Raven appeared in Dunn's office in the usual way, phasing up from the floor. By teleporting directly into his office, she could avoid the need to disguise herself. She had her meditation mirror at hand. Instead of wearing his usual slacks, necktie and tweed coat, Steve was dressed in thick denim pants and a jacket. Raven snickered when she saw him.
"I see you are ready to rough it." She snickered.
"I tore my coat the last time we went into Nevermore. This should stand up to the trip."
"So, are you sure you still want to go?"
"Sure, why not? You said it was safe."
"There's no danger … it just isn't very pretty where we want to visit in there right now."
He nodded. "All the more reason to visit. I want to see this 'emoticlone' you call 'Rage' up close."
Raven looked away from him and stared at the floor. "Rage is more than an emoticlone … she's a small part of my father that lives within me. Do you really think you can remove her from my mind?"
Steve fiddled with his pen. "I'm a therapist, not a Priest. That said, I do know an exorcist …"
"Forget it … I've tried going down that path. I've been told that they can't help me because I'm not possessed … I don't have a demon within me, I am the demon, which means the Church can't help me … Steve … I'm feeling so discouraged now ... I thought I had made so much progress, and now I have to face her."
"Nothing happened and you have made progress. You aren't Satan … you're not even your father. You're human."
"Maybe I am, but I'm not possessed. An exorcist can't cast Rage out of me because I am Rage, or at least part of me is."
"I'm having a hard time accepting that." He replied.
Raven sighed. "Steve, the most you can do for me is help me to learn how to keep that part of my soul in check … maybe you're right and you should come into Nevermore and meet Rage face to face. Then you'll understand what I'm trying to tell you."
"Well, you are my last appointment for the day …"
Raven reached into her cape and pulled out her meditation mirror.
"Ready? You can still back out." She said as she raised the mirror to his face.
Dunn gulped when he saw the mirror, remembering his last trip into Nevermore. He briefly had second thoughts before summoning his resolve. "I'm ready when you are."
Raven nodded. Steve held his breath and stared into the mirror.
The black claw appeared.
-( - )-
Steve Dunn materialized in front of a large castle. Large blue banners with a silhouetted raven bird on them hung from the ramparts, which were patrolled by helmet wearing Ravens with silver capes and hoods and they carried scary looking pikes. The entrance to the castle was closed and the drawbridge was raised. Raven appeared next to Dunn. Without turning to face Raven he spoke to her.
"You keep Rage locked in there, right?"
"Correct … the castle and the guards are purely symbolic, of course."
"Of course." He replied. "And judging by the look of the castle you definitely keep her under control."
"That goes without saying … still, she manages to get out. Dr. Light almost paid with his life for my last slip up … are you sure you still want to see her?"
"Absolutely … I think that if I meet her in person we'll learn more during this visit than in six months of sessions."
"OK … but be warned … she is unsettling."
Raven raised her arms and after making a downward gesture the drawbridge lowered. A phalanx of Raven guards marched out, and lined up on either side of the bridge, standing at attention. Dunn and Raven crossed the drawbridge and entered the castle.
"The guards … they represent the self-discipline that you use to keep Rage under control."
"You catch on fast." She murmured to him.
They walked through the courtyard and entered the main castle structure, where a spiral staircase led underground.
"It's not too late to turn back."
"I wouldn't dream of it." He replied.
The spiral staircase resembled those seen in the movies, the steps and the walls were made out of carved stone and it was illuminated with a series of torches that burned brightly; their flames dancing like dervishes. The descent was long and deep. As they walked deeper into the bowels of the castle Dunn scrunched his nose as an unpleasant aroma was detected by his nostrils. He said nothing, even though the pungency of the stench grew stronger with each step. Finally, they reached the bottom. Steve had to clench his teeth to suppress a gag reflex.
The stench of feces was overwhelming, but that wasn't what shocked him the most. The steps ended in a dungeon, which contained a single cell, which was behind a wall of metal bars. Two pairs of crimson red eyes glowed in the dark shadows of the cell.
"Steve … you came to see me … what can I say? I'm touched."
