CHAPTER SIX
As another roar echoed over the city, the Titans could see a huge black shape running toward them.
"Scatter!" Robin barely had time to yell as the Beast rushed past them and tore into the monster with a vengeance. Blood, muscle and tissue flew everywhere. When he was finished, the monster was dead. But the Beast wasn't finished. He started sniffing around, moving through blood and body parts. Finally, the Beast found Raven's limp body laying at the foot of a building. He howled sadly and gently picked her up in his mouth. When he turned and saw the three remaining Titan's through, he growled and snarled at them.
"Stay back!" Robin warned Cyborg when he started to advance.
"What! Why! We can't just let that thing take Raven!" Cyborg argued.
"That thing is our teammate!" Robin shot back. "And he won't hurt Raven, you know that! But he might hurt us if we try to take her and he thinks we pose a threat to her." He began to back away, hands held palm up and away from his body, drawing Starfire with him as he went. "Back up Cyborg." He ordered. Cyborg looked torn, but also began to back up, grumbling as he did so. The Beast continued to growl until he was satisfied they were a safe distance away from Raven, then with one leap it jumped onto the roof of a near by building and began to run away.
"Everyone in the T car!" Robin yelled. The remaining team piled into Cyborg's car, with Cyborg driving, Robin riding shot gun and Starfire in the back seat. "Follow it. But keep your distance, we don't want to spook it."
"Right." Cyborg nodded and pressed a button on his dash, revealing a locator beacon. "I'm homing in on Raven's communicator, like last time." He explained. Robin nodded and kept his eyes on the screen so Cyborg could drive.
"Robin, why is Beast Boy changing?" Starfire asked. Robin frowned, not taking his eyes off the screen.
"Left Cyborg." He directed, then glanced over his shoulder at Starfire for a second before looking back at the screen. "I'm not sure. The first time it was because those chemicals unleashed it, and Beast Boy was forced to turn into the Beast when he and Raven were in danger. But now, I think he keeps transforming against his will because he doesn't understand his own transformation yet. When he transformed to save Raven, it was instinct. Something inside himself, something primal, reacted to Raven being in danger. He doesn't trust any of us because we attacked him when he was in Beast form and the instincts of the Beast tell him that we can't be trusted."
"But Beast Boy trusts us." Cyborg protested.
"You need to turn right up here. I know that." Robin continued. "But Beast Boy isn't in charge right now, the Beast is. Turn left." Robin didn't take his eyes off the screen, but Cyborg still felt like their leader was glaring at him.
Up ahead, the Beast flew past windows and over streets, Raven still hanging from his jaws, as helpless and as safe as a newborn kitten in it's mother's mouth. The Beast passed one window that was still lighted.
"Whoa! What was that?" The teenage girl asked her parents. They shook their heads.
"Don't worry about it dear. What ever it is, the Teen Titans will take care of it." Her mother assured her.
The Beast continued to run. He didn't know where he was going, but he was getting so tired. His legs ached from the effort of keeping up his speed, and his jaws ached from even Raven's slight weight. He had to get to somewhere safe where he could set her down. She had to be safe, that was the only thing that mattered. He had to keep her safe, and stop those other people from taking her away. He growled at the thought and tightened his grip on her cape. No, he wouldn't let that happen, he wouldn't let them take her.
He finally arrived in the park next to the ocean where the Titans often went for a day of rest. The Beast didn't know this of course. All that interested him was a small deserted clearing in the woodsy area of the park. He almost stumbled a few times getting there, just managing to catch himself each time. He was so tired. And Beast Boy was fighting him, trying to regain control. The Beast growled and mashed the annoying boy down. He was in charge now, not the boy.
The Beast finally reached the clearing. He set Raven down gently, and curled up next to her as he watched her. She seemed to be okay. Her eyes were closed and she was floating gently, a few inches off the ground. The Beast didn't know why she was doing that, but something from Beast Boy's mind told him that it was okay, it was helping Raven, so he didn't worry. But he did worry about those people catching up. He raised his nose and sniffed, but didn't smell anything, so he laid his head back down and continued watching Raven.
What the Beast didn't know was that the Titans were coming up from behind him, downwind so to speak so as not to alert him. But when he heard them enter the clearing, the Beast's head shot up and he growled at them.
"Now, Starfire!" Robin yelled. Starfire shot down from above and scooped up Raven, landing in front of the Titans. The Beast roared, and paced back in forth in front of them, but didn't dare attack. He howled and roared through. Suddenly his pitiful howls woke Raven, who began trying to fight her way out of Starfire's arms.
"Put me down!" She yelled, her hood falling back and revealing that her eyes were wide and frightened, locked on the Beast.
"It's okay, Raven, it's okay!" Robin yelled. "We got you, don't worry."
"You don't understand!" Raven finally freed herself from Starfire. "Beast Boy's trapped inside! He can't get out, he can't regain control! I have to help him."
