I4.6

Chapter 45: Puzzle Pieces

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Adult themes. DO NOT read if you are underage or dislike controversial things.

Author's Note: This story has not been forsaken! I just have avoidant tendencies and am in need of someone to strap me to a chair so that I can write my fantasies. Hopefully, I caught most of the typos this time.


Richard levels his gaze with the older man's curious one. "She's sleeping in my bed."

The silence is loud.

Two tired souls are attempting to process the strange string of words while mulling over everything they've learned from the crime scene. Cyborg was the first to catch himself.

"What the fuck is she doing there?!" he booms. "I thought she would be in her own room. What did you do to her?"

"Stop yelling before you wake her up," Richard hushes in annoyance. While he admits that it may be an uncomfortable thought for his comrades, they should have known this was bound to happen. He has been much more forthright with his advances for weeks now. No one should be surprised, least of all Starfire. Yet, there she stands with quivering lips and tears swelling in her eyes. To her credit, she doesn't let them fall. Richard locks eyes with her to gauge her reaction to the news while Cyborg continues on his rant.

"I knew…" he stutters in a quieter voice, "I knew I shouldn't have left you here with her. I'm tired of your shit Robin. We all are. How could…"

"Did anything happen between you and Raven?" Starfire quietly asks. Her voice is steady while her expression displays her inner turmoil. Cyborg looks at her before directing his gaze back at his leader.

"I'm not sure what you mean, Star," Richard responds in as calm a manner as he can muster. The feel of Rachel's lips pressed against his and the weight of her full breasts in his hands has the heat rising in his face and the desire to feel those sensations again urging him to get this over with. As much as he wants to goad them with the fact that she was the one who kissed him first or prod them with the knowledge that she came all over his hands, he can't. That would just lead to an even bigger argument.

"I don't know what either one of you are implying about me...," he states with feigned hurt. Richard is an accomplished liar and while he knows good and well that he took advantage of Rachel in her time of need, she was the one who egged him on first. She should have never made him need her like this. "...but she was the one who complained about being cold when she woke up. I made her hot soup that she ate, but it wasn't enough, so I offered to let her soak in my bathtub for a bit to help warm herself up. She dozed off in my bed."

"Oh!" Cy mocks, "you offered, was it? What else did you offer to do for her? Hmm?"

"Check your tone, Cy," Richard counters with sternness in his voice. "Regardless of what is happening within the team, I wouldn't do anything to hurt Rachel or take advantage of her. You should know me better than that."

The metal man scans Richard from head to toe. Taking in his disheveled appearance before homing in on the welts on his arm. "I don't know who you are anymore. Robin...Nightwing...Dick...or whoever the fuck. You have so many personalities and personas that it's never straightforward with you. Layers on layers. That's not what Raven needs. She needs someone less complicated. Someone who won't use her!"

The young man huffs in annoyance before crossing his arms, "You don't honestly think that 'man' is BB, do you? He's barely mature enough to go on solo missions."

"I never said it was," Cyborg responds as he shakes his head. "I never said it was."

"Then," Richard suspiciously asks, "you couldn't mean you? You think you're good enough for Rachel? That you'd be able to take care of her and provide for her like I can?"

"She doesn't need someone to provide for her, Robin," Cyborg says in disbelief. "She is not feeble. She can heal the sick and injured while crushing buildings with her thoughts. She doesn't need anyone…least of all you."

Cyborg stabs a metal figure in his direction as he continues his rant, "You know what I think Robin? I think that you're delusional. You want to be the savior so bad that it eats you up inside when you can't live out that fantasy. I think you secretly like seeing Raven like this. Because now you can swoop in and pretend to be the good guy. You don't really want stability. Isn't that why you lost interest in…"

The oldest Titan stops himself from continuing and the nervous glance he sends Star's way lets Richard know what he was about to say. The team's leader smirks a bit before egging his subordinate on.

"Go on, Cy. Finish your thought since you seem to know me so well. Go ahead! Diagnosis me. Am I unstable? Deranged? Conveniently too unfit to lead? Oh no!" Richard exclaims as he places both hands on his cheeks in mock horror. "Who will lead the Titans now? Who else, but the trusty and dependable Cyborg? It all works out for you, doesn't it?"

