A/N: Reviews make me insanely happy! ….especially the awesome ones that I received. Some people might think that the best thing about receiving review would be…receiving them . But actually it's reading them and then responding to them. That's my favorite part…something you might glean from this next part: Reponses to my Lovely Reviewers!
Tifereth Kantrishakrim:: Whew…finally done! Your name sounds awesome…despite being kind of long! Does it mean anything? Thanks for putting this story on your favorites list…and yes I have been referred to as crazy. As you will probably find out, there are many things wrong with me…but if you want a list I'm afraid we'll be here all day, and you'll probably want to get to the next chapter.
Phibbs: I hope this is soon enough for you…I spent the next day, which was my birthday might I add, (HAPPY SWEET SIXTEEN TO ME!) and today trying to get this chapter out.
CeruleanAngel: Yeah, thanks. I don't even know what I was thinking when I did the hell part actually…I guess it had something to do with Constintine, awesome movie by the way. Yeah, my birthday was great so thanks again!
Human: Oh, I will definitely continue this one. I don't have a very good track record for updating and stuff like that but this fic will be considerably different. I don't know what it is about this fandom but when ever I sit down it seems the words and ideas just flow. I had to edit this chapter like twenty times because I had so many different ideas. I actually have several other ideas in mind for my favorite birdies. You just got to read to find out!
Cygnus de hielo: Wow…I didn't even notice that mistake. Thanks for pointing it out, and right about now Raven is in some intense mediation….I figured she needed it to stay sane. Thanks for the review!
Rosethorn1611: Thanks for the review! It means a lot to me!
Chica De Ojos Café: Actually, you're right about the long chapter thingie. That's why I thought it might be dull because it was so damn long. Usually, that's like two chapters and a half for me. But when I right about Robin and Raven as I said before, the ideas just tumble outta of me…can't help it sorry. Lol, This chapter is shorter though. Around 3,000 words, not including a/n and review responses…compared to 5,200 cough, cough
Mysti-eyed: Thanks for saying it wasn't dull. I only though so because it was slightly on the long side. I have no problem with reading long chapters, though. Personally I believe the longer, the better (within reason of course). I just figured other people might though. I'm a bookworm when it comes to reading, I can read a 300 page book in about five hours. I'm quite proud of myself actually. I finished the fifth Harry Potter book in record time: 870 pages in 14 hours: 33 minutes: 19 seconds. I read the whole book all at once. For some insanely odd reason my brother was dead set on timing me….Lol, go figure.
Lain the Fluff-Master:: I was a little apprehensive waiting for this review…just a little nervous. I figured you might think I was an obsessed stalker and you had to get an identity change, lol. Thanks for the review and being the inspiration for what everyone else says is an awesome fic…that; however, is still to be seen.
OMG! DO NOT GET ME STARTED! I am the biggest Mariah Carey freak you'll probably ever meet in your life. I have all her albums…every last one. Except for…the last one, lol. Charmbracelet wasn't her best album, although it did have decent songs, like Through the Rain and I only wanted (I love the water drops in the background). But I've noticed that her voice has become…raspier and I guess it is expected because she's older…eh. I've listened to her songs on and off all my life. But what really got me so obsessed with her awesome voice would be the song Butterfly. It just spoke to me, and I really felt it deep down inside. My favorite CD by her would have to a mix between Butterfly and Daydream. Both have awesome songs so it's kind of hard to choose. Butterfly has awesome ones like Butterfly, My All, Close My Eyes, and Whenever You Call. BUT Daydream has classics like One Sweet Day(I had to cry when I first heard that song because my grandmother had just died), Open Arms, Always be My Baby, When I Saw You, Forever, Fantasy and Looking In. Arg…so hard! I have her Greatest Hits album too…it's really awesome I think but they missed a few songs that I think should have made the list. I really liked After Tonight and maybe Petals should have made the list… Sorry about rambling on and on…but MC is really a big influence in my life. Anywho, you wrote the longest review I've ever received, it's only right that the response should be almost as long…if not longer. At least it shows I'm paying attention and care, right? Until next time…one more thing, get that next chapter out missy! P.s.: Ummm…the song was "My All"…but sssshhhhhhh, I won't tell anyone if you won't, lol.
