The Terrible Child

By cdc100

Summary: The Teen Titans are having a peaceful Saturday when they run across someone new; someone who is lost, alone, and holds a deep, dark secret. Robin X Starfire, Possible Beast Boy X Raven and OC X Blackfire.

Disclaimer: This is a work of pure, non-profit fanfiction. Teen Titans is the property of Cartoon Network, DC Entertainment, Warner Bros. Animation, Bruce Timm, Marv Wolfman, George Peréz and Glen Murakami. Please support the official release.

(Seriously, though, if I owned Teen Titans, we would have gotten an honest-to-god sixth, seventh, eighth and maybe even ninth season of the show instead of a bunch of a series of chibi-esque insults to the original show.)

5

Chapter Five

"Miller's Maxi Buns"

The Titans and their new guest once again rode in their respective vehicles. While Cyborg drove the T-Car, J rode in the front passenger seat while Beast Boy, Raven and Starfire sat in the back seat, and Robin rode ahead of them on the R-Cycle.

"How is it so far, Robin?" asked J.

"So far, so good," said Robin. "Got a clean visual. My new AR/IR display is functioning perfectly."

"You didn't have to forgo your usual seat in the T-Car, you know," J said.

"It wasn't like we could have just left you at the Tower," said Robin. "And any other method of travel wouldn't have been practical. Besides, this gives me a chance to test out the new heads-up display Cyborg and I cooked up. When I'm on the R-Cycle, this display will help me stay in communication and keep up pursuits."

"Sounds awesome," said J.

"Wish I was good with gadgets," said a voice in J's mind.

"It'll help a lot next time I have to face Johnny Rancid," said Robin. "See how he likes being tracked through walls."

"You know, I've been meaning to ask about that Rogues Gallery of yours," J said. "Where the hell do they come up with their names? They sound like B-movie villains."

"Have you even seen any B-movies?" asked Raven.

"Now that you mention it, I don't think I have," J said. "Not even sure I know why I know what one is."

"Please," said Starfire. "This concept refers to a movie about bees, or the letter B?"

"Neither," Robin said, chuckling over the intercom. "A B-movie is a movie that is well-known, but usually pales in comparison to other movies. But B-movies aren't always necessarily bad movies."

"The concept sounds rather…nuanced," said Starfire.

"Got that right," Robin said.

J sighed.

"How much longer to the police station?" he asked.

"Not much further now," Cyborg said. "Officer Miller should be getting off shift any minute. We should arrive just in time to catch her on her way out."

"Good," J said. "I'm anxious to see if she can help as much as we're hoping."

"And even if she doesn't, it couldn't hurt to get you a bit more familiar with the city," Robin said.

"Yeah, maybe we could take you out for a burger," Cyborg said. "Hey, there's an idea."

"Yeah," J said. "Now that you mention it, a burger sounds great."

"No, I mean, why don't we pass the time by discussing it?" asked Cyborg. "You know how you like your eggs, maybe you know how you like your burgers, too."

"Hm, maybe," said J.

"So, why don't you tell us what sounds good for your burger?" asked Cyborg.

J leaned back in his seat, crossed his arms over his chest and looked up at the ceiling.

"What?" asked Cyborg. "I thought it sounded like fun."

"I'm thinking," J said.

"Oh," said Cyborg. "Okay."

"Well, I'm thinking a sesame seed bun," said J. "No, a potato bun. Better."

"Worry about the bun later," said Cyborg. "Other details, man."

"Seemed important to me, but okay," J said. "Well…the patty would have to be as thick as my thumb at least. Maybe a quarter- or half-pound. Not too well done. Nice and juicy."

"Dude!" yelled Beast Boy. "Stop! You're gonna make me sick!"

"Then cover your ears," said Cyborg. "Keep going, J."

"Well, the cheese would have to be thick and melted on perfectly," J said. "Bacon on top of the cheese, smothered with ketchup and spicy mustard. Maybe a little bit of mayo and steak sauce on the bun."

"What about vegetables?" asked Cyborg.

"What about them?" asked J.

Cyborg chuckled and held up his hand. J rolled his eyes and high-fived him.

"Sounds like a tasty burger," Cyborg said. "Yo, Robin. What say after we're done with Miller, we head to the nearest burger joint?"

"We'll just have to see," Robin said. "This might take a while, so we may have to just order out."

Soon, the group pulled up to the Jump City Police Department, where they saw several officers leaving for their patrol cars or their civilian vehicles. Just coming out of the door was Cat, her feathery blonde hair bouncing behind her as she walked. As she saw the Titans pull into the parking lot and exit their vehicles, she smiled.

