36. Orphans

A spray of gray water flew up in the moonlight as the speedboat skimmed past the docks. Three drug smugglers frantically piloted the vehicle through narrow channels and in/around moored yachts. One of them stood at the stern with a huge laser rifle in his grasp, which he shot randomly at the heroes in pursuit.

Robin zoomed with the R-Cycle on a gravel road parallel to the channel. He gripped the steering of his bike with one hand and let fly a series of birdarangs with the other.

Two ricocheted off the body of the boat, but one struck the gunman's weapon. It merely sparked and misfired once or twice. The thug growled, took aim, and shot at Robin.

ZAP!!!

Robin revved the bike's engine and shot ahead of the blast.

In the meantime, Starfire zoomed in from above a warehouse and let loose pair after pair after pair of starbolts.

The driver of the smuggling speedboat veered left and right to avoid the blasts. The gunman in the back of the boat shot at the alien girl.

Starfire dodged swiftly and few off for a second run on the craft.

"Get them before they throw the evidence overboard!!" Robin shouted into a communicator.

I nodded in silent confirmation. I was running at blazing speeds from dock to dock, leaping over boats and ducking under masts. I ran off the bow of a huge yacht and jumped onto the water.

My feet blurred, and I ran a bullet over the waves and at the back of the smugglers' boat.

The gunman took aim and fired when I was nearly at him.

ZAP!!!!

I morphed into smoke form, parted around the blast, and teleported lightning-quick onto the hull of the ship myself. With my feet planted on the railings, I slashed hard at the laser rifle with Myrkblade.

CRACK!!!

I severed the barrel of the weapon off.

The gunman stumbled back, gasping.

I switched Myrkblade to Myrkstaff and prepared to knock the man out atop his head.

The pilot suddenly swerved the boat.

We all swung to the side.

I toppled onto the deck of the ship. Cold Bay water sprayed over me.

The second pilot stood up, whipped out a high-tech looking pistol, and aimed at me.

BLAM!!

I flipped up off the boat and dodged in mid air.

I landed and held Myrkblade up…glaring from under my shades.

The pilot with the pistol smirked.

"????" I turned around.

The single bullet traced around and was coming back at me.

Homing shot!

I held Myrkblade up behind me and half-blindly blocked the bullet.

CLANG!!

The pilot shot again.

I ducked.

BANG!!

The bullet swung around—whistling—and came back at me like magic.

Damn technology!!

I had no choice…I leapt off the boat.

SPLASH!!

Underwater, the bullet splashed down after me.

I saw a trail of broken water as it skirted down towards my body.

I charged murk into my sword and deflected the bullet.

I swam up and surfaced, gasping for breath.

The speedboat got away, and I was all wet.

In the meantime, the thugs had a brief moment to cheer at my defeat as they zoomed down a channel.

Unknown to them, there stretched a bridge over the water ahead. The T-Car—repaired—drove to a stop on top of the bridge. Cyborg and Raven got out.

"Give me a lift!" Cyborg shouted.

Raven's eyes glowed. She held her hands out. "Azarath…Metrion…ZINTHOS!!"

Black spheres enveloped Cyborg's feet.

The half-android Titan was lifted off the bridge and safely over the boat.

He growled and leapt straight down onto the speedboat, fist first.

SMASH!!!

"WHOAH!!" the pilot fell back as broken shards of the hull flew at him from Cyborg's blow.

The metal Titan growled, kicked his way through the boat's windshield, and wrestled with two thugs at once.

The third gunman worked desperately on repairing the laser rifle.

The boat slowed to a stop as the fight took place.

Starfire sailed down towards the scene. Her eyes glowed a bright green as she charged up a huge blast and shot a blazing starbolt at the pilot.

Cyborg drew back as the green blast successfully knocked the thug away and into the waters.

Cyborg smirked.

The second pilot took the distraction as an opportunity to aim his homing pistol straight at Cyborg's skull.

"SKREEEE!!"

A green hawk sailed down and snatched the weapon away. It flew off towards the docks where it landed in elf form and smirked. "Ten…Twenty…To Heck, pal," Beast Boy quirped.

