Reconcile

WAYNE MANOR: September 6 02:37 EST

The bike wasn't going fast enough. It was too slow. She needed to go faster! Why? She didn't know. She just knew that she had to get there. Before it was too late.

The night was cold. The wet snow pelted her face as she sped through the abandoned street of a desolate town. Her fingers were numb around the hand clutch. She didn't care. She felt nothing but the need to get there.

There was a snow covered hill. A building stood at its peak. She could see the lights. She was close. Almost there.

She didn't slow down. She was finally where she wanted to be. The bike hit a bank of snow and shot into the sky. She jumped off letting it fall where it may. She ran forward.

The building went up in flames. The blast pushed her back.

She pushed away the fallen rubble. She stood. The building was gone. There was only fire and destruction.

She was digging. Looking for something. Someone. She found him. A boy. She lifted him in her arms. He was battered, beaten…no longer breathing.

Raven woke with a startled gasp. She sat up, her heart beating rapidly in her chest and beads of sweat dotting her forehead. Her blanket was wrapped around her legs and her pillows had found their way to the floor. She glanced around the dark room and then at the clock on her night stand. It was late.

Raven took a deep breath and crossed her legs. She murmured her mantra, willing herself to calm down. Her nerves began to ease and her body stopped shaking. Bits and pieces of her dream flashed across her mind.

No. Not her dream. His. And not a dream, but a nightmare. One of many that plagued the minds of the people living in this house. It didn't occur often, but there were nights where Raven had dreams that were not her own. They were never pleasant.

"I need tea." She sighed.

Raven rubbed her eyes tiredly and teleported herself to the kitchen. She pulled out a kettle and turned on the stove. She dug through the cabinet for some chamomile tea as the water boiled.

"Mind getting me a bag?" A voice asked behind her.

She grabbed another tea bag and closed the cabinet. Raven turned around to face Bruce who was pulling out a stool from underneath the island. He ran a hand through his bedhead as he took a seat. The kettle started to whistle and Raven turned off the stove. She found two cups and wordlessly placed one in front of Bruce, the tea bag already inside. She poured him some water and then some for herself before placing the kettle in the sink.

Raven took a seat across from Bruce, her hands wrapped around the steaming cup of tea. He was staring down at his own cup, the tea bag dangling between his fingers. She watched as he swirled it around in the hot water.

"Couldn't sleep either huh?" Bruce muttered.

"That would explain why I'm down here." She took a sip.

"Right."

Bruce let the bag drop and lifted the cup in his hand. He stared at it for a moment, his eyes a bit unfocused, before finally taking a drink.

"It's the empath thing." Raven muttered.

Bruce blinked at her. She never planned on explaining herself to him. In fact, she had been planning to pour him his tea and then return to her room. Instead she had found herself pulling out a stool. It probably had to do with the fact that out of everyone in the house, Bruce was the hardest to read. Like her, he had chosen to repress his emotions. So if Raven wished to know more about the man, she would have to do it the hard way. She had to get him to talk.

"Care to clarify?" He arched a brow.

"I had a nightmare." She said.

"A nightmare?"

"Yes. Only it wasn't my own."

"You had someone else's nightmare?"

Bruce finished the last of his tea. He sat his cup aside and sat straighter in his seat.

"Yes. It doesn't happen often. Its only when the dream is…very vivid. Or if it's one that the person has consistently."

"It happens involuntarily?"

"Duh. It's not like I willing want to invade peoples dreams. Especially if it interferes with my sleep." She rolled her eyes.

"How? I thought you had control of your abilities?"

"I do. Like I said, it doesn't happen often. But sometimes people feel very strongly about something. Their emotions spike and they get very intense. Its times like these that their feelings are relayed to me without my wishing it."

"People's emotions are stronger when they sleep. When they're dreaming. Especially if it's a nightmare." Bruce muttered.

"Exactly. And if I happen to be sleeping as well, I'm more susceptible to their emotions. I experience them as if they were my own. I see what they see. Therefore, I share in their nightmares."

Raven stared down at her empty cup. She could feel Bruce's gaze on her.

"Sometimes…sometimes its Richard. There is a man. Zucco. His parents falling. Always falling. Other times its Tim. His…his is a little harder to bear. I can never go back to sleep after I experience Tim's nightmare. All I here is the laughter and the name Junior being repeated over and over again. And finally, there's…."

"It was mine. The nightmare you had tonight." Bruce interrupted.

"Yes."

"Do you remember it?"

"It's a reoccurring nightmare. It's not the first that I've seen it."

"It's not a…"

"I know. It's a memory. The three of you…your nightmares always have to do with something from your past. Tonight's was about…Jason." She frowned.

"Yes. He was…I didn't get there in time."

"Wasn't your fault."

"I was the reason he was out there."

"Maybe. But he knew what he was getting into when he agreed to be your Robin. He knew the risks. It's sad what happened but you shouldn't blame yourself."

Bruce arched a brow at her. He had a knowing look on his face. Raven looked for any sign of shock. Of disbelief. There was none.

"You're not surprised. That I know who you are, I mean." She sighed.

"No. The first few nights I thought you were clueless. But, it wasn't long before I realized that you knew the truth. I saw how you were around Dick and I could tell that you were well aware of who he really was. And Tim and Barbara for that matter. Then there was Alfred."

"Alfred?"

"He knew long before I did. Said he figured it out your first day here. When Dick introduced himself to you. Said you acted very upset with him."

"Couldn't help it." She muttered.

Raven fidgeted in her seat. Bruce noticed her unease.

"He will apologize. He just wants to make sure he doesn't screw up even more than he already did."

"A simple sorry will do."

"Maybe for you. But the way he sees it, he hurt you. In his eyes, that's unforgivable. A simple sorry won't be enough. Not for him."

She only nodded.

"When do you plan on telling him? That you know." Bruce asked.

"After he chooses to tell me the truth."

"And if he can't bring himself to do it?"

"We'll see."

"I guess we will. May I ask you something?"

"Sure." She shrugged.

"What am I feeling right now?"

Raven gave him a questioning look. He just shrugged, waiting for her response. She leaned forward, her eyes boring into his. Raven watched him for a moment before letting out a sigh and shaking her head.

"You're…harder to read than most. You're guarded. You keep your emotions well hidden. I get glimpses sometimes. A few flashes here and there. But, that's it."

"Just a few glimpses huh." His lips twitched into what looked like an attempt at a smile.

"Don't be smug. I could see everything if I wanted to!" She jabbed a finger at him.

"Well, then I guess it's a good thing you don't want to." He outright chuckled this time.

"Yeah, lucky you." She grumbled.

"So, you're not even a little bit curious?" He wondered.

"About what's in your head? Of course I am! You're a mystery, Bruce Wayne. You dress up like a bat every night and probably hang upside down from church belfries!"

"I don't…" Bruce started to protest.

"I have some idea as to why you do this. I know it's because of what happened to your parents. I know that it's because you don't want another kid to ever have to go through what you went through. Not in Gotham. So you became Batman. In order to protect your city. But, in order to be the Dark Knight, you've had to create a wall. You've hardened yourself and closed yourself off from the rest of the world. I know the feeling. But, the wall you've built, makes me curious as to what's behind it."

"Yet, you say you don't want to look." He muttered.

"Because, like I said, I know the feeling. I have my own wall. It's…beginning to crumble. I'm starting to let it. But, I had my reasons for building it in the first place. I didn't want others to see what was behind it. You chose to build a wall, same as me. Which means you have your own reasons for doing so. I could never go further into your mind than you would allow. Because I would hate it if someone were to try and break through my wall, without my permission. So, unless you allow it, I will never try to see any more than what you are willing to share.

"Thank you."

Raven just shrugged.