"Titans," she said. "Good to see you again."

"Good to see you too, Cat," said Robin.

"I'm assuming this isn't a social call, though," Cat said. "So, what can I do for you?"
"We thought a bit more about your offer," Robin said. "We'd like to discuss it with you more."

Cat nodded.

"You guys hungry?" she asked.

"Famished," Cyborg said.

"Good," Cat said. "I was just headed to get something myself. You guys are more than welcome to join me. I'm buying."

"You hear that, guys?" Cyborg said. "Dinner's on the officer!"

"Some days, I love being a superhero," Beast Boy said.

"Let me go get my patrol car and you guys can follow me in," Cat said.

Cat went to the parking lot while the Titans got back in their vehicles. Cyborg and Robin spotted Cat's car and followed her. Soon, Cat led the Titans to a building none of them recognized: a neon-lit place called "Miller's Maxi Buns."

When the group parked their vehicles, Cyborg came up to Cat.

"Did you read our minds or something?" he asked. "We were just talking about how good a burger sounded right about now."

"I just thought you guys might like to talk in a nice, friendly setting," Cat said. "Besides, everybody loves a good burger. Come on in. You can sit with me at my usual table."

"So, do you own this place or something?" J asked.

"Eh, kind of," Cat said.

"What do you mean, kind of?" asked Robin.

"Well, it's a family property, but it got franchised years and years ago," said Cat. "It used to belong to my dad. I inherited it after he passed away."

"Sorry to hear that," said Robin.

Cat chuckled.

"Don't worry about it," she said. "That was so long ago. And he did not die young, I'll tell you that."

Cat led the team into the place and went to the front. The Titans followed and looked around at the inside. It was a balance of classy and simple. It gave them a feeling of being in the 1950s, with booth tables lined with laminated placemats that also served as menus. Cat muttered a few words to one of the servers and then gestured for the Titans to follow.

Cat led the Titans to a large table in the back corner of the diner.

"Beast Boy, when you get a look at the menu, take a look at our vegetarian options," said Cat. "They'll be on the back."

"Oh, okay," said Beast Boy.

The group sat down around the table and looked at their menu.

"Wow," said Cyborg. "Man, I don't think I've seen a burger place in town that has as many options as this place."

"My dad loved a good burger," Cat said. "He had a whole laboratory putting research into the best tasting and most satisfying burgers. He had people experiment with different kinds of meats, vegetables, cheeses, buns, sauces, additives – anything you could think of to make the best burgers ever."

"Lamburger?" asked Raven. "Is that what it sounds like?"

"Yeah," Cat said. "What's the matter? Don't care much for lamb?"

"No, I just haven't ever heard of a burger made of lamb," said Raven. "Then again, I hadn't really heard of a tofu burger or even a vegetable burger before I met Beast Boy."

Beast Boy glowered at Raven.

"Speaking of, what made you suggest a vegetarian option to him?" Robin asked.

"Simple," said Cat. "I did my homework. I learned from others at the Justice Department that Beast Boy won't eat anything with meat in it because he's been most of the animals that get eaten."

Beast Boy nodded.

"You're probably not familiar with a lot of burger options for vegetarians," said Cat. "So, how about I make a recommendation? Try our fruit salad burger."

Beast Boy quirked an eyebrow.

"What on earth is all of that?" he asked.

"Our fruit salad burger uses the freshest fruits at our disposal," Cat said. "It's layered with pineapple, slices of orange, drizzled with lime juice and lemon zest and garnished with a chopped-grape relish, all sandwiched between two honey-glazed bagel slices that have been buttered with a mashed banana spread."

"Interesting," Beast Boy said. "O…kay, I'll give it a try."

"I also know that you guys are big fans of pizza," Cat said. "So, I'll go ahead and recommend something to you guys that I'm sure you'll enjoy."

Cat held up her menu and pointed to an option on the side with the regular burgers.

"Pizza burger?" asked Robin.

"Yeah," Cat said. "This baby's a real masterpiece. It's a 100% real beef patty grilled with pepper jack cheese with two slices of pepperoni melted in and topped with marinara sauce, seasoned with oregano and parmesan cheese, all on our Italian herb and cheese bun."

"Damn," Cyborg said. "That actually does sound pretty good."

"And Raven, that lamburger you found is one of our healthiest," Cat said. "It's got a Greek yogurt spread with a sweet Greek goat's milk cheese, and all on our special cotton candy bun."

