Nothing Compares to You

Part Four – Reunions

Cyborg was admittedly in shock after he'd found Raven in their leader's bed, he didn't know what to think. It probably didn't help that he was running low on energy. Of course he was relieved that his friends would be all right, though Raven did seem a bit weak even in sleep. But he knew that time would heal whatever ailed her, and apparently Nightwing would help. Did he still want to be called "Nightwing"?

As Cyborg made it to the common room, he was thankful to see his other friends were awake and about. Beast Boy was making a tofu breakfast in his apparent absence, and Starfire was watching him as he so "expertly" made human food. But each stopped when they saw their friend at the head of the room, slightly dazed looking.

'Friend Cyborg, have you not charged up yet?' Starfire worriedly flew over to him.

'Don't worry about it Star, I'll just plug in here, I don't wanna go to bed yet,' the metal man answered as he walked over the emergency re-charger they kept in the main hall.

'Dude, did Nightwing ever come home?' Beast Boy asked as he flipped a pancake.

'Yeah, and he brought a friend,' Cyborg almost collapsed onto the couch. 'So I'm just gonna park my shiny metal ass right here, until they come out.'

'Okay' the two younger Titans sweat-dropped.

It was another hour before the two birds finally made it to the main hall of Titan Tower. Richard was dressed as "Nightwing" as he carried the still healing Raven, all of her powers focused on freeing her from the entropy. When the others noticed their arrival, the excitement of the room tripled. Unfortunately when Starfire embraced Raven, she took her dark friend from Nightwing's arms, and then proceeded to drop her when she let go.

'Oh dear! Friend Raven I am sorry!' Starfire squealed as she looked down at her fallen friend.

'You okay?' Nightwing asked as he picked her up again and headed over to the couch.

'Yeah,' Raven answered slightly annoyed at being dropped. 'I can't completely control my muscles yet. My body just came out of two months of being in a void, it needs to get used to being used again!' she growled at Starfire and Beast Boy, who was desperately trying to hold back his humor.

'It's good to see that y'all are okay, but now it's time that I get some sleep,' Cyborg said as he patted both Raven and Nightwing on the shoulder. Then, with little more ceremony, he left for his room.

'So eh,' Beast Boy fumbled nervously. 'Why didn't you just fly?'

'Do you know how long it takes a normal human being whose body has not been properly exercised to heal?' the grass stain shook his head. 'At very least a few weeks, all my powers are going into healing.'

'I must say,' a voice from nowhere suddenly spoke. 'Your body is doing better than I expected.' Then a woman appeared before them, sitting coolly in the air. Her hair was dark and her skin gray, and upon her forehead were three jewels. 'Ghost's plan was well meaning, but wrong. To hide you within another so the bounty could not be gotten, she was being naïve.'

'Where is she now?' Raven demanded.

'Where she can feel no more pain, and be with her beloved,' the woman answered solemnly.

'You killed her!' Raven growled.

'A mercy killing, I assure you. Being without Poltergeist did horrible things to her mind, she went mad. I am amazed she had enough sanity to do to you what she did. If I hadn't killed her, she would've only gotten in the way. Battlegrounds are no place for poor creatures like her.'

'You're the one that helped us,' Nightwing finally observed.

'My goodness, I haven't introduced myself have I?' A dark cloud suddenly surrounded her, as lightning flashed from within. 'I am Tempest, eldest of Trigon's children! Ruler of the Western Lands of Hell!' Then, as suddenly as it all appeared, it disappeared. 'Well… Not really, though I'd like to be. My job really is just keeping track of all the siblings. You know Raven; you could've just asked for my help in the first place.'

'I wasn't going to expose my friend to Hell again,' Raven shot back.

'How many children does Trigon have?' Beast Boy asked.

'Well if you don't include Ghost and her brother, one hundred and seventy-five. Unfortunately dad got a hold of Poltergeist's powers, so we won't be at our complete strength.'

'You plan to kill Trigon,' Raven said tiredly. 'And who do you plan to get to take Ghost's powers, or do you plan to keep them for yourself?'

'I thought that since your friend here has the training, that he could fight by your side. At least that would create some good out of Ghost's plan,' Tempest said as she stared at Nightwing. 'He is strong, he would make a fine demon.'

'NO!' Raven screamed as a few items in the room exploded. 'And I won't help you either. I've locked Trigon out of my world, why should I replace him with someone who can freely enter this dimension and do harm?'

'But we need your help Raven, you are the only one of us to ever stand up to him and win. If you want, I will make a blood oath that the new leader will never come to this place,' Tempest said desperately.

'The Evil will go where it sees fit, you may not become the new King. What good would the blood oath be if one of the others were to come into power?' Raven asked.

'Then they will all make the oath also! You cannot ignore this, Raven you must help. I will find another to take Ghost's power.'

'No, I will take it,' Nightwing spoke up. 'This is my choice, and I will fight by your side Raven.'

'Richard no, please!' Raven begged, tears starting to flow down her cheeks. 'You could be killed!' a window exploded.

'Good man,' Tempest smiled. Then with no more said, she leaned her forehead against his.

'No!' Raven whimpered pathetically as more windows exploded.

'I can't believe I missed all this!' Cyborg bellowed as Starfire and Beast Boy finished their tale. 'And now look at the tower, we're so going to have to dig deep in the pot to fix all this!'

Tempest had made a calculated retreat, saying that she was going to gather the other siblings. But even Beast Boy knew that she feared the wrath of Raven. She'd been gone since she'd given the power to Nightwing, which was already five hours before.

Raven had taken Nightwing back to his room, the sudden flush of power healing her instantly. There he recovered from the near power overload. It was different than with Raven's powers, which were still a part of her as well as him when they were joined. But now he was forced to support his own completely, a feeling like picking up the fifty-pound weight after only practicing with the twenty-five.

The flavor of Ghost's power was different also, like comparing sugar to brown sugar. While Raven's power was wild like a caged untamed beast, Ghost's was more like a domestic dog. Strong but far more controlled, were Ghost's powers. He wondered if it was just the nature of the magic, or if it was a clue to Ghost's age. Could she have lived so long that she'd made them controllable?

Richard was so lost in thought, that he didn't notice the disappearance of his mate. But as he heard the sound of the shower in the adjoining bathroom, he knew her not to be far away. So he took to sleep.

'Wake up Richard,' a gentle voice cooed.

Opening his eyes, he was treated to a site most divine. Raven standing in the doorway of his bathroom, wet from the shower, and completely naked.

'Earlier you asked when it was your turn to see me naked…' she didn't have to say anymore.

End Part 4.