"We should probably get to bed. I have work and you have school in the morning."

Bruce stood and made to leave. Raven stood as well.

"Bruce?"

"Yes?"

"About Jason. I…I know that no matter what anyone says, you'll probably continue to blame yourself. And I know that the memory of that night will always be with you. But, you shouldn't let that memory overshadow the others. Try to remember Jason as he was before his death. It might ease your pain."

Bruce stared at her for a moment. His eyes giving nothing away. Then he gave her a brief smile. It was gone so quickly that she wasn't sure if she had imagined it. He nodded once and then left her alone in the kitchen. Raven stood there a few seconds longer and then teleported herself back to her room.

MOUNT JUSTICE: September 7 15:56 EST

Raven zeta-beamed within the cave. She loosened her school tie and rolled up her sleeves. The mission room was empty so she kept going until she reached the lounge. The TV was on, Garfield and Conner were watching it from the couch. Wolf was asleep next to Superboy's feet. Kaldur was seated at the small dining table in the corner of the room. A book in his hand. Megan was behind the counter, reaching into the oven. Raven could smell the cookies inside.

Kaldur noticed her first. He glanced up from his book and gave her a welcoming smile. She returned it and he went back to reading. Megan noticed her too but glanced away as soon as she did. Conner and Garfield didn't see her until she walked up to the couch. Raven stepped over Wolf who lifted his head in greeting. She reached down to scratch his head before shrugging off her backpack and letting it fall on the floor. Conner made room for her on the couch and she took a seat between the two boys.

"You're doing your homework here again tonight?" Beast Boy asked. He didn't look away from the TV.

"I don't have any." She muttered.

"Just like our company then?" Conner smiled.

"At the moment."

"I don't understand why you would rather come here than Wayne Manor! I'd never get bored in a place like that!" Garfield said.

"You don't understand a lot of things, Garfield." She retorted.

"The cookies are done." Megan told them.

Garfield grinned and practically jumped off the couch. He joined Megan in the kitchen, leaving Conner and Raven alone. Superboy glanced behind him before leaning towards her.

"Things still a little tense at the manor?" Conner whispered.

Raven just shrugged. It had been a more than a week since her fight with Dick. Just thinking about it made her chest hurt. Everything he had said…she thought she was getting better. She wasn't as reclusive as she used to be. Raven tried not to avoid people, instead she would try to seek their company. Not excessively, but certainly more than usual. And cold? Detached and heartless? Did he really think that about her? Out of all the Titans, Dick had always seemed the most understanding. He knew her better than anyone. And then, he had asked her to come to Happy Harbor. She was happy. She thought things were going well between the two of them. What changed?

The past week, Raven had been coming to the cave every day after school. Seeing Dick around the house had become unbearable. The bond made things very difficult. Normally, she could just lock herself in her room. But, his emotions seemed to seep through her walls. She could barely stand her own discomfort, adding Dick's into the mix only made it worse. He radiated nothing but regret and self-hate. She couldn't stand it!

So, as soon as class was over, she teleported herself to the nearest Zeta-tube. She would spend her time with Conner or Garfield until dinner time. Raven could always eat here with the others, but she didn't have the heart to do that to Alfred. There was sort of an unspoken agreement between her and Dick. They wouldn't miss dinner, for fear of disappointing the kind-hearted butler. So there they sat attempting awkward small talk. She wasn't sure how much longer she could keep it up. Afterwards, Dick would grab the keys to his bike and leave. He also had been spending a lot of his time at the cave.

"A little? It's been a week Conner." She whispered back.

"You never really told me what the fight was about."

"It's not important."

"Clearly it is seeing as how you can't even stand being in the same house as him." Conner rolled his eyes.

"I just…I'm sure things will situate themselves eventually." She muttered.

"If you say so."

"Hey! You guys want cookies or what!? Because I have no problem finishing them all!" Garfield called out to them.

"We're fine. Have at them, Beast Boy." Superboy said over his shoulder.

"Save some for me!"

They turned to Wally who had just stepped into the room. There was a small gust of wind as he joined Garfield in the kitchen. Then another as he appeared on the couch, shoving his way between Conner and Raven. He held a magazine in one hand and a few cookies in the other. There were crumbs on his face and shirt.

"How's it hanging guys? All cozied up on the couch I see! Anybody seen Nightwing? No? What about you Raven? He's usually wherever you are. Yet, I don't see him around. Why is that?"

"How should I know." Raven glared.

"What's with the magazine, Wally?" Conner asked.

"Huh? Oh! It's one of those gossip mags that Artemis reads. The ones that give you the 411 on all the hot celebs." He waved it in Conner's face.

"And you have it why?" Kaldur asked.

Aqualad had made his way towards them. He took a seat on the lone couch, his elbows on his knees.

"I wanted to show Raven!" Wally gave her a sly grin.

"Show me what?" She was almost afraid to ask.

"Page 19!"

Wally opened the magazine to where he had doggy eared it. He held it in front of Raven with a grin. It took her a second to process what she was seeing. Her eyes widened and she snatched the magazine out of Wally's hand.

It was a picture of her. She was stepping into the car, Bruce holding the door open for her. Her hair was up in a messy bun and there was a small amount of makeup on her face. She was wearing a white collared blouse with a short maroon high-waist skirt and dark brown ankle boots. Bruce was wearing dark grey trousers and a matching vest over a light purple button up and black tie. Dick and Tim stood of to the side hands in their pockets. Tim was dressed in dark slim jeans with a gray sweater over a white button up. Dick had on slim khaki pants with a light blue button up. He had on a dark brown belt, his shirt tucked at the waist and the sleeves folded to his elbows. They were outside one of Gotham's most prestigious theatres on Grand Avenue. She remembered the night it was taken. It was three days ago, on Friday. Bruce had taken them to see a play on Broadway.

The picture took up half a page. There was a paragraph underneath it that crossed over to the next page. Page 20 had two more pictures after the commentary. These were smaller, and as she examined them, she saw that they were taken her first week of school. There she was in her uniform standing outside Gotham Academy. Dick was beside Raven, grinning down at her. She stared up at him, a small smile on her face. The third picture was her day at the mall. She was still in her uniform and was holding two shopping bags. One in each hand. Tim walked beside her, offering her a bite of his pretzel. He also carried a bag in his other hand. Barbara was on Raven's other side. She was happily sipping on her coke.

"How does it feel to be famous!" Wally exclaimed.

"I…it's only been three weeks!" She squeaked.

Conner reached over Wally and yanked the magazine from her fingers. Garfield had come up behind the couch leaning over Superboy's shoulder for a closer look. Even Megan seemed curious. Kaldur also stood from his seat and walked over to sit on the hand rest next to Conner. Wolf must have felt like the room was too crowded because he huffed and left to sleep somewhere else.

"What does it say?" Kaldur asked.

"Let's see." Conner began to read.

"There is a new face at Wayne Manor. Bruce Wayne has taken in yet another young ward. The previous ones being Richard Grayson and Tim Drake. This time, the bachelor has added a young woman into his house hold. A seventeen-year-old girl named Rachel Roth. Word on the street is that she is the daughter of an old friend who recently passed away. Having no other place to go, Rachel was offered a new home with Bruce Wayne and his two adopted sons. Many believed she would cause Bruce more trouble than she was worth. Her purple hair and pale appearance giving her a rebellious look. But, she was judged too quickly. One of our sources at Gotham Academy has revealed that she is nothing but respectful and courteous…"

"Ha!" Garfield snorted.

Raven sent him a glare.

"She excels in her studies and is always polite. Not once has she shown anyone an ounce of disrespect. Either Bruce lucked out or he's more responsible than we give him credit for."

"This isn't so bad." Kaldur commented.