"Cotton…candy?" Raven asked.

"We're still trying to figure out a good name for it," Cat grumbled. "But basically, we take the ingredients for our regular buns and run them through the same process that one puts sugar through for cotton candy, creating the fluffiest buns you could imagine."

"I do not believe I have ever seen a burger with a color such as this," said Starfire.

Robin leaned toward Starfire and looked where she was pointing.

"It's…it's blue," Robin said. "The Chemical Burger?"

Cat chuckled.

"Oh, yeah," she said. "That's one of our finest. It's actually a favorite among our customers."

"You've…you've got to be kidding," Robin said.

"What?" asked Cat.

"People actually buy this?" Robin asked. "They see a blue burger and think, 'oh that looks good?'"

"Now, now," Cat said. "Don't freak out just because of its color. It's way better than it looks."

"Then why does it look so…bad?" Robin asked.

"It gets its color from the additives it's been pumped with," Cat said. "But don't worry. Each one has been approved by the WHO and the FDA for human consumption. My dad's researchers ran it through a gauntlet of tests for taste, shelf life and quality. The only place it falls short is its appearance. We can easily change that, but my dad considered it a landmark in our business, a symbol of how far his business went, so he kept it like it was. We've only had one person get sick from eating it, and that was because they had already eaten a ton of food beforehand."

"I believe that the Chemical Burger is worth a taste, Robin," said Starfire. "Surely one bite will not cause us harm?"

Robin sighed.

"Come on," Cat said. "Just try it. Starfire's right."

Robin grumbled and looked back down at the menu.

"It's so hard to pick," Cyborg said. "There are so many choices."

"So, don't pick," Cat said. "I already know all about you and Starfire's legendary appetites, Cyborg. You guys order as much as you want, and don't even think of worrying about the bill."

"Alrighty, then," Cyborg said.

Eventually, their server came to take their order.

"I'll have two chemical burgers, three pizza burgers, some fries-" Cyborg began.

"Wait," said Cat. "Let me make another suggestion, Cyborg. How about you have some cube steak fries with ranch dressing?"

"That actually sounds pretty good," Cyborg said. "Alright, cube steak fries and a soda."

"I believe I will try the Chemical Burger," Starfire said. "It looks most delicious. What of you, Robin?"

Robin sighed.

"I…guess I'll have the Chemical Burger, too."

Raven set her menu down and looked at the server.

"I'll take a Lamburger," she said. "Not too heavy on the yogurt."

"I'll have the Fruit Salad Burger," Beast Boy said. "Just regular fries for me. I'm not a complete savage."

The server chalked all of their orders down.

"Drinks?" he asked.

"Sodas all around," Robin said.

When the server left, Cat turned to the group and spoke.

"Alright," she said. "Now, I believe we were going to discuss helping each other out."

"Yeah," said Robin.

"Well, why don't you start from the beginning?" asked Cat. "Our drinks should be here soon. Hopefully, that'll be enough time for you to tell me what's going on."

The Titans explained to Cat how they met J, and soon enough, their drinks arrived. Cat picked up her drink and took a sip before speaking.

"It seems to me like your number one priority is finding out about J's past," Cat said. "That will give you a better idea of what you're dealing with. It might reveal who's after him, and help him regain his memory. I have to agree with Raven. It seems odd that he would remember how to use a bunch of weapons that no 17-year-old would have any business using, but not any powers."

"What are you thinking so far?" Robin asked.

"Well, based on what you're telling me, I would guess that he's a former child soldier," Cat said. "A lot of children end up sent to the front lines to fight. Places like Africa, South America, parts of Asia, the Middle East. Kids of all ages get sent to the front lines with weapons training. The youngest couldn't be more than eight or nine."

"That is terrible," Starfire said. "Who would allow such atrocities to happen? On my world, one does not see combat until they are at least above the age of twelve, and that is the being generous."

"Unfortunately, it happens here on Earth all the time," Cat said. "We don't like it, but there's very little we can do about it. Anyway, back to my theory. Whenever possible, child soldiers who have survived war will be rounded up and placed in relief centers; places where they can be rehabilitated into society. A lot of the children sent to these centers are often given regression therapy."

"I've seen centers like that before," Beast Boy said.

"Since when?" asked Raven.

"Since I grew up in Africa," Beast Boy said. "Anyway, you were saying something about regression therapy?"

