Raven levitated cross-legged above her bed, trying to calm herself down. She had managed to convince herself it wasn't Slade in her mind. He was gone, no one had seen him in ages. It wasn't possible for him to be in her head. "Maybe this explains his vanishing act." The thought rose unwanted in her mind. "No," she shook her head. "It's NOT Slade."
She floated down to the floor, pulled her hood up over her head, and left her room. She could already hear her friends in the living room. She tried to push the thought of the unwelcome visitor out of her mind as she stood in the doorway, watching her friends enjoy themselves.
Beast Boy and Cyborg battled it out on the GameStation. Robin sat next to Starfire, his arm wrapped around her shoulder as they watched their friends play. Starfire gazed at Robin with pure adoration in her eyes. They were all truly happy.
"It wouldn't be fair to drag them into this. Look how happy they are," Raven thought to herself. She quietly crept back from the door and made her way to the roof.

Raven plopped down on the roof and buried her head in her hands. The idea that some unknown person was in her mind, learning about her and her secrets, was almost overwhelming. She knew she had to keep herself together in order to fix it, but having her privacy invaded made her skin crawl. She lifted her head and took a deep breath, then summoned ball of black energy to her hands.
She rolled the energy between her fingers. The control she held over it brought her comfort. She levitated the ball to eye level and focused on it, lazily changing its shape. The exercise calmed her, and she let the thoughts and stresses of the last twenty-four hours drain from her mind.
The sun disappeared behind the clouds, painting the roof a sullen tone of overcast grey. A soft rumble of thunder rolled acros the city and a gentle breeze tugged at her robes. Raven didn't notice. The black ball of energy flickered out as her eyes slid closed. Her arms fell into lotus position, and soon she was inside her mind.

Raven found herself in another circle of pale light, still in lotus position on the floor. She folded her hands in her lap and quietly surveyed the unfamiliar area. "What part of my mind is this?" she asked herself, a small frown wrinkling her brow.
"The part of your mind you keep locked away from everyone, even yourself, Ms. Roth." The voice of her unwelcome visitor answered her.
"I don't keep things from myself. And who ARE you?" Raven reached out with her mind as she spoke, trying to identify the presence within her. Again, just as before, she could tell that she was not alone, but couldn't identify the intruder.
"I've had time to explore parts of your mind that not even you would recognize. You're truly a complex being, if I do say so myself," the voice toyed with her.
"You have no idea," Raven returned, her voice laced with sarcasm, "but that doesn't change the fact that you're not welcome here. No one belongs in my mind. So GET OUT!"
"Temper, temper, Raven. Becoming hostile won't help either of us. In fact, it will only make matters worse."
Raven closed her eyes and rubbed her temples. She wasn't getting anywhere, but she quickly reined in her frustration. "Then at least tell me who you are."
"You aren't ready yet. You have to be able to handle the truth. You run the risk of keeping me trapped here forever with those emotional outbursts of yours. Is that clear?"
"How do you know that?" she asked, now fighting back frustration, anger, and fright. She had a feeling she didn't want to know the answer.
"I've been here longer than you think, Ms. Roth. Can you keep yourself calm so that we may speak in person? I've seen you react poorly to unfortunate news in the past."
Raven glared into the darkness. So the intruder was someone who knew her. The emotions battling within her gelled into an iciness that coursed through her veins. Her cold, glowering tone betrayed it. "I won't make any promises."
"Then we will see each other quite soon, Raven. Do try to keep yourself under control. I'd hate to end up moving in," the voice goaded her slyly, teasingly.
With that, Raven could sene that the presence was gone. She lingered for a moment before bringing herself back to her body. She had to prepare herself somehow. She didn't know what for, but she was certain it wouldn't be pleasant. She stood and walked briskly from the storm-grey rooftop, bound for the sanctuary of her room.