Chapter 6: The Date… and Powerless?

The two Titans on their first date were traveling to Raven's favourite café. Who would've thought BB would be so easily convinced to go there? Besides, what other date places were open at 6:20 P.M.? The beeping of her communicator pushed her out of her musings. She opened it and saw the distressed face of Robin. He looked greasy, too. Has he been up all night?

"Raven, bad news…" he started, breathing heavily. She waited patiently while slowly walking with Beast Boy. "Slade might be back."

Well, Raven already knew that. "I know."

"What?!" Robin yelled.

"He talked to me when I teleported Beast Boy away from the tower with that shadow attacking us."

Robin was going to ask why she didn't call him right away, but was so exhausted. He could hardly sleep. His obsession with Slade was slowly returning. And that was worse than hitting him like a bag of bricks. "Did he hurt you?"

"No. He said it'd be too easy to take me out. He also said he had bigger plans for me."

"Crap… Raven, do you think he means Trigon?" Raven shook her head. She knew Trigon was banished from her completely, coming with being able to beat him, despite any prophecies. She couldn't sense any presence of him anywhere inside her mind, or out. "What do you think he means?"

"I don't know," she replied flatly, almost as if she were saying 'do I look like I'm a psychic?' True, she was an empath, but not a psychic.

"Alright. I think the tower is safe, so you and Beast Boy can return here as soon as possible."

"We'll be there, after our d-… after we spend some time with each other," Raven said, slightly blushing. Robin raised an eyebrow, nodding. And turned off his communicator. He fell asleep on the spot about five seconds later.

"You're unusually quiet, Garfield."

"Huh? Oh, sorry… heh, do you have to call me that?" Raven only nodded. Deep down, calling him Garfield was her own way of saying that she cares about him. "Well, Slade came to you? When? You said he didn't hurt you. But if he is back, that's dangerous. Do you think we can beat him?"

Raven so very badly wanted to say yes. But she saw what that shadow can do, and if they were working together, there would be trouble. She sighed, "I don't know."

"Crap…" Beast Boy muttered, "how about we worry about that later? We came here to have a good time."

Raven nodded, surprised by Beast Boy's thoughtfulness of the situation. "Hey Cassie," she said approaching the counter.

"Raven, so nice to see you! It's been a while since you've been here. Oh! And you brought a friend… Beast Boy! Hi!" the lady said. She had shoulder-length black hair and emerald green eyes, not far off from the shade of green of BB's. She smiled warmly, and she was rather pretty. "Take your seats, and I'll be with you in a moment!"

Raven led Beast Boy to a table in the back of the café, pretty much hidden from sight. "Cassie? You know, she's kind of cute…" Beast Boy said playfully, raising his eyebrows at Raven.

"Watch your tongue; we're the ones on the… date…" Raven said, faking irritation and finding it rather difficult to say the word date. She blushed. Beast Boy laughed.

"Don't worry Rae, I wouldn't be on a date with anyone else," Beast Boy tried at an attempt to be romantic. It worked, as he noted Raven's blush grow deeper.

"Thank you," she managed. She wondered why something hadn't exploded yet. It wasn't like her powers to not act up. She expected it to happen… but no. Nothing.

"So, what you two like?" Cassie said, walking over, breaking Raven out of her thoughts.

"I'll just have whatever Rae has," Beast Boy said.

"Herbal tea. Hold the sugar."

"Of course. You know, Beast Boy, you're cute," Cassie said, winking at him, and walking away from the two. Raven was irritated.

"Haha. I always knew the ladies found me attractive," Beast Boy said, grinning that big grin he had.

"Well, let's see how you like herbal tea with no sugar. And if you don't drink it, you'll hurt my feelings," Raven stated. It was a small way of getting back at Beast Boy when he said Cassie was kind of cute. And the only way he would try it is if she said that.

"Hey, no problem. And," he leaned in closer, getting a serious look on his face, "you have feelings?" This hurt Raven. Her stoic expression showed a glimpse of pain, but went back to the plain face it was.

