Raven awoke with a gasp from dreams of suffocation and bellowing monsters. The first thing she saw was Cyborg's concerned face, and she felt his worry abate only slightly when he saw that she was conscious. This did not bode well.

"You're awake."

"Yeah…what happened?"

"Adonis got you underwater, apparently."

"Apparently?"

"I wasn't functioning at the time." Raven could hear the reproach in his voice and knew he was blaming himself for the incident.

"So who stopped him?"

"Beast Boy dropped from the rafters and threw him off you."

"But there's more to it than that." It wasn't a question. Cyborg nodded in response.

"I gotta warn you now, when the little dude wakes up the shit is really gonna hit the fan."

"Why?" Raven's mind had already supplied the only logical answer, but she didn't want to accept it. And besides, Cyborg gave him an antidote…

It dawned on Raven that Cyborg was no longer looking at her, and she followed her gaze to the diminutive figure in the next bed.

"Oh no…" Raven whispered under her breath. His ears were twitching wildly, and from time to time he let out a low growl, despite the fact that he was obviously sedated. However, the thing that caught her attention was the fact that he was restrained, not by the normal straps, but by several heavy chains.

"Dunno why Robin told us to chain him down in the first place." Cyborg's voice cut through her shock, and she looked over at him, hoping that he shared in her outrage.

"Apart from anything else, that thing could bust out of them like they're rice paper if it wanted."

So much for that then. But time enough to lash out at him for his insensitivity later. She doubted she could help Beast Boy if she had to be locked away to keep everyone safe from a maelstrom of her powers.

"Tell me what happened, Cyborg."

"Apparently, after he got you underwater, he musta been trying to drown you or something, 'cause Beast Boy went crazy and tried to kill him."

"Did he…"

"No, Robin tranquilised him before he… did anything he would regret." Raven released a breath she did not realise she had been holding.

"Where are the others?" The mention of Robin had made her register their leader's absence for the first time.

"Robin's taking out his anger on the punching bags, and Star is trying to stop him killing himself doing it."

"What's Robin got to be angry at?"

"He thinks that he let this happen by not being ready."

"And you think that too."

Cyborg looked away, but didn't deny it. "I screwed up, Rae. I let that moron take me down in seconds. If we'd just stopped him earlier-"

"But you didn't, so stop dwelling on the past and learn to deal with the present. Blaming yourself won't help Beast Boy."

Cyborg still couldn't meet her gaze, but knew she was right. He turned to her and was about to say something when he was interrupted.

"Huuhh…what happened?"

---------------------------------------------

The first thing Beast Boy heard when he dragged himself into consciousness were voices. Three of them. Two were incomprehensible, but one, more familiar than the others, was crystal clear.

Hurt. Tied. Want run.

Cyborg started talking, but Beast Boy couldn't make out the words. At his voice, the whisper in his ear turned into a growl.

Failed. Teach.

Then Raven started to respond. He couldn't make out her words but her effect was instantaneous. The whisperer fell silent, and, as she spoke his name, he felt his head clear enough to announce his return to the waking world.

"Huuhh…what happened?"

Not the most eloquent or witty of starts, but it would do.

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Left. Right. Left. Right. Left-Left-Right.

The blows rained down methodically on the hapless punch bag, but the aggressive nature of the exercise did little to ease Robin's mood. With a frustrated cry, he tore away and sat dejectedly on the bench.

"Friend Robin, what is wrong?" Starfire hovered over his shoulder, like an oversized conscience angel.

"Nothing." Starfire frowned.

"There is not 'nothing' wrong, Robin. If nothing were wrong you would not be so grouchy and silent."

Robin sighed. How was he going to explain the weight he felt in his chest; the inescapable feeling that he had allowed this whole damn situation to get out of hand? And how could he explain this to Starfire? It was impossible. He opened his mouth to try anyway, but was cut off.

"It was not your fault. You should not blame yourself."

Obviously she knew him well. He tried to speak again, and was again cut off.

"No. In your position, even one of the legendary Fighting Monks of Astesh would have fallen, and they can defeat a Rebnax with their bare hands."

Robin allowed himself a small smile at that. She always knew just what to say.

"Starfire, I…thanks."

Starfire smiled, encouraging him to continue, but just as he was about to speak, he was interrupted by a familiar nine-note refrain.

"Yes, Cyborg?"

"He's woken up."

As Starfire watched Robin's retreating form, she wondered what he had been about to say.