Fan Fiction ❯ Will D. Beest ❯ Blood is Thick ( Chapter 15 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Notes: I happened to see “Birthmark” in the midst of this, and oddly enough, it was remarkably similar to a plot bunny I was tossing around, so I may or may not do that one now. But it also helped me finish this one up, strangely enough. Keep in mind that alternate timelines can mean different results to similar events.

This chapter also makes reference to something that happened in “Raven's Reward,” so be sure to have read that previously.

Chapter 15: Blood is Thick

Starfire paused outside the medlab, trying her best to put on a brave face. Now that Blackfire was conscious, she would probably be upset about her missing arm.

Well, that was understatement.

Blackfire would be FURIOUS about her missing arm, and that was probably why Cyborg had summoned Starfire. Not to console her sister, but to help hold her down. And while Starfire was hopeful that her sister might be slightly comforted by her presence, she was far more afraid that Blackfire would blame the Titans—and Starfire herself, indirectly—for her lost arm.

But, as Starfire found out when she stepped through the medlab door, sometimes people can surprise you.

“…won't say it again, Blackfire!” Cyborg was shouting. “I am NOT putting a death laser in this thing!”

“C'mon, big guy! You OWE me! I saved all of your butts!”

“…yeah, well, nobody ASKED you to! It's not like you're on our allies list!”

“Face it, tall, dark, and shiny: you wouldn't be here if it wasn't for me and my normally non-heroic ways. So shut your trap and GIVE ME MY DEATH LASER!!!”

“NO WAY!!!”

Starfire cleared her throat softly. Cyborg looked up at her, relief washing over his face. Blackfire looked only marginally guilty for a moment, and then her face split into an almost blinding grin.

“Starry!” Blackfire cooed happily, startling both Titans. “C'mere and give your big sis a hug!” She reached out with her remaining arm, beckoning her sister closer.

Starfire was starting to wonder if maybe Cyborg had forgotten to mention some severe head trauma in his initial report on Blackfire's condition. Still, she approached her sister and hugged her willingly enough. “How are you, sister?” she asked slowly, the concern in her voice all too obvious.

Blackfire pouted and laid her head on Starfire's arm. “Starry, make mean ol' Cyborg give me a death laser!”

“Oh, that's DIRTY, even for you!” Cyborg protested.

“Why do you need this…death laser?” Starfire asked, earning a shocked look from Cyborg.

Blackfire pretended not to notice his outrage. “See that?” she asked, pointing at a table behind Cyborg.

Starfire peered over Cyborg's shoulder, where she could see what looked like a smaller, thinner (and even feminine) version of Cyborg's right arm. “I see it.”

“Cyborg said he'd make me an arm like his,” Blackfire explained, “but he won't put a death laser in it!”

“Damn right!” Cyborg snorted. “Because the FIRST thing she'd do is take out Titans Tower for fun! Anyway, even I don't have a death laser!”

“You get a sonic cannon! Why can't I have a sonic cannon?!” Blackfire's voice was now approaching the point where it might even be considered a whine.

“I gave you a sonic gun,” Cyborg argued. “It's got about half the power and comes out the side.”

“That's not ENOUGH!” Blackfire wailed. “Starry, make him give me better weapons!” She tugged insistently on her sister's arm.

“You do not need them,” Starfire said at once.

“How can you say that?! I can only put out half as many Blackbolts as before! I'm at a disadvantage! You wouldn't leave me virtually defenseless, would you?!”

“Of course not. But you are not virtually defenseless, and neither is Titans Tower. You are safer here than you could be anywhere else.”

“And how do you know?” Blackfire asked with a frown, sensing she actually might not get her way.

“Because you have me,” Starfire said solemnly, squeezing her hand, “and I would never allow anyone to hurt you.”

Blackfire blinked a few times. Finally, she settled back into her bed, still looking a bit peeved, but noticeably a lot quieter.

“So, no on the death laser, right?” Cyborg asked for clarification.

Starfire looked at her sister's sour expression and stroked her hair gently. “Maybe just a small laser, of the non-death variety?”

“That'll work,” Cyborg relented, “and I could still sleep at night knowing I'd done it.” He bent over the arm to make the adjustments.

Blackfire glared up at her sister, but without much of her usual menace. “You were supposed to get me a death laser,” she complained.

Starfire smiled a bit and leaned down to whisper in her ear. “I am sorry, sister. But if you want, I would be happy to be your personal instrument of death, if it meant keeping you safe.”

“That's nowhere near as good,” Blackfire muttered, settling firmly into sulk mode.

With a smile, Starfire kissed her sister's forehead. “I will take that as a yes.”

* * * * *

“I want to thank you all for being there for us when we needed you the most,” Robin said. “As far as we're concerned, you're all-”

“Honorary Titans?” Livewire interrupted with a frown. She shot Static a look when he nudged her.

“I was going to say reserve Titans,” Robin finished, picking up a case with four communicators in it. “You don't have to take them, but we want you to know that we're willing to count on you, should the need arise in the future.”

Supergirl shrugged and took one. “I've already got one, but for all I know, the Fortress got wiped out while I was away, or will be next month. Always good to have a spare I can carry on me.”

“So I guess Static gets two, right?” Livewire asked after Jade took hers.

“No, one is for you,” Robin explained. “Of course, if you two are going to be together…”

Static blushed, and Livewire grinned.

“We'll see,” Livewire said after a moment, taking both communicators and handing one to Static.

“Well, gotta fly,” Supergirl said. “Raven wants to run some tests on Wildy with the Fortress computers. Jade, don't steal anything too important. Oh, and Raven says you have a year to return all those `borrowed' talisman powers.”

“No promises,” Jade replied with a grin.

Supergirl turned to Livewire. “And you. Don't hurt him too bad.”

“If anyone could take it, he could,” Livewire said confidently.

“Take what, exactly?” Static asked, a bit nervously.

“You'll find out, if you're lucky,” Livewire promised, patting his cheek as she waved at Supergirl. “Later, Blondie.”

* * * * *

“So…I really did it?” Beast Boy asked quietly, staring into her eyes.

“You didn't do anything I wouldn't have,” Raven replied, releasing his face.

“No offense, Raven, but you did a lot of things last night I didn't think you would have.”

She stood up and moved away. “Everyone has bad nights.”

“No one has them like you, though.”

Raven sighed and closed her eyes. “Was there anything else you wanted?”

“Yeah. Thanks. For trying to protect me. If that's why you did it, I mean.”

“I did it because you're my friend, and I know you would've done the same for me.”

“Actually…I wouldn't have,” Beast Boy murmured, staring at the floor. “I just…I always thought you were so strong, Raven. And it's not that I don't think killing someone wouldn't phase you. It's just that…I think you'd be able to deal and move on. You always do.”

“I always had to. For what it's worth, I'm sorry you had to do what you did. But I'm still glad you were willing to do it for me.” Raven bent down and brushed his forehead with a kiss. “You'll get over it, Beast Boy. Even if you're not as strong as me, you're strong enough. You have to be.”

“I used to think so. Now, I don't know. What's Wildy going to think of me now? I'm a horrible parent. Parents don't kill people.”

“I'm starting to think we're all horrible parents,” Raven pointed out. “But that's one thing we can still fix.”

“How?”

