Disclaimer: I don't own any rights to the Teen Titans or any characters in the DC Universe.

Raven watched Slade slowly recede into the mist that surrounded the graveyard. He was as silent as a cat, leaving without making a sound. Before he vanished Raven shouted at him.

"How do I know I can trust you?"

"You don't." He terse replied. Then, as quickly as he had appeared, he was gone.

Raven didn't move for the longest time. Once again the cemetery was hers alone, and she savored the silence. She was fixated with the remains of the projector, which Slade left behind as his calling card. She knew she had blown it this time, for good. She had seen and heard her friends forsake her, even Starfire.

One thing Raven knew Slade was correct about was her fear of being alone. It's what drew her out of the shadows on that fateful day when she met Robin, Beast Boy and Cyborg for the first time, that desire for companionship. It really was a contradiction, because she couldn't stand being around people. But that wasn't a surprise, as she herself was a contradiction: the fruit of Adam's seed and Satan's spawn. After she defeated her father she had hoped that she could turn over a new leaf. "There's new beginnings" she had shared with Robin that victorious day, full of hope. But eventually her dark energy reasserted itself and soon she was once again the old, dark Raven. And now she had fallen to a new low, as she almost murdered the boy she was in love with.

Raven heard a clap of thunder and was snapped out of her self-pity as raindrops began to fall on her. She raised a dark, Raven shaped shield to protect her from the elements. Hours had passed since Slade left and it would soon be dark.

She needed to find shelter.

"Did she accept our offer Slade?" the voice inquired.

Slade lifted himself from his throne like chair. The gears in his lair turned as they always did, steadily manufacturing his trademark robots. He paced towards the console, slowly but deliberately, withholding his reply.

"Well Slade, did she accept?"

"Not yet." Was his reply. "She is still clinging to the hope that they will take her back."

"They won't." the voice reassured him. "I guarantee that."

"You are certain of this?" Slade replied with a hint of skepticism in his voice.

"Who is the master and who is the apprentice, Slade?"

"You are the master, and I am your apprentice."

"Good, do not ever forget that. When will we have her? I am growing impatient."

"Soon, my master, very soon. And once we do, we will be able to destroy the Titans once and for all."

"Do not fail me Slade. And remember, the changeling is important to me. I want him unspoiled, do you understand?"

"And what of Raven after the Titans are eliminated?"

"Do not concern yourself with her. I will deal with her when the time comes."

Raven materialized in a closet the infirmary. She slowly cracked the door open, checking to see if she was alone. The only sound she could hear was an ECG beeping periodically as it recorded someone's heart waves. She waited several minutes, waiting to hear a voice, a cough, the shuffling of feet or any sign that there was someone else in the room. Her nerves were too frazzled to attempt to reach out and sense for any other presence, she couldn't even verify that it was Beast Boy who was attached to the ECG. Eventually she was satisfied that she was alone so she carefully emerged from the closet and performed a visual scan of the room. Other than the bed's occupant no one was there. She glanced at the clock on the wall. It was past 1:00 AM.

She was here for two reasons. First and foremost, she wanted to see him, and she cried when she did. Both of his arms were in casts as was one of his legs, which was also in traction. Several of his teeth, including his trademarked protruding fang were missing. He had several stitches on his face, as she had only healed his internal injuries, injuries she inflicted upon him. His scalp was shaven and he had a few stitches there as well, not to mention that his face was covered in bruises. His right hand had an IV inserted into it and she could see the 12 lead cables for the ECG snake their way under his hospital gown.

She knelt down next to his bed, taking his free hand and holding it against her cheek she began to weep. Once her tears ran dry she gently kissed his ungloved hand while continuing to rub it against her face, while heaving dry sobs.

"What happened, friend Raven?"

Raven slowly turned and saw that Starfire had entered the room unnoticed. She grimaced, as a look of grief consumed her face.

"Rage. She got loose." She croaked in reply.

The princess looked puzzled. "I thought that you had permanently bound the Rage, that she would never trouble you again."

"So did I. I was wrong."

Starfire looked troubled.

"Why Raven? Why him? What did he do to deserve this?"

"Nothing. He didn't deserve it." She said as she cupped his face and her blue light appeared once again, swarming around his head. Starfire watched as the stitches magically disappeared and his missing fang poked its way out between his lips. When Raven moved onto his left arm his face betrayed no sign of having been injured as the bruises were gone and there were no scars visible.

"You still haven't told me why Raven."

"He turned me down, because …" she paused. "… because Terra had already asked him and he accepted.

"And the Rage took over and harmed him."

Raven nodded, fighting to keep her healing powers in focus. The cast crumbled, exposing Beast Boy's now healthy left arm. She then quietly moved onto the right arm and resumed her healing process.

"Then you are not responsible,Raven."

"Of course I am!" Raven answered her bitterly. "Rage is a part of me! I don't have multiple personality disorder Starfire. I can't wash my hands of this."

"What will you do?"

"First, I will make things right for him. I will heal him."

"And?"

"And then, I will beg for his forgiveness. After which …"

"I forgive you Raven."

Raven and Starfire both jolted from the surprise, Raven's blue light evaporated, leaving the arm only partially healed.

