Disclaimer: All copyright and credit goes to the original creators of the Teen Titans, Batman, and the DC Universe. This is for entertainment purposes only! I do not own any of the characters!

A/N: I know I say this every time, but thanks for all the reviews/favorites/follows! I appreciate the support!

So this chapter switches over to the Titans. Next chapter will be back to Slade and Robin!

Alright, I hope you enjoy!

Chapter 16

For a Friend

"Any luck yet, Star?"

"No, friend Cyborg, I have not yet had the luck."

"No sign of him down here either."

"It doesn't make any sense, how could Robin just disappear?"

"I do not know, friends…"

"Meet up back at the Tower in ten, we need to talk."

The communicator went silent, and Raven clicked it off. Wind brushed past her cheek as her eyes swept around the dismal street for a final time. She tugged her cloak around her body and turned, flying back in the direction of the Tower.

Teleporting would be easier, but she needed time to think.

Dark clouds swirled overhead, and her hands tightened around the soft fabric, a strange reassurance coming from the material. It was a form of security for her, wearing the same uniform day after day, week after week, month after month. It anchored her with a degree of normalcy and uniformity her life lacked and protected her within the confines of her comfort.

The wind quickened and the girl's eyes fluttered closed, drinking in the eerie quiet that surrounded her. The Titans had split up, each taking a different route in search for their leader. She had chosen the quietest part of Jump, a mellow suburb tucked away on the outskirts of town. The Titans had given her a few strange glances when she had chosen her location, but no one had questioned her further – no one ever really did.

The fact of the matter was she never really suspected to find Robin in this part of Jump. The girl sighed, tugging the cloak tighter around her body. Yes, she was being selfish, but for good reason.

Nothing ever moved in this part of town. It was always quiet and serene. She would sometimes spot the occasional pedestrian walking along the sidewalk or jogging along the street, but nothing that would ever disrupt the quiet that settled in her mind. It was a brief respite from the day, but she needed it. It allowed her to sift through her mind and separate the emotions of her teammates from her own. Now that Robin was gone, everyone was on edge, and her mind was constantly bombarded with powerful emotions from all of her teammates. It was unsettling, to suddenly be drowned with three other voices at one time. Her mental composure was already slipping…

And it had only been a few days.

Raven didn't worry about the team though. The Titans would survive. They wouldn't fall apart, their trust and faith in one another was too deep to simply wither away. But she could feel the heavy emotions in the air – the unease that floated around the feet of her teammates, the thick uncertainty that shrouded their future, the fear. It disconcerted her mental clarity. Robin normally took the burden of many of the daily worries and quarrels the Titans had, offering a somewhat shield for her mind. Now that he was gone, everything felt sharper, harder, and tougher. Emotions were rawer, and she easily picked up on the disturbances everyone felt.

Raven sighed, taking a few calming breaths. She liked to think of herself as independent, as a force that could survive on her own, but now it seemed as if she had grown to rely on her friends more than she had ever thought possible. And now their leader was gone, the one that had the strange ability to hold everyone together. She pulled her cloak tighter around herself.

Her friend was gone.

And suddenly the thick fabric wrapped around her shoulders didn't feel as comforting as it once was.

The air was still as one by one the Titans came and settled into the living area. Raven was last to arrive, the door sliding shut with a quiet hiss. Cyborg greeted her with a terse nod as she floated over to the far end of the couch and sat, perched on the edge of the cushion like a cat. The older boy stood in front of the assembled team with hands crossed in front of his chest and his eyes downcast. Beast Boy had morphed into a furry, green kitten and was huddled in Starfire's lap. The young, alien girl absentmindedly stroked his fur while staring vacantly beyond Cyborg, as if her eyes were searching the sky for the lost Boy Wonder.

"We have to do something…"

Raven glanced over at Cyborg who slowly looked up at his teammates. Starfire blinked, gradually coming out of her thick trace.

"But what, friend Cyborg?" she asked, her green eyes flickering with pain, "He has not answered his communicator. I fear the worst has occurred…"

Beast Boy shifted in her lap, meowing softly. Starfire ran her fingers through his fur and stroked his small head.