"How?" Robin asked. But Raven didn't answer him, just turned on her back on him and faced the Beast. To everyone's surprise, she raised her voice and began to sing in a voice that was surprisingly beautiful.
Lay down
Your sweet and weary head
Night is falling
You have come to journey's end
The Beast stopped dead and began to howl and paw at it's ears, almost like the song was hurting it.
Sleep now
Dream-of the ones who came before
They are calling
From across a distant shore
Raven started to walk closer, continuing to sing.
Why do you weep?
What are these tears upon your face?
Soon you will see
All of your fears will pass away
To everyone's amazement, the Beast fell to the ground, writhing in pain, then seemed to collapse into unconsciousness.
Safe in my arms
You're only sleeping
Raven knelt by it's head and began to gently stroke it's fur as she sang.
What can you see
On the horizon?
Why do the white gulls cry
Then the Beast shook and began to shrink, turning back into Beast Boy.
Across the seas
A pale moon rises
The ships have come
To carry you home
He was unconscious, but slowly began to wake up as Raven sang.
And all will turn to silver glass
A light on the water
All souls pass
He stirred, then wrapped his arms around Raven's waist.
Hope fades
Into the world of night
Through shadows falling
Out of memory and time
A very small smile appeared on Raven's face as she ran her fingers through his hair.
Don't say
We have come now to the end
White shores are calling
You and I will meet again
Beast Boy started to stir again, then slowly opened his eyes.
And you'll be here in my arms
Just sleeping
Raven didn't stop singing as Beast Boy slowly sat up, and knelt in front of her, their knees touching, his arms still around her.
What can you see
On the horizon?
Why do the white gulls call?
A small smile, almost identical to Raven's, began to spread across Beast Boy's face, then he opened his mouth and his voice joined Raven's in the song.
Across the sea
A pale moon rises
The ships have come
To carry you home
Raven reached out to Beast Boy as they neared the end of the song, tears threatening to fall.
And all will turn to silver glass
A light on the water
Grey ships pass
Into the West
As they finished the song, Raven collapsed into Beast Boy's ready arms, silent tears running down her face. Beast Boy held her close, resting his chin on top of her hair as he slowly rocked her.
"It's okay." He whispered, his voice low and a little hoarse.
"I almost lost you." Raven whispered, rasing her face from his chest and staring deep into Beast Boy's eyes. "I could hear you inside the Beast's mind, screaming for me, begging for me to help you, and I couldn't reach you."
"But you did, Raven." Beast Boy reminded her with a gentle smile. "You used my mothers song to reach me and save me. As long as we have that song, you'll never lose me, no matter how much control the Beast gains." Beast Boy suddenly gulped nervously and leaned in close to Raven's ear. "No matter how much control the Beast gets when he come out, I will always love you and come back to you. I promise."
Raven pulled back with a gasp and looked at Beast Boy with wide eyes. But when she saw the truth and love in his eyes, she couldn't stop a smile from spreading across her face.
"Oh, Garfield." She whispered back, throwing her arms around him. Gar held her close, closing his eyes and breathing in her scent. Raven finally pulled back to smile at him, and Gar smiled back, reaching up to cup her cheek. Raven suddenly found herself drowning in his beautiful eyes, and Gar's gaze was locked on to Raven's wide eyes.. He slowly caressed her delicate features. Her skin was warm and soft to his touch.
"You are so beautiful Raven." He breathed softly.
Gar bent forward to kiss her, and her lips met his hungrily. For a precious heartbeat, the rest of the world slipped away, and Gar luxuriated in the intoxicating taste and feel of her.
Until a small branch that had started glowing black and floating suddenly exploded. Raven and Gar both jumped, then Gar started laughing, soon joined by Raven's soft giggling.
"They've both lost it." Cyborg declared, crossing his arms over his chest. "They had both completely and totally lost it."
"I agree." Starfire said. Robin had to laugh when Beast Boy and Raven both jumped at least a foot in the air at the sound of their two teammates voices. They looked at their teammates, both of them blushing furiously, and a tree behind Raven began to glow black.
"Come on you two!" Robin yelled, trying to lessen Raven's embarrassment so that they wouldn't all pulling splinters out of their skin until four in the morning. "Let's get home."
"Yeah." Gar agreed, standing up and pulling Raven to her feet. "Let's go home."
"I like the sound of that." Raven said with a smile of her own. "Home."
"Home." Robin agreed, walking up to his two friends and throwing his arms around both of their shoulders.
"Home." Cyborg said with a grin, giving Beast Boy and Raven a thumbs up.
"Home!" Starfire cheered.
"Home." Raven repeated, smiling at all of her friends.
"Home." Beast Boy said with a grin of his own, reaching out and taking Raven's hand which he squeezed gently.
THE END