Note: This is actually the first story I've ever written; not the first chronologically, though. I've really changed it from the original version. (It was pretty stupid. It's not now, though.)

Note 2: This is almost a continuation of the epilogue from Unforeseen Surprises.

Read and review,

Raven's secret-keeper

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Sketchbook Story: Mystery Sickness

Chapter 1: Dove, and the Disturbing Discoveries

The five original Teen Titans (Dove absolutely refused to come) were at the Jump City amusement park. On the roller coaster, to be exact. Yes, even Raven was on. The others had to beg for quite a while before Raven finally gave in with her usual "whatever." After all, how much harm could one ride do?

Apparently, a lot.

On the ride, she felt - was that motion sickness, or something else…? Whatever it was, she began feeling nauseous. She hadn't felt like herself since Dove came… Maybe it was just now affecting her physical self. She couldn't be ill; her soul-self protected her against any disease.

Whatever it was, it was really getting to her. A headache began to blossom, and the nausea worsened. Something wasn't right; there was no denying it.

When the ride stopped, she stepped out of the car shakily.

"Hey, Raven, are you OK?" Robin asked.

Raven had barely comprehended it when she felt her stomach lurch, and she ran for the bathrooms, barely making it before being sick.

"Raven?" She recognized the soft call as Dove's. "Are you okay?"

Raven flushed and replied, "I think so…"

Dove was standing in the doorway. Raven walked to the sink, and Dove joined her.

"What's wrong?"

"I-I'm not sure…"

"But are you okay? I can… um… sense something wrong, Raven."

"But what?"

"I don't know… Raven, you're so pale… Maybe we should get you home… Figure out-" Raven ran back into the stall. Dove sighed.

When Raven finished and turned to exit, she was suddenly so weak she collapsed to her palms and knees.

"Raven?!" Dove ran in front of her and kneeled down to inspect her with wide eyes.

Raven began feeling light-headed and dizzy alongside the weakness in her entire body that increased every moment.

"Raven?" Dove put the back of her hand on Raven's forehead. "Raven, you're-! We'd better get you home…" Dove wrapped an arm around Raven and gently helped her to her feet. She readjusted her arms around Raven, then told Robin via communicator that she was taking Raven home, and closed it before he could respond so she could focus on her weak sister.

Raven stumbled, and Dove barely caught her; Raven was bigger than her both in size and weight. Luckily, Dove managed to support her all the way to the bay, and then she carried Raven across the river in a force field. As soon as Dove released Raven, she fell to all fours on the sand, shaking. Dove helped her back up.

"It's okay, Raven... I've got you," Dove said quietly in a weak attempt to comfort Raven as she started off for the tower.

Raven put a hand weakly to her head, and for the first time in her life, Dove heard Raven moan openly. Dove looked at Raven's face as they entered the tower, and saw tears falling from below her tightly close eyelids.

"Raven…" As Dove walked, she couldn't help but vividly sense how unusual Raven's condition was. Confusion, frustration, upset. Dove understood a bit of it; wasn't Raven's soul-self supposed to protect her from being sick? So there had to be a complicated reason behind it. People, especially Raven, don't just fall ill. And Dove could sense Raven's stress, and frustration from another source. Her grip on her emotions was slipping, and it was becoming harder and harder to control herself. And none of this was helping her headache.

Dove sighed. "Hang on, Raven," she whispered. "We're almost there…"

Dove felt a tear on her shoulder, and was amazed. Raven, the one who kept her emotions under tight rein at all times, was crying. Dove blinked her wide eyes and turned in the hall slowly. She felt a prickle run down her spine. Not because she was about to head into Raven's room, but because she realized just how bad this had to be.

"Alright, Raven… Come on…" Dove turned into the room and guided Raven to the bed. Once there, she helped Raven on and covered her. Raven made an odd noise that sounded like a whimper and a moan at the same time. Dove bit her lip. "Try to rest, okay?"

Raven shifted into a more comfortable position.

