A Raven Colored Past
Chapter Four: Nightmares
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Raven woke with a start. She shot up in her bed, eyes painfully wide as cruel images shot before them. She gasped for precious breath as a cold sweat ran down her body and soaked her clothing. Her eyes were shrouded by the darkness around her, and she was unable to make out the shape of anything in her room. Hastily throwing off her covers she felt her way to the door, threw it open and ran down the torch-lit hall to Beast Boy's room; there was something she needed to make sure of.
'Oh Gods…' She thought as her bare feet were being scuffed to bleeding on the rough stone beneath them. 'Please, don't let it be true! Please!'
"Beast Boy! Beast Boy! Let me in!" She cried, pounding on the door and cursing her powers for not working in Azarath. "LET ME IN!" She began to throw her shoulder at the door, hoping to break it down. "BEAST BOY!!"
The door flew open and Raven flung herself into Beast Boy's arms, tears streaming down her face. She sobbed into his chest, clutching at his clothing. "Beast Boy!" She cried, her body shaking as sobs racked her body. She felt her mind lose control of all her actions as she sobbed uncontrollably.
"Raven? Raven what's wrong?" Beast Boy wrapped his arms around her shoulders tightly, hoping that she would calm down enough to tell him what was going on. He'd never seen her so shook up. Something must have really frightened her, otherwise she would not be crying in Beast Boy's arms.
"Are you okay?" She asked suddenly, looking up at him.
"Well… yeah. Why wouldn't I be?" He looked confusedly at her.
"I… I had a vision…" Raven pulled away from him, feeling a somber coolness run through her body. She suddenly had to resist the strange urge to throw herself back into his arms. What was so damn comforting about him anyway? It was just Beast Boy.
"What about?" Beast Boy asked, taking a step away to give Raven her space. He looked into her dark eyes that were shimmering with a deep fear. "Raven?"
"I… I dreamt that you were killed… just… just like my mother was!" Raven bit her lower lip to keep herself from jumping back into his arms again. "And Sephiroth…" She couldn't finish her sentence, the memory of the death of her mother was filled with pain, and it hurt even more since she was reliving it with Beast Boy in her mother's place. She looked up at her companion and turned away, feeling like an idiot.
"Raven…" Beast Boy stepped forward and embraced her tightly, just as he had done several hours before. Raven, instead of resisting, held onto him for dear life, feeling that if she let go her whole world would end. How could he be so emotionally powerful and affect her so much?
"Raven," He started again, stroking her hair. "Everything is going to be alright… nothing bad is going to happen to me… I promise."
"But-"
Beast Boy gently pressed his fingers to her lips, subconsciously noticing how soft and supple they were. "I promise."
Raven nodded and buried herself back into his embrace, feeling the elated warmth surround her again. There was something about him that was so powerful, and although Raven was irritated by it, she was susceptible to it as well. She was probably the most susceptible to it out of anyone she knew, and although she also knew that it was probably a weakness to be so, she just didn't care. She felt so many things when he wrapped his strong arms around her, that she didn't care if it was a 'weakness'.
"Can I stay with you… just for a little while?" Raven asked innocently, looking up at him. Why was she acting like this? Why was she falling for his charm? She wanted to curse him, but as she looked into his eyes she felt all anger dissipate.
"Sure…" He crawled on his bed and motioned her to lay with him. Raven hesitated for a moment, then crawled into his arms and felt better.
Beast Boy was shocked by Raven's sudden child-like behavior, it was if she had recessed into the young girl she was when her mother was alive. He stroked her hair softly as she lay in his arm and let silent tears fall down her face, staining his shirt.
Come to think of it, Beast Boy didn't know a lot about Raven or her past. She was shrouded in mystery for him. Although he did learn a few things since the last twenty-four hours: that Raven was half-demon, that she was supposed to rule the underworld, and that her mother was killed. He looked down at the dark woman and noticed that she had fallen asleep. Smiling, he picked her up and placed her under his covers, then went to a chair and proceeded to get some more sleep.
