A Quote: "We don't know what we've lost until we've lost it. Virginity is something that a woman either treasures or abandons as quickly as she wants to, but it should always be her choice to do so. When a man takes away that choice, I can imagine that it is an incredible violation of one of the things that makes women feel unique."

George Perez, New Teen Titans artist, on Raven's past.

- Opening Credits -

Raven narrates the opening line. "The Beast lay with the Daughter of Evil, and from them will come a Child. The Child will cleanse the Earth, and bring an eternity of peace. The Prophecy."

(Raven watched the Titans fly away to battle evil somewhere in the city. Powerless, she can only bid them a silent farewell and hope that they win the day. With some time on her hands, Raven turned to walk - nay, shamble - into the Tower again. The cold, empty Tower.)

I wanted you to know that I love the way you laugh
I wanna hold you high and steal your pain, away
I keep your photograph and I know it serves me well
I wanna hold you high and steal your pain

(Raven picked up a book of spells, a keepsake from the events with Malchior. She flipped the pages to a simple cantrip that caused a candle to light up. She stared from her bed, across the room, to an unlit wax stub on her bookshelf. She concentrated intensely, reciting the words of the spell in her mind, and loudly thought the trigger word. The candle remained unlit... and she threw the book away with a pained cry.)

'Cause I'm broken when I'm lonesome
And I don't feel right when you've gone away

(Raven found herself doing house cleaning during yet another mission where she was left behind. She picked up newspapers scattered on the floor after the morning meal. Starfire's scribblings in the crossword page made her smile. The front pages proclaimed how amazing the Titans were, and how they'd defeated nearly every bad guy in the city. San Francisco was almost free of superhuman crime, thanks to them.

Soon, the time would come for them to hang up their capes, Raven thought. They couldn't play Hero forever. The time would come for them to grow up, and move on, to a real life. At this point, Raven could only wish for that day to come sooner, so that she wouldn't be left out anymore.)

You've gone away. You don't feel me here, anymore

The worst is over now and we can breathe again
I wanna hold you high. You steal my pain away
There's so much left to learn, and no one left to fight
I wanna hold you high and steal your pain

(Raven pushed herself on Beast Boy's favorite treadmill, trying to run faster than usual in order to get a good workout, to make up for all her downtime. Physically, she was just the same as always, thanks to her diligence. Mentally, she felt she was losing that killer instinct that allowed each Titan to react quickly to dangerous situations and unexpected attacks. She felt she was becoming more and more accustomed to being a non-combatant; a civilian.

And she hated it. Only the fact that she was exhausting herself in the gym every day kept her from slamming her fists against the wall and crying in lamentation. She didn't want to be useless. She wanted to be like her friends; a hero with power, and with purpose.)

'Cause I'm broken when I'm open
And I don't feel like I am strong enough
'Cause I'm broken when I'm lonesome
And I don't feel right when you've gone away

(Raven wandered the San Francisco streets in the early evening, dressed in a casual outfit of an ankle-length black dress, comfortable slippers, and an equally dark jacket. Around her neck was a protection charm that made her belief in mysticism immediately apparent. She stared at her feet, passing relatively unnoticed by other people doing the same thing as her: trying to forget the day's unhappiness by enjoying the cool, night air.)

'Cause I'm broken when I'm open
And I don't feel like I am strong enough
'Cause I'm broken when I'm lonesome
And I don't feel right when you've gone away

("Wannabe," someone hissed as she passed. Raven shot a glare at two older women, each brandishing protection sigils on their arms and face that symbolized their full-fledged witch statuses - a not-to-uncommon sight in the San Francisco streets at night. Raven's glare was short-lived though, as she knew that she couldn't disprove their claim. She had no magic. She really was posing.

Raven turned her gaze to the ground again and moved on. Being the better woman, she said nothing and kept her irritation inside. The other women laughed triumphantly at her back.)

'Cause I'm broken when I'm lonesome
And I don't feel right when you're gone

You've gone away
You don't feel me here anymore

Teen Titans: The End

Raven lay on her bed, staring at the ceiling with a blank stare. Her mind was elsewhere. Long ago, saying that would imply that she was lost in a meditative trance and her soul was flying free in the astral plane, where all minds joined as one to create a sea of orgasmic psychic energy where all knowledge and power was derived. Exploring that wonderful world used to fill her evenings.