"Rachel Roth seems to have adjusted well to her new home. All the times she's been seen outside of the Manor; she has been accompanied by either Richard or Tim. Most of the time it's both. From what we've seen, Rachel gets along very well with the boys. Especially, the handsome eighteen-year-old Richard Grayson. The two are often seen in each other's company. Many have seen Rachel cruising through Gotham City on Richards motorcycle. Her arms wrapped tightly around him. Could there be more between these two? Sadly, we are not yet sure. These past few days, the two have spent more time apart than together. Friday night, Bruce took his young wards to catch a play on Grand Avenue. Many noted how Rachel chose to sit in the seat farthest from Richard. That night, she spent her time chatting with either Tim or Bruce. Rachel never even spared Richard a glance. Did they have a lovers spat? Or did Bruce find out and disapprove? Maybe were blowing this out of proportion. Maybe they are merely friends and just happen to be bickering at the moment."

"Well Raven? Which is it?" Wally wiggled his eyebrows.

Raven didn't answer. She was thinking about that night. When Bruce had come home with the tickets, she had tried to protest. He wasn't having it. He insisted that she get dressed. Bruce thought it was time the people of Gotham got to know her. Everyone already knew she existed but many were questioning why she hardly left the manor. Or why she was rarely seen with Bruce who was supposed to be her new guardian. Seeing as how he wasn't taking no for an answer, Raven had reluctantly gone upstairs and put on one of her new outfits.

She had then found herself inside one of the biggest theaters she had ever seen. There were velvet seats with golden trim and red carpet running down the aisles. The stage was enormous and there were private balconies overlooking the whole room. Bruce had reserved one closest to the stage. The four of them took their places and Raven had gone out of her way to make sure she wasn't seated next to Dick. Thinking back, it had been pretty obvious that she didn't want to be near him. Thankfully, Bruce had chosen an activity that required no talking on her part. The lights were dimmed and the play began. Raven had actually enjoyed herself.

But, as soon as it was over, she kept close to Tim and made sure that she wasn't left alone with Dick. They had stayed after the show because Bruce wished to congratulate the actors. Raven wasn't all that surprised when he had revealed that he owned the theatre. So, they had lingered a while longer. There had been a moment when Tim and Bruce tried to sneak away but she wasn't having it. Raven knew what they were trying to do. So did Dick because he sent them a deadly glare and wandered off on his own. After that, Raven had stuck to Bruce like glue. That was the point right? For her to be seen getting along with her new guardian? He had just arched a brow at her and said nothing. Instead, he let her trail after him occasionally introducing her to people whose names she had already forgotten. Raven had sighed in relief when they had finally pulled up to the manor that night. She had immediately excused herself and hidden away in her room.

"Nah. Raven would never fall for a guy like that." Garfield shook his head.

"You never know man! They are living in that big old house together. Plenty of places to hide and get to know each other a little better." Wally smirked.

Raven blushed and smacked him upside the head.

"Quit being a pervert, Wally! Let me finish reading! There's not much left." Conner rolled his eyes.

"Go on then!" Beast Boy urged.

"Whatever is going on between the two, there is one thing we are certain of. And that's that Rachel and Richard act as if they've known each other for years. The same goes for Tim and even Bruce himself. But we know that this is not the case. Word is that the young wards had never met Bruce's mysterious deceased friend. And they knew nothing of the violet haired beauty until she showed up on their doorstep. Bruce may have been aware that his friend had a daughter, but we are certain that he had never personally met her. One would think that she would seem out of place or shy around the men of Wayne Manor. But that is not the case. Rachel Roth has taken to Bruce and his boys like a fish to water. It seems like she has found her place among the Waynes and won't be letting them go anytime soon. So you better bet that we'll be seeing a lot more of miss Rachel Roth."

"And that's it. Honestly, Kaldur's right. That wasn't so bad. They certainly don't hate you." Conner told her.

He passed the magazine to Garfield who had his hand held out. Beast Boy and Megan took a closer look at the pages.

"Yeah! And you look fantastic in these pictures! You were made for the camera babe!" Garfield grinned at her.

"Maybe I should take up modeling." She muttered sarcastically.

"He warned you didn't he? Bruce I mean. About you being in social media now that you're his ward." Kaldur said.

"Yeah. But I was kinda hoping it wouldn't happen so soon." She grumbled.

"The paparazzi work fast. Hardly anything gets by them." Artemis stepped into the lounge.

Raven turned to the blonde as she walked up to them, a squirming baby in her arms. Megan squealed and went to stand beside her. She cooed at the baby and let it grip her finger. Wally stood and gave his girlfriend a kiss on the lips. Raven looked back and forth between Wally and Artemis. She started counting back the months. It wasn't possible! Was it?

"Wally! You have a baby?!" Garfield exclaimed.

The red head blanched and Artemis gaped at him, her cheeks blushing furiously. Kaldur, Conner and Megan burst into laughter. Raven was confused. Beast Boy gave her a questioning look and she shrugged.

"Wh…I…No! No! She isn't ours!" Wally managed.

"She's our niece! This is Lian! She's my sisters!" Artemis explained.

"That makes more sense. I would have been upset if you had been seeing Jinx knowing that Artemis was pregnant, Wally." Raven said.

"Give me some credit, Raven! I would never!" Wally protested.

"He wouldn't be alive if that had been the case." Artemis smirked.

"I don't doubt it." Raven smiled.

"So what brings you down here, Artemis?" Kaldur asked.

"Oh. I just thought I'd drop by and say hi. Wally told me he was coming over to harass Raven with the magazine. It's his by the way. In case he tried to lie and say it was mine."

"Babe!" Wally whined.

Artemis smiled at him innocently. She then walked over to Raven and handed her Lian. Raven started to protest, her eyes wide and startled. But Artemis had already sat down on the other seat. Conner chuckled and scooted closer so he could tickle the baby. Beast Boy stepped over the back of the couch and sat on her other side. He grinned down at the smiling child in Ravens arms. She sighed and adjusted her hold on Lian, sending Artemis a pleading look. The blonde only laughed and kept talking.

"I was going to show up with Wally, but I remembered that my sister had asked me to watch Lian. I went to pick her up and then came straight here. Oh Wally, Nightwing is in the mission room. I said hi but he seemed distracted."

Wally grinned and sped out of the room. Garfield let out a surprised gasp as the magazine was snatched out of his hand. Lian giggled as a gust of air blew over them. They heard the Speedster shout at his friend as he joined Nightwing in the mission room.

"He's here? Must have just arrived." Kaldur said.

"Yeah. He's going over a few things on the monitors." Artemis told them.

"Klarion." Raven frowned.

After their fight with Klarion, Nightwing had spent all of his free time searching for any sign of him. He was worried that he would come back. Worried that Raven was in danger.

"And Deathstroke." Garfield grumbled.

Ravens frown deepened and she tightened her hold on Lian, clutching her close to her chest. She stared down at the child stroking her cheek lightly. Slade was another reason why she was having trouble being around Richard. A couple of nights ago, Blue Beetle and Bumblebee had returned from a mission bruised and bleeding. Jaime was leaning on Karen for support barely conscious. Nightwing had been there to meet them along with Mal and Kaldur. They were taken to the Medical Bay and treated immediately.

As soon as Karen could talk, she explained what had happened. They had been sent on a routine recon assignment. The two of them were sent to Metropolis to keep an eye on a Lex Luther who was having a couple of shipments brought in from overseas. They were unable to see what the shipments were because they were attacked from behind. A man with an orange and black mask. He had a sword strapped to his back. The man had overpowered them and they barely managed to escape.

