Wow, this chapter took a while. Sorry about that.

I don't own Teen Titans, but if I did, I would not have made Terra come back in "Things Change." That was just lame. I'm sorry, but I'm in a Cartoon Network bashing mood right now. (Although I did hear they might pass the sixth season. Still trying to verify that...

Raven woke the next morning to the beeping of a strange alarm clock. After turning it off, it took her a full minute to remember why she was in a strange room, but as soon as she remembered, her pain came back.

She felt her stomach seize up and the cuts on her face throb. Her wrist was asleep, and Raven massaged it while still lying down, trying to wake it up. After accomplishing this feat, she sat up slowly, wincing at the pain in her stomach. She stood up, only to be reminded that her leg had been damaged by the way she felt off balance.

She sighed softly, for she did not want to wake her mother, who was sleeping in the bed next to hers. She bent down on the ground, her face screwed up from the pain, and tried to find some clothes from a duffel bag in the darkness.

Her mother had gone out the day before and bought new clothes for Raven and herself; no one had wanted to brave going into their house to get anything. Raven gave up her dark search and instead picked up the entire bag and carried it into the small bathroom that was adjacent to the guest bedroom.

She switched on the light, now squinting because of the brightness. Once her eyes had gotten used to the light, she washed herself up and changed into her clothes. Raven turned out the light before she exited the bathroom, as she did not want to wake her mother just yet.

She dropped the bag back where it had been and went over to where her mother was still sleeping. She pushed her lightly, knowing that Angela would want to wake up soon.

"What time is it?" Angela said groggily as she sat up. Raven turned the clock so Angela could see it. "Time to get up and at 'em!" She swung herself out of bed and gave Raven a hug.

"You go downstairs and eat something while I wash up," she instructed firmly. "I'll drive you to school." Raven nodded, although she was not sure her mom could see. Stopping only to pick up a notebook and a pencil, Raven walked out of the guest bedroom and down into the kitchen.

Mr. Rodriguez was sitting at the kitchen table reading the newspaper. A plastic blue plate stacked with toast was in front of him. Hearing Raven's footsteps, he put down his newspaper.

"Good morning," he said kindly. "Did you sleep well?"

Raven nodded.

"Help yourself to some toast," he pushed the plate towards her, "and have a seat." Raven sat down, put her notebook beside her, and took a piece of toast from the stack.

"Would you like anything on it?" Mr. Rodriguez motioned to the jam jar that was next to the toast. Raven shook her head. Then, glad she had remembered this, placed the tips of her right hand fingers on her chin, then brought them down so that her arm made a ninety degree angle. This was sign language for 'Thank you.'

"Ah, sign language for thank you," Mr. Rodriguez understood instantly. "I remember that when I first learned English, we learned sign language as well. I guess they hoped that if we forgot how to say something we would have the signs for it." He chuckled. Raven smiled politely and took a small bite out of her toast.

"Good morning, Raven," Mrs. Rodriguez came into the kitchen, already wearing an apron. "Did you sleep all right last night?" Raven nodded once more. "Excellent. Here, I made you a nice lunch for school." She placed a brown paper bag on the table next to Raven's notebook. "Now, I must go wake up the boys. Those two were up late again last night, mark my words."

Raven heard her walk quickly up the stairs and start waking up Javier and Fidel. She smiled, amused, as she heard the two boys start complaining in Spanish.

When Raven had finished her toast, Angela came into the room.

'I just need to brush my teeth,' Raven wrote.

Angela nodded, and Raven hurried back up the stairs and into the bathroom. As she brushed her teeth, she could hear Fidel, Javier, and Mrs. Rodriguez speaking in very fast Spanish. Although her understanding of the language was not very great, Raven was able to figure out that they were both still in bed, and neither wanted to get up.

'Well, duh,' she thought. 'Anyone could have figured that out.'

She finished brushing her teeth quickly, located a sweatshirt from the bag of clothes, and walked back downstairs. Her notebook and lunch were still on the table, so she picked up her notebook and wrote, 'Can you drive Jinx to school too?' and gave it to her mother.

"Of course, dear," Angela said, smiling. "She's probably awake and ready. I'll call her. You go into the car."

Raven nodded, picked up her notebook and lunch, and headed out the front door. Angela's car was parked in the driveway. Raven opened the back door and slid into the seat. It felt strange to be going to school with no backpack or homework. She felt a sudden cold feeling grip her, and a tear rolled down her cheek.

She wiped it away angrily. Why was she crying now? She was going to be with friends at school.

Seeing her mother approach the car, Raven hastily hid her face. She did not want her mom to see her crying.

