Note- Just a few more chapters and we are done.
Disclaimer- I do not own any rights to the Teen Titans.
CHAPTER ELEVEN- Unlikely Hero
The next evening, Cyborg wanted to go out for pizza. Which drew positive responses from Beast Boy and Starfire. Robin declined saying he had some work to do in his basement workshop.
"Come on, Rae-Rae!" Cyborg said. "Let's chow down and have some fun."
"Is she going?" Raven asked while staring at Starfire.
Immediately Starfire interjected, "Yes, she is going."
"No thanks."
"Suit yourself." Cyborg said as they headed out the door, already arguing with BB over what type of pizza they were going to order.
Raven meditated for an hour or so. Then walked down to the basement. The door to Robin's workshop was only partially closed. She knocked.
"Raven, come on in."
She did. Looking over his shoulder, she said, "What are you working on?"
"Oh, this?" He held a small electrical looking box. "Its basically a hyper sensitive tracking mechanism, well it will be when I'm finished. When it is done I hope to be able to somehow attached it to Slade's armor. Then track him later, and hit him when he least expects it.
"I see." Raven continued, "Robin why are you so obsessed with him?
"Who?" Asked Robin.
"Slade." "I mean I know he is one of the bad guys, but you really seem over occupied with him."
"It's no big deal." Robin Stammered. "Besides, now that we are alone, you need to tell me what is going on with you and Starfire?'
"Just girl stuff. Nothing really." Her reply was weak, at best.
"Ok." Robin spun around in his chair to face her. "Let's make a deal, I will reveal what you asked, but you have to honestly tell me what's going on between you and her."
Raven thought for just a second, "Sure, Ok."
"Great." Robin said. "I will even start…I am assuming that this conversation will not leave this room?"
Raven did not say a word, but nodded in agreement.
"I am well aware of my obsession with Slade. I have thought about it often and the only conclusion I can come to. Is that I have never been able to beat him." He paused. "I know that probably sounds trivial to you, but to me, it tears away at my entire being."
Raven just stood with arms folded listening.
"I guess, too, that he is so condescending towards me, like he is so much better, and I am supposed to know it.
"Well, he is older." Raven said.
"SCREW his age!" "I am ROBIN, and I am not going to let him get to me."
Raven's eyes opened a little wider.
"I'm sorry, Rae." Robin was calmer now. "I didn't mean to yell at you. As you know, the thought of him can send me off."
"It…it's Ok, really. Raven put her hand on his shoulder. "You have been dealing with this for some time."
"Even before my time, actually." Robin's statement caused a perplexed look on Raven's face.
"Before I was even old enough to join forces with Batman. They had already squared off many times."
"What?" Raven's jaw dropped.
"Yea..He used to go by a different name, did you know that?"
Raven shook her head.
"Deathstroke it was…Deathstroke, the terminator." Robin was leaning back in the chair. While Raven's jaw dropped even lower. "He was purely an assassin then, highest bidder, most have made millions."
"Although, funny thing was most all of his targets were other villains. I guess similar to Mafia turf wars."
Raven was now sitting on a chair.
"Anyway." Robin continued. "He was always a thorn in Batman's side, before me and while I was there. Batman has a huge file on him.
"Where did he come from?" Raven asked.
"Not really sure." said Robin. "He was some kind of super soldier when he was younger. The rumor is that some military doctors used him and others like a lab rat. Injecting them with all kinds of experimental drugs, trying to make them the perfect killing machines. But the side effects, were different for each, Slade became ruthless."
"I see." Raven said very uneasily.
"Anyway, Batman told me a long time, two things about him that I can never forget." Robin paused. "To be careful of his rage, you see his powers from the drugs increase with his rage, to superhuman proportions. The other was to be patient, because after a number of years the drugs would bound to wear off, and then he will be an easy target."
"Oh." Raven replied.
"Ok, your turn." Robin was smiling.
"Well…really it's not a big deal. It's just she doesn't like my boyfriend." Raven voice was barely audible.
"Is it she doesn't like your boyfriend, or she doesn't like that you have a boyfriend?" Robin's question threw her off guard.
"I…I don't know. Why don't you ask her?"
"I have." Robin responded. "but she won't tell me anything."
"Really."
"Yes, really." He continued. "You know Raven, the hardest hit person in a new relationship is the best friend."
"I don't believe that." She said. "A true best friend would be happy for me."
"Well, maybe, but think about it, Rae. What is a best friend? He paused. "It is someone that enjoys your company so much that they constantly want to be with you, in the loop, as they say. In a new relationship, your mind is always somewhere else, always thinking of ways to be with him. You can easy shut out a friend…and not even realize you are doing it."
"I guess." Raven was now forming a tear. "But the things she says to me, I…I don't understand."
