Mind Games
FINALLY!!!
Argh! It's been a long time coming! I apologize greatly for not having this up yesterday! My dad came in when I was - this point is emphasized with the following parentheses - this close () to finishing, and he said he needed the internet wire. So I was like "WHAT?!" and he was all "YEAH!!" And the rest is history from there.
But on the bright side, this chapter is a whoppin' 24 pages long! XD That's right...more than chapter 5 and 6 put together! Bwah ha!
I also want to warn you guys right now that Raven might seem a little OOC in this chappie. The sole purpose is to get the plot moving, though, because if one thing doesn't happen in some way or another, then another thing can't happen and so on and so forth, which would make for a crappy arse story. Am I right or am I right?
Glad you all agree...
As usual, reviews on the bottom. You guys were such great sports in waiting for this! So I thank you all deeply and truly! ::huggles everyone and passes out bags of coffee beans:: And so, without further ado, a poem...and "Pandemonium, Part 2"! :D
One need not be a Chamber – to be Haunted –
One need not be a House –
The Brain has Corridors – surpassing
Material Place –
Far safer, of a Midnight Meeting
External Ghost
Than its Interior Confronting –
That Cooler Host.
Far safer, through an Abbey gallop,
The Stones a'chase –
Than Unarmed, one's a'self encounter –
In lonesome Place –
Ourself behind ourself, concealed –
Should startle most –
Assassin hid in our Apartment
Be Horror's least.
The Body – borrows a Revolver –
He bolts the Door –
O'erlooking a superior spectre –
Or More –
(Emily Dickinson)
Pandemonium, Part 2
The statement reverberated in Robin's head as he immediately retracted his hand from the doorknob of Room 378.
"…This is the room where Bryan is supposed to be."
The Boy Wonder gulped – a sound he thought bounced all over the hallway, as it was blanketed in silence.
Slowly, he stepped away from the door, still thinking about Raven's words.
Was she serious? His room? But…his name…she had to be joking…
And yet…
Robin turned to look at Raven. She had wrapped her body from her neck under in the confines of her cloak. Her breathing seemed hitched…unsynchronized.
…he believed her.
Nothing made sense, and by now, Robin knew he shouldn't expect it to. Things just were. They just happened. He knew what he had to do. He would take everything one step at a time. Let it happen. Figure it out later.
His thoughts were interrupted by his half-robotic teammate, who, uncomfortable with the silence that settled in, cleared his throat, catching the attention and stares of his two fellow Titans.
"Uh…" Cyborg said, looking down at Raven, in particular. "You…sure you got the right room number?"
Raven looked at the door label one more time, and then faced Cyborg again, shaking her head. "I swear. His name was on it and everything yesterday."
"But…that doesn't make any sense," Cyborg said, looking confused.
"Tell me about it," she deadpanned.
"Look," Robin ordered. "We've already established that we can't make sense of what's going on. And we're gonna deal with it. Later."
Raven and Cyborg titled their heads at Robin's statement.
He continued. "Right now, it's only fair that we pay a visit to our friends. The room number doesn't matter right now. How they got here doesn't matter. When we're done, we'll focus all our attention on this Bryan kid, and we'll figure everything out. For now, though, let's just tell them what we know and take everything as it comes, okay?"
The two listeners nodded, and Robin reached for the doorknob again.
Raven took a deep breath; Cyborg reassuringly put a hand on her shoulder. "You know," he said sympathetically, "if you don't wanna go in, you don't have to. We'll understand."
Robin looked back over his shoulder and nodded, smiling in agreement with Cyborg's words.
The Goth breathed again, and stared intently at the doorknob Robin's hand rested upon.
"Open the door," she said monotonously, a ghost of a smile flickering across her face.
Robin grinned wider at her, pushing the door open, and with it, a sudden rush enveloped Raven: Fear flooded her every organ; chills tingled down her spine.
She remembered what she did to both Beast Boy and Starfire, but before Robin opened the door to what was now their hospital room, she didn't recall the feelings she had known.
Opening their room door unleashed an emotional stampede in Raven's mind. She remembered fear…she remembered sadness… regret…longing…and a thousand other emotions she couldn't name…
Suddenly, Raven got the feeling that she didn't want to go in anymore.
Anything was better than enduring time with Beast Boy and Starfire.
Surely, they'd be mad at her. Wouldn't they? Robin couldn't even give her a straight answer when she asked him.
"Ladies first?" Cyborg suggested, nudging Raven.
She spun around to him at once, wide-eyed, panicked, adjusting her hood. "…I insist," she told him, gesturing for him to go in first.
Cyborg studied her for a moment, and then let out a short, hearty chuckle, grabbing hold of one of her hands. "There's nothing to worry about," he said quietly, leaning down to her face. "I promise."
Raven nodded in response. Her hand still clasped in Cyborg's, the dark girl followed him inside, Robin stepping in after her.
The guilt that Raven had known only moments ago was gone.
Even the feeling that overcame her when she visited Bryan in this exact room...vanished. Non-existent. Diminished with the white of the walls. The aura that surrounded her, instead, was unreadable – not cheerful and not gloomy at the same time. It was just…blank. A veil. Emotionless…like the façade she was required to wear regularly.
In fact, the only thing that made this room not seem so surreal was the steady, simultaneous beeping of two heart monitors – one for Beast Boy, and the other for Starfire.
"I thought the nurse said they were ready to see us," Cyborg commented to Robin. Though, where Robin was, Raven couldn't tell. Cyborg was blocking most of her view, so it was only a natural assumption that Robin, as well as Beast Boy and Starfire, were somewhere in front of her.
"Well, I guess she was right, then, wasn't she?" the boy said. Except the boy wasn't Robin. The pitch was higher, cracked even; and still it maintained a joking air about it.
Beast Boy.
Raven smiled inwardly. He sounded well.