Both Titans look on in disbelief at what Richard is saying. "What you're saying doesn't matter. It doesn't change the fact that I love Rachel. That I would do anything for her. Even if that means protecting her from herself. From her so called 'friends'. From her inner demons. You," Richard all but spits out, "...you don't know what it's like inside her head. The thoughts…the negativity...the constant state of worrying. She needs support."

"It's hard to support someone when you have ulterior motives," Cyborg states without skipping a beat. Before he can continue arguing with Richard a slender, but strong hand comes to rest on his arm.

Starfire has kept her peace throughout much of this interaction. Richard had assumed that she was still stunned by the announcement that Rachel is sleeping in his bed. He is, honestly, mildly surprised that she wasn't hysterically crying or attempting to break down the walls to get to his love. It is with an eerie calmness that Starfire comes to stand beside the metal man.

"Robin," she asks, "where did those scratches on your arm come from? They were not there when we left. I would have noticed."

Richard looks down at the angry red welts on his left arm. There are four clear scratches that extend across the length of his forearm, and, upon closer inspection, one could see the crescent shape of fingernails. Richard has to actively work to suppress a smile at the memory of Rachel gripping to him so tightly as she used this arm for leverage while she worked to bring herself to her own climax. It was a sight to behold and a symphony for the ears. However, he couldn't tell his teammates that. They would never let him see her again.

That thought angers Richard to his core. Who were they to dictate what kind of relationship the pair of birds can have? They weren't her parents or her family. They were just her friends who have different motives for them not to be together. One wants to claim him for herself and the other wants to give his lovely Rachel to an undeserving mutt. They have no say in what happens in his bed. She enjoyed herself and he enjoyed watching her.

Richard slowly ghosts a pointer finger over the welts and suppresses a shiver at the tenderness of his abused flesh. He simply says, "Rachel scratched me."

"Why would she do that, Robin?" Starfire probes. "Did you hurt her?"

Richard's tongue quickly darts across his lips as his ears remember the sound of Rachel's whimper when he used her hair to keep her head locked in place. Her final resistance came crumbling down when his lips latched onto her. He wants to hurt her so good. Carve his lust into her flesh. Etch himself inside her mind.

"Robin?"

The sound of his name calls him back to the present. He lifts his gaze from the markings on his arm to make eye contact with two very concerned teammates. Star repeats her question. "Did you hurt her?"

Richard scoffs at the insinuation. "Of course not. She's resting peacefully."

"Did you do anything...questionable to her?" Starfire asks. She's very careful in how she's phrasing her questions, and it is getting on Richard's nerves.

"Oh! Come out and say it!" he demands. "Stop beating around the bush."

Richard can practically hear the gears shifting in Starfire's mind as she mulls over her thoughts. She gives her head a little shake before announcing. "I'm going to check on Raven. I'm going to move her back to her room."

Before she can step away from Cyborg an irate Richard blocks the doorway with his body.

"You know Star," he begins while his eyes reassess the alien princess before him. "You're acting kind of strange. This isn't how I thought you'd respond to hearing where Rachel is right now. You're calmer than I thought you'd be."

Sometimes he forgets how tall his comrade really is. She doesn't back away from him even though he is posing a challenge to her by the door. She looks down at Richard while an unreadable emotion vibrates within the emerald depths of her eyes. He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but something most definitely has shifted within the other Titan.

"Raven and I had a little heart to heart before she left for the conference," reveals Star. Richard couldn't stop his eyebrows from shooting up into his hairline. He is impressed that it didn't come to blows or else Cyborg would have notified him.

When Star doesn't provide more information Richard presses with a simple, "And?"

"And," she repeats while keeping her cards close to her chest, "We talked about it… what has been going on between you and her. She told me some things and…"

"Such as?" Richard asks. Effectively cutting her off mid-sentence. He watches as she swallows and her eyes shift away from him.

"Raven has revealed some things to me," she states before bringing her eyes back to him. "Things that she would not want me saying to anyone else. What I can say is that you are making her uncomfortable."

