I don't own any rights to the Teen Titans or any characters in the DC universe.


This story will be a different one for me. Unlike my other stories where the Titans are older and have formed serious relationships with each other, in this story they are still teens. The timeline is right after their adventures with Broshugan in Tokyo.

Also in a departure from my past stories Beast Boy and Raven won't be a couple in this story. If anything they are struggling to be friends in spite of Raven's dysfunctional personality.

I would like to acknowledge my inspiration for this story: spartan585's "Change". I will of course take Beast Boy down a different path in this story.

Also, I don't expect to update this story as often as I have updated others in the past (which was often as daily). Expect 1 or 2 updates per week.


Things had been going downhill for Beast Boy for over three months. It had begun inconspicuously in Tokyo where for reasons he still didn't understand Raven had silently declared war on him. The physical abuse had escalated and it seemed that not a day went by where she didn't at least slap him and some days it was worse than that. There had been a few days where Raven would pummel him so hard with her dark energy that he would end up covered in bruises, which she would heal afterwards without even offering an apology.

Had that been the extent of his problems Beast Boy would have been able to cope by avoiding Raven as much as possible. But lately everything he attempted was a disaster. He had injured himself in every mission since they had returned, a few times seriously, which had earned him Robin's wrath. Robin had even threatened him to shape up or he would risk being replaced on the team. The Boy Wonder reminded him more than once that there were dozens of honorary Titans who would be happy to take his place on the team.

Even Cyborg had been giving him the cold shoulder lately. Whenever Beast Boy suggested they do something fun together the bionic man would remind him that the clock was ticking and that his spare time would be better spent training in the gym.

But no matter how hard he tried his lot did not improve. He was sitting alone on the Tower roof after his latest disaster. During a routine battle with Adonis the mechanized villain got lucky and had hit Beast Boy in the chest, breaking several of his ribs. Adonis managed to escape while the Titans came to the aid of their injured teammate. As always Raven healed his injuries, after which she slapped him and chewed him out. "Nice work, genius!" she rebuked him. "Thanks to you Adonis escaped!"

"Beast Boy, I want to see you in my office after dinner." Robin barked angrily at him.

Beast Boy had skipped eating dinner with his team mates that evening, choosing instead to eat a tofu sandwich on the roof. He knew that dinner time was over and that Robin was waiting for him, but he couldn't bring himself to get up and go to his office. He had a hunch that Robin was going to give him his walking papers. A single tear slid down his cheek as he heard the roof access door open. No doubt Robin had sent Raven or Cyborg to find him. He took a deep breath and braced himself.

"Friend Beast Boy, are you the OK? We missed you at dinner."

"'We' Star?" he replied deadpan.

"I missed you." She admitted.

Beast Boy cracked a weak smile. "Thanks Star. It's good to know that I still have a friend in the Tower."

"We are all your friends."

His smile instantly vanished.

"I don't think so."

Another voice interrupted. "So this is where you've been hiding. Robin's cancelled your private meeting. We're having a team meeting now, so get moving Beast Boy!"

It was her. At least she didn't slap him this time. He slowly got up and Raven grabbed his arm, then teleported both of them directly to the common room.

"I found him on the roof." She reported deadpan to Robin as Starfire flew in through an open window.

"OK, we're all here now. I want to discuss our recent setbacks in fighting crime since returning from Tokyo. As you are all aware we have been on the skids since we returned from Japan and this is due to a lack of discipline. There are two factors here that we must address. First of all Beast Boy has been getting injured excessively since we returned from Japan, to the point where it cannot be blamed on bad luck. Because of this I am placing Beast Boy on leave to train until he is fit to return to duty. Raven will supervise his training, and she will decide on how much and what kind of training is required."

Raven stared stoically and replied in her deadpan voice. "I'll whip him back into shape Robin, you can count on it."

"Thanks Raven, I know I can count on you. The second factor to address is personal relationships between team members. They are distracting and harmful to team cohesion. From this point on romantic relationships between team members will not be allowed. It's unprofessional and can only foment resentments and feelings of favoritism. We are a crime fighting team, not a dating service."

Starfire shrunk away to the back of the room, tears welling in her eyes.

"I see you understand. Good. I'm also changing our training schedule. We now all will train twice a day on the obstacle course, and for Beast Boy that's on top of whatever Raven schedules for you. See you all at the obstacle course at 6:00 AM tomorrow. You're dismissed."

Beast Boy had hardly heard Robin's final words as he was focused on Starfire, who appeared to be on the verge of a break down. He felt a slap across his face.

"Pay attention when I'm talking to you Beast Boy, I don't want to have to go over this twice!" Raven said as she handed him a training schedule.

Raven quickly ran through the schedule and it was going to be grueling. She reminded Beast Boy that it was imperative he succeed in his training and that if he failed to meet her expectations that he might be dismissed from the team.

Beast Boy quietly nodded and waited for the demoness to leave. He couldn't believe that he had ever had feelings for her. But that didn't matter anymore. Right now he was concerned about Starfire. It was obvious that Robin had not warned her of his dating ban.

