Teen Titans: The Only Way

Disclaimer: Yeah, I know. I don't own the teen titans or pretty much anything associated with them. I guess I can lay claim to my own character, which is bound to appear here soon. But that is it! But boy do I wish I could own them. The story lines I could come up with....

Summary: Someone from Raven's past returns to help her gain ultimate control over her powers and her emotions. There is only one way to control herself, but is Raven really ready for this? Can she take the steps necessary to be able to feel like a normal person, and why exactly must she learn to control her powers so quickly?

A/N: Ok in this story Terra is still with the Titans and she never left. Everyone is the following age: Cyborg 19, Robin 18, Starfire 18, Raven 17, Beast Boy 17, Terra 16. The rating is PG-13 for upcoming chapters and may even be changed to an R rating later on. Depends on how my creative juices take hold when I write those future chaps.

The Only Way

Chapter 1: 'The two of us'

She stared over the top of her novel as the rest of her fellow titans watched Beast Boy and Cyborg compete in some silly racing game on the gamestation. Pointless. Absolutely pointless, she thought. What a complete waste of time, although the view isn't too bad. Raven mentally slapped herself. Stop it! She thought. He's just your teammate! You shouldn't be feeling this way. But, I guess he is sorta handsome... Wait! Did I just think he was handsome? Man, I have been around Starfire way too long. But even so...

As if on cue, Raven's teammate looked over at her and smiled such a wonderful smile and waved slightly to her. Oh gosh, what a great smile! It kinda makes me feel all warm and tingly. If he can make me feel like this with just a smile, think what he could do to me with a kiss... At that point Raven's emotions spilled out and a light bulb in the kitchen exploded. Raven blushed and hid behind her book, but thankfully no one noticed, so she went back to reading her book, forgetting about him and burying her emotions as she was so used to doing.

A few hours later the teens finally quit playing as they had started to get quite hungry and headed into the kitchen to find something to eat for dinner. "Oh my," Starfire exclaimed as she walked into the kitchen and saw the broken glass. "What has happened here friends? I did not hear anything of noise from the kitchen." The other titans, save for Raven who was still on the other couch peering over the edge of her book, feigning interest, stood around Starfire and wore looks of confusion. "Hey Rae?" asked Robin looking over at the dark girl. "Did you happen to hear or see anything?" "No," replied Raven in her usual monotone voice.

She hated lying to her friends, but she could never let on that her emotions had overwhelmed her and been released. That would lead to questions, and eventually the one she dreaded the most: 'What were you thinking about that made your powers act up?' Well Raven knew that she could not very well say what, or rather, who she was thinking about, and more than that, she could not tell what it was she was thinking of doing with this who. It's not exactly something I should really be thinking about now, is it? she thought. It's not very proper. Or ever gonna happen, for that matter. He's got her. "I didn't hear anything," she finished going back to her book. "I was reading."

The rest of the titans accepted that this would be all they would get out of their Goth friend and so Terra and Cyborg started to pick up the glass and threw it out. Robin, Beast Boy and Starfire all shrugged and went to look in the fridge for food. Beast Boy got there first and peered in, only to slam it shut seconds later. "Dudes, I vote for pizza tonight," he said. "Well, what's in the fridge first?" asked the titans fearless leader. "I don't really want to go out unless there is absolutely nothing in there." Robin crossed the kitchen and opened the fridge. "Well," he said without hesitation, slamming the fridge door. "Where do you guys want to go? I guess we can go shopping tomorrow."

At this question, Beast Boy and Cyborg began their daily fight of meat versus tofu, while they fought (which everyone knew would be for quite awhile); to pass the time away (Oh yeah, you keep telling yourself it is just that, he thought to himself. That's not the real reason you want to go over there.) Robin walked over to Raven and sat down beside her. "So... umm... whatcha- whatcha reading?" he asked, nudging Raven in the side, a place unbeknownst to her friends where she just happened to be quite ticklish. "Oomph," the young woman let out, trying to keep her laughing screams inside. "It's a horror novel," she stated, after she had quickly recomposed herself, as if he didn't already know. "An Edgar Allen Poe collection. Why do you care?" Raven blushed and cringed at the same time seeing the fleeting look of hurt fly across her friend's face as he struggled to answer her. After a few moments, Robin gave up trying to answer and looked away to see if Cyborg and BB had finished fighting yet. They hadn't.

