Okay, here is one of the new chapters. It will actually have 2 songs, neither of which have anything to do with the holidays (well, I guess one does) and for the sake of argument, in my twisted little universe (the one in the story) lets all believe me when I say Beast Boy's birthday is December 22. When I wrote this, I was planning on it being on the 14th, or possibly the 29th, but then I realized it was too late to have it be on the 14th, and since I wanted to be finished by the 24th, I couldn't have it on the 29th…
So, I'll start rambling. To any Parrot heads, you'll probably like the next two chapters (or at least the songs in them).
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Beast Boy sat alone in his "room", a small cubicle in an abandoned office building in San Diego. He had been sent to scout at the area around Slade's palace to help them plan an attack. It was a show of confidence in him; not only was he away from Raven (or as away as he could be with the spell linking them), but he was also in charge of a dozen commandos. Ten of the commandos were out on missions. The other, Kyle, was being treated for mild injuries in the previous battle, and he was going to be on the next mission.
Beast Boy sat in silence in his room. He looked around, and opened the small pack he had brought with him. There were only a few items: spare clothes for about a week (and he doubted he'd live that long), Robin's gear, Terra's gift, and Starfire's Photo book. Beast Boy took out the book and flipped through it.
The first couple pictures were of just after the Titan's had been formed. He saw one that was of all of them sleeping after Raven's powers had been taken over by her fear. They all lay scattered around the living room (except for Star, who was taking the picture).
After a couple pages, he came to some of a party. Looking at them, he realized that they were of his birthday party from the year before. He had killed the others on Christmas, and his party had been on December 22. With a start, he realized it was once again the 22nd.
Beast Boy sighed and closed the book. From the room next to his, he heard soft music playing. He realized that he hadn't seen or heard a TV or radio since he had woken up. No one was left alive to run the stations anymore.
Beast Boy carried the book with him into Kyle's cubicle, where the music was coming from. There was a CD player sitting on the side of a small cot, and he recognized the singer, although he couldn't quite remember the name or the songs. Finally the next song started. It was one he had heard several times before, and he sat and listened to the soft words.
Here I'm singing "Happy Birthday";
Better think about the wish I make.
This year gone by ain't been a piece of cake.
Everyday's a revolution;
Pull it together and it comes undone.
Just one more candle and a trip around the sun.
Well, this year had been a hard one… not for him, really. He had been unconscious for most of it. But for the rest of the people, it sure as hell had been. Beast Boy looked at the book, gently sliding his hand across the cover.
I'm just hangin' on while this old world keeps spinning,
And its good to know it's out of my control.
It was a comfort to know that he wasn't really responsible for the deaths of his team. He'd have long since given up if he had. He had no control whatsoever of anything that happened. He was Raven's puppet, doing what she told him to do so that they could destroy Slade… and Terra.
If there's one thing that I've learned from all this livin',
It's that it wouldn't change a thing if I let go.
It probably wouldn't make a difference if he just let go. Slade and Terra had control now. They had been able to get one victory, but they were still outnumbered 30 to 1. But what If it did change things?
No you never see it comin'Always wind up wonderin' where it went.
Only time will tell if it was time well spent.
The only way to find out if this was a waste of time was to go through with it. He just hoped he would have the time to do something worthwhile with the time he had left.
It's another revelation:
Celebrating what I should have done
With these souvenirs of my trip around the sun.
Souvenirs… he had gotten pain. But he had also gotten friendship. There were so many things he wished he could've done differently with their friendships. If he had, maybe he could've fought Slade's control. A fight over what to have for breakfast or what videogame to play seemed like stupid things in the long run.
I'm just hangin' on while this old world keeps spinning,
And its good to know it's out of my control.
But if everything was out of his control, it wouldn't have made any difference, would it? He thought long and hard about that as he flipped idly through the book. It was hard to believe that 363 days ago he and his friends were… enjoying themselves.
If there's one thing that I've learned from all this livin',
It's that it wouldn't change a thing if I let go.
I wish I could let go, Beast Boy thought, but Raven needs my help.
Yes I'll make a resolutionThat I'll never make another one.
It was a good idea. Beast Boy decided to live by those words. He didn't need a resolution. He probably wouldn't be living long enough. And if he did, Raven could make a resolution for him.
Just enjoy this ride on my trip around the sun.
Just enjoy this ride…
As the song ended, Beast Boy wished he could enjoy his trip around the sun. He looked sadly at a picture of all of them, taken from a newspaper. It was of all of them at the 4th of July parade last year, all celebrating.Raven was actually smiling, although she didn't completely understand the concept of the holiday, and Starfire was happily looking at all the floats. Cyborg was taunting Beast Boy. Robin looked exhausted, but extremely happy.
Until it's done…Yeah, he thought, I'll keep this up… for them. He would keep going. Maybe he wouldn't enjoy the ride anymore, but he'd ride it… for all of them.
