Flickering Shadows

By: Pakkrat

Chapter 7: You need me?

Note: Like I promised, romance plays high in this one chapter. Don't you love fanfiction?I was going to end this on a scene where Slade tells Raven to do something very sad… but it made me sad, and so I decided to make this a long chapter. Please, you will like it more with a happy ending. Another thing, music plays out in this chapter, ("Call Me Call Me" from Cowboy Bebop) a link is on my profile to this song, check it! Might get a little sappy, but still VERY good!

Raven wakes slowly, she instantly notices the breathing and rising of her head, she was sleeping on someone's chest. Raven looks up and is slightly horrified to see the resting Slade holding her. Raven pushes off from his chest and wriggles out of his arms, noticing as she did his face seems to change from contentment to concern. Raven stands up tall and grabs her arms at the elbows under her chest; she was just… well, in one way, sleeping with Slade. The strangest part is how she… she liked it. Raven looks around the room and notices the cracked open door; straightening out her dress she makes a small walk out the door to find Wintergreen. Raven makes it to the doors and her mind asks, 'Raven, why don't we run?' she looks back, 'He's asleep, we can escape. Don't we want to escape?' Raven narrows her eyes; it was her emotions, Wisdom? 'Wisdom, what's wrong?'

Raven closes her eyes, she sees her emotions all gathered Wisdom in her head now tries to explain the fact Raven was awake, Slade is asleep. He has been her captor and now he let his guard down! Running was the obvious solution. However, Happy the other emotion screams, 'Wait! We're not like, you know, angry and stuff! I mean he hasn't done anything that terrible, and he's like, you know…' Raven looks back to the resting warrior, his face and form, 'Damn… he's freaking hot.'

'What?' Raven gags, mentally screaming, 'How could you say that?' Happy points out, 'Hello, I'm you so you said that!'

Raven grabs her head, her eyes closing she snarls to her emotions, 'Shut up! I can't… I won't… argh!'

Raven turns to the touch on her shoulder, her eyes turn glowing and a snarl, but calm with Wintergreen. His arms hold her normal clothes, "Madam Raven, may I speak with you?" he hands her the clothing, Raven blushes and nods, "I am in the assumption you may wish for a shower, it has been at most a day or two."

Raven watches Wintergreen walking the halls, her arms raised she sniffs and scrunches her nose, yes a shower could be nice. Maybe even a bath, she could soak in all her mind's questions with the calming bath water.

…Wayne Robotics Facility, Jump City…

The figure walks into the robotics factory and soon finds himself in line to the metal detector. De Farge grins with his glasses over his face, "Oh this is going to be freaking hilarious."

De Farge walks up to the detector and walks through, it goes off and a guard asks, "May you please unload any metallic objects into this tray please."

De Farge, a grin over his face nods; "Sure," he drops a metallic pin into the tray. Then the object the pin came from, a grenade. De Farge scrambles forward as the guards stand up and begin chasing but the grenade explodes and the guards are flung from its force. De Farge now grabs something, screaming "Time you kids learn what it means to be Ravaged!"

The smoke of the explosive covers the area so when seven other guards all in special armor and helmets appear they only see the large cloud of dust and smoke. Soon something flies out and the guards fire, their knock-out rounds rip through the figure of a brown trench and blackened shades, they stop blinking at the trench.

The smoke clears and seven rounds are fired spiraling the dust with their bullets, the guards falter back, not unconscious but dead. With thunderous stomps, a red covered figure is now apparent. His large muscular physique is covered in red fittings, his legs with boots that stretch to the upper thigh and having skull emblems on the front of the legs matching the blackened skull over his left pectoral. On the shoulders his wide shoulders are covered with a blue padding armor, his hands held tightly in blue biker like gloves with thickened digits for extra padding. The face is hidden yet again, De Farge has his face covered in a red fabric mask covering his face and ears but it allows his hair free from uncovered top. De Farge hears a movement, turning to the one guard still alive he walks over slowly, raising a mid sized assault rifle with customized sights and seeking heat vision. The guard frantically grabs for his gun but De Farge stomps his right foot into the man's wounded arm, making his screams rise as De Farge grins under his mask. De Farge points out his gun, and aims with the red sights over the face of the terrified man before quickly pulling the trigger and ending this little mess. De Farge looks over to the distance, more guards are now coming, "The Ravager, has only begun…" he raises his gun and begins firing on the strafing men, his eyes seem to grow in maddened rage "Yes, I've only begun!"

