Chapter 1: Bedside Vigil
In hindsight, this entire mess could have been easily prevented.
But like everything dealt in hindsight, it's always far too late before you see what could have stopped this metaphorical train wreck.
Now, as four Titans stood over the unconscious form of their fifth member, the only thing each one could think about was how they could have changed things.
"He's going to be ok. His transformation drained his body to extreme exhaustion. There is nothing we can do, but let him rest until he wakes up. He should be awake by tomorrow morning." Cyborg explained as he finished his examination of his best friend on the table, restraints held tightly against his arms, legs and neck. "Are you sure we still need the restraints? I don't think he's going to be going feral anytime soon." He asked, his eyes turning to his leader who stood by his tall red headed alien girlfriend. Nightwing nodded his head.
"It's only a precaution in case he does wake up earlier than we intended and he's still enraged from the fight. I just want to be ready for anything. His beast form is unpredictable and dangerous; you saw what he did to Adonis in a matter of minutes. If it wasn't for Raven intervening he would have killed him." Nightwing explained. Cyborg sighed.
"Yeah, I understand. But that doesn't mean I'll have to like it. He's our friend and we have him restrained like he's a criminal." The cybernetic hero responded. Nightwing gave his friend a sympathetic look.
"I don't like it either Vic, but we need to be ready for everything. If he wakes up and he doesn't seem out of control we can let him out. "
Vic looked at his leader and friend, giving him a slight nod of understanding before focusing his attention back to the hero on the table. A suffocating silence filled the air as each Titan waited for the other to ask the question they were all thinking. Finally, no longer being able to handle the silence Starfire spoke up.
"Friends, how could we not have seen this coming? We all have noticed friend Beast boy's sudden moodiness the last few days, yes?" Starfire asked her vibrant emerald eyes usually full of joy now engulfed in sorrow.
The other Titans looked at her, none of them having a proper response to her questions. Truth be told, the Titans had noticed Beast Boy's sudden change in mood over the last two days but none of them had expected the Beast to make an appearance on their latest mission. They had all assumed that once the antidote was given to their green friend, they never would have thought they would see it again.
But they had. And now they didn't know what to do.
"I don't know Star, I wish I had an answer for you, but I don't. He was given the antidote for the chemicals that were dumped on him that caused his DNA to change, the antidote was supposed to prevent something like this from happening again." Cyborg explained.
"Well something must have changed to trigger him into shifting into the Beast and we're not going to be able to get any answers until he wakes up. We all had a long day and we should get some rest. I'm sure we're all going to have another busy day tomorrow once Beast boy is awake." Nightwing took his girlfriend's hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. Starfire gave him an appreciative smile.
"That sounds good Dick, but I think I'd like to go over a few things in my notes before I go to bed. Like I said before, the antidote should have kept him from transforming into that Beast. It prevented him from transforming for the last six years. I want make sure the compound I created isn't falling apart." Cyborg responded. Nightwing gave him an understanding nod.
"Ok, but don't stay up too late Vic." He looks over at the quiet Raven still standing by Beast boy. "Raven? Are you coming?" He asked her. She shook her head, her eyes never leaving the green boy.
"I think I'm going to stay up a little longer. My emotions are a little compromised from witnessing Beast boy change into the Beast again. I'll need to meditate before I go to bed." She explained her voice flat and emotionless.
Nightwing raised an eyebrow at the woman, his eyes moving from Raven to Cyborg who had a very similar expression as his own. Over the last seven years, Raven had spent less and less time meditating as her emotions were now almost under her full control since the defeat of her father. Her emotions were almost never compromised these days, the last time being on her twentieth birthday. Beast boy had surprised her as well as everyone else in the room as he gave her a brief kiss on the cheek. All the balloons and the cake were engulfed in Raven's obsidian magic and imploded, smearing frosting and cake all over the place. At the time the Titans had assumed the reaction was caused by the sudden invasion of her personal space by the green jokester that constantly enjoyed pestering and teasing her. So it appeared strangely suspicious that she would suddenly need to meditate and get her emotions under control. Both males knew that Raven was keeping something to herself, but neither felt at the moment the need to push her to tell them. Cyborg shrugged his shoulders as he looked back at the girl.
"Well… ok, good night Raven, good night Victor." Nightwing called out as he begun to walk out the room.
