I did some digging on the true episode order of the show. Turns out, Divide and Conquer was the first episode produced, but Final Exam was the first episode that aired. I personally think Final Exam makes a better first episode of the series, so I'm glad I made it the first chapter this time around. I'm not sure if there are any other changes in the order of the episodes, but I suppose I'll find out as I write!

Final Exam

(Raven)

Beast boy leaned his body against hers, his arm slung around her shoulders as she helped him limp into the Titans Tower. Their large, T-shaped home stood alone in the middle of a very small island off the coast of the city. When the team first formed, Robin lobbied the city government to finance their home, arguing it would encourage criminals to attack them rather than the city. He also claimed it would give them the privacy to train, develop technological skills, and store any dangerous artifacts. It worked, and they've lived in the ostentatiously large tower ever since. Quite ironic, since the whereabouts of Batman and Robin's hideout was a great mystery to the public, yet when Robin branched out on his own, he picked something incredibly visible and arguably flashy.

Robin…

As though he read her thoughts, Beast boy mumbled, "That didn't just happen… that couldn't have just happened."

She sighed, lowering him down on the black, leather chair. The Titans rarely used this room. It was on the first floor and often for government officials who wanted to visit to check that the people's tax dollars weren't going to waste. There was a large screen in the back of the building for presentations, and multiple black leather chairs outlined the room. It was cold and empty. Perfect for a day like today.

Beast boy started mindlessly rubbing his leg. It must have been hurt during the fight.

"It did," she replied, her voice still hoarse from her pathetic screaming in the sewer. "We can't deny the reality. It happened."

There was no emotion in her voice. In fact, she still felt numb. It still didn't feel right. For Robin to be taken down by three teenagers? To be dropped into a sewer and never seen again? At the very least, she always assumed he'd die heroically during the end of the world, resisting it til his final breath. Perhaps that final breath would have been curses thrown at her, paired with wishes that he never met her, never took a chance on her, never welcomed her into the team.

She shook her head. Those thoughts wouldn't do. Back to the present. You are with Beast boy, and he's hurt. She felt a twinge of guilt that she forgot about him even for that few seconds. Kneeling, she gently hovered her hands above his thigh, being careful not to touch, and channeled her magic from her fingertips into the injury. The muscle was torn. She closed her eyes, concentrating on healing it. Once she finished, she withdrew her hands and opened her eyes. Beast boy gave her a weak smile.

"I didn't know you could do that," he whispered. "Thanks."

She offered him a small smile in return. A moment of silence passed between them, mournful and loud in its own right. Suddenly, the doors slid open, and both their heads whirled towards the door in hope. Cyborg and Starfire, not Robin, walked into the room with bright grins on their faces. Raven's numbness melted away, oozing out of her body only to be replaced with dread and despair. Judging by the way Beast boy gulped, he felt the same.

"You guys should have seen me," Cyborg's voice was boisterous and his smile was blinding. "I was halfway to Gotham City before Starfire managed to get that thing off my back! What did I miss? How'd we kick their butts?"

Raven and Beast boy glanced wearily at each other.

Starfire looked around, frowning. "Where's Robin?"

Beast boy sighed and stood up. He looked directly into her eyes. "Listen… Star…he's… I don't know how to say this."

"He's gone," Raven finished. She spoke with a harsh finality that didn't match her feelings of confusion and loss.

Starfire blinked. "What do you mean he's gone?"

"We don't know where he is," Beast boy's hands began to shake. "We searched everywhere, but we couldn't find him. We don't even know if he's… alive."

The last word was whispered as though if the world didn't hear him then perhaps it couldn't come true. Tears began to fill his eyes, and Raven's gaze softened at Beast boy's crumbled expression. Due to her powers, she was sensitive to the emotions of those around her. It's yet another reason why she's distanced herself from anyone who's ever dared to try and get close. It was too easy to feel other people's feelings, to get so lost in their emotions that she couldn't tell them apart from her own. Right now, her own grief felt tied to Beast boy's. She could feel his devastation as well as his deep hope that Robin was okay. Beast boy had always deeply admired Robin from the time he was a child. Nothing could ever touch Robin, in his eyes. Not until today…

For a moment, it was as though they all suddenly remembered he was just a human with no powers, no special abilities.

