Teen Titans: A New Beginning

The news (part 3)

RAVEN POV

Back to the present.

Today I woke up earlier than usual. I couldn't sleep at all. I spent all night rolling around the bed sheets, trying to find a comfortable position to finally relax and have a good sleep but I couldn't. Plus I was chased by nightmares every time I'd close my eyes.

I don't know where I'm going to find the strength to deal with this entire day, but I have no choice to do so. Sooner or later I'll have to get up and face my teammates. I can't even imagine how they are gonna look at me after the awful news I'm about to give them. How will Robin react? And what about Starfire and Cyborg? Or... Beast Boy?
As soon as I think about Beast Boy I feel a huge hole in my stomach filled with emptiness and sadness. I shouldn't even care, but I do and I can't help it. I guess he's gonna be fine tho, after all he's got Terra to watch after him.
Oh, by the way, we don't exactly know where she is right now. Probably going from town to town, exploring the world and sleep wherever she finds a safe place, like she told us she wanted to do before she was ready to leave. I know she will be back eventually, but this day is bad enough already to think about Terra visiting us too.
Although, I realize that once I'll leave the tower to keep the promise I made to my mother, none of these worries will have to concern me anymore. I'm aware of the fact I'll have to forget about the life I used to have here, with my friends, fighting crime and... nothing, I can't keep thinking about this no more. It's too painful.

I wipe my eyes that filled with tears and I cover my face with the blanket.
"I'm not ready...I'm not ready...", I keep repeating myself.

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- Morning people.
- Good morning sister! - Cyborg said.
- Friend Raven! Did you enjoy the sleeping? - followed Starfire.
- Hey Raven! Is everything ok? - Robin always knows when something is wrong. He's the one on the team that knows me better than anyone else, and he just sees it. It's like written on my face that something is bad, for him at least, I'm not sure.
I'm about to answer when Beast Boy emerges from the door yawning and stretching his arms.
- Yo yo yo people! Nice day uh?
- Wonderful. - I answer sarcastically.

Robin takes me aside and whispers to me:
- What's wrong Raven? You look... exhausted. Did Trigon bother you in your sleep another time?"
- Is not my father, Robin. - my lips starts to quiver but I strive to keep tears inside, so I swallow heavily. - But I'd rather talk about this to all of you guys later. Or I'll end up ruining everybody's breakfast.
- Alright. I'll reunite the team when you feel comfortable enough.
- Thanks Robin. Now... I need to go back to my room.

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I couldn't stay longer. I could feel tears rolling down my face and I don't want to cry in front of everybody. God, when did I become so weak and emotional?

I look around in my room, thinking about how it will look when I will be gone, and I see an old photo album sticking out from under my bed. I take it and I open it, starting to scroll through the pictures. Some pages are broken or bent so I try to fix them when suddenly a few pictures fall on the floor. I take them and I realize those are pictures Beast Boy took of me when I wasn't looking. There's him photobombing a few of them, making silly faces.
I should be furious, instead I let out a feeble laugh and I start crying even more, falling on the floor and covering my face with my hood.

I must have fallen asleep for a few hours and now I'm back to my flat expression, feeling almost no emotions. I guess this is the right time to start packing, before memories start to play a cruel trick on me again.

BEAST BOY POV

I wonder where Raven is. I saw her this morning but she didn't have breakfast or at least, I didn't see her eating. I feel a little concerned cause since she came back from Azarath she looks severely beaten-up.
I know I'm probably the last person she wants to see right now (like every time she feels more depressed than usual), but I crave to see her feeling at least a little bit better. Make her smile would be much more than a challenge, but I want to try and see what I can do.
I'm about to knock on her door when it opens and I fall in her room like an idiot.
- Beast Boy? What where you doing in front of my door?
- Ouch! - I scratch the back of my neck - N-nothing I swear! I just... Wanted to talk to you.
- I guess you'll have to wait cause I was going to talk to all of you guys in the common room. It's something... Important.
- Important like the stuff your mom had to tell you?
- That's exaaaaactly it.

