Hiya Readers, 'twas a hard chapter to write. Are we really up to Chapter 10? Wow! Thanks to The Amethyst Eyes, Gingerstorm101, sinomin, The Imperfect Me, ravenkakashiluv26, 1Animefreakgurl, KraZiiePyrozHavemoreFun, and XLucy0117X reviewing. We love you all! Well Christmas may be over for most of you, but this fic isn't going to end for a while. This is the halfway chapter. Oh, and for the first scene, what Raven experiences is true. When that happens, and especially against something strong, then it really hurts. It could even cause brain damage, so Raven gets it off lucky. (with no brain damage) Hope you don't mind the caring side of Slade. (he has one, it's true, READ THE COMICS...THE OLD ONES!) We don't own anything other than the awesome plot, and Earth similar dimension... Enjoy
"Slade, Slade, Slade! Slade, wake up!" Slade really didn't want to wake up, but it was too late anyways, since he had been rattled out of his slumber. He slowly opened his eye. Who was yelling his name? It was... Raven? She was yelling? And his name? He shot up, as fast as possible, and his head collided with Raven's.
"Ow!" the empath grunted in pain, even being flung away from him. It was a strong hit. Naturally, wearing the hard, protective metal mask, Slade wasn't hurt, and the first to recover.
"Are you okay?" Raven shook her head, but stopped, feeling the pain. She didn't notice how strange it was that Slade cared for her well being, since it hurt too much. "No..." She groaned, and thought her head would explode.
There was silence for several minutes. Agony for Raven, thinking time for Slade. He was wondering whether he should apologise or not.
Slade touched her forehead, and he could feel the heat through his glove. A fever. She winced, as that was the place she was hit. Slade took notice of it, and removed his hand. He gently moved her aching head onto a folded blanket.
Raven felt as though her head would blow up. The searing pain made no effort to disappear, and she found it almost unbearable. She tilted her head, only slightly, and coughed out small specks of blood. It's just the... shock, she told herself.
"What was it you wanted to tell me?" He was curious, as she had yelled for him to get up.
She groaned, making no attempt to look at him or even open her eyes. She was obviously still in pain. "The sack, it's... it's ran out... no more food... and no more water..."
"Oh," the masked man replied, not at all fazed. "We can hunt for food, and go to a river for water. Although I'll have to do the work, with you in that... condition." He gave a chuckle.
She tried to get up. Was he laughing at her, at her pain? "Well, is your mask made of indestructible stone or something? It's not my fault! Just wait till I'm up! Don't... laugh at me!"
She was flailing, but couldn't get up. She stopped when the pain in her head became something she couldn't endure. Her opened eyes slid shut. Raven tried to use her powers to lift something that could hit him, but it didn't work. In fact, it made her head reel.
"Believe me, Raven, I wasn't. Relax, and calm down." Slade found her temper wasn't improving because of the hit. In fact, it was doing just the opposite.
"It's too hot, Slade. Don't tell me to calm down! This wouldn't be happening if you could get up slowly like a normal person!" She felt like she was surrounded by fire, and sweat trickled down her face.
"Raven, you have a fever. Did you think you'd be cold? I'll go now to fetch some water. I want you to rest, and soon it'll be nothing more than a headache." Slade saw Raven look at him in worry. She was going to be alone, defenceless. "Don't worry, Raven, you'll be fine," he added.
She relaxed but only slightly. "Okay, Slade..." Raven was still worried, but thought she'd be fine. She was a Titan, for cryin' out loud! She chided herself for being worried in the first place.
Slade gently moved some of her hair out of her face with his hand, in a somewhat paternal gesture. With the hair out the way, he clearly saw her eyes. "I'm sorry for hitting you. And, Raven, I'm not a 'normal' person. You aren't either, no one is."
Raven gave a small smile at the gesture, also nodding at the speech, before falling into a meditating sleep to heal herself. Her breathing slowed.
He too, gave a soft smile, and watched her body float, seemingly healing her own head. Pity, he thought, still thinking she was still the perfect apprentice. Slade walked off silently, ready to find the closest river.
When he reached the small, flowing tributary, he sighed in relief. Using a pan, he scooped out some water. He'd filter it where he was, then take it back to boil. It had to be clean enough to drink without them dying.
He used another pan, placed a simple handkerchief around it, so it covered the top, and slowly poured the water into it. Slade was filtering the water, ridding it of some soil and stones, along with whatever other dangerous substances there were inside.
He was about to get another pot of water, but he saw a small thing swim past. It looked like a fish, but it had only one eye at the top of its head, like a cyclops'. Not about to miss his chance, he scooped it into the pan, and then emptied the water. The fish's struggling soon ceased, meaning it was dead. Dinner's done, he thought in jest.
Slade began to clean the fish, and prepare it. The sky seemed to darken a little. He guessed it was around the late afternoon. Rushing his actions more, he realised he'd forgotten Raven.
Suddenly, Slade felt as though something was in his mind. He stopped moving his arms, trying to figure out what it was.
"Slade, Slade, can you hear me? It's me, Raven." It sounded like a thought in his head, except in Raven's voice. She sounded panicked, words coming out quickly.
"Impressive. I never knew you had this... ability. You're in my head? We can discuss it later though. Why did you contact me?" Cool, calm, collected voice, just like him.
"Slade, there's these monsters. I can't fend them off by myself, with my problem. It's hurting already. I can't fight them, they're too strong. My powers use too much energy. Come back and help."
Before he could reply, the presence was gone. Tightly securing the water and the fish to him, Slade sprinted back.
