*All I have to say is, poor Raven. Please R&R*

*For Joel*

Awakening

It was cold; ice cold. The floor beneath her was like ice, and she didn't dare open her eyes.

She had been awake for a few minutes now, but the moment she felt something cold around her neck and around her ankle, she froze. Fear crept its way into her heart, causing her to stay as still as possible. Where was she? What had happened? That was when she remembered him.

Kilowatt.

She squeezed her eyes shut tighter, feeling resentment toward the man. He was the reason she was in this foreign place. It was all his fault…and now, she had no idea what to expect in this place. She shuttered silently.

A low voice pierced the deafening silence. "I know you're awake, Raven."

Her eyes snapped open and she was greeted with the sight of white washed walls and a single mattress on the ground. She sat up and looked around. She sat upon light grey tiles. To her horror, she saw a metal chain around her ankle. The chain led to a lock in the middle of the small room. Her heart raced as she felt around her neck. She let out a cry of anguish as she felt the smooth metal of a collar.

"Do not even think about trying to escape," the voice said blankly.

Her eyes scanned the room, landing on an intercom in the corner of the ceiling. She cleared her throat. She noticed she was no longer wearing her white cloak, but simply a thin cotton hospital gown. She shuttered as she wondered who it was that changed her. "Where am I?" she asked shakily.

"You have been checked in to Arkham Asylum," the voice answered.

Her heartbeat quickened and her eyes widened, having remembered hearing about this place. She looked around, unsure of what to do.

"Do not think of escaping," the voice repeated. "There is only one exit located in the room. The walls are infused with a dark magic, just as, if not more, powerful than yours. You will not be able to phase through the walls, if you manage to gain that much of your power."

Raven started shaking. She closed her eyes and tried to pry the collar off.

"Raven, do not try to remove the collar," the voice said sternly.

She was panicking, not even paying attention to the warning. She continued to struggle, her breathing becoming hitched in the process.

"If you fail to cooperate, I will be forced to use shock."

The sorceress bit her lip, not bothering to stop. She was determined to get it off of her, and determined to escape.

"I warned you," the voice said.

A high pitched sound forced Raven to cover her ears and just before she could question anything, she felt an electric current traveling down her body. Her eyes widened and she screamed, feeling pain run its course through her veins.

Her body shook and she was forced back to the ground. It was unbearable, and her screams reverberated within the walls of her white prison. "Stop! Please!" Her body jerked left and right. She was losing the feeling in her fingertips and just before she thought it was the end, the shock subsided. She lay on the floor, in pain, and in fear. Her teeth chattered and her body continued to shake.

"If you do not listen, or if you try to use your powers in any way, you will be shocked. Do you understand, Raven?"

The former didn't answer out loud, but instead, nodded. Her eyes were wide and she stared up at the ceiling, watching the light overhead.

"Good." With that being said, the speaker was cut off, leaving Raven alone.

She lay motionless on the ground, afraid to move. Her thoughts were all over the place. How did she get here? She remembered the events that took place last night and everything pieced together.

Kilowatt never wanted to help her. He only wanted to help himself. Tears formed in her eyes as she realized that he never cared for her. "He did this…" she breathed.

How could she have trusted him? She knew nothing about him, yet she used up all of her energy to create a portal for him, and for what? She was in Arkham Asylum, and he was the one to blame.

She sat up slowly, her body still shaking. Her fingertips felt the smooth metal of the shock collar. Her eyes trailed down the metal chain on her ankle. She let out a cry of anguish and hugged her knees to her chest.

"I don't want to be here," she cried to herself. She crawled toward the mattress and climbed on top of the white bedding.

She lay on her side and rested in a fetal position. She shook her head, resenting everything about her life.

