Part 5 - 'Studs'

Time: 11:00 P.M.

Location: Titans Tower - Main Room

After picking up the rims and various other accessories for the T-Car, Cyborg was in the kitchen making himself the most humongous sandwich he's ever eaten. Robin and Starfire were sitting on the couch in the common room sweet talking each other and making out while watching a romantic movie.

Of course Cyborg wasn't in the mood for such a movie seeing how he was more of an action-flick fan, but he decided to hang around as he didn't have anything better to do.

At about 11:10 P.M. the movie Starfire and Robin were watching ended and the fresh couple just sat around talking. Cyborg joined them and the atmosphere got really hilarious as Cyborg was in the mood for jokes.

11:30 ... after laughing like crazy at Cyborg's jokes, the three titans heard someone coming in. They turned their attention to the sliding door to see who it was and to their astonishment, they saw Beast Boy and Raven walking inside holding hands. Needles to say they were all rather perplexed. They never thought that Beast Boy or Raven would have something for one another and this caught them by surprise. They knew they argued a lot and didn't get along so much, but never would have they imagined that the two would become so close.

"Oooh ... looks like we have a couple up in here" said Robin repeating what Beast Boy said just two days before when he saw him and Starfire holding hands.

BB and Raven remained in the same position they were in and kissed without saying anything to the others so that there wouldn't be any doubt about their commitment. The others just watched and couldn't believe it.

"Robin" said Cyborg with his eyes and mouth wide open

"Yeah?"

"Tell me I'm not drunk and that what I'm seeing is real"

"What you are observing is quite real Cyborg" replied Starfire. She didn't think of this as something curious or strange, instead she was happy for the new couple and flew up next to them.

"Is it true, you have a love commitment that you have both agreed upon?"

Raven turned red and closed her eyes as she spoke. "Yes Star, we love each other" she replied as she hanged on to BB.

At that moment Starfire just shreeked with happiness and jumped up.

"Eeeeek ... This is most glorious Raven. Come, you must tell me everything about what happened" said Starfire yanking her best friend out of the room and into hers so that they could talk.

Beast Boy didn't seem to be bothered and just went to the fridge, got a soda and jumped on the couch between Cyborg and Robin. He was playing it cool but knew that his friends will ask him what went on.

"So ... you, Raven, kissing ... what's the deal? Who lost a bet to who?" asked Cyborg thinking that this must be some kind of a joke.

"No bets compadre, me and Rachel really like each other, just like Robin loves Starfire and the other way around. And to be honest I don't care about what you think. As long as me and Raven are happy that's all that matters." replied BB who thought that his friends will make fun of him.

"But how come we never noticed anything going on between you and her? Since when are you guys going steady?"asked Robin.

"Me and Raven liked each other for a long time but didn't want to admit it. Today after you guys left, Rage, me and Rachel went to her café where I got to know her better and understand her"

"And how is it that only today we see you two love birds holding hands?" asked Cyborg.

"Let's just say that the timing and the place were just right for what I had in mind. Today I told her how I felt and she just melted. Wow ... what a girl!" replied BB who played the confident one and laid back placing his feet on the table in front of the couch.

At that moment the door slide open and Rage came in panting for air. "Man this city is big, next time I'm taking a cab" he said as he took a glass and poured some water.

Beast Boy noticed him entering and forgot about what he was talking about. He went next to him in a hurry.

"Dude, what the heck went on back there?"

Rage drank the water he had and sighed for a moment. "Some bastards tried to harm this girl named Jesse, so I stopped them" replied Rage taking out a small photo of the girl he rescued and showing it to BB.

"What are you talking about?" asked Robin and Cyborg.

"Like you heard, four guys were trying to rape this girl and I stopped them. Then I took her home and she gave me this picture of her".

The boys looked at the picture BB was holding. It was the picture of a young girl sitting in the shade of a tree and smiling. In their opinion the girl was really beautiful and they were sure that Rage had a girl friend now.

"Hey look!" exclaimed BB " On the back there's a phone number and a message"

"What does it say?" asked Cyborg

"For my 'Knight in shining armor, call me when you can and we'll go out for a drink sometime" said BB reading out loud the message on the back of the photo.

