Chapter 2:
Misery is Her Company
Raven lay on her bed with her arms and legs spread as a cross and stared into the mere emptiness of her dark room. It was 10. 49 AM. The crime alarm sounded hours ago and the titans have left the tower without her, as she didn't want to be with them after what happened that morning. 'Raven, we got to go. We can't let our personal matters to smash together with our work. We got to save our city' It was what Robin has last said before he left the tower. 'Give up already man. She doesn't want to come' it was Cyborg's reply. Whomever it was this time, I hope they have beaten him or her as usual. She thought to herself. But if they did, they should be home by now. I wonder if anyone's hurt. I wonder if Robin is hurt. Maybe I should go. Then she sat up on her bed. Why do I just keep worrying about him so much? He has his girlfriend Starfire to protect him. Why should I care? She asked herself and lay back on bed. It's not like he's somebody of mine. Apart from being a friend. Or maybe even more than a friend. Why do I think of him so much? Am I in love with him? No of course not. It's more of a brotherly feeling he has for me. Besides…Her thoughts were blocked when she heard the voices of the titans. 'Oh well, we surely beat the shit out of him this time, huh?' it was Cyborg. 'I wonder how Control Freak comes up with all those freakish ideas' Beastboy asked. 'Because he's got a better brain you do' Cyborg answered. 'Okay that's not funny' Beastboy said. 'I wonder Raven has come out of her room even after we left' Robin asked. Everyone became silent at once. See, the mere thought of me makes them gloomy. Raven thought to herself. 'Oh give it a rest Robin. She's Raven. You don't expect her to forget everything we said in just a matter of hours. She will if she was Starfire. Just chill yourself dude. Two more days and Raven would be back to normal' Beastboy said.
But pity that everything didn't go the way Beastboy thought it would be. Four days passed and Raven still didn't talk to them neither did she come out of her room. Or at least the titans think of it as so. Raven would have breakfast early in the morning before anyone else does and leave no trace of her and go back to her room. Then she would meditate or read a book or engage in her newly interested hobby – writing in her diary. And whenever the titans went out for crime fighting or go to hang out, she would go to the rooftop to have some fresh air, watch something on TV or have lunch. As for dinner, she would have it after everyone went to bed. And the titans seemed less concerned of her too. This thought made her hurt herself more. She thought at least Robin would come and talk to her but he didn't.
One morning Beastboy, Cyborg and Starfire were alone in the living room. 'Look guys, maybe we should go and apologize from her. The poor girl didn't come out from her room for five whole days and even the thought of being trapped in my room makes me sick. We must have really hurt her feelings' Cyborg said. Beastboy and Starfire looked at Cyborg with straight faces. 'Okay, I'm sorry' Cyborg said quickly. 'No Cyborg wait, wait, wait' Beastboy said and went down on his knees and clutched Cyborg's legs and started to cry. 'Dude, I thought you'd never say it. Oh much did I miss her. No rude remarks, no stankball, no quarrels, no bad comments, I thought I would never survive this age of solitude' Beastboy said still crying. 'Okay okay green bug. Just get a grip on yourself alright?' Cyborg said. 'Please dear friend Cyborg, let us confess' It was Starfire this time. 'I know Raven didn't really join me for the painting of toe nails and the sprucing or to have new makeovers but I just miss asking her those requests. And the times we spend in the mall of shopping, meditating, contacting the underworld, being criticized…' Starfire was cut halfway through Cyborg. 'Okay, okay, I get the message. We have to apologize. Just don't get yourself carried away too much' Beastboy and Starfire stopped weeping. 'Now first what we have to do is check on Raven. Beastboy, could you keep an eye on Raven so that we could find out when she goes out of her room?' Cyborg asked. 'Aye aye captain. I'll get into action right away' Beastboy saluted to Cyborg and transformed into a fly. 'Just don't get yourself noticed alright, like in the case of Malchior' Beastboy buzzed and went out to do what he was told. 'What are we to do, Cyborg?' Starfire asked. 'We have to wait till the reports come in' Cyborg said.
