A/N : Thank you for all the reviews and messages sent to me about this story! I will continue to update as you guys continue to support me!

Chapter 2: Because I'm Human

Raven woke up, rubbing her head to comfort a pounding migraine from last night. As she looked to her left she saw Beastboy sleeping peacefully, cuddled up between her lavender pillows. The demon girl couldn't help but smile as she stared up at the ceiling. It has been eleven birthdays since she defeated her father, Trigun, in the battle of good versus evil. That made her... 26 now. She couldn't believe how fast time was flying by and how much things were beginning to change.

Not only did she not need to meditate anymore, but Beastboy and her were together now. The thought of that word being used to describe her and Beastboy made her lips peek into a smile.

"Gah!" She grunted, holding the side of her head. Beastboy stirred at the noise, sitting straight up in the bed as he place a hand to her head.

"What's going on?" He spoke, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

"I'm beginning to think this isn't a migraine from last night." Raven stated as she tucked her long purple bangs behind her ears.

"Oooh..." Beastboy answered seductively through chuckles. "Migraine, huh?" His eyebrows began to dance against his forehead as Raven pushed the blankets off her legs, kicking them over the side of the bed. He grabbed her wrist before she could get up. "Round three?" Raven rolled her eyes as she knocked his hand away from her wrist.

"Not now, Beastboy. I'm serious." She stammered, rubbing at her temples profusely. "Somethings wrong." Beastboy threw the blankets off and hopped out of bed as he collected his uniform.

"Are you sensing something?" He replied, his voice changing to a serious tone.

"Yeah, with the team. There is sadness. Someone got hurt last night." Raven groaned as she threw on her costume quickly, eager to figure out where these emotions were coming from.

"Physically or emotionally?" Beastboy questioned as he headed for the door, waiting for Raven to zip her body suit on.

"I'm not sure." She sighed as she activated the door, nodding to Beastboy she ran one way as Beastboy ran the other.

Starfire awoke from the suns rays hitting her face that morning. Although the morning seemed glorious, she had no will power to get out of bed. All she could do was roll up in her pink blankets hoping that everything she experienced the other day was a dream.

But it wasn't. Because if it were, she wouldn't be alone in her room right now. A rampant knock came from her door, she sat up straight hoping it was Nightwing. Hoping that he would come in apologizing, saying it was all a mistake.

"Starfire?" Raven called from behind the door. "I'm coming in." She put in the override passcode as she eagerly peeked through her door.

"What is it, friend Raven?" Starfire slurred in a monotone voice. Was this what Raven was sensing? Raven flew to the edge of Starfire's bed, sitting down to examine the girl. Her eyes were dull, not the sheer essence of excitement like they usually would be. Her voice was strained, like she was forcing herself to talk. Which was definitely an alarm in itself to let you know something was wrong. Raven could never get Starfire to shut up. Now she was eager to hear her talk.

"Everything, okay?" Raven asked as Starfire let out a sniffle. Oh, no. Raven was about to see some waterworks and she really didn't want to.

"Oh, Raven!" Starfire burst, throwing her long slender arms in the air as she looped them around Raven's shoulders. Raven was immediately squished in the Tamaranians embrace.

"Nightwing and I are no longer together!" Starfire huffed as she tried to catch her breath in between painful sobs. Raven never seen her this torn up before, she was also shocked at the sudden information. She rubbed the small of Starfire's back as she tried to desperately think of something to say. Robin and Starfire were together for years... ever since their little trip to Tokyo. She began to mentally count, making her eyebrows furrow. Robin was sixteen back then, Starfire was eighteen. With Robin being twenty six and Starfire being twenty eight, they were together for eleven years. She didn't see this coming, she didn't know what to say.

Honestly, Raven would never admit it, but what Robin and Starfire had gave her hope. Hope that she would be able to find her happy ending no matter how screwed up she may be. If this was happening to a couple that was so obviously meant for each other, what would this mean for her and Beastboy? She shook her head, trying to stop thinking about herself as she directed her attention down to the alien princess.

