Disclaimer: Teen Titans is the property of DC Comics and Warner Bros. "The Hollow Men" was written by T.S. Elliot, and the use of passages to open each chapter is done with the utmost respect for one of the English languages best craftsmen. Thank you, and enjoy.

Titans Broken

Chapter 2: Without Memory

Shape without form, shade without colour,
Paralysed force, gesture without motion;

- T.S. Elliot's "The Hollow Men"

Cyborg tapped the computer console at one side of the room and was surprised as it lit up. A single line of text glared at him in English, a security question. One he knew the answer to immediately.

Who is my Robin?

Richard Grayson, he typed in and hit the return. A list of log entries scrolled up the monitor. The most recent was around nine months old.

He tapped the last entry and stood up, his frown deepening as he heard a quiet sniffle from the speakers.

"Oh X'hal… this is most difficult. My memory is growing worse and I fear I shall no longer be able to remember my password… It has been six Earth months since we went our separate ways. I can no longer remember them, the names my older entries speak of… the Cyborg, the Raven, the Beast Boy… I… I have collected items of my Robin… of Nightwing's to stave off the forgetfulness. I do not want to forget. None of them know, I hope they do not find out, I hope we shall not become enemies… already I feel… empty… almost dead inside." There was a sob from the speakers and Cyborg closed his eyes.

"I… I do not know what to do… should I return to Tamaran? They shall shun me… I am Z'hom… Oh X'hal, I am Z'hom!" There was another burst of crying in the speakers. "I have tried to… to hold onto my memories… his scent brings them back, for a time."

"Oh Star." Cyborg said and felt tears run down from his one human eye. "We could have helped you…"

"I… I do not know if I can remember the password, again… it took me three hours and much of the cologne to recall it. Oh X'hal… why did this happen? I do not know what to do…"

The entry stopped and Cyborg straightened up. He quickly copied the recording and straightened up. He activated the old Titan's com-link. "Raven… I'm not sure how to describe this… I found her room, it's like she suddenly turned into hoarder of all things Titans, especially Nightwing stuff."

"Understood, what sort of stuff does she have?" Raven's gravelly voice answered.

"Well… I see clothes, a bird-a-rang, and a bunch of the cologne Dick used to wear." Cyborg said quietly. "I also got on her computer… she couldn't remember her password for the last nine months apparently."

"What was it?" Raven asked.

"Richard Grayson." Cyborg said. "Even had a clue… what was 'her Robin's' name?"

"Azar… she really doesn't remember?" Raven said.

Cyborg nodded and tapped at the interface on his arm. "I'm sending up her personal log entries for you… listened to the last one, its disturbing Rachel…"

"Right, I'll head up to the computer room to check them out. You grab some of the stuff and bring it back. If they're important to her they might help her remember." Raven said quietly.

"I will… it's kind of creepy in here, you might like it." Cyborg said trying to lessen the mood. It didn't work.

Raven sat hunched over the computer terminal, her fingers poised over the keys as the files Cyborg had uploaded came up on the display. She took a deep breath and listened to the most recent one.

When it finished the emotionless girl was gone, a set of tears trickled down her eyes as Barbara Gordon watched her. The document she'd drawn up was filled with notes, search information...

"Azar..." Raven murmured as she tapped the first entry and set it to play.

"It has been four months since I lost my friends... four months since the Titans were together." Starfire's voice came from the speaker and Raven swallowed a lump that had risen in her throat.

"I... I could not recall friend Cyborg's true name this morning... I tried many times and came up with nothing. We did not write down or record the true names of our friends, because of the secret identity they protected. I wish we had... I want to remember him better." Starfire's voice cracked slightly.

"I still... I cannot believe it has happened... X'hal, how could it end like this? My Robin turned Nightwing has left me. I thought we would be together always, that he held my love forever... oh X'hal I should have known, these humans are so fickle in their relations. Even the Beast Boy and Raven have done the broken up..." Raven closed her eyes and bowed her head. She focused inward trying to quell the raging emotions that reminders of that time brought up within her.