"Don't disappoint us Beast Boy. This might be your last chance to show that you are serious about being a Titan."

"Don't worry Raven, I'll do my best." He mumbled as she phased away into the floor.

Terra was right, you are a witch.

Without saying anything he ran out of the common room until he was at Starfire's door, which he knocked on softly.

"Go away Robin, I do not wish to see you!" her voice trembled behind the door.

"It's Beast Boy, are you OK?"

The door slid open and an orange arm pulled him into the room as the door quickly slid shut behind him. Starfire looked awful, she had been crying the whole time. She grabbed Beast Boy and hugged him softly as she continued to sob.

"He didn't warn you, did he? He just dumped you right in front of everyone."

She nodded, while she continued crying.

"What the hell is their problem?" he growled. "It's like they're going out of their way to make us miserable."

"Friend, can we go somewhere else? I do not wish to be in my room. It has too many painful memories."

"Sure Star, we can go to my room. No one will bother us there."


"Don't you two think maybe this is going too far?" Cyborg asked.

"Not at all." Raven replied. "They both need to shape up, especially Beast Boy. It's for his own good. You wait and see, he'll thank us for this."

"I don't know Raven. I think you're approaching this the wrong way. BB needs encouragement, not put downs."

Raven glared at Cyborg, who stood his ground.

"So you're gonna slap me too if I don't agree with you?" He shook his head and began to leave "Just don't come crying to me if this blows up in your face."

"I don't cry Cyborg."

"There's a first time for everything, Raven."

"Relax Cy." Robin interrupted. "Raven knows what she's doing."

Cyborg snorted and walked out of the room.


The sliding door to Beast Boy's room slid open, revealing it's over the top untidiness.

"Sorry Star, my room's a mess. Just have a seat while I clean it up."

"I will help you friend." She gave him a brave smile as she grabbed a large trash bag and began to stuff old pizza boxes and other rubbish into it.

Beast Boy sighed. "What's happening Star? Raven's had me in her cross hairs since Tokyo. I don't know what do. Nothing I do is good enough for them. Remember when we fought Cinderblock last month? He was going to smash her and I saved her. Did she thank me? Of course not! She slapped me for getting hurt! And I never told you what she said to me in Tokyo. She said that girls wouldn't like me because I'm green, have fangs and pointed ears!"

Starfire gasped. "Beast Boy, you should have told us."

"Why?" Beast Boy laughed sarcastically. "Robin and Cyborg would probably have said she was right and that I should shut up and be a man."

Starfire smiled "You proved her wrong with all those fan girls in Tokyo!" she consoled him as they continued to pick up the trash.

He smiled back at her. "Star, have you thought of going home, you know, to Tamaran? Because I have."

Starfire dropped her trash bag. "Beast Boy, where is your home? You have never told us."

Beast Boy stared at the Tamaranian princess. "You're right, I've never told anyone. I was born in a small village in the jungle in the Ivory Coast, in Africa."

He rummaged through a box and pulled out a large map of the Ivory Coast and unfolded it.

"Right here! X marks the spot."

"Why did you live there friend?"

"My parents were scientists doing research there. I contracted the fatal Sakutia virus when a monkey bit me in the jungle. My parents found an antidote for me but its side effects gave me my shape shifting powers."

"Is that also why you are green?"

He nodded. "Anyway, we lived in the village for years, until my parents died in an accident. After that I was sent back to the US, and was treated like a lab specimen, until I escaped and joined the doom patrol."

"That village has such painful memories for you, does it not?"

"It does Star, but the people there were wonderful. They were simple and kind, always full of joy and laughter. I miss them."

Starfire giggled. "And in this jungle village, did the women not cover their breasts?"

"Now that you mention it, yeah they didn't. I guess it didn't seem that unusual when I lived there."

Starfire kept giggling. "Raven would be so upset to learn of this."

"Yeah, she would, wouldn't she? I can already see all the cacao pods the villagers grow exploding in her dark energy."

Starfire laughed even louder. "Thank you friend, you have already made me feel the better. But now I must speak with Robin."

"What are you going to do?" he asked nervously.

"I will tell him that he has lost me forever and that he is not good enough for me."

"You go girl!"


Raven sat in her room, trying to meditate, but failing. She couldn't get Cyborg's words out of her mind.

"Just don't come crying to me if this blows up in your face."

She had been angry with Beast Boy. He was older now, why couldn't he be more serious? He had so much potential. He acted stupid, but she knew that was a front, an excuse for underachieving. She knew that he could be so much more. She wanted him to be more. But maybe Cyborg was right, maybe this was the wrong way to approach the problem.

