Disclaimer: I don't own Teen Titans.

a/n: Thank you for your kind reviews. They really brightened my day, especially with all the crap going on right now. This chapter is for you. Hope it's to your liking.

Raven and Slade get a little more intense in this piece. Thank God.

As always, reviews, sharing, etc. are greatly appreciated.

"I am not talking to you now through medium of custom...it is my spirit that addresses your spirit...equal - as we are!"

- Charlotte Bronte, Jane Eyre

Slade: For the record, I'm no one's servant.

- The End, Part III

Chapter Five: The Third

"Yo, Rae, pass me the wrench."

Not looking up from her book, Raven levitated the wrench under the T-car, where Cyborg proceeded to twist and turn pieces of machinery. Sparks flew out a short while later, missing the hem of her cloak by inches.

"Careful, Cyborg."

"Sorry, Rae. Hey, could you pass me the flamethrower?"

Glad Cyborg wasn't looking, Raven rolled her eyes in dismay. Nevertheless, she gave the contraption to her friend.

"What could part of a car could possibly need a flamethrower to fix it?"

There was the sound of a safety helmet swinging down.

"I thought I told you already!" Cyborg exclaimed, voice muffled. "It's to - "

And the sound of flames and gears turning and God knew what else cut off the rest of his explanation. Raven watched his robotic legs wiggle around a bit, before shutting her book.

"I have to be somewhere."

The symphony of noise came to an abrupt halt. Cyborg wheeled himself from the underbelly of the T-car, a patch of grease smearing his cheek.

"Awh, really, Rae?"

She nodded. "Thanks for letting me help with the car."

Cyborg gave Raven her favorite goofy grin. "Anytime, Rae."

Raven left the garage and proceeded to get ready for Slade's check up. To be frank, cars weren't interesting to her in the slightest. But Raven was close with her half-robot teammate; unfortunately, it had been cars that they'd bonded over, so cars were their thing. And it would continue to be cars, until Raven adopted video games or Cyborg took an interest in meditation. The latter was still pending - Raven desperately hoped some calm in one of the Titan troublemakers would rub off on the other.

As if on cue, Beast Boy raced past her in the hallway, screaming, "I didn't do it! I didn't do it!"

Raven paused, waiting. Eventually, Robin came speeding after the green changeling, his hair color now a bright, bubblegum-hued blue.

.

"Hello?" Raven knocked on the door for the tenth time, knuckles aching from repeated abuse. "Is anyone home?"

Again, nothing. Half of Raven thought Slade might be out doing, well, whatever Slade did, and the other half wondered if he was ignoring her.

Just come back later, Lazy yawned. Procrastinate once in a while.

Hella no, said Brave. Let's see what this wack-o's up to! Maybe he's doing something, you know, Slade-y.

Raven weighed her options. Above, a crow cawed as it swooped down, landing on a nearby plot of grass.

What now?

She frowned.

Well, I warned him, Raven thought darkly, and phased through the door.

At first, she honestly believed Slade was not in the house. Everything was dark and drafty per usual, but the house seemed somewhat less...malevolent. It was almost peaceful.

A muted thump resonated from past the staircase. Mildly alarmed, she followed the noise.

Eventually, Raven could hear heavy breathing coming from the hallway, with the periodic sound of fists slamming against a heavy object.

I think he's working out, she thought apprehensively. Raven wasn't sure what the protocol for this was - what if Slade, filled with adrenaline and the general angst that came with exercise, took the opportunity to attack? She couldn't imagine Slade as the type to make a stupid, testosterone-driven impulse like that; then again, she wasn't sure of much nowadays. Raven half-expected a goddamn unicorn to show up at any moment.

Warily, she crept to the edge of the door frame and peeked inside.

There he was, swinging and kicking a punching bag in the middle of the gym. The bag swung like a pendulum from the force of Slade's strikes, as if it were nothing more than a hacky-sack being tossed back and forth. He seemed entirely absorbed in beating the thing to a stuffing-filled pulp, and not once did he acknowledge the pale girl he'd once fought against, who was watching from the shadows.

Yikes, Lazy squinted at the scene. Doesn't it get all sweaty under that mask?

Shut up and watch his muscles, Passion squeaked, shoving Lazy aside.

Ew! Happy laughed. Why are you watching Slade?

I'll take anything I can get, Passion waved dismissively. Besides, no harm in looking.