“Let me worry about that,” Raven answered, touching his shoulder. “Get some more rest. You look like…”

“Like I had the night we all had?” Beast Boy supplied.

“…exactly.” She ran her hand briefly but affectionately through his hair, then turned and walked out of his room.

Beast Boy sighed and flopped back onto his bed, staring into space. “I want to believe she deserved it. But I can't say that for sure. I can't say anything for sure anymore…”

* * * * *

There was only a five-second delay in the transmission, but it was enough that Robin knew he'd interrupted something.

“Good evening, young Master-”

“Alfred. It's good to hear your voice, but this is business. Is he-?”

“Just a moment, sir.”

It was slightly more than that, however, when a deeper, rougher voice spoke. “This isn't a social call.”

“Not exactly, no.”

“You're going to have to explain that one.”

“It's about one of my teammates.”

“Raven?”

Robin paused, frowning. “How did you-?”

“Who else would you be calling me for advice on?”

“…good point.”

“What did she do, exactly?”

“It's complicated. We had some trouble with Slade, and Beast Boy was forced to kill one of his apprentices, in order to save Raven. But…she altered his memory, so that he wouldn't remember it.”

“…and your problem with that is what?”

“I know why she did it. I'm not taking issue with that. But it's the fact that she did it, without thinking or asking for permission.”

“It seems to me that Raven is one of the least thoughtless people on your team, Robin. She doesn't act without considering the options. I'd say she knew precisely what she was doing.”

“Maybe. But she also entered Starfire's mind and accessed her powers.”

“Without permission.”

“Yes, and she pushed them to the limit-”

“To save who?”

“…well, Starfire.”

“Did it work?”

“Yes.”

“Did Starfire forgive her?”

“Yes.”

“Did you?”

“It doesn't matter. That's twice she's violated the minds of her teammates, and in the same night.”

“It sounds like it wasn't a typical night for any of you. What are you more afraid of? That she's losing control, or that she's going to a darker place and liking it?”

“Both. I can't believe that Raven would enjoy manipulating us, but I don't know if she can stop herself, now that she's started.”

“Have you talked to her?”

“Only about Beast Boy. She said she'd remove the block to his memory. I believe her.”

“So long as you can continue to believe her, Robin. So far, she's only violated your trust when there was a real need for it. Something you've done yourself, if memory serves correctly. The second she does it for no reason, call her on it. She'll either back down or take off. Either way, your team will be safer.”

“I don't want to fight her on this. They're her powers, but-”

“It's your minds on the line. Remember what you told me the first time I doubted your wisdom in letting her join.”

“…I told you she was our friend.”

“And I called you a fool. But as I said then, there's a thin line between them. Don't be the fool that gets killed by a friend, Robin. But that starts by not being the fool that calls an enemy a friend.”

If the man had anything more to say, Robin didn't hear it, as he'd cut the connection. He sighed and ran his hands through his hair. “I told myself not to be the fool that made the call. And here I am.”

He turned to the window, just in time to see Supergirl and Raven fly past. Both caught his gaze, and Supergirl waved and blew a kiss before soaring into the clouds.

Raven merely stared at him, and Robin stared back, refusing to look away. To his surprise, it was Raven that tore her eyes away first, quicker than he'd expected, and vanished into the clouds as well. Even more surprising was the faint shimmer he'd seen in her eyes, as if she'd been on the brink of tears…

* * * * *

“I may not be your father,” Superman said slowly, “but you, young lady, are definitely grounded.”

Supergirl glared up at him. “I think you are my dad. Because only a parent would do this in front of my friends!”

Superman didn't flinch in the slightest as he glanced at Raven. “I am sorry about that. But you need to learn this lesson right away. The instant you found out about…” He trailed off, looking uncertain.

“Wildy,” Raven supplied, causing the bundle in her arms to squirm in response.

“…him, you should have told me, or at least someone in the League. There's no excuse for-”

“Okay!” Supergirl interrupted. “I'm sorry, and I've been very, very bad! But my friends needed me! What was I supposed to do, take a message and squeal on them, or keep their butts from getting kicked?!”

“Kara, I've told you a thousand times, even we can't save everyone.”

“But we always try! That's exactly why you formed the League! So you and a million other heroes could try! But if you won't even keep me on the active roster half the time, I'm not going to sit around here watching your pets every single day! I guarantee you that everyone I've helped is glad I'm not stuck in here all the time! The only thing you can confine me to is this planet, and I'm not going to stop helping people just because I'm grounded! And if you try to stop me, I'll…I'll…I'll punch you in the nose!”

Raven blinked. “Uh oh.”

Superman stared at his young cousin with a stony expression. Finally, he shook his head. “At the most, you'd give me a nosebleed and yourself a sprained wrist.”

“I'd still do it,” Supergirl snapped, raising a fist in what she hoped was a threatening manner.

“I know I'm not your father. But I have every right to worry about you. What if Wildy had been born with Kryponite in his veins?”

“How likely is that?”

“Likely enough,” Superman countered. “The point is, you should've had the League scan him.”

“We did check him out,” Raven added after a moment. “So far, the only real danger was-”

“Turning into a monster and killing people, even if they arguably deserved it?” Superman offered.

“Uh…yeah.” Raven blinked. “If my vote counts, Dr. Light DID deserve it.”

Superman closed his eyes. “Kara, I just want you to be more careful. That's why you're not on the active roster, and that's why I ask you to stay here sometimes. You're close to invincible, but really, no one is, exactly. Everyone has a weakness, and whether they know it or not, somewhere, there's someone willing to exploit that weakness.”

“So if I promise to be more careful, will you not be mad?” Supergirl asked.

“No. You always promise. Then you go and do something even more reckless than the last time.”

“Hey, no fair! There was nothing nuclear involved this time and you know it!”

“I've got my doubts on your furry friend there, but he seems harmless enough. For now, anyway.”

“Well, can we at least tell you why we brought him back here?”

Superman looked as if he didn't really want to know. “Why?”

“To send him home,” Raven said. “It's too dangerous. Well, HE'S too dangerous for us to raise. We thought we could take care of him, but we were wrong. We made a mistake. Now we're trying to fix it.”

At that moment, one of the Fortress's robot drones floated over to Superman. “Sir, we have detected what appears to be a large electrical storm headed for this exact location.”

Supergirl smacked herself on the forehead. “Of all the times you could've picked to follow me, Les, this was the worst…and you just had to drag Virgil into it, too…”

Superman peered at her with mild alarm. “Les? Please tell me that means you've been broadening your horizons, Kara. Even that would be less trouble compared to who I think you meant.”

Raven cleared her throat. “We got a hacker to get Livewire out of prison, now she and Static are sucking face…or dating, as they call it.”

Superman closed his eyes for a long moment in an amazing show of restraint, and then slowly opened them. “You didn't happen to give Doomsday my address while you were at it, did you?”

She managed a thin smile. “Of course not. He only wanted your pager, anyway.”

* * * * *

Blackfire stared at the plate as if it were poisonous. “What. Is. This.”

“Eggs, a la Beast Boy,” Cyborg said without looking up from his own plate.

“…these are NOT eggs,” she argued decisively.

“Yeah, that's kinda the point,” Cyborg replied. When no one was looking, though, he underhanded her a strip of bacon. “They're egg substitute…or something.”

Blackfire ate the bacon as quickly and discreetly as possible. “I'd put money on something.”

