Our Bond is Eternal

by Akari13

What if Dick Grayson left Young Justice after Season 1? What if he started the Teen Titans during the 5 year time gap? And what if he falls in love with his half-demon teammate along the way? Raven is having the worst day ever. The Teen Titans are splitting up. Its moving day and shes unsure of what will become of her. Can Robin help? Will she let him?

4. Burdens of the Past

Burdens of the Past

WASHINGTON D.C.: August 2817:00 EST

"You are watching live coverage of the Justice Leagues induction of Its two newest members. Superman is now handing out official League membership cards. First to receive hers is Zatanna followed by Rocket. These two former sidekicks…"

Raven's eyes drifted away from the large TV screen. The induction ceremony was dragging on far longer than she would've liked. Crossing her arms with a scowl, she tuned out the rest of Cat Grant's news report and instead glanced around the room. She was assembled within the Hall of Justice among the other Team members. They were all dressed in their civvies since there were no onlookers with camcorders up in the glass balcony. All the superhero fans were standing outside watching the proceedings, none of them allowed inside for the day.

Raven was dressed in baggy maroon sweater that hung loose over her shoulder. A black tank top underneath it. She wore dark skinny jeans and a pair of worn out converse. Next to her stood Nightwing in a pair of jeans and a black long sleeve. His eyes were covered with his usual dark sunglasses. Garfield stood off to the side sporting jeans and a red hoodie. His skin still its usual green. Everyone else varied from t-shirts and denim to blouses and skirts.

Raven stopped staring at her team and glanced up at the large golden statue above the monitor. It was really quiet beautiful with its long flowing dress and Scales of Justice sitting on the palm of her hand. Then there were the rows of books surrounding the walls of the room. Her hands were itching to pluck one from the shelves. She wondered what kind of books were kept here in the Hall of Justice.

"Now that Zatanna and Rocket have been formally inducted into the Justice League, they will now be led inside by the rest of the team."

She turned her attention back to the screen. Sure enough, all the Justice League members were now making their way inside. As soon as Cat signed off, they heard the doors opening behind them. They all turned to the approaching heroes. Superman, Wonder Woman, The Flash, all of the Justice League members gathered around celebrating their new inductees. Raven tried not to grimace when she caught sight of Zatanna. Instead she focused on Batman who was making his way towards her and Nightwing. He motioned for Robin and Batgirl to join them. They walked up sporting sunglasses, same as Nightwing.

"I'm heading up to the Watchtower. I need to put some time into finding out what happened during the missing 16 hours. All of you head home to Gotham. You will patrol the city tonight while I am away. I have already informed Kaldur that you will not be available for missions this weekend." He told them.

"All four of us? Surely, two of us will be enough. Besides, I'm technically not your sidekick anymore. Neither is Raven. Kaldur may need…" Nightwing started.

"No. I said the four of you." Batman cut him off.

They grew silent. The tension was thick between them. Batman stared at Nightwing, his gaze dominating. He held firm and unyielding. Nightwing had his fists clenched at his side and Raven could tell he was trying to hold his tongue. She glanced around wondering if the other heroes had noticed. Either they hadn't, or they were smart enough to keep their distance. Probably the latter.

Batman stared at Nightwing a moment longer before letting out a tired sigh. He rose a hand and gripped his former sidekick's shoulder. Nightwing tensed slightly from the sudden contact but relaxed just as quickly.

"Do this for me. I…I need you out there with them, Nightwing. I can't risk leaving the two of them alone out there." Batman stated.

"What's going on?" Nightwing asked. His voice soft and laced with worry.

"The Joker. He escaped Arkham last night. Like I said, I can't risk it."

Nightwing's posture immediately changed. He now stood firm his face deadly serious. Batgirl and Robin were suddenly at full attention.

"I understand. None of us will be alone tonight. I promise."

Batman gave him a grateful nod. Then he turned away and headed straight for the Zeta-tube. He didn't bother to excuse himself before he disappeared. Nightwing watched him go with a troubled expression. Robin and Batgirl had matching frowns. But their unease was brief. They shed their frowns and forced a smile, as if they were removing a mask and putting on a shiny new one. Then the two young sidekicks wandered off to congratulate Rocket.

Raven wasn't sure why they were suddenly so tense. She knew that the Joker was a dangerous man. Unlike other villains, he killed and destroyed for one reason and one reason only. Because he wanted to. The joker was the type who would burn a city to the ground just because he was cold. But, they had surely gone up against him before. They must know how to handle him by now right? Why would Batman need her and Nightwing with Robin and Batgirl tonight?

She didn't know but she did know that they were upset. Raven made to touch Nightwing's arm in comfort but her vision was suddenly blurred by a bright yellow and red streak. She blinked. A young man with messy red hair and green eyes now stood directly in front of her. He had a wide grin plastered on his face which he held inches from hers. Raven fought the urge to step back.

"Ugh…may I help you." She arched a brow.

"Hey there beautiful. Long time no see." He smirked.

"Not long enough I'd say." She muttered.

"Come on Raven! You're breaking my heart! You could at least pretend that you missed me." The red-head wiggled his eyebrows.

She stared at him. Her face blank.

"Wally. Mind stepping back a bit? She has a thing about personal space, remember?" Nightwing warned. A teasing smile on his lips.

"Yeah, I remember. She's a scary one, your Raven." He grinned as he stepped back.

"Where's your bright yellow costume, Kid Flash?" Raven asked.

"It's getting dry cleaned. But that's not important. You didn't deny it!"

"Deny what?"

"That you're his." Wally smirked.

"No. I didn't. But I didn't confirm it either."

"This is true." He muttered.

Wally glanced at Nightwing who had an odd look on his face. The red-head rose an eyebrow in question but Nightwing just shrugged. Raven stared back and forth between them a little confused. Then Wally turned back to her with a sly smile.

"So. You couldn't part ways with old Robin here huh? Decided to come with him instead." He said.

Raven had to stop herself from blushing. On a face as pale as hers, it would be embarrassingly obvious. Nightwing looked as if he wanted to shove his friend into the nearest closet.

"I didn't…it wasn't…" She stuttered.

Raven was not known to stutter. Why the hell was she stuttering?

"Come on. Don't be coy." Wally elbowed her playfully.

She chose to change tactics.

"So, I hear Kid Flash retired before The Flash did. Not fast enough to keep up with the old man, huh?" Raven countered.

This got the reaction she was hoping for. Wally crossed his arms with a scowl. He glanced at his mentor who was currently seeing how any drinks he could chug with Captain Marvel cheering him on. Kid Flash turned back to Raven.

"Yes, I'll admit I'm not as fast as The Flash. But that's just fine with me." He rolled his eyes.

"Still got a rise out of you though, didn't it?" Raven smirked.

"Well, you're still as blunt as ever." Wally huffed.

"That she is." Nightwing smiled.

"Would you call me crazy if I said I actually missed it?" Wally grinned at his old friend.

"Nah. Her attitude tends to grow on people. It's part of her charm I think." Nightwing chuckled.

"Raven? Charming? You must have it bad buddy because I don't see it." Wally laughed.

"You have no idea." Nightwing muttered, his voice soft.

"Are you two done?" She glowered.

Raven felt her cheeks reddening. She wasn't dense. She knew what Wally was implying, but it was impossible. Nightwing didn't…he couldn't! And the fact that he went along with Wally's little joke only made it worse.

"Yeah, yeah I guess that's enough teasing." Wally grinned at her.

"Good. Now that you've had your fun, why not telling me how you've been. How's the civilian life treating you?" Raven wondered.

"Very well actually! Me and Artemis finally found an apartment and…wait a second! You haven't met her yet have you? Hold on. HEY BABE!"

Raven turned to the direction Wally was shouting. There was a young blonde woman talking to Zatanna a few feet away. They both turned when they heard Wally's shout. The blonde rolled her eyes but smiled. Wally waved her over. She said something to Zatanna before strolling towards them. Zatanna only nodded, her eyes on Raven. Raven stared back, her chin raised defiantly. Finally, the magician turned away and Raven was able to lower her gaze. The blonde had reached them. Wally wrapped his arm around her waist, a wide grin on his face.

"Raven, this is my girlfriend Artemis! Artemis, this is Raven. I met her back when I helped the Titans out a few months ago."

"Nice to meet you Raven." Artemis offered a hand.

"Nice to meet you too." Raven took it with a smile.

"Finally, I found a Titan who can answer my question. Beast Boy was no help. Said it would be breaking Guy Code, or whatever. " She said.

Wally's face paled all of a sudden. He let out a nervous cough.

"Artemis…I doubt Raven will…" He started.

"Nonsense. I'm sure she will give me the details I need." Artemis gave him a sly smile.

"Ugh…I can try." Raven said.

"Thank you Raven. If you could just tell me who Jinx is, I would greatly appreciate it." Artemis told her.

"There's no need for that! Right Raven? It's all in the past, not important." Wally chuckled nervously.

"Wally, why don't we go congratulate Zatanna?" Nightwing said.

"No. I think I should…"

"Let's go Wally."

Nightwing grabbed the red-head by the back of his hoodie and dragged him away. Wally tried to protest but finally relented. He had a very somber expression on his face. He caught Ravens eye and pressed his palms together pleading with her. She pretended not to notice.

"So. What did you want to know?" She asked Artemis.

"Oh. Not much really. Just like to watch Wally squirm." The blonde chuckled.

"How devious. I like it." Raven smiled at her.

"Thanks. But I will ask one thing. Did it seem like he really liked her?"

"It seemed like it yeah. He was part of the reason as to why she switched sides."

"I see. I just…we were broken up at the time you see. We got into a fight and ended it without thinking things through. I regretted it instantly but he was gone before I could fix things. Kaldur said he had gone off to find Robin. He was gone for weeks. Then he comes back and apologized. Saying how he missed me and realized something while he was gone. That he couldn't bring himself to love anyone else but me."

