Disclaimer: I do not own teen titans or the words to 'Catch' by Kosheen
Holy Hell! I'm ALIVE! (Well, yeah…) You see folks, the thing was that my computer has been having a right hissy fit and I couldn't log in at all…so I had the internet disconnected and the computer fixed…it went back up on Saturday and the first thing I did was finish writing this chapter, so I could give it to you guys! I hope you enjoy!
Hand in Hand
Chapter Forty-Six: Catch
December 21st 09:32 The Black Out Cafe
Claire leaned back against the counter as she chatted absently to a random customer she was serving. She smiled brightly as the woman nodded and then moved off to find a seat. Her eyes kept flickering over to the door nervously, she had been waiting for Raven to arrive for several minutes ever since she had received a phone call from her, declaring that she was fed up with the atmosphere in titan's tower and would be dropping by soon.
Claire looked around, her café was unusually packed today, and that was saying something, she had sixteen tables all together and today only two were spare. It was odd, especially this early in the morning; she supposed many of them were getting a caffeine fix before they went out to do last minute Christmas shopping. Her eyes swept around her shop, taking in the odd stereotypes littered around the table.
A group of goths were hunched in a gloomy corner, looking as if the world was about to end, a young family were sipping tea and eating cookies by the window, a group of athletes were running over training methods, a group of preppy blondes were giggling to themselves and pointing around the shop, and couples were strewn everywhere. A dark haired girl and a light haired boy were sharing a hot chocolate in one of the darkest corners. Claire thought that that was very sweet.
"Hey Claire."
"ARGH!" screeched Claire as she whirled around to face Raven, a hand clutched to her chest as she faked a heart attack, "Don't do that!" she cried, pretending to die atop of her counter. When she resurrected herself she sent Raven an accusing glare and pointed her finger at the titan, "You did that on purpose, when did you get here? Normal people use the door you know!"
Raven gave a smile, "I'm not normal, you should know that by now. I came in just now. You're crowded today." She looked around briefly and then looked back at Claire, her hand reaching up to brush aside some of her hair.
Claire peered at Raven curiously, "Are you alright?"
Raven smiled animatedly and nodded, "I'm fine. I'll tell you all about it later."
Claire stared at her uncertain, "Okay."
Catch you
You create misery,
Have your cake and eat it
Raven slid into one of the single stools by the counter and rested her head in her hands, "I'm fine, but no one seems to believe me. I've had to put up with everyone worrying about me all morning. Robin's even gone as far as not wanting me to go out. You've no idea how reluctant he was to let me come here. He knows you for God's sake." Raven shook her head.
Claire blinked, "He didn't want you to come and see me? Why?"
Raven sighed audibly, "Are you sure that you want to know?" she asked wearily as she picked up a discarded plastic spoon and began to draw random patterns on the counter top.
Claire told Raven that yes, she wanted to know about everything that was happening, down to the last detail. Every secret, every word. She sat down on the chair behind her counter and told everyone loudly not to bother her for the next half hour or so, unless there was an emergency, and that an emergency didn't constitute as anything less than the world ending.
Raven ordered an herbal tea quickly, before Claire had time to protest and then regaled her tale of woe, quickly and succinctly for fear of being overheard by the customers, especially since more than one kept looking in her direction, trying to figure out if she was THE Raven.
Take your place in history,
And pray we don't repeat it
By the time that Raven had finished, Claire looked marginally distressed. Raven wondered, in hindsight, whether or not it had been a good idea to tell Claire everything, it almost looked as if the intake of knowledge had broken the strange girl's mind.
Oops.
Claire looked up slowly, her fingers gripped around her cup of tea so tight that her knuckles were white. She looked around the shop silently, almost checking if there was someone there. Raven followed her gaze and noticed that the café had emptied remarkably quickly, they couldn't have been talking for more than twenty minutes but all the larger group had departed, leaving only the couples sat close together. Raven watched Claire's face to gage her reaction.
Fair play to Claire, she didn't seem as shocked as she could have been, actually, she had taken it quite well. Raven wondered if that was a good thing or not. Slowly Claire turned and her steely gaze met Raven's.
"Okay. Next time you pull something like that, like trying to kill yourself or giving up to a negative emotion, you remember one thing."
Raven's eyebrow rose, "And that is?"
"That my face will haunt you forever with this sad and mournful look." Claire pointed to her head and then morphed her features into a pouting lips and large tearful eyes. "No one can withstand the power of the puppy dog eyes."
Raven stared. "You are insane."
"I've been told. Do you have the time?"
"…you're wearing a watch."
