Hello, fellow readers!

I don't think I'm going anywhere with Change, but here's Freedom. I think it's better, and I've actually planned it. That means, I swear to God I'll finish this fic even if it takes years. You see, I'm on FictionPress too and school starts in two weeks so, yeah, it'll get busy.

This is dedicated to all the wonderful people I've met on fanfiction, and to my beta reader XLucy0117X.

Read on, duckies.

Chapter 1: First Contact
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"I'll only be gone for a few hours," Raven said, already walking out the door.

"Tell us again where you're going," Robin ordered, concern etched onto his face.

The empath rolled her eyes, before turning around to glare at her leader. It was times like these that his overly serious demeanour annoyed her.

"Relax, Boy Wonder," she mockingly commanded. "I'm only going to the library and I'll be back before ten, if that's what you're so worried about." That made his domino mask widen, while Raven let out a satisfied smirk. Maybe it was because it was only one in the afternoon, or that she was so openly brushing him off.

"Let one of us come with you, Rae. Or let Cy take you," he pleaded.

"Say no," mouthed Cyborg, overhearing their conversation. He wildly flailed his arms, making sure to get her attention, while frantically shaking his head. Then, the cybernetic turned around to finish the race, with Beast Boy's car lagging dramatically behind.

"WINNER!" The TV blared.

"Booyah!" he yelled, having forgotten his previous actions. Beast Boy, visibly angry, sank into the couch and threw his controller at Cyborg.

"No fair!" the green changeling moaned. "You cheated!"

They continued to bicker, yelling ridiculous phrases at eachother. But all knew not to fret, as their arguing was just a way to show their odd friendship. It acted similarly to a tradition, even if it was annoying.

Raven ignored them though, groaning, "Why are you so worried? I always go to the library."

That was what the problem was, Robin thought. Recently Raven had been going on these outings frequently, often alone. The sudden urge for her to go somewhere unaccompanied worried him, because he didn't know why she wanted to go. Still, he didn't need to tell her that.

"Please, friend Robin. Raven shall be okay. She is most capable of defending herself," Starfire said, lightly touching his arm. He softened.

"Sorry," the Boy Wonder apologised, sending a sheepish smile to his dark teammate. "I guess I'm just worried for you." His eyes became stern. "But call if there's any trouble, and stay safe."

"I can protect myself, Robin," she calmly reassured him, before finally walking out.

"I don't doubt that."

The sorceress regarded his sentence before walking out the door.

Raven sighed, feeling guilty. Robin had a right to be worried. She hadn't been going to the library every time she went out, but instead to Jump City's beach.

They'd defeated an enemy here, and she'd found the scene better than that of the library. Still, telling the others she came here would not only warrant some laughs from Beast Boy, but also arouse suspicion. Anybody knew Raven was not one for unnecessary attention.

She wrapped her cloak round herself as another, heavier gust of wind hit her. It was so peaceful. The sun sent warm rays on her back, while the chilly winds would cool them.

The area also looked as peaceful as it felt. Raven could see on for miles; the blue sea stretching on endlessly, cliff faces towering over her, the seagulls swooping down for food and so much more. No roads, no buildings, no cars. It was refreshing.

However, the scene close up was peaceful too. As she sat on the stairs, down to the beach, the empath could barely see any people. She enjoyed school and work hours, as they explained the lack of the public.

Still, the ones present only sent nods her way. It calmed her. The people weren't reacting how they would to Robin or the others, just silently acknowledging her. Not screaming and asking for an autograph, or (she grimaced) a date.

Raven jumped as her communicator rang. What did the Titans want now? She could tell by the ring it wasn't an alarm. Opening it, the word 'Unknown' showed on the screen. Her brow furrowed; usually the device knew every number in America. Who could it be?

The sorceress' curiosity piqued, seemingly the only thing egging her on to accept the call. There was a click as the line connected.

The face on the screen made her suppress a scream, coming out as a quiet gasp.

"S-Slade?"

What the hell was he doing? It was Robin he was usually after, so what was the reason to call her and not him? If Slade were the technical expert she guessed him to be, he'd be able to see her tracker to know she was not with the others. That meant there was no point to target her, right?

Unless that was exactly the point. To get her alone. Target her. But why? She doubted he even knew her name. The villain never bothered her as much as the others, and for good reason. She'd totally smush him.

Luckily, or hopefully, the Titans wouldn't trace her either. They knew she needed her privacy, and knew they should trust her words. They respected her. She was the strongest on the team. She could handle more than them.

Raven's eyes trailed back down to the screen, only to see Slade's eye meet hers. Damn it. She'd hoped it was a hallucination.

"Hello, Raven," the man hissed, sending shivers down her spine.

"Oh, so you do remember my name," she growled, glaring at him. The sorceress had decided to be bold for now, and laconic. She had no reason to fear the man. He wasn't even there, let alone in a place to beat her to a pulp.

He chuckled, almost making her jump.

"Why are you so surprised?"

"I don't know," Raven said, casually waving her hand, black sparks dancing off of it. "Maybe because you're normally after Robin?"

"Humourous," Slade responded, sounding as arrogant as he always did. She could feel his smirk without seeing it. "I thought that the green changeling was the 'jokester of the Titans'."

To add emphasis to his statement, he even added quote marks to the end, provoking a guttural sound from Raven. The man was trying to rile her up; get under her skin. Unfortunately for her, it was starting to work.

"What do you want from us now?" If anything, the empath was not going to make amiable conversation with this vile, evil man.

His eye gleamed, as if she had somehow pleased him, "That was rather blunt of you, my dear. I thought you were the well-mannered one."

"Not with the big bad supervillains," Raven remarked. "What do you want from the Titans, Slade?"