Realizing the second pilot was still kicking, Cyborg shoved his elbow back into the man's face.

SMACK!!

The thug fell back onto the deck of the speedboat. He grabbed a wooden oar and swung it hard into Cyborg's chest, knocking the Titan back.

The third gunman continued in desperation to fix the laser rifle.

The pilot in the water tried swimming away in an escape. He gasped as a black sphere enveloped his body and floated him over towards the docks where Starfire landed and handcuffed him.

Robin road up on the R-Cycle, jumped out, and whipped his helmet off. He ran towards the dock's edge and shot a grappling hook towards a warehouse rooftop on the other side.

PANG!!!

CLINK!!

Robin soared off the dock's edge by the cord and swung mightily towards the speedboat.

Cyborg blocked two swings of the oar by the second thug and jumped back.

The man shouted and raised his bludgeon to smash Cyborg's head in.

SMACK!!!

Robin flew into him, feet first, and knocked him over the boat's edge and into the waters.

"Boo-ya!!" Cyborg chanted.

The third gunman clipped the barrel of the laser rifle back on finally. "HA!!" He took aim at the two Titans in the boat.

Starfire gasped.

"LOOK OUT!!!" Beast Boy shouted from the docks.

Cyborg and Robin spun, eyes wide.

The thug winked and pulled the trigger.

WOOOOSH---WHUMP!!!

I blurred over the water, jumped, and nailed the thug in the backside with my elbow.

"OOF!!" he fell to his side and fired blindly.

ZAAAP!!!!

As a result, the laser blast soared straight up.

The five of us walked—hearts stopping—as the stream of energy flew into the bridge, smashed into the guardrail, and exploded right next at Raven.

BAM!!!

"Ughhh!!" the girl fell down hard. Her eyes were shut.

"Raven!!!" Cyborg shouted.

Starfire immediately flew to the bridge, panicky.

I panted.

"RRRAUGH!" Cyborg spun around and punched the downed thug hard in the gut.

WHUMP!!

"Cyborg!! Take it easy!!" Robin held him back. "Starfire!! Is she okay?!"

"I…I-I do not know!!" the Tamaranian shrieked. "Her pulse…it is so very faint!!"

"I gotta get to her," Cyborg grunted. "B.B.!! Help me out here!"

The green changeling turned into a pterodactyl, picked Cyborg up by the shoulders, and flew him back onto the bridge.

Robin reached out and hoisted the second pilot in from the waters. He handcuffed him, swiftly turned around, and grappled himself up and onto the bridge.

I picked the wheezing gunman up and held him still from behind. My eyes were glued to the bridge above me. As I watched, the boat was slowly drifting further and further under the stretch of the bridge. I couldn't see what was happening. I only saw the huddled shoulders of the four Titans as they ministered to the unconscious girl. I could only hear their frantic voices:

"Come on Raven! Come on Raven!"

"Don't die on us!!"

"You got her, Cyborg. You're doing a good job. Keep at it."

"Come on….come on…."

"Is she….??"

"HUSH UP!! Come on, Raven! COME ON!!"

"She's not breathing…"

"She will in a second, dammit. COME ON!!"

A coughing sound.

I exhaled.

Raven's voice sputtered, gasped for breath, and wheezed.

"Glorious!" Starfire's voice chanted. "A recovery!!"

"Raven! Can you see me?"

"Y-Yeah….," a cough. "Why're you all….hugging me?"

"You just had the breath knocked out of you. Girl, we thought it was worse. We thought we lost you."

"I'm fine. Stop cr—" (cough) "---cramping me…."

"Thought we lost you, Raven…."

"……"

I sighed and looked down to the deck of the speedboat.

Two huge packages of cocaine had spilled out of compartment.

I gritted my teeth and angrily kicked the compartment door shut.

SLAM!!!

-T-T-T-T-T-T-

Raven seemed dazed. She sat on the corner of the boatyards, a warm cup of tea in her grasp. Robin had leant her his cape for added warmth. Starfire stood behind the dark girl with a gentle hand on her shoulder. For once, Raven didn't argue. She still seemed to be catching her breath back.

