Chapter 2: Meet the Depressed

"Okay, so there's 'Pickman's Model' or 'Dagon'," Cyborg stated, holding up the DVDs of both movies to Raven as she sat reading a book.

Her eyes flickered up to examine the disks being held up, "I don't care. I'll just be reading."

"Awww, c'mon, Raven," the half-robot pleaded, "These are two really good horror movies! I can't decide without Beast Boy around."

Raven stared back for a beat. "You two always argue over the movie."

"Exactly!" exclaimed Cyborg with a grin, "Whatever he says means we should watch the opposite."

At that moment, the door opened and in walked Starfire, Beast Boy and the late addition still carrying her books. "What's up, folks?"

"Beast Boy!" Cyborg cried with a bright smile, "I was just deciding what to watch! 'Dagon' or 'Pickman's Model'?"

The green titan paused, considering for a moment, "Definitely 'Dagon'."

"'Pickman's Model' it is!" Cyborg stated, lifting the winner in one hand.

"Actually, Cyborg," Starfire interjected, "We were hoping to engage in some playing of the games of video with our new friend." The alien girl motioned back to the silent Vivian, clutching her books like a lifeline.

"Oh, hey, I didn't know we had company," Cyborg stated cheerily, putting down the movies and moving over to the brown haired girl. He towered over her and she offered a flickering, nervous smile in return, "I'm Cyborg, Who are you little lady?"

"I'm V-Vivian. Vivian Starr. Wow! I can't... c-can't believe I'm actually here with, um... the Teen Titans!" Vivian's gray eyes shifted over towards where Raven had returned to reading, "And... that's... Raven, right?"

The dark girl again shifted her eyes from the pages of the book, turning them to gaze at the shy girl. For a moment, a feeling of... something... passed through her. Just a flash, but it was there. Something at once alien yet familiar, frightening yet comforting, wild yet controlled. A very contradictory feeling. A feeling that made her slightly uneasy. Of course, her face betrayed none of this and instead she merely nodded once and said, "Yes."

"Wow, this is great!" gushed Vivian happily, moving over and sitting down on the couch next to the purple haired girl and setting her books on the coffee table in front of her.

"What is?" a voice said from the doorway.

"Robin!" Starfire squealed happily, hurrying over and embracing the Boy Wonder in a crushing hug, "You have returned!"

"Yes," he stated in a slightly strangulated voice before the alien teen released him, a faint blush disappearing on his cheeks, "I'm back. It was just a short trip."

"How was Gotham?" Cyborg asked, sitting on the opposite side of Raven who had since once more returned to her book.

Robin shrugged, "It was the same as usual. Things are a little better there now, I think. Anyway, I have some interesting news."

"Oh?" Beast Boy asked, sitting down next to the once again quiet Vivian and smoothly placing an arm over the top of the couch behind her, "What's up?"

"I had a talk with Mister Bruce Wayne while there," Robin stated, walking further into the room, "Apparently, Wayne Enterprises' archeology department as made an interesting discovery. Something about a set of Hittite inscriptions. Anyway, before heading to Gotham they're going to come through Jump City. It'll stay here for a few days at a warehouse before being donated to Gotham University for investigation. He said he wanted us to look after it."

Cyborg arched an eyebrow, "Look after some dusty old relics? Isn't that more of a job for security guards?"

"There's been some robberies recently of artifacts like this in Gotham and Metropolis," Robin reported, "Mister Wayne is worried the same thing could happen to his company's find." He paused, noticing the small, quiet girl sitting serenely next to Beast Boy, listening to the shop talk. "Oh, hi there."

Vivian smiled weakly and wiggled her fingers in greeting.

"This is Vivian!" Beast Boy stated with a grin, "I met her at the museum I took Star to today. We invited her to play some video games with us."

Robin paused before smiling and nodding, eyes brushing over the books on the table. "Pleased to meet you, Vivian. These yours?"

"Y-yes," Vivian replied timidly.

"'Egyptian Hieroglyphics and the Rosetta Stone', 'Ancient Sanskrit', 'Wheelock's Latin', 'Toban's Spirit Guide'..." Robin read off the titles, "That's quite a collection there."

Vivian smiled wanly and shrugged her shoulders, "I'm, uh... g-good at languages, I guess. My only, um... my only t-talent. Not like all of you." She sighed heavily, dreamily, "You all are amazing. I... I always w-wanted super powers. I really wish I had something special." Suddenly, her timid features twisted into a mask of viciousness, a hateful sneer on her features, eyes glittering with wild, intense, anger, "How easily I could rain destruction on all who vex me!" Her fist clenched tight. Again, Raven felt that twinge of... something. Much stronger this time.

All of the other Titans just sat, staring at the girl blankly before the hate and anger melted away from Vivian's face. "What? Is... oh... d-did I say s-something wrong?" she asked, voice once again timid and uneasy, looking around at the other teens.

"No," Raven stated dryly, voice heavy with sarcasm, "We constantly have guests talk about how much they could 'rain destruction' on people."

Vivian deflated slightly, gray eyes shining with tears. She stood up and shakily gathered her books. "I should... I s-should go," she murmured softly.

"No, wait, Vivian!" Beast Boy said, standing and putting his hands up in a placating motion, "Don't go. Raven didn't mean it."

Vivian forced a smile and shook her head, "N-no, that's okay. It's getting late, anyway. I need to get home."

Beast Boy frowned but nodded, "Okay. Well, hey... you can come back any time!"

"Can I really?!" Vivian asked, brightening considerably, "Wow! That's great! I'll... uh... come back tomorrow, maybe? Anyway, I should leave. It was very nice meeting you all. See ya! I, um... c-can see myself out." Hurriedly, the brown haired girl moved to the exit and left.

As soon as Vivian had left, Beast Boy spun around and glared at Raven, "Just what do you think you were doing?"

"Stating the obvious," Raven replied, not looking up from the pages, "I can't help it if your new girlfriend--"

"She's not my girlfriend!" Beast Boy yelled, cutting the dark teen off, "We're just friends!"

"Yeah, right," Raven stated flatly, looking up from the book, "Well, then, you have quite the track record when it comes to picking up 'just friends'."

Beast Boy stood, stunned by Raven's words. "Dude, I cannot believe you just said that," he whispered, anger welling up inside him. Hands clenched at his sides, the titan turned and began to stalk out of the room.

"Friends, please!" Starfire interjected worriedly, "This should be a time of celebration! We should be singing joyously now that Beast Boy's new friend of girl--"

"SHE'S NOT MY GIRLFRIEND!" Beast Boy shouted before returning to his previous idea of stalking out of the room.

Silence reigned for several moments before Cyborg looked over at Raven who had, again, returned to the book. "Girl, that was cold. Don't you think you should go apologize?"

Raven frowned slightly, glancing at Cyborg, "Why?"

"Cyborg's right, Raven," Robin stated matter-of-factly, "Bringing up Terra—"

"I didn't say anything about Terra," Raven interjected.

"No, but you sure made the implication," Robin countered, "Beast Boy isn't stupid. He can read between the lines."

Raven pursed her lips and shut her book with a snap. "All right," she assented grumpily, "Since it seems I won't get any reading done until I do, I'll go apologize. But I was only stating a fact." She stood and headed off towards Beast Boy's room, cloak billowing behind her.