Raven's eyes opened wearily, her vision blurred. She could make out the shapes of three...wait...four figures standing several feet in front of her. She blinked a few times and noticed she was in an uncomfortable position on the ground. Her vision cleared as she tried to push herself up, but it made her head spin and feel like there was a heavy weight on her. Finally, the figures came into view and she immediately recognized them. Robin, Starfire, Cyborg, and Beast Boy all glared daggers at her. Starfire's eyes glowed as did her hands in her fighting stance. Robin had his staff and boomerang in hand, clenching them tightly in his fists, staring at her as though she were Slade. Cyborg's shoulders were hunched in a battle stance, his red eye glowing and his teeth grinding. His cannon and heavily armed right fist looked ready to fire at her face. Raven couldn't see Beast Boy very well, as he was being blocked from her vision by Cyborg.

"Um...guys?" she asked, her voice hoarse and her throat painfully dry. She was thoroughly confused with her surrounding and why her friends were looking at her like that. The ground around her was covered in ash and large boulders surrounded her. It looked like she was in a cave. But she saw it wasn't when she noticed the red sky above her.

"So the devil finally wakes up." Robin growled. In response she couldn't hold back her shock. Robin would never call her something like that. He above all people made her feel less like a monster than anyone.

"I personally prefer her when she is not awake. Shall I make that permanent?" Starfire hissed, hovering above the ground. Was Starfire threatening her? Raven had never heard the Tameranian sound so menacing and bloodthirsty. It scared her.

"I've been thinking the same thing." Cyborg said, raising his robotic arm upward.

Robin spun his staff as a wicked smirk formed on his face. "Let's see if she can talk first." He then raised his Bo-staff and ran toward her. He used it to uppercut her in the face, sending her flying upward along with a heavy pain in her chin. When she landed on the ground she tried to scramble back up, fearing what he'd do next. Robin's metal-toe boot made contact with her jaw. She screamed in pain as she felt her jaw dislocate. He stood proudly above her, his foot atop her chest, pressing down hard. She tried to scramble from he hold with little success. Robin grinned down at her like a maniac.

"I'd finish you now, but I'll leave that to the rest of my team." He said, removing his foot. Raven squirmed with great effort to move but felt only pain in responce. Starfire and Cyborg, the two strongest of the Titans, flew at her and forced her against the wall. Their hands were coated in their own explosive energy, burning her skin. One if Cyborg's fingers turned into a laser and went into her skin. He seemed to be drawing something out on her arm, but all Raven knew was it burned like hell's fire. She screamed as her flesh burned and tore off. But what horrified her most was what happened next.

"My turn." Someone else growled. Starfire and Cyborg released their fiery hold on her and simply forced her to lean against the wall. Despite her hazy vision she saw clearly who it was before her. Beast Boy. He had that look of heavy rage and hate he had when they fought Adonis, but not nearly as bad as it was now. Now, there was nothing left in him besides pure hate and anger. If she weren't terrified of what would happen next she felt more remorseful than she'd ever been, knowing this, all of it, was her doing. He had every right to maul her, every right to insult her, every right to inflict the same pain on her that she'd given him. Swallowing her tears, she closed her eyes as he leapt toward her, his fangs and claws ready to attack.

And attack he did.

His long, black claws dragged against her face, leaving deep scars in her skin. The wall behind her vanished and she stumbled backward then to the ground. He leapt on her again, his weight pinning her to the ground. "Humph. Now you're even uglier than you were before." He said malevolently. Garfield shook his head, "Your dark side comes to the surface. Like any other monster." Raven only stared back up at him in response, his speech tearing her apart more than his claws ever could. The one person she needed to believe she was more than a monster just called her one and had brought all of this pain on her. Even the friends she believed were her family had been no different. If the ones she loved no longer loved her, what was she now?

I really am a monster. She thought, feeling her body lose its control over her and watched Garfield's green eyes fade away.

Raven's eyes shot open as she heard her own moans awakening her. She immediately sat up with a gasp and looked around her. She saw her room. The white walls, the books and trinkets on her several bookshelves. She was home, in the Titans' Tower. Raven felt relief wash over her but the fear from her nightmare remained. What could have triggered it? Then she remembered what had happened two days ago. That's when the familiar sense of dread returned.

