Ok, sorry sorry sorry! Got distracted with Wounds, even though I promised I wouldn't. Plus I got a bit of writer's block here...I know, only the fourth chapter and I'm struggling...not a good sign. I think I know where I'm going now, though, so the next update should be much faster. Sorry, but this fic is going to be pretty depressing, maybe even morbid...at least in my opinion. Just thought I'd warn you.

Shadow Creature (all of you, pay attention, cuz I will only say this once! Shadow Creature is the name of my story, and also the nickname of raeandrob4eva!): Yeah I wanted my name to be Insanity101, but it wouldn't let me have the dang numbers grrr! Yes, Birthmark rocked! WOOHOO! The part in the chapel rocked. Good, I'm glad someone is. I'm desperately trying to make it make sense.

RavenHairedInsanity: LOL good. I know...no you're not a spaz, I just have a demented mind. Thank you for putting up with my insane mumblings. I am definately hearing you guys, and it's usually fun to answer reviews, so no prob!

Aeris-Raven: Nah, it is probably me. I am demented...it's a known fact. That would be cool...in this, it's more him trying to heal all the damage he has done to his mind. The boy only appeared supposedly in the flesh to make him see that he didn't deserve all the abuse he gave to that little kid...if that makes any sense. Thanks, I try to paint a picture instead of just relating a series of events. :)

EvilYellowCrayon: Yeah, I'm confusing everyone. Sorry!

Majestical: Glad it was good, bummed it was confusing. Bear with me! Yes I loved Birthmark!

Strixvaria: Thanks, sorry it's so confusing :(

tinkerbellx2: RAE AND ROB 4 EEEEEEEEEVA! Er...cough cough. Lol sounds kinda like what I did to the school psychologist...evil teacher made me go to him in fifth grade...it sucked. NO, No Star/Rob! More Rae/Rob! LOL, I'm glad I can make someone smile...

Furubafun24: Sorry I made you cry :( Glad you liked it anyway :) Yeah, Slade Sucks! You do a good job with Star/Rob...I like it the way you write it. The new chap to your story was awesome! Update soon!

Rinagurl13: LOL YAY SOMEONE UNDERSTANDS ME-hugs rinagurl13-

EvilWhiteRaven: Thanks :) Oh, thanks, I didn't know what the difference was...I'll be sure to spell it that way from now on.

twobirdslover: The whole story is Rob/Rae, so don't worry about that. As for Robin getting out of his coma, that could take a while...or it could never happen at all. Sorry for the confusion.

nevermoretheraven: Sorry...

jambey: Nah, nothing particular. Just a picture of Raven...it was meant as a hint of the feelings between them, just to get it started. No, just about everyone who reviewed was confused, so its definately me. Sorry.

Raving-Lunatic: YAY! You are back-Hugs the lunatic- LOL yeah...I did that to kinda show that Robin is very much human, no matter what he pretends to be. Very possible...sorry for keeping you waiting.

I had super human powers once, but my therapists took them away.

-

Raven woke with a start, eyes wide and heart racing. It took her a few minutes to realize where she was.

The room appeared to be the same as it had been before she fell asleep. The machines were still plugging along, the clock was still ticking, Robin was still "sleeping".

She sighed heavily; she had almost hoped that she would wake to find it was all just a dream, a horrible nightmare that would lose its power in the light of the sun. Robin would smile, say "good morning", plant himself in front of the TV and channel surf. That was all she wanted, just to have her normal life back. She wasn't asking for love, she just wanted him to live.

Raven's eyes widened. Love? Has she really thought that? Sleep deprivation must really be getting to her.

Her eyes came to rest on his face, so pale and still. Raven frowned as she looked closer; his eyebrows were drawn together in a pained expression. Her eyes widened in surprise as she saw a single, glistening tear streak its way down his pale cheek and fall silently on his hospital gown. Was he waking up?

Raven leapt from her chair and stood over him, hesitantly stroaking his cheek. What was he seeing? What was causing him so much pain"It's ok, Robin. You're going to be fine." He showed no signs that he could hear her, but talking to him eased the pain in her chest. "I...I know it's hard, but you have to fight. You have to wake up. I...the team needs you." She found his hand and squeezed it, giving her warmth to his cold body. Her voice shook slightly as she continued. "I'm so sorry. This is my fault, all my fault. I should have stopped you" Raven broke off, her breath catching in her chest. "Come back, Robin. Please? Please just wake up."

Raven looked up, startled as the door opened. The nurse from the night before entered slowly, looking at her with knowing eyes. She moved right up beside Raven, staring thoughtfully at the Boy Wonder.

"He's fighting himself, you know."

"Excuse me?"

"The boy. He's fighting a battle within his own mind. The outcome of that fight determines the outcome of this one."

Raven's jaw dropped. "What do you mean?"

"Help him win that fight, Raven." The nurse stared intensely into her eyes. "He needs you." With that, the nurse smiled pleasantly, her brown eyes twinkling. "I suppose you're hungry? I'll bring you some breakfast. If you want to freshen up, the ladies room is just down the hall."

Raven blinked, a bit stunned at this rapid change of subject. "Wait!"

The nurse turned at the door.

"What..." Raven couldn't put her confusion into words, so she settled for an irrelevant question. "What's your name?"

"Oh..." The nurse smiled warmly. "Just call me Missy. Everyone else does."She winked, and disappeared through the door, leaving Raven to her jumbled thoughts.

-

"May we please go see friend Robin?"

"Starfire, for the last time, NOT YET!" Cyborg scowled as he tried to concentrate on the T-car.

About five minutes later, Starfire popped up next to him once again. "May we now go see friend Robin?"

Cyborg took several deep, cleansing breaths, willing himself to stay calm. He opened his mouth to answer her, but closed it again as the alarm went off in his ears. "Trouble!"