"Good night friends."
"Good night Star, Dick."
"Good night." Raven called, once again not even looking up from the table.
Cyborg watched as the doors to the med bay closed behind the couple filling the room once again full of silence, the cybernetic hero moved over to the computer and begun to type in data into the green hero's medical file. He had to find out why the antidote didn't prevent this from happening again. He let out a frustrated sigh after ten minutes of going through his previous notes. He couldn't find anything in the old file that could give him answers.
"You're not going to be able to find any answers in your notes Victor." Cyborg jumped when he heard the flat voice behind him. She was so quiet he nearly forgot that she was still in the room. Cyborg looked over his shoulder at his little sister.
"What are you talking about? There has to be a reason why the antidote stopped working, I could have missed a calculation that might have weakened its potency." Cyborg stated, his eyes going back to his notes. He felt a small hand on his shoulder.
"Victor, you're not going to find any answers in your notes because your antidote did exactly what it was supposed to do." Cyborg looked at her incredulously.
"How could you say that? You saw him out there! He went full on Mr. Hyde out there again. The Beast was a creation from the chemicals that were dumped on him. The antidote I gave him should have eradicated all the chemicals out of his system."
"And it did. However, the Beast is no longer just a byproduct from the chemicals being dumped on him and Adonis. It's a part of him now; it's always going to be there lying in wait for its next chance to be free. The Beast is pure animal instinct and it wants to get out any time it can. Anger is the largest catalyst to his transformations." Raven explained. Cyborg gave her a questioning look.
"And just how do you know all of this?" He asked. Raven could feel her face heat up and she looked away from her older brother.
"He told me right after the first encounter with the Beast. He was at his rock and we talked about what was bothering him. He told me the Beast came from inside of him and it was still inside of him."
"He really told you all of that?" she nods her head. "Wow, he never told me any of that." Cyborg scratched the top of his head as he processed the new information.
"I'm sure he had his reasons not to tell you." She stated as she moved back toward the table. Cyborg followed her back to the table. He watched her carefully, noticing how her entire demeanor softened as she was near their sleeping friend. Her hand raised and she stroked her fingers through the changelings jade hair with a tenderness Cyborg never would have thought Raven would ever show around another person. Her usual emotionless face was creased with a deep affection for the changeling. Cyborg noticed that look and he recognized it almost immediately.
It was the same look Starfire always had when she was watching Nightwing. Her entire body language would become an open book, her shoulders relaxed, eyes half-lidded, the smallest of content smiles that showed everyone how much she truly cared for her boyfriend. It was a look of pure affection, of wanting and needing to be by his side every chance she could get. To be able to hold his hand or lean against him as they watched a movie. It was a look that told everyone in the room that her heart belonged to only one person; it told everyone that she loved him.
Now, as Cyborg witnessed that very same look on his little sister as she gazed down at his best friend, he knew what had caused Beast boy's sudden mood swings, his intense anger toward Adonis when he broke through Raven's defenses and pressed her against the wall and he definitely now understood why Raven had been so adamant about calming him down herself. As these thoughts ran through his mind, a question rose up along with it.
"So, how long have you been in love with the Grass Stain?" Cyborg blurted out without thinking. He shut his mouth tight when he noticed Raven's eyes widen in the smallest of increments. He looked down at his feet. "I'm sorry, that was way out of line… it's none of my business and I had no right in asking you such a personal question like that, especially since I know how much you hate people digging into your personal life…" He began to ramble.
"Victor!" Cyborg looked back at his sister; he noticed that she was smiling at him with a slight blush on her cheeks. "It's alright, you weren't out of line." She looks back down at the boy on the table and then back to the man she saw as her big brother. "You're right." Her smile grows a little more. "I love him." she says in a near whisper.
Cyborg stared at the girl in front of him; inwardly he was surprised by how quickly Raven was willing to admit that she loved her teammate for everyone knew the usually stoic girl loved her privacy and absolutely never told anyone what she truly felt unless it was necessary. He was surprised, but also proud of her. "Wow, Rae… I'm proud of you. You've gone a long way from when we first met. You never openly admitted what you were feeling to anyone back then and look at you now! Telling me you love the grass stain without even a hint of anxiety." He praised her.