Nightwing had lost it. He immediately contacted Raven. She had been on her own mission with Aquagirl and Batgirl. They were in Fawcett City Wisconsin helping Billy stop a major weapons deal. Raven had been about to teleport them to the location when Nightwing called. He ordered her to go home immediately but she saw no reason why she should. Slade was in Delaware miles away from where she was. Besides, he no longer had any reason to go after her. Her Father was gone.

But, he had insisted. Slade had been in Jump City when they had split from the team. Now he was on the other side of the country only a few miles from Happy Harbor. Nightwing didn't think it was a coincidence. Maybe Slade wasn't after Raven anymore but that didn't stop him from worrying. He didn't like having her so far away knowing that their old enemy had resurfaced. So, Raven had agreed to go home. Captain Marvel and the girls said they would be fine. They had heard the urgency in Nightwing's voice and figured it would be best if she went to him.

Since that night, Dick had planted himself in front of the monitors. It's what he did after dinner when he would leave the manor. He searched nonstop hoping to find Slade or Klarion. Preferably both. Raven wasn't sure if he was getting any sleep. She was tempted to scold him for not taking better care of himself, but she couldn't bring herself to do it. Instead she spent her nights worrying about him. Which annoyed the hell out of her! She should be angry with him; she shouldn't care if he was running himself ragged! But, she couldn't help it. Raven knew that she was the reason he was doing it. Nightwing was trying to protect her.

"Raven?"

"Hmm?" She looked up a bit startled.

The others were watching her, their expressions worried. She wondered how long they had been trying to get her attention.

"I asked if you wanted me to take Lian." Artemis said.

Raven glanced down at the baby in her arms. She hadn't realized that the child had fallen asleep, her small hands clutching onto Raven's school sweater.

"Oh. Yeah, go ahead."

Artemis stood and took the baby from Raven's arms. Lian didn't even flinch as her aunt adjusted her hold. Artemis placed her small head on her shoulder. She held the baby up with a hand on her bottom and the other on the back of her head.

"You can put her on my bed. That way she's comfortable and we can catch up." Megan offered.

"That sound great." Artemis smiled.

The two girls left the lounge. Then Aqualad stood.

"I'm going to go check on Nightwing and Wally." He told them.

Then he was gone too. Raven leaned back on the couch and Conner started to channel surf. He argued with Garfield for a while about what to watch. They finally decided on something and Garfield transformed into a dog. Raven didn't complain as he got comfortable and laid his head on her thigh. She was too busy chewing on her lip as she focused on Nightwing's emotions. Every once in a while she would check up on him just to ease her nerves. The distance between them was effecting her more than she thought it would. It seemed like she couldn't go long without wanting to see if he was okay.

Suddenly, Beast Boy sat up, his head tilted to the side as if he was listening to something. Then he jumped off the couch and ran out of the room. Raven and Conner stared after him.

"What was that about?" Superboy wondered.

"Who knows." She shrugged.

They turned their attention back to the TV. Then Conner muted it and turned to face Raven. She arched a brow.

"Nightwing. When are you going to say something to him?"

Raven blinked. Did he know?

"About what." She asked nervously.

"About his obsession with Klarion and Deathstroke! He's here nearly every night, Raven. I'm surprised he can still stand."

Right. That's what he meant.

"Don't worry. This isn't the first time this has happened. He tends to get obsessive when it comes to Slade. I'll keep an eye on him and make sure he doesn't get lost in it all." She assured him.

"You know, something is off with you two. You hardly talk anymore. Don't tell me you got into a fight with him too?"

Raven almost laughed.

"No. I've just been keeping my distance. Like I said, he's done this before. It's best to leave him alone when he's like this. Either he'll come out of it on his own, or I'll have to intervene. It's too soon to tell right now."

"Okay. If you say so." He shrugged.

"By the way, I…I went to Arkham yesterday." Raven muttered.

Conner's eyes hardened. He crossed his arms, his body tense.

"How are they?" He asked.

"Functional. The first one took me almost six hours but he's doing well. They'll be transferring him to Blackgate Penitentiary soon. The second, I had to visit more than once. But, I was able to get through. They're going to keep an eye on him a few more days and then he'll probably be joining his friend."

"That's…that's great. Thank you."

Conner leaned back against the couch, the relief clear on his face. She only nodded. She wasn't sure if she should say anything else. Raven wasn't going to mention it, but the men had been in bad shape. Their minds were on the verge of shattering completely. As soon as she had gone in, she knew it would be slow going. Thankfully, she had been able to repair the damage.

"RAVEN!"

She turned to the doorway as Beast Boy ran into the room. Conner glanced at him and then turned his attention to the program playing on the TV. Garfield made his way around the couch waving his cellphone over his head. That must have been what he had heard. He came to stand in front of Raven grinning from ear to ear.

"What is it?" She asked.

"I just talked to Cyborg! He asked if we wanted to visit this weekend! Can we Raven? Can we!?"

Raven couldn't help but smile at Garfield as he pleaded with her. Of course they'd be going. It's been three weeks since they last saw their friend. She missed him.

"Raven! We're going right?!" Garfield frowned.

"Calm down, Garfield. We're going." She rolled her eyes.

"Yes! This weekend is going to rock!" Beast Boy hooted.

"Go let Megan know."

"Oh! Yeah, I should probably do that."

Beast Boy rushed out of the room leaving them alone again. Conner chuckled lightly but didn't take his eyes off of the TV. Wolf had found his way back and came in shortly after Garfield left. He placed himself in front of the couch and rested his head on his paws. Raven picked up her bag off the floor and dug inside for her notebook.

"I thought you said you didn't have homework?" Conner smirked.

"Did you know that high schools in America hand out at least 3.5 hours of homework a day?" She muttered.

JUMP CITY: September 1213:24 PDT

Raven and Jinx were laying on their towels underneath a large beach umbrella. Jinx was resting her head on her beach bag, her legs crossed at the ankles. She was flipping through a magazine. The former villain was wearing a purple tasseled bikini top and matching bottom. Raven was laying on her stomach, propped up on her elbows and a book in her hands. She was wearing a dark blue wrap bikini.

Beast Boy and Cyborg were a few feet away playing volleyball. They had chosen a secluded spot so that Victor could take of his Stone disguise. He had made a new ring so that he could go to college and blend in with the rest of the students.

"Rachel Roth was recently spotted at Wayne Enterprises. Could it be that Bruce thinks her qualified to one day join the family business?" Jinx read out loud.

"He was just showing me around. His publicist thought it would be a good photo op. The billionaire playboy showing his new ward the ropes." Raven rolled her eyes.

"It was! You were really working those skinny jeans and blazer! And the heels! You have to tell me where you got them!" Jinx grinned.

"Barbara had to teach me how to walk in those."

"And Bruce freaking Wayne! Or Richard Grayson! How have you not to slipped on your own drool!"

"It's not hard once they open their mouths."

"If I wasn't in love with Victor, I'd hate you right now." Jinx muttered.

"I'll admit, it's not as bad as I thought it would be."

"Did Bruce say how long the media would obsess over you?"

"He said things should calm down in about a month or two. They'll get bored and move on to something else. But, he said that it didn't mean they would completely forget about me. I'll still end up in a magazine or two every once in a while. It just won't be as hectic."

"Man. Why didn't Robin warn you before agreeing to having you live there?" Jinx asked.

"Didn't have much of a choice. I doubt anyone can say no to Batman. And it's Nightwing now remember?"

"Oh yeah. Forgot. He really should've came. It would do him some good."

"You know how he gets."

"Victor's worried about him. Beast Boy told him about Slade last night. And the witch guy."

"I'd be lying if I said I wasn't worried too. But it's not as bad as last time. I already told Victor that I won't let it get to far."

"RAVEN! JINX! Come on! Two on two!" Cyborg waved the ball in the air.

