I4.6

Chapter 46: Inscriptions

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Adult themes. DO NOT read if you are underage or dislike controversial things.

Author's Note: This chapter is brought to you by Jury Duty. Countless hours of doing next to nothing so I decided to type out this chapter while I wait.


"Bring BB back. His presence is needed here." The voice is low and groggy. The sound of someone who has slept for too long.

Richard struggles a bit to fight back the initial feelings of betrayal at the words that tumbled out of Rachel's mouth. He knows that this would be the best course of action, but his pride beats against it. He wants to believe that he, alone, can protect her from the horrors of the world, however, the inscription flickering on the monitor behind him foreshadows his own ineptitude. He could barely keep her brothers at bay during that tense fight that only lasted a few minutes.

He swallows painfully as he says, "I agree."

His eyes slowly scan his love from the top of her head to the tips of her toes. She's wrapped up tightly in a navy blue blanket that Richard recognizes as part of her bed spread. He glances down to see a pair of soft slippers encasing her feet. If he had to guess, she has changed out of his shirt and boxers before coming to the command center. This knowledge saddens him in a way that he hadn't realized that it would. How readily she is willing to shed his clothing, his scent...him. The heat of the moment drove her to kiss him first, but this relationship won't be pleasant if she keeps backtracking like he suspects she will.

"I also agree, Robin," Starfire chimes in as she comes up behind Rachel and causally lays her strong hands on slender shoulders. Richard watches with interest as Rachel allows herself to be guided to the nearest office chair. He cocks his head to the side as the alien princess stands beside her tired looking friend who is wrapping the blanket more securely around herself. "We're going to need the whole team. These...'brothers' of Raven will not be easily dealt with."

Richard swallows in an attempt to distract from the uneasy feeling in his chest. So many well laid plans...derailed by the entrance of these mysterious monsters. He had been so close to ensnaring her within his embrace. Beastboy was out of the picture, the public was on his side, Rachel may not have been as willing as he would have liked, but she was beginning to yield. It would have been better if Cyborg would mind his own business and Star just let him go, but what fun would life be without a little be of social drama? It pained him to see his schemes be so hopelessly pulled asunder. These beings are a new threat to the world and highly dangerous. If what he read on that inscription is true then they are after more than just Rachel's powers.

"Before we call BB," the dark haired young man says, "let's review what we know. We've never encountered an enemy quite like this…"

"They are Trigon's sons," Rachel quietly whispers as she stares into space. "They can do what I can do...and so much more…"

Richard can feel the frown pulling down his brow as he watches his love physically deflate right before his eyes. At first glance, many may think that she's a pessimist, especially when standing beside Starfire's bubbly personality and outlook on life, however, Rachel is as much of a realist as he is. She is constantly weighing the pros and cons of each action and their reaction. Seeing her so deflated tugs at Richard's heartstrings. No one, other than him, should have that much sway over her emotions.

It was Cyborg who voiced the question that is on the tip of everyone's tongue. "What more can they do?"

"That father of mine is…," she licks her lips as she struggles to find the right words to say. "Ambitious."

Her eyes gaze around the darkened room. Seeing but not quite taking in the troubled faces before her. "He is ambitious and as such, he made sure not to put all his eggs into one basket…"

She went silent. Still very much lost in her thoughts. Wondering how much she should say to keep them informed without over worrying them. It was Richard's voice that cut through her thoughts.

"Meaning?" he quietly inquires in a low tone with bated breath. Three pairs of eyes watch as Rachel's attention snaps towards him. Her expression is difficult to interpret but her comrades can see that a myriad of thoughts are flitting through her head as she struggles to keep her emotions in check. There is no doubt in Richard's mind that she is also recalling what transpired within his rooms. Questioning if her sensitive breasts and aching core are just the product of a vivid dream that was born from her desire to be seen and held by someone she admires.

A tanned hand reaches out and lightly rests on her shoulder. Vibrant green meets unsteady violet as the taller woman asks, "Are you well enough to share your knowledge?"

