I see it is time to address something that came up in the last chapter's reviews. I've gotten a complaint that my stuff isn't original. Now, excuse me? I most defiantly do have my own ideas and I do use them. I told people in my summary that some of the inspiration –and the inspiration alone- for writing this was on Red Moon Kree's part, who is the only one who has the right to complain about my so-called 'lack of originality'. So, RMK, if you have a bone to pick, go ahead. Just no more anonymous flames, because I will delete you, for there is no right to get so hateful about anything of this manner.

Arra Sails, I'm sorry you feel that way, but that's between Red Moon Kree and me. Also, I removed your review because it was uncalled-for and rude. The only thing I got from Red Moon Kree's work is inspiration, and if you can read, you would've seen that. I wrote this story only because RMK's inspired me to do a Rae/Mal pairing, therefore, I give her credit, but this is my own story. If you still see a similarity in plot, that's your problem and feel free to email me or something. But you're so-called 'approach' at the problem was rude and shameful. Please, if you have a complaint, act civilly and say it, don't spray it.

Ebony days

5. Ebony Thursday

-If you desire to know the truth, you must also have the courage to accept it-

Raven had been given the night, but now the dawn rose on a cloudy Thursday morning. The time of her doom had come. Robin had been stern, even cold to her after she was caught shouting about Malchior. Evania had disappeared, but she could not leave Raven's mind as easily as she had left the room. She was still a potential threat, but not nearly as worrying as the one that started banging on Raven's door at that moment.

"Raven, we need to talk." Robin said in a cold voice. Just as she had feared, Malchior's release had caused a rift between her and her friends. And just as she feared, there was no chance of repairing it.

Raven, who had slept little, brushed the sleep from her eyes and threw on her blue cloak as she left the room. Malchior was nowhere to be seen. This did not surprise Raven, once she thought about it, but the lack of her close friend and potential boyfriend struck straight at her heart. She felt heavy with fear, discouragement, and just plain tiredness as she entered the main room.

Seated on the couch were Robin and Cyborg, with Beast Boy curled up in the adjacent chair trying to catch a last-minute rest. Starfire was absent, probably too upset to join the others.

"Sit down, Raven." Robin said, motioning to a chair opposite the couch. "You have a lot of explaining to do." His tone was even, and with his eyes hidden, Raven could only guess what he was feeling. But it was plain that she was in trouble.

Cyborg shook Beast Boy awake, and then the three male Titans faced Raven, waiting for her to speak. Cyborg looked distrustful, his eyes narrowed in suspicion, while Beast Boy looked outright angry, and Robin was just as stoic as ever. Raven began to shake.

Raven sat in a state of shock, knowing that she had only a few seconds to find a way out. Or, she allowed herself to think, she could confess. It would mean betraying Malchior, but she would be able to stay in the team, to still have her friends. Is this what it comes down to? She thought to herself. Is it really Malchior or my friends? She couldn't choose; it was just too hard.

"Hurry up, Raven!" Beast Boy shouted. "And you better not lie!" He was angry, hurt that she had harbored a traitor behind their backs, and more than a little irritable at being woken up so early. At that outburst, Raven broke.

She told them everything, from her opening the book on Sunday night, to her lying on Tuesday, to Evania's appearance on Wednesday, to Malchior's disappearance this morning. After it was over, she just sat there and shivered. She had not cried, but now she felt the now-familiar tears pushing at the back of her eyes. It was a tangible feeling, and she hated it; she cursed herself for her own weakness.

After a long silence, Robin spoke. "I see." He said. That was all he said. No emotion, no accusation, no hatred or anger. "Well, Raven, we're going to have to search your room. If you refuse, we'll have to use more extreme measures. I don't want to have to treat you like an enemy, but if you choose to ally yourself with Malchior, we'll have to."

Raven just sat numbly in her chair, not even bothering to protest the fact that nothing she had told them showed Malchior as evil. She was cold, even though the room was well-heated, and tired, even though she had had a good night's sleep. Her legs refused to move or even support her. She just wanted to lie down and cry.

But Cyborg pulled her to her feet, and, with his help, she made her way to her room. She was barely registering anything, let alone Robin's words to her frozen mind. "Raven, we need you to be here where we can keep an eye on you. After what you told us, we can't trust you just yet."

Raven heard his words traveling to her across a frozen wasteland, and it seemed to take an eternity for her to reply. "I…understand." She said in a frozen voice. It was slowly coming into focus. She had forsaken the only one who truly understood her; had given up all hope of thing ever becoming right between them again.

