Raven awoke to stinging and almost unbearable pain. She kept herself from crying out and lifted her head slightly to look around. The bedside table had a clock on it along with her mirror, a few candles, come incense sticks and her stuffed raven was tucked by her head. She looked at the clock and when the numbers finally came into focus she could barely read them. 3:46am
There was a small snoring noise beside her and she saw a head of green hair resting on the hand rail of the bed. Beast Boy was sleeping in a chair and had his head resting on the bed near her arm
"Raven don't go." he murmured in his sleep. His head twitched along with his other limbs. Raven reached out and stroked his head even through moving her shoulder made the pain rip through her once more. Beast Boy calmed down
"I'm not going anywhere." she whispered. The boy's ears twitched and one of his eyes opened slowly
"Raven?" he breathed almost as if he was afraid he was dreaming. Raven smiled
"The one and only." she said happily. Beast Boy leaned back in his chair and rubbed his temples
"I thought we were going to lose you." Raven smiled once more. He didn't know how close they had come. Beast Boy cupped her cheek in his hand and Raven leaned into it. His hand was warm and comforting
"Beast Boy, can I ask you something?"
"Of course Rae."
"If I did die. What would you have done?" Beast Boy stared at her for a moment then pulled his hand away and sighed
"I don't know. You're more than my best friend or my girlfriend Rae." Raven looked down for a moment wondering if she should tell him about Sandy. Well he had told her about the school
"Beast Boy I need to tell you something but you have to listen okay?" the boy nodded and Raven told him about Sandy and the two doors and what would have happened to him if she had died. She left out the part about Trigorn for now.
When she was through Beast Boy ran one hand through his hair and shook his head
"You don't believe me." Raven said
"I believe every word Rae. It's just I can't believe I would do that." Raven smiled sadly and gripped his hand in her own
"Well I'm back and I don't plan on leaving anytime soon." he smiled and squeezed her hand then stood up
"I'm gong to go let the others know you're up." she nodded then rested her head on the pillow when the door closed. She wondered what had happened. Cyborg would probably be able to tell her but she wanted to know who had done it.
The doors hissed open tearing her out of her thoughts. The Titans all hurried in and Terra and Virgle ended up on the floor next to each other laughing
"Oh Friend Raven you have awaken. I would hug you but you are still in a dreadful condition." Starfire squealed spinning around in the air. Raven smiled and looked at Robin. He had a look of great relief on his face. Raven was his best friend right behind Starfire and he didn't want her hurt anymore than the others did
"Hey Raven. You feeling okay?" Richie asked. Raven shrugged and winced
"I guess." she noticed that Terra was staring at her back looking a little pale. Raven pulled a blanket over her back with her powers
"How long was I out?"
"Eleven days." Robin answered. Raven sighed and looked up at Cyborg
"What happened to me?" the mechanical teen hesitated for a moment but Raven stared at him until he started talking
"We think it was an E.W. You would have had to be hit with pure fire to make a burn like that." he paused for a moment "Can you heal yourself?" Raven looked away
"No, not like I normally do. When I heal someone I pull the pain into my own body. I wouldn't be able to do that to myself especially since it's this bad." the Titans all stared at her
"Dude if we had known that we wouldn't have come to you with all our little cuts and scrapes." Raven started to shrug but stopped. The Titans all watched her with sympathy.
(One month later)
Raven blinked a few times then raised her head from her black pillows. Sunlight was barely peeking in from her windows. She yawned and felt the temptation to go back to sleep but she forced herself to get up. Pain shot through her back as she moved
"Ouch." she mumbled fastening her cape around her throat. There was a soft knock at the door and she flicked her eyes towards it allowing her powers to open it. A large bird flew in with Beast Boy and Cyborg chasing after it
"Stupid bird!" Cyborg yelled. Raven picked him, Beast Boy and the bird up and pushed them out of her room. She dropped the two boys in a heap then pulled the bird over to her. It was a large raven with purplish feathers
"Sorry about that Rae. The stupid thing was in the garage and it got up here somehow." Beast Boy said rubbing the back of his neck. Raven looked at the bird that was pecking at her magical bonds
"Hey Raven maybe Robin would let you keep it. I mean it's a raven and you're kinda one too." Cyborg suggested "It could keep you company when we're gone…" his voice trailed off as Raven stared at him with watery eyes. After a moment she disappeared into her room still carrying the bird
"Dude why'd you have to say that?"
