PAST BROKEN MIRRORS

Mirror 7: Between Us & Belonging once more

Between us, between us

What is there between us?

What is there to me and you?

Some call it connection

Others call it a growing bond

But I still can't realize

Why can't I just let it be

Why can't I just set it free

Why can't I just see

There's something

Something between us

Between you and me

"I'm finding where I belong…once more."

---

It was rather an uncomfortable silence as the three titans waited for the explanation supposedly to come from their leader.

Robin ran his fingers through his hair – an obvious sign of nervousness, and took a deep breath before he finally began.

"I know this is a surprise to all…"

"But not to you, apparently," said Starfire on a hinted note of sadness and disappointment.

"How could you keep something like this, from us?"

Before Robin could answer this, Cyborg spoke his agreement in this matter.

"Yeah, man. You could have at least have given us a heads up."

Sighing, Robin shook his head as he looked into the eyes of his friends who seemed betrayed in this situation. He figured their reaction would somehow be more or less like this the moment he gave his solemn promise to Terra to keep her presence a secret.

"Guys, she was in a confusing situation. You have to understand why she didn't want anyone else to know – not before she figured out for sure who she really was. When she came to me…she just wasn't the same anymore."

They remained silent as they let the truth of his words sink in.

"We knew she had returned to this world," Raven said quietly, all the while standing by the window and staring out into the distance. The rain had begun to subside, and the late noon sun peeked from behind the moving clouds of grey.

Starfire nodded, as she placed her gaze upon Robin. "We only did not know where she went. Or how to look for her…or that she was already here, among us."

The truth of it was that they had gone to the tomb of the fallen Titan, only to see for themselves that their former teammate who had given her ultimate sacrifice: A sacrifice that had resulted into her becoming one with the earth and had stood a solid statue – was nowhere to be found. It proved Beast Boy's claims that she had indeed returned. But he hadn't wanted to speak of it afterwards. It was around that time he began to withdraw himself, the time that led him to announce his decision – the decision that caused them to part, the decision that made them embrace changes in the ongoing flow of time.

Now it seemed that every piece of the past was starting to come together; to find its place in the puzzle of the present.

Past broken mirrors…

"You guys have every right to be mad at me…but I made a promise. One that I felt was right to keep. If that's not the case with the rest of you, I'm afraid all I'm left with to say is that I'm sorry…" Robin admitted, staring at the floor as he let the silence ensue into the hollow space absent of sound as the others were deep into their thoughts.

Finally, getting up from the couch, Cyborg made his way to his friend and lightly gave him a pat on his back.

"Hey. We get you. You were only trying to do what you thought was right."

Nodding, Raven pulled her hood back on over her head as she said,

"Yes. Beast Boy's back. Terra's back. All's well."

Leaving them with a quiet smile, she then teleported out of the room.

"Well, guess I'll go catch up with BB and go give our girl a proper 'hi'," Cyborg decided as he too proceeded to carry on with his own thoughts and followed suit.

Starfire and Robin were then left alone.

"Star…"

Robin could see that she was upset, having shrouded herself in silence and purposely refusing to look at him. As he gently approached her, Starfire spoke in a quiet tone,

"I understand that one must keep a promise a promise. But…"

Wrapping her arms around her, she seemed to struggle with the rest of her sentence.

"But I cannot help feeling…that you did not share this with me…"

Biting down on his lip, Robin could not help to see her like this. The years had only proved how deep they clearly felt about each other, and he understood how much more this affected her. That the part he had played made her feel as though that was a part that she could not have any involvement in. Yet they had promised to share everything with each other. This incident seemed to test that. Sitting down next to her, he carefully took her hand in his. Though she stiffened, she neither made an effort to turn this gesture away which he took as a chance to let himself explain further.

