Part 3 - "I got shot and I killed people"
In the main room Beast Boy was watching T.V. and chilling out. He forgot about how Rage acted earlier and didn't seem to pay any atention to anything except the screen in front of him. Changing channels like crazy, trying to find something good, BB didn't even notice Raven walking into the room. She sat down on the couch next to him rubbing her shoulders. She felt a little weird about what happened before and didn't go to her room to meditate. Insted, for some strange and unexplained reason, she felt like she wanted to be near Beast Boy.
"Hey there Rae!" said Beast Boy greeting her friend.
Raven didn't return the greeting and didn't even look at the screen, she just kept on rubbing her shoulders lightly. Beast Boy turned to look at her.
"Hey Rae, how come ... Hey! What happened to your shoulder?" said BB noticing Raven.
"It's nothing" she replied talking a little faster than usual.
Beast Boy went next to her trying to be useful.
"Are you hurt?".
"No, I'm okay, I just bumped into Rage on the way here and we ... ".
"Did he do this? Did he hurt you?" replied Beast Boy standing up.
"No ... well actualy yes, but ...".
"That bastard!" interupted the green changeling punching his palm "I have a good mind to go slap him silly and show him how to behave".
BB tried to leave the room and find Rage but just as he turned around Raven took his hand.
"Don't, he didn't mean it" said Raven who was kind of surprised by BB's reaction " ... you see, it was kind of my fault. I told him I saw what he was dreaming, he got angry and took me by the shoulders. He did shake me a little but he let me go quickly".
Beast Boy was furious and wanted to find Rage and have 'a word' with him but seeing Raven he decided to do as she told him.
"Yeah but still! He should know better then to grab a girl like that". After saying this BB sat down next to Raven.
"Maybe he had a good reason to react like that" Raven replied "... who knows, it's probably something that's eating him from the inside and he wants to deal with it him self".
"Maybe. Anyway, if he ever grabs you again like that or harms you, you tell me about it, alright?" said Beast Boy squeezing Raven's hand afectionatly.
Raven felt a little akward and let go of BB's hand.
"I'm tough enough to fend for my self you know, but thanks" she replied smileing back at her friend who realy did seem to care for her in a special way.
As Raven and Beast Boy exchanged looks, the slideing door opened and Robin and Starfire entered the room. It was about 1 P.M. . Robin had his hand around Starfires small waist, holding her gently, as they gazed at each other smileing. Beast Boy and Raven turned their atention to them and were surprised to see them this way.
"Oooh, looks like we have a couple up in here" said BB grining as he was actualy kind of happy to see the two togheter. He long thought that Robin and Starfire would make a good couple.
"Hey there guys" said Robin " ... well yes, me and Starfire finaly admited that we like each other so we came to be close".
"And it is much glorious" replied Starfire "Robin is so interesting and kind and also a good picker of flowers" she said revealing a white rose that was placed above her ear.
"Good for you guys, it's better to admit loving another than keeping it to your selfs" said Raven warmly congratulating her friends.
Starfire blushed seeing that her friends accepted their decision and turned to Robin and kissed him on the lips. She then went to the fridge and got a soda. Robin watched her in all her alien beauty but turned to Raven and Beast Boy.
"So, how did things go around here? Anything new?".
Raven and Beast Boy both remebered about the incident involving Rage but didn't know if it was okay to talk about it.
"Well, actualy, there was something" replied BB a little hesitant.
"What? You finaly beat Cyborg two times in a row at video games?" asked Robin jokeing.
"No, it's Rage" said BB "There's something strange about that dude".
"Did he come out his room yet?" asked Robin curiously.
"Yeah, but hear me out. I went to his room to ask him if he wanted to play some video games and noticed he was smoking and told him that it was bad for him and he just said 'we all have to die some day'. I think he isn't right in the head if you know what I mean" said Beast Boy orbiting his finger around his ear, meaning that he belived Rage was crazy.
"Does this mean that friend Rage has his brain backwards into his cranium?" asked Starfire confused.
"Something like that" replied BB "... So anyway, me and Rage played some video games to pass the time. I beat him several times and started to tease him. We goofed around a little and all of the sudden he get's angry, he grabes me and tosses me over the couch".