"I have tried their means of being with others... the 'casual' dating and mating but it has offered me no solace. The Captain Comet was most kind to me, but... as much as I tried I could not offer my heart to him. We have... the broken up, though in my heart it feels as if we were never together." Starfire's voice choked for a moment. "Raven would tell me I am the... hung up on Nightwing. If I was human perhaps she would be right... but I am not human."

"I have married twice to princes of my homeland, both times out of duty. Both men lie buried now, a part of my past I do not wish to dwell upon… I know that my people are most expressive in emotion compared to humans that we do the wearing of our hearts on the sleeve..." A sad forced laugh came from the speakers, "Raven would be most pleased with how I acted then, doing my duty and trying to learn to like those that had been my chosen. There is much love in my culture but... the human concept of the 'romantic' love, is a rarity. Marriage is for the bearing of strong children, for the forging of an alliance between houses, for economic gain and political maneuvering."

"I have fallen in love, as the humans say, but once." Starfire said quietly. "And we Tamaranians can only fall in love once in our lifetimes as the pain of heartbreak is such that we could not risk ourselves more than that..."

She sobbed. "Oh my Robin, how could you throw away my heart... it was the only one I had to offer. I am a shadow of what I once was... I feel, detached, alone, and desperate. Oh X'hal... what shall I become? I do not wish for my memories to continue to fade. I cannot be whom I am without them, without him... What am I to do?"

Raven swallowed. She felt ill listening to her words, as if she'd dove into the mind of another without their permission. She took a shaky breath. "Azar, Kori, what can we do for you?"

Barbara Gordon stared at her for a long moment then shook her head. "Is this about that evaluation you guys are doing?"

She nodded once. "It is, speaking of which, has Black Canary finished with Dick?"

"Yes, she's in the observation room now." Barbara said quickly. "What's going on? Why did Batman bring the two of them in?"

Rachel stood and headed for the turbo-lift. "That's between us and Batman." As the doors slid shut, she let out a long breath. "Interrogation level... Leave it to Oracle to listen in to us."

A moment later the doors hissed open and Rachel stepped out into the curved hallway. She walked over to the marked door for the observation room and stepped inside.

"It's too soon to come to any conclusions." Black Canary said from her seat as Zatanna paced behind her. In front of her was Batman, glaring down at the figure. "You don't have any evidence to support that assumption in Starfire's case... and Dick isn't about to tell us what happened between him and Tarantula. Just let us handle it without telling us your theories."

Raven stepped behind Black Canary. "I take it that I'm late for the discussion?"

"I was just telling them my theory about the causes for their current psychological state." Batman said flatly. "Mainly romantic troubles."

"It sounds to me like you're just trying to sell us on the 'no romantic entanglements' rule you've got." Black Canary said flatly. "As I've told you, having a bit of love in a young hero's life is one way to keep them mentally stable... whole, normal. Don't you dare bring my own history up on that either."

Raven scowled. "I am all too aware of Bruce's position on this issue. Not that he is not right in some cases, making a blanket statement on it is dumb, especially when he himself has broken the rule a number of times."

Zatanna snorted with suppressed laughter as Black Canary smirked at the Dark Knight. "So... you think Koriand'r is depressed because she's heartbroken, and that's made her a raging sociopath?"

"Basically, though I would not choose that language myself." Batman said.

Raven swore under her breath and stepped to the glass looking out at Dick Grayson hunched over in his seat. "You may have a point in her case, but what about Dick?"

"He hasn't had a truly stable relationship with anyone since the breakup... there have been... liaisons with various women, some of whom I am uncertain about. He has also had a rather... unhealthy relationship with Oracle. The two of them seem to be unable to decide as to what they want it to be." Batman said flatly. "Jim Gordon is pushing her to settle down... that might have something to do with it."

"It sounds like a mess alright." Raven said flatly, as she crossed her arms across her chest.

"It ought to, considering your relationship with Mr. Logan." Batman stated.

"Just how serious is the relationship between Dick and Babs?" Zatanna asked.

"She has a ring... but hasn't decided to wear it or not. I think Dick was serious about her and she wasn't, hence the impasse." Batman said.

