Disclaimer: I don't own the Teen Titans, but it's a nice show anyway.

Review Responses:

Change-Of-Heart: Oh, Moving back was fun. They didn't have my room key ready when I got here, so that was great. Glad you enjoyed the chapter.

The Big Fisch: Yep, Raven didn't blow anything up. I'm sure it will happen eventually. Heh.

Mango Sam: Mangos are good food. Glad you like the story.

Nagaina: Keeping everyone in character is really important to me. Glad you think I'm doing it well.

MOOGoestheCHICKEN: Always nice when people review happily! No fluff this chapter though, sorry. Hope you enjoy it anyway.

Apatha2: Always good to have someone like the style and plot. Thanks!

Christina: Yep, I thought Mango Soup sounded goodish too, but I haven't tried it. I like Star's advice as well, though I'm really bad at following it.

Slayerfirl1362: As you can see, I've gone back to answering all the reviews, but I'm being rather terse about it. Your review was one of the longest I've recieved as well! Anyway, glad you liked the chapter and the story so far!

Cradlerobber Speedo-kun: Glad you like it!

RegremErutaerc: Glad you liked the chapter. Raven's mirror is a cliché, but it's a good plot device anyway.

Ami Ne: Yep, sudden changes are a little jarring sometimes, though they do happen. Glad you like it.

Scorpio Serpent: Characterization is important, so I'm glad I'm keeping them done right. Thanks for favoriting the story, it's always nice to know people are reading.

Strife: I think Starfire would be good at giving accidental advice. Glad you like my romance fic, hope it stays good!

Carrot The LuvMachine: Glad you love it so much! Hopefully you aren't quite as empathic as Raven, but it's good to be falling in love, so good luck to you.

Mint Dragon: Thanks! Glad you enjoy it.

Jakked-Up: A billion welcomes, I enjoy writing, and it's good that you enjoy reading.

jezzjamer: Wow, that's quite a status. Glad you liked it so much!

A/N: The reason that this chapter is so late is threefold. One, I moved back to school, and have been rather busy. Two, The school has implemented a new security system, and Windows 98 computers arent' compatible, so I have no internet access. Three, my IDE bus failed, and so I have no computer to speak of. Chapters may not be daily, but they will be forthcoming, as I still have an old 150 MHz Laptop to scrawl out a chapter, and a public computer to read reviews and respond on. Anyway, sorry for the break of my 1/day policy.

Secondly, The review responses took up less space than I thought, so I'll continue like that unless I end up getting fifty reviews for one chapter, or something like that. Thanks for reading, and on to the story.

An Empath's Burden
Raven's eyes snapped open as a knock came at her door. She stood, walking over to the door, though it seemed so far away. She was still walking towards it when it opened. Beastboy was standing there, smiling brightly at her. Raven smiled back.

"Raven, It was a Titan, but it wasn't Starfire." Beastboy continued smiling.

Raven nodded to him. "It was me? I didn't know that you'd liked me." She felt strange, and she was still walking towards the door. Why was it so far away?

Beastboy's smile changed somehow, it wasn't cute anymore, it was... malicious. Raven couldn't stop moving towards the door, it was getting closer. She reached out to him. "Beastboy, I can't get to the door.... help me..."

His voice was deeper, his adolescent voice cracking gone. "I will help you. Just give in and love me."

The floor was moving, something was happening, but her mind wouldn't focus. "Help me... I can't... Beastboy, I can't get there!"

He reached his hand out to her, but he was so far away... She reached out too, but it was too far... "Just give in and love me. Let it consume you."

His voice was familiar, but it wasn't Beastboy's. She couldn't place it, her mind was so disconnected. She felt herself slipping, the floor was giving way. She had to love him, it was the only way. She had to let the emotion free.

"I... I love you, Beastboy. I love you!" She felt the emotion build inside her, she felt the love flowing through her body. Her vision went white.

She was standing at the doorway now. Beastboy was smiling at her, his grin still full of malice. His eyes weren't green, they were... red. But still, he was Beastboy. She loved Beastboy. She hugged him, felt his arms around her. Too muscular, and his grip was hot. It was burning her.

"Beastboy... Beastboy, something is wrong. Why are you so hot?" She pulled away, but couldn't get free of his grip. She didn't want to be free. She loved him.

