While the old doctor stitched up her side, Starfire stared at the ceiling, her brow furrowed. Robin sat sulkily in a chair next to Twain, who cocked a hip against the arm, notebook in hand.

"So, can you tell me exactly what happened?"

Starfire bit her lip when the doctor pulled on the string, lacing her flesh back together. "We were heading to Wyatt's—"

"Who's Wyatt?" Starfire lowered her head to glare at Twain for interrupting her. "Mallory's past relationship, Christian's father, and not important."

"Hmm." Twain scribbled something down after asking his last name. "Continue."

Snipping the end of the thread, the doctor started to bandage her up. "We were on the way to Wyatt's and were just talking. Mallory made a comment about hating being alone on the road, but said that we where not unaccompanied. There was a car behind us. We ignored it and continued to converse. She had glanced behind her and said that the vehicle behind us was gaining speed. I turned, and it was true. One minute he was yards behind us, then on our 'tail' as Beast Boy says. Mallory wanted to pull over, but the road was too narrow. Then the bridge came into view. Before we could do anything, the truck hit the back of her car, trying to run us off. Mallory controlled it, but then the truck…I think it was dark, maybe red or maroon, and it swerved to where it was beside us." Her eyebrows drew together. "And then he hit the side of the vehicle and we were thrown into the river. I got Christian and Mallory out, and you can fill in the rest from there."

Starfire glanced at them to find them staring at her. Even the doctor had stopped working to gawk at her. "I am only telling it as it happened."

Snapping out of his shock, Twain rubbed his temple. "So someone tried to run you off the road?"

"Yes."

"Do you think they were after Mallory or you or just some freak who likes to try and kill people?"

The doctor patted her thigh, cutting off her reply. "Alright, little lady. Now, I want you to go home and go to sleep. You have a minor concussion, nothing serious, but we don't want to risk it. I think it would be best if you stayed home for a few days…" The doctor scribbled down a prescription and a note excusing her from school. "Now, I think it would be best if your little friend," he motioned toward Robin," stayed with you those days incase your concussion acts up."

Starfire stood up, pulling her sweater over her white, bloodied undershirt. "Now, I know you'll want to take a shower, but I don't want you to get that bandage wet, so you'll have to deal with a sponge bath for the next day or so."

Starfire caught Robin's look of mischief and glared at him. "Alright."

"Now," shoving the paper at Starfire, the doctor stood. He barley hit Starfire's chest. "Go get this filled, get something to eat, take a nice, hot sponge bath, and get as much rest as possible. Now, shoo."

Twain mentioned that he had to get home, and promised that he would get the rest of the information from her in the morning.

Once outside, Robin grabbed Star's arm gently. "Starfire, are you sure someone tried to kill you?"

She cocked her head, her eyes narrowing. "I do not think we were pushed off the road by some imaginary being."

Robin glared. "Look Star—"

Starfire sighed, pulling him close so she could lay her head on his shoulder. She felt him relax and wrapped his arm around her waist. His fingers toyed with the ripped shreds of her sweater as they walked to his car.

"So," he said after a comfortable pause, helping her into the vehicle with a roguish grin. "Need help with that sponge bath?"


Beast Boy watched Raven cook with a grin. He had never really stopped to watch her when she cooked in the tower, but now, as she turned to read something out of the cookbook, he realized how amusing it really was. Raven had never really had much patience, and the same rule applied at cooking. She was constantly cursing vegetables and shoving wisps of hair from her forehead.

"Damnit it all to hell and back." Raven slammed down a large knife, shoving her bleeding finger into her mouth. It was nothing but a scratch, but it was the forth one in less than ten minutes. "Next time you suggest I make a meal, I swear I will dismember you."

Beast Boy chuckled, straddling a chair in the dining room next to the kitchen. "You didn't have to comply, ya know."

"Comply?" She raised an eyebrow as she rinsed her finger under cold water. "What is that, your word of the day? It's not like you to use intelligent words, Beast Boy."