"Sorry man it just slipped out." he shook his head "She's starting to spend a little too much time in there. Why don't you try to get her to come out?" he disappeared down the hall leaving the changeling standing outside Raven's door
"Hey Raven. Can we talk?" the door slid open and Beast Boy peeked in. Raven was sitting cross legged on her bed stroking the bird's wings gently
"What's up?" he asked trying to act normal. Raven stared blankly at him before getting to her feet. He knew she was trying to hide the pain that came with moving. He saw her heading for the far end of her bookcase near where he was
"Let me get it. Which one?" Raven stopped
"I wasn't getting a book Beast Boy." she ran over to him and leaned into his chest. He hugged her gently around the waist since she hadn't been burned there
"I'm sorry." he whispered
"For what?"
"I haven't been paying you very much attention since you got hurt and I should have been. So, well, sorry." Raven smiled and looked up at him
"It's okay." Beast Boy shook his head
"No it's not. I really want to be there for you Rae. Promise me if you need something you'll tell me."
"Alright I promise. Come on you can make me some breakfast." he smiled and walked beside her to the common room. Cyborg and Robin were playing a video game while Starfire cheered them on. Richie, Virgle and Terra had returned to Dakota but they dropped by every weekend but their parents didn't know (Terra's living with Virgle's family) about their powers yet. The Titans had come up with the cover story that they were going to extra classes for school over the weekends
"Good morning friend Raven and friend Beast Boy." Starfire said absently cheering Robin on
"Hey, are the trio coming over today?" (FYI: that's Richie, Terra and Virgle) Beast Boy asked digging around in the fridge for some tofu for himself and eggs for Raven
"I don't know." Robin answered even though he had no idea what Beast Boy had asked. Beast Boy made faces at their backs causing Raven to giggle behind her hand
"Hey I'm hungry." she said in an airy tone. Beast Boy looked at her then burst out laughing. The others stared at him as he clutched his stomach
"You sounded like Miranda!" he said through his laughter. Raven shook her head and levitated her teapot over the stove and began making herself some herbal tea
"So what's on the agenda for today?" Beast Boy asked cracking an egg into the skillet and shaping his tofu into a strip of bacon
"Well, I was going to train. If anyone wants to join me."
"We could just train today." Raven stiffened slightly then relaxed and smiled slightly to the surprise of the others
"Actually I would like a change of scene for my meditation." she said softly. Starfire smiled then floated over to the kitchen and began making some breakfast.
Robin lead the way as the team headed down to the training gym. Beast Boy had turned into a small dog and was barking at Raven's heels. They still hadn't told the others about them going out so she shot him a fake glare
"Alright guys let's get started." Robin said. Starfire turned on her drones and began flying around firing her starbolts. Cyborg and Robin headed over to the weight sets
"Hey Raven before you go meditate can you give me a hand with something?"
"I suppose." Beast Boy grinned then picked up a deck of index cards from a table near his treadmill. Each had an animal name and a short description on it
"Just flip through these and I'll change. If I get it right keep going and if I get it wrong tell me." Raven nodded and waited while the boy got into position. She flipped through the cards quickly then lifted one. A large wolf appeared in front of her.