“I'd take that bet.”

She glanced around, noticing that everyone else present was eating. “And you all eat this stuff?”

“Nah. Only BB.”

“So why do I have to?!”

“Good for healing. BB said.”

“Yeah, well, I'll eat it when I see HIM eat it without gagging.”

Cyborg glanced at her over his orange juice. “Trust me, you don't wanna see BB eat anything.”

Blackfire glared at her plate a moment longer. She then snatched a piece of Starfire's toast and stuffed it into her mouth.

“Who's ready for seconds?” Beast Boy called from the stove.

“I'm still waiting for the real food,” Blackfire muttered.

Beast Boy apparently misheard her. “No seconds until you eat what's in front of you!”

“Does the plate count?”

“It should,” Cyborg said under his breath. “You put egg substitute on `em once, the taste never really comes out.”

Blackfire made a face. “No wonder you guys fight like you've been poisoned. You should be eating Tamaranean food. That would toughen you up.”

“The Pudding of Sadness did not go over so well,” Starfire informed her.

“Well, duh! You only eat it when you're feeling horrible enough not to care about the taste! Why didn't you make Porridge of Battle?”

“Oh, no. No more alien food!” Cyborg insisted. “It's bad enough we're stuck with Tofu Night once a week!”

Blackfire rolled her eyes. “Oh, grow up. You'd only have to eat it once. The threat of having to eat it again is what makes you a force to be reckoned with.”

Cyborg shook his head. “Is there anything on your planet that you don't eat purely to threaten your body?”

“Sorka Berries!” Starfire cried at once with a huge grin.

“…or anything that doesn't make your pets grow enormous?”

Blackfire shrugged. “There's some rocks you could eat. But only if you wanted to grow tusks.”

“You know,” Cyborg said slowly, the color draining out of his face, “for the first time, I'm looking forward to throwing up tofu this week…”

* * * * *

“I really don't think this is going to work,” Superman said for the third time in a minute.

“Wildy says it should,” Raven repeated for the tenth time.

“That's not as reassuring as you probably meant it to be.”

Raven sighed. “He's smarter than he looks. And I'd rather not attempt this with any technology he's not familiar with.”

“Are you sure he's even familiar with a MotherBox?”

“He says it's what brought him here. I see no reason to doubt him.”

“But this one hasn't worked in years. I really just had it here for safekeeping.”

“Wildy said he fixed it.”

Superman gave her a long stare. “Raven…”

“He FIXED it.”

“…explain to me how this will work again.”

Raven rolled her eyes. “Fine. The main problem was that the MotherBox needed an alternate power source. That's where Livewire comes in.”

“Did I mention how little faith I have in this plan?”

“She's the best power source we have. If we need any more, Static should be able to handle it.”

Superman started to protest, but Supergirl reached over and shut his mouth. “Let's just do it already. The more I hear this plan, the more I start to agree with him.”

Raven nodded and held out the MotherBox. “Do your thing, Livewire. And I'd appreciate it if you didn't blow anything up.”

“Spoilsport,” Livewire muttered good-naturedly as she flew into the MotherBox, which instantly lit up and began to pulse with a blue light.

Raven shut her eyes and pointed the MotherBox in front of her, pushing a button and waiting. There was a loud rush of wind, followed by a low humming sound. She hesitantly opened her eyes, only to find a swirling white portal in front of her.

“I don't suppose there's any way to test this, and make sure it's the right dimension?” Superman asked.

“If you've got a ten-foot pole lying around, I wouldn't be opposed,” Raven replied. “But I'm not sure how long this will last, and-”

At that moment, a blond woman stuck her head through the portal. “Lobo, if you've been messing with the teleporter again, I'll-!” She trailed off upon spotting Superman, and her eyes widened when she noticed Supergirl. “You're not all evil alternate clones, are you? Or robots? Or shape-shifting aliens? Or zombies? Or Bizarros?”

Superman slowly pointed at Wildy, unable to take his eyes off of her. “Is that…yours?”

Her face lit up. “Fuzzykins!” She rushed out of the portal, revealing her entire figure, and leaving no doubt as to who she was.

“I'm going to grow up to look like that?” Supergirl asked in something like disgust. “I like my costume better. Hers looks…exactly like yours, Clark. And look at her hair…”

Superman shook his head. “Kara, honestly. There are bigger things to worry about. Like where she got that…baby from in the first place. Or where YOU got it, I should say.”

“So you got my note? In the basket?” the alternate Supergirl asked as she tickled Wildy's feet. “We were afraid some evil person might break in before you guys got back or something. Oh, but he's GROWN! And someone's been polishing his horns! If I'd known you'd be this good to him, I would've brought him here sooner!”

“That's the problem,” Raven interrupted while she could still get a word in. “We can't keep him. As it turns out, our world is just as dangerous as yours, if not more.”

“Are you sure? He looks pretty healthy to me…”

Raven frowned and poked the alternate Supergirl's forehead. “Don't say I didn't warn you.”

A flood of mental images later, the alternate Supergirl took a step back, her eyes round with shock. Almost instinctively, she reached out to take Wildy.

Raven surprised them both by drawing him into her arms a bit. “I'd like to…say goodbye first.”

“Oh. Right. Of course.” She tilted her head and smiled slightly. “You know, you seem a lot nicer than the Raven I know.”

“Is that a compliment?”

“Just an observation. She never held him. Sang to him occasionally, but that was it. Of course, she sang to him in the same language that she cursed Wally with, so maybe that's not a good thing…” Noticing the look on Raven's face, she smiled hesitantly. “I'll just be over there…ooh, looking at my cute former self! Hey, me!!!” She practically skipped over to Supergirl.

Raven turned away, holding Wildy up to her face. “Look, Wildy. It's time for you to go back home.”

He stared at her, obviously confused. “Nana come?”

She shook her head. “Nana stay. Baby goes.”

“Nana visit?” he asked hopefully.

“I don't think so, Wildy. You already have a Nana at home.”

“Want Nana!” he insisted, tugging at her cloak.

She gently pried his fingers loose. “No, Wildy. I can't go with you. I have to stay here. This is my world. You belong in yours, with your real Nana. Don't you think she misses you?”

He frowned. “No. Called Baby demon spawn.”

“…I'm sure she meant it in a good way,” Raven said after a moment. “Wildy, I need you to go. You're not safe here. And if I couldn't keep you safe, and something happened to you, do you know what I'd have to do? Do you?”

Wildy stared at her, and then slowly reached up to touch the skin just above her eyes. “Nana…Go Bad?”

“Yes,” Raven whispered, closing her eyes. “Nana Go Very, Very Bad.”

He drew his hands away rather quickly. “Baby go. For Nana to Stay Good.”

“Good boy,” Raven replied, squeezing him tightly.

“Nana…miss Baby?” he asked softly, staring into her eyes.

“I already do,” she answered, her eyes growing damp. “But you're not a baby anymore. You're big enough and smart enough to start looking after yourself now. Learn to depend on your own strength, before you look to others to protect you. Do you understand?”

He nodded once. “Wildy understand. Wildy always good for Nana.”

Raven carefully placed him on the floor. “Go home, Wildy. Go home and be strong.”

Wildy reached up for her one last time. “Nana kiss?”

