All eyes were on Terra. It seemed as though the room was completely silent and the news playing on the tv was nothing but white noise to everyone.
Starfire wasn't sure what Raven meant when she asked Terra what she was hiding. But Raven was rarely wrong about these kinds of things so Starfire kept quiet and waited for Terra's response. However, Terra seemed to be distraught. Like she didn't want to answer. No. Like she didn't want to know the answer.
"Sweety?" Carver said to her. He sat on the other side of Lindsey who sat next to Terra.
Terra continued to stare at the floor in front of her. She wasn't sure how to tell them what she was feeling or what she was seeing in her mind. But it was clear to her that these dreams weren't just dreams. It was exactly like when Beastboy had spoke to her at school and dreams of her past began surfacing and haunting her at night. Terra wasn't sure how she should handle them this time though. This one seemed way more serious. She didn't even know if she even wanted to remember it.
"You have nothing to fear," Starfire encouraged her, "whatever it is you may be facing, you need not face it alone." She put her hand on Terra's shoulder, "we, your friends, are here to help."
Terra turned her head towards Starfire. Something about Starfire's smile always seemed to comfort whomever she smiled at with a sense of vulnerability. A kind of comfort that allowed you to let your guard down and surrender to her kindness. It was a gift Starfire didn't even realize she had. Terra felt a bit more at ease, but returned her gaze back to the floor and continued to contemplate whether or not to answer.
"I..." Terra hesitated, "I... don't think it's safe."
"You don't think what's safe?" Raven shot back trying to get a clear answer.
Terra looked over to Raven. Her face held a serious look but it wasn't in any way threatening. She more or less wanted to help Terra and Terra could see that.
"For you... Far all of you," Terra respond looking to each person in the room one after another. Her voice was nearly trembling like she didn't want to believe herself.
"What do you mean?" Lindsey asked trying to get a better understanding.
"I think I know," Raven said answering for Terra.
Terra's gaze snapped towards Raven and her eyes locked on Raven's face, stricken with a sense of fear.
"You remember something don't you?" Raven said softly as if she understood Terra's pain, "something you had no control over. Something that brought a lot of suffering to the people you cared about."
Terra's eyes relaxed. They never left Raven's face but she could clearly tell Raven already knew. Maybe not everything. But she knew enough.
"I think... I saw my mom," Terra looked over to Lindsey and clarified, "my real mother." She returned her gaze to raven and continued, "she was screaming, telling me to run. Then the same thing that happened last night... My head started hurting... then my eyes..." She trailed off and looked away as she went over the images in her head.
"Began to glow?" Raven finished for her.
Terra closed her eyes and nod her head. Raven had heard enough. She knew exactly what could happen now and she had to do something to prevent an inevitable disaster.
Raven looked away from Terra and went deep into thought. She knew this was dangerous. One small mistake and the entire city could be destroyed. But even if she didn't help, there is still the possibility that Terra could accidentally level the city anyways. After thinking for a long minute, Raven finally came to a decision.
"Alright..." Raven said to Terra. Terra raised her head and looked at Raven with a heavy sadness, "I'm going to help you gain control." Raven sounded like she was serious. Like she was willing to go to extreme lengths to help Terra. As if she knew what Terra was going through.
Terra's face slowly turned to a mixture of shock and happiness. As if she was thanking Raven without speaking. But she had no idea how Raven could even help. She didn't even expect Raven to help at all.
"H-How?" Terra said filled with hope.
"I don't know," Raven replied honestly looking down at the ground. She had an idea... but it would be dangerous and they would have to do it somewhere far away, "but we will figure something out." She sounded confident. Like she had no doubt in her mind they could make it happen.
This brought a strange comfort to Terra. She was horrified what she might learn about herself. Like what she learned from the Titans about their shared past. However, her past that only she would know, could turn out to be even worse than she imagined. And that horrified her.
"We don't have much time," Raven said looking out the window. It was already past noon and the day was already half over, "but the sooner we get started the better." Raven stood up. Suddenly her legs began to tremble and her knees nearly buckled under her before she stumbled and caught herself.
"Raven!" Starfire shrieked, "you are injured?!" She sounded more concerned than ever.
"No," Raven replied as she regained her stance, "I'm fine. I'm just tired."
Starfire instantly remembered that Raven hadn't slept yet. She stayed by Beastboy's side all night unwilling to leave him until he woke up. Her heart broke for Raven. It was clear Raven was also going through a tremendous amount of stress. Her powers, Beastboy, Terra, everything must have been weighing heavily on her and she was trying to carry it all on her own.
"You must rest," Starfire said strictly.
"I'm fine-" Raven couldn't finish as Satrfire spoke up and interrupted her.
"Unacceptable! You can not carry the burdens of others as well as your own without the care for yourself! You will rest at once!" Starfire sounded like she really genuinely cared. Like she wasn't about to let Raven do this to herself.
"Starfire..." Raven was speechless. She rarely saw this side of Starfire. She never has been on the receiving end of it either. But Raven knew she was right. If Raven was tired and fatigue began to overtake her she wouldn't be of use to anyone. Raven sighed, and bowed her head but shortly after she smiled and looked up at her best friend, "ok Star. But you have to promise you'll wake me if anything happens."
Starfire smiled back that warm smile only Starfire had and raised her right hand, "I swear to X'hal."
