'Without you, I can kid myself, that my idea of perfect love is not a fairytale.' - Lucie Silvas
CHAPTER 3 - HEALING
Robin walked into the Control Room and looked across at three anxious faces.
"Is Raven okay?" Beast Boy asked him as he relaxed on the sofa next to the others.
"She's fine. She went to her room to sleep." Robin smiled.
"Did she say what was wrong with her?" Cyborg asked.
"No. She doesn't know." Robin answered. Cyborg's face dropped. "It's not everyday you just fall from the sky."
Everyone went quiet.
"Friends. I shall make the Trifle of Happiness to cheer us all up!" Starfire smiled gleefully as she flew over to the kitchen. The boys began to feel sick. Starfire's cooking could only be described as dreadful and sickly.
Thank God, the alarm started going off and the tower flashed red.
"Or, we could grab a Chinese on the way back from the next fight!" Beast Boy smiled.
Cyborg ran over to the computer. "It's Control Freak. He's at the docks."
They all ran to the front door when a black whirlpool appeared in the floor in front of them. Raven appeared and it disappeared.
"I'm coming with you." Raven said facing Robin, who didn't look happy.
"No Rae. We still don't know what's wrong with you." Robin argued.
"I'm fine." Raven said back.
"Raven, you're staying here. At least for now. And besides, you told me you were gonna lay low on the powers." Robin said staring into her amethyst eyes who he could see were filling up with anger.
"But…"
"That's an order!" Robin shouted, startling the others. Raven jumped back and disappeared through the floor.
"Was that really necessary?" Cyborg asked.
"You know she can be stubborn sometimes." Robin said, immediately feeling guilty about it. Raven wasn't at all stubborn, she just loved fighting evil. She was a strong girl and a little fall wasn't going to hold her back. But Robin wasn't prepared for her to get hurt, especially when she was already hurt.
"Look dudes. Let's go before C.F. gets away." Beast Boy said as he followed Starfire out the door. Cyborg and Robin followed. They all made their way to the garage, Cyborg and Robin jumped into the T-Car and started it up. The car sped out of the garage and across the bridge that connected the island where Titans Tower stood to Jump City. Starfire and Beast Boy flew above them as they headed for the docks.
"Do you think Raven's mad?" Robin asked Cyborg. Raven was his 'little sister' so to speak, so apart from himself, Raven opened up to him.
"Well, she ain't gonna be to happy man. But she'll get over it." Cyborg smiled.
About two minutes later, the T-Car, Starfire and Beast Boy arrived at the docks.
"Right dudes. Where is he?" Beast Boy said, looking around at the crates that surrounded them. The others were copying.
"Over there!" Robin shouted, pointing towards Control Freak. Control Freak looked around, stopping what appeared to be forcing open the crates.
"Stop right there Control Freak!" Robin shouted.
"Ah, the Teen Titans! You caught me!" Control Freak smiled sarcastically.
"What are you doing here?" Starfire asked, her eyes glowing green.
"It's none of your business missy!" he answered, keeping eye contact while attempting to blindly open the crate.
"So stealing and stopping a shipload of goods being deported, that's supposed to be none of our business?" Beast Boy joked in a serious tone.
"You can't call getting the 'latest limited edition Gamestation 3001 in teal blue' stealing!" Control Freak smiled just thinking about getting his filthy paws on it.
"Did you say the 'latest limited edition Gamestation 3001 in teal blue.' But that's not out till April! It's only January!" Beast Boy said going up to Control Freak and looking at the crate.
"Oh my little green friend. You need to look to find things you want." Control Freak smiled.
"Focus Beast Boy!" Robin shouted over to him. Control Freak threw Beast Boy over towards Cyborg, which sent them both flying into the warehouse wall. Starfire flew over to him, her hands now glowing as well.
"No one hurts my friends without paying." Starfire said in a loud and slightly angry tone of voice, sending star bolts at him, which he cleverly dodged.
"Whatcha gonna do? Give me a ticket?" Control Freak laughed, grabbing Starfire's arm, spinning her round and releasing her into a pile of crates. Everyone could hear a loud crack.
"Starfire?" Robin shouted. When he heard no answer he dashed over. Starfire was clutching her arm. He examined it. "It's broken. Raven can heal it when we get back." Robin smiled. The Tamaranian smiled back, standing up.
"Let's get him!" she shouted.
Starfire and Robin were joined by Beast Boy and Cyborg. Cyborg shot his sonic cannon at Control Freak, who fell backwards.
"Dude! Watch the Gamestation 3001s!" Beast Boy said to Cyborg, who looked surprised.
"Stay on task BB!" Cyborg replied, watching his friend turn into a kangaroo and kick Control Freak into the wall where they had been lying a couple of minutes ago.
"That'll teach you to wait for things." Robin said slyly, pushing the crate away from the villain, who burst into tears.
"I was so close! The 'latest limited edition Gamestation 3001 in teal blue' was almost mine!" he moaned.
"Dude," Beast Boy said going to talk to Control Freak, "Let me give you some advice, the best things in life come in small packages."
