Raven rolled around in her bed, willing the images to leave her mind. It had been a week since the mind meld, and things had been awkward between Raven and her leader. He was his normal self around Cyborg, Beast Boy, and Starfire. And she behaved the same around the other three. As for her and her 'oh so fearless leader,' they acted like middle schoolers who accidentally…hugged each other. They couldn't look each other in the eye; Robin no longer sparred with her; he no longer paired up with her on missions; it was…strange. Cyborg seemed to notice the odd synergy between the two – he was smart enough to not say anything to the two. Starfire and Beast Boy were either clueless or really good at pretending to be. Raven was leaning more to the former. She sighed once more. This wouldn't do. Every time she closed her eyes, images of that fateful night at the circus would play in her head over and over and over again. She hadn't meant to go that deep into his mind; but he'd been dying at the time. Raven couldn't, wouldn't let a teammate die on her watch – especially a teammate she considered to be a close friend. She kicked her covers off. It was too hot; she needed a…swim? Wait…what? A swim? She looked out her window at the star-filled sky. It was a very, hot evening. And, even though the idea of swimming came out of nowhere, it seemed like a good idea. She'd been living here for almost 3 years and had yet to try the pool located on the roof. She would always watch her teammates swim, but she never gave herself the chance to really enjoy it. Raven walked over to her dresser and began digging through her drawers for a swimsuit. She found her one-piece black one and paused. She looked towards her closet and froze. Why not? No one would be around. She opened her closet with her powers and telepathically grabbed the black two-piece – a gift from Starfire, still wearing the tags. It came with a sheer coverup. Oh, why not?

She changed in record time and teleported to the roof – which had been a not so good idea, because Robin sat in one of the pool chairs, facing her…in his swim trunks…shirtless…without a mask. (The sudden urge to swim suddenly made sense.) They both stared at each other, neither knowing what to say to the other. Raven really wanted to leave, but his eyes…those vibrant blue irises…had her pinned, daring her to move. And so, to keep the awkwardness alive, Raven said the only thing that came into her mind. "B-Blue," she stuttered. Blue? That's what she...she wanted to die. Robin softened his stare. "I – I'm sorry," Raven said, immediately wrapping her coverup around her. "I can-" she turned to go.

"Wait, please," Robin stood to his feet. Raven looked back at him using all of her mental power to look at his forehead and not his eyes…or his muscled chest…or his abs. "Can we talk?" he asked, motioning with his hand to the pool chair next to his. Raven nodded. "Sure." She nervously made her way over to him before sitting across from him. Violet eyes met blue ones before she looked away. "Sorry," Raven said still not looking at him, "I wasn't expecting anyone to be up here at 2 a.m."

"It's okay," she heard Robin say. "Raven, you can look at me." She really didn't want to, but she couldn't very well be rude to him. She slowly turned to face him. "Besides, it's not like you don't already know who I am," he said almost bitterly. Raven's face fell. "I was only trying to save your life," she said. "I didn't know what else to do. You were scaring Starfire; Cyborg and Beast Boy were ready to have you committed. And it's not like I was trying to pry into your life," Raven could feel her anger rising. "I have my own demons to worry about, I certainly don't need to worry about yours!" she flinched as an unoccupied chair exploded. She really needed to get this mind-meld thing under control. "Sorry," she said standing to her feet. "I'm gonna go."

"No," Robin grabbed her hand. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean – I shouldn't have said it like that. I know you were only doing what you had to do." He gently pulled on her arm, wanting her to sit back down. She did so with a sigh. "Thank you, for saving me," Robin said apologetically. "I should have thanked you sooner. And I'm sorry I didn't." Raven only blinked. "What exactly did you see?"

"Not as much as you think I did," Raven began to explain. "I felt more than I saw. But, I did see two people falling to their death. I was…on a ledge or something. And there were ropes, and…it didn't really make any sense. I mostly felt fear, a whole lot of fear. And shock. And unbelief. I saw an old guy drinking tea, a batcave which I'm guessing is Batman's fortress or whatever. A really nice house called Wayne Manor, and the world's creepiest clown." Robin cleared his throat and shifted uncomfortably before asking, "Do you know what any of that means?"

"Nope."

"Did you research or try to figure out what it…?"

"No," Raven shook her midnight blue hair. "That's your past. If you want me to know anything, you'll tell me. I wasn't going to go snooping behind your back. I think I've invaded your privacy enough." Robin's face visibly relaxed. Was that what he had been worried about – she would go digging into his past? "Weren't you curious?" he asked with a quirked brow. Raven shrugged one shoulder. "It doesn't matter. It's your business. I try not to think about it." Robin nodded. They both sat in an uncomfortable silence until Robin said, "They were my parents."

"What?" Raven asked, not understanding.