"If you remember I was raised by the monks of Azareth to suppress my emotions lest everything around me could be destroyed or worse Trigon could use his influence on Rage to take over my psyche and destroy the world as we know it. I was told never to feel anything too strongly and so I kept all emotions suppressed." Raven quipped. "However, since my father's untimely demise I like to think that I've made vast improvements in how to express myself. I find that if I feel an emotion too powerfully it can still cause damage, but in the little things or if I keep a level head I'll have absolute free will without any consequences." She explained. Cyborg let out a low whistle.
"You really have made vast improvements. Three years ago you would have denied ever feeling anything for the grass stain." Cyborg joked. Raven actually let out a small laugh which made Cyborg grin.
"Well, all I can say is that I had a little help." Cyborg noticed a blush growing on her cheeks as her gaze looked down at her hand. Cyborg followed her gaze to the Changelings and Raven's interlocked fingers. "Gar has been teaching me how to feel since day one." She stated.
Cyborg didn't need Raven to explain any further to understand what she meant. Beast boy had always had a knack to make the emotionally reserved Titan feel when she wasn't supposed to, whether it was extreme anger or a deep affection for the green boy. He was always there pushing her, inviting her to group outings to make her feel like she was included and a part of the team. He made sure she was always welcome, and yes there were many times where he over stepped his boundaries and was launched out into the bay. But, that was just how their relationship worked when they were teens. It was a constant battle of give and take. He would push her to join them or try something new and she would pretend to be reluctant, wishing to be back in her room, alone reading a book but secretly touched by the constant invites to their outings.
But once the Titans had matured to their early twenties, their relationship had changed. They sat together and seemed to talk more. Beast boy was more patient with her, knowing that every new emotion that Raven experienced needed time to get used to for her to get it under her control. And once she did, he would be the first to know and he would give Raven the smile that was only reserved for her. Not his massive fanged fake grin, but a small gentle curve of his lips to tell her he was happy and proud of her. Raven seemed to enjoy his company more and more. She even laughed a few times when Beast boy wasn't trying too hard with his jokes.
In hindsight, Cyborg should have noticed it a lot sooner that Raven was falling for his best friend, especially when he would catch them in the common room some nights watching TV before bed. He had assumed at the time, Raven was only interested in a good book and Beast boy was interested in whatever was on the screen. Now as Cyborg knew how Raven felt and he understood the hidden meaning behind her words, a memory of what Beast boy had once told him years ago. He had told him in the highest of confidence, but Cyborg knew that Raven deserved to know.
"He loves you, ya know." Cyborg stated. Raven looked him in the eye and for a brief moment she didn't say anything, she only let a smile grow once more on her pale lips.
"Of course I know he loves me. I'm a very powerful empath if you remember." Cyborg snorted at Raven's comment. "I knew a long time before he even told me. However, it did feel nice when he actually did say it to me." Cyborg raised an eyebrow.
"He actually told you?" Raven nods her head. "So, does that mean you two are dating?" He asked. Raven fidgeted for a second as if unsure what to say and then taking a short breath.
"We were dating for a little over seven months." She said her voice a little strained.
"Were?" Cyborg questioned.
"We ended it a few days ago." Raven had a distant look in her eyes, a sure sign that she was struggling with a certain emotion. Cyborg gave her a sympathetic look and rested a hand on her shoulder for comfort.
"I'm sorry to hear that. That explains why Beast boy has been so moody the past two days." Cyborg stated. He saw a tear slip down Raven's nose as she tried to hold her tears in. "Why did you break up? Was it because of your powers?" He asked gently. He suspected that could have been the case, Raven's fear of her own emotions had always influenced her in the past. He thought she might have been better now, but maybe not. She could have ended the relationship because she was too afraid of how strongly she felt for the green hero.
His train of thought was derailed when he heard a bitter laugh from the usually stoic empath. More tears fell down her cheeks as she laughed again.
"You'd think our relationship would end because I was afraid of my own emotions right?" She laughed. She saw that Cyborg was about to interject, but she cut him off. "It's ok, I'm sure everyone would have believed that it was I who had ended things between us because of how much I loved him. You would think that with such a strong emotion, I would destroy things more often but it's actually the exact opposite. This feeling actually makes me feel more in control, like my love is repressing rage more and more." She pauses for a second. "He was the one to end it." Cyborg stared at her shocked.
