Disclaimer: Nope...don't own 'em (sigh).
Following Shadows-Chapter 8: The Boogie Man in the Closet
Pouring her tea, Raven kept one eye on the cup and the other on the door. It had been a week since they had escaped (if you could call just walking out the front gate escaping) the Academy and she still wasn't ready to face the others.
She knew they were frightened of her.
So, she just teleported in and out of the kitchen on the rare occasion that she felt like eating. Which would explain why she was drinking tea at 1:30 in the morning.
About to go back to her room, Raven changed her mind. She had been in there all week and even she couldn't stay a bat for that long. She needed fresh air.
Placing her now clean cup back in the cupboard, Raven visualized the roof.
She left just as Robin walked in.
**********************************
Frowning, Robin pulled out his secret stash of choc-chip cookies from behind Raven's collection of various teas. He could have sworn that someone had been in here just awhile ago.
Sitting down at the table, he began munching on his treats. All his thoughts lead to one person...
Raven.
It was just random things like how she infuriated him when she wouldn't open up and how she made him feel like a failure as a leader and a friend because she wouldn't let him help her.
How he'd do anything to make her smile...
'Whoa' Robin pulled himself out of the fantasy he just been thinking. 'Raven's a team member in trouble. She's not your type'
But when he really thought about it...
Neither was Starfire.
Playing with the crumbs on the table, Robin tried to remember when he'd fallen for the adorable girl. Starfire was beautiful, she was sweet and she could make him laugh. He loved being with her. But now...
He wasn't so sure that he loved her.
Raven on the other hand...well...she was different.
Fire, ice, beauty, sadness... she was a combination of light and dark.
Good and Bad.
He liked her strength, her control. But when it came to sharing things...
She was about as open as Batman.
Placing the leftover cookies back in the cupboard, Robin was hit by sudden inspiration.
If Raven wouldn't talk to them, maybe they could write to her.
Leaving the kitchen he grinned at his genius.
***********************************
Sunsets never had any real charm for Raven, but watching the soft hues of gold and pink break over the water, she could understand how people could make such a fuss out of them.
Just floating there, Raven realized that this had been the first night in a long time that she'd hadn't had any nightmares.
'Probably just means I'll get double the dose tonight' the pessimist in her whispered.
Teleporting back to her room and lying down on her bed, Raven sighed. She might as well get them over and done with now.
As soon as she'd had closed her eyes, they came in a flurry of darkness.
******************************
The graveyard danced with shadows, making it hard for Raven to concentrate on any one object. The various sized markers all reminded her of one thing:
Death.
Feeling a strange force tug her in a certain direction, she just followed her feet. On she walked, catching glimpses of movement, moments of visions, till she suddenly stopped.
In front of her was a large headstone, the name covered by shadows. She leaned closer, trying to make out the name, although something inside her screamed not to.
Raven
Lived alone, Died alone.
When she saw it, she stumbled back, afraid that if she stood any closer it would become a reality.
The only sign that anyone had been there was a bouquet of dried orchids.
Falling to her knees Raven felt the pain and anguish build up inside of her. It over whelmed everything, drowning her in years worth of tears.
Somewhere in the background, she heard her father laughing.
*************************
Raven opened her eyes slowly, the sweat rolling down her face.
He was warning her, telling her that she could never escape her fate. That no matter what, no matter which path she choose, it would lead to only one thing.
Her death.
Looking around the dark room, she found Nightwing playing with something in the corner. Sitting up and swinging her legs over the bed, she just watched him.
He was a strange cat. It was if he could understand her, and sympathizes with what she was feeling. When she meditated he just sat calmly on the side, watching her with wide, black eyes.
There was one time when Raven had woken up from one of her nightmares in an emotional distress. Losing her senses for a moment or two she could have sworn that someone was whispering to her, calming her, but when she looked down there was only Nightwing, gazing up at her.
Getting up, she walked to her door, and was about to go out when she stepped on something.
It was a large plain white envelope. Picking it up, Raven frowned. What was this nonsense?
Inside were four different coloured sheets of paper, all folded in half.
She opened the blue one first. It was addressed to her in big, bold writing.
Hey Dark Girl, what's up?
You have to come on out of your room. You're the only one besides Robin who can stop that green monster Beast Boy from ruining my meal by surprising me with tofu turkey. My taste buds are counting on you to save them.
I don't know what happened to you at that prison that calls itself a school, but whatever it was, it doesn't scare me. I know you. I also know that you aren't going to let us help you so I'm just going to have to anyway.