She wasn't uncomfortable while I was finger fucking her, are Richard's thoughts, but he knows better than to say that out loud right now. Instead, he says, "I think she's warming up to the changes in our relationship."

Star shakes her head. "Even if that is true, I want to check on my friend."

Richard completely ignores what she's saying and demands "What has she told you?"

"I am going to check on my friend," is Starfire's response. A strange urgency underlies her words.

Through gritted teeth the leader of the Titans says, "Do not disregard your superior's question. What did Rachel tell you?"

There is a flash in Starfire's eyes as her frown deepens and contorts her pretty face. She opens her mouth to respond but is cut off.

"Robin."

The voice is gruff and masculine as Cyborg steps back into the fray. "Starfire is going to check on Raven. You and I need to have a talk."

Richard's eyes throw daggers at his metal companion as he mulls over his options. Does he press the issue and interrogate Starfire about the conversation between her and his beloved or does he take a step back and allow his teammates to check on Rachel? He doesn't want to give in. He feels as though he's been giving in for years. Doing what's best for the team. What's best for his mentor. What's best for everyone else while denying himself the things that he truly wants. In a roundabout way, he wished that he had been more selfish when he was younger. Then no one would expect him to be so selfless now. However, selfishness shouldn't be impulsive. That would spell disaster in the long run and he is playing for keeps.

With his mind made up, Richard begrudgingly steps to the side and allows the taller woman to pass. The look she gives him is unreadable as she hurries down the hallway to his bedroom. He hopes that Star doesn't barge in like a hooligan and disturbs a resting Rachel. He opens his mouth to call out to her, but Cyborg draws his attention back to him.

"Robin," he says as he points towards Richard's office, "we need to talk."

Richard frowns at him before gesturing for Cyborg to lead the way. He didn't want to talk to anyone right now, but he knows that the older man has probably gathered important information from the crime scene. Richard's thirst for knowledge outweighs his desire to wash his hands of his teammates.

Both men cross the threshold and stand in silent darkness. Neither moved to turn the lights on or start the conversation simply because neither knew what to tackle first. Business or personal? There is no doubt that they needed to have this difficult discussion, but they didn't actually want to have it.

Eventually, Cyborg walks over to the computer and pulls out a chip that he uses to store data about major cases. He doesn't look at Richard as he inserts the chip into the main computer. "As much as I want to grill you about your intentions with Raven, that'll have to wait. We have much more dangerous fish to fry."

"What were you able to find out?" is Richard's concerned question. The appearance of Rachel's equally demonic siblings is concerning to him, but their willingness to murder her to obtain their goal is downright unnerving. While he can empathize with their drive to achieve and admire their tenacity from the outside looking in, he cannot condone the taking of a life. Especially the life of the woman that he loves.

You. Us.

Richard tries to suppress the shiver of terror that crawls down his spine as he recalls the demon's cruel voice. The pit in his stomach becomes heavier as the image of Starfire hovering over Rachel like a malicious witch invades his mind's eye. She's been gone for longer than a simple check-up would require.

"Unfortunately, nothing that will provide answers," responds Cy while shaking his head. "Only more questions."

The frown that mars Richard's handsome face is cast into shadows as the computer screen flickers to life. There is an image of fragile looking paper with strange writing etched into its flimsy surface. The ink (if it was ink) seemed to shift in color from deep purple to glittery black. Richard couldn't tell if he was supposed to read it from left to right, top to bottom or vise versa. He cocks his head to the side and asks, "Where is this paper?"

"It's a good thing I took this picture," begins Cyborg. "When Star reached out to pick it up, it began to disintegrate. It seems as though her touch triggered something. She described it as a jolt of electricity that traveled through her. From her head to her toes."

"Do you think it was a security measure of some sort? Like a self-destructing message?" asks Richard. His detective mind spinning at full throttle to understand what Cy is telling him while attempting to translate the language on the screen. He can pick out a few words based on what Rachel has taught him, but not enough to make sense of the message.

"I couldn't tell you," answers the metal man. "Any idea what is being said here?"

