AN: Nope, no ownership yet… deal with it

A Missed Chance

Once Raven left Beast Boy went up to the guest bedroom and locked the door so her grandparents couldn't come in and threaten him. He popped his new CD into his player and grabbed his new comic book. But, as much as he tried to get his mind off of her, he just couldn't. The thought of her being forced to go out with that guy killed him inside. He knew she didn't like him, not any more than a friend, anyway. She didn't look at Paul the way she looked at him. Didn't that count for anything?

The hours passed and he was quite bored. He had done everything he could possibly do in the room. He turned into a fly and took a whip around the house to see what was going on. Nothing much, that was for sure. He sat on a window for a while, waiting for Raven to come home.

Finally, she did come home and he flew back up to his room and changed back. He grabbed his comic book and sat on his bed, trying to look like he had been in there all day. He listened intently and heard the door open and close. He heard some muffled speaking and then he heard someone coming up the stairs. After what seemed an eternity a hand knocked on his door.

"Come in," he said, trying to hide how happy and excited he was. The door opened and he saw her. He smiled widely and said, "I was wondering when you were coming back. How was it?"

"It was… fine," said Raven with a small smile, but he could see that there was something wrong.

"Are you okay?" he asked, standing up.

"Uh… yeah, I'm fine," she said with a fake smile.

"You don't seem fine," he said, going over to her. "What's going on? Did he do something to you? I swear, if he did anything I'll…"

"No, he didn't do anything," said Raven.

"Then what's wrong?" he asked again.

"Beast Boy, I'm… I'm… engaged," she said, looking to the floor. She then looked up and smiled sadly. "Isn't that great?"

Beast Boy stared at her, his eyes wide. His breath had caught in his throat and he suddenly couldn't remember how to breathe. He looked down at her hand and saw the ring. "W-what?" he finally peeped.

"Paul proposed on the date," said Raven, playing with the ring that now hugged her finger.

"And… you accepted?" he asked, shocked.

"Yes," said Raven, nodding, but not looking him in the eye.

"But… but you've only known him for a few months," said Beast Boy. "I didn't even know you were dating!"

"Neither did I," said Raven, sadly. She quickly snapped out of it and tried to act happy. "But he's a really good person and I'm happy to be marrying him."

"Wait a second," said Beast Boy, growing upset. "This morning you didn't want to go out with him at all. Now you're gonna marry him?!"

"It's not that I didn't want to go with him," said Raven, unable to look him in the eyes. "I just wanted to spend some time with you."

"No, you didn't want to go with him," said Beast Boy. "I could tell."

"It doesn't matter if I did or didn't at the time," said Raven. "I did go and now I'm his fiancé."

"But you don't have to be!" said Beast Boy. "He didn't force you to be his fiancé, right? You can choose not to do this."

"That's the thing, Beast Boy," said Raven, looking at the floor. "I do choose to do this. Please don't get upset. Paul is a perfect match for me. And I was going to get married sooner or later."

"But why's it sooner and not later?" he asked, his voice growing louder. "I mean, oh my God, you're engaged?!" He began pacing back and forth like a trapped tiger. "To him! To that… that… argh!" He growled and grabbed his head in frustration. "I can't believe this!"

"Beast Boy, please calm down," said Raven in a calm voice. "I know this is sudden and certainly unexpected, but I need you to be happy for me."

"How can I be happy?" he almost yelled.

"Hey, what's going on up there?" Peter called as he came up the stairs. He quickly made his way to the guest bedroom where he saw the two. "Who was yelling?"

"I wasn't yelling," said Beast Boy, clenching his fists. "I was expressing how much I totally don't approve of Raven marrying that guy."

"Well, that's not for you to say," said Peter, firmly.

"Yeah, it's for her to say," said Beast Boy. "And somehow I doubt she wants to marry him at all, sir."

"And just what are you saying, Garfield?" asked Peter, crossing his arms.

"Beast Boy, please," Raven begged him before he said something he would regret.

"I'm saying that I think you're making her marry that guy," said Beast Boy, getting in Peter's face. "She's a grown woman and she can make decisions on her own!"

"Young man, if you don't control your temper I will be forced to see you out of this house," said Peter.

"Forget it!" said Beast Boy. "I'm out of here." He grabbed his bags and began to fill them with his belongings."

"Beast Boy, don't be like this," said Raven, trying to stop him.

"You know, I've been trying to for months to prove that they were controlling you," said Beast Boy has she shoved his things into his bags. "And now I have all the proof I need. And the worst part is that you're just gonna accept it." He zipped his bags up, grabbed them, and pushed his way past her.

