Shangri-la

Gothic: You poor souls…..

Would I just end it right there? Okay, I would, but I have more to write! Bring on Dreams! Sorry about the delay on updates, I had a bit of a mental block.

Kitty: Lets rock and roll! And Gothic owns nothing, except for the computer she's writing on, so don't sue her, - okay?

Raven: Could someone please tie BB up? The scenes he's waiting for come later on.

Trigon 5: It would be our pleasure…..

Gothic: Lets get this chappie underway! Oh, and I added up all my reviews on all my stories and poetry. I never knew I had 125 reviews!

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Across the remains of what had once been a prosperous and beautiful city, the people of Jump City were either in shock or denial. They had heard the cries of Trigon's final defeat, and seen the demons evaporating. What was most shocking was watching the skies fade from red to blue again.

But it really sucked when the superheroes destroyed the ultimate evil, - and didn't come to save the innocent people still trapped in the disgusting underground cells.

Actually, the Titans were currently working on how they were ever going to rebuild the tower, and the city as well. After a lot of hugging, crying and kissing on all sides, the teens had decided it was time to work on how to restore the city.  Having to find somewhere to sleep was the next question, the tower was lying in ruins after the huge battle between Sunafire and Trigon. Robin was also currently M.I.A.(Missing In Action), due to the fact that he was away in Gotham City visiting his old mentor. Currently, the Titans were lounging on rocks, the ground, and anything else they could find to sit on, discussing what they were going to do.

"So, we're just gonna lie back and relax for a while?" Beast enquired, whilst perched on a slab.

"Not much else we can do. The tower is in a heap temporarily, and until the people come back out from al their hiding places, we ain't gonna get anywhere." Cyborg replied, whilst working on the dents of several metal plates.

"Um, where did everyone go anyway?" Sifria asked. "We never saw anyone whilst we were fighting Trigon."

"Heh. Oppsie." Raven, from where she was lying on another slab looked rather sheepish. "Trigon didn't want anyone getting in the way. So, he kinda locked everyone up in tiny underground cells to the East of the city." She gave a bit of a smile, causing Starfire to fall backwards and crash onto the floor, and Cyborg to drop the metal plate he had in his hand, and equally fall sideward.

"What? It's a standard bad guy thing." Raven looked confusedly around her.

"You….you smiled….." Beast Boy managed to gasp from where he'd crashed into the pile of rocks behind the slab he was on, and ended up with the rocks on top of him.

"Oh." Raven looked as shocked and speechless as everyone else. "I did?"

"Maybe we'd better forget the whole 'Raven can smile' thing for now. If she's right, and those people are there, we need to get them out." Sweetfire added from where she was situated across from Starfire.

"That might be a good plan…." Cyborg gulped, retrieving his plate.

"What plan? Did I miss something?" Robin queried from behind them. He was astride a motorcycle, across the path that had once led up to the tower. Holding his helmet underneath one arm, the numerous alien girls had to admit to each other that he did look pretty hot. Other than Starfire, whose thoughts were occupied with Robin.

"Uh, only the plan to save the poor trapped inhabitants of the city." Cyborg nervously replied, having found his plate once more.

"They were locked up? Where?" Robin inquired, one eyebrow raised in curiosity. "And how come we didn't know this before?" He added.

"Cause you were too busy fighting off Trigon and trying to stop me killing you all to notice." Came a reply from the across the dirt pile.

"O….kay. You were gonna kill us?" A fake smile crossed Beast Boy's face.

Crickets chirped across the wreckage ground as everyone stared at Beast Boy. Eventually, smiling once more, Raven spoke.

"Uh, I would naturally want to kill you. And I would of, but you stopped Trigon. Which is a shame, cause I was actually looking forward to that." A sarcastic smile accompanied this remark, causing everyone to drop to the floor once more.

"We may need to look at her head….There could be traces of Trigon's influence left in her." Sifria grinned. "And we can't be having that."

"Titans…" Robin began. "We have some people to save."

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Deep underneath a pile of destruction, the only light faintly shining from a tiny gap above, Slade was next to death. After lying there since Raven had thrown everything she had at him, and becoming evil, he had gradually become weaker and weaker.