I wrung the water out of my hair and bandanna. I looked to my right where police were carting away the thugs towards a truck. The speedboat had been stripped of its evidence, and there were enough smuggled drugs recovered to put the trio into prison for a long…long time. Not to mention the dramatic weaponry in their possession….

"Third case this week with those crazy guns," exclaimed a police chief with a scratch of his head. He looked over at a cape-less Robin and Cyborg. "You were right when you said the underworld got a handful of technological crap from whats-his-name…"

"Anderson," Robin nodded. "A few weeks ago, he sold his arsenal from a lifelong embezzlement in destructive technology. We've got a handful for sure."

"Nuts to you, filthy Titans!!" a thug shouted from the back of the van. "You can't trace anything to anyone!!"

"We'll be back, just you wait and see!" said another thug.

"Hey! Morons!" the chief shouted to the thugs. "If I were you, I'd shut up. I already read you your rights."

"It's worth it," one thug snickered. "Almost offed a Titan tonight!!"

Raven looked up with exhausted eyes.

Cyborg stared. His brow furrowed and he clenched his fists. "Sure..y'all will be back," he said darkly. He stomped over to the dock. Up to the thugs' speedboat. He gripped the hull at the bow with two titanium hands. His metal muscles flexed. His treeth grit. "RrrrrrrrrrrRRRRAAAAAAAUGHHHH!!!!"

RIIIIIIIIIP!!!! SMASH!!!!

Cyborg literally snapped the speedboat in half, lengthwise. Everyone—Titans and police officers too—watched in shock as the strong Titan lifted both halves up like giant weights and smashed them together.

CRUNCH!!!!!!!

Debris and splinters and shards flew everywhere like a shower of chaos.

Cyborg panted, wiped his brow, and spun around…frowning at the thugs. "Sorry 'bout your ride, boys…"

"Hey!!" one thug shouted. "HEY!! YOU CAN'T DO THAT! THAT'S OUR PROPERTY YOUR BASTARD!!"

"It's litter now," Cyborg pointed a strong finger. "And so's your damn skull if EVER I catch you nearly killing one of my friends again!!"

"You can't do this!" the thug shouted as the van started up. "I want my lawyer! I want a lawsuit! You stupid piece of—"

The officers closed the doors to the van and it carted the prisoners off down the street.

Cyborg stomped over towards the sides of the dock, shoulders heaving.

Robin walked over to him. "Was that…..really necessary?"

"You saw what they did!!" Cyborg spun around and barked, pointing at the bridge where the blast damage was. "Raven could be dead now thanks to them!! Have you no feelings?!"

"I have feelings, Cyborg," Robin frowned. "And I do care for my teammates when their lives are threatened. But that doesn't give me the excuse to go smashing things to bits."

"Those crooks are never going to learn!!" Cyborg roared. "The law's not going to make them realize their wrong!! They're gonna keep coming back and—you know what—they're gonna keep hurting people!! Citizens. Friends. Family! I. Won't. Stand. For. IT!!"

"And I'm not asking you to, Cyborg," Robin jabbed a finger into his chest. "But I am asking you to cool it down!! We're trying to set an example for this city. Not give people something to fear!!"

"These people don't know fear…," Cyborg grumbled, low. "They don't know what pain is. Their butts are too busy being saved by our sweat…our efforts…our SACRIFICE!!"

"Shouting's not going to help anything, Cyborg," Robin said. "Neither is smashing up things and threatening people."

"I'm telling you, Robin, they won't---"

"It won't bring your uncle back!!!" Robin said firmly.

Starfire and Beast Boy flinched.

I swallowed.

Raven looked to the floor.

Cyborg's eyes widened. Then he glared down at Robin. "You just like twisting the dagger in….don't ya Robin?" he said under his breath. It was far more venomous than shouting. "Anything to win an argument. Anything to get your stupid point across."

Robin glared. "I only want the best for you, Cy…"

"Then do the best for me by shutting the Hell up," Cyborg waved and walked off towards the bridge in a huff. "I don't need you to teach me a lesson. I don't need you when all you do is take the bad guys' sides."