In the evening, Beastboy came back into the living room where Cyborg and Starfire were still waiting for them. Robin was busy today finding out more about Slade's next attack after he tried to blow up a volcano two weeks ago. 'Okay dudes. Found out when the Raven is going to come out of her den' Beastboy said. 'Okay, Now you're starting to sound like Star' Cyborg said. 'Friend Beastboy, what did you find out?' Starfire asked. 'Raven went to the rooftop to meditate. I think maybe we would able to talk to her there' Beastboy answered. 'But don't you think she would be mad at us for disturbing her during her meditating sessions' Cyborg asked. 'May be or may be not but we'll just have to try' Starfire said. 'I have to tell this wonderful news to Robin. I'm sure our dear leader would be really happy to know it' Starfire said and went in search of Robin.
'Good, now that she's gone, I can tell you what I need to' Beastboy said. 'What is it' Cyborg inquired. 'Did you know that Raven ever wrote in a diary?' Beastboy asked. 'No. But what does it have to do?' Cyborg said. 'Well before she teleported to the rooftop, she was writing in a diary and I could swear that I saw pictures of Robin and hers drawn by Raven herself plus a lot of "Robin and Me" written there' Beastboy said. 'So what? It's her diary and so she could draw and write anything she wants. About anything or anyone she's close to' Cyborg said. 'Exactly. Anyone she's close to. But why him? I have never seen Robin and Raven hanging out together. She spends her time more with us. So why not us?' Beastboy said. 'Well duh, he was the one who went on that save-Raven rescue mission when Four-Eyes ruled the earth. So they probably might be stuff she wrote after defeating Trigon' Cyborg said. 'But I saw the date dude. It was written the day-before yesterday' Beastboy said. 'Maybe we irritate her so much that she doesn't want our heads sticking out even in her diary' Cyborg said. 'No! She's in love with Robin. Why do you think our you-don't-have-a-lover quarrel hurt her so much? Because she was in love with someone. And that someone was Robin. If she wasn't she wouldn't have taken what we said so seriously. Even if she did, she would just storm at us, be alone in her room for some hours and she would be normal Raven again. But she would never miss a mission' Beastboy stopped his longest ever explanation. 'Now you're taking this a bit too far you know. Did you read what she had written about him? Because it's something really impossible that would ever happen in this world ' Cyborg said. 'Well I didn't read exactly what she has written. But maybe we should ask her' Beastboy said. Cyborg thought for a moment. 'Look BB, if this whole thing turns out to be total imagination of yours, she's so not going to be happy. And the closest punishment for you than death would be a curse which she would make to follow you to the rest of your life' Cyborg said. 'I can chance it but it's always worth a try. And I think this would be the best snooping mission we ever did' Beastboy said brimming with excitement. 'Excuse me but did I hear you correct? There was no we in your snooping' Cyborg said. 'Well, hello? Whose was the big idea of sending me to Raven room to spy her' Beastboy asked in defense. 'I sent you to spy her so that we could find out the times she leaves her room' Cyborg said. 'Whatever' Beastboy said. 'Come on. We should find Starfire before Raven goes back to her room. And I think we lost enough time already' Cyborg said.
