Forgiven or Forgotten

Chapter One: How Can This Happen?

"Come on, Raven. What stings the most? That I tricked you? That I nearly wiped out your team?" Terra's smug face looked down at Raven, her blue eyes filled with hatred. "Or was it that deep down inside, you really believed that I was your friend?"

The blackness engulfed Raven as she gasped frantically for air. "No…" She managed to outer, losing consciousness. Terra's face faded in and out,

"I was never your friend. Terra said before she disappeared completely.

Raven was suddenly falling and falling. She looked down to see a pit of black flames, reaching out to grab her. Raven screamed as the inferno swallowed her. Then there was nothing, but two pairs of glowing red eyes. There were no voices or pain; the eyes just stared at her. The eyes merged into one pair and turned a deep blue, the exact color of Terra's eyes.

"Well Raven. How's it like to be alone in the world with no one to help you?" Terra's voice spoke out. A body formed behind the eyes. "Now you know how I feel, every day of my life. And it's all thanks to you." Terra leaned in close, wisps of her blonde hair falling into her face. "The Dark Child, Raven." Her voice became deep, exactly like Trigon's. "The portal, Raven."

"No…Leave me alone." Raven murmured, covering her face with her hands. Terra's voice continued to echo in her ears.

"And it's all thanks to you…."

Raven sat up, gasping. Beads of sweat trickled down her face as Raven held her head. "Not again…" This was the third time the nightmare appeared to her that week. Why was she plagued by thoughts of Terra? It happened long ago; almost everyone forgot about it. Or at least, they appeared to.

And how was Trigon linked to her? In every dream, the eyes would appear. The eyes of the all-seeing. The eyes of Scath. The apocalypse had happened so long ago, the Eve of Betrayal even longer. Terra would never be coming back; neither would her 'father'.

Something wet ran down her cheeks. Raven wiped it away. She was crying. The first time in so long. A small sob came from her and before she could stop herself, she cried harder than she ever did before.

"Raven?" A timid voice came from her doorway. There stood Starfire, her hair mussed and her purple nightgown wrinkled. "Are you alright?"

"Yes, Starfire." Raven answered, rubbing her eyes. "I'm just fine."

Starfire's green eyes were like fireflies in the dark. "Alright." She said as she started to leave, closing the door behind her.

Raven lay back in bed, trying to fall back asleep. She knew that she'd be back in that dark, dark place, where Terra's voice would follow her to the depths of Hell. One final thought followed before she drifted back to sleep.

'How was it my fault…?"


A crumbling sound rang out through the dormant volcano. The statue where the once Teen Titans stood slowly came apart, starting from the legs and moving upward. At last, the pale face broke free of her rocky exterior and stumbled to the ground. "How…How am I free?" Her unused voice sounded unfamiliar and strange to her.

She looked down to see the costume that marked her as the slave of her misery. Suddenly, enraged, she tore at the bandages and armor. The girl fell to the ground, next to a plaque. She picked it up and studied it. "They still considered me their friend…even after what I did to them?" She murmured, tucking her blonde hair behind her ear.

Standing up, she stared out into the night sky of Jump City. "I guess it's time to welcome me back, Titans." She said softly, raising her glowing yellow hand. A chunk of the hardened lava broke off from the ground. She leapt up and landed smoothly on it. "I guess Terra's back in town."

"Good morning, friends!" Starfire called out, waving from her spot from the front of the kitchen.

"What's so good about it?" Cyborg asked as he yawned loudly.

"Yeah!" Beastboy agreed. "I didn't sleep a wink last night." He scratched the top of his green head and bent down to look in the refrigerator.

Starfire floated down to the table, her smile wiped off her face. "I did not have much sleep as well." She agreed. She tossed her long red locks over her shoulder.

Raven slowly glided into the room, her skin paler than usual. Robin looked up from his eggs, concern written all over his face. "Hey Rae." He greeted.

Raven nodded in his direction and used her powers to pour herself a cup of green tea. The tea was always ready everyday.

"Something's wrong." Robin said at last, staring at the Azarathian.

Raven sighed, sipping her warm liquid. "I had a dream last night."

"What kind?" Cyborg interrupted.

"I was getting to that." Raven snapped, before continuing. "It's about Terra."

The name left a cold chill across the Titans'. Silence followed this, the Teen Titans hanging on to her every word. Raven scanned the room. "I don't know what the dream's meaning is, but I think something really bad is gonna happen. Something related to Trigon…"

"But we defeated him, didn't we?" Beastboy asked, his green eyes worried and frightened.

Raven nodded. "But that doesn't mean he's gone."

"Yes." Starfire consented.

Suddenly a large pounding came from the door. "Titans! Get ready!" Robin yelled, crouching into a fighting stance. A black aura glowed around Raven's hands while green orbs appeared around Starfire. Beastboy let out a growl as he morphed into a green cheetah, and Cyborg's arm snapped into his Sonic Cannon.

They didn't know why they were so alert and weary; for all they could know, the person at the door was the pizza delivery guy or someone. But with the news of the impending doom, anything and everything is an enemy. The knock came once more, before the doors burst open. There stood…

"Terra?" The team let out in unison.

"Nice to see you too." Terra replied almost timidly, winding her finger around and around a strand of her long dusty blonde hair.