Chapter Twenty-Five: "Just a Memory"

Grumbling, Red X shimmered into his apartment building. He took a few steps forward, turned sharply and slammed his clenched fist into the punching bag he had kept in the middle of the room.

"So close!" He cried out, "If it weren't for the Teen Titans, I would have had her!"

He looked out the window, it was night now. He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. Get some sleep and try again tomorrow, he thought.

Morning had come and Phoebe awoke to the sound of Rory giggling. She blinked a few times, the giggles didn't register right away. Rory, giggling? She turned it over in her mind a few times before suddenly realizing that someone was in the room with them. She jumped out of bed and ran to the couch. "Who—" She stopped.

"Morning," Beast Boy smiled as he morphed back into his human self.

Phoebe would have killed him had her powers been working. She exhaled in relief. "Beast Boy, what are you doing in here?"

Beast Boy shrugged, "I don't know. Something about kids makes me feel ... less freakish," he smiled sheepishly.

It downed on her that Beast Boy had never been inside this particular room. "I thought you disliked this room," she said softly, avoiding the subject of discussing 'freaks'.

Leaning over, Beast Boy picked up Rory and held her in his arms. At first it didn't seem like he was going to respond, but a few more seconds of waiting paid off.

"It's not that I hate this room, it's just ... a girl I use to like lived in it. As you've already guessed, her name was Terra," he said softly, "She was the only girl to look at me and see me for who I am, not for what I looked like," he stood up and looked over at Phoebe.

Phoebe felt sorry for him, but at the same time she couldn't help but feel ... love? Was it love, or was it merely lust coming into play? She closed her eyes and looked away. Visions replayed behind her closed eyelids and within seconds she wrapped her arms around herself.

Looking up, Beast Boy saw Phoebe withdrawing herself. "Phoebe, Phoebe is everything ok?" He asked, rushing to her side.

As if sensing her mother's pain, Rory began crying. Beast Boy looked around, trying to figure out what he could do to make Rory stop and to find out why Phoebe wasn't responding to him.

"RAVEN!" Beast Boy cried out. He figured since she sensed everyone in the tower, she'd be the quickest to get to him if the need arise.

Within seconds, Raven's dark form appeared. She looked around, "What is it now Beast Boy?" She asked annoyed.

Beast Boy didn't attempt to crack a joke or anything, "I don't' know. Phoebe just shut down and Rory won't stop crying. I don't know what to do," he stated as he, himself, began to panic.

Raven walked over to Beast Boy and took the baby out of his arms. She winced in doing so, she never really cared for children, but she also knew Beast Boy wasn't a motherly figure. Raven held the baby with her left arm, and placed right hand over Rory's stomach. Her hand began to glow blue, and within a moment Rory stopped crying, and fell into a restful sleep.

Meanwhile, Beast Boy was trying to get Phoebe to say something. He put his hand on her shoulder, "Phoebe—"

Phoebe backed away, her eyes still closed. "Leave me alone! Don't touch me!" She cried, tears starting to flow from her eyes.

Beast Boy jerked his hand away faster then he had ever thought possible. Raven walked over to Beast Boy and told him to go keep an eye on Rory. "But she's asleep, what if you need me?"

Raven glared at him, "You're only a few feet away. Not like it takes you days to get over here," she replied dryly.

Trusting that she knew what she was doing, Beast Boy did as he was told. As he turned to walk away, Raven walked towards Phoebe. True, Raven didn't like Phoebe; for a few simple, yet obvious reasons. Well, they were obvious to Phoebe, but not to anyone else. Pushing the reasons aside, Raven allowed herself to connect with Phoebe's mind. Since Phoebe's powers were neutralized, Raven could establish a one way connection. Meaning that Phoebe would be unable to detect or read Raven's thoughts and feelings.

Raven didn't touch Phoebe; she knew that that would be an unhealthy idea. Instead she levitated and sat in her meditation state.

"You're meditating, at a time like this!" Beast Boy whispered loudly.

Ignoring his outburst, Raven chanted, "Azarath Metrion Zinthos." A small spark was heard as a small, short stream of dark magic flew out of Raven and towards and into Phoebe's forehead.

Phoebe didn't notice and she gave no signs otherwise.

Inside Phoebe's mind, Raven appeared in the middle of a street. She made a complete circle, making sure to take in every little tid-bit of information she could as to help her find out why Phoebe had suddenly broke down.

The street was busy, but this after all, was just a memory. Nothing could harm her. The cars zoomed by, and occasionally went through her. People walked carelessly down the sidewalks and across the crosswalks. It seemed like any other day in the city.

Deciding she had enough of the cars "passing" through, she began looking for Phoebe. After all, this was her memory and she had to be somewhere nearby. She continued walking and as quickly as possible, Phoebe walked straight through her, not exactly running, but not exactly power walking. Raven's eyes enlarged and she looked behind her to find someone chasing her. Raven did not follow Phoebe; instead she took a good look at the boy that seemed to be following her.

He was about sixteen years of age, dark brown hair and wore some loosely fitted close. He wore black jeans and a green and white stripped shirt. As he paced through Raven, she felt a very strong emotion, an all too familiar emotion found among men his age; Lust.

She immediately followed after him; this was an all too familiar situation amongst teenagers. She had to make sure she wasn't assuming this.

Phoebe had turned down an alley way, which by the way Raven immediately knew that that was a horrible last minute decision. "You should have stayed on the side walk," Raven said to herself as she shook her head. The sixteen year old boy walked after her. "Use your powers Phoebe," Raven suggested, although she knew that this was just a memory and her suggestions went unheard.

The teenage boy finally caught up with Phoebe and grabbed her waist. Phoebe tried to scream out, but the teen placed his hand over her mouth. He looked around quickly and turned into an abandoned building. A muffled scream was heard and Raven suddenly felt sick.