Chapter 3

Beast Boy tilted his head as he watched Raven fly off. She looked really embarrassed. Since when did Raven get embarrassed?

And what could she be embarrassed about?

He turned around, and watched as the cops cuffed the Demon Diva. One of them gave her a peculiar look. "Judy Anne! How many times do I have to tell you not to steal things?"

Her head shot up. "Dad, don't call me that! I have special powers, I should be allowed to have a special name! Let me go!"

Her dad cuffed her himself, and brought her into the car. "You better hope they're easy on you at the station young lady, because when we get home you'll be in more trouble than you can imagine!"

The Teen Titans laughed as the police drove her away. Starfire clapped. "We are victorious! Shall we partake in celebrating the defeat of our foe?"

"Sounds good, why don't we go get some pizza and bring it back to the tower?" Robin said, brushing the dust from his cape.

Beast Boy rose from his place at the rocks, and went over to where the rest of the team was standing. "Awesome! I'm gonna rent us a movie!"

With that, Beast Boy changed into an eagle, and flew off, hearing his friends yell out as he left. "Better be good Beast Boy!"

He flew through the clouds above the city, the moisture creating thin dew across his feathers. Beast Boy closed his eyes for a moment, treasuring the easy transportation of gliding flight. Eagles tended to soar more than they flapped their wings, so his arms didn't get as tired, and he could take more time to enjoy the cleaner air. He lowered himself a little bit, so he was flying just underneath the clouds. Flapping his wings to gain speed, his sharp eyes looked below, trying to find the rental store. The city was a remarkable place. Already dusk was approaching, and the cars had their lights on. The oranges, pinks, and yellows seemed to glow in the air. He turned his head towards the sunset. The clouds covered the sun just enough that the rays shined out in all directions. It was so beautiful…the others didn't know what they were missing.

(Tower.)

Raven pulled her hood back as she watched the sun sink into the horizon. The others didn't know what they were missing. The sun was almost out of the sky, and some of the stars were already twinkling. Raven stood on the tower, leaning against the volleyball net. The roof was a good place for one to clear the mind. The Titan's usually preferred their rooms, but they each took a little corner of the Tower to vent: Starfire usually went to the kitchen, and ended up coming out with some bizarre new creation; Cyborg would go to the garage so he could make improvements on the T-sub and T-car; Robin took either the evidence room, or the training room; Beast Boy took the TV or the very edge of the rocks on Titan's Island; and Raven would take the roof. The roof was more of a public choice, seeing as how everyone went there at some point. In fact…

"NIGHT VOLLEYBALL!!!" Cyborg shouted. He was followed by Starfire and Robin, Starfire carrying up a steaming pizza box.

Raven shook her head, sighed, and walked to the edge of the Tower roof. She sat down cross-legged, and closed her eyes. Finding her center, focusing, Raven began to chant. "Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos…Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos…Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos…"

"Come on Raven! We need another player cuz BB ain't back yet!"

Opening one eye, Raven tried to respond nicely. "Not my game, thanks."

"It doesn't work with just three people," Robin complained, gesturing himself and the other two Titans.

Raven didn't respond to that, only closed her eyes. Starfire felt sorry for her lonely friend, so she opened the pizza box, gave the designated sections of the pie to the boys, and floated over to Raven, sitting in the same position. When Raven noticed her, a brow went up. "I thought perhaps we could meditate again. And should we get hungry, we can have pizza while we meditate, yes?"

Raven eyed the pizza, and shrugged, then used her telekinesis to raise her piece into the air, and meditated, the back of her mind controlling the pizza. After about ten minutes, her section was gone. When she noticed Starfire had eaten her own and joined the boys, she didn't know whether to be hurt or happy…happy. After all, she did want her privacy, particularly when she was meditating.

But she wasn't meditating anymore. Her eyes opened as the shadowy clouds took over what was left of the light in the sky. It was getting quite dark…where was Beast Boy anyway? He didn't normally miss chances to participate in group activities. She opened her eye again, and turned to her friends. "Where's Beast Boy?"

