(Still feeling bad, but hey, I haven't expected to just get over being sick in just a few hours. Anyway, thanks to everyone so far for all the great reviews and criticisms. Enjoy!)

Chapter 7:

It was around eight in the morning when Raven awoke. The night before all felt like a dream to her. She looked around her surroundings. She was still in Beast Boy's apartment. It had been real, and she was glad for it. Now she wondered if her father had even noticed she was gone. She decided he wouldn't have "worried" yet, because it was Saturday, and despite groundings, she was probably out with a friend already. Either way, he hadn't specified a grounding method yet anyway, so she figured he'd wait to see her at home. Also, he still had to work on Saturday, so he'd probably not even notice till he came home.

She walked into the kitchen. Not far from there, she could hear B.B. snoring loudly in his bed. She gave a small smile, and opened the refrigerator.

"Tofu…tofu…orange juice…tofu," Raven scanned all the items, "Well, for what he can do, I'm not surprised by this."

Beast Boy let out a loud snore in the background, making Raven laugh a little bit. Raven realized she hadn't laughed in a very long time. Suddenly, the phone rang. Raven walked over to it, and shut off the ringer. She than looked at the Caller I.D. at the base of the phone, looking to find out who it was.

"Terra," she scowled.

B.B.'s answering machine kicked in.

"Oh, Beast Boy!" Terra's annoying voice chimed in, "I'm surprised you listed your number in the phone book! So many fans you know. Anyway, you talked about studying sometime! How about today? I could help you with a few things as well, if you get my drift."

Raven scoffed at the idea. What a slutty bitch.

"Give me a call Beast Boy! I'll be waiting!" Terra cried happily, "Oh, and if you don't mind my friend Kitten might want to come. Some real fun there as well! Bye Beast Boy!"

Raven couldn't believe that. Terra wasn't only trying to get to B.B., and use him for what he was worth, but bring her friends along for the ride. Raven turned around to go back to the refrigerator and saw Beast Boy standing in the hall.

He yawned, and then said, "Raven, what was that annoying sound?"

"Nothing, nothing at all," she told him, another small smile surfacing on her lips, "Now kick back for a little while. I'm making you a good breakfast. It's…the least I could do after last night. B.B.," she paused for a moment and blushed, "Thanks."

-xxx-

After two hours, and a large breakfast of tofu, Beast Boy washed off his few dishes, and threw them in the small dishwasher.

"So Raven, what are you going to do, now that you've gotten away from your father? Where are you going? And school, I mean, if you are seen when your suspension is over, they'll call your Dad. And you definitely don't need to drop out," Beast Boy asked all this at once.

It suddenly hit her that she didn't have a plan as to what would happen. She knew one thing, though: she was never going back to the hellhole she once called home.

"I really don't know," she said quietly, "I can't go back, not now, not ever. Do you know what he'd do to me?"

Beast Boy could see his question had upset her a little bit.

"Rae, I'm sorry. But, we'll have to do something eventually," he told her, "I wish you could stay here, forever, Raven, but I can't support both of us for long, and what if I go out there, to help those in need, and don't come back. What then?"

Beast Boy suddenly drew back a bit. He'd used a bit of force, unintentionally, and was afraid he'd hurt her. However, she sat perfectly there, not giving him any indication that she was hurt. Suddenly, she stood, and with her eyes narrowed in sadness, and her head down, she began to walk toward the door.

"I'm sorry for your trouble," she said sadly, "I thought…that someone understood me, my pain."

B.B. shot up from his chair, and grabbed her arm. He could see tears falling from her eyes and onto the brown carpet of the living room. He pulled her around to face him. He used a little too much force however, and sent her toppling on top of him. He on bottom, stared into her eyes quietly. A small swell of tears slid down her cheeks, and landed on his.

"Please, Raven. I'm sorry. I'm your friend now, I hope, and was just trying to look out for both of us. I can't risk my friends," he told her, "I know what happens when you do that."

Beast Boy stopped, biting his lower lip. Raven could see a sorrow in his eyes she hadn't seen before. Something had happened to him, and she suddenly felt responsible for bringing whatever was inside out.

"Beast Boy…" she said sadly, then raised her head, and kissed him on his left cheek. "That was for last night," she smiled faintly.

Blushing, Raven stood, and helped Beast Boy up.

"So," he said, "You felt me do it?"

"No," she said softly, "But something inside told me."

-xxx-

It was now just past 10 p.m., and Raven's father had come home from work. He walked to the refrigerator, and pulled out a new bottle of bourbon.

"Raven!" he called, loud enough the neighbors could probably hear. "Where's dinner? Little slut, get the hell in here, NOW!"

No answer. Raven's father looked up, as he took a swig from the bottle, and searched for food.

"Raven?" he said a little quieter. "I'm sorry," he talked in a sweeter voice now, "I'm sorry. Forgive me, and just come in and make me some fucking dinner!" his voice changing in an instant, " I only work to support your sorry self, while you sit with your little friends at school and discuss all the dark little things you seem to have such a fascination with; Gothic, or whatever."

A strange hatred in his eyes, he raised, and began moving toward Raven's dark room. Slowly, he opened the door. His eyes searched the room over, but she was no where to be seen.

"It's a Saturday," he said to himself, "And she never obeys my groundings, so she's probably at one of her friends' houses. I'll give her something tomorrow, that's for sure. Now, I'll find something to eat," he took another long drink.

He stopped on his way back to the kitchen, to stare at a picture of his wedding day hanging on the wall.

"Oh Melissa," he said, a sad tone in his voice, "You were so beautiful. You always talked about having a kid, two maybe. You always hoped it was a girl. Strange, isn't it. You and I got everything, including a girl like you wanted. But we got more than a girl," hatred suddenly filled his voice, "No, we got a damn monster. If not for her, you'd still be here, and we'd be happy. We could have done all those things you wanted to. You could have done your paintings, made millions! But she had to go and fuck it all up!"

He sat the bottle on the table, after taking a third drink of it, than set it down on the table under the picture. Light from the kitchen revealed it already was a third empty. There Raven's father stood, staring at the picture and wondering what could have been, for more than an hour, until exhaustion from the day got the best of him, and he slowly dragged himself to bed.

(Well, feeling a little better, but not going to school tomorrow as well, I decided to go ahead and post this update. Sorry it's so late at night, but I feel awful, and can't sleep. Thanks again for all the great reviews.)