Author's Note: No negative feedback on my fic as of yet! I must be doing something right. Thank you so, so much for everyone who reviewed and praised my story so much! It means a lot to me and is one of the reasons I continue to write.

Disclaimer: I forgot to put a disclaimer in Chapter 1 (stupid me), so here I am, declaring that nothing you recognize as belonging to the makers of Teen Titans is mine. Only the plot and my dreams are. :-)

Chapter 7: Illness

"Ugh," Raven moaned. She pried her eyes open, seeing the concerned faces of her friends swim into view. Just before, Cyborg had removed the sleeping Raven's arms from around his neck and gently set her on the horseshoe couch. The Titans were gathered near, glancing anxiously at Raven. The enchantress crunched her eyes closed as the pain in her stomach returned, and now she had a headache to boot.

"Something's wrong with her," Robin stated seriously. "She's never been sick before."

"What if our friend has come down with some fatal virus such as the Gordanian Mush Bunkleris!" Starfire cried out in anguish. "We must save her, friends!"

Beast Boy scoffed.

"We might have to operate on her!" He joked, turning into a swordfish and gesturing with the animal's long beak as Starfire shrieked in dismay. Cyborg glared daggers and Robin gave them a look that clearly resembled an annoyed mother breaking up horseplay between her rowdy children. Starfire stopped shrieking and Beast Boy returned to his normal shape, both of them grinning apologetically.

"You guys," Raven said weakly. "You do realize I'm right here, right?"

Robin leaned closer to Raven, only to recoil as she coughed violently. Cyborg was at her side in an instant. He gaped along with the Titans, horrified, when Raven's hand left her mouth covered in blood. As the coughing subsided, Robin addressed her.

"Rae, we need to know what's wrong with you." The leader said quietly. The girl turned her violet eyes on him.

"I never get sick. I'm too controlled for that." She answered resolutely, but her voice quavered.

"I know," Robin said patiently. "But you're sick now, don't deny it. What can we do to make you better?"

Raven screwed her eyes shut as a wave of pain washed through her. She grabbed Cyborg's hand and squeezed it. His worry increased and he moved closer to her. The microwave exploded, sparking and belching smoke and lighting a roll of paper towels on fire. Beast Boy ran over to quell the flame and the other Titans bit their lips nervously, unsure what to do, as Raven held back from crying out. Starfire edged closer to her ill companion, clearly anguished.

"What ails you, friend Raven?" She asked quietly.

Raven groaned and opened her eyes. She tried to pull herself up but Cyborg, who was sitting next to her on the couch, gently pushed her back down. She sighed and weakly scooted over to him, blatantly ignoring the slight shock on everyone's face as she leaned against Cyborg trustingly. He wrapped his arm around her in support; he was blind to the looks he received and he thought only to comfort her.

"I don't know, Star," She said hoarsely. "I haven't done anything or felt any differ –" Her eyes widened and she looked at Cyborg. The other Titans noticed the exchange and Beast Boy stood up.

"What's going on between you two, anyway?" He demanded. "You've been acting all lovey-dovey all of a sudden."

Raven and Cyborg turned red. Starfire made a little noise of happiness without waiting for verbal confirmation.

"Two of my friends have found love! And with each other!" She sang, dancing around in her own little world of hearts and pink swirls. She paused. "A sweet, though I must admit unexpected, love." She beamed happily, clasping her hands together.

"Oh! Oh!" She said, suddenly remembering. "Now I must sing to you the seven hundred and twenty three verses of the Ballad for Young Lovers!"

Raven held up a hand weakly.

"Please, Star… I don't feel well… You'll give me a headache."

But Robin and Beast Boy were smirking at Cyborg. Beast Boy nudged him in the ribs.

"Soooo, Cy," He said slyly. "How far did you get? First base, second, third? Maybe even… home run?" He joked, waggling his eyebrows at Cyborg. Beast Boy was enjoying the total humiliation he was putting his friend through. The Titans seemed to have momentarily forgotten Raven's illness in light of a situation that called for incessant teasing.

'Man, how immature are we?' Robin thought, smirking.

"Robin," Starfire began innocently, poking her index fingers together. "I do no know much of Earth games, but will you please explain to me the concept of the symbolism between Cyborg and Raven's romantic interactions and the game of 'baseball'?"

Robin fell over.