"If she's not sure... she should just say no and save him from the heartbreak later," Raven said quietly. "This definitely complicates the situation."

"How so? We knew there was some sort of issue like this." Black Canary asked.

"Because Batman is right, the breakup between Nightwing and Starfire along with the subsequent disbanding of the team is the root cause of this." Raven said. "Moreover, Starfire is dangerous in her current state. She does not remember Beast Boy, Dick, Cyborg, or me. Cy managed to get into her personal log on the ship that crashed... her bedroom is stuffed full of mementos and personal items from Dick... old Nightwing uniforms, bird-a-rangs, cologne, hair gel... Cy's bringing some of it up for us and sent me her personal log. She... six months ago she forgot the password and hasn't been able to update it."

Black Canary's eyes were wide. "She's that bad?"

Raven nodded.

"That explains the cologne." Zatanna said. "She sprayed the couch before curling up and falling asleep in it."

"I already suspected she was in a bad way, otherwise I wouldn't have brought her in." Bruce said.

"Raven, what about Dick? Does he know about this?" Black Canary asked.

"Maybe, I don't know." Raven said.

Batman stared at Dick. "He was with me when we picked her up... he knows, at least some of it."

Raven nodded. "I'm going to go in there..."

"Good luck." Black Canary said quietly.

Dick stared at the floor as Raven stepped inside. She slowly lowered herself to the chair opposite him and adjusted the robes so that they comfortably flowed down the front of the chair. She looked at him for a moment before lowering her cowl and leaning back against the cushion.

"So…" She started. "What's wrong with you?"

Dick just glared at her for a moment.

"I can sense it Dick, you're tearing yourself up about something." Rachel said. "Empath, remember?"

"I don't know." Dick said back. "You're the therapist. You tell me what's wrong."

"You know as well as I do that's not how it works." Raven said quietly. "You're feeling guilty, angry, and frustrated but I don't know why… you need to open your mouth and use your words for me to know."

"I can handle it." Dick growled.

"Obviously, that's why Batman wanted you evaluated." Raven stated dryly. "I've got all day you know. What's wrong?"

"Everything… and nothing." Dick said.

Raven furrowed her brow at him. "Really? Explain that."

He clenched his fists and shook his head. "I can't."

"Is it about Star?" Raven asked.

He nodded.

"Do you want to tell me about it?"

He shook his head.

"Fine, at least that's something to go on," Raven said before standing. "You'll never be allowed back in the field until this is cleared up, you know."

He nodded.

"Do you want that?" Raven asked.

"I don't know anymore." Dick said and Raven stared at him, a look of shock slipping across her face before she opened the door. Dick glanced down at his hands. "Is this my fault?"

"Dick…" Raven's face twitched and she turned back to him. "Are you willing to talk now?"

"Yes..." Dick said quietly. He closed his eyes. "I... I was so shocked when I saw her with Roy and Jason... I mean, you couldn't choose two people that'd be a worse fit for her than those two. Star's always been so... bubbly, emotional, and loving." He swallowed. "And then she stepped out and... it was awful Raven. She didn't know me, she sounded so... cold and distant and... broken."

He shook his head. "I don't know what to do... everything's gone wrong... When Starfire and I split, it wasn't long until the rest of us broke up. She was the glue that held us all together and when she wasn't there anymore..."

Raven nodded and sat back down. "She was... the heart of the team. You were our leader... our brain really. Star was our heart."

"And Blüdhaven just slowly started getting worse... I went from dealing with punk kids to dealing with metas and then... then Chemo happened." He swallowed down another lump in his throat. "And Tarantula... I can't talk about that, I just can't Rae..."

"So you went back to Gotham." Raven said quietly. "Moved back under the Bat's shadow."

"No! That wasn't it at all!" Dick snapped back then froze. "Sorry... sorry..."

"Too close to home?" Raven said quietly.

"Babs was there, and I knew the city... knew the people. I thought they'd support me. It was rough Rae, and then Bruce disappeared. Everyone that ever wore the Robin costume came out of the woodwork wanting to be him, to be Batman and… I ended up having to fight them for it. I didn't even want the damn suit. I just wanted his legacy protected. I hate the cape and the cowl and every fucking thing that goes with it!" Dick ran a hand through his hair. "And then he came back, I went back to Nightwing..."

