Teen Titans: The Only Way
Chapter Sixteen: Goodbye
Disclaimer: You don't have to worry about me stealing the Teen Titans anymore.... this story has officially ended and so has my short, but sweet reign over this incredible animated world. cries hard as the notary finishes notes and goes to turn them into the judge smiles wickedly as I notice I'm alone once again He he, they don't really have to know that I'm starting a whole new fic though. Time to rule Titan universe yet again! Mwahahahahaahha
A warm darkness surrounded her senses as she lay there, not really knowing where she was; her only thoughts being of her last conscious moments in Trigon's lair. She almost panicked when she couldn't see anything but she soon realized that it was only her eyelids that were shut and so she slowly opened them. A bright light flooded her vision and she squinted against the harshness of it.
Ouch, she thought, numbly raising a hand to block the bombardment of light. Where am I? Am I alive? Could this really be Heaven, my afterlife?
She looked around in the brightness as her eyes began to slowly adjust and she recognized a wall in front of her with a large window letting the sunlight in. She opened her eyes further as her mind comprehended it was sunlight that was shining in her room and she began to become excited.
We did it! She thought happily. I can't believe it! We did it! We defeated Trigon, we must have! There's no other way the sun could ever be shining in Azareth!
As her eyes returned to normal she slowly shifted her head to survey her surroundings as it hurt quite a bit still to move at any great length. But she didn't really care; she was alive and she no longer had the threat of her father looming over her. She noticed the sterile walls of what she could only assume was the infirmary and her eyes slowly swept over the only other occupant in the room, slumped over in a chair next to her, their hand holding tightly onto hers.
She smiled as tears began to leak out of her eyes and she willed her hand to squeeze, hoping to wake her slumbering companion. As she moved her hands, their eyes flew open and it took a second for them to adjust to the sight in front of them. A smile flew across their face and they leaned close to give her a hug.
"You're awake!" they cried as she felt hot tears spill onto her neck. "I was beginning to think I had lost you forever. Oh gosh, Raven, you had me scared half to death! Oh thank Gosh you're alive!"
Raven just reached up a hand to stroke the short black hair and she never wanted to let go. "Oh Robin! I thought I had lost you too. How long have I been out? Oh, I'm so excited to be back home with you!"
Robin pulled back and laid a light but love-filled kiss on her lips and just sat there for a moment wiping away her tears and stroking her mussed up lavender hair. "You've been out almost a week now. We were beginning to think you would never come back to us. But here you are! Oh, I love you so much Raven!"
"I love you too Robin," Raven cried as he kissed her again and they held onto each other for what seemed like forever.
Finally Raven began to feel everything again and she asked Robin to help her sit up and move; she was sick of lying there and she needed to get around and do something. It took a few minutes, but soon she was up and walking, well hobbling anyway, and she was slowly making her way to the window.
"Where are you going?" Robin asked, laughing at her almost drunken movements.
"To the window," she stated matter-of-factly as she gathered the white robes around her and sat down on the windowsill. "I want to see and feel the sunshine. I have never been able to know such warmth in Azareth."
Raven sat down and stared outside and gasped in wonderment. Outside the grass was a breathtaking shade of green and the lake was replenished, stretching outwards with a crystal clear blue water that seemed to go past the horizons. The whole land looked as if it belonged in a fairytale and it made Raven feel so spectacular inside to know she was the reason for this. As she looked over by the beach her eyes caught on a lone figure sitting atop a boulder that looked awfully familiar.
"Love?" Raven asked, motioning for Robin to join her. "What is Charlie doing down there by the water? Why isn't he in a room with Cori? Or why isn't she down there with him? Did they break up again?"
Robin shifted his gaze away from her and fiddled a bit with his fingers, never once looking at her and giving the sense of nervousness.
"Not exactly Raven," he said at last.
"Well then what happened exactly?" she questioned sternly, worry rising in her angelic voice. "Is everything all right? Can I go and see Cori?"