Ravager screams out a laugh of madness as the guards are behind a collection of overturned desks, "Damn! What is with this guy?"

The guards hear the firing end, they look up seeing Ravager was holding another gun, this one has a large cocking mechanism and has some sort of large spindle at the trigger, "Okay, let's end this crap! I have business to take care of!" he cocks and fires, a large ball flies up and into the first row of guards exploding, the other guards scream as the spindle rotates and a second ball is fired. The second explosion finishes the guards. Ravager walks with a slow march cocking the gun and turning up some stairs, "I hear you!" he fires rebounding the shot on the wall up to the second level collapsing the roof cutting the second wave of guards off crushing them under rubble.

Ravager stomps his large boots at the safe in the back, grabbing something from his brown pouch belt he sets an explosive that fires to remove the holds of the safe. Grabbing it, his large muscles flex with his push moving the safe away from the hold, "Ah, there it is!"

Ravager swings a large duffle bag to load up on some things as a female figure strolls in. She wears a similar outfit all red and with skull boots and emblem, she has a full face mask with a black ponytail coming from the back. "Ravager, are you done yet?"

Ravager sighs, "Damn it, there's a freaking access code." He looks up, "You're the brains here sweet heart." He stands up and walks outside as she does her thing on the security. Ravager hears a small whimpering, seeing a young girl and her mother he chuckles grabbing his rifle, "Looks like I missed something."

He makes a step before a long blade stretches onto his throat, "Not kids, or women!" Lady Death glares through her white eyes and Ravager simply in a playful tone says, "Sure, whatever you say."

Lady Death enters the safe as the girl and mother make a run for the doors. Ravager waits to raise his rifle and fire, it doesn't fire, "…." He raises the rifle seeing his ammo was gone, "That bitch!" he stomps in seeing Lady Death has the duffle bag with the stuff, "Who the hell do you think you are? I let you tag along because you have business with Slade! Now give me my ammo!"

Lady Death tosses up the magazine of bullets strutting by, "Sure, they got away." he grabs it and watches her waddle by clipping his magazine into the gun, "One day…" he raises the gun and point the sights on her head, "I swear woman…" he lowers the sights on her butt and sighs, "Hell, it would be a waste to waste an ass like that." Ravager chuckles to himself before swinging the rifle onto his shoulder lankily walking out the doors with his lady.

…Titans Tower…

The alarm is going off, Robin screams, "Argh! The criminals are getting away!"

Blossom nods, "We can go and save the day!"

Buttercup screams "Thank goodness!" she fires a beam on the dvd player, "Good-bye rainbow monkeys!"

Bubbles begins to cry as Shake yells, "Somebody, please shut her the hell up!"

Frylock screams "Hold it! This is getting us nowhere!" he looks to Blossom, "Hey, while we're stuck here we need you to keep us from getting hurt. The city can deal with a little crime, besides, I can move a little bit more now anyway."

Blossom blinks as Frylock moves his fry arms, "Um, if you say so Mr. Fry-Man." She looks to her sisters, "You heard him, mount up for any… what the?"

Buttercup floats over in a purple hood, "I always wondered what this thing was like!"

Starfire screams, "Oh no, friend Raven would be very displeased with you wearing her clothing!"

…Mooninites Ship…

Ignigknot stands with arms up, "Welcome, to the ship of the Mooninites!" Eer jumps onto Pakkurath's shoulder screaming "You break it, you bought it!"

The first new face was the little boy with the green suit and metal pack, Gizmo, "Crud-zilla puke in here or what? Everything's flat!"

The larger teen with a black fitting and long hairs called Mammoth smirks, "Hey, pizza!" he rips something off the wall, Eer snaps "You bought it caveman!"

The skinny girl with pink hair and a black dress rolls her pink cat like eyes, "Man, why do you have to ruin everything?"

Mammoth shrugs as he eats the "pizza" "Mm, metally yet satisfying."

Gizmo snickers, "I swear he gets dumber every time!"

The final new face was an orange skinned black haired beauty called Blackfire, "Great, I come to earth to get my sister, and what do I find? Three deadweights," she turns to the Rat-Pakk, "Then these idiots."