She didn't know what was worse, the nightmare, or waking up to find she was living a nightmare. And emotional turmoil of guilt, fear, and utter self loathing. Every day the only thing that crossed her mind was 'how could you?' How could she, after all this time, be so like the thing she hated? A demon, someone who makes others feel worse and makes their lives harder. She had been like a bully hurting whatever came too close and putting down those who didn't deserve it. This wasn't what she wanted. She honestly thought she was keeping them safe, protecting them from her and her dangerous heritage. But in the end, she only proved to be just like what was expected of her in Azarath, a cold, ruthless, unforgiving monster.

The empath pulled her knees to her chest and let out a shaky breath. Her body felt so exhausted and weak. She seemed to shake a little with every movement. It was odd, for she hadn't gone on any missions nor had she trained recently. In fact, she'd hardly left her room in fear of crossing Beast Boy or another angry Titan. She shivered like she would if she had a cold or a fever, which was impossible since she was immune to such ailments. Her joints ached as well, making movements even more painful. Her head, which was always clear from so much meditation, was clouded and dizzy from lack of sleep and not always partaking in meals like she used to. That and her brain was drained from the nightmares and the incident from Beast Boy which made her head spin when she thought of them.

In short, Raven felt like a wreck, and she had no doubt she looked like it too. She didn't care at this point, but worried the other Titans would notice. If they noticed, they'd think something was wrong with her. If they thought something was wrong with her, they'd become suspicious that she was hiding something. If they thought she was hiding something, they'd think she was betraying them and they wouldn't trust her. And even though none of this was true, they'd kick her off the team. The cycle was created in her mind and constantly came up whenever she thought of any of her team mates. Maybe it was anxiety or the fear of losing her friends; she didn't know which. Either way, they couldn't know about the affect her confrontation with Beast Boy was having on her. If they even knew about it, that is. She hadn't seen much of Beast Boy nor was there any discussion of and argument between them, so it seemed he hadn't said anything.

Raven wondered how Beast Boy was right now. Was he still angry? Did he regret saying what he'd said? Was he plotting ways to get back at her for years of torment? Was there something wrong with him that made him say things so unlike him? Raven had considered sensing his emotions but decided better of it. She feared what she would find in there or that he would find out she was invading his privacy and things would get worse. She didn't want to make him angry or sad anymore. She didn't want him to be bothered with her mere presence at this point. Therefore, staying behind doors was essential for his wellbeing. Besides, she doubted he had left his room anyway.

Or maybe he has. She thought. Maybe he blew off some steam when he yelled at me and feels like he's gotten me out of his way so he can be happy. For some reason that thought only made her feel worse. He was happy now that she was out of the way. She wanted him to be happy but still at least coexist with her.

You selfish wench. She thought out if her own self resentment. How can you think of your own petty longings when they interfere with his happiness? Doesn't that matter to you? She didn't know which emotion clone made her think that, but she knew they were right. She was an ungrateful, selfish, and abusive witch. She wanted to take all of it back and start over but she knew she couldn't. Nor would she ever be forgiven.


This was not how Beast Boy thought things would go.

He expected to feel weightless with this burden of unsaid words off of his shoulders. But now he felt heavier than ever. He had finally spoken the truth and said what he'd wanted to get out for a while. So why did he feel like he was only bottling more up? His emotions were a confusing whirl wind of depression, concussion, and guilt. But why should he be guilty? She should be for being so cruel and heartless to him for all these years. Yet he was still suffering after doing what he assumed would fix his problems.

"Why is everything so confusing?" He growled, banging his head against the wall. He'd been doing that a lot lately, letting his anger and other emotions on his room. Now and then he'd smash some trinkets, kick his bed, throw himself at a wall, and so on. His room had never been in worse shape after all the abuse it took.

He gave up thinking about it and lay back on his bed. He remembered the brief period of time when his team mates would knock on his door to see if he was alright, except for Raven. Eventually it seemed they had given up on him and left him to get worse. Some friends they were. It seemed everyone had given up on him, himself included. It didn't matter how many therapists he saw or how many pills he took, he'd never be back to his old self. He could hardly remember how it felt to be normal. With no disease, no bad memories, no hideous reflection looking back at you, nothing. Just...peace. But that was impossible. He was a child of seven the last time he felt totally fine and even happy with the world. He wasn't a child anymore. But then again, he wasn't a man either. He was an animal; a hybrid, mutated, freak of nature.

