Disclaimer-I don't own the Teen Titans.

Impulses

Story by StormDancer

Chapter 3

It is not light that we need, but fire; it is not the gentle shower, but thunder. We need the storm, the whirlwind, and the earthquake.

"So," Garth asked as Roy reentered the room, "What's up with you two?"

Victor looked up in surprise and astonishment. Karen smirked at all the rest's confusion.

Raven pulled up the hood of her dark hoodie, shadowing her face so all that could be seen was her eyes.

"What do you mean," she dead panned.

Karen looked up, her smirk now showing to the room.

"You two have been uncomfortable together all week, than disappear for almost ten minutes, than reappear and sit next to each other. Conclusions will be drawn."

Kori squealed in excitement.

"You two have finally, umm, gotten together, as they say?"

Raven's hood dropped, a flush staining her pale cheeks but with eyes full of honest consternation.

"No, no Kor, nothing like that," she assured her friend hurriedly.

'maybe that was too quick,' Roy mused, 'is she trying to deny something?' he quickly shut off that line of thought as he felt his ears begin to match his hair in colour.

"It better not be," Victor asserted protectively, glaring suspiciously at Roy, who cowered beneath his sinister glower.

"Dude, I swear, I didn't touch her," he assured Victor. Only Garth saw Raven raise her eyebrows slightly at this.

"Good," Victor stated, his glare softening, "At least you would be better than that Mark person."

Raven rolled her eyebrows.

"I told you Vic, he's not a boyfriend! He's simply a friend whom I can relate to."

Roy felt his heart jolt happily at this news, though he couldn't imagine why. Victor was still looking skeptical.

"Look," Raven announced, "I'm going to keep hanging out with Jinx whether or not you like it, and Mark is always hanging around her. So just leave me alone, okay?"

"Jinx?" Gar asked confused.

"Julia Wheeler," Tara explained to him, "That's her nickname because people she doesn't like some how end up with bad luck." She sub consciously rubbed her elbow, where a small scar was still visible, "As I found out to my regret." She glared at Raven as if it was her fault.

"I told you, Tara, Jinx told me she did nothing to you, out of respect for my friendship to you. I believe her, but she also said to tell you that if you ever go out from my protection, well, just watch for bad luck."

Tara reflexively scooted back, making more space between her and Raven. Raven noticed, but said nothing.

"Anyway," Kori said, breaking the awkward silence, "Raven, did you get the dress you're wearing to the winter ball yet?"

"Yeah," Raven replied cautiously, preparing to cover her ears from one of Kori's squeals. She managed just in time.

"Ooooh, you must show it all of us. Come girls, we must look at it!"

The other girls followed Kori and Raven out willingly, leaving the boys alone.

"Why do they call it a Winter Ball?" Dick asked randomly, "It's not until March."

"One of the mysteries of life, dude," Gar informed him. Dick was not satisfied with this answer, and continued to ponder it.

Victor was still fuming over Raven's refusal to listen to his advice. Suddenly, he stilled, an idea coming to him.

"Roy, you used to hang out with Julia and some of her crowd, right?"

Roy nodded slowly, knowing where this was going.

"So you could go in and ask about this Mark? There's something I don't like about him, he just showed up and started flirting with Rae right away," Vic asked.

Roy nodded coldly, "I'll show this boy that Rae is not to be trifled with."

"Good," Victor muttered, "I don't want her to get hurt any more."

o0O0o0O0o

"So, Jinx," Roy began, leaning against the side of the school. He looked down at the girl next to him, her dyed pink hair nearly blinding him, "Long time no see."

"No kidding, Speedy," she replied. He winced at the nickname. When they were younger, all the people in Jinx's crowd had gotten code names. Drunk with youthful arrogance, Roy had named himself Speedy.

Jinx looked up at him, her eyes cold.

"Cut the crap, Speedy, what do you want?" she followed his eyes to Raven, where she was talking to a blond boy Roy had not seen before. She smirked.

"Okay, take that back. What do you want that I can give you? Raven doesn't count."

Roy glared at her.

"You know, right now I wish we were still in the days when I would beat you for teasing me like that."

Jinx grinned. She motioned slightly, and a hulking figure came up behind her.

"Oh, you never did that. I'm not stupid enough to not get protection."

Roy looked up the gigantic boy behind her.

"Hey, Mammoth. How've you been?" he asked nervously. He'd forgotten the risks of not being quite of Jinx's crowd. Mammoth simply nodded, than went back to his game with the other main member of Jinx's crowd, Gizmo.

"Anyway," Jinx prompted, "What can I do for you?"

