(Raven returns to the Tower...YES!!! Not only are the Titans celebrating it, but Shadow, what will he have for her? Also a special apperence from an unexpected visitor...I don't own the Titans, but for this chapeter, the joy the happiness, and terror!...Enjoy)
CH14
The bitter cold caught Raven by surprise after she was allowed to leave the hospital after many weeks doing tests and more tests… now she felt free as a bird! (Corny I know) She felt alive again, with new energy she didn't know she had, she almost cried for the sheer beauty of being alive and finally being able to be a human.
But nothing was better than being by Beast Boy's side as he lead her to Cyborg's car. Cyborg nodded in approval as he entered the drivers' seat. Every since she awoken, they haven't been separated. They felt more open to each other than they could not believe. It seemed that love seemed to conquer all, the fear the pain and hate itself.
To the Titans, who've noticed the change, they couldn't imagine Raven and Beast Boy actually being boyfriend and girlfriend! It seemed the dark, gothic Raven and happy, joker Beast Boy weren't the same people, but as lovers that are in love…even though they haven't actually made love…yet!
When Raven hopped in backseat of the car and Beast Boy closed the door and entered on the other side, she felt so relieved to be here, with Beast Boy and surrounded by her friends and to be going home… As the car zoomed off in the distanced, Raven gazed at the city, like she never been here before. The city was changing, not only as winter was near, but the whole town seemed like nothing has happened much since she was kidnapped…it all seemed strange.
Still, she felt that the happiness wasn't complete…Raven missed her brother, Edgar. She survived her biggest danger yet, and she didn't have a living family member to be with. To have their comfort and just being there was all it took to have that peace…now, that'll never be. It was like slowly thrusting a knife into your heart, but pushing it every inch, making the pain more unpleasant.
"You okay Rea?" Beast Boy asked, Raven must've shown her loneliness, or he would've asked.
"I was just thinking of my past miseries." Raven answered. Without saying another word Beast Boy placed his hand on Raven's. Beast Boy knew of her past, he knew almost everything from her. But he hadn't told the others, he couldn't, and he won't.
They didn't say a word to each other, not even Cyborg who was interested what Raven's miseries were, he kept his silence as he drove back to the tower.
In the tower, the Titans were preparing a surprise party for Raven's return. Starfire hanged up a banner across the ceiling, WELCOME HOME RAVEN!!!. While Robin and Hotspot made sure the food was ready, while Jericho and Argent blew up balloons. Everything was complete when the door to the open room opened and the Titan East came in carrying presents.
"Is Raven here?" Bumblebee said as she walked up to the table.
"No, not yet. She's barley left the hospital." Robin replied. "Good you guys could come."
"No problem, man." Speedy said. "Besides, there is free food."
"Only for you, we had to pay." Argent said, blowing up the last balloon.
"Is there fish food in it?" Aqualad asked, when the host Titans nodded no, he was reliefed. "Good. So how is she?" Even though everyone knew Beast Boy and Raven are going out now, Aqualad still liked her, but now it was more of a friendship thing.
"Raven's fine. She can't fight yet, and she has to regain her powers again. Besides that, she's fine." Robin replied. After news got to the other Titans around the world about what happened to Raven, they couldn't believe this evil. How can a human rape and torture another human? The Brotherhood of Evil was bad yes, but the Eternals make them look like average bullies.
But the biggest surprise of the day that walked in through the door wasn't expected. When the door opened up, everyone was quiet when Blackfire, Star's sister came waltzing in. No one expected an enemy to be here. (Heck, I didn't! and I am writing this story!!!)
"Hello, Titans! I am back!" Blackfire announced.
"What the hell? Why are you doing here?" Robin said finally. "You weren't invited!"
"Of course I wasn't silly! Is it a crime to support my baby sister's friend?" Blackfire said.
"Possibly. Whatever, just don't cause trouble. We have enough already." Robin said, returing back to what ever he was doing.
"I won't, because I want to join the Titans." Blackfire said, and Robin stopped dead in his track and went to gaze at her.
"Why? You framed your own sister for your crimes and tried to force her to marry and tried to take over your home world! Why should we trust you?" Robin asked walking up to her.
"From what I see, you gave Terra a second chance after she backstabbed you guys. Why not a common thief?" Blackfire responded. "And besides, stealing gets old, but beating up people doesn't. So am I in?"
Robin responded without hesitation. "We will see, after this party." Blackfire smiled and walked past him and went over to help Starfire. "This is a strange day." He said to himself and went to work.
Within a few minutes, more Titans came in; Bushido, Jinx and Flash. After a minute more came in; Pantha with Melvin, Timmy, Teether, (and Bobby too) following behind. All of them were carrying gifts and handed them to Jericho who placed them besides the couch.
