"Bart? ... Bart? Hellloooo...BART!?" A voice I knew all too well snapped me back to reality. "Huh? What?" I replied as Raven looked at me weirdly, "You were spacing out! What happened there?" Raven asked me, still no concern lacing her tone but I knew she cared all the same, I forced a smile "I was just remembering that day, there are still so many unanswered questions." I answered, Raven nodded "Like where exactly you went and what the true extent of your powers are?" Raven asked. I was then the one to nod "Yep, and Rae, I never told anyone this, but I swear when I was in that void, I felt as if someone was with me, helping me fight Darkseid, and I could've sworn I heard Wally's voice, but it was barely a whisper, almost ghostly but I'm sure I heard it! Do you think he was there?" Raven looked at me her expression not changing, "I'm sorry but I don't think so Bart, honestly, I think it might've been your subconscious giving you something to spur you on, and as you looked up to Wally, as he was your predecessor, he was the voice that told you could do it." She took my hand "But you'd make him proud, you're just as good a guy as I hear he was." Raven said comforting me, I managed to force a smile but it vanished as quickly as it appeared. "That's the thing though Raven, I'm not, I came back from the past, made sure Blue Beetle, Jaime, wouldn't turn evil like he had in my time, I used Jamie's feelings and made him think we were friends, just so I could try and make sure he didn't turn to the light, but that still happened. And even after he turned good again I've barely even spoken to him! Wally never would have used someone like that. No one even see's me as a true successor to him, Artemis says she does but it's not true, I can see it in her eyes, it just hurts her more, wearing this suit, I just remind her of Wally and what she can't ever have back. It's the same with Dick, he looks at me and I can tell he doesn't think I'm fit to take over from Wally, and that I'll never be half as much of a hero as he was, and it's true, I'm a cheap imitation of what Wally was, I'm no hero." I said as I confessed how I really felt to Raven, she squeezed my hand "You are to me, I'd be dead if it weren't for you, you saved me. Isn't that what heroes do? Save people? You're my hero Bart, as cliché as that sounds." She said smiling, I felt a little better.

"But hey enough about remembering a day best forgotten, today is a new day and I want to spend it with my best friend." I replied with a smile, Raven's face dropped "What's wrong?" I asked, the atmosphere changing back to sadness "Bart, you know what my powers are, so you know I can't read your mind, but I can sense your emotions. And Bart I didn't mean to I promise you that! Your emotions are your own and it's an invasion of your privacy but I've felt these feelings lingering in the back of my mind and then I realised they're yours. It's dangerous to have those sorts of emotions about me." She said before looking away. Did she know? She couldn't know could she? "You can't stop me from caring about you." I said. Raven looked into my eyes for a moment, maybe she was trying to read my sincerity. If she was using her powers right now she'd know I was being sincere, I did care bout her. A lot. But she'd just said she wouldn't willingly invade my privacy like that. Raven opened her mouth to speak again "No. No I can't. But Bart, you have to." I didn't understand. "Why?" I asked, except it came out more like a little kid whining. Raven sighed "Bart I'm not stupid. You have a crush on me. This has to stop ok? we can be friends and teammates but nothing more than that." Raven said.

She thought it was just a crush. But it wasn't. It was more than that. So much more. I was head over heels in love with this girl. She had a serious look on her face and was staring deep into my eyes. "It's not just the crush Bart. I've been thinking, you really shouldn't be around me, even if you don't see it, you're too nice and I don't want to screw you up or hurt you, I know you already told me about the future you came from and It's obvious you're not nearly as happy and energetic as you seem, but you're still a nice guy all the same, and I'm just too screwed up and dangerous." She said, the sadness on her face was clear and gave away what her voice could not. I felt a huge pain in my chest, that horrible feeling you get when your heart has been crushed. I started to tear up but quickly blinked them away, "But Raven, I like being around you, I can be myself around you. I tell you things I don't tell the other titans, or anyone else for that matter." I replied my voice sounding desperate and cracking midway through giving away my sadness. Raven looked down again, "Bart. I know you've told me things, secrets, and I never have, so now I'll tell you one. You always want to know why I meditate, why I'm cold and emotionless. It's because I have to be, I have to keep my powers under control, I meditate because it helps keep me calm and my powers are directly connected to my emotions, I've trained myself to keep people at a distance, because my emotions are dangerous to me, to you, to everyone else in this world. You've been a good friend, but I'm dangerous and I won't let you get hurt by me." Raven said as she looked up at me. I tried to protest "But Raven, I like being around you, won't you get lonely?" I asked trying to figure out a way to stay near her, Raven sighed again "I'll be fine, I'm used to it." She said looking away. I cupped her cheek and turned it towards me as I looked into her beautiful eyes, "No one should have to get used to being alone, we've already built up this friendship so much, don't throw it all away and I don't care if you're dangerous because I..." I stopped as I almost let her know the true extent of my feelings towards her. "You what?" Raven asked looking confused "It's just that I...I..." I stopped again, if her powers are tied to her emotions I can't let her know. "Nothing." I finally finished lying to the girl I loved. "Then leave." She said the lack of emotion in her voice finally getting to me as she looked away again. Pain shot through my chest again and I couldn't fight back the tears or hide the truth anymore, as the pain of losing her washed over me I grabbed her cheek between my thumb and forefinger and quickly kissed her. Our lips connecting I briefly lost myself in the moment, I loved her lips, they felt so soft, so full and warm from the sweet breath from her mouth. I pulled away tears running down my face as I looked at her. Raven stared back her eyes wide in shock "Bart, what are you doing?" she asked the shock also evident in her voice. I panicked "I'm sorry!" I blurted out before I sped out of the room, and out of the tower.

I had to go, just go anywhere, just as long as it was away from her, or my heart would shatter even more. I'd screwed up, I'd lost her completely, any chance we may have had of still being friends was gone now. She gave me the chance to remain friends and now I'd ruined that too. Because I was too selfish, because I only cared about what I wanted. I ignored the pain in my chest, the tears flying off my face as I ran, the lump in my throat, all I could focus on was that I had to get away from that tower.