A/N: There is a T rated and M rated version of this story. Make sure you're on the one you prefer. This is the T rated version.)

Chapter 2

Raven had been reclusive over the last few days. She hadn't spent any time in the common room, she had taken her meals at odd hours, and she had avoided the rest of her team even more than usual. Not that anyone had really noticed. She did this sometimes, retreating from them and from the world. And the Titans were all busy on their search for Red X.

Robin had returned to the tower with Raven after their last encounter with him, ensuring that she was fine and that she was sure that Red X hadn't crossed the line any further than she had already divulged. His concern was particularly touching to her, but as soon as he was convinced she was okay he had thrown himself into his hunt for Red X. The last few days had been a blur of being sent on leads and monitoring criminal activity in the city for all the Titans as Robin directed the search.

Raven leaned back in her chair, holding a mug of tea in her hands, sighing in relief. This tea shop had her favorite cream earl grey blend and it had been her favorite spot for quite some time. It was small and quiet, and silence was in short supply these days. She had finally managed to escape the tower today without detection, relieved at not having to explain herself and her self imposed seclusion.

She found that lately she did not know what to think.

And that annoyed her.

Their last encounter with Red X had shaken her to her core. The strangeness of his actions was one thing, but what concerned her most was her reaction to it all. She had lost control of one of her suppressed emotions and it had taken the lead. It had practically taken over. She hated losing control but losing control usually just meant things breaking and taking flight around her. This was different. This time her loss of control meant she did something she hadn't intended to do; something against her will.

Either that or it wasn't truly against her will and somehow she felt that might be worse.

Her hands clenched around the mug and she stared of out the window. She had spent a lot of time in Nevermore after that night, but her emotions were warring and just being there around it was draining. She hadn't been able to calm either side and now she felt just as confused and equally exhausted.

She pulled her zip up hoodie tighter around herself, nudging the bag under the table with her cloak in it to reassure herself that it was there. She assumed it wouldn't be long before Robin had another lead for her to follow and she would get the call. But she was enjoying this slight respite from being a Titan.

As if on cue, her communicator went off. She rolled her eyes, wishing she had had more time to herself before grabbing it and responding. But it wasn't just a lead. Red X had been spotted at a bio research facility and Robin told the Titans to get there as soon as they could.

Raven abandoned her tea, shouldered her bag, and left the tea shop. She turned into an alley using her powers to phase out of her civilian clothes to reveal the familiar leotard underneath and donning her cloak.

She flew to the facility, flashing alarm lights leading her way. She could see Starfire's silhouette in the sky approaching as well and headlights racing toward the building that she assumed was the T car and Robin's motorcycle.

She entered the facility, hoping to do some recon as the others arrived. She was determined to fight Red X, no matter what may have happened the last time. Though she may have enjoyed what she had felt when he had kissed her, she couldn't ignore the fact that she was a Titan, he was a thief, and she didn't know the first thing about him.

The message came through her communicator that the others had arrived. She told them she was inside and would cover the top floor down. They claimed their floors, were given the command to be careful and to alert the others as soon as Red X was found, and set out.

It didn't take long.

Raven heard the explosion below before Cyborg called out to announce that he had spotted Red X on the third floor. Raven phased through the floor and arrived in time to see Red X dodge a blast from Cyborg's sonic cannon. Something in her fluttered at seeing him and she gritted her teeth in anger and determination against it. She shielded Cyborg from Red X's next attack and when Red X saw her black magic his head snapped up, looking around frenziedly until he spotted her.

He stared at her, his expression hidden by his mask, but her breathing quickened nonetheless. The mask mimicked the motion of his eyes narrowing as he focused intently on her. She hadn't been sure whether his weird fixation with her would continue the next time they met, but as the others arrived and the fight continued, she kept noticing him find the time to turn toward her, eyes narrowed in concentration. Watching.

She was unnerved. But half of her emotions were thrilled and she was having trouble keeping that side of her quelled.

