Disclaimer: Ne'er have, ne'er will. Sorry, mate.
Warning: ...nothing to look up to... is a line break.
Chapter Three: Knowing Death
The shape of Titan's Tower loomed over the two as Em stepped off what was apparently a platform of air. Sel came after her, and she he looked up at the building, she though she saw a flicked of apprehension cross his face.
"Don't worry," Em said softly as they moved towards the door. "They'll accept you." Even if I get a very big grounding out of this, the teen thought to herself.
"I hope so,"" Sel said quietly. She looked at him for a moment, and then rapped on the door, speaking into a hidden mike.
"Mirror here. Can we come in?" The door slid open and she blinked, startled at the suddenness- until she saw her father standing there. The yellow light cast his face into shadow, but she frowned slightly as keen eyes picked out new lines of worry and fear on his still youthful face.
"Changeling, is something-?" He cut her off harshly.
"Where have you been? Who's this?" There was a rough, jagged edge to his voice and her frown deepened, tiredly annoyed.
"In the city. This is Sel. He's an air wielder who..." The look in her father's green eyes, so like and unlike her own, stopped her. "Dad- what's wrong?"
"Raven…" Changeling looked Sel over, suspicion evident in his face. "Come in." Em obeyed, concern rising for Raven. She had been- was still- angry with the half-demon, but she hadn't wanted anything to happen to her! Sel stepped hesitantly over the step, edging past the male Titan, who was staring at him with almost open hostility.
Em started to lift a hand, glaring with a sudden intensity at her father. "He's okay, Dad. Trust me." At that moment, Starfire stepped around the corner, her eyes full of unshed tears.
"Oh!" Her hand flew to her mouth and the older Titan looked at Changeling. "Be-Changeling? Is Mirror back?"
"Yes, Starfire, I'm back." Worry nagged on Emily like an annoying puppy with a bone. "What happened to Mom?" In her heart, Emily had already forgiven Starfire for her harsh words the night before, troubled mind knowing that the alien had been indeed right. Starfire looked at the round, a tear welling up in each eye.
"I-I think I should take our guest to a room." She whispered hastily. Sel glanced at Em and she nodded. Slowly he walked to the downcast alien.
"What is your name, friend of Mirror's?" The woman's weak attempt at her former nature faded as she and Sel entered the elevator. Em immediately turned to Changeling.
"What happened?" He sighed, a rigid anger she hadn't noticed was there melted from his lean frame.
"Come with me to the Infirmary. I'll tell you there." Dread filled the teen at his words but she followed him nonetheless to the stairs. He was silent, a grim, depressed look she had never seen in his eyes before. It scared her. Finally they reached the door and the heavy silence with broken by the hiss of air as it escaped the room. Hesitantly, fearfully, Emily stepped inside at Changeling's gesture. Her emerald eyes scanned the room, and then stopped.
Raven lay motionless on the bed, the pale and cold kiss of death brushing her features.
Emily stifled a cry, falling to her knees as tears spilled over, horror, disbelief, and the most incredible agony and guilt she had ever felt tearing at her.
Dead.
Dead.
DEAD.
"She's not dead, Emily. Only in some kind of coma. But she's not there. Her soul's gone." The words, spoken in a sorrowful, constricted way by Changeling, took an eternity to pierce through her tumbling emotions and reach her. Em stared at the still body of her mother, trying to swallow as the tears kept running down her face. That was no coma- it was Death, prolonged only by the faintest of wills. And, shaken to the very core of her being, Mirror knew with utter certainty that she would kill whoever had harmed her mother- her mother- so.
Slowly, Emily rose to her feet, trembling. Step after step brought her closer to the bed. Raven's face, pale though it was, was almost sheet white; her skin cool to Emily's touch. With a shuddering breath, the quarter demon closed her eyes and thought of fire, flames rippling with the soothing colors of orange, red, yellow and white. Calm stole over her and she cast her mind out, spreading out like a net as she searched for the distant, shielded entity that she knew to be her mother. Nothing. Only the blackness of a world filled with those who did not understand the talents of one such as herself, her mother, whose body lay before the questing daughter. Drifting with a mute wail of despair into her own body, she shook herself and then froze, eyes widening as memory pointed out a previously discarded moment. Turning to Changeling, Mirror spoke.
"Dad- Changeling- I ran away into the city last night. While I was there, Slade attacked me." The shape-shifter's eyes were shocked, and he stepped forwards, fear in his already burdened face. She shook her head slightly and continued relentlessly, pursuing the thought that had occurred to her. "He-he said some strange things. Something about 'this time you will die' and hiding in my body. I think- I think that Mother's hiding in my body while her's is hurt." Silence pervaded the scene until Changeling walked to the bed, looking at his daughter with the confused teenager who had stood, watching his love fly away in his eyes.
Slowly he tilted her head up, searching her eyes that were so like his. He shuddered once, life coming back into his own still despairing eyes.
"I see her. Oh God, Raven-" One hand tenderly brushed back the strands of lime green hair, and she had the eerie feeling that he was looking through her. "Hold on, Raven. Please. Hold on. For me…" A rush of love swept Emily up, the burning, intense liquid sensation not her own- and then it faded, leaving the tender, lingering care that Emily unconsciously broadcast to those who could 'hear' her.
...nothing to look up to...
Refraction's head jerked up and she scanned her surroundings, astonishment at this unknown sensation overcoming her instincts. The compassionate embrace seemed to envelop her; strange and alien. Some part of her shouted that it should frighten her, but all she could do was marvel at the warmth of the emotion. It could only be… love? Staring off sightlessly at the stars, she never sensed the tall figure of Slade watching her every move.
A/N: Hehe. Here's the third chapter of Upheaval- betcha were going to kill me when I said Raven was dead, ne? Well, she isn't. Anyway, I'm back, and I'm going to post a couple other things later. Thanks to all who reviewed!
cd lover: The pain will be somewhere around chapters 6 and 7, if I've planned it out right. 'Both' referred to the fact that Hailey is also Refraction, not just one. Don't worry- Emily and Hailey will meet. Next chapter, actually, but ssh- I didn't tell you that. You nailed it right on the head! Emily has reactivated the soul-shredded, and Raven just barely managed to escape. No, Terra isn't alive; you'll find out about Sel's history in 6. The wedding will come, have no fear!
willow starshine: Just wait and read the the rest of the story. Well, in the second chapter, Emily found out, but Hailey won't, for a while- if she ever does. Dun dun dun...
animeobsessed3191: Just wait and see, my minions of darkness... Sel will show up again. Promise. Now go write more of Different! -angry poke-
Sinner666: Yeah, she was, wasn't she? Of course, it's not every day that you find out your was is a half demon, your father is one guy while you have a twin who has a completely different dad, etc, etc... it's something like a friend of mine would do. You'll see Sel's past later.
Margo86: Thanks for the critism- I needed it! Yes, Slade is a jerk. Emily kind of distanced herself from Raven as she grew older, due in part to Raven wanting her to. Their bond is most definitely unspoken; they rarely acknowledge it outloud, but they're very close mentally. Of course, except when Emily shuts her mother out completely. Em was 5 when she came back, so Changeling's been in her life for 8 out of 13 years. He was the complete, caring, understanding and fun dad, so she's more willing to speak to him like a dad.