Finalmente, Estamos Juntos

Finally, We are Together

The next month was rather swift in passing. Raven hardly saw Stone for he avoided her, often only coming to his apartments late at night when he thought she was asleep. Even then he would only drop by to check on her or to disappear into his library. More then once Raven had snuck out of bed to spy on Stone, he would be engrossed in the old tomes as he searched for something that he would not notice her standing in the doorway watching him.

Of course it wasn't that she liked Stone, the need for human contact was driving her crazy and he was the only one that every visited. Of course she was his… servant, technically anyway, and she was being held in solitary confinement in his personal quarters, so it made a lot of sense no one would dare violate his private living area. Still her meals came, left in the entrance way ever few hours, along with a fresh change of robes daily. The place seemed to be mysteriously cleaned though Raven never saw who did the cleaning. She only could assume the cleaning was done when she was asleep though how they knew when she was asleep disturbed her slightly.

Tonight she was going to get a conversation out of Stone even if that conversation ended up as another argument between them.

Feigning sleep Raven waited patiently until Stone made his quiet entrance into the room and made his way to the adjoining library. Raven got out of bed, made sure her sleeping robe was securely wrapped around her before she tip toed her way over to the library's doorway. From there Raven could observe Stone hard at work doing whatever it is that he did.

"Don't you ever sleep?" Raven asked as she walked over to look over his shoulder at the various maps and books he had open on the desk he was seated at.

"What are you doing up?" Stone asked not taking his eyes off of the map he was looking over.

"I came to talk with you. Being locked up for a long time all alone can make a person hungry for conversation, even if it is with you. So what are you doing?" Raven replied smoothly.

"I see. What I am doing would most likely bore you." Stone answered.

"Come on, I'm desperate enough to come and talk to you, my captor"

"Master would be the more technical term."

Raven glared at Stone which he did notice out of the corner of his eye.

"But captor would be correct as well." Stone sighed.

"Any way, you're driving me crazy by not letting me see other people so you have to talk to me." Raven finished, hands on her hips and look on her face that left no room for argument.

However the entire effect was lost as Stone wasn't looking at her. Exasperated Raven tried again. This time she was going to make sure he would not ignore her. Raven walked around Stone, lean against the desk and hoisted herself onto it, sitting right in the middle of the map Stone was looking at.

"Now that I have your attention, you are going to talk to me." Raven said allowing herself a satisfied smile as she looked down at Stone's surprised expression.

"Fine. What do you wish me to talk about? The number of suitors I've already turned down on your behalf?"

"No."

"How large the pot is that you're sleeping with me."

"What!"

"The servants have a pot running on how long it will be before you sleep with me. They take bets on just about anything. There was a pot going on how long it would be before I made my bid for power. There is even a pot going for when you are going to kill me." Stone explain coolly.

Raven was speechless. She never imagined that anyone would be betting money on thing like that.

"Are you alright? You look paler then normal." Stone asked.

"I… I am?"

"Perhaps you should go back to bed." Stone suggested.

"No! No, I haven't talked to anyone in such a long time."

"I must apologize for that. Your two titles make you a very lucrative target to have killed or kidnapped. Therefore security is very tight."

"Um… what do you do in here?" Raven asked trying to start a string of more pleasant conversation.

"Planning my next move. We begin another campaign in the southeast. You will accompany me." Stone explained.

"What?"

"The reasons are several fold. It gives you a chance to be seen, to see your realm, to get out of the palace. The downside is that you'll have to 'act' like you are my consort." Stone panned out.

"You've got to be kidding me." Raven began.

"It's not that bad." Stone started to explain.

"Not that bad!"

"Would just let me explain?" Stone asked. He didn't feel like talking over Raven's voice and its unique mix of blank emotions that ran through it.

"This better be good." Raven said in a huff. She crossed her arms across her chest to show her displeasure at the whole idea.

"Thank you. All you would have to do is address me as 'my lord,' sit next to me at any officer dinners. In short just be civil towards me like you are now."

Raven glared at Stone as she thought things over. On one hand she would be out and would get to travel around some, on the other she had to act the part of his little love slave.

"Fine but don't you get any ideas about" Raven agreed.