"WE'LL GO EASY ON YOU!" Beast Boy shouted with a laugh.

"Well? Want to put them in their place?" Jinx stood and brushed the sand off her legs.

"One game won't hurt." Raven shrugged.

JUMP CITY: September 13 17:14 PDT

"God! I've missed this place! The Veggie Pizza here tastes like heaven!" Beast Boy moaned.

They were seated on the balcony of Pizza Corner. The girls had ordered a couple of slices. The boys on the other hand had bought four boxes between the two of them. Cyborg was nearly done with his Meat Lovers and was already eyeing the cheese.

"I still don't know where they put it all." Jinx shook her head.

"I decided a long time ago that I didn't want to know." Raven muttered.

"Hey Rae, has Rob…I mean Nightwing figured out what Slade was doing in Metropolis?" Cyborg asked.

"Lex Luther had hired him to protect his shipments. From what he's gathered, its seems like Slade has gone mercenary again. Guess he prefers to work under someone else than running the show."

"There is more money in mercenary work. And he did say that he liked the freedom he got from it." Beast Boy grumbled.

"So, there is no sign that he's still after you?" Jinx asked.

"No. I told Nightwing that he had no reason to anymore. But, he says he'd feel better if he kept an eye on him."

"And the Klarion guy?" Cyborg wondered.

"That psycho outright said he wanted Raven. But he's vanished. Nightwing hasn't found a single trace of him. That has us worried." Beast Boy frowned.

"I'm sure you'll find him and take his ass down." Jinx said.

"You bet! There's no way we're letting him get…"

"OH MY GOD! YOU'RE BACK!"

The four of them turned to see a teenage girl with dark brown curly hair staring at them in awe. Well, at Cyborg and Beast Boy. Raven and Jinx were dressed in regular clothes. Raven in a striped t-shirt dress and white converse. She had her hair down and her bangs over her bindi. Jinx was in jean shorts and a red flannel over a white tank top. She also had on white converse. The girl hadn't recognized them. Beast Boy was dressed in jeans and a T-shirt but there was no hiding his green skin. Not without Megan around. Cyborg wasn't wearing his ring.

"You two are with the Teen Titans! I thought you had left!" The girl came closer.

"We did. We're just visiting." Cyborg smiled at her.

"Why though! The Teen Titans are awesome! Why leave Jump City?"

"Ugh…listen um…?" Beast Boy started.

"Kathy. My name is Kathy." The girl told him.

"Listen Kathy, Jump City has mellowed. There isn't much crime around here anymore. So, we decided to go to other cities that needed us more." Garfield told her.

"Oh. Makes sense I guess. Is it just you two here today? Where's Robin? What about Starfire and Raven?"

"Starfire had to go home. Robin…he's with Batman. As for Raven…well she joined another team. We both did. She just couldn't come today is all."

"And you Cyborg? Where did you go?"

"Ugh…I'm still around. I decided to keep an eye on things here in Jump." Cyborg told her.

"That's good." Kathy smiled.

"Kathy! Did you find us a table?"

Two more girls made their way towards their table. The one who had spoken had jet black hair cut short at the shoulders. The other had long blonde hair and bright blue eyes. Beast Boy stiffened, his expression guarded. But his eyes…his eyes were full of longing. The blonde was Terra.

Raven and Cyborg shared a look, both caught off guard. A part of them had never really believed that the girl was back. They thought that Garfield might have been mistaken. But there was no denying that the blonde looked exactly like their old friend. Terra and the dark haired girl had reached the table. Kathy turned to them, a grin on her face.

"Look guys! Cyborg and Beast Boy have come to visit! Isn't that awesome?"

"Seriously! It's been so long since we've seen any of you guys! I'm Sydney by the way." Said the girl with black hair.

"Nice to meet you Sydney." Cyborg gave her a smile.

"You too, Cyborg! Hey, introduce yourself!"

Sydney was nudging Terra forward. Urging her to speak. Beast Boy shrunk back in his chair. He stared down at his hands. Raven thought she saw his lip quiver.

"I'm…I'm Tara Markov." She was trying to look anywhere but at Beast Boy.

Raven knew that Beast Boy had approached Terra once before. She hadn't recognized him. Terra had lost her memories. She didn't know that she had once been a Titan. Or that Slade had used her to hurt them. Garfield had tried to explain everything to her but the girl refused to believe him. She had insisted that she wasn't the girl he once knew. Terra had told him that the girl he wanted her to be was just a memory.

"Hi…Tara." Cyborg nodded.

"I'm so glad we got to see…" Kathy began.

"Hey. I know you." Terra suddenly said.

She was staring at Raven. Her forehead creased in concentration. Beast Boys head shot up, a hopeful look on his face. Cyborg's eyes widened and Jinx froze in her seat. Raven blinked up at the girl, suddenly very nervous. Maybe she had just recognized her as a Titan. She certainly didn't mean that she remembered…did she?

"It's her hair. It's the same color as Raven's. How many bottles of dye did you have to use?" Sydney wondered.

"Um…actually its…" Raven started.

"No. That's not it. Oh wait! I got it! You're Rachel Roth! Yeah, that's it! I saw a picture of you in a magazine the other day! You live with Bruce Wayne!" Terra grinned.

"Oh. Right…yeah that's…"

They were startled by the noise of steel scraping against the floor. Beast Boy had pushed his chair back and stood up hastily. They could barely make out his words as he excused himself. Garfield didn't go inside the restaurant, instead he turned his back on them and transformed. The green Hawk flew into the sky and disappeared.

"That…was pretty cool." Kathy stared after him.

"I'm sorry. He left because of me didn't he?" Terra frowned.

"No. He's just…he'll be okay." Raven gave her a sad smile.

"I think I hurt his feelings a few months ago. I didn't mean to…I just…he was saying all these weird things to me." Terra rubbed her arms.

"What do you mean? You've met him before, Tara?" Sydney asked.

"I…yeah. I was a bit rude to him I'm afraid." The blonde stared at her feet.

"It's okay Tara. It isn't your fault. Beast Boy just…he misses his friend." Cyborg told her.

Terra gave him a nod. She was staring in the direction Beast Boy had taken.

"We should get going." Raven stood.

"Already?" Kathy frowned.

"Yeah. It's time to head home. It was nice meeting you girls." Cyborg said.

He stood up as well and so did Jinx. The three of them waved goodbye to the girls and made their way to the first floor of the restaurant. They could hear Terra being questioned by her friends. Raven glanced back at her with a worried frown. Shaking her head, she followed the others downstairs and out on to the street.

"Do you think he went back to the apartment?" Jinx asked.

"No. He's probably at the grave." Raven frowned.

"I'll go. You two head back to the apartment." Cyborg said.

The girls agreed. They watched as Cyborg drove off in his car. Then they walked towards an empty alley. Checking to make sure no one was watching, Raven teleported them to the apartment. They stepped into the living space and sat down to wait for the boys.

"It must've been hard for him. Seeing Terra again." Jinx muttered.

"He still has feelings for her. I think she's part of the reason he wanted to move to Happy Harbor. It was too painful for him to stay here knowing that she was so close…yet so far away." Raven frowned.

"Do you think there's a chance she will remember?"

"I honestly don't know. I'm still trying to figure out how she came back. None of my spells worked. Cyborg analyzed just about every chemical he could think of and nothing! But…I do have one theory."

"What is it?"

"My father. He turned everyone to stone. Terra was already stone to begin with. So maybe when we defeated him, she reverted back along with the rest of the world."

"That makes sense. But what about her memories? How do you think she lost them?"

"I couldn't say. I wish I knew because then maybe I'd have some idea on how to fix her. Though, I'm not entirely sure that we should."

"Why not?"

