The air in the Tower was heavy, tense with the weight of unresolved emotions and a deepening sense of mistrust. Beast Boy's mind raced as he looked at his teammates, the silence thick after the shock of hearing Cinderblock was back. He couldn't make sense of it, and neither could they.
"How did the fight go?" Beast Boy asked, his voice breaking the uneasy quiet.
Robin exhaled slowly, his eyes narrowing as he recounted the battle. "That's the strange part. As soon as we showed up, Cinderblock didn't fight. He fled. It was like he didn't want us to see him. The moment we got close, he just vanished—like he was avoiding being caught or even… recognized."
Cyborg's mechanical hand clenched into a fist. "Yeah, we chased him, but it was like he disappeared into thin air. Almost like he shapeshifted or something."
Beast Boy's brow furrowed, the gears in his mind turning. "Shapeshifted? That's my thing," he joked, attempting to lighten the mood. "Maybe I've got competition."
The attempt fell flat. No one laughed, and the awkward silence returned, thicker than before. Beast Boy's smile wavered, his heart sinking as he realized that humor couldn't break the tension in the room. The weight of suspicion had already settled in.
The silence shattered when Raven's voice cut through like a blade, sharp and accusatory. "You wouldn't have anything to do with this, would you?"
All eyes shifted to Terra, who was leaning against the wall, her expression instantly hardening at the accusation. "Excuse me?" Terra bit back, her voice rising with indignation. She pushed herself away from the wall, her posture defensive. "What's that supposed to mean?"
Raven stepped forward, her eyes cold, unwavering. "You heard me. You broke Cinderblock out once before when you were working with Slade. How do we know you haven't already freed Overload or Plasmus too? We know you're capable of it."
Terra's eyes flared with anger, and her fists clenched tightly at her sides, her knuckles turning white. "That's not who I am anymore," she growled through gritted teeth, her body trembling as she tried to keep her emotions in check. "I've been here the whole time. Why are you even bringing this up?"
Robin and Cyborg stood back, watching her carefully, tension rising in the air like a storm brewing. Cyborg's hand hovered near his belt where he had hidden the device, his eyes scanning Terra's every move. He didn't want to use it yet—didn't want to cross that line—but he and Robin exchanged a look, silently agreeing that if Terra escalated this, they would have no choice.
Starfire stood near the window, her large, bright eyes dimmed by uncertainty. She looked on sadly, unsure of where the truth lay. She didn't want to believe that Terra was involved, but Raven's accusations cut deep.
"I've been here with Beast Boy," Terra spat, her voice shaking with fury, her eyes flicking to Robin and Cyborg. "I haven't used my powers, I haven't left, and I haven't done anything wrong. So why are you still treating me like I'm the enemy?"
Raven crossed her arms, her gaze sharp and cold. "You were 'with us' the whole time you were handing Slade our passwords and letting his robots tear through the Tower. You lied to us, betrayed us—how do we know you're not already leaking information to him again? What if you're just setting us up for your revenge?"
The accusation hit like a slap, and Terra's face twisted with raw emotion. "You don't know anything about me!" she shouted, stepping forward, her hands trembling with rage. "I'm not that person anymore. I didn't want to come back because I knew this was exactly how it would go! No one trusts me, no one will ever trust me!"
The tension in the room boiled over, and it seemed for a moment like Terra might lose control, like the earth beneath the Tower might start to tremble. Cyborg tensed, readying himself for the worst, his finger hovering over the hidden device. Robin watched closely, his heart pounding in his chest, waiting for the moment when Terra's anger would push her over the edge.
It seemed inevitable—a standoff was coming, one that would force the Titans to choose between trust and action.
But before things could spiral further, Beast Boy stepped between them, his voice rising to cut through the charged air. "Hey! Raven, you take that back!" His eyes blazed with a protective intensity, his body tensing as he stood his ground. "Terra's been here with me this whole time. She hasn't left, and she hasn't done anything wrong. She's trying, and you're treating her like she's already guilty."
Raven didn't flinch, her face stone-cold. "Trying? She was 'trying' when she handed our lives to Slade, too. How do you know she isn't doing the same thing now? She's done it before. She could've leaked our coordinates while you were busy playing nursemaid, Beast Boy."
Beast Boy's fists clenched, his teeth grinding as a surge of anger rose inside him. He could feel the beast clawing at the edges of his control, threatening to take over. His muscles rippled, his breath coming out in sharp, ragged bursts as his eyes briefly flashed yellow.
"I said that's enough!" Terra's voice cracked as she screamed, tears streaming down her face, her body trembling with fury and pain. "I swear I didn't do any of that! I'm not that person anymore! I never should've come back! This is exactly why I didn't want to!" She choked on her words, her voice breaking as the emotion overwhelmed her. Without another word, she turned and bolted for the door, her sobs echoing through the hall as she ran.
The room fell silent in the wake of her outburst, the only sound the distant hum of the Tower's systems. Beast Boy stood frozen, his heart pounding in his chest, his mind torn between rage and heartbreak. He wanted to chase after her, to make things right, but the weight of everything Raven had said hung heavy over him.
Robin let out a slow breath, his eyes meeting Cyborg's. They hadn't used the device, but they had seen enough. Terra was volatile, her emotions raw and unstable. It wouldn't take much to push her over the edge.
Cyborg shook his head. "This isn't good."
Starfire, her voice quiet and sad, finally spoke. "She is… hurting."
Before anyone could respond, the alarm blared through the Tower once more. Robin quickly checked the signal, and his face darkened.
"It's Cinderblock again," he said, his voice tense. "We need to move."
Beast Boy's head snapped up, his eyes wide with shock. "Again? But… I still don't understand, how did he even get out ? We beat him with the rest of the Brain's army."
Robin nodded, his jaw clenched in frustration. "I know. But he's back. And we need to stop him."
The team prepared to leave, the weight of Terra's outburst still hanging over them. Beast Boy's heart ached as he watched them go, knowing he couldn't leave Terra like this. He turned back to the hall where she had fled.
"I'll stay here," he said quietly. "Terra needs someone right now."
Robin looked at him, conflicted, but nodded. "Keep an eye on her. We'll handle Cinderblock."
As the Titans rushed out, Beast Boy took a deep breath and made his way toward the waterside, where Terra had run. He wasn't sure what he would say to her, but he knew he couldn't let her go through this alone. Not again.