A/N: I'm back! This time, with the beginning of the end of my story. Brace yourself for another plot centered around Raven, more of my favorite couple (not telling you who), and another reunion. But let's just say this time, one family member really doesn't want to go. As if they had a choice in the matter!

Disclaimer: The world is ending. Raven's worst nightmare is back. And I still don't own those Teen Titans!

Reunions: Chapter Sixteen -The Beginning of the End (Family Reunion)

It was a normal day. I was sitting in the main room of Titans Tower, calmly meditating. I could feel my soul rising out of my body. It was a wonderful feeling, being lifted up like that. Although it can be tedious, meditating helped keep me from unleashing my full power. But currently, I was meditating to help me accept my newfound feelings for Beast Boy. Before I had tried to hide it, but that caused me too much internal pain. Then, I denied it, but it just kept growing with every shake of my head. All my efforts were in vain. So, I took a different approach, and embraced it. As I contemplated this, I became aware of a presence beside me.

"Beast Boy?" I called as my eyes snapped open. He was sitting on the sofa beside me, resting his head on his fist. From the looks of it, he had been watching me meditate. There was a look of unmistakable admiration plastered across his face. "What are you doing exactly? I mean, you're staring at me. Surely you can't enjoy watching me meditate. I'm not like a cartoon or something."

"Yeah," he said sleepily, "I was. And when I say that, I mean that I was watching you meditate and thoroughly enjoying it. You looked so calm and peaceful, and I couldn't help it. Ever since you went into my mind, I've wanted to learn more about you. You seem really cool."

I smiled. "Thanks. It's nice to know someone actually cares about me. I can tell you genuinely want to be my friend. My powers let me sense certain emotions, and I've always had good intuition."

He frowned, then wrinkled his forehead. A sudden thought that he looked cute popped up in my head, but I pushed it to the back of my mind. I have no need for love. Love is unnecessary. "So," he said finally, "if I had a crush on someone, right now, would you know? Hypothetically, of course."

"I guess," I replied, not wanting him to know the truth. "Well, there's one thing. Anytime I get too close to someone; I brush up against their mind. So, if you accidentally touched my hand, I would get a sort of energy blast. It's like a little aura of whatever that person is feeling." I sighed, relieved to have finally told someone. "And vice versa. At times you can feel what I'm feeling, too. It depends on the strength of the bond and what emotions we're both feeling. Love and hate will cancel out. But mutual hatred or love will affect both." I made a mental note never to touch Beast Boy's hand.

"Oh," he said. It was all he needed to say. An understanding passed between us, reminding me of what it had been like when I was growing up, raised by Azar. "So, can I meditate with you?" he asked, almost eagerly.

"Sure," I replied. "Just find your center." He did as I told him to. Once in a while he would mispronounce a word, which I would correct. At one time he even talked in a country music style accent. These voices that he did left us both in a laughing fit for a few minutes, but I would quickly regain my serious expression and start over. It continued on like this for a while, until something happened.

We had just gotten over his latest joke, in which he had tried to spell Zinthos backwards. I resumed my position, but Beast Boy was having a little trouble. I had my eyes closed, but I could tell that he was about to fall. He slipped and grabbed my hand for support, then held it for a few seconds. My eyes snapped open and we both recoiled, letting go as if we had just touched a hot piece of metal. I might as well have.

Because I was blown backward by the force of the aura that I had come into contact with. It was the strongest emotional energy force I had ever known of. A few minutes after the initial effect, I glanced at Beast Boy, who had apparently felt the same thing and reacted in the same way.

"So," he said slowly. "That's it? From your description, I thought for sure it would be stronger. And I don't even feel the emotional part yet. I guess it canceled out." He hung his head, almost disappointed. I was a bit disappointed too. I guess we really didn't feel the same way about each other. Suddenly, he sat upright, looking much happier.

"Beast Boy, what's going on?" The words were hardly out of my mouth when I felt it too. A wave of concern, compassion, and understanding. It was full of the desire to be friends, or perhaps something more. It was indescribable, but unmistakable. This was love, I could tell. Not just one-sided love, but mutual love. It was nothing like the petty crushes and trifle romances girls get themselves into.

