Author's Note: ***TRIGGER WARNING: DEALS WITH DOMESTIC ABUSE***

This story was not my intention, but I really felt this. No, I didn't go through domestic abuse, but some of the things here reflect my thoughts about relationships. WARNING (again): lots of cursing. The words in italics are thoughts (for the most part). Also, for the setting, think of a really run-down New York style apartment that's really dirty. Without a further ado:

I do not own Teen Titans.

Last thing (I promise): Please take the time to review. Yes, I go through every single one and it reassures me that people are actually reading my stuff. It really encourages me. Thanks!

Chapter I: He Hurt Me

"You're fucking at this again!" Malchior yelled as he flung a pot to the other side of the room.

Raven crouched on the floor with her hands on her ears to soften the yells. She didn't say anything back.

Malchior narrowed his eyes at her, his hands now on his hips. He then pointed toward the food she'd prepared. "Can you fucking explain what this shit is? Do you have sense at all?"

Her head was down and her eyes were squeezed shut.

"Look at me when I talk to you!" He snapped. She didn't move; she knew it would make him even angrier. She learned her lesson from the first time.

He paced around the food. "I mean look at this. This shit does not look edible," he turned toward her, "your so fucking useless! Why can't you be like any other woman and serve your husband? I swear the world is so backwards! Women think they can do things men can do; own businesses, has jobs, serve in the military. You people need to learn to stay where you belong in the kitchen. And you can't even do that right!"

He flung the food down hard. "Women will never and can never be shit! You hear? Your only job is to shut up and suck my cock."

Hot tears threatened to fall from her face. She counted down.

10 minutes left, just hold your pain for 10 more minutes.

"This shit's on me now." He grimaced at the stain on his hand. He looked at Raven and started slowly, "Come here and wipe it off my hand."

That was the only time she moved. She looked up and slowly came off the ground. She walked to him, grabbed a damp rag, and started wiping his hand. She could feel his angry eyes on her.

The tension in room was increasing by the minute. Nothing bad was going on in the moment, but from the years of living with him, she knew it would not be long before she would be back on the floor covered in blood, sweat, and tears.

Holding the back of his hand delicately, she worked on his hand slowly. The stare was deepening, worsening.

Then, boom.

He stuck two fingers covered in food into her mouth, forcefully. The sudden move made her choke, his fingers right on her uvula. She tried to jerk back, but then he used his other hand to keep her head down. He was thrusting his hand in and out of her mouth, resulting in rounds of coughing and wheezing from the poor girl.

"How do you like that, huh?! See, you can't even eat your own goddamn cooking!" he taunted.

2 more minutes.

Once he was done, Raven puked in the floor. She held onto her aching throat. His nails bruised it, and she could feel the blood from the cuts made inside. He was washing his hands when he said, "You better clean that shit up, although it looks better than your cooking."

He wiped his hands with a clean towel. "I'm going out for a bit, okay babe?" He kissed her on the head. He shut the door softly.

With one hand gripped on the counter, she stood hunched over, her other hand still clasping her neck. She squeezed her eyes again, tightly, and allowed her suffering to cascade down her cheeks.

And that was how it was, day in, day out. He'd come back after staying hours getting drunk at a club. He'd be stumbling to get through the door then to the bedroom. He'd caress her body lovingly, like nothing ever happened. Knowing he's much stronger than she is, she'd give him what he wanted. Then he'd scream at her all over again.

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Raven laid on the bed and pondered. Malchior had left to hang with some friends, which was code word for getting high. She sighed.

How did her life get so bad? She couldn't pin point it. It had been good before; he'd take her out to dates and call her beautiful. But over time, his affection started to wither. She knew this. He'd gotten violent, no, not violent, beastly. He looked at her with a kind of hate that would make you want to take your own life. If verbal abuse was not enough, he'd use his fists as a supplement.

