A/N: Disclaimer I don't own the Titans or any other character in this.

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Title: Back and Better

Chapter 1: Scroll of Power

It was the usual week for the Titan's. Stop Mumbo, Dr. Light, Control Freak and Johnny Rancid. That takes them to Thursday and everyone was a little concerned that Robin, the moody vigilante for Gothom had only come out of his room for meals and missions. He didn't come out for anything else like watching T.V. or playing any of the game systems. Even his drinking habits have changed; the usual six cups of coffee he would consume in a morning were now replaced with green tea. He would always eat healthy but the other looked at the coffee as a way of balancing him out.

" Dude what have you done to him Raven?" Beast Boy asked the dark Goth girl next to him.

" I didn't do anything to him elf. And what are you trying to blame me for anyways?" she growled.

" Well the coffee was the only thing that made him seem normal and now he switched to green tea, I mean you're the only other person in the Tower that drinks that stuff so if it isn't you then who is it?" the green shape shifter asked shrugging this shoulders.

" He's got a point Rae, if it isn't you than who would have gotten the man hooked on tea and the way he's acting is like you so how do you explain that?" Cyborg asked raising the eyebrow over his natural eye.

" I don't know," she said getting slightly annoyed at the two of them expecting her to answer all their questions, " but if you're so concerned why don't you ask him yourselves?"

" Dude, we've tried everything, we've knocked on his door and he doesn't answer or yell or anything," Beast Boy said.

" Yeah, I've even tried to hack the door," Cy looked frantic, " he's got some kind of encryption on that thing that I've never seen before. His room is like the safest place on the face of the earth. Nothing gets in."

" Well if you won't find out for yourselves I guess I'll have to talk with the boy blunder about this." Raven said as she exited the common room and headed for Robin's.

At first she was hesitant about going into his room. Even though she's been in it before it creped her out that he could be so obsessive about his job that the rooms décor was newspaper clippings about various villains that they have faced, mostly Slade. After passing her room she was now standing in front of his door. She couldn't hear anything on the other side; 'maybe he soundproofed his room?' she thought to herself and then rapped on the door. The loud metal clang should of let everyone on that floor know she was at his door, but there come no answer. She knocked again, and again when she started to scream. " Robin open up it's Raven I need to talk to you."

Now the door opened to reveal Robin, shirtless panting a little looking at her as if she had just interrupted him in the middle of the most important thing in his life. " What can I do for you Raven?" he asked.

Blushing slightly at the fact that he was shirtless and taking pleasure at looking at his chiseled frame she looked back at his face and said, " The others are worried about you and there blaming me for your resent change in behavior. And I must admit that I'm a little worried as well. What has gotten into you lately?"

" Do you really want to know?" he asked raising an eyebrow above the mask.

" Yeah I do."

" Fine than come on in and see for yourself," and he ushered her into his room. Closing the door he said, " computers activate last room settings." And with that the bed, desk and chair were replaced with punching bag and weight equipment. ' Ok he turned his room into a training room so what' Raven thought when she noticed that she felt heaver than before. Suddenly she fell to her knees and had to brace herself with her hands.

" What is going on Robin?"

He walked up to her as if nothing had happened and responded, " This is what I've been doing for the last couple of weeks, and I've been training in my room under instance gravity. Right now you are experiencing 7X normal gravity." He said bluntly.

" Okay and why haven't you been talking to the others when they've knocked on your door?"

" Because I don't want Cyborg to know and I don't want BB to touch anything, you know he'd mess with it and probable turn himself into a green pancake if he found it you know."

" True but could you at least turn it off right now it's kind of hard when your not use to it." She said through her teeth struggling to stay on her hands and knees.

" Oh yeah sorry I'm so use to it that I forget that it was on." And he spoke to the computer again to reset normal gravity, " Now are you satisfied."

" No the others are wondering why you're drinking green tea instead of coffee."

" Because I hate coffee." Robin said bluntly.

" Really," she wondered," you drank it religiously why the change?"

" Because I was having trouble sleeping and it made me a little edgy," Robin said, " the tea keeps me awake but not edgy."

" That makes sense, now will you tell the others to stop blaming me for your recent behavior."