When he returned, he found Raven with her back against a tree, looking tired. Four beasts were out in front of her, and were exactly the same as the pack of monsters they had once fought.
The monsters came closer, and Raven pressed herself further into the tree. Her head hurt, and things were spinning.
"I suggest you shouldn't move any closer to her." She sighed once she heard that all too familiar voice. She looked at him, and he knew she was thankful. Within the next minute, she was out like a light. Asleep.
Stubborn girl, Slade thought. She had probably been defending herself since he was gone. Otherwise, Raven wouldn't be as tired as she was.
He picked up a pistol from his pouch. Just once, he wouldn't kill them. He shot at the behind of one. It hit, but not in a place to kill, just injure.
The gunshot pierced the serenity and all the beasts flitted away. The injured one limped. Slade hid his pistol again, and relit the fire. The fish and the water were held above the fire.
When Raven awoke, she swore that she smelt fish. She thought that she was in a dream. But feeling the sand under her made her know it wasn't, it was too real.
Her head had improved. No doubt it would bruise, but the headache was gone. Her stomach rumbled. She remembered something. "Did you... kill the animals? If you did then..."
He interrupted, not at all willing to hear a threat, "Do you see any corpses? Stop worrying so much, Raven. Hungry?" Slade asked, watching her awaken. He looked as she sat down next to the fire, and Slade passed her a cup of water, with fish meat. He chuckled as she devoured them both quickly. While she was sleeping, he'd eaten his share, saving him having to take his mask off.
"So, you went into my mind earlier?" It was an innocent question, so she'd give an answer. She nodded. He asked another question. "Did you see anything? Raven, I want an honest answer."
Raven felt as though she should scoff, since she was more honest than him. She refrained from it though, once she saw the villain's glare. "Slade, no, I didn't. It's like you already have mental barriers."
It was true though. Raven met mental blocks in his mind as soon as she tried to dig into his past. She already had cerebral blocks put up but she wondered how he did. He's a human, he shouldn't have them, she thought.
Raven continued to think, rather loudly, and Slade could actually hear it faintly in his own head. "Stop worrying over your thoughts. I can hear them."
Her jaw dropped, and her cheeks flushed slightly, adding a glow to her face. "You can?" She received her answer through a mental thought, not aloud.
"Yes, and you can hear my thoughts too. We can communicate like this?" Slade was still confused, as he was new to it all.
Raven realised something. It was exactly like when she had entered Robin's mind. Sometimes he could hear her thoughts, and vice versa. They'd have conversations, and maybe see a little bit more of each other's past. That bond was destroyed after a while, as they hadn't used it in a long time.
It had brought them closer, and Raven wasn't sure whether she wanted to be closer with Slade. She replied by thinking, directing her thoughts to him.
"I suppose we could talk like this. But Slade, I went into your mind, like I once went into Robin's. That means..."
She paused, nervous, "We have a bond." Slade didn't answer, clearly not understanding. Raven was reluctant to elaborate. "A bond is created when a telepathic person, like me in this case, enters another's mind.
It means the two can share memories, thoughts, and even feelings through it. But if you don't want the other to have access to your mind, you put up mental barriers. Like you have, and I have.
If this bond isn't used in a long time, or the relational bond between the two isn't strong anymore, then the bond is broken, and unavailable."
He wasn't at all shocked, which Raven had expected. "I see. So, Raven, what do you want to do with this bond?"
Slade looked at her, and she avoided his eye. "I guess we just leave it as it is. It would be a help in our... situation. But if you try anything, I'll break this bond myself."
He nodded. "Now that offer has been placed, I don't think I'll try anything. After all, I don't think I want to lose the bond. Do you?"
She sighed, annoyed. "I guess I don't." The sky seemed to darken, matching her mood.
"You always say 'I guess,' Raven. You can be a confident person, so stop guessing things. Be sure; make sure the person knows your decision. Okay?"
Raven wanted to say I guess, but that would prove his point. "Yes, Slade, but that's rich coming from you. And, you aren't my teacher so I don't want the lectures you keep giving me." She was tempted to yell.
"You don't want them, but you'll need them. I'm sure they'll be of use in the future. After all, I got to this position by being confident, sure of myself. That's all you need to do."
"I don't want to be like you. I don't want to be a immoral mastermind. I'm sure of that!"
"Good, then it seems the lecture has worked...although, it's a pity. I think you'd have been quite the criminal."
She was a Titan, a hero, a 'do gooder.' Slade seriously thought she'd make an accomplished villain, but it would be impossibly hard to sway her from the teachings she had been bestowed.
Raven had enough of it all. She was sick and she was tired of hearing his opinion. It had been a stressful day, and she didn't want more of it. "Shut up, Slade. Just shut up! I've had enough of your opinion! I'm sick and I'm tired of it..."
Her eyes flickered red, before returning to normal. An explosion was heard in the distance. That man just had to make her lose control, blow up things! At least it wasn't as often as it was with the Titans.
Now that she had cooled off, she lay on her blanket, and closed her drooping eyes. "Goodnight, Slade." She was always saying that now.
"Goodnight, Raven. If you're tired of my opinion, you should put your own opinion in more often. I'd like to hear more about you. After all, you're a quiet girl."
He said it half heartedly, but he was serious. He received no reply, but he knew she had heard it all the same.
His eye shut, while hers reopened, a glint held within them.
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Thanks for reading, and please review! Have a great new year, SladeRavenFan & qweerlittlefish P.S, the chapter seemed a little short, but SladeRavenFan is busy for upcoming exams and readying for school.