Fan Fiction ❯ Power of Denial ❯ Wake Up Call ( Chapter 1 )

Disclaimer: I do not own the Teen Titans, unfortunately. Any views or opinions expressed in this fan-fiction are strictly those of the author, me. The latter statement is probably just a formality, unless I somehow work my love of all things Canadian (GO CANADA) into this fan-fiction.

 

Please Read and review. Constructive criticism wanted.

 

Chapter 1: Wake up Call

Raven stood without the support of her fellow Titans in the place she feared to tread like no other. She had once again ventured inside of her mind, but she was in a place that she hoped she would never have to be in again. Yet, something was stirring within her mind, something that had not learned its lesson the first time and had reappeared after a long period of absence. However, this time, it had come back stronger than it was before, and it wanted to be let free.

 

Currently, Raven stood just mere feet from the very thing that had returned. They had begun a conversation, or rather Raven had begun yelling at the emotion for showing up in her mind again. Eventually, the emotion got one sentence through to Raven that shook her to the very core. She just stood there silent, unable to even think straight. The dark Titan did not know exactly how to take what the emotion said. Frankly, she wished that she had just ignored the feeling and never came to confront this emotion. All she knew was that she could never allow what happened to her the first time happen again, no matter who the emotion was directed towards this time.

 

“No,” Raven whispered almost inaudibly. “Never again will you hurt me.”

 

“Raven,” the emotion responded calmly, “you cannot know that the same outcome will occur this time. This feeling is different than the last. Last time, I was created too quickly, and 5 was not truly pure Love. I was more Attraction than Love, but everything is different. I did not just suddenly appear this time. You have been slowly regaining me over the course of the last few years. I can assure you that you are truly in love with -”

 

“No!” Raven screamed this time, her eyes burning with determination. “I said never again! I don't do love, not anymore. You can just rot here for all I care, because as of now, you don't exist to me. You're just some figment of my imagination or this is some horrible dream. I probably am just hallucinating. This isn't really happening, and you were never here.” With that, Raven swiftly turned and walked off at a speed close to a run.

 

Desperate to have Raven believe her, Love took off after her real world counterpart. “Raven!” She yelled in desperation. “Raven, you cannot deny me like this. I am here. You know it. Why won't you just accept it?”

 

Raven ignored the emotion's pleas for attention. After all, to her, it was not even there. Although, deep down, she clearly knew that she was not fooling anyone, especially not herself. Yet, she would never admit it. Admittance would only lead to pain, like it had last time. She would never willingly allow the pain she experienced to return. Never again.

 

Love was getting frustrated as her words fell on deaf ears, and she only could think of one thing left that she could do to talk some sense into Raven. She only hoped that it would be enough. “Listen Raven,” Love said sternly as she gripped the dark Titan's shoulder tightly and forced Raven to face her. Love's eyes were filled with sincerity and earnest as she spoke her final words to her physical form. “He wouldn't hurt you like Malchior. He's too kind to do that and you know it.

 

Raven stared at Love briefly before her expression hardened and she pushed the emotion's hand off of her shoulder. “He won't ever have a chance to hurt me,” she said almost sadly as she opened a portal back into the real world and exited her mind.

 

 

Love dropped to her knees in defeat as she watched Raven leave. She knew she was right, but her being felt depended entirely on Raven. There was nothing she could do, and tears formed in her eyes because of it. Yet, even through her sorrow, Love could still sense the presence of another emotion now joining her, one that she had hoped not to see again. “You were right,” Love said not even bothering to look up at the emotion. She knew who it was. “You said the she would deny me, and you were right. I'm sorry I didn't believe you.”

 

A black cloaked emotion merely looked down at the downtrodden emotion before her. “Dear Love,” Denial said in a mock comforting voice, “I don't believe I know what you are talking about. I said no such thing.” Denial did not bother with Love any further. Instead, she just turned and walked away with a grin strewn across her face. `Oh, how I love when things go my way,' Denial thought, only being honest with herself. She was going to enjoy the next few days.