Raven was little thrown off by the girls unabashed way of speaking. She didn't seem to mind that she had barely just met her. Artemis spoke as if they had been friends for years. Raven found that she liked this about the girl.

"He told you about Jinx?" Raven asked.

"Yeah. I was upset at first, but I couldn't stay angry with him. We weren't together after all. And honestly…thanks to her we realized that there would never be anyone else. That we were it. Before we knew it, we were moving in together."

"Jinx told me that they did care for each other. But not enough for it to last. She said that they both still loved other people. So they ended things. It was a mutual choice and there were no hard feelings."

"She loved someone else?"

"Yes. My friend Cyborg. He had infiltrated H.I.V.E which was her old team of villains. They ended up falling for each other but he broke her heart when she found out the truth. Still, they continued to care for each other. After breaking up with Wally, she mended her relationship with Cyborg. They're living together now."

"I'm glad for her. Looks like we both got our happy endings." Artemis smiled.

"Looks like it." Raven nodded.

"Alright. I think I made Wally suffer enough. It was nice meeting you Raven, and I hope we can get to know each other a little better." Artemis squeezed her arm.

"Me too. I'll see you around Artemis."

The blonde sauntered off to join Wally. He was now standing with Rocket, his arm around her shoulder. Nightwing wasn't with him. She glanced around and found him in the far corner talking to Zatanna. He was leaning towards her, a small smile on his lips. Zatanna had a hand on his arm as she returned his smile. Raven felt a twinge of jealousy and quickly looked away. She rubbed her arms annoyed with herself for feeling this way.

Raven nearly jumped when she felt a hand on the small of her back. She turned to face Conner who had silently approached her. He was dressed in his usual superman shirt and a brown leather jacket. Conner hadn't spoken a word to anyone all day. He had kept to himself during the induction and the others had given him his space. Megan had kept her distance, occasionally stealing glances in his direction. Raven could feel her gaze on them now.

"Hey." He muttered.

"Hey, crash dummy."

"Is that what I go by now?" He arched a brow.

"I think it fits." She shrugged.

He seemed to think about this for a moment. Then he just copied her shrug.

"Never seen you in regular clothes before." He tried to smile.

"Well I can't always wear a cloak now can I? And what about you? How many of those shirts do you own?" She teased.

"A few. They tear easily." His smile came easier now.

"So what do you wear when you're out and about? You can't honestly wear the Superman logo all the time right?"

"No. I have other shirts. And I sometimes wear them on occasion." He rolled his eyes.

"By that you mean never. Man, people must see you as a die-hard Superman fan." She smirked.

"Okay. Okay. Maybe I should change it up a bit."

"That would be good, yeah. So. Did you enjoy the Induction?" She wondered.

"It's not the first I've been to. Honestly, they're really boring." Conner shrugged.

"In that we agree. Nightwing told me that you and Kaldur were asked to join the League. You said no?"

"I like the Team. Its…its family. Don't really feel like leaving it behind."

"I've always thought the Justice League was overrated anyways." She smiled at him.

"That doesn't surprise me. You don't seem like a fan." He chuckled lightly.

"Don't get me wrong. They do amazing things. Save many lives. But, I'm just not the type that fawns over others no matter how great and powerful they are." She shrugged.

"Probably because you are just as powerful. Maybe even more. I can see you joining them one day. Raven, a full-fledged Justice League member."

"That's because you don't know me well enough yet. I don't think I'll ever join them."

"Why not? You're a hero same as them. Someone with powers like yours will fit right in with them."

"No. I may be considered a hero, but I'm not like them. The world doesn't see me the way they see them."

"What do you mean" Conner asked.

"Take Superman for example. He has the power to move mountains. He could use his strength to shake cities or his heat vision to dry up all the oceans. Yet people don't fear him. They worship him. Even though they know that he could destroy them all if he wanted to. As for me? Well, I could save as many lives as Superman. Defeat as many villains as he has. But that won't change the fact that my powers are demonic. And no matter how I choose to use my abilities, there will still be others who view me as evil. Because they choose to ignore my actions, and focus only on my heritage."

Raven couldn't help but glance in Zatanna's direction. Again, she felt bitter resentment. Conner followed her gaze. He stared at the magician for a moment before turning back to Raven.

"What happened? With Zatanna I mean."

"I'd rather not say."

"That's okay. If you don't want to, that's fine."

"At least…not now. Maybe someday, I'll wish to talk." She gave him a small smile.

"And I'll listen." Conner returned her smile. "Want to sit down? Kind of tired of standing."

"You and me both." She muttered.

Nightwing tried to listen to what Zatanna was saying, he really did. But his attention kept sliding over to Raven who stood a few feet away, Conner by her side. Superboy's hand hovered over the small of her back as they talked. Raven didn't seem to mind. In fact, she seemed to be leaning towards his touch as she spoke. And he didn't miss the way Conner's forehead creased in worry at whatever it was that Raven was saying. Jealousy flared inside him as he watched the two of them interacting so easily. The fact that Conner and Megan were no longer dating made it so much harder bear.

"Nightwing? Are you listening?"

"Hmmm. What?" He turned back to Zatanna.

She gave him a look. He shrugged in apology.

"I need to tell you something." She rolled her eyes.

"Oh. Yeah. Okay. Go ahead."

"It's about Raven."

Nightwing tore his eyes away from the two people on the couch. He was curious as to what the magician had to say.

"Three years. She's been a with you for three years. And nobody thought to tell me? All this time, she's been with the Titans and I didn't even know!" Zatanna began.

"Why should they have told you? How do you know Raven, Zatanna?"

"Now she's joining the Team? Why would Batman approve this? After I warned him!"

"Warned him off what?" He asked suddenly very irritated.

"That she's dangerous! How much do you know about her Nightwing? How much has she told you?"

"Everything. I know everything about her. Who she is and where she comes from."

"When did she tell you? Before or after she joined the Titans?"

"What does it matter. And she didn't just join Zatanna, she was a founding member."

"It matters. If she didn't tell you before she joined the Titans, then she lied to you and put your team in danger with no regard for your safety."

"Zatanna. I'd watch what you say. Raven would never willingly endanger any of our friends."

"But she did. By not telling you the truth beforehand. You took her in, gave her your trust, called her your friend. And the whole time, she knew that just being around her put all of you in danger!"

"She was alone! She had no one! If you were her, would you have refused the chance to have a family?!" Nightwing glared.

"Yes! Because I'm not selfish enough to put my needs before the safety of others!" Zatanna glared back.

"Raven is far from selfish! Everything she's done, she's done to protect me and our team. Not once has she put her safety before ours!"

"Then why didn't she…"

"Tell me what happened. Tell me why she can't bring herself to look at you without feeling hurt and resentful? What did you do to her Zatanna?" He cut her off.

She stared at him, her eyes betraying her hurt feelings. Nightwing knew that his tone had been harsh. That there was suspicion and accusation in his words. He might regret it later, but right now he just didn't care.

"I don't know if Batman told you, but a few years ago she approached the Justice League. She came asking for help but she wasn't giving all the details. I was there at the time and immediately sensed her demonic nature. I told the League that she couldn't be trusted and they turned her away."

She couldn't bring herself to look him in the eye. At this point, she had realized that no matter what she said, he would never doubt Raven. And she was right. Nightwing's blood began to boil. His mind was racing with images of a young Raven pleading for the Leagues aid. Begging them to keep her safe and save her from her Father. Only to be denied of the help she so desperately needed.

"You had them turn her away?" He said through gritted teeth.

"I did. She's a half-demon, Nightwing. She could've been plotting something against the League. It could've all been a ploy to free her father." Zatanna said weakly.

"Her Father tried to use her! Her Father nearly killed her! Raven has spent years trying to escape him! She hates Trigon and everything he stands for! Never in a million years would I believe that she would help him!" He seethed.

"Nightwing…"

"You know what? I always wondered why it took her so long to trust us with her secret. I didn't know why she couldn't bring herself to tell us. But now I do. It was because of you! Because when she asked for help, you had all of the League turn her away! You had them judge her before they even got to know her! It's no wonder she was so afraid to tell us. It was because she was scared we would turn her away same as you did!"

Nightwing was doing everything in his power to keep from raising his voice. He never thought Zatanna was capable of something like this. And Raven, she never said a word.

"I know you're upset. But put yourself in my shoes? If you didn't know her. If you hadn't taken the time to get to know her, would you have trusted her? If all you knew about her was that she was a demon. The daughter of the Scath the most feared demon in the universe?"

"I don't judge people by where they come from. I judge them by their actions. Do you want to know what she did to gain my trust? She stopped me from hurting someone who would become my friend. She saw a peaceful way to end a fight. And afterwards she tried to leave without even waiting for a thank you. She wasn't expecting me to ask her to stay. To join a team. But I did. And even then she was hesitant to agree."

"But she did. Without telling you the truth."

"That doesn't matter! I chose to trust her and give her a chance whether I knew the truth or not. You could've done that Zatanna. Had you done so, she would've told you of the Prophecy. That she was the Gem. You could've listened to her and had the League help her fight against her father! Instead, she spent the next few years worrying about that damn Prophecy and thinking that we would reject her for it!"

"I…you're right." Zatanna had the decency to look ashamed.

"Raven isn't evil. She is the most hopeful person I have ever met. Do you know what she did? Raven sacrificed herself to protect us. She turned herself over to Trigon after running from him for so long. Just so that we could live. She left us with enough power to keep fighting. But she never expected to survive. I thank God every day that she did. That we were able to bring her back. Because in the end, Raven was able to find the strength to defeat Trigon."

