12. Going out.

The wind blew softly, coolly, soothingly. It was pleasant alone up here on the roof, and so quiet. So blessedly peaceful, perfect for meditation. Or at least it had been.

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhh, slow down, noooooooooo, oh, owwwww!"

The pterodactyl came to a bone crunching stop a few metres before Raven, she simply sighed, opened one eye, and then closing it again went back to her soft chanting, even though deep down she felt that her concentration had been lost and wouldn't be returning anytime soon. She heard the sound of something falling to the ground and then the moaned comment of.

"Ohhhhhhhh, that rattled me teeth."

Opening her right eye once more she looked as Chris got to his feet and then patting the green pterodactyl on the head said.

"Well, that's the last time I let you repay me for trashing my room."

The pterodactyl became Beast Boy in the blink of an eye; the green Titan slapped Chris merrily on the back and said.

"Come on, I thought you Brit's loved all this outdoor stuff."

Chris gave Raven a tired expression and replied.

"I'm a Titan now, not James Bond, I still feel uncomfortable with being thrown around on the back of a giant green flying dinosaur thingy."

Raven sighed, inside slightly amused but displaying a far different attitude.

"Are you two here for any other reason other than to disturb my meditation?"

She asked in a voice that bordered between mildly angry and un-amused. Chris indicated Beast Boy and then sat down with a thud, apparently glad to have his feet on something solid once more. She glanced at Beast Boy and simply asked.

"Well?"

Chris made a slight movement to face them and started the timer on his watch with a distinct beep; Raven ignored this and concentrated on the slightly uneasy face of Beast Boy.

"Well?"

She repeated in a firmer tone. Beast Boy swallowed and then burst into speech.

"Me and Chris were…"

Chris cut in.

"Hey don't involve me with this; I am just here for the amusement."

Raven gave Chris a look that made him shy away and then once more concentrated on the green Titan before her.

"Ok, me and Star were wondering if you wanted to come to the mall with us, and Chris."

Raven looked from the changeling to Chris, who shrugged apologetically. She distinctly remembered saying 'no' to the offer. How it vexed her that the other Titans always did this, they would ask her something, get an answer and then ask again as if it would alter her response. If they didn't want the answer then they shouldn't ask the question in the first place.

"No."

She supplied coldly and in a firm voice. She noticed Chris looked up and actually smiled at her.

"Oh come on Rae."

Said Beast Boy in a pleading voice. Chris began to tremble slightly as he silently giggled. Ignoring this Raven responded by standing up and saying.

"Call me Rae again and I will throw you off this roof."

Chris began to openly chuckle at this and looking at his watch said.

"Time."

Beast Boy looked unhappy and gave Chris a look of distaste before turning on Raven.

"Like that would do anything, I could just fly back up here."

Raven looked from Chris, who was now making the familiar 'money' sign with his thumb and index finger, to Beast Boy who was looking unhappily back. Realising what this meant Raven decided to make her next comment count. Turning for the door she said.

"In that case I could just send Chris to his doom and then blame you."

Chris stopped chuckling and took a look at the long drop to the hard ground below. He stood and giving Beast Boy a look of pity followed Raven to the door.

"Where are you going?"

Asked Beast Boy.

"I am going back to the main room, and no, I refuse to go back the same way that we got up here."

Beast Boy looked offended.

"Why?"

Chris turned to answer, behind him Raven stopped to listen, she was annoyed at the Englishman for once again betting on just how she would react to a certain situation, and even more annoyed that once again he had won. What had initially been intriguing and amusing was quickly becoming a grating annoyance. It would seem that Beast Boy had found someone as immature as he with which to share his pointless pranks, and the prospect didn't make Raven feel any better. Chris's response brought her back to reality.

"If you think that I am going to go through that roller coaster of a ride you just gave me, again, then you've got another thing coming, especially when I can just use the stairs, and possibly even get some decent conversation in the process."

He said indicating Raven with one of his small bows as he did so.

