Hey there... I'd like to thank all of you who are following this story and apologize if the beginning is a little slow. This chapter may be a little difficult to follow, but trust me... The apex of the story is approaching rapidly... :) Enjoy!

Pizza and Distressed Citizens

Chapter 6

~The laughter of the other three interrupted the peaceful moment between Gar and I. Starfire was the first to burst through the doors laughing and darted over to embrace me. Beast Boy snickered as Star nearly crushed me.

~"Friend Raven, you are ok! I was worried about you when you left us!" She continued to strangle me.

~"Star... You're hugging me... I don't like to be hugged..." I continued to warn her until Rage escaped and a blender exploded. My vision was temporarily veiled by a red mist and returned to normal.

~BB snickered at my failure to break free from Starfire's unrelenting embrace. She suddenly dropped me with no warning, causing me to nearly miss catching myself from falling face first on the kitchen tile. I brushed my white leotard off as if to brush off my embarrassment and blush that slowly crept into my cheeks. The blush went unnoticed, was ignored, or no one thought to embarrass me further by pointing it out. The setting sun cast an orange glow to everyone's face and illuminated Gar's greatly. He smiled that crooked smirk that I simply adored which uplifted his whole face and made my stomach clench with an unfamiliar emotion. I donned my hood in an effort to shield my flushed face, but all went unnoticed as my half metal brother's stomach growled loudly, which educed laughter from all, including me.

~Starfire's flute-like chirping, Robin's throaty chuckle, Cyborg's booming guffaw, BB's lighthearted, throaty giggle, and my sharp, unused laughter filled the Common Room for a few seconds.

~"Dude! Let's go grab something to eat!" He nudged my arm with his elbow. "Then, let's grab a movie on the way back!"

~Discomfort welled up in me again because I knew which movie he really wanted to see. The last time I watched Wicked Scary 2 wasn't as bad as the first time I watched Wicked Scary; the second time Cy had a fun time a few light bulbs and the blender. The first time was a scary experience for everyone... I shuddered at the thought. Lately, however, Beast Boy had been watching TV and gazed at the commercials for WS3 with a lusty eye. He actually feared me. The second time he got the bright idea to rent a Wicked Scary movie, I obliterated every ounce of food he dared to put in his mouth for a week. It got to the point where he would sneak around me (which hurt my feelings a little) so he would eat. He continued this until I caught him one day and he panicked. I remembered looking into his emerald orbs and him wincing; when nothing exploded, he sheepishly smiled at me and the whole ordeal ended in several bouts of laughter and an exploded clock.

~He seemed to sense my discomfort and added, "I say Rae gets to pick..." He blushed slightly and threw me a look. I seethed.

~"Uh... I dunno... Wicked Scary 3 came out this past Tuesday..." I blushed very visibly now. Why was I doing this for him??

~Everyone's jaw practically unhinged at my proposition. "Uh, Rae... I hate to bring you down but.... I don't feel like replacing a hundred lights and the fridge."

~"Yeah, I'm good..." Robin agreed with Cyborg. "Unless you really mean it, Raven." He suspiciously at Beast Boy and back at me.

"I wish to see whatever Friend Raven would like to view, no matter how gory or violent it may be!" Now I had three votes. Robin agreed with Star, naturally, and BB grinned in approval, but Cyborg caved with a grimace.

~Gar stood slumped over, mouth agape. I glanced at him with a devious smile and placed a hand on his shoulder. He straightened at my slightest touch. My face warmed greatly and my adopted family looked expectantly at Beast Boy.

~"Raven..." he sighed nearly affectionately. "You don't have to... Movie... Me?" I nodded slowly...

~"What's the harm?" I asked weakly and the mouths of all my adopted family dropped. A pregnant silence followed, interrupted by BB's "Woo!" and his victory dance.

~"BREAK OUT THE HOLORINGS!!" He exclaimed joyfully, voice cracking in the middle of "rings."

~We all shared one more laugh before Cy, Rob, and Star darted off to their rooms to get ready to go. I began walking off with a particular spring in my step and was snatched back gently by Beast Boy. He looked down at me and pressed his body against mine which was pressed against the wall. "Beast Boy..." I sighed involuntarily. His warm body slid against mine and his sweet breath seduced me successfully.

