CHAPTER 4

Cyborg was looking up at the ceiling in a bored way. The kitchen spotless and computers up graded. It was so quiet around here. And the stillness was starting to annoy him. He had beaten the old record on the game even! What was the bored teen supposed to do now? "That's it" Cy declared before swinging his head forward and standing up from his seat on the couch. "I'm getting Beast boy down here if it kills me"

Tara waved after him as he dashed off. She figured he had something to do that he'd just forgotten about. Tara waited out in the school yard a few minutes for Melody. When she finally came out she rushed over to Tara.

"Where've you been?" Melody asked. "I haven't seen you all day!"

"Well-" Tara started, but was cut off.

"You've been hanging around the kid all day, haven't you?" Melody asked, one eye brow raised and a smirk on her face.

"Well-" Tara started yet again, but her over excited friend interrupted her again.

"I heard the two of you had some fun at lunch," she grinned, obviously trying not to laugh.

"We did not!" Tara snapped, sounding slightly offended.

"That's not what Devon says," Melody replied.

"Yeah, well Devon, if you haven't noticed, is a Gossip Queen, and jumps to conclusions. Those aren't exactly two qualities that mix together very great," Tara protested. "We didn't do anything."

"Uh huh," Melody responded sarcastically. From behind the two girls a car horn honked and they both turned around to see Melody's mom's truck waiting for them. They walked over and got in the car.

"How was school, girls?"

"It wasn't too bad," Melody jumped right in. Yeah, she was a talker. "But Tara's day was great!" she exclaimed in an 'I know something you don't' to her mother.

"Oh really?" Melody's mother asked.

"I just made a new friend, that's all," Tara jumped in before Melody could go any further.

"He's some new kid," Melody said, not sounding as interested as before.

"He has a name," Tara said a bit defensively.

"Garson, or Gary, or Garth or something," Melody listed, again not sounding interested, but instead going through her back pack.

"It's Garfield," Tara once again sounded a bit defensive. "He goes by Gar," she added, this time more to Melody's mom then to Melody.

The rest of the car ride was quieter after that. There were a few more questions, and more talking, but not much. When the truck pulled into the drive way, Tara jumped out. "Uhh… do you think you could maybe give me a ride to the mall?" Tara asked Melody's mom.

"Oh, yeah, sure," Melody's mom said. "What time?"

"A few minutes," Tara said. "I just have to change, and put my book away."

Melody jumped out of the car. "For what? Where're you going?"

"Oh…" Tara answered with a bit of hesitation. "The mall. I… have to pick something up."

"I can come with," Melody said.

"Did you finish your homework?" her mom asked.

"Well, no, but-"

"How much do you have?"

"English, science, math and history," Melody mumbled.

"You're not going," her mom replied flatly. "You're already getting bad grades as it is. Tara, I'll take you down to the mall when you're ready."

Tara nodded and headed inside, though she could hear Melody protesting all the way.

"Why does she get to go?" "Because, she has good grades. You probably never stop talking to people to get your work done!" "It's not my fault I have a load of friends in all my classes!" "It's your fault you don't work, though."

Tara set her book down and went over to the extra guest bedroom that had become Tara's room. She opened the closet and pulled down a shirt. Then from her dresser, she took out a pair of jeans to wear. She quickly changed and left the room again. Melody's mom was in the living room and looked up at Tara.

"Ready?" she asked.

Tara nodded and followed her out the door and into the car. The 15 minute drive to the mall began.

Robin looked up at Cyborg. "Good. He's been cooped up there all day. He needs to get out of that room." Robin couldn't remember Beast Boy ever staying up there all day.

"Good luck," Raven half joked. Okay, she didn't joke at all that time.

Gar was at the beach in no time, and without breaking a sweat. His paws skidded to a stop, leaving long thin lines in the golden sand. He looked over at the tower then turned his head to look at the back pack. He morphed back human and shrugged the bag off and then bent down. He wrapped the bag's thinner strap on the top of it around his leg. He was sure it wouldn't fall off. Gar then spread his arms out as he quickly morphed into the flying dinosaur. It was big, but he was sure he could find a way into his bed room window without someone noticing him first. His strong winged arms pushed the air around him, making sounds as if a strong wind was blowing. He managed to avoid the windows as he flew to his room. When Gar, or now Beast Boy finally came to his window he morphed back into his human form, grabbing onto the window sill. Oh this was a great idea! Now his legs dangled. Brilliant. He tightened his jaw and pulled up, perching his elbow on the sill to help along.