In spite of the mental dialogue between the emotions, Raven observed with quiet admiration - the man never seemed to slow, never paused to take a breath. He really was a worthy adversary, for any hero. It took the Titans years just to catch up with him, only for him to fall between the cracks when all Hell broke loose.

Evil he may be, but Slade was a force to be reckoned with. He was not Doctor Light or Johnny Rancid, petty criminals with unintelligent plans of robbery or other stupid violations of the law. Slade was everything a villain was, and everything a hero was, in the body of a single man.

Abruptly, he ceased. Raven stiffened, knowing she'd been caught.

"Didn't anyone ever tell you," he said to the swinging punching bag, "that it's rude to stare?"

Raven bit her cheek, annoyed and embarrassed. "You didn't answer the door. I let myself in."

Slade said nothing; without warning, he lunged at her.

Raven levitated out of the way in the nick of time, but Slade reached up and grabbed her ankle. With a grunt, Raven was tossed down on the ground, pain ricocheting up her hip.

"Azarath, Mentrion - "

The weight she'd been focusing on clattered to the ground; Slade snatched the back of her hood, slamming her into a wall and breaking her concentration.

Hand still gripping her hood, Slade put his other arm on her shoulder, pinning it to the wall. His eye was narrowed.

"I see you haven't improved in combat," he hissed. Raven felt his breath slide through the slits of the mask, hot and uncomfortable against her skin.

"Nice try," Raven panted, loathing the man with everything she had. "I've kicked your ass before. Don't make me do it again."

"Tsk, tsk," There was no fear in Slade's voice. "Language, Raven. If you keep playing dirty, you will have done your father proud."

Rage howled with laughter. A burst of black energy sparked between the two, casting Slade backwards. He caught himself, though, dragging a hand along the ground to a stop.

Raven levitated above him, magic blazing from her eyes and hands.

"Don't you dare compare me to my father!" she spat. "I defeated Trigon! You helped him destroy Earth!"

"The Prophecy had been absolute," Slade countered. "If it wasn't me, Trigon would have found someone else to serve him. And, my dear, I was the one who saved you."

Raven has fulfilled the prophecy of her birth. That part of her existence is complete.

"That's a lie!" Raven seethed, her powers flaring. "My friends saved me, not you! You only led Robin to me so you could get what Trigon had promised you in the first place!"

But another part still remains.

"How do you think I knew where you were?" Slade demanded, straightening. "Believe it or not, Raven, once your demon blood had been used to create the portal, Trigon considered tossing you into the fire. But he thought you would have made an interesting pet for me."

For the moment.

This stopped Raven. She always wondered why Trigon had chosen to spare her human form. Eventually, Raven had assumed it was Trigon's demented way of showing fatherly affection, or that he would have found it funny to watch her run around, weak and powerless, in the world she'd once loved.

"Why would he have done that?"

Despite having only one eye, Slade's gaze bore into Raven, digging into her skin they way no other's could.

"Trigon liked to make examples of his power," he answered dully. "Azarath demolished; his daughter as only a shell of her former self - it was only natural that my example would be a constant reminder of the service I had provided for him. When I awoke in the library chamber, you were right beside me."

You only exist because I allow it!

No, no, no! Raven couldn't believe it. After all this time, her existence had been reliant on being a punishment for Slade?!

This whole ordeal between them was founded on the guilt Raven felt about owing Slade her safety during the end of the world. And now she was finding out that she may not have even existed had he not been there, solely as a statement?!

"I-I don't remember you." Raven was sinking, sinking to the ground. She felt empty, small - how could their fates have been so reliant upon one another? Slade, promised life if he delivered a message to Raven, only for her to become a sick joke to him once the deed was done; Raven, utterly afraid of Slade 'till the very end, only to have him lead her family to her and help save the world?

Slade picked up a metal, round weight that had gotten misplaced during their tussle. "You were an intelligent child, I assure you." His voice was flat, sliding the weight back onto a rack. "But Trigon left you with little memory of who you were before opening the portal. It was...hardly entertaining."

Something about the way he said that made Raven's stomach turn. "What...what did you do - "

Slade looked back at her from the weight rack. "I did what I do best: I used you to my advantage. The Titans could scarcely believe their precious friend was still alive, even if she was no longer the girl they once knew."

Precious. Like a gemstone.

The Gem was born of evil's fire...

The world was growing cloudy. Slade's eye was splitting in two. How ironic.

Raven ground her teeth, creating pressure in her jaw. "Why are you telling me this now?"

