Chapter IX - My Guardian Angel

It was midnight when the two Titans returned, thankfully back in their own bodies. The others couldn't have been more overjoyed. Raphael appeared soon afterwards, as Raven had asked him to stay at the Tower make some extra body-switching potions in case she and Beast Boy somehow get switched again.

After a small celebration, Beast Boy, Raven, and Raphael were informed of the recent battle at the Crowe residence and also were told of the Christmas party they were hosting. Beast Boy said it sounded like fun. Raven said she probably didn't want to go.

That night, after the Titans had bid each other goodnight and made their way into their respective bedrooms, Raven was disturbed by a brisk knock on her door, which she opened to reveal the green boy whose body she had been for about a week.

"Why are you here, Beast Boy?" she asked in an almost tired voice.

"I came to ask you what you've been eating," he replied curtly. "I'm getting pretty constipated right now. So what have you been eating while you were in my body? Have you been eating meat?"

She rolled her eyes and proceeded to close the door but was stopped by Beast Boy. He gave her one of his boyish smiles and scratched his head softly.

"Yes?" she said. He opened his mouth as if to say something, but then swiftly grabbed her shoulders and pulled her into a hug. "I came to do this," he said softly as he squeezed his warm arms around her. "It's good to have you back, Rae."

Raven could feel the heat of his body pressed up against her. It felt strangely comfortable. Neither noticed Raphael standing at the end of the hallway, watching the two Titans embracing. Silently he understood and quickly placed in his pocket the small flower he was planning on giving to Raven and walked away.

Beast Boy soon let her go and sent her off into her room with a "Good night." Beast Boy then began walking down the hallway towards the elevator to reach his room, taking on a stroll that had a little spring in his step.

He began imagining Raven was walking next to him with the same spring-step as him, placing her feet in front of each other simultaneously to him. "What the?" he smirked as he looked the imagined Raven up and down. "What are you doing here?" She shrugged. "Why am I thinking about you?" Beast Boy wondered to himself and kept walking. The Raven placed her hands behind her back just as he had his and followed him.

It wasn't until he had reached the elevator that he finally stopped and confronted his pursuer.

"Okay, fine, what do you want?" he asked her. Again she shrugged. "What, do you think I think about you all the time or something?" The Raven in his imagination shrugged once more. "Are you trying to make me like you?" he inquired. "You honestly think I like you?"

"You're imagining me," the mental projection said monotonously. "What does that tell you?"

"Well forget about it," he returned. "I don't like you… and besides even if I did, you're not even my type." He cleared his throat and said, "My type is—"

In the blink of an eye, another Raven appeared before him, this one dressed in a revealing and tight black dress with dark lipstick and eyeshadow. "Hello, Beast Boy," she said in a seductive voice.

"Uhm… I might have been thinking that," he admitted. "But I also like smart girls."

A third Raven appeared, one dressed as a young secretary. She wore a white dress shirt with a tight black skirt and her hair was done up in a bun. Glasses adorned her eyes and bright red lipstick covered her mouth.

"I like cute girls!" he blurted out.

A Raven dressed in a schoolgirl outfit appeared before him, her hair done up in two ponytails. "Hi hi Beastie Boo Boo!" she called.

"Grr…" he grumbled as his eyes jumped back and forth between the skimpy, smart, and cute Ravens. "Shut up. Stop it! I don't want to see any of you!" he cried. "I just want to see—Raven. The cool one. My friend." He turned around and went directly back to Raven's room, leaving behind his imagined Ravens.

"Yo Beebs. You need to get a date for the party, right? How 'bout that cute clerk girl we saved two weeks ago?" he remembered Cyborg telling him earlier that night.

"No, Cy," the changeling thought to himself. "I think… I have someone else in mind now." He gave himself the excuse that he would only go with Raven as friends. After all, both had no dates.

Beast Boy knocked on Raven's door, his heart beating quickly. A part of him hoped she was already asleep so he wouldn't have to ask her such a thing. He took a deep breath and knocked again when no answer came. He mentally worked out their conversation and the things he would say to her, carefully avoiding any situation where Raven would say "No."

When there was no response, Beast Boy did not know whether he was disappointed or relieved. Awkwardly shaking his legs, he slowly dragged himself away from the door before abruptly returning. As if something had come over him, the boy slowly reached out his hand onto the cold door and pulled it open.