"Ha ha ... Rage you stud!" said Robin slightly punching Rage in the arm "... look's like you have some charm of your own after all"

Rage took of his mask and the sweat was trickling down his neck. He whipped his forehead and stood up right. "Maybe or maybe not, but that doesn't matter. I found the photo as I was heading towards the tower. She must have slipped it in my pocket when I wasn't looking".

"And why do you say that it doesn't matter?" asked BB waving the picture in his face.

"It doesn't matter because I'm not going to call her".

The others were surprised by Rage's answer. If they were in Rage's place and didn't have a girlfriend, they surely wouldn't have passed out an opportunity like this.

"Really? Why is that?" said BB

"Because I just don't want to"

Beast Boy squinted his eyes and looked at Rage raising an eye brow. "Dude, the girl is mighty fine, she's really pretty and seems to like you a lot, mister 'Knight in shining armor' " said BB "I have only one question, do you like girls or are you more into -"

The changeling was interrupted by a shocked and angry Rage.

"BEAST BOY WHAT THE HELL!?!" he shouted "I'm Christian, I'm not gay. I hate those degenerates, don't ever say that again man. Jesus Christ!"

Beast Boy took a step back being embarrassed that he assumed Rage 'didn't like girls'.

"Okay, okay man ... I'm sorry for thinking that, but it still doesn't explain why you would pass off such a hot chick like Jesse".

Rage took out a cigarette from his pack and lightened it up blowing the smoke out up-wards. From what Starfire told the team this would have probably meant that he was trying to relax, so they assumed that he didn't take BB's gay-joke so well.

"I don't want to turn her down" Rage started "I mean what the heck, just look at her, she's beautiful, but my professional training has taught me that mixing romance with business isn't something good"

"Business? What does he mean by business?" said Robin to him self.

"And besides ... " Rage continued as he was holding his cigarette and starring at the ceiling like he was day dreaming again " I'm to occupied with the mission to have a relationship and tha ... - "

Rage suddenly stopped speaking and his expression changed from what seemed to be day dreaming to an expression of panic. He almost dropped his cigarette and seemed to clinch his teeth a little as he now looked at his team mates with a nervous look in his eyes.

"What did you say?" asked Robin rushing Rage.

"What mission? What do you mean by mission" also asked Cyborg.

"Errr, forget I said that" said Rage as he turned around trying to leave.

Robin grabbed Rage trying to stop him from leaving the room. He needed some answers.

"Wait a minute Rage! We clearly heard the word mission. What did you mean by that? What are you hiding?"

Cyborg and BB stood back knowing how Rage reacted before. Instead, Robin was holding his wrist tight not letting him go but contrary to what everyone thought Rage just pulled back and went out the door running.

"Rage get back here! We have to talk!" yelled Robin.

Rage opened the sliding door and prepared to leave.

"I'm just tired and I remembered something from the front lines. What I said means nothing, good night" he said as he left.

The boys went to check if Rage was okay and met Raven and Starfire on the hallway. They came out of Starfire's room in a hurry.

"What's going on?" asked Raven "We heard Robin yelling and Rage running down the hall. What's going on?".

"Shhh , be quiet" Robin whispered "I'm sure that Rage is hiding something from us and we have to find out what that is. Follow me".

The titans passed the hallway all the way to the room Rage sat in. They heard something was going on behind the door and listened carefully. It sounded like Rage was kicking and punching walls and talking to himself but they didn't understand a word he was saying.

"Does anyone understand what he's saying?" asked BB whispering.

"I do" answered Starfire "I have the ability to absorb any language merely by touching an individual. Let me listen".

Starfire listened carefully and placed her ear next to the door. When everything went quiet they went to Cyborg's room.

"Okay Star what did you hear?" asked Cyborg guarding the entrance to his room.

"He said: "Damn it! Damn it! Anton you idiot, they must not know about the mission, they must not know about Wilson. You stupid idiot, you're putting their life's in danger. This is all because of that bastard Wilson. I have to find him and fast or else the others will start suspecting me ".

The others were astonished and Robins mouth was wide open.

"Anything else?" Robin asked.

"No Robin, that is all that I have heard" answered Starfire while looking at the ground

"Wilson? Where have I heard that name before? And what is Rage's connection to this guy?" said Robin to himself being sure that the others asked them selves the same question.