"Will you be okay?" Dove didn't want to leave Raven alone, especially in such a vulnerable state.

Raven nodded weakly. Dove turned hesitantly, and walked to the doorway. She glanced back at Raven once more, then left.

Raven had given up trying to force her emotions away by then, and let the tears fall as they came. It was quite awhile before she finally drifted to sleep.

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When Raven woke up, her headache felt more like an intense throb, and she recoiled from the pain of it as she sat up. Every part of her felt achy and tense. After a bit of difficult thought, she decided that a cup of hot herbal tea may help, and got up.

She felt a bit dizzy and swayed, but then her sense of balance returned and she went slowly down the hall to the kitchen.

Once there, she began boiling the water and took a teabag and a mug from the cupboard. When she turned, she saw Dove standing by the counter.

"Hi, Raven," Dove greeted almost sheepishly. "Feeling better?"

Raven shrugged.

"The others are here."

Raven nodded.

"They asked me what was wrong, and I told them what happened… They're really concerned."

"They would be," Raven replied weakly as the kettle whistled.

"I told them as soon as I sensed you were awake, and they want to make sure you're alright."

Raven poured the hot water into the cup and seeped the teabag.

"Raven, are you okay?"

Raven shrugged again. "Not as dizzy, but my headache only feels worse."

Dove shifted uncomfortably. "They told me you don't usually get motion sick, and they were really surprised when you ran off like that…"

Raven took the tea and sat down on the couch.

Robin came in a few uncomfortably (for Dove) silent moments later.

"Hey, Raven. So… What happened back there?

"Not sure." She took a small sip of the tea and closed her eyes. It was a little relaxing, but not much help.

"You haven't been yourself lately."

"I know. I haven't felt like myself. I…" Raven winced at a sudden sharp pain in her back.

"You okay?" Robin asked.

"I'll be fine," Raven replied quickly.

"Raven, you should know better than to try lying to me by now."

Raven looked up at his face.

"The bond we have isn't telling me you're fine."

"I can deal with pain," Raven said, and drank some more of the tea.

"But something tells me that's not all it is."

Raven glanced at her half-sister. "I… think it has to do something with… Dove."

Robin looked at Dove, whose eyes were wide and her face confused.

"Wha-? Me?" Dove asked, startled, after a few seconds of silence.

"How?" Robin asked, looking at Raven again.

"I… I'm not sure…. But I do know that I've felt… strange… since she came."

"Is it my fault?" Dove asked, looking guilty and almost ashamed.

"I doubt that," Raven replied softly, "but… your presence… I'm not used to sensing a soul as complex as my own… yours… and…after you had that dream, I was… confused."

"Should I go?" Dove asked quietly.

"No! Dove, you- nnnng…" Raven closed her eyes and bowed her head in pain.

"I rest my case," Dove said regretfully, and she turned.

Robin got up and ran to her side. "Dove, you don't need to go."

"But… I'm causing Raven pain." Dove looked over her shoulder as Raven put her teacup on the coffee table. "I don't want to be around if it's going to hurt her. I've… gotten to know her, and we're kind of bonded, and I don't want her to be in pain."

"Dove-"

"Even if it means leaving the tower…" Dove bowed her head in front of her.

"Dove, you don't have to leave. We'll figure out what's wrong-" Raven moaned. "I need to meditate," she said before putting her still half-filled cup on the counter.

Dove ran to her side sensing a lot of pain, and Raven's eyes suddenly became unfocused. Her knees buckled without warning, and she collapsed into Dove's arms.

"Raven?!" Raven began feeling so dizzy it was nauseating, and she lost consciousness.

"Oh no…! Robin!"

He was already running over. "What happened?"

"She just fainted. No warning or reason."

"Let's get her to her bed…"

Robin picked up Raven's limp body, and Dove followed his swift pace out of the room. They put Raven onto her bed and Dove mumbled, "Please get better," and they left. Robin deep in thought, Dove deep in regret. And decisions…

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Raven's secret-keeper