Chapter 2-Friends

Raven flung the car door open so that it nearly flew off the car, and slammed it shut to the point the window cracked. Robin had the keys, so she waited impatiently as he walked over to the door in silence. He fumbled with the keys a moment before unlocking the door. Once open, Raven walked with quick paced strides and stormed to her room. The other Titans stared shockedly after her, all except Cyborg, who was still gaping at the cracked car window.

After a moment of gawking, Starfire spoke. "I believe our friend is in need of a friend in which to talk to about her horrible way of feeling at the moment. Shall I comfort her?"

"Maybe she just needs to be alone," Robin responded, a note of concern in his voice.

"Perhaps if I was to make her some of the foul-tasting tea of herbs, it will help ease her troublesome anguish?"

"I guess it's worth a try, but if she says to go away, it'd probably be better to leave her alone."

Starfire nodded, satisfied, and walked into the kitchen. She rummaged through several cabinets before finding the ingredients to Raven's tea. Unsure, she mixed the ingredients into a dark blend of tea-like perfume. Starfire sipped the mixture cautiously. The herbal tea reached her lips and, in her mind, she was sure it was right—the usual foul taste of Raven's tea. She smiled, pleased with herself and walked to Raven's room, carrying the small cup of herbal tea.

She hesitated before knocking on the door. After a moment's wait, the door was cracked. A pinkish-eyed, puffy faced Raven appeared, hood pulled up in attempt to hide the tears she'd been crying. Seeing Starfire, she quickly wiped her eyes and looked up at her, and Starfire was—for a moment—reminded of a lost, blue-eyed puppy lost on a Gotham City sidewalk.

"What do you want?" Raven asked sharply.

"I—wish to comfort you, friend. I will devote myself to training the oozing Urthulacs in the Grimpelorathian wintertime to help ease your troubled mind. I have brought you a small offering of your tea of herbs," she replied softly.

"R-Really? Thanks," Raven replied gratefully as she opened the door wider and took the small cup from Starfire. She put her lips to the cup and sipped the hot liquid, and attempted to look as though she wasn't about to gag. She swallowed painfully and thanked her once more.

Raven was about to shut the door when Starfire asked quietly, "May I enter? I wish to stay to do the 'chatting' and perhaps comfort you."

Raven thought for a moment, hesitating, and then replied, "Alright. Come on in." Starfire smiled sweetly and entered Raven's room.

"What is it that troubles you, friend?" Starfire asked as the door closed behind her, and darkness filled the ominous room.

The room was hollow, as if it was missing something, and was illuminated with silver teardrops of moonlight that dappled the floor and walls through the blinds that shaded the window. Despite the light of the moon, it seemed darker than usual, as though the pitch black of Death and Fear loomed about them, hunting them down to trap them within their evil clutches and fight over their trembling flesh. Starfire shuddered, the chill of the depression in the air filling her lungs and fingering her skin, its smooth fingers sliding across her flesh, chilling her to the bone.

Raven hesitated, trying not to cry. Finally, she spoke, shattering the silence around them. "Beast Boy," was all she could manage in a hoarse voice.

"I understand. It was quite shocking—I do not wish for him to suffer so."

Raven burst into tears as she spoke "I can't—I just don't understand. Back in September he said something about his parents and wouldn't tell me anything else about it. And now—now he's working for Slade, and won't even tell us what's going on now. I don't get it. Was he not happy here? Is that why he went to Slade? Why won't he just talk?" Raven laid her head on Starfire's shoulder, grateful for the company she had previously promised herself she would refuse.

"I am sure Slade is doing the 'blackmailing' to our friend. I am sure Beast Boy was happy here and would not turn to Slade—not after what he did to our friend Terra, as well as tried to do to Robin. We must save our friend before it is too late, and he suffers the same fate."

"There's nothing we can do now," Raven replied through a curtain of tears, "nothing but get over it and get on with our lives, and pretend he never existed as a friend."

"There must be some other way. We cannot abandon our friend. Especially not now, when he must need us the most." Her voice became distant as it faded away into a foreign murmur, and Raven fell into an uneasy sleep, as Starfire soon did as well.

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Thoughts pierced her mind as though they were knives as she slept. Each explanation bore more pain than the last. He had betrayed her. He gave a happy life up for nothing. His warm heart was transforming as he himself could, changing from a tender, vulnerable, naïve heart to hard, cold, coarse stone.

A seasick-like feeling rose within her as she thought. She couldn't change his mind. Something was holding him back. Something was forcing his betrayal. But what? She may never know. Unless…

Unless I go back, she thought. I have to go back. I have to find out what he's hiding, and why he's holding back. I have no other choice.

At that, Raven forced herself to awaken, only to find herself still leaning in a sleeping Starfire's shoulder, which was now hot and sticky from tears. Being careful not to wake her, she moved to a point where she could lift the sleeping girl and carried her silently and carefully to her room. Once there, she opened the door and unmade the bed. Gently, Raven laid Starfire in her bed and pulled the covers over her. She thanked Starfire silently for everything and left the room silently.

Author's Note: Isn't this chapter so sweet? Reminds me vaguely of "Switched"—perhaps the RaeStar bonding? I loved typing this chapter, although it was hard to get a flow going. But I think I did. I also enjoy the bit with the herbal tea…not just for the humor, though—I think it shows how much she cared about Raven. I love some of the description in here—and I hope you do too! I hope you enjoyed this as much as I do. Look forward to hearing from you!

LPL
Tina