"And became just another part of the Bat Family." Raven said quietly. "You always told us you wanted out of Batman's shadow."

"I do... or at least I did." Dick said. "I changed the costume, thought the red breast would be a nice allusion to being a Robin..." He closed his eyes. "I've just been... living you know, doing the job of being a hero."

Raven nodded. "What about girls Dick?"

"I... I proposed to Babs." He said quietly. "She... she hasn't told me yes or no yet... but she took the ring. That means something right?"

Rachel's expression turned blank for a moment. "I think it means she's confused... I'm sorry Dick but you and her... never struck me as a good couple."

"Raven, no one struck you as a good couple." Dick said.

She swallowed. "You and Star did."

Dick froze. "That's it isn't it... she's not the same anymore, I mean what did she do after we broke up? She became a criminal... a mercenary. Is that my fault?"

Raven sighed. "We don't know yet." She glanced at him. "Do you still have feelings for her?"

"I..." Dick scowled and looked at the floor. "I thought I didn't, I thought what we had was just... just a teenage fling but... when I saw her so broken." He shut his eyes and his body shuddered with a suppressed sob. "I... it hurt so bad Rae... It hurt as bad as seeing Babs in that wheelchair. It hurt as much as seeing my parent's fall... God, I... I don't know if I could live with it if breaking up with her did that. It hurts so much."

Raven nodded. "Dick... we, we had Cyborg look through her stuff. From what he found, I think at least part of the cause was your breakup."

"But... but..." Dick actually had tears roll down from his blue eyes. "Oh God... Oh God." He shuddered and Raven cautiously floated out of the chair and wrapped her arms around him in a hug. He froze for a moment before leaning against her. "It's my fault! Damn it all Rae!"

"What if you can fix it?" Raven said quietly.

"How? She's broken." Dick sobbed. "I broke her and..."

"You can help us put the pieces together again, okay? We'll help her, it's what we do, right?" Raven said.

He nodded and stifled another sob. "I... I don't know how I'd live without you Rae."

Raven nodded. "I'm going to have medical staff give her a physical... see if there's some chemical or neurological cause, make sure it's really her. I also think... You brought a uniform right? We can't really have Dick Grayson wandering around on the Watchtower."

Dick nodded. "I did... more than one."

"Good, I think if you tried to help her through it, it'd help... maybe jog her memory a little." Raven said quietly. "Okay?"

He nodded again. "Anything Rae, I want to help... especially if it's my fault."

"Good." Raven said. "I'll take you to the temporary quarters you've been assigned and you can change, alright?"

"Thank you." Dick said quietly.

Batman watched through the window and turned to Black Canary and Zatanna. "She shouldn't have told him."

"What do you expect her to do Bruce?" Zatanna snapped. "They're both her friends, and we know that girl has fewer friends than even you!"

Koriand'r scowled as she sat on the examining table. The medical techs had poked and prodded her for an hour. They'd taken blood and scans, x-rays and even a telepathic reading. Still she sat, on the examination table, bored.

Bored was a common state for her these days.

The door opened and the pale-skinned girl that had taken her to the room knew her stepped inside. She was clad in a dark blue cape and a black leotard embellished with a belt of gems. A taller man stepped out behind her with a mask covering his face and a kevlar and nomex armored suit covering his body. A red bird like design was emblazoned on his chest.

She glared at the pale girl. "You told me this was a psychological evaluation."

"It is, but after I spoke with you in the hall I asked the medical staff to give you a full physical, in case something was causing your behavior." The woman said. She gestured over her shoulder. "This is my friend Nightwing by the way."

Koriand'r nodded to him and paused. There was something familiar about him. She furrowed her brow for a moment trying to concentrate, trying to remember. Nothing came to her.

"I have your medical records from previous examinations... though there's a pretty big gap from those last checks and today," the woman said. "I have some experience treating Tamaranians."

Koriand'r nodded and sat back on the examining table. "So, was there a physical cause?"