A/N 2: WARNING! Angst ahead and plenty of it! You have been warned.
Disclaimer: You Starfire/Robin and Raven/BB fans are soooooo lucky that I so do not own that show….so damn lucky. -
Hell's Fury: The Beginning
Chapter two: Hellish dreams
By: Amber Myst
I won't ever be too far to feel you
And I won't hesitate at all
Whenever you call
I'll always remember
The part of you so tender
And be the one to catch your fall
Whenever you call
-Mariah Carey
When she became fully aware again, the sun was no longer in the sky. She judged it to be around maybe 10:00 p.m. or 11:00 also using the moon in her equation. "Wow." She stated with a little wonder in her bland voice. She never before mediated for that long, well at least in a long time, as she quickly made some calculations and concluded that she had been mediating for about 15 hours straight.
But she stretched her body, suddenly refreshed. She sighed almost happily. Mediation had done wonders
for her. She need to mediate like she needed to breathe.
She felt her stomach seem to fold in on itself and growl, that's when she realized she was starving! She teleported down to her room and widen her eyes a bit before narrowing them…Someone was in her room. They shouldn't be in her room. It was her sanctuary and they violated it by entering without her permission. She suddenly stopped and whirled around, teleporting to the living room where she knew everyone would be. They weren't there. She frowned before walking over to the kitchen, where they all sat with their heads down; even Starfire seemed extremely upset.
Her scowl deepened. 'What the hell was wrong with them?' She cleared her throat before saying dangerously in her monotone voice. "Who went into my room?"
Everyone's head shot up, as if freezing, cold water was splashed down the back of his or her shirts. The response she received wasn't the one she expected. She expected trembling and cowering and maybe a few pleas for mercy, not gasps of surprise, screams of Raven and the dogpile that was on top of her at the moment, trying it's hardest to suffocate her.
"Friend Raven, you are okay! Are you not injured?" Starfire was gripping her in a hug of death and Raven couldn't answer her, even if she wanted to.
Next in the group 'hug' if you could call it that although Raven considered it a bone-crushing grip of death, was Beast Boy. "Raven!" And then he added as an afterthought: "I warned them not to go in your room, but noooo they didn't listen!"
Cyborg, in his bid to get to Raven he had to envelop them all in a hug, as he lifted all three off their feet. "Raven! Where you been?"
The only one not suffocating her was Robin, who stood to the side watching with immense relief on his features.
Raven, being an empath, could sense the worry and jubilation at having found her ok. She felt slightly guilty for not saying where she was, but that disappeared at the thought of them all being in her room.
"What are you guys doing?" She tried to manage in her monotone voice, but it came out breathless due to her lack of oxygen.
"That's enough guys." Robin ordered from across the kitchen. Raven was turning blue; he knew everyone was happy that she was ok but she wouldn't be for much longer if all this continued. He watched as Raven composed herself, and his masked eyes darkened. 'I…everyone was worried about her and she just waltzes in here like nothing happened!'
"Raven!" He barked out harshly and suddenly. Even he was surprised at the anger in his voice.
She turned around and winced. The Boy Wonder had finally gone off the deep end, she mused when she noticed the anger emanating from him. Even Starfire backed away from Robin nervously. She was in for it. She sighed as she replied. "Yeah?"
"Explain yourself! Where were you? We were worried sick! Starfire went to your room and it looked like a demolition site, and you weren't in it!" Robin finished in a yell. His body was tense and he looked as if any second he would pounce on Raven.
Raven crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow. "I was mediating." She replied, deadpanned.