"Oh!" Claire grinned sheepishly, she looked at her wrist, the little red dial on her watch said that it was ten to eleven. Time really had flown.
"Are you expecting someone?" asked Raven, suddenly conscious that she was cramping her friend's style. "I'm sorry. You didn't need to speak to me if you had other things planned." She internally cursed herself for not reading Claire's mind ahead of schedule. But she had made a point of not reading her friend's minds unless absolutely necessary. Everyone liked their privacy after all.
Claire waved her hand, "Don't be silly, it's just a friend from school, he works at the hospital, and maybe you've seen him?" Claire shrugged, "He was coming round for a chat, you could meet him though, and he's nice. Quiet. But nice."
Raven raised her eyes to the ceiling, "Nothing wrong with being quiet."
"Never said there was." Replied Claire, reaching over and flicking Raven's nose with her finger. "AH! There he is!" She suddenly launched herself over the counter top, pointing and waving madly, nearly knocking a startled Raven from her stool in her haste.
Call it fate,
Call it back,
Call it off,
Don't call me later
Raven whipped her head around to see the person who was brave enough to have been Claire's friend for longer than she had. She should give him a medal.
The boy that had come through the door was tall, and was wearing a black baseball cap that covered all his hair. He was wearing sunglasses, but Raven could just make out the gleam of dark brown eyes behind the lenses. He was wearing a black polo-neck and black jeans. He looked normal enough. He looked up and grinned as Claire rocketed towards him, and he opened his arms to catch her. The two collided, but remarkably the boy held his ground.
Raven stared; he must be really strong to remain standing after such a hit. The odd thing was though, that he seemed too thin to be that strong. She tilted her head quizzically. It took all sorts she supposed. Claire suddenly started babbling non-stop, her words running in to each other, so that it was just a blur of sound.
Raven wondered idly if she should even try and decipher what was being said, but in the end she just decided that she couldn't be bothered.
"Claire…calm down." The boy said with a smile, "I can't understand you when you're like this."
Claire merely grinned widely and latched onto his wrist, dragging him, none to gently towards Raven. Raven wondered what the odds were that she would make it out of this introduction alive. Someone appeared to have fed Claire one too many sugary sweets this morning. It was terrifying. "Shut up! C'mon you have to meet Raven!" she flung the boy in front of Raven violently, "Kieran, this is Raven, Raven this is Kieran."
"It's a pleasure." The boy said softly, nodding his head in Raven's direction, "I've heard a lot about you."
Raven raised an eyebrow warily, "You have?"
"Don't worry." He smiled at her, "They're all good things." He disentangled himself from Claire's grip, "I didn't know you were inviting a friend." He said apologetically, looking sheepish, "I've bought us tickets to the cinema, but I guess we can go another time."
"Oh, I couldn't keep you." Said Raven softly, almost embarrassed that she had interfered with their plans. Maybe she should just go back to the tower and meditate for a…no. She would not meditate. Meditating meant going back…there. She suppressed a shudder.
"No, it's no trouble." Squealed Claire, "We can all just go hang out somewhere! Just wait until my cover arrives…there she is! JULIA!" Raven winced, "Mind the shop would you?"
Raven opened her mouth to protest, but no words had even managed to be formed before her friend's arm was linked with hers and she was dragged from the shop at full speed.
Lay your head in your bed,
It's just the way you made it
"You know, you really should have thought this through before you left the shop." Sighed Raven as she and Kieran watched Claire sit against the wall and rub her sore feet vigorously, "You should know not to wear high heels."
"But they're fashionable!" whined Claire.
"Yet impractical." Muttered Kieran as he looked out across the busy street, tilting his hat slightly so that he could look up into the sky, "Looks like it might snow."
Raven looked up into the clear sky and frowned, snow? There weren't even any clouds, what was he going on about? She decided not to comment on it, besides he had to have something wrong with his brain in order to be friends with Claire. Harsh but true. She scanned the busy roads of the streets in front of her as she folded her arms and waited for Claire to get back to her feet.
People were wrapped up in thick jumpers, chatting together happily as they milled back and forth laden with shopping bags and other such stuff. The breeze was deadly cold as it whipped past her face, blowing her hair into her face so hard that it stung her cold skin.
Out of my way,
I'm running
The alarm of the bank opposite her suddenly screeched, breaking apart all of the conversations that she had been listening to.
I'm gonna catch you if I can,
Out of my way I'm coming,
I'm gonna catch you if I can
Raven swung her gaze to the large two storey building that lay across the road. For a moment she couldn't see anything that could have caused the alarm to go off and then she saw it. Or rather, she saw her. A scowl found its way onto her features as she watched the familiar streak of pink flash behind one of the glass windows.