Shrugging Beast Boy said.

"Suit yourself."

Then turning in to an elegant eagle he flew off the side of the building and headed down for an open window. Watching him go from the doorway Raven then turned to Chris, the fact that he had once again been betting on her reactions was not something that she was happy about. She took a moment to examine Chris, as he walked towards her she noticed with a guilty feeling of satisfaction that he was looking much much better, it would seem that her nursemaid job was finally done. She felt a tiny feeling of pride on a job well done, then pushing this feeling away she remembered that she was still angry at him. Out of character as it was she decided to shake the Englishman up a bit, while simultaneously minimising the amount of time she had to spend alone in his company.

"So, you aren't in favour of Beast Boy's travel techniques?"

Chris looked at her and shrugged.

"I doubt I am alone."

He said darkly.

"Want to try mine?"

She asked, not intending it as a question. Chris pondered for a moment, but didn't get the opportunity to answer.

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She took a quick step forward and in one graceful movement engulfed him in her cloak, Chris would have been scared had he been given the time.

He saw the light fade and suddenly was completely encircled in blackness, he was for a moment puzzled as to just what had happened, he couldn't believe that he was inside Raven's cloak, it was far too big, even so he waved his hand in front of him, searching for her pale legs.

Suddenly he felt as if he was everywhere and yet nowhere all at the same time, like he was nobody but somebody. Like he was himself, but a part of Raven, one second more of this frightening, yet strangely interesting non-existence and he was roughly deposited on the floor just outside the doors to the main room. The world seemed to appear again, he was himself, and nothing more, he existed and was in one location. Looking up he saw Raven's pale face towering above him.

At this moment two things became apparent to him, one he was lying on the ground, and two, the almost debilitating power Raven seemed to hold over him was still present. Standing quickly he decided that the best way to minimise his embarrassment was to deflect her attention back onto herself with all the shameless flattery he could muster.

"Wow Raven, that was spectacular, you're amazing, you take feminine multitasking to a whole new level."

She looked at him, apparently unmoved.

"Well, that didn't work did it?"

Said David in what would be classified as his informative tone.

"How you just did that, well, I mean, very impressive, its no wonder Robin chose you to look after me, couldn't have been in more capable hands."

Surely that's got to be enough, Chris said to himself mentally.

"Well we'll soon find out, wont we?"

Responded David inside the now turmoil ridden head of Chris. Raven simply gave a curt response that really didn't leave much to be questioned about the seriousness of her threat.

"Bet on me again, and you and I will take another trip like this one, only I will leave you in a wall or a long way off the ground, clear?"

Chris nodded, firmly believing that she would do it. Raven turned and walked off towards her room, Chris was left shaking his head after her.

Cold, frightening, intelligent, witty, threatening, beautiful, powerful, mysterious, dark, none of these words or indeed all of them failed to fully describe the Titan that had just come close to causing Chris an unpleasant bowl movement. Secretly glad that what had just happened had, as he now new a little more about her, Chris turned to enter the main room, grinning as he did so, inside his head David made his opinion all to clear.

"Well you can smirk, that nearly did for me, try something more productive, like banging you're head against a wall."

Smiling Chris entered the main room.

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"Where is he now then?"

He asked with a slightly angry expression.

"I don't know, I'm not his nanny."

Beast Boy answered in an unconcerned voice sitting at the dining table as he did so. It angered Robin that he could be so unhelpful. The simple fact that what had obviously been a stupid bet had blown up in his face did not give Beast Boy the right to so annoyingly uncooperative. Robin was just on the verge of saying so when Chris entered the room with a contented smile plastered across his face.

"What are you so happy about?"

Asked Robin, Chris looked at him and quickly, even guiltily removed the smile as he responded.

"Nothing."

Beast Boy looked in Chris's general direction and said.

"Probably gloating over his latest winning bet."

