Chapter 8 Some Fires Never Burn, Some Giants Never Fall

Disclaimed: I don't own the titans, the title of the story belongs to The Chariot

Readerrr Grrrl: Sorry its taken me so long to write this chapter. I had a lot of different ideas how I wanted to do this, but this is how it turned out and I think its better than the original idea of having a conversation with Starfire

JMPchick: thanks for your constant reviews and encouragement

greenlobster7878: glad you liked the last chapter, maybe you'll like this one too. That last chapter was really hard to write and so was this one, phewww!

renayumi: teasing next chapter, promise :) glad you liked the last chapter though

Hanita-chan: I'm glad you enjoy this fic, I hope this chapter is to your satisfaction.

I tried something different with this chapter with Raven and her emotions. I think it turned out alright. The last/next two chapters will probably go back to the original way I was writing this. Anyways thank you all for reading and reviewing.

" we saw you in despair" Interpol 'A Time To Be So Small'

"You want to know why we hid ourselves from you? Look just over the horizon, do you see them," Wisdom asked.

Raven turned to see hulking monstrosities pace back and forth. The image seemed saddening and frightening at the same time. "What are they?"

"They are your fears. They were not even two feet high fifteen minutes ago. However, much has changed in that fifteen minutes. Before that we were able to sneak by them or simply ignore them for they posed no threat."

"What do you mean?"

"Why do you play stupid with yourself Raven? You have a superior intellect. I should know. However, I see that you are unwilling to talk about this matter, so I shall speak for you. In the last fifteen minutes you had a conversation with Starfire, who has a much keener eye than the other emotions and I had hoped. She then told you of our, or rather your doings as of late. When you refused to believe her she provided proof on security tapes. You then pushed her out of your room and, I do detest this, you began to worry, as you always do whenever HE comes into your thoughts."

Raven briefly blushed and then looked back at her fears. 'Did her fears not deserve to be there? Did they not protect her?'

"Certaintly not! Perhaps if they were a smaller scale fear, but these are different. These are the fears that keep us from change, from growth-

"From Happiness," Happy said brightly, though bruised and bleeding from her back.

"Quiet right Happy. You have allowed these fears to grow within you. Now you must battle these fears, for if you do not you are bound to bring your nightmares to light. You will never be fulfilled and your sorrows will increase a thousand fold. We cannot bear it and neither will you," Wisdom finished, crossing her arms over her chest.

Rage ran to Raven's side, "You do not need friends," she whispered in the girl's ear.

Raven repeated the words to herself, "I don't need friends."

"Then why have you spent the last three years at their side Raven? Why do you go out with them? Why did you ask Beast Boy to go with you to your mother's grave, to spend time with you? And please, do not tell me it was our fault. Much to our surprise you asked him all on your own."

"Don't listen to her! She would have you socializing with those who are clearly beneath you," Rage screeched.

"Beneath her? I hardly think so," Wisdom spoke again and began to smile, "if anything they have shown themselves to be more than worthy of our friendship, our admiration, and...our love."

"Love! Pfah! There is no-"

"Shut it," Bravery yelled as she knocked Rage to the ground.

Wisdom smirked at the action and then turned back to Raven, who still seemed unsure of herself. "You know what you must do."

Raven gazed back at her fears and could not bear to know such cowardice dwelled within her. "My fears will be destroyed," and with that she found herself back in her room. The fear attacked her almost immediately.

She could feel the fear prickling at her brain, reaching for her throat, but still she faced herself in the mirror. "They are my friends." She began to think of the time shared with them and then-

'They will leave you, scorn you, mock-' a voice whispered, still Raven said, "They are my friends." They would continue to be her friends and Beast Boy he would be there for-

'And what of him? He will never love you.' Love was something she had always thought unnecessary, but in these last few months she had come to realize it was something she needed, wanted, hungered for. Garfield had shown her this love and she would happily return it.

"I will love him," she told her reflection in the mirror. She began to feel a strain on her. The room seemed to weigh heavily on her shoulders as suffocation settled on her lungs.

'He is only pla-' the voices whispered so seductively.

She shook her head. "He is not! He is caring and kind and he is my friend! I will love him," she cried with a final resolve. Just as suddenly as it had come the fear left. She fell to her knees and then asleep, not hearing Beast Boy come in. She awoke a few hours later to find a small card had been placed on her nightstand and that she had been placed in her bed, the bear he had won her tucked in her arms. The smallest of smiles crept along her face.