I am near to death. And still, after all this time, it puzzles me as to how I got here in the first place. Slade was hallucinating by now, drifting in and out of consciousness, various images haunting him left and right, his body so damaged it couldn't move. And if he had the ability to move left in him, he wouldn't of been able to anyway, - he was pinned to the ground by tonnes of ruins and wreckage from the fallen buildings that had fallen on top of him.

I should just die. But why would I want to? I know I made some mistakes, but still, don't I deserve a second chance?

 Slade managed to laugh, a strangled laugh from his dry, chapped lips.

No. I don't deserve to live.

And as Slade lay there, the life slowly ebbing out of him, he made a choice. No matter what it took, he had unfinished business. Business that was going to be finished.

Slade coughed, the effort killing and stinging his lungs. Through dust inhalation, his lungs were badly weakened, scarcely any fresh air down there. His felt himself on the edge of life, clinging onto sanity.

If this is dying, then Hell is going to be murder.

With these thoughts, the life completely slipped from Slade's body. His chest rose for the last time, his eyes fought to stay open, as his heart managed a last failed pump.

Slade, one of the worst villains in the history of the Titans, - was dead.

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For the people of Jump City, things couldn't be going much better. The Titans had come, and forced the grates open, darting down to free the chained prisoners. The shackles were cut loose, the cries echoing upwards with freedom, couples and families reunited. For many however, their loved one had died through the terrible conditions they had been forced to live in. Cyborg now stepped out of one of these now much larger holes, carrying the body of a female teenager, who had died, the blood on her forehead still there.

The Titans had never been so moved. They did their fair share of crying, forcing themselves to help these prisoners. For all the times the Titans had fought the powers of darkness, they had hardened, nothing ever causing them to hesitate. But this, this was just plain sick.

Alongside Cyborg came Beast Boy, followed by Raven. Beast Boy was helping a middle-aged woman along, whilst Raven held the body of a baby in her arms. The child was still alive, just, and Raven now kept it warm as she searched for his mother.

"Uh, Robin. Another one." Cyborg added grimly. "I can't believe it's come to this. 36 people dead and still rising. What kind of a guy was Trigon?" He was getting angry now, as Robin watched a tear fall from Raven's eye.

"Trigon was just like any other demon. The only difference is that he was ruthless when it came to the kill. Demons have been mutilated at his hands." Raven spoke with a catch in her voice, clearly still feeling guilty over what happened."

"Friends! Come quickly! There are women in distress, and crying a lot!" Starfire flew over, carrying a young boy. "And this child has lost his mother. "

"He's not the only one." Robin dismally replied.

"Where's my mum? MUM!" The boy cried.

"Jason? Jason! Jason!" An answering call came from a hole further on, before Sweetfire's head popped up from a hole nearby.

"Anyone found a baby? There's a mother here who's desperate to find him." She ducked back in again, speaking soothing words to the grieving mother.

"Maybe this little guy. I found him further on." Raven called back, rushing to the hole herself.

"This could take a while." Robin sighed, as he watched mother and son be reunited, Raven and Sweetfire relaxing as they pleased their separate burdens.

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Eventually, as dusk fell, the wear Titans finally retreated back to the remains of the tower, or the 'dirt pile' as Beast Boy had dubbed it. The people had been issued blankets, and water from a nearby hydrant still in tact. Everyone had settled down, finding holes and dens everywhere to sleep in. Many even made temporary homes out of the different crevices, hanging clothing and broken dishes from the roofs of their homes. Event though it was serious, it was quite amusing to see the imaginative ideas people came up with.

"Man, I am so beat." Cyborg commented as he sunk down onto a rock. "Why does it take so long to free a few people?"

"Cause they're all distress 'cause they got locked up and separated from their families. Plus, there was quite a lot of people actually." Beast Boy remark, relaxing on a seemingly uncomfortable slab.

"We might as well relax for a while. Crime's gonna be down a bit, and there's been no sign of Slade and his minions." Robin yawned, falling onto a huge metal plate covering, lying next to Starfire.