Robin waited and when that was all he got he exploded. "That's it? You were mediating. You haven't been seen in about 36 hours, your room was a mess and you didn't think to inform somebody that you were mediating?"
Raven, surprised by his outburst was silent for a minute before turning her back and walking away. "Whatever…" She didn't know what had come over her…that wasn't what she wanted to say and she regretted it as soon as it left her mouth. However, to put it crudely, she didn't need his shit. She felt his anger was completely uncalled for.
That was the straw that broke the proverbial camel's back. "That's it!" He stepped up behind Raven and tightly gripped her upper arm, forcefully directing her from the kitchen, towards the couch and practically tossing her onto. Raven bounced, once and then again before settling with a blank, bemused look settled on her features as she crossed her legs. She calmed herself, there was no point in blowing up at Robin. She understood he was angry and upset…so she wasn't going to explode…yet. 'Besides, he is down right sexy when he is angry.' She blinked. That thought came out of nowhere…butthe randomness of it didn'tmake it any less true.
Unbeknown to her, a small smile plastered itself on her lips, almost giving her a dreamy look.
The others watched timidly and more than a bit shock. They blinked, waiting for Raven to send him to the moon. When Raven sat there expectantly, looking up at Robin with at small smile marring her normally emotionless facade, their jaws hit the ground. "Sooo…" Beast Boy started. "Who are you, and what have you done with Raven?"
Robin glared the green jokester into silence before rounding on Raven. He blinked once or twice. 'Raven looks cute with that smile plastered on her face.' He shook his head, slightly upset. She should be cowering in fear, not smiling at him! That was the main thought he had in mind as he began his rampage.
"I am sick and tired of you attitude! You need to get it together, Raven. We're your friends and we want to help you, whether you believe you need it or not. I've always respected your privacy, and your need to be aloof, but this is too much! I've let this go on long enough. I had enough respect for you to let you handle this by yourself, I thought you were more capable than this. We've been worried sick Raven, and to be honest I'm getting tired of waiting for you to come around! I want you to tell me what's going on, and NOW!" He paused to take a breather, all the while glaring at Raven, waiting for her to spill.
Raven sighed, the smile disappearing, before uncrossing her legs and standing up. "I apologize for making you worry." She said flatly, pulling her hood back up, and gliding smoothly around Robin, walking from the room. She had wavered slightly as he was giving his speech. They really were worried…but she just couldn't worry them anymore than they already were. She was protecting them, she told herself furiously. However, a small voice in the back of her head chided her, for being so foolish. Suddenly, she felt a pounding headache coming on. The headaches had occurring off and on since her birthday and have only been getting worse. She was, needless to say, extremely worried.
They all watched with several different emotions running rampant on their faces. Starfire was worried, as she started to chew on her bottom lip, a habit she had developed recently. Beast Boy was still in disbelief over the fact that Raven didn't make Robin eat his own balls. What he just did took some pretty big ones, and he was surprised Robin wasn't choking on them right now.
Cyborg's jaw was still on the carpeted floor, although he was concerned, after all, Raven was like a little sister to him and whatever it was that was bothering her he wished she would tell. But they way Robin handled Raven, made Cyborg respect him even more…especially since he came out of that ordeal unscathed and every body part functioning properly.
Robin, however, felt like he was just ignored…and to some degree, he was. He couldn't believe Raven just blew him off after he voiced his and the team's concern for her…especially his concern. Why wouldn't Raven confide in the team…in him? He sighed dejectedly, running a hand through his spiky dark hair and wincing once he hit a particularly painful snag. His morning ritual flew out the window when everyone realized that Raven was gone. He didn't comb his hair and he didn't even brush his teeth. For a second, he was tempted to smell his breath to see if it was bad.
He lowered his head, several emotions running haywire through him right then. He was sure that little speech he gave would have gotten something out of her other than that weak apology. Either he didn't know Raven as well as he thought he did or there was something terribly wrong with his Raven. His head shot up, and his eyes widened. He didn't just think what he thought he thought…did he? He shook his head once, and then twice for good measure, trying to rid himself of any other stupid thoughts he might have running wild in his head. He scoffed. His Raven indeed…but he did have to admit it had a nice ring to it.