" Ok just give me a minute to clean up and I'll settle this so tell the others that I'll talk to them when I come down." Then Robin walked to his bathroom to take his shower. What he didn't realized was Raven staring at his back looking over his body, blushing, ' since when do I care how he looks. He's my leader I can't be attracted to him.' Pushing the thought from her head she went back down to the main room to tell the others that Robin was going to explain his resent behavior.

After about eight minutes of waiting Robin appeared in the middle of the room. Shocking the other inhabitants.

" Whoa, Rob what was with the scarring us man." Cyborg said.

" Sorry, I suppose you want and explanation for my behavior lately?"

" Yeah like what is with you acting like Raven!" BB shouted.

" And what is wrong with the way I act?" Raven raised an eyebrow.

" No matter now the reason I have been in my room is I've been training myself." Robin put bluntly.

" But friend Robin is that not what the training room is for?" questioned Starfire

" Normally yes but it has not just been physical training it has also been mental with a bit of studying thrown in."

" Studying what exactly?" Cy asked.

" This," as Robin reached behind him to pull a giant scroll. The scroll was maybe a yard tall and about two feet wide with some Japanese writing on it, " This a ancient scroll of ninjitsu arts that I found in out last fight with Cinderblock. After I found it and learned what is was I have been trying to learn what the scroll has to teach but I can no longer continue training here. I will be leaving the Teen Titans for a little while."

" Dude you can't leave we need you for the serious ass kicking" Beast Boy screamed.

" Yeah and if your gone who will challenge me in video games I mean the grass stain is hardly a challenge." Cyborg stated.

" Relax I will only be gone a month or two so relax it's not like I'm leaving for good."

" Ok friend Robin but we will miss you very much so hurry home," Starfire said giving the masked leader a bear hug.

" Star," he pleaded, " Oxygen"

" Oh I'm sorry I just got a little carried away." The young Tamerainian let go of him and set him on the ground.

" So when will you be leaving then?" Raven asked.

" Tomorrow morning most likely before any of you get up."

" Why so early man, you just trying to sneak out on us?" Beast Boy asked.

" If I was going to sneak out why would I tell you when I'm leaving, the reason I'm leaving that early is because that is when my flight leaves for Japan."

And with that the Titans went to bed for the night leaving Robin and Raven alone in the main room. As Robin went to the kitchen to make himself some tea he asked Raven, " What's bothering you now Rae?"

Quickly blushing at the fact that Robin had used her nickname she steeled her face behind a mask of indifference to say, " Nothing is bothering me, what makes you think that?"

" The look in your eyes," he answered, " You might try to hide it but your eyes tell me all I need to know. Would you like some tea?"

" Sure why not." She said as she sat down at the counter taking the cup that Robin had given her. Taking a sip her eyes widened, " This is really good tea Robin,"

" Why thank you, I was hoping I didn't make it a little to strong, I know you prefer a milder strength of tea because it helps keep your emotions under control." Robin said pulling a chair so he could sit down across from her.

" Well normally I do but this is quiet pleasant, just enough kick to keep me awake for a while."

Robin smiled at the complement the resident Goth was giving him, " So what do you think about me going away for a while?"

" I'm not sure, I mean it is really short notice to tell us that you will be going away tomorrow and you won't be back for a couple of months. I mean it's not like when you would go and visit with Batman for a week or so and be back right away, your talking a couple of months." A slight bit of annoyance crept into her voice as she was saying that.

" So you're a little upset about it than?"

" Why would you think that?"

" Because I can tell by your voice and your eyes, you give yourself away Raven even if the others don't notice I do. I notice everything," he paused a little with a smirk on his face, " even the way you looked at me in my room."

Now at hearing this Raven face turned into a tomato not only because he caught her looking at him but also at the memory it brought up. As a few things in the kitchen exploded the smirk on Robin's face grew.

" Well I have some things to pack up so good night Raven and I will see you when I get back. And so the Tower went into a peaceful sleep for all but the resident empathy. Her night was full of troubled dreams of never seeing Robin again.

She woke with a start looking at her clock it was 4:13 a.m. when she found a note on her clock. She turned on her bedside lamp to read it.