She decided that perhaps she should go and patch things up with the changeling. She grabbed her cloak and swung it around her shoulders, snapping the clasp shut. She quickly emerged from her room and headed down the long hallway that led to Beast Boy's room. As she approached the hallway corner she began to calm herself, to remind herself that Beast Boy was a dear friend and that she needed to convey that to him. As she rounded the corner she saw Starfire leaving his room. She hugged and kissed Beast Boy before leaving. Raven hid herself in the floor as Starfire walked away. What was she doing in Beast Boy's room? Raven was experiencing a new emotion, but she didn't recognize it. Pushing it aside she re-entered the hallway. She quietly approached his door and knocked. It opened almost instantly revealing his beaming face, which quickly changed into a blank canvas.

"Oh, it's you." He said morosely.

"May I come in?" she asked.

He eyed her carefully, but said nothing.

"I don't bite Beast Boy"

Beast Boy sighed and slid the door all the way open. "Come in."

Raven had not been in his room for some time, but was impressed with what she saw. It was clean.

"Very nice Beast Boy, I wasn't expecting this." She said as she glanced around his room.

"Star came by and helped me clean." He said deadpan.

"I would have helped you."

"You?" he laughed derisively "You're kidding. Why would you do that?"

"What do you mean by that? Why should Starfire help you and not me?"

He rolled his eyes.

"Why?! What's so special about Starfire?"

He chuckled before answering "You really don't have a clue, do you?"

Raven swallowed her pride before answering. "I guess I don't. Enlighten me."

Beast Boy flipped a chair around so it was backwards and sat on it.

"She's my friend. She respects me."

His words cut deep into her heart.

"Believe it or not, I do respect you."

"You have a strange way of showing it. Star has never raised her hand against me, not even when I deserved it. You on the other hand, you always treat me like a child."

"Well maybe if you acted your age…"

"SHUT UP RAVEN, JUST SHUT UP!! Get the hell out of my room! How dare you come in here to insult me?"

Raven's mind raced, desperately seeking damage control.

"Beast Boy, I'm …"

"Look, I know my ass belongs to you tomorrow during training, but this is my time Raven, and I'm sure as hell not going to let you ruin that for me as well. And I know who my friends are Raven, and you aren't one of them. Now get the hell out!"

"You know what you're problem is Beast Boy? You're a slacker, an underachiever. You have talent and you squander it!"

"I don't care what you or Robin think of me Raven. I really don't. There's no pleasing either of you. There's never praise when I do things right, only criticism. Now for the last time, get out of my room."

"Beast Boy you idiot, your future is in my hands. If I give Robin the word you'll be gone by tomorrow."

Beast Boy calmly collected himself before answering. "Yes Raven, I know. But until then this is my room. And if you really were my friend you wouldn't be threatening me like this."

Beast Boy walked to the door and slid it open.

"Good night Raven. See you tomorrow."

The sorceress walked out the door and it slid shut unceremoniously behind her. She had only walked halfway down the hallway before stopping and leaning her forehead against the wall.

"That was smooth Raven, real smooth."

She trudged the rest of the way back to her room, her hood up, concealing the tears sliding down her face.


Beast Boy sat on his lower bunk, soaking in the exchange he had just had with Raven. The first thing he acknowledged was that he was feeling miserable. He was so sick and tired of Robin's and Raven's disapproval. He got up and paced around his room, as if searching for an answer. And when he least expected it, he found it.

------------------------------------------

Raven had been wandering aimlessly around the Tower and had lost track of time. She was drawn back into reality by Starfire's shouting. It was coming out of Robin's room and it wasn't pretty. The saying was true; hell had no fury as a woman scorned. Sometimes Robin could be obtuse, as even Raven knew that his "no dating" rule would come back to haunt him. If he had half a brain he would get on his knees and beg for her forgiveness.

It was then that she decided that she should eat humble pie and beg Beast Boy for his forgiveness. She had no excuse for the way she had treated him, especially when she knew that she was really fond of him. Her mind raced again as she slowly walked back to his room, trying to decide what she would tell him. Before she knew it, she was at his door. She knocked, but there was no response.

"Beast Boy, are you in there? May I come in? I want to apologize."

There was no answer, and Raven stretched out her empathic links to see if he was awake or asleep. Strangely there was nothing. Alarmed she used her dark energy to force the door open and charged into his room. She flipped the lights on and quickly scanned the room. The room was cold as one of the windows was wide open and a chilly breeze blew throughout the room. There was no sign of him. At first she thought that he had maybe gone out to cool off, but Cyborg had told them not leave windows open at night, as it compromised the Tower's security. She had an uneasy feeling in the pit of her stomach and began to examine the room for something unusual and it didn't take long for her to find it. It was a white envelope addressed to the Titans. She opened it up and read it.

"Dear friends,

I have decided that I need some time away from the team. I don't know when I will come back, or even if I ever will. Please don't come looking for me, as that will just make things worse. I'm sorry for all the trouble and disappointment I've caused and I'm sure you'll find a good replacement for me, hopefully one that can act his or her age and who is more serious about being a Titan than I ever was. I wish you all the best."

And it was signed "Garfield Logan, AKA Beast Boy".

Raven sat down on Beast Boy's lower bunk and began to weep.