Cyborg walked up the stairs and made his way towards BB's room at a fast walk. He was there in no time really.

THUMP

Cyborg looked at the door with a raised eye brow "Uhh... Beast Boy? Are you okay in there?"

Beast boy moaned oww. He had fallen in from his window. Lucky a pile of dirty clothing caught his fall. Okay maybe not so lucky because now he smelled. "Oh uhh... Yeah I'm just peachy" He looked down at his clothes then hurried to get the bag off his foot so he could change.

"Hey you've been in there all day, mind coming out?" Cyborg asked, crossing his arms and scanning the door.

"Ummm... one minute" Beast Boy said as he pulled out the Titan uniform he had carried around with him all day.

"Okay, we are all just getting sorta worried. It's really quiet-"

The door swung open to show B. he was back in his titan uniform and looking like he had just ran a mile. "Hey" He said, grinning.

"Hey..." Cy said with a raised eye brow. "So are you coming down or what?"

"Oh uh... I um... guess" Beast Boy said, looking from side to side. He had stuffed his watch and other clothing in the back pack that lay on his floor.

A few minutes later the two boys showed up down stairs. Beast boy knew he had to be going soon if he was going to meet up with Tara. Letting her sit at the mall and wait wasn't a great impression that was for sure.

Robin looked up, as did Raven. "Welcome to the outside world," she said sarcastically. Even she didn't spend all day in her room.

"Are you okay, Beast Boy?" Robin asked, noting the way he looked as if he'd run a mile. "You've been up there all day. And… it's been awfully quiet.

Tara stared at the clock. Less then ten minutes had gone by. She glanced out the window, then back at the clock.

"So…" Melody's mom, Melinda, started. "Why are you really going to the mall?" she half teased with a smile.

"Huh?" Tara asked, looking up at her.

"C'mon, I'm a parent. I know a white lie from the truth," Melinda joked again. "You don't have to answer, if you don't want to."

"Oh…" Tara said a bit embarrassedly. "Well… I'm kind of… meeting someone…" she was blushing a bit.

"I knew it!" Melinda said a bit triumphantly. Sometimes it seemed to Tara that Melinda was more of a friend then Melody. Melody hadn't once come up to talk to Tara today. Course, neither had Tara, but she felt like the third wheel, and today there was someone else to talk to. "It's that Gar kid, isn't it?" Melinda snapped Tara out of her thoughts.

"You know… why do you have to be so good at this?" Tara joked.

"I'm a parent, Hun. You so like him. Just the way you talk about him is enough to tell," there was a slight pause. "So… is he cute?" Melinda added.

Tara blushed and nodded her head a little, trying to keep herself from smiling but couldn't help it. A moment later, she just started laughing, as did Melinda.

Beast Boy looked over at Raven when hearing her remark "Yeah, scary place out here" He joked. His eyes darted to the clock, he had to hurry. "Yeah I'm fine, just chillin" He grinned and waved his hand up and down.

Starfire had her hands held together down at her waist while looking at Beast boy. "Now that you are not in solitude, would you mind perhaps playing the games of video or watching a movie or-" She started naming the things on top of her head.

"Sorry, love too but I uh, need to take a walk" Beast Boy said, cutting her off.

"Aww c'mon" Cyborg punched him playfully in the arm.

"No thanks anyways but I should get some air" B rubbed his arm, okay that had hurt a little.

Robin stared at Beast Boy. He'd been spending a lot of time alone lately. "Well, just be back before ten," he said. He doubted Beast Boy would be out that long, but just to make sure.

Raven looked over at Robin. She then looked back at Beast Boy. "Well… have fun," she said a bit sarcastically. She knew Beast Boy; hated being alone, but whatever.

"So, what's he like?" Melinda asked, interestedly.

"Well, he's really sweet… and funny. He has such a great sense of humor," Tara started.

"Oooh, that's always good," Melinda interrupted.

Tara didn't mind, she nodded in agreement. "I laughed more today then I've laughed since… well, a few months, I guess. Maybe longer."

"What does he look like?" Melinda asked, her grin widening a little.

"Well," Tara started; remembering back to Gar's smiling face. "He's skin's a little tanned; he has blonde hair, and dark blue eyes. He's on the shorter side, but not horribly short. Oh yeah, he's good in gym too," Tara listed.

"Oooh, he sounds cute!" Melinda taunted, nudging Tara slightly, and stretching the word 'cute' out a little.

Tara blushed a little. She couldn't help it. She looked at the clock. 3:45. Maybe traffic was worse then she thought.