"I assure you, you won't have to act that part." Thinking Raven might take that the wrong way Stone hastily added, "What goes on in my tent is my business. No one will question the lack of noise during the nights."

"Just don't get any ideas, alright?"

Stone nodded in agreement.

"So how is Dick these days?" Raven asked striking up another string of banter.

"Just as he was when he was still Robin; brooding as always." Stone said with a smile.

Raven nodded. With all the recent changes and whatnot going on it was hard to believe that Stone used to be Cyborg and that he knew Raven and Robin when they were younger.

Noticing Raven's sullen expression Stone dropped his smile. "Still find it hard to believe that I was once Cyborg, huh?" Stone said quietly.

Raven looked down at him, it was impossible for him to know what she was thinking but somehow he had known.

"You're not psychic are you?" Raven asked curiously.

"No. I've changed a lot but I'm not psychic. I've just become, well, what I am now." Stone laughed a bitter laugh.

"What's so funny?"

"The irony of it all. One of the reasons I came down here was to have a fresh start, fit in somehow. I'm an untouchable general in one of the most powerful factions in this war torn place. An outcast here just as I was when I was a Titan on the surface." Stone said coldly.

"Hey Cy"

"That person died over a decade ago."

"We were all outcasts in one way or another back then, I mean Star was an alien, Beast Boy was a polymorph."

"Robin was perfectly normal. The only odd thing he did was fight crime from behind a mask. You were an enchantress back then and you are one now."

"I can't use my magic."

"You're in your element here. You can't use your magic because you're emotionally dead inside."

"I am not." Raven retorted quickly at the accusation.

"Yes you are Raven. You're nature betrays you. You were isolated as a Titan and I doubt that trend differed in your adulthood." Stone said looking Raven straight in the eye. "I've been doing some research, both your father and brother were strong people, strong rulers"

"I'm strong."

"They drew their power from their emotions. You however learned to block them out, to push them away."

"I had to other wise I would lose control!" Raven snapped defending herself.

"Look Raven." Stone said gently placing his hands on her shoulders. "Down here the magic of the realm is entirely tied to the ruler of the Nine Hells. Your blood makes you that ruler, in name, but for whatever reason that is the way things are. You brother, and your father before him were both emotionally alive. Mind you the texts say they were always angry but their anger was an emotion that let magic work down here. On the surface your powers worked because you were out of your home range and apparently the rules that governed your powers were different up there. Down here you have to unlearn what you have spent most of your life learning. You have to let go, you have to feel."

"So you just expect me to forget a lifetime of mental training like that!" Raven yelled as she threw Stone's hands off her shoulders. Her monotone was gone and her voice clearly carried the message of anger but mostly uncertainty.

"I would think you would be happy. You could wield you powers and not have to be…detached all the time. You could be laugh or cry without blowing up a microwave." Stone said with a hint of humor to his tone.

Raven couldn't help but grin at the statement. For some reason microwaves always seemed to be her favorite target all those years ago. "Fine, I'll give it a shot but it may take me a while to get used to."

"I knew you would come around. You're just as logical as you were back then."

"Is that a good or bad thing?" Raven asked wanting the conversation to keep going.

Stone smiled. "A good thing. Sometimes it is good to resist change, other times it is good to embrace change."

"And just what do you mean by that?" Raven asked, eyebrow raised in curiosity.

"I'd tell you but I fear you would only add to the scars you have given me." Despite his words there was a mischievous sparkle to Stone's dark brown eye.

"When did I ever give you any scars?" Raven's voice trail away as Stone rose from his seat and leaned in showing Raven his cheek. On it were three thin lines, evidently her slaps from a month back had caused some damage after all.

"Well you deserved them."

"I can't say I disagree with you. I'm still trying to get used to you again." Stone replied.

"What?"

"Your mannerisms, your fierce independence, your back talk. After a decade of never being questioned, it takes some getting used to." Stone hastily covered up his previous statement.

"Well it takes some getting used to, to be thrown into a whole new world."

"I'm here and I can help you get used to down here. I told you once that I would always be there for you."

"Cy" Raven breathed.

Stone cringed visibly but did not say anything.

"That was a long time ago; you were a different person back then. You're a stranger to me now." Raven told Stone.

"Perhaps I should go." Stone said as he turned to go.

