Ch. 2: His Decision
A/N: Thank you all so much for reading! I'm really excited to see where this story goes! I'm going to try hard to keep updates every week/week and a half but working full-time can really kick ya in the butt! I'm also going to try to write longer chapters, the one before this one and this chapter are like parts 1 and 2 of a prologue so they're kinda short. After this one though, the action gets cooking!
Reply to: Dark Azarathian - I gotta say, the summary has been my favorite part so far xD Thank you! Enjoy :)
Reply to: TheDarkrealm - Yay! Thank you! Updating as much as possible is the goal! This story has a whole bunch of crap and angst to go, so updates will happen! :D
As always, reviews and reads keep me motivated, so feel free to comment all you'd like!
And finally, thank you so much- enjoy!
"Stop resisting Raven; you'll only make things worse." The man's voice purred with satisfaction as he twisted the empath's wrists even more. Panic coursed through her veins as Raven tried to squirm free from the masked man's grip. A small moan escaped from her clenched teeth.
Gravel and concrete pierced her skin as the man crushed her from above. Her heaving breaths were being accompanied by stars that danced across her vision.
"Get . . . off . . ." Each breath she took sent a shockwave of pain through her ribs as Slade's kneecap pressed harder against her spine. Panic coursed through her veins as the man trapped her from above.
The man leaned in closer, his mask inches from her pale ear.
"Now listen, little girl. I'm usually a quite patient man; but this little act of yours is going to stop."
The man slowly lifted his knee slightly, and the sorceress felt a shudder trail down her spine.
"If you won't submit voluntarily, I'll make this very, very painful child." Her body ached and her head pounded loudly.
"Tick tock princess…" his voice trailed.
As she tried to lift her head, a hard, leather glove connected with the back of her head and forced her face onto the sidewalk.
"Hey, Rae?" Beast Boy's voice croaked from behind her locked bedroom door. The sorceress sat upright in her bed- sweat created diamonds on her forehead and her breaths came in ragged gasps.
The pain behind her chakra stone thumped harder as she tried to open her swollen eyes.
"N-Not now…" she growled. A candle that she had lit just hours before flickered with light, and it cast deep shadows on her sunken facial features. The panic in her stomach swirled with each flicker of the dying candle.
It was still nighttime, the moon's white glow illuminated her room ever-so-slightly and she was able to see the glowing outlines of the books that scattered her floor.
Three gentle knocks on her door made the empath's brow furrow.
"Raven, are you awake?"
Whatever contents that were in the empath's stomach began to turn and panic gnawed at her sides.
Calm yourself dammit. Raven thought to herself.
Slowly, and painfully the empath raised a hand and wiped the sweat that had formed on her face. Her body ached, even from a dream she felt defeated. She brought both hands to her head and tousled her hair, slowly running her fingers through her damp locks.
Careful as not to lose control over her gag reflex, Raven inhaled a deep breath and felt herself exhale some of the chaotic energy she had just woke with.
Padding softly to her door, she raised a slightly - trembling hand to the door's release button.
The sudden swoosh of the door opening caused Beast Boy to jump visibly, and his ears then drooped in time with his frown.
"I am now Beast Boy. What do you want?" Raven's voice was smooth; it didn't even begin to reflect the panic and confusion coursing through her veins and her pounding heart.
Beast Boy's emerald eyes widened. The fluorescent bulbs in Titan's Tower didn't help much, but Beast's eyes trained on Raven's ghostly features. Her eyes were swollen and bloodshot. Fading sweat spots stained her leotard she wore, her cape barely covered her midsection.
Beast Boy's breath caught in his throat as he ran a hand through his forest hair. "What's going on Raven?"
The panic that was gnawing inside of Raven was slowly burning into a deep rooted sense of irritation and anger. Her amethyst eyes narrowed on the changeling. "You mean other than the fact that you decided to stand outside my bedroom door at one in the morning? Absolutely nothing." The empath felt the pain and sadness radiate from Beast Boy. She didn't mean to be so curt, but hell, couldn't she just be left alone?
"Bull, Raven." It was his turn to feel irritated. Beast Boy took a step forward and his face gradually moved closer to Raven's. His hands became small fists at his sides and his ears perked up. "You're lucky your room isn't closer to Robin's. He would have burst in through your door without warning." His voice became very quiet and grave. "You were screaming again."
The sorceress' eyes burned into Beast Boy's. She began to shake again as both her and the changeling's emotions swirled through her conscious. The pain in her head became unbearable, and her stomach threatened to turn itself inside out.
"G-Go back to your room Beast Boy." She stuttered through clenched teeth.
Beast Boy crossed his arms over his uniformed chest. "Not until you tell me what the hell is going on with you Raven."
"I'm f - " Before she was able to form a coherent response, her body made the next decision for her.
Without looking back, the empath bolted down the corridor towards the girl's lavatory. With sweaty palms and a pounding migraine, she forced open the bathroom door and barely made it to the toilet bowl before her stomach erupted.
Her burning hands gripped the sides of the bowl tight enough to make her already ashen knuckles whiter.
