Beast Boy remembered the sight of two large round and beautiful eyes, eyes that belonged to Terra, earnestly staring him dead on. Beast Boy couldn't believe it. She had looked exactly the same as she did the last time he saw her. She was still Terra. Beautiful. Perfect. Terra. Suddenly Beast Boy was at a loss for words.

She gave him a mild look of annoyance, the same way she always did when he would pull a practical prank or make a terrible joke.

"Okay, you've got two minutes." It was all that Beast Boy could do to not cry out and wrap his arms around her small and petite figure. Her voice even sounded exactly the same. Beast Boy was so overcome and choked up with emotion that he almost forgot to speak. When he did, the words come out in a rush. They seemed to tumble out of his mouth.

"Maybe you don't remember, but I do. You're my friend. You're a Teen Titan." He extended a hand out to her hopefully. She drew back in fear. Fear. He couldn't believe that she could possibly be afraid of him.

"You're wrong." She narrowed her eyes at him defiantly.

Beast Boy's arms fell limply to his hands. He held them up in gesture of desperation. "You don't belong here, Terra." He cried.

"Stop calling me that!" She sounded angry. Time was running out. Terra looked away a tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ears.

"It's who you are." Beast Boy pleaded. Willing her to remember.

Terra's voice shook and her eyes welled up with tears. "What do you want from me?" She yelled out in frustration.

Beast Boy stopped for a moment. What did he want? He wanted… the movie store to be open again. Hw wished that the candy store had never closed down. She wanted to be able to go back to walking through the park with Terra, eating ice cream and laughing, his hand resting protectively and possessively on her shoulder. He wished… he wished that time could stop. That the world could stop turning. He wished that things never had to change.

In the end, he answered her question with a question of is own. "Why can't things just go back to the way they were?" His voice dropped down to a whisper. "You were so happy then." With the Teen Titans. With Me.

Terra looked him straight in the eyes. "Things were never the way you remember. Now just leave me alone." Those words stung. What did she mean? Did that mean she had never been happy with the Titans all this time? That she had merely been hiding her memory the way that Raven hid her joy in the rare moments that she felt it? No. Impossible. She says she doesn't remember. He comforted himself. She wouldn't lie to me. Not again.

"Here. Take this. In case you're in trouble, in case you need me, you can call me any time." He wanted to be with her. And if not in the way he imagined, he just needed to save some from of connection to her. He couldn't afford to sever all ties completely. But they could never be.

He knew what her answer would be before she even said it. She had always been stubborn like that.

" I don't need it."

" But..." But you loved me. He wanted to say. I know you did. And I loved you. More than anything. More than anyone.

"Time's up." Terra said sadly. She began to walk away.

Wait! No! She couldn't leave. Not like this. She grappled desperately for something to hold onto. Something to keep her from leaving. He could only come up with her name.

"Terra..."

She stopped, her back still turned to him. She couldn't even look at him. After all that they had been through, he couldn't summon the courage to give her one last passing glance. She sighed.

"Things change, Beast Boy. The girl you want me to be is just a memory." She turned to address him at this. There was no more glistening of tears in her eyes. Her face was somber, like Raven's.

He wanted to say something. He wanted to reach out. Hold her. Comfort her. Tell her that she was wrong. That she couldn't hide from herself. To tell her that she would always be Terra. No matter what. But he couldn't say anything. They just stared at other silently. They were only a few feet apart, the closest that he had ever been to her in a long time. And yet the distance between them was greater than it had been when he was halfway across the world fighting the Brotherhood of Evil.

The silence was shattered by Robin's voice booming from the communicator that he had just offered Terra. A little piece of his heart that she had rejected. Just like the rest of him.

"Come in, Beast Boy. We need your help!" Robin sounded nervous. Scared. Not so much of the monster than of him. Beast Boy. Scared that he would lose him. That this heartbreak would be the last straw and he would leave them. Just like he left the Doom Patrol.