"Jinx." She growled.
Out of my way start running,
I'm going to catch you
Claire and Kieran looked up suddenly, their eyes widened as they looked across to the crime scene. The red light started flashing on Raven's cloak clasp, indicating that the other titans were on their way. "You going to fight her?" asked Claire in a hushed voice.
Raven looked over her shoulder towards her black haired friend and she nodded once, grimly, "Yes. You two stay here."
"I'll go and get help!" shouted Kieran as he turned tail and ran the other way, disappearing after a moment down one of the many side alleys. Raven watched him go with an annoyed expression but didn't comment. He didn't have time to play foolish games with a mere human.
Raven paused, where had that thought come from? She was half human too…Argh. She shook her head to clear her thoughts and then looked back across to the bank. She hadn't seen Jinx in a long time, she had thought that with Gizmo and Mammoth still in prison then the pink haired little witch would stay out of trouble. Raven frowned, but why a bank of all places? Out of the corner of her eyes she saw a green blue and a flicker of red approaches. The other titans were starting to arrive.
Throwing up her arms she melted into the ground in a shadow of dark purple energy, intent on making it to the bank before the others.
If she had turned around once more to make sure that Claire was indeed staying put like she had been told, she would have witnessed the mischievous smile that stole across the other girl's features.
It's your day,
Believe it,
It's your date with destiny
Raven flashed up through the floor of the bank, startling Jinx, who stumbled backwards wildly with a loud screech of surprise. The pink haired girl glared viciously as she regained her balance and then she grinned manically, "Raven!" she cried, almost gleefully, "Still dressing like a boy I see." She twirled around and vaulted back onto the tops of one of the safes that lined the back bank wall.
"Jinx. What are you doing robbing a bank? Fallen on hard times?" Raven's eyes flickered over the interior of the building; stacks of money had been strewn about, but left to flutter in the wind that came in through the broken front door. It appeared that the hex witch didn't want the money. But that didn't make any sense, what was she here for? What could possibly be inside the bank?
Robin and the others suddenly skidded into the doorway.
"Jinx!" shouted Robin, "Stop what you're doing and surrender!"
"Pfft." The pink haired girl said as she twirled a strand of candy floss coloured hair around her index finger, "Haven't you known me long enough to know that that is never an option for me?" she hopped to another safe and grinned, "Did you all miss me?"
"Like a hole in the head." Growled Beast Boy as he melted into the form of a green eagle and flew up to strike her. A wave of pink coloured energy sent some of the seemingly sturdy rafters from the roof tumbling down on their heads, blocking Beast Boy's ascent and forcing the others to move to avoid being crushed. "Ack!"
A jet of brilliant green whipped past Jinx's head, barely missing the girl as she bounced to a higher position, bending her legs underneath her like a cat and then jumping across the wide space and landing on the floor next to the large bay window that looked out onto the street, "It looks like you've all gotten rusty with time." She darted forwards out of the way of a flash of bright blue light.
Robin swung his staff in her direction, lunging forwards at the same time to try and catch her off guard. At the same time a wave of black energy crackled forth and slammed into Jinx's back, pushing the witch into the oncoming blow. The staff struck her abdomen with great force and the air rushed out of her lungs in one great breath as she was flung backwards into the wall.
Jinx's head struck the brickwork and she hissed in pain, flinging out her hand. More beams started to fall from the ceiling with a rumble, unhinging themselves from the rest of the roof.
"Robin!" shrieked Starfire suddenly, "Look out!"
Raven's head whipped around, "Azarath Metrion Zinthos!" she shouted before she even registered what she was doing, a tendril of her dark energy shot forth like a river of black smoke and smashed into the side of the heavy wooden plank that had been freefalling in Robin's direction.
The wood splintered upon impact and the shards of broken roof rained down on the top of everyone's heads.
Robin held his staff against Jinx's throat as the rest of the splinters covered their heads and shoulders with a pale brown, almost white dust, "It's over Jinx. Now tell us, what are you doing here? Where is Slade?"
"It's not over." The pink witch said with a slight smile, "It's only just started." Her eyes flickered over to the door.
Raven heard the loud rumbling noise before she saw the door and all the bricks that surrounded it crash inwards, pushed towards them by a wall of pure sleet. Looks like Kieran had been right about the snow prediction.
"GET DOWN!" roared Robin as all the windows shattered.
It's too late to leave it,
After all it's your party,
Call it luck,
Call it fate,
Call me beautiful to my face
"I'll give you this one chance, Titans. Leave now, and I'll spare your life."