"Awake, then?" Robin inquired. She was only guessing, but by the way the voices trailed to her ear, Raven could only assume that Beast Boy was in a bed straight ahead of her, maybe a slight bit to her left, and Robin was situated right beside it. If Raven was intuitive enough, perhaps he was standing directly in the middle of Beast Boy and Starfire's beds.
(She was right, she'd soon come to find out.)
"Yup. Awake. And not as bored outta my mind as I was yesterday," the changeling informed his leader, acknowledging the bed beside him with a thumb. A now bandaged and cared for redheaded alien popped her head out of her bed sheets.
"It was quite admirable of our caretakers to assign us the same quarters, was it not?" she stated, quiet, yet still surprisingly optimistic. Her voice seemed a little more distant from the spot where Raven stood rooted.
"Yeah, it was definitely the coolest the hospital's been so far…seeing as they don't even have cable or a Gamestation here," Beast Boy said, his ears drooping slightly at his thoughts.
From what Raven could see, he was right. Nothing but white walls, and basic channels…well, it was enough to drive him crazy, put it that way.
"Man, it's hardly even been two days, and you're already complaining! What does this look like, a five-star hotel?" Cyborg said, now jumping into the conversation.
Starfire giggled, and Robin shook his head at the playful – and normal – commotion that was arising.
"Might as well be! And why should you talk, Cy? You've got it easy at the Tower…probably re-beat every number one record on our games by now, eh?"
"No," was the flat, and somewhat disappointed, response.
"So, what?" the shape shifter said, crossing his arms.
Cyborg stood where he was, perplexed, an eyebrow raised. "…What do you mean, 'so what'?"
"So," Beast Boy said again. "You gonna give your favorite green dude a proper greeting or what?"
Cyborg rolled his eyes, laughed, and stuck out a fist, "Yeah, gimme some love daw – " he stopped mid-step, his eyes going wide for a split second.
Soon enough, Raven had realized…her hand was still in his. She looked at the two intertwined for a moment, before she promptly released her hand from Cyborg's, clearly not ready to be face-to-face with her hurt colleagues.
"Cyborg?" Starfire questioned. "…Is there something wrong?"
It was too late.
And there was no point.
Why hide behind Cyborg? She was bound to face the two again, anyway.
And she agreed to it, too…
And she never broke a promise…
Raven just shrugged at Cyborg, as Beast Boy inquired alongside Starfire about what was the matter.
Taking a deep breath, Raven poked her head out slowly around the massive figure that was her half-robotic teammate. Feeling virtually comfortable, the Goth stepped out fully, and stood beside Cyborg, timidly and quickly waving a hand so as to greet her two hospitalized friends.
"Hi?" she said, quietly, feeling smaller and smaller every second…
As soon as she put her hand down, Raven witnessed an impetuous change in expression on both Beast Boy and Starfire's faces.
Just moments ago, they were smiling in all of their aching glory.
The way they looked at her now, Raven felt as though she were some monster – hideous, evil – like she was something taken right out of Wicked Scary.
But she couldn't blame them.
The looks on their faces…bright when Robin and Cyborg came in, and they had no idea she was there. One blink of the eye – they were petrified. Frozen, stunned, scared.
…Not to mention the fact that their heart monitors were beeping three times the normal…
Raven gulped.
The silence amongst the Teen Titans lasted for what seemed like hours. It was broken though, in what was truly a minute, with the sound of shifting, rustling bed sheets.
In seconds flat, both Starfire and Beast Boy cowered in their sheets to the point where only their eyes were discernible.
"Heh…Hey, Raven," Beast Boy said.
The blue-clad teenager guessed that he was probably trying to smile under the covers…very tensely, she might add.
Raven sighed.
She sort of expected this.
Truthfully, she expected worse. She was secretly appreciative that that wasn't the case.
Not knowing what to say, and feeling very awkward at the moment, Raven nudged Cyborg in the side as discreet as possible, in which case he looked to her and then to Robin, attempting to break the silence.
"Uh…" he said, holding an index finger up.
"Raven's…just…um…" Robin trailed off of his improvised excuse, scratching the back of his neck.
This was not going well…
"I'm here," she provided (both Beast Boy and Starfire winced at her voice), "because I don't want to hurt you anymore."
The frightened teammates barely relaxed at this, although their heart monitors rapid beeping significantly dropped. They tilted their heads ever so slightly, and somewhat loosened their grip on the bed sheets, revealing the overall bewildered and scared expressions on their faces.
Raven continued, slowly, choosing her words so as to not make the two any more uncomfortable than they already were – it wasn't hard to sense. "…I know just as much about what's going on as the both of you. Actually…probably less."
Beast Boy piped up, his voice not so much as a whisper. "Look, Raven," he said coyly, "if this is about the whole joke thing yesterday, I'm really – "
"I'm sorry, Beast Boy," the dark girl interrupted, shaking her head.
She looked from him to Starfire, who smiled feebly at what Raven had said.
"And, Starfire, I'm really sorry about what happened today," she said, directing her words towards the alien girl, who studied her for a moment before nodding in forgiveness, adding this:
"I accept your apology, Raven, but I must admit how…frazzled…I was in such a circumstance. Raven," she said, pulling down her bed sheets, and leaning forward a little, looking at her Gothic teammate straight in the eye, "what happened today…you seemed…very unlike yourself. It was as though – "
" – you were a whole other person," Beast Boy finished off, looking at Raven skeptically.
"I know," Raven said, nodding.
"We've noticed it, too," Robin jumped in, leaning casually on Starfire's bed. "But…there's no way of getting to the bottom of this. Not unless we have the right sources – "
" – and ask the right questions," Cyborg completed.
"Look," Raven said, sitting on Beast Boy's bed out of subconscious impulse. He automatically flinched, pulling up his bed sheets once more, and Raven immediately stood back up in between both beds.