"Right," Cat said. "Well, the children are given regression therapy to try and take the proverbial 'killer instinct' out of them so that they can be reintegrated into society. It sounds great on paper and in theory, but in practice, it's a lot more complicated. You're essentially reprogramming a human brain. A lot of the children that go through the throes of war will go through the regression therapy and seem fine for a while, but I haven't seen many cases in which it makes for a good long-term solution. A lot of the children in those situations just are not able to deal with the circumstances leading up to their placement in the relief centers, and they often find their way back to the battlefield eventually, whether it's by their own will or not."

"So, what does all of this have to do with J?" asked Beast Boy.

"In a lot of cases, former child soldiers who've gone through regression therapy like that will start experiencing odd phenomena," Cat said. "Some will have nightmares full of things that they can't place, and others will be doing a normal, everyday activity and suddenly feel like they are in the middle of a warzone. And because of the therapy, they can't associate it with any of their memories."

"So, you think that J might have had similar treatments?" asked Robin. "Like, he was a child soldier, then got put in a relief center to go through that therapy and likely has all of these 'not-so-hidden' talents he has no idea what to do with?"

"That's one possibility," Cat said. "My dad dealt with a lot of child soldiers in his time. He participated in a lot of DDR missions."

"DDR?" Beast Boy asked. "Dance Dance Revolution?"

"It stands for disarmament, demobilization and reintegration," Cat said. "It refers to any mission in which the goal, rather than destroy the target, is to stop the target's further activities and repurpose them. Usually, it's a peacekeeping operation aimed at taking war-torn societies and trying to improve them."

Robin nodded.

"And you think that J's amnesia might be the result of one of these operations?" he asked.

"Methods of child soldier rehabilitation have improved in recent years, but not by much," Cat said. "In the earlier years, instead of the regression therapy, the children would be taken somewhere to learn other skills so that their lives wouldn't be spent behind a gun. But the problem with that was, war was the thing that the children were most familiar with. It was all they knew. Because of that, the children would usually want to go back to the front lines, despite whatever attempts have been made to help them."

"And I'm guessing you look at it as a 'lesser of two evils' deal?" Raven asked.

"My dad never cared for kids," Cat said. "Especially ones with guns. But he did appreciate the value of a child, and because of that, I like to think he would have thought of it like that."

"What exactly did your father do?" asked Cyborg. "From what you've told us, it sounds like he'd seen a lot of action for the owner of a burger joint."

Cat chuckled.

"Well, he wasn't always in the business," she said. "In his earlier days, long before Miller's Maxi Buns, my dad was a soldier. He was born to a Japanese woman by an American soldier stationed in Japan. My dad didn't meet my grandpa until he was in his teens. While in America, he got a lot of military training. At some point, my dad returned to Japan and became a member of Japan's Special Defense Force."

"Special Defense Force?" asked Beast Boy.

"It's one of the closest things Japan has to a military," Robin said. "Japan renounces war and can't maintain an army, so they opt for their Special Defense Force as a means of national defense."

"Fascinating," said Starfire.

"My dad spent some time in the JSDF before striking out on his own," Cat said. "He was a soldier for most of his life."

Cat pointed off to her right.

"That's a picture of him, over there on the wall," she said.

The Titans looked in the direction Cat pointed and saw a portrait of a man with feathery blond hair, wearing a yellow scarf and green fatigues, and a pair of aviator sunglasses, just like the ones Cat wore.

"I see," Robin said. "I wondered why you wore sunglasses even at night."

Beast Boy chuckled.

"Yeah," he said. "Paging Dr. Hart. Dr. Corey Hart."

Cyborg scoffed.

"I will admit, it is strange," Cat said. "I wear them because I think they look cool. My dad wore them because he was photosensitive."

Cat turned back to the Titans and cleared her throat.

"Anyway," she said, "I more or less learned everything I know about combat and whatnot from him. In his later years, he was a drill instructor for special ops units. It was because of him that I became a police officer."

"And I'm guessing you got to see him a lot during his drills," J said.

"Correct," said Cat. "I kind of emulate him a little when I'm running drills."

"That's a very interesting story," Robin said. "We were actually hoping you could use that expertise of yours to help us. Someone with your expertise and connections would be in the best position to help J regain his memory."

"By 'connections,' I'm assuming you mean at the police department," Cat said.

Robin cleared his throat.

"Yes," he said. "I'm…sure you remember the robbery that J helped us stop."

"I do," Cat said. "That was really good work on his part."

"J went in practically unarmed, with only a knife," Robin said. "He sent Beast Boy in ahead to scout, and then he and I started taking out the robbers together. He took the weapons off one guy and used them to subdue the other robbers, but dismantled the rest. I'm honestly not sure what we would have done if he wasn't helping us out. There's a better than fair chance that if he wasn't there, one of those hostages could have been hurt, or worse."

