Disclaimer: No, I own nothing.

Sorry about the late-ness. For those of you who are viewing my profile, might know why. I did mention that normally its injuries that keep me from updating, and indeed it was again. Check that if I'm not updating. But, yes, I am injured again. I torn a hip muscle, and needed it sewn together. I was recovering, and truthfully in no mood to update. I apologize for that, but stuff happens.

Thanks to:

clawx2

horrorchick25

tsh

black thorn angel

madchickenlover

YamaBerry

Guardian of Night

Beast Boy looked between Cyborg and the rest of the team. He was never good at making out words by the way someone's lips moved, but in this case he got enough. It was common sense.

He was deaf.

That really put a damper on his spirits. Not only would this affect his relationship with Raven, but crime-fighting. He wouldn't be able to hear Robin or anyone command him. Or warn him. He would practically be alone in battle. He was thinking about consulting Jericho, as he was in a similar position, but then he remembered Jericho was mute. He could still hear.

'This sucks... what use am I now? I can't hear... talk... do anything...' Beast Boy thought to himself. He watched Raven stand up and look ferociously at Cyborg. He recoiled, but stood most of his ground. He put his hands up in defense, and Raven looked away. Then, she left the Infirmary all together.

Beast Boy's ear's drooped. It was only a matter of time before she dumped him. Not only had he impregnated her, and now had no way of helping out, but he was deaf and couldn't talk to her or listen to her problems.

He sighed out loud and this caught Starfire's attention. She got up from her bed, wobbled a bit, but still walked over to Beast Boy's bed. She placed a hand on his shoulder. Robin then also stood up and walked over as well. He got a piece of paper, and wrote something. He showed it to Beast Boy and it read,

'Mood swings. You were out a week. Mood swings have begun.'

That would explain the crying, anger, and then walking out.

He nodded, and looked at the paper sadly. That's how he'd communicate from now on...

Then a faint buzzing noise was... heard?

Beast Boy craned his head and perked his ears trying to decipher where the noise was coming from. Perhaps... there was still a chance.

"What's he doing?" Robin asked. Cyborg looked over him quizzically and hesitantly answered.

"I... I think he's listening for something. It could be that he's not completely deaf. My scans were never completed since he wasn't awake. Now that he is, he was showing symptoms, not full deafness."

"So does that mean Beast Boy is not lacking the hearing?" Starfire asked, enlightened by the fact that her friend could possible still hear.

"I honestly don't know. Maybe yes, maybe no. He might heal, but from what I could tell, the damage was too extensive." Cyborg explained grimly. He didn't wish his best friend to have to endure this. He'd been through enough. Why must he continue to suffer?

"Okay. For now, we should wait and see if he improves. By the way, where has Bee been? I haven't seen her since the fight against... Mad... Mod?" While Robin was speaking, Cyborg began to tear up.

"T-t-they took her. When I charged into the fight, I zoned everything out, but when I woke up, I found this." He held up a crumpled note. His hand was shaking and Robin hesitantly took it.

'Dearest Titans,

I have taken Karen Beecher. If you want her back, I suggest you either learn to pause time and take her back, or you can deliver Garfield Logan to me. I expect him unconscious and untouched. Meaning, if I find a tracking device on him, Karen will die. I have infused bomb-like capsules to her cells. One mistake, and she will vaporize. I suggest you cooperate if you wish her to live.

Deliver Garfield Logan to me at Twenty One hundred. I will be awaiting every night, but well guarded. I also have a back-up system in plan, so try nothing. I will be waiting at the abandoned animal observatory.

Until then, Nick'

Robin glared at the ransom note. It wasn't uncommon for villains to gain an upper-hand like this, but it was rare for them to have something this well thought out. Only Slade had once before done something like this, but it wasn't for ransom. It was mainly to keep Robin in check as his apprentice.

He crumpled the note, and asked Cyborg a question.

"So what do you propose we do? We can't just go and trade Beast Boy away! Raven would have our heads. And if this Nick can think of something this elaborate, then I see no reason why he wouldn't activate the bombs once he gets what he wants."

"I know that! I don't... I don't know what to do. My heart tells me to go and get back Kare- Bumblebee. But my gut tells me to do something more rational. Anyway we look at this, we're in a hole. Trading away Beast Boy is the obvious action, but you're right. Once this guy gets what he wants, there's no use for Bee." Cyborg said. He made a fist and punched the wall in frustration.