Rage's voice was so otherworldly and had an undeniably evil timber to it that Dunn felt his skin crawl.
"Yes … I came to see you."
Dunn had to stifle a gasp when Rage emerged from the shadows. He was expecting to see a crimson clad emoticlone. What he saw instead was a filthy, sore covered, four eyed hag who hardly bore any physical resemblance to his patient.
"What's the matter, Steve? Do I look creepy?" She grinned, exposing her shark like, serrated teeth. "Don't be so surprised … this is the real me."
"Your appearance isn't real; it merely reflects your state of mind."
Rage lunged at him, stopped only by the bars. With a jerk Dunn backed away.
"No shit, Sherlock!" Rage bellowed at him.
Dunn quickly regained his composure. He made eye contact with Rage before speaking.
"Why are you angry?"
"Why am I angry? It's what I do … idiot!"
"I know … but your appearance … it suggests that you are being suppressed."
Rage laughed. "Wow, you sure are a clever shrink … what tipped you off that I'm suppressed? Was it the bars ,maybe?"
He shook his head. "No … your sores and your stench are the giveaways."
"Well lucky for me that good old Steve Dunn is here to tell me the obvious … so where did you get your diploma? In a box of Cracker Jacks?"
"What is Raven suppressing? Why is she angry?"
"Azar! You're stupid! Fine … I'll spell it out for you … just look at her!"
"I'm sorry; you'll need to be more specific."
Rage rolled her eyes.
"She's gray and has purple hair!"
"So what? Sure, her complexion is unusual, but she's still a lovely young lady."
"I didn't say that she was ugly, dumbass. She's different … she's creepy … she isn't normal."
"She is different, but that doesn't mean …"
"Oh please! She's half demon, that isn't normal, not by any yardstick! But that isn't all. She's a slut; she banged that rando she met at the club."
"Raven isn't a slut. And it was you who engaged in that encounter, not her."
"Yeah, you go ahead and believe that … look … I don't need to tell you this … I look like a piece of crap because Raven is suppressing everything that makes her angry. She's been walking around with that phony calm face all these years, saying bullshit like 'anger is pointless', but she has to spend countless hours meditating, bottling up her anger in me. You say you want to know what she's angry about. How much time do you have?"
Dunn turned to Raven. "I think I've seen enough … we can leave now."
Rage pouted. "You're leaving already, Stevie? Don't you want to talk to me?" She called out in a sing song voice.
The dungeon faded away and Dunn found himself back in his office, with Raven at his side.
"I'm sorry about that Steve … but I did warn you."
He made a dismissive gesture with his hand. "Don't apologize, that excursion was very fruitful."
"You think I bottle up my anger."
"There is no doubt that you do … I already knew that you did that. Most people do to some degree, but Rage's appearance indicates that it's happening at a very unhealthy level. You have to stop suppressing your anger, Raven."
The gray sorceress crossed her arms and frowned. "So what am I supposed to do? Embrace my anger? If I do that I'll become just like my father!"
Dunn gestured for her to sit. She glared at him, but complied.
"Embracing your anger would be just as counterproductive. Suppressing your anger creates imbalances within your psyche … it's probably why you treated Gar so poorly in your early years and why you had the one night stand. But embracing it isn't any better, it would consume you."
"So what am I supposed to do?"
"You need to acknowledge what makes you angry."
"Acknowledge?"
"Yes, you need to identify what makes you angry. Then you deal with it. Some things you can change, others you can't."
"What about the things I can't change?"
"You accept them."
"What? Are you saying that I'm supposed to accept the fact that my father is an evil interdimensional demon who sired me for the sole purpose of using me as a portal to enter and destroy this universe?"
He nodded. "Yes … that's exactly what you're supposed to do. It's not your fault that he's your father."
"Maybe, but I still inherited Rage from him."
"Again, that is not your fault, but by bottling up all your anger, you make Rage strong. Rage's disgusting appearance, that was symbolic of what suppressing your anger does to YOU."
Her shoulders drooped. "So … I'm supposed to be OK with my shitty lot in life? Be happy that I'm not a normal girl? That I'm a creepy weirdo that only Gar could love?"