"Where is she?" Pantha asked. "Or am I going to eat all of this myself."
"Cyborg's bringing her." Argent said.
"How's Raven? I hope she's gotten over that cold of hers." Teether said innocently. Pantha told the three children that Raven was sick. She didn't have the heart to tell them bad men kidnapped her and raped her. In a way that was a relief to all the Titans.
"Yeah, we miss her." Melvin added.
"But we are glad she's back." Jinx said. What is weird that Raven's evil counterpart (besides Dr. Light and Trigon) would care anything about her, now she does? "I just can't believe anything like that would happen. It wasn't like she had a choice to be who she is."
"When those Eternals arrive, I'm going to have the great pleasure of pounding them." Flash said, pounding his fist into his palm.
"I'm sure you will." Jinx replied sarcastically.
"But you don't complain when we are doing it in bed." Flash replied. Jinx turned bright red, before punching him in the arm. Flash laughed along with the others, except the children who (thankfully) don't realize what they're talking about.
Away from the party, Terra stared at herself in the mirror. Ever since Shadow came that one time in her room, she couldn't help thinking someone liked her. But Shadow hasn't seen her since that one time. Did that unexpected kiss scare him? Probably not. Shadow scared? That guy had beaten the Titans, why should he not return? Especially since Raven was coming back, it was inevitable that she should return.
"We really should stop meeting like this, Terra." A voice broke into Terra's concentration; she turned to see Shadow emerging from the shadows.
She turned to Shadow with an embarrassing glare. "Damn it Shadow don't you knock. I could've been naked or something."
"Now that is a disturbing thought." Shadow said, smiling as he stood in front of Terra. "How you're feeling?"
"Good. You?"
"Not so well. Soon things are going to change, especially between us." Shadow said, reaching his hand into his coat pocket. "I need you to deliver something to Rachel." In his hand was an envelope, with one of those old fashion seals made with candle wax and stamped with a stamp. "I need you to be my messenger and put this amongst the presents, without them knowing you're putting it there." He handed the envelope to Terra. "I trust you. If not, why did we kiss then?"
"I do, Shadow. But do you trust me enough to tell me what this letter contains?" Terra said, gripping the envelope.
Shadow didn't reply at first, as he looked at his options, to tell or not and risk this fragile "friendship" to be shattered by a letter. "Fine, it contains not my message. But it does contain a warning for her and to be ready for me." Shadow then turned away, returning back into the shadows. "Be careful, if that letter ends up in another Titan's hands besides yours and Raven's, everything is going to be a disaster."
"I will." Terra said. Shadow smiled at her before the darkness surrounded him and he was gone. Terra looked at the letter, and was tempted to open and read it, but Shadow's warning came and gnawing at her conscience. She slipped the letter into her pocket and walked out of her room and on her way to the living room.
Finally the T-car arrived at the Tower. Cyborg got out of the car while Beast Boy got out and went over to Raven's side and opened it for her. He smiled as Raven slowly got out of the car, Raven returned the smile. "Don't get use to it." She said and walked to the elevator.
In the elevator, Cyborg turned to Raven, "Happy to be home?" He asked.
"You have no idea." Raven said, and that was that.
The rest of the time was spent in silence, when the door dinged open and the trees Titans stepped out and walked down the corridor to the living area. When the doors slide open, the room was dark. Raven had a bad feeling in her stomach, and it wasn't the constant hospital food (Have you ever tried it!) when Beast Boy snapped the lights on…
"WELCOME HOME!" Every Titan in the room jumped up and cried. Raven jumped and was quiet shaken up. But in the end she was laughing and crying, with out a thing breaking up from it. Raven looked at the decorations, the balloons, the banner, and the food and pile of presents. If Raven wasn't coming home from the hospital she would've mistaken it after for her birthday.
"I just can't believe it! After everything, you want to celebrate?" Raven asked, still couldn't get over the fact the Titans actually cared.
"Of course friend Raven, we are most joyous for your recovery and coming back to the home." Star said, flying over and gave Raven a great bear hug. The Titans had warned Starfire that Raven's ribs are still broken and need to be healed, not to be crushed by her boa constructor hug.
After Star let go, Jinx (acquired) gave Raven a hug, followed by Argent, Bumblebee, Pantha, and the children Melvin, Timmy, and Teether gave her a group hug in an emotional sort of way. The guys too hugged her, but it was less emotional than the girls. Blackfire hugged her too, Raven was surprised by this, but Raven guessed everyone should get a chance to redeem themselves, no matter the crimes.
