Even In The Grave, All Is Not Lost

This Victory Is More Loss Than Gain

A/N: so it took 15 chapters to get here but Raven finally finds out what happened at Luna's Conclave. The funny bit is this is actually like the third chapter I ever wrote for this fic. It just took a while for it to feel right to include it. Also, I think I proofread this chapter like 30 times. I couldn't stop changing things.

Also I was going through the last chapter and I realized I accidentally italicized the wrong word in a sentence. I wrote 'She liked Luna.' but it was supposed to be 'She liked Luna.'

. . .

Past

"Your brother's spirit will find you again."

No. It would not.

What spirit returned to the one who had severed it from life?

Or perhaps many did.

Perhaps she would see her brother again - as he pushed her head under the water. Just as she pushed his.

Perhaps she would be haunted.

She did not know if this was a good or a bad thing.

Perhaps it would be good.

She would like to go into the water.

She would like to be with him.

"I didn't mean to."

But she had. She had.

She saw her brother and she felt the knife in her hand and she-

She thought, not today.

Not today.

I do not want to die today.

I do not want to die.

I do not want to die.

And then she thought nothing at all.

She should have died.

Death would have been kinder than this.

"Right now, you are in a nightmare. But nightmares end."

What did it say, that a part of her didn't want this one to?

That a part of her wanted to stay here, in the dark. With her brother's blood still tight on her skin.

She did not want to venture into the light without him.

Knew that she did not deserve to.

"Luna?"

"I didn't mean to."

But she had.

. . .

Present

Abby had finally kicked Raven and Luna out of the lab, saying there was little either of them could do right now whilst she and Jackson continued their study of her blood - in the fruitless hope that they might actually find a solution that didn't involve going into space.

Luna had vacated the premises far more willingly than Raven.

"Make sure this one actually gets some rest," were Abby's final words to Luna as they departed.

This whole Ravensitting thing was getting real fucking annoying.

She bristled but the woman beside her just chuckled, settling her hands on Raven's arms as she guided her out of the room. "I'm not sure anyone has that power, Abby."

Damn right.

But Luna understanding this certainly meant that their friendship - or whatever it was they had going on - had a much better chance of surviving.