Richard watches on with a sinking feeling as a small pale hand snakes its way out of the warm blanket to rest upon Starfire's. For the life of him, he could not wrap his head around what has transpired between these two women for them to have become this close again. It was barely even three days ago when they were baring their teeth at each other's throat as they fought over who he loved more.

What could they have possibly talked about before that conference?

It doesn't really matter. It wouldn't take much to reopen the rift between them once everyone finds out that he and Rachel has crossed multiple lines of intimacy. Whatever promises that were made will come undone when the truth of what the birds have done comes to light.

"I'm not alright, Star," is Rachel's honest answer as she gives her friend's hand a gentle squeeze, "but the danger here is real and I don't have much of a choice."

"This doesn't completely rest on your shoulders, Raven," Cyborg chimes in from his seat by the computer screen. "We're your friends, who happen to be superheroes. You're like family to us and we'll do whatever we can to protect you."

"We've done it before," Richard adds, not wanting to be left out of the conversation. "We can do it again. So, tell us what you mean by eggs in a basket."

There is a sigh from the melancholy young woman before her eyes shift towards the computer screen behind Cyborg. Images of the battle play on a loop and her eyes are trained on the big brute at the center of if all. She gives her head a little shake before saying, "He's not the leader."

Richard follows her gaze as his mind replays the words "You. Us." He should know better than to question his love, but he just has to ask, "You sure? He was the one leading the chant while you were unconscious."

Rachel's eyes shift to the image of her fallen form in Richard's strong embrace before answering. "I wasn't unconscious. I heard everything. Felt everything. Even as they were draining my energy, I could hear their thoughts. Feel their excitement at the thought of their plans going off without a hitch."

"If the big one isn't the leader, then who is?" Star quietly questions as she directs her attention to the image on the screen. She hasn't had an opportunity to look at the news or really process much of their situation since she was swept up in the physical fight and then in surveying the area for damage. There had been a couple impolite questions from nosy reporters who wanted to talk about more personal matters than the monsters who attacked her friend. She brushed them off and continued with the task at hand. It was one thing to feud with a friend and fellow teammate when times are quiet, it's another to feud with them in times of danger. As angry as she is with Raven for allowing things to get this far, she did not enjoy seeing her lifeless body being thrown around while strange men suck the life out of her.

"From what I could tell," Rachel starts to clarify, "There is no real leader. Just a bunch of Trigon's offspring with a mutual goal. The one you saw leading the chant is the one who has mastered the scriptures. He may seem like the leader, but I don't think he is. He's just the most talkative. The one we really have to worry about is the one that nearly shot Starfire out of the sky."

She points to a gritty image on a part of the screen. The hand that had taken the picture was badly shaking and much of the photo is blurry, but there was no denying the strength in the alien princess' back as she tensed herself for combat. Her opponent was not as large as "the talker," but formidable, nonetheless. Richard shifts his gaze towards Star as he asks, "Is there anything that you found noteworthy while fighting him?"

Her brows pull down as she tries to remember what occurred during the hectic fight. "There were so many coming at me at the same time that I wasn't able to figure out who is who. If I remember correctly, he was the one who hung back the most. He seems to prefer a long-range fighting style."

Richard watches as the unearthly beauty ghosts her hand over her right thigh as she loses herself in thought. "His blows were painful and stung...like it was electric. I'm not sure how to explain it. It felt familiar. Like fighting with Raven, but also different."

"Why do you consider him the most dangerous one, Raven?" inquires Cyborg as he enlarges the screen. The more he blows up the image, the more pixelated it becomes.

"He is the most manipulative out of them all," she quietly murmurs her response to the attentive Titans in the room. Richard doesn't miss the glance she throws his way. He is not sure what to make of her expression. Was that realization? Accusation? Resignation? Possibly all of the above. One thing he knew for sure is that her intelligent mind is working overtime to fit the pieces of the puzzle together. This is the first time, in a long time, that he feels threatened by her insightfulness. There should still be remnants of the truth serum still coursing through her veins, but it is clear to him that she is no longer under its influence.

"Whatever you do," Rachel continues, "don't let him into your head. He's dangerously good at picking away at people's insecurities. If Dick didn't get to me when he did, I would have gone insane. The things he showed me...they were unhinged."