"R—Raven?" he whispered, hearing his voice echo inside the dark room. He opened the door wider, letting the light of the hallway make its way into the room and falling onto the image of a sleeping Raven. The edges of Beast Boy's lips curled upwards as he slowly crept across the room towards her side, gently tucking her blanket snugly in. "Night, Rae," he whispered as he reached his arm over her body and tucked the other side in. Feeling Raven's steady breathing on his cheek, he became instantly aware of how close he was to her. Slowly tilting his head, he came face to face with the sleeping sorceress, whose face was mere inches away from his. Her breathing tickled his neck.

Feeling his heart beat steadily faster and faster, he gently raised his hand and felt her cheek with the very tips of his fingers, feeling its softness and smoothness as if he were caressing a baby. It all suddenly came to him—all those times he had spent alone with her, talking to her, smiling with her. Even though they drove each other crazy, they had their moments. The time he had entered her mind, the time he became the Beast and saved her, the time Raven rescued them and the world from Trigon's clutches.

"For luck," he had said to her then as he slipped into her fingers his lucky penny.

"If it wasn't for that beast, I might not be here right now," she said to him after the fight with Adonis. "Having that thing inside doesn't make you an animal. Knowing when to let it out is what makes you a man."

"You think you're alone, Raven. But you're not," his own words echoed in his ears as he felt his lips getting closer and closer to hers.

"What am I doing?" he thought to himself as time froze. "What am I feeling? Why am I here, now? Do I—am I in love with… Raven? No, that's impossible, right?"

"Beast Boy." Their lips were barely touching. "You're not someone who means nothing to me."

He felt his lips graze hers. He didn't know what he was thinking, what he was doing. But at that instant, it all felt right. Raven's eyes opened.

His entire body shaking, Beast Boy suddenly pulled away and placed his lips over his trembling lips. Little did he know that Raven was doing the same.

"B—Beast Boy?" he heard, causing his heart to drop as he spun around in panic.

"Uh—R—Raven!" he stammered. How long had she been awake? Was she awake the entire time? "You—you probably are w—wondering what I'm doing here… right?"

Raven blinked. She didn't know what was happening. She had only woken when her empathic powers felt a very strong presence near her.

"Uh—sure," she replied, too confused to be angry. "What are you doing here?"

"Well…" he dropped, his arms flailing about awkwardly. "So… I was wondering, Rae, if…"

"…well?" she said impatiently.

"You know what? Never mind. I'll leave," he said quickly before turning around and making his way to the door.

Raven furrowed her eyebrows and placed her hands on her lips. What was that? She had felt something… a very strong emotion. Wait…

"Beast Boy!" her voice hit him like stone. "Did you—did you just…"

The changeling stopped in his tracks and slowly turned back to face her. Seeing her fingers on her lips, he knew that it was too late.

"You—" she cried. "Did you just ki—. Do you like—"

"Raven, it's not what—" he stuttered. "I mean—it is but it's not—"

"It is?" she jumped. "You mean you—you just—!" Both stared at each other with their hearts racing simultaneously. Raven turned away. "Get out."

"Raven—"

"Get out!"

"Raven, I just thought that—"

"Well stop thinking!" she cried. "You can't think about things like that, Beast Boy. We just—I… you can't do things like this!"

"Raven…"

"Just get out now before I send you to another dimension!" she hissed. Upon hearing some shuffling feet and closing door, she knew he was gone.

Biting her lips, the sorceress placed her fingers back over her mouth. Did he… kiss her? She definitely felt something there. And her powers, too—they sensed a very powerful emotion, one she had not felt in a very long time.

Was it… love?

No! It couldn't be.

It was strange, she thought. The emotion—she could still sense it. But Beast Boy had already left, hadn't he? "Beast Boy?" she called, wondering if he was standing outside the door. When no response came, she knew he had already left. But then what was the source of this emotion she was feeling?

Was it… her? Is this feeling of love coming from inside her? Her hands trembling, Raven walked over to her desk and grabbed her mirror. Taking a deep breath, she sat onto her bed in the lotus position and examined her reflection inside the mirror. "Azarath Metrion Zinthos," she chanted, feeling the bed disappear from under her. "Azarath Metrion Zinthos." The mirror faded and crumbled under her fingers like dust. "Azarath Metrion Zinthos." A cool breeze brushed by her cheek.