"But why? I mean, we already said we both know he loves you. Why would he end it?" He asked. Raven choked on a sob and took a deep breath before looking back at the sleeping Titan.
"Because of the Beast." Cyborg gave her a puzzled look; he was becoming a little frustrated in himself for not understanding anything his little sister had been telling him all night. "He believes that the Beast has marked me, meaning that he is very territorial of what it believes is its mate. And since the Beast is a part of him, he believes he's going to become aggressively possessive of me. He said he already felt the Beast clawing at the back of his psyche whenever we were in public and some guy would come up to us. He wouldn't even have to talk to me and the Beast would already feel territorial and want to protect what it believes is his. The Beast doesn't mind you or Robin because you're part of his pack. But anyone else and it goes crazy, wanting to challenge every male for me." She pauses. "Gar believes that eventually, he's not going to be able to control himself much longer and he's going to do something he's going to regret." She explained. Cyborg just looked at her dumbfounded.
"But… that doesn't make any sense. He already knows that you love him and that there is no reason to feel jealous. And even if you two are broken up that doesn't change anything." He explained. Raven nodded her head in agreement.
"I told him that exact same thing, but he wouldn't listen to me. You know him; once he's made up his mind there is almost nothing that can change it." She said sorrowfully.
"Yeah, true…But I don't think he considered that if you two were broken up and the Beast still sees you as his mate and you were to be in contact with another male then wouldn't it just…" It suddenly clicked in his head, Raven watching him piece it together in his mind. "Oh."
"I see you understand it too. He became the Beast tonight, not only because he was moody but because the Beast still saw me as its mate and when Adonis broke through my shield, Gar couldn't control it anymore. He had to protect me from a challenging male." She explained. Cyborg processed everything she just said and everything begun to make more and more sense.
"Shit… this is not good then, is it?" Cyborg asked as he felt dread fill him. Raven shook her head and more tears begun to swell under her violet eyes.
"He's going to leave when he wakes up." She takes a wavering breath, trying to control herself. "He thinks that the only way to protect me and everyone around him is to get as far away from us as he can… He's going to leave and… and we'll never see him again." This time she couldn't stop the sob from coming out and she begun to silently weep in front of her teammate.
Heart breaking from seeing one of the strongest people he knew break down, Cyborg moved to hug the girl, wrapping his massive arms around her thin frame. He was mildly surprised when he felt the empaths arms attempt to wrap around his body.
"That's why you're staying here tonight. You're afraid he'll leave when no one is watching him." He feels her body shake with her tears. "Don't worry Raven. I'll make sure he won't leave this team and when he wakes up, we are going to have a long chat." Cyborg stated. He held Raven a few moments longer until he felt Raven stop crying. Once he was sure she was back under control he pulled away and gave her a small sad smile, Raven returned it almost immediately.
"Thank you Victor." Raven said so softly, Cyborg barely heard it.
"Anytime Rae, you're my little sis and I'll always make sure you're ok. Now why don't you go brew yourself a cup of tea? We have a long night ahead of us if we are going to be watching over him all night."
"That sounds like a very good idea, but what about you? I'm sure you'll need some coffee if you plan to stay up all night." She explained. Cyborg thought for a second before moving to a drawer in the corner, he pulled out a small syringe with a light blue liquid in it.
"This is a temporary tag. I had this developed a while back when he first changed. It's in case he doesn't have his communicator on him and the Beast is on the loose. It will keep a tracking on him for twenty four hours before it is completely dissolved. I figured since he could wake up at any moment while we're making our drinks and make a run for it. It's the best option we have." Raven said nothing but nodded before moving toward the med bay door. She spared Beast boy one last glance before exiting. Cyborg soon followed and caught up to her in the hallway.
A few minutes later both Titans were in the common room, brewing up their respective caffeinated drinks, silence reigned on them as continued to prepare for their late night.
"You sure, he's really going to run once he wakes up?" Cyborg asked.
"I'd like to think I know him well enough to see what he would plan to do next. The guilt will make him want to run. He cares too much for all of us to put his happiness before our safety."
"I was afraid you'd say that." They were silent once more until a loud beeping came from Cyborgs arm. Cyborg flipped on the screen and sighed. "The Grass Stain works fast. He's already broken out of his restraints and got to his room. He's just flown out of his bedroom window." He looked up at the girl across from him. She was staring at him with a determined look.