Raven quickly shot a hand out and touched Stone's shoulder stopping him from turning away from her.

"I would like to take the time to get you all over." Raven whispered.

Stone smiled warmly. "Don't worry Rae, we'll have plenty of time to get to know each other again. Now let's get you to bed." With that Stone scooped a very surprised Raven off of the desk scattering several books and papers in the process, and carried her bridal style to the bed chamber before careful depositing her on the bed.

"Thanks for the ride." Raven said quietly, a hint of pink decorating her cheeks. She hadn't expected to be carried to her bed; she was after all perfectly capable of walking now.

"No problem. Get some rest we leave in two days." Stone said before taking his leave.

"You have to keep your back straight and keep your grip on the reigns." Stone told Raven. They had left the palace along with a column of servants and soldiers. Just where they were going Raven didn't know but she knew that Stone did and that was enough for her. He was the expert here, the guide as it were.

Stone was behind Raven who was saddled on a horse having her first riding experience and she was not liking it at all. She would have fallen off several times if Stone was practically cradling her between his legs and arms. Of course she didn't like it at first but this apparently counted as part of her act that she had to keep up as her part of the bargain. However the hidden insight of Stone also was there; he had mentioned he normally walked with his men but now that he had 'his lady' in tow he would have to ride since it would improper to make her walk as well. Though Raven disliked the bumpy ride she was thankful that Stone knew how to ride a horse and was there to keep her from falling. If she could fly she would have taken that option for they had covered a large distance by the time the sun went down and the sky began to darken.

"We'll stop here for tonight." Stone's voice boomed so that the entire column could hear. In a matter of minutes tents were pitched and campfires were going ready to cook the evening's meal.

Stone dismounted and helped Raven get down. "Sore?" Stone asked with a knowing smile. He knew she was sore, even he was sore. The real reason he preferred to walk was so that he could avoid riding a horse unlike most of the other officers.

Raven tried to give Stone a harsh glare but she was amazingly tired from riding all day long. Her legs were sore, her back was stiff and her arms ached from holding onto those damned leather reigns.

"Fine, don't answer me. Our tent is that big one; I'll bring you your dinner." Stone said as he handed the reigns over to a servant and began to make his customary inspection of the camp.

Raven stiffly made her way to the big tent that Stone had pointed out to her. Inside it was furnished sparsely with a work desk with accompanying chair and most importantly a big feather bed. Not giving it a second thought Raven through off the heavy traveling robe Stone had given her leaving her in the much thinner under robe, before collapsing on the bed and drifted off to sleep.

Stone entered his pavilion to find Raven sprawled on his, well "their," bed. It was rather late, the cybernetic general having finished making his rounds and giving out orders for the morning. He had had his own dinner but it was quite clear from the dinner place still set at the one table in his tent that Raven hadn't eaten. As tired as she seemed to be and as much as Stone wanted to let her sleep he knew she would be extremely grouchy come morning.

Stone walked over to the bed, stooped down and gently shaking her whispered "Raven" into her ear. Getting no response Stone increased the vigor of his shaking and the volume of his voice. This time Raven stirred, only to turn her head and bury further into the pillow she was using.

"Raven, get up and have your dinner."

The reply came in the form of an out thrown arm that backhanded Stone across his face, much to Stone's displeasure.

"Fine be that way." Stone walked over to the table, got Raven's plate, which was very cold by now, and went outside with it. He returned with a hot plate of food. Stone proceeded over to the bed, and with one arm forced Raven into a sitting position in his lap.

A bewildered Raven, not entirely pleased about being awaken from her comforting deep sleep, opened her mouth to protest only to have it filled with something. That something turned out to be a spoonful of mashed potatoes. At this point Raven's eye's had adjusted to the low light that was in the single room of the tent, and she found herself sitting on Stone's thigh being spoon-fed bits of beef, carrots and mashed potatoes.

Realizing just how hungry she was Raven didn't protest being spoon-fed though she did made several attempts to take the spoon from Stone. When the plate was finished Raven glared at Stone for a moment before saying defiantly, "I could have fed myself."

Stone grunted in response and got up dumping, quite unceremoniously, Raven onto the floor beside the bed. "That hurt you bastard. You could have asked me to move." Raven snapped at Stone.

