A/N: Hello again everyone! Sorry for the delay in this chapter as well. I write this story as I go and lately, I've been slacking and disorganized. The good news is that with this chapter, I believe we are entering the third act of this story. We are also coming up on the beats of the story that I believe make it more mature. I'm coming up with a clearer picture of where its going, so I will do my best to keep up this time. I know it's not a great excuse but it is what has been happening.

Thank you again to all of you who have stuck with me and this story. Review replies are at the bottom.

Also, Teen Titans and its associated characters are property of DC and their respective creators. Story and chapter titles are taken from the song "Explore This" by Alainite.

Chapter 10: I just can't focus when you're not by my side

Disclaimer: This chapter contains mentions of physical assault, abuse, and gaslighting. Reader discretion is advised.

Chills ran down her spine. Her limbs felt like rubber bands about to snap. Her heart threated to burst inside of her chest, and her breaths forced their way through a tight throat. Her vision blurred, and she shook her head trying to clear it.

Raven didn't scare easily. But right now, her body was screaming for her to run. Run as fast as possible and not look back. She was in the middle of the city, though. And with Malchior in her way, looking very intent on keeping her in his sights, she didn't know how far she would get.

Beneath the fear, however, swirled another emotion. She was scared, yes, but also angry.

"What're you doing here?" Her voice was low, an attempt to keep herself in check. Maybe he'll let his guard down if he keeps talking.

"Isn't it obvious? I'm looking for an explanation. And, after that, I'm taking you back home."

Raven gave him a glare that would kill a normal man. "How'd you even find me?!"

Malchior returned it with a cold smile. "Patience, my love. One thing at a time." He took one step towards them. "Now, tell me if I'm remembering correctly. You ask to go to Arella's place by yourself for a weekend. You tell me you'll be back before I know it. I decide to give you some space. To trust you. And what do I get for that trust?"

Raven didn't say anything.

"A stab in the fucking back! That's what!" Raven flinched but refused to take her eyes away from him. "You leave without saying so much as a goodbye! Block me on everything, delete your entire history, and even get a completely new phone!"

"And yet you can't get the hint that I never want to see you again!" Raven said. "Which brings me back to my question: How did you find me?"

"Simple: Our souls are connected, Raven. We're meant to be together." Malchior chuckled. Raven didn't. "But Arella doesn't see that, no matter how many times I explain it to her. She told me if I ever came back around, she'd call the cops on me. Fortunately," he gave her that cold smile again, "Jenna was more receptive to the idea."

If Raven's blood could run any colder, it would've frozen at that. Only one other person knew of Raven's complete uprooting of her life besides Arella: Jenna, or Jinx, as she preferred to be called. She'd never betray Raven's trust that easily unless…

No.

"What did you do?"

"Not much. Roughed her up a bit, enough for her to tell me where you went, and to keep quiet about it. She'll be fine," he said, as casual as someone recalling a trip to the store. "The rest is history. I came out here, found this stupid university, and followed you around to figure out when to talk to you."

It suddenly clicked. The night at the Pier and the trip to the mall. She'd sensed him watching her. And those were only two times.

How many more times were there? How long had been stalking her?

"You're insane!"

"No! I'm trying to get you to see reason!" he yelled, taking one step closer to them. "So, are you going to come along willingly, or am I going to have to drag you back?"

"Lay one finger on her, and I break your arm." For the first time in the past few minutes, Raven cast a glance at Gar. His tone was low, looking as tense as she was. His jaw was set, his brow furrowed, and he held his arms slightly up. For a moment, Raven hoped the threat might make Malchior back off or think twice.

Then she looked back. Those cold blue eyes were entirely focused on her.

Panic squashed any hope she had. She needed to get away. She looked over the dark parking lot in front of the banquet hall. They had parked near the gate, but she wasn't aiming for the car. She just needed to get past the entrance. After that, it was a matter of getting back to her apartment. She didn't care if she called an Uber or if she ran all the way back. She turned to run.

"No, you don't!" Malchior yelled. And then all hell broke loose.

Suffice to say, Garfield was both confused and pissed off.

First, a stranger stumbled out of nowhere, like a serial killer in a bad horror movie. Red flag number one. Then, said stranger – Malchior, as Raven called him – gave a whole rant about betrayal, getting more aggressive with each second. Red flag number two. Finally, he ignores Gar's presence even after being threatened, as if Gar was nothing more than an annoying fly. His eyes never left Raven, wearing an expression that made Gar's blood boil.

