Chapter Summary:
After the faint incident, seeking clarity to her thoughts, Raven sneaks off in the middle of the night – only to be caught by a curious Beast Boy. Meanwhile, Cyborg finds that he's not going to get any sleep tonight…
Mirror 9: Fireflies
"Like tiny stars
On tiny wings
Vibrant in the silent night
Like tiny flames
A lit so bright
A festival of dancing lights" – Little glows of Miracles: Fireflies
"…What is it that you're afraid of…?"
---
Sneaking off
Everything was still – quiet, as it should be at this hour. Raven breathed in a sigh of relief as she started to walk away from her room, having made sure that nobody was about and that it was safe to go out. However, she had not counted on a small green cat which yowled and jumped on all fours when she accidentally stepped on its tail just as she was turning a corner.
"Beast Boy!" she cried out in a hushed tone. "By Azarath, what were you doing down there?"
Nursing its tail, the green feline looked up at her with sympathetic eyes as she leveled down to it – double checking to see if she had caused any serious hurt. But she shook her head, relieved, as the creature of furriness purred softly in assurance that it was really okay, and began rubbing itself against her feet.
"Seriously, what are you doing up this late?" Raven asked with folded arms.
"Just taking a nightly prowl?" Beast Boy grinned somewhat embarrassedly, changing back into his regular form. Then added accusatorily, as he looked her over, raising a suspicious eyebrow,
"But I take it that's not what you're doing?"
Knowing that she was caught, Raven sighed,
"I can't be confined to my room forever, you know."
"So where were you going?"
"Nowhere."
"Right."
"It's really none of your business."
"Try me."
There was a strained silence as Raven fought to keep herself from losing her composure. Instead she said, as she averted her gaze from him to the side:
"Please. Why would you care?"
"Because –" Beast Boy started, but snapped his mouth shut as he hesitated to say the words he had actually intended to say. He recouped instead by huffing,
"Because that's what friends do – they care about where the other person is going off to without telling."
Keeping her eyes glued to the floor, Raven bit her lip as she told him,
"Well, that friend should probably just not worry so much and trust the other person instead…"
"I wasn't worried!" Beast Boy blurted out as he tried to justify himself. Then taking a deep breath he admitted quietly,
"OK, maybe I was worried… especially after what happened…we all were."
Raven turned to face him directly this time – she couldn't help but smile.
"You are so stubborn."
"You are too." Beast Boy gave her a smug look as she sighed resignedly,
"Fine, come with me if you must then."
"I'm coming."
"Must you?"
"Too late – you already said it!"
Shaking her head yet again, she forced herself not to say anything else that would prolong their seemingly pointless argument as she led him out from there into the quiet of the night.
---
Rude Awakening
"Star, please, slow down."
Bursting into Cyborg's room, Starfire spoke so rapidly, that he had had to ask her to repeat what she had just said as he shook off the drowsiness of sleep he had so been enjoying nicely.
"Friend Raven is not in her room!" she cried out once more in alarm, tugging at his arm.
"Neither is Beast Boy," informed Robin as he arrived into the room with Kat right behind him.
"You mean both of them are missing – at this hour?" sighed Cyborg as he stifled a heavy yawn but felt a bit awake when he noted that Kat, who usually had her heavy make-up on during most of the day – looked frightfully pale at the moment, and also confirmed his curiosity that the symbols on the left side of her face were indeed genuine and not any of 'that stuff' that she had purposely applied in such a way.
Starfire nodded slowly to confirm this. It happened that she had got up to get a drink and thought it would be nice to see if Raven wanted to have some soothing tea as well to calm any nerves she might be having after the whole previous incident. But upon finding that Raven was indeed not in her room, she quickly went to alert Robin.
They had run into R-Kat who seemed upset when she could not find Beast Boy in his room as well and followed them to Cyborg's room.
"Well, has anyone thought that they might have actually gone off – together?" Cyborg made the statement as if it were so obvious.
Thinking this over, Robin agreed,
"They have been spending more time with each other…"
"Then this is not something to worry – but be joyous about?" asked Starfire hopefully as she started to smile about the matter.
"I hate to interrupt this oh, so joyous turn of events, but," Kat spoke up as all eyes turned to her.
"Aliya's missing as well!"
---
Promise in the night
She remembered how it was – how it had been. They had been short of one member, absent of a green friend – but they had gotten by, adjusting to the inevitable changes that came their way; finally accepting that this was how it was and how it would be.
Well, at least they tried hard to do so.
Each handling the situation in their own way, Raven had opted to it by making herself much stronger in committing positively to the team – to allow her own changes within herself. It wasn't about looking back, it was about going forward – that was what she kept reminding herself. But over time, Raven knew that there were some things that she couldn't completely put away – she still felt troubled at times and she still needed to be alone, away from her friends: especially when it concerned them.
