Chapter Nine

Gar tossed violently then sat up gasping for breath. Blackness enveloped him but with his senses it didn't matter. He could make out the figures of the other teens in the cave. Red-X was leaning against a wall his chin tucked into his chest. Jason was sprawled out on his back snoring loudly; Jessica was sleeping soundly on her cot a few feet away. Robyn was asleep on her stomach one arm brushing the cave floor. Seeing that no one had woken up because of his sudden awakening Gar wiped sweat off his forehead

"Chill Gar, it was only a dream." the changeling told himself. He lay back down and closed his eyes but they flew open seconds later. In a flash he had grabbed his cloak and strode out of the cavern fumbling with the clasp. He finally closed it then picked up a piece of paper. He scribbled a quick note onto it then took off in the form of an eagle.

Raven was a light sleeper. She had been after Cyborg had attempted to play a practical joke on her when she first joined the Titans. The metal man had been seeing stars for two weeks.

So when something brushed her cheek she immediately shot up. A hand covered her mouth gently. She looked around and saw Gar. He put a finger to his lips and she nodded

"What are you doing here?" Raven demanded as the shape shifter removed his hand from her mouth

"I need to talk to you." Gar whispered urgently. Raven stifled a yawn and glanced at her clock. It was almost four in the morning

"And why did you have to pick such an ungodly hour? I was coming over later anyway." Raven replied irritably. The changeling stood and paced around her room as she awoke fully

"Raven… I hate to… confide all this to you. I know you've got problems of your own and you sure don't need mine." he paused. Raven drug a sweatshirt over her tank top and threw a force field over her self as she struggled into a pair of jeans. After that she lowered the black wall and sat on her bed watching Gar pace

"You might as well tell me what's wrong. Or I might decide to throw you out the window for waking me up so early."

Her comment drew a small grin from the changeling. But it faded in an instant. Raven was reminded of herself almost two years ago. She got up and made Gar stop pacing

"Just tell me Gar. I'll do what I can to help." she said softly. Gar sighed and raked his fingers through his still sweaty hair

"It's nothing. I just have… this feeling that something bad is gonna happen."

"What do you mean?"

"I dunno. I'm just worried. And I keep having these dreams… Cameron comes and…" Gar trailed off and shook his head riding himself of the images

"Gar, Cameron is dead. He was cremated. We all saw to that. Why are you so afraid?" Raven asked looking up at the green teenager.

He took her hands in his own and squeezed them "I… I just don't want anything to happen… to you. And if something does happen I dunno if I could do anything."

"Gar, stop it!" Raven scolded "What happened to the optimistic, happy go lucky, jokester I used to know? Why are you so different?" Raven's voice took on a pleading note

"I'm sorry." Gar whispered releasing Raven's hands "I shouldn't have come." he turned to go but Raven's powers lashed out and closed the window

"Don't run away Gar. I want you to answer my question." Raven demanded. Gar turned to her and for a moment Raven felt afraid he would still leave

"Raven, I don't know. I'm not sure of anything anymore. I just want everything to be normal. I want to wake up and be able to argue with Cy about breakfast. I want to tease Star about her crush on Robin. I want to annoy the Boy Wonder until he's ready to pull his hair out. And…"
the changeling paused. His voice dropped "I want to be able to sit on the roof with you and just talk. I want to have you chase me around the Tower because I interrupted your meditation. I want to see you everyday, whenever I want."

Raven started to retort but Gar had leaned down and pressed his lips against hers roughly. His arms wound around her waist pulling her close to him. Raven's eyes closed and she reached up and wound her fingers through his unruly green hair. She lifted herself a few inches off the ground so they were almost at eye level.

Gar pried her lips open and began exploring her mouth. Raven moaned a little and met him with her own tongue. For a few moments they danced in and out of each other's mouths until they finally broke away for air. Gar was panting and Raven gulped in the sweet oxygen. After she'd caught her breath she looked up at Gar.

Suddenly she tore out his grasp and took a few frantic steps backwards. Her knees hit the edge of her bed and she collapsed into a sitting position. Gar didn't look nearly as shocked as she was

"Raven, are you okay?" he asked softly kneeling in front of her. The Goth nodded and pressed a hand over her mouth trying to comprehend what had just happened.