Robin looked back to her and Raven, for the first time ever, could not read his emotions, but in her weakened state she didn't find anything wrong with that. "Listen, I'm going to go find Azar and everyone and let them know you're awake and doing wonderful. Then we'll come back and take you to Cori."
"Okay," Raven agreed, letting go of Robin's hand and looking back outside. "But hurry back soon, I'll miss you."
Robin gave her another quick kiss and left right away to go find their friends. Raven merely sat there, her memories of the mission were too scrambled in her head and she couldn't remember much of what happened. She was thankful for that and didn't pay much heed to it; she reveled in the emotions that were tumbling about freely around and inside of her, never once flying from her and destroying anything.
Soon enough Robin returned with Azar and all of their friends, who were thoroughly ecstatic to see their friend up and about. Azar hugged the girl she regarded as a daughter so tight that Raven felt like Starfire had created a clone of herself. It took her a moment to get her breath back just to lose it yet again as the real Starfire zoomed over to her and enveloped her just as tightly.
Terra didn't want to let go and Cyborg had practically glued the dark girl to his metal body, making the others have to literally pry him away from the smothered girl. Everyone's eyes were red-rimmed with tears and even Beast Boy was sniffling like crazy. They all stayed and talked for awhile before Azar ushered everyone, including Robin, outside and stayed with Raven to help her dress so she could go see her sister.
Raven put on a set of black robes trimmed in purple, signifying her royal status on Azareth, forgoing her ususal costume at the request of Azar herself; besides, apparently her uniform had not survived the mission unscathed. When Raven exited her room, Robin was there waiting for her and so he accompanied her and Azar down to go see Cori. No one said a word until they started to near the temple where her mother was being kept.
"Azar," Raven asked, curious. "Why are we going to my mother's resting place? I thought we were going to see Cori?"
"We are child," Azar replied simply, her now black robes seeming like a veil of death around her. "Your sister is with your mother now."
Raven looked confused as they entered her mother's 'room' and Azar and Robin stopped at the door.
"Robin? Azar?" Raven questioned, panic and worry rising in her throat. "Why are we stopping? What's going on here? Aren't you coming with me to see Cori?"
Robin just looked away and Azar placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "No my dear. Cori has asked to speak with you alone. Robin and I shall wait here for your return."
"What's going on?!" Raven cried, looking flustered. "Why won't anyone tell me anything?"
Azar just shook her head and lowered her sad eyes; she then reached out to close the doors and left Raven to speak with her family by herself. Raven slowly turned around after a few moments and made her way over to the circle that protected her deceased mother's spirit and waited for her to appear. It wasn't long before the beautiful Arella appeared before her daughter, glowing in all of her glory.
"My gorgeous daughter, Raven," Arella cooed, reaching out a cool hand to graze her cheek. "I am so happy for your freedom, you deserve it so much, my child. You are going to live a long and wondrous life, I can feel it."
"Mother," Raven said softly, feeling the soul of her mother against her skin, feeling as if it was there and, yet, it wasn't. "I have never been so happy and I cannot believe that I finally am free to live my life as I see fit. It is so wonderful to be able to feel and to love and to just... be!"
"I am proud of you, my Raven," her mother said as a glowing tear made its way down her cheek and splashed onto the floor, shattering into a flurry of golden magic. "You took control of your destiny and Fate has granted you a chance at a real life."
"Yes, Fate has," Raven agreed, smiling. "Mother....... Where is Cori? Azar said I was to meet her here, but I don't see her anywhere."
Raven's mother looked away for a moment before returning to her daughter's eager face and smiled sadly. "My dear, dear Raven.... It seems as if Fate was......not... as kind to your sister...."
"Wh- what do you mean?" Raven cried, her chest heaving slightly. "Where is Cori? What happened to her? Why can't I see her?"
Before Arella could answer her frightened daughter, another soul form appeared next to her and smiled gently at Raven, earning a choked out 'NO!' followed by an immeasurable amount of gut-wrenching sobs.