Starfire clenched her fists. "I do not understand! How could you not find him?"

"Star," Beast boy whispered.

"People do not just vanish," she continued, her voice rising with every word. "He has to be somewhere! Why did you just give up? He has to be somewhere, so let's go there and look!"

Raven shook her head and pulled out the utility belt from her cloak. "We looked everywhere. This is all we found."

Starfire gasped. With shaking hands, she reached out and lightly touched the utility belt as though it had the ability to make Robin suddenly reappear again. Raven subconsciously tightened her grip on the belt, not wanting to give away the last remaining piece of Robin. Deep down though, she knew Robin would want Starfire to have it. She forced herself to loosen her grip, allowing Starfire to shakily take it into her own arms and press it against her heart.

"I should have been there!" Cyborg slammed his fist into the wall, startling the rest of the group. "I let that kid sneak up on me, and I wasn't even there! I should have been there!"

"It's not your fault," Beast boy countered. "It's none of our faults. It's those stupid H.I.V.E. guys! They're responsible for this!"

"It's not true," Starfire shook her head, clutching the belt like a lifeline. "He's still out there."

"Star could be right," Beast boy said, hope creeping into his tone. "This is Robin we're talking about! He's invincible! He could come home at any minute now!"

All of them glanced at the door for a beat, as though Robin would make a sudden dramatic entrance with a cocky grin and a what are you guys moping around for? When nothing happened, they all turned to each other again, their expressions wrecked with grief and despair. Silence filled the room once more, heavy and weighing down on them all.

Beast boy broke the silence with a soft whisper, "Should we tell Batman?"

Cyborg sucked in a breath, and Starfire's eyes shifted towards the door once again, as though Robin would appear specifically to scold Beast boy for even daring to say that name. Once more, nothing happened.

"I don't even know how we would reach him," Cyborg admitted. "I don't…"

A noise interrupted Cyborg, and everyone's heads, again, turned towards the door. In Starfire's case, she gasped and immediately flew to the door with a large grin on her face.

"Robin!" She yelled.

Only to be immediately caught in an explosion, hurling her onto ground as the doors blew open. The three H.I.V.E. members strutted in, smirking at them as though they knew they caught them in a moment of weakness. Raven scowled, and Starfire hastily jumped back to her feet.

"You know, we realized something after the fight," Jinx's voice was cocky. "We forgot to introduce ourselves. I'm Jinx."

"Gizmo!"

"Mammoth."

"And we're here to finish what we started!" Jinx smirked.

"That won't be so easy," Cyborg scowled. "You're in our house now."

"Yeah," the small boy, Gizmo, whistled. "It sure is a nice place. Let's take it!"

Cyborg immediately began to sonically blast them, and Starfire quickly latched the utility belt around her body as she flew up, joining him by throwing starbolts in their direction; however, Raven knew it was futile. After losing Robin, none of them were in the mood to fight. She could feel the emotional drain that venomously sucked at their abilities, and it was only a matter of time before they gave out. The three villains began to advance on them, forcing the Titans back.

Cyborg shouted, "Titans, split up!"

Not quite as unifying as Titans GO, but they all listened. Raven and Starfire flew up the stairs, throwing a mixture of starbolts and magicked objects at Mammoth, who raced after them. They ran into the gym, and Starfire used her starbolts to burn the doors shut. Raven raised an eyebrow. She didn't realize that was something Starfire could do. Once she finished, Starfire turned to her, eyes wide with fright as though she too knew that it was only a matter of time before they were driven out of their own home.

Before either could speak, Mammoth's head smashed through the wall behind them, looking like something out of a horror movie. He manically grinned. "Hello ladies."

Raven gripped the weights with her powers, hurling them with all her might at the man. Starfire backed her up, blasting starbolt after starbolt. It was no good. They were tired, exhausted, grieving, and their powers reflected that. Everything bounced off Mammoth's body without inflicting any injury or pain. He continued to slowly approach them, enjoying their increasing fear. Raven and Starfire looked at each other, panic in both their expressions, and they turned towards the door that they had foolishly sealed behind them. Mammoth snagged Raven's cape, yanking her towards him.