Raven's face flushed. “Why don't you kiss your Nana at home? She sounds like she needs it…or at least deserves it.”

He nodded and waved up at her. “Bye bye, Nana.” Wildy turned and went to say goodbye to Supergirl.

Raven closed her eyes and was gone in an instant. She had been strong enough to tell him goodbye, but no force in the world could make her watch him go.

* * * * *

“Shouldn't we wait for Raven?” Beast Boy asked.

“I don't think she's going to be back soon enough,” Robin replied. “And I distinctly got the impression that she didn't want to be here for this. Maybe she felt like her presence would disturb Terra's spirit?”

“What about me?! I'm the one who-”

“I know. But when Terra died, her anger was directed at Raven. She probably had no idea it was you that killed her, or time to realize that she was dying, if what I've heard about Egyptian asp venom is true. At any rate, indirectly, I guess we were closest to her.”

“You mean she beat up on us both.”

“Call it what you will, Beast Boy. I'm not sure she had any friends.”

“She had one,” Blackfire said as she walked up. “But that's it.”

“Do…either of you want to say anything?” Robin asked.

Blackfire shrugged. “She was nuts. She was gutsy. She had a skull like a rock. But she was my friend, for the short time that we knew each other. Even though I knew she'd probably end up like this, I tried to knock some sense into her every day. Didn't work out too well, obviously. But I'm glad I met her. Now I know why you guys do what you do.”

Robin simply pressed a fist into his palm and bowed. “I hope your spirit finds peace, Terra.”

Beast Boy slowly walked up to the coffin. “I hate you,” he whispered. “For what you did to me, for what you tried to do to Raven, for what you would've done to all my friends, and most of all, for what you made me do to you. I wish there had been another way to stop you, but there wasn't. I ended it quickly, mercifully, even though I knew you wouldn't have chosen the same for us. You didn't deserve what I did to you. I didn't deserve what you did to me. But only one of us has any regrets about that. I'm sorry I killed you. I'm not sorry I stopped you. You can never hurt anyone again, and I'm proud of that. The only thing that shames me is that when it came down to it, my only instinct was the same one you'd had all along: to kill. Both of us were animals, plain and simple. I just had the better bite.”

Blackfire watched Beast Boy turn and run back to the Tower. She sighed and glanced at Robin. “Go on in. I'll finish up here.”

“You sure?” Robin asked.

“Yeah. She'd be pissed enough if she knew you guys were burying her.”

Robin apparently agreed, because he went back inside as well.

Blackfire easily but carefully picked up the coffin and lowered it into the open grave. “So long, Terra. I'll make sure Slade never does this to anyone else. I promise. Even if I have to give up my other arm.”

* * * * *

Raven came to a stop beside the shadow of a tall tree. “You can come out now, Jade. It's time you stopped following me.”

“I wasn't following you,” Jade snapped as she stepped out of the tree's shadow. “I was trying to keep you from running away again.”

“From my team, or from you?”

Jade didn't answer.

“You know what the worst part is, Jade? I know you so well, I don't have to read your mind to know why you're here.”

“Then what's your answer, Ray?”

Raven turned away from her. “It hasn't changed from the last time you asked. I can't be with you.”

“Can't or won't.”

“Both,” Raven instantly replied.

“Don't you dare give me the whole `I can't get close to anyone' speech, Ray. I saw how you were with Wildy. If that wasn't getting close, I don't know what was.”

“That's only one of the reasons I sent him home. Just like this is one of the reasons I'm sending you home, Jade. You both had your chances, and you both proved to be liabilities.”

“Oh, so now I'm a liability? Funny how you didn't mention that back when you gave me a demon hickey!”

“You know very well that you asked for that. I warned you never to get me drunk, and you ignored my warning. More than that, you betrayed my trust, Jade. I forgave you, but I can't afford to forget it. People like me don't get many second chances, and you don't get second chances with me. Not when our first fight could've been our last one in more ways than one.”

“I can take care of myself, Ray.”

“But you can't take care of me, Jade, no matter how much you want to. No matter how much I once wanted you to. It's over. If you come after me again, I'll have no choice but to take your memories of us.”

Jade's eyes widened in shock, and then disbelief. “You wouldn't dare.”

“I wouldn't want to, but to keep us both safe, you know I would.”

“That's not fair!” Jade shouted.

“Welcome to my life, Jade. Now say goodbye to it. Please.”

Raven waited until she could no longer sense Jade. Then she cleared her head, and let her thoughts focus on a single word.

“Brother.”

Sylvan appeared a moment later, a dark look on his face. “You called me, Raven?”

“I need to tell you something,” Raven answered as she took a few steps toward him.

“I am listening,” he said simply.

Raven reached up and pressed her hand to his pale cheek. “I love you,” she said quietly.

There was no change in his expression that she could see. “Is that all?” he asked finally.

She closed her eyes. “You know why I called you.”

“I do.” He took a step back. “Are you certain?”

“No. But let's do it, anyway.”

“Very well.”

When she finally opened her eyes, she did not see Sylvan before her. All she could see was another Seed of Trigon, one that had the same bloodlust in his eyes as she now did.

As one, they leaped at each other, and then the blood began to flow.

* * * * *

“So this isn't really a date,” Static said, managing to look only slightly disappointed as he stopped a few feet below the window.

“Of course it is,” Livewire replied at once. “We're just swinging by to pick up an old friend, that's all.”

“Who happens to be in prison.”

“Not for long.”

“I don't feel good about this.”

“Then I'll personally devote myself to making you feel good after we're done.”

Static stared at her. “Seriously?”

“Would I lie?”

“I'm not sure if I should answer that.”

“Good. Then stay here and look cute while I bust him out.”

“Okay, but I'm doing this under protest. And if we get caught-”

“Say I made you do it. They'd believe that. Or say that I had you under an electric spell.”

“…what?”

“Shush.” Livewire flew up to window and whistled. “Hey, Red! You up?”

“Blue? What are you doing back here?” A red face appeared at the window.

“I came to get you out, Rudy. Let's go!”

“Appreciate the offer, Les, but…I think I'm gonna stay here.”

Livewire frowned. “What? Why?”

He shrugged. “They don't treat me bad. Do a few favors for Supes every now and then, and they basically give me what I want. It's easier than trying to go straight out there. Of course, it hasn't been as fun without you. But it looks like you've been having your own fun.”

“What can I say? Always had a magnetic personality. You sure you wanna stay here, Rudy? It would only take a minute or two…”

Rudy shook his head. “My mind's made up, Les. This is where I belong. Just like you belong out there, free.”

“But I feel bad leaving you here, Rudy. That's why I came back in the first place. You're my best bud!”

“I know. And so long as you come visit every now and then, I always will be. But I can't go with you.”

“Oh, alright. But if you ever change your mind…”

He smiled. “I wouldn't let anyone but you bust me out, Blue. Let me talk to your friend before you go.”

“Yo, Sparky! Get your butt up here!”

Static joined her at the window. “It's Static, actually.” Then he got a good look at the window. “Hey. Aren't you…?”

Rudy smirked. “The Parasite? Yes. Or I was, anyway. Which is why I didn't offer to shake your hand.”

“But why'd you want to see me?”

“We don't know each other, but I want you to promise me something, kid.”

“Is this something I should be hearing?” Livewire asked.

Rudy glanced at her. “Probably not.”