Zatanna stared at him, her eyes wide. She then turned to where Raven sat with Conner. Zatanna watched her for moment before turning back to Nightwing. Her expression solemn and full of regret.

"When Trigon turned us all to stone I thought it was over. That he had won. Suddenly, the world was as it was. Everything returned to normal. That was her wasn't it? She was the one who stopped him?"

"That's right. She fought her own flesh and blood to save us all. She may be a demon, but she is nothing like her father. You judged her to quickly Zatanna. I'm not saying you were wrong in thinking she was dangerous because she is. She holds a lot of power. But she chooses to use it for good. To save lives. She is no threat to us. She is no threat to this Team. And no matter what anyone says, I will never doubt her. Because I know who she is. She is a hero. She is my friend."

"I see that know. And I was wrong to assume the worst from her. I had the chance to help her and I refused. I will now always regret it."

"Well, one good thing did come of it. She joined the Titans. If she hadn't, I might never have gotten to know her the way I did." Nightwing said softly.

"Yes. There is that." Zatanna agreed.

Raven couldn't help but fidget a little in her seat. One moment she was perfectly calm, enjoying a quiet conversation with Conner. Then out of nowhere she felt a boiling rage! Her eyes must have glowed red because Superboy had jumped in surprise. Raven had gripped the couch cushions tightly trying to ease her sudden anger. She managed to shake off the foreign emotion just as quickly as it had come. Foreign because the anger wasn't hers. Raven had turned to Nightwing wanting to know what had upset him. But he was still in deep conversation with Zatanna. The only difference being that he was no longer smiling. His lips were pulled back into what looked like a snarl. Zatanna looked upset as well. Raven had turned away seeing as how there was no way of telling what had made her friend so livid. Instead she tried to focus on Conner, but it was proving to be very hard.

"You're fidgety. What's wrong? For a second there I thought you had four glowing red eyes!" Conner was saying.

"It's my empathy. Something's bothering Nightwing which in turn is bothering me. Which is annoying because I have no idea what it is that has him so upset. So here I am, suddenly angry over something I know nothing about." She told him.

Raven found that she could talk to Conner with a great amount of ease. She had no problem telling him what she had on her mind. Maybe it was because he wasn't much of a talker himself. They were both naturally quiet and usually sported similar scowls.

"Is it like that with everyone? Like, can you feel what Beast Boy is feeling right now? Cause that sounds very overwhelming."

Raven glanced over at Garfield who was laughing at something Jaime had said. She shook her head as she faced Conner again.

"No. I would have to focus on somebody to get a read on what their feeling. Sometimes it happens without warning but only if it's a strong enough emotion. With Nightwing its different. His emotions I feel just as strongly as my own."

"Why?"

"I…a while ago I had to go deep into his mind. I needed to in order to help him. I wasn't entirely aware of the extent of my power back then. I didn't realize what would come of it. Diving that deep into his subconscious left traces of my own. It created a bond between us. One that so far seems unbreakable."

"Whoa. That's heavy." Conner muttered.

"You're telling me." She rolled her eyes.

Conner meant to say something but closed his mouth when something caught his eye. Raven arched a brow at him before turning around. The Justice League had formed a small cluster behind her. She rose from the couch to face them.

"Raven. We would like a word with you." Superman said.

"Ugh…I'm just gonna…go over there." Conner muttered.

He walked away leaving Raven alone with Superman, Wonder Woman, The Flash, Martian Man-hunter, both Green Lanterns (John Stewart and Hal Jordan), Aquaman, Green Arrow, Atom, Hawkman, Hawkwoman, Black Canary, Captain Marvel, Icon and Doctor Fate. Raven's new Team members all kept their distance. Though they did give her a few curious glances. She was suddenly very overwhelmed.

"Okay. Um…yeah. What's up." She muttered.

"We…we wanted to apologize. For not helping you four years ago." Wonder Woman said.

"Oh…no…that's okay I…"

"Please. Let us tell you how sorry we are. It seems we were wrong to judge you so quickly." Martian Man-hunter interrupted.

"Batman told us of what you did. How you stopped Trigon from conquering our world." The Flash grinned at her.

"Look Kid, we just want you to know that we're glad you've joined the Team. You don't have to worry about us not trusting you or anything." Green Arrow told her.

"Yeah. Besides, Batman has vouched for you. And we all know how paranoid that guy is." Hal Jordan chuckled.

"If Bats trusts you than we all do." Captain Marvel smiled at her.

"And, Nightwing let us know of all the good you've done as a member of the Teen Titans. So, we have all agreed that our first impression of you was wrong and the least we could do is say how sorry we are for not helping you when you needed us most." Superman gave her shoulder a light squeeze.

"Um…thank you. All of you." Raven managed.

Overwhelmed was not a strong enough word for what she was feeling right now. She never thought the League would apologize. She didn't even think they would ever speak to her.

"Wait. I have something I need to say."

The cluster of heroes split in half allowing a path for the speaker to walk through. Raven froze as Zatanna stepped forward, Nightwing close behind. She waited, her body tense and guarded.

"Raven. I think it is I who should be the sorriest. I should've given you a chance. Instead I made you come off as a villain when you were just trying to find help. It was because of my judgement that the others denied you that help. I...Raven, I am deeply sorry. And I hope you can bring yourself to accept my apology."

Raven blinked. Zatanna rubbed her arms with a nervous look on her face. The other League members stared at her waiting for a reply. She didn't know how to respond. She was caught off guard. Raven glanced at Nightwing who gave her an encouraging nod. She stared at him for a moment, waiting for her mouth to form the right words. He smiled at her reassuringly.

"I'll admit, that I have been…resentful towards all of you these past four years. I couldn't think of you without remembering that night. It was a…painful memory and I preferred not to be reminded of it. But, I think it's time that I get over those hurt feelings. Because even if I had no ill intent towards any of you that night, you had no way of knowing that. You were only being cautious and I can't blame you for playing it safe. So yes Zatanna, I accept your apology. I accept all of your apologies." Raven finally said.

Zatanna let out sigh of relief and gave Raven a small smile. Each of the League members offered her their hand and welcomed her to the Team. Then the group dispersed, returning to the celebration. Zatanna gave her a sheepish wave before walking off to find Rocket.

"I think it's time we left for Gotham. I'm going to round up the other two and then we'll head out, yeah?" Nightwing said beside her.

She turned to him and nodded. He smiled and left to find Batgirl and Robin. Raven looked around the room meaning to find Conner and Beast Boy. She wanted to say goodbye before she left.

"Raven, Daughter of Scath." A voice said behind her.

Raven turned to it, her nerves tingling. She glanced up at Doctor Fate who now stood in front her. He hovered a few inches of the ground, his cape billowing lightly behind him. His hands were clasped behind his back and he had a curios tilt to his head.

"Doctor Fate." Raven muttered.

"You are quiet the conundrum. A girl born to bring destruction and chaos to this world. Half demon, half human, you were created to bridge your father's domain to ours. A portal. That was your only purpose. Yet, here you stand among heroes. You have somehow managed to escape your fathers influence. You've learned to suppress your dark side and keep your powers under control. It seems you have taken a different path. One that was never expected of you, Raven."

"It…it wasn't easy." She managed.

"No. It wasn't. It still isn't. Even now I sense your father's presence within you. It is faint, but it is there. And I do hope that it never surfaces. But that my girl, is entirely up to you."

With that, Doctor Fate disappeared leaving Raven to stand alone. She couldn't help the shudder that coursed through her. She tried not to let his words get to her. There was no way that traces of her father still lingered within her. Right? She defeated him. He's locked away. Forever trapped in his dimension. She jumped when she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Hey. Are you okay?" Nightwing frowned.

Robin and Batgirl stared at her with worried expressions. Raven forced a small smile.

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine. Let's go home." She told them.

Nightwing nodded but didn't seem convinced. She knew that he could sense her unease. Still, she didn't say anything more. He didn't pressure her for answers. Instead, he gripped her hand in his and led her to the Zeta-tube. Robin and Batgirl followed close behind.

GOTHAM CITY: August 2914:26 EST

"Remind me again, why I agreed to do this?" Raven groaned.

She stared at Richard whose face was mere inches from hers. His body was pressed firmly above her own. He held himself up by his arms. His left one next to her waist, the right one, above her shoulder and next to her head. She was stuck in the crab walk position with Dicks left leg between hers and his other one slightly bent at the knee rubbing against her side. He smirked down at her, not even trying to hide his amusement.

"Because we kept bugging you until you did." He chuckled.

Raven felt his breath across her cheek and tried not to fidget. She was surprised to find that she liked having him so close. His bright blue eyes staring into hers, his lips inches from…

"Right foot yellow, Master Tim."

Raven glanced at Alfred who stood off in the corner, a cardboard spinner in his hands. She then turned to Tim who had a whole section of the Twister mat to himself. The younger boy had no trouble extending his leg and finding a yellow spot. He wasn't even close to being uncomfortable. Tim was in a lunging position, a cheeky grin on his face.

"This is so not fair! Why am I stuck like this while you look as if you're barely trying?" She complained to him.

"Probably because Dick invaded your section of the mat." Barbara smirked.

Raven couldn't even see her. Richard was blocking her view. She could only make out the girl's arm which was reaching for a red spot on the mat.

"The point of the game is to make the others fall so that you win. How can I do that if I stay in my own area? I have to at least try and make it difficult for the rest of you." Dick glanced over his shoulder.

"Difficult for Raven you mean." Tim smirked.

"Left hand green, Lady Barbara." Alfred called out.

"Oh goodie. I know the perfect one." Barbara stated.

Raven thought she heard a sly tone to her voice. She tried to adjust herself to get a better view of the red-head but it was no use. All that did was cause Richards lips to brush against her cheek. She flushed as she felt his lips forming a smile against her skin. Suddenly he jerked back.

"Hey! Watch it Babs!" He complained.

