Disclaimer: See chapter 1

AN: This part follows Chapter 8. I didn't want to post something too long and then have everyone go crazy reading. So enjoy!

Chapter 9

When Heroes Collide

(Direct continuation of Chapter 8)

The sky was a brilliant bright blue. The clouds were nowhere to be seen. The sun was warm, keeping the area toasty and comforting. The wind was light, bringing about the scents of crisp leaves waiting to fall. Inhaling, Beast Boy sighed and grounded himself into the roof of the tower, as if he were a cat enjoying its mid morning nap.

Cyborg was next to him, arms behind his head as he too laid there, enjoying the early fall morning; the ground cool, the sun warm, and the comfort making him sleepy, regardless of the long rest he already had.

Five weeks... Five weeks since Star had left. Five weeks since he had become leader in charge – running a team of his friends and teammates. Five weeks of keeping his family going. Five whole weeks.

He snorted tiredly. More than five weeks now. And according to Raven, Robin was starting to feel more social by their encounter last night. She didn't tell him the entirety of the story – he assumed there was more there she didn't want to share – but their suspicions were confirmed; Robin was grieving for his departed love. Cy knew it was hard on the man – it's be downright unbearable to him – but when would he lead them again? Cy loved his role in the Titans but it wasn't the same without bird boy and he was almost starting to miss his overdramatic shouts before battle.

He giggled lightly. Almost.

As eyes drifted to the clouds, he sobered up. Five whole weeks since Terra had been discovered. Five weeks since BB had begun to work with the girl – try to find his Terra under her khol rimmed eyes and pink painted nails. It was a slow process. She didn't remember them; she didn't remember Beast Boy. She didn't seem to have her powers. But BB was hopeful, and was keeping in constant contact with her; and though she didn't remember him, for whatever reason, she was compelled to talk to him, and be his friend.

Perhaps a small of part of her remembered him - them? It's the hope BB held on to.

"Tara's coming over later." Beast Boy said, yawning lightly at the end. He didn't seem to remember the episode four days before; one that had kept Raven locked away from Beast Boy unless she snapped again. Cy wondered if this would be a good idea. "She and I are gonna watch a movie, maybe play a few of her old favorite games. See if anything triggers."

Turning his head to glance at the younger man, Cy sighed, age showing on his wrinkled forehead. Only into his early twenties and he felt centuries old. "You really think this girl is for real. That she's Terra – our Terra?"

Crossing his arms, and face turning pensive, Beast Boy nodded. The clouds above covered the sun for a brief moment, darkening his green visage. "I know it is, Cy. You have DNA samples."

"That were inconclusive. There's something wrong with our sample, or something wrong with her. But my reads aren't making sense." He interrupted. Beast Boy rolled his eyes.

"Whatever man. I know it's her." He went silent for a moment before adding: "And I'm going to bring her back."

"I know little man." He knew Beast Boy would try his hardest to bring his love back. If anything for the Titans' men, they never gave up on the women they loved. Resting back once more, arms moving to cover his chest, Cy watched the faint, barely there clouds move overhead. The soft sunlight was intensifying, the heat increasing, but still they didn't move. The silence, the quiet, the companionship was comforting to the mechanical man.

"What's Rob's deal with Speedy?" Beast Boy asked out of the blue. Even after weeks of reinventing himself, BB refused to call Roy by his proper name. And at the voiced thought, Cyborg paused.

He didn't dare tell BB the truth. Only Cy knew the truth about their fellow teammates below. Robin was too oblivious and Raven was trying so hard to be the best friend not to consider other feelings might be involved and Roy was brought into an already delicate matter; but he wasn't going to break the silence.

Starfire was gone. She was saving a world. Defeating her sister. Cyborg wasn't going to change the dynamic. Not yet anyway.

"Not sure little dude." He adjusted against the tile floor, itching his shoulder in the process. He chose to remain passive. "Why do you ask?"

"He seems threatened," Beast Boy answered, seeming to be falling asleep. "Roy is like Rob. But not. He's more passionate, more charm. More jokes. Robin is strong, calculating, serious. Right to the point. He's threatened because here comes someone who he thinks is more likeable. And totally going after Rae. Which is like a giant no-no."

Beast Boy peeked up at the mechanical half man and stared innocently. "They're not officially dating now, but it's gonna happen. Roy and Raven."

