He was silent. His steps were slow and careful;. he didn't want to wake her.

Motionless, she laid in the same hospital bed as she had for the past seventy two hours. Like a human marionette, Raven's ashen skin was decorated with IVs and monitors stuck all over her frail body. The only movement was the slight rise and fall of her chest though he wouldn't have noticed it if he hadn't spent the last two years of his life admiring her from afar.

"Raven," Beast Boy settled into a crouch so he was level with her bedside. Intertwining his fingers carefully with hers, he studied her gaunt face. Her cheekbones protruded and the garnet chakra on her forehead didn't seem so bright. His left hand moved to tenderly push the wisps of lavender out of her face and a heavy regret tugged his heart.

"I should've protected you," he mumbled. "You don't deserve this, Rae….. Well, no one deserves this," Beast Boy chuckled hoarsely. Except maybe the jerk who did this to you, he thought bitterly.

"But you especially… Cause, well, you know.. You're you."

He paused, not daring to exhale. He thought he'd seen her eyelashes flutter but he couldn't be sure. Passing it off as wishful thinking, Beast Boy pressed his thumb over her bony knuckles. His teammates, the doctors, and the nurses had insisted she was frail and sickly but Beast Boy refused to think of her in that way. He preferred delicate and determined; after all, she was waging against the war that her body was fighting with itself. A flash of Raven in a heavenly ivory infiltrated his thoughts for it was the last moment he'd seen her before her body had gone plummeting to the earth.

Her hair was still tousled from that day. Thin and brittle at the ends, partially singed on the left side, nevertheless exquisite. Beast Boy sighed.

"The doctors were talking about pulling the plug soon," his voice fell an octave lower, a hateful growl pulling at the edge. "But don't you worry, Rae. I wont' let them do that. Over my dead body will they give up on you. They can give up when I give up…. And that will never happen." His words carried a gravity that Beast Boy hadn't realized he possessed. He didn't dwell on his new ferocity; he'd do anything to fight for Raven, to see those pure amethyst eyes one more time.

"When did you become so important to me?" He laughed despite the fresh wave of tears rolling down his cheeks. "How did one, sarcastic, purple haired half demon become my entire world?"

Feeling the bed tremble, Beast Boy realized his pain and frustration had found a leak. Steadying his hands, he stood to his full height. The tips of his ears twitched backwards, he could hear the voices of his grieving team approaching quickly. Though they claimed not to give up on the weakening sorceress, the changeling felt as if they'd practically accepted her death. Biting his cheek and frowning, Beast Boy leaned over her tiny body, his subconscious protecting her from even her closest friends.

Keeping his hand intertwined with hers, Beast Boy bent to her lips. His dark fingertips were a bright jade against her porcelain cheekbone.

"Keeping fighting in there, Raven. I'll take care of the rest." His bottom lip brushed hers as he spoke; and he pressed in slightly so he could kiss her in whole. Tears escaped his closed lids as a weight of familiarity and remembrance flooded his memories. Every moment between them was suddenly played before his mind, memories stimulated by the way her dainty mouth fit perfectly beneath his.

It was a good thirty seconds before the excessive electronic beeping hit his ears. Pulling back, Beast Boy gripped her hand harder. Swiveling his head in search for a medic, he hadn't realized the beeping was slowing.

Turning back, he found her amethyst eyes.

"R-Rae? Raven!" He exclaimed, a warm scarlet stretching from cheek to cheek, right over the bridge of his nose. Bending to give her a hug, Beast Boy reminded himself that consciousness didn't mean cured.

"Hi, Garfield." Her gravelly voice was softer than ever and a rare smile graced her features. Her cold fingertips gripped tighter around his and she pressed on, though it was clear that ever word was taking a toll. "That was some kiss." She mumbled, her voice held a light tease.

The points of his ears were on fire, folding downwards. She'd been awake the whole time; the realization hit him like a bus. Unable to formulate an intelligent response, the changeling just grinned, kissing the tip of her frosty nose. He couldn't decide if he was angry that she hadn't alerted him she was conscious or if he was grateful she'd heard everything he'd wanted to tell her since they'd met. Deciding he couldn't never truly be angry with the empath, Beast Boy stayed silent.

"So, they think I'm done for," she murmured, voice calm and even. Beast Boy nodded, unable to verbally answer. Even without her vision, Raven received his reply. She must have been able to weakly pick up on emotion - like the doctors had said, even in this state, she was a powerful empath.

"They seem to have accepted it… Have you?"

What was she saying? Beast Boy was furious. The answer was obvious. He would never accept this, that his girlfriend was becoming more feeble by the hour. To him, she was still the gorgeous, graceful, kindhearted, powerful empath; she wouldn't go down without a fight and he wouldn't let her. Hot tears flooded the corners of his eyes and changeling left them. She wasn't, she couldn't….

"You're not dying, Raven." He spoke firmly, as if he was the father of time. His determination overrode his fear and his voice was like an earthquake, threatening to sway under his riled emotions at any moment.

"You wanted to see my eyes one more time." She blinked at him, the action seeming heavy. Passionate anger and fiery love stabbed his heart, this was almost too much for him. The changeling crumpled to her bedside, gripping her frigid, stiffening hand like it was his life support. He knew her; she was only saying these things because she didn't know what the future held. But he couldn't stand it. She'd never been optimistic but these words didn't hold even a hint of hope. No, these words were only swollen with the heavy note of acceptance. The sorceress watched him, crystalline eyes full of compassion and wisdom.

"But even if you can't see me, Gar…. know that I'm with you and that I love you. Always."

And then, her eyes closed.

That was the last time Beast Boy saw those exquisite amethyst eyes.