"Raven," the newcomer crooned, kneeling down to lay a hand on the crying girl's shoulder. "Please do not cry; it makes me sad to hear you full of sorrow."
Raven bolted up at her words and glared at her behind the numerous tears. "How can I NOT cry? Cori...... you died! And I'm sitting here alive! You had so much to live for. How can you be so calm?"
"Because," Cori said simply, sitting on the floor next to her sister, looking dazzling in the bright shine, having the air of an angel from Heaven. "So do you.... Raven, I knew my Fate long ago. Growing up, for some reason, Trigon's influence only affected you; I never had to worry about controlling my emotions to the extent you did and I always felt guilty about that. You deserved a chance to feel as I did, maybe even more so. I knew I would not come out of Trigon's lair, but I knew it would be for a good cause: you. Raven, I love you so much and I just want you to live a happy and marvelous life, regardless if mine was cut short."
"But how can I be happy if you're gone?" Raven bawled. "How can I be happy if I'm alone, without any family left?"
"But you do have a family," Arella injected, coming down to join her daughters. "The Titans are your family now. Besides, we'll always be there for you Raven, in your heart, and nothing can ever change that."
"Yes Rae, we'll always be with you, no matter what," Cori said, smiling. "We just want you to have a chance at being happy with Robin and the rest of your friends. I know that you must be hurting immensely right now and, believe me, I know how you feel. I felt that exact same way before I fully accepted my Fate so long ago. But I let it in and realized it was inevitable and for the best in the end."
"But, but," Raven stammered. "How can it be for the best? I honestly don't think I could live without you. I mean, I just got you back in my life and now you're gone again. I don't think I can handle losing you twice in my lifetime."
"I know it hurts now Raven," Cori consoled, standing up. "But I need you to be strong now. Not only for yourself, but for everyone involved. Especially Charlie."
"Charlie....." Raven whispered, standing up with her mother. "What about him? How did he take all of this?"
Cori looked at her fingers for a moment before answering. "He..... did not take it well as the Temple Guards brought my lifeless body up from the other dimension, but he has coped as best as he can. I spoke with him once my affairs on this side were settled and he has visited quite a few times since then. He is extremely depressed, but I think, in due time, he will be all right once more and go on with his life. But that's why I need you to be strong for me, for him; he needs someone to let him know the pain won't last forever. Please Raven, can you grant me that one last promise?"
Raven wiped her tears away and smiled at her sister's brilliant soul. "Of course Cori. For you I would do anything."
Cori smiled as her tears now flowed freely and she hugged Raven, sending a strange tingling feeling down her spine. The trio of women all stood there, hugging each other and crying for the lives they would never get a chance to spend together. Raven felt as if, with every breath, her heart was ripping in two and it would never heal. Having her sister back felt like having her other half there, a part of her that hadn't been whole in such a long time.
"It's time for us to go now," Arella said, stepping back from Raven for a second. "We need never to return to this world now that it is safe from danger."
"You're going?" Raven asked. "You're leaving me for good? You're never coming back here, to Azareth? I won't ever see you again!"
"Our souls need to rest Rae," Cori sighed. "Mother's especially. But, just remember, we will always be with you, inside of you, forever and for eternity."
"But why did you ask to see me?" Raven questioned sadly. "Even if you knew you could never come back."
"I needed to say Goodbye," Cori whispered.
Raven's tears fell yet again as Cori hugged her fiercely, followed by Arella.
"I love you so much, my dear Raven," Arella said as her soul began to disappear into the bright light. "I shall always be by your side, I promise."
"Goodbye Raven," Cori added. "I love you so much sister. Please, just be happy.... for the both of us...."
The two women disappeared into the light and suddenly the room felt so cold and dark as Raven crumpled to the floor and sobbed violently into the ground at the loss of her true family. She stayed there for almost an hour before Robin couldn't stand listening to her cries from behind the door, and rushed in to hold her as she wept hard and long for her sister and mother. Azar merely watched for a little while before leaving to go find the rest of the Titans to inform them Raven was not to be disturbed until further notice.