"There are some physical symptoms at least..." The woman said as she set a large clipboard on her knees. "Your endorphin levels are dangerously low... that can cause depersonalization disorder among other things." She swallowed once. "I know that Tamaranians normally have much higher endorphin levels than humans, especially if they're sexually active."

"Oh..." Koriand'r swallowed. "What is this... depersonalization disorder?"

"It's a psychological disorder that has some symptoms similar to your case," the woman said and Koriand'r heard the gravelly voice drop slightly. "Admittedly we don't have much experience with such a disorder in a Tamaranian."

"I see." Koriand'r said quietly. "Is there not something you can do?"

The woman sighed. "We can start endorphin injections... but that'll only treat the symptoms. I think there may be a psychological cause that will require treatment as well as counseling."

"Oh." Koriand'r glanced at her hands.

"I'll see the surgeon about those injections." The woman said as she stood. "I'll leave Nightwing here to keep you company."

The man clad in black and red shuffled nervously for a moment and Koriand'r studied him for a second before turning back to the woman. "I have forgotten. What shall I call you?"

"Raven is fine," the woman said before shutting the door.

Dick swallowed as he watched Starfire shift on the examining room. She stared at him for a long moment. "Nightwing is not your true name is it?"

"No, it's an alias... a secret identity." Dick said quietly. A slight smile flicked across his lips. At least her mind remained alert enough to know Nightwing was only an alias.

"I believe Jason may have said something about you." Starfire said slowly. "I cannot recall why."

"You haven't interacted with many people beside Jason and Roy for a while, have you?" Dick said.

"No... Aside for my most recent trip back to Tamaran." Starfire said quietly. "I met my sister."

"Komand'r... she's a bitch." Dick said. He was pleased as her eyes widened in surprise and a curious expression played across her face.

"You have met her?"

"Yes... I've met Blackfire before," Dick said.

Starfire sighed. "I am bored... and it is not an appropriate time for me to offer myself is it?"

Dick coughed and sputtered. "Did... did you just proposition me?"

She arched an eyebrow at him and twisted her body seductively. The gown slid from her shoulder and revealed a great expanse of bronze skin. "If I had?"

"I'd say that you really need help." Dick said.

Starfire stared at him looking surprised. "Do you believe an offer of a sexual encounter to be symptomatic of a damaged mind?"

"Not always..." Dick said quietly. His mind scrambled trying to find a way to explain it to her. "But from what I heard of you, I'd think you'd never offer yourself that way."

"What?" She blinked and cocked her head. "I do not understand..."

Dick swallowed, how do you explain to your former fiancé and lover that offering herself without any real emotional commitments was... out of character? "Umm…"

The door clicked open and Raven stepped inside carrying a packet of syringes. She stopped as she saw Starfire's pose and arched an eyebrow. "Am I interrupting something?"

"No," Dick said. He dropped his voice to a whisper. "Thank you for showing up... it was getting uncomfortable."

Raven nodded and stepped up to Starfire's side. "All right, for now we'll just start you on an injection once a day..." She slid a hand along Starfire's arm until she found a vein and quickly injected the syringe. As Dick watched Starfire visibly relaxed, her eyes fluttering closed and a sigh escaped from her lips.

"Raven..." Dick muttered as she tossed the empty syringe into the trash marked as bio-waste. "She... she looks like a junkie."

Raven nodded as Starfire looked up at them, her gaze seeming a bit confused. "I..."

"How good do you feel, scale of one to ten?" Raven asked.

"I... I feel good... a six?" Starfire murmured and blinked.

Dick swallowed, he knew enough about endorphins to know that most people spent their day around a six... thrill seekers tended to feel like they spent most of their day around a two, and clinically depressed felt around a one. That Starfire felt a mere six after being slammed with an injection said a lot.

Raven bit her lip and nodded. "Alright..." She stepped back and tapped Dick on the shoulder. "You want to go back and get changed?"

"Yes." Dick said and slipped out the door. He took a deep breath and glanced around the hall. He stumbled to the turbo-lift and went up to his quarters. Despite the horror his mind had screamed, a cold shower was in order. As he stood in the shower after peeling off the armor, he didn't notice how tears were now streaming down his cheeks.