"And how-" Cy cut himself off, as BB smirked, almost purring in the sunlight. "Never mind. If Raven finds out you were snooping on her, she's going to mince you into little Beast Boy pieces, which not even the Justice League will be able to repair." Beast Boy shrugged as his friend continued. He didn't seem to think the threat was a real cause for concern. "And why does it matter if Roy is going after Rae? Robin's dating Star. He should want her to be happy, on principal alone." Cyborg muttered, falling back into his thoughts. It was the same thing that plagued him since Rae opened up to him about Robin; he wanted his little sister happy, and if it wasn't with Robin then let her have it with Roy. And half of him wanted to shake Robin to leave her alone – to let go of his hold on Raven so she could move on.

He also knew it was much more complicated than how he saw it. He saw it from a brother's perspective, not an innocent bystander.

"Well duh," he rolled his eyes as if Cyborg had said he was half machine. "But Raven is different to Robin. They have that whole bond thing – even if I think that thing's been closed off. Just a feeling… anyway. She's seen his secrets; we know how he feels about that. But he's like saved her, a lot. And trusts her – much differently than you, or me, or even Star. I think Robin's threatened he's going to lose having her in his corner all the time. Especially now that she's being courted by the notorious Roy Harper." He snorted, amused at his own joke that Cy didn't quite get. "Classic."

"So you think Robin's protective over her, cares for her because she's his rock. That one person who won't leave him." Cyborg surmised, surprised at Beast Boy's observations. And truth be told, he could see it; Raven has had abandonment issues since her mother gave her to the monks that raised her, and Robin has had abandonment issues since the day his parents died. Having that one special person there, that you could rely on, depend on, always was a powerful drug. And if he was faced with possibly losing it? He shuddered. "Even though he's got Star? You think he's that dependent on dark girl because of that?"

"Dude," he glanced up at him, incredulous coloring his face. "Not just dependent but like in his own way, loves her. Who do you think is going to be there at the end of a crap day? Your girlfriend who could leave you at any moment for whatever reason, or the girl you let into your mind, who saved you from your worst fears, who built a team and life with you? Seriously?" He yawned, turning on to his side, pillowing his arms for support on his tired head. "Relationships come and go. We all know that, and Rob more so than anyone." He flashed again to the boy wonder losing his parents. "He's holding on to Rae because she's the type to be there in the long run. And he knows it. And he doesn't want Speedy having it, when he wants it. But he's in love with Star. That whole eating cake, and playing with your food thing comes to mind."

Opening his mouth to retort – did BB just say all that, or had he'd been replaced by a shape shifting intelligent being? (regardless of his butchering of a common analogy), a snore caught his ears. Picking himself up, Cyborg looked down at his youngest friend, seeing the drool pool out of the corner of his mouth, snores floating up through breaths of air.

Shaking his head, he fell back on to the tiled roof and laughed to himself.

That night, for the first time in weeks, the entire team was in the common room.

Well, everyone except Raven and Speedy, Robin reminded himself. Beast Boy and Tara were sitting on the couch, an action movie playing in front of them; both of their eyes were glued to the screen. Robin caught a glimpse of hand holding, but he acted as if he never saw it. It wouldn't do for him to say anything to the young man while he tried to bring his old girlfriend's memories back.

And Robin hoped to whatever being was listening that they could. He wanted to help her. They all did.

Cyborg was sitting across from him at the kitchen bar, a large bowl of cereal by his elbow, and a stack of pancakes behind it, with an empty plate already in the sink. Wisely, Robin kept his comment to himself.

The doors to the common room opened, allowing the two remaining members of their team to join them. Raven stepped through first, face lightly pinked from exertion and Roy following, speaking as if she were paying attention. Though, Robin complemented, she very well could've been.

"All I'm saying was, it's just a mirror." Roy was explaining, as Raven entered their kitchen area, going straight for her usual tea stash. At the mention of mirror both Cy and Bb's heads turned to look at the archer. "It's not broken. So what's the big deal?"

"The big deal is, you touched my mirror." Her eyes were hard, despite the flush of her cheeks. Her hair was slightly damp, leaving watermarks along the collar of her navy blue t-shirt. Robin glanced to her lips, then to the v neck of her dangerously low cut top and promptly pulled his eyes away.

Cyborg saw though. And he glared. Hard.

