Ch 5

The sun was coming up and moved its rays over the meditating empath. She smiled as she opened her eyes. It was the start of a new day, and one day closer to leaving Titans's Tower forever. Suddenly her smile was gone as she sighed and stepped down from her meditative position, walking towards the door to see it open to a green changeling.

"Hey Raven," he said with a smile on his face, which looked too devious for its own good.

"Ok, what's going on? You're up early, and that's never a good thing."

"We're all going out to breakfast today, so I came to get you."

"Why?"

"You know the list I told you about. Well I made it and I thought going out to breakfast would be a good start to the day."

"All right let's go," said Raven as she followed him into the tower.

Breakfast had been a good idea. The Titans enjoyed not having to cook in the morning and relaxing while the food came to them.

"The list is a good idea B," said Cy as he stuffed his face while BB cringed.

"Uh yeah thanks. Anyway I thought we could go to the beach today. We hardly have any time to go but since crime is low, I thought it would be a good idea," said BB.

"That's so wonderful Beast boy," said Starfire.

"Yeah sounds relaxing," said Robin.

"You don't know the meaning of relaxing when you have a wedding to plan," said Bumblebee with her wedding binder on the table.

"Well I can tell you need this now Karen. We can go over some more of the plans later," said Cyborg as he held his fiancee to him.

"Ok, it sounds like I'm beat anyway," said Bumblebee and then she looked to Raven. "What about you Raven?"

"Gee thanks for putting me on the spot," said Raven.

"No problem," smirked Bumblebee. "So?"

"Sounds good to me," said Raven.

"Say what!" exclaimed Cyborg.

"If any of you make a big thing about this, I'm not going," said Raven as she glared at Cyborg.

Beast boy smiled. "We wouldn't think of it Rae."

"All right! Let's pack it up and move on out," said Cyborg.

Raven was starting to regret saying yes to going to beach. The bathing suit under her clothes was not hers but something she borrowed from Starfire. She was just going to wear her leotard, but Starfire and Bumblebee had strongly protested. It was a two piece purple bathing suit that Starfire hadn't worn.

Once everything was set on their spot on the beach, Robin, Starfire, and Beast boy headed towards the water while Raven took out her book, sat on her chair underneath her umbrella, and started to read. It wasn't long when she felt two pairs of eyes on her. "What?" she said looking up from her book.

"Oh no I did not find you a bathing suit so you could just sit out and read a book," said Bumblebee.

"I'm not exactly comfortable with be gawked at while being half naked at the beach."

"Raven, we're here to spend time with each other," said Cyborg. "I even put on my waterproof body on. The least you can do is join us for a little while in the water."

Raven sighed. "Fine," she said as she closed her book and stood up. "I'll meet you in the water," she said as the couple headed to the water.

When Raven removed her clothes, she got a whistle and growled before she used her powers to hide her body as she opened a portal that dropped her right into the water. She made sure her body stayed under the water as she watched her friends in the water.

"You know you're not going to have much fun that way," said Beast boy as he floated in front of her.

"Whatever," she said as she suddenly felt self conscious about the lack of clothes she was wearing. It was then that she noticed Beast boy in his hero suit. "Why aren't you wearing swimming shorts?"

"Well uh you never know when crime's a foot. Besides if I shift into an animal while fighting, it's embarrassing when I shift back and everyone sees me naked," he blushed.

"Oh," said Raven as she blushed but could see in his eyes that there was something else. "What is the other reason Beast boy?"

"I'll tell you if you tell me."

"Tell you what?"

"Why you're so self conscious about your body?"

Raven sighed. "I guess that's fair. In Azarath I was taught that modesty is the respectable way to live as a female. I was taught that exposing the body in a provocative way would send me to hell ironically enough. It would attract the wrong attention from males, and I would end up like my mother. They feared I would end up like Trigon. I'm glad I was able to prove them wrong."

BB smiled. "That makes sense I guess, but the person makes the clothes. The clothes don't make the person. Anyway I wear my suit to cover up the scars of my past. My body has been though a lot of hell in its life and no one should have to see it, not even me if I can help it."

