Bwaha. Bwahahahahaa.

xxxxxx

Silver Lining

Chapter Seven: Insinuation

xxxxxx

Raven's mind whirled almost too much to get everyone safely back to the apartment. Terra was back. That thought echoed in her head and resonated louder than blaring trumpets in her heart. She was back, but in two forms. The beautiful, deadly woman that had approached them and the person inside her – her… Raven couldn't bear to think of it. How had it happened? Why had it happened? What did it mean? The hundreds of questions roiling about in her mind gave Raven an immense headache – and all of this in less than a minute.

She felt the earth solidify beneath her feet and the darkness enveloping all of them lifted. Instinctively, she'd clutched her daughter to her in the frenzied moment of transports. She set Aidan – no Terra – down immediately and backed away from her, wrapping her arms around her waist. What fear and horror that snagged her heart in its icy grip now shone clearly in her eyes. Raven swallowed the bile that rose in her throat and she blinked the tears from her eyes. Her jaw clenched in anger – Terra had come back, a wonderful thought, but at the expense of her daughter. There was no way in hell that Raven would stand for this. She loved Aidan more than anything in the world - that small child was her entire life - and to have her taken, possibly dead, hurt more than any physical injury she had ever sustained. She would rather die than see Aidan hurt, but now more than ever, Raven wanted to kill anything that stood in the way of getting Aidan back.

Her purple eyes stared coldly at the lavender ones set into the face of her daughter. Nightwing glanced at Raven and started forward for Aidan, unsure of what had transpired.

"No," Raven growled, extending her arm in his direction, hand held to signal for him to halt.

"Raven, she's hurt and hungry, what's wrong with you?" Nightwing said, staring at her, itching to aid his daughter. Raven glared at him.

"No," she repeated, her gaze trailing back to her, "That is not Aidan."

"Raven," Nightwing protested.

"She's right, Robin." Everyone gasped, excluding Raven. Aidan – no, Terra – looked at each of them, her expression sober. "I'm not Aidan, at least, in mind and soul." Terra said quietly, her voice almost unchanged from her teenage years. Though now it was richer, but sadder. "That's your daughter, right?" Nightwing nodded, his masked eyes wide and confused. "I don't know what happened, but I can guess that Slade had something to do with it." Terra said apologetically, though a spark in her – Aidan's – eyes held untold joy at being alive once more.

"You said there was no way we could get her back." Everyone turned and stared at Beast Boy, whose eyes were laden with anger and anguish. And something more – the cold, stinging wound of betrayal. The cold wave of realization dawned on Raven.

"Beast Boy…"

"You said you couldn't help her, that there was no way to!" Beast Boy shouted, his fists clenched at his side, itching to strike something. "If there was nothing you could do, then why is she back? Did you not have enough power? Enough incentive? Did you even want her back?" Raven took the words as if he physically hit her – she wished he would.

"Beast Boy, let me explain…" She started, hoping he would listen to reason, despite his grief being so fresh and consuming.

"Explain. Yes, please explain this to me." He spat. Everyone looked to her, sadness and puzzlement written on their faces.

Raven sighed, "I know I said there was no way to bring Terra back," She paused, her voice thick with her sorrow and anger of Aidan's absence.

"And yet there is," Beast Boy muttered, glowering.

"I know there is, ok?" Raven hissed, not wanting to shout, "But I lied. I lied to do what is right." If looks could kill, Raven would have been dead in a heartbeat.

"So you didn't want to bring her back! You could have helped her and you didn't." Beast Boy exclaimed, striding towards Raven, looking the entire world like he was going to strike her. He withheld.

"No!" Raven shouted, "I couldn't have helped her! Yes, I had the power and yes I had the means, but the spell required a human host, a fucking sacrifice!" And for the first time in quite a while, Beast Boy truly understood. Had she been able to help Terra, Raven would have done so without hesitation or prodding from her friends. She had trusted Terra, grown to think of her as a friend; probably the closest friend she had gained in a while. And though that trust had been questioned and shattered when Terra turned to Slade, it still remained, even after Terra was enclosed in her rocky tomb. He could see that she felt terrible for not being able to help, not knowing the way to help; and though she would not admit it, his comments had hurt her.

