The halls of Titans Tower were quiet and dark. All but one of the Titan's was locked away in their room sleeping or preparing for the next morning. The time was almost one A.M. and Jump City was as quiet as the tower. Richard walked down the unlit hall passing the bedrooms of his team and friends. He had on a black t-shirt and dark blue jeans. There was a back pack over his left shoulder with his gear in it. He checked the time as he walked down the long hallway, moving the way he was taught all those years ago to not make a single sound moving with the shadows. He listened to the sounds coming from behind the doors of the other Titans. Cyborg's generator was recharging his power cell; Beast Boy was snoring loudly as usual. Koriand'r was pacing back and forth in her room muttering under her breath; she was trying to figure out where she would go. She always stressed too much about everything. Then Dick stopped dead in his tracks and turned to see the door in front of him; it was Rachel's.

He stood in front of the sliding door waiting for the courage to tell Raven goodbye. Dick didn't have the strength; he was never good with emotional stuff. He sighed and thought to himself.

"Raven, I'm sorry for this. I just couldn't face you, not like this."

He turned and walked down the hall not knowing Rachel was awake at her desk reading one of her ancient books.

"The Titans are no longer needed. Jump City has been quiet for months; Slade is gone for good this time. There is nothing for me here anymore."

Dick climbed onto his bike and started it. Rachel heard the engine and knew what it meant; her closest friend and the one she loved was leaving. She walked to the window and saw the door to the garage open and a pair of headlights appear. The engine revved, Rachel saw him on the bike as he drove down the hill to the bridge to the city. The helmet blocked her view of his face, she was about to set up the psylink but stopped. It was simpler this way, nothing to make him come back or for her to go after. Richard's bike made it to the bridge; Rachel watched as the bike engine was no longer heard and the lights were out of view in the city skyline. He was gone.

Wayne Manor

Dick awoke in is old room at Wayne Manor, he had almost forgotten what it looked like. It looked like a typical teenage room, posters of cars and video games were spread throughout the walls. A poster of the Gotham Knights was on the ceiling. His suit had been removed and he was wearing gray sweatpants, his ribs were taped up along with his left shoulder down to his wrist. Burns also covered his left leg. Rachel was in the kitchen talking to Barbara; Alfred had made coffee for Barbara and herbal tea for Rachel. Rachel had told the story to Babs about why the Titans disbanded, and about the night Dick left the tower without saying a word. She didn't know it was causing him to dream. There was a sudden beeping noise; Barbara looked down at her phone than back at Rachel.

"I need to look into something. Alfred, can you keep Rachel company?"

"Why of course Miss Gordon, and I shall bring down more coffee should you require some."

"Thanks Alfred."

Barbara looked back over to Rachel.

"I'm sorry for having to leave but Dick's tough, he'll be fine."

Barbara left the kitchen to return to the cave but she never told anyone why. Alfred guessed that HE had just received the message. Alfred knew that Barbara had sent a field message to HIM. Wayne Manor was quiet, the old grandfather clock chimed, it was almost dawn. Raven was still staring at the ground thinking, worrying about Dick. Alfred was always good with reading people; he knew but would never say anything; it wasn't his place.

"Well, I shall go check on Master Dick. There is some more tea should you desire. Please do try to relax Miss Roth everything will be fine."

Alfred disappeared in the large Manor. All she could hear was the ticking of the clock and the gas burner of the stove. She sat up on the counter and cleared her head, pulled her hood down and began to meditate.

"Azarath, Metrion, Zinthose"

She only had to mutter the words when she was stressed or her mind was elsewhere. Rachel thought she felt a presence and like someone was watching but she couldn't sense thought patterns and when she opened her eyes there was no on around. Alfred reappeared shortly afterwards.

"Miss Roth our friend is awake if you would like to see him now."

Rachel responded immediately and sounded too anxious.

"Yeah, I'll go see him. Thank you, Alfred."

She walked out of the kitchen towards the direction of his bedroom and stopped in front of the door. It was open, she could see Dick sitting on the bed with his head in his hands.

"Dick? Are you okay?"

He looked over and smirked. It was the first time she had really looked him in the eyes since they were Titans. His blue eyes looking back at her, staring right through her.

"Yeah Rae, I'm good."

Grayson called her Rae, and she noticed. Anyone else called her that, she would have slammed them against a wall and made sure they never did again. She hadn't heard anyone call her that in years, it was a good sign. He only said it when his emotions were almost too strong to ignore.

"Feels so strange to be back here, it's been years. Haven't been here since I left Jump City that night, which I owe you an apology for."

"Dick, whatever it is forget it. You were in an explosion with Acetaldehyde gas, Barbara told e what Firefly uses."

"Talked to Babs did you?"

He lied back down onto the bed and groaned in pain. Staring at the ceiling he sighed, and looked passed Rachel who was sitting at the foot of the bed now.

"You don't have to keep standing in the shadows Bruce, I know you're there."