Taking no offence, Beast Boy laced his fingers together and bent them downwards, popping them. "I heard you use it once and looked it up. Sounds kinda cool comin' from me, huh?" He watched her wrap a Band-Aid around her index finger.

She returned to chopping, this time being as careful as she could. "Sure. It's outstanding."

"I know." Folding his arms across the chair, he leaned his chin on them. "Hey, Rae?"

"Hmm?" She scraped the vegetables off into a large pan, wiping her hands on the adorable dark blue apron she wore over her large T-shirt and pajama bottoms.

"Do you ever plan on…getting involved with anyone?" Like me, perhaps?

Surprised, she turned to face him, tucking a stray piece of dark hair behind her ear. "Excuse me?"

"Don't make me ask again, Rae," he said softly. It was embarrassing enough that he asked and repeating it would be torture.

She swallowed, rubbing her palms against her sides. "Why?"

He shook his head, staring at a spot above her head. "It just seems like…" He sighed. "Never mind. I should have never brought it up in the first place."

She watched him, searching his eyes for an answer. Finding nothing but embarrassment, she returned to her cooking.

After a long stretch of uncomfortable silence, Beast Boy cleared his throat and asked, "So, what are you cooking?"

"Spaghetti. No meat, though, so your free to eat it if you want."

Suddenly, the phone shrilled, causing Raven to jump. It was just this afternoon that Raven had gone by to get her phone cut on, and Twain had given the number to only Robin and Starfire.

Reaching for the cordless on the wall next to the refrigerator, Raven answered a typical, "What?"

Beast Boy smiled at her tone of impatience. She tucked the phone between her shoulder and cheek to stir the cooking noodles. "What?" Grabbing the phone, she pressed it closer to her ear. "Are you serious? Was she hurt? What happened? Where are you? Are you at the hospital?"

Raven paused to listen to whoever was on the other side. "Are you sure? I don't need to come over there or anything?"

Confused, Beast Boy waited patiently for her to get off the phone.

"Well…as long as you're sure she's okay…alright, bye." Hanging up, Raven propped a hip against the counter. "That was Robin."

Beast Boy waited for her to continue. She didn't. "And…?" He probed, using his hands to emphasize his point.

"Oh." She rubbed her temple. "Star was in a wreck earlier."

Beast Boy blinked. "I take it she's okay, seeing as you're not rushing over there or panicking or anything."

"Yeah." Grabbing a wooden spoon, she started to stir. "Robin said she has a mild concussion and needed a few stitches, but other than that, she's fine. The girl she was riding with was seriously hurt, but is not in any real danger of dying. He wouldn't tell me what happened because he had to argue with her or something, but they won't be at school tomorrow."

Beast Boy nodded, standing up from the chair. "As long as she's alright…" Slowly, he walked to her, like a cat hunting his prey, and she gave him a what-are-you-up-to glare.

Behind her now, Beast Boy grabbed her hips, molding her against him. With a tug, he pulled down her shirtsleeve, baring her shoulder and nipping her skin lightly.

"It's been awhile since I kissed you, Raven," he murmured, trailing his lips up her jaw, gently taking her earlobe between his teeth. She groaned, leaning against him, before she managed, "The food."

"Forget it, Rae." She turned to stove off before he twisted her to face him, lifting her off her feet and sitting her on the counter, his mouth demanding, yet soft against hers. Lifting the apron above her head and tossing it carelessly to the floor, he slid his hands beneath her large shirt, groaning when his hand came in contact with hot, silken skin.

"You've changed since we left the tower," she moaned, her breath catching as he skillfully unhooked her bra.

"I should hope so. I was so damn timid around you, always acting like an idiot to hide my attraction. Anyway, you would have killed me if I did this at the tower." She gasped softly as he explored the exposed flesh hidden beneath the bra he had just thrown carelessly to the floor.

"Beast Boy, I think…" Trying to rein in her raging hormones and smother the heat pooling in her stomach, Raven groaned. "Don't you think were going a little too fast?"

