Chapter 4:

Trust and Hope?

Beast Boy is now in his messy, green room, banging his head against the wall. 'Stupid, stupid,' He thought repeatedly. His head aches as he sat back on his lower bunk. His head on the pillow as he remembers the exchange between the Joker and him, 'Dammit, why did he have to return' His tears are pouring out as he drifts into sleep.

After Garfield's parents' boat disappeared from his sight, the men around him paddled toward to land. He felt something inside, something that he never felt. Something so powerful that Garfield started to cry, the feeling that he had and still follows him to the present; Regret. The man who shot both of his parents smirked toward to him, "Don't worry little one, you will learn how to live with us. First of all, my name is Nicholas Galtry, I am your uncle." Garfield stared at him blankly, it seemed like hours to him until he finally open his month, "U-uncle? Does t-that means…-"

"Yes, I am your father's dearest brother."

Garfield's eyes widened, "W-why did you kill your b-brother?"

Galtry stepped closer to Garfield's cage, "Because I want you and your powers."

They finally arrived the land, there was a black SUV waiting for them. Galtry grabbed the cage and walked up to the SUV's trunk. He opened it and glanced back to Garfield who is whimpering in the cage, "Oh stop your whimpering, soon you will appreciate us. If not, then I have to make you." He threw the cage inside and shut the trunk.

Engulfed in the darkness, Garfield started to scream. He hated being in the dark, it felt like he was being mocked and sneered. He couldn't see anything, but thanks to his new pointy ears that Garfield comes to love. He was able to hear more than humans can. He heard his uncle talking to his men, "Well, well men. We finally got my green nephew. Imagine, when he finally masters his powers, we will have luxury lifestyle. We will send him to rob the banks and make him to steal the valuables. Nobody will be able to stop him, once he masters his powers." The men cheered and roared.

Garfield couldn't believe it; he doesn't want to do all of those things. He brought his knees closer to his chest, his arms around his lower legs and his head on his knees. He began to cry and only thing he is thinking over and over was, 'Why didn't I stop him from killing my parents?' The car roared alive, he took one last glance at the window that show the ocean that swallowed his parents slowly disappeared.

Raven couldn't mediate, she can't focus; her thoughts kept going back to Beast Boy. 'Why did he run away? It couldn't be the new idea for prank. Not with that face.' Raven remembered everything clearly

Raven is staring at Beast Boy, 'What is wrong with him' she wonders, and noticed that his face paled which that is odd. His goofy grin dropped and just minutes ago, he was joking and now… 'What is wrong with him?'

"Hello, earth to Beast Boy" Raven waved front of Beast Boy's face. Beast Boy snapped back. He mumbled sorry then ran out of the common room.

Raven sighed, "I better go check on Beast Boy if I want to be able to mediate."

'Oh no, no, you don't want to be able to mediate, you just want to check on Beast Boy if he is okay. You LOOOOVEEE him!' Happy chirped.

'Shut up Happy,' Raven thought angrily. She hates Happy, she is very annoying. 'I DO NOT love Beast Boy.'

'Yeah, yeah whatever you say.' Happy giggled, 'Keep telling yourself that, but you know it is not true!'

Affection joins the conversation, 'Yeah, I agree with Happy. You are in denial, but it is clear. You do love him.'

It was a battle inside Raven's head as she arrive front of Beast Boy's door. 'SHUT UP!' Her emotions finally become quiet.

'Finally,' she thought, 'Now find out what is wrong with that green boy.'

Raven knocked on Beast Boy's door.

Knock, knock

Beast Boy slowly blinking awake, checking his surrounding as he stretches, 'Great, I had fallen asleep.'

Knock, knock

Beast Boy jumped, not expect anyone will knock on his door, "Err, who it is?"

"It's Raven. Please open, I want to talk."

'Oh crap, she will ask me what happened at the common room. Stupid Beast Boy, stupid.' He thought as he types the code. The door slide open revealing Raven standing in front of it.

"Hey Rae, what's up" with his goofy grin

Raven was taken aback with the joy in his voice and the grin, but she was able to speak calmly without revealing anything, "Hi Beast Boy, I was just wondering if you are okay. Are you?"

'She noticed.' Beast Boy desperately think up an excuse, finally he spoke up, "Yeah, I am okay. I just spaced out and I… I thought up a good prank." He finished, 'I hope she will fall for it.'

"Oh… Ok, that prank is better not for me." Raven glared at Beast Boy.

Raven, being an empathy, she could not detect Beast Boy's emotions nor read his mind. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't. Whereas, others, she could detect theirs easily.

Beast Boy chuckled sheepishly, "Don't worry Rae, it is not for you."

"For the last time, my name is Raven."

"Yeah, yeah whatever you say."

Raven growled at Beast Boy and Beast Boy gulped, "Ok, ok. Sorry Raven."

As Raven glared at his emerald eyes, she notices that he had been crying. The dry tears linger on his cheeks.

"Uh… Have you been crying?"

"What? No!" Beast Boy answered quickly and avoid the eye contact, "You are just imagining."

Raven sighed, "Beast Boy listen" Beast Boy glanced up into her amethyst eyes. 'Man, they are so beautiful, matches her hair perfectly.' He snapped back when she continues, "We may got off wrong foot, but you know I'll be there for you if need me."

Beast Boy avoids her eye contact once again and went into a thought, 'Will I be able to tell her? Will she help me? Or will she tell Robin once I told her? Will she hate me even more, or will she be afraid of me?'

"Beast Boy," Raven whispered, "Did you hear what I said?"

Beast Boy glanced up to Raven who is still standing close to him. 'Maybe… Is there a hope? Maybe she could help.'