He shook his head. "No, you need to do what you're doing right now: admitting and expressing your unhappiness with the situation."
"So what am I supposed to do with that anger? Punch a pillow?"
"Not really. Just acknowledge that it's there. That doesn't mean that it will go away … but … as time goes by it will be less painful and you will be able to move on … Raven … you don't like your appearance, do you?"
She closed her eyes and slowly shook her head. "No … I don't … I know I'm not ugly … but … I'm different. I hate my gray skin … I hate it. It makes me look like a freak. "
"Garfield doesn't seem to mind its color."
"In case you've forgotten, he likes blonds, like Terra."
"In case you've forgotten, he isn't with Terra or Jillian. He's with you."
Steve noticed that her fists were clenched. They relaxed a bit when she heard his words. Suddenly her communicator chirped. It was Nightwing. She had silenced her comm., but Dick overrode it, which meant it was important.
"Raven, it's Control Freak. We need you."
"I'm on my way." She replied before flipping it shut.
"I gotta go …"
Dunn smiled. "No apologies are needed. See you next session. Think about what we discussed."
-(-)-
The years had not been kind to Control Freak. He was fatter than ever and his hairline continued to recede. His attire, if it could be considered a fashion statement, was a bad one.
Unfortunately the turbo charged clicker in his hand was deadlier than ever. When he arrived at the downtown branch of the Jump City National Bank he aimed his clicker at the stone lions that flanked the marbled stairs that led into the building. The oversized statues came to life and rushed into the bank. Terrified bank employees and patrons came screaming out the front doors while the pudgy villain danced a lively jig, laughing happily.
Just as the marble lions emerged from the building with the spoils of the robbery, the Titans arrived.
"Give it up Control Freak, don't make this hard on yourself."
The Uber Geek laughed. "Hard? You haven't seen hard. Check out what my latest clicker can do!"
The fat nerd aimed his clicker at a parked truck and pressed the button. The truck began to shudder and change shape, growing arms and legs, and it stood up.
"Titans, meet my friend: Optimus Mine!"
"That's a new trick, even if his pun is terrible." Raven droned.
"We've fought worse." Nightwing retorted. "Titans Go!"
Control Freak continued to dance, firing off his clicker at other parked vehicles, which quickly turned into more Transformers.
"Have fun, Titans. And don't worry about me running away. I'm going to stay and watch."
"Dude! There's like a zillion of them!"
Cyborg armed his sonic cannon. "It's ass whuppin' time." He shouted as he fired the first salvo.
To the Titans dismay, the robots shot back. The battle was fierce, but to Control Freak's surprise the Titans systematically took down his creations. He kept clicking, making new ones until there were no cars left on the street. It was to no avail as the Titans, who were getting tired, destroyed his Transformers, which reverted back to their original, if now mangled, automotive forms.
"It's over, Control Freak." Nightwing shouted.
The slovenly villain was about to surrender when one of his creations, a tiny robot that had been converted from a moped, darted out of an alley. Raven and Beast Boy were the closest targets and Gar was the only Titan to see the diminutive robot aim its weapon at the sorceress' back.
"Raven! Watch out!" He shouted as he shoved her out of harm's way.
The gunshot echoed in the street as from Raven's perspective time went into slow motion. As she spun around she heard a dull 'thwap' and saw a red mist emerge from Garfield's chest. His face went blank as he collapsed onto the pavement.
"Garfield!" She screamed as time returned to normal speed.
Starfire demolished the small robot, the last one standing, with a star bolt. Cyborg was at Raven's side within seconds, running a scanner over the changeling.
"It's a nasty wound; the bullet went through a lung. He's in bad shape, but I got him, he'll be OK once I get him to the hospital." He pressed a button on his arm: "Flash! … I need an evacuation to the city trauma center! Changeling's been shot!"
The former Kid Flash, who now wore the red costume, appeared out of nowhere, picked up the changeling, and vanished into a blur. Raven was standing in a horse stance, her fists balled with dark energy. Her teeth were serrated and her four crimson eyes had appeared.
"Control Freak." She growled.