Still hesitant, but otherwise okay, Beast Boy apologetically waved her back over, and Raven sat down on the far corner of his bed. She looked at him with a mixture of hurt and sympathy before continuing.
"I can honestly say that I have no idea what's been going on with me for the past two days…can we all agree on that?" Raven said, her monotone in full swing.
The four other Titans nodded in agreement.
"In fact, the only thing we do know is that…." She thought about how to word it for a moment. "My sudden…attacks…on you guys occur only when I'm seeing Bryan. I don't know how, and I don't know why, but that's just the basic fact."
"Bryan?" Beast Boy said after a moment of silent thought, his forehead wrinkled. "Who's Bryan?"
Raven had almost forgotten. Beast Boy being the first victim, he wasn't aware of the entire ordeal…of what she thought happened versus what the other Titans had witnessed…
Briefly, the other four Titans explained to the changeling exactly who they thought Bryan was – who he truly was in Raven's case – and how he fit into the whole situation.
"…So when it seemed as though Raven was attacking you and I…"
"…what she really thought was that she was seeing Bryan…"
"…there's no making sense of the whole situation, though, because I first saw him yesterday at the exact same time that I had hurt you…"
"…and she saw him again today at the exact point in time that she got to Star…"
"…So even though there's that evidence against me…" Raven sighed. "It just doesn't make sense." She took her head in her hands, and closed her eyes for a moment.
Robin put a hand on her shoulder. "Raven, it's alright. We already know that it doesn't make sense…but we'll figure it out," he reminded her.
"No. That doesn't cut it," Raven remarked, pummeling one of her hands with the other. "I remember getting the invitation to see Bryan from the Make-A-Wish Foundation in the mail. And I remember you all telling me that I should go see him. But where do these memories come into play, unless it's some figment of my imagination?" she said, exasperated.
The other four Titans just looked around at one another, none of them holding an answer.
"And then there's the fact that I see him only when, in reality, I'm just hurting you guys." She clasped the bridge of her nose with her index finger and thumb, concentrating as best she could. "If he wasn't real then, how come I have memories of him? Why can I remember coming to see him here? Why do I remember how to get around here? Why was I right about that stupid elevator?!" she said, aversely. "And why do I know that this was his room number?"
Both Starfire and Beast Boy gasped.
"…This room belongs to Bryan?" the alien girl thought aloud.
Robin nodded. "It seems that way." And then a thought… "But if Bryan was here – "
" – then where is he now?" Cyborg finished. "Why would they have moved him and put BB and Star in here?"
"There's too many questions. And we have no answers to any of them," Robin stated.
"Aww, man! My head is really starting to hurt now!" Beast Boy whined, slamming his back onto his mattress with full force. "…Ow."
"We need to go down there," Raven said, "and get his room number. I just need to talk to him…settle this once and for all." She rubbed her head.
"Is there anything we can do to assist you in your venture?" Starfire asked.
Robin smiled at her. "No. Just…keep Beast Boy from losing anymore brain cells."
"Dude, that was so uncalled for!" the shape shifter exclaimed.
Robin just smirked. "If they're still allowing visitors when we're done with Bryan, we'll come back, okay?"
"Be careful!" Starfire said.
"We will, don't worry," Cyborg returned.
"And I promise," Raven said, getting up from Beast Boy's bed to face both him and Starfire, "I'm going to find out what happens, no matter what it takes."
"And whoever's behind this whole mess is going to regret ever causing problems in the first place," Cyborg added, putting his arm around Raven's shoulder to lead her out, smiling.
"We know, Raven," Starfire nodded, an encouraging smile plastered on her face.
Raven beamed appreciatively before walking out of the room alongside Robin and Cyborg.
---
"Excuse me?"
…A simple miscommunication.
It was hard, after all, to communicate with a person who couldn't hear over her filer, scraping at a fingernail vigorously to manicured perfection, chewing a stick of gum in the process…
Raven cleared her throat and leaned on the counter. "Ma'am?"
She concentrated on a new nail, the same potent rhythm as before, her jaw going up and down in synchronization with the filer's beat.
"Excuse me."
Damn nail file. It was the only sound in the waiting room aside from the occasional cough. There weren't many visitors occupying the ground floor now; the sun was quickly fading. Looking out of a window, one could witness the rapid change in the sky – from a dusty orange to a flawless magenta.
The telekinetic sighed, and turned around to her two friends, who were standing several feet behind her. She gave Robin a questioning look, and he prodded her on with a shooing motion of his hands.
"Um…I'm in need of assistance?" Raven tried, knowing full well that the receptionist would still cease to look up.
A tick started to form in Raven's temple. As politely as possible, she tried a new tactic. She eyed the nail flier, and within a few seconds, it flew helplessly into her open palm, enveloped in black energy.
The nurse stopped what she was doing, and shot her head up, bitter from being disrupted. "Hey! What's the big idea?!" she fumed, her brown eyes sparkling in frustration.
She was a petite brunette with a short fuse and a high-pitched New York accented voice that made anyone want to listen to nails on a chalkboard instead. She couldn't be any more than 21. Raven looked at her nametag. Hi, my name is Sasha.
"I've been standing here for a while now with a request," Raven said, hostile.
"I said 'What'," Sasha claimed, harshly.
Raven countered. "No you di - !"
"Heh. Uh, Raven?" Robin interrupted. "It's okay, just…give the nice lady back her nail filer…" he said, trailing off when Raven spun around to him.
Her expression seemed to say it all… 'What am I? Five?!'
Reluctantly, however, she obeyed her leader's order, and stretched her hand over the counter so Sasha could retrieve her filer.
She snatched it eagerly, and began filing again, eyeing Raven before she did so.
The Goth retracted her hand and said, "I'm looking for the room number of Bryan Spencer."