"But it was all in your head," Richard counters, vividly remembering her panicking at the thought that she would be the death of him. "None of those things have come to past. He only has power when you let your fears get the better of you."

Rachel swings her whole body around in her chair to face Richard. This is the first time that she is giving him her full attention since entering the room. She pleads, "This is especially true for you, Dick. You become volatile when you feel as though you're losing control!"

"Volatile!" he scoffs with offense. "I'm more rationale than that, Rachel. Give me some credit."

"Beastboy," Cyborg counters.

"What about him?" Richard asks with an edge to his voice. "Are you trying to say that I overreacted when he invaded my privacy, stole my laptop and attacked me in my own bedroom?"

"You know all of this extends before that day…" Cy attempts to defend his friend who is clearly in the wrong.

"Boys," Starfire's strong voice brings the budding argument to an end. "We don't have time to argue about who is right and who is wrong. There are dangerous men out there who want our friend dead. We need to deal with them first."

"She's right," Rachel chimes in while readjusting her blanket to make herself more comfortable. "Was there anything that you and Cyborg were able to learn while scouting the crime scene?"

Richard fiddles with the piece of fabric in his hands before handing it to Rachel. He tries not to notice how careful she is to ensure that their hands don't touch. After all the ways that they indulged in each other not so long ago, she still can't bring herself to treat him how she always has. The rational part of him understands her hesitation as she tries to figure out how much of what happened in Richard's room was real and how much of it was just a dream.

She must be so confused right now, he thinks to himself as he takes a deliberate step back to give her some breathing room. The urge to sweep her up and hold her tight pulls at his conscious. Whisking her away from all of this...from all of the others burns brightly at the front of his mind.

Rachel inspects the torn piece of cloth in her hands before glancing at Richard. "My powers are starting to return. I can feel the emotions radiating within this room."

Her gaze lingers on Cyborg before resting on Starfire who has come to stand in front of her friend to also investigate one of the few clues the team has. "I can feel everyone's worry and anxiousness. Whatever happens in the future, I just want to say that I appreciate each and every one of you who are here...and Beastboy, too."

"I don't like the way you're talking, Raven," Cyborg chimes from his seat. His brows are furrowed in concern. "Those sound like the words of a woman who is about to do something...questionable."

"They…" Rachel stops and swallows as she attempts to collect her thoughts and emotions. "I know that I haven't always been easy...to get along with. To know. To trust."

Violet eyes dart towards the alien princess who crouches down so that she can be face to face with her friend. Richard is genuinely surprised by the action and has to remind himself to control his expression. There are other eyes in this room, but for the life of him, he could not figure out what these two women could have said to each other to reconcile quite like this. He knew that Rachel had been late to their press conference but had thought that it was just nerves keeping her away from the podium. He idly wonders who reached out to who first. Was it Rachel? The guilty party who seduced him by just existing in his life? Or was it Starfire? The jilted woman who may have been worried about her sinking reputation and popularity in the public eye? Did they strike a deal with each other? If so, what kind of pack did they make? Starfire did mention that his beloved told her that he makes her uncomfortable, but Richard couldn't really fathom why. Everything that he has done so far has been with her best interest in mind. Her best interest is their best interest. Why was she having such a difficult time understanding that?

"Raven," Starfire's voice shakes Richard out of the game of 21 questions that is playing in his mind. "None of us are easy. But we know you and we trust that you have good intentions in your heart…"

"Not always, Star," Rachel admits. "I'm not that...good."

"Oh! But you are," her friend states with conviction. "I know that we have had our misunderstandings recently, but I don't think you're a bad person. Or that you mean to hurt people."

Rachel shakes her head and glances at Richard again before saying "That's not true. I'm not strong enough to be as good as you think I am. I've been weak in the past...and I'll probably falter again in the future."

The empath's peek towards the young man standing in the shadow of the room didn't go unnoticed by the alien princess. "What happened while we were gone, Raven?"