~"Nakupenda mpenzi mangu kunguru..." He sighed back. He left me utterly confused, but leaned in and slowly closed his eyes. I panicked as his lips were centimeters from my own.

~I phased through the wall blind panic and rose into my room through the floor. My iPod dock played softly as I rummaged through drawer after drawer searching for my holoring, but the music froze me.

~I'm so tired of being here,
~Suppressed by all my childish fears.
~And if you have to leave,
~I wish that you would just leave.
~Because your presence still lingers here,
~And it wont leave me alone...

~These wounds won't seem to heal,
~This pain is just too real.
~There's just too much that time cannot erase...

~When you'd cried I'd, wipe away all of your tears,
~When you'd scream I'd, fight away all of your fears.
~And I've held your hand through all of these years,
~But you still have all of me.

~You used to captivate me,
~By your resonating light.
~Now I'm bound by the life you left behind.
~Your face it haunts, my once pleasant dreams.
~Your voice it chased away, all the sanity in me.

~These wounds won't seem to heal...
~This pain is just too real,
~There's just too much that time cannot erase.

~When you'd cried I'd, wipe away all of your tears,
~When you'd scream I'd, fight away all of your fears.
~And I've held your hand through all of these years,
~But you still have all of me.

~I've tried so hard to tell myself that you're gone,
~But though you're still with me...
~I've been alone all along.

~When you'd cried I'd, wipe away all of your tears,
~When you'd scream I'd, fight away all of your fears.
~And I've held your hand through all of these years,
~But you still have all of me.

~I stopped immediately and a single tear rolled down my face. That one song stirred my emotions so strongly that it forced a tear to spring from my eye. I shivered and tuned out the next song until I found my silver and black holoring. Slipping the serpent like ring on my middle finger, my appearance shifted to where I stared at pale white hands which brushed back silky black bangs out of my eyes. I glanced at my mirror, and, as usual, was taken aback by the put on beauty of creamy skin, big violet orbs framed with long curly lashes and eyebrow length bangs, elbow length, shiny black hair, and of course basic black tee with D34's never hurt anyone...

~I turned off my radio and heard an eager knocking outside my door. "Yeah?" I opened my door telepathically and Beast Boy's holoform stumbled in laughing heartily.

~"C'mon, Rae!" he grabbed my hand and felt a strange shock. I held his hand eagerly letting the shock turn into a flowing burn while gazing into his hazel eyes. His rough hand flet comforting as was his masculinity. Attraction to his toned body and curly chocolate hair overwhelmed me as did his perfect square tooeh and enticing smile that spread over his face. I giggled at his shocked expression when he took in my holoform.

~"You like?" I raised an eyebrow. His mouth gaped and he drooled in response. I giggled happily, and... nothing exploded!

~"The others left except Cy who's gonna drive us"

~"Sounds good!" I giggled again.

~He smiled and pulled me along. What the hell are you doing? demanded Happy and Affection.

~Doing what I always do... why?

~Because you need to tell him how you feelllll!!!!

~Uh, no.

~"What were you telling your emotions?" I looked at him in shock. He'd developed an uncanny hunch for when I was consulting my emotions.

~I decided to be honest. "I was basically telling them to shut up before I said something stupid."

~"Oh..." was his only response as we walked out of the Tower. "Anyways, you look stunning... Mpenzi wangu nzuri..." He brushed my cheek with his bare hand causing me to blush heavily. "Beautiful..." he sighed.

~"What's up with all the Swahili lately?" I smiled slightly... "And what brought all this on?"

~"Ah... well..." he paused blushing heavily. "You... uh... mean a lot to me, Rae..."

Butterflies rumbled in my stomach and I asked, "Where's all this coming from?"

~"You aren't the only one controlling emotions here..." he grinned impishly, and a wonderful thrill coursed through me, putting all our differences and irritations behind. It was suddenly so clear. One day I was annoyed at him constantly then the next I was in love with him... Oh the irony.

~"What do you mean by that?" I asked impishly.

~"Oh, Rae, don't make me explain this on an empty stomach!" he acted as if he were going to faint, which made us both chuckle.

~As if on cue, Cy ran up to us "C'mon, guys! I'm starvin'!"

~We laughed more and followed him through the tool strewn garage and clambered into the T-car. BB and I took the back seats eagerly, leaving Cy to listen to his music freely. We rolled the dividing window up (which was much like that of a limo except it was soundproof and tinted.)