"Yes, I have heard." Robin leaned a little closer to Raven. "But I will let you know something that she confided…her sharp tongue is just a reaction…the truth is, this thing between you two…is killing her."
Raven buried her face in her hand trying to hide her tears from Robin. He turned around to get back to work at his desk. Raven stood up and headed for the door.
"Robin?" She asked before leaving. "You mentioned one time, that you saw him…without the mask. What does he look like?"
"Who?"
"Slade…what does he look like ?"
"I don't know Rae, I mean it was dark. I couldn't see much, he was gone in an instant as usual."
"But his voice, that deliberate menacing voice, we could always recognize that, right.?"
"Well, that is actually not true. You see Raven, in his mask, he has this transmitting device, it is rather ingenious I will admit. Not only can it work as a radio signal, but it alters his voice. As a matter of fact if we were to meet him in a restaurant, we could probably talk for hours and not even recognize him."
A few minutes had gone by before Robin turned around, realizing Raven was gone.
Raven was walking down the upstairs hallway. Deeply engrossed in thought. Just like a child, she held her hand out touching the wall, her head looking down at the carpet. As she turned the corner, her thoughts were interrupted by a collision with Starfire.
"Raven!" Starfire exclaimed. "Watch where you are going."
"Sorry." The reply was sad and detached.
Raven continued down the hall, head down and rubbing the wall as she went.
"Raven?" Starfire's words elicited no response.
Raven laid face down on her bed. She didn't realize it, but her body was in emotional shock. Trying to deal with everything…and everyone… had taken its toll. She drifted off to sleep dreaming of a perfect world, where there were no mysteries, no petty differences, no pain. A world she knew, did not exist.
A few hours later, she was startled by the sound of the main alarm. By instinct and years of training all of Titans assembled in the control room. Robin was already there. There was a blip on the main screen.
"Johnny Rancid!" Was all he said.
"TITANS GO!"
Johnny Rancid was driving through the city streets on his motorcycle with a handgun blazing. He was obviously high on something. Shooting indiscriminately at any bystanders he could see. Robin was on his motorcycle, following closely by Cyborg and Beast Boy in the T-Car. Starfire and Raven flew overhead. Robin spotted him first and gave chase.
"Titans…split up." Robin commanded. "I'll follow, try to cut him off."
After a few minutes of intense chasing, Robin yelled, " Main and Elm!" "He's heading toward Main St. and Elm St."
Raven was standing in an alley. She looked up at the street signs and knew he was headed right for her. She jumped into the middle of the street just in time to see his headlight bearing down in her direction. She lifted her hands up and began to form a clear black barrier in the middle of the street. By the time she had made it about three feet in height, He crashed into it. The force of the impact sent Johnny Rancid flying over the handle bars, somersaulting out of control. Raven with her hands still up, was vulnerable. The intoxicated villain collided with Raven with such force as to send them both skidding fifty feet from the initial impact.
Raven, who had taken the bulk of the impact, was barely conscious, and moaning lightly face down on the street. Rancid popped straight up, however, and taking one glance back at his destroyed bike.
"You Bitch!." He screamed as he pulled another pistol from a secured holster. Standing only three feet away he level the gun at her. "This is for what you did to my bike."
Raven could hear him talking, tried to push up with her hands, but was still to groggy to protect herself. Starfire was in the distance, flying at breakneck speed, watching the horror being played out before her. As he pulled the hammer back on the gun, Starfire screamed, "RAVEN!" The pitch of her voice was higher than a child. Again, "RAVEN!" She knew as the trigger was being pulled, that she was just barely too far away.
It was at this instant that a shadowy figure came flying into the street from the alley. As the gun was fired, the dark figure collided with Rancid. The sheer force of the collision propelled both of them across the street, over the sidewalk and crashing through a door of an abandoned warehouse.
Starfire landed beside of Raven less than one second later.
"Raven!" She was sobbing uncontrollably. "Please don't move. Let me look." Starfire proceeded to gently turn her around looking and feeling for a wound. By now the other Titans had arrived. Robin used his flashlight to help Starfire examine Raven, who was coming around at this point.
"I…I am Ok." Raven said. "He must have missed." Starfire grabbed her around the arms and pulled her next to her. The hug caught Raven a little off guard. The boys meanwhile, seeing that Raven was alright, had already headed through the door of the warehouse. They found Johnny Rancid mostly unconscious, lying among boxes and the remains of the shattered door. Cyborg picked up the gun, unloaded it and stuck it in his belt. They then sat him up and secured his hands behind him. As Cyborg stood up, Starfire pushed him to the side, and struck Rancid with her fist. Cyborg and Beast Boy were almost in shock as they watched Starfire get on her knees and pummel the handcuffed villain.
