Disclaimer-I don't own the Teen Titans
The Phantom Bride
Story By StormDancer
Chapter 6
It is not light that we need, but fire; it is not the gentle shower, but thunder. We need the storm, the whirlwind, and the earthquake.
"Why is it that the one time I really need him, he isn't there?" Raven muttered angrily to herself, stalking through the halls of the hotel, "When I want to be alone, he's there. When I need to meditate, he's there. And when I need to talk to him? Nowhere to be found."
She had been searching for over an hour, and still she couldn't find him. She had looked everywhere she could think of, from the field where the wedding was to take place to the arcade. She batted away a fly in annoyance, but it continued to buzz around her.
"You," she addressed it, "Are exactly like Beast Boy. You're annoying, persistent, and always bugging me. And I didn't mean that as a pun!" She glared at the fly as if it would respond, "And yet, he's also always there when I need him, like with Malchior. He even knows when I need him better than I do. And he's a good distraction," she hit at the fly again, "Just like you are!"
She sighed, and stalked off back to the hotel through the deepening night. The fly continued to buzz around where she was for a moment, than took off in the opposite direction, almost as if it was heading towards Beast Boy's flat.
o0O0o0O0o
"Raven! I have found you!" Starfire squealed as Raven strode angrily back into the hotel, cloak swishing around her ankles, "Have you found friend Beast boy yet?"
"No," Raven spat, "He is no where to be found. And I am going to find him tonight!"
She walked over to the door which she had just come out of and threw it open, only to find the bulky figure of Cyborg blocking the door.
"Nope. It is past midnight, and you are going to have to get up early to make yourself look all pretty," he informed her.
"What don't you get?" Raven asked dangerously, "I have to find Beast Boy. NOW!"
Cyborg didn't move. The two friends began a staring contest, a silent battle of wills. Usually, Raven could get whatever she wanted out of her surrogate big brother, but this time Cyborg was adamant. Raven sighed.
"Fine, but don't blame me if I ruin his wedding day by screaming at him," she warned as she headed back to bed.
Cyborg shrugged as she left the room. He winked at Bee and Starfire before strolling idly back to his room. A few moments after he arrived, Beast Boy stormed in, followed by Speedy and Aqualad. The two of them could hardly conceal their grins at the other guy's outrage.
"What the hell, you two! I have been looking everywhere for Rae, and now I come right back to where I started and she's not here! You know the plan, I need to talk to her before tomorrow!" he screamed. Speedy smirked.
"Come on, Beast Boy, don't want to wake up your Sleeping Beauty next door, do you?" he mocked. Beast Boy lowered his voice, but kept ranting. Cyborg ignored him, turning to Aqualad and Speedy.
"Good job you two," he told them. Aqualad grinned tiredly.
"Thanks. I don't think I've ever seen a guy play that many video games before. But why do we have to keep them apart? If it doesn't work, we need to have time to cancel."
"Haven't you read the stories?" Cyborg asked, "The couple can't get together before the very end. It's a rule."
Speedy raised an eyebrow.
"That seems like an uncalculated risk."
Cyborg gaped at him.
"You sounded like Robin there."
Speedy flicked him off. Cyborg grinned broadly.
"I was also giving Rae a bit more time to muse before her big day," he continued.
"A bit more time?" Aqualad snorted, "She's had almost 5 years!"
"And they've been in denial for all of it, Rae especially;" Cyborg explained patiently, "Rae's not good with feelings. It takes her awhile to realize why she's come out of denial."
Ignored by any of them, Beast Boy had stopped ranting. He stared at them a moment, confused, and then began to grin. Cyborg would pay, but in its own place.
"I'm going home," he told them all, "See you bright and early tomorrow!"
He waved and walked out the door. Speedy laughed.
"Great! I can sleep in!"
o0O0o0O0o
Raven stormed into the room Beast Boy was using to get ready. He turned, surprised at the sudden entrance. His mouth dropped open at the sight. She was truly beautiful as she stood there, the dawn light illuminating her pale skin, her purple locks perfectly coifed above her head.
"Hi?" he said tentatively.
"Beast Boy, do you not trust me anymore?" she asked abruptly.
"Of course I do," he answered quickly.
She stared at him, her normally impassive face nervous. She was even biting her lip, if he noticed correctly.
"Than why," she spat, "Don't you tell me anything anymore?"
Beast Boy made a move to protest, but she continued, "I'm your damn beast friend! You've told me that, and I thought it was true. You're mine, or at least you were when you still trusted me!"
Beast boy made a sound both agreeing and disagreeing at once. Raven ignored him.
"Everyone else knows your secret. You must have told everyone else who you're going to marry is, but to me she's just a 'phantom bride'. Hell, you even told Bumblebee, and I know you don't like her very much. Or is that another thing you aren't telling me?" Raven was beginning to yell, "Were you afraid I was going to disapprove? Is that it, were you too afraid you couldn't go through with it if I didn't like her? Well, you know what, I still don't approve. For all I know, she could be some blond bimbo, and nothing you've said has convinced me otherwise! Because I know nothing anymore! I don't approve! And you know why? Because she sure as hell shouldn't be there. I know whoever she is, she shouldn't be up there at that alter with you! I should! She can't love you as much as I do! It's not possible!"
Raven suddenly realized what she said.
"Oh shit," she muttered, turning to flee out the door, "Damn it all."
As she was about to leave, Beast Boy put a hand on her sleeve.
"Raven," he said softly, stopping her in her tracks, "You're right."