Disclaimer: I do not own these characters, I just enjoy using them.
Taking the Fight Out of the Girl
It had been almost six years since she left. She had made quite the life for herself. Getting a job at a local clinic where she was able to really helped people. There was a different gratification in it and it made her happy. She was able to help children, seniors, single mothers, men trying to make a living, everyone who needed it. Of course, her powers came in handy, but she avoided any obvious gestures.
Besides, she was using her powers elsewhere when needed. There were always petty crimes in the city which Raven dealt with. It was never anything more than robbers but she did her part. Of course, she couldn't compare to the New Teen Titans.
The team had expanded quite a bit since she left. Several watch towers in some of the biggest cities, new team members, liaisons with the Justice League; they were quite the tour de force. It was rather hard for the public at large to keep up with the new Titans. A team compiled of teenagers, meant emotions ran high and things tended to get a little hectic. Members joining, and then leaving soon after, inter team dating, which led to fights. Raven wouldn't have wanted to manage those kids, but it seemed as though her old team mates were doing a good job.
She had kept track of their movements over the years. Beast Boy mans the original Titans Tower, and she was pretty sure he trained the newest members, which made the most sense. He always did get along well with children. Starfire seemed to be at the Justice League watch tower most of the time. They used her as a translator, which, considering how Starfire learns languages, was probably not the best job to have. But it was the only way the Titans could get any information from the Justice League.
It was apparent that the Justice League didn't want to involve children in any of the international goings on. Raven completely understood their reservations, but she also felt that they didn't really give the Titans a chance. When they did though, the Titans shined. Cyborg didn't get offered to be the main mechanic for the League if they didn't see his talent. He, of course, declined the offer, saying that the Titans needed him more than the League did, but that he would help them out whenever necessary. Raven was so proud when she heard the news. She was going to call Cyborg and congratulate him, but she hadn't called them at all over the years. It'd be too weird to call him now. After the way she left, she wasn't sure if anyone wanted to talk to her anymore. And she really couldn't blame them.
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6 years earlier
With much thought she had decided to gather her teammates, show them her battle scars,
and explain to them why she was no longer going to be fighting by their side. The Titans were all still in the main living area. Eating and talking about the fight, when Raven came into the room. She stood there and watched them for a while. Beast Boy was doing his usual post fight replay. Telling everyone his favorite moves and talking about how much fun it is to kick bad guy butt.
Robin spotted her first. He smiled and she turned away. It was too hard. Maybe it would be easier to just sneak out in the middle of the night. Leave a note. Before she had a chance to leave her room completely, Cyborg called her.
"Come on Rae! I made waffles! I know that you love my waffles!"
Odd as it may seem, Raven really did love his waffles, but she loved him more. As far as she was concerned, Cyborg was her big brother and she was his little sister. When he had first put this idea out there, she was shocked. Raven never had the best of luck with family, and especially not males. But there was always something about Cyborg. She always felt protected around him, and protective of him. She thought that she would miss that relationship the most. It was the one that ran the deepest and was the most important thing she had acquired in her time with the Titans. So, she walked over to the kitchen and put some waffles on a plate. She deserved a good last meal.
It was as she was cutting into her second waffle when he noticed it.
"Raven, your arm!"
She wasn't surprised that Robin noticed it first, but she was a little surprised by the tone of his voice. She intentionally chose not to change anything but her cloak, just to further her point, but she had hoped to save this part of the conversation to when she was ready. And now, while she was eating, was not the time.
"Robin, can I finish my waffles?"
The other Titans had closed in on the kitchen table to see what Robin was talking about. None of them looked very pleased.
"Friend Raven, why did you not heal yourself when we returned home? Is there something the matter with your powers? Wouldn't you like medial attention?"
She thought that she would have control over this conversation, but it looked like things had taken a different turn. She would have to think quickly.
"Um…guys. There's something I need to tell you", not liking the fact that she was sitting at the table while everyone else was standing around her, she stood up and moved for the couch, "Sit, please."
Raven doesn't really remember what she told them. The words just seemed to manifest themselves in her mouth. The only thing she clearly remembers saying was, "I can't do this anymore. I need something different, something better." Raven didn't know why she said it. She knew that she had an amazing deal with the Titans. She had friends, companions, family. She saw the hurt look on their faces and tried to back pedal.
"Wait, that's not what I meant. I just think…" Robin cut her off.
"No need to explain Raven. If you need some time off to recuperate, then you can take it. As much time as you need." The other Titans nodded their heads. They thought they were being understanding, but she needed them to really understand.
"No, I don't need time off. I'm leaving the Titans, effective immediately. I'm sorry."
There was a long silence, while the team members looked at one another, as if she had just told a joke that no one was getting. Beast Boy was the first to speak.
"Come on Rae, don't you think you're overreacting a little. We all get beat up sometimes. You just need to roll with the punches…haha." The last thing anyone needed was Beast Boys brand of humor.
"I don't think she's kidding Beast Boy." Robin had stood up and began to pace behind the couch. She already knew what he was thinking. She was still linked to him, and as much as it hurt. The look on Cyborg's face, hurt her twice as much.