“Hmmph.” Livewire dropped out of sight.

Rudy stared at Static. “Promise you'll do whatever it takes to keep her from ending up back here with me.”

Static blinked. “What, you want me to make her give up crime? Sounds like a tall order.”

“You can do it. She wouldn't still be with you if she didn't value your opinion.”

“Actually, she almost never listens to anything I say.”

“She still cares what you think. You wouldn't be meeting me if you didn't matter to her.”

“I don't know. This was supposed to be a date, and look where we ended up.”

Rudy chuckled. “She's like a puppy. She might bite every now and then, but all she really wants is to be by your side. Just don't ever let on that you know that.”

“So how do I impress her?”

“Make her a neon sign.”

“…you're serious, aren't you?”

“Yeah. She loves anything neon.”

“Thanks, I guess.” Static flew down to where Livewire was waiting.

“You boys done with your man-to-man talk?” she asked.

“Let's go to Vegas,” Static said at once.

“Why?” Livewire asked suspiciously.

“I hear it's a great place for first dates.”

“I've never heard that.”

“You've been drugged in a cell for the last few years. You haven't heard a lot of things.” Static held out his hand. “So how about it?”

“I don't know. Can I trust that you won't try to take my virtue?” she asked innocently.

He grinned at her. “I'm more worried about you taking mine.”

“When you put it that way, how can I resist?”

“I was hoping you couldn't.”

“Good thing you were right,” Livewire replied, wrapping her arms around him from behind and brushing her lips against his cheek.

Static jumped slightly. “Hey! Hands where I can see them!”

“What?” she asked with a wicked grin. “I was only keeping my promise to make you feel good.”

“Not while I'm flying. NEVER while I'm flying, unless you want to crash into a river.”

“Don't you like to live dangerously?”

“I'm with you, aren't I?”

“Hmm. Good point.”

* * * * *

“I hope you know what you're doing, Fuzzykins,” Supergirl murmured as she approached Raven's room. “She's in one of her moods again, and I'm not taking one step into that room unless she gives the all-clear. And in case you forgot, she never has.”

There was no reply from the furry creature clinging to her back, and Supergirl felt even more alone as she stopped in front of Raven's door. Slowly, she raised a fist to knock.

The door slid open without warning, just before her knuckles could touch it.

Blinking in surprise, Supergirl poked her head into the room. “Um…Raven?”

The only source of light came from the open window, which allowed both moonlight and the cool, night air to spill into the room. Raven was seated on the edge of bed, gazing straight out of the window.

Supergirl decided to get it over with so she could be rejected and then race back to the safety of her own room. “I know you hate being disturbed, but Fuzzykins insisted on seeing you, even when I tried to talk him out of it.”

Raven turned her head slightly, but not enough to see anything even remotely near the door. “Sit with me for a moment.”

This was such an odd request from Raven that Supergirl at once assumed she'd imagined it. But when Raven finally glanced back at her with something of an impatient look, she hurried over to the bed and sat down beside her teammate.

“I really am sorry about this,” Supergirl added after a moment. “Nightwing said you weren't in a good mood, and that we should probably leave you alone, but-”

“Today,” Raven whispered suddenly, “is the day I was born.”

Supergirl stared at her, uncertain of what to say. Somehow, saying “Happy Birthday” to Raven never even crossed her mind. “I didn't know that.”

“Because I did not allow you to, until now. It is not a date I comfortable sharing with others.”

“Then…why did you let me in at all? Why would you tell me this?”

Raven drew back her hood. “Because I feel it is time I explained these,” she said simply, turning to look at her teammate.

Supergirl's hands flew to her mouth, barely stifling a gasp. “Oh, Raven…your face…”

Raven's eyes closed briefly, but that did little to lessen the effect. Long, brutal slashes marred nearly every inch of her face, like some sort of morbid war paint. “Don't be alarmed. They are old scars.”

“But…I've never seen them before…”

“No. They fade, and return only on this night. That is why I prefer to be alone on this day.”

“Who…did this to you, Raven? Who hurt you?” Supergirl asked, reaching up to gingerly cup Raven's cheek in her palm.

“Someone who I hurt even more. Someone very dear to me. Someone…long departed from this plane.”

“It seems like an awful birthday present, Raven.”

“I doubt he knew the significance of the day. It was I who summoned him, not the other way around. We fought…to the death.”

“On your birthday?” Supergirl asked in horror.

“My…family has the gift to heal almost any wound. But if scarred by one of our kin, the wounds close and fade…only to return one day out of the year. The day when we are each at our weakest. This my day.”

“But…if you were at your weakest, why would you challenge him?”

Raven sighed deeply. “I wanted him to destroy me. I purposely chose the day when I would be at a disadvantage. It did not matter. In my blinding rage, I accessed powers I had no idea I possessed, and wiped him off the face of the earth. My penance is to bear his marks for the rest of my life. It is my way of remembering him.”

“Then...do you want to be alone? To pay your respects?”

“No. I have been alone all my life. I think…that is the very last thing I need now.”

Supergirl moved closer and drew Raven's head to rest against her shoulder. “I'll stay as long as you want.”

“Thank you.” Raven closed her eyes, only vaguely aware of the soft, furry head resting beneath her long fingers.

* * * * *

She ignored the shocked faces, the cries of alarm and concern for her, the pounding footsteps as they rushed to aid her.

She pushed them all away instinctively, and not with her hands.

She slowly and gradually made her way to her room, shutting the door behind her. It dulled their cries only slightly, and the thought was comforting. Still she walked to her closet, her every step pain, her every movement agony. But the power of her mind pushed all the unneeded sensations away, at least for now.

She shifted her weight, and the ruined cloak fell from her body in bloody shreds, leaving her feeling cold and vulnerable. That, too, was pushed from her mind as she brought another cloak out of the closet. The color did not appeal to her any longer, and her first thought was to destroy them all. But her gaze went instead to her arm, and more specifically, to the deep gashes running up it. A thought occurred to her.

She turned and knelt on the floor, spreading the cloak out. With a mere thought, she summoned a shallow hand basin from her desk and set it down before her. Stretching out her arm, she surrounded it in black, and winced as it began to squeeze mercilessly. The faint sound of blood splashing into the basin did not reach her ears; the intense pain had brought on a rush of nausea, and the dizziness threatened to take away her balance for several moments. Finally, she recovered her senses, and noticed at once that not all of the blood was hers. A single tear splashed into the basin after that, and she wiped the rest away before continuing.

Working slowly but efficiently, she proceeded to stain the cloak, occasionally using a spell to permanently bind color to cloth. Her memory also provided a spell that would easily and painlessly reproduce the blood, but she would not use it. Afterwards, she tightly bandaged her wounds, but not for the purpose of feeling. She was far too weak now, but tomorrow, or whenever she next woke, she would make another cloak.

With the finished cloak draped loosely around her, she emerged from her room, not at all surprised to find her friends still waiting for her.

“I'm going to sleep now,” she said. “Don't wake me up.”

She had only taken one step before she finally collapsed.

* * * * *

“Hey, guys! Little Miss Coma Patient is finally waking up!” Blackfire shouted.

Raven could think of more welcome ways to regain consciousness, but at the moment, she was more concerned with why her body felt so numb. It was possible she'd needed longer than usual to completely heal her wounds, but she'd still estimated it would be a few days at the most. She was even more surprised when she barely suppressed a yawn, indicating the process wasn't quite complete yet.