An inhuman noise escaped from her lips in between dry heaves. Tears prickled her eyes as she cried in frustration. This wasn't the first, or second, or even third time this has happened; to her, it seemed these dreams were getting worse and worse as the week progressed.
A pair of cool, green hands appeared from behind her and brushed her hair out of her face, and around her shoulders.
"You're okay Rae." His voice was smooth as a sigh escaped his lips. She heaved again.
Raven's heartbeat pounded loud in her ears- each heartbeat was like the strike of a bass drum which only caused her to feel even more nauseous.
It had been already been six days since she had woken up in the infirmary. Every night had been a new, tortuous experience; always stemming from an uninviting nightmare.
The cool hands disappeared slightly from Raven's shoulders only to return with a damp washcloth- courtesy of the changeling. Raven closed her eyes and rested her chin atop the side of the toilet seat as the rag was draped around the back of her neck.
Robin had given direct orders to her - she would not fight with the Titans until at least a week had passed since she'd woken up. An order she, of course, did not want to accept. After numerous fights and few choice words with the leader, Raven gave up and agreed to the seven day ban. Tomorrow, today, marked the seventh day.
The empath's stomach finally felt empty after a few more failed attempts, and she let out a long, shaky sigh.
During the day, she hadn't had many problems functioning as a normal person. She meditated like usual, ate meals with the Titans, and even was able to deal with Starfire's incessant need for "in-home spa-treatments."
It was when the sun set that the sorceress truly felt inhuman. Alone. Scared even.
A slow shiver trickled down her spine. No one had been able to tell her what happened with Slade, and this only made things worse. The physical pain and struggle that the empath had been enduring every night was taking it's toll on her health.
The headaches, the dreams, these feelings … why?
A small whimper almost escaped her lips, but was halted by Beast Boy clearing his throat.
"Look Raven, I think you should sit tomorrow-er- today out." Beast Boy kneeled down on one knee next to the empath, and he placed a gloved hand on her shoulder after tossing the rag in the sink. "I know it's been a week, but like, you're not looking too hot. You're gonna get hurt. Worse."
Raven turned her head toward the green changeling and pierced his soul with her stare.
"I'm fine Beast Boy." She brushed her pale hand against his green one and knocked his hand off of her shoulder. She sighed. "Let me get some sleep, and I'll be as good as new in the morning."
Beast Boy scoffed when she said "fine."
"You think waking up every night screaming and puking your brains out is 'fine?' You need some new priorities momma." He smirked and shook his head at the craziness he was hearing.
Raven did not like being told what to do, or how to think.
"I'm going Garfield. I need to get out of here." Her voice was solid and caused Beast to reevaluate the situation.
Escape. Normalcy. Raven had a painful yearning in her stomach for things to become normal again.
With an exasperated groan, Beast Boy sat down on the tile floor and wrapped his arms around his knees. Raven followed suit and sat across from him. His head was shaking back and forth and his lips were set in a straight line - a small white tooth poked through.
"Listen, if I start to feel worse, or if I truly believe I need to, I'll quit the mission. I'll come back to the Tower if needed. Please Garfield; I need to get out."
"Raven, I can't have you get hurt again. I can't let you do that to yourself. I don't know wh-"
A flashing red light and high-pitched screaming alarm caused both heroes' heads to spin towards the door.
"Shit-"
Beast Boy's communicator began buzzing. Both sets of eyes trailed down to the face which appeared on the screen.
"Titans: there was a kidnapping in Jump City's Pediatric Hospital." Raven bit her tongue as Beast Boy stared in shock. "The girl's mother reported a man in a mask with glowing tattoos stole her daughter from their hospital room. This is the closest we've come to an affirmation of Slade's whereabouts!" Robin's voice became louder until it was almost a yell. "The pre-determined mission will be postponed until this is settled. We're leaving now. Cy and Star search the building, Beast Boy and Raven, you take to the streets. We can't lose 'em. I'll talk with the witnesses there. Keep your communicators close.
Titans, GO!"
"Fucking hell-" The changeling's temper flared as he slammed his communicator on the tiled floor. A crack appeared across Robin's hologrammed face before it faded to black. Beast Boy ran his hands through his hair and his face contorted in pain. "This can't be happening…" He just sat on the floor and slowly rubbed his eyes with the palms of his worn gloves.
"Garfield…" Raven's voice purred; a hint of true worry seeped into her tone. The changeling's emotions, fear and anger permeated into Raven's mind.
"Listen. Stay close to me when we get there. Do not over-do it Raven. If anything happens, or if things get squirly, teleport back here. You got it?"
Raven's mouth parted slightly and the anticipation and adrenaline coursed through her veins once more. Her head nodded slowly.
"I'm serious Raven. I will not have anything happen to you again. Got it?"
His seriousness scared her a little.
"I'll be fine Gar."
"Yeah, Rae. You keep saying that…"
Yay! You made it to the end of this chapter! Yep, like I said, I know it's short, but now the fun begins! Stay tuned for the next chapter: Her Decision! I'm really excited to see what happens! :D
Thank you for reading! See ya soon!