A/N: This idea somewhat sprouted off a plotline from Next Generation: Black Baron. It's tweaked majorly, but it's got the same basic plotline. I really feel good about this fic, and this first chapter is just a small taste of what is to come. Hopefully chapters will be longer, but I want to get advice before I continue. Thanks a bunch. Oh, and Next Generation should be updated soon (like next two days).

Disclaimer: Oh how I wish the Teen Titans were mine. Alas, they are not. Neither is Coheed and Cambria.

TT

Crossing the Frame

It was a quiet night; all was undisturbed within the walls of Titan's Tower. The wind howled softly outside, disturbing none from their peaceful slumber; all except two, who had already awakened from their slumber a long while prior. One was preoccupied with his thoughts, thinking of many things that had been plaguing his mind for many days. The other, young female blossoming into a beautiful young woman was meditating on her bed, unable to sleep for the emotions of the afore-mentioned male were keeping her awake.

This was very unusual for many reasons. Normally it was Starfire who kept her awake, for Starfire was the most emotional of the team, and normally it wasn't too long. Starfire went to bed relatively early, where her emotions were calmed by her dreams. But for the past few nights, it was Beast Boy that had been keeping her up. He'd been having mixed emotions about something, something involving fear, depression, regret, rage, and negative emotions of the like. In fact, for the past week, he had been even more reclusive than Raven. He had drifted away from all of the Titans, instead opting to stay in his room all day and listen to music or play video games. Actually, there were times when his emotions completely blacked out, which meant he was sleeping. You did not feel emotions when you slept, or at least Raven could not feel emotions when you slept.

Though Raven would not admit it, he worried her. She didn't want a suicidal Beast Boy, which had been something the tabloids had been blowing out of proportion. They had as well noticed a change in the youngest Titans' demeanor, and had started spreading rumors of his suicidal tendencies. Robin had immediately dispelled these rumors, though, and stated in a public interview that he kept a close eye on all his teammates and knew for a fact that Beast Boy was Not suicidal. This did nothing to suppress the tabloids, though.

Raven sighed as his emotions drifted further and further and she could finally lie down and get some sleep. But, contrary to popular belief, she did have a heart. She would be a monster if she left Beast Boy alone in such a state. So, she stepped from her bed, fastened her cloak over her pajamas to pretend she was still wearing her leotard (she hated being seen in anything else), and floated silently out the door. It was unlike her to be this generous, but she felt she had been putting him down a lot lately, and it would give her brownie points to see what was up. Could it possibly be her that put him in such a state?

Raven shrugged to herself. 'Nah,' she inwardly thought. Things she said never got to Beast Boy. He was too strong of a person to let any of her petty comments get to him. He may not look it, but sometimes he could be a very stolid person. Raven floated towards the source of his feelings, as they grew stronger and stronger to her sixth sense. She finally located him in the kitchen/living room. Manually, she opened the door and leaned against the doorframe, watching as he fixed a tofu ham sandwich and never looked up. After he finished and promptly cleaned up after himself, he retired to the couch to watch late-night programming and eat the said sandwich. He set it down for a few minutes as the show came to a commercial and turned down the volume. It was moments before he began humming to himself, and quietly began singing. All Raven caught was, "I left in a sudden rush and never said why you couldn't know that I had no goodbyes" before he started humming again. Then, he sighed.

Raven never once spoke, and he never once looked up. Only did he continue to nibble at his rather large midnight snack. He made no sort of acknowledgment towards her, but about five minutesafter South Park continued, grunted, "Having fun?".

Raven snapped from her trance and made a face. She had been caught. "How did you know I was here?" she asked curiously as she flew over the couch and sat a little way away from him. "No offense, but you aren't too smart."

Beast Boy sighed. "I may not be smart, but I can be useful sometimes. My enhanced senses." Raven really hadn't meant any offense towards him, but the tone of his voice made her wince. "I could hear you a mile away. I knew it was you because it was the distinctive sound of a cape floating in the air. Starfire can fly but has no cape. Robin has a cape, but can't fly. Cyborg has no cape and can't fly. Unless there was an intruder, which is impossible because of the security system, it had to be you."

"Oh," was her intelligent and articulate response.

"Yeah," he replied, taking another bite of his sandwich and watching the television show with disinterest. He set half of the sandwich on its plate and held it out towards Raven. "You hungry?" he asked politely.

Raven was starving, but she would drop dead before she took a bite of that disgusting tofu stuff. "Sure," slipped from her mouth before she could stop it. She picked up the sandwich, nibbled it, then set it back on the plate. Beast Boy sighed and set it on the table in front of them. "What brought you up here?" he asked disinterestedly, merely asking to break the uncomfortable silence.

"I could ask you the same thing," she replied in her normal monotone.

"I wasn't tired, and I was hungry," he grunted, trying to reply in the least words possible.