"I'm sorry," Raven said, her tone back to its normal level and her eyes searching his, pleading for him to understand. "I wanted to help her, I truly did, but how could I decide if one life was more valuable than another? How could I even be sure that it would work? If it didn't, I don't know what would have happened. No one could have been hurt, or not. I just didn't know." Beast Boy sighed and his shoulders slumped in defeat.

"No, I'm sorry." He muttered, trying to give her his signature impish grin. There was nothing more to say and they both knew it.

"Friends, if this is true, then Slade has done worse things than we could have imagined." Starfire said, looking each of them in the eyes. Her words startled them, but they were true. Before now, Slade had never actually killed anyone, or things never escalated to that level. Certainly, he threatened with someone's death, always one of the Titan's, but the thought never crossed their minds so blatantly before that maybe Slade had wanted to kill them, but his plans were always interrupted. And now that the next step had been reached…everything changed. Raven frowned. With Terra back and her daughter…with Terra back Slade's plans became evident. Clearly he just lusted for power and Terra was only a tool to obtain what he wanted. But something didn't add up. Raven only knew so much about reincarnation and the Death arts, but something just didn't add up. If one were to put a dead soul back into a body, what type of body would be needed? Either way, Slade had killed someone, whether in body or in soul whether it had been willingly or not. But what had been the circumstances? Raven thought back to her books, and her heart dropped to her toes and a cold wave of fear and dread washed over her. She remembered…a chapter title. Reincarnations. She looked it straight in the face and passed it up as useless. Every answer to Slade's plans lay in that book, that bloody fucking book and she had paid it no heed. She could have prevented this, prevented Terra's untimely return and she could have Aidan right here next to her instead of this...this...interloper.

Raven swallowed her rage and sorrow and turned to Terra, "Did Slade have any sort of book that he used? It'd be very old." Terra had seated herself in a chair, the only piece of furniture untouched by Slade's bomb. She seemed to consider this, Aidan's face taking on a thoughtful look. The action tugged at Raven's heart.

"Aidan remembers a book. She saw Slade reading it once."

Raven's anger and worry blazed anew. "Is she still in there? Is she still alive?" Raven demanded, resisting every urge to shake Terra by Aidan's shoulders.

Terra grew solemn, "I don't know. I'm assuming that since her memories are still present in her mind, she is. But I can't...feel her. Sorry." She replied, looking sadly at Raven. The worried mother swallowed her tears, though the emotion behind that watery effect still remained in her eyes. "I didn't ask for this. Though life feels great, I'd rather I stayed dead than take your daughter from you. Whatever I can do to help, tell me." Terra added, the absolute sincerity in her voice calming Raven. After that being said, how could Raven be angry with her? This wasn't her fault in any way. Slade was to blame, no question. She should direct her energies and emotions at finding solutions, not excuses. Raven breathed deeply – she had once suppressed her emotions because she had to, so she could do it again.

"Wait," Cyborg interrupted, confusion furrowing his brow, "If Terra's in Aidan, then how is Terra out there," He jerked his thumb towards the window, "with Slade?" Beast Boy, Starfire and Cyborg exchanged glances. Nightwing looked to Raven, and Raven stared at Terra, who already knew the answer.

Raven's eyes widened as the answer dawned upon her, "She's...the evil you, isn't she?" Terra nodded, "And you're the good half of your soul." She nodded again.

"Wait...what?" Beast Boy asked, confused.

Terra met his eyes, though it pained her to do so. It had been so long since she'd seen him, touched him... She pushed the thoughts to the side. More important things were at stake. "When Slade brought me back, he somehow separated me in two. Good and evil. Positive and Negative. The Terra out there is the complete opposite of me; anger, malice, hate. She has only ill intentions in mind, which is why Slade wanted that part of me. I'm no use to him; joy, sorrow, love. I'll only be in the way."