"Yeah," Cat said. "That's a distinct possibility. The disadvantage of dealing with small-timers like that is that they're not as predictable as someone like Plasmus or Cinderblock."

"Exactly," Robin said. "The fix for a situation like that isn't to be unpredictable yourself, but we needed to hold back, and we couldn't do that with all five of us interfering. Problem is, as good as I am, there was a chance I could have been overpowered."

"Sounds like a good judgment call to me," Cat said. "What I'm gathering is that J has hidden talent that seems to come out whenever he needs it. From what you're saying, he took control of the situation pretty effectively."

"He did," Robin said. "The only thing we can't figure out is how or why."

"So, what are you proposing?" asked Cat.

Robin sighed.

"Well, the rest of us have talked it over," he said. "We've decided that while we prefer not to use guns in our hero work, J's skill with firearms and regular combat is too great to ignore."

"Having him give up this…'training' that he has would be like having me give up my powers, or Starfire give up her starbolts," Raven said.

"Which is most hypocritical," Starfire said. "My starbolts are far more dangerous than any firearm the police force would have at its disposal."

Cat nodded.

"And?" she prompted.

"Well, J's skills could be an asset to the team, should he decide to stay on as one of us," said Robin. "But…he'll need practice. And more training. Neither of those are things we can give him at the Tower alone. He'll need to be coached and certified before we can consider him completely ready. In that department, the Titans can only go so far."

Cat quirked an eyebrow behind her aviators.

"Are you suggesting that I let him train in firearm use and then give him a special permit to use them in your crime-fighting activities?" she asked.

Robin cleared his throat again.

"Well…yes," he said. "But there's more to it than that. If we let him train with you, it could help jog his memory. You must understand, ma'am, I wouldn't suggest something like this unless I were completely serious."

"I can understand," Cat said, looking over at J. "It is highly unorthodox to let someone underage have free use of a firearm, but you are right. His skills can't be ignored."

"So, what do you suggest?" asked Robin.

"Well, nothing yet," Cat said. "I'll need to talk things over with the police before we know anything definitive. I can't make any promises yet, except that I will pass our concerns along to the police department."

Cat leaned forward.

"But even if the police don't agree with us, we will try and figure something else out together," she said. "Hopefully, it won't come to that, but if it does, we can try and work something else out. You know what? I think I'll work on this as a pet project of some kind. Something I do outside of police business."

"We're appreciative of your consideration, Cat," said Robin.

Cat nodded.

"Alright," she said, smiling. "Enough seriousness. Time for you guys to enjoy the best burgers of your lives."

Cat flourished and the Titans followed her hand. Coming toward the table was a server holding a large tray of burgers and fries.

The server set the food in front of each of their respective eaters.

"If you guys are still hungry after this round, we'll have some more," said Cat.

Robin held up his hands.

"You don't have to do that, Cat," he said. "We would hate to impose."

"Please," Cat said. "Half the people in this place feel indebted to you. They feel like it's the least they can do. Besides, you may be superheroes, but you're still kids. You're still growing. By nature, you guys have big appetites. So, eat your fill. More, if you like."

"I've heard enough," Cyborg said with a smile. "I think I'll start with one of the pizza burgers."

Cyborg picked one up and unwrapped it. He gave it a sniff and smiled.

"Wow," he said. "That smells divine."

With that, he put it in his mouth and chomped down.

"Hey!" he said, with his mouth still full. "This is delicious!"

"I told you," said Cat.

"Man, if this is the standard for all your burgers, I can't wait to see what the Chemical Burger is like," said Cyborg.

"I'm sure you'll love it, Cyborg," said Cat.

Beast Boy unwrapped his burger and gave it a look.

"Looks good enough," he said. "I mean, you did say fruit salad burger, so I suppose it looks as good as a fruit salad can look."

"Just looks like a conglomeration of monkey food to me," muttered J.

"What was that?" asked Beast Boy.

"Nothing," J said.

"Just give it a try, Beast Boy," said Cat. "See what you think."

Beast Boy lifted the burger to his mouth and took a measured bite. His eyebrows shot to the top of his hairline as he nodded and shrugged.

"That's not bad," Beast Boy said. "Got all kinds of sweetness here."

"We try to use the natural sweetness of the fruits to our advantage, and use techniques that enhance and compliment it, hence the honey glaze on the bun," said Cat.