Robin just shot a spike at Cyborg, who groaned in anger as Starfire lifted another finger to Robin's score. From the look on Starfire's hands, it was five to one. "He said he'd rent us a movie. I don't know what he's renting, so long as it's good. Rgh!"

He volleyed the serve Cyborg shot, and Starfire turned to her friend after she lifted a finger. "I am sure Beast Boy is well. Since this is Saturday, there is probably a long line at the movie store, yes?"

Raven shrugged, then turned back around and closed her eye. This time, she tried to meditate some more. After another two minutes, her eye opened. She noticed something a little unusual this time. There was a black speck, high up in the sky headed towards her face. Raven opened both eyes. It was getting larger, and strangely shaped. "What is that?"

"It's headed straight for us! Titans! Get ready!"

Raven brought her feet to the ground, and took up a fighting stance. To state Robin's general statement more specifically, it was headed straight for her.

The thing coming their way was starting to spin as it got closer. Raven squinted to get a better view, and she noticed that is was an eagle…a green eagle! Taking flight, Raven sped into the air to reach him. Just a few feet below him she stopped, and made fists, ready to catch him with her powers. But he fell to fast, and before her powers could get a grip on him, he landed smack dab in her stomach, knocking her off balance. "Ugh!"

She covered him just in time, as she hit the top of the tower, full-force. A stab of pain shot through her when she hit the roof, but she ignored it, and opened her arms. The green eagle was attempting to open its beak, the left nostril bleeding. Before she knew what he as going to do, he changed back to his normal form right where he was, ending up with him straddling her lap, and considering her hormonal status, wasn't a very comfortable position…

She could feel the heat rising up in her cheeks again, and her lip trembled. "BeastBoygetoffme," she grumbled impatiently.

He laughed a little, not seeing the seriousness of their situation. "Sorry about the landing." He wiped the blood from his nose on his sleeve. "But I got in a big argument about this guy who was trying to take the movie I saw first!"

"So did you get the movie?" Robin asked.

Ravens head sunk deeper into the hood of her cape. It probably would have been a much more awkward situation if they were alone, since she would have means and…oppor…tunity…

'To do what,' she asked herself furiously, praying that she couldn't find an answer. This place was new to her. The word 'straddling' had only needed to be mentioned in the books she read. For things such as horse-back riding…or…

She almost squealed at the revolting thought, and quickly slid out from underneath Beast Boy, and stood up. He laughed at her some more, and for that, she gave him a sour glare, trying to conceal how cute he looked when he laughed.

Cute? Adj. cut-er, cut-est; cewt: being adorably attractive. Since when did she say that? (A/N: I know she said it in Betrothed, but she meant it sarcastically, this time it's a compliment.)

"You betcha! And I guarantee, it'll blow your mind!" His voice took on a very tedious 'sing-song' tone. He pulled a tape from his back pocket. "Zombie Eatfest VI: The Exclusive Special Edition!"

"Whatever, I'm going to my room," Raven said, making her way towards the stairs.

"Aw! Come on Raven, it's Movie Night! We can't start a movie without everybody! Just bring along a book or something." Beast Boy grabbed his pizza and ate it in just one bite, finishing with a satisfied smile and a loud, "ERRRRRRRRRP."

Resisting the urge to shudder, Raven turned around briefly to address Beast Boy. "We'll see," and without a further word to confirm whether or not she would watch the movie, she went downstairs to her room.

(Later)

"So NEXT TIME, don't try to hide…don't try to run…just accept your fate today…as tomorrow's dinner."

A scream echoed from the big screen TV, and the words 'Fin' displayed in blood with the credits. Starfire shuddered. "I do not believe the human brain would be very tasty."

As Beast Boy turned the tape off and stuck it back in the case, he said, "And that friends, is why I'm a vegetarian."

"Hey, people don't eat brains."

"Of baby cows they do! Some poor calf out there was tortured until they cracked its skull open and took out a brain for those people in France to eat! Nasty people! It's bad enough they eat snails!" (A/N: I hold none of these views of meat personally, merely trying to stay in character, and I for one adore France.)

"So then protest. No one's stopping you and I'm sure a lot of people would back you up," a voice said.

Stunned, they all turned to Raven, who had her nose nestled in a book. She looked up, and saw everyone staring at her. "What?"