He shook his head once more and looked to the dejected Titans. He sighed. "We'll try again tomorrow guys, don't lose too much sleep over it." It was late he realized as he finished. It was about 15 after 11 and then he realized he was bone tired. The day had been spent looking for Raven and any leads they could find, which all lead to dead ends of course. And then that last fight with Raven, well if you would call it a fight, it had been very one-sided after all, was emotionally and physically draining.
When he thought back, he was surprised at his audacity when handling Raven, hell he was surprised he was still alive. That showed she still cared somewhat…didn't it?
He chuckled a bit in wonder before saying amusedly to Cyborg, "I am alive aren't I?" He mused.
Beast Boy whistled. "Dude! You were damned lucky Raven didn't blast you to hell and back."
Starfire looked even more worried than before. "Would friend Raven really have blasted Robin to 'hell and back'?"
Beast Boy laughed. "You bet!"
The naïve alien contemplated what Beast Boy said before decidedly shaking her head. "Beast Boy…surely you are jesting!"
Beast Boy rolled his eyes. "Duh!"
Cyborg clapped Robin on the back a bit heartily, almost knocking the smaller teen over. "You lucky dog! I'm just glad to still have a leader that's not a quadriplegic. I think it's time we all headed to bed though." He yawned and stretched, almost as if he was reinforcing his statement.
They all said their goodnight's before heading to their rooms. As Robin passed Raven's room, a look of determination spread itself over his features, as he thought of the stubborn dark sorceress. "I will help you Raven…whether you want it or not." He vowed silently before walking to his own room, turning in for the night, his thoughts and dreams still occupied with the dark girl.
Raven didn't even have to wait in suspense this time, she was in hell the second her head hit the pillows and her eyes closed.
She sighed as turned around in a circle, searching for Slade. "This is getting old!" She said a bit warily, as she waited for Slade to appear, her body tense.
"Well then, let's try something new." Slade appeared from nowhere before advancing threateningly towards her, with something held loosely in his hand. He glared darkly at the girl with a dark sneer dominating his features. She was close to breaking and spilling everything to Robin…he couldn't have that. If she wouldn't break to him, then there was no way in hell, he'd ever allow her to break to Robin. And he had the perfect method of ensuring both of his goals.
Her eyes widened as she recognized what he was holding. "No…" She whispered to herself, unconsciously adopting a defensive position, although she was glaring at him defiantly. He laughed wickedly at her feeble and futile attempt at protection before his shadow enveloped her.
She became lost to everything…aware of only the pain and her screams.
A tortured scream sliced through the night, and awoke her. It continued until she realized it was her own and forced her jaw shut. She reared up in her bed and began to trembling violently. Her wide, bloodshot eyes darted around the room wildly, her mind still reliving the horror. She would have wrapped her arms around herself but the wounds were too raw, the pain too fresh.
Her breathing was harsh, quick gasps of air, every one causing her body to flare with even more pain and suffering. She felt as if she had a broken rib or two. Even nerve ending seemed to be on fire, screaming in agony and she felt like joining them.
She sobbed, as tears began to make their way down her pale cheeks, too pale to be even remotely normal, even for Raven. A bloodied piece of hair fell in her eyes and she quickly brushed it back. She tried to use her hands to stem the flow of tears, but they still squeezing out, spilling down her face. "Crying s for the weak," she muttered to herself but still it made no difference.
She almost passed out from the pain, but she feared the pain that came with slumber more than the suffering she currently enduring. The suffering endured there was just that horrible; she had never felt such pain and anguish before in her life, not even being what she was. She thought nothing could ever feel as agonizing as the pain coursing through her body.
At that moment her room door opened and a figure dashed into the pitch-black room, the light from the hallway causing a strip of light to flood the room although it was still too dark to clearly see Raven.