"Think about it. If you had the chance to be normal, I mean truly normal, would you take it?"

"I may have switched sides but I'm still bad luck, Raven. You know I would take that chance no matter how small."

"So would I…Terra has been given that chance. Before she lost her memories, it took a lot for her to control her powers. She hurt people. She hurt us. Do you think she would thank us for reminding her of that? Of all the time she spent on her own with no one to help her? Of her time with Slade? She goes to school, she has friends and she doesn't have to worry about putting them at risk. Should we really take that from her?"

"That's a valid point." Jinx frowned.

"Yeah." Raven sighed.

The two of them waited in silence for nearly an hour. Finally, they heard the front door open. Garfield came in first, Victor trailing behind him. He gave Raven a small smile letting her know that he was okay. She didn't realize that she had been holding her breathe until she released it.

"I'm going to pack my bag and then we can get going. I told Megan we would be back before eight." Garfield told her.

Raven nodded. The three of them watched as he made his way to the guest room. As soon as he closed the door, the girls turned to Cyborg.

"He's stronger than he looks. We don't need to worry." He assured them.

Raven smiled in relief. Garfield would get back to being his usual self once they were home. Hopefully he finds the way to move on. Because at the moment, she wasn't sure if Terra would ever be joining them again.

Raven excused herself and joined Beast Boy in packing her bags. The weekend had actually been pretty relaxing. She had enjoyed herself and seeing Cyborg had done Garfield some good. They finished gathering their things and then joined Victor and Jinx in the living room. The two of them said goodbye to their friends promising to visit again. With a final wave, Raven teleported them home.

GOTHAM CITY: September 18 15:45 EST

"You're going to do it then?" Tim arched a brow.

Dick shifted on his feet, his hands in his pockets. They were standing outside the front doors of Gotham Academy. Class had just let out and everyone was exiting the building. The two of them were keeping their eye out for Raven. Every second that they waited, Dick grew more nervous.

"Yeah. Yeah I am. These past three weeks have been Hell on earth. And I should know since I've been there." Dick muttered.

"I'm not sure if I believe you. Last weekend, you kept saying how you were finally going to talk her. As soon as she got home from Jump City. Yet here we are five days later and nothing!" Tim scowled

"I was mentally preparing myself!"

"For five days?"

"Oh shut up! I'm going to do it!"

"Do what?" Barbara walked up to them.

"He's going to talk to Raven." Tim told her.

"For real this time, or do you need a few more days to mentally prepare yourself?" She rolled her eyes.

"Yes! For real this time!"

"Seriously though, please fix things with her. She's never home, your always in front of those damn monitors and I just want things to go back to normal!" Tim frowned.

"He's right, Dick. Don't put this off any longer. You two can't keep going like this." Barbara told him.

"I know. I won't back out this time." He assured them.

"Okay. Let's go Tim, because here she comes."

Barbara motioned towards the school's entrance. Raven was on her way out, her friend Eric beside her. Barbara grabbed Tim's arm and pulled him towards the waiting car. Dick didn't notice them walk away. His eyes were glued to Raven as she made her way down the steps. She immediately sensed him watching her and their eyes met. Raven stopped halfway down the stairs and stared. Eric walked past her before noticing she was no longer beside him. He turned around to face Raven with a questioning look. She said something to him but Dick wasn't close enough to hear. Eric shrugged and gave her a wave goodbye.

Dick's heart was threating to burst from his chest. This was it. He had to move. Dick forced himself to walk and made his way towards Raven. She hadn't moved from her spot on the steps. She was gripping the rail tightly as she watched him approach. He stopped at the bottom step and looked up at her.

"Uh…hi…I um…I was hoping that…"

Raven's eyes bored into his. She didn't smile nor did she frown. Her face was impassive as she waited for him to finish. Dick knew he had to keep talking. At this point it was too late for him to change his mind. Quickly, he dug through his pocket and pulled out two slips of paper. He held them out for her to see.

"I bought tickets. To Haly's Circus."

Raven glanced at the tickets in his hand. She then arched a brow clearly wanting him to continue.

"I wanted…I was hoping you would agree to go with me. I mean, you don't have to. If you don't want to. I just…wanted the chance to apologize to you. For the way I acted that night."

The sorceress blinked at him. Dick's pulse was beating rapidly. This was a crucial moment. It could go one of two ways. Either Raven accepts his invitation, or she walks away. This moment right here was the reason he had been afraid to approach her. If she were to walk way, it would mean that he had lost her. It would mean that there was no repairing the friendship they had worked so hard to build. And even worse, she would never know how important she was to him.

Dick felt as if he had been holding his arm out for eternity. Raven was still watching him, contemplating. He grew discouraged and began to lower his arm. He had waited too long. It was too late for her to forgive him

Suddenly, Raven walked down the final steps. She came to stand in front of him and took a ticket out of his hand. She glanced at it and then crossed her arms.

"Can I at least change?" She asked.

Dick's eyes widened. She had said yes! He let out the breath he had been. Raven could probably sense the relief and joy that was coursing through him. The small smile on her face told him he was right.

"Yeah! Yes! Definitely!" He grinned at her.

About three hours later, they were walking into a brightly colored tent. Dick was dressed in jeans and a blue hoodie. Raven had on skinny jeans and a white t-shirt with an olive green army jacket. They were just two normal teenagers enjoying a night at the circus.

Dick led her to down the aisle. They had front row seats with a perfect view of the whole arena. Curtesy of Jack Haly. The two of them sat down on the wooden bench, Raven with a bag of popcorn. They had barely talked on the way over. Dick knew that it would be a bit awkward at first. But, he had to try and fix the distance he had caused between them.

"I…I'm glad you agreed to come, Raven. I was worried you wouldn't." He said.

"You made an effort. The least I could do was give you a chance." She shrugged.

"That night…you don't know how sorry I am. I instantly regretted it." He stared down at his hands.

"It wasn't pleasant." Raven frowned.

"I know. I hurt you. I was harsh and my words were uncalled for. They were also lies. I don't believe any of those things. You're a good person Raven. Kind and caring. I know that. I've always known that. I only said what I did because…I was angry with you. I'm not making excuses because there isn't one for the way I treated you. I…it took me so long to apologize because I've been afraid. Afraid you won't accept my apology. I can't even forgive myself, so how could you?"

Dick straightened up and turned to her. Raven was staring at the empty ring. Her silence was deafening. His nerves were on edge. Finally, she fixed her eyes on him. He didn't dare look away.

"Why?" She asked.

"Um…why what?" He blinked at her.

"Why were you angry with me? Was it really because I had spent time with Conner?"

He licked his lips nervously.

"I…I was jealous." He muttered.

Raven's eyes widened. Then her brow furrowed in confusion.

"Jealous?"

"Yeah. Of…of your friendship! Yeah, you see, you hardly ever agree to do anything with me. Its takes quite a bit of convincing. And well…all Conner has to do is ask. You just seem more willing to spend time with him than me." He explained.

Again. The perfect chance to admit his feelings and he wasted it with a feeble lie. Why was this so damn hard!

"You were jealous because I'm better friends with him, than with you?" She asked still a bit confused.

"Yeah. How childish of me, right?" He gave her a nervous smile.

Raven stared at him. There was a curious tilt to her head. Then she shook her head. She opened her mouth to speak when the lights were suddenly dimmed. They turned their attention to the ring which was now lit up underneath the spotlights. A man stood in the center dressed in a bright red jacket and a black and gold top hat. Dick smiled.

"Ladies and Gentlemen! My name is Jack Haly, your Ringmaster tonight! I welcome you to Haly International Traveling Circus!"