Roy glanced back at Raven and the new boy, who he assumed was Mark. He was handsome enough, Roy supposed, with long white blond hair, longer than Garth's even, and a tall, lean figure.

"Who's he?" Roy asked casually. Jinx saw right through him. However, she considered the question.

"Honestly, I don't really know. He hangs with us occasionally, but nothing more. Why? Jealous?"

"NO!" Roy assured her quickly, "I just don't want Rae to get hurt, and I don't trust him."

Jinx eyed Mark coldly as Raven laughed flirtatiously at something Mark had said. Roy swallowed a pang of something that he couldn't identify. Jinx looked back at Roy, and her eyes were hard.

"Trust me, then. Raven is my friend, and if he hurts her in any way than he will have my eternal ill will. And that can add up to a lot of bad luck, can't it?"

Roy smiled back at her, acknowledging her as a fellow predator.

"Well, than, I'd better be polite and go introduce myself, shouldn't I?"

Jinx nodded slowly.

"Speedy, you know Raven won't thank you for messing things up with him, don't you?"

"I know," Roy assured her, "And if he really wants her, I won't."

Jinx shrugged, than melted into the shadows. Roy pulled a cigarette out of his pocket and lit it, sauntering over to where Raven and Mark were talking.

"Hi, Rae," he said, skillfully inserting himself into the conversation.

"Hey, Roy," she responded, irritated. Roy ignored her.

"And you are?" he asked pointedly. The blond boy stuck out a hand.

"Mark Chior. You?"

Roy shook his hand lazily, noticing as he did so that the other boy squeezed his hand a bit tighter than necessary, as if asserting dominance. Roy ignored this.

"Roy Harper," he informed the other boy sharply.

"Oh, I've heard of you," Mark responded with a open smile, "You're the track and soccer captains, aren't you?"

"And archery," Roy added calmly, with a smile as predatory as that which he had given Jinx earlier. Mark raised his eye brows at Roy's cold tone.

"And yet you hang here?"

"I'm a man," Roy took a long drag of his cigarette, "Of many interests."

"Raven?" Jinx called from the shadows underneath the school, "Can you come here a moment?"

Raven left, and Roy blessed Jinx silently.

"Okay, now the chick's gone and we can get down to business," Mark told Roy immediately, his kind manner disappearing with Raven, "Is she yours?"

Roy laughed coldly, staring into the other boys slate gray eyes.

"Raven isn't anyone's Mark, as you should know. She makes her own decisions, and isn't controlled by anyone. I'm simply here to insure if she makes the wrong choice, she's not the only one who will pay."

Mark took a step back to avoid Roy's piercing stare.

"look, Roy, you said it yourself. If she wants me, there's nothing you can do about it. SO lay off. It's my right to take what I can, and if she's part of the deal, so much the better."

Roy glared harder at him. Mark retreated another step.

"You can take what you can, but I'm simply assuring you that she's off limits. Okay?"

Mark scoffed and spat to the side of the school.

"Whatever," he said as he walked away, back into the school. As he retreated, Raven came back out.

"Where is he?" She asked anxiously.

"Gone," Roy responded sharply. Raven turned irate eyes on him.

"What was all that for, anyway?"

"What?"

"You were practically telling him to get away!"

"I said no such thing!"

"You implied it!"

"If he chose, to take it that way, than fine. I was simply introducing myself to one of your friends."

Raven glared at Roy, than took in the cigarette he was still holding.

"I thought you quit," she snapped.

"I did!" Roy protested, throwing the butt away.

"Sure," raven drawled as she walked away. Suddenly, she spun and walked back to face him.

"By the way, Roy, I can take care of myself. I don't need you scaring people away. We decided that the kiss meant nothing, and I propose to stick with that."

She stalked away, her hood pulled up once more.

"Well done, Speedy," Jinx drawled as she walked to stand next to him.

"Shut up, Jinx," Roy snapped.

"I'm serious, you just told the guy to stay away. Now he'll go right for her. What did she mean about the kiss?"

"Nothing," Roy responded absently, "But I don't like him, Jinx. Something's not right with that guy."

"Well than," Jinx replied, slinging a companionable arm over his shoulders even if she had to stretch to reach them, "It's up to us to stop Rae from making a huge mistake."

"But what if we can't?" Roy asked quietly.

"Than," Jinx uttered coldly, unconsciously echoing his previous words, "Someone will pay. And it won't only be Rae."

Roy nodded, but he still followed Rae with his eyes as she was met on the steps by a blonde figure who wrapped a arm around her as they walked into the school. Roy felt his heart sink.