"I'm not on their side—!!"

"See ya at the Tower," Cyborg got into the T-Car, slammed the door shut, and drove off.

SCREEEEEEECH!!!-VROOOOOOOOooooooooooooom.

Starfire cleared her throat. "I do not believe Cyborg has yet…….recovered from his recent losses."

"You think?" Beast Boy sweatdropped.

Robin stared after the car.

"What now, Robin?" Beast Boy shrugged.

The Boy Wonder sighed. He turned around and headed for his R-Cycle. "Our job tonight is done. We're going home."

"Y-You mean…..where he is going?" he pointed in the direction of where the T-Car left.

Robin said nothing in reply. He got into his R-Cycle, put his helmet off, and zoomed off in a similar fashion.

Beast Boy folded his arms. "Yeah….thanks Robin."

"Boys and their toys…," Raven finally said, catching our attention. She muttered weakly, staring down into her mug of tea. "Relying so much on distractions to ignore the situation at hand…"

"What is that situation, you think, Raven?" Starfire asked.

She sighed and looked at the ground. "Something I feel very sorry for."

"Raven…come on!" Beast Boy wandered over and knelt in front of her. "It wasn't your fault, girl! It's not like you fired the laser rifle off-kilter and nearly killed yourself! If anyone's at fault, it's probably Noir over there for bumping into the gunman so!! Heheheheh!!"

I winced.

Raven looked at me, then glared at Beast Boy.

"That is….," Starfire spoke, blinking, "…how you say…'a joke better saved for deaf ears'?"

"Y-Yeah," Beast Boy simpered and scratched his neck. "I was desperate…."

Raven stood up, sighing. "Let's go home."

Starfire smiled. "Need a mode of elevated transportation back to the Tower, Raven?"

The dark girl looked at her tiredly. "Sure…," she smirked ever so subtly. "I'm up to my neck in boys tonight and feel sick of it anyhow."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Beast Boy raised an eyebrow.

Starfire giggled. "'None of your laxative of bees'!" She hoisted Raven up by the shoulders and gracefully flew her off towards the Tower.

"Guess we lag behind…," Beast Boy muttered. He looked at me and smiled nervously. "No hard feelings…eh Noir?"

I glared at him. I faked to charge him.

"WAH!!" he jumped back, flinching.

I smiled with a silent chuckle and blurred down the street.

"Hoy vay…," Beast Boy exhaled. "Good thing I wasn't a skunk just then." And he turned into an albatross and flew away.

-T-T-T-T-T-T-

I arrived at the Tower last. I trudged down to my cellar room, peeling my wet, sticky clothes off. I entered my room and wrinkled my nose as Bay water smell filled the place.

Yuck.

After a brisk shower, I donned on a casual white t-shirt and jeans. I was about to make up my bed when I noticed—in the lantern light—a white envelope at the bottom of my door. Like it had been slid in. It was knocked into the center of the floor a bit and had some water droplets on it.

I must have walked over it on the way into the room before showering…

Curious, I knelt down and lifted the envelope up. There was no writing on the cover itself. I quickly ripped it open and produced a printed-out note.

Dear Noir,

Good job eliminating the threat that was consuming Cyborg. No doubt, the Titans' challenges are just beginning. I wanted you to know that you're not alone. I'll be watching…and, yes, I'll be helping every now and then when I get a chance to. Don't you fret, my friend. You can kick ass just as much as any of your teammates. And your sword is pretty friggin' cool.

Sincerely,

-the Messenger

P.S.: Lanterns in your room? That's downright gothic………I like it.

I jumped as if the letter was stabbing me.

I dashed out into the cellar and looked around.

No sign of anyone.

"……," I pocketed the note for a later time.

And headed up the stairs towards the elevators.