Beast Boy changed into every animal in the deck in about half an hour. After that he staggered over to the benches for a break. Raven floated over next to him then settled into her trance
"Azarath Metrion Zinthos. Azarath Metrion Zinthos." she whispered in her low monotone. Her mental image of Nevermore didn't come to her. Instead she was standing in front of Azarath. But it wasn't completely empty like it had been in her last vision
"Why here?" she whispered to herself as she walked down the crowded streets. Everyone walked past her as if she wasn't there. A white dove flew past her head and headed up to where Raven knew her mother had once lived. She lifted into the air and flew up to the building but she stopped a few levels down not being able to see the place her mother had once lived
"Hello my daughter." a gentle male voice said. Raven turned around and saw a monk coming towards her
"Your mother is no longer here." Raven looked at him for a long time then nodded
"Yes, her soul and hundreds others are in happiness now." she whispered trying to hold back tears. The monk walked over and placed one hand on her shoulder
"What do you mean child? Your mother is alive but not in Azarath." Raven gasped and the vision fell away. She was back in Titan's Tower. She noticed that her friends were all surrounded by a black mist and they were staring at her
"You feeling okay Raven?" Robin asked as she lowered them to the ground. Raven nodded and closed her eyes again. But no matter what she tried she couldn't fall into her trance. After awhile she got up and took a water bottle out of the small fridge Cyborg had put in while she and Beast Boy were away
"Raven are you okay? You seem a little out of it." Beast Boy asked. The girl looked at him then sat down in the air effortlessly
"I think Azarath might still be standing. My mother may still be alive." she whispered. Beast Boy smiled
"That's great Raven." the girl smiled and nodded the realization of the concept finally sinking in
"Yes it is." was all she could say. She returned to her meditation and helping Beast Boy train a little. After a moment's decision she blasted a few of the drones that Starfire was having trouble with
"Thank you friend Raven!" she exclaimed still fighting other drones off. Raven smiled then covered her ears as a loud deep ringing sound started up. The others were all holding their ears especially Beast Boy
"Dude could our doorbell be any louder?" he yelled. Cyborg tapped a button on his arm and the bell died away but everyone's ears were ringing.
They all headed to the front door and found Terra, Virgle, and Richie standing outside the giant doors
"Hey guys what's happening?" Richie said waving
"What!" Beast Boy yelled rubbing his ears. Terra stared at him for a moment then looked at the others
"Doorbell." Robin explained. She nodded knowing how loud the Titan's doorbell could be even when you were on the top of the Tower which was ten stories high
"How you doing Rae?" Raven looked at him
"Call me Raven unless you like being hung from the roof of the Tower." she had carried out the threat as a joke and Virgle had been laughing the whole time so it wasn't much of a punishment
"I'd say Raven is feeling fine." Terra said laughing behind her hand. Her shorts and shirt were covered in a light dust and her face had streaks of mud on it.
"So how's everything in Dakota?" Robin asked as they all walked up the stairs to the main room
"Tiresome. I'm having one heck of a time hiding this from my dad and making sure Terra is home by curfew."
"Hey I can't help it if I loose track of time." Terra said defensively. Starfire giggled
"Perhaps then you should wear the portable time telling device." Terra nodded and ducked out of a nugie from Cyborg. The Titans all walked up the stairs with Raven trailing behind them slowly. Her back hurt when she moved but she was used to it by now.
She sat on the arm of the sofa listening to her friends talk and laugh with each other. Virgle was telling a story about something that had happened at school the other day and everyone was laughing uncontrollably. She smiled to herself then got up to make some tea
"Hey Raven would you mind making some hot coco?" Robin called after her. For an answer Raven levitated the mix out of the cabinet and replaced her tea leaves on the shelf. She stirred the drinks quickly then levitated them all into the living room carefully
"Thanks Raven." they all chorused. Raven nodded and blew the steam off her mug looking out the window. It was starting to snow very lightly. It was the end of October and coming on November so Christmas was coming soon. Raven smiled. This year she would join her teammates in decorating the Tower and in opening presents for the first time
"Robin please how many more days until Christmas?" Starfire asked breaking Raven away from her thoughts. Robin looked up at the ceiling calculating in his mind
"Well today's the last day of October-." Raven's mug cracked suddenly and spilled coco all over the sofa. Her face was registered shock
"What did you say?" she asked in a hoarse voice
"Today's the last day of October." Robin repeated. Raven looked down at herself and began cleaning up the mess with her powers while raising up her hood
"I'm going to take a shower." she said leaving the room. She flew down the corridors quickly and slipped into her room breathing hard. Her thoughts were racing
'If today's the last day of October then tomorrow is…' her calendar flew off the wall and into her hands. She flipped the page over and looked at the first holiday with horror…
Raven breathed in the hot steam from her shower. It cleared her senses and her mind but just barely. Her emotions were racing around Nevermore each doing something to clean their respective areas. She stepped out of the shower and wrapped a towel around herself. She had to keep calm or the others might realize something was wrong
"Raven are you okay? You've been taking a shower for like an hour." Raven sighed and opened the door still clutching her towel. Beast Boy was standing outside his hand raised to knock again. His mouth fell open
"Take a picture it'll last longer." Raven said shifting awkwardly under his gaze. He shook his head and closed his mouth
"Sorry about that. So are you okay?"