Tears leaked from his eyes. He tried to hold them back; crying hurt so much more than it did before. Whenever he felt emotion he felt as though a rock had been thrust into his chest. The pain started, making him cry harder, and he finally let everything out. He sobbed, he screamed, he mumbled to himself. He broke down completely, letting every bottled up emotion out. Some time later, his sobs died down and he just lay there, the pain in his chest subsided, and eventually he felt nothing but the depression he had felt before.

"Wimp." He muttered to the silence around him. With his body and mind exhausted, he promptly passed out.


"Wisdom!" Called Timid's frightened voice as she ran towards her fellow emotion clone. She grabbed onto her yellow cloak, panting from running all that way. It seemed she was losing energy ever day, as were the rest of the emotions.

"Wisdom! You have to help! There's something wrong with Happy and-" she stopped mid sentence as Wisdom's hooded head slowly turned toward her. Timid gasped in horror at what she saw.

Wisdom's face was wrinkled and crumbling like paper. Little bits of skin fell from her face. Her teeth, or at least what little she had left, were brown and yellow with her gums a bright red. The wisps of hair that were visible were gray, and it was clear there wasn't much of it. Her body looked as though it belonged to an old woman with wrinkled and peeling skin and a frail, bony body. Her clothes were filthy, torn, and unkempt, just like the rest of her.

Timid cowered at the sight of the once powerful and respectable emotion. "W-wisdom? W-what happened to you?" She squeaked.

"I am dying." She croaked, her body quivered as she spoke. "Raven no longer uses me and has rejected my presence. Therefore, my very existence shall be no more." She stated sagely. She seemed to accept the fact but also seemed disappointed. But Timid didn't know if she was disappointed in Raven or herself.

The gray hooded girl's lip trembled and her eyes glistened. "No." She whimpered. "You can't die. I need you...we need you! You can't..."

Wisdom put a tattered hand on Timid's shoulder. "There is a chance to bring me back, young one. But in order for that to happen Raven must accept me again and learn to move on. She has to know reason." She stated.

"But who will be the voice of reason if you're not here?! None of us can do that like you do..." Timid argued, tears dripping onto her cheeks.

Wisdom cupped her cheek. "You must not give into Self-hatred as Raven has. You and the other positive emotions must fight back against what she currently believes. That is the only thing you can do."

"B-but...Happy... She's...she's gonna die too and..." She choked.

"If all else fails, we can only hope someone from the outside world can get through to her and we shall all be saved." Wisdom said. The emotion clone's eyes rolled backward as her knees gave out. Timid knelt beside her.

"Wisdom?... Wisdom?..." She choked out.

Wisdom toom Timid's hand. "Azar be with you all." she whispered. Then, as a gust of wind blew, Wisdom vanished into dust.

Timid's gave way to the tears and she full on sobbed at the loss of Wisdom. But also at the likely dark future for Raven and Nevermore. Would any of them survive through this? First Happy, now Wisdom. She noticed that Brave looked a little shaken this morning. Timid cried harder. All of her fellow emotions, her sisters, we're going to die. And Raven would be left as a hollow shell and likely die soon after. That is if she didn't take her own life first.

You must not give into Self-hatred as Raven has...fight back...she must know reason. Wisdom's words echoed though her mind. Timid's head rouse back up. Wisdom was right. She couldn't give in. She had to fight back to bring Happy and Wisdom back. She didn't care what emotion she represented, she had to stay strong and keep Raven alive. Before it was too late for them all.


Cyborg stood before the empath's door after knocking for about five minutes. "Raaaae." He groaned. "It's been like three days! Come on out! This ain't healthy!" Still, there was no response.

Cyborg sighed and shook his head. He'd always known Raven to be pretty antisocial, but this was probably the longest she'd been locked up in her room for. Raven seemed to be opening up for once then shut herself out completely like this. It was disappointing that after trying to get her to come out of her shell for so long then having her lock herself away again.

But what had gone wrong? What made her become so closed off again? Cyborg thought for a moment, puzzled. He tried to think of something that had happened, but nothing came to mind. In fact, he couldn't recall anything significant happening with Raven at all. He hadn't really thought about it, but had he been ignoring her?

Nah. Raven likes to be left alone. If anything she's happy I left her be. He thought.

Seeing there was no hope in getting Raven out if her room, he left, wondering if Starfire wanted to watch the View together.


So yeah...long wait, short chapter, I know. I plan on the next chapter having more pizzaz and hopefully more word count. Recently my stories haven't been getting many reviews or attention for that matter, but I hope this one does.

Thanks for reading!

Themadzlove