Chapter Two

"What happened to you?"

Raven came up from behind Beast Boy. She tried to look at his hand, but he pulled it out of her view. Raven moved past him slowly, still trying to get a glimpse. Beast Boy knew she sensed something wrong. And he also knew how pointless it was to try to hide it.

"What got to you? The monster under your bed?" Raven joked.

Actually, yes. Something grabbed me from under the bed and it held my hand and I freaked, but it's not like you'd give a damn, 'cause all you can do is laugh as if it were some corny joke!

"I fell." And that was all Beast Boy could come up with, and of course it was just equally as dumb as the truth would sound. Raven passed, eying him as if he were a suspect of murder.

Beast Boy sat down on the couch and stared at the bandage on his hand for a long time. A very long time...

"Give me your hand."

"Excuse me?" Beast Boy looked at Raven strangely as she sat beside him on the couch.

"Let me see your hand, I want to help you." She said flatly.

"Oh." Beast Boy let her put his hand on her lap.

Raven unraveled the bandage and placed on the cushion beside her. A sudden chill ran through his numbing fingers. Beast Boy watched Raven as she stared at the marks for a long while. It reminded him of the time when Robin was lost and she'd helped him. That moment had meant so much more to him than it seemed. He'd liked her then. And perhaps she liked him. But that was then; this was now.

"I'm not sure what I-I could d-do."

Beast Boy had never heard Raven stutter before, and that worried him. She was always so calm, so cool. Now she took her hands away from him. The eerie purple glow around her hands died out. Now her face was blue and she gripped her neck with her hands, her fingernails noticeably digging into her skin. She took a long gasp for air. Finally, she coughed, able to breathe but the cough was un-normal; very wrong. She could breathe now and the blue faded from her face. She looked at Beast Boy nervously, almost telling him in her own way that things were bad. Or worse than that. That everything had lost all hope. But Beast Boy quickly got rid of those thoughts.

Raven came close to vomiting, but she swallowed it. Beast Boy looked at her and felt strange; stranger than ever. It wasn't fear, and it wasn't at all guilt. And he laughed. A short, strange laugh, but a laugh all the same. He clamped a hand over his mouth with a smacking sound. Raven ran out of the room, a nauseating gagging sound arising in her throat. Now he felt guilty. Of course he didn't mean to laugh. But he did. For some unknown reason, he did.

But suddenly all guilt was lost and replaced. His heart raced seconds, and he came extremely close to smiling. Starfire entered the room.

"Starfire," Robin hopped over the sofa to greet her. She smiled.

"What is the mater with Raven?" she asked, trying desperately not to sound rude. Robin looked around as if searching the walls for an answer. He had none to give.

"Guess she's not feeling very well." Cyborg said cheerfully. Lately he'd been very cheerful around Starfire. Perhaps he was trying to charm her. Beast Boy's nostril's flared.

"Should I cheer her up?"

Maybe she just needs some rest." Robin suggested, but even if Starfire didn't, Beast Boy knew that was just an excuse. Robin would do just about anything to get Starfire to himself. All to himself.

Yeah, go on to Robin's room. Go on, Starfire. Don't cheer Raven up; the witch could cheer herself up. Go on and show Robin what's under those wings and halo. The nights still young, go on to Robin's bed, sure it's big enough.

Beast Boy grinned, but soon found himself surprised he even had such thoughts in his head. He looked to Starfire. She was smiling and talking to Robin. Beast Boy wasn't sure exactly what she was saying; probably talking to him about a new "discovery" for that day on Earth, but Robin was blushing. Beast Boy looked down at his hand. The punctures were swollen red and slightly infected. When he poked it, puss appeared on his hand. The bandage still lay on the couch. He brought his eyes back to Starfire. He recalled Robin standing in his doorway.

Starfire thought it was a dream, didn't she? All a nightmare. But you know it wasn't. She can't know. Not now... Something is wrong, and you know it.

Beast Boy grabbed the bandage and hurried out of the room.

Something was wrong. Terribly wrong. Something was, is, something...

Beast Boy began to slip his glove off and threw that, along with the bandage, into the trash.

Something will be.

Beast Boy had tried to hide every trace of that day. He hoped it would never be brought up again; hoped it would never have to be. Beast Boy now lay down next to Starfire, who, head dropped against a pillow, gazed wondrously at the stars above. The roof was a nice place to watch the stars; probably the best spot in the city, or beyond. It had taken a while for the sky to clear of clouds, but now that it had, it was a wonderful sight, at a wonderful moment. Beast Boy turned to Starfire, and he looked into her eyes. Those eyes... How they'd screamed for him... How...

"Star light, star bright, first star I see tonight," Beast Boy interrupted his thoughts with the corny phrase as he looked at her. She'd blushed.

"I wish I may, I wish I might."

Starfire jumped up to greet Robin. He laid a blanket on her shoulders and gave her a light squeeze.

"Why don't you two come in for the night? It's getting chilly."

Beast Boy realized he was looking at Starfire, probably more directing that comment to only Starfire, but he answered anyway, "I think I'll stay out here for a few more minutes."

"Suit yourself." Robin said shrugging, as he led Starfire inside.

"I wish I may, I wish I might." Beast Boy repeated.

And to himself, unless perhaps he meant for Beast Boy to hear it, Robin whispered quietly, "Take this girl for all my life."

And Beast Boy had heard, whether it was intended or not, and he stared back up at the starry skies. And eventually, under the dim light of the moon, Beast Boy drifted into sleep.