"I know I can't take back what has already happened, it was hard for me to keep this from you, believe me. But Star…"

His other hand clasped over hers,

"Know that it wasn't because I wanted to keep you out of it, or that I couldn't have trust you to keep it a secret as well. But I did so to protect you and the others…"

"By keeping the truth from us?"

She stared deep into his eyes, blinking back from the tears that she struggled to hold back. The eyes that hid behind the mask stared back just as deep, sincere with guilt and regret.

"I'm sorry."

Taking a deep breath, Starfire knew she was being irrational – overwhelmed by her emotions. Yes, she was hurt – she couldn't erase away that fact, but yes, she understood that he had only stood by a promise out of loyalty and responsibility to a friend. After all, that was how he was – who he was. The Robin she cared for so deeply, and who she knew cared for her just as much and more. Her Robin…

Smiling, she felt the warmth flowing through her once again as she drew him close to her in a wide embrace.

"Apology accepted."

---

"I hope that I didn't cause him too much trouble…" Terra said, face full of concern and worry. That fact was in truth only part of the rest of her mixed fears and emotions.

"I'm sure it'll all turn out okay," Beast Boy reassured her as they walked along the corridors.

Nodding, Terra tried to let this calm her, but she was still nervously clenching and unclenching her fists. Then she felt Beast Boy's hand on her shoulder and turning, she looked into that confident smile of his – it steadied her and she tried her best to remain positive. She smiled back into his face.

Then she caught something in his eyes as if he was suddenly startled. Diverting her gaze to where he had been looking over, she saw nothing out of the ordinary.

"Why? What's wrong?"

---

Raven tried to sort out the flow of events that were hanging around in her mind.

Terra was back. Yes, it was a good thing. Wasn't it?

She helped restore peace back once more after the chaos, she was a hero. She was a fellow titan – a friend. The years had passed and Raven had put to rest that moment after the sacrifice was made – she had forgiven her. She took to understanding that the Terra now only wanted to move forward and to make anew.

Then, as she walked aimlessly around the corridor, she came to a direct halt as she found herself from across the two figures walking and talking to each other. Then Beast Boy had reached out and now they were both looking, smiling at each other. Something strange in her made her flinch. She teleported out from there.

---

Beast Boy shook his head. "Nothing…"

But he could have sworn he had seen a bright color of white that very moment, but it seemed to have left the room in an instance.

---

Heart beating strangely fast, Raven sought to calm herself down. Throwing herself on her wide spread bed, she stared blankly at the ceiling. Her mind: the exact blank as well. But the images started to float inside her again. Calmly, she looked through them as carefully as she could. She had seen them. Beast Boy and Terra – together. So what?

Why did it bother her like this? Bother her…was that what it was?

She knew how Beast Boy felt for Terra, before. How deep his affections for her were till he had sought out so hard to prove the return of her existence that time. It seemed so crystal clear right now. Even after time had come and gone, his feelings for her probably had never faltered. But what about her own? Yes, what about her own – Raven questioned confusedly. There had to be something, something if she was even asking this to herself. But what were they based upon? Why was she desperately shutting them out? Why couldn't she just acknowledge them – even if she felt they were reasonless?

She closed her eyes hard and tried not to think anymore. She needed to meditate.

---

"We are happy of your return to the team, friend."

Starfire smiled sincerely as Terra felt in awe of the warm embrace that now greeted her. It was such a relief in consideration to their earlier meeting. Even Cyborg grinned widely as he told her,

"Yeah, girl. Welcome back."

Unable to hold back the ongoing tears of gratitude, Terra wiped the corners of her eyes, flushed, she said,

"Yes. It feels good to be back…"

To Robin, she gave a grateful smile. She owed him a lot – maybe more than that to be exact. She'd come up to him in a state of insecurity and vulnerability. But she stuck through her decision of what she had to do – only she wasn't sure if he would actually accept her. But he had.

"Thanks…"

As she looked around, she noticed that one person of the group was not there. A corner of her heart struggled to suppress an uncertain uneasiness of this fact.