"You could be thankful. I did you a favor feeding you. Our next meal is the noon meal tomorrow." Stone replied in his normal deep monotone voice.

"TO ARMS! AMBUSH! AMBUSH!" A loud voice broke out across the camp. Sounds of screaming, yelling and metal clashing immediately followed the warning cry.

Upon hearing alarm being sounded Stone swiftly extended his arm blades and blew out the candles that had provided the light in the tent. "Stay. Hide." And with that Stone slipped out of the tent into what had been his convoy's camp for the night. Consisting primarily of supply units with only a light attachment of escorts which in turn was made up of the freshest recruits. As part of the military program the greenest troops were given duties such as outpost positions and escort duty before they were placed in the fronts to give them more training and time to adjust to their new lifestyles. As a result the men escorting Stone and Raven on their way to the southern front were all young inexperienced men with only a few exceptions.

As Stone expected it was a slaughter for his forces. Standing just beyond the front door flap Stone could see a number of his men dead or dying, their slayers moving towards the tent.

Stone picked one of the men out, they all looked to be base spearmen; poor quality conscripts up surprise attacks could decimate even a hardened veteran corps, and charged him. With his right Stone punched and stabbed right through the man's throat, with his left Stone swung to his left lopping off the head of another spearman. A man to his right took a stab at Stone, the thrust was parried, the spear snapped in two and the other was dispatched in a similar manner, cleaved down the middle. Yet another man took the chance to attack Stone and pierced Stone through the right side of his chest. Much to those witnessing or taking part in Stone's fight the black general didn't falter or stagger, but whipped around cutting the man in half.

Unnerved, the spearmen start to waver and a pair of swift kills by Stone broke their moral and sent them scattering to the four winds.

Raven had watched the entire fight, concealed by the darkness of the tent. As the attacker broke and fled, Raven watched Stone seemingly fly as he chased and rundown the panicked spearmen.

Once Stone reached what had been the edge of the camp, he stopped and turned to survey the damage to the camp. A number of tents had been torn, bodies strewn on the ground. A quick count told Stone that his escort was virtually destroyed and that some 30 aggressors had been slain.

Making his way back to the tent where Raven was supposed to be, Stone rapidly went over his options. His escort was devastated, he was conveniently located in the middle of nowhere, with a very valuable political prisoner. For a moment Stone contemplated pushing onto the front as scheduled but given the fact that Stone would have to take care of Raven, who had no handle on her powers in what was her realm, and Stone had a spear impaled into where his right lung would be.

This did not go unnoticed by Raven when Stone made it into the tent.

"Oh my God! Are you all right?" Raven exclaimed as she rushed to Stone's side to examine the rudely placed shaft of the spear. Stone had snapped off the bulk of the shaft during the fight but hadn't removed the remainder as he couldn't actually feel it in him.

"Oh god, its punctured your lung. We can remove the spearhead but it would probably just inflame the wound." Raven fussed as she led Stone over to the bed and forced him onto it.

Stone looked at Raven. Prior to the fight she was her defiant and distant self. Now that he had been damaged Raven seemed concerned, almost caring and warm. Almost. Stone was banking on a simple fact that Raven had forgotten; he was composed of mostly dead mechanical parts. From there Stone guessed that Raven was putting on an act. Raven was smart, Stone had known that fact for years. She knew that Stone was in control here, despite her obvious distaste to that fact, and she needed him to survive in this environment. Raven knew she was a political prisoner of great importance, but very limited use. More over, Stone knew that his former teammate would rather have him as her captor then Tir'eir, at least Stone knew that Raven felt she had a chance to get into his head given their time together in the past.

"Your concern is touching Raven, but notice that there is not blood. You forget I'm already mostly dead. I can't feel; I'm only aware of the spear because I know I was stabbed by one. Drop the act, as charming as it does make you."

Immediately Raven's expression changed to one of embarrassment and anger. "I wasn't acting." Raven huffed and stormed out of the tent.

Stone roughly removed the remainder of the spear from his steel body and tore after Raven. Stone found Raven standing just outside the tent, tears slowly working their way down her cheeks. The few people that were still alive had gathered nearer to the command tent and now they were staring at Raven, and watched as Stone grabbed her arm and dragged her back into the tent.