She could feel his pain, and it sadden her greatly. She found her arms around the him.

Raven quickly disappeared after her display of affection towards Beast boy. Standing in the middle of her room in just her bikini, she blushed, thinking about how warm and solid his body felt against hers as she blew up her pillow.

'Well that wasn't embarrassing,' she thought as she entered her bathroom, removed her bathing suit, and tried to relax under the water of the shower.

'Come on Rae Rae you know you loved it.'

'Who's there?' Raven asked as she moved her face out of the water.

'Affection, nice to meet you finally.'

'Why are you here?' Raven asked, annoyed.

'You felt something when BB held us in his arms. You wanted to make him feel better.'

'There has to be more than that. I wouldn't just show anyone affection.'

'You're right about that Rae Rae.'

'Would you please stop calling me that. Anyway—

'There's someone new here. I haven't seen her, but there's been some gossip. A powerful emotion has arisen.'

'I'll visit later. Thank you affection,' she said as she rinsed her hair, body, and then got out of the shower.

Walking back into her room in a towel, she went to her closet and then dresser to get her clothes. Dressing in her usually leotard, cloak, belt, and boots, she made her way into the hall to see Beast boy walking passed her room but he stopped as soon as he smelled her.

"Hey Raven."

"Beast boy."

"You hugged me," he smiled.

Raven rolled her eyes. "Don't let it go to your head."

"You like me."

"I like all my friends Beast boy."

"Yeah, but you don't hug them."

"You showed a side of yourself I rarely get to see, your vulnerability. I could sense you were feeling down, and I tired to comfort you the best I could."

"I appreciate the hug Rae. The first time around I didn't hug you back because I was so shocked. I'm glad I got to return the hug. You made me feel better," he smiled.

His smile did funny things to her stomach. She felt nervous all of a sudden. "No problem."

After lunch Raven went to visit her mind. Looking into her mirror, she was pulled in instantly and landed gracefully on a hard surface. What surprised her was all her emotions waiting for her. This did not make her feel ready to face whatever her emotions were going to tell her.

"Well this is unexpected," said Raven.

"We wouldn't all be gathered here if the situation wasn't serious," said Knowledge.

"I—I don't want to be here. I don't want to talk about this," said Timid.

"We have to do this Timid," said Brave.

"It's pointless. It's not like we can do anything about it," said Rage.

"When's the meeting over?" asked Rude, who was bored out of her mind.

"Yeah, I'm ready to sleep," said Lazy.

"This is too important for sleep," said Happy. I'm so excited about this!"

"Me to," said Affection.

"You said there was a new emotion," said Raven to Affection. "Is that why I'm here?"

"Yes," said Knowledge. "She has only shown herself to me but will not show herself to you until you acknowledge her as a part of you. She's an emotion we never thought was possible for us to have."

"How does that make any sense?" asked Raven.

"She will appear when you realize what you have felt all along," said Knowledge.

Raven sighed. "Great, a cryptic emotion."

"She fears you will not acknowledge her as a part of you and disappear. She doesn't want to disappear," said Affection.

"Why would I want her to disappear? I know I've had trouble expressing you all in the past, but I've become better at it since the defeat of my father."

"You have come a long way Raven," said Knowledge. "We understand that, but she's just being cautious."

"All right well I guess this has been a productive visit," said Raven as she turned away from her emotions and reappeared in her room.

She needed air and the roof was the best place to get it. Instead of meditating like she normally would, she sat down on the roof, leaving her legs dangling off the edge. 'Who could this new emotion be?' thought Raven. She knew it would drive her crazy, but she had to patient and hope the emotion would reveal herself. 'I can be patient,' thought Raven. 'I hope,' she sighed and then decided that meditation would most likely feel calmer then she was now.

"Raven, we're going out for pizza. You coming?" asked Beast boy as he observed her body language. She seemed relax but also on edge. 'Dude how is that possible?'