Okay everyone, I FINALLY got this up. I will reply to reviews I haven't read yet. Happy reading. :)

Explain This to Me

December 21st 2007 8:09:34 am

I had the strangest dream yesterday-- I dreamt that Raven actually made sense for once in her life.

Okay I think I can do this, the dark-haired girl told herself as she pushed her teammate's door open. She crept onto the edge of his bed. Yesterday, when they had woken him up, her mind had picked up on parts of the changeling's dream. Even though the other day had been tumultuous, she figured that this was the key to convincing him that she was serious the other day, and that she really intended to stick by it.

Her hand slid up his side, "Bea--"

Fast as lightning, his hands grabbed her wrists and flipped her over. He pinned her harshly to the bed. With a feral look in his eyes, he stared her down, an edge lingering in his voice, "Taking advantage of sleeping people again, I see."

She winced slightly as his grip tightened-- there was nothing romantic about the scene she'd managed to paint for herself, "I-- ow--" she emphasized the last syllable with a glare in her eyes, "You had a dream about this yesterday--" he released her abruptly and let her tumble off the side of the bed, "I don't see how this is any different." she grumbled, standing up and brushing herself off.

He sighed, "If only you'd read my mind earlier than that, maybe you'd have a clue."

"I'm sorry." she relented, giving him a gentle look.

He smiled, "Don't worry about it."

"Really?" she warranted him a suspicious look.

"You've changed your mind again, and it's okay, because I'm over it, and I'm over you." he pushed himself off of the bed, and walked towards the closet.

"What…I'm confused?" she stared at him curiously.

"Join the club," he threw open his closet doors, and pulled out his uniform, "Don't worry, I'm still attracted to you, but I don't think I can trust you with the rest of me." he tugged off his pajama bottoms.

A sharp barb stuck in her heart, but she'd seen this coming, it was only a matter of time before crying 'wolf' would get her into trouble, "I'm sorry, and when you're ready to accept what I've said to you-- I'll be waiting." briskly, she disappeared from his room.

Ug, I'm glad I didn't fall for that bit again…

"No, no, no, no. Don't even try any of your little mind tricks on me. I don't believe you for a second." he replied, running his fingers through his hair so roughly it looked as though he'd tear it out, "You're a tease, and I'm tired of it. So let's just do the mission together, and then we can worry about your head trauma later."

"Mine!? Beast Boy--" she grumbled with a narrowed gaze as they walked the cold city streets.

"Don't even. I mean it." he pointed an accusatory finger at her, "I've had enough of the head trips, and the 'emotional' rollercoaster. I'm getting off now-- thanks for the worst ride of my life." his voice was so overdramatic, he could've been in a screenplay of The Birds.

"Beast Boy--" she reiterated with more force this time.

"Nope. Don't even say it!" he pointed at her again, giving her a serious and narrow look. It was strange to her, however, his words and actions conveyed seriousness, but his tone was surprisingly light.

"I--"

"No. Nooo."

"But I--"

He placed a hand over her mouth, "Shhhh, were on a mission Raven. Riona could be anywhere and--"

"So help me!" she exclaimed, pushing his hand away and glaring at the paranoid boy, "I'm sorry alright!? I can't help it if I've never felt this way before. So quit hassling me about it."

"Raven," he warranted her another serious and disbelieving look, "We both know you don't mean that, and that a few hours later, you're going to change your mind."

"Listen you little rain cloud," she angrily retorted, "I just want to put this all behind us. I just want to be with you, save the city, and go home alive. Okay? Is that so much to ask?"

"Yes; yes it is." he folded his arms in sarcastic aggravation.

"Do you even hear yourself?"

"Do you?" he quipped giving her a dry and irritated look much akin to the one she usually gave him.

"I give up." she groaned rubbing her temples.

"That's a first." he replied evenly as they continued to press ahead.

Must not-- kill! she grumbled as pressure point formed on her forehead. She let out an exasperated sigh, but frankly, she couldn't blame him. She'd practically leapt on his heartstrings like a trampoline. She sighed again, and continued walking down the street-- she'd have to find another way to convince him-- but that would be later-- much later.

He continued to walk at a brisk pace to keep her from catching back up to him again. She slowly found herself falling behind, normally she would've glided but she was saving her strength. She huffed a few moments before calling out to him, "Beast Boy--" he pretended not to hear her and continued searching for what they were looking for, she stumbled over her tired feet.