"But I put it back."

"But you touched it."

"So?"

"And so, it's mine." Her eyes briefly burned white, before slamming the tea kettle on to the stove, water sloshing over the sides. Even now Terra turned to look at the couple. "And my things are not to be touched. By anyone. Including you. And especially my mirror."

Roy rolled his amber eyes skyward, looking and exuding exasperation. But he still smirked. He liked fighting with Raven, even if she was a hair's breath away from shooting the archer with his own crossbow. He leaned over the counter, forearms keeping himself steady. The two locked eyes, as if the remaining team didn't even matter. "It's a mirror Raven," his lips puckered just enough to draw Raven's eyes downward. Enough to distract her from her temper. From the bounddaries he broke; the lines Raven kept around everyone.

Robin saw it. And he didn't like what it meant.

"My mirror." She pulled back, and her eyes glinted with something that didn't seem like the Raven they knew. The Raven they knew, would be holding back from strangling the man in front of her; not trying to keep a straight face. Nor trying not to flirt.

"Dude," Beast Boy broke the tension, calling out from the couch. Neither Raven nor Roy looked at him. "You touched her mirror? How are you still breathing?"

She smirked, as if telling him she was right in a victorious way. Roy licked his bottom lip and called over his shoulder, "Well, see, I'm still alive because she likes it when I use my tongue to-"

A tendril of black energy slammed into his shoulder, Raven's face a bright crimson color. "Roy!"

"I've heard that breathless tone of voice before," he muttered, smiling as he rubbed his arm. She glared but the smile on her pouty lips seemed to be at odds with what she should be doing.

"Oh man," Cyborg muttered, rubbing his stomach. "I think I'm going to be sick."

"Eat too much?" Robin drawled dryly. Cy shook his head, gulping down bile.

"No. But I can only imagine what Roy was saying. I don't think I'll ever be able to eat again."

Raven rolled her eyes, pouring boiling water into a black mug. "Ha ha ha, Victor. Like you haven't done worse."

His grey orb caught Raven, glaring playfully. "What I have done or haven't isn't up to discussion. What my adopted little sister has on the other hand?" He shivered as if catching a cold. "Make the images stop!"

Robin smirked as BB laughed loudly in the distance. The changling turned back to the TV, increasing the volume, drawing Terra's attention back to the flickering pictures. Roy took a seat at the bar, taking Cyborg's plate of pancakes without a word from the massive man. His appetite had vanished.

"Is it smart to have her here?" Raven whispered, standing closely by Robin's side. She smelled like fresh shampoo of lavender and incense of sandalwood.

"We can't not allow her to be here." He whispered back, the two teammates in front of them tuning in subtly. The two birds were ducked close, as if readying for an intense kiss. "She was a friend. We need to help BB try and get back her memories."

"It's useless." Raven stepped back; close enough for him to rest his hand on her waist if he so dared, but far enough away for him to breathe again and not smell her. "Even if the memories were there, she doesn't want to remember. It keeps them from coming back. It's pointless."

"Can't you bring them back?" Roy asked, around a mouthful of sweet pancake matter.

Raven smirked. "I have the ability to bring back memories. Just like I can take them away." She shot Roy a look, making him smile widely, as if daring her. "But I can only help if that person wants it. Terra is completely comfortable the way she is. She doesn't want to remember the old her. If it is in fact, her. If I try to force it, there could very well be damage caused in her mind. Things I cannot fix."

"Don't trust her huh?" Cy asked, looking quickly to check if the other two members were listening in on their conversation. He didn't need BB freaking out just yet.

"Something is… off about her." She took a sip from her mug. "I'm not sure. It's a reading I'm getting." She sighed, rubbing her forehead. "My powers are still not where they should be. I could be wrong."

Robin nodded, watching as Roy took his now empty plate to the sink and walked up behind Raven, wrapping an arm around her waist. He tensed, as if waiting for the backlash from touching the dark goddess; but it didn't happen. Amazingly, Raven allowed the embrace, and turned, letting her head fall back against his shoulder.

That something in Robin's stomach stirred; bile rose like a tidal wave up his throat, and he tore his eyes away from the sight. He had no idea why he was so upset; why he was acting the way he was. Just the other night, he had told Raven that he was happy if she was. And by the way Roy cradled her, the way Raven welcomed his touch, she was.

Then why wasn't Robin happy?