Rachel snapped to attention and stared at the door as the tall black figure walked into the room, Rachel swore there was a sudden chill in the room. She had never seen the bat in person, just heard the stories from Dick. How the mere presence of Batman inspired fear into people's hearts. The cowl was still up and the expression on his face was cold it matched the one Dick had earlier that night when they tracked Firefly down.

"Dick, I'm sorry I didn't sense him otherwise I would have-"

Rachel was cut off again by Richard. His voice was low again, cold.

"It's fine Raven, he has techniques that hide his mind so he can't be detected. The Tibetan Monks taught it to him. Now, leave us."

Rachel stood up, put her hood over her head and walked out of the room. Raven rarely got scared but there was something about Batman and the tone that Dick used that chilled her spine. The door slammed shut as Rachel walked back to the kitchen. She saw Alfred and sitting at the table with breakfast. He was used to this routine and knew that Bruce and Richard had not spoken in over six months.

"Hello Miss Roth, would you care for some breakfast? I'm sure it's better than whatever Master Richard has at that charming apartment of his."

"Sure."

"Uh, might I assume something is wrong? Your voice seems stressful"

"It's just Dick. We just met up the other night and I sensed he was troubled. Sometimes he acts like-"

"Like he is becoming the Batman."

"Yeah. But there is more to it, he has moments where he becomes himself then he slips back. Like just now he called me Rae, then when Batman came in he ordered me to leave. Even yesterday he yelled and told me to stay out of his head, but I can't the psylink-"

"Please try to relax Miss Roth, have some breakfast I shall go and fetch you some more herbal tea."

Rachel sat down to eat when Alfred returned and sat to keep her company.

Dick's Room

Bruce and Dick were arguing. Richard told Bruce the truth; the guilt had been eating him for six months and had to tell someone.

"You have been trying to kill yourself for the last six months!"

"That's not-"

"You have been pushing yourself nonstop and you just told me why. You know the difference between failing to stop a bullet, and failing to step in front of one. You lost sight of the value of Roland Desmond's life, you want me to forgive you which I probably can. You made a mistake Dick! Are you going to let it be your last?"

The door opened and then it closed again, Alfred went to see Bruce and returned a few minutes later.

"Miss Roth, Master Wayne would like to speak with you. He's in the hall outside Master Dick's room."

Rachel got up and went to meet Bruce. She was afraid of standing in front of Batman again, his presence made her feel like when Slade had abducted her after he learned that Trigon was her father. And when Dick became enraged and obsessively searched for her. Rachel turned the corner and saw Bruce standing in the hall waiting, still in the bat suit but the cowl was lowered. He seemed less intimidating that way.

"Rachel, sorry you had to hear Dick raise his voice. We haven't been on the best of terms."

"Yeah, he mentioned."

"You must know that he is troubled. I also know about the bond the two of you have the psylink, you saw the death of his parents so you know his pain."

"Yeah. He was the only titan that understood me. He didn't pry into my history and he always understood and respected me. Beast Boy called me weird, I called it different, Dick called it normal. One day he came into my room and we talked. We both felt the L word but we never acted on them, we couldn't jeopardize missions or the team so we never spoke of it again. But we both knew. Then I got abducted by Slade and he searched obsessively for me, beat Slade to the edge of his life until he found me. Then when it was time for the Titans to disband he left without a word. He found me two days ago while I was in Bludhaven and I stayed because the only one I have ever loved was troubled and still is. He's changed."

Bruce just listened and put all the clues together. He broke the silence.

"Dick has a strong guilt, a single regret that haunts him. He'll tell you."

"Doubt it, he told me to stay out of his head."

"He's not afraid of what you see Raven, he's afraid of what you'll think when you see."

Raven looked into the room, Dick was changing into street clothes. He was getting ready to head out.

Bruce turned to leave then stopped only turning his head to see Rachel.

"He cares for you Rachel, more than you know. He acts coldly to protect you. Ask him about why he changed, why he became me."

Bruce then walked down the hall to the study and disappeared. The room to Dick's room opened and he stepped out wearing a blue shirt and jeans, sunglasses were hanging from his shirt collar.

"Oh, hey Rachel. I was just coming to find you. I'm headed back to Bludhaven, if you want to go with me I would appreciate the company. If not I'm sure Bruce could help you find somewhere to go."

"Dick, I said I was never going to leave you, and you of all people should know when I promise something I mean it."

Rachel moved her hand into his, he didn't resist. Then he moved away and grabbed a pile of clothes.

"Here, put these on. Barbara left them for you; they're a bit less conspicuous than your cloak. Meet me in the garage when you're done."

Dick left Rachel to change and went to the garage; there was an extra bike at Wayne Manor for situations like this.

Within five minutes Rachel, had met Richard in the garage.

"I know you don't like to ride, but flying into town above me in the middle of the day will blow my cover."

Dick sat on the bike and started it, he reached down and grabbed two helmets. He put one on and threw the other to Raven.

"Come on, Bludhaven's waiting."

Rachel climbed on and Dick drove off down the driveway to get onto the highway that leads to Bludhaven. Rachel didn't know it but she was squeezing Dick, all she knew is that she was happy.