She looks down at the fabric that she is holding in her hand but doesn't realize what it is and what it represents. Her eyes flutter close as she parts her full lips to speak. "I…"

"Are you referring to the dream you told me about?" Richard interjects in a desperate attempt to stop her from sharing what transpired between them from before. He knows that his teammates won't see that heartfelt moment between the two birds for what it was. A moment of vulnerability and bonding. With the way they've been behaving the last few days, they would probably think that he was taking advantage of her. Richard is logical enough to recognize that his actions scream predatory, but intentions matter and he has never intended to hurt Rachel in un-pleasurable ways.

"What dream?" inquires Cyborg.

"Rachel told me, as she was falling asleep on my bed," Richard answers for her while ignoring the pained expression on his teammates' faces. "That those monsters gave her a premonition of my death."

"Is this true, Raven?" Starfire gently asks the young woman in her crouching position. "Did they give you a vision?"

Rachel swipes at her eyes before pulling the blanket closer around her body. She nods yes before adding, "It wasn't just Dick's death. In the vision, I was the one who kills him...me. With my own powers...I…"

The lights within the command center begin to flicker as Rachel's emotions become more erratic. Before Richard can do or say anything to ease the turmoil that his beloved is experiencing, Starfire gently pulls the distraught young woman into her strong embrace. She coos into her ear words of comfort. "Shhhh...It's ok...It'll be ok. The vision isn't real...the future is not set in stone…"

Both men in the room look on, one with genuine affection and the other with intense criticality, as both women find comfort within each other's arms. The behavior that Richard is witnessing is a far cry from what it was yesterday or even this morning. He is baffled and a small twinge of fear blossoms in his heart and begins festering in his mind. He had did so much and worked so hard to isolate Rachel. To make her depend on him for the bulk of her emotional support that seeing her like this makes him very weary. What if she's able to rekindle what he worked so hard to destroy?

"I can feel your fear, Dick," Rachel sniffles as she pulls away from Starfire. "I don't want to kill you. I'll do everything in my power to keep you alive and away from those bastards."

"I don't believe that you would," Richard chimes in as he tries to bury his fear for her sake. The terror he feels in his heart is not because of her siblings, but because of their teammates. He gives a reassuring smile as he continues with, "even if they did manage to put you under a spell. You're too resilient for that."

"I hope you're right," she says with doubt in her voice. "For all of our sake."

"Remember, Raven," Cyborg says. "You're not in this alone. We are your teammates, we are your friends, we are your family. Even though you may share blood with our enemies, we care about you. We want the best for you. We can work together to overcome these obstacles like all of the other ones."

Starfire begins to say something, but is abruptly cut off by the sound of an incoming call on the Titan's system. The face flashing on the screen is a familiar green color and rush of relief floods everyone's face, except for Richard's. He watches as Cyborg scrambles to accept the changeling's call.

"Yo! BB," Cyborg greets him. "Man, am I glad to hear from you!"

"What the heck is going on over there?!" the young man practically screeches from the other side of the screen. "I heard that the city was attacked! It happened just after I left."

"It's true...," Cy responds, but it cut off by the over exuberant Titan.

"How is Raven?" he asks, "Is she okay? And Starfire? I saw clips of the fight on the internet. It looked brutal."

"They're both here," the metal man answers, "safe and sound...for now."

Rachel gathers the extra layers of her blanket and lets Starfire help her out of her seat. Both women come to stand behind Cyborg so that they can clearly see Beastboy and he can clearly see them. Richard is the only one left in darkness. The feeling of isolation creeping in as his brain is struggling to process these rapid fire changes in events.

"How are you BB?" Rachel croaks before clearing her throat. Richard's eyes hone in on the back of her head as he tries to assess what she might be feeling. Her voice was working perfectly fine a minute ago. Why get all choked up now?

"I'm not what's important right now, Raven," the changeling responds, "you are. You're looking kinda banged up."

Rachel nods. "I am. It's been one...surprise...after another."

