Chapter eighteen

There was a snarling noise as the blonde felt a hot sensation on her raised arm. She toppled over and screamed. Blood was pouring from her arm, and literally going all over her.

She had blood and grime smeared across her face and her wild eyes darted back and forth as she struggled to sit up. She saw the steady emerald eyes looking at her.

"No, Terra."

She gripped her torn flesh with her free, and fully intact hand.

"You did this to me!" she shrieked, her voice raising five octaves. The shrillness made Raven's ears almost bleed. She passed out through the sheer exhaustion, pain and the impact emotions she was feeling.

"Yes, I did."

"But you said…you said that…"

"I'm not going to fight you, but I'm not letting you commit a murder either."

"Commit a murder? I'm doing an act of justice!"

"Killing Raven will gain nothing--"

"Killing Raven will fulfil everything!"

"It won't. It will make you empty and hollow. You will have no purpose – no feelings, no thoughts. No love. Just an bare prison cell and an empty heart."

"I don't care!" screeched the girl, finding her feet at last and glaring at the green changeling. "I want her dead!"

"I won't let you kill her."

"But you said," smirked the girl, her eyes widening smugly. "You said that you wouldn't fight me."

"I won't. Kill me instead."

"I don't want to kill you! I want to kill her!" snarled Terra, her icy eyes fixing on the unconscious lavender haired Azarathian. "She will die!"

There was a roar and Terra felt claws graze her face. She looked up to see the man reforming into human form and gingerly touched her face. He had left five scratches across her face and nose – merely skin deep – a warning.

She frowned. Then with that same strange look upon her face, she attacked. Beast boy let go of everything.

"This is for you, Raven. I'm so sorry."

Raven opened her eyes, and sat up groggily. She immediately pulled herself into action. Pushing herself up she looked towards where she presumed the manic telekinetic to be.

Her heart dropped through the concrete below her.

Beast boy was almost beaten to death by the girl. He was just laying there whilst Terra pummelled him. Her face contorted into pain and she materialised herself in front of him just as Terra was about to strike another blow.

The blonde's hand struck a black wall of energy. She recoiled.

"What are you doing, Terra?" asked the emotionless voice. Two lilac eyes gazed at her pleadingly. "Beating Beast boy? Don't you love him anymore?"

For the first time in the whole of the period which Terra had been in the warehouse, Raven saw a glimmer of the person she once knew.

"Of course I love him. I love him with all my heart."

"Then tell me why. Why you are doing this to him?"

"Why the hell should I tell you?"

Raven lowered the guard and brought her nose inches away from Terra's.

"Because if all this is my fault then you owe me that much."

"I owe you nothing," spat Terra, glaring as blue met lilac. "But if you must know – I'm punishing him."

"Punishing him?"

"Yes. Because he doesn't love me back."

Raven heard the words reverberating around her skull as if someone had brought a sledgehammer and cracked her head with it.

"You cannot hurt someone because they do not love you. It is not their fault. It's how they feel," explained Raven calmly. The other telekinetic snorted with laughter.

"Oh and you'd know all about emotions, wouldn't you? Being the Ice Queen and all."

"I never chose not to feel, Terra. I couldn't show too much emotion for fear of setting my father free! I had to control my soul self."

"You chose to set some of it free though didn't you?" hissed the blonde, her eyes narrowing as Raven's widened.

"W-what?"

"When you kissed him!" accused Terra, pointing to the beaten boy who was barely breathing. "You didn't spare a second thought then did you? For my feelings!"

"How did you--"

"I saw you! I was coming down for a cup of water and there I find you…kissing," Terra paused for effect then gave a small smile. "I wouldn't have been so concerned if he had pushed you away but…nooo…"

She grimaced and her eyes almost set alight.

"He responded positively. And you pushed him away. Perhaps you finally realised that you were DESTROYING MY LIFE!"

"I don't want to destroy your life," replied Raven, coldly. "You seem perfectly capable of doing that yourself."

Terra slapped her across the face – and the mere force sent the girl plummeting onto the floor.

