AN: Thankfully the place I'm staying at has net, so here's the usual daily update. Thanks for reviews.

Disclaimer: I don't own the Teen Titans by some unfortunate circumstance.

"Apology is a lovely perfume; it can transform the clumsiest moment into a gracious gift."

- Margaret Lee Runbeck

Chapter 6 – Apologies and Attainments

The sun had risen, giving way to a beautiful day. Fluffy clouds hung cosily from the brilliant blue sky. Rays of sunlight shone brightly, enveloping Jump City in radiance. The soft twittering of joyful birds sang through the air. A slightly breeze washed over the city, rustling the leaves of the trees, and wafting through the soft green grass. It was a magnificent day.

Beast Boy still sat on the couch, his green eyes reflecting the sun's light. He couldn't help but gaze out the window at the burning light. Soon the others would be up, bustling around the common room, making noise and disturbance. It wasn't really something he was looking forward to; he was enjoying the silent aura that a morning in the Tower begets. He was surprised that he didn't really feel at all tired. Usually he found it difficult to keep his eyes from dropping after waking up later than nine, but his thoughts kept him awake. He heard the door to the common room slide open. He didn't need to turn around, to know who it was. She was always the first one up.

Raven quickly hid her look of surprise when she noticed Beast Boy's green head bobbing above the couch. She had expected him to have returned to his room after their little spat, and sleep the night off. Perhaps he too had had a sleepless night. Without further remark on the situation, she pulled down her hood, and walked towards the kitchen, making herself a warm cup of herbal tea. She glanced back at Beast Boy, who still stared out the window. He looked like he was dead, immobile, unmoving. She breathed softly over her teacup, waiting for Beast Boy to turn around and confront her, like he usually did after an argument.

After nearly half an hour of staring at the back of Beast Boy's head, Raven realised that this time he wasn't going to persist with their argument. She sighed, it was so easy to forget that Beast Boy was no longer that small little boy who she could poke at for her amusement, or who told lame jokes all day long.

Beast Boy felt the hair on the back of his neck prickle, getting the feeling that someone was watching him, and he had a pretty good idea who. He didn't turn around though, he didn't dare to face the look of contempt that he was sure would be on Raven's face. He had never been able to stand up to her glare-of-death. But however much he didn't want to turn around, within him was a yearning to see her face. He had been thinking of her all night, trying to work her out, like one would a puzzle. As usual, his escapades of thought came to no end, and he just wanted to see the face belonging to the person who perplexed him so.

The sound of the common room doors sliding open interrupted both Beast Boy and Raven's thoughts. Cyborg walked into the room, his face grinning as always in the morning, the thought of breakfast on his mind.

"Mornin' Raven!" greeted Cyborg enthusiastically. "Ready for some bacon and eggs prepared by none other than me"

"Whatever" muttered Raven. As much as she hated to admit it, she was dead-hungry. She didn't have sleep to keep her mind off her stomach.

As Cyborg turned around, his eyes caught the patch of green hanging on the sofa.

"Beast Boy!?" exclaimed Cyborg in shock. In all his years with the grass-stain he had never seen Beast Boy up so early.

"Hey Cy" replied Beast Boy softly, standing up and turning to face his mechanical friend.

"What the hell are you doing up?" yelled Cyborg, as if Beast Boy had committed high treason. "You better not be trying to sabotage my meal with your tofu"

"Dude, as if I would want anything to do with your meal" cried Beast Boy, his old demeanour returning to him.

Raven just stood by the kitchen table, sipping her tea softly, her eyes staring out the window watching the sun being smothered by a passing cloud. Robin burst into the common room.

"I heard shouting, is something wrong?" asked Robin. His eyes scanned the room stopping at Beast Boy. "Beast Boy, you're up early"

"Yeah" Beast Boy said without much gusto. Suddenly Starfire burst into the common room.

"Friends! I wish you all a day of happiness" Starfire cried.

Raven rolled her eyes. Now the whole gang were here.

"Breakfast coming right up" said Cyborg, donning his apron. The soft sizzle of bacon adding to the ambience of the morning. Starfire flew to Robin's side, both launching into a conversation. Raven looked at Cyborg working in the kitchen, but she wasn't really watching. Her thoughts were a mile away. She was amazed at how quickly Beast Boy had assimilated into his happy disposition. She had seen the look of disappointment and irritation as each of the Titans entered the common room. She too had been annoyed by the destruction of the silence that had enveloped the Tower previously. Raven glanced at Beast Boy, wondering what he was thinking as he stared at Robin's talking with Starfire.

