Chapter 7
After the attack on the mayor, Jump City descended into utter chaos. Crowds of armed individuals walked around the city, executing "criminals." Many were just enacted old vengeances or, in the case of criminal gangs, taking over turf. The remaining elements of the police force either set up areas of control or joined the wandering "gangs of justice." In addition, a large group of armed people were assembling across the channel that separated the Titans' island from the mainland.
Inside the tower, things were not much better. The mayor was in the infirmary, but still out. In the common room, the Robin was attacking Beast Boy. "Why did you attack them? What got into you? Is the Beast coming back?"
"Look, I did what I had to do. Raven was down, and there was now way that I could hold them off much longer if I didn't do something drastic. Isn't that right, Raven?" Beast Boy turned to Raven looking for some support.
"Were you in control?" asked Raven, "did you ever lose control?"
"No, I mean, I wasn't the Beast or anything, I knew what I was doing."
"That makes it even worse!" shouted Robin, "He willfully acted the people we swore to protect!"
"Chill Robin, it sounds like BB held back, he only did what was necessary," interrupted Cyborg.
"Yes, friend Beast Boy was protecting Raven, isn't that what you tell us to do?" added Starfire.
"It is true that Beast Boy probably saved my life. And to a degree what happened was my fault,"
"Raven…" interrupted Beast Boy.
"No, let me finish. If I was able to hold the line, you would not have been forced to do what you had to do." At that moment, the warning alarm sounded in the Tower, interrupting Raven. Cyborg ran over to the monitors and checked them, "We have a mob passing checkpoint one in the tunnel."
"Crooks or what?" asked Robin.
"They look like normal people," responded Cyborg.
"Alright, I'll call the police chief and tell him that we're evacuating the tower…"
"WHAT!?!" shouted Starfire, "LEAVE OUR HOME! NEVER!"
"Star, we cannot fight them, we just have to let this blow over," consoled Robin, "it will only be for awhile."
"They're passing the halfway point," Cyborg called out.
"Alright, evacuation plan alpha, keep your communicators on you if we get separated. Cyborg, get the T-sub ready. Chief Marcus, are you there? The Tower is being stormed by a mob."
"Well, Robin," responded the chief, "I was just going to send in some men to arrest you guys myself, so I'll stop the mob at the same time."
"Arrest us!? What for?" asked Robin.
"Well, vigilantes are generally frowned upon in the law. In addition, your friend Beast Boy severely hurt several people, and you kidnapped the mayor."
"That's bullsh…"
"Save it for trial, I got helicopters coming in now."
"Robin, where's Raven?"
"What…I don't know…find her Beast Boy."
"They're at the gate! Hopefully, it will hold for a few minutes"
"Cy, Star with me to the T-sub. Beast Boy, you have less than 5 minutes to get Raven and get to the sub. I suggest that you get out on your own, have Raven teleport you to a safe place. Keep your communicators on you at all times!"
With that, Robin took off to the basement. Without pausing, Beast Boy ran off to Raven's room. Punching in the emergency override, he ran in. "Rae, we've got to go."
"I'm not going," Raven said in a monotone.
"Don't be silly Rae, you have to go."
"This is my home, this place is my sanctuary, I cannot allow them to take it," looking closely, Beast Boy saw that Raven was crying under her hood.
Getting an idea, he ran over to Raven's bureau and picked up her meditation mirror. Pressing it into her hands, he gently pulled down her hood. "You know, Rae, I've lost my home a couple of time. My parents died, I left the Doom Patrol, each time, I was heartbroken. I felt that there would be no other place where I could go. However, I realized that home isn't a place. Home is people that you like being around, home is being around stuff that makes you feel safe. Take your mirror, come with me, and we'll find the others. If we stick together, it will be home."
"But, what if we're separated?"
"Rae, remember when you promised me that you would always view me as a person? I promise you that I will always be with you." Grabbing her hand, he dragged her to his room. Picking his way through the mess on his floor, he went to his desk and pulled out a scrapbook. "Here, Rae, these are all the pictures that I've saved of the team. Take it, I know it's cliché, but when I look at pictures like this when I'm lonely, I remember the good times, and don't feel as lonely anymore. It's kinda a psychological thing."
They were interrupted by yelling as people pounded up the stairs. In addition, they heard helicopters above them.
"Crap, the mob and the police, Rae we gotta get out of here. You got your communicator?"
"Yeah"
"Alright, begin to get the teleport ready. I'll draw off the mob so that you can concentrate."
"You can't leave, just stay here," cried Raven.
"I have to, I'll try to make it back. If I don't, go. I'll get out and get to you guys."
"But you said that you wouldn't leave me. Beast Boy, I mmph," Raven was suddenly silenced by Beast Boy kissing her.
Leaning his forehead against her's, Beast Boy said, "I will always return to you, Raven. I just can't get enough of you. Even if I'm not present, I'm with you, just remember that. Now, get that teleport thingy ready."
Leaving a stunned, blushing Raven, Beast Boy ran out of the room while morphing into a cheetah. Turning with a smile on her face, Raven began her chant: "Azaroth Metrion Zinthos."
After some concentration, Raven got the black energy to form a teleportation hole. Hearing commotion in the hall, she saw the door burst open to reveal Beast Boy in gorilla form holding back the mob. "Beast Boy!" she shouted as she turned to him. At that moment, he turned into an octopus and used a tentacle to push her into the teleportation hole, forcing her to teleport away, leaving him alone with the angry mob. At that moment, the windows in the room where broken as a tear gas was shot into the room, followed by a SWAT team. In the confusion, Beast Boy turned into a human, smashed his communicator to prevent his teammates from being traced, and got on his knees with his hands behind his head, surrendering to the authorities.
In a park that the Titans frequented, Raven emerged clutching her mirror and the scrapbook that Beast Boy had given her. She fell to her knees and began to cry, not caring how much chaos her powers caused. "That idiot, that caring, loving, wonderful idiot," she cried. Eventually, her communicator squawked, as Robin gave her the coordinates to their hideout and she shared the capture of Beast Boy with the team.