Like it or not Dark Girl, I'm your friend and I'm going to help you whether you want it or not.
Cyborg.
Raven stared at the paper, her thoughts swirling with different images. For some reason, she was picking up visions of Cyborg writing the letter.
And what he was thinking as he wrote it.
##FLASHBACK##
Cyborg sat there, unsure of what to write. Raven didn't scare him, he knew that. Flicking a glance around the living room, he made sure that no one (eg. Beast Boy) was spying on him. Damn Robin and his poxy ideas. Cyborg wasn't good at expressing himself on paper. How the hell was he meant to say that if Raven didn't come out of her room he'd probably end up strangling that green vegetable-eating freak?
She was the only one who could really get Beast Boy to settle down.
Besides, it was comforting having her around to-
##FLASHBACK ENDS##
The vision ended as she placed the letter back in the envelope.
'What the hell was that?' Raven asked herself as she went back to her bed. Pulling out a pink piece of paper with shaking hands she read it, as various feelings that weren't hers, poured into her. ##FLASHBACK##
Dear Friend Raven,
I cannot but help notice your absence. It is not much fun being a "girl" in this tower without another one to talk to. The boys are of no help when I wish to discuss "girly" things. Their faces turn an interesting red colour and they change the subject. Sometimes they do not even notice my presence if they are playing one of their many computer games.
It is very lonely without you, friend Raven.
Please come out of your room. There is so many earth "girl" things that I wish to experience yet I can't because you are not here. The boys do not understand. They are what we would call on my planet 'Grubcannaks'.
Please come out,
Your very concerned friend,
Starfire.
Starfire nodded in satisfaction. This form of communication between earthlings was a very old fashioned one, but it did well in serving its purpose. Looking out at the water, she sighed. All was not well with her dark friend, and Starfire was a little bit frightened.
She did not understand why someone would cut themselves off from people who cared about them. She cared about Raven, as did Cyborg. Beast Boy had a very strong liking for her, something that Starfire understood was stronger than friendship. It was the same feeling that she herself shared with Robin.
Starfire's thoughts drifted away with the Boy of Wonder. He was so very nice. It was he who suggested that they try to get Raven to understand how they thought through letters. Yes, thought Starfire happily. Yes, they all did care for Raven-
##FLASHBACK ENDS##
This was becoming way too freaky for Raven's liking. Why was she seeing all this stuff? Her telepathic abilities were strong but she'd never been an empath. Her mother had, sure, but that didn't mean that Raven had her powers.
She opened the green one next.
##FLASHBACK##
Yo Raven,
It's the Titans resident hunk here to cheer you up. Wow, I cannot believe how you kicked those H.I.V.E scum's butts! You totally rocked!
I know, I know. Right now you're probably frowning thinking that what you did wasn't cool and all, but don't let that stop you from seeing what you really did. What you got to remember is that those freaks were being trained in how to kill other people. They were learning how to destroy the world. You just taught them a well-deserved lesson.
Well by now you'll know why I'm writing. Don't stay in that cave of yours. Come out and see how many cool tricks I've learnt.
From the most gorgeous guy in this building,
Beast Boy
Yep, if this didn't bring her running out of her room, Beast Boy didn't know what would. He knew he wasn't exactly the master of diplomacy, but at least he tried. Watching Robin walk past the kitchen with Starfire, he scowled. He had no idea where that goodie-goodie got off on trying to be everyone's best friend-
##FLASHBACK ENDS##
Raven shook her head, glad that that one had ended when it did. She didn't want to know. She picked up the last one, which was red. She was dreading this.
##FLASHBACK##
Robin looked down at his piece of paper, frowning in thought. It was his idea to do this and he was completely stuck. What would he want to hear if he was in her position?
Getting an idea, Robin picked up the pen on his desk and began to write.
Hey Raven,
I know you think that whatever's been troubling you, you can't trust us enough to help you
You're wrong.
We're you're teammates. And your friends. How can we work well if you're not there? I don't think you quite understand how much you mean to us. Whatever hurts you hurts us, so please Raven, come out of your room.
Trust us.
Robin
He smiled as he put his pen down-
##FLASHBACK ENDS##
Raven looked up then at a sudden sound coming from her wardrobe. Nightwing was standing in front of it hissing and clawing the door.
"Alright you little monster! I'm coming!"
The door swung open and standing there grinning at Raven was her Boogie Man of a brother, Eclipse.
"Hey there sis. Miss me?"
AN: Heeeheehe! I just love Eclipse. He's a pain in the arse, but he's so cool! (to me anyway) Pity....Raven is in for a whole lot of tears, I'll tell you that much.