-T-T-T-T-T-T-

"From the data we've collected in Anderson's files, we know the quantity of technological weaponry Anderson had in his arsenal. The count maxed out at eight hundred and ninety units. The units are divided into eight categories determined by alphanumeric strings or 'titles'. There's every reason to believe that these are model numbers of some sort…but there's no way to tell what they signify. Anderson's scientists were privately employed, and they had no common legend to go by. There's no existing taxonomy of weaponry to tell us what we're dealing with. So far, we've accumulated twenty-two weapons through our own work and that of law enforcement. Among them were two types of weapons: a standard laser rifle and a gun with target-homing bullets. There are six different types of weapons left to identify, and among them we have eight hundred and sixty-eight units to relocate. The long and short of it is—in combing the City's criminal Underground—we're only two and a half percent complete in our task."

"Is there a point to all this?" Beast Boy muttered. "You're putting me to sleep, Robin."

The Boy Wonder turned around from the computer in the Main Room and glared at the changeling. "Beast Boy, this is serious."

"This is boring! Okay…so we're nowhere near finding all the proliferated weapons. Okay. I buy that. It's depressing. I'm depressed. What more do you want from me?"

"You're overloading him….," Raven hummed from behind a book.

Robin sighed and stared down at the keyboard. "This is going to take forever. I wish Cyborg was here to share my study into this case."

"Yeah well, after earful you gave him earlier…you have only yourself to blame for his absence, dude."

"Somebody has to talk some sense into him!" Robin exclaimed. He got up from his chair and walked over to the kitchen for a glass of water. "He can't let himself go off the deep end like that! It's not exemplary for a Titan! If I let him have his way…he could have been smashing the skulls in of those thugs a mere minute later!"

"Dude!" Beast Boy retorted, "For all Cyborg knows, he's lost his Uncle! Give him a break! Would you be so cheerful if your family was just cut down in half?!"

Raven looked up.

I walked into the room and froze.

Robin looked at Raven….at me…and then at Beast Boy before saying: "And just who here hasn't suffered like that?? Cyborg's not the only one!!"

Silence.

Beast Boy blinked. He looked at the rest of us.

Raven looked at me….Robin…Beast Boy.

The Boy Wonder was still…as if awaiting a reply.

He got it.

"Um…," Beast Boy lifted a finger, "I'm not the only one?"

"He's not?" Raven asked.

I looked at Robin.

The Boy Wonder's fists clenched. He took a deep breath. "Isn't it obvious? All of us. All of us had to have lost someone….or more…"

Beast Boy scratched his neck and looked away.

Raven returned to her book.

I stared at everyone.

"Right?!?!" Robin exclaimed.

Raven glared up at him. "Don't. Push. It."

Robin fumed. He loudly placed a glass down on the kitchen counter and filled it with water.

Silent.

Everything was bitterly silent.

Beast Boy was concerned. "I…I-I know I have lost people….but…..y-you guys? Robin? Raven??"

"Drop it," Raven muttered.

"Why s-should we drop it?!" Beast Boy exclaimed, his eyes wide. "Come on! Let's talk it over! We're friends, aren't we?! Let's deal with it! That's what we're here for!"

"No…it isn't," Raven hissed, her brow furrowed. "We're here to protect this City and its people. Our personal lives have nothing to do with it."

"Well, it's important to me!!" Beast Boy pointed at himself. "As nutty as I am, I care about you dudes!! I'd like to talk about it!! We can't keep going on like this…so tense and afraid to open up to each other!"

"Beast Boy…," Robin said, on edge. "The Confidentiality Agreement…."

"Screw that!" Beast Boy glared. He gestured at me, "Jordan and I talked about each other once and it did wonders for how wrecked our emotions were during the Westhaven mission!!"

Robin spilled his water.

Raven looked up, her lips parted curiously.

I winced and waved for Beast Boy to hush up.

"Ummm….," Robin glared.

"'Jordan'??" Raven raised an eyebrow.

I winced.

"And I'm Gar!!" Beast Boy proudly exclaimed. "Garfield Logan!! So shocking, isn't it?! Now how about you, Robin?! Huh?! And you, Raven! Out with it!!"

"This is pointless," Raven stood up and headed for the door. "I'm leaving before we get into too much trouble."

"Don't you go running away now!!" Beast Boy shouted after her. "It never helps to be afraid to open up!!"

Raven spun around and glared at him with glowing ray eyes. "I. Am. Not. Afraid. I am only smart." And she exited.

