Chapter 2: Darkening a Black Spirit

Raven stood wearily, shaking off Beast Boy. So this was it. She would live for three, maybe four months while the curse ate away at Trigon. He would probably die, but so would she. She would not have the chance to banish him as she should, to that planet in Quadrant three, and therefore would die with the demon. Unloved. She blinked. Why did it matter if she died unloved? It had never occurred to her before. She had always just been. Alone, yes, but fine just… well… being. She was becoming irrational, she decided, and swept off to her room. Beast Boy was going to call after her but when he heard the lock on her door click, he knew it was hopeless.

Beast Boy sent an envious glance in the way of Robin, who was holding the hand of his recently made girlfriend, Starfire. He knew he shouldn't be jealous, he had more important things to attend to, but the fact he couldn't be with the girl he loved kind of irked him.

"I'm gonna try to talk to Raven," he said blankly before shifting into a green tabby cat and darting down the hall to her room. Cyborg looked up from his crouch on the floor where he'd been cleaning up the mess and watched the little changeling leave. Starfire looked at her boyfriend.

"Robin?" she asked hesitantly.

"Yeah, Starry?" he replied. She bit her lower lip.

"How can we help our friend?" she inquired, giving him an imploring look. Cyborg couldn't help but crack a smile despite the rather dismal situation. The Tamaranian princess, though a warrior of her planet with what earthlings considered amazing super powers, seemed to believe with all of her heart that Robin was the best thing in the universe and could solve anything and everything. The ebony-haired Boy Wonder looked at the floor, his brows knotted and the all too familiar crease forming on his forehead.

"We would need to know what is wrong first. And unfortunately, Raven doesn't seem like she wants to talk," Star seemed to disapprove of his answer. She had to do something.

"Well I am sure she would appreciate some herbal tea, yes?" she countered. He smiled and fondly touched her cheek. Cyborg went back to his cleaning.

"I'm sure she would," he answered softly. Star always had to help somehow or another. Robin's eyes followed her as she floated out to the kitchen to prepare the tea. Raven's behavior was worrying Robin. She seemed to be losing control of her powers and that could become devastating, not only to her or even the rest of the team but to everything in Jump City and perhaps the entire spirit realm as well. He went to his room and searched through some of his older files. Ones about the titan's and their backgrounds. Most were very brief as all of them seemed to have aspects of their life they did not want revisited. The only one with a fairly large file was Starfire because he had grown close to her she had revealed more about her past… and a very haunting past she had.

He found the file for Raven and opened it. As the contents were revealed he reeled back in shock. The pages were all blank save four very fresh blood stains which looked very much like the eyes of Trigon.

Starfire flew into his room holding Raven's tea and gasped as she realized what he was holding. "Robin… what is going on?" she squeaked, placing a frightened hand on Robin's shoulder.

"I don't know… but what ever it is, it seems to be worse than Raven just loosing control. It has become imperative we find out what's going on," he turned and looked at Star's pale face, her eyes wide and starring at the blood eyes. He kissed her on the forehead in an attempt to comfort her but neither felt much better with such a dark secret brewing in the tower.

TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT

Raven heard a quiet knock on her door and she stiffened. "Rae… what's going on? You've never lost control that much… I wanna help you, Rae. I don't know if I can, but, it would be better than being alone…right? I swear I'll try my best if you'll just tell me what's going on," Beast Boy's voice flittered into her room.

He had been ready to plead more but to his surprise the door slid slowly open. She was on the floor again, hiding beneath her cloak, her back to him. He rushed into her room and the door slid closed behind him. He put his arms around her and he felt her go rigid. He refused to let go but tilted her head up so he could see her.

"Why can't I remember?" she asked, and Beast Boy was shaken to the core when he heard the fear in her voice. Her fear was real and undeniable, flowing electrically from her very being. She was holding the sides of her cloak in a death grip, her hands balling up the fabric into her tight fists. Her knuckles were white.

"Remember what?" he asked urgently. She paid him no heed. Instead she looked at him and it seemed the usually unfeeling violet eyes were racing with indefinable emotions. The only one he could solidly pick out was still fear.

"Beast Boy… I am scared of dying…" she whispered hoarsely. His eyes jumped wide.

"Wha-what?" he asked. He couldn't have heard her right. She looked away. He just stared at the back of her hood, the stray violet strands of hair slipping out the side.

"Beast Boy…" she asked. Her voice seemed so far away.

"Yes?!" he replied, his voice sounding strained. He had never seen her like this, ever.

"I… do not want to give up… yet…will you…help me?" she asked. Her voice sounded small, childlike in her request.

"Of-of course!" he exclaimed.

"Thank you. I don't say that enough… do I… will you be here tomorrow? At midnight? Right here?" she asked, turning to look at him. Her skin shimmered with a thin layer of sweat and her eyes were wide and imploring. Seeing so much emotion, fear… pain, in her scared him.

"Sure thing." He nodded. It was the first time he didn't have anything witty to say. As soon as he spoke she vanished in a pool of black, teleporting herself from her room. He only waited a moment before exiting swiftly from her room, which still creeped him out despite the more pressing issues. He walked to the Rec. Room where everyone was seated and peered out the window, wondering where the frail girl had gone. He saw the sky and the dark, scudding rain clouds the blocked the should-be morning sun seemed ironically suiting for the day. His attention was averted to his teammates.

"Beast Boy, what the heck is goin' on?!" Cyborg asked. Robin looked at Beast Boy expectantly and he could see Starfire peeping up from behind the boy's cape looking very worried, and very confused. He was in no better shape himself.

Proverbs 27:5

"Open rebuke is better than carefully concealed love."


Author's Notes: Ok, this came out sooner than I thought. I wonder who long until the next one… maybe five reviews away? Lol. Now I know I said the end would have a poem but in Bible class today this verse popped up and I was like, hey… awesome verse! And it goes along with how Beast Boy is feeling pretty well. It might go along with how Raven is feeling as well. ((hint)) right, like you didn't already know she felt that way. Anyhow. Tell me how it is. Am I rushing the plot? Are Raven and Beast Boy to OOC for your taste? In other words… REVIEW!