"It's pretty clever," Beast Boy said.

Raven looked between Beast Boy and Cyborg before looking down at her "lamburger."

"Well, I guess I might as well," she said.

She picked up her burger and took a bite as Cyborg and Beast Boy chomped on their burgers. Robin and Starfire looked at Raven expectantly.

Raven nodded.

"This is pretty good," she said. "It kind of reminds me of those 'Philly cheese steak' things people like. That and melt sandwiches."

"When my Dad made it, he wanted it to be made of things people associate with lamb," said Cat. "The bun's not too hard to bite through thanks to the process we put it through. The idea for the Greek yogurt spread came from lamb being a staple food in Greece."

"It makes a pretty good substitute for Miracle Whip," said Raven. "I'll give you that."

Robin looked down at the burger that he received. Sure enough, it had a blue tinge to it. Robin gulped as he looked down at it.

Cat sighed.

"Look," she said. "Would it help if I took a bite of it first?"

"No," Robin said. "I can do it."

"Come on, Robin," Cyborg said.

"I'm doing it, okay?" Robin asked, scowling at the semi-robot.

Robin finally lifted the burger to his mouth and, just like Beast Boy, took a measured bite of the sandwich.

Halfway through his bite, Robin froze and his eyes went wide.

"Well?" Cat asked.

Robin spoke, mouth still full of burger.

"It's…it's…it's…" Robin stammered.

The other Titans leaned forward to hear Robin's response.

"It's…delicious!" he gasped.

"Right?" asked Cat, smiling. "The perfect burger in every way, right?"

"My God," Robin said. "I take back everything I said about this burger before. This is how a burger is supposed to taste. There is no alternative."

"Sounds like an endorsement to me," Cyborg said, lifting up one of the Chemical Burgers he ordered.

Cyborg took his own bite and practically moaned into the sandwich.

"He's right," he said. "I think I've died and gone to Burger Heaven."

Cat did a mock chuckle and rubbed her hands together.

"Speaking of endorsements," she said, "perhaps we could work out some kind of endorsement deal from the Titans. I can only imagine how much more business we'd get if we were reputed as the Titans' favorite burger place."

Robin chuckled.

"Let's just get through this meal first, eh?" he asked.

Starfire unwrapped her chemical burger and started eating it.

"Robin and Cyborg are both correct," she said. "I have never tasted a burger of the ham that tasted this good."

As the group ate their burgers, they continued to converse. Before long, however, Cat paid their bill and the group dispersed.

"I'll see you guys after a while," said Cat. "I'll try and be in touch with you guys within the next couple of days."

With that, Cat went to her car and got in. As they watched her drive off, the Titans went to their own vehicles and prepared to leave.

"So, good news," Cyborg said, starting the T-Car and putting it in gear. "I mean, she didn't come right out and say it, but it sounds like we have her support."

J climbed into the passenger seat next to Cyborg and slumped backwards.

"Sup, dude?" asked Beast Boy as he climbed into the back seat next to Raven and Starfire.

"Nothing," said J. "Just tired again. Too much thinking exhausts me."

"Don't worry, dude," Beast Boy said. "We'll be back at the Tower soon and you can collapse if you want."

"If you prefer, we can move you to a different room," Raven said.

"I'll be fine," J said. "That bed beats wet grass any day."

"If you say so," said Raven. "A lot of guys would have reservations about being in a girl's room, is all."

"Well, from what you told me, it doesn't sound like it's her room anymore," said J.

"Good point," said Raven.

"So, J," Cyborg said, "was that burger everything you wanted?"

"Better," said J. "Perfectly proportioned and seasoned and…just perfect."

"Good," said Cyborg. "Which one did you like the best?"

"The Chemical Burger was pretty damn good," said J. "But I have to say, the Pizza Burger was a close second."

Beast Boy groaned and retched.

"I don't understand how you guys can love meat so much," he said. "You know that used to be a living thing, right?"

"You know, Beast Boy, some meats are made from bears," said J. "If the situation were reversed, do you really think that bear would have a problem eating us?"

"That's different!" exclaimed Beast Boy.

"You're right," said J. "It is. The bear would be alive and you wouldn't be."

Beast Boy slapped his forehead and looked out the window.

"So, what's next on our agenda?" asked J.
"Well, we can't do any more tonight," said Cyborg. "So, we might as well head back to the tower and keep an eye on the city for now. Who knows? Maybe you'll get another chance to help us out."

"You'll think this is crazy, but I wouldn't mind trying something out on my own," said J.

Everyone in the car looked at J.