Jack removed his top hat and gave them a bow. The crowd clapped and cheered urging him to start the show. Dick felt Raven relax beside him. He turned to her and saw that she was watching Jack with an amused smile on her face. With a relieved sigh, he sat back and enjoyed the show.

The performance lasted almost two hours. Dick and Raven watched the whole thing without a moment of boredom. They were even a bit disappointed when Jack came forward and announced that the show had ended. The lights were turned on and everyone stood to leave. The two teens stayed in their seats choosing to wait until everyone had filed out.

"I accept you know." Raven suddenly said.

Dick turned to her. He didn't know what she meant. Raven finished the last of her popcorn before folding up the empty bag. She then shifted to face him.

"Your apology Grayson. I accept it." She told him.

"You…You do?" He asked hopefully.

"Yes. I was always planning to. I was just waiting for you to say it. Bruce said it might take you a while. Didn't think it would take nearly a month though."

"I…I didn't mean to make you wait. I just have trouble figuring out what you're thinking. And I couldn't bear the thought of you rejecting my apology." He said.

"I agreed to be your friend remember? Friends fight and make-up don't they?"

"Yeah. They do." Dick smiled at her.

"He's my friend too. Conner, I mean."

Dick nodded and tried not to frown.

"I was helping him that night. He just broke up with his girlfriend and needed a distraction. A few of our friends were at the Carnival so we joined them."

"You mean it wasn't just the two of you?" He asked.

That night, he had assumed that they had been alone. If he hadn't jumped to conclusions, their fight would have never happened.

"No, there were three others. You thought we were alone?"

"Yeah…I kinda did."

"Well, it was a group. I only agreed to go along because he needed help forgetting. I was just being a friend. I would've done the same for you, you know?"

"I know." He smiled.

"The crowd has thinned. Should we go now?" She asked.

Dick looked around to see that the tent was nearly empty. He stood up and offered his hand to Raven. She looked at it for a moment before taking it. He helped her to her feet but didn't let go. She didn't seem to mind and he started to lead her outside. Dick liked the feel of her hand in his. He hoped that she would let him hold it a while longer.

"Hey! Hold on you two!" A voice called out to them.

They turned back to the ring to see Jack waving at them. He left the empty ring and approached them. Dick gave the man a warm smile.

"Richard Grayson! So good to see you! I was surprised when you called asking for those tickets. I was hoping I'd catch you before you left."

The man held out his hand and Dick took it. He kept a hold of Raven's hand as he did so.

"Hello Jack. It's good to see you too." Dick grinned.

"How have you been boy? Staying out of trouble I hope."

"I try to." He laughed.

"And who is this? Your girlfriend I presume?" Jack turned to Raven and gave her a bright smile.

Raven blushed but returned his smile. She then held out her free hand which he took. Jack gave her hand a friendly squeeze. Dick tried not to look too nervous.

"No sir. I'm just a friend. Rachel Roth, it's nice to meet you. Thank you for the tickets, your show was wonderful." She told him.

"I'm glad you enjoyed it. Are you sure you're just friends though?"

He arched a brow at their joined hands. Still, they didn't let go.

"We're sure." Raven said.

"To bad. You're quite the looker, Rachel. Richard here must be blind if he hasn't noticed." Jack chuckled.

"I have noticed." Dick said softly.

Raven's blush deepened. She chewed on her lip and kept her eyes on the floor. Jack noticed because he gave Dick a knowing look. The young man tried not to fidget from his gaze. He also made sure not to let go of Ravens hand. Dick had seen plenty of movies and knew that wrenching his hand out of hers would make his feelings pretty obvious.

"Well, I truly am happy to see you Richard. I was worried that you'd never willingly step foot in my tent after…well your parents." Jack suddenly said.

Raven gave him a worried a glance, but Dick pretended that he didn't notice. Instead he tried to give Jack a convincing smile.

"I truly enjoyed my time here Jack. It wouldn't feel right to completely forget about it." He told the man.

"That's good to hear. Tell me. What did you think of the trapeze artists? They're fairly new. They've only done three shows so far. I've hired at least five different groups these past few years. It's hard finding a group half as talented as the Flying Grayson's. Though there was once an act called the Daring Dangers. They had a very promising trapeze artist." Jack said.

He gave Dick a wink. Dick grinned at Jack knowing full well that he was referring to him. Raven noticed the exchange and gave them a curious look.

"I think they were very entertaining. I agree that…I agree that my parents were far more talented and are a tough act to beat. But it's not fair to keep comparing your new performers to them. Try holding on to these guys a while longer. They'll get there."

"I think I'll do that." Jack nodded.

"The trapeze artist from the Daring Dangers. I presume he couldn't stay?" Raven wondered.

"No. I don't think he was meant to work at a circus all his life. That boy was made for greater things." Jack smiled at her.

She nodded with a small smile on her lips.

"Jack? I meant to ask. What happened to Raya? I didn't see her perform." Dick said.

"Raya?" Raven asked.

"Ah. She's an old friend of Dicks. An acrobat. She is still around. She just doesn't perform all that much anymore. Not since Raymond…" Jack trailed off, his eyes sad.

"I heard. I'm sorry." Dick frowned.

"His death was unfortunate. She hasn't been the same since. But, she's gotten better. In fact, she's working the concession stand right now if you wanted to say hello."

"I'd like that."

"Go ahead then. I'm sure you're tired of talking to an old man like me." Jack shooed at them.

"I could never grow tired of talking with you Jack." Dick smiled warmly at the man.

"Yes well, either way. I'd hate to interfere with your date so get going you two! And it was a pleasure meeting you Rachel."

Jack then gave them a deep bow and sauntered off. He didn't even give them a chance to deny his date comment. Dick stared after him for a moment before leading Raven outside. There were still quite a few people lingering after the show. A few of them surrounded a couple of clowns and jugglers while others took their children to pet a few of the trained animals.

Dick and Raven weaved through the crowd making their way towards the concession stand. They made it after a while and were able to get in line which wasn't very long. In just a few minutes, they were at the window. A young woman around their age smiled at them politely. Then recognition crossed her face as she took in Dicks appearance.

"Dick Grayson?! Is that you?" She blinked.

"The one and only. It's been a while hasn't it Raya?" He grinned at her.

"Shit! It's been ages!" Raya grinned back.

"You look good. I um…I heard about Ray. I'm sorry I couldn't be there for you." Dick frowned.

The grief was prominent on her face as soon as he mentioned the name of their old friend. She managed to repress it and gave him a sad smile.

"That's okay. You had just lost your parents. It wouldn't have been fair to ask you to go to another funeral." She told him.

"Right. Um Raya, this is Rachel. We go to school together." Dick motioned to Raven.

"Oh. Girlfriend?" Raya wondered.

"No." They both answered.

"Hmm. Eu nu te cred." The girl shrugged.

"Ce vrei sa spui?" Dick looked confused.

"Te cunosc. Shes nu doar un prieten."

"Raya." Dick sighed.

He glanced at Raven who had been quiet throughout the whole exchange. She didn't even seem fazed by the sudden Romanian.

"Hey! Can you two hurry it up! You're holding up the line!" A woman complained behind them.

"Oops. Guess we should order huh? What would you like Rachel?" Dick asked.

"An ice-cream will do." She told him.

"Okay. Two scoops of vanilla ice-cream please." Dick smiled at Raya.

"Sure thing."

Raya disappeared only to return a moment later with two Styrofoam cups. She handed them over and then shook her head as Dick began to pull out his wallet.

"On the house. You used to perform here after all." Raya told him.

"Thanks." Dick smiled.

The two of them then waved goodbye to the girl and found an empty table. There were a few people sitting around them but the tent was pretty much empty. Dick watched as Raven dug into her ice-cream. He didn't miss the satisfied look in her eyes as she took her first taste. He smiled and would've watched her all night except she suddenly looked up at him. He arched a brow waiting for her to ask whatever was on her mind.