"We just don't know, Star," Cyborg said, a note of frustration in his voice. His attention shifted to Raven, causing the girl to lower her hood. "Still can't sense him?"

The girl shook her head, placing her hands in her lap. "My powers have a limited range. I only established a shallow connection with Robin when I entered his mind – nothing deep enough to be linked with his consciousness."

The robotic boy nodded as if expecting as much. A weary huff escaped the boy's lips as he directed his attention once more to the ground.

"I shouldn't have yelled at him…I should have stopped him-"

"NO," Starfire cried, rising to her feet. Beast Boy hopped off her lap with an indignant meow and morphed back into his human form. "If there is anyone to blame for this situation, it is me." Her green eyes flickered and glistened in the dim lighting. "I was not swift enough to stop him. I-I watched him-" her voice cracked and the glistening in her eyes grew stronger. She bowed her head as the storm thickened and brewed outside.

A gentle hand fell on her shoulder and the alien girl turned as Beast Boy offered her a small smile. His normal effervescent attitude was dimmed into a somber seriousness that was unusual for the green changeling.

"It's not anyone's fault, Star," Beast Boy whispered into the stillness. His words rang with a deep and honest sincerity that elicited a small smile from Starfire's lips.

"Beast Boy's right."

Raven stood from her seat on the couch as all eyes immediately swung to her cloaked form.

"No one is to blame for this situation we are in. Robin made his choice, and there was nothing we could have done to stop it."

The girl took in the eyes of all of her teammates.

"The only thing we can do now is wait."

The words drew a heavy silence over the room as each person considered the implications.

"I can't wait," Cyborg muttered, clenching his fists together, "I'm worried, Rae. It's liked the whole Slade fiasco all over again…"

Starfire stepped forward and moved toward Cyborg. She rested her light hand on his broad shoulder, drawing the boy out of his thoughts. The boy's eyes flickered to her and she gazed at him, trying to pierce her way through the emotions that clouded his mind.

"We are all worried, Cyborg," she said softly. Her warm voice echoed in the air as she drew closer to the boy. Beast Boy shifted on the couch.

"Star's right, Cy," the younger boy said while dragging a hand through his hair. "We're all in this together." His eyes flashed over to Raven, but the girl quickly looked away, pulling her hood up.

Cyborg exhaled, feeling the cool air leave his lungs in a shallow wave. He drew himself up to his full height and turned around giving Starfire a small smile. The girl returned the simple offering and dropped her hand off of his shoulder.

"Are you sure you are the alright, friend Cyborg?" she asked while tilting her head and drawing her hand beneath her chin. Her red hair fell across her shoulders in a fiery wave as her green eyes widened slightly in concern.

"Yeah, I'm fine Star. It's just…" he paused, looking away once more. His eyes drifted off, staring into the stormy skyline. "Robin should be back by now."

The words rang with truth. The dark sky loomed over the room, bringing with it the dark possibility of a reality the fragile group of friends did not want to face.

"I think we need a backup plan."

This caught the attention of his teammates as their focus sharpened on his words.

"I think it's time we called for help," Cyborg said, pacing his words out evenly.

"What do you mean?" Starfire asked, curiosity dipping into her voice.

Beast Boy's ears peaked up. "Titans East?"

Cyborg was already shaking his head however before the boy could finish.

"No, we need people who have faced the Joker before."

Raven's head shot up, her eyes growing wide. "You know we can't ask them for help, Cyborg. Robin told us under no circumstance should we ever-" she said, her body stiffening.

"This is different," the boy replied evenly, cutting her off.

"Please, I do not understand," Starfire replied, flying between the two, "who are we asking for help?"

"We're not asking anyone for help, Starfire," Raven snapped her dark eyes daring Cyborg to challenge the statement.

"Oh come on, Raven!" Cyborg growled, throwing his arms into the air, "It's not like anyone else has any better suggestions."

"They're not even on Earth right now, Cyborg. They left for an off world mission months…ago…" the words died on her lips as the boy flicked on the TV and a news report filled the screen. Images and words flashed before the Titans.

"Dude…" Beast Boy whispered, his eyes growing larger than giant saucers, "You want to ask the Justice League for help?"

