Chapter Four – Getting the Girl

"But, you know, the thing about the ears is that women tend to think that they're just for show. I had a girlfriend – way back in the day – who decided to try and pierce one of them when I was sleeping. When I woke up, cause I've got a goddamn pin going through my ear, she said she thought it would just so 'cool' if I had a little hoop going through one of them…I'm sorry, what?"

The crowd laughed at his exasperated expression. Beast Boy felt the thrill in his bones at his final joke and prepared to wrap up.

"First, I'm pretty sure that a five-five green kid would not have his popularity increased by a gold earring. Do I look like a damn pirate? Second, I should point out that this girl might have actually had something wrong with her. She had not one, but two tongue piercings, which was very strange making out, let me tell you. And finally, hadn't she ever heard of 'animal hearing'?"

And he transformed into a bat and fluttered around the stage. A few older ladies stifled gasps, but most of them laughed and pointed.

He transformed back. "Pretty stupid looking bat with an earring, huh?" As the crowd continued laughing, he gave a huge grin and raised his hand.

"That's all for tonight! Thank you folks, you've been an attractive audience! Thank you for making a thirteen-year-old green kid's dreams come true!"

The laughing and clapping continued. A group of people in the crowd took up the chant 'Encore, Encore!' But he just waved his hand and disappeared backstage. There was only so much making fun of himself that he could do in one night.

Immediately someone handed him a water bottle, and the stage manager clapped him on the back. "Very nice, Mr. Logan."

He took a huge gulp of the water and then said, "Oh, please. Mr. Logan is my father. Anything else I can do for you guys tonight?"

"No, sir, you're all done. The green room is around the corner, you can go and chill out."

Beast Boy smiled and headed down the hallway. A plethora of young, pretty tech girls came out of various places and told him how good he'd done. He just flashed his fanged smile and kept walking. Outside of the green room, a tall redhead was fixing a soundboard with her back to him.

"I imagine you've had a lot of girlfriends in your life," she said.

"It comes with the job description, my dear."

Something about that voice…

The girl turned around and hit him with big green eyes. Beast Boy froze.

"I bet none of them have ever called you a klorbag," Starfire said with a smile.

Beast Boy called the stage manager and told her he needed the green room for another hour, it was an emergency. The stage manager, who probably had a crush on him, immediately said yes, which was good. Two Titans out at a bar together might attract attention.

As soon as they were alone, Beast Boy transformed into a kitten and leapt into Starfire's arms. She laughed as she snuggled with him. Suddenly Beast Boy's heart was racing. Starfire was here? How could she be here? This didn't make any sense! If she was here, did that mean that somewhere…maybe…

No; that was too much to hope for.

Instead he concentrated on the big smiling green eyes in front of him. "Star, what are you doing here?"

"You've got a good publicist," she said as they sat down in front of the mirrored wall. "They advertised all over my work. I knew about this a week ago."

"Where do you work?"

"I'm a model, actually." Her eyes darted to the side, for some reason avoiding his. "Commercials and stuff."

He remembered seeing her face, shining and sunny, on shampoo commercials. "That's great, Star! Sounds like you're doing good."

She made a small sound in the back of her throat, but turned back to Beast Boy with a smile. "Yeah, but how about you? You're a comedian now! That's incredible."

Her accent kept throwing him off. She knew how to speak proper English now. It gave him a strange twinge for her old, confused Tamaranian dialect. "Yeah, I know, it's crazy. I write for television too."

"No way! What?"

"I don't know if you've heard of it…it's called Animal Instincts?"

"Oh, my God!" Her eyes widened in recognition. "I love that show! About the veterinarian's office? That's one of the highest rated shows on prime time right now."

He couldn't help a little smile. "It's fun to work on."

Starfire let out a laugh. "I'm so proud of you, Beast Boy. Looks like the two of us have done well after the Titans broke up."

He laughed too as the room took a sad turn. It had been fun pretending that they were just old friends catching up. They both knew that they were superheroes with a past that they'd sometimes rather forget. Seeing Starfire again had brought a strange tightness to his chest, like a child's hand was squeezing his heart just a little too tight.

Perhaps it was the look on his face that made Starfire lean forward and touch his knee. "There's another reason I came to see you."

The tone of her voice made him snap his head up.

"I found her."

No.

Why was Starfire's face so closed? Why was there no joy in her voice? Beast Boy stared at her, petrified for her response. She'd actually found her? Then why wasn't she happy? Was something wrong?

Starfire took his silence for misunderstanding, and clarified with a soft voice, "I found Raven."

That name hit him like a pile of bricks.

"Where is she?" He gasped.

Starfire pursed her lips.

"Oh, God, Star, tell me she's okay."

"She's not dead," Starfire said.

That's a bad way to start.

"I found her in a wrestling ring." When Beast Boy raised an eyebrow, she quickly backtracked. "I wrestle on the weekends. It's the best way to expend my energy. Keeps starbolts from shooting off at work and stuff. Anyway, the last time I was there, I felt her spirit. So I went to find her, and she was there."

"What was she doing at a wrestling ring?"

Now Starfire pulled her lips in, pushed a lock of hair behind her ear. "She was working as a prostitute," she finally said.

Oh, God. No. Anything but that.

"And she was…she had…" Starfire struggled to find the words, "all these infections on her arm…I didn't really understand…"

Oh, God, Starfire didn't know. But Beast Boy did, and his stomach dropped. "Like she'd been doing drugs, you mean?"

"I think so," she whispered.

He dropped his head into his hands and listened to the beating of his own heart for a few minutes. His Raven. Working as a prostitute. Doing drugs. Not his Raven.

The only girl he would ever love.

"Where is she?" He asked.

At least Starfire didn't try and hold back. "It's in the old Jack's Tire Shop downtown. At the corner of Nester and 70th. Just give the bouncer five bucks and tell him Firestar sent you and they'll let you right in." She paused. "You're going after her?"

"I have to."

"She didn't seem like she wanted us to know."

"Of course she wouldn't. But maybe I can get through to her. I have to see her at least. You know."

For the span of a heartbeat, Starfire nodded with a flicker deep in her eyes that said she knew all about it. He was just about to ask her where Robin was – he honestly had no idea – but then she jumped in,

"When you find her, tell her I love her, okay? And call me." She went in her purse and fished out a business card. "I really think we've got to do something."

"I agree." He stood up and hugged her. "Star, thank you so much. For seeing me, for telling me about this. I really have missed you."

"Me too." She gave him that winning smile, a thousand years written in her supernatural eyes. "Life isn't the same without you."

Without even thinking, he blurted out, "We should find the others. All of the Titans. Even if it's just for drinks or something."

Starfire blinked a few times, and then shook her head with a sad smile.

"Call me when you find Raven."

She picked up her purse and walked out. Beast Boy watched her go with raw eyes, wondering what had happened to make innocent Starfire so jaded, and the second the door slammed shut behind her he let the building tears fall. The soft moonlight from the one small window comforted him.

Not Raven. He had failed her. How could she? How could he? How could their lives end like this?

This wasn't the end. He shook his head. This wasn't the end.

He still had a shot at the girl.

Thanks so much for reading, everybody! Please tell me what you think :) Next time on 'Save Me, Jump City', we take a look at Robin and Starfire! Ciao - PVB