AN: I'm back! But did I ever leave? Anyway here it is, the chapter you've all been waiting for. What happens? You ask. Well jump on in and see for yourself, and when your done, a review would be nice.
Alienvspredator5- Glad you liked, Amor believe it or not was just a last minute addition. Try and give the next chapter a little something extra, you know? Anyway please enjoy the fic and thanks for reviewing.
DonCossak- And here I thought I was being clever. Damn. Rest assured. There is but one happy and Amor is not her. But I bet you'll never guess this week's Latin lesson. Happy reading and thanks for reviewing.
AREN'T I JUST YOUR FAVORITE IDIOT?
"…ve." Raven finished as she dropped into another reality. Happy bolted off in the opposite direction as soon as they landed leaving Raven all to herself. As she took it all in she found it looked none to dissimilar from tales of lore about midevil castles. Not the towering walls and all but impenetrable gates though, no what was found was far more dare she say intimate.
Walls of beautifully engraved marble, with torches every so many feet to provide a the elegant warm glow of fire light. Upon the floor was a fabric all to delicate and comfortable to even be considered a mere carpet or rug. Finally the grand hallway emptied out into a bedroom fit for a goddess. Where all of one's lust might be sated in a single night spent between its sheets.
And the finishing touch, one beautiful, violet eyed maiden perched upon the edge of the most grandeur of beds. Her violet robe cascading down from her shoulders, covering her breasts but open enough to show she wore nothing beneath. Her gemstoned belt hung loose around her hips, keeping her most intimate areas concealed but leaving a scandalous amount of skin bare. The Violet hair, pulled back but not bound, allowing a few strands to fall forward in front of her face, was gleaming in the candle lit room, further enforcing the whole goddess concept.
"Mistress." She spoke in a lusty tone that carried promises of witch could bring tears to a man's eyes. "I was hoping we could… talk about recent events."
Raven did her best to ignore the fact she was staring at herself, naked, "Amor? Really?" Raven asked in her signature monotone.
"Such a beautiful language, no? Nothing like a dead language to bring forth one's… romantic side." Her seductive tone was honestly disturbing considering she was essentially talking to herself.
"Right… so about that talk?" She said desperately trying to change the direction of the conversation.
"In regards to one Jake Arius. Your heart's one and only desire. We have been patient mistress, helping to ease the sorrow and giving gentle nudges in the proper direction." The emotion looked off at the other side of the room, a lone picture perched upon a ornate end table. Jake's stupid grin all to visible in the low light. "He's waiting mistress. For all he's went through he is unsure of weather he is worth the hassle. He honestly doesn't believe he has the right to make that call. We desire him mistress, not even sorrow could dispute this. So let us help him once more."
Raven stood silent for a while, looking at the picture Amor had displayed. In reality there was no picture, it was merely a construct of her memory. But damn it if it wasn't a fond memory. "You… are not mistaken." She didn't want to believe she was right, but at the same time, she already knew it so. "What would you have us do. You are the more knowledgeable in this field, what would you recommend?"
The violet cloaked girl grew a genuine, honest to god smile. "Go to him mistress, comfort him, hold him. Be with him, now more than ever he needs somebody. Let us be that somebody, let us show him the way."
Raven nodded, taking the advice to heart. She was about to turn and leave when the mischievous, fluffy being known as happy bounded into the room behind her. "Nice diggs love. Mind if I stay a while, I promise I'll be good. Pinky swear. Pleeeaaassseeee?"
In perfect unison Raven and Love turned to her and both using the titan's trademark monotone denied the request. "NO."
Undeterred the pink nightmare just looked at both. "M'kay see you in a bit Amor. I'm sure well get along just great." With that she vanished in a puff of purple mist. The last statement still hanging in the air sounding more like a threat to the new emotion.
Raven smirked as she knew all to well what the joyous emotion was planning. "I'll leave you two alone for now. Do play nice Amor." She to vanished in a puff of smoke leaving the violet cloaked girl alone.
Amor looked at where Happy had disappeared, " 'Iens ut interficerent eam."
Jake looked down, at the grass he now kneeled upon. The plush green plant, blanking the hillside. He didn't know why he decided to start counting blades, and in all honestly he couldn't concentrate long enough to get past three much less question himself.
Because, truth be told he knew exactly why he found the grass interesting, he just didn't want to acknowledge it. He was averting his eyes, not wanting to see what lay before him. Not wanting to see it cemented in history.
Slowly he lifted his eyes and a stone slowly filled his vision. What he could only assume was marble stood at nearly two feet, the name Katlin Lee Ross engraved across the top. He didn't bother to read the rest, the name was all he needed to see.
He hadn't gone to the memorial or the funeral service for obvious reasons. Hell, had he had any control of what happened that week he would be laying six feet under, with the rest of his team. But now here he was, a free man. Well free from the iron bars anyway, but still a prisoner of his own subconscious.
The dreams, were coming back in full force. The nightmares worse than ever, Raven said it was just a another consequence of the recent "changes" in his life. Worst of all he not only felt their pain but heard their thoughts or at least thr projections of what he thought. It was his fault.
"Hey Kate, guess who. They cut me loose a while back, I'm runnin' with the Titans now." He gave a sad chuckle imaging the look on her face. "I still remember what you used to say about them, how they were just kids. How could you just stand by and let a bunch of kids do your job for you?" A single tear fell from his eye, one solitary dropped onto the ground where he kneeled. "I'll tell you, they ain't just kids. Least not anymore. Hell, if not for them I'd probably be dead or worse by now."
Soft footsteps behind him caught his attention, the ground muffled them until they were almost upon him. With his newly found senses he found he could feel people as they grew closer. Like sensing their auras. Without a doubt he knew it was Raven that now stood behind him.
Without any words between them she knelt by his side, finding what she already knew engraved in the stone before them. He couldn't let them go wouldn't put them to rest in his mind. She'd seen his file, looked over it more times than she dare count, he'd lost men under his command before, but never had it caused this sort of reaction. She wondered if this was just a lifetime of being strong for those around him crashing down all at once, all that he'd known just gone on the blink of an eye.
Jake was aware enough of her presence but remained silent. He had nothing to say at the moment, even "hi" seemed more effort than it was worth. Raven must have picked up on this and was left with no alternative. "You were close weren't you?"
"Kate was a sister to me, they were my family" Jake didn't remove his gaze from that block of stone and his voice was completely devoid of any emotion but still at least it was a start.
Slowly he stood and turned his gaze. He had thought coming here would help, maybe give him some closure. It hadn't.
"You keep blaming yourself, even when you know that you are not at fault. Why?"
"Because even though it may not have been my fault that doesn't change the fact that I was still the one that pulled that trigger. I ended their lives, intentional or no, their blood is still on my hands." Jake looked down at his fingers and could almost see the stains that haunted him every night. "I won't let them down. Not again."
Raven found her way to his side again, and taking the boldest step she dared, took his hands in hers. "You never let them down in the first place." Before he could even think about responding Raven leaned forward and captured his lips with her own. Seconds passed as hours as Jake found his brain and returned the gesture ten fold.
After what seemed like an eternity joined at the lips the parted for the mutual need for air. Jake gave Raven's hand a gentle squeeze bringing her back to reality. Back down on mother earth she only had one thing to say, "wow."
"Wow. More like holy hot damn." Jake smiled. "I know a place that has a decent cup of tea, if your interested?"
Raven returned the smile, not bothering to notice the tree going through atmospheric re-entry behind them, just another casualty of love. "Lead the way."
AN: I know right. It finally happened, and it only took twenty five chapters. Well you know the drill, click the button and drop me a review. Please?