"Don't worry. I'll get you there as fast as I can without crashing or getting a speeding ticket. 15 more minutes, tops." Melinda had obviously seen Tara look at the clock.

Okay…. Maybe four o'clock, Tara mentally said to Gar, hoping he would be a little late too. She didn't like to keep people waiting.

"Okay, will do Mr. Dad" Beast Boy rolled his eyes at Robin in a joking way. He loved how his joking side had been returned to it's normal state. He was now wondering how on earth he had ever lived without joking for a week or two.

"Oh, I understand" Starfire let her eyes wonder around the room. She was disappointed that Beast Boy was leaving. She liked having all her friends around.

Beast Boy turned around on his heels and took off to his room once more. He didn't think they would think much about his back pack, and if they asked he would make something up. Ha, the others probably didn't even know he had a back pack. He busted into his room and grabbed the strap, swinging it on his back as he ran down the hall again. But didn't stop there, he kept running through the main room then out the door. He would have to stop some place to change his clothes. And put his watch back on.

Cyborg watched his green friend leave, as Starfire was, he was disappointed. Even if the little green bean was a pain in the butt about 85 of the time, it just wasn't the same without him around. It was too quiet and... just different.

Robin watched the green Titan as well, a stern, serious look on his face. What was happening to Beast Boy? It almost felt like he was completely drifting away from the rest of the Titans. What was so urgent or special that he just had to leave them everyday? It wasn't the same without Beast Boy hanging around, and cracking jokes that weren't funny to anyone but himself every five minutes. They weren't the Titans without Beast Boy.

Raven also watched him go. She shook her head slightly. She was partially mad at Beast Boy for always ditching them. Mad that he just couldn't get over whatever was bothering him.

Tara looked up at the digital clock again. Five minutes. That was all that had gone by. She looked back out the window.

"Well... now what?" Cyborg asked, looking over at his other friends. He was totally out of ideas for entertainment.

Beast Boy had flown over the lake after strapping the bag to his leg again and morphing into the flying dinosaur. By now he was already running to the nearest restaurant, they always had bath rooms. He came to one and hurriedly walked inside, not noticing people looking or pointing at him.
Beast Boy walked into the bath room and locked the door before changing back into 'Gar' and putting his watch back on. Okay, it was really Cyborg's watch not his.
A minute later he walked out as casually as he could; people didn't seem to notice the green titan had suddenly disappeared. All the better in Gar's mind. He was now at a steady walk down the city side walks. The neon green and jet black backpack held tightly on his back. Because it once again held his T-com and Titan uniform. He didn't have a watch on him so didn't know what time it was. Well okay he did, but the watch he wore didn't tell time. Though he wanted to get there early because Tara and himself didn't say where in the mall to meet. He figured he would wait at the entrance, if he didn't see her in a few minutes he would go look for her.

Robin thought for a moment, then shrugged. "Wanna go to the mall?" he asked in a bored 'it's the only thing I can come up with' tone.

"Nothing better to do," Raven said, standing up.

Tara watched cars pass, pulling out of the mall parking lot. She smiled as they pulled in.

"I'll drop you off at the front doors," Melinda told her.

"Okay," Tara said. The truck pulled up to the doors, and Tara pushed the door open, jumping out. "Thanks for the ride," she said with a wave before closing the door and watching the truck drive off. Tara looked around. She didn't see Gar yet so she walked over to a bench and sat down, looking around casually. She didn't want to look too excited. Her talk with Melinda had in a way made her want to see Gar even more.

"I suppose it is not a bad idea" Starfire said, not sounding at all energetic about going to the mall as she usually was.

Cyborg only shrugged.

Gar looked down at the side walk as he made his way towards the mall. He was jumping over the cracks, or half jumping while humming the 'Step on a crack, fall and break your back' rhyme to himself. This was actually pretty amusing. As he came to the mall's entrance he failed to look up, being too caught up in his little amusing game.

Robin sighed and started to the door. He walked out and over to the T-Car. He opened the passenger side door and got in, pulling his seat belt on.

Raven followed him, climbing into the seat behind him. She pulled her own seat belt on and sat staring out the window.

Tara continued looking around until she saw Gar, staring at the ground. She smiled and cocked her head to the side and just watched him. She couldn't look away for some reason.

Cyborg was close behind Robin; climbing into the driver's seat he started the car up and listened to it rev to life.

Starfire brought up the rear, she sat in the back next to the other window, she pulled the seat belt over her chest and buckled it.

