1A/N: No action here but Robin confronts Raven about her desire to run away from the Titans. Let's hope its written as well as I hoped it to be. Wanted it to work without anyone admitting their feelings to each other. Still too early for that A little plot development and Slade even gets a few lines. He has to be one of the greatest villains ever. Too bad he's now an underling.
Disclaimer: I don't own the Teen Titans so lets not try and sue me since I don't have anything to sue for.
Ch 4: One moment
Robin P.O.V:
What to do, What to do. Three words that kept repeating through my head as I paced back and forth in front of Raven's door. After Cyborg's little encouragement speech I knew I had to talk to Raven. For some reason, I knew I was the only one with half a chance of getting her to say. I had waited about an hour after she left for her room. She needed to meditate, and I was definitely not stupid enough to try and talk to her when she was in need of that. So here I was pacing like some kind of cages animal trying to think of what I was going to say to her. 'Hey Rae, nice room. Sorry about the whole being the child of Satan and all but you can't leave because the team really needs you.' Yeah right. She would leave right after I finished my sentence.
I'm definitely too afraid to tell her how I feel even now when I know she could be gone forever. God I am such a coward and the fact she would probably banish me to never-ending darkness if I even used the L-word in her presence. Damn it Robin! You have to do something. You can't let her run away any more. You can't leave her alone in the coming storm. You have to help her. I leaned against Raven's door letting out a deep sigh. I held my head in my hands hoping that some answer would come to me, some type of divine intervention would just pop into my head.
However, the only answer I received was a Swoosh as I fell backwards into darkness. Landing hard on my back, it took me a few seconds to take in my surroundings because of the blackness. I quickly jumped to my feet and straightened my uniform. I glanced around receiving the feeling that I was in some type of gothic medieval library. It was dark, mysterious, expressing itself symbolically in its subtleties. It was Raven. My "sight-seeing" was interrupted abruptly by the cold voice of Raven.
"The only reason I'm allowing you in here is because I need to perform a ritual on you to break that pesky bond we have. It's the only way to ensure that none of you can ever find me again." It was hard to see Raven because she blended so well in with her surroundings. There she sat in on her bed in her meditative pose. No part of her body was visible, not even her eyes as her hood was up and her face looked down. Finding my voice I responded with as much confidence as I could muster.
"Sorry to disappoint you Raven, but I'm here to talk about something completely different." Immediately Raven looked up at me. Her eyes glowed in the darkness of our surroundings and under any other circumstances would have captivated me. Instead, I met them with an equally intense look.
"There is nothing to talk about Robin. Everything that needs to be said has been said. You know what I am now. You know what follows me and what they desire. I'm doing this for the good of all existence. If Slade can't find me, he can't bring about the prophecy. This world, the Titans, you, will all be safe. There is no reason for you to fight this fight. My existence should be no longer your concern." As she spoke she slowly lowered her head again, refusing to meet my gaze. It was my time to speak.
"Raven, you have to listen. No one on the team cares what you are. No one wants you to leave us. We all want to protect you whether its from Slade, your Father, Brother Blood, hell if Killer Moth shows up trying to hurt you we'll kick his ass too. You have a family here Raven, people that care about you so very much. As much as you don't want to admit it, you've found people that will never turn their back on you, people who are willing to fight for you no matter what." I was abruptly cut off by Raven. Her voice was angry as she shot up from her bed into a standing position.
"Don't you understand Robin. If I stay, you are all going to die horrible, horrible deaths. This city, this world will become only the first planet to be turned to ash by my Father. If I stay everything that we've ever defended will be destroyed. Don't you understand Robin. She wrapped her arms around herself as she finally gained control of her voice. In a voice I could barely here, I heard Raven say, "I'm a monster." I so badly wanted to embrace her right then and there. Tell her she wasn't a monster. That she was a hero, that she was a beautiful goddess of a woman that I needed but I could not find my voice.
"Don't you understand Robin. I was never supposed to exist. My mother wanted to kill herself when she found out what she carried within her, that her unborn baby would bring about Armageddon. She was two seconds from throwing herself off a cliff to ensure I would never be. Azar stopped her. Told her that I could be used as a weapon against Trigon and his demon brethren. Told her that with proper control I could be used to help the universe. What a load of garbage. My mother abandoned me at age 3 and never once can I remember holding her as mother would a daughter. The people of Azarath hated me, scorned my existence. The only one who tolerated me was Azar and she wanted me as a weapon.
Don't you see Robin! They all knew that I am a monster. They all knew I was pure darkness. Why can't you see that and just leave me alone." I stared at Raven as she clutched herself. Her tiny body shook slightly as I could tell she was trying to repress her sobs. Here for the first time, I was seeing the part of Raven that she hid from everyone for so long. A scared, vulnerable little girl who never once was told she was loved. Never once was she held or reassured. She felt so utterly and totally alone and the feelings I picked up from my link to her nearly ripped my heart in half.
