Teen Titans – Dangerous Dance

Friendly Ties –

I'd like to thank, from the bottom of my heart, all the people who reviewed, and for their wonderful words of encouragement. I'd also like to thank everyone who reads this fic, for the simple reason that it makes the time I put into writing it, worth the effort. On that note, please enjoy, and I'll see you next chapter.

On the fifth day after Robin and Starfire had been gone from any reach of the Teen Titans, Cyborg, Beast Boy, and Raven had to break their vows of not sleeping before they found Robin and Starfire. No matter how much they may have wanted to keep it, there was just no getting around the fact that they were all too tired to move much, not to mention lift ruble. So, once again, the Teen Titans made their way back to the Titan Tower. Each fell asleep almost immediately upon reaching their bed.

It was still dark outside when Raven found that she could not sleep anymore. She slowly made her way into the kitchen to make a cup of tea. She found, that lately, tea had a way of calming her nerves. Once it had brewed and she put a few teaspoons of sugar in it, she settled herself down in a chair in the living room. She looked out the still-dark window on the other side of the room. Her mind had kept running over the same possibilities, one at a time. Where were Starfire and Robin? Were they alright? and most of all Why were they not answering their com-links? Raven had tried to contact both of them, several times, but there was never any answer. She supposed that either, her signal wasn't getting through to them, they were injured or worse, or that they were separated from their com-links. Not that it would have made such a big difference as far as finding them goes, but still it would have been comforting to know if they were alright.

She took a sip of her tea, frowning at the window.

"You couldn't sleep either, huh?" A voice called softly from across the room, making Raven jump. She looked to her left and saw Beast Boy sitting cross-legged on the couch. He looked very tired, and his face didn't seem to have its usual joking expression.

Raven watched silently as Beast Boy uncrossed his legs, putting them flat on the floor. Then putting his elbows on his knees, he let his hands dangle to the floor. He bowed his head to look down at them for a moment before straightening himself back up and running a hand over his tired face. When he had done all this in complete silence, he turned back to Raven. A smile came over his exhausted expression, trying to comfort the young sorceress.

"I know how you feel," He said at last, "I miss them too."

Raven, who had let her attention wander slightly, snapped her head back in his direction. Then she let her eyes wander again for a moment. "Yes," she said after a few moments, "it's a bit empty here without them."

There was an awkward pause for a moment before Beast Boy decided that it was too quiet. "I see you've taken to drinking tea." There was a hesitant pause before Beast Boy continued, "Robin would always start drinking tea whenever he got nervous, too."

"Yeah, I thought...if it works for him...it might work for me too," Raven said, shrugging.

Beast Boy smiled a little wider, "Yeah, I suppose so."

There was another awkward pause. It was Raven's turn to break the silence this time.

"You know," she said, putting the mug of tea down on the coffee table in front of her, "I've never seen you this serious before. Usually, you end up making a joke or something half way through a conversation."

There was a slightly hesitant pause before Beast Boy answered, "Well, I guess, we're just all tired and worried." He offered her a toothy grin.

Raven nodded, ignoring his efforts to make her feel better, "Yeah. I suppose...I'll feel better, though, when Robin is back to making the decisions."

Beast Boy nodded, "Yeah, I guess. Still...even when we find him and Starfire...more than likely...they are going to need some time to recover."

Raven frowned and nodded, "Yes, I know. That doesn't mean I have to like it, though."

Beast Boy nodded thoughtfully, trying to hide his utter amazement at getting such a long conversation with Raven. He was too surprised that she was actually admitting to what she was feeling, to try and joke about any of it. Raven had picked her mug back up and was drinking her tea again. Silence had fallen between them again.

"What do you think they are doing right now, anyway?" Beast Boy ventured, hoping that this wasn't going too far.

"Probably trying to survive and get out anyway possible. What do you think?" Raven said.

"I think...that if they haven't gotten out yet, something's happened to Robin. I know he would try any way possible to get out if he was well and able. on the other hand, Starfire is more of the 'wait and see' type. More than likely, since they're not out yet...it's not Starfire that's injured."

Raven nodded, "Yeah...that's what I was afraid of." Raven took her mug walking to the sink and put it in there, along with all the other dirty dishes. She stood there for a moment before looking back at Beast Boy, who was watching her.

"I suppose, it's just easier to think of Robin as the person who always takes care of everyone else. The person who always gives the orders." Raven said.

Beast Boy nodded, "I know what you mean."

Raven returned to her chair, next to the couch, looking over at Beast Boy. "Still, I'm a bit worried about Starfire. I don't think she's as strong as Robin that way. Robin can handle just about anything...from what I've seen. Over the years, he was always the one that would never quit. He gave the orders and he never let anyone slack off. He never let any of us down."

