Clash of the Titans by CidGregor

Disclaimer: I do not own the Teen Titans.

Chapter 13

"It's beautiful…all the reds and yellows and oranges…I don't know why I haven't sat and watched it in so long…it really is…beautiful…"

Terra was lying on her back on the roof, her head hanging off the edge so that she was staring at the horizon upside-down and her golden hair was hanging down and obscuring the window just below.

"Do you always watch the sunrise like that?" the changeling managed to chuckle from where he sat beside her.

"What, upside-down? Sometimes," the blonde admitted.

"Why?"

"No reason."

"No reason at all? Doesn't all the blood rushing to your head make you dizzy?"

"Nah…to be honest, it helps me think sometimes. And…well…I do have a lot to think about right now, after all."

She let out a sigh as she stared at the multicolored sunlight. "It's strange…you guys say it's been six months since I was frozen…but to me it feels like no time has passed at all. Everything that happened…that final battle with Slade…it feels like it was just yesterday. It's fresh in my mind, just eating at me, the things I did. But you guys…you've had a long time to think about it…"

She turned and looked at Beast Boy's inverted form. "That meeting Robin called you off to…it was about me, wasn't it?"

"…Yeah," the changeling admitted, seeing no reason to hide the fact from her.

"Are you going to…y'know…arrest me for everything, and…send me to prison?"

The blonde girl honestly and truly expected that jail was what the titans had planned for her. It was what the Teen Titans did; they put criminals in jail. And she had committed crimes. They would surely put her away.

But she was in for a surprise.

"No…we're not."

Terra sat up and stared at him in shock. "You're not? But…why? That's what the titans do, isn't it?"

"Well…yeah, but…you served your time…down in that cave."

"That was only six months," Terra argued. "After the things I did…you should be locking me up for life!"

"Forty-nine years and six months."

Terra stared. "Come again?"

"According to Robin…if we gave you over to the police, that's probably how long your sentence would be, minus the time you spent in the cave…but…"

"But what?"

"But that doesn't count the good things you did. That doesn't count the fact that you saved this city in the end…and then again yesterday…and you've also saved all of our lives. Twice, in Robin and Starfire's case. We figured after all of that, the least you'd earned was freedom."

"But I…" Terra started, but couldn't finish. Her fists clenched, her eyes squeezed shut, and she turned away from the green titan.

"Terra, what's wrong?"

"Why, Beast Boy? Why are you being so…forgiving? You of all people should hate my guts as much as Raven does. I don't understand…"

"That's what friends do, Terra. They forgive each other for their mistakes. We've all made them. You aren't the only one to be manipulated by Slade, or someone just like him. Raven went through something similar the last time Malchior was around…and then there was Cyborg and Brother Blood…and Robin…he was twisted into working for Slade twice, long before we ever met you…and he's still our friend. That's just what people like him do, Terra, they bring out the worst in us. But I know the real Terra. And she's pretty much the greatest girl I've ever met."

Terra fought hard not to let tears fall again. "Beast Boy…you're a great friend to say that, but…"

"'But' nothing!" the changeling insisted. "You just watch, Terra. We're all your friends, and we want you back with us."

"Raven doesn't…" she whispered.

"…Okay, fine, maybe Raven would have a problem, but you know I'm with you, and so is Starfire, and I know Cyborg and Robin will come around with a little time. And even if…y'know…it doesn't work out…I promise we'll still be best friends, no matter what."

"Beast Boy, stop it!" she cried out, slowly losing her battle with tears. "I did so many evil things…I don't deserve…a friend like you…I don't deserve to be with the titans…"

"You're wrong, Terra. You're far from evil. You're a good person that just…made some mistakes…and you're trying your best to fix them. That's good enough for me."

"But I…I don't…I…"

Beast Boy had next to no warning at all before Terra had thrown her arms around him, hugging his middle and burying her face in his chest. He heard her muffled sobs follow shortly after.

"Beast Boy…I'm so sorry…I was such a fool…please…don't hate me…"

The changeling wrapped his own arms around the earth maiden and pulled her closer to him, leaned down, and kissed the top of her head.

"I could never hate you, Terra…never…"

By Azar, I swear to you, Malchior, you will pay for this…

The sorcerer sneered in Raven's body. "Really, now, girl," he said aloud into the emptiness of the dark girl's room. "I don't think you are in any position to be making idle threats. Not while I control this body once more."

I took it back from you before, and I can do it again! came Raven's mental reply.

"I think not. My strength has returned to me. And this time I shall not be so careless."

Whatever you're planning, Malchior, the titans will stop you!

"Your pathetic friends will do no such thing. They insult history's greatest beings merely by existing. They shall fall to the TRUE Titans."

Your dear Earth Titan did some nice 'falling' himself, Raven replied.

"SILENCE!" Malchior demanded. "You dare mock the Titan's power?"

Raven gave him a short, mocking laugh. Some power…he fell flat on his face against one little girl.

"You shall see, you foolish little half-demon…the Earth Titan has much more fight in store for your dear friend Terra."

What are you talking about? That thing is nothing but pebbles thanks to Terra.

Now it was Malchior's turn to laugh. "The Earth Titan is not as doomed as you so foolishly believe."

What is that supposed to mean?

"Ha-ha-ha…Just you wait and see, Raven…just wait and see…"

There was a sudden knock on Raven's door, drawing Malchior's attention away from his mental prisoner.

"Friend Raven, it is Starfire…I would very much like to speak with you for a moment," the alien's voice bubbled through the door.

