A/N: Sorry for the insanely long wait. Its been rpugh lately. I still have tons of ideas for this season and I hope you like it. Please leave a review if you guys can and let me know what you think!
The Titans stood as Galfor finished the horrific story he had been witness to. They looked from one to the next all thinking the same thing... Starfire's life is on the line.
Raven stepped forward towards Galfor and spoke up to understand better what they were up against.
"So if this is war... Do we have a plan?" Her dark tone carried a hint of urgency like she wanted to end this as fast as possible but even she knew this could be something that dragged on for weeks if not years.
Galfor smiled down at the small teen as if he admired her eagerness to finish this war and save his darling princess.
"I like you, young one," he said with a warm tone like that of concerned father, "but plans don't usually go the way you want them to in a war. Our only course is to strike hard and strike fast before they can lay a finger on my bumgorf," he put a hand on Raven's shoulder letting her know she wasn't the only one feeling the dread of what was coming in her heart. He had actually been feeling it for quite some time. He only wished the day hadn't come so soon, "our army is preparing to move. We have been preparing for this for some time... but I fear we may not be fully ready."
"Doesn't matter to us," Cyborg stepped in speaking softly with confidence, "ready or not... we are gonna take them down," he slammed his fist into his opposite palm as if crushing an imaginary enemy in his hands.
"No one comes after Star without a fight from the Titans," Beastboy add.
"When will your army be ready to move?" Raven said feeling her adrenaline beginning to race as her teammates words inspired her further.
Galfor removed his hand from Raven's shoulder and looked around the room from Titan to Titan. They all seemed a bit bigger and more intimidating than he last remembered them. It made his grin grow even wider.
"Ha! We'll be ready by daylight!" He then began marching past them with a burning passion for justice. After all this time he would see his beloved rulers avenged. He led the Titans back to the entrance of the tomb and looked back at them before opening the massive door, "sleep well tonight, my friends," he said with all sincerity, "eat a large meal as if it were your last! We might not be coming back from this fight but this war will end one way or another... and by the end of it I will see my true Grand Ruler claiming victory once more!" He threw his hands at the massive door and started to force it open with all his strength.
The light of the hallway broke through the crack of the door illuminating the tomb, shining a light on the Titans faces as if they had some kind of hope to win this battle...
They had never been in a conventional war between nations and peoples before. The only one who had was Cyborg when he had been summoned to the past and hailed as champion in barbaric times. But that was nothing compared to this. Even he didn't know what to expect.
To all of the Titans it sent a number of thoughts into a mad dash as the images raced through their minds. The worst of the worst situations kept reoccurring in their imagination over and over...
A loud and obnoxious dinner was held later that night. All of the Tamaranians viciously attacked their meals as if fighting for scraps during a famine. The Titans sat at the table with no appetite as they continued to mull over their thoughts and the table manners of this distant planet didn't help their stomachs at all.
When the feast ended they were led to their own respective rooms. Terra took the first one and across from her on the other side of the hall was Cyborg. The next room down from Cyborg was Raven's room and across the hall from her was Beastboy's room that was next to Terra's room. All four made a square of guest rooms in this luxurious alien palace.
Terra laid in bed on her side gripping the blankets tight pulling them under her chin. The fabric of her sheets and pillow were so soft it astounded her. She didn't expect such a luxury on this harsh planet. The room was so elegant that it screamed of royalty. A fancy desk with a decorated mirror sat across from her where she lay. she wondered if the other rooms were this nice or if she just got lucky. Either way, she was stuck in a tug-of-war between enjoying the hospitality she's been shown and the fight ahead of her. it made her feel uneasy and she didn't know if she could sleep even with the surreal amount of comfort her bed was giving her.
Cyborg sat at the edge of his bed thinking hard about the next day. He prepped his armor over and over, double, triple, and quadruple checking his sensors, weapons, gear and circuits to make sure nothing would fail him tomorrow if things went off the rails... which they always do. He went over it so many time his mind grew fatigued and he finally laid down to rest before the next insane war he had to fight.
Raven was laying on her back staring up at the ceiling. Just like the others she had thoughts racing through her mind. It isn't the first battle she's ever been in but its a battle unlike any other she's had to fight. This was a war in the literal sense of the term... and in war... people die all the time. The thought was horrifying to her.
She had just gotten another chance at life. She had just started getting used to this life and controlling her emotions in a healthy way. To go through everything she's been through only for it to end so abruptly... It troubled her mind deeply. She thought about Beastboy. How she wanted to carry on with life by his side. Then the worst thought occurred to her...
What if I lose HIM in this battle?
Her head propelled off her pillow in a frenzy. It rattled her. What would she do then? What would she do if she lost any of them? What would life be like? Her heart began to pound in her chest giving her a sense of anxiety.
She closed her eyes and took a deep breath to try to calm herself, "calm your mind," she said to herself in a soothing voice, "you will protect him. You will protect all of them. Together you will save Starfire." She spoke these words as if trying to speak it into existence. But the doubt still remained. Wars are unpredictable. Anything can happen. She opened her eyes and stared at the door infront of her as if trying to look through it at the other door across the hall...