But now, Raven was cut off from that level of existence. The mundane, three dimensional world seemed so dull to her before her current state, but now... it felt like a prison with pure white walls. She felt like she was going mad with each day that passed. It was torture - each day would be just like the last; another drop of water striking her forehead, just like the day before that... and the day before that... and the day before that...

So this is what life after 'death' feels like, Raven thought. The methodic blink that accompanied that thought was her greatest sign of life in the last hour. I'd rather be in Hell with you, Mom. Not stuck here in Pandemonium as nothing but an ineffectual 'ghost'.

Raven sat up, rolled off her bed, and stood with robotic rigidness. She walked to the door and wondered why she was allowed to lie there, doing nothing, for a whole hour. Why didn't one of her so-called friends come and pry her from her vegetative state? Then, she remembered why. This was her room; nobody went into her room. Not even to wake her from a trance. Unless there was trouble in the city. And she didn't deal with that anymore.

Her door slid open at her approach, and she was startled to see Beast Boy immediately, his hand raised to knock. He was dressed in his evening wear of sweat pants and a sweater. His hair was still wet from a shower - the shower he always took after a big fight. They'd returned from one such fight against Mad Mod only half an hour ago. Beast Boy was the first Titan she'd seen since then.

"Hiya," he said with a toothy smile. "Were you coming to see me?"

"No," she lied. "I wanted to ask Robin about the fight."

"Dude, we totally kicked butt! That freak never stood a chance!" Beast Boy bounced around, throwing fists at the air with pride. He was still energized from the fight it seemed, which meant he would be more annoying than usual. Raven put up with a lot of his loudness, but it was a price she gladly paid for a little companionship. He knew how to make her feel good about herself.

"Glad to hear it," Raven droned. She turned back to the room. "I'll talk to Robin later."

Beast Boy stood at the door, until Raven finally gave him permission to enter. It was something of a joke between them. They were a couple, as much as Raven tried to hide that fact, so he had an almost implicit invitation to her room. Or so he thought. Raven usually let him in whenever he showed up though. She was ashamed to admit it, but she hungered for company.

"So what do you wanna do tonight?" he asked, leaping towards the bed and landing as a big-eyed kitten, before turning and meowing cutely.

"I don't know," she said honestly. She scooped the cat into her arms and hugged it to her face. The kitten eagerly licked her cheek, and she tossed him back to the bed. "Don't tell anyone I said this, but... I'd like to do something as a group. Maybe go out."

"Good luck with that," Beast Boy said after morphing to normal again. "Cy's gonna be recharging for an hour before fixing the T-Car. Robin's doing research, Star and Terra are beat."

Raven scowled. "Figures."

The green teen smiled seductively (... for Beast Boy, anyway). "I'm free though. So you've got the biggest party animal in San Francisco at your service."

Raven's lip curled. "It'll do." She kneeled on the bed beside him, wrapped her arms around his neck, and hugged him tightly. She rested her head against his, and for a while just held him silently. Finally, she freed his neck and lowered her arms to her lap. For her, that was enough outward emotion to make her feel that ever-present insecurity, born from years of silence and suppression. Luckily for her, Beast Boy thought her shyness was really cute, and it showed on his face.

"Brave one moment, and timid the next," he said, quoting the wittier Cyborg so as to sound poetic. "You're really something." Beast Boy leaned in to delicately touch Raven's lips with his own. The soft kiss grew stronger as he felt her resistance wane. Slowly, he felt Raven's bravery return to give her oft-hidden passion a needed outlet. She pushed chest to chest and forced the Titan on his back, with her body pressed against his, all while continuing their sensual exchange.

She broke the kiss long enough to give them both a chance to breathe and think about what was happening. They were making out... almost. They'd kissed and hugged and cradled each other often enough. But this was new, and sudden. Raven didn't know which of them started it, but they both knew that it was happening. They stared at each other incredulously, each breathing a little harder than before.

"S-sorry," Raven said. It was the first word that came to mind.