A slight pause.
"…Good for you, Hun."
She did it once, and she'd do it again. Raven surrounded the nail file in a black aura once more, before Sasha exclaimed, "Hey! Hey! Let it go!"
"Are you going to help me?" Raven compromised.
"Sweetie, my shift's over."
Raven deadpanned, though she was quite agitated. "Okay…" she said. "Then can you direct me to someone who's actually working for their paycheck?"
The nurse stopped filing instantly, glowering at the introvert. "Harriet's on her way," was all she said.
Raven blinked. Harriet… At once a wave of recollection swept through her head…
The nurse who greeted her yesterday…too much make-up… "Don't get me wrong,"… took out Bryan's file… "it's just that so many people like to dress up like you and your friends nowadays."…
"…You can sit down 'til she comes," Sasha hinted, clearly irritated.
Raven snapped out of her thoughts and stared the brunette down, stating, "See…I could do that – "
"Uh, Raven?" Cyborg's voice came.
Raven chewed on her tongue. She knew what was coming. And they were right. Now's not the time to be sarcastic, her thoughts resonated with a mocking tone in her head.
She glared primitively at Sasha, before turning from the marble countertop to Cyborg and Robin.
"So…we'll wait it out," Robin shrugged.
Cyborg and Raven nodded.
After a bit of hesitation, the Goth inquired, "Do you guys know anything about this nurse Harriet?"
The two Titan males looked at each other and back at Raven, shaking their heads.
Raven continued. "…I remember her. Yesterday. My first visit with Bryan, and she was the one who told me his room number."
A slight pause.
"…Raven?"
"I'm sure, Cyborg," she answered, knowingly.
"…Okay."
Robin had his hand to his chin. "Anything you could tell us about her? What she looked like?"
Raven nodded. "Slim, blonde hair, way too much make-up. Picture a prettier version of Mimi from The Drew Carey Show. That's Harriet."
The two boys stared at her with eyebrows raised. "You do understand you just told us to picture a prettier Mimi?"
"Yes."
Cyborg chimed in. "You do understand you just told us to picture the impossible, then?"
Raven sweat dropped. "No…I wasn't aware that was the case." And then her eyes widened triumphantly. "But, if you can't imagine so, then that, right there, is what I'm talking about."
She pointed discreetly enough to a woman just entering the automatic doors of the Jump City Hospital ground floor, with her blonde hair pulled up into a twist at the top of her head. She wore white stilettos with her white uniform…looking pretty much able to blend in with the walls around her, the exception being her gaudy face, painted in various hues of yellows, greens, and pinks.
Even so, it didn't stop her from being pretty.
Cyborg felt his cheeks heat up as he stated, "Oh, that's what you meant by a prettier Mimi!"
"Careful, Lover Boy," Raven said, rolling her eyes. "She's in her 30s."
Cyborg gulped, wide-eyed, as Robin snickered, the heat reddening his cheeks further in obvious embarrassment.
A few feet from the three Titans, Harriet made her way behind the receptionists' desk, tapping Sasha when she got there.
"Finally! Ready for the night shift?" Sasha said, blowing on her newly manicured nails, and putting them out at arm's length to search for any imperfections.
"Yeah, yeah," was the reply. "Now get outta my seat. You're through here."
Sasha stuck her tongue out at Harriet, and then smiled. They quickly embraced and air kissed before Sasha packed away her nail filer, flung her purse over her shoulder, and left the building.
Harriet quickly got comfortable, placing her purse on the desk in front of her, and occupying herself with organizing a few papers in her way.
The Titans simply stared at her for a moment.
Raven blinked, shook her head, and looked at her fellow teammates.
"Well…go up there," Robin nudged.
Raven shook her head again. "What's the point? She probably won't even remember me. Everything else I thought was real wasn't."
"And the letter?" Robin queried.
Raven considered it.
He continued. "There's just as much evidence on your side as there is on ours. Only difference is that more than one pair of eyes saw differently than what you saw. But that letter's proof. And so is your memory. So go up to her. Find Bryan." Robin smiled encouragingly, and Raven's mouth, as though smiles were contagious, flickered for an instant, before she turned around and walked up towards Harriet, who was still busying herself so as to keep from feeling useless.
"Um…excuse me?"
Harriet's eyes lingered on the loose papers for a moment, her jaw at a set pace chewing her gum, before she looked up at Raven.
Just like yesterday. Everything is just like yesterday.
"I'm looking for a Bryan. Bryan Spencer?"
"Bryan Spencer…" Harriet muttered, spinning her seat around to the near corner of the desk, scanning for a file with Bryan's name on it.
Robin and Cyborg walked up to the counter, on either side of Raven, as Harriet busied herself over finding the file. The two boys put a hand on each of Raven's shoulders in a comforting fashion while they waited.
The nurse muttered out loud. "Damn it. I forget how they alphabetize these things… Baxter, Berkley, Beast Boy… no Bryan. Spencer… Sanchez, Small, Sorvino, Starfire… Sweetie, you sure you got the right name?"
"Huh?" Raven said. "Yes. Bryan Spencer."
"Well," Harriet said, rolling the chair back over, "the files are alphabetized by last name. There's no file for anyone named Spencer at all."
Raven tilted her head. "But…" she faltered.
Robin jumped in her defense. "You don't…happen to remember pulling out a folder with 'Bryan Spencer' written on it, and perhaps…I dunno…misplacing it or something?"
Harriet studied Robin for a moment before replying, "In the three years that I've worked here, I can honestly say that's never happened to me before."
The leader shrugged.
"Well…" ugh…she's going to think I'm insane… "do you, by any chance…um…remember seeing me here yesterday?" Raven questioned further.
"…No," Harriet said. "I mean, around the city, sure. But not in here."