Pakkurath floats over looking Blackfire up and down, "Girl, know I have killed men for much less than that remark."

Blackfire smirks to the demon, "Oh, I'm so scared." Pakkurath snarls his lip before grinning, "I like this one, she's enjoyable."

Eer is sitting on Pakku's shoulder; "I know her!" he hops down, "Have you ever been in film before?"

Pakkurath raises a brow to the now blushing Blackfire trying to say she was never in films before. Pakku hears Pakka, "Yes, my body is of metal."

Jinx smirks, "You know, my last boyfriend was metal… kind of."

Gizmo snickers, "Yeah, she's used to battery operated boyfriends." Him and Mammoth start laughing before being bonked over the head. Jinx snarls with her fists as Pakka adds, "It was part of our separation, a form of checks and balance."

Jinx raises a brow, "What do you mean checks and balance?"

Pakka nods, "Well, I am a durable warrior like being, but my powers are limited to that of machinery, not much else. I can withstand long amounts of pain and punishment, along with the power to fight with my hands exponentially." Pakka turns to an angered Pakkurath, "As for Pakku, he can not fight close range and is easily harmed by attacks."

Gizmo grins, "Oh, so he's a pushover?" to that Pakku looks and roars, his voice flinging the small genius up a wall where Pakka raises his index, "No, he may be easy to hurt but unlike me, he's omnipotent in magic, and has a much larger variety of skills keeping his enemies from getting close enough to hurt him. Where I can take a beating but not give much a licking, Pakku can give a licking but take little of a beating."

Gizmo peels off the wall going, "Ah… I see."

Mammoth looks on Gizmo, "Little buddy?"

Pakkurath swings around crossing his arm over his waist, "They do not need to know these things! It could prove misfortunate later!"

Pakkarath sighs, "I trust my allies, why do you not?" Pakku turns and snarls, "I am evil, allies are only good until they are obstacles! Then they are disposed of!"

Eer returns to the main room, he has a video, "I knew it! You're the "Troq Love Slave" from Star-crossed Sluts 9!"

Blackfire grabs her head, "You HAVE a copy?"

Ignigknot walks over, "Eer has one of the most expansive X-rated video libraries in the galaxy, he is a remarkable collector!"

"Yeah, if Ignigknot doesn't screw up all my tapes from playing them over and over again."

"Eer, the video will play well enough alone without your mouth."

Pakkurath floats over, "You did a freaking skin-flick?"

Blackfire twiddles her fingers, pouting to the side, "I needed money, and stuff…"

The video starts, the villains all huddle around the television eyes widening and turning to the embarrassed Blackfire coughing at the back of the ship. Eer screams, "Oh my god! Can you still do that?"

Pakkurath looks back, "Please say you can!" the others look at him, he coughs adding, "Not that I would be interested… You can right?"

…The Hideout…

Raven finishes the bath and exits in the leotard outfit, "Thanks Wintergreen." She walks over drying her hair, "So, what did you need to talk about?"

Wintergreen closes his eyes before nodding, "You see," he looks ahead taking Raven with him, "For a long time master Slade has been very cold. Honestly, he looses a bit of himself every day." Wintergreen looks to Raven smiling, "However, in your small time here Slade has lost his colder exterior and has shown a human heart, a man's heart for once."

Raven was embarrassed, "I don't know if I did that."

Wintergreen shakes his head, "Madam, I owe you a debt of greatest gratitude." Raven blinks, "I have stood at Slade… Wilson's side for a long time, hoping to bring him back to the world he once knew. You are actually rebuilding his life and I thank you with the greatest of all gratitude."

Raven nods, she was still confused, "Um, Wintergreen I never planned to do those things."

Wintergreen nods as they enter the main room of this hideout with a television and a couch. Wintergreen motions her to sit, and so Raven sits down as he walks back and grabs two glasses, "Madam," Raven looks up as he does not sit down but takes to the bookshelf, "The fact he holds you in regard to tell you his secrets makes me believe you are special." He smirks, "Special to him, and more importantly I feel you hold him as special too."