~Cy took the wheel, cranked up the car, and spun violently out of the garage, smiling in the rear view mirror only to laugh as he saw me slung into Gar's lap with a scowl on my face. I sulked but made no effort to move from my comfortable position laying across Gar's masculine chest and spandex/polyester, black Three Days Grace shirt. I blushed heavily and looked up at the probing hazel eyes gazing back into mine.

~"Hi..." I said nervously.

~He smiled, "Hi..." he stroked my hair gently which stirred many questions but I kept them suppressed as I enjoyed the quiet... until, of course, it was broken by Gar.

~"I've been thinking... wanna go to the pier tonight?"

~"Like a date??" I asked my heart thudding rapidly.

~"Woah... don't have a heart attack on me...." He placed his hand over my spasmodic heart, calming it instantly.

~"What brought on all this affection?" I probed further.

~"I've decided something, Upendo," He smiled at his own joke.

~Just then, we were slung across the car. Cy's driving became more erotic and we saw a wide rin appear on his charcole face. Slinging us again across the car, he screached to a halt and jumped out of the car rushing to a beautiful black girl and embracing her as she clambered off her black and yellow striped crotch rocket. BB looked at me shyly as the last sing of Cyborg ended up me landing on Beast Boy's chest. I scrambled off of him blushing as he opened the door for me.

~"Yo, Cy!" BB interrupted a kiss between the two. "Move over! It's not every day we get to see a member of Titans East!" He ran over and hugged him.

~I walked over to Bee, "Hey, Karen..."

~She looked at me and grinned even wider. "Rachel! Doll, I haven't seen you in forever!!"

~"So it would seem," I smiled warmly at her and I looked down at her left hand... Next to the finger that held a holoring there rested a fine diamond on a gold band. "Karen???" My voice rose several octaves. "YOU'RE ENGAGED?!?"

~Rob and Star pulled up in the R-cycle seconds after my outburst. I was filled with jealousy and envy, but compassion reigned.

~"BEE!" squealed Star who swooshed over and kissed her hand and noticed the same thing I did.

~Cy and Bee blushed violently. "How long has this been going on?" asked Robin in congratulations.

~"A while, hun..." Karen said shyly... "But how's about some pizza!"

~We all nodded in agreement, and Karen laughed her wind chime laugh and a blush crept over her chocolate skin. Her eyes twinkled with utter affection. "Yeah... Victor did quite some planning for this meeting..." her smooth, silky voice was so inviting and her large, pouty lips parted in a wonderful smile filled with sparkly teeth. Despite her hospitality, I always envied the girl's beauty.

~Gar, taking notice of my envious stare, touched the back of my arm and trailed down to my palm. This action stunned me but filled me with the "warm fuzzies" of sorts. It was so odd to feel suck a queer emotion. Where his skin brushed against mine was warm and tingly like your arm is after it wakes up. It shocked at first then felt like a current flowed though us until he gave up and cautiously intertwined his fingers with mine.

~The sky darkened and was nearly night. "C'mon. Let's go," he whispered in my hair. "If we wait too long, I won't be able to exicute my plans," the way he spoke was nearly seductive. He pulled ahead and the others followed us into the Pizza Palace. An unfamiliar waitress who had obviously seen a few years in her life smiled sweetly.

~When she smiled, creases formed around her eyes. "How may I help y'all?" She obviously was not local.

~"Uh..." started BB. "Gary and Linda out of town?"

~Her face fell and her eyes grew dark. "Something came up and they asked my husband and I to run the place for a while." I saw Robin straighten in my peripheral vision... I felt my heart sink as I knew that Gar's plans for tonight were done for.

~"Their son joined a gang and so did my daughter and they took it worse than us..." she trailed off and seated us.

~I thought long and hard a moment. and pulled Gar up with me. "Mrs. Lateheart, may we speak with you in private?"

~Her eyes widened as I said her unknown last name. "You six aren't your average teens, are you?"

~I simply shook my head. If you only knew...

~"You don't need to be afraid of us, ma'am." I nudged Gar to make him shut up.

~She motioned for us to follow her into the kitchen where she proceeded to cry.


NOTICE: I don't own Teen Titans (again) and I don't own Three Days Grace :( or Evanescence's My Immortal :(