She sat alone in her room the same as always, but this would time it would end different.
She wouldn't be alone when she left this time there would be lots of people with her then.
A diamond tear climbed down her cheek in remembrance of things lost never to be found, the sharp silver blade pressed lightly on her skin, he told her to be strong but he was gone now and she had nothing left.
The phantoms had been telling her to do this for months she was going to listen this time, maybe they where lying and he wasn't waiting but it didn't matter anymore Crimson was gone.
Even his body was forever lost to her; nothing remained after that final battle.
Its funny she isn't depressed anymore she just feels nothing, all her life she tried to feel nothing and never could now the loss of one man had emptied her.
A flash of pain then warmth ran down her arm, mixed with the painkillers and blood thinners she had taken before she felt nothing as her life poured from the wound.
Another tear, this time for things she would never have.
So much denied to her, but life was to empty now her soul had vanished with him in his last stand.
He had changed fate, Raven didn't end the world but it still cost too much.
Her eyes closed as the blood loss made her tired.
She prayed he would forgive her, her heart slowed and all went dark.
A pale hand stroked her cold cheek, eyes blazed like red stars.
"No Raven, you promised me you would wait and I won't let you go"
She woke hours later, her arm burning where the gash had been, no scar, no blood and the lingering heat of lips on her forehead like so long ago.
The tears poured down her cheeks; again he forced her to live without him.
A knock "Raven you ok, we haven't seen you at all today", it was Beastboy
"Yes" she said, he opened the door and sat next to her placing his hand on the wrist she had opened.
"Rea I know you miss him……would you like to get out of here for a bit and catch a movie" he said carefully.
She looked at him and spoke without thinking "Yes, yes I would".
Crimson stood and watched as they left, denied entry back into this world he watched when he could; when the armies stopped there battle for awhile.
He could leave if he wanted but he promised "As I swore to you Raven I will stand here at the Gates and face the onslaught fighting without surrender or defeat, Trigon shall never pass me, and for love of you I give up all".
He turned to face the endless armies of Trigon once again as they sped toward him, "I gave up everything for you" and the battle began again, the endless legion of the hells against one man who refused to surrender for the love of a women he would never have.