He leaned in, his new red eyes glowing slightly. She closed her eyes, losing herself in his kiss. There was still something wrong. His teeth were too sharp, his lips strange. His grip still hurt her. It wasn't Beastboy. It wasn't Beastboy.

It wasn't Beastboy!

She pulled away roughly, but was still held tight. She opened her eyes, and peered into the four glowing eyes of Trigon. He was hurting her. She couldn't get free. What was happening? "Beastboy! Beastboy help me!" She struggled, panicking as Trigon held her fast. She felt his influence spread across her. Trigon spoke, his voice deep, gravelly.

"Let it consume you. Fear, Joy, Love, Hate, I will use them all against you."

Her vision was turning red. No... No, she had to control it. She had to get the control back! She focused, trying to clear her twisting, failing mind. Her vision filled with crimson as her mind finally succumbed...
Raven sat bolt upright in bed, panting in exhaustion. Her body ached, her mind reeled from the demonic dream. Trigon. He'd been watching. He was always watching. How could she have forgotten? She couldn't allow herself to feel anything, love included. She couldn't date Beastboy. Even if he wasn't that bad a choice, she couldn't date him.

She stood shakily, still physically drained from the dream. Her room was pitch black. What time was it? She looked around, but the red lights of her alarm clock were not visible anywhere. She took a step forward, and felt glass crunch under her shoes. The dream had activated her powers. She concentrated for a moment, and the blinds on the window fell to the floor, torn down by her telekinesis. The faint light from the city's skyline was enough to see the remnants of her room.

The room was destroyed. It hadn't looked so bad since Slade's robots had attacked. The shelves, where her statuettes and books rested, were torn apart, the wooden boards torn so hard from each side that the wood had ripped across the grain. The books were all burned, ripped, or shredded. The stone and ceramic statuettes had all shattered, there were shards of glass, ceramic, and marble all over the floor. Her wall mirror had shattered, casting a strange, fragmented image of herself back at her. On the floor, near the broken desk, lay the one undamaged piece in the room, the meditation mirror.

Raven stepped over towards the mirror, deftly avoiding the glass and debris on the floor. She picked it up, looking it over. No damage whatsoever. A reflection in the mirror caught her eye, and she turned to see the Book of Azar laying on the torn bedsheets, untouched as well. She lay the mirror on top of the book, then stepped cautiously towards the door. She had trouble finding clean carpeting to step on, but eventually found her way to the door. She reached out for the control mechanism, then jumped as a knock rang out.

She froze. She didn't want anyone to see. The knock repeated. "Raven? Are you in there? It's movie night, and no one wants to watch. C'mon, watch something with me! I'm bored."

Beastboy. She couldn't let him see this, he'd never trust her again. He'd back away, run, just like everyone who knew how powerful her powers could be when she didn't control them. He'd never speak to her the same way again.

Raven's eyes widened. That was it! If she couldn't reject Beastboy because of the pain it would cause him, and therefore herself, then he would have to reject her. If he rejected her, then he wouldn't hurt so bad, and she could just bury her own feelings through meditation. It was the only choice. She pressed the door opening switch.

Beastboy grinned at her. "So, you'd like to... Raven, what happened?" His grin had faded, as he saw her decimated room. He stepped forward, past her, staring at the abject destruction. Raven watched him, sadness wrenching her heart for some reason. She couldn't place why, it was the only logical choice. He had to see it, and then he had to hate her. It was the only logical choice.

"Raven, are you ok?" Beastboy's voice was full of worry.

Raven turned away, suddenly unable to face him. "I'm never ok."

She felt his hands on her shoulders, reassuring her. "Hey, c'mon, this is serious. What happened?"

Raven turned towards him, but still looked at the ground. "You happened."

She suddenly covered her mouth, staring at Beastboy with fear. Why had she said that? What did she mean by that? He hadn't done anything wrong, she was the problem. She was always the problem. She could feel his hurt and confusion as he looked at her.

"I happened? What do you mean?" His voice was quiet, sad. She hated it.

"Nevermind. You said it was movie night, so let's go watch something." She pulled away, his hands falling off her shoulders and to his sides. She walked to the door, but Beastboy hadn't moved.

"No, don't change the subject. What did I do to cause all this?" Beastboy stepped forward cautiously. She couldn't take his confusion and regret any more. It hurt her.

