Teen Titans Fan Fiction ❯ Currently Untitled ❯ A Nightmare ( Chapter 3 )

A/N: I'm not sure when in the series Terra showed up in relation to the episode Spellbound. If I've got it backward, oh well.

 

Untitled

Chapter 3

 

Raven was running. One arm swept the branches of the trees that ran close to the narrow twisted trail that she ran on out of her way, her other arm was held closely to her distended belly. She stopped running, confused as strange thoughts, memories filtered through her mind. “I-I can't... “ She looked down and ran her hand over the curve of her belly.

A sound in the woods brought her back to her senses; something was after her, something was after her baby. She took off down the trail again, moving as fast as she could without risking a fall. She could see up ahead where a clearing was. If she could only get there, into the light, she would be safe.

A dark form dropped out of the trees in front of her, bringing her up short. She backed quickly into a tree, pressing herself into the shadow of it, hoping in vain to not be seen. The dark figure turned to her, and she gasped as she saw four glowing red eyes peered out of a red cloak. Tendrils of dark energy whipped through the air in front of her, displacing dead leaves in their path. “But, you- you can't be here, you-”

The personification of Raven's rage shot forward, lightning fast, and lifted Raven easily with one hand, slamming her into the tree. “Why do you run? You want to be rid of it, don't you? Now you're running away from me?” She lifted one hand revealing claws glinting off the moonlight. “You gave it up, it's mine now.”

“No! Please, don't! Leave my baby alone!”

Tendrils shot out, pinning Raven's arms and legs to the tree, and freeing Rage's other hand as well. “I'm only taking what you want to be rid of.”

Raven screamed as Rage's claws flashed, pain bit through her belly. When she felt cold hands gripping her arms, and the freeing of her hands, she struck out, her fingers bent into claws. “Leave my baby alone!”

“Raven, girl, come on hon, calm down and wake up.”

Raven woke slowly, opening her eyes to see Cyborg looming over her. It was his cold hands that she felt on her arms. His human eye was filled with concern. “Are you okay now, girl?”

“I-I…” She burst into tears, and fell against Cyborg sobbing loudly.

“It'll be okay, Rae."

“No, I…” Despite awakening, her stomach still burned in pain. She laid one hand against it and felt a slick warmth. “I'm blee…” she trailed off as her vision started to blur and darkness overcame her.

Another form filled her doorway, Beastboy's. “Raven? Cyborg, what's going on?” He rushed into the room and to Raven's bedside. “What happened?”

“Come on, let's get her to the infirmary.” Cyborg started to pick her up, but Beastboy stopped him, Lifting her unconscious form and cradling her against him.

 

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“Is she gonna be okay? What's wrong with her? Why won't sh-“

“Shut up and let me work, grass stain.” Cyborg hit a few buttons on the control panel in front of him and a scanner dropped down. After only a few moments the scanner had done it's work and Cyborg was looking over the results. “She exhausted, that's all. Go make a pot of tea for her.”

“I wanna stay…”

“Go get her some tea. She'll want it when she wakes up.”

Beastboy looked down at Raven's still form for another moment before he backed out of the door.

“You want to talk about it?” Cyborg waited a moment, studying his monitors. “I know you're awake, Raven.”

“No.”

Cyborg snorted, “Too bad, you're gonna.” Cyborg grabbed a handful of first aid supplies from a shelf and dropped them on a table near Raven's bed. “How long ago was it?”

“About a week.”

“Gotten a good nights sleep yet?”

“No.”

“Didn't think so.” He gently pulled up the hem of her shirt and started cleaning several long, shallow scratches on her stomach. “These don't look too bad. You probably did it in your sleep.” He fell silent while he finished cleaning, then bandaging her scratches. “Does he know?”

“No.”

“He should, a relationship needs...

“I know, Cyborg.”

“Just saying.” He dumped the packaging and left over gauze in a nearby trash can. “I can tell him for you, if you want...”

For a moment Raven was tempted to take him up on the offer. “N-no, I have to.”

“When you're ready, but the longer you wait, the harder it'll be.”

“I know.”

Cyborg pulled a syringe and bottle from a rack on the wall. “I'm going to give you something to help you sleep, you can worry about it tomorrow.”

“No, I want- need to tell him now.”

“Are you sure? You've been under a lot of stress the last week.”

“I need to tell him before… before I lose my courage.”

“You're the last person I expected to here that from.” He sat the bottle and syringe on the bedside table. “If you say so, but you need rest. As soon as you're done talking to him, I am going to give you that.”

“Whatever.” Raven sat up, pulling her knees under her chin.

Cyborg sat in a chair next to the bed. “This might not be the best time, but I'm surprised, Rae. Thought you two, well, I thought you were smarter than to be doin' that, you're only sixteen.”

“It only happened once, and it wasn't exactly planned or anything, I…” She trailed off, trying to piece the memories of that night back together. “I don't know, it's fuzzy. I was hurt, it was just after Melchior left, and Beastboy was there for me. We were talking, but… I-I don't remember how it happened.”