Richard cocks his head as he pays special attention to her tone and the stress on the word "surprise." She was probably referring to their intimate moments while she was intoxicated on the truth serum. No doubt that her groggy mind is attempting to piece together the hazy puzzle of her memories. How much of that was real and how much of it was just wishful thinking? Did she think that it wouldn't have happened if Beastboy was there? That Richard would ever have considered him a deterrent? He could have laughed at the ridiculousness of it all.

He finds himself taking a step forward to assume his role as leader of this imploding team. He comes to stand behind his beloved Rachel. He can feel her body tensing to his proximity and to her credit, she doesn't step away from him. As tempted as he is to lay both of his hands on her shoulders, he doesn't want to trigger a reaction from her or their teammates. They already think that he has taken advantage of her while they were away and if she were to pull away from him now, it would only confirm it.

"Hello Beastboy," Richard states as he leans a bit over Rachel's shoulder so that his face can be in frame. "I hope you've been doing well."

The changeling's look of concern for his friend quickly sours. It is clear that he is still unhappy with the decision to send him away. "Robin….or should I say Nightwing? Isn't that what you're calling yourself now?"

Richard winces a little at the subtle jab. His great debut as an independent hero has been marred by the appearance of Rachel's brothers. His failure to protect her in her moment of need will always live as a stain on his name. He will protect her. Even if it kills him...or someone else. He will keep her safe. He must redeem himself in her eyes...in his own eyes.

"That's not what's important right now, BB," Richard gently chides. "There's a new menace in our city and it's after Rachel. They are as powerful as she is and as cunning as Slade."

The arrogant young man sighs before swallowing his pride and placing a hand on Rachel's shoulder. "I know that we have had our issues...and even came to blows over them. However, as the leader of the Titans and as a concerned teammate, I am asking that you return to the Tower to help me protect Rachel."

Green eyes glow through the screen as Beastboy assesses his words. His eyes taking in the hand on Rachel's shoulder. The empath's lowered gaze and defeated posture. The changeling didn't need to be in the room to feel the tenseness in the atmosphere. Something has happened and he has a sneaking suspicion about what it could be. As much as Richard likes to paint the young man as an idiot, he is incredibly initiative when it comes to affairs of the heart. He may not be able to express them properly through words, but he just seems to know. Something is terribly off.

The changeling huffs, "I see you haven't changed much, Robin. Oh! I'll definitely be back...but I'm not sure if I can leave right away. This team is a bit more put together than our own, but one of their own is severely injured. Like missing a limb, injured. How long do you think these dudes will stay quiet for?"

Rachel shakes Richard's hand off of her shoulder before providing an answer. "I think we're clear for a few more days. I'm only useful to them when my powers are at its strongest. They'll be waiting for me to replenish myself before the next ambush."

"Hmm…" Beastboy says as he rests his hand on his chin. "So, they're ambush predators?"

"That seems to be their style," Rachel supplies. "They are hesitant to take me on face to face because they don't want me expending that kind of energy in a fight. They'd rather hold me down and take it from me so surprised attacks are the way to go."

"Then it doesn't sound like they want you dead," Starfire adds. Her eyes are trained on Richard's reaction to the conversation being had between the two youngest teammates. There is something in her gaze that he can't quite read and he finds that it makes him nervous.

"Not yet," Rachel agrees. "Not until I've fulfilled my purpose."

"What do they think your purpose is?" Cyborg asks.

Richard watches as his love licks her lips in preparation for her lies. How does one even begin to describe the horror that is documented within that small inscription?

"They want to use her like Slade did," Richard offers. "When he was under the influence of Trigon. They want to use Rachel's body as a portal to unleash Trigon into this world."

Violet eyes meet blue-gray as both birds come to a silent agreement. "Yes. They want to use me as a portal."

"But I don't get it," chimes in Beastboy from the brightly lit screen. "If they also have Trigon's blood running through their veins, then couldn't they just use themselves as portals? Why would they need Raven specifically?"

Richard glances at that inscription on the screen again. "I'm not sure. My guess is that they won't make good portals."

"Raven," Cyborg calls. "Can you translate what's on this screen?"

Tired violet eyes scan over the image the metal man has magnified on the computer. A bitter smile tugs on her lips as she mumbles something under her breath. "...like mother, like daughter."