Raven looked up as she heard the voice, as cold as ice in the dead quiet of the bank know that the sheets of ice and sleet had covered all that was inside, her hands slipped against the newly frozen floor as she struggled to raise herself. Around her she saw the others doing the same. She looked over her shoulder to Starfire, who was nursing a cut on her forehead with her orange hands. A sudden pang of triumph welled up inside her, like the memory of something long forgotten. She quelled the thought.
"We'll give you one chance." Said Robin as he steadied himself with his staff and then dropped into an offensive crouch, "Retreat now and you won't go to jail."
A sudden insane laughter peeled forth from doorway as the last vestiges of blizzard like weather dropped, revealing the form of the person that had come to Jinx's aid. Raven's eyes widened in disbelief. The boy that was floating in the doorway was ethereal; there was something about him that just leaked of beauty. He had pale, pale skin, almost the colour of snow itself, and even whiter hair that danced across his eyes as he looked down at them. His eyes were pink.
Not just a weak imitation of red, but a horrifying startling pink, the pupils were almost none- existent and as Raven looked up at him, she felt something cold wash over her body. He continued laughing, his long white cloak fluttering around him in the unseen breeze.
"Why are you laughing?" challenged Robin as he took a step forwards, being careful not to slip on the icy flooring.
Raven glanced over at Jinx who had regained her footing and was looking cockier than ever. "Who are you?" she demanded as she returned her gaze to the new threat.
The young man stopped laughing and a cruel smile twisted his features, "Why should I give you my name?" he asked coolly, "You, with your bitter tongues, would only sully it." He swept his hand sideways and Beast Boy jumped out of the way just as several vicious looking spikes, crafted completely from ice rose up from the floor, their tips sparkling with the promise of pain.
"Are you working for Slade?" shouted Robin as he took another step forwards. His foot slipped and his hand shot out to rest against the wall so that he could steady himself and stop himself from falling.
The albino's eyes narrowed.
Robin gave a cry of pain and wrenched his hand away from the wall, the bricks had become so cold that they had stuck to his gloves and frozen through them, so that when he moved he had ripped a layer of skin off of his palm, and now the wound was red and sore. Robin clutched it to his chest and glared.
"Suppose I do?" he asked, "What are you going to do about it? You don't seem very adept at all."
Call it off to my surprise,
It's just how you made it
"I'll put you in jail where you belong." Growled Robin as he tightened his grip on his staff with his other hand. "Starfire, Cyborg you two take care of Jinx, we'll take care of this guy."
The boy suddenly dropped to the floor, landing in a crouch before he straightened, "I suppose it is fitting if you do know the name of your killer." He crossed his hands in front of his face, netting his fingers together before he pulled them apart creating his own staff out of glittering ice, "My name is Kismet."
Faster than Robin could track the cruel looking blade come staff that Kismet had fashioned slashed across his chest, leaving a deep burning gash, which stung with terrible agony as soon as it was exposed to the cold.
Raven rose up into the air, her hands drawing signs in the air as she chanted her magic words. The icicles that now hung from the ceiling broke away suddenly and fell towards Kismet, guided by dark purple magic that sprang from Raven's finger tips.
Kismet's free hand was held up tiredly and the icy missiles froze in place before dropping harmlessly to the floor, shattering like glass upon impact, "You disappoint me Raven." He said without taking his eyes off of Robin, "As an Azarathian you should know what to expect with me."
"What?"
A blast of ice cold air sent her reeling backwards into Starfire as the redhead had tried to lunge at Jinx who had hopped back up to the highest point of the room and was tugging at one of the loose bricks in the wall.
"Urgh." Raven grunted as the two of them landed in a pile of ice splinters and broken brick, the sharp edges digging into her legs painfully causing her to wince. She pushed herself back into the air, the shards of ice crystals falling free from her body as she rose, "What do you mean, I should know what to expect?"
Kismet smiled maniacally, "Why should I explain myself?" he laughed as he dodged a blow from the bo-staff, and then parried with an attack of his own, before his leg swept out and knocked Robin onto his back. "Do you like the cold, pretty boy?" he asked cruelly as his fingers flared out and fragments of ice began to creep up to cover Robin's body, causing violent shivers to run up and down the boy wonder's lithe frame.
A blur of green was frozen in place by a well aimed icicle and a howl of pain echoed through the chaotic room.
"Stay." Hissed Kismet, baring his teeth at the wounded green wolf, "Good doggie."
"Azarath Met-Argh!" Raven felt herself crash into the ice slicked wall behind her as something heavy slammed into her from the side. She slid to the ground and then cracked open an eye warily. A villain she had never seen before grinned down at her from behind a mask of feathers.
