Disclaimer TEEN TITANS and all other related characters and material are the property of DC comics and Cartoon Network, I claim no ownership.
Chapter 8: Lost and Found
By: Ansa
Beast Boy woke up slowly, not suddenly as usual. The fact that no alarm was present to jolt him out of his dreams surprised him until he realized he had the day off. Unfortunately he couldn't go back to sleep, with him, once he was awake that was it. There was no negotiating with his body, which was quite annoying, especially on weekends. It wasn't so bad this morning considering it was roughly eleven o-clock when the sun peering through the window shades finally urged his eyes to open.
Stretching slightly he noticed he had little space to move, at first he thought he was on the couch, in fact he would have placed any amount of money on the Raven making him sleep on the couch tonight. Surprisingly he found himself in their bed, and even more surprisingly, he found that the reason he had so little space was due to the fact that Raven was sleeping soundly, holding on to him tightly, her head resting gently on his chest.
He smiled and let out a sigh of relief. Last night had been rough…with Derek's little lessons he didn't expect things to blow over this quickly. But then again, he might be speaking too soon; he should take things carefully for the next few days, just to make sure. He brushed a lock of hair out of her face gently and watched her sleep, her mouth open just slightly as she breathed, her lips soft and inviting. Under the sheets they were both fully clothed, it seems they had simply lay down upon the bed together in the close embrace taking no heed to what they were wearing.
He moved slightly, trying to slip out from under her, knowing that if he didn't do something soon, his grumbling stomach would eventually wake her. He sat up slowly, letting her head slide down upon his lap. He then tried to swing his legs out, one of hers entangling with his made this difficult, not impossible, just difficult. Finally, he had made his way to the edge of the bed, letting her head rest gently on the pillow. Before getting up he pulled the covers over her shoulders from where they had fallen and smiled…she was so beautiful…Once he left the bed a sudden space opened up, an empty space that seemed to register with the sleeping girl.
"Mmmm…hun?"
"Shhhhh." She sat up, to which he gently moved her back down on the bed, kissing her forehead lovingly. "Go back to sleep, I'm going to start breakfast. I'll wake you when it's ready."
"No, that's ok." She stretched but didn't move to sit up. Instead she lay back on the bed and looked up at him. She smiled softly at him, a hand going up to play with his hair a bit. "Promise me you won't do something stupid like that again?" Beast Boy smiled and took her hand, holding it to his cheek after kissing the back of it gently.
"I promise…" Raven's smile grew warmer as her hand held his cheek, the other reaching for the back of his neck, pulling him down. She could feel her entire body glow as she closed her eyes and their lips met, locked together for what seemed like the sweetest eternity. She sighed softly as their mouths opened just slightly, deepening the passion of the kiss. She held on as long as she could, drinking him in, feeling the experience of being so close to him making her stronger…in all ways possible.
Reluctantly they both pulled back, but not too far, hovering only a few inches between each other. They smiled, some unseen force holding them together, not letting either move away too far. Almost like elastic, the further they pulled away, the only found each other leaning in again to steal another gentle peck of heaven. After another blissful eternity together, the elastic finally broke, allowing Beast Boy to head out into the kitchen.
"So what do you want for break-…" He stopped suddenly and just stood there, not too far from the doorframe…just staring.
"Hun?" Getting up out of bed Raven followed behind him, moving next to him trying to see what had stopped him dead in his tracks. Scanning the room, she saw a black bat-shaped object lodged in the wall at the far end of the apartment. "I wish he could send us a message without ruining the drywall." Annoyed, she walked up and pulled the object loose. Beast Boy quickly joined her, quite shocked that the infamous Dark Knight had left something in their apartment…but what was it.
On first glance it appeared to be any common batarang. Smooth, slender, and of course, shaped like a Bat. The edges were razor sharp despite the appearance of being quite dull, Beast Boy found that out the hard way. Only upon turning it over did they notice what made this batarang so special. In the center of it seemed to be a small LCD screen. Roughly about the size of a cell phone screen, it held the picture of a series of streets and highways. Along the border lay numbers, most likely distance and time, but what was most intriguing was the flashing dot in the upper right hand corner, somewhere between intersections.
"What is it?"
"It looks like a GPS tracker."
"For what?" After a split second it had both hit them, they turned to look at each other; both sort of shocked only Raven hiding it better.
"He found her…Starfire!"
"What should I use for sauce, natural spices or Mrs. Dash?" Beast Boy shouted from the kitchen, his apron on tighter than usual, he already dressed in his nicest clothes and not wanting anything to splatter on them. Inside the bedroom Raven brushed her hair, the turtleneck having mussed it up a bit when going over her head.