"I'm fine. I just had a headache and the steam helps." she walked down the hall to her room and shut the door. She dressed in a pair of jeans and a white tank top. She didn't feel like wearing her bulky cape right now. She dried her hair and brushed it out gently. After that she walked downstairs into the main room where Beast Boy and Robin were playing video games and Cyborg was talking with Richie and Virgle. Starfire had dragged Terra to the mall with her while Raven was taking her shower
"Beast Boy can I talk to you?" she asked softly. The green teenager twisted around and looked at her
"Sure Raven." he set the controller down on the coffee table and followed the girl upstairs. She paused at his door
"Can we talk in here?"
"Sure I cleaned it yesterday cause I was bored." he opened the door and held it for her then followed her inside. Beast Boy had gotten rid of his bunk bed and traded it for a large circular bed much like Raven's. She sat on it smiling at the green sheets, pillow cases, and comforter
"So what's up?" Beast Boy asked flopping down beside her. Raven's smile faded rapidly
"Do you know what tomorrow is?" she asked softly. Beast Boy scratched his head then shrugged
"November first?" Raven nodded
"Also known as All Saints Day." Beast Boy cocked his head slightly in confusion. Raven pulled a pillow into her lap and hugged it searching for the right words
"You know I'm part demon right?" a nod "Well on All Saints Day my powers are gone. But it's just for one day." she explained slowly
"But you've been on the team almost three years. How come you're worried about it now?" Raven looked at him
"Because I just have a bad feeling. Well not bad but something's going to happen tomorrow. Something big." Beast Boy pulled her into a hug
"Well I'll keep an eye out for anything okay? And don't forget we have to start decorating tomorrow." Raven groaned
"And everyone's going to want my help." Beast Boy patted her head gently. She sighed and leaned on his shoulder. He rubbed her neck gently and felt her muscles relax. A faint smile played across her lips
"Thank you." she murmured as he continued to massage her tense muscles
"No problem." he answered. After a moment his hand dropped and he lay back on his pillows. Raven followed him and laid her head on his chest. Beast Boy smiled and played with her hair for a moment
"Don't worry Rae. I'm sure you can handle it." Raven nodded then looked up at him. His green eyes searched her violet ones as his hand continued to fiddle with her hair. After a moment she scooted up and kissed him lightly. His face heated up but he followed her easily.
Raven winced as a sharp pain hit her back when the blankets touched it. She hesitated then rolled on top of Beast Boy. He broke away abruptly
"Raven, I think we're a little young." Raven glared at him
"My back hurt." she explained her eyes softening. Beast Boy smiled and started to kiss her again but someone pounded on the door
"Hey guys we got pizza!" Cyborg yelled through the door. The two teens got up and opened the door
"Awesome!" Beast Boy exclaimed running past him into the main room. Raven cocked her head to the side watching him leave
"The kid has an obsession with pizza." Cyborg stated. Raven nodded then headed down the hall. Cyborg walked next to her
"So what were you two talking about?" Raven looked up at the tall mechanical teen slowly. She could rarely keep secrets from Cyborg. He was like her big brother and he knew how to coax almost anything out of her
"Nothing that concerns you Cyborg."
"Come on Rae I was standing outside that door for like ten minutes." Raven froze and backed up slightly
"I'll give you a ten second head start." she growled clenching her hands into fists. Cyborg squeaked in fear and took off into the main room screaming. Raven counted to ten then walked after him.
The whole team was standing like a wall in front of Cyborg as he cowered behind the sofa. Beast Boy was sitting down eating pizza calmly
"Raven…" Robin started. Raven glared at him and he shut up instantly. She walked behind the group, dragged Cyborg out by his human ear then slapped him across the face. He stood there in shock as she sat down at the table and started eating pizza. Robin walked over and crossed his arms and tapped one metallic booted foot
"What were you and Beast Boy talking about?" he demanded. Raven ignored him. He grabbed her upper arm. Beast Boy munched on pizza and looked back and forth between his leader and his girlfriend