Raven looks up brushing her hair, "Wintergreen…" he smiles saying "Do not worry, I am not trying to find answers just…" he walks to his duties elsewhere, "I wish to say if… if you do hold him in your heart," Wintergreen lowers his head, "Don't crush him like Addie, it would… it would be too much for us both to go through again."

Wintergreen turns smiling, "Now, would you enjoy a sandwich or something? I would figure with your latest sleep you may be hungry."

Raven shakes her head no and sighs as he is gone. Slinking into the couch she looks into the ceiling, "… what am I going to do?" she clenches the glass and sips, 'What can I do?'

…Trophy Room…

Slade wakes slowly, his arms grip for Raven but she is gone. Opening his eye Slade sits up in the seat and realizes her warm frame was gone. Leaving a sigh free, Slade stands up and figures it was a dream, but as he stood he sees a lavender hair stuck to his sweating chest, "What?" he plucks the hair, and realizes his chest has a minor red imprint of a petite frame over his own, "Well, so it was not a dream?"

Slade walks over and looks at his many marvels, he's seen the shores of Japan, the wilds of the west, and upon each shore this world holds a sun rise he has viewed in awe. However, her face makes a greater, purer awe in his soul. The awe of a kindred soul after a long life of searching he finds someone with a connection to him. A past of pain, disappointment, and maybe he was not sure love that was lost. Slade looks to his mask, it was sitting on a desk next to his study and so he walks over. Gripping this metallic, cold appendage, Slade looks at the black and orange, symbolic colors of the ending fall, the faltering of beauty to ugliness.

Slade looks over his trophies, weapons and articles of clothing from the most worthy of his enemies. Slade shrugs, not a damn thing appeases his heart like her. To see her, smell her, hold her even. Slade found something he figured he lost; he found what he feels may be… Well, he was not sure, but this was the closest to it he knew for a long time. Slade looks on his chest, a bare chest man walking around all day? Naw, he can find something more enjoyable than that. Slade heads to his room, hearing the television in the main room Slade peeks seeing Raven longingly watching it, he smirks; she's still here so she did not escape. Slade looks up to the ceiling, and as he walks away he knows, he has to tell her the fullest extent of how she makes him feel. How, after all this time, Slade Wilson has found…

…The Ship…

Eer screams, "Damn! Look at that thing! Aw man, how can it go THAT far?"

The men all blush, Jinx looks at Blackfire asking, "Uh, what the hell is wrong with you?"

Blackfire snaps, "Okay! That's the fifth time you watched this! Can we PLEASE do something else?"

Pakkurath smirks, "We are my friends," hanging up a phone he looks to Pakkarath, "Brother, I feel you should graduate from the school of super villainy! Today, you with this team of teenage villains are striking the titans!"

Pakkarath looks with six wide red eyes, "You want me to do what? I can't!"

"Come now!" Pakku tsk-tsk his brother, "It was inevitable, I can't fight like you and if you make them submit the game is over! Would you rather it not be over now than later?"

Pakka looks at his brother, "Brother… something bothers me. You have often played sinister games on the Titans so may I ask is this a sick game? Have you a darker agenda than the one I am told of?"

Pakku shakes his head no, "Now, now! I would never lie to you!" his left arm is behind his back, fingers crossed "The game I told you is of my only agenda. No other, so let us have out fun."

Ignigknot looks at the crossed fingers, "You just…" he is blasted in a strong beam, "Ow! Eer, help me up will you?"

Eer has the remote, "Now, we freeze-frame here, and you can actually count how many golf balls are…"

Blackfire screams with her eye beams firing, "Shut the hell up you little toad!"

…Titans Tower…

Buttercup is wearing Raven's hood, floating she speaks in a false voice, "This is so stupid, you're stupid, and don't forget, you all suck."

Blossom has a red vest and black mask, "Raven, must you always be so moody?"

Bubbles has a purple shirt and midi, her skin colored orange, "Eh-he-he, you two are so funny!"

The titans look with frizzles over their heads, not funny… Beast Boy looks at Meatwad with green dye, "Dude, why is he me?"

Meatwad turns into a giant hotdog, "I am the changeling… yeah, that right?"

The Ghost who had returned because his check from Frylock bounced speaks with a fog, "Though I am a big tall man with a kick-ass-car I still can't get laid, as in the accident the part of me most important to such a task was…"

Cyborg screams, "Somebody kill that robot!"