"Step on the crack and you fall and break your back" Gar mumbled to himself, till he ran out of cracks. He grinned to himself as if he was getting an award for not stepping on the cracks in the side walk on his way over then looked up. "Oh hey Tara" He ran over to where she was sitting. "Beat me here, huh? Hope I didn't make you wait too long or anything..."

Tara stood up as he ran over. "You didn't," Tara told him. "Actually, I just got here a couple minutes ago." She glanced around a little, but looked back at Gar. "So… where do you wanna go first?" she asked. "Don't even ask where I want to go," she joked. "I have no idea. My best idea is to just walk around aimlessly."

Gar laughed "Well, there goes my plan of action" He joked about Tara telling him not to ask her where she wanted to go. "Walking around aimlessly sounds like a better plan though" He grinned.

Tara smiled. "Okay," she said and headed for the doors. She pulled one open and walked in, looking around. It was packed with people, as usual. She vaguely wondered what to do first.

Raven stared out the window the whole way. Why did one Titan missing make everything so different? The car ride was so far a near dead quiet one.

Robin sat, staring ahead, tapping his foot, and drumming his fingers steadily. Quiet… silence… he was starting to hate quiet more and more.

Gar walked in after Tara and scanned the over filled mall with his eyes. Oh the pranking idea's that came to mind. The fun, the chaos. He couldn't help the grin that spread over his face. "Let's get started, er I mean go" He said, not sure of which prank to do yet. Well, if Tara wanted to help with pranks. As Terra she almost always helped, unless the prank was on her. But he wasn't sure about her anymore.

Cyborg drove without a word. Once the car had driven over the lake the turbos had shut down so the car when at normal speed over the road. They would be at the mall in a few minutes; though what they would do there Cyborg wasn't sure.

Tara looked around and started walking a bit slower then usual. "So, what first?" she asked.

Robin slumped in his seat a little, glancing back at Starfire. He averted his eyes to the window again. He glanced up at the rear view mirror, but his eyes never left as he could see Starfire's reflection in it. He stared for a moment, looking away, but then looking back again.

Raven looked up at the rear view mirror, and shook her head with a sigh, looking back out the window. Though, every now and then she'd look back up at the rear view mirror to see if Robin was still glancing at Starfire.

Gar looked at Tara with a large, some what evil and laughing smile. "Restaurant, c'mon" He said before taking off to the food court. Spit balls were only the beginning to his evil plans.

Cyborg had caught Robin glancing at his mirror, a laughing grin went up his face before he said "You know Robin, you make me wonder who's the bigger love puppy. You or BB" He laughed.

Starfire looked at Cyborg confused, she didn't get it.

Tara gave him a questioning look, but then smiled and took off after him, laughing a little bit. She wondered what he was grinning about. She figured he was either hungry, or had something else in mind.

At hearing his name, Robin looked away from the mirror, and out the window, blushing a little. He needed to stop doing that! Why was it so bad today? What had gotten into him? "I don't know what you're talking about," he said quite plainly.

Raven tried not to laugh; she smirked at Robin's reflection in the rear view mirror. "Sure you don't," she said sarcastically.

Robin looked into the side mirror next to the window at Raven, giving her a 'thanks' look.

Gar looked around the food court. His faced cringed as the smell of meat filled his nose. The place was filled with long lines and people sitting at tables. He walked to a little drink stand that had just finished with its last costumer, looking behind him to make sure Tara was fallowing. He didn't say anything, just grinned again before walking over and asking if he could have two straws and some napkins. Though giving Gar a questioning look the dude handed the asked for items to Gar who took them and looked back at Tara "I got a plan" He laughed.

"Please, what is this puppy of deep feeling?" Starfire asked.

"Ask your- oo I mean Robin" Cyborg laughed.

Tara watched Gar interestedly, head slightly cocked again. She raised an eyebrow when he asked for straws and a couple napkins. She had a slightly questioning look on her face as well, a small grin spread up her face. "What were you thinking?" she asked.

Robin shot Cyborg a warning look that said 'say one more word and you get two hours extra practice'. He looked about ready to hit him. He glanced back at Starfire, wondering what to tell her. "Oh… uhh… well, you see, erm…" he struggled to find the right words, but was slightly blushing as he did so.

Raven was watching with a laughing look on her face. "Yeah Robin, tell her what a 'love puppy' is. Spit it out."

Robin then shot her the same look he'd shot to Cyborg.

"C'mon, I'll tell you on the way" Gar held his next laugh back and started walking towards where a new store was being built into the mall. "I heard that there is going to be a live news reporter over at the new side of the mall" He started.

Cyborg ignored Robin's warning looks and kept laughing. "Aw c'mon Robin! You of all people should know what a love puppy is" he cracked up again.