Raven just barely noticed how one of Barbara's feet was now very close to Dick's right leg. She saw how it was searching for a certain green spot that was nowhere close enough to reach.

"Barbara. There is no way you're going to reach that one!" Raven exclaimed.

"Shhh. I got this!"

As soon as she said this, Barbara's foot hooked against Dick's leg making it buckle. Raven let out squeak as Dick flailed, trying to keep himself from falling. It did him now good because seconds later he crashed to the floor bringing Raven down with him. Luckily, he managed to stop himself from landing to roughly. Or else he would have squeezed the air out of Raven if he had. Dick was now completely sprawled out above her, pressing her against the floor.

Raven opened her eyes and glared at Tim and Barbara who were hysterical with laughter. Even Alfred seemed amused. Dick had yet to pick himself up and Raven could feel his chest shaking against hers from chuckling. His face was buried in the crook of her neck, his breath warm against her skin. Raven blushed furiously and shoved him off of her. He rolled on his back, grinning at the ceiling.

"Looks like we lost." He turned to wink at her.

"This is the last time I agree to play any sort of game with you guys." Raven huffed.

"Yeah, yeah! Just get off the mat already! I still have to beat Babs!" Tim laughed.

"As if! Your face is about to hit the floor!" Barbara grinned.

Raven picked herself up and brushed off her clothes. Rolling her eyes, she stepped over Dick who didn't look to be getting up anytime soon. She walked over to the couch and took a seat, turning to watch the rest of the game. It was a Saturday and they had all decided to stay in. Barbara had shown up around noon stating she had nothing else to do.

The night before, after the induction, the four of them had patrolled Gotham like Batman had ordered. It was a surprisingly quiet night. They caught a burglar and stopped a couple of kids from boosting some cars. Nothing major. The four of them had gone home afterwards to get some sleep. Well, Raven had teleported away while the other three had stated that they would find their own way home. Really it was just them not wanting her to know that they lived in the same house. She had just shrugged and left.

"Right hand red, Master…"

Alfred was cut off by the ringing of the doorbell. He handed the spinner to Dick who was now sitting cross legged, his back against the couch. Then he excused himself and left the room.

"You heard the man, Tim. Right hand red!" Dick exclaimed.

Raven smiled as Tim attempted to find a red spot. Unfortunately, he only had one option which brought him closer to Barbara. The red-head had a predatory grin on her face as he grew near.

"Lady Raven. It seems you have a visitor."

She glanced up at Alfred who was staring at her from the doorway. The others looked to Raven in question. She shook her head just as confused as they were.

"Who is it?" She asked.

"A young man. He said he wished to speak with you."

"Young man? Who is this person." Dick wondered.

Raven shrugged and rose from the couch. Dick stood as well, the spinner forgotten at his feet. Barbara and Tim urged Alfred to pick it up again. The older man gave them a smile before bending down to retrieve it. Raven left them as they continued the game. She heard Dick following after her. She didn't bother to tell him to stay knowing full well that he wouldn't.

Raven stopped as she recognized her visitor. In the foyer stood Conner, his hands in his pocket and a hesitant look on his face. He looked relieved once he saw her. She arched a brow, tilting her head in a confused manner.

"Conner? What are you doing here?"

"Hey Raven. I just…I was going to run an errand. I was wondering if you'd go with me." He said.

Raven didn't miss how Conner glanced behind her, a questioning look on his face. She glanced back at Dick who watched Conner with a suspicious glare. The boys stared at each other for a moment. Then Conner broke eye contact and turned his attention back to Raven, ignoring Dick.

"What kind of errand?" Raven asked.

"I was asked to talk to a friend of mine." Conner smiled at her.

"Sounds like a great time. But, I don't see why Raven should go along." Dick scowled.

"Is there a reason she shouldn't?" Conner glared.

"Ugh…Richard, this is Conner. Conner, this is Richard. I can tell you two are going to be great friends." Raven rolled her eyes.

"Richard? Bruce Wayne's eldest right?" Conner asked.

"That's me. But, I can't say I've ever heard of you." Dick said.

"No surprise. The Wayne's seem like the type who ignore those who aren't in their Class."

"It's not the Class that's important. It's whether or not they're worth our time."

Raven didn't need to be an empath to feel the tension in the room. Scowling, she stood between the two boys and gave them each a scathing look. Mostly at Dick because he was well aware of who Conner was. And if he happened to put some sunglasses on, she was sure Conner would recognize him as well. Honestly, she didn't know why he was acting this way but she found his attitude very annoying.

"That's enough of that. Conner, wait here for a moment. I'll be right back."

Conner gave her a nod.

"Richard, let's go back to the sitting room." She turned to Dick.

He glanced at Conner before nodding and walking back to join the others. Raven followed after him. They returned to find Tim and Barbara looking very much like a human pretzel. She didn't even know people could bend that way. Dick gave them an amused grin before noticing Raven pushing past him to pick up her shoes. He frowned as she bent down to put on her white Vans. She arched a brow at him but turned her attention to Alfred.

"I'm going out Alfred. I'll send you a text if I'm going to be late for dinner." She said.

"Very well Lady Raven." He smiled at her.

"Out? Where are you going?" Tim strained to look up at her.

"My friend Conner has asked me to join him on an errand." She said as she tightened her laces.

"Conner?" Barbara muttered.

Barbara glanced at Dick, her eyebrows raised. Dick had a grim look on his face but said nothing. He just walked over to the couch and laid down, his feet crossed at the ankles. He grabbed a magazine from the coffee table clearly wishing to ignore everyone. Raven's forehead creased in confusion. His change of attitude was strange, yet she chose to let it go. If he wanted to talk, he would. Shaking her head, she muttered a goodbye to the others and walked out again.

She found Conner waiting patiently for her where she had left him.

"You ready?" He asked.

Raven glance down at her clothes. She wore gray joggers with white stripes on the sides. They were pulled up below the knee. Her phone was safe in her pocket along with some a cash and a bit of change. She had on a white spaghetti strap shirt that revealed a thin line of her waist. Her hair was pulled back in a messy ponytail. She reached up and brushed her bangs out of her eyes with a shrug.

"Yeah. Don't see the point in changing." She told him.

Raven walked past him to the door, opening it. She stepped outside, Conner at her heels. She stopped to glare at the motorcycle waiting outside. What was it with guys and motorcycles? Did none of them own a car? Raven didn't bother to say anything, instead she waited for Conner to hop on before climbing on herself.

About an hour later, they were walking through a park in Happy Harbor. They stayed on the paved path watching people playing with their kids and dogs. They had Zeta-beamed from Gotham to make the trip quicker. Conner's bike was parked in a parking lot a nearby. He walked with his hands in his pocket. Raven had noticed how he was wearing an open blue button down shirt over a red t-shirt. There was no superman symbol but she smiled at his color choices.

"So, that's what they were talking to you about? They were apologizing?" He was asking.

"Yeah. Wasn't really expecting that." Raven said.

"Man. That must have been a rough night for you, huh?"

"It was…difficult yeah. But, I found a home and that's what matters. Just like you did." She smiled at him.

"A home. Yeah, I guess we both found a place for ourselves didn't we?" He returned her smile.

"We have or friends to thank for that. Okay, I've told you about my first encounter with Zatanna and the League. Now, what's bothering you?" She wondered.

He blinked in surprise. She smirked at him, her eyebrow raised.

"Empath remember."

"Right." He chuckled lightly.

"Well, go ahead. I'm listening."

She reached down to pick up a stray soccer ball that bounced against her leg. She searched for the owner and found a few kids waving their arms in the air trying catch her attention. She tossed it back to them and smiled when they shouted a thanks. Then she turned back to Conner as they continued walking.

"Well, my birthday was a few months ago. March 21st."

Conner glanced at her, a bit hesitant. She nodded, encouraging him to continue.

"It was my…sixth birthday."

"March 21st was the day Cadmus created you right? That was six years ago. You look around 16 but…you're really not."

"Right. Physically they made me 16 years old. But, like you said, that was six years ago."

He barely whispered the last part. Raven understood.

"You're not aging." She stated.

"No. I'm not. I…it was part of the reason why I broke up with M'gann. I kept wondering if maybe I should end it because well unlike me, she will get older. But I couldn't do it. Then she…well you know."

"But she's a shapeshifter. She has the ability to look young or old." Raven said.

"I know…but I just, I can't seem to look past it. Even if I can forgive her for what she tried to do, the whole aging think is still in the back of my mind. I don't know why I can't let it go! Like you say, she's a shapeshifter. It shouldn't matter." He grumbled.

"It's because you don't see yourself as human. Or alien for that matter." Raven told him.

"What do you mean." He frowned.

"It's not the fact that you can't age. It's how you came to be this way. You're a clone. Your birthday reminds you of that every year. It reminds you that unlike her, you were made in a lab. I know that sounds harsh, but it's the truth. You are a clone. But, that doesn't make you any less human. Or alien for that matter. Once you accept that, it will be easier on you. Now granted, it won't happen overnight. It will take time."

Conner stopped and stared at her. She could tell he was contemplating what she had said. Then he nodded, understanding her words and realizing that she was right.

"How long. How long did it take you to accept that you're a half-demon?" He asked.

She let out a sigh and crossed her arms.

"Well, I found out when I was around five. Then I was told about the prophecy and worried about that up until my 16th birthday. Finally, the Titans and I defeated my father and I got the chance to turn 17. By then I had realized that it didn't really matter that I was a demon. My friends certainly didn't care. So, I'd say it took me about eleven years." She shrugged.

"Huh. Not sure if I can wait eleven years." Conner muttered.

"Well, at least you will still be young and handsome by then." She smirked.

"Yeah, at least there's that." He rolled his eyes. "Come on, let's go find Mal."