"Yeah, that's about what it comes down to," Beast boy replied. His head bobbed in the air.

Raven gave him a half grin. There was another brief moment of silence.

"So, I take it...that was the reason you couldn't sleep tonight?" Raven asked.

"Yeah," Beast Boy nodded, "As I said, I'm worried, just like you and Cyborg are." He paused for a moment before continuing, "Although, it looks as if Cyborg was too tired to worry."

A genuine giggle came from a now wide-smiling Raven. She wasn't entirely sure why she was laughing, but it felt good somehow. It made some of her fear leave her, replaced by a kind of happiness that she had never felt before. She could see Beast Boy smile too after she had finally stopped giggling.

It suddenly became clear to Raven exactly why everyone got along so well with Beast Boy. He was funny, he was green, and he was friendly. On some level, he reminded her of the song "Blue." Only, he was just the opposite. She started to let her mind wander into the possibilities of Beast Boy having his own song, which would be called "Green." Only, instead of saying that everything was sad and boring because it was blue, it would be happy and exciting because it was green, which totally described Beast Boy in every possible way.

Raven pulled her mind out of these thoughts, suddenly aware of how very foolish they were. She focused her attention back on Beast Boy.

"—which was why Robin said that in the first place. Of course Starfire agreed with him," Beast Boy said, pausing for a moment, then continuing on, "I suppose that's why the whole thing was a success; just for the simple reason that Cyborg didn't go with us that day. Don't you think?"

Raven stared at him briefly, then blinked and nodded, "Oh...y-yeah." She wasn't about to tell him that she had no earthly idea what he was talking about.

"So, what do you think about the whole thing between Robin and Starfire, anyway? They've been chasing around it for a while, haven't they? Every time they get close, one of them either blows it off and says they're just friends, or something happens that separates them," Beast Boy said.

Raven nodded thoughtfully. Relieved that she now knew what the conversation was about, again. "Yes, but who knows? Maybe they really are just friends."

Beast Boy shook his head, "That's not what Cyborg said he saw them at the dancing thing that night. He said that they were hanging together a lot. He also said they made a nice couple," Beast laughed, letting his gaze wander slightly, before looking back at Raven.

"Yes, well...that night was a bit of a fantasy land to everyone, I think...until the mansion blew up," Raven's gaze drifted to the floor.

"I know what you're thinking, Raven, but stop beating yourself up over it. It's not worth it. Besides, it's not your fault," Beast Boy said before stifling a yawn.

Raven nodded, "Yeah, I know." She rose out of her chair, crossing the room to look out the window, "But still...it doesn't seem right that it had to happen to Robin and Starfire. It really should have happened to all of us."

"Aww...see, now you're ruining it. You and I both know that, if anyone can handle having a three story house collapse on them, it's Robin and Starfire," Beast Boy said teasingly. His head bobbed up and down again in an energetic fashion.

Raven shrugged back at him and nodded, "Alright, I'll give you that one, but only because you're right." She returned to her chair again, finding herself looking at the floor again. There was silence for a moment. Beast Boy opened his mouth to speak, but Raven started first.

"When I was very young," She said as she stared at the coffee table in front of her, "I did anything and everything to stand out. It made objects float around the house, I threw temper tantrums by picking up large objects and tossing them magically across the room, and I just didn't think friends were worth the trouble..."

Beast boy blinked, he wasn't sure how to act to Raven's sudden openness. It was as if she had rewarded his jokes and friendly talk by tossing him a key to her deepest buried emotions. He decided to just listen for the moment.

"When I was a little older, I wanted to be emotionless and strong. I didn't want to be dependent on anyone, so I buried everything deep down, hoping that, that was where it would all stay. Since then, I've been that way. Desperately trying not to feel anything. Not really caring one way or the other what happens to anyone else...well, as long as they don't die or anything. Doing things loyally without complaint. I've been that way so long, that's it hard to remember how to not be that way. I suppose, what I'm trying to say is...I admire you. I admire you for being able to be so open, so cheery, even in the worst of circumstances. That is something that I could never achieve," Raven said, finally coming to a stop, which left a brief silence.

"I...uh...I really don't know what to say..." Beast Boy tried to answer her compliment.

"You don't have to say anything," Raven said, rising out of her chair once again. She stood up and looked at Beast Boy for a moment, then, as if to finalize what she had just said, she added, "Now, I'm going back to bed. You should do the same. We all have a very long day ahead of us, tomorrow." She walked to the hall, calling, "Good night," before making her way back to her room.

Beast Boy just sat there for a moment, amazed at everything that had just happened—allowing himself to take it in—before walking back to his own room. Within minutes the Teen Tower was dark once again, and a peaceful feel filled it, letting all of its occupants find a deep, comfortable slumber.