She smiled as he ran a hand through her short purple hair and let it fall off his fingers.

"Why don't you grow it out?"

"It gets in the way… plus it holds bad memories."

"Not for me."

"…?"

"Fist time you hugged me," he said. "Happiest day of my life."

"Because I hugged you," she quipped flatly, a single eyebrow raised. "Man, you need to get laid."

He chuckled and leaned an arm against the wall, so he could easily whisper in her ear. She closed her eyes to check herself as she felt his breath on her neck and imagined his teeth scraping against it as they did once before, sending a shudder down her spine. She let the shiver travel to her legs and her ankles and her toes, making the little hairs all over her stand on end.

"Well if you insist," he hushed, kissing her neck so softly it felt like torture, teasing her, coaxing her lips to up to his. He spoke and drew back as their lips were but centimeters apart. "However, I don't think that the hallway is the best place for this."

He let his hand slide sinuously down her arm, arousing more goosebumps from her skin.

"I don't want to today," she said, an almost whiney quality to her voice, the flatness gone with the excitement of the current situation.

"Please," he asked huskily, his pride slipping enough to let him beg.

His hunger was rich, his need, his vulnerability, hung heavy, thick. And She could taste his desire in the air. Not because he allowed her into his mind, but because he couldn't contain his own feelings, his own thoughts, because he was being completely honest with himself… and her.

The empath, drunk of his vibes, pounced on him, her lips on his lips. Though surprised, he caught her, his arms supporting her. Her legs wound around his back, her hands dug themselves into his hair, … she kissed him deeper, the emotion now as much her own as his. His hands, though holding her, began to trace along her back. She smiled against him.

"Raven, wait."

She ignored him and continued, starving and in need of his affection.

"Rae, stop," he said again, pushing her away slightly.

"What's wrong Birdbrain?" she asked coyly, pulling at his collar desperately. "Don't tell me you're afraid of flying."

"You don't want this. You said you didn't."

"I was wrong," she pleaded. She wanted this, wanted him more than anything.

He paused, gently kissing her eager lips.

She was not so ready to separate.

He smiled.

Raven gasped loudly and sat up, scanning her surroundings. Her bed. Her midnight blue covers, her hand-painted stars on the ceiling, her heart, thumping… alone. And she felt miserable, but she kept it inside, so things wouldn't explode and so he wouldn't worry. So she admitted her misery aloud and scowled.

If he worried he'd find her… and she would see him. There was no telling what would happen if she saw him.

She didn't understand her dream and even if she understood why, she wouldn't remember what, since the dream was falling out of her conscience like flower through a sieve. So Raven blinked and levitated some water from her glass, splashing it over her face.

She began to recall it again and she paled, her skin no longer light grey, but snowy and ashamed.

In her dream, in that unusual dream…she had kissed Robin… she wanted to have sex with him, her friend, her leader. Not only that, but she was allowing herself to feel passion… but nothing happened.

But, it being a dream, she shook her head of the absurdity. She was the daughter of Evil and her powers needed monitoring. This was just as much of a fact as any. As true as Starfire's red hair and Robin's obsession problem.

But nonetheless… it frightened her and the lamp beside her began to shake. So, being careful and perplexed, she picked up her communicator and pressed three buttons, both embarrassed and curious.

"Mmmhello," answered a sleepy voice.

"Bumblebee?"

"Rae? What's up? It's like…" she broke off, and the dark girl could hear rummaging in the background. "It's like three forty. Is something wrong?"

Raven paused, wondering how she could say it without sounding weird.

"I had a dream… about Robin."

She could practically hear the hesitation in her voice as the words registered.

"C'mon Karen, I need your… insight."

"No big words yet, Rae," Bumblebee yawned, " let my brain wake up."

"Fine. I need your… help," she struggled. "I had a dream… about Robin… and I don't know, it's weird. It didn't make any sense. I was able to… let out emotion without anything being destroyed. I need to know how to get rid of it."

"Do you know why you're having this dream?"

Raven thought for a long time. She could in no way deny that she and the masked boy had spent a lot of time together and she also couldn't deny that she found him engrossing, but she didn't understand what he did to her. He made her… feel, too much for her to be safe. It scared her… because he was taking away her control. Because he made her feel safer than she should. Because she felt she could trust him and no matter how much Raven cared for someone, trust was an issue for her, and being at ease was something so alien it made her uncomfortable.

His caring, this unconditional… whatever he gave her was something she didn't understand. With everyone else, she could predict. Cyborg would always protect her and understand her, Beastboy would always find new ways of irritating her, and Starfire would always make her smile… and always make her jealous. But she didn't know what constant she and Robin had. They had so many ups and downs, she never knew if a smile would be reciprocated or just be a catalyst for another battle.

"Rae?"

The young sorceress shook her head to clear her thoughts. "What?"

"I asked you a question?"

"Oh," she said quickly, "I honestly don't know why. We spend a lot of time together and we're really close, but nothing is too out of the ordinary."

"What was the dream about?"

"I told you. Robin."

"Yes, I realize this. What happened in the dream? Why are you freaked out that he was in it? Did he save you or die or… wait… w-… Rae was this… was this a romantic dream?" Bumblebee whispered, shocked, and frankly, very amused.

Raven felt herself blush and shrink inwardly. The lamp next to her began to quiver lightly again, so she took a deep breath and repeated her mantra.

". . . "

"Was it?"

"…Yes."

"How romantic are we talking…?"

"Kay. Come on. I didn't call you for this."