Fact one: Gar had kissed her. Fact Two: She'd returned the kiss. Fact Three: She'd enjoyed it. And finally and most importantly, Fact Four: Nothing had blown up or exploded.

"Raven? Speak words." Gar was saying. Raven shook her self out of her stupor and looked up at him. He met her gaze calmly

"What… what just happened?" Raven whispered softly

"Uh… I… kissed you."

Raven nodded dumbly. Why was she acting like such a… dope? Gar didn't seem fazed by the concept at all. But then he was the one who had started it.

Raven cursed under her breath. She shouldn't be feeling like this. He shouldn't make her feel this way. They were friends… right?

Raven touched her mouth again. She could feel the passion and feeling Gar had put into the kiss. It still pulsed through her empathic senses

"Raven do you want me to go?" Gar asked softly

"No."

Without a thought for his own safety the changeling sat on the bed and gently pulled Raven into his lap. Surprisingly she did not protest

"I guess now you know why I kissed you on your birthday." Gar murmured into her ear

"I guess so." Raven replied.

She looked up at Gar and finally gave into her heart's tugging. She leaned into his chest and let him hold her tightly

"Love you Rae."

"Same."

They sat there for a few more minutes just enjoying each other's company. Then Gar pecked Raven's chakra

"I gotta go. I'll be seeing you." he got up and stood by the opened window. Raven pulled him into a quick kiss before he leaned out the opening and disappeared from view.

Robin chewed on the end of his pen as he glanced over the security cameras. Everything was quiet.

Then a flicker of movement caught the Boy Wonder's eye. It was in Raven's room. Robin focused the camera and a frown crossed his face. Two forms were standing close together. One was obviously Raven and the other… Robin took off down the hall. He could be wrong. Maybe his imagination was playing tricks on him. He'd know for sure in a minute.

Quickly, with shaking fingers he tapped in the override code into the door consul. It slid open slowly.

Raven was putting a belt on around her waist as he stepped into the dark goddess' sanctuary

"What are you doing?" Raven asked in a cold voice

"I should ask you the same thing. Robin retorted looking around the room with an evasive eye. He took a slow step forward

"I couldn't sleep. I was just going downstairs to make some tea. So will you please get out of my room?" Raven snapped pulling the hood of her sweatshirt over her face

"Why? Because Gar," Robin spat the name like a curse "Was in here with you?" he took a few more steps into the room.

The half demon glared at him "Out." she ordered

"Why?" Robin growled

"I want to be alone." Raven whispered turning away. Black power sparked through the air in the room but Robin ignored the warning and advanced again

"I saw you on the security cameras."

Go!"

"Don't lie to me!" Robin grabbed Raven's wrist harshly "I know what I saw."

"OUT!" Raven screamed.

Black and white power crackled in the air like tiny peals of thunder. Four red eyes burned under the shadow of Raven's hood as she lost all control

"You're the one who kicked him out! None of this would've happened if you hadn't been such a thick headed idiot!"

Robin backed out of the room but Rage followed "Raven stop! Get control of yourself!" the masked teen yelled. Rage ignored him and continued to advance on him.

Down the hall Starfire, Jinx, and Cyborg ran into view. Cyborg skidded to a stop then gave orders "Star, grab Robin. Jinx, help me calm Raven down."

The two girls leapt into action. Starfire flew in front of Raven, scooped Robin up and then flew around the corner out of view.

Cyborg felt a shiver of fear go down his spine as Rage turned her blood-red gaze on him and Jinx. Her red cloak flapped around her body angrily while tentacles of power curled on the floor

"Raven, listen to me. You gotta calm down. Please just calm down so we can talk." Cyborg coaxed

"The mortal will pay!" Rage growled. Cyborg looked at Jinx who was shaking from her head down to her boots

"Knock her out Jinx." Cyborg ordered. The young witch was happy to comply. Pink waves flew at the enraged girl. They hit dead on. Rage's four red eyes wavered then slowly turned to two tearful purple ones. Cyborg caught Raven's limp body as she collapsed

"It's gonna be okay Raven." Jinx murmured.

Raven shook her head and stood on her own "No, it'll never be okay again." she looked up at Cyborg "We're a broken family."