"It's OK Raven, you weren't yourself." He smiled softly at her.

She bent over him, pressing her forehead to his while cupping his cheeks in her hands. He felt her hot tears drip onto his face, as he wrapped his now healthy left arm around her waist. He felt her entire body tremble as she continued to sob.

"Thank you friend, thank you." She whispered as she slowly began to stand up again. "Let me finish healing you."

Cyborg and Robin came charging into the infirmary, having been alerted by the ECG display on the Bionic Boy's arm. When they saw Raven in the room they both went into fighting stance, with Cyborg's sonic cannon deployed and Robin armed to the teeth with his many Bat Clan weapons.

Starfire raised her hand, holding them back. Robin noticed the blue light first. "You'd better have a good explanation for what happened, Raven." The Boy Wonder growled at her.

"She does. Now do not interrupt the healing."

The other arm cast crumbled away, revealing a now second healthy arm as Raven moved on and began to heal Beast Boy's broken leg.

"I don't get it." Cyborg complained. "First she tries to kill him, and now she's healing him?"

"She wasn't herself, dude." Beast Boy tried to tell his friend.

"Don't tell me you're buying that crap, BB?" a new female voice joined the fray.

"Terra!" he shouted with joy as the Geomancer ran up to him, planting a sloppy kiss on his lips.

"No Terra, really, she's sorry. She really is."

"She's only here cuz no one else would take her in."

That was the second reason why Raven returned.

After she left the cemetery she went to Steele City to see if the Titans East would take her in. Unfortunately for her word of her dastardly deed had spread like wildfire and Bumblebee wouldn't even see her. Aqualad met her at the door.

"You'd better leave Raven. You're not welcome here."

"I'm a Teen Titan, for Azar's sake, what do you mean I'm not welcome here?"

Speedy showed up next. "We've heard it all, Raven. You almost killed Beast Boy." She could see the fear in his eyes.

"This is ridiculous, I need to see Bumblebee, now!" the sorceress growled. She gasped as she felt a heavy hand on her shoulder.

"It's time for you to leave." An unfamiliar voice said from behind her. She turned around and gasped when she saw who it was.

"Superman?" she said, her monotone having failed her she was unable to hide the astonishment in her voice.

"Sorry Raven." Speedy interrupted. "I called the Justice League for help. After hearing what you did to Beast Boy we couldn't take any chances."

"I thought you were my friends." She replied bitterly.

"We thought you were Beast Boy's friend."

The accusation stung and without saying another word she phased into the ground and disappeared.

She then went to Central City to see if she could stay with Jinx and Kid flash for a while. Of all people, she hoped that Jinx might be able to understand. She materialized in front of the tall apartment building where the couple shared an apartment. The front door was locked and there was no doorman. Bypassing the intercom she phased through the door and stepped into an awaiting elevator, which she rode to the 23rd floor. She got off and walked to apartment 2314. She stopped in front of it and quietly knocked on the door.

Kid Flash opened it wide, knowing well that a simple closed door could not keep the demoness out of their apartment. He was dressed in his civies and Jinx stood behind him, with a nervous look on her face.

"Can I crash with you guys tonight?" the empath asked in her deadpan monotone.

Wally and Jinx looked at each other with nervous expressions on their faces before Jinx answered.

"I'm sorry Raven, but wouldn't be a good idea."

She tried all the other honorary Titans, and was rebuffed by all of them. She had no money on her and was about to spend the night under a bridge before deciding to return to the Tower.

"Someone offered to take me in." she replied softly.

"Oh that's rich!" Terra mocked her. "Who? Slade?"

Raven turned to the blond girl and nodded quietly.

"You have got to be kidding!" Robin moaned.

"He's been spying on you. The whole Tower's bugged."

"Nuh uh!" Cyborg interjected. "The Tower's clean. I guarantee it!"

Raven continued healing Beast Boy's leg. "He's using some advanced technology. He showed me a hologram of you gathered around Garfield here in the infirmary."

"Bullshit!" Terra accused her. "She's making this up to get back into the Tower."

"You said I was incapable of love because I'm a demon."

The room fell silent until Cyborg broke the silence. "Damn!"

"He's probably watching us right now." Raven informed them as the last cast crumbled away.

"You have failed me Slade" the voice accused him as he watched a replay of the scene in the infirmary. "She did not choose to join us. She remained faithful to them."

"She's no threat to us in her current state." Slade reassured his master. "It's obvious they do not trust her."

"She's a threat to me as long as she's in the Tower. I will drive her out a second time, and this time you will eliminate her, permanently."

"You ask for a lot, my master. Even in her current state she remains a formidable opponent. Defeating her will not be easy."

"I don't want to hear excuses Slade. I want her eliminated, and this time I cannot assist you, you must do it alone. Do you understand?"

"Yes, my master. I will do it. But a word of warning, do not betray me when I deliver the goods."

"I am not Trigon Slade; you will be paid, handsomely, just as I promised you."

"You really can come up with 1 billion dollars?" Slade asked.

"Not in cash, but in gold, platinum and precious jewels, as we already discussed."

"Very well then. Consider it done."