"Just what do you think you were doing crying in front of the servants?" Stone scolded.

"I wasn't acting." Raven sniffled.

"You can't cr… What did you say?" Stone asked.

"I wasn't acting you bastard. I was actually concerned about you damn it. You had been impaled by a spear; when you were a Titan you felt pain, you got injured." Raven rambled.

Stone gently took Raven into his arms, rested his head on hers and smiled a soft sad smile she couldn't see. "I suppose I should confide in you, I lied to all of you back then. I, I was trying to fit in, be more human, be more like you. I guessed when to complain about pain, how to act when I was supposedly hurt. I haven't felt real pain in a long time. Well not since you turned up and have decided to abuse what is left of my humanity."

"Don't say that." Raven started.

"Why is it that women don't like to hear the truth and yet demand to have it told to them all the time?" Stone asked rhetorically. "You've scarred the flesh on my face." Stone lean back and turned his head so that Raven could see the three faint lines she had given him a few months ago. Raven lifted both her hands and framed Stone's face turning his head so they were looking at each other; her violet eyes looking up into his red and brown ones.

"You deserved them back then." Raven whispered as she gently traced the outlines of the thin lines on his cheek.

"And now?" Stone asked quietly. Raven's touch was to light and comforting it was all Stone could do to keep from leaning into her hand. Having her within the circle of his arms, his hand resting neutrally near the small of her back and the small teasing view her robes offered of her cleavage sorely pressed Stone to keep himself in check. Having her on the same realm had been a test of his fortitude. As weak as it sounded Stone lived up to a soldier's life though he never took advantage of many of the perks that were his due given his rank. That made the simple things, such as a caring touch from an old flame, so much more enjoyable.

"You deserved the slap, not a lasting reminder." Raven murmured in response as she her hand flat against Stone's cheek, fully caressing it. Raven had screwed up all of her courage to do that but Stone hadn't run, not yet anyway. The time they had spent together, even the tidbits that it was, had given Raven a glimpse of something that had pleased her greatly and made her heart beat faster every time she got Stone alone. She found that she could lower some of the walls Stone had built around himself and sneak peaks at the person she had fall for so long ago; beneath the stoic Stone mask and the Titan personality of Cyborg was Victor Stone, very much alive and very much human despite what his alter egos said. It was times like now, when Raven could pay attention to both their emotional needs that they had neglected over the years that they opened up to each other, even if it was unconsciously. Raven hadn't really planned to be in Stone's strong but gentle embrace and in the back of her mind she doubted Stone would expect to have her caress a mark she had given him.

And even that wasn't enough. Slowly, hesitantly Raven raised up to her tip toes, her eyes darting from Stone's eyes to his lips and back, as she guided Stone's lips down to meet hers.

As they closed the gap between them Stone stopped, closed his eye and turned his head giving Raven a good view of his metallic jaw line. "Raven… Please… the politics… the consequences… We can't… I can't… I'm just not strong enough."

Raven stretched the last few inches to plant a small kiss on Stone's silvery jaw line which earned her a surprised look; joy mixed with a hint of fear.

"You said I had to learn to let my emotions go. I think you do as well. Besides you were always strong enough for me."

This time it was Stone who initiated the kiss capturing Raven's mouth in one fell swoop pouring over a decade's worth of longing and passion into a chaste but very heated kiss.

When they drew apart both were breathing heavily and their hearts were beating wildly.

"Raven." Stone started.

"Shh… In the morning you can tell me everything you want to, please let's just have tonight. No politics, no princess, no general. Just you and me, Cyborg." Raven hushed Stone.

"Rae, my name is Victor James Stone the Third, when we're together you can call me Victor or Vic." Stone told Raven as he led her to the bed and pulled her down with him as he lay down.

"I'd like that Vic." Raven murmured as she smuggled down next to Stone, resting her head on his shoulder, her arm and leg draped over his chest and leg. Stone in return was cradling her with one arm as he drifted off to sleep with, for the first time in many years, a clear purpose to get up the next morning.

A/N: I'm settled down for now, I can't say for sure how often updates will come but I do have a good chunk of the next chapter done.

LockDown over and out…