Raven lay flat on her stomach, face to the ground. Terra stood above her and laughed maliciously.

"Oh, Rae, you really are pathetic. Just going to lie there are you?"

"Don't call me…Rae…"

But there was no movement from the still body. Terra's brow furrowed.

"Get up Raven you dumb bitch!"

"Raven isn't here anymore," came a ghastly demonic voice as the Azarathian rose to her feet. To the great surprise and fear of the blonde, as Raven rose up to her full height, her lilac eyes had been replaced by four red ones and a grim smile.

"Wha--" began Terra, taking a step back are you. "What…who are you?"

"I'm someone you didn't want to meet," growled the demonic voice, as Raven's face leered. "Cause I am prepared to fight you. Even if Raven isn't."

The demon gave a gasp of delight and the cloak and Raven shot ten foot into the air and sprouted black tentacles. Terra screamed and began to step backwards.

She started to run as she leapt towards an oncoming rock, her eyes glowing yellow. But a black aura bound the rock and broke it into a million pieces. Terra flew straight into the ground, her nose hitting the hard ground. She screamed as blood poured out.

In her angered and vulnerable state, she didn't notice as a tentacle wrapped around her arms and legs. The young woman struggled but then realising it was futile simply fainted with shock and fear of this demonic beast as well as the massive loss of blood. She was sure that this was to be her demise.

The demon gave another gasp and shrunk back down to normal size – blinking rapidly as the usual eyes came back into focus.

Raven fell to her knees and rubbed her head. "What…oh…not again…"

Terra lay spread-eagled on the floor, her eyes closed. Raven walked over to her and bent some bars over the telekinetic, hoping that would hold her for a while at least.

There was a sudden blast of green energy as Starfire emerged from between the two rocks.

"Starfire?" questioned the half-demon, not believing what she saw. The Tameranian flew towards her.

"STAR! You're okay?"

"Yes friend. I was most uncomfortable inside that 'prison' once I woke up and so I felt the time was right to free myself! Where is Robin…Cyborg?"

"Robin…ROBIN! OH MY GOD!" shouted Raven, running to the rocks, then running back to Cyborg. "CY!"

Starfire was already there though, pulling the rocks up and off Robin. She saw a gloved hand and gave squeal of sadness, pulling him out. Thankfully, her strength allowed for the job to be much easier. She pulled him over and placed him next to Cy.

'BEAST BOY!' screamed Raven's mind suddenly. All this emotion was getting too much. The floor began to crack. She calmed herself – in the way she had done during her intense meditation.

"Starfire, call the doctor and the police."

"I shall do as you say," replied Starfire, running to a phone which was luckily still intact within the warehouse.

Raven sped over to the floored shapeshifter and scooped his head up gently.

"Beast boy? Oh please speak to me."

There was no reply. She felt a tear forming in her eye and she quelled it. 'Stop.'

He was breathing. That was a good thing, surely. She took a deep breath, spread her hands and concentrated.

HEALING! Oh my, what an intense chapter, no?

Replies:

Quillmaster14: Sorry to kill you with suspense! Lol, thanks for the…uh…encouragement to get better! (:

Gladdecease: I guess that's valuable advise. I'll sift through some of my other fics and see. You'll understand more why Terra did it later on. All shall be revealed. Laters! (:

Ryuu no Taiyo: Yes! I did!

Kmutt: Yeah, she's pretty wacko, lolz. Glad you like it!

Greenlobster7878: XD I am evil – sorry!

Vale: Thank you! She went a bit nuts, yeah.

Moo: Not voodoo doll time! Noooo:giggles: Thanks for the review and the smilies (:

Wow: Yay! Thanks!

RonLuver2005: Thanks and I will!

Raven: Are you the Raven off OA? Well anyway, thank you so very much! Have a cookie! (:

GoOd-BaDz2: Lol, you like Terra then? XD Kidding! Thanks for the review, dude!

Afterdark: You are forgiven! Thanks!...I want my cookie now! (:

Love you all,

xChibix