Beast Boy laughed. "You're apologizing? It's not like I hate it or anything."

Pressing against his body, Raven could tell pretty easily that he liked it. She was reminded of Beast Boy's past rant about wanting to be called Beast Man. From this position, she was inclined to agree with his claim to manhood. He met the credentials.

At the same time, Raven thought about her mother. She thought about her birth. She thought about her lineage. Even though she was, technically, free of her father's touch, she still carried the scars that went with her childhood and what her mother went through because of Trigon. This kind of contact... scared her.

"We should stop," Raven said, trying to retain her cool, famously callous composure. And yet, she didn't move from atop him. Beast Boy didn't move either, though one could argue that he couldn't move or morph with Raven straddling him.

But, we know that he wouldn't move even if he could.

"Yeah. No use in ruining a perfectly good evening," he laughed nervously, trying to break the tension, for both their sakes. Suddenly, an idea lit up his face and tore his attention from the awkward situation. "Hey, I almost forgot! I saw a place downtown I wanted to show you. It should still be open. Wanna go?"

Raven was caught off guard by the question, but quickly shook her head. A quick escape!

"Cool!" Beast Boy said, smiling. He sat up, forcing Raven to dismount and make a hasty retreat from the bed. She rushed over to her closet to grab her favorite non-combat cape, and Beast Boy turned to face the opposite wall. They privately took a deep breath to calm down. In fact, they took three or four deep breaths.

"You ready?" Beast Boy said eventually, once the werewolf inside had calmed down.

Raven slid her coat on, and her closet door shut automatically.

You're so sweet, she thought, hiding a smile. You surprised me. And I surprised ... it was just a moment of weakness. Honest. It won't happen again.

-

The place that Beast Boy wanted to show Raven turned out to be a new bookstore called Solomon's Occult. It also doubled as a pawn shop that trafficked in mystical trinkets - most of which were useless junk meant to tantalize the wannabe magicians in the city. A pack of them were already inside, musing over all kinds of fancy looking scepters, bracelets, incenses, and other witch fan favorites. Beast Boy and Raven stood outside, admiring the store front.

"So, what do you think?" the young man asked. "Maybe you'll find a new book!"

Raven had the urge to throw the nearest lamppost at her so-called boyfriend. This was the last thing she wanted to see. But, she had to admit, it was a sweet gesture for him to try. She knew he hated books, simply because he didn't have the patience for them. That went double for shopping for books, which Raven took her sweet time with. The fact that he suggested this place on his own and planned to stay with her until she found something was what made her happy.

"Thanks," Raven said, putting on a false smile. Beast Boy basked in that smile, then took her hand and dragged her inside. The shopkeeper and customers stared in awe as the green boy came rushing in with Raven on his arm.

"Hey, aren't you that witch from the Teen Titans?" one of the customers shouted - a girl in a full black wardrobe and a face powdered snow white. "And you're the Beast guy!"

"'Beast Boy'," he clarified. "We're just shopping a bit."

They stared at her in awe. Raven really didn't want to be there now.

"Nothing to see here, guys," Beast Boy said, waving his arms spectacularly like some comic crossing guard. "Move along, 'fore we have to clear the store." The enthusiasts tried to push past Beast Boy, but he stalwartly defended Raven from the light onslaught of fans. Eventually, the store owner joined Beast Boy in corralling the youths outside, telling them that they could come back when the Titans were finished with their shopping.

It paid to be a hero.

"Take all the time you need," said the shop owner - an old man with spiky gray hair and a surprisingly cheerful disposition, given the kind of shop he ran. Raven nodded gratefully to him and started wandering around the store, while Beast Boy did the same. He paid more attention to the wannabe items.

Raven concentrated on the books. She was surprised by the collection - the Book of Rasputin, The Zyllphanium, Sisyphus' Diary, and many more. They were copies, of course, but they were real copies of real spellbooks. Raven had most of them in her room, accumulating dust since she'd mastered their contents. Most of the spells didn't work well with her empathic and telekinetic powers. But as she exhibited during Malchior's awakening (at her hand), she could cast spells like nobody's business.

So long as she had the power inside of her, of course.

