Traitors and Teachers

Chapter 4

Raven wasn't sure what caused her to wake up. She groggily sat up, looking at her clock, it was a little after four. She guessed she had been asleep for around eleven or twelve hours, she had gone to bed sometime in the afternoon. But she was still tired, and she rubbed her eyes before looking for what had caused her to wake up. Nothing was out of place, and she did not hear anything outside of her room. Outwardly she sensed nothing off, but as she yawned she felt something off within. Looked like her brief inner peace was over.

She walked into the bathroom, splashing water on her face before doing her normal bed time routine of brushing her teeth and changing into her sleeping clothes. Granted it was already four in the morning, but she hoped to get another few hours in regardless. Sitting once more on her bed, this time more comfortable and with the sheets over her legs she felt within herself for the disturbance. It was the same unknown feeling that was the cause of all this. Only this time she was unable to touch and slow it before it tore through her mind.

Grasping her head with a sharp gasp her eyes went black as this time the energy snapped around her, blasting through the air and furniture, tearing apart her sheets and whatever was close to her. Raven rolled into a ball, trying to focus on staying calm as she shakily whispered her mantra. She didn't know what else to do, she had no idea how to stop it.

Gradually the black became less violent, returning to pops and flashes before dying away completely, leaving Raven to stand and look about her ravaged room. Candles and columns were sliced apart, bits of paper from the remains of books fluttered down and rested on the floor, and her bed had gashes in it that looked like she had been attacked. She trembled before her knees gave out, and for several minutes Raven sat on the floor, looking at the ruined room. She no longer wanted to sleep, fearing more nightmares, and she worried about damaging the structure of the building if she lost control again. So she did the only thing she could do and began to clean up the mess. At least no one had heard her...

"Raven?" Of course. It sounded like Robin, and in a moment Raven opened the door and saw him, about to knock on the door.

"Robin it's four in the morning," she said flatly, not wanting him to see the mess her room was. She hoped he would take a hint. He didn't.

"I thought I heard something. Like something breaking," he noticed she kept the door barely open, only showing some of her face. "Everything alright?"

"Yes," no point in worrying him, "go back to bed Robin," she was closing the door when he stuck his hand in, keeping it open.

"Something is wrong, you're shaking. And sweating," damn, sometimes he was too observant for own his business. Raven swallowed before trying to think of what to say, but instead decided to stall for time.

"Not now. I'll tell you later," Robin nodded and let go of her door, allowing her to close it before looking back at the mess of her room. Some of the items damaged would be hard to replace, at least she had read all the books she had at least once already. She sighed, hearing Robin walk away and sensing him disappearing, concern obvious from him to the empath. Picking up a broken glass, she tossed it into the trash and continued to clean. She would not be getting anymore sleep.

-

Raven was sitting on the roof, a cup of tea in hand as she looked at the city across the water. It was a little before noon, and she was waiting for Robin to approach her and ask what was wrong. She debated leaving, buy herself some time by wandering around the city, but that would only put off the inevitable. For once, she hoped there would be trouble in the city, a reason for them to be busy all day so she wouldn't have to talk to him yet.

The door opened, but it was not Robin, it was Beast Boy. Raven said nothing, didn't turn her head to look at him, and he didn't notice her for a moment before he turned and saw her. He was shocked to see her up on the roof, her feet hanging off the side of the building. Normally she was meditating when she was on the roof.

"Raven? What are you doing up here?" he asked, sitting next to her. She was silent, taking another sip of tea. She didn't look at him, instead her eyes remained fixed ahead but were glazed over as if her attention was else where.

"Thinking. You?" from what she could pick up he had come up to fly and be alone with his thoughts as well. Based on the taint of depression on his emotions he had been thinking about Terra again.

"Same," Beast Boy answered, though he made no move to get up and fly as he had originally intended, instead contenting himself to sit with Raven. He didn't seem to like the silence as well as she did.

"Soooooo whatcha thinking about?" he asked after growing uneasy with the silence. Raven's eyebrows dropped in irritation, throwing him a glare. He was not fazed by her look.

"Nothing I want to talk about."

"Oh com'on Raven! Cy said you were having scary dreams, you can at least try talking about it!" his eyes grew frustrated and somehow puppyish, pleading for details. Her eyes narrowed in response as she faced him to glare at him full on.

"They aren't scary. I think. I don't actually remember them. All I know is I wake up feeling sick and forget the dream within minutes. There is nothing else to talk about," she snapped, not wanting to tell everyone her problems, she didn't like dumping her personal issues on everyone else. Beast Boy pouted, looking straight ahead.

"Did you come up here just to bother me?" Raven demanded. Beast Boy stood up in response.

"Fine. Push away everyone who is trying to help. Don't let your friends in. Be alone," he jumped off the side, morphing into a hawk and taking off. Raven was about to shout at him to shut up when the glass she was holding was destroyed by dark energy. But Beast Boy was off and away and did not see Raven pale and look at her shaking hands. She had lost it again, just the slightest bit and got a lapful of hot tea and glass for it.

"Damn it," was all she muttered, standing and going down into the tower to clean herself up. Raven would have to control her anger better. She had to, her abilities were becoming more dangerous without control.

It was when she was in her room changing that Robin knocked on her door again, wanting to talk. She let him in this time, her room now clean from the early morning destruction, although there were still signs of damage on her bed and furniture.

"Alright, so what happened this morning?" Robin asked, being direct about it. Raven didn't answer immediately, she was unsure how to answer it.

"I just lost control," it was her only explanation, but whether or not it was good enough for Robin was another matter. She could tell before he spoke he wanted to know more, push farther in.

"It's not just that, is it? Why did you lose control? What happened?" Raven sat on the bed, feeling tired once more. Robin sat next to her, waiting for her answer. She glanced up at Robin, purple eyes uncertain about how much she could say.

"You can tell me, Raven."

"I don't know. I woke up and... it just happened. I didn't have a bad dream or anything. I don't know what happened," she leaned back, hands holding her up as she let her head fall back with a sigh. No answers to what happened or how to fix it. Perfect. Raven sensed a new emotion from Robin, and felt his hand on hers. She looked at him.

"That can't just be it. We have a bond, remember? I know something is wrong, but you have to let me in," his words were reminiscent, his expression as serious and pleading as it was before.

"Robin-" the alarms sounded. They both glanced up at the flashing lights, Robin's hand off of hers.

"We'll talk later," he said before they stood and left the room to answer the alarms.