Nipping her neck one last time, Beast Boy rested his forehead against the crook of her shoulder, taking in the scent of her; soap and pure woman. "Yeah…I guess we are." To him, they were going way too slow, but he knew that this would be her first physical relationship with anyone, and he wanted her to enjoy it. If she wasn't ready, then he would just wait. What joy that would be.

Gently, he pulled her to her feet, his hands sliding from her chest, to her waist, and finally to her back, gently massaging her spine. Raven knew it was not like her, that she would end up pulling back down her façade of malice, but she curled her fingers in his shirt, resting her head against his chest, his heartbeat calming against her ear. It was comforting to know it was beating wildly because of her…or at least she hoped it was because of her. Damn her low self-esteem. Couldn't she, for just one minute, relish in the fact that his heart beat for her and not something else? Obviously not.

Giving her a small squeeze, Beast Boy stepped back, calmly picking her discarded bra from the floor and handing it to her like it was nothing more than a slip of paper.

"You might wanna slip that back on before I jump ya again." He grinned, propping a hip against the counter while she turned her back to him, slipping her arms inside her T-shirt to secure the bra.

He chuckled softly. "Come on, Rae."

She turned her head briefly to glare at him as she clasped the garment back together. With a flick of her wrist, she set the fire going and continued to cook, resting all her weight on one foot. When heat rose from the pot, she grabbed garlic bread and popped it in the oven, trying desperately to control her heartbeat. It should have stopped beating so hard, right?

"Come on, Raven," Beast Boy moaned, rubbing his flat stomach. "I'm starving. If I can't snack on you, then the least you can do is hurry with the cooking."

He laughed as her face heated to a bright red.


Ethan stared at Hannah, quiet rudely, actually, from the floor. He had stayed there for thirty minutes after the fall, just staring. Hannah had gotten so bored that she closed her eyes and started to drift back off into sleep.

Ethan wouldn't have it though. "Whoa, hold on a minute."

Groggily, she watched him scramble up from the floor and bound over to the chair beside her bed, almost tipping the thing over in his rush to get beside her. Eyes slightly unfocused, Hannah glared. "Not to be rude but what are you doing here? Did someone pay you, or is this just for the media and your reputation as a person?"

He blinked, taken aback. If Hannah didn't know this…person better, she would have said he was innocent. But Ethan Matthews cared more about himself than her. He had not talk to her once, or even defended her when she was being beaten. Frankly, she would rather be alone in this hospital than have him here so he could look good, no matter how good it had felt to open her eyes and see him there.

Running a hand through his already unruly hair, he leaned back in the chair. "Why would you think I was here for my reputation?"

"Don't be so stupid," she mumbled, not having the strength to really talk. Her shoulder and knee burned painfully and she was so tired. Her brain was still fuzzy, as was the reason she was here in the first place. Oh, yes, she remembered being kidnapped by the White Rose Killer and escaping, but the place and face were just blurs.

She watched the confusion wash over his handsome face as he rubbed a hand over his eye. "Didn't know I was being stupid."

Sighing, she rested her injured arm across her stomach to somewhat elevate it. Man, her shoulder felt like it was ripped from her joint. Oh…right…it had been.

"Yes, well, you are. You know good and well that your not here for me--"

"Oh, yeah right." She blinked at his sudden outburst, not really expecting it. "I ended up leaving my home defending you, and you say I'm here for my appearance to the public. I almost had to use my damn scholarship money to find a home for you when you woke from you coma and got out of here. God forbid I be here because I wanted to. I'm just a cold bastard who only thinks about himself." Pushing back his chair, he almost stormed from the room, but she grabbed his sleeve, gasping in pain when the move jerked her shoulder.

All anger left as he panicked, trying to make sure she was comfortable as she slowly laid her arm back down, her jaw clenched as she bit back the sting of tears.

"Jesus, Hannah. I'm so sorry. Are you okay? Should I go get a doctor? Nurse?"

She shook her head, taking a deep breath before saying, "Are you…serious?"

Bewildered, he though back to what he had said earlier. "Uh…about getting a doctor?"

She groaned, rolling her eyes heavenward. "About you defending me. Did you…actually defend me to him?"