Taking one last glance at the sleeping woman, Beast Boy smiled even brighter. Even though this trip was making her act like a total wako… he still loved her.
- - -
Raven rubbed her head and sat up in bed, vaguely noticing that she was facing the wrong direction. She remembered her terrible dream from before and shivered with fear. Closing her eyes, she pushed back tears and tried to forget the images. But she couldn't, no matter how hard she tried. They just kept getting sharper and sharper, until she saw in perfect detail, Beast Boy lying on the floor, blood pouring from his throat and staining the floor. And Raven kneeling next to him, sobbing as she tried to stop the flow of blood, whispering things into his ear. Looking up, she saw him. She saw Sephiroth standing there, smiling maliciously at her and Beast Boy. Then Beast Boy went limp, and everything stopped.
"Beast Boy…" She whispered, drawing her knees close to her body.
"Hm?"
Raven's eyes shot open and her vision focused on a green male, sitting calmly in a chair on the far side of the room. He smiled at her and stood up. She made a face in response to his sudden presence. What in the gods' names was he doing in her room? And without permission?
"Hey." He stated calmly, walking toward her. "Did you sleep better this time?"
She looked confusedly at him, then remembered herself running down the hall and throwing herself into his arms like some crazy fool. She felt color rise to her cheeks, then looked away. He had seen her in her weakest moment, as she cowered in fear of the death of her mother… and the similar death of her friend.
"Um… yeah…" She whispered, trying to hide her burning face from him. "Thanks for letting me sleep here…"
"Do you feel better?" Beast Boy asked. Raven looked toward him and studied him discretely. There was no tone of teasing, no overly worried tone, and no taunting tone either. There was nothing in his voice to suggest that he had seen her, only a few hours before, sobbing into his chest and demanding to be held, like a foolish child. It made Raven feel a lot better about the whole situation
"Ah… yeah." She stood up and smiled a little at him. "Sorry about barging in like that… I'm sure you didn't appreciate it."
Beast Boy shrugged nonchalantly. "Hey, I was only sleeping." There was a slight pause as he shifted uncomfortably, seeming as if he wasn't quite sure if he should say what he wanted to next. He looked at Raven a little sheepishly, hoping she would make the first verbal move.
"What is it, Beast Boy?" Raven asked, cocking an eyebrow.
"Well…" Beast Boy took that as a sign that he could proceed. "Are you… okay? I mean, I know you don't really like to talk about your family or your past or anything… but if you wanna talk, I'm here you know."
Raven sighed deeply, looking at him incredulously. "Thanks for the offer, Beast Boy. But you're right… I don't like to talk about my past, so let's keep it at that, okay?"
He nodded, accepting this with ease. He knew Raven was shrouded in mystery, and liked to keep it that way, so he wasn't about to push her to talk about things she didn't want to talk about. He respected her and her decisions. "I understand."
Raven looked at the clock on the far wall, then sighed deeply. "I have to go meet with the council in an hour." She snarled slightly at the darkened clock face. "I hate talking with the council… it's like one long table of Sephiroths."
"Do you want me to come with you?" Beast Boy offered. "I am, after all, your 'body guard'."
Raven looked at him skeptically, then shrugged. "If you want. It's not your obligation to accompany me every where."
"No." Beast Boy gave his signature grin, a sure sign that he was teasing. "But it is my pleasure."
"You are so full of it sometimes." Raven rolled her eyes and started for the door. Pausing, she looked back at her green companion. "Meet me in my room in forty-five minutes." Her eyes ruthlessly scanned his uniform-clad body. "And try to change your clothes. The council doesn't take nicely to Top-Worlders, especially ones that parade around like Top-Worlders."
"I don't parade." Beast Boy's eyebrow shot up at her. "And exactly what am I supposed to change into? I have my uniform… and that's about it."