"Go Trigon on his ass, girl." Cyborg muttered. "Let the bastard have it."
"Oh … you bet I will." She snarled before taking off like a rocket.
Control Freak stood petrified as the four eyed demoness zoomed towards him. She grabbed him by his shirt collar, dragging him along, as she continued to fly. She zoomed into an alley, away from prying eyes and slammed him into a brick wall. Dazed, he fell to the ground and he raised his hands in a vain attempt to protect himself. She grabbed his shirt and lifted him up so they were face to face.
"Please, Raven; I'm sorry … I didn't mean for that to happen … please, please don't hurt me. I'm sorry … I really am." He whimpered in a pitiful voice.
Raven raised her right fist. The ball of dark energy around her hand reshaped itself into a razor sharp blade.
"You're a dead man." She answered him in a guttural, otherworldly voice.
-(-)-
The next morning, in Dunn's office …
"I saw what happened in the news." Steve said as he handed her a mug of herbal tea. "And don't worry; I never book appointments at 8:00 AM for emergencies like this.
Raven look disheveled. Her gaze was vacant. Without thinking she sipped on the tea.
"So … I heard that Control Freak is in police custody. Is there anything you want to share or talk about?"
She put her tea down and stared at the floor.
"I lost it, I completely lost it again. Rage was in full control." She said in a whisper.
"So … what happened?"
Raven frowned before answering his question.
"Well … I obviously didn't kill or hurt him … I'd be in jail had I done that."
Dunn scribbled in his notebook. "So … you regained control in the end?"
Raven collapsed into her chair. "No, I didn't … I was ready to eviscerate him … fortunately Nightwing stopped me just in time … I almost stabbed him too before I realized who he was."
Steve adjusted his glasses. Over the months Raven learned that he'd fidget with his eyeglasses when he was unnerved by something she'd tell him and with a patient like her that happened a lot.
"Yeah … I know … it's disturbing … I know I'm still freaked out, I can't believe how close I came to killing that idiot." She added.
She reformed the dark energy blade around her hand and showed it to Dunn. It glimmered with an evil, dark sheen. Steve stared at the blade with a wary eye.
"So … do you still think I'm no different from your other patients?"
"I never said that you were like them, but then again, everyone is different. Now you regret what almost happened."
She twitched nervously as the blade vanished before replying.
"That's the thing … I don't regret it. Gar's still in the hospital. He's in a coma and the doctors don't know when …"
She broke down and began to cry as she pounded the armrest on her chair with her tiny gray fist.
"It's OK to be angry." He reassured her.
"If Gar dies, I swear I'll kill the bastard, the law be damned."
Dunn tweaked his eyeglasses.
"What would that accomplish? Would it bring Gar back?"
Steve gulped when he saw Raven's eyes glow red and split into two pairs. "It's called revenge." She replied in a strange deep voice that didn't seem to match her small figure.
Raven blinked and her eyes returned to their normal indigo color.
"I'm sorry you had to see that." She said in a contrite, normal sounding voice.
Dunn suddenly realized that he was holding his breath and exhaled loudly.
"Don't apologize; it's my job to see that. Don't get discouraged, we will find a way to keep this from happening. And Gar is still alive, even if he is in a coma."
"He is." She heaved an unhappy sigh. "And right now, I'm really, really hating Control Freak."
"You have a valid reason to feel that way; he hurt your loved one."
Raven's communicator chirped. She normally muted it during sessions, but left it on in case there was any news. Cyborg's smiling face appeared when she flipped it open.
"I've got good news, BB just woke up and he's asking for you."
"I'm on my way." She replied before flipping it shut.
"I gotta go …"
Dunn smiled. "Go. Call me when you're ready for the next session."
-(-)-
Raven ran into the hospital room. Cyborg and Starfire were standing next to the bed, which had its back raised. The changeling was sitting up in his bed and he gave her a weak smile.
"Hi Rave."
She shoved Cyborg and Starfire out of the way, and came face to face with her beau.
"You idiot! Are you trying to get yourself killed?"
"Rave …"
"Don't you 'Rave' me. You took that bullet for me."
"Well … yeah … I did."
