Disclaimer: I don't own 'em. Don't sue.

CHAPTER 6

They found Robin in an alleyway, unconscious and bleeding. Cyborg considered it a small mercy that Starfire had still not regained consciousness; the Tamaranean would undoubtedly have been distraught over seeing the Boy Wonder in such a state.

A black bird's ethereal wings encircled the battered group, and a moment later, they were back in their hotel room, Robin slipping from a cradle of dark energy to rest upon the bed. Cyborg gingerly laid the princess beside him, hoping not to wake her.

As Raven placed a hand on Robin's chest, she sighed and gritted her teeth, and Cyborg winced in sympathy. He was one of the two people on the team whom Raven had told of her healing ability's side effects; she had made both him and Starfire promise never to tell Robin or Beast Boy, knowing their shared tendency to hide injuries and self-medicate.

The bruises disappeared from their leader's body, his cuts closing and disappearing without so much as a scar. As if on cue, his eyes snapped open behind the mask and he sat upright with a shout.

"Slade! Where's Slade?" His chest heaved as he pushed away Beast Boy's proffered hand and stood. Eyes darting around the room, he sought some clue as to the villain's whereabouts.

"He's gone, Robin," Cyborg said, holding his hands up palm-down in a placating gesture. "We're back at the hotel. Once Starfire comes to, we can—"

"What?" The masked teen shouted, hands balling into fists. "You let him get away? You idiots! He's got to be the one behind the superweapon!"

"Whoa there, Rob," Cyborg said, "Slade was already long gone by the time we found you."

Batman's protege glared. "If you followed my trail, you could easily have followed his."

"And done what, exactly?" Beast Boy asked, arms crossed. His fingers were tightening on his biceps with bruising force. "Leave you and Starfire behind and pray he didn't double back and kill or kidnap you both? Carry you with us so we could have two liabilities in a fight with someone we've never beaten even at full strength?"

"You could have split up," the black-haired teen began, but Beast Boy cut him off.

"Yeah, and then it's either me and Cy— or just one of us— against Slade. I appreciate the vote of confidence, Rob, but that's insane."

Robin's eyes darted. "Raven could have—"

"Raven," the young woman in question drawled, "Was already exhausted from multiple teleports and healing injuries to Starfire, injuries she sustained when her 'leader' left her to fight off three criminals with advanced weaponry by herself. You might want to stop talking now."

The air hung heavy with animosity, and sensing that something was about to shatter irreparably, Cyborg interjected to keep the peace. "Look, let's just wait until Starfire wakes up, and then we'll talk this over, okay?"

A green-gloved finger waved inches from Victor's face. "This discussion is not over until I say so. Or did you forget who's leading this team?"

"Right now, no one's leading this team!" the half-robot shouted, patience finally failing. "And you know what? As soon as Starfire wakes up, we're going to decide who should!"

With the mention of her name, the alien's eyelids had begun fluttering, and they snapped open at Victor's final word. "Please, friends," she murmured, "What has happened? Why is everyone doing the shouting?"

The tension in the room dissipated ever so slightly, and both Robin and Cyborg turned to address her at once. They talked over each other, growing ever louder, until two words drowned them out.

"SHUT UP!" Raven howled with all the fury of Perdition, the room rumbling with the force of her words. When silence had fallen, she collected herself with a deep breath. "Now. How are you feeling, Starfire?"

The Tamaranean favored her with a shaky smile. "Truthfully, I have been much better, Friend Raven. I am in pain and confused, and I do not understand what has happened to make my friends scream and use the unkind words with each other."

As both boys opened their mouths to state their cases, black energy covered their mouths. "Not. A. Word," Raven growled. Her eyes bored into Victor's, and he dropped his gaze, noting with a bit of childish satisfaction that Robin had done the same. "Starfire, you remember the fight with the robots, correct?"

She nodded. "I remember everything until I lost consciousness."

"Then you remember Robin leaving to chase Slade?"

A gasp confirmed Victor's suspicions. "Slade has returned? I heard Robin exclaim that someone had a canine for a mother, but when I looked for him, he was nowhere to be seen."

Beast Boy, who had remained silent until now, looked at Robin with utter disappointment. "You didn't even tell her it was Slade?"

Robin crossed his arms. "What difference does that make?"

The changeling's arms fell to his sides, and his fists clenched. "The difference," he said slowly, a struggle to control his temper evident in his voice, "Is that Slade works with robots, not people. Starfire was using non-lethal tactics, and because of that, she sustained multiple injuries in a fight that could have been over in a few seconds. But you didn't see fit to tell her anything, and you ran off and abandoned your teammate, just like you do every time Slade shows up."

"I've heard enough," Cyborg said in a voice as hard as his surname. "It's time for the Titans to have a new leader."

A snort came from Robin. "Oh, really? And I assume you want the spot? Hate to break it to you, but that's not happening."

Victor gave a bitter smile. "Wasn't what I had in mind. Unlike you, I care about the team more than my fragile little ego." His arm snaked out to grab hold of a purple shirt and pull its owner close. "Beast Boy should be leading the Titans."

As Cyborg stood there, hands on his best friend's shoulders, the stunned silence was shattered by a squeak. "Me?"

AN: Herein lies the Schism. Also, going by a word-count-to-review ratio, this may be my least-reviewed story, which generally means an author is doing something wrong. I see follows, but no reviews. Am I becoming a pulp writer?

I'm never going to hold this story hostage for reviews; that's just childish. Still, some feedback as to what you like and/or dislike (either is welcome) would help me improve this story greatly. Qoheleth's review sparked changes to chapters I had already considered finished, so please don't think you don't have a say in forming this story.

As always, thank you for reading! Also, just to warn you, this is the last chapter till the end that stops at a point that won't make you want to murder me.