"Raven's glad you're back too," Robin informed, as if reading her mind.

Terra nodded slowly, a small sad smile forming on her face as she stared at the empty spot. "I'm happy to hear that."

Just then her communicator beeped.

"Seems I've gotta run now."

Looking into their faces: Beast Boy, Robin, Starfire and Cyborg, she thanked them once again as she waved and headed for the exit. Calling out to her, they told her,

"Take care!"

She smiled. A sense of belonging swept through her – she was certainly back on the right path. She had come back on her feet when she was placed in her current team: Titan Underground, and now, with the approval of her friends, they were even firmer on the ground. Yes, it felt good…

---

"That's so cool!"

Aliya gushed over this comment from Silica as she had succeeded in doing a full morph of a bird. Silica was a girl with an oriental heritage who had been rescued by Cyborg and Raven during the midst of an accident. Wanting to save the girl's life, they had succeeded in doing so which resulted in Silica being half of a robotic being like Cyborg himself. Tossing her dark silky hair over her shoulder, Silica had befriended Aliya but secretly hoped to catch the eye of Energizer whom she had developed a crush on since first catching sight of him. But it was not easy as he was quite a distant person, always by Aliya's side as he was right now, with the usual faraway gaze he brought about – but it was that that Silica felt attracted to. In her opinion, he was definitely cool.

"Mr. Beast Boy!"

Beast Boy grinned in acknowledgement as the bird with the pink mark on her neck flew directly to him as he appeared with the rest of his friends behind him. Even in her morph form, Aliya possessed the special ability that enabled her to continue speaking in the human language.

"Aliya, you did it!"

Smiling happily, Aliya morphed back into human form as Beast Boy gave her an affectionate pat on the head.

"This is a joyous moment to celebrate, yes?" suggested Starfire as she floated over them.

"Ice-cream, anyone?" Cyborg grinned as he ushered the other two youngsters to join in. Robin nodded in agreement, "Sounds like a good idea. After all we could do with a break."

Looking around, Beast Boy said,

"I'll go get Raven."

---

"Raven?"

Standing right outside her door, Beast Boy waited for her to answer. Somehow, all his instincts led him to be certain for sure that she would be in her room, probably because he figured that some habits were just hard to die out. He remembered how it was before whenever they came to call her out of her room, she'd open the door just slightly and would shut it back when she took of no interest to what they had to say or offer. He had half-expected the same treatment, but fell back a step when the door opened wide.

Stepping cautiously inside, he was greeted by an expectant Raven.

She had of course sensed his coming presence and a strange feeling of dread appeared in the pit of her stomach as she felt that she least wanted to see him right now. But she stopped herself from coming up with an excuse when he had knocked on her door.

"Yes?"

"We're going out for ice-cream. Care to join?" He asked her as he suppressed his feelings of amazement to the changes in her room. It seemed slightly lighter in contrast to her taste for all things dark as he had been accustomed to once upon a time.

Considering, Raven finally shook her head as she declined with a small smile.

"I think I'll pass, thanks for asking anyway."

"Aw. Come on, Rae," Beast Boy tried to coax her as he reached out for her hand but to which she reacted, turning her back towards him.

She shook her head, "I just-"

Without finishing her sentence, she had suddenly become so still. On the alert, Beast Boy called out in concern,

"Rae?"

In slow motion, she started to fall backwards and Beast Boy managed to catch her just in time. In his arms she laid – frozen in a dead faint.

"Raven!"

-----

Dreamchild's SideNotes:

Here it is, the newest chapter for this week )

Hehe, my hands are full but I'm definitely having a blast this week. I'm still working on the first chapter for the one-shots entitled 'Little League' which takes place on the timeline before this fic, concentrating more on the members of the league (OC). Therefore, I'll probably have it up with the next chapter of this fic next coming week. Yay, thanks for reading yet again and looking forward to the reviews. Ja'