"What are you talking about?" asked Raven.

"I mean, like, that robbery we stopped earlier," said J. "If another one of those happened, I'd like to see how I would do by myself."

"Sounds like you're getting kind of cocky," said Cyborg with a frown.

J quirked an eyebrow.

"What?" he asked. "No, I'm just saying I think it'd be interesting if I got to try something on my own."

"Sounds like you're getting too big for your britches to me," replied Beast Boy, doing his best Southern accent.

J's brow furrowed.

"Look, I'm just saying that…" he began.

"That you think you'd do better by yourself than with us?" asked Raven.

"Listen to me!" growled J. "I'm trying to tell you that-"

"Friends, please," Starfire said. "We must not fight. Perhaps one of friend J's hidden talents is overconfidence."

"I am not overconfident!" J grumbled. "I just think it would be interesting if…ugh! Forget it."

J slumped in his seat and stared out his side of the windshield.

In a matter of minutes, the Titans and their new guest were back at the Tower, and J silently followed the group inside.

J closed his eyes as they all went in through the front door, and in place of the Titans in front of him, he could see a large, imposing machine, which seemed to be staring right down at him. He could see soldiers around it, patrolling.

J couldn't identify what he was seeing, but it looked like some sort of robot with large, dinosaur-like legs, an angular, box-shaped head, and a long arm protruding forward from its right side. The way the head was positioned made it seem as though the machine was staring down at him, watching him. As he looked around himself, he could see a few of the soldiers surrounding him, and next to him, he could see a man with a very strange costume, all in black. But the most distinguishing feature was the man's face…or rather, his lack of one.

J opened his eyes and shook his head.

"What is it?" asked Raven, turning toward J.

"It's nothing, Raven," J said.

Raven shrugged and the group continued into the Tower. Soon, the group reached the hallway where their rooms were located, at which point, J broke off from the group. He went down the hall to his room and went into it, crossing over to his bed and laying down. He slowly closed his eyes and waited for sleep to take its hold.

"You hope the hatred might someday replace the pain…but it never goes away. It makes a man hideous, inside and out."

"I am the absence of words."

"Revenge!"

"Kill me!"

"KILL ME!"

"Finish your mission!"

"…dies…the host dies with it."

"Prove your loyalty!"

"…DIE!"

J shot up in his bed, pulling his knife out from under his pillow and swiping it in front of him. Warily, he looked about the room, but found nothing. He sighed and dropped his knife next to his pillow before rolling on his side and closing his eyes. After a few moments, he opened his eyes again and rolled out of bed before walking down the hall to the gym. He grabbed a spare shirt and put it on.

J looked at the punching bag in the corner and took out his knife. He placed both of his hands in front of him and crouched down, slowly advancing toward the bag. He kicked at the bag and punched it before bringing the knife in front of him, placing the bag between himself and the blade of the knife. J brought his arms together, putting the bag into a chokehold, and repeatedly squeezing before letting go of the bag. He then retreated back before doing the same thing, only instead of "choking" the bag, he brought the blade across its throat, causing sand to spurt out of the hole.

"Hey!" exclaimed a voice. "What the hell!"

J whirled around and saw Cyborg leaning against the door of the gym, frowning at him.

"What?" asked J.

"What are you doing, man?" asked Cyborg, gesturing to the bag.

J looked back at the training tool, then back at Cyborg. He shrugged.

"I was…practicing some techniques," said J.

Cyborg narrowed his eyes further.

"I'm not sure that's the kind of technique you should be practicing, J," said Cyborg.

J shrugged again.

"It just came to mind," he said. "I've been trying to remember things, and…"

"And what?" asked Cyborg.

"All that I've been able to come up with is this," J said. "Amid all the noise and the dreams and visions, the thing that sticks out most is all of this training."

Cyborg's frown faded ever so slightly.

"Really?" he asked. "That's it?"

"I mean, I remember the things I…well, that I remember, but I can't fit anything together," said J. "Like I said before, it's just noise. I can't derive anything from it. It's like I broke a window, but only three of the pieces are here."

"And no matter how good a construction worker you are, you can't make a window from three little shards," said Cyborg. "I get it."

J turned to look at the bag again.

Cyborg uncrossed his arms and leaned away from the door.

"What are you even doing here right now, J?" asked Cyborg. "I mean, you do what you want here, nobody can stop here, but I can't imagine why you'd want to be, especially at…"

Cyborg trailed off, looking at the nearby clock.

"…dear Lord, five in the morning?" he continued. "How are you even out of bed right now?"