"You were keeping me awake." The words slipped from her mouth, once more, before she could stop them. After they left her lips she realized how intimate it sounded, but unfortunately turning back time was the one power she did not have. "I mean, y'know, I meant that you were just really nervous and I couldn't sleep because-"

Beast Boy chuckled, and Raven recalled that it was the first time she heard him laugh in two weeks. It sounded kind of sweet after she went a while with out it. I guess it's true what they say you don't know what you've got til it's gone. "I get what you mean, Rae."

"Raven," she stressed. "And thank you."

They fell into another silence as Beast Boy continued to stare at the television screen. It had lapsed into a commercial break but started up again with the four young boys standing at their trademark bus stop. "I wish life were simple like that," Beast Boy sighed. "Hanging with friends at a bus stop, talking about the latest happenings that are merely which friends have hooked up and which friends have broken up."

Raven had never heard something so serious come from his mouth. And it surprised her. "Yea," was all she could responded, for she was stunned to the point where she could no longer form coherent words. "Uh, yeah, life would be great if it were simple like that. Unfortunately, we're Titans. Life will never be simple."

"Don't I know it," he whispered, reaching to pick up his sandwich once more. He took a large bite and savored it. "I know you don't think I'm smart, but I can think. And lately I've been thinking about life." He sighed. "About my role in the world, the affect I've had on others, my purpose; y'know, things like that. Sometimes I just don't feel adequate. Like I don't live up to the name of the Titans. Like I shouldn't be a hero, let alone a famed Titan. Do I deserve such an honor?"

Raven finally found her voice, recovering from hearing such things come from the young, green, and relatively unintelligent Titan. "I think you do. You're a part of this team. You contribute to our success everyday. I know that you belong here. Don't ever question that. I might make fun of you, I might bring you down, and I might tell you that you are the world's biggest screw-up, but you know I care about you. I care about everyone on the team. I just have a hard time showing it."

"Thanks, Raven, but that's not helping much," Beast Boy told her, looking up from behind his sandwich with a small grin. "I guess nothing's really helping much lately. I've been thinking a lot about this subject, and nothing seems to calm me much. I just..." Beast Boy sighed, placing the sandwich down and looking away. "I don't know."

They fell into silence once more. Raven pulled her knees up to her chest, sighed, and rested her chin upon them. The gears in her head cleared their midnight haze and began turning, thinking about everything he just said as he disinterestedly watched the television screen again. So, he didn't feel like he fit in? He'd rather be normal than be a hero? But Raven could've swore he enjoyed being a hero.

Everyone had to be wrong once in their life.

Bast Boy sighed, pulling her from her reverie, and turned off the television, leaving them in almost complete darkness. The only thing that lit the two up was the moon and the myriad of stars outside the large windows in front of them. "Hey, Rae," he began softly. She let this use of her nickname go, just this once. "Do you know where Cyborg keeps the keys for his emergency car? I wanna take a little drive before I try and get some sleep. Maybe you can get some sleep in return."

She smiled gently, but it was not noticeable. "Thanks. He keeps them on the second to the left hook down in the garage, on the wall where the circuit breakers are. Make sure you're careful," she told him. "And wear your rings so no one nottices you!" She was referring to the holographic rings Cyborg produced for all of them so they would not be recognized in the 'real' world.

He smirked. "But I won't be able to use my powers," he pointed out.

"Who cares, as long as no one recognizes. Don't want to be mobbed by the paparazzi at midnight, do you?" was her feeble attempt at a joke towards him.

Beast Boy rolled his eyes. "Ok, I'll wear my rings. AndI'll be safe, I promise." He looked away for a split-second before looking back at her. Beast Boy stood, showing his true height, a five-foot six-inch almost-seventeen-year old. He walked over towards her, and moved in to hug her, but at the last moment he moved his face so his lips locked onto hers. Raven's eyes bugged from her head and she was seconds from pushing him away, before he pulled away of his own accord. "I love ya, Rae. Don't ever forget that. And don't forget to live." He paused and smiled at her. "Just live."

He continued towards the door at an ambling pace and stopped short in front of the frame, looking back upon her. The moonlight illuminated her, but he could not see it for her back was still turned to him and she was rigid in her stance. Beast Boy took one last look at her, sighed sadly, and walked from the room. "I'm sorry, Raven," he whispered as he began towards the Titans' Garage for one last time. He would have no regrets. He promised himself. And he would not cry; he would be strong. This was something he needed to do. And no one, not even the woman he loved, would stop him.

And Raven did not move, nor did she turn, even after he left. She kept her hands clasped in her lap, where they had been for the entire duration fo their little talk. I believe they would call what she is experiencing shock. Shock from just being kissed by one of the most confusing members of the Teen Titans. And worse, Raven enjoyed it.

It was a while before she moved at all. Raven's eyes darted towards the quarter of the sandwich on the coffee table and she smiled softly before resting her body against the couch, and letting her eyes flutter closed.

It was not long before she was overcome by a semi-restful sleep.

TT