Robin sighed and Chris shrugged. Robin had listened to the bet being made, he had even said that it was a bad idea, however the sheer fact that Beast Boy had claimed to be able to change even Raven's mind with his mastery of manipulation had allowed Robin to justify the obviously flawed bet to proceed.

"You don't have to pay up, I wouldn't take money from you, just acknowledge my petty gambling supremacy."

Said Chris smiling and then slumping down on the sofa. Robin was glad of this to be honest, he didn't want any ill feelings between members of his team, or at least any that could be avoided. Robin took a moment to examine Chris, he was certainly looking a lot better, a shower a questionable haircut and a change of clothes had made him look, well, normal. Also a few decent meals had given him some colour, although he was still pale Raven could now officially take back the prize in that department. Backed up by the fact that Robin had already fought him and as a result now felt he could trust and rely on him that much more, Chris was now looking a lot better in every sense of the word, or at least he was as far as Robin was concerned.

"So are we going or what, dudes?"

Asked Chris tilting his head far back over the back of the sofa to look at Beast Boy. The green Tilted his head upside down to mimic Chris's and responded.

"If you are ready, chum."

Robin sighed, it was becoming apparent that both Beast Boy and Chris were becoming inseparable, good as this was it certainly wouldn't be a plus when the annoyance factor came into play. Already they had inked a drink of Cyborg's, something which he was yet to notice, and now they had begun talking to one another in a very strange and grating mix of upper class English and surfer accents, a combination which had perplexed Starfire and just angered everyone else.

"Are we off then?"

Chris asked, sliding over the back of the sofa and onto the floor like some vast slug. Beast Boy nodded and stood up.

"Let's go then, you coming Robin?"

Robin didn't really feel like it, he had stuff to do, and though he would never admit it to anybody, even himself, his leg really hurt from one of Chris's non to gentle swings.

"No, there are things I have to take care of, Star wants to go though, go and find her."

Then as he turned to sit at the main computer console, from which most of the Towers functions could be controlled, as an afterthought he said.

"And don't forget the groceries list; we don't want Beast Boy to make another one of his 'educated guesses' again."

Chris exchanged an amused look for one of mild anger with Beast Boy, and was just about to ask where to find the list when Beast Boy produced it.

"This is a bit long isn't it?"

He asked measuring the list which extended beyond his waist.

"Heh, er dude, that's just mine."

Said the green Titan producing three further lists of varying lengths.

"Wow, this could take a while."

Said Chris in awe as he examined Beast Boy's list.

"Its all essential stuff you know, without our supplies we wouldn't be able to do our duty and protect our city."

Responded Beast Boy proudly, striking a heroic pose as he did so.

"Hmmmmm, yes, without picking up your monthly subscription to Warp Trek memorabilia we would be truly lost."

Added Chris sarcastically, throwing the list back to its owner and examining at the others, a look of distaste slowly but surely finding its way onto his face to compete with Beast Boys embarrassed one.

"Well one thing's for sure, Starfire will be handling her own list, I don't know how to pronounce most of these things, let alone where to find them."

Robin swivelled around in his chair, amusing as this was he felt compelled to put the worried Englishman at ease.

"Relax, she always gets her own stuff, it's not like she would ever miss an opportunity to go to the mall."

Chris let out a sigh of relief and then looking puzzled asked.

"Where's Raven's list, doesn't she want anything?"

This was an awkward question one which he really didn't want to answer. Raven had always had her strange solitary little habits and Robin simply didn't question them, as long that is that they didn't affect the team. This one in particular didn't.

"Apparently not."

He answered simply, deeply hoping that he wouldn't be required to go into any further detail, the inquisitive Englishman seemed to have other ideas.

"You're sure?"

Chris asked. Robin sighed; it would seem that this wasn't going to be as simple as he had hoped.

"Raven doesn't really ever get much, stuff, except for tea, the rest she usually goes out alone and brings back, we never know what she spends her money on, if anything at all."