Terra had yet to go and join the others, but she took the time to finish what was asked of her. Quickly she slipped the letter between two of the biggest present. She noticed that the Titans were more concerned with Raven, so they didn't notice anything strange. So Terra went up and too hugged her, trying hard to hide what she hid in the presents.
"Let's go eat!" Cyborg announced. Everyone followed singled file to the counter were food was packed high of steaks, hamburgers, hotdogs, ribs (that's a lot of meat!) Beast Boy nearly wanted to throw up, but there were salads. Raven was first served, she took everything there was, she didn't care she's in love with a boy who's a vegan, she was starving.
Everyone chatted and ate, stories were told, jokes were laughed at, and even at Beast Boy's. If they weren't celebrating Raven's return home it seemed they were just having a party with no good reason. Raven felt back at home, she couldn't remember the last time she had this much fun with no care if she had fun or not…
"Hey let give Raven the presents okay?" Speedy said, in the next moments everyone shifted their spots and Raven was placed at the center of it.
When Speedy handed her a medium, rectangular box, wrapped in a red paper with a green ribbon and a tag that said, TO: RAVEN FROM: T.E., Raven felt acquired. "You guys really didn't have too." She said, hesitating to open it.
"Just open it, girl." Bumblebee said.
Raven sighed, with her good arm, she tore open the present and opened the box and her eyes went wide with utter surprise as she lifted up a new cloak! It was blue, but it was sown with silver threads, and the cuffs to the cloak were of a black bird a raven, with the RR drilled into the raven's chest.
"Thank you." Raven managed to say, trying hard to keep her emotions down.
"Here," Speedy said, handing another.
Raven read the tag and saw that it was from the guys, Beast Boy Robin, Cyborg, Jericho and Hot Head. She tore it open and was gazing at a nice looking book, she saw no title on the cover, when she picked it up she immediately knew it was old. Raven turned it to the spine and read…THE RAVEN by Edgar Allan Poe in gold letters. When Raven opened up to where the publishing date was and saw it was from 1845, the year it was first published. Raven had the same book that was from 1851 but she was surprised at it.
"Thanks you guys." Raven said, while the guys smiled at her.
The next presents were from the girls, Terra, Starfire and Argent. She held up a new dress, a hot red dress that was strapless, with black gloves and shoes. Raven smiled, when she read the letter that went with it, HOPE YOU PAINT THE TOWN RED! Signed the girls, T, SF, AR.
The gift from Jinx and Speedy was a black two piece bikini. Raven went bright red when she read the card to it, IF THIS DOESN"T GIVE YOU ATTENTION, TRY NUDE! The Titans roared with laughter when Raven said, "Might as well do it now to save time."
Suddenly Speedy spotted an envelope. He picked it up saw nothing one it, no name only a seal that was stamped in with the engraving of two swords crossing each other on a shield. Speedy didn't think when he handed it to Raven.
Raven studied the envelope, she didn't recognized the seal. But she opened it without regaurding that it was suspisous. She pulled out the letter, and began to read it:
To My Dear, Rachel Roth,
I hope you are enjoying you're new found freedom. Being with your friends and partying like dogs, eating and drinking and just having a blissful time! But I promise it is short lived.
For the growing darkness is coming. That everything you know, everything you love will never be the same. It will plague you; eat at your very soul as you will see that nothing will be as it is. The present darkness will consume you like a river on an peddle, and there is nothing your friends or your lover can do to save you.
The things you know from Azarath will be false. For the truth will seep into every hole in your heart, filling it with a fire burning that you can't control. You can't resist when your hearts cries with joy and pain. When your heart and soul are filled with the truth, you will want to change and you can't stop it.
I am the messenger. And I have information you won't want to ignore. Even if you did, it can't be stopped. Not until it fills the gapes of the world and world will kneel in praise and cry out, THY WILL BE DONE!
It is inevitable, we should meet. For almost eight years have I been waiting for this, three in preparing for it. You cannot deny my message, nor will you resist it. For it can't be stopped, not by you, the Teen Titans, or the Eternals themselves.
I will be coming soon Rachel, and when I do…expect the unexpected!
Your obedient deliver,
SHADOW.
Raven felt sick. She dropped the letter on the floor. The Titans were taken by surprise when she was looking like she seen a ghost. When Robin grabbed the letter and read it, his face too went pale, when he read the letter the Titans looked at each other in disbelief. Even Terra was shocked by the letter, even Shadow himself told her about it.
After that night, the Titans were preparing for the inevitable… Shadow's Message!
(Not good! Review and give your thoughts... Chapter 15 coming and its going to be big! Thank you so far, and I promise that Shadows of the Past won't let you down!)