So, when Malchior made his move, and with a gut feeling Raven didn't have the speed or distance to get away, Gar reacted.

"Don't touch her!" Gar launched forward, his shoulder hitting Melchior's stomach as his arms wrapped around him. The surprise tackle knocked them both to the floor, two grunts of pain escaping both men. Using the surprise advantage, Gar pulled his right arm back and swung with a hook, landing squarely on Malchior's temple.

This is bad, the voice in the back of his head finally piped 'd sized Malchior up earlier. The man had about four inches of height on him, giving him the reach advantage. He looked skinny, but Gar knew better than to judge strength based on that. And struggling on the floor only served to confirm his assumption.

There was also the small matter that Malchior appeared to be completely insane, which made him unpredictable.

Gar heard footsteps take off but didn't turn to look at the source. Instead, he pulled back again. Unfortunately, Malchior had recovered enough to shield his head, and the blow bounced off his arm harmlessly. Then, he grabbed Gar's tie.

Oh shit. That was all Gar could think before Malchior's pulled him down and slammed his forehead straight into Gar's nose, causing him to reel back.

"Get the fuck off me!" Malchior yelled and pressed his advantage, sending an open palm straight into Gar's chest. It didn't hurt that much, but it knocked some of the air out of him. Still, Gar refused to let him get up.

He drove his elbow down into Malchior's stomach. Even with the layers of clothes softening the blow a bit, Malchior let out a cough and groan of pain. Gar followed it with a knee to his side but missed due to their struggling.

Malchior used the small opening to move his own leg and wedge his knee between them, pushing up. The movement forced Gar's weight off. With no center of gravity, Gar couldn't keep Malchior pinned. As he went for another punch, Malchior caught his arm, knocking Gar off balance and on his side.

Dirt and rubble caused small pricks of pain as Gar's face made contact with the floor. Unfortunately, he had bigger problems to deal with, as he felt a weight come down on him and pin his left shoulder down. Looking up, he caught Malchior's expression. With wide eyes and a teeth-baring frown, he resembled a feral animal.

He wants to kill me. The thought struck Garfield just as a fist landed slightly under his right eye, knocking him out of his train of thought.

"You think someone as weak as you can take Raven from me? You're pathetic!" Malchior yelled in his face, before landing another blow directly on to Gar's face. Copper filled Gar's tastebuds. His vision blurred and shone with small stars. Mustering up as much strength as he could, Gar brought his forearm over his head, catching Malchior's next punch with it.

He had to hold out a little longer; give Raven more distance. Moving up with his unpinned side, Gar drove his elbow upwards. He felt it connect, but he was immediately pushed back down. The back of his head hit the concrete. On instinct, he clutched the back of his, pain shooting through his skull. Unfortunately, the action left him wide open. Gar, through squinted eyes, was barely able to see Malchior pull back

At least she got away. Gar tensed up, aware that he couldn't do anything against the impending blow. Crack!

"Aagh!"

…Only the blow never came. And Garfield could no longer feel Malchior's weight on top of him. Moving his arm down, he looked up, and his eyes widened in shock at the scene.

Right next to him, Malchior was curled up in the fetal position, whining and clutching his ear, his hand covered in blood.

And standing over him, rock in hand, was Raven.

Half her brain told her to run when they fell. To survive and deal with the consequences later. She'd almost listened to it.

Then the other half of her brain reminded her of the possible consequences, far too grim for her to ever forgive herself.

Throwing logical thought out the window, she sprinted alongside the building. It took her a few moments, but she was able to find a sizeable stone with sharp edges near the walls. Steeling herself for what she was about to do, she ran back towards the struggle.

Luckily, Malchior was too focused on Garfield to look back at her rapidly approaching figure. Before his next punch connected, Raven reached him and swung. Her form was nothing to write home about, but the force and crude weapon did the trick, sending Malchior flying as she hit his ear.

Now with him on the ground, bleeding and screaming obscenities, Raven grabbed Garfield. "Get up!" Raven yelled at him, pulling with all her strength. For his part, Gar did listen, even as he looked seconds away from passing out. His lip was cut, and blood freely flowed from his nose, but he was standing.

"You're not getting away that easily, bitch!" Malchior yelled, trying to get up from the ground.

No you don't! Before he could fully get up, Raven stomped out. Hard.

Her foot connected with his chest, the heel of her flats digging in as hard as she could. He groaned in pain again and rolled away from her. She didn't care.

