PRE CHAPTER WARING: Caution this chapter sucks…that is all.

Chapter 22

Losing a part of yourself

Starfire placed Nightmare gently on top of the bed in the med lab and watched nervously as Speedy placed several needles into his flesh and placed a clear plastic mask over his mouth.

"Will he be ok?" she asked as she watched the small bag inflate and deflate at a steady pace.

"I don't know" replied Aqua Lad as he pushed a button on a nearby machine and looked at the screen, "Well according to this he'll be fine" he said cheerfully as he smiled at the numbers and writing that appeared. Starfire breathed a sigh of relieve as she sat down beside Nightmare and too hold of his hand.

"So this is the infamous Nightmare" said Aqua Lad as he brushed his hair out of face and looked down at Nightmare's face.

"His name is Onyx" said Starfire never once taken her eyes away from his peaceful looking face. Aqua Lad smiled at as he laced his hand o her shoulder.

"I'll be in the next room if you need me" he said as he walked towards the door. Starfire smiled at him as she watched him enter the room where Speedy and Beast boy had placed Genesis and Jinx. She returned her attention back to Nightmare and gently stroked his hair away from his eyes.

"Why did you come back?" she asked as she continued to stroke his forehead and look at the bag inflate and deflate.

"Is he going to be ok?" asked Beast Boy as he wrapped his arms around h neck and kissed her head, making Starfire smile.

"I am not sure" replied Starfire sadly as she placed her hand on top of Beast Boy's and rubbed it gently.

"I can't believe it's him" said Beast Boy as he looked at Nightmare, part of him was still afraid of him but he considered Nightmare to be one of his friends.

"But it is him" smiled Starfire as she took hold of Beast Boy's hand and made him touch Nightmare's face. His skin felt cold but at the same time Beast boy could feel the warmth of life coming from deep inside Nightmare, he really was here.

"Onyx" smiled Beast boy as he removed his hand from Nightmare's face and looked down at Starfire, "Why don't you try and get some sleep?" he said as he watched her yawn slightly.

"No I wish to remain here until friend Onyx awakens" replied Starfire as she struggled to not yawn again and failed miserably. Beast Boy couldn't help but laugh as he made her stand up and held her in his arms.

"I'll call you whenever he wakes up now go sleep" smiled Beast Boy as he marched her towards the door.

"Fine I shall sleep but don't forget to call me when he wakes up" smiled Starfire as she turned around and looked at Beast boy.

"I will" replied Beast Boy as he smiled boyishly at her, "Now try and get some sleep" he said before he leant closer to her and kissed her softly on the lips.

"Your lucky you are cute" said Starfire as she broke the kiss and walked towards the corridor that lead to the sleeping quarters. Beast Boy laughed as he closed the door to the med lab and puller a chair up to Nightmare's bed.

"Just you and me now" he said as he sat on the chair and watched the air bag inflate and deflate.

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Speedy watched and held Jinx's hand tightly as Aqua Lad finished his examination of her body.

"Well doc?" he asked with a slight smile as he watched Aqua Lad hang his stethoscope back around his neck.

"She'll be fine, she just needs a little sleep" replied Aqua Lad as he put a blanket over Jinx.

"What about her?" asked Speedy as he glanced over at Genesis lying on the bed at the far end of he room.

"I don't know what's wrong with her" answered Aqua Lad sadly as he walked over to her, "According to these read outs she should be just fine and awake, but as you can clearly see she isn't". Aqua Lad lingered beside herbed for a while loner before he walked back over to Speedy and Jinx.

"Listen man you look tired why don't you try and get some sleep" he said as he placed his hand on Speedy's shoulder and looked at his tired eyes.

"I'd rather stay until she wakes up" replied Speedy as he looked at Jinx and gently rubbed her hand with his own. Aqua Lad smiled and walked towards the door.

"She's a very lucky lady" he said as he left the med lab and walked towards Cyborg's room.

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Aqua Lad entered Cyborg's room and saw Starfire standing beside Cyborg as he lay in his recharger.

"What are doing here Star?" he asked cheerfully as he steeped into the room and stood beside her.

"Will he ever wake up?" asked Starfire quietly as she looked at Cyborg's peaceful looking face.

"Hopefully once his battery is fully charged" replied Aqua Lad as he placed his arm around her, "You'll see in no time flat we'll have the big guys voice booming around the Tower again". Starfire couldn't help but smile slightly as she looked at Aqua Lad and cuddled up closer to him.

"Thank you" she said happily as she looked at the power meter on Cyborg's arm slowly increase.

"Anytime" replied as he kissed her head, "Now you should try and sleep" he said as he noticed her yawn.

"Your worse than my husband" she pouted as she stuck her tongue at him and left the room, "Good night Aqua Lad" she said before he disappeared around the corner of the door. Aqua Lad jus smiled as he pulled up one of Cyborg's chairs and placed his communicator on the table beside him.

"See you when you wake up" he said to Cyborg as he rested on the chair and watched the power meter slowly increase.

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Nightmare slowly opened his eyes and looked at the ceiling above him.

"Where am I?" he groaned as he sat up, he looked around him and noticed the needle that was sticking into his arm, I hate needles" he said as he pulled it out and winced at the pain it caused him.

"I see your finally awake" said a voice from the shadows making Nightmare turn his head and look at them.

"Who said that?" asked Nightmare as he climbed out of bed and cracked his neck.