Beastboy lay in his bed as well. He stared at the ceiling with his arms wrapped around the back of his head like a pillow. His mind lost deep in thought. Clouded with worst case scenario situations that made him quiver as the time ticked away. He couldn't help but think this whole thing seemed like it was just some bad dream. How could any of this be even remotely possible in today's world? As he went over the images in his mind he began to think about Raven. How is she handling this? How are the others handling it? He always felt like the weakest one on their team and if this was an all out war... Would he be holding them back? Would he be the one that possibly gets them killed because of his lack of strength? His mind was plagued with these thoughts like a poison that slowly kills your spirit. He was about to tell himself that he should stay out of this until a soft knock at his door nearly made him jump out of his skin...
He shot up to a seated position on his bed as the echo of the soft knock subsided around his room.
"Uh, yeah?" Beastboy said confused, wondering who it was at his door.
"Gar, its me," the voice was unmistakable, his girlfriend was on the other side of the door, "can I come in?"
Beastboy's eyes widened as he stared at the closed door hiding a gorgeous woman behind it. He was curious what made her come to his room with everything thats going on right now, "O-of course," Beastboy stuttered from shock.
The door handle clicked and the door made for royalty swung open softly revealing the pale skinned beauty Beastboy adored so much. She entered the room and closed the door behind her, without ever turning from him. With her back against the door she softly pushed it until she heard the handle click behind her.
"Whats up?" Beastboy asked cautiously, "can't sleep?"
Raven stared at him and walked sharply across the room to where Beastboy sat on the bed. She didn't speak. She didn't give any hints or signals as to what she wanted to say. She marched straight towards her boyfriend...
"Are you ok-hm?!" Beasyboy was taken by complete surprise. He was about to ask her if she was ok... but instead she basically attacked him with her love... silencing his lips with hers.
Raven pressed her lips against his with her eyes closed and a bright red blush filling her face. She aggressively pressed her body against his, forcing him to fall backwards on the bed where she ended up straddling his waist as she continued to kiss him deeply and passionately.
Beastboy slowly wrapped his arms around her waist unsure of what to do... This came out of nowhere and he's never seen this behavior from Raven before. He was wading into uncharted territory at this point. Yet it seemed eerily familiar... Like the time she threw her arms around him after Malchior broke her heart.
After a long moment in this tangled embrace, Raven finally pulled her lips away from his and stared into his eyes just inches away from his face as her own face remained flushed with a shade of red. Her eyes held a soft and vulnerable look as if she were begging him to understand why she basically threw herself at him. After a long moment of silence as they burned the image of each other into memory, Beastboy managed a whisper...
"Raven..." He said softly as he looked into her eyes. He could see the soft vulnerability she was showing him. It was a look he had never seen before. As much as he accepted and understood her feelings in this moment... he still didn't understand what it meant completely.
Raven could sense she needed to explain but she was glad she wasn't being judged or misread by the man she lay on top of. She decided to start explaining in a soft tone...
"What if..." She began, "what if the worst were to happen tomorrow?" She said lowering her chin and closing her eyes, "there's still so much I want to do... So much I haven't done yet," she spoke as if she were referring to both of them, "what if I lose you?" She opened her eyes to meet his in order to clarify, "not like how I've lost you before where I could find you again... But like... how I almost lost you after..." She was slow to finish because she knew it was partially her fault, "after..."
"After Slade almost killed me?" Beastboy finished for her making sure to ignore the fact Raven was the bait for him at one point.
Raven closed her eyes, turning her head away from him and she nod once to confirm that was her fear. She had watched his heart stop in the medical ward at the Tower after Slade baited him into a trap and it nearly killed her along with him. She was so helpless in that moment. She couldn't do anything to save him. What happens if she couldn't save him this time around as well?
Beastboy's heart sunk. It was exactly what he feared. He would just be holding them back. Just another thing for them to worry about. It broke his heart and wounded his spirit.
"If you really think I'm not cut out for this... I could always stay behind..." Beastboy admit, thinking thats what she wanted to hear.
Raven's eyes wide and she turned her head towards his whipping her velvet hair around from the force of her movement.
"NO!" She yelled in desperation. Her face drained its blush and she went pale. Raven then calmed herself and softened her eyes once more, "I can't do this without you," she said softly. It sounded as if she drew most of her strength and will to fight from her connection to Beastboy. She relied on him more than she thought, "I need you..."
Beastboy's eyes widened and his jaw dropped slightly. It was only now he saw just how much he was depended on. The raw emotion coming from Raven was so powerful he didn't need to be an empath like her to feel and understand them. But what she said at the end hit him hard. Not because its what he had always wanted to hear from her... or anyone for that matter... but because he could tell she meant it in more ways than one. Which meant more than anything to him.
"Don't worry Rae," Beastboy said with a new sense of confidence, "I won't let anything happen to you. Or to our friends. Or to Star. We'll win this war. We'll get her back." He said aggressively. He spoke like it was an already done deal and nothing could stop them.
This new found confidence Raven had awoken in Beastboy radiated off of him like a fire. Raven could feel it so intensely that her blush returned to her. It was incredibly attractive to her and it made her feel so safe and secure. It was still new to her, but she wanted make sure she wasn't crossing any boundaries... She laid her head on his chest and let her emotions speak for her...
"Please..." She said softly, "let me stay with you tonight." It was more of a demand. As if she needed to sleep next to him. To feel the warmth of his body wrapping her in a safe shield. His arms around her, pulsating with a heart beat she couldn't live without.
Beastboy wrapped his arms tightly around her as if reading her mind. He held her as if he would never let her leave...
"You have no idea how long I've wanted to hear you say that."