She didn't have long to wrestle with her conflicting nature, though. Robin batted away one of Red X's explosive devices, but misdirected where he knocked it. A chunk of the ceiling made an ominous cracking noise as the device hit it and cracks spider-webbed across its surface. Raven had been shielding Beast Boy from falling specimen tanks and didn't hear the sound until too late. A chunk of the ceiling came crashing down on her and she hadn't time to cast a shield or phase through it. She took the blow to the head and fell in a heap on the floor.

Robin glared at Red X with accusation and wild fury before he started to run to her, but Red X stepped ahead of him and gave the hero a vicious blow to the head. He stared down at Robin's unconscious form, surprised at the brutality he had used to take him out. But Robin had been careless and Raven had suffered for it and that had affected him more than he thought it would.

The thief tried to run to her, but Starfire hovered protectively over her and Beast Boy hurried to stand between Red X and Raven as well. Red X dodged to the side suddenly and threw a handful of bladed Xes toward them. While they reacted to them he took the opportunity to throw a small orb and a red electric web shot out to contain both Beast Boy and Starfire in the crackling net, dropping them and making their bodies twitch as they tumbled down the staircase beside them.

He dashed to Cyborg, who was already rushing to Raven's side, bringing the combat close and avoiding the use of the sonic cannon. The flurry of close range blows distracted Cyborg and caused him to take several steps back. Red X hooked one of Cyborg's feet and shoved him hard, causing him to tumble into the cryochamber behind him. The thief slammed the door shut and locked him in before turning and running to the prone Raven.

He cradled her head in his lap and checked it, finding that the knock she had taken was already healing. Her chest rose and fell in a steady manner and he breathed out a sigh of relief, letting out a breath he didn't know had caught. Why he cared what happened to the Titan, he wasn't quite sure, but he was grateful that she seemed alright.

She looked peaceful, like she was just sleeping. He brushed a strand of hair out of her face wondering whether she really was a witch like some of the other villains had claimed. What else could explain his strange behavior around her than him being bespelled? He sat running his fingers through her hair and wondered why he still wasn't leaving since what he had come here to acquire already rested in his pocket. But the realization hit him that he wasn't going to be able to leave in peace without knowing that she would awaken. What was it about her that was doing this to him?

She stirred as he stroked her hair and hummed at the contact. He smiled and ran the back of a finger down her cheek. Her eyes fluttered open and grew wide as she recognized who was with her.

She lashed out with her magic, blasting Red X back but in doing so lost the support of his lap under her head and it made contact with the polished cement floor beneath her. She swore loudly as she scrambled to her feet, holding a hand to her newly ringing head.

Red X regained his footing and stood staring at her, a chuckle escaping him as he admired her feistiness. He stayed his ground, waiting to see what her next move would be. She stared him down as she took a deep breath, her arms held out slightly from her sides. Her power flickered briefly on her hands, but she winced and one hand flew to her head as she closed her eyes and staggered.

Her head was killing her. Possibly literally. Taking two blows had caused damage that hadn't healed yet and trying to call on her powers sent a sharp stab through her skull. She felt dizzy and the world started to tilt around her. She felt herself falling but couldn't sort out which way was which to brace her fall.

She felt arms around her before she hit the floor. She shook her head as she was gently lifted back to where she could get her feet back under her, though they wouldn't take her weight yet. Her vision finally shook off the haze and she could focus on the grinning skull mask before her.

"Why are you doing this?" she asked foggily. "Why are you helping me?"

He stared at her for a time, still supporting her weight in his arms and making no move to release her. He leaned in to whisper in her ear.

"I'm honestly not sure, Sunshine," he replied.

"I told you not to call me that," she muttered, pulling herself forcefully from his arms and stumbling back, her legs still shaky. She cradled her head in her hands and took a few deep breaths, feeling her head clear with each one. Her healing was finally catching up.