"I called in help." He bit out, hands fisting over his blue jeans. He could feel Cyborg's eyes on him, but he didn't look up. Instead he flipped through his files, taking out a headshot of a female with dark black locks and vibrant blue eyes; the color of angry stormy skies. "Donna Troy. Wonder Girl. She'll be arriving within the next few weeks to assist us in Jump."

"Assist us?" Raven said, pulling up her picture, walking out from Roy's embrace. Childishly, Robin felt better. "We've not seen any sign of danger in weeks, that we haven't been able to handle. A few robberies. A few hijackings. But not enough to warrant another member."

Her expressive eyes tried to see his' behind the sunglasses he wore, but he refused to look at her.

"And I'm here now, Rob." Arsenal pointed to himself. "Bee signed of on the transfer. She's got Flash working for her with Jinx now. Her power levels just went way up."

He stood, emptying his cup of cold coffee into the sink, avoiding the couple's eyes. "Star's gone." His voice was firm but low. "Raven's powers are unpredictable at best." Raven inhaled as if slapped, but she remained silent. "Cyborg has been upgraded, and so far BB seems to be in top shape. I'm also not doing well with this separation." He struggled to say it as if admitting he missed his girlfriend was a weakness; and to the leader, it was. "We need extra help, just in case something comes and we're not ready for it. Cyborg is our only strength but also needed as our long distance, Raven is our only aerial offense, but also needed as our only healer. Star backed up both roles in battles when they were needed elsewhere. With Donna here, we'll have that balance again."

"And she's been bugging you for a chance to join up again." Cy commented, smirking at his leader.

"That too," Robin relented, even though he knew Cyborg was just trying to give him an out.

He had been serious with what he said; without Star as another component to back up physical strength or aerial offense, they were seriously at a disadvantage should something happen. Raven was slowly getting back to the control she had before, from what Cy briefed him on; but her powers were unpredictable. He didn't need to remind everyone of the busted light bulbs from three nights ago when she had lost control for a few minutes during a mediation ritual gone awry.

And he didn't need to remind them that he wasn't fit yet. His mind went elsewhere when he thought about Star and it was all the time. He couldn't be relied on just yet. Donna on the team would add to their help until he could get everything settled again.

She was a viable asset to their team. She was super strong like Cyborg, could fly like Raven, with hyper speed and the uncanny ability force people into submission by her silver lasso. Her powers would absolutely benefit them.

Plus she was a close friend of his'. And he kind of felt like he owed her a chance.

"When does she arrive?" Raven asked, voice low in the kitchen. She hadn't stepped back into Roy's arms, but cradled the mug of hot tea to her chest. Robin felt a spike of sympathy – for calling out her failure and weakness of controlling her powers effectively again – but held back. Raven was a big girl. She could take his observation; his honesty.

"Two weeks. She's working with Wonder Woman on a rebuilding project first, and then once she's finished, will come here."

"What's she like?" Roy asked, leaning on the counter, watching Raven out of the corner of his eye. "More beautiful women on the team? Guess I picked the right tower to shack up in."

Raven sent him a withering glare, but before she could retort, Robin interrupted. "Spunky. She's tough. A great fighter, awesome friend." Robin shrugged as Raven and Cyborg both turned to look at him curiously. "We knew each other from when we were younger. Batman would take me to League meetings, the better to hone my skills." He rolled his eyes, unknowingly to the group. "He wanted me to see the heroes, learn about them and their weaknesses. Batman was a bit paranoid about them back then."

Roy snorted. "Still is."

"And when I was there," their leader continued, as if Roy hadn't interrupted. He sent him a glare just to show he had heard the archer. "Donna used to go with Diana. Because Diana was becoming a part of our world, their mother wanted Donna to be trained by her older sister to take the throne when her time came. She used to just tag along, soaking up how to be a powerful but wise leader. And we become close."

"How close?" Roy asked, eyebrows raising. "Did Boy Wonder have a girlfriend before the adorable alien we know and love?"

Robin sighed, shaking his head. "There was none of that between us. She was just someone else my age, at a meeting full of adults, with a weight on her shoulders that I could relate to." He pointed a finger at himself. "Try being a young kid, sidekick to the greatest detective ever, or the younger sister of the strongest, most liberal and beautiful superhero loved by everyone, and see if there isn't a bit of pressure to be amazing."