Cyborg smiled.

"Bingo."

"Come on, Raven, why not?" Beast Boy whined while morphing into a puppy and widening his eyes. "The Justice League arrived back on Earth today! The timing can't just be a coincidence!"

The girl gave him a cold look.

"No," she snapped while crossing her arms across her chest. "Robin told us from day one to never ever involve the League and that's final."

"Please who is this –" Starfire began but was once again cut off from the flames that erupted from Cyborg's head.

"Robin's not even here right now!" he cried, quickly growing exasperated. The frustration the boy was feeling leeched into his words as his body grew stiff and taunt with anger.

Dark magic flashed from underneath Raven's cloak. "I don't care if Robin was in another universe, we are not asking the Justice League for help," she said, her normally rough voice, shifting into a deeper and more menacing tone.

"But this may be my only chance to ever meet Superman!" Beast Boy continued, oblivious to the rising tension between Cyborg and Raven.

The girl fixed Beast Boy with an annoyed look and opened her mouth to respond but was cut off as Cyborg slammed his fist down onto the computer terminal. The loud crack echoed through the chilling air as the boy's words darkened. "I'm not just going to sit around while there is a possibility that the Joker has captured Robin and –"

Raven's eyes flashed a deep violet as she took a harsh step forward. Her rough voice had a sharp edge to it that reflected the dark look in her eyes. "We don't know where he is Cyborg," she said.

"That's why we need help!" the boy responded, his voice growing louder.

"Friends, please-" Starfire started, stepping forward. Her plea fell on deaf ears however as the tension between her teammates continued to rise.

"And what if we ask the Justice League?" Raven snapped, impatience entering her tone, "Are you willing to betray Robin's trust like that-"

"Robin isn't here right now!" Cyborg roared. The boy's composure broke as anger spread through his body like a powerful wave. His breathing was loud and heavy, and his mechanical parts flickered as his emotions overpowered the thin wiring.

"That doesn't mean we can just ignore-" Raven said, taking another step closer.

"Robin's our friend, Raven. I'm not going to leave him-"

"He's also our leader, and his word is final."

The harsh words silenced the older boy, and he took a sudden step back, his eyes staring distantly into the cloaked girl. Raven shifted, looking away as the heavy silence that filled the room wrapped around her words. Cyborg blinked, turned away, and walked back to the computer. He rested his hands on the thick metal keyboard, and stared down at the numerous letters and numbers, but his eyes only saw the face of his friend before him.

"We can't waste any more time. It might already be too late."

Thunder rumbled outside and a few stray flashes of lighting danced into the room. Cyborg turned his head and locked eyes with the girl. Raven's face was a blank mask as she gazed back at the boy, betraying none of the whirling thoughts her mind was running through at that moment.

Starfire stepped forward, tentatively breaking the thick tension in the room. Her green eyes held a soft innocence and light as she poised her question.

"Please who is this League of Justice? And why should we not ask them for help?"

Beast Boy's mouth fell to the floor as every gear in his mind froze and stopped working. "First Batman! And now the Justice League," he mumbled to himself in a hazy trace. He let out a strangled moan and collapsed onto the floor, drained from any reaction at all.

Cyborg sighed, rolling his eyes at the younger boy. "The Justice League is like our team, Star, except the members of the League are older and more experienced. They protect Earth and fight…well they fight for justice…" he finished with a slight smile.

The girl's eyes lit up. "Oh. How glorious! And why have we not contacted them before?" she asked, her eyes sweeping around the world.

"Because Robin said no," Raven answered flatly. A dark mood hovered over the girl, sending a chilling aura through the room.

Starfire flinched but remained undaunted and proceeded with her question. "But why, friend Raven? Does Robin not like the League of Justice?"

Beast Boy shrugged, twiddling with his thumbs. "He never really said, Star. We know he worked with them on a few occasions, but when he came to Jump he dropped all contact with the League…told us to leave them alone."

"Oh," Star said softly, her feet lowering back to the ground.

"It doesn't matter what Robin thought," Cyborg said, casting his eyes around the room, "We need to contact them. We don't have any other options left. We can't find Robin and even if we did, I don't know if we could handle the Joker."