"Right," he chuckled, low and deep. The sound sent shivers up her spine and not all of them unpleasant. "I forgot, Little Bird."

She regained control of her head and threw tendrils of her magic at him. He dodged them and threw a binding X at her. She barely ducked in time.

"I'm still not your Little Bird," she seethed, her head ringing. She was quickly healing now but using her powers still hurt. "Whatever game you're playing I am not entertained, Red X."

He took a step toward her. She straightened in response, the fog slowly clearing from her head. She was determined to not give in to whatever game he was playing. She would take him out tonight and the war in her head would finally be over.

"I'm not playing any game, Little Bird. I just have a new prize, remember?"

"I'm not your fucking prize, X!" she spat, a vehemence and a tinge of sadness in her eyes.. "You don't even know me."

"We could fix that, you know," he purred, taking another step toward her. His voice took on a more serious tone as he continued. "But I do know some things about you, Little Bird. I know enough to know that you're different from all your friends. You're smarter than any of them, your wit is better, you're stronger. You think they'd be better off without you and you don't realize that they wouldn't work without you. You spend so much time worrying about everyone hating you that you can't see how much people truly like being around you."

She stared at him, taking in his words and the confusion only growing in her. He had been watching her. Not only that, but he had taken the time to have insight into her.

"You're also incapable of seeing how beautiful you are," he stated.

She froze for a moment, not so much his words but the conviction behind them that shook her. He said it without insinuation, as if he were simply stating a fact, and it made her hesitate.

He took the opportunity and ran the final few steps toward her, grabbing her by the waist and pushing her into the wall behind her. She grunted as she hit the wall and glared daggers at him. She called her powers to her hands so he grabbed her delicate wrists in his grip before she could hurl her power at him.

He pinned her arms to the wall beside her head and tsked at her.

"So feisty," he murmured. He lifted her arms above her head and held both of her hands there in one of his as he used his other to lift his mask up partway again. She hissed as she realized what he intended to do.

"Azarath, Met-"

It was all she got out before his lips crashed against hers, silencing her spell.

She was furious that she was already kissing him back.

His hand was at the back of her head, tangling in her hair and pulling her deeper into the kiss. He groaned as she arched her back, her chest and hips pressing tantalizingly against him, making him grateful that her body wasn't pinned to the wall this time. He took his chances and released her wrists, his hand sliding down her arms and rubbing his thumb across her breast as his hand traveled down her torso. He slid it behind her and pulled her hips more tightly against his.

With her wrists free her current reigning emotions wasted no time in wrapping one arm around the back of his neck and allowing the other hand free roam down the tight muscles of his back. He practically purred at her roaming hands and broke their kiss to lean over her shoulder and lay a searing line of kisses and nips down the column of her throat, causing her to moan quietly. He laughed softly in appreciation of the sound and his breath blowing across her skin set her flesh alive with goosebumps.

He covered her lips with his once more and marveled that this was happening again. Whatever it was that had drawn him in last time had drawn him in again and he went along with the tide of it. His body was alight with what felt like an electric current. Being with her was exquisite and all they had done was kiss. He couldn't help his mind wandering to what it would feel like to take things further and he found himself getting flush at the images that flashed in his mind.

She was dizzy with his kisses, still pressed up against the wall by the weight of his body against hers when the sound of the approaching Titans from the floor below interrupted once again. Debris from her untamed emotions lay scattered around her and Red X but they hadn't even heard the equipment breaking. They had been too tangled in each other and the world around them had gone unnoticed until they parted. Red X pulled back, his breath heaving.

"Until next time, Little Bird," he panted, giving her one final kiss, this one soft and gentle and unnerving her far more than the passion fueled kisses he had given her earlier. He pulled back, replaced his mask, and stared at her for a moment before activating his belt and disappearing.

"Well, shit," she swore when she finally caught her breath, preparing to face Starfire and Beast Boy as they emerged from the staircase. That was not how the night was supposed to go.