"Rae, isn't there anything that we can do. I mean, you can't just leave. Who will help me work on my car?" She smiled and her eyes began to tear up.
"I wouldn't call what I do helping. I just hand you tools. I'm sure you can find someone else. And this isn't a problem that someone can help me with. I need to do it by myself."
Cyborg nodded his head, as though he really understood what she had to do. And she couldn't be more grateful that he had. Even Starfire and Beast Boy seemed to understand, it was the Boy Wonder who seemed to be stalemating.
"You know, the last time you said that, the world was nearly destroyed."
Raven didn't expect that sort of remark from Robin, and it seemed like the rest of the team didn't either. They all objected simultaneously,
"Robin…"
"Dude!"
"Take it back Robin."
Of course, Cyborg came to her defense, but it was time for her to stand up for herself.
"No Cyborg, he's right. But Robin, you more than anyone, should understand that I know now to ask for help when I truly need it. Now isn't one of those times. This work has burnt me out. I can't run every time an alarm goes off anymore. It's endless and thankless. My heart just isn't in it anymore, and it's not going to be until I take some time away from crime fighting. If you can't understand that, then there's nothing I can do. But regardless I am leaving."
She turned to her other team members.
"Thanks for everything."
Then disappeared into a black circle she created in the floor. Seconds later she was in her bedroom. Packing up the very few precious things she had. Her mirror, some clothes that she would be able to wear in public, her favorite books, and a journal that contained a picture of her and her team mates. Seconds later there was a knock at the door. She was silent, hoping she would be able to make them believe that she had already left.
"My scanners say you're in there Rae. So are you going to let me in, or what?"
There was a lightness in his voice. She knew he wasn't going to try and stop her, but she was afraid that he would unintentionally do so. Still, she used her magic to open the door and close it behind him when he walked in. She was sitting on her bed, he came and sat next to her.
"You know he didn't mean it Rae. He's just upset that you're leaving and he knows there's nothing he can do about it."
"That still doesn't give him the right to be a jerk."
"No, no it doesn't, but it's something he's just so good at."
He smiled at her, she smiled back and they both laughed.
"I'm going to miss you Rae. You know that right?"
"Yeah, I'll miss you too. My first real family and I have to leave."
"You know, you can find your calling and still keep in touch with us. It is what phones are for and you'd have to be out of your mind to think that you're leaving your communicator here."
She looked to her table where she had put all her communication and alarm devices. He knew her extremely too well.
"I can't have the alarms going off everyday. I'll keep coming and helping you guys out of habit."
At this point he got up and grabbed her communicator.
"No, I can fix this so it's just outgoing. You can talk to us, but we can't talk to you. Raven, please, just take it. I want to know that you're ok. You don't have to tell me everything, just call once a day to check in, so I know you're still alive."
"Once a day?"
"Ok, once a week. Please Raven."
She stood up and took the communicator from his hands.
"You know I can take care of myself right?"
He pulled her into a hug. She wasn't expecting it, but she enjoyed the feeling.
"Just because you can take care of yourself, doesn't mean I'm going to stop worrying about you, lil' sis."
It was the nicknames they only used between one another. Lil' sis and big bro. Raven detested it at first, but soon grew to enjoy what it represented and found herself calling Cyborg big bro more and more when they were alone together. She had to give in.
"How long will it take you to adjust it?"
He pulled away and smiled at her.
"I'll have it ready for you by morning."
"That long?"
"Well, I guess I just think you should stay one more night. I'll see you in the morning."
With that he sprinted out of the room, knowing that he had just conned his "lil' sis" into staying an extra night. She also knew that he was telling the rest of the team to go and say their goodbyes. Raven expected Starfire to come first, followed by Beast Boy and, if he came at all, Robin would bring up the rear. She really did want to talk to him. There was so much there that needed to be said. That he needed to understand about her. She wasn't leaving the team, just to leave the team, she was doing it to improve herself. Everyone needed to be selfish once in their life and this was her time.
There was a knock at the door and, as expected, Starfire popped in.
"Oh, friend Raven, must you leave us?"
"Yeah, Starfire, it's just my time to go."
"Would it be possible, if we could participate in the meditation one last time?"
Truth be told Raven much preferred meditating by herself. It was supposed to be a personal thing, so she suggested something a little more Starfires speed.
"How about we do something you like. Maybe we could paint our nails or do our hair or something."
Starfires eyes lit up.
"Oh Raven that would be most wonderful! Let us go up to my bed room and retrieve the brushes of hair and the paint of nails!"
And so they did. They were in Star's room for a good hour. Starfire doing most of the painting and brushing, seeing as though it wasn't Ravens area of expertise. Starfire hugged Raven and told her that she would miss her. Raven said the same and when back to her room.
Raven had just used her magic to remove all the curls and product from her hair when there was another knock at the door. She opened it for Beast Boy.
"You know Rae, I'm really going to miss you. I mean, we were just getting to be friends. Weren't we?"