"May I ask, who is this Nick? And why does he want our green friend? What does he have to offer someone?" Starfire asked. Both Cyborg and Robin looked at her. What she said made sense. What did Beast Boy have to offer, that the other Titans didn't. Even Raven, who was pregnant, had something more to offer. Her powers and a kid. The possibilities for that were endless.

"Well... he's able to change into animals. That's about it. And Nick. Never heard of him." Robin said slowly. He reviewed his files mentally, and came up with nothing. He remembered nothing about a Nick in them.

"Yeah, and now being deaf, he's got even less to offer." Cyborg added.

"I may have a solution." Someone said. The three Titans looked over at the door to see Raven.

"Perhaps, if I can trigger my powers, I can remove the bombs and successfully keep Beast Boy away." Raven explained.

Cyborg nodded, but Robin was a bit more skeptical.

"Are you sure you can activate them? After Mad Mod, I didn't know if you had complete control."

"I do when I mediate. It will take awhile, but I can regain control by mediating. Therefore, I require peace. I can then gain control."

"Sounds good. It's the best we got. I trust Rae, so I'm in." Cyborg said. Starfire agreed. And Robin sighed.

"As long as you know what you're doing." Robin hesitantly agreed.

During this entire thing, Beast Boy stared at them with a confused look. He heard nothing, and still struggled to read their lips.

He saw parts of the note, but got enough of it. He knew that someone got Bumblebee and wanted him in exchange. But he was unable to see who the culprit was. If only he knew the full story and the plan. From what else he saw, he also got that bombs were placed inside Bee. It was dangerous. And for once, Beast Boy doubted his friends.

Now deaf, he was much more timid and frightful. What if they decided to trade him? He couldn't hear, and therefore was near worthless. Bee was always a better fighter, and choosing between him or her, he feared they would choose her.

His main question was: Would Raven? Would she renounce her love for him and betray him? Trade him in?

Nothing made sense anymore. He knew he should have more faith in Raven, but found it hard. After all, not being able to hear caused him an unnatural feeling of being left out.

He looked down at his hands. Gloves still covered them, and he was relieved. No one saw his true self. He looked farther from human then Cyborg. In addition to being green, changing into animals, and having ears that made him look like an elf, he also hid another animalistic trait. He had claws.

Sharp ones.

He filed them down frequently, but they always re-grew. Sharper and longer then before. By wearing gloves, he was able to look just a tad more human.

He almost felt the urge to runaway, but a a pair of soft hands on his collarbone brought him out of his pity.

He looked up and saw Raven's soft lavender eyes looking into his emerald ones. He saw compassion and warmth. By looking at her eyes, he knew she wouldn't betray him. She would stand by him. And so would his teammates. Even Cyborg, who more then anything wanted Bee back.

She stepped back a moment to look at his charts, and he noticed that his teammates were either back in their medical beds, or in Cyborg's case, probably researching something.

When Raven stepped back, he got a full look at her. Her hips had rounded a bit, and her breasts seemed a bit larger. He couldn't help looking, though he scolded himself.

Her stomach also revealed a slight bump. She was beginning to show, only to him though. Due to his now even more enhanced vision, he could detect minor changes like this.

Her expression seemed a bit softer then normal, and he assumed the mood-swings weren't actually in effect. She was angered by something. Probably Cyborg telling her the situation and how it was permanent.

"I know you can't hear me... but I still love you. Nothing has changed. My love may have actually grown with you making another sacrifice." She whispered to him.

He could feel her breath near his ears. They twitched, and he focused on listening. Maybe he could hear a tiny thing if he tried hard enough...

She moved away, and hugged him. She then wrote something down on the piece of paper that she wouldn't let him see.

'Thank you' She wrote.

'What did I do?' He wrote back.

'You saved me again. Your plan worked. And you made another selfless sacrifice. I don't deserve you.' She wrote down. A tear trickled down her cheek, and he rubbed it away.

"Y...you ALways deserVed me." He said, struggling to speak. Still being unable to decipher his volume, he hoped it wasn't too loud or too soft.

She sniffed and he held her close. He put a hand on her stomach instinctively, and despite it being odd, she felt... safer.

And for the first time since going deaf, Beast Boy didn't feel helpless.

Done with that. I left you on a sort of cliffhanger, I know. But don't worry. I will update very soon. Very soon. I am actually in the process of writing the next chapter, so expect it up soon. This is also sort of a filler, but a special mention will go out to whomever can guess the villain. First come, first serve.

So guess away!

And continue to enjoy!