"There was a time when I needed to just get away from the tower, for just awhile…that's how I found this place…"
She revealed as they flew over the city – Beast Boy, in his bird form of choice: a green raven. She could have easily teleported them to their point of destination, but there was something about the night air that filled her with an inner calmness as she flew against the steady wind blowing through the darkness.
"I've never told anyone about it…"
She explained to him as they stopped to rest for a moment on the large branches of a sturdy tree. Then turning to face him directly as he morphed back into his original state, she carefully asked him,
"So promise me you'll keep it a secret?"
It took awhile for Beast Boy to see that she was really being serious about it, since he could hardly recall her ever sharing something like this with him and that it did kind of surprise him. Realizing that she was still waiting expectantly for an answer from him, he gave her a reassuring smile, and held up his pinky to her.
As she stared quizzically at this gesture, he laughed as he explained,
"It's what Aliya likes to do whenever she wants me to promise her something."
"Oh," Raven broke into a tender smile, nodding slowly in understanding as their pinkies entwined and Beast Boy gave his solemn word, a twinkle in his smiling eyes,
"I promise."
---
Sleepwalker
"This wouldn't be the first time…"
Kat was telling them as they made their way through the empty corridors by the guided nightlight of Cyborg's. She was keeping a cool head, but truthfully she was struggling with panic inside. She had gotten up abruptly when she realized that the girl was not in her usual spot on the bed they shared.
"She has these weird phases where she just suddenly blanks out, and well, things like these happen…"
Cyborg nodded, "BB mentioned to us about that…"
He recalled what it was that Beast Boy had told them about Aliya – that she had gotten separated from her family and was suffering from some kind of memory loss.
"She's a brave kid, and I promised I'd help her find her family…"
"I just hope she's okay…" Kat said quietly, more to herself, than to the others, but Starfire heard her and placed a reassuring hand over her trembling arm.
"We will find her."
Looking into the determined face of the girl who was by the least two years older than her, Kat mustered a grateful smile as she nodded wordlessly in reply.
---
Glow of the night
Beast Boy stood very still as he admired the present moment, beginning to understand why Raven found this place so special. It was beautiful.
Shrouded by tall trees of a surrounding forest – a small stream ran through the small clearing that was kept hidden from view, just beyond an uphill slope. A secret place that was clear off from civilization.
Indeed, the darkness was a suitable backdrop as the glow of seemingly tiny flames begun to brighten up the shadows all around them, dancing about like a wondrous festival of lights.
"…Fireflies…"
Raven chuckled softly as she watched Beast Boy gazing in awe at the scene around them.
"Yes," she said quietly. "Tiny miracles in the dark…"
She continued to smile, a happy radiance emitting gently all around her as she took in a deep breath of the fresh air and slowly stretched out her hands as if to greet the night breeze that played with her hair, blowing through her cloak, making her unconsciously float just slightly above the ground as her eyes drifted shut – savoring the beauty of the moment. She was at a level of such peace and serenity that when Beast Boy reached out and held her hand, the warm touch from his skin brought her back into the present and her eyes fluttered open to see him smiling somewhat affectionately at her, causing her to blush and look away as she landed back onto the lush earth.
"Look! There are more of them over there!" he grinned as she allowed herself to be led to the spot he was motioning to, suppressing a giggle as she watched him act all child-like.
---
Ghost in the corridor
Luckily, Robin was able to stifle Starfire's surprised scream as she leapt into his arms when something had suddenly stepped out from the shadows right in front of her.
Kat let out a relieved laugh as Cyborg shone the light directly onto the 'ghost' and they found it was only Energizer.
"Hey kid, what are you doing up at this hour?" asked Cyborg as he felt the eeriness surge down his circuitry. Energizer, he knew was a good kid, but honestly, with that unusual quietness of his – he could scare the heck out of anyone when he appeared quite suddenly out of nowhere or when you never noticed that he had been there in the first place.
"You sensed it, didn't you?" Kat asked gently, to which he nodded silently in reply. "Then you know where she is right now?"
He nodded again and continued down the corridor as nimbly as a mouse. Kat gestured for everyone to follow him,
"He'll be sure to lead us to Aliya."
---
What is it you're afraid of?
"Fifty one…"
Raven rolled her eyes, pointing out to him,
"Are you sure that's not the same one you just counted?"
"Of course I'm sure!" Beast Boy said defiantly.
They were both sitting by the stream, as he resumed his firefly-counting to prove that he wasn't exaggerating the number of fireflies there as she had just said that he did.
"You're hopeless!" she laughed.
Shrugging, he ignored what she said, but smiled in quiet amusement to the sound of her laughter. He was happy to see her that way…Especially as he remembered the times when it was so hard to even get a smile out of her.
