Chapter Nine: Coming Home
(One month later) (Kinda Short) (Major Cliffy)
Beast Boy sighed and shoved his plate away. The others looked at each other in concern. Jinx patted his shoulder
"Don't worry Beast Boy. She said she was almost done with her training. She'll come back soon."
"I know I just miss her." he got up and headed out the doors to go to his room. Robin shook his head
"He's really depressed."
"But what can we do? He does not wish for us to comfort him. He just wants Raven to return home. Seeing her face and being with her are two very different things." Starfire said picking up several of the plates and taking them over to the sink
"Well we know Raven's gonna come back. It's more of the whole Trigon thing that's go me worried. I mean what if he comes and Rae's not here to stop him? I don't know if we can do it without her and Jesse."
"Guys!" the doors slid open and Rose ran in breathless. She was carrying a communicator in her hand
"Slade's been attacked and he's in the hospital." everyone stared at her for a moment then the information kicked in
"Who attacked him?"
"They don't know. He's unconscious too." she took a deep breath "Can we bring him in the med bay? Please I know you don't trust him any farther than you can throw him but please." she collapsed on the floor shaking all over. Jinx knelt down beside her and helped her to her feet
"Easy Rose. Deep breath okay?" Rose gulped in air and started crying. The doors opened again and Beast Boy walked in
"What the heck?"
"Slade's been attacked. We're bringing him to the Tower." Robin said. The Titans all stared at him
"I don't like it but if my theory is correct we don't have much time. Let's roll."
Two hours later Slade was lying on a hospital bed hooked up to machines monitoring his progress. Robin was pacing the length of the room deep in thought. Cyborg watched him then looked at his teammates who were silent not wanting to upset their moody leader
"Robin cut it out. Your making me dizzy and I think the floor's starting to smoke." Cyborg said. The masked teen sat down heavily and held his head in his hands
"Dude chill. Pacing isn't gonna make him wake up any sooner." Beast Boy said from where he was sitting cross legged in a chair. Robin didn't respond instead he turned to Jinx
"You did work for him. Anyone you know of that would want him gone?" Jinx shook her head
"No one that comes to mind. I mean he had enemies what super-villain doesn't?" Robin nodded
"Good point." there was a groan from the bed and Rose jumped to her father's side
"Daddy?" she whispered
"Rose? Where am I?" Slade's voice was groggy and haggard. His body sagged and he didn't seem nearly as imposing as he had nearly two years ago
"You're in Titan's Tower. Don't try anything funny." Robin said in a cold voice. Slade merely nodded and fell back into his pillows
"Daddy, what happened?" Rose's words seemed to make Slade angry. He clenched one fist tightly. He swore making Starfire yelp and cover her ears
"Trigon is what happened. He sent some of hid demons to attack me. And I… well to put it simply I'm not on the top of my game anymore." Cyborg muttered something as he scanned Slade
"Out of curiosity where's Raven?" Slade asked. No one answered then Beast Boy spoke up
"Azarath. She's learning spells to stop Trigon." Slade nodded then lapsed into sleep.
Beast Boy dived down and landed on the Tower's roof feeling a little better. Raven had not called him all day and it made him nervous. He hoped she was all right. It had been two days since Slade had come to the Tower and he was still too weak to get up. Rose stayed at his side all day worried sick. They had never seen her face yet. She wore her mask like her father.
Beast Boy's thoughts were interrupted by the blaring of the alarm from inside. He rushed down into the main room and saw Cinderblock tearing buildings apart mindlessly
"Cyborg stay here and keep an eye on Rose and Slade. Titans Go!"
Jinx flipped over backwards narrowly avoiding being crushed by a swinging fist from Cinderblock
"He really has no purpose for anything does he?"
"Not really." Robin responded kicking the stone man several times in the head before being grabbed by Starfire. Beast Boy turned into an elephant and attempted to push the man/ stone thing away from another building. Cinderblock picked him up and threw him straight into the other Titans… They all landed in a heap on a grassy hill
"Hey rocks for brains!" a familiar voice yelled. Silver power lashed out and struck Cinderblock across the face when he turned to see who had spoken "Hiya!" a cloaked figure dropped down from the sky and dealt several blows to the rock-like man. Cinderblock turned tail and ran… Straight into a wall of black energy
"Where do you think you're going?" the voice made Beast Boy's heart go insanely fast. Black power bent several steel beams around Cinderblock's body ad he fell face first on the ground.
