Chapter 3
More time passed. It was another two weeks before Beastboy came into the Tower and said,
"Didn't find her. I took a picture and showed it to loads of people but no one had seen her."
They ate dinner silently. It as almost as if none of them dared to speak the words that were forming in each of their minds.
Beastboy pushed the half-eaten dinner away. Starfire asked,
"Would you like something else to eat?"
"Nah… I'm not hungry." He went upstairs. They knew he had gone to the roof. Ever since he had seen her on the roof, every evening he sat on the roof for at least an hour.
Cyborg and Robin played Autoracer for a while, as Starfire cleared the plates away. Cyborg looked up at the ceiling.
"Do you think one of us should go up there?"
"No. He needs to be alone." Robin said.
Beastboy paced the roof. He had searched all over town. Where could she be? Had she left after he had chased her?
He groaned and ran his hands through his hair.
"I'm such an idiot!" He shouted at himself. If only he hadn't chased after he. Perhaps she would have come to him. Had he scared her by running after her?
He sat down. He could hear music floating through Starfire's open window. She must have finished in the kitchen. He listened to the words.
Wishing on a dream
That seems far off
Hoping that it will come today
Into the starlit night
Foolish dreamers turn their gaze
Wishing on a shooting star
Beastboy gave a wry smile.
But what if that dream is not to come
Will their dreams fade to nothing?
When the horizon darkness most
We all need to believe there is hope
Is an angel watching closely over me?
Can there be a guiding light I've yet to see?
I know my heart should guide me but
There's a hole within my soul
Beastboy rested his head in his hands.
What will fill this emptiness
Inside of me?
Am I to be satisfied
Without knowing?
I wish then for a chance to see
Now all I need
Desperately
Is my star to come…
The music faded away. Beastboy smiled. How accurate that song was. He knew what he should do. He would wait for her. Not search desperately. Just to wait for her.
Raven fell to her feet. She had been meditating for hours. But she was too unsettled. All she could think about was the Titans.
Was it time to go home yet? It had been three weeks since she had seen Beastboy in the store. She didn't feel any different from then. She was still afraid.
Raven looked across the mirror.
"You're not going to change anything by staying here." She told herself.
The apartment block was NOT a nice place. The apartment above her had a couple constantly screaming and bickering and below her were some teenagers who played obnoxiously music 24/7.
She looked around the room. She had no belongings here. No reason to stay. Every reason to go.
Tonight. She would go tonight.
The four Titans were on the roof as the sun set. The weather had been good and they had spent the day playing ball games and were now playing a card game. Starfire looked over her hand in confusion and said,
"Robin, is this good?" Showing him her cards, his mouth dropped and threw his cards down. Cyborg glanced over and groaned.
"The only one of us who doesn't know how to play and she's winning!" Starfire looked delighted as he pushed a pile of coloured chips to her. Beastboy chortled.
Raven stood at the base of the tower. She could hear their voices from the roof. It suddenly seemed too hard. She turned away and walked over the rocks to the waters edge.
Beastboy jumped up as the wind caught one of the cards and lifted it into the air.
"I'll get it."
He caught it just before it cleared the edge of the tower. And by chance he glanced down.
Raven was standing on the water's edge.
Beastboy's face drained. The card fell from his hand and soared down. It landed just feet from Raven. She looked at it and then summoned it to her hand. Turning, she looked up and saw him.
For several moments they stood completely still.
Beastboy turned into a bird and flew down, changing back the moment he reached the ground. Raven hadn't moved. He stepped towards her, remaining several feet away.
"Hello Beastboy." She whispered, her eyes locked on him. He smiled.
"Hello Raven."
She smiled and looked down.
"Room for a prodigal Titan?"
"Always." He replied and took another step towards her and she found she couldn't hold herself back any more. Breaking into a run she flung herself at him. He caught her and swung her around several times, laughing for pure joy. She laughed too. For what seemed like an eternity they held each other, just laughing.
He held her at arms length.
"I can't believe you're here!"
"Neither can I. Don't you want to know where I was?" She asked, smiling slightly.
"Don't care. You're back." He said simply. And with that he kissed her.
On top of the tower, Cyborg, Starfire and Robin watched, smiling. Raven made a disc of black light and transported herself and Beastboy up to roof. Starfire hugged her friend tightly.
"Oh, Raven! You are back!"
"Yes. I'm back."
"Great to see you, Rae!" Cyborg said, enveloping her in a bear hug. As he put her down, Robin stepped forward.
"Glad you're back." He hugged, in a slightly nervous way, but she returned it warmly. Starfire jumped up and down with excitement.
"You are to stay with us?" She asked. Raven bit her lip.
"If you'll take me back."
"Of course we will!" Robin said incredulously. Raven still looked worried.
"But what happened with Terra-"
"You're not Terra." Beastboy said loudly. She turned to him.
He smiled.
"You're Raven. You're OUR Raven." She looked at them all and they nodded.
"We made a mistake with Terra. But you're not Terra. You're Raven." Robin said. She smiled.
"Thank you." She whispered.
There was a silence, where they all smiled at her. Then Cyborg's face fell.
"Does this mean we have to move all her stuff back upstairs? Cos it took me forever to get it down there!"