"Do you know which way he is going?" She asked. Cyborg checked the tracker.
"From what I can tell, it looks like he is on his way to the docks. If we want to stop him, the docks would be our best bet to do it." He told her. Raven nodded.
"I'll teleport us there. We don't have enough time to fly." Her eyes begun to glow white and before Cyborg knew what was happening, a massive obsidian raven was carrying him over the bay dividing their island to Jump City.
(The Docks)
The large obsidian raven deposited the two heroes on the west end of the board walk. The usually packed shopping boardwalk was empty at the moment, the stalls vendors would sell their goods locked and empty for the night. Both Cyborg and Raven looked around their surroundings trying to catch a glimpse of their green friend. Cyborg looked down at his scanner, his face tight in a serious tight lipped look.
"Alright, BB should be just a head of us near that joke shop he loves to go to all the time. Because of his enhanced hearing, he'll probably know we are here before we even see him, so we have to be quiet." Raven nodded her head and begun to float over the ground to silence her footsteps. Cyborg gave her an approving nod. "When he sees us, let me try to talk some sense into him before you try. I think he needs to hear how crazy and stupid he sounds from someone that isn't in your relationship. If I need help, then you can come in. Does that sound fair?" Cyborg explained. Raven looked like she wanted to argue for a brief moment before relenting.
"You're probably right. I'll stay out of your way until you need my help. I'll be your shadow until you call for me." She said. Cyborg gave her a small smile.
"Thanks Rae. I'll make sure he'll come back home with us." Cyborg started to walk down the boardwalk toward Beast boy's location. Raven watched him go briefly before calling out her powers and she sank into the ground through a pitch black vortex.
Cyborg continued to walk down the boardwalk, his eyes peeled for his best friend. He saw him almost immediately when he reached the joke shop. Beast boy was sitting on a bench staring out into the bay toward Titans tower. Cyborg gave him a sympathetic look as he approached him. He was surprised when he noticed that changeling hadn't noticed him yet. He must be thinking too much to even be aware of his surroundings. Cyborg thought.
Now standing behind the green hero, Cyborg laid a hand on his best friends shoulder. It was almost comical seeing how big he had flinched and turned around ready to attack only to stop frozen when he saw who had reached out to him.
"Geez Cyborg you scared the crap out of me. Wha… what are you doing out here so late anyway?" Beast boy asked, trying to sound casual even though there was a maelstrom of emotions raging within him. Cyborg arched an eyebrow as he looked at his best friend.
"Why are you running B?" He asked, not even caring to answer Beast boy's question. Beast boy gave his best friend a fake grin.
"Who said I was running? What if I only needed some air? Dude, you can't tell me the tower doesn't get super stuffy sometimes." Beast boy tried to joke. Cyborg frowned at his friend.
"If you wanted air, you would have gone to your rock. We both know that's not the reason why you left Titans Tower tonight… Why are you running B?" Stiffening at the question this time, Beast boy couldn't manage to maintain eye contact with his teammate and best friend. Bowing his head, he let out a sigh.
"I…I can't stay on the team anymore… I'm too dangerous to be around all of you guys. You saw what I did to Adonis. I…I…I nearly killed him tonight because I couldn't control this monster inside of me. I can't be a Titan anymore Cy." Beast boy explained.
"You're not dangerous B. You're…"
"YES I AM!" Beast boy yelled, cutting off what Cyborg was going to say next. "I'm far too dangerous to be a Titan anymore. I can't control it Cy and it will keep happening as long as I'm with the team. If I stay any longer someone is going to die because of me and I can't live with that." Cyborg mulled over Beast boys words, choosing his next words carefully.
"You're far too dangerous because you're with the team or because of Raven?" He watched Beast boy go tense at the name of his former girlfriend, his mouth opening to ask the question. "Raven told me everything B." He stated before Beast boy could ask. "I know you and Raven were dating and that you broke it off because of your fear of what the Beast will do whenever Raven is in danger or talking to another guy." Beast boy swallows a lump in his throat and stays silent for a moment.
"If you know why I'm leaving then you should already know I can't go back. The Beast is dangerous and with Raven around me, I'll never be able to stop myself from the urge to challenge every male that comes in contact with her. I'm dangerous whenever I'm around her." His ears drop a little as he chokes out the last bit. "I… I can't be with her. If I do, people will get hurt." Cyborg glared at the green man.