"Hmm…perhaps you won't have to wait after all," Malchior whispered.

No! Leave Starfire out of this, you madman!

Malchior ignored the sorceress and spoke in her exact voice. "Come in."

The door slid open and Starfire floated inside, shutting it behind her. She looked around curiously. "Strange…I was quite sure I heard someone else's voice in here…"

"Nope…it's just me in here," the disguised villain said. "What did you want to talk about, Starfire?"

Starfire didn't appear entirely satisfied, but she let it pass. "I am…wishing to understand, Raven…why you left our friend Terra as a statue for so long, even though you knew you had the power to free her."

"You say you want to understand, Starfire, but you wouldn't even if I told you."

"I am willing to try. She is our friend, Raven, and friends do not do such things to one another. It is wrong."

Malchior pondered exactly how Raven would respond to this, and finally settled on an old memory.

"I said it once, and I'll say it again: Terra was never our friend. She was a liar and a deceiver. She is evil. Always has been, always will be."

"Forgive me, friend, but I am very much convinced you are mistaken."

Whatever game you're playing, Malchior, it won't work, Raven's thoughts pierced through Malchior's focus. Starfire and the others aren't stupid. Sooner or later they're going to see through your little act and realize what's happened.

"I have no intention of acting any longer," the sorcerer whispered.

"What did you say, Raven?"

Malchior turned Raven's head to find Starfire staring at her, curiosity again etched into her expression.

"It's nothing, Starfire," he said quickly. "Just…thinking out loud."

"You seem terribly distracted, my friend. Are you ill?"

Malchior focused a tiny burst of Raven's power; almost inaudibly there was a small click of a door lock falling into place, untouched by any physical force and unnoticed by the Tamaranian.

"Actually, I am feeling a little weak…" Malchior said in Raven's voice.

"Oh…is there perhaps something I can do to help?" the alien girl asked.

"Yes…as a matter of fact, there is…"

Starfire didn't even see Raven's hand move; all she was aware of was that it was suddenly wrapped around her neck and gripping like a vice.

"Give me your energy…" Malchior said in his own voice.

A bolt of understanding shot across Starfire's face; she opened her mouth to call out, but Malchior tightened his grip further, cutting her off before she could say anything. The sorcerer lifted her off her feet, so that her whole body was dangling from his vice grip. The Tamaranian could barely breathe.

NO! Malchior, don't hurt her! Please, leave Star alone!

"Don't worry…she will not be harmed…yet," Malchior hissed. "I simply need to borrow some of her energy…"

Starfire struggled, but to no avail; Raven's grip was somehow stronger even than her own impressive alien strength, and she couldn't concentrate well enough to fire star-bolts when all her efforts were aimed at trying to get air down through the chokehold.

"Necronom, Hezberek, Mortix!" the sorcerer chanted.

A sudden draining feeling passed through Starfire. Her eyelids began to droop, her muscles slackened, and her struggling weakened and died away. She felt tired…so tired…

NO!

The true Raven's anguished cry resonated in both Malchior's and Starfire's heads as the dark girl fought with all her strength to regain control. Slowly, ever so slowly, the hand clenching Starfire's throat began to loosen…

You…won't…hurt…my…friend… Raven gasped, already exhausted from the effort.

Finally Starfire could breathe well enough to speak…and speak she did.

"ROBIN! HELP!"

A distant crashing sound told them all that the Boy Wonder had dropped whatever he'd been doing and was bolting in the direction of her scream as fast as he could go. Malchior would be caught soon, and he knew it.

"Treacherous little demon!" Malchior snarled inwardly. "You are my prisoner! This body belongs to me now!"

Malchior ripped what little control Raven had gained back from her, and his grip on Starfire tightened again. He refocused his energies on the spell, and continued draining Starfire's strength, sucking it out of her like a vampire…

A pounding on the door interrupted Malchior's concentration yet again, and the Boy Wonder's voice boomed through the metal.

"Starfire? Starfire, are you in there? Starfire!"

"Looks like your boyfriend is here to save you. Oh well…I've taken all the energy I can from you anyway," Malchior muttered to the now-unconscious Tamaranian.

A second later the locked clicked as Robin keyed in an override code. The door slid open, and he saw Raven's body holding up a limp and lifeless-looking Starfire.

"STAR! RAVEN, WHAT DID YOU DO TO HER?" he demanded.

'Raven' sneered. Her eyes flashed purple. "She did nothing. It is I you should be concerned with," a growling voice spewed from her mouth.

Robin's eyes narrowed. "Malchior…you…you monster!"

"Indeed I am," the sorcerer mocked. "Have the girl…she is of no more use to me."

He charged his violet-hued energy into the hand holding Starfire and threw the girl straight into Robin. He caught her smoothly, but it forced him back and cost him several precious seconds…more than enough time for the villain. He threw his other hand in the direction of Raven's newly repaired window, and with another burst of purple light it shattered again. He leapt out onto the windowsill, and just before he flew off into the morning sun, he turned and smiled at Robin, who was glaring furiously back.

"The Titans will rise again, hero…all of them."

And then he shone with not only his own purple energy, but Starfire's stolen green glow as well, and shot off like a rocket. He flew straight into the rising sun, fading fast into its brilliant light…

Fading…

Fading…

Gone.

Dedicated to Miss Rae of Phantasma. Wishing you a speedy recovery, my friend. My best wishes go out to you.

Cid.