"W-Why?" Raven stammered as she mentally face palmed herself. Such a wonderful response to a five minute pause. Starfire picked herself up, sitting beside Raven as she wiped her eyes away.

"What I am going to say is going to sound incredibly selfish, so I do the apology beforehand." Starfire muttered as she placed her small orange hands over her eyes.

"Huh?" Raven questioned, wondering what the hell was going on.

"Well, you see... in private D-Nightwing and I fought rigorously." She paused, scanning Ravens face. But as always, Raven stayed composed. "I.. I honestly want to pursue the Earth dream. The dream of the family... kids, with... Nightwing." She blurted as the tears came down her face. Saying it out loud made the sting in her heart even worse knowing for sure now it would not come true.

There came that topic gain, Raven thought as she couldn't help but be surprised by Starfire's "selfish" request to their leader.

"How is that selfish?" Raven asked puzzled as Starfire looked at her from the corner of her eye.

"Because, we are heroes. We save people. It is not about us. Life isn't about us. I wasn't thinking about the team, instead I was thinking of only myself. For that I am sorry." Starfire swiftly spoke as Raven let her jaw drop. What the heck has Nightwing been saying to her?

"Wait, what? What do you mean? Of course it's about us. We aren't only heroes Starfire, we are people too. We are people with dreams and goals. Just like any other creature. You aren't being selfish, you are thinking of a new future. There is nothing wrong with new." Raven explained as Starfire silently listened.

"But, Nightwing says that it is the selfish. That he made the team not just for our teenage years. That we are the family and we cannot abandon one another." Starfire stated as she tossed her fingers around in her lap.

"No, if anything Nightwing is being selfish to say things like that. We are getting older and I'm happy we were able to be a team. But I also want to start thinking in a new way, I want to maybe see a new life. That doesn't mean we are abandoning each other or the family that we are. Family is family, it's simply that. But family each has their own branch where they grow in ways they want to, not all branches are identical. And just as branches are, they are connected to each other, forming a tree. A tree will always stay connected." Raven comforted as she rubbed at Starfire's shoulder. "I promise you are being anything but selfish." Starfire lightly smiled, tossing Raven in for a deep hug.

"Thank you Raven, although you have made me feel better it does not fix the breaking of my heart." Starfire sighed, playing with strands of her ruby hair.

"So you broke up because Nightwing doesn't want to pursue a life together right now and you do?" Raven asked putting the pieces together as she nodded. "Don't get too worked up yet, I don't feel this break up with last. You guys been together too long to throw all of this away on something pointless."

"You really think so?" Starfire questioned, with a bit of hope in her voice.

"I do." Raven smiled as she floated up and headed for the door.

"Oh, Raven!" Starfire perked up as Raven turned around. "Care to explain to me why you do the glowing this morning and the fact that I heard the loud noises of you and perhaps that of another team member such as Beastboy last night?"

Shit. Raven thought as she turned a bright red.

Beastboy ran down the hallway hoping that whatever Raven was sensing was trivial. The first room he reached was Nightwing's. Beastboy let out a deep breath before knocking on the leaders door.

"N-nightwing?" Beastboy stammered as there was no response. He decided to knock again, but still there was nothing. Beastboy's fingers trembled as he punched in the override numbers to make the doors open. He'd be lying if he said he wasn't at times scared of their leader. He was stern and was always quick to discipline if he needed to... especially Beastboy being the jokester of the group. He secretly was hoping that there would be something wrong with Nightwing so that he wouldn't get yelled at for entering his room without permission.

As the metal doors slowly slid open, it revealed something Beastboy quite wasn't ready for. Nightwing sat in the far side of the room, balled up in the corner. Beastboy slid into the room, letting the doors close swiftly behind him. Beastboy turned into a cat and silently tried to make his way over when Nightwing lifted up his head.

"I know you're here, Beastboy." He responded as he looked at him with what could only feel like stern eyes through his black mask. Beastboy transformed back into himself as he stared at his leader. He was clearly putting on a front, since he definitely was broken down earlier.

"What's up with you?" Beastboy nudged as he sat next to him, leaning against the wall.