"Very funny," she remarked, with a lot more venom in her voice than she intended.

"Whoa… I'm sorry," Beast Boy said, placing his hand over Raven's, "I was only joking. Please don't be mad." Raven looked into his eyes, trying to pull her hand out from under his. But his grip tightened as she tried. She saw genuine kindness in his eyes and knew he was truly sorry. Before she could respond, Cassie walked over.

"Two herbal teas, no sugar. Enjoy!" she said, giving yet another wink at Beast Boy and walking away. He stared at Raven for a second, who was looking into her tea. Beast Boy blushed as he realized his hand was still over hers. He took it away slowly. Instantly, Raven missed the warmth it promised. Beast Boy braved a sip of the tea.

Hey this isn't half that bad. How come Raven has never told me how it is before? Beast Boy thought, slowly drinking the tea more and more.

"You… you like it?" Raven asked half in shock, half expecting him to say he was only doing it to be nice to her.

"Yeah I do! How come you never told me this tasted so good?" Raven eyed him skeptically, seeing if he were joking or not.

"You never asked."

"Oh, yeah I guess that's true. But now that I've tasted it, you gotta let me try some of those rare teas you have back at the tower."

Now Raven believed he wasn't just trying to be kind. He really did like it. "Maybe. Depends on if I want to share them. They're hard to get you know."

Beast Boy looked at her with wide eyes, his infamous puppy dog look he gave to someone whenever he wanted his way. And if that didn't work, he'd transform into a puppy and do it again. Almost always worked. Almost. "Pleeeease Raven?" he whined, sounding almost like a child.

Raven smirked a bit. "Fine, but you have to do something for me."

"Alright, what?"

"You'll find out in time," Raven said in her monotone. But Beast Boy could just sense the smugness in it. The two spent the next 20 minutes just chatting about general stuff while Raven finished her tea. Beast Boy's was gone about three minutes after he got it. Once she finished she asked if Beast Boy wanted to leave, which he agreed. The two approached the counter.

"Hey cutie! Hey Raven!" Cassie greeted, in her ever-so-friendly, almost too friendly (to Beast Boy) way.

"Cassie," Raven said, retaining the monotone but feeling anger, "two dollars per tea, right?"

"Oh, of course… but, no charge for you, handsome!" Cassie said, indicating Beast Boy. "Maybe you and I can get together some time, darling?" Raven, without a moment hesitation, put her arm around Beast Boy's shoulders – much to his surprise and content.

"We are on a date, and he would not like to go out with you. Do I make myself clear?" her monotone was gone, and her voice was drenched in anger. All colour in Cassie's face drained and she squeaked.

"Yes ma'am. No charge for you either. Have a pleasant day," she said in an eerie voice that was not her usual peppy, happy self. The two Titans left the café.

"We're not going back there," Raven stated simply. Beast Boy laughed nervously, realizing Raven still had her arm over his shoulders protectively. They walked for a few minutes in relative silence. When Raven decided they were a safe distance from the café and Cassie, she took her arm off her green friend… no, boyfriend and sighed out of relief.

"I didn't know you cared so much about me, Rae."

"Uhhm… don't let it get around," she stated quietly, blushing again.

"Don't worry about it. I'm just surprised that nothing in the café exploded," he said all this while taking a bold move and slipping his gloved green hand into Raven's soft pale hand. She tensed at the touch, but slowly relaxed and gripped his hand rather tightly. A little too tightly for Beast Boy's tastes, but he didn't mind.

"Yeah, me too…"

"Uh, what if your powers stopped working?" Beast Boy said, slightly afraid. Raven rolled her eyes as if it were preposterous. But then shortly realized, he may be right.

"Well, let me see. Azarath metrion zinthos!" she said, focusing upon a nearby car. But it just sat there; not lifting in the air like it was supposed to.

"This isn't good…" Beast Boy said quietly. "We should head back to the tower and investigate this." As much as Raven wanted to stay with out with Beast Boy, she knew he was right. This was not good.