringly, "just count to ten."

"What's counting to ten supposed to do?" Rorek pulled up away from Raven to glare warningly at the pink haired Jinx that stood with her arms crossed and leaning her shoulder against the doorframe. Her face betraying no mockery of any kind. Waltzingright into the room and pulling up a chair that was supposed to be for the computer desk, quietly so to keep Raven asleep. Jinx blinked, "I thought sheep weren't really a working solution to insomnia. Besides, back at my place she was sleeping soundly."

Rorek scoffed and narrowed his light blue eyes at pink suspiciously catty eyes, he said, "You obviously don't know Raven very well do you? Sleep … to anyone of us … is like a distant dream."

Jinx snorted, "Oh the irony," snickering silently she chuckled, "so this "us" that you speak of … any one in particular?"

Agitated Rorek rubbed the sides of his head to keep the headache that was forming at bay, "No one that concerns you really. Now what is it you want?"

The girl smiled secretly and leaned back in her chair, shrugging she said, "Nothing really. Can't a navigator talk to another navigator without a catch?"

"I've read your record Jinx," Rorek sneered, "It's not very trusting either. A runaway rogue FBI agent under the command of Blackfire sets out and betrays officials. Letting Sin get away when you had her right in your hands during that episode with Control Freak … later even boosting her GT from the impound. Not very cop like might I add."

Jinx smug expression darkened and she bowed her head letting her bangs fall to cover over her eyes, she bit down on her lip and glanced to Raven, "It was a set up … you knew it Rorek, she knew it, Control Freak knew … and yesterday … was the same thing … they were setting her up. Angel and Robin … they were pawns that neither side predicted would interfere. That GT … it's revolutionary … if Trigon or Slade gets their hands on it … it's all over."

"Yes …" Rorek sighed and closed his eyes still petting Raven's hair to try and keep her from waking up, reopening them he glared at Jinx who was staring sympathetically at Raven, "but that doesn't explain what side you're on. You were after Sin with a passion, even more so obsessed with her then Blackfire."

"Maybe … but I had my reasons," Jinx sighed and stood up, walking to the window to stare down at the streets, "Sin … I wanted to know what drove her to do the things she does … how was it she found a way to be the ultimate outlaw to the point she became an idle to worship. It's funny you know … it was all so damn simple when I was an agent … but … when I was undercover as her classmate … and I got to know her … it was so funny I laughed and cried myself to sleep. Do you think … it's possible for Satan's Gladiator to ever follow him to heaven and ask for repentance?"

"…" silence … Rorek blinked when Jinx turned to stare at him. Her pink eyes shimmering with curiosity and fear … fear of what he wondered, but he had an idea. Maybe … maybe she was still afraid of what she'd do if he were to give her an answer to her rhetorical question. Because … this won't be the first time they've had a conversation like this … in fact it was a year prior when the school year began did this conversation take place. It was deafening, the silence … the loudest thing to make you think you've gone deaf. Rorek sighed and looked away to the door, staring at the crack on the bottom as if expecting someone to enter he gulped and slumped his head back against the wall. "…To be honest … unless the Temptress can learn to be brave, the Gladiator can never take off his mask and show face to the divine grace without fear."

Jinx raised a brow, "Since when has there been a Temptress?"

"Since the story began …"

--

Later that evening Angel had hung around his cousin and the others playing cards and either winning or getting beaten. Taunting Robin, and starting shit that didn't need to be started … however they may have been having a blast, Malchior in the living room was conversing with people on the phone all the while behind Herald's back and everyone else's. The scheming brother's head was ticking and tocking, revenge and pent up anger that he had been taken advantage of was all that was running through his mind. Enough to have him ignore everyone and continue on with his plans.

Oblivious to everyone, but those that knew Malchior well.

Jinx, she knew Malchior well enough to know that he'd just about be up to anything. There was nothing the guy couldn't do to get whatever he wanted. Though after her conversation with Rorek a while back in the day she couldn't really be mad or uneasy about the mysterious air that shrouded the household. Everyone at the table knew something … getting close to something … or was just curious. In the back of their minds it was clear that their precious little streets were slowly being corrupted by big business.

It was only a matter of time before a climax was reached.

"Hey Jinx," caught spacing out, Jinx blinked and shook her head, looking up to her cousin who was gesturing to Robin and Star both standing under the divider of the hallway and the kitchen. They were leaving, that much she understood, "You going with them or what?"

Did she have a choice?

Sometimes Angel could ask the most obvious questions it was almost stupid. Yet she dealt with him and shrugged tiredly, it was 6:45 anyway, she'll meet him back at the house. Waving a good-bye to everyone she walked towards the exit, but stopped when she almost ran into Raven. Static. Violet connected with pink and the air grew thick, almost unbearable to breath, at least for Jinx. Backing up and allowing for Raven to pass, Raven shook her head and gestured for Jinx to go on ahead to the door.