Raven's eyes fell on a book that made her breathe catch in her throat. It was a freshly made copy like all the others, the cover colored and shaped to symbolize the original parchment, tablet, or scroll that held the book's contents. This particular book was called Terlin's Grimoire - A Collection of Pleasure and Pain.

"I wonder what's in here," Raven said to herself. She opened the book to a random page, and her eyes were assaulted by an image so sexually graphic that she dropped the book in her shock.

Nearby, Beast Boy's ears perked up. "Raven?" He walked over to where she was hastily returning a book to the shelf, then whipped around and pressed her back against the same shelf to hide her act.

"What?" she said quickly, as if nothing had happened.

"... You alright?" he asked. He squinted at her face. "Your face is red. Feel sick?"

"I'm fine," she snapped. "I'm just... I need a little more time to look."

Beast Boy scratched his head in confusion. "O-kay." He slowly turned and resumed his hands-on examination of a curiously shaped wand. Raven suppressed a sigh of relief, and moved on to another part of the store.

Near the front, the door bell rang as another customer walked in. The owner said something about being closed for the moment, but his sentence abruptly cut off. Beast Boy looked at him with concern, but it seemed that the man was smiling brightly. He greeted the customer, who walked by. Beast Boy saw a surprisingly short individual, dressed entirely in a red dress, cape, and hood that hid his or her features. The stranger walked by and started looking around the incense shelf silently.

Weird, Beast Boy mused, thinking of the store owner's personality rather than the situation. He picked up a trinket with an Egyptian looking eye emblazoned on the front and fiddled with it some more while he waited for Raven to find something she liked.

Raven gazed at a mirror hanging from the wall, reputed to be an enchanted mirror that could reveal your future. She'd heard of such mirrors existing in real life, though they were extremely rare. This one was probably a fake, meant to tantalize the customers who could fall for such things. Raven's reflection looked back at her with a characteristic frown. Looking at that image, Raven felt like she was staring into the eyes of a kindred soul, rather than herself.

"You have very pretty eyes," said a soft, gentle voice. Raven looked beside her and saw the red-clad customer for the first time. She had the serene voice of a little girl, and her wardrobe gave her the look of Little Red Riding Hood. Which was presumably cute, though Raven wasn't good at telling what was 'cute'.

"Thanks," Raven said, a bit surprised. "Aren't you a little young to be in here?"

"I'm smarter than other five-year-olds," she said, looking up. Raven tried to make out her features through the hood's shadows, but all she could see were a pair of bright blue eyes.

Raven was lost in those eyes. They were like oceans, expanding into eternity in all directions. She felt herself grow dizzy under the girl's gaze. Why did she feel this way? She was swooning.

"And you have such a grown-up body too," the girl said enviously. Raven fell forward, but a pair of gentle, invisible hands seemed to catch her and flip her onto her back before lowering her gently to the ground. The girl knelt at Raven's side and slowly started to stroke her abdomen in awe. It made Raven distinctly uncomfortable, but her mind was swirling so much that she could barely move. Words refused to come out of her mouth. She was in a daze, and at some little girl's mercy.

The girl's hand trailed to Raven's ample thigh, and slowly her fingers moved inward to trigger a reaction in Raven's body. "I wish, I was grown up," the girl said. "Like you. Then, maybe Uncle Slade would do this to me... like I want him to."

Raven felt the purest terror in her state of immobility. In her mind, she cried futilely for help. And on her listless face, tears ran from the corner of her eyes. Why couldn't she fight back?

She already knew why. She was powerless.

"Raven?" Beast Boy said nearby, wandering the store's aisles. Suddenly, the place seemed more like a maze than a store. Raven was only two aisles away, so it wouldn't be long before he found her.

"We'll have more fun later, Mommy," the little girl said, looking down into the teen's eyes. "I'll see you later." A few tresses of hair as red as Starfire's tickled the edges of Raven's face. The girl leaned down and touched her lips to the weeping Titan, before jumping to her feet and calmly walking down the aisle to escape.

Beast Boy arrived now, from the other end of the same aisle, and rushed over to Raven's side. "What happened?"