"Huh?" Cy asks. "What does it say?"

"I can't read all of it," she says louder. "Much of this is older than what I'm used to. I'll need more time to translate it."

Richard is better at reading in between the lines than his teammates. What she means is that she needs more time to process the fate that is laid out for her on that scroll. These demons are determined to bring Trigon down on all of their heads one way or another. There are many ways to use a woman's body as a portal. But something about the whole set up doesn't seem right to Richard. Why would they just let her go instead of whisking her away when they had the chance? What if Trigon isn't their ultimate end goal?

"Send it to me," Beastboy interjects. "There's a wicked librarian here that specializes in languages. He might be able to break the code."

"No offense, BB, but this isn't a simple foreign language...or even a dead earth language," Richard says while attempting to downplay his snobbish tone.

"You don't think I realize that, Robin?" the changeling demands from the other end of the line. "I know damn well the inscription isn't from earth, but this team's librarian isn't from earth either! He knows things...I bet he knows some things about Azarath too!"

"It couldn't hurt," Cyborg chimes in as he clicks away on his keyboard. "The more people we have looking at this the better."

"The safety and security of this docu…" Richard begins.

"Yea, yea, yea. I know. Just send it. It'll be for his eyes only," Beastboy states. "What are you guys going to do now?"

"Our next steps are to fortify our home," Starfire states. "We cannot let them get to Raven, especially not in the sanctity of her own dwelling."

"I agree and since Raven is pretty confident that they won't come for her tonight, I'll booster the surveillance and motion detectors outside the home before taking a power nap. I'm beat. Tomorrow I'll install the new electromagnetic readers. Any sort of energy used would be captured by them." Cyborg says.

"I'm feeling a bit better now that I've rested a little," Rachel adds. "I'll go around reinforcing the charms and protection spells within the Tower. If our earthly protections fail, these spells should alert us to their presence."

Richard nods in agreement. It feels good to have something tangible to do besides chewing on his nails. "I'll go with you Rachel. I don't feel too great about letting you move about without someone to accompany you."

"I'll go with her," Starfire intercedes while moving to stand beside Rachel.

"You don't have to, Star," Richard says through clenched teeth. He's anxious to talk to Rachel privately. There are so many things that need to be discussed that he's practically bursting at the seams. "Aren't you as tired as Cyborg? You should eat something and take a quick nap too."

"I think not, Robin," she sternly says. "What I think Raven needs the most of, right now, is a friend."

Richard tries not to laugh in the princess' face. "And you think that 'friend' is you? Weren't you the one who was…"

"Enough."

The tone was stern and unexpected coming from the petite woman standing in the middle of the two taller Titans. "I'm not a chew toy that you two can fight over. I'm going alone."

"I think not," Cyborg says. "You're at your most vulnerable alone. Take one of us with you."

Storming violet eyes scan the faces of the 3 members who are looking at her expectantly. As much as she wants to argue, she knows that there is truth in their words. A breach of the Tower would be particularity dangerous. A violation like that under one's own roof would destroy any sense of safety the team has within their home.

"Star."

With a whirl of her blankets, Rachel is about to storm out of the command center, but not before Richard notices that she's still wearing his shirt and boxers. A slow smile tugs at the corner of his lips. She hasn't completely thrown him away in favor of someone else. She's still wearing the clothes that carry a mixture of their scents. If BB was here, he would lose himself to jealousy and, possibly, rage.

"Oh! Wait Raven!" Cyborg calls to her again. "Before you go...I'd like to take a blood sample. For testing. I want to cross reference it with the blood that we found at the site. To make sure that they really are your siblings."

Richard feels his heart drop as he hopes that the metal man won't test for everything…


This plot is getting thicker than grandma's gravy...

I would like to say thank you to everyone who has stuck by and continued to read this story over the years. It is slow going and updates are as sporadic as the acne on my chin, but I am invested in finishing this tale. We are approaching the climax, both figuratively and literally. Teehee. I hate to say it, but maybe I need more jury duty time?

HAPPY NEW YEAR! I hope 2024 is full of happiness and opportunities for everyone. ;-)