Raven let out a tiny laugh and looked to Terra and her family who had a look of utter confusion as to the conversation that just took place. She breathed easy like she was glad Starfire talked her into resting before addressing the Kane's, "looks like we'll pick this up first thing in morning."
Terra nod her head but her parents looked at each other concerned.
"So... Does that mean Terra will be staying here?" Carver asked.
"Is that... ok?" Raven asked. She felt a little embarrassed. Like a child asking if a friend could sleep over. It seemed unnecessary to her.
"Well... Uh..." Carver didn't know what to say but it was obvious he wanted Terra home with him and Lindsey.
"Of course it's ok," Lindsey spoke for him, "this is the safest place in the city for our girl," she looked down at Terra and began stroking her hair gently, "besides... the detective said she needs to keep her nose out of trouble. What better place to stay out of trouble than here?" She chuckled seeing the irony.
Carver felt uneasy but later relaxed knowing Lindsey was right. But it was more than that. He could also tell Lindsey was trying to express her trust in the Titans as another way of apologizing for her mistakes.
"Think you'll be ok here for ananother day?" Carver asked warmly.
"Don't worry about me," Terra said trying to reassure her parents, "I'll be fine. Besides... I've been through worse." She raised her cast with a slight laugh trying to make the best of a bad situation.
The room chuckled but they all seemed to be on the same page that this was the best course of action.
"Alright... I guess... we'll leave you to it," Carver said with a sense of sadness as he stood up, lowering a hand to his wife.
Lindsey took his hand and stood up after him before turning around and offering a hand to Terra. Terra took her hand and Lindsey pulled her up and wrapped her arms tightly around Terra as if hugging her for the last time.
"We'll... see you soon... Right?" She trembled as she spoke to her only child.
"Yes mama," Terra said beginning to tear up, "we be together again soon. I promise."
Carver hugged both of them and the two Titans stood there watching as the room filled with a cold sense of fear and sadness. After everything that's happened it was almost cruel to separate them again.
"Ok sweety," Carver said as he gently pulled Lindsey off of her, "we love you."
"I love you too," Terra said wiping her eyes.
The Kanes head for the door leaving their daughter behind. They looked back once more as Starfire opened the door for them. Lindsey smiled through her tears and Carver took her hand. He wasn't smiling. He couldn't hide the depth of sadness in heart. It was pouring out of him like a waterfall. They both turned and exit the Tower and the door slid shut behind them.
Raven looked at Terra as Terra sat back down. She envied Terra. She had a family that loved her. Even though it wasn't a family of her own blood. Where as Raven had a mother who loved her but seemed to resent her in a way. And as for her father... Well... She was glad to be rid of him.
"Anyways... We'll start first thing in the morning," Raven said trying to pick up where they left off.
Terra looked up at Raven and smiled. But it quickly disappeared and she continued to wallow in her newly found depression.
"I shall prepare the pudding of sadness," Starfire annouced as she head to the kitchen.
Raven immediately dawned a face of terror. She looked to Terra and felt the need to warn her.
"Whatever you do... don't eat it," she whispered.
"Why?" Terra asked with an eyebrow raised.
"Just trust me on this one," Raven said sternly. Her eyebrow twitched showing her desperate concern for Terra's tastebuds.
Terra saw this and nod her head looking back at Starfire who was already mixing a bowl of strange ingredients.
Raven let out a long yawn. The fatigue and exhaustion were really beginning to hit her hard and her vision was starting to blur slightly. She thought back to the last thing she said to Beastboy. Her anger was barely under control at the time. Perhaps her lack of sleep was having more effect on her than she realized. She let out another heavy sigh and admit defeat to her exhaustion.
"Starfire's right. I need to rest," she put a hand on Terra's shoulder and Terra looked up at Raven, "we can do this," she reassured her, "I don't know if it will work... but it's worth a try. You'll just have to trust me."
"I already do." Terra respond without hesitation. She knew this was her only option and she was glad it was available to her to begin with.
Raven smiled at Terra. Her response nearly took her by surprise and it actually encouraged her. With that she removed her hand from Terra's shoulder and levitate across the room to the hallway door. She looked back once more to Terra as the door opened in front of her.
"I'll see you tomorrow," Raven sounded optimistic. Like she had a good feeling about this and it made Terra feel a little better as she gave a small but warm smile back to her.
Raven disappeared into the hallway as the door shut behind her. Starfire finished preparing her pudding and float over to Terra with a spoonful in hand.
"Try," she commanded, "the displeasing taste will ease your troubled mind."
Terra's face lit up in the same horror she saw from Raven. That's what she meant?! Terra thought to herself.
"Oh, no thank you!" Terra said trying to laugh away her nervousness, "I actually think I better rest up too. Big day tomorrow!" She chuckled.
Terra got up and starting quickly moving to the hallway where Raven just stood a moment ago. The hallway door opened and she vanished into the hallway shouting back to Starfire who remained on the couch with the spoon still in hand.
"Goodnight!" She exclaimed.
Starfire watched her fade away and shrugged her shoulders. She looked at the spoon and decided to take a bite. Her face immediately showed signs of regret as she shuddered from the disgusting taste of her pudding. After she forced herself to swallow she let out a loud noise of disgust and flew to the kitchen to put the bowl in the fridge.
Raven lay in bed. She was extremely tired but her mind was still running rampant. Stirring on everything that was going on. The more she focused on them the heavier her eyes got. Slowly they began to shut and her thoughts became dreams.