"Robin! Come on! You can't settle for this! This is stupid! This is all so stupid!!"

Beast Boy quieted when he saw the leader's glare from under his eyemask. "If there's anything you should have learned from living with us for so long, Beast Boy," he muttered, "…is that there's always a time and a place for you to shut up!"

He slammed the refrigerator door shut and stomped out of the room on the other side's exit.

Beast Boy and I were left standing alone.

"Phweeee," Beast Boy sighed exasperatingly, looked at me, and shrugged. "Some happy family, huh noobie?"

I looked to the floor.

"Sorry about that…," he shuffled over towards a chair and slumped down. "I just….get so sick of it. All this mystery. All this hiding. If we know each other so much…we should have nothing to hide. Robin…he made up the confidentiality accord. I think he only meant it to protect himself. The only other person I could possibly see ever benefiting from it is Raven. And look at her…pfft…she's sooooo on his side about this."

I walked over and looked down at him.

He looked back up at me. He smiled weakly, "It's all stupid….but kinda silly at the same time. All this fighting. R-Right?"

I slowly nodded.

He looked down. Then raised an eyebrow. "Say….wh-where're Starfire and Cyborg?"

-T-T-T-T-T-T-

"It could use some more spark, Star…"

Starfire sat straight across from Cyborg on the Tower's rooftop. She leaned her hands towards the tiny bonfire, glowed emerald, and lit the flames taller.

"Aw yeah…that's what I'm talking about!" Cyborg stopped shivering and warmed his hands before the flames that danced up towards the night's sky.

Starfire giggled and similarly rubbed her hands before the fire. "Is this when earthlings typically hold the sumos out on sticks?"

"Sumos??" Cyborg raised an eyebrow.

"Yes…with the marshes of mellowness."

Cyborg laughed heartily. "That's 'Smores', Starfire."

"Your words…they are so simple and yet so complex. How did you ever finish schooling?"

"Cliff Notes."

"Huh?"

"Never mind, Starfire," Cyborg grinned slightly. "Out of your league."

"I see…"

Cyborg took a deep sigh. He leaned back where he sat cross-legged on the Tower's rooftop. The night's sky stretched over them. Stars twinkling tiredly. It was his idea for the bonfire. He had wanted to get out…and yet stay warm and close to home all the same. So, he and Starfire chose to do this.

And it was relaxing.

Cyborg opened up, "Earlier, Starfire, I got ugly. Really ugly. I meant the things I said…and I still do mean them…..but….I'm sorry it had to be so explosive. So unpleasant. I want to apologize to you first, Star. Of all the wyrdos I fight with, you're the one who deserves a sweet apology the most."

"And I do accept it, Cyborg," Starfire said. "The Titans…they are so tense. So bothered, I can feel it. But I do not believe it is ugliness that they are showing. Rather, it is sorrow. Robin—he may not want to confess it much, but he is deeply regretful for the pain you have gone through recently. Like typical earthling males, he goes about an adverse way of showing you his concern. Ugliness is merely a symptom…a side effect…a placebo…."

Cyborg chuckled. "Star….you know earthlings a lot more than you give yourself credit for. Yup….you got us earth males sketched right. We're helpless."

Starfire smiled: "But it is that very same helplessness that makes you precious in my eyes," she said. "That is why I cannot ever make myself leave back for Tamaran. The friends I have made here are so…..so remarkable." Her eyes traced the dancing flames. She said, "So strong in support….and yet….so fragile in need." She looked back at Cyborg with emerald eyes. "It is a most attractive paradox. Forgive me if I sound full of sap."

"'Sappy'?"

"Yes."

"Nothing to be sorry about, Star," Cyborg sighed. "You have nothing to be sorry about…..except for maybe your homemade cooking."

She pouted. "The earthling's palate is most fickle. I shall never understand it."

"Whatever keeps us eating Terran stuff," Cyborg smirked. "No offense."

"No fence taken."

He glanced at her, shook his head, and looked back to the fire.

Silence.

A crackle or two.

