Looking Glass

To stop any confusion, this song is mine. I wrote it. It's called "Away".

How could such an ordinary thing cause so much pain? How could this stupid piece of glass hurt so much? Just a mirror. Just a stupid, dumb mirror. If it's so simple, how does it hurt so much.

'It shows you for what you are.' A voice whispered through her mind. 'It shows the side of you you want to hide. It shows that you are evil.'

Her fist thudded against the glass. 'I am not evil!' She shouted into her mind. 'I will not become evil! I can fight it.'

'Just keep telling yourself that. But it won't make it come true.'

I hear hell,
Screaming my name,
While I'm watching,
The angels fall.

"I will stop it." She whispered against the cool glass of the mirror.

The first rays of morning sunlight flickered through her curtains. Her eyes flickered to the glaring red alarm clock, flashing it's red numbers into the darkness of her room. 6:00am.

She lent against the wall, sliding down until she hit the floor and pulled her knees up to her chest.

She didn't sleep anymore. He kept calling her name while she slept. Calling from Hell. Destiny...

All I can do,
Is to sit here wishing,
That all of this trouble,
Will all wash away.

There was clattering from downstairs.

At least someone else was awake as well. Maybe making breakfast would take her mind off those voices...

She slipped silently out of her room and down the hallway.

Cyborg stood at the stove, which was filled with four pans, all containing different things. The kettle was boiling and her favorite cup was on the sideboard.

The metal man looked up and smiled widely at the dark girl. "You're up early."

She smirked. "I could say the same for you." Her hand gestured to the cooking.

"Just wanted to do something nice." He said, still grinning widely. "I even made tofu for grass stain."

Cause when I'm staring,
At this scene,
I wonder if I can hold on.

'I don't want to lose this.' She thought despairingly. 'I love them all too much.'

BB clattered down the stairs, landing at the bottom with a thud. "Mmmmmmm. Smells good." He nodded his approval.

Cyborg faked surprise. 'Wow! You're actually up before noon!"

BB grumbled. "Yeah, well I wouldn't be, if the food didn't smell so delicious."

The dark sorceress, listening to this conversation, walked to the kettle and poured hot water on the herbal teabag in the cup. She watched the tea swirling into the water, the colors mixing.

Ever since her birthday, she'd been noticing little things like that more. The things that really mattered. Small beauties.

Nothings left now,
All gone down,
I'm left here alone,
Wishing that you were here,
Can you wipe my tears,
Away.

The last two Titans made it into the kitchen, just as the clock turned 6:30.

Robin was smiling softly at Cyborg and Beast Boy's antics. Starfire was at his side, laughing.

Weak sunlight was pouring through the front windows of the tower, lighting up the Titans, playing shadows and light along their faces.

In that moment, Raven realized what she had been missing before. That whatever happened to her, her friends would still love her.

It was great feeling and all, but it wasn't enough.

Maybe there is such a thing as God. If there was He or She must hate her. Giving her such wonderful friends, almost family, then ripping them away from her.

I stare at the sky,
Wondering how,
All of our lives,
Ended this way.

Raven sat, still leaning against the counter, thinking.

A week ago, they found out about the prophecy. Raven's deepest secret.

'Azarath.' Raven's last sanctuary. The last place of abandon. Was gone. Her hands fisted against her cloak. Her mother. Her home. All gone. Her father, even though she hated to call him that, had burned Azarath to the ground.

That was the one part of the story she hadn't told the Titans. Why? She didn't know. Probably pride. Pride comes before the fall.

There was a hand on her shoulder. "Rae? Are you okay?" Asked a concerned Robin.

Raven sighed. "Yeah. I'm fine." She shook her head. "Just spaced out."

Robin still looked worried. All through breakfast, she could feel his eyes on her, even though she herself was staring at her tea. She refused to look up.

When I reach,
The place I used to,
Call my home,
I break down.

Cyborg leaned over the table to Raven. "I have to fix up the T-car. Wanna help?" He asked.

He had such a smile on his face that she couldn't help but agree. "Sure. I'll be down in an hour."

Raven retreated upstairs, back to her bedroom. Again the mirror was staring at her. She walked over to it, slowly approaching it like it was a dangerous animal.

Red tattoos ran over her body. Incriminating her. 'Caught red handed.' She thought wryly.

'Nothing you can do about it.' An evil little voice told her.

Raven shook her head. 'That's not true.' She thought. 'I can stop it if I'm strong enough. My friends will make me stronger.'

The voice laughed. 'Friends? They are not your friends. They don't care.' It spat.

'That's not true!' Raven yelled into her mind. 'They do care.' She sunk to the floor again. 'They do care.' She buried her face in her hands. 'They do care.' A tear ran down her face. 'They do care.'

Cause when I'm feeling hopeless,
Drowning in tears,
I wonder if I can hold on.

There was a knock on the door, causing Raven's head to snap up. She stared at the door incredulously. There was another knock. More insistent this time. Someone calling for her attention. She walked slowly to the door, opening it slightly, looking to see who was waiting on the other side. Surprise surprise. It was her rather persistent leader, Robin.

Raven sighed. "What do you want Robin?"

"I wanted to know if you're alright. You didn't seem your normal self at breakfast." Robin stated clearly.

"I have a lot on my mind." Raven retorted, locking Robin's eyes so he could see that it was none of his business.

Robin nodded. "I know. And there are ways you can take some of it off your mind."

Raven leaned against the door jam. "Such as?"

"Like telling us about it. Getting out of your room once in a while."

Raven was outraged. "I do get out of my room!"

"I know you do." Robin said calmly. "But you could get pout a bit more. Starfire misses you, you know."

Raven looked away. "I know." She mumbled.

Nothings left now,
All gone down,
I'm left here alone,
Wishing that you were here,
Can you wipe my tears,
Away.

"So do you want to talk?" He asked.

Raven took a deep breath, looked at his feet and then looked back up at Robin. "Okay."

Robin led the way up to the roof. The sun was only just above the horizon, so the sky still held tints of pink. He dangled his legs over the side of the roof, gesturing for Raven to do the same.

"So what do you want to tell me?" He asked, once she was seated next to him.

Raven sighed. "My home planet is gone. Azarath."

Robin stared. "Trigon has burned it to the ground. He killed my mother." She continued. "That's where I went when I left that library. I went to Azarath. Or what's left of it."

Robin put his hand on Raven's. "Why didn't you tell me before? Tell us?"

Raven shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe I didn't want to acknowledge it was actually true. Maybe it was just pride. I don't know."

Nothings left now,
All gone down,
I'm left here alone,
Wishing that you were here,
Can you wipe my tears,
Away.

"You don't have to do this alone you know."

What ya think? Utter crap? Ah well. Just review, k?

Umbra