"Move!" Grabbing Gar's arm, she half-dragged him across the parking lot, moving as fast as she could to the small, dark-blue sedan. When they got to the car, Raven reached inside his pockets, finding the keys, and unlocking the doors. Gar was awake enough to open the passenger door quickly and slide into the seat while Raven hurriedly found herself behind the wheel. The engine roared to life with a quick turn of the key, and she sped out as fast as she could, the screech of the tires echoing behind them.

Silence fell between them, suffocating and eerie. Only Gar's ragged breathing cut through every few seconds. Raven cringed internally with every audible exhale, death grip on the wheel making her knuckles white. She looked through the rearview, half-expecting the ghosts of her past chasing after them. But the street was empty.

Outside, Jump City moved along. Streetlamps and windows brightened the city, a smattering of cars drove on the streets, and normal people enjoyed the night life. Unbothered. Unaware the events that had happened in a parking lot not too far away.

Must be nice, Raven thought. She was jealous. Normal people didn't have to run from their pasts. Cut ties with all that they knew, only to find out it had been for nothing. No, that was a curse for a select few that included her.

A pop broke her from her thoughts as the glove compartment opened. Gar reached inside for a couple of tissues and wiped his nose. His jacket laid strewn on the floor, making the blood stains on his white shirt more noticeable.

Raven swallowed through the lump in her throat. What was she supposed to say? He'd gotten into a fight and got hurt. Thanks to her. She opened her mouth, hoping an apology would form out of thin air. Nothing came though.

It was Gar who broke the silence first. "We'll need to call the police. Sorry for not doing that earlier." He didn't look at her, his voice devoid of emotion. Regret filled his voice, and it only made Raven's heart sink further.

"You don't have to apologize. If you hadn't tackled him, I'm not sure what he would've done." Raven said, barely a whisper. She didn't want to imagine it, either.

Her building finally came into view. She found a nearby spot and turned the car off, handing the keys back to Gar. He finally looked at her when he took them, struggling a bit as he put them back in his pocket. Neither made a move to get out of the car. She begged the universe to take the silence away.

"Rae, who was that? And what the hell was he talking about?"

Take it away with anything but that. "Let's get upstairs first and make sure you're alright," she responded, dodging the questions. "Then we can call the police."

"Raven—"

"Garfield. Please." A silent plea crossed her face. He deserved to know the truth, but she needed the anchor of her home. "I'll explain upstairs."

"Okay." He opened his door. "Let me take a look around first." With that, he hopped out of the car, clutching an arm to his side.

A minute passed before he came to the driver's side. He opened her door, giving her the go ahead. Even after this terrible night, his actions were that of a gentleman. Raven grabbed his arm when she stepped out and put it around her shoulder, helping him balance. Any other time, the proximity of their bodies would have sent a shiver through hers. Now, that shiver was swallowed alive by a hole in her chest.

Two officers arrived at the doorstep thirty minutes after Raven reported the crime. Raven had been sitting with Gar on the couch, him holding an ice pack over his eye while she held one to the back of his head. They gave the officers as all the details as they could, including a very detailed description of Malchior thanks to Raven.

"Thanks, you two," said Officer Jackson, an African American woman with clear worry lines on her face. "We'll call the university's administration tomorrow and they'll send a mass email with the suspect's description. Hopefully, we can find him soon."

"So, what do we do until then? He's still out there," Gar said, not looking at Jackson, instead keeping his head leaned back to keep the ice pack in place between him and the couch. Raven was wondering about that exact question.

"From what you've told us, this guy seems to be after you," Jackson replied. "Until we have a lead, you shouldn't go anywhere alone for now. Keep a friend or an adult you can trust nearby."

"And this door," the other officer, Kauffman, pointed at the front door, "should stay locked at all times. Especially if you're alone."

Raven nodded, her heart sinking. "Thank you, officers. I'll talk to some friends. See what I can work out."

Before they fully left, Officer Jackson turned back to Raven. "Sorry for what you went through. Try to get a goodnight's rest." With another nod, Raven closed the door behind them.

She felt Gar's eyes on her as she walked back to the couch. She didn't meet them, looking everywhere but at his face. If they made contact, she would need to start explaining. And if she did that…

"I know I don't look my best, but we're going to have to talk at some point, Rae," Gar said, a hint of mirth peeking through.

The night had gone to shit, and he was still smiling? If she were able to feel anything right now, she might've given him one back.

"Who's Malchior, Raven?"

Raven took a deep breath. "My ex-boyfriend."

"Oh."

Silence filled the living room. Raven took a few seconds to gather her thoughts before continuing. "Remember our conversation last week? When we talked about feeling alone?"