Raven quickly scolded herself and apologized to him. "Oh. Sorry Wonder Boy," she murmured, putting her book on the couch and resting her hand on his. "I didn't mean to snap at you." Her stomach growled, causing Robin to smirk a bit as he looked back at her. "I guess that I am just a little tired. I didn't sleep much last night and meditating didn't do it any better." Yeah, you couldn't sleep, her mind interrupted. You were too busy thinking about you-know-who. Shut up! She told herself. Now is NOT the time. But just look at him, her mind encouraged. Those broad shoulders, that perfect body, that cute mess on top he calls his hair, his lips... Raven's mind trailed off as her face blushed a bit and she looked away. Robin just stared at his beautiful friend. Wow. Did I just say Raven was beautiful? Well, look at her, of course she is! His mind argued. Wait a minute, did I just see Raven blush? Hmm, I wonder why. Boy her hand sure feels nice resting on mine, on my leg, so close to my... WOAH! Stop right there, Birdbrain! Raven's your friend, your teammate. You shouldn't be thinking about her like this. Maybe I should answer her back; she looks kind of sad.

Robin smirked as he watched Raven pink slightly. "Actually it kinda sounds like you might be hungry too! I think we're going to go out to eat. Wanna come?" Raven turned to look at him as the corners of her mouth twitched a but into a tiny, yet beautiful smile. "I think," she started, as her stomach let out another little noise. "That you might be right. I haven't had much to eat today. In fact, I don't think I have had anything at all since dinner last night, and that wasn't a lot. Maybe I will come. Where are you going?" "I dunno," Robin answered, laughing a bit at the cute little noises her tummy continued to make. "How 'bout the two of us decide and we let the others come if they start to feel hungry?" Raven jumped inside as he mentioned 'the two of us' and bit down on her lip to keep from screaming just how right that had sounded. "Sure. How does pizza sound? That way everyone can get want they want on theirs and everybody stays happy." "Sounds to me like a good idea," Robin exclaimed as he jumped up, grabbing her hand and leading her to the door.

"Hey everyone," Robin yelled over the fight that had now encompassed the two girls as well, who were arguing over which of the guys were right. "Dude, how can you eat meat, man?" BB screamed at Cy. "Well how can you NOT eat meat?" Cy screamed back. "Tofu is good. It comes from the earth and nothing gets harmed," shouted the blonde teen to the fiery redhead beside her. "Meat is good as well. You only like the tofu because it is what your boy of friends eats," Starfire bickered back. "Hey everyone!" Robin tried again, getting absolutely nowhere. Oh screw it, he thought. "Rae and I are going to get a pizza. If anyone gets hungry... then go find something your damn selves." Robin turned around to walk out the door, Raven following close behind, not needing any words to know that Robin was giving up on their friends.

"I hope you don't mind," he finally said when they had almost reached the pizza parlor, neither one saying a word the entire way. "But I think it is just going to be the two of us for dinner. Sorry." Wait, he thought. What exactly am I sorry about? I am out to dinner with one of the most beautiful girls I have ever known. And it's just the two of us. Raven heard only the last part of his thoughts 'The two of us,' as she followed him into the restaurant. Hmmm. I wonder what he's thinking about? "Don't be sorry. It is their loss anyway. I am sure they will not even notice we are gone. And besides, they will calm down eventually and go somewhere and eat." I definitely DON'T mind, she thought to herself. Maybe this is the chance I have been waiting for to find out a little more about Robin. And for him to find out a bit more about me...