"Nothing, just a little bored is all." He responded coldly.

"Bullshit." Beastboy answered, giving Nightwing a glare of his own. "Shit was off yesterday, especially between you and Star. What's going on?"

"We're done, there is nothing to talk about." Nightwing responded in a sharp manner, it was so cold that Beastboy could almost feel a chill run up his spine.

"Woah, what? You guys are through?" He questioned, hearing it echo through his head. He wasn't expecting that to come out of his mouth. He was just expecting that maybe he was hiding from Starfire cause they got into a stupid fight. You know, typical boyfriend girlfriend stuff. Not a break up from the most popular Jump City couple that lasted about eleven years.

"That's what I just said." He tapped his fingers abruptly against his thigh as he stood up, staring down at the changeling.

"Why?" Beastboy asked as Nightwing turned, not wanting to look at him.

"Does there need to be a reason?" Nightwing retorted, making a deep sigh.

"You don't just break up for no reason." Beastboy responded, standing up and leaning his back against the wall. He crossed his arms as he waited for Nightwing to give him an answer.

"It doesn't matter. I broke up with her. That's the end of it." Nightwing spoke with a tense anger in his voice, swatting at the air.

"Dude, you sound like you don't even care. I bet thats what Raven was sensing this morning." Beastboy spat with frustration as he thought about how torn up Starfire must be. How happy she was when he finally kissed her eleven years back in Tokyo. How she was always longed after Robin like some lovesick puppy. They made it this long and then he just drops the ball that its over, like nothing mattered?

Nightwing's brow furrowed at his comment. He knew Starfire was in bad shape. He didn't need Raven to remind him of that, but what could he possibly do? He can't just go in there, hug here and tell her everything can go back to normal. Not after how much he broke her heart. Not when their minds were at different points in life. He knew Starfire was two years older than him but, he never thought they would see life so different just because of that.

"Helloooooo!" Beastboy shouted, waving his hands in front of Nightwings face. When it looked like Beastboy got his attention, Beastboy manned up and stood up to Nightwing. "Why?" He repeated.

"Can't you just... let this go?" Nightwing questioned, sitting down at the edge of his bed, pushing back his long ivory hair.

"No." Beastboy simply put. "We are a family, like you said, no secrets between us. If I can't trust our leader, who can I trust?" Nightwing let out a grunt, grinding his teeth together before he put the words together in his head.

"We are over because Starfire wants to start a family, move on with life. I want to keep being a hero. A hero doesn't just call it quits." Guilt immediately dripped into the pit of Beastboy's stomach. He and Raven were just talking about this last morning. He rubbed at his arm, darting his eyes around the room.

"You know, there is a time where you can balance things. Just because you want to still be a hero doesn't mean that you can't have a family too." Beastboy replied as Nightwing stared down at the floor.

"Yeah there is, its a whole new factor. A kid in the picture can make me weaker." Nightwing answered, honestly blaring in his voice. "I can't let that happen, I can only protect Starfire right now."

"But that is part of becoming a man too, you know. You idolize Batman don't you?" Beastboy innocently asked, sitting cross-legged before Nightwing.

"Well, yeah.." Nightwing stammered as he suddenly saw where the topic was going.

"He is like your dad, isn't he? And he kept both lives apart." Beastboy softly smiled as Nightwing realized maybe him and Bruce were a lot alike.

"But I'm not going to mold my kid into a sidekick for me." Nightwing spoke. "Plus, I don't need one right now. I just need to focus on me. If Starfire can't deal with that then she's out of the picture."

"She loves you." Beastboy replied to his statement as Nightwing balled his fists in his lap.

"Love isn't enough, it doesn't matter."

"You know a relationship is about two people, not just you." Beastboy answered with fire bubbling up in his throat.

"Why do you give a shit so much?" Nightwing glared.

"Why don't you give a shit?" Beastboy stood, kicking at Nightwing's bed. "Starfire is my friend, not only that I see her as a sister. The whole team gave up on you at one point you know? Who pulled us back into believing? Starfire. She was always there for you, even when you were an asshole. When you pushed her away for Slade, when you would go through your little obsessions, even when you physically hurt her. She always understood you and dealt with you for eleven years. You are trying to tell me she's a plaything to you instead of someone you care about?!" He grabbed onto Nightwing's shoulders, shaking at him to hopefully reawaken the brain he had in there.