"Mrs. Dash, remember thanksgiving?" Beast Boy paused, thinking back to the previous year and the "stuffing incident" that it had come to be called, and shuddered.
"…Right, Mrs. Dash it is then." Beast Boy took the bottle that was already in hand and added a few pinches into the bubbling pot. He had such the strangest mix of impatience and excitement welling inside him, it had been so long since he had seen his old friend, and now it was only minutes before seeing her again. Raven came out of the bedroom and looked at her watch impatiently, she too having missed Starfire, and waited eagerly for the apartment buzzer to sound.
"I hope you didn't make your tofu gumbo tonight. It's been years since we've seen Starfire, we don't want to scare her off."
"I didn't…and just what's so horrible about my gumbo?"
"You try too hard…just like with the 'stuffing incident' last Thanksgiving." Beast Boy stuck out his tongue childishly as he continued to tend to dinner both on the burners, and in the oven.
"But you have to admit, when I get things right-…" Beast Boy nearly jumped out of his skin as the buzzer so rudely interrupted him, the annoying sound seemed to gnaw on his spine each and every time. Raven's head jerked to the door and she tried to force back a smile, hurrying over to hit the call button. The noise was a nuisance to her as well, so her hurried move was more out of annoyance than anxiousness.
"Yes?"
"Hello…Raven, Beast Boy? Please let this be your button…the last four were very rude." Beast Boy immediately shot his fiancé an embarrassed look.
"We didn't give her our civilian names did we?"
"I guess not…" Raven hung her head, a large sweat drop forming as she pushed the button in again. "Yeah Star it's us, come on up." Downstairs the same annoying buzz would sound as Raven unlocked the front door, fortunately for them, they couldn't hear it. Quickly, Beast Boy wiped his hands clean on the apron, turning dials on the old stove to let this simmer, and that sit to cool. They both stood waiting eagerly at the door; they had not seen their friend when they tried to visit the location on the batarang GPS screen so instead they left their number and address. About a day later they got a call from a very surprised, but still excited Starfire. Not even a minute into the conversation and tonight had already been planned in detail.
"MY FRIENDS!" Without warning the door burst open and the two were scooped up into Tameranean arms and squeezed tightly. "I have missed you so much…it has been a Grabthar's age!" Raven and Beast Boy were squeezed once again, tossed from side to side as Starfire held them tight, swaying in the bear hug. "How are you?"
"Can't…breathe…" Beast Boy gasped for air, it felt like his ribs were about to be crushed as he struggled to break her grip, even Raven seemed to be running short on time.
"Oh, I'm sorry…it's just so good to see you " Starfire let the two go, blushing slightly embarrassed. Once the two had caught their breath they finally got a chance to get a good look at their friend for the first time in ages. Not to their surprise, the happy glow that Star seemed to emanate had yet to diminish. Her sunny disposition and plucky character hadn't seemed to have changed at all, neither did her looks. Her hair still was the most brilliant of reds, if not slightly brighter and longer in places. Her emerald eyes shone with such happiness to be with her friends once again…for they didn't know…just how hard things were for her since they all split.
"It's good to see you too Star." Now recovered, Beast Boy moved in for a much gentler hug. Raven smiled but stood back, despite her much lighter attitude as of late, there was only one person she hugged voluntarily, and that was her fiancé.
"But…I am confused…how did you find me? And why weren't your names on the list downstairs?" Beast Boy let go, hearing the sauce flow over the top of the pot, sizzling on the burner he fled to the kitchen, shrieking slightly. Raven headed over to the couch, taking Starfire's jacket and setting it down on the edge as she sat, offering her old comrade to join her.
"We had the Batman help us." Raven held up the black batarang, allowing Starfire to examine it before continuing. "As for our names…well, we're using civilian names now."
"Civilian names?"
"Yeah… 'Raven' doesn't exactly show up too well on college applications." Beast Boy smiled as he pulled the vegetable lasagna out of the oven. Somehow it felt like a terrible weight had been lifted having Star back with them, the same feeling he felt whenever he talked to Cyborg, or that night with Nightwing.
"I see…what are your civilian names then?" Starfire smiled a bit, looking at each of them and still seeing her two old friends as they were years ago. Even though they were not in uniform, she felt as complete as she did back then…well…almost.
"Garfield Logan."