Raven flared angrily. She knew her relationship with him was toxic. She'd been taught about things like this; abusive relationships. So why couldn't she leave just leave him?! She could pack her things right now, hop on a train, and find something better. She wasn't blind; she knew her self-worth. She was something before she met him, before he controlled her life. She was strong willed and wasn't afraid to speak her mind until he took her voice. So why couldn't she leave?

That question lingered in her mind for days. She told herself, the day he betrayed her would be the day she would walk out of his life forever. That day come in two months time.

She held the door open with her leg while balancing groceries in her hands. She kicked the door back and placed the bags on the table. Glancing at the digital clock on the stove, she decided against calling for her husband, assuming he was out. Then, she heard sounds coming out of the bedroom.

Oh fuck no.

She slowly crept toward the door to the bedroom.

One.

She held the knob.

Two.

She twisted it.

Three.

She flung the door open to meet her husband rolling out the bed. A blonde, busty girl quickly covered herself with the sheets. It was then she finally got the courage to speak, after all those years.

"What the fuck is going on here?!" she yelled. She saw Malchior reach for shorts then quickly shuffle to her.

"You know exactly what's going on here, slut." he responded.

"Slut?" she stared confusingly, "I'm the slut? You're the one cheating on me with this blonde bimbo and I'm the slut?" she confronted, her words laced with anger.

He slapped her. "Don't fucking test me, bitch. You had this shit coming. How can a man like me have a woman he's married to and she won't even let him smash?"

Raven could not believe what she was hearing. So all those times he came onto her never existed? So he wouldn't come on top of her in the middle of the night, strip her of her clothes, and do whatever he liked even when she didn't want to? No, she was not going to be ignored.

"I have had it with you. I've done everything I could to make you happy, everything, but I wasn't good enough. For five years I have suffered abuse, physically and emotionally," she threw her hands up, exasperated, "and I'm done."

He had her in a choke hold, making the blonde behind them shriek. "You're not going anywhere Raven. Nobody loves you. You have no family. Nobody's ever going to want a pale, ugly little whore like you." He choked her harder.

Raven suddenly remember how much stronger he was. She had to stop. She knew that he has the power to keep her down. She could not continue to talk back to him. Or else she may not be able to leave here alive. She considered her words carefully.

"Sorry," she croaked, "I didn't mean it. I shouldn't have said any of those things. I'm not leaving."

He ran a hand through her hair and she flinched. "Good, you know your place woman." Raven didn't realize the tears on her face until he used his thump to wipe it.

Raven left the room and leaned against a nearby wall. She heard the woman mumble something then Malchior screaming back. Then a slap. Moments later, the blonde lady walked out of the room with a jacket and heels in her hands. The black mascara on her eyes ran down her cheeks and her hair was in a mess. Raven noticed the mark on her face.

She shook her head solemnly. "Don't ever come back here," she warned quietly, "he's not worth it. I've suffered a lot at his hands, and I can't have anyone else too."

She'd never seen this woman a day in her life until that day. Heck, she'd even slept with her husband. Raven didn't even know her name. But she gave her a warm, comforting hug anyway.

She whispered, "I'm sorry he hurt you. Be safe." The woman gave her a small "thanks" and walked out the door. That was last time she'd seen her here again.

The next day, Raven had her plans prepared. Once Malchior was out the house, she had packed the little belongings she owned. Once her suitcase was at the door, she looked again at the run-down apartment before exiting the premises.

Raven stared out the window of the train. A crowd of people stood on the sidewalk, some waving back. She hugged herself. She was scared, frightened, excited. She didn't know what to expect, what to think. But she knew one thing: it was time for a new life.

Author's Note: Incredibly sad chapter. It was honestly so hard to write. He's so sexist, I even hate him myself. I don't believe women can't do anything, mostly because I am a woman myself and I think that's just a very stupid notion. Where my thoughts align in the story is the cheating. I'm honestly so afraid of getting cheated on that I logically won't get into a relationship, even though I really want to. And the desire of wanting one makes it harder. Maybe I will post a chapter talking about my thoughts on modern dating/relationship, only if you guys want my opinion. This is getting so long. Please review!