MOUNT JUSTICE: August 29 16:47 EST

"Recognized: Superboy B-0-1, Raven B-0-8, Mal Duncan B-2-4"

Raven, along with Conner and new member Mal beamed inside the cave. She glanced around to find Miss Martian and Lagoon Boy sparring in the training area. Mal noticed them too and watched them with fascination. Conner didn't even spare them a glance. Raven watched as Mal tore his eyes away from the training session and took in the space, his eyes wide and mouth open. He didn't look like much when she had met him a while ago. He was just a regular college student. Mal was a tall and muscular African American with short black hair and brown eyes. He didn't have any powers but Lucas and Conner had said he would make a great coordinator.

"This…this is…wow." Mal muttered.

"So, this is where you will be coordinating the missions from. The monitors are over there." Superboy gestured.

He made his way towards the platform motioning for Mal to follow. Raven followed after them. Superboy activated the monitors, showing Mal how to use them. Mal nodded in understanding the excitement clear on his face. Raven thought they might be a while so she floated off the ground and crossed her legs. She pulled out her phone and texted Alfred. It was almost 5 and he tended to start dinner at 6 o'clock sharp. She had decided to go ahead and stay with Conner a while longer. He had said that he might need some help getting Mal started.

"Ugh…she's floating." Mal muttered.

"Yeah, she tends to do that." Conner chuckled.

Raven glanced up from her phone screen with an arched brow. Mal stared at her his eyes a little startled. Then she rolled her eyes and motioned to Miss Martian and Lagoon Boy.

"Those two are green. I didn't hear you say anything about them." She muttered.

Raven turned her attention back to her phone. Alfred had replied to her message. She smiled at his comment to be careful and that he would make her a plate for later. Putting her phone away, she turned back to the boys, hands on her knees.

"Well, it's kinda just now hitting me. The uh…the whole super powered heroes thing. I mean I knew you guys existed. Hell I've seem most of you on TV before. But, I never thought I'd meet any of you in person. Let alone join you." Mal told her.

"Yeah, it might take you a while to get used to it all. But, I'm sure it won't take you long." Superboy assured him.

"Besides, it's not like you haven't already accepted that super humans exist. Like you said, you've seen them on TV plenty of times. Only difference is that you'll be up close and personal now."

"You're right. Getting used to your powers shouldn't be that big a deal. I mean, this is so surreal! Me, working with a team of superheroes! This is amazing!" Mal exclaimed.

"Try not to get over excited Mal. This is a dangerous job we're offering." Conner said.

"Dangerous. Right. Still, how could I turn this down?" Mal muttered

"That's a good question! I mean, who in their right mind would turn down an offer like this! You Mal Duncan will be helping to stop the bad guys and bring them to justice. Like Vandal Savage. An immortal who not even Superman has been able to beat. Or someone like the Joker who won't hesitate to cut off your arm just to prove that he can. Then there's Ra's al Ghul who runs the League of Assassins. People who know how to kill a man in more than fifty ways. I could go on but we'd be here all night." Raven said sarcastically.

Mal blinked at her.

"Ugh…not sure if your trying to help here Rae." Conner mumbled.

She didn't even bat an eye at his use of her nickname. Raven kept her gaze on Mal.

"What? I'm just letting him know that if he does this, he will be up against the most dangerous people on the planet. That he will be risking his life every time he steps up to these monitor. And there may come a day when he won't be able to hide behind these screens. That he will have to be prepared to die for someone who may or may not be worth it. Someone who steals, cheats, or beats his wife. And he will have to put his life on the line for this person without question. Because heroes don't get to choose who they save and who they don't. Not if they want to continue to be called heroes." She shrugged.

"Right." Superboy sighed "Look Mal, she's right. You have to be sure before you agree to this."

"It's alright. I get it. This isn't a game, I know that. What I do here could mean life or death for someone. For me. I understand that. I'm smart enough to know this is dangerous. That I would be risking a lot. Still, I feel like I should be here. That I should be doing what I can to help you. I just…before I agree to this…I want to make sure that you're sure. Having me join the Team I mean. Do you really believe I can do this?" Mal asked them.

Raven and Superboy shared a look. Then Conner turned back to Mal with a smile.

"Would we have asked you otherwise? Trust me Mal, you wouldn't be here if we didn't believe you were the right person for the job." He assured him.

"Okay. Alright. Then yeah. I'll do it." Mal grinned.

"Hurray." Raven said with no enthusiasm whatsoever.

Mal stared at her before chuckling lightly. He turned to Conner.

"Is she always this cheerful?" He wondered.

"I've only known her for two weeks. But from what I've gathered so far…yeah." Conner grinned.

Raven rolled her eyes at them. This only made the boys laugh. They then turned their attention back to the monitors. Raven watched them for a moment before glancing at M'gann and Lagoon Boy. She could hear their laughter from across the room. Megan had the atlantean pinned to the ground, her body positioned above his.

"Damn. You're beautiful and strong. Two very attractive traits." She heard La'gaan chuckle.

"How sweet of you. Or are you just trying to distract me so you can get the upper hand." Megan grinned down at him.

"Is it working?" Lagoon Boy laughed.

"A little, yeah."

Miss Martian picked herself up and held her hand out to La'gaan. He took it and let her help him to his feet. Raven stared at them curiously. She was sensing…a feeling of warmth coming from Lagoon boy. It was similar to what she had felt from Star during her relationship with Robin. La'gaan had a crush on Miss Martian. She turned her attention to the alien but there was only friendly affection from her. Then, she felt a different feeling. One she had been feeling herself recently. Jealousy. She glanced behind her. Mal was swiping his fingers across the screens. But Superboy, he was staring at Megan, his eyes full of hurt and anger. He noticed Raven watching him and let out the breath he had been holding.

"I'm guessing you felt that?" He asked.

Raven nodded. Mal glanced at them briefly before continuing to play with the monitors. Superboy had shown him how to get to Nightwing's hero files. He was currently reading through Kaldur's. Best he learned about everyone on the team sooner than later.

"It's going to take me a while to get used to having someone tell what I'm feeling." Conner sighed.

"Yeah, that detached look you always have on your face isn't going to work with me." She offered a small smile.

"Detached? I don't know what you mean." He deadpanned.

Raven swatted his arm and he let out a small chuckle. Then his look turned stony again. His small moment of ease gone as fast as it came. She turned to see what had caused the change. M'gann and Lagoon Boy had finished their sparring session and were making their way towards the platform. Megan was staring at Raven and Superboy with a troubled look on her face. Conner turned his back on them as they approached. He stepped closer to Raven and stood in front of her. Conner kept his eyes glued to Raven's, his arms crossed and tense. She stared up at his face, her expression sympathetic.

"Mal? I'm glad you're finally here!" M'gann exclaimed.

Raven could tell that she was trying not to look hurt from Conner's refusal to look at her. Lagoon Boy seemed oblivious as he stepped up on the Platform to greet Mal. Mal had turned to smile and shake their hands.

"Megan. Conner he…he told me you would be here. He warned me about the green skin, but I'll admit that it is throwing me off a bit. I'm sure I'll get used to it though. You're still the same Megan after all." Mal said nervously.

"Yeah. It's still me. Sorry I didn't say hi sooner. I was helping Lagoon Boy train." She told him.

"That's okay. You guys do that a lot? Spar I mean."

"Pretty often yeah. Usually Black Canary helps us out but she's been busy lately." Lagoon boy said.

"Oh. Black Canary. Right." Mal muttered.

"She can train you too. You'll need to know how to defend yourself now that you've joined us." Conner uttered.

He didn't turn from Raven. Keeping his back to M'gann was helping to ease his irritation.

"Really? That would be great! Will it hurt?" Mal wondered.

"Yeah it will. She's not the type to go easy." Raven told him.

She had only officially been on the Team for a week. Still, Black Canary had found the time to test her in hand to hand. Raven knew how to handle herself in a fist fight which had impressed the older hero. Everyone usually got the impression that someone with powers like Raven had no need for martial arts. They were right, Raven hardly ever needed to use it. But, she had been smart enough to learn. There had been instances when she had been powerless. Never again. She had taught herself at first, then she joined the Titans and Robin offered to teach her. That didn't mean she was as skilled as Canary though. Not even close.

"Man. Well, I guess there's no helping it. I'm just gonna have to grin and bear it." Mal sighed.

"Don't grin. It only makes her hit harder." Superboy advised.

"And she's not shy when it comes to hitting below the belt." Lagoon Boy chuckled.

Superboy's jaw clenched but he said nothing. Raven thought it was best if he left the room. The break up was still fresh and raw. Maybe they could go see Garfield. He was probably around.

"Ugh…M'gann. Where's Beast Boy?" Raven asked.

"The harbor. There's a carnival today. He went with Jaime and Cassie to try a few rides." Miss Martian said.

"A carnival. Great." Raven sighed.

"It's pretty fun. I went yesterday with Karen. Have you and Conner gone yet, Megan? You usually go every year right?" Mal asked.

Megan's face fell and Conner stiffened. Raven shook her head in exasperation. This wasn't going well.

"Ugh…no we haven't. We don't plan to this year, Mal." Megan said sadly.

"No? Why not?" He asked.

"We kind of…"

"I'm going. I don't see why I shouldn't." Conner suddenly stated.

Raven didn't think it was possible, but Megan's face fell even lower. Raven uncrossed her legs and placed her feet on the ground. She shook her head at Conner but he just scoffed and stared at his feet.

"Ugh…Conner. Mal still needs a tour." Raven said.

"That's okay. Lagoon Boy and I can show him around." Megan managed.

"Yeah. No problem!" La'gaan smiled.

"That's…that's fine with me." Mal muttered.

He seemed to finally notice the tension in the room. He glanced back and forth between Megan and Conner. Then he gave Superboy a look that said he would be asking questions later. Conner ignored it.