"Starfire…..I'm the last of my family…"

The Tamaranian girl slowly nodded. "I figured as much."

"It's…..a strange feeling," he said. "I mean…it was always technically true with my parents and all gone….but….now I realize it more so."

"You realize that you're an orphan…," said a voice.

Starfire and Cyborg spun around.

"OH….you two," the android muttered.

Beast Boy and I walked over to the bon fire. "Mind if we join you?" the changeling asked.

"I have no argument against that," Starfire smiled. "Do you, Cyborg?"

"Go on….take a seat," he said nonchalantly.

I sat with Starfire to my left and Cyborg to my right.

Beast Boy knelt opposite of me and hugged his legs. "Feels nice out."

"Tell me about it," Cyborg said.

A pause.

"You've been listening in on us?"

"A little…," Beast Boy said. "Then you got to the sad part. And I remembered why Noir and I got out form under the Tower's ceiling to begin with."

"Robin and Raven being their usual selves?"

"And me being my normal self," Beast Boy mused.

Starfire looked at me. "What about Noir?"

Beast Boy shrugged. "A boy has his shadow."

I rolled my eyes from under the shades and warmed my hands in front of the flames.

"So….you're an orphan now…," Beast Boy muttered.

"Pfft…always was," Cyborg muttered. "Victor Stone. Son of the late professor and his wife. Raised into adolescence by science and circuitry."

"Garfield Logan…," Beast Boy muttered, staring into the flames. "Son of two scientists in Africa. Raised into nothingness by circus troupes and unsuccessful, t.v. ripoffs of Star Trek."

Starfire and Cyborg did a double-take at him.

Cyborg raised a human eyebrow. "Garfield??"

"Gar for short…."

"As in…the fat cat?"

"GAR FOR SHORT!"

"Okay! Okay!" Cyborg raised his hands and chuckled. "I get it….Gar."

Starfire giggled. "It is a cute title to go by! May I hug you, Garfield?"

"Surrrrre," Beast Boy smiled. "Anything to please a lady."

Cyborg moaned: "Oh please…"

"Heeeeee!" Starfire scooted over and wrapped her arms around Beast Boy's shoulders. "I am most honored to know of your identical title to that of a murdered president!"

Beast Boy squinted. "How charming."

"Sounds like Starfire's been studying up on her history," Cyborg smirked. Then he glared at Beast Boy, "And sounds like Beast Boy's been ignoring the Confidentiality Agreement!!"

"Hey!! Look at you, Mr. Victor Stone!"

"Just joshing you, man," Cyborg waved a hand and smirked. He sighed as he said, "So….you too, huh?"

Beast Boy slowly nodded. "Is it any surprise?"

"Honestly, no."

"I mean….I joke around a lot and---"

"Defense mechanisms, I know."

"Just like your anger…," Starfire pointed at Cyborg.

He nodded.

I watched everyone.

Wow……a regular psychology debate.

"W-What is it like?" Starfire stammered. "If…I m-might ask."

"Hmm?"

"What's what like?"

"Being an orphan?"

The two male Titans looked down.

"You mean….you don't know?" Beast Boy asked.

Starfire's face was solemn. "No. I do not."

"Didn't think you were that lucky, Star," Cyborg said. "But….I suppose it is only fitting."

She smiled ever so slightly, but her eyes still expressed sympathy.

"It's hard to explain…," Beast Boy said.

Robin's voice sounded off from a distance: "It's like living each day of your life trying to prove yourself to people you can't even see."

All four of us turned to look at him as he slowly shuffled towards the bonfire in mid-speech.

"It's like having everything happening around you being your relation. Being your conscience and your guide. You learn from an early age to trust yourself above all things…and you can get very…..very defensive when someone so much as tries to tell you that something you're doing is wrong."

Cyborg looked away and towards the rooftop.

Robin stood over him, sighed, and extended a hand. "Cyborg…I'm sorry for going at you earlier like I did. What you're going through…..honestly…..it brought memories back to me. I didn't like it. And I didn't like the idea that you were going through with it all……again…"

Cyborg shook the leader's hand. "I understand, Robin," he said quietly. "Thanks."

