Epilogue

She opened her eyes to find herself in her own room with Robin waiting anxiously by her side. He watched her quizzically.

"Raven…?" he said timidly. Raven glared at him as if he were stupid and he broke into a grin. "We were worried. You started to spasm and that's when we got you here. Beast Boy kept insisting we take you to a hospital, but I told them no hospital could help you now. They know all about what happened."

"How long have I been out?" Raven inquired.

"About two days," said Robin.

"What exactly do they know?" Raven asked.

"Well, I told them all I knew," said Robin, "and Starfire put in her two cents. And putting the pieces together, we get most of the story, but there are gaps missing."

"Like what Larkin meant when he said I was his protégé," Raven nodded. There was a strange pause.

"I haven't told them that part yet," said Robin. Raven was quiet a moment, then stretched her legs and swung them over her bed.

"I'm up for some fresh air," she said, proceeding to the door. Robin watched her retreating back.

"Do you mind if I—"

"Yes," Raven interrupted, without turning to face him.

It had been such a long time since she had faced Larkin. And he was right, he had grown stronger since they last did battle. But once again, the apprentice outdid her master.

For a moment, she wondered where the old man was now. The force with which she had shoved him from her mind must have been devestating, and surely would have had an effect on his mentality. Perhaps he was back in that child's body, paranoid and insane. She wondered if an crazy Larkin was more terrifying than a sane one. She hoped she'd never have to find out.

Raven knew she had to tell her fellow Titans about it sooner rather than later, but she was procrastinating. It was a hard matter to explain.

After finally escaping her father and the horrors he brought, Raven had been young, and hungry for revenge. And Larkin had promised her that power.

Raven decided she could not relive the shameful memory twice. She must go down and face the Titans.

As the door to the living room opened, Raven found Robin waiting eagerly in front of it with his arms crossed. Behind him sat the other Titans in various places. Raven sighed.

"We've been expecting you," said Robin.

"Apparently," said Raven, sounding slightly annoyed.

"You wanted to tell us something," Robin said, as if she needed to be reminded.

"Cool your jets, bird boy I'll fill in your gaps," Raven said.

Beast Boy appeared instantly at her side with a hot cup of herbal tea. Raven gave him a wry smile and a cock of her eyebrow.

"Wow, food for me for once," she said. "Nothing weird in the mix, I hope."

"Pure herbs," said Beast Boy before taking his seat. "No milk, no sugar."

"Hm…" said Raven, staring into the brown mixture. "Thanks, Beast Boy."

She looked up to find that all attention was on her. Finally, she sighed, and began.

"Larkin was, at one point in time, my mentor," she explained. "I was hungry to learn to control and better my powers. With my desperate need for revenge, they were bouncing off the walls. Larkin taught me how to use them constructively. But the more he taught me, the more I realized I was fighting the wrong battles. Being inside his mind so often, I grew to know him better than I knew anyone. And I realized how dark his mind was, and how evil his intentions really were. He never intended to help me with my motives. He wanted to use me as a pawn. Either he was clumsy, or he underestimated me, but he neglected to shield that thought and I discovered it. I was no more than another foot soldier in his army. Eventually, I challenged him to a friendly mental dual and ended up casting him out of his own head and into that of a harmless child. His body has since been burned and I turned my back on that part of my past. Which is why I never spoke of him before."

"So he came back because he wanted revenge on you," said Cyborg. "What a twist of fate."

"And he wanted to take control of Robin's body?" said Starfire.

"Yes," said Raven.

"Wow, you had a bad guy for a mentor. That's pretty weird," said Beast Boy.

"Indeed," said Raven, her eyes narrowing as she sipped her tea. Cyborg looked guilty.

"Listen, Rae, I'm sorry for—"

"I hurt you," said Raven. "Both physically and emotionally. I broke your trust. You had a right and a reason to treat me as you did. You were trying to protect your friends. Believe me, I get it, please don't apologize. I hate apologies."

"And Raven," Beast Boy started. "I know you just said you hate apologies, but—"

"You were confused and didn't know what to think or who to believe. You've been betrayed before and it always hurts more when it happens a second time. And, uh… Just replay in your mind what I said to Cyborg and leave me alone," Raven said with a weak shrug and a straight face. "Would that be all? I have to go to my room and meditate. Now that I'm rested, my mind is all over the place. I need to sort things out before something bad happens." Raven turned to leave without waiting for a reply.

"Thanks, Raven," said Robin suddenly. Raven froze, her back still to her friends, her eyes shooting to the corners. If there's one thing I hate worse than apologies, she thought, it's thank yous.

"For what?" she said evenly.

"You sacrificed yourself for me," said Robin. Raven scoffed.

"It was just easier for me to beat him on my own grounds," said Raven, turning to face him. "I mean, don't take it personally. I would have let him tear your mind to pieces if I thought I could destroy him easier and with less hassle. It would have saved me a lot of grief."

And with a flip of her cape, Raven turned and went to her room, leaving an apperantly stunned Robin behind. But the moment she left, he grinned and Beast Boy recognized it.

"You know she was totally worried about you," said Beast Boy. Robin nodded.

"Totally."

END