"All your power's with her." Raven stated rather than asked.

Terra nodded, forlorn, "Slade didn't want to take any chances. Whatever was in that book you asked about gave him everything he needed to know. If I had any power at all, there would be the chance that I might stop him and her, somehow."

Raven suddenly felt lightheaded and her head dropped into her hand. Where could he have gotten that book? It wasn't one of hers – she'd always had seven. The greatest library of old texts and scrolls had been the library at Alexandria, and that perished centuries before, and the one on Azarath. Neither was accessible any longer. But Slade had obtained the book somehow. Raven felt like screaming in frustration.

Then it hit her. Of course. The city's library. The original library. Where her father…came through. The library had been built on top as a ruse. Azarathian monks had been stationed there to guard what lay beneath. Those books, all those books. They were just sitting there for the taking. All that information in one place about so many things; and Slade had unlimited access to it. She'd have to take care of that later.

But now…Slade and Terra's evil counterpart needed to be stopped. Somehow this entire mess came to be and there had to be a way to reverse it.

The page titled Reincarnation flashed in her mind, only serving to remind Raven how she failed to protect the city she lived in and the daughter she loved. First things first, she needed to brush up on her knowledge of the Death arts and find somewhere safe enough to protect whatever remained of her daughter. Then…Raven let her mind wander on the ways she would torture Slade for what he did to Aidan. The possibilities were almost endless. And if he didn't tell her how to reverse the reincarnation process, she'd figure it out herself. After all, she had all the time in the world.

Terra would be easy enough to subdue; Raven would not allow herself to be so overcome by her emotions again. This time, she could control it. She could control everything.

She looked back at her friends and settled her gaze on Terra. "Slade will come for you." Terra nodded. "Then we need to get you somewhere safe." She acknowledged the rest of her friends, "I may have an idea as to how Slade did this. For the moment, I need to read. Again." Casting a final glance at them, Raven motioned for Terra to follow her and turned towards the bedroom.

Nightwing caught her by the arm in the hall. "Are you going to be all right?" Raven avoided his gaze and looked at his hand clutching hers.

"I have to believe that she's still in there, despite what Terra says." Their eyes met. "I know she's still alive, Robin, I can't think otherwise."

"But -"

"There are no 'buts'." She whispered harshly, dropping his hand. "There is no second-guessing in this. She is alive because if I even dare to think anything else I won't make it. I won't be able to go on with anything ever again." She turned and entered the bedroom, shutting the door after Terra followed her.

x

Terra paced, hands crossed over her chest. Slade stood behind her in a relaxed military stance. His eyes traced her movements in annoyance.

"Remind me why we are doing this again?" She glared at him.

Slade's eye narrowed, "Patience, Terra. Give the Titans the time they need. Then you can have all the fun you want."

She stopped and faced him, "How will I know when you're done?"

Slade sighed and walked to stand next to her. "You will know. Wait for Robin to figure it out; it won't take him long, but it will be long enough. By then, let them go." Terra opened her mouth to protest and Slade cut her off, "There will be plenty more opportunity later to enjoy yourself. This is merely a distraction."

Terra continued to glare at him and resumed her impatient pacing.

x

"You'll be safe here until we can figure all this out."

Terra looked around, taking in the stark atmosphere of Raven's mind. Her cloaked emotions stood around them. The one in yellow had a trunk at her feet.

"I don't see how -"

"The only way into my mind is through the mirror," Raven explained, "Beast Boy and Cyborg figured that one out on their own. Nothing can reach you in here and no one will know you're here, except the rest of the Titans." This really was the safest place Raven could think of, save another dimension. And dimension jumping would take too long and the risks were too extreme.

Terra seemed unsure but Raven couldn't help that. Whether she liked it or not, she was staying here. Slade wouldn't know where Terra was, the other half of Terra wouldn't know where Terra was; therefore, safety.