Quickly recovering from the sight, they grabbed Starfire and held on for dear life.
"STAR!" Cyborg said as he struggled to hold her. "Chill, girl!" "Raven's Ok, the bullet missed."
"Actually… you're wrong." Robin's voice stilled the entire group. He pointed his flashlight at the warehouse floor revealing fresh blood from the door, all the way to the other side and out a window.
For a moment they all just looked at each other in silence. The only light in the building was pointed at the stains on the floor. The reflections on the Titan's faces seemed eerie.
"Did anybody see who it was?" Robin's voice broke the silence.
"Beast Boy?"
"No dude I was too far away"
"Cyborg?"
"Nah, same here."
"Raven, did you happen to see?"
"No, I didn't even know what was happening."
"Starfire, did you see anything?" Robin's question caused Starfire to look at the ground. "Starfire! Someone is hurt, probably bad. Now did you see who it was?" Robin was growing angry.
"I...I...saw him." Starfire's voice so weak everyone was straining just to hear.
"Speak up Starfire! We may be running out of time.!"
She dropped her head even lower, "It was Slade."
"Starfire…are you sure?" Robin was in disbelief. Starfire just nodded.
"Come on then, let's try to find him!" Robin was now excited. "Slade at a disadvantage, this is what we have all been waiting for."
The three boys ran out of the door. Starfire and Raven lingered near the doorway.
"No Robin…this is what you have been waiting for." Raven's words were heard only by Starfire.
Robin stuck his head back in the door, "Are you two coming or what?"
"Robin, I am taking Raven back to the Tower…she may have a concussion."
"Raven?" Robin inquired.
"I really don't feel well." She replied.
"Just call us…if you find anything." Starfire said as she led Raven away.
Back at the tower, Raven laid down on the couch, curled in a ball. Starfire just sat at the other end. No one spoke. After an hour, the boys returned. Starfire lifted her head over the couch watching them as they walked by.
'Nothing." Robin muttered under his breath. "Trail went cold."
As soon as they left the room Raven stood up. "I can't take this anymore."
"What are you going to do?" Asked Starfire.
"I got to go." Raven stated.
"Raven, I am truly sorry for my past actions…tonight, I thought…I thought that you were dead. I thought I had lost you forever. I could not handle that."
"I still have to go." Raven headed for the door.
"Raven, please!" Starfire was begging. "You can hate for all eternity if you want…but what if I was right. Even if there is the smallest of chance, you can't leave. The most dangerous animal of all, is a wounded one."
Raven hesitated at the door for a moment, staring out into the night, "I don't hate you Star." And she was gone.
The entire way to Ben's place, Raven repeated over and over to herself. Please, let her be wrong. Her real torment… was she was not sure if she was pleading for Starfire to be wrong about the identity of her lover…or hoping that Slade was not injured. As she reached the door her emotions were running wild. The last twenty four hours had involved little sleep, fighting with enemies and friends, and a general feeling that her world was collapsing around her. It totally escaped her that she was still wearing her trademark Teen Titan attire…something that she had never done around Ben. Still hesitating at the door, she closed her eyes, and pictured Ben sitting on the sofa quietly reading book and trying to sneak in a rum and Coke. The thought called her down for a minute. She knocked on the door.
Waiting for just a minute, she banged on the door. After a few minutes more it opened. She looked at him, normal enough, she thought. Typical jeans, bare feet, crimson colored button down shirt, completely unbuttoned, exposing the middle of his chest and massive abdominal muscles.
"Come in Rae."
It was now that her stomach began convulse. While walking in she saw a small first aid kit on the coffee table. There was sweat beading up on every exposed part of his body, like someone with a high fever. He moved slowly back to the couch, not saying word, but keeping his eye trained in her direction. Raven's arms were folded as she slowly walked in front of the coffee table. She glanced down at the first aid kit and then with her head slightly angled, stared straight at him.
"Take off your shirt."
He stood motionless.
"Remove your shirt, Ben"
Again he did not flinch.
"TAKE OFF THE DAMN SHIRT, OR I WILL!" Raven screamed at the top of her lungs. Her arms now by her side and fists balled up.
With his eye staring directly into hers. He took his left arm and slowly removed his shirt. It was now just draped over his right shoulder, he again reached across with his left hand and dropped the shirt to the floor. Raven's vocal chords were screaming, but no sound could be heard, as she gazed at a bandage just below his right shoulder, blood still slowly seeping out. She turned away to catch her breath.
"Come here, we need to talk." His voice straining.
Raven kept her back to him and was silent. Several minutes passed. Suddenly she ran to the wall near the front door and began to turn over the table, smashing lamps. Moving down further, she ripped all the pictures from the wall. Still further, violently pulling down entire bookcases. Ben watched in complete silence as her rampage continued. Destroying everything in sight, she moved with precision around the large room. It was only she reached the farthest wall that he realized. The truth staggered him somewhat.