"The two people falling. They were my parents," he explained. "I come from a family of trapeze artists. We were circus performers." Raven scoffed. "I told Bee you didn't have a swimmer's body," she muttered, thinking back to a weird conversation she had with Bumble Bee about crushes. Raven's eyes then widened in horror, and she immediately covered her mouth with both hands. Had she said that out loud? She looked at Robin. His face was one of amusement and shock. What was it about Robin that made her lower her walls subconsciously? "You stare at my body?" he asked incredulously with a smile on his face.

"No," Raven screeched as a basketball in the corner of the roof exploded.

"Feel free to look," he said with a drop-dead gorgeous smile that had Raven blushing and feeling things she only thought people in love felt.

"So you grew up in a circus," she said, going back to their previous topic.

"Yeah," he said as he got a faraway look in his eye.

"What was it like?" Raven asked, bringing her legs up to her chest.

"It was amazing," he looked at her with a charming smile. "We were all one, big, happy family. And you don't see that in a lot of circuses. We sometimes crossed paths with circus owners who were downright cruel. But Haley's wasn't like that. He seemed to genuinely care about us." His smile slowly fell from his face. His change in mood was poignant. "One night, these gangsters tried to push Haley around – offering protection for a price or something. My father stepped in. Sent them on their way. The gang leader and his men messed with the wires right before our act. Both of my parents' wires snapped mid-way through our routine." Raven inhaled sharply. "I stood on my marker, waiting for my turn. Instead I watched my parents fall to their death," he finished with a look in his eye that said he was reliving the moment.

"Robin," Raven said, grabbing his hand without thinking, pulling him back to reality.

"Oh," he said, focusing on her. "I was in the foster system for two days before a rich guy took me in." Raven cocked her head to the side in question. "That's where I lived. Wayne Manor."

"You lived in a manor?" Raven asked, thinking about a book she had read earlier that week. "Like Thornfield Hall?"

"What?" Robin asked.

"The manor in Jane Eyre," Raven said with a slight blush. "That's…I just read that book."

"I guess," Robin said, "I never actually read that book. But the place is ginormous. I didn't know that they even built mansions that big. To this day, I still don't know how many bedrooms are in that place."

"So, you're wealthy," Raven stated. "Really wealthy."

"No, the man who took me in is wealthy."

"You mean to tell me you don't have a bank account in your name that you have complete control over? You mean to tell me that bank account doesn't have an exorbitatnt amount of money in it that you have complete control over?" Raven asked with a raised brow. Robin opened his mouth to explain, but then closed it. He opened it again, only to close it a second time. "I…have…money," he said slowly.

"Why'd you leave Gotham?" Raven asked. Robin's face hardened as his grip on her hand tightened. "You don't have to tell me," Raven whispered.

"I had an argument," Robin answered.

"With the guy who gave you a lot of money?"

"Something like that," Robin breathed.

"I'm assuming the guy who adopted you and your mentor are one in the same." Robin stared at her in slight awe. "I'm not an idiot," Raven said. "I put 2 and 2 together. It's not like I know Batman's secret identity."

"I just told you I lived at Wayne Manor."

"And those words mean nothing to me. I'm not from here; I don't know Wayne. The Titans are the only people I know. And I already told you I won't research anything you tell me. If you want me to know, I'll know."

"Huh," Robin said, finally realizing Raven was probably the one person who he could trust. The one person he could tell his secrets to and not worry about her blabbing to someone. Someone he could really be honest with. Also, it never really occurred to him that Raven was as alien as Starfire. "I saw things, too," he admitted softly and shamefully. This entire time he'd been giving her a hard time for peeping into his mind when he'd been allowed to do the same thing. "Excuse me?" she asked, withdrawing her body a little. "What do you mean?" Robin could see the worry in her gaze. Shocking, since she hid her emotions as well as Bruce hid his. "You didn't just see into my mind, Raven," Robin said. "I saw into yours, too." Raven froze. Her whole world stopped. Her mind raced with questions. What had he seen? How much had he seen? Who did he see? "Why didn't you tell me?" Raven finally asked.

"I don't know."

"This whole time I've been worried about – but you…"

"I know. I'm sorry."

"What did you see, Robin?" she demanded. Robin sighed. "Like you," he began, "I felt more than I saw. I saw beautiful galaxies; gorgeous palace walls; vibrant life." The more Robin spoke, the sicker Raven felt. He was describing Azarath as it used to be. "I saw a very old woman, and another woman who looked like you if you were older. There were white birds. I want to say doves, but I'm unsure." Robin paused for a brief second as if he was gathering his thoughts. "And then I saw red. It was like, blood raining from the sky. I didn't see people screaming, but I heard them. I hear them when I sleep, sometimes. It's like I'm right there watching it happen."

"It happen?" Raven repeated as her hands fell limp in Robin's.

