Chapter 2: Winter's Mansion

3 months earlier

"Gar, I told you, I don't know what I'm doing."

He chuckled lightly. "Well for starters you need to relax your grip. You don't have to grab it so tightly. Here let me help you."

He began to guide her hands. "Can you blame me? This is my first time?"

"Don't worry, just take it gently and work it slowly."

"But every time I see you do it, you're going fast and all over the place."

His eyes widened. "I'll have you know that I've been doing this since I was a kid. You'll be fine, you just need practice."

A knock on the door startled them, Raven beginning to panic. "Oh Azar! I can't let anyone see me doing this."

Before she could zap out of there, he gently took her arm. "Relax. I'm interrupted all the time, it's no big deal."

He stood up and walked to his door, as she swung herself into a seated position on his bed. "Easy for you to say. They expect this kind of behavior from you, I have a reputation to maintain."

He threw a sarcastic brow over his shoulder at her. "Well don't worry, your highness, your secrets are safe with me." The door swished open, neither of them surprised to see their team leader on the other side, but strangely his eyes were somewhat wide in embarrassment.

"What, erm, what were you two doing in here?"

Raven was frantically trying to hide Beast Boy's gaming system beneath her cloak, but he was already giving away her secrets. "I'm just teaching Rae how to play video games. Without gluing her hands to the controller this time." Robin looked past him at Raven trying to conceal her embarrassment.

"We have a deal. I try these stupid things—"

"—and I try her boring meditation." He grinned widely, but slowly faded. "Wait. What did you think we were doing?"

He opened his mouth, but decided against speaking. "Nothing." He held up a folder filled with papers. "I actually came to speak to Raven. She wasn't at her room so I came here." The two eyed the folder, then each other. "And I was hoping to speak to Raven privately."

There was a seriousness to his tone that they knew well. It meant that he meant business. This being the case it was Beast Boys natural instinct to try and relax the situation.

"Hey, whatever you can say to her you can say to me. Right Rae?" She shot him a look that said they'd better listen. "Okay fine." He moved past Robin as he stepped into his room. "But just so you know, I have solid hearing so I'll be able to—" Robin shut the door on him mid sentence before turning to Raven.

"That's my boyfriend." She sighed, but with a speck of happiness.

Robin took a seat across from her. "So, erm, how are you doing?"

Her face was placid with a small twitch of her brow. "You came in here to ask how I'm doing? Don't get me wrong, thanks for interrupting this joyous experience," her sarcasm was heavy laden, "but what is it you really want to talk about?" He ran a hand through his hair. "To your credit, you're doing better at masking your emotions from me, but I don't need to be an empath to sense something is on your mind."

He shrugged. "Then I guess I might as well get to the point." He shuffled in his chair, leaning forward. "You know how the Titans have been cracking down on any more followers of your father for the last six months? Well yeah of course you do. Anyways, well, Batman and I went back to the beginning, back to your mother in Gotham city and… well…" his gloved fingers fiddled with the folder. "We found something."

Raven hesitantly took the folder when he offered it to her, but certainly wasn't expecting what she found inside. Birth certificates and family logs of her grandmother, her mother Angela when she went by her real name, and another name.

Dark magic began to creep uncontrollably from her body, her mouth releasing quick breaths of disbelief. "My mother had a sister?"

"Alice Roth." He confirmed. Raven started going through the other papers as he continued. "Alice Williams now, living in San Francisco with her three kids and husband. A good Christian family, a husband that works a nine to five job, she's in the PTA, kids do after school sports, by all accounts their the typical all American family."

Small vibrations rippled through Beast Boy's room. "My mother… had a sister? I have … a family?"

Robin lowered his head to meet her eyes. "They have to be properly vetted before you can meet them. Make extra sure they're not secret supporters of Trigon."

The vibrations became full tremors now as a flicker of terror swelled within her. "Meet them? Like… meet them?" Deciding that everything was too much for her, she stood up, pushed the folders into her leader's chest and moved for the door.