She could only watch in silent stupefaction as they riffled through her most prized possessions. When Robin looked through the drawer containing her divination items, she stared at the stand where Malchior's book had laid when they used to talk together. Once Cyborg had opened and closed every book on her shelves, Raven had just finished scrutinizing the trunk where he had rested before that past Sunday.

Beast Boy looked at her without mercy, indeed with disgust. It was obvious what he was thinking by the look in his eyes. 'How could she? She let a traitor and dangerous enemy into our midst.'

After they were finished, and had left the room, Raven sank into one of her black-velvet armchairs. She allowed herself to sink into troubled dreams, where she hoped she could find solace in the darkness.

- - - - - - - -

Raven awoke to find herself being shaken. She could just make out white hair and silver armor flashing in the near-darkness. "Malchior…?" She asked dazedly. It was all starting to come back to her. She had been pressured by Robin, and had sung beautifully, like a nightingale. And now Malchior was back from who-knows-where. What was she to do…?

"Raven." Malchior said, without the warmth or caring she was used to from him. It was more of an accusation than a greeting, like he already knew what had happened--which, Raven thought with a sinking feeling, he probably already did.

"Malchior…" Raven began, her voice pained, knowing that there was no way they could ever go back to where they once were. "I'm sorry…but I told the others. I told them everything…and they told me that as soon as you came back…I would have to tell them…so that they could…destroy you."

Malchior's eyes narrowed and Raven felt a stab in her heart, like a dagger had been driven straight into it. Never had Malchior looked at her that way, even when he was angry. "Malchior, I'm sorry!" She cried, feeling a cold dread spread through her.

"I thought you loved me." Malchior said; his voice hard and polished as a sword of ice. There was no solace in his voice, no playful banter for Raven to indulge in. He was no longer the comforting friend and boyfriend she had come to trust.

"Malchior--I do love you, with all my heart! There's never been another person like you to me! It's just-" She was cut off by Malchior, his eyes flashing and his voice angry.

"If you do love me than there should be no 'if'! But no! You're just like an ebony doll, pretty to look at, but able to be turned in any direction at a person's whim! I trusted you, Raven! I loved you, like I've never loved anyone else! I was willing to do anything, go anywhere--spend my life by your side! And then you go throw it all away from me! You told me that I was the only thing you had! Was that just a lie, Raven! Where you just lying when you told me that!"

Raven was breaking down; crying like a frightened girl when her father was beating her. She felt betrayed--heartbroken, even though she realized the heart that broke had been Malchior's. He had trusted Raven to keep their secret, but she had chosen instead to tell the others –who would never understand- all the intimate things that had happened between them. But Raven's mind was numb; all she could think about was the tears and the pain in her chest.

"Malchior! I'm sorry!" She cried in fear and sorrow. She was on the defensive, like a castle besieged by an army of ruthless warriors. She could feel her mental control crumbling, and all she could do was stand there and cry.

"Sorry?" Malchior's shouted, angered all the more by Raven's submissiveness. "Sorry won't cut it, Raven! Not after you sold me out!" He advanced on her, and Raven sank to the floor; cowering. She was no longer the strong young woman Malchior had loved so dearly, but a weak child, and she could tell –she could see it in his icy eyes- that it made him hate her even more.

But before Malchior could do another thing, the door to her room opened, and the other Titans stepped in, weapons drawn. Malchior looked up, his eyes widening, and quickly drew back to the opposite wall. Robin motioned for the male Titans to capture Malchior, while Starfire would carry Raven out of her room and into a place for safety. Once out of her room, Raven calmed down, and allowed Starfire to lead her away, while the sounds of battle continued.

- - - - - - - -

"Malchior has been taken into custody, Raven." Robin told her after she had calmed down. "He's locked up in jail right now. You won't have to worry about him any longer."

Raven nodded, understanding that she would never be allowed to see her one true love ever again. He was gone for good, and now she was all alone again. All because of her own weakness. Weakness of control: she had lost it in the face of Malchior's anger; weakness of strength: she could not even try to protest that Malchior was evil; –but then again, after the display in her room, who would doubt it?- and weakness of mind, that she had allowed herself to be taken in by the emotion called love.

"I am sorry, friend Raven, that the Malchior has hurt you." Starfire said in a consoling tone. "I am sure you will be happy again soon." She put an arm around her friend and hugged her tightly.

"Yeah." Cyborg said, patting her on the head. "Just try to forget about that freak. He never really loved you in the first place."

Raven could feel two emotions struggling within her. One she knew all too well: sorrow; sorrow for Malchior, all alone in a dirty cell, and sorrow for herself, all alone again. But the other emotion was new. It was a kind warmth, the warmth of companionship, of having true friends to stay by her side always.

To be continued…

Just the usual request. You should be used to it by now.