Gar nodded.

"I didn't tell you the whole truth. I couldn't." She took a deep breath. "My first week at UOG, I met Malchior. He was in the same dorm I was, and we started talking. I didn't have a lot of friends in high school, and Jinx was the only one who went to the same school. So, when I saw that someone wasn't immediately weirded out by me and wanted to spend time together, I sort of jumped at the chance to make a friend. And then, our friendship escalated."

A slight twinge of jealousy rose inside Gar, but he did his best to bury it. Raven needed someone to listen, with nothing in the way. He stayed quiet, focusing on her story.

"We started dating a bit before winter break started. He…made me feel special. He'd tell me I was beautiful. That I was unique. I was wanted for once. He made me feel like I wasn't alone." Her throat started to burn. "Then, he changed."

Tears filled her vision, and she wrapped her arms around herself. "At first, he said he wanted to spend more time together. If I hung out with Jinx by myself, he'd get upset. We'd get into fights if I was ever invited to a party, even if I didn't want to go. He thought I was looking for someone to replace him."

Gar didn't say anything, his fists clenched.

"When we moved into an apartment together, I hoped things would get better. At first, it looked like they did. He gave me a new phone for our second anniversary." Raven was shaking now. "I learned the hard way that it had a tracker inside."

Gar placed a hand on her shoulder, light as a feather. She looked as fragile as he had ever seen her. Like one wrong move would shatter her in front of him.

"Shortly after he gave me the phone, I went to Jinx's place without telling him. I forgot to charge it, so it died while I was there. I didn't think it was a big deal. When I came back later that night, he got in my face about it. We started fighting again and…he threw a punch."

Garfield saw red for a flash. I should've punched him harder.

"He hit the wall; left an indent. That's when I knew I needed to leave completely. The next morning, he tried to apologize, saying it would never happen again. But I made up my mind. I told Arella and Jinx what happened, and we came up with a plan. I'd finish my third year, transfer to JCU, and leave him behind. I thought we got away with it." Raven finally turned to Garfield. "I'm sorry for dragging you into this mess."

"Rae, you have nothing to be sorry for. He's the asshole here."

"But I'm the reason he's here in the first place! He wants me, and he doesn't care what he does to get to me. I mean, look at you!" Raven stood up, exasperated. Did the apartment always feel this small? "If I'd just stayed—"

"You'd still be stuck with him! He would've hurt you more." Gar interjected.

"Better me than my friends, Garfield!" Raven snapped. Gar flinched at the volume but kept his eyes on her. A pang of regret hit Raven, but she didn't dwell on it.

Instead, she did what she did best: disassociate. Build her walls up and distance herself from everyone and everything. Even if it made her miserable, it was in Gar's best interest. "Thank you for tonight. I did have a lot of fun. But we can't do it again. I can't risk you or someone else getting hurt."

She saw Gar's shoulder physically drop. "Raven, I'm fine. The police are going to catch him. We'll figure this out."

"I'm gonna call the girls; ask one of them to come back. Would you mind staying until they get here? If not, let me know so I can lock the door." She knew it must have felt like twisting the knife. Rejecting Gar, then asking him to spend more time around her. Safety or not, it must've hurt.

Gar sat silent for a second, then nodded. "Of course. Whatever you need, I'm here."

Raven nodded. This is for the best. She walked into her bedroom and closed the door.

Gar heard the click of the lock of her bedroom. He knew what she was doing, understanding her actions all too well. It didn't make him feel any less numb, however.

He could've sworn he heard a sob from Raven's room as time passed, the sound burning into his brain. It would haunt him as long as he lived.

As much as he wanted to knock on the door and comfort her, Raven made it clear that she wanted space. So, he sat on the couch, a nearly motionless guard. When Kory rushed in through the door, it felt like his body was on autopilot, reassuring her he was fine, and that Raven was the one that needed her. He barely registered his own words as he said good-bye to Kory, feeling her eyes on the back of his head.

He walked back to his car, the mask taking its place on his face once again.

Eris: Thank you very much for your support. Sorry I didn't update sooner. Hopefully, I can change that soon.

LW: Thank you for your feedback. Atmosphere and scenery are something I always strive to create and emphasize in my writing. I love the idea of Kory being like a big sister as well as a best friend to both Gar and Rae. And I hope this chapter delivered on that tension.

Ofherdarkways: Thank you! I will do my best.

As always, if you've enjoyed the story so far, please fav/follow and leave a review. I'm always open to constructive criticism.