"That was…oddly supportive." Robin said with some confusion.

Raven shrugged, and closed her book, then walked away. "Good night."

"Uh…good night."

"Night."

"g'night."

"Sleep well my friend!"

(Later.)

"Have no fear Raven. You are beautiful, you can destroy anything," Raven took a deep breath, and chanted her spell, casting upon everything around her. When she looked up, everything was destroyed. The Tower was nothing but dust, the city was a waste-land, and the sea was blood.

"Noo!" Raven clutched her ears.

"Yes, my darling. We can destroy the world…together…"

A hand landed on Raven's shoulder. A hand she recognized any day. She whipped it off, and turned around. Malchior smiled over his mask. "I'll never do anything with you! You almost killed my friends!"

She went for him, but he disintegrated and she growled when she heard the laughing from behind her. She swung at him again, and again, and again, until tears began to form. "Leave me alone!"

Raven felt warm arms encircle her. "Go away Malchior!"

"It's Beast Boy Rae."

She blushed, and looked up. Sure enough, Beast Boy was giving her that crooked smile. How did he get to be so tall?

"Rae?"

"You don't like it?"

"Oh no! I do…I like it…" Raven smiled, and snuggled against his warm chest. The vast waste-land around her was suddenly changing into something beautiful…a wide, open plain, full of rainy skies. She liked it like that. Rain was peaceful, and a sign of tranquility. Not destruction, as so many people made it out to be. She looked up, and voiced her mind. "When did you get this tall?"

"Uh…" He didn't say anything more, merely reached into her cloak, grabbed her hips, and pulled her up. They were equal height.

"Oh." Raven said, looking down at her exposed feet. She looked up, and saw Beast Boy's lips coming towards hers…

"Ah!" Raven gasped, taking deep breaths. She touched her sweat-covered face. She wiped the sweat from her face, and put her hand over her heart. Surprisingly the part of her dream that affected her the most was with Malchior. He endangered all of her friends, and used her to do it.

Raven hugged her knees. She was quite thirsty, so maybe some herbal tea would ease her mind. She put her cloak on, but left her hood down. She made her way to the living room/kitchen. When the automatic doors opened, she saw the light was already on. 'Oh no,' she moaned to herself.

"Hey Raven. What are you doing up?" Beast Boy said. He was sitting at the bar of the kitchen eating some ice cream straight from the tub.

"I just wanted to make some herbal tea." Raven made her way over to the cabinet, and got down her kettle to boil the water.

"At this hour?"

Raven's brow rose, and upon seeing 2:30 on the cuckoo clock, said, "Oh."

"What woke you up?"

Raven turned away so Beast Boy wouldn't see her blush. "I had a dream about Malchior," she said, telling part of the truth, although she didn't understand why she felt compelled to tell him even that much.

"You still think about him?"

Raven shrugged while putting the kettle full of water onto the burner. "Not consciously. It's just a dream. It doesn't mean anything." Her heart pulled a little at the thought. A part of her missed feeling loved. Missed feeling appreciated in a romantic sense. But then she remembered what Malchior did to her, and what he almost did to her friends. No one hurt her friends and got away with it.

Beast Boy noticed the thoughtful silence Raven was feeling. "Want some ice cream?"

Raven turned around, looked at the tub of Superman (A/N: The best ice cream EVA!!!) and shook her head. "Thank you, but no. I'll just have some tea."

Beast Boy shrugged, and took his large spoon, digging into the ice cream. "You think you'll be okay? About Malchior?"

She bit her lip, and noticed that the water hadn't begun to boil. She had forgotten that Starfire accidentally burned some alien dish, and the mess landed directly on the burner. They needed someone to come in and fix it before the stove could start working again. "He didn't mean that much to me. He was just the first one I liked."

Beast Boy's ears drooped in sympathy. "You sure about the ice cream?"