Silence. Beastboy didn't get an answer back, a yell, a slap, a shout to get out of his room. Just. Nothing. Beastboy became irritated at his leader.

"Why aren't you saying anything? Don't you feel anything?!" He shrieked. And before he knew it, he thought on an impulse and peeled away Nightwing's mask.

What he revealed was blue watery eyes trying it's best to keep back its tears. When Nightwing realized how vulnerable he was... especially without his mask on, he felt a bit of tears streak down his cheeks. Beastboy's mouth hung open at his utter shock of doing something like that on impulse. Not only did he remove his mask and saw that he really did care but he saw his eyes. The eyes he wouldn't let anyone but Starfire see and they were full of hurt, something that he hid away under cloth for years.

Beastboy dropped the mask to the floor as he stared down at him, not sure what to do next. As Nightwing was about to say something, he grabbed his mask and tightened it around his face.

"Not a word to anyone about this." He remarked as he ran to the door, listening to the otherside.

"Wait, man. We aren't done here."

"Sssh!" Nightwing hushed as he motioned for him to come over to the door. As he waved him over, Beastboy listened intently. His eyes grew wide.

Cyborg.

He could hear footsteps running, as Nightwing opened the door he followed behind the frantic Raven and Starfire who were heading towards Cyborgs room.

Tech-NoMan: Sorry for leaving the other day.

Silent_CatWalk: Well, I guess its okay.

Tech-NoMan: You're pissed, aren't you?

Silent_CatWalk: Yep.

Tech-NoMan: I'm sorry, really. I just needed to process it. But I'm back and I want to be serious now.

Silent_CatWalk: Don't do that to me again, got it? No flaking when I bring up something.

Tech-NoMan: I got it.

Silent_CatWalk: Okay. I want to learn more about you, Victor. ;)

Tech-NoMan: Like what, Jenny? You already know most things about me.

It still felt weird to say each others name. But boy, did Cyborg love saying her name. Jenny, Jenny, Jenny.

Silent_CatWalk: Yeah, I know who you are personality wise amongst other things. But not personal stuff like... Where in the states are you from?

Tech-NoMan: New York, you?

Silent_CatWalk: GET OUT! So am I!

Cyborg began to become worried, out of all the states she was actually from New York? How close could she be? Do I know her already? Jenny... Jenny... no I don't think I know a Jenny.

Silent_CatWalk: Where in NY?

Cyborg began to hesitate at the keys of the keyboard. But he decided to be truthful. There was a slim chance that she would be from the same city as him.

Tech-NoMan: Jump City

Silent_CatWalk: . . .

Silent_CatWalk: I'm from... Jump City o_o

Tech-NoMan: Really? Are you kidding around with me?

Silent_CatWalk: No, I'm 100% serious.

Cyborg couldn't believe what he was reading. Jenny not only lived in the same state but in the same city. Theres no doubt in his mind that she knew who he was. But technically, since he didn't say Cyborg the pieces weren't going to be aimed towards him.

Silent_CatWalk: Now, I'm a bit scared to be honest.

Tech-NoMan: Of me?

Silent_CatWalk: No, I'm scared you might know me since you're a cop...

Tech-NoMan: Huh?

Silent_CatWalk: Well, you know how I told you I was on the wrong side of the tracks before in my life? Well, I had a lot of run-ins with the cops... I sure hope that wasn't my first impression with you.

Tech-NoMan: But you aren't like that anymore right?

Silent_CatWalk: No, I haven't committed a crime in years.

Tech-NoMan: If we ever did, it doesn't matter. Everyone deserves a second chance.

Silent_CatWalk: Thanks, Victor. :)

Silent_CatWalk: Well.. why don't we continue this conversation in person?

Tech-NoMan: You want to meet up?