Even in her forced daze, Raven could hear the bell at the front door ringing, signaling the girl's departure. Only when she was gone did the store owner run over to where Beast Boy was clamoring for his attention. The green Titan stroked Raven's teary face and tried to talk to her. Raven could not answer, though she heard the words, until the daze started to fade and give her mobility back.

The first 'word' that Raven could manage was a sob. Beast Boy was incredulous as to what the problem was, but he held Raven protectively and whispered calming words. Beast Boy quickly gave the store owner the Titans communicator and ordered him to call 'Robin' to the store immediately. The store owner did as he was told. Beast Boy continued to console Raven, who had gone from her usual calm and unbreakable demeanor to this weeping shell. The change frightened him, because it was so unlike her. Even in her emotional moments, she wasn't like this.

"I couldn't do anything," she cried into Beast Boy's chest. "She... She..."

"Don't worry about her right now. 'She's' gone," he promised. "She's gone." For the moment, that was all that mattered.

-

Titan's Tower, a few minutes later. Raven was calm again. Starfire was so worried about her friend that she'd gone to great lengths to make her feel protected, like a mother who couldn't stop worrying about her child. The other Titans did the same, since they all cared about her. Beast Boy made her tea. Terra and Cyborg gave her consoling words. Robin... well, Robin was still checking into what happened with the store owner, who seemed mysteriously clueless as to the girl that Raven was screaming about earlier.

"Please do not scare us like that again," Starfire said, caressing Raven's shoulder. "I have never seen you so distressed."

"Me neither," Beast Boy admitted. "It's all my fault. I should've been paying attention. I shouldn't have taken you to that freaky store."

Raven shook her head slowly. "It's not your fault. That girl was looking for me. She would have found us, no matter where we went."

Beast Boy could only look on with concern. His worry was so clear. Raven's soft stare was a silent message of relief.

"The store owner doesn't have any clue what happened," Robin said as he walked back to the den where the others were. "He remembers kicking the kids out of the store, and then Beast Boy yelling his name. Everything in between is a blur."

"I hardly remember that kid either," Beast Boy said. "Dude, it's like she was a ghost."

The boy wonder was calm but stern. "Raven. Can you talk about what happened?"

Raven stared down at her cup of tea. Starfire put a hand on the girl's arm for further reassurance. Slowly, as Raven felt the redhead's strength supporting her, she began to speak. "That was her. The girl that Slade said was 'our' daughter."

The Titans knew all about that fiasco with Beast Boy and Raven's daughter. When Raven had died, Slade hatched a plot to ressurect her in the hopes of harvesting the demonic seed inside her, and using it to create a servant of evil power. Since Beast Boy was carrying some of Trigon's power at the time, because of the events that led to Raven's death, Slade also used the seed in Beast Boy to make the birth all the easier. In the end, Slade created a demon who'd stolen Raven's powers, her heritage, and was every bit as vicious and evil as Raven's dark side used to be when not suppressed. She'd disappeared with Slade after their last battle, and this was the first time that the little girl had made an appearance since then.

"What did she want?" Robin asked gently.

"I'm... not really sure," she admitted. Raven gulped away some of her fear. "She... she came to me, and made a comment about my eyes being pretty. She started saying the same thing about my body. I started to feel really dizzy, and she started to... touch me."

It was easy to see how hard it was for Raven to admit that she was overpowered and molested by child, even if the child was magical and evil. She couldn't even face Robin as she said that, she was so ashamed.

"She said that she wished she could grow up," Raven said, when she could speak again. "I just remember being so scared... I couldn't fight back. She was toying with me, like I was some doll. And... I guess she reminded me of what happened to my mother. All at once, I felt weak and trapped and unable to stop her hands from... I felt like screaming for her to stop. When I couldn't, I only felt worse." Raven threatened to break into tears again, but Starfire and Terra were quick to give her reassuring hugs which helped reassert her control over her feelings.

"Is this Slade's idea of a sick joke?" Cyborg suggested.

"Not a joke," Robin said thoughtfully. "It was a rape... and I'm not using the word loosely. The whole point was to frighten Raven by making her feel the way she did. It was a violation, even if it wasn't physical. The girl wanted Raven to feel-"

"-Powerless," Raven finished. Her watery eyes glared at her oldest friend, whom she knew even before the Titans formed. Robin stared back, almost apologetically, though he didn't say anything to contradict her.