Dear Raven,

I hope you aren't mad at me for entering your room without your permission but I meant this note only for you. Don't be worried about me I'll be fine. In the time I am gone I am leaving Cyborg in charge. I have written a note for everyone but your took the longest to write if that is any comfort. I know you are going to be fine while I am gone but to be on the safe side be careful anyway. Don't do anything extreme like barbecuing Beast Boy even though you want to, and if the need arises take command of the team.

I hope to see you soon but until then Be Safe.

Robin.

Raven read the note through three times before she leaned back lying on her bed clutching the note close to her chest. " Be safe too Robin." She whispered. And fell back to sleep no longer surrounded by nightmares as she drifted off into a calm relaxing dream when Robin would come back and hold her in his strong arms kissing her passionately when she was rudely awakened by her alarm clock. Hitting the snooze button with her powers she made her way to her bathroom that was connected to her bedroom. After a quick shower she dressed in her usual uniform and headed down to the kitchen for her morning cup of tea.

When she got to the kitchen she found Cyborg and Beast Boy already in the kitchen but something was out of place. The weren't having there usual argument about Meat vs. Tofu this morning, instead the topic of conversation was the notes that Robin had left.

" Man why dose Robin have to leave. I mean why couldn't he keep training here it's not like we don't have training equipment." Cyborg said sitting down at the table with his cup of OJ, plate of eggs, sausage, bacon, ham, and hash browns. Reading the morning paper.

" I know what does Japan have that we don't I mean have the stuff in here was made in Japan or China or Taiwan, why dose he need to go over there when we seem to bring it all here?" Beast Boy questioned.

" I think that it's not technology he needs to complete what ever training he has set out to do." Raven answered to the rest while waiting for her tea to boil.

" So Raven what did the traffic light put in your note?" Beast Boy asked.

" Not to kill you while he's away." She said coldly.

" Your kidding right?" the shape shifter asked looking worried. When Raven just shook her head.

Cyborg was going to say something when Starfire entered the room with a very confessed look on her face. " What's wrong Star?" the machine man asked.

" Something Robin put in his note to me that I don't understand," the red head responded, " he said I was a bubble, but I am not round or transparent. I do not know why Robin thinks I am a bubble when I clearly am not."

Quickly looking over the note in her hand Cyborg now understood what she was talking about. " You mean when he wrote that he would miss your bubbly personality?" Starfire nodded, " That is an expression for someone who is happy a lot of the time. He's not saying you're a bubble just that the way you act is so free and boundless like when you see bubbles floating in the air." Upon hearing this explanation the young Tamariannian's lit up like a Christmas tree as she giggled floating to the kitchen for a glass of orange juice.

Two Months Later

The Titans had fallen into a schedule where they didn't notice Robin's absence as much. Also as Robin requested Cyborg took the lead when it came to battles and there had been no problems. On a usual morning the mail had been delivered to the tower and Beast Boy was collecting it when he came across a large thick brown envelope marked in Japanese and English underneath for translation. It said to Titans Tower Jump City, CA 95874. When Beast Boy read who it was from he yelled to the others, " Hey guys we got a letter from Robin in the mail. As if the Kentucky derby let out the other three titans ran/flew into the main room to read the letter. They were all fighting over who would open the letter when Raven enveloped it in black energy and ripped the outside envelope releasing four others and a sheet of paper that fluttered down for them all to read. Cyborg was the first to pick up the letter and began to read it to the others.

Dear Friends,

I hope that you are doing all right. Not too many fights I hope. Anyways I'm writing to you because I have not completed my training yet and I don't know when that will happen.

I have incased a privet letter for each of you. I would appreciate it if you would not share the contents of those letters to the others for I have written things of a personal nature in each of them for the recipient alone.

It's hard being away from you guys for so long but I'm handling it as best I can. Well I hope you guys the best in my absence so stay safe and I will see you when I get back.

Robin

The Titans stood in silence for a couple of minutes pondering what they had just read in Robin's letter.

" Man when is he coming home? Things have been ok but it just isn't the same." Cyborg said.

" Yes I miss our friend most terribly since his departure." Star said looking rather depressed.

" I'm sure he's going to come back soon, and I hope with souvenirs." BB stated.