"Welcome back," she heard her own voice say as she looked up to see a figure resembling her wearing a yellow cloak. "Long time no see."

"I guess you could call it that," she replied.

…

"How are things?" Raven asked as the two walked side by side across the world of her subconscious. "How is Rage?"

"Nicely controlled, ever since Trigon's downfall," came the reply. "Raven, I know why you are here. I am you, remember? There's no point in beating around the bush."

Raven sighed as Wisdom adjusted her glasses. "She always did know what was on my mind," Raven thought silently.

"Thanks," Wisdom replied.

"Oh right," Raven rolled her eyes. "Almost forgot I don't have any silent thoughts in here."

"So about this Beast Boy situation," she started before a blur of pink appeared before her eyes.

"Oh Em Gee!" it cried. "I can't believe it! Rae-Rae, this is like totes awesome!"

"Oh boy."

"Soooo… what happens now?" Happiness piped up. "I thought we weren't gonna have a boyfriend forever! First Raphy takes us back home and now Beastie is falling in love with us? Could this get any better?"

"Yeah, Rae! The woman of the hour!" Brave suddenly appeared out of nowhere. Slapping Raven on the back, the former exclaimed, "Dang, bro. GG!"

"Would you guys shut up?" the sorceress shouted, silencing her emoticlones. "You all know why I'm here. Where is she?"

Brave rolled her eyes. "Fine. Yo, Juliet! She wants you!"

In a flash, the scenery suddenly shifted in a wave of light and the Ravens were suddenly brought into a realm of grassy plains and daisies with a bright blue sky. There she spotted a figure in a purple cloak twirling a daisy in her fingers. She approached her almost warily.

"Did you know, Raven?" the figure asked with a peaceful sigh. "All flowers have a meaning. The rose is passion. The tulip is forgiveness. And the daisy—" she chuckled to herself, "—the daisy means hidden love."

"Don't make me puke all over your hidden love," Raven snapped. "What do you want, Love?"

"How ironic," she replied blissfully. "You come to me, call for me, come into my realm, and yet here you are asking me what I want. Sounds a little weird, doesn't it, Raven?"

"You know what I mean," came the stern reply.

"And you know what I mean."

Raven sighed. "I want you out. Don't make me sick with your delusional thoughts."

"Maybe I am a delusional thought," Love pondered. She looked up directly at Raven's eyes and said simply, "But just remember: I'm your delusional thought." And with this she disappeared right before the sorceress's eyes in a flash of light and daisies.

…

Two weeks later, the night of the Christmas party came and Cyborg was leaning on the T-Car, yelling at Beast Boy to hurry up. Robin and Starfire were already inside waiting impatiently for the green boy, who came out soon enough dressed in a tuxedo.

"Come on, String Bean. Just because you don't have a date doesn't mean you're allowed to be late," he said as he gently shoved the changeling into the car. He stepped inside and revved the car to life before speeding off into the direction of the Crowe residence.

Raven watched the four as they went from one of the windows of the Titans Tower. She sighed as she thought of Beast Boy. Ever since the incident two weeks ago, she had thought about him all the time, no matter how hard she tried not to. And every night she couldn't help but retreat into the depths of her mind and talk more to Love.
"How long were you gone since Raphael?" she had asked Love once. "A while," came the reply. "Ever since Malchior."

Raven wondered whether this love was for Malchior… or from a certain green skinned boy. She waved him goodbye as the T-Car disappeared from sight. She began thinking about Beast Boy and the times she had shared with him.

All the times she nagged him or teased him. All the times she humiliated and made fun of him. Those rare moments when they actually got along and had nice conversations with each other. The even rarer moments when they sat next to each other and simply did not talk—such as when they were eating breakfast—but, because they were so close, it did not feel awkward to not speak. The time she first hugged him after the defeat of Malchior. The time he gave her his lucky penny before the rebirth of her father. She remembered the clinking of the coin as she dropped it onto the hard rock just before she became Trigon's portal. She remembered their trip together at Andern Falls, the rides they went to and the games they played. She remembered the stuffed unicorn toy he won for her.