"Then it's settled. Come on Raven, I'll win you a stuffed animal or something." Superboy muttered.

He grabbed her hand and pulled her towards the exit. Raven didn't resist, but she glanced back at Mal to wave goodbye. He nodded it but his expression was confused. Lagoon Boy was watching Megan, a worried look on his face. As if he just realized that she was still hurting. Megan stared after them, her eyes speaking louder than words. She turned away and muttered something to Mal. He nodded and she led him off the platform and towards the living area. Raven yanked on Superboy's arm forcing him to stop. He turned to her.

"Conner. Maybe we can just go somewhere else. The carnival was somewhere you used to go with…"

"No. The carnival is fine. People go there with friends right? Wonder Girl, Beast Boy and Blue Beetle are there aren't they?" He said.

"Yeah but…"

"I'll be fine. I can't just stop going to carnivals because I used to go with Megan. It will be okay. We'll find Cassie, Garfield and Jaime and we'll have fun."

"Fun? Conner, you and I are not the type to go to a Carnival for fun. We're the type who go because our friends forced us to. We go because we know it will make them happy. Not for our own amusement." She rolled her eyes.

"That's…okay that's true. But, why not go anyways? I just need…look I want to go so that I can prove that I can without thinking of her. I need to force myself to try and get over M'gann. I can't feel like this all the time. I can't keep turning my back on her like I just did. I work with her, I live with her, I see her all the time. I have to make it to where I can be in the same room with her without feeling like shit."

Raven stared at him. Then she let out sigh and shoved past him towards the hanger door where he kept his bike. She didn't hear him following so she glanced back. He hadn't moved.

"Well? Hurry up will ya! But, just know that you are paying for me got it! And I expect a bag of popcorn." She crossed her arms.

He smiled at her gratefully before jogging to catch up. He opened the door and led her to his bike parked outside. She climbed on after him, wrapping her arms around his waist. Conner started the motorcycle before turned to look at her.

"Thanks for this, Raven." He whispered.

"Whatever. I better get extra butter on that popcorn." She muttered.

Conner chuckled. Then he sped off towards the harbor.

GOTHAM CITY: August 30th 23:37 EST

Nightwing stood atop a water tower staring down at Gotham City Police Station. Robin was handing off a drug dealer to Commissioner Gordon at the front door. As soon as he was done, Tim turned away and disappeared leaving the older man alone on the steps. Nightwing smirked when he saw Gordon searching the streets for the young sidekick. He never did get used to their vanishing acts.

He waited a moment for Robin to appear. Raven found him first. Nightwing knew the second she teleported behind him. The usual tenderness and warmth spread in his chest the way it usually did when she was nearby. It still made his breath hitch each time he felt it. It was becoming painfully obvious that he had fallen hard for his teammate.

"The kids will survive. I was able to clear away most of the infection caused by the dirty needles. They are resting comfortably at the rehab center. The nurses have made arrangements to contact the parents in the morning." She reported.

"Good. What about you? Has the pain receded or do you need a moment?" He asked.

Nightwing kept his back to her as he spoke. He still couldn't bring himself to look at her. Not since last night. But, that didn't mean he wasn't worried for her. Her powers of healing worked wonders but at a cost. In order for Raven to help the wounded she has to absorb their pain. It took its toll on her but she never once complained.

"I'm fine. I hardly feel it anymore." She muttered.

"Hey! What's next guys?"

They turned to Robin who had just climbed on top of the tower. He walked up to them, a smile on his face. Nightwing smiled back as he placed a hand on the young sidekick's shoulder.

"Now, we keep an eye out for more trouble. But first, great job tonight. That was your bust and you should be very proud of yourself."

"Thanks Nightwing." Tim's smile widened.

"So. Where to next? I could always patrol on my own. We'd cover more ground that way." Raven said.

This time Nightwing did turn to look at her. Raven floated beside them, her cloak flowing lightly against the night air. She had her hood down letting her hair flow freely, her mask still on her face. Raven had her arms crossed, her eyes distant and withdrawn. He felt guilty all over again. It was his fault that she was like this. He was the one who had snapped at her last night. Not as Nightwing, but as Dick.

Dick heard her the moment she walked through the front door. He hadn't expected her to use the entrance. It was pretty late, nearly eleven, so he assumed that she would teleport within her room. He wasn't planning on saying anything. He wasn't planning on stopping her. But, somehow he found himself leaning against the stairway waiting for her.

Raven stopped in her tracks, confusion clear on her face as she saw him standing there. What was she confused about? Was it the fact that he was still awake? Or was it because he was staring at her, his eyes hooded and upset. He didn't know. And at the moment he didn't care. Because Raven hadn't arrived empty handed. In the crook of her arm she held a large stuffed animal. A white wolf. In her other hand she held a half empty box of popcorn. There was no hiding where she had been that night. Unwelcome images crossed his mind. All of her and Conner.

"Richard? Were you waiting for me to get home? You didn't…"

"No. I wasn't waiting. I just happened to still be awake." He interrupted her.

"Oh."

Raven looked taken aback by his sharp tone. Even he was surprised by it, but he couldn't help it.

"An errand huh?" He scoffed.

"What?" She blinked.

"You're little outing. Didn't you say it was just an errand?"

"It was. But, there was a carnival. Conner asked…"

"He asked and you agreed. Just like that. Did he even have to persuade you? Or did you go without question?" He said harshly.

"What's wrong with you?" Raven glared.

"How fucked up is that we have to practically force you to play one game of Twister, yet you run off to a carnival the moment Conner offers. What makes him so different? Huh?" He questioned.

"You're upset because I went to a carnival with Conner? Why does it matter whether I did or not! And If I remember correctly, I played that damn game with you didn't I! Look Richard, I don't know why you're being like this, but I'd appreciate it if you dropped the attitude." She said curtly.

"You don't know why I'm like this? After you've been gone for hours with him? Of course you don't. Well, for a long time I didn't either. But damn it Raven, I've figured it out! When you ran off with him today it became so painfully clear! And you…you're oblivious to it all! Why can't you see it? Why haven't you figured it out! You're a fucking empath for God's sake! Yet…you don't know. And I can't bring myself to tell you…"

He could do it. He should do it. Right here, right now. He just has to say the words. He just has to tell her the truth. Dick stared at Raven, urging himself to speak. But…he couldn't bring himself to.

"Tell me what Richard? Quit being so cryptic and just spit it out!" She glowered.

"Never mind." He muttered.

"NO! You don't get to do that. You don't get to stop mid-sentence like that! What haven't I figured out?! Tell me damn it!" She exclaimed.

"Leave it alone Raven!" He scowled.

"You're the one who started this. Now finish it!"

"You want me to finish this? Fine! I have some advice for you Raven! If you want to be with Conner, you should probably warn him of what he's in for! An emotionless recluse who does nothing but reject people and push them away! Your cold, heartless and detached from the rest of the world! You don't know how to care for someone Raven. Not truly. And I don't think you ever will. All you do is hide yourself away not letting anyone in."

Raven stared at him, her eyes wide. Like a deer caught in headlights. He felt a sharp pain in his chest and knew his words had cut her deeply. She was suffering and he was the cause. He should've stopped there but he didn't.

"Tell me something. What do you expect to happen between you and Conner, huh? Can you actually bring yourself to love someone? Are you even capable of that! Because if you can't, then what are you even doing? What's the point?"

Her eyes fell and Raven began to tremble. She clutched the wolf tighter to her chest. He saw her lip quiver and he nearly broke. What had he just done? How could he say those things? He didn't mean any of it! Why couldn't he have just told her the truth? What a stupid question to ask himself. It was because he was a coward, that's why. Dick was afraid, so afraid, that she would reject him. Instead of taking that risk, he had stooped so low as to hurt her. Before she had the chance to hurt him. He took a step towards Raven, his hand reaching for her.

"Raven…I didn't…I'm sorry, I didn't mean…"

"No. You've said enough." Her voice was barely a whisper.

Raven backed away, flinching when he tried to get close. Then she was engulfed by her magic and was gone. Dick stared at the spot she once stood, his arm still held out grasping at air. Slowly, he lowered it and clenched his hand at his side. Tears began trailing down his cheeks but he was so numb that he didn't feel them. How could he? How could he hurt her knowing how much she meant to him?

"Master Dick? You should get to bed."

He turned to see Alfred watching him with a sad look on his face. The butler stepped towards him and wrapped his arm around his shoulders. Gently, Alfred led him up the stairs. Dick didn't resist.

"I fucked up Alfred." He whispered.

"Yes. You did. Your words were harsh and uncalled for. But, I know you will fix this. You will make things right." Alfred told him.

Dick let Alfred take him to his room. The older man helped him into bed, pulling the blanket over his shoulders. Much like he used to do back when he was a child. Alfred then left him alone, as he drifted to sleep.

Nightwing lowered his gaze, unable to look at Raven much longer. The pain on her face was still visible and unbearable to look at. Raven hadn't left her room the whole day. Alfred had left all her meals outside her door but they were left untouched. Tim had attempted to get her to play chess with him, but she had been unresponsive. The young teen was intelligent though. It didn't take him long to realize that Dick had been the cause. He didn't pry though. He only had one thing to say.

"Whatever you did, fix it. And do it quickly."

Dick had tried. She had left the safety of her room only once. There was a book she had left in the living room. He had sensed her teleporting to retrieve it and rushed to catch her before she vanished. He had managed to see her, but his words caught in his throat the moment he laid eyes on her. Raven had seen him too, but was gone before he found the courage to speak.