"Man that is the most hypocritical bullshit I have ever heard come out of your mouth." Cyborg sneered. Shocked, Beast boy stared at the cybernetic man.
"What are you talking about?" He asked. Angry at his friend, Cyborg took a step toward him.
"For years, years! You have been trying to get Raven out of her emotionless shell, even after she told you thousands of times that she couldn't or someone could get hurt. Raven was terrified of her emotions and believed that she was too dangerous to feel. But that didn't stop you, did it? No, you continuously pushed her to her limits and made her feel things she never thought she would be able to. You knew it was dangerous, but you did it anyway. How is this any more different from what Raven's fear of her own emotions was?" He asked furiously. Beast boy was silent for a moment before responding in a near whisper.
"Raven is a lot stronger than I am." Now furious Cyborg grabbed his best friend by the collar of his shirt and pulled him closer.
"Oh that is a load of bull! If Raven can get her emotions under control then you can definitely control the Beast. Don't use such a crappy excuse like 'Raven is a lot stronger than I am' when we both know you're just afraid that if you try you'll fail." Cyborg yelled before shoving Beast boy away. Shell shocked, Beast boy didn't have a response for his best friend as he stumbled back. Cyborg never yelled at him like this.
"Well…well what am I supposed to do?"
Cyborg stepped closer to him once again and poked him in the chest. "Try to fight it. Come back to the tower and try to get it under your control. You're better than this, I know you are. You're not a coward who runs away from all of his problems like you just tried to do. You're a Titan BB. That means you push and fight through all the obstacles that the world throws at you, even if the largest obstacle is raging against you from within." Cyborg stops to take a breath and then smiles. "And of course when we get back to the tower I'm going to whoop your butt in Mega Monkeys 5." He joked.
Cyborg watched his friend closely as it appeared that he was in the middle of an internal struggle. Beast boy moved away from his cybernetic best friend and looked back over the bay to the t-shaped tower out in the distance. His mind and heart were being pulled in different directions. Part of him wanting to believe his best friend, but another part wanting to.
"What if you're wrong Cy? What if I'm not strong enough and I do kill someone? I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I did, just because I was too weak to control my own overly possessive feelings for Raven? What if I go nuts again?" Beast boy asked.
"We won't let that happen. More importantly Raven won't let that happen. She loves you, you know that right?" Beast boy laughs at that.
"Yeah, I know she loves me. For some crazy reason that I can't wrap my head around, she loves me." Beast boy joked with a small smile. Cyborg smiled a little more at that.
"Believe me, I don't see it either." Cyborg joked.
"Hardy har har very funny Cy." Beast boy said with a roll of his eyes. He looks down at his feet and the more serious look reappeared on his young face. Cyborg laid his hand on the smaller man's shoulder.
"Come back to the tower B. Don't turn your back on everyone that has cared for you. Don't throw away the last nine years and most importantly don't throw away what you have with Raven. Don't destroy the very best thing that's happened to you man." Cyborg said in an encouraging voice. Beast boy looked up at the face of his best friend, his brow strained with conflict.
"I… I don't know Cy. I want to… I really, really want to come back. But, the idea of me hurting someone is too terrifying. I don't want to feel that kind of rage inside me ever again." Beast boy said, his voice breaking by the end of it. Cyborg gave him gentle squeeze on the shoulder as he tried to give a disarming smile.
"Well, if I can't convince you, then maybe she can." Cyborg turned his head to his right. Beast boy's eyes slowly followed Cyborgs gaze to the empty boardwalk to the left of him. Standing there, her cloak wrapped tightly around her body and her hood down revealing her short amethyst hair billowing in the wind, stood his former girlfriend.
"Raven." Beast boy stuttered as he turned completely to face her. She looked at him shyly before looking over at her cybernetic friend and gave him a meaningful look. Understanding what her look meant Cyborg backed slowly away from the pair.
"I'll be over there if you need me." He said as he walked out of ear shot of the pair. Stopping a good distance away, Cyborg watched and waited.
Now with a little more privacy, Raven looked back at the green man in front of her. Taking a deep breath she forced a look of determination on her face and walked up to her former boyfriend.
