Start Again

Hope you enjoy!

"Are you okay?" A green changeling crouched down, offering a certain empath a green hand. One she placed a shaking one into from her sitting position that she was blown into. Cinderblock, having been successfully taken care of, left the Titans in various states of recover. Robin and Starfire were brushing each other off while Cyborg was talking to the police, giving them the regular instructions for the clean up crew.

He pulled her to her feet, soundless while he almost tripped over rubble behind him. He silently noted how she let her hand stay in his a few beats longer than necessary. The warmth of the young woman familiar, yet also alien in their time apart.

"Raven?" He ventured, surprised to see her this shaken up so long after a successful fight. With a shake of her head, she pulled her hand back and took a silent step away. "Thanks," she mumbled, pulling her hood up to hide her embarrassment before turning away.

He watched her go, her cape swaying at her ankles as she walked into the calm after the storm.

After arriving back at the tower, all cuts and bruises were taken inventory of. Robin and Starfire were relatively unharmed, minor scratches and a bruise here and there.

Cyborg had a chip on his forearm and some other auto body repairs that he could take care of privately.

Raven's only significant injury was a gash on her bicep, one she healed while still on scene. Beast Boy however, had a reasonable gash along his lower abdomen.

"Raven, can you heal BB?" Robin asked, him and Starfire already moving towards the doors of the common room.

"She doesn't have- " The changeling started in protest, looking at the young empath before quickly looking back at his leader. But Robin cut him off, "Raven?" He asked almost exasperated, as if they were keeping him. She didn't disagree or say anything, before finally nodding silently.

"Good, settled." Nodding to everyone, Robin turned and started up the steps with Starfire close behind. "Good job, everyone." He threw over their shoulders, as the doors flew open and soon shut behind him.

"See ya'" Cyborg said with a wave, leaving the two alone yet again.

He was staring at the wall. 'Why do I care that he's staring at the wall?' Then a certain emotion got nosy. 'Maybe because he kissed us last time we were alone. And now he won't even make eye contact.' Mentally, Raven was slapping herself in the face, causing Beast Boy to hear a muttered curse.

Eyes widening, "E-excuse me?" He asked, surprised but not really blaming her for any hostility towards him she may harbor at the moment. Equally surprised, Raven just muttered a 'Sorry,' before concentrating even more on the wound and not the eyes attached. The protruding abdominal muscles were also something to avoid.

'Gods, those didn't hurt late at night when he was asleep in our bed, huh?' Lust muttered in her ear. 'Get out of my thoughts.' She growled at the emotion, causing her hands to shake as she battled internally for her free mind.

"Rae?" Garfield flinched when her cold hands suddenly touched his skin. "Sorry," she muttered again, furrowing her brow so that there would be no scarring. Under her fingers, broken skin and veins connected once again, barely leaving any trace once she finished.

"Ok, done." Raven proclaimed in her monotone, pulling away and dusting her hands off. Sitting up, Beast Boy kicked his legs to the side of the table, and rolled his shirt back down. "Hey, Raven?" He stopped her, making her look up from the monitor by his bed, her back to him. She started to turn, before rebuking herself and continuing to type in his file. Taking her time to sign out of the program, shut the tab, and slowly turn to him while avoiding his gaze.

She looked at the chair, the thin crinkling paper on the exam table, the wall; anything but him.

"I want you to know that Terra..." He started hesitantly, noticing how she almost immodestly started to turn away. "She was never a part of us. Her and I were a long time ago, and I knew it wouldn't last. But I have no excuse for ever making you feel like you were never my number one priority. Because... your happiness, Raven, was always my goal." He looked up from knotting his hands and his rushed rambling, to see a surprised empath still standing opposite him. She had her arms crossed, her cloak back, and her hood down. Seeing her not move to slap or capacitate him, he continued rambling.