"Mission accomplished," Raven said, her lip trembling. "I've never felt more... vulnerable, in my life. We were in a store, and she brought me to my knees without Beast Boy knowing. She could have done anything she wanted. She could have killed me."

That made Beast Boy's guilt even stronger than before. "Raven, I'm so sorry..."

"The point is that she could have killed you, but she didn't," Robin said, trying to keep the subject analytical. "Which means there's something more to this. I'm going to scrounge around for any data on that girl. Someone might at least have her alias in the Hive or in Slade's normal recruiting cells."

"I wish to take care of Raven," Starfire said.

Raven was quick to protest. "Star, that's not necessary. I'm fine."

"But!"

"That's my job," Beast Boy said.

"We all want to help her," Terra argued.

"I just want to be left alone," Raven snapped, jumping from the couch and storming to the den exit. Starfire and Terra were about to run after her, when Cyborg stopped them. They demanded that he let go, but Cy was quick to remind them that Raven would ask for company when she wanted it. The best way for them to help would be to follow leads in the city when Robin found some. The girls agreed, though they both worried about their sister Titan deeply.

"Give me fifteen minutes and I'll have something," Robin promised on the way to his lab. Cyborg and the girls swore vengeance against the nameless girl and Slade. Beast Boy sat in the same chair he was in before, lamenting the events of the evening.

It's all my fault. I let Raven down.

I'm so worthless.

-

"Kali," Slade said into the darkness.

A spotlight snapped on, and the little girl in the red hood smiled from the center of the illuminated circle. She stepped into a curtsy, her tap shoe tapping against the steel floor, and bowed appropriately.

"Yes, Uncle Slade," she said prettily. She looked up at the man whose masked forehead glowed with the symbol of Trigon, her grandfather and the diety that granted her absolute power. Uncle Slade served her grand-papa, as she did, meaning they were partners in crime. However, she wished that she could be more than that to this amazing man.

"Did you establish the link?" he asked coldly.

"Yes, Uncle Slade," she said again. "I touched Mommy and put some of my power in her. We can begin the Harrowing tonight, when the incantation is completed."

Slade noticed a curious smirk on the girl's lips, which dissolved into a giggle that she childishly tried to hide behind her hands. "What did you do, child?"

Kali blinked her big blue eyes innocently. "I might have touched Mommy in a naughty place. I don't think she liked it." She tittered again. "I'm a bad girl."

Slade scowled lightly, though that was only apparent because of his one visible eye growing thinner. "I can only imagine why you have such 'deviant' mannerisms. It is not the Master's forte."

"I'm just special," she said proudly. "And, like my Daddy, I like to play with Mommy and see what she does."

"Somehow I doubt that the little Titan is nearly as 'enthusiastic' as you are." Slade folded his hands. "Prepare for the Harrowing. Be certain to catch all the Titans in the radius of the ritual. Once we've trapped them in Raven's memory world, we'll begin the ceremony and change you into your final incarnation."

"I get to be grown up!" Kali cheered happily. She did a little twirl. "Ya-ay! Uncle Slade, I'm so happy! I'll be grown up, like Mommy! You'll see how pretty I am!"

Slade dismissed the comment coolly. "I'm sure, child. Now go."

"Yes, Uncle Slade!" The spotlight snapped off, and Kali disappeared in the darkness. The only source of light in the room was the burning 'S' on Slade's brow.

"The Prophecy will be fulfilled, Master. Tonight, you will grant us your peace."

-

Raven sat in her room, sitting on the bed and staring at the mirror on her desk. She went over what happened earlier in her mind, and thought about how silly it was for her to feel so scared about something so minor.

But no matter how many times she said 'minor' in her mind, she couldn't convince herself of that. To her, being molested that way was still a horrible experience, even if it wasn't a 'real' rape.

"A 'real' rape," Raven muttered, trying to convince herself that it was amusing. "What happened was bad, but it's no worse than when I entered Robin's mind. That was violating something personal."

But then, Robin trusts me.