Roy held up his hands. "Fair points, I concede. So you two were just close?"

He nodded. "Very. She went back to lead her people but eventually came into our world, becoming Wonder Girl in her own right. And I left Batman to form and join the Titans with Rae." A heavy gaze fell on to the dark woman's shoulders, but she didn't turn to address him. She looked lost in her own thoughts, which seemed to be hidden in the depth of her rapidly cooling tea. "She'll be good for us. She's tough but kind. Head strong but fair. You'll all like her."

The punching bag thumped against her fist, the rough brown leather grinding into her knuckles. They were sore, bruised, close to bleeding as the skin stretched and thinned with each hit she pummeled into the bag.

She continued to pound against it anyway.

Granted she had no idea what she was doing. Her bindings were bunched and crooked on her hands, making it easy for her to hurt herself. Her hair was fanning out along her cheeks, not pulled back and out of her eyes as it should've been. She was in a t-shirt and sweatpants, not her average uniform; which Robin always insisted on training in, so as to be more comfortable during times of battle. She would fight differently in her leopard than her sweatpants, he would always say.

But Raven didn't frankly care. Something inside of her was angry – angry at the Tower, at Robin, at Roy, at herself, at life... at Starfire.

She was downright pissed. She was angry at Robin's comment from that morning. How dare he say she wasn't up to par yet? She knew she wasn't. She knew her limits and her levels were far off. But he didn't need to broadcast it so openly.

She worked constantly, every day, to get to the level she used to be at. Did she have slip ups before? Sure. Plenty. The tower being a makeshift freak show horror house, came blindly to mind when her fear got the better of her and reacted in her powers. But she had been in better control than she was now. Her powers were fluctuating, sometimes too powerful, sometimes too weak. Sometimes they burnt out.

Blowing up the bookshelf in her room a week ago because she tried to levitate a candle, flashed in her mind's eye. Simple tasks she had to practice over and over again to make work safely.. She knew this, she lived this.

So she worked, every single fucking day to be better. To get that control. To be strong again. For her. For the team. For their city. Robin had no right to make her feel inferior; as if she wasn't working as hard as she had been. No right!

And Roy? She snorted, turning into a feble round house kick, which resulted in a spike of pain going down her knee. He was too understanding – too nice. He understood her too well; but how could he? He barely knew her! They had just shared kisses, brief glances; he had shown her compassion and comfort after Star's leaving. But did that really mean he knew her?

Logically she knew it didn't. And it only pissed her off further because he tried - he tried so damn hard to understand her.

It wasn't like they were close friends; hell only until the last eight months before that, did he even really see her. And most of that time spent with Roy had been while he was in a painful haze from his recovery. How could he understand her frustrations, her upset, her disappointment at not being as good as she had been? That she wasn't strong enough like she had been? There was no way.

He didn't have demon blood running through his veins. He didn't have constant nightmares of Trigon returning and claiming what he wanted since she was conceived. He didn't wake up in the middle of night, ready to shout for a man that used to be your savior, only to remember closing a link because it made you sick to feel his arousal and lust for someone not you. He didn't feel the constant bubble of dread and worry – that somehow she wasn't free. That somehow she was still evil. That everything was a dream, and she hadn't been given another chance at life. He didn't get that!

She punched again, but it was more like a shove as she drove at the swinging bag mercilessly. Pain, rage, anger just poured through every pore of her skin, and she just wanted to hit something.

Again.

Again.

Again.

Starfire got to leave. Star got to go home, to defend her planet, defeat her sister, hunt for her brother, and leave her there. Her best friend, the only other woman to be in her life beside a few attendants in Azarath and she just left her. The woman that knew quite a bit of her deepest secrets, had seen her fall apart on numerous occasions. The one woman she would give the only man she truly cared about to - because he made her happier than he could ever make Raven feel.

And she just left her there. Just like everyone else.

Just like they all did.

Just like her mother.

She swung again and didn't notice the crackling black flames that cascaded out from her fingernails, and straight into the pulled apart bag. A resounding crack whooshed through her but she paid it no heed.

"I think it's dead." A voice commented behind her, halting her mid strike.

She was panting, tears running down her cheeks from exhaustion and pain. She didn't wipe them away; they blended with the sweat pooling from her brow. Violet hair was plastered to her dusted pink-grey colored skin and her chest heaved with every exerted breath.

