Disclaimer: I don't own TT

Split into two parts, because... well, why not.

"Speech"

Thoughts

Raven and Slade Part I

She didn't know how she ended up here, half delirious and alone, but she did know that she was in deep shit. Closing her eyes, she tried in vain to remember what happened during the past few ours, but it was no more than a blur. She had gone out with a certain pink haired friend of hers, stayed a little too long at the bar - which her friend had somehow talked her into going to - and then she must have been drugged or something because after that she had no clue what happened. No, she didn't get drunk - she only had like what, a few drinks, right? Someone must have been there and done something.

She remembered feeling this sense of terror well up inside her, a fear so great that she had only felt something like it once before - when she knew that her father was coming to destroy the world and everything she held dear was at stake. What could have caused it?

She also remembered her pink haired friend screaming after her, telling her not to go, not to run, that it would be alright, that there was nothing to be afraid of, but Raven had run anyway, and now she was God knew where.

A sewer, judging by the smell. She grimaced.

Raven sat up, rubbing her head, trying to ignore the pain that was beginning to build up between her temples.

I'm still here, you know.

She nearly jumped up in shock and began running again, choking down the fear burning at her heart. That voice... it's-

She tripped - why was she even running anyway, couldn't she levitate? oh well - and fell into a stream of disgusting green liquid.

Ew. Gross. She pulled herself out and grimaced as she tried to pull some pieces of... she didn't want to think about it... out of her hair.

"I said I was still here. Have you already forgotten?"

Suddenly, when he actually spoke, it seemed less frightening. She had never noticed how calm his voice seemed, at least not until now. And it was strange, because when he walked forward, he didn't seem threatening at all. Maybe they were just biased against him or something - but then she remembered the things that he had threatened and that he had done, to her, to all of them, and she was on the defensive again.

"What do you want?"

"I think the better question is, what do you want? Why were you running like a maniac down the street from nothing? And then you run here, into the sewers of all places, and when I try to speak to you, you scream and begin running again."

"Is that really what happened?"

He shrugged. "You seemed drunk. I don't ever recall seeing you like that. You didn't seem like type, not whenever we fought, or when I was under your fa-"

Raven hissed darkly. "Leave me alone. I'm getting out of here."

She took a couple steps away before the pain in her head seemed to explode - she was no longer distracted by the presence of that guy - and she collapsed against one wall, trying not to let it overcome her.

"It's called a hangover. What was in those drinks?"

"Whatever you drugged me with-"

"And why would I want to do that?"

"To capture me and hold me hostage for something."

He laughed curtly. "Dear Raven, I don't think I have the strength to fight you, even in your condition. You have already shown that you are stronger than I am."

"Then you have a trick up your sleeve. Something to stop my powers-"

"Like what, the Ring of Azar that your friends smashed? Your powers stem from your father, and I doubt anything I have can stop them. You're free to leave if you want."

"Then I'm going."

And she took another step, then sunk lower towards the ground, holding her head. She waited for a few seconds for it to clear, but it only got worse and she fell to her knees, clutching her head.

"I thought you were going," he said smugly.

"Go to hell," she muttered back.

"I've already been there," he replied smoothly. "And come back, mind you." He paused. "So do you want to just sit there covered in filth, or do you want to come with me and clean up while the alcohol gets out of your system?"

Raven turned and raised an eyebrow. "Why would you... want to help me-"

"I have my own reasons. However, it is not really of major importance. You can be the garbage girl if you want to be-"

"Fine. Just don't try anything funny."

"I thought I already said I wouldn't."

"Liar. You said nothing of the sort-"

"Implied, then." He approached her and put one of her arms around his shoulder, but finding that she was too short, struggled slightly, then lifted her up bodily and began walking down through the maze of tunnels.

"You're heavier than you seem," he murmured.

Raven glared at him. "Shut up."

He only snickered a little and disappeared into the dark sewers.

Surprisingly true to his word, they arrived at what appeared to be a hideout a few minutes later and he carried her up a flight of stairs to another room, a bathroom with sink, toilet, shower, all the usual bathroom stuff.

Raven looked at him questioningly and he shrugged.

"Did you fools think that I never bathed or something? I don't smell, do I?"

"No, I do," Raven grimaced as she looked at the stains on her clothes, and Slade chuckled a little.