"Hmm, so this should be number fifty-two?" Raven was saying as Beast Boy followed her gaze to yet another passing firefly.
"Yeah, see…"
His voice trailed off just then, as the firefly flew and settled into the small space between them – its gentle glow reflecting against their faces. But it wasn't the firefly that he had his gaze transfixed upon right now. At the exact moment, in the faint enchanted-like light; Beast Boy's emerald eyes caught and held on to Raven's own dark violet ones, locked in place – drawn quite suddenly, silently, to each other.
What was he afraid of?
There was something, something about how he was feeling right now. But at the same moment, something too seemed to hold him back.
What is this…feeling?
She felt a bit frightened as the emotions she had been feeling lately surfaced yet again, and her heart went into such a rapid beat that she feared was loud enough to be heard.
They stared at each other, seemingly trapped in a still moment – searching, waiting…
Waiting for that right second to move, something, anything…
But neither did. They held themselves back with every might they could muster. Somehow, an invisible barrier of fear kept them in place – warned them to wake up from this state of dream they were frozen in.
Instead, Beast Boy finally reached out and gently held the side of Raven's face. She blushed deeply at his touch but understood that the night was to move on and that nothing more would come out of this moment.
No, nothing more…
Her lips formed into an understanding smile as she settled for that same calm smile of his. Tenderly, they broke off the intensity that had connected them so suddenly, with both embarrassedly looking to either side. Avoiding once again to fall into each other's gaze.
After a moment of wordless silence, Beast Boy began, "Raven, I…"
"I think it's time we headed back," Raven suggested, interrupting him just then as she kept her eyes focused into the distance. Beast Boy nodded slowly in agreement and started to get up after her,
"I guess so."
With that, Raven readied to take flight. Just before that, Beast Boy suddenly took her hand in his, though he still kept his gaze to the side and fought to not succumb to the heat of his face, keeping it all serious like. Though she was a bit startled, Raven made neither effort to take her hand out of his. Instead she pretended not to notice, and off they were.
---
Bedtime Story
They found her in the original common room, looking frightened as they gently coaxed her to come out of her hiding place from behind one of the couches. She approached them with much caution until she was finally sure it was really them.
"Energizer…" she half whispered as he gently led her by the arm to the middle of the group, where Kat sprung on her and gave her a good firm hug.
"Thank goodness," she breathed through her embrace of the little girl. "Don't you ever dare give me a scare like that again!"
Aliya nodded as she made out a sentence through her tears,
"I had those nightmares again…"
Cyborg patted her head,
"Don't worry. We're here now."
Robin smiled at the lot of them, thankful that the situation was under control.
"Well then, we'd best be getting some rest now."
Looking from the tearful Aliya to Robin, Kat explained,
"She won't be able to fall asleep unless …"
"Unless?" The others echoed.
"Unless we tell her a bedtime story."
"A bedtime story?"
Kat nodded, "That's what green usually does to get her back into bed."
Cyborg sighed, as he went on to ask,
"What kind of stories?"
A twinkle in her eye, Kat grinned,
"Oh, stories of the awesome adventures of the Teen Titans…"
As three of the Titans stared at each other briefly, Starfire waved her hands excitedly into the air,
"Ooh! I have one to tell!"
"No, let me!" said Cyborg with much enthusiasm.
Robin shook his head as the two continued to argue, and turned to Aliya,
"Okay. So once upon a time…"
---
The Morning After
"Good morning, everyone!"
"My, you're up early," smiled Simon as he handed Beast Boy the pancakes he had prepared for breakfast.
"Huh?"
Looking around, Beast Boy realized that they were the only ones so far in the dining room area.
Sipping his hot chocolate, Simon explained,
"I guess everyone's sleeping in. I went to get Kat up and she practically acted like a grouch – accused me that I was to blame for her missing her beauty sleep last night! Of course, it took awhile to get the rest of what she meant…"
He went on to tell Beast Boy about last night's episode. Finishing, after which he then asked,
"So where were you then?"
Beast Boy gave him a mysterious smile just as Raven came in – his cheeks turning slightly crimson as he watched her catching sight of him: blushed, and quickly turning to face the other way.
"It's a secret."
-----
Dreamchild's Notes:
Hi all! Oh my, I probably deliberated too long on this chapter that I was afraid I'd never get it posted!
T.T This might probably be the longest chapter that I've written for this fic so far. I am sooo sorry that there's been a delay in my postings. But at least I'm glad (though exhausted) to have managed to get it done :D In advance, thanks for the continued support for readin & reviewin. Hopefully the next chapter will be easier to do… Have a nice weekend all!
28/11 I've been trying to upload this chappy since last week! In the end I had to try using txt.format T.T