"You... You confessed that crush on me. You made me think of dating you. You made my father think of my dating you." Raven pulled her hood up over her head, turning slightly so she couldn't see his eyes.

She could feel his regret, his surprise, and his hope flare at once. "YOU thought about dating ME? That could never happen. You don't even like me!"

Raven still looked away, afraid to meet his eyes. "I didn't like you. Didn't."

She sensed the shock move through him. She winced, hating herself for admitting to it. She hadn't even admitted to herself that she liked him, and now she was telling him, as if that would help anything.

"You... didn't? Past tense?" Beastboy's voice was full of disbelief. Raven steadied herself. He knew now. She had to accept it, that she liked someone, and that the someone she liked was Beastboy.

"Past tense. I didn't realize it, until now. I'm sorry, Beastboy." She was hurting inside. She had just admitted to something that she shouldn't have. She couldn't pursue him, she couldn't do anything with the feelings she'd confessed to. It would have been better if she hadn't said it.

"Sorry? Why are you sorry? It's wierd that you like me, but seriously, I don't mind!" Beastboy was smiling at her. She didn't look at him, but she could feel it.

"Look at my room, Beastboy. This is the cost of just thinking about dating you. He... Trigon, my father, he knows about you. He can use any emotion to control me. I can't let myself feel anything at all." Her voice was calm and even, but her mind was turning, twisting, contorting to fight the emotions running through it. Regret, self-pity, anger, disappointment, and affection.

She felt his hands on her shoulders again, he was trying to help calm her, but it wasn't working. She was glad she wasn't facing him. If she had been facing him, her emotions might have beaten her. For the moment, however, she was slowly gaining control.

"Raven, I never thought I'd be rejecting you, but I can't date you right now. Terra... Terra is still in my head, and I can't just forget about her. Whatever I felt for her, it's still there. I can't just ignore it."

Raven felt ill. It felt like he'd just torn her soul out. Her shoulders shook slightly, as she tried to fight the sobs coming from inside her. Why was this affecting her so much? Why did he mean so much to her all of the sudden? She squeezed her eyes closed, focusing her emotions into her core, trying to shut them out. It was working. She couldn't be happy, but not feeling anything was better than pain.

"It's ok, Beastboy." Her voice surprised her. It was cold, even, unfeeling. She expected it to be a little different now, for some reason. She had just been rejected, and now she felt nothing at all.

Beastboy's voice was uncertain. "Are you sure?"

Raven didn't answer, instead just turning, and staring at him, with dead, cold eyes. She was herself again.

Beastboy took a deep, uncertain breath. "Uh... not that the mood it right for a movie, but Robin is training, Starfire is watching him, and Cyborg is working on his car. Want to go watch one with me?"

Raven's voice was still dead, her eyes were still cold, piercing through the boy in front of her. "No. I need to meditate, and you need to leave. You are in my room, no one comes into my room."

Beastboy's eyebrows furrowed, he was obviously unhappy with the sudden change. He sighed, however, not wanting to start an argument. He walked to the door, opened it, and stepped through. He threw a concerned, worried look at Raven, as the door shut before him.

Raven felt nothing as her erstwhile crush disappeared through the door. Her powers instinctively reached out, pressing the door lock button, and securing her privacy. She floated gently, hovering over the glass-covered carpet, and then hovering lightly over her bed, in the lotus position. She raised her arms, her index fingers pressed against her thumbs, her mind focused.

She repeated her mantra soullessly, emotionlessly. It was the only way she could live. She had to meditate, she had to suppress her emtions. She couldn't slip in guardianship of her own mind, for even a second's lapse could cause Trigon to manifest in this world, through her.

However, in the back of her mind, the core of her being, and the very center of her soul, there was still a lingering spark. She could suppress the emotion, but it was still there. She couldn't remove her recently found feelings for him, even though she had been rejected. She sighed. She would have to remove it. It was her duty to herself, and to humanity. She focused once more, her mind image surrounding her, as she chanted her chant.

Raven meditated for hours, trying to extinguish the emotion, trying to destroy her feelings. It wasn't working. The Book of Azar taught that no emotion could be completely eradicated, only suppressed until it was no longer felt. She allowed herself to stop meditating, allowing her mind to fade around her, until she was once again sitting on her bed, facing out her window, into the dark night.