Beast Boy remembered when he idolized Robin. When he begged to stay with him rather than the other way around. The irony of it almost amused Beast Boy. It really was funny how things do change overtime.

The communicator want black then, like a broken television that couldn't get a signal. He stared at it blankly for a moment. Then he flashed one last longing look at Terra. He decided to give it one last try. One last futile attempt to get her to stay.

"Come with me." He pleaded. Please. He wanted to say. But he thought if he added one more word his voice would have cracked with emotion. And he would have broken down. Looking back he regretted not saying it. Maybe that one little word would have made the difference. Or maybe another three words. The three words that every girl wants to hear. The very same words that he was terrified to say because he wouldn't be able to handle the rejection. The exposal. He wouldn't be able to handle a no from her.

Terra shook her head. Just like he had known that she would. "You go. You're the Teen Titan. That's who you are. That's not me. I'm not a hero. I don't save the world. I'm just a girl with a geometry test next period and I haven't studied."

She faded into the blackness then. Forever. He watched as she went. The same way that little boys and girls will watch a boat or a plane or car as goes off into the distance, until it is barely a speck. She never took her eyes off of him as she got further and further away. And then she was gone.

Beast Boy stared up at the ceiling struggling to hold back the tears as he remembered the exchange that he had just recently had with his former best friend.

He was unsuccessful. The tears slowly started to roll down his cheeks. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. Of course she could never love him. She never even loved him in the first place she just pretended to.

And how could a girl like her love a guy like him now? Now when she had nothing to gain from it. Picturing a couple like them… it was impossible. It was like, the Beauty and the Beast. All of that sappy and crappy fairytale romance stuff that happens in the movies but you know that when you grow up, it will never really happen.

Beast Boy rolled onto his stomach and buried his face in the pillow. No. She had loved him. He was sure of it. She told him, right before she died, that he was the best friend that she ever had. She had to love him. Right? Right? He just had to find some way to make her remember.

He was barely aware of a dark figure rising up through the floor right next to his bedside. But his animal instincts sensed someone beside him. He didn't even have to look to guess who it was. Only one of the Teen Titans could be that silent.

"What do you want Raven?" He moaned into his pillow.

"Nice to see you too Beast Boy." She droned in that monotone voice of hers that made Beast Boy want to throw a pillow at her.

He rolled on his side so that he could see her. Not like he wanted to see the impassive and disdainful expression of hers. He was just brought up to be friendly, and it was friendly to look everyone in the eye when you talk to them. Even Raven.

Sure enough she was a gazing at him with a look of pure and utter contempt. "Sorry." He growled at her. "I just wasn't exactly in the mood to get yelled at for what an idiot I am. I already know that. And I don't need to hear it. Especially not today. And especially not from you."

"Actually," Raven said looking around the messing room with her nose wrinkled slightly in disgust "I've been told to come in here and cheer you up."

Beast Boy's raised an eyebrow sarcastically and gave a short and harsh bark of laughter. "You? Cheer me up? Yeah right. Then shouldn't they have sent Cyborg? Or Starfire? Or even Robin would be better?

Raven shrugged. "Boss's orders."

Beast Boy gave a sharp bark of laughter again. "Whatever." There was a long and awkward silence. Raven had her arms crossed at Beast Boy, glaring at him.

"He turner his back to her then. You don't have to sit here glaring at me you know. Just go outside and tell Robin what a stubborn spoiled brat I am. Say you tried. He'll believe you."

Secretly, that was what Raven wanted to do. She didn't want to be in this position anymore than Beast Boy did. And he knew that. But still…

She flopped in a cross-legged position on the bad with a sigh.

Beast Boy looked a little surprised at this. He recovered quickly though, glaring at Raven with renewed annoyance. "Cut it out. Raven, what is your deal?" He growled. She didn't respond, so he tried again in a more menacing tone.

"Just get out of here. I don't want your help all right."

There was a long period of silence. And then, without warning, she gave him an ironic looking smirk.