"So," Beast Boy said, breaking the silence as the effect faded. "Looks like I stand corrected. What do you know, it didn't cancel out." Another silence followed.

"Do you want to try meditating again?" I offered. He nodded. I slipped into conscious sleep, trying to focus but finding myself looking for the aura again. It wasn't long before I gave up fighting and opened my eyes. I was surprised to find Beast Boy with his eyes opened too.

"Raven? You said that love and hate cancel each other out," he began. "So, they're like opposites."

"Yeah," I agreed. "But opposites don't always cancel each other out. In fact, love and hate almost go hand in hand. It's ironic."

He nodded, as if he understood what I really meant. "Some people even say that," he gulped, "that opposites attract."

"I've heard that before," I droned, careful to show no emotion whatsoever.

"Do you believe it?" he said, looking as if he wished he could swallow his words and take it all back.

"Yes," I said, not even thinking about why he wanted to know. It dawned on me, and I felt my face getting hot.

"It's okay, Raven," he said, sensing my regret. "I believe it too. I didn't before, but then I met someone who showed me just how true it could be."

"I gotta go. Sudden inspiration for a poem. You know, the kind that you have to get out before it eats you alive. I know you're not into the whole poem thing, but I really like it. Not all of mine are so depressing. Some are even about happiness." It was true, but it was also a quick save.

Surprisingly, he understood. "I got sudden inspiration once, but it wasn't for a poem."

"No?" I questioned. "What was it for, then?"

"A macaroni sculpture."

I erupted in a fit of giggles. Just by being himself, Beast Boy had made my day. "Later," I called to him, still laughing.

"Hey, Rae, wait!" I turned around, wondering what he wanted. "Sometime," he said, running to catch up with me, "could I read your poetry?"

"Sure." I smiled. It wasn't like him to be so caring. Or perhaps I just never noticed. He smiled back at me as I shut the door to my room. I flopped on the bed, drained from feeling so much. I then realized that he hadn't called me by my real name. He had called me Rae. No one had ever called me that before.

There was a sickening crunch as three feet of sheet rock collapsed to the ground. I jumped up, startled but not defenseless. A shadow was emerging from the rubble, which had once been my wall. I glimpsed two pairs of glowing green eyes, too close together to belong to more than one person. There were only two types of creatures with two sets of eyes, and it was too large to be one of the ravens from my mirror. This thing was a demon.

I prepared myself for a fight. The thing threw a few handfuls of sheet rock at my head. I encased them in dark energy, tossing them effortlessly to the ground. Some of my power feeds on negative energy. I have to find one reason why I am fighting my enemy. A flaw, a reason, anything. I chose the only one I knew: it could work for my father.

"Please," it spoke. The demon had a thick Transylvanian accent. As he emerged, I saw that he had black skin, which seemed to swallow up all of my hope. His white hair flowed over his pointed ears. The outfit he was wearing bore the symbol of Trigon's army. It was a spy. "I do not wish to fight you."

"Like I care what you wish," I spat. "You're all alike. You must be here for me. Am I needed for some prophecy? To boost your army's strength?"

"Please," he said, sinking into a deep bow. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Heraldio, son of Reganon, youngest brother of Trigon, and uncle of you. I am here to take you to a little reunion. Your father wishes to see you again."

"No!" I shouted. "I won't let you take me there."

"You will allow me to transport you to headquarters!" he bellowed.

Suddenly, a shadow appeared in my doorway. "You heard the lady," it said. "She's not going. At least," he said, revealing his face to us, "not if I have anything to say about it."

"Beast Boy?" I questioned, as he stepped between Heraldio and me. "What are you doing here?"

"I heard a crash," he replied, still standing protectively in front of me. "So I came to see if you were all right. Guess not. Who's the freak?"

"Heraldio," I replied, not taking my eyes off of the demon. "My father's brother. He wants to take me away to his headquarters. But I won't-"

I was cut off as Heraldio seized me by the cloak and carried me off to the island where Titans Tower was located. Beast Boy followed us, screaming my name, but his efforts were in vain. Heraldio ripped a hole in mid air with one gray claw. Beast Boy turned into a wolf and bit his ankle, but it was to no avail. I was carried away from all that I ever liked in life, a miserable ending to an almost perfect day.