Raven stood guard by the door as Starfire dressed herself in the loose T-shirt and shorts that she'd laid out for her. They were the most conservative clothes she'd found in the girl's suitcase.

In her empathic senses, Starfire was a dim light now, boosted slightly by the endorphin injections. Her jaw clenched as Raven took a deep breath. "Poor Dick."

The door opened and Starfire stumbled out looking a bit more emotional than she had. Raven smiled faintly at her before leading her to the turbo-lift and back to the interrogation room. Maybe with the bump from the injection she'd be more talkative.

Starfire seemed to pause at the threshold of the door and sighed. "Perhaps I should just leave."

Raven froze. "Starfire… do you think your own people could help you more?"

"No."

Raven nodded. "Then let us try, okay? This has been your home for so many years, take a chance and fight for it okay?"

"You believe I can be saved?" She asked quietly.

"Yes." Raven said flatly. "If I can be saved, so can you."

"Friend Raven?" Starfire asked.

Despite everything, Raven felt a smile slide across her face. "Yes?"

"Please do not leave me." She said.

Raven sighed as her own emotions bubbled just barely under her control. "Star… I, I need to pull myself together for a bit, okay. I'll be back."

"Please." Starfire said quietly.

"I… I'm sorry." Raven said before pulling open the door and closing it behind her. Zatanna and Black Canary stood just outside the room and looked at her.

"Are you alright?" Black Canary asked.

Raven nodded. "I… I will be." She took a deep breath. "I just need a minute, okay?"

Black Canary held out a small earpiece. "Next time you go in… just so we can help."

Raven nodded and put the earpiece in. "I… I'll be back in a few minutes…" She said before walking to the turbo-lift and hitting a random level. As the lift began to move, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

"Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos." She muttered.

The light in the turbo-lift exploded just as the doors slid open. Raven swallowed and stared up at the light as she stepped out and stopped. She was in the main computer room.

Dick stumbled from his temporary quarters, his body shuddering with suppressed emotion. He gasped for breath as he reached the turbolift and hammered the call button. Behind the mask, he could feel tears beginning to fill his eyes.

He'd hoped the cold shower would clear his head, it didn't. Instead, he'd found himself standing under the icy stream of water and thinking back to his time as a Titan. The icy water hid the feeling of the tears running down his cheeks as he remembered how Koriand'r hadn't ever been able to tell hot from cold, how she'd snuck up on him in the shower to share a passionate moment.

Then his mind would flash back to the look of the same woman, speaking so casually of mindless sex as if there wasn't a bit of passion or emotion left within her.

Star... what the hell happened to you? He thought before slumping against the wall. Then he ran a hand through his hair, taking it's rather neat and swept style and demolishing it. He felt a heavy weight descend on his chest as he remembered the confused expression on Kori's face. A part of him was horrified that the girl he'd once known so well had been so broken. Another part was heartbroken that she hadn't recognized him.

He squeezed his eyes shut in a desperate effort to hold back tears. What had caused this? What had made Kori, his sweet Kori, break into a thousand little pieces?

The weight of guilt that had settled over his chest suddenly seemed to triple in size. He gasped for breath as the turbolift door slid open and he staggered inside. He punched the button for the interrogation rooms before pushing away from the door and kicking the metal wall in frustration. Then he wheeled and slammed his fist into the wall.

The throbbing pain in his hand seemed to distract him from the ache in his heart, and he let out a quiet sigh of relief. Then he slumped against the back wall and put his head in his hands.

"What do I do?" He muttered to himself. "Kori... is this my fault? I knew I was important to you but... I..." He shut his eyes and felt the tears begin to rise up once again. "I should have kept in touch, maybe, maybe then this wouldn't have happened."

The turbolift stopped and the door hissed open. Dick stumbled out and walked to the familiar interrogation room door, the room they'd been using for his interviews. Taking a deep breath, he stepped inside.

He didn't think of the one-way mirror, or the cameras that were certainly inside. Instead, he slumped back against the door after it shut behind him and slowly slid to the floor. He reached up and tore the mask from his face before hurling it to the opposite wall and burst into tears.