"I feel like I learned a lot about you today." She said.

"Yeah?"

"Mmhmm. You used to perform with your parents. The Flying Grayson's. They died and that's when you started living with Bruce."

"Yep. My parents raised me here at Haly's circus." He played with his ice-cream.

"And you even came back once. As a part of the Daring Dangers?"

"Caught that huh?"

"Then there's Raya and Raymond. Childhood friends. Raymond died after you left the circus, right?"

"He drowned. I…I actually went to the funeral. I watched from afar so nobody knew I was there." He told her.

She nodded and went back to her ice-cream. Dick was a bit surprised with himself. He usually shut down when people questioned him about his past. Yet, he found it easy to speak about it to Raven. Maybe it was because she was content with the small amount of information he was willing to provide. She would never push him for more. Dick stared at her until she noticed. Raven glanced up at him questioningly. Looking into her eyes, he realized that he had been stupid to wait so long. It was time she knew the truth.

"Raven. I want to tell you something." He told her.

"Oh?"

Raven placed her elbow on the table and rested her chin on the palm of her hand. She watched him, waiting for him to continue. He glanced around making sure nobody was close enough to hear before leaning forward.

"I've been meaning to tell you this for a while. I just…I've never really told anybody except for Wally since Bruce would disapprove. Raven…I'm Nightwing. I'm the one you've been living with for the past three years."

Dick stared at her nervously. He was expecting Raven to react surprised maybe even a bit angry. He was confused to find that she didn't even flinch. She just picked up her spoon and took another bite of her ice-cream.

"Despre timp mi-ai spus." Raven rolled her eyes.

"You…you speak Romani! And you already knew the truth!" Dick's eyes widened.

"I've known since we formed the bond. And I'm a skilled Polyglot. I know german, latin, ancient Sumerian, Sanskrit, and of course Romani."

"Why didn't you tell me!"

"About the languages?"

"Raven!"

"Because I wanted you to tell me yourself. On your own terms." She told him.

"All this time…that's why you hardly talked to me as Nightwing since the fight! Because you knew it was me! And why you acted annoyed with me when I introduced myself as Richard!"

"Yep."

"You could've said something, Rae." He muttered.

To think that Raven knew the truth about him all this time. He had been worried for nothing because she didn't seem to mind at all. It was no wonder that she had easily made friends with him as Dick. Because she was well aware of who he really was.

"I could have. But, you might not have appreciated it. I wanted you to want me to know. Not just because I happened across the information while being in your head. You had to tell me yourself."

She had a point. He wasn't sure how he would've reacted had she told him that she already knew everything about him. Wait…everything?

"How much…what all did you see?" He asked

"Your parent's deaths. The Flying Grayson's. I figured out your real name. Then I saw how Bruce took you in. How he helped you get revenge on Zucco by training you and letting you join him. You became his first Robin. After that, I saw you joining the Team. Then leaving it. Finally, you made your way to Jump City."

"So you know that Bruce is…"

"Batman. And Tim is Robin. Barbara is Batgirl."

"Man. He's gonna freak when…he already knows doesn't he." Dick sighed.

"Yeah. They don't call him the World's Greatest Detective for nothing. Oh, apparently Alfred knows that I know too. That man misses nothing."

"Seriously! Well…at least this made my confession easier."

"I'm glad you finally told me. Honestly, I was getting a little upset with you for taking so long. I figured…well I figured three years was enough time for you to trust me."

"I do trust you! Wholeheartedly! It's just…I'm so used to living two separate lives. And I never took off my Robin costume in all the time that I've known you. I wasn't sure how you'd respond to seeing me as well…Richard Grayson."

"It's…different. But good different. It was nice to know that you had lighter side to you." Raven smiled at him.

"Thanks Raven. You have no idea how relieved I am right now." Dick returned the smile.

"Actually, I do." She smirked.

"Right. The bond. I've grown so used to it that I tend to forget." He chuckled.

"As do I." She nodded.

"Wait! You spoke Romani! Did you understand me and Raya earlier?!" Dick exclaimed.

Raven gave him an odd look. He was suddenly very nervous about her response.

"She said she didn't believe you when you said that I wasn't your girlfriend. She said that she knows you and that I'm not…just a friend."

She practically whispered the last part. A blush creeped on her cheeks and Dick could feel his own growing warm.

"Um…yeah. That's what she said." He muttered.

"Richard, when you said you were jealous of Conner. Did you mean it? I mean, you knew it was just Superboy right? You know him as Nightwing after all." She asked him.

"Well…yeah. I did. I just…it took so long for you to be comfortable around me and the other Titans. But with Conner, it seemed effortless. You immediately grew comfortable with him and…yeah. I'll admit that did make me feel a bit jealous." He told her.

"I…I never meant for you to feel that way. It's just that…you're the reason I allowed myself to grow close to him."

"What?" He asked confused.

"Well you and the others. I had never really had friends until I met the Titans. I didn't know how to act around you. So I was a distant at first. Kept to myself. But you taught me what it was like to have friends. So, when I met Conner, I found it easier to get to know him. Having met you, Garfield, Victor, and Kori I learned to interact better with others. Yes, I was able to get close to Conner a lot easier than I did with the rest of you. But, it's not because I prefer him over you. It's because I'm different compared to when you first met me. The Teen Titan's changed me for the better."

Dick understood. God, how could he have been so stupid. The first few weeks that they had lived together, she had been so quiet and barely spoke a word. It wasn't until a few months ago that she fully opened up to them. It was different with Conner because she was no longer the same girl he had met three years ago. He had jumped to conclusions because he had never really seen her interact with anyone that way. Raven was more open, more willing to make friends, and he knew that the Titans were responsible for that. How could he have been angry with her for trying to come out of her shell.

"I was an idiot Rae."

Dick reached for her hand. She didn't protest. Raven smiled at him as he rubbed his thumb over her knuckles. Sitting there with her, he realized that he should probably confess his feelings. Here she was thinking that he had been jealous of Conner due to their budding friendship. That wasn't it at all. There was so much more to it.

"Raven, about what Raya said. You…I don't see you as just a frie…"

Dick was cut off as his phone began to ring. He silently cursed the bad timing. Raven pulled her hand away allowing him to reach into his hoodie. She finished the rest of her ice-cream as he answered. Dick glanced at the screen before putting the phone to his ear.

"Bruce? What's up?"

"Dick! You and Raven need to head over to Robinson Park!"

"What? Why? What's going on?"

"Poison Ivy! I'm dealing with Scarecrow right now and won't make it in time! Robin and Batgirl are currently at Gotham Docks apprehending Riddler!"

"Scarecrow, The Riddler, and Poison Ivy all in one night?"

Dick was already standing and holding out his hand to Raven. She didn't hesitate to take it, her face serious and alert. He pulled her away from the tent and stopped to glance around. They had to get to his bike. He stood there a moment trying to remember which way to go when Raven took control and began pulling him along. He let her lead him to the parking area.

"I want all three captured by the end of the night. They were supposed to be locked up at Arkham. I'd like to know how they managed to escape."

"Raven and I are on our way. Poison Ivy won't get away." Dick assured him.

He hung up the phone and was relieved to see that Raven had found the bike. She let go of his hand turned to face him.

"You came prepared?" She asked.

"Don't I always?"

He grinned motioning to the bag hanging on the side of his bike.

"Tim doesn't think so." She smirked.

"Just get on the bike."

Dick swung his leg over the seat and turned on the motorcycle. Still smirking, Raven positioned herself behind him. As soon as she was situated, Dick drove off in search of a remote area to change. It was time to get to work.