Raven nodded at the wardrobe in the far corner. "Ask the wardrobe for something… duh." With that she turned and walked out of the room.
"Is she insane?" Beast Boy asked himself, staring at the door she just exited. "Ask an inanimate object to give me something to wear… what am I, a fool?"
With those last few words, a jester hat came hurdling from the far corner of his bedroom. It bounced off the back of his head then landed on the ground with musical tinkling. Beast Boy whipped around and stared at the wardrobe, then at the jester hat.
Shaking his head he sighed deeply. "I guess I am a fool…"
- - -
'I will kill the person who said that men can wear tights…' Beast Boy thought angrily at he knocked on Raven's door. 'I mean my stupid spandex uniform is bad enough, but now I have to 'parade' around in a freaking tunic and a pair of tights!?'
The door he had knocked on opened and Raven stepped into the dingy hallway. Any evil thoughts vanished as Beast Boy looked at Raven in the torchlight. She was dressed in a strapless, full length, blood red gown with rubies spilling over her shoulders and neck. Her hair was pulled up, revealing the beautiful shape of Raven's narrow shoulders and slender neck… as well as showing off her well-developed curves. Beast Boy had never seen Raven look so beautiful before, she looked like a princess.
'Better not tell her that… I'd be dead before I finished the word 'princess',' He thought as he continued to survey the dark woman.
"What are you staring at?" Raven snapped, drawing him out of his reverie.
Beast Boy thought for a moment, as if trying to decide if he would be killed if he said what he wanted to, then remembered her powers were void in Azarath, so she couldn't kill him just yet. At least not until they returned to the Top-World… then he would be dead.
"You look beautiful, Raven." He stated without fear.
Raven glared at him, looked him up and down, and then sneered. "Nice tights."
"Ouch…" The green male stated, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. "That one hit a little below the belt, Raven."
She sighed deeply and looked slightly remorseful. "I'm sorry Beast Boy, it's just that I get so worked up over these meetings. I hate talking with the council… and I have to wear these damn dresses." Raven snarled as she started down the hallway. Beast Boy followed her closely.
"Why?" Her companion questioned, catching up with her and meeting her stride.
"Ceremony. I have to follow tradition…" She sneered. "Thank the gods I'm advocating my title. I never want to be caught in this dress again."
"It really looks nice on you, Raven." Beast Boy stated calmly.
"Whatever." She looked over, and surveyed him again. "You look pretty good in our ceremonial wear."
Beast Boy smiled teasingly at her. "Is the great and auspicious Raven complimenting me? The lowly team mate?"
"Only once, so don't get used to it." Raven teased back at him.
"Don't worry, I'm already in shock."
There was an exchange of smiles, then a moment silence.
"Hey…" Beast Boy asked, looking over at Raven.
"Hm?" She glanced at him calmly.
"Is Sephiroth on this council thing?" Beast Boy tried to contain his complete and utter loathing for the male, it was pretty damn hard.
"Yeah… since he's supposed to be a sovereign of Azarath as well, he's pretty high up in council status. And that's actually quite frightening." Raven suddenly stopped in front of a door made of metal latticework. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly, staring at the shadowy figures that lay beyond the blackened metal.
"This is it?" Beast Boy questioned, looking over at Raven.
"This is it."
With those words, Raven pushed open the door and led herself and Beast Boy into the beating heart of the beast of Azarath.
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And that's today's chapter kids! Tune in soon for the next segment!
PS: I don't own Teen Titans (dur!)
PSS: I'm working on a new story for all the Raven/Robin fans that are out there. I have to do some more concept work on it, and then I'll begin writing it. But here's a little preview:
Raven is sixteen years old, she ran away from her home planet fearing her father. The Teen Titans are a group whose always willing to help out a lost soul… especially when that soul has enormous amounts of power. But what if when Raven joins the Teens she sparks some new feelings in a certain member?