The slight shifting of her footing caused her viewpoint to change. Pausing to catch her much needed breath, she let her gaze drift to her left hand side. It was an alleyway much like the others spread about the city. However, just when she was ready to turn away and catch up to her companion, a chattering grey rat bounded up the stack of empty wooden boxes. She warranted it a simple glance, before doing a double take and realizing the obvious and unnatural animal that had presented itself to her. A chilling realization fell into her ever-present consciousness, "They're rats…real rats!"

More of the vile beasties came into view and sat up on the rubbish piles and other trash that was gathered in the alleyway. A strange glowing aura surrounded them and made them shine in an unnatural hue of gold-- almost blindingly so.

Normally she didn't mind the rats. They were pretty harmless in general, especially in winter, but as more and more snow fell around them she realized that these were no ordinary rats. They were under a spell and immune to the cold that normally drove them underground (a.k.a. the sewers). Raven also remembered Starfire telling them about her struggle with a real live panther.

She glided down the street as quickly as she could; dodging and weaving in between the obstructions in her way. She caught up with the changeling and overcame his pace to stand in front of him. He narrowed his gaze at her, "Come on Rae, don't lag behind." he tried to shrug past her, but she continued to block him from doing so, "Get out of my way." he demanded, giving her an irritated look.

In that fragile moment she could've dragged him by his ears, "I've found what we've been looking for," she bit out while pulling out her communicator, "Raven calling Robin-- you need to see this."

His jaw dropped, "You found the rats."

"More like they found me," her worried eyes met his, "and it's worse than you can even imagine…"

---

"Citizens are in total disbelief as an outbreak of sickness ravages the city--"

Click.

"We always have a bad cold during the first winter snow," one citizen commented, as a tear dripped from his eye, "but never an illness like my little girls caught."

Click.

"Doctors and scientists are scrambling to study the fatal disease, and with a cure nowhere in sight, things are looking grim for Jump City. Ten have been reported dead already."

Cyborg dropped the remote at that-- and the wrench in his other hand for that matter-- His throat feeling incredibly dry. It took him a few moments before he could will his body to move again. He clicked to the weather channel, "It looks like it's going to be a white Christmas this year," the chipper weather lady reported while pointing towards her chart, "Snow, snow, and more snow! Nothing short of winter storm for this weekend and probably late into next week." she paused a second as the charts changed, "The next couple of days are going to be freezing so make sure to bring your jackets!"

He clicked the television off. Cyborg bit his lip, "She couldn't have planned this more perfectly. A snow storm that traps everyone inside-- a disease no one's ever seen before--" he pulled out his recently repaired communicator pad, "Cyborg calling Titans. We have a serious problem on our hands…"

---

The plump, grey rat chattered in fear as he nervously rested in Riona's open palm, "Don't be afraid little one," she placed a little flea on his back that quickly attached to the animal, "This will only hurt a second." her voice, however calm, still held a whimsy of her sadistic nature.

She stroked his head idly as the rat slowly slipped into a trans-like state and fell under her spell of servitude and submission. The sounds of wheezing and scrambling claws drew her attention to the doorway as her companion crawled up the stairs. She narrowed her calm gaze, "Dieter, did you--?"

"No, Highness," he wheezed, dragging his tired form across the cobblestone floor that looked very much like a castle's floor, his clothing torn and slash marks that scored the expanse of his body, "He's still alive."

Angrily she tossed the rat aside, (which landed with a disgruntled squeak) and advanced towards the tired wolf, "You disappoint me again, and have the nerve to come back?"

He winced at her sharp words, "It's too cold to be bleeding out there." he begrudgingly growled, hastily he added, "Heal me, and I'll go back out for you."

She seemed to be contemplating her answer. She waved her hands over him in a sparkling blue. She sighed in an overloud manner, "Have you become so weak that you can't even defeat him in a magic-less state? Honestly--"

"I will not underestimate him again," he pushed himself from the ground, "You will need to summon more animals however, he killed them all."

"And then you ran away!" she turned a sharp and disapproving eye upon him.

Not exactly… he grumbled to himself, "You can't do this alone. You need me and you know it." he stood only a space away from her, "We have too many enemies as it is, we don't need to fight each other. So trust me when I say-- I will get to him."

Riona gave him another disbelieving glance, and turned away, "Wait until nightfall then. You're no good to me dead, and it'll take awhile to bring back my pets."

He snorted in reply and disappeared from her sight. But as he descended the stairs he remembered how Altair had hesitated in killing him that frail second…

Altair claws gleamed blue in the pale moonlight as he prepared to bash them into his fellow quadruped, but something in the ancient beast made him hesitate. Dieter scrambled away, his tired claws tearing up the pavement as his feet carried him far away, but not before the gryphon had his last say, "I will find you. And tell Riona, that she's next. I won't hesitate any longer."