But from the way the other Titans (plus Blackfire) were crowding around her bed, it was obvious that she wasn't going to be getting much sleep anytime soon.

Starfire was the first to break the awkward silence. “Are you…well, Raven?”

Raven shook her head slightly. “I've been better. What's with all the worried faces?”

“…you do remember what happened, don't you?” Robin asked.

“Yes. I told you all not to wake me-”

“And then you kinda fell flat on your face,” Beast Boy added helpfully.

Raven scowled at him. “And not one of you thought to catch me?”

“It was so sudden,” Cyborg pointed out. “One second you were talking, and the next you were on the floor.”

“We're missing the big picture here,” Robin said. “Raven, this probably isn't the best time, but we could all use some answers. Starting with why you were in such bad shape in the first place.”

“Are you sure you want those answers?” Raven asked. “The best way to give them to you would be to show you, not tell you.”

Robin glanced at the others, Blackfire in particular. “Anyone have a problem with some mind-linking?”

“Fine by me,” Blackfire replied. “I'm always up for a good movie.”

“Do we need to hold hands or something?” Beast Boy asked.

“No.” Raven closed her eyes. “Not anymore.”

Robin was the only one who caught the implications of that statement at first, but each the others soon shared the realization, from the ease with which Raven's mind accessed their own. It became apparent that somewhere along the line, Raven had either gained full control over her telepathy, or had furthered her mastery of it.

The images that flowed into their minds were sharp and clear as crystal. If there had been any vague spots, they would've been the result of Raven censoring that particular memory for whatever reason.

Starfire and Beast Boy were the only other ones that had ever seen Sylvan before, but now they saw him as Raven did with her own eyes. The difference was startling to say the least. To Raven, Sylvan was almost perfectly normal. Granted, she was probably more used to demon half-breeds than other people, but through her sight, Sylvan didn't seem nearly as terrifying.

Raven began the flow at the very moment she'd first learned of Sylvan's existence, and ended it just as their final encounter began.

“Hate it when movies end like that,” Blackfire muttered, feeling cheated.

“So all those wounds you had…they came from him?” Robin asked.

“It was nothing I didn't ask for, as you saw,” Raven sighed.

“So…who won?” Beast Boy whispered.

“It doesn't matter. I'll never have to fight him again.”

“You mean…he's…?” Starfire trailed off, unable to say what she was thinking.

Raven shook her head. “No. Just as close to it as I was, but no. I would've felt it if he had.”

Cyborg reached over and lightly flicked her forehead with a finger. “That was a dumb move, Raven. Suppose you had lost?”

“Then I guess I wouldn't be here to flick,” Raven replied, clearly annoyed.

“Cyborg has a point,” Robin added. “You could've been killed. I'm still amazed that you weren't, based on what I've seen of your brother.”

“He's right!” Beast Boy was quick to chime in. “What were you thinking?! What if you hadn't won?! We'd never have known what happened to you! What would poor Wildy do without his Nana?!”

Starfire reached over and took Raven's hand in her own, squeezing it gently. “I would have missed you,” she said simply.

Raven looked away. “You don't need to worry about Wildy. I…sent him home.”

“…you WHAT?!” Beast Boy shouted.

Rather than answer him, Raven quickly offered a shortened version of how she'd found Wildy's world.

“So we don't even get to say goodbye?! Who gave you the right, Raven?!”

“The less time he spent in this world, the better off we all were. He didn't belong here and all of you know it. He was better off in his own world, with his own version of us. It's not like I banished him to a barren wasteland. I only did what was best for everyone involved, Wildy included. That's what a good parent is supposed to do. I made the decision that none of you could. Believe it or not, it wasn't easy for me to let him go, either. But in the end, even he knew it was best.”

Beast Boy scowled at her. “You still should've told us.”

Raven shook her head. “I couldn't take the chance that one or more of you might've gotten emotional and tried to stop me.”

“She makes a good point,” Cyborg cut in before Beast Boy could open his mouth. “Even after what he did to Star, I don't know if I could've let him go.”

Blackfire frowned. “And what exactly did he do to Star?”

“It is nothing, sister,” Starfire said quickly, avoiding her eyes.

“Uh huh. Right.” Blackfire crossed her arms over her chest. “Suddenly I'm inclined to agree with Raven, if you won't even talk about it. You guys obviously couldn't control him, or didn't know how to.”

Raven rubbed her forehead. “I think I need more sleep. I thought I just heard Blackfire agree with me.”

“We all use some time to regroup,” Robin noted. “So we'll continue this later. There are some things we still need to decide.”

If Raven noticed the way his eyes didn't leave her, she didn't mention it.

* * * * *

A week later, Blackfire walked up to Raven's door, only to have it slide open before she could even think of knocking.

“Bet that never gets old for you, huh?”

Raven shrugged slightly. “Is it time?”

“Yeah. They're all waiting for you. Kinda like a firing squad, I have to say.”

“In more ways than one,” Raven muttered as she followed Blackfire out of the room.

“Hey, don't look so down. If there's one thing I know about heroes, they're predictably loyal. You don't have a thing to worry about.”

Raven shook her head. “Everyone isn't like Starfire. Some things aren't so easy to forgive.”

“You act liked you ran over a puppy, Ray. Lighten up!”

Raven paused, began to say something, and decided against it.

“What? You got something against light?”

“It's nothing.”

“While I'm thinking about it, I like the new duds,” Blackfire said, tugging lightly on Raven's red hood.

“Really?” Raven asked, and not without some surprise.

“Yeah. I think red suits you. And, well, not everyone can wear violet.” She made a big show of tossing her long, dark hair over her shoulder. “Know what I mean?”

Raven rolled her eyes. “I should've known that any compliment would lead back to you.”

“Hey, if you got it, know it and show it!”

“Not that I don't appreciate the attempt to lift my spirits, Blackfire, but I am about to be on trial here.”

“Don't look so serious! Look, if they kick you out, we can team up and destroy the Tower. We'll go on a crime spree and wreck everything.”

“…if it wasn't for all that wrongdoing and meaningless destruction, I'd say that almost sounded like you wanted to hang out with me.”

“I DO want to,” Blackfire said firmly. “You're neat, Raven. You wouldn't squeal if I broke something and put it back like nothing happened. I can actually stomach you for more than an hour at a time. And I think you'd make a decent partner, in crime or otherwise. Especially if you were all mad that you'd been kicked off the team. We could come up with a revenge plot, and then they'd be sorry they ever messed with-”

“What about Starfire?” Raven asked.

Blackfire waved away her question. “We could lead her to the dark side. Slowly, but surely.”

“You sound so sure of that.”

“I'm her big sis, you're her best friend. What choice does she have?”

“I can see you've thought this through.”

“Yeah, well, it's been boring, with no one talking to each other for a week. A girl's got to have plans.”

“Would you mind terribly not mentioning those plans while I'm being questioned?”

“Oh, sure. But just, um, tweak your nose if you want me to blow the lights and start blasting stuff.”

Raven stared at her. “…yeah, I'll keep that in mind…”

* * * * *

Robin cleared his throat. “Raven, you stand accused of violating the sanctity of the minds of two teammates. How do you plead?”

Raven frowned at him. “Not guilty.”