She saw a gleam on her bedsheet, and she looked towards it. The mirror. Emotions. She despised the emotions, as much as she could despise anything with her current calm and repressed mind. She reached for the mirror, focusing her mind on activating it, as her own reflection stared back.

A moment later, she was once again in her own mind. She walked forward, her footsteps loud in the silent void. She looked at the dried and dead trees that lined the path as she walked forward, and she looked at the burning red eyes of the thousands of ravens that stared at her. They were his creation. Trigon's creation. He had crafted them to mock her Raven persona. She looked back to the trail, continuing along it.

The broken line of dead trees became a forest as she kept walking. Her mind was silent, calm. Her meditation and suppression had been quite effective, and she no longer needed to worry about danger here. The forest was dark, and she couldn't see past all the trees, but the path continued, and she continued walking. Her mind always set it's own path for her, and she could do nothing but follow it.

The world changed as she walked, instantly all the trees had leaves, pink leaves. The ground was soft soil, not the hard stone that had previously vexed her feet. Smells of roses, strawberries, and perfume scented the air, as she continued walking, unabated. Of all her emotions, happiness was often the least affected by meditation. She would be calmer than normal, but still far too bubbly for Raven's liking.

Raven stopped walking as she saw the emotion in question poke her head out from behind a tree, smiling at Raven. She stepped out fully, walking towards her owner slowly. She seemed a bit miffed, but Raven had a hard time reading the faces of her own emotions.

"Hi. What's up? You don't normally come in here unless something is going on." Happiness grinned, standing with her hands on her hips in mock suspicion. Raven sighed, annoyed already with having to deal with this facet of herself.

"You know what happened. A dream from him, and a rejection from Beastboy." The name felt strange on her lips, as if she shouldn't be saying it.

Happiness placed her left foot agaisnt her right knee, trying to balance on one leg. "But you still like him. I would know-whoah!"

Raven sighed as the emotion stood back up from falling down. "He doesn't like me, though. You know as well as I do that I was rejected by him."

The pink-clad doppelganger just shrugged. "Just 'cause he can't date you doesn't mean he doesn't like you. I like him anyway, and I know that he's always glad to be around you, that even made him happy when he was with Terra."

A warm, scented breeze blew past, rustling Raven's cloak as she looked around the world. She couldn't make up her mind. She knew that Beastboy still felt for Terra, or at least still felt some loyalty to her. She thought that he may still feel something for herself as well, but she was unsure. She looked back towards Happiness, rolling her eyes as she stood on her hands, walking back and forth unsteadily.

"Anyway Raven, I think you should ask him out! The worst that can happen is a rejection, and at least another one of those would help put him out of your mind." Happiness grinned upside down.

Raven sighed. "I'll think about it. I don't feel anything towards him right now, but perhaps eventually. However, I've spent enough time here."

Raven left the balancing emotion behind her, walking forward along the trail. It wasn't long before everything changed back, spontaneously, to the reddened, inky void. She looked around, strangely calmed by the sight. She continued moving, walking along the cold stone trail.

Beastboy hadn't deserved such a response to his rejection. He had a valid reason for it. Why was she so cold to him? Raven berated herself internally for hurting him again. It had been unnecessary, and even cruel. She could still see his angry features, then his worried concern as he left. She would apologize later.

The world changed again around Raven. She was now standing on a long, straight staircase, going directly up the side of a mountain, surrounded by clouds and cold. She began to ascend the staircase, knowing that Wisdom would only speak to her if she did this properly. She looked around her as she climbed the stairs, breathing deeply of the cold mountain air. This was one of the most pleasing emotional realms to be in. Happiness had scented her realm too much, and it offended Raven's nose. Timidity was the only one who knew the way through her maze, and Raven hated being lost. Bravery was far too martial to be enjoyed, and her island always smelled of perspiration.

She reached the top of the mountain a few minutes later, quite out of breath from the stairs. Looking across the flattened summit, she saw a brown-cloaked figure levitating gently in the exact center of the mountain. Raven walked towards the emotion.

Wisdom opened her eyes as Raven approached, nodding to her knowingly. "You come seeking advice on Beastboy, no doubt."

Raven hovered in front of Wisdom, in the same lotus position. "Yes. He is disrupting my meditation, and causing me to lose control of my powers."