Glancing back to Cyborg, she started listlessly.

"The bag," he said as if she were confused. He was leaning on the doorframe, large mechanical body blocking light from behind him. She just realized the lights in the gym had been off the entire time. "I think you got it." He walked over to her, voice booming in the silence, her pants mixing with his footsteps. He whistled low, looking at the bar with a faux expression of fear. "Damn Rae. What did that bag do to you, to piss you off that badly?"

Cyborg was making a joke. The bag was in perfectly fine order – maybe the stitching at the top was pulling apart, and the sides doubled in as if something had squeezed it too tightly, or that some stuffing - she assumed stuffing, she had no idea what made up the bag - was spilling from the bottom. But it was old. It wasn't her doing.

"Go away, Victor." She said slowly, turning her back to him. Her white t-shirt and grey pants were dripping sweat, sticking to her uncomfortably. She could barely catch her breath and her knuckles were sore. She looked to her hands to see the white bands painted pink. Odd, she didn't remember cutting herself.

She reached for her spare towel, as his blue and silver hand caught it.

His daring red eye caught hers' knowingly. "I know it's serious when you call me by my real name." His voice was low, comforting. She felt something shift in her mind, emotions churning uncomfortably. "What's wrong Rae? You haven't seemed okay since the brief meeting this morning." He didn't dare mention it had been earlier than that.

He knew Starfire's leaving had hurt her in deeper ways than the other Titans could fathom. Only those born of halves could really understand the leaving of someone they thought of as family. Especially when they had been left so many times before.

He also knew, she had been off since her recovery, her power spurts... even since Red-X. But he had never confronted her about it, knowing she would seek him out if she wanted to talk.

But it had been months. It was time for him to prod her a bit. She was always the most stubborn to talk when she needed to the most.

"I'm fine," she bit out, yanking the towel from him. Her grasp was deadly quick and hard. It didn't go unnoticed by the new leader.

"No, you're not." Her friend commented lightly.

Glaring, Raven huffed, and rolled her eyes. Raven knew Cyborg wouldn't stop until she broke down. And he looked earnest, and caring and she just needed to express herself... before she blew up the tower. "Fine, no I'm not alright." She held out her arms, face tinted red from her exercise. "I'm angry." She blurted out, unable to keep it down anymore. What was the point? She knew Cyborg would not judge her for anything she wanted to say. She also didn't understand emotions the way he did. He would understand her conflicting and confusing mess inside of her chest, constricting her labored breathing and the red tinged of maddening anger that wanted to consume her.

"I'm angry that Robin is bringing in another person because I can't do my job. I'm angry because Roy is trying to understand me, when he can't possibly know what I go through daily, with my powers. Or with anything I experience. And I'm angry – I'm furious," she stopped, a half sob caught in her throat. The anger turned, crashing into pitiful sadness and misery. Her eyes pinched as she squeaked out, "And I'm furious that Starfire is gone. That she left me. Left us. And left me to handle so much on my own."

Without warning, she was crushed to a large cool chest, two hands wrapped around her shoulders, as she clung to him blindly. Her body shook, but she didn't release any tears; it took Raven a lot of concentration not to release them. "Star would never, ever, purposefully, leave you Rae." Victory whispered, holding her tightly. His voice was so strong, so firm, so determined. She found solace in it. "And you're not handling anything on your own. We're here. We can help you. I can help you, dark girl."

"Not like she can." She murmured, pulling back just enough to look at Cyborg. "For all her faults, Star was the only other woman I felt a kinship with. Who was the constant bubble of light when all I wanted was dark. No one can replace that in my life." No one mentioned BB and his incessant jokes. "She made me promise to be there for Robin. To help him heal. To keep his hope alive for her return. And it's killing me, Victor."

Cyborg sighed, his heart breaking for the tiny woman in his arms. His poor sister - always the one helping others, even if it killed her to do it. How did he comfort her this time?

"Because you're human, girl." Cyborg smiled, a sad sorrow-filled grin. He wished he could take away the pain she felt, even for a day. "And you love him. And you love Star. And you're too good for this world. You sacrifice too much for them. And it hurts to do it because you're human. You want and love and hate... but you're just too good Raven. Too good sometimes."