"No!" She exclaimed as he hoisted her over his back. He used his other arm to grab Starfire's arm, twisting it at an uncomfortable angle. She yelped in pain, and he walked over to the sealed doors, using one firm kick to crumbled them into dust. Raven kicked and hit at his back, but his grip around her waist was painfully tight and would certainly bruise. She couldn't help but recall softer, warmer hands that touched that very same spot earlier today. The bright and easy smile of the man who took the fall for her without complaint. The same man who foolishly tried to take on three supervillains alone. Grief struck her again, and all the strength left her body. Her arms and legs sagged, and she glanced sadly at Starfire, who was still struggling to get out of his grip. Starfire's bright green eyes met hers once again.

An unspoken message passed between them. Raven closed her eyes and focused her magic on the hand around Starfire's arm. Mammoth stopped and growled as his grip was being forcibly loosened. Still, it was too late. Starfire broke free and sent one final blast, smacking him in the fast and disrupting his balance. The hand around her waist loosened, and Raven leaped off his shoulder. Starfire and Raven both jumped out of the nearby open window, flying out to escape their home.

Just another thing they've lost today.

They landed inland when they saw Cyborg and Beast boy, dripping wet, sitting pathetically on a pile of rocks. Well, she thought glumly, at least we lost as a team. She sighed and went to sit beside them, twiddling her thumbs and wondering what went wrong today. They were off their game. Even before Robin disappeared, they weren't fighting as cohesive as usual. Was it because they were caught off guard by the fake baby? Was it the team dynamics of these trained H.I.V.E. members? No... something wasn't right, and Raven had a dreadful feeling that this was just the beginning of something much bigger, much more sinister to come.

After all, she knew about sinister quite intimately.

"So..." Beast boy mumbled weakly, bringing her back to the present moment. "Who else never wants to go surfing again?"

"Not now man," Cyborg snapped. It was then Raven noticed one of his arms were missing, and his body movements were off. His limbs kept randomly twitching, and his red eye would glow, go dark, and glow again. He must have faced off with Gizmo again, Raven thought to herself. Cyborg scowled, and he opened the control panel on his right thigh. He switched out his thumb for a drill and started manually fixing his leg, which was clearly a difficult feat considering how it kept twitching. Cyborg flinched in pain, but he determinedly kept going.

Starfire slowly approached him. "I can help."

"I got it." His tone was curt.

"But you are badly damaged! Perhaps I could—"

"I said I got it!" Cyborg yelled. Raven flinched, remembering a time earlier today when she, too, tried offering her help only to be violently pushed away.

Beast boy scowled. "Hey don't yell at her! What's your problem?"

"What do you think?" Cyborg was full on screaming now. "We just got kicked out of our house, a little snot nosed kid took me for a joy ride, I lost my right-hand, and ROBIN DIDN'T COME BACK!"

Raven shut her eyes. "Enough," she clenched her fists. "You need to control yourself."

"Or what?" Cyborg stepped forward, his voice getting louder with each word. He was right in front of her now, pointing his finger right into her face. "Our bad vibes will keep you from meditating?"

Raven flinched, and Cyborg pulled back, regret shining in his eyes.

A tense beat passed before Starfire whispered, "I wish Robin were here."

"Well he's not," Cyborg snapped, his anger overtaking his previous regret. He scowled at the ground, raising his right hand as though he were about touch his face. He paused, remembering he no longer had a right hand and kicked at the ground. "They won, and we lost. That's it!"

Yet another silence passed between the group. It was ironic. Earlier today, all Raven wanted was peace and quiet. Now she would give anything for them to all be back in the tower, to be listening to them arguing over the remote or pizza toppings or which video game to play. Hell, if she were being honest, she even missed longingly watching Robin as he flirted with Starfire. Sure, it hurt, but at least he was there. That hurt was nothing compared to what she was experiencing now.

"So," Beast boy whispered, "there's no more Teen Titans?"

"Not yet." The team gasped and whirled around. Raven's heart leaped into her throat, and tears sprung to her eyes. Starfire's hands went to her mouth, a gasp passing her lips. Even Beast boy and Cyborg looked awed at the sight before them.

Robin stood there, a cocky smirk on his lips and his shirt flapping in the wind. He didn't look hurt at all. "Not if I can help it."

He shared the plan with the Titans, drawing figures in the dirt so they could visualize how to move. The plan started with Cyborg's right arm, which remained in the tower. "I don't know if I can control it," Cyborg confessed, his left arm twitching. "That kid messed with my control panel."