She had to smile. If Cyborg was her big brother, then Beast Boy was her little one. And, come to think of it, Starfire was like a little sister. This was going to be so much harder than she had planned. She hoped she would be able to end this quickly. Tell them, leave, and be done with it. But drawing it out like this was just hurting everyone more than she cared to know.
"Yeah, we were."
"You sure there's nothing we can do. I'll stop telling jokes and playing video games so loudly if it'll help you Raven. I really don't want you to leave."
"You have nothing to do with this Beast Boy. I'm actually going to miss some of your jokes. Maybe even miss you're intense video game competitions."
"Really? How about a joke for the road then? Why was 6 afraid of 7?"
She was pretty sure that he told her this joke before, but it couldn't hurt to appease him, this one last time.
"I don't know, Beast Boy. Why was 6 afraid of 7?"
"Because 7 ate 9!"
He started laughing uncontrollably, which made Raven smile.
"That was a pretty good one."
She wanted a serious moment with him. She knew that he was capable of it. They had all seen that with Terra.
"Beast Boy, I just want to say thank you for always trying with me. I mean, even though I acted as though I didn't like your jokes or you, you never shied away from me. You always tried to make me laugh. And sometimes that was enough. So, thank you."
Once again she found herself in a hug. Hugs were always awkward between the two. Raven thought it was because she was so stunted when it came to emotional things and because, and crazy as he was, Beast Boy was shy around girls. But this one was different. There wasn't any weird feelings, just friendship. She was really leaving these people. The only ones who ever cared about her. Could she still do it.
Then there was another knock on the door and Robin walked in. He was a little taken aback to see Raven and Beast Boy hugging.
"Oh, I didn't realize, I'll just talk to you later."
They pulled away from one another and Beast Boy told Robin that he was just leaving. He took one more look at Raven, smiled, gave her a thumbs up, and left the room. She smiled and then quickly started frowning when her eyes fell back on Robin. They way he was standing it seemed as though he was about to propose a business deal to her.
"Came to lecture me?"
"No, I came to apologize. I shouldn't have said what I did out there. I'm sorry."
She nodded and motioned for him to sit down on the bed with her. But he chose to sit on her desk chair. She accepted his apology and there was a long, tense silence between the two. They both avoided the others eyes, but they finally made contact and she was forced to speak.
"You know I can never thank you enough for what you've done for me. Not just with Trigon, but everything else. Making me apart of this team and every thing that came with that. You turned me into a hero Robin. I don't know what would have happened if not for you."
"Then why are you leaving? Why can't you stay? You could just take the time off, like I suggested. Or, let me call Batman, you can stay with him or maybe at one of the Justice League bases. I'm sure…"
She shook her head, got off the bed, and started pacing the floor.
"Robin, you don't understand. I'd still be too close to all of this. Besides, you've done too much for me already. That would be too much. I need to be on my own for a while."
He got up from his chair and started walking towards the door. Hand on doorknob he asked:
"How long is a while?"
"As long as it takes"
He nodded his head and walked out the door. She didn't know why he didn't understand. It wasn't as if she was leaving him, she was finding her self. He was taking it too personally. She wanted to follow him, to explain to him in detail. But he had a mental block to the whole situation. Nothing she said could change his mind, just as nothing could be said to change hers. And it was at that moment she decided she had to leave. There was no time to wait for radios, no time for more long good byes in the morning, and no time for someone to make her stay. She had to leave. And so, after writing a brief note, she did. It wasn't until the next morning when Cyborg, Starfire, and Beast Boy brought her breakfast in bed, did they realize that she had left. Nothing but a crisp piece of parchment on her bed that said:
I'm sorry, I'll miss you all.
Raven.
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Present day
As much as she was ready to meet up with her friends again, she didn't expect to do so anytime soon. Although sometimes, the best laid plans don't always go smoothly. When a psychopath comes to town and the hero meant to catch him follows, you run into one another. Especially when said psychopath happens to enjoy preying on young women.
AN:
Ok, sorry it took so very long for this to come out, but moving sucks, and moving to a place with no internet access sucks extra. But we are connected now, and to make up, I've combined two chapters here. It didn't turn out quite as I had wanted and I was never able to write Starfire and Raven's little thing (believe me I tried about a thousand times) so that's why I sort of excused that scene away. I really wanted to make a strong brother sister relationship between Raven and Cyborg. I hope I didn't overdo it, I was trying to get it out there, because it becomes much more important later. Yeah, not much Robin and I didn't explain what he was doing in the present day for a reason. It's all up here (points to head) folks. There's a reason for just about everything that doesn't make sense in this story…most of it has to do with me not being the best writer, but still...
In the next chapter I'm going to change the writing style. Instead of using the third person (she, he, they, ect. I'm pretty sure it's called third person, but not 100 positive. Please correct me if I'm wrong) I'm switching over to a first person kind of deal. I just couldn't get the past tense stuff to work as well as I had wanted in the first person. So, I hope that will make things easier for me and you in the future. So, thanks for reading, waiting and hopefully leaving reviews!
