20 years ago-

The Titans were splintering. Maybe it wasn't obvious to anyone but Raven, but she could see it happening, bit by bit, by moments of frustration and boredom and an overall sense of Not this again. The others were grow, maturing. Changing. It was only a matter of time before they outgrew what being a Titan offered them. Everyone but Raven. She was 18, and she had stopped growing, physically and psychologically. She wasn't sure how she knew, but the knowledge was there, like so many other things that her demon side forced on her. It was instinct, she supposed. 18 was her physical peak, and Demons were immortal. Hopefully she was human enough not to be.

She was sitting at the table, drinking her customary cup of Silver Needle white tea, lost in her musings. With a slightly more forceful exhale of breath, which her friends had dubbed the 'Raven Sigh,' she tilted her head back slightly and closed her eyes, the pensive look sliding off of her face. Contemplating the inevitable end of the Titans was not a subject that brought her peace; meditation would be required later to bring her back to center. Robin looked up sharply from his newspaper and toast at the near inaudible sound. Raven couldn't see his blue eyes, but she didn't have to. She could tell that they were narrowed in concern. A corner of her mouth quirked sadly. Robin's eyebrow shot up. A sigh, and now a smile? For Raven, that was practically a tantrum. He had been able to tell that something was bothering her for months now, but he knew Raven. If he was going to learn anything about her problem, it would have to come from her, and not any insight he had picked up from the bond. He could be patient, she would come to him. Eventually. He hoped. Maybe a gentle nudge was in order...?

"Anything you want to talk about, Raven?" He asked casually, as not to make her feel cornered. With one of her startlingly quick movements, she got up gracefully from her chair and glided to the kitchen, where she dumped out her almost full teacup, and proceeded to methodically wash it and put it away. The pensive look was back. With a soft crinkle, he put down his newspaper, and walked over to where she was standing by the sink and mountain of dirty dishes. Hesitantly, he put a hand on her hunched shoulder.

"Raven, you know that you can talk to me about anything, right?"

She hunched even deeper into her cloak at his words, folding into herself and her secrets. With visible reluctance, she turned her wide violet eyes on him. Whatever she was searching for in his face, she seemed to find, because without breaking eye contact, she slowly nodded.

"I suppose I can't keep anything from you, Robin. We are bonded, after all, and you know me better than anyone even without the bond." She sighed again, a real one this time. "You won't like what I'll tell you. Are you sure you want to know? It's idle speculation, and does not affect the immediate workings of the team."

He seemed to contemplate that for a moment, then turned from her searching eyes and started helping her do the dishes.

"Anything that's bothering you matters. It does affect the team, because it affects you, and you're a part of this team." He smiled. "And besides, any speculation going on in your head isn't idle. Tell me, Raven."

She set down the mug she was drying with a gentle clink on the counter, and turned to face Robin fully. Sensing the gravity of the situation, he stopped working and faced her. She was biting her lip, indecision in her intense eyes. She was so aggravatingly and endearingly secretive - any information she disclosed about herself had to be dragged out of her, piece by agonizing piece. He waited, and watched one side win the argument in her eyes.

"I think the Team is going to split might not be today or even tomorrow, but it's going to happen. "