"You started to lock yourself up in your room for hours again, Rae. And I know, I know you don't enjoy being alone. You get so lonely it makes your skin crawl, and that's why you would let me hug you. That's why you would fall asleep in an embrace, because you never felt that you deserved one. But you do, Rae. You deserve everything good and beautiful in this world, and every other dimension out there. I am so sorry for how I treated you, I forever will be."

With that, he pushed himself off the exam table, and craned his neck to make her met his eyes. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry I ruined everything and will never again be there to comfort you again. I'm sorry I lost my place to hear you laugh and feel proud for bringing out that smile. I'm sorry."

The young changeling then turned, leaving wide violent eyes watching his progress across the room. Speechless, Raven just watched, 'What are you doing? He's getting away! Go get him! Go! Move! Do something!

"BB?" Tentative, yet he heard it and stopped the second she spoke. "Terra and I were friends." She rushed the words, tugging at her fingers as he slowly turned around.

"What?" Confusion molded his features, as doubt started to move in. "We were once friends. You guys really didn't notice.." Tilting his head, Beast Boy asked confusedly, "Wait, what?"

"We had some things in common." Raven started to explain, holding her arm. "Our backgrounds were... Our powers both corresponded with our emotions. And among other things, we sort of understood each other."

New to him of course, BB only remembered when Raven hated Terra, and him, with a vehement passion. "Is that why she meant so much in our relationship?" Understanding started to dawn across his features, his eyes once again going wide.

The blue empath glanced up, before starting to nod slowly.

"Her betrayal hurt. More so than just someone you fight alongside. But-"

"You were more than just fellow Titans. You were friends." He finished for her, as her throat started to constrict. She leaned back against the monitor, staring hard at the ground.

"Raven, why didn't you tell me? Why didn't I figure this out for myself?" He added almost as an afterthought to himself."

"I can keep my 'hardships' to myself." She grimaced even in her state of openness at the choice of wording. Something Beast Boy noticed, and brought about a hint of a smile.

"I always wondered," Raven started, her voice starting to break. "What if I could have stopped her from going to Slade. Stopped her from having to die." Garfield looked up sharply, hearing her choke in a breath. "No, Rae. She made her own decision. You didn't-"

"No," The blue titan shook her head, muffling her words as she moved to wipe her nose. "I was so mad when she betrayed us, and when she hurt you..."

"You didn't kill her." He shook his head, moving closer to her.

"No, but I felt her energy. I could have..." She shook, just as the changeling stopped to stand in front of her. "I could have stopped her. I could have helped her. She didn't have to go to Slade."

With a sigh, Beast Boy squeezed her arms gently, waiting to see if she'd shake him off. She didn't. "Life is full of should have's and would have's, we just have to get over them. I would redo every day I made you feel second best if I could. But I can't change them. The past is behind, but our future can change still."

Pulling her to him, she started to resist, but he held strong. She eventually let go, burying her nose in the familiar smell of his shoulder.

"Let's change it."

With a nod, the daughter of destruction and the prince of nature agreed to try again.

Raven woke to rain, something she didn't particularly mind. Making her way to the kitchen. She passed a green door, but heard no sound.

"BB and Cyborg went on a game run." Robin said, noticing Raven looking around when she entered the common room.

She merely nodded before heading to the sink. Where she found a tea pot already warmed and waiting for her. A tea cup sat on a dainty saucer, with an unopened herbal tea bag sitting in wait.

A note read:

"I'll be back soon. Hope this goes with the rain. Don't miss me too much. - BB"

With a burst of a laugh, Raven looked up. Surprising Robin and Starfire, she turned away and smiled to herself. The couple shared knowing looks over the young woman's head.

This was a start of something new.

A/N: Ok, so, um, I've never been in a serious fight. So I'm just really bad and making up it seems. I hope you liked this add on. Sorry if I totally don't make sense. Thank you so much for all you have commented: advice, reviews, etc.

Also, as a side note, the premise of the original story was over a small fight. So that when they made up on the couch, it wasn't supposed to be over any major differences in the relationship. I, obviously, messed that up completely.

Anyway, thank you for reading this story. It really does mean a lot. And happy reading! - NR17