Chapter Two: What You've Never Seen
Raven entered the common room of Titans Tower. She wasn't sure what she was going to say, but she knew what she needed them to know. Putting the Bible under her arm, she walked over to where Beast Boy and Cyborg sat playing on the Gamestation. Standing in front of the television, she knew she had everyone's full attention.
"Yo, Raven, could this wait? I'm about to kick Beast Boy's butt." said a clearly aggravated Cyborg.
"No," she replied simply, "We need to talk. All of you need to know, and I can no longer conceal the truth from you." When they saw her saddened eyes, they knew that something big had gone down.
"Raven, what's wrong?" asked an ever-concerned Robin. All right, Raven, you have their attention now. Run with it! The dark teen sighed, and then sat in her all too-familiar mediation position in front of the irregularly-shaped couch.
"Please sit down," she said, holding her Bible on her lap. As the others did so, she looked over their faces. Starfire's emerald eyes filled with worry, Robin staring at her intently, and the two gaming fanatics looking at her with both surprise and concern. Raven wasn't one to draw any extra attention to herself unless there was great need.
"Friend, what troubles you?" asked the ever-confused alien girl. Raven's indigo eyes met her companion's green ones.
"All right, then I'll begin. The first thing you should know is that I am a Christian," she said, holding her Bible up gently before them. They all showed mild surprise, and Starfire was confused again, but not one said a word. Raven looked down at her hands. "I trust Jesus with my life, and have spoken to God only just now. It is because of Him that I stand before you now.
"I have been feeling unloved of late, and most of all have felt set apart from everyone due to… the circumstances of my past. But He has said that I need not feel that way, and I realize that you've all been at my back the whole time. I apologize to you, because I always pull away from you. It's my fault, all of it.
"Next, you should all know that I love each one of you profoundly. I know I don't show it, and I know I don't deserve such wonderful friends as I have been blessed with because of the way I abuse this wonderful fact. Please know that it has nothing to do with any of you or anything you've done.
"Lastly, you need to know that who I am doesn't like who I've been. I know that I have a horrible past, and I know that because of this, I tend to pull away or be a jerk. I don't mean to hurt you when I do, and I'm inwardly crying when I think of you and all you've done for me and how I've taken you all for granted. I promise to try my hand at changing into who I want to be. I know my powers don't let me share my emotions, but that is no excuse for not sharing myself."
When Raven was finished, she looked up. All of her friends had softened during her speech, and none of them knew what to say. Then, Sarfire broke the silence.
"Oh, Raven!" she cried, throwing her arms gently around the gothic girl before her, "Of course you do not need to be sorry! We know that you have had a most displeasing life and are a changed person as the result!"
"Yeah, Raven, you should know that we don't hate you," said Beast Boy, who now stood and crossed the floor to join the two girls.
"We don't care how you are; we're always going to be there for you." Robin had now stood, also, and was almost immediately followed by Cyborg.
"Thank you…my friends," said a slightly baffled Raven. Who had such good friends as these, to forgive her so easily for so horrible sins? For a while the Titans sat in their group embrace, then broke apart.
"Please," began a disgruntled Starfire, "What is a 'Christian'?" She looked to the others for an explanation.
"It means 'follower of Christ'," Robin answered her, but it was apparent that she needed more. "Christ Jesus was a man a long time ago. He was the son of God, Creator of all the Earth and everything else in existence. He came to die on the Cross for our sins, and so we have eternal life in eternity; the life we earn for ourselves in the time after we've died by our deeds in this life."
Starfire looked amazed. She'd never heard such a story before. Did this mean that she should also be a follower of Christ Jesus? Dumbfounded by the information, she looked to the Bible still in Raven's possession.
"Raven, is this man of which you speak so highly written of in your book?" she asked.
"Yes. In fact, there are many different versions of his story and his teachings all put together in the New Testament," she answered, slightly confused as to where this was going.
"Will you then be as kind as to teach me of this Jesus? I truly wish to hear."
Raven was delighted. Another soul was going to be turned to the Lord because of her! "Of course, Starfire! In fact, you may borrow my Bible until we can buy one for you."
The alien girl was, no doubt, pleased.
