Raven woke up, and for a brief, peaceful moment, forgot all, as she snuggled closer into her covers, using a shoulder to pull them further over herself.

She was back at Titan tower, it was just before dawn, and soon the sun would creep up over the window, when she would rise to go read and grab some green tea, to enjoy a calm, uneventful day.

All wrong, as the cruel puppeteer of fate would have it.

Suddenly she opened her eyes, glancing frantically about the room. She jumped out of the bed as though it was green poisonous tarantula, and ran to the door. She grabbed to gold handle and tugged frantically.

Down two floors, I smirked. "It seems our guest has awoken."

Raven stopped for a second and looked about. Okay, think. She soon remembered last night's events and assumed that she was still in Red-X's home.

I nodded to the chef, "Go prepare us some nice dinner." With a nod the chef departed.

Raven pounded on the door, glaring obscenely. She looked about the room for a possible escape, then noticed something on the dresser. She walked over cautiously, noticing it was a white rose, laid beside a red-x ninja star. That confirmed it. She pushed them aside, getting to the note below.

It was written in black ink, a hasty yet curving scrawl spread out a message.

My Dear Raven: (Raven swallowed with disgust)

So glad to see you have awoken.

Please be careful not to do anything strenuous, your bandages may fall off. (Raven looked down and noticed then the lack of her cloak and the white bandages around any wounds from last night's battle. Then she thought if it was last night? Who knows how long she had been sleeping. She wouldn't put it past X to drug her.)

I will come and get you soon. (Just what I want. To see him again, she thought sarcastically.) In the mean time, feel free to look around. Oh, and please do change. Your old clothes won't work well, and are a bit messy. There are some things in the wardrobe for you.

Sincerely, (here the ink changed to red)

X

Raven growled, tossing the note with her powers to the trash can. 'strenuous, wardrobe, awoken'? Hell, he must be one of those rich snobs. She sighed, and glanced about the room, for the first time trying to see where she was.

The white was blinding.

The bed was coated in a mesh white canopy, gold bars holding it up. The pillows were stitched with gold Greek key patterns upon the white linen. There were many gold-framed artworks hanging on the walls, all quite uninteresting. The only one that caught her fancy was one of a white wishing flower.

She then saw the 'wardrobe,' a large set of light wood drawers that reached from the floor to three quarters up the large walls, painted with a light gold hue. With a gulp she opened it, and immediately resolved to never to change clothes from her uniform again.

Inside hung many horribly white dresses, each formal. Most of them had roses or flowers adorning them, often beads and frills as well. One's skirt was so layered, it pushed the others aside.

She closed it quickly, angry. For a second her anger blinded sense, then she stopped, closing her eyes.

She looked around the room, and almost laughed at herself, but she was to mortified to.

Of course, how silly of her.

With a silent mantra to herself, she walked through the wall and out into the hall, letting the black orb around her drop. How could've she forgotten about her powers?

She sighed.

It must just her wishing to be normal. This place is so surprising and different, it keeps you feeling hopeless.

She walked down the grand hallway, turning to face two large sets of stairs which curve together to form a powerful look. Still the white was everywhere, the mesh curtains, the banisters, the marble floors which echoed with each step. And still the giant mansion engulfed her, menacing in size, making her feel even more in he belly of the beast.

She was now at the bottom, the oak door with carved glass just in front of her, an exit. She reached for the silver handle, then stopped. She had been tricked far too many times for this X person to fall for a trap. There would be a back door. She turned and lightened her step, trying to decrease the clatter made with each step. Her lilac hair was brushed away from her face with a hand, trying to increase visibility. X could be anywhere, and was a silent menace, everywhere and nowhere, always just behind you.

Her thoughts drifted to X. He was now not a fighting machine, but a person. It was as though the second h e removed the mask she crumbled. She normally would have defeated him in a second. She could defeat any villain in a second. But not him.

The villain she fought against was Red-X, not some boy. That's why he beat her. That's why he managed to tear her down, push her to the edge. He was just another human they fought to protect.

Her mind wandered. If Robin removed his mask, would she see him as someone else? Her mind dwelled on this as she reached a pair of large double oak doors. She pushed one open, padding quietly in.

"Anxious, I see." A voice drifted up as she found herself face to face with X. She was in a spacious dining room, a large carved oak table with a white cloth cover and a few (ten, actually) chairs separated them. "I see you escaped. Not surprising in the least..." He trailed off, gesticulating with his hands with an air of power and stature beyond his years.

X-X-X

There you go. Enjoy. Once, again, reviews so appreciated. Without them I don't have any record of anyone reading any of my works. Sorry for the wait.

Once again, disclaimed. I do not own the Teen Titans.