"Beast Boy I know you're upset, but I don't want you to leave!" she said, about to following after him. But her grandfather stopped her.

"Let him go," said Peter. "If he doesn't want to be happy for you, then let him leave."

"But, he's my friend," said Raven.

"That's right," said Peter. "He's just a friend."

Beast Boy got out of there as quickly as he could. He couldn't believe this was happening. Raven was engaged, and to Paul no less! Now what was he going to do? He had thought he'd had all the time in the world to make his move. To ask her if she wanted to hang out with just him. To see if she would possibly want to go out on a date. To kiss her out of his dreams and hold her like a lover. Now he would never have that chance. He had lost her. She was taken.

As his little T-ship took off he felt tears falling down his cheeks. He clenched his teeth and ignored them. If she was going to let her grandparents control her, then let them. He was done trying to save her. This was her choice now. She was old enough to think for herself. She must have wanted to marry Paul. Raven had never been forced to do something she didn't want to do.

Now Raven sat in her room, her door locked to keep all the people who cared about her away. Tears poured from her eyes and she lay in her bed. She didn't want to marry Paul. Yes, he was nice. Yes, he was sweet. Yes, he was in love with her. But he wasn't the one she loved. He wasn't the one she was in love with.

She grabbed the necklace around her neck and held it close to her heart. She knew he was flying home at that very moment. She knew he was going to tell her friends the second he walked through those tower doors. She knew they'd be shocked as well, but not as shocked as he had been.

A soft knock was made on her door. She wiped her eyes and said, "I don't want to talk right now."

"I know, dear, but I would really like to have a word with you," said Mary. Raven sighed and sat up. She unlocked the door with her powers and watched as her grandmother opened it. She had a kind smile on her face, and maybe even excited. "How are you?"

"I've been better," said Raven, sniffling.

Her grandmother took a seat next to her and wrapped her arm around her. "Oh, Raven, I'm so happy!" she said, hugging her.

"You're happy that my best friend just stormed out of here?" she asked, more tears falling from her eyes.

"No, I'm happy you're going to marry Paul," said Mary. "Your friend left?"

"Yes," said Raven, getting up and grabbing a tissue to blow her nose. "I told him that I was engaged and he flipped out."

"Oh, that's too bad," said Mary. "But, maybe it's for the best. After all, you're going to be leaving that life behind you anyway."

"But, I don't want to leave my friends," said Raven. "They're all I've got."

"Not anymore," said Mary. "We're all you've got now, sweetheart. And we're going to make you so happy."

"But… but I was happy before," said Raven, feeling more tears fall.

Her grandmother stood up and wrapped her arms around Raven. "It's okay," said Mary, rocking Raven back and forth. "You'll see, everything's going to be okay. We're not going to leave you, Raven. You're with your family now."

Raven cried even harder. She didn't want to leave the Titans; she loved her life with them. She really didn't want any of this. But, it was for the best. It was for her own good. Paul would love her until the end of his days and she knew he would never leave her or divorce her. He was far too religious to do that. She would be his until the day he or she died. This just caused her to cry more and more.

"I have to go home," said Raven, pulling away from her grandmother.

"You are home, Raven," said Mary.

"No, I have to go home to Jump City," said Raven, going to grab her bags. "I have to tell them I'm engaged. I have to talk to Beast Boy."

"Dear, we have a lot to do here," said Mary. "Now isn't the best time for you to leave."

"No, I need to go home," said Raven. "I'm feeling too overwhelmed right now."

"Raven, please don't go," Mary pleaded. "You may never come back, like your mother."

"I will come back," said Raven. "I just need to see my friends."

"I know that Paul would like to be with you right now," said Mary. "He is, after all, your fiancé."

Raven paused where she was and let that statement sink in. She felt the tears roll down her cheeks again and she said in a shaky voice, "I'd like to be alone right now, if you don't mind."

Her grandmother was about to object, but she could hear the strain in her granddaughter's voice. She silently nodded and left the room. Raven lifted her hand and the door closed and locked again. She fell to her knees and laid her hand and arms on the bed.

A few minutes later she left and headed back for Jump City. Again, her grandparents had tried to talk her out of going, but she had to. She needed to go home. She needed to see him and try to work things out. He had to understand. If he wanted the best for her, he would see that she had to be with Paul.

But, she knew that this was all wrong. She knew that marrying Paul would most certainly make him and her grandparents happy. But not her. But, she didn't want to call off this engagement for nothing. She needed to know how Beast Boy felt. If he could tell her what she hoped and dreamed he could, then she would call all of this off.