Ch 7

It had been a long night for Raven as she barely got sleep last night from her realization yesterday. She had woken up on the couch of the living room as the sun moved across her body. She sighed. 'I guess I slept here last night,' she thought, not even remembering how she got out here.

'BB loves us!'

'Ah! Happy don't scare me like that,' said Raven as she stood up from the couch.

Suddenly something dawned on Raven. 'Wa—wait a minute it's Love. She's the one that's been hiding from me, but I—I can't—

'No! Don't say such a thing!' exclaimed Affection. 'You know it's true deep inside you Raven. That's why she exists, she exists because of Garfield.'

'We love him Raven. We always have in your own way,' said Love. 'Don't shut me out please.'

Raven sat back on the couch. 'I'm leaving in a few months. It's best to leave things the way they are.'

'Why?' asked Love.

'I don't know if I have anything to give. It's so unfamiliar. I've never felt—

'You admit it then?' asked Love. 'You do love him. You can't deny it to yourself.'

Raven sighed. 'Fine I admit it but nothing can happen. It's too risky. I could end up hurting him, and that's the last thing I want to do,' she thought as she came out of her mind to discover tears on her face, reminding her how much she just wanted to let it out, let everything go. "I can't," she said out loud as she wiped the tears away, putting up her hood.

"Can't what?" asked Robin.

"It's not important," said Raven as she passed Robin on her way to make her tea.

"Morning y'all," said Cy as he walked into the kitchen with Bumblebee right beside him.

"Morning," said Robin and Raven.

"Oh friends, isn't it a glorious morning?" said Starfire as she entered the kitchen.

"It sure is Star," said Robin as he smiled at his girlfriend.

Raven could feel the overwhelming feeling of love in the kitchen, and she needed to get out and get some fresh air. "I'll be on the roof meditating," said Raven as she levitated herself and her tea out of the room.

"Is she all right?" asked Cy.

"Whatever it is, I think she needs to handle it on her own," said Robin.

"Oh I hope she will come to us if she needs to," said Starfire.

After breakfast Beast boy decided to go for a swim in the indoor pool since Cyborg and Bumblebee were going over wedding plans. A moment of hesitancy came over as he looked around to make sure no one was coming. Stripping to his swim shorts, he threw his uniform onto one of the beach chairs.

Jumping into the pool, he felt the cold water hit his body and he felt good. It seemed like ages since he went for a swim in his own skin. His uniform had always been a source of protection for the Changeling to hide his deformed body from himself and the world. He couldn't believe he had told Raven about that, but he smiled. There was just something about her that made him feel happy inside.

He sighed, floating on his back. 'Could I really ask her to come with me?' he thought. He shook his head. 'She'd ask why and then I'd have to tell her and risk losing her forever. I don't want that to happen,' he thought as he disappeared under the water again.

Resting in the shallow end after transforming into different sea animals, he thought about his birthday that was coming up in a couple of days, and his best friend's wedding. He should be excited but all he could think about was the end of the Titans. When he left the Doom Patrol, it had been his decision to leave. He had been in control of his life and now he didn't know what he was going to do, but he survived his past so he knew he could survive anything put in his path.

Suddenly an idea smacked him in the face. 'I could go back to the Doom Patrol. I've grown up some. I have missed them a lot, and it would be good to continue protecting the world from villains.' He smiled, thinking this was the best course of action. 'Besides I'm sure I have a lot more to learn and maybe I can teach them a thing or to.'

Getting out of the pool, he grabbed his uniform and before he could put it on, he came face to face with Raven, and his heart started to rapidly beat. "Uh he—hey Raven, what's—?"

"Cyborg wanted to talk to everyone, so I was sent to get you,' said Raven as she tried to stare at anything but BB's body.

"It's ok Rae you can look," said BB. "I know it's not much to look at, but—

"I—it's not that," Raven blushed. "I just wanted to be respectful," she said and suddenly she felt something fuzzy and warm holding her hands. Looking at her hands, she saw two big green hands with claws holding her hands delicately. Raven smiled as she felt his real hands for the first time. "They're so soft."

BB blushed and started to feel the skin of her hands to, and they felt so delicate and smooth. "You have pretty hands Raven."

"I—I like your claws," she blushed, blowing up one of the chairs and then letting go of his hands. "Uh maybe you should get dressed and meet us in the living room."

"Sounds like a plan," BB smiled. "Thanks Rae."

"For what?"

"For not judging my appearance."

"I would never do that Beast boy. There's nothing wrong with the way you look," said Raven before she left the room.

Everyone was gathered in the living room on the couch, waiting for the engaged couple to make another announcement.

"So, we're having the wedding in New York," said Bumblebee. "My family lives there, and Cyborg's grandparents Tucker and Maude moved there about a year ago. We've invited our families and of course you're all invited to as well as my team."

"The thing is I was thinking BB and Rob could be my best men, and—

"Say no more friend Cyborg. Raven and I would love to be bridesmaids to friend Bumblebee," said Starfire.

"What! You have got to be kidding—Starfire looked at her with pleading eyes. Raven sighed. "Fine we would love to be your bridesmaids Bumblebee."

"Good," Bumblebee smirked, "because you really didn't have a say in the matter," she said as Starfire laughed.

"So you have set a date then?" asked Robin.

"A week before we go our separate ways. We thought Friday at the end of the week would be good. We have everything covered for the most part, but Bumblebee and I might have to go to New York to wrap up the rest of our wedding plans." Cyborg smirked. "Don't worry Rob we'll keep you in the loop."

"That's all I ask," said Robin.

Raven looked from the couple to Beast boy, who had been unnaturally silent during the whole conversation. Sitting next to the shapeshifter on the couch, she could see he was thinking about something deeply. "Everything ok?"

BB came out of his thoughts to see two lovely dark purple eyes looking worryingly at him. "Yeah, just everything feels like it's happening so fast."

"Don't worry B it will be all right," said Cy as he sat on the other side of BB. He smiled. You're birthday's coming up. We'll go all out for you man."

"Thanks Cy," said BB. "I'll just concentrate on the days we have left together."

"That's the spirit friend Beast boy!" said Starfire.

"All right now that this is over with, I'm making everyone lunch, even you BB," said Cy.

Before they could all head towards the kitchen to share another meal together, the doorbell rang, making Robin tense but ready for anything as all the Titans made their way towards the door. They were right behind him as he answered the door.

"Herald, what are you doing here?" asked Bumblebee.

"Don't marry him Karen, I still love you," said Herald.

"Say what!" exclaimed Cyborg.

"Victor, Herald is my ex-boyfriend."