Title: No one ever said love was easy—chapter seven: emotionally emotional

Disclaimers: no, I do not own the teen titans. (Sigh) life is so unfair…

Second Disclaimers: this story is about a relationship between to gals. Just thought I'd warn ya!

This chapter is going to be long, to make up for the other ones. So, have at thee!

(Dramatic much? Lol)

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Last chapter

"Where is every one?!" she shouted out. All she heard was her voice echoing back at her. A form dropped down in front of her shocking her senseless. It wore a yellow cape with its hood drawn.

"Who are you?" she yelled, getting into a fighting position.

The figure took a few steps closer and in an all to familiar voice said,

"I'm every one."

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IN STARFIRE'S MIND

Raven lowered her arms slowly as the figure came closer.

"Which emotion are you? Where is everyone? Why are you the only emotion here?"

The emotion (I'll just call her star for em for short.) pulled down her hood and offered Raven a sad smile.

"I'm intelligence, there is no everyone and it's a long story. I take it Starfire fainted."

Raven raised an eyebrow before nodding. What was going on here?

Em shrugged sadly. "I knew it. It was only a matter of time."

They walked silently side by side until they reached a meadow that looked like it was once full of life, but was now dead and withered. Raven shuddered. "What is this place?"

"This is where happiness used to stay."

They came across a small table with chairs and sat down across from each other. Raven lowered her hood to get a good look at Em. The emotion's eyes were a dull green and her hair was dry. Her skin was no longer a light orange; it had taken up a white complexion and looked to be almost transparent.

"What do you mean used to? What's happening to Starfire?"

Em leaned back in her chair. "If I tell you, you must remain silent until I finish, okay?"

"Understood."

The emotion sighed deeply as if hoping Raven would have said otherwise before starting her story.

"Starfire is dying."

Raven shook her head. "Cyborg said she was in perfect health."

It seemed like she had forgotten about being silent, but neither of them seemed to notice. "Her emotions are fading away. Soon, she will become an empty shell, and then her body will give out as well."

"It doesn't make sense though. When did all this happen?"

"I'd say, two, three weeks ago?"

Raven gasped. Right when Beast Boy and I started dating. "Go on."

"It's simple enough, really. Love started fading first. Without love, Happiness starts fading. And without Happiness, Dopey starts fading."

Em paused to gather her thoughts before continuing.

"Love and Anger balance out each other, as you well know. So, without Love, Anger becomes unbalanced and soon begins to fade too. Without Anger, Lust starts fading away. For a while, all she felt was sadness, but then after that, she stopped feeling that as well. Soon, I too will fade into nothing. The only one that's holding on is hope."

Raven shrugged. "I have these all the time. I get over it."

"That is because you trapped your father within you, and he controls your anger, which balances it out. If it weren't for him, you too would begin to die."

Em took a deep breath before continuing.

"Most people think that the world would be better without anger and hatred. But honestly, you would begin to look like Starfire; an empty shell. What is the point of forgiveness, if there are never any fights? How can you have peace, if there are never any wars?"

"You can't." Raven replied.

"Exactly. They balance each other out. Anger causes pain and suffering, and Love gives us a soft heart so we can forgive and forget. They are like the light and the dark, the right and the wrong. For you can't see the dark without the light and you can't know what's right if you've never seen what's wrong. The world would be in turmoil if Anger were to suddenly disappear. That is why it has a hot head—anger knows it is the thing that keeps you alive."

Raven cleared her throat, trying to get to the point. Not that she knew all this, but it was hard to accept the fact that every time she was depressed her father was the one who saved her.

"You said hope is the only one who's holding out. Can I see her?"

Intelligence smiled. "Yes. But to do so, we must travel to Love's territory." She sighed, shaking her head. "Hope is trying so hard to make Love not give up, but I'm afraid only one person can do that."

Raven sighed. "Sorry, but Robin didn't make it through the mirror."

"Then perhaps Robin isn't the one Love needs."

Her words made a small smile appear on Raven's face. "Perhaps."

At last, they came along Love's territory. Unlike happiness, it was beautiful and full of life.

They saw Love sitting on a boulder with her cloak wrapped around her. Next to Love was Hope talking patiently to love. Evidently love didn't agree to whatever she was saying, for she kept shaking her head softly, muttering "no."

Hope heard the two approaching and looked up, smiling once she saw who was with intelligence. Raven flinched. Like intelligence, love had faded, but she was like a ghost. The only thing that was still solid was her tears that feel freely from her face.

Raven kneeled besides her and gently brushed away the tears with her fingers. "Why the long face?"

She mentally rolled her eyes. Oh that's original…..

Love looked up at Raven and began to cry again, this time more loudly.

Raven tried not to let her emotions loose as Love wrapped her arms around her middle and hugged her tight. Raven stroked her hair gently. It was dry and breaking off, but it felt wonderful to her fingertips. Finally Love pulled away. Raven smiled sadly at her, it widening when one was returned.

"You should smile more, Love. You look so beautiful when you do."

Love's smile reached her eyes this time. I love the way she says my name….

Raven smiled back before stopping herself. Just because she was in Starfire's mind, didn't mean that she could let loose of her emotions.

Her not smiling seemed to make the situation worse; Love began crying again. Raven sighed. "Why are you crying?"

Most of it was babbling and sobbing, but all she could make out was "don't love me…."

Raven shook her head softly. "Love you? Star, ofcourse I love you, I mean, you're my friend."

Love began bawling once more. "…..love beast boy."

Her eyes widened as she finally got the picture. It all made sense. Why Starfire had said nothing when Beast Boy had asked her out, why she had asked to ride with Robin, and why her emotions had started fading. Intelligence's words came back to her. Love started fading first……..

She lifted Love's chin up with two fingers and captured her lips in a gentle, yet passionate kiss that erupted a fire in Raven's body like no other. They finally broke away--Raven having to come up for air. Love smiled softly. "You don't love Beast Boy?"

"How could I love anyone that smells like tofu?"

Love squealed and jumped up. She spread her arms out and began to spin around in a circle so fast it was almost as if she were invisible.

Right before their eyes, the other emotions started to appear, first fuzzily, but finally getting more and more solid until they were back to their regular selves. The emotions began surrounding Raven and tell her thanks. Even Anger had slapped her hard on the back and said "Not bad, for you." Raven smiled, knowing it was the closest thing to an apology she'd ever get from the dark emotion.

After a few more minutes of talking, and hugs from love, she decided it was time to go. Starfire wouldn't be able to wake up until she left. Besides, Lust was giving her way to many looks.

As she was leaving her mind, something inside her shifted. It was as if she was suddenly able to notice things she'd never noticed before. Like how bright the sun was, or how nice it was to be alive for a change. A new emotion had entered her mind that day. One that made her view on life brightens.

Raven smiled her real smile for the first time in years. "I think I'll call this one Hope."

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This includes my philosophy of life. Usually, everyone is worried about 'world peace' and all that crap, but I believe that good and evil balance out each other in some odd way.

No, this is not the last chapter, but it'll prolly be the longest. (lol)

Many thanks to my reviewers. I was thinking about just dropping this story all together, but you encouraged me, so here it is!

Next chapy: the healing process

Flames are allowed, but please be gentle—

Sabrinaw226