Richard approaches the computer screen and focuses on what he thinks might be the beginning or start of the snippet. His fingers slowly circle two symbols as he tries to sound out the vowels. "This looks like the word for 'fate,' but I've never seen it conjugated like this. This doesn't look like the past or present tense. It might be future tense, but I'm not certain."

"How do you know?"

He points at an innocuous curve at the end of the symbol and says, "Usually, when I see this curve, it indicates the future tense. When Rachel and I practiced reading in her native tongue, I'd get this curve confused with another word for 'death.'"

"That's kinda morbid, don't you think?" replies the older Titan.

"I thought that too," Richard continues to explain, "but Rachel explained to me that the people of Azarath believed that death is an inevitable part of life. It's not something to be feared but embraced."

"Then why did they work so hard to protect Raven and their world from Trigon?" asks Cyborg. "If death cannot be avoided, then shouldn't they have embraced his invasion?"

Richard nods in agreement. "I thought that too, but when I asked Rachel, she explained that while death is inevitable, destruction didn't have to be. That for them, death isn't the destruction or end of life, but the continuation of it in another form. The soul or essence of the living being returns from whence it came to eventually reemerge as something or someone else. This principal isn't all that different than some religious or spiritual beliefs that exist in our own world."

"I see," Cyborg slowly replies as he looks at the rest of the inscription. "Is that all that you can make out?"

"Hmm...I can make an educated guess at what I think it might mean," Richard replies with a hand grasping his chin, "but the truth is that I'm not well versed in this. I was only learning it as a hobby and not with any real urgency since I didn't think that I would need it. Rachel and I only practiced with primary school texts that they had given to her when she was a child."

"Then does it make better sense to wait until Raven wakes up?" inquires Richard's subordinate with a grimace. He could tell that the thought of where Rachel is sleeping does not sit comfortably with the other man.

"I think it does," he replies. There was no way that he was going to tell Cyborg what he thinks the rest of that message says for fear of the panic that might cause in the older man. Thankfully, Richard has had years to master the poker face that he's displaying or else he would be pulling at his hair in worry. It'll be better to have his love verify the translation. Hopefully, he's dead wrong.

"Is this the only thing you were able to find at the scene?" asks the Titan's tentative leader as he continues to stare at the screen. Running through the translation process while the nervous pit in his stomach continues to grow.

"No," replies Cyborg as he pulls a torn piece of fabric from a pocket like compartment in his metal thigh. "We found this. We believe that it's from one of the demon's cloaks. Not sure what good it'll do us, but I wanted to analyze it back at the lab."

"Anything helps since we don't have a lot of information to go on," says Richard as he takes the cloth from Cy's hand. He slowly rubs the fabric between his pointer and thumb as he analyzes the texture. It is much silkier than it looks. It feels as though it should rip much easier than it does. From the way that it tore, he can clearly see that it is comprised of 3 layers that are intricately laced together to create something sturdy enough for battle.

"Does it remind you of something?" asks Cyborg.

Richard is puzzled by the question. Why would this structure remind him of anything. It's definitely not the material that he has in either his Robin or Nightwing suit. "I don't know what you mean."

"The 3 layers are similar in structure to Raven's cloak," responds the metal man. Did Richard detect a hint of smugness in his voice? As though he knows more things about Rachel than Richard did? The thought doesn't sit right with him.

"How do you know that?" he questions with a sharpness that sets both men on guard.

"Relax," Cyborg says, "She had asked me to recreate her costume when she first joined the team. Her leotard and cloak are durable and can clearly survive a brutal fight, but damage isn't uncommon. I had to deconstruct her costume so that I can mimic it. This type of 3 layered weaving is unique to what she wears. I haven't seen it before or since. Until now."

"Her original suit came from Azarath…" Richard mumbles to himself, slowly connecting the few dots that they had. "...which means these assailants may also be from Azarath…"

The implications of similar origins are staggering. As far as Rachel knew, she was the only spawn of Trigon to be housed on Azarath. She would have mentioned it if there were others. Knowing what he does about the younger woman, there is a good chance that she would have tried to create bonds with them if she knew they existed. That would have unraveled a series of very different events. Friend would have become foe. Lover to enemy. The sense of betrayal Rachel would feel if this is the truth will definitely send her on a downward spiral. The monks made her feel as though she was the greatest threat to their planet and existence. They isolated her and fostered her sense of hyper independence. If they were harboring others like her then who knows how the monks have treated them. If what he saw today was anything to go by, then they may have been horribly abused. It would be no wonder why they choose to target her as cruelly as they did.

