Concern

Changes

She knew all of her team mates, her family, had changed since they had first met, even she had changed in those seven years. However, the changes in one of her comrades caused her serious concern. Ever since their first meeting she had known there was a lot more to him than a jester.

He wasn't the smartest, he let that be known, from what little she knew of his past she had never heard a mention of a school. This didn't mean he had never received education; Mento had struck her as a man who would be natural tutor, as well as his evident trainer. She knew he'd had a family before Mento and Elastigirl had adopted him at the age of ten, that was about all she knew and it bothered her. The most personal thing she knew about him was his name and he hadn't even been the one to tell her it.

Garfield.

She liked it, despite her mocking, but he hated it and she only resorted to using it to get a point across. She only mocked initially to avenge all his corny jokes, and the war of childish pranks between him and Victor that she was occasionally caught in the crossfire of.

She was never one to show her concerns, part of her upbringing, but they were numerous when it came to the subject of Garfield Logan. The first worrying aspect she noticed was his self doubt of his own strength, she only noticed this once after his defeat to Richard in their first ever sparring match. Richard had defeated him within 30 seconds and it had been evident that when he came too that he loathed himself for it. She could have sworn she heard him mutter, "Am I really this weak?" as the others tried to explain the fast one hit nature of the match.

What she most noticed over the years was his growing hypocrisy when it came to personal history and feelings; he would never tell anyone anything about his personal history, and guarded that privacy with a vengeance, but would persist to know about her and the others' pasts. He would always be there to try and comfort any of his comrades with either light, all be it bad, humour or a shoulder to be cried on. After Malchior had manipulated her and she had sent the dragon back to his book of a home, Garfield's words had been more effective than a year's meditation would have been. Yet, he would never let anyone calm him or comfort him when he obviously needed it.

The only time she had been able to catch him was after the Beast incident, that had been the first and last time she had seen or even felt his sorrow, even when Terra had basically ripped his heart into shreds he had kept silent. Before he had always hid any emotional or physical pain he had from those around, even from her empathic abilities, extremely well. After that he had always fled to a place where he could be alone with his pain: a place away from her powers of empathy. This concerned her, but despite his hypocrisy she respected the privacy of others since she valued her own greatly.

This did not mean she wasn't curious, what could cause someone like Garfield so much pain? Why would he never confide in any of those who loved him? Even Victor had told her Garfield never spoke about problems that caused him pain that would warrant his occasional retreats to absolute solitude. Why did he think it was okay for him to suffer alone, but still think that everyone else should share their burden?

His anger was another story she often sensed that during either training, battle, or one his numerous silly videogame marathons with Victor that he was taming a hidden rage. She never felt it directed at anything, it was like he was alleviating pent up pressure that was supplied by the rage of an inner demon. She knew exactly what that was like, she calmed her rage, and other strong feelings, by meditation and its resistance had decreased dramatically after her father's defeat and she was gaining control now. Garfield, however, had never lost control without outside provocation, namely the chemicals that had made him the Beast and it had only grown stronger, she could only marvel at his control.

She didn't know what fuelled his anger; she had a list of possibilities: his animal instincts, the emotional pain he kept hidden, or perhaps possible self loathing for being weak, like she believed she had heard. She didn't even know why he kept behind his natural goofiness.

No matter what the answer was none of those theories explained the lengths he was willing to go too to keep his secrets, or what she saw when she first realised how much effort he put into it. One year ago he had asked for her books on keeping telepaths and empaths out of one's mind. The only thing she could feel was absolute confusion as questions raced from Nevermore from Knowledge and Wisdom: why would he want to keep her this much? He knew she respected privacy, didn't he? Has he been reading books to learn how to keep her out? Since when did he have the patience to read? Then she had seen his smile.

Now she understood why he wanted her to smile a genuine smile. It had been serene, it wasn't goofy, it wasn't forced and it wasn't fake. The happiness coming from him had been overwhelming, was that really how strong his emotions were? It had taken a stone resolve to just keep the look of confusion on her face; she didn't even have a chance of returning to her standard neutral face, as she asked him why he wanted the books. She had felt minor frustration when he gave a plausible excuse of wanting to keep his most prominent father figure from sensing his fear. Her concern returned with his sarcasm joke about keeping her out, he had meant every word he said not his tone, he wanted her out and to stay out.

Then three months ago her concerns grew further, his room was made immune to her powers of empathy, she hadn't been told, but when she felt Garfield simply disappear from her sight one night she half-panicked. She had immediately asked Victor why this had happened and when he reluctantly explained her emotions caused the light in his room to explode. She had left instantly and returned to her room to meditate and seek council with her emotions.

After her father's defeat her emotions were becoming more controlled for outbursts, but they were having a greater effect on her mind and behaviour, she wanted to be able to feel. But, now thanks to this increased sensitivity to her emotions she wasn't strong enough to bear knowing someone she knew was suffering and was experiencing that alone. She knew he needed the team, their family, as much as she did, and she now she realised he was, and always had been, experiencing pain that she experienced too: the pain of the past, the pain of being a monster, the pain of wanting strength. Why had it taken this long for her to realise this?

The difference was that she hadn't hid her pain merely refused to share it, until the others, including Garfield, had broken that resolve to be alone and bear it herself. How could he believe he should bear his pain alone? It would not make him weak to share it! She had to calm herself, if he wanted help he would ask for it, he wasn't so proud that he would let his pain take him past his limit, would he?

Tonight, that had been her focus during meditation: calm herself and her feelings, and strengthen her resolve to let Garfield be and respect his decision. It was an interesting council in nevermore tonight; nearly every emotion had been divided on the issue, except for Rage who wanted to kill Garfield and Rude who went to sleep. Bravery had been in the middle of expressing of why she should let Garfield's decision stand when, she felt it.

Pain and… happiness or elation, it was Garfield, they were stronger then anything she had felt herself sensed from anyone else, how could be in this much pain and yet… this happy!? He was on the roof and that was where she decided she should and must be and she was there within a minute, phasing through the ceiling.

She would confront him and show him that she was not weak and would bear this burden with him; all he had to do was make the right decision and take control.

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A/N: I'm still not sure if this was a good idea, but I wanted try and portray Raven's thoughts and since Control is from BB's point of view this story is the result. Pls tell me about any problems. Sorry if boring and/or crud. Control will always be come first and this will fill Raven's side of it. Sorry if OOC. And sorry if anyone thinks I've misinterpreted Rae, as a male I make no claim to understand the female mind, but that keeps me interested.