On cue, a pink ball breaks through the window and blows up The Ghost, "HOLY CRAP MY LEGS!"

Cyborg smiles, "Aw yeah, thank you!"

With ropes Jinx, Gizmo, Mammoth, and Blackfire land smiling, Jinx asks "Aw, thanks for destroying you so soon?"

The titans look in gasps! The fifth member flies in with his legs as a giant thruster floating in to remake his metal legs, Pakkarath chuckles adding, "Time to say hello to the Rat-Pakk."

Ignigknot adds as he jumps off Pakkarath's back, "Or, Monday/Tue-." Pakka screams "Go back to the ship you little freak! I have this under control!"

Blossom and the remainder "titans" gather up, "Titans, GO!" the three girls fly at the villains as Meatwad sits still, Frylock whispers, "Meatwad, that's you to!"

"Oh, yeah… say what now?"

Shake sighs, "Great, our lives are depending on three little girls with crack house chemicals for blood, and a wad of meat that can't do squat in fighting. I feel really safe."

…The Ship…

Ignigknot screams, "That other Rat-Man is very bossy," he flicks his finger, "I shall send him the wrath of the moon!"

Pakkurath chuckles, "Oh do not worry my little friend. Soon, if everything goes as I planned, he will be taken care of."

Eer screams, "Aw hell no! You're playing your own brother?" Pakku nods, the pink alien raises his hand, "High-five! Ah-ha!"

Ignigknot is confused, "However, if he is the version of you that is physically adept, will not having him destroyed put you at a loss?"

Pakkurath looks to the phone, "I planned on removing Pakka long ago. That's what the call was for… a way of getting around my weakness without him."

…The Hideout…

Raven sighs as the television has nothing worth watching. Slade has every freaking channel imaginable, over 1000 of them, and still not a thing on? 'I wonder… does he steal cable?' Raven smirks as that seems his style in many ways.

Hearing the doors open Raven looks over, "Winter…" she sees the muscular figure in a trench, "…."

Slade had changed, wearing a long brown trench over a tight deep gray T and black jeans; he wears a black eye patch over his one eye smiling as she was looking at him, "Am I that much better looking?"

Raven blushes, "Well, it is nice looking and all. What about your outfit?"

"I didn't feel like wearing it." He shrugs, "It doesn't seem to fit me at the current."

Raven stands up; looking at him shyly she asks "Slade, do you think maybe… something is wrong?"

Slade nods yes, "Raven, I most certainly do." He struts over to her with his hands in his pockets, making his strong presence more menacing, "Originally when I brought you here I had the plan to make you need me, to beg for my power. Like Terra I wanted you to follow me as an apprentice." Slade removes his right hand and cups her cheek, "However, it was only recently as we talked and I realized you meant more to me." Raven feels his fingers caress her cheek, warmth crossed her face she enjoyed, "The honesty of it all is, I find in you myself, and I find more strength even. You and I are kindred spirits, lost and hurt we healed each other. I healed your body, and you healed my heart."

Raven smiles and that makes Slade return his own grin, "Raven, I wish you to know, that in a long… long time, that I lo…"

"WHAT IS THIS!" the voice of Pakkarath screams out through the television, both look as Pakkarath holds an unconscious blonde haired girl, "I want a real challenge, not some little brats!" tossing Bubbles into the other two girls as they rushed him the metal villain forges cannons from his chest and fires on the three. "Look at you! This is pathetic, is this all you have for me, the Rat-Pakk!"

Raven looks stunned, "Rat-Pakk? Is that… Pakkrat?" Slade looks shocked, "What the hell is he? Some kind of robot?"

Raven looks at the six eyes, he looks similar to… "Trigon… his eyes are just like his."

Slade looks on Raven, her hands gripping tightly together on her chest in worry he looks to his side, 'She's worried… her friends are in danger…' Slade looks up at the screen, his mind seems to scan all his being… and… "Raven…" she looks up, "I want you to… leave."