Cyborg began to tremble at the keyboard, this was going all so fast. It was one thing having an internet girlfriend, but bringing her to reality without telling her he was half robot... what would she even think.

Silent_CatWalk: Yeah, let's do it! We are in the same place. So why not? It's been long enough. I would love to be able to hold your hand, touch your skin you know? ;)

Touch my skin, the skin I barely have.

Silent_CatWalk: Prove to me you are serious.

Silent_CatWalk: Meet you at Jump City Pizza in three hours.

Silent_CatWalk: Oh, Victor... I need to say this before I burst...

Silent_CatWalk: I love you.

- Silent_CatWalk has signed off -

"No, this can't be real. I can't lose her. If I show up and she were to see me, it'd be game over... and if I don't show up she will think I been catfishing her or something. She won't talk to me again... and she just told me she loved me. She will think I'd be running away from her..." Cyborg babbled to himself as he looked around his room. A sudden thought came to his mind. He can give himself flesh. He can invent it. He desperately ran around his room, looking into all his machines to see what he could turn himself into. He would become completely human for Jenny.

He began to attach cords and all different gadgets to his body. Clicking through his software to see if there was a way to replace his robotic parts with flesh. As he thought he finally found the perfect way, he clicked 'Start' on his computer. As he did, volts went surging through his body causing him to release a high pitch agonizing scream from his throat. He laid in a heap on his table, not moving, not breathing.

Starfire and Raven called for Cyborg frantically, banging at his door. There was no response. Nightwing ran up and punched in his override code on the door, yet the door still wouldn't open.

"Damnit, Cyborg!" Nightwing shouted as he banged on the door. Beastboy turned into a rhino and began to charge at the door. Raven and Starfire could hear electricity pitches going off. Raven tried to summon a portal to go onto the otherside of his door, but she was shocked and thrown backwards. As she slid to the floor she rubbed her head.

"Cyborg really didn't want us coming in there." She spoke out of breath as Starfire went crazy, throwing starbolts at the door as hard as she could. But still with no luck. As her and Beastboy double teamed the door, Nightwing grabbed an explosive disk from his pocket. Beastboy transformed back into himself as Starfire kept pummeling the door with Starbolts.

"Dude, that ain't going to work!" Nightwing half smiled at Beastboy.

"It works on metal, get away from the door and watch out." They all back away as Nightwing flung the disc at the door creating a huge explosion. Raven put up a protective barrier over her and Beastboy as Nightwing jumped in front of Starfire, taking the blow for her. As she stared up at him, her heart began to flutter. But soon after, it wanted to turn to tears. She then remembered what Raven had said to her earlier, giving her all the more hope that she was right.

Maybe Nightwing did care for her still.

It worked, just like the leader said. The doors jerked open as the team went running inside. When Starfire came in, the sight before her nearly broke her.

"Cyborg, Cyborg?!" Beastboy shouted, shaking his friends frozen body. Nightwing began removing all the cords that connected Cyborg to the machine as Raven started using her healing magic on him.

Cyborg laid with electricity sparking out of him, his face looked in pain, a dried up tear drop stained on his right cheek. He wasn't full of life like he usually was, it made Starfire want to run. She didn't want to think he was... dead. She couldn't keep looking at him, she went through so much already. Her mind couldn't take losing another thing precious to her. Starfire backed up away from the door, her hands covering her mouth as she ran down the hallway away from the scene in the tower.

She ran up the metal stairs, making her way to the roof. Her feet felt heavy like cinderblocks, pounding on the stairs as they echoed throughout her mind. All her senses wanted to escape, run as fast as they could. Her mind pleaded with her to stay. Not to leave, that she might regret it. But she let her body take over for her head. As she burst through the door onto the roof, she desperately tried to fly. She jumped and jumped, but all she could do was land flat on her face. She got back up and ran, she kept running until she reached the edge of the rooftop.

"Aaah!" She screamed, going at full speed as she fell from off the tower roof. Her body went plummeting down towards to ocean. Kitties, Rainbows, Mustard, The Color Pink.... Nothing was working. Before she knew it, she hit the waves. She felt her body begin to sink. The crisp coldness of the blue that surrounded her almost comforted her a bit. She held her breath as she opened her eyes, staring up at the surface where the sun shined down onto her. Why was the sun shining on such a horrible day? Why was this week testing her so?