Starfire was looking at Robin with big eyes and a face that was begging him to tell her what this 'puppy' was.

Robin groaned and shrunk down in his seat to slump down. He glanced back at Starfire again. He stared in her big eyes for a moment before blushing again. How was he supposed to tell her what a 'love puppy' was? "I dunno, a loveable puppy?" he tried.

Raven almost laughed at that.

Tara furrowed her eye brows a little. "Okay… what are you getting at?" she asked, walking along side him.

Cyborg sighed "Fine I'll tell her, chicken" he said, calling Robin that instead of well... Robin. "A love puppy is someone who really, really likes someone and will do anything for that person" He said.

"Oh I see" Starfire smiled then said "So... why is it that you called Robin this love puppy?"

"Your turn" Cyborg laughed at Robin. Oh being mean was so much fun.

"So, I'm thinking spit balls plus live news makes a fun time" Gar laughed, shaking the straws and napkins in one hand and looking over at Tara "Unless you rather not, I don't want to get you in trouble."

"I am NOT a chicken!" Robin yelled over Cyborg, but when he heard Cyborg actually tell Starfire, he sunk as low as possible in his seat. Robin's face burned in a blush. He whimpered and put one elbow on the arm rest, and held his head up with his hand, shielding his face as best as possible. "I am NOT a love puppy either!" There, that was good enough. "Cy just enjoys picking on people," Robin added in a mumble, just loud enough for the other Titans to hear.

"Right. And Beast Boy cleaned his room this morning," Raven snickered, her voice filled with sarcasm.

Tara eyed the napkins and straws. "Well…" she didn't know. Did she want to? Or not? Part of her did. Part of her didn't. Terra wanted her to. Tara didn't want her to. She was Tara now. So, she shouldn't. But… maybe she could bend Tara a bit, just this once. You say once now. Then next time it'll be 'once more wont hurt' and on and on, a voice in her head told her. Tara ignored the voice in her head. She hesitated before holding her hand out for a straw. Just this once. It wouldn't hurt.

"You're right Robin, you're more of the Rooster type" Cyborg laughed.

Starfire leaned back in her seat, seeing how she wasn't going to get an answer from the obviously embarrassed Robin.

Gar smiled brightly at Tara and handed her a straw and her share of the napkins. "Great, now we can be partners in crime" He joked before taking off at a jog to where the new part of the mall was. He glanced at Tara, just like old times. They had been the master and mistress of spit balls. And all feared them.

Tara smiled and looked down at the napkins and straw. She shook her head and ran to catch up with Gar. "I might not be very good…" she warned as she looked around the new part of the mall. Why was she saying this? She was great at this! No… Terra was great at this. Tara had never done this before.

Robin sat up straight again, forcing his eyes to not look up at the rear view mirror. "You know what? If you guys don't stop-" he started.

"You'll what?" Raven asked with a smirk.

Robin opened his mouth, moaned and slumped back again.

"Why not? Don't tell me you have never done this before" Gar looked behind him at Tara for a minute before looking back ahead of himself so he didn't knock into someone. Was she pretending she didn't know how? Well maybe, but maybe she was just out of practice?

"Sorry birdie" Cyborg couldn't help but laugh again as they pulled into the mall's parking lot. Though Cyborg parked as far as he could from the mall, that way no one would bash into his most valued possession.

Tara looked down at the ground as she walked. She didn't answer, but she figured he'd get the point. She remembered back to when Terra and Beast Boy had done this, loads of times. She wasn't Terra anymore though. She was a completely different person now. She was Tara. And Tara had never done this before. She wanted nothing to do with Terra. That was why she didn't want to do this. But the other part of her, the part of her that was still Terra, did want to.

Hey guys. Uhh... this chapter, which is two parts, and Chapter 5, also two parts, was originally one WHOLE chapter. Uhhh... we though that many pages was a little much. And Chapter 4 with 4 parts was a lot too. So, that's why Chapter 4, part 1 and 2, and Chapter 5 part 1 all end in weird places. Sorry about not updating for a few days. I was grounded. ---- BUT NOW THEY ARE UP! See, told you I'd have them up by today! I TELL NO LIES! XD Anyways, Greaser out! XD (For now.)

Okay my turn! this is Tianimalz -pushes Greaser out of screen- shoo shoo! make room X-P

Okay anyways, Yes, Beast Boy (or Gar) and Tara are at the mall, but uh oh so are the other Titans. what is going to happen! well... wait for the next part -laughs evily- okay anyways, R&R! please