"You thought that was... funny?"

"I am not humorless, girl. Now, are you going to make me stink as well or are you going to clean yourself?"

Raven muttered something under her breath that he pretended not to hear and worked herself free of her arms and went inside, taking care to lock the door behind her. Though, if he really wanted to spy on her, he would have installed cameras inside - agh, Slade wasn't a pervert, was he?

She took a deep breath and tried to clear the throbbing pain in her head, but nothing happened. Groaning, she pulled of her cloak and unzipped her leotard, then stepped into the shower, turning the water on.

Surprisingly, it was warm. She had thought he would be the type for cold, quick showers. Well, she had also thought that he would be the type to attack her on sight, kidnap her, do all sorts of unimaginable things...

But Slade was human, after all, and every human had something deep within them, sometimes very deep, a key to his or her life, that when found could produce unexpected results. She just supposed that nobody had ever explored Slade's mind, or gotten the chance to, because he was, well, Slade...

Or maybe he was tricking her. Trying to use her for something, in some way. That was the more likely of the two, wasn't it?

She felt the water fall over her body and suddenly, for some reason, it stung. Looking down, she found a bunch of cuts and scraps on her arms and legs - for some reason she hadn't noticed them... maybe it was because she was preoccupied by the pain in her head, or Slade? - sighing, she turned off the water and stepped out, then realized that she had no clothes or towel.

Damn it.

She stuck her head out of the door. "Slade!"

"I'm right here, no need to yell," he said snidely, walking up the stairs to his bathroom, bringing with him a couple of black cloths.

He handed her the towel first, then the other one, a black cloak that was large enough to wrap around her entire body.

"You like black too?" Her voice sounded from behind the door.

"Surprised?"

"Can't say that I am."

A couple moments of silence. "Is this really the only thing I can wear?"

Slade shrugged. "I still have that suit I made for Robin, but it might be a little... tight around the chest area."

Raven looked down at herself, blushing. "Mine aren't... uh... that big. Um... I'll take it."

Slade smirked behind the mask and left again.

Raven laid down on a couch - Slade had a couch? - and stared at the masked villain, who stared back at her unflinchingly, not seeming to study her or anything, just stare at her for no apparent reason. It irritated her to no end, but it was also interesting to get a chance to study Slade close up, since she never really had the chance to do so otherwise.

Of course, she couldn't see his face, but something in the way he sat spoke of a man who had a huge weight on his shoulders, a weight that seemed to have been... somewhat lifted? He seemed a little less aggressive, less dark, less... well, he had never seemed moody, but the way he carried himself now spoke of it. But he was a little less so.

And even after her headache cleared away, finally, she was still intrigued enough that she didn't leave.

Here was the man who had caused Robin so much trouble, so much pain, actually, he had caused all of them a lot of pain, had destroyed one of their best friends (actually, Raven didn't like Terra all that much, but whatever), and had sided with her father (but then fought against him). And then disappeared, never to give them trouble again.

They all thought he would be back with some new scheme to... well, they weren't even sure what he wanted. An apprentice, that was for sure, but to do what? He had occupied parts of the city once, with Terra under his command, but to what end? He hadn't really done anything with it, hadn't imposed anything on the citizens of Jump, nothing. It had been terrifying with robots walking the streets, sure, but those were to scout for the Titans. Maybe he held some sort of grudge against Robin?

But she had seen into Robin's mind and Slade was only something recent, something that had happened after Robin came to Jump.

So who exactly was this man? And what did he want?

"If your head no longer hurts, I'd suggest that you go home. Your team will be looking for you, and if they find you here, they will assume the worst."

Raven raised an eyebrow. "And that matters to you why?"

"Because this time, unfortunately, I don't really feel like fighting."

"But it's not like you to just help someone, one of your enemies, and then say 'go home' and that's just the end of it. There's always something else. A plot-"

"Dear girl, you don't know what's like me and what isn't. You hardly even know me."

Raven looked at him suspiciously, and he met her gaze unflinchingly again. They stared at each other for awhile, each one seemingly trying to dominate the other, and both failing.

In the end, they both looked away.

"Fine," Raven muttered. "I'll leave. But don't think this is the last you'll hear from us-"

"We'll meet again when the time is right," he replied smoothly.

She gave him another strange look before disappearing in a portal of dark shadows.