"That doesn't mean we can just-" Raven said taking a harsh step forward. But the girl was quickly cut off by Cyborg's sharp rebuttal.

"It doesn't matter anymore-"

"But Robin said-"

"I DON'T CARE WHAT ROBIN SAID," the boy yelled, silencing the girl. Cyborg took a calming breath, but his frustration was still evident in his voice. "Because Batman is involved, this mess is now part of the League's business. We're contacting the Justice League, and that's final."

Raven hastily took a step back, her face flashing with a deep emotion as her violet eyes flickered through rapid emotions. Her hands fumbled with the hood, and she pulled it over her face, masking her eyes from the rest of the team. Starfire glanced between the two, worry dripping from her eyes, but the alien girl was at a loss for what to do.

"Are you sure that is best, Cyborg?" she asked quietly.

Beast Boy looked up. "Yeah, I mean maybe there's a reason Rob never-"

"I'm sure."

The words were spoken with a dead finality that ended all discussion on the subject. Cyborg turned away from his team, frustration and uncertainty biting into him. He didn't know what to do, but his gut was telling him that this wasn't a situation the Titans could handle alone. If that meant going behind their leader's back, then so be it.

Raven treaded towards the windows, moving closer to the chaotic storm. Her violet eyes took in the hazy atmosphere and the thick silence around her. A pale hand pressed against the cold glass as her breath kissed the window.

"One day," she said from under her hood, "If Robin isn't back within a day, then we'll contact the League."

A sigh reached her ears.

"One day might be too late."

Raven turned around, the dark clouds hovering over her figure.

"Then that's the risk we are just going to have to take."

The two stared at each other for several long moments before Cyborg slowly nodded his head, unwilling to further fight with the girl.

"Wonderful," Starfire said with a strained smile, "we now have the plan to back us up!"

"Backup plan, Star," Beast Boy muttered, his eyes focused on the cloaked figure in front of the windows. The young boy stood up and hesitated. He took a step forward, but then stopped, shaking his head to himself. He sat back down without another word.

"Oh, of course, friend Beast Boy. Backup plan! How glorious!" Starfire said again in the unnerving silence. She offered her friends another smile, but all eyes were focused on something other than her glowing form. She sighed, her smile faltering as she glanced around. The only noise in the room was the constant drum of the rain against the glass.

"Please, friends…" she whispered softly. All eyes in the room rested on her small form.

"We must stay together."

The silence that followed was oppressive. Cyborg looked back down at the keyboard. Beast Boy focused on the rug in front of his feet. Raven glanced back towards the chaotic skyline. And Starfire, well the young alien girl was not to be thwarted in her efforts that easily. She floated over to Cyborg and placed her hand on his shoulder. At the contact Cyborg looked up, and her green eyes reached into him. Starfire's eyes flashed over towards Raven, huddled alone in front of the storm. Rain beat against the windows in thundering waves, casting the girl among a hail of shifting shadows. Starfire looked back at her friend, a desperate plea evident in her warm eyes.

"We must stay together."

Behind her, Beast Boy rose to his feet and appeared next to her, placing his hand on Starfire's shoulder.

"No matter what," Beast Boy said, his words a mere whisper among the pounding rain.

Cyborg glanced from the green changeling to Starfire. Beast Boy mirrored the girl's concerned look as his own eyes, consumed with a deep worry, drifted towards Raven.

The robotic boy turned to focus on the girl who was hunched over away from the group. Her form was vaguely silhouetted by the dark clouds, making her slim figure seem even smaller than normal. Her back faced the group, shadowing her body in the security of her cloak.

The boy felt a small pang of guilt crawl into him. Perhaps he had been too rough and short with Raven…It wasn't the girl's fault, he was just frustrated with this whole situation, and now that Batman and Robin were missing, he was worried to no end. They had never faced a villain like the Joker before, and it made him feel vulnerable. He didn't know what to expect. He didn't know how to act. He didn't know how to lead…

The boy walked towards her, his feet thudding softly on the hard ground. Thunder echoed through the room, but he continued on, undaunted by the noise.

