*Hope everyone is enjoying the story! I know it's been going on for a while (understatement of the century) but I really am going to finish and finish soon! Thanks for the patience!*

As Raven, Cobra, Bear, and Vixen descended toward Jump City, they were all relieved to see the darkness that had descended. The only lights that could be seen were the electric flames they knew came from the demon hunters. Bear wanted to get a good look around before they transported and distracted their attention. He needed to see exactly what they were up against.

And it wasn't a pretty sight. The glow of demon hunters seemed to be everywhere. Raven counted silently in her head. Twenty-three. It did not seem like a lot in regards to armies she had fought before. But considering what they were, it was more than daunting. They were stationed, as Bear had predicted, around the T Tower. This was clearly their base of operation. There were three standing on the top of the tower, the leaders of the group.

"Alright," Bear whispered in a gruff voice. "This isn't going to be easy. Everyone remember the plan, and do not stray from it. We'll transport just a few feet back. Hopefully we can keep them off long enough for Raven's friends to get in there. If they don't succeed in ten minutes, you know what to do."

Everyone nodded solemnly.

"Good," Bear said. "Let's teach them what happens when you hurt the children of Trigon. Now!"

:D :D :D :D :D :D :D

Beast Boy and Cyborg sat, crouching against the hidden tunnel near the west end of their small island, watching the T Tower expectantly. Starfire and Robin had successfully shut off most of the city lights. The demon hunters had seemed confused by this, but they did not leave their posts. Beast Boy thought he would go mad if they had to wait any longer when suddenly every demon hunter in the air took off toward the edge of the city.

"Gotta act fast, man," Cyborg said. He found the secret lever that opened the tunnel and pulled it. As the rock slid away soundlessly, they ran in at full speed. The tunnel went on for about half of a mile. Beast Boy counted in his head every second. They only had ten minutes. The run took five. They were both panting as they reached the lower control room. Cyborg jogged to the computer to work his magic, while Beast Boy slumped against the wall to catch his breath.

"The computer shows one life form in the Tower," Cyborg said, typing rapidly. "And three on the roof."

"Then getting them in shouldn't be a problem," Beast Boy said, crossing the distance to join him. "How quickly can you get the defenses up?"

"As soon as I know they're in. But I can't say how much time it will give us, and we'll be trapped in here with one of them!"

"It's better than being out there with a bazillion of them!"

"Alright, here we go, I'm flashing the lights...now."

:D :D :D :D :D :D :D

Raven just caught the sight of the lights flashing in the T Tower and she dodged another bolt of electricity and shot another ball of dark energy toward the demon hunters. All of them but the three on the roof had attacked, and though the half-demons were holding their own, they were taking more injuries than they were giving.

Beast Boy! She tried to focus on finding his aura, but was a little distracted by the fight raging around her. Cobra and Vixen slammed demon hunters into each other while Bear sent three flying with their newfound energy. Beast Boy!

Raven! His voice sounded distant, but it was there. We're inside! Cyborg can get the shields up as soon as you're all in. The tunnel is your best shot! We left the door open. Collapse it as soon as you're inside and Cyborg will set up the tower's defenses.

Raven did not respond. Instead, she sent a telepathic image of the location of the tunnel to her siblings. Bear shouted, "Now!" and the four of them turned into their soul selves. As they began to disappear, a demon hunter sent a bolt of electricity into Raven's void.

The half-demons appeared in the mouth of the tunnel, and the electricity shot through and struck the cave around them.

"Run!" Raven cried. They fled inside the tunnel as the rocks crumbled down around them. The tunnel continued to collapse as they ran, dodging rocks on their left and right, until they finally ran into the control room. They all bent over for a moment, catching their breaths. Raven almost laughed. They had done it! Two demon hunters had fallen wounded, and they had reclaimed the T Tower!

But as she looked around, she realized something was wrong.

Where were Beast Boy and Cyborg?

"There's my favorite blue-haired girl!"

The four siblings jumped and turned to face the sound, only to find it was the computer screen. Cyborg's face was the only thing visible, and his surroundings were moving quickly by.