Jinx hesitantly walked by, but at the same time Raven swung herself around to the ground passing by and barely brushing shoulders, Jinx almost screamed bloody murder when her arm was grabbed. With Raven holding her tightly and breathing down her neck, Jinx gulped when she whispered Sinisterly, "Broken on the wheel, it's amazing how Lucifer can still ride upon the horse of Vanity … it's never hard to follow my violet streaks always galloping to find my humble virtue. The Temptress has nothing on me."

With a jerk, Raven pushed Jinx to the door and walked down the hall, "Angel, let's go, I have something important I have to look into at my place. Think you can drop me?"

Jinx stumbled back and turned to notice Angel was already coming down the hall, oblivious to what had occurred. It was hard for Jinx to image that Raven wouldn't have impeccable timing; after all it was like she was born to be a well-oiled machine. With no need to smile or feel, Jinx blinked and looked up to her cousin having missed what he had said in response to Raven. Angel walked by Jinx, but stopped and put a gentle hand on her shoulder, "Hey … you okay girl?"

Okay?

Was she okay?

How could she answer such a simple and stupid question?

Easy … play it off, smiling weakly she nodded and followed him outside splitting up to Robin's car, Jinx turned back to Angel. Only to see Raven waiting at the passenger side for Angel to unlock the car, her violet eyes boring into light pink orbs. It was hard for Jinx to hold her gaze and ended up shooting herself into Robin's car as fast as she could to get away from the glare that burned into her sockets.

Raven raised a brow, but snorted and turned to look up at Rorek who was gazing out his window with a sullen look. Without so much as a wave, Raven entered the Porsche and slammed the door shut. Allowing for Angel to drive her to her loft, Raven sighed and leaned her head on the cold glass window. Noticing the sudden depressed motion Angel tilted his head and asked innocently, "Wha'cha thinkin'?"

A peculiar question, Raven thought, instead of 'what's wrong' he asks what she's thinking. Shaking her head inwardly, Raven huffed and shrugged more so to herself thinking that she was analyzing things a little too much. Yet the motion of her shoulders wasn't enough for Angel, and before he could open his mouth she satisfied him halfway with a quiet answer, "Nothing that's important enough to talk about."

Angel chuckled, "Reverse psychology Rae, now you gotta' tell me."

Irritated Raven sat up and glared at Angel, That's the second time he called me Rae, "You know, I really don't gotta' tell you anything … and stop calling me 'Rae' it's 'Raven' to you."

"Raven huh?" Angel tilted his head away from her and glanced at her quickly, yet still keeping his eyes on the road he smirked, "Funny I always thought you look more like an 'Arnell' to me."

He waited for some kind of reaction that'll suggest anxiety, but she was good. Too good, because she scoffed and sighed tiredly, "Who?"

"Arnell," Angel shrugged, "you know, Arnell Roth, a chick that runs the famous Fear Itself Company? Yeah, I thought you'd know who she was considering … Trigon's your father and all."

Head now propped on her fist and elbow on the car door, she glanced to Angel thoughtfully and blinked. Angel looked to her and waited for an answer, she stared at him for a long time … how long he didn't count, but it was for a while. Until she turned away and stared up ahead at the setting sun, "Maybe I might of heard the name once or twice … I don't know, I've come in and out of the boardroom meetings so much and heard so much that it's hard to separate fact from lies. Besides … I'm not the one that's taking over Trigon's company … its Malchior, so he'd most likely know."

"So …" Angel noticed that he was coming up to her place and he slowed down a bit to park on the side of another house, he braced for Raven to question his methods. Yet she cooperated, knowing that it was even safer for them if there was a trap of some sorts. Getting out of the car and locking it, Angel waited for Raven before they started to walk down the street to her loft, "… you mean you've never made a single friend while you were in a big old mansion lovin' the highlife with a servant at your every beck and call?"

"Friends?" Raven shook her head slowly; sighing she looked up to the gently darkening sky, "Who has time for friends when training, schooling, and studies get in the way? Who has time for petty things as family bounding, socializing, or even for a little down time? Nobody, so why bother ask such a stupid question?"

"To hear a stupid answer I guess," Angel grinned when Raven scoffed and hurried on ahead, he kept up easy and continued, "I mean, you must have time for yourself … come on … you had time to go over and visit Rorek and Malchior right?"

Raven stopped abruptly and looked up to Angel, her violet eyes glazing over smoky and dull. With no shine or shimmer to betray what she was feeling, it disturbed Angel so much that even his grin diminished. "I went to visit them, but you just don't get it. I didn't go because I had time … I went because I had to, if anything were to happen to them then it's all over for me. I love them both very much … but I'm afraid business comes first … and with that said … well, I think you can mold the picture from then on, Angel."