Robin hummed in thought, his masked gaze analyzing Cyborg's malfunctioning body. "Raven, do you have my utility belt?"

Raven raised her eyebrows, her lips parting in surprise. How…

"I do!" Starfire cheerily replied, unlatching the belt from around her waist. Robin's eyebrows raised, almost mimicking Raven's shocked expression, but nonetheless he took the belt. For a moment, he gazed down at the belt then turned to Raven, a question clearly written in his face. He almost looked… betrayed? Though that couldn't be right.

If he were like anyone else she'd met, she would immediately know what he was feeling. Yet, Robin was the only person whose emotions evaded her. It's not like she tried to read other people's feelings. It's just that she couldn't help but feel them as though they were her own. It took years of training to distinguish between herself and others. Robin, however, was a different story. From him, she received nothing, as though he knew how to control his emotions with the same finite focus and intention that she was trained to do all her life.

She didn't understand what he was trying to convey with that look, yet somehow she felt guilt. She didn't know why.

The moment between them passed quickly, and Raven doubted anyone else on the team noticed their silent communication. Robin strapped the belt around his waist and schooled his features into a calm, easygoing expression. He grabbed a tool from his belt and approached Cyborg.

"Do you mind?" Robin asked, and Cyborg stared at him with surprise and unease. "I know the control panel is on your back, and you can't reach it. Let me help."

"Uh, dude," Beast boy gulped. "You know what you're doing with that?"

Robin smirked.

That seemed to be enough for Cyborg, who sighed and sat down, allowing Robin to open the control panel on his back. The rest of the team stared in awe as he skillfully reprogrammed his back, fixing the nicks and bugs that were plaguing Cyborg's movements.

By the time Robin was done, the sun had fallen, which was perfect timing. His plan required the stealth of the night to cover their descent to the Titans Tower.

Time to reclaim their home.

Raven crouched on the roof, reaching out her magic to feel for the three bodies that invaded their living room. Cyborg was remotely controlling his arm, triggering the alarm system and distracting their foes from what was to come. That very alarm was Starfire's queue to sneak into the vent. She gave everyone a bright grin before she disappeared.

Now all they had to do was wait.

After a few moments, Raven felt Gizmo's terror as Cyborg's arm dragged him out of their family room. She could feel Jinx's surprise, and she used that moment to shadow travel into the room, wrapping her magic around Jinx's body and tugging her through the walls and onto the roof. She dropped her onto the concrete ceiling, feeling a petty satisfaction after being knocked around by this girl so much today. Gizmo soon joined her, his body wrapped in the wiring from Cyborg's arm. Last was Mammoth, who Starfire blasted through the doors, making him landing on his butt right next to his teammates.

It was amazing how quickly their strength returned to them once they discovered Robin was alive.

"What the hairball?" Gizmo exclaimed.

"Sorry to interrupt the victory party," Robin crossed his arms. With his cape waving in the wind, he looked like the typical hero, ready to save the day. "But like I said: this isn't over."

"It's only just begun," Cyborg smirked.

Jinx scowled, clenching her fists and directing a harsh glare at the team. "Attack pattern alpha!"

Raven snorted. As though that will work on us again. Still, this time she was determined not to leave Robin's side. Starfire immediately flew after Jinx, dodging her waves of magic and returning her attacks with starbolts of her own, one right after the other. Beast boy ran toward Mammoth, but this time he took the form of a hawk to skillfully dodge Mammoth's attacks.

Meanwhile, Cyborg remained where he was. Gizmo immediately appeared above him, jumping onto his back and grinning. "Ready to get hacked again?"

"Nope," Cyborg smirked. "Robin!"

"Huh?"

Robin emerged from the shadows, which was quite an impressive feat given the brightness of his costume. He threw a gadget that landed right in the center of Gizmo's technological backpack. Immediately, it started sparking, and Gizmo cried in alarm as his entire software began to malfunction.

"No!" Gizmo screamed. "You'll crash my whole system!"

Suddenly, rockets appeared from the backpack, and Gizmo shot off into the sky, screaming the whole while. Cyborg whistled, clearly impressed, and turned to Robin. "Since when have you been able to make stuff like that?"