Raven didn't deserve this treatment. Despite her hard and cold exterior, the girl was fragile and had an extremely sensitive heart. Cyborg had always felt that it was his job to protect her throughout the years. The boy sighed pausing in his steps. He hadn't meant to hurt her. He hadn't meant to snap.

His large presence dwarfed the girl, but his eyes and body were soft. He moved to stand in front of the window, blocking out the darkness from the sky. Raven stiffened as he approached, but the girl shifted her focus to the ground, avoiding the older boy's eyes.

"I'm sorry, Rae. I shouldn't have yelled at you."

Gradually, Raven looked up, the cloak lapping against her bare ankles. Her hood was still drawn up, masking her violet eyes from the world. Her pale hands slipped out from around her waist and grabbed the edges of her cloak, the dark, violet fabric making her skin appear translucent. The hood fell around her shoulders, revealing her glistening eyes to her friend. She blinked once and then dropped her eyes back to the floor.

Two strong arms wrapped around her, pulling her thin body close. She didn't resist as Cyborg tightened his hold and rested his head on top of her own. Her tiny arms hesitantly responded, sliding around his back as she pressed her cheek against his chest. There was comforting warmth from the embrace, a strange reassurance that rose above any arguing that had just passed.

"Oh!" Starfire, cried as her voice broke with emotion. The alien girl flew towards the pair, her emotions fueling her powers with an enormous strength. She slammed into the pair, flinging her own arms around the two as a few stray tears streamed down her cheeks. Her eyes glowed, lighting up the dim space with a fiery light.

Beast Boy was not far behind the alien girl as he morphed into a butterfly, flying and landing onto Raven's shoulder. Once he landed, he quickly changed into a kitten and rubbed against Raven's face, purring softly.

In that moment, despite the fact that she was smothered in an unusual embrace by her friends, despite the fact that she was trying to suppress the emotions welling up inside her eyes, and despite the fact that she worried for her lost friend, Raven smiled.

BANG

The Team jumped apart as a loud crack of thunder rumbled through the sky. Beast Boy fell off Raven's shoulder and landed on the floor with a high pitched meow. Starfire squealed in surprise and dove behind Raven's back, shielding herself from the storm. Cyborg stumbled back, throwing his arms up in a futile attempt to block out the roaring clouds.

The only one that hadn't flinched had been Raven. She looked at her teammates with an arched eyebrow.

"It's just thunder," she drawled with a hint of an eyebrow.

"JUST THUNDER?"

Her eyes traveled to the green boy who was now sprinting towards the couch. The boy dove behind it, shouting all the way there.

"HOW WAS THAT JUST THUNDER? THAT WAS TERRIFYING RAVEN!"

A chuckle drew her eyes to the robotic boy who was smiling at her.

"Nerves of steel girl, you've got nerves of steel," Cyborg said while shaking his head.

Raven smiled back, a hint of a happiness glinting in her violet eyes. Before she could respond however, a force yanked on her cloak causing her to shout out with a strangled cry of surprise as she stumbled back. Two hands clenched her arms in a deathly grip as green eyes peeked up from behind her back.

"Please, Friend Raven," Starfire said in a fierce whisper, her eyes darting around the room, "What does Cyborg mean by the nerves of steel?"

"Um Starfire, are you okay?"

Another burst of thunder shook the sky and the alien girl let out a fearful squeak. Raven shook her head, trying unsuccessfully to repress the smile that tickled her lips.

"It's just a saying, Starfire."

"Oh…"

Cyborg appeared next to the two girls and rested his hand on Raven's shoulder. Three pairs of eyes fell on the skyline as the storm gained momentum and power. Rain beat relentlessly on the glass, inches away from the small group. A quiet bark drew Raven's attention down to the green dog that appeared next to her legs. She placed her hand on his head.

"You think he's out there?"

Raven's eyes flickered over to Cyborg.

"I don't know…

Thunder roared. Lighting Flashed.

"We just don't know."

The hand squeezed her shoulder as her words became lost in the rain.

A/N: Alright let me know what you think! Now a quick note here, I always thought Raven and Cyborg had a brother-sister relationship, and I hope I portrayed that correctly. I always pictured that Raven ended up with Beast Boy...but that's just my interpretation of things!

Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it!