Beast Boy gazed at Robin and Starfire, who had quickly sprung into a cheerful discussion. He wondered if he and Raven could ever have a happy conversation like that. He doubted it, in the end it would amount to a big argument. He stole a glance at Raven. Her cloak rippled down her back, hiding what she was doing, but he knew she wasn't really watching Cyborg cook at the least. Beast Boy sighed, turning away from Raven, and looking back at the window. The sun was still concealed by a humongous cotton-like cloud. Without the brilliant light penetrating the sky, the day really didn't look that great anymore. It was funny how the smallest detail can change something so much, he thought to himself. Pushing back his wandering thoughts, he walked towards the fridge, and began preparing his vegan breakfast.

It wasn't long before all the Titans sat together on the kitchen table, all of them eating their bacon and egg breakfast besides Beast Boy. He sat on the end of the table, enjoying his tofu meal. Breakfast was quiet, as the five Titans enjoyed their meal, and the morning. Beast Boy looked at each of them, slowly devouring their food. Cyborg was gulping his food down whole, his mouth chomping ridiculously fast, while his hand readied his next mouthful. Starfire ate quite slowly, her mouth chewing away at its recipients, as if she was forcing herself to chew her food. Opposite Beast Boy sat Robin, eating his food quickly, as if trying to get it done as soon as possible. Beast Boy's green eyes shifted over to Raven, who ate slowly, but not rigidly like Starfire. There was a fluidity to her movements which made Beast Boy admire the way she lifted the fork to her mouth. Feeling as if he'd looked for too long, he quickly looked down at his meal, and continued eating.

Raven ate her breakfast calmly, even though her stomach was screaming out for her to choke herself with the food. She always enjoyed just sitting beside all of her friends, and eating alongside them. She lifted another strip of bacon to her mouth, and chewed softly on them, completely unaware of the green eyes gazing at her.

Beast Boy couldn't help but stare at her. He had spent so long during the night just trying to comprehend the mystery that was Raven. And now that she was sitting in front of him, he was taking any chance he could to satisfy his curiosity. Not only that, but looking at her helped him think. Her soft and smooth movements calmed him, and seeing her staring blankly into space in deep thought, helped him master his own thoughts. He wondered what she was thinking about. Were the memories of the night's argument still in her head? He hoped that she would just talk to him. Suddenly a voice intruded into his thoughts.

"Uh… Beast Boy, are you alright? You've been staring at Raven for the past fifteen minutes" questioned Robin, looking queerly at Beast Boy.

Beast Boy looked as if he had stumbled out of a dream. Pulling his eyes off Raven, he looked at Robin.

"Um… yeah, I'm fine. I was just thinking about stuff" answered Beast Boy, trying to come up with some kind of excuse.

"While looking at Raven?" said Robin.

"Since when did you think about stuff, B" asked Cyborg.

"I was just staring into space. It's not like I wanted to look at Raven, it's just she was in my staring range" replied Beast Boy, hoping it didn't sound too lame.

Raven's eyes narrowed at those words. It's not like I'm wanted at all, she thought to herself. She stood up abruptly.

"Wait, I didn't mean it like that" cried Beast Boy, realising the connotations to what he had said. But it was too late, Raven had left the table, fighting to suppress her anger, as she floated to her room.

"Way to go B" muttered Cyborg.

"I do hope friend Raven is okay" said Starfire, looking worried.

"She will be. Beast Boy, go apologise" commanded Robin sternly.

Beast Boy had not even waited for the words. He felt terrible, he knew how much Raven thought that she wasn't wanted, and knew that what he had said had hurt her. Why did he always have to make slip ups when he spoke? He had reached the common room door when suddenly sirens blared inside the Tower, shocking him to a halt.

"Trouble" muttered Robin.

"Whose butt are we kicking today?" asked Cyborg.

"It's Gizmo" said Robin. Cyborg's face fell, that lil fella was a pushover.

"What about friend Raven? Will she not join us in the glory of battle?" asked Starfire

Robin shook his head. "She's made her choice, we're going to have to get used to fighting without her."

Beast Boy had forgotten about Raven's decision to stop fighting, and now remembering it forced up memories of all those times when she had helped him out in the heat of battle. Pushing his thoughts to the back of his head, he followed his four teammates out of the Tower, hoping Gizmo didn't put up too much of a fight.