"Me" replied Deathwing as he stepped out of the shadows and bowed at Nightmare, his black wings where neatly folded behind his back. He raised his head again and was sent smashing through the door by a punch from Nightmare.

"What are you doing here?" growled Nightmare as he leapt through the hole Deathwing had made and drove his fist into Deathwing's exposed chest.

"I'm not here to fight you" said Deathwing as he grabbed Nightmare's next punch and slammed him against the wall, pinning his arms at his side.

"Then what do you want?" asked Nightmare angrily as he pushed Deathwing away and re entered his fighting stance.

"To help you" said Deathwing as he raise his hands and looked at Nightmare. Nightmare simply looked at him in confusion and slowly lowered his guard.

"Help me do what?" asked Nightmare as he watched Deathwing walk towards him, he still kept his hand balled up in tight fists at his fists.

"To understand" smiled Deathwing as he stopped and looked into Nightmare's eyes, his face was only a few inches away.

"Understand what?" asked Nightmare as he moved his head away s Deathwing raised his hands to his face.

"You'll see" smiled Deathwing as he placed his hand gently on nightmare's chin and closed his eyes. Nightmare suddenly screamed in pain as images of a lone figure sitting in a dark room talking to himself. He tried to pull away from the intense pain but Deathwing wouldn't let him as he placed his other hand on Nightmare's other cheek. Nightmare screamed even louder a he fell to his knees with Deathing as he heard the figure's voice.

"What do you want?" demanded the figure as it took another drink from a bottle it held it's hand.

"To help you my dear little Nightwing" replied a strange new voice, "I can bring Raven back to you". Nightwing slowly raised his head and looked at the shadows in front of him.

"You can?" he asked softly as he wiped away his tears.

"Yes but you'll have to do something for me" replied the voice making Nightwing take another drink.

"Anything, I'll do anything to be with Raven again" replied Nightwing as he took off his mask and neck tie and tossed it onto is bed.

"Excellent" replied the voice, a tone of extreme happiness could be clearly heard in its voice, "My task is simple I want you to help me return to this pathetic universe. Only then will I bring Raven back to you". Nighting looked at the wall as a face of darkness appeared on it and smiled at him.

"So will you help me?" it asked as it changed into a robed figure and held it's hand out to Nightwing. Nightwing shot his hand forward and took hold of the figures.

"Like I said I'd do anything for Raven" smiled Nightwing as he looked at the figure.

"Then the deal is made" said the figure as it pulled Nightwing into the shadows .

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Deathwing finally let go of Nightmare and fell backwards panting heavily. Nightmare fell onto his stomach and started trembling uncontrollable.

"What was that?" he asked weakly as he looked at Deathwing. Deathwing just looked at him before returning to his feet, he barely managed to remain standing as he walked slowly towards where he lay.

"The instant I went bad" smiled Deathwing as he helped Nightmare to stand back up. Nightmare just looked at him and suddenly fell back onto his knees as he felt a sharp pain in his head.

"What's happening to me?" he roared as he clutched his head and rolled about on the floor screaming in pain.

"Sorry but I can't allow you to interfere" smiled Deathwing as he watched Nightmare roll about on the floor, clutching his head and screaming in agony.

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Beast Boy looked up as Nightmare's eyes shot open and he screamed in pain. He fell off his chair and ran over to the inter com system on the wall and frantically pressed random buttons.

"What is it Beast Boy?" asked Aqua Lad's weary sounding voice.

"Get to the med lab quick something wrong with Nightmare" said Beast Boy hurriedly before he hung up the line and ran back over to Nightmare, who was now floating a few inches above the bed.

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Nightmare gritted his teeth together as he reached towards Deathwing and grabbed hold of his leggings.

"What have you done to me?" said Nightmare weakly as the pain seared through his head making him let go of Deathwing and clutch his head again.

"Goodbye Nightmare" whispered Deathwing as he watched Nightmare's body begin to slowly disappear. He smiled as he turned away from and disappeared into the shadow he entered by.

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Nightmare screamed as he sent Beast Boy, Speedy and Aqua Lad flying across the room as he freed his arm from their grips. He suddenly stopped and fell back onto the bed, and began to breath more slowly.

"What was all that about?" asked Speedy as he pushed Beast Boy off of his chest and looked over at Nightmare. Aqua Lad just shrugged at him as he carefully made his way towards the bed.

"Nightmare you ok?" asked Aqua Lad as he gently nudged Nightmare making him open his eyes slightly. He suddenly sat up , making Aqua Lad jump back from fright.

"What have you done to me?" he asked as he looked at Aqua Lad, his face had a look of confusion and fear in it.

"Nothing" said Aqua Lad as he tried to stop himself trembling and looked at the confused figure on the bed.

"Then where is he?" he demanded as he stepped out of the bed and grabbed Aqua Lad by the arm. He suddenly let go as Beast Boy and Speedy tackled him to the ground.

"Who?" asked Aqua Lad as he helped his friends restrain the enraged and confused young man in the long black coat. The figure roared in fury and sent Beast Boy, Speedy and Aqua Lad flying across the room.

"Tell me what you've done to Nightmare, I can no longer hear his voice in my head!" roared the figure as he glared at Beast Boy and company.

"Onyx is that you?" asked Beast Boy as he looked at the figure they thought was Nightmare.

"What have you done to Nightmare?" asked Onyx sorrowfully as he fell to his knees and began crying into his hands.

Told y'all it sucked anyway remember to stay safe.

Later days