He placed a lock of her hair behind her ear – her hair was getting pretty long – and chucked her chin. Raven was probably that one person everyone met in a lifetime that was just too good - and it usually ended up in them getting hurt for it. It was a bittersweet lot to bare in life.

"And to your other two points. Be pissed at Robin, but know he's doing it for the team, not because you're not able. He isn't either since Star's leaving, and I think he needs Donna here for support and to motivate him more than anything else. He's even leaving me as leader until he can get to the point of functioning. And be pissed at Roy, but Rae," he trailed off, laughing. God, how did he explain it to her? "That boy is falling in love with you. And you need to understand what that means. What it entails, for both of you, otherwise, you won't be able to love him back. He's going to try and understand everything, even if logically he can't. He's going to want to be there for everything that happens - good or bad - and he'll love you still, either way, even if he sees the dark. It's because he wants to be there for you. Because he wants you. All of you. You just gotta let him."

Leaning her head back down on his chest, she nodded slowly. He knew it was a lot of her to process; as a woman stunted in terms of emotions and life experiences, he was handling her a bomb and then asking her to diffuse it, without prior knowledge.

Silence ticked by as she let him hold her. She cleared her throat; her voice was muffled and gruff, as if her throat held every emotion she wanted to release. "How do I stop being so angry?"

"By acceptance and forgiveness Rae. With everything." Gently, Cyborg ran a hand through her damp locks, and held his adoptive little sister for a long while after her heart returned to its normal pace.

"See, you used to love this game." Beast Boy said, holding up a small DVD box for the young blonde woman to look at it. It had large dunes, with a pink sunset on the cover, and two yellow and green race cars on the front, smoke billowing out behind them. "You would play this game for hours with me. You had a thing for the scenery."

Tara picked up the cover, staring at it intently. The large common room television was muted, commericals playing with such bright colors that it was hard not to look at them. But BB only had eyes for Tara.

"I don't remember it," she was saying, biting her lower lip. They were painted a faint pink gloss, her eyes were rimmed in kohl, much like Raven would do before leaving for a date with Roy; on her, it looked sexy, on Tara it seemed weird. "I do like the picture though. Can we play it?"

"Sure!" He shouted, standing briefly. He took the game, and walked over to the TV. "You really don't remember it?" He asked, turning to look at her. "Like at all?"

She shook her head, soft blonde locks falling over her shoulder. "But I'd love to try it."

He smiled softly, but stopped from putting the game in. "Why?"

It was odd for him to question her - if anything, he should be jumping around with glee. He wanted his Tara back - he wanted his best friend, his girlfriend, his first love. He wanted all of that back, and she was willing to try - to remember. He should've been on cloud nine. But something stopped him.

Cy didn't trust anything he couldn't prove. And he couldn't prove it was Tara. Raven was magic and spirits and dark, spooky places; she trusted things that couldn't be proven by science. And she couldn't prove it was Tara. Why couldn't they together, prove this was really her?

Tara shrugged, smiling slightly. "You think I'm this girl. I have no memory of this other person, because of my injury." Beast boy nodded, remembering her story. "But you cared for her. Everyone here did - even the dark girl." BB tried to hold back his snort, but he couldn't. "And you're willing to help me, remember me. Even if i'm not that girl. You're all good people. The least I can do, is try and make you happy. Maybe even, help you heal."

A faint relief left BB's shoulders, but there was something still there, under the surface. But for now, he'd let it go.

Turning to place the game into the gaming device, the common room doors opened, walking in a very sweaty and upset Raven. His eyes followed her, and watched as she entered the kitchen area, and seemed almost confused for a moment.

"Tara," he said, pushing the game into the system. The sound of racing cars began to surround them. "I'll be right back, don't start without me." He tossed her the controller and headed over to the kitchen bar.

Raven stood there, and her face was a mixture of confusion and sadness. She didn't at all look like the in-control, calm Raven BB was used to. In fact, she looked down right lost. "Hey Rae?"

She glanced at him, and sighed. "Yes Beast boy?"

"You okay?" It was pretty direct. But he didn't really have anything else to say.

"No," she said, slowly. Her eyes were bloodshot, her face was pinkened, and her hair was dripping in sweat. It reached just past her neck, and looked soft to the touch. It was getting really long for Rae's standards and he was surprised she hadn't had the urge to cut it yet. "Do you remember the tea Star would make on rare nights?"