-

Raven jumped a foot in the air when her gemstone flashed, chirping a warning. Why? The last thing she wanted to do right now was leave him. Unfortunately, criminals don't take a break because the superheroes don't feel like fighting. Robin or no Robin, life goes on. She couldn't forget her responsibility as a Titan in the light of the recent tragedy, no matter how tempting it seemed. Robin wouldn't want her to.

With a sigh of regret, and a whispered promise of return, Raven flew off to fullfill her duty.

-

"What have we got?"

"Not sure, Rae. The report didn't say much." Bewilderment was clear in Cyborg's tone as he scratched his head thoughtfully, taking a good look around the old and dusty chapel.

Raven fought to keep her frustration under wraps. She didn't have time for this! What if, while she was gone, Robin... "Don't be an idiot! You can't keep him alive simply by being there. If he's going to die, he will, and there's nothing you can do about it."

"Bravo! And they say that teenagers aren't intelligent!"

Raven felt a horrible twisting sensation of shock in her stomach. She tried not to panic. "Calm down...he can't possibly have- No one could..."

"Oh, what dangerous assumptions, my dear. I'm afraid I can, I could, and I did."

Raven's eyes widened, flying around the room in search of the voice. It was everywhere and nowhere at the same time.

"Raven? Raven, are you ok?"

She jumped as she felt Cyborg's metal grip on her shoulder. "Where...where is he? Did you hear it?", she stuttered, still frantically searching the chapel for the source of that bone-chilling voice.

"Don't bother, my dear. They can't hear me." His voice echoed through the silent church, echoed through her mind. "They can't see me." Raven whirled around as she caught a glimpse of something lurking behind a shadowy pew. "They can't feel me." She shivered violently as icy fingers slid up and down her neck.

Raven screamed, spinning around and around, desperate to locate her invisible enemy. "Who are you? Show yourself!"

A sickening chuckle drifted through the stale air, curling and twisting around Raven like some foul snake. "Oh, but you don't need your eyes to see me. Look into your mind, deep into the darkest, least-used corners, and you will find me."

A paralyzing fear had her in its clutches, squeezing the air from her very lungs. "Who are you? Why are you in my mind? How did you...What do you want?"

"Who am I?" The voice was silent, as though pondering the question. "I am the beginning of his end, dear, sweet Raven."

Raven's blood turned ice cold. "I...I don't know who you're talking about!"

The voice chuckled again, a sadistic glee evident in every sound. "You cannot lie to me, Raven. Not when I control your mind! You know of whom I speak, I can feel it in your fear."

"If you touch him...What have you done to him?" Raven could hardly speak, terror constricting her air passages.

"It's not what i have done to him that matters. It's what I will do to him, my dear. I must say, he is a perfect host."

"Host?", Raven whispered.

"Oh yes. He is ideal for my plans. And now, the purpose of my little visit." Her fear was palpable, he could almost taste it. "If you interfere with even the tiniest detail of my plan, you will pay a price you most certainly cannot afford. Leave him to me, or face the consequences", he hissed.

"Raven!"

Raven gasped as though someone had doused her in ice-cold water. Her eyes shot open, and she bolted upright. "NO!"

"Raven, what happened? Are you ok?" The panicked faces of her friends slowly came into focus. His presence was gone, but fear was still coursing like poison through her veins.

"Robin...He's...I have to go!" Without so much as a goodbye, Raven turned and flew out of the "house of God" at breakneck speed, leaving her friends frozen to the spot in utter confusion.

-

"Why Raven! What's the matter, dear?"

Raven skidded to a halt in front of room 363. "Robin...is he...did anything..." She gave up, taking deep breaths and holding her side.

"Shhh...calm down. He's fine, no changes since you were last here." Missy smiled reassuringly, patting Raven on the shoulder. "Did something happen?" Her tone had suddenly turned serious.

Raven felt a strange urge to tell Missy all about the voice...and what it had threatened. She soon shot that idea down, however. "You don't even know her. If you tell her, you'll be in a hospital, too; a hospital for the mentally impaired." "No, nothing happened", she lied smoothly. "Just wanted to make sure he was all right."

Missy looked at her with her sparkling chocolate eyes, and Raven felt shame burn in the pit of her stomach. She had an uneasy feeling that Missy could tell she was hiding something, and she didn't like it one bit. Mind-reading was supposed to be her trick, she was supposed to make other people squirm under her penetrating gaze. Not the other way around! Then again, maybe she was just imagining this. Heaven knows she was extremely jittery after her encounter with...whatever the heck that thing had been. The paralyzing terror returned in part as she remembered his words... "I am the beginning of his end." What had he meant by that? Was that thing possessing Robin?

"Raven?"

She jumped, her mind back on reality.

"Are you sure you're all right? You look very pale. Have you had anything to eat today?"

Raven frowned. She couldn't help resenting the motherly tone in the woman's voice. She was sixteen years old; she could certainly feed herself by now. "I'm just fine, thank you." She didn't quite manage to keep the frustration out of her voice.

Missy nodded slightly, taking a step back. "Very well, dear. I'll leave you alone then."

Raven was slightly surprised that the woman had backed down so easily, and she almost wished she hadn't. She almost wanted to tell her, to get it all off her chest... "Wow, the accident must have really messed with my mind."

She turned to face the familiar room, with its white walls, white tile, and most importantly, white bed at its center. Robin was utterly still, showing no signs of life, just like before. Could that...thing be lurking somewhere deep in his mind? What were the plans that he...it had for Robin? How could she stop it?

"Remember, my dear. One falsed move, and I won't just use him, I will destroy him from the inside, out."

-

Yeah...demon dude...new character. Tell me what you think. Speak to me, I'm listening. -Dusty