Disclaimer: I don't own anything affiliated with "That's So Raven." I don't.

Chapter 23

Raven closed her eyes tightly, struggling to force the disgusting liquid down. When she finished, she slowly opened her eyes….

Samantha, Chelsea and Bianca were still in the room. Samantha and Chelsea stared at Raven expectantly.

Raven's shoulders drooped in disappointment and defeat. Fresh tears pooled in her eyes and spilled down her cheeks. "I…I guess it didn't work."

"I'm sorry Rae." Chelsea whispered sympathetically.

Samantha sighed heavily and went to the book. "Maybe I did something wrong. Maybe I forgot an ingredient or we didn't say the spell with enough force…"

Raven shook her head. "No. You did everything right. I'm just stuck here…forever."

Before anyone else could say another word, Bianca unfroze, screamed and fell to the floor on her butt.

All three girls snappedtheir heads toward her.

"I-I-I was fr-fr-frozen! I-I couldn't move! I could see and hear you but I couldn't move!" Bianca screamed and then looked at Samantha. "What the hell did you do to me?"

"I froze you. And I won't hesitate to do it again!" Samantha threatened, putting her hand in her pocket.

Bianca scrambled to her feet and backed to the door quickly. "N-no! No, not again!"

Then, she opened the door and fled Raven's house. If this were anything but a serious moment, all three girls would be in stitches.

Chelsea turned back to Raven. She didn't know what to do or say. Raven pressed herself against the refrigerator door and slid to the kitchen floor. She pulled her knees up to her chin, wrapped her arms around them, and began to sob.

Chelsea moved toward Raven and sat down beside her, putting an arm around her shoulders in comfort.

Samantha solemnly began to pack up all of the left over supplies. She slammed the book shut and poured the rest of the potion down the sink. After everything was cleaned up, Samantha crouched down beside a seemingly inconsolable Raven. Tears threatened to spill down her own cheeks.

"I am so, so sorry that this happened. I never should have given you that candle. I-I promise that I will find another way. I'll look in every spell book in San Francisco if I have to. And we'll try every night for the rest of our lives."

"Yeah Raven. I'll help. You'll get your world back." Chelsea added and Raven looked at both of them.

"No…it's hopeless. This was our last chance and it didn't work. I'll never get home." Raven barely got out; her voice was shaking badly from the crying.

Chelsea looked at Samantha, who stood up. "Don't give up Raven. We aren't going to give up, right Samantha?"

"Right. I'm going to go home and start searching. You guys get some sleep. I'll call you if I find anything."

Raven didn't answer; she just continued to cry. Samantha grabbed all of the stuff and took one last glance at the two girls. "I really am sorry."

Chelsea nodded as Samantha left. Then, she helped Raven up. "Come on, let's get you to bed."

Chelsea led Raven through the living room, up the stairs and to her bedroom. Raven didn't protest. She stopped wailing, but her shoulders still shook violently. Chelsea helped Raven into bed and threw a blanket on top of her. "I guess I'm going to sleep on the couch." She said once Raven was tucked in. The sight of Raven being so miserable made her uncomfortable.

What worried her more though, was the fact that a few days ago, she would have reveled in seeing the girl in this kind of pain. Now, it was just breaking her heart.

As Chelsea moved from the bed, Raven reached out and grabbed her hand. "No…don't go yet. Just sit here."

Chelsea nodded and sat at the edge of the bed, just in front of Raven's stomach. She held her hand in comfort, squeezing it a little as Raven cried.

They stayed that way for some time, until Raven finally gave in to sleep.