…Jump City…

Gizmo runs with a broken metal leg, Jinx with burnt hairs, and Mammoth holds the unconscious Blackfire, "CRAP! CRAP! CRAP!" they all say in unison as the ship lands and they enter, seeing Pakkurath smiling at Pakkarath's rampage, "When my brother is in the heat of battle, he forgets himself." Chuckling, Pakku motions the ship to leave. "Yes, all is going as planned…"

Pakkarath backhands Buttercup and turns to see Blossom, "HA!" raising his hand the tips spin inside and show barrels, the fingers fire red beams that strike Blossom and put her down, now Bubbles screams a sonar blast of her voice but Pakka is unaffected, and creating five long barrels from his back they point up and fire missiles that explode on the last girl. Pakka stomps over to the three and asks, "Was this the best we have?" he snorts, "I thought good had more power than…" he is hit by an explosive making him only turn unaffected, Robin, Starfire, Cyborg, Beast Boy, Frylock, and Shake stand ready… actually, Shake is screaming about an old football injury acting up.

"Alright," Robin has his staff, "Time to end this Pakkrat!"

Pakka chuckles, "Little kids should play video games and go to school." His eyes glow golden bulls eyes, ripping away his trench and letting it fall on the ground with a metallic clunk, he screams "Come on! Give me a target!" his guns point out, "GIVE ME A TARGET!"

…The Hideout…

"What!" Raven is confused, "I thought… I thought you…"

Slade sees her eyes searching for answers, he smiles saying, as he grabs her face in his hands, "I love you." She is calmed, and slowly her eyes see his yearning to explain this action. "I love you more than any woman in a long… long time. That's why I want you to leave, to help your friends." Slade pulls her head to him, and lays it on his chest, "You love your friends, they are your family, yes?" she nods her head in his chest, "Then, keeping you here would be wrong. I love you, so if I love you I need to let you go to them. They need you, and always need you." He chuckles, "Besides, a life here with me was never going to work. You know that." He sighs, her eyes are beginning to water, "Raven, promise me you will never tell anyone what happened. Promise you will keep this a secret. I don't want… I don't want to have to fight the titans with you in it. I can't… not with you." He lets her head go seeing her face so hurt, "Don't cry," he rubs her eyes, a smirk on her face as he did it, "I know it hurts, I'm hurting too. Still, you need to save them, and I know deep down this has to be." Slade steps back and points to the door, his palm open, "Take this passage, the doors on the far end of this hall lead to a stairwell. Follow to the roof, and continue to the tower, south-east of here. I hope you will find them from there."

Raven looks on Slade, "I… I lo…" he grabs her mouth, "Don't make this harder…" he grins, "I know though… I think, I really knew it for a while." Letting go Slade moves to the opposite doors, "Goodbye Raven."

Raven sniffles, her face red in sad crying but taking him for granted she flies out the doors and to the exit. Slade watches her turn back once more before she leaves quickly. Slade now takes a deep breath, opens the door to Wintergreen who looks on the ground, and asks "I did the right thing… right?"

Wintergreen looks up and smiles, weakly, "Yes sir…" Slade smirks, "Would you like something to eat?"

Slade cups his hands behind his back, "No, I'm not really hungry." He walks down the halls and Wintergreen hangs his head. Seeing a small water drop on the ground he looks to the plumbing above… it wasn't that kind of leak. "… Slade…"

…Jump City…

Pakka fires his chest cannons, Frylock uses his eye beams but the blasts keep firing until they break through. Pakka screams in laughter as Cyborg shoots his right arm. Pakka rips his legs to the booster, and flies up overhead forging his right arm as a large barrel which he fires a large shell that explodes taking the titan out. Flying over the others Starfire flies in with fists pounding. Pakka lets the punches scuff his surface before finally raising his left arm, the hand flattens to a dish and blasts a red beam that makes Star scream and tremble before smoldering to the ground. Pakka looks down seeing Beast Boy coming as a pterodactyl, creating a giant metal club Pakka swings on a bug-eyed Beast Boy flinging him into the distance.

Robin watches as Beast Boy is taken out and watches Pakka float down with two guns coming from his wrists, "Robin, what's wrong? Can't win your fights alone?"

Robin glares before running into the spray of bullets, his staff deflects most but not all as they strike his legs and arms, faltering inches at Pakka he looks up with wounds and scratches. Pakka snickers, eyes blood red crimson he raises his right arm as a cannon, "Now I am going to finish the game."

Pakka's arm is then pulled up, his whole form swishes up and into the clouds shocked, "Wha… What is this?"

