I do not in any way shape or form claim ownership of Teen Titans and affiliating characters.

"It was a set up," Robin announced, the words tasting poisonous in his own mouth. He closed the door behind him (closed the blinds looking out towards the hallway as well because Raven was a hero, not a zoo exhibit) and stalked over to where his friends were gathered around the hospital bed where Raven lay, still unconscious but no longer bleeding. He had long since given up on the ripped mask that he always wore (his eyes were brown and set in determination) and he'd hastily pasted a strip of gauze over the gash on his head. While Raven had been rushed into surgery, he—along with everyone else in the team, it appeared—had changed out of their uniforms into clothes that blended in better in a normal atmosphere. It just didn't feel right to wear a cape, something so entirely symbolic of the superior knack for saving lives, when one of their own was lying there still and cold as death.

Beast Boy slowly tore his gaze away from the girl and stared at Robin, confusion written clearly across his face. After the incident, the second Cyborg had started yelling, Beast Boy had simply fallen into a sort of shock and had stood in the same spot for twelve minutes before Starfire shook him out of it. It had been hours and he still wasn't all there. "What are you talking about?"

Robin sank down into one of the hard plastic chairs beside Cyborg who was sitting in a chair directly next to Raven, staring at her with both his human and mechanical eye unwaveringly as leant forward towards her body.

Robin let out a huff of air and said, "The guy who had the gun—the guy who shot Raven—he told me everything. The captain of the squad that responded to the hostage call paid him and his gang to hold up that store long enough for us to get involved. He said that the officer said he'd pardon all the charges against his gang afterward if he killed at least one of us."

The team let the words sink into the uneasy atmosphere and it had the same effect of a slowly moving glacier. Cyborg turned his head slowly, his eyebrow furrowed, and he asked gruffly, "What do you mean?"

He was their fearless leader and he sank back into his chair as far as he could go, completely devastated as he stared at Raven's body. "I'm not repeating myself."

Starfire dropped onto the floor, her face wet with tears. She was crying at the sight of her friend lying before her, having nearly died moments before, and at her own frustration. Because even after all her years on earth, she still didn't understand. Not this, at least.

The muscles in Cyborg's back strained and he leant over, resting his head on his tensed forearm. Beast Boy saw his jaw clench.

Slowly, the youngest of the group turned to Robin, his eyes tired and drooped, but concerned. "Why would he tell you this?" His green fingers scratched across his ribcage through the shirt.

Robin turned his head slowly, propped up by his palm, and he answered in a clipped tone, "Because I asked him."

It was the simplest answer he could give. It was all they really needed to know.

Cyborg lifted his head up and stared blankly at Raven's body so close to his face. He took a deep, jolting breath, and then asked, "Where is he?"

"Where is who?"

"The guy who did this."

The black-haired teen crossed his arms. "He's in a critical condition."

Cyborg understood. He nodded. "And the officer?"

The grinding of Robin's teeth could be heard across the room. His dark eyes narrowed and his hands fisted. "He's exactly the same if he knows what's good for him."

Eight days after her admittance into the hospital, the team was told her wound was healed enough that she could be released—

If she were to wake up.

The large car hangar was oddly quiet that Sunday morning. Normally, Cyborg would be in there at the crack of dawn blasting his ridiculous vintage rap albums from his archaic phonograph (he said he enjoyed the richness of the sound more than any he could hear from modern players). That morning, he was still in there at his normal early time, but this time, he was there in dead silence, only the occasional clink of tools against metal breaking the still. Only, it wasn't normal.

This time, Cyborg was under his favourite car as usual. His tools lay spread around him, neglected after only a brief lurch of activity. It wasn't a normal thing for him to be in the garage and doing nothing. Usually, it was labourous to get him to stop. Even more commonly, another Titan would be in there, fueling on his process for the sake of showing off. But he was just laying there, staring up at the wires and various trinkets he'd put such delicate love and patience into.

So enrapt with his thoughts, it was completely lost on him when the heavy door opened and a pair of feet padded their way over to him quietly. "Does this mean you're finally done with it?"

The voice startled him violently from his trance. He pushed himself out from his hiding spot and stared up at the intruder with a blank, serious expression.

Raven wavered under the intensity of his gaze.

"Sixteen goddamn days." He pulled himself up and sat against the car on his scooter. "Sixteen, Rae."

The violet-haired girl winced and backed up a step uncomfortably. "They told me. I woke up last night. They wanted me to stay longer, but I…" She shook her head. "Hospitals."

"Did you have Robin come get you?" Cyborg felt tense and ill just asking the words, but shrugged off the recognition of the feeling.

"I took the ferry. None of them know yet."

Before she even finished her sentence, Raven found herself hoisted off the ground in the firmest hug she'd ever experienced in her life. Taken aback from the shock, it took her a moment to react and wrap her arms around the giant man's shoulders, hugging him back (albeit, much more gently).

"I thought you were going to die," Cyborg mumbled into her hair.

Raven 's eyes closed tightly. "I thought you were going to die."

There you go. Sorry about the wait, life takes a lot of time and inspiration's a slow dripping faucet.

Not sure if there's going to be another chapter, but knowing me, there will be.