"Gar, come back to the tower with us. You don't have to run away from this." Raven spoke softly as she held her ground. Beast boy stared at her for a moment until he felt shame swell up in his breast.
"Raven, you know I can't. I… I'm dangerous when I'm around you. I can't stay at the tower. The Beast…I can't control it."
"Then we will help you control it. All of us, together as a team we will help you. We'll find a way for you to control it." Raven raises her hand to his cheek. "Please Gar, don't leave. Let us help you." she pleaded. Closing his eyes and resting his hand over her hand, Beast boy swallows the lump forming in his throat.
"I want to; I really do want to stay." He repeated but with more emotion than before. A tear slipping down his cheek, Raven brushed it away with her thumb. She takes another step closer, their chests now nearly touching.
"Then stay. Stay with the team, stay with me. I know how terrifying it can be to feel like there is a monster inside of you that you can't control. Believe me, if anyone understands, it's Me." she pauses, taking a shaky breath. "I know you don't think you're strong enough and I know that you're afraid that you'll hurt someone because of me, but I know you. You'd never let something like today happen ever again. You'll train yourself to control it and I'll be there to help you, we all will." Raven said in a near whisper. Beast boy opened his eyes and found that they were closer than before. He stared into her eyes, getting lost in her amethyst pools, one arm moving to her waist as the other stayed on her hand.
"You really think I can control it?" He asks. She nods her head in confirmation. "And you'll help me? With everything?" He asked, sounding hopeful.
"With everything." She repeated. "I'll teach you basic meditation, I'll teach you how to find ways to enter your own mind and confront the Beast on your own. I'll help you control him. I'll do anything in my power to help you control this. Just please, stay." Raven explained. Beast boy watched her for what felt like hours, conflict glowing within his emerald eyes. Pulling away from the woman he loves he looked back over the bay at the tower, a sigh escaping his lips.
"Gar?" Raven hesitantly asks, watching him. Beast boy looked over his shoulder at her.
"For the last nine years I've felt that I've been where I was supposed to be. I felt like I finally found a home and a family that won't abandon me. Even with this monster inside of me, you all still haven't given up on me, even when I attacked all of you." He turns back around and looks over at Cyborg in the distance. "I don't think I'm able to leave home. It would hurt too much." He said flatly.
"So…so does that mean you'll stay?" Raven asked hopeful, she held her breath. Beast boy looked back at her and gave her a small smile.
"If I left who would be around to piss you off every day? Besides, I still have to make you laugh someday." He said with a laugh.
Overwhelmed by the sudden rush of elation pouring throughout her body, Raven couldn't control the sudden surge of power that sparked through the ground toward a small stall and destroying it in a matter of seconds. Both Titans looked over at the stall in shock and then back to each other. A silence hung over them until the sound of a quiet chuckle erupted from the mouth of the empath until it became a steady laugh. Beast boy stared at the girl in front of him in amazement as she laughed at her own slip of power. He smiled and gave her a loving look as she came down from her short laughing fit.
"Geez Rae, I don't think I've ever heard you laugh at your own slip of power." Beast boy joked. Smiling Raven looked back over at the destroyed stall and then back to the changeling before rushing toward him and wrapping her arms tightly around him. Laughing Beast boy easily wrapped his long arms around her and hugged her just as tightly.
After a minute of holding each other, Raven pulled away to look up at his face. Before he could say something to ruin the moment, she quickly closed the distance between them, her lips capturing his own in a passionate embrace. Smiling into the kiss, Beast boy closed his eyes and kissed her back with as much affection as her own.
"Awe isn't this just the sweetest thing."
Both heroes pulled away from each other, blushes rising to their cheeks as the couple turned to look at a smirking Cyborg.
"I take it, BB's coming back to the Tower with us and y'all are back together?" Cyborg asked with a grin. The couple looked back to each other for a moment before two giddy grins appeared on their faces. Snaking his arm around Ravens waist and pulling her close once again Beast boy laughed.
"Yeah, uh… I guess we are." He looks down at his girlfriend and then back to his best friend. "We should probably get back to the tower before Nightwing realizes we're gone." Beast boy said. Cyborg laughs as he moves closer to the couple.
"Grass stain, that's the smartest thing you've said all night. Hey Raven, mind doing us the honors? I'd rather get to bed as fast as I can." He said as he looked at the short half-demon. Raven with a smile still on her face nodded her head before her eyes begun to glow white. In seconds, all three Titans were wrapped up in an obsidian raven and flown over the bay to the roof of the tower. Moments later the raven deposited all three heroes safely onto the roof.