"Cyborg!" Raven cried, rushing to the computer. "What's going on? Where are you?"

"Dude!" Beast Boy's voice echoed from behind. "Let me see! Let me talk to her!"

"You've talked with her enough," Cyborg shouted over his shoulder. "I haven't even-"

"Guys," Raven interrupted. "Focus."

"Right," Cyborg said. "BB and I couldn't stick around to greet you. I put up the tower's defenses as soon as we heard the tunnel begin to collapse, but I won't be able to monitor them down there, so we are headed to the main control room. If you get your earpiece from you room, I'll be able to keep you informed on how they're holding up."

Raven smiled. Was there anything her friends couldn't do?

"Star and Robin are still outside," Cyborg continued. "And there's one more thing, Raven. There's a demon hunter in the Tower."

Raven took a deep shaky breath, but Bear pushed forward. "Just one?" he demanded.

"Yeah," Cyborg answered, a little gruffly. The last meeting between Bear and Cy had not been too pleasant. "Three are on the roof, but they won't be able to get in for a little while at least."

"After I make sure Cy gets to the control room, I'll head to the stairwell to hold them off!" Beast Boy's voice cried.

"You'll need help, changeling," Vixen said.

"Cobra, go with Raven to recover her earpiece," Bear ordered. "Vixen and I will assist the green one. Watch out for the demon hunter. Regroup with us as soon as possible."

Cy nodded and smiled. "Talk to you soon, Rae. Over and out."

His image disappeared and the screen went black. Raven led the way toward the stairwell. They climbed many flights together before Raven and Cobra departed to get her earpiece, while Vixen and Bear continued to climb to reinforce the roof door.

Cobra led the way. He had been to her room before, when he had retrieved Beast Boy to save Raven, and he would not allow her to be ahead, just in case they ran into the demon hunter. They walked at a steady speed, but were cautious and silent. Her room was just ahead, and both were feeling a sense of relief.

Then suddenly, they heard a noise ahead.

Both half-demons froze. They could not move or breathe. The noise was a sort of shuffling sound, and Raven quickly realized it was coming from her room. Cobra and Raven exchanged looks and then inched forward quietly. Raven peered around her doorway and jumped back as she recognized the form in her room as the same demon hunter who had tortured Beast Boy. She resisted the urge to dive in there and kill her immediately as Cobra leaned around her to glance in as well.

He leaned back and placed a finger over his lips and then stood and walked into the room. Raven almost raced after him to stop him, but held her ground. If he wanted her to keep quiet, then it meant he had a plan. She only could hope it was a good one.

Cobra walked into the room casually, placing his hands in his pockets, although he needed a deep breath before he could show off his indifferent demeanor.

Giselle, who stood beside Raven's drawers, rummaging through them, turned quickly at the sound of his entrance and narrowed her eyes. "Demon."

"Half, actually," he answered, looking around the room. It appeared to be boredom, but he kept a sharp eye out for Raven's earpiece. He caught sight of it on a small dresser a few feet away. He strolled across the room indifferently toward it.

Giselle's eyes widened a bit. "I know you. You one of the Dark One's brothers! The one that-"

"Yes," he cut her off flatly. "The one who read all of your memories, as you were reading mine. Makes you angry, doesn't it? You're not used to facing someone who knows just as much about you as you do about them."

Her hands lit up with ice blue electricity. "It doesn't matter what you know."

"Oh really?" Cobra asked, leaning back against the wall beside the dresser. "It doesn't matter, then, that I know about your doubts and fears that what the demon hunters are doing is wrong? It doesn't matter that I know you let me get away?"

Giselle's breathing was becoming rapid and for the first time in her life, she felt threatened and afraid. "I did not. And even if I do have doubts, they do not make any difference in this situation. And you are boring me."

"Liar. How could I have escaped, a lowly half-demon, without some assistance? When I ran, you let me go. And you're not bored. You're frightened."