He waited a moment. “Are you sure?”

“Look, I don't like the use of the word `violate,' okay? It's not like I left them catatonic and foaming at the mouth or anything. Yes, I entered their minds and did things without their permission, but neither was hurt in any way. In fact, I did it to keep them from being seriously hurt.”

“Then you are now asked to defend your position in each instance. Instance one: you altered Beast Boy's memory, so that he wouldn't realize that he'd killed Terra.”

“Wasn't my intent there obvious? If Beast Boy knew that he'd killed Terra, he WOULD have been catatonic the rest of the night, if not longer. But we needed him, or we would've ended up being killed, or worse. So I blocked the memory until that living nightmare was over. Since then, I've removed the block.”

“And you feel justified in having done this without his consent?”

“Of course I don't feel justified. To be honest, I felt and still feel horrible. But it needed to be done.”

“Why?”

Raven lowered her voice. “You didn't see what Terra did to him. I thought he'd suffered enough.” She lifted her head and stared into Robin's eyes. “And if he hadn't killed her for that, then I would've.”

“Are you saying Terra deserved to die?”

“No. But I'm saying she would've ended up dead that night, one way or another. Some things are just inevitable, Robin.” She waited for him to agree or disagree, but he did neither.

“Instance two: you removed Starfire's self-imposed limits on her powers.”

“If I hadn't, she and Wildy would both be dead.”

“How?”

Raven glared at him. “Don't you dare, Robin. Don't you dare stand there and imply that if Starfire was killed, you wouldn't rest until whoever had done it was dead and buried.”

Robin's face remained remarkably impassive.

“LIAR!” Raven shouted, leaping out her chair.

Cyborg grabbed her and gently forced her back into the chair. “Easy, Ray. He didn't say anything.”

“What I'd be willing to do isn't the issue,” Robin said quietly. “It's what you did that is.”

“What did I do, Robin? Save the lives and sanity of my—our friends? Tell me what's wrong with that!”

“If you were any other telepath, it might not matter. But it is you, so it does. You need to be in control, Raven. And if you had been, I don't think you would've-”

“This ISN'T about control!” Raven snapped. “I didn't do those things because I WASN'T in control! They weren't accidents or things I'll ever regret! I did them on purpose, knowing exactly what I was doing! I was in FULL CONTROL! If I hadn't been, something would've gone wrong. Nothing did.”

Robin sighed. “We will now have statements from the witnesses.”

Beast Boy slowly stood up. “Raven did exactly what she said she did to me. And maybe it wasn't right, but…I can't be mad at her, or hold it against her. She was trying to protect me the best way she knew how. Only a real friend would do that.” He sat down quickly, a slight flush in his cheeks.

Starfire stood up. “At first, I was shocked that Raven seemed to have so little respect for the privacy of my mind and body. But then I realized what she had done, and why she had done it. She saved my life because she cares for me, just as she cares for all of us. It may not have been the most honorable means, but I know her intent was pure. I cannot find fault with her for that.”

Cyborg stood up. “Before I say anything about Raven, I need to know something. Rob, am I gonna be on trial next?”

Robin stared at him for a few seconds. “No.”

“Why not?!”

Obviously surprised by that outburst, Robin hesitated before answering. “Why would you-”

“Did you forget how I was turned against you?! I hurt you all way more than Raven did! And nobody's gonna mention that?! I should be up there defending myself, not her!”

“Cyborg, you had no choice-”

“Neither did she, Rob,” Cyborg interrupted. “You know how Slade is. You know how he forces us to think and act. It's them or us, man. And frankly, I'm glad it was us this time. Raven shouldn't be on trial and you know it. If she's gone, then I'm going with her. You're not right for this and you know it, Rob.”

Robin had that impassive look on his face again. “Are you done?”

Cyborg glared at him. “Now that you mention it, no.” He marched defiantly over to Raven and wrapped his big arms around her, much to her pride and shame. “I still believe in you, Ray,” he said softly in her ear. “You're good people, and a great friend. One night can't change that.”

“Cyborg…” Raven whispered, her eyes growing damp.

Cyborg let her go and returned to his seat, shooting one last angry look at Robin on the way.

Robin was about to proceed, but Blackfire suddenly stood up. “You have something to add?” he asked in surprise.

“Yeah, I do, Bird Boy,” Blackfire snapped. “Ray rocks, and you suck.” She sat down, turning her nose up at him.

Robin shook his head before turning back to Raven. “Please don't think me unfeeling, Raven. I understand perfectly why you did what you did. As your friend, I don't have a problem with any of it. But I'm not just your friend.” He gestured to the other Titans. “I'm their friend, too, and the leader of this team. That makes me even more responsible for the collective safety and security of this team.”

“So it's nothing you would've ordered me to do,” Raven supplied. “I get that, Robin.”

“I don't think you do, really.” Robin moved closer, until he was directly in front of her. “I trust you, Raven, to protect them. I would never have given you that badge if I didn't. But that night, you made me doubt that trust, if only for two instances. I still do trust you, Raven. But only part of you, apparently.”

“…what does that mean?” Raven asked softly.

Robin carefully reached over and took a bit of her cloak between his fingers. “I trust the blue you, Raven. But I can't trust the red one. Not when it comes to the team. Still, whether you've…evolved or regressed into this red you, it is still you, if only part of you. And because it's you, Raven—my friend, I have no choice but to give it my love, respect…and gradually, my trust.” He lowered his head. “I just hope I'm making the right decision in allowing you to stay.”

“Robin…” Raven stood up and wrapped her arms around his neck, holding him close. “You won't ever regret this. I promise.”

His arms slid around her waist, tightening painfully, but only for a second or two. “See that I don't, Raven. Please.” With that, he pulled away and moved quickly to the other side of the room.

Raven thought about going after him, but then she was tackled by Cyborg, Starfire, and Beast Boy. They lifted her up on Cyborg's broad shoulders and began to chant her name victoriously. “RA-VEN! RA-VEN! RA-VEN!”

Blackfire went to stand beside Robin and lightly punched his shoulder. “I still don't like the way you did this. So you still suck. But not as hard.”

Robin didn't look up. “…thanks.”

“You can thank me by handing me one of those fancy round walkie-talkies,” she replied, sounding bored as she held out her hand.

“You…want to be a Titan?” Robin asked, perhaps a bit louder than he intended.

The victory chant stopped, and Raven slid from Cyborg's shoulders.

“Of course not!” Blackfire snapped, sensing everyone's eyes on her. “But I need to stay in shape and work the kinks out of this new arm while I'm slooowly recovering, and I daresay you guys won't run into some more trouble you can't handle. So if you get in a tight spot, you'll be able to call me to save you again.”

“I guess that could work,” Robin said slowly.

“But I thought you hated Tofu Night?” Cyborg asked.

“Oh yeah! THAT's my ONLY condition!” Blackfire was quick to added. “I'll eat only plain-flavored chips and cheese dip on Tofu Night, but that's as far as it goes!”

Starfire zipped over and latched onto her sister's neck. “You will stay in my room!”

Blackfire rolled her eyes. “You DO remember that concept we discussed, Starry? Personal space?”

“Do not be silly, sister!” Starfire replied, her eyes shining with joy. “There is no such thing between sisters like us!”