Control Freak went completely blank. "What?" he asked.
"Small packages my villainous friend… small packages." Beast Boy walked off to help Cyborg load the rest of the crates on to a nearby carrier ship while Robin held Control Freak in place until the police took him away. They all met up at the T-Car.
"Well that went well." Cyborg smiled rubbing his hands together. "How about that Chinese?"
"We can't. Star's arm is broken and I need Raven to heal it. The sooner we get home the better." Robin said, helping Starfire into the T-Car seeing as how she could no longer fly.
"Oh no friends! If my arm is broken then I will be unable to cook us the Trifle of Happiness!" Starfire sobbed.
"Don't worry Star. I'll order a take away." Cyborg smiled, because one, they wouldn't have to eat her nasty Tamaranian 'food', and two, he would get his Chinese his stomach was begging for. The others got into the T-Car and they drove back to Titans Tower.
Raven was channel surfing on the sofa. She had never been so bored. She hated staying at home when the others were out kicking arse, especially when she felt fine. Although, Raven knew she wasn't fine, something was wrong with her and she had a hunch that it had something to do with her one-on-one with Tarot the day before. In fact, it was twenty four hours ago at 10:00 pm. God, she must have been bored to do the maths. Raven heard the front door open and stood up to greet her friends, although she was a little ticked off still. Robin walked beside Starfire who was holding her arm, and Beast Boy and Cyborg walked in, deeply indulged in a conversation about Chinese food and the Gamestation 3001.
"Raven." Robin said to her. She looked at him. "Starfire's arm is broken. Can you heal it?"
Raven gestured for Starfire to sit on the sofa, which she did. Raven's hand glowed light blue. She felt the pain from before, except once again, the pain had got worse. The spider tattoo was spinning away at his web, and was now three quarters covering her back. Raven persevered and placed her hand on Starfire's arm. She clenched her teeth and was trying not to scream. She knew her priority was to heal Starfire's arm. Robin could tell that Raven was suffering, and by that time Beast Boy and Cyborg had realised. Raven's hand stopped glowing and she let go of Starfire's arm.
"Raven?" Robin said walking towards Raven. The empath collapsed into his arms.
"Raven!" he shouted into her ear while holding her against him.
"Take her to the infirmary! Something is seriously wrong with her." Cyborg said.
Robin put one arm round Raven's neck and the other under her legs and carried her to the infirmary, trying to wake her along the way by calling her name. He arrived at the room and lay her down on the bed. Cyborg arrived with the others in pursuit and he once again hooked loads of wires to Raven.
"I need to do a complete diagnostic scan." Cyborg informed the others. "It will take a while so y'all might as well wait outside."
Starfire and Beast Boy left the room.
"I'm not leaving her Cyborg. Not until I know what's wrong." Robin said holding Raven's hand.
"Fine. But this isn't gonna be pretty. I need to do blood tests and stuff." Cyborg explained.
"Just find out if she's okay!" Robin said now squeezing Raven's hand. Cyborg got out some big needle and quickly stuck it into her arm and drew some of her blood. Thanks to the Titans modern technology, Cyborg could do an analysis straight away.
"Well?" Robin asked him.
"Nothing. It says she's healthy." Cyborg replied looking astounded.
"What! But she's not healthy Cy! She's collapsing! Getting headaches! She's in pain and I'll be damned if she doesn't get better." Robin shouted.
"Look man calm down." Cyborg said sternly. "Did she say anything to you?"
Robin thought back to their previous encounters that day…
"You okay?" he asked concernedly.
"Yeah, it's just a headache." she said popping three aspirins in her mouth.
Robin wasn't convinced. "You want me or Cy to check you out just in case?"
"No, it's fine, seriously." she said reassuringly.
He thought harder…
"It all happened so fast." Raven said.
"What happened so fast?" Robin questioned moving closer to her.
"As soon as my hands turned black with energy, I felt a rush of pain. Sort of like this morning when I summoned my book. When I said 'Azarath Metrion Zinthos' I just lost it and everything went black."
He thought even harder…
"What is it?" he asked leaning forward.
"I dunno." Raven moaned. "Must've slept in a funny position." she said rubbing her lower back.
"Did Tarot hurt your back when he pinned you?" he asked.
"I dunno. I don't think so anyway. Besides, the pain's gone now. It was probably a spasm." she said, looking away from Robin and starting to read her book.
Robin had a thought. "Cyborg, she kept complaining about a sore back. And how she was in pain whenever she used her powers!"
Cyborg thought about Robin's observations.
"That would explain why she collapsed on the roof and just now healing Star's arm. Best check her back then." he said to Robin. Robin removed her cape and Cyborg turned Raven onto her side.
"Dear God!" Cyborg whispered looking at Raven in despair.
"What is it?" Robin asked him.
"You'd better take a look Robin." he replied. Robin walked around the bed and looked at Raven's back.
"What the?"
Ooooo cliffhanger even though you probably know what's there. Thanks for reading! Love Hollie xoxox