"I think," she muttered out loud. "Or maybe, it's no worse than when that virus went into Cyborg. He was invaded by something bad."

Nobody got pleasure from invading Cyborg though. 'She' got pleasure from hurting you. That's why you felt so helpless. That's why it felt wrong. Your body, and your pain, amused her. That isn't right.

Raven hugged her legs to her chest and tried to stop shaking. "But... I can't say that I was raped. I wasn't. I was just..."

'Just' violated. Belittled. Dominated.

Raven hated talking to herself. She always scared her.

There was a gentle knock on the door, and Raven quickly - almost too quickly, but she paused long enough to calm her throbbing heart - said 'Enter'. The door slid open, and Terra stood there, hugging something in her arms.

"Look, I don't want to talk right now," Raven said.

Terra walked in. "I didn't come here to talk. I want to loan you something." She offered a gift, which turned out to be a white rabbit in a little blue robe, and exaggerated violet eyes. The plush doll even had a chakra stone just above and between its eyes.

Raven glared at Terra. "Where, did you get something like that?"

"I made it, actually," Terra admitted bashfully. "I wasn't in town when it happened, but Beast Boy told me about it. He knows I'm good with my hands. I made one for him, and one for myself."

"That must be what he hides whenever I visit his room," Raven reasoned. He always had a few seconds delay when she knocked on the door. This explained why. "But, why do you have one? Shouldn't your 'security blanket' have dreadlocks?"

Terra held up a finger to present her point. "I have one doll for every Titan and every Titan ally! Every doll reminds me that people can be strong and cute at different times. In your case, I had a little trouble finding your cute side."

"Hm."

"But when I heard about that story, I found what I was looking for." Terra held the doll to her. "I'm loaning it to you."

Raven calmly took the stuffed animal by the ears and dangled it in front of her. The doll even had the same glare as her. She felt like she was back at the store, looking in the mirror again.

Terra was already on her way out the door. She didn't expect Raven to thank her, or even to approve of the gesture. But, Raven was full of surprises today.

"Terra," she stopped the girl, who looked back. "Thanks. I guess even you can be cute sometimes."

The blonde playfully raspberried Raven. "Yeah, I'll give you 'cute'." She managed to get Raven to smile, which was all the confirmation she needed of her triumph. Terra hopped from the room and waved. "If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask. Cy and I are consoling Beast Boy with some Super Ninja Fury. He's so worried about you he's turning blue."

Raven nodded. "Tell him I'm fine." She held up the Bunny Raven. "And tell him we'll have to talk about this tomorrow morning."

Terra gave a thumbs-up and left. Raven waited to make sure she didn't come back, then made sure the door was locked with a vocal command. Finally, she gave the bunny plush a firm hug. Like a child first discovering the joy of a doll for the first time, Raven discovered just how warm she felt from such a simple gesture.

"She could have at least given me her plushie of him," Raven muttered, thinking of only one 'him' at that moment. "What's so good about going to bed with myself?"

The scowl on the rabbit's face seemed to agree with her.

"Glad we understand each other," Raven said. "I guess you're better than nothing. Welcome to my room. Nobody touches anything in my room except me. Got that?"

Scowl.

"Good. Now let's get some sleep before my 'bad dreams' catch up with me." High on Terra's friendly gesture, Raven quickly hopped into bed and curled up in the blankets with her lop-eared counterpart. She said "Lights" to darken her room automatically, and closed her eyes to think of some peaceful imagery that would help her have a good dream that night.

She imagined her and Beast Boy, sitting by the lake, on the day when he told her he loved her. The happiest moment of her life so far. She remembered it, and grinned until she fell asleep.

-

Kali sat in the center of a pentagram inked in blood. She was ready to begin the Harrowing - the drawing of the Titans into a world of darkness, where they would face the perils of a girl's frightened mind. Raven's fears would be their undoing.

"Daddy... Mommy," Kali grinned, baring some teeth better suited to a canine. "I want to play."

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Warning: The following chapters are rated R for the actions performed by, and because of, Kali. These actions may include, but are not limited to, adult language, sexual molestation, rape, cannibalism, and graphic violence. Reader discretion is advised.