"This is the second time that you've been shot … you almost died."
"I know … I'm sorry."
"You're sorry? Gar … what would I do if you died?"
He took her hand and squeezed it.
"Rave … I'm sorry, in our line of work that's something that can happen at any time. But I saw that robot aim at your back … I just couldn't stand there and do nothing."
"So you thought you'd die instead?"
"I wasn't planning on getting shot … it just … happened."
Raven face palmed. "Gar … the next time … no heroics, OK?"
He gave her an angry look. "Would you have done nothing had it been the other way around?"
She looked away from him.
"Well?"
"I suppose I would have done something."
He cupped her face in the palm of his hand and gently turned so that she faced him.
"I know you would have."
He then kissed her tenderly on the lips. She looked him in the eyes before dropping her head into his lap, and began to cry.
-( - )-
A week later …
A black disk glided over the bay. Raven stood, guiding it to its destination: Titans Tower. A wheelchair was next to her, and its occupant addressed her.
"We could've gone back in the T-Car."
"I know, I just wanted to bring you home myself."
As soon as they landed on the Tower's roof he rose from the wheelchair. He stretched, raising his arms to the sky
"It's good to be home."
She gave him a mild glare and pointed at the wheelchair, silently telling him to sit back down.
"Oh, come on, I'm fine."
The glare continued. "You heard what the doctor said. No exertion for another week."
"I'm not exerting myself, I'm just standing up. And the doc said that I should get up and walk every day."
"She said starting tomorrow." She reprimanded him in a stern voice as she pointed again at the wheelchair.
"What difference could a day possibly make?" He protested.
"Tomorrow."
"You're not gonna let this go, are you?"
"You got that right."
"Have I ever told you that you're a pest?" He smiled at her.
"I'm not a pest; I'm making sure you follow the doctor's instructions. She said 'rest today, start walking tomorrow', why are you being so stubborn?"
"You're also bossy." He continued to tease her, while he remained standing. "No one likes a bossy wife."
Raven froze in her tracks.
"What did you say?"
"Me? … Uh … nothing."
"You said 'no one likes a bossy wife', unless my ears were playing tricks on me."
He smiled sheepishly. "I guess I did say that."
She gave him a piercing look. "Gar, what did you mean by that?"
"Uh …"
"Were you saying that after we get married that I'm going to turn into some kind of Karen and hen peck you?"
He shook his head. "Uh … no … I wasn't."
She gave him a cross look. "Then why did you call me a bossy wife?"
"I didn't say you were a bossy wife … just that you're bossy … and you are, big time."
She sighed and suddenly looked forlorn.
"The wedding is in three weeks, and you're right. I'm going to be a terrible wife."
"Hey! I didn't say that. I was just teasing you."
"Maybe we should postpone the wedding." She warbled.
"Postpone it? Why?"
"You need to recover."
"Raven, it's in three weeks. I'm sure I'll be recovered enough by then … Raven … are you getting cold feet?"
She shook her head. "No, it's not that. After you were shot, I lost control and Rage took over. I almost killed Control Freak."
"But you didn't. Rave, I understand that you still have a lot of therapy ahead of you; but I already see a difference. You've already changed. You're more relaxed, you're softer. Haven't you noticed?"
She wiped away a tear. "Do you really want to hitch your wagon to me? I'm still a huge mess."
Gar rose from the wheelchair and took her hand. "I want to stand in front of the whole world and claim you as mine."
"You do?"
"Of course I do."
She suddenly looked away, as if lost in thought.
"Gar, I already wrote my vows to you. I want to make them now."
"Now, you mean like we get married right now?"
"Well, there won't be any witnesses or a judge or a minister, so no. The legal stuff will happen at the courthouse. But I want to say the important stuff now."
He bit his lip. "OK, let's do it."
Raven stood up straight and cleared her throat.
"Garfield, I promise to forsake all others for the rest of my life."
"What!? I can't ask you to do that! The traditional promise is until death do us part."
"I know, but this is my promise to you."
He shook his head. "No, what if I die young? You'll be a widow for the rest of your life? I can't ask you to do that."