Chris looked at Beast Boy who nodded; he then looked at Robin who shrugged. He looked at them both for a few seconds and then asked in a puzzled almost unbelieving voice.

"This may seem a stupid question, but has anyone actually ever asked her?"

Robin was beginning to feel the slightest tinges of annoyance, but he had to admit that nobody had actually thought to ask Raven just whether she wanted anything on this particular occasion, not that it would make any particular difference to her answer.

"No, but she will still say no, so ask her if you want to waste some time."

Chris smiled triumphantly and linking arms with Beast Boy headed towards the main door saying.

"What else are we going to do with it?"

Robin watched them go, and as the door closed behind them he could hear them burst into a song that echoed throughout the towers hallways.

"Were off to see the wizard, the wonderful wizard of Oz!"

Shaking his head he went back to typing at the computer terminal, from one of the side doors appeared Cyborg looking angry.

"Who put ink in my drink?"

Robin grinned but kept quiet.

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Chris and Beast Boy walked past Starfire's room but she was nowhere to be found, deciding that she had either gone back to the main room or was with Raven they decided those would be the two places which they would look, although not in that order. Skirting round the corner they noticed that Starfire was not standing outside of the dark Titans door, they moved cautiously forward and paused just short of the door.

"Bet you can't get her to ask for anything."

Whispered Beast Boy.

"No deal."

Came back the whispered response.

"What, you chicken?"

Beast Boy countered, turning into a cockerel as he did so, he was on the verge of making some noises when Chris silenced him with a firm hand over his beak.

"Not the time nor the place Beastie, and no I am not chicken, I just don't want to give Raven an excuse to tear me limb from limb."

He said quietly, desperately hoping that he wouldn't disturb the owner of the most foreboding door. It would seem not quietly enough. The door opened to reveal the most terrifying yet comforting Titan, at least in Chris's book. She stood there, not smiling, not looking angry, just cold, and distant, like a frozen island just out of reach in the early morning mist.

"Well well well, you've officially stepped in the bad stuff."

Announced David joyfully from somewhere behind Chris's now wide eyes. Beast Boy carefully leaned forward and pressed the button on Chris's watch to start the timer.

"I'll be over here."

He added happily. Raven frowned and seemed about to say something, knowing what she was likely to say Chris burst into a frenzied verbal bombardment.

"Er hi there, er we were we, er I, I was just wondering as you don't have a shopping list and you don't want to go to the mall, whether you actually wanted anything, cos like if, if you did then I would be happy to get it for you, if that is you want anything, so er, do you, do you want anything?"

There was a look that Chris couldn't quite classify; it teetered between unsure and intrigued.

"In didn't bet on you're response."

He added quickly stopping the timer on his watch and glaring angrily at Beast Boy as he did so. He looked back into Raven's dangerous eyes and hoped the response would be positive, that however would be up to the owner of those pretty eyes in question.

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Well this was strange, nice but strange. While in most cases Raven would have been suspicious of the other Titans making a similar offer, with Chris however it was different, while she hardly knew him and thus couldn't read him like the others she nevertheless felt reassured by his adorable behaviour, he was acting like a frightened child asking an adult a question, something which she found amusing, especially considering his hard life and partially cold dark demeanour.

"This was you're idea?"

Chris nodded, apparently glad that she hadn't attacked him. Beast Boy was standing behind him looking amused, it annoyed her that he was taking pleasure from another's discomfort, it was that kind of pointless and negative emotion that she disliked, not that she didn't do it often, but that was different.

Turning to Beast Boy she gave him a look that told him not to be there.

"Er, I'll go and find Star; we'll be in the main room when you're finished."

He said and then not waiting for a reply he walked too quickly in the direction from which they had just come. Chris watched him go with the look of someone who had just seen the last lifeboat leave. Determined not to smile at this or any of the other amusing, if pathetic things Chris seemed prone to, Raven decided to concentrate on finding out just whether it was wise to take advantage of the latest offer that this English boy had made, and seemed to make all too often. Making sure that she had her stern face deployed, Raven asked a question that Chris seemed far too uncomfortable with, in her opinion.

