Fan Fiction ❯ InBetween ❯ Troubled Hearts ( Chapter 1 )

PART 1-TROUBLED HEARTS

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Raven walked silently into her room after a hard day's training. She wasn't even remotely exhausted, as she had claimed to be, but she just wanted some time to herself. She knew it was wrong to lie to her friends, but she couldn't tell them the real reason she always retreated to her room after training. A year has gone by since their confrontation with Slade. The time had brought many changes to the team. Not only physically, but emotionally, too.

Raven threw herself onto her bed and tried to tame the raging sea of emotions that was flowing through her veins. She had always suspected that she had some feelings for her leader, Robin, but only recently were they confirmed. She growled, throwing her pillow across the room.

"Why am I acting like this?" she muttered, "What the hell is wrong with me?"

"Raven, are you in there?" a feathery voice said from the hall.

"I'll be out in a bit Star," Raven replied, "I'm just going to take a shower."

"Alright," Starfire said.

Raven waited until she could no longer hear her footsteps before she grabbed a towel and walked out of her room. She entered the bathroom, making sure the door was locked, and turned on the water. She washed quickly and stepped out of the shower. She dried and reached for her clothes, only to find air.

"Shit!" she exclaimed. "I must've forgot them…"

Wrapping the towel tightly around herself, she poked her head out the door. Looking left and right, and seeing nobody in the halls, she walked out of the bathroom. As soon as she shut the door behind her, she broke into a sprint. Clutching the knot in the towel so it wouldn't come undone, she ran even faster. She reached her door and sighed. She put her hand on the knob and turned- it was locked.

Raven growled in frustration. "Stupid. Stupid, stupid, stupid!"

The spare bedroom keys were in the kitchen, where everyone was assembled for dinner. Sighing, she focused her telepathic abilities to those keys. They floated off of the counter, and everyone looked up. They went halfway through the kitchen before they fell to the floor. They heard Raven growl and flinched.

"I'll take them to her," Robin volunteered, already picking up the keys.

He walked down the halls, and as soon as he saw Raven he stopped dead. He ran back around the corner and tried to breathe again. What the hell…? he thought. He looked around the corner to make sure he hadn't imagined it, but there she was, curled into a ball on the floor, her back to her door, in a towel, and crying. No sound was coming from her, but he definitely saw the tears that were falling gracefully down her cheeks. But Raven never cries… she's Raven…he thought. He cleared his throat, before walking back around the corner.

Raven heard Robin clear his throat and stood up, wiping her eyes quickly. She looked at the floor as he approached. He held out the keys for her and she took them silently. She opened her door and stepped into the room, handing the keys back to him.

"Thanks," she said, before shutting the door.

Robin simply stood there, his mouth hanging open slightly in shock. When he regained some composure, he walked back into the kitchen.

"So what was up?" Beast Boy asked through a mouthful of food.

"Raven locked herself out of her room," Robin said.

"So why didn't she just come in here and get the keys herself?" he asked.

"Don't ask…" Robin said, looking down at his food to hide his blush.

Beast Boy shrugged. "Whatever…"

Raven entered the room and took her place at the table. Starfire passed her a plate and Raven ate without a word to any of her comrades.

"What's the matter, Raven? Cat got your tongue?" Beast Boy said, trying to lighten the mood.

Raven made no response. When the meal was over, they seated themselves around the television. All except for Raven, who began retreating to her room. Robin looked over his shoulder at her and narrowed his eyes. What's up with her lately? he thought, following her.

"Hey, Raven!" he yelled as she opened her door.

Raven stopped dead. "What?" she asked.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"Nothing is wrong," she replied.

"Yes, something is wrong. I can tell," he said.

"Oh really?How?" she retorted.

"You've become increasingly forgetful, your focus is off, and your powers are weakening. Need I go on?" Robin said, grinning.

"I'm just… distracted- that's all," Raven said, "Now, can I go to my room?" She began to step into her room when Robin caught her arm.

"Wait a minute," he said, "Talk to me, Raven. You know you can tell me anything, so what's up?"

Raven opened her mouth, about to tell him, but she snapped it shut. She wrenched her arm from his grasp. "I- I can't tell you this. Excuse me," she said, shutting the door before Robin could reply.

"Damn!" he muttered under his breath when he heard the lock click.

He walked back into the living room and everyone stared at him expectantly.

"She didn't tell me anything," Robin said, "In fact, she slammed a door in my face."

"Perhaps I should go and talk to her," Starfire volunteered. "Maybe it is what earthlings call- a 'girl thing'?"

"I don't think she's going to talk to anybody about it. I'm just worried…" he said.

Beast Boy and Cyborg exchanged glances. "We promised not to tell anybody," Beast Boy said, "But I think this is an acception."

"What is it?" Robin asked.

"Me and Cy sort of know a way that you could kind of find out what's eating Raven," Beast Boy said, "You see, there's this portal thing to her mind…"