The door slid open and Beastboy came in with a mug of tea. “You're awake!” The mug almost slipped out of his hand, spilling most of it on the floor as he crossed the room. “Are you okay? I was…”

Cyborg stepped between Beastboy and Raven and took the mug. “She's been under a lot of stress, so stay calm, got that?”

“Uh, yeah, sure.”

“I'll be out in the hall.” He stepped out of the room and let the door slide closed behind him.

“What's goin' on?” Beastboy turned back to Raven. “What's wrong?”

“Beastboy, I am- was…” She closed her eyes, willing away her tears. “I was pregnant.”

Beastboy's eyes widened. “Raven, that- you're pre…” He trailed off as her words sank in fully. “Was pregnant? What happened?”

“I was- I was afraid, I…” She sobbed suddenly, barely able to hold it together, but managing to so she could say what she need to say. “When I left, a week ago, I went into the city, to a clinic, I…”

“No, you-you wouldn't...”

Raven looked up as Beastboy fell silent. She was prepared for just about anything, but not the look of despair that crossed his face. She had betrayed him, lied to him, and she deserved whatever would come next.

Beastboy's despair vanished in an instant, consumed by a dark rage. His muscles tightened, his fists clenched. He wanted, no needed to hit something, to relieve the terrible pressure growing within him. Raven flinched as his fist arced around, and impacted the solid metal wall with a sharp thud.

The door slammed open, and Cyborg stepped in, ready to deal with the worst. Before he could say anything, Beastboy had fled the room, heading for the roof access.

He looked from Beastboy's retreating form, to Raven. She was crying silently, and curling up on her side, bringing her knees under her chin.

“That didn't go too well.”

“It's okay, though.” Raven's voice was steady despite the tears, almost eerily calm.

“What do you mean?”

“He hates me now, but that's okay. I didn't deserve him in the first place.”

“Raven, don't say that. First off, I can't see Beastboy hatin' you, it's just not in him. Second, you're a wonderful person, Rae. Yeah, you screwed up, but that doesn't change the kind of person you are.”

“None of it matters, I've got nothing left so it doesn't matter anymore.”

“I'll be right back.” Cyborg growled as he turned, following Beastboy's path to the roof.

On the roof a moment later, he saw Beastboy sitting on the edge overlooking the ocean. “Hey, man.”

“She…” Beastboy's voice cracked and failed him.

“I know.”

“I…” He trailed off.

Cyborg settled down next to Beastboy. “How do you feel?”

“I'm mad. For a moment, I just… I needed to get out of there before I did something… that I would regret.”

“Smart thing to do. Calmed down some?”

Beastboy held up his hand, now swollen and discolored. “The pain seems to be clearing my head.”

“Wondered what that bang was. You hate her for what she did?”

“No, I'm mad, but I don't hate her.”

“She thinks you do.”

Beastboy jumped to his feet. “But I don't.” He stopped suddenly, “I didn't say it, I forgot to say it!”

To Cyborg he looked confused, almost lost as he stood there. After waiting a beat Cyborg waived at the door, “What are you standing here for, git.”

Beastboy took off, almost running into Robin as he came out onto the roof. “Cyborg, what's going on?”

“What makes you think somethings going on?”

“I heard something from the infirmary. I went down there and it's empty, but there's a dent in the wall.”

Before Cyborg could respond, his communicator chirped. Beastboy's voice came from it sounding panicked. “She's gone!”

“Dude, check her room.”

“I did, there was a note.”

 

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Beastboy, my love, as trite as it sounds now, I am sorry. I always knew that I would screw this up, but I never imagined that I would ruin everything so completely. For a while, we were happy, and if I could turn back the clock to that time, I would, but it is too late for that. You were happy with me for a while, and you were happy once before me. I only hope that you can be happy with her again.

Raven

 

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Raven touched down at the mouth of the cave. She worked her way through the dark tunnel, her demonic parentage giving her nearly perfect night vision. Before long she found the chamber she had been looking for. “I don't know if you can here me. I don't think you can, but… don't screw it up. I ruined things with him, I know I did, but he forgave you. Even for betraying us, he forgave you.”

Raven stepped up to the lone statue standing in the middle of the room, Terra frozen in place for nearly a year. “I've known how to do this for a long time, the only way to bring you back, but… I was never willing to pay the price for it.” She reached out one hand, slowly. “I am now.” She rested her hand almost gently on Terra's shoulder and concentrated, focusing her energy.

“Take care of him. He'll be sad for a while, but you always made him happy.” As she spoke, Raven sank to her knees, always careful to keep in contact with the statue. “Make him happy again.”

With those words, Raven collapsed fully at Terra's feet. For just a moment nothing happened, but slowly Terra's stone body softened, warmed. A moment later she nearly fell forward, catching her feet on the still form.

Terra looked around the room, confused. “Where'd everybody go?” She looked down and saw Raven. “What happened? Raven?” She knelt, and touched Raven gently on the shoulder, then rolled her onto her back. When Raven still didn't respond, Terra pressed two fingers to the side of her throat, confirming her worst fears, Raven was dead.