He realized she was not just acting in a fit of rage…She was searching.
He slowly headed towards the fireplace while the rampage continued. As he reached his destination, Raven had stopped the destruction and was sitting on the floor in complete exhaustion. He reached under the mantle, pushed a small lever. The he turned towards Raven.
"If this is what you seek…So be it."
On the other side of the fireplace, in an area that Raven had yet to destroy, a false bookcase slowly opened. Thought the false door only opened a few inches, Raven could see the bright light emanating from the secret room. Raven picked her self up, heading to the room. When she passed in front of him, he grabbed her elbow.
" I will ask you…just one time…to stop now." His tone was firm.
Raven did briefly stop, then jerked her arm from his grasp, walked to the door and pulled it all the way open. The room was about the size of a large walk in closet. A bright halogen light illuminated everything inside. Her eyes perused the nearest wall, moving toward the back. Swords, knives, fighting sticks. Then guns, all shapes and sizes. Some of a type she never knew existed. Next were various military looking uniforms, several, all neatly pressed and on hangers.
On the final wall of the room, the last one she looked at, and the closest to her face, three neatly hung body suits. They were black as night with silver metallic armor plates sewn in various key spots.
She never even felt the pain of her knees hitting the hardwood floor when they buckled under her weight.
"Slade." Her voice almost inaudible.
For the next few minutes, Raven continued to cry uncontrollably. On her knees, clutching her stomach with both hands, her forehead pressed against the floor.
"You…sick…bastard." She was almost hysterical. "What kind of sick, twisted plan did you have this time? Her words barely understandable through the sobbing. "How could you?" "How could I?" "I think I am going to be sick."
Her emotional state kept her from noticing he had stepped around her and into the hidden room. The sound of a bayonet being pulled from its sheath, however, did not escape her.
"Good!" She cried out not lifting her head. "Kill me, I want you to…kill me now!"
"Look at me." Slade said in a calm voice. Raven did not move.
"LOOK AT ME!" This time forceful.
"NO!" She screamed at the floor.
Slade reached down with his left hand and easily hoisted Raven into the air. She still looked down at the floor offering no resistance. He then pushed her up against the wall. Even with her feet touching the floor, he was supporting Raven's entire weight. He then placed the handle of the fifteen inch blade into her right hand. Grabbing her left hand, he placed it also on the handle. Still supporting her with the other injured arm , he took the blade in his left hand and placed the point just above his abdomen, below the sternum. Raven still looking at the floor crying, felt the pressure of the knife she was holding against his body.
"Do it." He said.
"DO IT!" Yelling at her. "EASE YOUR PAIN!" "DON"T YOU DARE GO WEAK ON ME NOW TITAN!"
"This is what you all have wanted…now is your chance…just push the knife forward." He was calmer now.
Raven refused to life her head, between the flow of tears, a barely she emitted a barely audible, "No."
"NO!" Again he was yelling. She felt his right hand completely encircle both hers, which still held the bayonet. She opened her eyes just enough to see the point of the blade was pressing so hard against him, blood had started to trickle down his stomach. Along with that, the bandage from the gunshot wound had come loose. Blood from that streaked down his arm, over his hand, onto hers.
"The mighty Raven may be too weak…but I promise…I am not." His grip around her hands now tightened and she felt the knife press against him even harder. With his body weight still holding her up against the wall, the side of his face touching hers, he spoke directly into her ear.
"Now, my Raven. I want you to look at me, all you have to say is, "I do not love you'." "Very simple isn't it?" It comes down to this, tell me you do not love me, and the knife will end all of your worries."
"LOOK AT ME, DAMN YOU! Slade shifted his weight to hold her against the wall to free his other hand. Which he promptly placed under Raven's chin, forcing her head up. She barely opened her eyes , trying not to look him in the eye.
"Now!" He said. "Just repeat after me, I…do…not…love…you." "SAY IT!"
"I can't." She said meekly, still looking at his chin.
"Why?"
Slowly she raised the focus of her eyes from his chin, straight to his eye. "Because…I do."
Slade slowly released his grip around her hands, causing the knife to fall to the floor. As he moved back, Raven slid down the wall, sitting on the floor. He walked over to the couch, slumped down in the middle of the cushions, his feet on the floor, his head laying back staring at the ceiling.
They both remained in their positions for several more minutes, before Raven pulled herself up and walked toward the door. She stood there for a second, then turned around and sat down on the couch beside Slade. No words were spoken as she reached down into the medical kit, fastened together a bandage, placing it gingerly over his gunshot wound. She then rose, and without a word form either party, she walked out of the door.
Note-update coming soon