Raven huffed. "I'll be fine I just---" Raven glanced at the kettle. "Oh...get me a spoon."
Beast Boy smiled a little, his ears perking up again. He handed her an oversized spoon, similar to the one he was using, and offered her a seat beside him. Taking it, Raven dug into the ice cream, and tasted some. She must be depressed if she was going to food for comfort. The blend of the different ice cream flavors hit her taste buds, and she let out a pleased moan. "Good," she stated, her mouth still filled with the cold cream. He smiled at her and they spooned up some more from the tub they shared. "You know, I don't usually turn to food when I'm depressed."

"Ah! Here's an opening now." Beast Boy said happily, his voice full of discovery. "You admit that you have a problem!"

Raven attacked the ice cream with her spoon. "Hey, I don't remember you caring about someone then have them betray you and try to kill your friends."

Beast Boy gave her an incredulous look, and almost dropped his spoon. "Uh, HELLO! Worked with Slade, tried to rule the world, took over our city, turned to stone! Am I ringing any bells here!?" His voice came out sort of slow, as if he was trying to get to recollect the events for her.

She bent her head in shame. She had forgotten how much Beast Boy cared about Terra. When they first learned of Terra's betrayal, Raven didn't really consider the affect it would have on Beast Boy. She knew he cared about her, but she didn't really take it into account when it came time to take her down. Beast Boy was probably still hurting, the way she was over Malchior.

"Sorry."

They both had stopped eating, and were caught in a very uncomfortable silence. Beast Boy was the first to break it. "It's okay. When your heart breaks you don't really think about anything else." With that, he started eating again.

Raven started too, and tilted her head. "Ain't that the truth."

Beast Boy laughed, and made a rather unusual, yet astute observation. "It's weird. We both met someone we really liked, we trusted them, and two minutes later they're trying to endanger us and our friends,"

She turned to him, ice cream on the corner of her open mouth. "Do you know what 'endanger' means?"

Beast Boy smiled. "Star said it one time, and I didn't know what it meant, so I looked it up."

Raven glanced down at that. "You know, you're right. It's like we find someone we like, and we end up hurting our friends, and ourselves."

Beast Boy looked at her. "Exactly." He got Raven a napkin, and she blotted her face.

Raven sighed, and licked her spoon. "So what are we going to do about it?"

Beast Boy appeared to think about it for a moment. "How about from now on, if we like someone, we make sure it's someone we both know wont hurt the team? We'll be like protectors or something."

She turned to him. "How do we know they can't hurt the team?"

He glanced to the right. "Good point."

She reached deeper into the tub, as the ice cream was getting low. "How about we just swear off romantic emotions completely?"

He looked appalled at that. "No way. There's enough love pie for everyone to have a bite."

Wrinkling her nose at the cheesy line, Raven shook her head. "Pie, Beast boy?"

He smiled happily, and spooned up some ice cream. "Yeah. I mean, everyone's got to feel loved at some point. Maybe we didn't really love Malchior and Terra. It was just our first time feeling like that, so we thought we were."

Raven thought for a moment, knowing he was going somewhere with this. "Go on," she pressed.

Beast Boy swallowed the ice cream in his mouth. "Maybe we could just swear off that kind of relationship, unless we really feel something special for someone. And if we do, then we'll have each other check the person out. So we can tell each other if we're entering something sinister, and if we should stop. That way we know our friends won't get hurt. We might, because it's a part of love, but our friends will be safe."

Talking with her mouth full of melting ice cream, Raven spoke over it. "We probably wouldn't be able to tell for sure though."

Beast Boy nodded. "Yeah, but at least we can try. It's better than watching Robin, Star, or Cyborg get hurt and knowing we caused it."

Raven thought about it. She could warn him of evil women he was dating, and vice-versa. The idea wasn't so bad, and it would help them ensure that their friends wouldn't get involved unless necessary. She looked at him, studied his eyes. They weren't bright and happy like they usually were. This time, they were dark, and full of thought. And she could already feel the sadness his aura was generating. "Your best ideas come at night then?" She asked him, being completely serious as she took another spoonful.

He smiled a little and spooned out his share again. "I guess so. Does that mean you'll go for it?"

She looked at him for another minute, then looked at her lick-clean spoon. "I suppose."

Beast Boy smiled, and held up his large spoon. "Sooo…Deal?"

She blinked, then offered him a very rare, very tiny, smile. "Deal," and their spoons clinked.