"Robin….you are also…….---?" Starfire's voice ran off.

Robin slowly nodded. "And that's all you need to know."

"Hail, hail…the gang's all here," Beast Boy said. A pause. "Well….most of us."

"Raven's just like us too, I bet," Cyborg spoke to himself. "A girl so dark….so reclusive. She had to have been hurt big time. Right?" He looked up at Robin and was surprised to see the Boy Wonder shake his head.

"Believe me…," he said. "She only wished she was….'one of us'."

Beast Boy thought aloud. "In her mindscape…when Cy and I ran into the red dude with the four eyes….d-does that have anything to do with it?"

"For her sake….I won't answer that….," Robin said.

Silence.

"Again, I'm sorry, Cyborg," Robin said with a sigh. "I've been so wrapped up with tracing where Anderson's arsenal has gone. It was a innocent search until today…when I realized I was ignoring the one thing that was truly top priority for the Titans. Looking after you."

"Pfft…that's hardly priority," Cyborg says. "I don't need attention. Only time."

I slowly nodded at that.

"If there's anyway I can make it up to you," Robin spoke, "I'd be more than willing.

Cyborg smirked up at him. "You can start by getting your butt downstairs and coming back with the fixings for Smores!"

"Yeah! Awesome!" Beast Boy bounced.

"Hehehehe!" Starfire beamed and cupped her hands together. "Yes, Robin! Do bring us some sumos!"

Robin sweatdropped and grinned. "O-Okay…guess I'm waiter for the evening." He spun around. "I'll be back with your junk food."

"MAKE IT JUMBO SIZED!" Cyborg shouted out.

"WITH TOFU!!"

"Man…nobody makes Smores out of tofu."

"Nobody puts ketchup on ham!"

"Touche."

I smirked. I looked over. Starfire was staring directly at me.

I suddenly remembered I was real.

"Noir….," she cocked her head to the side and asked softly, "And you??"

Beast Boy looked at me.

Cyborg looked at me.

"…….," I sat silently.

"You….d-don't have to talk about it, Noir," Beast Boy ever-compassionately offered with a wave of the hand. "We won't….ya know…force you."

I held up a hand. I took a breath and gestured in Cyborg's direction.

He 'read' me over the flames.

"What doe he say?" Starfire inquired.

Cyborg blinked. "He says he doesn't know if his parents are alive."

I nodded off into the fire.

Silence.

"Welcome to the club, Jordan," Beast Boy said.

Starfire blinked.

Cyborg did a double-take. "Say what?! Jordan?!"

"Oops!!" Beast Boy winced and hit himself in the head. "Idiot! Idiot! Idiot! Idiot!"

I moaned silently and shook my head with a smirk.

"'Jordan'….huh?" Cyborg smirked at me.

I stuck my tongue out.

"Like the shoe?" Starfire beamed.

"No….Star…."

"Basketball?"

"Warmer."

"Jordan's a fitting name," Cyborg rubbed his metal chin. He grinned. "Kind of gender-neutral though."

"!!!!!" I glared at him through my shades.

"And….ya know….I always did think your hair was kinda long for a guy," Cyborg said. He then laughed his head off. "HA HA HA HA HA!!!"

"Hehehehehehehehehehehe!!!" Beast Boy toppled over, giggling. "Good one!!"

"HAAAAAA HAAAA HAAAA!!" Cyborg teared.

I crossed my arms and pouted.

Starfire blinked. "I do not get it. Are you a girl now, Noir?"

I waved my arms.

"Once was a girl?"

I waved harder.

"What's so funny now?!" Robin exclaimed.

We all looked over and shut up.

The Boy Wonder had a package of marshmallows and a packet of candy bars in his arms. But standing next to him was Raven.

The girl smiled ever so slightly and shrugged: "I brought sticks."

"Glorious!"

"Excellent!"

"Well, allright!"

"Come on over and let's get them things roasted!"

"Yeah…Noir's as giddy as a schoolgirl. HA!"

"Hehehehehehehe!!"

"….."

The night waned on. The bonfire warmed us. The Smores smelled good.

And were delicious too…