"Now, now, Raven," he chided. "I never said I wanted anything from the Titans."

She put the camera slightly more away from her face. If he didn't want something from the Titans...

"Then what do you want?"

He laughed. She narrowed her eyes. What was so funny?

"It's quite obvious, my dear. But then again, you teenagers never seem to see what's in front of you."

The half demon snarled, obviously annoyed. She had endured enough of his vague and cryptic words. She wanted answers, not to play a game with this criminal.

"What do you want, Slade?" Raven repeated, this time gruffer than the last. Her patience was on a short fuse.

"You're clever, girl. Figure it out yourself."

The sorceress felt her temple throbbing. She didn't need to listen to this. "Just tell me!" she demanded, but Slade wasn't fazed by her loss of tolerance at all.

He shook his head and chuckled.

"Why should I? After all, as you put it, I am a 'big bad supervillain'. So isn't it unwise to tell my adversary my plans?"

"Yeah," she suddenly snorted, unimpressed. "Of world domination."

"You assume too much. Believe it or not, not every 'so called bad guy' has plans to rule the world," the criminal stated, narrowing his eye distastefully at her.

"Why can't you just tell me what you want?" her gravelly voice droned, a tone of exasperation seeping into it.

"You can't always have what you want, Raven." Who was he to tell her what she could and couldn't have? And if she couldn't...

"Then why can you?"

"Patience, Raven. In time, my plans shall reveal themselves." His regal posture and clipped words made her want to smack him in the face.

"Why did you call me in the first place, Slade, if you wanted to be so vague?" That meant, 'Why did you call if you only wanted to anger me?'

The wind picked up unexpectedly, making Raven shiver. Something wasn't right. As she looked around, the empath found the beach completely empty. What had happened to everyone?

Her senses picked up a calm yet sinister aura near her. Actually, it was very close.

Like... like it was... right behind her. A sense of dread enveloped her.

This time she couldn't help but jump when Slade himself walked next to her, shutting her communicator.

"This, my dear," he began, gesturing to himself and her. "Is only the beginning."

"Of what?" she asked, perturbed at how close he was to her. This was just... unreal. A super villain so near to her, it made her so... scared. The fear of the situation crashed over her like the waves did over the sand.

Raven hesitantly flew backwards, onto the sand, and off of the steps. Slade walked towards her just as slowly, seeming as though he didn't care whether she escaped or not. Either that, or he knew she wouldn't go.

"I'm impressed. You're not lunging in for a fight, unlike your hot-headed leader." Taking a compliment from him was similar to having a snake coil round herself. It was unpleasant, almost suffocating. And having him insult her leader, that was just intolerable. Who did he think he was? He had no right to!

"Tell me, Raven," he started, driving her away from her angry thoughts. "Why are you here?" It was a good question, she admitted. Why was she here? The sorceress knew the answer, but didn't want to say it aloud.

"I'm here just to... to..."

He interrupted. "-To be alone, correct?"

Slade was now a few steps away from her, staring intently into her eyes, awaiting an answer. Raven felt as though she was stuck, but the man took her lack of response as an agreement to what he said.

"Why would you want to be alone, and not in the company of the Titans? Oh no," he said with mock pity. "Did you have an argument?"

"I just want to be alone, and that's it," was her fierce response. "The Titans are, and always will be my friends, Slade."

"Friends are people you want to spend your time with, Raven. So why aren't you?"

"What are you trying to get at?" she asked, hardening her facial features. "I don't have to spend every waking moment with them." It was true. Friends weren't a full time thing. She had to be alone, to be in control. That was all it was.

"They do," he disagreed.

He was wrong, and that was final.

"No," she hissed, firmly. "Robin trains alone and Cyborg does the T-Car-"

"That may be so, my dear, but why did you go so far as to lie to them?"

"That's my business. Not yours. Everyone lies." Raven shook a little, now looking away from Slade's piercing eye. It figured he would know of her white lie. He knew everything, it seemed.

"There's no need to be so defensive, Raven. There's nothing to hide from me. Why do you hide 'this'," he gestured to the beach, "from them though?"

Again, she had no response. He already knew the answer. He just wanted to provoke her, make her angry and twist her words. So why say something?

"Ah, I understand," Slade said, as if they were best friends. "You're afraid of how they'll react."

"So?" the half demon asked, raising an eyebrow, but not denying what he'd said.

"So," Slade mimicked. "Aren't real friends meant to understand?"

"I know what you're doing, Slade." And it isn't going to work, she mentally added.

He feigned surprise. "Do you? Fine. What am I doing?"

"You're, um, you're trying to separate me from the Titans. Put doubt into me and get me away for your plans. It won't work." He did that to Terra too, didn't he? Blackmail to both her and Robin. Lies were all he said, and she couldn't believe them.

The criminal chuckled. "Accusations? Are we really so childish? I, my dear, am merely telling you the truth you don't want to hear. Face it, Raven. Soon, you'll see."

"See what?" she half shouted, over the increasing wind. It was strange. Raven could hear him perfectly, each word clear in her head. Herself she struggled to hear, each word unconfident and...

"I have plans for the both of us."

His sudden sentence made her look up, to see nothing but thin air. He was gone, but undoubtably still watching as the empath heaved a sigh of relief.

This wasn't the last she'd seen of Slade though, she knew. As he had said...

This was only the beginning.

Lame first chapter, but it's going how I want it to.

Please tell me what you thought and review, but yeah, I'd appreciate it if you ease up on any criticism. Big softie I am. Now, back to Person of Interest. And my inspiration for using the beach is my own experience at a beach last summer. It was really odd. So cold and numbing, not like island beaches, but an UK one. It was refreshing.

~SladeRavenFan

Rewritten: 26/3/13