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Finally a new chapter guys! Hopefully the next one will be up sooner! Please tell me what you think!

Chapter two

"It's about time you woke up." Starfire squinted in the dark and her nose caught the faintest smell of incense. She was lying among a plethora of pink pillows on her bed. Everything was bathed in the warm glow of fifty levitating candles.

"Raven?"
"I thought candle light would be easier on you…after your inner battle." Starfire stiffened as Reaven walked toward her holding a candle. "Beast Boy told me what you said, about your sickness not being in any of my books…"

"It is not a sickness…" Starfire's eyes went wide as the dark haired girl stopped right in front of her and lifted the candle until it was a few inches away from her eyes.

"Hold still. I have to be sure." Raven muttered, almost to herself. Then she began to chant in a slow, clear voice, "Ari Auno Frez Viruju nom. Ari Auno Frez Viruju nom." As she chanted Raven brought the candle even closer to her friend's eyes, causing Starfire to shut them against the scorching heat. "KEEP THEM OPEN!" Raven snarled as the small flame flickered slightly, and Starfire forced her eyes open out of fright. "Ari Auno Frez Viruju nom. ARI AUNO FREZ VIRUJU NOM!" Raven shouted and the candles light suddenly erupted into a small volcanic shower of sparks. The flame grew brighter and brighter until it illuminated the entire room and the two tense faces of the titan girls. At that moment, just for a second, Starfire's eyes flashed blood red and her eyes took on a distinct apple green color. Her face was twisted into a million different expressions at once, as if she couldn't quite decide how she wanted to rearrange her features. Then, just as suddenly as it had come, the demonic face that had peered into Raven's soul disappeared and the candle's flame blew out. For a minute both girls just sat as still as statues, trying to return their breathing to normal. It was Raven, who spoke first,

" So…" Shadows danced eerily across the demon girl's face as the rest of the candles shuddered violently, "When did you plan to tell us you're a jiiya?"

"Um…"

"I'm half-demon." Raven sounded sad, "I could have helped you. Although, I'm surprised you lasted so long without a full frontal attack. Meditation used to help me…with my father…have you been meditating? Usually jiiya do not last past their eighth birthdays."

"Actually," Starfire met her friend's eyes nervously, "I've had several attacks, but I was able to overthrow them within a few days or even hours. This one is different…"

"Different? Starfire, there is only one attack, it starts in early childhood and doesn't cease until your human…er…Tammeranian side is completely destroyed. You should be dead. The Awakening only happens once- Attack on the Body is first, then the mind, then the spirit…soul…whatever you want to call it. It always happens the same way in every case… Unless, perhaps, your jiiya Awakening has been going on for ten years…" Raven shook her head, "But that's impossible. You would have to be dead."

"My father…" Starfire chewed on her bottom lip thoughtfully and gently touched the small of her back, beneath her uniform. "He...he once took me to a sealer. She did something to my back that she said would slow the 'poison' that would soon spread through my veins."

"Can I see it?" Raven moved closer as Starfire turned around and pulled her uniform down to reveal a tattoo of two roses, one black surrounded in bloody, crimson colored flames and the other was silver surrounded in bright, icy blue flames. Scrutinizing the markings around the flowers Raven translated for her friend, "Evil Is Not Welcome Here. It's a very old technique traditionally used in order to override curses or protect against possession. Very old." Raven ran a pale finger over the tattoo, "Seals against demons don't hold forever…my guess is that your jiiya side is finally breaking through the seal. Perhaps…if you could get this re-sealed…" Raven tapped a finger against her chin, "Do you know the sealers name?"

"No…"

"Can we ask Galfore?"

"He wouldn't know."

"How about Blackfire?"

"No. She has no idea I went to a sealer. The only ones who would know are dead…my father, my mother, Goldfire, Rosefire, Sunfire, Bluefire…" Tears were running down the young Tammeranian's cheeks. "You only ever knew Blackfire…the rest of my family perished ten years ago."

"You never even told us you had other siblings!"

"I- I didn't want to remember. But now…"

"All the memories you've repressed are bubbling to the surface?" Raven rested a comforting hand on her friend's shoulder, "I know what it's like to be afraid of your own mind. But you'll get through this, I will find you another sealer."

"Thank you." Starfire brushed her tears away, "Does anyone else know I'm…"

"Yes." Raven sighed, "I felt, that as your very best friends they had a right to know…I'm sorry if that wasn't what you wanted but…we all care about you Starfire, you should let us help you…in any way we can."

"You're telling us there's nothing we can do?" Robin slammed his fists onto the table, "We can't just sit around while Star fights by herself!" The titans minus Starfire were sitting around their kitchen table discussing the Tammeranian princess.

"I'm not saying we do nothing." Raven pulled her hood up, "I'm saying we need to leave her be and concentrate on tracking down a sealer. If her tattoo fades away completely…she's done for."

"What's a sealer?" Beast Boy and Cyborg asked in unison.

"Someone who specifies in preventing demonic or any kind of possession and/or delaying the effects of curses. They are generally immortal, it would take more then fifty lifetimes to master the art of sealing completely." Raven picked up the ancient text she'd been reading and stood up, "I'm going to meditate."

"But…"

"Robin, the best thing you can do for her is let her be." Raven looked at Beast Boy, "Make sure he doesn't disturb her, she doesn't need anymore emotional turmoil or she just might crack."

"yes, Captain." The green boy saluted as Raven rolled her eyes and turned to the half-man, half-robot,

"On second thought, you watch him."