"Slade could well be dead by now." Raven mentioned from her own personal slab of concrete. "I threw everything I possess in powers at him, which is enough to kill any human. Even if he had survived the initial onslaught of the attack, he would have been buried under buildings and crushed to death." Raven looked down, her expression, (yes she had one, =^_^=) half riddled with guilt, half full of depression.

"Well, he did deserve that one." Draygion who had been very quiet since his brother's death, at long last spoke. "He murdered Arella." He added, his expression darkening.

"Yes, but then I  murdered him. I stooped to his level." Raven miserably whispered.

"Even superheroes need to extract vengeance sometimes. She was your mother. You naturally retaliated." Robin sleepily yawned, before snuggling up to Starfire, too tired to care what anyone else thought. Eyebrows were still raised at the sight of this, as Star wrapped her arms around Robin and nuzzled into him, sleep carrying her into the realm of dreams.

"And Starfire and Robin have been together since when…." Cyborg curiously asked.

"Who cares?" Moonfire shrugged her shoulders. "They make a sweet couple." Several smiles of agreement were raised at this, the numerous also tired heroes wanting sleep. After draping a blanket over Robin and Starfire, everyone ran around the now dark island looking for decent places to make beds out of. Matches lit half broken candles, chipped and worn torches gathered from wherever they came from shining light around the place, everyone alive and busy. Eventually, everyone settled down, torches and candles flitting out. Only a few lights still shone against the clear night sky.

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Beast Boy pushed aside a few rocks, scrambling over a hunk of sharp metal and concrete to see Raven ahead of him. She lay on a blanket covered rock, staring up into the skies. He stayed still for a minute, watching her gentle expression.

But what if she doesn't feel the same way? He thought. Taking a deep breath, he crept out into the moonlight, the area around Raven's rock naturally cleared to allow easy access.

"I know you're there, and I'm pretty sure I know why you're there." Came Raven's slightly amused voice.

Shit. He considered his options for a few seconds. "Really? Why don't you tell me why I'm here then?" He replied, carefully making his way over to sit by her.

"Why don't you answer that one?" Raven said in a much softer, more concerned voice.

"Okay then, but  this is not going to be easy." Beast Boy nervously added.

"That all depends…" Raven began, "On what it is that you want to say." She smiled, and Beast Boy nearly lost his grip for a minute. But he held on, pushing courage back up.

"Well, I…" Beast Boy hesitated, then took Raven's hand. "I…I…I love you." Beast Boy violently blushed, and looked down. Raven gently cupped his chin up, and Beast Boy found himself looking into her violet eyes.

"I've never even had the chance to explore love before. " She said sadly. "But there's always been something special about you. Something I can't quite put my finger on." Smiling again, she squeezed Beast Boy's hand slightly.

Beast Boy smiled as well, then put his arms around Raven and hugged her. She hesitated this time, unsure of what to do, then hugged him back.

Unknowingly to Beast Boy, Raven had been in love with him all along. She just hadn't realised it.

What happened next was purely on impulse for Beast Boy. When they pulled apart, he looked into her eyes for a few minutes, then suddenly leaned in and kissed her on the lips. Raven, so shocked by this display of affection, froze for a few minutes. Then, as BB realised what he was doing and was about to pull away, Raven put her arms around his neck, and kissed back, deepening the kiss, and filling both of them with unstoppable lust and passion. They kissed avidly for several minutes, the candles around them burning low with the gentle wind that night, Beast Boy finding Raven's lips ever so slightly bitter, but very sweet. Raven meanwhile, found that this new experience was something indifferent in it's own, and rather enjoyable.

As they reluctantly pulled away from each other, Raven  lay down on her back, looking up to the stars. When Beast Boy cuddled up to her, lying his head on her chest, she sighed a contented sigh, putting on arm around the one she loved, and the other under her head.

"Beast Boy?"

"Hmmm?"

"I love you too."

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Gothic: *anime fountains of tears* Meant to put that last scene on the next chappie…. Oh well! BB 4 RAE 4 EVA!

Kitty: Updates soon!