The phone crackled loudly with the girl's hilarity.

"Did you do him?"

"God, you're so vulgar."

"Did you?" Bumblebee prodded, cackling all the while.

Raven sighed and recalled the dream, shame bubbling in the pit of her stomach. "No."

The other girl, far across the city, sat in her lamp-lit room, tried to keep herself from laughing, remembering that Raven could teleport and beat her with one hand behind her back. Bumblebee wasn't one to be underestimated, but she knew when someone's strength or power was superior to hers. She was, like many others, frightened of the dark girl.

So she stifled her laughter and continued.

"Did you round second or third base?"

"No."

"So it was just hooking up, making out, kissing, whatever?"

"Yes," Raven huffed, picking at her mattress guiltily, "but it was obvious that it was leading to something else. So I don't want this dream to continue."

Bee was afraid to ask the obvious question, knowing that her friend was much more sensitive than she let on. After all, if Raven (who, though brilliant, was rather dense) ever discovered, realized, found out about Robin's feelings for her… the striped heroine feared to think about it. With Raven's self doubt and fragile heart, despondency was a threat that loomed over every step she took.

But Karen was curious and foolish with fatigue, so she shrugged and asked anyway.

"Do you have any feelings for him?"

"No," Raven answered defensively, unsure of herself and puzzled. "He's my friend. That's. All. Nothing more."

"One last question before you hang up on me."

"Wha-? Oh, never mind. What? What's your question?"

"Was it hot?"

Raven slammed the phone against the receiver and pulled the covers over her head.

"Horny bitch," she muttered,

-

(Titan Tower Living Room, 4:16)

-

He sat and watched the fire, warming his hands, occasionally poking the logs, reawakening the flames.

He wasn't good at sitting still, but there was something about the way the fire whisped and danced that intrigued him. So he didn't move.

He couldn't sleep. After staring at a computer screen all day, he was too stir crazy and hyper to sleep. He tried to watch TV, but it was too cold in the common area. But instead of turning on the heat he ventured into the street at one fifteen in the morning, freezing his ass off, and bought firewood.

But the TV never got turned on. The yellow-orange glow fixated him, so he sat for hours, adding logs and newspapers, just watching it grow and fizzle and grow again.

"Would you protest if I sat next to you," chirped a cautious voice.

Robin shook his head as the alien floated next to him and took a seat.

"Did you have frightening dreams?"

"No," he said, eyes still glued to the flares, "I just kept tossing and turning… those forty winks just didn't come."

Starfire looked at him, befuddled. "Forgive me, but I do not understand why forty winks would help you sleep."

"It's a figure of speech, it's just a weird phrase for sleep."

"I see," she said quietly, resting her head on the top of her knees.

There was a long pause. They silently stared ahead at the slowly failing fire. Starfire was uncomfortable. Robin didn't feel like speaking.

"Robin?"

"Yeah?"

"Am I still allowed to call you my friend?"

He turned to her, surprised. Oblivious he was, but uncaring he wasn't.

"Why wouldn't you?"

"I have heard that once Earth couples have, how does one say it… split up, it is difficult for them to remain on friendly terms. Are you upset with me for being so attached? I assure you, had I known how to behave… but worry not. I would understand if my presence troubles you."

Robin laughed lightly and smiled. She was too loving… which was why he so dreaded their romance.

"Star, don't worry so much. It's cool. Really."

"Are you are not upset that I am moving on?"

"No, I just want you to be happy. You seem to really like this Chasen guy," Robin encouraged, bumping her shoulder with his. If anything, he was happy and relieved that she was moving on, since lingering emotions would hold him back from his goal. He noticed how selfish it sounded, his wanting her happiness so she wouldn't burden him. But he wanted her to be happy as well, so he forgave himself.

"He is very sweet, and he certainly seems to enjoy my company, as I do his… but he is not without his flaws. He is very self centered," she sighed, " he takes a very long time getting ready and cares far to much about his appearances. Yet there is something so delicate about him that makes me very curious. So I am willing to overlook his selfishness."

Robin was protective.

"Are you sure that it's wise?"

"Oh yes… I did for you as well. Yet it was harder with you… you were not selfish exactly but very… self-absorbed. You only focused on your own activities; on yourself… it was very difficult for me. I understand that you cannot always separate yourself from your duties, but so much time was not necessary. This I what I truly wanted to confront you about," she admitted sadly. "I plead with you… do not pursue friend Raven."

Robin was shocked, terrified, aghast. The fact that his affections were so transparent completely slipped past him.

"I care for her very much, she is like the sister I have never… well the sister I have always wanted to have. I do not want you to hurt her… and I am afraid that you may make her lonely and upset if you are involved with something else. I fear that you may forget about her… as you did occasionally with me. I understand that thing were… complex… for us and we were… oh, what is that word… not meant to be. But she is more fragile than you could possibly imagine."

"Star, I'm not going to hurt her. I would never, never hurt her," he assured her, clenching his fist so as not to lash out in anger and insult.

But she shook her head.

"You say you will not," she muttered, "but I know you very well, Robin. It is hard for you to take your mind away from where it naturally goes."

"I promise I won't. Here, if I don't take the utmost care of her then I will throw away… I'll throw away all of the articles I have on Slade. Every clipping and every picture. Only the computer log stays."

She gazed at him for a long time. Then, deciding that he was serious, nodded.

"I promise, Star."

"How can I be sure that you are being honest?"

"I just am, Star."

"Do you love her?"

He nodded.

"With all my heart."