"Jen says she'll be waiting for at the door," Angela slid into the driver's seat and started the engine. She backed out of the driveway and into the street, and drove three houses down to stop at Jinx's.

Jinx came out of the house five seconds after the car had parked there, and came into the backseat with Raven. She smiled encouragingly as Raven turned on the overhead light so Jinx could see what she was going to write.

'How are you?' she wrote, her handwriting messy since the car was moving.

"I'm doing all right," Jinx said softly. "What about you?"

'Could be better,' Raven wrote truthfully.

"I figured as much," Jinx said unhappily. "Anyway, I was on IM with some of our homecoming group last night. We all decided that we'd meet in one of the rooms before first period. Does that sound okay to you?"

'Yeah, that sounds good,' Raven wrote. 'Which room?'

"Room 63," Jinx answers quickly. "It's a math room." Raven nodded.

'Jinx, will you be able to tell everyone what's wrong with me?' Raven wrote, feeling tears come to her eyes as she did. 'Mom called my teachers yesterday, so they all know, but none of our friends do.'

"Of course I will," Jinx said, hugging Raven supportively. "Is there anyone specific you need me to tell or anything like that?"

'Anyone that asks.'

"All right. Is there anyone you don't want me to tell?"

'Anyone who doesn't notice.' Jinx smiled.

"Of course."

The rest of the trip to school was in silence, as Jinx and Angela both had nothing more to say, and Raven did not have anything more to write. Angela pulled her car in front of the school's main entrance and unlocked the doors.

"Now Raven, if you don't feel right, then please call and I will come get you, all right?" Angela said in a voice that was almost pleading. Raven nodded.

She and Jinx exited the car and began to walk into school, both turning and waving twice. Angela waved back, and drove away. Raven clutched her notebook close to her as she walked into school. Now that she was here, it felt even stranger to have nothing but a notebook and a pencil. She did not even have any of her homework.

"Is there anything in your locker you need?" Jinx asked as they entered the hallway their lockers were in. Raven nodded, and quickly unlocked it. Jinx did the same with her locker, which was right next to Raven's.

Feeling relieved that she had not brought all her books home, Raven took out her Latin, English, and Chemistry books, as well as her History binder. She placed the lunch that Mrs. Rodriguez had made for her on the top shelf of her locker.

"Come on, let's go to room 63," Jinx said. "It sounds like some of the busses just arrived." Jinx was right, as there were people walking noisily through the halls. Raven began breathing rather deep. She had thought she would be fine, but now that there were other people, her nerves were getting the better of her.

The two girls were about to start walking when someone called their names. They turned back, and Raven felt as if her head would explode.

It was Garfield.

He was smiling broadly at the sight of them, his eyes twinkling with happiness. Instead of pausing at his locker, he kept walking so that he was level with where they were standing.

"Hi, Gar," Jinx said.

"How's it going, Jinx?" Garfield asked, holding up a hand for a high five. Jinx slapped it unenthusiastically, but Gar didn't seem to notice as he had already turned his attention on Raven.

His smile softened as he saw her, but soon dropped completely off his face as he kept looking at her. Raven was not smiling; her expression was unhappy and she was fighting not to cry.

"Raven, what's wrong?" he asked, concern in every note of his voice. He dropped his backpack heavily to the floor and hugged her. "Are you all right?" Gar released her, and as his eyes traveled from her face to her left wrist, his eyes widened in shock. "What happened?"

Raven felt tears begin to flow down her cheeks. She looked away from him, ashamed. She wanted so badly to be able to tell him what had happened, but every time she tried to speak, she ended up crying because she was unable to get any words out.

Gar took her uninjured hand in his, and pulled her close to him, holding her tight.

"Raven, you can tell me," he said softly. "I'm here for you."

Raven looked at Jinx for help. Jinx, realizing what she meant, began speaking for her.

"Gar, it's not that Raven doesn't want to tell you," she began slowly. Gar turned so that he was facing Jinx. Raven gently pulled out of his embrace, but he still held her hand. "She can't." Jinx bit her lip. "Raven's dad hurt her, and now she can't talk because of the shock."

Gar looked back at Raven.

"Did he really?" his eyes were pleading with her to yell, "April fools!"

Raven nodded, feeling another tear roll down her cheek. Garfield wiped it away with his free hand.

"Are you going to be all right?" he asked. Raven nodded.

"I'm so sorry, Raven," he pulled her into an embrace again. "Just please know that I'm here for you. For anything you need." Raven nodded again, willing her mouth to start working again.

"I really care about you," Gar said softly, stroking her back with the arm that held her. "I really do." Raven looked up into his eyes and smiled. Gar smiled as well, and kissed her forehead.