"Her home made, Ruflork mix?" He shuddered, sticking his tongue out. "Yeah, it's in the right cabinet, in like a green glass container. I think Cy hid it on her last time, because the scent was wicked." He peered over the counter as she reached for it. "Why do you want it?"

She pulled it from its secretive hiding place, and grabbed her black tea mug with etched white words - quotes from Shakespeare that she used every night. Every morning, she used a dark blood red one with vampire fangs on them, both presents from Robin for Christmas. Holding it tightly to her chest, she shrugged. "I miss her. I thought I'd make a cup to remember her by."

She set about making the hot water, and measuring out the ingredients as a lightbulb went off in Beast boy's head. "You're mad she left huh?"

"What?" she did a double-take, mouth dropping opening slightly, before catching herself. "How did you-"

"It's obvious Rae." BB walked closer, laying a heavy hand on her shoulder. "I'm mad she's gone too. We're mad because we feel abandoned, and for those of us on the team, we know that feeling pretty well. But it's okay to be mad. As long as you don't forget that you still love her, and the anger is just because you love her and want her with us."

Stepping away, he headed back to the couch where a watchful Tara sat. Raven cleared her throat, halting his process. She struggled with herself for a moment, before coming to an unvoiced conclusion. "Thank you Beast boy. I mean it."

Smiling brightly, he said: "Anytime Rae."

It was a little over two weeks later when the team was gathered together on the rooftop of Titans' tower. Instead of their usual morning briefings, Robin and Cyborg had forced the other three to the roof, waiting in the bitterly cold early morning wind.

Winter was around the corner. They could feel it nipping at their heels as fall passed by.

Raven grunted under her breath, regretting the idea of wearing shorts almost immediately.

"What are we doing guys?" BB yawned, rubbing his left eye, green hair mussed all over his skull. There was a patch of drool still on his white t-shirt. "Is there a comet or something?"

"Really? A comet?" Raven deadpanned, earning a snort from Roy. Beast Boy just stuck his tongue out at his teammate.

"No, not a comet." Robin clarified, looking to the sky. He waited a few seconds before pointing, as a figure began to descend to their level.

A figure that was wholly woman, with flapping long blue-black locks, sun kissed skin by Hera herself, and long powerful legs appeared in the sky; and she was headed right for them. Like a rocket shooting from an above airplane.

"Holy shi-" Raven elbowed Gar, and slapped his chin lightly. A small drip of drool was starting to cover the corner of his mouth.

"Wipe the drool off your face. She won't be impressed with that."

He glared at her. "Shut up."

The slender but curvy young woman, floated to the ground, tight red dress and sparkling star earrings highlighting the deep azure of her eyes. Her hair was high on her head in a long sleek ponytail, and her mouth was painted a deep scarlet, the same color as her dress. She was elegant but powerful; Raven could feel it in her aura as she came to a stop before them.

All four men looked at her in various degrees of shock, lust and intrigue. Raven cocked her hip and sighed deeply. It was going to be a long few weeks, she could just tell.

"Hey, Robin." She greeted, her voice strong but light. Something in her manners demanded respect. "Long time no see."

"Hey Wonder Chick," he laughed at her irked expression. Even as kids, he had always called her that.

But even if he was annoying, she still walked over to him and hugged him tight. She remembered when he had been the tiny, short runt of the group years ago. Now, he towered over her and his shoulders had broadened. "It's good to see you." He said heartedly. It truly was good to see his old friend after so long apart.

"Likewise." She agreed, pulling back. Donna smiled and winked cheekily at him. "Now, where do we start?"

AN: Now the one-shots will truly be one-shots (at least I think so). We'll be jumping further ahead in time to various instants, and they might not all be super long. Or could be. Depending on my details.

Who caught the title to this chapter? It's a play - the heroes are colliding together and separately; as evidence of Raven's meltdown. It was coming. You all knew it.

And unfortunately, BB didn't get the time I wanted him to have. But it's coming. Same with Cy. And even diving into Rob's feelings a bit more.

But I really wanted to highlight in these last two chapters, how hurt Raven was by Star leaving, how out of sync her and Robin are, how much Rae depends on Cy for support, how Star was such an intricate part of their team and to everyone differently, how Roy is really falling for Rae, and how insightful BB could be with everyone. I just didn't get to the other stuff.

Drop me a line.

Peace