Robin grinned. "I can't share all my secrets with you now, can I?"

"You could at least share one," Cyborg mumbled, a little pouty.

Raven fondly rolled her eyes and flew off, satisfied that Robin and Cyborg were safe. Besides, now it was her turn. Beast boy flew away from Mammoth towards Jinx while Raven took his spot, sending waves of magic at the large man. Every time he tried grabbing her, she flew into the air, just out of his reach. Now that there was no ceiling to limit her, he couldn't touch her. Just as he growled, jumping to try and reach her foot, Cyborg slammed into him, knocking him to the ground. He clumsily sat up only to be met with the jaws of a T-Rex. Mammoth screamed, jumping back in alarm. This gave Starfire the opportunity to blast him with all her strength, knocking him down and dazing him.

Robin, befittingly, delivered the final blow, kicking him so hard that he slammed back into the dazed Jinx and Gizmo, who were tired from their own individual fights with Cyborg and Beast boy. They all fell to the ground, groaning in pain and unable to get up.

The Teen Titans won.

"Crammit!" Gizmo grumbled, pulling out another digital device that was clearly malfunctioning. "I'm calling Slade."

Robin frowned, approaching the defeated team, and grabbed Gizmo by the collar, lifting him off the ground only inches away from his face. "Who is Slade?"

Gizmo smirked. "Wouldn't you like to know?

Robin scowled, his grip around the boy's collar tightening. For once, Robin let his emotions slip, and Raven shuddered.

Rage.

Without thinking, she stepped forward and placed a hand on his shoulder. Robin tensed but immediately relaxed once he realized just who was touching him. Raven didn't say anything. She just closed her eyes, picturing a calm ocean, the waves drifting back and forth under the bright moon. Tension eased from Robin's shoulders, and he let out a small breath. He dropped the boy and stepped back.

"Tie them up," he ordered. "I'll call the extraction team to lock them up."

They entered their family room to find it clean, organized, and almost pristine looking. Robin whistled when he saw his face reflecting back at him off the counter tops. While he seemed impressed, the rest of the Titans were certainly not. Starfire moaned about the loss of their blue, moldy food while Cyborg and Beast boy still struggled to find the remote. Raven, meanwhile, was furious to see that Jinx went into her room. The girl clearly didn't linger long, and the mirror was untouched thank goodness, but it irked her to no end. Perhaps she shouldn't have calmed Robin down after the battle.

No, his rage was dangerous, and he needed to be stopped, Raven thought to herself.

Robin was promising Starfire some pizza, since they never got the chance to actually order earlier, and the other two boys finally found the remote; however, now they were arguing about what to watch.

Raven took a moment to let their victory sink in. Their family was back home. Satisfied, but exhausted, she silently exited the room, eager for some peace and quiet to reflect on just about everything that happened today. Still, she didn't want to go back to her room and face the violation of Jinx's leftover presence. The peace she desired would, for once, not be in her room. Instead she took the stairs to the second most peaceful place in the tower.

Once she opened the doors to the roof, she breathed in the fresh air and salty smell of the ocean. Tension immediately left her body, and she let a light smile grace her lips. She slowly approached the waist-high wall, peering over the edge at the ground below. After a moment, she levitated above that very wall and lowered herself, so she could sit. Her feet dangled over the open air and the sea below. Once the image of the ocean was engrained in her mind, she turned her gaze towards the sky, where the full moon brightened the world around her. Perhaps the full moon explained the emotional whirlwind of the day. At least now it was over. For a while, it was just her and her breathing, acknowledging and letting go of her emotions while staring at the stars and the moon above. She could meditate later. Right now, she just wanted to be.

"I thought I'd find you up here."

She jumped, surprised at the sudden presence that she normally would have immediately sensed. That meant it was Robin, the only person who's ever managed to sneak up on her.

She frowned. "I wanted quiet."

"I can tell," he replied. Instead of taking the subtle hint to leave, he walked towards her, placing his hands on the wall, and lifted himself up. He swung his legs around, so they too were dangling over the edge of the building. He was sitting side by side with her, his thigh lightly touching her own.

Her frown deepened. "You're human. If you fall, you'll die."

Again.

"If I fall, you'll catch me," he countered with a little smile.