She couldn't breath. Her legs began to flail, hoisting her up to the surface. A big breath of air surfaced out of her mouth as she breathed, her chest pulsating back and forth. She floated at the base of Titans Tower. She stared back up at it, wondering why everything was shattering to pieces. She looked back at the city and began to swim her way towards the shore.

Red X ran his way over the rooftops. He released the last of the drugs he accumulated to his seller for big profit. He was happy he finally had some dough he could splurge on himself. Finally taking a rest on his favorite rooftop, the one he could smell the cheese pizzas cooking from Jump City Pizza, a great place to see the sunset. He sat on the ledge, kicking his feet about as he stretched.

"What are you doing up there?" He heard a voice shriek as he looked down. A girl as pale as Raven stood looking at him as her hair was perked up in two pink pigtails. Jinx. He turned around, hanging off the ledge.

"Oh, you know. Just hanging around." He responded as she rolled her eyes.

"What are you doing here?" He retorted as she crossed her arms.

"I'm waiting for someone." Red X stared at her outfit, she wore black tights with small purple boots. Her dress was skin tight, pink, matching her hair with a black leather coat covering her chest. He began to laugh uncontrollably, nearly falling from the rooftop.

"You should show more of your chest if you want the date to go right." He snickered as she stomped her foot on the ground.

"Oh, you are so lucky that I am not evil anymore!" She hissed as she took a seat underneath a yellow umbrella. "Go away, now." She shooed him with her hands as he sat straight back up on the roof. People were beginning to stare at him.

"Bye." He quickly stated as he jumped to the next rooftop. He could see the tower in the distance, it seemed pretty peaceful today. He grabbed a pipe that ran along side of the long apartment building, sliding his way down as he heard gurgles. He looked out at the bay, seeing nothing particularly out of order. He brought up his guard and ran towards the fence that separated the walking path from the shore.

Gurgle, gurgle.

"The hell is that?" He spoke aloud as he looked over the small wooden fence, scanning over the white stand that carried old soda and alcohol cans. That's when he saw it, a red haired girl spitting up water and kicking about abruptly in the middle of the bay. "You got to be freaking kidding me." He spat as he unclicked his cape from around his neck, tossing it onto the rock boulders to the side. He jumped into the bay and swam his way towards to girl. When he got closer, he could see her green eyes of disdain.

"Starfire?" He spoke aloud as he looped his arms around her midsection, he kicked backwards pulling her towards the shore. "Damnit, why don't you just freaking fly?" He sighed as he threw her onto the white sand. She hunched over, coughing up all the water in her lungs.

"Thank you very much, Red X." She spoke in between choking on sea water.

"Yeah, yeah. Now you owe me now, you got that?" He remarked as he pointed from himself to her as she nodded.

"Noted." She got up, squeezing the water out of her ruby locks.

"What were you doing in the water anyway?" He questioned as she tried getting the salt of the water out of her eyes.

"I do not wish to speak of it." She replied, not looking back at the tower. "I actually just want to forget about things, if just for a little while." Red X raised an eyebrow as he stroked his chin.

"I can help you with that." He commented, stretching his hand out to her. He then began to wonder why he was helping her so much. Or even running into her as much as he has been. Is this fate or something? Or was he just trying to pick a bone with the leader of the titans? He wasn't quite sure either.

She hesitantly reached for his hand, grabbing it with her slim orange fingers.

"I suppose I can do the trusting of you." She breathed as he reached down for his cape. With his one hand, he placed it around Starfire's shoulders, as he held her hand tightly with his other hand. Starfire could feel her face flush. She was surprised at how much kindness she was receiving. That and her stomach started to do the flips as she walked off with him hand and hand. But she kept reminding herself now wasn't the time for that, it was the time to destress... to forget the possibility that her friend might be dead, to forget the drama with Richard. It was just now time to be Starfire... spending time with her friend Red X.