I don't know if it was because of my emotions, her emotions, are just blatant stupidity on my part, but at that moment I did the first thing I could think of. I walked up to the shaking girl and hugged her. I gently placed my arms around her and held her as tight as I could without hurting her. I was shocked when she did not pull away nor did she embrace me back. She simply buried her head into my chest and never said a word.
"Raven. I know this is hard for you to believe but the Titans love you. We need you not because of your powers but because of who you are. We need you to be Cyborg's little sister, we need you to keep Beast Boy in line, we need you to be Star's best-friend, we need your sarcastic comments to lighten the mood, we need your revel head when we all start fighting, I need you… we need you to keep this family together and happy. I told you before that I would fight Hell itself if I had to for you. I never thought that would ever happen but the offer still stands Raven. I'm willing to stand by your side no matter what the cost. I will die for you Raven. I will die for you." I felt Raven shudder at the last of my words. She finally decided to speak though it came out little more than a whisper.
"Shut up Robin. Just please shut up. Just hold me. If only for a moment, just please hold me." I could hear her sniffle slightly as she dug her head deeper into my chest. I felt her slender arms reach around me and for the first time in my life, I was hugging Raven and she was hugging me. I rested my head on top of hers and simply stood there. I don't know how long we stood there and I really didn't care. All I know was that I was holding my Raven, and if it was only for a moment in the darkness of her room, I would show her what it was like to be in the light.
In Unknown Location:
Brother Blood found himself being beaten into the ground. His right arm had been broken off and he was sure he could feel a broken rip or two. Slade stood menacing above him, his one eye gleaming from under his mask.
"Now Blood, you ensured me you had complete control over him did you not. You ensured me that in the heat of battle you would not lose control" Another swift kick met Blood's side as he skidded across the ground.
"I'm sorry Slade. It wasn't my fault. I didn't realize Raven's mental powers would be so strong. I didn't…" Brother Blood's comment was cut off by a punch to the jaw.
"He should have never even touched the Daughter during that battle. " Slade bellowed. The walls of the dark cavern shook with his rage but ended quickly as Slade regained control. "I broke you out of prison for the sole purpose of controlling his mind and carrying out my orders. If you can't do that then why should I allow you to live."
As Slade spoke the strange mark on his forehead appeared. It glowed in the darkness in the cavern giving Slade a demonic appearance. Brother Blood shuddered in fear. Slade placed his hands behind his back and turned around and began speaking again. "You are lucky I can not mark him as I have my other servants to ensure their…cooperation. You are lucky I can't completely control you through markings because of your powers. I still need SoulBurn to collect the offerings and because of that fact, I still need you. However, if you even remotely fail me again, I will make an eternity in Hell feel like paradise. Have I made myself clear."
"Yes Master. Yes you have. May I be excused now?" Brother Blood spoke as he stood into standing position. He felt the pain in his chest from his ribs but did not openly show it.
"Yes. Leave my presence. I must go speak to our Lord," and with that Brother Blood left the room. Slade stood staring at his monitors as he watched his minions, courtesy of the H.I.V.E, finish constructing the final site of the ceremony. "Soon. Very soon." A hellish laugh echoed through the cavern.
Deep within Slade's complex, contained within a cold metal cell laid the body of a young man. His entire body ached and his head was clouded do to the drugs he was given to keep him unconscious. Two pale blue eyes forced themselves open despite the pain. The fact he was still awake was a testament to the resistance he had built up over the months of his imprisonment to the many drugs he was give.
He was trying to focus all his concentration on one thing. The unique aura of that girl he had fought. It stood out like a black speck on a perfect white background. He didn't know why but feeling that aura disgusted him but it was his only choice. He pulled himself into standing position, leaning heavily against the metal wall of his cell. Every last bit of his energy was now focused and in a flash of pale blue, he was gone from his cell without a trace. Seconds later, a mind controlled H.I.V.E agent opened the cell and walked in with a syringe to find nothing there.
Titan's Tower:
Cyborg and Beast Boy quietly played video games, lacking much of their usual energy. Starfire sat between them with an empty look in their eyes. All three of them were concerned with Raven and were hoping Robin would come back soon with good news.
"Do you think she threw him into another dimension?" Beast Boy asked with a slight smile trying to lighten the mood.
"She would only do that to you BB," was Cyborg's reply. Beast Boy shot back.
"Hey I take offense to that. I believe she threatened you once with that when you wouldn't stop calling her Rae." Cyborg's only response was a deep sigh. Starfire finally started to speak up.
"Friends. Do you think we should also go check on friend Raven in case friend Robin did not fare well." Cyborg was about to reply but was interrupted by a flash of light as a body appeared in front of them and crashed straight threw the living room table.
"On any other day, I might consider that a little bit strange," was Cyborg's only response as he stared at the robed body in front of him.