After that, he had slinked upstairs to his own room. And he remained there, staring at his ceiling for hours. Because it stung, the way she had averted her eyes. The way she cringed when he had taken a step towards her. He laid in his bed, his stomach in knots. Then, Tim had come knocking. He reminded Dick of the night's activities. That's when he realized that Raven wasn't talking to Dick, but maybe she would talk to Nightwing. Batman was still not back yet, so she was going to patrol Gotham along with Robing and Dick's alter ego. He could use the time to try and get her to talk to him without the mask. Except, even though she did talk to Nightwing, it wasn't the same. She still kept her distance. Raven's only words to him, had to do with work. And nothing else.

Raven arched a brow at him, waiting for an answer to her question. He had been silent for too long.

"No. We stick together. Batgirl isn't here to even out the team, so no splitting up." Nightwing muttered.

"Fine." Raven mumbled.

He wished Barbara was there with them. But, she had plans and he saw no reason to have her change them. He figured the three of them would be enough. But, he was now regretting that decision. If she were here, she could maybe get Raven to open up.

"Let's go check out The East End. We'll circle around a few time's and then patrol the docks for a while." Nightwing said.

"Alright. Sounds good." Tim nodded.

Robin glanced at Raven and held out his hand. She stared at it for a moment before taking it. Tim smiled and gave her hand a squeeze.

"I don't know what's wrong. But, I'm here if you need anything. Okay?" He told her.

Nightwing was immediately grateful to the young hero. If he couldn't comfort Raven, maybe Robin could.

"Thank you but...I…I'll be fine. It's nothing I can't handle." Raven attempted a smile.

"Good. Because East End is no joke. I don't want you distracted while we're there. Whatever happened, try to put it behind you. Try to go back to being your usual self, because I've realized something."

"What?" Raven wondered.

"I don't like seeing you upset." He gave her hand another squeeze before letting go.

Raven's smile widened just a bit. But it was enough to make Nightwing sigh in relief. She was going to be okay. She would get past it. But, he had to do everything he could to win back her trust. As Dick Grayson. He had to fix things between them. Thing would never be the same if he didn't.

"Raven, do you mind teleporting us there." He asked.

She took a deep breath before turning to face him. It was the first time she had looked him in the eyes since the night before. Even if it was Nightwing she was staring at, it was a start. Raven gave him a nod and wrapped them in darkness.

Within seconds, Nightwing found himself in the darkest part of Gotham. Raven had teleported them on top of an abandoned building. He glanced around, his face set in a grimace. There was a lot he missed about Gotham these past four years. This place wasn't one of them.

The East End was underdeveloped and practically in ruins. The penniless huddled around poorly lit fires in the alleys. There were prostitutes on nearly every corner. Break ins had become norm. Drug dealers and mobsters walked the streets with no fear of the law. The only person they feared was Batman, but even he couldn't clean up the city fast enough. He doubted anyone could.

"Homey isn't it?" Robin muttered to Raven.

She didn't say anything. Raven leaned over the edge of the building. She caught site of a woman hailing down cars on the sidewalk. Behind her stood a young girl, she barely looked 13. In her arms was wailing baby, its small arms reaching for its mother. The girl seemed to be pleading with their mother, but she was ignored. Raven scoffed in disgust when a greasy haired man pulled up beside the woman and lowered his window. The woman bent down provocatively, her breasts nearly spilling out of her shirt. It didn't take long for her to open the door and step inside. The man sped off leaving the girl and baby alone. She glanced around the dark street, her body tense and fearful. Quickly, she ran inside a nearby building, the baby clutched tightly in her arms.

"How much help could we actually provide here? A place like this…it would take more than the three of us to do any good. How has Batman not given up yet?" Raven shook her head.

"This is his city. He won't abandon it no matter how hopeless it seems. Before he became who he is, Gotham was a lot worse. It may not look like it, but things around here have gotten better. But, its slow going. He knows this. It's going to take time to get this place to where he wants it to be. And we are going to help him. Because if anyone can save Gotham, its Batman." Nightwing told her.

"I know this part of Gotham is hard to look at, but we can't ignore it. We have to do what we can. So, we are going to keep coming here every night for as long as it takes. This is our city Raven. These are our people. We are going to help Batman save them. It's what we do." Robin said.

Raven stared at them, her expression hidden under her mask. Finally, she nodded. With a determined look in her eyes she pulled her hood over her head.

"Okay. Where do we start?" She asked.

Nightwing couldn't stop the wide grin that spread on his face. Raven blinked at him before lowering her gaze. His grin faltered but he tried to stay focused.

"We'll start with Crime Alley, it's not far…"

An explosion cut him off. The three of them turned towards the direction it came from. The fire caused by the blast was beginning to spread; the buildings were engulfed in flames. The night sky lit up in an orange glow, it was followed by screams of terror. Nightwing immediately leaped onto the next building. Robin was close at his heels. Raven flew above them, her eyes already glowing with power. As she grew near to the explosion she stopped. The two boys caught up to her and looked down at what she was seeing.

It was a ring of fire. It surrounded a whole block, except there was nothing left in the center. No buildings, no streets, no cars, no nothing. The ground was charred black. And the flames…they were no longer spreading. They only grew higher creating a wall of fire.

"These flames aren't normal! The fire should be running wild, instead it's being reigned in and kept within this area!" Raven exclaimed.

"Can you stop it?" Nightwing called out to her.

"I…I think so."

"Alright. You handle the fire, Robin and I will scout around and check for survivors. We'll keep people away from the area."

She nodded before flying higher above the flames. She then crossed her legs and closed her eyes. Raven began to chant, her power spreading like dark tendrils around her. It seeped out of her, slithering towards the fire. He had to trust that she could stop it.

Nightwing turned to instruct Robin to help the stragglers but he didn't have to. The young sidekick was already gone. He caught a glimpse of his cape as he turned a corner on the street below. Nightwing jumped down of the roof and ran in the opposite direction. He kept close to the wall of fire, no longer able to see within its center. He could no longer see Raven either. He had to suppress a sudden surge of panic refusing to lose focus. Raven could handle herself. He knew that.

Nightwing found a crowd of people standing in a huddle. They stared up at the flames with awe and terror. None of them looked injured. They didn't have any burns, their faces clean of soot. He ran up to them. A woman turned to him as he approached.

"Are any of you hurt? How did you get out?" He asked.

"Get out? We were never in. The fire never reached our houses. It stopped right here and hasn't moved since." She shook her head.

"But, it charred a whole block. What happened to the people living there? Did you see anyone escape the flames?"

"I've been out here since the explosion went off. The blast lasted less than a minute. I saw the fire spread, but like she said, it just stopped. I haven't seen anyone walk out of those flames. Not one. I don't think anybody survived." An older man told him.

The man's face was tired, full of pity. He pulled his thin jacket tighter around his body and looked up at the fire. Then he shook his head and walked away, choosing to return to the safety of his home. The others realized that they were of no use. There was no one left to save. Stricken with grief, they all dispersed.

Nightwing took a deep breath. Slowly, he approached the fire getting as close as he could. The heat was intense and scorched his face. He glared at the bright flames, his hands clenched at his sides. What could he do? People were dead and he felt useless! How could he possibly stop this when he didn't even know who started it!

Suddenly, the flames parted. It left a gap large enough for him to walk through. He hesitated for a moment, his nerves on edge. A trap. That's what it felt like. But he saw no other choice. Nightwing stepped inside the ring, the wall closing behind him as soon as he did. He was inside the flames, with no way out.

Nightwing walked forward, ignoring the crunch of his boots against the charred ground. He didn't need to think about the dead. Not now. He had only taken a few steps when he saw the wall open once more a few feet from where he stood. He stared at the opening, his guard up. Until Robin stepped through. The young sidekick seemed just as hesitant as Nightwing had been. Then he spotted him and ran to catch up.

"You came inside too!" Robin exclaimed.

"Didn't have much of a choice did I?"

"Guess not. Nightwing…there was no one…"

Robin's face fell, unable to finish his sentence. He stared at the ground, his mood somber.

"I know."

Tim glanced up at him. Dick didn't have to tell him to pull himself together. They had gone through the same training after all. He watched as Robin buried his grief and his face set in determination. Nightwing felt a pang of sadness at the sight. Kids his age shouldn't have to deal with things like this. But this was the life they were given. Dick and Tim had no choice but to grow up quicker than most.

"Okay, so were inside. Now what? And where's…"

They heard her before they saw her. Raven's cry of pain pierced the night air. Their heads shot up in time to see her plummeting towards the ground. They wouldn't reach her in time. They knew this, but that didn't stop them from running towards her.

"RAVEN!" Nightwing cried out.

She hit the ground hard. But somehow, she was able to use her magic to soften the blow. Her body bounced a few times before coming to a complete stop. They had almost reached her, when they heard laughter coming from above them. They stopped and glanced up to see Klarion the Witch Boy grinning wildly at them. No…not them. At Raven.

They turned to look at her. She was slowly picking herself up, her legs wobbly and weak. Raven's mask was torn and hung uselessly around her neck. Her hood was no longer covering her head revealing her long purple locks. Raven's bindi glowed bright red against her forehead. She glared up at Klarion, her teeth clenched and her hands glowing with dark power.

"I knew I'd find you! Didn't take very long did it?!" Klarion cackled.

"Find you…what's he talking about Raven?" Robin asked.

"The fire. He was trying to get my attention." Raven's voice was hoarse and tired.

"Why?! What do you want with her!" Nightwing growled.

"Nothing in particular really. I just…want her. I sensed her presence nearby and couldn't resist the chance to search her out." Klarion shrugged.

"And Vandal Savage? Did he let you off your leash just so you could take her? Is he the one who's after her?" Nightwing questioned.

"LEASH! How dare you! I work for Vandal because I choose to! He has no control over me!" The Witch boy seethed.