' I just hope he comes back in one piece' Raven thought to herself. As she picked up the other letter addressed to her and glided back to her room to read it in privet.

Sitting down on her bed Raven slowly opened the small envelope and removed the paper inside and began to read it.

Dear Raven,

I suppose you're wondering why I decided to write you guys individually, well that is simple there are things in each of the letters that I don't want the others to know. First off I miss you the most. I guess you really don't know what's around you until it isn't there anymore and I'm feeling your loss the most out of ever one else's. Especially in the morning I remember sitting on the roof sometimes meditating with you as the sun rose up in the sky. The way you could get BB to shut up with a glance over your shoulder. But we can talk about these things later I wanted to tell you that the scroll had more than just a fighting style on it I've got a few interesting 'tricks' now and I can't wait to show you guys but I can't come back right now but I will soon. I figure that it took about a week for this to get to you so I should be back in about five weeks after you receive this. Hope to see you soon

Robin

P.S. I have changed my look a bit so you might not recognize me right away.

As Raven finished reading her letter she couldn't help but feel her heart skip a beat, ' he misses me the most, how do I take that. I thought he had a thing for Starfire not me. I need to meditate on this' as she floated over to her mirror for her trip to Nevermore she smiled to herself ' he missed her the most'

Finding herself in the familiar landscape of Nevermore. As she made her way through the scenery she beckoned her emotions to her as they came one by one Raven had to yell for them to shut up from all the noise they were making trying to talk all at once.

" Now how should we take this Intelligence?" Raven asked

" Well there's a 67 percent chance that Robin likes us just as a friend and a 30 percent chance that he like us on a more personal level." The yellow robed version of Raven answered.

" What's the other three percent than?" the purple robed Pride asked.

Pushing her glasses Intelligence responded, " The fact that Robin is laying to us as some sort of joke."

" He'd never do that to us," an orange robed raven spoke up.

" I agree with loyalty on this one, " Pride said, " I mean when has Robin ever toyed with us."

" Have you forgotten the Red X incident?" Intelligence said.

" No and I don't believe I understand where you're going with this?" real Raven asked.

" You know as well as I do that we can't completely trust what he tells us even in person, and it would be stupid of us to forget that we virtually know nothing about him where I'm sure he knows every weakness that the Titans have whether it's a physical one or a mental ones."

" We already know this but we have nothing to be afraid of he would never use that information against us." Loyalty said.

" Okay do we all agree that Robin wouldn't use such information against us," the other ravens just nodded, " Good now lets meditate so we can get back to our life." The real Raven said as the others gathered around her as she chanted.

The next five weeks want over quickly for the residents of Titans Tower. No major crimes, no major incidents of any kind. All in all it was really boring. While Robin as gone the other Titans got a little lax with there combat training. Instead of training every other day instead now they only practice once a week. But they didn't care Robin wasn't there to pester them about it until today.

While Beast boy and Cyborg were in their usual spots on the couch playing the game station while Raven was floating in front of the window meditating chanting to herself. And Starfire was sitting at the dinning room table reading a fashion magazine sipping her giant jar of mustard humming to herself when the parameter sensor was tripped. Red lights flashed in the room and the Titans got ready for battle and were just about to run outside when the intruder walked in the front door.

He was dressed all in black; his limbs were wrapped in what looked like thick black belts with silver buckles and he was wearing a tunic and had hand guards with a red 'R' on them. He was also wearing a black cloak with a hood that covered his face.

While the titans got ready for battle when the intruder pulled down his hood to reveal a masked face and almost shoulder length black hair, " Hey guys long time no see" he smiled.

" Robin!" Starfire screeched leaping from her fighting stance and rushed over to him and enveloped him in a bear hug.

Barely getting away Robin just looked at the others and smiled. " So how have you all been doing?"

" Man, what is with you tripping the alarm, I thought we were under attack." Cyborg said looking at Robin.

" I thought you needed a little wakeup call besides what fun would it be if I just came in the front door like announced?" he said with a smirk on his face.

" Well I'm glad your back now I won't have to beat up the grass stain all the time at Ridge Racer 7, you know he put up no challenge."