"All those times," she wondered to herself. "I was always so mean to you. But yet… you were always so nice to me. So patient with me… I wonder how you did it, Beast Boy." She gazed up at the starry night. "How is it that every time I push you away, you always come back to me?"

She imagined Beast Boy's face in her mind and subconsciously placed her fingers over her lips. "One day, eventually I'll push you too far and you won't come back. You'll disappear. And I would be so guilty… I don't want that to ever happen. I want to stay with you, always. There are things that are thought of as fantasies merely because they're far away. Stars and suns are like that. It's the same with beautiful people; one day, they too will disappear." She imagined his face and his warm smile. "I think—I think I realize now what a beautiful person you really are, Beast Boy. You truly are a beautiful human. But just like other beautiful things, you'll disappear one day, too. But—But I can't let that happen. I won't let you disappear. I won't push you away anymore." She stared up at the moon-filled say and declared, "I won't push you, Beast Boy."

"Why don't you go, then?" a voice called. Raven abruptly spun around to see Raphael standing behind her. He smiled warmly at her.

"Raphael?" she said. "What are you doing here?"

He shrugged. "The potions are done. I did what Captain Etzel told me to do. They should be ready in any emergency." He dropped his head and scratched his hair boyishly. "I—I was going to ask you if you wanted to go to the party with me, Raven. I—uh… I was going to say that maybe we could try our relationship over again."

"Wh—what?"

"Y—yeah… but I guess not. It's fine. I see that you have Beast Boy now."

"What? No Raphael, I wasn't—did you hear all that?" He nodded. "No—you're misunderstanding!" Raven protested. "I don't have feelings for him. I was just saying I'd appreciate him as a friend from now on! I'm not!—I mean it's not like that, it's—"

"It's obvious, Raven," Raphael reassured. "Even Starfire told me she had her suspicions."

Raven blushed. "Is—is it that obvious all along?"

He nodded. "I think you should go after him, Raven. No more waiting in the shadows."

"I—I can't. It's too late now," she said sadly. "I think I messed up. I told him some things I shouldn't have said. I think I hurt him too much."

"If he truly loves you, you know he'd forget about all that." Raphael stepped forward and took her hand.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"You can't go to the party like that!" he laughed. "A cloak and leotard? When everyone else is in tuxes and dresses? I don't know much about Earthly attire, but don't worry. Your Fairy Godfather is here. I'll make you the most beautiful woman in the world."

Closing his eyes, he whispered some enchantments and spells as Raven felt herself becoming brighter and brighter. Sparks flew as she became engulfed in light and she felt herself swelling with air. Her clothes peeled off and transformed into a new material, softer and silkier. She felt her hair stand on end and magically wrap themselves together.

Within seconds, the transformation was complete and Raven was clothed in a beautiful white gown with light blue accents. "Hurry and go to the party," Raphael urged. "I'll be going back to New Azarath, now."

Raven took a while to process everything that was going on but eventually nodded with a smile before constructing a portal to the Crowe home. Before entering the portal, however, she gave Raphael a light peck on the cheek. "I loved you," she confessed. "And I'm so sorry we couldn't be together now. But I think—I think I want to give me and Beast Boy a try. And I think we'll be good."

"Yeah!" Raphael nodded, hiding his disappointment. "I think so, too." In moments, Raven entered the portal and disappeared, leaving her former boyfriend alone in the tower. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a now wilted flower. "I guess we just weren't meant to be," he sighed before leaving.

…

Raven gazed longingly into the party within through the glass wall. She saw many people, most she did not know or only saw in passing. But they were of no importance to her; her eyes were locked on the green boy in the suit who was standing in the center of the room. She sighed, her breath making a small cloud in the cold air. "Beast Boy…" she whispered.

Letting out a deep breath, Raven walked towards the door and opened it, taking a step into the house, walking past several people and making her way to the boy in her dreams. "Where is he?" she kept thinking. "Where is he? How hard can it be to find a green boy in a party like this?" And then she saw him.

Beast Boy's eyes caught hers and they stared deeply into each other's eyes. Then all the confusion, all the crowd, all the loudness and sounds and feelings and emotions seemed to melt away as the world only contained Beast Boy and Raven. She stepped forward as she made her way towards the green boy as if pulled by a powerful force.