“…is it too late to rework that contract-”

“Sorry.” Robin slapped a communicator into her hand. “You're a reserve Titan now. Which means you're bunk buddies.”

“Aw, man! I take it back, Robin! You TOTALLY still suck hard!”

Cyborg grabbed Blackfire and threw her onto his shoulder, starting up another chant. “B-FIRE! B-FIRE! B-FIRE!”

“And plain chips!” Blackfire cried.

“PLAIN CHIPS! PLAIN CHIPS! PLAIN CHIPS!”

“Hey, wait!” Beast Boy shouted. “It's still Tofu Night, right?!”

He was instantly shouted down. “CHIPS NIGHT! CHIPS NIGHT! CHIPS NIGHT!”

“And real eggs!” Cyborg added.

“REAL EGGS! REAL EGGS! REAL EGGS!”

“HEY! You can't eat something I've been!” Beast Boy hollered. “It's the rule!”

“Man, you've been DINOSAURS,” Cyborg pointed out. “The rule don't always apply. Anyway, you've never actually BEEN an egg, dude.”

“…um…I've been stuff that comes out of one!”

“Face it, BB. Chips Night FOREVER, baby!”

“NOOO!!!”

“CHIPS NIGHT!!! CHIPS NIGHT!!! CHIPS NIGHT!!!”

* * * * *

Sylvan wasn't sure how long he'd been asleep. All he did know, upon waking up, was that someone had been redecorating.

His mindscape had always resembled a forest. His mother had instilled a love of nature in him from the moment he was born. It was where he was most comfortable, and felt secure, at least temporarily. The shadows of trees provided perfect sleeping spots, and the scent of grass had a way of making all of his troubles seem so far away. The illusions were not quite as good as the actual forest, but all things considered, it was a remarkable likeness, and at least there, he would not be disturbed.

So he was a bit surprised to find a warm, soft hand nestled comfortably within his clawed one. He stared at their joined hands, his cheek resting against the grass, until she finally spoke.

“I was wondering when you'd wake up,” Raven whispered, her eyes still closed. “You had me scared.”

“Are you overestimating your own power, or underestimating mine, Seedling?” he asked hoarsely.

“Just stating a fact. I was worried about you.” She gently traced circles in his palm. “I've never done that before, even if you have.”

“I should hope not. It is nothing anyone should see more than once.”

“You meant `could see,' didn't you?”

He managed a smirk, despite his weariness. “I wonder.”

She opened her eyes. “Aren't you going to ask how I got here?”

“I have theories, but I'm much too comfortable to explore any of them, so maybe you should just tell me.”

“I think, when we fought, our minds joined. So far, the connection seems to be permanent. I was just straightening some things out in my own mindscape, went a bit farther than I intended, and here you were.”

“That seems awfully coincidental.”

“Maybe. But if you've got a better explanation, I'd love to hear it.”

Sylvan slowly sat up. Though Raven didn't stir, he felt her eyes taking in each and every move he made. It was an odd sensation, being watched and knowing at the same time that he was in no danger at all.

“I trust you got the answer to your burning question?” she asked.

His silence was answer enough.

“So now what do we do? It's clear that neither of us is ready for…him.”

“We do what we have always done,” Sylvan replied. “We grow stronger.”

“Together, or apart?” Raven asked.

He closed his eyes. “Our minds may be together now, Raven, but that changes little. I was not with you during the years in which you developed your powers. I should not be with you when you further them. Go back to your friends.”

“In a minute.” Raven grabbed his arm as he tried to rise. “I meant what I said before we fought, Sylvan.”

“I'm aware of that.”

“Then you should also be aware of the fact that I'm not going to let you slip away so easily this time. So long as our minds are linked, you are GOING to talk to me. Even if I have to hunt you down every time I feel like chatting, I'll do it. To be honest, I'd rather go searching through your mindscape than mine, so it's no trouble at all.”

He glanced back at her. “You never give up, do you?”

Raven shook her head. “Not that I can recall. I think it's a job requirement.”

Sylvan sighed. “Fine. You win. I will be…in touch, I suppose. I can promise no more than that.”

“You don't have to. That's all I want.” She squeezed his arm. “I know this must be weird for you, Sylvan. But I've been alone my whole life, and now I'm not. I don't want to go back to feeling alone again. I don't think you do, either.”

He placed his hand over hers. “I just don't want you to get your hopes up, Raven. I fear I've long forgotten what it means to be a family. I don't want to disappoint you.”

Raven smiled and laid her head on his shoulder. “All you have to do is answer when I call, Sylvan. And you haven't let me down so far.”

He thought about protesting, about telling her that she shouldn't depend on him for even that. But when Sylvan looked down into Raven's face, at her simple, content expression, he could not bring himself to say anything that might've made it disappear. “As you wish, Seedling,” he murmured, allowing her hand to slip into his again.

“Great. Now, show me how you did that thing with your arm. You know, where the spikes came out?”

He found himself talking for the next few hours, comparing battle techniques, swapping life stories, and even trading healing spells. When Raven finally got around to admitting that she needed some sleep, Sylvan was feeling much better himself, thanks in part to some of her spells, but he had a feeling her presence had helped more than anything else she had given him.

“You'll be okay by yourself?” Raven asked as she stood up to leave.

Sylvan just looked at her.

“Right. Almost forgot who I was talking to.” She gave him a peck on the cheek and hugged his neck briefly. “Sleep well, Sylvan.”

He watched her walk until she reached the border between their minds. She paused there and turned to wave at him. Sylvan found himself waving back without really thinking. Then she stepped between two crumbling pillars and was gone.

He was prepared to take a long nap when a pair of pink-gloved hands clapped over his eyes.

“Guess who!” a playful voice giggled.

At a complete loss, Sylvan pulled the hands away and looked over his shoulder. “…Raven?” he asked in surprise.

“Yes and no!” she replied with a sunny smile. “She sent me to keep you company, big bro! So let's have some fun!”

It only took him a moment to recognize that this was only one aspect of Raven's personality. The others were probably still wandering her mindscape. He would've preferred another one, though.

“I do not want to have fun. I need to sleep.”

“You can sleep later! Let's play a game!”

He was about to repeat that he wasn't in the mood when a green-cloaked Raven appeared next to them. He foolishly hoped that this one would be able to silence the other.

“I know a game we could play,” the green one said with a wicked grin.

“Really? Cool!” the pink one cheered. “What should we play?”

“Saturday Night Slam Fest.” With that, the green one grabbed the pink one and slammed her headfirst into the tree.

Sylvan watched in slight amusement as the pink one collapsed, still laughing dizzily. “I think I'm going to like you.”

“I doubt it. We're fighting for the title. No holds barred!”

By the time he realized what she meant, she'd already slammed her knee into his gut. Sylvan doubled over and hit the ground rolling. It suddenly occurred to him that maybe Raven had never really gotten over being beat up by him that first time they'd met. And as the green one's foot rushed down to meet his face, Sylvan figured that this would definitely make them even.

* * * * *

Endnotes: I made the decision not to reveal the winner of Raven and Sylvan's bloodbath a long time ago, and I'm amazed I stuck with it. There's evidence for either of them coming out on top, though probably more for Raven than Sylvan. You can decide for yourself who won, and then we'll all be happy, right?

(just cuz it's Valentine's, I tried to put a kiss in every scene, but it didn't really work out…)