Kori... He hugged his legs and buried his face in his knees. His body was wracked with his sobs as he finally broke loose. Tears fell freely from his eyes.

Oh God... what went wrong, why did this happen? Why Kori? He gasped for breath as he remembered her cold and indifferent demeanor on seeing him again for the first time. His heart shattered in his chest. "It's my fault... it's all my fault." He howled. "I'm not a hero... I'm worse than the Joker breaking my friends like that... oh God, what have I done?"

The door behind him suddenly slid open and a familiar figure stepped past him and knelt. Black Canary's blue eyes focused on him as he wiped away the tears. "Canary..."

"Dick... it's okay." She said quietly. "I was in the observation room, are you alright?"

"No." He said quietly. "I'm not."

She sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Dick... it's not your fault."

"Bullshit."

Black Canary stopped and sighed. "I don't know what's wrong with her Dick, but she won't get better without friends, she needs you..."

"No... No one needs me. No one can rely on me. I screw it up, I always screw it up." Dick growled. "No one should trust me, not after everything... not after all that's happened under my watch!"

"Dick..."

He buried his head in his hands. "I tried... I tried to be a hero... It's all I wanted, I liked it, people don't realize it but... being a hero can be fun and... I felt like it was my life, and then..."

"It's not your fault. Chemo was out of your league." Black Canary said.

"I failed!" He snapped. "I failed all those thousands that died and then, I failed my friends... I failed everyone I cared about, all of them."

"Dick, come on... let's get you into a chair."

"The world would be better off without me." He said with a sob. "I can't do it anymore. I'm not cut out for it. I have too much of a heart."

Black Canary stared at the young man and closed her eyes. "Dick... You're not Batman, you've taken on so much... you were doing so well before Chemo, you had friends that loved you like a brother, a girlfriend that would move worlds for you, and now... I don't want to see you throw your life away."

"I don't have any of that anymore... My friends know I'm a horrible friend, a terrible boyfriend, and a failure as a hero." Dick growled at her. "Do you see Cyborg, Beast Boy, Raven, or Wally beating down the door to comfort me?"

"Wally would if he knew." Black Canary said with a sad smile. "But, be honest... Raven's here for you, for you and Starfire. Cyborg is helping her, and you know Raven wouldn't even be around if it wasn't for Garfield."

Dick stared up at her, his eyes red from his tears. "They should focus on Kori. She needs them more than I do... I can go on alone, like I've always done."

"You're not the Batman." Black Canary said before rubbing his cheek with her thumb. "Dick... those of us in the League, we know you... you're like a son to so many of us and it hurts us to see you this way. We love you."

Dick wept and his head dropped onto his knees. "I'm sorry..."

"We're here for you. You need to learn to let go, to let us help you with your burdens... or you really will be a failure." Black Canary said. "Let us help you."

"Kori... help Kori." He whimpered.

Black Canary wrapped the young hero in a hug. "You selfless idiot, we need both of you."

Barbara Gordon sat behind her terminal as she read the medical report. Raven sat cross-legged. She bit her lip for a moment before observing. "So Star's the cause of this?"

Raven glanced at her. "You intend to do something about it?"

"He never should have gotten involved with her." Barbara snapped suddenly and glared at the computer screen. "We should just deport her and be done with it."

"It's not that simple… you were never a Titan, you don't understand how close those two were." Raven said. "Sending her away will just make it worse, plus I don't think it's her alone that's made him this way."

"Really, so what do you think did it?" Barbara growled as she slumped back in her seat and fingered the ring that hung from the chain around her neck, awaiting her decision.

"Don't be petty." Raven muttered. "He was Blüdhaven's protector, remind me, what's Blüdhaven like right now?"

Barbara's face drained of color and she glared at Raven. "It wasn't his fault."

"Doesn't matter, not to him." Raven said. "He hates failing, he hates loosing, and that's all his life has been since he left the Titans."

"You're going to blame Batman next?" Barbara muttered.

"I'm sure he's part of the problem." Raven said before standing. "I've got to go."