"Okay, but," Raven said, searching her cloak for the invitation. "I was in here yesterday. And you were in here. You took out Bryan's file for me and there was a letter – " she found it " – from the Make-A-Wish Foundation that looked exactly like this." She gave it to Harriet. "You had a copy in his file."
Harriet gave the letter a look over while Raven continued. "See, yesterday, I gave that to you, and you looked in his file and gave me the room number to see him. The problem is, that room is the room our two friends are in, so I'm wondering whether or not Bryan was assigned another room."
Harriet put the letter down and, in an inquisitive act, supported her chin with her hand. "See…I know I was working here yesterday. You came at night?"
"Yes."
"I was here, then. But, sweetie, I really don't remember seeing you here."
"But you did," Raven insisted. "You asked me if I was the real Raven from the Teen Titans…" she said, trying to jog Harriet's memory. "You told me that so many people like to dress like us…"
"Really? They do?" Cyborg said, amused.
"Off topic," Robin warned him.
"Right. Sorry," was his response.
"You were even starting to tell me some story about some 5-year-old girl," Raven finished.
Harriet shook her head. "…I don't know what to tell ya."
"Bryan Spencer's room number," Raven suggested simply.
"No. Look, sweet pea. There aren't any files on this Bryan Spencer you're talking about. He has no room number here." Harriet said all of this slowly, so as to engrain it in Raven's head.
"No. There has to be a mistake! There is a Bryan Spencer in this hospital. I mean…. What? You don't even remember this letter?"
"I don't know," Harriet said hopelessly, growing a little impatient. "I've seen quite a few of them working here!"
"But you had a spare copy! In Bryan's file. You showed me yesterday when I came in, along with the room number."
"Alright, alright, look," Harriet negotiated. "I'll call the number on this paper, and see if they know anything about his file, okay?"
Raven nodded. "Appreciate it, Harriet."
The nurse took the phone off of its hook, and dialed the number indicated on the bottom of the invitation.
No matter what Raven tried…the way she greeted the receptionist, what she just said…it didn't jog Harriet's memory in the slightest. Or if it did, she did a great job masking it…
"Really?"
Raven snapped out of her thoughts, and listened to Harriet conversing.
"Uh-huh. Okay. So there's…right. Heh. Wonder how that is. Okay, all right. Thanks a bunch. Oh! And this Sandberg guy? Carl Sandberg…yeah, yeah, I'll wait."
Harriet put on a funny face for Raven, sticking her tongue out and cross her eyes, as though the current phone conversation was killing her.
"Yes?" The conversation started up again. "…Are you sure? Okay. Okay, thank you much. Buh-bye." She hung up the phone, and smoothed her hair with a free hand.
Raven was about to ask her what happened, when Harriet gave the information away for free.
"Yeah…. They have no records."
Raven blinked. "…No records?"
Harriet nodded. "Nothing. Not on this Bryan Spencer you're going on about or this Carl Sandberg guy."
"But…" Raven looked at her fellow Titans and back at Harriet. "Then there has to be a mistake. I saw them. Both of them, yesterday. And you clearly stated that Bryan was in Room 378."
"Honey," Harriet said, shaking her head, "are you sure? I mean…you don't think you were dreaming or nothing?"
"It's plain and pure fact," Raven said. "It should be written in stone, for all I know. They were both here."
"No records on either of 'em, sweetie, I don't know what to tell ya."
"My name is Raven," the dark girl stated icily.
Harriet studied her. "Raven," she corrected. "There aren't any files on this Bryan kid. Plus, visiting hours are over." She acknowledged the sky, which turned a dark shade of cobalt over the time they spent in the waiting room. "I think it's best you leave."
"Thanks, anyway," Cyborg stated.
"No." Raven pounded the marble countertop with her fist.
"Raven?" Robin said.
"If we leave now, that cancels out every shred of evidence I've had on my side. And I know what I saw compared to what you saw both times."
"Raven, visiting hours are over," Harriet insisted.
"I don't care. Find the files."
"…Is that a threat, miss?" Harriet said, standing up.
"It is if a threat is what'll get you to keep looking."
"Raven, come on. There's no point."
"Yes, there is a point, Robin. Bryan's existence isn't recorded. Neither is Carl Sandberg's. And yet it was both of them whom I saw yesterday. Why is it that they don't exist as far as the Make-A-Wish Foundation is concerned, yet Harriet, here, does?"
"…I can't answer that, Raven."
"Exactly. And we need those answers. I was given Room 378 yesterday, but that room is occupied by Beast Boy and Starfire. Where. Is. Bryan. Now?" Raven said, her teeth gritted.
Harriet glared at her. "I don't know. But I assure you I know where security is."
"Is that a threat?"
"If it'll get you to leave this hospital, then yes."
---
The ride home was a quiet one. No one talked…the music wasn't on…
Silence.
Each Titan was left to their thoughts.
It was funny…yesterday, she never recalled Harriet ever having a bad side…and today, she threw the Titans out of the hospital. No kidding. Security threw them out.
And Robin and Cyborg seemed baffled by the entire situation.
What did they expect? Understanding?
Understanding wasn't possible if no one understood why Bryan and Carl's records were of no existence.
The last thing she expected, though, was to get kicked out of the hospital…but then again, no one understood her point-of-view. No one knew what she was seeing or what she was remembering.
Ugh. She didn't want to think about it.
Before Raven knew it, the T-Car was parked at Titans Tower. The three teammates got out, and followed each other up the stairwell to the living room (Cyborg leading off, Robin following, and Raven behind).
What happened next, Raven didn't expect. Not in the slightest.
The two boys sat on the couch, clearly exhausted from the day they've had. Raven, on the other hand, went to fix herself a small cup of herbal tea. That's when Cyborg started.
"What was that about, back there?"
Robin and Raven both looked at each other, neither knowing exactly to whom Cyborg was directing the question.