"Yeah. It. I don't know what it is, but it's awful," he paused again trying to remember what else he saw in Raven's mind. "I remember shaking…but not from cold. From shock. I remember feeling…terrified. And it felt like I was crying. Is any of this making sense to you?" he looked up at Raven. Her face looked like it had been carved from stone. "Raven?" he intertwined their fingers, bringing her back to the present. "Raven, what do I keep seeing? What do I keep dreaming about?" Raven opened her mouth, but no words came out. She needed to meditate. She needed to shut down this meld…or bond. She stood abruptly; Robin stood with her. "Raven."

"I need to go. I need to meditate," she turned to leave, but Robin gripped her hands tighter…but not enough to hurt her. "Robin," she gasped hoping the fear she felt was not showing on her face.

"I dream of something else," Robin said quickly as he looked deep into her eyes, deep into her soul. "I dream of…someone else. At least I think it's a person. Four eyes. Laughing. Like he's enjoying someone else's pain. I can't see him clearly. All I see are the eyes…but you're there. You're always there. And you're terrified. You're scared to death." Robin looked down at their hands. Raven's eyes widened when she realized her hands were trembling. Robin looked back at her with his blue eyes. He peered at her, studied her. Raven felt a probing at the back of her mind. Was that him! How'd he…was he trying to…Raven was floored. "I can feel your emotions," he said as he continued to stare at her deeply. "There's something you're afraid of; something you are scared to death of; something you would very much like to keep locked away and buried." Raven yanked her hands away from his, nearly tripping over her chair as she backed away. She'd had enough of the psych analyzation. "What was that?" Robin asked. "How could I feel your emotions? How was I able to…I don't know…read your mind?" his blue eyes were filled with questions. Questions that Raven did not want to answer. She rubbed her hands together, still backing away from him, still gaping at him. "Raven," Robin said her name worriedly, "what's wrong? What did I-"

"I'm going to fix this mind meld," she interrupted him, "find some way to undo it." She then disappeared into a portal, ignoring her name being called from Robin's lips.

Raven woke up late the next morning, around 8 a.m. She put on her classic leotard and cape and sleepily walked into the kitchen for some tea. She almost stumbled when she saw Robin leaning against the counter, mask and shirt on – thank goodness. Wait, was he waiting for her? He looked up when he saw her. "Morning," he said in an annoying I-slept-great way.

"Morning," she said unsure of herself. This was new territory. She and Robin never talked this early. Ever. Actually, she and Robin never really spoke to each other at all. They said the usual greetings and what not, but that was it. "I was thinking you and I could train together like we used to," he said. Raven nearly dropped the full kettle. What? "N-now?" Raven asked.

"Hmm…an hour? The other three won't be up until noon…or later. I didn't realize until last night how little I know about you."

"You know enough," Raven said in slight protest.

"But I don't know you," Robin pointed out.

"There's nothing to know," Raven said as she grabbed a teabag from the cupboard. "Nothing remotely interesting about me."

"Now we both know that's a lie," Robin said with his classic, cocky smirk.

"Wouldn't you rather get to know the others?" Raven asked desperately.

"I know them well enough. Starfire and I even went out on a few dates. Beast Boy and I sometimes go to the arcade together. Cyborg and I like cars. You and I haven't hung out at all."

"Nothing wrong with that," Raven muttered. She liked her solitude, her bubble, her comfort zone.

"We've lived together for almost three years," said with a laugh. "I should know more about you than your height and weight."

"You know my favorite beverage," Raven said, holding up her mug.

"Everyone knows your favorite beverage, Raven," Robin said with what Raven assumed was an eye roll. "I don't know you. I don't even know your favorite color." Raven looked down at her uniform. "And I know it's not black," Robin said, reading her mind.

"What makes you think it's not black?" Raven asked curiously.

"A few weeks ago, when the Titans East came over and we played truth or dare – Beast Boy asked your favorite color."

"I answered."

"You said, 'I wear black'. You didn't say it was your favorite color."

"So, you're saying if I tell you my favorite color, we won't have to hang out?" Raven asked. Robin's face grew serious. "You don't want to hang out with me?" he questioned.

"No, that's not what I meant," Raven spoke hastily, afraid she had hurt her leader's feelings. "I just – I just meant –" she stopped when a smile appeared on Robin's face. "You're not funny," she said. Robin gave her a playful shove. "I'll see you in an hour," he said with a smile. Raven turned back to her tea. "By the way," Robin spoke before leaving the kitchen. "It's Richard." Raven looked at him, not understanding. "My name," Robin said, "my real name is Richard. Richard Grayson."

"I didn't ask," Raven said, not understanding why he told her.

"I know. You should look up The Flying Graysons. We had quite a following. Also, I am very rich. You should research Wayne Manor while you're learning about me." He turned and disappeared behind the sliding doors before Raven could say anything else.

Robin strolled confidently into the gym. He had realized something after Raven disappeared mid-conversation. She was hiding something. But he wouldn't be able to force her to tell him. The more he pushed, the more walls she would put up. No, if he wanted Raven to confide in him, he would have to trust her with some of his secrets. That's why he told her his real name. And who knew? Maybe one day, they would become the best of friends.