The New Apprentice

Slade hummed to himself as he walked into the room, waiting to finish what he started with the Titans. His eye widened as he looked at the empty chains. He ran over and looked at them entirely, his eye caught something glimmer. He bent down and picked up a small silver key, crushing it in his palm he stood and looked at the doorway where Raven was standing, her body covered by her cloak.

“You!” He shouted moving over to her swiftly and kicking her in the side.

She hit the door frame and then the ground. Slade picked her up by the scruff of the neck and threw her against the ground a few feet away from the chains. Raven moved back, her eyes on him.

“I’ve trained you…taken you in…and you betray me!” He threw the crushed key to the side and bent down, picking her up by the neck and holding her up high.

“You may haven taken my body and powers….but you’ll never take my soul…” She said gasping for air.

“I should kill you!” He shouted throwing her against the steps near his throne.

Raven groaned and rolled onto her side, holding onto one of the steps as she tried to get away. Slade walked up behind her and grabbed her hair, tilting her head towards him.

“You’ll have to make up for what you did.”

Slade dropped her and kicked her from the steps and he took a seat in his throne, his fingers touching each other as he stared at the empty chains.

Raven moved to her hands and knees and tried to stand up but only fell. She held onto her head and silently cried. Slade looked at her and then at the ground. He had an idea.

He got up and grabbed her, dragging her with him.

“If you want your friends so badly…I’ll give you to them.” He said, pushing her against the wall.

He leaned him and stared at her, her eyes never meeting his. He tilted her head to him and pressed his mask against her lips. Raven tried to pull away but his hand held her there. He eventually pulled away and walked down the hall, she reluctantly followed.

< --- >

The Titans had arrived back at the tower, beaten but still full of hope. They went straight to the med bay to heal, all except Beast Boy.

“Man, why couldn’t Raven have just healed us all?” Cyborg said hooking himself up to his charger.

“Because Slade would have found out and we all would have been in trouble.” Robin replied, settling down and taking his mask off.

“Friend Raven will be hurt when Slade finds out.” Starfire said, looking at the two boys.

“I…didn’t think about that…” Robin said, looking away. “She risked her life for us…who knows what he’s doing to her now…”

< --- >

A young blond school girl walked down the street, giggling to her friends. They parted, waving at each other as she looked up at the blue sky. It was a nice day and things were good…

“Terra.”

The girl stopped and looked down an alley she stood in front. A white eye looked at her, smoke rising from a near by vent. Slade was leaning against the wall, his arms crossed and one leg bent against it. He pushed himself off and walked towards her, making sure he was still in the dark.

“Excuse me?” She asked, blinking several times.

Slade just smirked under his mask and turned, walking away. The young girl looked around and followed, she stopped once the met a dead end and scratched her head.

She felt a presence behind her and yelped when a hand grazed her shoulder. She dropped her books and turned around. Slade was standing behind her.

“I have a job for you, Terra.”

“I don’t know…who you’re talking about.” She said, taking a step back.

“Then why did you follow me?” He asked, taking a step forward.

“I…don’t know.”

“Because I know you…and you don’t…”

The girl tucked some of her long blond hair behind her ear and looked up at him.

“I’ll tell you…if…you do one thing for me…”

The girl stared into his eye, her face drooping as if being mesmerized. Slade held his hand out and she lightly touched it.

< --- >

There was a knock of the Tower door and BB got up, walking to it and answering it. He nearly had a heart attack.

“Tara!” He said cheerfully as she smiled at him.

“Hi ya!” Tara said with a big smile.

“I thought…you didn’t want to talk to me…”

Tara shrugged, “I don’t know…just thought I’d come by and see how you are.”

“I’m….good.” He said scratching the back of his head.

He still stood in the doorway and Tara leaned over, looking in.

“Are your friends here?” She asked, looking back at him.

“Uh…yeah…oh…yeah…come in.” He said backing away for her.

Tara walked in and looked around, “Wow, it’s really big.”

“We make it work.”

As soon as the door shut, Tara swung around and wrapped her arms around BB.

“The craziest thing happened today…” She said, leaning into him.

“What?” He asked, unable to hide his blush.

“Some weird guy came to me and offered me something…” She looked up at him, tracing his lips with her fingers.

“What weird guy?”

“I think he called himself…Slade?”

BB backed away and held his arms out, “Whoa, Tara.”

“Terra…yes…that’s who I am…he told me….all about you and the Titans…”

BB looked around, worried she might do something.

“But…” Tara swung around, her hair following, “I just decided not to help him.”

BB raised an eyebrow, “Why?”

Tara shrugged, “Memories…I thought they were dreams…but they weren’t…I was a Titan…wasn’t I?”

“Yes.”

“Was I a good friend? Maybe more?”

She turned and batted her eyelashes at him.

“You were.”

“I want to help…He said something about Raven…”

BB gulped and looked at her. “She’s been….taken.”

“I don’t want what happened to me…to happen to her. You have to let me help.”

“Tara…you don’t remember anything though…”

“I remember now…want me to show you?”

Tara grabbed his arm and led him outside; she looked out into the sea and stuck her hand out. Gravel and mud floated to her hand constructing a ballerina.

“See…” She said, turning to him and holding it out to him.

BB reluctantly smiled.

“Let me help…please.”

“I don’t know…”

Tara grabbed him by the back of the neck and kissed him. His reaction was to push her away but found himself pulling her in and kissing back. He closed his eyes and lavished the kiss.

“Alright…but we can’t tell the other Titans.” BB said with a nod.

Tara nodded back and winked at him.

“I know where he’s taking her…”

BB nodded and went inside to tell the Titans he was going out. They protested and stated he should find Raven, not go out for a night on the town.

“I am…” He mumbled as he left.

“Something isn’t right…” Robin whispered to Cyborg who nodded, turning the screen on and rolling back the security tape.

The titans’ mouths dropped as they saw the previous scene unfold.

“Terra…is back?”

“Slade…” Robin growled, attempting to get up.