"Huh? You just got here." Barbara said as she tapped the controls and an image of the second interview room appeared.

"I was trying to meditate… but I can see now that I won't be able to until I speak with her again." Raven said as she floated up off the floor.

Barbara stared. "You're going back in there?"

"Yes, I think I am." Raven said as she floated toward the door.

Barbara swore under her breath as the door snapped shut behind the half-demon. A moment later, the familiar black shape of the Dark Knight stepped into the room. "Barbara, I need some information."

She nodded. "Sure…"

"I need the Green Lantern intelligence files on the Citadel, the Gordanians, the Branx, the Okaarans, and any other allied group." Batman said and Barbara stared at him for a long moment.

"All of them?"

He nodded and Barbara took a deep breath. "Alright, I can do that… how soon do you need it?"

"As soon as you can get them to me." Batman said.

Rachel Roth stepped inside the observation room and closed her eyes. She could feel her emotions tugging at her desperately fighting her control. The personifications she used to organize her mind were all distraught, albeit in different forms. Happy's being the most bizarre, in that she was trying desperately to crack jokes in her mind like Beast Boy.

"Garfield... I'm going to need you for this." She pushed aside some of her hair and took a deep breath before glancing up. Zatanna stood opposite her and nodded to her in acknowledgement. "Where's Black Canary?"

"Trying to comfort Nightwing." Zatanna said before letting out a sigh. "He... had a breakdown."

Raven nodded and took a deep breath. "I should have known that would happen. Starfire's condition would be extremely distressing for him, on top of everything else it's a miracle he's able to function at all."

"I don't know what to do." Zatanna admitted. "This is beyond my experience, and I bet that Black Canary will ask for permission to get a psychologist or two on retainer after this... we're not exactly trained to deal with this."

"No... I guess we're not." Raven took a deep breath. "I could use my empathic abilities to try and get inside their heads, but that'd be really quite dangerous, and I have no interest in hurting my two best friends."

"You really are caught in the middle of this mess, aren't you?" Zatanna said.

Raven let out a long sigh. "Yes... it hurts seeing them like this, and..." She shook her head. "They were such good friends before they started dating, and then... when they were together I was so jealous." She flushed. "At least until Garfield distracted me."

Zatanna shook her head. "You've change a lot since we met... pleading for help against Trigon."

"Things changed." Raven said before arching an eyebrow. "Of course, you could have helped with that little problem."

Zatanna closed her eyes and sighed. "For what it's worth, I'm sorry."

"Thank you... for what it's worth." Raven snorted to herself before leaning against the window. "I don't know how to help them... something big is wrong with Starfire. Her people are so emotional, so passionate, and to see one of them turned so cold and emotionless..."

"You mean acting like you." Zatanna observed.

Raven bit her lip before leveling a glare at Zatanna. "There is a reason for my restraint, as you well know. Anyway, Starfire's depression needs treated, and its source is the breakup. I'm sure of it. We can do all the tests we can think of to see how much her memory has degraded. We can try and repair it all we want, but until the depression is treated I believe they will deteriorate again no matter how much we shore them up."

"We still should still test her memory."

The door hissed open and Black Canary stepped inside looking rather tired. She brushed off her jacket and sighed. "How is she?"

"A little better, the endorphin injection seems to have increased her emotional responses, somewhat." Raven said before glancing at Black Canary. "How is Dick?"

"Downward spiral, he's very insistent that he doesn't deserve our help, that it's his fault. He practically begged me to focus on Starfire." Black Canary's shoulders slumped. "I guess his exposure to her didn't go that well."

"No, it didn't." Raven muttered.

"So... what do we do?" Black Canary asked.

"Well, next I think I'll be doing word and name associations." Raven said glancing at Zatanna. "Perhaps you'd like to take notes, I think Black Canary and I are more equipped to administer that test."

Zatanna scowled before nodding. "Fine, I guess you're closer to Starfire anyway, aren't you Raven?"

"Yes." Raven said simply. "Cyborg is bringing up some other items he found that it seems Star had been keeping as keepsakes or a means of jarring her memory. Be sure to send him up once he gets here."

"Fine." Zatanna groused.