"Who are they?" Kyle asked from the entrance to the cubicle. He gestured to the picture. Beast Boy looked at him. He hadn't heard him enter. Then he sighed and looked down at the picture.
"They're my old friends…" he pointed to each of them, "This is obviously Raven… You've spoken to her."
"She's happy," Kyle said, "Smiling and everything."
"Yeah," Beast Boy said, looking at her face. After a moment, he added, "She isn't very often though… And this is Starfire. Then Cyborg, and Robin."
Kyle smiled, "They're all so happy there… It's been so long since I've seen anyone happy. Where are they?"
Beast Boy hesitated a moment, then sighed. He took out his communicator and asked Cyborg to see if they could all come, if it wasn't too much work. Moments later, Robin, Starfire, and the odd phantom of Cyborg appeared behind Beast Boy.
Kyle looked at them, confused and slightly scared. The Titan ghosts understood what had happened. Starfire laughed and sat down next to Beast Boy and looked at the pictures. Cyborg stood slightly uncomfortably behind Beast Boy, and Robin spoke to Kyle.
"Uh… Hey," he said, "I heard you took out a ton of Slade's robots. Good job, and I'm sorry about your friend."
Kyle looked down at Beast Boy, saying, "What happened?"
"I killed them," Beast Boy said, "Slade took over my body, and forced me to kill them."
Cyborg grabbed Beast Boy's shoulder and gave it a squeeze. He shivered slightly. Kyle looked at him, then nodded.
"Yeah, well… I haven't exactly been perfect, either," he said, "My friend, Nate, was a strong believer in Slade. I knew the truth better than Nate. During the battle, he tried to stop me from attacking the robots. I was forced to kill him."
The others looked at the ground. The spirits slowly faded. Beast Boy looked up, "I need a second in command… and since you're the most experienced person here, and the one I trust most, I'm putting you in charge."
Kyle saluted, shouting, "Yes, sir!"
After an awkward moment, Kyle let his hand drop. The song that had been playing ended, and another started. Beast Boy hummed quietly along to the opening. Somewhere on the East Coast, planning an attack, Raven heard the words going through her brain, and she listened to them. She began to sing the first verse.
The lights in the harborDon't shine for me.
I'm like a lost ship;
Lost on the sea…Raven felt lost. She was torn between not wanting to hurt Beast Boy (who was, after all, her only friend now), and wanting to kill him. He had killed her other friends. Every good thing, she had shunned. Every good thing that any of them had done for her. Why? Because it wasn't for her. But now she knew differently.
The Sea of Heartbreak.
Lost love and loneliness,
Memories of your caress;
So divine.
I wish that you were mine
Again my dear.
I'm on a sea of tears…
A sea of heartbreak.
Raven knew that, for a time, Beast Boy had loved her. Perhaps he always had. And for quite a while following Malchior's abuse of her trust, she had loved him. She still did, deep down, but she couldn't ever show love to a murderer, even an unwilling one. She feel silent and thought.
How did I lose you?Where did I fail?
Why did you leave me,
Always to sail…
Beast Boy sang along quietly. He felt horrible. He had failed his friends. He had failed Raven. There had been hints she had liked him, but each time, he had been his normal stupid self. And now it was too late. How could she ever like him now?
The Sea of Heartbreak?
Lost love and loneliness,
Memories of your caress;
So divine.
I wish that you were mine
Again my dear.
I'm on a sea of tears…
A sea of heartbreak.
He wished he could be with her. He hoped he could someday prove himself worthy of her love, or at least her friendship. Memories of the times they had actually gotten along well flashed through his mind.
Raven smiled slightly. Maybe someday, she would forgive him. After all this was over she might. Although many miles separated them, Beast Boy's and Raven's voices sang together.
Oh what I'd give to sail back to shore;
Back to your arms once more.
Beast Boy wanted, more than anything, to be with Raven. And he would do anything to be with her.
Raven thought that maybe she did still love him. It was a difficult thought for her, since she hadn't even admitted to herself that she loved him before he had murdered her friends. But she needed to be with someone now.
So come to my rescue;
Come here to me.
Take me, and keep me,
Away from this sea;
Although neither would admit it, both Titans needed the other. That was why the spell had worked. That was why, although there was no way the could've known it, the both sang.
This Sea of Heartbreak.
Lost love and loneliness,
Memories of your caress;
So divine.
I wish that you were mine
Again my dear.
I'm on a sea of tears…
A sea of heartbreak.
Beast Boy would prove it. He would personally kill Terra. Then he would be worthy of Raven's love.
Raven smiled. She would give him a chance; if he did what she told him to do. Once he helped defeat Slade, she would forgive him…
Kyle looked at him uncomfortably, and then slowly left to find food and to get the reports from the incoming scouts.
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Ok, yeah, that was kinda stupid. I had free time, and I wanted to put something for the 22nd. I wasn't sure how I wanted to do this, but I guess it worked. Next chapter Beast Boy and Raven reunite for the final battle. That could be interesting, lol…