"You aren't asking me. Gar this is my vow to you, now let me finish … no matter what happens, I will be your wife, faithful and true. I will bear your children, as many as you want. I will always be joyful to be their mother and your spouse. I will honor you and always respect you. I will do my utmost to keep you from ever coming to harm. There will be no unfulfilled nights between us."
"Whoa, whenever I want it? That's a huge promise, I can't ask for that either."
"Shh, I'm not done. I will follow you, wherever you go and live with you, until the end of my days."
Raven clasped her hands as she finished. "Well?"
He smiled. "As many kids as I want?"
"That's what I said."
"Rave, I'm Beast Boy, or Beast Man now … if you let me knock you up as often as I like, we'll have a lot of kids. A lot."
"Works for me." She deadpanned.
He smiled as he shook his head. "OK, but if I see that you're overwhelmed, we stop."
"Like I said, as many as you want, you get to call it, that's my vow to you."
He chuckled. "And I thought I was the reckless one … Ok, my turn."
He paused as he pondered what he was about to say.
"Raven, I promise to be faithful to you and will stay with you until the end of my days. I promise to have eyes only for you."
Raven snorted.
"What? You don't believe me?"
A small smirk formed on her face. "You're familiar with that meme where we're holding hands and you turn around and check out Terra's butt?"
"Hey, that was photoshopped. I would never check out Terra's butt, because she doesn't have one. No you, you have a perfect butt. Why would I look at any other girls ass?"
Raven snickered. "OK, I believe you're sincere. And since you accepted my 'I'll never have a headache vow', I'll accept yours."
"Good, now, if you'll allow me to continue, I have more … I promise to always put your needs before mine …"
"No! I can't let you promise me that. Sometimes your needs will have to come first."
"Hey, I accepted your crazy vow to remain a widow if I die first, so you have to accept my crazy vow."
She frowned. "OK, I see I have no choice in this matter."
"You got that right, anyway, carrying on … I promise to always love, honor and respect you, even as I take my final breath. I Garfield Mark Logan, take you to be my wife."
Raven got misty eyed. "And I Raven Roth, take you to be my husband."
They shared a deep kiss.
"Rave, I don't care if we don't have the piece of paper. As far as I'm concerned, we just got hitched. In fact, I think we've been hitched for a long time."
She nodded her agreement. He smiled seductively at her. "So, babe, shall we go consummate or marriage?"
Raven smiled slyly and pointed at the wheelchair.
"Oh, come on Rave! It's pretty obvious that I don't need the chair!"
"Would you prefer that I carry you across the threshold into our room?"
"What? That's my job! You can't carry me in!"
"And I don't want to carry you in. And you can't do it in your condition. So I'm going to wheel you in."
"But why, Rave? We can just walk together."
She leaned over and whispered into his ear. "You need to save your energy. As soon as we get to our room, I'm going to rock your world. It will be the best sex in the history of sex."
He suddenly became slack jawed. "Oh … OK, if you insist." He said as he sat back down in the wheelchair. Raven hummed happily as she wheeled him into the elevator.
Deep in Raven's psyche, Rage, who now looked "normal", sat down with a serrated grin on her face. She leaned back, her arms tucked behind her head.
"Sweet, I love getting laid." She said in her otherworldly voice. "Hmmm … Mrs. Raven Logan … I could get used to that, and lots and lots of sex."
The dungeon bars disappeared and she stepped out. She walked up the spiral staircase and emerged into the courtyard. All of Raven's other emoticlones were there, milling around, bumping into each other, looking confused and still not sure of what had just happened. Rage inserted her thumb and index finger into her mouth and blew an ear shattering whistle. All the emoticlones stopped what they were doing and turned to face her.
"OK ladies, you heard what Raven said, the best sex in the history of sex."
The emoticlones stared blankly at her.
"Oh for Trigon's sake, do I have to do everything? Battle stations! I repeat! Battle stations! This is not a drill!"
The emoticlones took off in all directions, heading towards wherever they needed to be. Soon Rage was alone.
"Idiots! They'd all still be celibate if not for me." she snarled as she walked back into the castle.