She resented her 'friends'. Her mind had played a malicious trick on her and now she couldn't fathom the idea of them ever existing. She blinked as she recalled her memories with them. They were too good to be true. She knew this, but she went along with the act anyway. She wanted to back away and be left alone, but they drew her in with fake promises of friendship and security. Being alone for most of her life and being forced to withdraw from her emotions on a daily basis made her lonely. When she created the titans, she was simply trying to cheer herself up and distract herself from the painful truths of reality. It worked. But of course, everything that seems promising comes to an end at one point.

After they all disappeared, she decided to try and go back to Azarath, but she didn't have the strength to leave earth, for she felt rooted there. She felt if she left, she too would waste away. It was a silly way of thinking, but she couldn't help herself. This was the only home she ever knew.

Checking herself into the hospital was probably one of the best decisions she ever made, or so she thought.

At first, the staff treated her with warmth and kindness. However, despite their efforts to try and make her open up, she closed herself off. For all she knew, she made these people up as well and if she allowed herself to feel attachment, they would disappear as well.

She closed her eyes and felt warm tears glide down her cheeks. Was Kilowatt even real? If he was here, which deep down she hoped, would he come for her? She sobbed as she concluded that he would simply forget about her. There was no doubting the images she saw in his mind. It was someone else; someone who meant much more to him than she herself could ever be.

She placed a hand over her chest and felt the beating of her heart. She was still alive, but she didn't feel it. Her heart ached, knowing her supposed friend had abandoned her. She didn't hear him once call out for her today, and he usually always did.

Her eyes opened slowly as she started wondering if maybe the staff here did something to prevent her from receiving his calls, or sending her own.

She remembered the warning she received about not using her powers. She didn't dare want to get shocked again, so she didn't bother.

"What should I do?" she mumbled to herself. She looked at her hands and they appeared to be a sickly grey color.

With a heavy sigh, she placed her hands back on the mattress. She closed her eyes and made the decision to stop thinking about Kilowatt, or any of the other figments. No, she would just waste away here. After all, she was just the empty shell of the person she used to be. Nothing mattered anymore.

She cried softly and started erasing the images in her head.

Robin…when her imagination seeked council and leadership. She created him to help her find a sense of direction. He was the voice she heard in a silent room, guiding her and helping her to make the right decisions. He was gone…never to have ever existed.

Starfire…when her imagination seeked reassurance and warmth. She created her to help her find encouragement from her dark past. Starfire was the bundle of joy who taught her that it was okay to be different and rather than to shy away from it, you must embrace it. She, too, was gone…

Beast Boy…when her imagination seeked relief and acceptance. She created him to help her find comfort from her demeanor. He was the one to try and make her smile, even though her outlook on life was a gloomy one. He was gone as well…

Cyborg…when her imagination seeked support and growth. She created him to help her learn new things about herself. He was always willing to lend her his shoulder and prove to her that she would always have someone to lean on, even if she didn't want to. He left her alone, just like the others…

She let out hushed tears as she remembered Kilowatt. He was…created when she seeked hope. That's all he was…he was just a final attempt to try and bring her back to a false reality. He was the beacon in her dark world, trying to direct her out of her mental prison. She followed it, feeling his influence blossom up in her like a Lily in the fall. But the moment she allowed herself to open up, the light was gone. He was gone. Just like all others…he was never there…

Her head started to clear up as she made these harsh conclusions.

"They're not real…they're not real…they never were…and they never will be…"

She chanted this to herself as she stared at the ceiling. Her eyes slowly becoming duller and duller. Her hands relaxed against the mattress as well as her legs.

"They're not real…they're not real…they never were…and they never will be…"

She was repeating the process she began years ago when they first disappeared. Now that…Kilowatt had brought her back to that time again, she had to cleanse herself all over again.

"They're not real…they're not real…they never were…and they never will be…"

Her heart continued to beat, and her breath started to even out as she did so. It was no longer shaky like it was in the beginning. Finally, it seemed like she was going back to normal. No longer would she have to deal with the figments being real. No longer would she have to deal with false statements or promises. Finally…she could waste away in peace, knowing she'll always alone.

They're not real…they're not real…they never were…and they never will be…"