"Um ok… But I think I'd rather talk while its night, when everyone is sleeping…" He trailed off, 'what am I doing?'

"Uh ok, meet me in my room when you are ready," Raven start to walk away back to her room.

"Wait!" Ravens stopped and look back at Beast Boy, "Thanks…" Raven nod then walked away.

'Must be that bad' Raven thought, 'That bad that he doesn't want anyone to know…'

Beast Boy watched as Raven disappears then he goes back in his room.

'DAMN IT, WHAT AM I THINKING?' Beast Boy paced back forth in his room, 'Can I tell Raven? Can I trust her?'

Trust… Beast Boy thought. He lost that long ago, the moment when Doom Patrol abandoned him.

'Is that possible… Is that possible to trust Raven…?'

It is one in the morning, and only two teenagers are awake. One is waiting inside her room for the other to come. The other is standing in front the door into her room.

'Go back to your room before it is too late' That is all his head keep saying, but his heart keeps telling him to go on and knock.

He finally brings him hand to knock which cause Raven to jump.

Raven opens the door, "Hey Beast Boy."

The moment he hear her voice, he regretted it. He should have gone back into his room. It was too late now, "Hey Rae."

Raven glowered at him angrily, "My name is not 'Rae', and it is Raven. Get it in your brain already" She sigh, and gestures him to come in.

"Heh, sorry Raven." Beast Boy walks in and checks every detail in her room. Her walls are dark purple, there are books everywhere, and the bed is in the middle of the room against the wall. The blanket are purple, but little brighter than the wall. 'It is too dark' He thought, 'She doesn't deserve to isolate in the dark.'

"So what do you want to talk about?" She spoke in the monotone voice, revealing no emotions.

Beast Boy hates that voice, and he hates how she refused to show emotions. He always thought that she should be free, not trapped.

"Uh, I am not sure," Beast Boy said sheepishly, but the question appeared in his head, "Uh I am wondering, you are half demon right?"

Raven was taken aback at the question but managed to keep her emotion steady as her voice, "Yes, and I am also half human."

"Yeah, I know. I was wondering how you deal with being half demon?" Beast Boy was scared, if she gets mad with the question that he is asking her. He would be thrown out, not in hall but into the ocean outside.

"Well, I am not sure, Raven thought for a moment, "I came to the earth, thinking if I help people, doing good deeds, then I become more myself than being demon. But I was wrong; I will be always half demon no matter what. After my father took over the world, it was supposed to be the end, but you guys gave me hope. The hope helped me. It made me ignore the fact that I am half demon. I realized that I may be half demon, but it doesn't mean I have to be one."

Beast Boy thought as she told him that she doesn't have to be one. 'She has the choices' He thought quietly, 'She is so lucky, I had none…'

"Um, thanks Raven and one more question…" He sat on Raven's bed next to her, "Can you read my mind?"

Raven sighed and peeved that Beast Boy is so close to her, but at the same time… She likes it. She muttered under her breath, "Damn it Happy and Affection." Then glanced up at Beast Boy, "No, I cannot read your mind, or your emotions. I don't know why I couldn't."

Beast Boy was relieved, 'Thank god.'

Suddenly, it got awkward.

"Erm thanks Raven. I guess I'll leave now." Beast Boy stood up and walked to her door when she heard Raven said, "Wait, Beast Boy." She stood up and walk to him.

"You can talk to me anytime, you know?"

Beast Boy smirks into huge grin, "Same goes to you Raven, My room welcomes you."

Raven start to blush; she automatically pull her hood to cover her face.

"Oh come on, don't hide yourself," Beast Boy said as he tugged her hood off her head, "I hate it when you hide yourself," He said without thinking. 'God, I am such a hypocrite. Here I am, telling Raven that she doesn't have to hide herself while I am hiding myself.' He thought as he stared her eyes and starts to lean closer.

"Um, I will see you tomorrow," Raven said nervously, since he start to lean closer to her.

Beast Boy snapped back into reality, "Uh, yeah see you tomorrow," he said with a grin and left her room.

Raven sighed as her emotion start to get out of control, blabbering about how hot is Beast Boy. She walks to her bed and drifts off into sleep.

Beast Boy rubs his forehead as he enters his messy room. 'I should clean this mess' He thought and know fully that won't happen.

His window shattered and he jumped when he saw something was thrown through his window. He crouches and pick up a rock. There is a card tied to the rock, he carefully untie it and reveals a joker card. He knew what it meant, he turns the back of the card, something is written on it. He read carefully;

Hello Garfield,

I hope you have been thinking since our conversation. I take it that you love your team, which disgusts me. If you want better for your team, you will quit the Titans without expiation and come with me. If you don't, I'll make sure the Titans suffer greatly and they will know who you are really. The choices is yours, I hope you choose wisely.

-Joker

The tears are falling, splashing on the note. He gulped, he loves his team. They are like his family, even though Robin doesn't remember him, he is like his father. Starfire is like his mother with her motherly instinct. Cyborg is like his big brother who constantly beating him on the video game and arguing endlessly, but he knows that no matter what he will be there for him. Lastly, Raven. He doesn't think Raven as sibling; he wishes that they were more than friends. He knew that Raven doesn't feel the same, but it doesn't stop him from trying to make her laugh; see her smile meant the world to him. He clutches the note in his hand. Last tear comes out of his eye, he sighed. He already knew what he was going to do. No matter what, keeping his family safe was his top priority, above himself, above everything, above his regrets.

He grabbed his communicator out of his pocket and places it carefully on his bed. Without expiation, he silently said his good-byes and morph into an eagle and flew out of his window, out of his room, out of his home.

Into the silent night.