"Rae. What the hell went on back there?" Cyborg said again.
"What part of what happened back there are you talking about?" Raven inquired, taking down a mug.
Cyborg shuffled on the couch and looked at her. "The part where we got kicked out," he said evenly. "Mind telling me what that was all about?"
Raven continued occupying herself with making her tea. "If you were in my position, you would've done the same."
"Y'know, Rae, for some reason, I doubt that."
"You can only speak thoughtfully on what you don't know. The day you're in my shoes for a fact, let me know what you would do."
Cyborg stared at her figure for another moment before shaking his head. "Y'know what, Raven? We've tried to cover this entire thing, and there's still nothing for it. We've done everything we could. I don't know what the hell is going on in that crazy little head of yours, but I can assure you that that's no reason to get us kicked out of a hospital."
"Does it matter? It wasn't visiting hours. We wouldn't have been able to see Beast Boy, Starfire, or Bryan again."
"Damn it, Raven!" Cyborg yelled, pummeling the couch with a fist, and making her and Robin jump. "Before we continue any further let's get something straight here, okay? There is no Bryan. Records don't show anything of him even existing. He's all in your head! Just let it go, already."
Raven turned to him fully, her hands on her hips, and her face incredulous.
"That letter, too," Cyborg continued. "Man, what are you trying to pull?"
"I got that letter in the mail," she said crisply.
"From a guy who doesn't even exist?! Raven, think about it! For just one second, think about it!"
"How about you think of what I have to deal with here?!" Raven said. "Don't you dare accuse me of lying or trying to fool any of you! I know just as much about this situation as any of you!"
"Like I told you yesterday: three pairs of eyes against one. I don't know what you're seeing, but I guarantee you, I couldn't really care. Because of what you think, rather than just accepting you're probably going all schizo on us, two of our team members are in the hospital, and news flash, Raven! Bryan isn't there!"
"Cyborg…" Robin trailed off.
"Rae…you have to admit how farfetched this is getting. We've been chasing around for clues everywhere."
"Alright, you guys, that's enough!" Robin demanded.
"Whatever. I'm off to bed," Cyborg said, his tone quieter.
"So, wait, what are you trying to say, Cyborg? You don't believe me anymore?" Raven asked bitterly.
"…I don't know anymore, Raven," he shrugged, trudging up the stairs to the corridor that hid his bedroom.
Raven watched as the doors automatically shut behind him; her jaw dropped slightly.
The rest of the time she was down there, Robin remained quiet. He seemed at a loss for words, and she could blame him; she was, too.
---
For the first time since they left the Pizza Parlor, Raven lowered her hood.
At least the night embraced Raven…its warmth, its beauty. The perfect night to collapse on the roof of Titans Tower with a nice, hot cup of tea.
Of course, she shouldn't have expected to enjoy it all alone…
"Raven, about what was said back there…"
"You don't have to pretend," Raven insisted. "Just go."
Robin paused for a moment, and then sat down next to her, his feet dangling from the gigantic 'T', just like her. "I don't care what Cyborg said today. I don't even think he meant it."
"Oh…you'd be surprised," Raven said, swirling her cup of tea in her hand.
"Well…I still believe you," Robin said, putting a consoling arm on her shoulder.
Raven still scoffed. "I don't know why. I have no proof on my side. You got what you wanted – Bryan doesn't exist. Cyborg's right. Maybe I am just going schizo."
"I don't think that's the case," Robin confirmed. "Raven…a complex being and a schizophrenic…they're not the exact same thing. You're complex. We knew and established that from day one. And Bryan…maybe he does exist, maybe he doesn't. We could be wrong. Right now, it's still up in the air what's going on. I mean, you can say that there's no record of Bryan's existence, and that the letter's invalid, but Raven, you remembered so much. Harriet…the room number…everything. Cyborg…he just…needs some time. We're still gonna get over this like a team." He smiled an encouraging smile at Raven, who merely shook her head, and stared back levelly at the night sky.
"Why are you still here? Supporting me, and believing in me?" she inquired of him. "I mean…I don't have anything going for me, Robin."
"So it's impossible," he shrugged. "We've been through the impossible before. Besides, I'm only giving back to you what you've given all of us."
Raven looked at him curiously.
"You were always there for us when we needed you, Raven. And now I have the chance to do the same. I just wanna repay that faith."
Again he grinned, and Raven suppressed herself from smiling back. The two diverted their attention to the night sky once more.
"You know," she said, "at the end of the day…I wonder how you keep your sanity, leading the rest of us."
Robin laughed. "Heh…I could say the same for you."
A slight pause.
"So…we're cool, then?"
Raven nodded, looking at him. "Yeah."
"Okay." And with that, the Boy Wonder stood up. "You coming down soon?"
She shrugged. "Soon enough. When I'm done with my tea, I guess."
"Okay. Good night, then." And with that, Robin walked off towards the door.
"Robin?" Raven said, shifting her body to look at him.
He spun around. "Yeah?"
"Um…thanks. For everything," she said, smiling a little.
Robin shrugged. "Of course." And with that, he stepped off, leaving Raven to bask in her thoughts.
Wow...that was painful...:P. J/K. I enjoyed writing it. As usual, all constructive criticism is welcomed and appreciated!
Now to do what I've been eagerly anticipating…RESPOND TO MY AWESOME POSSUM REVIEWERS!!! XD
BUT, before I do that, I just want you all to know that I am NOT going to respond to your guesses, simply because there are quite a few of you who are right on the money, and frankly, it frightens me, makes me growl, and makes me happy all the same to know that you all have brains :P. But I'm not gonna give away the story, for that would be stupid, and then there would be no point in reading any further, now, would there? :P…
A special shout out to all the new reviewers who've jumped onto the "Mind Games" train!