We reach the living room and Robin looks like he was expecting this to happen. Sigh. Sometimes it looks like him and Raven have a strong connection. I feel a little... Jealous. But why?
- Oh Raven, you made it. Are you ready? - asked Robin. Raven nodded.
- Guess I can't keep pushing it forward anymore.
Robin called the other Titans. Uhm, I guess we are having a reunion. I'm starting to get seriously worried.

When the other Titans join us, they sit on the couch with Robin while I sit on the floor on Raven's side.  She starts talking, keeping her head slightly down, avoiding eye contact to everybody.
- Teammates... Well, friends... I convoked you all here because there is something I need to tell you. Is not easy to let it all out, but I can't keep waiting.
- Friend Raven, is it something bad? - asked Starfire visibly worried.
- Some of you may think it's not... Like you Star, I think you might actually be happy for me.
- Friend! What is it? - Starfire interrupted, now looking excited.
Raven lets out a sad sigh.
- As you know, I went to Azarath a few days ago, to visit my mother, but it wasn't as pleasant as I thought it would be. In fact, she didn't just want to see me, but she wanted me there to talk... Or I should better say "DECIDE" what my next plans are going to be. Having said that, all I know is that those plans include my mom being threatened by somebody and me...
- Sis, come on! Don't leave us hanging! - said Cyborg.
- Me...I...I need to get married.

Silence. Dismay. More silence.
Our eyes gangling and our mouths dry and open. Cyborg swallowed, Starfire covered her mouth with her hands, looking confused.
- Should I be... Happy... Or sad for the day of the wedding? Friend Raven?
- I don't know what to say. I... Don't even know who I'm marrying until wedding's day.
All I know is that I don't want to, but I have no other choice.

My entire life passed in front of me. I saw myself  and the other Titans. Our friendship, our battles won together, or arguments later solved and our fun times. Then I saw Raven, a beautiful Raven like she's ever been, erasing instantly all my feelings for Terra or whichever girl out there.
MY Raven, getting married? Perhaps to a stranger?!
I was full of anger, disappointment and I felt the beast growling inside me.
- NOT THIS THING AGAIN!!! - I shouted. - We already put up with Starfire's arranged marriage...You must be joking right?!
- I am NOT joking. I never joke and you should know that - said Raven, coldly.
- That's right Beasty. This sounded somehow familiar! - agreed Cyborg.
- You said your mother was threatened right?
- Correct, Robin.
- And I guess she couldn't give you any other detail about who that is.
Raven nodded.
- Alright. Then, what we are going to do, is...
Raven stopped Robin before he could finish his speech.
- You can't. There is no way I can avoid this anyways.
- And why not?! - I said nervously .
- Because... There is more you need to know.
- Oh great! - I folded my arms and I started walking back and forth, ooze with anger.
- I was created to destroy the Earth at the age of 16, but last year you managed to save me from my destiny and prevent all of that from happening. It looks like my fate was decided already but that was not all. My father Trigon had this planned for me on his mind, but azarathian monks needed a guide, a person who would succeed Azar after his death, so he had other plans for me and tried his best to prevent the prophecy from becoming a reality.
We all know how it ended up, but technically I'm still the person designed to be his successor. I'm... The princess of Azarath.

More mouths opened, incredulous looks and confusion. I guess this is too much for all of us today. Too many infos. My brain's gonna blow up in pieces.
- So, if you're the princess of Azarath, how come you can't decide not to marry the man they want you to marry? - asked Cyborg.
- I will have to find out how to stop this... "Criminal" who's threatening my mother. He's probably the one responsible of my arranged marriage too.
- And we will help you to find him and fight him!
- The things is... We may prevent me from getting married, but not to fulfill Azar's request. And this was my choice. - she put a hand on her heart and closed her eyes.
- But Raven...
- No Starfire, please... You have to let me go. I made a promise to my mother and I intend to keep it. She can't do it alone, she's too weak and helpless.

This is absolutely the worst day of my life. Raven... I beg you...don't go.

Hi guys, sorry I didn't update yesterday as usual but I was over at a friend's house. This chapter is quite long, I don't know if you like them to be like this or shorter but when I write I always get carried away!
Enjoy this new chapter and prepare your bags: we are flying to Azarath for Raven's wedding! .... Or not? ........