A pause engulfed the space of the room. She saw Slade's fingers clench, shaking with suppressed emotion.

"Because, Raven, if we are to continue this arrangement, you and I need to be on equal terms."

He was already walking away, apparently done with training. Slade's voice grew fainter as the distance between them widened.

"After all, we did destroy the world. I would consider that to be quite the experience. Wouldn't you?"

.

He's just toying with you, Intelligence reassured Raven for what felt like the millionth time. Who knows if anything he says is true?

But what if it is? Timid sounded on the verge of tears. Robin said Slade led him to you. How would Slade know where you were?

That two-faced coward! Brave cracked her knuckles. He didn't even finish the fight!

"All of you, SHUT UP!"

And just like that, the emotions were silent. Raven closed her eyes, leaning her head back against the wall. She was in an empty upstairs room, just sitting on the ground while she collected herself. Raven had double checked, then triple checked every corner of this godforsaken mansion, but found no evidence of anything that could potentially harm the Titans.

Yet she could not bring herself to go back downstairs. Raven was mentally drained; she was in no condition to face Slade again.

What now?

"I'm not afraid of him," she mumbled to herself. "I'm not."

And she wasn't.

So what was she afraid of? What was this horrible, awful nagging sensation that tore at her insides?

Fine, Raven could accept the fact that Trigon had mocked Slade through her. She expected no less of her father. Nor was she angry that Slade used her as a bargaining chip for flesh and blood - Raven already knew that too.

So what was it that made her so tense about their conversation?

Immediately, Raven ruled out fear. Had it been their fight? It had been over a year since she'd fought Slade. Did the possibility of another combat session make her uncomfortable? But Raven knew that wasn't the answer before the idea was completed.

Equals.

Raven grimaced at the shadows. That was what bothered her. Slade insisted that, from now on, they treat one another as equals. Though for what reasons, Raven could scarcely fathom.

Slade claimed he had no immediate plans to harm the Teen Titans. Was this his way of making peace?

I don't think so, Intelligence coughed. Remember how he would harp about Robin and how they were similar? Maybe Slade's always considered you an equal.

"Doubt it," Raven replied, mouth twisting into a thin line. "Equals show each other respect. They don't tear your clothes and then throw you off a tower while you're unconscious."

Things are different now, Intelligence shrugged. And you are blackmailing him.

Raven blinked. Did Slade want her to be more...polite? Was he calling her behavior bratty?

Well, she supposed (birthday incident aside) he never had been blatantly rude to her. He was certainly more eloquent than Gizmo, who'd name-called all the Titans on a regular basis.

"This is pointless," Raven grumbled, fingers in her hair. "He doesn't deserve anything. He's tried to kill me."

And yet, here we are. Intelligence folded her arms.

On some bizarre level, Raven considered that, at one point and time, they were equals: they had been insignificant to Trigon, then tossed out like trash, together.

Look at me, Robin! There's nothing I can do.

It was cold in this room. Just like the rest of Slade's home, his heart.

.

Unlit, the chandelier was an eerie sight to behold. The crystals clinked ominously as Raven floated down the stairwell. Most likely, the chandelier had been beautiful, once. But now it sagged like an old spiderweb, useless and bloated, dangling from the ceiling.

Raven slowed her stride as she approached the living room. Slade was standing in front of the television, arms folded, glaring at the screen. A failed transmission message was printed in boxy, computer-generated letters across a blue backdrop, and Raven had no desire to learn who he had been contacting.

"You're clean." Her voice was kept at its usual monotone, but Raven knew the effort was wasted. The man lived to see people squirm.

And no matter what you wish, no matter where you go, no matter how you squirm...

His eye roved towards her. "Good."

There is nothing you can do...to stop it.

Raven swallowed, her throat mysteriously going dry under Slade's scrutinizing gaze. God, she hated the effect he had on her, had on everyone.

"Unlock the door," Raven said stiffly. "If you don't want me to come in without knocking, yet fail to answer when I do, then I suggest you unlock the door."

Slade moved, then, sliding in front of her. He moved like water, fluid and without a doubt.

"And why, Raven, should I comply to your request?"

Raven. Her name was silky and dark and horrifying on his lips. Raven had always been relatively fond of her title; now, she wanted nothing more than to change it.

"Because, Slade, if we're going to continue this arrangement, you and I need to be on equal terms."

And for the very first time, Raven knew from the strange sixth sense that had brought them together to begin with - Slade was smiling.