The sound of the siren caused Raven to gasp in shock. That sound would always be a reminder of that battle against the Telepath. She steered her mind away from that memory, forcing it to address another unpleasant issue. Beast Boy had said that he didn't want to look at her. A blunt implication of how she looked. She knew she was ugly, with her pale skin and violet hair, but she had hoped the others would have the decency to hold back their remarks. She couldn't blame him though, he was just voicing the thoughts of everyone else… and himself. A broken vase lay next to her bed, shattered by the sudden release of her anger. Though she would never admit it to anyone, Beast Boy's words had hurt her. She didn't know why she had been affected so much, he had only spoken the truth. Hearing those words coming from Beast Boy wasn't that much of a surprise but yet, she had been shocked. She lay down upon her bed, resting her head onto her pillow. And though she felt no fatigue, sleep swept over her as quick as a passing shadow.

She was walking down a tunnel. There was darkness everywhere, the walls were masked by black and the end could not be seen. Nought but the empty void could be seen, stretching for miles. How she knew it was a tunnel, she didn't know, but still she walked. She could hear soft whispers echoing through the passageway, resounding contemptuously next to her, beside her, behind her. She was surrounded by voices, whispering from the dark. She couldn't get away, they were getting closer, the darkness was closing in. She was stuck, she couldn't move. Engulfed by never-ending black, trapped forever in emptiness. The whispers still clung to her. We don't like you. We don't even want to look at you. You're not wanted. Not wanted. She was choking, the whispers from the darkness flying down her throat. She heard a sound, and she turned. A train. She couldn't move. She closed her eyes. And there was nothing.

She opened her eyes, seeing she was in a room. It was too dark to make out anything. The whispers were back. They had turned to screams, shouting her down. Flames erupted around her. We hate you. She screamed.

Raven's eyes flew open, her heart racing at an unstoppable pace. She was panting desperately, her sheets yet again wet from her sweat. She was shaking. There was a knock at her door, and she let out a gasp of terror.

"Raven?" came a voice.

Raven let out a sigh of relief, it was Beast Boy. The others must have returned from their fight already. How long had she been sleeping for?

"It's Beast Boy" said the voice again.

She didn't know whether she wanted to talk to Beast Boy or not. He had hurt her before but, she really needed to talk to someone, about anything.

Beast Boy stood outside Raven's door, again reading her name scrawled across it. He hoped she did open the door, he also hoped that she wouldn't open the door to blast him down the corridor. Her door slid open, leaving a small crack where Raven's face could barely be made out.

"What do you want Beast Boy?" muttered Raven.

Beast Boy took a deep breath. She hadn't sent him into another dimension. That's a good sign, he told himself.

"I just wanted to say… sorry for what I said before. I didn't mean to say it like that but I just wasn't thinking. I mean it's not like I don't want to look at you, I mean, I want to look at you, well I don't want to look at you, wait I didn't want to look at you because I…" raved Beast Boy, unable to find the right words.

"It's okay Beast Boy" interrupted Raven. She was surprised that Beast Boy had actually apologised to her. She reminded herself that the others probably forced him too.

"Oh good. I just felt crap afterwards. You know I didn't mean it like that" said Beast Boy hurriedly, trying to pick the right words.

"It's okay, I know that I don't really relieve the eyes" muttered Raven.

"No! That's not true, you aren't ugly" cried Beast Boy, he hated it when Raven tormented herself.

"Thanks Beast Boy but… there's no point hiding the truth" murmured Raven, her eyes falling to the ground.

"Come on Raven. Since when have I lied to you?" asked Beast Boy

Raven racked her brains. There were certainly times when Beast Boy had hidden things from her… but she couldn't find when he had outright lied to her.

"Well there's always a first time" drawled Raven.

Beast Boy looked downcast. Why could she never let herself be happy? He wasn't sure what to do. He didn't want to start an argument, but he didn't want to keep Raven thinking so badly of herself.

"Thanks for apologising… I need to meditate" mumbled Raven quietly, before closing her door.

Beast Boy glanced at the door one last time, before walking back to his room. Jumping despondently onto his bed, thoughts began running through his head. They had actual had a conversation without arguing! Sure it was a pretty depressing conversation, but it was still civil nonetheless. He felt a sense of euphoria begin to set in. He lay down head-up on the bottom bunk, resting on his hands, a smile growing across his face. Maybe he was wrong, maybe they weren't destined to fight.

AN: Hope you enjoyed it. I don't actually remember a time where Beast Boy has actually lied (hope I didn't get that wrong). Happy Easter have a good weekend. Thanks a lot for reviews.