Breaking out of the cloud cover Pakka sees the sun, and a figure with her pale hand holding in front of her, "You first tried to kill me," Pakka twitches to the voice, the figure floats closer, "You tortured my friends, tried to kill them." Raven looks up with tears, "Now, you made me leave…" Raven shakes her head free, "You never should have came here Pakkrat! Never!"

Before Pakka could act she tosses Pakka to the ground at tremendous speed through an abandoned building. The walls and foundation crumble all around him and Raven floats to the streets watching the dust roll around. Robin looks up stunned, she was back?

Raven stands strong, even as the dust spirals up with a shadowed figure she stood with little reaction. Pakka flies back on her swinging his fists but she does little dodges and sways making him miss. Charging her right hand into a fist of blackness, Raven launches a punch reeling Pakka back on his own heels which she now charges the left. Pounding fast across his still stunned face Raven screams in each haggard strike. Tears streamed her face, memories mix in to the time Slade was on her for those accusations, the time he eats with her and they play that question game, the time Slade made her talk on Azar and she found his secret, and then the time he held her… "You! You took him away!" Raven screams with both hands firing a blackened beam tossing back Pakka who bounces off the ground digging a long crater trail with his back with each skip. Raven flies after to finish but Pakka look up with his right arm forged into a large gun, "Chill out woman!"

The gun fires and Raven raises her shield to be covered by smoke. The shield lowers letting a metal fist hit Raven and arced her up into the banister of a building. Pakka flies up to the banister and lets his fists strike her ribs. Raven gags as her body reels from previous injuries rekindled from the pain, but her mind calls that training before, she had to win like that day even with the pain. Raven screams and sparks crackle around making Pakka back up, his arms folding over his eyes he sees Raven flying forward with blackness pouring from her back… like black wings? "God… Pakku… you didn't!" the girl strikes her right fist, the head of Pakka crackles with exposed wires as the metal dents in "He… is… re…buil…ving…the…Chur…ch…Of…Blood…."

The head rips fully from the body, wires sparking and crackling as the flesh metal incinerates to white smoke. Raven's aura slowly dissipates, and Raven slowly looses her sight as she plummets back to the ground. Robin screams her name running to grab Raven, she falls in his arm and lays unconscious, looking up to the head of Pakka as it falls on the ground and twirls on the base Robin looks confused, "What just… happened?"

…Titans Tower…

Raven wakes slowly with a massive headache, the night has fallen, and with her ribs wrapped she stands up hearing voices down the hall. Walking down these many passages her eyes are blurred, the halls… Slade? She smiles, making a faster run to the voices she notices light, her eyes scrunch to the light and a shadow walks to her, she smiles wrapping her arms around the figure… but they were smaller than Slade, "Raven, you're awake!"

Raven pulls back, seeing Robin's blushing and embarrassed face he smiles, "You came back just in the neck of time, thanks."

Raven looks on Robin several moments, her eyes blur in tears as she digs her face in his chest crying, the others are confused but choke it up to her being happy to be home after a long ordeal… they were only half right.

Note: So, what was that like? Not very… AH! (Dodges the rest of the story) Having fun! I can't leave on THAT kind of cliffhanger, can I? You all deserve better! The rest is my romantic song induced stuff!

(Music: "Call Me, Call Me," From Cowboy Bebop)

Slade sits at his control room, hands cupped together under his chin he looks on the television and watches Raven fighting that Pakkrat creature. He leans a hand to the remote, freezing the image of Raven standing on the ground he sighs deeply…

Wintergreen watches from the side, his hands with a platter he offers Slade something to eat, Slade looks up and nods, Wintergreen lays the platter on his legs and walks out the room. Wintergreen looks through the door as Slade simply looks at the image again, and shakes his head for his friend again in this state…

The titans with their new friends are dancing, drinking, eating and partying as Raven sits at the corner of the room with a cup of herbal tea. Raven holds the drink in her hands thinking about what Slade said, how he let her go… he really… really… Raven looks up to the titans and sees their fun happy faces, but her mind is not half as happy knowing he must be alone again. Raven drinks her tea and lowers the cup seeing the ripples make a shape, or her mind sees the shape she wants to see, "…Why?"