And another special shout out to those who've been ever so faithful with this story, and it's slow (never as slow as this again!) but sure progress!
Defafaeth Mechqua: Judging by the facial expressions, you were both happy and confuzzled...lolz! I hope you enjoyed this part! Lemme know how ya feel! ;)
Keystone: Hopefully you liked their reactions when Raven showed up? And thanks so much for your compliments! They made me smile! I had fun writing Gizmo's lines in chapter 5…they were mainly based on the corny (to me, anyway…please don't pelt me with anything :P) lines he says in the TT series. And your image of Bryan…when you told me, it freaked me out, lolz! Never was my intention to make you think of him like that. But I appreciate your reviews, twin! :D
red: Glad you approve! :D Sorry it took forever and a half…mondo writer's block sucks eggs! Growl…but I hope you liked the update, all the same!
Raven A. Star: I'm glad you like it, really and truly! Nice to know, seeing as I'm an avid fan of your fics…speaking of which, GREAT job on "Raven's Secret Friend"! ;) 'Tis one of my favorite stories, and I'm happy to know that this ficcy's on you're faves list, as well! XD
ShadowSage2: Yes! Another awesome ego boost! And I'm glad you're able to feel Rae's emotions…how she feels and understanding her circumstance is a vital part of this fan fiction, and I'm thrilled to know I'm fulfilling that! Again, major apologies for not updating…I AM alive, still! Stupid school…y'know I'd probably be on the compo and updating 24/7 if SCHOOL didn't get into the picture! But then, AP English is making me a better writer, or so I feel. Sucks when you know school's doing it's job, eh? :P. Anyway, I appreciate your support and reviews! Hopefully you liked this chappie, as well!
Sarah-Crysala: ::blinks::…Dude…I think it's safe to say you did WAY more analyzation into this story than I EVER did! LMAO!!! But you make a good point in your psychoanalysis-a-ma-bobber. You've gotta great head on ya, that you do! ;) Now tell me how vierd zis chappie voz :P.
Flying Star: YAY! It makes me happy to know that you guys understand Raven's predicament in chapter 5! I was having a hard time with that part…trying to make sure both sides of the event were covered and clarified. I'm glad that those chapters were well worth the wait, and I'm only hoping that this one was as well! Again, thank you so much for you reviews…and for keeping that bucket of water handy! :P Oh, btw, did you get my e-mail? I dunno how busy you are or what not and if you just didn't get around to it, but, yeah…wanna make sure it's not a case where I have to re-send. :D
artemisgirl: Glad you like! Because I like your stuff, too! And I'm not gonna badger you to update, 'else I'd feel like a complete hypocrite! lolz! Argh…I remember our convo on downloading "Aftershock, Part 2". Ewww…don't tell me it's been THAT long since I updated! Last part of season 2 and 3 epis from season 3 already shown?! ::gasp:: Again, I blame writer's block and school :P.
BlackShield: Oh yes! DEFINITELY learned my lesson with the "temporarily discontinued" thingy. ::shudders:: I still can't believe I did that… I'm glad you like the ficcy thus far! And even though there's no more "temporarily discontinued" thingerz on here, I'm so very sorry that it took forever for this chappie to come up! L . But, all the same, I hope you're still enjoying it! :D
TamerTerra: lolz! No worries about the advertisement! Never be ashamed to plug! :P. It seems as though your updating thingerz is no longer frozen, though, since an e-mail indicated an update on your part, which was so awesome, btw! I'm happy to know the confusion is still mounting, lolz! But I DO plan on giving thorough answers shortly…like in a good four or five chappies from now :P.
Zoe Rose: "Tug of War" was so super-chouette and a half! And I'm looking forward to reviewing the other TT stufferz on your profile ASAP! As usual, your reviews bring me joy! And it's SO much fun to know that you're still puzzled by all of this, lolz! :P. I feel so bad that you're constantly checking up on this story, though L , but I hope this chapter was worth your wait and everyone else's.
ACrazyTeenager2005: Thank you so much for your compliments! Ah, they made me smile and clap and bounce of the ceilings…ok, maybe the ceiling thing is a little overboard, but still :P, it's great to know that you love this story, all the same. J
HamHamDude: (x3 :S?) I thankies, three times! Lolz! I dunno HOW that happened, the same review for the same chapter…that right there is a psychological thriller thingerz in itself! But thanks for your kind words, and I hope you liked this part!
Rini Suichi: Alas, I cannot tell you what is going on, lolz. :P. But I CAN tell you that I'm grateful for your review, as always, and I do hope that you liked part 2! :D
Heavenly Awkward: TECHNICAL ERRORS?! YEAH, I give a care! :P. Yes, I am a perfectionist at heart…it sucks some times, but it's true. I can honestly tell you that if I find even the SLIGHTEST typo on here, I will upload the entire document again and edit it, lolz! 'Tis sad, but true. Anyway, I salute you back, and hug you for having "Mind Games" in your heart…and for liking them, as well! XD
Hikari Yume: You and HamHamDude, too…I thought it wasn't possible to review the same chappie! Must be some error on 's part ::shrugs::. Sadly, I cannot tell you what is happening…it's to be saved for the end, but it's awesome knowing you're enjoying the ficcy! J
Blowfish the Monkey Tamer: Eh, better late than never, I guess, right? So you're one of the few who has no hypothesis, but is just in it for the long haul, lolz! Cool! Glad to know you're still liking this!
softballtitan009: "Even Scooby-Doo couldn't figure this out", LMAO!!! Ah, you got me laughing so much what with your "whoa"-ing and what not :P. Thanks for checking this story out! :D I'm glad you like!
CoRrUpTeR oF mInDs: YAY! You still like it! I'm sorry this took forever to get up, but I hope you like this part as well. To you questions… I swore myself to secrecy, lolz. Sorry :P.