 

Denial had plans for Raven in her current state of mind, and although they would eventually force the dark empath out of her denial status, Denial would enjoy it immensely. It was not often that she got to act through Raven's powers. Last time, she had so much fun, but this time, she was going to be a little more precise in her planning. Raven would regret not accepting her true feelings, but Denial would savor every moment. The next few days were going to be hell for Raven.

 

llllllllllllllllllll

 

The first rays of the sun slowly crept through the single window located in the one overly green room in Titans' Tower, illuminating several piles of cloths and discarded food strewn across the dark green carpet. Inch by inch, light made its way towards the rather odd bed setup for a teenager, finally reaching its target on the top bunk. There, a young, green teenager stirred but refused to wake so easily. The only thing the light effectively got Beast Boy to do was pull his blanket up and over his head, blocking out most light from his eyes.

 

The minutes passed and Beast Boy still continued to sleep through the beautiful beginning to this new day, and it did not seem as if Beast Boy were going to wake any time soon. The fact was that the hyperactive changeling had been dared two days before that he could not go a full forty-eight hours straight playing video games. The reason being that Cyborg was bored and felt like unloading a months worth of chores on Robin in a friendly wager. Beast Boy had gone the whole forty-eight hours non stop, but Robin won on a technicality when he brought up that Beast Boy had stopped playing games each time he went to the bathroom.

 

Naturally, Cyborg blamed the changeling, and spent the next few hours berating him until he noticed that Beast Boy had passed out on the couch. Still angry at Beast Boy, Cyborg managed to talk Raven into dragging his sorry green but, as he put it, back to his room. What surprised everyone was that Raven accepted without complaint, and used her powers to float the sleeping Beast Boy to his room, and onto the bed that seemed most fit for human contact.

 

It was there that Beast Boy spent the rest of his peaceful night, and now most of his bright morning. The green, digital clock at the head of the top bunk of Beast Boy's bunk bed suddenly changed the last minute that it needed to trigger a soothing, gentle wake up call for its caring, understanding owner.

 

BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP

 

Beast Boy just rolled over and continued to sleep like nothing was happening at all. Unfortunately for the rest of the tower, his was the type of alarm clock that was not so easily deterred. The mildly displeasing sound slowly grew in volume until it, as it said on the box, guaranteed to split a normal person's ear drums. Still, Beast Boy did not stir, and the noise only grew louder still, now echoing throughout the entire tower.

 

Eventually, a gentle knock came on Beast Boy's door, at least it sounded gentle from inside is room. In the hallway, however, Starfire, clad in a fluffy punk robe, was pounding at the changeling's door looking far from happy. Why Beast Boy would possibly set his alarm clock for five am, she would never understand. Mostly, it was never a problem. Beast Boy usually shot out of bed and switched his alarm off before anyone's mind could even register the sound. However, Beast Boy had yet to awaken, and the sound was getting quite annoying.

 

Quickly getting frustrated, the alien princess found that this was not a problem that her usual cheeriness could not solve and that it was time to resort to what her race could really do. Inside Beast boy's room, the door was flung off its hinges, landing several feet inside Beast Boy's room. Inside the changeling's doorway now stood one angry Tameranean with flaming green eyes. Still, beast boy slept through all possible disturbances.

 

Taking aim at the infernal device that woke her, Starfire fired her green laser beams from her eyes, determined to put an end to the constant beeping. Her attack connected dead on, causing the poor, defenseless clock to go flying against the wall, shattering into more pieces then even Robin would have the patience to count. Instantly, the beeping ceased, and peace was once again restored to the world, or at least in Starfire's mind it was. Now smiling contently, Starfire turned and floated off back towards her room to return to her beauty sleep, not bothering even trying to fix Beast Boy's door.

 

Several hours passed, and life in the tower seemed to go on quite smoothly without the changeling as he still slept peacefully in his now doorless room. The Titans met for breakfast, and Raven for one reveled in the odd peace and quiet around the table. Without Beast Boy, there were no tofu versus meat arguments or lame jokes to annoy Raven further than she already was. It should have been heaven for her. Yet, despite all of her friends sitting around her, the familiar and very much unwelcome feeling of loneliness sprang up within her. Desperately trying to ignore the painful sensation, Raven quickly finished what little she actually ate and rushed over to her dark corner to engross herself in one of her favorite books.