"That's strange" replied Robin "Anything else?".
"Yes" said Raven "The same thing happened to me, only he looked really mad, but it was probably my mistake beacuse I told him about reading his dream".
Robin and Starfire looked rather concerned.
"Is he in his room now?" asked Robin.
"No, he's in the training room" replied BB "He probably wants to let some steam out".
"I'll go talk to him" said Robin as he headed towards the door.
"Would you like me to asist you Robin?" asked Starfire.
"Neah, just relax and chill with BB and Raven".
Rage was trainig for about an hour now. He did sit-up's, push-up's, lifted weights etc, and was now exercising on the punching bag. Robin entered the room and saw Rage hiting the punching bag with no gloves on his fists. Rage found a radio and tuned in to a heavy metal station. The volume was turned up to the max. and the music apeared to make Rage hit the bag even more violently. Robin watched Rage train for a moment. He didn't have his shirt on and the sweat was runing down his back like crazy. This reminded Robin of him self and remembered how he would also act like this when he is under a lot of stres. He also noticed that he had three circular scars on his back. Robin turned the volume down so he could greet his new friend seeing how he didn't get to speak to him in two days. Rage turned around surprised to hear the volume go down and noticed Robin.
"Oh, hello Robin, I didn't notice you coming in" said Rage who continued to hit the punching bag.
"Yeah, the music was on to loud" he replied "Hey, do you think you could stop so we can talk" asked Robin politely.
"I have to keep on hiting this bag for another five minutes, but go ahead, I'm listening, I can do two things at once like Napoleon" Rage replied jokeing.
"Yes, well I wanted to ask you about what happened earlier with Beast Boy and Raven. Why did you act like that?".
Rage stoped hiting the bag and turned around to face Robin. The sweat made him look even more muscular than he was, and made the scar on his face look even deeper.
"I guess I should explain why I did what I did" he sounded with a note of regret in his voice "But I can't tell you. It's not that I don't want to tell you, it's just that I can't".
Robin looked at Rage suspiciously. "Look, I'm greatful that you saved Starfire's life and mine as well back there, and I'm sure that you would have done the same if there was any other person in our situation, but I need to know more about you so that I and the others can understand you and help you ... if you need help that is".
"Robin, I understand you are concerned about me but I have a personal problem and I have to face it and deal with it my self" replied Rage who turned around to the punching bag.
"I see, but don't you think that if we helped you then maybe you could get over this problem faster?".
"This problem concerns me and only me. Belive me, I can deal with it. I don't want to distract you from your work".
Robin listened to Rage and remembered about how he acted with his friends and the response he gave him. He felt something wasn't right.
"Rage, are you hideing something from us?" he asked suspiciously "Couse if you are, you should know that it's better we knew about your problem so we don't mess things up".
Rage turned around angry and went next to Robin and showed him the scars on his chest.
"See these" Rage shouted pointing at the scars "These are gun shot wounds. I was a soldier. I got shot and I killed people, I have a lot of things on my consciense and I have a lot of personal problems involving my past that I wish not to speak about".
Robin felt a little embareced and took a step back. "I'm sorry, I didn't know that. But how could you have been a soldier? You don't look older than 18".
"It's an extremly long story and belive me, I really don't want to talk about it" said Rage walking out of the training room.
"Where are you going?" asked Robin afraid that he probably made Rage want to leave.
"I'm going to the roof" replied Rage calmly "Is that place off grounds or something? I really need some fresh air".
"No" said Robin "It's okay, you can go".
"Thanks" replied Rage heading towards the roof top.
"Rage" said Robin from behind "I'm sorry for upseting you, I didn't know".
"No Robin, you do not have anything to apologise for, you just tryed to help me. I am the one that needs to apologise. I'm sorry I yelled and I hope you'll forgive me".
Rage left climbing the stairs up to the roof. Robin went towards the comon room puzzled by Rage's replies.
What was so important that he was hideing? Could it be something critical? Could it endanger the titans? He didn't know any thing for sure but was more than anxious to find out.