Robin carried Raven up to their room after she passed out in the Temple and laid her down on the bed, crawling in momentarily afterwards to lay beside her. He was damned if he was going to leave her side ever again, even for just a second. He hated seeing her in such pain and a general state of sorrow; it hurt him to feel her worries and to watch her tears cascade from her intoxicating orbs. He felt helpless, to say the least, and he knew he could do nothing but just be there for her until she was ready to make her next move.
Raven stayed in her room for the entire next day, sometimes crying, sometimes sleeping, but always hurting. Robin came and went when she asked him to and her friends obeyed her wishes when she said she still needed some time alone. The day after that Raven actually ventured outside, but she just went down by the lake where Charlie had permanently rooted himself and just sat there. They held each other until the night fell, neither one saying a word, but just being there for each other and consoling their torrid emotions.
The day after the lake Azar held a proper funeral for Cori, letting everyone pay their final respects and giving them a chance to say goodbye. Raven just sat there and gripped Robin's hand during the entire ceremony, never taking her eyes off of her sister's coffin. Charlie wasn't even there. He claimed he had already said his goodbyes and so Raven had urged everyone to let him be, she understood fully how he felt and what he meant and she let him have his peace.
The Titans stayed a few more days in the lovely Azareth, enjoying the incredible new landscape and tasty foods, wishing they could have these delicacies back on Earth. Finally, the day came when Raven decided it was time they headed back home and back to their old lives. She was doing relatively better, but she still hurt a little bit. After she had finished packing her and Robin went down to a garden that had been planted for Cori and just sat there, enjoying the peaceful state Azareth was now in.
"Hey Rae," Robin asked, interrupting the glorious silence and pointing over by a rose bush. "What's that over there, by the roses? I can see something moving around."
"I don't know," Raven replied quietly, intrigued by the creature, moving closer to get a better look at it.
"Don't get too close," Robin warned, letting her go reluctantly. "You don't know if it's dangerous or not."
Raven just chuckled, something she hadn't done in forever and rolled her eyes at her boyfriend's overprotectiveness. "Oh calm down Sweetie. There aren't any harmful animals on Azareth. Besides I'm not getting any bad vibes from it, so just chill."
Robin just pouted at her response and watched warily as she moved closer to their visitor.
"Oh!" Raven exclaimed as the animal pounced at her. "Robin, it's just a little kitten! Look how cute it is!"
Robin moved to look at the cuddly animal and smiled as he saw Raven's warmth returning at the arrival of this little beast. The kitten looked up at him and purred as he reached down to pet it. The kitten's white coat was spotted with little patches of black and it reminded Raven of something, but she just couldn't place what. The kitten looked up at her with big midnight blue eyes and licked her with its scratchy tongue, sending a familiar tingle down her back. As the animal looked over at Robin she could have sworn it's eyes flashed silver in the sunlight.
"Aww," Robin cooed, quickly growing attached to the furry kitten in his lover's arms. "How cute. Looks like you have a new friend there Rae."
"Yeah," Raven mused, stroking the fur softly. "I think I actually might take her home with me and keep her for a pet. Beast Boy kind of gets old after awhile."
"I know what you mean," Robin laughed, loving how serene Raven seemed. "So, what are you going to name her?"
Raven pondered for a moment, trying to get a feel for a name for her new pet. "Chou," she finally said, smiling. "I'm going to name her Chou; I think it fits perfectly."
"Shoe?" Robin asked, puzzled at her choice. "Why are you going to name her Shoe?"
"No Silly!" She scolded, standing up and carrying Chou back to the room, with Robin walking next to her. "Not 'Shoe!' I said 'Chou' as in 'Mon Petit Chou.' It means 'My Darling,' or 'My Little Cabbage' in French."
"You're naming her Cabbage?" Robin smirked. "Any particular reason why?"
