Chapter 30. Sleeping beauty.

It had been over two days since they came back. The waiting was supposed to be simple. Although both girls unconscious, one was with sedatives and medication while the other was to complete a healing trance while floating above her bed, that could vary from two to twenty four hours. But something went wrong and Raven's body dropped to the bed like a rock.

Cyborg had attached a variety of small cables on her body to monitor her trance, but suddenly the machines started going out of control. The beeping noises the machines made, woke Garfield up in panic and Cyborg came in running a few seconds later.

Her heart rate was low. Her blood pressure was plummeting and she seemed paler and colder than usual. It took a couple of hours but after replenishing her fluids and other vital necessities, she was stabilized but her healing trance never restarted.

Garfield had done everything he could to help Cyborg around, but he was so worried and distracted that he ended up just staying out of the way.

Now, it was almost twenty four hours later and still no change so Garfield had nothing else but wait. He fell sleep on the floor, turned into a St Bernard in the middle of the room, one girl on each side. Cyborg had gone to sleep a few minutes ago and dimmed the lights and almost darkness reigned in the room.

…

In Nevermore, the other emotions watched as their sister disappeared and looked around in each other's eyes silently.

"Now what?" asked Brave, just wanting to break the awkward silence.

"Now we wait" Wisdom said closing her eyes trying to resume her earlier meditation.

"Blue? You know that he's waiting out there for Raven to wake up, right?" asked Love, sitting on the sofa.

Slowly, Wisdom opened her eyes and a barely there smile appeared and nodded.

"Yes, because that creature is there as well" said Rage with a sneer.

"Now, now Red, you know he cares about her as a friend, he said as much… in fact, he told you that. Why don't you trust him?" said Love turning to her with a knowing grin.

"Is not him I don't trust… is her! And wipe that grin off your face, rage will consume him, I'll make sure of that" said Rage with glowing red eyes, glaring at the now smiling Love.

"Ok Red…whatever you say"

"What if she doesn't know how to handle it…" interrupted Brave trying to bring their attention back to the problem at hand.

"What if… she pushes him…away" Timid said, wide eyed in surprise at her own words.

"Ladies… Knowledge will know how to handle it, she just needs to talk to him or rather let him do all the talking… and no, she wont push him away Timid, not only does she know what's at stake, but also she knows how we all…" Wisdom said looking at every one of her sisters and stopping on Rage "feel about him". they all smiled.

But after a few moments of silence, they heard the birds outside. Flapping their wings scattering desperately. The emotions run to the windows and the entrance of the library and saw the motive of their fear. The shadow was approaching, touching every corner and anything "alive" would desiccate and die.

The shadow lashed at them, making them back up and gather in the middle of the room in a circle, all watching each other's back, hands glowing in their dark energy.

"I hope four eyes hurries" said Brave while two dark, razor sharp swords appeared on her hands while she took a fighting stance.

"Me too" said Wisdom the moment beams of dark energy flew everywhere from all directions, trying to destroy the threatening shadow.

…

…

The medical bay was silent except for the constant beeping of the heart monitors. It was dark except for the dim light from the screens of the monitors and well past midnight when Ravens body was softly enveloped in a dark cocoon when a ghostly image of herself levitated off the bed into a standing position on the floor, regaining solidity and taking a deep breath.

She looked down at her mistress on the bed and softly placed a hand over Raven's. that's when she noticed her cloak, then lifted a hand to her face and found her round rim glasses perched on her nose.

She quickly looked around to make sure no one else was there. Across the room was Meliah, also unconscious. Then saw a chair behind her and Raven's cloak was draped over it. Knowledge quickly walked as silently as possible and took her cloak off and placed it in a bundle under Raven's pillows and put on the dark blue one over her shoulders, pulling the hood over her head and headed to the door not noticing the big St Bernard asleep on the other side of Raven's bed.

Garfield sensed her movement and opened his eyes and saw her feet walk away cautiously towards the door. His ears raised before his head and he quickly got up and turned back human. Silently, he caught up with her and called out her name in a whisper which made her stop on her tracks right in front of the door.

He walked closer behind her while she seemed to wipe her face then hide her hands under her cloak. He gently placed a hand on her shoulder and turned her around to face him.

He look intently into her eyes and slowly open her cloak and took her hands in his while she reluctantly allowed him. Knowledge's heart was racing. She wasn't prepared for a confrontation so she said nothing and waited.

"Raven… I'm so glad you're better. That you're awake. What happened? You stopped healing and…" she interrupted him with a soft squeeze on his hand. "It's ok"

"I'm sorry for what I put you thru. I'm dumb enough to not think before I say something and didn't realized at the moment I was hurting you."

"Beast Boy, I can assure you an apology is unnecessary. You're behavior was understandable"

"I know you're mad Rae. Cy told me you've been upset while I was gone. I didn't mean to be away that long… please forgive me!" he said and kissed her hands.

"Beast Boy… she… I am not mad at you but I'm afraid right now is not the best time to discuss this for I have pressing issues that require my immediate attention" she replied with an urgent but apologetic whisper while Garfield felt her hands slip away from his.

A sudden thought crossed his mind and acted on it before even considering the consequences. The moment she turned away he pulled her back and with a swift move, coped her face with both hands and pulled her closer until their lips met. Softly, very gently his lips caressed hers hoping for a response.

Knowledge was utterly surprised at the unprecedented act and found herself considering how to respond. The sensation was agreeable, even enjoyable and when she closed her eyes and he felt her attempt to respond, one of his hands lowered to her waist and pulled her a little closer making her shiver.