Richard shakes his head to dispel the myriad of thoughts that are competing for dominance. 3 layered cloth probably exists in many other parts of the universe. Just because it is not native to Earth doesn't mean that it can't be found elsewhere. The likelihood of these monsters coming from Azarath is slim. Maybe the ruins of the planet is their home base? They were carrying around excerpts from the scriptures found on that planet as well as wearing clothes that are typically found there. As far as he knew, the place has been uninhabited since its destruction all those years ago. It would be the perfect place to hide. That theory seems to be the most logical.

"There's a good chance that these demons are hiding in the ruins of Azarath," says Richard. He watches as Cyborg slowly nods in agreement. His own mind racing as he attempts to put two and two together.

"The way they wielded their magic…" he begins as he attempts to formulate his question, "...Did they wield their powers like Raven does? Do you think it's innate or something they learned?"

"I'm not sure what you mean," Richard states. "Innate?"

"Like," Cyborg clarifies, "Raven has her mantra when evoking her powers. Did these demons also have a mantra and manipulated their energy like she does?"

"From what I remember," says Richard as he rubs his tired eyes. "Their energies looked very similar to Rachel's. The only one who really spoke was the leader and the only time I recall them chanting was when they had Rachel encircled while they drained her energy. I don't remember them reciting a mantra during the actual fight, though."

"I'll review the camera footage that people were able to record while the fight was happening," says Cyborg as he taps on the keyboard. Both men are lost in thought as they watch the recordings that Batman had originally pulled up earlier. Richard watches on as Cyborg opens an internet browser and searches for any new video from different camera angles. They are riveted to the screen as the metal man is able to home in on one of the assailants as he fought with Starfire. The quality of the video is very grainy, and they could barely see his face as he concentrated on trying to blast her.

"I can't tell if he is mumbling or if his mouth is just open," says Richard as he squints at the screen.

"Let's look at a different one," responds Cyborg. He clicks on another civilian clip. This video is clearer and the recorder zoomed in on the demon's face.

"This one looks like he's mumbling an incantation," says the metal man as he rewinds the clip. They watch as the black tendrils snake out from his hands to lash out at Starfire. She easily evades his attacks and strikes him with her green fire bolts. They both watch on in satisfaction as the villain goes flying across the screen.

"It's hard to tell since everything is in such chaos," Richard mutters to no one in particular as he shakes his head in frustration.

"From what I can see," Cyborg says, "their attacks are very similar to Raven's. The fighting style appears to be the same."

"Do you think there's a strong probability that they were trained by similar masters?" inquires Richard.

"I wouldn't rule it out," answers the older man. "We know that they are somehow connected to Raven, but we don't know how closely. I can run tests on this to determine if she and them are blood siblings to confirm it."

As Cyborg finishes his sentence, he pulls out a small tube with dark liquid inside. He slowly tilts it to the side and Richard watches as the liquid flows within.

"Is that…?"

"Blood," Cy answers. "We found a small puddle of it pooled within the rubble. One of the assailants was severely injured. I plan on sequencing the DNA and cross referencing it with Raven's. This way we can determine if these demons are really related to her or if they're just followers of Trigon looking to kill his daughter."

His only daughter, Richard thinks as he glances at the screen that holds the snippet of the inscription. If Richard's dreadful theory is correct, then there's another sick reason why they are targeting her that extends beyond just her powers. A shudder runs down his spine at the implications of it all. His beloved has been through enough in this life. She doesn't deserve any of this.

Richard can feel the possessive protectiveness rise within him. He hasn't felt quite this strongly since he carried her out of hell. If it came down to an all out brawl, then he was confident that Rachel would come out on top. She is resilient and skilled with years of combat experience under her belt. He has seen her make mountains quake and stop bullets with her powers. Richard is not concerned about a physical fight. She can hold her own. He's much more afraid of an attack on her mind and spirit.