Following Shadows-Chapter 8: The Boogie Man in the Closet
Pouring her tea, Raven kept one eye on the cup and the other on the door. It had been a week since they had escaped (if you could call just walking out the front gate escaping) the Academy and she still wasn't ready to face the others.
She knew they were frightened of her.
So, she just teleported in and out of the kitchen on the rare occasion that she felt like eating. Which would explain why she was drinking tea at 1:30 in the morning.
About to go back to her room, Raven changed her mind. She had been in there all week and even she couldn't stay a bat for that long. She needed fresh air.
Placing her now clean cup back in the cupboard, Raven visualized the roof.
She left just as Robin walked in.
**********************************
Frowning, Robin pulled out his secret stash of choc-chip cookies from behind Raven's collection of various teas. He could have sworn that someone had been in here just awhile ago.
Sitting down at the table, he began munching on his treats. All his thoughts lead to one person...
Raven.
It was just random things like how she infuriated him when she wouldn't open up and how she made him feel like a failure as a leader and a friend because she wouldn't let him help her.
How he'd do anything to make her smile...
'Whoa' Robin pulled himself out of the fantasy he just been thinking. 'Raven's a team member in trouble. She's not your type'
But when he really thought about it...
Neither was Starfire.
Playing with the crumbs on the table, Robin tried to remember when he'd fallen for the adorable girl. Starfire was beautiful, she was sweet and she could make him laugh. He loved being with her. But now...
He wasn't so sure that he loved her.
Raven on the other hand...well...she was different.
Fire, ice, beauty, sadness... she was a combination of light and dark.
Good and Bad.
He liked her strength, her control. But when it came to sharing things...
She was about as open as Batman.
Placing the leftover cookies back in the cupboard, Robin was hit by sudden inspiration.
If Raven wouldn't talk to them, maybe they could write to her.
Leaving the kitchen he grinned at his genius.
***********************************
Sunsets never had any real charm for Raven, but watching the soft hues of gold and pink break over the water, she could understand how people could make such a fuss out of them.
Just floating there, Raven realized that this had been the first night in a long time that she'd hadn't had any nightmares.
'Probably just means I'll get double the dose tonight' the pessimist in her whispered.
Teleporting back to her room and lying down on her bed, Raven sighed. She might as well get them over and done with now.
As soon as she'd had closed her eyes, they came in a flurry of darkness.
******************************
The graveyard danced with shadows, making it hard for Raven to concentrate on any one object. The various sized markers all reminded her of one thing:
Death.
Feeling a strange force tug her in a certain direction, she just followed her feet. On she walked, catching glimpses of movement, moments of visions, till she suddenly stopped.
In front of her was a large headstone, the name covered by shadows. She leaned closer, trying to make out the name, although something inside her screamed not to.
Raven
Lived alone, Died alone.
When she saw it, she stumbled back, afraid that if she stood any closer it would become a reality.
The only sign that anyone had been there was a bouquet of dried orchids.
Falling to her knees Raven felt the pain and anguish build up inside of her. It over whelmed everything, drowning her in years worth of tears.
Somewhere in the background, she heard her father laughing.
*************************
Raven opened her eyes slowly, the sweat rolling down her face.
He was warning her, telling her that she could never escape her fate. That no matter what, no matter which path she choose, it would lead to only one thing.
Her death.
Looking around the dark room, she found Nightwing playing with something in the corner. Sitting up and swinging her legs over the bed, she just watched him.
He was a strange cat. It was if he could understand her, and sympathizes with what she was feeling. When she meditated he just sat calmly on the side, watching her with wide, black eyes.
There was one time when Raven had woken up from one of her nightmares in an emotional distress. Losing her senses for a moment or two she could have sworn that someone was whispering to her, calming her, but when she looked down there was only Nightwing, gazing up at her.
Getting up, she walked to her door, and was about to go out when she stepped on something.
It was a large plain white envelope. Picking it up, Raven frowned. What was this nonsense?
Inside were four different coloured sheets of paper, all folded in half.
She opened the blue one first. It was addressed to her in big, bold writing.
Hey Dark Girl, what's up?
You have to come on out of your room. You're the only one besides Robin who can stop that green monster Beast Boy from ruining my meal by surprising me with tofu turkey. My taste buds are counting on you to save them.
I don't know what happened to you at that prison that calls itself a school, but whatever it was, it doesn't scare me. I know you. I also know that you aren't going to let us help you so I'm just going to have to anyway.
Like it or not Dark Girl, I'm your friend and I'm going to help you whether you want it or not.