"Sweet!" Beast Boy jumped from the ground, his signature smile across his face. "Are you ready to finish—" she moved past him without a word, her magic flowing off of her in wisps of darkness and cold.

He looked from her to Robin, his ears lowering and eyes narrowing. "Dude what did you do?"

Robin responded by motioning to the folder in his hand. "You're bound to find out eventually." He handed it to Beast Boy. "But you two might wanna talk in private."

—:0:—

Present day

Raven watched the monitors looking into the Williams home. Jack was at work and Mary-Beth and Billy were at school. Her aunt Alice was washing dishes while baby Jessica was playing in the living room, still in her mother's sight.

Her aunt. Her sister's mother. Her family.

"I was unaware that you were on monitor duty?" Raven hadn't bothered with the mission for the last couple of days, but curiosity was getting the better of her. To her dismay, it was Starfire's turn to watch the camera's, leading Raven to believe that she would be in for one of her worst nightmares.

Girl talk.

"I'm not. Just thought I'd see… if you needed something to drink or eat?"

Starfire had a look that said she didn't believe her, but still wore a warm smile. "There is nothing wrong with wanting to know more about your family."

Raven sighed. "No there isn't, but spying on them isn't the way to do it."

Starfire gave a small nod. "I understand, but I also see this from Robin's point of view. We do not want to make contact until we are certain they have no vile intentions with Trigon." Her head dipped towards the ground as Starfire continued. "Are you sure that is all that this is about? Is there more that weighs on you?"

Raven lifted her head, meeting Starfire's concerned gaze. "I just… when our surveillance is over… What should I say? Will they even like me?"

The alien placed her hands on her friend's shoulder. "They shall adore you as we do. I am sure that you will know what to say when the time is right. I have learned that giving your name is a splendid place to start. Or you may do what I did when I first met all of you."

Raven raised a brow. "If I remember right, you tried to blast us."

She went a slight shade of red. "I was referring to the lip contact, but I suppose blasting works as well. I also may suggest the traditional Tameranean song of the first greeting, with the ballad of a separated family coming together?"

The demoness felt slightly queasy. "That depends, is it long and complicated?"

"It is not long. It is only five thousand verses, and involves the bloggerscootch."

She stared, knowing full well that Starfire was serious. "Yeah, I think I'll stick with my name and go from there."

-:0-

Beast Boy, in his coach Logan persona, blew his whistle to signal the end of the class period.

"Alright! Hit the showers!" As his class dispersed, One of the younger students approached. "What's up Chet?"

"It's Chad," he groaned, "and we don't actually have to shower."

Beast Boy cleared his throat uncomfortably. "It's just a figure of speech." The double doors to the gym squeaked open, waves of "oh's" and "giggles" rippled through the remaining students as the tall dark substitute shop teacher entered the gym. Beast Boy on the other hand, met the sight of his flesh and blood best friend with interest and curiosity.

The two approached each other before looking around to make sure all of the students were out of ear shot. "Having fun?" Cyborg asked.

Beast Boy twirled the whistle on his pointer finger. "This whistle makes me their god. Darn right, I'm having fun."

Cyborg rolled his eyes. "Come on. Rob wants a mid week report."

Beast Boy didn't follow him as he started to walk away. "Now? It's lunchtime and me and the vegan club were going to protest the sloppy joe's."

Cyborg threw back his head, letting out a drawn out, exasperated groan. "Dude, do you have to poison the minds of the next generation with your vegetarian BS?"

The two exited the gym and made their way down the halls of the school. "You're just jealous cuz I have a group of awesome kids that hate meat as much as I do, and we're set to make real change up in this school."

Cyborg lowered his voice. "You do know where just undercover right? We're leaving at the end of the week."

Beast Boy punched his friend in the shoulder. Even through the holographic disguise he could still touch metal. "Come on man, let me have this. I didn't have the traditional high school experience, so I'm getting it all out while I can."

Cyborg was about to rebut, but slowly closed his mouth. Thinking back on his experience with the H.I.V.E., he could understand where his green friend was coming from.