There was such hope in her weary eyes that he wanted to reach out and hold her, obliterate all bad memories of her past. He gave her a crooked smile. "Yeah. I did. Lost my room there, too. Ooh, that reminds me. I need to start looking for a home."

She was looking at him so softly, like it was the greatest thing anyone had done for her. Uncomfortable, he glanced around for the newspaper he had gotten earlier that morning so he could read the comics. They had job offers and house rentals in the paper, right?

"I…don't know what to say…"

He gave her a lopsided grin that had her heart skipping a few beats. "No need to say anything, really. I was going to happen sooner or later." He blushed madly when she thanked him. Hell, it would have been better if she had said nothing and left it alone, though he did feel like a king, the way she looked at him. Leave it to Hannah to make him feel like a god.

"I'm just wondering why you didn't do it sooner." His good mood fled, replacing a deep guilt that he would never rid of, no matter how old he grew or how much he pushed it aside.

"Yeah…so am I." He glanced away from her, finding it hard now to look at her without feeling the heart-crushing shame. Maybe now that she was awake, he could go to Helga's, stay there for awhile while he tried to work up a new life. He would somehow send money to her so she could start her own life, and never have to deal with her again.

But what he needed now was fresh air and some Aspirin for his pounding head. That fall of the bed had taken a toll on him, seeing as his head had broken the fall. He stood slowly, shoving his hands in his jean pockets.

She watched him, her skin pale, too pale and her eyes clouded with guilt. "Look, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it that way. It wasn't your place to do anything about what had happened. If I were in your shoes, I probably would have done the same."

Concerned, he sat back down. "Can we just…let this go until you have the strength to fight back? I mean, you just woke up and there's already too much stress going on, so—"

"Ethan?"

He broke off. "Yeah?"

"I can't thank you enough."

He blushed, which Hannah found completely adorable. "Er…for defending you? I thought you already thanked me for that." His eyes widened. "I didn't mean that I'm not glad, no, I mean that, er, uh, that you don't have to thank me…no, yeah. Er, I was happy to do it…yeah."

She gave him a melodious, weary chuckle. Weakly, her eyes drifted shut, her long eyelashes resting softly against her cheeks, cheeks, he now realized, that were sprinkled with faint freckles. She sighed, lifting her eyelids and gazing at him. Her eyes were a striking blue, striped with traces of gold and green, though now, they were dull with fatigue and pain. "I just wanted to thank you for staying with me."

Hannah gave a deep chuckle as he blushed a deep scarlet. "You're not used to complements, are you?"

He snorted to hide his embarrassment. "'Course I get complements. Get 'em all the time from…women."

She glowered. "Yeah, I'm sure you do." Then, she muttered under her breath, "Every time you take them to your bed."

"Now that's getting personal."

She lifted her good hand to push a stray gold curl behind her ear. "And I'm really getting tired."

He nodded, standing slowly. She watched as he stretched his stiff muscles, enjoying the way his black shirt defined his muscled chest. He let out a sigh. "I'm gonna go…find something interesting to do."

She nodded, already drifting back to sleep. "'Night, Hannah."

"Goodnight, Ethan."

He left whistling. Maybe he was starting to get on her good side now. At least, he hoped he was.


Unlocking the door, Robin strolled into her apartment as if he lived there. Dropping the keys on the small end-table she had placed near the door, Robin turned to her, fishing out the prescription he had stuffed into his leather jacket earlier.

"Alright, here's the plan. I'll go get you something to eat while you rest, then when I come back, you can eat, sponge bathe or whatever, and go straight to bed. Tomorrow, I'll fill your medication, and then we'll go from there."

Pressing a hand slightly to her side, Star rolled her eyes heavenward. "And…if I don't obey?"

Robin blinked at her sudden challenge. Uh, since when did Star act so…so…seductive? He better have been the one to teach her that….

"Er…" He stared stupidly as she walked past him slowly, already working her sweatshirt above her head. Holding the torn clothing in front of her to inspect the damage, Starfire sighed. "I guess this is of no use anymore. I will never be able to get all the blood off."