"I understand that Beast Boy. But well… when it comes down to it, I don't care what you want. You need my help. And in the end, that's all that really matters."

There was another pregnant pause. She sat beside him and he let her. How could he not? She had used his own words against him.

She said nothing staring at him intently. It seemed as if she were trying to stare through his very soul. It was… downright creepy. Unnerving to say the least.

"Err… Raven." Beast Boy said feeling slightly uncomfortable. "I don't think you glaring at me counts as trying to make me feel better." He narrowed his eyes. "You're not gonna help me so maybe you should just go."

"You've been crying." Raven butted in. It wasn't a question.

Beast Boy's eyes widened slightly. How did she…?

"Yeah. Well what's it to you." He growled.

She turned slightly from him, apparently fascinated by a spot on his wall. Without turning to address him directly, she spoke in her characteristically quiet and mild tempered monotone.

"You cared for her a lot, didn't you." Once again, it wasn't a question.

"Well… yeah." He said, addressing his response to that same fascinating spot on the wall. There was a fist sized hole there from his fight with Adonis a while back. He didn't exactly remember the fight all that well, but it was pretty obvious that that was where it was from. One day he woke, the day afterwards, and it was just… there. And it had stayed there ever since. He would probably get around to fixing it the next time that he cleaned his room. Which would be never.

"She was the first… and only girl that I've ever… loved." There he did it. He said it out loud. He had finally admitted to himself, and Raven of all people, his feelings. He was hopelessly, madly in love with Terra. And that just made his feel all the more vulnerable. All the more exposed. All the more hopeless.

"It was an infatuation." She explained staring at wall. "It wasn't love. Garfield… you don't even know what real love is yet." He started in surprise. Did she just, address him by his real name? Yes she did. As if he were a child and she a world weary adult."

"Oh and you do?" Beast Boy snarled.

Raven looked him dead in the eyes. "Yes. I do as a matter of fact."

Beast Boy snorted. "Oh really? You know what it's like to have such a strong bond with someone, or rather to think that you do, and to find out that every moment of it was lie? Every laugh that you shared. Every secret that you told. Every –"

She gripped the bed struggling to keep her face impassive. The rage boiling under the surface of her prim and polished exterior was invisible to anyone that did not know her well.

"Yes. I do." Beast Boy winced slightly. Right. Of course. Malchior. That had been inconsiderate of him. He should have known better to bring that one up. He knew that was as much of a sore spot with her as Terra was to him.

"Yeah. But he was a book. He wasn't a real person." The words tumbled out before Beast Boy could stop them. He turned to watch the way that Raven's face would contort in fury. Her prepared for her black aura o shimmer about her like an angry storm. Beast Boy closed his eyes and prepared to be hurtled through the ceiling in a fit of anger. To his surprise, Raven just shrugged.

"I suppose." She said. After a while she spoke again "Then again, you can argue that Terra wasn't a real person either. Not to us anyways. She was a spy and a traitor. Everything that she ever told to us was a lie. When you think about it, we never really knew her."

"Yes I did." Beast Boy growled. Raven turned to look at him after hearing the agony in his voice. He continued feeling invigorated. "She did bad things. But she loved us. She loved me."

Raven sighed. "Beast Boy… she never really loved you. At least… not in the way that you wanted her too."

"Yes she did!" Beast Boy yelled. "You don't know what you're talking about!" At this, Beast Boy jumped off of the bead in a blaze of fury. He put his hands over his ears as if he could block out her words. His eyes were clenched shut in pain. Suddenly Beast Boy dropped to his knees. Raven noted that in this position she was now a full head taller than him. It made her feel… odd. As though she were the worldly wise one, sharing all of her knowledge with a child who could never hope to comprehend until he had experienced it for himself.

Raven watch impassively, showing no remorse for the truth that she had told as Beast Boy let his hands slump to his sides and as he hung his head, looking completely and utterly defeated. He looked up at Raven, his eyes completely brimming with tears. Raven would be lying if she said that she wasn't surprised. He had never shown this type of… emotion in front of her before.