" Hey I'm right here you know." Beast Boy, " You could show some tacit. By the way Rob what's with the new outfit you look like a ninja out of a comic book."

" Well how about we discuss this over some pizza. I haven't' had pizza for nearly four months so what do you say?"

In unison they said yes and so they went into town to their favorite pizza shop. As Robin explained what his trip was about.

" Well the scroll held a form of martial arts known as Taijutsu. It's a very old style I though to be lost, but that's not all the scroll had," pausing to scarf down a couple of slices he continued, " It also holds some mystical stuff that will help me with my fighting. How about I show you guys after we get back."

" Sounds good but what's with the belts on your arms and legs?" Beast Boy asked.

" That's so my muscles don't degenerate when I fight. You see taijutsu utilizes 100 percent of a person's muscle capacity but in doing so the muscles can't take the stress. It would be like blowing a balloon up past its capacity."

" Dude that totally sucks." Beast Boy stated looking down at this veggie pizza, " So what are your other abilities?"

" I told you I would show you when we got back, but if you insist," Robin backed away from the table. Standing up straight he, bringing his arms to his chest he extended his index and middle fingers on each hand and formed them into a 'T' shape. Concentrating there was a wisp of smoke and all of a sudden there appeared to be five Robins standing there instead of one.

" Man, how did you do that, you never told us that you could multiply yourself." Cyborg said.

" It's not a super power Cy there just illusions go ahead and try to grab one." As Cyborg tried he fell right through the shadow doppelganger. As Beast Boy was laughing on of the other doppelgangers smacked him in the back of the head.

" Hey I thought you said they were just illusions and illusions can't hit you." Beast Boy scowled rubbing the back of his head.

" Sorry I couldn't resist, did I forget to mention that I can make them solid as well." He said starting to laugh his head off.

As they got back the questions kept coming to Robin about his little 'trick'.

" So how many of those duplicates can you make friend Robin?" Star asked

" I don't know I've never tried to see how many I can do." Robin thought it over.

" Doesn't matter anyway, let's get going I want to get some meditating in before dinner." Raven said in her mask of indifference.

" Sounds good now lets get home." Robin said and they went home.

The next morning Raven woke up early so that she could talk to Robin alone. As she was approaching his door she heard the shower running. ' Damn I was hoping to wake him up.' She though, ' oh well I guess I'll still be able to catch him off guard' she smiled to herself and once she heard the shower turn off she knocked on his door.

Inside Robin's Room

' Man I need to take a shower. I haven't had a decent shower in months.' And so Robin went to his shower, after he turned the water off he heard a knock at his door. ' Man not now, It's to early for this' and he walked over to his door to answer it he wrapped his towel around his waist. Upon opening the door he found Raven standing there gawking at him, " What's the matter Raven is something wrong?" he asked looking at her blushing face.

' Damn his bodies gotten better looking but where did all these scars come from?' she thought before answering. Regaining her composure she answered. " I was just wondering if you would like to meditated with me this morning."

" Sure I was just about to go to the roof for my own meditation so why not. I'll see you on the roof in five minutes." And then Robin shut his door and got dressed. After that he ran up to the roof to find raven already there and chanting as she meditated. Robin quickly got into his own routine sitting down Indian style, closing his eyes only for a moment, before he could get into his meditation fully he glanced back at Raven. Just staring at her she looked peaceful as she chanted Azarath Metreon Zynthos (A/N: I don't know if I spelled that right but I really don't care) Robin sat there mesmerized. Her pale skin, the faint smell of lavender, Stomping that train of thought right there, ' She's my teammate I can't get involve with a member of the team. Why would I even consider that? But she dose smell really good.' Then shaking his head he got up and headed off the roof, ' I really need a cup of tea' and headed for the kitchen.

Stopping her meditation she looked up she realized that Robin was gone, " Damn I didn't get to ask him about the letter. Well maybe he's in the kitchen." And Raven floated down to the kitchen to have a little chat with the boy wonder.

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A/N: Okay now I know some of you who have read my other story are thinking that I like to send Robin away for periods of time and having him come back stronger and you would be right. I think that Robin even though he has no special abilities can kick all the Titans at once without even trying. Anyways Read and Review.