With that she spared no expense and turned to continue on towards her loft, Angel following, but this time in silence. Trying to find a counter for her cold words, they really were cold … like weak icicles hovering over the top of his head breaking and falling to stab straight to his heart. It hurt … that she always had to be so cold … always had to be so … alone. Did she really? Did she really have to be alone? Away from everyone, isolate herself from people because 'business comes first'? Angel didn't – no, wouldn't – believe that … it was a hard reality that he wouldn't accept.

Though he couldn't say anything, because he didn't know how to word it without it not making any sense to a person that won't listen unless it did make sense in a sense that they thought it was logic. Get it? Looking up Angel noticed that they're finally arrived at her loft, going in through the lobby and riding the elevator to her floor. Angel watched as she walked up to her door and grabbed onto the door handle.

A brow was raised when he heard a consistent beeping noise then the knob glowed green stating her name in an electronic voice. She lifted her hand off the knob and pushed gently on the door. Instead of turning the knob like a door it slid in then to the right and hissed in compliance as Raven stepped in, "Watch your step."

Angel blinked and before he could look down his right foot stepped in and he nearly fell when he hadn't had paid attention to the steps that lead down into the loft. Tripping and flailing his arms out to help stop him self, Raven was the closest thing. Grabbing onto her shirt he pulled her down, she grabbed a hold of the wall and leaned on it. Turning and watching Angel fall to the ground she growled, "Didn't I say watch your step?"

Angel looked up and chuckled nervously, "What can I say? Falling's my favorite pass time."

"I'm sure it is," Raven sneered and stepped over him into her living room. Angel got up, dusted himself off feeling like an idiot he sighed and looked around making sure there weren't anymore stairs that he'll trip over. He stilled when he noticed the oddly decorated place that looked like a bunch of things could break with a single touch. That's when Raven shot back, "Don't touch anything and just wait in the kitchen. I won't be long."

Angel looked beyond the living room and watched her disappear behind a few dangling beads that touched the ground from the frame of the entrance. Glancing to his right where he saw the bar counter and behind that was the kitchen with an isle in the middle. He tilted his head in thought, should he listen to her this one time and stay or follow and try to cause a bit of trouble. A grin came to his face and he ended up going with the later.

He never listened to anyone else … why start listening to her?

With that decided he quietly stalked to the beads and grabbed the side, slowly and quietly moving it away so he could slip through, he smirked when he saw her room cracked open and dim light shone through the dark black hall. Possibly the last room in the hall, Angel snuck down and gently pushed the door even wider so he could slip through.

Yet before he could go all the way a hand gripped his shoulder outside in the hall and yanked him back. Grabbing a hold of the door it slammed shut when he was tripped out into the hall, stumbling back until his back hit the far wall he gritted his teeth and glared daggers at the person who did that to him, "You didn't have to be so violent!"

"I told you to stay in the kitchen," Raven growled back and glanced at the room with the lights on, "Don't you ever listen? That's Malchior's room. Lucky it was me that caught you and not him. Now get out!"

Pushing and shoving him back to the living room, Angel spun from her grasp and dusted his shoulder off, "I can walk ya know."

"Could have fooled me," Raven retaliated and threw the beads back so she could get through with Angel following, but stopped when she did. Brow raised he looked up to see what she was glaring at, and tensed when he saw someone that he knew wasn't in when they got here. Leaning on the bar counter with an apple in his hands and chewing delightfully on it, his ice-blue eyes reflecting the light that had been turned on.

Angel had to blink a couple of times to get the record straight, but he honestly thought that this was Rorek … only older. Same eyes, same hair color and style, however this guy's was wilder with various parts spiked. Tendrils' resting on both shoulders and much, much longer hair, pulled back into a neat ponytail, the thing that told Angel that this wasn't Rorek, was the grin on his face.

Rorek was too much of a good boy to grin the way this guy was grinning. Hell, Angel felt like he was getting a run for his money just seeing the way his cocky attitude swirled around him. Who was this guy? That was the thought that should have come first to mind … but with Raven near him the first thought for Angel was: Was he an alley or an enemy? Second came the: Who was he line, and the third was, why the hell was he chewing on an apple, and last was how the hell did he get in?

He winked, "Hey there little Rae-Rae, taking care of my little brother cause what I hear from Malchior wasn't very good. Said that I had to come down here and watch over you … I guess if it's not one's sibling it's the next huh? Oh and don't worry about how I came in I closed the door this time, you really got to remember to lock your place up nice and tight."

Raven crossed her arms over her chest and sneered, "Don't worry, and I'll remember to check if Malchior rewired the system to let rats into my complex."

"Good, because I thought I saw a big one just scurry on by," the Rorek-look-alike chuckled and bit into the apple once more, Angel shook his head.

"Okay, so you are …?"

"He's Ronan …" Raven sighed tiredly rubbing the sides of her head with her fingers trying to keep the headache that she was having at bay, " … Rorek's older brother … and second ranked of the 13 Nightriders."

Ronan winked again, "You got that right cutie."

Angel blinked and sighed; Rorek has a brother ...?