Raven sighed, "As soon as this mess is figured out," And Aidan brought back… "You'll be able to leave. Until then, you stay." Terra nodded and watched Raven as she sat in front of the large trunk on the ground.

"You can help me if you'd like; see if anything sounds familiar." Raven started, pulling books out of the trunk, "I don't expect there to be much else in any of them, but I don't have them memorized so there might be."

Raven opened up the same book she had earlier when in search of chakra stone information as Terra sat next to her.

This time, instead of ignoring it, Raven stopped on the chapter labeled Reincarnations.

x

Nightwing paced, walking before the window and glancing out onto the city with each pass. Back and forth; back and forth. He felt like a sitting duck, just waiting for Terra and Slade to find them and attack. And Slade knew where they lived, so why wait? What was he planning?

Disgusted, Nightwing leaned against the windowsill, his gloved fingers clenching the wood. Every time Slade somehow managed to come back he fell into the old habit of asking the same questions over, and over, and over again. It didn't change – ever. Slade knew this and exploited it; he enjoyed ignoring the questions and creating new ones, enjoyed watching each of the Titans, especially Nightwing, writhe in torment at the sinister mysteriousness of the answers. But if the process was always the same, how in the world did they manage to fall into the continuous pattern again?

Nightwing continued his pacing, casting glances at the closed bedroom door. His brows knit together as he thought back on his and Raven's most recent conversation. She was right to think Aidan still alive, and right to be angry with him for second-guessing that. But he always showed himself both sides, put forth both options and came to terms with them. Aidan was still alive, but not in her body; or, Aidan was dead and Terra stuck in her body. Though t he possibility of her death had occurred to him, Nightwing did not want to think about it; not yet. Maybe that was his problem; he thought about things too rationally. He left emotion out of the equation in order to complete the task at hand. And Raven…she couldn't feel anything for years and here she poured more emotion into everything than he could into anything.

But she had to see the other side. If she didn't…Raven could really lose it. Nightwing could see it happening and loathed the idea just as much as losing his daughter. He knew Raven loved him, but without Aidan…it just wasn't enough. Just like it wasn't enough when she left the team. They fell apart without her and Nightwing couldn't take another round of that.

So for now, Aidan was alive. No matter what.

The other Titans watched him pace, excluding Beast Boy. He stared out the window and occasionally looked at the bedroom door. Terra…was back. She was back. She was back. Every muscle in his body screamed to be happy, but he couldn't. Not in this situation. And that made him feel terrible. Beast Boy felt like he was betraying Terra by not being overjoyed to see her, even if she was in two forms. But how could he be happy when Raven's daughter was caught in the middle of this, possible dead, with Terra in her body? The whole situation made his stomach roll.

Beast Boy stared out the window, trying to find something to cheer him up. He watched someone walking down the street and tried to imagine what made them happy. But…that wasn't right.

"Hey, guys," everyone looked at him, "If Raven froze the city, how is that person moving?" He pointed at the figure as it emerged from the shadow of a building.

Nightwing's jaw clenched, "Terra." Everyone caught the glint of blonde hair off the sunlight. Raven would be fine without them.

"Let's go."

xxxxxx

Whoohoo! There you have it! And update. Dance, cheer, be merry, drink, etc, etc. Hate me, love me, kill and bury me and dance on my grave. Whatever the case, react! I planned to actually go on longer, but this seemed a good enough stopping point and I really just wanted to get an update out there as soon as I could.

Once again, if you didn't see my profile, a tremendous thank you to all that replied to the author's note. I couldn't have even hoped for such an amazing response within such a short timeframe. Truth be told, when I posted the note, I totally forgot about it until the next day when I saw all those emails! Spazztastic, I must say. Now that I'm officially on a roll and remember where I originally wanted this to go, I believe the updates will come much faster now. Hopefully. Y'know. It happens. Adios!