There was a hollow feeling in his stomach as she said that. That was her blood coating the sweater. What if…what if her injuries had been more that just a deep cut? What if she had…had…died? Nauseous, Robin shook the thought away. He couldn't think like that. No, a life without having Star would be like…living in hell. Whoa, not that he meant having Starfire, like, in a relationship, but just her…being around…like a friend. Groaning inwardly, Robin grabbed the piece of clothing from her to inspect it himself.

Damn. The entire side was covered in blood, the slash in it long and jagged. As he glanced up to see the dark red on her white undershirt, he defiantly thought he would be sick. Now, the sight of blood usually never bothered him, but now…now was diffrent.

Lowering the shirt, Robin said softly, "Maybe you should go ahead and wash off."

She nodded before a twinkle sparkled in her green eyes. She walked to him, stopping when she was mere inches from him. "Are you going to…" She glanced up at him with a wicked smile "Help me? I don't think I could do it by myself…"

Gulping, Robin let her take his hand and lead him to the bathroom. Dear God, this woman was going to drive him to insanity.


Lex Twain stared at the ceiling, his mind a whirlwind of questions. Had the White Rose Killer been the one to run the titan off the road? Or was it just some freak playing a game? But the didn't make any sense. If that were the case, why them, why the titan girl? Could it have just been a coincidence? Could it have been that they were at the wrong place at the wrong time? But Twain didn't believe in coincidence. With all the years he had been a police officer, it was rare to find a case where the murder, rape, or robbery had been a coincidence. Well, maybe the victim of a rape, but this was different. Who would run a person off the road for the fun of it? And, who knew, maybe it had been a coincidence, but he had to think that it was not an accident.

His wife groaned, rolling over so she was spooned against his side. Well, her stomach was.

"Come on, Lex. It's late and you're still up." She sighed, resting her head against his shoulder.

He stroked her hair, lying his head on hers. "I can't sleep."

"Still thinking about the White Rose Killer?"

"Sort of."

She lifted her head to look at him. "What do you mean 'sort of'?"

He groaned. "Come on, Kate. I don't want to talk about this now."

Her eyes narrowed. "Alexander James Twain, just because I'm not working as you partner anymore doesn't mean that you can keep your cases from me. You know I will find out, even if I have to drag it out of you."

He sighed. "You shouldn't have to worry about things like this anymore. You're not working on the force anymore."

She gave an unladylike snort. "That's only because that bastard snuck up on me and fired. I would still be there if you and the boss would have let me."

"It's a damn good thing he told you that you couldn't go back. You almost died, Katelynn." uniform as he held her. The great and mighty Alexander Twain had cried for the first time in years that day as he had cradled his dying love in his arms.

She sighed, lying her head back down. "Yeah, I know. But I'm still alive and kickin'." She grimaced. "Speaking of kicking, these two are on a roll." She pressed a hand to her bulging belly. "I still can't believe we're having twins."

"Yeah, hope we have enough room." Thankful for the change of topic, Twain sighed, closing his eyes, letting the soft sent of his wife coax him to slumber.

"'Course we do." She shifted, sliding her leg between his. "Now, let's get back to what is keeping you up all night."

He groaned. "Come on, Kate—"

"Oh, no, you'll tell me."

Knowing her mood swings, he agreed. "Fine." Taking a deep breath, he told his wife about hiring the titans, how the White Rose Killer had suddenly starting attacking people, breaking his own flow, and the wreck.

"Damn, you do have yourself a complicating case."

"Yeah."

She was quite for a shirt moment, obviously thinking off a tie between the events. When she had been his partner, she had always been the one to track down a suspect. She could dissect clues, places, people, and events with just her mind. That had been the reason she was almost killed.

Finally, she said, "Lex…?"

"Hmm?"

"What if," she sat up to peer down at him, her eyes troubled, "what if The White Rose Killer knows the titans are behind this?"


Well, there ya go. I am finally finished with this chapter. I know there wasn't much BB/Rae, but the next, oh, two chapters will be about them. I got a lot planned for the two. So…until next time!