Anywhere But Here - A Teen Titans Story
A quick breakdown for your convenience: This story is set in an alternate future, following the cartoon show rather then the comics. In this, Raven had left the team at age 17 for (as far as you know) unknown reasons. Eleven years have passed since then with little to no contact between them. This would mean that the current ages of the main characters are:
Raven : 28
Robin : 29
Beast Boy : 28
Starfire: 28
Cyborg : 30
As you may have surmised, I do not own the Teen Titans nor will I ever. Even if I did, I would have no idea where to put them.
Anywhere but here.
Raven would have rather been anywhere else in the world than in this grungy little bar on the outskirts of Las Angeles. Anywhere. Stuck in the centre of the earth, standing beside a ticking time bomb… Heck, she would rather be in the clutches of her demon father than here. Instead she rocked slowly back and forth on her broken bar stool, earning annoyed glares from other patrons for the incessant squeaking.
Screw them.
Two weeks ago Robin had tracked her down to deliver a message, except he no longer went by that name. Instead he used Nightwing now, although it would be hard for her to shake the image of the Boy Wonder from her mind. Apparently something big was going down and he needed to see her urgently. He refused to leak information over the phone and demanded a face-to-face audience. She had almost refused him when he dropped the bomb.
Whatever was going down had something to do with Beast Boy… With Garfield.
Damnit, Robin knew just how to get her attention. She agreed to meet the bastard on his terms, which took her half way across the country. She had packed up and left her small apartment in a rush, not that there was all that much to take. The only important things are the ones you can take away with you in a hurry.
Squeak. Squeak. Squeeeeeak.
She glanced at the clock hanging on the wall behind the bartender's head; ignoring the dirty look he shot her. He deserved the damn noise. Maybe next time he would lay down some money to fix the chair.
It was just past 11 o'clock, still half an hour before her 'date' arrived. She closed her eyes tightly and frowned, willing away the approaching headache. She had arrived in Las Angeles this morning at dawn and had been wasting time since then. When Robin got here he better be prepared for a very, very ticked off woman.
Speak of the devil.
A man strutted into the bar, swivelling his head as if he was looking for someone but Raven assumed he already knew where she was and that the act was for show. Knowing him, he had been secretly spying on her for the past hour.
He looked different in civilian clothes. Softer almost. He wore a black leather jacket and sunglasses regardless of the night sky. He fit in with the bar crown and moved seamlessly towards her. Sitting down in the next stool, he ordered a drink and looked her over. She knew what he saw.
She was a little taller now and had lost the baby fat from her face. Her hair was much longer since they last parted and was styled so that it covered her chakra stone. Her body had become even curvier and was still largely unscarred, except for a small tattoo on her shoulder blade; a black bird taking flight with a red bow tied around his talon. It meant a lot to her but she would never tell anyone why.
Her eyes were probably the most changed since their teen years. They were still that dark, unnatural purple but if her reflection was accurate, they were a few shades dimmer than before. A spark had been lost and she was sure Robin could easily see the cruel, harsh edge to her eyes. The absence of hope.
His drink arrived and he took a long sip before settling himself into a more comfortable position. She suppressed a smirk when his stool squeaked louder than hers ever had.
"Sooo…." He started before she cut him off.
"Scratch the formalities. I don't want to be here and I'm sure you have better places to be than this broken down scum trap. Why did you contact me?"
"Maybe I like this bar. Maybe I come here every Friday night to play pool with the guys" he replied slowly, not even bothering to hide his own smirk. She gave him a pointed look as his chair screeched and drew glares from even the darkest corners of the small tavern. He had the decency to look sheepish.
"Exactly what the hell is so important that you would try to contact me when I left so long ago? I stormed off and you promised to leave me alone… Why now?" She asked again, drawing his attention back to the discussion at hand.
"It wasn't so long ago, Raven. Only eleven years."
"I have no patience for this, and if you can't gauge that much then it really has been too long." She replied quickly, trying to ignore the number of years she had been gone. She had forgotten for a reason and did not care to remember.
Robin leaned back in his chair and took another swig from the glass, watching her over the rim. She fought the urge to shift uncomfortably in her seat. She wouldn't give him the satisfaction of knowing how nervous she actually was.
He lowered his drink and leaned forward, pulling her in with him.
"I can't talk about it here," He whispered close to her ear. "Too many prying eyes and ears. Just know that your help is needed if you ever want to see Logan again."
"I had left with the intention of never seeing any of you ever again" she shrugged, straightening her back. "Why should I care now?"
Even to her own ears the excuse sounded hollow and cheap.
"Because, if you don't, it's not just his life he's going to lose. It's something even more important" he replied, still whispering in that harsh and urgent tone.
She cocked her head to the side, trying not to let her curiosity shine through.
"I can't say anymore here. You have to come with me."
She weighed the options in her head. She could go back to her quiet, dull life and pretend this never happened. She could disregard the painful throbbing in her heart and leave this dusty bar in the past. She could live out the rest of her days trying not to imagine what happened to Garfield and guessing whether or not he survived. Or she could grasp Robin's outstretched hand and start things over.
Her hand might as well have moved on it's own. It was in his before she bothered thinking of the many mistakes and hurt this decision could mean for her. He pulled her up off her stool as he got off his own. The screeching noise was horrible and not the best omen to this new beginning.
She paid no attention to the noise and the glares, instead taking one brave step forward and ignoring her shaking legs. She knew she had to take the chance of getting her life back.
Robin had the good grace to not mention the shaking she was sure he could feel through their close proximity. Maybe he still had some good qualities after all.
Neither of them noticed the bartender's eyes following them across the room and out the door before picking the phone up off the wall and dialling, a look of grim pleasure plastered on his lined face.
"So, where to?" Asked Raven as they exited the door, which also squeaked. She tried to sound casual.
Robin quirked an eyebrow in her direction and offered a sly little smile.
"Why, to Titans Tower of course. I'm sure your old room is still intact."
Raven stopped in her tracks, a look of mild horror on her face that was probably quite comical to any outside party.
Oh god.
Anywhere but there.
All right, this seems to be lining up to be a chaptered story, so if you have any complaints, corrections, or constructive criticism, I would love to hear it. No idea how fast I will be updating because this story was anything but planned. I just knew I wanted to do something with the characters a little older and a little darker, not to say there won't be lighter humour. TTFN.