 

More time passed, and the sun now reached high into the sky, signifying that midday soon approached. With Robin's chores done, Cyborg was now free to go about his day normally, which usually included several rounds of his and Beast Boy's favorite games before lunch. However, the changeling was still nowhere to be seen, but he knew exactly where to find him. It was just that a sudden feeling of extreme laziness overcame him, and he plopped down on his side of the couch trying to will Beast Boy into the common room with his mind. Suddenly, Cyborg remembered Raven's all too willingness to take beast Boy to his room the previous night, and he hoped that she was still in that same good mood. He was going to try and milk it for all it was worth.

 

“Hey Raven,” Cyborg said not even having the will to force himself to look at his teammate.

 

Raven, in usual Raven style, did not even bother to look up from her book. She was nearing her favorite part, and something new had always popped out at her while reading through it. She did not want to miss it.

 

“Do you think that you could possibly… maybe… find it in your heart to go and wake up Beast Boy?”

 

At the very mention of beast Boy's name, something within her jerked her head up to look at Cyborg. Frustration filled her as she realized that she had lost her place. Yet, as soon as Cyborg's question registered in her mind, her book was long forgotten. “Sure,” she answered without hesitation.

 

“It's just that it's such a nice day,” Cyborg continued expecting a no, “and I don't want Beast Boy to miss out. Could you just- Wait! You said yes?” Cyborg swiftly turned around to face Raven, but he was too late. The dark Titan was already out the door. “Well,” the mechanical Titan said to himself, “that was easy enough. I wonder why she's doing things that have to do with Beast Boy.”

 

Unbeknownst to the mechanical Titan, Raven was asking herself the same question. `Why did I just agree to that? I was content where I was. In fact, doing this quite possible will make my day worse. Why, then?'

 

“You know why,” Love spoke up in another attempt to force Raven to hear the truth. However, Raven did not talk back. She did not even seem to notice that one of her emotions was talking to her. “Raven,” Love spoke again when no answer came. “Raven! You talk to me this instant!” Nothing. No response. The dark goddess merely continued down the hallway towards Beast Boy's room, still trying to contemplate the… real… reason for her strange behavior. “Stop ignoring me, Raven! I know you can hear me, so stop pretending that I am just some apparition sent to haunt you. I'm telling you the truth.”

 

After a long walk with… only… her own thoughts as company, Raven finally reached Beast Boy's room. Still, the door that once barred entrance from anyone unwanted continued to lay somewhere within the recesses of the changeling's room. All Raven had to do was enter, but something inside held her back. A feeling a nervousness filled her body, and she could not understand why.

 

`This shouldn't bother me,' Raven thought trying to will herself past her hesitance. `So what if going into his room would mean that I would be alone with him… in his room… with no one else around.' Her eyes went wide at what she was thinking, and she shook her head violently to get rid of such thoughts. `Stop this!' She screamed mentally. `I don't like Beast Boy. I DON'T LIKE Beast Boy. I DON'T LIKE BEAST BOY!'

 

Deep within Raven's mind, Love fell to her knees once more and sighed. “Raven, would you listen to yourself. I didn't make you think those thoughts. You did! If you are not going to listen to me, then listen to your own heart. Please.”

 

Raven forced her hesitation out of her mind, and a stern look crossed over her face. `I don't love Beast Boy,' she said to herself one final time before crossing the threshold into the changeling's messy room.

 

“Raven,” Love whispered, “my final warning to you is beware of Denial. The path you are taking will only give her more than enough power to do what she wants. The truth will come out, Raven, but the choice is up to you how it will occur. I only pray that you make it soon and that it comes without pain for you.'

 

As like before, Raven was not listening to Love. She had blocked out that voice entirely, and it was now like she did not even exist. After all, that was exactly what Raven wanted. Carefully, the lavender haired girl levitated herself up and over the numerous piles of… whatever they were in there, towards the sleeping teen before her. With an almost inaudible whisper, Raven softly spoke the name of the sleeping changeling. “Beast Boy.”