"Raven!" It called out urgently, a hint of desperation and even fear present in the voice. It was Robin, she almost smiled at the thought of him…her shining knight. She thought of the time he saved her as Slade let her plummet lifelessly from the top of the building and as her thoughts went to Slade, they soured and her breath hitched.
He stopped right before her bed as he looked down on her violently trembling figure. Her streaming eyes, met his own masked ones, his fear for her evident in his face. His heart was pounding against his chest, and the pressure was almost unbearable. For a second, it seemed as if he felt her pain…just for a single, second. He didn't know why, and he didn't know how…but he did. It was simply indescribable, and that was what made his fear unreasonably more immense.
"Raven," His voice softer now, as if was talking to a skittish, wounded animal. He walked towards her with slow, determined steps. "What happened? What's wrong." He asked desperately. That scream he just heard was the scream of a tortured soul and it sliced through his own heart and soul like the flimsiest paper. It caused his heart to almost literally stop. His heart was racing now, she was okay…but then again, she wasn't. He had never seen Raven like this. The raw emotions on her face, contorted with excruciating pain. She never showed any other emotions other than anger, indifference, sardonic humor and the extremely rare smile. He was scared, almost to the point of crying, although he would never tell anyone that. He just wanted to hold her and never let her go. But before he could act on that whim the rest of the Teen Titans, except Starfire, rushed into the room.
They stopped short when they spied Raven, quivering in her huge bed, it seemingly engulfing her. Which only served to augment the look of terror and pain that Raven's tear-streaked face and shaking presented.
"Woah!" Beast Boy exclaimed. "Raven….are you alright?" He asked concern, worry and more than a little bit of fear evident in his voice. Someone or something…did something to her and who ever could do that to Raven…then he didn't want to know what they could do to him.
Cyborg stepped closer a bit hesitantly, "Jesus Rae…what happened?" Whoever did this…well let's just say they wouldn't live past today.
A sob escaped Raven unintentionally before she composed herself as best as she could. "Get out." Her voice was hoarse and raw from screaming and the pain.
"Raven, we are not going to leave!" Robin stated flatly before staring her down, almost flinching from the raw pain he saw reflected in her eyes. However, staring sententiously at her red, swollen eyes strengthened his resolve. This time he wasn't leaving with out answers. Raven meant too much to him, he would not let her go through whatever was paining her by herself.
"Please…" she whispered, as she clenched her eyes shut so she wouldn't have to see the worry and consternation in their eyes, pleading with her to confide in them. She wouldn't be able to protect them if she did. "If you cared…you would leave me alone right now…please."
They looked shocked, that was the only time they heard Raven say 'please'. Robin took a hesitant step forward, before stopping again, indecisively. The last thing he wanted to do was leave Raven alone to face whatever it was that was tormenting her. He would rather face Slade everyday than to see Raven in the completely destroyed state she was currently in.
"I'll explain things later, just…go." She croaked.
They all left her room despondently, one by one, worry evident in their every movement. When the door closed on the last one to leave, Robin, they began to wonder if leaving her alone in her current state of being was wise, but she had promised them she would explain later. And whatever it was had to be big.
'Well the bigger it is, the hard it falls.' Robin thought determinedly.
As she heard their footsteps disperse, Raven thanked whatever gods watching, although she doubted that any might be, that she hadn't fixed the lights from her last accident. If she had, they would have definitely noticed the dark blood pooling beneath her body.
Heerrrreeee…comes the gasps of shock and amazement. Next chapter should be better…a lot of humor and Robin and Raven moments galore! Just a littttlllleee something to counter balance all the pain and angsty stuff. I must admit that it took me awhile to remember that Slade wore a mask…whoops. That means he can't smile evilly, sneer, etc…well he could we just can't see it. , I feel so stupid. Dumb Amber! Review!
Spread your wings and fly…Butterfly