…

Back in Nevermore, the shadow was closing in on them. They fought with all the energy they had left but were growing tired. Many of the birds that had made the attempt to escape, now lay dead or almost petrified around the outside of the building. Even Rage's rage didn't seem to be enough to guard them off the sinister shadow.

And suddenly, a collective gasp made them stop. A warm sensation spread inside each one making them loose concentration for a split second. Most of them looked at each other in panic, except for Love who was smiling from ear to ear almost with an idiotic expression. Rage had a smirk on her face. Timid was also smiling shyly while blushing.

"No way" said Brave with a smile while she looked down at her open hand, spread her fingers and could feel the renewed energy running thru her." four eyes has done it!"

"Not quite!, she bought us some more time but she might need help…" said Wisdom while lifting a shield over them to protect them from the now erratic attacks from the shadow.

"And who do you suggest to go next?" asked Rage sarcastically while reinforcing Wisdom's shield with her own.

"All of you… you need to get out… I'll hold them off"

"What?! You cant hold them off on your own, there are growing stronger" said Brave pulling a pillar from the side wall with her dark energy and throw it at the shadow which went thru thin air and crumbled on contact.

" They're not getting stronger but confused. Even if they get to me, they cannot affect me the same as it would on any of you. I'm not exactly an emotion but a state of mind… go now that there is time"

Wisdom commanded in such way that left no room for more discussion. One by one started to chant the same spell that took Knowledge away and one by one disappeared in a dark, spinning vortex.

..

..

It had been only a few moments before Knowledge came out of her shock and slowly moved her hands over his chest and softly tried to push him away, but Garfield didn't let go. Instead, run his lips along her jaw line and stopped on her neck. She could feel his warm breath on her skin. Another kiss on her neck before whispering "I love you".

This caused for someone in Nevermore to open her eyes in the dark and a giggle echoed nearby.

And while his head was resting on her shoulder, she could see over to Raven's bed. And there in the dim light, four ghostly figures regained their solidity against the dim light who then stopped dead at the sight. One of them with four glowing, very wide eyes in surprise.

Rage had venture to levitate closer to Meliah who was now sensing the demonic presence tenth fold and moaned in discomfort. Eyes still closed due to the heavy sedatives while the beeping of the monitors accelerated.

This caused for Garfield to make the attempt to look on Meliah's way but Knowledge quickly placed both hands on his face and with nothing else more effective she blurted out in a whisper "I love you too…"

This stopped him long enough while the others opened a portal and went thru it and disappeared , hopefully to Raven's room , she thought.

"What did you say Rae?" he said while a smile spread from ear to ear over his features.

Knowledge smiled shyly and said "I said I love you too Beast Boy"

"Garfield… call me Garfield"

"I thought Meliah was the only one allowed to call you by your real name" she said, somewhat curious. He kept on smiling.

"She only calls me that because she knew me before I ever became Beast Boy but coming from you… is special…"

Meliah again made the attempt to wake up and made a grunting noise when she moved the wrong way and she felt the shooting pain. Knowledge was still holding on to his face when he took her hands in his, kissed each one and said softly, almost apologetic "I have to make sure she's ok"

The Raven in front of him nodded with a soft smile and he turned to his left headed for Meliah's bed. The moment he reached her, the lights came on and an agitated Cyborg was at the door looking around the room. Garfield was rubbing his eyes in discomfort at the sudden brightness but when he focused again, Raven was gone.

"Hey grass stain what happened. Meliah's readings went haywire there for a second … everything alright?"

"Nothing really… I was talking to Raven and dude! She told me she loved me" Garfield said excited. Cyborg just arched his eyebrow and looked at him like he was crazy.

"That must have been one hell of a dream green bean" Cyborg said while going over the readings on the screen built in his arm.

"No dude, I'm telling you… we were talking by the door, she even kissed me back and…"

"Yo, calm down, I get it man, I get you're in love with her but explain to me how in the world did she kiss you back if she's still the same way I left her six hours ago" he said while nodding towards her bed and that's when Garfield saw her, he run next to her and held her hand. Still unconscious, still colder than usual. Without any change in the readings of her heart monitor.

"I don't understand… not even five minutes ago I was holding her, kissing her… she kissed me back, she told me she loves me…" Garfield said, dropping to his knees next to her bed. Cyborg walked next to was sad and started to worry about his green friend. He placed a hand on his shoulder and said "Dude, you're tired, you haven't left the med bay for the last three days, you barely ate and slept. Is logical for your mind to play tricks on you when…"

"But it wasn't a dream… it was real… it was real" he said softly in the end.

"Look man, all I'm saying is that you too need to rest. Both of them are fine but I'm injecting Meliah with more sedatives. Whatever made her try to wake up, also made her burn the painkillers and now she passed out from the pain. She'll be fine but she's got long ways to go, alright?… Rae is also ok, no change. Go to sleep man. I'll stay with them for the rest of the night, I'll let you know if there is any change on any of them"

Garfield was trying to get his thoughts straight. That wonderful feeling that still lingered in his chest wasn't part of a dream, it felt too real, but Cyborg's advice made him reconsider and just nodded and headed out. He was so distracted trying not to cry that he didn't notice the glasses on the floor before stepping on them.

He stopped and picked them up to examine them closer, they were dark with big round rims. All thought and memories came at once, leaving him dizzy and breathless. He had seen those glasses before once upon a time in Nevermore.

He smiled with tears in his eyes and turned back towards Raven and bent down to kiss her softly on the lips and whispered in her ear "I knew it wasn't a dream" then got up and left the med bay running, leaving a perplexed Cyborg behind.