Beast Boy was about to crack another joke when Raven broke into another coughing fit. The light atmosphere vanished without a trace as Raven doubled over where she lay, coughing thick red liquid into her palm while the others hovered near, desperately wanting to help but not quite knowing how. Tears streamed down Starfire's cheeks as she watched Raven's body rack with each retch. When she finally stilled, her eyes rolled back into her head and she fell into Cyborg, who held her safe while she slept fitfully. A moment's silence passed.

"This is too serious." Robin said, his voice echoing as the silence broke. "We need bigger medical help."

"For real," Beast Boy said numbly, still stunned to see the impenetrable enchantress helplessly ill. "She's puking, coughing blood and having weird pains. Can't be good no matter what you are."

But before anyone could respond, Raven gasped, arching her back in pain. She went rigid, releasing Cyborg's hand and jerkily lifting upright into the air, her body suspended vertically but her head sagging lifelessly on her shoulders. Starfire screamed and grabbed onto Robin as Raven's head snapped up, revealing red and fiery eyes. Magic crackled around her and she raised her hands into the air, blue cloak billowing around her.

Robin stood swiftly, pulling his staff from his belt and standing ready to fight, but Cyborg held out a hand.

"No!" He said, strangely calm. "It's not Raven."

Robin looked uncertainly at his friend, straightening.

"How can you tell?"

"I just know. Don't attack her."

"Dude, are you insane?!" Beast Boy interjected, gesturing wildly at the suspended Raven. "She'll kill us, just look at her!"

"Friends?" Starfire called nervously. "Friends, I require your assistance..."

The boys spun around. Raven was truly demented, ensnaring anything in her path with her powers, suffocating the light with the darkness she possessed. Advancing on Starfire, she opened her mouth to chant the incantation when Robin pushed her out of the way with a flying kick that struck her rib cage. Raven yelled as she banged into the wall, her back connecting first and her head slamming against it in suit. She slid to the ground and shook her head violently, as if trying to clear something from her mind. Cyborg glared daggers at Robin, who had helped Starfire up, and ran to Raven's side. Holding her waist he lifted her gently and she stood, grasping his forearm and wheezing. Her eyes had returned to normal but her face contorted with pain. A window shattered, pushing glass out to the mercy of gravity, which pulled them down to the sharp rocks below.

Cyborg helped Raven over to the unburned portion of the horseshoe couch.

"What is it, where does it hurt?" He asked anxiously.

Raven coughed once and the Titans tensed.

"It's okay, it's okay," She said, pain harsh in her voice. "But he has me. You have to get me away from you or who knows who he might hurt if he possesses me again."

"Who has you?" Robin asked urgently. "Does Slade have something to do with this?!"

Beast Boy made a noise of agitation.

"Does everything you think about connect with Slade?" He asked impatiently. Robin shot the changeling a dirty look.

"My father," Raven said shortly. "Trigon."

Cyborg and Beast Boy nodded in recognition, but Starfire and Robin were perplexed.

"Who is this Trigon of whom you speak, Raven?" Starfire inquired.

Cyborg answered for her.

"It's her father's name, Star. He's the son of the devil. Raven is the devil's granddaughter."

Starfire brought her hands to her mouth in shock.

"Yeah… it's like that." Beast Boy laughed humorlessly.

Robin raised an eyebrow behind his masked eyes.

"So, what do we have to do to get Trigon out of you?"

Raven shuddered and tried unsuccessfully to hold back a small cry of pain, clutching at her stomach. A second window exploded outward.

"You can't. Get me away from you now. It's the only way no one will be hurt."

Robin looked at Raven like she was crazy.

"No one except you." He said.

There was silence. Then, –

"Everyone just go. I'll be better in the morning. Go."

"But – " Starfire began.

"I said go!" Raven said ferociously, sounding more like the Raven that they knew. The Titans filed out slowly, looking back at her with worry etched into their faces. Only Cyborg remained. She didn't seem to notice his presence until she looked up at him and sighed. He picked her up and she hesitantly relaxed in his arms, letting him carry her to her room.

Without words he set her on her bed and made sure she was underneath the blue velvet of the comforter and the cool silk of the sheets. Raven laid her head on the pillow and grimaced as pain hit her stomach again. Cyborg sat down on the mattress next to where his love lay, and he leaned over and kissed her. She weakly kissed him back, not for lack of passion but lack of strength. The illness was hitting her harshly; it was sucking away what little liveliness she could afford to show the world.

Author's Note: End of chapter 7! Please review! Also, I might be changing the title of this fanfic soon, just so you won't be surprised if I do. Ciao!