"She did love me." He said. Not reassuring Raven, but himself. Telling himself that everything that he had been through with this girl was not a lie. A deception. A sleight of hand. "She loved me. She still does." He repeated. "She just doesn't… remember."

Beast Boy looked up at Raven, he voice practically shaking with emotion as he explained. "Do you know what's its like to love someone and lose them? I mean really lose them. To know in your heart that you were meant for each other but you had to let them go, for the greater good." He practically spat the words. "Do you know what it's like to know that they loved you and now that just won't realize it? Thinking that if you could do or say the right thing that would wake up and remember?

Raven didn't respond to this. "She wants nothing to do with you Beast Boy. She wants nothing to do with any of us. You need to respect that."

Beast Boy glared at her. He wanted so badly to tell her that she was wrong. But the truth was, he didn't know for certain that she was. It would be an unusual occurrence for her to be wrong to say the very least. She was right bout Terra in the first place after all.

They locked gazes for several long seconds. Beast Boy was the first to break it. He sighed and looked at the ground. "I knew that you wouldn't understand." He muttered. "You never have."

"Have what?"

"Lost someone you love, have you? That's why you didn't answer." He sneered. Raven said nothing. So Beast Boy pressed on. He knew that he was being a jerk, but he didn't care. He was done being constantly put down by her. Being constantly lectured and ridiculed by her. He had had enough of her holier than thou attitude. He always tried to make her better when she was hurting. Even when she didn't want it. Why couldn't she do the same for him, just this once?

Beast Boy continued. "I mean, come on Raven. You're so closed off. You won't let anyone get close to you. Not even us. You know what I think? I think you're afraid. You're afraid to let someone love you. And so no one ever will."

When Raven finally spoke it was through gritted teeth. "How. Dare. You?"

"How dare I? How dare I?" Beast Boy scoffed. "You're such a hypocrite! You claim that you love the truth so much and you can't even stand to hear it. You can't bear to think that maybe if you would I don't know, smile every once in a while, be nice to people, let people in you'd be dating Aqualad right now, or Speedy, or Cyborg or even Robin for Goddsakes. But you don't want to think about that. How dare I? Are you serious Raven?"

"Yes! How dare you?" She hissed. "I loved my mother. I loved the monks of Azarath. I loved my home. And you know what Beast Boy, it's all gone. It's all gone now because everything that I love I destroy. That's my curse. That's my doing."

"No. Your curse is that you can't love." He said it before he could stop himself. "And that's your choice. That's your doing."

He realized how cruel his words sounded after he had said them. But it was too late. The room fell eerily silent.

"Everyone loves Beast Boy." Raven responded quietly. "And unfortunately… that isn't a choice. My life what would have been so much easier of it was."

That last statement, her voice sounded so bleak and hopeless. It was in that moment that Beast Boy realized how fragile Raven was. Why, she was just as fragile as he was, no matter much she tried to hide it from the world.

It dawned upon him at this time that he had failed her. He had tried so hard to be her teammate, when all she really needed was a friend.

"Raven I – " He wanted to apologize. He wanted to tell her that she was wrong. That he had no idea that she had to live through that. That what happened to her home was not his fault.

He wanted to drop to his knees and beg for her forgiveness. To swallow his pride and begin comforting her the way that a real friend would. This broken little girl with wings too heavy to fly that he was suddenly filled with such a string urge to protect.

He realized that, despite all of the taunts and torments and mutual teasing, Beast Boy had genuinely wanted to be Raven's friend all this time. Not simply because it was a challenge. But because, well because she looked so much like she needed one.

He wanted to tell her this. He wanted to say all of this and more. But he never got the chance. Because seconds later Beast Boy saw Raven's black from slinking through the floor. And he was left alone in an empty room, feeling worse than he had been before Raven had entered it.