"Soma Roth." Beast Boy sort of grimaced when he said his name aloud, he still hated the sound of it. Meanwhile Starfire smiled and nodded at them both, just happy to be with them again.
"It is so good seeing you again. I have missed you all so much." Then something hit her, something she remembered being said over the telephone that peaked her interest. "Oh…what was the surprise you spoke of?" Raven turned to Beast Boy who instinctively sat down next to her on the arm of the couch, taking her hand gently as she rested it upon her shoulder.
"Well…we're getting married."
Starfire's eyes lit up brighter than either of them could remember them being. "OH MY! THAT IS WONDERFUL!" Once again the two were scooped up into her arms and hugged senseless. "Congratulations to you both. " Reluctantly she let them go, putting her hands together eagerly. "Who are you to be married to?" The couple blinked, sweatdrops forming on each of their heads. It seems that even through all the years on this planet, she didn't really get the subtlety of some phrases.
"Um…each other. Beast Boy asked me to marry him."
"OH MY GOODNESS! THAT IS EVEN MORE WONDERFUL!" This time they were prepared and braced themselves for another crushing embrace, Starfire practically glowing as she held them. Meanwhile, all Beast Boy could do was wonder why it was so hard for people to grasp the idea of he and Raven together. Even Cyborg was shocked at the news. After what seemed like an eternity she let them go again, beaming from ear to ear. "I am so happy for the both of you."
"Thanks." Beast Boy scratched the back of his head in humility, settling himself back down on the arm of the couch.
"So when is the little one to arrive?"
"HUH? Whoa what?" Raven grabbed her fiancé's shoulder just to keep him from falling over the edge. The remark had caught them both rather off guard, and neither of them was really prepared to go into the whole child discussion.
"The little ones, I believe on earth it is custom to marry with child?" Beast Boy laughed nervously, he never really thought about it before but he understood how she would get that impression.
"Nononononono Star, it's not really customary and Raven's not pregnant…" he blinked, then turned to his fiancé. "Right?"
"Of course not…" Raven crossed her arms and shot him a rather annoyed look. They had talked about this last night, and a comment like that…well…hurt.
"Oh…I am sorry." Starfire blushed lightly, putting her hands in her lap. It had been a while since she had been made so aware of how alien this planet and its customs were to her. To have said something like that, in front of her friends no less was quite uncomfortable for her. "Do you plan on having a little one?" Again Starfire's smile surfaced glowing like the morning sun. She loved her friends dearly, and thinking about them sharing a life together made her so very happy inside. Her smile soon faded when she noticed the hurt look on both their faces, Raven turning her head down to hide her eyes slightly. "I am sorry, have I said something wrong?"
"No…it's ok." Beast Boy tightened his grip on Raven's hand, rubbing her back gently as he spoke. They didn't really get to talk about the subject much last night but he could tell it was a tender area, and didn't just have to do about the fear of him leaving. He could sense something else inside her, some other pain.
"I…can't have children."
"Oh…I am so sorry." Starfire hung her head again, he face now glowing a red much deeper than that of her brilliantly toned hair. "May I ask why?"
"When I was born…I had only one purpose, and that was to fulfill the prophesy. I existed only as my father's portal into this world. No one…" She paused, looking up at her soon-to-be husband who smiled tenderly back at her, giving her the strength she needed to continue. "No one was supposed to care for me…no one was supposed to love me. So…the ability to bear child was…pointless I suppose." She squeezed back upon his hand gently, she knew just how much Beast Boy hated to hear her, or anyone else for that matter, talk like she was nothing more than a portal rather than a person.
"I see…then I am sorry." Starfire leaned in for a hug. Naturally Raven prepared herself for another bone shattering grip but was instead met with a tender embrace. Beast Boy let go and leaned back, letting the two have their moment, letting Raven find some comfort. He thought over things as he sat there, torn in two. One half was full of hatred, hatred for her father that had made her suffer so. The other half was full of regret. He wanted to give her everything she wanted, he wanted to make all her dreams a reality so she knew only happiness and never sorrow. Unfortunately there was one thing he could not give her…a normal life. He would try his damndest, love her as deeply and as passionate as he could until he could no longer draw breath. He would give her a wedding; he would give her his life for the rest of theirs. Despite this…her life could never be as she wished…normal. Knowing that, made him hurt so…and only made him feel as if he had somehow failed her.
I don't know if I am completely satisfied with this chapter. I felt like I was rushing/forcing this just to get it done and out to you guys. I hope you like it, it's pretty much how I saw it…even if how I saw it wasn't really clear. Oh well…Later Days!
ANSA