Giselle's eyes lit up in anger and she raised her hand to shoot a blast of energy at him, but he did not move to defend himself and she found that she could not strike. "Fight, you miserable half-breed!"

Cobra looked at her for a long moment before he continued, "Your actions betray you. While all of the other demon hunters are in their true form, you have chosen to remain in this human form." Giselle opened her mouth to argue, but Cobra cut her off as he spoke louder, but softer. "Instead of fighting like the others, you pilfer through my sister's things. You know what you are doing is wrong. And now you are looking for something to condemn her." He looked around the room at the regular, human furnishings as he searched for the earpiece. A lamp, a clock, a bed, and that picture frame with her friends in it. He noticed it lying on the bed, directly in front of Giselle, instead of in its place on the nightstand. "But you haven't found anything, have you? You've only found more reasons to doubt."

Giselle looked down at the picture as she spoke, "The human side of her must really be good. I can believe that. Just as I can believe that the human side of you is good. That is why I let you go. All of your memories were so full of pain and sadness, but most of all love for your sis- the Dark One. The others were full of anger and hate. But not you."

Cobra took another deep breath, feeling relieved for the first time, though he did not let his pretense slide.

"But," she continued, "even if the human half of her is good, I cannot allow her to live. She is still the Dark One. She still has the potential to become the most powerful and deadly demon of all time. I cannot risk the lives of so many just to spare half of one."

Cobra nodded. "Why do you think the demon hunters are doing wrong then?"

Giselle cut her eyes back to glare at him.

"You're right," Cobra laughed. "Of course I know. You think you've grown too powerful. My siblings and I agree."

"Your siblings would kill us all."

"Well, Bear and Vixen would without a second thought, you're right. But you'd be surprised what Raven will do when she thinks she is doing the right thing. And me too."

Giselle shook her head. "I won't make a deal with a demon. What was your purpose in coming in here? Did you hope to persuade me to help you? It won't work."

"I just wanted to talk," Cobra said. "I said you'd be surprised. I don't want to kill you if you agree with us that you shouldn't be hunting us."

The demon huntress watched him, perplexed and unable to sort out her thoughts. She finally shook her head fiercely. "You're lying!"

"Ironically enough, you know me better than that," he said evenly.

She turned away from him, breathing heavily.

Cobra inched closer to the dresser and finally was able to reach out and snatch it, hiding it quickly in his pocket.

After a long moment, she said, "Get out of here. If I see you again, I will kill you."

Cobra held his ground for a few seconds, but then gave way. He walked out of the door nonchalantly, and closed it behind him. Without a word, he motioned to the stunned Raven crouching beside him to go and they headed back to the stairwell.

When they were out of ear shot, Raven turned on him. "What were you doing?" she demanded harshly. There were so many more questions she had, but she didn't know how to phrase them. Her thoughts were too scrambled. That demon hunter. She was good. But she had tortured Beast Boy! But she knew they were wrong. But she still wanted to kill her. It was all so complicated!

Taking the earpiece out of his pocket and waving it before her, he yawned. "Just taking care of you, that's all."

Raven rolled her eyes. He acted as if she could not feel his fear radiating when he was in the same room as that demon hunter. "Bear and Vixen will be upset that we did not kill her when we found her."

"Oh, I'm sorry," Cobra said, sweeping his arm back toward the room. "Did you want to do the honors?"

With a sigh, she said, "I can't kill her if she knows the demon hunters are wrong. But she didn't sound very willing to help."

"She's all talk. Trust me, I know her. She talks and acts tough, but she's really full of insecurity and doubt."

Raven looked up at her brother as a feeling of sympathy emanated from him and washed over her. In reality, she realized, he and this demon hunter were much alike. Both pretending to be strong while really full of doubt; both suspecting there is more than what they are doing, but unwilling or afraid to find out what it is. Raven knew then, although she wanted to kill her for what she had done to Beast Boy and her friends, she would not.

"Let's find the others," she said quietly. "Maybe she will be more willing to negotiate once we've defeated the rest of them."

Cobra nodded absentmindedly and the two continued on to the stairwell.