"Raven…" she heard him say. "You're here."

"Y—yeah," she replied, trying to make her voice sound as least monotonous as possible. "Sorry it took me a while…"

"You look beautiful," he smiled. "You really do—I mean… I guess I shouldn't be saying that anymore, should I?"

"Look, Beast Boy," she interrupted. "I know what I said before, but I only said what I said because I was confused. I don't really mean all that—not anymore."

"What?" he replied with lost eyes. "What are you saying?"

"What I'm saying is..." Raven said as she stared into his eyes, edging closer to him. "I'm saying that ever since all this—this body switching happened, I was confused. All I've been was confused. Confused about everything. And I still am. But now I see that—that it's okay to be confused. I'm okay with being confused—as long as I have you." Raven could feel her heart racing as Beast Boy's soft breath tickled her chin. "I want to be confused with you, together," she said. "Right now, that's the only thing in my world that makes sense—that whatever happens, you'll always be there for me. You always have. And you always will. Despite all this confusion, when I'm with you, it doesn't have to make sense. I'm here, and you're here. And that's all that matters."

His deep green eyes gazed into hers. "Wo—ow," he gasped. "You mean you… you…?" She nodded. "Was that—" he said. "Were those difficult words for you say?"

She shook her head. "Not at all. Not anymore."

A slow dance song began playing, to which the two Titans smiled. "May I have this dance?" Beast Boy asked brightly, extending his hand. Raven smiled and took it, placing her right hand on his shoulder and her left hand at his side. As the two began dancing with their bodies so close to each other they could feel each other breathe, Beast Boy whispered, "You look beautiful," once more.

"Thanks," she replied. "It was a gift from my Fairy Godfather."

"Oh? Well are you going to stay? Or will you have to disappear at midnight and go back to the Raven who always hits and makes fun of me?"

Raven shrugged as she stared into his eyes. "That's up to you."

"So are you…" he smirked, "my princess now or something?"

"Your fairy princess?" she chuckled. "Huh, that's something."

"Then what'll I be?"

"How about…" Raven pondered. "You be my guardian angel?"

And with this, she slowly closed her eyes and placed her lips on his, letting the world around her melt away as their kiss engulfed all her senses. She felt a strong warmth come from within her heart and she knew that all was good.

"Guardian angel sounds good to me," he smiled. "Raven?"

"Mhmm?"

"I love you."

She smiled. "I love you too, Gar."

~Difficult Words to Say~

Well, there you have it! Beast Boy and Raven are officially a couple now. A bit of a short chapter, but I hope you guys liked it. I promise I will update as soon as I can but please understand when I can't write chapters as fast :(

Don't forget to REVIEW, FAVORITE, and FOLLOW! There is still so much of the story left to be written so the more feedback the faster I'll write! :)

Kaarlinaa - I hope these moments were cute enough for you!

goldenrod51 - Thanks! I hope you like the rest of the story that's yet to come!

BartWLewis - Yup, Beast Boy's finally standing up to Raven. And now it seems that that was the only way Raven could truly appreciate all that Beast Boy had done for her.

koryandrs - Unobtainium is a universal name for an element that is either nonexistent or very hard to find. Many comics, movies, stories, etc. reference to Unobtainium, not just Avatar. And using Xenothium will probably mislead readers to think that Rift is somehow connected to Red X or that he will use the Xenothium for a weapon, which I have no intention of Rift doing. Raven and Beast Boy's switch back will not be the end of the story. Which means they maaaayyyyyy switch back... *hint hint* But I plan on this story being more about the affects of one's actions rather than the actual body-switch. Farms could be a part of Azarathean culture. Where else would magical herbs come from, I guess?

Bluedog197 - Nope, no mistletoe, sorry! Hope this one was just as good as you thought it would be!

IshylovesGeorgeShelley - Haha thanks for your review! I'll try to make the others as good.

CleoArrow - Wow! Thank you for your kind words! Really makes my day :) Oh and if you missed the author's note from the last chapter, I mentioned that Arella switiching Raven and Beast Boy was not to hook them up together. The reason is much much darker and more serious than that. So keep reading to find out!

Raven Logan - Thanks! And happy belated birthday! :)

Soul - I hope you enjoyed reading it. I'll get the next chapter out as soon as possible!