The wolf continued dashing away feeling like a coward. He knew his master would be none too pleased. He also realized that his foe wouldn't be following him that night, not until he was at full strength once more. And then an idea crossed the lupine's mind; despite the fact that he followed orders diligently, that didn't mean he didn't have a mind of his own. Altair will be looking for fire to soak himself in, the wolf reasoned, if I can prevent him from doing so-- alone, I probably can't-- but I know that there are still some animals left on the other side of town…

Quickly, the overlarge wolf bounded away toward the east side of town in search of the rest of his army…

Dieter shivered a bit when he thought about how empty the gryphon's eyes truly looked. Dieter wasn't afraid-- he was never afraid-- just confused. How could something so emotionless be so prone to helping others? Dieter knew that Altair had sought out their adversaries because he was weakened and needed a solid defense to hide behind while he healed-- which he found in the Titans-- but now that the foul beast had recovered his age old strength, would he still side with the teen heroes?

Unlikely, Altair is selfish, the wolf mused, taking a moment to scratch behind his ear, This should prove very interesting…

---

"You have found the rats?" Starfire asked, for whatever reason, she'd come into possession of Robin's communicator. She floated high above the city streets with her green eyes wandering.

"Isn't Robin with you?" Beast Boy asked, his voice still on edge.

"Yes, I am standing guard while he speaks with them." she replied simply, pointing downward, with her hair sliding about as she spoke, her gaze still seemed to warily drift about however.

"Standing guard?"

"Yes, we've run into quite a few-- of the creatures." she glided downwards, gracefully landing on the doorstop. Robin walked out at that moment with an irritated slouch in his form, "You have found the information?"

He shook his head in distaste, "They don't know a thing. They said that their children woke up with that illness. They haven't even been outside this winter weather." he narrowed his gaze, "They've never had a pest problem before either."

---

The mythical being groaned to himself as he sat perched atop a hill overlooking the city. He was quietly healing himself from the nasty wounds he'd incurred from the night before. He narrowed his gaze at the green slash marks that had been left on his pelt, Well, my fur was a nice color… he snorted and patiently waited for his body to fully wake up. He'd found the fire bath he'd been looking for, but at a very steep price. The wounds that adorned his pelt made him feel more exhausted than he ever had. Resting his head upon the soft grass, he let his mind wander, I must get back to the Titans…they have to stop her…

---

Raven and Beast Boy stayed put while Robin and Starfire headed towards their location. Cyborg had spoken with them all briefly about the state of the city, and the fact that they all need to act quicker than ever to stop it.

But as the two waited in a sickly silence, the snow started to fall heavier around them. Raven shivered slightly at this. Despite the fact that she had her winter garb on, it just seemed like it wasn't enough to stand up to the cold. She glanced at her companion-- who normally would be shivering like crazy-- but he stood stoically without complaint.

---

At the last second a remarkable benefactor intervened and took the blow full on, the electricity flowed through its body, and channeled it downward into the pavement with a swift tail jerk. Raven's eyes fluttered open quickly, "Beast Boy?"

The gryphon turned his head to stare at her, "You're mistaken young sorceress, it is I, Altair."

"Altair…" she seethed, raising her fist in dark energy, "I don't need your help."

"This isn't just about you anymore!" he replied flatly, "You've seen what she's done to your city, and now there is only one way to stop it."

Raven sprang to her feet in a heated burst, "I trusted you, and this is what I get for it!" she raised a dark fist to mythical creature once more, her eyes ablaze with righteous fury.

Altair padded backward a few steps, "Listen to reason--"

The gryphon barely got a word out before she attacked him full force. With wave after wave of scraps she'd retrieved from the nearby alleyway. Tossing them at him almost blindly, as he darted throughout the projectiles. Finally, one beamed the majestic creature in the head which in turn made him flop downward onto the pavement mid-flight. Altair smacked into the ground and left a rather wide pothole in his wake.

Shaking a light dizziness from his head, he glared at the girl and approached her with a rage-filled gaze, "You're going to wish you hadn't done that…"

A distraught expression flashed in the dark-haired girl's eyes for a moment, but was soon replaced with a determined one, "You don't frighten me…" there seemed to be a growl in her voice-- Beast Boy would be smirked from afar, Hmm, I would stick around to see this, but the young one doesn't have a chance against Altair… in a flash the dark-hearted sorceress disappeared from view so that she could finish with the rest of her plan.