Raven was on the rooftop meditating in the bright evening sun. She floated in the mid air and the sea breeze hit her softly relaxing her mind more and more and giving her the power of concentration to meditate. 'Um… Raven?' it was Beastboy's voice. 'So what did I do this time? Kill Robin? Kill Bumble Bee? Or was I the reason for Terra's death?' Raven asked without even turning her gaze at them. 'Look, Raven, we're really sorry for what we said earlier' Cyborg said. 'We did not know how much pain you could be in to not talk to us for five whole days' Starfire said. 'Okay, now I know Beastboy really did spy on me' Raven said. 'I thought you said you won't get noticed' Cyborg said to Beastboy with the corner of his mouth. 'Friend Raven, will you please forgive us?' Starfire asked. 'Please Raven, we really missed you' Beastboy joined. 'Yeah, our team won't be a complete family without you' Cyborg said. Raven a followed a moment of silence. 'At least now I can criticize you whenever I want' Raven said in her usual cold tone. 'You mean, apology accepted?' Beastboy asked. 'You think I'd still be talking to you if I didn't?' Raven asked. 'This is most delightful. Please will you please be kind enough to join me to go to the mall of shopping now that you have forgiven all of us?' Starfire asked. 'Sure why not?' Raven said. 'Glorious. The Grand Ball is tomorrow night and I still didn't buy anything to wear. I thought maybe I could wait until you said yes' Starfire said. Raven turned to face Starfire but still not came down to the ground. A look of surprise was on her face but thought not to express it through her words. 'When should I meet you at the hall?' Raven asked from Starfire. 'In 10 minutes if that is convenient to you Raven' Starfire said. 'Sounds fine to me' Raven said and Starfire went downstairs with a smile leaving Beastboy and Cyborg alone with Raven.
Raven turned again to meditate. Beastboy gave Cyborg a wink and decided to get on with the question he'd been longing to ask. 'Um, Raven, there's something else we want to ask you' Beastboy said. 'Get on with it' Raven said. 'Well remember you acted… very hurt after our you-don't-have-a-lover fight, and we were thinking… that the reason might be the fact… you do… sort of… have someone you really love' Beastboy continued. Raven opened her eyes. They glowed in white reflecting the anger within her. 'And we thought… maybe that someone is… it's just a guess okay… Robin' Beastboy said while sweating cold and gave a nervous chuckle. Raven turned to face them. The expression on her face was scarier than of a serial killer. 'If the two of you start getting any more ideas here after about the bond I have with Robin, you would both wish you'd never been born' Raven said. A strong wind blew over them and Raven floated away from the surface of the rooftop. Noticing this Cyborg decided to warn her about it. 'Raven you are…' 'Just Shut Up!' Raven stormed. The two boys turned chalk white. 'And I'd rather punish you with the penalty of death rather than making a horrific curse follow you to the rest of you life' Raven finished and turned once again to meditate.
Cyborg dragged Beastboy from her. 'BB, look, she has flown over the rooftop and won't take my warning' Cyborg whispered to Beastboy's ear. An idea hit him. He looked down from the rooftop. Robin was sitting on the rocky beach of the Titans' Island gazing at the sunset. 'I've got a master plan in my mind. The best way to check if she really does have a crush on Robin. Call him as if he's right behind us and then we'll let him take care of the rest' Beastboy said. 'Okay now!' he ordered. 'Yo Robin! What's up man' Cyborg waved to the cloudless sky. Raven turned instantly and noticed no one was there. But it was too late when she realized she lost her concentration to float. She screamed and started falling down to the ground. Robin turned his head at the sound of the scream and saw Raven falling down to the ground. 'Raven!' he cried and ran as swift as he could to get hold of her. 'Cyborg, can you focus the camera. I want to hear every word they speak' Beastboy requested. 'Not a problem at all' he said and did as he was told. Raven fell onto Robin's arms and both of them collapsed to the ground so that Raven was on top of Robin. They stared at each other's eyes for a fraction of a second. 'Ooh la la. Paris itself doesn't have so romantic moments' Cyborg said making fun of the scenario. Raven got up and lent her hand to Robin. 'Raven are you alright?' he asked sounding worried. 'I'm fine' she said coldly and made way to the main entrance of the Titans' Tower. What's wrong with me? Why can't I act normal with him as I used to be? 'Raven why couldn't you fly?' Robin asked. 'I've got to go and meet Starfire' she said ignoring Robin's question. 'Well at least you can say thank you for saving my life' Robin said. 'Fine. Thank you for saving my life, Robin.' Raven said and teleported into the hall. Robin raised an eyebrow. 'What's up with her?' he mumbled to himself. 'That girl needs to learn how to be intimate with boys' Cyborg said. 'Dude, tell me about it' Beastboy said.