A silver and blue figure dropped down in front of the Titans
"Miss us?" the light voice asked. Jesse rested one hand on her hip slyly. Starfire rushed over and crushed her in a hug
"Oh friend Jesse! It is so good to see you once again! Friend Gear has been waiting most anxiously for you to return!" Jesse blushed and looked back at the blue figure who was standing where she had dropped
"What's the matter Rae?" her words seemed to bring the figure out of her trance. She flew over to Beast Boy and threw herself into his arms. He laughed and hugged her tightly. Her hood fell off revealing Raven's familiar purple hair though now it was longer and in a long braid. Her purple eyes shone with happy tears as she hugged Beast Boy
"I missed you." he whispered in her ear. Raven smirked
"I missed you more." he laughed and squeaked in surprise when she kissed him right in front of everyone. Jinx whistled and gave a wolf howl. Beast Boy ignored her then broke away
"Nice to see you too." Robin said sarcastically. Raven giggled and hugged him, Jinx, and Starfire in rapid session
"I missed you all like you would not believe!" she exclaimed. Jesse grinned and flew in a circle
"You'll never believe how much control I have now! And Raven's more powerful than ever." Raven blushed bright red and drew her hood up but Beast Boy pushed it down
"Come on. I'm sure Cy wants to see you too." Jinx said grinning
"Oh hold on just one sec." there was a loud pop and Raven disappeared. Two minutes later she reappeared with Arella
"Let's go home."
Cyborg burped loudly as he finished off a ham, beef, and jerky sandwich. Someone behind him giggled
"Nice one."
"Ya, real nice." the metal teen whirled around and scooped the two half demons up in a giant bear hug
"Alright we're a team again!" he yelled setting them both down. Robin grinned and put his hand out. The others piled theirs in the middle
"Teen Titans Go!" they all yelled. Jesse laughed and flew a few circles before coming to rest on the couch
"Yo Cyborg. You're going down." she yelled. Cyborg leaped over the back of the sofa and picked up the controller. Jinx plopped down beside him. Starfire and Robin joined them watching the two race each other. Beast Boy turned to Raven
"Come on I want to show you something." he whispered taking her hand and pulling her after him.
He covered her eyes gently as they approached his room
"Beast Boy what in the world?"
"Just play along okay?" Raven sighed and stuck her hands out in front of her. Beast Boy pressed the button to open his door then lead her into the middle
"Okay open em." Raven did so and smiled. The room was spotless and squeaky clean. His bunk beds had been traded for a large queen sized bed with green, sheets, comforter, and pillows. Raven laughed and flopped down on the bed. Beast Boy followed her
"What inspired you?"
"I was bored and decided I wanted a change of scenery." Beast Boy sat up and Raven followed him
"I really missed you." she whispered
"I know." he pulled her into his chest and lay back in the pillows kissing her trying to make up for the time they had lost. Raven wound her arms around his neck and ran her fingers through his hair. Everything melted away. It was just her and Beast Boy. Nothing could ever go wrong…
Robin opened a drawer in his desk and pulled out a small white box then turned to Starfire
"Robin I do not understand. What is the occasion for this gift?" Robin grinned slyly and opened the box. A heart necklace with a green gem hanging in the middle shone in the dark room. Starfire gasped and touched it gently
"We started going out six months ago. I wanted to make something of the occasion." Starfire smiled and they drew together in a kiss…
Jesse floated down the hall humming to herself. Cyborg and Jinx had started flirting and she had left to give them privacy. Arella had retired to her room leaving Jesse alone to wander the familiar hallways of Titan's Tower. She passed Beast Boy's room and heard her sister's low voice and Beast Boy's higher one. She smiled then continued up to the roof.
Thoughts of a blonde boy with kind blue eyes and a ear piercing filled her mind as she watched the sun set…
Rose watched the sun set with a funny feeling in her stomach. Something was coming. Every instinct she possessed screamed it. And her instincts were rarely wrong and never wrong about such large things. Slade stirred on the bed mumbling in his sleep. Rose sighed and sat down and started to clean her sword, she would just have to wait and see what tomorrow would hold…
Far below, in a fiery pit a large demon stood before an army of fire creatures. His four yellow eyes narrowed as he looked up above. The stars did not lie. He would defeat his daughters and rule over the Earth…