Klarion rose his arms into the air, summoning red lighting around them. It crackled in the night sky before striking down on top of them. Nightwing tackled Robin to the ground, covering him with his body. He braced himself for the searing pain, but felt nothing. He heard a loud crack and the air around him vibrated. Hesitantly, he glanced up to find Raven's shield positioned above them. It rippled from the lighting strikes bombarding them mercilessly. And when the lighting stopped, the shield faded away. Robin crawled out from under him and stood. Nightwing pushed himself to his feet and stared at the scene before him.

Raven held her arms out in front of her, a beam of magic pouring out of the palms of her hands. Klarion shoved it back with his own dark magic, red against black. She dug her feet into the ground, but Nightwing could see her struggling. But, Klarion wasn't doing much better. He was fuming, his expression disbelieving. Clearly, he had underestimated Raven's power.

"What the hell do you want from me?" Raven managed.

"Your power! Isn't it obvious! Ever since that day! The day your father stepped into our world! I meant to find him, to join him! But I wasn't quick enough was I? He was imprisoned yet again by his own daughter!"

"Trigon…how could you have possibly joined him. He turned the world to stone!"

"And you think I suffered the same fate? I come from the Witch-World! I hail from another dimension same as you! Same as your father! I am a master of the dark arts! I've learned all there is to know about witchcraft! The world turned to stone that day, BUT I DID NOT!"

"So what? You want to kill me for ruining your chance to be Trigon's bootlicker?"

Raven pulled back her ray of magic. The sudden loss of resistance caused Klarion's own ray to waver. Raven used the chance to fly out of reach of his beam. She lifted her arms and the ground shook. Her magic dug into the earth and large boulders of dirt rose into the sky. Raven's eyes glowed white as she flung her arms. The boulders hurled towards the Witch boy forcing him to go into the offensive.

"What do we do!? How do we help her?" Robin muttered.

Nightwing turned to him. The boy's body was tense, his fingers twitching at his side. He wasn't used to this. He wasn't used to standing by and doing nothing. They were taught to do everything possible to win a fight. Only, this wasn't their fight. Still, Nightwing knew how he felt. They should at least try and do something. He searched the area, but all he saw was the ring of fire surrounding them. The area was bare. Wait…something was missing. Something important.

"Teekl!" He whispered harshly.

"What?" Robin looked at him, confusion clear on his face.

"His cat! His orange tabby!" Nightwing explained.

"The cat…the cat! Where is it! I don't see it!" Robin glanced around wildly.

"Me neither! We have to find it!"

Robin nodded once before running off to search. Nightwing looked to Raven for a moment before running off as well. He kept close to her though, just in case. His eyes scanned the open space, but his ears were trained on the battle above him.

"You think I wanted to be Trigon's lackey? Never! I'm nobody's stooge! I cause havoc and chaos! I bring darkness and discord wherever I go! I'm my own master, witch!"

He deflected a boulder and created large red claws of magic. They extended towards Raven, the fingers wrapping around her waist. Her eyes glowed brighter before her own magic exploded around her, the red claws dissolving.

Nightwing's focus was split between looking for the damn cat and keeping an eye on Raven. Good thing he had Robin out there searching as well.

"You think he would've shared this world with you? That he would've let you rule beside him? If that is what you believed, then you do not know Trigon. YOU DO NOT KNOW HIM AT ALL!"

Raven began to bombard Klarion with her magic. The Witch boy shielded himself from her onslaught.

"Maybe not. But that doesn't matter anymore! I didn't come to kill you, Raven Daughter of Scath! I came to force you to join me! Together, we can raze the Earth! We'll enslave its people and make this world our own! I was wrong to go looking for Trigon that day! It should've been you that I had gone after! You beat him, Raven! So in my eyes, you are a worthier partner than could ever be!

"You think I would join you? That I would work alongside you?" Raven scoffed.

"No. I don't. I've heard a lot about you Raven. How you've been playing hero. How you pretend to be more that what you really are. A demon. A bringer of chaos, just like me. But, you seem to forgotten that. You insist on burying that part of you."

Raven cried out in rage. Her shadow bird expanded around her and launched itself at Klarion. His face contorted into a gruesome demonic sneer, his hair twisting into horns. The Witch boy encased himself in magic protecting himself from Raven's attack.

"I know that you won't come with me willingly. I knew you would fight me every step of the way. I'm not asking you to join me Raven. No, I came to force you!"

His red magic expanded and shot out towards Raven. She barely had time to shield herself. Raven created a sphere of magic. She floated in its center. Klarion's tendrils of magic wrapped around it, trying to pierce through.

Nighwing watched as Klarion's magic began digging into Raven's shield. It inched its way deeper inside reaching for her. Fear coursed through him, but he forced himself to focus on his task. He turned left and right, searching wildly for Teekl. But there was nothing. He saw nothing.

"NIGHTWING!"

He turned to the sound of his name. Without hesitation, he ran towards Robin's voice. He didn't turn to check on Raven. Not yet. He didn't have to go far. Nightwing stopped as soon as he saw Robin dodging blows from a large demonic cat. Teekl had transformed.

Nightwing dug into his utility belt. He pulled out a fist full of tiny marbles and threw them towards the cat. Robin didn't have to be told to move. He leapt into the air and back flipped a few feet in front of Nightwing. The marbles exploded, surrounding Teekl in gray smoke.

"Smoke screen? You couldn't have used explosives?" Robin panted.

"Kinda forgot to restock my belt."

"Of course you did."

Dick was pretty sure Tim was rolling his eyes under his mask. He didn't have time to comment though. Teekl suddenly rushed out of the smoke and charged. Tim pulled out his bo, holding it defensively in front of him. Teekl swiped at the young hero and was rewarded with a blow to his side. He hissed and retreated. He began circling around them, baring his fangs.

"I think you made him angry." Nightwing muttered.

"I think you should've remembered to restock your belt." Robin retorted.

Teekl roared and charged at them again. Nightwing ran towards him, pulling out his eskrima sticks. As he got close, he fell to the ground sliding under the cat. He swiped at its legs causing them to buckle. Teekl crashed to the ground. Robin threw birdarangs at the fallen cat. Nightwing heard familiar beeping and rolled out of reach as the disks exploded. The cat was engulfed in flames.

"I see you remembered to bring explosives." Nightwing muttered as he brushed himself off.

"Yeah. I'm resourceful that way." Robin smirked.

They turned to Teekl as the flames began to recede. They both sighed in disappointment as the cat shook himself, as if the fire was but a mere annoyance. He then glared at the boy's, his body taut and ready to pounce.

"Well that certainly didn't work." Dick grumbled.

"We shouldn't be surprised. Teekl is no ordinary cat." Tim grimaced.

"Do you happen to have a few bolas with you?"

"Out of those too?"

"Just throw them will ya?"

They didn't let Teekl charge first this time. The two of them ran towards the cat, Robin twirling weighted ropes. Teekl growled in retaliation and rushed at them. Robin through the bolas, and they watched as they wrapped around the cat's legs. Teekl crashed the ground for a second time. But this time, Nightwing didn't let him get back up. He pulled out his taser and shot teekl in the neck. The electricity surged through the wire and pulsed into the demonic cat. Teekl convulsed, his eyes rolled behind his head and he passed out cold. The cat shrunk back to its smaller form.

Nightwing smirked as he put away the taser. Robin removed the bolas from the cat's legs and put them back in his utility belt.

"Who knew taking down a pussy cat could be so time consuming." Robin muttered.

"Well, like you said. He was no ordinary cat." Nightwing chuckled.

"TEEKL! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO HIM!"

They stepped back as Klarion appeared before them. His form was fading in and out. Teekl was the only thing keeping him anchored to their world. Klarion knelt down and lifted his cat into his arms. Then a portal opened up behind him.

"Tell Raven that this isn't over. Either she joins me or she dies."

"That's not going to happen." Nightwing growled.

"I would continue to pursue her but I have other business to attend to. Once Vandal has what he wants, I'll come for her again."

Before they could stop him, Klarion jumped into the portal and disappeared. Then the ring of fire surrounding them receded.

"Raven!" Robin cried out.

Nightwing turned to see Raven making her way towards them. She held her arm gingerly against her chest. Robin ran towards her as she began to sway on her feet. Nightwing wasn't far behind.

"I take it you guys found his familiar? He got very nervous towards the end. Started throwing stronger magic." She told them.

"Teekl. Yeah, we knocked him out." Robin said.

"Are you okay? How badly did he hurt you?" Nightwing questioned.

His hands were twitching to hold her. She looked as if she could barely stand. But, he held himself back. He wasn't sure how she would react to his touch. Not now.

"I'll heal." She told him.

They didn't say anything more. They could wait to talk about what happened later. Robin put an arm around Raven and began leading her away from the charred block. Nightwing walked beside them. They soon reached the streets left untouched by the fire. Nightwing led them into an alley and began planning their route home. Raven wasn't fit to continue patrolling the city. And she wasn't fit to teleport them back, so they would have to walk to where they left the bikes.

That's when he heard it. The laugh that never failed to send a chill through him. Robin tensed beside him and Raven glanced around searching for the culprit. Nightwing immediately pressed them back against the wall using his body as a shield. They heard it again, the laugh was getting closer. Nightwing prepared himself but he didn't need too. They heard the screech of tires, and then the batmobile pulled up on the street beside them. The hatch opened and Batman leaped out.

"Nightwing, take the car! Get them home, now!" He ordered.

Dick didn't need to be told twice. He grabbed Raven's hand and pulled her towards the car. Robin lingered back, staring at Batman with a questioning look. Batman shook his head and motioned towards the car.

"Go Robin. I'll handle this."

Tim nodded reluctantly before joining the others. Nightwing helped Raven into the car and then sat at the wheel. Robin jumped in, squeezing in next to Raven. Nightwing glanced at Batman as he disappeared further into the alley. Muttering a good luck, he closed the hatch and sped off towards home.