"Starting the party without me?" she asked as a particularly mean looking parrot fluttered in and settled on her shoulder.
"It's YOU!" shrieked Starfire suddenly, "That Dread Macaw!"
"You remember me? How nice." A simpering grin worked its way onto the new arrival's features. "Kismet." She called over her shoulder, "Are you done yet?"
Out of my way I'm running,
I'm gonna catch you if I can,
Out of my I'm coming,
I'm gonna catch you if I can
Raven launched herself at the girl wearing the feathers as she looked away. A blast of dark magic made the parrot take flight and the villain stumble back several steps, "Never turn your back on an enemy."
Kismet gave a shout of anger and ripped his hands away from Robin, just as the icy barrier was nearly complete. The bo-staff shattered the ice, but Robin shuddered violently and licked his blue lips, trying to get warmth back into them, and he rubbed his arms and legs to get the circulation running again. But as he was doing that the ice-prince had lunged at Raven, crystal spear held high.
"RAVEN!" Robin screamed in warning.
"Azarath Metrion Zinth-" a wave of ice filled air slammed into the back of her head, knocking her forwards. The crystal weapon caught her in the leg, throwing her to the ground in one blow.
"We'll be having none of that." Kismet snarled as he stood over her. He leaned down to her ear and she jerked away as his breath, colder than the ice around them brushed against her ear, "So tell me." He began as his weapon struck the ground next to her head, effectively pinning her beneath him, "Is Rage coming out to play today?"
Out of my way I'm running,
I'm gonna catch you if I can,
Out of my way, start running,
I'm going to catch you
Robin covered his head with his hands as he inched forwards towards Raven and the others, as the brightly coloured birds attacked him with their beaks and claws. Beast Boy was still pinned to the floor with the icicle, Cyborg was feeling the effects of the cold more strongly than the rest of them and his metal joints were seizing up, preventing him was going very fast and Starfire was busy firing a volley of starbolts, at the airborne Dread Macaw, who just laughed and dodged the attacks before sending out a flurry of trained birds in retaliation.
But Robin didn't care about any of that. All he cared about was getting to Raven on time. The look on her face suggested that something was wrong, and the fact that she was pinned down under the sneering albino made a knot of jealousy and rage coil in his gut.
Out of my way I'm running,
I'm gonna catch you if I can,
Out of my I'm coming,
I'm gonna catch you if I can
"Let go of me." Raven said evenly, as she felt the boy's icy fingers wrap around her throat and squeeze firmly. Her gaze held his and for a moment, she thought she saw a flash of sympathy in his eyes. She must have imagined it.
Out of my way I'm running,
I'm gonna catch you if I can,
Out of my way, start running,
I'm going to catch you
"I've got it!" shouted Jinx suddenly as she jumped down from her vantage point up in the last surviving beams of the roof. She landed on the cold floor gracefully, "Let's go!"
Kismet smiled insanely down at Raven before he released her and rose back into the air, a fresh blizzard already starting to blow around him, "Guess we'll have to finish this some other time, my dear." He said softly, "Only I trust then, you'll be more prepared."
Raven struggled to sit up as she watched him breeze through the door after Jinx, her eyes darted to the Dread Macaw, who had stopped next to Robin as he had managed to pull himself into a crouch, "It's been fun." The villain said with a smile, "Next time though, we won't let you live." And with that she took a running jump through the nearest open window, her arms opening revealing a fan of feathers as she caught the wind and flew away.
"Raven, are you alright?" asked Robin as he staggered to his feet, shivers still running down his spine, Raven could hear his teeth chattering as he spoke, but she didn't say anything, she just looked over to Beast Boy who had turned back into his normal form and was cringing valiantly as he pulled the thin piece of ice from his thigh, "Beast Boy?"
"I'll live." He said and winced.
"Starfire?"
"I am fine. I think."
"Cy?"
"I'm like a robot Popsicle. Somebody get me a hot chocolate!" he complained as his joints creaked with the ice, the floor boards breaking under his heavy steps.
Beast Boy and Starfire smiled.
Raven and Robin didn't. They realised that there was nothing about this situation to smile about. They looked at each other and their eyes locked. Whatever Jinx had found was evil, there was no doubt about it. And though they didn't want to admit it, both of them knew that they probably didn't have that much time left.
So much for the season of good cheer.
I'm going to catch you.
Rage looked down at her blood soaked claws, "One down." She sneered as the brown cloak beneath her feet disintergrated into dust and blew away into the farthest recesses of Nevermore.
I'm going to catch you.