"Why are you making this offer?"

Chris looked like he had been accused of something; she could feel the emotion of fear running through his body like some gazelle determined to visit every part of his anatomy. It puzzled Raven as to how someone who could, and had thrown himself without any need to into such danger as Chris had during his heroic, if ultimately pointless attempt to save the girl in the alley. Not sure whether to be flattered or offended she simply disregarded it as another strange quirk of this remarkable if somewhat strange foreigner.

"Er, well, erm, just trying to be friendly you know, and erm, well I sort of felt, er, bad about the whole betting thing, so er, well here I am."

Chris finally produced in a slightly fearful and broken voice. She knew there was something else, but decided not to push him, especially considering just how painstaking his answers seemed to be. If she wanted the rest she would have to put a whole weekend aside.

"So do you?"

He asked, a minute amount more confidently. Deciding that it was probably not a mistake to trust him, and that even if it was then this was no big deal that he could betray her on, she made a movement back into her room, shutting the door in the progress. From outside the door came the muffled voice of Chris.

"Er, I would be guessing that that is a no."

He said, in a somewhat puzzled voice. Inwardly cursing her privacy habits Raven grabbed what she sought and returned to the door. She opened up and startled Chris in the process.

"Here."

She simply said, handing the book to Chris with delicate loving care. He took the book and turned it over in his hands.

"Darkness."

He said, shivering slightly as he examined the book. She almost grinned at his response, amusing as it was what she really noticed was that he hadn't actually said 'creepy' which Beast Boy would have done, and that she hated.

"Fitting somehow."

He added, looking at the back of the book and then at Raven. She wasn't really sure how to take it but was still glad that he hadn't used the 'loathed word'.

"Any good, certainly a thick one."

He said looking at the book sideways.

"Quality doesn't depend on quantity."

She responded with a knowing tone added to her usual monotone. She reached back into her room and then handed him a small piece of paper with her own neat script on it. He took the paper and looked at the three words on it.

"Never heard of him, but you certainly seem to like his one word'ers."

He said, indicating the book in his hands. She nodded; glad that he didn't require any explanation, for explaining herself was not something Raven enjoyed doing.

"You think you can handle that?"

She drawled. He looked up from sticking the piece of paper carefully into his pocket and half smiled.

"Think so."

He looked at his feet for a moment and then said.

"Anything else?"

Raven was surprised, while she couldn't actually think of anything else it was the fact that he had offered when he didn't have to that shocked her the most. She shook her head and responded with.

"No thank you."

"No tea or anything?"

She looked surprised at this, but it was what he said next that surprised her even further.

"You are running a little low on you're favourite brand you know."

How did he know that, it was true, Raven knew, but she had not been willing to treat herself, it was too much like gluttony to get only her favourite, especially when she knew that she could make do with her less favourite types just as easily. He had known, he had been picking her favourite for a reason, but how had he known, had the others told him, unlikely as she was sure that they themselves didn't know. Just another twist in this new Titans tale it would seem. Without showing any of these thoughts or any particular interest she simply asked.

"How do you know that?"

He didn't respond, simply tapped his nose and winked conspiringly. She sighed and then nodded.

"Sure, if you are willing."

"Ok, that it then?"

She nodded, he smiled, gave a bow, she sighed and then with a wave he turned on his heel and was gone.

"Creepy."

She said to herself, and then cursed loudly.

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There you go, once again I have delivered another of my stunningly dull chapters, revel in my glory, I certainly do, anyway, number thirteen should be up very soon, mainly because I had an accident and uploaded it first, but hey, why conform when you can start you're day by uploading a chapter with that most unlucky of numbers, thank you to my loyal supporter's, you know who you are.

Hope you like it, please read and review, send in you're ideas hints and tips, that will always be welcomed and highly likely used.

Thanks for reading, bye.