"It just feels right," Raven answered, using her powers to poke him in the side. "Besides, when we were little, there was a stray rabbit who lived in our garden that Cori and I named Lettuce because that was all he ate. He was our first pet, suffice to say, and our only pet before we were separated. He looked just like her."
Robin just smiled at his love and kissed her on the cheek before resuming his petting. "Well then, Chou it is. I think it's a perfect name."
Raven and Robin headed to find the rest of the Titans, Chou tagging along in Raven's arms, content on being coddled all the way. When they reached their friends, they were all excited to meet Raven's new pet and took turns holding her and petting the tiny kitten. Beast Boy even turned into his kitten form and played around for a bit with the tiny newcomer, having more fun than he ever thought possible.
As everyone was getting ready to leave, Charlie finally joined them with his bags in tow and stopped as he saw the little creature.
"Hey who's the newbie?" he asked lightly, a small smile gracing his face for the first time in weeks.
"Her name is Chou," Cyborg said, putting down the cat as it squirmed to get away from him and over to Charlie. "Raven found her and decided she is going to be our new pet."
Charlie picked Chou up and his face seemed frozen as the kitten playfully licked his cheek and snuggled up close to his chest.
"Hey, Speedy," Terra asked as he stood there, dumbfounded. "Is everything okay? You look like you just saw a ghost."
"W-w-w-what did you say her name was?" he stuttered out, staring intently at Raven.
"Chou," Raven replied uneasily as she watched her kitten seemingly melt into Charlie's embrace. "Why? Is there something wrong about that name?"
"How did you choose that name?" he asked, his voice wavering slightly.
"I don't really know," Raven admitted. "It just sort of came to me and it felt right. Why do you ask?"
"It's strange," he said, finally looking down at the kitten with tears in his eyes. "Because..... when.... Cori and I first got together....." He paused and took a deep breath before continuing.
"When we first became a couple, she decided I needed a pet name and likewise for her. She called me My Darling, and I laughed because I wanted that same name for her. She thought about it for a bit and then said I could still call her the same. She told me, she would be my 'Chou...' That it meant My Darling in French and that it even had a special meaning to her, all the same. I just find that...... fitting, I suppose."
Raven watched as Charlie wiped the tears from his eyes and he smiled his first real smile since Cori had died; her heart fluttered as she remembered her final promise to her sister.
"She's yours then," she decided, earning shouts of protest from everyone, including Charlie, who tried to hand Chou back to her. "No, I made up my mind. I promised Cori that I would do everything I could to make sure we got through this and I think Chou should stay with you. That name obviously came to me for a reason and I believe Cori told me so that I could give you something to take her place, at least for a little while until all the pain can go away. You need Chou more than I do, Charlie."
Charlie just smiled and kissed Chou on the head as she purred into his chest, giving him a feeling he only ever got when Cori was around him. The Titans all understood her decision and realized there was no taking it back.
"Well guys," Raven said as Robin placed an arm around her waist and kissed her lightly. "I think it's time we finally headed home, what do you say?"
Murmurs of agreement were heard all around as they all packed up and began to leave this renewed beauty called Azareth as Azar stood atop her Temple and bid them farewell. Raven stayed behind with Charlie as Robin helped the others load the baggage up. She looked at him and she grasped his hand while Chou found a resting spot in his empty arrow bag on his back.
"Goodbye Cori," they whispered together as they began to walk away, leaving behind one the biggest part of their lives. "We'll never forget you......"
A/N: Holy....shizzer.... I can't believe I actually just finished a story..... I'm..... I'm..... speechless! I don't know what to write...... Wow!...... Well then, I guess I should let you all know that I am currently working on my new stories and those should (hopefully) be up in the next month or so. I really hope you all enjoyed this piece, I had a great time writing it and I am truly devastated that it is actually over. Wow...... Well, review and let me know what you think. Thank you to everyone who has read and reviewed this story. You all are a wonderful bunch of readers and I couldn't ask for better fans. L8R Daze......