Disclaimer: I do not own the Teen Titans


EssencePrincess: I heard your threat of mini eggs . . . so here is the next chapter. I'm happy your so excited about the story. Thanks!

sinomin: I could too . . . the threat is probably my favoirte part of last chapter. Thank you for reviewing

I Want Candy: As always, thank you!

718darkstar: Sorry . . . no powers . . . thanks for the review

liliac gurl: Yeah . . . I gave the same threat to my roommate once . . . only instead of saying if you get out of jail again I said if you wake me up again. I'm my defense I was sick and a little cranky. I guess Raven and I are a lot alike. Thanks for reviewing.

Thank you everyone!


The Titans work as a tight knit group and when one of them was down the whole team began to unravel. Their unity made them stronger; however, it was also their weakness. Perhaps Raven was the most misunderstood member of the Titans, but to each of her teammates she had a special place in their lives. It may have been her outward embodiment of strength that made her illness all the more frightening to the rest of the team. Raven . . . was a critical part of the team . . . even if she did not know it. For the Titans, she stood as their rock of strength. If the powerful teen could battle her emotions and destroy her father . . . then they too could face anything. Raven was the voice of reason when there was none and an eternal figure of calm even in the midst of battle.

If any one of their enemies strolled in the tower at that moment they would double over and died of laughter at the sight. The living room . . . the center of their life was empty and the TV was off . . . the training room which was more like home to their fearless leader was also void of human life . . . and the same went for all the rooms. All of the Titans minus Cyborg and Raven were sitting on the floor outside of the medic room waiting for word on their sick friend. Everyone had gloomy faces on . . . even the effervescent Starfire. Robin finally stood and glared at the door as if to gather strength.

"I'm going inside to find out if Raven is alright," he told the others. Beast Boy instantly leapt up and grabbed his leader's sleeve to deter his action.

"Robin, you can't. You heard Cyborg! Stay out until he calls for us!" Beast Boy said. Stare nodded enthusiastically in agreement with Beast Boy. Robin snatched his arm out of Beast Boy's grasp.

"But I'm leader! Shouldn't I be allowed inside?" he demanded with anger boiling in his voice. Then suddenly the door to the medical room cracked open and Cyborg loomed over his leader.

"I told you to be quiet!" he hissed loudly. After a quick starring match Robin looked away and Cyborg sighed revealing in his sudden slumped shoulders that all was not well. "I'd like to tell you first Robin," Cyborg eventually said to his leader. Star and Beast Boy glared at their mechanical teammate, angry to have been left out.

Robin walked silently into the medical room and instantly walked over to where Raven laid. Cyborg had removed her cloak and one sleeve of her leotard was rolled up from where blood had been drawn. A pink band-aid covered up the small hole the needle had made. Despite the situation, Robin could not help but smile at Cyborg's choice of color for the Band-Aid. Without a doubt, Raven would be pissed upon waking and finding a hot pink band-aid on her arm. Raven's face was calm and peaceful and deep in sleep. She looked like and angel . . . his dark angel. Robin walked over and ran his fingers through her silky soft hair.

"What's wrong with her, Cyborg?" Robin asked and turned to his friend who was sitting down on one of the chairs in the room. Robin sat down on Raven's bed next to her side and took her hand in his.

"It took me a while for me to figure it out . . . other then the fact that she can't stay awake and she had no use of her powers she's perfectly healthy. Her temperature is normal . . . her blood is fine, and she doesn't have too many white blood cells . . . what is effecting her is getting right past her immune system. Her body had no idea anything is wrong. Since her powers are gone she can't self heal either. I vaccinated Raven myself before she went to Africa. There is not a single shot that she missed, but those vaccinations do not protect against everything. There are some diseases we have no protection from and Raven unfortunately contracted one of them." Cyborg told his leader and sighed.

"What is it . . . and more importantly how do we cure it?" Robin demanded.

"Raven has something called Dreamer's Sickness. It's caused by a parasite found in muddy areas. It enters the body through a cut . . . a small unnoticeable one will do the trick. The parasite travels through the blood stream and eventually enters the brain stem. This is bad because the medulla, which is the affected area, controls consciousness. The symptoms of the disease are immense sleepiness and spaced out moments. Eventually, if the disease goes untreated . . . the patient falls into a sleep that they cannot be woken from. Soon after, the afflicted is plagued by horrific nightmares and often thrashes out in sleep. If it gets to this point . . . we will have to restrain Raven for her safely. After that . . . the medulla is completely taken over and the patient's body shuts down . . . breathing stops . . . and all vital systems for life. We cannot cure this . . . merely kill off the parasite, but the treatment is dangerous and malicious on the body. We might lose Raven trying to save her." Cyborg said. Robin froze where he sat and felt horror run through his whole body. How could this have happened?

"What is the treatment?" Robin asked and his hand unconsciously squeezed Raven's tighter.

"Melarsoprol . . . its an organic compound of arsenic. The side effects are fever, convulsions, nausea, and vomiting. However, if we give the treatment is up to you. Raven gave you power of attorney should anything happen to her. So, do you or don't you want Raven to receive the treatment?" Cyborg asked. Robin looked over at Raven who was fast asleep. He had no idea she had given him power of attorney.

"Give her the treatment," Robin told Cyborg. Robin took a deep breath to steady himself. He heard movement behind him and Cyborg placed his arm gently on Robin's shoulder.

"We don't have any Melarsoprol in the tower . . . I have to go fill a prescription for it. I'll tell the other's about Raven . . . just stay here with her. I'll have Star and Beast Boy come with me so that you can have a moment to collect yourself. Don't worry . . . I cried a little too before I let you in the room." Cyborg said. Robin gasped . . . he had not noticed the stream of tears until Cyborg had mentioned them. He felt useless with Raven so sick . . . and it was his entire fault.

"Thank you, you're a good friend Cyborg," Robin whispered as he heard the door of the clinic shut close behind Cyborg. Robin buried his face in Raven's stomach and shook in his feeble attempt to keep all the emotion inside.


Well . . . another chapter done. Sorry this is so depressing . . . a lot of the info on the disease is actually true especially the cure part. Not all of it though. The actual disease that Raven's is based off of is called Sleeping Sickness if anyone is interested. Anyways . . . what do you think? I tried to add some humor with the whole pink band-aid thing . . . Well thanks for reading and please review! I really love you read your comments and input.