"Thanks Raven." He looks down at the clock on his arm. "Aw man, it's almost five in the morning." Cyborg complained. Raven and Beast boy watched the metal hero walk down through the roof door before looking back at each other one more time.
"So…um…are you really sure about this? Do you really think I'll actually find a way to control it?" Beast boy asked nervously. Raven looking at him took his hand and gave it a gentle squeeze.
"Yes, I really do, but it won't be easy. You're going to make mistakes on the way, but I know eventually with the help from all of us I believe that you will find a way to control it. Now let's get back down stairs, it's been a very long night and I need some sleep." Still holding his hand, Raven begun to pull him towards the steps.
Beast boy smiled as he let her lead him through the tower. Once he reached Ravens bedroom, he expected the empath to let go of his hand, but to his everlasting surprise once she opened her door she begun to pull him in only to stop when she felt resistance. Looking back at the green hero with a raised eyebrow, she waited for an explanation for his sudden hesitance to enter her room.
"Shouldn't I um, sleep in my own room? I know how much you like your privacy Rae." Beast boy explained. Raven smiled as she gave a sharp tug on his hand and pulled him into her room. Beast boy stumbled into the room and just as the door slid closed he turned back to the woman he loved.
"After tonight, I don't think I want to let you out of my sight just yet. For all I know, you could second guess your decision sometime later this evening and I don't want you sneaking off… which reminds me, Azareth Metrion Zinthos." Her eyes glowed white for a second. Beast boy looked around to see what changes she had made but saw nothing. Looking back at the empath he gave her a confused look which she matched her playful grin. "I created a barrier around the room. The only way you're leaving this room is if I allow it." Laughing at Raven's sudden sense of possessiveness Beast boy moved his arms around the smaller empath and pressed his forehead against her own.
"Has anyone ever told you that you can be quite possessive?" Beast boy joked. Giving him a bored stare, Raven wrapped her arms around his neck.
"Funny, I don't recall being the one that tried to run away from the team because he was too possessive of his girlfriend." With a raised eyebrow she waited for his response.
With a blush and a quick glance to the floor, Raven sensed her boyfriend's sudden embarrassment.
"Touché Rae." He said as he looked down at her again. "But, you won't have to worry. I'm not going to try to leave again." He reassured her. With a small smile on her lips, Raven pulled away and moved to her bed.
"Good, that's what I wanted to hear. Now come on. I'm sure, Richard is going to make us have a team meeting first thing tomorrow and I'd rather be well rested for it." Pulling back the sheets and discarding her cloak Raven slipped into her bed. Looking up from her pillow, Raven gave him an expectant glance. "Are you going to stand there all night or are you going to join me?"
"I don't know. The floor does look very comfortable." Beast boy teased with a smirk. Raven closed her eyes and moved to give him a little room.
"Just shut up and get in here." Another small smile spread across her lips when she felt the mattress sink from the weight of a second occupant, her smile growing even more prominent when she felt his arms wrap around her body as he moved to hold her as they slept. Kissing the top of her head Beast boy closed his eyes and tried not to become too intoxicated by her scent. Silence filled the room for several moments as the two occupants enjoyed their company, at least until a green changeling had something run across his mind.
"You know, Dick is going to throw a fit tomorrow morning when he finds out I'm no longer bolted down in the med bay." Beast boy said. Raven hummed in acknowledgement as she cuddled closer to the green man.
"He probably will. He'll even go as far as lecturing us about not following orders and endangering the team. But, honestly at the moment I could care less."
"Oh really?"
"Mhm" Raven nodded.
"And why is that?" He asked.
"Because that is a problem for tomorrow, right now I just want to enjoy this." Grinning and kissing the top of her head again, Beast boy held her a little tighter.
"Yeah, that's a problem for tomorrow." He whispered more to himself than to the woman next to him who was now slipping into a contented slumber.
"It's a problem we'll deal with in the morning." Closing his eyes, Beast boy relaxed and fell into his own slumber.
Well, I'm back...again. I'm hoping this oneshot series will help me get back into writing and finishing the stories I left unfinished on here. It's good to be back.
-Greenhatred77