Peter the Muggle: Hey again! Thanks so much! "Excellent"…geez…I'm flattered to know that you think that, considering that I think of countless others the same…and they actually WANT to have writing careers, unlike me, so that just made the compliment even MORE awesome! :D
slytheringrl1387: FINE! GO! EAT WITH THEM! It'll be me and Briz, then! :P Ha ha! Oh, I'll push you to die hard TT fandomness, just wait. And if you want anymore awesome possum ficcies to read to get you there, you just lemme know, Tifferz, and I will TOTALLY compile a list for you…links and all! Bwahahahaha! :P …I kid you not. J
ScarletAngel68: LOLZ! Well, welcome aboard on the "Mind Games" train. I hope you're ready for the long haul! :P. YAY! Now I can think that I'm being original again, lolz! A few peeps have said they've seen something like this, so that made me feel so unoriginal, but now I have more assurance! :D "Drat, drat, rats. Mice. Rodents! Guinea pigs, even!" LMAO! That was SO hilarious!!! I was constantly looking at that and saying it because it was so funny! And random! Wow… you rock! :P. Well, hopefully you'll enjoy doing more of your guessing game with this chappie! Sorry I took an eternity to get it up!
WitchGirl: Both anonymously and not…was your last review an attempt at a FLAME?! Because lemme tell ya two things here buddy…#1: That'd be my first flame ever, which is so strangely cool because now I'd OFFICIALLY feel like an authoress :P, and #2: Flying Star's gotta bucket of water with your name on it, so BOOYAH! :P. Ah, c'mon, you know I love ya! :D YAY! My ficcy is inspiration! That's so with the awesomeness!!! …"You're telepathetic?" ::raises an eyebrow:: Sure you are, Carly…and I'm the psycho who modified the song "Rich Girl" to randomly say stuff about you…:P. (NO ONE LOOK AT HER PROFILE!) Actually…it doesn't really matter to me anymore…well, kinda…no…no it doesn't. :P Blah!
Buhnana Munkey: DOOD! ::huggles:: Thank you SO much!!! It's so…geez…more than flattering…HONORABLE. Yes. It's a remendous honor to know that I'm your fave! EEP!!! I'm going all Starfire-y now! And you're scared…hee hee…you just wait, my friend…you just wait…:P. And, btw, thanks so much for going on a fic-reading spree in my section! LOLZ! I was like, "Now who the heck would review my other fics?" And it was you, so I was all, "COOL! You must be SO bored!" lolz! Anyway, I hope you didn't explode, and again, many thankies! XD
TheDarkAzar: Thanks for the reviews! It's so great to know that you like it! And I have you as well to thank for reviewing my other ficcies! 'Twas so nice of you! :D…You must've been bored, too, I bet :P. YAY! HA HA! You're stumped! And hopefully, I've done what I've wanted, and stumped you further! lolz! :P.
Chocolate Curlz: Dude! I can't believe YOU'RE reviewing!!! Do you have ANY idea how much I love your fic "They Were Us"?!?! And you're reviewing MY stuff?! 'Tis a true honor! :D BTW, I hope you know that I liked your "under 24/7 surveillance" idea loads, that it helped reduce some of my writer's block! And you are SO not a simple freak…how the Titans got sucked into a parallel universe in your fic is beyond ME! Sorry I hurt your brain :P, but I thank you loads for the chocolate-filled T's…they're delicious! :D Thrilled that you like this story!
Mistress Dizzy: And you too! You are to thank for reading and reviewing my other stories! Geez…you guys must be SO bored, lolz! :P. I tease you… But really, a mondo thanks for your compliment; it made me smile a Starfire smile! As for your confusion: I won't say anything more than that it'll be explained…eventually…:P.
FoxGloveFairy56: YAY! You like it loads! Sorry that the update took me forever…I hate it…a lot! And I hope the way things have been going for these past 2 updates ceases! It really ticks me off. But, alas, your one-word wish has been fulfilled! So thank you much for the review! 'Tis much appreciated! :D
Wild Spirit of Darkness2: Mmph…can't…say…but I'm glad you like it! Times 2! :D Fortunately for you, the guessing game is still on, so you can guess whether or not Rae's going psycho…or if someone's behind all of this! :P.
Kuramie and Kaiaramith: Sorry for the late update! But it's great to know that you like this story! Hopefully this chapter'll let you know…or confuse you a bit more… on what happens. :P
cchanyagami: Again, I apologize that it took me forever to continue. But, the compliments are appreciated loads! Thanks so much for taking your time to read this! J
Nakira Ayame Outsuno: Wowzerz! So many compliments! Well-written…amazing…you even CRIED in FRUSTRATION! Awesome! Thanks so much! :D It pleases me to know I'm doing good! Thanks for taking a risk and stepping away from your romance ficcies to read this…but I assure you that, in the end, there WILL be a pairing ;). I just can't tell ya who, being that I'm extremely open to any pairings in this story. Otayz, I lie. I already know the pairing, lolz! But I was very open-minded while choosing so. BTW, that pillow…as long as it didn't have feathers in it, I'm fine…BB wouldn't've liked that…:P.
Velvet Death: Ah, dude! I can't believe you reviewed this! I didn't think you were serious, lolz! :P. But seeing as you were, and seem to like this story, I'm glad you do, and your compliments are making MY head inflate just the same! lolz! Another psycho-thriller writer in my presence…cool! XD
Ran-Gus30: Dude! Hi! :D So many compliments! And THANKS SO MUCH!!! All four boxes...awesome! ::is blushing:: You're too cool for words! Well, I hope you enjoyed this segment. Gyah...you're too kind!
Again, I thank you all for being patient with me and my writer's block the length and height of the Great Wall of China…it was hard to get across, but it was all done because of you guys! So many thankies, again, ya bunch o' sock-rockers! :D