Chapter 3

If Raven heard one more man in a Santa suit yell "Ho ho ho, Merry Christmas!" she was going to scream. Quite literally.

The mall was overrun with last minute shoppers, children queuing to visit one of eight Santa's dotted around the mall (how stupid were they?!) and families who had to stop and go "ooh, aah" at every single shop window they passed. She felt sickened to the stomach.

Starfire on the other hand was having the time of her life. She turned to Raven as they passed on of the Santa's Grottos and asked,

"Who is this Santa?"

"He is a man who goes into people's houses while they are sleeping and leaves things there."

"He is… evil?" Starfire asked in confusion.

"Debatable." Raven said dryly. Starfire cocked her head in consideration.

"Then… Christmas is a day of celebration to praise this Santa?"

"I guess it is now. It used to be something else, but commercialisation and television have ruined that."

"When we return to the Tower you must tell me everything you know! But now, come and help me select gifts."

Raven leant against a wall as Starfire admired various gadgets in a shop window.

"Hmm… perhaps Robin would care for one of these?" She said, pointing at something. Raven shrugged and said,

"He'd like anything you gave him." Starfire blushed prettily and went to purchase the gift. Raven glared at a small child who was passing. The child promptly burst into tears, driving the over shopped mother to distraction.

Her attention was caught by a shop window and she went to examine it more closely. It was a comic book store, the kind usually inhabited by pasty-faced teenagers who look incredibly nervous and twitchy. Raven glanced across to Starfire. She was counting out $48 dollars in individual notes. Raven entered the shop. Lowering her hood she bent to examine a stack of comic books.

"Raven?" She looked up and saw Beast Boy staring at her. She straightened and Beast Boy said,

"What are you doing in here?"

"Starfire and I came Christmas Shopping. She's buying something for Robin right now. I thought you were still baking."

"Ran out of supplies. Came to get more, but I figured I'd call in here first and see if they had anything good. Didn't see this as your kind of store though."

"You don't know anything about me." Raven muttered. Beast Boy shrugged.

"Whatever."

They left the store and Raven glanced across at Starfire who was still counting.

"42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47 and 48 dollars! This is the correct sum?"

"Uh… yeah. Thanks." The shopkeeper said in despair. Starfire gave him a dazzling smile and floated off.

"Beast Boy! Have you come to join us in the Christmas Shopping?"

"Uh, no, I just came to get some cooking stuff. In fact, I was just asking Raven to help me. Can you manage without her?"

"Yes, I shall be fine. I will see you back at the tower!" Starfire said, flying away. Beast Boy grinned at Raven.

"Admit it. I just saved you from a fate worse than death."

"Let's just get out of here before I kill Santa and traumatise a bunch of young children." Raven said.

Beast Boy dumped the ingredients onto the counter and started to sort them out. Raven watched.

"Beast Boy, what is all this for? I know it's not all for us. Even we don't eat this much."

"Hey, I don't interfere in your life!"

"Yes, you do. Every single day. So what's going on?"

"It's nothing. Hey, you wanna try a test batch of candy? New recipe." He threw her a piece. She tasted it.

"It's good. I mean, I'm not a dessert person, but it's good."

"OK, pass me the scales." Beast Boy said, seizing a bag of flour.

Cyborg came in, carrying a bag.

"Look what we've got. Christmas mail!" He sat down in the middle of the floor and started to sort the letters.

"Robin, Robin, Beast Boy, Starfire, me, Starfire…" he said, throwing the letters and parcels. Raven stood up.

"I'm going to my room."

"Hey, I thought you were going to help me." Beats Boy said, looking up. Raven shook her head.

"No."

"Come on, Rae!" He wheedled. Raven turned away.

"I said no!" The mixture Beast Boy had just made exploded, splattering the kitchen. Cyborg looked up from his sorting.

"What is your problem?" Beast Boy yelled, wiping mix from his face. Raven didn't answer. She left the room without another word, pushing past Robin as the door opened.

Robin looked around at them.

"What's her problem?"

"The problem is that Raven is ruining this for everyone!" Beast Boy grumbled, wiping the surfaces. Robin looked at him.

"What happened?"

Beast Boy didn't answer but ran after Raven who was going into her room.

"Hey! What's with you? You didn't have to go all psycho on the pastry!"

"Leave me alone."

"Just because you hate Christmas! There's no need to ruin it for the rest of us!"

"You have no idea what you're talking about." Raven said.

"Only because you're too busy being wrapped up in yourself to care about the rest of the world."

"I have my reasons! And they're nothing to do with you, so just keep out of it!" Raven snapped. Beast Boy glared at her.

"Geez Raven, why are you bitter? We're supposed to be your friends, but how can we be friends with someone who wants ruin one of the most important times of the year!"

"Christmas is nothing but a commercial farce designed to suck in idiots with more money than sense. Christmas doesn't mean anything!" Raven shouted, shattering several windows. Beast Boy flinched at the noise and when he looked up it was just in time to see Raven's door slam shut.

Raven sank onto her bed, head clasped in her hands. He was an idiot. He had no idea… no idea of the things she most associated with what she considered the most embittering times of the year. How could he know? As far as Beast Boy was concerned, Christmas was all happiness and warmth.

Raven walked over to the window and looked out of the storm capped sea. It was cold enough to snow, but it hadn't yet. She hoped it wouldn't. It would only make things worse.

She needed to meditate. To forget all about her problems and chant those soothing words. She crossed her legs and levitated, losing herself.

Azarath

Metriom

Zinthos