 

Beast Boy immediately shot up now fully awake after hearing Raven's soothing, monotone voice. “Yeah! I'm up. I'm up.” The green Titan looked towards his doorway expecting to hear a sound of knocking that had awoken him, but he was shocked to see that apparently he no longer had a door. With a confused look on his face, the changeling began to scan the room for whatever had woken him from his slumber. Eventually, his eyes fell upon Raven. Drunk on a half awake sense of courage, he decided to have a little fun with the gothic goddess. With a toothy grin, Beast Boy fell back on his elbows on his bed and looked at the girl levitating mere inches from him. “So, Raven, come here often to stare at a certain handsome green changeling while he's asleep?”

 

Raven managed to keep her powers in check, and she forced out a scoff to let Beast Boy know just how wrong he was. “You,” Raven said in her usual monotonous voice, “have almost slept half the day away, and even though I rather enjoy the peace and quiet, I was elected to wake you. So, get up, and get out there so everyone can be assured that you are not so sadly dead. Also, if you could find it within yourself to not completely ruin my day whenever you do make your grand appearance, I would appreciate it. I am in the middle of a very good book, and I could go without the distractions you produce.”

 

Despite Raven's harsh words, Beast Boy's smile remained, as it usually did, and before the changeling knew it, he had already begun `ruining Raven's day.' “Produce… or induce?” Beast Boy shot back while wiggling his eyebrows suggestively. “Just admit that you can't keep your eyes off of me, but don't feel bad, Rae. All the ladies dig me.”

 

“Beast Boy,” Raven said coldly which made the changeling shrink away and regret his choice of words. “It isn't possible for me to like you when I secretly plot your murder at night. I believe that it would be in your best interest to never suggest otherwise again, got it?” She did not even bother to wait for an answer. Raven just turned and floated out of the room.

 

Beast Boy's smile faltered as Raven left. All he wanted was to make her laugh or at least smile. Instead, all he ever did was make her even madder. `She probably hates me,' the changeling thought downtrodden as he slumped back in his bed. Scratch that. She definitely hates me. Nothing I do ever works with her. She'll never love me like I love her.'

 

Defeated, Beast Boy climbed down off of his bed and headed to his personal bathroom to get ready to start his miserable day. Half an hour later, the green Titan emerged from his shower, fully clothed and feeling a little bit better, but it still was not that big a step up. Promising himself that he would fix his door later, Beast Boy just stepped out into the hallway and made his way to the common room. Along the way, he felt a slight breeze running through his hair, but shrugged it off thinking that someone just left a window open or something.

 

The doors to the common room swiftly slid open, and Beast Boy slowly stepped through currently without his usual grin. His day started out horribly, and the only thing he could think of that would ease his pain was tofu and lots of it. Shuffling his feet, Beast Boy made his way over towards the kitchen area. Vaguely, he could make out Cyborg snickering in the background, but he merely thought that Cyborg was again laughing at Robin's reaction when he called Starfire Robin's girlfriend. That was always funny, but Beast Boy was not in a laughing mood right now.

 

After pulling out some leftover tofu burgers from the fridge and heating them up, Beast Boy sat alone at the table to eat, but he once again heard laughter. It was not just Cyborg this time, though. He easily made out Robin's unique laugh along with his cybernetic best friend's. `I wonder what's so funny,' the changeling thought as he set down his tofu burger to investigate the outbursts. Looking up, the first thing he noticed was Starfire looking at him like he was the cutest thing in the world, and that really creeped him out since he knew how much she and Robin flirted all the time.

 

“What?” Beast Boy asked curiously as he tried to figure out just exactly why Starfire was looking at him like that.

 

Both of the other Titan boys looked at each other briefly before falling on the floor in an uncontrollable fit of laughter. Starfire, confused by her friend's humorous reactions, merely floated over towards Beast Boy, never moving her eyes from what she was looking at. It did not take long for Beast Boy to realize that she was not looking at him after all, especially when he saw her try to poke at the air above his head.

 

“This is getting a little too creepy,” Beast Boy said aloud as he leaned as far away from Starfire as he could. However, in doing so, his reflection in one of the many windows around the tower came into view. It was there that he saw just what was making everyone act so strangely. About three inches above his head, five tiny little red hearts were floating in a circle matching the size of his head.

 

In her dark corner of the room, Raven watched the scene unfold, eyes wide in horror.