As much as Rachel has grown and developed into her own confident person over the years, there are still cracks and weak points in her mental health that can be exploited. He had just been tearing away at them while she soaked in his bathtub. Gently caressing the frayed edges of her self-esteem and self-worth before pulling to unravel them. Guiding her to the realization that she needed him more than she realized. That she couldn't live without him. That he is more than qualified to satisfy all of her needs; emotionally, physically, sexually. The only difference between what he is doing and what they would do is the difference in motivation. His advances are motivated by love and wanting the best for the woman he deeply cares about while they are motivated by greed and power.

You. Us.

It's not the same, Richard tells himself while ignoring the sinking feeling in his stomach before turning his attention back to the glass vial in Cyborg's hands. With each new piece of evidence, a slew of new questions arises.

"How long do you think it'll take to sequence this?" Richard asks.

"I'm not sure," answers Cyborg truthfully with a frown of concentration. "If there is some human DNA then it shouldn't take that long, but if everything is completely alien or foreign then it could take days...maybe even weeks."

"If only we had that kind of time," Richard says. "We don't know when they'll attack next so we can't let Rachel out of our sight. Instead of trying to map the whole DNA sequence, just concentrate on the parts that are human..if there are any. That way you can compare them to Rachel's in order to determine if there is any relation."

Cyborg nods once to show his understanding and agreement. "When this is behind us, I can take my time mapping the rest. It's good information to have for the future in case there are more like them out there...which I'm willing to bet that there are."

"Okay. Then let's review the game plan," states the leader of the Titans. "Rachel and I will work on translating the inscription while you work on extracting DNA from that blood sample. Starfire can work on fortifying the Tower. There's a good chance that they already know she's here and are just waiting for us to let our guard down."

"As soon as Raven feels up to it, she should reinforce the protection magic that encircles the Tower," says Cyborg. "I know that she does it often when she meditates, but if what I'm seeing is correct then there's a good chance that these guys are using a similar type of power as her. I'm willing to bet that they'll know how to dismantle the barriers we have in place."

"If they're able to do that then we really are sitting ducks," adds Richard. "We need to have a contingency plan in place."

"Not to mention the public," says the metal man. "That battle was very public with a lot of damage. The news doesn't know if it wants to focus on the fight or the conference. There are some people who think that today's attack is connected to what was said during the conference."

"That's ridiculous," chimes in the younger man. "Nothing attack worthy was said. Anyway...what should we tell them?"

"From what Starfire and I gathered from talking to the civilians, some are concerned about the safety of the city if we keep Raven here while the majority are worried about how badly she was injured. There are those who want her to leave and others who argued that she's part of the Titans and should stay because this is her city too," Cyborg states with a tinge of sadness in his voice.

"I think it best that we keep it vague for now," Richard says with a sigh. "Tell them that Rachel is quickly recovering and will be able to defend the city soon. Tell them that the Titans are working to identify the assailants and have enacted emergency measures to keep everyone safe."

"I'm just throwing this suggestion out there so don't bite my head off," says Cyborg. "Should we call BB back to the Tower? We're going to need the full force of the Titan team to defeat these guys."

Richard grits his teeth at the mere suggestion. Logically, he understands that the numbers are working against them, but he just managed to send the mutt away. Recalling him now will sting his pride, but Rachel's safety comes first. He is confident in the progress that he's made while the youngest member of the team has been away. He can still feel the comfortable heat of her body while she rests in his arms. He just has to remind her how well they fit together often. The spark is still there and he won't let it die.

Richard parts his lips to answer the question but a more feminine voice fills the air.

"Bring BB back. His presence is needed here."

Both men turn their heads at the same time to see a pretty young woman standing in the doorway.


Who missed our favorite delulu man? Who could this pretty young thang be? What does that inscription say? Are Raven and these demons really long-lost siblings?!

Thank you, dear readers, for sticking it out with this story. I know these updates are slow and sporadic as hell. Until next time, internet friends!