Cyborg.
Raven stared at the paper, her thoughts swirling with different images. For some reason, she was picking up visions of Cyborg writing the letter.
And what he was thinking as he wrote it.
##FLASHBACK##
Cyborg sat there, unsure of what to write. Raven didn't scare him, he knew that. Flicking a glance around the living room, he made sure that no one (eg. Beast Boy) was spying on him. Damn Robin and his poxy ideas. Cyborg wasn't good at expressing himself on paper. How the hell was he meant to say that if Raven didn't come out of her room he'd probably end up strangling that green vegetable-eating freak?
She was the only one who could really get Beast Boy to settle down.
Besides, it was comforting having her around to-
##FLASHBACK ENDS##
The vision ended as she placed the letter back in the envelope.
'What the hell was that?' Raven asked herself as she went back to her bed. Pulling out a pink piece of paper with shaking hands she read it, as various feelings that weren't hers, poured into her. ##FLASHBACK##
Dear Friend Raven,
I cannot but help notice your absence. It is not much fun being a "girl" in this tower without another one to talk to. The boys are of no help when I wish to discuss "girly" things. Their faces turn an interesting red colour and they change the subject. Sometimes they do not even notice my presence if they are playing one of their many computer games.
It is very lonely without you, friend Raven.
Please come out of your room. There is so many earth "girl" things that I wish to experience yet I can't because you are not here. The boys do not understand. They are what we would call on my planet 'Grubcannaks'.
Please come out,
Your very concerned friend,
Starfire.
Starfire nodded in satisfaction. This form of communication between earthlings was a very old fashioned one, but it did well in serving its purpose. Looking out at the water, she sighed. All was not well with her dark friend, and Starfire was a little bit frightened.
She did not understand why someone would cut themselves off from people who cared about them. She cared about Raven, as did Cyborg. Beast Boy had a very strong liking for her, something that Starfire understood was stronger than friendship. It was the same feeling that she herself shared with Robin.
Starfire's thoughts drifted away with the Boy of Wonder. He was so very nice. It was he who suggested that they try to get Raven to understand how they thought through letters. Yes, thought Starfire happily. Yes, they all did care for Raven-
##FLASHBACK ENDS##
This was becoming way too freaky for Raven's liking. Why was she seeing all this stuff? Her telepathic abilities were strong but she'd never been an empath. Her mother had, sure, but that didn't mean that Raven had her powers.
She opened the green one next.
##FLASHBACK##
Yo Raven,
It's the Titans resident hunk here to cheer you up. Wow, I cannot believe how you kicked those H.I.V.E scum's butts! You totally rocked!
I know, I know. Right now you're probably frowning thinking that what you did wasn't cool and all, but don't let that stop you from seeing what you really did. What you got to remember is that those freaks were being trained in how to kill other people. They were learning how to destroy the world. You just taught them a well-deserved lesson.
Well by now you'll know why I'm writing. Don't stay in that cave of yours. Come out and see how many cool tricks I've learnt.
From the most gorgeous guy in this building,
Beast Boy
Yep, if this didn't bring her running out of her room, Beast Boy didn't know what would. He knew he wasn't exactly the master of diplomacy, but at least he tried. Watching Robin walk past the kitchen with Starfire, he scowled. He had no idea where that goodie-goodie got off on trying to be everyone's best friend-
##FLASHBACK ENDS##
Raven shook her head, glad that that one had ended when it did. She didn't want to know. She picked up the last one, which was red. She was dreading this.
##FLASHBACK##
Robin looked down at his piece of paper, frowning in thought. It was his idea to do this and he was completely stuck. What would he want to hear if he was in her position?
Getting an idea, Robin picked up the pen on his desk and began to write.
Hey Raven,
I know you think that whatever's been troubling you, you can't trust us enough to help you
You're wrong.
We're you're teammates. And your friends. How can we work well if you're not there? I don't think you quite understand how much you mean to us. Whatever hurts you hurts us, so please Raven, come out of your room.
Trust us.
Robin
He smiled as he put his pen down-
##FLASHBACK ENDS##
Raven looked up then at a sudden sound coming from her wardrobe. Nightwing was standing in front of it hissing and clawing the door.
"Alright you little monster! I'm coming!"
The door swung open and standing there grinning at Raven was her Boogie Man of a brother, Eclipse.
"Hey there sis. Miss me?"
AN: Heeeheehe! I just love Eclipse. He's a pain in the arse, but he's so cool! (to me anyway) Pity....Raven is in for a whole lot of tears, I'll tell you that much.