The cloaked figure hung her head, thinking for a moment. "You expect me to advise against dating him, to tell you to stay away."

"I expect that you will give good advice. Your advice has never failed me before."

Wisdom reached up, and pulled down her hood. This was the first time Raven had ever seen her do this. Of course, she looked exactly like Raven, but it was the symbolic importance that surprised Raven. Wisdom spoke. "I agree with Happiness. You should give him another chance."

Raven was surprised at Wisdom's advice. She never agreed with Happiness. "You think I should give him another chance? Why?"

Wisdom's eyes stared into her, with that same old piercing gaze that she often gave the other Titans. "Because you need him. You need someone to latch on to in times of stress. However, you will need to be there for him as well, in the case that he needs to speak. You cannot usher him out of your room like you did earlier."

Raven looked away, remaining silent. It had been a cruel thing to do, but she had been angry.

"Also, you must tell him. You must tell him that you may never feel as strongly for him as he does for you, simply due to your heritage. Only once he understands that, can your relationship begin in earnest."

Raven sighed, moving her legs down and landing on her feet. "Thank you. I'll consider it." Raven walked away from her personality facet, and down the opposing staircase from the one she had climbed. As she walked, she considered. Wisdom was correct, as always. She needed someone to rely on, someone to talk to when things got bad. She needed someone who's voice could calm her when she was losing control. However, she wasn't sure that it was fair to date Beastboy when she could never show him any emotion.

As she stepped off the bottom step, she faced the forbidden door in the distance, it's winged helmet design setting it off from the rest of the world. She was near the exit, it wasn't long before she would be out in the real world again. She stepped forward, then scowled as the maze wall rose in front of her. Raven closed her eyes as the walls rose up around her, knowing there was no way out but through.

She turned, seeing the grey woman before her. Timidity was another irritating emotion to deal with. There was only one way to get her to do what you wanted her to.

"Get me through this maze. Do it now." Raven's voice was harsh, commanding, and cruel. The shy and fearful girl in front of her cowered as she passed by, then began walking through the maze, throwing nervous looks back at the angry Raven. Time passed.

The maze was always long, and Timidity was walking slowly, with a thoughtful expression. She had opened her mouth a few times, as if she was going to speak, but always lost the nerve before saying anything. Raven knew that she'd never talk until she was asked. Finally, they reached the end of the maze, and Timidity stood at the exit, but didn't open it. To Raven's suprise, she spoke.

"What if he rejects us?" The girl's voice was so sad and lonely that Raven almost felt the need to reach out and calm her.

"Then he will reject me. He's already done it once, I can survive it." Raven tried to act confident, despite the contagious nervousness of the emotion.

Timidity looked down at the ground, obviously afraid to speak. "What if he doesn't reject us, and you lose control? Then we will all die."

Raven stepped forward, putting her hand on Timidity's shoulder, and looking into her eyes. She hated that an emotion made her feel bad enough to try to console it, but she couldn't stand to see anyone suffer, not even her own emotions.

"Calm down. We will do what we can. I'll give him another chance. No matter what happens, we'll be fine."

Timidity looked away, tears still in her eyes. Raven sighed, putting her arms around her emotion and hugging her, trying to make her feel a little better. She was normally averse to hugs altogether, but hugging herself was acceptable. A few moments passed, and Raven could feel Timidity calm. She pulled away, and Timidity was smiling, but only slightly.

"Thank you. The door is over there. No one else will bother you." Timidity opened the exit, and Raven walked through, heading for the exit from her mind. She stepped into the forbidden door without any more resistance, and found herself once more in her nearly destroyed room.

Raven sighed deeply, and began using her powers to collect all the shattered and destroyed belongings into a pile. She would compress it using her powers once it was all together, then she would simply move it with her mind down to the dumpster, underneath the tower, for next week's dropoff. For now, however, she enjoyed the calming, menial task of cleaning.

She would give him another chance. One more chance.

A/N: Sorry to those of you who wanted movie-night fluff, it didn't happen. Raven is too repressed for happiness, or so she likes to think, and so she has to mull over the consequences of every action before taking it. Thank you for reading, despite the two day abscence. I have no idea when internet connectivity will be up again. Thanks also for the reviews, it's really nice to be getting them. See you either tomorrow or in a few days with the next chapter!