"WHY CAN'T WE SEE HER?"

"Because, she needs to meditate, and remain calm and…Starfire you know you should be in bed." All four heads turned to regard the haggard looking princess standing before them.

"Star, you should be in bed…" Robin was immediately at her side. "You need rest."

"Starfire," Raven's voice was full of concern and she was frowning slightly, "If you do not meditate now, you'll only speed things up. You need your mind to remain blank.."

"I…" Starfire looked at her feet, "I've been feeling left out. Promise…you will not replace me yet?" The Tammeranian looked like she was about to cry, and her hands were shaking again.

"Star…" Robin gently intertwined their fingers, "No one is going to replace you, no one could ever take your place." Both teens blushed as they remembered they weren't alone as Cyborg yelled out,

"Hell yeah!" Making the princess smile weakly before offering,

"Perhaps a temporary replacement could be arranged."

"No!" The response was simultaneous from all the titans.

"Friends…I appreciate your support…" Starfire's legs began shaking, "…but you must face the facts…you need…a…" Starfire placed a hand against her head and groaned before stumbling forward. Robin steadied her but she brushed his hand away, "I am fine." The princess straightened up and smiled, "You need a fifth member." Then she lurched forward, unconscious before she hit the ground.

"Stop doing that!" Starfire was staring at her reflection again. Nightfire was laughing. "I mean it!"

"And what will you do if I don't? Kill me? HA! You, my darling, are a fool."

"What do you want?"

"No need to get so testy- is it my fault that when I need to speak with you, you must be unconscious or in deep, deep meditation?"

"What. Do. You. Want?"

"I want you to accept me. I'm a part of you, like it or not."

"Never!"

"Try forever." Nightfire's red eyes narrowed, "Things will only get worse…you can't beat me."

"I will." Starfire glared, "You will never…"

"Never what? I already have more control then you do- why else do you think I can initiate a black out and you can do nothing to stop it? I can pull memories, repressed or not, from the darkest, dustiest contours of your mind and you can't stop me! Sweetie, you've managed to put off the Awakening for ten long years- this should have been over with when you were eight-but you just HAD TO BE DIFFICULT DIDN'T YOU? HAD TO RESIST WHAT IS INEVITABLY GOING TO COME TO PASS! YOUR FATHER KNEW THAT SEAL WAS JUST TEMPORARY AND SO DID YOU! HA! YOU FAKED INNOCENCE WITH RAVEN SO SHE WOULDN'T FIND OUT HOW BADLY YOU SCREWED UP TAKING THAT SEAL FOR GRANTED!" Nightfire's eyes were like two burning coals, the water in the lake was beginning to boil. All Starfire could do was watch, terrified, as the jiiya raged at her. "AND JUST LOOK AT YOU! SO WEAK! YOU'RE PETRIFIED AREN'T YOU?" Nightfire paused, "You've never trembled before." Starfire was speechless so her dark self continued, "You're shaking in your boots! HAHA! I told you it was only a matter of time, I'd wear you out before you'd get rid of me! Hahaha, I can't stop laughing…"Nightfire laughed uproariously, "Oh, little Star, soon you'll be too far away to wish upon and nothing will stop me from finally taking what has been denied me for ten years! You're finally cracking! HAHAHA!" And with one last laugh Nightfire splashed her opposite and everything went black.

Starfire didn't want to open her eyes. She was more scared then she had ever been in her entire life. Never had she been so petrified of her own mind, and her own body. Nightfire was right. She was weakening. She was scared. Fear was seeping in, like fog over the ground. She had always known in the back of her mind that Nightfire was gaining control, but she'd never lost her nerve. She'd always run away from her demons, but at least she'd been able to look them in the eye and put up a protective shield. Now her defenses were dissolving around her and she felt like the small, cowardly child she'd been in her youth. She didn't know what to do, or what was happening to her. Memories long since buried were floating freely around her mind…her thoughts were so conflicted and twisted. She needed help but the only person she could think to turn to was dead. Everyone was dead. She was the only survivor…and she was the least deserving. Somewhere in the corner of her consciousness she heard her friends calling her. She still didn't open her eyes. She was drifting along a quiet, peaceful river, and it felt nice. It felt like she was fading away, becoming one with the tranquility around her. She felt safe. She could open her eyes at any time…she just didn't want to.

"She's not breathing!" There was mass chaos everywhere. Starfire was being rushed from hospital to hospital as one hundred different doctors and nurses tried in vain to revitalize her.

"No, I've got a faint pulse!" One doctor checked the machines the alien was wired to, they were going haywire, but he didn't need them. "We've got a pulse!" He gave a thumbs up to the crowd of teenagers swarming on the other side of the glass. "She's gone into a coma."

With every repressed memory she unleashes into my consciousness I fall more under her spell. With every attack my fear grows, and I can feel it devouring my flesh piece by piece like a virus that can't be stopped. Starfire was lying on her bed like a listless, rag doll. She now lacked the energy or will to even open her shades and let the sunlight filter into her drab room. Everything appeared to be devoid of color, as if her eyes were seeing in shades of gray. She'd been lucky, the doctors said, only to be in a coma for a few days. Even so, alien or not, they said, she should rest. Rest. That's all she did for the three straight days she was in a coma- she was sick of resting! But they had forced her into bed, even Robin. It didn't matter though, she was fighting a loosing battle now. Nightfire knew her weaknesses, the things that would make her crack. How does one fight an enemy, when that enemy is oneself? Starfire wondered.

TBC

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