She scowled, knowing fully well that was true but not liking how liberally he was treating his own life. Again. "It was foolish of you," she muttered. "Trying to take them on all alone like that."

"But I wasn't alone. I had you."

Her scowl turned into a glare, and he met her gaze unflinchingly. She didn't back down, and for a moment it was a battle of wills without any words being spoken. Finally, he let out a small, regretful sigh.

"I'm sorry," he sounded sincere. "I didn't mean to worry you."

She glanced away, staring at her own fingers atop her lap. "I wasn't worried."

"I heard you, you know."

Her eyes widened, and her gaze snapped back to him. He never looked away from her, not once. His masked eyes bored into hers. Not for the first time, she wondered what they looked like, what emotions they held. No one knew what he looked like under that mask, and she wondered if anyone ever would.

He reached out and gently took her hand, giving it a light squeeze. "I never want to hear you sound like that again. I… I really am sorry. I tried to scream back for you, but I was too weak. I hit my head, and I was barely conscious. It took all my effort to leave my utility belt for you."

For you.

Raven didn't dwell on that. Instead, she whispered, "Does your head still hurt?"

Robin smirked, using his other hand to rub his scalp. "No, I'm fine. It feels a lot better now."

Raven reached out her other hand, the one not holding Robin's, magic tingling at her fingers. Robin leaned towards her, as though he knew what she was about to do. She lightly rested her fingers on his head, feeling the scabs and his soft black hair. It certainly felt like it still hurt. She flinched, realizing he was braving through the fight with this wound the entire time. She closed her eyes, sending her magic to heal the broken skin, to ease the pain in his head. He let out a small noise of relief, and she drew back her hand.

He gave her a gentle smile. "Thank you."

She looked away, murmuring, "It was nothing."

He paused, still staring at her, his hand still in hers. "Why did you give my belt to Starfire?"

Raven's brow furrowed. "What do you mean?"

"I left it for you," he replied once again in that matter-of-fact way. As though he was trying to convey some deeper meaning that should have been obvious to her.

Raven rolled her eyes. "Of course I gave it to Starfire. I know—"

"Know what?" He challenged, and Raven lost her ability to speak. She suddenly became hyperaware of his hand holding hers, of the gentle, reassuring squeeze. He left the belt for her. To let her know he was safe. So she could…

No, so she could give it to Starfire.

The girl he loved.

They made sense together, after all.

She shook her head. "Nothing."

She removed her hand from his and swung her legs onto the other side of the wall, hopping back down to the ground. She wanted to go back inside. The roof was not providing her the peace she so desperately needed. She only managed to take a few steps towards the door when—

"Why do you always do that?"

She paused, turning around. Robin was still sitting on the wall, but now his body was facing towards her, his legs above the ceiling ground instead. His gaze was fixated on hers with an inexplicable expression of hurt. She frowned. "Do what?"

The last silent moment of the day lingered, though this time Raven didn't know what to make of it. The moon shined brightly upon the two of them, allowing her to take in the boy, the man, before her. He stared at her for a good while, as though she was a puzzle he was trying to solve. She probably was. After all, he was trained by the greatest detective known to man. It makes sense that he would be enamored by the mystery she carried with her. That's all she was to him. A case to figure out. A mystery to solve.

And one day, a demon to slay.

Robin sighed in defeat, clearly finding nothing in her expression that satisfied him. He pushed off the wall, his feet landing on the solid ground beneath him. "Nothing. Let's go back inside. The pizza should be here soon."

She nodded. The heavy air of disappointment weighed on her, and suddenly she remembered her desperation in the sewer, the horror of thinking he was dead, of all the things she left unsaid.

She didn't want the night to end like this.

So she said with a dead serious tone, "I hope you guys got the banana and mint icing toppings that I like so much."

Robin halted, looking completely flabbergasted, then tilted his head back and laughed. It was a laugh that went all the way to his belly. She couldn't help but chuckle in response.

"Oh don't you worry," he joked, strolling to her side and nudging her shoulder. They walked towards the inside of the building together, shoulder to shoulder. "We even got some chocolate chips on it!"

She snorted. "My favorite."

"Anything for you," he grinned.

No, Robin.

It's me who would do anything for you.

Thanks for reading! And thanks for all the support with me coming back! It warms my heart.