"Trust me, after the night I've had…" said J.

"Let me guess," said Cyborg. "More memories?"

"Yeah," said J. "And not the good kind."

"Yeah, none of those memories of yours seem to fall in that group," said Cyborg.

"I couldn't sleep, and I came down here and thought maybe doing a little sparring would take my mind off it," said J. "And you'll think it's weird, but the kinds of things I can do – the techniques I know – they seem to be the only thing that don't hurt me somehow."

Cyborg opened his mouth to speak, but before he could say a word, J whirled back around.

"Look, Cyborg," said J. "Sorry for destroying that bag. If you want me to leave, I will. I haven't forgotten what you guys said about how you handle criminals. I'm still trying to figure things out. You guys have found an outlet for the things I can do and I appreciate that. If you prefer, I'll wait until we make contact with Cat before I do any more training."

With that, J took off the shirt he had put on and sheathed his knife before walking past Cyborg and out the door. As J left, Cyborg looked down at the bag J had destroyed before turning off the light and heading back to his room.

Later, when everyone was up and about, Cyborg came down to find Robin and Starfire sitting at the breakfast table, while Beast Boy and Raven sat on the couch, Raven reading and Beast Boy playing a fighting video game.

"Hey, guys," said Cyborg.

"Hey, Cyborg," said Robin.

Cyborg came over and sat with Robin and Starfire.

"Something wrong?" asked Robin.

"I'm not sure," said Cyborg. "I was hoping to talk to you about that."

"It's J, isn't it?" asked Beast Boy, not looking away from the TV screen, but catching everyone's attention.

"Yeah," said Cyborg. "I found him in the gym this morning."

"I thought I smelled sweat," said Beast Boy.

"What was he doing in there?" asked Robin.

"If you asked him, he would probably tell you he was sparring," said Cyborg. "What I saw was…well, it made me nervous."

"What did he do?" asked Starfire.

"J took his knife to one of the punching bags," said Cyborg. "Gutted it."

Beast Boy and Raven both looked up at Cyborg then, and Beast Boy's character in the game made a groaning noise as it ran out of energy.

"Well, that would make me nervous too," said Beast Boy.

Beast Boy and Raven both came over to the breakfast table and sat.

"Now, before you guys jump to any conclusions, you should hear how the conversation went," said Cyborg.

"Well, how did it go, then?" asked Raven.

"Yeah," said Beast Boy. "I'd love to hear how rational a conversation with a guy who just stabbed a training dummy can be."

"He's got a point," said Raven.

"It wasn't really that simple," said Cyborg. "Go figure, right? With J, it never is."

"Just tell us what happened while you were there."

"J said he was down there because the was having more of those nightmares of his," said Cyborg. "He came down to try and take his mind off them. When I called him out on the bag, he put his knife away, told me he'd wait to do more training until Cat had been in contact and then he just left. I haven't seen him since then."

"Did he say anything else?" asked Robin.

"Not really," said Cyborg. "He just says that those skills of his are the only memories he has that don't cause him some kind of pain. He apologized about what he did, and said he hasn't forgotten what we've taught him. I don't know. The whole conversation was like that story you hear all the time about George Washington."

"With the apple tree?" asked Beast Boy.

"Cherry tree," said Cyborg.

"Oh, right," said Beast Boy. "The apple tree was Lincoln."

Cyborg shook his head and Raven rolled her eyes.

"Anyway, I don't know," said Cyborg. "The whole thing was confusing and a little bit scary. I didn't even recognize the kid who took out that bag, but I did recognize the kid who left the room."

Robin shrugged.

"That's very interesting, Cyborg," he said. "That's for sure. And I'm glad you brought it to our attention. I don't know what we can do about it now, but when Cat gets back in touch with us, I'll pass along our concerns."

Cyborg nodded.

"For now, that's as good a solution as any," said Cyborg.

As Cyborg finished his sentence, the TV screen's image was distorted, and the group turned to face it as a new image appeared on it. The image was black and orange, and the part that was orange had an eye that seemed to stare right at each of the Titans. Below the eye were three vertical slits. The image looked at the Titans and spoke directly to them.

"Hello, Titans," said the image in a quiet voice.

Robin jumped out of his chair and faced the screen.

"Slade," he said, scowling at the screen.

"I see you've kept the city in shape in my absence," said Slade. "Good."

(A/N: Slade – Ron Perlman)

"What in the world do you want, Slade?" asked Robin.

"Not in the world, Robin," said Slade. "That's just it. I want the world."

To be continued…