Disclaimer: I know you are probably getting bored of me saying this but I have to. I do not own the Teen Titans! (Nor anything associated with them, except for this fan fiction story, or any other stories I decide to write!)
Series Title: Creation
(NOTE: R and R, please!)
PART SIX:
SECTION ONE: UNCONSCIOUS
I hear voices, but they are far away.
"Yo, Cy! Is she going to be okay?"
"I don't know, BB."
It is quiet as I fade in and out of consciousness.
SECTION TWO: DEAL WITH IT
Back at the Tower, the Titans laid Ria on a bed in the med-lab. The collar had fallen off her neck, which was good. But her skin felt clammy and hot. She had a very high fever. Cyborg wasn't sure Ria would recover.
"I hope our new friend will be all right." –Starfire. The Titans were grouped inside the med-lab, except for Robin. He had gone right to his room to brood about Slade's escape.
"We don't know if she is a friend or a foe. Not yet anyway." Raven stated, looking at the girl lying motionless on the bed.
"Oh… I could not bear to think that she might leave us!" –Starfire. She was obviously still upset about throwing the starbolt at Ria earlier.
Beastboy could not stand it anymore. He left the med-lab. Starfire attempted to comfort him, but Raven stopped her. He attempted to play videogames in the living room. He tried everything to take his mind off what was happening. But it was no use. He ended up just staring out the window.
Starfire came into the living room. She laid her hand on Beastboy's shoulder and said, "Do not despair, Beastboy. Ria will recover." When Beastboy did not respond, Starfire tried her best to make him laugh by telling funny jokes from her home planet Tamaran. She even tried making funny Earthling noises. He just walked out of the room leaving Starfire gazing sadly after him.
"Oh… I fear that Beastboy may be eternally trapped within the bowels of his grief! I tried everything to make him happy once more— Starfire lamented the next day after a sleepless night by Ria's bed.
"Starfire." She was cut off by a look from Raven.
After a moment, Cyborg suggested that they all go get some shut-eye. On her way to her room, Starfire passed Robin's door She stopped. He has not come out of his room since the battle with Slade… perhaps I should see of he is all right as well? She decided against it, and walked on to her room.
SECTION THREE: AWAKENING
As I open my eyes, a piercing pain comes from my head. I try to sit up but I begin to cough. At the sound of my coughing, a door opens and Cyborg rushes in along with the girl with green eyes and the boy with the 'R' on his chest. Raven and Beastboy are not there.
"Where-
"You shouldn't sit up, Ria. You were badly strangled."
"Yes! No more coughing now please!"
"But—" a new fit of coughing interrupted and so did Robin.
"You're probably wondering where you are, right? You're back at Titans Tower."
"I cannot stay here."
"Well, you're gonna have to until we get you back on your feet again."
"No." I sat up on the edge of the bed. I had to get out of there. Fast.
"You must do as Cyborg says! You are damaged, and we must make you well again."
"You don't understand." I tried to stand, but I almost fell. The boy with the cape, whose name I learned was Robin, caught me.
"Starfire's right. You're not going anywhere. Besides, what wouldn't we understand?" I remain silent to his questions.
"I do not wish to talk. Ask Raven. She will tell you all you need to know."
SECTION FOUR: REVELATION
Raven summarized the story to Cyborg, Starfire, and Robin:
"As Beastboy said a while ago, Slade created Ria using the three scientists that we heard about. Soon after the project was completed, Slade had Ria kill the three scientists."
"And Slade intended to use Ria to destroy us as well." Robin filled in the rest of the story, "The scientists were just a practice run for Ria." He had figured this out while thinking in his room for the past day and a half.
"Yes." –Raven.
"How did Slade manage to get Ria to kill the scientists but not us?" –Cyborg.
"Slade used the collar that we saw Ria wearing. Apparently, he tested its ability to work using the three scientists. Either that, or Ria can't fully control her powers." –Robin.
"But what did Slade do the last time?" –Starfire.
"I don't know. We have to ask Ria." –Robin.
"If she is willing to explain." –Raven.
SECTION FIVE: FORGIVENESS
On his way to the roof, Beastboy heard someone moving around up there. He peeked through the door, and there was Ria! She was sitting down looking at the bay.
"Whoa! Sorry! Didn't know I was gonna have company up here!"
Ria didn't say anything. Beastboy sat down a little apart from her. "So…how are you feeling?" Ria turned her head and looked at him, but still did not say anything. Neither did Beastboy. Ria finally cut into the silence between them, "Thank you."
"What?" She had said it so softly he could barely hear her.
"Thank you for-your advice."
"What advice?"
Ria shook her head at him, "About being myself."
"Oh. That. For a second there, I had no idea what you were talking about." Beastboy laughed uncomfortably for a few seconds. Ria did not say anything.
As the laughter died, Ria said, "It is true, as you know."
"What is?"
"What I did."
"Oh."
"I hate myself for it. And anything that has happened. I wish I was never created or that Slade had just killed me."
"Don't say That!"
"I can. And I have."
"But it wasn't your fault. Slade made you do it."
Ria was silent. But Raven was not, "There is nothing we can do to change the past." Startled, Beastboy turned to face Raven. Ria did not seem surprised at all, "I knew you would say that."
"You shouldn't blame yourself. Only one person should be blamed, and that is Slade." Robin said from behind Raven. Cyborg nodded in agreement.
"We have something to ask you."
"We wish for you to stay here! With us! Hehehe!" Starfire laughed, flew over, and grabbed Ria into a giant hug. She was grabbed so roughly, that Ria began another coughing spasm.
Through her coughing, Ria managed to reply, "I can't."
"Why not? We all agreed to it. And we'd be happy to have you stay with us."
Ria looked around at the faces of Beastboy, Cyborg, Raven, Robin, and Starfire. Each face seemed serious about allowing her to stay and to become a Teen Titan.
SECTION SIX: THE ANSWER
I cannot accept their invitation. Not after what has happened. I have allowed them to save my life, but I do not know what to do now. I am letting my human mind take over too much. I turn to the wolf in me. The wolf finds acceptance here. I say, "Thank you but…" I see their faces drop in shock, "I will stay."