Slade gets up from his seat to the screen, putting his hand on the screen he chuckles, he doesn't know why he let her go… just he knew she needed it. Slade turns the television off and walks to his training room, it's all he has anyway… again.

Raven watches as Beast Boy sits with her explaining how he missed her, and that they looked long and hard. Raven smiles half-heartedly to his words, not noticing him as much she notices her own thoughts. Beast Boy blinks, snapping his fingers it is like a starter pistol, Raven jumps up and storms off not angry but annoyed. Beast Boy sweats from a stare from the others.

Raven opens her door looking at her bed, her eyes pop wide, seeing the scarlet dress and clothing from Slade. Walking over she takes the card, it reads, "I gave this to you. Remember one thing, you will always be loved… -Wilson"

Raven sniffles, sitting on the bed she clenches the dress to her face tightly soaking in the feel of it and when she wore it. Still having a hint of his scent Raven falls on her side at the bed letting her mind loose itself to the memories brewing faster again. Her emotions freeing and causing the lights in the tower to flicker in and out again with shadows to the titans Raven seems to roll back and forth on the mattress, her eyes scrunching tightly as she hears that voice saying things so arrogant and smug, but with a hint of pain and yearning of acceptance, like her.

Raven now pulls herself off the bed, her eyes look at the walls, this tower, and with her grabbing a hood from her outfit Raven wraps herself tightly and looks out the window, she looks back once more to the room so dark and cold, and nods before floating out of the window amongst the black sky. Raven flies faster in the dark sky, her mind assured of what she is doing. Raven does not notice the shadows in her room raise up, a three fingered claw clasps tightly… in success

Slade stands in his old outfit, mask fitting tightly to his face he fastens it to his helmet, then screams to the walls, seven drones stand up and charge Slade. Slade puts up his arms in a stance, faltering back he makes a strike to one drone, out quick. Making in reflexes he dodges the twelve hands scratching and clawing for him, Slade swings legs, fists, and head to the drones, knocking them all back in random order. Six go to four, the four slash in unison and Slade grabs one hand to swing the drones to the side leaving two. Slade grabs his staff, making fast work Slade breaks the remaining drones with little effort. He stands confident, breaths heavy and strong, Slade hears a step behind him and swings the butt of the staff inches to the eyes… he stops and drops the staff his arms stuck in place. Lavender eyes calmly, and kindly lock to his as ivory fingers grab his hand ushering it to her face. Slade sees Raven in shock, she smiles and says, "Slade… I love you."

Slade is confused, but she moves in floating to his height grabbing the helmet and relinquishing it to the patched face of Slade. Raven lays her hands in his hair, rustling it slightly Slade looks on with his eyes as she inches her face to his with her breaths mixing on his skin, "Also… I need you too." Raven puts her lips gently to his, Slade raises a brow as he now grabs her back crossing his arms over her frame to pull her deeper to his own lavishing embrace. Raven drops her hands slowly to his shouleders, moving her face to the face of the man she once hated, now loved without a second damn thought. Slade and Raven mix tongues, tasting their excellent tastes they heat up this embracing mix with deeper hugging and faster moans of pleasure. Wintergreen walks in and drops a thing of water, blushing more than before he gulps and closes the door in exit. Wintergreen lays on the door several moments before smiling, this was what he hoped for Slade… and so much more. Slade holds Raven at her hips as she hangs her arms around his neck. Slade and Raven part, as he asks, "Are you sure about this? Your friends, your family?"

Raven looks to the side, but returns in a smile, "I know this Slade. I need this, you, and in time they will accept this." She shrugs, "And if not, I'll do whatever it takes." She lays her face on his shoulder, "I want this to work, I really do."

Slade nods, his face the happiest in a long time, "Me too Raven… me too."

(Music: Ends might not time up perfectly, but closely enough to enjoy.)

Note: It's not much, but a glimpse of a very important villain did you see him? If you can call the character, you might get a special prize! A hint, he's a big theme to the whole Shadows part of this story. Either way I hope you liked this as much as I did. My favorite chapter might just be this one here. Tell me what you think, did I do good? OO thanks everyone, I'll keep updating as soon as I can, we're almost done the first installment. Woo-Hoo! I never knew how great this story would be received, it convinces me to put more work into a story when people give me the feeling it is worth it. Thank you, this really could not be as good without your help.