Turning the corner they noticed two police officers and a man in a suit, speaking to the principal of the school, but once they saw the two approaching hurriedly stepped into the office.

"Huh? Wonder what that's about?"

Cyborg shook his head. "Whatever it is, it's not our problem. It's not our city."

Beast Boy kept his eyes on the door as they passed by, his ears twitching.

"—he's been missing since the weekend." One if the officers stated. "We just need to talk to his friends and teachers."

Missing students? Really?

"BB. Let's go."

He made a small hissing noise as a way to quiet him. "Dude, just chill out real fast." He ignored his metal friend, straining his ears to listen in on the conversation on the other side of the door.

"—I can give you a copy of his schedule, and his best friends are Matthew Wiley, and Doug Jones." The principal said.

"We've already spoken to his friends and unfortunately weren't able to give us much of anything." Stated the detective, "Though we would like you to make an announcement that your students should stay away from Winter's mansion."

There was silence for a beat, Beast Boy noting that it sounded like the principal was leaning back onto his chair. "Oh god… not again."

"Yes we're aware of the disappearances involving that house. We just want to make sure no one else vanishes because of that house."

Beast Boy heard the principal mutter something beneath his breath that he had a hard time making out, but sounded like, "that house should have burned down a long time ago."

—:0:—

Robin's brow was arched, a sign that he was waiting for Beast Boy to continue, but when he was met with a wide expecting smile, he responded with, "And?"

His smile dropped. "What do you mean 'and'? Dude, missing kids, weird big ol scary house, isn't that the kinda thing 'the Titans' usually handle?"

Robin twisted his face in confusion. "Not… really. I mean when have we ever done anything like that? We usually handle, you know, bigger threats."

"I tried to tell him that!" Cyborg called from the other room. The other four Titans were in the living room as Beast Boy spoke to Robin about missing people and if they could help. Raven and Starfire simply sat back to watch it unfold, Raven watching with increased interest as her boyfriend spoke.

"If people are missing," Starfire spoke, "wouldn't that be an issue for the San Francisco authorities?"

"Exactly." Robin stood up. "Not really our issue. Just leave it to the local police."

Before Robin could leave, Beast Boy stepped in front of him. "Dude, I'm telling you. The way those guys were talking, this is definitely some serious stuff going on. Stuff that I think we can help with. I can feel it…" he gestured to his stomach, "I can feel it in my jellies."

"Don't say that." Robin let out a long breath, his gaze wondering until it landed on Raven.

Given their connection and trust in one another, words were never often needed when the two communicated. A small twitch of his brow was all he needed to ask what her thoughts were, and her response was a simple quirk of the side of her lip.

Robin folded his arms. "Alright Beast Boy. You're on."

"Look I'm telling you Rob, I can feel it—wait what? 'I'm on'?"

He smiled with a nod and repeated. "You're on. If you think this is a job for the Titans, make your case. Gather evidence, make notes, do research, and convince me."

Robin Starfire and especially Raven we're all taken aback by Beast Boy's reaction. Normally he would whine and complain about the prospect of homework, but this was different. Instead he threw his fists in the air and started jumping for joy.

"All right! Go Beast Boy! Gonna make a case! Rob trusts you! Uh huh! That's right! I'm gonna get to work right now!" He spun around, only to run head first into a titanium chest armor.

"Might wanna hold off on that BB," Cyborg looked over to Robin, "speaking of 'stuff Titans handle', my scanners are picking up on a disturbance downtown, and it sounds like the local PD could use some help."

Starfire bounded up beside Robin. "Now that is the job for the Teen Titans!"

Beast Boy slumped his shoulders. "Awe man. Oh well, I haven't kicked bad guy butt in a while, and I think it's time!" He puffed out his chest. "Titans—!"

"Hey!" Robin interrupted him, "that's my line."

So I've been going through some crap over the last few months and it's only going to get worse, but I've been chipping away at this story and thought it would be fun to publish. Hope you enjoyed it and are sticking around for what's to come.