Raven and Altair were oblivious to fact however, caught up in their own spat. Altair swished his tail threateningly at the young girl, his wings flustered into a display of frustrated aggression, "I go through the trouble of bringing myself back into this forsaken world," he squawked indignantly, spitting a glob of acid her way, "and I have to deal with ungrateful brats like you--" She dodged to the side as he continued.

"Some ally you are!" she shot at him, impatiently chucking a trashcan at her opponent before falling backwards over a stray pile of rubble. She remained unmoved even though her senses were screaming for her to run, fly, attack, disappear-- something! But she stared silently at the approaching danger-- dumbstruck.

The trash can glanced off to one side of him, however, "We gryphons slaved to make this forsaken planet what it is today, and this is the gratitude we get. I will not let the work of my ancestors be spat upon and destroyed!" he hissed, breathing out a puff of steam with a whip of fire coiling out soon after.

Altair's eyes glowed an eerie color in that moment, he'd immobilized that stupid wolf Dieter, and slaughtered most of his ghost army-- taking out an young girl would be a piece of cake…but something in his heart made the furious creature halt his affront, his eyes met her determined ones-- a glint of fear hid within them-- Altair, come help me in the garden! Riona's child-aged voice rang in his ears-- her once innocent smile clouding his vision.

"I can't do it. It's not in my heart…" his wings folded once more, and his feathers fell back into place. He backed up a pace, letting his head droop, "I am sorry," he sighed, allowing the girl to rise to her feet again.

Raven nervously rose upward. Uncertainty pricked at her form as she stared at the confusing gryphon. Altair was about to speak again, but another form came barreling into his side, knocking him flat, "How dare you try to hurt Raven!" Beast Boy growled, as a human for a moment before reclaiming his gryphon form.

Raven hurriedly stepped between them, "He didn't hurt me, he intercepted Riona's attack. And I became angry with him--" she looked away, "It's my fault."

The changeling returned to human form, "No matter what you said, he shouldn't have attacked you if he was really our ally." he glared suspiciously at the ancient beast.

"Believe what you want-- no matter your issue-- the fact still remains; your city is in grave danger." Altair cut in, shaking his form clean of dirt and rubble.

Tell me something I don't know!

"Alright," Beast Boy huffed, folding his arms, "what do you suggest?"

"You're going to trust him, just like that?" Raven interjected, glancing at him sideways.

"What choice do we have?"

"Let's go then," Altair spoke, "We don't have a moment to loose!"

"Wait--" she breathed.

His pale gaze speaking with hers. A flash of uncertainty and resentment hit her gaze. She gingerly took his hands, "We have to trust each other, and I won't feel strong enough until you accept what I've said to you."

His pale and worn eyes met hers, "We don't have a choice anymore. Everyone's relying on us to fix what she's broken."

Altair glared at the two, couldn't they see that their city's life was more important than a teenage love?

"Do you love me, or not?" the green-eyed boy countered, his intense gaze piercing her own, "Do you even like me? I'd settle for that."

Her heart thumped wildly with the strum of a thousand different rhythms, "Do you even have to ask? If you don't know by now, then I've wasted my time." she bit out harshly, quickly mentally scolding herself as soon as the words left her mouth, What's wrong with me!? Why is this so hard… her mind sighed.

There must have been some strange flicker in the dark-haired girl's eyes, for he didn't answer as she supposed he would, "Now that's the Raven I know," he smiled warm-heartedly, hugging her tight, much to her surprise. Briefly, she breathed in his sweet scent, relishing the fragile moment. A million different memories flooded into her mind, the strong churning emotions she felt-- she soon realized that those were his feelings washing over her.

All of the things they had gone through together were flashing behind his determined eyes, He doesn't think we're going to make it out of this alive… her mind instantly realized, And what if he's right? What if this is the end of the Titans?!

"Please," Altair seemed to plead in a demanding voice that couldn't be denied and a tone that clearly stated he wouldn't wait any long for the two. His wings fluttered outward, and flushed into their full extent. Emerald sparkles made fresh by the faint noon sun reflected off of his wings causing an unusual renewed sense of urgency to the situation.

Still in a startled state of mind, she stared into his determined eyes, he tightened his grip on her hand, and let his gaze drift towards hers again, a familiar warmth dancing behind them, "Let's go."

Sometimes I wonder what will happen, if we don't make it back…Jump City without the Titans-- what kind of sad painting would that be?

Any reviews are more than welcome. I hope you enjoyed it, and there will be another chapter up eventually. Thanks for reading!